Guild Rally Leads to Adjournment of 4MC Stockholders' Meeting by Eric Chaudron As negotiations to secure a contract with Four Media Company continued in January, our informational picketing campaign moved forward. The tactics appear to be having an affect at the bargaining table, as 4MC representatives may be giving indications they're ready for the battle to end. Assistant organizer Andy Larson drives home our message at the 4MC stockholders' meeting. The company took special notice on Thursday, January 14, 1999. On that day 4MC held a shareholders meeting at the Burbank Hilton hotel. The Guild, with the support of the IATSE and all the Hollywood IA locals, showed up with over 100 people to protest 4MC's continued resistance to signing a contract. At the rally the Guild unveiled two new color signs declaring, "4MC: Bad for Hollywood." One of them, a 10' x 20' banner, was attached to a moving van that circled the parking lot of the Hilton while protesters cheered from the sidewalk and organizers from the Guild and IATSE handed out leaflets. When several shareholders asked 4MC management to address the topics highlighted on the leaflets, management refused. The issue was pressed, and 4MC management responded by adjourning the meeting after just 15 minutes. It was a great moral victory for the Guild. We want to thank IATSE and the IA locals that have been showing up to support us on the picket line. We have had good showings from all of the Hollywood locals, including Camera, Film Techs, Grips, Make-up Artists, Properties, Art Directors, Script Supervisors, Set Medics, Screen Cartoonists, Stage Hands and Scenic and Title Artists. We also want to thank the producers who have told 4MC that they will not bring any more business to the company until this labor dispute is settled. Their help has been critical for convincing 4MC that Hollywood is a town that believes in fairness for the people who create the product. The Guild will continue with its efforts to push this campaign to a conclusion. We also continue to ask our signatories, members and friends to consider other post-production facilities for completing their projects. We look forward to and greatly appreciate everyone's ongoing support. For more on 4MC see: First Time on the Picket Line by Elen Orson   Reprinted from The Motion Picture Editors Guild Newsletter Vol. 20, No. 1 - Jan/Feb 1999   Guild Home | Newsletter Home | Top of Page   Copyright © 1999, All Rights Reserved by The Motion Picture Editors Guild, IATSE Local 700