The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1919-06-18
Us. WORKERS
TO FIGHT FOR
OvERTINEPAY.
Government Employees Also
Would Eliminate Work on
Sundays and Holidays.

Government employees in Washing
ton are preparing TO start anew their
night with Congress for appropriate
paw for all overtime work performed
in the departmental service here.
The fight Of the employees to secure
adequate overtime pay which was al
lowed to lapse during the war emery
encv period will be undertaken by the
National Federation OF Federal En-
ployes. All subsidiary organizations
and local unions will take part in the
campaign to secure this leng-neglect-
ed Justice for Government workers in
Washington.
To Affect Field Workers.
II Congress enacts law at this ses-
sion to provide overtime pay. it Will
automatically affect the field service
workers. in the opinion OF the local
union heads. Care would be taken
that proper provision should be in
serted in the amendment TO the pres
emf law to see that field service en-
pIoyes were not sighted.
The changes which Congress will be
asked TO insert IN the present law
which provides for the employment OF
Federal workers will be CLASSIFIED I'M
der two general heads.
First. Time and half for over
time work.
second. Abolition OF holiday work.
or in cases where such service IS IN
dispensable, substitution OF a wage
scale of double time pay for Sundays
and holidays.
were pressed by war emergencies the
clerks took no active steps to antag-
onize the interests of the Govern
ment. Now that the war is over, in
it's physical aspect. at least the
clerks mean to get adequate overtime
and abolition of holiday work, or, in
lieu Of the latter, double time pay
for it.
Instances OF where clerks are given
overtime work in the departments
here. particularly the War Depart
ment. which is considered the CHIEF
offender. have given rise to the re-
newal of the clerks complaints
No Pay for Overtime.
MANY branches OF the War Depart
ment are working clerks overtime
without extra compensation. Here is
one instance:
The construction division OF the
quartermaster corps employs approx
| imately / 300 persons. For the last
two months these employees have been
working overtime at the rate of from
/ one to one and a half hours a day
| contrary to the civil service law.
They are given no extra pay for
/ this service. The chiefs of the vari-
| Gus divisions must follow instructions
and are given no discretionary power
! to adjust overtime work. except in so
| far as 1t relates to individual cases.
| This division has been steadily re-
ducing its force. until today it num-
bers about 1900 employees. BY July
another big cut will be made.
Can't Hire More Clerks.
The law as it exists today will
| not allow the appointment of addi-
tionaI clerks in this division, and
the extra work accruing from the
| adjustment of construction records
at the camps and Cantonments
| throughout the country falls upon
| the shoulders OF the steadily de-
tcreasing rank and file OF clerks.
! The work of this division will nee
essariIy have to be continued during
peace time. as the government has
decided to retain some of the camps
liz the work does not decrease and
1.-THE number of workers steadily
grows smaller. considerab BILE over
! time work during the summer will
1 be involved.
Clerks of this division are paid
out of a general fund and are known
as lump sum employees"
The Navy Department, union ohi-
Gals point out. has been very fail
with its workers. Civilian employees
time pay other departments have
to a small extent given overtime pay
for certain kinds of services.
| Congress will be asked specifically
to amend the law to provide over
time and holiday pay to affect all
ldepartments of the Government and
the Federal field service.