Variety (Jan 1939)

40 PICTURES Third 4>f a CenUuy TAMBTIT AnntDerBorf Je^uti Wednesdar, ianuaiy 4, 1939 THE UNIONS year has been a turbulent onci' for 4fee indiTStay asid the many new unions iiiat have sprung up of recent dale wMiin it Bi^tdons between; flbe two caused considerable strain,, alifliou^ no pr^onderantly serious i tnouble. Strolces were itiiicatened in; varioas branches ot industry and Iheve vats xtmcSx organizing activity; during 19S8, with aaotable progress' made, but labor impasses, lockouts, pickseting and the like ivere held to a minimum. Tbe laoiestion of jtuusdiction and Use ^ort to obtain certification as l^j TiganniTig agents froon 4he ItJationail Labor Itelatiozts Boand, plus -spUts ia vaii0iis iranks such as studio writers, focused Iftie most aikeiidion on the labor per5»sctive of the year. 31as^ in "SS She InierDataonal Al- liance of ^[Sieatrisal Stage Stoplpyees, at -lKEiami, announced it would extend its jurisiiiclion to all aotors and . ofhers in pictures. That plan in- stanfiy met with concerted resistance by studio icrafts which tmited to Ihwait sekSi a move, and, although flae ambition of the lA to control every branch, no doubt, still exists, fbe IA later sought to clarify its in- tention by indicating ttiat what it favored was an "inclusive organiza- tion' for strength and protection within the industry. The IA, strongly entrenched in the studios under the five-year basic agreement, with its position fortified throu^ negotiations in 1937, late last winter voted a $1,000,000 fund to organize the industry completely. Kie big stagehands-operator union met with early opposition from the Screen Writers Guild and other unions in Hollywood which united to fight dominance by Hhe IA, and the latter, at ite convention in Cleve- land in Junej adc^led a xesolution asking fiie American Ttederation of Labor to revoke ibe charter c^ the Screen Actors Giiild. Blofins fUMM William Sioff, a power in Ihe lAj resigned before the year end^d, step- ping fxA. Sept. 3, fallowing reports Hi $100jOOO paid kasxu There were vaianos denials that -such a payment liail been made by -producers, sug- gesting intbeot of foitifysnig their po- litian .viSSi iSx JA, IBarity za August, Bass haa '3«vealed tlalt $1AGMD{® was e^ea him «s a loan in 1937. This caE^'Oot ^ a bearing before a Sacra- mcBfto, Calif.,- grand jury. '^rtaesA of the IA to embcaoe the wtafiOe Four A's <Assonated Actons ■nd-ATtisities of Amteiaca) as no logger; n^rded vnlSb. any s^axixo^fm. At' file -outset the IA "was interested in taMog jurisdiction over the Screen AxtBTs -Goiild; notably the extras, as -an opesadog -wedge. This and other moves failing, with resistance met on a3i sides,' the IA jurisdidaonal am- I bilsGms have gone out of the news, I' while naeantime the A AAA is trying tor « 'one big union* of its own, csabiadDg all artists' groups, includ- ing Sicpity. SAG and others. Jn additkte to being accused of iMmdmg BmSS $100,000, the producers liave been blamed for many other ttusgs ia labor, relations during the past -year^ including that they were trs'Sng to destroy the Screen Di- VKiars Guild. This group, at the tame, tbrealened an AFL tieup. In Aa^ust the SDG filed charges of un- fair labor practices against ten stii- dics TgniOi the National Labor Rela- tkms Boaitd. Screen Writers Ffictaoa between the SWG and the Screen Hajrwrights has also colored the latota* map of the Coast, with the latest development a clash with pio- dooeis over the new form of con- traet offered members of the SWG on renewals. These contracts re- quired arbitration by SP of any dis- putes over screen credits. Members d the SWG signed such* contracts only whto attaching a rider noting that the agreement was being signed imaer protest In June the SWG won a vote for writer bargaining repre- ■entstion, 267 to 57, against the SP, after flie -latter had announced it would not fight election of screen wrflers to determine a bargaining r^iresentative. During 1S38 the SWG won absolute •utonon^y from the Author's League at America, but a close relationship exists in that its members are also meo^3exs of the Author's League. The SDG, promising better pic- fnres with less waste if given a free hand, earlier in the year petitioned the 'liISS to act as bargaining rep- icsentadave for directors, assistant di- rectors and unit managers, with first date set for hearing being Aug. 16. Pos^nement was taken and tjhie bearing was held, but certification of the SDG as bargaining rep. is still pending. Ihe SAG was certified earlier in the year, and oh Sept. 27 By Boy OiaEtier signed a nine-year pact with the pro-, ducers, but the SWG, while oertffied, i has not made much headway with the producers to date. Banning ex- tras earlier in fee year for failure! to pay dues, with a thMat of 3,000; of them to go over to the CIO and also turning thumbs down on a stu- dio unemployment conference, ihe SAG, early in the fall, took under consideration a proposal to slftsh ex- tra registrations to 2,'5aO and place! players under contract to Central i Ca ifing Bureau. An^ottiber move whicSi placed SAG in Ihe limei^ht was its decision to combat smy plan on the part of Ihe produOEr-s to cut salaries. This ooctu^red prior to the nane-y-eir contract producers signed, ©ne x£ the SAG decisions of iibe yiear was not ±0 permit iiewspapermen or columnists to double as acftors unless they became members of the union. The Artasrfs Managers OuM (agents) from the first wanted a -dosed shop instead of being lioensed by the SAG:, hot finally agreed to the latter in November. Screen Publi- cists have not made very notioeable headway during the past year, nor have various other .guilds or unions in studio activity of one kind or anodher. All are hopeful of NLKB decisions that they may ad as bar- gaining representative for their.vari- ous crafts. The imion situation in the east and Otiaer parts of tlie country has not been imduly distuihing. WegoHa- tions which are held every April 1 or thereabouts in Tfew York between f*at Casey and unions signatory to the five-year basic agreement were stalled until late summer due to un- certainty of conditions, with renewal for aniptber year art the same scale as before. The IA, which is included in the basic agreement, has gone -forward rath^ £l£)wly in its organization of worlcers of numerous daeses in the theatres, including earless, poxters, ushers, doormen, managers, etc., while minor moves of the CIO to get into the theatre fielkd have been only negligibly successful; CIO has juris- diction over the candy butchers. The MaaiMing Service Employees. moan,, vS. 49ae ASl^ has been-iocfianiz-l jag porters, cleaztexs, <%arwomen 4.aDd the like for more than a year DOW and has obtained" a contract covering these employees in flie New York iiheatres, Ihe IA, more re- cently, inaugurated a drive to com- pletely oi^ganize theatres ffrom top to bottom) in the east generally, in- cludiBtg New En^and. Its drive for total unionization of theatre hdp is expected to eventually become na- jaoflwide. Meantime, the ^theatrical Managers A;eeotS'& Tipeasurers, mak- ing notable progress in the legit fldjd, as also worldr^ on tmionizatiDn of its craft in the picture business, includ- ing the studios and theatres. A move to unionize the ni^ht clubs 'in New Yoiik was also instituted dur- ing the past year. Th& Motion Pic- ture laboratory Technicdans in N.Y. amilarly put -on a campaign to in onease its reypresenitation in the lab fields with successful results follow- ing iStrxIoe threats and picketing. The New itorik <nperators, Local 306, which has failed to effect a merger with UmpiKe State operators,^ a rump umon., is can^paygning against the- atres wQiidh £ti3] employ Emp men. Musicians started a drive during the summer in Greater New York for a sdx-day work week at se'en d«tys' pay -under present scale et.ist- ing. The Music Hall, N.Y., first to sign, TfHDuld have to pay about ip45i/000 annually, over and above the cfld nut as a result of this move, it was esti- mated. Another union move in New York, where most of them begin, with rest of the country to be considered later, is the drive of the American Federa- tion of Actors to organize theatres using stage shows, with a contract in^ negotiation under whidi the AFA demands a closed shop and a mini- mum of $60 weekly for any artist ap- pearing in the theatres. The stagehands, operators and mu- sicians, except for -the six-dgy woik week in the stage-show houses, have aaot been much of a .source of traolKle during 1938. Contrariwise, these unions have shown mos>e of a dis- poaSoD to play bail with the &e- atres than in former years. In the -absence cS. feelbter eacctiBes, how- ever, these imiions are stall blamed for ailing busaness, and xcasciEcwas operators refuse to. try vaudevilfte or i^tage shows because of labor de- mands. <^nd on the Talent End By Hobe .Monisoa Performer unions have made sub- stantial progress during' 1938, not only in their relations with outside forces but also in their internal af- fairs. However, as the year drew to a close, nearly all the -variotrs unions were involved in critical struggles on diffei«mt JEnonts. Indications are that the coming year will be a vital one to .performer unions and Iteooe to tiae posiitaon of the performer in the amusement industiry. In the ranks of professional -show businesSf zteazHy all performqs oome under the American Federation of Labor banner. Associated Actors and Artistes of AanericEi, the AfHi- chartered international union, has jurisdiction over the entire per- former field. Its anember groups, eac3i with its separate charter cov- ering a different field of entertain- ment, include Actors Equity, Screen Actors GtuHd, American federation of Radio Artists, American Federa- tion of Actors, American Guild of Musical Artists and a number of minor unions. Strengthening of the Four A's; the parent -union, continued during 3938 tt« developments which began the previous year. Confidence and co- operation among the im«nber bodies was also extended and bulwarked, although only after the most violent inter-factional fight in Foiu.' A's his- toiy ha^ threatened for a time to disrupt and perhaps destroy the or- ganization. Strife extended virtual- ly throughout the Four A's ranks, but when settlement was finally reached, relations became more trieodly than Ihey haid ever been before. In particular, relations be- tween Equity and SAG, which were princii>al5 ih the quarrel, have con- tinued to improve. Main objective at the present time appears to be to sti«i^gtlien still more the dominant position of the Four A's. Officials of the various member-unions have at last arrived .at a fair decree of imanimi^ on the principles involved and a tenta- tive, broad outline has bden reached for the desired changes in the con- stitution. Idea is to house all ofiiices of &e various groups under one roof, to amalgamate administra- tions, set up a -unified bookkeeping fsystein, a central tawasuiy, a sin- gle membership card and one set ot dues. Figured the various changes would eliminate duplica- tion of effort and red ts^, increase ^jcieocy^ save expenses and ^de-: crease dues. But even thou^ ^le: various ^officials agree on the de-' sirability of the changes, the actual metiaod to bring it alboizt is vastly complicated and remains to bej worked out Efforts to .solve ftfaati problem will undoubtedly consume a great part of the coamng year. Jurisdictional Ditpates Number of sharp ioiisdictkmsil disputes within the Itour A's ranks have occurred during the year. For- j mation ot AFRA settled the question^ as Teganls radio, in wbldi Equity, SAG and AGMA had previousSy had -a stake. But that was only one of the fields io dispute. AFA and the Burlesque Artists Assn. ^peiU; a part of the year at odds over vari- ous phases of the vaudevi31e-^r- lesque situation. AFA ooiitested with Chorus Equity. <subaaiaTy of 'Actors Equity) for-jurisdictkoi over chorus members in niteries and vaudeville houses, finally wincing on both counts. Decision was an line with the Four A's general policy of giving to each member vscCvm jurisdiction over chorus as well as principals in its field. That policy came up again in the battle between AGMA and the Grand Opera- Choral Alliaoce, which had previously. held the AFL char- ter governing jurisdiction of opera chorus sii^rs. When the two groups were unable to agree on terms for a merger, the Four A's re- voked the GOCA charter and awarded the jurisdiction to AGMA. As the year ended, the various and inter-related jurisdictional questions seemed to be settled, at least for some time to come. Of the various member groups in the Four A^, Equity probably had the least hectic year. That is natu- ral, since the legit actors' group is older and much more firmly estab- lished than any of the others. AfEairs within the Equity organization itself reached a climax of tendon late in the spring, with the annual election. But the so-called insuisent faction, which had been steadily rising in power, and action over the last few years, was decisively defeated (large-, ly through 4he vote and influence of i the Hollywood contingent) and has| been much less in evidence shoe; then. With the election of Arthur' Bryon his president, the association embarked on a policy similar to ilhat; of the other member groups. That! is, of the president being a non^paid honorary officer, with most of the - practical afEairs of the association in iflie hands of the executive-secretary —in this case, Paul DuUzell. E«aiiy After mpny years of agitation abcmt the Sieged abuses and evils of theatre ticket speculation. Equity finally joined iorces with the League of .New York Theatres to put into ef- tect a ""eode of fair practices." In re- turn lor the League's cooperation, , Equity agreed to ,a formal, perma- nent basic contract covering Broad- WJiy production. New ticket code; wassiibjected to an enormous amount- of criticism, mostSly fnc«JTi the hrtdEers, Charges, counter-charges, threats and recriminatdons have continued, biit at present it is still too early to tell ■ whether or not the code is enior- cible or workable. SAG's affairs ^during 1938 wer.e not all smooth sailing, but nothing of a genuinely drastic nature occurred. One development of possible signifi- cance was the formation, wilh rep-: resentatives of the 'Screen Writers Guild and Sereesn Directors Guild, of the Inter-Talent Council Acting in a: purely advisoiy or unofficial capac- ity, this group has met regularly to discuss m<utual problems, and when possible, map cooperaitrve plans. iSowever, it is still in the nature of • an experiment, and its practical worth cannot yet be estimated or predicted. Other SAG developments during the year concerned "the lATSE, licensing of agents and modi^ fication of production contracts, AFRA's Top Aotfavily Most important activity of the; American Federation of fiadio Art-: ists has been its efforts to obtain oon- ttacts' ooveru:^ wages and woi&ing conditions of its members on sus- taining and coixunerdal pr-qgrams. It: began n^otiations with the xteln;(U>rks azkd a oommitTtiee representing the American Ass'ii of Advertising Agen- cies «arly in January, 1938. Con- tiact covering sustaining programs was signed with NBC and CBS late an the summer, but little progress has been made -with the admen.' Union last moniSk fioalSy submdttied^ its demands lor a wage scale and is' now preparing ito try to pressure <the agencies into acci^ting it. "Ottier AFRA activities durii^ the^ year -were its SicA annual xatiooal convention (incidentally, the first convention ever held by a Four A's gi'oup) in St. Louis, its settlement with CBS of the case of an employee discharged from a Cincinnati station aHleiBBdly for union activity, victory iia a similar case aigainst KSD, St Louis, and the pending NLRB dis- pute with all the St. Louis stations. AGMA American Guild of Musical Artists, newest Four A's member, has had a strenuous year and its battles seem laiMy to continue well into 1939. Besides its victsrious jurisdictional fight with Ihe Grand Opera Choral Alliance, it, obtained contracts with the Metropolitan Qpeca axtd the vari- ous other operatic outfits in the coun- tiy and is now -feng^ed in a ta'ucial struggle with the two major concert bureaus,' Columbia Concerts Corp. and NBC Artists Service. It ha.s car- ried the latter scrap to the Federal Cxsmmunications Commission, havuig been granted the right to intervene in Ihat body's hearing of monopoly xhaiges against the two concert man- ^genaeofts. AGOMA also ran into .a tusste with Yehudi Menuhin over the latter's refusal to become a mem- ber. Fiddler emerged the winner in the first test of strenglh, but the Gtuld is understood readying a crush- move against him. AFA Besides winning its battle with ■Chorus Equity for jurisdiction -over •diorattBes in niteries and va^^de liouses, aud losii^ another jurisdic- tional fight with the Burtesque ArU ists Ass'n, the American Ifledeiation of Actors has been busy throughout the year with its campaign to or- ganize the nitery and vaudeville field. On another front it won a technitai but terribly ejqjensive vic- tory from the Rin^ldng-Baraum & Bailey drcus management. In the latter case, although the .union forced tthe sihow to close rather than hack down on various wage and working -condition demands, it received a bru- tal lambasting in the press all over the country and there was extensive criticism of the union's leadership even from within the membership. looming on the Four A's horizon IS television and the jurisdictional problems it will involve. With no PHiLLY mm aWWIUNSHIP SQUAWK Philadelphia, Jan. 1. Complete lack of showmanship by exhibs here is a major plaint of Philly eacchanges. Distribs declaim there is a downbeat in enthusiasm among house operators that carries right out to the potential patronage and is one of the principal causes of bad biz in these parts. Exchangemen point to sales—or lack of sales—of •escploitatibn materials like posters, heralds and paper, as the basis of their reckoning. Althou^ grosses are down consid- eraibly under last year, distribs say, there is no attempt being made in Philly to combat generally bad con- ditions with advertising and exploita- tion, except in a few -cases where lack of product causes exhibs to exert themselves on the stuff they get. In addition to block booldng, which was pointed out as a principal cause of lack of showmanship, the fact that every first-run situation, both down- town and in the nabes, is controlled, hurts. Ihere is no strong competi- tion to attract potential customers from one liouse to another, as the (Circuit rightly 3fe^ that it gets the coin in any case. In cities where there is a variety of first-run owner- ship there is a buildup to milk films of all possible. Besult is that the pic becomes 1361*61 known, attracts people who might not ever see it all, and it does better in the subse- 4quent runs, too. IFlact that midlown houses are so tjijped, it is feUt, also eliminates ex- ploitation. Typinc has gone so far .-lhat when it was attempted to show a Shirley Tiemple film in ihe Stanley instead ccf the iFox, where the moppet alws^ys pl^ys, it died. Volume of anoessories and exploi- tation material, exchange managers say, has remained about stationary for the past few years, instead of in- creasing as .grosses fell off. Type of, material has changed, however. There has been an increase in the xtse of biUboavds aiid Ihe sale of 24Hsbeet paper has fione lyS. -Window cards and hemids have .slid badly. Unkn requit«aaents that balfposters distrib window ^cards makes "use of the prac* tically ppohibjtive, runiaiitg the cost up to about 10c a >card. fieqr Mod faster On f«s, NiMt Detroit, Jan. 1. Federal Judge Ernest A. O'Brien last week denied witibout ppejodice .a bondholders' petJfion asking re- moval of 'T)ave Idzal and the Union Cruavdian Trust Co. as triKtees of the Colwood Corp., owners of the Fox here. Judge O'Brien declared he wanted to .give tnasitses xnore time to carry out the proposed reorganization plan, whidh was okayed in Jrune, 1937, and calling for leasing of Fox theatre to Fox Michigan Corp., controlled by SlcouraE l^s., at fixed rental of $125^000 annually plus percentage above certain gross. Judge O'Brien told Harris W. Wienner, attorney for the bondholders, lhat the petition could be renewed later. Qsnm 19^ and Wd Hollywood, Jan. 1. •'IVjur Wives' seqiiel to 'Four I3au4g3a*6rs,' goes into work at War- ners eardy next moidh, "with three I^ane Sistets and Gale P.age as the Rename quaitd; Maj. Gen. James G. Harbord,. chaiEnaan of board of Badio Corp. of America, was married at Rapidan, Va., Bee. 31 to Mrs. Anne iLee Brown, widow of an army officer. Couple plans a wedding trip be- fore turning to Maj. Harbord's home at Rye, Y. They were married in the Rapidan Episcopal Church in. a simple ceremony with only friends present. one J^le to preiMct how soon practi- cal television will arrive or what form it win take, all the various member-unions are 'eying the siti^- tion jealously. But until the new medium becomes an actuality, no ac- tion by the parent unions appears likely.