The Cine Technician (1943 - 1945)

80 THE CINE -TECHNICIAN Septenibei 0 r, 1944 ORGANISER'S NOTEBOOK New Laboratory Standard Agreement. The Laboratory Committee, after many months of patient deliberation, have c< implet ed discussions on the proposed New Laboratory Standard Agreement. It is anticipated that by the time this Journal is in the hands of our members the agreement will have been endorsed In the General Council and a mass meeting of laboratory workers. It is also hoped the document will be in the hands of the Association of Laboratory Employers. The new agreement aims to give laboratory workers a decenl standard of living; too often in the past lias \i been necessary for them to work long hou of overtime in order to collect a living wage. The agreement also envisages a 40-hour week after the war with a limitation on overtime. Such proposals will safeguard against the danger of exces sive unemployment at a time when our members are returning to civil life from the Armed Fore The proposals will also do much to improve the health standards of that section of our members whose working conditions merit a strict limitation of working hours. The new agreement also asks for the "Closed Shop" principle to apply in all film processing laboratories. On this all our members leel most strongly. They claim that without it there will never he any real security for laboratory workers. Further, that through th closed shop," they could in co-operation with the Laboratory Employers build up a laboratory section which would be an example to other industries for its technical efficiency. In brief the proposed new agreement aims to put into operation what the average man and woman in the laboratories considers to be their right. It crystallises in the form of an industrial agreement part of what they have been working and fighting for on the home front and in the services during the past five years. Non-Union Labour. It is interesting to note that both Feature and Slants Film technicians are for all practical purpose* 100% organised and in most cases operating on the "(dosed shop" principle. On the other hand the Laboratories, which until about 18 months ago took pride of place for organisation, are now relegated to the bottom of the ladder below the Newsreel Section. Thi^ does not mean that laboratory organisation has fallen but rather that the other sections have gone ahead. This is because on the produ tion side the difference between being an ACT. member and not being one usually means the differem i between having a job and not having one. And this is becoming more and more a fact, especially as a considerable number of studio technicians change their jobs; from production topi on and n to make full use of our employment bureau. 0 the other hand, laboratory workers seldom cliai though no doubt this will be different after I war. ( lonsequently thi < -till one laboratories where there is little or no org tion but where A.C.T. rates and conditions operate. It is significant that on more than one occ in the past employees from such laboratories on losing their jobs have suddenly " discover* Association of Cine-Technicians and expi desire to join, blow can we impress upon th !S workers that their present rates and condil would be \er\ much worse but lor tic LC.T. and that it is only common decency to support the organisation which has fougl I for them in th< i and at this very moment is preparing to n tiate with the Laboratory Employers \ sso for an improvement on present standard-'.1 Wi wonder how many of these workers who at the moment are "sitting pretty" will come running to us cap in hand when " n i ation " t; place ? The Cinematograph Benevolent Fund. T nineteenth annual general meeting of the fund was held on Wednesday, 30th August. A unanimous expression of the deepest sorrow and r. s was felt at the death of Sir Willi m F. Jury, was the President of the bund during twenty years. Mr. ReginaldC. Bromhead, F.C.A., was elected as the new President and will continue to serve as chairman. Mr. J. Arthur Rank was elected a trustee. Tie by the hon. treasurer. Mr. Brooke Wilkinson, showed tin finances to be in a healthy state, and it was mentioned that at one time when there was a bal of £10,000 it seemed as though the Fund baa achieved its object. It says much for the Boas of Management that flu;, looking forv to i he da\ in the near future when the balaiu. at the bank will be £250,000. The problem of how best to help the empl in the industry now the fund is really in a p to do so was considered. The Chairman rep. t h 1 plans were being worked out to t members returning to civil life from the Art Forces and that a sub-committee was working details ol a pensions scl ' m I be placed b the Management Commit 1 1 i I i > msidcration. W think tin re are no better ways of utilising the fund's resources than 1>\ these two projects and ihall be int. rest d to learn details of the schemes when lhe\ become available.