Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1920-12-27
j. s. employees
To DEMAND NEW
WAGE SCHEDULE
Bill Is to Be introduced in
Congress Providing High
er Salaries for Workers
in Federal Service.
Especial Correspondence to The Journal.


salary scale for the government
service, with minimum entrance
rate Of $l,0S0 year and promo
ton system leading TO rate OF
5000 year for the senior grade
of the clerical, professional and
other specialized groups, is pro-
vided in bill shortly to be intro
duced in congress by Representa-
tive Frederick r. Lehlbach of New
Jersey, chairman of the house
committee on reform in the civil
service. Executive heads of bu-
reaus and major services and some
highly trained specialists are rated
from $5,400 up, according to their
responsibilities.
This bill is an outcome of the
long continued agitation for high
er efficiency in the government
service and Is endorsed by the Ma
tional Federation of Federal en-
ployes and other organizations as
the first step in that direction. For
years it has been urged that the
government was losing thousands
of its best workers and impairins
the efficiency and morale of the
remainder, while at the same time
failing to attract new ones of high
grade because of its antiquated and
Inadequate salary scale. Moreover,
the National Federation of Federal
employees contends that reclassifl-
cation of salaries is essential for
the administration of the budget
system and for the proposed reor-
ganization of the government de-
partments
Full Service Included.
Representative Lehlbach has
based his bill upon the work of the
Joint congressional commission on
Redistribution of the civil service,
which reported to the last session
of congress, but he has revised and
extended the commissions bill to
provide for Redistribution of the
field services as well as the depart
ments in the District of Columbia.
The Lehlbach salary rates are in
tended to adjust the salary scale
according to the skill and training
required for the job, with a mini
mum rate which shall be living
wage for the many thousands OF
government workers Throughout
the country who are receiving WaS'
es of $3.50 a day down to 81 q day;
to provide opportunity for promo
ton to the better paid positions or
the basis of qualification only; tc
eoualize opportunities for ad'
yancement and rates of pay ire
spectiye of sex; and to Strengthen
vpif
service commission in the enforce
ment of such merit system.
Three Salary Rates.
The bill provides as rule three
salary rates for each grade. In th'
clerical service, however, the rates
are as follows: Junior clerk, Sl,0SO
s1,140, 1920; assistant clerk
1920, 1920, $3.50, $l,44O
$500, s1,560; clerk, 81, $40, $l,6So
s1,74O, $500, s1,860, $500: sen
Tor clerk, $3.50, $4,000, s2,22O
S2,34O, $2,460., For stenographer'
the range is from 1920 to s1,92O
For typists from 1850 to $3.50
Private secretary group, $2.52O tC
$4,000. Receiving and disbursins
clerk, $3.50 to $4,000. Chic
clerks, $3.50 to $4,000. Head cler'
zeal administrator, $4,000 and up
The professional services are
classified by Representative Lent
bach as follows: Lawyers, libra
rians, patent examiners, pharma
cologists, physical scientists, ac'
countants, agricultural scientists
architects, biologists, business ex
aminers, economists, political, sci
entists, engineers, foresters, per
sonnet officers, public information
agents. social economists, statisti
clans. veterinarians and others, sal
ary range from $500 to 5000
Several other miscellaneous groups
among them translators. nurses an'
others, with different salary rang
es, are included in the professional
services.
In the sub-professional group
salaries range from $1,44O at en-
trance to $1,000 for seniors, TINS
group, including civil service exam
lining assistants, law assistants
marketing aids, relief map model
ers and translator assistants. Fol
craftsmen and engineering aids II
the sub professional group, the
salaries range from $l,0SO to
$500.
Inspection Service.
Tn the inspection service tht
rates vary with the kind of inspec'
tional work, but range from $l,3Z'
m $1,000 in the most responsible
positions. 49,.
For the custodian service th'
rates vary very considerably be
cause in this service are many en-
Moves who receive maintenance II
addition to their salaries. The rate'
for building guards and watchmel
are s1.140 to 1920; for cleaners
s1.Os0 to $1,620; for cullnar!
workers. $3.50 to 1890 with main
tenance; storekeepers, $3.50 u
saO4O. laundry workers, $3.50 u
1920 with maintenance; superih
tendent, $1,000 to $2.04o. Custo
dams Of important buildings rans'
from $2.70o to $4,000. Assistan
janitors range from, $l'14o u
$1,000. -. =
In the labor service the farm Ia
borers rates are from s'zo U
si.44O with maintenance; othel
laborers, $40 to s.4S an hour.
For the skilled trades the pre-
vailing rate In private employment
will apply. In view of the large
number of skilled craftsmen EN-
nloyed by the government at les
than prevailing rates. this Wi
mean a substantial increase L
The salary schedules of the bil
40 introduced apply only to tn
Government employees in the DIS
frict of Columbia, but the bill con
tains a provision whereby the sec
rotary Of the treasury is required
to apply these rates SO far as ,hes
are suitable to the field service
and to establish any new rates an
cIassifications that may De cailee
for in the field service.
A man who had an extraordi
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