Boston DSA endorses the picket of David Zaslav at Boston University’s 2023 Commencement.
Boston University YDSA, Boston DSA, BU Grad Workers Union, DSA-LA Hollywood Labor are telling Boston University that David Zaslav should not be their 2023 Commencement Speaker.
Here’s what you can do to help/join in:
- Click here to instantly send a letter to BU leadership saying you’re against their decision.
- On campus? Come decorate your graduation cap with us to show support for the WGA strike and let Warner Bros CEO Zaslav know we don’t support him!
- Help WGA workers on strike! Visit here to learn how.
If you haven’t heard, Boston University has announced that David Zaslav, the CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery, will give their 150th Commencement Address this year. Zaslav is the last person BU should ask its graduating seniors to look up to. Zaslav and other Hollywood CEOs are currently refusing to negotiate with striking writers in good faith. Before the strike, Zaslav laid off thousands of media and entertainment workers while personally earning $246 million in 2021 alone.
David Zaslav led the 2022 merger of WarnerMedia and Discovery, a merger that, according to Senator Elizabeth Warren, “enabled it to harm workers and heighten barriers to entry in the media and entertainment industry.” His former employees at HBO Max have also accused him of selectively laying off people of color and canceling shows that feature diverse content.
Zaslav’s employees are currently on strike fighting for fair wages and better working conditions. Selecting Zaslav to give this historic address during the ongoing writers’ strike is a slap in the face both to the writers currently on strike and to BU graduates who plan to go into the media arts and entertainment industry after graduation.
By honoring Zaslav with an invitation to speak now, at this critical juncture for the entertainment industry, BU is directly suppressing the future income of its graduates. This is a wholly inappropriate choice, and we will not stand for it!