Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1937)

COVERING WESTERN MISSOURI. KANSAS. IOWA. NEBRASKA. NORTH AND SCUTH DAKOTA AND MINNESOTA KAYCEE THEATRE UNION BARGAINS Chain Tax Bill in Minnesota Slumbers Minneapolis — Little chance for serious consideration is given now to the theatre chain tax bill introduced into the state legislature and aimed at the Publix circuit. With the session drawing fast to a close, the bill continues to repose in committee and no hearings have been called on it. John J. Friedl, general manager of the Publix circuit, asserts the measure, imposing a prohibitive tax on the chain, would put it out of business. Northwest Allied States is not backing any theatre chain tax measure at this time. A chain store tax bill passed by the lower house this week contained no provision affecting theatres. PROMOTIONS TO MANY AT RKO CONFERENCE Los Angeles — Promotions and elevation to the salesmen’s 100 per cent club were in store for many at the RKO sales canvention held here last week. C. Snyder, office manager for the company at Sioux Falls, was upped to salesman; W. A. Burke, office manager at Kansas City, to home office traveling salesman; A, M. Hill, from booker to salesman at Omaha, and A. F. Stern from office manager to salesman at Minneapolis. New members of the 100 per cent club; J. Lewis, Kansas City; C. J. Dressell, Minneapolis, and Fred Horn, Sioux Falls, (resig.) . REISSUES EFFECTIVE AT TIME THEATRE Minneapolis — The Time Theatre, Bennie Berger’s loop sure-seater, a first-run house, is solving product difficulties by running reissues and has been going along nicely with the new policy. “Sky Devils” ran three weeks at the house to good business. “The Dark Angel” is now in its second week. UMPO and WUFI Votes to Join CIO Kansas City — The United Motion Picture Operators and Workers Union for the Film Industry, Inc., which received its Missouri certificate of incorporation two weeks ago, has voted to affiliate with CIO. The action followed negotiations with Neal Beam, regional CIO organizer; Michael D. Konomos, attorney for the new union, and Harold Hay, the union’s business agent. Pickets Picketing Pickets in Kagcee Kansas City — First official recognition of the United Motion Picture Operators & Workers Union for the Film Industry, Inc., organized here three weeks ago, was taken by the lATSE & MPMO Local 170 June 21 when E. S. Young found three women pickets in front of the Central, four women and one man in front of his Roanoke, carrying announcements that the theatre in each case is “Unfair to Union Operators Affiliated with AFL.” UMPO, whose vice-president, G. C. Blackmore, is Young’s operator, and has been for several years during which Blackmore and his associates in the new union were “independents,” put men pickets in front of the two houses announcing “This Theatre Is One Hundred Per Cent Union.” Claude Cessna, business agent, local No. 170, was arrested Tuesday night in front of the Central Theatre, after a brick had been thrown through a second story window above the house. Cessna later was released. UMPO placed retaliatory pickets at the Baltis, C. H. Potter’s house, and the Bijou, C. E. Esterley’s theatre. UMPO pickets were ordered Thursday noon, however, to cease their duties Thursday night. Managers Mull Terms for Hour Cut, Wage Tilt, Closed Shop FIVE MORE PACTS New York — Forty-hour week and wage scale agreements have been reached here for exchange employe unions in Kansas City, Indianapolis, Denver, Des Moines and Albany, making a total of 14 settled with 17 still to be negotiated. Kansas City — Demands that involve shorter working time, an increase in wages and closed shop are before local theatre managers for consideration. These were presented June 19 by the newly-organized Theatre Employes Union, Local 24 of the lATSE & MPMO, an AFL affiliate. Wage and Hour Demands In the case of first-run houses, the union wants $25 a week for cashiers; $23.50 for front doorman; $27.50 for chief of staff; $24 for assistant chief of staff; $20 for ushers and usherettes; $20, back doorman; $28, superintendent of cleaners and porters; $22, assistant superintendent of cleaners and porters; $20 for porters, cleaners and maids. From subsequent run houses whose cashiers, ushers, doormen, etc., do not work a full week, the union wants 50 cents an hour. In the smaller houses the demand is for $20 a week for porters, and in the larger subsequent-runs the wage schedule is the same as for first-runs. Hour Schedule Identical Maximum hours permitted under the agreement are practically the same for both first-runs and subsequents. Cashiers: &V2 hours a day, or 37 hours in any one week. Time to be between 10 a. m. and midnight, and cashiers shall not be allowed to work over 4 consecutive hours without one hour of relief, time and onehalf for all overtime. Front doorman: seven hours a day, 42 hours a week. He shall not be allowed to work over four consecutive hours without one hour relief. Time and one-half for overtime. Chief of staff, assistant chief of staff, (Continued on page 138) MIDWEST EDITION Is One of the Seven Sectional Editions in Which BOXOFFICE Is Published Weekly. The Other Six Editions Are: NEW ENGLAND, MIDEAST, CENTRAL, WESTERN, SOUTHERN, EASTERN. JESSE SHLYEN, Midwest Editor, 4704 E. 9th St., Kansas City, Mo. Phone CHestnut 7777. MAURICE WOLFF, 801 Wesley Temple Bldg., Minneapolis, Minn. PAUL JAMES, 2711 N. 56th St., Omaha, Neb.