International projectionist (Jan 1963-June 1965)

Volume 40 March 1965 Number 3 Four Year Contract Set With Hollywood Studios HOLLYWOOD — A 4-year contract has been set between the IA and local studios, with two wage increases of 23c hr. attained as well as an increase in the pension to $200. The contract covers 29 studio unions, 22 of them IATSE locals, and seven basic cratts. IATSE president Richard F. Walsh represented the former, and Ralph Clare, Teamsters representative, spoke for the latter. Executive vice president Charles S. Boren of the Association of Motion Picture and Television Producers represented management, with Eugene Arnstein, executive vice president of the Independent Producers Association. Under the new contract the unions get a 23c hourly wage increase at once and another in the same amount two years from now. The unions had asked a 65-cent an hour increase. A boost in the pay rate for holiday work is provided. Considered by the unions to be more important than the wage increase are the changes made in the pension plan, under which retirees have been receiving $120 per month. This figure is increased to $200. Additionally, a retiree's spouse is now covered by the health and welfare provision, and dependents are given additional hospital room allowances. The new agreement creates a fund to provide retraining for employees whose occupation is affected by technological developments, and for training of new employees. The special aspects of this new type of undertaking are left to each individual local. Severance pay provisions are liberalized, increased incentive for employees to retire at 65 is inherent in several phases of the new contract, and a standing committee of labor and management to meet every four months to discuss developments affecting the contract or its application is created. Technological changes, an issue of increasing importance, will be cov ered in a clause yet to be finalized. The unions dropped demands for a flat ban on runaway production and did not negotiate residual payments on television films for craft workers. The increase in pension payments will be made up by an increase in employer contributions of 8.8c an hour, and an increase in employee contributions of 5.8c an hour. iP Film Salesmen Get Wage Increase Film salesmen throughout the U.S. have ratified an agreement giving them a wage increase of $5.50 per week, retroactive to last Dec. 1, it is announced by the IATSE. The agreement, negotiated by the LA. affiliated Colosseum of Motion Picture Salesmen, raises the minimum pay of those having a year of selling experience in the industry from $100 to $105. Payments by the employers into the IATSE Film Exchange Employees Pension Fund in behalf of each salesman have been increased 75c. bringing the total contribution to $4.50. Other benefits include: A third week of vacation after 11 years of service. In the past, it was 12 years. Columbus Day off, raising the number of annual holidays to nine. An increase in the expense allowance of country salesmen from $12.25 to $13. per day. The agreement is for two years. Companies coming under it are M-G-M. Paramount, 20th CenturyFox, United Artists, Warner Bros.. Universal. Columbia, Buena Vista and Allied Artists. Representing the Colosseum in the negotiations were President Bruce Marshall of Denver; Stanley Kositsky, Philadelphia; William M. Garner. Cincinnati; Fred W. Bunkelman, Chicago, and Allen Boodman. Hollywood, assisted by attorney David B. Bartell and the IATSE general office. iP CLARENCE G. LAWING. PROJECTIONIST, DIES Clarence G. Lawing of Charlotte. North Carolina, died recently at age 59. Mr. Lawing was spot lamp operator at the Colosseum and projectionist at the Visulite Theater. He was a member of the IATSE, Local 322. Mr. Lawing converted Trans-Lux rear projection equipment for Cinemascope projection by moving the machines and twisting the film between the sound head and projector head. iP Census Bureau Says 12,652 Theatres in U.S. in 1963, Grossing $1,062 Billion WASHINGTON — There were 12,652 motion picture theatres in the U. S. in 1963, according to figures from the Census Bureau, of which 12,040 had payrolls. Total receipts for all theatres was $1,062,732,000, of which the theatres with payrolls received $1,057,224,000. Of the theatres, 9,150 were conventional houses and 3,502 were driveins. The hard-top theatres had receipts of $807,596,000 while the drive-ins' receipts totaled $255,136,000. Conventional theatres with payroll had receipts of $803,458,000, while drive-ins with payrolls took $253,756,000. Payrolls for hard-top theatres in 1963 totaled $201,132,000 for their 89,999 employees, while drive-ins' payrolls came to $48,867,000 for their 22,522 employees. There were 7,440 active proprietors of unincorporated businesses in the motion picture theatre business in 1963, of whom 5,331 had conventional theatres and 2.109 had driveins. There were 3,729 establishments engaged in motion picture production, distribution and services in 1963. of which 2,829 had payrolls. Their total receipts were $1,662,233.000. iP International Projectionist March, 1965 ■ ,i