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 2173 BASIC AGREEMENT BETWEEN UNIONS AND MAJOR COMPANIES 2. That thereafter, on November 29, 1926, said Brotherhood of Carpenters and lATSE, entered into a contract, known as the basic agreement, with certain of major motion picture companies, which was later joined in by all the major companies, and their producers association, with notice of, and subject to, said exhibit A agreement between the Brotherhood of Carpenters and the lATSE. That said agreement has been kept in force and effect ever since its execution, by periodic interim extensions. That a copy of said basic contract, insofar as it relates to said Brotherhood of Carpenters, is hereto attached as exhibit B and made a part hereof. CLOSED-SHOP AGREEMENT BETWEEN UNIONS AND MAJOR COMPANIES 3. That thereafter, on December 8, 1935, an agreement was made, again by both said Brotheriiood of Carjjenters and lATSE, with said major motion picture companies, whereby a closed shop was established, for both the carjjenters knd the lATSE, in their respective jurisdictions. That a notice of this contract was posted in all studios, and that a copy of the notice, insofar as it relates to these two unions, is hereto attached as exhibit C and made a part hereof. PRESENT AGREEMENT OF CARPENTERS WITH MAJOR COMPANIES 4. That thereafter, on July 2, 1946, an interim agreement was made between said Brotherhood of Carpenters, Local 946, and other crafts, with said producers association, for each and all of said major motion-picture companies, extending the said exhibits B and C contracts, as modified by the said various interim agreements, for a period of 2 years, that is, from July 3, 1946, to .July 1, 1948. That this agreement was immediately ratified and put into effect by each aud all of said major motion-picture companies. That a copy of this agreement, insofar as it relates to the carpenters, is hereto attached as exhibit D, and made a part hereof. PRESENT AGREEMENT OF CARPENTERS WITH INDEPENDENT COMPANIES 5. That on June 29, 1946, concurrently with, or in anticipation of, said exhibit D, interim agreement between the major motion-picture companies and the carpenters, an interim agreement was likewise made between said Brotherhood of Carpenters, Local 946, and the Independent Motion Picture Producers Association, representing the independent motion-picture companies hereinbefore listed. That this agreement was immediately ratified and put into effect by each and all of said independent motion-picture companies. That a copy of this agreement is hereto attached as exhibit E, and made a part hereof. ORIGIN OF UNFAIR LABOR PRACTICES • That on or about November 1, 1944, when said Carpenters Brotherhood, Local 946, undertook to open negotiations with said major motion-picture companies, and Producers Association, to extend their said exhibit B, basic contract, as extended and modified by interim agreements to that time, including said exhibit C, closed-.shop contract, said lATSE and its agents commenced a course of interference with the carpenters, and encroachment upon their tasks and right to work under said contract. That thereafter, during or about March 1945, pursuant to said interference and encroachment, said lATSE, acting by and through said Walsh, proposed to said Producers Association, as agent for each and all of said major motion-picture companies, acting by and through Nicholas Schenck, that the lATSE would take over all the carj^enters' work of said major motion-picture companies, and each and all of said independent motion-picture companies in California, on the condition that the major motion-picture companies violate each and all of its existing contracts with the Brotherhood of Carpenters, Local 946, and cause each and all of the independent motion-picture companies to do likewise, so as to turn all carpenters' work in the studios, and on the lots and locations, of all of the motion-picture companies operating in California, over to the lATSE. That said Walsh made this proposal .substantially in the following language: "We will run the studios, but only on one condition that you have no contracts whatever with any of the people who are out on strike." That this language of said Walsh will be found in his address to the 1946 international convention of the lATSE, held in Chicago, as is shown in the hearings 67383 — 48 — vol. 3 43