Hollywood Strike Redux
AMERICA’S TELEVISIONS AGAIN FACE IMMINENT PERIL
By Mande Wilkes
FITSNews – June 5, 2008 – We love us some TV.
Seriously, last winter’s writers’ strike nearly killed us, and is in fact still killin’ us softly with the perpetually postponed seventh season of 24. Since we’re still convalescing from that strike, it is with great sadness that we report that America’s televisions again face imminent peril.
The Screen Actors Guild has announced that its members may strike again sometime this month or next, halting film and television production during the industry’s busy summer season.
And as much as we hate to say it we can’t really blame them. After all, the strike worked for the Writer’s Guild, whose membership now enjoys way more money than it deserves – especially considering that the most creativity currently underway in Hollywood occurs in the editing room, since producers have traded scripts for increasingly hackneyed reality drivel.
But since it worked for the writers, additional strikes are now an inevitability.
In fact, it’s only a matter of time before the Receptionists Guild, the Janitors Guild, and the Fluffers Guild also turn to extortion. And make no mistake, that’s what workers’ strikes amount to: state-sanctioned extortion.
As always, we work hard to bring you the silver lining. Fear not, desperate housewives and gay men, for soap opera actors work under a different guild – your suds are safe.
Comments
By Rob W. on June 6th, 2008 at 8:05 am
Workers’ strikes aren’t usually state-sanctioned extortion; instead, they’re a great example of the free market in action (or at least they should be). A business has a need for my services, at a price I don’t like. I can refuse to work at that price. I can even convince my coworkers that they don’t like the price. The business can then increase their price or decide not to hire us. No big deal, and not extortion; just people engaging in consensual business relationships.
Perhaps the problem comes when the government gets involved. I think we would agree that the government shouldn’t be at all involved in strikes and unions, either to regulate or aid them. Unions are just a group of people that all work at the same place, and should be subject to the same laws (anti-trust, etc.) as everyone else- but not subject to any special laws. Some unions might have turned into giant political action committees, but if they’re following the law, we’re better off leaving them alone (or joining them if we see fit).
Unions can improve working conditions and pay, and as a free-market proponent yourself, they’re the best way to do these things without government intervention. Show them some capitalistic love.