Gothamist: Cat vs. Rat at Radio City Music Hall

Jon

Fri, 18 May 2007 15:56:10 -0500

OK I'm sure nobody else is reading these ancient comments anymore, but I'd just like to say in response to #5: I don't think those union guys know what "communist" means. :P

olorwen

Thu, 19 Oct 2006 01:05:05 -0500

I find it, that not only are these same rats used in protest against whatever construction company my school uses, but that I found this article by wondering about where one would buy an inflatable cat. So, the "odd, odd response" might just be more juvenile than odd.

z

Fri, 28 Oct 2005 01:43:48 -0500

When i worked for a month during a summer in college with an NYC union, i was told that there were like six or seven rats in the NY labor movement that unions lend to eachother when necessary. Cablevision are total scumbags. The shit they pulled on the service workers at MSG is totally unconscionable and I wish the folks from Local 802 the best of luck and will definitely not patronize Radio City Music hall unless this is settled satisfactorily.

pugsley

Thu, 27 Oct 2005 22:20:25 -0500

ratlover - since neither the Post article or your post indicates how much money the musicians get and how much they are seeking it's no wonder that no one is commenting on the actual dispute. Maybe they're being screwed or maybe not. I think most NYers are labor sympathetic, but often they find that the union leaders calling for strikes are corrupt A-holes that are selling out the rank and file's interests. How about coughing up some details.

ratlover

Thu, 27 Oct 2005 22:07:00 -0500

It is amazing to me that of the six comments, and the story for that mtter, said nothing of the actual dispute. The musicians in question are trying their best to stand their ground for a fair wage against the massive corporation Cable Vision. Cable Vision admits that they make a huge profit on the Christmas show each year but are refusing to pay the musicians in the show for the overtime that they work. A similar battle was waged with the Rockettes just weeks ago...hmm I see a pattern. NYC used to be a labor sympathetic town. And a town known for its arts, but both seem to be declining. I do hope that if Cable Vision dosen't settle on this and they use canned music for the Christmas show, that New Yorkers will stand up and make a fuss.

Tom McCabe

Thu, 27 Oct 2005 21:13:25 -0500

wow that's amazing. the thing that kills me is that there's usually a gaggle of union workers assigned to WORK the rat. and they wonder why employers don't want to pay outrageous wages that much of the time go to waste? on another note, i think i've just realized what i'm being for halloween.

Dirk

Thu, 27 Oct 2005 19:59:55 -0500

The union guys with the rat can get really out of control. When my friends and I went to the opening of the IFC theater, they were protesting the theater's use of non-union projectionists. They called everyone in line communists and terrorists-lovers. Okay, communist maybe... but terrorist lover?

Jay

Thu, 27 Oct 2005 19:03:08 -0500

What I want to know is, are there multiple giant inflatable rats in New York? I've seen them all over town, but I've never heard of there being one up in more than one place at a time. I wonder if there's some sort of waiting list I can get on to use the rat. Not that I want to protest my working conditions or anything. But I think that, with some garland and colored lights, the thing would make a bad-ass Christmas tree.

Jimmy Legs

Thu, 27 Oct 2005 17:05:58 -0500

is there like a catalog from which we could all be buying huge novelty inflatable metaphoric animals? i'd like to put a large hedgehog outside my landlady's window.

tien

Thu, 27 Oct 2005 16:45:35 -0500

that's such an odd, odd response.

J

Thu, 27 Oct 2005 13:55:50 -0500

It's unfortunate that the inflatable rats are made in China. Does Radio City really help its cause by associating itself with a giant, toothy predator? Where's the big, inflatable Ted Nugent?