Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Projectionists Hold Key To Alameda Labor Dispute

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Posted by Jim Cassedy (Member # 4115) on 08-02-2008, 02:57 AM:

ALAMEDA LABOR DISPUTE HINGES ON SKILLS OF PROJECTIONISTS

>For those outside the SF Bay Area, Alameda is a City & County located on an island in San Francisco Bay. It is accessbile only by boat or two tunnels from Oakland, CA<

Link To Story

As Projectionists Try To Get A Contract At The Alameda Theatre, Some Patrons Lose Faith.
By Rin Kelly July 30, 2008

On the biggest box-office weekend in history, Diana and Steve Wedgwood decided not to see a movie. Not at the Alameda Theatre and Cineplex, anyway. After heading over from Oakland for a Saturday matinee, the couple caught sight of International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees projectionists picketing beneath the marquee and opted — as a "union family" — to go elsewhere.

It's a scene the city of Alameda doesn't want to see repeated. Facing a projected $5 million budget shortfall for the 2008-2009 fiscal year, Alameda has been forced to cut back services and put a property-transfer-tax increase on the November ballot. And with $30.5 million in public funds invested in the new movie complex, the city is hoping that the facility will draw repeat business to the Park Street district and help increase revenues.

The July 18-19 picket by IATSE Local 169, which alleges that owner Kyle Conner is scratching prints and stalling negotiations, is the latest in a handful of potential image problems the theater has encountered since opening in May with a black-tie-and-slight-projection-glitches gala. And though the Art Deco picture palace, adjacent seven-screen cineplex, and municipal parking garage have netted attention and visitors from within the city and beyond, not everyone who's come to marvel at the natty new Alameda is planning on a return trip.

"This was all sold as this grand theater for Alamedans that we'd pay for to be the shining jewel of downtown," said resident Adam Gillitt. "And now I have no interest in having anything to do with it." Gillitt said he soured on the cineplex due in large part to technical problems after experiencing poor sound and attending a WALL-E showing that was "out of focus for pretty much the entire film." The picture eventually ground to a stop, he added, yet "no one acknowledged it. No staff said anything to the patrons. And then after twenty minutes it just started again. I can't remember the last time I went to a movie where the movie stopped. I mean, it might have been in the '70s. ... From what I understand, union projectionists would actually prevent things like that from happening, so I'm all for it."

Will Viharo, programmer and publicity director at Speakeasy Theaters, said the Alameda has been gaining a reputation for "butchering" first-run prints and turning off some filmgoers. "As an Alamedan, I love the new theater, but as someone who is also in the business, I can both sympathize with their problems and also recognize that they are unnecessary and easily solved," he said. Viharo believes that they "need some professionalism in their projection" or will run the risk of sacrificing "a lot of goodwill with customers. And also, I don't think the studios will put up with getting their prints returned like that." The competitor said he takes no side in the union dispute, but added that his theaters employ union projectionists because "if you want a job done well you hire people who know how to do it."

Conner, who partnered with the city to refurbish the landmark theater and build the cineplex, conceded that his operation experienced a handful of "opening issues" inevitable with such a giant undertaking. "Considering what we've accomplished and what we've delivered to the public, there's going to be a period of time in any opening of a business like this that there will be some bugs to work out," he said. "We're constantly striving to perfect, and the people are getting better and better every day."

There is indeed evidence that standards are improving at the Alameda. Viharo caught The Dark Knight twice on opening weekend. Projection was "stellar," he said, except for a serious DVD glitch before the credits rolled. Likewise, patrons leaving the 12:30 matinee on July 19 were wildly enthusiastic about the movie and the service. "Everything was fine," said Ruth Brown of Oakland, though she reported that the previous week she did wait 45 minutes when Hancock was delayed by "projection problems." Patron John Fagan, on the other hand, hasn't had any problems. Picking up his ticket on Saturday, he said that no amount of picketing would discourage him. "The historic theater looks awesome. And it's so convenient. I can walk here."

Still, Conner noted that 35-millimeter film is bound to get scratched on occasion. But his antagonists on the picket line dispute this claim. "We had No Country for Old Men for three months, and it still looked good the day it shipped out — no scratches, just a little wear," said projectionist Charles Rosenthal of the Cerrito Speakeasy Theater. And the Cerrito is a second-run house — meaning that it receives prints already shown at other theaters. Part of Rosenthal's work is inspecting and repairing the used prints he receives. He believes that a first-run house like the Alameda should have no damage at all. "See a movie at the Alameda and then go to the Grand Lake," he added. "There's a difference."

The difference between Allen Michaan's first-run Grand Lake and Kyle Conner's first-run Alameda, according to IATSE, is the skill disparity between expert projectionists in the booth versus regular employees running the machines. Local 169 business agent Jason Mottley believes a theater like the Alameda should employ "top-quality professional projectionists and technicians." He added: "This is the Alameda Theatre; this is supposed to be the jewel of the bay, the best theater there is."

Conner points to his sixteen-year history as owner of CinemaTECS for anyone who wants evidence of his own expertise with projection equipment. Conner knows his way around a projector; his company services such machinery across the state. "And I have a very capable projectionist crew in place already," he adds. "If I have one complaint, I have five hundred compliments. And that's no exaggeration."

Yet Conner himself pines for the day when projection problems and scratched celluloid are a thing of the past. He currently has one digital projector in the cineplex and said he expects to go completely digital soon. "The reality of it is that when I convert to digital, there is no projectionist," he said. "There's no projectionist anymore. I'm trying to make them [the union] understand that." The barriers to going digital involve conversion costs and fee arrangements. "It's an eight-hundred-thousand to million-dollar investment to go digital," Conner explained, and independent operators like himself face a distribution system controlled by conglomerates.
Speakeasy's Viharo said he thinks going all-digital anytime soon is a "pipe dream," and that the new machines are "extremely complicated" to run.

Mottley doesn't believe that the Alameda will go digital in six months or a year, and opined that if Conner were able to go digital in that time he wouldn't have invested in different equipment for just the first six months. He said that after nearly two months of attempted contact with Conner proved largely fruitless, he and Conner sat down on July 5 and discussed terms and digital projection. "I said if you really think you're gonna go digital and you won't need us anymore, let's put a clause in the contract that says as soon as you go, let's say, 50 percent digital, we'll either reopen the contract or renegotiate it or even end the contract. And he said no."

The July 5 meeting came about, Mottley claims, when the union finally took up picket signs after receiving no responses from Conner or Alameda Mayor Beverly Johnson regarding calls, fliers, and letters about starting negotiations. "It was July 4th weekend, and I think he would have said or done anything to get us to leave," said Mottley. The impromptu negotiations lasted twenty minutes, with Mottley proposing "something that was partial union, partial nonunion," including basic terms and transitions to digital technologies.

Alameda's mayor was involved in facilitating the 2006 negotiations between the United Food and Commercial Workers union and the owners of the new Nob Hill grocery store, which was a city redevelopment project. At the time, she told the Oakland Tribune that she had personally spoken to officials at the new development and said "It's not acceptable that Nob Hill is considering opening nonunion."

Conner said he and the mayor have discussed the union issue. "I think what city officials are urging is that I make a prudent decision about what's best for the theater," he said. "It may or may not be with the union is what I understand."

But at least for now, understanding is in short supply between all parties. What Conner understands as negotiation, IATSE calls stalling; what IATSE understands as excuses, Conner calls diligence. While city redevelopment officials say they see two parties working it out between themselves, IATSE said Conner is not actually engaging in talks.

Mottley claims that Conner promised him a substantive proposal by July 7; Conner said he wanted to see copies of IATSE's contracts with other area theaters. "It's not an unreasonable request to look at some contracts before I have discussions with them further. They're not entitled to what they're asking for. I don't know for sure what they're asking for until I see these contracts."

