Well, this is a change for Public Address, isn’t it. Last time Hollywood studios extorted tax concessions from the pathetic New Zealand taxpayer (a cool $100m), plus parliamentary legislation removing legal redress from workers in the film industry, Public Address stood squarely behind the studios, in the process condemning a local union that was seeking a collective agreement, and then making extraordinary claims – untrue, unfounded and unchecked – that all the entertainment unions bar Equity were in support.
Dean Parker
NZ Writers' Guild

"My understanding is that none of the industry organisations (the Writers Guild, Screen Directors Guild, Techos Guild and SPADA) other than Equity are unions."
-- Graham Dunster.

Where do these understandings come from? The Writers' Guild was formed in 1975 (as a consequence of the onset of TV soap opera writing -- factory writing.) It joined the Federation of Labour in 1977 as an industrial union and negotiated its first industrial agreement, with the Broadcasting Council of NZ, in 1978. An immediate and pertinent result of that negotiation was that the going rate for TV writing -- the "guideline" -- was doubled.
The Guild has been a member of the FOL/CTU since then. Equity is our sister union.
Of the three other industry organisations Graham Dunster understands not to be unions -- I don't know about two of them, but I can confirm that SPADA is not. It's an employers' organisation.

"we [Writers' Guild] have never, at least in the last few years asked for a 'collective agreement' to be negotiated with SPADA. We have always understood that doing so is effectively illegal for people working as independent contractors. We have operated under our own version of the 'pink book guidelines', which we are in a constant process of renegotiating and reinforcing as best we can within NZ law."
-- Peter Cox

The Writers' Guild sought a collective contract in the early years of the last Labour Gvt, as soon as the ECA was removed. SPADA was determined to avoid a union contract and ran for cover behind the Commerce Act's anti price-fixing clauses. Anti price-fixing clauses were passed to protect the poor against the rich. Everything gets turned on its head, everything turns into its opposite.
Personally, I thought we could have won a legal battle and there was subsequently a crucial labour court case over an independent contractor hired by Weta workshop on a fixed-term contract and refused the usual entitlements of a salaried employee which backed that up. The court held his right to be treated as a salaried employee.
Employers want guidelines rather than collective contracts. Of course. The Writers Guild always wanted the collective.

"None of the other screen guilds have spoken in support of Equity, and they have privately assured both Spada and the government that they are on the side of the producers in this case."
-- Public Address

As I said, this is not true. Of course I cannot speak for other unions, but I can for my own. The Writers’ Guild has not privately or publicly assured the government that it's on the side of the producers. It has never spoken to the government. It has spoken to SPADA to offer to help in mediation -- as it has done with Equity. To say it is "on the side of the producers in this case" is untrue -- mischievously so.
In the past the Writers’ Guild has tried to get SPADA negotiate a collective agreement and been rebuffed, like Equity. Why would we be "on the side of the producers" in a dispute that began with a refusal to negotiate a collective agreement?
As I also said, I'm intrigued. Where is the lie coming from?

"None of the other screen guilds have spoken in support of Equity, and they have privately assured both Spada and the government that they are on the side of the producers in this case."
-- Public Address

As I said, this is not true. Of course I cannot speak for other unions, but I can for my own. The Writers’ Guild has not privately or publicly assured the government that it's on the side of the producers. It has never spoken to the government. It has spoken to SPADA to offer to help in mediation -- as it has done with Equity. To say it is "on the side of the producers in this case" is untrue -- mischievously so.
In the past the Writers’ Guild has requested SPADA negotiate a collective agreement and been rebuffed, like Equity. Why would we be "on the side of the producers" in a dispute that began with a refusal to negotiate a collective agreement?
As I also said, I'm intrigued. Where is the lie coming from?

"None of the other screen guilds have spoken in support of Equity, and they have privately assured both Spada and the government that they are on the side of the producers in this case."
-- Public Address

I'm intrigued. Where did this come from? It's simply not true. It's made up. I can see why it would be made up of course, but who made it up? who's putting it around?