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)

488 MOTION-PICTURE JURISDICTIONAL DISPUTES to look like bronze — the carpenters installed these letters on the outside of the building showing the name of the office building, and Property Craftsmen Local 44 claimed that this work should have been done by local 44 and demanded that it be torn down and then be done by local 44 — this was finally disposed of by local 44 allowing the bronze letters to remain installed on the office building. On this same production. Carpenters Local 946 had constructed an elevator booth in the mill and installed thereon a floor indicator — I'roperty Craftsmen Local 44 requested that this be removed and reinstalled by local 44 as this had always been in their jurisdiction as an "effect" — this was finally disposed of by local 44 allowing the indicator to remain installed. On a production known as The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, produced between April 18, lt)4(), and August 21, 1946, there was a dispute between Carpenters Local 946 and Property Craftsmen Local 44 regarding a stage setting which represented a western street— local 44 claimed this is a prop and carpenters claimed it as part of set construction and had built these stage settings in the construction mill and removed them to the stage — this matter was finally disposed of by local 44 withdrawing their complaint and going ahead and rigging the stage settings for any effects required by the production. On this same production it was necessary to have a cove backing to get the necessary contour required which ran from the base of the set or floor up to a distance of 5 or 6 feet, where the cove backing joined on the canvas backing, and in order to obtain this so-called cove-backing effect it was necessary to have the cove backing made from staff and the grips were assembling the cove backings and putting them in place — the carpenters stopped all woi-k on the set, claiming that this was carpenters' jurisdiction. This was finally settled by having the cove backings removed from the stage by laborers to the mill and cradles were built to hold the cove backings individually, and then returned to the stage where the grips arranged them in their respective places. On this same production there were beams constructed in the mill by carpenters on which had been placed an ornamental staff work and then sent to the stage where set erectors were to erect same; the carpenters claimed the erection and placing of beams into their respective places as "mill and trim," and therefore within their jurisdiction. This was finally disposed of by having the set erectors put them in place. " On this same production there were some miniature houses required for a department-store scene — the pet-shop department — the miniature houses were built in the mill by carpenters and Property Craftsmen Local 44 requested that we dispose of those and stated they would have to be rebuilt by local 44 as a prop — this matter was disposed of by local 44 agreeing to let us use the miniature houses as built in the mill by carpenters. On this same production there was a set where interior flower boxes were built along the window ledges ; the flower boxes were built in the mill by carpenters, delivered to the stage and installed by the set erectors — local 44 requested that these be removed and be rebuilt and installed by property craftsmen as proijs. This matter was finally disiwsed of by local 44 permitting us to use the units built by the carpenters and installed by the set erectors. On this same production there was a dispute between carpenters and set erectors regarding the placing of staff brick on exterior walls on the stages; the staff brick sections had been previously prepared by the staff department and framed in by the carpenters; however, the carpenters claimed that they should have the placement of these staff brick sections on the stage. This matter was finally settled by having the set erectors do the work. On a production known as The Chase produced between May 21, 1946, and July 10, 1940. there was a dispute between Carpenters Local 946 and Property Craftsmen Local 44 and set erectors, regarding the assembling of sections of a garden fountain, setting in center piece which water flowed through, tarring in the interior section for holding water ; this matter was finally settled by having local 44 perform the work. On this same production there w'as a dispute between carpenters and set erectors regarding the setting up of columns, and this was disposed of by having the set erectors perform the work. On this same production there was a di.spute between carpenters and set erectors regarding the laying of imitation tile floor; and was finally settled by having set erectors lay the floor ; there was a di.spute between carpenters and local 44 regarding the construction of a bar ; this was finally settled by having the bar built out of staif and assembled on the stage by set erectors; there was a dispute between carpenters and set erectors over setting the bar in place and assembling on stage ; this was disposed of by having set erectors set the bar on stage ; there was a dispute between carpenters and Grips Local 80 regarding a wild shelf behind the