Forum Views ()
Forum Replies ()
Read more with google mobile :
Hollywood drivers ratify labor deal, avert strike
|
Edition:
U.S.
Article
Comments (0)
Save
Email
Print
Reprints
Most Popular
Most Shared
Migrants sell up, flee Arizona ahead of crackdown
25 Jul 2010
Top U.S. officer warns Afghan war will get worse
| Video
25 Jul 2010
Migrants sell up and flee Arizona ahead of crackdown
25 Jul 2010
UPDATE 3-Chavez threatens U.S. oil cut in Colombia dispute
25 Jul 2010
Kings of Leon abandon U.S. concert due to pigeon poop
12:37am EDT
Documents allege Pakistan secretly backed Taliban
25 Jul 2010
Taliban say they're holding U.S. soldier and second killed
25 Jul 2010
Senior Khmer Rouge cadre found guilty of torture
| Video
3:27am EDT
Antarctic octopuses found with cold-resistant venom
22 Jul 2010
Seventeen killed in mass panic at German "Love Parade"
| Video
24 Jul 2010
Migrants sell up, flee Arizona ahead of crackdown
25 Jul 2010
Senior Khmer Rouge cadre found guilty of torture
| Video
3:27am EDT
Kings of Leon abandon U.S. concert due to pigeon poop
12:37am EDT
Taliban say 2 U.S. soldiers captured in Afghanistan
| Video
24 Jul 2010
U.S., South Korea start military drills as North protests
| Video
25 Jul 2010
Documents allege Pakistan secretly backed Taliban
25 Jul 2010
BP's Hayward to step aside as Gulf work resumes
| Video
3:41am EDT
Stocks on brink of breakout
25 Jul 2010
India develops world's cheapest "laptop" at $35
23 Jul 2010
BP CEO to walk away with $18 million: report
12:29am EDT
Hollywood drivers ratify labor deal, avert strike
Digg This
Tweet This
Share on LinkedIn
Share on Facebook
Related News
Hollywood braced for Teamsters walkout
Wed, Jul 21 2010
Corrected: South Africa's Eskom says can't meet union
Wed, Jun 30 2010
Related Topics
Fashion »
Entertainment »
By Jonathan Handel
Mon Jul 26, 2010 1:53am EDT
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - The union blinked -- but for the right reasons.
In a surprising reversal, Teamsters members agreed Sunday morning to the "last, best and final" offer from studios, averting a strike by Hollywood transportation workers and others.
Teamsters head Leo Reed, in a standing-room-only membership meeting in Burbank, asked the members present to vote for the deal, conceding on a major wage point in exchange for relatively minor enhancements that were achieved in backchannel negotiations Saturday afternoon.
Upon Reed's recommendation, the union membership voted 97.3% in favor of the deal, about 840-20.
Talks between the union and the Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers (AMPTP), representing the studios and independent producers, ended Friday night with no movement and no new negotiating sessions scheduled.
"It's a good contract," Reed told The Hollywood Reporter. "I'm very happy."
Members at the meeting appeared happy as well, repeatedly applauding most deal points and thanking Reed and his team. Only one person, union activist Gary Watts, rose to speak against the pact.
The AMPTP also praised the deal. In a statement released Sunday afternoon, the studio organization said: "The newly ratified agreement provides solid increases in wages, benefits and work opportunities for members of the Hollywood Teamsters while recognizing the economic realities that continue to challenge the industry."
Terms of the two-year deal include an annual 2% pay increase, which is a concession since the union wanted 3%. However, the Teamsters achieved at least three enhancements Saturday with regard to meals, medical tests and drivers licenses, and staffing of out-of-Los Angeles productions.
Those enhancements fall short of the union's 1% concession, as union officials acknowledged during the meeting, which lasted a little more than an hour. Nonetheless, union leaders claimed those enhancements were, in essence, the tipping point. Reed acknowledged to members that the union had rejected the Friday night proposal, which did not include the three enhancements the studios offered the next day.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Mitch Masoner -- who is challenging Reed in September's union election -- declared himself happy "for the Local and the industry" that union members would not have to strike but added that he was "disappointed by the concessions." He said he did not think Reed would have gotten a strike authorization from the assembled membership.
That might have been Reed's calculation as well. Union counsel Joe Kaplon said that a strike "was not an option" and described the leadership's acceptance of the deal as just "good business" in today's economy. He denied that the union blinked, but the fact remains that the leadership agreed to the 2% figure after receiving just three minor concessions.
