Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-10-21
Manpower
Continued From First Page.)

Will not De JeOpardlzed. he adQed.
Mr.. McNutt declared there were
three essential powers which could
be written into a national service
act.
First, the administrative authority
should be empowered to require en-
. ployes in any area to hire all workers
| through a central agency.
Second, authority to control
methods of labor utilization.
Third authority to require indi-
viduals to remain on job, or to
transfer to another job
Mr.. McNutt continued:
These powers are generally con-
sidered the be-all and end-all OF
national service legislation, but, as
have tried to point out, they are
only a part of the mechanism neces-
sary to mobilize manpoWer eftec-
lively. The value of national service
legislation would be in part nullif1ed
if it provided simply for compulsory
freezing and transfer OF workers. 1t
is clear that this authority need be
invoked only in specific areas, in
dustries and occupations, in con-
junction with other measures OF
labor market control
Such broad authority must be
exercised within limits protecting
| the basic rights of workers and en-
ployers. The right to appeal
against any decision of the admin
istering authority should be ex-
plicitly stated. Workers who are
required to remain on a job, or to
transfer to another job should have
certain minimum guarantees con-
corning wages, hours and conditions
of employment.
The power to keep men on jobs,
or to send them to jobs, should not
be permitted to be the instrument
for underwriting established wage
standards.
Gap In Pay Is Problem.
"On the other hand, no individual
can be promised that the power of
assignment will not require him to
make sacrifices.
Some workers who are required
to remain with an employer will be
laid off for short periods or have
part-time work Since they cannot
seek other employment, some means
of assuring them minimum income
while they are on assigned work
must be devised. Where unemploy-
ment benefits do not provide this
minimum, some device for supple
menting their earnings must be
worked out.
Since experience has proved that
failure on the part of employers to
protect seniority rights is the most
important single barrier to transfer
of workers from non-essential to
essential employment, national serv-
ice legislation must provide reason
able assurance to workers that
seniority rights will not be lost
merely because of transfer
This legislation should provide
that workers may be released from
their obligation to render service
only in circumstances where gross
inequities or unreasonable hardships
would be imposed on them. APP
propriate criteria for determining
what constitutes good cause for re-
lease of workers should also be a
part of the act. Similar provisions
must be made enabling employers
to discharge workers guilty of mis-
conduct. or workers who otherwise
fail to meet the normal obligations
of an employe to an employer.
The much discussed question
whether a worker assigned to a
plant should be required to join a
union is to my mind not serious
! issue Representatives OF both man.
agement and labor assure me that
any difficulties arising on this score
can be ironed out through existing
machinery in a manner satisfactory
to management, labor and the Gov.
; eminent, and in a manner which
will involve no hardship or injustice
to the individual worker
THE administration of manpower
mobilization under national service
, legislation is a job with manifold
: complications. In great part these
jobs are technical ones requir-
, ing trained. experienced personnel
Selection of workers for referral
determinatio of bona fide shortages
through plant inspection, co-opera-
. ton with employers in job analysis
/ to arrive at satisfactory training
upgrading and job breakdown tech
, niques and collection Of labor market
| information are some OF the tasks
. prerequisite to effective mobilization
Of manpower"
He asserted each Of the bills nov
before the committee fails to meet
one or more Of these basic require.
, ments of national service legislation
He said he was preparing to draft
! legislation for consideration when.
' ever the President indicates that ma.
tionAl service legislation In required