Screen Writers Strike. Does it affect you?

[alpha_dk]

KruzeS said:

alpha_dk said:

Membership is not forced upon anyone; they assumedly knew upon deciding to become a scriptwriter that they would be joining the Guild, and all that entails. Much like with any job, before taking it, you are told certain things are required and agree to this as part of the job. I wouldn't expect a job in the CIA without a thourough background check, for example. There are just things that are required to fill certain positions (for example, the need to unionize against one of the most powerful industries in the country for example???).

Sorry, but I really don't think that's a reasonable think to ask of someone that simply wants to write scripts for a living.

alpha_dk said:

And I know the arguments for wearing a seat belt. I do wear a seat belt every time I am in a car. I do it because I have made a rational decision, though - not because the choice was forced on me. At the same time, I am free to not wear a seat belt if I so desire - though, there are consequences to that action. Much like the writers are free to break the picket lines... so long as they are cognizant that there are and will be consequences. Much like everything in life, it is a game of balancing pros and cons. The union is not *FORCING* anything. They are simply providing consequences if you go against them.

Consequences that in this case are equivalent to not engaging in script writing ever again. Which as I've said, I think is totally unreasonable. As much as I think it's unreasonable to ask anyone not to work for months for something they themselves don't believe in, whatever the reasons.

alpha_dk said:

And you know, I do see a difference between the 'cartel'-like unions and the networks (although you might as well throw the movie industry in there too, they are just as guilty). The unions are acting on behalf of the majority of their members, who contrary to some others' beliefs *are* just trying to make an honest living.

And the networks are acting on beahalf on the majority of their stockholders, who contrary to some others' beliefs have a pile of money invested in their financial success.

I never said these people don't have the right to strike, nor that they are not right in having their strike. Justifying the strike is a miss on me, really. I belive strongly in the right to strike, so whatever reasons they have to go on strike are good enough reasons for me. But you know what else I also believe strongly? The right not to strike.

And where I come from, associations of mandatory membership, like the bar association (and a lot of professions have those around here: doctors, nurses, engineers, notaries, accountants, journalists, etc), are not allowed certain powers, and their statues have to be aproved by general law. Other associations may act as they wish, but no one can be compelled to be a member (as in, just because they want to write scripts for a living). And the truth is they don't need these kinds of tactics to work effectively.

I'm really sorry, but the way that these associations work, the fact that membership is compelled on anyone who wants to work in their respective lines of business, and the way they treat any dissenting members, just sickens me. But that's the way I personally feel about this, so if you don't feel the same, we'll just have to agree on disagreeing.

 First off, how do you splt up the quotes?  Thats hott.  With 2 t's.

 Second, the major difference between the writers guild and all the other professions you listed is that the writers guild is going against the most powerful industry in the world.  Do you think they would be able to do *ANYTHING* if they did not provide a united front?  If they were not 'forced' to strike by the guild, the studios would just make it clear that anyone that striked would *NEVER* work with them again.  It is not a power-balanced relationship, which is the only kind of relationship that your solution could work.  There is one group with the money, rights, and means to create the work.  If the guild was not working as a whole, then anyone that striked would be banned from working with any major studio, and would probably have to find a new line of work entirely. 

 Now, I agree in theory that a group with forced membership should not be allowed certain powers.  However, in practice, this would get torn apart in *ANY* strike.  The ENTIRE PURPOSE of striking is to make a company realize how they actually do require you.  If they can get the services elsewhere, with no consequences, they will.  The entire purpose of the Union is to provide those consequences, and the power that collective bargaining provides.

 Also, just as a note:  The writers guild is NOT the same as the Bar, nurses' union, doctor's union, etc.  Those are organizations that you legally must be a part of to practise your profession.  The Guild is something that you only have to be a part of if you want to do business with the companies that the guild works with.  To expand on that; you are not free to practise law by yourself without being in the Bar.  You are free to write, direct, etc. your own work without being in the guild.  It is only if you want to work with the studios that you need to be a member, because the Guild will boycott any company that hires not-union workers.  In other words, it isn't a statutory union.  It only has mandatory membership because of market pressures.