The 2007–08 Writers Guild of America strike was a strike by the Writers Guild of America, East, and the Writers Guild of America, West.1 Together, both labor unions represent film, television, magazines, radio writers, et cetera working in the United States. All 12,000 screenwriters and TV writers in the guild were part of the strike that started on November 5, 2007 and ended on February 12, 2008. The writers’ strike began during the negotiation of the WGA’s contract with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), which represents almost 400 production companies such as CBS, NBC, MGM, Sony Pictures and many more. Every three years, the WGA negotiates a new contract with the AMPTP. This contract is called the Minimum …show more content…
David Letterman, Jay Leno and Conan O’Brien were paying the salaries of their non-striking staff out of their own pockets. Jon Stewart was reportedly continuing to pay The Daily Show writers, but that was later denied by a spokesman.
Due to the strike, certain types of TV shows were affected differently than others. Reality TV shows are relatively easy to produce since most are unscripted and were therefore not affected negatively by the strike. Shows like The Amazing Race and Big Brother had additional seasons ordered to fill the gaps left by other shows not airing. Many shows, such as Heroes, ER and CSI, just to name a few, had shortened seasons, while others like 24 and Battlestar Galactica were postponed until the next season.
Overall, when the writers of the Writers Guild of America went on strike, it affected all members of the entertainment industry. Without the writers writing scripts, there was no reason to hire actors, and without actors, there was no reason to hire directors. Without actors or directors showing up to work, there was no need for drivers or craft services. Without actors receiving a paycheck, their agents weren’t either and they were forced to make changes. Due to the length and overall cost of the WGA strike, in June 2008 both the Directors Guild of America (DGA) and the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) were quickly given similar contracts as the WGA in a process known as “pattern bargaining”, when one union in an industry got increases in pay and benefits, other unions wanting the same increases got
The main cause of the strike was when the American Federation of Labor (AFL) started to hire unskilled workers into the steel industry. The skilled jobs that the AA worked in were starting to fade away. The AA was not pleased,
Tensions between union supporters and management began mounting in the years preceding the strike. In April of 1994, the International Union led a three-week strike against major tracking companies in the freight hauling industry in attempts to stop management from creating $9 per hour part-time positions. This would only foreshadow battles to come between management and union. Later, in 1995, teamsters mounted an unprecedented national union campaign in attempts to defeat the labor-management “cooperation” scheme that UPS management tried to establish in order to weaken the union before contract talks (Witt, Wilson). This strike was distinguished from other strikes of recent years in that it was an offensive strike, not a defensive one. It was a struggle in which the union was prepared, fought over issues which it defined, and one which relied overwhelmingly on the efforts of the members themselves (http://www.igc.org/dbacon/Strikes/07ups.htm).
To conclude this analysis on the basis of the labor’s extensive history, Sloane & Witney (2010) propose, “it is entirely possible that labor’s remarkable staying power has been because of the simple fact that to many workers, from the nineteenth century to the present, there really has been no acceptable substitute for collective bargaining as a means of maintaining and improving employment conditions” (p.80). In the end, it is important to anticipate unions and employers presently work together to find solutions that will enhance collective bargaining strategies and practices to serve the interest of both parties.
Nevertheless, regardless of ratings, the finale and Survivor as a whole, ultimately altered the future of television. “In a matter of 13 weeks, CBS significantly launched the reality craze and had other producers and networks scrambling to find shows starring real people.” Network executives across Hollywood were swamped with pitches, writers, and regular people looking to make their big break on reality television. “A little show called Survivor came along and turned primetime television on its ear. Not only was the show a success, it became a cultural phenomenon. The audience has spoken and they have demonstrated that they have a huge appetite for this type of non-scripted
The failing television networks have found a number of elements in reality shows which can save them money. These elements have combined to improve rating, while also improving the amount of money brought into the networks. The networks have had pressure from stockholders to improve the return on their investments, or possible begin to lose their money. So the networks have discovered ways to save money with reality’ shows one being they haven’t had to pay actors. All the main characters of this shows are contests and only one will be ~paid” at the end. In addition to not paying actors, they have also been able to cut back greatly on the number of writers used to write scripts. The reality shows have been in a way been “pre-tested” in other nations. The U.S. networks know that the shows can be successful because of the success they have had in Europe. These facts have all come together ...
