UNION MUSCLE WINS DAY IN ‘CHEF’ CASE,
Case could signal unions to show more muscle
The acquittal of four Teamsters accused of disrupting the filming of an episode of “Top Chef” in 2014 will get the attention of union leaders nationwide and could encourage local organizations to resort to strongarm tactics on behalf of their members, analysts say.
“From a practical standpoint, it may have the effect of emboldening unions,” said Tim Garrett, an attorney and labor expert. “I guarantee you, locals all across the country were paying attention to this.”
Yesterday, John Fidler, 52, Daniel Redmond, 48, Robert Cafarelli, 46, and Michael Ross, 62, were all found not guilty on extortion charges. The four had been accused of using violence and threats to force “Top Chef” producers to hire union workers.
Under a decades-old Supreme Court decision, union members cannot be charged with extortion under the Hobbs Act as long as their actions are in pursuit of a legitimate labor objective. Garrett said the fact that the controversial actions the four men employed were still being considered legal under the Hobbs Act will serve as a blueprint for unions looking to stay on the right side of the law.
“That’s the law — if the union was seeking legitimate labor objectives, then they could not have violated the Hobbs Act,” Garrett said. “Whatever (unions) are doing, they need to make sure it’s for legitimate labor objectives. There will be lots of attention at various locals to make sure they stay on that line.”
Still, the “Top Chef” indictments and prosecution were remarkable because of how toned-down unions have become, said Jake Rosenfeld, a professor and union expert at Washington University in St. Louis.
“That was a real kind of throwback,” Rosenfeld said. “Whether the acquittals mean we’ll see more of this — I doubt it.”
Even so, the verdict could have a lasting impact on the state, said Paul Craney, executive director of the Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance.
“This is a slippery slope,” Carney said. “Don’t be surprised if we’re losing business in Boston for this industry. Who in God’s name would want to do a photo shoot or movie shoot in Boston just to get harassed?”
Data from the state film office shows the state may already be seeing the impact of the picketing.
This week, the Herald reported the number of reality shows in Massachusetts has plummeted since “Top Chef” filmed in 2014, according to state data. Last year, just three reality shows filmed in the state, and only one is listed for 2017.