Evening star., 1925-09-10
j. S. RETIREMENT
! PAY IS PROTESTED
Federal Employees Fedora
ton Makes Appeal for
! More Liberal Law.
By a stan Correspondent.

PtCJOultV iIVf1 Nne SetNt'N WV'N
adopted here at todays session of the
eighth convention of the Ma ational
Federation of Federal Employees The
National Executive Council OF the
ganization was instructed to continue
its efforts in behalf OF more liberal
retirement law in accorda nee with the
terms of the bill which failed Of
passage in the last session o. Con
gress. The new bill. however. in the
opinion of the delegates. should carry
provision for optional retirement
after 80 years service without regard
TO age. and for preferential considers-
tior for employees enga ged in haz-
srdous occupations.
Pension Too Sma,.
At present Federal employees. II was
pointed out. may he retired at<he age
of 10 on an annuity of S52h. The
delegates cnntended that that sum
was wholly inadequate under u esent
conditions. and they urged the amend.
ment of the act by increa sing the
sum To $1,000 and lowering he age
limit 20 60 and 6S wears. dAnendne
upon the kind of work performed.
In making permanent appointments
to vacancies in the Federal service
II should he obligatory upon employ
ing officers. according To another
resolution adopted. to give preference
To former employees who had done
similar work but who had been sep
arated from the service without preju-
dice to their re.employment. II also
was specified in the resolution that
upon the separation of any civil
service employe after one fun year
of service, without pre- ejudice to his
unemployment his employing officer
Cho1 70 he
mission his name. character of en-
ployment, length of service. and last
efficiency rating previous to separ-
ton which facts. shall be transmit
ted TO all employing officers in the
same civil service district in which
said employe served"
Conditions on the border patrols in
which guards worked -. II and i6
hours a day. without overtime pay.
we're described by delegats from the
border States. 4 delegate from
Maine said II was an exception when
the border patrols did not work more
than eight hours. the extent Of their
overtime work depending upon their
New England conscience. In
Texas, according to a delegate from
San Antonio. patrols on the border
there worked seven days week md
lons hours without additional paw
The session was addressed hy John
Manning of Washington head of the
label trades department Of the
American Federation of Labor, who
urged members of the Federal EN-
ployes unions to use their power Of
purchase in bringing people gener-
ally to respect the union label. He
described A motion picture film. now
being prepared under the auspices of
the American Federation of Labor.
depicting the growth and develop
ment Of the labor movement since its
very beginnings.
The convention will he concluded
tomorrow. At which time officers for
the ensuing term will be elected
Luther C. Steward. national president
for the last eight wears. il Is under
stood. will he candidate for re-
election.
I. s. Employees Underfed.
Pleading for the passage Of a reso.
luton calling for minimum wage of
$1,000 a year for All fUll-time Gov
ernment employees and having in mind
particularly those employees of the GUS
todian service who do menial Ia Dor
Miss Gertrude NJ. McNaIy. chairman n
of the legislative committee of the Ma
tional Federation of Federal Employees.
yesterday declar red before the conven-
tion that to her positive knowledge
roll OF this rich and powerful Nation
who do not get enough to eat
This statement was the culminat ion
Of q discussion of a resolution calling
for general revision upward of the
salaries Of Government empIoves in
keeping with the present high cost of
living. Figures were cited from the
Bureau of Labor statistics showing
that the purcha sing power Of the Fed.
aral employees dollar is less than the It
ri any other class Of workers. as com
pared with the 1913 ba sis cost of liV-
ing figures.
Skilled Workers III Paid.
Delegates described conditions of en-
nloyns in the custodian service who !
were required to work seven days
week at salaries less than half of those
paid for similar work in private indus ,
try. Mentioning particularly employees
who. while second and third assista nts (
still must have skilled knowledge for
their duties
Replying to the suggestion that Con
sress hly would look with more
favor upon = small increase in salary
for these employees. Miss McNalIy
brought the delegates to their feet in
round of applause In declaring that
these people have suffered long
enough trying to buy the be- re necesSi- !
ties Of life. and an adequate increase In
salary is due them without furth Her de-
~
Following the discussion the ma.
Aonal orga MIA ton was directed to
concentrate it's efforts toward the
passage of legislation in the next Con
cress which would remedy these con
ditions. The sentiment of the conven-
tion was expressed in resolution
which specified:
With the exception of the postal
service there has been no increase in
pay of Government employees COM T,
mensurate with the increa Sed price of
commodities.
The continued high cost Of living
coupled with the low purchasing pow
er of the dollar. is in effect reduc-
tion in salary. thereby lowering their
standard of living.
Congress Pay Raised.
"The Congress has recognized these
facts by increasing their own salaries
$500 and the salaries of the postal
employees approximately $500 per an
mum.
The classification act as now ad-
ministered has failed to remedy sal
ary injustices in the District OF Co
Iumbia and field employees may expect
no better treatment at the hands of
the majority members of the person
mel classification board
Justice dema nds that employees of
the general service be given as fair
treatment in the matter of salaries as
has been accorded members of Con-
gress and postal employees
The resolution concluded as follows:
Want Board Abolished.
Resolved by the National Fedora.