Strike started 11/5...no good negotiations yet.

2007-11-30 17:13:14

#1

IRONCHEF: Member; +385|6510|Northern California

I'm already quite anti-union and I'm still baffled why unions; a self-serving, anti-customer based organization-- still operate in things like TV writing, schools, hospitals, emergency and utility services, and many other business environments. For this cause, I made the poll to see the balance of BF2S views on this strike, and with unions in general.

As for the writers' strike, I couldn't be happier...but not for the reasons' you might think. I'm happy because TV is the devil (at least the kind of crap on that requires writers). It pacifies us, shuts down our minds, influences us way too much, trains us to be gluttonous consumers. The crap on TV that people watch can seriously use a break. Just as BF2, WOW, COD4, and other vices keep us focused and fed on their influence, so too are the tv shows we watch.

The union? I hear they want a better cut of the Internet released shows and DVD sales. Seems fair enough. Good luck to them. But as with all unions, I think the tactic of protest (walking off the job) they utilize is dispicable. When the light rail system in the SF Bay Area haults because of striking union members, I get sooo angry at the UNIONS and their criminal tactics and at BART for using unions who use such tactics..tactics that leave the customer out in the cold. When a few hundred thousand train riders suddenly have to drive into the city or take already overloaded fairies to the city..or stay home and reduce productivity that hurts business...etc, etc.

Anyway...tell me your thoughts.

2007-11-30 17:15:50

#2

Hurricane: Banned; +1,153|6649|Washington, DC

People should be smarter than to let TV truly help them make their decisions.

As for how it's affecting me, I personally don't care. I admit I haven't kept up on House recently, mainly cause I think TV sucks asides from some Fox classics like the Simpsons and King of the Hill. And Discovery Channel HD

I really get my ass on the couch in January when 24 starts (that's when I catch up on House as well). But the god damned WGA strike has caused 24 to be postponed... meaning my Mondays will still suck until 24 comes back.

And yes, I'm a fast reader.

edit - I think Unions are a good idea in principle; the workers have leverage over unfair treatment. Thing is, they were particularly useful back in the day when the government didn't have good policies regarding workplace treatment. Now that they do, Unions seem to just be there to cause trouble when they are unhappy with small things.

Last edited by Hurricane (2007-11-30 17:17:41)

2007-11-30 18:15:12

#3

FEOS: Bellicose Yankee Air Pirate; +1,182|6430|'Murka

Couldn't care less. They'll reap what they've sowed.

“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”
― Albert Einstein
Doing the popular thing is not always right. Doing the right thing is not always popular

2007-11-30 18:56:15

#4

Skorpy-chan: Member; +127|6364|Twyford, UK

Don't give a shit. Don't watch American TV dramas.

Shit, all I watch these days is Top Gear, Deadliest Catch, and music videos. TV sucks.

2007-11-30 18:57:34

#5

usmarine: Banned; +2,785|6780

Most are crap shows anyway of recycled sitcoms.

2007-11-30 18:59:00

#6

usmarine: Banned; +2,785|6780

Unions confuse me. People are not forced to work. Do not like your company or pay? Leave. That is the joy of being free. Or just be lazy and bitch for more money which you most likely do not deserve.

2007-11-30 18:59:41

#7

Kmar: Truth is my Bitch; +5,695|6620|132 and Bush

The Teamsters are about to screw over 250k members at UPS. Unions are good for maintaining good work conditions. As far as negotiating pay, healthcare, and penision plans.. screw that. They horribly mismanaged my (and thousands of other members) pension plan. They actually have a clause in the new contract that says if the Union is losing money they can take your raises until they are caught up. Most members don't have the ability to take time and fully understand the way the contract works.

Management doesn't really care so long as it keeps them working, and Unions have no problem with putting the self serving corrupt interest above the people they are supposed to protect.

Xbone Stormsurgezz

2007-11-30 19:15:27

#8

usmarine: Banned; +2,785|6780

Kmarion wrote:
Unions are good for maintaining good work conditions.

I do not agree. OSHA makes sure it is safe. As for good...what is good?

