Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-09-05

1 OOuunueo from First -Page.)
class should receive less than the
maximum pay of the laborer. The
board also finds that no clerk who is a
bookkeeper or stenographer should re-
ceive less than the general helpers
maximum pay.
Immediately Elective.
THE attached recommended wage
scale for all civil employees under
| the naval establishment involves some
| increases in expenditure. sThe board
has been informed that the present
| number of employees is as small as is
necessary to accomplish the main-
| tenance and repair Of the feet and to
provide for other needs of the navy.
In view Of the fact that the increases
| in pay herein recommended are en-
tirely for the purpose of accomplishing
| mere justice to the employees under
| naval establishment, and in view of
the further fact that the amount of
this increase could not have been FORE
seen at the time estimates for appro-
priations were submitted to Congress,
1t is believed that the matter comes
| within the provision of the law limit
ing requests for deficiency appropria-
| tons, and that the increases of pay
herein recommended should become i'm
mediately effective.
'Fhe board recommends that the
| regular working hours on Saturdays
at all yards be reduced to four the
year round. and that the men be paid
for four hours for the Saturday work.
The board believes. however. that
there is a tendency in other branches
of industries to provide half days
each week for recreation, and that
government working conditions
should in no respect be below those
in private establishments.
Retaining Good Workers.
TN the Navy there is little oppor-
tunity for piece work, and therefore
the retention at navy yards of arti-
sans of the very highest quality must
depend. if our hourly wage scale is
comparable with that paid in, other
industries, upon the advantages given
by our system of special rewards.
especially the pay to navy yard work
men for holidays. thirty days leave,
etc. These advantages considerably
improve the opportunity of the work
err under the naval establishment and
amount in effect to an increase in
pay. for hours actually at work. of
about 20 per cent. 1t is pointed out
that the naval policy OF establishing
it's wage scale entirely upon the hour
ly wage basis affects adversely the
earning power of the exceptionally
skilled man. as compared with the
current practice in private establish
ments.
"To meet this situation correctly
and adequately would require a
as to determine the relative skill in
performing 1t. and also reclassifica-
ton of employees, such as might in
volve considerable revision Of meth
DDS in the various navy yards and
stations. The board. therefore, rec
steps Immediately to make study
of advanced methods of increasing
earnings Of skilled men.
Asks Aid Of Employees.
''The board believes that the only
manner by which improved methods
can be successfully introduced is by
having the hearty cooperation of its
employees. 1t therefore recommends
that the assistance and aid of its en-
ployes be solicited in arriving = at
methods to increase wages and pro-
ductfon to the mutual advantage of
the government and Of the employees.
Approval of this Recommendation will
remove some Of the objections to the
present method Of wage fixing for
navy yard workmen and will insure
that extraordinary production by
ward.
'"The modification Of the boards pre-
cept@ contained in the Secretary's let
ter directs that the Recommendation
Of this board be based upon the in
creased cost Of living, and states that
the good faith of the Navy is pledged
to the workers to make a decision on
that basis. In view Of the fact that
for three periods when a readjust-
mont on the basis of the change in
the cost OF living was called for
under the terms of the original
award Of the Macy board. the find
ings OF which had been formally
no readjustment was made, the board
desires to express its unanimous con-
currence in the judgment Of the
Secretary that the present award
should be based upon the cost Of liv-
ing.
Keeping Its Premise.
~The men have. for more than one
and one-half years. complied with
scale in accordance with its promise.
The fact that no general increase in
the wage scale is justified by the data
that the board has been able to pro-
cure can have no bearing upon the
necessity Of adhering to the pledged
word OF the department.
AS to the future. however. the
board does not believe that the cost
Of living should in times Of peace be
adopted as the sole basis for wage
readjustment. and it recommends
that no agreement to that effect be
entered into. Future adjustments
should be made in accordance with
the law Of 1862 upon the basis Of cur
rent wages in similar industries. The
board believes 1t to be to the govern
ment's interest to make future adj
5ustments for the whole country on
the same basis. without preferential
for any locality"