NBCUniversal has partially restored access to the sidewalk adjacent to one of its studio gates, two weeks after the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA filed federal complaints arguing that the company was infringing on their members’ legal right to hold picket lines in front of their entrances.
A week after the Writers Guild strike began in May, construction fences were erected around the sidewalks next to Universal’s Lankershim Blvd. gate. WGA members on social media raised complaints, accusing the studio of attempting to block picket lines while the studio denied such claims, saying in statements that the construction was part of a multi-year backlot development and renovation plan that began in 2020.
On Tuesday, as WGA and SAG-AFTRA were set to hold a rally demanding that Universal restore pedestrian access on Lankershim Blvd., Universal moved back the fences to allow for partial sidewalk access, with freshly laid asphalt placed in some areas.
“From Day 1, we’ve supported the guilds’ right to demonstrate at entrances to our property and have actively been looking for solutions to increase safe access during our multi-year construction project that broke ground in February 2020,” NBCUniversal said in a statement sent to TheWrap.
“Given the complexity of traffic challenges on Lankershim Blvd., we’ve been developing two potential plans simultaneously. The first plan includes placing hard barriers in the street. Because this requires a city lane closure, we have submitted this plan to the city for review and approval,” the statement continued.
While the company waits for the Los Angeles Department of Transportation to approve permits for the barriers, NBCU says it has implemented another plan to add “temporary walking paths and expanded shaded rest areas” for picketers and pedestrians that “substantially increases demonstrators’ safe access to our busiest gates on Lankershim Blvd.”
In its complaint to the National Labor Relations Board last month, the WGA said that NBCU’s construction fences “forc[ed] picketers to patrol in busy streets with significant car traffic where two picketers have already been struck by a car and by refusing 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.”
While SAG-AFTRA members have voluntarily appeared at the Universal lot to march on the picket lines with WGA members, the actors guild has not officially added Universal to its picket line schedule due to safety concerns regarding the sidewalks. The guild is currently evaluating the new measures implemented by NBCUniversal to determine whether they are enough to allow the number of actors who would join official picket lines to safely do so.
In a statement on Tuesday, the WGA said that ““Though it’s encouraging to see progress being made, we intend to hold NBCU accountable and be here until they follow through on their promises to create a safe picketing environment and negotiate a fair contract.”
