| Show W w r HITS ITS RELIEF WAGE Green Calls AF A. A F. F L. L Leaders To Decide Action Against 1 Low Public Works Scale Federation President Fears Strikes if Rates Stand StandBy By Associated Pru Prea WASHINGTON May 21 Asserting 21 Asserting t that he ho feared great social ocial unrest would spring from the work relief relief t wage rates President Roosevelt has fixed President William Green of ci the American Federation of oI Labor said he had called federation leaders to a a. session today to decide on a course of action Inequitable and unsound were some of ot the adjectives Green flung at the wages which will wilI apply on much of at the works pro pro- gram The wages wages' will range from a low loy of at 19 a a month to a high of 94 depending on the type of at labor and the locality I am very much afraid Green said that gre great t social unrest will wUl result from these widely varying rates S There is certain to be discon discon- discontent discontent tent and I would not be surprised if it it led even to widespread strikes among relief workers McCarran 1 Attacks Seal Seals Earlier Senator M McCarran Carran c T D-T i- i I Nev had directed hotly hoUy worded criticism criticism cism at the schedule McCarran lead leader er of at the defeated drive to force the payment of at wages prevailing in private vate industry asserted that President Roosevelt's executive order would completely wr wreck k the country's country s swage wage scale He lie indicated that he was preparing to attack the wages on the floor loor of the senate Administration on officials denied the new rates which represent a slash as compared with P W WA A scales would wreck the pay structure Although issuing no immediate formal ment meat over their ir signatures they contended ron conS tended the schedule is higher than it maYs may seem m at first glance because those affected will work for 12 consecutive months Because of long layoffs in inthe the private construction industry they argued the work relief wag wage will or compare favorably with th the private figures when yearly totals are con con- The Ibe security wages said President President dent Green are based upon unsound premise They determined o. o by conditions prevailing in each local local- i it ity Limit Unjust In addition to criticising the zoning method of wage fixing Green said laid Continued on Paw Pan Two j I f. f i LABOR ASSAILS RELIEF WAGES Continued Irom from Pa Pace e One the limit of or one worker to 10 a family was an unjust restriction I dont don't believe he said that one worker earning 19 a month should be 36 expected to support a family of f four or l five In general the plans call caU for a 4 40 hour lour five day day week eek and Mr Roosevelt Roosevelt Roosevelt Roose Roose- velt said the monthly earnings would be In Jp in the nature of a salary w with th pay ay continuing when work is halted by y inclement weather Workers however will be docked for absences either voluntary or because of or illness Under the thc wage schedule the c country coun- coun un try ry is divided into four regions with monthly earnings vary varying n within each according to density of population There also are four class classifications of or labor unskilled abor unskilled intermediate skilled and professional technical Must Be on Relief Reller Except by special permission at least cast GO 90 per cent nt of those working on ona a project must come from the relief rolls and no person under 16 shall be employed Approval of or the wage schedule cleared the way for letting contracts or proceeding with force account construction under governmental direction di dl on the in projects projects recommended to the president last ast week by the allotments commit commit- tee ee The wages however will not apply to o an important group of or projects Work on highway streets and grade crossings el elimination which arc slated slat slat- slated ed to receive is not nol affected af af- but will continue to be governed gov goy by state slate hi highway hway department regulations The public e works administration ad ministration will keep its prevailing wage and present wages will continue to lo be paid those now at work under the relief administration until they are absorbed in m the new program Prevailing wages are to be paid on onI I federal build building in construction Not Affected Also the civilian conservation corps whose net Increase of Is counted as part of ot the job goal is not affected Subject to a maximum 10 per cent change by Harry L. L Hopkins whose works progress administration prepared prepared prepared pre pre- pared the wage schedule it will apply apply ap ap- ply however to all other work ac ac- This Includes both contract and force account construction Earlier Earlie statements indicated that all except I heavy en engineering structures would be e built by the latter method which dl di- involves out and government Among several questions still remaining remaining remaining re re- unsettled in the work relic relief program was the percentage of outright outright outright out out- right gifts girts that w will be made to cities About in new P W A eels were approved by the allotment committee on the old basis of or a 30 per cent cert grant outright and 70 percent per percent cen cent loan To Keep Scale Declining to enter any controversy over reduction of oJ payments to labor and other phases of the work program program pro pro- gram Secretary Ickes said the P W A hourly wage rate would be maintained on P W A projects |
