The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-10-02
SUDDEN WALKOUT BY.
MOVIE OPERATORS.
Strike Fails to Tie Up Any
of the Theatres
EXPLAINS
Charges Operators Union Wants to
Assume Too Much Authority.
Wood Claims Promises
Were Broken

Without notice of any kind, the NOV
ing picture operators instituted a walk
out yesterday morning the several
moving picture theatres in Birmingham
and suburbs. However in some way the
drastic move of their employees and had
more than enough operators on hand to
take the places of those who left. There
was no disorder and the general public
was not cognizant that there was strike.
7. S. Abernathy. proprietor of the Odeon
theatres and president of the Birmingham
local of the Moving Picture Mems asso-
ciation, stated yesterday that the strike
of the operators was a piece of ingrau-
tude and that all the operators who had
struck had in reality been discharged
they would neveraagain be re-employed in
his theatres.
The basic principle of this strike,' said
President Abernathy. 'is that the opera
tors desire to take possession of our busi-
ness and run 1t for us. 1t is not a ques-
ton of wages or hours, as we have grant
ed all their demands in that direction
but a question of whether we who have
invested our money in this class of busi-
ness shall relinquish our control over our
investment. 1t seems that the operators
have planned seizure of our places of
business.
Prepared for Strike
Il heard several days ago that the boys
would strike without notice and prepared
for them. Yesterday morning I approach
ed my dhief operator and asked him what
he % & ifaU 20 do Ia tod hot ha
would stick with his union. / Immediately
laid Off him and his assistants and they
We're then discharged. In the lobby of my
theatres were already several experienced
operators who at once were placed at work
and my theatres opened for business at
10 o'clock without a moments delay. In.
all the other theatres of Birmingham,
the same condition prevailed
Now as to the demands of the opera
tors we have met them all as far as
hours and wages are concerned. But they
demand something we cannot grant them.
They demand that they shall dictate just
whom the owner of theatre win employ,
and whom he shall promote and several
other such ridiculous demands, which, of
course, can never be considered by US for
even an instant. | will cite an instance:
1.-TWO weeks ago my chief operator left
my employ to go out of the city and
his assistant came to me and inquired If
l would promote him to the vacant place.
AS the boy had been faithful worker
acceded to his request. A day later the
walking delegate or whatever he calls
himself of the operators union came and
informed me that the union after due de-
liberation had decided on a man to fill
the place of chief operator in my theatre.
assure you that i was surprised to
know that the operators union had been
taking up valuable time at their meetings
in discussing the best way to operate my
theatres 1t seems that the operators
union of Birmingham believe that | am
over worked and wish to relieve me of
the trouble of managing a theatre. They
desire that | should retire from active
life and accept the pension they may set
aside for us poor theatre owners.
Open Shop Brought On
"As to this little furry it means that
the operators union has brought the OPEN
slrop on itself 1t is quite certain that
from now on no union operators will be
recognized as such and operators will
only be employed on their merits. / am
a sympathizer with labor unions and /
greatly regret that a body of men organ
lied for mutual protection allow them
selves to be lead by unbalanced leaders
into making ruinous demands which mean
the breaking up OF the union and leave
many deserving young men out of work
because of their zeal to follow an incom-
petent leader"
The strike yesterday morning was the
aftermath of threats to strike last July.
j. b. Wood, the leader of the operators
Union, stated that the moving picture
owners had not kept the promises made
some months ago and that until these
promises were fulfilled there would be no
union men operating moving picture ma
chimes in Birmingham.
1T is not expected thae any other union
will be drawn into the trouble as the
musicians, the only other union men who
work in moving picture theatres have
shown no desire to strike in sympathy
with the nnera tors