IATSE has contracts with theaters throughout the East Bay, including AMC Bay Street 16 in Emeryville, the Oaks and Elmwood in Berkeley, and the four area Landmark theaters, among others. They are currently in negotiations with United Artists/Regal, the largest chain in the country, but do not have a contract with the Century chain.

Conner said he is waiting on receiving contracts from Landmark and North American Cinemas, for whom he once worked as a general manager when they owned the Elmwood Theatre in Berkeley and the South Shore in Alameda. "I had hoped to further the discussions this week, but I'm still waiting to get the information," he said. "I'm still waiting to get them. I don't care, send me a blank contract. Send me anything so that I can review what they're asking for."

Mottley said Conner has not made good-faith contact regarding the status of those contracts. He says Conner is welcome to locate them, but claims they are irrelevant to any future negotiations, both because one of the contracts is for jobs unlike those at the Alameda and because "even if nobody else had union contractors, this is about the jewel of the bay. They should be setting the standard."

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 08-02-2008, 03:14 AM:

quote: Jim Cassedy
Conner noted that 35-millimeter film is bound to get scratched on occasion.

What an asshole.

quote: Jim Cassedy
"We had No Country for Old Men for three months, and it still looked good the day it shipped out — no scratches, just a little wear," said projectionist Charles Rosenthal

Pffft. 3 months and a "little" wear? You fail. Show me something impressive.

I skimmed through most of this article since it was so long.

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 08-02-2008, 04:33 AM:

Conner's looking to make digital an obvious cop-out to remove projectionist's quality that the union is trying to defend due to his unexcuseable claim as what his bone-headed statement mentions: '35mm is bound to get scratched.'

... and patching up his fubared operation with digital....

Gee, some owners tend to be massively offensive when they are proven wrong, don't they?

This attribute is getting to be apparent to some of these small business (not INDIE's) owners - why their operations have to suffer due to their bullheadedness to prove that they are RIGHT as RAIN, instead of accepting what is the correct way to run the business as such.

On a side note here: One print of "Titanic" that I ran for six months - came in clean and went out clean...

Posted by Chris Slycord (Member # 4239) on 08-02-2008, 01:44 PM:

Bound to get scratched "on occasion"? WTF does that mean?!

Using that kind of statement restaurants shouldn't pay for food poisoning because you're "bound to get cases of food poisoning on occasion."

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 08-02-2008, 04:43 PM:

What shows that the owner's arguements are bogus is that the union was willing to negotiate down or eliminate the contract in the event a substantial portion of the booth (50%)went digital.

I would hope NLRB claims would have been filed and lawyers are involved as the theatre is not bargaining in good faith. Talking about what you are going to do is not important...it is what is here an now that counts. This is a situation where the full might of IA should have been brought in. I've seen what it can do when it brings substantial forces to bear. But this has been a failing of the IA in many other areas regarding projection...they just let it die, prematurely.

Steve

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 08-02-2008, 07:06 PM:

I don't kow if the problem in Alameda is similar to what I was caught in the middle of with Classic Cinemas in Chicago in the early 80's. Local 110 continued to send out supposed projectionists but I the lowley non-union technician had to train them how to run the equipment in many cases. Even in the early 80's many didn't know how to run a platter! Some of the supposed operators including a one armed fellow whom was probably the nicest guy I've ever met was sent out to run 70mm and he was an absolute disaster. This is but a part of what caused the loss of Local 110 contracts back in the early 80's. Now these folks were all really nice folks to work with but they obviousy were working the job because someone higher up in the union owed them a favor.... not because they knew what they were doing, most worked other day jobs. One operator aquired his law degree whilst the film was running!

I'm hardly against unions, the US people need them, but not the mumbo jumbo type of union I knew back then that was held together by just one or two knowledgable members. Today's Projectionist Unions had better be able to supply knowledgable well trained members to do the jobs they're called on to do and I seriously have my doubts about them being able to do that today any better than they could back then. I've only ever been impressed by just a handful of IA locals and I really could count em on just one hand.

