THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

Thanks to all those who attended the rally. We are very pleased with the attendance and level of enthusiasm expressed by everyone. There were some really great and creative signs out there! We hope we made our point and we hope to all get back to work soon.

Thanks again to:

Chef Robert Catering
It's A Wrap!
Rock Bottom
JCL Barricade
Bear Creek Studio Services and
Specialty Bins

as well as,

The Los Angeles Police Department and
The Department of Transporation

for their contributions.

74 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thank you! And thanks also to all the others who donated time, money and effort to help organize and oversee this rally, starting with Chris Griffin.

ac

Anonymous said...

And thanks for spouting all those lies from the back of your truck. It would have been nice if you'd been honest enough to admit that the WGA IS still sitting at the table. It's the AMPTP who shut down the talks by walking away.

Come on - can't you promote your agenda without lying?

Anonymous said...

"Stop the Hate, Negotiate!"

A beautiful morning, a vibrant crowd, a serious intention. Lot's of fun too.

The organizers did a fantastic job. Thanks!

Anonymous said...

I couldn't be in L.A. :(

Thanks to all of the organizers and the people who showed up to support the event!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for organizing this - there was a great feeling today walking amongst fellow below-the-line crew members and letting our voices be heard. and thanks for having the balls to stand up and not take sides, and supporting the crew and vendors who's jobs were/are sacrificed. forget these nay-sayers - (ie: the person who accused you of lying) we're doing a good thing here! If we don't stand up for ourselves, who will? So...when's the next one!?!

Anonymous said...

There will be people like Joe who will be negative.

But let's keep focused on

1. Creating public awareness of the many thousands of families who are being held hostage to this standoff.

2. Maintaining pressure on both sides to keep negotiating until they reach and agreement.

Anonymous said...

ABC News is reporting that this was a WGA sponsered rally. Someone is playing dirty! Go to ABC7.com call or send email asking them to check their facts and report a retraction. I wouldn't have been there if it had been.

Unknown said...

Accusing Strike a Deal of "lying" is unduly harsh. However, I will say it is quite frustrating as a WGA member to be on the side that wants to negotiate and to be accused of the opposite.

I hope Strike A Deal was heartened by this WGA statement, which oddly was not mentioned at the rally:

"We hereby challenge the AMPTP to negotiate in good faith, day and night, through the Christmas and New Year’s holidays – whatever is necessary – to get this done and get the town back to work. The Writers Guilds will remain at the table every day, for as long as it takes, to make a fair deal."

This is exactly what the rally was asking for. But it was already the WGA's public and demonstrated position on negotiation.

Will the AMPTP make the same pledge?

Actually, the same day the WGA made this statement, the AMPTP walked out of the talks. They actually said they see "no reason" to continue the talks.

That's right: "No reason."

It really is true that one side wants to deal, and the other side keeps leaving the room. This fact needs to be part of the conversation.

Anonymous said...

Brian, if you think that is frustrating, try losing your job when you had zero to do with the impasse. Then try expressing your feelings about it and being called a "troll", a "tool of the AMPTP", etc. Boy does that add insult to injury!


This event promised to remain neutral and it did. This was OUR event, not a WGA event, not a AMPTP event.

Anonymous said...

I was truely touched by the turn out at the march! I saw producers,grips,electricians,makeup,hair,teamsters,location managers,production assistants,post production,accounting,directors,actors,vendors and many beautiful families out on the blvd. marching for what they believe! I believe we got out word out there, we didn't bash anyone, we didn't support anyone, we stuck by our word and remained nuetral. I want to thank Chris Griffin and all the folks that helped today. I also want to thank some of the members of the WGA that understood our concern and allowed us to march and vent without judging and accusing of siding with the AMPTP.

Anonymous said...

Thank you for putting this together for all of us below the line people who add tons to shows and need to have our voices heard.Without all of us highly talented people that all join forces each and everyday from 12-18 hours the shows would not go on.We unfortunately live nearly paycheck to paycheck so thank you once again to help hear our voices be heard.

Anonymous said...

When the haters come to our page and say hateful things, I suggest that we ignore their attempts to bait us and just carry on with our mission. We need a place where we can focus on our goal to get back to work and where we can commisserate in the meantime.

Anonymous said...

