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Unions Plan Strike Against Spike TV’s ’1,000 Ways To Die’
Dominic Patten is a Deadline contributor
UPDATED: 
Teamsters Local 399 business agent/organizer Steven Dayan said the action is series producer Original Productions’ own fault. “This is a company that has not communicated with us at all,” he told Deadline. “Our understanding is that Original Productions are crewing up again and that they are going to attempt to shoot again.” Production on the Spike TV series, now in its fourth season, came to a halt February 16 when Original fired more than two dozen crew members seeking union protection. Original also produces the reality series Deadliest Catch, Storage Wars and Ice Road Truckers. “This is a company, when it comes to safety, to health benefits, to the people who made their show a success, do not do things the way they should,” Dayan said. “It is a recipe for abusing people. The bottom line is that’s wrong and that is why we will be picketing on Monday.” Here’s the release announcing the action:
LOS ANGELES – Last Thursday, February 16, the crew of Spike Television’s series “1000 Ways to Die” voted unanimously to support the IATSE in securing them benefits, safe working conditions, and collective bargaining rights.
Original Productions, who also produce reality shows such as “Ice Road Truckers” and “Deadliest Catch” for Discovery, refused to recognize the IA as the bargaining unit and summarily fired the crew, numbering over 25 employees. The production has been down for the past week.
Begainning at 8:30 a.m. this coming Monday, Feb. 27, , IATSE and Teamster leaders, the LA County AFL-CIO and rank and file members of several production locals will join the union and non-union crew of “1000 Ways to Die” to walk the picket line in front of Original’s production facility at 2435 Naomi Street, Burbank, CA 91504.
“This is about healthcare, this is about safety and dignity in the workplace, and it’s part of the IA’s ongoing campaign to support workers in all genres of TV,” said Mike Milller, IATSE International Vice President, Division Director Motion Picture and Television Production.
“1000 Ways to Die,” a scripted re-enactment series, is a wholly non-union production in its fourth season and has aired on Spike since 2008.
The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts of the United States, Its Territories and Canada, AFL-CIO, CLC (IATSE) is one of the largest entertainment labor unions in the world and represents over 110,000 technicians, artisans and craftspeople employed in stagecraft, motion picture and television production, the trade show industry, and affiliated crafts throughout the United States, Its Territories and Canada.
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Unions were great when people were loosing limbs in meat factories on the job.
Now? Not so much.
Not so much?? Really? How do you get Healthcare if not through a Union?
You pay for it yourself, like I do, as an independent producer.
Sorry, not a solution. Private Healthcare is not for sale in America. We want a quality group plan like everyone else who works in America. Either you Mr Producer pay for it, or unionize your shows and we get it through our union.
Agreed. Unions are absolutely pathetic. I have to deal with The Teamsters and they are nothing but bottom-feeding parasites who cater to the lowest-common denominator; they breed resentment, selfishness and laziness.
And if you’re going to “picket” 1000 Ways To Die, do it for good taste, not because you can’t ‘secure safe working conditions’ (which is always the fall, scape-goat reason someone gives when they’re told to do something they don’t want to do).
The crew on 1000 Ways To Die should have considered themselves lucky to even have a job because I can’t understand how, or why, the show has managed to find an audience and make any money (especially since it airs on Spike TV).
“…Considered themselves lucky to even have a job…” That’s the one percent talking. I’ve worked below the line for 28 years and the only reason I’m making more money now than when I started is because of my union. It’s not perfect. Far from it. But if anyone thinks management will do anything more than the very least they can for their crews, you are mistaken. It’s like management resents anyone else making any money except themselves. Below the line is “overpaid”?. Well it is only commensurate to being overworked and under appreciated. Healthcare should be a human right, not a reason to fire a crew because they want to protect themselves and their families. And finally Mr. Gravity’s Silhouette, since when is “safe working conditions” something to joke about? What a dick you are!
You are not entitled to healthcare at the expense of someone else. Pay for it yourself. And if you’ve been working “below the line” for 28 years, that says something about your skills and abilities on the open market. Clearly you aren’t in possession of any particular skills or abilities that employers are looking to pay good money for.
And I’m not part of the 1%. I’m part of the 50% paying the taxes for the 50% of the country that isn’t paying anything.
YES WE ARE entitled to Healthcare “At The Expense” of our Employer! That’s the American Way! Otherwise stop voting Republican and Give USA Single Payer Healthcare! You 1% ignorant selfish conservative right-wing shill go screw yourself. And please leave the GOP talking points at home. That’s a lie that 50% of country does not pay taxes we all pay taxes. ALL WORKERS pay taxes. Go drown your brain in right wing talk radio you idiot.
