Imperial Valley press., 1944-01-05
District Raises
Workers Pay;
Third Since Al

Imperial Irrigation District direc-
tors Tuesday passed unanimously a
resolution granting increases in pay
to all district employees, with eX-
ception of the executive superin-
| tendent
Personnel affected number ap-
proximately $50 including employees
of both the irrigation and power
divisions
The new salary schedule which
became effective as of January /,
was classified as follows:
l. For all employees paid on an
hourly basis, an increase of 5 cents
per hour.
2. For all employees paid on a
daily basis, an increase equivalent
to that granted by ID above.
8. For all full time employees paid
on a monthly basis. except the
Executive Superintendent, an in
crease of S10.50 per month.
1t is estimated that the salary
hikes will result in payroll increases
of approximately $4,000 month
for the irrigation division and ST.
600 a month for the power division.
OUTLINES PLAN
The resolution stated that the
Board of Directors of Imperial
Irrigation District has established
a policy of attempting to maintain
an equitable wage scale for its en-
ployes, based upon the relation of
the earning and income Of the
assessment payers of the District
to the salaries and wages OF en-
ployeS of the District.
Due to the increase of the cost
of living and the increase in the
price of farm commodities at the
present time, it appears to the
Board of Directors that a general
increase in salaries for District
employees is in order and is neces-
sary in order to conform to the
policy of the Board of Directors. -
This is the third salary raise
voted District employees since Janu-
arr l. 1941. The first increase be-
came effective on July /. 194l, when
employees receiving less than 55
cents an hour were granted boost
/ to SIS cents an hour. while those in
other classifications of the hourly
wage scale received an increase OF
! 71a cents an hour. Personnel paid
i on. a monthly basis received an in
/ crease of SIS a north. A similar
/ blanket increase became effective
on July !, 1912.
JULY Al INCREASES
! The July 1941 increase in salaries
of district employees was justified
at the time in a statement by
President Hewes of the board Of
directors who said. I'VE were
obliged to change salaries to con-
form with changes in economic con-
ditions, involving both the cost OF
living and the value taxpayers re-
ceive from their crops. The second
salary increase was justified for
practically the same reasons, HeWeS
stated.
In a statement Tuesday, follow
ing the boards action in again
raising salaries of District employees
for the third time, President Hewes
said:
"At the request of President
Roosevelt for governmental agencies
to cooperate in holding the line by
not granting general wage in
creases in excess of the Little
Steel Formula, which limits in
crease in salaries to Is per cent
over the prevailing scale in Janu-
uary. l941, so as to give the ad-
ministration an opportunity to roll
back prices for the cost OF living
i the board, representing the District,
/ did cooperate and did not make any
general increases in salaries in
l943. However, the administrations
representative have granted in
creaSes in salaries to large pressure
groups and have failed as a result
thereof, in rolling back the cost OF
living but to the contrary the cost
of living has continued to increase.
The board of directors of the dis
trict feels that in justice TO the
employees, the increase in the wage
scale of the district is necessary
at this time to help the employees
meet the continued increased cost
ofliving."