Protests at the Church of Scientology Celebrity Center

January 29, 2010: A large protest banner declaring "Shame on Church of Scientology" continues to be displayed outside of their International Celebrity Center, located in the lively Franklin Village area of Hollywood, California.

The protests began before Christmas 2009. One protester who volunteers in support of family members, says they could continue for a year or more. Unable to be officially interviewed, she did say that there had been a notable lack of public support for the protest. Many people walking or driving by have told her that they believed they would be unsuccessful, pointing out the popularity of Tom Cruise and the money and the celebrity support behind the Church of Scientology. Explaining her frustration at this, she said she wished that Scientologists, "... would not hide their shady acts behind their status as a Church."

Flyers available at the demonstration call the Church a "rat contractor" who does not pay all of their employees a prevailing wage. A prevailing wage, as defined by the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries on their website, is:

"... the hourly wage, usual benefits and overtime, paid in the largest city in each county, to the majority of workers, laborers, and mechanics. Prevailing wages are established, by the Department of Labor & Industries, for each trade and occupation employed in the performance of public work. They are established separately for each county, and are reflective of local wage conditions."

The flyer also accuses the Church of "Desecration of the American Way of Life". Citing the Church of Scientology as a large presence in the local Hollywood community, the Union believes they have an obligation to uphold humane standards of employment in the area. Carpenters Local 1506 argues that by not upholding local craft carpenter standards of employment, The Church is contributing to increased crime, lower standards of living and other unsavory results of an underpaid population.

The protest is part of an ongoing labor dispute between Carpenters Local 1506 and Orange County Acoustics. Orange County Acoustics, Carpenters Local 1506 claims, is a non-union organization of sub-contractors who allegedly pay their workers substandard wages and do not offer health insurance or pension plans. Carpenters Local 1506 is protesting at the Church of Scientology because they hired Orange County Acoustics for their new project on Sunset Avenue.

While this is not the first time the Church of Scientology has been accused of violating labor laws, it is not nearly as extreme an accusation as many of the allegations of cult-like manipulation and violations of personal rights and liberties that have been leveled at them over the years. For the inhabitants of Franklin Village and Beachwood Canyon, this protest adds dignity to the mood of grassroots activism begun by the ubiquitous presence of petitioners accosting shoppers at the Gelson's supermarket across the street.

This story was researched in person and online. Links supporting the online research are:

http://www.lni.wa.gov/tradeslicensing/prevwage/basics/whatis/default.asp

http://www.rickross.com/reference/scientology/scien590.html

http://counterknowledge.com/2009/01/more-scientology-woes-marc-headley-sues-church-of-scientology-for-slave-labor/