Oscar Nominees Lunch Hit by Union Protest

UPDATED: Members of the Service Employees International Union are charging that Security Industry Specialists, which provides security at the Academy Awards, employs officers who are "inadequately trained."

Stars arriving at Monday's Oscar nominees luncheon at the Beverly Hilton Hotel were greeted by loud protests and picketing by members of the Service Employees International Union, which is challenging the Oscars' security firm.

According to Peter Feng, a spokesman for the union, Security Industry Specialists, the firm that handles security at the Oscars, employs "inadequately trained officers on a part-time basis, and in our view the Academy should employ a responsible security contractor that provides full-time jobs with health care and other benefits."

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In a statement on its website, SIS said, "For the past three years, the Service Employees International Union has targeted Security Industry Specialists Inc. in an unsuccessful attempt to convince SIS employees to join the union." It accused the union of "turning to a campaign of lies and distortion aimed at SIS employees and clients."

The Academy had no comment.