sufficiently to pay adequate salaries and allowances to its employees and to provide the most efficient service possible to the public. I testified before both the Senate and House committees favoring reasonable increases in postage rates. Mr. Chairman, we are not unmindful of the great responsibility which rests upon the shoulders of Senators and Congressmen. We know that in all matters you must bear in mind that you are the servants of all the people and, as such, you must give due consideration to all concerned. We are willing to rest our case in your hands, believing that justice will be done. I thank you for the opportunity to appear before the committee. Senator LONG. I would like to say, Mr. Manning, that I believe you are correct in supporting increases in postal rates. I have seen the pictures that you mentioned of the enormous bulk of mail that rural carriers take out for delivery. It just occurs to me it is only fair that the people who receive the benefit of all that-and they are not rural carriers; it is either the man shipping or the man receiving--but the people who receive all the benefits should pay something in line with what it cost. The cost of giving the service is now increased to almost double, so I think it is time we started doing something about the rates. Mr. MANNING. I might say, Mr. Chairman, some of the statements I heard made before some of the hearings on postal rates, if they are a fair sample of all the testimony, most of them are certainly very inaccurate. I heard the statement made if the rural delivery service were abolished it would wipe out the deficit of the Department immediately, but I fail to see where taking out a service costing $150,000,000 would reduce a deficit of $550,000,000. I do not think it can be questioned by anyone that the rural carriers of the country are providing to our rural population a very definite necessary service, one that is appreciated; and, if it was abolished, I do not know whether you gentlemen could stay up here in Washington or not. The people of this country would be here in droves. Senator LONG. I know that I could not if they abolished it. Mr. LATIMER. Mr. Chairman, with your permission, may I place in the record statements from Senator Myers, and Representatives Dollinger and McGrath, of New York, and Representative Chudoff in regard to the matter now under consideration. Senator LONG. They will be placed in the record at this point. (The documents referred to above are as follows:) UNITED STATES SENATE, COMMITTEE ON INTERSTATE AND FOREIGN COMMERCE, Senator RUSSELL LONG, Senate Office Building. DEAR SENATOR: I am particularly concerned over the need to provide decent incomes to the thousands of loyal employees in the American postal service. Your subcommittee is now considering legislation affecting postal workers, and I should appreciate having the enclosed statement read at the hearings and incorporated into the record. Sincerely, FRANCIS J. MYERS. STATEMENT BY UNITED STATES SENATOR FRANCIS J. MYERS TO THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON CLASSIFICATION AND COMPENSATION, SENATE COMMITTEE ON Post Office AND CIVIL SERVICE I enthusiastically join with the representatives of America's postal workers in urging that this committee provide adequate cost-of-living increases in pay for one of our most faithful groups of American workers and American citizens. As I have told this committee before, I grew up in a postal family. My father was a career employee of the Philadelphia Post Office. I was a youngster at home during the inflation which followed World War I and the squeeze of the family budget in those days resulting from high prices and fixed family income was a very real thing to us. It seems to me that any other group of American wage earners as well organized and as intelligently led as are the postal workers, and doing as important a job, as faithful and reliable a job, would long since have been able to exert their collective economic strength to provide them decent wage levels. But postal workers don't strike, and their only weapon in their own economic behalf is the weapon of reason and persuasion. Frankly, it hasn't got them nearly far enough, and that is the fault of Congress. I think we should say to these people that we know what they have been up against in these recent years of high living costs; we know what a remarkable job they have done through the years of making the American postal service a symbol of outstanding public service of the highest order, and we want those who have made a career out of the postal service to feel that they have not made a mistake by following this course. The best way we can say that to the postal workers of America is to provide them with a decent wage level. STATEMENT OF CONGRESSMAN ISIDORE DOLLINGER AND CONGRESSMAN Mr. Chairman and members of the Senate Committee on Post Office and Civil Service, we are pleased to have this opportunity to speak in behalf of our faithful postal employ :es. We all know how the cost of living has increased during the past 10 years, and that the salaries of postal employees have not been raised in proportion, to permit them to meet such increased living costs. As a result, it is impossible for them to maintain decent standards of living or to take care of their families properly. They are worried and harassed, and they are looking to us to help them. The records show that during the war, when they could have gone into private industry and earned very large sums, on the whole they remained faithful to their jobs and their duty. Increased burdens of work were placed upon them during the emergency, which they met cheerfully and gladly. Also, during those years, it was necessary for a great many of them to use up their savings in order