Clerks Are Urged to Work Without a Contract : Hollywood Park: Track will have replacement workers on hand in case of labor action.

Despite their overwhelming rejection of the latest contract offered by California’s racetrack associations, parimutuel ticket sellers have been urged to report to work today for the opening of the Hollywood Park meeting while negotiations continue.

President Joseph Stellino of the Pari-Mutuel Employees Guild, Local 280, said that more than 600 clerks would be on hand to man mutuel machines at Hollywood and all Southern California satellite sites, which include Del Mar, Los Alamitos and Fairplex Park in Pomona and Santa Anita.

Stellino recommended a “no” vote on the contract at guild meetings Tuesday in Berkeley and San Gabriel, and the union responded with 96% rejecting the contract.

Hollywood and its satellites had been standing by with 600 trained and licensed replacement clerks in case of union no-shows today.

The union, which has about 2,600 members, is objecting primarily to a freeze in wages and changes in eligibility requirements for health and welfare benefits presented by the racetracks as a “last offer.”

“We’re not talking about taking away benefits. We’re not talking about reducing wages,” said Richard Hughes, head of labor relations for California racetracks. “We’re just trying to get a handle on what’s going on in the world today.”

Attorney David Rosenfeld, representing the union, said the tracks are trying to save money by skewing health and welfare eligibility in favor of senior clerks with access to more hours of employment.

“Currently, a member is entitled to health and welfare benefits if during the prior year he worked at least 180 days,” Rosenfeld said. “The tracks want to raise that number to 220.

“Ours is a seniority industry, and you work depending on seniority rank. That increase to 220 days could eliminate 20-30% of our people from getting benefits.”

The guild also opposes an increase in the number of work days required for sick leave and vacation benefits and is seeking stronger protection clauses in the face of automated ticket selling.

According to the terms of the previous contract, which expired at midnight Tuesday, parimutuel clerks earn from $80 to $113 per day, depending on seniority.

Don Robbins, Hollywood Park president, said that even though a contract has not been ratified, union members can work, as long as they sign individual employment agreements that reflect the previous contract provisions and guarantee 60 days notice before quitting.

“We’ve told our people not to sign anything,” Stellino said. “We consider it illegal. We’ve told our people to show up for work for the good of the industry.”

Track management began preparing for a possible strike early this month.

“We’ve trained and licensed 600 replacement clerks at a cost of about $250,000,” Robbins said. “It was the price we had to pay for the assurance of running on opening day.”

According to Robbins, the other unions representing various racetrack employees have accepted a three-year contract that includes a “wage-opener” provision after one year. The clerks, however, are being asked to accept a two-year wage freeze.

“We keep telling everybody the industry is sick, but nobody believes it,” Robbins said. “Well, the Teamsters and the culinary (union), they know it.”

Rosenfeld said the clerks’ guild does not accept the argument.

“The tracks are making money,” Rosenfeld said. “Not a lot, I’ll concede, but they are making money.”