Hollywood Teamsters Local 399 have voted in favor of ratifying a new three-year contract with the industry’s major employers. The new deal includes increased pay for weekend work, higher overtime rates and gains for meal money and cell phone allowances.
The deal between Teamsters Local 399 and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers was hailed on Wednesday night as a breakthrough in core economic issues for the union’s members. The Hollywood local of the famed drivers’ union represents 5,500 industry workers, including drivers, animal trainers, handlers and wranglers, dispatchers, casting and location professionals and mechanics.
“Our goal as the negotiating committee was to address our members’ core issues and leave no money on the table,” said Teamsters 399 lead negotiator Lindsay Dougherty. “Together, we were able to creatively make economic gains, secure a New Media deal that eliminates low tier wages, and protect the important contract provisions that our members both past and present have fought so hard for.”
Dougherty also hailed the high turnout (67% of eligible members voted) and the overwhelming yes ratio (89% to 11%) as a sign that the negotiating team did well by the members.
“Our members ultimately had the final say on their contract. Their overwhelming vote in favor of ratification gives me the confidence that they were heard loud and clear through this round of bargaining,” she said. Doughtery, a more than 20-year Teamster veteran, has most recently served as the union’s recording secretary, organizer and recently elected IBT Western Region VP-elect, is the first woman to lead negotiations on a Local 399 contract.
Here are some of the key gains from the new deal for union members.
– Inclusion of Budget Based New Media Side Letter – eliminating reference to lowest tier MOW rates
– Compensation for invaded weekends – ‘Fraturday Pay’
– Economic gains with yearly wage increases including retroactivity, cell phone allowance and meal money
– Increased overtime provisions with triple time pay after 16 elapsed hours
– Inclusion of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday
– Significant Employer contributions to MPI Pension and Health Plans – with no added costs to participants
– Re-Commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion initiatives
– Addition of new classification of DOT Administrators into the ‘Black Book’