Medieval Times Tries To Bully Its Workers Out Of Unionizing With A Bullshit Trademark Lawsuit

from the more-like-mid-evil,-amirite? dept

Trademark bullying typically can take a really regular type. Another person with a trademark decides to interpret the will need to implement their mark in an severe way and goes off threatening and/or suing all people that even will come mildly close to applying the registered trademark. It is aggravating, whilst possibly mildly easy to understand if you squint your eyes just right.

But then there are bullies that wield trademark for applications that are fully illegitimate. You may remember that Walmart, exemplar of virtuous company ideology to be absolutely sure, went following some of its Canadian workers for trademark infringement, even however the actual aim was to consider to tamp down those workers’ ideas to unionize. The bullshit assert was that the union’s identify and its internet websites identify, Walmart Workers Canada, had been heading to lead to the general public to assume that the union was endorsed by Walmart alone. This is hilariously not likely for any variety of factors, but also flies in the confront of the simple fact that it simply cannot be trademark infringement to properly title the identify of your group dependent on its purpose.

Well, it seems like another person is trying this in the United States now. Medieval Situations, the corporation that sets up faux castles where you go and eat, drink, and enjoy jousting matches, has sued its possess workforce that are attempting to unionize underneath the correct identical trademark infringement circumstance.

In its lawsuit filed Thursday in federal court docket, Medieval Periods stated the union, the American Guild of Assortment Artists, had made “consumer confusion” by enabling staff to use the name “Medieval Times Performers United.” The enterprise statements the union is “threatening the set up goodwill of Medieval Times” by which include the chain’s title and medieval-themed imagery in its identify and brand.

“The things highlighted in the Medieval Periods Performers Brand (i.e., castle, swords, old script type textual content) all resemble factors of Medieval Times’s branding and center ages-themed décor, which are plainly meant to evoke Medieval Times’ one of a kind picture,” the corporation explained in its lawsuit.

Yes, of training course they are. These workers work for Medieval Periods. As for the statements that the branding is comparable, you can see anything the organization lays out in the embedded submitting beneath. That staying reported, below is a person instance the business gives.

Uh, no, not similar font variations. Like… at all. They are entirely unique fonts and in distinct coloration. The other illustrations are just as negative. For case in point, the union logo has two swords crossing at the rear of the emblem. The organization claims this is trademark infringement for the reason that in the present shops at the “castles” the corporation frequently has a screen wherever multiple swords are pointed inward. Think I’m exaggerating? Well…

Increase to all of that the fact that the union’s proposed title is an correct description of the corporation and you’re left with the notion that this is all obviously safeguarded speech and/or good use of the company’s trademarked name.

So, what is likely on listed here? Like we explained from the leading: bullying. The business is on the lookout to make the system of unionizing as agonizing as doable for its personnel. For its part, the union is speaking about regardless of whether to get the Countrywide Labor Relations Board included, which it damned properly ought to. In particular contemplating that there are identical unions that have sprung up in other corporations where by this so-referred to as trademark infringement has in no way been at difficulty.

Lots of employees have been organizing new unions recently less than a variation of the “united” concept. Some examples are Starbucks Employees United, Trader Joe’s United and Home Depot Workers United. To HuffPost’s expertise, none of people businesses have sued the worker companies for alleged trademark infringement.

Identical. Maybe it is time for Medievel Periods to get with the fashionable instances and halt making an attempt to continue to keep the union from forming by abusing trademark legislation.

Submitted Underneath: bullying, medieval instances performers united, trademark, unions

Providers: american guild of wide range artists, medieval moments