Florists are among the countless number of businesses affected by the six-week long Writers Guild of America strike.

On Dec. 9, hundreds of film and television production workers were joined by florists, caterers and others who have lost their income, for "Strike a Deal," a march through Hollywood urging both the studios and the writers to come to a settlement, according to Reuters.

Corrie Levelle, of Sandy Rose Floral Designs in North Hollywood, which specializes in set design and provides floral props for shows such as Desperate Housewives and The Office, was just one of the almost 500 people that took part in the demonstration.

"It felt really good to get out there and finally get our voices heard," Levelle says. "I felt we were able to be proactive, when for the last couple of weeks we've felt helpless."

Levelle says the strike has affected her business in "terrible" ways. She's laid off most of her employees, and if it continues into next week, she'll have to close her doors until there's work available again.

"I've been asked why I don't diversify and look for parties or weddings," Levelle says. "But what people from around the country don't understand is what kind of effect the entertainment industry has on our local economy. With so many people laid off, there's not a lot of parties, and if I book a wedding now, it's not going to happen for months or a year from now. That's not going to help me. Those kinds of events are drying up too."

--Kori Kamradt
kkamradt@safnow.org

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