All-Star Game Strike Threat Averted in Oakland

The threat of a strike by 300 Oakland Coliseum food workers during baseball’s All-Star Game Tuesday night was averted Saturday when a settlement was reached by union leaders and the food concessionaire, officials said.

“We are happy to have the contract,” said spokesman Mike Phillips of the Volume Service-Canteen Corp. following agreement on a new contract. “We look forward to Tuesday and to making it the best All-Star Game ever.”

Oakland Mayor Lionel Wilson and county officials also sat in on Saturday’s talks with Local 28 of the Hotel and Restaurant Workers Union.

The new 18-month contract, which union officials predicted would be acceptable to the workers, would replace one that lapsed three months ago. The union had received an emergency strike sanction Friday from the Alameda County Central Labor Council Friday.

Meanwhile, a second major strike--this one by 2,800 NBC employees--may have had its impact on the game lessened when the National Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians and the City of Oakland agreed that the union would have only informational pickets and would not disrupt the game.