Salt Lake Telegram | 1939-09-25 | Page 14 | Strike Threat, War Loss Face Studios

Strike Threat, War Loss Face Studios HOLLYWOOD (INS ) Producers of the major Hollywood studios today suffered from new headaches head-aches as they attempted to devise means of meeting two threats to their industry a nation-wide strike of theatrical employes and a 50 per cent loss In world trade. There was, however, a ray of hope In the strike situation. The I. A. T. S. E. has threatened to "down tools" on Tuesday unless a 3d per cent pay Increase demand Is met, but the producers were quick to make a proposal that may result in peace. The producers Invited spokesmen spokes-men of the unions to sit at a conference con-ference table for a discussion of mutual problems. It was stated by the producers, who declare wages paid in the In- that the unions are being asked to assist In devising ways out of the situation that now confronts the film Industry, Instead of making mak-ing It worse. The producers frankly stated that to pay more wages now would mean a new payroll slash In that it would be necessary to reduce the number of workers. L A. T. S. E. now is the sole bargaining agent for studio technicians tech-nicians and others who are not members of the various guilds. As for the foreign situation, occasioned oc-casioned by the European war, these markets, which represent from 40 to 30 per cent of the income in-come from pictures, are off as much as 75 per cent, the producers say, and they add that they have no idea what is to be done about it. The motion picture Industry actually actu-ally Is psinted in colors far from bright, with the strike threat "the last straw," according to filmdom chieftains.