Comments on: The Street Team’s Real World: Paychecks Late Again http://ericaamerica.com/2008/12/19/the-street-team%e2%80%99s-real-world-paychecks-late-again/ Finding the Micro in the Macro Wed, 10 Mar 2010 05:34:34 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Mary Beth http://ericaamerica.com/2008/12/19/the-street-team%e2%80%99s-real-world-paychecks-late-again/comment-page-1/#comment-378 Mary Beth Thu, 25 Dec 2008 15:35:52 +0000 http://erica-america.com/?p=368#comment-378 In reply to Bart: When originally paid on time, when you need the job and enjoy it, when checks do then come and when you expect corporations do the right thing, not fulfilling your end of the contract is not a first thought or necessarily the best course of action. With all due respect, "You can't be exploited without consent" is right up there with, "she deserved to be raped because she dressed provocatively." In reply to Bart:
When originally paid on time, when you need the job and enjoy it, when checks do then come and when you expect corporations do the right thing, not fulfilling your end of the contract is not a first thought or necessarily the best course of action.
With all due respect, “You can’t be exploited without consent” is right up there with, “she deserved to be raped because she dressed provocatively.”

]]> By: Mary Beth http://ericaamerica.com/2008/12/19/the-street-team%e2%80%99s-real-world-paychecks-late-again/comment-page-1/#comment-376 Mary Beth Thu, 25 Dec 2008 08:55:04 +0000 http://erica-america.com/?p=368#comment-376 Erica, As always, well written and thoughtful piece. The only thing that is lucky in this is the fact it is media. Therefore, you gain attention. That helps a great deal in righting a wrong. This is standard practice for most corporations in the US today. Not necessarily late pay, but unfair, illegal, immoral practices with employees the work their asses off. We live in a country where corporations and greed run the government. Most of us working stiffs are treated unfairly. They get away with it because they can. To fight it costs money, if the wrong is not as obvious or as easily proved as late pay, you take the chance of losing your income, and with jobs so scarce, most, like myself, continue to be beat down without any help or hope of being treated fairly. This is one area that I believe (hope) Obama will come through. Unlike human rights or the war in Iraq. Good for you for taking the stand!! Mary Beth Erica,
As always, well written and thoughtful piece.
The only thing that is lucky in this is the fact it is media. Therefore, you gain attention. That helps a great deal in righting a wrong.
This is standard practice for most corporations in the US today. Not necessarily late pay, but unfair, illegal, immoral practices with employees the work their asses off. We live in a country where corporations and greed run the government. Most of us working stiffs are treated unfairly. They get away with it because they can. To fight it costs money, if the wrong is not as obvious or as easily proved as late pay, you take the chance of losing your income, and with jobs so scarce, most, like myself, continue to be beat down without any help or hope of being treated fairly.
This is one area that I believe (hope) Obama will come through. Unlike human rights or the war in Iraq.
Good for you for taking the stand!!
Mary Beth

]]> By: Abby Manship http://ericaamerica.com/2008/12/19/the-street-team%e2%80%99s-real-world-paychecks-late-again/comment-page-1/#comment-373 Abby Manship Mon, 22 Dec 2008 19:54:18 +0000 http://erica-america.com/?p=368#comment-373 Good for you! Hope all is well and Happy Holidays :) Good for you! Hope all is well and Happy Holidays :)

]]> By: Bart http://ericaamerica.com/2008/12/19/the-street-team%e2%80%99s-real-world-paychecks-late-again/comment-page-1/#comment-372 Bart Mon, 22 Dec 2008 01:12:44 +0000 http://erica-america.com/?p=368#comment-372 Why did anyone keep working after the first late check? They can't exploit you without your consent. Why did anyone keep working after the first late check? They can’t exploit you without your consent.

]]> By: Leege http://ericaamerica.com/2008/12/19/the-street-team%e2%80%99s-real-world-paychecks-late-again/comment-page-1/#comment-371 Leege Sun, 21 Dec 2008 16:31:22 +0000 http://erica-america.com/?p=368#comment-371 From a former newspaper freelancer, I'd say the only thing for it is to stand up for your rights - report these guys to the Labor Department. If they're not going to pay you, and you can do the same thing on your Web site that you did for MTV, what are you going to lose? Keep your head up - there are so many opportunities for journalists to get the word out, and I know you'll take advantage of them. Best wishes to you. From a former newspaper freelancer, I’d say the only thing for it is to stand up for your rights – report these guys to the Labor Department. If they’re not going to pay you, and you can do the same thing on your Web site that you did for MTV, what are you going to lose?

