Motion Picture Herald (Nov-Dec 1944)

Extras Bolt SAG; Labor Troubles In Studios Loom Basic changes in the hiring mechanisms of Hollywood studios and a possible walkout by the "A" njembers of the Screen Actors Guild were seen this week as the consequence to be expected from the National Labor Relations Board's balloting there last Sunday in which the "B" members, extras and bit players bolted the Guild and chose the Screen Players Union by a vote of 1,451 to 456. Abolition of the Central Casting Corporation, which places about 95 per cent of the extras, filling as many as 4,000 jobs some months might eventuate, although not immediately, according to a studio labor executive. Originally set up to combat talent brokers' exploitation of extras in the early days of Hollywood, the Central Casting has been working closely with the Guild. The main bone of contention between the Union members and the Guild has been the wage scale for extras, who have asserted that they have heefi dissatisfied with the Guild's representation in the matter. To Be Asked to Certify Union If the validity of the election is not challenged within five days after the election, the National Labor Relations Board in Washington will be asked to issue a certification of the union. Following certification, the union is expected to open negotiations with the producers for a contract incorporating features unsuccessfully sought by extras in the past. Although the producers' attitude was unofficially expressed, it is believed that negotiations will wait the union's obtaining a charter. In the preelection campaign, the guild gave much publicity to the declaration by William Green, American Federation of Labor head, that a charter would not be granted in the film acting world to any bargaining agency other than the Screen Actors Guild. Also, the AFL Central Labor Council in Los Angeles is on record as against Screen Players Union affiliation. Those who envisage a strike by the big stars are reminded that since the SAG was organized it had never had a walkout. The nearest it came to one was in 1937 when the producers signed a contract just one day before a scheduled strike. However, one Guild official has said : "We would do everything in our power to win a strike if it occurred." Way Out of Difficulty It has been suggested that the hiring of nonunion extras for "atmosphere" use could be one way of meeting the difficulty arising from a refusal of "A" members to work with Union members. Hollywood has plenty of people looking for such jobs, as was indicated strongly a short time ago when 2,000 applications were received in six days when the Guild announced it had a few hundred openings to fill the ranks depleted by the draft. An over-supply of would-be actors in Hollywood appears to be the underlying factor in the problem. It is pointed out that despite the manpower shortage, an average of a thousand extras a week draw unemployment insurance from the state of California. Any person earning less than $20 a weel^ is eligible to file a claim. Several U. A. Films Playing Holiday Week Key Runs Among the United Artist releases opening first runs or continuing first runs in key cities during the holiday week are the following : Sol Lesser's "3 Is a Family" at the Gotham theatre. New York; the Selznick-International film, "I'll Be Seeing You," opening December 24 at the Wilshire, United Artists and Four Star Theatres, Hollywood; David O. Selznick's "Since You Went Away" at the Palm State theatre, Detroit, and at the Salt Lake theatre, Chicago. IN HEWSREELS MOVIETONE NEWS— Vol. 27. No. 31— Allied offensive batters Nazis on western front. . . . Port of Antwerp open. . . . Air fighter action. . . . Victims of war's havoc. . . . General Eisenhower on tour. . . . Nobel prizes awarded at New York dinner. . . . Acrobat in flagpole stunt. MOVIETONE NEWS— VoL 27, No. 32— Bombing of Tokyo. . . . Japs raid Saipan. . . . Navy planes hit Manila. . . . Eisenhower sees fiame-throwing tanks in action. . . . Record snowstorm and blitz hit eastern Canada. . . . Plane in flight picks up man from ground. . . . Football champions. NEWS OF THE DAY— Vol. IS, No. 229— Great Allied push on Western front. ... On the British front with General Eisenhower. . . . The latest films from revolution-torn Athens. . . . First allied convoy safe at Antwerp. . . . Yanks clothe Filipinos. . . . Season's greetings from Marines and Navy. NEWS OF THE DAY— VoL IS, No. 230-Super forts in new attack on Tokyo. . . . Dramatic episode on U. S. flat-top. . . . Canadian blizzard sweeps into U. S. . . . Risk lives to test aerial human pickup. . . . Pro football crown won by the Packers. PARAMOUNT NEWS— No. 32— Western front-winter grind goes on. . . .• G.I's play Santa . . The Greek puzzle. . . . Brooklyn goes west. PARAMOUNT NEWS— No. 33— Pro football— Packers win national football title. . . . Air pickup. Army shows new rescue technique. . . . Pacific reports, air war speeds up. RKO PATHE NEWS— Vol. 18, No. 34— Allies occupy Metz, Strasbourg, Belfort. . . . Port of Antwerp in use by Allies. . . . Examine State Department nominees. . . . Relief for Filipino civilians. . . . Eisenhower tours British front. . . . Allied food received by Greeks. RKO PATHE NEWS— Vol. 16, No. 35— B-29s over Tokyo. .... Jap air force attacks Saipan super-fort base. . . . Human pickup by plane in flight. . . . Ramblers and Packers are grid champions. UNIVERSAL NEWS— Vol. 17, No. 255— Winter push to knock out German Reich. . . . Strife-torn Greece gets food relief. . . . Death trap closes on Leyte Japs. . . . 