Evening star., 1943-03-16
ans
Pay Bill Action
Tomorrow |
Subcommittee Drows
Report on Issue for !
Civil Service Group
BY ]. A. FOX.

measure to the full committee to-
morrow, 1t was announced today by
Representative Randolph, Demo-
crat, of West Virginia. the chair
man, who said, however. there had
been no decision on the form the
bill will take.
The Senate Civil Service Commit
tee yesterday approved a measure
that maintains the existings over
time rates for the classified service
OF Federal and District governments
and provides fiat $500 increase for
employees who do not get overtime.
There were indications, however,
that a new postal pay bill, passed by
a 38l-4 vote in the House yester-
day. would have its effect on tho
type OF legislation ultimately ap-
proved by the House committee for
the Government establishment as
whole. The committee Is meeting
this afternoon to discuss the legis-
lation.
Postal Pay Bill.
The postal bill-which has been
threatened with veto-provides a
Is per cent increase in the basic
rates of per hour and per diem en-
plcyes, who also receive overtime for
hours in excess of 40, and grants a
fiat $500 increase to per annum en-
ployes. When the bill was under
discussion yesterday, Chairman
Ramspeck, Democrat, of Georgia Of
the House Civil Service Committee
questioned If that would not mean a
35 per cent increase, because of the
lergthening Of the work week. This
was disputed by Representative
Burch, Democrat, of Virginia.
The current war pay law, which
expires April 30, gives classified
employees 21.6 per cent increase for
a corresponding increase in the
statutory 39-ho:-T week, and this
system would be continued in the
measure approved by the Senate
Civil Service Committee. Postal
workers are included in the tempo
rary law with the rest of the work.
ers in executive, legislative and
judicial branches, but campaigned
successfully for measure of their
own, which would assure pay raise
whether they worked extra hours or
not.
Favored Treatment" Feared
While he voted for the postal bill,
Representative Randolph told the
House that it would give favored
treatment" to 100000 employees, and
that he felt all Government work.
ers should be treated alike.
The bill approved by the Senate
Committee yesterday was an
amended version of a measure in
troduced by Senator Mead, Demo-
crat. of New York, which would
have raised the overtime rate to
30 per cent for a 48-hour week, and
| granted non-overtime groups a IS
| instead of a 10 per cent fat in
crease. The $500 lump sum was
substituted for the percentage In
crease.
Another new feature establishes a
$500 minimum for overtime pay
ments. This will benefit employees
below the 81 400.
Ceiling Abolished.
The committee did away with the
ceiling of the temporary law which
deprives upper-bracket employees of
benefits by limiting to $1,000 the
total those subject to the law may
receive in both straight pay and
overtime. The principle of calcu-
lating overtime on the first $500
of salary. was retained, however.
The entire membership of the
committee, with the exception of
Senator McKellar, Democrat, of
Tennessee, who is i'll. participated
in the lengthy session. The form
in which the bill emerged was
viewed in some quarters as a COM
promise between proponents OF a
fiat bonus arrangement, such as
prevailed in the World War, and
others on the committee who
wanted the overtime law continued
with liberalized provisions.
Penalties Discrimination.
The full committee struck out q
provision, inserted by a subcom-
mittee, which would have granted
| overtime only for time actually
worked" BY reason of the Con-
troller Generals decisions, the over
time now paid is considered part OF
the base scale. AS a result, en-
ployes receive some benefit even
though they may work only part
of a week.
An amendment sponsored by Sem
ator LANCER, Republican, of North
Dakota would deny benefits of the
bill to the member of any union
practicing racial discrimination. The
amendment was the outgrowth of
charges by Edgar G. Brown, head
OF the colored United Government
Employees, who told the committee
that the skilled trades unions of
the American Federation of Labor
Disseminated against members of
his race.
The committee also moved to give
Congress a closer check on employ
ment by adopting an amendment
requiring agencies to file reports
quarterly with the Budget Bureau
and Congress justifying the size
Of their stats. This carries fur
ther the principle of the present
bill requiring such a report to the
Budget Bureau.
Present Law Revised.
In addition to changing the pay
basis for the non-overtime group,
the committee also made revisions
to improve the present law as ap-
piled to certain units. Employees
of the Library of Congress and Bot
anic Gardens will go on an over
time instead of flat-increase basis.
Overtime rates also will apply to
employees of the architect of the
Capitol who work 48 hours. The
Civil Service Commission was given
authority to revise pay rates for
skilled tradesmen in the War and
Navy Departments when they are
promoted to supervisory positions.