Shelly,

I have a suggestion, too. Why not stop attacking the WGA and join with them? The WGA is still at the table, and has never left. Don't you think that stating that they're not is a willful distortion of the facts? Take a minute and talk to some of the striking writers, get facts from people who are involved in this and who've been taking the financial hit for five weeks now?

By the way, I think it was in poor taste to be chanting "Stop the Hate, Negotiate!" when that's a chant the writers have been using since the beginning.

Nobody is ignorant of the fact that people are suffering because of this strike. So far, nobody's been hit as hard as the writers, so reminding them that people stand to lose a lot is a bit like jumping up and down in front of someone in a wheelchair.

Nobody's attacking working people. We're attacking a dishonest organization that is telling you lies.

The WGA is at the table right now. THEY HAVE NEVER LEFT.

Anonymous said...

Art..excuse me..but saying "nobody's been hit as hard as the writers" to us a little hard to understand. Marc Cherry, Diana Son, and Anna Maria Johnson, all members of the WGA, have said in print that they got through periods of past unemployment by living on their residuals. WE CAN'T DO THAT. Everyone who attended this rally doesn't receive them. Diana Son actually said she got through maternity leave that way. All of us affected by this strike do not receive anything but unemployment, which by the way, is only $450 a week MAX..how are we supposed to live on that?? And when that runs out?? We don't get residuals so that comment TO US is very unfair. I've been laid off, have very little savings after purchasing a home a year ago..now I'm in danger of losing it! All we want is to get back to work NOW!

Anonymous said...

Joe
Excuse me, but Chris Griffin DID NOT LIE, repeat DID NOT LIE, he was very clear that we were not taking sides...he was absolutely NEUTRAL on who walked out on who...what are you smoking??? You must be higher than a Georgia Pine Tree!!!!!

Anonymous said...

A couple of years back, workers at kabc voted for a contract that included everyone but computer operators.

It's hard to believe, but no one guessed kabc would install automated cameras and sound-- controlled by unrepresented computer operators, and fire the staff.

We all need to be careful when the producers withhold from negotiating on new technologies, because they probably have a way to use it to thin the payroll.

If the wga, and the dga and sag fold on new media, all the producers have to do is redefine the delivery medium as broadband and it's over for residuals.

Our pension and medical depend on residuals for funding.
If the lose residuals, we lose residuals, and, soon enough, you'll be kicking in on insurance.

Just one point of view
Damon

stuiec said...

I'm a writer but not yet a member of the WGA. In my opinion, the WGA owes your organization and rally a word of thanks.

It's not always easy to see things through the eyes of others. Clearly the WGA has the right and the duty to its membership to win them the best deal it can get. At this point, that means staying out on strike and remaining united on the picket line until the negotiations restart.

However, that necessarily means that you and the other folks who work in the struck companies are going to be out of work due to the labor dispute. I am certain that the rank and file of the WGA does not take that consequence lightly. I know they want a negotiated settlement and they want one as quickly as possible -- so long as it's a fair deal for the WGA. At the very least, a fair deal for the WGA should make future writers' strikes less likely, and at best, gains for the WGA should help other workers achieve similar gains in future.

Anonymous said...

Art:

I've said it before, I'll say it again, episodic writers consistently DOUBLE DIP!!!!! There's a reason writers can make it thru these long strikes..hmmm let's do the math, $32,500 to write a 59 page script and then anywhere from around $4500 per episode upwards to $26,500 per episode "PRODUCER FEES"!!!!!! Comeon Art we get one check not two!!

Unknown said...

It stuns me when IATSE members don't realize they get residuals. 55% of their Health and Pension fund is residuals. For every 4 cents the WGA gets, IATSE gets 20 cents.

If the WGA loses the internet-residuals battle, then everyone's residuals will go into endless decline. The writers will lose the employment safety net of residuals, and IATSE members will see their Health and Pension fund shrink when it actually needs to grow just to keep up.

The IATSE Health and Pension fund is tied to WGA residuals. WGA wins, IATSE wins.

WGA loses, IATSE loses.

Anonymous said...

Brian,
I understand what you are saying, but I have to respond. #1 Our health and welfare does not make our house and car payments now! #2 I am a teamster, our union has negotiated numerous contracts, your negotiating team has never negotiated a contract, I don't want to offend you but I want the experienced negotiators handle my contract not the WGA. I want you to get the best deal possible but not at the risk of the crew members and my livelyhood. I have stated this before, the WGA can shut down TV and a few films, the teamsters can shut down the country. I will walk the line with you but please just make the deal for the writers and don't try to be the hero's and save the cheerleader.....umm I mean the world.

