In a surprise move, California’s General Hospital soap opera is turning to scab writers to work the scripts for upcoming episodes. This has led to a complicated web of issues and will no doubt have a seismic effect on the soap opera industry.
The decision to move to scab writers—known commonly as ‘scabbing’ —comes in the wake of a writers’ strike against General Hospital. The strike was prompted by the soap opera’s decision to cut salaries for scriptwriters and other employees, prompting a wave of outrage and a strike from the Writers Guild of America (WGA).
Scabbing is a controversial move and has always been a point of contention within the industry. The issue stems from a deep-running debate about the rights of writers versus those of producers. While it’s true that producers have the rights to dictate the terms of any employment and can terminate services without notice, the WGA has long argued that the economic interests of writers must be taken into account—especially in an industry where services can be easily replicated.
So, when General Hospital opted to use scabbing to circumvent the strike, it caused a heated debate. On the one hand, General Hospital argued that it was necessary to find way of getting scripts written while the strike was still in effect. On the other, the WGA argued that it was a flagrant abuse of ‘replacement workers’ and that using scab writers would further exacerbate an already tense labor tensions.
In the end, the decision to move to scab writers is an incredibly complicated one. For starters, the idea of using replacement writers runs counter to the traditional WGA values of honorable labor practices and fair wages. This adversely affects the morale of the writers in that aspect while potentially setting a dangerous precedent. On the other hand, General Hospital must ensure that its scripts are written in a timely manner in order to keep the show running smooth.
The current situation is one that will have a long-term impact on the General Hospital and the industry as a whole. Until the current strike is resolved, it looks as though the use of scab writers is here to stay—leaving producers and writers on the edge as they wait for an end to this controversy.