Blue Collar Wage Survey Made by Department of Defense in the Tidewater Area of Virginia

A 1976 blue collar wage survey conducted by the Department of Defense (DOD) in the Tidewater area of Virginia resulted in a wage raise of about six percent. Local employee representatives were dissatisfied with the amount and believed it was predetermined by the DOD before completion of the survey. The following aspects of determining the wage schedule were considered: (1) criteria used in the compilation of wages to determine the wage increase; (2) the trend line used in making the findings; (3) the adequacy of information obtained from the major private organization; (4) the apparent predetermination by responsible officials concerning what the increase would be; and (5) the absence of information available to the Metal Trades Council in view of the confidentiality of certain information.

DOD did comply with legal requirements and met other criteria in conducting the survey. While this particular raise was lower than most other federal blue-collar raises in the country, no pattern of predetermination by the Department's wage fixing authorities was found.