Evening star., 1927-09-25
Employees of Uncle Sam TO Seek
Needed Legislation of Congress

with the cooperation OF the American
Federation of Labor achieved during
| the last wear. During the Summer
| lust past the weekly half holiday was
! extended by executive order so as to
! include all Saturdays between June l5
and September Is.
What the Government workers now
seek is the enjoyment of the half-holi-
day privilege throughout the year in
a asmuch as it prevails so widely in pri.
vate industry and is considered con
ducive to the heightening of personal
efficiency and the maintenance of high
morale. For those employees who can
not be spared from their duties on
Saturday the federation program calls
for compensatory time off on some
other day of the week
The question of annual leave is one
on which Government workers feel
keenly the need for some prompt and
definite remedial action. AT present
It is strikingly deficient in uniformity
throughout the departments and indie
pendent establishments OF the Govern
ment. Some employees may receive 30
days annual leave. others may get but
10. The same holds true for sick leave.
In some quarters the employees are
fortunate enough to get 10 or Is days
III one wear, Wull0 OUTFITS ultSI put up
a battle for five or six days.
Organized Federal employees seek to
.p.t an end to this irregularity and
consequent hardship for some mem
bers of the Government service. They
would have Congress Ak by law the
annual leave at 30 days and the sick
leave at IS days with pay, with the
provision that this leave be allowed to
accumulate until 60 days may be
taken with pay in one year If neces-
sitv arises for such a lengthy period.
The cumulative provision is sought
on the ground that many employees
find it unnecessary to take even one
day in several years. Then, when the
emergency arises and they must alb
sent themselves from their duties for
several weeks. they are unable to OBJ
tain the necessary time off. 1t Is
pointed out that the Government suf-
fers no loss IL an employe takes 10
days for four years or the whole pc
riod in one year.
Six-Day Week.
The six,day week is considered by
the National Federation of Federal
Employees as one of the most urgent
items on its program. A large num-
ber-much too large, the federation
feels-of Government employees now
work seven days week without the
customary respite of one day free from
their duties. Although the principle
of the one day out of seven for rest
from labor has been recognized for
centuries, federation leaders point
out. and the passing of the seven:day
week has been noted quite generally
in private industry, the Government
of the United States continues to eX-
act an unremitting toll of labor from
its personnel.
Closely related is the Federation's
contention for overtime pay for those
employees who must work beyond the
usual extent Of a working day. Over
time pay is practiced in the postal
service. they say, and there is no rea-
son why it should not be afforded
workers in other branches.
Viewed generally, this Is the pro-
gram upon which Congress will be
asked to act when 1t returns during
the next few months. Every item will
be urged emphatically, and though
some may fail, the organization, which
includes a large group of civilian en-
ployes of the Government, will con-
tinue its fight in succeeding Con-
crosses until Uncle Sam is at least II
few steps nearer to being a model
employer.