I will do my best to make it as brief as possible, just by listing simple facts so that readers can make up their mind.
- February 1st 2016: I was asked if I minded to be nominated for a board position. I offered my availability.
- February 7th: I got confirmation that I was nominated.
- February 28th: I sent the official requested info for my nominations (President, Vice President, Board Member), including my intents.
- March 22nd: I was offered to enter in the International Board, to which I gave my availability.
From now on, the voting date gets postponed without any notice. I have received no ballots. I start questioning such and other procedures and of course communication gets interrupted by the Union’ side.
A few weeks ago, I receive the voting ballots. I am not in there. However, according to the Labor Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959, as stated at the US Department of Labor website, the Union should “Advise any ineligible candidates in writing of the specific reason(s) for their disqualification”.
Furthermore, in the ballot the following hits me: President: Evan Stone. There is only one candidate for presidency. Well, at least you don’t have to pull your hair to decide who’s best for that role…Beside myself, I know and have proof of the fact that other people sent through nominations for that position, so I go back looking at the Union’s address to make sure that the country listed is not North Korea; indeed the Union seems to be registered in the United States of America…
I decide to wait and see what else can happen with the other positions candidates: in the end Evan Stone looks like a good candidate for presidency, to me, and at least we can be sure that someone competent will get in charge. Or not? A few days ago, May 21st if I’m not wrong, the elections results are announced and guess who gets elected President of the board? Sean Michaels! Sean didn’t appear in the ballots at all, for any position.
Sean is perfect for the job, there’s no questions about it. But it’s equally obvious, judging from the way he has been “elected” (or has he?) that he has someone above his head who will limit his decisional power immensely. And no, it’s not the Unions base, as it should be. Evidence of this is that the Union’s base didn’t even vote for him. In fact they didn’t even get a chance to express their vote for him. To be honest with you, I am really surprised that Sean even accepted to cover as a President, knowing how he got the position, but this is up to his intellectual honesty and it’s not my problem. My problem is that elections have been a joke since day one. Would I want to be represented by a Union who fails so miserably when it comes to the basic levels of transparency and democracy? No. Do I have faith that they are interested in supporting my performer’s rights and improving my working conditions, when they disregard their own members vote? No. The only way for this Union to survive and to become a point of reference for our industry workers is to drop the rotten apples who are already infecting this project moved (those rotten apples) exclusively by personal gain. I support the Union’s concept, I don’t support the people who run this Union as if it was their business. Hence, I am protesting about the election procedures used and the decisions taken during the conduct of the election. If the Union’s officers and board will want to take care of this by explaining publicly what happened and how it happened, if they will want to support transparency for once, good; otherwise I believe that there is enough room to file an official complaint with OLMS to determine if the election was conducted in accordance with the requirements outlined in Title IV of the LMRDA and I wouldn’t be surprised if somebody was going to do exactly that in the next few weeks. What happened to the other nominations? What happened to the ballots and votes? How come that Evan Stone who was the only candidate as president didn’t get elected? Who elected Sean Michaels? How? Why?
I would also be curious to know if anything of the following apply to any officers, board members and especially supporters:
Prohibition Against Certain Persons Holding Office
(29 U.S.C. 504)
Sec. 504. (a) No person who is or has been a member of the Communist Party* or who has been convicted of, or served any part of a prison term resulting from his conviction of, robbery, bribery, extortion, embezzlement, grand larceny, burglary, arson, violation of narcotics laws, murder, rape, assault with intent to kill, assault which inflicts grievous bodily injury, or a violation of title II or III of this Act, any felony involving abuse or misuse of such person’s position or employment in a labor organization or employee benefit plan to seek or obtain an illegal gain at the expense of the members of the labor organization or the beneficiaries of the employee benefit plan, or conspiracy to commit any such crimes or attempt to commit any such crimes, or a crime in which any of the foregoing crimes is an element, shall serve or be permitted to serve—
(1) as a consultant or adviser to any labor organization,
(2) as an officer, director, trustee, member of any executive board or similar governing body, business agent, manager, organizer, employee, or representative in any capacity of any Labor organization,
(3) as a labor relations consultant or adviser to a person engaged in an industry or activity affecting commerce, or as an officer, director, agent, or employee of any group or association of employers dealing with any labor organization, or in a position having specific collective bargaining authority or direct responsibility in the area of labor-management relations in any corporation or association engaged in an industry or activity affecting commerce, or
(4) in a position which entitles its occupant to a share of the proceeds of, or as an officer or executive or administrative employee of, any entity whose activities are in whole or substantial part devoted to providing goods or services to any labor organization, or
(5) in any capacity, other than in his capacity as a member of such labor organization, that involves decisionmaking authority concerning, or decisionmaking authority over, or custody of, or control of the moneys, funds, assets, or property of any labor organization,
during or for the period of thirteen years after such conviction or after the end of such imprisonment, whichever is later…
Hopefully Sean, who has already impacted positively (at least for me) with his statement about raising the minimum age of performers to 21yo, will clarify the situation and will work to avoid such shady practices for the future, assuming that he will be allowed to. Best of luck and good work, Sean.
73 Responses
Sabrina, I don’t work in the industry, I’m just a consumer/fan. However, I work in a corporate setting at one of the largest firms in the country for my field and I have pretty extensive experience in a corporate environment, including mainstream entertainment. (Well, I guess porn is mainstream, so I mean non-adult work).
Your intentions seem legit, based on this and prior posts and of course you are entitled to your opinion, but I have to ask: why on earth do you keep airing your concerns in public like this? All you’re accomplishing is undermining the union at its most vulnerable stage.
Historically, creative types have been fairly lousy at business. This union creation process reminds me of the SAG and WGA contract renewals in Hollywood 8 or 9 years ago; it was a total mess on the part of the writers and actors and the studios made off like bandits. Same thing here.
Whatever your grievances are, and I’m not saying they’re unfounded, keep it private. Not to youself, mind you, just private. The union is already doing a terrific job of making itself look beyond amateur, you don’t have to help them out.
Just my two cents.
I see your point, but the reason is simple: I hate to see further problems added to an already agonizing industry and to see very young girls getting screwed both financially and professionally. You would be surprise of how naive young (and not only) girls are in this biz. Plus, don’t forget that I also make a living off this biz and it’s in my interest to separate the bad apples from the good ones. In this industry, when you voice out your opinions privately you never obtain a thing: people lie to you, try to bribe you or to use their acquaintances and power to have you blacklisted, while they smile at you and pat your shoulders as if they didn’t do anything like that. Last but not least, it’s important to me because I’ve learned that it makes the process of exposing those people that I wouldn’t want to work with easier and therefore it diminishes the chances to get fucked and stabbed in the back. In the end, I am making simple questions. It’s not me telling the industry that the savior is here. They claim that. I’m simply asking for a bit of basic evidence, because I’ve already got problems at times to have faith in God, imagine in alleged porn messiahs.
Her crusade is going to bring this thing down. You really think people who are investing their personal time in this are going to keep doing it if they are getting hammered for every move they make? If they turn right, Sabrina will write a hit piece, if they turn left she will write a hit piece. I don’t think there is anything they can do “correctly” based on the tone of each of Sabrina’s writings. Why Mike is giving his platform to such a blatantly biased person is hard to understand.
They are attempting to start a union in porn. Nobody has done this before, this is going to be filled with mistakes, screwups, good people and bad people. You have to go through that to build any successful organization from the ground up.
Sabrina’s approach is not to work with them or help them build a better platform. She is discrediting them to the point that people will walk away and it will end up in ashes.
Not a good way to do it. If this is so passionate for Sabrina, she should have started her own “the right way” long ago.
This is not an approach in the best interests of a performers union. You should get involved and help them get better, not try to set fire to the building the day it opens up because you don’t like the wallpaper. Just attacking every thing in such an aggressive way will lead to this organizations end. which, I assume is what she wants. Agendas and all.
Sabrina I think you bring up valid points, and being a regular reader it does appear the Union has a lot of red flags that should be noted. Dissent is important and it does not appear to me that you have been writing “hit pieces” as another reader has called it. While I do not regularly agree with you, I think it is important that you speak up. I would like to see regular updates about the Union, written by you and if you have any collaborators all the better (LurkingReader?) The business is shady enough as it is, might as well try to keep them honest while you can, and before it’s too late and set in stone.
@joeschmoe
So the Union cheats nominations and elections and therefore its own members, it drops on the way everybody who moves a criticism to the point that even its founding board members are appalled and it’s going to be my fault if the Union will fail?
From Evan Stone Twitter:
Evan stone ?@Evanstonexxx May 18
Phyllisha Anne and Elizabeth Thomas and Millisa Hill and Bella doll have failed to provide public information. The only thing they do is me
Evan stone ?@Evanstonexxx May 18
Melissa Hill removed as failed press secretary given promotion to acting second VP to elezebeth thomas in an attempt to cover up failures
Evan stone ?@Evanstonexxx May 18
Melissa Hill removed from union meeting on Sunday for being out of order Bella doll speaking out of order thus ended the meeting
Evan stone ?@Evanstonexxx May 18
Phyllisha Anne saying /evanstone is problem when all he did / point out the fact for 5 months the union had 1 meeting and one press release
Evan stone ?@Evanstonexxx May 18
Phyllisha Anne does not even attend personally the only other meeting then the first of her own union
Evan stone ?@Evanstonexxx May 18
Phyllisha Anne her best friend of five years never attended any meeting any seminar any gathering not even video chat in five months
Evan stone ?@Evanstonexxx May 18
Phyllisha and keeping her best friend for five years in the office of president
Evan stone ?@Evanstonexxx May 18
Let’s send some e mails. Let them know that they don’t control this union. U do
Evan stone ?@Evanstonexxx May 18
Elizabeth Thomas the president of the adult union look around look up Bella doll who?
For that matter look up phyllisha Hill. who are u
Evan stone ?@Evanstonexxx May 18
You the people that really make up this union and not those who want to work at nothing and later get paid for working at nothing
Evan stone ?@Evanstonexxx May 18
Elizabeth Thomas the president / union has failed! Melissa Hills Can be reached via e mail at for comment via her email
Evan stone ?@Evanstonexxx May 18
IEAU fails to meet another deadline and exposes cover up of incompetence and new sworn in union officers as compliant with failed leadership
Evan stone ?@Evanstonexxx May 18
A radio spot that no one listens to. This is how you address the public. Well done. Tell us again bell dolls resume in adult anything
Evan stone ?@Evanstonexxx May 17
10. Where is the org chart and budget?
Evan stone ?@Evanstonexxx May 17
9. Who drafted the preamble/constitution/bylaws? Where can members find online?
Evan stone ?@Evanstonexxx May 17
8. What is the union’s bank? Who is treasurer?
Evan stone ?@Evanstonexxx May 17
7. Where is the resume and contact information list for all officers/employees of the Union? Who is the human resources contact?
Evan stone ?@Evanstonexxx May 17
6. Who counted the votes? Where are the ballots kept? Who can audit?
Evan stone ?@Evanstonexxx May 17
5. Who has been sworn in? When?
Evan stone ?@Evanstonexxx May 17
4. Where is the organizational chart with officer’s roles/duties defined?
Evan stone ?@Evanstonexxx May 17
3. Where are the union’s financial books kept? Who is the attorney?
Evan stone ?@Evanstonexxx May 17
2. Where has all Union paperwork been filed? With what government office? Who is your contact at the government office?
Evan stone ?@Evanstonexxx May 17
1. Who is the adult union’s attorney/firm? What is their contact info?
Evan stone ?@Evanstonexxx May 17
ten questions given to IEAU on Sunday to be answered by high noon on Tuesday
Evan stone ?@Evanstonexxx May 17
What Evan Stone expects as do all others interested in IEAU is a transparent union so as to that fact I have given them ten questions
Some people drop the Union because they don’t want to be associated to a shady organization, not because they are on a crusade to hammer the Union. If you read more carefully what people write, you would have understood that people don’t hammer the Union, they hammer the shady, incompetent people who run the Union. And they do it exactly to save the Union. But keep thinking what you want. And make sure you celebrate when you will pay your Union’s fees to make someone rich and get nothing in return: you have all the rights to enjoy getting screwed.
All sounds good. Just remember that the union will only be as effective if it has the cooperation of producers, who agree to only hire union members and to play by the union’s rules. For instance, its great to say that you have to be 21 to perform in porn, but a.) that’s not the law, which means that the industry would potentially open itself to an age-discrimination lawsuit (not that 18 year old porn chicks can get it together to file such a suit) and b.) it only matters if sites like Girls Who Do Porn, Amateur Allure, abide by the restriction.
If the producers will not cooperate, you’ll have something like the Freelance Writers Union in New York, which could never get major publishing companies to play ball. As a result, at best, they offered access to health insurance and retirement investment advice to freelancers. With the Affordable Care Act, there really isn’t even a need for a group health insurance plan.
Not to be a wet blanket, but unless major production companies are going to play ball, agree to standard minimum rates and a standard contract, perhaps agree to residuals, and things of that nature, the union won’t serve much purpose.
I agree 100%, BT. That’s why I was expecting
Transparency, to attract competent, intellectually honest and reputable people that can sit the different players of this industry at a table and have them talking to each other to find common ground.
More public relations and less slogans to keep the number of skeptic people to a minimum
Open discussion with the base to understand what the base really wants and not what those couple of people running the Union in the shadow think the base wants.
I agree with you about the 21yo thingy: it’s not something that could be imposed by the Union; it’s something that should be concerted and agreed together with producers, if any. I welcome the idea, as I have already said, but most of all I think that it would be necessary to set some standards when it comes to hiring performers, with proper, professional interviews and psychological assessments. There are 30yo performers who wouldn’t be hired to work in a call center for how mentally unstable they are, so the 21yo thingy would only partially limit psychological damage risks. But you gotta start somewhere. 21yo is an idea to start acknowledging a problem and initiating a discussion. But can the Union do this? If I needed help from the Union, right now, I wouldn’t even know whom to contact, who’s their lawyer, how they gonna help me, with which funds.
As in the Amended Constitution and By Laws:
Article XXll Section 9
All nominations for all national, International offices must have been a member off the union for the Minimum of four (4) years. Until which time the Union is created for that period, the temporary selected officers shall hold office for the first four (4) year term.
THE KEY WORD HERE IS “SELECTED”, AS IN APPOINTED.
ALSO in Article XXII of the amended Constitution and By Laws
Section 8:
Any member who wishes to protest the election of an officer may do so by filing a written protest statement with the International Secretary-Treasurer with fifteen (15) days after such election. Any such protest shall be held as a hearing of the International Executive Board members upon reasonable notice of the affected parties.
THE KEYS WORDS HERE ARE “WITHIN 15 DAYS.” We are past the 15 day mark.
Hope that helps your issues.
Love Phyllisha Anne
I won’t annoy anybody by discussing the legal aspects (just let me say that you should improve your homework about them), but I just want to thank you to publicly acknowledging that the whole ballots and elections were a giant deceptive joke and that you wasted the time of your members. Because you are the one running the Union, am I correct? Maybe you could also enlighten me about my (29 U.S.C. 504) concerns. Anyway, fuck the Union! I wish you a lot of sales and grants and financial success with it. If people will make you rich following you on this it’s surely not your fault, but theirs. I’m serious: best of luck, Phyllisha! I’m back at my business which requires my full attention, so you won’t read anything from me anymore about the Union. This is a great time to throw one of your slogans to join it and have the last word 😉 Bye bye.