You’re confused about what “below-the-line” means. If you worked on legitimate TV or films productions you’d have a better understanding. Most jobs from the DP to the Line Producer to the Costume Designer to the Art Director are all “below-the-line.” Writers, producers, directors and lead actors are all “above-the-line.”
You shouldn’t try to insult someone when you don’t know what you’re talking about. It just makes you look more foolish.
Fox News might have something more entertaining for you to get exited about.
“The only reason you’re making more money now”?? at’s because you’re doing a job that requires no greater skill on your part than when you started. Most of us in the private sector only get pay raises because we’re of greater value to our employers because of our greater skills, experience, etc. Why should a 60 year old truck driver get paid more than a 25 year old truck driver, unless the 60 year old can bring something to the table the 25 year old cannot – namely, experience, efficiency, or some other quality justifying an increase in pay.
Otherwise, unions are a protection racket, adding no value whatsoever to the overall endeavor, nothing more
I agree there are lots of places where unions have overstepped their bounds and–in places–may even be causing more harm than good. If you have ever worked on a reality series, you’d know there are huge disparities between the employees covered by unions and the ones who aren’t. And just because we haven’t heard of many instances where reality series crew have lost limbs in the proverbial meat grinder, doesn’t mean there aren’t enormous risks of it happening. Should we wait until someone gets seriously injured to do something about it?
The IATSE provides more than healthcare. Their beliefs in a safe filming environment, and safe guards put in place where applicable save many from injuries and loss of life.
I worked on a film that was not Union. A man died due to that. If it was union the production manager would of been told “No, that is not a safe practice” and because the crew involved had no support net in place, cost a man his life while working. The Line producer didnt want to pay a min day wage to provide enough staff to unload a huge people of equipment, and so it fell out of the back of a truck on a teamsters head. Can you imagine the guilt of the grip who was in that truck alone, like he should not of been?
If I still lived in LA I would attend the pickett, I whole heartidly believe it is for the better. Some of my favorite shows are listed here, and it saddens me that with the huge revenues the production company gets for these shows, is not willing to share its wealth with the crew who put their life on the line to film and produce these shows. I will not buy the products on the commercials and take note of what is advertised. I wish the crews luck with this and hope they can benefit by the protection and rights they will have if they are organized. Former 727 and 81.
To address a few posters here, sleeping teamsters, well hey when your not driving it can get pretty boring, what do you want them to do. When you need them, they are there for you, shame on you. I do not believe you are an executive, or you would cite, keeping your piece of the pie for yourself as your motive. You cannot compare the IATSE to any other union, each has its own driving force.
Unfortunately I am an executive and need to remain nameless here but the union situation in Los Angeles is a joke. I am always looking for ways to shoot outside of LA. Those of us that try and make things here understand how difficult they are. At one time useful they have become an outdated shield protecting a lot of lazy people. Too willing to tell you what isn’t their job. I would love to tell the transpo guys to drive around the block until I need you rather than see them sleeping on the job. And no I don’t care that they needed to wake up early to get to set, we all did, and no one told them to eat all that shit at lunch so they get sleepy. While I hate to side with Spike and this dreadful show. Fuck Unions.
+1
I don’t believe that you’re an exec. And I doubt anyone else does either.
Hey Mr Producer — why don’t you unionize some of your projects and pay some crew Healthcare and then we’ll talk.
Agree completely. Talk about abuse. Unions now, most especially teamsters, behave like thugs. They are mafia-like. There was a time when unions were needed. Now that they have garnered power and bought politicians they wield that power in very irresponsible thuggish ways. If a company,any company, chooses not to be union, so be it. Freedom of choice. A producer friend signed a contract with teamsters 399 several years ago on a budget short show. Before signing Leo Read promised they would not do certain things, make certain demands which would risk raising the costs of production. After signing the teamster drivers violated every promise and Read backed the drivers and nearly shut the show down. The producer had to go back to his investors for another 50 K to satisfy the thuggish teamsters. Unions are just another reason productions are leaving L.A.
Quickest way to die or get stiffed on a timecard is to work on a non-union shoot.
So “1,000 Ways to Die” and “Ice Road Truckers” are made by a company called “Original Productions?” Irony much?
1,000 ways to shut a show down!
OR 1,000 ways to hire back the original crew!
