The war isn’t over, but it looks like Doc Burnstein’s Ice Cream Lab in Arroyo Grande has won a round in its bizarre dispute with a Camarillo-based unit of the carpenter’s union.

In a fight that other unions refused to join, the carpenters staged informational “bannering” protests at the ice cream store for months. They claimed non-union workers were hired by the company for a new store at Santa Maria Town Center, but it was the mall owner that hired the contractor.

The banners have been taken down, and at press time there was talk of a meeting between owner and former Spirit of Small Business Winner Greg Steinberger and union officials to work out a permanent settlement.

Steinberger has since moved his planned new location to Orcutt. We’ll hold off on the celebrating but now you know the scoop.

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