2019 April/May Teamster Local 399 Newsreel Topics Include:

  • The Biz: ‘Akira’ Shoots in California 
  • The Biz: Hoffa Speaks to Movie Teamsters
  • 2019 General Membership Survey 
  • ‘Top Gun: Maverick’: Randy Peters & Mike Fantasia Enlist for Sequel 
  • Member Spotlight: Tony Steere 
  • Stay Connected with YOUR Union on YOUR Own Time: New Local 399 App 
  • 5th Annual Classic Car & Motorcycle Show
  • Get Your Health in Gear with Norm and Debbie Compton
  • 2019 Scholarships Available 
  • A Strong Teamster is an Educated & Skilled Teamster 
  • Q & A with Secretary-Treasurer Steve Dayan
  • Optum Health & Mental Wellness Services 
  • Addressing Recent MPI Funding Notice 

Click here or on the image above to read a digital copy of the most recent Local 399 Newsreel

2019 April/May Newsreel Introduction by Secretary-Treasurer Steve Dayan 

Greetings Sisters and Brothers.

As we head into Pilot season, I’d like to update you on what will be on our agenda this quarter. The Teamster 399 App is available to all of our Members in every craft using an iPhone or Android cellular phone. Simply download the App to your mobile device to get started. We’ll also be looking for input from our Membership to give us suggestions on what we can add to the APP to make it a better platform. I’d like to thank Amy Gorton for her efforts to provide this valuable resource to our entire Membership.

This Newsreel’s focus highlights the importance of trainings, classes and overall how to be your best on the job and as a Union Member. I’d like to thank Business Agent Chris Sell for working so hard to help our Drivers be better educated and informed about the safety and skills training that is available to you, free of charge. There are many new classes and optional CSATF safety classes that you can take to improve your skills and make you a more valuable asset on the productions you’re working on. (Check out the articles in this Newsreel).

We have much more work to do in 2019! At the April Meeting we’ll be discussing a software solution in order to digitize our grievances, contracts and historical documents in order to better assist present and future administrations in easily looking up grievance and arbitration awards, and our contract history.

We have also been on an organizing drive to organize more of the vendors and others in our industry that we’ll be focusing on in 2019. We are pleased to announce that the appeals that Universal Studios and Warner Brothers made to the NLRB in Washington D.C regarding organizing DOT Administrators, were denied. Both groups unanimously voted to have 399 represent them. The Companies now must bargain an agreement with Local 399 to cover these deserving individuals. This is a huge victory for Local 399 as we have been attempting to cover this classification for more than a decade.

I reported in the January Newsreel that Omega Cinema Props was going out of business when our current contract expired in March. We’ve had a contract with Omega for more than 30 years and the announcement that they would be closing their doors was a huge blow to our Members who’ve worked there for decades. I’m happy to report that we’ve extended our contract for six months on a month by month basis and more importantly, there is a potential buyer in the wings. I want to commit to our Omega Sisters and Brothers that we will do everything we can to support the purchase by a new company that will include a contract covering our hard-working Members.

We will be rolling out our bi-annual online Membership survey shortly. The purpose of doing these surveys is for us to hear from you. I believe it’s important to listen to you, get your feedback on what we’re doing well, what we’re not doing well and how we can provide even better services to you. I’ve always said that we work for you. Our focus is to do everything we can to support our Members in every way we can. I ask you to take the time to take the survey, which will be available right from the new mobile App to make it as easy as possible for you to participate. The results will be published in the July Newsreel.

We are starting a Health column for our Membership. I’d like to thank Deb and Norm Compton for making the suggestion and contributing to our Membership by starting this column. Back pain is a big issue for a large number of our people. Norm Compton is a longtime Member and he and his wife have much experience in this field that may be useful to you. I also want to encourage you to take advantage of MPI’s Wellness program. There are many valuable classes available to you, free of charge. I hope you find these articles useful.

It’s time to apply for the many Scholarships opportunities available to the children of active Members. Scholarship applications are now open for the Leo T. Reed Scholarship Fund, the JC42 Scholarship fund as well as others. If you have kids going off to college or trade school, make sure to check them out.

We will be hosting many events for our Members this year, including our Ralph Claire Golf Tournament (which took place on April 19th) the 5th Annual Classic Car and Motorcycle Show this summer at Woodley Park, as well as a Retiree Reunion in Los Angeles in the Fall. Thanks to all of you for attending and supporting these events. We will also continue to put on classes for our Members – classes that support our Drivers, Location Managers and Casting Directors, including an upcoming Coordinator Class.

We are featuring articles in this Newsreel about longtime Teamster Member Tony Steere as well as an article on the upcoming feature film “Top Gun.” I’m so proud to know Tony as he is a true Teamster. Tony not only attends every Membership Meeting (and sits in the front row to boot) he truly embodies all that a 399 Members should be. “Top Gun” is an epic production which the crew feels will be the best movie ever made about flying. I hope you take the time to read these articles!

On behalf of the staff of Local 399, I’d like to thank our Membership for their support!

Fraternally,

Steve Dayan