The Cine Technician (1953-1956)

June 1956 General Council (Continued) this Area Branch; while A.C.T.'s officials were visiting Manchester, the opportunity was taken to contact the TV groups of ABC, Manchester, and ATV and ABC, Birmingham. Our Birmingham members expressed the desire to form a branch similar to that of Manchester, and a further meeting is being held to do this. FARES ALLOWANCES. A meeting had been held with the Association of Specialised Film Producers, arising from the resolution passed at the A.G.M. in connection with fares. The two sides agreed to report back a recommendation that existing anomalies be clarified among Shorts and Documentary firms. Those A.S.F.P. companies who pay the fares allowance as negotiated with the B.F.P.A. to members of other Unions and to certain, though not all, A.C.T. members, would pay the allowance henceforth to all A.C.T. members qualified to receive it. The wider issues, particularly the question of members working from London offices, was left for reporting back to the respective Associations and, if required by either party, the holding of a further meeting. TV VISION MIXERS. The Editorial Section had been asked to consider a minimum rate for Vision Mixers; it was arranged for a Vision Mixer to be present at the Editorial Committee, and after a very useful discussion had taken place, it was recommended that £20 be asked for as a basis for negotiation. PHOENIX PRODUCTIONS, controlled by George Breakston, had made a film in Kenya for British Quota which employed no A.C.T. members on the production. Head Office has accordingly arranged for the editing and processing of the film to be blacked. A cable had been received from the board of the company in Nairobi stating that their policy was in line with the provisions of the Cinematograph Films Act and therefore they found no justification for A.C.T.'s attitude. The Executive agreed that the blacking of the film should continue and the company be informed that A.C.T. was concerned with trade union policy as well as legal requirements. There would be no objec CINE TECHNICIAN tion to printing of copies of the film for overseas release as long as written assurance was received that the copies would not be brought back into this country. The General Secretary had had meetings with the company at which no progress was made. The negative had now been sent abroad for processing. The Executive agreed that this matter should be pursued vigorously both from the international trade union angle and also through approaches to the Board of Trade to refuse import licences to copies when an attempt was made to bring them back into the country. PATHE LABS, ELSTREE, passed the following resolution: "This Elstree Laboratory Shop deplores the continued refusal by Kodak Management to recognise A.C.T. and pledges full support to our fellow members at Kodak in their struggle for Trade Union recognition ". This has been communicated to the Management and an acknowledgment received. Arising from this, the Council instructed the Executive to plan further steps in the campaign at Kodak. FILMISTAN LTD. The Executive had endorsed the settlement with appreciation to those responsible on this long outstanding dispute, which had resulted in £2,098 2s. 9d. being obtained for A.C.T. members, a member of Equity and a member of the Screenwriters' Association on whose behalf A.C.T. also acted. The settlement met all the claims in full, except that the company had been as adamant in refusing to pay the difference between tourist and first class fares, as A.C.T. was adamant that the company should not benefit from its breach of contracts. This matter had been disposed of by payment to the A.C.T. Benevolent Fund of £186 16s. 0d., i.e., 50<7f of the difference between first class and tourist fare of the members concerned. The Council noted with great pleasure that Equity had given their share to the A.C.T. Benevolent Fund. PURCHASE OF SHARES. Arising from the resolution passed at the Annual Meeting, attention is drawn to the fact that shares are held in all major production companies. It was, however, agreed that shares be purchased if possible in the three main television 93 companies — Granada, ATV and Associated Rediffusion (we already hold shares in the fourth Programme Company — Pathe) and also, if shares can be obtained, in Kodak and Cinecolour (Radiant). IVOR MONTAGU was appointed A.C.T.'s delegate to the A.G.M. of the United Nations Association, to which A.C.T. is now affiliated in accordance with the decision of our last A.G.M. . . . David Plumb was appointed to represent A.C.T. at a further meeting on the establishment of a U.K. Committee of U.N.I.C.E.F. . . . Mrs. Monica Toye was elected to the week-end school on " New Trends in Soviet Policy ". " Bunny " Garner and Miss Daphne Le Brun are to go to a T.U.C. conference on " Mechanisation in Offices " and Christopher Brunei represents A.C.T. at the National Council for Civil Liberties' conference on " Mental Deficiency Laws ". Reports were received from delegates to various bodies to which A.C.T. is affiliated. Muriel Herd, Alf Cooper and H. Craik reported on the Annual General Meeting of the National Federation of Professional Workers. A report was received from Chris Brunei on the Annual Conference of the National Council for Civil Liberties: Paul Le Saux reported on the formation of a U.K. Committee for U.N.I.C.E.F. and Bessie Bond reported on the Women's T.U.C. Camera Hire NEWMAN SINCLAIR— Mirror Shutter, Cooke Lenses and 24mm. Angineux Wide Angle. (Available fully adaptedfor CINEMASCOPE if required). NEWMAN SINCLAIR— Model 'G'. Cooke Lenses, Single Frame Exposure and electric motor drive if required. Kingston Tubular Tripods. LOCATION CAMERA DOLLYS Metal construction, pneumatic tyres, drop-down jacks, lightweight tracks, etc. S.W.SAMUELSON FINchley 1595