By Dennis Oda, Star-Bulletin
Consolidated Theaters employees picket the opening of the
"Jurassic Park" sequel last night. They are protesting the company's
actions during talks for a new contract to cover about 500 workers.

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‘Lost World’ opens
despite labor pickets

Pickets will walk through the holiday
weekend in protest of labor practices

By Mary Adamski
Star-Bulletin

About 30 Consolidated Theaters workers picketed outside the chain's Waikiki Theatre last night seeking to turn moviegoers away from the opening of "The Lost World: Jurassic Park" as a way to pressure their employer to return to the bargaining table.

Local 5 of the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees plans to continue picketing through the weekend at the chain's 17 locations around the state to protest the deterioration of negotiations for a new contract to cover about 500 employees.

On Kalakaua Avenue, the pickets were outnumbered by tourists, hawkers, prostitutes and several police officers overseeing the scene.

Some theater-bound folks said they didn't understand the situation, just struggled through the foot traffic with their mind on the movie.

"I would have turned back, but we already bought our tickets," said William Yip, who joined a group of friends heading inside.

"Of course I'm concerned, I'll read what they gave me," said Cristiano Stefan, who read the union handout while waiting to buy a ticket. "I want to see the movie very badly."

Moviegoers were allowed inside as soon as they arrived, so there was no long line characteristic of the premiere of a major release.

A Consolidated manager said the 10 p.m. show was not a sellout.

Tony Rutledge, Local 5 financial secretary-treasurer, last night called the picketing an "unfair labor practices strike."

Several of the marchers walked off the job at 9:30 p.m. and demonstrated in their company uniforms, but Rutledge said some union members were intimidated into staying at work.

The union leader said the company threatened to fire participants but "they cannot be disciplined for protesting the company violation of federal law." Rutledge said the company broke the law when it made a one-sided declaration of impasse in contract negotiations, and then imposed new working conditions and pay scale on employees May 9.

Contract negotiations began in February and have continued into this week. Rutledge said the company presented a new proposal yesterday but said it would be withdrawn by 11 p.m. if not accepted. He said the company's latest proposals were better than the unilateral conditions imposed earlier.

Company President Phil Shimmin said earlier that the planned picket action is illegal because it would begin before the end of a 60-day waiting period, which was set in motion March 27 when the union filed notice of intent to bargain with the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service.

Shimmin said last night: "We were open for business at all of our 15 locations, and our customers were being taken care of. The employees who remained, and a great number of them did, did a great job."

The company has said that new people were being hired to staff the theaters on the holiday weekend.