posted 07-17-2004 03:48 AM                       

quote: Jeffry L. Johnson

---

These jobs are typically held by high school students.

---

posted 02-24-2005 01:28 PM                       

quote:

---

Festival of scabs
The latté and turtleneck crowd is hoping to redeem its spotty history of labor oppression.

Since 1977, the Cleveland Film Society has used union projectionists for its annual film festival. But this year the society got caught up in a larger fight between the projectionists' union and Jonathan Forman, owner of Cleveland Cinemas, which manages Tower City and other theaters around town.

Last year, Forman locked the union out of his theaters. A loophole in the contract said that projectionists could be replaced only by "managers." So Forman decided to make everyone a manager, from the ticket taker to the popcorn kid. The projectionists have been protesting at Forman's Cedar Lee ever since.

Now the bossman is returning fire. "Forman told the film society in no uncertain terms that if they negotiate with us, he'll lock them out of Tower City so they can't have their film festival there," says union chief John Galinac.

At first blush, the society would seem to have no choice but to side with the union. Union leaders raised money for the festival, and last year Galinac coaxed a $10,000 donation from Paul Newman. But when Galinac called to discuss a contract for this year, he was routed to the society's lawyer. "I was told they can't negotiate with us this year," he says.

Society director Marcie Goodman dodges the issue: "Our focus is on providing the best film festival we can," which is French for "We sell out our friends."

Meanwhile, the county commissioners are pissed. They gave the society a $15,000 grant last year. But now that union guys won't be showing the movies, commissioners won't be sending their dough. "We told them we can't be part of the festival until you fix this," says Kathy Doyle, chief of staff for Commissioner Tim Hagan. "So fix it."

"We're not happy about it," adds Commissioner Jimmy Dimora.

Forman defends his record. "We've created hundreds of jobs over the last 28 years, both union and non-union," he says. "We've restored buildings all over Northeast Ohio, using union and non-union help. We've contributed to the quality of life throughout Northeast Ohio."

Somehow, Punch can't quite understand how union-busting enhances our quality of life.

---