Writers Strike Day 6: Latino Writers, Disabled Scribes Hit Hollywood Picket Lines
Latino WGA members and their allies descended upon Universal Studios en masse Monday beginning at 5 a.m. to picket on the sixth day of the Hollywood writers strike.
The early arrival for some came as picketers wanted to be visible to trucks attempting to enter through the studio’s gates. Several picket lines in Los Angeles and New York have turned trucks away since contract talks broke off May 1 between the writers and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.
The WGA West’s Latinx Writers Committee organized today’s action, which at its height grew to about 300 picketers in Universal City, marching across Lankershim Boulevard from the main gates of the studio to Telemundo and back.
RELATED: Deadline’s ‘Strike Talk’ Podcast With Billy Ray And Todd Garner: Week One
The list of writers included the Latinx Writers Committee chair Christina Piña and vice chair Jorge Rivera and Gordita Chronicles creator Claudia Forestieri, who talked about the abrupt end of her HBO Max series.
“We were on track to do Season 2, and we had a meeting room,” she said. “Basically … it was more work, less people and less pay in less time — so, unfortunately that trend can’t continue.”
Also on hand were Pose creator Steven Canals; Brooklyn Nine-Nine alum Melissa Fumero; WGA strike captain Marcella Ochoa; actors Judy Reyes and Ana Ortiz; and Schmigadoon! co-creator Cinco Paul and co-star Jaime Camil, the latter of which was holding a picket sign with the SAG-AFTRA logo.
WHY WE’RE STRIKING: “We want to show Hollywood that we're out here… we are a force,” Chair of the Latinx Writers Committee at the WGA West Christina Piña tells Deadline today. “We want to make sure that we're getting a fair deal,” adds member Jim Adler #WritersStrike pic.twitter.com/ZbWaBwau4k — Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) May 8, 2023
WHY I’M STRIKING: “Our industry is being gutted… we as Latinos have an extra fight… it's even harder for us even beyond all the things that the Guild is fighting for…” Vice Chair of the Latinx Writers Committee of the WGA Jorge Rivera tells Deadline #WritersStrike pic.twitter.com/ZUrFCN3fo5 — Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) May 8, 2023
WHY I’M STRIKING: “Sometimes you’ve got to demand respect when you don’t get it…” Claudia Forestieri, creator of ‘Gordita Chronicles’, tells Deadline outside Universal Studios in LA today #WritersStrike pic.twitter.com/gnxSGrATID — Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) May 8, 2023
WHY I’M STRIKING: “As a queer, Afro-Puertorriqueño, I am the exception, I’m not the rule…” Steven Canals, co-creator of ‘Pose’, tells Deadline outside Universal Studios in LA today #WritersStrike pic.twitter.com/qvMaEgxg1H — Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) May 8, 2023
WHY I’M STRIKING: “I’m fighting for all the free work we have to do as screenwriters and fair wages…” WGA captain Marcella Ochoa tells Deadline outside Universal Studios in LA today #WritersStrike pic.twitter.com/NhgawsQBXb — Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) May 8, 2023
WHY I’M STRIKING: “As a Latina, the representation that we're fighting for in the business, we're fighting this uphill battle and then on top of it for our writers to not be compensated… it's not right,” Melissa Fumero tells Deadline #WritersStrike pic.twitter.com/ndW5OUVkLV — Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) May 8, 2023
WHY WE’RE STRIKING: “We are nothing without the page,” Jaime Camil, SAG-AFTRA, tells Deadline outside Universal Studios in LA today. “We’re on the right side [of the fight],” adds ‘Schmigadoon!’ showrunner Cinco Paul #WritersStrike pic.twitter.com/R4Z9ZKsLLV — Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) May 8, 2023
WHY I’M STRIKING: “This is how few Latinx writers there are. We’re all on the same corner… That’s the problem… There’s a much bigger problem with residuals, but we’ve got triple issues…” Al Madrigal tells Deadline outside of Universal Studios in LA today #WritersStrike pic.twitter.com/OZ5WUJXKV4 — Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) May 8, 2023
WHY WE’RE STRIKING: “If it ain’t on the page, it ain’t on the stage,” Ana Ortiz with Judy Reyes, both SAG-AFTRA, in solidarity with the WGA outside Universal Studios in LA today #WritersStrike pic.twitter.com/Ple49SPpqT — Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) May 8, 2023
WHY I’M STRIKING: “We are nothing without our writers…” Jaina Lee Ortiz, SAG-AFTRA, in solidarity with the WGA outside Universal Studios in LA today #WritersStrike pic.twitter.com/SXqLImoURY — Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) May 8, 2023
WHY I’M STRIKING: “I’m really worried about this business and the pipeline of people of color…” Danny Fernandez, WGA, tells Deadline outside Universal Studios in LA today #WritersStrike pic.twitter.com/TGPQJF7392 — Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) May 8, 2023
The WGAW group is scheduled to reassemble Tuesday at Netflix’s headquarters in Los Angeles.
At Amazon Studios in Culver City, the Inevitable Foundation organized a group of disabled and non-disabled writers to participate in picketing. That group included Inevitable co-founder Richie Siegel; writer-comedian Pamela Galvez; Ashley Eakin (Disney’s Growing Up), the latter a member of both the WGA and Directors Guild; and Animation Guild member Shaina Ghuraya.
WHY I'M STRIKING: “We are out here supporting disabled writers who are striking to push for fair wages and equitable creative environments…” Richie Siegel, co-founder of the Inevitable Foundation, tells Deadline outside of Amazon Studios in Culver City today #WritersStrike pic.twitter.com/xRbiAesIhz — Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) May 8, 2023
WHY I'M STRIKING: “I want all comedy clubs to be accessible to comedians… I'm here to support the strike and that our disabled voices are heard…” Pamela Galvez tells Deadline outside of Amazon Studios in Culver City today #WritersStrike pic.twitter.com/mU2pCrCRt8 — Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) May 8, 2023
WHY I'M STRIKING: “Disabled writers haven't really had their space in our industry yet… a lot of people are starting out and you're finding that you can't make liveable wages…” Ashley Eakin tells Deadline outside of Amazon Studios in Culver City today #WritersStrike pic.twitter.com/HjIGoCKIG8 — Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) May 8, 2023
WHY I'M STRIKING: “We need our rights, we need equal pay and we need good health care… Disabled screenwriters make up less than 1% of people in the writer's room and that's unacceptable…” Shaina Ghuraya, member of the Animation Guild, tells Deadline #WritersStrike pic.twitter.com/7tucuXgWxI — Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) May 8, 2023
Source: Deadline
