The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1941-12-31
HOLLYWOOD
SHORTS
BY JOHN R. CHAPLIN

One movie that Hollywood has
never produced and probably never
will is the story of its own unioniza-
ton. Any number of producers would
be placed under physicians care If
the idea were seriously suggested.
Still, the sotry has all the elements
of good picture with plenty of box
office appeal. A young and wealthy
industry emigrates to the west, and
settles down in what is generally
called "the open shop citadel of Amer
ica" The studios prove themselves
to be as anti-union as the rest of Los
Angeles.
The plot unfolds in a pattern fam
iliar to millions of industrial workers.
A respectable company union (the
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and
Sciences) tries to save the producers
from the financial embarrassment of
real collective bargaining.
When the depression strikes, the
Academy reveals its basic loyalty in
the finest tradition of company I'M
ionism. 1t okays 500 pay cut-and
commits suicide Spurred by the I'M
ion boom of MIRA days, high-priced
talent turns to honest unionism. The
producers fight back, but finally ca
pitulate And today the industry is
unionized from top to bottom.
The title and the basic facts for
this story are already available in
Murray Ross new book, Stars and
Strikes columbia University Press,
New York, s275). For the first time,
the history of bargaining in Americas
most colorful industry has been set
forth with an abundance of documen-
tary detail.
AS an antidote for the hokum dis
seminated in screen magazines and |
most Hollywood columns, the book in !
invaluable. 1t is pretty hard to re-
tain the notion that everybody In pic |
lures gets at least $4,000 year when |
Ross shows that the daily wage for
extras has been as low as s125, al
though the producers explained that |
this sum was paid only to natives"
and orphans in an asylum"
1t seems, however, that plenty of
extras might qualify as orphans for
the author points out that 800 Of all
The people we see in the movies earn
less than $500 year.
AS the most exploited group In the |
industry, the extras have been mark
eddy benefited by unionism. The two
evils of an extras economic life are.
ow pay and uncertain employment
The problem of limiting employment
o a group that could make living
wage was attacked successfully by
studios, Central Casting
corp. 1.-THE studios employment
lgency), the producers association,
he moribund Academy, and the NRA.
All of these efforts failed. But
when a real union-the Screen Actors II
iuild - came along, progress was
made. Ross looks for a happy end
ng, through hte work of a joint guild
committee.
From the labor viewpoint, Stars and
strikes is married by the authors
United understanding of and SYM
athy for organized labor. Ross seems
0 think that unions are created by
employees who band together to limit
heir supply In the hope of improving
heir bargaining power. He is prone
0 regard union officials as primarily II
with dues and initiation
ses.
While he comedies on the other
and that Hollywood unions have
ron numerous benefits" for their
lembers, his final fear is that these
enefits will considerably increase
he cost of film production"-the FAM
lar cry of employers and their news
aper mouthpieces.
Obviously, higher wages increase
osts But labor and the public, re-
rendering how the Browne-Bioff
-ial demonstrated the ease with
hitch film producers could dip into
city cash for a million or SO In
ribes, will ask why the industry can
OF absorb the cost of eliminating
8 sweatshop conditions.
Moro fbon q million Uorkprq in low III