Labor chief addresses Democrats at boycotted hotel
The president of Americaâs largest union addressed House Democrats on Wednesday on ways to grow the middle-class economy, but the location of his speech could cause a stir among local unions. Richard Trumka, the president of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, gave a keynote address Wednesday evening to the Democratic lawmakers in the Society Hill Ballroom of the Sheraton hotel here â a hotel included on at least two local union boycott lists. Story Continued Below The speech was part of the Democratsâ âlocal and national perspectives on growing the economy and American paychecksâ session of the annual three-day retreat. Trumkaâs remarks were closed to the press and public, and the AFL-CIO did not respond to a request for comment. California Rep. Xavier Becerra, chairman of the Democratic Caucus, said during a brief interview Wednesday that the conference consulted with local unions before booking the hotel. âWe went through the whole process with all the different labor folks in Philadelphia. We always make sure that when we come to a hotel that weâre not only welcome, but weâre also welcoming the folks that work [there],â he said. The Sheraton Society Hill has been boycotted by the Metropolitan Regional Council of Carpenters. Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter and Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf also addressed the House lawmakers.