The union times., 1945-07-28
Action On New
 Haven Plea Will Affect Millions
Issue Directly Put To Board: Are Building Trade.. men To Be Treated Like All Other Workers. Or Not?" Kreas, Byrnes OKane Say
 Board Exceeded Its Authority
Special to The Union Tunes

A.F. hu oaof the entire nation keenly interested the Wage Hdustment Board of the National War Board will soon hand % I m e on me appeal Ot Painters Union No. l86 for ap oA lts contract with the union painter contractors of New Haven which provides for vacations with pav for inc painters. ~ P"' AOi ule
 The decision will the result of hearing held here Friday by the Wage Adjustment Board which had nrv;o
 used 10 approve the contract the grounds that paid vacations in the building trades no customary and ~ impractical Because the is the first o fla Kind m the country, the action of the Wage Adustmen RoarJ ~ this of great importance to several million An; building radesmen. "n
 strong for approval of the contract which was unanimously agreed to by the Union Painter O ew Haven presented the Board by Saul Kreas agent of the New Haven Union: Dennis P brynes Business Agent of the Bridgeport Painters and of the Conn., Conference of Painters Unions; James OKane business agent of Iron Workes NJ New Haven, and of the Conn State buldlng & Construction Trades Council; and William A Crosscup, business agent of the Hartford Painters
 nearing held in the Department of Labor Building was presided by Chairman Tracy Assistant Sec tary ot Labor, and cO-chairman Arthur Hi
 Why Negate Standard Practice?
 Areas told the BOard which handles wage cases in inc building trades for the War Labor Board that his union ~ unable to understand the basis of the Boards rejection of m with the Union Painter Contractors He pointed out that paid vacations accepted practice American n mat the national wage policy of the War Labor that paid vacations not infatiOnary.
 We simply cannot understand, Kreas told the Board members where the issue of practcabity comes i'm We worked out careful plans with the contractors who bv signing the new agreements accepted the principle paid vacations are impractical?
 New Things Never "Customary"
 M is impossible for accept Boards that
 refused to approve the contract because paid in the building trades not customary Social security un- employment compensation, tmeandaha for overtime the eghhOur day. all of these were moi custonorv The fact that more than 90 per of American workers now receive vacations with shows a standard practice Why should building tradesmen he discrminaed against?
 Unemployment Not Vacation
 Atty Harry Sacher counsel for Painters District Council Mo- of New York; which is negotiating for paid vaca lions HI It's new contract cited number of War Labor Board decisions which covered the paid vacation When employer member of the Board suggested that building radesme do not work full year, therefore do not need vacations Sacher back with statement that E.he Var Labor Board has ruled that unemployment does not constitute a vacation"
 When another employer suggested that huiIdro traesmen have the highest the country because they work only tme Sacher sad Cve adequate guaranteed annual and we'll make you present of the high hourly wage rates."
 Sacller further told the Board trades work is seasonal paid would reduce the period Of unemployment and said that the plan should become integral part of the industry the social security plan.
 Byrnes followed Sacher, and presented comprehensive brief showing why there could be logical against the vacation plan
 Ihe BOard in denying approval of the turning back the clock he said, citing the conditions which prevail in the building trades which make imperative that building tradesmen receive the all workers
 Byrnes further told the Board that refusal to approve the New Haven Painters contract discriminatory
 Building Tradesmen Human, Too!
 he delegates to the last regular meeting of the Connecti cut State Conference of Painters held in New IS, at loss to understand why building trades me- chanics isolated far vacation benefits con- cerned They definitely felt that the decision of the Wage Adjustment Board discriminatory.
 "Ihe painter in New Haven is a human being susceptible