Evening star., 1937-07-22
BY John c. HENRY

BY JOHN c. HENRY.
Secretary of Labor Perkins this
afternoon notified Col. Dan I. Sultan.
Engineer Commissioner of the District.
that wage rates for II classifcations
OF skilled work on public contracts
must be KEPT strictly at the predetar-
mined figures agreed upon for each
job.
The ruling, which would prevent re-
auction Of labor costs by the device Of
placing laborers at laborers' wages on
Jobs properly calling for skilled work.
men, upholds the position insisted
upon by the Washington Building
Trades Council and local contractors
associations in connection with the
strike controversy blocking progress on
three District school jobs.
AS this development indicated a set
tlement in the near future of the pres
ent tie-up, the local painters union
laid plans for mass picketing demon
Stratlon at the Treasury Department
and a protest visit to the Capitol in
furtheranCe Of their city-wide tie-up
directed at use of non union men on
Federal contracts let through the Pro-
curement Division of the Treasury.
The mass demonstration and march
on the Capitol at first were planned
for this afternoon. but later postponed.
The painters. with nearly 500 o;
their membership striking on botn
public and private Jobs. are charging
violation of the labor relations act and
the Bacon-DaVis public contracts act.
Wage Rate Given.
The prevailing hourly wage rates in
the II claSsifcations ruled on today
by Secretary Perkins was said to be az
follows: Bricklayers and stonemaSons.
sl75; carpenters. $3.50 cement fin
ishers sl37l2; electricians. Sl.65;
plumbers, sl.50: steamftters, sl.5O;
painters, s157l2: ironworkers. So:
rodmen, 81 so: tile and marble settlers
helpers, 81 ? cents, and steamfitters'
helpers, 8212 cents.
In accordance with provisions of the
Davis Bacon act. Secretary Perkins
ruled, the rates predetermined as class
flied are the minimum wages TO be
paid on such contracts. For any re-
naming disputed classification, as re-
quested by Col. Sultan, the decision
pointed out that if the question cannot
be adjusted satisfactorily. it should
be referred again to the Labor Depart
ment.
The District jobs in controversy
were let to the John w. Hunt and
Jeffress-Dyer companies, but work was
stopped early this week, after a con-
ference with Sultan. At that time,
Sultan issued a stop order against
the Hunt firm proceeding with work
on the Paul and Young Schools and
warned the Jeffress-Dyer firm it would
be proceeding at its own risk on the
Grimke School project.
1t was learned this morning that the
Procurement Division is making an
immediate inquiry into the charge that
the Bacon-DaVis law is being eVaded
by Juggling the classification of
Workmen as a means of saving labor
costs on contracts at the City Post
| Office and the Internal Revenue Bu-
reau. 1t was the controversy arising
over these jobs that precipitated the
city-Wide deadlock.
Mass Meeting Held.
The decision to stage a demonstra-
ton at the Treasury Department and
| the Capitol was made at a mass meet
ing of the strikers at painters union
| headquarters, at 704 Sixth street,
| shortly before noon today. To swell
the demonstration. it was planned to
| take pickets off lines previously estab-
| liShed al the Apex and Archives Build
| ings, the Government Printing Office,
Bureau of Printing and Engraving
and the Procurement Division itself.
The meeting was informed by J. c.
Mikels, business agent for the local
GLACIERS union, that his entire mem
| bership, numbering about IS, went out
| in a sympathy strike this morning and
would aid in any picketing plans.
John Proctor, business agent. and
Harry S. Wender, attorney, for the
elevator constructors union, appeared
at the meeting to promise any aid
short of an actual sympathy strike OF
their membership.
Support Reported Pledged.
Bryce P. Holcombe, business agent
of the painters, also said he had re-
ceived tentative assurances of support
from five locals allied with the con-
struction industry. The Building
Trades Council as a unit declined
yesterday to consider an industry
wide sympathy strike.
1t is the contention Of the painters
local that the violations on the Fed
eral projects, four Jobs being involved
at the Post Office and Internal Rev.
enue Buildings, are similar TO those
charged few days ago against other
contractors on District school con-
struction, namely, that unskilled
workers are being assigned to skilled
work with the wage being the pre-
willing one for unskilled men.
Although no stoppage of work was
proposed by the procurement division.
Supervising Engineer Neal Melick of
that division yesterday promised Hol-
| combe that an investigation will be
launched Immediately into the work
Icn~ pA rNYTUpC pnrn