2007-11-30 19:16:38

#9

r2zoo: Knowledge is power, guard it well; +126|6615|Michigan, USA

Unions are good for one thing, striking. In Americas economic state, those bastards should be happy they have a job. Just fire the whole lot, theres plently of people out there that can write corny or overused jokes for sitcoms.

Auto unions are even worse, cars would be far cheaper if it wasn't for the unions demanding outrageous pay and benefits for people who sit on a line pushing a button or screwing a doorhandle on.

Go Scabs!

2007-11-30 19:22:30

#10

Kmar: Truth is my Bitch; +5,695|6620|132 and Bush

usmarine2005 wrote:
Kmarion wrote:
Unions are good for maintaining good work conditions.
I do not agree. OSHA makes sure it is safe. As for good...what is good?

Not always. Anonymity isn't always there. Unions can make sure you aren't fired for BS reasons like that. I've been on both sides of a company with a union. I was a supervisor for 6 years and an hourly for 7 years at UPS. There are some legitimate positives (like making sure they fix payroll issues promptly). But yea for the most part they protect the weak and the lazy .

Xbone Stormsurgezz

2007-11-30 19:44:10

#11

Poseidon: Fudgepack DeQueef; +3,253|6556|Long Island, New York

Law and Order: SVU isn't postponed. Lost is, but only half the season.

I'm not affected. I wish Conan and Leno would come back though.

2007-11-30 19:48:14

#12

Turquoise: O Canada; +1,596|6424|North Carolina

Let's just say that I support the vast majority of legislation that protects the freedom of employers in deciding who they want to hire and fire. I hope this situation helps show people what unions are really like and why, in most cases, they only hinder productivity.

Ironically, I actually agree with the reason behind the strike, but I just think their method of getting what they want was way overboard.

2007-11-30 19:57:51

#13

Kmar: Truth is my Bitch; +5,695|6620|132 and Bush

usmarine2005 wrote:
Unions confuse me. People are not forced to work. Do not like your company or pay? Leave.

Didn't they?

Xbone Stormsurgezz

2007-11-30 19:59:25

#14

usmarine: Banned; +2,785|6780

Kmarion wrote:
usmarine2005 wrote:
Unions confuse me. People are not forced to work. Do not like your company or pay? Leave.
Didn't they?

They did not leave. If they left, they would not really be on strike. They would be jobless.

2007-11-30 20:01:10

#15

Kmar: Truth is my Bitch; +5,695|6620|132 and Bush

usmarine2005 wrote:
Kmarion wrote:
usmarine2005 wrote:
Unions confuse me. People are not forced to work. Do not like your company or pay? Leave.
Didn't they?
They did not leave. If they left, they would not really be on strike. They would be jobless.

They aren't jobless? How much are they getting paid right now?

Xbone Stormsurgezz

2007-11-30 20:02:32

#16

usmarine: Banned; +2,785|6780

Kmarion wrote:
usmarine2005 wrote:
Kmarion wrote:

Didn't they?
They did not leave. If they left, they would not really be on strike. They would be jobless.
They aren't jobless? How much are they getting paid right now?

I dunno. What is their strike pay? Do they have strike pay?

2007-11-30 20:02:46

#17

Turquoise: O Canada; +1,596|6424|North Carolina

I could be mistaken here, but isn't a lot of the reason why this strike even worked was because states like California have laws that prevent employers from replacing union workers with nonunion ones?

2007-11-30 20:03:08

#18

mtb0minime: minimember; +2,418|6673

Other; I don't watch much tv at all (like 1 hour every other week) and this strike isn't affecting me at all. However I am in support of the unions. The Internet is the future and the writers deserve their fair share. It's not all about the directors and actors and studio execs, everyone contributes to these productions, and writers have a huge part (that's obviously shown since there aren't any new episodes going out without the writers) in the process.

2007-11-30 20:08:26

#19

Kmar: Truth is my Bitch; +5,695|6620|132 and Bush

usmarine2005 wrote:
Kmarion wrote:
usmarine2005 wrote:
They did not leave. If they left, they would not really be on strike. They would be jobless.
They aren't jobless? How much are they getting paid right now?
I dunno. What is their strike pay? Do they have strike pay?

