In February, when the Democratic National Committee chose Charlotte, North Carolina as the host city for its September 2012 convention, it left the door wide open for the Charlotte-area’s union-free workforce to be discriminated against in favor union workers. Although Charlotte’s Democrat Mayor, Anthony Foxx (who is facing GOP challenger Scott Stone in Tuesday’s election), has denied the allegation, it appears Foxx has been misleading Charlotte residents on both his (alleged) job creation record as well as the outsourcing of DNC convention jobs to union labor.


On Friday, RedState’s Ben Howe broke the story of the Democratic National Committee discriminating against a Charlotte-area business for the 2012 convention because its workers were not unionized.

When John told him he was not, the Committee member told him, “We were just told that we cannot accept bids unless they are from companies that are unionized.”

Politico also had another Charlotte business owner who was told the DNC was looking to use union labor for its Convention:

He was told the Convention was looking to use local contractors to run the project, but union labor to staff it — and then, he said, he was told he would have to sign an agreement stating he would use union labor for the project.

“We asked the question, how do you want to use local when no one local is unionized?” Webb told POLITICO.



Although the DNC tried to downplay its discrimination against non-union businesses by stating that any firm could bid, it implicitly acknowledge it may discriminate in the awarding of its contracts.

“The notion that the Host Committee will only allow unionized firms to bid is categorically untrue,” said Committee for Charlotte 2012 Executive Director Dan Murrey in an emailed statement. “The Committee for Charlotte 2012 encourages all firms to submit proposals for goods and services. The Committee works to have an inclusive procurement process in which all firms are welcome to bid.”

“We put a priority on goods made in America and businesses that are based in the Carolinas, party to a collective bargaining agreement, and are minority, women, disability or veteran owned,” he said. [Emphasis added.]

Shortly after denying that it was discriminating against non-union companies, the DNC chose Washington, DC-area vendor, Hargrove, Inc. (a company with a history of using union labor for its convention, trade shows and expo work) for the DNC Convention–once again discriminating against Charlotte’s union-free workforce. However, it gets worse.

Late last week, we received a tip that the DNC was forcing the downtown-Charlotte hotels to displace their own existing workers and bringing in union labor to work during the DNC Convention. While the Hyatt Place denied the rumor, numerous calls were placed to general managers at other area hotels but were not returned.

However, at the Ritz Carlton, Charlotte, where President Obama is reportedly staying during the convention, employees did confirm that they had been told they would be laid off during the convention.

Here is one of the conversations that took place over the weekend with a Ritz-Carlton employee:


Note: The individual employee’s voice was slightly altered to avoid retaliation from the Ritz Carlton management or the Democratic National Committee.

As the DNC and Mayor Foxx continue trying to dodge the issue of outsourcing Charlotte’s work to their union cronies, it is likely that more stories of Charlotte employees getting the shaft will emerge in the days, weeks and months ahead.

________________

“I bring reason to your ears, and, in language as plain as ABC, hold up truth to your eyes.” Thomas Paine, December 23, 1776

Cross-posted on LaborUnionReport.com and RedState.com