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American Morning
Strippers on Strike
Aired December 04, 2002 - 08:34 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Most squabbles between union and management are pretty dry stuff. Fear not, there is a very revealing one going on right now in San Francisco, and Andy Serwer is minding your business. Apparently, the business of some strippers as well.
ANDY SERWER, EDITOR AT LARGE, "FORTUNE": That's right.
KAGAN: Good morning.
SERWER: Hello.
KAGAN: I told you you'd like the story.
SERWER: We are going to get to that in a second. I want to talk about a serious union issue though first. United Airlines, of course, the giant airline, in all kinds of trouble. Chicago-based, a lot of moving parts to this story right now.
The company last night announcing more pilot layoffs. They are up to 1,200 layoffs of pilots, 350 more jobs will be lost in January and February, 8,600 pilots there.
Senior executives are actually finally going to be laid off. I mean, they always seem to survive these things. They are going to be laid off. No bonuses, they are going to be taking pay cuts. That is also happening. Also, Illinois Governor Ryan has come out and said he will give the airline pledges, $200 million if they get $1.8 billion from the federal government. The Machinists' Union votes tomorrow. If they approve their new deal, then probably will be able to get this company away from filing for bankruptcy. It's a very fluid situation.
KAGAN: Lot of people are going to hurt to keep that one afloat.
SERWER: Yes, and it is obviously a huge deal for Chicago and the state of Illinois, which is why the governor is stepping in.
KAGAN: Now.
SERWER: Now.
KAGAN: On to strippers.
SERWER: On to another union story of a more interesting variety, perhaps to some, Mr. Hemmer.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Not me, pal.
SERWER: The nation's...
HEMMER: I don't look at that which I cannot touch.
SERWER: All right, there you go. The nation's only unionized stripper local, this is unbelievable. Guess what city this is in, Daryn.
KAGAN: I guess San Francisco.
SERWER: I think you are right. It is in San Francisco. These are exotic dancers, part of the Exotic Dancers' Union working at the Lusty Lady. They are on strike. "Two, four, six, eight, pay me more to gyrate," is what is being chanted on that picket line. These ladies claim they are being underpaid. They took a big pay cut. They are making about $27 an hour. They took a pay cut $3 off of that, but they are saying they are not getting enough hours a week. They are only getting 12, they want to work 20.
You know, it is funny, it is just like any other union grievance -- union strike, where they just want more money out of management, management is declining to comment at this particular point in time. But you could say, only in San Francisco, and I think that would be fair.
KAGAN: I may guess San Francisco, Carol Doda (ph), the famed long-time stripper. You go down Broadway and they have that flashing -- I won't tell you what flashes, a key part of her body flashes.
SERWER: Yes. Well, Bill wouldn't know...
KAGAN: No, Bill -- if he can't touch it, or something like that...
HEMMER: I said if I -- that is exactly what I said.
SERWER: And you stand by your statement?
HEMMER: No question about it.
KAGAN: Absolutely. Twenty-seven dollars, that is their salary? That can't include tips.
SERWER: No, it doesn't.
KAGAN: I think that is where strippers...
(CROSSTALK)
HEMMER: All right. I have had enough of this -- talk to you later.
SERWER: All right.
HEMMER: Thank you, Drew.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired December 4, 2002 - 08:34 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Most squabbles between union and management are pretty dry stuff. Fear not, there is a very revealing one going on right now in San Francisco, and Andy Serwer is minding your business. Apparently, the business of some strippers as well.
ANDY SERWER, EDITOR AT LARGE, "FORTUNE": That's right.
KAGAN: Good morning.
SERWER: Hello.
KAGAN: I told you you'd like the story.
SERWER: We are going to get to that in a second. I want to talk about a serious union issue though first. United Airlines, of course, the giant airline, in all kinds of trouble. Chicago-based, a lot of moving parts to this story right now.
The company last night announcing more pilot layoffs. They are up to 1,200 layoffs of pilots, 350 more jobs will be lost in January and February, 8,600 pilots there.
Senior executives are actually finally going to be laid off. I mean, they always seem to survive these things. They are going to be laid off. No bonuses, they are going to be taking pay cuts. That is also happening. Also, Illinois Governor Ryan has come out and said he will give the airline pledges, $200 million if they get $1.8 billion from the federal government. The Machinists' Union votes tomorrow. If they approve their new deal, then probably will be able to get this company away from filing for bankruptcy. It's a very fluid situation.
KAGAN: Lot of people are going to hurt to keep that one afloat.
SERWER: Yes, and it is obviously a huge deal for Chicago and the state of Illinois, which is why the governor is stepping in.
KAGAN: Now.
SERWER: Now.
KAGAN: On to strippers.
SERWER: On to another union story of a more interesting variety, perhaps to some, Mr. Hemmer.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Not me, pal.
SERWER: The nation's...
HEMMER: I don't look at that which I cannot touch.
SERWER: All right, there you go. The nation's only unionized stripper local, this is unbelievable. Guess what city this is in, Daryn.
KAGAN: I guess San Francisco.
SERWER: I think you are right. It is in San Francisco. These are exotic dancers, part of the Exotic Dancers' Union working at the Lusty Lady. They are on strike. "Two, four, six, eight, pay me more to gyrate," is what is being chanted on that picket line. These ladies claim they are being underpaid. They took a big pay cut. They are making about $27 an hour. They took a pay cut $3 off of that, but they are saying they are not getting enough hours a week. They are only getting 12, they want to work 20.
You know, it is funny, it is just like any other union grievance -- union strike, where they just want more money out of management, management is declining to comment at this particular point in time. But you could say, only in San Francisco, and I think that would be fair.
KAGAN: I may guess San Francisco, Carol Doda (ph), the famed long-time stripper. You go down Broadway and they have that flashing -- I won't tell you what flashes, a key part of her body flashes.
SERWER: Yes. Well, Bill wouldn't know...
KAGAN: No, Bill -- if he can't touch it, or something like that...
HEMMER: I said if I -- that is exactly what I said.
SERWER: And you stand by your statement?
HEMMER: No question about it.
KAGAN: Absolutely. Twenty-seven dollars, that is their salary? That can't include tips.
SERWER: No, it doesn't.
KAGAN: I think that is where strippers...
(CROSSTALK)
HEMMER: All right. I have had enough of this -- talk to you later.
SERWER: All right.
HEMMER: Thank you, Drew.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
