Evening star., 1920-09-22
SCHOOL EMPLOYEES
ASK LIVING WAGES
Appeal of Janitors, Engineers
and lab0rers Before Edu-
cation Board.

Appeals for what they term a de-
cent living wage and better working
conditions were made by ]amtors en- :
gineers and laborers In the Distrlct
public school system last nigh. pc
fore members of the board of educa-
tion and school officials. sitting as a
committee on estimates. They SUD
mitted wage scales for insertion IN
the school budget of the next nscai
year, substantially the same as those
recommended for them in the report
of the joint commission on reclassin-
cation of salaries. .
That the needs of the members Oh
the custodian force are clearly recog-
nized by school officials was SHOWN ps
Supt. Ballou. After the janitors. en-
gineers and laborers had reclted tneir
stories of hardships and the multi
farious duties required OF thehl, III
Ballou told them he was very much
of the opinion that there should pe
a modifica ton in their salary sched-
DISQUALIFICATION upward. not 90" h-
ward"
Sees Unfair Advantage.
'It is unfair for the District to take
advantage of you because you me
the school work and remain loyal 10
the system" Supt Ballou SAID. You
should get wage commensurate
with other similar positions.
In presenting a brief to the poaro'
d. ]. Jones, representing the Jam
tors Union. pointed out that lhe IN !,
creases asked for are well deserved
and necessary in obtaining anu n'iu
ing good workmen.
school janitors." said Mr.. Jones.
who has been in the schooi system iol
twenty-five years and is paid pasic
salary of $1,000 a year. have more IN
the way of duties than Simply 10
sween dust and wash rooms. halls and
windows and take proper care VI
buildings and grounds. A schooi JAM,
tor must be ready for dut! d. az
hours to safeguard water pipes heae-
ing apparatus and the Valuanie p[op-
erfv in the plant. He works from
nine to twelve hours a day, sundays
and holidays included. and IN WINTER
from, fourteen to sixteen hours Gay,
and ;s subject to call both day ana
night.
Greatly Underpnid, He says.
From observation of our WORKERS
we feel we are greatly underpaid:
receiving from $500 a year Tor lour
and six room buildings. and ranging
from that to s1.100 for the largest
high school building.
Referring to the low salaries palo
the janitors, Mr.. Jones stated that
the same class of employees in many
of Washington's office buildings. not
as large as some of the schools, are
paid from $4,000 to $4,000 year.
Speaks for Engineers.
Engineers in the public schools
declared Thomas r. Jones. represent
ing the International Union OF steam
and Operating Engineers, Local No.
80, "are not given the consideration
that the District government gives
its dumb animals. The District Will
not let it's horses work over eight
hours. but they let the engineers and
janitors work from IL to 20 hours
Joseph H. Hurley. president OF the
City Employees Association. informed
the board that his organization in
which many of the school employees
are members. is in perfect accord with
the salary scale submitted by the
janitors, engineers and laborers.
John Ryan. engineer and janitor at
the Park View School, a sixteen-room
structure. outlined his duties and
those of his helper. In addition to
plant of that building. he said, he had
about an acre and quarter of floor
space to clean every day.
Other Employees Heard.
Samuel Jones, janitor and engineer
at the Stevens School, an eighteen
room building, told the board he was
forced to work between twenty-five
and twenty-four hours in the winter
to keep the structure heated and in
condition.
Frank Ron, janitor and engineer at
the Force School, spoke on similar
lines Hugh F. McQueeney, superin-
tendent of school janitors. emphasized
the need of an increase for the jarli-
tors and other members of the school
custodian force.
The wage scales the janitors asked
for range from $1,000 a year to ST.
$50. The engineers asked for scale
ranging from $1,000 to $3.50 a year.
Additional help in the schools also
was asked. If the increases requested
are inserted in the school boards
estimates, they will add $365.060 to
the budget for the next fiscal year.