Sunday, September 26, 2010

All Meetings - Top Cel Vol 1, #5

Here's Top Cel Volume 1, #5 from March 20, 1944

Editor: S. Knoring (I hope that wasn't a joke, but it's too close to animator humor not to be).






NEGOTIATIONS NEWS

Contract of the Famous Unit of Local 1461 signed and will be submitted to the War Labor Board for approval after the management and union decide on the phraseology and exact classification of each job listed.

A copy of the contract (Woody Gelman, keeper) is open to any member's inspection.

The Terrytoon contract came before the War Labor Board last March 13th.  we are waiting their decision.

NOTES ON LAST EXEC. AND MEMBERSHIP MEETING

The payment of the initiation fee of $5. will be extended through February 29th, 1944, after which time the regular initiation fee will remain in effect.

In order that the general membership have access to information about the Brotherhood Constitution and our local by-laws, it was decided to buy a small quantity of the constitutions to be sold at cost (10 cents) and to have the by-laws mimeographed for general distribution.

"Sparky", working foreman at Terry became a test case when he requested a withdrawal card because our by-laws exclude supervisors.  After investigating the matter, it was decided that the the ruling does not apply to "Sparky" since he has no power to hire or fire and works as an employee in coordination with the rest of the employees.

It was recommended that a list of former employees now in the armed forces be secured through the management.  Any member who knows a cartoonist-serviceman's address is requested to give this information to Pepe Ruiz, so that it may be put on TOP CEL'S mailing list.  Judging from the reaction given to the "Animator", the West Coast's union paper, the home news is very much appreciated.

The Business Agent was voted an expense account.

Mory Redon was elected Warden to the Executive Committee.

SHOP TALK

From the "Animator":

"At the January membership meeting, Al Amatuzio reported  on the new labor-management committee at Disney's.  the committee is composed of ten men, five from the management and five from the employees.  Three seats are permanent fore each and three are revolving.  Since there are thirty-three unions on the lot, the committee is not strictly from this Local (852).  It was started as of the first of the year.  At the first meeting an idea was presented from the employees which will save the studio thousands of dollars on commercial films."

From "Motion Picture Daily":

"George Pal was given a special citation for development of a new technique in comedy shorts as evidenced in his 'Puppettoons'."




FLIPPINGS

GEORGE CANNATA...fresh from Schless to Famous....ABNER KNEITEL and WALLY WALWORTH...now able seamen.... JOE DENEROFF...still a devotee of the photographic arts...... BERNADETTE PILLET... visiting in Montreal.....LILLIAN GROSSMAN (Linday Grayson) a new addition to Harry Conover cheesecake....MINA MORRISSEY, a new memer of the matching department......KATHERINE CHAILLE is knitting pink elephants......there must be a better way to see 'em.....EMIL McCORMICK, Leonard's brother reported a war prisoner.  His mother was recently awarded the air medal.....ROSALIE SOCOLOV put in overtime as a volunteer aid for the overseas patients at Mitchell Field Hospital .

KNOW YOUR UNION
The General Membership:

Excluding the rules of the bylaws which regulate the method of conducting the general business, the General Membership is the sole ruler of the organization.  The health of the union depends on it. Each member being an integral part and each member responsible for any action taken by the Local.  A member who gripes about what "they" are doing is admitting to his own lack of responsibility.  He has his individual vote and the opportunity to voice his opinion at an open hearing and bring other votes to his side by the power of superior argument.

It is understood of course that once the General Membership take a position on any subject, that such decision has been arrived at democratically, vote for vote, that members who weren't present for various reasons have forfeited their opinions and that therefore, all the members owe their allegiance to the decision even if they had been the strongest exponents of the 'loyal opposition'.

We've heard quite a bit about "bad" unions in  the daily press.  W. Pegler for one, has written himself hoarse on the subject.  Unions in themselves are not bad, based as they are on the most elementary democracy.  And it stands to reason that only members who do not take active participation in meetings but let off eloquently in "parlor" conversations taking pot shots at their more energetic union brothers have the makings of what has been misnamed "bad" unions"

All meetings are important.  All decisions are vital.

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