Food Workers to Stage Protest at Staples Center

A nasty labor dispute is shaping up at Staples Center, where union leaders say a major concessionaire has reneged on a deal to bargain in good faith with a union representing food workers.

Developers of the $400-million downtown Los Angeles sports and entertainment center, which opened in October, early on won local labor’s backing for permits and city subsidies by promising to be union-friendly. Staples officials also assured organizers of the 2000 Democratic National Convention that the center, which will be a main venue for the political gathering, is “a union facility” where they don’t need to worry about work stoppages or other labor-related problems.

In light of those pledges, the gathering of several hundred placard-carrying, whistle-blowing protesters promised for this afternoon by activist Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees Local 11 could prove embarrassing. Union officials say the protest could be the first of many outside the venue if negotiations don’t bear fruit.

“We’ll see whether the owners and operators of the arena like having labor protests in front of their new establishment, or whether they’ll weigh in,” union spokesman David Koff said.

Added Karine Mansoorian, chief negotiator for the union: “It’s the most expensive and most modern facility in the country, and they cannot pay a fair wage. We’re not asking for our people to make a million dollars, but we want them to make a decent living.”

Staples spokesman Michael Roth said the issue is between the union and Ogden Entertainment Services, a subcontractor that employs about 500 concession workers selling hot dogs, nachos and drinks. Ogden, a food service and venue management behemoth, also runs Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim and Raging Waters in San Dimas.

“We’re not going to tell them how to run their negotiations,” Roth said. He added that the center is “committed to being a union facility.”

Lon Rosenberg, regional manager for Ogden, said the company is still talking with the union. “We will continue to negotiate with Local 11, but not in the media,” he said.

In the union’s telling of the story, Ogden dragged its feet during negotiations, beginning with the union’s first efforts to sign up workers. Ogden eventually did recognize Local 11 as the official representative of its 500 employees, but has yet to sign a contract.

“All along, they were unreasonable,” Mansoorian said. “They didn’t believe people were suffering, and we needed to come to a fast resolution.”

In contrast, Mansoorian said, negotiations have been relatively smooth with all other major employers at Staples. Levy Restaurants, which employs about 500 food workers serving the upscale sky boxes, signed a contract with the union in November. Unions representing stagehands, janitors and ushers also have signed contracts with employers. Ogden is the only holdout, Mansoorian said.

Several Ogden workers complained about short shifts and low pay.

“People are very angry,” said concession worker George Barrajas, who said he earns $8.25 an hour. “We were promised full-time jobs and instead we get four hours. That’s $35 a day. You can’t live on that.”

Workers also complained that they had to park in distant lots and take a shuttle to the center, a process that can take 45 minutes for which they are not paid.

“The shuttles are always running late, and then you get written up for punching in a few minutes late,” said Gerardo Lozano, a worker and member of the negotiating committee. “And we can’t take our own food or even water to the stand. All we eat is hot dogs and nachos.”

Lozano said workers want longer shifts and additional pay for working less than eight hours--a standard arrangement at similar union facilities such as Dodger Stadium, where he also works.

“They expect a lot of you, but they aren’t willing to give anything back,” said Lozano, who plans to be on the picket line from 2 to 4 p.m. to greet early fans for tonight’s Bette Midler concert. Then he must get to work by 6 p.m. to start serving hot dogs by 6:30. “All we’re asking for is a little respect.”