Tuesday, December 11, 2007

MTV and the Permalance Debate

Who knew that 2007 would become a year of labor unrest in the media? TV
writers, Broadway stagehands, and now MTV "permalancers."

The walkout highlighted the concerns of a category of workers who are sometimes called permalancers: permanent freelancers who work like full-time employees but do not receive the same benefits.

Waving signs that read “Shame on Viacom,” the workers, most of them in their 20s, demanded that MTV Networks reverse a plan to reduce health and dental benefits for freelancers beginning Jan. 1...

But some of the protesters asserted that corporations were competing to see which could provide the most mediocre health care coverage. Matthew Yonda, who works at Nickelodeon, held a sign that labeled the network “Sick-elodeon.”

“I’ve worked here every day for three years — I’m not a freelancer,” Mr. Yonda said. “They just call us freelancers in order to bar us from getting the same benefits as employees.”

Gawker has prime coverage. Yes, that Gawker.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Say it ain't so, MyRichUncle.



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Anonymous said...

Why are young people in white collar jobs prevented from unionizing? Including most or all college grads? And how do we change this?

I'm wondering if unionizing is the only way to potentially stop the corporate "race to the bottom."

Anonymous said...

Marky marc. Most college grads didn't go to college so they could be lumped into a collective bargaining agreement with a union. Creating any sort of union would be a dagger for our economy. SMBs create most of the jobs in this country. You may want to go this route. OR, use that education and start a business!