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)

394 MOTION-PICTURE JURISDICTIONAL DISPUTES (a) UA foels that it wonld give an additional Hollywood membership of about 100 if the disputed point was settled to its liking. 2. The present Hollywood membership of the UA local 78 is about 100. (a) Enclosed find self-explanatory copy of letter from Business Manager Wickland of UA local 78 to his general president, dated July 29, 1946. Building Service Employees International Union 1. Conferred with the executive officers of the Hollywood locals 278 and 193 of the BSEIU. They both expressed their satisfaction with the directive, and copies of their self-explanatory letters are enclosed. (a) Membership in the Hollywood film industry for local 278 is about 500. (&) Could not obtain official figures on Hollywood film industry membership for local 193. Would guess it averages about 400. International Association of Machinists 1. After a great deal of thought on the matter, it was my considered judgment that it would not be wise to include the Hollywood local of the lAM in my report. My reasons are : First, that the JAM, by its own action, has disaffiliated from the parent body ; and. Second, that, several months ago, a Federal labor union charter was approved and issue to cover machinists in the Hollywood film' industry. That Federal labor union is functioning at the present time. United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America 1. Conferred with Brother James Skelton, business representative for carpenters' local 946, which includes the Hollywood film industry jurisdiction. At my request, he has prepared a brief, copy of which I am enclosing. In addition, through questioning Brother Skelton, I am advised that the general president of the international union, during the January meeting of the A. F. of L. executive council, officially protested the findings contained in the directive, as they applied to his union. His protest was based mainly on the point that the A. F. of L. three-man committee had failed to allow him to appear before it, previous to its issuance of the directive, in spite of its having agreed to do so. Carpenters' local 946 had officially notified the producers early in January of this year that it was not recognizing the directive. However, after a large number of its members had been discharged by management for this stand, local 946 then decided to go along with the directive, under protest. Since that time, there have been a large number of work stoppages. It is the opinion of Business Representative Skelton that unless the present jurisdictional disturbance is corrected, that there will be another long-drawn-out strike over the matter of jurisdiction. The present Hollywood membership of the carpenters' local 946 totals about 1,500. If the work on set erection were granted to local 946, there would be additonal employment for 500 members. If the definition of "props" were decided in favor of the carpenters, there would be employment for 200 more. On favorable definition of the term "miniature," there would be 25 additional jobs created for local 946. 2. Conferred with International Representative Joe Cambiano of the carl>entei-s on this situation. His comments were similar to those mentioned in section 1 above. He went on to say that his international union recognized only the 1921 agreement, copy of which is in the brief submitted by carpenters' local 946 ; that the 1925-26 agreement had been executed by a rump group of oflicers of the then existing carpenters local, which included tlie Hollywood area, and, as such, had not been approved by the international ; that, therefore, the A. F. of L. committee was in complete error when it recognized the 1925-26 agreement as a basis for its deliberations, and not the 1921 agreement. On the basis of tlie above condition, as explained by Brother Cambiano, the carpenters, local 946 is not I'ecognizing the directive, and is working under protest. He envisages a series of serious work stoppages involving local 946, and, particularly, will effect the huge program of new construction being planned by the movie industry. International Representative Cambiano suggests that an official committee, made up of individuals who are familiar with the general building and wood milling indu.stry, be assigned to look over the wood-working functions in the Hollywood film industry and report its findings to the executive council of the American Federation of Labor.