Editorial

Universal Pictures Trim Trees Writers On Strike Were Using For Shade, And It’s Easily One Of The Pettiest Moves Ever

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Writers on strike march with signs on the picket line on day four of the strike by the Writers Guild of America in front of Netflix in Hollywood, California on May 5, 2023. - More than 11,000 Hollywood television and movie writers are on their first strike since 2007 after talks with studios and streamers over pay and working conditions failed to clinch a deal. (Photo by FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images)

(Photo by FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images)

Andrew Powell Sports and Entertainment Blogger
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Universal Studios should be ashamed of themselves.

The Writers Guild of America (WGA) is entering its 10th week of the strike against Hollywood, with their numbers being doubled by SAG-AFTRA members. However, Universal Pictures has come up with a plan to help take out these writers who just want a fair piece of the pie — trimming trees.

Apparently, Universal trimmed the trees that are placed on the sidewalk outside of their Los Angeles studios Monday, with the temperature being over the 90’s, according to Chris Stephens. Oh, and it conveniently happens to be the same sidewalk where the writers are striking.

“Quick shoutout to the good people at @UniversalPics for trimming the trees that gave our picket line shade right before a 90+ degree week,” wrote Stephens.

Definitely one of the pettiest moves of all-time … and all over a few nickels and dimes.

Me personally as a writer, you better believe I’m standing with my fellow writers, and I hope they get the payday they deserve. Do I think they’ll get it?

Of course not, corporations are way too greedy for that kind of thing. And it’s a shame too, because I personally know how much work goes into writing. Some people just think it’s you sitting in front of a laptop typing and that’s it, and I’m just over here like … no.

Writing can be a very grueling grind. Yeah, I have fun with it, I’m extremely grateful to be where I’m at with my career. But with how tedious things can be, how us writers like to overthink and overanalyze, and I know with me, I’m a perfectionist. Literally everything has to be 100% right. Heck, by the end of the day, you’re exhausted. (RELATED: Toho Just Dropped The First Trailer For Their ‘Godzilla Minus One’ Movie, And They’re Bringing Some Heat With This One)

It truly is a grueling grind. A fun grind, but a grueling one. So absolutely those writers deserve to be paid.

I hope to see it.