Report from the IATSE Local's Business Agent: The Oaks got an 11-month contract keeping Richard at the same hours and benefits with $1.19 an hour pay cut. The second part-time operator's job was lost. They demanded the contract end on Richard's retirement date next January. "So, we will probably be out there again next year."

February 25, 2005: There will be no flying picket tonight because there has been an oral agreement reached. A contract should be signed on Monday, and the membership will vote on it on Tuesday. There will be no pickets in the interim.

February 22, 2005: After 80 years of union operators, the new owners of the Oaks Theater in Berkeley have announced their decision to lay off the theater's two union projectionists. The Oaks has been a union shop since it first opened in 1925. The new owner has said that it wants to change to a non-union shop and offered to dump one of the union projectionists and keep the other at reduced hours as a non-union projectionist for a year while he trains replacement workers.

People picketed the theater from Friday, February 18th through Tuesday, February 22nd. On Tuesday, the company began negotiating with the union and has made an offer to the union. The union is still planning for the picket to return on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, from 30 minutes before the first show until 15 minutes after the last show starts. There will be a Flying Picket at the theater on Friday (time to be announced).

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