Contract negotiations between Oak Bay and a local concert organizer hit a snag this week.
Beacon Ridge Productions, which puts on 30 to 40 concerts every year across Greater Victoria, says it is “very unhappy” with a clause in its new contract with the district that would allow people to talk during shows it produces at the Oak Bay Recreation Centre’s Upstairs Lounge.
On Monday, April 28, the company detailed its complaints in an e-blast it sent to those on its mailing list. Messages delivered this way hit close to 4,000 inboxes, according to the Beacon Ridge's co-founder Marie Bachand.
“The major issue, which shocked us, is a clause around our no-talking policy,” reads the email. “We have worked hard over the past 12 years that we've presented concerts at Oak Bay Recreation Centre, and our model/policy of no talking, listening venue has been a success and appreciated by ... concert goers.”
The company claims the Oak Bay employee responsible for contract negotiations has always been aware of its no-talking policy, yet decided to include the clause, adding that it “will not be signing a contract that states people can talk during our concerts.”
The email called out the employee by name, and a phone number and email address were provided for those opposed to the new clause to contact. Bachand says at least 131 people have emailed the staff member.
Oak Bay wasn't happy with the company's decision to direct the e-blast at an individual.
“The district finds it unfortunate that the other party involved in negotiations identified a singular employee responsible for the contract decisions made. These negotiations are between the District of Oak Bay and the other party," Oak Bay's manager of communications Hayley Goodgrove said in an April 30 email to Oak Bay News.
“The comments contained in this letter are viewed as a breach of our respectful workplace policy and encourage potentially harassing behaviour towards employees and attempts to exert public pressure on a negotiation process,” she added.
Goodgrove, however, couldn’t comment on the contentious part of the contract.
“Oak Bay is currently engaged in contract negotiations with Beacon Ridge Productions. While we are unable to comment on the specifics of our discussions at this time, we value the quality of events offered to the community in the [Upstairs] Lounge," she said.
But Bachand insists there are no negotiations underway, claiming that they received no reply to an email about the new clause that she sent the employee on April 22. The co-founder sent another message on April 27, she says, and received a response on April 28 from the staff member saying the district would get back to Beacon Ridge Productions. Later that day, the company sent out the e-blast.
"Again, we still have not received a response. We have today secured other venues for several fall/winter shows that were to be held at the Oak Bay Rec Centre," said Bachand.
"With regards to singling out an employee, we needed to contact someone, whoever was in charge," she added. "As a public employee serving the District of Oak Bay, any concerns the public might have would be best directed to [them]. We apologize for any inconvenience."
