Evening star., 1943-06-01
Steel Unions Given
Right 10 Be Consulted
On Hirings, Firings
McNutt Includes Action
In Order Postponine
48-Hour Work Week
BY the Associated Press.


In an action apparently with
out precedent, Manpower Chief
Paul V. McNutt today gave labor
unions right to be consulted on
hiring and discharge actions
taken by steel plants under his
order putting the steel industry
on a 48-hour work week through
out the country.
War Manpower Commission Off
! cials said today it was the first time
the Government had ever conferred
this right on labor. Steel industry
representatives, they added, fought
the provision on the ground that it
interferred with purely manage
ment function
At the same time, Mr. McNutt ex-
tended the effective date of his May
order for the industry to get on
48-hour week from July l to Au-
gust l.
Regional Directors Get Power.
He decreed that exemptions from
the order could be granted only for
reasons beyond the control of the
employer except in cases of certain
office workers, and could last only
as long as the circumstances on
which the exemption was based con-
tinue to exist
Power over the grant of exemp-
tions and release of workers by
plants going on 48-hour week was
given to regional VINO directors,
who were directed to consult with
representatives of management and
of the collective bargaining agency"
in each plant before making their
! decisions.
Industry representatives., contend
ing that steel output was already
SO per cent of capacity and could
not be increased by lengthening
hours, had asked broad exemptions
while representatives of the CIO-
United Steel Workers had objected
to providing a gateway to too lib
eral exemptions.
Set Deadline for Release.
The new provisions were in regu-
latlonS sent regional directors to
guide them in applying his original
order, which was issued one month
ago today.
The regulations. for the first time.
set deadline for release of workers
whose services would be rendered
unnecessary by iengthening the in
duStrv work week which VINO Of
Meals said now averages Ais hours
on nation wide basis.
The regulations specified that sur
plus workers among steels SIS 900
employees must. lin any event" be
released by August l unless the
VINO national executive director
Lawrence A. Appley. approves a
later date because Of "an exceptional
situation.'
Original Order Limited.
The original order required only
that:
l, Plants which could achieve a.
hour schedules without releasing
workers must cease hiring new
workers after today.
2. All plants either must have
S"tt> VA VIZ fO-IlOuI week DE ,JlllV
or have filed by that date schedules
detailing how they proposed to re-
lease workers so that they could
work 48-hour schedules.
Management Hits Costs.
VINO officials said both these re-
qulrements would remain in effect
but would be supplemented by the
new requirement for release of sur
plus workers by August |.
Mr.. McNutt said his action would
release enough workers and length
en- the working time of enough
workers to add the equivalent of
10000 workers to the labor force
by August l.
Steel industry representatives had
estimated that Nation appli-
cation Of the order would add $780,
100000 annually to industry pay
rolls by forcing time and one half
pay for work in excess of 40 hours