Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-06-17
BY JOSEPH YOUNG

A new law mas been signed by
President Eisenhower that is de-
signed to speed UP payments to
the Governments per diem (blue
collar workers whenever they
receive pay raises.
The new law in most cases will
prevent situations such as the
present ones involving General
Services Administration and Vet
Grams Administration per diem
workers who still have not re-
ceived the pay boosts approved
for them last December. In
some cases the pay boosts were
approved as far back as last
August.
The agencies have not had the
funds on hand and consequently
have had to ask Congress for
supplemental appropriations to
pay their employees the new pay
raises. The supplemental money
bill has not yet cleared Congress.
OF course, when it does, these
employees will get the pay boosts
retroactive to the effect date OF
the increases. but until then
they have to wait.
The provision signed by Presi-
dent Eisenhower, -as part Of a
general Government matters
bill. will permit agencies to use
funds from their next quarterly
appropriations to put the blue
collar pay raises into effect i'm
mediately on approval. Under
the old law, they could not bor-
row money from any of their
forthcoming quarterly appropri-
atoms for this purpose.
The new law permits them to
advance funds for pay raise pur-
poses and then ask Congress for
supplemental funds to make up
this difference in the final
quarter OF the fiscal year. BY
doing this. it is hoped to avoid
pay raise delays that have pen
allied GSA, VA and other blue
collar employees throughout the
years.
incidentally. this law should
not be confused with the Sem
ate-approved bill now pending in
the House which would make
per diem pay boosts retroactive
to 80 days after the start of the
wage survey. This is designed
to put more money in the
pockets of blue collar workers,
while the bill signed by the
President is designed to get the
money to them quicker.
%H
PAY STAND-Chairman Muir
ray Of the House Civil Service
Committee says this reporter
misinterpreted his stand on Fed
eral pay raises in a story the
other day.
In a conversation with Mr..
Murray. We understood him to
say that he is willing to 60
along with something reason
able" in the way of a Federal
pay raise this year.
Mr.. Murray says that he
doesns feel that any pay raise
this year would be justified.
However. the large majority
Of the House Civil Service Com
mittee members favor Federal
pay boosts and Mr.. Murray is
conducting the groups current
postal pay hearings as expedi-
tiously as possible. The Ten
nessee Democrat is not trying
to stall" on the hearings as
some Federal proponents had
feared he would.
Il
WAIVED-A House Civil Serv-
ice subcommittee has approved
a bill waving the only-two-
members in = a : family-in-Gov-
eminent provision in the case Of
persons appointed as Federal
student-trainees. The measure
already has been okayed by the
Senate. The subcommittee was
headed by Representative Pfost.
Democrat Of Idaho. Other men,
beers are Representative Grana-
han. Democrat Of Pennsylvania,
and Wainwright. Republican Of
New York.
LEAvING-Dr. Verne K. Har-
vey. chief of the Civil Service
Commissions medical division,
is resigning to become director
of professional services of the
Veterans Administration Hos
pital in indianapolis. A fine
person and one who did an ex-
cellent Job at the csc. DR.. Har-
vey leaves with the best wishes
OF everyone who knew him.
-
CAPITAL ROUNDUP The
Naval Air Station at Anacostia,
D. c. needs a classifier. grade O: