Striking WGA Union’s Spending Spree Revealed, Including 25K On Sushi


LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JULY 14: Members of the Hollywood actors SAG-AFTRA union walk a picket line with screenwriters outside of Paramount Studios on Day 2 of the actors' strike on July 14, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. Members of SAG-AFTRA, Hollywood’s largest union which represents actors and other media professionals, joined striking WGA (Writers Guild of America) workers in the first joint walkout against the studios since 1960. The strike could shut down Hollywood productions completely with writers in the third month of their strike against the Hollywood studios. (Photo by David McNew/Getty Images)
Members of the Hollywood actors SAG-AFTRA union walk a picket line with screenwriters outside of Paramount Studios on Day 2 of the actors’ strike on July 14, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. Members of SAG-AFTRA, Hollywood’s largest union which represents actors and other media professionals, joined striking WGA (Writers Guild of America) workers in the first joint walkout against the studios since 1960. The strike could shut down Hollywood productions completely with writers in the third month of their strike against the Hollywood studios. (Photo by David McNew/Getty Images)

OAN’s James Meyers
5:06 PM – Thursday, September 21, 2023

The Writers Guild of America West (WGA) union has spent thousands on fancy meals, travel expenses to Europe and donated to Democrats, while asking the public to give money to writers who are on strike, according to The New York Post.

Advertisement

The report stated that the union spent $25,634 at a sushi-restaurant, $5,806 on an executives five-star Paris hotel, $6,600 on photographs and paid its top executive more than $1 million in salary.

The union’s highest paid political contributions went to Democrat Senator John Fetterman (D-Pa.), and Representative Adam Schiff (D-Calif.). 

Between 2021 and 2023 it provided $107,000 to Democrat campaigns and committees. 

The revealed spending comes after rumors of an imminent deal to end the strike were on the table, with union negotiators, bosses, broadcasters, studios including Netflix and Disney meeting in Los Angeles, California, Thursday. 

However, when the union began their strike on May 2nd, they urged the public for help and thanked stars who donated to their hardship fund. 

The day before the strike began, union leaders spent thousands on meals at Hollywood restaurants, such as Tesse, where the leadership dropped $19,148 in undated “hospitality service,” according to its most recent filings with the Department of Labor.

Additionally, the group spent $17,814 at the Sixty SoHo Hotel in Manhattan for a “national conference” in 2022. The lavish hotel has hosted actors such as Kirsten Dunst and Jake Gyllenhall.

The WGA West’s executive director David Young took home $1,098,907 in compensation, according to the union’s latest filings to the IRS. 

According to more public filings, the union owns its own building in Los Angeles and has assets worth up to almost $100 million. 

It has now been almost five months since the strike began, when writers demanded higher wages. 

Stay informed! Receive breaking news blasts directly to your inbox for free. Subscribe here. https://www.oann.com/alerts





Source link

Be the first to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.


*