There were larger points that Kaplon cited. These include the fact that the deal is two years (rather than three) in order to synch the contract's expiration with IATSE's; and increases in pension and health benefits -- specifically, a 50-cent per hour increase in health plan contributions by producers, and a 13th and 14th pension check per year. However, all of these were in the Friday-night package that the union rejected.
Also in the Friday night proposal were two other enhancements cited by Kaplon, relating to new-media wages and low-budget film productions. Even accounting for all five enhancements, the value of the 1% increase foregone by the union is greater.
The union's decision, though hard, was a smart one: the economy is difficult, the deal is good, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike and yearlong Screen Actors Guild (SAG) stalemate have taken a toll, and, perhaps critically, the union has no strike fund, according to several members who spoke to The Hollywood Reporter.
Next up for Hollywood labor are negotiations between the AMPTP and SAG/AFTRA. Those talks commence September 27. The Directors Guild of America follows in November, then the WGA, probably in early 2011. Given this agreement, those unions will find it difficult if not impossible to secure wage increases greater than the 2% per year achieved by the Teamsters.
Fashion
Entertainment
Add a Comment
*We welcome comments that advance the story directly or with relevant tangential information. We try to block comments that use offensive language or appear to be spam and review comments frequently to ensure they meet our standards. If you see a comment that you believe is irrelevant or inappropriate, you can flag it to our editors by using the report abuse links. Views expressed in the comments do not represent those of Reuters.
© Copyright 2010 Thomson Reuters
Editorial Editions:
Africa
Arabic
Argentina
Brazil
Canada
China
France
Germany
India
Italy
Japan
Latin America
Mexico
Russia
Spain
United Kingdom
United States
Reuters
Contact Us
Advertise With Us
Help
Journalism Handbook
Archive
Site Index
Video Index
Reader Feedback
Analyst Research
Mobile
Newsletters
RSS
Podcasts
Widgets
Your View
Labs
Thomson Reuters
Copyright
Disclaimer
Privacy
Professional Products
Professional Products Support
Financial Products
About Thomson Reuters
Careers
Online Products
Acquisitions Monthly
Buyouts
Venture Capital Journal
International Financing Review
Project Finance International
PEhub.com
PE Week
FindLaw
Thomson Reuters is the world's largest international multimedia news agency, providing investing news, world news, business news, technology news, headline news, small business news, news alerts, personal finance, stock market, and mutual funds information available on Reuters.com, video, mobile, and interactive television platforms. Thomson Reuters journalists are subject to an Editorial Handbook which requires fair presentation and disclosure of relevant interests.
NYSE and AMEX quotes delayed by at least 20 minutes. Nasdaq delayed by at least 15 minutes. For a complete list of exchanges and delays, please click here.
Other News on Monday, 26 July 2010 Israel, U.S. sign deal to upgrade Arrow missile shield
Furious Love Parade survivors slam organisers
Top U.S. officer warns Afghan war will get worse
|
Iran says nuclear talks after Ramadan
Iran ready to start talks on nuclear fuel swap deal: Mottaki
Profile of BP chief Tony Hayward
Al Qaeda says kills French hostage after raid
|
Venezuela's Chavez threatens to cut U.S. oil supply
|
Suspected Qaeda gunmen kill 6 Yemen troops in oil area
|
Chile denies pardon for dictatorship-era crimes
|
Taliban claim capture of US sailor, killing of 2nd
Hezbollah expects many indicted over Hariri killing
|
Bomb in central Bangkok kills 1 and wounds 10
One dead, 10 wounded in Bangkok bomb blast
One dead in Bangkok bomb blast: emergency services
'Salt' licks box office wounds, 'Inception' retains top spot
'Salt' licks box office wounds, 'Inception' retains top spot
Air India chairman expects profit by 2014-15
US 'wants more currency loosening' from China
US drone strikes kill eight militants in Pakistan
"Salt" can't shake "Inception" at box office
No layoffs planned in Air India restructuring
Migrants sell up and flee Arizona ahead of crackdown
US-ENTERTAINMENT Summary
Salzburg Festival kicks off month of operas, concerts
US holds drills off Korea as Pyongyang talks war
Baghdad suicide bomb wounds five
Al-Qaeda says Frenchman killed after failed rescue
NGO seeks action over DR Congo 'conflict minerals'
