Although current squabbles between the city of Philadelphia and labor unions may signal problems for its bid as a labor-friendly city to host the Democratic National Convention in 2016, Patrick Eiding, president of the Philadelphia AFL-CIO, says that the disputes won’t cause any disruptions during the event.

Officials from the Democratic National Committee left Philadelphia on Thursday after visiting to evaluate the city’s potential to host the convention, and 50 union carpenters returned to their spot outside of the convention center with an inflatable “fat cat” to protest the center’s hiring of two other trade unions because the protesting carpenters – members of the Metropolitan Regional Council of Carpenters and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters – were slow to agree to follow new rules that would make projects less expensive and less disruptive for visitors.

The current protest may very well make the officials that visited last week nervous, as they want assurances that nothing which could embarrass the Democratic Party – known for being friendly with unions – will happen during the convention.

Eiding, though, promises that disputes will not continue through the event. “There won’t be an issue,” he said. “Labor leaders are professional and know the convention would bring plenty of work for everybody.”

Eiding’s argument is persuasive, as it seems that even the bid to host the convention has already helped local unions because the city wants to be seen as labor-friendly as possible while still competing against Birmingham, Phoenix, Columbus and Brooklyn.

The bid has already improved negotiations in District Council 33 of AFSCME’s fight for a contract from the city. After five years without a contract under the administration of Mayor Nutter, who has a notoriously rocky relationship with unions, the 8,800 member group finally saw progress in a meeting on August 8.

According to Philadelphia City Council President Darrell L. Clarke, “One way to make sure we’re viewed as a labor-friendly venue for the convention is to give these people a contract.”

Councilman James Kenney, who may run for mayor in 2015, pointed out that labor relations with unions such as D.C. 33 will likely improve when Mayor Nutter leaves office, allowing for a pleasant labor climate in time for the convention.

Labor leaders, it seems, see enough promise for increased work and benefits for their members to ensure that peace is held through the convention – so much so that they have already pledged to contribute $5 million of the $80 million Philadelphia will need to host the convention.

Leaders and members are also already showing a willingness to work harder to negotiate with the city to settle disputes well before the DNC comes to town, as the carpenter protesters proved when spokesman Marty O’Rourke announced that a mediation meeting in front of the Labor Relations Board has already been scheduled for next month.

“We’re going into that meeting with good intentions, and we hope that management is, too, and that we can work out a reasonable solution,” he asserted. “The carpenters fully support the DNC coming here.”