NO TEAMSTERS STRIKE IN HOLLYWOOD

It was supposed to be a strike authorization vote. Instead Teamsters Union members working for Hollywood studios voted overwhelmingly on Sunday to accept the last offer made by the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. (While the AMPTP refused to budge on its offer of a 2-percent pay raise — the Teamsters had demanded a 3-percent raise — it did sweeten the deal slightly by offering union members additional travel-time pay, reimbursement for drivers license renewals, and meal compensation, according to published reports.) Commenting on the result, entertainment attorney Jonathan Handel said on his blog: “In essence, the union blinked, recognizing that a strike was not feasible in this economic climate. Union leaders also said they believed that management would not back down even if the union struck.”