Gubernatorial hopefuls to meet at Peabody conference

PEABODY ? Three Democratic candidates for governor are on the invitation list for a labor-sponsored conference in Peabody this Saturday titled, “Take back the economy.”Martha Coakley, Steve Grossman and Joe Avellone “will be in attendance,” according to a North Shore Labor Council press release. The conference is scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m. in the Torigian Community Life Center, 79 Central St., and end at 2:30 p.m.?Labor and community leaders will gather to discuss how the rising gap between the rich and everyone else has impacted the lives of working people on the North Shore,” the release stated.The gubernatorial trio is scheduled to take part in a panel discussion and “share their plans to address the income gap,” according to the release.Conference participants can also attend four workshops focusing “on solutions to inequality.”One seminar will focus on young workers; another on groups fighting efforts to have private firms take over providing public services; a third focuses on fast food workers’ efforts to improve their wages; and another seminar “will highlight economic alternatives.”The conference is the 13th sponsored by the North Shore Labor Council.