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THE GUILDS
For weeks, during the summer, the Actors and Producers did not meet and everyone expected a strike. The same situation existed with the Directors. The issues on which the actors broke off negotiations were television, reissues, and option provisions in actors' contracts. When the Actors' Guild and Producers finally met and reached an agreement, reissues were dropped, television was settled by an agreement that the negotiations would continue, and that the Actors had the right to end their agreement if specific terms had not been agreed upon by a given date in 1949, and the Producers granted concessions in relation to options.
During the same period the Directors reached an agreement in principle with the Producers.
From the Writers' Guild point of view, probably the most significant fact in the Actors' and Directors' agreements is that no salary increases were granted. There were gains in general provisions, such as credit regulations for the Directors, improved lay-off and suspension clauses, etc. The big issue with the Actors— television — was finally recognized by the Producers as a subject for negotiation, which to some extent establishes the Actors' jurisdiction in this field and makes it possible for them to reach an agreement covering rates and working conditions on television films produced by the film companies.
THE UNIONS
The balance of power in the labor situation has changed greatly since the C.S.U. has been decidedly defeated. An A. F. of L. Council in the industry has been formed (an objective which Sorrell had worked toward for a number of years), but ironically it was brought about through the influence of Roy Brewer who was elected its chairman. This group has great potential strength and has on one occasion taken an ad in the trade papers on a question of interest to the Actors' Guild, the formation of a rival Screen Extras' Guild. This Council and the practical elimination of the C.S.U. gives great strength to the A. F. of L. and leaves as the only important groups outside the A. F. of L. Council, the Screen Writers' Guild and the Screen Directors' Guild. There are a few other independents such as the Art Directors and the Script Clerks.
Reissues, which have been mentioned frequently in our Guild, were recently discussed by Roy Brewer in publicizing the I.A.'s proposals for the setting up of a retirement plan. His suggestion generally was that a man who had reached a certain age and worked a given number of years in the industry — the total to be eighty — would be eligible for retirement (i.e., a man of sixty who had worked twenty years in the industry would be eligible). The fund would be built by a percentage payment from the take for reissues and by a wage increase, most of which would be paid into the fund by the Producers.
Unions are talking more in terms of security now than in terms of hourly wages. The Teamsters, whose contract expires this month, have been discussing an annual wage plan. With at least 25% of "back lot" labor unemployed, concern for security is paramount — hourly wages aren't so important. Negotiations coming up this fall between the LA. and the Teamsters and Producers, as well as others, possibly, may indicate whether labor relations policy of industry
The Screen Writer, September, 1948