Evening star., 1936-02-28
MAIL ROUTE MEN
SEEK HIGHER PAY
Compensation Reduced in
Face of More Duties,
They Declare.

Marshaling facts and figures to
show that their compensation is being
cut down in the face of mounting
duties, star route carriers who work
for the Post Office Department under
contract have begun to press for legis-
lation for more pay and permanency
OF employment.
The star routes have been operated
IS years, and, their s'1nkesmeu say,
on the same pay basis. Originally,
they were designed to handle mail
between rail heads and outlying post
Offices to which transportation facil-
titles were not available. The scope of
these ordinary functions now has been
widened, it is explained, and to them
have been added duties that should he
performed by rural carriers-house-to-
house service with all that is entailed
Routes Given on 4-Year Contracts.
A route is let out to the lowest bid
der, under 4-year contract. When
ever they are put up for bid, the cost
Of the expiring contract always is
quoted by the department as a guide
for prospective bidders, and the result
Is invariably that a lower figure is OBJ
tanned, according to those seeking to
remedy conditions.
This. it is emphasized, has been
particularly true in the past few years,
when economic conditions have sharp
ened competition, until the point has
been reached where many operators
find their expenses exceed their in
come, and men actually are going
hungry carrying the mail" as spokes-
men put it.
The annual report of the Post Office
Department for the fiscal year ending
June 80, last. showed 1883 star
routes in operation, over a total dis
tance of 251.983 miles, figured on a
one-way basis for single trips. The
. average cost per mile of scheduled
travel to the Government was IL
: cents, a decrease Of LOG cents in a
+ year. In the past eight months it Is
J declared this cost has dropped below
{ 2 cents.
{ In comparison, it is pointed out,
= rural carriers who are paid on an
annual basis, get about 1853 cents a
mile, and in addition a 5-cents-per-
= mile equipment allowance, for a total
= of 21.53 cents, or about 200 per cent
: above the star route rate.
Inequity Is Emphasized.
The star route men are not raising
: the issue of the rural pay, it is added,
but simply stress the irequity existing
when 1t is considered that approxi-
~n1ately IS per cent of the star routes
are performing rural free delivery
service without additional compen-
sation.
Examples of the proposition the star
route carriers are up against are shown
IN the mass of letters received by
officers of the National Star Route
Carriers Association. which was or
ganized couple of years ago to work
for better conditions.
One man from New York wrote:
II operate 10A mile route, two
round trips. for a total of Al miles
per day for s947 per year. My actual
expenses, including gas, oil. tires, re-
pairs, bond. insurance and deprecia-
tion are $708.61 for 1885, which does
not give person much to live on"
Now, Representative Holdebrand.
Democrat, of South Dakota, has in
troduced bill for the association.
First, it would direct the Postmaster
General to issue permanent contracts
to all star route contractors and sub
contractors who have rendered salts
factory service for not less than six
months prior to the effective date OF
the act.
Secondly, it would empower the
Interstate Commerce Commission to
Tx compensation rates on such basis
As seen fit, taking into consideration