Thank you, Screen Actors Guild: The Studios and the Almost-Strike in May 1937

The first board meeting of the Screen Actors Guild in 1933 

By 1937, James Cagney, Gene Lockhart, Gloria Stuart, and Edward G. Robinson were among the many that supported and were in the guild. But the studios were still not recognizing them. A negotiation meeting was set for May 9th, 1937 and if the studios did not comply, a strike was already planned as of midnight. It certainly didn't help that the higher ups were also being pressured by not only the guild, but also the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees and the Federation of Motion Picture Crafts. The strain worked in their favor and a few days later, the Guild signed a contract guaranteeing minimum salaries as well as overtime and location shooting.