9
no different than employees of pri
vate enterprise, pinched by the same
increasing cost of living, and with the
Same need for security. Public em
ployees should not be expected to con
tent themselves with labor policies and
treatment twenty years behind the
standards and practices established by
law for private industry.
Present Laws Favor
Private Employment
It is a matter of record, open to
any one who wants to take the time
and effort for study that labor laws,
both on the federal and state levels,
are more favorable to employees in
private agencies than those in the pub
lic agencies.
Some of the Oregon institutions are
finding it difficult and in some cases
impossible to recruit desirable person
nel because of long hours of work,
wage rates and working conditions that
would not be tolerated by privatë in
dustry. Furthermore, private industry
could not function by pursuing the
same business practices as those .of
some public agencies.
In many cases, labor and industry
have worked together to accomplish
labor and business reforms profitable
to both. In all cases it has been through
organization that labor has brought
about labor reforms that have lifted
the working man up to his rightful
position, made him a better citizen
arid a greater consumer of agricultural
and manufactured products.
A Strong Public Employee
Organization Is Needed
The public employee or the “ white
collar” worker has been reluctant to
organize, either bècause of pride or
some imagined fear. These same people
will be disposed to suffêr the safne
low salaries and unfavorable working
conditions so long as they fail to recog
nize the need for organization. Organi
sation in their field must be as com
plete as that in private industry. There
is no more room for the hanger-on or
chiseler in an association of public em
ployees than there is in any labor union.
Labor unions have their own methods
for getting members. Associations and
independent organizations must, if they
are to survive, devise some means to
accomplish this same end.
While it may not be practicable nor
advisable to force public employees to
belong to workers organization, neither
is, it advisable nor practicable to beg
or to bribe public workers to seek
meriibership iri their own association
by poiriting out to non-participants the
fact that salaries have been increased
or vacation allowances improved.
A strong productive organization
cannot be built upon such a jelly-like
foundation. Membership must be built
upon a basis of need, with an eye to
the future. The. past is only a memory.
The future is a vision—a challenge to
workers of ambition and fortitude.
State Travel
Mileage Raised
State employes driving privately-
owned automobiles on state business
will receive seven cents per mile for
the first 1,000 miles per month, against
the present overall allowance of six
cents, State Finance Department Di
rector Harry Dorman announced. .
After the first 1,000 miles per month
the payment will drop to six cents a
mile.
Dorman said the increased mileage
rate was approved following several
months investigation and study. This
new rate became effective October 1.
Building Committee
The O SEA building committee, com
prised of Don Parker, chairman, Ed
Zahara, Wayne Straw, Floyd Query
and Virgil O ’Neil have held two meet
ings during the summer and are still
working on the factors involved in in
vestigating the possibility of having our
own building for a State-wide head
quarters, office space and general
council meeting place.
Considerable work has been done
studying locations, costs, designs, legal
aspects, et cetera; and the committee
plans to have at least one more meet
ing prior to general council time, and
a full report to give the members then.