STATEMENT OF EVERETT G. GIBSON, LEGISLATIVE REPRESENTATIVE, NATIONAL FEDERATION OF POST OFFICE MOTOR VEHICLE EMPLOYEES

Mr. GIBSON. Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, my name is Everett G. Gibson. I am president of the National Federation of Post Office Motor Vehicle Employees, affiliated with the AFL-CIO and the Government Employes' Council, AFL-CIO, with offices at 412 Fifth Street NW., Washington, D.C.

Our organization is composed of employees within the Post Office motor vehicle service facilities which include the operations and maintenance divisions of our Service. Our members are: Vehicle and tractor-trailer operators, automotive mechanics, garagemen, body-fender mechanics, automotive painters, clerks, and supervisors within our service.

I want to express my appreciation to you, Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, for allowing me to express the views of our organization on this important legislation. We realize that legislation must be enacted during this session of Congress if we are to preserve the intent of the salary reform provisions of Public Law 87-793, which was enacted in 1962.

The fact that the U.S. Civil Service Commission, Bureau of the Budget, and the Post Office have testified in favor of this legislation. for comparability increases of salaries of all postal and Federal employees, is most gratifying. The question as to the amount of increase to be granted will have to be the decision of this committee. I am confident that this committee will report a bill that is based on the comparability of the principles of the Salary Reform Act of 1962.

Appended to this statement is a wage table, disclosing private industry rates in eight representative cities for occupations comparable to automotive mechanics, vehicle operators and tractor-trailer operators in the postal field service. Some of the Bureau of Labor Statistics wage surveys on which the table is based, were initiated in late 1962 and early 1963-hence the private industry figures may be even higher at the present time.

In the light of the significant difference between wages in private industry and the Post Office Department for the jobs in question, H.R. 7814 contains modest pay increases for our members in these particular categories.

The comparability indicated in H.R. 7552 has been based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics survey of 1962, which reflects the pay scales of private industry in effect in late 1961 and early 1962-thus there is a lag of approximately 2 years. H.R. 7814 and similar bills will provide an average increase of 3 percent for each of the 2 years for those in the lower PFS levels. However, we would recommend that the same comparability be granted to all PFS levels in the postal field service. H.R. 7814 and similar bills do not provide a fair and adequate increase for those levels above a PFS level 10, which would lead to distort the pay structure as intended by the Salary Reform Act of 1962.

Therefore, on behalf of our organization, we endorse the principle of H.R. 7814 and similar bills, but recommend that consideration be given to PFS levels above that of PFS-10.

I want to thank you, Mr. Chairman, and members of the committee, for allowing me to express our views on this important legislation, and sincerely hope that this committee will report out a bill that will be enacted during this session of Congress. Thank you. (The table accompanying Mr. Gibson's statement follows:)

Representative private industry hourly rates for automotive mechanics, truckdrivers, and tractor-trailer drivers

The CHAIRMAN. Are there any questions of Mr. Gibson? If not, thank you very much, Mr. Gibson.

The last witness this morning is Mr. Harold McAvoy, president, Post Office Mail Handlers, Watchmen, Messengers, and Group Leaders.

STATEMENT OF HAROLD MCAVOY, PRESIDENT, POST OFFICE MAIL HANDLERS, WATCHMEN, MESSENGERS, AND GROUP LEADERS

Mr. McAvoy. Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, for the record my name is Harold McAvoy. I am national president of the Post Office Mail Handlers, Watchmen, Messengers, and Group Leaders and our membership in the Bureau of Facilities.

We are members of the American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations and the Government Employes' Council. Our office is located at 900 F Street NW., Washington, D.C.

I am happy for the privilege of appearing before you and to express the thinking of our people.

Last year the President directed the Civil Service Commission to submit to Congress a draft of a proposed bill which if adopted by the Congress would put the President's recommended proposals into effect January 1964. The President's proposals are now a reality.

As stated before by previous witnesses, "Our fundamental consideration is that the salary adjustments proposed by the President are called for by existing law and have been developed in strict accordance with existing statutory provisions."

The 1962 law requires that "Federal salary fixing shall be based upon the principles that there shall be equal pay for substantially equal work and pay distinctions shall be maintained in keeping with work and performance distinctions.

Federal salary rates shall be comparable with private enterprise, salary rates for the same levels of work.

A report on the above shall be given to the President.

A report to Congress by the President after seeking the views of employee organizations. The President's report would include the comparison of Federal and private enterprise.

Salary rates plus whatever recommendations the President deems advisable.

At this time I want to make this crystal clear. Our national organization fully endorses pay increases for Members of Congress, the executive branch, etc.

What is difficult for our people to understand us using the word "comparability." What happened to our members who are in pay level No. 3.

In checking the charts brought in by the Civil Service Commission, I find that the breakdown of said charts stops at the $5,000 pay level. At this time our people are in the $3,000 and $4,000 pay status. The charts, and I am led to believe the Bureau of Labor Statistics, will show that during the period of 1961-62, outside industry has received about a 3-percent salary increase per year. This 2-year lag amounts to around 6 percent to cover the years 1961 and 1962. This 6 percent is what our national organization fully endorses and asks this committee to adopt.

