The union times., 1945-11-10

The immediate legislation which the Connecticut Federation of La. bOr favOrs in this state was ore. sented Thursday to the Commit- tee on Labor and Industry of the Republican State Central Commit- tee by Secretary-Treasurer Fein- mark. The presentation was the re. suit of an invitation to Feinmark by Committee, which met at State Republican headquarters in Hart ford. In his remarks to the Conn., mittee, Feinmark said:
 "I am glad to comply with your invitation to present to you organ. ized labOr's immediate program in the field of state legislation. This subject is of prime importance not only to the working people, but to all the people of our state.
 Our program, of course, is based on the assumption that our state will do everything within its power to help the returning veterans. We are determined that those who risked their lives for their country shall not come back to breadlines, and apple-selling on street corners. Labor will go along with every sound proposal to assist the veter- ans. For this reason, among others. we believe that our state govern ment, and our political parties, should petition Congress to stop stalling, and pass the Full Employ ment Bill, the Unemployment Com pensation Bill, and such forward looking legislation as lhe Murray Wagner-Dingell Social Security Bill.
 Our immediate program for legis- lation for Connecticut is headed by the great need for Minimum Wage Law of 65 cents an hour. Many thou sands of residents of Connecticut are now working for 37A cents, and 40 cents an hour. I refer now to workers m intra-state commerce, who would not be affected by Congressional ac- tion in this field. Retail clerks, 1aun- dry workers, and similar industries, need this protection. Our present mini mum wage rates in this state are sweatshop wages, which are bad for the worker, his family, and for in dustry.
 INCLUDE ALL WORKERS
 Our present Unemployment Com penSation Law should be broadened to include all workers. There is no reason why the man who works for small firm should not have the same benefits as the man who works for a large firm. Furthermore, this law. should be extended SO that minimum benefits will be $2S weekly for 26 weeks.
 Our Worlmen'S Compensation Law should be broadened to cover all work CTS, and the law should be amended to make 1t mandatory for all em- ployers to come under it. We are firmly convinced that the state should carry the insurance on workman's compensation Private insurance firms now carry this insurance, and we can not reasonably expect that the pur- pose of this law will be fully carried out as long as the element of priv ate capital IS a factor. We also believe that workers who are eligible to re- ceive Workmen's Compensation should receive 66 2-3 per cent of their week ly wage. It will be hard enough for families to live on two thirds of the breadwinners' pay, but it is impossible for them to live on the 30 per cent that they now receive
 END DISCRIMINATION
 Everyone believes that there should be no discrimination in em- plOyment because of race, religion, or nationality, but it's remarkable how much opposition there is to the Fair Employment Practices Act. We believe Connecticut should outlaw discrimination in employ ment, and call upon all who are opposed to race prejudice to join us. Some people seem to think that it was quite alright to have reguIa- tiOns against discrimination during the war. Now that we have de- feated the Nazis and the Fascists, they also seem to think that it is alright to go back to our pre-war practice of discrimination.
 A real Safety Bill to protect all workers against unnecessary hazards; a uniform State Building Code; and a clause giving residents of Connecti- cut preference in all building and con- struction work done by the State, are all desired by labor, and needed by the entire community.