Mark

Posted by Rick Raskin (Member # 1561) on 08-03-2008, 09:27 AM:

It seems the IA gave up on the projection end of the business with the introduction of automation. Perhaps the powers that be saw too little dues money coming in from a craft that was largely being eliminated.

Rather than embrace the new technology and forge inroads into new and better jobs, many chose to fight it. I still remember the words of a local business agent "We work with our hands not our heads.", that for me was the death knell for the projection trade.

With all due respect to Mark, I knew many guys who could walk cold into the most complicated booth and put on a perfect show every time. I also knew a few who couldn't walk and chew gum at the same time. That, from my experience, is indicative of any craft; even the IT junkies of today.

To put this back on track, it seems to me that the theatre owner described above has no intention of settling with the union. Perhaps a labor filing is in order as Steve suggested.

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 08-03-2008, 12:06 PM:

quote: Rick Raskin
To put this back on track, it seems to me that the theatre owner described above has no intention of settling with the union.

It would be interesting to hear his side of the story too!

Posted by Lyle Romer (Member # 1266) on 08-04-2008, 07:09 AM:

I've said this in some other threads but it's worth saying again. The problem with IATSE is that "union projectionist" does not equal good projectionist all the time. When I worked for GCC a long time ago, my theater had a great union projectionist. Because of this, I was very pro-union projectionists. That was, until, I got to see some of the other so-called projectionists that they sent to work as fill-in at our theater and at other theaters in the area.

I know a lot of people blame bean counters for the elimination of the union in the booths but I think that at least 50% of the reason was that the company wasn't always getting what they paid for. At another GCC I transferred to, the union guy would watch football on Sundays and use the start timers. Things would fail to start, start in the wrong lens or with wrong masking or out of focus all the time.

Posted by Bill Gabel (Member # 1105) on 08-04-2008, 09:36 AM:

quote: Lyle Romer
another GCC I transferred to, the union guy would watch football on Sundays and use the start timers.

Then that would be the manager's or management's fault on not reporting or writing him up if it happened more than once. Being a union projectionist does not make you bulletproof to company policies and rules. Most union contracts state the operator can not have a TV on the job site. In many areas the Local is a almost dead Local with limited membership left and contracts waiting to end.

Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 08-04-2008, 12:27 PM:

Unlike other jobs where the employer interviews a number of candidates and then hires on the basis of competency, experience, and most suitable for the job, in the field of projectionist, the exhibitor doesn't get to interview the person, indeed the exhibitor doesn hire a person for the job, he has to hire the union. The union then gets to send whomever it wants, most usually not based competence, but on their own system of job assignement, which many times has not much more than hapanstance and lots of union politics.

I would be very very unhappy if I were an employer and when I wanted to hire someone for a position -- any position -- I couldn't make due deliberation about who I want, but had to accept whoever showes up from union headquarters. This isn't a job that's temporary, say like when you need an air conditioner technician to come fix your HVAC; this is someone who is going to be an intergral and pivotal part of your business, who indeed can make or break you business, yet you don't get to decide who that person is going to be -- you're at the mercy of some other entity. THAT power, imho, shouldn't be in the hands of anyone but the guy writing the pay check.

Posted by Bill Gabel (Member # 1105) on 08-04-2008, 12:57 PM:

quote: Frank Angel
he has to hire the union. The union then gets to send whomever it wants.

That's one way to do it. But if the Local uses what is called a Bid Sheet for a job. The Local will send this sheet showing all jobs and locations and rates to the Local's membership that is availible. The member in good standing sends his or hers bid into the Local's Business Agent, before a set date by mail. The Business Agent then collects all bids. In the days of the Senority numbers the oldest numbers (longest working) would get the job. When Locals dropped Senority Numbers (older member were to old to work newer jobs.) They set-up job testing for the winning Bidders with the exhibitor/DM/tech department. So these candidates had to test before the exhibitor/DM to show they could handle the job and equipment. That was the way the exhibitors could get around in the contract to hire operators, because as Frank said above the union would send you anybody they wanted too, no matter if they could do the job or run the equipment.