Afghan leader calls for probe into civilian deaths
Pakistan secretly helping Taliban: report
|
US-TECH Summary
US condemns massive leak of Afghan war files
China developing gas reserves, will cut imports
Google search share slips as Baidu gains: report
Afghans yearn for water, security in Taliban heartland
US' Geithner rejects fears of double dip recession
Israeli warplanes strike Gaza tunnels
Police: 26 killed in Afghan bus crash
Senior Khmer Rouge cadre found guilty of torture
|
Large blast heard in Afghan capital: witnesses
|
Iran ready for talks on nuclear fuel swap deal: Mottaki
Hitmen behind Mexico massacre were prisoners: government
|
Hezbollah expects many indicted over Hariri killing
Bangladesh war crimes tribunal issues first arrest warrants
Taliban say they're holding U.S. soldier and second killed
|
Australia vote race narrows after climate flop, debate
Poll advantage narrows for Australia's Gillard
Five wounded in bomb attack on Arabiya TV in Baghdad
|
'Plastiki' bottle ship completes epic Pacific voyage
Khmer Rouge prison chief sentenced to 35 years in jail
Suspended death sentence for top Chinese adviser
|
Malaysia mulls pregnant teen school to curb dumping
Hollywood drivers ratify labor deal, avert strike
Chavez threatens U.S. oil cut in Colombia dispute
|
Khmer Rouge prison chief handed 30 years in prison
Angelina Jolie wows Moscow with 'hero spy' film
US holds drills off Korea as Pyongyang talks war
China to cut crimes that carry death penalty
Khmer Rouge prison chief given 30 years in prison
KRouge prison chief found guilty by war crimes court
Seoul shares at 2 yr closing high on earnings hopes
Shares in India carmaker Maruti plunge on profit fall
Hollywood drivers ratify labor deal, avert strike
Japan export growth slows but beats forecasts
Comic-Con match-ups: Who won?
Seoul shares hit over 2 yr high on earnings hopes
Google search share slips as Baidu gains: report
|
"Mad Men" hardly a hit on Madison Avenue
China developing gas reserves, will cut imports: report
The elderly media mogul and the bisexual rockers
Kings of Leon abandon U.S. concert due to pigeon poop
Carlyle sells Taiwan TV unit for $1.9 bln
Angelina Jolie wows Moscow with 'hero spy' film
Bayreuth Festival opens with new generation at helm
S.Korea economy grows faster-than-expected 1.5pc
Autopsy tools used on Elvis removed from auction
Taiwan Formosa refinery shut after fire-spokesman
S.Korea seen buying dlrs to curb won's gains -dealers
"Toy Story 3," "Inception" lead foreign box office
Formosa says 540,000 bpd refinery shut for safety
Comic Con superheroes set to soar in 2011 and beyond
|
Kings of Leon abandon U.S. concert due to pigeon poop
|
Mad Men hardly a hit on Madison Avenue
|
Comic-Con match-ups: Who won?
|
The elderly media mogul and the bisexual rockers
|
Hollywood drivers ratify labor deal, avert strike
|
French nuns seek chart run after record deal
|
Autopsy tools used on Elvis removed from auction
|
Toy Story 3, Inception lead foreign box office
|
EU hits Iran with new sanctions, urges nuclear talks
German banks 'did not reveal full debt details'
EU launches two anti-trust probes against IBM
European stocks mixed amid stress-test doubts
Four killed in bomb attack on Arabiya TV in Baghdad
EU loses in WTO information technology row: sources
France's Sarkozy says will punish Al Qaeda killers
|
EU tightens screw on Iran with extra sanctions
|
Shi'ite rebels capture north Yemen base, 10 dead
|
Police: 26 killed in Afghan bus crash
Suicide blast near Pakistan politician kills 8
|
NATO rocket killed 45 Afghan civilians: government
|
Settlers, Palestinians hurt in West Bank clash
|
Japanese people living longer than ever: govt
Suicide blast near Pakistan politician kills 8
Philippines' Aquino promises clean government
US holds drills off Korea as Pyongyang talks war
S.Korea, US stage anti-submarine warning drill
Asia stocks rise after Europe 'stress tests'
China says oil spill under control
EU loses in WTO information technology row: sources
|
Apple to expand iPhone sales on July 30
|
King Tut's chariot heads to New York
India micro lender aims to raise $350m in IPO
Pakistani stocks end flat; rupee weakens; o/n rates down
4-5 yuan per dollar 'inevitable': Japan's China envoy
Police hunt killer of foreigners in Philippines
EU launches two anti-trust probes against IBM
|
Asia pushes higher after Europe 'stress tests'
CORRECTED
Jolie spurs Russian patriotism at Salt Moscow show
|
Snooki gets in your face in new Jersey Shore games
|
New film over U.S. teen's disappearance on Aruba
|
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights