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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 23, 1933)
irEBFOTtD rATL TRIBUTE, MUDFORn, OREGON. "WEDNESDAY, 'AUGUST 23, 1033. miifDS ft yy yy (goon gnft off (onrodl 77ie President's Reemployment Program is advancing to complete success. No such sweeping demonstration of the unity of a whole people against a national danger has ever been made. In this vast surge of patriotism it is neces sary to keep our common purpose always clear. Wlien 125,000,000 people attempt to act as one man there are sure to be some misunderstandings. It is lime to restate as clearly as possible the aim of the whole endeavor and the duty of each individual. That is the purpose of this message to state officially, briefly and clearly the simple rules for common guidance. It is an evidence of the self sacrificing service of the whole country that this newspaper has donated this space. In that spirit the whole country is acting. This plan depends wholly on united action. That unity is almost complete. In the next few days let us close up every gap in the ranks and l A J I nail the flag of the Blue Eagle on the door of every man who works another man. "JJUuf V-U OFFICIAL EXPLANATION OF THE PRESIDENT'S REEMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT . (Sometime, miscalled "The Blanket Code") . This Agreement binds you to put Its termi Into effect t roa the time you sign the Certificate of Compliance until December 81, 10331 nut when the President has approved a Code for jour trade or Industry, that Code takes the place of this Agreement . Tou agret: Child Labor (1) After August 31, 1933, not to employ any . person under 16 years of age, except that persons between 14 and 16 may be employed (but not in manufacturing or mechanical Industries) for not to exceed 3 hours per day and those hours between 7 A. M. and 7 P. M. In such work as will not inter fere with hours of day school. This means that after August 81, 1933; you agree not to employ any children under 14 years old in any kind of business. You may employ children between 14 and It years old, but only for three hours a day and those hours must be between 1 In the morning and 7 at night, and arranged so as not to Interfere with school. You agree not to employ any children under 1I years old In ' a manufacturing or mechanical industry, at any time. Maximum Hours (2) Not to work any accounting, clerical, bank ing, office, service, or sales employees (except out side salesmen) In any store, oflice, department, establishment, or publle utility, or on any auto motive or horse-drawn passenger, express, delivery, or freight service, or in any other place or manner, for more than 40 hours in any 1 week and not to reduce the hours of any store or service operation to below 52 hours in any 1 week, unless such hours were less than 52 hours per week before July 1, 1933, and in the latter case not to reduce such hours at all. This means that you agree not to work any of the kinds of employees listed In this paragraph (except outside salesmen) for more than 40 hours a week. This para graph covers all employees except factory workers, me chanical workers and artisans. However, no limit on hours and no minimum wage applies to purely agricul tural labor, domestic servants, or persons working for you solely on a commission bonis t but. If you have persons working for you who are guaranteed a base pay in addition to their commission, then their base pay plus commissions must equal the minimum wage. - This Agreement sets no maximum on the number of hours you may keep your business open. You agree not to keep your wholesale, retail, or service establishment open less than 62 hours a week unless It was open leu than 52 hours a week before July 1, 1988. Even then you agree to keep It open as long as you used to keep it open before July 1. Of course. If you have always kept your store open shorter hours In the Summer months you can continue to do so this Summer, but you should pay your employees the same amount each week that they will get when you keep your store open full time. The stores with more than two employees which remain open the longest are contributing the most to carrying out the purpose of the Agreement The stores with two or less employers which can be open only the minimum number of hours required, are doing the most to fulfill their part (3) Not to employ any factory or mechanical worker or artisan more than a maximum week of 35 hours until December 31, 1933, but with the right to work a maximum week of 40 hours for any 6 weeks within this period) and not to employ any worker mora than 8 hours in any one day. This means that If you are employing factory or me chanical workers or artisans, you agree not to work them more than 8o hours a week and not more than 8 hours in any one day. When you liave more than the usual amount of work to do and can't get additional workers, you may employ this class of employee up to 44) hours a wrrk In nnv ti weeks, but even in this case you must not work them more than 6 hours a day. (t) The maximum hours fixed In the foregoing paragraphs (2) anil (3) shall not apply to em ployees in establishments employing not more than two persons in towns of less than 2,500 population which towns are not part of a larger trade arrat nor to registered pharmacists or other professional persons employed in their profession nor to em ployees in a managerial or executive capacity, who . now receive more than $35 per weekt nor to em ploy ees on emergency maintenance and repair work l nor to very special cases where restrictions of hours of highly skilled workers on continuous processes would unavoidably reduce production but. in any such special ease, at least lime and one-third shall be paid for hours worked in excess of the maximum. Population for the purposes of this agreement shall be determined by reference to the 1930 1'ederal census. This means that there are certain emplovecs whom vuu may work longer hours than are allowed by paragraphs (2) and (3) P. R. A. 1 B 1 If your business is In a small town (population less than S.300 by the IWI0 mi, us) and you do not employ more limn two persons, the limit on hours does not apply to these employees. If your town Is really a part of a larger business community, the limit on hours does apply to these employees. The limit on hours does not apply lo your employees who are wliolly or primarily inanagrrs or execiitliea, as long as they receive l a week. Professional persons, like doctors, lawyers, registered pharmacists and nurses may lie employed w ithout any limit on hours. Where employers are doing emergency Jobs of innltitr nanca or repair work, they may lie kept on the Job for longer hours, but you agree to pay them at least time and one-third for hours worked over the limits set in para graphs (2) and (e) P. R. A. There are a few very special cases where highly skilled workers must be allowed to work more than the limit of hours in order to keep up output on continuous processes, but, here again, you agree to pay them at least time and one-third for the hours they work over the limiU set in paragraphs (2) and (3) P.O. A. Minimum Wage (5) Not to pay any of the classes of employees mentioned in paragraph (2) less than $15 per week In any city of over 500,000 population, or In the immrdinte trade area of such city; nor less than S14.50 per week in any city of between 250.000 and 500,000 population, or in the im mediate trade area of such cityt nor less than f 14 per week in any city of between 2,500 and 250,000 population, or in the immediate trade area of such city and in towns of less than 2,500 population lo increase all wages by not less than 20 per cent, provided that this shall Rot require wages in excess of $12 per week. This seta out the schedule of minimum wages which you agree to pay all employees, except factory or mechanical workers or artisans. The wages are set out In terms of dollars per week, but If your employees are paid by the hour, you may use the following scheduler Plaxm of Business i Minimum Wage: iPopuUllau by 19S0 Cental) In cities of 500,000 or over 37H cents per hour In cities of between 250,000 and . 500,000 36 U cents per hour In cities of letween 2,500 and 250,000 35 cents per hour ' If your business Is in a town of less than 2,900 popula tion, you agree to raise all wages at least 20. If raising all wages 20 causes you to pay over $12 per week, then you need only pay tho $12 per week. If there Is any doubt In your mind as to whether your business Is In the "Immediate trade area" of a city, you should ask your local Chamber of Commerce or other similar organisation for a decision on the matter. The general rule is that the "Immediate trade area" Is the area in which there Is direct retail competition. (6) Not to pay any employ ee of the classes men tioned In paragraph (3) Ices than 40 cents per hour unless the hourly rate for the same class of work on July 15, 1929, was less than 40 cents per hour, in which latter rase not to pay less than the hourly rate on July 15, 1929, and In no event less than 30 cents per hour. It Is agreed that this para graph establishes a guaranteed minimum rata , of pay regardless of whether tho employee ia com , pensatcd on tho basis of a time rate or on a piece work performance. Tills fixes the minimum wage which you agree to pay factory and mechanical workers and artisans. The fol lowing schedule may help you to find out the proper rate: II Ik. ml. fmr tk. tnm. kind .1 trork In ikm mm rnmmuniiy a inly IS, 1999, imsi . Tk. minimum rats wklth m grm. la pay In More than 40o an hour... 40c an hour 30c to 40c an hour The July 15, 1929 hourly rate Less than 30c an hour..... 30c an hour Instead of pnviug Iiy the hour, you