STAR WARS - LUCAS CAUGHT UP IN UNION BATTLE

STAR WARS movie mogul GEORGE LUCAS is at the centre of a union dispute after filing an unfair labour practices complaint against stewards in charge of sound editors who work for him.

Lucas and producers at his LucasFilm company in northern California claim union representatives stalled talks to negotiate a new contract by cancelling meetings and failing to respond to requests for information.

Lucas' right-hand man HOWARD ROFFMAN says, "We have spent four very frustrating months and have been unable to get the union to the bargaining table to negotiate. We've got a business to run here."

Roffman, LucasFilm's vice-president of business affairs, admits he's baffled that anyone has any union grievances with the movie mogul, because he's a great boss.

He adds, "This is a guy who has taken care of his employees like very few employers on this planet."