Evening star., 1922-12-12
NAVY WAGE BOARDS
MUST RECONSIDER
CONTINUED from First Pase)

showing an increase should be made
and did not consider 1t, or they failed
to get the data which they are re-
qutred by law to collect.
Reports show Discrepancies.
The order directing the boards to
reeonvene on the question informs the
commandants that they have not gone
far enough into the question to give
a full and fair report. and that their
reports containing Recommendations
show discrepancies and lack Of data.
Tho data introduced to the general
board by the representatives Of the
men, and which the latter declared
also were presented to the local boards
and not given consideration. indicate
that the men should have an increase
In pay Of fully 25 per cent over the
wages paid this year.
No specific time is named in the
order for return Of the recon-
mendations following reconsideration.
but 1t Is understood that the COM
mandants are expected to speed up
the work with a view to putting in
the new wage scale az soon after the
nrst OF the new year as possible.
Capt. Dayton said that prompt action
would be taken at the local yard.
Representatives. of the employees
organizations to get in touch with their
local wage boards and submit again
to them data which they had collected,
and seek to iron out the differences
which resulted in the recommended tions
for a decrease in pay.
Wages Fixed Annually.
There is a feeling among the en-
ployes that the local boards took into
consideration the amount of funds al
lotted to each yard in fixing the wage
scales. rather than the data showing
that high-class mechanics on the out
side were being paid more. 1t might
be explained here that under the law
the wages Of employees of the navy
yards and naval stations are fixed an
nually by local wage boards in each
yard. They are supposed to collect
data from outside firms within radius
of $50 miles from each yard. taking
into consideration the class and kind
OF work. 1t was the contention of the
men before the general board that the
wage boards took the wages Of the
lowest paid mechanics, whereas those
in the naval stations are of the high
est type. which fact was testified to
by officers of the service.
One of he strong points which
helped get the matter back to the To-
cal boards, it is believed. was the fact
that Capt Cox of the Mare Island
navy yard appeared before the gen.
eral board on behalf of his men and
frankly Informed the board that III
the prevailing wages he could not ge;
competent men to perform. the work
incident to keeping the fleet eficien,
for war.
Hopeful for Increase.
There is a strong belief among the
employees that the result of the az
tion of the general board will bring
substantial increase. as they feel
that the fact that the question was
referred back to them was a repri-
mand for their failure to give proper
and full consideration to the matter
and Tip" to recommend an increase
in wages
y. l.. Alias. president of District
No. "a. International Association o.
Machinists. which takes in machiu:s.s
at all navy yards and naval stations
conferred for some time late yester-
day afternoon with Secretary Denby
The entire wage question was gone
over and Mr.. Alias explained the
wide discrepancies between the data
collected by the men and those COL
lected by the wage boards. He left
with the Secretary a brief outlining
the principal points involved in the
matter at this time. and Secretary
Denby promised to study 1t thor
oughly before taking any final action
on the wage question.