"In response to a grad student worker strike, the school recommends that staff utilize generative AI tools “to give feedback or facilitate ‘discussion’ on readings or assignments.”"
The #UAW are on #strike against the #BigThree#automakers. #Biden should be roaring his full-throated support for the strike. Doing so would be both just and shrewd. But instead, the #WhiteHouse is waffling...and if recent history is any indication, they might actually come out against the strike.
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If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this thread to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:
"The most important point of the UAW strike imo is that unions gave benefits & compensation up when the Big 3 were filing for bankruptcy protection on the promise they would be returned, when they were profitable again. They did not keep their promise. Instead, they paid themselves more." - @LALegault
A threatened U.S. strike at United Parcel Service could be "one of the costliest in at least a century," topping $7 billion for a 10-day work stoppage, a think tank specializing in the economic impact of labor actions said on Thursday.
@johncusack tweets: Sag strike reality - yes stars get paid - but stars do nothing alone cause it ain’t standup. actors on massive hit tv shows - who are really recurring characters - are allowed to be slotted in as guest stars - So an actress on a number 1 hit show in television - are offered 4 grand an episode - as “ guest stars “ for 4 6 8 or more for episodes that means after taxes agents lawyer - maybe managers - they will be lucky to take home 1200 1400 dollars - maybe ? And the business tells them - you better take the job - cause we can get thousands of other actresses to take the job - who will be grateful for the “ exposure “ Truth - it’s disgusting treatment - 100 % unfair - when they are making hundreds of millions a year - on the show - why be so cruel and cheap ? They do it because they can. And women are allowed to be grossly underpaid compared to the men in the same films or shows - why ? Cause they can. @johncusack tweets: I know someone - very close to me actually - that was on a hit cable show - ran seven years - (it could still be going) She was paid 1/7 th of the male lead - she was nominated for multiple Emmy’s and won - (nominated for at least 3 recall ) no other person behind or in front of camera was ever nominated, The rich ass studio rolling in money - would NOT give her a raise - after underpaying her horribly And made her take cable guest star money - which was not 4 thousand a week in cable - but still viciously underpaid her for a long running show - who’s performance was nominated for multiple Emmy’s - as she was everyone’s favorite character - and clearly the most popular character on the show. It was so mean she just hated the gaslighting asshole execs - and wants out of the business - as the treatment is so toxic -? - Why did they do it - Because they could get away with it. @johncusack tweets: How about another dirty little secret ? And | know - as a producer I've been on both sides of the table - and as an actor and writer -so I can’t wait for some twitter troll to tell me to stay in my lane - fuck you in advance you can’t! Me seen heard experienced it myself - So here’s the dirty little secret : It’s not just the studio heads that are cheap cruel sick bastards - in the show | mentioned -( the same goes in film world to various degrees ) The “ creator, show runner “ was a big shot producer with many hit shows - he had real leverage and power to pay this actress and the actors fairly - he was sharing in the massive profits of the studio - that was rolling in money - Now you would think he’d be grateful and want to take the adversarial position against studio to protect the show and cast - right ? Why he alone making obscene amounts of cash a year- He might say - hey studio rolling in record profits from my hit show - if your not gonna do my actors right - shame on you - I’ll give them some of my cut - your making 100s of millions - I’'m making half that - Why are we being such lowlife guttersnipe freaks ? Some not all - but many many of the creators /show runners /producers are paid off to be in on the hustle - they are just as bad as the worst caricatures mogul executives - Some producers and writers creators in the guild are fucking over Actors and writers in league with the studios Those are the facts -
EXCLUSIVE, updated with AMPTP statement: Regardless of whether SAG-AFTRA goes on strike this week, the studios have no intention of sitting down with the Writers Guild for several more months. “I t…
The automakers – like every monopolized, financialized sector – have stripped all the buffers and slack out of their operations. Inventory on hand is kept to a bare minimum. Inputs are sourced from the cheapest bidder, and they're brought to the factory by the lowest-cost option. Resiliency – spare parts, backup machinery – is forever at war with profits, and profits have won and won and won, leaving auto production in a brittle, and easily shattered state.This is especially true for staffing. Automakers are violently allergic to hiring workers, because new workers get benefits and workplace protection. Instead, the car companies routinely offer "voluntary" overtime to their existing workforce. By refusing this overtime, workers can kneecap production, without striking.Enter "Eight and Skate," a campaign among UAW workers to clock out after their eight hour shift.
