Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Strike Date Set for 60k Film and Television Workers

iatse.net

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

51–60 of 81 posts

Re: Strike Date Set for 60k Film and Television Workers

#51

Post by couchand »

lotsofpulp wrote: post #36
oceanghost wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I worked at a Walmart 20 years ago that would lock employees in at night-- even when their shifts were over, in an attempt to get them to work extra hours. My first gig out of college-- the company said they didn't pay vacations or holidays for the first 6 months. I had no idea this was illegal in California, but one of the other hires did and got them in some major amount of trouble for it. They also asked me to sig…

I think smartphones are helping change the game a little. With instant video streaming and ease of providing proof, I predict employers will be more wary of trying to get away with nonsense like locking people in, especially big employers. One big change that needs to happen, especially in the labor “friendly” states of CA/WA/NY/MA is modifying the all party consent recording laws to one party consent. Employers (and…

NY is already one party consent.

Re: Strike Date Set for 60k Film and Television Workers

#52

Post by lotsofpulp »

couchand wrote: post #51
lotsofpulp wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think smartphones are helping change the game a little. With instant video streaming and ease of providing proof, I predict employers will be more wary of trying to get away with nonsense like locking people in, especially big employers. One big change that needs to happen, especially in the labor “friendly” states of CA/WA/NY/MA is modifying the all party consent recording laws to one party consent. Employers (and…

NY is already one party consent.

Oops! I meant CT. I misremembered the map I had memorized.

Re: Strike Date Set for 60k Film and Television Workers

#53

Post by cwkoss »

Is there a page on their website that has a good list of:

- What the workers' demands are?

- What they want consumers to do to support the strike?

Finding it hard to navigate their website, and hearing people on social media say conflicting things, hard to get a read on what the official position of the union is.

Re: Strike Date Set for 60k Film and Television Workers

#54

Post by tuatoru »

slownews45 wrote: post #13

I'm not super pro-union (plenty of mess there) but there really are some reasonable asks union side. My guess, folks have been NOT working the 12+ hour days, have NOT been doing the "rolling lunches" and other wild hollywood stuff (that a construction worker would think was crazy) during COVID. Might have opened their eyes to life outside of the hollywood dream machine. Maybe look for things as basic as: Mandated sto…

> folks have been NOT working the 12+ hour days, have NOT been doing the "rolling lunches" and other wild hollywood stuff (that a construction worker would think was crazy)

Why would a construction worker think 12+ hour days are crazy?

My experience is that this is normal for roading workers in the road-making season.

One-hour lunches, though: now that's just crazy talk.

Re: Strike Date Set for 60k Film and Television Workers

#57

Post by rndgermandude »

petee wrote: post #34
slownews45 wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Don't worry - for those of us not in industry or industry adjacent the industry seems totally crazy - ie, we get overtime occasionally, but hollywood seems built on it Seeing the money being thrown at SVOD by apple/netflix et al, where does it even go if not into below the line pockets? The production budgets for some of these things rival movies of the past.

Thats the other big issue - we helped streaming get it's feet by allowing lower pay, lower benefits, and longer hours, back in 2007-8 since streaming wasnt yet considered 'viable'. They agreed to revisit it in the future when it was viable. Now they won't even discuss it. Extra money goes right to the companies. Actors dont get the same residuals from streaming either, just look at Scarlett Johansson's lawsuit. Strea…

My soul weeps for poor (net worth: 165 million according to google) Scarlett Johnansson. She was only paid 20 million for that movie, but then scammed out of additional royalties by Disney. How is somebody supposed to get by on a mere 20 million per movie. Making that movie took away half a year of her life!

I think it's not just the studios' greed that causes the normal Hollywood workers to get fucked, it's also A-list actors' greed.

Re: Strike Date Set for 60k Film and Television Workers

#58

Post by diskzero »

slownews45 wrote: post #13

I'm not super pro-union (plenty of mess there) but there really are some reasonable asks union side. My guess, folks have been NOT working the 12+ hour days, have NOT been doing the "rolling lunches" and other wild hollywood stuff (that a construction worker would think was crazy) during COVID. Might have opened their eyes to life outside of the hollywood dream machine. Maybe look for things as basic as: Mandated sto…

I worked as a grip on numerous film and video shoots in the 80s and 90s. The working conditions were brutal but the pay was good. Lot's of people wanted to do the work, so the situation was ripe for the type of working conditions that are being reported.

If you have ever worked on a film set (I can't comment on all of the environments IATSE members work in), it can be complete and total chaos with very small moments of coordination. I don't want to excuse the madness of why talent, technical and directorial can't all coordinate to improve the overall efficiency of the set. This is why people don't just put down their equipment at noon and grab lunch. Everyone is standing around super-busy doing nothing until that one magical moment where everything aligns and you better gosh darn be ready right then and there or you will find yourself replaced. Like it said, it could be brutal!

Re: Strike Date Set for 60k Film and Television Workers

#59

Post by mig39 »

djbusby wrote: post #2

Wow, 90% voted, 98% in favor of strike. Solidarity!

The best way to avoid a strike is to have a strong strike mandate.

It's easier to bargain, to play "chicken" when you know you have your membership behind you.

It's not easy to threaten a strike when you have a 60% vote, for example.

A union's power is in solidarity.

Re: Strike Date Set for 60k Film and Television Workers

#60

Post by diskzero »

petee wrote: post #24
slownews45 wrote: post #13

I'm not super pro-union (plenty of mess there) but there really are some reasonable asks union side. My guess, folks have been NOT working the 12+ hour days, have NOT been doing the "rolling lunches" and other wild hollywood stuff (that a construction worker would think was crazy) during COVID. Might have opened their eyes to life outside of the hollywood dream machine. Maybe look for things as basic as: Mandated sto…

Most productions started up in August 2020 with strict Covid protocols; personally I've had 1 week off since then. Crews have been doing full days, with masks. Normal work under harder conditions. They finally offered 10hr turn around after we voted to strike; and its with strings. They cant even give an hour for sleep. Ive done the 14-17hr days, with 9hr turn around, and I live 1hr 20min from set, so thats 6hrs pers…

Good luck to you brother! I wish everyone knew how hard the various trades work to make these shows happen. As you stated elsewhere, the work is a reward for making magic happen, but so is maintaining your quality of life.
Post reply on HN