HmP19 JE 37 HD4885 1937 TO SAFEGUARD THE WELFARE OF APPRENTICES THURSDAY, APRIL 22, 1937 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, The subcommittee this day met at 10:30 a. m., Hon. William J. Fitzgerald presiding, for consideration of H. R. 6205, which reads as follows: [H. R. 6205, 75th Cong., 1st sess.] A BILL To enable the Department of Labor to formulate and promote the furtherance of labor standards necessary to safeguard the welfare of apprentices and to cooperate with the States in the promotion of such standards Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of Labor is hereby authorized and directed to formulate and promote the furtherance of labor standards necessary to safeguard the welfare of apprentices, to extend the application of such standards by encouraging the inclusion thereof in contracts of apprenticeship, to bring together employers and organized labor for the formulation of programs of apprenticeship, to cooperate with State agencies. engaged in the formulation and promotion of standards of apprenticeship, andi to cooperate with the Office of Education of the Department of the Interior in accordance with section 6 of the Act of February 23, 1917 (39 Stat. 932), as amended by Executive Order Numbered 6166, June 10, 1933, issued pursuant to an Act of June 30, 1932 (47 Stat. 414), as amended. SEC. 2. The Secretary of Labor may publish information relating to existing and proposed labor standards of apprenticeship, and may appoint advisory committees to serve without compensation. Such committees shall include representatives of employer associations, labor organizations, and officers of other executive departments, with the consent of the head of any such department. SEC. 3. Upon the effective date of this Act, that section of the National Youth Administration at present engaged in a program to formulate and promote the furtherance of labor standards of apprenticeship shall be abolished. All records, papers, and property of such section shall become records, papers, and property of the Department of Labor, and all unexpended funds allotted or appropriated for the use and maintenance of such section shall become funds available to be expended by the Secretary of Labor in performing the duties and functions conferred on him by this Act. The Secretary of Labor is authorized to appoint such employees as he may from time to time find necessary for the administration of this Act, with regard to existing laws applicable to the appointment and compensation of employees of the United States: Provided, however, That he may appoint persons now employed in the aforesaid section of the National Youth Administration upon certification by the Civil Service Commission of their qualifications after nonassembled examinations. STATEMENT OF MRS. CLARA M. BEYER, DIVISION OF LABOR Mr. FITZGERALD. The committee will please be in order. The first witness this morning is Mrs. Clara M. Beyer, Assistant Director of the Division of Labor Standards of the Department of Labor. 1 Mrs. BEYER. Mr. Chairman, may I ask as the representative of the chairman of the Federal Committee on Apprentice Training? Mr. FITZGERALD. Yes. Mrs. BEYER. And as a representative of the Labor Department. H. R. 6205 specifically authorizes and directs the Secretary of Labor to promote labor standards in apprenticeships, to bring together employers and organized labor for the formulation of programs of apprenticeship, to cooperate with State agencies engaged in the promotion of apprentice standards, and to cooperate with the United States Office of Education and the National Youth Administration. The development of sound apprenticeship programs for the training of skilled workmen, in accordance with the employment needs, is one of recognized advantage to labor, to employers, to young people, and to the public. That is a very important part of our national economy; and the need for this sort of development has long been recognized. The desirability of a national approach to this problem has been demonstrated by the results of the work of the Federal Committee on Apprentice Training during the last 3 years, when the Federal Committee on Apprentice Training has been functioning in this field. Up to this time the committee has been functioning as a temporary agency, but everybody recognizes that this is a long-time program, that apprenticeships continue over years; therefore this activity should be connected with a permanent department of Government. We always will have need for apprentices, and there will always be need for coordinating their work, having them attend school and work on jobs. Moreover, there is the need of determining properly the number of apprentices necessary to meet the demands of industries. The number of apprentices may fluctuate with industrial activity, but the necessity for maintaining adequate labor standards and training facilities for those who are employed can and for relating the number of apprentices to the employment needs of the trades remains constant. In September 1936 the President, in a letter to the Secretary of Labor, requested the transfer of the Committee on Apprentice Training to the Department of Labor and suggested that an appropriation to cover this activity be included in the Department's budget. Such action was unanimously approved by the Federal Committee on Apprentice Training. Accordingly the Department of Labor included an item for the continuance of the work of the Federal Committee on Apprentice Training in its appropriation request for 1937-38, and the Bureau of the Budget recommended to the Congress an appropriation for this work during the coming fiscal year. The sum of $56,900 was included in the Budget for the continuation of this work. However, the Subcommittee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives was of the opinion that approval of this item was without its province and that the matter should have special consideration by the legislative committee of Congress. The members of the committee approved the promotion of labor standards in apprenticeship and stated that the deletion was prompted by a consideration of the policy involved. In accordance with this decision, H. R. 6205 was introduced by Representative Fitzgerald, of Connecticut. This bill provides for no new activity by the Federal Gov ernment, but for the continuance of one which has proved its value, as we believe. The Federal Committee on Apprentice Training was appointed by the Secretary of Labor under authority granted by Executive Order No. 6750-C, June 27, 1934. That was during the N. R. A., and at that time apprenticeships had more or less lapsed because the codes made no provision for low wages for apprentices. The purpose of the order was to permit and encourage sound apprentice training under National Recovery Administration codes, and at the same time safeguard labor standards. The committee was composed of representatives of the United States Office of Education, the Department of Labor, the National Recovery Administration, employers, and employees. The work of the committee proved to be of great value, apart from the administration of the codes, and after the National Industrial Recovery Act was declared unconstitutional, employers and representatives of labor asked that the committee continue its work. The committee was continued under the National Youth Administration. A representative of the National Youth Administration replaced the representative of the National Recovery Administration on the committee. In promoting apprenticeship as a sound employment policy, the committee has brought together national trade associations and labor organizations to formulate apprenticeship programs acceptable to both groups, has cooperated with State and local groups interested in apprenticeship, and has served in an advisory capacity to both employers and employees in setting up practical programs for training skilled workers. The effectiveness of this activity is evident in the widespread interest in genuine training since the organization of the committee; in the support of the work of the committee by both employers and labor through resolutions, articles in trade association and trade-union journals, and through the adoption of national apprentice plans; and in the introduction of bills relating to labor standards in apprenticeship in a number of State legislatures. H. R. 6205 directs the Secretary of Labor to cooperate with the United States Office of Education in the Federal apprenticeship program, in accordance with the provisions of the National Vocational Education Act of 1917, as amended. This insures that the policy under which the Federal Committee on Apprentice Training has operated will be continued and that there will be no duplication of effort. The success of the work of the committee has been largely due to the fact that it has concentrated upon the labor-standards aspects of apprenticeship and has thus supplemented the educational aspects for which the United States Office of Education is responsible. The National Vocational Education Act, which is embodied in 39 Statute 932, authorizes the United States Office of Education to function in the field of educational activities connected with apprenticeship in cooperation with the Department of Labor. H. R. 6205 authorizes the Department of Labor to function in the field of labor standards and employment conditions of apprentices in cooperation with the United States Office of Education. In this way recognition is given to the two distinct groups of responsibilities and functions in the promotion and operation of apprenticeship plans. One group deals with the apprentice as an employee worker |