TABLE V.-Detail of manufacturing expenses of Puerto Rican sugarcane processors, by component cost categories, crop years ended 1947-62 TABLE VI.-Detail of maintenance and repair expenses of Puerto Rican sugarcane processors, by component cost categories, crop years ended 1947-62 1 Included in "Materials and supplies," above. TABLE VII.-Detail of taxes and related charges levied upon Puerto Rican sugarcane processors, by component tax categories, crop years ended 1947-62 1 Sugar-production tax of $0.05 per hundredweight repealed effective July 1, 1957. 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 TABLE VIII.—Net income and net worth of Puerto Rican sugarcane processors, crop years ended 1947–62 Mr. CHARDON. There is something else I would like to say, if I may, Mr. Chairman. Mr. ROOSEVELT. Certainly. Mr. CHARDON. The statement I have just read was prepared before we had the privilege of listening to the testimony offered yesterday morning by Mr. Ramon Calderon of the Puerto Rico Manufacturers Association. My association, the Sugar Producers Association, fully subscribes and endorses Mr. Calderon's contention that the Fair Labor Standards Act should be amended to the effect of, shall we say, curtailing or conditioning the appointing powers of the U.S. Secretary of Labor so that the democratic intention of the Congress of the United States will not be defeated. Public interest members of minimum-wage committees should be handpicked and so carefully selected as to assure that they are true representatives of public interests rather than a sizable reinforcement of the labor component within the committees. This concludes my presentation, Mr. Chairman, and if there are any doubts in the minds of any of you gentlemen, Í shall endeavor to clear those doubts to the best of my ability. Mr. ROOSEVELT. Thank you, Mr. Chardon. You have done a fine job for us and we certainly do appreciate the factual manner in which you have given your presentation. May I ask you, are the factory workers unionized? Mr. CHARDON. Yes, sir, 100 percent. Mr. ROOSEVELT. What unions represent them? Mr. CHARDON. There are several, some independent unions but mostly the Sindicato Sugar Growers, which is affiliated with the CIO, and the Packinghouse Workers of America. Mr. ROOSEVELT. Affiliated with the Packinghouse Workers of America? Mr. CHARDON. Yes, sir. Mr. ROOSEVELT. Are your collective-bargaining agreements in excess of the present minimum wage established? Mr. CHARDON. Yes, sir. The wages actually paid are higher than statutory for two reasons: because of collective-bargaining agreements, and also because this is just a floor. In other words, the unskilled laborer, the janitor, the man who sweeps, gets that, but because of the skills of other employees, why they get a differential. In other words, a trained mechanic gets more. If a janitor is getting $1.17, a trained mechanic must make $1.40 or $1.50 and the average is much higher than the statutory minimum wage. Mr. ROOSEVELT. Are there any fringe benefits added to your collective-bargaining agreements? Mr. CHARDON. Yes, sir. There is a welfare fund. The mills contribute so many cents per ton of cane. In other words, it varies every year according to the tonnage which figure goes to the union for welfare purposes within its membership. Mr. ROOSEVELT. It is administered by the union? Mr. CHARDON. By the union itself. Mr. ROOSEVELT. The Commonwealth minimum wage figure, is it different from that established by the Federal Minimum Wage Board! Mr. CHARDON. It has been the policy of the Commonwealth that where we have Federal committees, they do not set a minimum wage. However, in the case of agriculture, which is not covered by the Fed |