International projectionist (Jan-Dec 1935)

April 1935 INTERNATIONAL PROJECTIONIST 13 have sought to win Union favor against the time Erpi might be forced to cease servicing operations in the theatre field. Erpi's Statement Refuted In answer to Erpi's statement that there has been no "official" organization protest to their projected servicing plans, there accompanies this article an exact reproduction of the front page of the current I. A. Official Bulletin. This reproduction, in company with the direct quotations by International President George E. Browne and the decision of the I. A. General Executive Board on this topic as published in these columns, leave no doubt as to the "official" stand of the I. A. on the servicing question. By way of contrast there is also reprinted along with this article a major portion of the trade paper story previously referred to which sought to softpedal "operator" opposition to the Erpi servicing plan. The story is reproduced not because I. P. has any belief in its content but merely as an interesting publishing curio and by way of contrast with existing facts. Significantly enough, however, the story contradicts itself by first citing no "operator" opposition and then stating that Erpi was faced with "competitive servicing bids" by, among others, the Detroit "operators' " local. This action by the Detroit local definitely bespeaks opposition to Erpi servicing and accurately reflects the attitude of I. A. units everywhere. Thus, Erpi seems to be the best witness against itself. Erpi's latest servicing advertisement pictures the Erpi exhibit at the recent New Orleans exhibitor convention, which included a complete Erpi theatre sound installation gaily bedecked with scores of colored ribbons indicating possible trouble sources. Evidently intended as a boost for Erpi servicing, both the exhibit and the advertisement were thought by many to convey the impression that with so very many possible sources oi trouble, the Erpi equipment was so intricate and in need of such constant attention as to give pause to any potential purchaser thereof. I. P. has learned from a usually reliable source that Erpi, prior to the launching of the stiff battle against its servicing plans, had every intention of completing its domination of the theatre equip In Answer to ErpVs Claim of No ^Official' Craft Opposition General Bulletin No. 294 Issued from the General Offices of the INTERNATIONAL ALLIANCE OF THEATRICAL STAGE EMPLOYES AND MOVING PICTURE MACHINE OPERATORS OF THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA Suite 200S, 1450 Broadway, New York, N. Y. Thursday, March 21, 1935 Officers— GEORGE E. BROWNE, President: FRED J. DEMPSEY. General Secretary-Treasurer JOHN P. NICK. First VicePresident, 4 South Eighth St., St. Louis, Mo.; WILLIAM P. COVERT, Second Vice-President, 257 Brock Ave.. Toronto, Ontario, Canada: HARLAND HOLMDEN Third Vice-President, 111454 North Saiwmorc Road. Falrview Village, Cleveland, Ohio; RICHARD F. WALSH, Fourth Vice-President, 554 Atlantic Ave., Brooklyn. N. Y. ; FLOYD M. BILLINGSLEY, Fifth Vicel'rn-sif lent. 340 Valdez Ave., San Francisco, Calif.; JAMES. J. BRENNAN, Sixth Vice-President. 251 West 54th St., New York City, N. Y. ; ROGER M. KENNEDY, Seventh Vici-PresiuVnr. 1002 Hofman Building, Detroit, Mich. Trustees, R. E. MORRIS, GEORGE W. BRAYFIELD, WILLIAM SCANLAN. IMPORTANT NOTICE — This Bulletin must be read at the next special or regular meeting of your local union and permanently filed with its records. .,<aflSgtei. 44 Spike Servicing Grab by Flat Refusal to Relinquish Any Portion of Jurisdiction Where there's smoke, there's fire, and with the vast billows enshrouding the "Servicing Issue," this doubtless amounts to more than just a glowing ember. Quite possibly it's the fumes emanating from the dense smoke screen laid down by the various sound companies to camouflage their future movements, as pointed inquiries have met with terse denials or subtle evasions, which in no way has served to clear the heavy cloud of suspicion annexing itself to this question so vitally important to our interests. The entire matter was thoroughly aired at the last meeting of the General Executive Board. Realizing the deleterious effect of private enterprise making inroads on our present jurisdictional possessions, the Board naturally was more than emphatic in its recommendation to our local organizations — "to maintain this work without qualification." * — ~~ -~"~~ "~~ "" "~-"~~" ~~ ______ Reading between the lines of the contemplated move, ft is clearly perceptible that this condition would by no manner of means be confined solely to the precincts of the booth and its complementary equipment, but would eventually be amplified to include the stage and its fixtures. If these outfits are permitted to wedge their way, even to a minor degree, into our properly constituted jurisdiction, just how far they will go isn't even a matter of conjecture. Nor have we any intention of starting a guessing contest to measure the limits of their untimorous capabilities by granting them such an opportunity. We can definitely answer the challenge of testing their limitations