Posted by Brian Guckian (Member # 1678) on 08-04-2008, 01:57 PM:

It's most probably all about the money as well. I bet nearly everyone at this theatre is on minimum wage.

Pay peanuts..., etc.

Posted by Tim Reed (Member # 137) on 08-05-2008, 07:50 AM:

quote: article
I can't remember the last time I went to a movie where the movie stopped. I mean, it might have been in the '70s. ... From what I understand, union projectionists would actually prevent things like that from happening, so I'm all for it.

Posted by Lyle Romer (Member # 1266) on 08-05-2008, 08:04 AM:

quote: Bill Gabel
But if the Local uses what is called a Bid Sheet for a job. The Local will send this sheet showing all jobs and locations and rates to the Local's membership that is availible. The member in good standing sends his or hers bid into the Local's Business Agent, before a set date by mail. The Business Agent then collects all bids. In the days of the Senority numbers the oldest numbers (longest working) would get the job.

This is Frank's point (I think) and what I observed back in the day at GCC. The exhibitor had nothing to do with selecting the projectionist. The exhibitor selected the union and the union (doesn't matter how they did it) sent a projectionist. Unfortunately there seemed to be more in the area that were either incompetant or no better than a 16 year old than the true professional "perfectionist projectionist" as we nicknamed the good one we had at one location.

Posted by Jerry D. Cox (Member # 701) on 08-05-2008, 03:39 PM:

Mark you said that you were a non Union Tec.in Chicago,Well I find that hard to beleve,For all the Tec.'s that I new were In the Union,They work for RCA or ALTEC,I no that you Hate Unions
BUT I thank it is because they would not let you Get in.As for me
I work for over 35yrs.In the IATSE I recv.two retirement chicks
from the Union one from my Local and one from the International
In NY,peopel like you are the reson Theatres pay as little
as they do.

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 08-05-2008, 05:02 PM:

Actually Jerry I was indeed in local 110 for a short while (Invited in by Alvin Wroble himself!) but after a while at work projecting at a Chicago Theater I declined the invite in. There were many reasons but my main reason was primarily the IA's tie to organized crime... a few members are still sitting locked in prison as I type this... and with the growning number of Non-Union Theaters in Northern Indiana, Northern Illinois and Wisconsin that also needed service. So quite simply the Union and I were not on the same page. I asked them when I was projectionist if I'd ever be sent to do "technical" work but they declined to say. I also was asked to come to work by RCA and not doing so was one of the smartest moves I ever made in my life. They went out of buisness about 6 months later. After that point in time I operated my own theater supply buisness... Midwest Theater Supply in Elgin, Il. for 18 years. I was pretty sucessful if you base sucess by the type of work that I did and the work I was involved with on 45 location Hollywood features... all over the USA and spanning lots of different I.A. Unions. Come to think of it I was never even questioned about my Union nor was I ever carded, so based on that its pretty obvious they knew I wasn't Union. I was ultimately so busy I suffered a nervous breakdown and then decided to shut the biz down and slow back down to normal speed. I "retired" from the location movie thing when I moved to Utah but kept working in theater repair and install although I also did do a couple of small location jobs after moving here but then got tired of storing the gear and sold it off. Gee, I made enough $$ on all those movie jobs to be able to retire at 55 if I want to... So I don't think I did too bad. So you think I hate Unions... Indeed you are very wrong in your assumption and I've been lucky to have worked woth many fine IA members on all those filme all of whom were true profesionals. I am very much for Unions, just not in the way 110 was structured and operating at that point in time. Had I taken their offer of membership I would have ultimately been shut out of work like the 300+ other local 110 members that were when GC and Cineplex locked them out. I cerainly didn't forsee that happenning but I think there is a very good reason that I've been in this buisness since 1981.

