We are excited to share our most recent Local 399 Newsreel “Teamster Strong in 2020” with you!

Happy New Year! As we begin the new year, there is much to be optimistic about for our Membership. We expect 2020 to be as busy (if not more) than last year. With the new year, we have a new Executive Board Member. I’d like to welcome Phillip Quansah to his new position as Trustee of Local 399. Philip has demonstrated his passion for our Members in everything he does as a 399 Member. I welcome Philip’s input and look forward to working even more closely with him during this term. I’d also like to thank everyone who voted and participated in the 399 Elections. I will continue to work hard to make gains for all of our Members over this term.

2019 was a super busy year for this Local! We began the year by welcoming our General President Hoffa to our January General Membership Meeting. We welcomed Calvin McDowell, Jane Vasquez and Cecilia Sanabria to our staff. We hosted many events last year including our annual Ralph Clare Golf Tournament, the 5th 399 Car and Motorcycle Show and our 399 Retiree Event at the Castaways. With Membership approval, we increased the Leo T. Reed Scholarship from $2,500 to $5,000 for 10 deserving children from our Membership. We also ratified the Casting Director Contract.

We were also busy on the organizing front. After a lengthy battle, we successfully organized DOT Administrators at Universal and Warner Brothers. This was a big step in our goal (begun by Leo Reed) to organize these folks into 399. We will continue to negotiate with other companies on behalf of this classification as we hope to include them into the “Black Book.” We also concluded negotiations with Zio/Studio Services as well as the deserving Administrative staff at CSATF. While we didn’t achieve everything we wanted for each of these groups, we made significant progress toward our goal of getting them better benefits, wages and working conditions. I’d like to thank each committee for their hard work! Each person brought thoughtful and positive suggestions to each negotiation.

The Motion Picture Trust Fund was created many years ago to help Members in need. MPTF provides many services to our Members and is responsible for the Motion Picture Home in Woodland Hills where many of our Members have spent their twilight years. MPTF relies on donations from Members and through fundraising events throughout the year. Many of our Members have helped paint and remodel Teamster and IATSE Member’s homes to help out people who are disabled or ill. You can also volunteer time at the Motion Picture Home to give a helping hand to the folks who live out there. I encourage all our Members to contribute to MPTF this year if you can. I can think of no better charity than one that supports our community. If you have any questions about the MPTF Foundation, what services are available to you or how to get involved or make a donation please go to their website at: www.mptf.com or call them at: 855-760-6783 or email them at: info@mptf.com.

Looking ahead in 2020 we have an important Census and a Presidential Election. We must be involved and participate in these critical civic events. We will be providing our Members with Organized Labor’s choices for candidates in all races, local, state and national. I encourage all of you to vote, support and participate in this election cycle. Vote your conscience, but vote. I hope you will make 2020 the year you come to a meeting, take a class or volunteer to walk a picket line in support of Workers who might not be as fortunate as we are. I know you’ll see what a difference volunteering can make on the lives of others. I encourage you to give us feedback on what we’re doing right and where we can improve. We work for YOU and the best way for us to serve you is when we’re working together. On behalf of the staff of Local 399, I’d like to wish you all a very healthy, happy and prosperous New Year!

Steve Dayan

Secretary-Treasurer 

Teamsters Local 399 

Local 399 Members on an active status should receive a hard copy of the publication in the mail soon. To read or share a digital copy of our recent publication, CLICK HERE or on the image above. We strongly encourage all Members to take some time to read through this publication. Our Quarterly Newsreel helps keep the Membership informed about what has happened over the previous quarter, as well as set the stage for the next Quarter. 

Winter 2020 Teamster Local 399 Newsreel Topics Include:

Click here or on the image above to read a digital copy of the most recent Local 399 Newsreel.

If you have any suggestions for articles you would like to see featured in our Spring Newsreel, email amy@ht399.org.