Pearl Jam's LA Shows To Be Picketed By IATSE Local 33

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Comments

  • PJ_Soul wrote:
    PJ_Soul wrote:
    No, but they should earn more than they do. What a shitty, stressful job.
    Do you think that a 15 year old at McDonald's is comparable to stagehands?
    Working the cash register at McDonalds is stressful? :lol::lol::lol:

    You compare stage hands to professional athletes in order to justify their $250K salary?
    People pay Big Money to see athletes perform. They don't pay big money to see the cotton candy vendor do his thing.

    Stage Hands=Cotton Candy Vendor.
    Dealing with crowds of McDonald's customers without telling them to go fuck themselves seems incredibly stressful. It seems like an emotionally taxing thing to have to do for 8 hours straight. I know a lot of people who wouldn't last 30 minutes without snapping.

    Being a stagehand is a career. They don't just wander around picking shit up and putting it down. I don't think comparing them to cotton-candy vendors is fair. Anyway, yeah, I support a more even distribution of wealth. Yeah, those people are overpaid... but it's either a bunch of them or a couple of filthy rich CEOs or producers or whatever. I'll support the workers getting the money over the fat cats any day.

    I'm pretty much a fucking socialist Speedy - what do you expect from me here? :lol::lol:
    Well I am off to my non-union Truck Driving job.
    Maybe tomorrow I will fill you in on EXACTLY what I think of the Fucking Teamsters Union.

    Have a good one.
    Take me piece by piece.....
    Till there aint nothing left worth taking away from me.....
  • dugangsxr
    dugangsxr Posts: 688
    edited November 2013
    I work for IATSE local No. 5 here in Cincinnati OH. I read a handful of the first few thread while my girlfriend bitches about wanting to start a movie we just rented. I don't know what kind of contract they have and what excacly is going on there but I guarentee the production office , staff and crew wish they were dealing with their union. I assure you that! It is a very dangerous job and $$ shouldn't be an issue when it comes down to it. Just wait till the camera operators and follow spots and so on do a shitty job not county the riggers and so on. Let me make the girlfriend happy and watch this stupid ass movie. I will be back with more input.
    Post edited by dugangsxr on
    Paul D.
  • Seriously? You think PJ should cancel the show in support of the union. It is not there issue...

    I think the voice of the union should be heard and the issue needs to be worked out between the Union, USC and the City of Los Angeles. Would any of these entities compensate PJ for the lost revenue related to cancelling, rescheduling or moving the show? I doubt it.

    I am sure the band will say something... on stage. But... to issue an official statement? Why? It's not there issue... it's politics. I know the band has never been afraid to make a political statement... but not at the cost to thier fans and thier own livelihood.
  • PJ_Soul
    PJ_Soul Vancouver, BC Posts: 50,693
    Infidel wrote:
    Seriously? You think PJ should cancel the show in support of the union. It is not there issue...

    I think the voice of the union should be heard and the issue needs to be worked out between the Union, USC and the City of Los Angeles. Would any of these entities compensate PJ for the lost revenue related to cancelling, rescheduling or moving the show? I doubt it.

    I am sure the band will say something... on stage. But... to issue an official statement? Why? It's not there issue... it's politics. I know the band has never been afraid to make a political statement... but not at the cost to thier fans and thier own livelihood.
    It is kind of their issue if they voice support for the union.... if they kept their traps shut about these kinds of issues, then it wouldn't be their issue. But you can't be outspoken about the shit they (particularly EV) are outspoken about and completely ignore the fact that the venue they're playing is behind picket lines. Yes, I think they should cancel or somehow move the show. But I know they won't, so that's a moot issue. I think the more important issue is whether or not fans who support unions will cross the lines. I know there are some who will struggle with that decision. I'm glad I'm not in the position to have to.... but I know that I just wouldn't be able to cross.
    With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata
  • drummerboy_73
    drummerboy_73 Las Vegas, NV Posts: 2,011
    I'm sorry, but I have no love for union stagehands whatsoever, at least not in my town.

