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Add an EventUnion Wins Landslide Victory - Shattuck Cinema Workers Pull Through with Vote for The IWW
BERKELEY 6:30 PM -- This afternoon workers at Landmark Shattuck Cinemas voted an outstanding 22 to 2 in favor of unionization. Despite new promises by Landmark and an attempt by CEO Bill Banowsky to thwart the union attempt, workers at the Shattuck say they've never really been worried about the vote.
"I've felt extremely confidant that the union would go through since the beginning." said Ryan Hatt, cinema employee age 21. "Support has been almost unanimous since day one. There was no contest, if you would have asked me two months ago I could've guaranteed a landslide victory."
Now that the vote has gone through, workers are looking ahead to the contract negotiation process. Contract negotiations at Kendall Square Cinemas in Cambridge, MA, the only other Landmark theatre to hold a union, have been moving extremely slowly with Landmark officials meeting only the bare minimum requirements to keep the negotiations process "in good faith" over the last year.
"We knew all along that the negotiations process would be the difficult part," said Rachel Amberg, cinema employee age 18. "But we're ready to do whatever it takes to make sure Landmark doesn't jam the gears. If Landmark was really interested in "good faith" negotiations, we could get the whole process taken care of in under a month."
Though the struggle may not be over, workers at the Shattuck are looking with high hopes towards the future, and with massive support from the citizens of Berkeley and a landslide victory now behind them, that future looks bright indeed.
"We couldn't have made it without the Berkeley community." Said Jason Ramsey. "They've been very supportive the whole way through and we just can't thank them enough for it. It's good to know they have our backs."
Contact: Organizer, Harjit Gill - (415)374-5711 or harjit@iww.org
It is true that the business class will use legal loopholes and drag out negotiations to dishearten the united workers, and some folks like 'we360' will throw in the towel and back down, but worker and community solidarity will win and another chapter will be written in which all the workers have full rights, dignity, respect, livable wages, and good working conditions. For the corporate apologists and doubters like 'we360,' 'if you aren't part of the solution, you are part of the problem.'
You wrote:
Do you actually think "the community" cares?
Yes. "The community" cared about the locked out workers at Berkeley Honda. They cared about the workers who organized at the Berkeley Bowl. They cared about the workers at the Radisson. They have shown us (thus far) that they care about the workers at Shattuck Cinema.
And what will you do when he gets new workers and continues to make money?
The union will sign them up or file ULPs in response to union busting.
Do YOU want to pay $20 to see a movie to cover the raises that the Wobblies will "demand"?
That isn't going to happen. Adult ticket prices are already between $7-10. Even if the workers were paid $20 / hour, that's only two movie tickets.
(Please don't say that it should come out of the owner's profit...it's a business, not a social service agency).
Excuse me, pal, if it weren't for the workers selling tickets, sweeping the floors, cleaning the bathrooms, and filling the soda cups, there would BE no business. By rights, the workers should OWN the business. The boss is merely a parasite who appropriates the fruits of the workers' labor.
By your logic, slavery should still be legal! Hey, it's a business, not a welfare office!
Sorry, but there are legions of people out there who can fill soda cups and sweep carpets that will more than happy to take these jobs when offered.
Not if the union has anything to say about it. Replacing workers who join a union in order to avoid bargaining in good faith is illegal budy, and the IWW isn't afraid to stand its ground.
I hear that Landmark may be looking for managers. Sounds like you're a shoe-in. Best of luck with your career endeavors.
Second of all; We're going to fight for a contract, I can't promise one, but I can promise we will fight.
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