Evening star., 1948-09-16

and members of Congress, to ask
that immediate action be taken to
stop this practice.
Union officials point out that the
policy Of which they complain is
contrary to law, which forbids the
use Of military personnel in Govern
ment jobs.
PAY-The convention has gone on
record as favoring the passage Of
the Flanders bill. which would over
haul the Federal Classification Pay
Act.
The union was instructed to take
vigorous" steps when Congress re-
convenes to push for the legislation S
passage. Terming the present Fed
cral pay structure 'hopelessly out
noded and unworkable," the bill
would grant average salary boosts
Of about 500 each to rank -and-f file
Federal workers and would give SUBJ
stantial pay raises to top Govern
ment officials.
NFFE officials declare that the
lifting of the present $10,,330 Fed
eral pay ceiling also will give rank
and-file employees the opportunity
for gradual wage increases in future
years by permitting more leeway in
pay scales and promotions.
The convention did not take any
action on resolutions calling for fiat
cost -of-living pay boosts for Federal
workers.
The main objection that the NFFE
leadership had to these resolutions
was that it was too dangerous
to tie up pay boosts to cost of Living
factors. If this were done, 1t was
argued, Congress could then be ex-
pected to take away the pay in
crease and even more if and when
prices went down.
If Congress gave us another $500
raise and then prices went down
sharply, it would probably take
away the $500 and several hundred
dollars more of our salary besides" :"
one NFFE official said.
Also, the convention adopted a
policy which calls for uniform sal
aries for all comparable jobs in the
Government. Under the present
policy, employees in :, different Fed
eral agencies doing the same work
often receive different salaries.
~ 49,
MORE MODERN-Onel thing
very noticeable here is that the
delegates by and large, are con-
siderably younger than delegates at
previous NFF'E conventions.
This has gratified NFFE officials,
who have been trying to attracs
younger people into the NFFE for
sometime. -'s
Some of the new delegates have
expressed the opinion that the
NFFE could adopt a number of
more progressive policies, which,
they believe, would increase the
unions membership as we'll as its
efficiency.
These delegates have complete
confidence in the leadership of
President Luther Steward and Ger
trude M. McNally, NFFE secretary
treasurer. But, for one thing, they
would like the union to publicize
more some of the things it is doing,
not only to help its own member
ship, but to improve working con-
ditions for all Government en-
ployes.
The younger delegates also would
like to see the union have q livlie1
and more vigorous publication than
the monthly magazine now sent to
NFFE members. Some are In favor
Of a weekly newspaper-others feel
the monthly magazine setup would
do, If its contents were revitalized
~
STILL BIGGER-Tne delegates
heard a prediction from H. Eliot
Kaplan, executive director of the
National Civil Service League, that
the Federal Government would in
crease its size by so per cent during
the next 10 years.
THE public is demanding more
and more from the Government in
the way of public services" declared
Mr.. Kaplan, whose organization for
many years has served as the