The sides seem to be rather far apart with Sotheby's wishing to reduce the number of union art handlers with benefits packages and the union wants to see the number of union workers increased by 18.
The ATG reports
To read the full ATG article HERE.HUNDREDS of union members and supporters protested outside Sotheby’s Manhattan showroom last week following the lockout of most of its portering staff.
Sotheby's 'art handlers', members of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) and managers from the New York auction house have been meeting to discuss a new contract since May, but recently relations between the parties have soured. Temporary porters have been hired for the duration of the lockout that looks set to continue into this month's Asia Week.
Sotheby's have asked for significant concessions from their art handlers, whose previous contract expired on June 30. They proposed axing a number of senior positions and replacing 12 IBT workers (whose starting salary of $16 per hour includes a full benefits package) with non-union workers (who earn $13.25 per hour with no benefits). The auctioneers also proposed shortening the handlers' working week by 2.5 hours and hoped to continue their policy of hiring additional temporary staff during the peak auction season.
The union, in turn, is hoping to eliminate all non-union workers across the 60 portering staff – meaning the addition of 18 new union hands.
Sotheby's have defended their decision to issue lockout letters to 43 Teamsters and hire new staff, a move that has escalated the dispute. A press statement issued to ATG reads: "Given the union's repeated threats of a strike in their many statements to the media during our negotiations, and the fact that our autumn season was only weeks away, we had to make alternative arrangements.
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