Evening star., 1945-06-14
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Full Overtime
Issue Tomorrow
Government Workers
Virtually Sure of
Pay Raise July |
BY DON S. WARREN.


White collar employees of the
Government today were virtually
sure of getting, July /, their first
basic pay raise in at least Is
years, though it appeared a con-
ference between House and Sen
ate managers likely will deter
mine if true" time -and-a-half
Is to be paid for extra hours.
The House late yesterday passed
by a humping 317-to-36 roll-call
vote the, liberalized Federal pay bill
recommended by the majority of its
Civil Service Committee. and sent
the revised measure to the Senate
for action.
Shortly thereafter Chairman
DoWney Of the Senate Civil Service
Committee issued call for meeting
of his group tomorrow to determine
If 1t would recommend to the Senate
acceptance of the changes made by
the House. Only one of these is of
major importance, that calling for
full time-and-a-half for work be-
yond 40 hours, on the first $2,980 of
pay. The Senate had voted to con-
tinue the present l 1/12 rate.
Only Controversy.
Senator Downey. Democrat, of
California, an advocate of giving
true" overtime pay to 1,450,O0O
white-collar workers as we'll as to
others in Government service, said
this was the only controversy be-
tween the House and Senate bills.
. The full 80 per cent overtime pay
was championed in the Senate Com
mittee by Senators Downey and
LANCER, Republican, of North Da-
kota, but was opposed by Senators
Mcclellan, Democrat, of Tennessee,
acting head of the Appropriations
Committee, and Byrd, Democrat, of
Virginia, head of the Joint Economy
Committee. This led to an assump-
tionFthe Senate would be persuaded
to send the bill to conference.
The cost of the House bill for the
first year of its effect was estimated
at about s736, 100000 and there were
suggestions this later would be cut
down when the war permits reduc-
tion of the hours of overtime work
and reduction of Federal personnel.
15.9 Per Cent Boost.
The bill provides an overall basic
pay increase of 159 per cent for
classified workers, on a 20-15-5 per
cent formula which gives the
heaviest boosts to salaries up to
$1,000 and the least to those above
$4,000. Legislative and judicial en-
ployes are covered under this for
fnula, but because of their uncer-
tain hours, they are given an addi-
tional 10 per cent boost in lieu of
overtime.
/ Under the leadership of Chairman
Ramspeck of the Civil Service Com
rnittee, and Representative Jackson,
Democrat of Washington, author of
the bill, the House yesterday beat
off three maojr attempts by minor
ity members to modify the bill.
Two minor amendments were
adopted. One of these, offered by
Representative Randolph, second
ranking majority member of the
Civil Service Committee and chair
man of the House District Commit
tee, would cover into the basic pay
raise the District Commissioners
and judges of the lower courts of
the District. 1t was said the RAN
dolph amendment would raise the
pay of the city heads from $4,000 to
SO 300 a year.
A technical amendment suggested
by the disbursing officer of the
House was offered by Representa-
tive Jackson and accepted without
debate.
Rees Loses Several Tests.
Earlier, administration forces won
several tests in knocking down
amendments offered by Representa-
tive Rees, Republican. of Kansas,
ranking minority member of the
Civil Service Committee.
One of these, tentatively killed
Tuesday in a committee" session of
the House, would have restricted
overtime pay to the present level
which amounts to 216 Gnstead of
j30) per cent more pay for 20 per
cent more hours of work, on the 49,
hour week basis.
i Another, beaten yesterday, would
have stricken from the bill provi-
sions for reducing the waiting time"
for stepups within grade, when eff
cheney ratings warrant. This pro-
vision now safely incorporated in the
bill would reduce the waiting time
for stepups in the lower salary
grades from 18 to IL months and in
the higher grades from 30 to 18
months.
Z. Another provision of this section
permits the Civil Service Commits
sion to establish beginning salaries
at the middle of grade for persons
of special qualifications.
Il Mr.. Rees also proposed another
amendment, to authorize the crea-
dion of congressional Office of ad-
nninistrative management, to in
Vestigate excessive personnel in the
Government, overlapping Federal
functions, management practices
and appropriation requests for per-
Sonnel This was Shelved on a point