Everyone is welcome, as long as they are a member in good standing, to run for officer elections after the first year term. However be advised, to do so you must have been a member for 4 (four) years. Which means you would have to be a member for 4 (four) years, so if you are not a member now, and by member I mean:
A. YOU have gone to the website and filled out the member form because at this current moment that is the only requirement. That however, will be changing here very soon.
So if you have gone to the website, and you have filled out the member form, you are a member once we have approved your status with in the industry. If that is the case at the next election, every member is encouraged to run for office, and those elections will all be by the book. Because at that point we have been created for 4 (four) years.
Now if you have not gone to the website, and have not filled out the Membership form, regardless of any conversation or whatever, you are not at this time a member! Therefore you may not reach the 4 (four) year mark in which you need to be a good standing member.
When you fill out the membership form, the date in which you have joined is also recorded.
I know this is all very confusing, and I apologize. That is the stage of the “creation” of this Union that we are in. As the years go by, things will be
become more simple because the “Creation” period will have passed, and this union will be in a more “Routine” stage from that point on.
In the meantime, please bare with us and be patient we are working as quickly as we can to get passed this “Creation” stage and work out our very very many kinks.
So if you fill as though you will want to run as an OFFICER in the future, my advise to you is to please join now while it is free to do so. We are keeping it open as long as we can so everyone has the opportunity to join.
http://www.entertainmentadultunion.com is the website
Click on the JOIN FREE link and fill out the membership registration form.
While we are at it please also take note that we still have positions in which “Vacancies” have accord, (spelling may be off there 🙂 lol and the union will be APPOINTING or SELECTING more officers in the months to come to join as we deem we fill necessary .
Also stated in the Constitution and By laws, in which by the way are
‘The Supreme Laws” of this Union in which it has been created.
Any issues with any of the above statements, as long again YOU ARE A MEMBER! you may file an appeal, again as long as it is the timeframe in which was stated in previous post.
I may not can spell, but let me assure you, I have researched, rethought, researched some more, rethought some more, until I know the Union Laws by the back of my hand, and let me assure you, we are with in each and everyone of those laws by the standards in which we have been going about things, in which we are doing things presently, and in which we will be doing things as we move forward.
So become a member and help us make these changes, as we have been asking you to do since day one!!!
http://www.entertainmentadultunion.com
Everyone is welcome, as long as they are a member in good standing, to run for officer elections after the first year term. However be advised, to do so you must have been a member for 4 (four) years. Which means you would have to be a member for 4 (four) years, so if you are not a member now, and by member I mean:
A. YOU have gone to the website and filled out the member form because at this current moment that is the only requirement. That however, will be changing here very soon.
So if you have gone to the website, and you have filled out the member form, you are a member once we have approved your status with in the industry. If that is the case at the next election, every member is encouraged to run for office, and those elections will all be by the book. Because at that point we have been created for 4 (four) years.
Now if you have not gone to the website, and have not filled out the Membership form, regardless of any conversation or whatever, you are not at this time a member! Therefore you may not reach the 4 (four) year mark in which you need to be a good standing member.
When you fill out the membership form, the date in which you have joined is also recorded.
I know this is all very confusing, and I apologize. That is the stage of the “creation” of this Union that we are in. As the years go by, things will be
become more simple because the “Creation” period will have passed, and this union will be in a more “Routine” stage from that point on.
In the meantime, please bare with us and be patient we are working as quickly as we can to get passed this “Creation” stage and work out our very very many kinks.
So if you fill as though you will want to run as an OFFICER in the future, my advise to you is to please join now while it is free to do so. We are keeping it open as long as we can so everyone has the opportunity to join.
http://www.entertainmentadultunion.com is the website
Click on the JOIN FREE link and fill out the membership registration form.
While we are at it please also take note that we still have positions in which “Vacancies” have accord, (spelling may be off there 🙂 lol and the union will be APPOINTING or SELECTING more officers in the months to come to join as we deem we fill necessary .
Also stated in the Constitution and By laws, in which by the way are
‘The Supreme Laws” of this Union in which it has been created.
Any issues with any of the above statements, as long again YOU ARE A MEMBER! you may file an appeal, again as long as it is the timeframe in which was stated in previous post.
I may not can spell, but let me assure you, I have researched, rethought, researched some more, rethought some more, until I know the Union Laws by the back of my hand, and let me assure you, we are with in each and everyone of those laws by the standards in which we have been going about things, in which we are doing things presently, and in which we will be doing things as we move forward.
So become a member and help us make these changes, as we have been asking you to do since day one!!!
http://www.entertainmentadultunion.com
Oh and one more thing..
Since day ONE we have been on the hunt looking for people who are a part of this industry, weather they are currently still working or not, they are apart in which this industry is made of, that have..
A. The best of hearts and
B. Who would have the best intentions going forward for all us
As time is passing we are finding out very quickly who does not fit the above two requirements mainly because of self-ego issues and on a power trip of some sorts. Those are not the people you want to run your union for this industry, now is it?
So if we believe in our heart after being with you for a moment or few with in this Union you do not fit those two above requirements, we are quickly to change our tune toward those individuals. And I promise you it is not done on a personal lever by any mends. It is done for the better of this Union and its future, because if you think about it who we appoint, elected, or select in the beginning stages is how we will be setting the stage for the future.
and we be damn if we are going to let a whole bunch of self centered, self egotistic people run this thing, that would be against every purpose in which we are trying so hard to create.
AND EVERY SINGLE PERSON WHO SO FAR IS A PART OF THIS BOARD…… YOU ALL KNOW THEM VERY WELL DO YOU NOT??
And they are each good people, people you know that you can trust, people who you know have been here in this industry, to lead us in what we are trying to do for our future.
And if that is not obvious by now, well then your not really looking at the big picture now are you?
With the best of hearts with the best intentions is not a bad way to move forward, if you ask me. It is the ONLY way to move forward.
So please take note of all those that are wining, protesting, complaining or bitching who they are and why, really they have any bitch at all, because so far we haven’t even done anything! lol
Love Phyllisha Anne
Just WOW!
If you want to be a professional union you must first behave like one.
And when we say nothing at all we are not condemned by that as well. So either way you look at it. No ones going to be happy either way so might as well make our say heard as well. Other wise the only thing you ready is comin. From people such as Sabrinia deep. And no offense. To you Sabrinia at all, so please do not take it that way, besides Bill Margold and Mike South, in which value Boths opinion, there is not ONE of us. NOT one who knows who they hell you are! Not one person, has meet you personally or knows anything about you except for the two mentioned above,
So if we placed you on the international board we would be hearing. “You have a bunch of People on the board no body even knows”.
Know what I mean?
So let me state. That we are doing the best we can “hurding the cats”. And the more you complain, As time goes by and all the naysayers are proven wrong, the more that you will see that all your doing is hurting something that is made to be good.
All that is all you are doing. Because we are now a UNION. And most did not believe we could even do that. And this Union will be here way after each and everyone is is gone.
“So we can leave the door open for the ones that come in behind us… ”
To a better industry, to a better way of life and future..
Miss Deep,
Without getting into my personal feelings regarding your “hey LOOK AT ME!” campaign… Let me point out 2 things:
1- You ARE NOT a member in good standing, therefore you have NO IDEA what day to day operations we go through in this “creation” stage.
2- You, being a blog writer, is a MAJOR conflict of interest in regards to you holding ANY position on the board. (For example…. Aurora Snow TURNED DOWN the office she had been elected to, because she was intelligent enough to see that fact for herself!
GO UNION!
GO UNION!
and so far on the international board we all ready have the president the Vice President the secretary treasurer and a board member nobody knows. Adding the few board members who everyone does know would be idea, Such as Dru Berymore n George Reano, but that Board has been in place since the day we were created or we would not be created at all so what is done there is done.
And again. We are doing things as best as we can as we move forward :).
And this is not a press release speaking for the union. Because the union would not speak out in such a way. This is me. Phyllisha Anne. ( the person who gathered all the people together in the beginning and figured out how to get us government approved). Speaking directly to you.
In response to some of the constant negativity. I am not even on the board however. Therefore I can only speak for the heart the reasoning behind the method. I can not and will not be able to Speak for the Union. As no one individual can ..
Together we are stronger !
http://Www.entertainmentadultunion.com
It would have been nice if you said this to me the first time we spoke and didn’t waste my precious time also by offering me positions on top of those that I candidated myself to…However, that should tell you how detached you are from the reality of this industry. I bet if you asked Julia Ann, Ginger Lynn (who is on board now if I’m not mistaken) Alec and Moe Helmy, Gram Ponante, Dan O’Connell, Nikki Hunter (who is on board now if I’m not mistaken), Howard Stern, James Deen, Raylene, and a few other people you would have heard a few words about me, one way or another. Or more simply you could have taken the time to google me and then to ask for references, which I offered plenty of. Good thing is that I did never heard of you either, before we talked first time, and yet you seem to be pretty involved with this project. But don’t worry, I never take anything personal. I just wish you followed my advice to leave public speeches and public relations to someone else because obviously it’s not your area of expertise. And since I have nothing personal with you either, beside the way you are handling this Union things, I send you a big hug and a renewed best of luck encouragement.
Thank you Sabrinia ;).
Sending you a huge hug back in return
Unfortunately, it’s too late for you to have not annoyed us!
Might I add…..
WHO ARE YOU!? No one I know, with the exception of Mike south, knows you. So why, on gods green earth, would this brand-new performers guild, in its “creation stage”, have a board member, who is a blog writer, in another country, whose performance history is completely unrelatable to anything we do, and who nobody knows, want someone with all the “qualities” (for lack of a better term) on the board of representatives?? It doesn’t appear that anything you’ve done, as a so-called performer, is anything that best represents our interests…. No offense, but it truly doesn’t.
Deep…
It truly blows MY MIND, how you could’ve truly believed, after everything you’ve done to undermine our efforts, that you were going to remain on the ballot!? In MY OPINION, as me, Melissa Hill, you are obviously intelligent enough to know how to quote rules and regulations, yet you are completely incapable from using your common sense, and unable to decipher between what is FACT, what is OPINION, what is GOSSIP, and what is complete and utter BULLSHIT! So far, you have demonstrated an incredible ability, to read complete and utter bullshit, and determine it to be 100% FACTUAL!
…because that’s the type of person Phylisha Anne is! She is full of love for everybody. I, however, have had my eyes open these past few weeks, to the people who aren’t good of heart, and have no problem calling BULLSHIT on them! I will PROTECT this union, or simply die trying… But I will NOT sit quietly while self serving narcissists, try to bring down something that NO ONE ELSE IN ADULT ENTERTAINMENT HISTORY, has managed to do! God bless Phylisha Anne, for giving this industry something it so DESPERATELY needs! Only TRUE VETERENS of this industry, can fully grasp the magnitude of what Phylisha Anne has given us! It should be treated with LOVE and respect! And, if ANYONE here cannot appreciate that, I welcome you to keep your judgemental criticisms to yourself, or go out and start your own union from the top -down, or bottom – up, and show us what we are doing wrong… Or, better yet, offer up your services to IEAU, and help us succeed!
THANK YOU!!!
-Melissa Hill-
Go UNION Go!!
Dear Melissa, please, life is not just to be passively lived. You also gotta learn something in life. And maybe it’s time that you learn that wasting people time is highly disrespectful. It’s good that you are saying this thing in here, but it would have been much better if you said it back in February and didn’t waste my time; it would have been better if you didn’t accept my nomination then; it would have been better if you didn’t propose to me to get into the international board. It would have been better if you didn’t have me send a ballot which didn’t have any value since you appointed someone not in the ballot for the position. It would have been better if you didn’t spam my mailbox with offers and requests that you already knew you couldn’t hold on to. I understand that honesty and respect are concepts difficult to hold on to when they are absent, but believe me: they are not genetic. They can be learned.
About the alleged “hey LOOK AT ME!” campaign…Let me counter point out two things:
1 – I don’t need a Union
2 – I don’t need any visibility in porn valley
I never did. I need visibility towards my clients and I have built a business model which gives me plenty of it and makes me earn as much money as if I was an AVN hall of fameer shooting in porn valley 3 scenes each and every day.
What you call “hey LOOK AT ME!” campaign is simply voicing out my opinions and concerns about the ongoing scum that it’s polluting this industry since a few years back. If you were not too lazy to look around you would discover that I have started voicing out such opinions and concerns almost a decade before the Union was born and that it didn’t clearly bring any visibility to me before porn valley opportunities. To the contrary. But I’m sure that labeling as egocentric and unfit everybody fighting the status-quo is going to make your Union super successful. I bow before your geniality, not without donating you a prediction, first: your newly appointed president will leave his position by the end of the year. I’ll pay you a pizza or a food item of equal value and of your like, if you accept the bet.
And as I told Phyllisha, already, relax…I have no personal feelings and I am also not going to write about the Union anymore, because my time for this has come to an end. I might comment here and there, now and then, but I’ll leave you the scene 100%, so you can keep throwing your favorite (and only) slogan: GO UNION!
Miss Deep… You have now posted my intilectual property, WITHOUT MY PERMISSION!! I was pissed when Evan did it, and I’m even more pissed that you have taken it upon yourself, to cut and paste, that man’s list of so-called demands… Which by the way, he had no right to present us with his so called, demands, considering the fact that he demanded a higher position, AFTER his name had already been placed on the ballot! And, in the spirit of “transparency” … I chose to step out of the room, as the discussion with Mr Stone, was coming to an end, for FEAR OF MY SAFETY! IT WAS MY MEETING TO CONDUCT, so therefore , how could I be removed for speaking out of turn!? GET YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT, before RE REPORTING another person’s LIES!! THANK YOU!
NOW….. REMOVE MY EMAIL ADDRESS IMMEDIATELY, THANK YOU!
Lol! You even admit it that you wrote bullshit to people? This is fantastic! Do you realize that you are commenting a post which complaints exactly about that? So to recap: I write that the Union writes bullshit. You complain about the fact that I complain that the Union writes bullshit. I bring you evidence that the Union wrote bullshit. You tell me that I have a problem because I didn’t realize that what the Union wrote was bullshit. This is truly phenomenal and it makes my day. A big hug to you too, Melissa. And it’s a sincere one, not a bullshit one. Unfortunately, I have the tendency to mean what I say and to stick to it.
I believe in allowing my commenters and my authors to write about things important to them and the industry, it is no secret that i support the Union and that Sabrina does not, it doesnt mean that her points are or are not valid. i think an open discussion does more to help than steadfastly clinging to one side or another. This is something that either way it comes down will have a lasting effect on the industry and I believe that performers should educate themselves and decide accordingly. So long as things dont get personal its healthy debate, as a libertarian I am all for it. other blogs have a personal agenda, I don’t I think that the people here are all wise enough and smart enough to figure it out. I think Sean Michaels is a great choice, he is well respected, smart, knows the industry and doesn’t have a personal agenda to use the seat for his own gain.
My bad about your email addy, I apologize. I didn’t see it and I should have, instead.
About the lies…I see no lies: I see Evan asking questions that many others have asked and which haven’t been answered to date. Then I see that he was on the ballot as the only candidate for presidency (was one of the those bullshit things I wasn’t able to recognize as suck, I guess) and then I see that someone else was appointed. I’m not sure what lies you are talking about, unless taking the content of a ballot mailed to people seriously constitutes a lie for not having understood that it was just and April Fools move.
On a different note, I like the Union’s logo on the homepage. I don’t remember to have officially signed its intellectual properties release, but it doesn’t matter…maybe just because I post it on the forum makes it legally bound to you now and in any case feel free to use it, if you really like it, I won’t create problems. It would simply be safer on your side to get written permission if it’s gonna become the official logo of a registered Union, that’s it. And to avoid misunderstandings, I’ll be happy to release it to you in writing, no problems and no strings attached. Feel free to drop me an email. I’m really out now. Hugs and success to the both of you again (I know Phyllisha has a big heart and I have nothing suggesting me otherwise about you either. It simply has nothing to do with the issues of running the Union)!
No my dear, I am stating that you are believing Mr Stone’s, rants, to be factual.
Deep, you have me confused with anyone else, who was running the IEAU, in February. I came aboard AFTER you! (Again… Try fact checking)
Deep :
You clearly state ALL THE REASONS why you don’t need the union! So why the F , do you care enough to air your grievances about something you don’t want, or need??
Again, I will point out, I AM NOT ON INTERNATIONAL BOARD, I am a member of the LOCAL performer’s guild! Shall I point out, AGAIN, that you are believing the bullshit of people like Sean Tompkins, with whom you have had private conversations with, and Mr Stone, who has admitted to the board that he is creating divide simply because it is fun for him, and to keep his name relevant, because he he rarely gets hired for movies anymore.
And that’s why I’m in here, Mike. And you are right also about getting personal. In fact I have nothing personal either with Phyllisha or Melissa or anybody else and I don’t think they do either with me (Melissa some resentment, maybe). On one thing you are wrong, though: I’m not against the Union. I’m against running things that should improve the industry’ status in the most classic of the porn ways: with superficiality, with entitlement, without transparency and in an authoritarian way. As I have always said (and as I have shown by offering my services as soon as the Union was born) I will be the Union’s first supporter when I will know what I am supporting. Maybe you know something I don’t, but to date I don’t know what I am supposed to support beside a name and a slogan because what should have been of public dominion is instead kept secret. You can love The USA without necessarily agree with the way its president runs the country, right?
And about Sean: he is an excellent choice, as I have already stated. If he lasts. And the only way for him to last is to allow him to work and to leave him the operating space a president should have. That’s where, to date, lay my biggest concerns. A hug to you too.
Loquacious Deep:
Thank you for your generous gift…
GO MUTHERFUCKIN UNION GO!
The “YOU” was a generic one for Union. I know when you came aboard and that it was after February. The Union you contribute to run wasted my and other people time and lied to us. It is a FACT. Maybe you could have apologized in the name of the Union when you got in office and explain that things would have changed from now on, instead of dismissing people concerns and factual complaints. I haven’t read a word about the ballots pantomime, yet. If you think that asking ppl to vote for A and then to appoint B doesn’t deserve an explanation and some apologies to your current and potential members, I’m afraid it will be hard for the Union to gain its associates’ trust. Mine not for sure.
Mike,
Sean Michaels may very well be a great choice, but the question is who chose him and how. On the other site there is an article about an elected official being fired. How exactly does that work, firing an elected board member? I am all for a performers union, but this isn’t it. Have to agree with Sabrina on this one.
This is all reminiscent of quarrels among the class presidents back in elementary school except now technology has evolved to allow public twitter battles. Good fun.
Common sense professionalism from a union leader would include not getting butt hurt and posting on public forums. If one is involved with the union in any way then posting on a forum is always going to be a “press release” of sorts. Creating a rule where union members can’t post about the union on public forums would be a great idea.
Questions are still being dodged. The incentive for a producer to comply isn’t there. Why should anyone listen to the union? To make the world a better place? Because they want to do the right thing?
Look at the big picture.
If the world was going to act in a positive fashion then men and women wouldn’t be having sex for money. Taking something that is generally shitty from the start and attempting to make it less shitty is a noble act, but one should be realistic about their efforts. Let’s look at what is going on here:
1. The adult industry has some actions/practices that are pretty shitty.
2. People form a union in an attempt to put an end to the shittiness that is occurring.
3. Members pay money to be a part of the union.
4. The end.
Why would a producer pay money and join a union to only have the demands of the union hinder their business?
Always question things that rely on people doing the right thing. If the foundation of an organization is built on “doing the right thing” then those in charge are either naive themselves or they are expecting others to be.
At least we all know that if someone has a falling out with the union then the issue will be brought to light on social media and the members will publicly bicker.
The FIRST concern of any real union is the health and safety of its members, That is FACT. That being said, what is the unions stand on producers requiring members to pay for their own testing and treatment? As you well know, it is illegal for any employer to require any employee, or potential employee to pay for any medical screening required by said employer.
And regarding the four year rule. How many performers these days spend anywhere near that amount of time in the industry. How will the union deal with the transient population of its workforce? Will union members be allowed to work with a first time performer who is not in the union? Does the union think that producers are going to give a flying rats ass about a 21 year old rule? Will the union punish members who break any of their rules? And looking at the list of questions from Evan Stone, every single one of them is a legit question, that any transparent union would have answered without hesitation.
And just for the record, I spent thousands upon thousands of dollars straight out of my pocket over the years assisting performers with testing cost and treatment for diseases they caught while working. ANd in the end I was ripped off for over $650,000.oo.
do I expect any of the union members here to addr3ess any of these questions I have posed today. In my opinion they wont, because answering honestly would be the end of their project. Or, prove me wrong.
These attacks seem juvenile and petty at best. #gounion
Anyone who thinks this is not a series of hit pieces is just as obscenely biased as Sabrina. This is NOT how you make change or improve the shortcomings of a new entity. Attacking to the point of snuffing them out accomplishes nothing other than fill a hate filled agenda.
what is this agenda? Well, it could be as simple as “if they don’t do it my way, then they can’t do it at all”.
This is so porn…. someone tries to do something and they get swarmed and bullied until they are gone. Here we go again…
This thread has turned into a disgrace. Sabrina has hijacked a well respected blog platform and turned it into a mud slinging match where nothing is being done that matters.
we all play armchair quarter back,; however, we don’t usually take it farther to the point of trying to destroy something. Instead of getting involved with this project and improving their problems (and they have legitimate ones), it is attack relentlessly until everyone packs up and goes home. Shutting this down is not in the best interests of performers, making it better and getting involved is. I doubt this is even about caring for performers as far as Sabrina is concerned, this is more of her trying to destroy something because she doesn’t like it.
This is a completely disgraceful way to do things and these are hit pieces and this is an agenda. Mike, you are a great guy however, this thread and these series of pieces are becoming an embarrassment. Is this thread any better than a PWL blog post with Long ranting and raving trying to destroy someone?
Joe,
You don’t think there is something strange when the only person whose name was on the ballot to be president cannot even find out who the treasurer of the organization is? Then the members of the union posting here say that only 4 year members can be elected, and until that time people are appointed? So what exactly was the BALLOT that they sent out to members? Anyone who has the slightest clue about how REAL unions are run would die laughing at this attempt to create a union. And like I have said for years, I am all in favor of a performers union, but this just isnt it. Promising a l president a potoential salary of 200-300 thousand dollars? REALLY. Follow the money. Firing an ‘elected’ board member, REALLY? Electing a person to the board who had no clue she was even on the ballot(Aurora Snow) REALLY. Come on Joe, are these the actions of a legit organization?
OK I did not make this up. On the home page of the ‘Union’ website there is a list of Primary Issues. The fact that health and safety is not even one of the seven listed priorities is one thing, but here comes the laughable part. If you click on the link that says ‘Combat Piracy’ this is what you get. You cant make this shit up.
https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/1651
So…my fist comment was directed towards Sabrina, but after returning to find no fewer than 40 additional comments on the topic, let me offer some unsolicited advice to the union reps, ie. Melissa and Phylisha:
I don’t know either of you (or Sabrina)and I don’t work in your industry, so I really don’t have a dog in the race. But you guys are handling this whole situation the wrong way.
The same advice I had for Sabrina applies to both of you: keep the disputes private, all you’re doing is making the union look petty and amateur.
Now, some might say, “but she called us out first, we’re only responding to her!” That’s not the way professionals behave. Think about any time a Fortune 500 company gets sued for something (or a celebrity, if you prefer to think about it that way). Almost universally, the media response is, “we have no comment at this time” or something along those lines.
There’s a reason for that: it shuts down the conversation while not adding fuel to the fire.
You’re looking at things myopically; you’re only looking at this conversation. The issue is bigger than this conversation. The Internet is forever, so from now until the end of time whenever someone Google’s “adult union” or whatever, there’s a possibility that this post will come up in the search results. Picture an aspiring performer doing research 10 years from now…he/she will find this thread and think “what the hell’s up with this union?! No thanks!”
Also, please spell-check your work product before posting and I would recommend not using profanity (ie, “go motherfucking union go!”) I get that this is porn, but you’re making your fledgling union look SO amateur.
Also, quit attacking other performers publicly. I don’t know Evan Stone other than that I’ve viewed his work, but I know he’s been in the business for a loooong time. If it’s so easy for one of you to discount his opinions publicly, what kind of an image does that present for the union? It gives the impression that you’re willing to throw anyone under the bus if they question you or don’t fall in line.
Finally, in the legit world, there is no defense of “I’m speaking for me and not for X company,” you’re one and the same. Again, I work at one of the largest firms in the country for my field. A few weeks ago in LA we had Adultcon. As a consumer, I wanted to go. As a professional, I knew that I couldn’t because if I ran into anyone I knew, there’s no explanation that I could give for my presence. I am a representative of my firm and anything I say or do – whether on or off the clock – will be imputed to my employer. It’s the same thing with you guys. You don’t get to speak your personal mind anymore, you are the faces of the union and anything you say is imputed to the union.
I hope these comments are taken in the positive manner in which they are intended. I’m not saying I’m the smartest person around, but some of the biggest companies in the world pay a ridiculous amount of money for my advice. I have no idea whether your union will ultimately succeed or fail, but believe me when I tell you that your conduct is really undermining your efforts.
Everyone be well.
@jilted
There are pointing out legitimate flaws in the structure (which you did very well just in that one post), and there is an agenda to just destroy it because it isn’t being done perfectly or the way you want it (Sabrina’s way).
One is productive, and one is burning it to the ground until everyone says fuck it and goes back to their lives and forgets about it. If Sabrina cared about performers, she would be working with this union to help them address the holes in their business. Beating them over the head until they give up is nothing more than an agenda. Period.
JOe, I would argue that what Sabrina is doing IS trying to help. There is just way to much bullshit here for anyone who is REALLY concerned about performers to sit back and just say “OK, lets see where this goes.” Offering a potential salary of 2-3hundred thousand dollars to Evan Stone is he stayed on board,REALLY? Would you join any union where the person pegged to be the president cannot even get the question, Who is the treasurer, answered.
And while we’re at it, just the fact that the union leaders on on social media like this arguing back and forth and refusing to answer even the simplest of legit questions,,How did someone not on the ballot get ELECTED president?” If your one candidate dropped out then just simply explain the process whereby the other person was elected, or appointed. How was an elected board member FIRED? Does the union have a protocol for removing elected officials, if so, was it followed.
The best way to shut up a critic that you claim is undermining the process is to answer her questions honestly. I think that if there were legit answers to all of these questions the UNION would have no problem answering them and make the critic look like a fool, but as you can see, that hasnt happened. How did Aura Snow, who is not even a member, and had no clue she was even on the ballot get elected?
I think we wil not see any more posts from Phylicia and Mellissa here, but that wont make the questions go away.
And this is not the first effort to form a union. Several years ago I worked with a very well know adult industry group(due to contractual obligations I cannot name them) whose ultimate goal was to form a union or guild. I asked them alot of the same questions I have asked here about health and safety. Next thing you know that idea was permanately shelved.
If this union thinks they can continue to operate like this just wait until they collect their first penny in dues, at which time the legal ball game changes, and this type of behavior from its board will land them in prison.
And how do you like the :piracy link on their website? Even you have to admit thats pretty funny, if not downright incompetent.
https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/1651
@joeschmoe
IEAU is acting like they didn’t anticipate any dissent, disagreement or negative judgements about the new org stumbling blocks they’d rather dismiss than own as genuine issues to be resolved. If an org isn’t ready to hear what people have to say then they aren’t ready to ask people to look at them…because they did it is like asking ‘does this make my ass look big’ and getting pissed at ‘can’t say anything nice silence’ or ‘well your thunder thighs and ass need a bit of gym time’
Intimidating or discouraging Sabrina till she shuts up won’t change the fact that IEAU announced board elections…aka look at us….the founder had previously said on this site that Sabrina was considered for the International Board and did a failed CYA job with 4 year membership excuse.
If the policy intent was selecting as in appointing the inaugural board then there was no need to post election dates or create ballots….ideally inaugural and start up deviations from standard policy would be noted to ensure some yahoo doesn’t use the same CYA song and dance Phyllisha did today to pull a fast one on the board. This is exactly the kind of situation networking with experienced union administrators could have prevented. Union consultants hold workshops all the time for new unions/chapter start ups …..most include the basics of have a clear mission, five year plan and solid project management before matching people’s skills to roles with commitments to stand as the point of accountability for specific tasks.
Please, Joe: tell me where i destroyed anything. Please, tell me that my post doesn’t state a fact. Please, tell me that voting for Clinton or Trump next US elections and then seeing that next president is going to be Schwarzenegger is not going to concern you about the validity of the elections. Until you can confute this, it would be nice if you could refrain from saying that I have an agenda for destroying whatsoever. I am also surprised that someone that you and the others claim is unknown and irrelevant on top of being wrong and nothing else than a lone wolf has all this power to destroy a US government registered Union. Decide what I am, decide what the situation is: either I’m irrelevant or I’m relevant, either I’m a lone wolf or I’m in good company, either the Union behaved correctly or they didn’t. I have underlined shady factual actions by the Union. They are facts. To which nobody has answered to date. The rest looks like a greatly weak attempt to defend a position which is the result of those who run the Union’s own actions. Don’t blame me! I didn’t print and mailed the ballots. I didn’t appointed someone else who was never in the ballots. Cheers!
@jilted
Great questions. Sean Michaels may be best and the longer IEAU Blows off board selection questions the risk his tenure will be tainted grows exponentially. At this point ….yeah we screwed up and here’s what we’re gonna do to make sure we don’t go down this road again….would serve them better than playing CYA.
The Keyword is SELECTED? So then what exactly was that thing you called a ‘ballot’ all about? And yes, as you said in another post, “So far we haven’t done anything.” How long has it been now since nothing has been done? With one meeting in 5 months I guess you really are taking your time.
Simple question, was their an election held for officers of this union?
Ok I thought about this post and this comment thread a lot and I have come to the conclusion that everyone involved can make this a better situation for the Union. Airing out public grievances may be messy, but I think the intention on all sides is well meaning, even if that is not how it comes across. Second, this can’t be a back and forth contest on who fucked up (I mean do it, but maybe not on this blog here) and finally to Melissa and Phyllisha (and whoever else that I didn’t remember to name) it would be great if you can take your experience on MikeSouth here as a mentoring thing, or if you rather, a conversation with your peers, not your lessers.
I mean generally that’s how it goes anyways, but if you haven’t had the work/life experience of mentoring or such – criticisms can be a bitch and nobody likes a critic. We all get that. But I can guarantee you that the women (especially the women!) that you chat with here are phenomenal people and they all have something valuable to say. There’s no need to save your pride, anybody here, but don’t bury your head in the sand either. You can take everything with a grain of salt, or use it as an opportunity to reach your goals better. And how can that effectively happen? You should plan out all media responses, or have a group think or whatever, perhaps pull other people into your think tank. I can also guarantee that if you ask either Sabrina or Lurk for help, by phone or email – you will have a better network of contacts to achieve your goal as well as possibly inspire other people to pitch in work for free. Just had to get my two cents out there, this thread was really starting to get out control.
I don’t know that much about union law so there may be reasons your bylaws were written as they are. Assuming there isn’t a legal requirement for the bylaws to be written as is, here are some suggestions that might calm people’s complaints regarding the adult film industry union you are trying to create:
1. The term for appointed members should be interim and only for long enough to get started. Four years is way too long for this, I would suggest one year maximum with an election to be held within nine months of the interim officers appointments.
2. Requiring four years membership to vote for officers is asinine. I know you don’t want to have people join the day of the election and pull a coup on the organization. In business a date of becoming a stockholder (membership in the case of a union) is set for boards of directors, usually 2-3 months before the annual meeting (this is also the way stockholders of record are determined for dividend payments but that doesn’t apply to a union). To apply this to a union people would have to join before a certain date set within two to three months of the election to vote. Two to three months would be enough to keep those trying to subvert the union’s purpose from joining en masse and taking over on short notice.
3. Sending out a ballot for a vote and not selecting the person that won the election sends out a message that something shady is afoot (whether there actually is or not). That should not have happened, period short of a calamity such as Evan (your only candidate for President) being arrested for a major felony or dying/becoming physically unable to serve (which hasn’t happened to my knowledge). I know you are not experienced at creating and running a labor union (neither am I) but I see why Sabrina is pissed. I am not going to take a side either way as I am not a performer and therefore not eligible for membership. I wish you well whether the union succeeds or not but you would have been well served somehow coming up with $5K or so and having an attorney well-versed in how a union is created and administered draw up your bylaws and guide you as to how to avoid the pitfalls you have fallen into so far.
Melissa, I will assume you are the former (and maybe current) performer Melissa Hill since you are using that name here. If I am making an ass of myself with that assumption please correct me.
I have seen you in interviews, you seem well spoken and don’t look unprofessional (I know Bonnie Rotten for one couldn’t serve in this role in video interviews due to her appearance). If you intend to speak for your union it might be beneficial for you, someone experienced in crafting a person’s/business’ message that you can trust, and the union officers (and probably Phyllisha as well) to create the message you wish to send out and start doing interviews with adult media. I know Steven St. Croix has interviewed you once in the past and you seemed to hit it off with him (not in a sexual manner, at least in the interview). He still does interviews for his YouTube channel, maybe he would interview you again where part of the interview would be you talking about your career and where you are at in your life now and part of it being what you are doing with your union and what you wish to accomplish. There are several other well-known performers with YouTube channels (and a few lesser-knowns as well), maybe you could snag an interview with some of them. As long as you are reasonably sure the interviewer won’t set you up and use it to make your union look bad this could be valuable to your union’s future success.
Melissa, being a blog writer in the adult industry being a disqualifier would exclude most of the industry. I can’t even count the number of performers with their own blog (with wildly varying subject matter). I don’t know what kind of blog Aurora has and whether it should disqualify her (I will let her stance on that stand undebated) but unless it is mainly news-based and qualifies her as a bona-fide journalist (along the lines of Mike South, Gram Ponante, Mo Reese, etc.) I don’t personally see where just having a blog in and of itself is adequate cause for disqualification. Performers like Casey Calvert’s, Riley Reid’s and James Deen’s blogs are not mainly news-based and therefore not disqualifiers IMO (James might be disqualified for his recent actions on set, though). Please note I am not vouching for Casey, Riley or James (I don’t know any of them personally); I used their blogs as examples of my point.
Just remember Ivy is the fine person who thinks you are a lonely person in a basement “not getting any” if you dare to see things differently than her. That isn’t discussion, nor is this stuff from Sabrina.
Sabrina, if you are so passionate about a union, why have you not attempted to get involved with this before? Why sit on the sidelines throwing rockets if this truly is a passion of yours? This is why I feel you are being completely unproductive to the cause other that to get enough people pissed off that this thing goes nowhere.
In Sabrina’s defense it is pretty hard to get involved too far when she is over 10K miles away “across the pond” as they say in England. If she had been appointed to an office in this union (which according to her comments she was interested in accepting) she would have had at least a dozen trans-Atlantic round-trip airline flights each year to attend board meetings. This would have been a costly venture for her (I doubt the adult industry union would have $4K per month to fly her to California and back on a monthly basis at this juncture) — I doubt the NLRB would accept board members “attending” monthly meetings via Skype as acceptable nowadays although that may change in the future as younger and more technologically inclined age into leadership positions in that agency. IMO Sabrina just isn’t in the position to be involved to that degree at this time but not because of her opinions (of which many have a basis in fact although I am not willing to go so far as to say union officials had malicious intent with the irregularities in populating the board of directors, when people are thrust into areas in which they don’t have experience or education mistakes are bound to happen). She has the right to her opinion and the free speech rights to express it just as Phyllisha, Melissa, Mike and the rest of us also have.
As for my opinion I think an organization to educate new performers and operate VD testing centers as non-profits would be a benefit to the industry as a whole. I don’t think adult industry performers have the power to force residual payments or improve working environments at this juncture when the whole industry will likely need to and is preparing to pick up and move out of California after the November election due to Michael Weinstein’s campaign to stamp out the industry in the state. After porn is resettled in a state where Weinstein and his friends don’t have the same influence and the industry is not constantly under the OSHA gun, maybe at that time things can be made better and more conducive to performers.
Your an ass Joe. Then again I’m sure that’s not just my opinion, anyone reading your comments can come to that conclusion.
Joe, there is a free website where you can paste text and they convert it to speech: http://www.fromtexttospeech.com/
Unfortunately, if you can’t read you’re not going to understand this comment either. There’s no hope, I’m afraid, I’m sorry. Oh…you can read? Then, stating that I sit on the sidelines and that I didn’t attempt to get involved with this before denotes a sharp attitude towards trolling. For God’ sake! I know I’m nothing close to a genius, but with people like you it makes me wonder, I swear…
See what i mean about Ivy? There is no discussion with this woman; if you have a different view, she breaks out the insults collection. People who think “i am always right, you are [insert insult] if you disagree with me” are useless for intelligent discussions.
This blog is turning into a shit show unfortunately.
And Sabrina, instead of answering questions or engaging in debate, you decide your best course is to insult and put people down who disagree with you.
Like I said, that is not discussion or debate, and it is not intelligent discourse. It is an agenda with a single minded focus of believing you are absolute in your thinking and nobody else can possible have a viewpoint that is different. People like yourself can’t engage in debate; you attack and if anyone calls you out for it, it is off to the standard insults calling people stupid, or whatever other name you think is trendy to use.
If you must create a narrative within yourself that you are smarter than everyone, and people who don’t agree with you lack intelligence or whatever other crack you want to throw out there, then have at it. It is not, and never will be , legitimate debate and productive discussion when one side has that kind of viewpoint.
