The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1940-05-02

l95U stores, 1ncluulng more IMAM ~
per cent of the leading group of affil-
lated Independents. All chains are or
ganized.
Collectively our union officials have
had many years of experience in the
grocery business in Washington. We
believe they are able to judge fairly
the variety and representative types
Of stores reporting.
We believe the results of this sur
vey are as reliable as sincere, fact
finding diligence can produce from
data secured from voluntary sources.
We believe errors, if any, favor the
side of higher wages and shorter
hours for non-union stores.
Our interviewers accepted at face
value the statements given by owners
and operators after answering in full
whatever questions the owners raised
concerning the conduct of this survey
by labor union.
In a sense, the owners were put on
their guard by our interviewers.
In contrast, we feel certain the pay
roll and other data for chain store
employees are fully acceptable. These
were supplied from actual payroll rec
ords.
In addition, they relate to employees
who work under closed-shop union
contracts stipulating graduated pay
rates for definite terms of service and
classes Of work, and minimum and
maximum hours. All of these are
subject to constant check by the unions
conducting this survey.
Washington is desirable city to be
studied for several reasons. 1t has
shown steady growth for several
years. Its retail stores are now enjoy
ing good volume Of trade in all lines.
There is neither a clear-cut boom
nor definite depression factor in the
recent business life of the stores cov-
cred.
The city's total of retail grocery
stores includes competing and compar-
able samples of the major types of
store operation; independent stores af-
filiated with cooperative buying and
merchandising groups; unaffiliated in
dependent stores; large and small
chain service stores and self-service
stores; highly competitive chain and
independent supermarkets.
Washington is strong union city
Its Central Labor Union speaks fo1
more than 10000 affiliated members
In general, wage levels are better for
more workers than in other cities OF
equal size. Governmental workers
numbering more than 100000 earn on
the average more than $4,000 a year
Living costs are high, according tc
Bureau Of Labor Statistics index
figures. In fact the Washington index
is usually among the three highest in
the country, year in and out.
A minimum wage board fixes wage
rates and hours of work for women
employed in numerous groups includ.
] ing clerical jobs. Many thousands ,ot
women are thus protected. Wage rates
range from $14.50 for chambermaids
to $17.00 for clerical workers. Hours
range from 40 to 4S per week.
Although women are not employed
generally in the selling of groceries
in Washington, it might be expected
that such minimum wage levels fixec
by legal process, plus a wide prevail.
ence of wage levels for union mer
fixed by collective bargaining, to-
gether with other wide fields banketeC
by federal wage policy, all would tenc
to lift the level of wages paid by non
union businesses in Washington.
Chain store grocery managers are
excluded from this tabulation although
they are also organized. We deter
mined upon this course in order tt
make possible a direct comparison O.
selling employees, inasmuch as indie
pendent owners and operators did no
supply data concerning their own
compensation although a majority O.
them said they worked full-tme.
Closed shop contracts covering EN-
ployees of the corporate chain grocer,
stores in Washington and requist,
services for them are in effect witt
the following affiliated unions:
Retail Clerks international Protec
tive Association.
Amalgamated Meat Cutters an,
Butchers Workmen of North America
Bakery and Confectionery Workers
international Union of America.
international brotherhood of Team
stcrs, Chauffeurs, Stabemen an,
Helpers of America.
Building Trades Council, District o
Columbia.