Evening star., 1923-12-20
M0VESF0R RAISE
IN POSTAL SALARY
Representative Kelly viii
Push Bill Giving In,
crease in Pay.

ihcrease+ In the pay of postal en-
Ployes is provided for in a bill in
troduced today by Representative NJ
clyde Kelly of PENNSYLVANIA which
has the support of the National AS.
soe'''tioh or Letter Carriers, the Ma
'hai feueratlon of Post Office
'lerks' the Railway Mail Association
ana the League of Third and Fourth
lass Postmasters, as well as other
organizations of postal employees.
Inc postal wage rates have not kept
pace with the increased living rates.
, according to Thomas f. Flaherty, sec
retary-treasurer of the National Fed
Grafton of Post Office Clerks.
me postal workers are entitled
10 higher pay for at least two sub
stantlal reasons" he said in explain
lng why the drive is being made
Their compensation is relatively
when measured in real wages, less
now than decade ago. 1t should be
readJuSted upward.
Now Render More Service
"Furthermore, postal workers are
NOW rendering more service per man
for less cost TO the public than a
decade ago. The postal service is the
only large industry that has not in
creased its rates during the past ten
years. In fact, there have been three
reductions in parcel post rates during
that period. The two-cent stamp of to-
DAY is worth more than in pre-war
days. truly remarkable record.
In these days of proftsharing in
private industry" he pointed out, "a
record similar to that achieved by the
postal service would mean a bonus
or a distribution of stock TO the EN-
ployes.- The postal workers want the
owners of the postal service, the
y e.
reward in the form of adequate
wages"
representative Kelly, father of this
legislation, is prepared to lay before
the committee on post office and post
roads extensive argument as to why
the postal wage should be increased.
He will argue that postal revenues
have increased 100 per cent since
1913 and that postal wages for the
majority of the clerks and carriers
have increased but so per cent in the
same period.
The majority Of clerks and carriers
We're receiving 1,200 year in 1913.
Today they are receiving $500
ear According to government sta
tistics living costs today are 40 per
lent higher than in 1913. Thus the
real wages measured in things that
money Will buy are today lower than
ten years ago, Representative Kelly
says.
| Output Is Highest.
He also argues that the output per
| man in the postal service today Is
higher than ever before in it's his
tory The volume of work has been
increase d much faster than the num-
ger of employees. The postal workers
re justly. Representative Kelly says.
tntitled to share in their increased
| production. 1t is an economic fact
| thar WAGES must come from prodnlc-
zion.
Consequently the postal workers
are i3ahinG no unreasonable request
for :, larger share, measured iii real
Wages. of the value they create in the
way Of public service.
Largely because of unattractive
wage standards, there is difficulty in
attracting and holding efficient postal
labor. Representative Kelly will
stress as one Of the principal argu-
ments why this wage increase should
be granted. Postal employment by
| IS Very nature has prescribed limits |
| 50 far as it's possibilities for acQuir- !
ing aftluenCe are concerned, he said, |
| therefore the average postal wage /
must be relatively high TO attract and |!
hold sufficient amount OF depend |
able labor to insure proper service. !!
COnCtSeiE. II large postal labor turn |
,}er is more expensive to the public |
han the maintenanca of high pay |
standards, Representative Kelly says !
Post Office clerks and letter carriers |
now receive entrance wage Of |
400 q year. with successive yearly !
promotions Of 800 up to the maxi |
mum of $1.SO0 per year. They are !
asking in the Kelly bill for an en-
trance wage of $4,000 per year, with |
IN intermediate grade of $1,000, a !
maximum grade of $1,000 and special !
clerk grades al $4,000 and S2,600