Say NO to Union Scabbing!
Recently, an anti-union propaganda video that had been shown to Target employees was released to the public. What is even more disgusting is that the video was a union job starring two members of AFTRA, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, Ric Reitz and Nicky Buggs.
Reitz, Buggs and AFTRA have defended their participation in saying that they valued the 1st amendment and that they were all still “pro-union” to the extent of having the AFL-CIO campaign’s “We Are One” logo on their AFTRA web site.
AFTRA helped in undermining fellow workers in the name of getting two employees a paycheck. While they did have a right to make that film and AFTRA had a right to endorse their participation, there is a severe irony in proclaiming they're part of the “We Are One” campaign while undermining the central tenets of solidarity unionism.
An injury to one is an injury to all!
Action:
- Click Here to sign the petition demanding AFTRA apologize!
- Join the call on Facebook and share it with all your friends!
● Call and write AFTRA and demand an apology for their union engaging in
and defending such odious behavior!
○ 260 Madison Ave.
○ New York, NY 10016-2401
○ 212-532-0800
○ 5757 Wilshire Boulevard, 9th Fl.
○ Los Angeles CA 90036-0800
○ 323-634-8100
The General Defense Commitee of the IWW released the following statement condemning AFTRA, Ric Reitz, and Nicky Buggs for acting in and defending this film:
The news website Gawker.com recently released for public viewing a copy of Target's antiunion
propaganda video. Filled with scary tales of those terrifying union organizers and how they're
out for your money, it was a typically low-budget production and we frankly give it two thumbs down. What we do take incredible exception to is that this anti-union propaganda video was a union job, starring two members of AFTRA, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, Ric Reitz and Nicky Buggs.
We find it simply abhorrent that anyone at all would, under the jurisdiction of their union,
portray such capitalist, anti-worker swill and be fine collecting a paycheck.
Ric Reitz offered an explanation typical of that drilled into too many workers by the pro-boss
business unions under the AFL-CIO: "If someone hires me to play a rapist, does it make me a rapist? You take the job, and you're an actor," says Reitz, a longtime member of AFTRA and the Screen Actors Guild. "Am I pro-union? Absolutely." To which we ask, "Would you take a job playing a rapist in a video intended to promote rape?"
If someone portrays a rapist, it's typically as part of a movie meant, in some way or another
to entertain; what you have done is indeed portray a rapist: a rapist of class consciousness and class solidarity. Sure, you're pro-union. Do you know what that actually means, Ric? That means not taking part in efforts to undermine the struggles of your fellow workers.
AFTRA stood up for the anti-union Union-made film, saying it loved the First Amendment ever-so-very much. So does the IWW (see San Diego, Spokane, Seattle, Fresno, and other Free Speech Fights) and our members have been tarred and feathered, beaten, jailed, deported, and murdered for standing up in defense of workers being allowed to say what they want, where they want. But to invoke the First Amendment here, to justify allowing well-paid union workers enjoying a contract and basic levels of pay and respect to make a film to be shown to tens of thousands of low wage workers is deplorable.
We hope you enjoyed your union scale paychecks for this job, Ric Reitz and Nicky Buggs; it was likely more than the Target workers forced to watch your swill made in a week.
An injury to one is an injury to ALL!
Sources:
http://www.salon.com/news/
http://gawker.com/5811371/