Evening star., 1937-02-03
ACTION IS BEGUN
TO END OVERTIME
Connery to Offer Legislation
Designed to Assist Fed
era! Employees.


The campaign to break up payless
overtime in the executive agencies Of
the Government was going ahead to-
day. with Representative Connery.
Democrat, OF Massachusetts,. chair.
man of the House Labor Committee,
offering corrective legislation which
also would bar use Of labor-saving de-
vices.
Connery had prepared an amend
ment to the independent Offices bill.
first of the large appropriation meas
ures to come up, that would take care
of the personnel in the establishments |
which this bill covers, and the same |
treatment is proposed on departmental
appropriations.
The amendment reads:
None of the funds herein appro-
or other executive agency shall be |
available to pay any compensation for |
any pay period to the heads Of those ex-
ecutive departments or other executive |
agencies who for any part OF such Pc |
riod require or permit any officer or |
employe OF such department or agency |
TO work more than 80 hours per week |
without compensation at the rate of |
time and half for time in excess OF |
80 hours per week. unless such work |
in excess Of 80 hours per week without |
compensation at such rate Is Specif- |
cally required by Congress"
To Introduce Amendment.
Connery served notice yesterday |
that he would introduce the amend |
ment, and expressed the hope it would |
not be knocked out on point Of order |
Pointing to the overtime situation |
disclosed in the report for the last six |
months of 1896 submitted to Congress |
by the Civil Service Commission, Con- |
merry, outlining his amendment, said: |
This Government is saying to in
dustry: You should 60 on shorter
hours. You should increase the pay |
Of your workers in order that the |
people Of the United States may have |
a buying power to buy the products |
Of manufacturers and the products of |
the farm Yet the Government is |
working its own employees $4,000. 900 |
hours overtime with no pay for q |
period of six months. The number |
of hours indicated above would take |
us back 500 years. long before the |
dawn Of the American Republic and
awav into hiStary
Backed by Mccormack.
Connery's argument drew immediate |
support from Representative Nc
Cormack. Democrat. of Massa chusetts, |
author Of a 3o-hour-week bill for
Government employees, who declared
he believes at is wrong to work en-
ployes overtime without extra COM
pensation.
1T Is very poor example for the
Government to set when We are try
ing to meet the problems of our day."
he emphasized.
In assailing the use Of labor-saving
machines, Connery said these are
sought by several establishments
under the independent offices bill. and
that he will seek to block every ap-
preparation for them.
For one reason. he said. he is op-
posed to the labor practices of the
concern that manufactures the de-
vices. For another. he desires that
the United States Government may
set an example for industry in this
country, the example of keeping
people at work instead OF throwing
them out Of work"
In connection with the fight on
overtime. it developed. too. that plans
are under way to seek shorter hours
for the Fire Department.
Commenting on the report from
District agencies, which showed some
employees working about 80 hours
weekly as q regular thing. c. e. Nc
Ghee. president of the City Freight
ers' Association, said today his organi-
zation, whose members average 72
hours, would sound out sentiment on
q reduction.
10 to a. Hour Week.
A 40 to A hour week was suggested
as the proper standard for firemen
by the committee Of Government ad-
ministrative officers which studied this
question.
Statement Of Stengie.
In q statement on the overtime re-
port, Charles I. Stengle. president Of
the American Federation Of Govern
ment Employees, said it clears up two
points.
"In the first place" he said. 'the
report shows that Government EN-
ployes are unquestionably hard work.
ing and conscientious. That is a
thesis we have publicly urged on many
occasions heretofore, and now an ofii-
cial body gives our affirmation off,
cial confirmation. When the average
employe works Is hours overtime, on
the average, each month that en-
ploye Is earning hts or her pay. and is
sincerely interested In his or her
work.
Second, the report demonstrates
clearly that Government reorganiza-
tion cannot be expected to mean much
reduction of force If the present gov
ernmental functions are to be re-
tanned, because obviously the force is
inadequate at the present time"