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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
561
U. S.. Department of Labor
WashiY.gt
January 26, 1927.
News Letter No. 47.
ACTIVITIES AFFECTING WOL:EN IN INLIETRY
Arkansas
The Arkansas law regulating the minimum wage of women was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court of the United States on January 17, 1927. The court,
-,e-nt of the District Court of the
-1
Mr. Justice Brandeis dissenting, affirmed the *.url..7,r,
Eastern District of Arkansas which enjoined the enfercament of the law, declaring it
to be in violation of the Feu.rteenth Amendment to the fee.cal Constitution. The
case was that of W. H. Donharn, as prosecuting attorney for the Sixth Judicial Circuit of the State of Arkansas, et al, Appellants, v. West -Nelson Manufactux-ing Ccma day for inexperienc.;ed employees, ard kl.25
pany, No. 118. The wage involved was
for experienced employees. The company was engagod in the manufacture of overalls,
jumpers, shirts, and other work clothing. The Supreme Court fested its decision on
the authority of two precedents: Adkins v. Children's Hospital of the District of
Columbia, and Murphy v. Safdell of Arizona.
California
Eight-Hour Law Amendment. Introduced.
It is reported that a bill has been int I- :educed in the Senate which would
require employers to keep accurate records of the number of hours worked bywabmen
employees. The intention is to prevent violation of the 3-hour law for women by
forcing the employer to present the accurate schedule of hours worked upon demand
by an inspector of the State Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Another Amendment Asked.
A resolution was passed by the 27th Annual Convention of the California
State Federation of Labor instructing their legislative committee to work for an
amendment to the 8-hour law for women, giving "the right to anyone, upon supported
evidence, to become the complaining witness and to secure complaints against violation of the act."
"onnecticut
The State League of Women Voters has endorsed bills to be introduced in
the present legislature providing maximum work weeks of 48 hours for women in industry and of 55 hours for wemen employed in mercantile establishments.
Illinois
Work is under way again this year to secure the enactment of an 8-hour law
women of Illinois. Nineteen organizations, cooperating as the
working
the
for
for the Women's Eight-Hour Bill are working for this legisCommittee
Illinois Joint
lEition. The present law allowing a 10-hour day, was first passed in 1909, and
amended in 1911. There has been no legislt:tion since the'n, although repeated efforts
have been made to secure a. shorter day.
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-2
Massachusett s
New Minimum Wage Set.
A minimum rate of ,;13.50 a week for women and girls in Massachusetts
employed in the toys, games, and sporting goods occupation, has been fixed by
the
Minimum Wage Commission. This makes the eighteenth occupation for which a minimum
has been set.
According to this decree, which becomes effective March 1, a woinan who has
reached the age of 18 years, and has had one year's experience in the occupation, is
eligible for the minimum rate. For inexperienced employees, 16 years or over, and
for all others, irrespective of age, with one year's experience, a special rate of
012 is fixed. Yor all others the rate is to be not less than (i.10 a week.
Hour Law Modification Again Sought.
Cotton mil:I e'er, t!- roeigh the Arkwrig%_t Club, again have filed a bill
to
modify the 48-hour law. Their plan, according to the Daily News Record, of January
11, would permit cotton mills to operate 54 hours in any given week, but at the
same
time.would maintain an average for the year of 48 hours.
New Hampshire
A bill providing a 43-hour work wee:: for women and minors has been
introduced in the House. The bill is supported by the State branch of
the American
Federation of Labor and is opposed by the iJew Hampshire Manufact
urers' Association.
A committee hearing on this bill was scheduled for January 25.
New York
Bills have been introduced in the lower house which would establis
h a 48hsur work week for women, and a :ainimum wage board of three
members to be appointed
by the governor. During the month hearings have been continue
d before the Industrial
Survey Commission on the question of the 43-hour week.
Pennsylvania
Women Taxi-Drivers.
While women taxi-drivers have not been unheard of
before, it is of particular interest thet 25 women drivers are now employed
by the Cunningham Cab Company of
Philadelphia. It was about six months ago that this
company began the experiment of
employing women drivers to increase its force of chauffeu
rs. The women, who. are
reported to be entirely satisfactory on the job, ere
on duty
hours a day, 6 days a
week, with an hour allowed for lunch. Those on the
first shift begin work at 7 a.m.
The last shift starts at 9 a.m. and finishes at 7 p.m.
As to wages, the wemen are paid 30 per cent of their earnings
, but are
guaranteed $2.50 a day. They are not required to change tires
on their cabs, but if
such an operation is necessary, a telephone call for the corn-van:0 service
s
car is
sufficient. The women are said to like their jobs and
to have :7:roved themselves
extremely careful drivers, their accident recerd in the first few weeks or so
of
their work having been lower than that of any corresponding number of men drivers
for a similar period of time.
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- 3 Accidents to Working Women,.
At the request of the Bureau of Women and Children of the State Department
of Labor and Industry, an analysis has been made for the first time of compensated
accidents to working women. A report on this study is given by Elizabeth S. Ziegler
in the December, 1926, issue of Labor and Industry.
Of 78,774 accidents which were compensated in 1924 there were found to be
1,455 accidents to women 21 years old and over. One of every 6 adult workers in
Pennsylvania is a woman but men sustained from 6 to 8 times the proportion of accidents to women. Ninety-five per cent of the accidents to women resulted in temporary disability, 4.3 per cent in permanent partial disability, and .5 per cent in
death. The injuries of women showed as much permanent disability as men, but relatively one-fifth as much fatality. 'Aare older women were injured fatally than
younger ones. Three of the 7 fatally injured were more than 65 years old and the
youngest was 35.
More than one-hr.lf of the accidents to women occurred in manufacturing
plants, and one-fourth in mercantile establishments, hotels, and restaurants. A
group termed "miscellaneous" comprised of employees of privately-owned institutions,
clubs, etc., was charged with one-sixth of the accideats. Accidents to men, on the
other hand, were led by two large groups in equal proportions: Manufacturing and
coal mining, with respectively 40.0 and 35.0 per cent. The industries where women
sustained relatively more accidents than men were textiles, clothing, food, paper
and printing, tobacco, laundries, and leather and rubber goods in manufacturing; in
stores, hotels and restaurants, municipalities, jobbers and warehouses, and in the
miscellaneous group. In the accidents to women, manufacturing was responsible for
65.0 per cent of the permanent disability, and the miscellaneous group for 25.0 per
cent of the permanent disability, and for three of the seven deaths.
Nowhere in the comparison of accidents to men and women is there greater
distinction between the two groups than in cause of accident. The cause ranking
first in the women's accidents, falls of persons which counted 475, or 33.0 per cent,
was responsible for only 10.0 per cent of accidents to men. The second highest
cause of women's accidents was machinery, with 375, or 25.0 per cent, and this class
accounted for only 12.0 per cent of the men's. Again, bumping into and stepping on
objects was charged with 9.0 per cent (125) of the accidents to women, but only 4.0
per cent of the accidents to men. The handling of objects, on the other hand,
listed 15.0 per cent of the accidents to women, but more than 2,0.0 per cent of the
accidents to men. There were two causes, whose weight was obviously due to transportation and coal mining, which, while contributing one-third of the accidents to
men, amounted to only 5.0 per cent of the accidents to women. These were vehicles
and falling objects.
This analysis, Miss Ziegler concludes, indicates that accidents to women
in Pennsylvania ere not alarmingly high in number or in proportion to employment.
It does show, however, that women's accidents comprise a separate entity in the
whole accident group, in that the industries where they occur and the causes connected with them are wholly distinct from accidents to men.
Canada
British Columbia.
The validity of the first order under the male minimum wege act of British
Columbia, which was challenged by the British Columbia Lumbermen's Association, has
been upheld by the Court of Appeals of the Province. The judgment dealt with an
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- 4 appeal against the conviction by lower courts of a lumber firm for paying employees
less than 40 cents an hour, the rate fixed by the minimum wage board for the lumber
indust ry.
The contention of the company was
tic inquiry into all industry before making
held that this was not a sound construction
board should hold inquiries and make orders
would be unworkable.
that the board should conduct a systemaan order. The Court of Appeals, ho-.7ever,
of the act, which intended that the
from time to tire, otherwise the act
China
A report communicated by Miss H. Rietveld, Industrial Secretary of the
Y.W.C.A. in Chefoo, North China, to the International Labor Office, is in part as
follows:
The making and exporting of hair nets began in 1909. By 1921 the industry
had grown to such an extent that 17,000 women and girls were employed in examining
nets in Chefoo. At present (1926) there are not more than 2,000 women and girls
steadily at work in this industry. This is a striking example of the precarious
state of employment for those who follow a trade depending on fashion or style.
Although the decline in the hair-net industry has thrown hundreds of women
out of work, many of whom have returned to the villages from which they came for
this work, there is still great reluctance among the wonen to learn new trades. One
would imagine that economic pressure would push them ir:c,o other work; but in many
cases, when they lose their wcrk in the hair-net industry, the burden of supporting
them falls on some other member of their family.
Practically all women and girls who examine nets have bound feet. I have
found some who walked to and from their work, covering a distance of three miles
every day. Forewomen in most shops and factories have normal feet. The custom of
binding foot is still so rooted among these working people that it seems as if only
act ion by the government, possibly by imoosing a tax on bound feet, can
hope to
change it.
The wages for women who examine nets are as follows:
Unskilled workers and learners..anything up to 30 coppers * per day.
it
Semiskilled workers
30 to 40 coppers
Skilled workers
40 to 55 coppers
Forewomen
4-15 to $20 a month.
Hours of work depend on daylight. In winter the working day is about 8
hours; in summer it is 10, 11, or 12 hours. Sor.,e factories arrange for overtime
work just before the Chinese New Year holiday, as the women are very eager to earn
more money at that time.
Three factories give a Sunday rest, with pay, at all times; several do
only rush work on Sunday, and give double pay for it; some work S3170:1 days a week
with seven days' pay, but in these the worker is allowed two or three days' rest a
month at any time she chooses to take it.
* 50 coppers = approximately 5d., or 10 cents.
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-5-.
Embroidery.
25 small embroidery workshops. The articles
than
more
There are in Chefoo
sets, "doilies", shawls, kimonos, and
lunch
cloths,
made include tablecloths, tea
demand for embroidered muslin tablea
underwear for the foreign trade. There is
cloths in the Chinese market as well as for bed valances and bedspreads, embroidered
in Chinese designs. This production for home consumption is in contrast to the
collapse of the foreign hair-net market.
There are indications that embroidery workshops will be established
shortly in the surrounding villages. One village three miles from Chefoo already
has 5 workshops, one employing 80 workers, and the others from 10 to 30 workers. An
exporter has opened a workshop also in Weihsien, on the motor road. He declares
that Chinese women are capable of doing as good work as is produced in the convents
of Europe, and that importers in the United States can buy in Chefoo more cheaply
than in Europe.
The workers in this trade are mostly young girls who are leamingor have
just learned the trade. It takes two weeks for an average worker to learn the work.
During June and July, new workshops were opened every week with 10 to 20 workers in
a shop. Of these, two or three were older women who were teaching the girls. Girls
of 7, 8, and 9 years are drawing threads for drawn thread work, and girls from 9 to
20 years are learning to embroider.
The work is all piece-work.
industry:
net
Wages are slightly higher than in the hair-
Learners and unskilled workers, from 20 to 35 coppers a day
ti it
t,
" 30 to 45
Semiskilled workers
1,
" 60 to 70
Skilled workers
Hours depend on daylight. An 11- and 12-hour day is common. In the
smaller workshops, the women take rest periods during the day, when they grow tired.
All forewomen complain that the time from 1 to 3 o'clock in the afternoon during the
lost weather is not very productive; the worltrs, they say, become too sleepy.
Silk Winding.
In the steam filatures, where skeins of raw silk are prepared from cocoons,
the workers are all men and boys. There are, however, two factories in Chefoo which
employ at times as many as 200 women and children in the winding of silk. The woof
thread for weaving pongee or Shantung silk has to be wound on special bobbins. It
is a simple winding process, the silk fiber being taken from the skeins and put on
the bobbin by twirling the bobbin with a piece of leather string.
In these factories, the workers are seated on the ground, except when
they provide mats for themselves. They are crowded for space, and sometimes the
women bring their babies, who lie beside them on the dirty floors. The workers are
of all ages, from 7 to 70 years. The wages are low. The work is piece-work, paid
by the number of bobbins wound in a day. ExceptionaLLy good workers can earn 50
coppers a day. The average is about 35 coppers a day. Work is from daylight to
dark. The workers start from home for work before daylight.
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6
gland
According to the Woman's Leader of November 5, 1926, "an interesting
experiment is taking place at Surbiton, where a house known as the Gables is
being
turned into Hill Croft College, where working women students, chiefly
weekly wageearners, can be accommodated. The college was opened in 1920 at Beckenham
as an
experiment in providing full-time study for women workers. The 105 students
who have
passed through up to date include domestic workers, bi-ewery workers,
biscuit packers,
etc. About one-half of these have returned to their former work,
and the remainder
have taken up some form of social or educational work. Over
40 bedrooms are being
provided in the new college, which is under the presidency of
Professor J. L. Stocks.
Various educational trusts have contributed towards the
expense, as have also
employers, women's colleges, public girls' schools, etc."
Germany
A conference of women textile workers convened by the Textile Workers'
Union, was held on 11 and 12 October last at Gera, a center of the German
textile
industry.
The congress was attended by 400 delegates, representing more
women workers affiliated to the German Textile Workers' Union. Reports
mitted on the questions of special protection for women textile workers
risks of their occupation, and of the legal protection of women workers
than 600,000
were subagainst the
with child.
The congress endorsed the demand of the women textile workers
that pregnant women should be excused from work for two months before and three months
after
childbirth, that wages durin7 that period should be replaced
by insurance )-)onuses,
and that hours of work should be limited to four per day during the fifth and sixth
months after childbirth. In addition, certain improvements were demanded
in conditionc of labor, e.g., rest periods, and, as occasion required, rest rooms, inspection by women doctors attached to the factory inspectorate, etc.
As regards women's work in general, a resolution was adopted protesti
ng
against any restriction al' the political and economical independence
of women, and
against any attempt to prevent the employment of married women
or of women whose
male parents were workers, on the pretext that double wages were thus earned.
(Vorwarts, 12-14 October 1926; Industrial and Labor Informat
ion, 22 November 1926.)
Palestine
The situation of women workers in the towns of
Palestine is particularly
difficult, according to a communication to the Internat
ional Labor Office, published
in Industrial and Labor Information, 8 November 1926.
There are 700 women workers in the clothing trade working
at very low
wages. The Labor Department of the Zionist Organization
has endeavored to improve
conditions of labor in this trade by establishing producer
s' cooperative societies.
At Jerusalem, Tel-Aviv and Haifa, there are tailoring
and cutting undertakings under
the direction of the local women's organizations.
Women workers employed in the manufacture of cigarettes, matches, and
cardboard goods are also paid very low wages--on an average of 10 piastres a day.
In other industries the daily wage is from 20 to 25 piastres
.
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- 7 Competition amon7 the women, which has been intensified by unemployment,
makes it very difficult for the women workers' organizations to take any action
to
secure a raising of wages. It may be noted that the majority of women factory
workers belong to no union. Generally speaking, the situation of these
workers in
Palestine may be compered with that of women workers 3,(5 years ago in
industrial
countries like Great Eritain or Germany. This is the most regrett
able because there
is no legislation in Palestine for the protection of women workers.
Under the spur of unemployment, a certain number of women are
turning to
occupations which are quite new to them. Thus, about 150 women are
employed in the
buildin trade, not only on subsidiary work but also on work which has
hitherto been
confined to men (e.g., masonry, rough casting, house painting, window
making, etc.)
Other women are employed in printing works and in binding, boot
and shoe, and
furniture factories.
There are 400 women officials in the public service, in the service
of the
various Jewish organizations and in private undertakings. There are
400 women
employed in hospitals and ,
..- rivate nursing homes. There are also 100 women teachers,
and 200 women working in hotels and restaurants.
Poland
Women and Children in Poland.
3y an act passed by the Polish Parliament on 5 July 1926, the
time limit
for the bringing into operation of certain provisions of the Act
of 2 July, 1924,
relating to the work of women and children, has been further extende
d.
Section 15 of the act of lc:24 lays down that bathrooms and cr;ches
must be
installed in all undertakings employing more than 100 women, and that every nursing
mother shall be entitled to two interruptions of 30 minutes durin7
the working day
for the purpose of nursing her child, to be reckoned as hours
of work. By an act of
30 July 1925 it was provided that the date of coming into force
of these provisions
should be fixed by Decree of the Minister of Labor and Social Assista
nce, in any
case not later than 29 July 1926. The new act prolongs
this period by two years,
i.e. until 29 July 1928. (Industrial and Labor informa
tion, 18 October 1926.)
Salaries of Civil Servants.
In Poland, since December 1925, the salaries of civil
been subject to automatic readjustment according to
the COST of
index number rose from 170 to 187.6 between January
and October
the purchasing power of their salaries has declined
by 10.3 per
servants have not
living, and, as the
of the present year,
cent.
For some time past, civil servants have been making vigorou endeavors
s
to
secure the reintroduction of the sliding scale
system, but the Government has . so far
been unable, for financial reasons, to satisfy their
demands. On 29 October, hotover, the Government. decided to increase the salarie
s of all civil servants by 10
per cent during November and December. The civil servant
s' organizations declare
that this step is totally inadequate. (Indust
rial and Labor Information, 29 November
1926.)
PER3ONNF,L
Texas
It has been announced that ass Fannie Daniel was appointed State labor
commissioner in Decez-ber to succeed . J. Crocker, who resigned. .'iss Daniel
formerly was secretary to ICr. Crocker.
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4
"."
NOTES
1 :orkers.
Textile Unions and :,iarried V,romen :
The International Federation of Christian Textile Workers' Trade Unions
held its ninth Congress at Antwerp August 23-27, 1926. Among others, a report on
the work of married women in the textile industry, and its dangers, was presented
by lass Woitasky of Germany, the main points of which are contained in the following
resolution, adopted unanimously by the Congress.
The Congress once again protests against the employment of married women
in the textile industry. factory work presents drawbacks not only for the health and
morality of married women, but also for the future generation; it puts an obstacle
in the way of a regular and happy family life and the proper education of the
children.
The Congress therefore persists in demanding the prohibition of the work
of married woolen in factories. Exceptions should only be permitted for women living
alone and for those who have to support a family.
An adequate increase in the wages of inen workers or the -ranting to Lthers
of families of a supplenlent for a wife and children shou1r3 be the means of preparing
the way for this measure. So long as these do not exist, the Congress is of opinion
that further prof ection of married women workers is necessary, and it de,.iLnds, in
particular:
(1) The prohibition of the employment of married women for more than
44 hours a week or more than 8 hours a day;
(2) The development of maternity protection, so that the employment
of mothers should be prohibited during 8 weeks before and 8 weeks after
confinement. A suitable grant should be made to women during this period
to compensate for the loss of wages incurred;
(3) Li;ht ening of work for pregnant women; the provision of seats for
them during hours of work, and the possin-dlity of rest periods when indispo A- eri, etc.