may pay by the week at a rule which gives the same weekly earnings for a week of 85 hours. For example, Instead" of 40c an hour, you may pay $14 per week. , If you had a contract on or before August 1, 1933, with a learner or apprentice, you do not have to pay him the minimum wage, but no one should be classed as a learner or an apprentice who has ever been employed as a rcgu lar worker In your industry, (7) Not to reduce the compensation for emplov. mem now In excess of Ilia minimum wages hereby agreed lo (notwithstanding that tho hours worked In such employment may be hereby reduced) and lo iurreaso the pay for such employment bv an equitable readjustment of all pay schedules. Two official Interpretations No. 1 and No. 20 have been Issued, explaining this paragraph. You can get copies of these at your local chamber of Commerce or from the nearest N. It. A. representative. Anti-Subterfuge (8) Not to use any subterfuge lo frustrate the spirit and Intent of this Agreement which is, among other things, to increase employment by a uni versal covenant. In remove obstructions lo com. merer, and In shorten hours and lo raise wages for the shorter wrrk to a lliing basis. Tkii It tht hrart of Ik. nholl Aartt meal. las Prett dtnl't.Ptan is to rare Ihit depression by increatino rr thntino riw, You run help him pal ihit plan oi'sr fv Voluntarily Honing Ihit Agrttmtnt lo thortrn hour) and raitr tm.i. Ihtr. it no force lo compel you lo tion Ihit Aontmint. II it not law. It It a prnonnl aam.tval between yon and Ik. President. Tht Prttidtni trperlt you lo do everything in your potrsr lo earn oat Ih. tpiril of tht Armnt after you lion it. Thit meant va(-ariir(l roc-pe rolina fy really earning ( Hlut .'.; not y sut gelling il oad thin not doing jn.r pnrl. fl nvalif h a "tubttrfugt lo fruilralt tht tpiril naif ttitrnt til thit .tgreemtnt" to tion it and then put all of your employ, et oa a ttnli:ihl mmniiiii.in lantvr any other trie lo avoid doing uhal you promitt to do. . WE DO OUR PART HOW TO EARN THE BLUE EAGLE 1. Sign the President's Reemployment Agreement (P.R.A.). 2. Shorten Houri of factory workers to 35 hours per week, and of all other employees to 40 hours per week. (See paragraphs 2, 3 and 4, P.R.A.) 3. Raise Wages. (See paragraphs S, 6, and 7, P.R.A.) 4. Don't Employ Child Labor. (See paragraph I, P.R.A.) 3. Cooperate with the President. To do this: (a) Live Up to the Agreement. (See paragraph 8, P.R.A.) (b) Don't Profiteer. (See paragraph 9, P.R.A.) (e) Deal Only with Others "Under the Blue Eagle." (See paragraphs 10 and 12.) (d) Get a Code In by September 1st. (See paragraphs 11 and 13, P.R.A.) HOW TO GET THE BLUE EAGLE 1. Sign the President's Reemployment Agreement. .2. Mall the Signed Agreement to. your District Office of the Department of Commerce. 3. Put the Agreement Into Effect (as outlined above in "How to Earn the Blue Eagle"). 4. Sign a Certificate of Compliance. This is a slip distributed with the Agreement. It says: "II We certify that we have adjusted the hours of labor and the wages of our employees to accord with the President's Reemployment Agreement, uhich we have signed." 5. Deliver the Certificate of Compliance to Your Post Office.' The Postmaster will give yvu your Blue Eagle. . EXCEPTIONAL CASES 1. There a Code Has Decn Submitted, (See paragraph 13, President's Reemployment Agree- . ment). If your whole Trade or Industry is unable to live up to the President's Agreement, you should get together at once, with other employers In your Trade or Industry and, In a group, sub mit a Code of Fair Competition to N, R. A. in Washington. Since It takes some time after a Code has been submitted for It to be finally approved, your group may petition N. R. A. to substitute the wages and hours provisions of your Code for the wages and hours provisions of the President's Reemployment Agreement If N. R. A. finds that the Code provisions arc within the spirit of the President's Reemploy ment Agreement, it will consent to such substitu tions. If N. R. A. docs consent there will be an official notice in all the papers. You may then put the substituted provisions into effect In place of the Indicated paragraphs of the President's Re employment Agreement In this case you should add to your Ccrtilicate of Compliance the fol lowing clausci "To the extent of N. R. A. con sent as announced, we have complied with the President's Agreement by complying with the substituted provisions of the Code submitted by the TradeIndustry." If the substitution Is consented to after you have already put the President's Reemployment Agreement Into full effect, and after you have already gotten your Blue Eagle, you mav still put the substituted provisions into effect without signing another Certificate of Compliance. , 2. Where a Code Has Been Approved. If a Cmlc of Fair Competition for your Trade or Industry has already been finally approved by the President, you need not sign the President's Reemployment Agreement In order to get the flue Kagle. The same is true If you are subject to a Code which has been put Into effect tempo rarily by agreement between the President and representatives of your Trade or Industry i hut In either of these cases, you must sign a Certificate of Compliance, adding to It the following state ment! "We have compiled with the operative pro visions of the Code for the TradeIndustry." 