NBC Grinching Christmas Rockefeller Center telecast?

[admin]

The union that represents NBC’s producers, writers and technicians today vowed to pull the plug on the network’s "Christmas in Rockefeller Center" telecast which includes the lighting of the famous Rockefeller Christmas tree and dozens of celebrities tomorrow, because management has failed to bargain "fairly" with them. In an attempt to "Save Christmas," the union has setup a website – http://NBCStoleChristmas.com – that highlights the “Grinch†at NBC and they're using online advertising and text messaging to promote their efforts.

Discuss "NBC Grinching Christmas Rockefeller Center telecast?" here. Read the article.

 

[corey]

Sounds more like it's the union "stealing" Christmas.

A more accurate headline would be: "Union Grinching Christmas Rockefeller Center telecast?"

 

[shoryuken]

Rediculous

I couldn't believe it either!

 

[cwall99]

Working without a contract for nine months ... That's Grinch-like?

Agreeing to let non-union employees do work normally performed by union members... That's Grinch-like?

No, I don't see the union being Grinches.

I won't say that NBC management are the Grinches, either, though, as the press release is vague when it comes to defining what they mean when they say, "management has grown increasingly hostile, ignoring the concerns of the union’s membership."

If you're talking about hostile behavior, why not cite some examples?

It's a poorly written press release, and I find that odd since the union represents writers.

 

[mtrycrafts]

..
It's a poorly written press release, and I find that odd since the union represents writers.

It looks like the union didn't bother to use the resources of their members in drafting it

 

[Audioholics]

In full disclosure... I typically dislike labor unions.

 

[mrfuse]

Union Man and Audioholic

If it were not for my great union wages and benefits,Mr.DeBoer,I would still be listening to music on a cheap boombox (probably purchased from Walmart).When a corporation drags it's feet in the collective bargaining process for 10 months, it's time to exercise the right to strike.The fact that it is during a commercialized pagan ceremony makes it that much sweeter.Christmas is supposed to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and Jesus was a Union Man!

 

[Adam]

This should get interesting...

 

[Alex2507]

In full disclosure... I typically dislike labor unions.

There's a shocker ...

 

[Knucklehead90]

I don't watch NBC or its affiliate MSNBC with the loon Olbermann - and I don't live in NYC so this has about as much affect on me as water on a duck's back.

 

[Seth=L]

In full disclosure... I typically dislike labor unions.

Business owners never like unions, so it comes as no surprise.

 

[Seth=L]

If it were not for my great union wages and benefits,Mr.DeBoer,I would still be listening to music on a cheap boombox (probably purchased from Walmart).When a corporation drags it's feet in the collective bargaining process for 10 months, it's time to exercise the right to strike.The fact that it is during a commercialized pagan ceremony makes it that much sweeter.Christmas is supposed to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and Jesus was a Union Man!

Unions are middle men that if it weren't for the greed of a few men there would be no use for. Unions are an enterprise of greedy men taking advantage of the fact that working men work for other greedy men. Don't you see? it's a circle of greed or love (I can never tell).

 

[cwall99]

Here's an interesting thing about unions...

In the Detroit area, many of the local papers have organized work forces. Unfortunately, with the decline of printed press, much of their work force has been laid off.

Recently, based on I don't know what kind of crappy business planning, a couple of older gentlemen from Florida decided to open a new daily paper in Detroit. They were going to pay their employees half of what they had been earning in their previous jobs, not offer any benefits, and insist on a six-day work week.

The paper put out fewer than one week's worth of editions before it closed down (due to a lack of advertising - this in November, the start of the Christmas season, and, according to several of my friends who are journalists, the season when newspapers have their biggest ad sales; one journalist I know, who also laid out pages, told me that sections of the paper that are typically 8 pages long during most of the year grow to 18 pages or more during the holidays).

In the same light, a new magazine is wanting to open, and they're offering people with 10 and 20 years of experience in the magazine industry $8.00 an hour (along with no benefits). That's $0.45 an hour above minimum wage. The most despicable thing about this is that in the ads that brought people in, they were promising $10 to $12 an hour. Still a crappy wage for professional people with loads of experience, but the situation here in Detroit is so desperate, there are people lining up for these jobs "until something better comes along."

Why not leave Detroit? Because you can't sell your house without taking a huge loss on it.

The unions' support for better wages is what drove our country's prosperity. I'm pretty sure that anyone making $8.00/hour isn't going to be installing a home theater, let alone buying any high quality HT gear.

That said, I'm also well aware of the abuses of union leadership. I've had a few Animal Farm moments ("Two legs are better than four") that have soured me on the movement.

So I'm up in the air when it comes to unions, but the collapse of wages here in the Detroit area, and the downward effect that has had on all wages is spiraling even more negatively here in a very perilous fashion.

