From Hollywood to Wisconsin: A Good Day for Unions

[steve2470]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sally-kohn/from-hollywood-to-wiscons_b_829083.html

This past Sunday, February 27, 2011, you couldn't turn on a television, read a Twitter stream or do much anything else without seeing proud union members. From the almost-entirely unionized Oscar winners to the public workers in Wisconsin continuing their two-week sit-in for worker justice, Americans everywhere were hopefully reminded that unions make America great.

Of course, watching the Oscars last night, you would be forgiven for not knowing that Hollywood is one of the most heavily unionized industries in our nation. There were only two shout-outs to unions during the show. But last month, at the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) awards ceremony -- the awards presented by the film and television actors union -- thanks and praise for unions from some of Hollywood's biggest names abounded

Natalie Portman, for instance, accepting her SAG award for Best Actress in a Film, thanked the union for protecting her rights when she was a child actor, making sure she wasn't overworked and had to get an education. "I've been working since I was 11 years old and SAG has taken care of me," Portman said. Portman just won an Oscar, but she also just graduated from Harvard. She thanks her union for that.

Melissa Leo, who won Best Supporting Actress last night, didn't curse when she won the same category at the SAG awards. Instead, she said, "Unions make this country great because it gives a voice to the working people."