Moving Picture News (Jul-Dec 1912)

THE MOVING PICTURE NEWS OPERATORS' CHAT By Ralph Knaster MOVING PICTURE MACHINE OPERATORS' UNION No. 1 OF NEW YORK President — Robert Goldblatt. Vice-President — James Daisie. Recording Secretary— George Epstein, l inancial Secretary — Robert Levy. Sergeant-at-Arms — Ed. Spinola. JJusiness Representative— Ralph Knaster. Office— 133 Third Avenue. Telephone — Stuyvesant 572. A CLEAN KNOCKOUT AT WHITE PLAINS, N. Y. Kovember 11, 1912. will go down in the history of the picture operators of New York as a holiday, or a day of rejoicing, that is, to the members of the Moving Picture Operators Union of Ivjew York No 1 Charges were sent to the Central Labor Union in W hite i lains, X 'y' by the Spot Light Workers' Union Local No. 35 stating that one Robert Goldblatt was operating a picture machine at the White Plains Electric Theatre who held no union card, nor recognition certificate of any kind, and a demand that the Central body of that jurisdiction shall take immediate action and send word to the theatre that Robert Goldblatt is not a union man, that he be immediately discharged and a union man of Local No. 35 be placed to work m his stead. These charges were read to that Central body last week and it was decided to notify Local No. 35 or its representative, also Robert Goldblatt of M. P. O. Union No. 1, or its representative, to appear at White Plains before that body at their meeting, November 11th, and that both sides shall be heard before action would be taken. The M. P. Operators Union No. 1 was well pleased with this procedure as the members were very anxious to have a hearing before such an intelligent body of men and appointed a committee along with Representative Knaster to take up their cause. The committee appointed were Vice-president James Daisie, Sam Kaplan, Mike Herko: witz Al Mackler to act with the business representative and President Robert Goldblatt.' Local No. 35 was represented by Harold Williams and Wm ..cVey. Brother Kelly, of the Stage Electricians Protective Union No 1 was delegated to take the place of International President Shay, of the I. A. T. S. E., and represent Brother Shay at White Plains, owing to the fact that the honorable president of 1. A. 1. b. E. had to be present at the Rochester convention of the A. F. of L. At 8 p.m., November 11th, the meeting of the White Plains Central body was called to order by the chairman, and all concerned were present The case of Local No. 35 versus Robert Goldblatt, of Operators' Union No. 1 was declared open for discussion before the body. Brother Kelly, acting for President Shay, explained his mission and the re-ret that Brother Shay could not be present. Harold Williams, of No" 35, was the next speaker, and he remarked that he did not come to place the old family trouble of the auxiliary and the mother -Local No. 35 before the body, but he simply wanted to have Robert Coldblatt the president of Operators' Union No. 1, taken from his job at the Electric Theatre, declaring him non-union, and that a man of Local No, 35 be placed on that job. The writer is very sorry that he must remark that Mr. Williams, No 35 was a very poor speaker, and his remarks had very little bearing' upon the minds of such intelligent men as were seated at the meeting of the White Plains Central body. , r , The next speaker was Brother Goldblatt, who did not speak to detend himself for there was no reason for defense, nor did he try to defend his own position at the Electric Theatre. He simply stated the true state of affairs that existed during the entire career of the ex-auxiliary and its former mother. Local No. 35, which most every one in the country by this time is familiar with, and would take up too much space in this issue. His line of talk was well taken by the body and lasted fully thirty minutes, though he tried to make it as short as possible so as to give others a chance on the subject. The next speaker was Business Representative Ralph Knaster, who corroborated the statements of Brother Goldblatt and, addressing the Central body, stated: "Mr. Chairman and Brothers: — This is so important an event I beg your attention for a few moments and allow me the few words I have to say. I came before your body this day to corroborate the statements made by our worthy Brother Goldblatt. I am here before you representing 371 hardworking, intelligent men to make you familiar v,'ith affairs as they exist this day. I daily visit theatres in New York City and the tactics used by members of Local No. 35 are disgraceful. My men employed at the various theatres try their utmost to carry out the w^ill of organized labor, to live up to the labor laws of the American Federatio'n of Labor, and do their utmost for the uplift of the working ni.-'n. and are true and loyal soldie-s in the rank and file of the army of organized labor. We do not discriminate against the members of No. 35 that are working in theatres in our city. We recognize them to be the same union men as we are; we do not try to oust them from their positions, as they endeavor to do to us here in your jurisdiction. But, however. I wish to make you familiar with the tactics Local No. 35 is using against our men. At an East Side theatre known as Thalia Music Hall the Union Variety Acts of Local No. 5 were locked out and scab labor was employed. I had called my' operators out in sympathy with the actors at their request. Mr. Cogut, the representative for the actors, notified Harold Williams of No. 35 and was promised that no operator from No. 35 would be sent to work there. But the following day a member of that union named Ed. Richney, working card No. 123 of the union, was on the job, and after sympathizers got this man away from the job, another member of Local No. 35 was seen on the same job by Mr. Cogut, of Local No. 5, and Mr. Cogut, of the Actors' LTnion, gave this second man his (C'ogut's) card, told him to return to Mr. Williams of Local No. 35 and he would straighten out the matter, as that house was a scab house and the, operator was actually scabbing on the job, which will be verified by a letter I will read to you gentlemen if so permitted." There were no objections and the letter follows: New York, Nov. 8th, 1912. Mr. Abe Cogut, Variety Actors' Union No. 5. Dear Sir: — On October 28th, 1912, I was under contract to work at the Thalia Theatre, 236 Broome Street. You came to me and told me there was a strike in said theatre at that time. I was willing enough to make place for your man, and when I demanded at least one day's pay for my trouble, disappointment, carfare, etc., you said you would see that I got it from the union. There and then I took your word as a man for it, and now two weeks gone by I seem to be forgotten. You told me to see our representative, Mr. Williams, and after receiving my working card as a union member was advised by Mr. Williams to see you again about this, but I don't know when I can meet you, so I write to you whatever I want to say. In hope you will make good your promise and get the pay I am awaiting your answer. Respectfully, S. STIBBE, Member Local No. 35, M. P. Dept., working card No. 303. "To continue with my story, gentlemen, you can readily see the tactics used by No. 35. This man knew a strike was on but demands money for his few minutes, or what time he was there, scabbing on that particular job. Mr. Cogut djd not guarantee him his pay, but told him to inform Mr. Williams if there was anything wrong to call at the office of the Actors' Union and matters would be patched up. This man did not make room for Mr. Cogut's man, as he states, for Mr. Cogut's man was one of the actors locked out and the operator was not an actor by any means, and as for the union operator that worked there steady, there was no need of making place for him as he was already off the job on account of the struggle. So there is the kind of work which is being done by the local that filed the complaint against Robert Goldblatt. "Furthermore, Mr. Williams, in his address, stated that his local was being assailed in the newspapers, and I wish to state that I am the editor of the chat column of that particular paper, and that any item which I place in that column can be verified on demand. I don't wish to take up your precious time, so I close with a few remarks that it would take volumes to explain everything that I would like to. so, therefore, I will end my address and thank you greatly for giving me this long-looked for opportunity." The next speaker was Al. Mackler, who also verified the statements of Brother Goldblatt that the very men considered disorderly by Local No. 35 are now members of that Local No. 35. also one who was expelled from the auxiliary for scabbing and other crooked work is one of their members. Brother Sam Kaplan was the next speaker, and he explained how the boys of the former auxiliary were ready and willing to help the cause of organized labor, and all about the Fo_x strike, paid all taxes and never flinched from their duties as union men. Brother James Daisie was the next speaker. His address to the body was very short, but to the point. He sho«-ed his union spirit to such an extent that the body greatly applauded him. This ended the hearing and the body went into executive session to decide what was to be done in the case. At 10:30 p.m. a decision was rendered, and it was stated by the Central body that by a unanimous vote no action w'ill be taken against Robert Goldblatt and that he could work at the Electric Theatre at White Plains as long as he pleased, and thus justice was served by the intelligent men who formed the Central body of White Plains. A great victory for the Moving Picture Operators' Union No. 1 of New York. In the case of this issue I am giving to the operators an idea of organizations, the benefits of them and what they are really for. Organizations date back as far as one can only think, and, in fact, since the very beginning of civilization. In the olden days, when the Pharaohs ruled in Egypt, there was an organization of Egyptians, a body of men called slave-drivers, that were formed for the object of getting as much work out of the unfortunate slaves, and accumulate as much wealth for the owners as possible, which was, in their estimation, the betterment of their (the slave-drivers') conditions. Another organization was formed of the slaves under the leadership of one to whom we owe much for the laws given to all mankind, and that was Moses. He was successful in bettering the condition of the slaves by leading them from bondage. After the reign of Titus another great organization sprung up under the name of Christianity (the New Era), under the leadership of the Saviour. This was and is a great organization for the benefit of bettering conditions of humanity, educating the human mind and leading its constituents on the path of prudence and virtue. And so on there are many kinds of organizations for various benefits. The farmer, the manufacturer, the merchant, the laborer, the mechanic and many more organizations are in existence for various reasons. Now, going into the moving picture industry, the film manufacturers have theirs to hold up — their prices, the exchanges, to regulate the rental prices, the Exhibitors' League for the benefit of their conditions, and now we come upon the man behind it all, and that is the moving picture operator. "There are two organizations, one the Spot Light Workers' Local No. 35, the other is the Moving Picture Operators' Union No. 1 of New York. Now, the question arises which one of the two is the best one to join, and which will give you representation, the best protection in time of strife, and protect your rights in cases where employers refuse the payment of schedule; also many other rights which you are entitled to, too numerous to mention. I advise all operators to get into an organization, for where there is union there is strength, and one individual cannot accomplish anything. An instance, if you should take a toothpick which is very thin, a little child or infant could break this vvitli ease. But if you took five hundred or more and bundled them together, tie them tightly, they are united into one, and it would take a man with superhuman strength to break that unit bundle, and so it is with the workingman. Get together brother operators, bind yourself to a unit under one constitution, all for one and one for all, then it will be pretty hard to overcome your strength, your demands will be met and you will always remember this little poem: LTnited we stand Divided we fall. Union forever Equality for all. Now, you would like to know which organization to join. My advice is to join the Moving Picture Operators' Union No. 1 of New York, as