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)

1396 MOTION-PICTURE JURISDICTIONAL DISPUTES Mr. HuTCHESON. Oh, they signed it, they all signed it. Mr. Kearns. We will stand in recess for 5 minutes. Mr. HuTCHESON. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (A short recess.) Mr. Kearns. You may proceed, Mr. Hutcheson. Mr. Hutcheson. Reading further from the report of the executive council: President Green stated that the United Brotherhood of Carpenters have made it clear that said organization has not accepted the directive and for that reason the carpenters are worliing under protest. In discussing the suggestion made in the report of Representative Fhmnagan that an arbitration procedure be established, President Green stated that as he understood it from the report the employees in the studio in Hollywood outlined and proposed such a program. President Green stated he does not know whether such a plan is practicable. Vice President Hutcheson read a telegram which he received from his repre- sentative in Hollywood— "At a meeting with the producers on July 2 terminating a 2-day strike, our people returned to work on July .3 under an interim agreement which was to be in effect until the contract could be signed. At this meeting it was agreed that each studio would operate as they had after the directive and according to their interpretation of the directive. This was to be in effect until the dire'^tives had been clarified or an arbitration committee set up to interpret the directive. The work varies at each studio, but in general most studios have interpreted the dii'ective that the set erectors are to erect and build all sets on stages which includes the building of all platforms for sets, cutting stage floors where it is necessary for stairways, sunken gardens, etc. The producers' interpreta- tion is that the set erectors are to build and erect all walls for homes and buildings; they put on novelty siding and prepare exterior walls for homes and buildings; they put on novelty siding and prepare exterior walls for i)laster, immitation brick or stone; they also prepare the intei*ior walls which are in most cases finished in Celotex, plasterboard, Masonite, or plywood; they cut roof rafters, shingle roofs and do all other work that could not be classed other than as carpenter work. They also use portable handsaws and cut-off saws on the stages. The only thing the carpenters are permitted to do on the stages at present time is the hanging of doors, windows, and the usual trim that goes into an ordinary building or home. "The producers have gone so far as to permit the set erectors to build some sets on stages which are later to be moved to other stages for shooting. Prop- makers local 44 insisting that all bars, backbars, counters, built-in sets, seats, and all types of furniture practical fireplaces and anything in a set but the four walls, roof and floor, are props. They are also including as action props such items as railroad cars, boxcars, boats, wagons, airplanes, and any mode of trans- portation or any article that moves in a picture, as their wor'-. Local 44 is also doing all miniature work, regardless of scale and claiming anything below normal size as a miniature, even though in many cases these items ai-e used for perspec- tive purposes. In the prop shop they have identical machinery as is used in the mills, such as woodturning lathes, small shapers, drill presses, hand saws, rip and cut-off saws, and in addition to this they often use the mill machinery to get out material for their work. Under the directive, carpenter work is confined to the maintenance of buildings not used for pliotographic purposes. New buildings are usually let out on contract or they are done by Brotherhood men. We do exterior sets on lots and locations, but even in this work the prop makers are claiming many items such as windmils, water tanks, signs, and many other items. Millwork consists mostly of sash, doors and moldings, and trim for sets. At the present time there are no crafts that have a long-term agreement. All crafts are working under an interim agreement. The set-erectors local 468 is made up of men who took our jobs during the strike and those men who broke the ranks of local 946. Grips local is willing to go through with the agi-eement that they made with local 946, but are not permitted to do so, since the A. F. of L. directive gave the erection of sets on stages to the lATSE." Vice President Hutcheson stated that what he told the carpenters' local was that it was up to them to accept or not go along with this finding if the sentiment of their members is that they want the international to do what they have been doing for a number of years, namely, to negotiate with the producers, and get the agreement for them.