UNION REGULATIONS    

This information is taken from the Efficiency Memorandum of Responsibility, which serves as the overall agreement between the venue and the event unions.  
 
Show Management and all contractors, including subcontractors, shall be required to accept the agreements in this memorandum. Information herein is subject to change. It is the responsibility of Show Management to communicate this information to theirExhibitors and be sure these rules are followed by the Exhibitors. Unless otherwise stated, all exhibit and display work in the venue is performed by union personnel with local jurisdiction.    
 
All subcontractors and their employees must maintain safe operating practices and follow all OSHA guidelines to ensure a safe workplace. All subcontractor employees must use the designated employee entrance/exits and must have proper identification for access to authorized areas.  
 
Please see the below descriptions of the union jurisdictions:  
 
Carpenters 
Carpenters shall handle carpentry and the unpacking, erection and dismantling of exhibit booths consisting of the layout of fabrication, assembling and erection of all displays made of wood, metal, plastics, composite board, or any other substitute material; the covering of the same with any type of material; the installation of pipe and drapery; the hanging of informational signage; the framing, erecting and prefabrication of all roofs, partitions, floors and ceiling applications.  
 
Electricians 
Electricians shall handle electrical work, which includes supplying power to a booth, making connections when “hard” wiring and/or electrical harnesses are required and installing “static lighting” that is not built-in, integral part of the exhibit booth. 
 
Stagehands 
Stagehands shall do stage and lighting setup for, but not limited to, press events, shows and theatrical style events. This shall include theatrical rigging, cued lighting, theatrical lighting, video lighting, projection, audio, electronic show equipment (audio, cameras, switches etc.), props and scenery.  For Stagehand Labor Rates click here.
  
Teamsters/Iron Working/Riggers 
Teamsters/Iron Working/Riggers shall perform material handling of freight, machinery installation, assembly and dismantling of steel for multi-level displays and deliver/set-up of contractor rental furniture. 

 

EXHIBITOR RIGHTS 

This document outlines the tasks that exhibitors are allowed to perform independently and the tasks that require qualified union labor. Adhering to the guidelines ensures compliance with the venue regulations and union jurisdictions.  
 
Exhibitor Responsibilities and Permitted Tasks 
 
Exhibitors with booths 400 square feet or less are permitted to perform the following tasks using their full-time employees: 
 
Tools and Equipment: 
  • Exhibitors may use cordless hand tools, step stools (limited to three steps or less) and non-motorized material handling equipment and dollies.
Exhibit Booth Setup and Decoration: 
  • Exhibitors may assemble and decorate within their booths. 
Transport Materials to and from Their Booths: 
  • Transport items (hand carry or by using luggage carts or rolling in pop-up booth crates with built-in wheels) to and from their booths via the public entrances of the exhibit hall. (No carts, dollies or material handling equipment will be supplied by the venue or show services contractor. 
Electrical Work: 
  • Plug in their own 120-volt, 20A-circuits (once the service has been brought to the booth by the electrical contractor and apart from any concealed wiring), install up to twenty (20) UL approved clip-on lights and light bulbs and use their own UL-approved extension cords, power strips and surge suppressors. 
Technology Setup: 
  • Set up, connect and operate any computer system, audio-visual equipment and other appliances or components. Unpack, assemble, dismantle and pack product and/or equipment. 
Machinery Assembly: 
  • Assemble machinery, including unpacking, dismantling and re-packing; and calibrate and fine balance their own machinery, components and equipment. 
Transport Specialized Vehicles: 
  • Transport of their own specialized vehicles (i.e., cement trucks, tractors, and other similar type vehicles) that are part of the display to-and-from the booth, limited to one vehicle per 400 square feet of booth. (Due to liability issues, some contractors may require spotters.) 
Position Vehicles and Install Banners, Signs, or Graphics: 
  • Align, move and position vehicles in the booth after spotting. Hang banners, signs, or graphics in the booth. 
Cleaning within Booths: 
  • Clean within their booths using spray cleaners, vacuum cleaners, or cloth padded type mop heads without water. 
 
Tasks Reserved for Union Labor 
Ladders, power tools and mechanical lifting devices or motorized material handling equipment can only be used by qualified members of the union having proper jurisdiction. 
 

