The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1934-01-03
Skilled or Semi-Skilled


history Of any nation have 70 many
persons been put to work - quickly
under one management - y tho case
with the Civil Works Administration
under Director Harry Hopkins.
More than 100000 persons now
are on the federal payrolls Ut regu-
1ar rates Of wages and questions both
Ct operation and Of policy ars CROP
ping up every minute. ~ boss Of
tho nations largest business, Hopkins
moro than has his hands full and
critics should remember this before
they become too vociferous.
An example Of ono kind Of prob
lem which i being presented y the
difficulty between local painters and
the county Civil Works Administra-
taon over wage rates.
When the governments repgesenta-
lives wanted to pay only % cents an
hour the local men walked off the
Job and an argument developed which
may eventually b decided at Wash.
lngton unless IN exactly similar case
from some other point = determined
tisst.
Hopkins regulations provide that
bkillsd labor 4 to get 9l.3o a hour,
anskilled laboe 70 csnts IN hour and
bemi.skilled labor the going rate In
the community. Il also provides .
method tor recruiting the labor and
IN order q preference IN the distr1-
button Of jobs These rules give
union laboe first call whsu worhmen
are needed. other things being equal.
But there = no definition = 70
Whist constitutes skilled o. semi-
skilled labor Of when the respective
rates are to apply. and therein Lies the
turning point for the local argument.
The county CWA took the stand
that painting the city auditorium
called only for semi-skilled woekmen
and decided on . wage rate of 90
cents IN hour. The painters walked
or the job until their standing and
their wages-were raised 70 the skilled
status. Some Of them referred to y
- . strike but r. = Middsugh, their
local leader, said the term vas mis-
leading since they were willing to &C.
eept whatever the government offered
them and ceased work only until
tlaey could find out what that VA.
When the county CWA board 70
viewed the case over the weekend,
toeether with the state board. Il was
found the auditorium Job called for
skilled labor and the men were paid
q that basis T11e union men put
into the record their contention that
there are only two kinds Of painters,
skilled and unskilled, and that semi
okilled men have no place 81 the
picturo. In other words. 4 was 4l.20
IN hour or 50 cents an hour. A semi
lbkilled classification = provided, how
ever. and tho CWA representatives
lDannot change It, whether Or not .
eate - fixed for It.
Other jobs aro coming UP, howsver.
Ind Tho question Of how 70 determine
whether man should b PAID the
lDkilled, Me semi-slkil3sd O. the com
hmou rate stiu = unssttled. The
painters contend the determining
thing largely = III skill o. the man:
that T. that skilled men should ct
the pay due their ability WHEN work
ing st their trade.
sans persons IN IT, 0WA admin
Istratton take tho view that a9mi-
padl]ed persons can DO certain rough
Moek md that, even Il The man work
Ing O. II y s,illsd. pay should b ct
the semi-skilled rsts.
~ 3 result. thess = prospect Sog
N argument an every painting Job
until Hopkins. q souaeons acting log
him. oets the naattsr settled
Meantime. the painters ~ maesr.
tain and diszuntlsd and To various
eva boards sprout nev crops q 0ay
hair.