Motion Picture Herald (Nov-Dec 1944)

EXTRA VOTE OPENS WAY TO CONFLICT SAG Informs Producers It Holds Jurisdiction Over Performances Hollywood Bureau Events in the wake of the National Labor Relations Board election of December 17, in which extra players chose the newly-formed Screen Players Union as their bargaining agency in preference to the Screen Actors Guild, were interpreted by studio executives at the weekend as foreshadowing a possibly farreaching conflict on the production labor front. Quick to concede defeat in the NLRB election, the guild's first step last week was to notify producers that it retained jurisdiction over all screen work in which lines of dialogue were spoken, songs sung, or stunt work done, and that it would interpret as a violation of the Basic Agreement any employment for that kind of work given any person not a member of the SAG. Repeals Rule Limiting Work Simultaneously, SAG announced repeal of a by-law under which Class A and Class AJunior members of the guild had been estopped from performing extra player work, performance of which had been limited, until the NLRB election, to the Class B members of SAG. It was stated in connection with this announcement that, with relinquishment of SAG's claim to jurisdiction over extras, the by-law, originally exacted to protect Class B members, no longer served a purpose. Effect of the repeal, however, was to enable studios which might choose to do so to employ SAG members to perform the work over which the Screen Players Union was to claim jurisdiction following certification. Following this action by SAG, the Players Union's general counsel issued a statement asserting that its members would be free, under union auspices, to perform the kinds of work over which SAG claimed exclusive jurisdiction. Last weekend the situation was further complicated when the Central Casting Bureau, maintained for the purpose of accepting calls for extra players from studios and filling them from the ranks of registered extras, disclosed that, beginning this week, it would "register and use" any SAG m.embers "or any other persons" who might seek extra work and qualify for registry and use as extras. The effect of this change from its seven-year-old policy of limiting its calls to Class B members of SAG was to open wide to all comers, professional or unprofessional, who might wish to enter the field of acting. Producers and Guild Meet Simultaneously the SAG announced to its membership that a special meeting between producers and guild leaders would be held on Tuesday afternoon. In a communication to its membership, the SAG said, "At the NLRB election December 17 the extra players voted (1,451 to 456) for Screen Players Union as their collective bargaining agency. This is important to you, as a guild member, because, although you were not permitted to vote in this election, the newly designated extras' union claims jurisdiction over acting. The letter to SAG members continued, "The guild board, which met December 18, has taken the following steps: "1. Served notice on all producers who are parties to the Basic Agreement between the producers and the Guild that (a) the Guild retains exclusive jurisdiction over all acting work, including spoken lines, singing and stunt work, and (b) failure of producers to recognize this claim will breach the Basic Agreement. "2. Demanded an immediate conference with the producers to resume negotiations on pay and other demands for day players and other screen actors. These negotiations were obstructed when the SPU campaign got under way. "3. Removed from the by-laws the restriction against A-Junior members doing extra work, on the grounds that the Guild no longer is the bargaining agent for extra work as such and should therefore free Aljuniors to do extra work if they so desire." In conclusion the SAG letter said, "An urgent membership meeting of all A and A-Junior members will be called immediately after the holidays. We are facing a crisis as severe as that of 1937, when we fought to obtain our contract, and as of 1939, when our existence as a union was threatened." U. S. Gets Studio Decorators' Jurisdictional Fight The jurisdiction dispute between the Screen Set Decorators, Local 1,421, and lATSE Local 44, last week in Hollywood was referred to the U. S. Conciliation Service for possible settlement. Commissioner Earl Ruddy will try to work out a solution after the unsuccessful attempt of William Green, AFL head, to settle the matter without the formality of a War Labor Board hearing. The dispute caused a shutdown of production in most studios last October and since then both the Government and union officials have made efforts to adjust it. New York War Labor Board Approves Warner Pact A contract between Warner Brothers, in its New York home office, and the Motion Picture Office Employees Local No. 23,169 has been approved by the local War Labor Board. The contract covers 600 clerical workers. An eight per cent_ increase is provided in the contract. The merit increase and automatic progression phases of the contract were not approved by the board, according to report. The increase is retroactive to August. The union and the management are discussing the rejected elements. SOPEG Voting Begins Whether the Screen Office and Professional Employees Guild. CIO Local 109, New York, will affiliate with the United Office and Professional Workers of America, CIO Local 1 will be determined by the outcome of voting in the screen union. Ballots were mailed and distributed last week, and must be counted after January I. The union claims some 3,000 members. Dinerman Resigns RKO Post E. V. Dinerman has resigned his post as RKO division director of advertising and publicity in Cincinnati to become vice-president of StokesPalmer-Dinerman, a newly-incorporated advertising agency with offices in Cincinnati. Associated with him in his new venture are Edward E. Stokes, Cincinnati industrialist, and Fred Palmer, who recently resigned as general manager of Station WCKY there. Williford Named To Head Ansco E. A. Williford, general sales manager of the carbon products division of National Carbon, Inc. has been named vice-president in charge of thi Ansco division of tht General Ariilirie and Film Corporation, George W, Burpee, president, announced Tuesday. Mr Williford has been associated with National Carbon for the past 24 years The Ansco division employs some 4,000 persons at its main plant at Binghamton, N. Y. It manufactures photographic products and during the war also has been producing precision instruments for the armed forces, having suspended temporarily the manufacture of cameras. Mr. Williford. who was born in Nokomis, 111., was graduated from the University of Illinois with the decree of Bachelor of Science in Engineering He began his business career with the Wagner Electric Company in St. Louis in 1915. A'veterari of World War I, Mr. Williford joined National*))* Carbon in 1920 after his discharge from the Army, He held the rank of captain. Ansco's new vice-president has been closeljj identified with the photographic field for man years. He is a past president of the Society o: Motion Picture Engineers, a director of the West Chester Conservatory of Music, a director of th Civic and Business Federation of White Plains N. Y., and a member of a number of engineerinj societies. E. A. Williford Four Studio Wage Plans Submitted to Washington A. D. Burford and C. P. Johnstone, U. S. Treas ury officials, returned to Washington from HoIlyJ wood recently to report their findings on studio problems with reference to wage stabilization rules,! current and pending. The officials, who had con-' ducted their study there since November 6, will submit four plans proposed by producers, unions and organizations for fitting the rules to salary problems peculiar to production. | The study was an outgrowth of a Treasury \ notice that new rules under consideration would 'J eliminate the prevailing system under which prioikf approval had not been required for certain type? of salary increase. The producers and unions seni representatives to Washington for a conference resulting in the investigation now concluded. j Mr. Burford said the findings were not for publication preceding a Washington decision on them Questioned on reports he had investigated cases ot stars and others establishing independent production units for tax purposes, he said that mattefjfr was not within his province. Plan Two New Theatres in Columbus, Ga. Approval for the building of two new house in Columbus, Ga., has been granted by the Wa Production IBoard, and construction already ha begun on one. Designed by Biggers and Lock wood of Columbus, the 1,000-seat house is ex pected to open next March. Plans for the secon theatre are now being completed by Roy Benja min, architect of Jacksonville, Fla., and it i; expected to be in operation by June. Lucas anc Jenkins circuit will operate the new houses. Union Reelects Finkelstein Jack Finkelstein was recently reelected pres| ident of the Film Exchange Employees Unior New York, and Agnes McLoughlin again wa^ chosen vice-president. Other election results weref Harry Schochet, financial secretary and treasurer i Lillian Pataky, recording secretary; and Murrajj Bleutrich, reelected sergeant-at-arms. 18 MOTION PICTURE HERALD. DECEMBER 30. 194'!