The Con7ress, further, requests the International Labor Office to undertake inquiries into the extent and nature of work carried on in factories by married
women in the different countries, and on the consequences of this work for the
of
worker herself, for the future generation, and for family life and the education
efforts
to
make
to
requested
is
also
Office
Labor
-thf children.. The International
women,
secure, through international conventions, the more complete protection of
in
factories.
women
of
married
work
and the progressive suppression of the
The organizations affiliated to the International Federation of Christian
respectTextile Workers undertake to support the action of the Office before their
in favor of the realization
ive Governments, to n,ake propaganda in their countries
i 1:ublio opinion on the
enlii-hteL
to
particular,
in
and
of the claims formulated,
in factories. (Industrial
women
married
of
work
quest ion of the disadvayrtages of the
and Labor Information, 25 October 1926.)
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I\TIV PUBLICATIONS
31ankenhorn, Liary Dewhurst
Be'nind the counter. 2 p.
Repri_ated from the Outloo::, December 22, 1.926.
CoaTions, John R.., and kadrews, John B.
Principles of labor legistion.
Publishers, 1927. 616 p.
rev.
ed., New York, Hrrper 84 Brothers
Consumer s
o f New Ynrk.
- 00 women in
Forty-A :Th.t hour law. Do working women want it? Report from ',5
New York State on a. proposed law limiting the hours of work in factories arid
n-ter c nt e est
iskiment s. New York, iriarst in pr es s, 1927. 39 p
Investi7ition conducted by the Consumers' league of New York, 1926-1927.
3erridge, Wil.3.iarn A.
Hurlint Ralph G.,
aro2.oy'.....e.2.t statistics for the United States; a plan for tileir national collection alld a hand'000k of methods recom..lended by the committee on i_-- overnrnental labor statistics of -the AmericE.,.n statistical associ:tion. 1,13w York,
Foundation, 1.926. 215 p.
Russell
iiarrison, A.
Hutchi:is,
History of. factor
:yr legislation.
1926. 298 p.
ed. 3, London., P. S. King & Son, 1-t(1.,
I f o rmation bur ey.7..it on worn en's work.
Are way:, en s v.'ages a special probler..
Tol edo, Ohio, 1926.
Frear, AuED-usta
Edith Shatto,
Cladsification of socir.1.1 1.7..{ercios by function in .t...he city of New York.
York City, 19;:.6.
counci:i. of
New York,
Louck s
Fields of work for women.
I:few
'
New York, D. Appleton and Co., 1926.
Department of I.L.bor.
ideinorandum on the forty-eight hour week for wozlen.
Albany, 1926. 7 p.
349 p.
By jmes A. 1-:E..Llilton,
Associvt
YOU1'17 \II0f,.en S
s
Women. in the Orient. A source book cnnipiled . •
br.,,c-icround for stud:un6,erF.rtandin.g
of
industr:'i.e...1
conditions in the Er3.st T)ar:-.,icularly as they
and
affect wo:-ar.m. New York, Vilo:-. -1r,.no Press, 1925. 221. p.
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•
1
U.S. Department of Labor
WOMEN'S BUREAU
Washington
February 28, 1927.
News Letter No. 48.
A7TIVITIES AFF7CTING WOMEN IN INDUSTRY
Arizona
A bill limiting the working hours of women to 8 a day and 48 a week was
the comapproved February 14 by the committee of the whole senate, and referred to
ly
favorab
was
bill
the
that
states
mittee on style and revision. A later report
workers
women
for
day
hour
8acted upon by the snate. The present law provides an
but allows a 56-hour week.
Arkansas
The Arkansas Council of Welfare Legislation, at a recent meeting, urged
in the textile
legislation fixing the maximum !lumber of hours for women working
of women to 54 a
hours
working
the
limits
which
industry. While the present law,
factories are specifically
week, applies to manufacturing establishments, cotton
exempt ed.
Idaho
would empower the comA bill has been introduced in the lower house which
to prescribe their
and
women
for
missioners of public welfare to fix a minimum wage
keep a record of
to
required
working conditions. Every employer of women would be
could be
$100
of $25 to
his employees and for any violation of the law a fine
imposed.
Illinois
lower house February 2, by
The women's 8-hour bill was introduced in the
that no female shall be employed more
Mrs. Lottie Holman O'Neill. The bill provides
shment, or factory, or laundry,
than 8 hours in any mechanical or mercantile establi
ne establishment or office thereof,
or hotel, or restaurant, or telegraph or telepho
in any
or in any place of amusement, or by any person, firm or corporation, engaged
, or
carrier
common
any
by
,
or
business
utility
express or transportation or public
ns,
exceptio
ng
followi
The
.
porated
unincor
or
in any public institution, incorporated
however, are allowed:
(1) If employment is for not more than 6 days a week, not more than 10
one week.
hours may be worked on one or two days, but not more than 43 hours in any
and
(2) If employment in a telephone establishment is between 7:30 p.m.
is
time
and
,
provided
are
ies
facilit
8:00 a.m., 10 hours are permitted, if sleeping
allowed for sleep.
The act shall not apply:
of perishable
(1) To women employed in canneries in the preservation
and
fruits and vegetables direct from the fields between May 1
October 15 of each year;
(2) To graduate nurses;
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I
- 2 To any operator of a switchboard for a telephone company in an
agency maintained in a private residence or place of business
other than a telephone establishment.
In times of extraordinary public emergency, such emergency to
be reported within 24 hours to the Department of Labor. If
the emergency continues beyond that time the Department shall
determine and decide when the emergency has passed.
Time records and posting of the act are required, and penalties are set
for failure to comply with its provisions.
Massachusetts
•••111•1=1•1•1•.••••••••••4
1•••••••
Two Bills Rejected.
Two bills on which hearings were held recently before the legislative comcalling for an
mittee on State ad..iinistnation have been given leave to withdraw—one
the other providing
investigation of the State Department of Labor and Industry, and
that the assistant commissioner, who is a woman, should be designated associate
corrni ssioner.
Protest Change in Hour Law.
A mass meeting was held February 11 by the Lawrence Central Labor Union,
were the
to protest against proposed changes in the 48-hour law. Among the speakers
State
setts
Massachu
of
the
t
the
presiden
president of the United Textile Workers and
seekare
s
interest
textile
Branch of tiv:t American Federation of Labor. The cotton
industry, and
ing legislation which will classify cotton manufacturing as a seasonal
54 hours a
make it possible for mills to employ women as long as 10 hours a day and
the year
week, durins rush periods, provided that the average number of hours for
estabdoes not exceed 48 a week. The present law provides that in manufacturing
to be
Industry
and
Labor
of
by
nt
the
ed
Departme
lishments where the work is determin
the
by
worked
be
may
per
week
seaaonal, more than 43, but not exceeding 52 hours
per week.
women employees if the average for the year does not exceed 48 hours
ive committee
legislat
Hearings on the bill were held February 23 before the
industry were heard
on labor and industries, at which representatives of the textile
opposition. The
in support of the bill, and representatives of organized labor in
the caucus held on
Democratic leader in -the house reported to the committee that at
unanimously against
the first legislative day, members of his party went on record
any change in the present hour law.
Iiinner.3ot a
week for
A bill is now pending in the legislature to establish a 54-hour
womer.
enforcing
From 1923 until 1926 the Division of Women and Children was
to 91- a day and 54
chapter 422 of the laws of 1923 which limited the hours of women
to be bound
refused
a week. In July, 1926 the Kronik Cleaning and Laundry Company
was
introduced,
Tividence
any longer by the law and was prosecuted for no--).compliance.
the
prosecuand
passed
however, to slow that the act had not been constitutionally
on
al
Commissi
Industri
tion was dip aisse,d. A letter from the Attorney General to the
explains t' •, situation:
governor, and now
It appears that the bill finally signed by the
which was in fact
appearing as chapter 422, Session Laws 1923, is not the bill
certain amendments which
passed by the house and senate, because it does not contain
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
- 3 raised the permissible employment of female persons from 9i- to 10 hours per day, and
from 54 to 55 hours per week in certain cases, and which entirely eliminated section
6 requiring employers to keep certain schedules of hours of work, posted in their
places of employment.
"An act, to be constitutionally passed, must have the approval of the house,
the senate, and the governor. In this case the bill for the act which was sent to
the governor for approval, and approved by him, did not correspond in fact with the
bill passed by the house and senate. The mistake was that of some clerk of the house
or the senate, and the governor was not at fault. But the fact remains that the act
as it now appears in the files of the secretary of the State and on the statute books
never did receive the approval of the house, the senate, and the governor. Hence it
is not law."
Nebraska
After an all-day debate February 9, the House of Representatives rejected
a bill to limit the employment of women and girls in Nebraska industries to 8 hours
a day. The vote was 51 to 34 in favor of indefinite postponement.
and opponents demanded a roll call.
Both proponents
New Hampshire
After several hearings on the 48-hour bill, the house committee on labor
reported, 10 to 4, that the bill was "inexpedient to legislUte."
Another bill is reported pending which would allow the employment of women
more than 54 hours a week, the present legal limit.
New Jersey
After passing the i3 enate by a vote of 12 to 2, the night work bill for
which New Jersey women have worked so untiringly, has been held up in committee in
the house.
Another pending bill has for its object the inclusion of silicosis in the
list of compensable diseases under the Workmen's Compensation Act.
Nest York
The commission created by the legislature of 1926 to study the State's
existing labor laws, reported its findings and recommendations to the legislature
February 15, 1927. In compliance with the recommendation of the commission a bill
is about to be introduced to limit the work week of women to 48 hours, or 49-1-- hours
if a half-holiday is allowed each week. In line also with the commission's report
the bill provides for 78 hours overtime each year.
That part of the report of the commission which has to do with the 48-hour
week is given here in full.
Report of Industrial Survey Commission on 48-Hour Week.
To no question has the commission given more study than to the question of
the proposal to limit by law the working hours of women, in factories and mercantile
establishments, to 48 hours a week. This question has been before the legislature
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
- 4 in one form or another for 10 years. It is a question on which endless dispute can
arise and as to which the whole facts are not conceded on one side or the other.
The probable effect of a 48-hour week can not be predicted by one side without the
prediction being immediately challenged by one group or another, or by all, on the
other side.
Of course, as a general principle, and, if not likely to cause either
week is someinjustice to workers or destruction of State industries, the 48-hour
thing, if possible, to be attained.
There is, first, the claim by some that this law, if enacted, will cause a
appeared bnfore
great injustice to thousands of women. workers, a number of whom have
by the
livelihood
their
of
deprived
be
will
they
the commission and who claim that
us to
before
evidence
convincing
or
substantial
passage of such a law. There is no
support this conclusion.
Secondly, there is the claim that certain industries of the State, notably
the textile industry, will be driven from our State.
There has been some evidence before us with regard to the textile industry
in the State of Massachusetts, where the 48-hour working week for women has been in
effect for several years. The claim is made that the condition of the textile industry in Massachusetts is due in large part, if not wholly, to the existence of this
law. On this point the evidence is inconclusive. It may be that the decline in the
cotton textile industry in that State is due to various causes not related to that
law, such as the fact that women today do not wear as much cotton clothing as heretofore, and the substitution of silk and silk imitations in such garments as they wear,
and partly perhaps to the fact that in many Massachusetts mills the equipment is out
of date and the management poor.
Another factor that probably can not be overlooked is what is sometimes
referred to as the industrial awakening of the South. It does seem that some
economic factors are more favorable to the cotton textile industry in the South than
in the3 North. The fact that labor costs are cheaper in the South, with cheaper
rents, lower taxes, and cheaper power, must exert an important influence in the
matter of building up the textile industry in that section of the country at the
expense of the northern States.
Many witnesses have appeared before this commission both for and against
the law. Union male labor is for the law. Union female labor, especially those who
now work but 48 hours, or less, and many women interested in welfare work, are for
the law, and report that numerous workers, whose names for obviously justifiable
reasons are not given, favor the proposed law.
On the other hand, many workers, seemingly healthy, and some women's
political organizations are opposed to the proposed law.
To your commission it seems that a more important question to women is the
obtaining for them of wages more nearly approximating the wages of men engaged in
wages
work requiring equal intelligence and application. In comparison with the
a
stated,
woman
one
As
inadequate.
given to men, the wages paid women are unjustly
48
hours.
at
underpaid
woman well paid, well fed, is happier at 52 hours than one
It has been claimed before the commission that in manufacturing plants
hand manipuwhere the basis of production is the operation of a machine, rather than
have the smalllation, the plant which operates its machinery the fewest hours will
proportion of
est production, and that not only will production be smaller but the
be greater.
overhead expenses to be charged against each unit of production will
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
- 5 On the other hand, the workers claim that the industries dependent mainly
on machines, such as the textile industry, are the very industries in which the
strain of long hours is the hardest and where the effects of fatigue are most felt.
It is claimed that the passage of a 48-hour law in this State will seriously affect the manufacturing plants of the State in competition with plants in other
States, and thnt such plants in this State will either have to substitute men for
women, or move their plants to other States. If this condition were to be created
as a result of the 48-hour law it would be very serious, but your commission is not
satisfied from the evidence before it, that the danger of such a situation could not
readily be met by the management of industry if a 48-hour law were made sufficiently
flexible to take care of the seasonal rushes and of the occasional overtime required,
by breakdown or other industrial causes.
In establishments such as department and other stores, catering as they do
to the inhabitants of the town or city where they are situated, no great injury will
ensue either to workers or proprietors if the hours of labor be limited to 48 per
week. The buyers will be compelled to do their buying within a fewer number of
hours. There can be no other result than a benefit to the workers.
One of the outstanding facts in this whole question is the fact, as shown
by the statistics of the State Department of Labor, that an overwhelming percentage
of the women employed in factories at the present time work
but 48 hours or less
a week. And of those who work more than 48 hours, only an extremely small proportion
now work in excess of 50 hours. These very industries, however, where the women are
employed regularly at 48 or 50 hours, contend most strongly that the exigencies of
business, to meet rush orders, because of temporary breakdowns, or other conditions
facing management, must have the right to work overtime, and that they do now work
overtime, sometimes up to the legal limit of 54 hours a week. Such overtime, however, does not always necessitate more than 2 or 3 hours a week when it does occur.
After an exhaustive examination and after hearing many witnesses on both
sides, including the Director of the Bureau of Women in Industry of the New York
State Department of Labor, and also the Director of the Women's Bureau of the United
States Department of Labor, which bureau has investigated the subject in a number of
States, this commission declares itself in favor of a 48-hour law for women employed
in factories and mercantile establishments, except those now exempt by law from the
provisions of the 54-hour law and the 10 o'clock limitation for work at night. In
d6claring for the 48-hour law, we recognize the need of industry for an opportunity
to work additional hours in case of seasonal rushes, or other conditions that may
arise from time to time, where a. straight 48-hour week would work a great hardship.
We also recognize the condition that now prevails in many industrial plants of a
Saturday half-holiday. Believing that the half-holiday affords an opportunity for
healthful recreation, and the recovery from the effects of physical strain and
fatigue, anrl is a great factor for the physical well-being of women workers, we are
of the opinion that it is not only essential to retain the half-holiday where it now
exists, but it is highly desirable to urge it upon industry as an almost universal
propo sit ion.
This commission while in favor of a provision in the 48-hour law, that, while
no more than 8 hours a day will be permitted on any day in the week, where women
employees are required to work 6 full days a week, we recommend a provision that
would permit factories or mercantile establishments to employ their women workers
494 hours a week, in order to give them a full half-holiday on one day of each week,
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
011•111111011•1=11111.11mmin
- 6 to do this, it is necessary to provide
besides their regular day of rest. In order
hours on any day, where it is done
that women may be employed for not to exceed 9
one of the other days of the week,
for the purpose of giving a shorter work-day on
alf of nine hours, namely, 4-1-.
one-h
to
and limiting the hours of that shorter day
s of industry, for a moderate
In order to take account of the necessitie
that would permit of not to exceed 78
amount of overtime, we recommend a provision
ime to be available to the employer
hours of overtime in any one year, such overt
notice to the industrial commissioner at
whenever he requires it, but upon giving
This is practically the provision conthe time of beginning such overtime work.
that was introduced in the legislature
tained in the so-called Mastick-Shonk :ill
of
ally agreed to by all the proponents
last year. That provision, which was gener
ime. The bill did not state, however,
the 48-hour law, permitted 12 weeks of overt
is believed that the present recommendation
how the overtime was to be taken, and it
better adapted to the needs of industry.
for 78 hours overtime is more elastic and
commission, of course, recognizes that .
In making this recommendation, your
shall any woman be permitted or required
in no event, under the overtime provision,
r of hours, that is to say, 54 hours in
to work more than the present legal numbe
accepted by the employers' representative
any one week. While this proposal is not
the representative of labor and the representa
on this commission, it is accepted by
in
to
say,
e
priat
it
appro
ve
belie
ssion. We
tive of the general public on the commi
labor most directly interested in passage of
of
tives
senta
that connection that repre
the commission, and speaking p.s the official
this bill, were invited to confer with
organized workers, they declared themselves
spokesman for their very large group of
in
accepting this proposal, as a great measure
to this commission as agreeable to
wish
they
that
one
workers of the State and as
advance for the welfare of the women
to see enacted into law.
all those who have aided in its deliberaThe commission desires to commend
ct, both those who urged the 48-hour week and
tions on this very troublesome subje
objected to it. The discussions have been
those who sincerely and conscientiously
a spirit of fairness, and in an honest endeavor to
carried on without rancor, and in
the question, and we feel that the State owes
arrive at a satisfactory solution of
them a debt of gratitude.
imposed upon industry in adjustThe commission recognizes the difficulty
which may be imposed by such a law, and unless
ing itself to the changed conditions
be done in certain cases, the time of taking
great injustice and hardship is to
oned for a reasonable time. While urging, thereeffect of such a law should be postp
as possible, adjust their hours to the provisions
fore, that all employers as soon
t
enacting, we further recommend that the actual effec
of the law which we recommend
period of 6 months after the passage of such act.
of the law be postponed for a
Nevada
the legislative committee of 18 Nevada
Among other labor bills endorsed by
Federation of Labor, is that for an amendment to the
unions, as well as the State
hours.
for a 48-hour week inst cad of the present 56
8-hour law for women providinc;
Ohio
d
land colored girls have been place
The Urban League reports that in Cleve
men
The
men.
used
department store which formerly
as elevator operators in a large
were transferred to other jobs.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
- 7 Enland
Investigation into the question of weight -lifting by women in various
industries, has revealed the fact that the paper -trade heads the list for -the weight
of the individual load carried.
Tests carried out on 18 women and two girls showed an average relation of
loa.d -to body weight in this trade of 57 per cent, the average daily amount lifted
fIr each woman being 1.1 tons.
The investigator, Dr. Sybil G. Overton, Medical Inspector of Factories,
states that the evidence suggests that 40 per cent of body weight for the individual
load should not be exceeded by women and girls where•the lifting and carrying .is an
essential part of the process and is intermittent or continuous throughout the
process. For incidental and occasional loads not more than 50 per cent of -the body
weigII should be lifted or carried at a time. (Workers' Union Record, November,1926.)
