Strike Update
Studios and the writer’s union have agreed to talk. Ummm, does that mean that beforehand they weren’t on speaking terms? Come on, that seems a bit harsh, union. While you were together the studios paid for all your meals and whatnot. There were some good times, it wasn’t all bad.
The union, though, is hammering home the point that it is no cheap date. They’re still going to picket, even during negotiations. And while we staunchly support the union in their endeavors here, a little less militancy might be necessary in order to come to an agreement. But, still, I can understand them wanting to demonstrate their inflexibility, and if it’s necessary to get what they want/need, then so be it.
Still, there are some extenuating circumstances here that are rarely brought into question. For example, how do the studios come together on this? Since they have a tendency to out-maneuver, steal, and back stab one another, how do they come to an agreement to come to an agreement with the union? Is that possibly the crux of the problem? That the de-facto “studio union” doesn’t know what they want or what they are willing to offer? If not, it certainly seems like it could be an issue.
$500 million is how much the studios lost during the last strike. It was in 1988, lasted 22 weeks and commenced during the summer. This current strike is in the middle of TV season and could presumably effect the summer blockbusters, combine that and adjust for inflation, Hollywood is looking at a potential a billion dollar loss and an infinite amount of jobs lost. This thing desperately needs to be resolved.
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