WEST VANCOUVER theatre-goers have found a
new feature at the three Park Royal cinemas —

locked doors. ~

While Famous Players
Theatres in Vancouver and
some other municipalities
have continued operations,
the company has closed the
West Vancouver theatres
temporarily.

Behind it all is a lock-out
of unionized Famous
Players’ employees over the
company’s attempt to win
contract concessions.

Douglas Gow, vice-presi-
dent in charge of western
theatre operations, said the
company's contract package
— which calls for, among
other things, a clause which
would permit management
to do some work normally
performed by Theatre
Employees’ Union workers
— is needed to cut operating
costs in the theatre chain.

Other concessions would
see the union giving up its
overtime benefit on Sundays
and being paid at straight

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By JOANNE MacDONALD

time.

Gow said the three Park
Royal Theatres have been
closed until arrangements
can be made to get people to
work in them. He said the
closures have nothing to do
with attendance figures,
although industry observers
say overall theatre atten-
dance during the past year
has been cut by the growing
popularity of home video
cassette recorders.

Gow added although the
company has told the union
that communications are
open, they have ‘‘not heard
a word’’ from the Theatre
Employees Union since the
lockout.

Union representative for
Local B-72, Derek Jones

W. Van cinemas

told the North Shore News
the union has told the com-
pany’s chief negotiator that
they are ready to talk. He

said although the union is’

currently developing a
negotiating strategy, that the
process is proving difficult.

‘“‘This union has _ never
taken a strike vote before in
its history so this is all new
territory. [t’s Just that the
package that was offered
was such an erosion of what
they had before. It gives less
job security, not more,’’ said
Jones.

The top wage paid to
doorpersons at Famous
Piayers Theatres is $6.86 per
hour after five years. Ca-
shiers and candy clerks make
a top wage of $6.78 per hour
after five years.

The union does not have
any pension, medical, dental
or sick benefits, something
Jones attributes to the fact
that since the union was

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formed in 1947,
average person working in
theatres was more concerned
with money in their pocket
than in pensions or super-
annuation. The benefits were
just not negotiated in those
days. They’ve really only
come in during the last 10
years.’’

He adds because the an-
nual wage increases were
viewed as ‘‘nickel and dime
affairs’’ that negotiations, as
a rule, have focussed on
wage packages rather than
benefit packages.

‘*I’m disappointed at how
firm the company is on this
stand. We have nothing to
bargain with — only to give
concessions away,’’ said
Jones, adding the employees
had rejected the company’s
final offer by a 5-1 margin.

The Famous Players
Theatres labor dispute is af-
fecting approximately 216
theatre employees on _ the
Lower Mainland, Victoria,
Prince Rupert and Nanaimo.

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Al5 - Wednesday, September 26, 1984 - North Shore News

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