Leo T. Reed, an offensive lineman in the American Football League who went on to lead Teamsters Local 399 for 24 years, died on Sunday at the age of 83.
Reed was appointed secretary-treasurer of the union in 1988, representing Hollywood studio drivers and other workers for eight terms. He was also chairman of the Basic Crafts unions, responsible for joint negotiations with the studios in partnership with other below-the-line unions. He was ousted by the current secretary-treasurer, Steve Dayan, in an election in 2013.
Dayan issued a statement on Monday praising Reed’s tenure, saying that his contributions would “live on forever.”
“As the longest serving principal officer of Teamsters Local 399, he grew our Local from near bankruptcy to the gold standard it is today,” Dayan said. “He prioritized organizing and negotiating strong contracts that would serve as the…
