| Show On the fhe Home Front Taxes Pay Control Put Squeeze On Wages to Stun Inflation By James Marlow and George WASHINGTON June 9 UP liD liD- Scratch your head over the new tax plan but dont don't let it make you overlook what the war labor board has las just said Henceforth for wage earners No more than two merit raises or four automatic increases a year The limits are tight This was a two one-two punch on your pocketbook to stun inflation The new tax takes money out of your pay envelope before you get it the W L B puts a limit on the money going into the envelope before before before be be- fore the tax takes Meanwhile the W L B tells the boss Dont Don't try to use raises asan asan as asan an excuse to jack up prices or production production production pro pro- costs Remember The W V L B controls wage or salary payments where an earns less than yearly if that is represented represented seated by a labor organization or oris oris oris is not engaged in an executive administrative or professional ca ca- ca- ca Otherwise the treasury department department depart depart- department ment steps in The treasury now is reported working over new salary salary sal sal- ary any controls of its own These may be announced later may tie in with W L B rulings Some Dodge Program Some employers were dodging the wage stabilization program by granting wage increases on the ground that they were within an established wage or salary rate schedule when actually no real schedule existed The automatic raises permitted If if there was an agreement on them before May 31 1943 can 1943 can be granted together with merit raises But all six must not exceed the total difference between the minimum minimum minimum mini mini- mum and maximum rate of pay for a job The automatic raises could not ei exceed 25 u per per ner cent cent 1 kei k per raise 00 ui or ei exceed 25 u per per ner cent cent 1 kei k per 00 ui or uia a total of per cent of the difference difference difference dif dif- dif dif- ference between the minimum and maximum rates if there were four raises So So-on So on a job where the minimum rate was 60 cents an hour the thc maximum 90 cents a man receiving receiving reedy reedy- ing four automatic raises for sery- sery services services ices could not receive more than I 90 cents an hour Area Determines Rates If the employer doesn't have a L schedule it must be drawn up in 1 accordance with rates or range rang of rates in an area For instance A dry goods chain store might argue it has stores in many areas paying differ different nt rates rates 8 8 weekly in Birmingham 30 weekly in New NewYork York York for for a salesgirl and therefore therefore therefore there there- fore is entitled to raise its girls girls' pay anywhere from 8 8 weekly to 30 weekly But to that the board says No Raise in accordance with rates for forthe forthe forthe the same kind of job in the area where the raise is to be given Top salary for a salesgirl in the Birmingham area might be 15 weekly Therefore that would be maximum for the specified chain store in that area in figuring in in- in creases If a plant wished to hire a worker at a wage rate in excess execs of the rate previously establish in the plant for it would have to get approval of the W V L B B. B The board provides however that where an has special specia ability and experience he may b be paid a rate within the appropriate range corresponding to such ability ability ability abil abil- ity and experience There are special provisions fo for wage increases under the apprentice apprentice apprentice tice or trainee system The board has ordered no individual indi indi- vidual increases to be made without with with- out board approval after May 31 1943 unless they are within a salary or wage rate schedule which conforms to one of the following conditions Approved by W L B Such a schedule was specifically approved by the W L B it is contained contained con con- tamed in a collective bargaining agreement in existence before May 31 it conforms to the employers employer's practice prior to October 27 1942 proof of which must be given b by bythe bythe the employer through his pay roll rol record or by showing he has formally formally formally for for- mally communicated such a schedule schedule sched ached ule tile to his If employers do not have a plan for making individual adjustments they either can apply to the board boan for approval of one or or- orthey they can make adjustments in accordance with the following which includes include steps listed above They must be individual adjustments adjustments adjustments adjust adjust- ments made as a reward for superior superior su su- su- su perlor quality or quantity of service service service ice no may receive more mor than two increases in any calendar calenda year except in cases where there ther have been substantial fluctuations fluctuation in employment n nd no more than ha half of the average number of in iii a job classification may receive n merit Erit increases during any calendar calendar calendar calen calen- dar year |