to meet increased living costs, as they had had no increase in salary for many years. They are asking no reward for their sacrifices; but they are asking that they now be given adequate pay for the work they do. The amount they seek, which they state is the minimum required in order to meet the cost of the necessities of life, is an increase of $650 per annum. This is no large amount, and in my opinion, their request is a reasonable one; in fact, I favor a larger sum. Remember your letter carrier? He is the man who trudges up and down stairs, up and down the streets, in all kinds of weather-the faithful worker with the heavy mail bag on his back. He is also the courteous man who delivers large batches of mail to your offices and places of business. Then there are the others, whose tasks are just as important, but who work behind the scenes. All have a part in making successful one of the largest businesses in the world-that of getting the mail through. Any large industry or business comparable to our Post Office Department, in order to operate successfully, needs the cooperation of satisfied workers. Private industry recognizes this, and its obligations to its employees. It encourages hard work and initiative by giving employees warranted salary increases, vacations with pay, sick leave, pension and retirement benefits. The Federal Government as an employer should keep this example in mind and treat its employees accordingly. We acknowledge that we depend greatly upon our postal employees in our everyday lives. They perform arduous tasks for the Federal Government and for us. We urge therefore that this committee grant at least the increase of $650 per annum as provided in the bills now under consideration. We also wish to go on record as favoring legislation which would allow salary credits to veterans of World War II who entered the postal service following service in the armed forces; a bill to correct the inequities of Public Law 134, enacted July 1, 1945, by giving credit for all past service and establishing longevity grades after 10, 13, 17, and 22 years, so that length in service would be properly recognized. Postal employees also deserve to have the same amount of annual and sick leave now enjoyed by other Federal employees, and we urge that these matters be given your favorable consideration. Your committee has the opportunity to assist our postal workers. recognize their value to us and give them the help they deserve and need. STATEMENT ON POSTAL PAY INCREASE BY HON. EARL CHUDOFF Let us Mr. Chairman, I am here in support of S. 558 and S. 559 providing a $650 increase to postal and other Federal employees. My action springs from the opinion that the legislation serves merely to correct the inadequacy of the pay increase enacted by the last session of Congress. My constituents inform me that they are unable to cope with the cost of living which has had its sharpest rise since the summer of 1946. In that period, these workers have had only one increase in pay, the admittedly inadequate one of last year. Congress has the sole responsibility to provide for these people. They cannot bargain collectively in the accepted sense. Their only recourse is to petition their Representatives in Congress suitably to care for their needs. Though the President's program seeks a general rise in the standard of American living, Federal employees are asking no such advancement. They ask only that their standard of living be restored to the level which Congress recognized as being proper before the present period of inflation began. Individual members of the groups involved have explained their position to me. They have demonstrated that with deductions increased and with buying power reduced, they are completely unable to save for any kind of emergency or to purchase even minor luxuries. The substitute postal employee is in a particularly difficult position. S. 558 contemplates paying him 30 cents per hour additional. Such an increase is imperative. With the lowest salaries and with irregular employment, it is not surprising that the substitute is discontented, and that his position offers small inducement to the serious job seeker. The enactment of S. 558 and S. 559 is needed in order that the Federal service may attract and retain qualified personnel. Enactment is necessary in order that these people may live decently. I sincerely hope that your committee will consider this legislation favorably. Senator LONG. Gentlemen, the Senate is now in session. I will attempt to obtain consent of the Senate for this committee to meet at 3 o'clock this afternoon. Mr. LATIMER. The District of Columbia hearing room is available any time from 1:30 on. Senator LONG. We will try to reconvene at 3. (Whereupon, at 12 noon the hearing was recessed to reconvene at 3 p. m. in the District of Columbia room, Capitol Building, this same day.) AFTERNOON SESSION (The subcommittee met, pursuant to taking of noon recess, in the District of Columbia room, United States Capitol Building at 3:10 p. m.) Present: Senators Long and Graham. STATEMENT OF ROY ELDEAN, VICE PRESIDENT, UNITED PUBLIC WORKERS OF AMERICA, CIO Mr. ELDEAN. My name is Roy Eldean and I am testifying as vice president of the United Public Workers of America, CIO. I am also a member of the legislative committee of the national CIO. I am a former postal worker with 23 years of service. I will just briefly discuss four bills: S. 1762, S. 1772, S. 558, and S. 559. S. 1762, to establish a standard schedule of rates of basic compensation, contains admirable features which we support. Simplification of the Classification Act by merging the CAF, P, and SP grades into a single salary schedule is desirable. The United Public Workers also favors the provisions for three additional longevity