3. Cases of Individual Hardship. (Paragraph 14. President's Reemployment Agreement). If there are some peculiar reasons why a par ticular provision of the President's Agreement will cause you, individually, a great and unavoid able hardship, you may still get the Blue Eagle by taking tlie following stcpsi (a) Sign the Agreement and mall It to your District Office of tlie Department of Commerce. Official Statement NATIONAL RECOVERY ADMINISTRATION (j (b) Prepare a petition to N. R. A. setting out the reasons why you cannot comply with certain provisions, and requesting that an exception be made in your case. (c) Have this petition approved by your Trade Association. If there Is no Trade Association for your business, have your petition approved by your local Chamber of Commerce or other repre sentative organization designated by N. R. A. (d) If the Trade Association, or other organi sation, approves your petition, send it to N. It. A. in Washington with Oils approval. (e) Comply with all the provisions of the Agreement except the one you are petitioning to have excepted. (f) Sign the Certificate of Compliance, adding to it the following clause! "Except for ihor.c interim provisions regarding wages and hours wiiich have been approved by the Trade Association." Deliver this Certificate of Compliance to your Post Office You will receive a Blue Eagle, but before displaying it, you must put a while liar across its breast with the word "Provisional" on It. If your petition Is finally approved by N. R. A. you may take the bar down. If your petition Is not approved by N.R.A. you must comply with the Agreement In full. 4. l?ninn Contracts. If you have a contract with a labor organization calling for longer hours than the President's Agreement allows, and this contract was made in good faith by collective bargaining and cannot be changed by you alone, try to get the labor organirntion to agree to a reduction to the maximum hours allowed by tlie President's Agreement. If tlie labor organisa tion will not agree, you may apply to N. It. A. for permission to work your employees as manv hours a week as the contract calls'for. Send to N. R. A. a request for this permission, with a certified copy of the labor contract and any statrment of fact you desire. This application will be handled by N. R. A. In the same manner ns an application for relief In cases of individual hardship. Hied under paragraph (11) P. R. A., but it will not be necessary to obtain the ap. proval of a trade association or other organisa tion. If N. R. A. approves your application or is able to bring about any modification of the contract you will then be granted permission to work employees in accordance with tlie con tract as -originally written or modified, and can then sign the Certificate of Compliance adding to It the following! "Except as rrcpiirrd to comply with the terms of the Agreement in effect between the undersigned and the (Name of Labor Organisation)." of the Blue Eagle Division, N.R.A., Antl-Proflteerlng (9) Not lo increase the price of any merchandise sold after the date hereof over the price on July 1 1933, by more than is made necessary by aelnal in creases in production, replacement, or invoice costs of merchandise, or by taxes or other costs result ing from action taken pursuant to the Agricultural Adjustment Act, since July 1, 1933, and, in setting such price increases, to give full weight to probable increases in sales volume and to refrain from taking profiteering advantage of the consuming public. The object of this paragraph Is to prevent profHeerlng or speculation, so that prices will not rise faster than par chasing power, and destroy the President's plan. The dan ger to be avoided was pointed out by the President on June 16, 1933, in the statement which he made on signing the Recovery Act He said, them , "If we now inflate prices as fast and as far as wo increase wages, the whole project will be aet at naught. We cannol hope for the full effect of this plan unless, in these first critical months, and, even -at the expense of full iuitial profits, we defer price increases as long as possible. If we can thus start a strong, sound upward spiral of business activity our industries will have little doubt, of black-Ink operations in the last quarter of this year. The pent-up demand of this people is very great, and if we can release It on so broad a front we need