Labor Issues Made Real for Crazy TV Watching Life

The writers for FASHION POLICE are on strike. This is a good little case study in labor. Let’s learn together.

From the guild’s letter (via Deadline):

Although Fashion Police is one of E!’s highest-rated shows, its writers lack health and pension benefits, residuals, and industry-standard compensation. When the writers began to organize earlier this year they were met with threats and delaying tactics.

The writers notified the company they are finished writing until they are covered by a Guild agreement and compensated appropriately. There are two possible endings to this conflict. Either E! will agree to cover the writers under a Guild contract, or it will no longer benefit from the writing talents of the current staff of Guild members.

Eliza Skinner is one of the writers, and she posted on Tumblr a plea for other writers not to cross picket lines to work during the strike. She gives a bunch of good reasons (it’s bad for them, you, and your future — if you’re not in the guild now and you scab, you won’t be in the guild later).

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