Somerville Theater Strike

[frederic.livejournal.com]

Labor Day showed itself to Davis Square in the form of a strike in front of the Somerville Theater. It was a protest asking for the theater to hire unionized projectionists (or allow theirs to join the union).(1)

After getting a coffee and reading in Diesel, I saw a bunch of police cruiser lights flashing down the street. I had seen a bunch of crusty punk types hanging out in Davis before I went into Diesel and noted to myself that they weren't in a relaxed hanging-out sort of mood, but more in a tense, anticipatory mood. There were nine cruisers and a bunch of Somerville, MBTA, and later Medford police (and later one paddy wagon). The police almost outnumbered the picketers. The picketers were marching in an oval in front and letting people in (though yelling 'scab' at the people entering (2)).

At some point after the paddy wagon pulled up, they grabbed the "lead" protester - well, the one with the megaphone. Three cops hauled him off in a headlock to the wagon. Other cops moved in with their billy clubs drawn and moved the picketers over. Several people got choked. Pictures were taken as one of the people getting manhandled asked the crowd to do so. Allegedly some of the police were trying to control their own from using excessive violence.

At some point after the paddy wagon pulled up, they grabbed the "lead" protestor - well, the one with the megaphone. Three cops hauled him off in a headlock to the wagon. All of this without getting on their own speaker systems and asking the strike to move or disperse. Other cops moved in with their billy clubs drawn and moved the picketers over. Several people got choked. Pictures were taken as one of the people getting manhandled asked the crowd to do so. Allegedly some of the police were trying to control their own from using excessive violence.

The police must have realized that there was nothing illegal about the protest and then let continue even after I left which was over 90 minutes after the strike started. Apparently, you can be in front of the entrance as long as you are moving. Most of the cruisers left and so did most of the onlookers. Some police stayed on.

Feel free to disagree with my opinions as well as share your thoughts, accounts, and photos.

(1) One of my problems with this is that the theater is a rarity in that it isn't a Sony-Loews Megaplex that charges excessive amounts for its tickets. If the theater raises pay, then it raises ticket prices, which in turn causes fewer people to go to a second run theater when they can see first runs or rent. Small businesses often struggle to stay alive as is in the Walmartization of society.

(2) I commented to Special-Pete (I bumped into him there) that the picketers needed to take Strike 101 to get the terminology correct and to learn the chants better. Pete was upset that they weren't asking/replying "When do we want it? NOW!" Within 5 minutes, someone must have clued them in since they started chanting it.

Comments

[dylanashes.livejournal.com]

(1) One of my problems with this is that the theater is a rarity in that it isn't a Sony-Loews Megaplex that charges excessive amounts for its tickets. If the theater raises pay, then it raises ticket prices, which in turn causes fewer people to go to a second run theater when they can see first runs or rent. Small businesses often struggle to stay alive as is in the Walmartization of society.


i used to work at the somerville theatre.

The entire building is owned by a single person. he decided that running a theatre would be fun. he collects rent from the someday cafe, double take (a magazine upstairs) and whatever is on the third floor. They hold concerts which make a conciderable sum of money for the theatre. he also owns a number of apartments buildings (the one next to the library in davis is an example) in the cambridge/somerville area.
he is literally sitting on a few million dollars.
he can afford to pay a little bit more.
that's all i'm saying.

[rojagato.livejournal.com]

He (FEI) actually owns at least three theaters (the Somerville, the Arlington Capitol, and the Belmont), all former vaudeville palaces that had been slated for destruction, and he sunk a lot of money into making them habitable and enjoyable, let alone to code. Having staged a production at the Somerville, I take issue with the "considerable sums of money"--for what I paid to the venue, the pickets should have taken the Middle East as well [1], since the Saters charge a lot more for a lot less for the Downstairs.

FEI also staged the Bruce Springsteen concert at cost (I know since I talked to the non-union stage crew), for the benefit of Double Take.
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[1] Maybe they did--I just wasn't at Central Square tonight.