Theater workers to picket

By Russ Lynch and Rod Ohira
Star-Bulletin

Consolidated Theaters says the summer's first blockbuster show will go on despite planned union picketing at tonight's premiere of "The Lost World: Jurassic Park."

"We've staffed up with new employees and plan to conduct business as usual," said Phil Shimmin, president of Consolidated. "Many of our employees have indicated they plan on working."

The union representing more than 500 employees at the theater chain has set protest pickets to coincide with the opening of "Lost World." The movie will open today at all but two of Consolidated's 15 multi-screen locations in Hawaii.

Tony Rutledge Jr., business representative for Local 5 of the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees, said yesterday 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.

"This is not a strike, it's a protest," Rutledge said. "We're walking off the job and not working this weekend.

"We expect 85 to 90 percent (of the membership) to be involved," he added.

Rutledge also noted that since Kahala Mall and Pearlridge Center management refused to allow picketing of Consolidated theaters on their premises, pickets will be set up over the weekend at the entrances to both shopping centers.

Rutledge said a specific time for the picketing has not been fixed. But Consolidated said that its employees have been saying the action 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 yesterday 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.

"What Consolidated Amusement wants to do is the industrial equivalent to ethnic cleansing," Rutledge said. "They want to get rid of a whole class of their workers. They're pitting one against the other, new employees and oldtimers," he added. "They want everyone working only 19 hours so they don't have to pay medical benefits."

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