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Toronto-based Cinesphere and Ontario Science Center on Strike!

Published: March 15, 2002. By GiantScreenBIZ.com

Both the Ontario Science Center and Ontario Place, which respectively operate the Shoppers Drug Mart IMAX Theatre and the Cinesphere [two large format cinemas located near Toronto], closed March 13, 2002, for an unlimited period. Indeed, a labor strike by the members of the OPSEU [Ontario Public Service Employees Union] have paralyzed the two facilities, among other public services in the richest Canadian province.

All scheduled film screenings have been cancelled until further notice, said both institutions, news which will certainly not help either theatre to regain a positive growth curve [Editor's note: Shoppers IMAX and Cinesphere respectively posted a 15.4% and 4.8% drop in attendance between 2000 and 2001, -81,000 tickets with a cumulative attendance rate of 636,000.] Science North and its IMAX Theatre in Sudbury in northern Ontario have not been affected by the walkout, "since our employees are not unionized, and thus no part of that collective agreement," said Michel Bechard of Science North.

The Government of Ontario and the OPSEU began negotiations in late 2001 before the master public employees contract expired. Talks continued between the two parties throughout the past three months but an agreement was never reached. The main stumbling block is the current salary levels and their growth over the next three years.

Copyright 2002 GiantScreenBIZ - All Rights Reserved

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