Evening star., 1925-09-06
u. S. EMPLOyESASK |
WORKING CHANGES
LlberaIized Retirement, An
nuities and Compensation
Coming Before Convention.
Bv a staff Correspondent

BY STAFF CORRESPONDENT.
BOSTON. September 5. Repre-
sentatives of the varied and far.hung
services of the United States Govern
ment are gathered here for their
eighth annual convention under the
banner of the National Federation OF
Federal Employees. to convene Labor
day in historic Faneuil Hall.
More than so resolutions have been
prepared to he presented To the con-
yention. Many of these, ii is indi-
Gated. will have no chance of adop-
ton. while several are expected to
precipitate warm discussions and st.ll
others are expected to go over with
"a bang.
Fight Is Looming.
Among the latter Is one which re-
ferS to the maladministration of the
classification act Of 1928" and calls for
all the power of the national organi-
zation to be directed toward having
the activities of the personnel clasSi-
fication board transferred to the civil
Service Commission.
Further amendment OF the existing
retirement act is treated in severa
resolutions and is expected TO be a
hotly debated subject The consensus
among delegates is that the following
features will meet with general ap-
proval and will be embodied in the or.
ganiZa tons legislative program dur
ing the next sessions of Congress:
~ Retirement at option of employe
after 80 years service, irrespective of
age.
t2l A substantial lowering of the age
AT which employees who have served
less than 80 years may be retired.
(3) A substa initial increase in the
amount of annuities. The annuity in
crease to be contended for proba bly,
will be $1,000 in place of the present
$72O.
Sick Leave Change Sought.
Another resolution likely to be adopt.
ed deals with ten days sick leave each
year. cumulative up to six years. max
ing 6O-day leave for an employe at
SIX years of service or over.
Extra compensation for services per
formed beyond the usual hour and
upon holidays is called for in another
resolution held likely of adoption. 1t
is also specified that such legislation
shall apply 10 per annum and per diem
employees alike.
Several resolutions will be intro.
duced calling for Saturday half holi.
DAYS the year round. The principle
Will be adopted, 1t is understood
Liberalization of the employees COM
pensation act of 1916 is TO be dealt
with in three resolutions. The present
maximum benefit to an employe under
this act, II is pointed out, is $66.66 a
month. regardless of the gravity of
the injury or the duration of the in
capacity. Employees il is stated gen.
orally feel that since their expenses
are very largely increased when in
capacitated in line of duty, the present
ma Ximum allowa nee should be sub
stantially increased.
Debate Is Due.
Much debate is seen ahead for reso-
lutions haygin for their purpose the
extension of competitive classified
status to employees in the internal
revenue and prohibition enforcement
offices, who now have no civil seryrz
ice protection. but whose tenure is viYi-
certain and subject to rapid polit1cat+
changes" -
The belief is una nimous among the
representatives of the employees that If
their working conditions are to he i'm
proved and placed on a parity with
the lot of employees of modern, pro.
gressive, private employees, the Bureau
OF Efficiency will have to be removed
from any participation in Federal per
sonnel matters.
There is A very general feeling
among delegates from the field serv-
ices throughout the country" said
President Luther c. Steward. that
funds made available during the last
hscal year and continued during the
current fiscal year for increases in
the compensation of employees at the
discretion Of departmental heads have
not been distributed fairly, the bulk
going to the highest salaried officials.
and little or none reaching the lower
paid employees"
Want Conditions Improved.
Employees are convinced that. re-
gardlesS of the amounts appropriat.
ed for salaries, such unfair conditions
are bound to continue without the
setting up of an accurate classified
tion for the field services based upon
duties performed. thereby taking
away from any administrative officer
the right to fix or increase compensa-
ton on mere opinion unsupported by
facts"
A canvass among the delegates
points TO the reelection of President
Steward for term of two years. Gen.
eraI satisfaction with his administra-
tlon Is expressed on every side.
Inc Government service in Wash
lnSton Is largely represented here
General local No. is represented NV
its president. Joseph Stanfield. of the
Interstate Commerce Commission
william Sanger of the Department of
Commerce; j. Q. A. -Braden of the
department Of the Interior; Mrs. s. ]
Berger of the traffic commission. and
w. j. Biller Of the Bureau of Pensions
Women at Convention.
Local No. los, which comprises only
the women of the Bureau of Printing
and Engraving, is represented by Miss
Belle Trouland, president; Miss Ger.
trude NJ. McNally, Miss Margaret
Garry, Miss Mae Margevin, and Miss
Rose Brennan. Miss McNally is also
representing No. 80, composed of Dis.
trict employees; No. Il, the District
local of colored employees, and No 259
st. Elizabeth's Hospital.
NO. 2A9, which comprises the men NJ
the Bureau of Printing and Engrav-
ing, Is represented by its president.
John E. Borland.
William L. Porter is the delegate
from No. 250, the Navy Yard local
The Bureau of Standards. Local No
ESQ, is represented by DIR. J. Franklin
Meyer, chief physicist of the bureau
and president of the employees or
ganiZation.
President 1nez |. Cook of War De
partment Local No. 26I, is the dele
gate from her organization, while
Treasury Department. Local No. 262.
is represented by John W. Ginder of
the supervising architects office and
president of the District Federation of
Federal Unions.
The first sessions of the convention
will be held In Faneuil Hall and sub
sequent sessions in the Hotel Bruins
wick The inlepafeS will no a
on behalf of the city by Mayor James
NJ. Curley; by former Representative
w. w. Lufkin, now collector of the
mort hehalf of the axeciitiI