09-15-2023, 09:48 PM
(09-15-2023, 03:58 PM)Sociopathicsteelerfan Wrote: I'm not sure how many of you have been following the SAG-AFTRA strike. Its received a surprisingly low amount of publicity. The California legislature just voted to allow the striking workers to receive unemployment benefits. I have mentioned before that I have friends in both unions, and one of my close friends is a camera operator. All of them have side hustles that they are using to supplement their income during the strike, but even so, it doesn't compare to what they normally make, and living here is expensive.
I say this to point out that I have a personal stake in this strike. But even so, I have some major concerns about this move. First, they are willingly unemployed, that's what a strike is. The were not laid off, they have a job they can return to today if they wanted to. Secondly, and this is mentioned in the below article, this is literally the government choosing sides in a labor disagreement within a private industry. There are also concerns about how this will effect an already strained resource pool for the program, and will likely cause a raise in taxes on all employers, the cost of which will, of course, be passed down to the customer.
Not really sure how to feel on this one.
https://archive.ph/6VkZb
My understanding is that the UAW provides strike assistance payments to workers 8 days after the process begins. It's not much compared to actual wages. I've heard 100 bucks a day up to 500 a week. They also cover most medical and garnish for child support. I think, but do not know for certain, that most States do not allow striking workers to collect unemployment during the strike. They also discourage side jobs, as the workers are expected to be actively striking to receive the assistance payments.
