Evening star., 1923-01-13
NAVY YARD WAGES
FAIR, SAYS BOARD
Report Insists Upon Reduc-
tionS for Mechanics and
Raises for Clerks.
WORKERS PLAN PROTEST
Union Men Claim Proposed Scale
Is Smaller Than Private
Firms Pay.

Wage reductions for mechanics and
an increase in pay for the clerks at
the Washington navy yard and gun
factory are insisted upon by the local
wage board in supplementary re-
port ordered by the Navy Department.
The board, in it's report, stands by
its original recommendations. which
were vigorously fought at the hear
ing before the general wage board
of review at the Navy Department,
which sent the report back with in
structions to the local board to give
more detailed consideration of the
matter The original recommenda-
tions were a decrease of / cent an
hour for the mechanics and an in
crease of cents an hour for the
clerks.
vigorous protest against the ac-
tion of the local board will be filed
with the Navy Department on Monday
by N. p. Alifas, president of District
No. A, International Association of
Machinists. which covers macrnists
of all navy yards and naval stations.
A special committee is engaged to-
day in drawing up the protest, and
1t will be filed Monday with Secretary
DENLY and the general wage board of
review, of which Rear Admiral Joseph
Strauss is president
Employees Disheartened.
When the recommendations of the
local wage board became known at
the local navy yard today employees,
who had been expecting an increase.
especially in view of the fact that the
local board had been directed by the
general board to go into the matter
in more detail. were disheartened. At
the hearings recently before the gen
eral board the employees asked for. and
pointed out that they were entitled
to, an increase of at least 25 per cent,
in the light of affidavits produced to
show that wages on the outside in
private establishments were much
higher and were on the upward trend.
The indiSputable evidence produced
by the representative of the en-
ployes at the hearings before the gen
eral board was the cause for return
of the reports TO the local boards.
with directions to go more thoroughly
into the matter. The general board
directed that the local board go into
this evidence.
Subsequent to the return of the re-
port to the local board, Commander
Ferguson, member of the board at
the Washington yard. visited plants
within a radius of $50 miles of the
city, and the men firmly believed that
figures would be obtained which would
warrant the local wage board in rec
ommending an increase.
Mr. n. p. Alifas. pointed out to-day
that the men presented to the gem
eral wage board jndisputable eyi-
dence that mechanics in private
establishments were receiving much
higher wages. and there was no evil
dence to justify a decrease. but. on
the other hand. if the board took
into consideration the figures in
wages being paid at private yards
they would, under the law, have
to recommend an increase.
Figures Are Cited.
The law, he pointed out. requires
wage equal to that paid on the out
side for similar work. Mr.. Alifas
said that the men have evidence,
which cannot be discounted. to show
that mechanics on the outside were
being paid 80 cents an hour as
against 73 cents an hour now pai,i
at the Washington yard, and which
latter figure is recommended for
cut of one cent an hour.
The whole matter will be vigorously
contested before the general board he
said. While it is not believed that there
will be any more open hearings, as the
men have presented their evidence. II
is the belief that the various orSanIza-
tions will file briefs to show that the
local wage boards failed in their duty
even after their original reports were
sent back to them. 1t was further pointed
out that the general board considered
the evidence so convincing that II Thought
the local wage boards failed utterly 10
take into consideration in making their
original recommendations the data at
hand, or they failed utterly to collect
all the data necessary to make a fair
report.
1t was pointed out that the men will
await the action of the general hoard
in the whole matter, pinning their faith
in the fairness of that body to give them
an increase in the light of the evidence
presented, as they point out that they
cannot get anything from the local
boards. Reports from all of the navy
yards and stations have not been re-
ceived at the Navy Department. but II
was learned that the few which have
come back stand pat" as did the Wash
inRtOn wage boa ri