Keep your head up – there are so many opportunities for journalists to get the word out, and I know you’ll take advantage of them. Best wishes to you.

]]> By: Sara Benincasa http://ericaamerica.com/2008/12/19/the-street-team%e2%80%99s-real-world-paychecks-late-again/comment-page-1/#comment-370 Sara Benincasa Sun, 21 Dec 2008 16:05:08 +0000 http://erica-america.com/?p=368#comment-370 I also think it's noteworthy that your starred addendum expresses what so many of us feel: it's not about the folks who worked directly with us. For the most part, they were awesome. And overall the experience was amazing and life-changing. I wouldn't trade it for anything. But it's never the people with whom you work directly who cause the problem. They just have to carry the message, and that sucks. I also think it’s noteworthy that your starred addendum expresses what so many of us feel: it’s not about the folks who worked directly with us. For the most part, they were awesome. And overall the experience was amazing and life-changing. I wouldn’t trade it for anything. But it’s never the people with whom you work directly who cause the problem. They just have to carry the message, and that sucks.

]]> By: nycgurrrl http://ericaamerica.com/2008/12/19/the-street-team%e2%80%99s-real-world-paychecks-late-again/comment-page-1/#comment-369 nycgurrrl Sun, 21 Dec 2008 16:02:34 +0000 http://erica-america.com/?p=368#comment-369 viacom has a long history of taking advantage of freelance workers, paying them peanuts, and treating them badly. i worked there in the late nineties. kudos to the whistleblowers for unveiling these issues to the world...unfortunately, having spent 15 years working as a full time and freelance creative for viacom and at least a dozen other "name brand" corporations in nyc, the companies always take advantage of talented, hard working people. do yourself a favor and get into the producing, law or business side of the industry early on. you will work 9-5 and have a life outside of work to pursue true creative projects. viacom has a long history of taking advantage of freelance workers, paying them peanuts, and treating them badly. i worked there in the late nineties. kudos to the whistleblowers for unveiling these issues to the world…unfortunately, having spent 15 years working as a full time and freelance creative for viacom and at least a dozen other “name brand” corporations in nyc, the companies always take advantage of talented, hard working people. do yourself a favor and get into the producing, law or business side of the industry early on. you will work 9-5 and have a life outside of work to pursue true creative projects.

]]> By: Walter Graff http://ericaamerica.com/2008/12/19/the-street-team%e2%80%99s-real-world-paychecks-late-again/comment-page-1/#comment-368 Walter Graff Sun, 21 Dec 2008 15:33:12 +0000 http://erica-america.com/?p=368#comment-368 Welcome to the real world! (pun intended) Welcome to the real world! (pun intended)

]]> By: Brian Rich http://ericaamerica.com/2008/12/19/the-street-team%e2%80%99s-real-world-paychecks-late-again/comment-page-1/#comment-367 Brian Rich Sat, 20 Dec 2008 17:58:24 +0000 http://erica-america.com/?p=368#comment-367 I was the Idaho Correspondent and will also second every word in this post. It was a disastrous experience from an operational point of view. The work was rewarding and challenging but the administrative half of the job was an insult to the Street Team and to the quality of work we provided MTV (with little to no recognition to us, in many cases). I was the Idaho Correspondent and will also second every word in this post. It was a disastrous experience from an operational point of view. The work was rewarding and challenging but the administrative half of the job was an insult to the Street Team and to the quality of work we provided MTV (with little to no recognition to us, in many cases).

]]> By: Jaime McLeod http://ericaamerica.com/2008/12/19/the-street-team%e2%80%99s-real-world-paychecks-late-again/comment-page-1/#comment-366 Jaime McLeod Sat, 20 Dec 2008 12:58:44 +0000 http://erica-america.com/?p=368#comment-366 Great post, Erica! Way to speak truth to power. Looks like Christmas will be coming a bit late to Maine this year, thanks to MTV. Great post, Erica! Way to speak truth to power. Looks like Christmas will be coming a bit late to Maine this year, thanks to MTV.

]]>