TALKIE WORKERS.

Wairarapa Age, 14 March 1933, Page 7

TALKIE WORKERS.

SOME DANGER OF DEADLOCK OVER WAGE CUTS. HOLLYWOOD, March 11. Unionised motion picture studio .workers on Saturday rejected a general pay reduction proposal and served an ultimatum on producers that unless the plan were abandoned approximately fifteen thousand wguld quit work. The time limit for the acceptance of the ultimatum, set for 1 p.m. on Saturday, was advanced hour by hour as the delegates from twenty-four labour unions and the producers continued their conference. There was no indication on Saturday night that the conference was near an end. A walk out would probably result in the complete shut-down of ten studios. Later the producers declared a studio holiday on Monday to permit conferences with the non-union employees in the effort to get them to accept an eight weeks’ 50 cent, wage cut, while the union workers continue on full salary until the question is settled by arbitration. SALARIES & SHAKES. COMMOTION AT HOLLYWOOD. HOLLYWOOD, March 11. The earthquakes failed to stop motion picture stars from discussing the prospective 50 per cent, pay cut, but they did make the film people forget one of the old prides of the theatre for a moment. Reginald Barlow had just called the meeting to order when the first ’quake came. The players headed for the door, but Barlow boomed out: “If this is an earthquake, I need not remind you that the safest place to be is where you are.” There was a flutter of laughter as the celebrities marched back to their chairs. During the remainder of the meeting there were several other shocks, l?ut as one put it: “We never noticed them after the first one; there was too much commotion about this salary thing.”