    I used to work for an event production company, and obviously Las Vegas is a huge convention and event city. When our equipment was being loaded into/out of venues by these folks, there was such disrespect for the equipment, and gear constantly mis-packed/damaged. Our technicians and show staff were always at the mercy of slow moving employees, or having to wait until 2 or 3 stagehands would be available to do the work one of us could with ease.

    I'm all for worker protection and safety, and there was a time and place that these groups really served a purpose - but most of them today are just as corrupt as the people they're supposedly protecting their members from. Sorry to sound harsh, but those are my experiences. I'm going to have a great time at the show and not give it a second thought.
    Osaka, Japan (2/21/95), San Diego (7/10/98), Las Vegas (10/22/00), San Diego (10/25/00), Las Vegas (6/6/03), Las Vegas (7/6/06), Los Angeles (7/9/06), VH1 Rock Honors (7/12/08), Ed Solo (7/8/11), Ed Solo (11/1/12), Los Angeles (11/23/13)
  • I'm sorry, but I have no love for union stagehands whatsoever

    I'm all for worker protection and safety, and there was a time and place that these groups really served a purpose - but most of them today are just as corrupt as the people they're supposedly protecting their members from. Sorry to sound harsh, but those are my experiences. I'm going to have a great time at the show and not give it a second thought.


    :clap::clap::clap:
  • vedderfan10
    vedderfan10 Posts: 2,497
    Should fans feel bad for crossing the line? Are you kidding? They (the fans) have nothing to do with this. Let them in to see the show because it is likely to be awesome!

    Pearl Jam will be paying the wages of the non-union workers and that can be an issue for some. The workers aren't demanding concessions or higher wages, just the right to work. I hope that those who feel "screw the unions" enjoy their $5/hour jobs with no benefits. At any rate, it seems that they will only be picketing for an hour, so all the non-GA people can filter in after 7:30. Peace Love and Pearl Jam!
    be philanthropic
  • Here's the problem. You can't boycott something you have already purchased. Like those idiots a few years ago that bought French wine and poured it down the gutter in protest of France's position on iraq. The money you spent on the wine is going to the company that sells it (and probably no one associated with France, btw) If I don't go to the show it doesn't matter because I already bought the ticket and a portion of the money goes to USC either way. If no one shows up it doesn't matter because they get the money whether there is anyone there or not.

    It sucks that I'm finding out about this the night before the show. If I had known before tickets went on sale I might have made a different decision.

    Here's what I am going to do. I intend to boycott concessions at the show (as I did at the forum in 2006). I ask everyone that reads this to do the same. I will start a thread on this board and on Facebook and make the same plea. I will also send an email to the highest ranking official at USC and inform them that now that I know about the dispute, I will not be attending another show at the sports arena and I will inform as many people as I can to do the same.
  • PJ_Soul
    PJ_Soul Vancouver, BC Posts: 50,693
    I'm sorry, but I have no love for union stagehands whatsoever, at least not in my town.

    I used to work for an event production company, and obviously Las Vegas is a huge convention and event city. When our equipment was being loaded into/out of venues by these folks, there was such disrespect for the equipment, and gear constantly mis-packed/damaged. Our technicians and show staff were always at the mercy of slow moving employees, or having to wait until 2 or 3 stagehands would be available to do the work one of us could with ease.

    I'm all for worker protection and safety, and there was a time and place that these groups really served a purpose - but most of them today are just as corrupt as the people they're supposedly protecting their members from. Sorry to sound harsh, but those are my experiences. I'm going to have a great time at the show and not give it a second thought.
    I feel that unions are now more important than ever. Not everything is going to be perfect - people have bad experiences with private companies as well. Saying that some bad experience with some people who happened to be union leads to the conclusion that unions serve no useful purpose makes nonsense at all I don't think. FYI, most unions are NOT corrupt, and even for the few that might be, that does NOT mean that the workers are. It just means that they were unfortunate to end up.with a couple bad apples. No business is immune to that, and union members do not support that or defend it. That kind of talk really just seems like anti-union propaganda, honestly (I.e. using one example of things not going well at some point with one union and applying that to unions in general). A lot of (rich) people have a real interest in propagating those kinds of views against unions, and they are very good at it.
    With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata
  • Should fans feel bad for crossing the line? Are you kidding? They (the fans) have nothing to do with this. Let them in to see the show because it is likely to be awesome!