NOTES
For the purpose of standardizing methods of calculating labor turnover,
and interpreting the results, the board of directors of the store managers' division
of the National Retail Dry Goods Association, has authorized the planning and
,r in stores. It is expected
'study of labor turnovE,
research committee to underta.ke
-that this study will enable stores to put their labor figures on a comparable basis
and -to be in a position to make future ana.lysis,
A. R. Strang, of the Ed. Schuster & Co., Inc., Milwaukee, is the chairman
of the planning and research committee of the division. All members of -the organization are requested to furnish information on their methods of handling labor turnover
data in their respective stores, including methods of calculation, classification of
departures or separations, the inclusion or exclusion of "extra." employees, and -the
importance which the member store responding places on such data in the functioning
of its executive departments.
The .other members of the committee are, in addit ion -to Mr. Strang, Miss
Eugenia Lies, of R. H. Macy & Co., Inc., E.N. Ferrell, of Jordan Marsh Co., Boston,
and F. R. Lamb of the Edw. Malley Co., New Haven, Conn.
It is expected, after -this study is cotnplete,d, if there is sufficient
demand from the members, the rat e of labor turnover in department •stores, the causes,
remedies, etc., may be undertaken. This study, which is now under way, it wrIs
explained, is a necessary prelude to such work in order that the data may be put on
compara.ble basis. (Daily News Record, February 4, 1927..)
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
ftia.110.1
567
U. S. Department of Labor
WOMEN'S BUREAU
'
Washington
News Letter No. 49.
March 31, 1927.
ACTIVITIES AFFECTING WOMEN IN INDUSTRY
Arizona
A new 8-hour law enacted by the 1927 legislature was approved by the
Governor March 9. Under the provisions of this law not only are the daily hours
of women restricted to 8 but the work week is limited to 6 days. The old law
permitted a 7-day week and therefore 56 hours of work per week. Women in manufacturing establishments, places of amusement, and railroad restaurants or eating
houses on railroad property, none of whom was covered by the old law, are included
in the new one. Under the new law girls working in telephone or telegraph offices
or exchanges where less than three are employed, nurses, women working in the
fields during the harvest season, or in the fields, packing sheds or factories
where perishable produce is grown or handled, and women working 6 hours or less
each day, may work 7 days a week.
California
By a vote of 7 to 5 the assembly capital and labor committee on March 18
tabled a bill to extend the 8-hour law to include women employed in sanatoriums,
relief homes, asylums, banks, general and professional offices, insurance offices,
and real estate offices. The bill was opposed by business and professional women
in the State.
Connecticut
The lower house of the legislature has rejected bills providing for
shorter working hours for women in manufacturing, mechanical and mercantile establishments. The bills had been unfavorably reported by the labor committee. Three
of the bills applied to manufacturing plants and called for a 9-hour day and,
respectively, for a 48-, a. 50-, and a 54-hour week. The ethers, also three in
number, applied to mercantile establishments and called for (1) a 55-hour week and
10-hour day, (2) a 48-hour week for females and a 6 p.m. closing hour for minor
establishunder 16 years, and (3) a 6 p.m. closing for women and girls, with such
laws.
Sunday
ments exempted as are exempt from the
A bill to amend the existing law so
inspectors, of whom not less than two and not
amended before passage to increase the number
old law allowed 10 deputies, two and not more
as to allow for 15 deputy factory
more than six should be women was
of inspectors from 15 to 17. The
than three to be women.
Illinois
Eight-Hour Bill Favorably Reported.
The women's 8-hour bill received favorable action in the committee on
industrial affairs of the house on March 23. By a vote of 17 to 5 the committee
it pass.
decided to report the bill to the house with the recommendation that
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
••••
••••
One Day's Rest in Seven.
Hearings were held March 29 before the house judiciary committee on a bill
providing one day of rest in seven. The Illinois division of the Actors' Equity
sociation is especially active in support of the bill.
Liassachusett s
By an overwhelming vote of 159 to 5 the house on March 19 rejected the
smendinent to the 48-hour law proposed by the textile interests whereby women in the
cotton mills would have been allowed to work 10 hours a day and 54 hours a week,
with an annual weekly average of' 48 hours.
lachi-an
Hearings have been held recently before the labor committee of the senate
on a bill forbidding the employment of women on emery wheels and drill presses. The
chairman of the State Department of Labor and Industry told the committee that the
department through its inspections could regulate such work so as to prevent its
proving dangerous or unhealthful.
lanne sot a
Efforts to provide by law for a woman member of the Industrial Commission
and for a 54-hour week for women workers both have met with defeat. The hour bill
was amended so that it would have applied only to cities of the first and second
class, which meant only Minneapolis, St. Paul, Duluth, and Winona.
•
Nevada
A senate bill providing an 8-hour day and 6-day week for women has not
been reported out of the committee on labor.
:Iew Hampshire
Without debate and by a vote of almost two to one-230 to 120—the House
of Representatives on I.:arch I defeated the bill which would have decreased the hours
of work of women in industry from 54 to 48.
New jersey,
The effort to make enforceable the night work act which should have become
effective January 1, 1925, by providing specific penalties for violations, has met
with defeat.
New York
Forty -EiT,h-t Hour Week WinS.
On March 31 Governor Smith signed the modified 48-hour bill which represents the result of 14 years of effort to reduce the legal working hours of women in
New York industries. The law, which embodies the recommendations of the Industrial
Survey Commission, permits 491- hours a week if a half holiday is granted on one of
the six working days, and allo'.7s 78 hours overtime during the year. The bill passed
the senate with only one dissenting vote. In the assembly the vote was 122 to 22.
The law becomes effective January 1, 1923.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
- 3 Other Legislation.
I
- mportant enactments of the 1927 session of the legislature include numerous amendments to the workmen's compensation law, among them provisions increasing
the maximum weekly payments to injured workers from §.20 to $25 and increasing the
total sums that may be paid . for certain forms of disability from the present c'.?3,500
000.
to a maximum of 4,000 and
Two amendments to the labor law were enacted providing increases in the
salaries of factory, mercantile, boiler, mine and tunnel inspectors, and their division into six grades within the State Department of Labor, and giving to the Industrial Commissioner power to require that the walls and ceilings of rooms and hallways
in every factory be kept clean. Among four emergency amendments to the workmen's
coeyeensat ion law, which were introduced on behalf of the State Department of Labor
two weeks before adjournment and which failed of passage, was one to include benzol
as a cause of occupational disease.
The Industrial Survey Commission created by the legislature of 1926 to
stu.y industrial conditions throughout the State, has been continued for one more
year with an appropriation of $25,000.
The reorganization commission bill signed by the Governor 1,iarch 17 removes
from the Hughes reorganization act of 192E the requirement that two members of the
State Industrial Board shall be representative of employees and two representative
of employers, The board of five members succeeding the former board of three, is
now in full operation. The three laembers„ whose appoireents have been approved by
the senate are James 3. Whipple, promoted from the position of compensation referee,
E. W. Edwards, president of the New York State Allied Printing .Trades Council, and
Leonard W. Hatch, advanced from the posit ion of chief statistician of the State Labor
Department. The two other members of the board are Frances E. Perkins, Chairman,
and Richard J. Cullen. The retiring member is Richard H. Curran, whose term expired
January I. The salary of an industrial board lumber is ;;8,500 a. year.
North Carolina
Shorter Work Day Defeated.
A bill to reduce the working hours of women in factories to 55 a week has
been defeated.
Investigation of Industrial Conditions Asked.
A bill introduced in the legislature in February provides for the creation
of a commission of labor and industry whose duty it would be to investigate and
report to the next general assembly the conditions of laboring people in agriculture
and industry in North Carolina, and to make such recommendations as are necessary to
improve the conditions of the workers.
Wec-;1-, Virginia
A bill for an 8-hour day and 43-hour week for women workers in West
Virginia is now pending in the legislature. Joint hearings were held March 29.
Cana. da
Quebec.
The Minimum 7age Board recently issued Order No. 2, governing laundries,
dye works, and dry-cleaning establisheients of the province with the exception of the
city and island of ..ientreal and a radius of ten miles around and beyond the island.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1 F:overning Montreal and the
This order becomes effective April lo while Order
rat es of wages for Orders No.
„
minimum
The
1.
:larch
effect
adjoining districts took
and c?9; inexperienced
l2
workers
experienced
1 and No. 2, respectively, are:
7, for the second six months
and
workers over 18 years, for the first six months c.,10
$11 and $8; apprentices under 18 years, for the first six months 9 and 6, for the
second six months $10 and ,)7, for the third six months k,qi and 8. The length of
the working period to which these minimum rates apply is defined as the "regular
recognized working period of the establishment." The same rules and conditions are
attached to both orders as follows:
No worker, who begins as a young girl shall, after reaching the age of 18
years, receive less than the wages prescribed for an inexperienced worker over .18
years. If she has been employed in the industry for a year or more before reaching
the age of 18 years, she shall be considered an experienced worker upon reaching the
age of 18 years and receive not less than the minimum wage of experienced workers.
Not more than 35 per cent of the total of female ernrloyees in any establishment shall be either inexperienced adults or apprentices under 18 years of age.
Any female employee working in excess of the regular recognized working
period of the establishment shall be paid at not less than the regular rates. Any
female employee losing time during the regular recognized working period will be paid
proportionately for the actual number of hours worked. No deduction below the minimum wage line for absence shall exceed the value of the time lost, reckoned proportionately to the regular recognized working period of the establishment. An employee
required to wait on the premises shall be paid for the time thus spent.
The board may issue permits for lower wages on behalf of aged or handicapped workers. It may also grant permits of variation or suspension of any of these
regulations in case of exceptional conditions. Employers and employees are invited
to consult the board regarding any problems which these orders may concern. (Labor
Gazette, Canada, March 1927.)
India
The following is quoted from the book just published by Margaret Read—
From field to factory: An introductory study of the Indian peasant turned factory
hand;
Until the Mines Act of 1923 came into force, going into the coal-mines was
a family concern, that is, men, women, and children all worked together, whether
underground or on the surface. It should be noted here that some of the mines in
the Bengal coal-field are known as surface mines, where the conditions are different
from and less arduous than those in deep shaft mines. These surface seams are not
however very widespread, and will eventually be worked out, whereas the deeper coal
is both better and to be found in much larger quantities. The 'lanes Act of 1923 forbade children under 13 to enter the underground part of the mine, and their employment either underground or on the surface. It did not, however, forbid the employment of women underground, which was forbidden in England in 1842. In the Report of
the Chief Inspector of lanes for 192'3 it was stated that the proposal to prohibit the
employment of women underground was strenuously opposed in certain quarters, chiefly
on the (,;rounds that the supply of labor was not sufficient to work the mine without
the women. Also much was made of the different type of work in the surface mines.
In his Report for 1924 the Chief Inspector stated that the opposition was becoming
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
- 5 weaker. "Recently a prominent general manager of col-mines who knows much of Indian
labor conditions, addressed to the Indian Mining Association a letter in which he
said 'that ti:e time now is ripe for the withdrawal of women workers from Indian
Mines.' Mining labor is now plentiful and it would probably be easier now to replace
women than at any time for many yec.rs." At present 41, 616 women are employed underground in coal-mines out of a total of underground workers of 167,719.
In the larger coal-mines the hours are two 10-hour shifts in the 24, 8 a.m.
If it is difficult for men to keep their health
to 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. to C a.m.
serious for women, the majority of whom are of
more
far
is
working underground, it
mostly of carrying the coal in baskets
consists
the child-bearing age. Their work
from the seams to the tubs, and it is often very heavy work. The arrangements for
ventilating the mines are not yet very advanced, and the dangers from bad air,
defective roofing, and fire-damp explosions are far greater than in Wester mines. In
the 1924 Report it is stated of a total mining force of 258,217 there were 233 fatal
accidents, causing the death of 281 persons, 247 men and 34 women, and serious accidents causing injury to 420 persons. It is stated further that fatal accidents generally occur from a willful disregard of orders given by managers and foremen, and
that there is need for education and a greater sense of responsibility among the
workers. First-aid classes are held in some centers as part of the work of the
Mines Board of Health.
Undoubtedly the quest ion of women's work in mines is a difficult and complicated one. The withdrawal of women's labor from the mines would involve a costly
and troublesome reorganization of labor, and would force tine-owners to extend the
use of labor-saving devices and machine-cutting appliances. The experience of other
countries shows that this always leads to increased output. Moreover, as the
National Christian Council Review utates (September, 1925): "Apart from humanitarian
considerations, it appears to be reasonably clear that the removal of women from
mines is, along with housing, the principal necessity if the standard of life of the
mining community is to be raised. It surely needs no argument to prove that the
standard of life of a community, where the women spend their days down in the mine
be nonwith the men, must be low, and that family life in any sense of the term must
discussion in
existent." This vexed question is the subject for constant debate and
England
Government and social reform circles in India, but -there is a looking toward
that
say
reformers
social
all the time for help in achieving this reform. Indian
English public opinion can force the issue if it will.
Rumania
and
The first draft of a bill for the regulation of the work of women
been
has
children, which in the main gives effect to the Washington Conventions,
concerned.
submitted by the Minister of Labor to the industrial organizations
7, 1927,
The bill, according to induotrial and Labor information, :larch
Conventions,
the
applies to all classes of industrial undertakings enumerated in
of the same family working
with the single exception of those employing only members
undertakings are not
under the direction of the father and on condition that such
mechanical
that the work is not carried out by
classed as dangerous or unhealthy and
means.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
- 6 Night work is forbidden for young persons under 13 years of age, and also
for women and girls of any age. The nightly rest period must be of at least 11 conand
secutive hours' duration. For young persons under 16 years of age, and for women
6 a.m.;
girls of any age, the rest period must comprise the hours between 10 p.m. and
p.m.
10
between
hours
the
comprise
must
it
age
of
for young persons over 16 years
The Ministry of Labor may authorize exceptions for certain continuous
and 5 a.m.
pastryts,
(restauran
gs
undertakin
process industries and for certain commercial
a minimum
cooks' shops, confectioners' shops, hotels, bars, etc.), on condition that
of
pressure
extra
is
there
of 11 consecutive hours' rest be given. In cases where
reduce
to
empowered
is
work in connection with seasonal requirements, the Ministry
reducthe nightly rest of women and girls over 16 years of age to 10 hours, but such
tion may not be permitted for more than 60 days in the year.
Daily and weekly hours of work will be regulated by the
account being taken of the nature of the work performed
persons. Overtime ,work at home is forbidden and it is forbidden
persons under 18 years of age, and women and girls of any age, in
in mines and quarries.
decision of the
by women and young
to employ young
underground work
The factory inspection authorities may at any time require a medical examin order to
ination of young persons unddr 18 years of age and of women and girls
ascertain whether the work given them is beyond their physical capacity.
anployers are required to grant a holiday to women workers before childare
birth, the length of the holiday to be fixed by the medical officer. Mothers
prolonged
be
may
period
forbidden to work for six weeks after childbirth. This
are to
under medical advice. During the whole period of maternity leave women
rest
ordinary
the
to
receive an allowance and free medical attendance. In addition
an
half
of
breaks
periods a nursing mother is entitled during hours of work, to two
hour each, without any reduction of wages.
South Africa
A new agreement relating to V/Fge,S and conditions, effective as from Feb,
ruary 1 of this year, has been concluded for the whole of the tea room, restaurant
7,
:larch
n
Informatio
and refreshment trade in Johannesburg, industrial and Labor
reports on the authority of The Star, Johannesburg, January 22, 1927:
first
The min-Lnummge is fixed at 7 pounds a month for waitresses in their
month
a
pounds
9
six months' service, 8 pounds a month in the second six months, and
for a
pounds
thereafter. The minimum for a third grade cook is 8 pounds a month; 10
meals and
second grade, and 14 pounds for a first grade. These wages include such
of at least
light refreshments as are served in normal working hours. A minimum
will be
employee
No
duty.
half an hour must be allowed for each meal taken when on
in
commission
a
pay
permitted to work on a commission basis, though employers may
addition to wages.
Working hours will be 8 a day to be completed within 11 hours from the
each week, to
time of starting work on four days of the week; 5 hours on one day in
to be required
be completed before 2 p.m.; and 9 hours on Saturdays. ITo employee is
entitled to call
or permitted to work systematic overtime; but an employer will be
overtime in any
hours'
two
upon an employee, provided the employee agrees, to work
All employees
rates.
ordinary
one week. Overtime is to be paid for at double the
in
one-half
and
time
working on public holidays are to be paid at the rate of
respect of such days.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
- 7
Me,ployeasi other thlan casual hands, are to be granted 14 days' annual leave
on full pay after 12 months' centinUous service with one employer, while employees
who have not had continuous service with one employer for 12 months shall, on leaving,
receive one day's pay in respect of each completed 'month of service with such
employer in lieu of holiday leave.
An employee guilty of causing malicious damage or malicious breakages, or
of carelessly causing breakages, gross negligence, misbehaviour or any other misdemeanor when on duty is rendered liable to such penalties or fines, as the Industrial Council may decide.
NOTES
Permanence of :Jen and 'omen Office Workers.
Another report on the comparative stability of men and women office workers
has appeared in The Journal of Personnel Research, February, 1927. This report, by
1:Iarion A. Bills, Aetna Life Insurance Company, recalls that on the same subject by
H.B. 2,ergen (Journal of Personnel Research, July, 1925), which was reviewed in :lows
Letter No. 46. These reports are in striking agreement and "definitely dispose of
the arguments against women workers on grounds of instability."
The Bills report deals with 635 men and wore= office workers hired by the
Aetna Life Insurance Company from 1920 to 1923 inclusive. Relative stability is
measured by comparing proportions remaining, with the firm and average length of
service of those who left the firm. Almost equal percentages of men and women hired
- mo of this report (25 per cent of men and 26
were still with the firm up to the t i
left
the firm the women exceeded the men by about
who
Of
those
women).
per cent of
length
of
service.
a fourth of a year in average
Southern Clergy Appeals to Southern Employers.
Forty-one representative Southern bishops and ministers on Larch 28 issued
an "Appeal to Industrial Leaders of the South." Anaong the signers of the document
are three Episcopalian bishops, five 1,iethodist Episcopal Church, South, bishops, two
Liethodist Episcopal Church bishops, and leading pastors of practically all communions
in the South. The appeal is as follows:
We pastors and officials of the churches of the South address this communication to you because of our interest in the well-being of the people of the
industrial South. While we recognize that there are -problems similar to those herein
mentioned in other parts of the country, yet we as Southern men are addressing this
appeal solely to you because we recognize that the South has social conditions and
industrial problems which are peculiarly its own, and which must be met by those who
have a full knowledge of those conditions.
We are proud of the remarkable growth of Southern industry and we know that
you are concerned with us in the welfare of your employees and those dependent upon
them.
We bring before you with the greater confidence, therefore, the necessity
for the improvement of certain social and economic conditions, especially in the
textile industry, but existing also in other industries. These are, to speak briefly,
the isolation of population in a mill village; the long working week, extending in
many industries even to 55 and 60 hours; a certain amount of the 7-day week which
still exists in some industries; the employment of women and of children between 14
and 16 at overlong periods of labor; low wage standards in some industries wi,:h consequent depressed standards of living; the general absence of labor representation in
our factories.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
41lb.
