Scrooge you!
Union workers are threatening to pull the plug on tonight’s traditional Rockefeller Center Christmas-tree lighting in a fight over their contract — but NBC network suits insist the show will go on no matter what.
The National Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians — a union representing 3,000 technicians, producers and writers at the network — griped that NBC hasn’t renewed a labor contact that expired in March, and is fuming that the network is letting non-union workers do their jobs at live broadcasts like the “Christmas in Rockefeller Center” special.
In a statement, the union said it hopes “further contract-negotiation dates can be set without a full strike during NBC’s Christmas-tree lighting.”
But NBC called the labor leaders the true Scrooges.
“It is ironic that NABET is apparently unhappy about lack of progress in its NBC Universal negotiations when it is the union that recently canceled three days scheduled for negotiations,” NBC Universal spokeswoman Liz Fischer said.
“Since that time, despite the company’s availability for meetings, the union has failed to offer alternative dates, as promised, and is apparently unwilling to meet with NBC Universal. It is unfortunate that the union is resorting to threats, as opposed to meeting its obligation to engage in collective bargaining.”
She added, “We expect the show to air without disruption,” but declined to elaborate.
The show’s uncertainty cast a pall on some New Yorkers’ holiday cheer.
“It’s a tradition, so it would upset all New Yorkers,” said Amy Muñoz, 32, who planned to attend the lighting tonight.
“We came up here from Roanoke [Va.] this week to have fun,” said Karen Ritter, 50. “This is very disappointing.”
Tonight’s show is co-hosted by NBC stars Jane Krakowski, of “30 Rock,” and Zachary Levi, of “Chuck.”It airs at 8 p.m.
In a statement issued late yesterday by Ed McEwan, president of NABET Local 11, the union said it was launching a Web site, http://www.nbcstolechristmas.com, “in an attempt to save the annual” special.
There’s a poem on the site titled “How NBC’s Grinch Could Steal Christmas” that begins, “Every Who in the crew liked the Christmas tree lighting a lot,” and goes on to claim that the NBC Grinch “won’t negotiate with his employees!”
“But if he won’t, the crew may just might /Do something that would be NBC’s blight/ They’ll be forced from 30 Rock, and walk away/and make things go dark come Christmas Day!”