Sometimes the unions have a strike fund but it's a joke. It's contract labor man. Both sides agree to do something for a cost and a service. If they don't come to terms or if one side violates the contract there is no agreement. It's not to different than what we all do in everyday life. People tend to have issues when it's done in mass because it can have an impact on their day to day living. But I still think it is their right to do it so long as there isn't any danger to the general public. Free to leave right?

Xbone Stormsurgezz

2007-11-30 20:09:48

#20

usmarine: Banned; +2,785|6780

Kmarion wrote:
usmarine2005 wrote:
Kmarion wrote:

They aren't jobless? How much are they getting paid right now?
I dunno. What is their strike pay? Do they have strike pay?
Sometimes the unions have a strike fund but it's a joke. It's contract labor man. Both sides agree to do something for a cost and a service. If they don't come to terms or if one side violates the contract there is no agreement. It's not to different than what we all do in everyday life. People tend to have issues when it's done in mass because it can have an impact on their day to day living. But I still think it is their right to do it so long as there isn't any danger to the general public. Free to leave right?

But they do not lose their job. If I did not show up for two weeks because I was pissed, I would be in the soup line.

2007-11-30 20:11:36

#21

Kmar: Truth is my Bitch; +5,695|6620|132 and Bush

Turquoise wrote:
I could be mistaken here, but isn't a lot of the reason why this strike even worked was because states like California have laws that prevent employers from replacing union workers with nonunion ones?

Yes you are correct. Florida is a "right to work state", meaning you do not need to be a member of a union. I don't agree with forcing union members, but again both the employers and the unions came to this arrangement.

Xbone Stormsurgezz

2007-11-30 20:13:59

#22

Kmar: Truth is my Bitch; +5,695|6620|132 and Bush

usmarine2005 wrote:
Kmarion wrote:
usmarine2005 wrote:
I dunno. What is their strike pay? Do they have strike pay?
Sometimes the unions have a strike fund but it's a joke. It's contract labor man. Both sides agree to do something for a cost and a service. If they don't come to terms or if one side violates the contract there is no agreement. It's not to different than what we all do in everyday life. People tend to have issues when it's done in mass because it can have an impact on their day to day living. But I still think it is their right to do it so long as there isn't any danger to the general public. Free to leave right?
But they do not lose their job. If I did not show up for two weeks because I was pissed, I would be in the soup line.

Dude, we had a group of local workers that were on strike for like 4 years..lol. They used to take up collections and shit for them (They were part of the Teamsters). Finally we said screw that, they need to come to reality. Unions are busted all the time.

Xbone Stormsurgezz

2007-11-30 20:15:59

#23

Turquoise: O Canada; +1,596|6424|North Carolina

Kmarion wrote:
Turquoise wrote:
I could be mistaken here, but isn't a lot of the reason why this strike even worked was because states like California have laws that prevent employers from replacing union workers with nonunion ones?
Yes you are correct. Florida is a "right to work state", meaning you do not need to be a member of a union. I don't agree with forcing union members, but again both the employers and the unions came to this arrangement.

North Carolina is almost completely union free as well. We are right to hire, right to work. It's really attracted a lot of businesses here as a result.

2007-11-30 21:59:32

#24

Home: Section.80; +447|6867|Seattle, Washington, USA

Sucks to not have any TV, but I can handle it. Who can't? And I support the reason why the writers are striking. They don't get any of the money made from the internet and new media (for instance iTunes downloads) and considering that is becoming a more and more popular medium, it's a smart move.

And another reason that the strike is so successful (besides that right to work law you are discussing) is because if you work as a writer while the Writer's Guild is on strike, you can never be in the Guild. So you'd screw yourself out of lots of benefits by working as a replacement.

2007-11-30 22:16:44

#25

KEN-JENNINGS: I am all that is MOD!; +2,973|6651|949

Jeopardy is still on. That's all I watch.

I'm dieing!! Settle the the contracts now!!	22%	22% - 13
Unions suck poop. Fire them all.	26%	26% - 15
I couldn't care less about tv or the union	33%	33% - 19
I'm good. I could use a breather.	5%	5% - 3
Other...please describe.	12%	12% - 7
Total: 57

BF2S Forums Strike started 11/5...no good negotiations yet.

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