I don’t usually rant about things, especially when I feel I’m not as informed as the people directly involved in situations. However, I’ve had more than one friend go off complaining about the Writer’s Strike, taking umbrage with the writers (they’re not writers themselves). Plus I have a raging head-cold, which makes me cranky, so it’s my turn to RANT.
LAY OFF! Do you KNOW what the writers are demanding? Have you asked a writer? Have you read any of the literature they’re handing out? I will admit that this may be bias on my part; I am friends with a writer or two. One in particular has really struggled with this strike — not because she doesn’t support the guild, or because she doesn’t feel that what they’re asking is fair, but because she’s a soon-to-be-mom who will be giving birth and trying to provide for her child in the midst of this strike. She’s not selfish. She’s not whining that if they don’t give her more money, o god, she’ll have to sell her BMW and re-mortgage the bungalow in Malibu. No, what she’s fighting for is fair pay for all the writers most of you know nothing about because they don’t make much money and therefore aren’t of interest to the media. And the cause that she champions would actually give MORE struggling film and TV writers a chance at a career! Think I don’t know what I’m talking about? Maybe you’re right. Challenge me on it. But those of you who’ve just ranted and ranted over what you’ve heard televised about this strike (and does that seem like a reliable source, considering?!) without researching what’s going on, you’re getting under my skin.
Ok, I’m done. Back to sneezing and sniffling and croaking out, “Good morning, ******** Corporation, Can I Help You?”
Friday, 9 November 2007 at 11:49 am
thank you
Friday, 9 November 2007 at 11:50 am
superfastreader — You’re Welcome.
Friday, 9 November 2007 at 12:14 pm
It’s true that I don’t know any writers. But in a free market, if a writer (or anyone else) doesn’t like their situation, they can leave, or maybe even change professions. Because they ‘follow a dream’ doesn’t entitle them to one red cent more than the market will bear. If the market for writers is such that they don’t get paid much, they are free to go do something else. If, as a result, the quality of writing suffers to the point that advertising is hurt, eventually the pay rates will go up. It’s a free market thing.
Unions (or guilds), on the other hand, employ extortion to achieve their goals; so workers get paid artificially high wages and benefits; and as a result and example, every auto manufacturer in the US is seriously struggling financially – because they have to compete with companies overseas that don’t have that disadvantage.
Personally, I have a problem with the extortion aspect of union operation. I see a moral parallel to, for instance, bank robbery. They take that which is not freely offered, by threat or coercion. This is the foundation upon which all unions operate.
I wish your friend the best in her situation. She has a nice blog.
Thought experiment: Just out of curiosity, what do you consider ‘fair pay’? Whatever it is, should it be a minimum pay wage for all jobs? How do you determine what is ‘fair pay’ for a job? Should the wage level be the same everywhere for a profession?
-Pop
Saturday, 10 November 2007 at 9:04 pm
I’ve always been skeptical of the way the union system has flown all out of whack. Once, they were necessary. If workers are starving or making huge sacrfices on a daily basis because they can’t afford anything more, well then ok, let’s strike. But if I’m being paid — maybe not well enough, but still well — to do a job, in particular one that I love and have passion for, I’m not sure that I have the right to demand “fair treatment” (define, please?) by refusing to work.
I get paid less money to work in HR than most people with the same title as me. I could ask for a raise. If I don’t get one, I could threaten to walk out, stand on the street and tell the world how unfair my job just treated me. Something tells me my boss would probably just hire someone to take my place.
Remember, there is no fairness in capitalism. If it was fair, it would be communism. Unions should be there to protect, not pick fights with the bullies at school.
I write books, and I’ve yet to make a dime off of it. It remains to be seen whether not I ever will. And I know I sound all Bohemian-ignorant-bleeding heart-Fight The Man-artist, but I continue to write books because it is my passion. I have to work a nine-to-five (which, btw, is now an 8:30-5:30; where’s my union?) to support myself and my habit: writing. America never has, and never really will be built for artists. We can complain about the unfairness of it all or we can accept it and the occasional I’m-not-getting-paid-enough (who is?) roadbump; we can remember that we’re so lucky to be in a country where we’re allowed the freedom to walk out on the job and walk back into it a month later making more money, that maybe we should stop having strikes, if for nothing else, out of respect for those who can’t.
Saturday, 10 November 2007 at 10:51 pm
I’ll admit that my views have been slanted by my own aspirations in the field. I’ll be (among) the first to admit when I’ve been wrong, or pig-headed.
I’ve been wrong. I was pig-headed.
I want the writers to get what they need. I don’t sympathize entirely with their methods; but I don’t see any alternatives, either.
Here’s hoping we see the end of this any time soon.
Tuesday, 13 November 2007 at 7:52 pm
I am in sympathy with the writers . . and I love late night talk shows (Craig Ferguson/Letterman) . . . and I am sure that they would not strike if there were no other option. So although what Pop and Josh say is very true and I can empathize with them . . . I can also say that if the bosses are not happy then they can sack all the writers and hire new ones . . . but where would that get them. Hope this finishes soon.
Monday, 26 November 2007 at 4:11 pm
We writers are not asking for more than the market will bear. We are asking for our fair share of the profits being generated from the work we create.
The great thing about being a writer is that we can always go write something else. And we will. There’s no reason for us to continue to be exploited by megacorporations who trumpet huge profits to their shareholders, then turn around and tell the content creators that they’re not making any money.
All we want is our fair share, so that the minimums for our rank & file membership yield a living wage.
Friday, 7 December 2007 at 5:49 pm
[...] by TexanNewYorker under miscellany I know some of you are hoping I’ll continue the discussion about the Writer’s Strike, but I’ll be honest and tell you that it’s probable that [...]