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 2175 "4. That after the expiration of 30 days a committee of three members of the executive council of tlie American Federation of Labor shall investigate and determine within 30 days all jurisdictional questions still involved. "5. That all parties concerned, the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees and Moving Picture Machine Operators of the United States and Canada, the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America, the International Association of Machinists, the United Association of Plumbers and Steam Fitters of the United States and Canada, the Brotherhood of Painters, Decorators and Paperhangers of America, tiie International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers of America, and the Building Service Employees' Intei'national Union, accept as final and binding such decisions and determinations as the executive council committee of three may finally render." That pursuant to paragraphs 1 and 2 of said agreement, the strike then in existence in Hollywood was immediately terminated, and all carpenters immediatel.v returned to work in their pre-strike status of March 12, 1945. That imrsuant to paragraph 4 of said Cincinnati agreement, Messrs. Felix H. Knight, W. C. Birthright, and W. C. Doherty, all membei'S of the executive council of tiie American Federation of Labor, were appointed to the committee specified therein. They are hereinafter referred to as the three-man committee. DECISION OF A. F. OF L. THREE-MAN COMMITTEE That said committee, after investigation, reached a decision that the historic division of work between the carpenters and lATSE be maintained without change, and thereby upheld the rights of the carpenters under their said eontracts. In writing this report, however, said committee innocently made the mistake of copying the terms of a nonexistent, but purported contract, between the carpenters and the lATSE, dated February 5, 1925, instead of stating the real historic division of work as stated in said exhibit A contract which the.v intended to follow. That said report states : ******* "6. United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America : The committee rules that the division of work agreement entered into between the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America and the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees and Moving f icture IMachine Operators of the United States and Canada on February 5, 1925, and known as the '1926 Agreement' be placed in full force and effect immediately." and uses said mistaken language as follows : •'Division of work by the United States Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America : "Section 1. All trim and mill work on sets and stages. "Section 2. All mill work and carpenter work in connection with studios. "Section 3. All work in carpenter shops. "Section 4. All permanent construction. "Section 5. All construction work on exterior sets. "Division of work by the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees and Moving Picture ^Machine Operators of the United States and Canada : ''Section 6. Miniature sets. "Section 7. Property building. "Section 8. Erection of sets on stages except as provided in section 1. "Section 9. Wrecking all sets, exterior and interior. "Section 10. Erecting platforms for lamp operators and camera men on stages." It is here alleged on information and belief that this mistake was induced by the fraud of the lATSE, and said n!a.ior motion-picture companies. In any event, the mistaken use of said nonexistent document and terms was beyond the scope of atithority of committee. A copy of said report of said three-man committee, embodying said mistake, is hereto attached, as exhibit H, and made a part hereof. CONTlNXfED CONSPIBACY OF lATSE AND MAJOR MOTION-PICTTXRE COMPANIES That immediately thereafter, and pursuant to said conspiracy, the major motion-picture companies discharged 500 carpenters, more or less, from their employment, and replaced them with men provided by the lATSE. That concurrently therewith the lATSE took one of its floater charters, which had recently