Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Toronto Strike Closes Two Imax Theatres

This is topic Toronto Strike Closes Two Imax Theatres in forum Large Format Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Adam Martin (Member # 641) on 03-15-2002, 03:04 PM:

Sorry to hear about this, Gordon.

What's going on? Exactly what is an Ontario Public Service Employee?

quote:

Toronto-based Cinesphere and Ontario Science Center on Strike!
Published: March 15, 2002. By GiantScreenBIZ.com
Both the Ontario Science Center and Ontario Place, which respectively operate the Shoppers Drug Mart IMAX Theatre and the Cinesphere [two large format cinemas located near Toronto], closed March 13, 2002, for an unlimited period. Indeed, a labor strike by the members of the OPSEU [Ontario Public Service Employees Union] have paralyzed the two facilities, among other public services in the richest Canadian province.
All scheduled film screenings have been cancelled until further notice, said both institutions, news which will certainly not help either theatre to regain a positive growth curve [Editor's note: Shoppers IMAX and Cinesphere respectively posted a 15.4% and 4.8% drop in attendance between 2000 and 2001, -81,000 tickets with a cumulative attendance rate of 636,000.] Science North and its IMAX Theatre in Sudbury in northern Ontario have not been affected by the walkout, "since our employees are not unionized, and thus no part of that collective agreement," said Michel Bechard of Science North.
The Government of Ontario and the OPSEU began negotiations in late 2001 before the master public employees contract expired. Talks continued between the two parties throughout the past three months but an agreement was never reached. The main stumbling block is the current salary levels and their growth over the next three years.
Copyright 2002 GiantScreenBIZ - All Rights Reserved

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 03-15-2002, 07:20 PM:

Yes we are on strike so I am busy catching up a ton service work

Posted by Dave Bird (Member # 490) on 03-15-2002, 09:07 PM:

Public Service Employees are mostly in the government service sector, inspectors, guards, works, lots of things that are generally "state-run". The papers read that gov't has offered 2% per year over 3 years and OPSEU wants 18%, but I really wasn't interested and don't know for sure. Gordon, are you in this unit OR are picketers preventing access?

Posted by Bob Maar (Member # 763) on 03-15-2002, 09:49 PM:

Gordon let's meet in New York and talk about over two Martini's and some butter tarts.

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 03-15-2002, 10:37 PM:

If things keep going the way they are there will not be any Imax at those theatres either! Hang in there Gord, we can get you a good 8 perf 70mm system in no time flat.

Mark @ GTS

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 03-16-2002, 09:20 AM:

Being a government facility and a memebr of Opseu we are on strike
The bigest issue is classification of employees and the use of part time contracts over extended period and health benifits
As for 8 perf Mark you can keep it
As for drop in attendance with 3 new IMAX theatres competing with us I would say the industry experienced a net growth as the competition had a net increase greater than our loss of attendance so The industry as a hole had a net growth in the Toronto Area
Also last year we had two non performing titles on the list All Access and Nsync(Mark this was a 8 perf original looser ) and they did no business

Posted by Dave Macaulay (Member # 813) on 03-16-2002, 09:41 AM:

There are contentious issues about classification (this is what your job is called and what you get paid - as a technician I was classed as a "clerk 5 general" because there was no technician/projectionist slot to put me in.
This issue has roots in pay equity - paying women "eqaul value" to men. That's been a mess.
Other things too, Gord mentioned some.

The biggest complaint I hear from members is pay. 2% per year for 3 years sounds pretty good in some ways and the gov't is adamant that it's enough and generous and all they can afford - but they just gave themselves (elected members) a 38% raise. That stings a bit.

Posted by Adam Martin (Member # 641) on 03-16-2002, 12:47 PM:

I hope everything works out for the best in the end for you guys and I'm glad to hear you've got plenty of other things to keep you busy.

Posted by Dave Bird (Member # 490) on 03-16-2002, 03:32 PM:

I hear ya Dave. Pay "Equity" is a joke here. It can and is twisted to mean just about anything. Each job is evaluated on a system of points and you argue over any issue. Once had to defend my view that a screaming loud band-saw was noisier (and more stressful) than the quiet beeping of a cash register (also why I felt that a fully qualified butcher of 20 years deserved more pay than a female cashier). If you guys have been sucked into this mess of "classification", feel sorry for ya, thanks Bob Rae for this piece of

legislation.