raises in S. 1762. Our union believes that it is wise to raise the ceiling on classified salaries from $10,300 to $16,000. However, under this bill a CAF-3 would receive a raise of but $1.72 a year. The compensation schedule for CPC workers is much too low. Morton L. Friedman, of the wage: board technical staff, testifying before this subcommittee on May 11, said that a survey of blue-collar jobs of a custodial nature showed that Government lagged behind private industry in the payment of salaries. We submit that S. 1762 does not meet the need of the lower paid Federal workers for substantial wage increases. Senator LONG. You evidently agree with Mr. Steward who said that 1762 is a good skeleton, but there is not enough meat on the bones? Mr. ELDEAN. That is correct, Senator. In 1948 the classified Federal employees received a pay raise $120 less than that received by Postal workers. S. 1762 should be amended to correct this inequity. The United Public Workers of America, CIO, further urges the amendment of S. 1762, to include the clerical mechanical employees at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing under its coverage by converting the present CM classifications to the new crafts, protective, and custodial schedules as follows: Grade CM-1 to CPC-4, grade CM-2 to CPC-5, grade CM-3 to CPC-6, grade CM-4 to CPC-7. Those CM-1 employees now earning $1.10 an hour ($2,288 per annum) would be converted to the bottom of the CPC-4 grade at $2,400 per annum. CM-1's now earning $1.17 per hour ($2,433.60 per annum) would be placed in the second step of CPC-4 at $2,480 per annum. Those CM-2 employees now earning $1.24 an hour ($2,579.20 per annum) would start at the bottom of CPC-5 at $2,640 per annum. CM-2 employees now earning $1.32 an hour ($2,745.60 per annum) would begin at the third step of CPC-5 at $2,800 per annum. CM-3 employees earning $1.40 an hour ($2,912 per annum) would start at the second step of grade CPC-6 at $2,960 per annum. CM-3's earning $1.47 an hour ($3,057.60 per annum) would start at the fourth step of grade CPC-6, $3,120 per annum. CM-4 employees now earning $1.55 an hour ($3,224 per annum) would enter the third step of CPC-7 at $3,300 per annum. CM-4 employees who earn $1.69 an hour ($3,515.20 per annum) would be converted to the sixth step of CPC-7 at $3,600 per annum. The UPW-CIO is opposed to having the clerical mechanical employees at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing placed under a wage board. These employees have always been in the classified service, whose wages have been set by Congress. Furthermore, it would be difficult to find any workers in private industry doing comparable work. By converting them to the appropriate CPC grades, this committee will enable them to enjoy the same type of regular and longevity increases as other low-paid workers in the general service and CPC classifications. S. 1772 would provide additional benefits to workers in the postal field service and the United Public Workers endorses many of the worthy proposals embodied in S. 1722. Certainly postal workers are entitled to 26 days' vacation and 15 days' sick leave as are classified Federal employees. The appointment to grade 5-$100 uniform allowance and the longevity increases after 10, 13, 17, and 22 years with credit for past service-would also be of great benefit. Elimination of the efficiency rating system would be a contribution toward improving the morale of postal workers. Here, Senator, I would like to give you the efficiency rating systems of the Navy Department and the Post Office, and here are our views of why we think the efficiency rating system should be abolished, or why we think a system should be used with two adjectives, satisfactory and unsatisfactory. I will not take up any time reading that. Senator LONG. I will insert this then at the close of your testimony. Mr. ELDEAN. This bill would allow compensatory time for Saturday, Sunday, and holiday work at the rate of 90 minutes for each hour of service. We believe that postal employees should be paid at the rate of time and one half for Saturday work and double time for Sundays and holidays. Under the Wages and Hours Act, employees in private industry engaged in interstate commerce are paid time and one half for all work over 40 hours per week. Some union contracts call for double time for Sunday and holiday work. Public Law 134 of July 6, 1945, provided 11 salary grades for clerks and carriers with 3 additional longevity grades. Mail handlers have but six grades with no longevity grades. The lower paid custodial workers-probably the lowest paid in the postal service-have seven grade and no longevity grades. Mail handlers and custodial workers believe that they should be given the extra grades at additional pay and the three longevity grades to give them equality of treatment with clerks and carriers. The principle of longevity pay is just but it should apply to all workers in the postal service, particularly the lowest paid. Neither S. 1762 nor S. 1772, beneficial as they are, can be considered as pay-raise bills. The United Public Workers, CIO, urges the passage of S. 558 and S. 559 to provide $650 wage increases to postal and classified Federal workers. Despite pay raises averaging 46 percent to 50 percent, Federal employees still find it difficult to make ends meet and provide their families with the minimum necessities of life. In fact, many are still working part-time jobs or look for such jobs in an effort to supplement their inadequate income. No postal worker, for example, after working 8 hours in the post office takes an extra job only for the joy of working. Wives of Federal employees still work on jobs outside the home. This, too, is an undesirable situation, for children are deprived of |