IATSE, Teamsters set sights on healthcare

Healthcare pricing is proving itself to be the important thing problem in next year's contract discussions for Hollywood's two below-the-line unions, the Intl. Alliance of Theatrical & Stage Employees and also the Intl. Brotherhood of Teamsters. No settlement dates happen to be looking for the actual contracts, which expire This summer 31, but both unions have ramped up their activity in order to increase membership awareness around the specifics among rising health care costs. IATSE held a townhall meeting Saturday in Burbank -- the very first of 4 planned confabs -- where IATSE leader Matthew Loeb designed a presentation to many hundred people. The meeting also featured presentations by health care expert and consultant John Garner and David Westcoe, professional administrative director using the Film Industry Pension and Health Plan. The Teamsters Local 399 covers about 3,200 motorists in 13 Western states contributing to 1,000 fundamental craft employees, as the IATSE deal covers 15 local people around the West Coast encompassing a lot more than 20,000 people. Local 399 has set its very own townhall meeting for The month of january, and also the unions are joining on the health advantages survey carried out by David Binder Research to poll people beginning on March. 10. Health insurance and pension have typically been one of the top focal points for that unions, alongside salaries and dealing conditions, however the developments underline the uncertainty over healthcare among a battling economy. Additionally they show an unparalleled degree of outreach to people together with a readiness through the unions to cooperate with one another. Settlement dates using the Alliance of movement Picture & Television Producers haven't been set yet and no orgs would comment. However the moves through the unions really are a strong signal that IATSE and also the Teamsters may negotiate collectively around the pension and health problems while holding separate contract talks on wages, working conditions and also the other aspects of their contracts. The 2 unions joined right into a formal alliance in August, 2010 -- two days after Teamster Local 399 motorists arrived at an offer using the AMPTP and synched up its contract expiration using the IATSE deal. Loeb, who changed the retiring Thomas Short in 2008 because the mind of IATSE, continues to be credited with fostering closer ties between your two unions. Furthermore, IATSE people are actually facing stiffened qualifications to entitled to the health plan, that is overeseen by reps from the unions and also the showbiz companies and funded from residuals and ancillary marketplaces. IATSE agreed last year to some hike within the qualifications threshold throughout the ultimate year from the pact needing that people need to work 400 hrs over six several weeks to qualify, up 33% in the previous 300-hour requirement -- a big change that stirred an uproar among below-the-line employees once the pact went for ratification. Within the 2010 discussions, Teamsters searched for a 3% in annual wage hikes however the companies was adamant on the 2% wage gain, that the Teamsters recognized with several sweetening together with exactly the same 1.66% hike in benefits included in the earlier IATSE deal. The Teamster deal set web site for discussions earlier this fall and winter using the Screen Stars Guild, the American Federation of Televison & Radio Artists, the Company directors Guild of America and also the Authors Guild of America -- by using 2% hikes in minimums and all sorts of using the chief gain becoming an increase of just one.5 per dollar in employer contributions towards the pension and health plans. Another manifestation of the predominance of healthcare being an problem came early this month when casting company directors repped through the Teamsters decided to a 1-year successor contract to some three-year deal. The Teamsters indicated at that time the companies had searched for a shorter-term because of uncertainty within the impact of rising health care costs. Contact Dork McNary at dork.mcnary@variety.com