Film and TV Technician (1957)

172 FILM & TV TECHNICIAN December 1957 Organisers' Page WE GET AGREEMENT C'MPLOYERS in the Film In^ dustry as an almost invariable rule honour the agreements, but recently a case arose of a girl who was given one week's notice instead of the customary two. On approaching the employer we were told that as she was not a member it was not our concern. It had to be pointed out that no one can be employed at conditions less favourable than those laid down. It is fair to add that the two weeks' notice was given. In another case it was brought to our notice that a member had not received the latest increase, on the plea that he had received a merit award just prior to the date of the award. The management did not feel that a further advance was justified, but it is pleasing to note that after eleven weeks the advance was paid with retrospective respect. JIM CAMPBELL The tragic death of Jim Campbell, General Secretary of the N.U.R., in a car accident has robbed the labour movement of a great figure. As a former railway worker although not a member of East Germany ( continued) a yellow-based X-ray film giving a clearer definition than the familiar black and white type. This has been acclaimed as the X-ray film with a future. Output of film and printing papers for still photography seemed to be one of their specialities. If I am asked my deepest impression of the East German film workers, my answer would be, first their enthusiasm, and second, their sense of ownership of their factories. In conclusion, I am indebted to the Agfa and Dekopan Managements for their generous hospitality and particularly to the officials of the East German Chemical Workers' Union, who went to great lengths to make my visit pleasant, instructive and enjoyable HONOURED the N.U.R., I would like briefly to pay a tribute to a man of outstanding integrity and humanity. Not a brilliant orator, he spoke with such sincerity and argued with the B.T.C. the case for the railwaymen with a real understanding and genuine feeling. Jim Campbell will be missed, not only by railwaymen, but by all people in the organised Trade Union movement. Recently a Probationary member submitted an application for full membership; the shop steward's comment is worthy of reproduction: " It is my considered opinion," he wrote, " that the above-named sponsors are either lying in their teeth or have been bought. Mr. X ... is a monarchist, a reactionary and a religious fanatic. He has brought disaster and chaos upon every picture on which he has worked. He is sworn to smash the Union by internal erosion. He demoralises all who work with him, grinds the faces of those below him into the mud of our car-park and gives succour and encouragement to our tyrannical capitalist masters. " If your honours are prepared to ignore these several points, though, I have no hesitation in recommending that his application be accepted so that he may take his rightful place with the rest of us rogues. — — , Shop Steward." The member who very sportingly sent along this high commendation with the form made this comment: " Concerning the Shop Steward's remarks, I feel he is a member of the wrong Union, I think he ought to belong to Equity like any other comedian." Fred Tonge "A member should carry not only a Union card in his pocket I ut Trade Unionism in his heart." Walter Reuther, U.S.A. delegate to the T.U.C. Beaconsfield Films FREDERICK OUGHTON, who has been elected Journal correspondent at Beaconsfield Studios, writes: " A meeting was called recently for the purpose of clarifying issues arising out of reports in the trade press to the effect that Julian Wintle had done a deal and bought the studio. This affected many of our members who had been at Beaconsfield since the Group Three days. They felt that the new owners, Beaconsfield Films Ltd., had come to the studio with great ideas but could not now live up to them. " I said that I had received reassurances from the Board of Directors, with whom I had had several meetings, that Mr. Wintle would keep on the existing technicians and crews, though this was strictly a gentleman's agreement and a verbal one. Disappointment " Several questions were asked, and some members expressed their disappointment that Peter Rogers, Managing Director of Beaconsfield Films Ltd., had decided to make features elsewhere. In many ways this marked the disintegration of what they thought was a good team. Mr. Rogers' position was that he desired to make large-scale features on location, using such studio space in Britain as may be available in the future. " His position was now complicated by the advent of the teleseries, Ivanhoe, which was occupying the main stage and would continue to do so until early next year. This cut both ways : the Beaconsfield technicians and general staff would continue until Ivanhoe came to an end and there was the chance of another long-range job being put on the floor, though no details wore available at the moment. " The meeting was held under the chairmanship of Herbert Smith with Les Gray as secretary." Priestley Judgment "... a great deal of nonsense comes out of TV sets. But a good deal of sense comes out of them, too, probably far more than most elderly lawyers imagine. And after all, much the same can be said of judges. A great deal of sense comes out of them, and so does a good deal of nonsense." — J. B. Priestlei/ in Retinoid* Y< ictt.