The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1939-08-31
PREVAILING RATES

TT has been an accepted public policy that the bus
mess activities of the Government shall in no
way react to the detriment of labor standards esc
tabshed for private industry. The wisdom of
this policy is unquestioned. The Bacon-Davis and
Walsh-Healey Acts are bar to unfair competition
in labor standards either in work done by the
Government or let out under contract for the Gov
ernment. However, during this period of ecOnOm-
c depression, the Government has increasingly di-
verted public construction projects to the category
of "reief work. The result has been an enormous
expansion of government construction work with
proportional failure of private construction in
dusstry to increase it's activity Until July 1889,
the prevailing rate principle protected the workers
on government projects The new. relief act, eff
fective July 1st, accepted the so-called security
wage and by increasing hours to 13O per month
drasticaly reduced wages. The result was an av-
erage reduction of wages for workers on construc-
tion projects of over so per centthe cost of labor
cut without even suggestion that the costs
of the materials on which he worked should be cut
at all. Workers on these projects have no choice
between work in private industry and employ
ment on work relief projects. Work which might
have been let to private companies under contracts
has increasingly been used for work relief. Relief
projects formerly restricted within the 81, 800
limit, have been raised by degrees to $4,000 and
are now practically unlimited, as the New York
Airport construction project, which amounts to
$4OOOO00O. The public and members of
Congress are confused by the term relief work"
though the workers are in regular public construc-
tion work.
Obviously we have drfted too long without de-
fining our terms and formulating national relief
policies. Relief on the one hand does not imply
that the unfortunate victims maintain their nor
NAL standards of living. On the other hand, labor
standards on government work available to unem-
poyed workers should not be demorazed for gov
ernment work is in competition with private in
dustry which has been the dependence of cvZa-
ton If after due consideration of alternatives
and consequences we as nation decide to SubStl-
tute government work for private industry, let us
put business executives in charge SO that we may
have the benefit of their administrative expert
ence and skill. But whether governmental or pri-
vate administration is in control, standards Of
work and pay must steadily rise if we are to main
tain our nation and civilization When Govern
ment moves in to the field of production or con-
struction, it is no longer performing govern
mental function and should no longer take advan-
tage of the principle mo strike against the Gov
ernment.
Union workers are pledged to collective action
in support of the decisions of their unions. No
member can in good faith work for lower stand
ards than those fixed by his union. The union
depends upon the loyalty of it's membe to insist
upon standards that will bring better living for
them and their families This is the issue which
resulted in widespread resentment to the so-caled
security wage by the conference of American Fed
Grafton of Labor representatives called in Wash
ington June 18th. That conference looked to
Congress for relief and in unmistakable terms
asked for redress of grievances