TEXT ONE
Scores of workers from MTV Networks walked off the job yesterday afternoon, filling the sidewalk outside the headquarters of its corporate parent, Viacom, to protest recent changes in benefits. The walkout highlighted the concerns of a category of workers who are sometimes called permalancers: permanent freelancers who work like full-time employees but do not receive the same benefits.
Waving signs that read Shame on Viacom, the workers, most of them in their 20s, demanded that MTV Networks reverse a plan to reduce health and dental benefits for freelancers beginning Jan. 1. In a statement, MTV Networks noted that its benefits program for full-time employees had also undergone changes, and it emphasized that the plan for freelancers was still highly competitive within the industry. Many freelancers receive no corporate benefits. But some of the protesters asserted that corporations were competing to see which could provide the most mediocre health care coverage. Matthew Yonda, who works at Nickelodeon, held a sign that labeled the network Sick-elodeon. Ive worked here every day for three years -- Im not a freelancer, Mr. Yonda said. They just call us freelancers in order to bar us from getting the same benefits as employees.
The changes to the benefits package were announced last Tuesday. Freelancers were told that they would become eligible for benefits after 160 days of work, beginning in January. While that eased previous eligibility rules, which required freelancers to work for 52 weeks before becoming eligible, it would have required all freelancers not yet eligible for benefits to start the waiting period over again on Jan. 1. The 401 plan was also removed. On Thursday, acknowledging the complaints, MTV Networks reinstated the 401 plan and said freelancers who had worked consistently since March would be eligible.
Fueled by a series of blog posts on the media Web site Gawker -- the first post was headlined The Viacom Permalance Slave System -- a loose cohort of freelancers created protest stickers and distributed walkout fliers last week. Caroline OHare, a unit manager who has worked for MTV for more than two years, said the new health care plan -- with higher deductibles and a $2,000 cap on hospital expenses each year -- had provoked outrage. They think they can treat us like children that dont have families, mortgages or dreams of retirement, she said.
Outside Viacoms headquarters, several workers held posters with the words, Theres too many of us to ignore. It was unclear how many freelancers are on the companys payroll; an MTV Networks spokeswoman said the figure was not known because it rises and falls throughout the year. The company has 5,500 full-time employees, excluding freelancers, around the world.
Two freelancers and one full-time employee, who asked not to be identified for fear of retribution, estimated that the percentage of freelancers in some departments exceeded 75 percent. Another labor action is expected to take place outside Viacom later this week. Members of the Writers Guild of America, who have been on strike for five weeks, are expected to picket there on Thursday.
全网都在说的“你pick谁”是中式英语吗?
Guerilla marketing tactics?
一周热词榜(6.16-22)
国内英语资讯:China, Papua New Guinea pledge pragmatic cooperation
国内英语资讯:Environment ministers of China, Japan, ROK meet in Suzhou
个税起征点拟调至每年6万
DeepMind已开发具有三维想象力的视觉计算机
Why some vegetarian foods imitate meat 为什么素食要追求“肉相”
足球场上三类技术精湛球员的英语名称
毕业照拍了没?来看看今年最火的毕业照创意
国内英语资讯:Chinese vice premier meets UNAIDS executive director
国内英语资讯:CCDI, national supervisory commission set up joint supervision teams
国内英语资讯:Interview: Chinas experience useful to other countries
国内英语资讯:China, Azerbaijan eye closer parliamentary cooperation
去英国旅游一定得做的100件事情
国际英语资讯:Russias fifth-generation 3D surveillance radar enters into service
国内英语资讯:Fiscal, financial measures on the way to help small businesses
体坛英语资讯:Mexico coach makes plan to beat Germany six months ago
国内英语资讯:Azerbaijani parliament speaker to visit China
果然毕业论文的致谢才是最精彩的!感谢猫、狗、爱豆,能加的戏都加上了……
出门在外,坐计程车的必备句子!
国内英语资讯:Economic Watch: China-developed planes serve B&R countries
国内英语资讯:Prosecutors to get tougher with financial, environmental, poverty-relief crime
国际英语资讯:Spotlight: Trump hails Supreme Courts backing of travel ban on Muslim-majority countries
星巴克杯子上这句英文谚语你看懂了吗?
国内英语资讯:Senior security official urges efforts to win fight against gang crime
国内英语资讯:China committed to cooperation for better space governance: Chinas envoy to UN
国内英语资讯:Chinese envoy calls for strengthening of outer space governance, cooperation
国内英语资讯:Xi urges breaking new ground in major country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics
T-levels: a new vocational qualification for English teenagers 英教育部为青少年增设职业资质课程
不限 |
英语教案 |
英语课件 |
英语试题 |
不限 |
不限 |
上册 |
下册 |
不限 |