The Oregon state employee., March 01, 1945, Page 13, Image 13

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Maintenance Personnel
From a Report by the National Research Council,
Maintenance Personnel Commmittee
| À- shortage of trained personnel in
highway field maintenance work has
emphasized and brought into bold re­
lief the highly important part played
By trained and experienced field per­
sonnel in the proper maintenance of
highways.
It has always been known by those
in a position to know that properly
trained personnel filled a highly im­
portant place ran the maintenance of
highways, but ’in the pastz three years
it»' has been realized more than ever
Just how vital a part that such skilled
maintenance personnel does play in this
work.
Adequate highway maintenance has
three principal ingredients; which are
trained men, machinery, and materials.
There are substitutes that can be made
for machinery and materials, but there
is no substitute that can be made for
the knowledge and ability of a trained
highway maintenance man.
Granting, then, that trainedand ex­
perienced men are a requirement for
adequate maintenance, it naturally fob
lows that some thought should be given
to keeping the good man on the job.
The critical shortage of trained per­
sonnel in ' maintenance organizations
prompted the appointment of a com­
mittee of the Maintenance Department
of the Highway Research Board for the
purpose of making a study of-highway
maintenance personnel.
Civil Service
It has been found that sixteen state
highway departments have a civil ser­
vice plan, and all but one of these de­
partments consider that the civil ser­
vice plan in-effect is advantageous to
the operation of its department.
Of the 32 states that do not have-a
plan, 23 states think that their depart -
ment would be strengthened by the es­
tablishment of a civil service system'
for maintenance employees. Six states
that do not have a plan believe that
their department w o u l d not be
strengthened by the establishment of a
civil service plan.
Eighteen states have a remunerative
retirement plan and all 18’ think that
a retirement plan is advantageous to
the operation of their department. Of
the remaining 30 states, 27 report fav­
orable on a retirement plan and two say
"No.”
Stck Leave
All but th refeo fth e states indicate
that an annual sick leave is granted to
maintenance employees; varying in
length from, 11 to 30 days. Twenty-
seven states follow the policy of allow­
ing sick leave tp accumulate, with a
top limit for the accumulation. It is
noted that sick leave is available ohly to
monthly or salaried employees and not
to hourly employees in 28 states. Sev­
enteen of the remaining .20 states say
that sick leave is available to all em­
ployees.
Wage and Hours
The length of working hours for
field employees varies from eight to ten
hours per day and from 39 to 60 hours
per week. Thirty-eight states pay regu­
lar employees on a straight time basis,
.and 21 states make an allowance or ad­
justment „in the pay-for full time em­
ployees for overtime work.
Pay as little attention to discourage-.'
ment as possible. Plough ahead as a
steamer does, rough or smooth—rain
or .shine«.To carry your cargo and make
your port is the point.
— Maltbie Babcock