Teamsters, IATSE contract negotiations begin for Hollywood crew members

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- The latest round of Hollywood union negotiations started Monday as the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees and the Hollywood Basic Crafts group, which includes the Teamsters, began what could end up being months of talks.

The contracts for the unions are set to expire July 31, leaving about four months to reach new deals -- something experts say most in Hollywood would like to see.

"Hollywood is on the edge. Nobody wants another strike," said Sanjay Sharma an adjunct professor of media, entertainment and finance economics at USC's Marshall School of Business.

Hollywood's "below-the-line" unions agreed for the first time in 35 years to negotiate together as they seek deals from the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. The Hollywood Basic Crafts group includes the Teamsters Local 399, IBEW Local 40 and three other unions.

The American Federation of Musicians is entering contract talks with Hollywood producers and says a strike is possible if no deal can be reached.

Like the two previous Hollywood union negotiations, the new talks will address artificial intelligence and ways to keep it from replacing workers.

But Sharma says in many ways the crew negotiations should be less complicated than the actors and writers talks, and progress more quickly.

"The stakes are lower, much lower than the others," he said. "It's all about wages in my mind, because there's not a lot of residuals here ... and so, from that perspective, it is easier to resolve."