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 1345 Mr. Ni'lsdii observed that the A. F. of L. gets the credit for the strike, however. At Vice President Tobin's re(iaest, Mr. Johnston reiieated the proposals he had made in an effort to bring about a settlement, as istated in his opening remarks. At tile conclusion of his remarks, Mr. Johnston added that frankly he thought if one or two or three of the presidents here, not coiuieered witli the strike, eould go out tliere they could settle It very (piickly. He contended the differences are not so great; that this is a tiuid industry where a man worlvi-! on this for a while and then on that. Vice I'resident Hutclieson aslted ri-esid(>iif (Sreen if Mr. Johnston is familiar with tlie arrangements wliich were made liy President Green at the recent con- ference held in Washington with the organizations involved and the IAT^^E. Mr. Johnston replied tliat he is familiar witli them and lie liad hoped tliat procedure might he followed through, but he contended the arrangement iis not worlving very well. INIr. Johnston expressed the opinion tliat no progress of im- portance will be made under that s(>t-up and the reason is that the bitterness out there is so great, and the coninn'ttees have taken so adamant a position that there is no jxxssibility of agreeing on the major pi'oblems involved. He stated he believes tliat Mr. Walsli has started a conference with his group and tlie ele-trical wor!\ers' .group. Mr. Walsh contended that the striking group did not regard the arrangement made at the Washington conference as a settlement of the strike becau.se tliey are determined to close the Dstudios as they publicly announced and privately announced the determination tlat they are giving on with their iirogi'am. President Gi-een stated it is difficult to understand why a settlement of the ditliculties could not be reached if the committees appointed by the organizations were to ari'ive at a settlement of their jurisdictional problems. Vice pi-esident Hutcheson asked Pi'csident (Ireen is it not a fact that some of tlie <irganizations that were present at the conference and agreed to liis proposal there had to communic;ite with him to a.sk why tlie lATSE had not appointed tlieir committee. President Green reiilied that is true and he called Brother Walsh immediately over the teleplnm^^ and Brotlier Walsh explained he had been meeting with his executive council for a week or 10 days and that he liad now instructed his repiesentative in Hollywood, Mr. Roy Ri-ewer. to appoint the committees for the l»urpose of meeting- witli the representatives of the other organizations involved. President Green stated he knew that some time had elapsed between the time when the agreement was worked out and he ^^alled Mr. Walsh over the phone. Pi'esident Green stated that he wanted to r->port that they hid a .S-day con- ference in AVashington ; the representatives oF all the organizations involved in the Hollywood controversy participated in that conference patiently for three long days and ever;- phase of it was discussed so far as he could compreliend and understand. President Green stated that all the details were brought out and various methods were tried and various suggestions olfered as a solution of the problem. President Green stated it was proposed there that the strikers resume work along the lines that Mr. Johnston suggested today, except there was no provision foi- severance pay, but that these people should return to work and take up the question aftei- woj-k had been I'esumed. President Green stated after exploring tlie situation in every way it became apparent to him that there was only one form of understanding that could be arrived at and t'lat was that an effort must bp made to settle ths^se jurisdictional problems quickly and then after they were settled to tell our men where the.v are to work: that all would he accorded the opportunity to work, because Presi- dent Walsh had agreed to that that all who came back to work in accordance with the decision reached between tlie committees. Pi-esident Green then read the agreement reached at the Washington conference, as follows: Washingtox, D. C. Septonhcr 21, 1945- MEMORANDUM It is agreed by the representatives of organizntioiis involved in the work stoppage in the motion-picture industry at Hollywood that the parties involved shall proceed to take up the settlement of jurisdictional differences with the understanding that when said jurisdictional differences are adjusted the mem- bership of each international union will be accorded the right to work at jobs