Knutsson

I. INTRODUCTION

Defendant, KTLA, LLC, appeals from an order denying its motion to compel arbitration. Plaintiffs, Kurt Knutsson and his company, Woo Jivas Corporation, entered into a personal service agreement to act as a technology reporter with defendant, a television broadcaster. The personal service agreement is subject to a three-step grievance and arbitration provision in a collective bargaining agreement. The collective bargaining agreement is between Mr. Knutsson’s union, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists Los Angeles Local (the union), and defendant. The union is not a party to this appeal.

After the personal service agreement was terminated, plaintiffs filed suit alleging contract breach, age discrimination, unfair business practices, and misappropriation of Mr. Knutsson’s likeness claims. Defendant moved to compel arbitration. The trial court denied defendant’s motion to compel arbitration. We affirm the order denying the motion to compel arbitration. We conclude: defendant has forfeited the right to compel compliance with the collective bargaining agreement’s nonarbitration provisions in the three-step grievance process; the arbitration…