Yeah, the whole "rich writers" thing is bullshit, and yeah, it's not like IATSE stagehands who are striking Broadway shows are any less culpable than writers for throwing people out of work -- but the fact remains that there are a lot of crew people, office workers and non-writers who are going to start feeling the heat of this strike very, very soon.
If you're a person with a conscience, and you love tv, and maybe you're feeling a little bit like maybe those writers are a bit...I don't know, hard to love, Diane passes along a solution today:
From CSI's David Rambo:What a fine idea. I just made my donation. Take a bow, Diane, you delightfully prickly so-and-so.
The WGA currently has a $12 million strike fund. However, the people who will need assistance as this drags on longer are those in film and TV who don't have access to the strike fund: the office assistants, crew members and actors. They will really need the help to be able to continue in support of our strike, and there's no fund for them. There is, however, a wonderful 125-year old nonprofit organization that provides direct, confidential assistance to all entertainment professionals in need, such as those I just mentioned. It's called the Actors Fund, and you can find out more or make a donation through their website.
If you do donate, let the Actors Fund know that your contribution is in support of those affected by the writers strike.
3 comments:
Bra-fukkin-oh! Back in the dark ages, I was a cost accountant for Universal City Studios (the job function has probably since been farmed out to Disney or something stupid like that) and a member of the OPEIU. The actors went on strike and we office staff honored the picket line and stayed home without pay for the duration. The Teamsters went on strike. We honored the picket line and stayed home without pay for the duration. Then the OPEIU, in a rare showing of balls, called for a strike. (I had by then moved on to working for a financial management firm and was out of the mess, thankfully.) The effing actors DEMANDED that the studio find a way to keep itself functioning so that the actors wouldn't have to miss a day and the EFFING TEAMSTERS provided security for the scabs crossing the OPEIU's picket line.
Okay, I'm done being pissed. That really was eons ago and having determined that AFSCME and SEIU are even more ball-less than the OPEIU I've become disillusioned with all this shit. But I love the idea of supporting the people who are honoring your strike, however much you can.
I'll leave you alone now. For a while...
It's not quite a bow, but ...
:-P
Fans of the writers are showing their support in various ways during the strike, including sending food to the picket lines, joining them on picket lines, and setting up a website (http://Fans4Writers.com) to co-ordinate the fan efforts.
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