PART TIME WORKERS WORK OVERTIME TO ORGANIZE I.W.W. UNION AT SHATTUCK CINEMAS
Submitted on Thu, 03/08/2007 - 3:45pm
One year later, the Shattuckunion continues to organize and grow with each new experience. Workers are putting on another Rally on March 16, 2007 at 6pm in front of the theater.
Shattuck union workers began holding organizing meetings in March 2006 and filed an election petition with the NLRB on May 08, 2006. Six weeks later workers voted overwhelmingly for the union. A month later negotiations with Landmark Cinemas began. Bargaining is ongoing and no agreement for a contract has been reached.
Community support has played an important role in elevating the struggle of the Shattuck workers to a new level. Growing confidence among the workers has enabled us to continue to become better union organizers and to explain the union to new hires.
Shattuck workers are part-time workers like so many others in the service industry but we feel that our contribution to Landmark Cinemas is deserving of more than just wages. We deserve benefits and will continue to demand them at the bargaining table. Organizing a rally is evidence that we don’t intend to sit back and wait for a corporate lawyer to throw us a bone.
By all accounts bargaining with Landmark Cinemas has been frustrating and an eye opener that shows us how corporate power is retained in the hands of the company. Witness their unwillingness to take our demands for health care, holiday pay, sick days seriously enough to make contract concessions. Shattuck workers will continue to bargain in good faith over our demands and expect to see some real progress very soon.
Recently the Berkeley City Council passed a resolution supporting and recognizing the efforts of the Shattuck Union. Initially Shattuck workers were approached at a rally in front of the theater by members of the Commission On Labor who recognized the significance of the Shattuck Workers’ struggle and were interested in lending their support.
The rally on March 16th is sign that the workers are determined to see these very real issues through to a just and fair conclusion. So start your weekend right, join us in front of our theater!
Click HERE to watch a video of the rally.