In closing this testimony, again I would like to point out that we in the postal service have very little to compare our job assignments with outside industry.

We are known as a service not as a business.

Speaking for our people in pay status level No. 3, mail handlers, etc. are the only employees I can speak for.

I make this comparison: Checker in transportation is being paid around $3.25 per hour. A checker justs checks the load involved, nothing else.

Department of sanitation employees in New York City have received two pay increases since 1961 and are in the $6,000 pay levels-all they do is lift. This is not criticism. He is not required to read or write. Longshoremen have also received two pay increases since 1961. I understand they are now in the pay bracket of $5,000 to $6,000 per year.

Our people do all three jobs plus separate the mail, incoming and outgoing. Public Law 68, standard position No. 8 tells the story of what our people do in the postal service.

Our national organization feels that our members are entitled to a decent salary increase not only for the job they do but they feel just like the average citizen in these United States does pertaining to an education for their children. This includes college, if it is at all possible. Remember, they will be the men and women of tomorrow. Therefore, I ask you, Mr. Chairman and members of this committee, to consider, if it is at all possible to elevate our people one pay level which will be pay level No. 4.

Our national organization fully endorses the following pay bills: H.R. 7792 introduced by Representative Olsen; H.R. 7803, introduced by Representative Wallhouser; H.R. 7814, introduced by Representative Morrison; and H.R. 7881, introduced by Representative Dulski; and all pay bills introduced along said lines by Members of Congress.

Mr. Chairman, that concludes my prepared statement.

I believe our operation director, who is sitting here, and the postal unions have gone over our case very clearly.

I would like to bring to your attention that we just left our national convention, which was held in Chicago last week. There were two outstanding resolutions adopted unanimously by the delegates assembled, those two resolutions being that time and a half be considered in your deliberations for substitutes and the elevation of our people, mail handlers, from pay level 3 to pay level

4.

I think the members of the committee know, ever since 1955 we have been striving to get our people, because we feel we are justified in asking, for the job they do, and now that we have the word "comparability," that they are entitled to pay level 4.

We have searched the entire country, we have had research people in, and the only people we can compare their job with is the checker in transportation. His job is just to separate whatever comes in, if it is off a train or off a boat. They tell me his wages he is under longshoremen or teamsters-his wages are over the $3.50-per-hour rate.

I came out of New York City, and the department of sanitation people have received two raises since 1961. They are in the $5,000 to $6,000 bracket. This is not criticism. They do not even have to read or write.

Going down the line, for the job we do, it is outlined as in Public Law 68, we ask that in your deliberations you consider elevation of our people from 3 to 4 for the job we do. That is all.

The CHAIRMAN. Any questions of Mr. McAvoy?

Mr. POOL. I will ask him the same question Congressman Udall asked. You would support a package bill?

Mr. McAvoy. Yes; it is in the brief, Mr. Congressman.

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you, Mr. McAvoy. This concludes the list of witnesses scheduled for today. There is nothing else before the committee this morning. The next session on this legislation will be next Thursday, September 12. The committee will stand adjourned.

(Whereupon, at 11:25 a.m., the committee adjourned.)

FEDERAL EMPLOYEES SALARY ACT OF 1963

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 1963

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,

COMMITTEE ON POST OFFICE AND CIVIL SERVICE,

Washington, D.C.

The committee met at 10 a.m. in room 215, Cannon House Office Building, Hon. Tom Murray (chairman of the committee) presiding. Mr. MURRAY. The committee will come to order.

The hearing will be resumed on the pay legislation now pending before the committee.

The witnesses this morning are Mr. Bernard L. Gladieux, chairman of the National Civil Service League, accompanied by Mr. Rocco C. Siciliano, member of the board, and Mr. Jean J. Couturier, executive director, National Civil Service League. We are glad to hear from you, gentlemen.

STATEMENT OF BERNARD L. GLADIEUX, CHAIRMAN, NATIONAL CIVIL SERVICE LEAGUE; ACCOMPANIED BY ROCCO C. SICILIANO, MEMBER OF THE BOARD; AND JEAN J. COUTURIER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, NATIONAL CIVIL SERVICE LEAGUE

Mr. GLADIEUX. Mr. Chairman, I am Bernard L. Gladieux, chairman of the National Civil Service League. I have a brief prepared statement which I would like to read because I think I can give it to you more succinctly and in a more organized fashion.

The National Civil Service League has enjoyed a long and honorable history of relationships with this strategic committee, and we are pleased to accept once again an invitation from you to offer our counsel concerning measures designed to improve the public service. More specifically, I am here in my capacity as chairman of the league, together with my colleagues, to support H.R. 7552. It is also our intent to urge extension of your consideration of the problems of Federal pay to the inadequate levels of compensation now applying to Congressmen, the judiciary, and executives under appointment by the President.

The National Civil Service League is a nonprofit, nonpartisan civic organization representing the public interest in matters affecting the welfare and capacity of the public service. It is the only citizens' group in the country working continuously to improve and modernize public personnel management at all levels of government. Founded in 1881 and instrumental in establishing the first civil service systems based on the merit principle in this country, the league for over 80 years has sponsored measures designed to make the public service a trust for the competent, the loyal, and the dedicated.