Evening star., 1933-11-23
DISTRICT HOTELS
READY FOR CODE
Is to rs Per Cent Increase
Will Go to Employees
Beginning Monday.

With a l6 to Is per cent increase in
their service pay rolls in prospect,
Washington hotels are prepared to be-
gin operating Monday under the re-
cently-approved code for their industry.
Meanwhile. leaders of the Hotel and
Restaurant Employees Alliance assem-
bled here for a mass meeting at 1412 I
street tonight to organize a protest
against what they regard as unfair
wages in the proposed restaurant code,
hearings on which open Monday.
Local hotel men we're of the opinion
the operation of the code will spread
employment among walters, bell boys,
porters and other male service employees
through shortening hours. The code
will raise wages among kitchen help
through establishment of s1190 week.
ly minimum for all employees.
Tip Employees" Governed.
Employees who render direct service
to guests and are partly compensated
by tips are guaranteed under the code
a 20 per cent increase over rates of pay
prevailing June IS. 1t is presumed that
hotel maids will come under this classi-
fication, although hotel men said the
code was ambiguous on this point
Roughly, about $500 service employees
Of local hotels will be affected. They
previously had drawn wages of from
SIS to $50 month, most of them
working about 63 hours a week, with no
days of.
TIE new code forbids these employees
from working more than 54 hours a
week. and provides for a weekly day Off
1t was uncertain if the night force,
such as watchmen, house detectives,
clerks and auditors would come under
the hour limitation.
Men Chiefly Influenced.
Women employees already have a day
off. so the shortening of hours will pro-
vide more employment among men.
1t was estimated that one male serv-
ice employe will be added for every six
Hotels cannot charge more than 25
cents a meal to these employees, and
such meals are to be arranged by
mutual consent of employe and en-
ployer. Hotels cannot deduct more
than $3.50 a week for lodging from
service employees.
The Recovery Administration plans to
hold hearings within 80 days to de-
termine how the provisions of the code
are working out. 1t is estimated it will
affect some 10000 hotels and 100000
employees throughout the country.
The institution of tipping is con-
tinued under the code. 1t was said
larger hotels make IS a day and more
from tips while working the longer
hours. The new code was approved by
President Roosevelt on November II.
Advocate Minimum Pay.
Charles E. Sands, special representa-
tive in Washington of the Hotel and
Restaurant Employees Alliance, declared
today that restaurant owners are advo-
hour for employees who do not receive
tips, and IL cents an hour for those
who do.
Thus for an eight-hour day, Mr..
Sands said. waiter or waitress would
receive only SO cents, or 38 cents If two
meals at 25 cents each are charged to
the employe.
Edward Flore of Buffalo. general
president of the Hotel and Restaurant
Employees Alliance, and several vice
presidents of the organization are in
Washington to address tonight's
meeting.
Mr.. sands said a fight will be organ
lied against low-wage stiplations in the
proposed restaurant code and that rep
resentatives of his organization are to
appear at the code hearings next week.
Provides for 81 Increase.
The hotel code provides that no in
crease to service employees can be less
than 81 a week and that no employer
shall be called on to pay more than the
minimum of $11.90 a week.
The code stipulates that all estab-
Ishnnents offering lodging to the gen.
eral public for profit and having at least
10 guest rooms in a single building
and charging not less than so cents
day are regarded as hotels and come
under the code.
It was uncertain If the larger board
ing houses in Washington would come
under the provisions, hotel men said.