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 1045 a final determination witli respect to the jurisdictional rights of certain unions whose members were employed in the Hollywood studios. Therefore, I am disposed to find that the three vice presidents of the American Federation of Labor made an earnest and sincere effort to arrive at a fair and equitable determination of the rights of all of the members of the unions involved in jurisdictional strife in Holly- wood except as to the members of the International Association of Machinists. It ap})ears from the evidence that because the International Associ- ation of jNIaclnnists had been suspended from the American Federation of Labor that the rights of its membership were virtually ignored in the decision of the three vice presidents of the American Federation of Labor. For that reason I have invited Mr. Brown, president of the International Association of Machinists, to appear before my subcom- mittee and to testify Avith respect to the experiences of his union in the Hollywood studios. A careful analysis of the testimonj', heretofore received, indicates that the jurisdictional strife in September 194(5, which has continued to the present time, in the Hollywood studios is probably the result of collusion between the producers and the lATSE. Therefore, gentle- men, unless you have evidence to the contrary to present to my subcom- mittee it is my intention to make a finding of fact that the present labor dispute in Hollywood is the result of a lock-out by the employers after having conspired with certain officials of the lATSE to create inci- dents which would make it impossible for the members of those unions affiliated with the Conference of Studio Unions to continue to work in the studios. There is substantial evidence in the record that this conspiracy was aided by certain of the officers and employees of the teamsters' union and the screen actors guild, for tJie lock-out could not have succeeded without the cooperation of both of these organizations. The inci- dents arranged for in conferences between the producers and the lATSE were deferred until they secured the assurance of cooperation and support from the teamsters and the actors. This is not intended and should not be construed as reflecting upon IMessrs. Ronald Reagan, Edward Arnold, George Murphy, and Robert Montgomeiy, avIio, I am sure, sincerely endeavored to prevent this jurisdictional dispute at its inception and with the assistance of jNIr. Paul Dullzell, endeavored to have the American Federation of Labor set up machinery for its enforced arbitration. I am sure you gentlemen understand the gravity of my proposed findings. You will be given an opportunity to present any evidence which you may have to dissuade me from making such a report to the Congress. I would like to have it understood before we begin the hearings, that we will follow the same procedure that we followed on the west coast. Mr. McCami, who will be counsel for the committee, will have the o})p()rtunity and privilege of questioning members and witnesses who appear here on the stand. Any of the attorneys representing anyone from industry or labor who wish to question a witness will in writing present the question to the secretary of the counsel, and he in turn will question the witness.