Teamsters and Studios ‘Far Apart’ as Deadline Nears for Deal

On Thursday, Hollywood found a moment of relief when the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) ratified new contracts, averting a potential strike this summer. However, one crucial negotiation remains unresolved: the talks between Teamsters Local 399 and Hollywood Basic Crafts with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP).

On Friday, the Teamsters concluded their scheduled bargaining period with the AMPTP, marking five straight weeks at the negotiation table. Though they briefly overlapped with IATSE, the Teamsters reported that they have yet to reach an agreement and significant differences remain on core bargaining priorities.

“There is still much work to be done to reach a tentative agreement as we remain far apart on our core bargaining priorities,” the negotiating committee stated to members late Friday night. “After five weeks of negotiations, this was the first week in which we saw the employers take this process seriously and engage in meaningful discussions. We look forward to continuing to educate the Companies on the important work our members do for their productions, and we will see them back at the table next week.”

Hollywood Basic Crafts comprises Local 399, IBEW Local 40, LiUNA! Local 724, UA Local 78, and OPCMIA Local 755. This coalition represents approximately 8,000 workers, including drivers, location managers, electricians, chef assistants, animal wranglers, plasterers, and more. They are negotiating for updates to their Black Book Agreement and Locations Managers Agreement, which both expire on July 31.

Currently, the union plans to continue talks on Monday and Tuesday. However, similar to IATSE, they have stated they do not want to extend negotiations past July 31. Should they still lack a deal by then, they might conduct a strike authorization vote and potentially call a strike soon after.

A Teamsters strike would effectively halt Hollywood production. While writers’ rooms, development, actors signing on to new projects, and post-production work would continue, physical production relies entirely on truck drivers and basic crafts individuals to keep the shows running.

Among the Teamsters’ demands are higher wages for workers, creating minimum wages for department heads, improved working conditions, including more holidays and overtime penalties, and increased contributions to the union’s pension and health plan. Lead negotiator Lindsay Dougherty has emphasized that these proposals are reasonable and would not significantly impact the studios financially, yet key differences with the studios remain.

“I want to be clear; we aren’t looking for a strike, we’re fighting for a fair deal for our members,” Dougherty said on a call with around 2,000 members last Sunday. “We won’t, however, bargain against ourselves, we won’t be intimidated to take our priorities off the table, and we won’t be taking any concessions.”

To strengthen their position, the union brought in Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien during the last week of negotiations. O’Brien, who spoke at the Republican National Convention earlier this week, aimed to add weight to Local 399’s efforts in discussions with the AMPTP.

The outcome of these negotiations is critical. While Hollywood may have temporarily avoided disruption with the IATSE agreement, the impending talks with Teamsters Local 399 and Hollywood Basic Crafts will determine whether the broader industry can maintain its current pace or face significant interruptions.

The clock ticks as both sides brace for a decisive week ahead, with the future of Hollywood’s production landscape hanging in the balance. The industry awaits the results, hopeful for a fair resolution but preparing for all possibilities.

Source: Variety, Deadline