Teamsters Say Casting Deal Is Still In Limbo As Union Remains “Far Apart” From AMPTP On Compensation

The Teamsters still haven’t crossed the finish line on a new casting agreement, even after two additional days of bargaining with the major studios.

Locals 399 and 817 said in a statement Wednesday morning that the negotiating committee met with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers until 1 a.m., but ultimately “remain far apart on fair compensation across all classifications.”

“The fight is not over. We plan to continue discussions with the companies this week, with dates and times to be determined,” the statement read.

The current casting agreement expires on September 30, but the Teamsters say the hope remains that there will be a deal before that. No additional dates for bargaining have been set yet.

The primary concerns for the union during this negotiation cycle are wage increases and protections, including establishing minimum rates for casting directors. It is also the first round of bargaining since casting assistants voted to join the union, and codifying annual wage increases for that group is among the Teamsters’ priorities as well.

This news comes after the Animation Guild (IATSE Local 839) spent another week bargaining with the AMPTP from September 16 to 20. However, the union said in an update on Friday that there were “significant gaps” between the parties, prompting the negotiating committee to extend the current contract again — this time until Nov. 1 — to allow for talks to continue. Compensation, as well as artificial intelligence, are the biggest sticking points on that front.