Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Anatomy of a Shambles

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  • Craig Ranapia,

    And, Helen Kelly just said there could have been better communication from Actors Equity (on 3 news).

    Honestly, Sofie, those are words Kelly should repeat while looking in a mirror. Have a great deal of respect for her, but not as much as I had a week ago.

    Chris Trotter rails against Peter Jackson:

    Step away from the Trotter, Mister King. It causes hair loss, blisters, infertility and occasional fits of homicidal mania.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    Heard CloseUp promo-ing something about Whipp. Really must switch to watching TV3 news live and recording One to rewind later.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • nzlemming,

    The trade union is the mortal enemy of the charismatic leader?

    More than a few union officials would have qualified as "charismatic leaders"...

    #justsaying

    PS Russ: Can we haz hashtags in the new PAS? plsplspls?

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report Reply

  • Jonathan King,

    Step away from the Trotter, Mister King. It causes hair loss, blisters, infertility and occasional fits of homicidal mania.

    I just popped in for a look, honest ... I can stop any time, really I can ...

    Since Sep 2010 • 185 posts Report Reply

  • Neil Morrison,

    And, Helen Kelly just said there could have been better communication from Actors Equity (on 3 news).

    it's a bit late for her to start shifting repsonsibilty elsewhere. There were plenty of people who realised right from the start that AE needed to get their act together.

    She was advising AE and it hasn't turned out very well.

    It's not really surprising that Robin Malcolm and the rapidly disappeariing Jennifer Ward-Lealand handled this badly but industrial relations is supposed to be witihin the general orbit of the CTU's skill set.

    Since Nov 2006 • 932 posts Report Reply

  • David Hood,

    Step away from the Trotter, Mister King. It causes hair loss, blisters, infertility

    So he's made from dishwashing soap?

    Dunedin • Since May 2007 • 1445 posts Report Reply

  • Sue,

    yeah can i suggest we post excerpts from 'the standard' as much as we post from 'kiwiblog'

    which in an ideal world is hardly ever

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 527 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    Honestly, Sofie, those are words Kelly should repeat while looking in a mirror.

    Actually she did look a liddle sheepish. I got the impression she was having difficulty looking into the camera so a mirror would have been out of the question. I tuned in a bit late and just caught the end of Jackson. Trouble is a fried motherboard does not for good recording or rewatching make. By the end of that segment it felt like a SNAFU situation, but I reckon it will be shot in NZ.

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    The trade union is thus the mortal enemy of the charismatic leader ...

    This is an extremely bizarre thing to say.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • SteveH,

    By the end of that segment it felt like a SNAFU situation, but I reckon it will be shot in NZ.

    If anyone can convince them it'd be Jackson. I'm still hopeful but I can't see much rational reason for it to stay here now.

    Since Sep 2009 • 444 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    I'm still hopeful but I can't see much rational reason for it to stay here now.

    That's where the extra tax breaks and relaxation of employment law to be offered up on Monday comes in.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    Lew argues that stronger and properly-mandated unions are part of the answer.

    Nature abhors a vaccuum, and the only way that a handful of pretty faces and household names with little or no industrial relations experience and an Australian carpetbagger with a reputation for mischief-making get to speak for an entire industry is when the alternative is nothing.

    Conventional wisdom — particularly from the government — is to de-unionise, and already the veiled threats about the consequences of a general strike during the 2011 Rugby World Cup are beginning. But de-unionisation at a time like this simply cedes the field.

    Efforts must be redoubled — not only to negotiate the sorts of concessions gained by Irish actors for collective bargaining among independent contractors, but to ensure that whoever claims to have a union mandate in future has the crowd with the torches and pitchforks following them, rather than chasing them.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • A S,

    The trade union is thus the mortal enemy of the charismatic leader ..

    In this particular case it seems that the trade union is the mortal enemy of the trade union.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2007 • 269 posts Report Reply

  • Peter Cox,

    If anyone can convince them it'd be Jackson. I'm still hopeful but I can't see much rational reason for it to stay here now.

    Hey - we still have first class facilities, awesome crew, great scenery, top notch actors (when they're not feeling underpaid), and a passionate director and producers wanting to keep it here.

    And now a pliable government. What else could a studio ask for?

    EDIT: wow, go Lew.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 312 posts Report Reply

  • Jonathan King,

    Robyn Malcolm on Close Up: "There was no boycott."

    "We lifted it on Sunday"

    "Lifted what?"

    "Well, the ... the conversation ... suggestion that ... um ..."

    Since Sep 2010 • 185 posts Report Reply

  • Ross Mason,

    Nothing like the odd charismatic leader to demonstrate how to achieve their aims. Just take Lysistrata. Now that chick knew a thing or two.

    And it must be true. I saw it in a fillim....or....

    Upper Hutt • Since Jun 2007 • 1590 posts Report Reply

  • nzlemming,

    Did Close Up ask her about police escorts last night?

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report Reply

  • Nick Shand,

    ... more digging uncovers ...