 

[Knucklehead90]

The problems you are having in the Detroit area are nothing more than a harbinger of things to come for the rest of America. NAFTA (aka SHAFTA) and these other 'Free Trade' ideas were and are a poor idea based on the idea that free trade among the North American partners was a great idea. NAFTA was our answer to what has become a non-threat - the European Union.

Its a great idea for manufacturers that have grown tired of paying union scale wages and increasingly dogged by the eco-nazis and their supposed well meaning laws that only serve to move pollution off shore where there is little or no enforcement. Product comes back to this country with little or no tariff - making profit for the manufacturer. Did you think the savings would be passed on to you and me?

NAFTA gave them the out by severely reducing or even eliminating tariffs from our northern and southern neighbors. Whats not to love about that if you are a heavy duty manufacturing company? It was such a great idea that we are now the dumping ground of the world because we levy very few tariffs on products coming into this country. What was supposed to be a two way street has instead become a means of dismantling our country.

How fast did Ford and many other companies plan the relocation of manufacturing plants to Mexico while the ink was still drying from B. Clinton's signature? Granted - it was a Republican Congress that got it passed - but Democrats for the most part were on board with the idea from its inception. Both sides failed the American worker on that day. NAFTA and free trade are the friend of business - not the working stiffs.

How well does NAFTA work? I'll let the unemployed figure that one out. I'm retired - thank God!

 

[MapleSyrup]

Ford

Following the evolution of this thread topic, I thought of the auto plant Ford built in Bahia, Brazil. Its known as the Camaçari Ford plant. Take a look at the linked video and get a glimps at what can be accomplished by an American company once it runs far away from unions. Also, watch and do tell if you sat perfectly still during the intro music. I say you can't.

http://apps.detnews.com/apps/multimedia/player/index.php?id=1189

 

[MapleSyrup]

Knucklehead

Low to no tarrifs as well as free trade benefits all. Trade wars can gravely hurt industry and standards of living.

 

[MapleSyrup]

Cwall

Have you noticed that the areas hardest hit by our modern-day recession, self-afflicted to hurt us as badly as it is, are typically areas, like Detroit, which have the most government and union mandates for businesses to follow?

Just something to consider.

 

[MapleSyrup]

Mrfuse

Jesus was a Union Man!

Unfortunately those who drool for power and control frequently mischaracterize Jesus. Pretty sad. I don't think Jesus cares if one is a union man or not. I certainly don't.

My guess is that if yu didn't allow yourself to depend on union bargaining s much you would have moved yourself on to a higher paying job or even created business by yourself or with partners.

I bought a crappy boombox from Walmart and it serves me and my family quite well.

 

[zhimbo]

Have you noticed that the areas hardest hit by our modern-day recession, self-afflicted to hurt us as badly as it is, are typically areas, like Detroit, which have the most government and union mandates for businesses to follow?

Just something to consider.

Really?

Toughest places to find a job
City / Jobless per advertised job

Least difficult:
Washington, D.C. / 2.0
Baltimore / 2.7
San Jose, Calif. / 3.1
Salt Lake City / 3.2
New York / 3.4

Most difficult:
Riverside, Calif. / 13.4
Las Vegas / 14.4
Miami / 15.8
St. Louis / 19.9
Detroit / 21.6

I don't know all the relevant details for all these cites, but is there really such a clear trend? New York City is doing very well, for example.

It seems to me that local housing bubbles, and reliance on the auto industry are more important.

 

[MapleSyrup]

Zimbo

Opperative word is "typically". Of course its not exclusive.

California, Michigan (where Detroit is), are two such places.


New York City jobless rate hits 9.6% - a 12-yr. high

So I don't know what you mean by New York City as "doing well". In fact, all the cities you cited as an example of being the "most difficult" to find a job , except, maybe, Miami, are laden with government and union mandates.

As for DC:

On the other hand, most of November's job gains were in services or government. If the stimulus spending has had any effect, it has been to preserve government jobs. Private hiring remains weak. Construction, manufacturing and business professionals are still shedding jobs.

LINK

In O's administration, those big businesses are greedy son's o' guns. Yet TARP'S biggest recipient was big business, including government jobs.

With more than 1.8 million civilian employees, the Federal Government, excluding the Postal Service is the Nation’s largest employer.

LINK

This isn't good. Government jobs do not create wealth; only redistributes it. Private business, especially small business, creates wealth.

It seems to me that local housing bubbles, and reliance on the auto industry are more important.

That's interesting since much of today's American car industry's ruin is dueto poor management; including catering to heavy union demands. Please watch the video in my #15 post. If anything, you'll love the music. (Afterall, who doesn't love a Brazilian samba?) Also, the housing bubble is due primarily to, yup, government mandates. Give loans to everyone. It's sustainable only when housing value raises, though at the slightest decline, people, rightfully so, panic, worsening what would be a mere natural downturn in the market. This is what triggers bad recessions and depressions.

Happy job hunting, ya'll.