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Just a week before Taylor Swift’s highly-anticipated six-night show in Los Angeles, a local union representing striking hotel workers publicly appealed to her to postpone the concerts in order to support their campaign for better wages and working conditions. However, the pop star did not respond to their request, raising concerns about the experience of out-of-town fans who might have to stay in dirty hotel rooms during the shows.
Kurt Petersen, co-president of Unite Here Local 11 union, expressed his thoughts on the matter, stating that fans might have to face an “ungodly scene” due to the lack of services and cleanliness in the hotels affected by the strike. Petersen emphasized the need to prevent the hotels from benefitting financially from the strike.
This issue surrounding Taylor Swift’s fans staying in subpar hotels is just one of the many flashpoints in what union activists are calling the “hot labor summer” in the US. Los Angeles, in particular, has been a hotbed of industrial action. While strikes by Hollywood’s writers and actors have gained international attention, the city is also witnessing ongoing strikes by hotel workers and fast food employees. Fortunately, a potential strike by dockworkers, which could have further disrupted the US supply chain, was narrowly avoided in June.
The simultaneous strikes by screenwriters, actors, hotel workers, and other unions have sparked scholarly and labor activist interest due to the unexpected solidarity observed. The hotel workers, who often earn hourly wages and speak English as a second language, have formed alliances with the Writers Guild of America and the Screen Actors Guild. It is worth noting that prominent actresses like Meryl Streep and Jennifer Lawrence have expressed their support for the strikes.
Other unions representing teachers and nurses in Los Angeles have also shown solidarity with the striking workers. Nurses have offered support by providing amenities such as air-conditioned vans and water stations outside Hollywood studios, where picket lines have endured sweltering temperatures. This cross-union solidarity is seen as a defining characteristic of this moment in labor activism, as it goes beyond the boundaries of the entertainment industry.
The guilds in Hollywood argue that many of their members, especially those who entered the industry during the rise of streaming platforms, face similar economic struggles as workers in other industries. The shift to shorter seasons for streaming shows has led to reduced opportunities for writers. Additionally, actors and writers have experienced a decline in royalties with the advent of the streaming era. Meanwhile, the cost of living in Los Angeles continues to rise, making it increasingly challenging for workers to afford housing.
The central question underlying the strikes is whether those working in the city, including cooks, actors, writers, and teachers, will be able to afford to live in Los Angeles. The impact of the strikes is evident in the difficulty of filling picket lines on the city’s affluent west side, where many members of the actors union struggle to find affordable housing. This issue symbolizes the broader challenges workers in the industry face.
Compared to other parts of the US, participation in labor unions in Los Angeles is notably strong. Workers at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center secured significant pay raises following a five-day strike, and graduate student employees at the University of California achieved wage increases after a six-week strike. This trend reflects a generational shift in attitudes towards inequality and a desire to take action to address it.
The tensions between the studios and unions in Hollywood have been particularly intense. Studio executives argue that the strikes are detrimental to an industry that was just starting to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, actors and writers fear that artificial intelligence technology could threaten their job opportunities. The unions have even accused Universal Studios of deliberately reducing shade for picketers by trimming trees. Construction on Universal property has also limited space for protests, prompting complaints from the Writers Guild.
Amidst this contentious environment, negotiations between the studios and unions have been temporarily suspended to allow for a cooling-off period. The timing of the strike on July 13, coinciding with the success of films like “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer,” has raised concerns that Hollywood may struggle to replicate these achievements in the near future. Sony has already postponed its film slate for the rest of the year, and other studios may follow suit.
Speculations suggest that the strikes could continue until November or even extend into January. There was a glimmer of hope earlier this week when the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers reached out to the Writers Guild for discussions on Friday. However, both parties issued press releases criticizing each other. Local businesses that depend on Hollywood are eager for a swift resolution to the strikes, as they have already experienced a slowdown in business. The Sotta restaurant, popular among screenwriters and studio workers, has seen a decline in customers. The general manager, Amber Dedman, has been offering discounts to picketers and supporting them during the strikes but hopes they will conclude soon, as the community relies heavily on the functioning of the studios.
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