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 395 International Allkince of Theatrical Stage Employees and Moving Picture Machine Operators of the United States and Canada 1. Conferred with International Representative Roy Brewer and Business Representative Wiliam Barrett of grips' local 80. (a) Am attaching letter from Brother Brewer to me. dated August S, 1946, and giving his position regarding the agreement between the carpenters' local 946 and grips' local 80. as it pertains to the work of set erection. (&) Am attaching letter from Brother Brewer to me, dated August 8, 1946, giving his official position with regard to the full content of the American Federation of Labor directive. (c) Was advised by Brother Brewer that conferences were tentatively scheduled between carpenters' local 946 and the lA props' local 44, at which was to be discussed, among other things, the matter of props and miniature. (d) On the complaint filed by UA local 78, Brother Brewer stated that he would be willing to swap the UA and take the terms of the 1937 agreement between the two internationals in preference to the December 26, 1945, A. F. of L. directive, (Was not able to obtain copy of tlie 1937 agreement.) (e) On the complaint filed by the IBEW local 40, Brother Brewer stated that the main point at issue there is the term "running repairs." Insofar as what local 40 claims to be an official definition from Vice President Kniglit on the term "running repairs" is concerned, the lATSE have never been officially advised of it by the A. F. of L., and therefore do not recognize it. Brother Brewer gave his definition of "running repairs" to this effect : Any repair not requiring it being done at the shop, or not requiring the facilities of the shop to be taken to the place where repair is made. (/) The present membership of the lATSE locals that are involved in the A. F. of L. committee directive are as follows : Local 44 — Allied property craftsmen ^ 1, 600 Local 80— Grips 1, 200 Local 728 — Studio electricians 1, 200 Local 695 — Sound technicians 850 Local 468 — Studio mechanics 1,100 Local 165 — Projectionists 350 Total 6, 300 International Representative Brewer stated that, if the directive had been granted, as his international preferred, then the lATSE would have been granted the same work jurisdiction that it enjoys in the theater industry. That would mean allowing the lATSE additional work jurisdiction involving another 6,000 or 7,000 workers. . Miscellaneous material 1. Los Angeles Central Labor Council. (a) Conferred with Executive Secretary Bassett. He informed me that there has been no official action taken by his office since the issuance of the A. F. of L. committee directive. That the only information he has on the matter is what he picked up during unofficial conversations on the subject. It is his reaction that the friction over work jurisdiction is now more acute in Hollywood than was the case before the directive was issued. 2. Management representatives in the Hollywood film industry. {a) In the beginning of my report I make reference to my conferences with several representatives of management. They appeared to be in agreement on the several points which follow : (1) That the directive, being a new agreement, naturally brought on a flood of complaints and objections over interpretation. (2) The directive created a new local — the studio mechanics' local — which handles the work of set erection, and which is the principal source of complaint from the carpenters. (3) Left unanswered was the definition of the terms "props" and "miniature." (4) The carpenters' local 946 dispute is, by far, the real serious issue at present. (5) The IBEW complaint is based, for the most part, on the term "running repairs" and its definition. Management feels that this grievance can be adjusted locally, due to the fact that the work involved is a routine every-day affair as compared to "props" and "miniature," where there are changes being made constantly in the tyiie of work. This grievance is not regarded as serious.