Toronto Mayor John Tory refuses union offer to negotiate an end to Exhibition Place lockout

TORONTO, Aug. 13, 2018 /CNW/ - The union that represents hundreds of stagecraft workers at Toronto's Exhibition Place has slammed Mayor John Tory's refusal to return to the bargaining table and put an end to the management-imposed lockout before the annual Canadian National Exhibition opens on Friday, August 17.

"We did not cause this work stoppage and we are available around the clock to try to end it," says Justin Antheunis, President of IATSE Local 58.

"Mayor Tory is using the CNE as hostage in a transparent attempt to display his toughness against organized labour in the run-up to the municipal election in October. His refusal to respond to our openness to getting back to work is either cynical or cowardly, take your pick."

Nearly 400 members of Local 58 were ordered off their jobs on July 20 by the Exhibition Place Board of Governors, all of whom are appointed by the Mayor. The lockout brought a sudden stop to contract negotiations that began months ago. A legal picket line protesting the Board's action was immediately established by Local 58 in front of all automobile entrances to the 200-acre Exhibition Place.

The central issue in the dispute is management's demand that the union surrender its longstanding contractual relationship with Exhibition Place as the main provider of stagecraft skills such as construction, lighting, sound, special effects and rigging. Event and venue operators, including the CNE, would be allowed to refuse to hire Local 58 members and bring in less-experienced and lower-paid workers.

"They want us to agree to just disappear and abandon our members' jobs," says Antheunis.

"Talented, dedicated people from Toronto who have invested their lives in the entertainment and events industry would just be tossed out the back door. Consumers would not benefit, ticket prices would not go down but corporate profits would go up. It's as simple as that but it's not going to happen. We have always been willing to negotiate a full range of contract issues but we're not going to agree to career suicide.

A rally at City Hall by the union and its allies will take place today, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Attempts are now underway to bring in "replacement workers" from Quebec and elsewhere, including the United States. Few, if any, of these replacements have ever worked at Exhibition Place. The likelihood of misjudgment and mistakes are high, especially from a hastily assembled group just brought in and who are racing around the clock to meet very tight deadlines.

"Last Wednesday, we asked Mayor Tory face-to-face outside Massey Hall to end the lockout and return to the bargaining table," says Antheunis.  

"He dodged the question and later informed us by letter that he would not get involved in negotiations, saying that the issues are "properly" addressed at the bargaining table with the Board.

"That cannot possibly be true," counters Antheunis. "Tory is Toronto's Mayor and Chief Magistrate and appoints the Exhibition Place Board of Governors. He supported the lockout but wants to distance himself from the predictable traffic chaos and potential public safety hazards that now loom over the 2018 CNE. He wants Toronto to think he is powerless when it comes to labour relations while at the same time he is running for re-election."

Last year, over 1.5 million visitors came to the CNE, generating more than 170 million dollars for the City and Province.

Bringing in a brand new workforce from Quebec and the U.S. to replace the experienced and skilled Local 58 members is problematic and risky, Antheunis says.

"Our members are among the best-trained stagecraft professionals on the continent and their skills are continuously upgraded with technological advances in the industry. We have served Exhibition Place and the CNE for over 60 years and we know every nook and cranny of the grounds, buildings and equipment.

"We're very proud of our record but we take nothing for granted. Rigorous training is in our union's DNA.

"We are ready to help make the CNE a success once again and will return to the bargaining table as soon as we are asked and the lockout ends."

Today's 11:30 a.m. rally will be the third one staged by the union at City Hall. President Antheunis will be onsite and available for interviews. Media enquiries may also be made to Justin Antheunis by email to [email protected] or by phone at 416-364-5565 ext. 123.

IATSE Local 58 was founded in Toronto in 1894 and provides a full range of stagecraft skills and expertise to many local theatrical, business, and entertainment venues such as Roy Thomson Hall, Massey Hall, The Royal Alexandra Theatre, Sony Centre, Scotiabank Arena, Beanfield Centre and more. Local 58 is affiliated with the Toronto and York Region Labour Council, Ontario Federation of Labour, Canadian Labour Congress and the AFL-CIO. 

Media Advisory

SOURCE IATSE Local 58

Media enquiries may also be made to Justin Antheunis by email to [email protected] or by phone at 416-364-5565 ext. 123.

Related Links

www.iatse58.org