Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-06-19
OPPOSITION GROWS !
TO CUT IN LEAVE
Federal Workers Fight Action
of Conferees for Is Days
in Permanent Law.

brewing last night among reoeral en-
ployes against the action OF Senate and
House conferees on the general economy
bill making as permanent law wnat mad
been believed to be temporary emerg-
ency reduction of annual leave OF FED
raj workers from 30 to Is days.
Although the provision was IN the
bill as passed by each House, II was not
realized by a majority OF employees that
1t was intended as permanent accord
ing to representatives of the workers.
They said there has been no time to
organize a concerted protest against the
conference action, the full effect OF
which did not become known to the
EMPLOYEES as a whole until late yesterday.
Protests to Be Sought.
Efforts will be made tomorrow morn
ing. it was indicated, to organize I'M
mediate general protests against the
proposal in advance OF consideration
of the conference report in the Senate
and House.
IAN examination of the items upon
which the confereeS on the so-called
economy bill are in agreement Strlklngly
discloses the fact that under the gulSe
of temporary legislation to cope With an
emergency, there have been inserted
items of permanent legislation under
mining the entire Federal personnel
structure" Luther c. Steward, president
of the National Federation of Federal
Employees. said in formal statement
last night.
After listing a number of items In
the conference agreement, winch he
declared would work permanent harm
to all Federal employees, Mr.. Steward
said that with regard to the pro
visions herein cited where negligible
savings are involved, there has been
exhibited inhumanity. wretched en-
ployment practice and palpaple lack
OF understanding of the Federal per-
sonnet structure Taken as whole
it Is a sad commentary on the legls-
lative genius of its authors"
MIR. Steward objected to the pro-
vision for transferring the functions
of the Personnel Classification Board
to the Civil Service Commission. say
ing it would create again the unsatis-
factory conditions which existed before
the board was organized.
Reduction in travel Cav and allow
ances. he said. will require Federal en-
ploves travelling on official business to
defray part of their expenses from their
own pockets.
"Perpetuates Discrimination"
Dealing with the leave provisions OF
the conference report, Mr.. Steward said
the action Of the confereeS "perpetu-
ates as permanent law a discriminatory
condition"
Mr. Steward branded the various
provisions OF the report which tend to
cast aside considerations Of efficiency
and CT the merit system in the Fed
eral service as "a destructive wave of
hysteria. which is certain to prove most
costly in the long run
The so-called economy measure" he
said. was evolved in secret. hearings
denied and constructive sugg- sticns re-
PEELED or ignored"
The cutting of annual leave to IS
days, 1t was explained. would mean that
very few Federal employees would be
able to take vacations of as long as 10
States would be prevented from going
home.
A majority of employees, 1t was indi-
Gated last night are bitterly opposed
to the conference reduction of annual
leave and would much prefer to have
the Saturday half-holidays eliminated
especially during the cooler months. or
even. as an alternative. having the sick
leave reduced to five days a year, ex-
elusive of SUNDAYS and holidays, pro-
vided this five-day leave were made
cumulative from year to year.
All emergency absence of Federal en-
ployes from their posts are charged
against annual leave, it was pointed
out. If an employe is late because his
street car is tied up. because of fiat
tire, the opening of a drawbridge or
heavy snowfall. his lateness is charged
against annual leave. Absence because
of the illness or death of member
of his family or friend is charged
against annual leave. If he must tax,
time out during the day to have dental
work done or for medical treatment,
such time must be charged against an
nual leave.
If an employe is sick in the morning,
but RECEIVERS and returns to work in
the afternoon. the half day Of absence
must be charged against annual leave,
it was explained, because nothing less
than a full day can be charged against
sick leave. The same is true if an en-
ploye works in the morning. but be-
comes i'll and misses the afternoon.
Vacations Are Reduced.
After deducting all emergency time
lost in one way or another and reserv-
ing day or two for emergencies which
may occur during the latter part of
the year, it was said, the vacation time
of the average Federal emp.oye is
seriously reduced. If the 30-day annual
leave is cut to Is days, in the opinion
of representatives of the employees, the
average Federal worker probably will
find his vacation time cut to from a
week to 10 days at most
Efforts will be made tomorrow
morning through the Federation of
Federal Employees and other employees
organizations, it was stated, to have
the Senate and House conferees sub
stitute for the permanent reduction of
annual leave reduction of the number
of Saturday half-holidays.
If the Saturday half-holidays were
eliminated during eight months of the
year, from October l to May 81, the
same saving in time would result as
from the cutting in half of annual leave
without working as great hardships on
the body of Federal employees, it was
explained.
As a second alternative, it was sug-
gested that Congress leave the 30-day
annual leave undisturbed, but reduce
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