Labor

January
29
Alan Rosenberg sings!

Sharon Waxman launched The Wrap this week and God bless her for making the leap from ink-stained wretchedness to online -- for if she hadn't,we might have been deprived of the most surreal turn in the battle for the Screen Actors Guild's soul. Click above to hear (alas, not see -- the photo remains stable, though I don't vouch for the singer) SAG president Alan Rosenberg croon his woes. The lyrics are below for your listening pleasure. [The Wrap]

We don’t care about the future, we only care about us.
and if you don’t earn what I think I can earn,
I will throw you underneath a bus.

I sure do love my Union, it gave me my pension and my health,
but don’t expect me to stand up for nobody
till I’ve had a chance to accumulate some wealth.

I’ll stand up strong so that we might be weak
I insist you take that deal without even a tweak! (You bastards)

Al and Doug and Doug Allen?, they stand up way too hard.
If they keep fighting for my compensation,
I will bury them right in my own backyard.

Just tell my bosses that I’ll take what they’re willing to give,
‘cause I’m just so grateful that they even let me live!

I don’t care about nobody, I only care about me.
Lay down your weapons and stop all that nasty fighting,
don’t you know you should be glad to work for free!

I’ll stand up strong so that we might be weak,
I demand you take that deal without even a tweak.
Tell old CBS that I’ll take what they’re willing to give,
cause I’m just so grateful that they even let us live!

I don’t care about nobody.
No, I only care about me.

Lay down your weapons and stop all that nasty fighting,
don’t you know you should be glad to work,
shouldn’t even be mad to work,
sometimes you should prefer to work for free!

Sometimes as long as it ain’t me!
Meanwhile, come see me on TV!

October
6
"House of Payne" actress takes Tyler Perry to task

PerryThe WGA battle with Tyler Perry isn't in any hurry to go away. Anne-Marie Johnson, a longtime member of SAG's National Board whose credits include Perry's "House of Payne," published a statement on the WGA website that reads, in part: "I realize that speaking publicly in support of the writers will jeopardize my recurring role, but Mr. Perry's firing of writers, for negotiating for fair WGA coverage, including health insurance, does not speak well for a man who claims to believe in family, pride in one's race and artistic equality. It's time he steps up to do the right thing." [WGA]

October
1
Bollywood goes on strike

180pxbolywoodAnd you thought Hollywood had labor woes. Thousands of actors and technicians are on strike in India over pay and conditions, halting all Bollywood work. Unions claim that many members have not been paid in months and are wlling to strike indefinitely; Indan film producers told the BBC that they will meet Thursday to decide on a response but "they are prepared to weather a long dispute if necessary." It is not clear if any major stars are taking part in the strike. [BBC]


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