The Washington times., 1931-11-14
FIELD SERVICE
CLASSIFYING
SUPPORTED
Federation Secretary Finds No
Cause for Quarrel or
Separation

The American Federation of
Labor does not oppose extern
sion of the personnel classifi-
cation system to the field serv-
ice to affect the same type OF
employees now classified in the
District of Columbia, and has
supported the classification
plan for clerical employees
from the start, it was main
tanned this week at the A. F.
Of L. headquarters here.
In outlining the A. F. of L. side
In the controversy, aroused by the
threatened withdrawal from the
A. F.. of L. by the National FEEDER.
alton Of Federal Employees, Frank
Morrison, general secretary Of the
A. r of L., contends that issues
are beclouded and facts have not
been made clear to Government
workers.
Principle Involved
The National Federation insists
that extension of classification to
the field service is it's major plat
form. The A. F. Of L. supports
this platform insofar as it affects
the same types OF workers now
classified here, said Mr.. Morrison.
However, the A. F.. of L. is con-
cerned for the fundamental prin-
ciple UNDERLYING it's enIire organi-
zation-the principle of collective
bargaining by organized lakorerS,
he points out, and insists that the
National Federation is trying to
place Jurisdiction over A. F. Of L.
1abor-members and potential mem.
berS in the hands of central Fed
eral agency which admittedly
would have "the last word" in fix
ing wages and working conditions
of trade unionists without them
having adequate representation.
Bargain Right Defended
The fundamental right claimed
by labor, that of collective bar
gaining and contracts by individ-
ual unions, would thus be violated,
says Mr.. Morrison. adding:
There is no cause for quarrel
or separation. The A. F. Of L.
grants the National Federation
Of Federal Employees full autOn-
Omy over its members and pO-
tential members Of the class for
which it was chartered. We
back the National FederatiOn'S
plan to classify field employees
who do not properly come under
the jurisdiction Of our own
artisan trade unions.
"The proposed classification
bill could easily be wOrded to
exclude those types Of work
which fall within our own cate
CORY, just as the original bill
establishing the classification
system in the District excluded
certain artisan trades"
Secretary Morrison said prac'
tically every organized trades
craft has members workinS for
the Government somewhere.
Confusion FOreseen i
He maintained that for the
classification system to be ex
tended to inctIde all persons on
the Government payroll outside |
the District of Columbia would
confuse wage scales, working con.
ditions. agreement methods, and
periods of contract.
The postal service, he said, has
organizations affiliated with the
A. F. of L. which harmoniously
keep within their respective juriS. |
dictionS and membership restric.
tions. The A. F. of L. merely
asks that the Government EN-.
ployes do the same, he pointed
out.
The possibility of strikes or
other means of enforcing agree
mentS with the Government, he
minimized as a factor, even
though the National Federation
constitution specifies that Gov.
ernment workers shall neither
strike nor support strikes against
the Government, while the A. F.
OF L., Of course, reserves the right
to strike.