Anonymous said...

L.A. Times 12-8-07 John Bowman WGA Chairman of the negotiating Committee quoted as saying "I'm not going to be the chairman of the negotiating committee that gives away the Internet," said the guild's John F. Bowman. "There's an enormous burden of history here." So it's about how he is to be perceived on the "Guild History" web-page or about getting his membership a fair deal?
From the NY Times 12-10-07 "Mr. Verrone described the looming negotiations with employers as a confrontation much grander than a simple fight over pay formulas. This battle would be about respect. Writers, he said, were looking to restore a sense of leverage and status that had been lost as ever-larger corporations took control of the entertainment business. He described Hollywood as teetering on the brink of a dark age, as far as creative types were concerned. “I think if they could do this business without us, they would, and so making our task as mechanical and simple and low-paying and unartistic as possible,” Mr. Verrone said.
The solution, he added, was to squeeze the corporations that own the studios, in an effort to represent the legion of writers on reality and animated shows that the guild had not organized through sign-up drives.
“There are things we can ask for in bargaining that will allow you to reach up to the mother ship and then back down into the nonunion company,” he said."
So this strike is about "leverage and status" and "respect" for the writers in the eyes of their employers. And someone explain to me about "reaching up to the mothership...". These guys are so hell-bent about having animation covered in the contract because Verrone is an animation writer.
So as the WGA fights for respect, leverage and status and a trip to the mothership for its membership the rest of the town goes hungry.
Talk all you want about fighting the good fight for employees at large, but by their own admission, it the leadership of the WGA has a separate agenda. That's all fine and good but be honest about it and own up to it, do not try to con those of us who will not be gaining any additional respect, leverage, or status as a result of your strike. Bring back Sidney Korsk.

Anonymous said...

That should read "bring back Sidney Korshak" at the end of my previous post.
thanks for your time.

Anonymous said...

"I've been laid off, have very little savings after purchasing a home a year ago..now I'm in danger of losing it!"

The WGA has been on strike for five weeks. If you work in show business and are in danger of losing your house after what could only have been at most a five week work stoppage, your issue should be with whoever helps you plan your finances.

Stephen,

"Excuse me, but Chris Griffin DID NOT LIE, repeat DID NOT LIE, he was very clear that we were not taking sides...he was absolutely NEUTRAL on who walked out on who."

Thanks. You just proved the point. The AMPTP walked out on the WGA. That's a fact. Being neutral doesn't mean you have to lie about the facts, and when he made it seem like both sides had dropped it, he was LYING.

Dave,

"Our health and welfare does not make our house and car payments now! "

You seem to think that because SOME WGA members live off their residuals most of them do. To most of us, $450 a week in residuals would be money from heaven.

It would be really nice if some of you would do some research before you start accusing the WGA of being greedy, or well-off. It's just plain ignorant.

Anonymous said...

NOTE THE DATE OF THIS ARTICLE IN VARIETY DATED 2006!

