WGA, SAG Take Action as Universal Tries to Prevent Shade for Strikers

As the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the American Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA) combat for higher wages and contracts, they’re additionally requesting higher picketing situations.

The organizations filed complaints to the National Labor Relations Board on Wednesday, July 19, after Universal Studios considerably trimmed down timber exterior of its Los Angeles workplaces, seemingly stripping strikers of shade, per paperwork obtained by Us Weekly.

Per the paperwork, WGA claimed in its grievance that NBCUniversal was interfering with the continuing strike by overlaying up picketing websites with “construction fencing,” subsequently inflicting two strikers to be “struck by a car.” Additionally, the group 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 press release to Deadline that the transfer was accomplished 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” on the Universal Studios location. He added: “Also, the City did not issue any tree trimming permits for the latest tree trimmings.”

Mejia additional famous that Universal may face a doable quotation pending additional investigation.

“The City of LA’s Urban Forestry Division (UFD) will coordinate w/ StreetsLA’s Investigation & Enforcement Division (IED) to confirm if this case warrants the issuance of an administrative citation or hearing,” he tweeted in a follow-up message. “If issued, the administrative citation fee starts at $250.”

Though Universal could possibly be reprimanded for their actions, shade skilled Sam Bloch completely advised Us that it’s not unusual for personal property homeowners in L.A., such as NBCU, to rent exterior corporations to trim timber.

“The city of Los Angeles is woefully behind when it comes to enforcement of tree regulations,” Bloch — whose analysis has been revealed in Places Journal, Slate, CityLab and Landscape Architecture Magazine — advised Us on Wednesday. “The general good practice is you want to be trimming trees every five to seven years. These L.A. crews do it every 15 to 20 years. So, it’s not surprising and it happens quite often that private property owners or homeowners or businesses will take matters into their own hands to tree trim themselves, even if they are on public property.”

When it comes to timber in L.A. being eliminated for security causes, Bloch stated that the definition of security may embrace “people that are perceived to be threats to property owners,” including, “In this case, it’s possible that the safety reasons might be the picketers outside this business.”

Even with the shade beforehand supplied by the timber, intense warmth may pose a severe danger to strikers going ahead. “Something that a lot of people don’t understand about shade is that shade can actually add 10 to 15 degrees of perceived heat to the human body just based on the sun striking your surface, but also the surfaces all around you,” he defined. “A shade-less street like that could indeed put people in danger if they’re outside for too long, especially if they’re walking back and forth, which we know is a form of physical activity.”

WGA has been on strike since May 2, with SAG-AFTRA becoming a member of the trigger final week to demand new contracts and honest pay from big-name studios and streaming companies.

“The companies’ behavior has created a gig economy inside a union workforce, and their immovable stance in this negotiation has betrayed a commitment to further devaluing the profession of writing,” the WGA stated in a May assertion. “From their refusal to guarantee any level of weekly employment in episodic television, to the creation of a ‘day rate’ in comedy variety, to their stonewalling on free work for screenwriters and on AI for all writers, they have closed the door on their labor force and opened the door to writing as an entirely freelance profession. No such deal could ever be contemplated by this membership.”