Evening star., 1944-07-25
AFL and Clio Agree
To Credit Veterans
with Job Seniority

WIFI JOD 9enIOIny
A fair break" for returning
veterans who had no union con-
nections before the war has beer
promised by spokesmen for the
AFL and CIO.
The agreement, announced BY
National Comdr. Carl j. Schoenin.
ger of the Veterans of Foreign War,
after a series of conferences with
high ranking officials OF both labor
organizations, states as a "funda
mental, basic principle that vet
Grams should constitute citizenry
to whom the Nation owes considera
ton by reason of such service"
Translating that principle into
practical terms, the union spokes-
men have agreed that in Local
unions where work assignment is
based on seniority formula should
be adopted whereby the veteran will
be credited with seniority rights
based on length of military or naval
service.
Full Credit for Service.
1t was recommended that the
seniority formula be adopted on q
basis of not less than one month OF
seniority rights for each month oi
military service after September /
1910. 1t would thereby be possible
for a youth who had no experience
before the war. but learned a trade
in the armed forces. to enter a union
job with full work credit for. the
period of his military service after
September /, 1940
The two labor organizations alsc
agreed that any veteran with prior
employment rights who has beer
disabled in the service should no,
lose his right to employment. anc
if he has developed physical limi.
tations which make it impossible 70,
him to fulfill his former Job hs
would be given another job which
he is able to perform at. the pre-
vailing wages.
Honorably discharged veterans
who have acquired sufiicient skill o.
training in the armed forces tt
work satisfactorily within a bust
ness or industry operating under {
labor contract, should be entitled
to full membership in the union a
preWar initiation fees and at cur.
rent dues rates. the agreement alst
provides.
The union spokesmen agreed tha
vaterans' preference laws have beer
generally accepted by the peopl.
and are being continually strength.
ened and expanded.
While the declaration of policy |.
not necessarily binding on individ.
ual unions of the AFL and CIO. ii
was pointed out, VFW and labol
Representatives both expressed con.
fidence that it will generally b.
adopted. The unions already hav.
established policy giving full
seniority credit for military service
to their former members.
Omar B. Ketchum. legislative rep.
resentative of the VFW, termed the
overall agreement great step for.
ward in sound relations between la.
Dor and veterans"
The American Legion, Mr.. Ket.
chum said, was invited to partici.
pate in the conferences but reported
it was unable to do so. While the
United Mine Workers, railroad
brotherhoods and other ipdepend.
ent unions did not take part, Mr.
Ketchum said they probably woule
be asked to adopt the same policies
Conferring with the VFW were
Vice President Matthew Vol, Sec
retary-treasurer George Meany ane
international Representative Rob.
ert J. Watt Of the AFL, and Clinton
S. Golden, assistant to the president
Of the United Steel Workers; CIC
Secretary-treasurer James B. Carey
and DR.. ]. Raymond Walsh, director
Of CIO research and education, al
Of the CIO.
Civil Service Standards Set.
Meanwhile. on the basis of ex-
perience with 10000 handicapped
workers placed in industrial estab-
lishments of Federal agencies since
October, 1912, the Civil Service Com
mission today announced the pro-
cedure for assigning handicapped
workers, including returning war
veterans, to jobs they can perform
without endangering themselves
ana others. .-,tY
Preparing, for the, rehabilitatio
OF war casualties, the commission
announced it already has placed
persons with such handieaps as am
putations, blindness, arrested tuber.
culosis, hearing defects and heart
disease. t +>
Before handicapped person i
employed in a Federal unit, tn,
commission pointed out, the Job il
which he is to be placed is CAREFUL,
studied to ~etermine If he can per
form the necessary duties withou
endangering himself or his fellow
employees. n
The commission suggested tina
agencies classify disabled worker
as to type of work they .shoul'
avoid, using letter designations OF
their Identification badges shown,
those who should not be employe,
for work on hazardous machinery
doing heavy lifting, near dust
fumes or similar irritants, on job
involving extensive walking %
standing, or In places where thlf,
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