IA 33 Stagehands Need Your Help!

After 39 Years, 120 Stagehands, Janitors, Building Engineers on the Sidewalk at Great Western Forum
Faithful Central Bible Church, the Forum's Owner, Won't Meet with Terminated Workers

SMG, the multimillion-dollar corporate bargaining agent hired by Faithful Central Bible Church to manage the Forum, has taken an openly anti-worker stance -- after a friendly 39-year history at the Forum.

First to take the hit were the Building Engineers, forced to walk away last year following lower and lower wages. Next, some 60 janitors represented by SEIU 1877 were out of work in February when the service contract with their employer, AMG, was terminated.

Then, after more than two years of negotiations, SMG fired veteran stagehands from their jobs last April. IA Local 33 members, eager to return to work, have been left on the sidewalk as replacement workers are brought in.

IA 33, SEIU 1877 and Operating Engineers 501 have joined forces to draw attention to this issue. It is important to protect good paying, middle class jobs in Inglewood. Please send a letter to the Forum’s owners, asking them to come back to the table and meet with the unions to work towards a just resolution.

Sample Letter for Campaign

Subject: In solidarity with IATSE Local 33

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

I am deeply concerned about the anti-worker stance taken by Faithful Central Bible Church.

As a result of your actions, 120 men and women are now out of work -- this after 39 years of amiable relations between unionized workers and the Forum.

I am writing to you to ask the Church to do the morally right thing and meet with IATSE Local 33, Operating Engineers 501, and SEIU 1877 to continue the high-level of professionalism that has been the hallmark of the Forum for many years.

Local 33 members continued to work at the Forum when your agent imposed massive wage and working hour reductions. Now, they stand on the sidewalks as replacement workers are brought in. Terminated from their jobs, they repeatedly requested a meeting with the Church. Yet their pleas go unanswered.

Please meet with these workers and their unions. Otherwise, you cast a long shadow on the Church's commitment to the larger Los Angeles community as a whole and to working men and women in particular.

In solidarity,

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
May 10, 2006

Background Information

Faithful Central Bible Church - the new owners of the Los Angeles Forum - are refusing to meet with IATSE Local 33 or any of the unions representing their workers. Instead, the church continues to bring in replacement workers as veteran stagehands, fired since mid-April, stand on the sidewalks.

Local 33, Operating Engineers 501, and SEIU 1877 are asking for a meeting, in the hopes Faithful Central Bible Church can help resolve the dispute. Their refusal to meet with our union brothers and sisters calls into question the Church's commitment to the Los Angeles community as whole and for working men and women everywhere.