tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8078779326914378322.post6742178194463175904..comments2024-03-22T14:40:33.276-07:00Comments on Blood, Sweat, and Tedium: Confessions of a Hollywood Juicer: CableMichael Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02569781786039595929noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8078779326914378322.post-62808060115684165692010-07-18T10:37:46.938-07:002010-07-18T10:37:46.938-07:00AJ --
My fear is that cable rate will in effect b...AJ --<br /><br />My fear is that cable rate will in effect become the "new scale" for most of us. Caught between the rock of runaway production (and the new 400 hours requirement), and the hard place of minimum wage New Media deals, we'll be forced to take what table scraps the producers are willing to toss us. <br /><br />If cable keeps eating the broadcast networks creative lunch (which seems entirely likely), I can see the networks eventually demanding pay scale concessions below-the-line in future contract negotiations, to -- from their POV -- level the playing field. <br /><br />I went to a big group meeting (Local 80, 728, and 44) to discuss the new contract provisions six months before the vote. The Business Agents of each local claimed the producers had started out demanding an increase in health plan qualifying hours from 300 to 600, and that "beating them down" to 400 was the best they could do. <br /><br />They then blathered on about the usual 3% annual raise we'd still get -- but personally, I'd have gladly given up that small raise to keep the qualifying hours at 300, and thus allow more union members to stay covered. <br /><br />The whole situation sucks.Michael Taylorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02569781786039595929noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8078779326914378322.post-25573362865937854712010-07-17T17:40:19.231-07:002010-07-17T17:40:19.231-07:00Forget next summer. What you're describing is ...Forget next summer. What you're describing is happening now. During the last round of strike-threatening negotiations, I've heard tales of top-notch feature crews slumming it for next to nothing on New Media stuff just to make it to 300 hours. And with work being as scarce as it is now, I know a lot of people are taking any job they can get, no matter the pay, just so they can keep their benefits.<br /><br />It sounds like too good of a deal for the Producers. I still don't know how the IA could've agreed to 400 hours...A.J.https://www.blogger.com/profile/06280771470428710391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8078779326914378322.post-9960172535550169702010-07-11T17:29:50.670-07:002010-07-11T17:29:50.670-07:00Niall --
All things being equal, I'd agree wi...Niall --<br /><br />All things being equal, I'd agree with you on that -- over time, the membership will demand an end to the more abusive terms of the cable contract -- but all things are not equal. As of the last contract (which I voted against), the IA health plan is now a bargaining chip. I don't know if the northwest local is subject to our contract (my knowledge of union jurisdictions and rules is minimal), but starting next summer, an IA member in Southern California will have to log 400 hours per six month qualifying period to keep the health plan. Until then, we'll only need the 300 hours that has been standard for as long as I can remember.<br /><br />In a year, it will get significantly harder to keep yourself and your family covered by the plan once you qualify. Only people who get on shows or the very best and busiest of day-players (able to work steadily) can be certain of logging enough hours on a regular basis. <br /><br />The threat of losing health coverage will convince a lot more people to bend over and take the cable shafting just to ensure they get enough hours. Making the health plan harder to hang on to -- in effect, using fear as a weapon -- is one way the producers can prevent the membership from demanding significant pro-labor changes in the cable contract. <br /><br />I can just see our illustrious IA leaders (through a pall of cigar smoke) smirking "You want to keep your health plan, don't you? Then shut the fuck up and work for cable..."<br /><br />Why should they care -- they've all got $100K+/year office jobs that require nothing more strenuous than lifting a telephone. No 14 hour days working in the hot sun or all night in the cold rain for them.<br /><br />Given the continuing erosion of the economic model that has -- until lately -- sustained a strong film/TV industry, I don't see things getting better for a long time, if ever. The truly fat times may well be gone for good. There will always be a film/TV industry, but (and I really hope I'm wrong here) it seems likely to be a much leaner and meaner place to work below the line in the future.Michael Taylorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02569781786039595929noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8078779326914378322.post-85084915042855907992010-07-06T01:10:10.233-07:002010-07-06T01:10:10.233-07:00This whole cable rate thing will need to change on...This whole cable rate thing will need to change one day. Granted it will take time as all change does but unions will get tired ,via the membership, of the crap hours, the crap pay, and the crap treatment.<br /><br />It really comes to as well that work is scarce and everyone knows it. So we, being the crew, have no leverage against production to force a contract renegotiation. We get to play the wait game.<br /><br />But as time stretches one so does the great struggle of the proletariat masses versus their party over lords.Niallnoreply@blogger.com