WGA strike mediator: Has anyone considered Arnold Schwarzenegger?

Ted Johnson at Variety's Wilshire & Washington spoke to the Governor's press rep, Aaron McClear, on the current status of the strike's Schwarzeneggarianess. McClear said that a Sacramento staffer has been in regular contact with each side as well as a federal mediator. But man himself? Not so much.

At a press conference today where the Governor announced that California's suing the EPA so we can be allowed to enforce greenhouse gas emissions standards [Ed. note: Wait, we have to sue the Environmental Protection Agency to enforce environmental standards? I am so confused], Gov. Schwarzenegger took a question about his would-be role in the strike:

"If I'm asked, down the line, I will get involved. But at this point, I've been talking to them, but I've not been asked. ...I think it's very important that we settle that as quickly as possible, because it has a tremendous economic impact on our state. ...The studio executives are not going to suffer, the union leaders are not going to suffer, the writers that are striking, they are not going to suffer. Those are all people that have money. But the people that really --- you know, the electricians, the grips, the set designers, those are the people that are suffering because they will not get paid now, and they are out of work."

-- DH

Comments

[Adam_Glass]

"The Writers that are striking will not suffer?" Arnold, I'm a working class writer for 12 years. I have a house a wife and two kids. A prolonged strike means we lose our home. Yet I'm out there everyday fighting for a small piece of what we deserve. To paint the writers as a bunch of rich Hollywood types who are only hurting the little guy is wrong and irresponsible. Most of us our hardworking, middle class people, trying to make a living for our families. You know better than this.

[Allen]

Yet again, another example of people thinking they know more than they do. I'm not even a writer and I think the opinions on some people are ridiculous. I'd be out on the line striking with you all if I could. I hope you all get everything you deserve.

[WGA Writer with Business Sense]

In the most recent Dave "Studio Publicist" McNary article, Nick Counter is quoted as saying that he will not return to the bargaining table until the strike is called off.

Refusing to negotiate with striking workers is a clear violation of the Federal Taft-Hartley law.

Why is the WGA not going to a judge and getting a Federal Injuction forcing the AMPTP back to the bargaining table as has been done in so many other industries?

I don't give a crap if these people like each other or "trust" each other. They need to hammer out an agreement before they devastate this business and the entire economy of California.

The AMPTP needs to respond to the concessions the WGA has made. If they refuse to do so they could face fines and even jail terms.

As someone who has been walking the line, the idea of these smug "moguls" having to deal with a Federal Judge is almost as delicious as what it's going to be like to face the corporate boards of the giant companies that own the studios. Wall Street doesn't care who got their feelings hurt, if these businesspeople cannot end a devastating labor action they are clearly not fit for their jobs, and shareholders will demand they be let go.

[RJ]

this strike is a double edge sword. on one hand, i agree the writers should get what is fair. but on the other hand, i don't feel sorry for any of you -- even the "working class writer." with all due respect, you have a job tens of thousands of others would GLADLY take under the CURRENT contract without complaint. if it sucks so bad, quit and go work at a grocery store! maybe some of you have been at it so long you've forgotten how to be grateful for what you have. you're in a top tier job that is coveted by many. you get paid to be creative. would you rather be a telemarketer? you are NOT Norma Rae. no one has ever died of writers cramp. SHUT UP and get to work, or QUIT! i'll happily take your job, no complaints! talk about a bunch of ungrateful, whiny babies!

[Erin Maher]

RJ. Seriously. Yes, I have a job that many others would like to have. I fought for years myself to become a Guild writer. I had lots of jobs in the meantime, including MANY jobs where I was on my feet all day. This is without a doubt the best job I've ever done and the most fulfilling. It's also by far the hardest. So I have a job you'd like to have, and you think I should be "GRATEFUL"??? I worked like hell to get here. And now that I'm here, I'm going to try to make sure that the people who come after me get a fair deal -- just like the people before me gave up THEIR shot at residuals so that I can have health insurance today.

WGA writers, altogether, got 56 million in residuals in 2006. Compare that with ONE of the corporate CEOs whose per year salary is over sixty million dollars. Aside from that, below the line workers rely on residuals to fund their health and pension benefits. Think about this, and tell me who's really being greedy here.

[Becca]

I totally shocked that an ex-actor would make such a ridiculous comment as he did in this piece. The man is clearly out of touch with the working person.

[RJ]

i'm not discounting your point that producers are greedy. but you guys are whining that you're not as fat as the fat cats. honestly, if the mantra is "pencils down" then stop writing propaganda!

you said it yourself -- you have heath care. do you know how many people don't? how much do you make a year? high 5 figures? mid 6? speaking as one of the future WGA members you're allegedly doing all this for, i find it LAUGHABLE that you guys have the audacity to hold picket signs like you're somehow working a sweatshop in china for 12cents an hour. are you kidding me?!?!? this is the best comedy hollywood's turned out in decades!

oh, boo-hoo! my producer makes 60mm a year and my life is so haaaaarrrdd! boo-hoo!

you're not picketing for me. you're picketing for yourself. for a fatter piece of pie because the big greedy producers live in a house bigger than yours and you want one too. you wanna fight for a better contract? go ahead, i'm with you. but put down the picket signs and GROW UP! you have NOTHING to bitch about, no matter how hard you worked to get where you are. YES, you should be GRATEFUL! and possibly slapped upside the head too!

[NS]

RJ,

Seriously you don't get it, do you?

This strike is NOT about today. This is about how the writers will get paid in this digital age in YEARS to come. We all know that years from now, internet downloads/DVD/podcast will be the way to go in terms of how people watch these popular TV shows. Studios don't want to pay for that. Right now, writers (and actors and directors) get paid residuals based on TV reruns, etc but soon people won't be watching shows JUST on TV. They already made a "concession" years ago on video because the studio "wasn't sure" how much money they can make on it. Look what happened. Studios made TONS of money and writers/actors/directors got hardly any of them. They aren't making the same mistake again. That's why they are picketing.

OK, you want to be a writer and want to be WGA someday. They are picketing for people like you. They are picketing now so that people like you have a better future than you have right now when you join WGA someday. In my eyes, you are the one who is ungrateful, more than anything.

NS

[EJ]

"fair share", "what we deserve", ... Such nonsense. You are being paid, some very well, by a company to perform a job. There are many, many people involved on a production. But at the end of the day, you get to keep getting paid. Everyone else has to go back to work. You take no risk, you don't have to pay back your earnings if a show fails. The studios take the risk. If you expect residuals, try writing something on your own and selling it. That's risk and reward and you have something to talk about. But don't start talking about what you deserve when you selfishly impact the lives of thousands of other workers who will see no benefit from your behavior and whatever concessions you may "win".

[TakeFive]

If you want someone who will cave, Schwarzenegger's you man. Look how easily he caved on budget negotiations. Forget him.

Folks, you need to find a good PR person fast. Someone who the general public is sympathetic to. No big stars, just some B actress who is remembered fondly. Have her explain over and over that you just want a measly 4 cents on a dvd. Frame 4 cents in terms of your adversaries salaries or earnings.

Hire some real negotiation talent. Who's the most ruthless bastard agent you know? Hire him. Forget this do it yourself nonsense. Even lawyers hire lawyers to represent them, and for good reason.

But you need to win the public debate first, or your strike will go as well as the grocery strike did. Remember their classic PR blunders?