© Daily Variety   November 28, 2006

Scribes in No Rush to Talk

WGA, producers at odds
By Dave McNary
The Writers Guild of America is going to make Hollywood worry about a strike for the next year.
In a move underlining the souring relationship between the WGA and industry toppers, the guild's leaders have spurned an industry proposal to launch negotiations in January. Instead, they've insisted they won't be ready to start until September -- less than two months before the Oct. 31 expiration of the current contract.
"I'm very disappointed," said Nick Counter, president of the Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers. "It's in the best interests of all concerned to get this resolved as soon as possible."
On the film side, the delay means an acceleration of production and stockpiling of scripts, followed by a "de facto strike" next summer as studios stop launching film production once they can no longer be wrapped by Oct. 31. In TV, the prospect of a work stoppage means studios and networks will try to shoot more episodes of scripted series and will be less inclined to launch series while planning for more reality, news and sports programming.
Counter went public Monday with his frustration over the guild's refusal to start talks sooner. That prompted a statement by WGA West exec director David Young.
"The WGA will be prepared to commence negotiations in the summer of 2007, well in advance of the November contract expiration," he said. "We are currently meeting with our members on contract issues, as well as continuing our dialogue with sister guilds in Hollywood. The WGA has always worked with the companies to make sure that all writers are covered by a guild agreement with proper compensation and residuals for their work. We fully expect that a fair agreement will be reached in our upcoming negotiation," Young said.
Counter said his disappointment with the WGA stems partly from the mixed signals sent by Young in recent weeks as to scheduling the negotiations.
The AMPTP, the bargaining arm for studios and nets, had asked Young to start bargaining as soon as possible, according to Counter. Young responded in October with a letter to Counter proposing that negotiations start in January; Counter proposed to Young that the second and fourth weeks of that month be set aside for bargaining.
But Young notified Counter on Nov. 17 that the WGA West board had decided at a recent meeting it was not prepared to start negotiations until September.
Counter said Young wouldn't explain the board's reasons for the delay. And when he pressed Young on whether it would be possible to go earlier, Young said it was possible but did not elaborate.
Some execs attributed the WGA's move to simple gamesmanship, designed to show studios and networks that the scribes are serious about getting a bigger slice of the pie.
"It's like a batter stepping out of the box with the bases loaded, just to rattle the pitcher," one top agent said.
Other speculation for the delay centered on the WGA betting that the extra time will clarify the now-murky outlook on which digital delivery platform will become dominant in coming years.
But for now, pushing back the start of negotiations represents one more big step in convincing studios and networks that a strike is coming, according to "Law & Order" producer Dick Wolf.
"The guild seems determined to ratchet up the likelihood of a strike," he told Daily Variety. "It's a Neolithic tactic, but it's a clear message that they want to have a work stoppage. I don't have to be the Delphic oracle to have seen this coming."
But Wolf asserted that both sides appear to have forgotten the economic damage inflicted during the 1988 writers strike, which lasted five months.
"Network viewership has declined every year since then," Wolf said. "Everyone loses during a strike. They should be negotiating now."
Wolf said he won't lose personally in a strike since his shows are already syndicated. He added WGA leaders appear to be overestimating the potential revenues from downloads of TV shows.
"I'm telling everyone who will listen, this isn't the 1950s when TV was growing," Wolf said. "A strike is like shooting arrows into a stumbling animal."
WGA leaders have been attempting to quell doom-and-gloom predictions of a strike for the past year. "A strike is a possibility -- no more and no less," WGA West prexy Patric Verrone said earlier this year. "The industry should be doing everything in its power to prevent it by accommodating the talent community and its demands."
Counter said Monday the key issues at the contract talks probably will include producer contributions to pension and health plans and sorting out how much writers should be paid for digital downloads and their work on new-media platforms.
"Everyone is struggling with the new-media issue -- keeping series on the air and both building and retaining audiences," Counter said. "New delivery systems are vital to both. The world's changing, and the sooner we get to the bargaining table, the better."
Counter often has engaged in pre-negotiations posturing to paint the WGA as overly aggressive and unrealistic. But he's been particularly perturbed by the conduct of Verrone and Young with regard to the campaign to seek increased revs from product placement for writers on TV shows; the guild's attempts to organize reality TV writers; its sponsorship of lawsuits by reality-show writers alleging wage and overtime violations; and its denunciations of ABC Disney's decision to pay iPod residuals at the lower homevideo rate.
Young assumed the top WGA West slot on an interim basis in September 2005, after the board fired John McLean. That move came after Verrone's slate swept to an overwhelming victory following a campaign promising the guild would beef up organizing efforts to the tune of 30% of its budget.
Meanwhile, Hollywood's got another headache in the form of the Screen Actors Guild, where control of the boardroom shifted last fall to a more assertive faction. A writers strike might push SAG into hard-line bargaining followed by a work stoppage when the current film-TV contract expires in June 2008.
SAG president Alan Rosenberg declined to comment Monday about the WGA negotiations.
The issue of when to negotiate is a divisive one among Hollywood unions. The DGA and IATSE wrap up deals at least six months prior to expiration, while the WGA's current contract was negotiated five months after the previous contract had expired.
Advocates of early talks contend that employers are willing to make a better deal because it's easier to achieve objectives without a looming deadline and unions can obtain a premium in exchange for labor peace. Opponents believe going early undermines a union's negotiating position by removing the strike threat.

Anonymous said...

