Helen Gym’s campaign resolves dispute with union over Bernie Sanders rally
But news of the detente did not come before other unions that are backing Gym’s rivals decided to pile on.
Helen Gym’s campaign on Saturday reached a resolution with the union that represents Philadelphia stagehands after the union publicly blasted the mayoral candidate for planning a rally Sunday with former presidential candidate Bernie Sanders at a venue that is not unionized.
Michael Barnes, president of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees Local 8 — which endorsed Gym’s opponent Jeff Brown for mayor — said in a statement that he spoke with Gym and that she offered to assist the union in resolving its dispute with the venue, the Franklin Music Hall in the city’s Callowhill section.
Details were not disclosed.
Barnes said neither his union nor the Building Trades and Construction Council, its umbrella union, would stage any sort of protest activity at the rally. A picket would have been problematic for Gym, Sanders, and U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D., N.Y.), all progressives who have built their political identities around workers’ rights.
“We reiterate that our public request to move her rally to a unionized performance venue was genuine and absolutely not a political stunt,” Barnes said. “We appreciated Ms. Gym’s outreach and candor.”
But news of the detente did not come before other unions backing Gym’s rivals piled on.
On Saturday morning, the regional carpenters’ union and the Service Employees International Union 32BJ released a joint statement “condemning” Gym for not moving the rally to a venue that has a unionized workforce. Both unions are backing Cherelle Parker for mayor.
SEIU 32BJ’s involvement was notable because it often backs candidates from the left wing of the Democratic Party who are politically aligned with Gym and Sanders.
A spokesperson for the carpenters said Saturday morning that the union was considering picketing. But the plans were scuttled once Barnes said IATSE was satisfied.
Frank Mahoney, a spokesperson for the regional carpenters union, said in a statement that “a resolution is what the carpenters union was calling for,” adding: “Our collective voice made positive change for working people.”
On Friday, Gym’s campaign manager Brendan McPhillips said in a statement that the situation was an “attempt to distract from the fact that Philadelphians are rallying around the only progressive candidate in the race for mayor.” He said her “record on labor is clear.”
Gym is endorsed by the teachers union, a municipal workers union, and the union that represents hotel workers.
Her campaign declined to comment further Saturday.
A poll conducted last week showed Gym, Parker, and Rebecca Rhynhart topping the field of contenders in a tight race for the Democratic nomination. The nominee will be heavily favored to win the November general election, given Philadelphia’s heavily Democratic electorate.
Staff writer Sean Collins Walsh contributed to this article.