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)

2310 MOTION-PICTURE JURISDICTIONAL DISPUTES forward to a new contract with the painters and set designers, and on July 2, 1946, the so-called treaty of Beverly Hills was entered into which provided for a 25 percent increase in wages with a retroactive date of January 1, 1946. The other terms of Beverly Hills contract you are familiar with and have been read into the recoi'd before the subcommittee on education and labor. Retroactive moneys of 25 percent were computed and paid to painters and set designers as of January 1, 1946. Charles Boren. I think that statement makes it very clear that throughont this entire period, except for the strike situation, even though they did not have formal written agreements there was a complete understanding that these contracts were always in effect. -One of the reasons that led to difficulties in signing formal contracts was the controversy over the set dressers, in 1944, because the jminters — this is in the record already and it is in the Naj;ional Labor Relations Board decision I read this morning — the painters kept including the set dressers in their contract. There was a controversy as to those set dressers and they refused to sign a formal agreement until the producers recognized them for the set dressers. My point is that Mr. Sorrel I's testimony that the producers deliberately refrained from signing contracts with them for the purpose of conspiring with the lA, I think is just as credible, in view of the actual facts, as a great deal of the rest of his testimony because that is not the fact. They had the^e contractual relations, they had these wage increases, working conditions, and everything else continued. The only reason for the failure of the formal agreements was the set dresser contract. I say there is another aspect of the so-called conspiracy which when put on the table, falls right flat on the floor. In conclusion I want to say this: I think this committee has been extremely patient, more patient than any committee or any judge I have ever been before. I think you have been interested in getting the facts and getting all of the facts. I regret exceedingly that the statement which was made at the opening of the hearing was made in the form it was. I think if there were any doubt whatever in the chairman's mind as to the position of the producers and their relations with the lA and the other unions, if it needed to be cleared up it has been cleared up completely, substantially, and beyond any doubt whatever in the course of these proceedings here. I think on this record it is impossible for this committee to make any finding other than the finding that the producers and the studios in Hollywood have been kicked around and pushed around by competing unions and that the only crime of which they have been guilty is the crime of trying to operate their business. I think in all fairness, Mr. Chairman, before these hearings conclude, since you made this statement you did, I won't urge it upon you, but I think in fairness you might make a statement based upon the evidence which has developed in the course of the Washington hearings. I thank you again for your patience and your courtesy. Mr. McCann. Mr. Zorn. before you close this afternoon would you put the minutes of 1945 in the record ? Mr. ZoRN. Oh, I am glad you mentioned that. I have more than that. You asked for a lot more.