Posted on 09/04/2017 9:02:59 PM PDT by TBP
The recent acquittal of four Boston Teamsters charged with attempting to extort the producers of the popular “Top Chef” television show is the latest illustration of a loophole in federal law that permits organized labor to engage in acts of extortion that would be illegal if anyone else tried it.
Since a 1973 Supreme Court decision exempted union extortion and racketeering actions from the Hobbs Act, so long as the object being extorted constituted a legitimate union objective, union thugs have been getting a free pass on violence and threats such as what occurred in June 2014.
Perhaps inspired by their Teamsters contract at the time driving trucks for the movie “Black Mass,” starring Johnny Depp as infamous Boston mobster Whitey Bulger, four Teamsters Local 25 members decided that the Emmy-winning “Top Chef” show shouldn’t be permitted to film on union turf unless union bosses got their cut.
The show’s non-union staff does whatever driving is necessary, so there was no need to hire forced dues-paying Teamsters members for the positions, but that didn’t stop Teamsters goons John Fidler, Michael Ross, Robert Cafarelli and Daniel Redmond from trying.
“Top Chef” had originally planned to film an episode at the Omni Parker House Hotel and the Menton restaurant in Boston itself. However, these two venues told “Top Chef” it was no longer welcome after receiving calls in advance of the scheduled filming from Ken Brissette. Mr. Brissette, an appointee of union-label Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, had informed “Top Chef” they would be harassed by a Teamster mob if they refused union militants’ request.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
Maybe in the second term. Heh.
Unions have gone beyond their shelf life and need to wither on the vine.
RICO anyone.
That's an honorable thought. I'm beginning to think trade unions demanding exclusive rights in any market has always been just another form of piracy.
Won’t be one if they have their way. They need to be crushed.
so are unions a major reason for all the reality tv shows that we see on tv these days?
Having been personally threatened by union thugs, I hate unions and their goons with a passion. Two on one, they were big, while I was undersized and barely legal to work (with school permission), and they threatened to break my bones? I still cheer at every setback for the unions.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.