After failing to reach a new deal on Tuesday, casting directors and Hollywood studios are planning to continue negotiations this week, ahead of the contracts set to expire on Sept. 30.
That’s according to a social media post from Teamsters Local 399, which along with Teamsters Local 817 represents a group of about 700 casting directors, associate casting directors, and casting assistants based in Los Angeles and New York City. “After a full day of discussions yesterday, we left the AMPTP around 1 a.m. without a tentative agreement,” the Local said in a social media post Wednesday. “It’s clear we will need more time to discuss with studios and streamers, as we remain quite far apart on fair pay across all classifications.”
The union added that “the struggle is Not over” and that dates and times for further negotiations this week would soon be determined. “Our negotiating committee remains committed to reaching a tentative agreement that can be recommended for ratification prior to the contract expiration on Monday, September 30,” the union said. “Our member-led team has been working around the clock to collaborate and support all of our casting professionals in Los Angeles and New York.”
The Hollywood Reporter contacted the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers for comment.
Teamsters Locals 399 and 817 began negotiating with the AMPTP on August 26. After an initial week of talks, the group paused before resuming with two scheduled days of bargaining on Monday and Tuesday.
Teamsters Locals, which bargain on behalf of about 700 casting directors, associate casting directors and casting assistants, prioritized member pay in this round of bargaining. Negotiators sought to secure minimum wage rates for casting directors amid alleged recent downward pressure on their salaries. They also pushed for significant wage increases for associate casting directors and had to negotiate a full set of union wages and benefits for casting assistants, who had only unionized with the Teamsters two weeks before talks began.
In an interview with DAY which took place on Friday, casting director and Teamsters Local 817 negotiating committee member Bernie Telsey (The Golden Age, In the heights) expressed that workers and management have made progress so far on the contractual provisions of casting assistants. “It really seems like [AMPTP negotiators] They already recognize that caregivers are a major force and deserve to have health care, a pension and a seat at the table,” she said.
But Telsey and two other casting directors continued to stress that casting professionals wanted to see changes in compensation practices. Said casting director and negotiating committee member Sherry Thomas (Breaking Evil, Barry), “We know where our boundaries are, and I think we're all willing to stand firm within those boundaries. We know our worth.”