Universal Pictures Prunes Trees Along Summer Picket Line Sidewalk

As the Writers Guild of America (WGA) enters week 10 of its strike against the Hollywood studios, and its numbers are doubled by members of SAG-AFTRA, it appears Universal Pictures has conjured up a hidden hand—landscaping.

According to Chris Stephens, the production studio took to the trimmers and pruned trees on sidewalks outside of its Los Angeles studios today (July 17), when the temperature was north of 90 degrees. Intentionally or not, the trees happen to run along the sidewalk where picketers are striking.

“Quick shoutout to the good people at @UniversalPics for trimming the trees that gave our picket line shade right before a 90+ degree week,” Stephens wrote.

Quick shoutout to the good people at @UniversalPics for trimming the trees that gave our picket line shade right before a 90+ degree week. pic.twitter.com/aZvvPYQ23i — Chris Stephens (@ChrisStephensMD) July 17, 2023

“99% of canopy removed during growing season,” Another user added. “They might as well have pulled them from the ground and burned them in forges beneath Isengard.”

And the user isn’t wrong. According to a 1994 article from the Los Angeles Times, one should “avoid pruning landscape trees” in L.A. during “mid to late summer (July, August and September).” If done, it can “induce an off-season growth spurt” and “leave some species… vulnerable to freeze damage.”

“Whoever ‘trimmed’ those trees may have just killed a bunch of trees on city property, that weren’t theirs to trim,” Steven Burke, another user, said. “Get ready for a fine and sanctions.”

L.A. cites its 700,000 street tree population as “beautifying our streets” and is necessary for “clean stormwater runoff, remove[ing] pollution from the air” and even “reduce[ing] stress and improve[ing] concentration,” according to StreetsLA.

Equity Legal, a San Diego-based LLP, outlines California Tree Law on its website.

A city will only remove a tree if it is deemed to be an obstruction (such as blocking a sidewalk) or if it is in violation of a local ordinance, such as being in a fire zone, blocking a neighbor’s view, exceeding height limits, or is used as a fence line.

In L.A. any firm, person, or corporation that violates tree ordinance codes is subject to “fines anywhere between $5.00 and $200.00 per offense” but a jail term “not more than 50 days” may also apply.

Los Angeles has reached out to Universal Pictures for comment.