"'Efficiency' left the Big Three vulnerable to smart UAW tactics" -- Cory Doctorow https://pluralistic.net/2023/09/21/eight-and-skate/#strike-to-rule
"While Bill Maher and Drew Barrymore are scabbing John Oliver is doing live standup to pay his striking staff so they can keep on striking" - theserftimes
Will Drew Barrymore be banned for life from acting ever again after her actions this past week? So far I have not seen a definitive call from SAG organizers. Another consequence is no writers or actors would be guests on her show if it does come back. I am expecting the show is over now.
Today's decontextualized frame from classic cinema. (OK, here's the context: It's from the union negotiation scene in "Uncle Moses," a 1932 movie in Yiddish, about a woman who is torn between her sweatshop owning husband and the hot union organizer Charlie. In this scene, the leader of the thugs who beat up the strikers has a change of heart and tells the negotiation team: "If you ever want to beat up the bosses, call on me.") #union#strike#movies#yiddish
"It is with profound disappointment that we report the industry CEOs have walked away from the bargaining table after refusing to counter our latest offer. We have negotiated with them in good faith, despite the fact that last week they presented an offer that was, shockingly, worth less than they proposed before the strike began."
They wrote an 11-piece xeet about it but I can't view it because X no longer allows you to read past the first post in a thread without an account. #sagaftra#strike
“Everything changed with streaming and everybody needs to be compensated for their work. It’s fucking easy. I don’t get it.” Amanda Seyfried at the #MetGala on the possible #WGA#strike. Standing with her #union colleagues. #UnionStrong#MayDay
The war of words around the #Doctors#strike reaches a new low with #SteveBarclay acusing striking consultants of withholding #cancer treatments;
But, as Dr Vishal Sharma (BMA) observes: it was “incredibly rich of the secretary of state to invoke time-critical procedures when his government has overseen a steep increase in waiting lists that saw them reach record levels even before any strike action took place”.
Don't get me wrong: It's good if individuals do "their part" in tackling the climate crisis, by changing their habits and lifestyles, but blaming them, when its clearly the #capitalist system's fault is just wrong.
Be #vegan, consume sustainably, ride your #bike, don't fly.
There are many good reasons to do so, e.g.:
👉 it's the right thing to do
👉 it's healthy
👉 you're a role-model for others
👉 if many people do this, it slightly changes how companies act.
👉 it fosters your awareness for the issues
But also be aware that its a droplet on a hot stone. Non-wealthy individuals won't fix the climate with their daily choices. We have to demand action by the big players.
And I don't mean blame China!
All of us need to demand radical climate action by our governments.
Russian state TV threatens nuclear strike on US (www.newsweek.com)
Regarding the U.S., military pundit Igor Korotchenko told the Russia 1 channel: "we will not wage war with you in Europe."
UPS strike could be costliest in US in a century, study says (www.reuters.com)
A threatened U.S. strike at United Parcel Service could be "one of the costliest in at least a century," topping $7 billion for a 10-day work stoppage, a think tank specializing in the economic impact of labor actions said on Thursday.
Hollywood Studios’ WGA Strike Endgame Is To Let Writers Go Broke Before Resuming Talks In Fall (deadline.com)
EXCLUSIVE, updated with AMPTP statement: Regardless of whether SAG-AFTRA goes on strike this week, the studios have no intention of sitting down with the Writers Guild for several more months. “I t…