Saratoga News

Montalvo talks with union about stage crew at winery

Local 134 could put away picket signs

By Sarah Lombardo

What had become in recent weeks a regular picketing site at Villa Montalvo and Mountain Winery performances will be no more, if negotiations between Montalvo and union officials continue. Members of Local 134 of the International Alliance of Theatrical and Stage Employees agreed late last week to stop picketing both venues when Montalvo officials agreed to enter into negotiations with them.

"There won't be any more picketing unless we stop negotiating," Bruce Labadie, performing arts director for Montalvo, said. "We've talked with them, and I think we can work things out."

Labadie said he couldn't comment on the status of the negotiations, but thought an agreement would be reached soon.

The dispute union members had with Montalvo involved the use of nonunion labor at performances at the recently reopened Mountain Winery. Union officials said that in the past, Local 134 has always worked at the winery, and so it came as a shock when the new management, Montalvo, didn't hire through the union.

"For years we represented the employees up at the Mountain Winery," Charles Burnett, business agent for Local 134, said. "We just wanted the two to four positions we've traditionally had."

Burnett charges that the union approached Montalvo in January, when it was announced that Montalvo would be managing the venue and bringing back the summer concert series. Burnett said he never heard back from Montalvo officials until March, when he was informed that Montalvo did not intend to talk with the unions. When contractors hired by Montalvo to subcontract for the labor worked out a deal with the union, Burnett said Montalvo called it off.

Burnett said Local 134 members decided to picket both venues to get Montalvo officials' attention. But, he said, it was a tough decision.

"This isn't doing anybody any good," he said. Strikers have stood outside both winery and Montalvo performances, but Burnett said they want to just inform residents, not prevent them from seeing the shows.

"We're not asking people to tear up their tickets," he said. "That's $100. We just want to make people aware of what Montalvo is doing."

One striker said he knew a picket line didn't look good, but felt it was necessary. "What can we do?" he said. "We need to feed our families."

This year marks the first full summer concert series at the winery since 1993, when the winery was put up for sale by developer Ray Collishaw.

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