Monster Cable Sues Blue Jeans Cable

majorloser

majorloser

Moderator
This is how it reads to me:

1) Monster Cable offered an initial severance pay package to workers it laid off
2) Workers attempted to organize and get more
3) Monster said "screw you" and pulled all severance

This is kind of the way I'd hope most companies would handle this type of scenario to be honest. I hate unions and no one is guaranteed severance (or even a job for that matter) except as stipulated under employee contract (which does not seem to be the case here or it would be in court and not on the streets.)

If they wanted "justice" they would have gotten laid off with no offer of any severance period. That's how it works across most of the country. What they got was an offer of some severance. What they did (apparently) was demand MORE.

Striking Hollywood writers? Fire them all and put out an APB for new ones.

Striking auto workers? Shut down the plant for 6 months, rehire and retrain new employees for far less money (people would flock to the cities for this type of work).
Let me guess....You've never had to sit across the table from a union bargaining unit? Florida is a "right to work" state and it's still no fun. I can only imagine how tough it would be in strong union states. And I don't think many people would want to cross the picket lines at a UAW plant.
 
Z

zinfidel

Audiophyte
Kill the Monsters

I have rarely bought Monster's products, but years ago I got a set of audio/composite video cables on sale thinking they would be good quality. Big mistake. Theirs were the only RCA cable I've owned where the connector actually broke, because it fit so tightly; and I always held the connector, not the cable, to remove them. The center part stayed in the jack when the outer part was removed. What junk!

I wrote them a somewhat nasty letter, and they offered to replace them if I sent them back, but it wasn't worth it to me. Maybe I'll give Blue Jeans' cables a try, if I can get their web site at a better time. It was painfully slow last time I tried.

Marty Fried
Left Coast, USA
 
Jack Hammer

Jack Hammer

Audioholic Field Marshall
This is how it reads to me:

...Striking Hollywood writers? Fire them all and put out an APB for new ones.
I agree with most of what you said, with exception to the writers strike. They weren't striking for a raise, they were trying to get royalties for their work that I think they deserved. The studios were telling them that their contract didn't cover medias that were non-existent at the time of signing, so the studios were keeping all profits and not paying them.

It would be like a publishing firm putting a writers book for sale on the internet in ebook form then telling the author that they get no royalties for those sales, and only paying them for the printed material. The publisher would be keeping royalties that we all know the writer should have coming.

Jack
 
jinjuku

jinjuku

Moderator
Slashdot effect

Congratulations Kurt,

This debacle has now made it to Slashdot.

That will really give this story a chance to make it to the mass media.
 
D

DaleAV

Full Audioholic
There were LOTS of junkie cables being distributed with electronic components, being sold by Radio Shack, and other electronic suppliers back in the early 80's.

Maybe some of the old timers here can remember intermittent problems, RCA connectors that would lose their grip over time, etc.


Monster started with a successful business model through good timing in the introduction of 'better' cables at the time, and capitalized on it by selling them where we typically buy our a/v components.

Nice going, Mr. Lee. If you had continued in that vein, kept prices reasonable, there would be a lot more satisfied customers and you might even have less competition.

You have no one but yourself to blame for letting the tail wag the dog, and have to do constant spins on the benefits of your product to a consumer who is getting more educated all the time.
 
A

AdrianMills

Full Audioholic
This is how it reads to me:

1) Monster Cable offered an initial severance pay package to workers it laid off
2) Workers attempted to organize and get more
3) Monster said "screw you" and pulled all severance

This is kind of the way I'd hope most companies would handle this type of scenario to be honest. I hate unions and no one is guaranteed severance (or even a job for that matter) except as stipulated under employee contract (which does not seem to be the case here or it would be in court and not on the streets.)

If they wanted "justice" they would have gotten laid off with no offer of any severance period. That's how it works across most of the country. What they got was an offer of some severance. What they did (apparently) was demand MORE.

Striking Hollywood writers? Fire them all and put out an APB for new ones.

Striking auto workers? Shut down the plant for 6 months, rehire and retrain new employees for far less money (people would flock to the cities for this type of work).
Bad unions that act irresponsibly, strike unnecessarily and use strong arm tactics to blackmail employers into giving unrealistic pay rises should be disbanded.

However, not all unions are bad; among other things they protect the legal rights of individuals, negotiate fair increases in salaries in line with rates of inflation and the good ones never strike or only use it as an absolutely last resort.

Maybe all the unions in the US are deserving of your criticism Clint but not all unions are.

And Clint, surely you’re experienced enough to realize that just because something is legal according to the letter of the law doesn't always make it ethically right.
 
