Members of Hollywood Teamsters 399 and the Basic Crafts have voted to ratify their new contracts with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), with the unions announcing the membership approval days after completing talks this past Sunday.
Along with Teamsters, the Basic Crafts consist of IBEW Local 40, LiUNA! Local 724, UA Local 78, and OPCMIA Local 755. All unions had more than 90% in favor of ratification, with Teamsters members voting 96% in favor of the Black Book agreement covering drivers, dispatchers, dot admins, chef assistants, animal trainers/ wranglers, and mechanics, while 98% voted in favor of the Location Manager Agreement.
Voter turnout for both Teamsters agreements was over 80%.
“Our member-led negotiating committee worked for months on end to prepare for this negotiation cycle. While we are proud of what was accomplished for our members regarding wage increases and adjustments across many classifications and improved working conditions, it will never be enough for the hard work, skill, and expertise of our members,” said Teamsters Principal Officer Lindsay Dougherty in a statement.
“Our focus now will shift from negotiations to education and enforcement to make certain contract gains are actualized by our members. Preparation for the next round of negotiations starts now,” she continued. “We will continue to keep an eye on technological advancements, advocate for increased work here in California, make certain Teamsters and Teamsters only are doing our work and fight for all Motion Picture Teamsters for the compensation, working conditions and respect that is owed. I want to thank the Hollywood Basic Crafts for the collaboration throughout this process.”
The ratification vote for the Teamsters and Basic Crafts came rapidly, as it was just this past Sunday that the unions announced they had reached a deal with the AMPTP. Details about the gains reached in the new contract have not been publicly disclosed.
In a statement released soon after the ratification was announced, AMPTP said it “congratulates the Basic Crafts unions on the overwhelming ratification of their respective deals, which contain important new protections and some of the largest increases in decades. The significant economic gains, benefits, additional safety measures, and quality of life improvements in these new contracts reflect the immense value and contributions the hard-working members of these unions bring to Hollywood daily. These deals will contribute to a stronger and more stable future for the motion picture industry – one that can continue to innovate and create and maintain well-paid jobs for its employees.”
Earlier in July, more than 85% of voting IATSE members ratified the Hollywood Basic and Area Standards agreements after three months of talks between the below-the-line union and the AMPTP. Among the gains, were substantial minimum increases, double and triple pay for lengthy shoot days, and the adoption of safety officers on film and TV sets. But the deal did get some pushback from members on artificial intelligence on claims that the protections in the contract were not sufficient to prevent widespread automation of IATSE-covered jobs.
Hollywood labor now turns its attention to IATSE Local 839, also known as The Animation Guild, which begins its negotiations on Aug. 12.
