The Daily Alaska empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1926-1964, 1939-07-21
prevailing Wage"
cleveland Plain Dealer

Some thousands of WPA workers in the Ceve
land district and more thousands elsewhere, left
their jobs yesterday in protest against congressional
action extending their hours of labor.
The strike is of course, inspired by union leaders
and is designed to protect the prevailing wage stan
dards of the various regions affected. These union
lists are not willing that men shall accept work relief
on terms less favorable than they would receive,
were they employed in private industry running at
full speed.
Just why the recipient of government relief
should be forbidden, should be unwilling, to work
longer hours for less pay than his brother in industry
is question have never seen answered salts
factorily Business agents may see their own jobs
ieopardzed if men on relief work for less than the
union scales demand. But this seems unimportant
by comparison with the major issue that animates
the WPA
Too many men, including business agents, choose
to ignore the fact that work on WPA is in truth
form of relief and not normal employment; that,
except for this gesture of generosity on the part OF
the state these thousands of workers would be can
ddates for outright charity.
If the Federal government, distraught by deficits
and debt asks the recipients of relief-as Congress
has done-to work few more hours per month for
the same pay they have been receiving we see no
occasion for a protest If these workers were prop
rly appeciatve of what the government is doing for
them they would be glad to recprocate. 1t would
be pleasing token that they realize their good Tor
Seventy-five business agents attended the meet
ing Thursday which framed the order for several
thousand skilled WPA workers belonging to unions
to walk out yesterday. 1t would be interesting TO
know whether it was genuine concern for the worker
or concern for the permanence of their own JOBS
which inspired the walkout order.
1t would be no less interesting to know what
the average WPA worker thinks of these orders
emanating from outside organizations that he shall
strike on their order, to protect wage standards
in force in private industry.
This mythical average man, one assumes, takes
WPA employment because at the moment he cannot
find work in private industry. When industry re-
s,lmes its pace he will return to his old job If he
can get it, And if he has been working on WPA
for little less money than he could get in private
employment he may be the quicker to accept the
latter when it is offered.
1t would be an costly to everyone con-
cerned were the impression to become fixed that
government work relief is permanent institution
1t would be bad for industry and for the state were
WPA employment to be looked life occl-
patton.
Its temporary character needs constant emphasis
In the nature of the case WPA employment should
be made somewhat less attractive than employment
lin private industry The professional cry that wage
standards must be preserved, even If it requires
countrywide strikes to preserve them will find little
/ sympathy among Americans with their eyes open
| to reality.
I ANY WPA worker who leaves his job in the
current protest against increased hours Will deserve
scant attention when he joins the lineup Tor direct
relief.