    Pearl Jam will be paying the wages of the non-union workers and that can be an issue for some. The workers aren't demanding concessions or higher wages, just the right to work. I hope that those who feel "screw the unions" enjoy their $5/hour jobs with no benefits. At any rate, it seems that they will only be picketing for an hour, so all the non-GA people can filter in after 7:30. Peace Love and Pearl Jam!
    12% of the American work force is union..
    And the rest of us make $5 an hour with no benefits? :lol::lol::lol::lol:

    Funny, last year the Teamsters attempted to get in to the company I work for. We told those corrupt pieces of shit to go fuck themselves.
    Take me piece by piece.....
    Till there aint nothing left worth taking away from me.....
  • PJ_Soul
    PJ_Soul Vancouver, BC Posts: 50,693
    edited November 2013
    Should fans feel bad for crossing the line? Are you kidding? They (the fans) have nothing to do with this. Let them in to see the show because it is likely to be awesome!

    Pearl Jam will be paying the wages of the non-union workers and that can be an issue for some. The workers aren't demanding concessions or higher wages, just the right to work. I hope that those who feel "screw the unions" enjoy their $5/hour jobs with no benefits. At any rate, it seems that they will only be picketing for an hour, so all the non-GA people can filter in after 7:30. Peace Love and Pearl Jam!
    12% of the American work force is union..
    And the rest of us make $5 an hour with no benefits? :lol::lol::lol::lol:

    Funny, last year the Teamsters attempted to get in to the company I work for. We told those corrupt pieces of shit to go fuck themselves.
    The teamsters are a very bizarre exception. I don't think they shpuld even be compared to other unions. They don't represent what most unions are about at all. Bunch of weirdos.

    Of course the other poster isn't saying that. You know what he or she meant i think? Unions are a force that work to try and stave off the loss of workers rights. The existence of unions help non- union workers too. They work to try and maintain a higher standard than would exist otherwise. Not everyone needs to be in a union, of course, but I think that non-union workers underestimate the positive impact that the existence of unions has on everyone.... all the anti-union propaganda helps ONLY those who stand to benefit from taking away rights from workers and keeping wages low so that they get richer, widening the gap between rich and poor more and more and more. Focusing on the likes of the teamsters and painting the entire labour movement with that brush is a big mistake IMO.
    Post edited by PJ_Soul on
    With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata
  • PJ_Soul wrote:
    12% of the American work force is union..
    And the rest of us make $5 an hour with no benefits? :lol::lol::lol::lol:

    Funny, last year the Teamsters attempted to get in to the company I work for. We told those corrupt pieces of shit to go fuck themselves.
    The teamsters are a very bizarre exception. I don't think they shpuld even be compared to other unions. They don't represent what most unions are about at all. Bunch of weirdos.
    I COULD join the Teamsters...
    But I don't feel like taking a pay cut.

    Corrupt thieving pieces of human garbage.
    Take me piece by piece.....
    Till there aint nothing left worth taking away from me.....
  • And if anyone really wants to hear me go on a rant....
    Just ask me what I think of the Chicago Public School Teachers, and their fucking union....

    :lol::lol::lol::lol:
    Take me piece by piece.....
    Till there aint nothing left worth taking away from me.....
  • PJ_Soul
    PJ_Soul Vancouver, BC Posts: 50,693
    PJ_Soul wrote:
    12% of the American work force is union..
    And the rest of us make $5 an hour with no benefits? :lol::lol::lol::lol:

    Funny, last year the Teamsters attempted to get in to the company I work for. We told those corrupt pieces of shit to go fuck themselves.
    The teamsters are a very bizarre exception. I don't think they shpuld even be compared to other unions. They don't represent what most unions are about at all. Bunch of weirdos.
    I COULD join the Teamsters...
    But I don't feel like taking a pay cut.

