Teamsters, craft unions ratify contract

Variety: Hollywood Teamster drivers and four other basic craft unions have ratified a three-year successor deal to their master contract with the major studio and network producers. Deal was ratified Sunday at a meeting in Burbank with 86% support, according to Teamster attorney Joseph Kaplon. The pact covers about 5,000 below-the-line workers. Key pension and health issues had been already settled in April, when the five unions had jointly negotiated on health-care issues for the first time with the West Coast locals of Intl. Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees -- which reached a tentative overall deal that was also recently ratified.