Evening star., 1944-06-04
District VINO
I0rders Control
|0f All Hiring
Small Businesses
And Women Affected
By Strict System
BY MIRIAM GUTENBERG.

men, will be covered by the strict
hiring controls effective here
July l, Acting Washington War
Manpower Director Ernest v.
Connolly announced last night.
The national system of channel-
ing workers to priority jobs, an
nounced Friday by War Manpower
Director McNutt, applies only to
men, but the Washington VINO
Labor management Committee yes
terday broadened the program to
include women since they makeup
SO per cent of Washington's labor
supply.
The Washington program also will
be stricter than the national one in
that it covers all establishments.
The national plan permitted the
exemption of plants with less than
eight employees but the Washington
program, 1t was explained, covers
all employers because substantial
part" of the labor force here Is en-
ployed in small establishments.
Committee to Be Set Up.
A Manpower Priorities Committee,
composed of interested Government
procurement agencies, will be set up
here and will meet next week to
decide how many workers each es-
tablishment in Washington will be
allowed to employ. 1t also will de-
termine which employers should be
sent workers first and how workers
will be divided among equally inn
portant plants when there are not
enough workers to go around.
Employers may be allowed to hire
additional workers, be allowed to
stay at their present level or at the
highest level in previous month or
be cut to a lower level. VINO
wouldn't take workers away from a
plant but might not allow the plant
to replace lost workers. These
employment ceilings" may be fixed
on male workers, on skilled workers
or on all workers.
The Washington Labor MANAGE
ment Committee will meet June II
to pass On the employment ceilings
set by the Manpower Priorities
Committee, Mr.. Connolly an
nounced. The labor management
group also will decide how many Job
choices each worker may be given
before USES clamps down and re-
fuses to give him the referra1 card
he needs under the new system to
get a job.
Labor Shortage Acute.
Under the priority referral sys-
tenn, as the new program Is called,
the number Of jobs a worker can
refuse and still be referred to an
other one depends on how critical
the needs for workers in the area
are. Mr.. Connolly said Washing
tons labor shortage was acute and
a limit would be imposed on q
workers job choices.
Previously, women as well as men
in essential industries had to have
job releases from their old en-
ployers or the USES before new en-
ployers were supposed to hire them.
They still have to have the Job
releases, but now all have to 60
through the USES to get their jobs,
unless the USES makes special ar
rangements with individual en-
ployers and union hiring halls.
Under the old system, the USES
placed only about 1000 of the 10000
workers taking new jobs each
month. Not required to 60 through
USES were workers taking jobs for
the first time or unemployed for
more than 60 days, those going from
non-essential to essential work and
those given job released by their
employers.
Nationally, "strong male labor" is
needed to man the foundries and
other heavy war production so the
national order calls for strict con-
trolls on men. Locally, women can
fill number of gaps on the pro-
duction line, in the transportation
industry and in the laundries,
hotels, restaurants and groceries.
Employers will be allowed to re-
fuse to employ workers referred to
them by the USES but if they refuse
too many their labor demands will
rbe investigated Mr.. Connolly said.
Both employers and workers will
be permitted to appeal under the
new program - employers if they
think their employment ceiling has
been set too low and workers If
they are referred only to jobs they
don't want.
Generally, workers will be referred
only to jobs in Washington unless
Nationwide demand for workers
calls for skills not needed here, Mr..
Connolly said
Workers will be referred to jobs
on the basis of their skills, but
essential industries will have first
call for their services. The Man.
power Priorities Committee, may de-
eide, however, that "locally-need-
ed" industry, such as the laundries,
should have high priority because
of a labor shortage endangering
service
MIR. Connolly said some employers
Will Uc allowed 10 NlTe LIlelT own
workers up to the ceiling imposed
by the Manpower Priorities Com
mittee. These would be large con-
Germs which are complying with
VINO standards. Distance of
plant from the USES may also be
a factor in deciding which estab-
lishments will be permitted to hire
workers without referral from the
USES. The area director will de-
eide which establishments will have
this privilege
| While demands for workers over
the next six months, on the basis
OF reports to VINO, show the need
for only approximately 1000 addi-
tional workers here. Mr.. Connolly
pointed out that labor turnover
makes it necessary to place many
times that number of workers. He
expressed hope the new program
would reduce turnover.
The new program, he said, will be
explained to both employers and