The other day, NBCUniversal trimmed the city trees outside the studio which were providing shade to striking writers and actors in 95-degree heat. The was a major outcry to this action, and the issue was taken to the city -- not just for the physical abuse it called in such brutal heat, but also because the trees don't belong to NBCUniversal and are actually owned by the city. ?Here's the before and after. NBCUniversal was just fined by the city for the unpermitted trimming of the trees that provided shade to picketers. The fine was $250 dollars. Really. No, I didn't leave out any zeros. Well, that sure is going to put the fear of God into NBCUniversal next time they try to cause physical harm to strikers!! At least NBCUniversal was called out for doing this -- in a brutal heat wave. So, that's good. But it's a shame that "unpermitted tree trimming" was the worst they could be charged with. Two things to note. 1) L.A. City Controller Kenneth Mejia said “outdated laws limit fine amounts and aren’t equitable" and will recommend these laws be reevaluated. 2) It's not the end of the story, since the WGA and SAG-AFTRA have filed labor complaints to the National Labor Relations Board. The complains says that NBCUniversal has “interfered with, coerced and restrained employees in the exercise of their rights” during the strike. Grievances also include putting up construction fencing that has obstructed the designated picket locations. This has caused picketers to walk in the streets where two picketers have been hit by cars. The studio insists they've done nothing wrong, releasing a statement -- “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,” NBCUniversal continued. “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.” Now, that sounds extremely nice and noble and good. Indeed, downright decent of them. Almost kumbaya. The problem is, though -- in their effort to "openly communicate" with the labor leaders, AMPTP studio heads have largely left town and gone on vacation, and haven't actually negotiated in many weeks. Moreover, assuming that NBCUniversal has, in fact, previously trimmed the trees annually, as they say, no doubt they got permits to do so first. Had they tried to get permits this year before trimming the trees, it seems likely that they know they wouldn't have gotten them, given the presence of picketers, and the shade the trees provided. And as the pictures above show, that is not tree-trimming, that is denuding. (In fact, the founder of a local group group dedicated to educating the public about trees, Jerry Rubin, told the Los Angeles Times, “It’s unhealthy to give them a cut like they’re joining the military. It’s ludicrous. Any arborists worth their weight will tell you that.”) Oh, by the way, that high-wind season in Los Angeles that NBCUniversal is concerned about, known as the Santa Anas, it doesn't begin until -- September. The studio's unpermitted tree-trimming in supposed preparation for that was done in mid-July. It's also worth noting that this "Oh, gee, it was a total mistake, we totally support the strikers, totally" statement wasn't NBCUniversal's first response to the complains. In their first try, they replied -- “We strongly believe that the company has fulfilled our legal obligations under the National Labor Relations Act and we will cooperate with respect to any inquiries by the National Labor Relations Board on this issue. While we understand the timing of our multi-year construction project has created challenges for demonstrators, we continue to work with public agencies to increase access.” So, when that seemed crass, cold-hearted (y'know, given the 95-degree heat and two strikers hit by cars) and unbelievable, they realized that perhaps they had better try a second time. Strike two...
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AuthorRobert J. Elisberg is a political commentator, screenwriter, novelist, tech writer and also some other things that I just tend to keep forgetting. Feedspot Badge of Honor
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