That Union Thing
IATSE stagehands have again successfully argued their case against the
Kravis Center. The U.S. Court of Appeals has ruled that the Kravis Center illegally declared an impasse in negotiations and illegally stopped hiring stagehands through the union.
This decision upholds a previous decision by the NLRB. The Kravis Center could be obligated to negotiate a contract with IATSE Local 500, rehire fired stagehands, resume using the union hiring hall, and pay backpay to fired stagehands. The Kravis Center has the option to appeal the decision to the full Appeals Court or petition the Supreme Court to hear the case.
JetBlue pilots will be voting on a proposal to form an independent union to bargain on their behalf. Pilots will be voting for union representation in an NLRB election running through February 3. Pilots hope a union will help them to win better health and retirement benefits and protect their seniority rights in case of a merger.
SAG has ousted its national executive director and lead negotiator Doug Allen, making a strike against the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers unlikely. The contract between SAG and AMPTP expired in June 2008, and the sticking points have been payments for Internet use and work stoppage benefits. Support for the strike, which Allen strongly backed, has waned due to the sagging economy.