RATINGS RAT RACE: ‘Hannibal’ Hits Low, … 
‘Fast & Furious 6′ Opens To Big $6.5M … 
‘Katie’ Shakeup: Rachel Miskowiec Replaces … 
Hammond On Cannes: French Hero Jerry Lewis On His Return To … 
Cannes: Another Jewelry Heist? $2.6M Necklace Missing After … 
Hammond On Cannes: Leo DiCaprio’s Moon Trip Tops … 
Specialty B.O. Preview: ‘Before Midnight’, … 
2012-2013 Season Network Rankings: CBS Sweeps In Final … 
Full 2012-2013 TV Season Series Rankings 
TOLDJA! Paramount Pocketing $190M From Disney For Marvel … 
‘Good Morning America’ Hits 19-Year Viewership … 
MGM Buys ‘Modern Family’ Producer Ben … 
‘Fashion Police’ Writers Chant On Picket Lines: … 
Universal Makes Seven-Figure Deal For ‘The School For … 
Steven Soderbergh Will Interrupt Retirement To Direct And … 
Cannes: EOne Announces Itself As Player In U.S. … 
Will LIN TV Stations Go Dark On Time Warner Cable? 
RATINGS RAT RACE: ‘Modern Family’, ‘Law … 
Hammond On Cannes: Paramount’s ‘Nebraska’ … 
Hot Trailer: Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s ‘Don … 
Hammond On Cannes: A New Day Comes To The Fest As HBO and … 
Los Angeles — Writers on Comcast’s entertainment networks E!, Style, and G4 got a boost today from their counterparts at NBC Universal. Writers with shows airing on NBCU’s broadcast or cable channels or whose shows are produced by NBCU have signed on to a letter supporting the Comcast writers’ request for the company to enter into negotiations with the Writers Guild of America, West. In the letter the NBCU writers assert, “We believe that Comcast Entertainment Group’s writers should have what we have, a Writers Guild of America (WGA) contract that provides portable pension and health benefits, fair payment for reuse and resale of their material, reasonable minimums and other appropriate employment terms.”
Despite the signing of union authorization cards by more than 80% of its writers, Comcast has refused to enter into talks with the Guild about the terms of a contract. The shows to be covered are Attack of the Show, Chelsea Lately, E! News, E! Specials, Fashion Police, G4 Specials, The Dish, The Soup, Web Soup, and X-Play.
“The vast majority of us have made it clear we want WGA representation but, there is no way to reach a deal that is fair to both sides if the company won’t bargain with us,” said The Soup writer Greg Fideler.
The letter goes on to state, “If the Comcast-NBCU merger is approved, we will all be generating revenue for the same company. On February 25th, 2010, Comcast CEO Brian Roberts testified at a House Judiciary Committee hearing, saying: ‘And so one of our commitments upfront is we hope to continue the good relations with the guilds and with the unions that NBC Universal has.’ Therefore, we call on Comcast Entertainment Group to live up to its pledge and immediately recognize and negotiate with the Writers Guild of America, West.”
TV Editor Nellie Andreeva - tip her here.
Loading ...
Uh-oh. Here go hell come.
Why are the writers who “voluntarily” signed union authorization cards afraid of a fair, supervised NLRB election? Isn’t that the solution here? Isn’t that what Comcast has said it would abide by? Typical of this column to provide a one sided view of the real situation without ever mentioning that Comcast has the right and obligation to its shareholders to require that employees seeking union representation to participate in an election. The WGA hardly is bereft of resources to participate in an election campaign and are not exactly in a position to claim that they will be overmatched by Comcast’s own informational efforts about unionization? WGA is not the janitor’s union or the farmworkers. It’s a union of millionaires (or at least “thousandaires”) who don’t want to do the hard work required by an NLRB election. Put up or shut up WGA!
Dear Union Buster,
The NLRB would divide talent and writing EP’s from the rest of the writing staff because “supervisor” positions are not permitted to vote in an NLRB election. That is simply unacceptable. Fortunately, there’s another much easier, faster, and cheaper path: voluntary recognition by the company that there is overwhelming support for the WGA to represent the TV writers at CEG.
I hope that clears up your confusion.
Regards,
Gerry
You’re a ridiculous human being.
The workers at Comcast are so far from millionaires it’s unbelievable. I know several. They live month to month in crappy apartments.
Get your head out of your ass before commenting on what you know nothing about.
And they don’t need an election if they have a majority of workers signing cards. Get with the program. Your a shill.
Why not just have a union election with NLRB oversight? What are the WGA and people who signed those union cards afraid of?
I am completely shocked by this post. You mean NBC has writers?
@Buster – Because NLRB elections are a nothing short of a legally-sanctioned stalling tactic and the writers would like this resolved promptly. Also, Comcast has not filed for an NLRB election. This is posturing on their part. Additionally, uh-oh. Here go hell come.
By the way, realy subtle to defend the company and criticize the union with the screen name “Buster.” Or should I call you U.Buster?
How about being the only shows in Hollywood where the writing EPs aren’t in the Writers’ Guild with us? Or having to sit through 6 months of captive audience meetings during our busy production schedules only to come out of the NLRB trenches exactly where we stand today – organized and ready to sit down at a bargaining table?
Check out Comcast’s history with NLRB elections. It will be a year to get recognition and another six months to get a contract. Shows can come and go in that time. That’s why NLRB elections don’t work in Hollywood. (Well, they work for the company.)
I’m guessing the above comments are coming from some union buster at Comcast. Nice. Why the quotes on “voluntary”? Are you suggesting that the writers were strong-armed into signing cards? Hardly. We’re talking about recognizing about 70 or so people at all the networks combined. It will cost Comcast in the thousands of dollars annually. Surely not gonna break the bank on the Comcast side of things. But it sure would be nice for us Writers to get benefits and pensions and decent salaries. Even though we are a “small minority” our hands touch virtually everything that hits the airwaves and has turned Comcast into the media giant it is. Why doesn’t Comcast put up??
I would love “Buster” to tell us who signs his paychecks.
Labor laws for workers rights need to be undated and upheld so companies like Comcast can’t hide behind misinformation and playing dumb. It’s time for the company to recognize the union and pay writers as other big companies in Hollywood are doing. The NLRB is not an option for workers rights today and the companies that use it to prevent workers from exercising their rights should be held accountable.
Who are the NBCU writers who signed the letter? Were there a lot of them?
Wow looks like I a hit a nerve with all of the knee jerk anti corporate union shills on this site. But I’m not confused at all.Clever comment about “buster” (you must be a writer) but it isn’t true-I like unions and they have done a lot for the industry. The propaganda about NLRB elections comes straight out the organizing handbook-confuse the issue and attack the corporate bosses. Hollywood unions are just as powerful as the companies and they should be able to make their case in an election.