by an absolute refusal to furnish the all necessary encouragement of a foothold to try their success at usurping our jurisdiction. The claim of our Alliance to this particular class of work is no after-thought or sudden desire that has sprung up to expand by a jurisdictional encroachment. Many of our projectionist members are sound pioneers, having made an exhaustive study of it since its inception. As time went on they kept pace, step by step, with the ever-changing phases corresponding to the progress and advancement made. With some effort we were successful in securing conditions in keeping with the service performed. Now we are faced with the dire necessity of maintaining this work, and to which end the General Office insists that any and all projection room and stage servicing work is to be done only by the members of our Alliance? ' To cope with this judgment, local organizations are summoned and petitioned to familiarize their membership with every aspect of servicing. The damaging consequence failure to observe such a recommendation would' have on .all Locals of the International cannot be even roughly estimated. Judging from the nature of the correspondence, being received at the General Office, relevant to this subject, obviously several of these sound companies are busily engaged in making surveys preparatory to furthering their servicing plans. Reports to such effect are not coming In from any one particular section, but are despatched from every corner of the country. Each Local Union of the Alliance is requested to keep the General Office posted as to any developments along these lines. Also keep us informed of developments of an unusual or suspicious character. If an attempt is made to inaugurate a policy along the lines depicted, it should be instantly brought to the attention of the General Office and immediate steps will be taken to rectify such condition. To be fore-warned is to be fore-armed, so there is absolutely no reason for any of our local organizations being caught with their guards down and chins protruding, inviting a lethal blow from this source. Regrets have never yet made a suitable substitute for the winners' end, but instead of trying to prove the wisdom or fallacy of such contention, let's he on our toes and avoid the necessity of any belated lamentations. ment and servicing field by either developing or acquiring a national distributing organization. Existing distributing facilities appear to be beyond the reach of Erpi at present, according to emphatic denials issued by the heads of both existing national set-ups. The original plan, according to I. P.'s information, was to go out and obtain about 3,000 or more all-inclusive theatre servicing contracts, after which Erpi's announced intention of confining itself merely to "recommendations" of equipment purchase very easily could have been transformed into the actual writing of an equipment order to itself. Recurrent rumors of Erpi's entrance into the projection equipment manufacturing and distributing business appear to have no basis in fact in view of the meager progress made by Erpi with its latest servicing plan. I. P.'s informant insists, however, that Erpi still contemplates just such a move. Servicing Field Activities Of particular interest to projectionists' unions is the following communication received from one of the many representatives who are constantly checking on the activities of field service men and reporting to I. P.: ". . . The local . . . officials had a conference here the other day in which it was decided that in the event they should lose the service work, they will close up their warehouse and carry no stock whatever . . . "They would then force the others (those doing the servicing) to wait from two to three months for parts. I was told that they did not include the Local Union in this ban — that is, if the Local did the servicing it would be able to obtain the parts. However, this was not specifically so stated during the conference, thus it still is a matter for conjecture as to just what attitude . . . would take on parts sales to the Local. "All my information points to . . . not being willing to deal with the Local, and I personally believe strongly that they will pull the delay business on the Union as' well as on the others. "One specific point should greatly interest I. P. readers. It is that . . . will supply parts to former service men as quickly as they are needed. The conference was most specific on this point. If one reads between the lines, one will readily see that . . . will do all in its power to see that ex . . . men get the work, and they will not willingly let the Local or anyone else have it . . ." Confirmation of the electrics' attitude toward Local Union servicing is contained in a second communication received from a representative in another section: "... The sound service man here has insisted frequently of late that there is absolutely nothing to the idea of Union sound servicing, because the Union will not get the needed parts. I reminded this party that, although I didn't believe . . . would be so foolish as to adopt any such scheme, it still