Show me a person who hates unions and I’ll show you a person who doesn’t need one. The lack of empathy and understanding toward one’s fellow man, the lack of effort to sufficiently examine the issue, the ignorance of the fact no-one goes on strike without good reason, disappoints and disgusts me. Unions only exist because they are needed. If employers always treated people fairly, there would be no need for them. To advance the premise that employers always treat their employees fairly is laughable. If these people are on strike, if they are willing to risk their jobs, if they are willing to take time off without pay to walk a picket line, it’s just plain silly to think the issues are anything but significant.
Or maybe these people think they are more integral to the success of the show than they really are. Or maybe these people have been conditioned by the unions to believe they are being treated unfairly. Or maybe these people have been led to believe they “deserve” more from their employers than they are getting.
Show me a person who needs a union and I’ll show you a person who cannot make it on their own. Show me a person who needs a union and I’ll show you a person who cannot think for themselves. Show me a person who needs a union and I’ll show you a person who is not confident in their skills and abilities to attract fair market value. Show me a person who needs a union and I’ll show you a person who wants to hide behind group-think. Show me a person who needs a union and I’ll show you a person who is willing to work for the same wage as someone else who is less skilled, less determined, and less motivated to succeed.
What the hell are you talking about? We’ve had trade unions in Hollywood since the 1920s. It’s how actors, writers, directors, and crew get job benefits working on a project to project basis across an industry? You really want to do away with unions in this town? How else do people get Healthcare withouth SAG, DGA, WGA, IATSE and Teamsters?
Clearly YOU are the one who is NOT THINKING and also RELYING on other people (like Right Wing GOP talking points) and clearly you have no Confidence in your Skill or Ability to craft an argument that makes sense.
Unions = Job Killers
Unions corrode, poison, and rust everything they come in contact with. They are a cancer on the body of the American economy.
Right…. that’s why in the 1950s at the height of American industrial & manufacturing GREATNESS 3 of 4 American workers were in a Union. UNIONS = JOBS
My Grandfather Was A Union Painter. They Went On Strike And Were Paid To Do It — But Only For Awhile, Which Is Why Most Strikes Turned Nasty ‘Back In The Day’. They Wanted It Over Before The Gravy Ran Out — So Don’t Tell ME About Those “Poor Dedicated UAW/IATSE Souls Volunteering Their Time For The Cause Of Justice”.
Social Terrorism. Organized Bullies. Legal Gang Violence. Selfish Bastards The Lot Of ‘Em.
Oh……. I’m Sorry… Did I Offend Some Poor Unionist?? Well Do Your Goddam Job You Overpaid Slugg – And Without Bitching – And Perhaps The Image You Oooze Onto Society Will Change.
The Teamsters Have A MAFIA History From The Get-Go And Rest On Those Laurels As Well As “Resting” On The Job Knowing They Don’t Dare Be Fired For Being Worthless. If All You Know Is Brute Force Then Brute Force You Should Be Given.
All I ask is to get an honest days pay for an honest days work. Union or no Union most employers dont wanna offer that these days. However isnt thjs a clear violation of Federal Law? Have they considered that. All employees have a right to try to unionize and are protected from being fired for doing so. Original Productions is going to pay quite a fine to the State and those workers if they dont have proper documentation for their dismissal.
Funny that only one member of the cast has spoken to the media. Funny that the union statements refer to safety & pay issues, but don’t really specify what those issues were.
Might just be that the crew didn’t actually Have any issues with their pay, with their safety. That the crew was, in fact, quite happy with their job.
Might just be that the crew found themselves surprised by the appearance of the unions last week, found themselves convinced/intimidated by the unions, who showed up in force and gave the crew minutes to come to a decision regarding being represented by the unions.
Might just be that this really isn’t about this specific show, but about the unions continued attempt to solidify their power. might just be the crew loved their jobs, and found themselves fired as a result of the unions’ actions.
I’d love to hear from the crew themselves. Wonder why that hasn’t happened…
As a worker in reality TV I fully understand where they are coming from. Reality TV pays so little and expects so much from their workers. The entertainment industry already forces most people in production to work 12 hour days (my longest day on the clock was 18 hrs & 42 mins) so a union is there to shield the workers from such situations, or at the very least gets them paid to kill themselves for some useless dibble we call entertainment.
Also, these reality companies are making money hand over fist. Those of you believing that unions are worthless and old fashioned can think that all you want, but upon working on non-union gigs I’ve felt the pain and suffering. Without the union producers can keep forcing workers to work overtime and weekends for nothing, for “taking one for the team.” What team?! The team making sure you keep money in your pocket so you don’t have to pay overtime, MUCH LESS HEALTH CARE?! These are the issues.
