Evening star., 1932-09-18
WORKERS TO TAKE |
FIGHT TO CONGRESS
Federal Employees Promised
A. F. of L. Backing in Econ
omy Act Opposition.

The economy act will be fought at
the next session of Congress by the
newly formed American Federation of
Government Employees which also Will
have the backing of the parent body
the American Federation of Labor-in
a movement to obtain equitable clas-
sification of the departmental and field
services" 1t was announced last night
in a statement by David R. Glass.
president of the Federal workers group.
The statement also said that within
the next month new lodges OF the
federation will be scattered throughout
the country They have been formed
or are being formed at present in
every State in the Union" The au-
thority for this. it was explained, is
John Arthur Shaw, chairman of the
Organization Committee. who is con-
ferring with leaders of enploye groups
in the West.
Classification Emphasis.
Glass laid emphasis on plans for
classification legislation 1t was this
issue that brought about the separa-
ton from the A. F. of L. of the Ma
tional Federation of Federal Employees
and the organization of the new body.
the Federation of Labor, in the 1881
convention, rejecting in entirety clas-
siflcation plan sought by the Federal
Employer, because 1t would have
brought skilled workers under the Per-
sonnel Classification Board. This class
wants the right to negotiate wage mat
ters with heads Of their individual
its approval Of the new legislation pro-
posed at its forthcoming annual meet
ing, Glass said.
Glass statement, in part, follows:
THE American Federation of Gov
ernment Employees, at its national con-
vention October II in Washington. will
adopt legislative program which will
offer assurance that Federal workers
will be given powerful defense when
their interests are laid before Congress
when it reconvenes. This organlza-
ton will have full cooperation from the
entire American labor movement.
Draft of Scheme Directed.
so far as classification is concerned,
we have been directed by the leaders
of labor to draft a legislative scheme
for the equitable classification OF the
departmental and field services with
the understanding that it will have
the support of the American Federation
of Labor
"The Welch act, which provided for
the classification of the field services,
directed specifically that employees IN
the mechanical and drafting groups
whose wages are now or have hereto
fore been fixed by wage boards or siml-
lar authority be excepted from the
survey ON which field classification was
to be based. Labor believes that these
employees should be excluded, but 1t pc
lieves with equal hrmness that all other
Government workers which the law did
not exclude should be provided with the
best possible scheme or grading their
types Of service.
Determined Fight Planned
"The so-called economy act will be
fought with every ounce OF our energy
when Congress returns to Washington,
and it will be our endeavor to regain
for Federal employees what they have
lost-incidentally, during their separa-
tion from the ranks of organized labor"
Every section Of the country will be
represented at the Employees Conven-
ton next month, it was stated at or
ganization headquarters The commit
tee appointed by President Glass is pre-
pairing a program which will include
speakers from labor and official circles.