The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1962-10-26


1860 total of Al states and d. c. had such
standards. Montana is one of the nine states
still allowing less than four years of training
for elementary school teachers.
Current studies indicate that nearly 500
of Montana's elementary teachers have less
than this four-year minimum preparation.
HB sc failed to achieve majority approval
in the House Committee on Education, and
was defeated on the floor of the House in two
separate actions. The minority report failed
on voice vote and move to reconsider was
downed 46-48 with sponsors Haines and Reed
casting deciding votes against the. BILL
UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION
The number one objective of Montana
State Chamber of Commerce was the drastic
cutting back of eligibility under the Unem-
ployment Compensation Act. BY and large
the State C.ofC. had done well in it's attempt
to mislead the people and the legislature, and
as result, many jobless Montanans in the
future will have to rely on Public Welfare
assistance to tide them over winter periods
and periods of economic recession.
HB 27-By Haughey,i Sullivan of Silver
Bow, Gustafson Hawks, Anderson of Yellow
stone, Loman and Cerovsk-as passed by the
House would have denied eligibility to APP
proximately one third of all workers hereto
fore covered, and cut the UCC annual pay-out
in half, or from SIP to Sc million. Certain
notifications were made in the Senate, which
will reduce the annual payout an estimated
$4.3 million instead of Sc million. The latter
includes extending benefit period to &c weeks
from the present % for those eligible for
maximum benefit period This latter provision
was made in order for Montana to qualify for
the 13 weeks of extended temporary compen-
sation then provided under federal act
While the maximum number of weeks is
increased to 20, and the maximum weekly
payment upped from $32 to $34, few eligible
Montana workers will be able to draw the
maximum number of weeks because of dras-
tic stiffening on earnings requirements for all
four quarters of each year. In a seasonal econ
omy state such as Montana the now required
500 more earnings in the third and fourth
quarters for maximum number of weeks pay
ments means that several thousand craftsmen
in the building and construction trades the
numbering industry and the heavy equipment
field such as road building, will at most be
able to secure only 20 weeks comp during the
average five and half month winter lay-off
period. For many others, because of winter
shutdowns and the highly seasonal nature of
their employment, 13 weeks will be the maxi
mum they will be able to draw.
HB 27-while propagandized as real help
to STEADY" employers, such as Main Street
Businessmen-will actually find them the
short end of their cash registers because of
the reduced purchasing power most unem-
ployed workers will have during part of each
winter Likewise this cutback inljobless bene-
fits will result in an increased pay-out by
Public Welfare-paid for by all of us in our
taxes-that many jobless be able to avoid
starvation
HB 81 passed the House 75-14, and the
Senate, 48-5. The Senate roll call showed only
five-Durkee. Hafferman, McKeon, Mahoney
and Reardon opposing passage. Newman was
excused because of illness and Macdonald
(Garfield) and Hibbs were temporarily absent
from the Senate while the vote was being re-
corded
UCC "SMALL BUSINESS" AMENDMENT
HB 27-In the House, in addition to final
passage vote, was roll call on behalf of the
so-called "Small Business" amendment by
Schwinden. This amendment would have linn
ted the increase the unemployment comp
premium could take for stable employers to
one percent at any jump. This was to
offset drastic jumps such the one put in
,y the UCC in April 1860 which raised stable
employers from one half of one percent to
~ percent, or an increase of over five hum
lred percent. Schwindens amendment
eived absolutely no support from the party
# the small businessmen"-the Republicans,
md it went down 1925.
COMP. RESTRICTED
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