Evening star., 1945-04-30
Murray Wants
25Pct. Boostin
u. 5. Basic Pay
Tells Senate Hearing
Proposed Measure
Is Inadequate
By JOSEPH YOJ}NG.

a ucIIldIlQ LOT 20 per cent DaSl(
wage boosts for Government en-
ployes was made today by Philip
Murray, president of the CIO, in q
hearing held by the Senate Civil
Service Committee on proposed leg.
Ilation to increase wages of Fed
eral workers.
The CIO chieftain declared that
the Is per cent wage increase pro-
vision as contained in the bill is
Seriously inadequate" in view OF
the sharp rise of living costs since
January /, 1941. Mr. Murray, who
Is in San Francisco attending the
United Nations Security Confer
ence, had his statement read by
Robert Lamb, secretary of the CLOS
Legislative Committee.
In support of his position Mr.
Murray cited War Labor Boart
statistics showing that the cost of
living had risen 30 per cent since
January l, 1941. A CIO survey
showed that living costs had in
creased 43 per cent, Mr.. Murray
stated.
Says Discrimination" Shown.
Mr.. Murray disclosed as Shocking
discrimination" the plight of Fed
eral employees who have not re-
ceived basic increases in salary since
the start of the war.
These workers have suffered de-
pleted savings and have been forced
to undergo substandard living condi-
tions, he added.
At this point of Mr.. Murrays
statement, Senator LANCER, Repub-
lican, of North Dakota, asked Mr..
Lamb if the CIO would approve
if Federal employees would be
granted retroactive pay to 1941
"We would certainly favor the
idea" Mr.. Lamb replied.
Another witness, William H.
Kushnick, director of the War De-
partment civilian personnel, told
the committee that salary inequities
among the departments civilian
personnel has been large factor in
the departments 10 per cent turn
over of employees during the last
year.
875,000 Placements Made,
During 1914 the War Department
made 875 900 placements in order to
maintain its average force of 1,2O0,-
600 employees in the continental
United States.
Mr.. Kushnick said that while fig
ures were not intended to convey
the impression that all turnover is
due to salary problems, they were
presented to illustrate the tre-
mendous administrative problems
the War Department faces.
1--WE firmly believe that the SAL
ary increases proposed will assist us
greatly in stabilizing our work force
and thereby increase the total pre-
ductivity Of the department., he oe-
clared. .
The witness also told Chairman
Downey, who introduced the legis-
lation and his committee, that "a
salary structure that puts the Fed
eral Government at a serious dis
advantage with other competition in
a scarce labor market only means
that high ability in qualifications
sought by the War Department are
lost to Others"
Cites Recruiting Problem.
Donald Murray, acting legislative
director of the CIO United Fed
eral Workers, declared that low
salary jobs were making it increas-
ingly difficult for Government agen-
cies to recruit workers. AS an ex-
ample he cited the plight of the
Veterans Administration, which has
fallen behind in its work because of
lack of efficient personnel.
Mr.. Murray said he had been in
formed that more than 10000 pieces
of mail have been unopened at the
agency because of the personnel
shortage.
The remainder of the hearing is
expected to be given over to the
testimony of other union officials.
Senator Downey had expressed the
hope that the legislation, which also
contains provision for time and-a-
half overtime, night differentials
and accelerated within-gra pro-
motions, would be reported out by
the committee by the end of the
ueek