Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass expressed her willingness to get involved personally to find a resolution to the ongoing writers and actors strikes, which have led to significant production shutdowns in the region.
She viewed the scheduled meeting between representatives of the WGA and AMPTP as a positive step, recognizing the severe negative impacts the strike has had on the local economy and community members, saying, “an encouraging development especially as this historic moment continues to have profoundly negative impacts on our economy and many of our community members.”
Unlike some other Democrats who have taken sides and joined picket lines, Mayor Bass remained neutral in the walkout. In the past, she played a mediation role in resolving a strike among service workers at the Los Angeles Unified School District.
In her statement, Mayor Bass acknowledged the widespread impact of the strike on various aspects of Los Angeles, from the financial struggles faced by writers and actors on the picket line to businesses reliant on the entertainment industry. She emphasized the need to adapt to the changing economic conditions in the entertainment sector and called for an immediate resolution to get Los Angeles back on track.
REELated:
“This important inflection point for our city’s signature industry has caused ripple effects throughout our economy as well as that of the state and the country. The impact has spanned every corner of Los Angeles — from the writers and actors on the picket line trying to make ends meet to keep a roof over their head and food on the table, to businesses who rely on the entertainment industry. The economic conditions of the entertainment industry are changing — and we must react and evolve to this challenge. It is critical that this gets resolved immediately so that Los Angeles gets back on track and I stand ready to personally engage with all the stakeholders in any way possible to help get this done.”
Governor Gavin Newsom also offered his assistance to resolve the strikes if requested, while maintaining a neutral public stance on favoring either side.
The meeting between WGA Chief Negotiator Ellen Stutzman and AMPTP boss Carol Lombardini was seen as potentially laying the groundwork for new negotiations, but it was not an official restart of talks. Despite the meeting’s potential for progress, both sides engaged in heated rhetoric before the scheduled sit-down.
