Evening star., 1933-02-10
334 Now Idle, Demanding
$11 ScaIe-Intensive Probe
Is Begun.
LABOR DEPARTMENT
HAS FINAL DECISION
Ruling Under Bacon-Davis Law
Must Be Adhered to by Both
Contractor and Unions.


steps to settle the carpenters wage dis
pute on Government buildings, under
provisions of the Bacon-Davis prevail
ing wage law.
Thirty-four more carpenters quit
work at the Department Of Agriculture
Building this morning, bringing the
total of idle union carpenters who are
fighting for their $11 a day union pay
scale to 334. Subcontractors on six
principal Government buildings are at
tempting to lower the prevailing wage"
for carpenters from s11 to So a day.
The tie-up is called a lockout by
union leaders and strike" by the
subcontractors.
The Treasury Department. Assistant
Secretary of the Treasury Heath said
today, has received reports from at
least one general contractor and from
the carpenters union that work has
been suspended and asking the Treas
ury to act.
Investigation Is Begun.
Under the Bacon-Davis law, Maj.
Heath said, the Treasury has already
started an intensive investigation of the
matter and will make decision as to
what the Treasury considers the pre-
vailing wage for carpenters here in
Washington.
"In case there is any dispute about
the Treasury decision, and I presume
there will be-" said Maj. Heath, "the
matter then will go to the Department
of Labor for final decision. This de-
cision will be binding on the contractor
and the unions, and under the Bacon
ernment has the right to cancel
contract"
Maj. Heath could not predict what
the Treasury decision would be in the
dispute. Data was being collected by
the Office of the Supervising Architect
OF the Treasury, and Maj. Heath ex-
pressed the opinion that he might be
able to render his decision today.
There will be no delay" he said. I'VE
began work late yesterday afternoon
after receiving the case from both the
union and the contractor"
The union, through its spokesman,
Henry w. Blumenberg, general repre-
sentative of the United Brotherhood of
formally asked Assistant Secretary
Heath to act under the Bacon-Davis
law. Mr. Blumenberg called in person
at the Treasury late yesterday and left
q letter for the Assistant Secretary.
Makes Formal Protest"
In his letterf Mr.. Blumenberg made
"formal protest against the action of
subcontractors on construction work" of
the buildings concerned, "in their
present attempt to institute a rate of
wages for carpenters lower than the
recognized prevailing rate in the city"
This effort on the part of these
subcontractors," he said, "is evidenced
by the posting of rate of wages Of
So per day and the dismissal of work.
men refusing to accept that rate.
THE rate Of $1.37k per hour, or
$11 per day. has been recognized as
the prevailing rate for carpenters for
all governmental agencies, as we'll as
the general contractors themselves, and
has been uniformly paid on such work.
Il have been advised by counsel that
under the terms OF the prevailing wage
law it is obligatory upon the contract
ing officer of the Treasury Department
to adjust this situation.
Il therefore respectfully request your
prompt action in the premises"
Other Trades to Be Tied Up.
While the subcontractors on six Gov
ernment buildings presented a united
front today in their position, refusing
to pay s11 day to carpenters, and Of
fering So a day, the union men still
refused to work for So and so car
penter work on these jobs is suspended.
Before long this will tie up other
trades, such as the concrete men, and
others who follow along after in the
process Of construction.
On at least three of the buildings
concerned, however, the general con-
tractors, contrary to the policy Of their
own subcontractors, are Offering car
penterS work at $1l day. At the De-
partment of Agriculture, for instance,
this morning, when "a men employed
by the Washington Steel Form Co. quit
work when offered So, the general con-
tractor, Aronberg- Fried Co., continued
to pay the scale of $11 a day TO 18
carpenters who were working on the
agricultural building This same policy
was understood to be followed by Nc
Closky & Co., general contractor on the
Post Office Department, and James
Stewart & Co., general contractors for
the Interstate Commerce Commission
and Department of Labor Buildings
combined.
Other buildings where the men still
are off work on account of the dispute
include the Department of Justice.
Archives Building and Congressional
Library Annex.
Among contractors paying the s11
scale to carpenters now, according to
the union, are the B-W Construction
Co, on the City Post Office and ST
Elizabeth's Hospital, and the United
States Metal Products Co., subcon