And quite frankly, you have added another reason for me to believe this is a hate filled agenda and not about anyone’s safety. I mean, someone wants to debate you and it’s off to “he is stupid, I am smarter, blah blah”
I know most of the world creates narratives like that for themselves, you and Ivy have polluted this blog with it. It is what it is.
Joe, Joe, Joe. You are entitled to your opinion, but not your own facts.
Meaningful discourse means having different views with out people throwing out insults to make themselves feel superior (you aren’t getting any, or you are stupid, or whatever you two happen to do).
Get away from that, and discuss things….. My point in this thread is not even to debate Sabrina’s points (which many are valid)… my point is to challenge the discourse here that is trying to obliterate discussion, insult and marginalize people who don’t agree, and force one view without any willingness to learn or come to consensus.
Ivy, you have been on this blog a while. What I know is you do not like people to disagree with you and resort to name calling when you don’t get your way (that being everyone agreeing with you). That to me is not discussion, and I am calling people out for it in this thread.
If it makes you all feel better to tell yourself I am stupid, a virgin, blah blah blah, do what makes you sleep at night.
Look Joe I’m telling this to you so you can save face and keep this in mind for the future. You know all those beautiful porn girls and escorts out there who are probably reading this blog? You keep insulting me, so let’s just put it out there. You know dude’s who don’t get sex on the reg (for various reasons?) and pay for sex? Those dude’s are John’s or Trick’s or whatever the damn name is. I support sex work, I think it should be legalized and I think porn ought to have better conditions in which to work.
But dude your looking like a butthurt Trick, so quit trying to attacking me with whatever. Have some pride man. Whether you pay for sex with a beautiful woman or find it else where is YOUR business and I wish you the best, and hope that you have a great experience. But attacking women is only going to make you look weak, and remember all those beautiful women have been through shit, with shit guys who don’t appreciate them. So, my advice to you is to look like your NOT one of those guys. Ok thanks, your welcome to your opinion but you gotta stop attacking us by gender and whining. It’s just not a good look. I know you don’t care about my opinion (which is cool! It’s the USA after all) but do you really want the woman of your dreams to look down on you? She’s saying to herself, “man what a fucking baby, I like MEN who are MEN”
@joeschmoe
Your intent to not discuss or debate the issues Sabrina raised is abundantly clear. Perhaps the insults you’ve endured are responses to your comments loaded with repetitious insults and accusations. In this thread per your comments Sabrina…..
* is on a crusade
* her Bias isn’t worthy of a platform
* is not working with IEAU
* Discrediting IEAU
* Attacking IEAU
* Demands IEAU be run her way or no way
* Hijacked a blog platform
* is not Involved with IEAU
So…. it seems you are the one on a vendetta or crusade against Sabrina for raising issues she has become aware of while trying to work with and understand IEAU.
Where and how have you tried working with Sabrina instead of attacking and trying to discredit her?
If the issues or the way Sabrina raised them discredits or discourages IEAU the fault is not Sabrina’s….It isn’t her responsibility to run IEAU in a way that instills trust via reliable credibility….that is on IEAU.
BTW do some fact checking IEAU is neither the first attempt or only existing union for sex-workers. LATimes 4/29/2004 is one of about five USA attempts. IUSW.org was formed in the UK 3/8/2000. The people involved in those endeavors have been pointed out as resources to avoid pitfalls they fell into.
No one would be happier than I to see IEAU turn around their up to now piss poor administration for infinite successes. You and several other people characterizing any issues raised as attacking IEAU or its participants is closing doors to people who would help behind the scenes if asked.
Thanks for proving my point Ivy….. Thank you very much.
He doesn’t agree with me so he is a “butthurt trick” (i am not sure what prostitution has to do with this particular discussion or my reasons for shining a light on you, I guess it is a convenient insult for you).
PS – I am not attacking you because your username implies you are a female. I am calling you out for throwing out insults at people who disagree with you and pointing out you can not handle intelligent discussion or debate without throwing out that kind of nonsense. Again, you are just trying to bury opposing views by irrelevant insults and false narratives. Or rallying the blog by saying I need to save face or something? I disagree with Ivy so therefore I must save face by agreeing? Awesome! I hope for your sake everyone here buys what you are selling so you can feel cool.
And if the group of people on this blog feel your way of “discussion” is awesome.. great… you all belong to one another. I find it narrow minded, and a disgrace to people who value legitimate discussion.
I await your next fake insult because you certainly won’t have an intelligent rebuttal.
You can not “work” with anyone who will shut down any opposing views, who is unwilling to develop their views and listen to other ideas, or calls people silly names if they don’t get their way. So, there is no “working with Sabrina” on this issue unless you 100% agree with her; and that is why I feel this is not a beneficial discussion .
PS – Ivy.
not bad to play the gender sympathy card (he is attacking me because I am female)…. most of the people here are men so this will likely garner you support and turn more people onto attacking me until I move onto something else.
Gender sympathy (even fake ones like this) often work. So, not a bad play if your goal is to marginalize opposing views.
Unfortunately, your gender never came into play ( don’t know if you are male or female, I can’t see who is on the other end of the computer), you are just making it up to garner sympathy. Hey, it works, so I don’t begrudge you for throwing it out there. You got LurkingReader to bite so far.
@joeschmoe
Unless you’ve had interactions with Sabrina off this forum we can add that to the list of bullshit accusations you were more interested in posting than any debate or discussion about relevant IEAU issues and topics raised.
Here’s something you said that bears repeating since I couldn’t think of a better way to describe your comments throughout this post…”I am calling you out for throwing out insults at people who disagree with you and pointing out you can not handle intelligent discussion or debate without throwing out that kind of nonsense. Again, you are just trying to bury opposing views by irrelevant insults and false narratives”
@joeschmoe
BTW “discourse”
Noun…written or spoken communication or debate
Verb…written or spoken communication or debate
are you looking in the mirror and posting here trying to convince us that the guy who admittedly wasn’t interested in debating or discussing the topics raised and preferred to hurl insults, accusations and innuendos at the author?
Click to Edit –
Ah, look at the warrior rallying around the cause. I made my point. The two people I am calling out can not accept a different opinion without throwing insults at the person. That is their thing and we know it. Sabrina has an aggressive agenda that is not going to help or better this union or performers at large.
I stand by those statements and will move onto a new discussion.
You may very well continue to attack me for disagreeing with you (and likely will). I will say Lurking, your attack is not as creative as the others, you should get some lessons from them.
Have fun!
@joeschmoe
Do tell….what was your point? Perhaps if you ask Mike South he will give you author posting access to shout it from above the line.
I made it, it was proven to me. Nobody here gave a shit, so it really is a closed issue 🙂
My first point is this is an abusive hit piece and will not help anyone; that is one that I will stand by. Nothing good is coming from it other than people will give up and it will be left to the ashes.
And for the other point…
I just hoped this forum would not resort to schoolyard name calling when people don’t like one another’s opinion. Calling each other stupid and not getting sex and all that is just something I find unfortunate for what Mike has created here. It does a great disservice to what is a really good blog.
I said what I had to say..moving on.
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Phylisha, are you aware of your “piracy” link on you website. LOL It is a link to the international piracy on the high seas law.(Porn stars against piracy on the high seas,,aaarrggg me matey). It makes you guys look nothing short of incompetent. This was pointed out to you here a few weeks ago and it is still there. How do you expect to be taken seriously when you can’t even fix something like this?
Regarding finding any insurance company that will pay for a twice monthly battery of std tests, good luck with that. It will NEVER happen. The union should be demanding that EMPLOYERS pay for pre employment screening, as is required by law.