On Tuesday, May 2nd, 2023, the Writers Guild of America declared a strike against the Companies of the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, including NBC Universal. As part of this labor dispute, WGA members and supporters have been picketing outside the gates of Universal Studios Hollywood on both Barham Boulevard and Lankershim Boulevard. Our picketing activities are protected by both the Constitution and the National Labor Relations Act.

During the week of May 8th, 2023, NBC Universal began a construction project on Lankershim Boulevard. Since then, your construction project has eliminated access to entire sidewalks and gates where picketing was occurring. First one sidewalk was fenced in by scaffolding. Then another. Within four weeks, NBC Universal had fenced in and demolished every sidewalk surrounding Gates 1, 2, 4, and 5—all of which were gates with active picketing. Gates 1 and 5, which do not have traffic lights or crosswalks, are now inaccessible except by walking in a lane of oncoming traffic which creates an obvious significant safety risk to picketers. At times, and without any prior warning, the scaffolding has fully blocked pedestrian walk signs, eliminated curb ramps that serve as ADA-accessible entry points, and prevented pedestrians from accessing the call buttons required to safely cross a wide, busy street.

On Tuesday, June 6th, 2023, the Labor Relations Unit of the Los Angeles Police Department came to inspect the construction project on Lankershim Boulevard. Recognizing the obvious public safety threat, they recommended the construction of a pedestrian lane of “K-Rail” barriers along Lankershim Boulevard, from River Road to Universal Hollywood Drive. This action would restore safe access to all gates for picketers and pedestrians.

More than a month has passed, and despite having received requests to set up “K-Rail” barriers from LAPD’s Labor Relations Unit, members of the Los Angeles City Council including Paul Krekorian, and the Writers Guild of America, and despite already receiving approval from the County of Los Angeles to set up “K-rail” barriers, NBC Universal still has not set up a pedestrian lane. This delay is unacceptable.

We, the Undersigned, hereby demand an end to this unconscionable delay and demand the immediate construction of a K-Rail pedestrian lane along Lankershim Boulevard.