The Nome Nugget

Henry Hedberg to
Seek More Benefits
And Wage Increase

ANCHORAGE (A') -- State Federation of Labor lobbyist Henry
Hedberg served notice yesterday that the Federation in the coming
session of the Legislature will seek, among other things, more
unemployment benefits, an increase in the minimum wage, a
wage increase for state employes and a general state property tax.

The minimum wage in the state should be $2 an hour, said Hedberg.
"The present minimum ($1.50) is not realistic in the Alaska of
today and far too many persons in the state are taking advantage
of the present law and depriving homesteaders, natives and the
unorganized of the state of a decent living and fair wage, conducive
to a standard of living guaranteeing a certain freedom from hunger
and indebtedness," he said.

"Natives, homesteaders and youths just out of school are being
hired at the minimum hourly wage to work side by side with other
workmen drawing more than twice as much for the same day's work,"
Hedberg said.

The Federation will seek an increase in unemployment insurance
to bring the basic minimum weekly benefits up to 50 per cent of
the average weekly wage for a period of 36 weeks he said.

The State Department of Labor must be provided with more funds
"so that it may enforce the many provisions of the (wage, hour)
act which are now being wantonly flouted by industry and individuals
who have no regard for the state laws or humanity as a whole" he said.

In addition to an across-the-board wage increase for State employes,
full time and a half should be paid them for work in excess of the
regular work week, said the lobbyist.

Hedberg also called for a "liberalization" of the state employes
retirement system and "upgrading of the Merit System, now one of
the worst in the nation."

SUBSCRIBE TO THE NUGGET