    Attached to the *new* MEAA (NZ) constitution available for download at http://www.societies.govt.nz/cms is a letter dated the 23/9 from the Registrar of Unions to Simon of MEAA requesting 2 uninteresting amendments be made to the constitution.

    Therefore some time before the 23rd NZEA recognised its lack of legal status and a decision was made and actions were taken to rebrand the Trade Union to MEAA (NZ).

    In rebranding themselves MEAA, NZEA may well have avoided a legal requirement to submit AGM minutes and general audit documents from the last 3 years to the public record of New Zealand.

    What is more scary for my belief in Union democracy is that NZEA may have stepped out of one constitution and into another.

    Furthermore the new MEAA seems very light on constitutional substance (2 pages) and reads more like a university clubs constitution than a well established industry player. I could be wrong on this = more digging .... *cough* research .... is required.

    auck • Since Aug 2008 • 79 posts Report Reply

  • Alan Perrott,

    you know Craig, if I hadn't met you I might actually believe some of the shit you shovel.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 438 posts Report Reply

  • Neil Morrison,

    from Helen Kelly's latest press release:

    I have also repeated the commitment made by MEAA that there will be no disruption to the Hobbit films.

    not sure if that's any reassurance given what we've seen of Simon Whipp.

    So it's still in the hands of the MEAA. Like it always has been. But hasn't the CTU and AE been claiming the MEAA had nothing to do with this?

    Since Nov 2006 • 932 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    If anyone can convince them it'd be Jackson.

    No, if Warner want to be convinced it's as soon as Key has his meeting. It will be "what do you want?" then it will be "For the sake of the industry we have enlarged the tax break. I have saved the day. :)))" And everyone will rejoice, the actors will breathe a sigh of relief. Work will commence and it will be back to the future that is Hobitton, Warner will be happy, PJ will be happy. Unions will be undermined.The timing was appalling whatever way you look at it, but at the end of the day, I hope the actors have made some inroad to better standards. We all deserve the best in the world for this is New Zealand.

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report Reply

  • nzlemming,

    NZAE can't claim the the MEAA has nothing to do with this. From their website:

    NZ Actors’ Equity is an autonomous part of the Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance and is the industrial and professional organisation representing performers who work in New Zealand’s entertainment industries.

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report Reply

  • Pat Hackett,

    Have just read MEAA 2009 Annual Report (I know, I know) and they proudly state that NZAE membership was 85 in 2009. Maybe they had a massive recruitment drive in the last 12 months, but if not they didn't seem to have a huge mandate to impose a global boycott on behalf on NZ actors.

    MEAA, via the "Equity Trust" collect all residuals, super entitlements etc on behalf of Equity members, paying them out quarterly (if they can locate said performer). They have collected $49M of residuals in 7 years, so if their clip is 15%, it is a big money spinner. Locking in the Hobbit and future NZ/Jackson productions would have been a big coup.

    So it was always just all about the money - in this case the MEAA gaining control of the money, like they do in Aussie.

    (In addition Equity members pay a joining fee $235 and a weekly direct debit of $21 if they earn over $85K).

    Auckland • Since Oct 2010 • 95 posts Report Reply

  • Brendon Mills,

    Quite frankly the union bashing on here is very sickening. Why dont we just film the Hobbit in China? No pesky unions there. If the likes of Whipp come over they will be up against the wall before you can say 'one ring to rule them all'. Its a wonder Chris Trotter reacted the way he did.

    Everyone goes on about wanting a high skill high wage workforce etc and so on, but we support an industry which is built on job insecurity low wages and long hours. Christ, every other industry does it, thats where the concept of casual labour comes in.Can you imagine Works EDI deciding to class all of its workers as indenpendent contrators (though one imagine that they would want to).

    Im sure a lot of people here would gladly abolish unions and casualise and freelance the entire New Zealand workforce, and force wages down, but I will tell you, I want to be a full time employee,and I dont belive that any one should force that on me.

    I consider it ironic, that the people on here, especially Mr Brown, who started out enjoying the benefits of union representation in the journalism sector want to pull up the ladder and deprive future generations of the job security and generous pay they enjoyed.

    New Plymouth • Since Oct 2010 • 33 posts Report Reply

  • Peter Cox,

    http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5icjoNinOhSDJsn8SJFC5H6oVc57g?docId=CNG.090b1023cf78213bdc38304851f6b44a.1e1

    Much of the debate hinges on an obscure argument over whether workers on films such as "The Hobbit" are employees of the production company, which entitles them to minimum benefits, or independent contractors.

    Key said his conservative government would look at changing the law to clarify that actors were independent contractors if it would ease Warner's fears the production will be plagued by industrial strife.

    "Thet's the area that they have concerns... and they need to be sure they can make the movie without being injuncted in the courts," he told the Dominion Post newspaper.

    So... exactly the complete opposite of Ireland then.

    Good-oh.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 312 posts Report Reply

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