IATSE-2nd2018_web

GROWING PAINS
After World War I, the decline in demand for propaganda films was eventually more than made up for by the increase in
entertainment motion pictures - especially in Los Angeles. The number of films produced in California skyrocketed from
1,900 to more than 12,000. As productions moved west, the number of workers in motion picture production in New York
and New Jersey declined by half between 1921 and 1927.
The Alliance set a new goal for itself, to link the entire motion
picture production industry — from the camera operators to the
film labs all the way to the projection booth — under a single
union label. It was a formidable task. Vigorous organizing efforts
were often met with setbacks and frustration.
Workers in several film labs in New York City wanted a thirtyfive
percent wage increase, a 44-hour work week and union
recognition. But after a two-week strike, management hired
replacement workers for the 2,500 who had struck. All the strikers
won was a half-hearted promise to bargain with the union over
wages.
This was minor compared to what was happening out West.
The entire AFL Building and Construction Trades Department
— Painters, Carpenters, Electricians and others — united
against IATSE. The unions used the 1919 AFL Convention to
put forth resolutions claiming that the Alliance was unfairly
forcing workers to join the IA and to give up their dual cards in
the construction unions. They called for the IA to return these
workers to their “rightful” unions and to stop making agreements
with producers to provide skilled craftspeople for this work.
Fortunately, skillful maneuvering by IA delegates prevented the
passage of these resolutions.
But two years later, in 1921, the building trades dealt IATSE
a devastating blow. At that year’s AFL Convention, the building
trades unions succeeded in forcing the Alliance to give up all
studio work. The IBEW would now do all the installation work in
connection with lighting, leaving IA members only the “operation
of all lights and of all devices for electrical lighting and electrical
effects as well as the operation of moving picture machines.”
The Carpenters would take even more of IATSE’s work,
leaving the Alliance representing only the property people and
set decorators. Particularly galling was the ruling that Alliance
carpenters could no longer make props out of wood or build
miniature sets, work they had been doing in theater property
shops for more than fifty years.
This unfair and potentially devastating arrangement could
not be allowed to stand.
THE PRODUCERS POUNCE
The producers took full advantage of union divisions.
They demanded wage cuts of twelve percent and an increase
in straight time from eight to ten hours a day. They said these
demands were necessary in light of the decreased demand for
motion picture production immediately following the end of
World War I.
They failed to mention the exorbitant salaries of stars (who
earned over $1 million a year in 1921, the equivalent of $13
million today 3 ) and producers ($100,000 a year). Ironically, a
July 24, 1921 New York Times article noted that there were many
reasons why movies cost so much, including temperamental
stars and directors, payrolls padded with relatives, and vast sums
spent on the trappings of stardom.
3
https://data.bls.gov/cgi-bin/cpicalc.pl?cost1=1000000&year1=192101&year2=201801
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