Evening star., 1943-05-02
House 10 Act tuesday
On Taking New Vote
On Pay Raise Bill
Two Sets Of Wage Rolls
Prepared in Advance
OF Congress Action
Ry WILL P. KENNEDY.

by WILL +. hENNED1.
While Government disbursing Of
fees have prepared two sets of pay
rolls to be prepared for whatever
congressional action may be taken
on the Federal overtime pay bill
before the May IS pay day, the
House Tuesday will decide whether
1t will reconsider its vote of April
81 by which it rejected a confer
ence report on the bill.
Stop gap legislation in the form
of temporary pay-increase law, en-
acted last December, automatically
expired yesterday, leaving Govern
ment employees uncertain whether
they will continue to receive extra
pay for working a 48-hour week.
Approved by the Senate April 10,
the conference report was rejected
in the House because the ceiling"
had been raised by the Senate over
the $1,000 limit previously set by
the House. The balloting was close,
1853 voting for the bill, 155 against it,
and lis not voting.
Procedure Discussed.
The House vote will be on the
question whether it will consent to
having its previous vote reconsid-
cred. Affirmative action will be
tantamount to approval of the con-,
ference report, which would be voted
on Immediately after If the House
declines to reconsider, Representa-
tiv Ramspeck of Georgia, Demo-
cratic whip and chairman of the
group which conferred on the bill.
then will offer motion to send
the measure back to conference,
possibly with instructions from the
House.
Tuesdays action will be taken on
q motion made by Representative
Worley, Democrat, of Texas, the
day after the House disapproved the
conference report.
The pending legislation, as ap-
proved by the Senate and explained
in the House by Mr. Ramspeck, gives
additional pay to approximately l.
100000 Government employees who
are not covered by other pay legis-
lation. They are divided into two
groups. Those who work on an
hourly basis are given a pay in
crease for the hours they work
above 40, at practically straight time.
They work 48 hours a week and
get ZIG per cent more pay for 20
per cent more workout, as mat
ter of fact 1t is approximately "a
per cent more work than most of
them were doing before the war.
Status of Second Group.
The second group includes en-
ployes OF the House and Senate,
who do not work on an hourly basis.
but majority of them in excess of
48 hours week. Those who re-
ceive $4,000 or less are to get a
fiat $500 a year increase. Those who
now receive more than $4,000 a year
are to be granted IS per cent in
crease. No person would receive any
increase on any part of his salary in
excess of $4,000. The highest amount
of increase any one can get under
this legislation is 1928 per year, for
which he must work an additional
9 hours week for So weeks in the
year, Mr.. Ramspeck said.
This bill applies to every one in
the Government service except
postal employees, mechanics in Navy
Yards and arsenals. employees in the
Government Printing Office and
Bureau of Engraving and printing
who are paid under wage board
procedure, members of Congress, or
the heads of departments or agen-
cies.
Chairman Ramspeck said a pay
bill recently passed for postal en-
ployes was much more liberal than
the one now pending for other Gov
ernment workers.