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No Oscar statuettes at 2012 awards?
Yet more drama in the build-up to the 2012 Oscars, as labour dispute threatens production of iconic awards
An industrial dispute at the company that makes Oscar statuettes could halt production of the iconic awards... just in time for the 2012 event.
R.S. Owens & Company, the long-time producers of Oscar statuettes, are still locked in a dispute with employees over wages and benefit cuts.
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The workers who make the little gold men (via a statement from union the Teamsters) said that their pay has been frozen since 2007 and is set to stay flat for another three years.
There are also plans to cut holiday allowance, bereavement benefits and increase healthcare costs.
The union are still locked in a stalemate with R.S. Owens & Company and said they could strike if an agreement is not reached.
The statuette production schedule runs through January, so a strike could spell trouble for the awards show - held on 26 February.
Almost as embarrassing, Academy film crews were on site this week to film a "behind-the-scenes" doc on how the statuettes are made.
It's now hoped that Hollywood will step in, although The AMPAS (Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences) have failed to comment thus far.
Donnie Von Moore, president of the Teamsters group that represent the workers said:
“From the Screen Actors Guild to the Directors Guild of America, most celebrities who get an Oscar are in a union themselves. They know how crucial unions are to protecting livelihood. What the workers at R.S. Owens need now is union support.”
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In response, Steve Siegel, president of R.S Owens & Company said he was disappointed that the workers went public with their grievances, and blamed imported awards from China for the company’s financial worries.
It’s just the latest headache for organisers of the 2012 Academy Awards.
Only last month, show producer Brett Ratner was forced to quit after homophobic remarks he made to press went public.
After his resignation host Eddie Murphy also stepped down, with show bosses forced to find a last minute replacement. Veteran host Billy Crystal stepped in.