SHOW MANAGEMENT RIGHTS 

Work rules are in place to make it easier for users of the venue to perform many of their own tasks to produce a successful show. These rules assist shows and Exhibitors by allowing them to do more of their own work and allowing contractors greater flexibility in managing the project, ultimately reducing costs.  
 
The work mentioned below may be performed using any cordless hand tools, step stools limited to three (3) steps or less and non-motorized material handling equipment and dollies.  
 
Ladders, power tools and mechanical lighting devices or motorized material handling equipment can only be used by the qualified members of the union having proper jurisdiction. Also, any hired labor must be the qualified member of the union having properlocal jurisdiction.   
 
Show Management may: 
  • Connect computer equipment (does not include computer shows when computers are the product). 
  • Have the employees of their registration company install the computer equipment for the registration system. 
  • Have their service providers such as small bands or DJs, floral providers, copier/safe/computer providers (does not include computer shows when computers are the product), transport their materials, assemble and place their goods and materials. 
  • Unload and load trucks up to 24- feet in length using their own employees or volunteers (without motorized material handling equipment).  
  • Utilize their own employees or volunteers to distribute signs, products, literature, easels, or other equipment throughout the building from a centralized marshaling area from which the material has been offloaded by the appropriate trade. 
  • Using their own full-time employees or volunteers, connect (USB type cables) and operate Show Management owned AV equipment in the meeting rooms up to 3,000 sq. ft. (This does not apply to rooms larger than 3,000 sq. ft. where Stagehand labor will be necessary).  
  • Have their audio-visual contractor’s full-time employees or touring personnel operate key audio-visual equipment with additional personnel as required per IATSE contract. (Does not apply to installation and dismantle).  
  • Have the venue provide tables and have its caterer cover/skirt tables for tabletop exhibits in meeting rooms and ballrooms. 
 
Monday through Friday, the first eight (8) hours of labor is straight time between 6:00 am and 10:00 pm.  
 
For Teamsters, the above applies between the hours of 6:00 am to 6:00 pm except on the day the show breaks (Monday through Friday), the first eight (8) hours of labor is straight time until 10:00 pm.  
 
GENERAL CONTRACTOR MAY: 
  • Plan, direct and control the operation of all work assignments.  
  • Hire, promote, and lay off workers as deemed appropriate to satisfy the work requirements of the individual work assignments (for electricians, their referral procedure must be used subject to the exception contained in next paragraph). 
  • Select all General Foremen and workers by name: 
  • As it applies to electricians, to select all General Foremen and workers with specialized skills or abilities by name.  
  • As it applies to Teamsters, to select all General Foremen and works by name first depleting A-list employees (“regulars”) before utilizing B-list employees (“casuals”).  
  • Select the number of General Foremen and Foremen needed to supervise work.  
  • There will be no non-working Stewards for the following trades employing 15 or fewer workers: Electricians, Carpenters and Stagehands. There will be no non-working Stewards for Teamsters when ten or fewer workers are employed.  
  • Efficiently use manpower (other than what may be required by safety regulations) on the number of workers assigned to any crew or project. Except as otherwise provided below, the name, the quantity and qualifications or workers needed by each contractor for each project is left to the sole discretion of the General Contractor. For Teamsters/Iron Working/Riggers, the size of crews shall be flexible as situations require. 
  • Utilize any work methods, procedures or techniques and select and use any types of materials, apparatus, or equipment regardless of the source of the manufacturer, provided they meet the applicable safety requirements.  
  • Assign and schedule work at their sole discretion and determine when overtime will be worked and by whom.  
  • Reject any applicant referred to by the union with cause (this provision shall not apply to electricians).  
  • Discharge, suspend or discipline workers for just cause.  
  • Have the option to set workdays, hours, and stagger shifts consistent with the show’s requirements and schedule.  
 
The workday, consisting of eight (8) hours of work per day (exclusive of an unpaid half-hour lunch period), commences on or after 6:00 am and concludes at or before 10:00 pm as determined by the General Contractor. 
For Teamsters, the above applies between the hours of 6:00 am to 6:00 pm except on the day the show breaks (Monday through Friday), the first eight (8) hours of labor is straight time until 10:00 pm.