Respect and Status? The writers used to have my respect. Not anymore!!! I think that some writers might be human beings. But, after seeing the atrocious attitude of so many of them, the reputations of all of them are damaged in my eyes. I always knew that corporations had no soul. Nothing that they could ever do would suprise me. But, I bought into the facade that writers were cool, progressive, humanists. It hurts to know the truth.

Anonymous said...

thank you, thank you for putting together the rally. I have been feeling so angry towards the writers and producers. I have also been feeling helpless in this situation. The rally and march gave me a chance to get out there and do something!
Hopefully what we did yesterday will prompt the two sides to come to an agreement.

Anonymous said...

It would be wonderful if all of us BTL and vendors could step out away from our very real problems for a minute, forget about the WGA and AMPTP, forget about our mounting debt and concentrate on helping some people who have it even worse than us. We have a heart, let's show it. People in Sudan are really, really suffering. Our worst day eclipses their best day by 1000. If every impacted BTL and vendor could give $1 to a charity in Africa, how many thousands would that raise. Sadly, it could be what? Two hundred thousand or so. That could build and staff a clinic over there. See the movie "God Grew Tired of Us" if you need a break from your reality. Or, find out more about Darfur. I think that we should get together in an organized way and sacrifice a very small amount per individual. We could make use of this time,do some good for this world and stay in touch with our hearts.

Anonymous said...

So this strike is about really about restoring "respect" to the Writers Guild. Nice. On the backs of blue-collar workers. Something doesn't quite jibe here. Respect isn't demanded, it's earned. And while I have deep respect for the many writers I work with, I have lost all respect for the leadership of this guild. Pulling us all into a devastating strike, all because they don't feel respected.
"Those who don't learn from history are destined to repeat it."
I'm old enough to remember the haunting phrase from the Vietnam War: "We burned the village to save it."
From more recent history, we've seen a US Administration, so ideologically intent on creating a bright and gleaming vision of the Middle East that they trumped up reasons for invading, refused to see the consequences of their misguided vision, and brought about the greatest foreign policy debacle in US history.
The WGA may find itself with a similar mess on its hands.

Anonymous said...

"Repect is demanded, it's earned"

Gadfly, you are so right.

Anonymous said...

Oops! "Respect is not demanded, it's earned". You knew what I meant :)

Anonymous said...

STRIKE A DEAL RALLY IN HOLLYWOOD

9 MIN OF THE 2HR EVENT
ONE GUY, ONE HOME VID CAM AND LOTS OF MARCHING CREW MEMBERS

Anonymous said...

I swear that I have never seen a more paranoid and hateful group of people than some of the people who post on United Hollywood. While UH purports to be a place to "discuss and debate", it is really only a place to attack anybody who dares to question any aspect of any action undertaken by the writers or to mention the suffering imposed on those who are mere collateral damage. Do yourselves a favor and do not visit "United Hollywood" if you are looking for an open and respectful discussion of the issues. You won't find much more than name calling and insults there. You certainly will not find support or brotherhood.

Anonymous said...

"I've been laid off, have very little savings after purchasing a home a year ago..now I'm in danger of losing it!"

The WGA has been on strike for five weeks....your issue should be with whoever helps you plan your finances."

VERY UNFAIR. It has nothing to do with planning my finances, it has to do with WORKING. I was off work from April to Sept., that's already 5 months this year. And that's very unusual for me. I've just worked till early Dec. and lost that job last week. Financially I can't be off work another extended long term. That's all I'm saying.

We're trying to patiently wait it out but it's getting frustrating and financially worrisome. That's all we're saying.

Please don't throw barbs like that when you don't know the situation.

Anonymous said...

Thank you so much for this video!! Thank you to Chris Griffen for speaking on our behalf! Thank you to the organizers of this event!
Let us keep after it and keep our voices in the forefront until we get a resolution!

Anonymous said...

Jan,

Anyone who thinks that the problem here is one of financial planning is a mental patient.

Don't worry about it. You don't need to defend yourself to anyone who makes such an utterly ridiculous statement. Tens of thousands of the rest of us know where you are coming from. We'll stick together until we make this thing right.

Anonymous said...

I certainly hope that our peers in SAG are watching this strike closely. Any similar "respect" and "status" arguments/strikes like the WGA would be fatal to this industry.

Anonymous said...

