Could Labor Problems Prevent DNC From Coming to Philly?

Party officials nervous about "fat cat" protests at convention.

The Inquirer’s Thomas Fitzgerald says one thing that could harm Philly’s frontrunner status to host the Democratic National Convention in 2016: ongoing protests by the Carpenters union, still angry at being left out of a labor agreement at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.

This union-friendly city is one of five finalists to host the event, and organizers want assurances there will be no labor conflicts during the convention to avoid any disruptions or embarrassing images for the Democratic Party, historically tied to organized labor.

“That’s one of their concerns,” said Patrick Eiding, who heads the Philadelphia AFL-CIO and who attended a breakfast Thursday with the visiting site selection committee. “They want to make sure there’ll be labor peace.”

The Carpenters, meanwhile, hope the dispute is resolved well before the 2016 convention — and say they want the DNC to come to Philly.