Steve Dayan beats Leo Reed in Teamsters Local 399 election

In one of the biggest election upsets in recent Hollywood history, Steve Dayan has defeated veteran labor chief Leo Reed to become the new head of Teamsters Local 399.

Dayan said he had won 56% of the votes in the closely watched contest, edging out Reed, who garnered 43% of the vote.

UPDATED at 5:30pm: “I want to thank Leo for his service and I want to congratulate our slate,” Dayan said Tuesday. ”I’m really excited and looking forward to getting to work on behalf of our members. Now it’s time for all of us to come back together. We have to move forward as a local.”

Speaking on behalf of Reed, Teamsters Local 399 attorney Joe Kaplon said: “He congratulates Steve on his victory and he wishes him all the best in running 399 into the future.”

Reed served eight terms as secretary treasurer of the powerful union, which represents 4,500 transportation coordinators, location managers, casting directors, animal handlers and drivers who haul equipment, stars, and props to film and TV sets.

PHOTOS: Hollywood backlot moments

Reed had run Teamsters Local 399 for nearly 25 years and faced his first serious challenge in an unusually close and deeply divisive election that was the talk of film and TV sets across Hollywood.

Dayan said he was fired from his job as a Teamsters business agent in July after he told his boss he wanted to run against him. He portrayed Reed, 74, as an out-of-touch leader and questioned Reed’s hiring of two relatives, including his son for a job that federal records show paid him nearly $174,313 last year in salary and expenses.

Reed, who was seeking his ninth three-year term, portrayed Dayan and his supporters as “traitors” who are “pro-management” and support lowering wages, comments posted on Reed’s website that Dayan says are untrue.

ALSO:

Using YouTube ‘to strike a chord’

‘The Walking Dead’ shows life on Twitter

The plot thickens in Hollywood union election