This is the latest from Sir Peter on the Hobbit debacle. It makes the agenda very very clear. Sad really. Diminishes one of my heroes and undermines my faith in our processes of government at the same time.
Worse, it was clear to ourselves and to the studio that the MEAA, had an agenda to unionize the NZ film industry by exploiting a grey area that existed in employment law. The change in the law, which clarified the independent contractor status of film industry workers, gave the studio confidence that the film could made in New Zealand without the threat of unjustified ongoing industrial action and for that we remain very grateful.
The area of law wasn’t grey. It dates back a long way and was confirmed in 2005. It drew a line between contractors and employees and Sir Peter has made all of his films on that legal basis. it worked. To deny that is nonsense.
Helen Kelly did not lie over the Hobbitt, Gerry Brownlee did, and Mr. Jackson did, or did by omission/implication.
It looks to me like Jackson & his “team” (Fran Walsh & Philippa Boyens) blatantly lied. See this interview here on Nine-to-Noon with Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens on 21st October.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/20101021
Walsh & Boyens say they and Jackson have gone to the media to say that Helen Kelly was lying when she said the boycott had been lifted, and they claim that this is mking it very likely that The Hobbit will go offshore.
But subsequently released emails show that Jackson et al knew the unions had cancelled their action BEFORE the 21st and before this interview.
The 2 women start the interview explicitly attacking Kelly & the unions for their role in the Hobbit affair, and in a pretty vicious way.
Well Well Trevor you have bought the National Party’s adoring clones out of the closet.Obviously they have never been in employment where they have been singled out and become no less than a indentured serf.Yes everyone has the right to have Union representation and if this lot don’t want it I am sure the movement will be better off for it we certainly don’t need them.Peter Jackson is the worm here he knew full well the movie was never going offshore but used it to dupe the fool John Key into changing the labout laws so he would not be hindered by organised labour seeking a fair go.The bloke is not too slow because he not only sucked Key in but also secured a nice bonus for his bosse of $36000000 off the NZ taxpayers back not bad.That money would have gone along way in the health,education and caregiving sectors.Right wing thinkers can never get past the thinking of the devine right to manage unquestioned,well our society is not like that because NZ workingclass will allways organise and question.Helen Kelly is not hated or a liar. As Darien pointed out 350000 trade unionists full endorse and support.
Dave Phillips said…
“Peter Jackson is the worm here he knew full well the movie was never going offshore but used it to dupe the fool John Key…”
He didn’t dupe John Key. Key knew the score from the start. It was very much a case of: you scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours. That is how this government operates. It is devoid of integrity and principle.
“How about 350,000 affiliated members of the CTU and their families?”
Have you asked every single one of those memmbers for their views. Student associations make the same type claims for numbers yets its only a mere handful that actually get involved in its physical activities
Since most unions are able to create financial incentives for people to join them it really needs to be possible to weed these out of the equation before claims can be made of a membership 100% in support of all unioon actions. we are told over and over compulsor
Damn you’re right Swampy. There have always been financial incentives to join unions.
Unionised workers get paid better and get better conditions, for starters.
half the comment seems to have disappeared – try again
“How about 350,000 affiliated members of the CTU and their families?”
Have you asked every single one of those memmbers for their views. Student associations make the same type claims for numbers yets its only a mere handful that actually get involved in its physical activities
Since most unions are able to create financial incentives for people to join them it really needs to be possible to weed these out of the equation before claims can be made of a membership 100% in support of all unioon actions. we are told over and over compulsory student association membership is needed to guarantee numbers yet only a handful show their support of SA causes. if the union monopoly on collective contracts and union-only agreement bonuses was removed would the level of support be even lower.
CV
Good to see some appreciation of the issue
joining a union doesnt mean you can take support of issues for granted
I know many union members who would rather leave their union they go on strike if it came to that
And some do Swampy
But unions just about always come out of strikes with more members.
I know someone who is a “delegate” for her small workplace. The relationship witht he management is pretty good, and she attends disciplinary hearings on behalf of members. Since becoming a delegate she has attended about 10 such meetngs. She comments very positively about management stance to these things and their desire to work things out. In addition the people in that workplace who are part of the union enjoy significantly higher benefits than non union members. In that 6 months 2 employees have been told of the difference between their non union package and the union package. Both have now joined the union. Neither were told of any benefits when signing their contract simply that they could join the union or not. They didnt. Now they have.
by 6 months I mean how long she has been a delegate. My own experiences as from my law practising days and from workplaces is most people have no idea of the benefits their union can bring, and go by what they read. If you only knew about a “union” based, for example, on the Hobbit reporting and lying and saga, you would think unions were bad. Mission accomplished for some agendas in NZ then!
THere’s a little bit more to it than simply “the right to unionise”. In NZ before 1990 this also meant “the right to compulsory union membership” and therefore “the right to demand union fees” and “the right to closed shops”.
Now also since 2005 in NZ is “the right to demand a collective contract” and before that, the various rights granted unions in the Employment Relations Act and related laws.
If you want to look at the background to this you need to consider all the ramifications. In the US their unions have closed shops permitted by law in Hollywood. Like used to be the case when closed shops were allowed in NZ this is a great deal more significant than simply “the right to unionise”.
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The most successful film industry in the world, with the highest paid stars, the most talent, and the highest grossing films.
That should tell you something about how important unions are in the creation of success.
Yesterday I spent some time with two primary school teachers. They had just been to the sales and one had bought a camera (still and video combined) so she can use it as a teaching tool with her students. She is 58 and not at all technically savvy.
Several things struck me
Her ability to try and embrace new stuff because she knows her students need it ; and
I dont know any other workplace where employees top up the available resources with their own. Sure, othe rowrkplaces people will bring the receipt for something they purchased and seek reimbursement, but to spend their own money on resources needed to do the job well? Let’s remember some of these kinds of things when discussing teachers.