Emails have surfaced showing the Hobbit dispute was settled early this late last week.
So why did Jackson go on the offensive on Thursday?
Is he not talking to Warners or is there more in play in this than the actors dispute?
Does anyone believe that a $660 million project moves countries over the ‘threat’ of a few actors wanting better standards? Would Jackson really betray NZ when Weta is based here, the casting is underway, and Hobbiton is built? Cui bono, this talk of ‘crisis’: how much will the Government fork over to appease the threat of foreign capital flight?
If labour stability is the big issue with keeping the Hobbit here the answer is very simple.
Employ workers as employees, not contractors.
Actors Equity have the Aussie actors’ minimum standards up on their site and they look pretty minimal.
So what’s all the fuss about and why is John Key suddenly interested in getting involved in an industrial dispute?
After all he’s previously claimed it’s “not appropriate” for the government to intervene in other disputes.
Peter Jackson’s in the paper today whining about being denied entry to a union meeting.
There’s a really simple reason for that – union meetings are for union members, not for employers.