Have a nice day,
Mark

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 08-05-2008, 05:59 PM:

Please explain how (and why) a union full of friggin' projectionists of all trades would have ties to organized crime. What the hell would the mob want with booth monkeys? I understand that union = crime but that can't apply to ALL unions.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 08-05-2008, 06:07 PM:

quote: Jerry D. Cox
I recv.two retirement chicks from the Union

Now with that kind of a retirement plan, I would have definitely joined the union! [Big Grin]

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 08-05-2008, 07:42 PM:

quote: Jerry D. Cox
I recv.two retirement chicks from the Union

Yea, You're right Mike... I forgot to ask Jerry what the Chicks they send are like... tall, big boobs and tight ass or just plain ole chicks. Oh hell, any chicks is better then no chicks.... [thumbsup]

quote: Joe Redifer
Please explain how (and why) a union full of friggin' projectionists of all trades would have ties to organized crime.

Look back into the history of the IA and see who it was really started by. In Chicago it's always had those ties. There was one big time Mobster whose name escapes me and is now dead or locked away and on his income tax return his occupation was listed as "projectionist".

quote: Joe Redifer
I understand that union = crime but that can't apply to ALL unions.

You're 100% correct Joe... There are many very good locals The one in Seattle is a good one, The local in Memphis was yet another but doesn't exist any longer and I was invited into that Union by the late Bill McAfee, there are a number of others as well. However the Chicago Local at the time was pretty much a Union where every member was really working for just a few at the top of the Union and those at the top were doing little for those doing all the work. So why would I have wanted to be a part of that arrangement? The Chicago Secretary at the time in fact was the highest paid Union Official in the Country. I think the fact that Jerry thinks I hate Unions just because I'm not in one is pretty typical of many Union people. Had I moved to Seattle I would have seen if I could have gotten in and I was asked if I wanted into the Memphis union. When I moved out here to SLC I found out there was no Union and since this is only the second place I've worked for any length of time in this industry there isn't much I can do about belonging to a Union.

The real fact of the matter Jerry is the results of the work that I did on all those films in most cases put alot of Union folks to work. How is that bad?

Mark

Posted by Richard May (Member # 2627) on 08-05-2008, 08:31 PM:

Again, the theaters here have the right to reject any projectionist that they don't want. Yes, the union will send anyone with the higher seniority, even if they suck. The theater does not have to accept that though.

Posted by Mike Spaeth (Member # 524) on 08-05-2008, 08:42 PM:

quote: Jerry D. Cox
Mark you said that you were a non Union Tec.in Chicago,Well I find that hard to beleve,For all the Tec.'s that I new were In the Union,They work for RCA or ALTEC,I no that you Hate Unions
BUT I thank it is because they would not let you Get in.As for me
I work for over 35yrs.In the IATSE I recv.two retirement chicks
from the Union one from my Local and one from the International
In NY,peopel like you are the reson Theatres pay as little
as they do.

Wow. That whole post kind of speaks for itself. Spell check, people!

Posted by Todd McCracken (Member # 4718) on 08-05-2008, 08:43 PM:

When I was a teamster for 6 years it was run by crooks. Unions are a great idea, but as with all forms of collectivism your line level member must be constantly involved for it to work properly. Sadly my generation and those after have the idea such things run on autopilot and require no effort on their part other than paying dues, therefore it becomes a breeding ground for corruption.

Though admittedly I know little of projectionists unions other than they used to be closed shops.

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 08-05-2008, 09:34 PM:

quote:
Wow. That whole post kind of speaks for itself. Spell check, people!

Aw give him a break Mike... How do we know one of those chicks from the Union wasn't sitting on his lap when he was typing [Confused]

.