This strike involved the workers of General Motors and they were unhappy with how much they were getting payed in relation to how much profit General Motors was bringing in. They also were concerned with the notion of being fired with no warning and no help after they were layoff with no unemployment insurance. The workers that were still at the plants had no control over about of hours to be worked, or when the lines would speed up. With the workers at high tension they formed the Sit down strike (The 1937 Flint Sit- down Strike). The strike need to be this was for a few reasons, one, all the workers would not leave the building because if they held a normal strike then they would just all be fired and replaced with other people. Another reason was because although there was an early union that started in 1935, the United Automotive Workers (UAW), they are still a new union that did not have respect with he companies to negotiate with them. Also, by locking themselves inside with the machinery, the GM had to react in a peaceful way so that their machines would not be damaged(Rubenslein Ziewacz, 241). Another big step for Unions was on August 28, 1963. This was event was called the March on Washington and took place at our nations capital. Although many people now know the March on Washington to be about civil rights and freedom it was originally about Jobs and the rights of workers. My people gathered to hear Dr. King speak about freedom, but the Union officials were their as well supporting what they were fighting for as well (The 1937 Flint Sit- down
This type of strike would be similar to something unions would embrace today. Things changes when it seemed the Carnegie Steel was going to try and bring in replacement workers for those on strike. The company was within limits of the law if they brought non-union members in to work. The first official battle occurred on July 6 because it was discovered that 300 Pinkerton detectives were coming ashore from up the river to the Carnegie Mills. The union workers were then going to seize the mills and keep out all people working for Carnegie. They were going to take control of the facility in order to try and persuade management to agree to their terms. The union members were aware of replacements coming in and planned to stop them at all costs. At this point gunfire began from parties on either side; both the strikers and the detectives. It was never clearly recorded who took the first shot, but more union members were in trouble than anyone else. About 11 men died, two from the Pinkertons and 9 from the union. An incredibly large number of men on both sides were also injured from the battle. In the days following the battle, it was discussed between the AA and the company to end the rioting that had begun yet there were no signs of the strike stopping. Militia was called in and remained for a while, and troops were given warrants to arrest members of the strike for murder and other crimes. However, the
Each of the three strikes will be examined from the standpoint of five main factors. First, what were the roles of women in the strike? What kind of work were they involved in? Second, what interest did the women have in the strike? Third, what kind of relationship did the union have with the women? Did it impair their efforts or support them? Fourth, how did the women ultimately impact the strike? Were they seen as a positive influence? In addition, were they seen as positive by the media or ignored by them? And lastly, what happened after the strike? Did the women continue their new, politically active roles or did they go back to the lives they lived before the strike? Each of these questions will be addressed for each of the three strikes discussed...
By the end of 1933, the effects of the Great Depression began to shift public opinion toward the rights of workers, and enlivened the efforts of unions working for collective action to ensure those rights. As a report before Congress in 1942 explained, Legislation such as the National Industrial Recovery Act emboldened these unions to explore the “potentialities of a protected right to bargain collectively” and, in the context of this potential, the “all but defunct” International Longshoremen’s Association renewed their activity and “met with immediate success.” On the West coast, the ILA gained scores of new members and even extended membership to include “checkers, seniors, weighers, lumber handlers, grainmen, and warehousemen employed on the waterfront.”[1]
The movie “Walkout” is about the school system in East Los Angeles in the late 1960’s. During this time Mexican Americans were treated unfairly and were seen as second class citizens. The story goes through the different aspects that Mexican American/ Chicano students had to put up with within their own schools. They wanted and deserved equal education, but were constantly shut down by the city. This movie contains the four characteristics of Mexican American Art, which is what gives this movies such a strong and meaningful message.
On May 9th 1934 a organized labor strike started in San Francisco that would snowball into a city crippling strike. The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) declared a strike for all longshoremen on the west coast, until they received better wages, a union-administered hiring hall, and union membership as a prerequisite for employed longshoremen. The Strike of 1934 lasted for three months, stopping maritime trade in the ports of the Western United States, from San Diego to Seattle. The clash was between the Industrial Association (IA), composed of big business and employers wanting to break the strike, and the ILA, along with other unions that dealt with maritime trades. The Strike of 1934 displayed the power the organized labor had, and how the mistreatment of labor can shut down an entire city and coast.
Teachers’ strikes seem to occur whenever satisfactions are not met in the contract. Whether it happened in recent times or many years ago, salary improvement has always been the number one issue. The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and the National Education Association (NEA) think that teacher’s salaries are lower than other workers in other private companies, the service, or some of the organizations. Government reduced the budget of the education through cutting down the salaries and dismissing a number of employees.
Both unions failed miserably to affect change that they so ardently stood for. In both cases a massive loss of life and a severely crippled or crushed union was the only real change that they accomplished. The ARU and the unified workers did not get their rents lowered. The eight-hour day strikers eventually would win out, but the fight was to long and costly for many. In the end the only thing either strike really proved was that the federal government was all too willing to intervene and support the monopolistic industrialists.
A collective bargaining agreement collectively sets the terms on which an employer offers individual work contracts to each of its employees in the bargaining unit. A bargaining agreement, also herein referred to as a labour agreement, is a legally enforceable written commitment, which states the rights and duties of all parties involved. The labour agreement should be made in good faith and is intended to be observed and not violated. The National Labour Relations Act obligates employers and unions to bargain in good faith concerning terms and conditions of employment, including hours and wages. Like any normal contract, competent parties must enter into a labour agreement. However, a labour agreement is unique from other legal contracts in that there is no consideration involved and nothing tangible is exchanged. Many, but not all, unions require formal ratification of a new labour contract by a majority membership acceptance, which is determined through vote by the members. Until majority approval of those voting in a ratification election is received, the proposed labour contract is not final. While each labour agreement is unique to the needs of an organization and its employees, most agreements include five issues: (1) Management Rights, (2) Union Security, (3) Wages and Benefits, (4) Individual Security (Seniority) Rights, and (5) Dispute Resolution. Management Rights “Management” is the process of working with people and resources to accomplish organizational goals by making the best possible use of money, time, materials and people. The management process, when properly executed, involves a wide variety of activities including planning, organizing, directing and controlling. It is management’s role to perform all of these functions in order to maximize results.
Collective bargaining may happen in several kinds of fields, ranging politics to sports. It allows appropriate settlement of disputes and issues that benefit both parties involved, producing a result that is not one-sided. Collective bargaining is “the negotiation of wages and other conditions of employment by an organized body of employees” (Beal, Wickersham, & Kienast 5). Four issues that are probable components of a collective bargaining agreement are: