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WGA East Files Arbitration Cases Over Soap Operas’ Replacement Writers

Apr 1, 2008  •  Post A Comment

The Writers Guild of America, East, has filed separate arbitration cases against ABC and Corday Productions for allegedly violating the guild’s strike termination agreement by retaining writers hired during the writers strike earlier this year.
The WGAE alleges that Corday Productions, which produces “Days of Our Lives” and ABC, which produces “All My Children,” hired replacement writers during the 100-day WGA strike and has not terminated these employees. Instead, the replacement writers are preventing striking guild writers from returning to their positions, the WGAE said.
“The strike termination agreement does not allow the retention of replacement writers in lieu of allowing striking writers to return to their jobs. ABC and Corday Productions are clearly violating this agreement,” said Ira Cure, senior counsel for the Writers Guild of America, East. “They have left us no other option but to file arbitrations to ensure our members will be afforded their rights outlined under this agreement.”
The companies have 10 days to respond to the cases.
The Writers Guild of America went on strike Nov. 5 over issues including residual payments for online distribution of content. A lack of writers forced numerous shows out of production and cost the Los Angeles economy an estimated $2.1 billion. The strike was resolved in mid-February.
Representatives of Corday were not available for immediate comment.
NBC, which airs “Days of Our Lives,” had no comment.
“We are in full compliance with our contract and the allegation is untrue,” ABC said.
A network source familiar with the situation said the WGAE was grandstanding because it subverted direct discussion in favor of announcing arbitration straight to the press.
(3:25: Updated final four paragraphs)

22 Comments

  1. I can’t believe that the networks are doing that. They can’t replace the writers like that. They have a right to strike, their jobs should not have been loss. Besides, these writers who came in during the strike are basking in the glory of the other writers who gave up their financial stability just to earn what they considered fair. I think frankly this is ridiculous, the network has no right, they knew writers had to come back after the strike and replacing them just because they their rights were violated is just wrong. Does the network not understand that they had the right to protest? I can’t help but feel for those individuals who have their jobs and are at risk because strikers have returned. Yet, it cannot be denied that those who did replace writers on strike should feel guilt for their actions since, they took advantage of the situation and in a way stalled networks from reaching an agreement sooner.

  2. I think the WGA should stop all this and let everyine get on with the businesss of running their shows. Everyone in the soap world likely knew that striking soap writers would not be rehired, as wrong as that probably is. The strike lasted too long, as it is, and we need to move on from it.

  3. Days fired their headwriter, who was NOT on strike (he went Fi-Core) and when that happens the HW’s writing staff usually goes as well. Days did not fire them because they were striking.

  4. Arbitration does not secure anyone’s rights. Arbitration is an Atrocity
    Articles on the housing debacle seem to purposely leave out, ignore and not mention some of the main reasons for the “sub prime crisis” . Reasons which led to the lenders’ chaos. The banks, the hedge funds and the builders cry out for help like something out of Danes’ inferno. All the while taking their bonus checks, of our hard money and stuffing them along side what they have already gleaned from us …with their thrown up, defective housing. Now since the gravy train has derailed they cry out,” help us we wanted more.”.Yet the cries and wishes of the middle class go unheard.. It is doubly diabolical that we the tax payer should once again be forced to pay the perpetrators. The government thinks they should help the people who cheated and robbed us of our homes. We hear that consumer confidence is down, and the government seems to be baffled as to the why.. Greed, of course, is at the helm of this perfect storm, prefect for everyone except the once, homeowing tax payer.
    The general population has been preyed upon by the greed of shoddy construction, and further destroyed by arbitration clauses which hide the builders role in this housing debacle. I am sickened by the articles on arbitration all written by people who have not endured this diabolical process.
    My husband and I have been there. And it is not fair or cheaper, but some times you can get screwed a lot faster, they even have a name for it, it is called,” fast track arbitration”. As we are dragged behind these closed doors, many of us who are not silenced by gag orders,( carefully termed secrecy agreements) tell of the unbelievable goings on . Most of these so called secrecy agreements conveniently cover up what has occurred inside. Inside, where the rules of law no longer apply, where fraud and perjury are standard fare and the arbitrators turn a blind eye because of…greed. The big builder is their constant meal ticket. We the home owner will never financially recover to be subjected again to this incestuous farce. A farce that is touted as being so good for the consumer they made it mandatory. If in fact this privatization of the justice system is so wonderful why is it mandatory?
    Arbitration is a sin against the constitution and the general public. One way to get us out of this crisis is to get the arbitration companies to pony up their unbelievable earnings… after all they tout them selves as non -profit facilitator. Non Profit? We know how much they profited off us.Then check the bank accounts of these lenders and builders and make me feel sorry for them. Sorry they have made only 3 million this year instead of the 25 million the year before. These insidous leaches have made millions off us. The builders and lenders are screaming now because their greed became so insasable they have driven this county into a recession. And once again we the people are screwed.
    If you would like more on this crisis please google my name Jordan Fogal an read my testimony for the congressional hearing… on the effects of arbitration on the consumer. You may also go to HADD.com or HOBB.org and remember the home you save most likely will be your own.

  5. That sucks. If I just stop coming to work tomorrow then hell yes my boss can replace me. Should I seriously expect our customers to just wait 100 days for me to come back?
    And what is missing here is any consideration for the replacement writers. Do they not have any rights at all? The choice is between casting one of us to the wind: either me which obviously cares nothing for the business or the replacement? Since the replacement writers are not members of the union and therefore have less experience we should expect them to be less capable of finding more work.
    As such, if you are secure enough to leave work for 100 days then you are secure enough to find yourself another job.

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