Writers Strike

[Cocoboloboy]

I don't know everything about what's going on nor do I care but if I were in Conan's shoes and had to decide between supporting a group of people who simply want a bigger cut of the pie, deservedly so or not, and helping 80+ people that are caught in the crossfire to keep their jobs and care for their families then I'd choose the course he's going to take.

 

[DarthNeil]

I think that Conan is doing the right (and noble) thing...
I'm just happy that we might have a new year without ANY awards shows. No Golden Globes, no Oscars... This IS a good thing.

 

[chewblacca]

I think that Conan was once a television writer himself, so he should be understandable and do the right thing.

 

[Darklord Dave]

Both Conan and Jay are paying their non-writing staff out of their own pocket. I can see why they want those people to get paid by the network again as soon as possible.

And since they are both produced by NBC/Universal they don't have the choice of doing a side deal like Letterman.

 

[pjam]

For your Consideration:

Dave, Conan, Jay, Jon Stewart and Kimmel (I believe) are members of WGA.

Jay, Conan and Jimmy are using the Johnny Carson example of returning to their shows after a couple of months -- only Johnny Carson was not a member of WGA so the example he set is non applicable as far as the WGA is concerned.

Dave owns his show, the others don't. Dave has announced they will only bring his show back if it is sanctioned by the WGA, that is, a new Contract between WWP and WGA, or a waiver to use Writers as approved by WGA. Dave has been a Member of WGA for 30 years.

The others are crossing the Picket line and only further the cause of the Companies. Most of the Hosts are under extreme pressure by the Companies to return because their ratings have dropped (as much as 40%) and the Advertisers need to sell product.

Dave is the only Host to agree to return with the blessings of WGA and his Writing staff would benefit as well as his show if he returns with Writers. This would also apply to the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson. There has been no deal yet between Dave and WGA but they are working on it although it now seems an interim agreement may not be reached.

The others would have to cross the picket line and air shows with no writers at all. Jay has indicated he will do a Monologue, which is a no no. Also SAG will not support this action so Actors would have to decide whether they even choose to appear on these shows. Right now the GG and Oscar Organizers are freaking out because both of those shows are in Jeopardy of having no writers and no SAG support to attend those events.



The Writers I know as well as the WGA only support Dave's approach.

 

[Jair]

Not picking sides here at all and only paying attention to the writers strike from the periphary...but I can see how Conan, Jay and Jimmy would have to start their shows back up for the sake of the non-writing staff...I can't imagine all those employees are making enough to be umemployed for long term and possibily lose benefits.

I deal with unions on a daily basis in the transportation industry here in Alaska and honestly its a difficult position to be in, on both sides of the coin I only hope the writers and the studios can come to some sort of agreement before I see another ad for Contest of the Choirs or 5 nights of Deal or No Deal.

Evan

 

[Agent0028]

I'm just happy that we might have a new year without ANY awards shows. No Golden Globes, no Oscars... This IS a good thing.

Yeah I agree with you there. Never cared for those darn award shows. Of course one of the reasons they annoy me is that nothing good is on TV when they are on. And well...that's looking to be the whole spring. Maybe this will get people to read more. Now that would be a good thing.

 

[Wor-Gar]

It's unfortunate that so many have to suffer for so little.

However, bringing Jay and the gang back on the air really hurts the whole cause. To have a successful strike, you need support. Total support. Talk shows are the first to suffer, but they are also the only way the regular guy out there even knows the strike is going on and can feel it's effects. It's an immediate effect. A statement. If those shows are allowed to come back, few in America will notice the strike anymore, and few will care, if they even do now.

Point is, you can't have it both ways. If nothing is effected, then nothing is accomplished.

 

[pjam]

Jay, Conan, Jimmy et al are prolonging the Strike because the Companies they are working for and have been affected by lowered ratings will now have an increased revenue stream at the expense of the WGA, DAG and SAG.

The Companies do not want to share in New Revenue so they are prepared for the long haul. This makes it that much longer.

The point of the strike is to force the companies into agreeing to a fair contract, something they have refused to do because they do not want to share future revenues from New Media. They want to own it and control it outright. We are asking for 2.5% of what they earn. All three Guilds would total about 9.5% of the total. They want to keep 100%, pretty greedy if you ask me. There are other factors involved of course but this is pretty much the same thing that happened when TV was introduced as a new medium, Home Video, DVDs, etc. Basically Guilds have been forced to strike to avoid being denied their fair share for reuse of work. Imagine a Radio show Writer whose work/script was used to make a TV show that earned a lot of money and Companies refusing to pay them for using their work. Same thing here.

Btw, Dave's show has announced they are meeting with the WGA tomorrow in hopes of working out an interim agreement.

