"DAYS" NABET-CWA CREW MEMBERS SET TO BE LAID OFF:

News is coming out that the "Days" NABET-CWA Local 53 crew members have been laid off, effective December 31. NABET comprises most of the positions in the audio, lighting and video departments. Many are long-time veterans of the show. Of the group, technical directors Mike Caruso & J.C. O'Neill have been with the show the longest, since the early 1980's. Lighting director Ted Polmanski and cameramen John Sizemore and Mike Mecartea joined the show full-time after "Santa Barbara" was cancelled in 1992. Jackie Frazier, who "Days" had write a few episodes from 2001-2003, has been a boom operator with the show since the mid-1990's. Overall, the NABET crew members were responsible for 35 of 212 Daytime Emmy nominations that the show has received through the years.

In happier times, here was NABET's advertisement, congratulating "Days" on its 30th anniversary in 1995: http://www.jason47.c...images/hr19.JPG

Here are some quotes regarding the planned layoffs, from the October 29, 2012 edition of The Burbank Leader:

More than 175 employees at entertainment-related companies in Burbank likely will be laid off starting in December...studio representatives said.

NBCUniversal issued 50 layoff notices effective Dec. 31, according to the state. The employees — who primarily fill technical and operations positions — are represented by the National Assn. of Broadcast Employees and Technicians - Communications Workers of America, Local 53.

Union president Steve Ross said NBCUniversal officials are saying the workers aren’t needed because the company no longer owns the studio lot in Burbank, which it sold in 2007. Some of the air-conditioning and building-services workers have been hired by the lot’s new owner, Ross said. However, production staffers who work on “Days of Our Lives” are still in limbo, he added.

Ross said he has filed grievances against NBCUniversal over the layoffs. “I don’t agree with what they’re doing,” he said.

http://articles.burb...isney-employees

Edited December 12, 201212 yr by JAS0N47

Wait: Who the [!@#$%^&*] is going to crew this show? Josh Taylor and Bryan Dattillo?

In other news, that music video just brings so much [!@#$%^&*] back.

Edited December 12, 201212 yr by Vee

Yeah. I think it's just a matter now of waiting for the announcement.

You bet it does. It's also the last nail in DAYS' coffin.

Sorry to say but I was thinking the exact same thing when I read this announcement. NBC has been terrific at decimating every last one of its Daytime soaps, show by show over the last few decades. Days would be the piece de resistance.

Edited December 12, 201212 yr by DramatistDreamer

Wait: Who the [!@#$%^&*] is going to crew this show? Josh Taylor and Bryan Dattillo?

Well, it's not like they don't have much time on their hands.

I agree this is the final nail in DAYS' coffin. The ratings are bad, the studio space is leased, the crew's been laid off...

I just hope Lauren Koslow is on the phone NOW with her agent to get a meeting with Brad Bell.

That's sad to here. Loosing your job around Christmas time is not cool.

I´m sure if NBC wanted they could give these people a new deal. They had to know for atleast 2 months now, ever since Corday announced the plan to move fell through. This just feels like the network decided these people just aren´t necessary for the approx. 4+ months of taping needed for the show to finish its current contract. There is still a chance atleast some of them could be hired directly by Corday Productions, but they would have to be paid directly from the show's budget and I´m not sure that´s possible even if Corday wanted. Still, someone has to do the job and because it seems NBC has washed its hands with "it's not our studio, so it's not our problem", it will be up to Corday to find the cheapest replacement possible. In both ways it's another dent into show's budget because jobs which were essentially outsourced and paid by NBC till now will have to be paid directly by Corday.

I agree this is the final nail in DAYS' coffin. The ratings are bad, the studio space is leased, the crew's been laid off...

I just hope Lauren Koslow is on the phone NOW with her agent to get a meeting with Brad Bell.

I think this is the last leg for the show. I expect it to be canceled in 2013.

I think this is the last leg for the show. I expect it to be canceled in 2013.

Shall we start the pool on when the announcement comes?

So NBC paid these people's salaries and now that they are laid off Corday has to find the money to pay people to do these jobs?

That's what it sounds like - the union involved had a deal with NBC when they owned the studio, which has since expired.

DAYS now has to scramble to find replacements, and pay for them out of their own pocket. Given that DAYS has a shoe string budget to begin with, and the low ratings, it probably doesn't look too good for the show.

So these firings will take affect on-screen sometime in mid to late March, I presume.

That's what it sounds like - the union involved had a deal with NBC when they owned the studio, which has since expired.

DAYS now has to scramble to find replacements, and pay for them out of their own pocket. Given that DAYS has a shoe string budget to begin with, and the low ratings, it probably doesn't look too good for the show.

Wow. They better start the finale storyboards NOW!

Unless Ken Corday miraculously finds the cash needed to hire a new crew, I don't expect DAYS to last much longer (on-air) than March 2013. At best, they'll find enough money to hire a sort of "skeleton crew" to keep the show going long enough to write and produce a proper (if rushed) ending. However, even under those circumstances, it can't be a long-term solution, or else DAYS will run seriously over budget.

Worst-case scenario: DAYS stops production immediately, and abruptly; a final airdate is announced; and viewers are left hanging in the worst way ever.

Edited December 13, 201212 yr by Khan

Worst-case scenario: DAYS stops production immediately, and abruptly; a final airdate is announced; and viewers are left hanging in the worst way ever.

Yikes. That would officially be the worst cancellation scenario ever. Worse even than the ABC/PP debacle.

So these firings will take affect on-screen sometime in mid to late March, I presume.

They shoot that far ahead?

Edited December 13, 201212 yr by marceline

I am ready to see what the DAYS stans will do if this happens. They have some of the craziest fans out there.