Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-06-07
2,3OO MAY NOT GET
JULYS S12O BONUS
District Workers Protest
Against Alleged Dis
elimination.
UP TO COMMISSIONERS
UP TO COMMISSIONERS

Nearly 1000 District government
laborers. skilled and unskilled. and
about 800 per diem and monthly en-
ployes. including assistant engineers.
inspectors. computers and clerks,
probably will be denied the additional
1920 bonus to be paid government
workers for the fiscal year beginning
July 1.
That the laborers will not be given
the bonus appears certain, despite that
a protest against the contemplated
action has been registered by the City
Employees Association.
The status of the per diem workers
is somewhat different and the Dis
trict wage board has recommended
that they be not denied the extra
pay.
There were strong indications to-
day. however. that the Commission
ers may rule otherwise.
Great Protest Aroused.
Probably never in the history Of
the local government has a con-
wage adjustment aroused
greater protest. There are about
including members of the police and
fire departments and institutions I'M
der the Jurisdiction Of the Commits
sioners, who are not affected by the
controversy.
The situation as to the per diem en-
ployes grows largely out of the fact
that during the war many clerks on a
statutory basis were transferred to q
per diem and monthly basis at In
creased pay. The Commissioners
found 1t necessary to make such
transfers to retain their services. In
addition to the increased pay the
bonus of 1920 also was given.
Claim S24O Bonus
These employees claim that they
should be given the bonus of s240 that
goes into effect July !. But there is a
question in the COMMISSIONER minds
as to whether, in view of the fact that
the war is over and conditions have
changed, their pay should not be re-
duced to point where 1t would con-
form with the amount paid them when
they were on statutory basis. To
this amount would then be added the
full bonus of $240.
1t is said to be the opinion Of at
least some members Of the board of
Commissioners that the intention of
Congress would be defeated IL en-
ployes transferred from a statutory
would still be given a bonus of $240.
Employees Contention.
The contention of the employees, on
the other hand, is that their rates of
pay are absolutely comparable with
those of statutory employees by rea-
son Of the limitations of expenditure
for their class of service. These rates,
are far from being adequate to the
duties and to pay for like services
on the outside.
1t is commended that they have
receive a greater rate Of pay than
themselves, adjusted through the wage
board.
This view of the matter has been
sustained by the wage board. which
has recommended that the per diem
the men are put back on a statutory
basis and then given the bonus. many
of them will receive much less than
they are now making. it is commended.
The members Of the wage board.
which is understood to have unani-
c. b. Hunt, engineer of highways;
j. S. Garland. superintendent of the
water department.; Snowden Ash
ford. municipal architect; Asa E.
Phillips. sanitary engineer; Morris
Hacker. supervisor of refuse collec-
son, superintendent of machinery of
the fire department.
Reduction in Basic Pay Suggested.
With respect to the wages Of laborers,
tho h<o I'd hoo recommended q rad,ot,ox
in basic pay to absorb the additional
bonus of $500. This is done. it is ex-
planned, to preserve the equality Of out
fixed by the board, plus the bonus as in
creased to $40 per annum.
The act for the fiscal year 1920, which
provides for the $240 bonus, states that
the increased compensation provided in
this section to employees whose paw is
from time to time through wage
boards or similar authority shall be
taken into consideration by such wage
boards or similar authority in adjusting
the pay of such employees"
Bonus Rated part of Pay.
The wage board. it is explained, re-
CARDS this proviso as determinative of
the fact that the bonus is to be re-
garded as a part of the pay of this
class of employees and not as an addi-
ton thereto.
Proceeding on this Interpretation
of the law. the board reduced the
basic pay to take care of the s120
bonus granted for the current year.
and the reductions now proposed will
absorb the ADDED bonus authorized for
the year that begins July /.
Any other action. it is stated. would
give higher rates to District labor
ers than are paid for similar service
on the outside. The total pay under
the adjustments, IL is commended. will
remain the same as at present, as
contemplated by law.