The Daily Alaska empire., 1945-06-30
Job Senority Rights
Washington Post)


 One of the toughest problems arising in connec ten with the employment Of returning veterans is that of seniority rights Under the Seectve Service Act veteran is considered to have been on furough or leave of absence during his period of service and entitled to return his former job without loss of seniority another job of like seniority status and pay" Few difficulties arise in giving effect to these provisions of the laws long as jobs are avail able and reinstatement of returning veterans does not result in dspacing other workers who have superior seniority rights based long terms of service However Selective Service officials have ruled that veterans are entitled to absolute priority rights to their former jobs, regardless of seniority In other words the elective Service Act is interpreted to mean that even if the returning veteran has worked only
 short time for company he is to be given prefer in employment over a worker who may have spent lifetime in the colnpany's service.
 Union leaders protest that any such definition of veterans unemployment rights would violate the prln- ciple of seniority incorporated in union contracts. Their protests will undoubtedly grow in volume and vocferousness if unemployment should develop on any large scale during the reconversion period The slperseniority rights claimed for veterans by Se- lective Service have already been denied in two cases coming before a regional War Labor Board and also in an arbitration involving union company con- tract Hence clarifcation of the law appears to be needed to determine the extent of the legal job pro- lection accorded veterans.
 To accept the interpretation of Selective Service regarding veterans prior employment rights might result in replacing experienced workers by veterans with little skill or training. Moreover, complete dis regard of the principles of seniority in giving jobs to veterans would nflct great and undeserved hardship upon some older and would be fought to stand still by the unions In any veterans returning their old jobs will receive full credit for the months or years spent in service To that justified concession the unions raise objection. The situation plainly calls for compromise arrangement possibly neces- sitating a revision of existing law to insure reason able protection of veterans unemployment rights, without proceeding to the extremes Of giving them preferred ratings all nonveteran employees
 Another knotty problem calling for solution is presented by veterans who have no legal claim to op reinstatement they entered service directly from schools and colleges. George Romney managing director of the Automotive Council for War Produc- ton asserts that four of five veteran applicants will be barred permanently from jobs in automotlve plants excepting those not wanted by WarWorKers ana other civilians unless seniority provisions of union contracts are modified He explains that under so called model JAW clause veterans without previous endowment are credited with the time spent in service but only after they have found job In view of the fact that only automotive workers who have jobs or have had them enjoy the protection of senior ity rights the veteran seeking employment in the industry at time when labor demand is shrink ing would certainly be out of luck In fact, Mir. Rornney calls the model clause lockout clause so far as the great majority of veterans are concerned
 The problems mentioned indicate the type of ob- staces in the way of fulfilling promises jobs for returning servicemen It is foregone conclusion that many disappointments in store for veteran iobseekers But if the issues faced frankly, the chances are far better that labor, management and public officials will able to reach compromise solu tions of vexing questions that will give veterans reasonably fair deal