I am so excited about that rally. It was wonderful! I wish that we could be there in L.A. I would spend every moment of my waking life making noise so that we could be heard. We live in Austin. My husband works on Friday Night Lights (or he did before it ended last Monday). We need to keep these events happening to increase the public's awareness of the situation and increase pressure on the two parties to resolve this thing. I wonder what we could do here in Austin. Maybe a "Stone Soup" rally. We could all bring a potato, a carrot, whatever we have left in our cupboards and yell at the groups to "Strike a Deal!" and "Stop the hate, negotiate!".

Anonymous said...

"Stop the hate, negotiate" is a WGA chant that the Strike A Deal people learned when they crossed our picket lines.

Write your own material. We're on strike.

Anonymous said...

"Writer you own material"

What a suprise. More hate from a writer. I hate to break it to ya buddy, but you aren't the first people in history to use that chant. And you guys are writers, so what is your excuse for plagerism. Why don't you take your hate somewhere else. We really don't care anything about your point of view here. This is about the only place where we can talk to one another and commisserate.

Anonymous said...

By the way writer, strike-a-deal has maintained a neutral stance. But you could change that. I haven't seen any obnoxious comments here purporting to be from the AMPTP. I guess they are to smart to recklessly turn public opinion against them. They keep their idiotic ideas to themselves. Why don't you try it?

Unknown said...

"Stop the hate!" also unfortunately plays right into the hands of the AMPTP spinmeisters.

One AMPTP strategy is to portray the WGA negotiation team as inexperienced and "emotional." It's a routine and unsurprising divide-and-conquer tactic.

But WGA negotiators are sitting at the table right now with a proposal in hand. It's the AMPTP that stormed out of the room with an ultimatum.

The AMPTP would love to portray this as merely an emotional dispute. It shoves half the blame onto the WGA.

And when public support is about seven to ten times higher for the WGA than the AMPTP, that's a victory.

Anonymous said...

"It shoves half the blame onto the WGA"

Tough shit, Brian. We don't owe it to you to plead your case anymore than you owed it to us to preserve our jobs. We don't give a flip what you two groups have to do to get it done. We told you that we aren't taking a position.
Stop being such a sensitive crybaby and use your brain to offer suggestions to your own guild. You aren't wanted here and we aren't pretending that this is a place for a debate.

Anonymous said...

Thanks to to Chris Griffin for taking the time to organize all of this. However I was a little disappointed with the turnout. You mentioned that you had heard from crew members from 93 shows, yet the turnout was estimated at between five and six hundred. Assuming that each show has roughly one hundred crew members, some will have more, that adds up to a somewhat sad 15% turnout (more or less).
Yes I know it was early on a Sunday morning, but if we are actually serious about making ourselves heard we need everyone to make a concerted effort to show up next time. The WGA can rally thousands of it's members for a march, the BTL crew should be able to do the same.

Anonymous said...

"the BTL crew should be able to do the same" You are right. Actually, we should do better! There are at least 10 times as many of us as there are of them. There really is no excuse for a poor turnout. Unless we didn't do a good enough job of spreading the word.

Anonymous said...

"There really is no excuse for a poor turnout. Unless we didn't do a good enough job of spreading the word."

You did a great job of getting out the word. Unfortunately, most of us who work crew in Los Angeles saw this organization for exactly what it was - an attack on the WGA, and most of us understand that the AMPTP is the enemy, not the writers.

Your next one will probably be smaller.

Anonymous said...

art dog,

If you are so suspicious of this organization, then you should probably steer clear of it. We BTL will be right here, continuing with our mission to increase public awareness that while we are not party to the negotiations and have no control over them, we are nonetheless affected very negatively. We will continue to request that both sides continue working towards a solution. May I direct you to a website where hatred of the innocent victims of this impasse is encouraged? We aren't interested in your thoughts here.

Anonymous said...

Art Dog,

Are you sure you aren't a writer? You should be. That bit you just wrote was the most creative work of fiction I've read in a long time.

Anonymous said...

The Writers Guild is at the table. They've never left. When Strike A Deal says they're encouraging both parties to get back to the table, they're promiting a lie, plain and simple.

Anonymous said...

Shoo dog! Shoo!

Anonymous said...

