10 Union Rules International Exhibitors Should Know

We have been providing labor for an increasing number of international exhibit houses this year, and we have heard from many of their clients about their confusion regarding Union Rules & Regulations in the United States. Trade show exhibiting in the U.S. is costlier than in many European and Asian markets, due in large part to specialized labor unions that are required to handle certain elements of the the exhibit. For we Americans “in the business”, it seems a standard practice — we are used to the ins-and-outs of union jurisdictions. But who can blame our international exhibitor friends for their frustrations when it comes to those crazy (and costly) American trade show practices? “You cannot plug in your own computer!” or “You cannot wheel in that popup display case!”, or “You MUST carry that in, but you cannot WHEEL it in…”. It can all be very confusing, even for domestic exhibitors. Add a possible language barrier and an unfamiliar city and you have a recipe for an unhappy customer. Why not arm your international clients with the knowledge they need to navigate the U.S. trade show and exhibition process successfully? Check out the infographic below and share it with your international exhibitors to help them understand some of the union-centric policies for exhibiting at trade shows in the U.S. They will thank you for the assist!