Hollywood Basic Crafts, a coalition of unions representing roughly 8,000 people, has reached a tentative contract agreement with TV and film studios just days before the current pact was set to expire, officials with Teamsters Local 399 announced just before midnight.
“After a long last 48-hours, we’re proud to report that ALL Hollywood Basic Crafts Locals have reached a tentative agreement,” union officials noted on X, formerly Twitter. “Our member-led bargaining committees have voted to unanimously recommend for ratification.”
The agreement was reached just hours after the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which represents the studios, presented what it said its “last, best and final offer.”
No further details were released about the AMPTP offer or the unions’ counter-proposal. AMPTP representatives could not be reached for comment.
The union coalition represents Hollywood studio drivers, location managers, electricians, chef assistants, animal wranglers, plasterers and similar crafts-based workers.
In addition to Teamsters Local 399, Basic Crafts also includes International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 40, Laborers International Union of North America Local (LIUNA) 724, United Association Plumbers (UA) Local 78 and Operating Plasterers & Cement Masons International Association (OPCMIA) Local 755.
Two contracts, known as the Black Book Agreement and Locations Managers Agreement, were set to expire July 31.
The unions were seeking a sizable wage increase, minimum wages for department heads, improved working conditions including more holidays and more overtime penalties, additional contributions to the union’s pension and health plans, limits on subcontracting and protection from being replaced by driverless trucks.
“The Basic Crafts spent [Saturday] working closely with our member-led negotiating committees to finalize a deal with the AMPTP,” the Teamsters said.
Details are set to be released Sunday afternoon following a general membership meeting of Teamsters Local 399, the union said.
Meanwhile, about 2,500 SAG-AFTRA members who work on video games remain on strike following a breakdown in contract talks, with the use of artificial intelligence being a key sticking point. Their contract expired at 12:01 a.m. Friday.