International projectionist (Jan 1961-Dec 1962)

Unions Take Lead In Fighting Runaway Picture Production HOLLYWOOD — The executive board of the 3,200-member affiliater property craftsmen, Local 44, yesterday recommended a one dollar per month assessment for six months for a positive action program against runaway production, B. C. "Cappy" Duvall, business representative and a vice president of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, announced. Mounting Hollywood support for a boycott of runaway film production was evidenced when the 2500-member AFL-CIO Laboratory Technicians Union, Local 683, IATSE, unanimously voted to earmark $2500 from its general fund for the fight to save the motion picture industry for America, Don Haggerty, the union's business representative, has announced. The action followed a talk by Clayton Thomason, business representative of Scenic Artists Local 816, IATSE, which last week voted a minimum assessment of $1 a month per member for a fund to be used by the Hollywood AFL Film Council for a positive action program against runaway production. The planned boycott of Americaninterest films made overseas is one phase of the campaign, Haggerty said. The unions will also urge consumer box office support of all films made in America. "Runaway production of theatrical features has drastically exported Hollywood employment with resultant hardship and distress and is a huge loss to the American economy," Haggerty said. "Runaway production has ranged up to 60%, including many multi-million dollar pictures. The unions have been waiting patiently for some concrete result from continuing conferences with management, while the flight of production which began several years ago continues to increase. The unions' rank and file demand action." It is estimated that if all Hollywood unions join the campaign, funds amounting to more than $20,000 a month would be available to the Hollywood AFL Film Council to prosecute the program "to prevent Hollywood from becoming a ghost town." Hollywood unions are setting up a fund to be administered by the Hollywood AFL Film Council "to save the Motion Picture Industry for America." They include the Laboratory Technicians Union 683 which International Projectionist April 1962 voted an initial fund of $2500. And in addition, H. O'Neil Shanks and Charles S. Boren, co-chairman of the Joint Labor-Management Committee on "Runaway" Productions have outlined the plan which has resulted from I A Unions pointing out the danger: "Since Feb. 1, 1962 representatives of labor-management in the motion picture industry have held a series of joint meetings to seek constructive means to solve the problems of foreign competition with American film production and to encourage increased feature film production in Hollywood. "From the beginning of the meetings it has been apparent to both labor-management that this is a difficult and complicated economic situation that cannot be solved by any quick or drastic remedy. "Optimism over the possibiliy of any major immediate results in the efforts to increase domestic production would be unrealistic. "The Joint Committee intends to take cooperative action in the following areas: "1 — A petition to the Small Business Administration seeking a change in the current SBA policy against making loans to communications industries. "2 — Joint support of proposed federal legislation which would limit tax exemption for Americans living abroad to $20,000 per year for the first three years and $35,000 per year thereafter. "3 — Support for federal legislation which would permit the spread of income over a period of years for persons engaged in activities (such as acting) in which the maximum earning power is relatively brief and often spasmodic. It is hoped that such legislation would cause popular stars to make a larger number of films. "4 — Support for measures aimed at reducing extravagant tax-free expenses allowance given to creative personnel working abroad. 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