Teamsters Settle Beef With 3 Movie Workers

By JAY FITZGERALD

Teamsters Local 25 has settled a bitter labor dispute with three former union members who charged they were unfairly blocked from working on movies filmed in Massachusetts.

But Local 25 – which has a controversial past that includes allegations of shakedowns of Hollywood film officials – still faces a federal complaint that it signed an “unlawful” agreement with Hollywood firms that didn’t spell out labor divisions between the union and movie companies.

Yesterday’s settlement agreement, which was approved by a National Labor Relations Board judge, calls for Lou DiGiampaolo, who used to negotiate contracts with Hollywood firms, and Frank DiCampo, a laborer, to each receive $12,500 from Local 25. Robert Martini, himself a former union boss within the union’s movie unit, received $700.

There are conflicting versions of why the two sides fought each other in front of the feds.

Some say DiGiampaolo and Martini were popular with Hollywood bigwigs – and that Local 25, under new bosses, wanted control of the movie unit.

But others say DiGiampaolo and Martini represented an “old guard” that had previously caused trouble for the movie industry in Massachusetts.

No matter which version is true, there’s no doubt a major power struggle occurred within Local 25 about the lucrative Hollywood work that now receives millions in state tax credits for filming done here.

The Teamsters still face a federal charge that its contract with Hollywood companies doesn’t properly stipulate which employees can be hired, though there is talk of a possible settlement of that complaint, according to NLRB deputy regional attorney Scott Burson.

Originally published by By JAY FITZGERALD.

(c) 2008 Boston Herald. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.