Job Action

The IA will be putting up picket lines soon:

The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees and Teamsters Local 399 will stage a large rally outside the Burbank headquarters of Original Productions on Monday morning in support of crew members from the TV series "1000 Ways to Die."

"This is about healthcare, this is about safety and dignity in the workplace, and it's part of the IA's ongoing campaign to support workers in the all genres of TV,'' said Mike Miller, director of motion pictures and television for IATSE.

The union represents about 30 crew members who were fired from the show on Thursday after attempting to unionize. ...

We were briefed on the events of the past few days:

* Fed up crew demands to go union.

* Company says "ixnay."

* Workers go on strike.

* Company goes to work finding replacement workers.

We were briefed on this oncoming strike at a Business Agents' meeting today. Apparently, Original Productions is not interested in compromise or accommodation. O.P. is mostly interested in fighting. So the IA has said: "Okay, game on!"

As you may have noticed, it's a tough time to be a working stiff, hold up your wooden bowl and ask for "more" in the manner of Oliver Twist. Companies, no matter how profitable they might be, are not in the mood to give much of anything. No matter how justified their employees might feel in demanding additional money and better working conditions.