Blue-collar union fails to accept Nutter's 'final offer'

The sides met twice this week to negotiate Nutter's plan, which includes pay raises in exchange for givebacks on benefits and work rules. But after spending Wednesday night together in a Center City hotel, they left without reaching an agreement.

After the negotiations ended about 10:30 p.m., the sides seemed to be walking out of different meetings.

For the city, it's case closed.  Read more here…

I have only ever seen a labor negotiation end as "case closed" once in my career.  That will not be the case with this one.  Public posturing does nothing to facilitate an agreement and rarely works in a negotiator’s favor at the end of the day.

As Nutter's 'final offer' deadline arrives, admin & D.C. 33 will negotiate

Mayor Nutter two weeks ago gave AFSCME's D.C. 33 a "final offer" to resolve the stalemate over replacing the union's contract that expired in 2009. 

Negotiators from both sides met yesterday and agreed to meet again this afternoon, mayoral spokesman Mark McDonald said. No word on whether they are close to a deal. D.C. 33 did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Full article here.

IATSE, Local 8, Stage Hands and Philadelphia Theatre Company Strike Continues – Stage Production Suffers - 15th Day

The current labor conflict between IATSE, Local 8 and PTC, Suzanne Roberts Theatre, entered into its 15^th day.  Demonstrations continue to take place at the theater, at Board member’s homes and through social media venues directed at Board members places of business.  Management and Labor have been attempting to negotiate an initial contract since September, 2012.  The last publicized negotiations were on Sunday, January 20, 2013, which lasted 6 hours.   No tentative agreement was reached at that time and no publicized negotiating sessions have been scheduled since that date.

Media reviews indicate that “the production is missing much of the vital stagecraft required by Hall’s script.”  “Because of this absence of staging, we in Philadelphia won’t know all the power that lies within “The Mountaintop.”

Demonstrations planned by Philadelphia Municipal Unions

Demonstrations planned by Philadelphia Municipal Unions, AFSCME, District Council #33 and District Council #47  at Philadelphia Mayor Nutter's House on Thursday, January 31, 2013 at 6:00pm. 

Evening commuters should expect delays in and around the Wynnefield section of Philadelphia, especially in the immediate vicinity of Bryn Mawr Avenue & Woodbine Avenue.

D.C. 47 suing Nutter administration over furlough changes

The city’s white-collar union is suing the Nutter administration.....

IATSE, Local 8, Stage Hands and Philadelphia Theatre Company Strike Continues – Job Actions and Board Resignations – 14th Day

The current labor conflict between IATSE, Local 8 and PTC, Suzanne Roberts Theatre, entered into its 14^th day.  Demonstrations continue to take place at the theater, at Board member’s homes and through social media venues directed at Board members places of business.

Salvatore Patti, Philadelphia Theatre Company Board member and vice-president with PNC Bank resigns board seat with PTC.  Additional information can be found here.

IATSE, Local 8, Stage Hands and Philadelphia Theatre Company Strike Continues – 13th Day

The current labor conflict between IATSE, Local 8 and PTC, Suzanne Roberts Theatre, entered in to its 13^th day.  Demonstrations continue to take place at the theater, at Board member’s homes and through social media venues directed at Board members places of business.   The strike was called on the evening on 1/16/13 and remains as both sides cannot reach an agreement on an initial collective bargaining agreement.

Teamsters approve two-year pact with newspapers

The Teamsters at the Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily news approved a new two-year agreement........

Philadelphia Theater Company workers' strike continuing - Day 9

With marching protests blocking city streets during rush hour and protests at Board member's places of business planned today, this job action appears to be picking up pace. Stagehands Union IATSE Local 8 has taken its case to the Board Members of the Philadelphia Theatre Co. as it continues on strike despite many hours of failed face-to-face negotiations.

Philadelphia Theater Company workers' strike continuing - Day 8

A nighttime projectionist set up in the middle of Broad Street, beaming antimanagement messages onto a building. Protesters with strike placards facing the plateglass windows of a theater lobby while staring down audience members inside............

