3
Wage Increase Approved
As predicted in an earlier special com
mittee report, a wage increase for em
ployees of the State Highway Depart
ment was recommended by the State
Highway Engineer and approved by
the State Highway Commission, effec
tive April 1, 1944. This raise consis
ted of a general increase of $10.00 per
month to all monthly rate employees
receiving salaries below $400.00 per
month and a general increase of three
cents per hour to all hourly rate em
ployees. The approval authorized a lim
ited number of minor variations either
above or below the rates approved so
as to eliminate inequalities.
This wage raise and adjustment has
resulted in a wage schedule for the
Highway Department concerning which
there has been a notable lack of com
plaint of inequalities such as were heard
last year. The State Highway Engineer
and the Highway Commission merits
the appreciation of all employees of the
Department for this present adjust
ment.
The Three Merit Systems Consolidated
A single merit system council to di
rect personnel administration for the
State Unemployment Compensation
Commission, The State Public Welfare
Commission and the State Board of
Health was appointed by the Gover
nor and the names of the new council
announced on May 29th. Members of
the new council are: Dr. Victor P.
Morris, Dean of the School of Admin
istration, University of Oregon, Mrs.
William Kletzer of Portland and Mr.
C. W. Pecore of Portland.
The three agencies while partially
supported by federal aid funds are re
quired by federal laws to operate un
der a merit system and each agency has
maintained an individual merit system
for several years. The plan for joint
administration for personnel has been
proposed for some time to secure
greater efficiency and economy. The
Interim Committee of the Legislature,
appointed to study and investigate the
merit system, recommended to the
Governor last fall that the consolida
tion be made if possible and at the
earliest possible moment. The Gover
nor through able negotiation with the
three commissions involved, secured
their acquiescence to the plan. Each of
the three commissions proposed names
from which one member of the new
council of three was selected.
The joint council will eliminate the
maintenance of triple merit system or
ganizations and will affect material
savings and assure greater efficiency.
Preliminary organizational meetings are
being held we understand, and it is an
ticipated that the unified system will
become operative as of July 1, 1944.
Candidates for competitive positions
under the new plan will be required
to submit to one examination instead
of three and all three agencies will draw
their employees from one eligibility list.
Oregon will no longer be the only
state in the nation with three individ
ual merit system organizations to ad
minister the personnel of the three fed
eral aid agencies involved, and the
Governor, The Interim Committee, and
all persons involved are to be com
mended on the accomplishment of this
consolidation which will result in great
benefit to the State of Oregon.