NBCUniversal Fined $250 for Foliage Dispute at Writers' Picket Line

NBCUniversal's parent company has been fined $250 by the city of Los Angeles for allegedly trimming trees without a permit, which had provided shade for striking Hollywood writers. The Writers Guild of America has been picketing outside NBCUniversal's studio lot for two months, and the recent addition of striking members of the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) has further escalated tensions. NBCUniversal claims the tree trimming was part of annual landscaping, but public works officials have no record of a required permit. The city's limited resources for tree protection have raised concerns, as it has over 700,000 trees and only 12 inspectors. Additionally, the writers and actors unions have filed grievances accusing NBCUniversal of using construction fencing to block sidewalks.