Broadcasting Telecasting (Jul-Sep 1954)

PERSONNEL RELATIONS TWA ON STRIKE AT THREE NETWORKS Picketing begins in Hollywood as dispute on wage scales and union shop clause reaches stalemate. Union and networks also disagree on what effect strike will have on latter's operations. MEMBERS of the independent Television Writers of America (TWA) struck Wednesday jkgainst NBC-TV, CBS-TV and ABC-TV in a jdispute centering on a new wage scale and a union shop clause in the contract for free-lance script writers. Pickets were installed in front of the networks' Hollywood studios, but no such action I was taken up to Friday in other cities. It was explained in New York by a TWA spokesman that the Hollywood move had been pre-ar . ranged but no such plans had been made in [C-otham. The strike came after efforts Monday in -New York by the U. S. Mediation Service failed Ito resolve the wage issue. TWA had reduced iits demands from $715 for a half-hour script to S600 and the networks had increased their original offer of $425 to $450. Mediation then broke off without any further talks on such jmatters as a wage scale for other types of scripts ;or on other conditions in the proposed contract . [B»T, July 19]. Spokesmen for both the union and the networks said they were amenable to re-negotiating ,the issues, but up to Friday, no sessions had .been scheduled. Point of View TWA predicted that the network's schedule would be disrupted over the week-end because the union expected support from other television unions. The feeling among the networks was reported to be that the strike action would have "little effect" at the present time. Lewis S. Frost, NBC Pacific Coast public relations director, and Donn Tatum, ABC-TV ; director of West Coast operations, both claimed network employes were not involved in the \ free-lance writer dispute and said picket lines were being crossed. They said operations were .not being curtailed at the present. CBS-TV in iHollywood refused comment. One sidelight to the dispute is that TWA's ;i J one-year certification by NLRB is scheduled to !{ ]be reviewed Aug. 2. At the same time the Author's League, since last May, has had an appeal before NLRB, claiming it does not have ' majority support among free-lance tv script writers. It was reported last week that the Balks at Retakes SCREEN Actors Guild has been asked by Screen Gems Inc., Hollywood, to take action against actor Steve Cochran, who refused to report for retakes on "Trip Around the Corner," recent film shot for NBC-TV Ford Theatre. Charging the actor with disregard of studio problems, Screen Gems claims he was "guilty of a breach of his contractual obligations to do the retakes when he refused to report to re-shoot a few scenes which were damaged in the process of development in the laboratory." Authors League and the Radio Writers Guild planned a reorganization in structure to form one new organization for radio, television and screen writers. TWA also announced last week that it has applied for an AFL charter. TWA's picket lines in Hollywood largely appeared ineffectual because of no discernable support from other radio-tv unions. Officials of the striking union said some 50 members joined in the picketing Wednesday but the force soon was reduced to two pickets stationed at each location. Union members were stationed at artists' entrances at all network tv structures, at rehearsal halls and theatres. It was reported by the union that individual performers and teamster members were observing picket lines. TWA, Davis CONTRACT negotiations between Joan Davis Enterprises, Hollywood, producers of the NBC-TV / Married Joan, and Television Writers of America, currently on strike against networks, will resume this week, union officials said. TWA membership earlier this month voted to authorize its executive board to call the strike against JDE [B»T, July 5], but executives promised talks between attorneys of the Alliance of Tv Film Producers, representing Miss Davis, and TWA negotiators would continue. high Quality performance AT LOW COST 36" long 41" high I3'/j" wide MODEL Camera Control Console The Dage Model 71 OA Camera Control is built in a standard console type housing for studio control room use. It comes complete with a master monitor consisting of a 10" aluminized picture tube and a 3" waveform monitor. The picture monitor has a full 8 mc video response and excellent contrast and brightness range. Write for detailed specifications and prices. % NOTE: Watch for Dage de i velopments in color television. TELEVISION DIVISION BEECH GROVE, INDIAN* OF THOMPSON PRODUCTS Broadcasting Telecasting July 26, 1954 • Page 73