New York Post: What death of the soap opera says about our economy, unionsUnion super-minimum wages lead directly to high unemployment. AFTRA requires each of the main performers to be paid at least $913 a day, but stars get much more.
Seventeen Writers Guild jobs disappear when the two ABC soaps go dark. They aren’t getting paid in Palmolive, either. Head writers (of whom there might be more than one) get at least $35,345 a week. Writing expenses are minimal on reality, which the WGA hasn’t successfully penetrated yet.
An AFTRA source who didn’t want to be identified says, “We’re certainly mindful of the challenges the industry faces,” although not mindful enough to back down on their main goal: “We want to increase pay and benefits for our members.”
Hundreds of IATSE members are going to be out of work. Even unionized reality programs like ABC’s upcoming soap replacements THE CHEW (Mario Batali cooking show) and THE REVOLUTION will bring far fewer jobs in makeup, costumes, set moving, etc.