Motion Picture Herald (Jul-Aug 1940)

30 MOTION PICTURE HERALD July 13, 1940 HOLLYWOOD CASTING STRIKE ENDS; PRODUCERS, WRITERS SIGN CONTRACT Central Office Employees Return to Work After Agreement with Casey; Short Term Pact Signed by Guild After striking and picketing for more than three weeks, and largely crippling the routine hiring of extras, the 47 office workers of the Central Casting Corporation, in Hollywood, on Monday returned to work, assured that remaining differences between them and the producers would be adjusted. The walkout ended soon after the arrival on the Coast Friday, July 5th, of Pat Casey, producers' labor contact. The office workers, belonging to the American Federation of Labor Office Employees Local 20978, agreed to resume work if Mr. Casey would participate in all future negotiations. Closed Shop Conceded The producers had been reported willing to concede a closed shop, minimum wages, and other items except the union demand that the casting directors be included in its ranks. The agreement to end the strike, pending negotiations, was reached between Mr. Casey and Mrs. Elma Goodwin, union business agent. It was said that, in addition, to the casting directors' issue, other points to be settled were seniority rights, casting directors' maximum hours, and restoration of a 10 per cent pay slash for some casting directors. The strike was called after Howard Philbrick, general manager of the casting corporation, told representatives of the union seeking recognition, that they needed certification from the National Labor Relations Board, as the proper bargaining agency for the corporation's office workers. There followed this dictum a walkout of 47 out of 50 of the office employees ; picketing of the corporations ; and threats by the union that it might also picket studios which called extras directly. Producers, Writers Agree Meanwhile, last week occurred another salient Hollywood labor event : the agreement between the producers and the Screen Writers Guild on a short term contract, climaxing years of struggle by the guild for recognition, which it won some time ago, and then for a contract, the tentative agreement on which was reached last Tuesday. Representatives of both sides issued a statement, reading: "This (short term contract) is subject to ratification by the boards of the several companies and by the Screen Writers Guild membership. The executive board of the guild announces that a date of a membership meeting of the guild will shortly be fixed, at which meeting details of the proposed agreement will be made public." The shortness of the pact was regarded as a victory for the guild, the length of the proposed contracts being an issue during all the negotiations. Petrillo Intervenes James C. Petrillo, the new president of the American Federation of Musicians, on Friday, July 5th, intervened in the strike by the Philadelphia musicians' local, 77, against the Warner circuit there, a strike now in its eighth month. In Mr. Petrillo's first official act affecting motion picture theatres he met on Friday, with Frank Phelps, Warner labor contact, and with A. Rex Riccardi, secretary of SURROUNDED To Motion Picture Herald: On account of chain gangsters 10 miles west and 12 miles east dictating the terms under which I can run pictures, going so far as having them pulled off a few days before showing after advertising, and holding up playdates, I am out of the theatre business after losing about $8,000 in 1938 and 1939. I predict the Government suit will amount to just nothing. Of course, I know the Herald boosts for the gang, but why not? They are your employer, so go ahead and boost for them. What I would say would amount to just nothing. R. S. WENSER, 317 North Howard Street, Union City, Ind. [Mr. Wenger has the Grand theatre, 500 seats, and the Miami, in Union City, Indiana, a town of about 3,500 persons. His observations about Motion Picture Herald are not precisely supported by the fact that, after all, he has written to the Herald. It would appear possible that Mr. Wenger might expect attention to more specific reports addressed to executives in authority. — The Editor.] the Philadelphia local, in the federation's New York home offices. It was explained that the meeting was an opportunity for Mr. Petrillo to acquaint himself at first hand with the situation, and with the views of the Warner people. It was reported there would be further meetings, probably late this week. $10,000 for Strike The federation has donated $10,000 to help their local win the strike, which was brought to compel the Warner circuit to reemploy and maintain musicians in certain of its Philadelphia houses with stage shows. The general result of the strike to date has been the dropping of stage shows and music entirely from the Warner theatres in that city. _ Mr. Petrillo's participation in the negotiations are the result of the local's request that he do so, and its resolution empowering him to act for it. The federation, in convention in Indianapolis, last month, turned down a request from the local, for national aid in the form of a declaration that Warner Brothers was "unfair," and in the enlistment of all other unions, nationally in a strike against all of the Warner enterprises. Bioff Stays in Jail Willie Bioff, West Coast representative of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, and chairman of the Conference of American Federation of Labor Studio Unions, lost one more in a long procession of legal attempts to break out of jail, when his attorney, Walker Butler, was told on Friday, July 5th, in Chicago Criminal Court, that the facts he had presented did not warrant issuing a writ of habeas corpus for Bioff's release. Mr. Butler had cited cases to prove that reception of money from illegal enterprises was not a violation of the state laws. Bioff is finishing a 1922 six-month jail sentence. In St. Louis, trial of John P. "Big" Nick, deposed head of the city's projectionists' local, 143, and of Clyde Weston, its deposed business agent, will begin in that city's United States District Court on August 5th, before Judge Caskie Collet. The pair are charged with racketeering while heading the union. Meanwhile, in that city, Local 143 this week completed transferring 75 operators in the de luxe theatres operated by Fanchon and Marco and the neighborhood houses owned by the St. Louis Amusement Company but also operated by Fanchon and Marco. Other Labor Field Items Independent exhibitors in Minneapolis are reported ready to ask the projectionists for wage concessions. They claim business is off some 25 per cent. In Cleveland, the local projectionists' union has already turned down approaches for wage reductions, by independent exhibitors. The National Labor Relations Board in Washington is examining files sent to it last week by Walter Spreckels, regional director of the board in Los Angeles. The files are on the jurisdictional tiff between the Motion Picture Painters Local 644, and the Scenic Artists Association. The board is to decide whether a collective bargaining agency election should be held. Seeking Exchange Union The AFL office workers' union in New York is reported endeavoring to unionize all exchanges and home offices in the territory. The Artists Representatives Association, in New York, may become a national organization, to include Coast variety agents. The directors of the association were to meet in New York this week, on the matter. Republic Operating Twelve Exchanges Republic is now operating 12 exchanges direct, having taken them over from franchise owners, the most recent being Des Moines and St. Louis. The exchanges acquired and now operated by the company direct are Albany, Boston, Buffalo, New Haven, New York, Philadelphia, Detroit, Des Moines, Omaha, St. Louis, Los Angeles and San Francisco. There are 21 exchanges which are being operated by franchise owners. The St. Louis exchange was taken over from Barney Rosenthal. Nat Steinberg, his long time associate, remains as manager. The Des Moines exchange was acquired from E. J. Tilton, F. P. Moran of Oklahoma City has been appointed branch manager there and has named Edward O'Neill salesman. E. M. Loy has been appointed branch manager in Butte, Montana. He replaces Bob Boomer, who resigned to take care of theatre interests in Montana. The exchange is part of the J. T. Sheffield group of franchised branches in the northwest.