Omaha daily bee., 1892-02-01
PoSToFFICE CLERKS.
Congressional Fixing of the Salary
Clerks In the Postoilce.

| ~ SOnSrcssiOnai t1NinS oil the salary of
| Clerks In the Postonicc.
OMAHA, Jan. 2S.-- To tho Editor of The
| BEE / herewith hand you copy of the
! postoffice clerks classification bill lately in
| trodaced IN the house by Hon. Robert Z,
| Z. Wilson of Missouri (house bill 3,60S), and
! the senate by Hon. j. f. Wilson of Iowa
| The postofice clerks, the inside workers in
| tho postoffices of the country are the only
| class of government employees, in this branch
| OF the government service whose salaries
are not fixed by law Letter carriers and
those employed in the the railway mail SER
vice have long ago been classified and their
salaries fixed by an act OF congress. Letter
carriers have also been accorded a fifteen
| days. yearly vacation, and railway postal
clerks, while their duties are very hazard
GUS, do not work over eight months of tho
year, leaving four months for rest and study.
A postoffice clerk does we'll, indeed IL he can
manage to get twenty-six Sundays in the
year to himself.
The last congress passed bill giving us
fifteen days yearly vacation, but failed to
add the necessary appropriation for ad-
ditional heip, and thus we are deprived OF
much needed rest
The civil service commission requires us
to pass IN examination TO test our inte!l-
gence before entering the service, and later,
If we wish to retain our positions or be ad-
vanced, we must prove our qualifications be-
fore the local board of promotions. Now we
ask OF congress, through the inclosed bill, to
arrange our salaries on a basis of equity and
justice. A. M. 0.
The bill in question classifies the salaries
Of the postoffice assistant clerks as follows:
Assistant postmaster, so per cent of salary
of postmaster; secretary TO postmaster.
where authorized, from 81, 200 to 81 600 per-
annum; cashiers, 81 800 to s., sou, according TO
salary Of postmaster; assistant cashiers, five
classes, $1,000 TO $1,000; tinancs clerks
bookkeepcrs and superintendents of stamp
divisions, 35 per cent of postmaster's salary;
masters salary; assistant superintendent of
mail, 30 per cent OF postmasters salary;
superintendents OF delivery and assistants,
40 per cent and 30 per cent respectively of
postmasters salary; the superintendents of
registry divisions and superlntendents of
money order divisions to receive 40 per cent
and their assistants 30 per cent of the
amount of the postmaster's salary;
superintendent OF carriers to receive
not less than $1,000 nor moro
than S2000 and clerks in ch nrge
Of carrier stations $1,000 to 81 400; general
foreman, Sl,5O0;, stampcrs and mail mes
sengers, three clnssos, salary shall be graded
In even hundreds of dollars from
5000 to not exceeding $500 per
annum; pressmen, messengers, watch
men, laborers, janitors, portors, firemen, car
penters, waste paper examiners and general
utility clerks, four classes salary shall be
graded in even hundreds of dollars, from 5000
to $500 per nnDum.
These provisions apply to offices of the
first class. In the second class offices the
bill provides that assistant postmasters shall
receive 80 per cent of the salary OF the post
master; clerks in second class postoffices
shall enter the service at $500 per annum,
and shall receive an annual increase Of 500
until they attain IN annual salary of 5000,
except the chief clerk, who shall receive
81 900 per annum. This class shall include
mailing clerks, letter distributors. dispatch
ers, registry clerks, stamp clerks. money
order clerks, separators. assorters, paper dis
tributers and general delivery clerks. Stamp
ers, messengers, porters, watchmen and
laborers shall be graded IN three classes,
with salary of $500 5000 and 500 per annum.
The bill provides that employees OF each
postoffice, except those herein before named
shall be divided by the postmaster subject to
the approval of the postmaster general into
two classes to be known as first class clerks
and second class CLERKS. Fifty per cent of
the numoer shall b. designated as first class
and so per cent as secoud class clerks, who
shall be rated according to the length Of
time in the service. First class clerks shall ,
be divided into five classes as follows One
ceiye $1,000, one-tifth shall receive
$1,000, one-fifth shall receive sl,lOO
and one-Hfth shall receive $1,000
per annum All appointments TO
service shall be made to the grade of second
class clerks and no appointment to the first
class grade shall be made except by promo
tion from Lhe second class grade; such pro-
motions to be governed by length of time in
the service. No clerk shall receive q less
salary after the passage of this act than no
was receiving prior thereto No clerk shall
be reduced from higher TO IA lower grade
after his assignment thereto, unless unable
to perform the duties connected with such
higher grade.
The bill, II passed, will become II law July
l. ,92,