Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-12-30

ton of Post Office Clerks, repor
with complaints that the Post
Office Department is refusing tc
pay clerks at the overtime rate
for work on Saturday and Sun
day of Christmas week end.
This is an especially bitter
blow for postal clerks who were
depending on the overtime pay
to meet Christmas bills" Mr.
Hallbeck said. I'm many cases
the clerks, relying on the ex-
pected pay. spent the money be.
fore its actual receipt and are
now left high and dry by this
unexpected reversal of policy"
He said some of the com
plants have come from Fall,
Church, Va.
Broken Promises Charged
In some cases, he said, there
we're direct or implied promises
that the workers would be paic
in cash.
However. now that the time
has been worked and the Christ.
mas mail delivered. instructions
have been issued canceling the
overtime pay and requiring thu
clerks to take compensatory timt
of in lieu of payment for time
worked" Mr.. Hallbeck said.
Legally, there is nothing tn,
union can do, because the Pos
Office Department has the optior
of either paying cash or givins
the time off for such work. ex.
cept for Christmas Day, wher
overtime pay must be paid.
But the. union said the deci.
sions in some cases apparently
were made at the last minute
with some postmasters not re.
ceiving their instructions unit
December q in letters dated tn,
day before.
AS a result, some workers have
been sent home after reportinl
for work and others have beer
telephoned not to report to work
Announcement Quoted
Mr.. Hallbeck quoted from pre-.
vious Post Office Department an,
nouncements that great savings
running into the millions, wer,
saved during Christmas by usin1
regular employees at overtim,
rates rather than hiring part.
time workers.
He said, ut becomes obviou.
that the Department does no
intend to reward employees fol
their part in the savings through
the many hours of extra duty
performed. but, by ordering then
to take compensatory time in
stead, was going to claim {
greater savings at whatever cos
to employe morale" He added:
THE Departments penny
pinching practices with its EN-
ployes are dealing employee mo
rale a terrible blow and thos,
responsible for this short-sightet
policy must bear total response
bility for it,"
MANPOWER = Representative
Davis, Democrat of Georgia, ant
his companions on the HousI
subcommittee charged with keep
ing a rein on the Federal man
power situation are waiting
anxiously to see if various Gov
eminent agencies are asking TO
more employees in the nev
budget.
/ If this is the case, and tn
payroll climbs above the pres
ent figure Of 2,383.60O, tn
Georgia Representative can b
expected to issue a strong state
ment and fight for a cut-bacI
in funds.
He warned at the opening o
Hearings on the matter earle
this month that II the agencie
themselves don't do the trim
ming Congress will have b
through appropriations slashes
/ He has suggested that tn
Federal work force can be GU
back to an even 2 million work
ers without impairing efficiency
Predictions are that man,
agencies will be seeking in
creases, but the Bureau Of tn
Budget Is expected to hold bacl
the tide to some extent afte
being rebuked by the Davis sub
committee when figures showe'
an increase from 1884. 200 at tn
beginning Of the year.
NOTES-Recent merit award
lat the Securities and Exchang