Evening star., 1943-04-25
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former employers and they cannot
get higher pay when they do move.
The Notwithstanding system
was adopted here, local officials eX-
planned, because Washington en-
Dloyers were afraid to hire anybody
without a release and we had tc
keep operating"
Will Amend Regulations.
On the heels of labor protests the
national Office has decided it was
discriminating against most workers
in essential activities-since 80 per
cent of the country is not covered by
Stabilization plans-and announced
the regulations would be amended so
that all workers would be under
some sort of release system. where
they could transfer for higher wages
if they had releases.
The Washington Office said yester-
day it couldn't wait for the proposed
amendment so they hit upon a COM
promise. They took the release sys-
! tenn from the areas covered by
Stabillzation plans, but they decided
workers couldn't transfer for higher
wages.
VINO Deputy Chairman Fowler
Harper told reporters yesterday that
the contemplated amendment would
either blanket the country with
some form of stabiliza ton plan OF
would allow releases to be issued in
areas not covered by stabilizatior
plans. Once a release system goes
into effect, he made it clear, work
ers could transfer for higher pay.
When a local official was asked
why workers in essential activities
could not transfer for higher pay
here if they obtained releases from
their old employers. VINO spokes-
man said I'VE have to abide by the
regulations.
Afraid of Order.
When 1t was pointed out. how
/ ever. that the regulations did not
provide for releases in areas not
covered by stabilization plans. the
official said that nobody in Wash
lngton would hire without release
! they're too afraid of this order
Employers, he said, had no way
of knowing If they were in the
clear" unless the prospective en-
ploye brought release.
The question of wages brought te
light some differences of opinion
between the officials themselves
Apparently, the answers given work.
ers who have been calling the loca
Office since the order went in effect
depended largely on what officia
did the answering.
One of the officials told The Stal
yesterday, We're not interested il
wages-that's up to the employers.
But another said definitely that
workers in essential activities can
not move for higher pay for any
reason and they can't move at al
without releases" After some dis.
cusslon, the latter Interpretation
was accepted as the rule of the
office.
Can Appeal to VINO.
workers in essential activities here
cannot get a release until they know
what their new job will be. The re.
lease is supposed to come from the
employer but if he refuses to give it
the worker can appeal to the loca
VINO office. The local office viii
give a release if the worker has beer
discharged, laid off, is only WORKING
part time, can show that his new
Job utilizes his skills to better ad.
vantage in the war effort and TO,
compelling personal reasons"
Either an employer or an employe
can appeal the decision of the loca
ONCE although some officials there
admitted they had no formal appea
machinery such as is established
where stabilization plan is in effect
So far there have been no appeals
it was said.
Here are three typical cases already
decided by the local office:
A worker in an essential activit,
brought the local Office letter from
his doctor asserting that his presen,
work was bad for his health He
also had letter explaining what he
would do in his new job. He viii
be granted release from this ole
job.
Request Turned Down.
A welder for an oil firm wanted
to 60 to work at the Navy Yard
The local Office decided his skill was
needed more where he was. His
request for a release was turned
down.
A woman from New York. who
came here to join her husband, was
offered job as stenographer ir
a utility here The local Office gave
hei a release so she could take the
job.
The Washington system is appar.
emily operating without a go.
ahead signal from the nationa
Office, Mr. Harper said he knew
of no place in the country where
workers had to get releases to
change jobs in essential activities
but could not get higher pay wher
they had the release.
With the return tomorrow ot
RAINY Deschner. local areas direc.