Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1944-01-09
Transfer of WOrkers Problem
As Production Changes
Cutbacks in Some War Industries BRINGS
Need to Salvage Workers Forward
AS Principal Manpower Puzzle of 1914
By Miriam Onenberp.

Gutenberg.
rected to the employment service as
each unit was completed. Three shifts
| OF USES interviewers were maintained
| by the employment service at the plant
to be available as each plant shift
ended
The whole procedure will require
about four weeks and according to pres
ent indications 80 per cent of those laid
of will be Immediately referred to other
jobs. Most of the remaining 10 per
cent are women who want to go back
to their housework for few weeks.
Those indicating they will want to work
again have been given cards with in.
structions to report as soon as avail
able to their new employer.
Deluge of Requests.
All the arrangements were made be-
fore it was publicly announced that the
plant was to close. That announcement,
incidentally, was followed Immediately
by deluge of requests from other en-
ployers in the city for the laid-off
workers, according to a VINO report
| from the area.
| Sometimes layoff in one city is
matched by fresh demand for work.
ers in another city. VINO cites as an
example mill in Lowell, Mass, and
a ball bearing factory in Connecticut.
When the Lowell mill laid off workers,
the USES set up recruiting Office for
the Connecticut factory.
VINO gave the closing of the Wash.
ington Tin Plate Co. at Washington,
Pa, as an example of a constructive
program for the replacement of en-
ployes in the closing of company"
but even that program shows up the
difficulties that lie ahead
The company, the affected CIo union
and VINO were all in on the plans for
| finding new jobs for the laid-off work.
| ers 1t was decided in advance that a
| public meeting of the workers would
be held to announce the cessation of
| work. 1t was also decided at the time
that these principles would be adhered
to in transferring the employees to other
| jobs:
| Each employe was to have every pos
sible opportunity to indicate the type
to refer the workers to other jobs on
the basis of individual choices as well
as qualifications.
Union representatives agreed to CO.
operate In seeing to it that the workers
stayed on their jobs until the com.
pany's contracts were completed.
A schedule indicating the date on
which each worker could be released was
to be prepared by the company and
cleared with the union. Releases and
referrals to other jobs were to be granted
to the workers in line with the dates
shown on that schedule
Union Offers Help.
Union representatives agreed to help
the USES interview the employees and
help find other jobs for the workers.
Wherever possible. jobs were to be
found in other war industries in tho
same community.
| 1t was agreed that if the company
resumed operations along any line, the
seniority rights of the workers would
be protected and the present empioyey
I AAN'S ~ AoAAly III USlllS lSillleU.
In order to protect the seniority rights,
the USES agreed to issue limited state
ments of availability" to the workers 50
they could return to the company in
case 1t did resume operations. In other
words, they would be released so they
could take other jobs but the release
also gave them the right to return with
OUT violating the rules controlling the
movement of workers from job to lob.
The meeting for the workers was held
on schedule The company explained it
had to close and announced it was CO.
operating with the union, VINO and tho
war production Board in giving each
worker time to look for work before
being laid off. A WPB representative
explained that the closing was necessary
and the VINO representative announced
mat registration for new jobs would
begin the next day.
Wlthln three days, 32l workers in ths
plant had been registered to get their
background. Then the pooled inter-
views" with representatives from various
other companies began. At the first such
interview, "a workers appeared to discuss
jobs. At the second 12-hour session. 81
employees appeared. This was considered
disappointing.
In the explanation given by a VINO
spokesman in the area for the dis
appointing results lie some of the rea-
sons why the process of "salvaglne"
workers isn't so simple.
Many Problems Arise.
First. other employers didn't want tn
accept limited statements of availability,
bearing Unemployment rights with tho
TN plate company but many of the EN-.
pioyes wouldn't take another job without
the provision of e-employment with the
I'm plate company in their hiring
contract.
Second. the employees of the closing
company felt that since they were free
agents. they could shop around for their
own jobs.
Third, the workers were fearful Of
the duties involved in new job and
olont want to Sign on the dotted line"
until they were sure they would like
the work.
Fourth, a rumor persisted that the
tin plate company would resume opera-
lions and many of the workers still
thought the plant wouldn't close.
Fifth, rumors of high wages and the
demand for labor placed distorted
values" on the individuals service ena