- 8 Life in a mill village under a company control while an advance of status
in the beginning, is not the best training ground for citizenship in that it does not
train residents for participation in govern:nen-b. It has generally i.roved in recent
years, however, it may have been at first, to be unfavorable to education, to religion, and to understanding and sympathy between the citizens of the mill village and
those of the larger community. In spite of the difficulty of the problem we are convinced that these villages should be merged as rapidly as is consistent with safety
into the larger community.
in
We do not undertake to suggest the forms which employee representation
unions
factory government should take, whether arrangements negotiated with regular
Labor gives
or forms of works' councils. But labor is human and not a commodity.
has wisdom,
also
labor
since
and
savings,
all that it has, including capital through
s it is
industrie
our
of
ity
productiv
skill and ingenuity to contribute to the greater
the
and
enforcing
making
in
share
desirable and helpful that it should have a proper
d.
regulations by which industrial plants are controlle
waste, regularity
The quality and quantity of the product, elimination of
and the fairness
scale
wage
of employment, better control of industry as a whole, the
better
wages,
Higher
of discipline of the shop are of deepest int crest to labor.
enrich
to
tend
worker
schools, shorter hours of labor and the independence of the
life and to develop a stronger type of citizenship.
improved and we
We believe that all of these conditions can be steadily
ility and vanresponsib
of
positions
holding
therefore urge you, as present leaders
will take the
you
if
believe
We
nt.
tage, to take the initiative in their improveme
,
employees
,
employers
of
on
initiative, and if there can be friendly cooperati
in the
to
build
possible
be
churches, educators and officials of the State, it will
and
greater
more
a
n,
generatio
South by united effort, in the lifetime of this
and cooperation, avoiding the
goodwill
upon
solidly
ed
construct
powerful industry,
mitigating the intensity of the
waste and bitt erness of industrial conflicts and
class struggle.
that the
We can not allow ourselves to close this statement without saying
an
requires
followed,
is
it
if
,
employers
as
policy which we have presented to you
ies,
the
difficult
financial
of
public
the
by
intelligent and sympathic appreciation
Southern industry, especially in the textile
and otherwise, which beset leaders of
-hearted cooperation of labor,
industry, at this time. And it calls for the whole
We pledge our active cooperation to
organized and unorganized, if it is to succeed.
secure this understanding and cooperation.
Women in the Insurance World.
The following editorial is taken from the issue of 1.1arch 25, 1927 of The
National Union of Women- Teachers:
Woman Teacher, London, the official organ of the
Journal that
We learn fro:a a perusal of two numbers of the Insurance Guild
we are
as
problems
of the same
the women in that profession are up against some
our
The proportion of women to men in insurance offices is very small, and
. Those few who have attained to
they are confined, so far, to the lower positions
it by sheer push and energy.
done
any post involving other than routine work have
same union as the men—The
the
As the women are so few in number, they have joined
ones al.iong them are discovering,
Guild of Insurance Officials. The public-spirited
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
What.
-9-.
however, that though they are in the same union and pay the same subscription they do
not receive the w_-.1-ne benefits, for the men are demanding for themselves that when
-they reached the age of 25 or 28, they should receive a salary which will enable them
to marry, and this they put at 280 or 300 pounds.
The more progressive among the women are not slow to perceive and to point
out that such a demand implies a differentiation between men and women, not only in
the amount of their salary, but al so in the basis on which the salary is calculated.
In a special n7omen's Number" of the Guild's official organ, Miss Marion
Ffrench, of the Liverpool, London, and Globe Society, deals with the men's attitude
in a very trenchant article. She opens with the crucial question "Does the Guild
stand for Equality?" and we can not help recalling the time when we, at that period
still members of the IT. U. T., asked ourselves and others the same question.
miSs Ffrench continues: "Dunn:, the last six months I have had great misgiviivs on this point, and as I for-7i a small p7rt of that greatly-maligned body of
progressive women behind the 'Women's Moi,,- ement', I feel it is incumbent on me to
examine very closely into facts before giving my moral and monetary support to an
association that does not—both in word and deeds—give a definite and complete
pledge on this point."
She declares that if insurance officials are to be effectively organized,
--romm's are mutual. This, she conthe men must realize that their interest and the ,
distinction is drawn between men
invidious
"an
since
-:e,
do'
tinues, the men have not
association
composed of both
an
by
done
been
and worLen—which should never have
men
should
have
that
preferential
principle
sexes—in the vary adoption of" the
responsibilities.
treatment over women because of family
women," says Miss Ffrench, "unlike the men it would seem, have net
with the object of pressing for a remuneration according to our
Guild
'the
joined
but
responsibilities,
personal
with
the cooperation of dur fellow workers a salary comobtain
To
"(1)
qualification;
and
ability
without
mensurate
the relations between ourselves and our
regulate
and
improve
"(2) To
employers;
"(3) To secure good and equal opportunities for men and women in the
insurance world;
"(4) To secure adequate and equal pay, equal increments, and equal status
for men and women insurance officials.
"In fact, our main plank is 'Equality', and we had certainly thought that
it was an importnat item in the Guild's programme. We have come into the insurance
-;:orld, we are staying there, and we mean to have fair play, and, where our ability
to hold our own with the men has been proved, they will see that it is to their
benefit not to allow us to be imported as chew) labor."
The women of the Guild considered this natter at a meeting of their
Advisory Committee, when 'Liss Ffrench proposed and hiss ':Iad4.in7ham seconded a motion
"that the men's demands were inconsisterit with the conference deliberations as they
apparently draw a distinction between the salaries paid to men and women in insurthat
ance, and are not in the best interests of the Guild inasmuch as it can be said
regard
in
so
be
also
of
matter
salaries, it should
if its policy is inequality in the
to Guild subscription.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
allh 40'
- 10 It a7pears that the men officials had in the past reproached the women i,-rith
being inconsist ent; Lass Ffrench reLlinds theta of this, and says:
"It will be rather painful, I am thinking, to our men colleagues to realize
-onsistthat at last the tables are turned, and we are now accusing them of being
will
be
o give
ent—they have had their little joke so long that I am sure they
it up:"
We hope that Lass Ffrench and Liss Waddingham will have the full support of
all their women colleagues in their ficr,ht to make their own union act up to its
expressed principles. It will be a hard fight; we speak from experience, but if the
men are clear-sighted enough, they can not help recognizing that they are risking
their own prospects in allowing themselves to be undercut by women.
plainer to those who are acquainted with both men and women
Nothing
as the men, and
* kat the wanen are at least—at least—as capable
insurance offir•dalL,"A
then they
labor,
if the men r.rg gradually ousted by the campetion of cheaper f cminine
will have only themselves to blame.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
U. S. Department of Labor
WOMEN'S BUREAU
Washirgton
570
April 30, 1927.
News Letter No. 50.
ACTIVITIES AFFECTING WOMEN IN INDUSTRY
California
A bill amending the nresent 8-hour law by removing from its application
by
women engaged in processing or packing eggs and dressing poultry has been passed
the legislature and sent to the Governor for signature.
Illinois
••••••••••••.. .••••
One Day Rest in Seven.
The Weekly News Letter of -the Illinois State 14'ederation of Labor for April
the Committee
23 reported that the "dismembering of the One Day Rest in Seven Bill in
the passage
in
on Judiciary of the House of Representatives on April 13, culminated
measure. The
of an amendment entirely releasing theaters from the provision of the
to factories
action was taken on the modified bill which as introduced applied only
bill by
and theaters. Two other amendments had previously passed, weakening the
extent as to make
excepting from its terms certain classes of factories to such an
action on which
only
The
concerns.
industrial
it almost ineffective as applicable to
words 'or
the
out
striking
by
there was a roll call vote was the motion to amend
theaters' which was adopted by a vote of 15 to 13."
Women's Eight-Hour Bill.
After withstanding nine attempts at amendment, the Women's Eight-Hour Bill
howwas ordered placed on the calendar for third reading. For lack of three votes,
debate on the
ever, it failed May 3 to pass the house. The vote, after two hours'
bill, was 74 to 64.
ts
_
Massachuset
Forty-Eight Hour Week to Continue.
Without a dissenting voice, the Senate en March `;,4, accepted the adverse
.Arkwright
report of the Committee or. Labor and Industry on the bill sponsored by -the
hours a
10
of
maximum
a
Club to modify the 48-hour law so as to allow we-men to work
day or 54. hours a week in rush seasons.
New Wage Boards Formed.
has formed tv.-o Y:ew wage boards, one for estabCommission
The Minimum Wage
- s, the other for eleclishments manufacturing boot and show cut stock a:ed finlinz,
and findings occupation
stock
cut
shoe
trical machinery and supplies. The boot and
shoe trimmings,
innersoles,
and
includes the manufacture of such lines as counters
and supplies
machinery
stays, leather heels, shanks and welting. The electrical
and equipapparatus
occupation includes the manufacture of products like electrical
of
function
the
is
ment, induction coils, radios, incandescent lamps and mica. It
in
these
girls
these wage boards to recommend minimum rates of wages for women and
occupat ions.
Llinnesot
women in
The hour law of 1913 has been amended to permit the eriployment of
year.
each
days
75
of
canning factories more than 54 hours a week for a period
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Federal
Reserve Bank of St. Louis
I.
- 2 .1\T ew
York
Industrial Accidents to Women.
Reporting on industrial accidents to women in New York State, Miss Nelle
Swartz, Director of the Dureau of Women in Industry, in the Industrial Bulletin for
April, says that "industrial accidents to wemen are in smaller proportion than accidents to men. Of the compensated industrial accidents in New York State in the year
ending June 30, 1926, those to women were 7 per cent of the total. The per cent of
females among workers with compensated accidents is, therefore, less than a third as
large as the per cent of females among the gainfully employed (25 per cent)."
ThE! proportion of accidents to females has been fairly consistent, Miss
Swartz points out, for the past 10 years except in 1917 and 1918, when the proportion
was somewhat lower. The proportions run from 3.9, 5.6, and 7.1 per cent in 1917,
1910, and 1919, to 7.3 per cent in 1926.
The report continues: Almost a fourth of the accidents to females were
among minors. Among males the accidents to minors were only 9 per cent of the total.
This difference in proportion is due to two facts: First, that female minors comprise a larger pronortion of all gainfully employed females than male minors do of
all gainfully employed males; second, that whatever industrial hazards females are
subject to are equally present in all age groups, whereas male minors do not enter
hazardous occupations of males such as transportation, construction, and mining in
any great numbers. * * *
More than one-half of all the compensated accidents to women occurred in
the manufacturing industry. * * *More than three-fourths of accidents to girls under
21 were in the manufacturing industry; among older women more than one-half were in
manufacturing. On the other hand, there were fewer accidents among minors in clerical and personal service than among adult women. Of the manufacturing industries,
clothing is the most important in accidents to women with almost a third of the total.
Textiles and food products are next in importance, with 13 and 11 per cent respectively of the total. * * *
Falls of persons and machinery are the most important causes of accidents
to women with about a third and a fourth respectively of the total. In addition,
handling objects caused 15 per cent of the total, hand tools, 8 per cent. The falls
which caused accidents were almost equally divided between falls from elevation and
falls on level. Three-fourths of the former were from stairs and stops, while of the
falls on levels more than one-half were due to slipping of the foot and more than
one-fifth to stumbling over loose objects.
Textile and metal workers machines were the chief causes of machine accidents; the former responsible for more than a third of the total, the latter for a
, machines, food products and laundry machines were
fifth. Paper products and printing
responsible for 11, 9, and 8 per cent respectively of machine accidents. The textile
machines were largely sewing machines. More than one-half of the metal working
machines were power presses. * * *
Of the accidents due to handling objects the largest number were naturally
due to sharp or rough objects, such as glass, wire, or slivers. Nevertheless more
than a fourth of tnem were due to heavy objects, principally to strain in handling
such objects. Of the hand tool accidents, nearly all were due to the glancing or
slipping of tools while being used by the worker. This indicates the possibility of
decreasing accidents by means of better education in the proper use of tools. Of the
accidents caused by hois-bing or conveying apparatus, one-half were due to elevators,
one-third to dumb waiters.
Of the compensated accidents to females, 85 per cent resulted in temporary
disability. The other 15 per cent, except for a few causing deaths, resulted in permanent partial disabilities. No permanent total disabilities were caused by compensable industrial accidents to women in the past year. Among males the proportion of
deaths and permanent disabilities was higher than among females. * * *
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
- 3 For
The extent of disability has some relation to the age of the worker.
seriare the less
instance, the per cent of temporary disabilities which in general
of permanent parcent
per
the
hand,
other
On
the
ous, decreases in each age group.
in which deaths are
tial disabilities increases with each age group. The only group
cent of the total-,
per
2
are
important are in the 60 year or older greup where they
7roups. * * *
other
the
all
although they are less than one-half of one per cent in
Seven-and-a-Half Hour Day Inaugurated.
The Daily News Record of April 30 is authority for the following:
pAssed by
Fulfilling in advance the recently enacted 48-hour working law
announced
Street
the legislature, the James A. Hearn 3c Son department store on 14th
Monday from
yesterday it would shorten the working day of its employees beginning
to be a gen8 hours to 7* hours. This is the first occurrence in what is expected
eral movement in mercantile establishments.
no particular
The general opinion was that the revised schedule would cause
law compelling shorter
harm to business; but one executive remarked that owing to the
g departments.
n.onsellin
in
men
by
hours for women, many women would be supplanted
8 30
from 9
operation
store
The Hearn announce:eclat fixes the hours of
enable the
wil4.
This
e.
heretofor
to 5.00 p.m. instead of from 9.00 a.m. to 5.00 as
at
5.15. The
usual
as
leave
employees to report at 9.15 a.m. instead of 8.45, and to
The
day.
work
shortened
company statement proclaims its hearty indorsement of the,
the
of
Harris
ner
Commissio
new hours also assist the "staggered plan" proposed by
policy effected several
Health Department. In this occurrence Hearn follows the
of working time. It was
times previously of being a pioneer in the short ening
Saturdays. This store
Hearne s which 28 years ago originated the aLl-day closing on
days in sur.l.ne,r.
later started the practice of closing at 5 p.m. on week
Co., said his firm was conConstable
Arnold
of
Isaac Lieberman, president
place of 9 to 5.30. He did
sidering establishing the selling day at 10 a.m. to 6 in
disapproval, however,
his
expressed
He
not believe any harm would occur to trade.
of the 48-hour law for women.
Association,
Lew Hahn, managing director of the National Retail Dry Goods
move."
expressed pleasure over Hearn's action, calling it an "intelligent
New York Retail
the
of
also
and
Bros.,
Stern
of
Sainuel 1,:undheim, president
on location.
depended
largely
hours
operating
believed
Dry Goods Association, said he
unison
in
act
would
store
this
s
that
It was learned at James McCreery'
effected.
be
might
of
hours
with Lord and Taylor in whatever change
months,
Two stores in Cincinnati have been on a seven-heur schedule for 16
and three in Chicago for a year. They report good results.
Appointment of Dr. Rogers Pleases Workers.
y as executive
"The appointment of Dr. Lindsay Rogers of CoThmbia Universit
other occurevery
like
director of the National Wholesale Women's Wear !Isseciation,
to
interest
ble
considera
rence of importance in our main industry, is a matter of
Justice,
of
22 issue
the members of our union in the :Jew York market," says the April
Union.
Workers'
Garment
Ladies'
enal
the official organ of the internati
ion, of which
organizat
cloak
"The
part:
Continuing, the editorial sp:ys in
rers
manufactu
cloak
of
on
associati
Prof. Rogers becomes the executive hod, is the
Merchants
the
of
s
activitie
nonlabor
and jobbers formed a year ago to supervise the
Protective Association, the
Ladies' Garment Association, the jobbers, and of the old
has nothing to do with labor
"inside" manufacturers. .21iis organization, therefore,
as credit, shipment, group
matters, but confines itself exclusively to such activity
etc.
purchasing of material, liquidation of goods, etc.
to bring closer together
effort
this
that
ess,
neverthel
"It is obvious,
the manufacturers and the jobbers
under capable executive direction, the interests of
years past have been operating at
in the cloak industry of New York, which for many
industry as a whole.
cross currents, is bound to have a wholesome effect on the
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
- 4 "We are not inclined to exaggerate the posei'oae benefits that might accrue
from this executive centralization of the interests of the cloak jobbers and manufacturers, especially to the labor part of the industry. We do, however, maintain
that anything which tends to bring more order, coordination and system to such a
chaos-ridden industry like the cloak industry, is bound to have a sound influence on
all the factories and groiips in it.
"Dr. Rogers comes to the cloak industry with expert knowledge of its prob]ems acquired first hand in the past three years, since he was appointed in 1924 by
Governor Smith to serve on the Special Mediation Commission for the cloak industry.
As secretary of that condiseion, Dr. Rogers was in charge of the research ,:rork conducted by the mediators, which later was published in the form of recommendations
that attracted wide attention among all the factors in the trade.
"Vie have nothing but good wishes to extend to Dr. Rogers upon his assumption of new duties in our principal industry. His training, wide contacts with all
phases of the cloak trade, and experience gained from close investigation should
enable him to accomplish substantial trade improvements that would have a wholesome
effect, in the long run, upon all groups vitally interested in the welfare of the
cloaknaaking business in New York City."
Right to Equal Pay Denied by Court.
The Court of Appeals on May 3, according to press reports, denied the right
of women school teachers to draw the same pay as men school teachers doing similar
work. The decision was handed down in a case brought against the Syracuse Board of
Education by Cornelia A. Moses, a school teacher of Syracuse.
The equal pay for women school teachers' law was attacked on the ground
that it arbitrarily attempted -to erase natural differences in the sexes, interferes
with contracts and violates the home rule 12w in compelling municipalities to supply
money for the benefit of certain classes of individuals.
Penr.i.La.vania.
Plans for a one-day conference on industrial nursing are being considered
by the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry. It is expected that about 100
nurses will be represented. June 8 is the tentative date set for the conference.
Canada.
In an article on Canada's minimum wage laws and their effect, published in
Industrial Canada for March, H. Michell, Frofessor of Political Economy in McMaster
University, Toronto, says: "In general, it may be relaer::ed that it is becoming
fairly certain from evidence of the working of the prarciple in Great Britain, the
United States and Australia, that except in the case of notoriously sweated industries, where conditions are admittedly deplored by all decent employers, the working
of the minimum wage principle is very uncertain. During a time of rising wages, it
has little or no effect. When wags are falling and unemployment is general it
breaks down, as was quite evident in England during 11D21 and 1922. Apart from these
general considerations, it is useful, sometimes, in prosecuting unworthy employers
who victimize their women workers by starvation wages and overlong hours. The result;
so far as Canadian records show, are also inconclusive. In Ontario the law has very
apparently raised the whole level of women's wages by a substantial amount. In
British Columbia the results are confused."
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
- 5 Alberta.
was being amended and consolidated at the
act
When the Alberta factories
session of 1926, opinion in the province was divided as to the wisdom of including
in the new act a section providing for the establisi-feent of an 8-hour ,s7orking day in
the industries of the province. Finally it was decided to establish, by Order in
Council, a commission to investigate the subject of a 46-hour working week in factories, shops, and offices. In the meantime it was provided that the working hours
; si-ould not exceed 9 in the day and 54 in the week.
of labor in these Bstabishmerr...-,
Commissioners were appointed as follows: A. A.
provision,
In accordance with this
E. Roper,
Carpezber, chairman; l'Iorman Hindsley, representing the employers, and
representing the employees.
