New-York tribune., 1921-07-20
Union Resents
Order to Shut
Film Theaters
Atten d ants Organization
Calls Closing of SO Houses
tor Summer a Lockout
to Force Slash i'm Wages
700 F Facing Idleness
Employees Believe Owners
Are Bluffing, but Prepare
to Get Emergency Fund

On the ground that the threatened
closing of fifty motion picture theatcrs
in Manhattan and the Bronx before
August is nothing more than a lock-
out on the part of the owners to force
them to accept lower wages, the Motion
Picture Theater Attendants Union of
Greater New York, Local 16,920 de-
cided at a meeting, which lasted from
midnight Monday to a. m. yesterday
to raise $4,000 to meet any contingency
that might arise.
More than 700 employees will be af-
fected if the shutdown takes place, but
Samuel Tullman, 1869 Broadway, at
torney for the union, believes the
owners are only bluffing, as, he says,
they did last year in similar crisis.
Many of the attendants who were at
the meeting, declared themselves
strongly in favor of strike, but they
were voted down and an emergency
fund was substituted. the money to be
raised by individual assessment Sum
day night.
NOTICE OF Shutdown
"The whole matter is simply this"
said Mr.. Tullman at his Office last eve
ming. attendants in about fifty houses
received two weeks notice that the
theaters were to close. The dates given
ranged from July 25 to August /. The
reason for the shutdown was general
business depression. which, Of course,
is legal one.
GAS a matter Of fact the men look
upon it as a lockout to bring them to
the owners terms of q reduced wage.
At present some are getting $50 week;
cashiers, $l8. Can you imagine how a
man with family can live on any
less? They have to work twelve hours
day and work seven days week
The men will not 60 on strike, but they
will raise fund Of $4,000 to take care
OF those thrown out Of employment, if
they are thrown out, but | greatly
doubt it, as the proprietors adopted
the same tactics last year and it proved
to be only bluff"
1t is contended by the union that
the owners held secret meeting at
the Hotel Astor recently at the con
clusion of which notices were sent out
to employees of various theaters an
their shutdown, but some Of
~ AAOoA$So AoiACN W give any IedSOI
for closing, as required by the terms
of the contract with the union. This
was taken as conclusive evidence that
the owners were endeavoring to break
the morale of their workers.
Artisans Declare Strike
The union, which is affiliated with
the American Federation of Labor, has
a contract with the Exhibitors League,
expiring September 3, which guarantees
ushers, porters and doormen a mini
mum salary Of $50 week, and mana
gers minimum of $51 a week 1t is
said that any shutdown would only
mean a weapon in the hands of the
league to force those unemployed to
return to work at lower wages.
Painters, carpenters and electricians
have gone on strike at the studios OF
the Goldwyn Pictures Corporation,
Culver City, according to statement
sent out by that company yesterday.
The strike is not justified, says Samuel
Goldwyn, because the men were asked
to accept a reduction of approximately
1871 cents an hour. Since September,
1920, he adds that the above classes
of mechanics have been receiving 81
an hour and the reduction would only
bring the wage scale back to what it
was at that time.