I have written about this on other places, but wanted to discuss it for a minute here.
The Screen Actors Guild (SAG) is all in the news right now, because they are calling for a Strike Vote to be sent on January 2nd. They want to try to force the Motion Picture big 4 to come back to the table and talk some more, ending the deadlock that is currently going on.
My personal opinion is this. Have they been watching Wall Street? Have they seen the economy recently? What are these people smoking? They expect to get concessions? From companies that have not yet recovered from a crippling strike just 10 months ago? I just shake my head and pray that a Strike Vote is not given and somehow they decide to take what AFTRA has already agreed to. It's the right thing to do for Hollywood...and for the Country right now.
More than 130 A-list actors oppose strike vote
ReplyDeleteLOS ANGELES (AP) — Delivering a rebuke to the leadership of the Screen Actors Guild, more than 130 actors signed a letter urging their colleagues to reject a strike-authorization vote in January.
"We don't think that an authorization can be looked at as merely a bargaining tool," said the letter, signed by "Desperate Housewives" actress Eva Longoria Parker, "Spider-Man" star Tobey Maguire, and others. "It must be looked at as what it is — an agreement to strike if negotiations fail."
"We do not believe in all good conscience that now is the time to be putting people out of work," it said.
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I actually think maybe they "get it."
Playing the ol' devil's advocate, though, I can see why some might specifically WANT to have the strike vote and authorize it, thinking that the obvious consequences of such an action in these economic times (and, as you point out, with the results of the recent writers' strike still evident) is precisely WHY it should be used as leverage. It's that win-at-all-costs no-holds-barred mentality. I don't subscribe to that attitude myself, but there are those who do.
And there are probably still many other middle-of-the-roaders who are all for merely threatening to call for a strike, but would then stop short of actually voting for it. They might think that simply threatening to MAYBE call for a strike would spur some favorable response from the other side.
Still others may even authorize the strike, but then could later rescind that call and voluntarily (as a group) keep working, thereby looking like the "bigger men" so to speak forging onward for the greater good.
There are always all sorts of ways to look at these things and lots of mere posturing to assess.
I'll wait and see. Maybe both sides will see the light eventually.
And hey, there are always books... Maybe America should catch up on its reading.
Sorry, I missed your link to essentially the same article, though a slightly more detailed version of it from Reuters.
ReplyDeleteEven so, my other more general idle speculations stand...
No problem, Dim Skip. It's a good article. :-)
ReplyDeleteAs I said last year. I supported the Writer's Strike...but I truly believe it's lose, lose when one walks. As we have seen here in LA, the economy has never picked up, after the walk out. Not their fault, of course, who knew that the banks would tank a mere 6 months later and the Big 3 Auto Makers, immediately thereafter. We rely on viewer support and trust me, the money is not coming in and hasn't been for the past 3 drives. People are holding on to their money right now.
As best I can, I frequent the stores and restaurants that we normally go to, to give them a hand.
What I HAVE noticed is that due to the gas situation earlier this year, I don't shop much. I bet my Walmart purchases are WAY down this year, from previous years. I do a lot more online shopping, due to free shipping (in alot of cases) and better sizes available, etc. Hubbys Walmart is doing quite well, so I don't feel I have to shop there constantly. :-)
Sorry I rambled.