IATSE Local 8, Stagehands & Philadelphia Theater Company remain on strike.

IATSE Local 8, Stagehands & Philadelphia Theater Company remain on strike.  The Stagehands voted for recognition by IATSE Local 8 in September, 2012 and called for a strike on Wednesday, January 16, 2013 after negotiations of the initial contract failed to produce a tentative agreement.  Primary issues are wages, the establishment of benefits for this newly recognized bargaining unit and management’s use of unpaid interns at the sole discretion of management.

The Philadelphia AFL-CIO and IATSE Local 8 Stagehhands will be holding a protest march this evening, Wednesday, January 23, 2013 at 6:00 pm.  The march will begin at Philadelphia City Hall at 6:00 pm and head south on Broad Street to the Suzanne Roberts Theater.

Center City Philadelphia travelers should prepare and expect delays in the area during the protest.

Quaker meeting says hiring nonunion contractor not an easy call

The Quaker meeting in Chestnut Hill acknowledged Tuesday that its decision to hire a nonunion contractor to build a new meetinghouse raised questions among Friends groups and caused division within its own ranks.......

Pennsylvania Convention Center Authority Board to hold a special meeting to determine if the Center is to be privatized. Board members cite failing labor relations

Pennsylvania Convention Center Authority Board to hold a special meeting to determine if the Center is to be privatized. Board members cite failing labor relations with the current private management firm as an underlying issue and concern in the process.

Philadelphia IATSE Local 8, the stagehands' union, remain on strike.

Philadelphia IATSE Local 8, the stagehands' union, and the Philadelphia Theatre Company have made some progress in negotiations, but no tentative agreement has been reached at this time. IATSE Local 8 demonstrations are planned for tomorrow, Wednesday January 23rd, in Center City Philadelphia from Broad Street to the Suzanne Roberts Theatre.

No end to Philadelphia Theater Stagehands strike

Talks between the Philadelphia Theatre Co. and union officials ended Sunday after "seven fruitless hours," according to the union, without reaching a new labor agreement covering 27 stagehands. The strike, which began Friday, goes on.

Philadelphia Mayor considers imposing terms on expired 9a city agreements while workers are still working, unfair labor practice charges will surely follow.

Labor unrest continues in Mayor Nutter’s Administration.

Philly won't appeal police arbitration award

Binding arbitration is, in fact, binding.  It is something that is negotiated into an agreement and must be honored.  This has implications across this Administration’s multiple CBA’s that have expired years ago and have been working under the terms and conditions of the expired agreements.Philly won't appeal police arbitration award

Philadelphia Stagehands' Strike ongoing, shows continue; Negotiations Ongoing

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/174164-Stagehands-Strike-Or-Not-Philadelphia-Theatre-Companys-Mountaintop-Will-Begin-Jan-19-Negotiations-Ongoing

Newspaper Guild leaders agree to open the agreement in an attempt to save the Philadelphia paper

It is rare to see the book opened at mid term.  Best wishes to both management and labor on a successful outcome.
http://www.thepublicopinion.com/news/associated_press/national/us/article_d1586053-4412-5ffa-b14c-e1453bbf0c22.html?goback=%2Egde_4053524_member_205944091

For the second time in as many years, Stagehands On Strike Against Philadelphia Theatre Company, Suzanne Roberts Theatre

http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2013/01/17/stagehands-on-strike-against-philadelphia-theatre-company-suzanne-roberts-theatre/

Meetinghouse vandalism brings look at tactics in labor disputes.

This is a time when all employer associations should take a position on this issue instead of remaining silent while others shoulder the load.  The silence of some in the industry only serves to reinforce Ms. Tebeau's statement: "It's been accepted for some reason, or expected."  Apathy is simply not an acceptable excuse when you are tasked with leading an industry.

An impasse is finally declared in Philadelphia by the Mayor.

The Nutter administration tried Wednesday to ratchet up pressure toward new municipal labor agreements, offering modest pay increases to AFSCME District Council 33 and describing the package as the city's "final offer" to end a four-year labor standoff.