Evening star., 1932-08-13
EMPLOYERS SEEK
DOAK WAGE ruling
Building Association Asks
City Heads to Take Specific
Case to Secretary.

In its move seeking horizontal re-
duction In the wages of union building
mechanics, the Building Trades En-
| ployers' Association has called on the
District Commissioners to take spe-
cific case before Secretary of Labor
Doak for new ruling on the wage
scales on District government work
here, 1t was revealed today.
The Labor Secretary acts as final
Judge on the prevailing wage" under
authority of the Bacon-Davis law. in
cases where there is dispute between
the contractor and labor which they
cannot settle themselves.
This is the second official move Of
the employers association to obtain a
ruling bringing lower prevailing wage"
scales on Government work here and
was made to the District Commission
ers since they are the contracting Of
ficers on District government build
ing projects.
The first move of the employers body,
made directly to Secretary of Labor
petition sent to him did not make a
specific charge Of wages not being IN
line with the prevailing" scales here,
and also since the Building Trades En-
ployers' Association was not party to
any specific wage scale dispute.
Calls Present Scale Illegal.
In the letter to the city heads, posted
yesterday, the association asks the Com
missioners to cause a specific case to go
J to the umpire" Secretary Doak, ito
the effect that the existing wage scale
is out of balance with fact and illegal"
Some time after the Bacon-Davis pre-
vailing wage law, affecting the wages
rI ctrir
ment construction projects, went into
effect, the city heads accepted as the
prevailing wage" here what was sub
stantially the rates charged by union
building mechanics. This was in line
with the leading decision rendered by
Secretary Doak on the case of dispute
over the pay of painters employed on
the Internal Revenue Building.
The current petition of the employ
erS' body contends that since that time
there has been q definite revision
downward and it should be officially
recognized. Some of the unions have
agreed to reduced pay scales, it is
argued.
Says Trade Council Agrees.
1.-THE spokesman of majority OF the
building trades unions, the Washington
Building Trades Council" the letter
continues, has formally agreed with
this organization and so recommended
| to its members that there be reductions
| of 10 per cent for trades receiving $40
per day and less and IA per cent re-
| auctions for all trades receiving over
$40 per day.
belief, building construction craftsmen
are actually working for far less than
| the amount contemplated in the stated
reductions, fact which could no doubt
| be borne out by an investigation con-
| Quoted by the Government of the
| United States under legal process OF
testimony under oath.
THE District Commissioners them
selves have found one or more instances
where contractors engaged in District
government work were not paying the
prevailing scale as provided by law. The
! incidents seem to have been dismissed
with cursory reprimands. Beyond al
Association desires to call attention tC
the fact that the wage scale as now
promulgated by the District Commis-
sioners is out of variance to a most
lamentable extent with the actual facts
Of agreement between the natural con-
tracing parties in such matters.
THE situation thus created stands as
a subversion of the rights and interests
of the citizens of the District of Colum-
bia
1T should never have been the intent
Of the Congress Of the United States tc
make a given wage rate perpetual, the
law plainly states it as the prevailing
wage
Continuance of the pending wage
scale constitutes a great loss to the
Government and has further resulted
in the strangulation of the building in
dustry in the District of Columbia. The
prevailing wage law as at present ad-
ministered has made pauperS out oi
mechanics who would otherwise be self
maintaining citizens.
Correct this evil and there will be
fewer calls from official and citizen
relief agencies"
The letter was signed by Charles j
Columbus, secretary Of the Building
Trades Employers Association.