Almost a year after negotiations began between Loews Cineplex Entertainment Corporation and their local workers’ union, the two opposing sides met yesterday at the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service in Boston to resume negotiations.
However, a resolution does not appear to be in the near future.
The negotiations are dealing primarily with the workers at the theaters at Copley Place in Boston, Assembly Square in Somerville, Harvard Square and Fresh Pond in Cambridge and Liberty Tree Mall in Danvers.
Loews has demanded the union surrender jurisdiction over hours of operation at every Loews Theatre in Boston and Cambridge. Less qualified and more numerous workers would substitute during the remaining hours, under the company’s proposal.
Local 182 is an affiliate of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO, the communications arm of organized workers’ unions in the state that has supported the union in its public fight against Loews.
“They want to have managers operate the projectors and the floor areas so that they will not have to give benefits to the unionized workers,” said Massachusetts AFL-CIO spokesman Lou Mandarini.
Loews is currently in bankruptcy as a result of poor building strategies. However, last year, the movie industry saw a five percent increase in ticket sales, and Loews is expected to pull out of bankruptcy in the next couple of months.
As of Jan. 3, Local 182 offered a voluntary wage freeze for the next two years and to keep their present hours at Loews Theatres. Local 182 members make an average of five dollars less per hour than their counterparts in New York and Chicago.
“[Loews] has put its demands on the table, and I think the time to settle this in a civilized fashion is gone,” Mandarini said. “As long as they continue to treat their workers unfairly, we will continue with rallies and protests.”
Local 182 organized a rally in front of the Boston Common theatre Wednesday. Numerous political leaders spoke on behalf of the workers’ union, urging Loews to conduct reasonable negotiations. Present at the debate was At-Large City Councilor Francis “Mickey” Roache and state Sen. Steven Tolman (D-Middlesex, Suffolk).
Approximately 50 people rallied five days earlier in front of the Harvard Square theater, including many political leaders from the community.
“It is not a choice. This is the way it is, and we have no choice but to act in kind,” Mandarini said.
“I like the Loews theaters, but I can always find another place to go until the negotiations have ended,” said College of General Studies freshman John Carr. “An extra five minutes is not a big deal to me.”
Last week, the Office of the Attorney General received a complaint alleging Loews failed to pay overtime and premium rates to some of its employees. Another 48 charges were filed against Loews from the National Labor Relations Board in the last month. Overall, the company currently faces a total of 63 labor charges.
The charges include the discriminatory firing of a union employee and attempts to prevent the operators in the Danvers’ theater in the Liberty Tree Mall from legally organizing. In addition, Loews is being investigated for safety violations at its Boston Common theater and for retaliating against employees for filing an Occupational Safety and Hazard Association complaint.
“We’re standing by this union,” Mandarini said. “This is a fight against corporate greed.”
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