Evening star., 1945-08-30
Clio Aide SAYS
Buying Will
Drop 130 Million
Says Federal Workers
Overtime Losses
Average $o.75 Weekly

The cut in Federal employees
wages under the 40-hour work
week will reduce purchasing
power in the District about $780,
100000 a year, Henry Beitscher,
president Of the District Council
of the United Federal Workers
(CIO), declared today.
He estimates the cut in overtime
pay will average $975 week for
each of the Districts 1865 Fed
eral workers. That represents a Is
per cent reduction in the city's pur-
chasing power, he said.
Mr.. Beitscher's statement was
coupled with a plea for community
support Of the union drive for a 20
per cent increase in Federal worker
pay scales.
$3.50, ,0O0,O 900 Saved. D.
The Bureau of the Budget esti-
mates the new 40-hour week in all
Federal agencies throughout the
country will save the taxpayers
$750,O00,000 year.
The Budget Office has no esti-
mates on how much of this Federal
employees in the District will forfeit.
but a spokesman termed the CIO
figure high" Washington has 10
per cent of the total Federal en-
ployes, and 10 per cent of the pay
roll reduction would total $75 600, 900.
MIR. Beitscher stoutly defended
his estimate. More workers in
Washington than in other parts of
the country will lose eight hours
overtime pay, he said. While many
Federal agencies went on the A
hour week July l, Washington has
most of the War and Navy employees
who will go from 48 to 40 hours in
one step.
Higher Brackets Involved.
Washington also has a larger
proportion of the workers in the
$3.50 and $2,980 base pay brackets
which have received the largest
amount OF overtime pay, he pointed
out.
Employees with a base pay of 50 $50
will take an $3.50 cut if they have
been on the 44-hour week and a
sl7.20 cut if they have been on the
4S-hour week For employees making
$1,000 a year, the cut will be s6.06
and sl2.12, respectively.
Add this to the Board of Trades
estimate of the discharge of about
10000 Federal workers in Washing
ton and you get a total cut in pur-
chasing power of more than $780,
o00,coO," Mr.. Beitscher asserted.
He predicted the loss would have
a drastic effect on service indus
tries, banks and real estate. Al
though private employers are plan
ming to expand now that the war
has ended, optimistic predictions
have been predicated on expansion
OF service industries. he observed.
Most cities will depend on the
expansion of heavy industry. WASH
ington's heavy industry is the Fed
eral service" Mr.. Beitscher COM
mented.
Miss Freda Sucher, vice chairman
OF the OPA branch of the union.
added the decreased pay will mean
mot fewer clothes or movies for
Government girls but inability to
buy some of the necessities of life. -
Women Will Leave D. C.
Many of the women workers say
they will have to leave Washington
if the reduction goes into effect, she
declared.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics
reported yesterday that the cost of
living here has risen 81 per cent
since 1899. The Federal workers
received 1873 per cent cost of living
Increase in July.
THE purchasing power of Federal
employees will be at least Is per cent
less than it was in 1885," Miss Sucher
said. According to the CIO esti-
mate of As per cent increase in
the cost of living. they will have 30
per cent less to spend"