Members of Hollywood’s Teamsters Local 399 voted overwhelmingly to ratify two contracts with the Association of Independent Commercial Producers, averting a looming strike. Earlier this month, Lindsay Dougherty, the venue’s general manager, threatened a “commercial break” if the AICP didn’t offer a fair contract. “If we’re provoked,” she said, “we’ll strike.”
The new three-year contract for drivers, rangers, handlers/trainers and dash drivers passed by a majority of 94.12%, while the contract for location scouts and managers passed by a majority of 96.9%. The two agreements, struck last week, cover about 500 members who regularly work in advertising, although more than 1,000 Local 399 members have worked under the pacts for at least a day over the last year.
“This contract dispute has set a strong tone as we prepare for negotiations with the AMPTP next year,” Dougherty said Friday. “Teamsters don’t back down and are always ready to fight. We are proud of these two entities fighting side by side and raising the standards and expectations of the industry for everyone.”
See the Memorandum of Agreement for drivers Here and the site managers Here.
“I want to take a moment to thank all of our members in commercials for sticking together to secure one of the best AICP deals our local has ever seen,” said Joshua Staheli, vice president of Local 399 and chief negotiator for the contracts, its members . “It’s because our members stuck together. You announced your priorities, you attended our quarterly commercial meetings, you stood up during our commercial set contracting campaign and you gave us the pressure to be ready to call a strike if needed.”
According to the union, the new agreements include:
- Minimum wage increases of 6%, 4% and 4% throughout the contract period, but some groups saw wage increases of up to 20%
- Abolition of the class B and C tariff, so that all drivers receive at least the class A tariff
- For hyphenated drivers, the hourly wage increased from $5 to $13
- Increased overtime pay
- Increased equipment rental
- Penalty for employers failing to give workers timely notice of call time so as not to affect their rest periods as well as longer rest periods overall
- Receive all health and pension benefits
- Coverage of chef assistants in commercials in 2026