Jurisdictional disputes in the motion-picture Industry : hearings before a special subcommittee of the Committee on Education and Labor, House of Representatives, Eightieth Congress, first-session, pursuant to H. Res. 111 (1948)

MOTION-PICTURE JURISDICTIONAL DISPUTES 393 Also Mr. William Walsh, in charge of labor relations for the Metro-GoldwynMayer company. As a result of the rather intensive investigation conducted by me, I w^ish to submit the following information : Brotherhood of Painters, Decorators, and Paperhangers of America 1. Spoke to Herbert Sorrell, executive officer of the Hollywood local, and he advised me that he was fully satisfied with the contents and application of the directive, as it pertained to his union. (a) Brother Sorrell did not feel that it was necessary to confirm by letter his position as mentioned above. (6) This local's membership is about 900, with no change caused by the directive. International Brotherhood, of Electrical Workers of America 1. Local 40, IBEW, had several complaints to register against the lATSE. It had no serious quarrels with other A. F. of L. unions. (a) The lATSE and its various local unions in the motion-picture industry are and, at all times since the issuance of the Knight-Doherty-Birthright directive, have been openly violating the terms of the directive. (6) Where not openly violating the directive, the lATSE has made use of intentional misinterpretation and other forms of subterfuge to avoid compliance with the A. F. of L. directive. (c) Regardless of any precedent established through years of performance of certain work by the IBEW, the lATSE has seized upon any work not specifically covered by the directive. An official brief, prepared by local 40 for me, is attached. Business Manager Roy Tyndall of local 40 feels that the following procedure would effectively work out his local's difliculties with the lATSE. 1. Where the directive or the previous agreements between the international does not cover the work in dispute, it is suggested by the IBEW that the issue be settled on the basis of the precedent established in each studio prior to the strike, which commenced on March 12, 1945. (a) That the above paragraph include the agreement signed by President Dan Tracy, of the IBEW, and President George Browne, of the lA, and countersigned by Pat Casey as chairman of the producers' committee on April 21, 1936, and effective on May 11, 1936. The compliance to this agreement by the lA, particularly with reference to subparagraph {(j) would help greatly in removing our complaints against the lA on jurisdiction. The agreement referred to is marked "Exhibit E" in the attached brief. 2. That the definition of "running I'epairs" made by Vice President Knight be incorporated as part of the directive, over the signature of the full committee, and that all interested parties be notified of this action. For your information, local 40, IBEW, instituted court action against the lATSE about 2 years ago, requesting the court to obtain compliance from the lATSE, with the terms of the agreement of 1926, between the two internationals and the agreed-to amendments of 1936. This action was dropped by the court when the complainant, a m-ember of local 40, passed away. About 3 months ago, local 40 started a court action against the lATSE, asking that the lATSB be made to comply with the December 26, 1945, directive of the American Federation of Labor committee. At this writing, the superior court has not yet placed the case on its calendar for action. This information on court action by local 40, IBEW, was given to me by its business manager, Roy Tyndall. This local at present has about 500 members in the Hollywood film industry. If the present condition was corrected to its liking, it would mean an additional membership of about 450. The major items to be corrected in bringing about this additional membership would be on the definition of "running repairs." Local 40 is thoroughly agreeable to Vice President Knight's definition, which is listed as an exhibit in the brief submitted by local 40. United Association of Plumbers and Steamfitters of the United States and Canada 1. Conferred with Business Manager Wickland and his committee for the UA local 78, covering Hollywood. Their main contention is that the lATSE is encroaching on the UA work through the former's interpretation of paragraph (Off) under section 2 on page 5 of the official directive.