FILM WORKERS’ ULTIMATUM

Taranaki Daily News, 13 March 1933, Page 7

FILM WORKERS’ ULTIMATUM

CONFERENCE ON WAGES UNENDED, STRIKE WOULD KILL TEN STUDIOS. By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. Rec. 6.30 p.m. Hollywood, March 11. The motion picture studio workers’ union to-day rejected the general pay reduction proposal and served an ultimatum on the producers that unless the plan is abandoned approximately 15,000 will quit work. The time limit for acceptance of the ultimatum was set at 1 p.m. to-day but was advanced hour by hour as delegates from 24 labour unions and the producers continued their conference. There was no indication tonight that the conference was near an end. A walk-out will probably result in the complete shut-down of ten studios. Employees were promised by the Motion Picture Producers’ Association yesterday that their acceptance of the 25 to 50 per cent, salary cuts for eight weeks would in no way serve as a precedent for the fixing of their pay.

The producers said the proposed reduction was for only a short period and was brought about by the banking emergency. Acceptance of the reduction was necessary if the studios were to remain open. The producers said the studios had announced that 97 per cent, of the film stars holding contracts had accepted the 50 per cent, reductions.