Entertainment industry unions call for productions to be halted amid virus surge

Entertainment industry unions are calling for in-person productions to be halted as coronavirus cases rise and hospital beds across California reach maximum capacity.

SAG-AFTRA, which represents nearly 160,000 members who work in radio, television and film, released a statement on Sunday along with the Joint Policy Committee, LLC, which represents advertisers, asking for a hold on the production of television shows and films in Southern California due to the pandemic.

“Southern California hospitals are facing a crisis the likes of which we have never seen before,” Gabrielle Carteris, the president of SAG-AFTRA, said in the statement. “Patients are dying in ambulances waiting for treatment because hospital emergency rooms are overwhelmed. This is not a safe environment for in-person production right now.”

The groups want a pause in production until more hospital beds become available.

“Even putting aside the risk of acquiring COVID on set — a risk that we have done a great deal to mitigate through our safety protocols — on-set production always poses some risk of injury, whether because of a stunt gone wrong, an equipment failure or a garden-variety fall. Right now, with few if any hospital beds available, it is hard to understand how a worker injured on set is supposed to seek treatment,” SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director David White said.

The Producers Guild of America is also voicing its support for a halt in production. 

“We take the health and safety of our members, cast, crew and community very seriously. As a result of the COVID surge and lack of hospital capacity, we encourage everyone currently shooting in Southern CA to delay production until the county health officials indicate it’s safe to resume,” organization presidents Gail Berman and Lucy Fisher wrote in a statement on Sunday.

The guild also asked workers to stay home and opt out of on-set jobs.

“The Late Late Show” took steps on Monday to return production to host James Corden’s garage instead of using a studio space.

No, you’re not experiencing déjà vu.

With Los Angeles back on lockdown, we’re once again taping the #LateLateShow in @JKCorden‘s garage until it’s safe to return to our studio.

So mask up, stay safe, and we’ll see you tonight at 12:37 on CBS ♥️ pic.twitter.com/jK3YNt0ElY

— The Late Late Show with James Corden (@latelateshow) January 4, 2021