The commissioners recently presented reorts, the majority recommending
that the suggested limitation of hours should not be carried out until the other
provinces have taken similar action, while the minority report recommends the immediate adoption of the 8-hour day in industries in the province. (Labor Gazette,
Canada, April, 1927.)
British Columbia.
ihe legislature which adjourned :.larch 7, enacted several laws of interest
to labor, among them emondments to the factories act and to the minimum wage act.
Amendments were made to those sections of the factories act which deal
with the emp oyment of children, young girls and women and with night work in laundries. Ic child may now be employed in a factory except by written permission of
the inspector, which must specify the hours of employment, not exceeding six.
Formerly the employment of children ',vas permitted in the business of fish-canning
or curing or in fruit packing during the time of fish runs or in the fruit seasons.
A further amendment makes overtime and night work of women and young girls in the
above-mentioned industries and seasons conditional upon the written consent of such
girls or women cr their parents or guardians.
The minimum wage act was amended to provide that employers' statements of
wages, hours and workirT; conditions of female employees, as required under the act,
should be verified by statutory declaration. Thployers' registers must now contain
a record of wages paid and hcure worked, as well as the names, ages, and addresses
of the women employed. Orders of the board must be kept posted free from mutilation
or defacement. A new clause is added which permits the board to reconsider, without
calling a conference, any order which has been enforced for at least one year, and
to amend such order or reple.c.e it by a new one. An employer who contravenes an
order of the board by payment of less than the minimum wage, will, in future, upon
conviction, be ordered to pay to the employee the difference between the wages paid
and the minimum wage. (Labor Gazette, Canada., April, 1927.)
Saskatchewan.
By act of the legislature which closed its session '.iarch 30, barber shops
and beauty parlors were added to the list of establishments to which the minimum
wage act applies.
China.
Int1,. a view to settling disputes between capital and labor, the Political
Committee of the Kuomingtang Government for the Province of Poo-Pei has drawn up
factory regulations, some of the main points of which are as follows:
Ihe regulations are applicable to all factories in the Province which
employ more than 20 workers, or which are in any way dangerous or unsatisfactory.
anployers are required to recognize the right of the workers to conclude collective
agreements with them. Mnployers are forbidden to employ children under 12 years of
age, and to give night work between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. to children under 15 years of
age or to women. As regards women, however, these provisions will not enter into
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
- 6 force until four months after the promulgation of the regulations. laaiployers also
are forbidden to employ women and children in dangerous or unhealthy work, which is
described as follows:
Dangerous work: (a) The starting and stopping of electric machines or
other machines productive of inotor power; (b) greasing; (c) work on belts and
pulleys; (d) handling of explosives; (e) building work carried on above ground level.
Unhealthy work: (a) Manufacture of matches with yellow phosphorous; (b.)
work involving the use of white lead; (c) work involving the use of sulphur and its
compounds; (d) manufacture of products for washing which are reckoned to be injurious; (e) work in factories for the manufacture of chemical products involving the
use of poisonous substances; (f) work connected with heating or the transport of
coal; (g) work involvine- exposure to a temperature above or below the nonnal.
The minimum wage is fixed at 13 dollars (Chinese) per month. This provision does not apply to apprentices. In the event of a rise in the cost of living,
it is for the trade unions to agree with the employer for a wage increase.
Daily hours of work may not exceed 10. A weekly rest, with payment of
wages must be granted to workers. If the worker works on a day when he is legally
entitled to rest, his wages must be doubled. In cases of force majeure or accident,
emPloyers may, with the permission or approval of the public authorities, prolong
hours of work under conditions agreed upon between them and the trade unions.
Work of the same kind must be paid for by the same wage, without distinction of sex.
Six weeks' rest, with payment of wages, must be granted to women workers
before and after childbirth.
When work is stopped in the factory on the initiative of the employer, the
employer must pay the workers throughout the days of unemployment, the wage which
they would normally receive. In the event of the employer findin: great difficulty
in meeting his obligations under this section, he may apply for government assistance.
The employer may- engage or dismiss a worker only with the consent of the
trade union. (Industrial and Labor Information, iiarch 28, 1927.)
Malta.
The factories regulation bill in Malta received assent on 17 December,1926,
assembly having agreed on 20 October to the senate's aitendments,
legislative
the
relating to sections 5 and 8 referred to below.
exceptions
with certain
Work by women and children shall not last more than 8
reads:
Section 6
hours per day and shall nave not more than two intermediate breaks of an aggregate
duration of not loss than one hour, net to be reckoned in the 6 hours.
The senate proposed to delete this section, the principal reason advanced
being that it ought to be inserted in a special law dealing with hours of work, and
that such a measure was in contemplation. The senate was not against the manner of
putting it irrto effect.
In debate in the legislative assembly on this amendment, it was pointed
out that the 8-hour bill was still in its initial stages, and, not being restricted
to women and children, would certainly meet with obstacles and difficulties, not
only on the score of principle but also in its application. Serious struggles, and
in fact, its complete rejection might be anticipated. iurther, the factories regulation bill aimed at protecting the interests of those under age, and one of the
methods of such protection was to restrict their hours of work; therefore the incorporation of section 6 was quite in order. The senate's amendment for the deletion
of section 6 efas accordingly not concurred in.
Section 8, as originally drafted, simply stated that "whoever employs
women of any age and children under -the age of 16 years shall enter in a register to
be kept for that purpose a record of their name, surname, father's name, ordinary
residence, date of birth, date of their employment and eventual discharge."
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
- 7 To this the senate proposed to add the following paragraph: Women under
age and children who have not completed 16 years of age shall not 1De employed in the
works contemplated in this act unless they produce a medical certificate testifying
that they are in good health and fit for the work in which they are to be employed.
Such certificate shall be issued free of charge by the district medical officer, if
so requested.
This addition was agreed to by the legislative assembly, with the substitution of the words "18 years" for the words "16 years." The assembly also amended the
first paragraph of section 8, by substituting the words "18 years" for the words
"16 years."
Section 6, and the amendment of the legislative assembly to section 8 were
subsequently agreed to by the senate. (Industrial and Labor Information, April 4,
1927.)
Great Britain.
National Conference of Labor Women.
The National Conference of Labor 'Iomen in Great Britain, which is an annual
event, but was cancelled last year owing to the general strike, is to be held May 11
and 12 in Huddersfield, England. The conference is called under the auspices of the
Labor Party, in cooperation with the Standing Joint Committee of Industrial Women's
Organizations, a committee which embraces representatives in the political, trade
union and cooperative movements. On May 10, just preceding the full conference,
there is to be held a private business conference on organization, which is restricted
to delegates .of the women's section of the political movement, and will take place
under the chairmanship of Dr. Marion Phillips, chief woman officer of the Labor Party.
At this private conference will be discussed the internal organization of the women
in the Party, and especially organization of rural areas.
The full conference will be presided over by Mrs. Meanor Hood, J.P., well
known for her work in the cooperative movement, and present chairman of the Standing
Joint Committee. The agenda will include reports on the two years' work of the Labor
Party in women's interests at home and abroad, dealing with franchise, nursing, penal
questions, factory legislation, family endowment, the poor law, health and unemployment. On the second day reports will be taken or. agricultural policy, and its effect
on housewives in town and country, on women's part in developing a constructive
policy of peace; on education, women in industry, and women and the mining industry.
Delegates are said to average about 1,000 in number at these conferences,
and the "platform" takes up little of the proceedings, the speakers being mainly
working women from the body of the hall.
Women in Industry in Great Britain.
An article by Margaret G. Bondfield in the American Federationist for May,
on women in Industry in Great Britain has appended a detailed list of Trade Board
Rates "from which you will see," says Miss Bondfiold, "that the average rate for
women workers in connection with power factories is around about 26 shillings to 28
shillings for a 46-hour week. American readers who may be shocked at the lowness of
this wage must remember that the pre-war rates for these trades were around about 7
shillings 6 pence to 13 shillings for a week much longer than 48 hours—chain-making
was even lower, as in this trade the workers earned 5 shillings to 7 shillings 6
pence for a full week of over 60 hours. It must also be remembered that these figures have to be taken in relation to the cost of living; the actual purchasing power
of the workers has not increased to the extent which the money wage would imply."
Speaking of hours of labor, Miss Bendfield says: "Under the Trade Boards,
the 46-hour week is generally accepted as the normal week, with overtime payment at
time and a quarter for the first two hours, then time and a half, and double time on
statutory holidays. These conditions, which have been more or less established by
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
- 8 protective legislation, do not apply to the catering trade or to the nursing profession. Waitresses in the tea shops and in many restaurants and hotel servants
have very long shifts, and their wages are considerably below those quoted as the
r_rade Board rates for a 48-hour week.
"The hours of shop assistants are regulated not by Trade Boards but by
Closing Orders under the Shops Act of 1912.
"The British Factory Act which permits the 60-hour week is very much out
of date on the question of hours. Nearly all power factories work on the basis of
48 hours per week, with a Saturday half-holiday from 12 noon. There has been a sustained agitation to secure the amendment of the Factory Act, to bring it into line
with ordinary practice, and it is a matter of intense disappointment to the workers
at the present moment that the Government has decided not to proceed with the Factory
Bill introduced by the Labor Home Secretary in 1924. Instead, they have tabled a
bill which in many particulars falls short of present practice. No provision is
made for washing facilities or accommodation for keeping and drying outdoor clothing.
The clauses dealing with hours are very unsatisfactory. A ,Lrorking day of 10 hours
and a period of employment of 12 is to be permitted. Provisions for overtime cause
even more serious misgivings. If they pass as they stand at present in the bill, it
will mean that a 54-hour week will become possible for all workers from 14 and
upwards, and a 57-hour week for women and young persons over 16. Never before in
the history of factory legislation has the principle of general overtime been allowed
in the case of young persons under 18.
"There are certain very bad spots unprotected by any kind of regulation,
and it is interesting to * * * note that those trades in our country that have no
regulation of any kind, and where the'women have complete freedom from any legislative interference, are the trades in which the worst sweating conditions prevail
as, for example, fur-pulling and catering. For years there has been an agitation,
especially in connection with the catering trade, pressing for the establishment of
a Trade Board. Inquiries were set in motion as the result of our pressure—deputations placed before the Ministry, glaring instances (which were all too common) of
long hours and miserable wages, and as far back as 1920 the then Minister of Labor,
Dr. Macnamara, announced that he proposed to establish the required board. Excuse
after excuse was manufactured for delay, and finally the Cave Committee of Enquiry
led to the closing down of any further activities in the way of new boards. It was
hoped that the Labor Government might have been able to establish the boards, but
their term of office came to an end too quickly, and before this much needed step
could be taken, although the preliminary investigation required by the act had been
completed by them, and the results had confirmed the necessity for a. Board."
NOTES.
National Conference of Social Work.
The 54th annual meeting of the National Conference of Social Work will take
place May 11 to 18, at Des Moines, Iowa. The division of industrial and economic
problems will discuss (1) industry and the church, (2) industry and education (3)
rural economic conditions, (4) the effect of labor legislation on women workers, and
(5) rehabilitation. On the fourth topic, Miss Flora Dunlap, of Des Moines, and Miss
Mary Winslow of the Women's Bureau of the U.S. Department of Labor, are to be the
speakers, and Miss Linna Bresette the chairman of the round table. Chairman and
speakers on other subjects will include F.E. Johnson, Federal Council of Churches,
R. L. Cooley, Milwaukee Continuation Schools, Spencer Miller, Jr., Workers' Education Bureau, D.D. Lescohier, University of Wisconsin, Charles S. Johnson, Urban
League, and Oscar M. Sullivan, Department of Education, St. Paul.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1
- 9 Int ernational Conference of Trade Union Women.
The International Conference of Trade Union Women will meet July 29 to 30,
in Paris, just preceding the meeting of the International Trade Union Congress which
is fixed for early in August. This will be the first international trade union conference of women to be called since the inception of the International Committee on
Trade Union Women at Amsterdam in 1925, which is now from within the International
Federation of Trade Unions carrying on the work begun at Geneva in 1921 by the international Federation of Working Women, which ceased to exist with the formation of the
Committee at Amsterdam.
The agenda for this conference includes the following items: .
1. The protection of working women. Rapporte,ur—Helene Burniaux.
2. The significance of the woman wage-earner from the point of view of
national economics. Rapport eur—Gertrud Hanna.
3. Home work. Rapport cur—Julia Varley.
Bureau of Vocational Service.
The Bureau of Vocational Service, founded several years ago, with headquarters at 426 South Spring Street, Los Angeles, Calif., "has earned first the loyal
backing of a small but deeply interested group and in the last few years an increasing measure of community interest and suprort." Continuing, the booklet recently
issued by the bureau says: "Supported by the community chest, our aim is to promote
civic welfare by direct service to the girls and women who must find their proper
and most productive place in the working world.
"Both common sense and common justice point to community support for such
service since it is so obviously to the best interests of the community that her
women be able to find their best, usefulness. Not only does the community profit by
the adequate use of the abilities and experience of the women in the population, but
by the women themselves becoming adequately self-supporting.
"Freely, then, we give to women and girls who must work (1) information
about occupations open to them, about training requirements and opportunities; (2)
counseling in their occupational problems and difficulties; (3) placement in specific
posit ions when possible.
"Without making the mistake of offering any panaceas, we who are working
with the problems of occupational adjustment, can not heir but see very clearly the
importance of occupational adjustment as a preventive measure against social maladjustment. If the widow who must call, perhaps on a parent-teachers' association to
help keep her children in school, on the dispensary and some relief agency and her
church for help in emergencies, can be made adequately self-supporting by proper
occupational adjustment, she will not have to ask for relief and her self-respect
will make her a contributing citizen. In other words, there has been effected a
saving to the, community not only in the bill for relief work, but also in the more
intangible, but socially vital assets of human abilities. * * *
"Our service includes careful, scientific counseling based on constant
research into occupational opportunities and continuously checked with practical
experience in placement work."
The staff of the Bureau of Vocational Service consists of Winifred 1.
Hausam, Director, Helen G. Fisk, Assistant Director, Beatrice Lantz, *Field Secretary,
Bessie Finkelhor, Placement Secretary, and Dr. J. Harold Williams, Consulting
Psychologist.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
- 10 Sy:cot Briar Summar Scheol.
An experiment in resident summer school work for women workers in industry
will be conducted this summer at Sweet .Briar, Va., from July 22 to September 2. While
the school is being he?_ri on the campus of Sweet Briar College it is in no way connected with the college administration.
The summer school is being sponsored by an independent committee of southern men and women including six workers and five persons connected with colleges or
projects for education for workers. Five of the committee members are trade unionA grant was secured for fifty per cent of the budget, the other half to be
obtained . from local southern communities for scholarships for 24 students. It is
hoped that twenty-five per cent of these may come from other parts of the country in
order that the school may not be narrowly sectional. Economics'will be taught by
Dr. Broadus IJitchell of Johns Hopkins University, and English by Miss Lois MacDonald,
who has been on the faculty of two other summer schools for women workers. Admission
require:gents are: Age limits, 18-35 years; two years' experience in industry; good
health. All requests for information should be sent to Louise Leonard, secretary of
the committee in charge, whose address until July 22 will be 48 West 52nd Sfreet,
New York City. (Life and Labor Bulletin, May, 1927.)
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
.011
576
U. S. Department of Labor
WOMEN'S BUREAU
Washington
News Letter No. 51.
July 15, 1927.
ACTIVITIES AFFECTING WOMEN IN INDUSTRY
California
In its fifth report covering July 1, 1922 to June 30, 1926, the Industrial
Welfare Commission of California draws the following general conclusions as to the
effect of the minimum wage regulations:
The orders of the Industrial Welfare Commission regulate the employment of
approximately 160,000 women and minors in the State. Pay roll reports and information from inspection and from investigation covering the employment of over 130,000
women are on file in the offices of the department. From this large body of data
certain definite conclusions can be drawn as to the exact effect of the minimum wage
regulations. The opponents of this legislation claim the following results:
1. The minimum wage will become the maximum wage.
2. Apprentices or lower paid workers will be dropped on reaching their
minimum wage and will be replaced by lower paid workers.
3. Infirm or substandard workers who are allowed to receive a lesser wage
will be substituted for normal workers.
4. The highest paid workers will have their wages reduced to equalize the
additional wages paid to the lower paid workers.
5. Industry will be throttled and new industries will not develop in the
State.
1. An analysis of certified pay-roll reports of women employed in the
mercantile, laundry, and manufacturing industries filed with the commission shows an
increasing per cent of worsen receiving actual weekly earnings in excess of the minimum wage of $16 a week, as follows:
1920
1922
1923
1924
1925
. 46.4 per cent
54.3 "
58.6 "
62.7
63.2
This, the Commission states, disproves the statement that the minimum wage
becomes the maximum wage.
2. From the same pay-roll data we find that the number of apprentices
becomes less each year until 1925, when the large increase in the number of women
employed mcos a small increase of .4 per cent over 1924, and the number of $16-andover-a-week workers increases, showing that apprentices are not dismissed but are
absorbed normally into,the great group of higher-paid workers. The following table
shows the decreasing per cent of learners who receive rates of wages of less than
$16 a weak.
1920
14.3 per cent
1922
8.3 "
1923
7.3 "
It
1924
5.4 It
5.8 "
1925.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
41,
-23. There has been no evasion of the payment of the minimum wage by the substitution of elderly and infirm v.romen, who may work for less than the minimum wage,
for minimum wage workers. All such workers must be licensed, and licenses are issued
only after the commission has ascertained an applicant's inability to earn the minimum wage. The substandard worker has not suffered loss of employment, since any
employer may apply for permit for such workers, and all legitimate requests are
granted. There were 327 such licenses issued in the three calendar years 19231 1924,
and 1925, with 648 renewals of licenses issued in previous years. At the close of
the calendar year 1925 there were 335 licenses in effect in all industries covered by
the orders of the Industrial Welfare Commission.
4. It is said that women are handicapped by protective industrial legislation and that if the State provided a minimum living wage for the lowest paid women
workers, it will injure the higher paid women who by their superior energy and abilft
have been able to secure for themselves adequate wages. However, in the pay-roll
reports of women employees filed with the commission in the mercantile, laundry, and
manufacturing industries of California in 1919, under the $10 minimum wage, only 446
women received actual earnings of $30 or over a week. In 1925, under the it)16 minimum
wage, 6,084 women in these industries received actual earnings of $30 or over a week.
5. In the mercantile, laundry, and manufacturing industries there were the
following number of establishments reporting women employees:
In
In
In
In
In
In
1919
1920
1922
1923
1924
1925
3,077 establishments
3,244
4,350
5,041
It
5,174
5,597
This record indicates that the number of establishments has increased over 100 per
cent in six years. The number of women workers reported in these same industries
has increased from 44,373 in 1919 to 76,566 in 1925.
Illinois
Senate Bill No. 97—the women's eight -hour bill, revised to permit further
exemptions and to allow 10 hours a day but not more than 48 hours or 6 days a week—
passed the Senate May 25 by a vote of 28 to 16, two votes more than the constitutional majority required. It was then referred to the House, which advocates of the
legislation hoped might give favorable consideration to the bill in its amended form.
However, the bill was defeated June 29 by a. vote of 68 to 59, nine short of a const it utional majority.
