SHOW ME CENTER PICKETED

CAPE GIRARDEAU - Representatives of a union are conducting an informational picket at the Show Me Center this weekend at Sesame Street Live's "Silly Dancing" because members of their union are not used at the center.

The center does not have a contract with Local 421 of the Stagehands and Projectionists of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees and Moving Picture Machine Operators, which is affiliated with the AFL-CIO.

In information distributed by picketers and in newspaper ads, the union says Sesame Street Live is a union show traveling with members of their union.

Show Me Center Manager David Ross said that while two unions represent employees at the center, the one picketing does not.

"This particular local would prefer we hire them, but to do so we would have to tell the current people who have been with us four years we no longer need them," said Ross. "That is not something I want to do."

Ross explained that the custodians and some of the set-up crews are affiliated with the Teamsters union and the mechanical personnel and carpenters are represented by the Operating Engineers.

"In Missouri, employees have to request representation by unions, and this particular group of employees has not requested to be represented by this particular bargaining unit," said Ross.

"This local is basing their entire premise on the fact that Sesame Street is what is called a union traveling show, and their employees are traveling union members," said Ross. "The reason they are union members is so, when they go into a union building in other parts of the country, they want to be able to handle their own equipment."

The local has had between four and eight picketers during the Sesame Street show. Ross said the picketers have been cooperative and that there had been no problems.

"They just want to get the information out that I have not hired their crew," said Ross.

He said attendance at Sesame Street has not been hurt by the picketers. "There just seems to be a lot of happy children running around," said Ross.