Many BTL crew sympathize with the writers plight. However, the insensitive, bullheaded comments posted by writers on this site is going a long way to making that sympathy evaporate. You are playing directly into the arms of the AMPTP, helping to drive a wedge between WGA and BTL crew. All this finger pointing and wild accusation will just add fuel to the fires of suspicion and anger. If the AMPTP are using a divide and conquer strategy, than many WGA and BTL crew are helping them along. This might be a good time to present a united front, and a little understanding for the BTL position as well as the WGA position would be a good start. As far as I'm concerned the Producers have been screwing BTL crew for years to protect their bottom line, now they're screwing the writers. IATSE and the WGA need to put petty differences aside and stand up to the AMPTP. If we had done this five weeks ago, we might be back at work now.
Please lets stop bickering and do something meaningful for all our sakes.

Anonymous said...

That would be wonderful! A great way to start would be for flamers to stay off this site. This is a site that was designed for a neutral party to discuss the situation with one another. It is extremely impolite to come into someone elses house and insult them.

Anonymous said...

I agree that it is very impolite to come into someone's house and insult them, and it certainly does nothing to advance their cause.

Having said that, we have to face the fact that this strike has the potential to drag on until June, which would mean financial ruin for just as many writers as BTL crew. Both parties need to come together and stand up to the AMPTP.

I urge everyone reading this blog to quit trading childish barbs, and use your intelligence to come up with creative ways to end this strike. We can't forget that the rank and file WGA members are not that far removed from BTL crew. We have more in common than we think and all our futures hang in the balance.

I suggest that we ignore any further negative posts, they are hardly worth our energy.

Anonymous said...

I am not a flamer. When people post lies, I post the truth. I'm sorry if that upsets you.

PootieTwo said...

I'm in!!! From now on, I don't here a thing! No more negativity!

Anonymous said...

I'm curious to know the feelings of the group here. Do you believe that there should be more Strike a Deal rally's? Do you believe that more people would show up? Do you believe organizing groups to go walk the lines with the WGA, carrying Strike a Deal signs to show support of WGA and AMPTP reaching a deal to end the strike? Please give non-bias imput, no bashing, no hate!

Anonymous said...

Well, I think that it is important that our voices be heard. But the writers seem very, very angry at us for drawing attention to ourselves and evidentally expect us to take their side. I personally do not have a problem with taking their side, because I think that they are right. But, I can tell you that there is increasing resentment over the way that many people who purport to be writers are treating us. They don't seem to be willing to do anything to make it right either. After being called trolls and shills when we were only trying to make our presence known, I don't know how easy it would be to stand up with them. If they did some damage control, maybe. I don't know at this point.

local 705 said...

Yes, I think we should march again, but next time we should include the WGA. Some of their members are angry with us and some BTL are angry with them, but the time has come to put these differences to bed. The AMPTP has shortchanged BTL crew for years, decreasing crew size, reducing or eliminating kit rentals, putting crew on weekly contracts when it suits them etc, etc. We should not take our frustration out on the WGA for standing up to them. They, by the same token, should show us a little understanding.
The only way to settle this thing is to present a united front, or risk a long drawn out strike that will hurt us all badly. Let's all be reasonable and figure out a way to end this thing so we can all get back to work

Anonymous said...

Before I knew that we didn't want the WGA to join us for the first rally, I urged them on UH to join us. I thought that it would be great for the AMPTP and the public to see us standing together. I got a lot of "shove it" responses. Then when they heard that we did not think they should come, they were pissed about that. Seems like no matter what we do we get criticized. I don't know if we can ever win with them? It would be great to put our differences aside and unite if it can be done at this point. I do believe it's for the common good, but I might need to be hypnotized first.

anon said...

Please don't come to a BTL site with anger at us for being frustrated and afraid at this situation. The WGA chose to strike, whether it is just or not, the fact is- it was a choice. And in that choice they have put our livelihood in jeopardy. The WGA wants our support for their fight. Many of us have given it to them, all the time knowing that if many of our unions chose to strike, they would walk right by us and the show would go on with scabs and such. Most BTL crew members are being forced to take paycuts to keep their jobs as it is. There's no fighting involved because no one would care. We deal with it. We work to support our families and keep roofs over our heads. Our credits go flying by at the end of a show while yours remains right in front, bright and clear.
You keep saying that the WGA didn't walk away from the table. Does it really matter? What's the point of sitting at a table when NO ONE is negotiating!?!
So please don't come to our site spewing negativity. We're just trying to support eachother through a tough time that we didn't ask for nor stand to gain from.
Thanks to Chris Griffin for putting together a wonderful event!!

