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 463 painters securing a contract and they obtained the first contract which extended direct I'ecognition to a studio craft local. (In light of the 1945 strike, it is interesting to note that the scenic artists' section of the painters' union, which lATSE defeated in 1937, later joined Painters' Local 1421, the union which started the present strike. Thus, the 1945 strike is not the first time that scenic artists such as set decorators have been alined with the painters' union against lATSE.) The 1937 strike was the last major clash between lATSE and its craft-union competitors until 1945. However, in 1939, lATSE by 'A policy of appeasement of the craft unions won their support in putting down a rebellion within its own (lATSE) ranks. lATSE insurgents formed the United Studio Technicians' Guild, threatened lATSE control in the .studios and was active enough to get an NLRB election. lATSE thereupon reached a new compromise agreement or armistice with the craft unions, working through the Los Angeles Central Labor Council, which then supported the lATSE in the NLRB election. lATSE won the election by more than 2 to 1. (It is pertinent to note that the painters' union, headed by Herb Sorrell, was the only craft union involved which did not aid lATSE in the election. Sorrell supported the USTG.) The armed peace between the craft unions and lATSE continued to 1945, which brings us up to the present conflict. Brief of Studio Cakpenters Local 946, U. B. of C. and J. of A. Studio Carpenters Local 946 protests the ruling of the three-man arbitration committee provided by the October 10-24, 1945, AFL executive council meeting at Cincinnati, Ohio. Our reasons for protesting the award are as follows : At this meeting the executive council of the AFL issued the following ruling: "CINCINNATI AGREEMENT "1. The council directs that the Hollywood strike be terminated immediately. "2. That all employees return to work immediately. "3. That for a period of 30 days the international unions affected make every attempt to settle the jurisdictional questions in the dispute. "4. That after the expiration of 30 days a committee of three members of the AFL executive council shall investigate and determine within 30 days all jurisdicional questions still unsolved. "5. That all parties concerned (here the lA, carpenters, machinists, plumbers, painters, electrical workers, and building service employees are enumerated) accept as final and binding such decisions and determinations as the executive council committee of three may finally render." In accordance with paragraphs 1 and 2 of the Cincinnati agreement, the studio strike was terminated and all members of the Studio Carpenters Local 946 returned to work immediately. In accordance with paragi-aph 3, a committee representing Studio Carpenters Local 946 under the chairmanship of International Representative Joe Cambiano was set up and had several meetings with Grips Local No. 8X lATSE. We were able to come to a woi-kable agreement with local 80 and on the 13th day of November 1945, in the presence of lATSE International President Walsh, lATSE International Vice President Carl Cooper, lATSE International Representative Roy Brewer, and a committee of lATSE members representing the membership of local 80, signed an agreement, a photostatic copy of which is attached hereto and marked "Exhibit A." The same committee representing Studio Carpenters Local 946 also met with representatives of local 44 of the lATSE during the 30-day period and failed within that period to settle their differences and mutually agreed to submit those differences to the AFL arbitration committee provided for in the Cincinnati agreement. On December 6, 1945, representatives of Studio Carpenters Local 946 presented their differences with local 44 to the AFL committee in accordance with paragraph 4 of the Cincinnati agreement for their consideration and determination. It should be noted that paragraph 4 of the Cincinnati agreement provides that the AFL committee is authorized to consider only those "jurisdictional questions still unsolved."