WGA and SAG-AFTRA Take Action After Universal Studios Trims Trees to Prevent Shade for Strikers

usmagazine.com:

As the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the American Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA) fight for better wages and contracts, they’re also requesting better picketing conditions.The organizations filed complaints to the National Labor Relations Board on Wednesday, July 19, after Universal Studios significantly trimmed down trees outside of its Los Angeles offices, seemingly stripping strikers of shade, per documents obtained by Us Weekly.Per the paperwork, WGA claimed in its complaint that NBCUniversal was interfering with the ongoing strike by covering up picketing sites with “construction fencing,” subsequently causing two strikers to be “struck by a car.” Additionally, the organization claims NBCU refused to “provide K-rail barriers to establish pedestrian walkways for picketers to use after Los Angeles Police Department advised the employer weeks ago in the interest of public safety to do so.”One day prior, a Universal spokesperson clarified in a statement to Deadline that the move was done so for “safety reasons” and that it was “not our intention” to create “unintended challenges for demonstrators.”The spokesperson continued: “We have pruned these trees annually at this time of year to ensure that the canopies are light ahead of the high wind season.

We support the WGA and SAG’s right to demonstrate and are working to provide some shade coverage. We continue to openly communicate with the labor leaders on-site to work together during this time.”After launching an investigation into the tree trimming, L.A.

City Controller Kenneth Mejia revealed on Tuesday, July 18, that “no tree trimming permits have been issued over the last three years” at the Universal Studios location.