Rage Against The Machine guitarist Tom Morello played a surprise set on the picket line in front of Paramount Studios in Hollywood yesterday (August 14).
SAG-AFTRA – Hollywood’s largest union, which represents 160,000 actors and performers – and the Writers Guild of America (WGA) are both currently on strike as they seek an increase in base pay and residuals in the age of streaming. They are also hoping to negotiate safeguards against the unregulated use of artificial intelligence in the film industry.
Speaking before the performance, Morello told NME he wanted to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with striking actors and writers: “They’re making history here on the sidewalk in front of Paramount Studios and I’m here to support them and express my solidarity.”
The guitarist, who described himself as a “proud union man”, applauded the actors and writers for “flexing their power and showing what solidarity means.”
Tom Morello singing the final verse of union bop This Land is Your Land to an energized WGA/ SAG AFTRA picket line pic.twitter.com/WO9o8HUiMd
— Clara (@thatclarafied) August 14, 2023
He added that the ongoing strikes in the entertainment industry are part of a wider movement of organised worker power across the country that some have dubbed ‘Hot Labor Summer’. “In the United States right now, we have the biggest wave of strikes and organising in about 40 years,” said Morello. “In town right now, we also have hotel workers out [on strike] as well, so the picket lines are hot!”
Morello’s 15-minute set included ‘Union Song’, ‘Hold The Line’, ‘Union Town’ and a cover of Woody Guthrie’s ‘This Land Is Your Land’. “I’ve made music throughout my entire life to be played on picket lines and on the front lines,” said Morello. “So today is just one more day at the office with regards to that.”
Speaking to NME in 2021, the guitarist explained his motivation behind making music with a message. “The reason why I’ve made political records in the past is because that was authentic; my heart and my head wanted to use music as a battering ram for social justice,” he said.
Earlier this week, the cast of Parks and Recreation reunited on the picket line in support of the SAG-AFTRA strike. Adam Scott (who played Ben Wyatt), Aubrey Plaza (April Ludgate) and Nick Offerman (Ron Swanson) appeared alongside other former members of the cast and crew on Friday (August 11) outside Amazon Studios in Culver City, California.
While their former co-star Chris Pratt wasn’t in attendance, he shared the photos on Instagram in solidarity, writing: “The Parks gang went picketing today. I couldn’t be there, but I stand in solidarity with them. #SAGAFTRAstrong #SAGAFTRAstrike.”