Evening star., 1944-07-16
11FirIIls Receive
High Priority
For Workers
VINO Turns Down
Il Of ll6 Applying
In District Area
BY MIRIAM oTTENBERG.

BY MIRIAM OTTENBERG.
A high priority for workers has
been granted so far to II of 1le
Washington area establishments
which have applied for special
treatment under the new priority
job referral program, Ernest ".
Connolly, Washington War Nam
power director, reported last night.
Twenty-one Of the 11e establish
ments have been denied q requested
higher priority for employment Of
available manpower and the re-
manning cases have been held UP
pending additional information to
support their claim for considera-
ton. Mr.. Connolly said.
So far. no establishments have
been classified in Group / or 2 as
so much In need of additional work
ers that urgent production or serv-
ices are running or are expected to
run behind schedule.
Three establishments have been
placed In Group 3, which gives them
the first call SO far on qualified
workers referred to jobs through the
United States Employment Service.
Eight establishments, including only
part OF two plants, have been placed
in Group 4.
Group &c LESS Essential" -.
Essential and locally needed
establishments denied O. higher pri-
ority automatically remain in Group
5 along with all other plants OF
this type. In Group s are the less
establishments" with the
last call on available workers.
An upward adjustment Of en-
ployment ceilings over a plants
highest level of workers between
May IS and June l was granted in
eight cases. Although a higher
priority and permission to hire ad-
ditional help went together in most
cases, In at least one case an estab-
lishment placed in Group 4 was
granted this priority only to replace
workers who have left and the en-
ployment ceiling was not raised,
Mr.. Connolly said.
The Manpower Priorities Commit
tee, which acted on all cases where
more than so employees were in
volved, was attempting to hold cells
ings at the May 15-June / level, Mr..
Connolly explained, because at this
stage of the new program no one
knows just how many workers will
be available to fill the job openings.
Ceilings. therefore. are being raised
only where production or service
schedules have been seriously ham,
pered" by the lack Of adequate man.
power over a long period of time.
Mr.. Connolly refused to name the
establishments granted special con-
sideration beyond disclosing that the
public utilities had been given fay
orable action" both on higher pri-
critics and adjusted employment
ceilings.
Employ 13,4oo Persons.
The II firms granted higher pri-
critics employ Is, 400 workers-about
4 per cent of the total employment
outside Government and less than
l per cent of the total number of
Washington firms.
The fact that only 1l6 Arms have
applied for a higher priority or
higher employment ceiling was con-
sidered healthy sign" by Mr..
Connolly, who told a press confer
ence the majority of firms appar-
emily are operating under the pri-
ority referral system without hard
ship.
In his report Of the first two
weeks operations under the new
program Mr.. Connolly disclosed that
during that period 1854 job apph-
cants have visited the industrial
workers office of the USES, and
3,73l went to the white collar"
USES Ofice-an overall increase of
40 per cent in job applications over
the first two weeks in June.
Forty-five per cent Of those ap-
plying to the industrial office were
referred to job openings as COM
pared to 40 per cent in June. In the
second week of the program 81 per
cent were sent to essential and
locally needed establishments as
compared to IS per cent during
June.
Connolly Cites Goal.
Mr.. Connolly pointed out the goal
OF the new program was to I'LL the
needs of the essential and locally
needed establishments first, and
that the increase in referrals to this
type of establishments definitely
was a sign of progress.
In the white collar" ONCE, SIS per
cent of those who applied for work
during the first two weeks Of the
program were referred to jobs. OF
these, SO per cent were sent to es-
sential or locally needed employ
ment. This was only a slight in
crease over the comparable period
in June.
Job openings continued to trail
the number Of job applicants, with
5,057 openings listed by employers
during the two-week period. Mr..
Connolly pointed out, however,
that the USES had a backlog OF
more than 10000 unified jobs when
the program started.
The area VINO director also dis
closed he had expected q 100 per
cent increase in job applicants over
June instead of the 40 per cent in
crease reported. He said employ
ers have told him, however, the in
creased difficulty in shifting from
job to job because Of the new pro-
gram has held workers on their
jobs, cutting turnover and job
shopping.
| The One-Leee
An Army ofncer called The Star
Yesterday to talk about, a landladv