Teamsters Local 399

Teamsters Local 399
source
Name	Teamsters Local 399
Location country	United States
Location city	Los Angeles, California
Affiliation	International Brotherhood of Teamsters
Founded	1937
Members	(varies)

Teamsters Local 399 is a labor union representing motion picture, theatrical, and audiovisual workers in Los Angeles and surrounding regions, affiliated with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. Founded during the growth of the Hollywood studio system, the local has interacted with institutions such as Walt Disney Studios, Warner Bros., Paramount Pictures, Universal Pictures, and guilds including the Screen Actors Guild, Directors Guild of America, Writers Guild of America, and the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees. The local's activities have intersected with events like the Hollywood blacklist, the Writers Guild of America strike, the Screen Actors Guild strike, and municipal bodies such as the Los Angeles City Council and the California Labor Federation.

History

The local emerged amid the consolidation of entertainment labor during the 1930s, a period that also saw actions by the Congress of Industrial Organizations, the AFL–CIO merger, the National Labor Relations Board, and campaigns involving figures like Cesar Chavez, Dolores Huerta, Harry Bridges, and John L. Lewis. Throughout the mid-20th century the local negotiated with studios including Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, RKO Pictures, and Columbia Pictures, and engaged in disputes adjacent to events such as the Hollywood Canteen operations, the Oppenheimer era publicity, and postwar production shifts that affected unions like the International Longshore and Warehouse Union. During the 1960s–1980s the local adapted to changes driven by corporations like Sony Pictures Entertainment, NBCUniversal, and ViacomCBS, and to regulatory developments tied to the Taft–Hartley Act and state labor policy in California.

Membership and Organization

Membership spans craft classifications that work with studios and vendors, including drivers, location managers, set decorators, and transportation coordinators, connecting to employers such as Netflix, Amazon Studios, Apple TV+, HBO, and agencies like Creative Artists Agency and William Morris Endeavor. Governance follows structures comparable to the International Brotherhood of Teamsters constitution, and interacts with bodies like the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, the United Farm Workers in solidarity actions, and licensing entities such as the California Public Utilities Commission for transportation matters. The local’s membership rosters have included professionals represented by associations like the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the Motion Picture Association of America, and unions such as the American Federation of Musicians and the Teamsters Joint Council.

Major Contracts and Labor Actions

The local has negotiated collective bargaining agreements with studios and production companies including Disney, WarnerMedia, Paramount Global, Lionsgate, and independent producers connected to festivals like the Sundance Film Festival and the Tribeca Film Festival. It has participated in labor actions contemporaneous with the Writers Guild of America strike of 2007–08, the Hollywood strikes of 2023, and historic disputes referenced alongside the 1934 West Coast waterfront strike and the Screen Actors Guild strike of 1980. These negotiations have involved contractors such as Deluxe Entertainment Services Group, Panavision, Technicolor, and vendors represented by trade groups like the National Association of Theatre Owners.

Community and Political Activities

The local engages in community outreach and political advocacy with coalitions including the California Labor Federation, the Los Angeles County Democratic Party, the SEIU, and advocacy campaigns that intersect with policy actors like the California State Legislature, the California Public Utilities Commission, and municipal offices including the Mayor of Los Angeles. Its public-facing initiatives have coalesced with nonprofit partners such as the United Way, Screen Actors Guild Foundation, and arts institutions like the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles. The local’s endorsements and mobilization efforts have been visible during elections involving officials like Antonio Villaraigosa, Gavin Newsom, and Eric Garcetti and in ballot measures relevant to labor standards and public transit.

Safety, Training, and Benefits

Training programs and safety protocols are coordinated with vocational and regulatory organizations such as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board, film schools like the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts, and industry education partners including the IATSE Training Trust. Benefit plans and pension arrangements align with multiemployer plans patterned after funds like the Teamsters Pension Trust Fund, health plans interacting with insurers such as Kaiser Permanente and Blue Shield of California, and retirement frameworks similar to those managed by the Actors Fund or the Motion Picture & Television Fund.

Notable Members and Leadership

Leaders and notable members have interacted with prominent labor figures and entertainment executives including James Hoffa Sr., James P. Hoffa, Ronald Reagan’s era contemporaries, and studio executives from Lew Wasserman to Peter Guber. Membership historically intersected with performers and technicians who worked on productions for Columbia Pictures Television, 20th Century Studios, Paramount Television, and streaming projects from YouTube Originals and Amazon Prime Video. The local’s executive officers have engaged with coalition leaders from unions such as the United Auto Workers, the CWA, and the International Longshoremen's Association in broader labor strategy and politics.

Category:Trade unions in California Category:Labor unions in the United States