A glimpse beyond the name-calling at Exhibition Place can be had in remarks from Councillor Mark Grimes (Ward 6). He is chair of Exhibition Place where this year the CNE is labouring under a strike by members of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE). The issue is so-called “contracting out” by the City-owned exhibition. Grimes told CP24 that the union, which was formed in 1893, needs to recognize that there have been changes in Exhibition’s Place business. “We are in a different place now. The IATSE union came to be in the 1930s and 1940s when the grandstand was there, Bob Hope would come, the Beach Boys would come, but our business has changed. We are into fairs, meetings, events and the collective agreement does not reflect that,” he said. Reporting is vague enough that it is unclear just who wants concessions from whom, but it seems certain that Exhibition Place is fighting for business from event organizers who want to hire their own staff for reasons of specialized skills, convenience or cost.
