“Twin City Showman, Union Compromise to Settle Strike”

Headline: “Twin City Showman, Union Compromise to Settle Strike”

Subhead: Six Weeks of Open Shop Ended as Agreement Is Reached

Minneapolis—Theater owners made slight concessions and stagehands receded from their main demands yesterday to settle the general theatrical strike in the Twin Cities.

The strike, which lasted six weeks, proving the longest in theatrical history, was settled after a series of conferences lasting from 10 A.M. Tuesday until 4 A.M. Wednesday. W. A. Steffes, Northwest exhibitor unit president; Theatore L. Hays of Northwest Theaters and William Canavan, head of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employes and M.P. Machine Operators, effected the settlement.

Although stage hands were granted an increase they failed in attempt to secure one day’s rest in seven. There will be no segregation of departments which would have meant employing additional men, and theater managers reserve full rights to employ and discharge stage hands.

While stage hands originally requested a one year contract with no wage increase, one day rest virtually meant an increase of $9.63 per week. Under the new agreement stage hands accept a three year contract with two dollars increase for the first year, three dollars the second year, and two dollars increase the third year.

Operators had recently signed a one year contract in which they accpeted a new three year agreement calling for no increase the first year, 2½ per cent the second, and the same for the third year. Musicians return to work with no change in the contract which had recently been negotiated. There is practically no change in working conditions in the new contract with stage hands, nor any in the operators’ new three year agreement.

The majority of crafts will return to work Sunday with some houses putting union men back today. It is estimated that the agreement with stage hands will save from $3,000 to $5,000 a year for legitimate houses.

The strike, which lasted six weeks, was the longest in the history of the theatrical world, and estimated at a cost to the allied crafts of approximately $160,000.00 in business. Both sides expressed complete satisfaction over terms of the new contracts and pickets were immediately removed from in front of theaters.