EXCLUSIVE: The Working Families Party is the latest organization to show support to striking writers and actors with a message for the studios.
The political party has taken its blaring message to the AMPTP’s headquarters in Sherman Oaks this morning with a message of solidarity for the WGA and SAG-AFTRA.
“We’re supporting the WGA and SAG-AFTRA because CEOs are making billions of dollars while the majority of union members are making pennies. In this country, the rich are getting richer while working people are being squeezed by CEOs that make their money off the backs of hard-earned labor. They should not be treating workers this way,” said Nelini Stamp, National Director of Strategy and Partnerships for the WFP, told Deadline.
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A large billboard truck will feature graphics with messaging for the studios including “AMPTP, Pay Up!,” “Carole Lombardini [President of the AMPTP] Wants to Sink L.A.’s Economy By Not Giving Workers A Fair Contract,” “Bob Iger Was Compensated $195 Million Over The Past 5 Years” and a quote pulled from SAG President Fran Drescher’s speech last Thursday, “How They Plead Poverty That They’re Losing Money Left And Right When Giving Hundreds Of Millions Of Dollars To Their CEOs. It’s Disgusting, Shame On Them.”
Snippets from Drescher’s speech will also be blasted on the truck’s loudspeakers as it travels from AMPTP headquarters to CBS Radford, Universal Studios and Netflix around noon where they will wrap for the day.
“At each of these spots, the community and people walking the pickets will see our solidarity strikes truck. We want to show the AMPTP and the CEOs of these billion-dollar companies that the broader community is in full support of the workers of SAG-AFTRA and the WGA,” said Stamp.
She continued, “Some of these corporations like Amazon have a history of mistreating their workers. We proudly supported the warehouse workers unionizing and fighting for workplace democracy, the plight of the WGA and SAG-AFTRA are no different. These companies need to know that the whole world is watching and hopefully, more organizations will show solidarity.”
Stamp told Deadline the WFP “prioritizes the many and not just the wealthy few,” which was founded in 1998 by labor unions and community organizations “to elect champions of the working class to fight corporate greed.” Previously, the organization has hosted similar stunts while “calling out elected officials who have done dirty business with big corporations.”
“Our goal is to support both the WGA and SAG-AFTRA in their efforts to get fair contracts but it’s bigger than that as we find ourselves at a crossroads with labor in this country,” she said. “Large companies are not compensating their workers and are creating unsafe workplace conditions all for profit. Enough is enough, they need to know that it’s not just their workers who are standing up but communities across the country see their corporate greed and reject it. How long can this go on? How long can large corporations see billions being made but their workers’ lives are not better? The only way they will see it is if we show them with action.”
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