[sean.bonner]

Looks like I won this one, Phil...

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Union plans to picket Hip concert; Group says it wasn't given fair chance to bid on work at arena
Posted By Jordan Press
Posted 9 hours ago

The union representing stage workers in Kingston and the surrounding area said it will picket The Tragically Hip concert at the K-Rock Centre Saturday night after yesterday's talks failed to find a resolution.

The International Alliance of Theatrical stage Employees Local 471, which represents workers in eastern Ontario, said it will hold the picket because it was not given a fair opportunity to bid on work at the arena.

The union said it has rented several buses to bring members down from Ottawa for the protest. There is expected to be more than 200 unionized workers outside the arena Saturday night.

"We're anticipating there's going to be quite a turnout," said Mark Hollingworth, business agent for Local 471. "We're out there to get our point out.

"At the end of the day, the people of Kingston have to realize this is just another cloud over that building."

While the union said it didn't receive a fair opportunity to bid on work, the arena's private operator, Arcturus/SMG, said the union had a chance, but never submitted a proposal.

The union said it tried to set up meetings with Arcturus, but, after a few talks, never heard back from facility management.

The union wanted to meet to submit a proposal with rates and conditions.

Arena management met briefly with union officials yesterday to negotiate an end to the dispute, according to the union. Hollingworth said the two sides met for about 30 minutes, followed by a 15-minute followup.

Talks between them broke off, with arena management saying it had to do some research, Hollingworth said. An hour later, arena management called to inform Hollingworth that the union wouldn't be working the concert and talks had ended for the day.

"The bottom line is there doesn't look to be any remedy on this issue," Hollingworth said.

Hollingworth wouldn't say when picket lines would form or what exactly picketers would do. He said members would be speaking with as many concert-goers as possible to get their message out.

Arena marketing manager Neil Shorthouse said he felt content with the way Arcturus handled the situation. He said Arcturus will do what it can to make the night go easier for concert goers.

"If they want to mount a public protest, that's their right," he said.

He said next time he hoped to see a proposal from the union in regards to future work at the arena.

The union has picketed a facility once before. A few years ago, members picketed outside Scotiabank Place in Ottawa when Vancouver-based NASCO was hired to provide workers for setting up and tearing down events.

NASCO is the same company being used for work on the Tragically Hip concert Saturday night.

Hollingworth said the pickets outside Scotiabank Place lasted for months before the two sides came to a resolution. He said the union doesn't plan on treating the situation in Kingston any differently. The union has a long history in Kingston of more than 75 years. Union members hold several contracts in town, including the Grand Theatre. Union members also worked concerts at the Memorial Centre. There are about 25 members in the Kingston that don't just work locally. The union is a collection of freelance workers that are assigned on an as-needed basis to events in the region.

[colinjardine]

They better not stand in my way of seeing The Hip. They're probably just a bunch of professional scalpers.

[chris]

Could get ugly if they get in the face of a drunken Captain Canada...

[sean.bonner]

Update:

Last-minute agreement nixes pickets
Posted By Rob Tripp
Posted 2 hours ago

Concertgoers won't have to cross picket lines to get into tonight's inaugural concert at the K-Rock Centre.

The union representing backstage workers who rig and run concerts and stage shows called off a planned picket after a last-minute deal with the company that manages the city-owned sports and entertainment centre.

"There won't be any pickets [today] and [the union] and the senior officials are going to meet as soon as possible," Debi Wells, president of the Kingston District Labour Council, said in an interview yesterday, minutes before a planned rally and news conference outside the arena.

Wells got a last-minute cellphone call telling her that Arcturus/SMG, the company managing the centre, has agreed that all of the backstage work won't automatically go to a Vancouver-based company, Nasco Staffing Solutions.

The company advertised in Kingston to hire temporary workers for events at the centre.

The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) complained that it wasn't given the chance to bid for work, including tonight's Tragically Hip concert.

"The parties have agreed to open up the process and give IATSE the opportunity to bid for services," Wells said.

There isn't time for the union to compete for the work for tonight's concert.

The union had planned to have more than 200 people picketing outside the centre tonight, including some people being bused in.

There are about 25 Kingston members of local 471 of the union. The workers are freelancers who are assigned to events throughout the Kingston-Ottawa region.

Union members perform work at the Grand Theatre and have worked at the Memorial Centre.

Neil Shorthouse, a senior official of Arcturus in Kingston, said he can't comment on the talks with the union because he isn't involved. Shorthouse said a senior vice-

president who is directly involved is not available.

In a news release, Arcturus said it conducted a "fair, competitive process" in which the union had a chance to compete.

"We acknowledge concerns voiced by IATSE Local 471 and their desire to provide services," the release states. "In consideration of our successful working partnerships with IATSE throughout North America and our strong positive working relationship with the IATSE leadership and membership, we have taken steps necessary, in working with Nasco, to open up the process for the selection of a long-term provider of production labour services at the K-Rock Centre. "

Wells said she believes the announcement reflects Arcturus's acknowledgement that the union did not have a fair chance to bid for work.

"They're going to give them a chance because they don't want pickets," she said. "You know, everybody wants this to work."

The Labour Council, which has backed the theatrical workers union, remains concerned about a plan to use volunteers from local charitable organizations to work at events inside the centre, in exchange for groups getting a share of proceeds.

"We don't want it run like a bingo hall," she said.

The council hopes to see more union jobs at the facility.

"We want real jobs with some kind of security and so that the people who work here can take part in the economic development of Kingston and enjoy it - benefits for all of us," Wells said.

Despite the last-minute deal yesterday, a small group of union leaders met outside the centre just before noon yesterday preparing to stage a rally.

Among them was Warren (Smokey) Thomas of Kingston, who is the president of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union.

He was happy to see progress but chagrined personally.

"I gave up my Hip tickets because I can't cross a picket line," Thomas said, laughing at his own misfortune.

The union boss said he'd try to get the two tickets back.

Whig-Standard Staff Writer

[chagrinfalls]

thanks for posting about this. what a shitty situation. it's like finding out after you've bought tickets that the venue dumps its trash in the river or something.

i'm really glad it's resolved (ie the company basically admitted fault & agreed to not be such douchebags in the future) because i would have been disappointed to have to basically cross a picketline to see the hip. bad vibes, bad karma, bad solidarity.

i've always assumed the hip use union workers when they tour but does anyone know fer sure if this is true?

[NegPhil]

Word! That's my union.