Slog PM: Concrete Strike Collapses, New Omicron Variant Drops, and the Academy Bans Will Smith from the Oscars – Slog

Barred from sitting through the Oscars for a decade? And here I thought the Academy was trying to punish him. Neilson Barnard / GETTY

Welp, so much for the concrete strike: More than 300 concrete truck drivers said they’ll return to work without a contract after striking for more than three months under the boot of stingy-ass, intractable bosses. Judging by the report in the Seattle Times, among other reasons it looks like the firing of workers in other industries dependent on the flow of that sweet, sweet concrete pressured the union members to hop back into their trucks.

Hales Ales closes up shop this weekend after nearly 39 years in business: The big Frelard brewery and event…