Drama, Drama, And More Drama!

Due to a dispute with the labor union, Prospect Park will begin their planned summer hiatus of All My Children, and One Life To Live earlier than expected.  The official statement:

“As a result of a dispute with the I.A.T.S.E., The OnLine Network is beginning a long-planned hiatus for both ‘All My Children’ and ‘One Life To Live’ tomorrow instead of June 17. The hiatus is scheduled to end on August 12 pending resolution of this labor issue. Right now we have 40 episodes of each show ready to post through September, and if we can resolve this issue by August, we can get back into the studio on time so audiences will enjoy uninterrupted postings of their favorite shows.

We believe we have met all contract requirements with I.A.T.S.E, and as an internet start-up, and per our contract with the I.A., we cannot afford, and our business model cannot sustain, traditional broadcast rates.

The writers, directors, actors and rest of crew have been supportive of the shows and our success. Both ‘One Life To Live’ and ‘All My Children’ consistently earn top rankings on both Hulu and iTunes since launch just over a month ago. The popularity of the shows is matched by the continued passion and excitement from the fans. We are committed to these shows, and to the nearly 300 jobs they produce, thus we are exploring every legal and logistical option to maintain our production schedule.”

This scares the shit out of me.  "A hiatus" has been known to become permanent in the blink of an eye.  Not to mention, there are also persistent rumors that PP is looking for a new home for these productions.  Do they really expect all involved to follow whatever they do blindly?  How many times are the poor cast and crew of AMC going to have to relocate?  If I were involved, I'd have no confidence whatsoever.  Say they move, and find out it's just as difficult somewhere else?  What then?  A traveling circus of angry soap stars?  What if the dispute isn't resolved in a timely manner, and production stops?  How long do they expect us to wait?  If it doesn't shake out exactly the way PP wants, are they going to just take their ball and go home?  Wouldn't surprise me.  Everyone involved must be in complete panic mode.  For the love of Sweet Baby Jesus, get it together!