Teamsters Local 399 Rates & Local 817 Rates for Commercial Productions
Summary:
Teamsters are essential for union commercial shoots involving transportation of crew, talent, and equipment—Teamsters Local 399 rates covers Los Angeles, and Teamsters Local 817 rates covers New York.
Producers must understand the distinction between Teamsters and IATSE, as each union governs different job roles; misclassification can lead to costly compliance issues.
Rates and terms vary between Local 399 and 817, including different minimum call times, overtime rules, and classifications for roles like drivers, wranglers, and scouts.
Proper planning is critical—Teamsters have strict guidelines around call times, overtime, and vehicle types that can impact your schedule and budget if overlooked.
Working with a third-party signatory like CMS Productions simplifies compliance, ensures correct onboarding, and helps producers stay within budget and union regulations.
Union crew costs can quickly derail a commercial budget if you don’t know what you're doing. When it comes to transporting cast, crew, and gear, Teamsters are the backbone of commercial productions in cities like Los Angeles and New York. Misunderstand what they do—or misclassify their roles—and you're risking delays, union grievances, and surprise budget hits.
This guide is designed to help producers stay ahead of that. We’re breaking down how Teamsters terms apply to commercial shoots, the difference between Local 399 and Local 817, and how they work alongside IATSE crews. If you're producing a union commercial, this is essential reading.
Understanding Teamsters in Commercial Production
Teamsters play a key role in providing drivers and transportation to keep production running smoothly. Specifically in the U.S., Teamsters are handled by:
Teamsters Local 399: Covers Los Angeles and surrounding California regions.
Teamsters Local 817: Covers New York and adjacent territories.
Teamster drivers are required when shooting a union commercial under the SAG-AFTRA commercials contract specifically if your production intends to use certain trucks or trailers.
How Teamsters & IATSE Work Together
Oftentimes if you are working with Teamsters for your upcoming union shoot, you will also be collaborating with IATSE crew members. It is essential to understand the distinction between the two, as producers sometimes misclassify roles and mistakenly assume IATSE crew can handle Teamster related duties.
IATSE crew members' primary focus on sets include providing technical and creative crew such as editors, electricians, grips, make up and wardrobe stylists, and other craftspersons.
Teamsters members only cover transportation related roles, including drivers, transportation captains, wranglers, location scouts and managers.
Ensuring producers understand the differences between both unions will ensure you budget for both unions when required and properly assign job duties for members from both unions to avoid unnecessary delays during production.
Teamsters Local 399 Rates & Local 817 Rates for Commercial Productions
Bringing Teamsters crew members onto your next commercial production is essential to ensure a smooth shoot and proper transportation of crew, talent, and equipment. Productions taking place in major hubs such as Los Angeles and New York rely on Local 399 and Local 817—the key unions representing Teamsters members—each with their own rates and terms. Understanding Teamsters Local 399 rates is especially important for shoots in Southern California, where their jurisdiction often applies to all transportation-related roles.
For producers working on upcoming commercials, it's important to understand these rates, how Teamsters coordinate with IATSE crews on set, and how to budget accordingly.
Teamsters Local 399 (Los Angeles)
Teamsters local 399 represents all union drivers within Los Angeles for union commercial productions. The Teamsters Local 399 rates fall under the AICP agreement for Los Angeles are as follows:
| AICP - Teamsters Local 399 Rates 2023 Agreement Minimum Hourly | |
|---|---|
| Classification | June 30th, 2024 |
| Transportation Captains / Gang Bosses | $63.58 |
| Clas A/B/C License Drivers | $54.38 |
| Camera Car Drivers | $57.01 |
| Production Van Drivers / Operators and any driver pulling a generator that the driver is also operating | $58.21 |
| Chapman Crane Operators | $57.01 |
| Hyphenate Drivers (as defined in the contract) | To be paid $13.00 per hour in addition to the higher of the two rates for the classifications being worked |
| Wranglers | $54.38 |
| Driver / Wrangler | $54.38 |
| Wrangler (Pick-ups) | $54.38 |
| Wrangler (Braider) | $55.82 |
| Trainer (Stable) | $66.87 |
| Wild Animal Trainer | $66.87 |
| Location Scouts / Managers | To be paid daily $885.34 (OT after 12 hrs.) |
These minimums represent 8-hour call days, with significant overtime penalties if not managed correctly.
Teamsters Local 817 (New York)
Teamsters Local 817 covers union drivers within New York for union productions. For commercial productions in this region, Teamsters rates are also aligned with AICP standards. The rates are as follows:
| AICP - Teamsters Local 817 (Location Scouts / Managers) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scale Rate Sheet | ||||
| April 12th, 2025 - December 31st, 2025 | ||||
| Classification | Hourly rate | Rate After 8 Hours (1.5x) | Rate After 14 Hours (2x) | Min. Call 12hr. Day |
| Location Scout / Manager | $60.66 | $90.99 | $121.32 | $849.24 |
| 6th Day | $90.99 | $90.99 | $121.32 | $1,091.92 |
| 7th Day (When preceding 6th day is not worked) | $90.99 | $90.99 | $121.32 | $1,091.92 |
| 7th Day (When 6th and 7th day are both worked) | $121.32 | $121.32 | $121.32 | $1,455.80 |
| AICP - Teamsters Local 817 (Drivers) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scale Rate Sheet | |||||
| April 12th, 2025 - December 31st, 2025 | |||||
| Classification | Hourly rate | Min. Call 10-Hr. Day | Overtime Rate 2x (Hrs. 11-15) | Overtime Rate 2.5x (Hrs 16+) | Weekend 10 Hr. Rate |
| Lead Driver / Insert Car / Process Trailer | $64.79 | $745.11 | $129.58 | $161.98 | $971.87 |
| Driver (Including Cube Driver) | $58.91 | $677.41 | $117.81 | $147.26 | $883.60 |
| Truck Loader / Helper | $56.12 | $645.36 | $112.24 | $140.30 | $842.22 |
These minimums include a 10 -hour minimum call.
How to Ensure Your Commercial is Teamsters Compliant & Budget Efficient
Plan for Teamsters early in pre-production.
Misclassifying roles can lead to union bumps and unexpected costs. Confirm which positions fall under each union—Teamsters cover drivers and transportation roles, while IATSE handles most technical and creative crew. Be sure to account for Teamsters Local 399 rates when budgeting for shoots in Los Angeles and surrounding areas.
2. Schedule call times, overtime, and travel for Teamsters Drivers.
Teamsters have different rules for minimum call times, overtime, rest periods, and travel pay. Producers must ensure they align their production schedule with the union’s requirements to avoid penalties or grievances.
3. Work with a third-party signatory to simplify compliance.
Navigating union paperwork and remaining compliant can be a handful for any skilled producer. A third-party signatory like CMS Productions can handle onboarding, payroll, and union reporting streamlining production.
Conclusion: Hire Teamsters Drivers with Ease for Union Commercial Productions
In conclusion, onboarding union drivers ensures you are collaborating with qualified drivers on set to keep production running smoothly. Whether you're filming in Los Angeles under Local 399 or in New York under Local 817, understanding Teamsters' roles, rates, and how they coordinate with IATSE is key to a smooth and fully compliant shoot.
Need support hiring Teamsters drivers for your upcoming commercial?
With CMS Productions, you can ensure all you onboard the right crew and properly budget with ease. CMS Productions is a third-party union signatory signed directly to the AICP Teamsters 399 (LA) and 817 (NY) agreements and can service on most productions.
Have questions about working with union crews? Contact us today to discuss your upcoming production.