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House Speech H.R. 87 - Postal Service, March 8, 1950
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House Speech H.R. 87 - Postal Service, March 8, 1950
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The original documents are located in Box D13, folder "House Speech H.R. 87 - Postal
Service, March 8, 1950" of the Ford Congressional Papers: Press Secretary and Speech File
at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Copyright Notice
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of
photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. The Council donated to the United
States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.
Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public
domain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to
remain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid
copyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Digitized from Box D13 of The Ford Congressional Papers: Press Secretary and Speech File at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
EXTENSION OF REMARKS OF
HON. GERALD R. FORD, JR. OF MICHIGAN
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Wednesday, Mar.8,1950
MR. FORD. Mr. Speaker, I arise at this time to reaffirm my support of
H.R.87. I was one of the original supporters of this necessary remedial legis-
lation. My testimony is included in the hearings and this statement is re-
printed in the August issue of the Union Postal Clerk.
It is regrettable that a number of amendments are to be offered which will
have the effect of willing the bill. This bill as modified by the substitute
should be approved and I intend to support it.
I would like to review the situation in a particular community, namely,
Grand Rapids, Mich., my home town. As this committee knows, all civil service
examinations for the post office were "frozen" during World War II. In the
period between 1941 and 1946 the Department used many temporary employees but
none in this group achieved permanent status because no qualifying examinations
were given.
The first examinations for post office employees were held in September
1946. The veterans of World War II who initially entered the postal service
after the late war took this examination at the first opportunity, along with
those who had been temporary employees during the war, I think we can validly
assume that many veterans would have become post office employees during the per-
iod between 1941 and 1945 if military service had not intervened. A number of
veterans passed this examination along with a few temporary employees. Those
t emporaries who passed examinations and became classified employees upon ap-
pointment as regulars received an automatic increase of $400 per year. This
gave them a period of only 6 years in which to reach top-grade salary. Veterans
of World War II have to work 10 years to reach top-salary grade.
In my estimation, under the present law an unfair discrimination presently
exists as far as World War II veterans are concerned because the former temporary
employees get the benefit of a $400 increase in salary while the veteran when
he becomes a regular employee does not derive the same financial benefits even
though his forced absence from the postal service was no fault of his. I have
no desire to penalize the temporary employee who worked diligently during the
war for the Post Office Department, but I certainly think we should give the
veteran credit for his war service once he enters the postal service as a per-
manent career employee.
A failure to remedy this situation will be harmful to employee morale. This
is best illustrated by a specific example. Rather than use names, I will refer
to employee A, a veteran who took and passed a civil-service examination given
in September, 1946. A was appointed January 1, 1947, as a regular because of
his high rating on the examination. Employee B, a nonveteran, took the same
examinati on but he had been hired on May 1,1945. B did not get his regular
appointment after the September 1946 examination until April 1, 1948.
What is the situation today? B is now making $3,350 per year while A earns
only $2,750 annually. There is this differential even though A has 15 months
additional seniority as a regular or permanent employee. Furthermore A has
been graded "outstanding" while B has only a satisfactory" rating. Both these
men do the same job, they work side by side. Employee B, the nonveteran, now
earns approximately $11.54 more each week than his veteran co-worker, despite
A's better qualifications, both on the examination and on the periodic grading
system. This is only one of many such cases but it well illustrates the in-
equities which must be ractified.
For the committee's examination I include a table showing the precise
situation in the Grand Rapids post office, It will be seen that the veterans
of World War II, who make up a substantial portion of the postal employees,
are being penalized and the morale of the entire service will unquestionably
suffer if this legislation is not approved.
In closing, let me emphasize the need for this legislation. Veterans of
World War I have received credit for time spent in military service, even
those who were not employed in the Postal Service prior to their entry into
the armed forces. Veterans of World War II who worked for the Post Office
Department previous to entry into the armed service in the last war have re-
ceived credit for their military service under present ay schedules.
I therefore strongly recommend favorable consideration of H.R.87 by this
committee in order that richly deserved benefits will accrue to those veterans
GERALD FORD LIBRARY
who direly need financial assistance at this time and in the years to come,
NUMBER OF
WORLD WAR
CLASSIFIED
TOTAL
NUMBER WHO
II VETERANS
REGU-
SUBSTITUTES
OF
ARE VETERANS
WHO ARE ELI-
CLASSIFICATION
LARS
BOTH
OF WORLD WAR
GIBLE FOR
II
VURSELL ACT
BENEFITS
Supervisors
37
0
37
3
O
Clerks
182
31
213
107
73
Carriers
205
35
240
118
81
Mail handlers
12
2
14
7
7
Motor-vehicle
service
30
5
35
5
3
Special delivery
9
2
11
3
2
Custodial
19
a 1
20
3
2
Rural carriers
5
b 0
5
2
1
Total
499
76
575
248
169
a Charwoman.
b Substitutes for rural
carriers are not
carried either as a regular or
classified employees,
Summary
Total employees - Regular and classified substitutes - - - 575
Total World War II veterans
-
1
248
Total World War II veterans who would be eligible for
Vursell Act benefits-- - 169
FORD i LIBRARY GERALD