Yes, unions can make things more difficult to shoot, and reality TV thinks they are below the rules and that they don’t apply to them. But if asshole producers didn’t take advantage of workers and not pay them properly for overtime, turnarounds, etc… WE WOULDN’T NEED UNIONS! But unfortunately this isn’t the world we live in. This is why people unionize. Safety is a huge reason for unionizing too. I know for a fact that on Deadliest Warrior, a stuntman almost died and that was the tipping point for going union for that show.
Unions are needed and more companies outside should unionize as well. Everyone at the top is making more and more money and yet the worker’s wages stay the same. This is true with every company in this country. This is why unions are a necessary evil.
People who rail against unions are either benefiting from having (exploiting) a non-union workforce, or are brainwashed idiots.
Lets see…if you are you are an IATSE member you receive:
- guaranteed minimums
- health care
- pensions
- overtime/meal penalties to incentivise workplace safety. (Who the fuck wants to be up on a ladder after working 17 hours? Or how about turnaround? Is it safe to to have people get less than 8 hours sleep then work on a movie set? Or not get a day off for weeks on end? I’ve done all of those things working non-union, and I’ve seen crew members fall off ladders and cat-walks, have car accidents, drop lights and piece of scenery on other crew members, etc. Believe me, working union is much, much better.)
The bottom line is, these reality shows make shitloads of money for the companies that produce them. The workers have every right to bargain collectively to get as much as they can, just as the companies have every right to try and prevent this to keep costs down. But, please, spare us this never-ending “unions are bad/unions are useless” bullshit.
How does being part of a union guarantee you won’t fall off a ladder or have a car accident? Do unions have some sort of magical powers that shield people from experiencing disappointment and failure in their lives? Maybe these people you knew who fell off ladders and had car accidents were screw-ups who couldn’t get fired because they were part of a union that protects their people at all costs.
Being part of a union and working a union job guarantees you HEALTHCARE. Otherwise you don’t get it at all working non-union. That is what this is all about.
You’re absolutely right…. not only should 399 & IATSE be going after 1000 Ways, they should be going after nearly every reality production in town. Not just Original.
Once more union thugs extorting fellow Americans. Such BS if they don’t want to work for the producers of the show then they should do something else. No one is forcing them to do so. They make the choice. Choose freedom from the tyranny of unions and the corrupt leadership. The stooges who run these unions are more exploitive of the members than those who employe them. It’s a protection racket as bad as anything the mob as conducted under the protection of darkness. When these thugs threaten to harm another person or sabatoge someone’s work or destroy personal property it’s time to shut them down and make not only the person who committed the damage but also the leadership who condones it.
The teamsters have a very long history of threats of violence, extrosion, destruction of property and murder. It has not changed since the days of Nitty and Hoffa.
Wow are you a shill for Right Wing Talk Radio?
The only “forcing” unions do is they FORCE the company to pay Health and Benefits to workers, as well as a guarantee of overtime hours. If you worked in our business of TV production you would know that 15 hours days are very common.
It’s great if a company offers healthcare packages as part of their incentives program, but why is automatically assumed that a company should HAVE TO GIVE someone healthcare insurance? Why is it a company’s responsibility to provide someone with something they could, theoretically, go out and buy on their own?
You cannot go buy Healthcare on your own. It’s not for sale. Most people would be denied buying it privately. Only good coverage is with a group plan through a union or a company. Please get real about this, eps in USA.
Unions are pathetic? I worked as a non-union employee in reality tv for years. It wasn’t until I joined the union that I finally got a fair wage, health benefits, and ample supply to training that makes me better at my job. Pay for health insurance myself?! Ok, Mr. Producer, pay me enough to do so and I will. Stop expecting me to work 12 – 20 hour shifts on a flat ten-hour rate.
Maybe if you planned better, you wouldn’t have to exploit your workforce so much.
Bottom line is, if we were treated fairly, we wouldn’t seek organization. Glad to have a job? Is this China or America? I forget sometimes.
You are clearly out of touch with the reality of living standards.
It’s amazing how budgets keep getting slashed, yet profits keep going up… Very amazing. Time for us to be fairly treated as well. The scripted world is almost all union, and their overhead is WAY higher than unscripted. Yet, they seem to be just fine.
What this all boils down to is profit margins and a lack of respect for a workforce who’s responsibilities most of you could never even being to understand.
We deserve to be treated as professionals. And if you won’t honor us with it, we’ll take it by force.
re: “And if you won’t honor us with it, we’ll take it by force.”
I bet you will. Spoken like a true union thug.
