The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-09-13
Motion Picture
Unions Status
Is Explained
BY a Worker Correspondent

NEW YORK. - In the Daily
Worker Trade Union Section of Aug
27, worker correspondent of Mo
ton Picture Operators Union, Local
BOG, wrongly referred to the EN-
pire Motion Picture Operators
Union as scsb agency which was
out to break Local 306.
It's origin dates back to 1925,
when, as a result of faulty organiza-
tionsl methods on the part of Local
3o6 leadership. many operators who
found themselves helpless and
hopeless on the street, organized
the Empire Motion Picture Oper-
ators Union. A cut throat COMPETE
ton between the two organizations
followed, which Ito the delight Of
the boss exhibitor lasted for few
years. During that period all kinds
Of foul means were used by either
organization to undermine the po-
sition of the other.
The sum total of this struggle.
which the rank and file of both or
CARNATIONS had to pay for, was
wage-cuts to the bone; a lowered
standard of living and a progress
Sive slippage of theatres from union
control. The stark reality brought
both organizations to their senses
and about IS months ago, the two
unions came to the only logical
conclusion, to merge and form one
union.
But here is Just where the So
called Allied Union" steps in. The
exhibitor, through the IT.OA. On
dependent Theatre Owners Associa-
tom, faced with the prospect of a
solid labor front in the motion pic
ture industry, resorted to the noto-
rious method of injunction. OF
course, an impartial" judge was
easily found to issue a sweeping in
junction against the merger. Not
fully satisfied with this. the exhib-
itors played upon the old mistrust
and suspicion against Local BOG,
which Empire members still had
and organized the so-called Allied
Union Theatre after theatre that
formerly employed Empire Union
men or 305 men, took in the Allied
Company Union on the most mis-
cradle conditions. In these thea
tres new patches of license holders
from the schools were constantly
broken in so as to enable the COM
pany union to widen it's poisonous
sway.
The strategy Of the exhibitors
was quite simple. Let the unions
fight the injunction in court, for
which few years will have to be
spent. Then if the organized work
ers ever do get legal victory they
will be faced with a company union
throughout the industry. The En-
pire Union and the Local 306 union
began a life and death struggle
against the Allied company union.
Mass picketing and open air meet
ings we're held in which both or
CARNATIONS were fighting shoulder
to shoulder. During this period of
over 10 months our unemployed
were repeatedly approached by the
exhibitors agents and promised
enough theatre contracts to elini-
nate unemployment in the Empire
Union, if only they gave up the idea
of a united front with Local 306.
Fully we'll realizing the objective
behind these sweet promises, our
members disregarded all these ap-
proaches of the exhibitors and
stuck to their guns in the fight
against the common enemy-the
Allied company union.
In view of this situation in the
Motion Picture industry, the above
references by a worker correspond
ent labelling the Empire Union as
scab agency is extremely harmful.
1t serves into the hands of the
boss, the exhibitor, and as such it
should be condemned.