Anonymous said...

Lets put our money where our mouths are and do what we can to draw this thing to a conclusion. The networks depend on advertising revenue, it can't hurt to start an email campaign to companies that advertise their wares on primetime tv. Simply tell them that we will no longer be purchasing their products or services as long as they continue to advertise. Tell your friends and family to do the same. Most major advertisers PR department email addresses are freely available on the web. Hit the networks where it hurts and maybe they will be forced back to the bargaining table in a timely fashion.
We can sit around and commiserate until the cows come home or we can try to help ourselves. I figure it's worth a shot.

Anonymous said...

I think I heard that someone has compiled a list of advertisers and thier links somewhere on the web. That would make it easy to contact alot of advertisers fast. It would also make it easier to get friends and relatives to take a minute to contact them. If one does not exist, we should put one together.

As for the negativity, I went to bed last night in a cranky mood because of it. What's worse is that I was rude to my wonderful husband when he asked me a question while I was on the internet...mad at someone else. That NEVER happens, we are madly in love! So, he has forgiven me for acting so bad and I am just going to totally ignore the negativity from now on. We may have lost our jobs and our money, but we can still keep our families loving and strong. Let's not let the stress of this take a toll on our health or our families.

Anonymous said...

KNBC segment from sept 10

http://video.knbc.com/player/?id=193858

Anonymous said...

I was at the rally. I don't believe the estimate of 500 attending was accurate. I feel it was much more like 800-1000. I really want to know why the locals didn't get the word out to us in email messages. A few minutes on a keyboard and we could have easily had 10x the attendance. Why weren't the vendors notified? Panavision alone laid off nearly 90 people. Do you think they might want to be counted. Strike a Deal is a great idea but the communication to the involved parties needs to be developed further.

VDOVault said...

You can contact advertisers by going to

http://community.livejournal.com/consumers4wga/

Anonymous said...

Anonymous

Communication was fine. Unfortunately, most people are smart enough to see that this organization is an AMPTP front.

Come out and picket with the writers. They're in the same boat as you.

Anonymous said...

"Come out and picket with the writers. They're in the same boat as you."
As long as you get out there by next Monday because the WGA is taking a holiday hiatus from the picket lines until January 7 of next year. There's real commitment for you.

Anonymous said...

And by the way, the DGA just announced that if there is no deal between the WGA and the AMPTP by the first of next year they will begin their own negotiations. Maybe the WGA should stick it out and keep picketing through the holidays.

Vic Arpeggio said...

Sorry I couldn't make it on Sunday-- I was sick as a dog. You need to get better awareness though, and reach out to the likes of assistants, readers and other studio staff who are being downsized because of this. Keep up the good work. I want the WGA to come out on top-- but not at the expense of the workers who are stepped on to reach this goal.

Anonymous said...

I don't know about you, but I have built up a hatred for the WGA. It's time we start to tell them how we feel. A rally on Hollywood blvd. is not going to cut it. It's time we get serious. We need to show up where the WGA pickets and create some tension. I want to lead a protest against those mostly out of work writers causing good and honest people to lose there jobs. We need to show uo where they are and voice our opinion. Who's interested?

Anonymous said...

Let's get a DGA link on this page. The page will need one sooner rather than later. And how about one of those cool "money lost" counters?

Anonymous said...

Like the way this blog tries to look at both sides of the issue; care to continue the conversation here? http://untiedhollywood.com

Anonymous said...

Which conversation Enabler?

Anonymous said...

So the WGA can't even reach an agreement with the Letterman!! Who appointed the negotiators for the WGA? Have you ever checked IMDB to see what Verrone has written? It's friggin cartoons....they write what they know. I'm going to loose work because of a cartoon writer!!!!! ARRRGGGGHHHHH!

Anonymous said...

Well the DGA has a tentative agreement with the AMPTP! Thank you DGA! All I am reading from the writers rank and file( Not the negotiators !) is what a crappy deal it is... Can these egomaniacs keep us out of work longer! I hope they realize that yes it all starts with writing the story but without the producers money their story will never make it on film and without us the crew members it will never make it on film!!!