I work in a non-union position. I’ve got great health care benefits. Vision. Dental. Medical. I didn’t have to force anyone to give those to me. I put my skills on the market and got a job with a compensation package that was what I considered fair.
If you aren’t getting what you want out of your job in the film industry, switch careers. Move. Create your own company. Invest your own capital. See how tough it is to create a company and keep it running and profitable before bitching about how 1000 Ways To Die wont’ give you “honor” and respect.
I get my healthcare (fantastic!) through Entertainment Partners which offers many, many options, depending on your budget.
EP Healthcare is not available to everyone. Like all private insurance, MOST people (60%+) have a pre-existing condition would be denied even to enter on the plan. Also the plan is filled with deductibles and expenses that groups plans — through UNIONS and companies, do not have. In America Healthcare is tied to EMPLOYMENT. Otherwise vote in Single Payer. That’s why we have unions to help trade workers get HC across an industry.
I agree. It has been a long time since any union has been concerned about worker safety. Modern American unions care about two things: protecting dues paying union jobs, creating more dues paying union jobs.
American unions, unfortunately care nothing about the well being of the businesses and industries the infiltrate in 2012. They care about protecting their dues by any means necessary. The number of short sighted and self inflicting things American unions do is just staggering.
Entertainment unions are the worst because they were the least in need of unions to start with….
You don’t have to have a union to create a group health care plan. Sounds like something a shady union would tell its members
We’ve run most of the movies and commercials out of town, let’s get rid of reality now!
I find it odd that the production company, Original Productions, claims to represent “Working Class Hero” when it decides to fire it’s employees for being HEROS.
What if there’s no room for it in your budget?
Virtually every crew person in the industry wants to be in a union. It makes one more employable and allows you to play with the big boys!
There offices are at Victory and Verdugo in Burbank.
GOD BLESS OUR UNIONS GOOD LUCK TO OUR BROTHERS AND SIATERS ON THE PICKET LINES
Interesting, I didn’t know that everyone else who works in America has a quality group plan. I would love to hear about the quality group plan that independent contractors all share. I’ll also inform all of my friends who work in real estate that they’re foolishly paying for individual plans when there’s a quality group plan they’re eligible for.
I would also love to hear about a single job that the unions get their members. I know for a fact that the WGA, SAG, AFTRA don’t get any of their members work. They take their dues even if they haven’t booked a single job (which they must do on their own) but I’ve never heard of the WGA calling up a writer to inform him/her that they have a great job just waiting for them to take. And I didn’t know that the moment you become SAG you have a fantastic health care plan. I think the majority of SAG members who make their income working other jobs would love to know that they’re eligible for this quality group plan. Whew.
This is America. If a company chooses to be non-union, and you work for that non-union company, you’re a non-union worker. It’s simple and it’s FAIR. (Which by the way, is pretty darn good from what I’ve been told). And if you want the benefits of a union, just simply join that union, get a union job and receive those utopian union benefits….
Oh wait, how easy is it to get into a union? Do you just show up at the office and register? Is that how it works? Because they’re all about fairness that would be fair, right?
Clearly John Galt, you have learned NOTHING from the discussion. Unions are not about finding workers jobs, why are you bothering to bring up such a moot point. Unions are about creating more company/production signatories (it’s called organizing workers). We as the individual members have the skills, resumes and connections to find the jobs ourselves (though the union does help with job databases and information, but WE get the jobs. When we do we hope they are union jobs, though 99% of the time in the Unscripted TV business they are not. That’s a shame because in the scripted world it’s exactly the opposite nearly EVERY JOB is union in scripted. That’s something we are trying to change, if only we organized 20% more of the reality business and left 80% of it in the status quo of non-union, that would be an incredible improvement we would be thrilled with.
Again, what Unions are about, is giving workers job benefits we would otherwise not get from individual employers. All of us in Hollywood – ALL OF US, writers, directors, editors, crew — we all work project-to-project. No company would ever pay benefits and Healthcare to Temp workers. That’s why long ago TRADE UNIONS were created so that workers get benefits across an industry. Not on every job, but enough to stay active on the Health plan. Otherwise workers would get NO HEALTHCARE AT ALL. The ship on Trade Unions sailed long ago in this town, clearly you missed the boat, but we will continue to organize without you.
In the future please don’t post anything online when you have your facts wrong. You are entitled to the ignorance of your own opinion, you are NOT entitled to change facts and history.
Fire all of the thankless prick employees and move your production to a state that allows you to work (and may even pay you a tax incentive). LA Unions are a joke and the business will leave the state if this crap keeps happening. Fend’em off TB, fight’em with all you’ve got!!!!!!!!!!!