Alex2507

Alex2507

Audioholic Slumlord
I can't believe you just said you hate unions. I'm in one and if I felt the same way I would just go do the same kind of work for less money down in Florida. :) Hey wait a minute, I did that for 10 years. :confused: Fire the UAW for striking? Hire people to do it for less? UAW workers aren't exactly rich but you let me point out that people have already flocked to the cities for those kind of jobs. They are already working in those factories.

And after a cushy 25 years they can retire. But 25 years goes by quick. :D
 
D

dlorde

Audioholic Intern
You are drifting way off topic!
Quite - and it's worth remembering that when it comes to human rights in China, the good ol' US of A incarcerates more citizens per head of population than any country in the world - 6 times more than China. So let's talk about cable manufacturing in context.

It's also worth remembering that China is in a dynamic transition period, much like Japan after the 2nd World War - moving from the mass production of junk to the mass production of high quality, advanced technology products, which are already appearing on the market. If they manage to corner both ends of the quality spectrum, as it looks like they probably will, we'll all be dancing to China's tune in 15 years time - which should give us pause for thought...

However, I bought Blue Jeans cable partly because it was quality cable, partly because it was well priced, and partly because I like the company's approach. I think it will be some time before Chinese manufacturers can compete on level terms on all those criteria.
 
stratman

stratman

Audioholic Ninja
Quite - and it's worth remembering that when it comes to human rights in China, the good ol' US of A incarcerates more citizens per head of population than any country in the world - 6 times more than China.
We incarcerate 6 more times than China while China executes 6 more times, so you're right let's get back to cables, maybe we should get those inmates to start building cables.
 
haraldo

haraldo

Audioholic Spartan
I'm now getting feedback from the two largest A/V magazines in Scandinavia, I really hope this story will go to press with what I believe will be very bad marketing value for Monster. But I'm not guaranteeing that it will happen....

Kurt, you may get some new friends (= customers) over here :cool:
 
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Halon451

Halon451

Audioholic Samurai
I haven't done it yet - I've been so busy with work and traveling lately. But that's a good find though - I sure hope this kind of stuff makes it out to the mainstream market so that even the average uninformed consumer is aware of their business tactics.

The issue is - how many of them would actually care? That's the problem... too much apathy in our society for these kinds of things to really unfold in a positive manner. It's safe to say that most of us here truly understand the nature of this beast and we are reacting accordingly, but I think we also represent a fairly small percentage of the overall market. I'm certain that the average Joe who walks into Best Buy (probably right now as we speak) hasn't even heard one thing about all this and would likely go right over to the cable section and pick himself out a nice Monster HDMI or optical cable and not think twice about it.

Digg.com, YouTube, and this forum (hopefully other forums as well) are the first line of defense in educating an unaware public. The only thing we can hope for is that the message sinks in to the masses - it's the one true thing that will force Monster to either overhaul their business model and become a decent company, or (as I would like to see it) go down screaming and in flames. :mad:
 
haraldo

haraldo

Audioholic Spartan
Good thoughts Halon.....
I also think that if this gets into the published press, then the wheels may start rolling, but I have my serious doubts this is going to happen. Do you think Stereophile or The Absolute Sound would print anything on this.... NO Because they would lose all their ad revenue from Monster Cable.... Guess it's that simple.

BINGO!!!!!
How about tip to major newspapers that do not rely on revenue from Monster Cable.... Like NY Times and what do I know what all the major papers are in the US.... Is that a thought? Any volunteers?

I can tip some papers around here, perhaps I'll get some money out of it.....

People from all over the world, Start your work :D
 
SpunkyDDog

SpunkyDDog

Enthusiast
I was trying to find Halon's video on YouTube where he's burning his Monster cables but could only find this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYM87ZEnvDM
Dang... Guess who was forced to take it down due to copyright violations?

"This video is no longer available due to a copyright claim by MONSTER CABLE PRODUCTS, INC. "

Too bad, I was interested in looking at this too... However, I have a video in mind that represents what will happen when Monster looses the lawsuit:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1nzEFMjkI4 ;)
 
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mouettus

mouettus

Audioholic Chief
Dang... Guess who was forced to take it down due to copyright violations?

"This video is no longer available due to a copyright claim by MONSTER CABLE PRODUCTS, INC. "

Too bad, I was interested in looking at this too... However, I have a video in mind that represents what will happen when Monster looses the lawsuit:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1nzEFMjkI4 ;)
WTF!!! I saw the video. How in the hell can it be the property of Monster?!

Bunch of a$$es. Let's burn their houses down!
 
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