The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-04-07
Council Committee Intends to Re-
trench and Readjust.
ELABORATE CHANGE PLANNED.
neIieved That Several Employees May
BE acknowledgement Is to Bring
About Equitable Condition of the
city PayroiIs and Make Changes
ON bases of Percentsges-Au Po-
sitfons TO he in Fixed Grades.

salary retrenchment and readjustment
a the special object for which the new
committee, named the 'civil service and
salary committee of the city council was
created Monday night. The committee
held its first meeting yesterday to outline
. course OF procedure and arrange for
the elaborate standardization which It Is
purposed to effect 1t was planned to first
communicate with officials OF other cities
Of the same comparative standing as Sc
attic TO get a basis to work upon. II will
require a month or more to get the details
in hand, as numerous conferences must
nrst be held with the heads OF the de-
partments and the civil service commits
sioners.
There are said 10 be innumerable short
comings In the present salary ordinances
and the methods that have been followed
70 change the pay OF city employees. The
personality and individual efficiency or in
efnciency of employees are said in in
stances 10 have been made the reason for
Increase or reduction OF salaries. One In
stance Is cited OF the payment of a high
salary 10 a man of unusual ability and
fajthfulness who left the employment OF
the city, however. and then the Same SAL
ary was paid to one of much inferior quail
tiles. In short, 1t Is said that in many
cases salaries have been paid on the basis
on inc HtntrS VI tut htitituidL tiHpiOyCc,
instead OF the positions.
One of the first proceedings OF the COM
mittse will be to establish divisions and
grades of employment. The duties and
responsibilities of all positions will be
carefully weighed. and then they will be
r,aced In the grade to be made. Each
grade will be given an arbitrary salary.
70 that all employees In that list will get
the same pay.
Another important move viii be devising
some equitable system for Increasing or
decreasing salaries, when the council
should decide TO take such action. 1t Is
recommended that a system of percen-
tages be followed In such cases, instead
Of arbitrary advances as shown In the
salary ordinance adopted this winter. BY
this act most salaries were advanced IS
q month, without regard to the pay OF the
employees. Those who received 500 n
month were raised to si05 and likewise the
man OF SO a month received S55, an ad-
vance In the former case OF 5 per cent.
snd IN the latter of 10 per cent. 1t is
held that an equitable advance In that
Instance, generally speaking. would have
been 10 pay tho 800 man $40. giving both
70 per sent. more than formerly. or to
have increased tho wages OF the low-sal-
AIRED employe 10 $3.50. making both per
cent by getting all positions on an equit-
Ado OASIS IL ~ ntltNtQ tIlhN W blitu III
crease salaries by percentages will be
much easier, and at the same time main
tain Justice throughout.
II Is believed by members of the commit
tee that when they are rea-y TO rec
ommend thorough reorganization OF the
salary rolls they will be in n position to
reduce tho number of employees to n con-
siderable extent, as systematization will
enable them 10 get the same results with
decreased forces II is not the purpose OF
the committee 20 make more reductions
Ia the number OF employees than will en-
stle the highest efficiency to be main
tanned. but when the readjustment In COM
pletei Il Is believed that the number will
be reduced by several.
There will be no reduction OF salaries,
except In cases that are overpaid now In
comparison with others and the duties OF
the poeitions filled. Tho members of the
committee say they win proceed In their
Investigations and conclusions without re-
gard 10 friendship or enmity for any em-
plcye. their sole idea being 10 grade salar-
lee on the basis OF the work 10 be done.
Councilman Parry, chairman OF the com
mistse. and Councilman James, Crichton,
Taylor Vincent. Blake and Murphy are
the other members.