HomeMy WebLinkAbout1948-06-01 Board of Public Works Minutes 69
Reading, Mass. , June 1, 1948
' The regular meeting of the Board of Public Works opened at
7:3o P.M.
Chairman Putnam, Lindsay, Calvin, Donahue, Webb and Super-
intendent Welch were present.
Mr. Albert Maxwell conferred with Board relative to replacing
small sized water main in Gardner Road and Ide Street with larger
sized main. Also requested installation of mord hydrants .
Voted to authorize the Superintendent to purchase a new
tapping machine to cost approximately $180.00.
Received letter from H. T. Davis and E. D. Thorburn of
11 Pearl Street requesting that the sewer in Pearl Street which
is to be constructed by contract be extended to include their
property.
Voted to hold hearing on requested extension.
A delegation of employees conferred with Board and presented
a petition signed by thirty-four employees. The petition is
attached hereto. The following employees were present:
Robert Morrow, Moses Parker, Pete McSheehy, Albert
Lord, Harry Evans, George White, William Faulkner
and Irving Nesmith.
A lengthy discussion took place.
Voted to acknowledge receipt of petition and to inform
employees that the schedule recently submitted by the Board to the
Classification Committee is substantially in accord with the
requests contained in the petition submitted to the Board by the
employees .
Signed plan of proposed Gas Main Location at the corner
of Lowell Street and Bancroft Avenue.
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Received letter from Selectmen notifying Board of a Special
Town Meeting to be held June 16, 1948. '
Voted to insert Article for a short extension of John Carver
Road to be accepted as a public way.
Voted to hold a hearing on this extension of June 7, 1948,
at 8:00 P.M.
Discussed purchase of new equipment at length.
No action taken.
Voted to hold next meeting of Board on June 7, 1948.
Board adjourned at 12:00 Midnight.
Respectfully submitted:
(Signed) Alex Lindsay
Secretary
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Also, that the 40 hour work week be instituted at the earlies
! possible date, with corresponding upward adjustments of the above
wage rates , which are based on the present 44' hour work week, so
that no decrease in pay will be realized with the inauguration of
a 40 hour work week,
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June 1, 1948
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Board of Public Works
Town of Reading
Gentlemen:
We, the undersigned, employees of the Public works Depart-
ment, hereby protest the recent action of the Board of Public
Works in decreasing the salary increase granted in April 1948.
We feel this decrease was not justified, for several reasons, viz: j
present wages paid are below the standards set by other goverment-ISI
al units; living costs are still rapidly increasing; a decrease of
an increase creates a distinct lowering of morale, resulting in
much discontent, dissatisfied employees, a general feeling of
dissatisfaction, and a feeling of insecurity.
During the past few years wages in the construction industry
have increased steadily. At present the wages paid on construc-
tion projects are far higher than those paid employees of the
Public Works Department. We feel that the work done by the
Public works Department employees is of such a nature, as to be
directly comparable with that of the construction industry. We
feel that salaries should also be comparative. We agree that,
becauseof certain differences of conditions of employment,
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these salaries cannot be exactly equal. There should not however,
be such a distinct difference as does now exist.
Therefore, we petition that a wage scale be established
which will be substantially in accord with the following
recommendations:
Temporary Employees . . . . . . 1.00 per hour
One year or over Employees 1.20
Semi - Skilled Employees -
Minimum . . . . . . 1.30 "
Maximum . . . . . . 1.45 " ^
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Maximum . . . . . . .$ 1.70
Other employees - clerical, supervisory, etc, to be granted
a percentage increase in keeping with the above schedule.