Teamsters Local 399 provided an update on Friday, highlighting substantial differences in ongoing contract negotiations with major studios and streaming platforms.
The Teamsters and the Basic Crafts coalition reiterated that they remain far apart from studios on critical issues as negotiations, which began on June 10, near their final week. Key topics include wage adjustments, funding for benefit plans, AI integration, and minimum staffing requirements.
“After four weeks of negotiations, we continue to face significant gaps on our core priorities,” Local 399 stated in their update. “We have made clear the reasonableness of our proposals. Many of our suggestions would have minimal to no financial impact on employers but would greatly benefit our members.”
Negotiations are scheduled to conclude on July 19, with current agreements set to expire on July 31. Local 399 has informed studios that while additional meetings could be scheduled after July 19, they will not extend negotiations past the expiration date.
Throughout negotiations, both the Teamsters and the Basic Crafts coalition have maintained a firm stance. In late June, leaders expressed concerns over what they perceived as a lack of urgency from employers. Early July saw the coalition emphasizing that members should not bear the financial burden of companies’ decisions made over the past year.
Lindsay Dougherty, principal officer of Local 399, previously emphasized the assertive approach taken to advocate for member interests during this negotiation round.
Negotiations are ongoing as both sides work towards an agreement that addresses the priorities and concerns of the workforce represented by the Basic Crafts coalition.