Maine
In an opinion rendered May 26, at the request of the State Commissioner of
Labor, Charles 0. Beals, the Deputy Attorney -General, Sanford L. Fogg, declared that
to employ women 11 hours a night for 4 nights in a week, and 10 hours on the fifth
night is in violation of the law which says that women shall not be employed more
than 54 hours a week and 9 hours a day except for the sole purpose of making a
shorter day's work for one day a week.
Massachusetts
The regular monthly survey, made by the Department of Labor and Industries.
of employment and earnings in representative manufacturing establishments in the
State, for May, 1927, shows that 15 of the industries covered showed a gain of only
523 persons, and the remaining industries, except for one in which there was no
change in the number employed showed a combined loss of 4,534 persons.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
- 3 Of the 233,061 persons employed as shovm by the May returns, 180,153, or
77.3 per cent, were employed in establishments which were reported as operating on
a
normal full-time schedule, with general full time for all wage-earners. The corresponding percentage for April was 82.7, and for March was 81.8.
In May in only one industry (carpets arid rugs) were the employees reported
as working on full-time schedules in all establishments; in two other industries
(motor vehicles and parts, and rubber goods) all but 1 per cent were on full time;
and in seven others employment was better than 95 per cent of the normal. In 24
other industries a majority of the employees ware on full time. The returns show,
therefore, that in 34 out of 39 industries specified, at least a majority of the
employees were working on full time.
In none of the major industries did changes of employment exceed 5 per
cent. In the manufacture of textile machinery there was a decrease of 9.1 per cent
in the number of employees, and in cutlery and tools an increase of 8.6 per cent.
Of the 1,036 establishments, 14 were idle during the week reported for as
follows: Woolen and worsted goods, 4; boots and shoes, 3; cotton goods, 3; and
one
in each of four other industries. Since the last re-oort, four establishments
formerly included in the survey and normally employing a total of 1,100 wage earners
discontinued operations. Of, this number 800 were in one cotton goods establishment,
250 were in two boot and shoe establishments, and 50 were in a machine-tool establishment.
Overtime was reported in one or more departments of 18 establishments as
follows: Woolen and worsted goods, 4; cotton goods, 2; book and job printing
and
publishing, 2; and one in each of 10 other industries.
For all industries combined, there was a very slight decrease in
the
average weekly earnings per person from $24.74 in April to $24.72 in May.
The
average earnings of the men were if29.43; and of the women, ,`,16.67.
New York
Health of Women in the Hatter's Furriers Trade.
As part of its health research program, the Bureau of Women in Industr
y
recently made a study of women employed in three hatter's furriers establi
shments in
New York City, "not so much to ascertain the presence of chronic mercurialism,
since
improved methods are known to have decreased its occurrence, but
to study the effect
upon health of other unfavorable conditions associated with the industr
y, especially
noise and dust." The report of the study, published in the June issue
of the Industrial Bulletin of the State Department of Labor, sets forth the following conclusions:
Among a group of 89 women taken from a working,
environment in which noise,
fur dust, mercury and a sedentary type of work were
the unfavorable features, the
commonest complaints found were colds, headaches,
dysmenorrhoea, constipation,
tinnitus, and coughs. The commonest physical defects
were overweight, impaired
hearing, chronic naso-pharyngitis and tonsilitis,
gingivitis, enlargement of the submaxillary lymph nodes, mild anemia, slight tremors,
poor posture and weak feet.
Hesitation was felt about diagnosing with certain
ty, any case of chronic mercurialism
both because of the scarcity of subjective symptoms
and the slightness of the findings. • There were, however, 7 cases which were
considered as probably showing evidence of mild chronic mercury poisoning in the conditi
on of the gums.
The unfavorable effect of the noise was apparen
t it was believed, in the
number having impaired hearing and complaining of
noises in their ears. How far the
fur dust played a part in proefecing the large
proportien of abnormal conditions of
the nose and throat which were found was uncertain
in a geographical locality in
which such conditions are common. While there was
not much evidence from the statements of the workers that would point to a noticea
ble connect ion between environment
and condition in this respect, it is certain that
even though the fur dust may not
have been responsible for the original develop
ment of these conditions, it served to
encourage their persistence. The effect of the
sedentary nature of the work in
encouraging overweight, constipation and dysmeno
rrhoea has already been mentioned.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Although no dramatic connection between work and health of workers was
found in this study, it is apparent that eliminat,ion or a lessening of the undesirable features in the trade would undoubtedly result in marked improvement in
the
health of the women employed. It can be said, in general, that improvement in industrial environments is occurring slowly but any investigation of specific conditions,
such as this, reveals the need for continued effort in this direction.
Hours and Earnings of Women Laundry Workers.
With an estimated working population in laundries in New York State of
20,000, of whom about 11, 200 are women, the Bureau of Women in Industry, in a recent
pay-roll study of hours and earnings, covered about one-fourth of all the women
laundry workers in the State. The study is based on 3,216 women employed in 64
laundries, 34 in New York City, 30 in cities and tons scattered throughout the rest
of the State.
Ninety-three per cent of all the women studied were employed on a timework basis. It is possible, therefore, to show rates or what the industry agrees
to
pay for a full week's work as well as earnings or what the worker actually finds in
the weekly pay envelope. Rates were quoted by the week, day, or hour; for purposes
of comparison day and hour rates have been reduced to weekly figures.
The median weekly rate of women laundry workers in this State was $14.76—
that is, one-half of the women had rates which were lower than this amount and
onehalf had rates which were higher. Six per cent of the workers were hired to work for
less than $12 a week. Only 7 per cant had rates at $20 or more.
Medians varied little in and outside New York City, $14.86 for representative up-State communities (all localities outside New York City) as compared
to $14.`E
in New York City. New York, however, had relatively more women on rates of 420
or
more, while the under-$12 group was found to a greater extent among up-State laundry
workers.
Flat workers had the lowest rate with a median of $14.25. These workers
comprised by far the largest group in the industry, and so brought down
the median
for all workers. With the exception of foreladie;:3, whose rates were far
above other
workers, hand ironers had the highest scale of wages, although in New York City rates
of starchers and classifiers were higher.
Much discussion has taken place as to the possible loss in women's earnings
which would follow a reduction in the number of hours which women are permitted
to
work by law. In the laundry industry as in the factory industries studied in 1923,
plants with shorter hours were not found to pay lower wages. Rather, shorter hours
and higher wages wore apt to be found together. The following comparison of median
weekly rates in laundries operating under long and short schedules shows:
New York State:
$15.42 in laundries with scheduled hours of 48 or less.
$14.61 in laundries with scheduled hours in excess
of 48.
New York City:
$15.11 in laundries with scheduled hours of 48 or less.
$14.66 in laundries with scheduled hours in excess of 48.
Out side New York City:
*15.77 in laundries with scheduled hours of 48 or less.
$14.42 in laundries with scheduled hours in excess of 48.
The foregoing figures represent what the worker would earn if she worked
the regular plant hours. The following figures represent
what the worker actually
earned in the week studied. They are based, therefore,
not only on earnings of
women who either worked more than regular hours because
of more work than plant hours
could take care of, or who worked less than regular
hours due to lack of work or personal reasons, such as illness. They also include earnings of piece-workers who are
not included in a study of rates. In so far as it was possible records were obtained
for the week in which the 15th of April, 1926, fell. This week was shown to be a
busy one but the volume of work was far greater in
New York City than in up-State
laundries.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
- 5 The median earnings of all the women studied were t14.67—that is, one-half
earned less than this amount and one-half earned more. Twenty-one per cent earned
less than $12. Eleven per cent earned $20 or more. New York City earnings were
$14.88, up-State earnings $14.20.
Median earnings of up-State laundry workers were less than in New York City.
This is in contrast to rates which were slightly higher up-State. The amount of time
worked evidently had a bearing on this situation. A large proportion of New York
City workers were employed overtime, which caused earnings slightly to exceed rates
in spite of the lost time due to absenteeism which is ever present in industry. UpState, on the other hand, earnings were considerably lower than rates, $14.20 as compared to $14.86. There was no great amount of overtime in up-State laundries to offset lost time and consequently earnings fell below rates.
A study was made of earnings over one year's employment. This study was
based on about one-third of all the workers reporting earnings in one week. The
number was 986-577 in New York City, 409 outside New York City. These workers had
all been in the employ of the firms for one year and had worked at least 44 weeks
during that year.
The amount which a worker actually earns in the course of a year's employment is possibly the most important figure on wages which can be quoted. It is in
no sense a theoretic wage, but shows what the industry actually pays in terms of
yearly income. The median earnings of laundry workers for one year in this State was
$796.37, or roughly $800. The earnings of 6 per cent of all the women studied did
not reach the $600 mark, while only 5 per cent earned $1,200 or more. Median earnings of New York laundry workers exceeded those of up-State workers by about $75 a
year, the exact figures standing at $825 for New York workers, $752.38 for up-State
workers. Quite consistently, in fact, relatively more New York workers were found
in the higher earnings groups.
Hours worked as well as scheduled hours were longer in New York City than
up-State. Less than half of the up-State, but more than two-thirds of the New York
City workers were found working more than 48 hours in the week studied. In New York
City half of the operatives were working more than 50 hours; almost one-fifth were
working more than 54 hours, or beyond the legal limit. Up-State violations of the
54-hour law were negligible, with only four women working less than an hour beyond
the legal limit.
By far the greatest number of women, both in New York City and up-State,
worked 9 hours or more on the first 5 days of the week. Daily hours worked, on the
whole, were shorter up-State than in New York City, for the per cent working 9 hours
or more in New York varied from 84 to 90 per cent on the different days of the week,
up-State from 48 to 84 per cent. Up-State laundries showed a much better observance
of the Saturday half-holiday than New York laundries. About the same proportion of
operatives up-State worked less than 6 hours on Saturday as were scheduled to, while
in New York City, only 29 per cent worked this shorter Saturday while 65 per cent
were scheduled to. (Industrial Bulletin, May, 1927.)
Canada
Alberta.
The Labor Women's Social and Economic Conference, at a convention held
recently at Edmonton, Alberta, passed resolutions opposing any form of contributory
pensions of workers in Canada; requesting the Dominion Government to promote legislation providing for unemployment insurance; recommending that the minimum wage for
female employees after two years' service should be $18 a week; and protesting
against the use of bare concrete floors in stores and workrooms. (Labor Gazette,
Canada, May, 1927.)
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10Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
British Columbia.
Women's Wages and Hours in British Columbia.
The Minimum Wage Board of British Columbia, at a meeting held in Vancouver
in April, considered the question of revising the existing regulations
governing the
wages of women and girls employed in wholesale and retail stores in the province.
Before any change is made the board will hold a public inquiry at which
representatives of the employers and employees may present their views. When the present
minimum weekly rate of $12.75 was established in 1918, the board had no power to limit
the
hours of work. This power, however, was conferred upon it by the legislature under
an amendment to the minimum wage act in 1922, and it is anticipated that the result
of the forthcoming inquiry will be that a definite limit will be placed upon the
working hours of female employees in stores.
Another of the board's orders now being reexamined is that relating to the
fruit and vegetable industry. Condit ions in this industry are exceptional, owing to
its seasonal nature, the irregular supply of fruit and vegetables creating difficulties in regard to steady employment. It is stated that the board intends to send
a
representative to study conditions in California, where the system of wage regulation
in this occupation is believed to be satisfactory. (Labor Gazette, Canada,May,
1927.)
Male Minimum Wage.
The Board of Adjustment which has charge of the administration of the Male
Minimum Wage Act of British Columbia opened last month an investigation into wages
and working conditions throughout the Province, the intention being to apply the act
to new industries and undertakings. The board is investigating the prevailing conditions of labor for workers in factories, hotels, restaurants, and rooming houses for
janitors and elevator men, and for store clerks and clerical workers. Advance
notices of meetings are sent to employers and employees, so that they mey be prepared
to lay before the board any information that may assist in fixing a suitable minimum
rate of wages for each class. The commissioners are considering whether to make one
general minimum wage for all industries, or to fix separate rates for each. It is
stated that the minimum wage for the lumber industry has affected about 9,000 employees who formerly received loss than 40 cents—some of than having been paid only 25
cents an hour. (Labor Gazette, Canada, June, 1927.)
Manitoba.
The Minimum Wage Board of Manitoba issued recently Regulation No. 8 in the
series of revised regulations now in course of publication. The new order governs
the employment of female employees in the industries cf auto tops, caskets, gloves,
knitting, leather goods, tents and awnings throughout the province. The provisions
of this new order are as follows:
The hours of labor shall not be more than 9 hours in any day or more than
48 in any week. These hours shall be so arranged that each employee shall receive
one afternoon half-holiday each week. No employee shall work between 10 p.m. and
7 a.m., nor on Sundays. There shall be a period of not less than 11 hours between
the close of one day's work and the beginning of the next. Overtime may be worked on
permit from the Bureau of Labor, but not oftener for any employee than 36 days in one
year, and no overtime may exceed 3 hours in any day nor 6 hours in any week. There
shall be extra pay at not less than the regular rate for all overtime worked. At
least one hour shall be allowed for lunch.
No experienced employee of 18 years or over shall be paid wages at a less
rate than $12 per week. (In the earlier order the rate was $12 for Winnipeg and St.
Boniface, and 411 for the rest of the province.) No inexperienced employee shall be
paid wages at a less rate than 8 per week for the first three months after entering
the factory and (49 per week for the second three months; and $10 per week for the
third three months; and `;,41 per week for the fourth three months, after which she
shall be considered an experienced employee and will be entitled to i:,;12 per week. The
number of learners shall not exceed 25 per cent of the total female employees.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
-7 The regulation contains the usual provisions governing conditions of labor
including; the subjects of cleanliness, illumination, ventilation, toilet rooms, wash
basins and temperature. Violations of the order are punishable by fines ranging
from
$25 to ( 100, or imprisonment from 10 days to 3 months or by both fine and imprisonment. (Labor Gazette, Canada, May, 1927.)
Ontario.
The idinintun Wage Board of Ontario recently issued an order, dated April 30,
1927, respecting female employees in hairdressing and manicuring establishments,
beauty parlors and similar occupations in cities of more than 30,000 population,
excepting Toronto. A similar order covering such establishments in the city of
Toronto took effect August 1, 1926. The rate for experienced workers there was
set
at $12.50. The rate fixed in the new order for other cities of over 30,000 population is 412 for experienced workers. For inexperienced workers the rates are
the
same in the two orders: For a probationary period - f three months, no prescribed
rate; for the second three months, $6; for the third three months, $8; for the
fourth
three months, 310.
Both orders provide that an inexperienced employee who has had three months
or more instruction in a school which teaches any of the occupations governed by this
order shall be exempt from the probationary period; and that the number of inexperienced employees in any establishment shall not exceed one-fourth of the total number
of female employees, this rule, however, not to apply where there are less than four
amploy ees.
The Toronto order, however, in regard to the exemption mentioned
in the
last paragraph, states that it is allowed in shops where there are four "female"
employees. The Toronto order, moreover, provides that "no deductions below
the minimum wage line shall exceed the value of the time lost," and that "an
employee
reqtired to wait on the premises shall be paid for the time so spent." (Labor
Gazette,
Canada, Juno, 1927.)
France
A bill relating to the prohibition of the employment of women and
young
persons in certain occupations, which was passed by the French Chamber
of Deputies
on 20 November 1913, and transmitted to the Senate on 27 November of
the same year,
was passed by that body on 3 November 1926, and became law on 7 December
1926.
The object of the act is to extend the application of
Section 72 of Book II
of the French Labor Code, which reads as follows:
In all the establishments enumerated in Section 1 and Section 65,
the
occupations involving risks to health or morals which are prohibite
d for
women and persons under 18 years of age shall be determined
by Public
Administrative Regulations.
Section 1 mentions factories, workshops, workyards,
mines and quarries.
Section 65 mentions laboratories, kitchens, cellars, stores,
shops, offices,loading
enterprises, and places of amusement.
A number of establishments, such as inns, hotels and hospitals, employmen
t
in which might present physical or moral risks to women
and children under 18,
remained outside the scope of these provisions, and called for
further legislation.
The above-mentioned bill was accordingly introduce
d into the chamber of
Deputies on 4 November 1913 for the purpose of extending
the scope of Section 72 by
applying it also to the establishments enumerated in Section
30, which refers to
persons entitled to a weekly rest.
The effect of this amendment is considerable, inasmuch
as Section 30
applies to "workers and salaried employees in an industria
l or commercial establishment of any kind," and the Government is thus enabled
to prohibit, by means of Public
Administrative Regulations, the employment of women
and children under 18 in any work
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
- 8 what ever which involves physical or moral danger. (Bulletin du 1.1inistere du Travail,
October-December 1926, p. 467; Industrial and Labor Information, 9 May 1927.)
Great Britain
In the Woman's Leader May 20, 1927 appeared the following "meditations"
upon the recently published Census Report:
The occupations of females, says the Report, are very much less diversified
than those of males. Though, as will be seen, the returns contain evidence that
women are now finding their way into many occupations in which they were formerly
unrepresented, still the great bulk of occupied females are found even now to be
accounted for by a very limited number of occupational headings. These (with their
percent age to the total of employed women) are: Personal service, 33; t ext e, 12;
makers of clothing,11; shop keepers and shop assistants,9; clerks, 8; teachers, 4—
leaving 23 per cent otherwise employed.
This verdict is both discouraging and encouraging. Discouraging, because
the occupations of females "are very much less diversified," whereas their tastes and
capacities are no less diversified than those of males. Encouraging, because bad as
the position is, it is at any rate a little better than it was in 1911.
It is, of course, in the professional occupations that the most outstanding
improvement has occurred. Curiously enough in this group, taking it as a whole,
women outnumber men by 359,982 to 306,830. This is due to the fact that the teaching
and nursing professions between than account for 86 per cent of the total, and these
are preponderantly women's occupations. "But though teachers and nurses still constitute the great bulk of female professional workers, increase of the numbers
returned under the more learned professions, which till recently included no females
amongst their members, is a remarkable feature of this census. Thus we get in the
medical profession a stationary figure for men of 22,992 in 1911 as compared with
22,965 in 1921; but for women an increase from 477 in 1911 to 1,253 in 1921. In the
veterinary branch 2 women returned in 1911 have increased to 24 in 1921; in architecture during the some period, 7 women have become 49; and whereas in 1911 there
were only 3 women nonconformist ministers, in 1921 there were 147. ijeanwhile, in
professional groups which in 1911 returned no women at all, we have in 1921,46 women
consulting engineers, 20 women barristers, and 17 women solicitors. The only other
group in which specific reference is made to the coming of women where in 1911 their
empl oyment had been nonexistent, is that covering "Public Administration." "A new
feature of this census," the report notes, "is the entry for women police, who numbered 278 in England and Wales, 130 of these being in Greater London."
But looking below these small comforting features we see others which
remind us that there are regrettable facts connected with the employment of women
other than the mere restriction of their occupational field. There is the wellknown fact that within an occupation they tend almost invariably to stagnate the
lowest grades. In the case of warehousemen and storekeepers, for example, 74 per
cent of the females employed are classed as "assistants" to 17 per cent of the males.
