Teamsters and Basic Crafts Unions Reach Tentative Deal on New Contract

Publish date: 2024-08-25

Pacts close out 18 months of difficult Hollywood labor negotiations, ending the threat of a major work stoppage disrupting TV and film production through mid-2026

The Teamsters and other Hollywood Basic Crafts unions have reached a tentative deal on a new contract with the major studios — deals that are expected to bring at least two years of calm between labor and management in Hollywood following last year’s writers and actors strikes.

The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers had delivered a “last, best and final” offer on Friday. The Teamsters and Basic Crafts unions countered late Friday night, then worked to come to an agreement late Saturday.

“After a long last 48-hours, we are proud to report that ALL Hollywood Basic Crafts Locals have reached a tentative agreement with the AMPTP late this evening,” the union reported just before midnight Saturday. “The basic crafts spent today working closely with our member-led negotiating committees to finalize a deal with the AMPTP that we can now say is being unanimously recommended by our member-led bargaining committees.”

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No details were provided of the agreement. Teamsters Local 399 was set to have a membership meeting Sunday and would offer further information.

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The union had sought a double-digit increase in wages, along with strict protections against subcontracting and driverless trucks.

The deal came four days before the contract was due to expire on Wednesday. The Hollywood Teamsters have not gone on strike since a three-week lockout in 1988.

It follows the agreement with the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, which was ratified on July 18.

Workers have been struggling with an industrywide contraction, and have hoped that the agreements will resolve any uncertainty that might be holding back a return to full strength in production.

The Basic Crafts unions represent about 8,000 workers in total, including drivers, animal wranglers, location managers, electricians and laborers. The unions had repeatedly warned they would not extend the contract past the July 31 expiration date.

The unions had already settled the issues related to the health and pension plans, which were negotiated jointly with IATSE.

IATSE’s contract covers about 70,000 workers, and provides 7% increases in the first year, triple time after 15 hours, and some protections from artificial intelligence.

Though the IATSE negotiation went relatively smoothly, with few outward signs of tension, the Teamsters had warned repeatedly that the two sides were “far apart.” The union held a webinar on July 14 with Lindsay Dougherty, the head of Local 399, and Sean O’Brien, the general president of the union.

“I want to be clear,” Dougherty said in the webinar. “We aren’t looking for a strike. We’re fighting for a fair deal for our members. 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.”

(Pictured: Teamsters Local 399 head Lindsay Dougherty)

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