Evening star., 1927-07-18
employees SEND
PLEA TO COOLIDGE
Steward Protests Action of
Personnel Board in Engrav-
ing Bureau Dispute.

Declaring that the recent decision
of the Personnel Classification Board
to have no dealings with labor unions,
lawyers or other representatives OF
Government employees "is tantamount
to depriving the employees Of any op-
portunity for collective presentation
of grievances" Luther G. Steward,
president of the National Federation
of Federal Employees, today appealed
to President Coolidge in a letter
which stated the board "has taken
stand at variance with that OF your
self and of every administrative Off
Ger in the executive branch of the Fed
eral Government"
The letter to the Executive is the
latest move in the controversy be-
tween the federation and the ClasSi-
fication Board which grew out of the
boards refusal to negotiate with the
woman's union Of the Bureau of En-
craving and Printing in connection
with it's appeal on behalf of several
hundred women at the bureau for
higher salaries.
In explaining the boards decision
Saturday, Chairman Van Leer said 1t
was in line with the policy adopted
which will deny the right to any en-
ploye to be represented by any lawyer
or agent. Anything such a second
person would say, Mr.. Van Leer said,
would be only "hearsay." Such per-
sons do not come so much to present
the facts as to argue" in the opinion
Of the chairman.
Holds Arguments Unnecessary.
at is not necessary to have presen.
tation of arguments for us to decide.
What we want are the facts, and the
| employe himself or his immediate
superior is the one qualified to tes-
tify," he declared.
Following the boards decision, it
addressed a letter to Mr.. Steward, set
ting forth it's position. The appeal
to the executive follows:
"The Nat: al Federation Of Fed
er - Employees is just in receipt Of a
communication from the Personnel
Classification Board, from which we
| quote:
In view Of the fact that it is the
policy of the board to deal directly
with individual employees or officials of
the Government, it is the opinion of
| the board that If these employees feel
| LIldC tuSIc are 4dClS peIllIlSuL W Tie
proper ALLEGATION of their positions
/ which were not brought to the atten
ton Of the board at the hearing grant
ed them they should follow the order
| ly procedure prescribed by the board
and open to employees desiring to ap
peal from any action taken by this
| board
Declares Stand at Variance.
| "In denying to Federal employees the
| opportunity to present their grievance:
through representatives of their owl
choosing, the Personnel Classification
Board has taken a stand at varianc'
| with that of yourself and of ever.
administrative officer in the executive
branch of the Federal Government.
1.-The case in point involves a larg'
group of employees, and the holding b!
the Personnel Classification Boar'
that such matter must be taken III
by each individual affected is tanta
mount to depriying the employees o
any opportunity for collective presen
tation of grievances. Our experience
in presenting to you from time to tim
matters of concern to Federal EN-
ployes assures us that any attempt OF
the part of an agency Of the executiv
branch to deprive employees of tn
right of collective action through thei
: | own organization, as contemplated b.
statute, will not merit your approval
: We are, therefore, bringing this mat
ter to your attention with full conf
dence as to the final outcome"