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Theater workers hold union vote Wednesday
May 23, 2004

MINNEAPOLIS — Workers at Landmark Theatre's three Twin Cities theatres -- the Edina Cinema, Lagoon Cinema, and Uptown Theatre -- are poised to vote Wednesday whether to join United Food & Commercial Workers Local 789, creating the first wall-to-wall union movie theater in Minnesota, perhaps in the United States.

Supporters of the workers' drive to join the United Food & Commercial Workers Union Local 789 will be attending the 7 p.m. screening of the popular documentary Super Size Me on Tuesday, May 25, at the Uptown Theatre. Union supporters will be handing out free buttons to those who attend the screening. The Uptown is located at 2906 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis.

On April 14, the employees of the three Twin Cities Landmark Theatres petitioned the National Labor Relations Board requesting a union election. Within a week, Landmark Theatres responded by enlisting the services of Labor Relations Solutions, a California-based union-busting firm. Since then, Labor Relations Solutions' consultants have been holding weekly "mandatory meetings", having one-on-one meeting with workers, and showing what one worker characterized as "the Reefer Madness of union videos."

In spite of Landmark's resistance, the theatre's workers have been able to garner overwhelming support from the local community, the union said. "We've already collected more than 1,000 signatures so we feel that people in the community are willing to help," said Uptown Theatre employee Dan Schneidkraut.

Lagoon Cinema employee Emily Davis continued saying, "We think that packing Super Size Me the night before the election would be a fun and positive way to show the company and our managers that we are interested in the success of these great theatres."

In September 2003 Landmark Theatres was purchased by 2929 Entertainment Company, which is co-owned by Dallas Maverick's owner, Mark Cuban. Landmark Theatres Corporation was founded in 1974 and operates 57 theatres with 204 screens in 14 states across the U.S.

UFCW Local 789 is part of the 1.4 million United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, AFL-CIO. Local 789 has 7,500 members and represents workers in the grocery stores, drug stores, book stores, nursing homes, meat packing plants, and manufacturing and laundry facilities. Source

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Pulse Article
Another Workday MN article
 

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Posted by Peter Kerchinsky (Member # 1098) on 05-26-2004, 04:49 AM:
 
Nate
This is extremely interesting. Landmark here in Seattle just signed a new contract with IATSE with very few changes.
Please keep us posted as to the developments in MI.
Thanks.
 

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Posted by Steve Scott (Member # 630) on 05-26-2004, 09:09 AM:
 
That's the local supermarket union, which is a huge deal up here. Target almost couldn't build Super Target stores here because of conflicts with the group over cross-staffing in the stores.
 

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Posted by Ken Layton (Member # 133) on 05-26-2004, 10:14 AM:
 
Oh great....now there'll be union bar grunts.
 

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Posted by Wade McDougal (Member # 2392) on 05-26-2004, 04:35 PM:
 
What are the pros/cons of being in a theater union?
 

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Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 05-26-2004, 11:12 PM:
 
PROS:
-Higher pay
-Job security (to some extent)
-Automatically know more than scabs (non-union workers) about EVERYTHING pertaining to your job.

CONS:[av=k]
-Union dues
-Danger of striking (which can last many many months, and you get little to no pay).
 

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Posted by Nate Lehrke (Member # 1460) on 05-26-2004, 11:27 PM:
 
Well, looks like they voted not to join the union. I don't know exact vote counts though.

I'm happy. My friend would have faced termination if the union won, now she's not.
 

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Posted by Adam Fraser (Member # 1074) on 05-27-2004, 12:30 AM:
 
Cons:

Opportunities for advancement or raises are based almost purely on seniority, not ability.

Unions create unduely high wages for the underachievers and unduely low wages for hard workers.

My wife is a member of UFCW, but not by choice. Michigan is a closed shop state which means that if a place has a union you must be a member to work there. It is amazing to see how the crappy workers who show up late and are lazy get paid the same as a good worker who was hired at the same time as them. It is hell for a superior to fire a crappy worker with their 300 page contracts full of arbitrations, stewards, etc.....
 

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Posted by Peter Kerchinsky (Member # 1098) on 05-27-2004, 03:57 AM:
 
Joe, Adam and Nate
Have a nice day!
 

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Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 05-27-2004, 04:04 AM:
 
You too, Pete! And don't forget to pick up milk on your way home!
[av=t]








(I have no idea what we are talking about, btw.)
 

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Posted by Bill Gabel (Member # 1105) on 05-27-2004, 08:42 AM:
 
What about the fee to join the Union?
 

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Posted by Jeremy Fuentes (Member # 2135) on 05-27-2004, 09:03 AM:
 

quote: Joe Redifer

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(I have no idea what we are talking about, btw.)

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Joe, I'm just as lost as you are!
 

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Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 05-27-2004, 09:35 AM:
 
many unions if they are organizing a wokplace charge $1.00 to join under the organizing banner
Unions protect all members and regretably the good and the bad get tarred with the same brush but that is not discourageing advancment. Senority is not the only basis for advancement many collective agreements nowdays allow the employer to pick and choose from the union hall
 

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Posted by Jim Spohn (Member # 1547) on 05-27-2004, 09:45 AM:
 
Pro: Most Union projectionists are well trained and don't smell like popcorn.
Con: Demand a salary that a person could actually live on.
 

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Posted by Jeremy Fuentes (Member # 2135) on 05-27-2004, 09:53 AM:
 

quote: Jim Spohn

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Con: Demand a salary that a person could actually live on.

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I would think a salary that I can actually live on, would be a good thing.
 

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Posted by Paul Mayer (Member # 355) on 05-27-2004, 10:32 AM:
 
Joe. Hot tip. Pete is very pro-union, especially IATSE.
 

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Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 05-27-2004, 12:30 PM:
 
That's what I figured, but he still forgot the milk![av=h]
 

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