The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-10-24

portunities to enforce time and one
half overtime benefits for workers
in upper wage brackets.
Congress skipped agriculture In i'm
posing wage and hour provisions.
Farm labor Is the largest exempted
class.
Other Exempted Groups
Other major wholly exempted
groups include, seamen, the fishing
Industry, and airline, streetcar, mo-
torbus and interurhan railway EN-
ployes; executives, administrators,
professional persons and persons en-
ployed In local retailing or as out
side statesmen; persons employed in
retail or service establishments
largely engaged In the interstate
commerce; and persons employed IN
the area Of production 10 handle or
prepare farm products.
Child labor provisions are expected
TO affect approximately $4,000 young
persons. Some 100000 adults largely
IN the south will obtain hourly wage
rate increases and some 100000
persons will obtain q shorter work
week In conformity with the act 1t
was said here.
The nearest previous federal APP
proach TO this wage-hour regulation
was under the national industrial
recovery act which sponsored nego.
tiation and agreement on hours ano
wages rs well as trade practices
NRA was invalidated by the supreme
court. The administration Is max
ing a new advance toward similar
objectives. But New Deal strategy
now is TO deal individually with
various labor and industrial PROB
| lens instead Of attempting Q blan'
ket solution as In the case OF. MIRA
Are Some Complaints
Persons familiar with the wage
hour act already are complaining
that It was hastily and unsatistac-
torily drafted. Ofhcials complain
that the division Is understands
and lacks adequate funds. National
experience with 1t from now until
January when congress meets I'M
doubtedly will underwrite a move
ment for amendment.
The wage hour division has pub
iished O series Of complicated inter-
pretations and definitions OF the act,
Including general ana seasonal ex-
emptions and an explanation OF re-
cords which employers must compile
and keep available for inspection
All this information has been sup
piled TO the department Of labor OF
the various states for distribution.
The act provides $4,000 fines and
IMPRISONMENT for employers who
wiilfuliy violate 1t and double IN
denanity for workers who sue for re-
coyery OF sums accruing under Its
provisions but withheld by employ
ers.
Prevails For One Year
The wage minima and standard
work week effective today are to
prevail for only one year. One year
from today the minimum wage au-
tomatically becomes 80 cents an
hour and will remain at that hgure
six years until October "a, 1945 when
1t goes TO 40 cents, the maximum
objective Of this act.
The standard work week beyond
which time and one-half must be
paid In cash for overtime viii be
reduced one year from today to AZ
hours. On October a. 1910. 1t will
drop to 40 hours. No reduction Of
the standard work week under 70
hours Is projected.
The act will be enforced through
the courts by the wage and hour
division, by the workers themselves
and by their unions which may rep
resent them IN suits against employ
ers.
Wage hour Administrator Elmer
r. Andrews IN q radio address last
night said American Federation OF
Labor and Committee for Industrial
Organization ofdcials had informed
him that they would advise their
members to 60 slowly" In enforce