Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-09-26
N IMPORTANT CHANGE
The Public Printer to Substitute the Time
System for Piece Work.
He Believes This VIII Have a SaIu-
tary Effect Upon the General
Working of the once.

An important change In the methods pur-
sued at the government printing office will
go into effect tomorrow morning This is
the substitution of the time system for
printers in place of piece work. So far as
can be learned the printers generally are
well pleased by the prospect, as IL will
equalize both the matters of hours and
pay.
During Mr.. Benedicts previous term of
service as public printer he gave this plan
his careful consideration, and came to the
conclusion then that IL 1t were ever put
into effect 1t would have a salutary effect
upon the output as well as the general
working of the Office. Since he has been
back this time he has again had the matter
under advisement, with the result that this
revolution in the methods will be inau-
gurated tomorrow morning.
No Change fn the Employees.
The proposed change will not in any way
affect either the number of employees or the
personnel Of the Office. The hours Of work
will be as heretofore. from 8 am. to 1
pm. and from 2 to pm. The only differ
ence is that hereafter the men will be l,aid
by the day instead of by what they have
done. Some of the printers will make more
and some less than they do at present. but
the general average will be about the same,
and Mr.. Benedict will see that there are
shirking or sighting of work, and promo
tion will be solely upon merit shown in the
work turned out by the various type-stick-
ers. Strict records will be kept. and the
new system will permit of a closer SUPER
vision than Is now possible, and Will make
the force more easily to be handled and
more available for use when extraordinary
demands are made upon the Office during
busy times when Congress is in session, and
there is a deal Of work to be done.
What Mr.. Benedict Will Require.
MIR. Benedicts plan contemplates one
large typographical division in the office.
with subdivisions smaller than have here
tofore prevailed, each to be in charge of a
man who is an expert in the printers art
and especially able in matters Of detail and
organization. Mr.. Benedict claims that he
has no desire to force the men beyond what
they can reasonably be expected to ac-
complish, in other words to make racers
OF them. In an interview on this subject
he said:
"All that will require of them under the
new system after the reorganization is that
they shall do their work correctly and skill
fully; that they shall use their best intelli-
gence in promoting the excellence and ex-
pedition Of all work that comes into their
hands; that they shall be helpful % and re-
gardful of the interests of their fellow
workmen; that they shall be careful of ma
terial, be sober and steady, and that they
shall always do fair days work. AMI
spond willingly.
The "Piece" Department.
The piece" department was organized
soon after the establishment of the office
and in IL were placed a number of men
who were not regarded as up to the highest
average of the office in point of ability
and conscientiousness. as here they would
be paid for what they had accomplished
and not for what their superiors had rea-
son to think that they might do if they
tried 1t was soon found, however. that
thls department was the most desirable of
all. for, what with fat ana good takes"
and all the rest, the men who We're working
mere We're making a great deal more money
than their associates who were working
on time. There was strong temptation al
the time TO resort to padding and blank
ing and the other expedients known to
printers to make out a good string as they
were paid SO much per thousand ems
The natural result was that many of
those who were working on time wanted
to be transferred to piece work, and in
huence was frequently brought to bear upon
the public printer to bring about the de-
sired change.
To End All jealousy.
With the advent of the new order of
effairs Mr.. Benedict hopes to do away with
all this trouble and the little feelings of
jealousy and rivalry that naturally ensued.
1t will do away with all the inequalities
that now exist, as in the matter OF time
work the price per hour is established by
law. The man who does the most work in
a day does not always do the best WORK. and
especially Is this true in the government
printing Office, where the highest class of
work Is necessary and where accuracy and
judgment are most important elements.