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)

494 MOTION-PICTURE JURISDICTIONAL DISPUTES requested the letters not be sent until be bad bad a talk witb Mr. Victcn Clark.. Notbing ever developed thereafter, but there were no further disputes between; the unions. 12. August 7, 1944 — Cut-outs and hackings A showboat set comprised mostly of flat backing pieces and cut-outs was being, constructed. The studio believing it was a set, assigned local 946 carpenters to do the work in the mill. The question arose with lA local 80 carpenters regarding setting up of these units on the stake. On August 8, 1944, Mr. Skelton, business agent f' r 946, claimed his men were to erect the units on the stage. Local 80's claims were based on the fact that the set units were constructed of muslin tacked on frames and cut out pieces. On August 11, 1944, Victor Clark; inspected the set and agreed local 946 was properly assigned to the work because it was really a set. Mr. Clark voiced the opinion that if there were a portion of the set in reduced-scale cut-outs, such portions might be in the jurisdiction of the lA. However, there were none on this set. On August 12, 1944, the studio assigned, over objection of Mr. Holbrook of local 80, the erection of the set on the stage to local 946. Mr. Holbrook over the phone reluctantly told the studio to go. ahead, but said this was the last time. Within an hour after that conversation,, Mr. Barrett, business agent of local 80, phoned to say that he had overruled Mr. Holbrook, and if we proceeded as indicated, he would call off all grips from work at Republic the following workday. A meeting of studio construction men brought out a compromise division of the work which would throw to local 80, as a sop, small portions of the work. Mr. Skelton, when appraised of the emergency, willingly agreed to play ball with the studio and give some of the work to Barrett if Barrett would accept and create no work stoppage. When Barrett was later contacted, be accepted the proposal and there was no further argument on this set. 13. August 16, 1944 — Locomotive cab and tender • There was pulled out of the "^cene dock a portion of a locomotive an<1 a tender, both of which were to be revamped. The tender was to be almost completely rebuilt. The studio assigned 646 carpenters to do the job. lA local 44, through Mr. DuVal, business agent, claimed the work on the basis it was a prop. Mr.. DuVal agreed there should be no work stoppage and that it was a legitimate jurisdictional dispute which could not be settled in the time available. He suggested his men make all the gadgets and local 946 men do the revamp work on the tender, but 44 men should complete the revamp work on the locomotive cab. It was impossible to reach Mr. Skelton, business agent for 946, to see if he would agree for the division of work in the emergency, so the studio proceeded with its work MS originally assigned over the protest of Mr. DuVal and there was no work stoppage. On August 28, 1944, this problem was discussed by the studio representative with Mr. Frank Carothers. international representative of the basic-agreement unions, of which carpenters were one. He promised to talk to Mr. Victor Clark and attempt to work out a decision. No decision was ever forthcoming. 14. January 29, 1945 — Washing ivindoics on sets In the construction of new sets, windows with glass panes must be cleaned. Both local 724 laborers and local 727 lA laborers claimed the work. In the failure to obtain a settlement of the dispute between the locals, the studioissued orders this date that thereafter and until the dispute was settled, local 724 men would be assigned to wash windows during and after set construction, but ifthe windows required cleaning during set photograph, 727 would handle. There have been no further disputes between the locals although they did not accept the studio division of work. 15. January 29, 1945 — Sawdust on sets The handling, laying, and striking of sawdust on the tloors of sets was in dispute between local 724 laborers and 727 lA laborers. In the knowledge it was useless to try to obtain an early settlement, the studio ordered local 727 men be assigned to handle sawdust only while the shooting company required: handling of it on the set. All work bringing in and laying the sawdust, preparing the set for photography and striking the set after photography, was assigned to local 724. 16. January 29, 1945 — Breaking flats out of irnlls Locals 724 lahcn-ers and 727 lA laborers both claimed work of breaking out flats from set walls which were not to be saved for reasons stated in 15 and 1&