June 23, 2012

New York Mediation: “No Soup For You!”

Author: Stephen Alexander - The real-life restaurant chain, The Original Soup Man, was the inspiration for a famous episode of the television show Seinfeld in the 1990′s. The current owner, along with other parties, has been ordered into mediation. Although there is “No Soup For You!” there is a mediator for the two parties in the dispute.

The Soup Man, episode of Seinfeld, was inspired by Al Yeganeh, who runs Soup Kitchen International and The Original Soup Man chain of restaurants throughout the United States.

The dispute arose because creditors of the now bankrupt company, Soup Kitchen International, allegedly claim that the original owners mismanaged the company. During a 2009 licensing deal with Bob Bertrand as the CFO, Soup Kitchen International allegedly lost the rights to soup recipes and the name.

Remarkably, this somewhat mirrors the Soup Nazi episode of Seinfeld, when the character – Elaine – gets the recipes for the soups and says “You’re through, Soup Nazi. Pack it up. No more soup for you. Next!”

The creditors and those associated with Soup Kitchen International, were recently ordered into mediation. The talks are scheduled for next week.

Mr Yageneh may be called into testify in the case, if the case does not settle in mediation.

June 12, 2012

Pilots Mediation May Conclude on June 15

Author: Stephen Alexander – Release from mediation is the hope for the United Airlines and Continental Airlines pilots, if by the deadline the parties do not reach an agreement.

The deadline was established by the Joint Collective Bargaining Agreement (JCBA) negotiations. Once released from the National Mediation Board (NMB), the pilots will have the right to “self-help,” which includes the right to strike.

In protest of the slow negotiations, the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA) plan to gather at the site of the United Continental Holdings annual shareholder meeting on Tuesday. The pilots have been working under a 9-year old bankruptcy contract.

On May 11, 2012, ALPA President Capt. Lee Moak, requested that the NMB “assist the parties to bring about an agreement by proffering arbitration.” If the arbitration is not accepted by both parties, then the NMB would release the ALPA from the talks and allow the union to “self-help.”

Under “self-help,” then union would be allowed to take lawful action, including a strike, following a thirty-day cooling off period. The pilots are hot happy with the pace of the negotiations.

The two sides requested a mediator in December 2010, and efforts to mediate began in February 2011. The two sides have been mediating since that date.