    Corrupt thieving pieces of human garbage.
    Edited my message to expand on that thought. ^^
    Yeah, the teamsters are no good anymore. Any decent supporter of unions know that. They hurt other unions with their tactics ( by damaging their reps because people can't stop thinking that if you've seen one union you've seen them all).
    With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata
  • PJ_Soul
    PJ_Soul Vancouver, BC Posts: 50,693
    edited November 2013
    And if anyone really wants to hear me go on a rant....
    Just ask me what I think of the Chicago Public School Teachers, and their fucking union....

    :lol::lol::lol::lol:
    Teachers are one of the most undervalued and underpaid and mistreated and disrespected group of highly educated professionals in north america. I don't know what's going on with their union in Chicagon specifically -maybe something unusual - but if any group of professionals badly need to hold a strong and demanding union, its teachers.
    Post edited by PJ_Soul on
    With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata
  • PJ_Soul wrote:
    And if anyone really wants to hear me go on a rant....
    Just ask me what I think of the Chicago Public School Teachers, and their fucking union....

    :lol::lol::lol::lol:
    Teachers are one of the most undervalued and underpaid and mistreated and disrespected group of professionals in north america. I don't know what's going on with their union in Chicagon specifically, but if any group of professionals badly need to hold a strong and demanding union, its teachers.
    Don't get me started... :lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

    What union are you a member of?
    Take me piece by piece.....
    Till there aint nothing left worth taking away from me.....
  • PJ_Soul
    PJ_Soul Vancouver, BC Posts: 50,693
    CUPE (Canadian Union of Public Employees). I work at a university. The BC Labour Board very recently found the university guilty of bargaining in bad faith during our negotiation on a contract that they balked on for three years because they tried to blackmail us into involving our pension plan even though the pension plan is administered by three separate unions and therefore could not be considered during negotiations for just one union's contract, and acted illegally in doing so. The 4 year contract was only just settled in May (because the law forced them to, basically), and it expires this April. :fp: And FYI, even with a strong union, our salaries have not even come close to keeping up with inflation. This crap about union workers being "overpaid" is generally bullshit. But my union is pretty good with ensuring that superiors can't abuse their power (not for lack of trying).
    With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata
  • PJ_Soul wrote:
    CUPE (Canadian Union of Public Employees). I work at a university. The BC Labour Board very recently found the university guilty of bargaining in bad faith during our negotiation on a contract that they balked on for three years because they tried to blackmail us into involving our pension plan even though the pension plan is administered by three separate unions and therefore could not be considered during negotiations for just one union's contract, and acted illegally in doing so. The 4 year contract was only just settled in May (because the law forced them to, basically), and it expires this April. :fp: And FYI, even with a strong union, our salaries have not even come close to keeping up with inflation. This crap about union workers being "overpaid" is generally bullshit. But my union is pretty good with ensuring that superiors can't abuse their power (not for lack of trying).
    Well then, I guess I will do some homework on Canadian unions, and get back to you. :lol::lol::lol:
    What do you do at the University?
    Take me piece by piece.....
    Till there aint nothing left worth taking away from me.....
  • HollisBrown
    HollisBrown Posts: 4,325
    PJ_Soul wrote:
    I wouldn't cross. I'm a union member myself, and just could not do it. I hope any 10C member going who is in a union respects the line. I wouldn't expect others to (necessarily.... but they shouldn't either), but any union member who crosses is an asshole and a huge hypocrite.
    I hear ya, brotha.
    TRANSPLANTS SAVE LIVES
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  • PJ_Soul wrote:
    I wouldn't cross. I'm a union member myself, and just could not do it. I hope any 10C member going who is in a union respects the line. I wouldn't expect others to (necessarily.... but they shouldn't either), but any union member who crosses is an asshole and a huge hypocrite.
    I hear ya, brotha.
    So lets say a union firefighter travels to L.A from New York City...
    He has paid for airfare, hotel, and concert tickets.
    Is he supposed to just walk away because these stage hands are having issues?
    Really?
    Take me piece by piece.....
    Till there aint nothing left worth taking away from me.....