The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1939-03-02
AFL Would Amend
Wdlsh-HedleY Act
Urges Reduction Of Present
$4,000 Exemption For
Contracts
WANT WIDER SCOPE
Ask Vessels and Floating
Equipment Be In
cluded In Law
WANT WIDER SCOPE

The annual convention of the Amer
lean Federation of Labor at Houston,
Texas, urged that the Walsh Healey
Act, which makes the eight hour day
and forty-hour week and minimum
wages mandatory in the performance
OF Federal Government contracts for
supplies, be amended to include con-
tracts below the $4,000 minimum ex-
empted under the present law and that
vessels and floating equipment be
brought under the scope of the meas
ure. The convention also recommend
ed the enactment of State laws based
on the principle of the Federal Act.
The convention noted with approval
the report of the A. f. of l.. EXecu-
tive Council that around two million
workers have received direct benefits
from the Walsh-Healey Act which
now covers all purchases of manu-
factured goods by the Government
amounting to $4,000 or more with
the exception of vessels for the mer-
chant marine and large floating OBJ
jects such as floating dry docks"
But to bring a larger number of
workers under the protective provis-
ions of the Act the convention recon-
mended that "the officers of the
American Federation of Labor assist
the Departments principally affected
by having the minimum contract
price now provided for by law reduced
to substantially lower amount" and
that the Act 'be further amended so
that all contracts entered into by gov
ernmental agencies for marine vessels
or large floating objects should come
under the prevailing wage provisions
of the law"
In addition, the convention recon-
mended that Estate federations of la
Dor consider the advisability of hav-
ing State legislation enacted which
would apply the principle Of the pre-
vailing wage to State purchases"
In it's report to the convention on
the administration and beneficial re-
suits of the Public Contracts Act, the
Executive Council said:
Minimum Wage Applications
"The application of prevailing wage
standards has been further expanded
under the Walsh-Healey Act during
the past year. Since the inception of
the Act, minimum wage determin-
ations have been made by the Secre-
tary of Labor in the following six
teen industries:
"Men's Work Clothing, Cotton Gar
ments and Allied Industries, Leather
and Sheep-Lined Jackets, Work Gloves,
Seamless Hosiery, Mems Neckwear
Mems Raincoats, Mems Hats and
Caps, Mems Welt Shoes, Mems Under
wear, Dimension Granite, Handker-
chief, Envelope, Vitreous and Vitrifed
China, Luggage and Saddlery, Plate
Glass.
"The lowest wage determination
fixed by the Division was 3215 cents
an hour in the South in Mems Under
wear, and Dimension Granite; and the
highest wage determination is for
671a cents an hour in Mems Hat and
Cap Industry.
"Since the Act became effective,
9,754 contracts from 11,4O2 sources
subject to the Act were awarded for
the purchase of commodities needed by
the Government. They were valued
at approximately one-half billion doll
ars ($549, ,1S0, ,355.O3).
Damages Collected for Violations
"In the majority of inspections vio-
]ations that have been found in the
field have benn rectified through in
structions Of the Division Of Public
Contracts. There have been eighty
six legal hearings for alleged viola
tions and ffty-seven Of these were
settled without an appeal. Restitu-
tions in the amount of $69,393 have
been received from employers by the
Public Contracts Division and dis
tributed to employees.
"The 8-hour day and the 4O-hour
week with an overtime rate of time
and one-half for all hours in excess of
all daily and weekly limits set by the
set by the Act for all those subject to
the jurisdiction of the Act. Only mini
mum wages call for administrative de-
termination.
"To furnish basis for minimum
wage determinations, the Research
Section Of the Division of Public Con-
tracts surveyed sixty-four industries
or groups of related industries during
the past year. In these studies Ma
chinery and Allied Products, Elec-
trical Machinery, Apparatus and Sup
plies, and other industrial groups, each
with number of large divisions, have
been considered as single units.
100000 Workers Directly Affected
"Wage determinations have been
scheduled for nineteen industries
Panel conferences and hearings have
been held for thirty-one other indus
tries. The Public Contracts Board has
proposed wage determinations for
seventeen of these industries, which
are being currently studied. During
the next two months panels and con-
ferences are scheduled for thirty-three
Industries.
"It is estimated that over 100000
workers have been directly affected