A day after President Obama held an “urgent” meeting with AFL-CIO bosses in the White House, the Democrat National Committee is hosting a huge birthday bash for Obama’s 50th birthday tonight in Chicago. The only problem is, DNC organizers apparently chose not to use union labor for the event.
While no one was in at Chicago’s IATSE local to confirm or deny whether IATSE members were ignored, an IBEW business representative seemed surprised when contacted over the telephone earlier.
IBEW Business Representative Jim Kelly stated that his IBEW local (which does camera work) was not contacted for the work. He also stated that the venue where the Obama Birthday Bash is taking place is a non union venue. A call into of UNITE-HERE’s Local 1 confirmed that the Aragon Ballroom is, in fact, a non-union location.
According to the Chicago Sun-Times, tickets will range from “$50 a person to $35,800 per couple, which includes VIP seating at a “Birthday Concert” where celebs will be performing and a dinner with the president.”
Of course, given that the work is all going to what unions typically would refer to as non-union rats*, perhaps one of the courses will some humble pie.
* It is unknown whether any of the Chicago unions will have their inflatable rats outside greeting the President this evening.
HT: Jim Hoft @ BigGovernment.
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“I bring reason to your ears, and, in language as plain as ABC, hold up truth to your eyes.” Thomas Paine, December 23, 1776
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