One other note. All the below the line workers, electricians, grips, etc work within the IATSE Guild. Because of the sacrifices Writers have made over the past 50 years, they enjoy Health Care benefits and Pension programs they would not have otherwise been given. The Companies would like nothing more than to rollback these benefits, so anyone who says its okay to prolong this strike so these workers can get paid is missing the point. There are thousands of Writers who are sacrificing now to ensure the future for us all, so again, that view is myopic, one the Companies have been using to try to break our resolve. It won't work, it's suffer now or pay the price forever.

 

[Ktjn]

Man this sucks. Without TV, I would have to like actually...read, or go outside; and nobody wants that.

Yeah, but theres still the internet. Lol, imagine if the internet was a being, and it went on strike. SSFs would start taking hostages.

 

[Jair]

One other note. All the below the line workers, electricians, grips, etc work within the IATSE Guild. Because of the sacrifices Writers have made over the past 50 years, they enjoy Health Care benefits and Pension programs they would not have otherwise been given. The Companies would like nothing more than to rollback these benefits, so anyone who says its okay to prolong this strike so these workers can get paid is missing the point. There are thousands of Writers who are sacrificing now to ensure the future for us all, so again , that view is myopic, one the Companies have been using to try to break our resolve.

You bring up a good point and again not really picking any particular side, but is IATSE backing the strike so to speak by asking their workers not to cross the picket line?

I know union negotations are always long and drawn out and always have repercussions to other areas, just not what the union members and companies are involved with. I understand what the writers want and for the most part agree with them, but with Hollywood like it is, wouldn't it have been best to band with the SAG and DGA when they were up for contract negotiations, I would think the three guilds working together would have greater power.


Evan

 

[pjam]

IATSE is run by Tom Short, who is in the Pockets of the Companies. He sides with them on most issues. Most of their members can't stand him.

And in this case No, waiting for DGA and SAG contracts to expire would prolong the strike EVEN more because The companies would have even more product in their pipeline to sell and therefore wait it out longer to bargain fairly.

It was an unfortunate lack of wisdom for SAG, under Melissa Gilbert, to separate our contract Expiration dates and therefore Give the Companies more time and room to jerk us around, which is what is happening now. If SAG and WGA contracts ran together we could have avoided or at least minimized the damage we are dealing with. That was the goal of the Companies -- to separate us to strip the leverage we had in effect.

 

[Agent0028]

I disagree Wor-Gar, I think that the talk shows made the strike's effect much more immediate for people. But come spring I think plenty of people will be sitting up and taking notice. I do agree that coming back will hurt the strike. But I also feel for the people who are out of work right now because of the strike. Apparently Hollywood is a very delicate eco-system. No wonder there are so many environmentalists out there.

 

[Anzik]

My wife is going to be buying firearms when her soaps run out of new shows!!!

Victoria may be in that coma for a long time!!!

 

[Wor-Gar]

I disagree Wor-Gar, I think that the talk shows made the strike's effect much more immediate for people.

Isn't that what I said? It's the one thing where people can feel the impact right away.

But come spring I think plenty of people will be sitting up and taking notice. I do agree that coming back will hurt the strike. But I also feel for the people who are out of work right now because of the strike.

I feel for them too. Just as I do for any victims of collateral damage. But is it the strikers fault or the non-negotiating producers? Do we appease a few to undermine the many?

It's a tough call, I know. I just take the opinion that if you're going to take a stand you can't have it both ways -- you can't pick and choose what gets written and what doesn't. Solidarity doesn't work well that way.

Besides, there's a lot of people out of work and businesses suffering locally that no one seems to address. The handful of employees on these shows have only garnered attention because Jay and the gang have been talking about it... because they don't want to lose viewers to other habits over the long-haul. At the end of the day, no one's really returning to help the crew. They want their shows back on.

By Spring, as you say when plenty of people will take notice, this strike will most likely be over... and everyone will just be suffering from missing episodes of Lost and 24 and whatever. That seems a wee bit late to rally the troops.

 

[Agent0028]

Sorry W-G, I had a bit of bad grammar there. A misplaced period can really change what's meant. What I was trying to say was that people would have noticed the writer's strike eventually. But I see what you're saying now. I'm slow witted tonight.

 

[Wor-Gar]

Sorry W-G, I had a bit of bad grammar there. A misplaced period can really change what's meant. What I was trying to say was that people would have noticed the writer's strike eventually. But I see what you're saying now. I'm slow witted tonight.

No problem, I thought maybe I had mis-written something in my original quote.

Believe me, I'm as eager as anyone to get late night back up and running, as I usuallly veg out around that time and do tend to watch those things. I just want them to come back once everyone is happy and this whole thing is settled properly.

 

[Darth Caedus]

https://gizmodo.com/354233/the-strike-is-over-tv-is-back-tv-is-back

 

[tomandshell]

Vanity Fair cancelled their annual Oscar party.

 

[Batty]

Vanity Fair cancelled their annual Oscar party.

Great... Now where am I gonna go?