Evening star., 1946-05-11

But Says Way Is Open
For New Appeal to Fix
Altered Rate Schedule
BY Robert J. Lewis

The Wage Adjustment Board, in
an opinion issued today, refused to
grant renewed request of District
home builders that they be per-
mitted to pay ''up to" wage rates
established in a recent board de-
cision rather than the rates set.
The board reaffrmed its earlier
decision that single rate be paid
for each classification of work on
the grounds that multiple rates
have never been recognized his
torically in the construction industry
as whole"
To approve multiple rates, the
board said, would be "to take an
action without precedent in the his
tory of the board" and one that
would tend to create unstabilized
conditions in the construction in
dustry in the Washington, D. c.,
area"
The decision, written by Chairman
Arthur D. Hill, jr., also ruled that a
home builders supplementary re-
quest, filed in connection with their
fight on the new wage scale, was
mot properly before" the board.
Way Open for Similar Request.
1t added, however, that the way
was open for the filing of a similar
request.
Submitted by home builders subse-
quent to hearing April % on the
industry's petition for reconsidera-
ton of the wage schedule, the sup
Elementary request proposed amend
ments which would have changed
specific rates and added certain
classiflcations of workers not con-
tanned in the schedule.
Chief effect of the supplementary
request, had it been approved, would
have been to permit home builders
to classify workers on the job and
pay specific rates based on varying
degrees of experience and efficiency
beyond those allowed in the wage
schedule.
Henry Hits "Straitjacket."
Commenting on todays decision,
Ernest F. Henry. executive director
of the Home Builders Association of
Metropolitan Washington and at
torney representing the builders,
said:
I'VE haven't as yet had an oppor-
tunlty to study the decision, but it
appears on its face that we have
been denied, in both the original
decision and in the one today,
everything that we have asked for.
and. instead, have been confined to
straitjacket which will cost the
veterans close to a 10 per cent in
crease in the price of housing.
We've not, of course, decided
what further steps to take, but it
would appear to be matter of
choosing between direct appeal
to the National Wage Sterilization
Board or filing completely new Pc
tition before the Wage Adjustment
Board, or both.
In any event, it will cause further
delay, Which is to be regretted"
Builders Sought Higher Rates,
The controversial new set of wage
rates was approved by the board
February 27 in response to a re-
quest January IA by home builders
for permission to pay higher wages.
Home builders, under board de-
cision October 3, 1912, were allowed
to pay according to the so-called "B"
scale. which was somewhat lower
than the "a" scale for commercial
and Government building.
During the war, however, in order
to retain workers as the labor sup
ply dwindled, many were forced to
pay higher rates.
A recent investigation by the Wage
Sterilization Boards Philadelphia
Regional Office disclosed so local
builders and contractors illegally had
paid higher rates than those con-
tanned in the "B" scale.
Such violators were faced with dis
allowance of overscale pay rolls in
tSee WAGE BOARD, Page B-2J