While the news last week has included the strike of the Writers Guild of America that began Monday the 5th, it hasn’t been the most important event. A new attorney general, the same Pakistani dictator, Congress for the first time in George II’s 6 1/2 years overrode one of his vetoes, gasoline is up and the market looks down — these rate higher. In fact, that the strike as it begins its second week shows this trade — script writing as opposed to novel writing — can be allowed to sit while the entertainment industry coasts. Movies and TV can afford to slide.
There it is, proof that the labor movement in America is dead. Collective action worked for a few decades but that was ages ago.
But what about the auto workers? The UAW just got what it wanted from Ford by threatening a strike. A few weeks earlier, GM and Chrysler were struck by the auto workers briefly, and the corporations caved. It makes no sense, as the automotive is beholden to oil, and there you go. Hollywood needs writers, because aren’t the so-called “reality” shows just a fad as prime-time games had been and before that so-called newsmagazines every single night?
After all, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
Meanwhile, the way to learn about the writer’s strike is on the Internet. You’ll see they have a reasonable point about royalties from new media. Many of them post first-person accounts (plug “writers strike” in a search engine), which don’t arouse much sympathy. Some of the personal ones try to be funny. Besides, the idea of writers who are on strike but who are writing — and publishing — is confusing.
I have never been a member of any union, but the notion of collective action is romantic, with some good songs, too. I’ll just read about it. I don’t need help speaking up. Whining in harmony must be like a cat convention in an alley. I’ve become adept as a soloist. Fault-finding really does irritate those on the other side of the table, though, and it either backfires or they manage to ignore it. I sound good in the shower but never have received a contract.
I am one; I am many. My interests are plural, needs numerous, complaints like gravel on the construction site. Collectively, I am no bargain.
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