RVD On Kevin Kelly's AEW Lawsuit & Defends Being An Independent Contractor! 

Don’t look at unions as a negative when it was unions that brought the American workers the weekends, vacation and sick leave , workman’s comp and pensions just to name a few. Union members also have someone backing them up regarding wrongful termination and workplace discrimination / disciplinary measures.

Yeah. Not having a retirement pension plan is AWESOME!

Maybe if you did have unions Paul Heyman wouldn't have ripped you off so much😂😂

RvD. Whole fn show!

Seems like Rob is comparing a potential Pro-Wrestling Union with the Autoworkers/Teachers Union. If they do ever unionize I'd imagine it would be more like the Screen Actors Guild.

Rob is absolutely right. As somebody who has owned his own business in the entertainment industry since I’ve been 15 years old, the freedom you have to go where you want and do what you want to do versus being told what to do and where to go are two different things. The point of being an independent contractor, as Rob said again, is you set your own standards. Your own rules via a contract with your prospective employer for that day. Essentially signing a contract each time you work, based off of what you need for the job. Which includes all your costs associated with getting that job done. Whether it be traveling to, and from… lodging, food, gas… You take everything into account and set your rate based off of your own personal needs. You don’t get your rate set by anybody. Meaning you can go anywhere, do anything for anybody. WWE and AEW are tricky situations. AEW not as much, because they are allowing their wrestlers to go other places and do other things. Obviously, other than WWE. But again, it’s negotiated in the contracts. WWE, they pay you what they think you are worth. You only have leverage if you put butts in seats and then you can renegotiate when the time comes to do so. Essentially, you have to prove your worth before you can milk the cow. I think a union is only going to make these companies find loopholes and use them and create a rift between talent and management. People forget that unions need to be paid. While they fight for the employees, they are still their own business. How do you Unionize a tier system that is based off of an employee’s worth? That is what agents are for. They are your own union that make money off of you, that you hire and can fire. That work on a percentage. Which means the more they make you, the more they make. Which I think is a better overall plan, than one union for an industry that is so financially fragmented… that many employees would fall through the cracks of the system. Meaning that the industry simply wouldn’t book them, because they wouldn’t make the money for the company that the union requires them to be paid. Essentially leading companies like WWE down a mirror of the steroid scandal. Where, in order to get any attention… You had to be a big guy with a big build , that looked like a Hollywood hero or villain. If you were anything, but, you were paid advertisement for the big guys. Meaning, relegated to a jobber.

I dig the platypus shirt lol

Fantastic information ❤😊🎉

No I agree with independent contractors I'm one I like the idea of taking care of my own stuff cause I like certain insurance and being an employee I have to take what they give no ty I'll take what I got and if the person in working for I feel is real they will pay me half up front then other at end of my job and if I don't know that person I can charge a little more so when I get my 1st half it covers most stuff so the end is extra anyways I agree Mr rvd

8:09 🔑

Yeah but contract labor is also a freaking scam.

Only Americans passionately argue against their best interests. Rob Van Dam by admission on this show has said he doesn't have retirement money. He doesn't strike me as somebody who livss way beyond his means.. There's a reason Dana White followed the wrestling business (he pays more) and not the NFL etc. Medical coverage in such a dangerous sport should be a given from a multi billion dollar organisation (UFC does cover their fighters btw).

A shame to hear that about Bobby Fulton.

lol ah so if RVD was fired publicly for a reason he disagrees (like here accusations of being a conspiracy nut and not showing for work) will he say ah but I am an independent contractor so I agree?

hot damn!!! that is where I first saw Rob!!!!!

No lawsuit will change the independent contractor status after the fact. Wrestlers would have to unionize to get different terms bargaining together. Not sure that the top stars will want to unionize and et paid LESS, or on some kind of scale.

Kevin Kelly is smart to be independent because the shit AEW has been happening i would also be independent

Wrestlers Are not one contractor's! So rvd..wrong on this issue

Just my opinion, as a fan, I’d rather see contract work than w2 work. Usually, contractors do much better than the w2 as far as quality of work. They understand this is their company and their way of life. I never cared about McDonald’s bottom line when I worked there. It never affected me. But when I worked as an independent contractor for direct tv, everything I did mattered. I cared. It was my ass on the line. I think that translates well in wrestling. Imagine working for Vince as a w2 employee knowing you won’t get anymore on your check until your next evaluation in 5 years. You won’t get promoted. You’ll earn this amount and that’s it. No money from merch sales either. Do you think that persons quality of work on tv will be better or worse knowing it doesn’t matter what they do they won’t get more for it?