Evening star., 1946-09-19
AF0E Ready 10 Vote
On Legislative Aims
For SOth Congress
By Joseph Young
Sfor Stoff Correspondent

ST. PAUL, Mimi, Sept. 19.-
The national convention of the
American Federation of Govern
ment Employees entered it's final
session today as the delegates
prepared to vote favorably by
nightfall on resolutions asking
Congress to grant Federal work
ers another wage raise and to
provide a program ito cushion"
the economic dislocation of
Federal workers who are losing
their jobs during the current
observation-disclosures program.
The wage raise request asks that
Government workers be given pay
boosts to offset rising living costs.
A lump sum dismissal wage to Fed
eral employees who lose their job
also is expected to receive the in
dorsement of the delegates.
James B. Burns, president of the
AFGE, is expected to be reelected
to another term today. Berneice
Heffner is slated to be chosen sec
retary- treasurer of the union.
Main Union Objectives.
Wage raises and action to aid the
many thousands of Government
workers who are losing their jobs
during the reduction in force pro-
gram are considered the main OBJ
jectives of the union when the 80th
Congress eonvenes in January.
Resolutions were adopted by the
AFGE during its session last night
calling for theefollowing l. Optional
retirement with full benefits re-
gardlessN of age after 80 years
Of service in the Government. At
present Federal employees have to
reach the age of go or 62, depend
ing on length of service, before they
are eligible for retirement benefits.
2. Removal from Government jobs
of persons found to be members of
subversive organizations.
8. Additional congressional ap-
preparations to the Civil Service
Commission to permit the agency
to conduct investigations to prevent
Communists and other subversive
elements from obtaining Federal
jobs, as we'll as wedding out those
already in the Federal service.
Presidents Salary Raised.
The convention also voted to raise
the salary of President Burns from
$1,000 to $4,000 a year.
The convention late yesterday
afternoon heard Civil Service Com
missioner Arthur S. Fleming lay
Gown siX-point program to aid the
hundreds of thousands of Federal
workers who have been dismissed,
or will, be dismissed from their jobs
in the months to come.
MIR. Flemming's program con-
tained the following features to aid
displaced Federal workers:
l. All dismissed workers receive
either unemployment compensation
benefits or a dismissal wage. In
this connection" Mr.. Flemming
said, Federal employees continue to
be group set apart" There is no
reason why, on this particular point,
they shouldn't be treated in the
same manner as persons dismissed
from private employment We viii
continue to urge that Congress take
such action"
Should Attempt to Find Job.
O. When civil service career en-
ploye is reached for reduction in
force, the agency in which he is
employed should do everything
within its power to place him else
where in that agency, irrespective of
geographical or other considerations.
8. When the agency is unable to
place such career employees, the
Civil Service Commission should
take each individual case and do
everything within its power to place
the career man elsewhere in the
Federal service.
4. Each Federal department and
agency should establish effective
working relationships with the
United States Employment Service
in order to do everything possible to
help displaced Government en-
ployes find jobs in private industry
Reinstatement List.
S. Each department and agency
should establish reinstatement list
for its displaced civil service en-
ployes and persons should be placed
on this list in the reverse order of
their retention preference credits.
6. Career employees with Is years
or more of service who lose their
jobs should be permitted to draw a
retirement annuity irrespective OF
age.
summarizing his program, Mr.
Fqemming declared, these employees
have given their Government faith.
ful service and the least the Gov.
eminent can do is to take every ster
possible to cushion the blow fol
them when they are dismissed"
Mr.. Fleming also reiterated hi.
position that Government employe.
are entitled to another pay raise tt
keep pace with the rise in the cos
OF living" and again made 1t plair
that Communists, Fascists, K,
Kluxers and those who believe il
the Nazi philosophy cannot be tol
Grated in the Government service.
Lets do everything we can +,
Keep such persons out of Govern
ment in the first place, and if the,
do get in, let's make sure that the,
are invited to leave in no uncertain
terms" Mr.. Flemming told tn
cheering delegates. Mr.. Flemmin,
also called for revision of the salar,
schedules Of the classification aci
declaring that application of tn
sliding scale percentage increas
granted during the pay acts of 1874
and 1916 had thrown out of line tn
relationships which formerly existe
between jobs. He also called for tn
lifting Of the $4,000 Federal pa
ceiling to new SIS, 900 maximum.
Club to PInn Tour