Evening star., 1942-04-09
Postal Employees Fit
1925 Pay 10 AZ Costs,
| Senators Are Told
Clerks Representatives
Testify for MeCorron Bill
For l5% SoIory Hike
BY ]. A. O'LEARY.

make q 1875 salary scale nj rising |
1912 budget, william K. Horner Of
the National Federation of Post |
Once Clerks told Senate Post once |
and Post Roads Subcommittee to-
day. He was urging action on the
McCarran bill to give the employees
a Is per cent pay increase.
With the cost of living mounting,
Mr.. Homer said, postal workers are
having dif1iculty maintaining reA-
sonable living standards. He cited
Labor Department figures to show
the following staple food increases
in the last year: Potatoes, "a per
cent; eggs, 40 per cent; sugar, 80
per cent, and coffee, 81 per cent.
The pending bill authorizes in
creased postal rates to cover the
pay change.
After Mr.. Horner had read list
Of pay increases won by workers In
| private industry, Senator McCarran,
| Democrat. OF Nevada presiding,
pointed out those increases were
obtained by employees who were in a
position to strike to enforce their
demands. whereas postal workers
can only appeal to Congress and &C
cept what Is granted.
Overtime Authority Cited.
Commenting on authority recently
given the Post Once Department to
grant overtime pay instead OF COM
pensatory time off where the
exigencies of the service require.
Senator McCerran predicted the
effect of that authority will be to do
away with compensatory time,
although there will be exceptions.
Mr.. Horner also emphasized the
overtime pay provision would not be
general in its application.
Leland NJ. Walker of the National
Rural Letter Carriers Association
testified that group took a perma-
nent pay cut amounting to $1,000
600. 900 in 1894 at the request OF the
department as an economy measure:
He said the average rate Tor rurai
carriers is $2,100.
Senator McCarran's pay increase
bill was introduced in April, 194l,
and has been awaiting today's hear
ing. The Post Once Department
filed an adverse report In July
Ramspeck Bill Of Little Effect.
Senator McCarran asked how the
Ramspeck promotion bill for the
Government service generally has
affected the postal service. He was
told it has affected only the custodial
group by giving it step-ups within
classification grades.
Orville c. Clark, National ASso-
citation Of Post ONCE Mechanics.
asked that the McCarran bill be
amended to include 1924 custodial
workers. They are regarded as
postal workers in annual and sick
leave laws, he said. but their pay
scale is carried In the general Civil
Service Classification Act OF 1928.
The average salary in the custodial
| force is s1272, he said.
Indorsing the pay bill for the
National Association of Letter Car
riers, William c. Doherty said the
cost of living has continued to in
crease since the measure was intro
duced last year, making its passage
more imperative.
Patrick j. McNelis, speaking for
Philadelphia post ONCE clerks. pre-
dicted that home being purchased
by some postal employees ARE go
| ing to pass into the sheriff's hands"
unless their pay scale is adjusted
to meet rising living costs.
John J. Barrett, president of the
United National Association of Post
Once Clerks declared the mounting
! price level is undeniable.
Bill on Substitutes Discussed.
! The committee also heard testi-
mony for another pending bill by
Senator McCarran, which Mr.. Bar
rett said is intended to abolish the
antiquated system of substitute en-
ployment' In the postal service.
Mr.. Barrett explained a subsu-
tute is paid IS cents an hour, but
only for hours of actual work, even
though he may be required to stand
by at the post once for any num-
Der of hours.
Differing views were expressed
on this proposed measure, and Sen
ator McCarren suggested confer
ences on the differences When the
hearing was adjourned at noon SEN
ator McCarren said he would seek
the views of the department at q
later meeting.