Convention parties face likely boycott
At least four state Democratic party chairmen urged their delegations this week to boycott Boston's welcoming receptions on the eve of the Democratic National Convention rather than cross union picket lines, raising the possibility that some parties will be canceled.
Democratic party chairmen from California, Ohio, Tennessee, and Maine have written letters or phoned delegates asking them to stay away from the parties to be hosted by Mayor Thomas M. Menino in neighborhoods throughout the city. Some are also asking delegates to boycott Menino's speech on the convention floor Monday night. The moves would amount to a major embarrassment for Menino.
''No staff member of the Ohio Democratic Party, including myself, will cross any picket line during the Democratic National Convention in Boston or attend the Sunday Host Committee Reception sponsored by Mayor Menino and Boston 2004 Inc.," Ohio party chairman Dennis L. White wrote in a letter to Boston's convention host committee. ''We will also ask our delegation to honor this boycott request."
In recent weeks, individual delegates have said they would honor police and firefighter union picket lines and stay away from some of the 30 delegation welcoming parties July 25. But the latest developments are the first indication that large blocks of conventioneers would refuse to attend, jeopardizing Menino's kickoff of convention festivities on a large scale.
Several delegations contacted by the Globe yesterday said they were still undecided abut whether to attend their parties, including those from Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Illinois, and Virginia.
But Boston's convention organizers said they have not ruled out canceling some parties if it becomes clear that large numbers of delegates won't come. Party chairment said they have been contacted by organizers seeking to gauge their intentions.
''Someone called from the host committee," said Ohio's White, who said he expects his entire 183-member delegation to boycott its party, planned for the Sam Adams Brewery in Jamaica Plain. ''They wanted a clarification of the letter.
''I said, 'It's really simple: The Ohio delegation will boycott the delegation reception and any other reception or speech that the mayor is involved in,' " he said. ''It's not complicated."
Pickets at the convention have been a threat for months as the city tried to reach contracts with each of its 32 unions and as a contract with the vocal Boston Police Patrolman's Association became increasingly unlikely. The state Joint Labor-Management Committee voted yesterday to send the dispute with police to arbitration, a fact that organizers said should deter delegates from boycotting.
''Now that we have a clear path to a solution for this labor contract, perhaps they'll think of this as being different," said David Passafaro, president of Boston 2004 Inc., the city's host committee. ''These parties highlight the neighborhoods and give small businesses in the hospitality industry an opportunity to do great things. That was a part of the goal here. It will be a shame if that doesn't happen."
The police union has stepped up efforts to persuade delegations to support it during the convention. Letters sent to delegates cite Senator John F. Kerry's refusal to cross a police and firefighter picket line at a meeting of the US Conference of Mayors hosted by Menino last month.
''The response has been immediate and heartfelt," said Thomas Nee, president of the patrolmen's association. ''It's clear that the values and principles of the Democratic Party are alive and well in the United States, though nonexistent in the city of Boston."
California delegation chairman Art Torres said he will urge all of the 502 delegates to stay away from its party, taking place at the Franklin Park Zoo.
''As chairman of the California Democratic Party," Torres wrote to Boston's police union, ''I pledge to you that no staff member of the California Democratic Party, including my children, will cross any picket line during the Democratic National Convention in Boston at any event. I will also respectfully encourage all of California's delegation to do the same."
He added that he will walk out and boycott Menino's speech at the FleetCenter and encourage other members of his delegation to do the same.
Maine Democratic Party chairwoman Dorothy Melanson said the 39-member delegation ''will not cross any picket line at all, informational or otherwise."
''I will probably send a letter to Boston 2004 saying we will not attend any event where there are picket lines," she said.
Gentry McCreary, spokesman for the Tennessee Democratic Party said that the 96 members of his delegation will boycott its party at the historic Curley mansion in Jamaica Plain.
''We had a conference call with our delegation," he said. ''Everyone was in agreement. We decided as a group that it was something we didn't want to do."
Officials from Massachusetts and Missouri said that individual delegates will be free to decide whether to cross the picket line or not.
''We have made all the delegates aware of the situation," said Jill Snodgrass, of the Missouri Democratic Party. ''We have two alternate events to attend. Some will go [to the welcome reception] and some won't. We have an extremely large contingent of labor folks."
Philip Johnston, chairman of Massachusetts Democratic Party, predicted that most delegates will not cross a picket line. But he said the decision will be left to the individual delegates. ''In Boston, people know the players and may have a different view," he said.
Party planners said they're moving forward as planned, hoping that the labor dispute will be resolved and that the events will go on.
''We're disappointed [the Ohio delegation] is thinking about not attending," said Michelle Sullivan, spokewoman for the
Boston Beer Company owner Jim Koch specifically asked to host the party for the Ohio delegation because he is an Ohio native and owns another brewery in Cincinnati, Sullivan said.
''We wanted them to see the brewery and learn about the revitalization that happened in Jamaica Plain since the brewery became the anchor here," she said.
Susan Callender, of Boston Unique Events, said that dozens of business people will be hurt if delegations decide to pull out of the parties.
''It would be immense," said Callendar, whose company is planning a party at the Children's Museum for delegations from Washington D.C., Delaware, and Maryland.
''There are so many vendors. It took months of planning, details, logistics, staffing, and numerous vendors, from decor to entertainment. We've hired an advertising specialty company to produce special gifts for the delegates. It would have an impact on everybody."
She said planners are waiting to hear whether the parties will be canceled. ''We haven't been told yet," she said. ''We're hoping the police union realizes the impact [their picketing] would have, not on the mayor's office, but on dozens of local businesses."
