The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1939-10-05
WAGES FOR THOSE ON RELIEF ROLLS

THERE is something seriously wrong when i'm
portant legislation is jammed through under
stop-watch control and against the protests of
those concerned. For seven years unemployment
rolls have not fallen below millions of persons
and the reserves of those on relief have steadily
diminished. Employment in private industry and
in jobs that may be regarded as normal is not
available. Our government has tried to meet the
problem by providing work for as many as pos
sble but we gave it the name of relief work there
by creating opportunities for difficulties. SO long
as the prevailing rate Of wages principle governed
payments for such employment, there was the
least possible disturbance to prevailing standards
in industry and in geographical districts. Flexible
prevailing rates and standards geared with
private industries so as not to hinder recovery or
undermine labor standards unnecessarily
The 1889 Relief Act, however, attempts to fix
wages on relief work by legislative fiat. The law
directed the Federal Board to fix monthly earn
ing schedule for all persons employed on work
projects financed by relief funds which would not
substantially alter current national average
labor costs per person of the Works Progress Ad-
mnistration Each person employed is required
to work 13O hours per month for earnings equal
to the present national average for his cassifica-
ton. Applying this formula the Works Progress
Administration fixed wages for it's two million
two hundred thousand employees (2,2OO000). The
formula fixes national wage with wage classii-
cations varying by 3 geographic regions and d
types of counties. The wage classfcations are !:
skilled intermediate, unskilled technical and pro-
fessional labor. The three regions are roughly
the northeastern states; the central and western !
and the Old South Types Of counties vary from
those in which no town has population of 5000
to those in which the largest city is over 100000
Under the prevailing rate principle the hours
of work per individual were flexible, though in
come earnings were restricted. This formula pre-
served standards of payment Standards deter
mining income are one of the most valuable
possessions workers have. Undermining stand
ards means destroying the results of years of
struggle and achievement. 1t undermnes morale
for standards are the achievement of life en-
deavor.
The new formula requires every worker tO
work 13O hours monthly with the result Of lower
ing wage standards in many localities, while the
provision for national average sharply raises in
comes in the South Wages for unskilled in the
rural South jump from S26 to $35, while those inl
cities of over 100000 jump from $40 to $50.70.I
At the same time, in New York City some skilled
workers find their wages reduced from so to 65I
per cent Causes for discomfort are obvious Fix
ing wages by law is proverbially difficult. That isl
why American Labor has always in
sisted upon collective bargaining the better
method.
Workers have been forced on relief through no
fault of theirs. They want work When the Gov
ernment gives them employment it assumes the
role of employer The Government like any other
employer should be required to recognize the
right of employees to membership in unions for the
purpose of collective bargaining and their right toI
strike in maintenance of their rights Govern
ment work should at least observe the standards
maintained in private industry as a principle off
fair competition This principle is essential toI
the maintenance of private business.