Mark

Posted by Richard May (Member # 2627) on 08-05-2008, 10:25 PM:

[Roll Eyes]

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 08-06-2008, 12:07 AM:

We can go back to Henry Ford's day when he refused the UAW for the longest time being old fashioned that he was .. in wanting to keep the "Five Dollar a day" wages - in which what the unions were simply basing their members:to give them the wages, benefits and protection that they deserved.

My parents were both members of their respective opccupations where their respective unions did protect them quite nicely and retired successfuly not too long before our beloved state voted in the "right to work" law.

Nowdays, you say "union" in theatres, you get almost slamblasted out the door for the simple reason that these owners want to control everything, pay horribly and make those guys wear bunny suits shoveling popcorn or tearing tix along with handling film.

Guess digital is now the 'correct' answer to these problems.

-Monte

Posted by Brian D. Whitish (Member # 825) on 08-06-2008, 02:23 AM:

Mark,
Thanks for your kind words about Seattle local. I have had the privledge of being the business rep for the last 12 years. We are barely hanging on and we merged with stagehands local 15 in 2000. I just got some Claco parts for my Norelco from MacRae Theatre Supply. Some bands and a new intermittant sproket. They are in and running well.
Brian

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 08-06-2008, 08:02 AM:

Glad that you guys are still hanging in there Brian and hope the best for you. Also glad the Norelco parts worked out as well. Miles and his Uncle Bob whom I hear from now and then are a good guys and hopefully the local theaters around there continue to support McRae's for a long time to come.

As Monte mentioned there are right to work laws in Idaho... Utaw also has the same law, Florida is another but that law at least in Utaw DOES NOT preclude a Union forming or existing. There are in fact many unions here in Utaw... I can't speak for Idaho or Florida though.

Anyway... I think I've made my point clear about who, what, when, where, and why.

Mark

Posted by Chris Slycord (Member # 4239) on 08-07-2008, 12:58 AM:

A little off-topic but David McRae is a nice guy as well. Though he's been with AMC for some time now unlike Miles/Bob. That is, unless things changed since I was in town during Christmas.

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 08-07-2008, 08:22 AM:

Yep! I have my McRaes mixed up. He's still with AMC. He is our contact for the AMC's that we service. I believe that Bob now lives in Spokane, at least he did last call I got from him.

Mark

Posted by Sean McKinnon (Member # 612) on 08-07-2008, 10:43 AM:

Members of local 110 are currently in jail (AFAIK) for beating a Manager from AMC over the head with a lead pipe, and a Loews manager with a baseball bat. Also, for driving to theatres in other states and mixing bleach and amonia in large drink containers and leaving them in sold out houses full of customers. Buckets of tar were also thrown through Box-Office windows, cement was flushed down toilets, and parking lots were covered with nails. This was all done because of contract negotiations that did not go the unions way. Everyone knows that it is the local theatre managers, and customers in other states fault that happened so they deserved to be terrorized, and beaten. [Eek!]

Posted by Tim Reed (Member # 137) on 08-07-2008, 12:05 PM:

quote: Mark Gulbrandsen
I was never even questioned about my Union nor was I ever carded, so based on that its pretty obvious they knew I wasn't Union.

Or, they assumed you WERE a member...

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 08-07-2008, 04:01 PM:

I don't think they did. In fact on all the John Hughes stuff I was on I definately know they knew I wasn't union. I also in fact paid IA dues while working on several films but I believe it was only on two or three of them. I get statements from the IA once in a while. Doesn't matter much really.... after 45 films which is more than many working film folks living on the coasts work on in a lifetime I had enough of the traveling and such.

Mark

Posted by Robert E. Allen (Member # 1351) on 08-10-2008, 08:26 PM:

Hey Brian:

I too am glad to see the local is still going. Back in the late sixties and early seventies as a member of Local 577 in San Bernardino, CA I worked as a permit man for the Seattle and Everett Locals at the Lynn Twin, Varsity, 5th Avenue, The Northgate a couple of porno houses downtown (the names of which I have forgotten) and the Roxy and Everett Motor Movie. I believe the 5th Avenue at the time had Norelco machines.