Evening star., 1942-05-24
4O-Hour Week Issue
Revived by Federal
Overtime Pay Plan
Some Legislators Prefer
Other Methods Of Boosting
U. S. Employees Income
By GOULD LINCOLN.

The 40-hour work week Is again
an issue In Congress-this time be-
cause of the administration pro-
posal to provide time and a half
pay for all hours more than 40
worked by Federal white collar en-
ployes.
The proposal, advanced last week
by the Civil Service Commission
and backed by President Roosevelt
is put forward as an emergency war
measure to give civilian employees a
boost in wages to meet increased
costs of living. What 1t does, also.
is to apply the same principle as
that contained in the Federal Wage
and Hour Act for industrial work.
ers throughout the country.
The bill has not yet been intro
duced, although it has been referred
in the House and Senate to the
Civil Service Committee. Chair
man Ramspeck of the House COM
mittee is out Of town, but is ex-
pected to offer the bill when he re-
turns. Senator Mead. Democrat, Of
New York, member Of the Senate
committee. will. 1t is believed. spon-
sor the measure in the Senate.
Chairman Bulow of the Senate
committee does not look with favor
on the measure. He said yesterday
he would not introduce it. 1t Is his
contention that better way for
giving civil employees pay increases
to meet the increased cost Of liv-
ing could be provided.
Not long ago it is pointed out by
the bills opponents. there was
strong agitation in Congress for
suspension of the 40-hour week
law, particularly in war industry
plants. The argument then was
that workers should not be paid a
bonus for overtime work on mate
rials needed for the war effort. but
that they should be willing to work
for the straight hourly wage. The
administration and organized labor
were strongly opposed to the pro-
posed suspension of the 40-hour
week. The unions made one con-
cession-that double time should
not be demanded for work on Sum-
days and holidays. The proposal to
suspend the 40-hour week was
dropped after representatives of the
War and Navy Departments and Of
the w. P. B. had appeared and
urged that it not be adopted. 1t
was argued that the time and a
half pay for all hours above 40 in
one week just about took care of
the increased cost in living. Also
the President took the position that
wages should be stabilized through
action of the War Labor Board
During the last war Congress pro-
vided bonuses to the civilian en-
ployes of the Government. Mr..
Ramspeck and Senator Downev.
Democrat. of California, have Of
fered bills to pay civilian en-
ployes extra money monthly in the
present war.
Senator Hill Of Alabama, assist
ant Democratic leader, said yester-
day he believed the lower-paid civ
ilian employees of the Government
are entitled to an increase in -
to meet increasing costs of liviT7.
He said. too. that as far as the =
hour week is concerned he saw ID
good reason for discriminat :
against Federal employees, si,-cc
Congress has already laid down TT
principle for workers in private il
dustry. He said he believed the pro-
posed legislation would be enacted.
He pointed out that many employees
of the Government are working long
hours, covering much overtime, as
conditions now exist and that some
thing should be done to recon-
pense them. In no case is the addi-
tional allowance to exceed $1,000 a
year, including the basic pay.
There are members in both houses,
however, who insist that payments
for overtime would be inequitable
as pay raises. since the overtime
for similar grades of employment
would not Necessarily be the same
unless all employees we're kept at
work for the same period of time.
Still others are not convinced that
the Government should enter on
salary increases at a time when 1t
is necessary to keep down govern
mental expenditures.
As soon as the bill has been in
/ troduced in the House and Senate
and referred to the committees the
plan is to hold hearings. in order
to iron out any inconsistencies. Pro-
ponents will seek as early action