The Cine Technician (1953-1956)

48 THE CINE-TECHNICIAN March-April, 1953 A.C.T. News Compiled fay 'Middy' PATHE LABS STRIKE: In giving an account of the strike, Stan Warbey writes: A particular person was engaged by Pathe as personal assistant to the Manager. Our members immediately questioned this move as they resented the possible appointment of someone from outside to a semi-executive post with no opportunity given to long-serving staff to " fill the bill." The Shop Committee, en bloc, were given an assurance by the management that the individual would be no more than an assistant with no authority. Subsequently the Company broke their word and announced the promotion to Assistant Manager and only the intervention of an A.C.T. Organiser prevented a walk-out. Further discussions followed between A.C.T. and Pathe and agreement was reached on the scope of the intended appointment. The only detail outstanding was a title for the job. A further meeting was called to discuss this but no agreement was reached. Whilst awaiting a further meeting on this point, our members were astounded to learn that the Company were going to make the appointment to Assistant Manager from the following Monday, in spite of previous agreements. A full meeting of our members at the Labs agreed: (1) not to recognise the appointment; and (2) to institute an overtime ban. On the Monday the individual tried to give an order to one of our members who, acting on the advice of his Committee, refused and was sacked on the spot without reference to his Steward. The issue was clear — one member had loyally carried out his shop's policy and had been sacked for so doing — therefore his fellow members supported him by striking. Meanwhile we, at Elstree Labs, had been kept up to date on all developments and had also agreed not to recognise the appointment, but in addition, to accept the Executive's advice not to take action unless instructed to do so by them or the Lab Committee. We welcomed the fact that the Executive Committee had given their official blessing to the strike action and had agreed to pay the members concerned a sum of money. THE SETTLEMENT: The Pathe Wardour Street Laboratories returned to work on Wednesday, 11th February, the dispute having been settled as a result of the intervention of the Ministry of Labour. Amongst the terms of settlement were: reinstatement of the man dismissed; all previous service with the Company to count, and complete return to work of everyone involved in the dispute with no victimisation, and also with full rights of continuous service with the Company. There is no doubt at all that our members had no alternative but to take the action they did, and their solidarity during the course of the dispute1 lias had considerable bearing on the outcome. The boys on strike had been very magnificently supported by all sections of the Union and in particular, their own section — the Laboratories who responded 100 per cent to the appeal for help; also, Laboratories refused to handle any work normally carried out by the Wardour Street Laboratories. Studios should remember that the Laboratory Section is always the first to take action in " blacking " any work from a Studio that is in dispute with the Union, therefore it is essential that the Laboratory boys receive the same support from those in Studios when they are in trouble. FEATURE BRANCH COMMITTEE: The Feature Branch Committee, reports Teresa Bolland, Branch Secretary, meets monthly, or more frequently should necessity arise. Its function is to discuss all matters which are of direct concern to those members of A.C.T. normally working in feature film production. Decisions taken in such matters as affect the Feature Branch or A.C.T. policy generally are referred to the Executive and General Councils. During the last few months of 1951, when the A.C.T. was " working to rule," meetings of the Feature Branch Committee took place each week to make decisions on requests for overtime that were being made by various members of the B.F.P.A. The final meeting of 1951 decided that the " work to rule " order should be lifted as a gesture of good faith when the B.F.P.A. announced that they were willing to renew negotiations. The first meeting of the Committee in 1952 took place on the 1st of January, when it was reported that the B.F.P.A. had, after much beating about the bush, merely renewed their offer of an increase of 18/4d. per week in exchange for such alterations to the terms of the 1947 Agreement as were completely unacceptable to A.C.T. Feature Branch members. The Committee decided, therefore, to call a summoned meeting of the Feature Branch membership for the 4th of January, where a complete report of the negotiations to date could be put to them. This meeting duly took place and a resolution was passed rejecting the B.F.P.A.'s offer, and reaffirming the powers of the Executive to take " proper action." Subsequent meetings of the Committee were almost wholly concerned with the progress^or lack of it — of the negotiations between A.C.T. and the B.F.P.A. In the middle of April news was received that the B.F.P.A. had considerably modified then requirements for alterations to the 1947 Agreement in exchange for an increase of 18/4d. per week for all members with salaries up to £25 per week, and the Committee agreed to call a full branch meeting to decide whether to accept or reject this offer. At tins meeting the offer was accepted. Continuing negotiations with the B.F.P.A. wer< reported to the Committee from time to time, and in October another full branch meeting decided to accept an offer of 11/ per week with a ceiling of £13 8s. 4d„ this time with no strings attached. Another question of outstanding importance was discussed during October. This was the excessive amount of overtime being worked in the cutting rooms after floor shooting was finished. Members of the Editorial Section were consulted, and it appeared that undue pressure was frequently put upon the cutting room staff to meet delivery dates that had been i\wt\ with little or no regard for the time necessary for an artistically satisfactory job to be completed without a considerable amount of