Movie theater workers
plan weekend strike

The action against Consolidated
coincides with the opening of
'Jurassic Park' sequel

By Russ Lynch
Star-Bulletin

The union representing more than 500 employees at Consolidated Theatres has set a strike for tomorrow, to coincide with the opening of the expected blockbuster "The Lost World: Jurassic Park."

The movie will open tomorrow at all but two of Consolidated's 15 multi-screen locations in Hawaii. Consolidated has 75 screens statewide.

"We intend to operate. We're going to be open. We have crews available to work and we're going to do the very best job we can," said Phil Shimmin, president of Consolidated Amusement Co.

Tony Rutledge Jr., business representative for Local 5 of the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees, said today that the union is well aware that the movie is opening. "We ask the public to maybe refrain from going," Rutledge said. If people must see the movie they could go to a competitor, he said. Wallace Theater Corp. is opening the movie at the same time at six theaters statewide.

Rutledge said a specific time for the strike has not been fixed. But Consolidated said that its employees have been saying the strike is to start at midnight tomorrow and end at midnight Monday, occupying the entire Memorial Day weekend.

The company made a final offer to the union April 28 and it was rejected. Consolidated then exercised what it said was its right to put its terms into effect, since no contract currently exists.

On May 9, Consolidated started using a new pay scale ranging from $5.25 an hour for new hires to a maximum of $6 an hour for those who have been with the company two years or more. The union has said that means pay cuts for some employees.

Shimmin said today that competition makes it necessary to hold down costs. "We're trying to keep the pressure off raising ticket prices," he said.

Rutledge, however, maintains that Consolidated can afford to pay more. He said the union was told over the bargaining table that Consolidated made a strong profit last year.

Shimmin said Consolidated contends that a strike will be illegal, since it is scheduled to happen before a required 60-day cooling off period that started when the union declared an impasse March 27. The union says the strike is legal.

Shimmin is also holding to the position that the company has the right to fire anyone who takes part in an illegal strike.

"We will look at all our options and make some decisions on that next week," he said.