The Daily Alaska empire., 1949-02-02
abor Bills Begged Down
 This Morning
Minimum Wage and Wom- en's Pay Bills Are Sent
 Back for Rebuilding
By BOB DeARMOND

Labor Bills struck SandbarS 1T 10th the Senate and House this morning and were finally backed off and sent to the respective Ju- dietary Committees where they vii, be put on the ways for overhauling The Senate had under considera- ton Senator Anita Garnick's S.B l2, to provide equal pay for women employees.
 The Bill provides that mo em- ployer shall discriminate in any way in the payment of wages as between I the sexes, or shall employ any fe- male in any occupation in this Ter ritory at salary or wage rates less than the rates paid to male em- ployees for work of comparable character or work on comparable operations.
 The Bill in addition provides ma chinery for collection of unpaid wages, and this feature brought the first objection, from Senator Frank Barr. The Bill states that employers who are defendants in court ac- tions on wage claims shall be lia- tle for costs of the action should he lose the case.
 Senator Barr wanted to know who would pay the costs in the event that the plaintiff lost the action.
 ONCE AN EMPLOYER
 Senator Barr said that ne had at one time been an employer but that he quickly saw the light and necame an employee. This Bill" he said, sis designed to protect em- ployees against unreasonable en- ployers but there is nothing in it to protect the employer from un- reasonable employees
 Labor Commissioner Henry Ben son was called in to answer Sena- tor Bars question and the ques- tions of other senators. Benson said that he would have no objection to change in the Bill to clear up this section and another change to eliminate the re- quirement that employers make such reports as the Commissioner of La- bor may require.
 Senator Charles D. Jones objected to the requirement. concerning the filing of reports and pointed out that this might become a great bur- den to the small employer. STATEMENTS CONFLICT In his general statement on the features of S.B. 12, Commissioner Benson asserted that if women are paid less than men the men will be the last hired and first fired on any job that can be performed hy women. This, he said, would result in a breaking down in our work standards.
 Canneries are especially discrimi- natory in em p oym n t, Benson charged, and resident women work CTS are not given the same work opportunities and are paid less than imported male workers. Senator Victor C. Rivers pointed out discrepancy in Benson's state- ments and the Commissioner repeat ed his assertions regarding can nery labor.
 Local women cannery workers have chance for employment when fish runs are heavy, Benson said, but when the runs slack off the low-paid women workers are the first to be laid off.
 S5 AN HOUR Questioned by Senator FIT a Peratrovich on the effect of this bill on women cannery workers do- ing work comparable with that per- formed by men who have a seasonal guarantee. Benson said that the guarantees would be taken into con- sideration in calculating the wage rate.
 If male cannery hand had a guarantee of S400 for the season and performed only 80 hours of labor during the season, the wage rate 1 for women performing the same job would automatically become $5 an hour" Benson said.
 Senator Collins wanted to know whether he would be required to pay a female stenographer the same l wage as a male stenographer if the latter performed 20 percent more work during the same time.
 "There is nothing in the Bill pro- hititing the payment of a production bonus." Benson said.
 Senator Rivers thought that the minimum wage bill, now before the |