Stephen Colbert, who previously supported the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike, has been accused of crossing a union picket line at Harvard University. Colbert and cellist Yo-Yo Ma were scheduled to participate in a discussion titled "Arts for Life's Sake" on Thursday.
Members of the Harvard Graduate Students Union (HGSU), who have been on strike since October 27 seeking higher wages and improved workplace protections, urged Colbert and Ma to cancel or postpone the event. The union stated it contacted both performers and their representatives in advance, but neither withdrew.
The event, held at Sanders Theatre, was abruptly cut short by a fire alarm approximately 40 minutes after it began, forcing Colbert, Ma, and attendees to evacuate. The discussion was scheduled for 90 minutes but did not resume. The cause of the fire alarm remains undetermined, and the HGSU denied any involvement, stating it was unrelated to their picketing activities.
Protesters from the union demonstrated outside the theater before and during the event, chanting slogans and using air horns. The union expressed that Colbert and Ma proceeded with the event "without regard for the picket line."
Union demands include a $55,000 annual salary for research assistants and approximately $45,000 for teaching fellows, along with annual raises. They also seek an independent grievance process for harassment and discrimination complaints, financial support for Title IX cases, and protections for immigration documents. The union wants the university to notify them if Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrive on campus and to require a judicial warrant before cooperating with ICE.
In contrast, author John Green recently moved a scheduled Harvard appearance online to avoid crossing the picket line and donated proceeds from the event to the union, calling his decision "easy."