Hopes Rise as Teamsters, Producers Resume Talks

Negotiations between striking Hollywood Teamsters and producers resumed Tuesday evening, just hours after both sides said contract talks were hopelessly deadlocked.

“Now, I’m optimistic we can put this thing together,” said Earl Bush, secretary-treasurer of Teamster Local 399. Bush said the talks were reconvened by a federal mediator.

Earlier in the day, a busload of striking Teamsters set out to picket film and television locations across the West. Pickets will go up this week at the Reno filming of the new Clint Eastwood movie, “Pink Cadillac,” and at other locations outside Los Angeles, union officials said.

The producers said they were prepared for the intensified picketing.

“All of the people have been alerted,” said Herb Steinberg, a spokesman for the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. “The security has been alerted.” The producers have also obtained a court order regulating the Teamster pickets.

The strike by the 2,200 drivers and 1,000 electricians and laborers is now in its third week. The resumption of negotiations came as a surprise considering the tone taken earlier in the day.

Disappointment Told

Representatives of the Teamsters and producers expressed disappointment Tuesday that marathon weekend bargaining sessions had failed to resolve the labor impasse. The two sides had been united in their belief that talks would not resume in the near future.

“We’re in a hell of a turmoil at the moment,” Bush said. “We made some offers that the producers’ alliance completely ignored.”

But Steinberg said, “There was no compromise offer that was anywhere near the ballpark and nothing that went beyond what they had before they went on strike.”

The Teamsters transport actors, equipment and props for television and film producers.