not fear a lagging recovery. There is greater danger of too much feverish speed." If you were selling your merchandise on July 1, 1933, below cost, you may take your cost price on that date as . the basis for determining the allowable increase under this paragraph. Cooperation (10) To support and patronize establishments which also have signed this Agreement and are listed as members of ti. R. A. (National Recovery Administration). The success of the President's Reemployment Agree ment Program depends upon public support going" to those who raise wages and shorten hours in accordance with this Agreement, in order to repay them for the extra expense which they hove incurred in doing their part, Codes (11) To cooperate to the fullest extent in having a Code of Fair Competition submitted by his in dustry at the earliest possible date, and in any event before September 1, 1933. This Agreement Is a temporary measure to tide over the time from now until all employers and employee can cooperate under Codes of Fair Competition under the National Industrial Recovery Act You agree, in this paragraph, to do all you can to have a Code submitted for your trade or industry before September 1, 1933. Appropriate Adjustments (12) Where, before June 16, 1933, the under signed had contracted lo purchase goods at a fixed price for delivery during the period of Ihis Agree ment, the undersigned will make an appropriate adjustment of said fixed price to meet any increase in cost caused by the seller having signed this President s Reemployment Agreement or having become bound by any Code of Fair Competition approved by the President This Agreement will, usually, increase the costs of those who sign It. The purpose of this paragraph Is to pass any such Increased costs along from one signer to another, and so on to the consumer. If you have a contract made before June 16, 1933, to buy goods at a fixed price, you agree to make an arrange ment with your seller so that you pay him for the extra cost to him caused by his having signed this Agreemcnt, or having come under a Code approved by the President. In some cases the final buyer is the Government which, under existing low. Is generally not allowed to pay more than the contract price. The President has announced hat he will recommend to Congress that appropriations be made to allow the Government to play its part by paying Government contractors who have signed the Agreement for their increased costs. The President hos also appealed to the States and cities to take action per mitting them to do likewise. You should have no fear that, because your buyer "has not signed, vou will be left with the increased cost on you alone. The President expects tvery employer to sign this Agreement. " Substitutions (13) This Agreement shall cease upon approval by the President of a Code to which the undersigned is subject- or. If the N. II. A. so elects, upon sub mission of a Code to which the undersigned is sub jeel and substitution of any of its provisions for any of the terms of this Agreement. As pointed out in the explanation of paragraph (11) P. R. A. above, the President plans to have all business govern itself under Codes, and therefore Codes should be promptly submitted. If N. R. A. finds that the wages and hours provisions of a Code which has been submitted arc within the spirit of lliis Agreement, N. R. A. will authorize your industry to operale under those provisions rather than under the wages and hours provisions of tills Agreement. Exceptions (II) It is agreed that any person who wishes to do his part in I he President's Reemployment Drive by signing this Agreement, but who 'asserts that some particular protision hereof, because of pecu liar circumstances, will create great and unavold able hardship, may obtain ihe benefits hereof by signing this Agreement and putting it into effect and then, in - petition approved by a trade associa tion of his industry, or other representative organize, lion designated by N. R. A., may apply fr . ,tav of Mich provision pending a summary Investigation i j J ?' i' hl; 'gnr' ucn application to abide by the decision of such investigation. This rlX.PI"vnl. " Vl7rr,d lnl pnrsuont to section 4 (a) of the ISa lonal Induslrinl Recovery Aet and sub. jec to all the terms and conditions required by sections 7 (a) and 10 (b) of that act. If you really want to do your part in the President's Reemployment Program, sign this Agreement. It ". particular part of this Agreement causes you. as in TadU r.,W '"T'oyrr great and unavoidable hardship, you may obtain relief bv taking the step, outlined unJer the heading "Cases of Individual Hardship." Save this sheet as your official source of Informa tion. If there are any problems in your mind which are not cleared up by this explanation, get In touch who inr oinciai pt. K. A. representative in your community. Washington, D. c.