In conmerce where over three-fourths of the shopkeepers are males, 53 per cent of
the shop assistants are females. In the textile industries, the largest field for
female labor, with the single exception of personal service, while 62 per cent of
all textile workers are females, 93 per cent of the foremen and overlookers are maleE,
This, of course, is partly—perhaps largely—due to the facts recorded
under the heading "Age distribution in occupations." Of occupied males, 52.4 per
cent are over 35 years old; of occupied females only 30.8 per cent. Occupied women
are, in fact, much younger than occupied men. This is not marked in the professional
occupations, it is less marked in textiles owing to the practice of continuing work
after marriage, but in other industrial occupations it is strongly marked, also
among clerks and typists, relatively few of whom retain their employment after 34
years of age.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
But to say that the relative youth of women workers, (owing in the
industrial groups at least to voluntary withdrawal on marriage) is the main
cause of their
relegation to the inferior grades, is not to say that it is the sole cause.
Jap en.
It will be remembered that the prohibition by law of the night
work of
women in Japan will not be enforced until 1 July 1929. There are,
however, a number
of large factories in which night work of women has already been abolishe
d, without
regard to the delay allowed by the Factory
(Amendment) Act. A recent issue of
the Sangyo Fukuri (Industrial Welfare), published by the Industrial
Welfare Association of the Bureau of Social Affairs says:
The Oji Factory of the Oriental Spinning Company (Toyo Boseki Kaisha)
voluntarily abolished the night work of women as from August, 1925. The
company
naturally had to make a sacrifice in the form of a decrease in its production;
but it
gained a gratifying result in another direction.
Since the abolition of night work, the health of the operatives has
been
greatly improved, and the pale, swollen faces called "spinning factory
color" have
entirely disappeared from the factory. While the percentage of sickness
and the
turnover of operatives has decreased, that of regular attendance and the
number of
spindles handled by each operative has increased; further, the quality of
the products has greatly improved.
Another result of the abolition of night work is shown in the followin
g
table, which indicates an appreciable decrease in the percentage of
absence of
workers:
Year and month
Male
Female operatives
operatives
Living out
Dormitory
1923: Average of the first 6 months
3.99
7.62
3.23
June
4.98
6.74
3.39
July
5.59
10.26
3.64
August
4.65
9.38
3.80
1926: Average of the first 5 months
2.30
5.42
2.26
June
1.72
4.16
1.37
July
2.18
5.33
1.49
August
3.18
4.93
1.84
The working hours of the operatives after the abolitio
n of night work were
fixed as follows:
First shift: Commences work at 5 a.m.; interval for
breakfast, from 7.30
to 8; finishes work at 2 p.m.
Second shift: Commences work at 2 p.m.; interval for
dinner, from 7.30 to
8 p.m.; finishes work at 11 p.m.
PERSONNEL.
Connect icut
Miss Jane V. Schermerhcim has been appointed a mercanti
le inspector of the
St at e Department of Labor, her four years' term commencing on July
1. In her new
work Miss Schermerhorn will make in
of mercantile establishment s in the
State where women are employed.
New York
Miss M.E. Lonigan has been appointed Chief Statistician in
the Bureau of
Statistics and Information to succeed Dr. E.B. Patton, who
in turn has been appointed
Director of the Bureau of Statistics and Information to fill the vacancy caused by
the resignation of Dr. L.W. Hatch, who has teen appointed to menbership on the
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
- 10 Industrial Board. lass Lonigan, who entered the Department of La.00r in 1920, was
made Senior Statistician in charge of the Division of General Labor Statistics in
January, 1924. Her new appointment became effective April 1.
NOTES.
Summer Schools for Women in Industry.
Four summer schools for women workers are in progress this year. In addition to the Southern Summer School for Women Workers in Industry at Sweet Briar College, Virginia, opening for the first time July 22 with 24 students, Barnard College,
New York City, has for the first time established a school of the same kind accommoThis school is
dating 40 students, its term extending from June 27 to August 13.
and women workers
atives
under the auspices of a joint committee of college represent
and is administered as a separate unit within the Columbia University Summer Session.
The Wisconsin Summer School for Women in Industry, established several year
22 to August 5.
age, opened this year with 50 students for a term extending from June
During the
1921.
in
organized
was
all,
The school at Bryn Mawr College, oldest of
and file of
rank
the
from
students
six summers of its existence there have been 521
students
numsummer's
This
industry, 56 of whom have returned for a second summer.
from
them
England,
of
ber 102. They come from all parts of this country, and one
holding the first foreign scholarship award by the school.
In addition to these summer schools which are for women only, Brookwood
Labor College is conducting institutes during the summer for men and women.
Supreme Court Decisions.
The following paragraph of interest is quoted from an article published in
l Rights. The
the June issue of Law and Labor, organ of the League for Industria
of
minimum wage
history
the
briefly
reviews
article, entitled Minimum Wage Laws,
in the last
that
fact
the
to
pointing
decisions of the United States Supreme Court,
from
dissented
the
alone
Brandeis
two cases brought before the court Mr. Justice
the
ce
upon
"solely
concurren
his
majority opinion, and that Mr. Justice Holmes based
s
v.
Children'
Adkins
ground that he regards himself bound by the decision in
Hospital." The article concludes:
Thus it would seem that all of the members of the Supreme Court
of
except Mr. Justice Brandeis had finally acquiesced in the conclusion
on of
the majority of that court in respect of the validity of legislati
desiprevious
the
of
on
recogniti
l
this character. This very respectfu
with
those
sympathy
in
entirely
not
are
sions of the court by justices who
on
land
of
the
law
the
stabilize
decisions is indicative of a desire to
it
involves
however,
,
Sometimes
fundamental problems of this character.
for the layman to
an unusual situation. Thus, it is rather difficult
wage laws are
minimum
understand how judges, uniting in an opinion that
time, unite
same
an unjustifiable interference with liberty, can, at the
tickets are to
in an opinion that a law fixing the price at which theater
with
liberty. Gennce
interfere
ed
unwarrant
an
be sold by brokers is not
point of view
the
that
n
conclusio
the
to
erally speaking, cne is inclined
re a broader
legislatu
the
giving
in
of the minority justices, who believe
it no longer
while
ls,
individua
scope in regulating business activities of
d
by previous
determine
feels free to express itself in respect to matters
decisions, will nevertheless continue to assert itself in respect to all
new matters involving the same principle.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
• 594
U. S. Department of Labor
1 S BUREAU
W01
Wash ingt on
October 15, 1927.
:Jews Letter No. 52.
ACT IVITITS AFFECTING
wa.iaN
IN INDUSTRY
United States
Average 'Neekly and Hourly Earnings of Women in May and June, 1927.
Although the average weekly and hourly earnings of women workers in manufacturing industries moved upward slightly in June as compared with iday of this year
the increase is so slight as to be scarcely apparent, and the great fact remains
unchanged that women workers in manufacturing as a class are worse paid than any
group of skilled or unskilled male workers. The average weekly wage for women in all
industries in June was $17.37 as et;ainst $17.36 for May; but the skilled male wage
for the former month was $31.48 for all industries, while even the unskilled male
average was '424.49.
The average hourly wage for the women was .399 in June as against 4.392 in
May; but that for unskilled men was $.493 for June, and for the skilled men workers,
$.656 for the same month. (National Industrial Conference Board Bulletin, August,
1927.)
Women an.ployed on Railroads in the United States.
According to a report of the Interstate Commerce Commission, made at the
request of the Women's Bureau, the Class I Railroads in the United States had 61,302
women in their employ on October 1, 1926, a reduction of about 30,000 as compared
with 1920. The majority are in the administrative service, though they are to be
found in all departments. There are even two train women, and 290 in the workshops.
Three thousand, three hundred and thirty-two are employed in car cleaning and as
charwomen and 1,814 in personal service occupations. Women were even found as turntable, signal service and telegraph operators, as engine wipers and as crossing
wet chm an.
Standards for Cosmeticians.
The beauty trade of the United States has long been unstandardized, especially as to hours, wages, and sanitary conditions of the shops. With the tremendous
growth in the business of late years, however (an estimated total for the Nation of
$1,825,000,000), the different States are beginning to realize the need for supervision because of the health hazards involved.
No general figures are as yet available, but the Consumers' League of New
York has investigated 54 establishments in New York City and found that the manicurists average i;,i15 weekly, but good marcelers and finger wavers often get from $35
to $40. Girls just out of a reputable beauty school usually start at 20. While it
is impossible to estimate tips, one girl in a small shop said she made 70 cents a
day in that way.
Chicago, according to an official of the Barbers' Union, averages be-teen
$18 and $20 weekly for the most poorly paid, the manicurists. But most establishments require the girls to furnish clean aprons daily, at a cost of 35 cents each
for laundering.
Hours at present are very irregular and frequently long, evening work
being usual in many places. The New York workers are to come under the new 48-hour
, but shops
law, effective January 1, 1928, as emdloyees of mercantile establishments
operated by hotels are not included.
Massachusetts, Oregon, and California have 48-hour laws for their beauty
shop workers, and Wisconsin a minimum wage law. (Life and Labor Bulletin, October,
1927.)
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
- 2 -
Industrial Extension Courses for Women Workers in New Jersey.
Rutgers University (the State University of New Jersey) is trying the
experiment of taking the University to the worker. Classes are being formed throughout the State, the time selected that will best suit the needs of the workers themselves—in most cases just at the end of the working day. The usual course consists
of ten lessons, or one hour a week for ten weeks; the only fee charged being ;p5 a
person to defray the cost of textbooks and materials. Certificates recognizing the
work done are given upon completion of the course. Subjects included in the list for
1927-1928 are: Art in Home Furnishing, Art in Planning the Home Grounds, Studies in
Citizenship, Gin-rent -Events, Economics, English, 'English Literature, Health and
Hygiene, Ancient I-as-tory, United States History, Psychology, Travel. (Rutgers
University Announcement of Extension Courses for women in Industry, 1927-1928.)
ew York
New York Women's Trade Union League Autumn Conference.
The fifth Annual Conference of Trade Union Women was held at Brookwood, the
Labor College at riatonah, N. Y., on October 1 and 2. The program included talks on
"The Progress of the knerican Federation of Labor," "Trade Union Psychology," "Does
Saving Cause Depression," "The Five-Day Week."
Ohio
Toledo Study of Living Conditions of Nonfamily Working Women.
The Toledo Consumers' League, in connection with the Toledo Council on
;iris' Work, has just issued a study of the living conditions of nonfamily working
girls in that city. One hundred twenty-six women were interviewed, and the outstanding characteristic of the group was shown to be movement and change, both in work and
in residence. Three-fourths of the residences had been occupied for only a year or
less, and though rooms in private homes were the most usual choice, the rooming
house was second and the housekeeping apartment third.
The women in the group irrterviewed CSITie from office work, domestic and
personal service, factories, the professions, sales agencies and telephone and telegraph companies. One-fourth of them earned loss than 15. a week; 46.4 per cent, less
than $.18 a week; 58.9 per cent, less than Q20 a week; and three-quarters, less than
$25 a week.
Two other bulletins are issued by the same source: "Are Women's Wages a
Problem?" and "Rooms". (Information Bureau on Women's Work, Toledo, Ohio.)
Ecuador
Protection of Women and Children in Ecuador.
passed in Ecuador forbids the employment of cnildren under
recently
A law
the age of 18 years and of women of any age in work where white lead or other
poisonous coloring substances are used, in the marwfacture and handling of explosives or inflammable materials and in heavy manual labor. Women workers are to be
given four weeks' leave before childbirth and six weeks after, during which period
their employers must pay them 50 per cent of their salary. aiployers may no dismiss pregnant woman without legal reason. (Industrial and Labor Information,
Sect ember 12, 1927.)
France
Great Number of French Women Gainfully anployed.
The war forced an incredible proportion of French women and girls into the
workers
factories. If you add to the number of women thus employed the number of
to over
amount
absorbed by agriculture (there are) 900,000 of them), the total wages
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
3,000,000,000 francs a year. There are 33,000 in supplies eLnd transport work, 72,000
in commerce, amusement enterprises and bsnics, 670,000 domestics, 45,000 in public
se,rvice, 6,000 in mines, 50,000 in the, professions, arid 1,000,000 in the garme.nt
trades. Of this total about 250,000 are organizE.
,d-30,I. in the textile trades and
at most a few hundred among- the W,orkers in the fields. (French Women' s Lack of
Political Progress, by Magdal ei-n.e Marx, in Current History, October, 1927.)
Women's Trade Unions in France.
The Christian trade union movement differs from the Socialist, trade union
movement in its relation to femele workers in that it includes a large number of
exclusively feminine unions whe,reas. in the Socialist group, the women nearly alway-s
'erelon to the sa_me union v.Tith the men.
The Catholic Women's Trade Unions belong to three principal divisions: The
Central Federation of Women's Trade Unions, often called the "Abbaye Unions" from the
name of the location of their first headquarters in Paris, and including members of
17 occupations with about 180 union branches throughout France; the French Federation
of Unions of Women's Trade Associations; and the Free Trade Unions of the Department
of Isere, 1which to-day have more tlian 5,000 members belonging to 54 unions in 43
cent ers, and covering 12 occupctions. These last —the unions of Isere, are divided
along occupational lines into creft fede,rations, and -the federations are grouped with
the siliailar national federations in which the general interests of the occupation art)
defended before the public a_uthorities. (Christian Trade Union i'vlovement in France,
by Max Thurman, in International Labor Re,view, September, 1927.)
Germany
Prot ect ion of Mothers Who Work.
On July 16, 1927, the German Reichsta.g ratified the Washington Convention
of 1919, regulating the employme,nt of women before and after childbirth, and embodied
the necessary provision in law. .All womE.
,
,n employed in trade and industry, except
those in housework, in agricultural and forestry pursuits, and in allied trades with
,es, are forbidden to work for six weeks after childbirth,JUIUI
less than. three e.,rnploT-,
for a further six weeks' per•_i_cd if the:yr prEys- 3nt a doctor's certificate of illne,ss.
Absence from work for a period not exceeding six weeks before childbirth is permitted,
also upon present ation of a cert ificat e, but payment for such absence by the employer
is compulsory only ,
.vhere an agreement has previously been made. With certain
such
a
woman may not be dismissed from her position within a given
restrictions,
time; and nursing mothers must be given definite rest s totaling one hour a d.ay, for •
six months. The ial,v became, ef fective .August 1, 1927. (Reichsarbeit sblatt, July 20,
1927.)
New Legislation for Women.
One new order, effective also August 1, 1927, forbids home work on celluloid product (films, et c.); while another effective September, 1927, forbids home
work for industries haviruT, to do with sweetmeat s (confect ions), balcery and dou,i7h
product s. (rieichsarbeit sbiatt, August, 20, 1927.)
Great Britain
Request for Equal Pay for Women Workers in the British Civil Service.
Agit at ion is going forsvard to secure an unbiase,d Tribunal to adjust wages
paid women in the British Civil Service. At -ore,sent equal work is recognized as
such by the, service, as women must take the same examinations as men, and are
assigned the same ratings when appointed, irrespective of sex. They are not, however,
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
- 4 given equal pay.
salary scale):
The fol:_owin - amounts are illustrative
Clerk
. 1,150
Senior clerk
1350
Executive officer
4,450
Administrative officer..... -L800
(at the middle point of thr.-
Women
Clerk
Senior clerk
'42xecut ive officer
.A,:iministrat ive officer
-L120
4255
4,350
L675
(The Woman Teacher, London, September 9, 1927.)
Women' s Trale Union Colvress.
iho second annual. Women's Trade Union Congress, which was held in Edinburgh
the week of September 5, and was attended by delegates from 30 unions representing
337,030 women, arose, as Miss Margaret 3ondfield explained in her presidential
address, to meet the demand that women be given a larger park in the discussions of
the Trade Union Congress. It evolved out of the old Women's Trade Union League,
which did its most useful work in the days when hardly any trade union had a woman
official. Now that nearly every union catering for women has its own women officers,
Miss Bondfiidd pointed out that there was an increasing, number of women who took
part in the administrative and executive work of the unions. She pointed out, however, that women equally with men should sway both policy and administration. She
added, with regard to the Open Door Council, "I need not remind you that an open door
can admit sweated conditions of labor and unrestricted control of the most helpless
section of the workers." (Woman's Leader and the Common Cause, London, September 15,
1927.)
Careers for Girls in London.
West End businesses offer opportunities for young girls to enter as
learners and work up to good positions, recordine-. to Mr. Frank Henley, Staff superintendent at Liberty's. Learners start at 16, earning from 16s. to 4.a per week, and
secondary school girls are preferred. At the end of the seventh or eighth year successful saleowomen earn from 4,50C, to 4,600, and some even -L1000 a year. Even in tile
establishments where the pay ie smallest, the average girl of 24 earns -L3 to 4,4 a
week or more, according, to her sales. The dressmaking trade in the West End was
described as being one of the best open to women so far as pay was concerned. (Woman
Teacher, London, September 1E, 1927.)
India
Conditions of Women Workers in Indian Mines.
A move to prohibit, the work of -e-omen in Indian mines has led to a strong
protest from the owners, on the basis -that such ar,itation has -Lever proven its
necessity. The discussion has disclosed the fact that there are at present 70,000
women working underground in India. Eale miners get 4.12 rupees (about 7s.) a week
of 40 hours underground, but women for the 5E1110 type of work, only 2.8 rupees (about
Ss. 8d.) a week of 48 hours. Underground male workers other than miners, get 3.12
rupees (about 5s. 6d.) for a 60-hour week, and women for the same work only 2.7
rupees (about Ss. 7d.). The maximum working period for consecutive work is 12 hours,
by a permitted cyst cm of shifts, persens can be employed in the mines for 16 hcurs a
day, se long as there Is a break of 4 hours. The owners' federation assorts that
there are few mines in India where there is any need of artificial ventilation or
where the humidity teelperature is high, or where explosives are used, 'out it also
admits that the risk to the miner is greater today than what it was twenty years ago.
(London Daily Herald, - August 29, 1927.)
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
- 5 Japen
Protection of Women Workers.
Miscarriages in and after the fourth month, among women workers in factories and mines, are henceforth to be considered in the same class with normal childbirth, and six weeks' rest will be gi-re,n after th3 miscarriage, with expenses of the
illness and 60 per cent of the wages allowed durinz: the confinement. (Journal of the
.A.merican Liedical Association, December 11, 1926.)
Freedom for Factory Girls.
Following a successful experiment, a movement is toeing organized to abolish
the restrictions which confined Japanese factory girls to their dormitories except on
holidays. (Industrial and Labor Information, September 12, 1927.)
Sanitary Conditions for Women in Japanese Industries.
ore than one-half of the women in Japan have some occupation. Sixty-two
9 per cent
per cent of this number are in agriculture, 14 per cent are in industry,
3 women
1,259,50
were
there
in com•.-derce, 6 per cent are in domestic service. In 1922,
mines.
in
71,349
and
s
factorie
in industry, of whom 756,153 were in dyeing and weaving
make
which
weaving,
and
- ure of raw silk textiles, and dyeing
Nearly all the manufac,.,,
are
up the Japanese export trade, is carried on by women, whose working conditions
these
in
less favorable than those of the men. Two hundred thousand of the women
industries are under 16 years of age. EL- hty per cent of the dyeing and weaving
night as
factories work between 10 and 12 hours a day, with a majority running all
into
well. A new law prohibiting work between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. has not yet come
16.
under
girls
effect, nor has the law prohibiting employment of
Labor turnover, sickness, and unfitness as shown in failure to maintain
the
normal development, both mental and physical, are high. 7,i,hty -nine per cent of
the
of
parts
women employed live in dormitories, as they are recruited from many
but
country. The food given them in the dormitories averages 2,000 calories a day,
overwork and
is lacking in prot emn and vitamin B, and as a result of the combined
its height in
with
endemic,
also
is
,
Beriberi
frequent
is
malnutrition, tuberculosis
work is
which
at
ure
temperat
the
to
owint
the summer, when overstrain is greatest
in Indus(Women
cent.
per
PO
over
of
done—often 100° F. with a relative humidity
Sixth
ions,
Transact
Teruoka
G.
by
try and Their Sanitary Conditions (in Japan),
1925. Journal of
Congress Far Eastern Association of Tropical Liedicine, Tokyo,
Industrial Hygiene, August, 1927.)
