Canadian Film Weekly (Apr 25, 1945)

Page 8 DAVID GRIESDORF General sales manager in Canada of PRC, who recently resigned as British Columbia district manager for Odeon Theatres. Barber Sick Art Barber, Famous Players’ head office projectionist and a member of that company’s 25Year Club, is quite sick, having suffered an attack last week. IATSE Absorbs Rival Union (Continued from Page 1) unanimously to merge with the industry’s dominant labor organization. The move followed a series of conferences between William P. Covert, national IATSE organizer, and officials of the NTEU. Forty projectionists were affected. With the granting of an IATSE charter to the Edmonton local, it ceases to exist as a competitive body within the trade and as a wing of the AllCanadian Congress of Labor, CIO affiliate, and becomes associated with the American Federation of Labor. Two more independent unions continue to function in the West, one which has a membership of nine and controls the booths in three Saskatchewan FPCC houses, two of which are in Saskatoon. Second Western projectionists’ union outside of IATSE jurisdiction is the One Big Union local in Winnipeg. It was against the latter body, of which R. B. Russell is the organizer, that Local 229 of the IATSE called the recent strike which led to the closing of 18 Winnipeg theatres. The OBU men are employed by Western Theatres, controlled by Jake AA | SANS ve Woe <— aT c= SSSQowry LAN The Show Must Go | | go on, but it won't if | eaks down. : st valued possession. Yes, the Show must your equipment br times it's your mo Safeguard it with Dominion Sound Equipments LIMITED Dominion Head Office: 1620 Notre Dame S winnmsetG ° PYY ee WALIFAR rosonm?t A National Theatre Service, Sound Equipmen $ ecially trained pers technical service, such as maintained by Dominion ts Limited, meons— onnel to provid 1 equipment and supplie , EE a ell NE NTO TUNE TOR TO EAE OE oes EE — On In these eae Sound Service. treet West, Montreal atoine catcaer vancouvee® ans—an organization with a e regular and emergency s for theafres. 2 Re aE Miles, Famous Players partner. The IATSE men took a “holiday” from their work in FPCC houses in an endeavor to cause that company to help bring its partner’s houses into the IATSE. The Manitoba Wartime Labor Relations Board declared the strike illegal under the provincial labor code. The IATSE local called the strike off in favor of an application to the board to be declared exclusive bargaining agency for the OBU houses. The application, filed a month ago, has not been given a decision yet. The Winnipeg dispute is not settled. The IATSE men returned with the understanding that they would be paid for four days in which they were absent from their booths. This was agreed to by Western Theatres and it was assumed that Famous Players would follow the same course: That company, however, has refused to accept the policy of Western Theatres as an example. Asked what the future intentions of the IATSE were with regard to the Winnipeg dispute, W. P. Covert said that he was not prepared to make a statement at this time. ‘However,” he said, “we are going to carry on every effort to establish a closed shop.” The OBU is taking steps to oppose the IATSE application before the Manitoba Wartime Labor Board. In January, 1943, the National Union of Projectionists, Local 10, which had a membership of 115 in Ontario, voted to merge with Local 173, IATSE Toronto local, after 10 years of independent operation. This was the first such move in several years. The only Eastern projectionists’ union outside the IATSE is now the Quebec organization, which holds no charter from a national labor body but has the approval of the provincial government. Eastern Theatres Gains in 1944 Eastern Theatres, in the year ended December 30, 1944, had a net profit of $49,417 compared with $48,966 in 1943. In both caseS refundable portion of Excess Profits Tax of about $25,000 was included and this position asset now stands at $59,119. Total assets increased in 1944 from $379,250 to $417,288 and working capital from $54,787 to $79,277. Bonds held went up from $60,000 to $75,000. April 25, 1945 Canadian FILM WEEKLY ——@—@§$——————— Friends Honor Dave Griesdorf (Continued from Page 1) signed as British Columbia district manager for Odeon Theatres to become Dominion sales manager of Producers Releasing Corporation Limited, in which he had acquired an interest. The dinner in his honor was under the auspices of his former colleagues of Odeon. Griesdorf was presented with a silver tray and pitcher. Howard Boothe, who succeeded Griesdorf with Odeon and as provincial chairman of the Motion Picture War Services Committee, acted as toastmaster. Leading speakers were the Hon. R. L. Maitland, attorney general of British Columbia, and Mayor Cornett, both of whom touched on the personal popularity, civic zeal and business enterprise of Griesdorf, then about to take up residence in Toronto, in which city PRC’s head office is located. Lyle Fraser, provincial chairman of public relations for the National War Finance Committee, called attention to the invaluable assistance of the motion picture industry in behalf of Victory Loans and Griesdorf’s part in it, saying that he had enjoyed the personal association with Griesdorf that his work called for. Also at the head table and among the speakers were Bert Pollock, president of the IATSE local; Mickey Golden, manager of the Vogue, Vancouver; Bob Headly, general manager of New York Products; Earl Hayter, Odeon supervisor; W. P. Dewees, Famous Players’ partner; Frank Gow, British Columbia manager for Famous Players; Frank Kershaw, head of General Theatre Supply Company; Hugo Ray and James Hutchinson. Congratulatory wires were received from J: J. Fitzgibbons, president of Famous Players; Paul L. Nathanson, president of Odeon Theatres; Nat A. Taylor, president of Twentieth Century Theatres; and many others. About 75 persons were present. Griesdorf was also the guest of honor during the same week of the Jewish Men’s Club’ of Vancouver. The scene this time was the Pacific Athletic Club and the new PRC sales chief was the recipient of a humidor as a symbol of appreciation for his help during his three-and-a-half year residence in the city. Ted Jones to Micro Ted Jones, formerly of Pringle and Booth, has become technical director of Microfilm Microstat and will be in charge of plant operation.