International projectionist (Jan-Dec 1954)

lATSE 42nd Biennial Convention AN OVERWHELMING majority of delegates to the recent lA 42nd biennial convention voted to retain lA President Richard F. Walsh and all other incumbents in office. Re-elected by an almost 2 to 1 vote, Walsh polled 708 votes against 408 for his opponent, Roy M. Brewer, who resigned as lA West Coast Representative about a year ago. The same margin marked the re-elections of Harland Holmden, General secretarytreasurer, nine vice-presidents, three trustees, and two delegates to the AF of L conventions. William F. Canavan, former International president, installed the officers. The convention was held at the Music Hall in Cincinnati the week beginning August 9. Earle W. Wagner, president of Cincinnati Projectionists Local 327, officially opened the meeting, later turning the gavel over to President Walsh. In his report to the convention delegates. President Walsh stated that there are now more lA members employed in the television field, including the making of Tv films, than that of any other union covering produc President Walsh on LLPE "Labor's League for Political Education still suffers from inadequate financial support. Although in this respect we of the Alliance do better than most other unions, we still are not doing enough. Each year membership books are sent to our local unions from LLPE headquarters in Washington. The dues are only a dollar per member per year, payable through our General Office, which forwards them to Washington. Once every so often a book comes back from a local secretary, who explains, 'We cannot interest our members in this sort of thing.' Wage increases, yes. Jobs and job security, yes. All members are interested in those. Yet they cannot seem to grasp the very real part legislation plays in making jobs and raises possible. As leaders of your locals, I urge you to keep trying to establish this connection. When enough of us succeed in doing that, our investment of time and energy in Labor's League will pay off for every workingman's family in America." President Richard F. Walsh, lATSE tion craftsmen. He issued a warning to jurisdictional rival unions that any raids upon the lA would be retaliated in kind. Pension — Welfare Progress Walsh enumerated the progress of lA Locals in negotiating pension and welfare plans. He reminded the delegates that at the 1946 convention a study which might have lead to an over-all plan was rejected, but he stated that he stood ready to move in that direction if the delegates so decided. "At the time of our last convention," declared Walsh, "only the largest lA locals in New York and Chicago had negotiated employer contributions for pension plans, while contributions covering health and life insurance had been negotiated for members of our Hollywood studio locals and for San Francisco Projectionists Local 162. "By now two encouraging additional steps have been taken. Welfareplan contributions for the first time have been provided in the contracts of a substantial number of small locals, and pension-plan contributions have reached a significant scale by being written into our new Hollywood Studio Basic Agreement. Hollywood Arrangement "The Hollywood arrangement, effective Oct. 26, 1953, calls for the employers to set aside two cents per working hour for pension purposes. While this amount is insufficient to put actual pensions into effect, it does mark a substantial beginning and commits management to a course from which it cannot very well turn back. The agreement expires on Oct. 24 of next year, and increased contributions will be sought in the new negotiations. ". . . Quite recently a five per cent health and welfare contribution was obtained by Projectionist Local 307, Philadelphia, Penna., in negotiations with the Stanley-Warner Company and several independent theatre owners. A similar agreement has been worked out by Projectionist Local 154, Seattle, Washington. And the payments into the pension fund of Projectionist Local 306, New York City, have been increased from 5% to 7%. "Extension of welfare plans beyond the big cities occurred first in northern California, where 12 locals have obtained benefits similar to those ELECTED lA OFFICIALS President RICHARD F. WALSH Secretary-Treasurer HARLAND HOLMDEN 1st Vice-President JAMES J. BRENNAN (New York) 2nd Vice-President CARL G. COOPER (Los Angeles) 3rd Vice-President HARRY J. ABBOTT (Philadelphia) 4th Vice-President ORIN M. JACOBSON (Tacoma) 5th Vice-President HUGH J. SEDGWICK (Hamilton, Ont.) 6th Vice-President ALBERT S. JOHNSTONE (New Orleans) 7th Vice-President WILLIAM DONNELLY (Minneapolis) 8th Vice-President JOHN A. SHUFF (Akron, Ohio) 9th Vice-President MISS LOUISE WRIGHT (Dallas) Trustees WILLIAM C. SCANLAN (Lynn, Mass.) R. E. MORRIS (Mobile, Ala.) GEORGE W. BRAYFIELD (Denver, Colo.) AF of L Delegates THOMAS V. GREEN (Newark, N. J.) JAMES McNABB (Seattle, Wash.) Delegate, Trades and Labor Congress (Canada) H. W. LACKEY (Calgary, Alta.) 22 INTERNATIONAL PROJECTIONIST • AUGUST 1954