An unexpected protest at a SABEW conference

April 28, 2008

I’m at the Society of American Business Editors and Writers conference at the Sheraton Inner Harbor Hotel. An afternoon presentation was interrupted by union members in advance protest of speaker David Rubenstein, who is co-founder and managing director of the Carlyle Group.

The Service Employees International Union was railing against Carlyle’s ownership of the nursing home operator Manor Care, claiming that it hadn’t lived up to its staffing level commitments at its facilities.

At one point, hotel staff rushed into the conference and began to fiddle with the electronic locks on the entry doors. Outside in the hall, a chant began. I couldn’t make it out at the time, but others later told me it was “Better staffing, better care, no more money for millionaires” (or maybe it was billionaires — I’m just not sure).

Rubenstein, who had not yet arrived when the protest began, later said that the union was trying to embarrass company officials into altering its labor policy.

The room full of journalists began to debate whether to let a union member come in and question Rubenstein. So far, it hasn’t happened. Typically these forums are limited to society members. Do you think that’s fair, or would you make an exception in this case?

ANDY ROSEN, Business Writer

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Posted by Jackie Sauter | Filed Under business 

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