Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1938-11-02
Office Workers
May Get Scale
Above SIT
Wage Board Expected
To Set Higher
Minimum

Arthur L. Schoenthal, employee
representative of the District of Co
lumbia Minimum Wage Board, in
dictated today that a higher basic
wage than the SIT minimum wage
set for woman workers in the retail
industry will be sought for woman
Office employees in the District.
This was one of the first develop
ments as the Minimum Wage Board
and conference committees repre-
senting the public, employers and
employees formally began hearings
on minimum wage scales for pro-
fessional woman workers in the Of
flee and unclassified occupations in
the District.
The initial hearing took place on
the first anniversary of the board S
first hearing, on November 2, 1887
when the retail wage conference was
started.
Mr.. Schoenthal told the confer
ence that the employe representa-
tives are not in favor of a SIT
minimum and will submit budget
calling for increases in certain items.
The needs of Office employees differ
In several ways from those of work.
ers in the mercantile industry, he
declared.
Employers Believe SIT Fair.
He made this statement after
Claude H. Woodward, employer
member of the board, announced
that. for the present at least, the
employer representatives on the con-
ference will stand on the budget
accepted by the Wage Board for the
retail workers.
Mr.. Woodward said the employers
take the position that the SIT weekly
wage set for store employees is fair
wage based on the cost of living.
However, he asked the privilege of
reserving the right to submit a
budget later, if the employers deem
1t necessary.
Todays meeting was devoted
largely to acquainting the confer
ence members with the procedure to
be followed during the hearings
and to set dates for future meet
ings. 1t was decided to hold the
hearings twice weekly, on Wednes-
days and Fridays at 10 am. The
hearings will take place on the
second floor of the old Police Court
Building, where the Wage Board
now is CHARTERED.
John E. Lasky, one of the three
representatives of the public, is
chairman of this conference. The
two other public conferees are Mrs
Charles Keyser and Mrs. H. l..
Parkinson.
Establishments Listed.
The employer representatives at
the initial hearing were Claude Liv-
!ngston, Walter c. Clephane and
John K. Althaus. Representing the
employees were Mrs. Janet Gaines,
Miss Lily McAlinden and Irene
Brumgart.
Miss Gwen Coach, executive Sec
rotary of the Minimum Wage Board,
distributed to the conferees a pre-
liminary list of establishments,
businesses and occupations to be
COVtIcU ny Vic pIeScIlI wage COIllcl
ence. The list includes the follow
ing:
Advertisement agencies; amuse-
ment businesses and companies; art
studios, establishments and galleries;
associations, organizations and
clubs; banks and other financial
businesses and institutions; COM
munication businesses and compa-
MES; construction and contracting
businesses, companies and agencies;
duplicating services; employment
businesses and agencies; general and
professional offices; insurance, real
estate and finance offices; labora-
tories; light and heat businesses and
companies; photograph studios and
establishments; power companies;
promotional businesses; public
warehousing; rental and collecting
agencies; transportation businesses
and companies; travel businesses
and companies; undertaking estab-
lishments, crematories and cemeter-
les, and all other unclassified occu-
pations in the District.