The progressive image Hollywood has been promoting is about as real as anything else in that town.
Which begs the question - was Charlize Theron behind the Sony hack?
In every industry, it is frowned upon for workers to openly discuss their paychecks. In some companies, it is a firing offense. That uppity Charlize Theron is exactly the reason why - management is supposed to have all the information, and all the power.
Do you consult for a 3 letter agency?
But, but, women get other perks besides money, like the freedom to schedule their employment around incubating offspring…
It’s about as progressive as one would a expect from an industry dominated by rich white men.
Anyway, I’m really glad it’s working out for her. The Sony hack continues to deliver.
I find it bizarre that Charlize Theron is not already making MORE money than Chris Hemsworth.
In the U.S., it is against the law (specific law: NLRA) to fire or otherwise punish workers for discussing their wages. In fact, that’s one of the few worker protections that the NLRB consistently enforces.
Unfortunately, their enforcement is so mild that most companies are happy enough to take the risk because they won’t pay out much money if they’re caught. And to be caught, a worker has to know the law exists and report them for it.
(Mostly we don’t know the law exists so every time the subject comes up, I mention this.)
This is despite the fact that the workers are guaranteed the right to discuss their wages or salaries under the NLRA.
Do either of them actually do much of anything which would be worth money?
Oh, do you mean acting? BWAHaHaHa!!
Chris Hemsworth is so generic that for the longest time I only knew him as “that one guy who plays Thor”. Charlize Theron was in Monster. I rest my case.
Well, sort of. The ability for co workers to snipe at each other over pay differences (unless you pay people strictly the same, n years “experience” means $n pay for everyone) is quite severe as well.
Of course at the Hollywood megastar level whole different ball game but this idea that everyone should know everyone else’s pay, not sure that would lead to an idyllic wonderland, exactly…
You are assuming stable workplaces where “all else being equal” is a thing. I’ve never worked there.
Apparently Hemsworth movies made $30 for every $1 he gets paid (last year). Now, whether that’s down to his acting ability, as opposed to say, happening to play Thor…
You should see how much my company makes per dollar I’m paid.
Well, you could try being more selective.
Ah, yes, the market power conundrum: being blamed for not having information. Every employee deserves to have their wages pushed down because they don’t deserve to know what HR knows.
Say what?
What I meant was that people can be selective about offering their services to employers who are capricious or otherwise inequitable. It might not be “convenient”, but it is an option.
