advantaged. Agencies at all levels of government should review their hiring practices. Experience of industry over the past several years must be applied t

government.

The National Chamber supports the public service components in S. 28% and the Javits amendment, while opposing proposals to broaden the concept of "public service employment" to "employer of last resort" that is embodied in

S. 3867.

"Public service employment" is that which employs persons in occupations for which there is an identified public need for the services produced. The com cept of "employer of last resort" goes far beyond that, for it proposes to creste "make-work" jobs.

Our experience with NAB demonstrates that the "last resort" employment will be untenable, if for no other reason than that the potential trainee for muc a job just will not buy it. Retaining the disadvantaged, chronically unemplovet is difficult at best when the job is "meaningful." If the "job" is merely a "make-work" job that is simply an income supplement, a disadvantaged person 18 more likely to stay in that job than he is in a job as a low-paid dishwasher.

The Manpower Training Act and the Comprehensive Manpower Act allow eng flexibility for the thoughtful development of public service jobs and the requ site training for them. The Committee should express its legislative intent se that planning for such programs can begin at once.

The Triggering Mechanism

Another tool proposed by S. 2838 that would be available in the event of more serious unemployment is the "Triggering Mechanism." If the unemployment rate reaches 4.5 percent for three consecutive months, the Secretary of Labor is authorized to spend an additional 10 percent of the appropriated funds. At pre sent appropriation levels, the trigger would provide $1.6 million additional

funds.

The triggering mechanism may be a useful device for highlighting a criti cal problem. The 4.5 percent unemployment rate provides economists with a measure ment of the seriousness of a problem.

However, it fails to highlight various groups in our labor force such as inority youths and center-city residents who have been experiencing unemployment ates far in excess of 4.5 percent for years. This is the case even when some werall city unemployment rates are as low as 2 percent.

As it is now devised, the trigger will not provide funds of adequate magnitude to provide much of an impact in creating jobs. The seriousness of the unemployment that the country will have reached by the time the mechanism takes effect will serve to lessen the impact of such funds.

The Javits Amendment No. 634 improves on the original concept by more closely following employment fluctuations. We feel further the amendment should be considered to peg the trigger to regional unemployment rates. Some areas of our country have been suffering unemployment rates far in excess of 4.5 percent for some time.

In the National Chamber's opinion, a regional triggering mechanism would have a much greater impact on needed program expansion than would be indicated

by the national unemployment rate. Moreover, if the Administration anticipates having to use the triggering mechanism, careful planning should be made for its

use.

Redistribution of Manpower Funds

Administration officials have informed our Manpower Development Committee that more than the triggering device funds will be available if industrial unemployment continues to rise. Funds that are now committed to the JOBS program will be redesignated for institutional programs.

Manpower specialists talk about "recycling" trainees who have been in the JOBS program and are then laid off.

Experience of our members participating in the JOBS program indicates that it is going to be very difficult to explain to the ghetto resident who has just been laid off, that he should be "recycled" through a new training program. It is highly unlikely that he will accept institutional training.

Even though unemployment in manufacturing industries is currently increasing, there are still many employers in other businesses, particularly

In 1969 fifteen HWC agencies employed 41 "New Careers" workers at $1.80 an hour for a 40-hour week for six months as follows:

Counselor trainees

Neighborhood group worker

Columbia Heights Boys Club Textile aide

Episcopal Center for Children

Friendship House

St. Ann's Infant and

Maternity House
Social Hygiene Society
Southwest Settlement House
YWCA

Teacher aide trainees

Nursery aides

Health education aide
Program assistant trainee
Recreation aide

No. of
Jobs

2

1

10

1

4

2

1

32

6

1

1

1

In 1970 eleven HWC agencies have enrolled 41 "New Careers" workers at $1.87 an hour for a 40-hour week for six months as noted in the following table. Enrollees are referred by WCEP (the Washington Concentrated Employment Program).