By Dominic Patten, Katie Campione
Hollywood Actors Union & Studios Extend Contract to Avoid Summer Strike | WION World DNA
Teamsters boss Sean O'Brien may want to make friends with Donald Trump, but Local 399's top priority is to strike a new deal for its members in the entertainment industry, and tonight they revealed they're extending talks with the studios. The Hollywood Teamsters and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers will sit down again next week in hopes of striking a deal before the Teamsters' current contract expires on July 31.
The local station, led by Lindsay Dougherty, said late Friday night that it will meet with the studios on July 22 and 23 in hopes of reaching an agreement, while claiming that the AMPTP is finally taking negotiations "seriously" and is having "meaningful discussions" after five weeks of negotiations on a new tentative three-year agreement.
"The Hollywood Basic Crafts have concluded discussions with the AMPTP for the 5th week of negotiations," Local 399 announced in an update sent to members Friday night after the day's talks with the Carol Lombardini-led AMPTP ended late. "Today was originally set to be our last scheduled date for negotiations; however, there is still much work to be done to reach a tentative agreement as we are still far apart on our top negotiating priorities."
