Fellow unions launch food drive to express solidarity with striking Hollywood actors, writers

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Organizers behind a food drive focused on the Hollywood strikes call the effort another example of solidarity as local unions band together in the wake of massive production shutdowns.

"This is solidarity, baby!" said Teamster member Alison Taylor, who was volunteering at the food drive taking place on the Motion Picture and Television Fund's Woodland Hills campus Thursday. "If you want something done, you have to band together. You have to stick together to get anything accomplished. That's what we're doing."

The drive was organized by local International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) and Teamster chapters, with help from charities like the Los Angeles Food Bank.

Handed out to members of any unions affected by the strikes were packages of every day necessities.

Martin Sheen, Kerry Washington call for solidarity between Hollywood strikers and other workers

Kerry Washington and Martin Sheen, a pair of fictional former politicos, turned Hollywood's strikes into a rousing campaign rally with speeches celebrating unity across the industry and with labor at large.

"Much needed food, PPE, diapers, hygiene items we're passing out today, making sure these families have groceries on their tables," said Armando Olivas, executive director of labor community services, a nonprofit section of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO.

Organizers said Thursday's drive should be able to help about 2,000 families, which is a strong indicator of the increase in members seeking assistance since the strikes began.

"Typical pre-strike days, we would get 20 calls. We are now getting 100 calls a day, 200 calls a day, from industry members who need financial assistance," said Bob Beitcher, the president and CEO of the Motion Picture & Television Fund.

Beitcher said the MPTF has already doled out more than $1 million in financial aid since the start of the strikes.