A four-month labor dispute at Sotheby’s (BID) has brought out actress Susan Sarandon and hundreds of Occupy Wall Street protesters on an issue that comes down to who gets to haul the Chippendales and Picassos.
A month after a three-year contract expired, the New York- based auction house imposed a lockout on July 29 on the 42 union workers known as art handlers. Their job involves moving expensive collectibles from showroom to salesroom for waiting bidders.
Sotheby’s said the lockout prevented the workers from scheduling a strike to cause maximum disruption and cost to the auction house.
The handlers belong to Local 814 of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, which has accused the auctioneer of seeking savings that will weaken the union and cut pay. During the lockout, the handlers receive unemployment benefits plus $200 a week from their union. Their health insurance expires in January, the union said.
“You have to decide what’s more important to you, watching ‘Barney’ or eating,’” said handler Roger Ousley, a father of four who temporarily suspended cable television in his Bronx home.
Sotheby’s, which is using temporary workers to handle items for auction, said it’s eager for a resolution. The temps and enhanced security since the lockout began helped account for a $2.4 million jump in “other compensation” expenses in the first nine months of the year, offset partially by savings in full-time salaries, according to a Nov. 9 filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
“This is the last thing we wanted,” said Diana Phillips, a company spokeswoman.
Paring Workweek
The auctioneer proposed cutting the handlers’ workweek to 36 1/4 hours from 38 3/4 hours and increasing the number of temporary laborers, according to both sides. The union said new work rules would decrease eligibility for overtime, resulting in take-home pay declining 5 percent to 15 percent.
Temporary workers without medical or pension benefits would replace unionized art handlers as they retire or find other jobs, the union said.
“The people who leave would not be harmed, but the new jobs would be throwaway jobs,” said Jason Ide, the president of Local 814.
Sotheby’s says the change in work rules won’t eventually result in handlers being all non-union. The two sides have continued to negotiate, including a 4-hour session on Dec. 12.
