Tempers are showing,
Award shows aren’t going,
Those words still aren’t flowing,
anyone HO-HO-HO-ing?
Substance below the fold.
Tag: WGA strike
Dec 20 2007
WGA strike gossip Dec 19
Dec 19 2007
WGA strike news update Dec 18
Politickery, some late-night shows returning without writers, awards shows denied waivers, action and donation links, more politickery…
and nothing at all like this:
In the meadow we can build a snowman And pretend that he’s a circus clown We’ll have lots of fun with mister snowman Until we get kinda thirsty. Nom nom nom. |
 |
Dec 18 2007
Of Oprah, Conan, Unions, Strikes and Cabbages and Kings
Recently, there was something of a scandal that took place on several blogs. Accusations were made that Oprah Winfrey, a major supporter of Barack Obama’s candidacy for the Democratic nomination for President, was an anti-union employer. This was in rather short order, proved untrue, although many people voiced concern that the creative staff of Oprah’s talk show are not members of the Writers Guild of America, as is common for the staffs of most talk shows.
This was of particular concern to me. I am a member of the WGA, but for a longer time and more importantly, I am a member of the International Association of Theatrical Stage Engineers, or IATSE. It has been demonstrated by others that Oprah does employ members of the IATSE, but I called the offices of IATSE Local 2, which represents stagehands in Chicago, and IATSE Local 476, which represents studio mechanics there. Both offices confirmed that Oprah employs members of both unions.
Another major issue regarding the WGA and the strike happened yesterday, as The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Late Night with Conan O’Brian announced that they would resume airing, without writing staffs, this January.
As this is a major issue, for pretty much everyone, since whether or not you are a supporter of unions (and if you read this site, you almost certainly are) you are probably a consumer of television and film. To do this, I must explain some basic things about unions in my industry, film and television.
Dec 18 2007
WGA strike news update Dec 17
Such a catchy title. Gotta work on that.
Lots of politickery today, and stories about late-night shows returning after the new year. Leno and Conan seem to be being forced back writer-less, and Letterman (who owns his production company) is negotiating his own interim agreement with the WGA. No word on the Daily Show/Colbert Report yet. Plus some action links, below.
Crossposted from dKos, where we’re chatting while desperately missing Jon & Stephen.
Dec 14 2007
WGA Strike news summary Dec 13
The WGA has filed charges against the AMPTP with the National Labor Relations Board for refusal to negotiate in good faith. From the WGAe website, dated tomorrow:
Today the WGA filed charges with the National Labor Relations Board against the AMPTP for its refusal to bargain in good faith with the WGA. It is a clear violation of federal law for the AMPTP to issue an ultimatum and break off negotiations if we fail to cave to their illegal demands.
Nikki Finke will probably have more by the time I hit ‘publish.’ There’s a bit more detail here, and of course the AMPTP is calling the filing ‘desperate‘. I suppose there’ll be lots and lots of articles explaining this over the next few days — just in time to drive me nuts on Monday.
An assortment of other news, links, and actions below the fold. And we’re chatting over at dKos…
Dec 13 2007
Terry Pratchett news — and WGA news summary Dec 12
No, it’s not strike news, but Terry Pratchett has Alzheimers. Here’s from his statement, titled AN EMBUGGERANCE:
I would have liked to keep this one quiet for a little while, but … it seems to me unfair to withhold the news. I have been diagnosed with a very rare form of early onset Alzheimer’s, which lay behind this year’s phantom “stroke”.
We are taking it fairly philosophically down here and possibly with a mild optimism. For now work is continuing on the completion of Nation and the basic notes are already being laid down for Unseen Academicals. … Frankly, I would prefer it if people kept things cheerful, because I think there’s time for at least a few more books yet :o)
PS I would just like to draw attention to everyone reading the above that this should
be interpreted as ‘I am not dead’. I will, of course, be dead at some future point, as
will everybody else. For me, this maybe further off than you think – it’s too soon to tell.
I know it’s a very human thing to say “Is there anything I can do”, but in this case I
would only entertain offers from very high-end experts in brain chemistry.
Sigh.
Today’s strike summary (& action links) below the fold.
Dec 12 2007
WGA strike news summary (and action!) Dec 11
This is more a clippings dump than a summary, but hey. It’s also up at dKos, where we’re chatting while watching The Daily Show/Colbert reruns. Or not, as the case may be.
Head over to consumers4wga for advertiser addresses — let them know that you support the writers. And would like to know that they do too, so you can continue to buy their products.
Dec 11 2007
WGA strike news summary Dec 10 2007
Crossposted from dKos, where all teh kool kidz hang this time-a day
Since the AMPTP walked out on Friday, there’s been a whole lot of finger-pointing. I was a bit too busy having a life of my own the past few days to write up more than I did the other day, but I’ll get to it tomorrow — links to my sources below the fold, if you want to read the ‘look how evil they are’ stuff directly.
There is some actual news, though, and some more actions to take. Summaries follow…
Dec 08 2007
Call to Action: Show There’s No Money in Union Busting
crossposted from over there, just because.
UPDATE 11:00pm Friday
Moguls Walk From Talks After Issuing An Ultimatum To Writers
(HT DeadlineHollywoodDaily)
Scroll down…
Day off? What day off?
I stole borrowed that title from United Hollywood, the unofficial blog of the WGA writers. I assume you know that TV and movie writers are on strike against the AMPTP, representing the handful of mega-broadcasting/producing corporations which are colluding negotiating in common despite being competitors. The writers, well, want to be paid for their work. Even if it’s shown on them newfangled intertubes. (That’s why we’ve been deprived of the Daily Show and Colbert Report, and why my spoiler thread has changed from “lookie who’s on the TeeVee” to “Solidarity! Frat — uh, Sorority! Gossip!”)
I usually take leisurely three-day weekends off from blogging, but some dramatic new (unpleasant) rumors and an action targeting the Democratic frontrunners lured me away from my lounging couch housework. Details & links below the fold.