As a seasoned gamer with decades of experience navigating the labyrinthine world of Hollywood, I can’t help but feel a sense of elation and relief at the news of the new agreement between casting professionals and studios/streamers. The fight for fair wages and working conditions in the entertainment industry is one that resonates deeply with me, having spent countless hours in virtual worlds advocating for digital characters’ rights and equal pay for pixelated labor.
Casting experts based in New York City and Los Angeles have chosen to approve a fresh three-year contract with film studios and streaming platforms.
On Tuesday, Teamsters Local 399, along with Local 817, disclosed that a staggering 91.85% of their union members had endorsed the agreement they negotiated. These two teams speak for approximately 700 freelance casting directors, associate casting directors, and casting assistants in the entertainment industry.
Our Casting Team members have consistently shown determination since their struggle for recognition in 2006. Today, they continue to stand together and collaborate, striving to learn effective ways to champion the art and profession of Casting, as well as the wellbeing of those involved in this field. Lindsay Dougherty, lead negotiator and Local 399 principal officer, made a statement expressing praise for our member-led committee. They fought tirelessly during these negotiations, advocating for all classifications, and have already started laying groundwork for our future contract battles and the implementation of their new agreement.
As a gamer putting their thoughts into words, I’d say: “This new deal really hits the mark for us union members. It significantly addresses our main concerns. What’s more, it boosts our salaries and wage rates in a way that keeps studios competitive. With these enhancements, they can continue to draw top-tier creative talent, which is the heart of the motion picture industry.
On a Friday afternoon, before the contract expiration date on Monday, the union and AMPTP reached a preliminary agreement after eight days of talks. At the time, they mentioned they hadn’t secured all their desired points: The team expressed that their negotiating group had battled tirelessly until the very end. However, the negotiating group consensus was to recommend members to approve this agreement.
This year, the labor union is pushing for the implementation of minimum wage standards for casting directors, who previously handled their own compensation negotiations, due to what they describe as a trend of decreasing wages. According to Sherry Thomas, a casting director and member of the negotiating committee at Teamsters Local 399 (“Breaking Bad,” “The Righteous Gemstones”), she stated in September that there has been a significant drop in casting director salaries, with some earning less than they did in the late ’80s and early ’90s when adjusted for inflation.
During the negotiations, the Teamsters Locals aimed to establish a guaranteed minimum work duration for casting directors, increased the salary of associate casting directors substantially, and secured standard union benefits for recently unionized casting assistants.
For the very first time, the new agreement establishes minimum salary levels for casting directors on television productions: Effective from October 6, casting directors are entitled to a minimum weekly wage of $7,000 for pilots and initial episodes of a series or miniseries. For pilots and first episodes of children’s programming, the minimum is set at $5,850. In the first two seasons, subsequent episodes will have a minimum weekly wage of $4,500. However, casting directors working in films or non-episodic television projects can still negotiate their own rates independently.
Under the new agreement, associate casting directors will now receive a base pay for film projects – a first in industry history. Beginning October 13th, this new minimum wage for all projects will be set at $1,820 per week, marking a 21% increase from their previous episodic television minimum.
The initial union contract for casting assistants sets a base hourly wage of $21, effective from September 29th. For every hour worked beyond 12 hours, they will earn double their rate, while for any time exceeding 15 hours within a day, it’s triple their rate. Additionally, casting directors will be entitled to health and pension benefits, as well as the same vacation days that casting directors and associate casting directors currently receive.
The bargaining process started on August 26, with Lindsay Dougherty, head of Local 399, taking the lead for the union’s side, while Carol Lombardini, president of AMPTP, served as their main representative in the discussions.
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2024-10-02 21:55