Evening star., 1943-03-09
CIO Organizer
Speaks Before
Democratic Club
Mrs. DauiS Is Target
OF Question Bnraee
On Domestic Union
BY GRETCHEN SMITH.


Pros and cons of the case Of the
domestic worker" flew back and
forth in a verbal barrage yesterday
at the WOman's National Demo-
cratic Club. when Mrs. Marion
Davis, organizer for the Domestic
Workers Union Of the CIO, speaker
at the clubs weekly information
luncheon. answered questions by
club members following her talk.
Mrs. Davis. an economist by train
ing. q former teacher at Smith and
Simmons Colleges, and the mother
of four children, explained how she
organized the Domestic Workers
Union Of the CIO in Washington
three months ago, following a pat
tern Of the Baltimore union, now
operating with great success.
She frankly admitted that organ
ization Of the union was to benefit
the employe by securing better
wages better hours and better work
ing conditions, but she argued that
the employer would also eventually
profit in being able to secure reh-
able help when needed through the
employment Office now operating at
1407 L street NV.
I'VE have tried to impress upon
our members that a good lob is a
Job that lasts Mrs. Davis said,
and are trying to cut down prevail
ing tendencies among domestic
workers to drift from Job to job
The speaker told how members
were advised to try to negotiate
with employers for the standards
of hours and wages established by
the newly organized union before
changing their Jobs.
COMMITTEE meetings are held
every Monday evening"" she eX-
planned, when members are ad-
viSed how to negotiate with their
employers and encouraged to seek
what they want where they are
Mrs. Davis Contended that the new
standards imposed by the union
would result in better service to the
employer as we'll as profting the
enploye.
The organization Of the domestic
workers should result in an attitude
Of mutual respect between servant
and employer which is Of prime i'm
pOrtanCe in a Well-run home she
asserted. This respect with reason
able hours and reasonable wages will
produce an employe who is COM
petent and can be depended on. An
employe given good hours and good
wages where there is no mutual re-
spect does not produce the perfect
pattern" she added
The speaker declared that many
domestic workers now weighing pos
sibilities of new Jobs would prefer
to retain their old employment if |
they could work under the condi- !
tions set up by the union.
Members were so eager to question
Mrs. Davis at the conclusion of her
talk that Mrs. Curtis Shears the |
president. who presided, found 1t |
necessary for questioners to take !
turns"
Mrs. Davis found herself flgurative-
~ ''on the spot" with such questions, |
DO YOU think it fair for an unskilled
servant to receive the same wages .
as one who is trained? VIII a union .
member who receives room and board |
at her employers expense expect the
same wages as one who lives out? |
Will employers furnish uniforms or |
will they be brought by the en-
ploye?"
One member gave the employers |
side Of the stroy" with an eloquence |
born Of personal experience.
u think the first thing for the |
union to do is to have training |
school for domestic workers." she
to serve and to be courteous to their
employers. I pay good wages and
have reasonable hours and what do
I reCeive?-an incompetent worker
who can't cook. who doesn't under |
stand the first principles Of serving
and who with it all is grumpy and
discourteOus."
From the muffied sounds Of agree |
ment throughout the room, it was
evident many members had met
with similar experiences.
Mrs DAVIS admitted the injustice
Of paying an unskilled domestic the
same wages as one who is trained,
which, according to existing union
standards, is the prevailing rule
She pointed out. however, that the
organization is still young and that
such discrepancies will be taken care
OF in time A training school for
domestics is planned by the union,