The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1943-04-30
Absenteeis1n

heard of the problem OF absentee1sm
industries before exhero ckenbacker took time off from
opposing the Presidents proposal limit incomes of the fat
boys the accusation of abseneesm another subject
of attack on labor
Those familiar with conditions in many of the pro-
ducton plants and who disposed to be humanitarian In
their outlook generally surprised that the workers
age put the of time that they do In some of
the larger shpbudng plants ordinary sanitary facilities are
entirely The increase in the number of workers
required for the production has bought about this con-
don for which the blame be divided but in which labor
have share
shelter in nclemen weather while eating their lunches,
and in at least at west coast shpyard
the toilets have been crowded at unchme with workers seek
ing shelter while eating and the able to get in there
considered fortunate Most of the have been
compelled to eat their lunches exposed to ncemen weather
when such occurred.
Naturally such conditions not conducive to the health
accmated, and it be remembered that large
percentage of the workers have come from distant parts OF
country where weather conditions different and their
bodies have not had time to become adjusted to the change
The of minor ailments not really serious but suff
GENTLY incapactae the worker has been and is high
among the workers in many of the war industries.
Another for of the abseneeism is the diff
Guilty transportation met with by workers unable to
find living quarters within reasonable distance from their
work Large numbers OF the workers have been compelled
to hunt living quarters for themselves and their families
their work In such they must depend
overcrowded BUSES other of public transportation
get their place of employment requiring sometimes an
to get there unless they fortunate enough
to have of their Even in such the proba
bitv that in the will be old Jaopy
near to cheating scrap metal dump and not too depend
able as of transportation to arrive at work at def
mite time
very definitely shown that it realizes it's re-
sponsby produce for the far than many OF
which staged stdown strike for more profits
greater from the government during the early
DAYS emergency But the laborers physical mechan-
limitations the that of all Others The
worker unable work time because of difficulties OF
transportation who is suffering from ament brought
upon by poor working conditions cannot be censred for
missing work Certainly only negligible per
cent of workers deliberately sacrifice possible days wages
deliberately.
might be pertinent to inquire of exhero Rckenbacker
what the effort he felt that he accomplish
bv travelling attacking labor and whether not
himself absentee from his job with the airline
of which he official Presumably he is important one
since he the tidy of $140000 last year When he
raved being 40hour week for the soldiers
the foxhoes might also have added that there none
of them receiving $4,000 year either Nor of the
workers in the industries.
Much attention to these rawlings about absenteesm by
workers industry paid by the reaconares in
Will good congressman tell of day when there
absentees And these gentlemen
being substantially paid for being there when they not
any observer knows that of the members
themselves deliberately when hot issue due
to vote controversial issue which they
record Yet seldom is any criticism
for their absence directed against them.
Why single out workers alone for charges of absenteem