1944 Nobel winners. . . . Billiard wizard. UNIVERSAL NEWS— Vol. 17, No. 25S— B-29s rule Jap skies. . . . Bonibs soften Manila for final drive. . . . Flying plane picks up soldiers. . . . Heavy snow blankets Canada. . . . Packers win 1944 football title. Republic Signs Pact with Projectionists' Union An agreement has been reached by Republic and lATSE New York Projectionists' Local 306 on projectionists for the company's home office projection room, with a union contract to cover the men, eflective December 18, it was disclosed last week in a joint announcement. The agreement was reached in the office of Herman Gelber, president of the local. The new contract is identical to those in effect at home office projection rooms of other companies, a union spokesman said, and provides that any wage scales agreed upon by other companies in present negotiations with Local 306 should be incorporated in the Republic contract. As a result of the agreement the union has withdrawn an order previously issued to all local projectionists not to handle Republic product. Walter L. Titus, Jr., R. K. Mackenz-ie and Joseph McMahon represented the company in the negotiations, and Mr. Gelber, Nathan Frankel and Herman Schrank, the union. 10 Per Cent Wage Boost Approved for Detroit A 10 per cent retroactive wage increase for exchange service employees in Detroit, including inspectors, shippers and poster clerks, has been approved by the Regional War Labor Board. Film company exchange supervisors and representatives of the lATSE met in New York December 13 and signed applications for similar wage increases for the service workers in Dallas and Oklahoma City exchanges, which will be submitted to Regional War Labor Board directors for approval. Certify Managers-RKO Dispute The contract dispute between RKO and Motion Picture Theatre Operating Managers and Assistant Managers Guild, representing managers and assistant managers in 40 RKO Metropolitan New York and Westchester theatres, has been certified to the War Labor Board. Ill St. Louis Theatrdl Ask Operator Cu As Strike Sequel With the strike of the AFL film exchange un and the operators union in St. Louis called , at the order of Richard F. Walsh, president of 1' lATSE, and all local theatres back in operatiJjjcE the St. Louis Motion Pictures Exhibitors Ca mittee is considering what legal steps shall i taken to compensate the theatres for loeses suffei' in the strike and to prevent any future walkot In a statement issued by Louis K. Ansell, cha man of the committee, the exhibitors have calf upon the St. Louis Board of Aldermen to rep' the city ordinance requiring two operators ; every booth. The statement read : "We are wi' ing to loan one man in each projection booth every theatre to a plant engaged in the product) of vital war material and to reimburse that m ourselves for any deficit in salary which he m be forced to accept in giving his skill to his con try at a time when it is so vitally needed in carij j S ing the war to a successful and speedy conclusic' "It is not the intention of the St. Louis Moti Picture Exhibitors to make any effort to effect t( removal of the ordinance. However, we do ff that in the spirit of justice and true patriotisj the St. Louis Board of Aldermen, in order th men of the skill and experience of these motii picture operators might be free to contribute to t' war effort, should strike from the books of t! city any ordinance which so confines two skilL men to a position in which only one man is nece sary." Previously the exhibitors in paid advertisemeOi in the daily papers had pointed out that 95 pj cent of the theatres in the nation use only oi projectionist on each shift. At a recent meeting it was decided that tl committee would continue to press its demai upon the War Manpower Commission regardir the waste of manpower and to assemble data c losses and damages resulting from the strik When the data is assembled the committee wi meet again to decide whether legal action shall I taken against the unions. Ben Liberman, atto ney for the committee, has estimated the loss to tl theatres at an excess of $100,000, in the 11-da' strike. Meanwhile the three St. Louis County theatre whose refusal to hire union operators precipitate the strike, the Ozark in Webster Groves and tl Osage and Kirk wood in Kirkwood, continue t operate with one non-union projectionist each. i In carrying out Mr. Walsh's order to call of the strike, Felix Snow of Kansas City, lATS^ vice-president, said future negotiations of the unio with film distributors would press for an agre ment not to supply "unfair" theatres with filn: Mr. Snow said, however, the strike was nd warranted under the present contracts. Massachusetts Operators Get Wage Increase A weekly wage increase of $3 for 75 projection ists in 21 Massachusetts theatres retroactive t* September 1, 1944, has been approved by the Wal Labor Board. This is the first such clause to h\ gained by the union in several years of negotiation! and covers a three-year period. Employees Favor lATSE Office employees in Republic's New York exchange voted to retain lATSE Local F-51 as theii collective bargaining agent, in a State Labor Re j lations Board election held December 13. Thf j Screen Office and Professional Employees Guild j Local 109, CIO, challenged the lA local's rep resentation and the new election was held. Th^i lA previously had represented the workers. Premiere Proceeds for Wounded Proceeds of the preview of RKO Radio's "Tall in the Saddle" at the Palace theatre in New York December 14 were presented to the War Wounded Christmas Fund Drive. 30 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, DECEMBER 23, 19441