Hollywood Teamsters and the Basic Crafts have prolonged negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) in an effort to finalize a new tentative bargaining agreement before their current contract expires on July 31.
In a Friday night update to members, union leaders stated, “We remain far apart on core bargaining priorities.” They emphasized the urgency of resolving these differences, as the current Teamsters contract expires at the end of the month. The union has made it clear to the AMPTP that no extensions will be agreed upon beyond that date.
“The Hollywood Basic Crafts have concluded discussions with the AMPTP for the 5th week of negotiations. Today was originally set to be our last scheduled date for negotiations; however, there is still much work to be done to reach a tentative agreement as we remain far apart on our core bargaining priorities,” the union update read.
“At this time, we will be back at the table with the AMPTP on Monday and Tuesday of next week. With our agreements set to expire on July 31st, we will continue to schedule as many days necessary to make a deal that protects our members’ work, compensates them fairly, and respects their skill and contributions to this industry. We will, however, not be extending our agreements past expiration,” the statement continued.
“After 5 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.”
Wages remain a significant sticking point, according to insiders, particularly due to disparities that often make Teamster-covered positions, such as location managers and chef assistants, among the lowest paid on productions. Like other Hollywood unions, substantial increases are being sought to keep pace with the high cost of living in Los Angeles.
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The latest memo from the Teamsters comes a day after IATSE members voted to ratify their new bargaining agreements by a significant margin. There is hope among Hollywood workers that the completion of labor negotiations will result in an increase in the number of productions and employment opportunities in Los Angeles. Currently, the number of on-location shoots is 33% below the five-year average, according to a FilmLA report published earlier this week.
Even if negotiations conclude favorably, production levels may still be lower than previous years as studios are reducing production spending to make their streaming services profitable.
Collectively, the Teamsters and Basic Crafts represent 7,600 entertainment workers, including drivers, dispatchers, electricians, caterers, laborers, cement masons, plumbers, animal trainers, and casting directors.
The other unions in the Basic Crafts are the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 40, Laborers International Union of North America Local (LIUNA) 724, United Association Plumbers Local (UA) 78, and Operating Plasterers & Cement Masons International Association (OPCMIA) Local 755.
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