Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass on Monday stepped up her rhetoric on the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes, calling for “a fair and equitable solution” in contract negotiations for both sides.
“Los Angeles is experiencing a summer of struggle to make ends meet,” Bass said in a statement. “Whether you’re a writer who has been on strike for more than 72 days or an actor who has been on strike for 72 hours, wages and health benefits to afford housing, food and the basic necessities to survive should be a minimum requirement in discussions.”
She added that “a strong business sector is essential for our city to become affordable for working families once again,” noting that the Los Angeles is facing “a historic inflection point” as the entertainment industry experiences economic pressure and business uncertainty.
“A fair and equitable solution must be reached,” Bass said, adding that “in all industries — education, hospitality, goods delivery or entertainment — Angelenos deserve fair contracts.”
Meanwhile, California Gov. Gavin Newsom — who has received hefty campaign contributions from Hollywood studio execs over the years — has largely refrained from commenting on the strike except to say that he would be willing to intervene if called on by both sides.
Bass on Friday — the first official day of the SAG-AFTRA strike — called for the unions and studios to restart negotiations.
“With more than 100,000 workers now participating in an unprecedented strike, it is clear the entertainment industry is at a historic inflection point,” Bass said. “This affects all of us and is essential to our overall economy. I call upon all sides to come to the table and work around the clock until an equitable agreement is reached. This is an urgent issue that must be resolved and I will be working to make that happen.”