Hollywood strike: Why Universal Studios is facing heat over tree trimming

Universal Studios in United States’ Los Angeles has come under fire for pruning trees that provided shade to striking Hollywood actors and writers. A post shared by comedian Chris Stephens on Monday (17 July) showing a row of now-trimmed ficus trees lining the sidewalk on Barham Boulevard went viral on Twitter, causing an uproar. “Quick shoutout to the good people at @UniversalPics for trimming the trees that gave our picket line shade right before a 90+ degree week,” the TV writer wrote. Speaking to The Washington Post, Stephens said, “It seemed like a deliberate move. To make things a little more uncomfortable for everybody, right when the pressure got turned up.”

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

Writers and actors are on picket lines, demanding a rise in base pay and residuals in the streaming TV era. They are also seeking assurances that they will not lose work to artificial intelligence (AI), reported The Independent. As the comedian’s tweet gained traction, the Los Angeles city controller’s office said it is investigating the matter. Let’s take a closer look at the tree-trimming controversy. Universal Studios faces backlash After Stephens’ post on Monday, some from the entertainment industry accused Universal Studios, owned by NBCUniversal, of attempting to make conditions difficult for striking actors and writers in the sweltering heat. Several parts of the US, including Southern California, are witnessing intense and persistent heatwaves for the past few weeks. Actor Lynda Carter, who played Wonder Woman in the 1970s, wrote in a tweet, “In addition to how cruel this is to humans, this is also really bad for the trees.” Sharing a picture of what the trees looked like before pruning, writer and director Eric Haywood tweeted on Tuesday, “Going through some old photos and I found this one from June 27. It’s the same intersection as Chris’ photo from a different angle.”

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Haywood, who is also a member of the WGA Board of Directors, told The Washington Post that this was a “union-busting tactic”. “You don’t trim or prune trees in mid-July in the middle of a heat wave. Those trees were butchered," Haywood said. Meanwhile, on 18 July, writers’ union WGA and actors’ union SAG-AFTRA filed similar complaints to National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), accusing NBCUniversal of engaging in “illegal conduct” by making protesters march along the part of the campus where the studio is carrying out construction work. As per The Guardian, the unions alleged the studio did not set up a temporary pedestrian lane on Lankershim Boulevard, along the western boundary of the Universal Studios Lot, which has created dangerous conditions for strikers, forcing them to “patrol in busy streets with significant car traffic where two picketers have already been struck by a car”. [caption id=“attachment_12894102” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] SAG-AFTRA actors and WAG writers walk the picket line in front of Paramount Studios on 17 July. Reuters[/caption] SAG-AFTRA, as per The Hollywood Reporter, said in a statement: “Suspiciously timed construction that has forced picketers into streets without proper safety rails, and now tree trimming eliminating shade during a record heatwave, has forced SAG-AFTRA to determine that it cannot safely send its members to picket at NBCUniversal.” The actors’ union has asked strikers to go to Warner Bros. and Disney instead, as per Deadline. NBCUniversal responds NBCUniversal confirmed to Deadline that it trimmed the trees, claiming this has been done every summer for the past few years due to safety issues. “We understand that the safety tree trimming of the Ficus trees we did on Barham Blvd has created unintended challenges for demonstrators, that was not our intention. 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. 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,” a Universal spokesperson said. NBCUniversal told The Washinton Post it is working to provide strikers “shade coverage, pop-up tents and water”. On the construction matter, NBC Universal, in a statement, said: “We strongly believe that the company has fulfilled our legal obligations under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) and we will cooperate with respect to any inquiries by the National Labor Relations Board on this issue”, reported The Guardian. ALSO READ: 'Hollywood’s troubles become our troubles': How the actors’ and writers’ strike is affecting life in Los Angeles LA authorities take note In a tweet on Tuesday, LA city controller Kenneth Mejia said his department would be “investigating the tree trimming that occurred outside Universal Studios where workers, writers, and actors are exercising their right to picket.” He said the street’s trees are managed by the city of Los Angeles, but businesses can obtain permits to trim trees from the city’s Bureau of Street Services.

Our Office is investigating the tree trimming that occurred outside Universal Studios where workers, writers, and actors are exercising their right to picket.

The trimmed trees are LA City managed street trees.

(Before and after photos below) pic.twitter.com/xczw0bTdh9

— LA City Controller Kenneth Mejia (@lacontroller) July 19, 2023

On Wednesday, Mejia said that the city had not issued permits for trimming the ficus trees. He added no permits for tree trimming were issued for that location outside Universal Studios over the last three years, reported The Washington Post.  With inputs from agencies