FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
LOS ANGELES & NEW YORK CASTING DIRECTORS AND ASSOCIATE CASTING DIRECTORS RATIFY NEW 3-YEAR AGREEMENT
The Teamsters Local 399 & Teamsters Local 817 ‘Casting Directors Agreement’, representing over 500 Casting Directors and Associate Casting Directors in Los Angeles and New York, has been overwhelmingly ratified.
Los Angeles / New York – Teamsters Local 399 and 817 members have overwhelmingly ratified a new 3-year ‘Casting Director Agreement’ with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) which covers; Casting Directors and Associate Casting Directors.
“Our Casting professionals play an essential and unique role in bringing any story to life. Casting Directors and Associate Casting Directors balance the creative vision and logistics required to enlist an actor for a part,” said Lindsay Dougherty, Teamsters Local 399 Secretary-Treasurer and IBT Motion Picture and Theatrical Trades Division Director. “These were difficult negotiations in which we worked diligently and collaboratively with our member-led committee throughout the entire process. Our fight for both groups centered around equity and compensation. As a unit, we not only made gains across the table, but we also identified areas where we can further grow, strengthen, and support our casting members moving forward.”
Teamsters Local 399 Principal Officer Lindsay Dougherty and Teamsters Local 817 President Tom O’Donnell co-negotiated this agreement. The main priority for the Casting Directors was to secure clean and concise language that addressed a weekly rate to protect Directors specifically working on episodic productions from drawn out production schedules. For the Associate Casting Directors, the fight centered around securing a significant increase to wages.
Though Teamsters Local 399 and Teamsters Local 817 voted their groups separately, the ratification numbers are reflected as the collective unit. The Local 399/817 Casting Director Agreement collectively saw a 70% voter turnout with 90% YES vote to 10% NO vote. The 2021 – 2024 Casting Director Agreement will take effect this Sunday, May 29th.
“There’s a lot to feel good about in this agreement. It’s our 6th, and easily our best, round of bargaining. I’m happy for our Casting members, and hats off to the leadership at Local 399,” said Teamsters Local 817 President Tom O’Donnell.
The full ‘Casting Director’ Memorandum of Agreement was shared alongside a Summary of Key Changes to the Teamsters Local 399 and 817 memberships working under this agreement after an informational meeting was held on Sunday, May 22nd.
Teamsters Local 399 has now concluded their bargaining cycle with the AMPTP for this round of negotiations. Teamsters Local 817 is currently in negotiations for their 817 Location Agreement with the AMPTP.
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Teamsters Local 399 represents almost 6,000 members working in the Motion Picture Industry based in Hollywood, CA.
Teamsters Local 817 represents almost 2,000 members in the Motion Picture Industry across New York City.
