The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1915-01-09
Musicians Walkout After Two
Weeks Notice is Given.
Furniss Obstinate.
MACHINE OPERATORS PUT
.THEATERs ON UNFAIR LIST
Union Willing To Place Matter
Before Arbitration
Board.

Rex and Lyric theaters has at last
placed his head in a moose of his own
making.
After a series of broken promises
and the assumption of an arrogant
attitude on the part Of Mr.. Furniss
the motion picture machine opera
tors and musicians have been forced
to withdraw from his two houses.
The Rex and Lyric theaters are
considered unfair to union labor and
the musicians and motion picture ma
chine operators respectfully ask that
these houses be not patronized until
such time as Mr.. F'urniss sees fit to
employ organized labor in all :. de-
partments of his .theaters.
Non-UniOn Men Incompetent.
As a matter of protection to the pa.
irons Of the theaters 1t should be a
requirement to have competent men
handling the picture machines. Com
petent men cannot. be- hired for less
than the union scale Of wages and in
competent operators are not pushed
forward yb the union. AS evidence
Of Incompetence i among non=union
operators the recent fires at>the> Echo
theater, where four reels of film We're
destroyed, and the Odeum theater in
Superior are examples.
FHr1nss Affair.
With the; patience of Job the Ma
chine operators and the musicians
have temporized with Mr.. Furniss for
several months In an effort to keep
the Rex and Lyric theaters on the
rolls of organized labor.
This is the second time that these
houses have been declared unfair by
the machine operators. The first
trouble was thought to have been
settled satisfactorily when Mr.. Fur
Miss agreed to hire union operators
at both of his theaters.
This promise proved to have been
made faithlessly as he has insisted on
employing non-union operator. Ef-
forts to come to- a satisfactory agree
ment with Mr.. Furniss on this mat
ter failed. The operators then sug-
gested that it be placed before a
board of arbitration, stating that they
would submit to the decision of that
board. = 49,. ..
Arbitration Failed.
Efforts at arbitration also proved
fruitless. Mr.. FShniss insisted that
Judge Jacques shohId serve as an ar
bitrator but finally agreed that
Jacques jr., should: represent the in
terests of The theaters as Judge ia
ques makes his headquarters in st.
Paul. Mr.. Shannon business agent
Of the stage employees was chosen
as representative Of the operators.
Efforts to choose a. third party were
unavailing. Bishop McGolrick, Col.
Henry, Dr. McCuen and w. E. Nc
Even were among the names men,
toned, the latter three being pro-
posed by the union.
Musicians Walk-Out.
The musicians organization after
giving two weeks notice that unless
union operators were employed It
would be necessary to terminate the
contract of the musicians with the
Rex and Lyric theaters, walked out
at the close of the shows Dec. 20.
Since that date the Rex and Lyric
theaters have been. operating strictly
non-union houses and will be so con-
Quoted until such time as Mr.. Fur
Miss shall agree TO- place operators,
affiliated with organized labor, in the
operating rooms.
At the last meeting of the FEEDER
ated~ Trades Assembly the actions of
these organizations'ywere endorsed.