Well, sniveling actor union members like Jennifer Ward-Lealand, Bruce Hopkins, and Robyn Malcolm have managed to bully, manipulate and organise the movement of the Hobbit sequel out of New Zealand to somewhere in Eastern Europe.
They wanted to make a point and it looks like they have. The New Zealand film industry now appears to be on the edge of the abyss thanks to the grandstanding, sniveling wet left bullying of Peter Jackson.
The actors union wanted collective bargaining on future film contracts when this couldn't happen as it was an illegal practice due to New Zealand employment laws.
Their move has now cost the country the thick end of $500 million for the Hobbit movie and billions more for future movies that will no doubt end up being made in Europe.
As happened to this country from the 1950s to the 1980s and a pathetic resurgence by bully boy teachers unions today, the only outcome for the respective industries bullied by those unions are always negative for everyone concerned.
In the 1950s the Watersiders union brought the country to its knees, while every union had a go in the 1970s and 80s and had similar deleterious effects on the country and its economy.
The teachers union has brought the education system to its knees and The NZ actors union has now single handedly ruined the film industry here in a few short weeks of stupidity.
The very people unions profess to "look after", the workers, are the very ones who end up with the short end of the stick and the only winners seem to be the union heads who manage to get attention and make a name for themselves.
It seems the actors union are out of touch with the realities of the economy today and are stuck in a 1950s time warp that has no relevance today. We are suffering through the worst economic conditions in more than 70 years. They should feel extremely lucky to work at all.
Their selfishness has cost thousands of actors and technicians jobs now and into the future.
Pathetic, left wing bullshit.
c Darren Rickard 2010
