Universal Forced to Break Silence after Being Accused of Pruning Trees to Deny Writers Strike from Getting any Shade During Protest
WGA strikers at Universal stand frustrated by the unexplainably pruned Ficus trees. It seems to be heightening with the hot weekend up and roaring, especially with the Lankershim Boulevard side construction, which appears to have created many challenges in walking the picket line.
Strikers who picketed outside Gate 8 of Universal were taken aback on Monday when the parkland trees came to their notice. These trees used to provide protesters a cold refuge, and now, it’s trimmed. What’s interesting here is that the pine trees on Barham’s other side weren’t touched, and neither were the pepper tree rows behind the fence, nearby the production gate.
Read More: What is SAG-AFTRA Strike? Why Are Hollywood Actors Mutinying Against the Movie and TV Industry
Universal Spoke Out Against the Accusation
WGA Board of Directors member and co-executive producer on Quantum Leap, Deric A. Hughes, expressed the frustration about the difficulty they have been facing to get people to picket the studio’s gates. “It’s just been very frustrating, trying to get people to come out here and picket these gates. It’s just very suspect. If this was done by the city, why didn’t they trim the trees on that side?” Hughes said pointing to the trees across Barham.
As per the studio, the trimming incident in Burbank was not meant to create “unintended challenges” for the protestors. A spokesperson for NBCUniversal said, “In partnership with licensed arborists, we have pruned these trees annually at this time of year to ensure that the canopies are light ahead of the high wind season.”
Quick shoutout to the good people at @UniversalPics for trimming the trees that gave our picket line shade right before a 90+ degree week. pic.twitter.com/aZvvPYQ23i
— Chris Stephens (@ChrisStephensMD) July 17, 2023
The studio spokesperson has also stated that Universal supports SAG and WGA’s right to protest. They are also committed to offering shade coverage and to maintaining open communication.
Universal Has Been Trying to Create Problems
Even though the act of trimming trees every summer is years old for safety reasons, the recent trimming seems to add to WGA’s struggle to find safe locations to march in Lankershim. Specifically, this has been an issue with the construction, a 3-year-renovation project that’s been going on near the studio’s perimeter.
The Labor Relations Unit of the Los Angeles Police Department looked into the matter on June 6 and suggested that a pedestrian lane of “K-rail” barriers be made from River Road to Universal Hollywood Drive.
Now, the change-to-be-implemented process might seem slow because of varied agencies’ involvement and other factors but there’s an ongoing discussion about the pedestrian pathway. What is more here is that SAG-AFTRA is redirecting members from the picketing at Universal Studios. They’re encouraging them to do so at Disney and Warner Bros. in the valley.
Read More: Tom Cruise Had an Uncomfortable Conversation With Studios and SAG Before the Actors Strike
Despite the challenges, the picketers have been steadfast. They are committed and united in the cause to get a fair deal and would continue to picket till proper negotiations are done.
Source: Deadline
