Evening star., 1955-03-08
Unions Oppose
Trade Boards
Disability Bill
Labor Spokesman
See Move to
Freeze Benefits
Bv Harold B Rooers
By Harold B. Rogers

By Harold B. Rogers
Spokesman for organized la
Dor today attacked proposals to
establish a separate District
workmen's disability compensa-
ton law as public hearings on
pending legislation for this pur-
pose came to a close before the
House District Subcommittee.
Chairman Harris, Democrat, of
Arkansas. announced that he
favors waiting temporarily for
further legislative developments
elsewhere on the subject be-
fore calling his unit into session
for action.
The pending bill before Mr..
Harris subcommittee was spon-
sored by the Washington Board
of Trade, which yesterday
strongly defended the proposal
for separate District law.
Attacked as "Freeze."
The trade board bill was
strongly attacked by labor wit
nesses today as an attempt to
freeze" benefits for disabled
and sick veterans on the job in
the District. The measure, in
troduced by Representative Nc
MILAN, Democrat, of South Car
olina, would continue virtually
the same benefits as those cur
rently in effect in the Long
shoremen's and Harbor Workers
Act, which is the basic law for
such payments in the District.
The bill. however. would place
administration of the proposed
new local law in the Depart
ment of Labor, which admins
terS the Longshoremen's Act.
Strong opposition to the Nc
Millan-Board of Trade bill was
laid before the subcommittee to-
day by Walter j. Bierwagen,
speaking for Local $50. Amalga-
mated Association of Street, Elec-
trio Railroad and Motor Coach
Employees of America, whose
members are employed by Capt.
tai Transit Co. and the Wash
ington Central Labor Union, AFL,
and Andrew Biemiller, legiSla-
tive representative of the AFL.
Mitchell Opposed.
They both strongly supported
the position of Secretary of La
bor Mitchell who has objected to
the Mcmillan bill and insisted
that disabled workers in private
industry here should continue
under the longshoremen's act as
presently administered. :
Asked by Representative Will
liams, Democrat. of Mississippi
what he considered the real pur-
pose behind the Trade Board
bill, Mr.. Biemiller, a former
member of the House, said ap-
parently it is a very open at
tempt simply to freeze the bene-
fits of the longshoremen's law
in the District"
He pointed out that pending
legislation, sponsored by the
Eisenhower administration, is
designed to liberalize the bene-
fits of the present longshore-
mems law.
This other legislation, which
has been referred to both the
Senate and House committees
handling labor bills. would in
crease the payments in both
injury and death cases. The
maximum weekly compensation
will be raised from the present
$35 to $50 and the minimum
weekly compensation from the
present $12 to SIS.
Urges Present System.
Asked by Chairman Harris
about the contention of the
Trade Board witnesses that
there was little relation between
the status of the longshoremen
working in the citys major ports
and the Government en-
ployes in Washington, Mr.. Bic
miller insisted that it was proper
for both of these groups of
workers to be under Federal
legislation as at present.
Both the labor witnesses sug-
gested that if any change is
made in the present system for
local disabled men it would be
better to place the non-Govern-
ment workers under the disabil-
ity compensation law for Federal
and District of Columbia Gov
ernment employees.
Mr.. Biemiller said the trend
throughout the country was to
urge improvements in workmen's
compensation laws. He pointed
out that the President and the
Secretary of Labor are pressing
for increased benefits.