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A new twist in the Writers Guild of America (WGA)'s strike against major studios has netizens looking up tree laws in California. On Monday, July 17, 2023, user Chris Stephens, @ChrisStephensMD, tweeted his frustration with Universal Studios, exclaiming:
"Quick shoutout to the good people at @UniversalPics for trimming the trees that gave out picket line shade right before a 90+ week."
On May 2, earlier this year WGA, consisting of over 11,000 screenwriters, went on a strike and began picketing demanding better pay and a greater share of profits (residuals) from streaming services following failed negotiations with the AMPTP.
AMPTP (Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers) represents over 350 film studios and production companies including streaming-based platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Disney+.
On July 14, the American actors' union (SAG-AFTRA) went on strike over similar demands. This makes it the first time since the 1960s that both actors and writers have walked out simultaneously, interrupting the industry.
Several picketers gathered outside universal studios last week were surprised to find the trees providing much-needed shade in the extreme Los Angeles heat were heavily pruned. Netizens were quick to conclude that this was done as in petty vengeance as such trees are trimmed in fall or winter.
Soon many started looking up tree laws in the city to check whether the studio was allowed to prune the trees. If not allowed, then cybernauts would report the incident to the city authorities in an attempt to get back at the studio.
"Law and Order: Arbor Day": Internet users research Tree law to help WGA picketers
As news of the pruning spread, netizens were quick to look up tree laws in the state in an attempt to help fight back the studio. Many discussed such laws in various states and ways to bring this to the attention of the city. Soon the hashtag #TreeLaw was trending on Twitter.
As the phrase 'tree law' went viral, it caught the attention of the Los Angeles City Controller who stated that the tress was city managed and the case was being investigated.
Universal Studio told Deadline that the trees were trimmed in an annual pruning. No other statements were released.
