Apparently yielding to strong union pressure which has developed over the last two days in an extensive drive to organize all employees, University officials announced a wage increase to 400 service workers last night.
Effective beginning with the current payroll periods, the salary rise which has been estimated to cost $30,000 a year affects dormitory maids, messenger boys, and library pages. Increases of from five to ten dollars a month are represented in the new rates.
Included in Dining Scale
Said a spokesman for the University: "Inasmuch as these workers come approximately within the same wage group as the waitresses in the University Dining Halls, it is fair that they receive the same relative wage increases as was given recently to the waitresses."
In the lower wage groups as mostly part-time workers the maids will receive 38 cents an hour for regular work, 43 cents for vacation cleaning. "Biddies" will have gained by this move a flat increase of six cents.
Pages Get Pay Increase
Also included are messenger boys, pages in the libraries and those holding similar positions, who have been awarded a minimum of 55 dollars a month, if beginners under 19 years of age, 60 dollars after a year's experience or it above the age limit. Corresponding rates have been arranged for those engaged by the hour.
No comments were obtainable from labor leaders in the A. F. of L. organization last night, which voted in a recent meeting to extend activities from the dining halls to the maintenance department and dormitories.
Because A. F. of L. agitators are not allowed on College premises student groups moved yesterday to assist the workers' party in realizing its aspiration to make Harvard the model for university unionizations. It was revealed that Tufts, Mt. Holyoke, and Wellesley will be attacked soon to obtain bargaining rights for employees in upkeep work.
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