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WWE News
WWE News: Wrestling executive comments on dire consequences to WWE if wrestlers join Hollywood union Jan 12, 2009 - 10:28:59 AM
At its core, WWE presents scripted entertainment with an athletic background. That "shades of gray" classification, and the fact that WWE doesn't advertise to the general public that the product is scripted, is one factor in how WWE has avoided compensating the wrestling talent as employees and union members.
Darren Aronofsky's "The Wrestler" movie has pushed the underbelly of pro wrestling into the international limelight, with the movie winning two major awards last night at the Golden Globes.
Aronofsky has said in recent interviews that after studying pro wrestling for several years to create his film on pro wrestling, he believes pro wrestlers should be part of Hollywood unions.
After all, they are performing in a scripted television series, with WWE openly acknowledging to Congress that they have writers who script storylines and conflict between the on-air talent to be played out in a theatrical setting.
Former WCW president Eric Bischoff has intricate knowledge of what it takes to run a pro wrestling organization, including the hush-hush topic of unions and pro wrestlers being classified as employees of the organization they primarily wrestle for.
"I am not sure how long WWE will continue to be able to dodge the union bullet," Eric Bischoff recently said on his blog. "The arenas WWE produces their events in are generally union 'houses.' The local crews that are hired to set up staging etc., are union members (usually). Which means that for the most part, everyone associated with the staging of a WWE event are either employees of WWE, the arena, or members of a union. Everyone except the talent."
Although Bischoff takes a personal attack at Raven and Chris Kanyon for their recent lawsuit against WWE claiming they should have been paid as employees for their work in WWE years ago, Bischoff says it would be devastating to WWE and Vince McMahon if the lawsuit indirectly pushed for legitimate change to the top company in the industry.
"The implications of this lawsuit are beyond frightening," Bischoff said. "Should the government, as a result of this suit, determine that WWE wrestlers are employees, the fines and back taxes that WWE could be held liable for are astronomical. There is no statute of limitations on these taxes and in the case of a public company, the Chairman can be held personally responsible."
Bischoff says the financial impact of being forced to comply with the Hollywood union SAG would be staggering to WWE's financial position. "Combine that with union rules regarding overtime, residuals, and things like mandatory meal breaks, and it's easy to see why Vince McMahon would fight this move until his last breath."
Here i am thinking you guys pushing THE WRESTLER movie [ironically like
kennedys pushing behind enemy lines] is because its wrestling.Its not.You
guys are pushing this in hope that it becomes like a red herring to
WWE.Hoping that this movie will make the public and the government WATCH
the wwe investigate it.You guys keep hoping wrestling was without the
wwe.Becareful what you wish for.You think wrestling would be better off
huh?LMAO.You really think there are many guys out there that can run
promotions.Ask wrestlers about promised payoffs from promoters.Try to
picture a union.Go ahead.Wrestling would probably end up being seasonal.And
you get tired of certain guys now, wait till you see the same 20 guys all
the time.
bill torres
12 Jan 2009, 06:47
the fact is vince is smarter than you guys.smarter than the
government.UNIONS?hell just pay all the wrestlers half of what they make to
cover the unions expenses.youll never see young guys ever get
pushed.remember the longer youre in a union the stronger your power is.ITLL
NEVER HAPPEN!!thank god because it would be the death of wrestling.
the truth
12 Jan 2009, 06:49
The only good thing about this is that wwe might become smart enough to
start calling these guys athletes and pro wrestlers again.
Scott Homewood
12 Jan 2009, 10:15
No one who knows anything about wrestling expects anything good to happen
when unions get involved. You want wrestling to take a "hiatus" when labor
strikes? You want all of your cherished small-time promoters to go under?
Anyone who wants to unionize wrestling hates wrestling, pure and simple.
nomark
12 Jan 2009, 10:59
Uh. The relationship between WWE and its wrestlers, as the Levy/Kanyon
lawsuit points out, is one of employer/employee. Not independent contractor
like in the indy promotions.
So your prediction that small time promotions would go under is full of
enough holes to sink a boat.
But then the "logic" in most of the comments threads on this board are.
waht/
12 Jan 2009, 12:21
"Anyone who wants to unionize wrestling hates wrestling, pure and simple."
Yep, we hate the wrestlers who entertain us so much we want them to have
health insurance and be recognized as employees. Whatever.
Luis
12 Jan 2009, 12:41
The only thing that I will comment on this matter is...uhhhhhh???
TNA sucks!!!
WWE is not going anywhere!
TED
12 Jan 2009, 15:30
PRO WRESTLING ODES NOT NEED A UNION.
THE MCMAHONS ADVISE THEIR TALENT TO GET HEALTH INSURANCE. WWE LOKS OUT FOR
THEIR TALENT AND WWE TALENT ARE INDEPENDENT COINTRACTORS AND RAVEN AND HIS
DRUG USING LOSER FRIENDS WILL LOSE THEIR SUIT AGAINST WWE.
I HOPE RAVEN DIES OF A DRUG OVERDOSE.
The Giant
13 Jan 2009, 04:00
They ARE employees and should be paid as such. As for a union thats up to
the wrestlers i guess, but they are blatantly employees. I can see TED is a
gentleman and a scholar.
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At its core, WWE presents scripted entertainment with an athletic background. That "shades of gray" classification, and the fact that WWE doesn't advertise to the general public that the product is scripted, is one factor in how WWE has avoided compensating the wrestling talent as employees and union members.