Ne7, South Wales
Living Wage for Women Workers in New South Wales.
al Arbitra"The livinc, wage for adult female employees under the Industri
cent
of the
per
54
6s. per week, being
tion Acts, 1912 and 1926, is declared at 4,2
lieu
in
This percentage was adopted
declared living wage for adult male employees.
of
hitherto obtaining in the declarations
of the percentage of about 51 per cent
it is the percentage generally predomibecause
living wage for women in the State,
not been found in experience detrihas
ge
* *This percenta
nant in Australia.
to women in employment by encouraginjury
mental to employers, nor has it led to any
the
by
Industrial Commissioner was dissented
ing preference to men." This decision
and an inquiry requested. (Industrial Comfrom by the anployers' Representatives
of the Standard of Living and Declaration
mission of New South Wales. Determination
. Wage for Women. June 27, 1927.)
of the Livin{,
.Spain.
Prohibition of Night Work of Women.
rest period
A decree recently promulgated in Spain provides for a minimum
of age
tive
irrespec
for
all
days
women,
working
ive
of 12 hours between two consecut
of
hours
of
on
limitati
legal
affect
existing
not
does
or nature of employment. This
within
employed
those
and
home
at
work,
and
work. Women employed in domestic service
and for a period not
their own families, are excluded. In special cases, however,
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
•
- 6 exceedir4 60 days in one year, the rest periods may be reduced by one heur, but must
include the hours between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. In agricultural work and other industries where products are liable to deteriorate, the employeient of women at night may
ee authorized for a definite period. A special system of regulation is to be laid
down for ho s-eit al s and benevolent or see:it ary eat abliehment s. Breaches o. the r egul at ions reportetl by the inspectors are to be punishable by fines, the amount of which
are to revert to the National -.1elf are Institute and to be devoted to its objects for
the benefit of the working class. (Industrial and Labor Information, Sept. 12, 1927.)
NOTES.
Educating Labor's Auxiliary Worsen.
In line with the workers' education movement was the first Women's Auxiliary
.
Institute held at 3rookwood Labor College, riatonah, New York, this summer. This
Auxiliary
Ladies'
by
the
Institute was for the wives of union men, and was arranged
to the International Association of 1,iachinists. A representative list of speakers
was secured and subjects ranged from State Tenership of electricity vereus ownership
by private corporations to ways and moans of improving working conditions and conditions in the workers' homes. (Life and Labor Bulletin, October, 1927.)
National Council of Catholic Women on Worsen in Industry.
The National Council of Catholic Women, meeting in Washington, during the
week of September 26, 73EISSed a resolution to enlarge its ,:eork for women in industry.
The following statement was accepted:
Thereas, low wages, unemployment, and industrial subjection are unfair and
are harmful to the home, to religion, and to our „American democracy;
Whereas, woman employed and unemployed alike—married and unmarried, are
all injured by certain lanentable phases of present economics and industrial conditions; * * *
Whereas, we believe that our interest and study should extend not only to
conditions covering employment of women workers, but elso to all economic problems
affecting the home;
be it Resolved, that every praiseworthy effort to extend and apply such
Catholic principles receive our support and cooperation and that our affiliated
organizations be encouraged to promote actively this defence and exleoeition of
Catholic social principles.
International Council of Women on Protective Legislation.
At the meet in of the int ernetional Council of Women, held in Geneva from
June 7 to 17, Fru Altmann-Gottheiner, Convener of tho Trades and Professions Committee, brought forward the subject of protective legislation for women. No opinion
was passed on the principle of protection as a whole, but it was agreed to recommend
to all National Councils of Women that they should take no public measures for or
agaii at protective legielat ion for women occupied in trades and industries without
organizations concerned.
first socurine; the recommendation of the wori:in,,;-women's
Gordon.
(International Council of Women, Biennial meetings at Geneva, by 1‘,Irs. Ogilvie
- ows, July, 1927.)
Reprirted from N. C. W. L
International Conference of Trade Union Women.
The International Conference of Trade Union Women was held at Paris July
Discus29 and 30. Fifty-six delegates, representing 14 countries, were present.
were passed
ion included many subjects important to working women. Resolutions
given by legisprotection
recommending the extension of trade unions and all social
to work for
women
lation to home workers; and particularly emphasized the right of
equie
for
pay
wages in all lines of employment, that they should receive equal
the
in
membership
but that they could only hope to achieve these hopes through
unions. (Workers' Union Record, 3eptomber, 1327.)
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
U. S. Depertment of Labor
7aISTIS BUREAU
Washin.,..ton
•
.isw.:3 Letter No. 53.
November 15, 1927.
ATfIVITIES AFFECT INC; 1701dEN IN INDUSTRY
Trend of Women' s Wages.
A comparison. of r.-.,en's and women's wage rates in Ohio in 1925, presented by
the Infor:oation 1o.uronu on Women's Werk, Toledo, Ohio, shows thrt of a total of
1,053,960 mon, nearly 71 per cont wore paid Et rates of f.325 and over per week, while
of a total of 281,13.2 women,' less than 16 per cent had a.s hig.h a rate of pay. Of waz,e
earners 70 per cent of the men were po.id at the rate of 25 or more as against only
- -Len in stores, the percentr.ge of
10 per cent of t'..e woolen. With salesmen arid sales,..vo...
the former hovinE.; a rate as idofn a..3 $25 a week VMS 73.6 and of the latter 9.1. It if3
the clerical workers' g,roup which compr.seo least unfe.vorably, but even here the percerit age of men receiving, a rate of as much as $25 a week is alloo;.-it two and a half
tL
- -iiec• as large a.s the percentage of women. receivir4; these rates-80.4 par cent as
n.,1-±:allist 33.6. 1•,:oreover, irt all cases with the exception of' the last Froup, a larger
pro:-)ort ion of men than of weroon were paid at rates of $20 but under
,S fa.r the
,:reater proportion of the women, therefore, receiving loss than $20. In fact, more
one-tiiird of a3.1 the woLlon, more than two-fifths of the wage-or_ro.Aing woman, and
wore paid loss than $15 a.
practice.11y ono-half of the sal ,es,,voi.len, the figures
Week.
Thio study, based on atatictics made ava.ilable to t,he Information Bureau on
Division of Labor Statistics of the State Department of indus7Toment s Work by
St bee-n issued in pamphlet form with the title Trend
trial Relations of Ohio, h 6
of :- Innien's 7:a.geo; Ohio, 1925.
the bulletin points out that "wage rates, after all, mean very
little, unless we consider the regularity with which -the vrorkers are employed, and
actually receividg wa.ges. • Take- the woraen wage earners, for example, in 1923, the
:north of their gret-ft est el.aployment VIL3 Juno, when 1,19, 655 were reported. By July,
1924, this numter had decreased to '13.7,779, a decrease of 11,876, or 7.9 per cent.
3y October, 1923, the numbor report ed ht-_,.d increased to 160, 59E,an increase of 22, 819,
or 16.6 tier cent. In the case of tho clerical workers in all three year's, Jz.-:..luary
was the) rnonth of least ernployraent, and Decornbrer the month of great eot eelpioyo.ent
The Christoitis trade account s for the groatur employment of sale,owomen in December,
birt 9,361., or 25.7 per cent, more than. one-fourth, of those who were so amployed in
December, 1924, v.Tere out of work the followint; February."
The afi'.,.,
- ureo showir.,7, fluctuation of employment arnon,c; .woloeri workers of Ohio
employment than either of the
clerical workers ht..ve more
thEt
the
1..pe.icate
regul!-3.r work than the saleswage
the
earners
have
more
that
and
o-',;her two :,roups,
1•
"Over t:--,e two-yefor period, 1923..1925, there WaS a stea.dy inorease in the
ra.te than $25 a v:eek. In 1923, 14.1
proportion of woolen workers paid at e.
per cent. ; in 1925, 15.9 per cent. The
15.4
more;,
in
or
$1.
',5
received
oerct
par
,
oas
in this 1.7E-1.ge group, but the increase
period,
t\ivo-year
the
in.
inc_..reacie,
larcr,est
first.
The
larc,est incr.,.:,,a.se was in the. group.
the
than
ir.ss the second
f
8,478,
increase
o
an.
or 11 par oent in two years.
z:',;20,
receixim. bet..7oen
e le.-..T:oeot iro..:.sease in the nuinber of women war:e earners, from 1924 to
1925, was in tho s,,reup rfsce: - • 7 rates betv:eer. '415 o.nd ::,:)20 a week, a gain of 3,915,
The net larii;est gain was enong those' re,ceiving rot es of ,;,i25 or
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
- 2 a
more, an increase of 2,117, or 13.6 per cent; but the 10 to $12 group increased by
2,110, or 11.7 per cent, and a total of 7C,154, or 44.3 per cent, were working for
rates under c15, in 1925, and the number receiving less than $15 was larger than in
1924, by 4,859, .or 6.6 per cent."
Wage Earning Girls in Cincinnati.
Wage Earning Girls in Cincinnati: the wages, emp:'_oyment, housing, food,
recreation, and education of a sample group is, the title of a publication just issued
by the Trounstine Foundation. This study was undertaken at the request of the Young
Womeills Chresti:el. Association of Cineinnati, and the work of gathering and tabulating
.material was ltereeely done by Yise Freeeee
Two groups of e:irle ere involved in the study, one the ".geeerel seleple
group" .-.ado u7) of a totel. o:7 2).7 gif:!s, 105 of who were ee,pleired in fectcrics, 109
sores, and 73 in ef.tioes and the "ir..e.;iitutioeal group" cemposed of El :irls who
were "living in the Y.W.C.A. and ether sin.1ar inetitutione.
the cerc:ii"An analysis of the wages of tho 'general saniple group' Sl'ows
aa7o weTre of.girls living away from 1.!.orne 11 Cinc7;_nn:lti is very littlo
tlee:t;
of tic.e ) living
hor e;
e , $19 .09 and '13.11 per week reepoctivoly. _rine dues
fer th:ie; group being an
not hold true, however, of the store girls, the
avere:e Tejo of ,)71.4..74 foe t.heee aL L.na, and 0.7,95 for . thooe living away fran home.
'institutionalgroo.p were founa to be $17.79 per week."
Tue wa,- es,
Of the first group of girls "6 per cent received less .than it;i10 a week; 15
per cent less than $12 and 29 per cent less than ;3..5 per week." The second group
"showed a n,eieller proportion in these low wage ivels, only 1 per cent reeeivinie less
than $12 and 20 per cent less than
The data furnished hy the. State Industrial Commission, the recent points
out, nor.- a higher percentage of girls in the low wage levels than does tels study of
the Trounstine For.nd,etion. Of all girls employou in factories, stores, and offices
- mission, 41.7 per cent
in Hamilton Count:6 according to the Stet° Industrial Co,a
received less than ;15 per week in 1923.
Ferns,-lvr.nie:
rho Pennsylvania State De.dertmeat of Labor has been requested by the
Women's Trade lin joi: lie:10.'3 of Fhl3adelpl,ia to nTahe rt snl v
hours and workhave .)en received 1, het women in
c on lit ion 3 of reimen in this tam. e. C or:
serne industriee. are 1.-,r0rkiar; emre Lours :per week than the law ree:reis. (Peirce School
of Buriness Adninisraton. Tusiness and 7.ziployieent Conditions. :ovaribL:r 10, 1927.)
•
CR1-, d a.
Quebec.
At the 42rd Annual Convention of the Trades and Laleor congress of Canada,
26, e reeo:1eet ion pre
ed by the Quebec Prod in 7deireab en, .Albert e, lug,ue-t
OrS,
pn.Lfl
ed
out
t
2li
o:
y
wage rob
viric.:ira Co1A -Lc:11
Ci. es a few bduetries, and asked that represeetetion h reade tohe pro:-er authoritles vith a view to hevireg the provisions of the act extended to all ieeduetries and
eeee.,iercial este.t3.iimente. This was approved without any debut, o
(Labor Gazette,
Under the sy st cm a f in sur an ce of employees in je:Iduetry and coreeerce,
dee ef od woelon, who do net wo.3.1k during the i,eriod in euestion, are entitled -to a daily
elleevence for :ix weeks before and six we,.4::3 after childbirth, and the sere rule
he:.e,:e in the c „se of the wives of ielsured persons. Meei-.hers are also entitled to
nureing alluereeice clurin,; the first twelve weeks. (Induetrial and Labor I-efonnat ion,
Le.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
-3
Chile
In execution of the recommendation of the IntermT.tional Labor Office concerning the deve,lopnient of facilities for the, utilization of workers' spare time,
(Geneva, 1924), the Chilien i,linister of Public Health, Assistance arid Social Welfare
recently issued a decree setting up a Committee on Public Culture and Recreation.
The Committee is composed of officials of the idinistry, the Director-General of Libraries, the Director of the Paed3.7.ogic Institute, and the Director of
Sports, Fine Arts and the National Conservatory of Music. In the preface to the
decree it is pointed out that:
(1) The benefits which should result from the limitation of the working day
and the legal provisions respecting the weekly rest period are note realizable unless
an endeavor be made to develop facilities for the well-directed use of periods of
spare time;
(2) The Sixth Session of the International Labor Conference adopted a recGovernments,
ommendation which was supported by the representetive of Chile, urging
for
the
bettor use
facilities
provide
municipalities and societies to take • steps -to
of workers' spsro time;
(3) The development of this aspect of social welfare must be accomplished
of the State
through education, with due recognition of the fact that it is the duty
of
manifestations
all
national sentiments by promoting and encouraging
foster
1927.)
17,
October
national art and culture. (Industrial and Labor Information,
Czechoslovakia.
The report of the lanistry of Social Welfare of Czechoslovakia on the work
undertakings visited the
of the induztria1 inspectorate in 1925, shows that "in the
of persons protected
employment
inspectors reported 9,019 (7,605)* cases of illegal
in these
employed
number
total
by the law, representing 1.1 (1) per cent of the
of indusintensity
greater
the
undertakings. The slight increase is explained by
cent
(11.6)per
concerned
trial activity. Of these ccntraventions, 673 (881) or 7.5
male workers, and 8,346 (6,724) or 92.5 (88.4) per cent concerned women and girls.
"In particular, 7,247 (5,475) women, including 3,222 in the textile and
2,209 in the clothing industries, wore illegally employed after 2 p.m. on Saturday.
these contraventions was undoubtedly the .introduction of the two-shift
The, cause
system in undertakings with a heavy list of orders. In addition, 129 (137) children
under 14, or 1.4 (1.8)per cent, 93 (78) boys and 36 (40) girls, were illegally
employed, especially in brick works. The reduction in the number of these contraventions was due to the fact that in Slovakia the law was better observed than the
preceding year. There wer:: 39 (28) young persons and 33 (29) women employed on
unhealthy and elif::•icult work, especially in brick works, metal works, and the textile,
building, and printing trades. Contrary to section 9 of the Eight-Hour Act, 494
(696) boys under 16, 127 (72) girls under 18, and 882 (1,059) women were employed at.
niFht, especially in vlass works, bakeries, etc. In 44 (56) cases apprentiees were
erarloyed on work forbidden by section 100 of the Industrial Code. All these coetrr,ventions were Junished by fines." (International Labor Review, August 1'7.).
or
France
.11•.•••
The Official Journal of the French Repullic of 25 February 1927, publisnee
three decrees dated 20 February, 1927, promulgating the conventions concerning
employment of women during the night, the night work of young persons employed
industry, unemployment and the use of white load in painting.
The figures in parentheses are those for 124.
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-4 The retificetion by France of these conventions has been registered as
follows by the Zecretury-C;eneral of the Leonal.; of Nations: The convention concerning
employment of women during the night on 14 hay, 1925, the conventions concerning.. the
night work of young persons employed in industry, and unemplo-yme,nt on 25 August,1925,
and the conven.6ion concernin:, the use of white lead in painting on 19 Februory, 1926.
The decrees promulgating, these conventions are internal administrative
measures. Their effeet is to place the provisions of these conventions on the SrilT10
legal footinF. as the notional legislation. (International Labor Office. Official
Bulletin, May 15, 1927.)
Germain,
Prot action of Women Agricultural Workers Demanded.
The Bureau of the Central Union of Agricultural Workers (Christian) in
Germany recently adopted the following resolution:
The Bureau of the Central Union of Agricultural Workers (Christian) regrets
that the Reichste47,-, in adopting the act on the employment of women before and after
childbirth, has excepted women working in agriculture, although the Christian natiorra
1and7orkers' movement has repeatedly demanded their inclusion, .and the Provisional
Federal Economic Council has expressed its approval of extending the act to agriculture and forestry. The Union of Agricultural Workers maintains its standpoint which
is that modern raoasuree for the protection of women workers in agriculture are absolutely necessary, and, further, that measures for the protection of children working
in agriculture should also be taken.
In view of the declaration made by the Federal Minister of Agriculture in
the Reichst ac.!,. to the effect that he considered the. protection of women and children
on the land one of the most urgent tasks for future legislation, the Christian landworkers confidently trust that such protective legislation will be enacted at an
early date.
In addition, the Bureau of the Central Union of Agricultural Workers considers it essential that, beeides the particular protection to be afforded women in
agriculture, legislative action should be taken to {:ive general protection to the
whole body of agricultural workers. This could most conveniently be done through
the bill which has already been drafted for the protection of labor. (Industrial
and Labor Information, October 17, 1927.)
Geed Britain
The British House of Commons on July 19 refused a private member leave to
introduce a bill (1-7 siring to repeal the section of the Lead Paint (Protection against
Poisoning) Act, l'226, prohibiting the emp:.1 .oyment of women in painting buildings with
whit e, lead paint.
..:!'trgaret Bondfield, defending, the protective principle in the British
hi
Hcuse, said as follows: "Vie have never raised this question of special regulations
for -eornen unless we have had direct experience of the necessity for such regulations,
and it seems a very amazing thing that all the objections to protective 2.sc,islation
cond come from women who are not themselves working women. The main argument is
L is going to restrict the field of women's employment. I do not think that is
seend argument at all. 3inco we have had our Factory 0gulations, since we have
-ereved the conditions of women's work b protective legislation, there are more,
not fewer, women working in connection with these trades, and with regard to
,:erts'
opinion (i.e., on the special liability of women to contract certain indust reial diseases), I can quote just as many experts shoi.ving that the situation is as
bad, or worse, in connection with this business in reletion to women. In all these
metters we have to exercise common sense. Those who represent the working women are
satisfied, by investigation and expert evidence, as well as by practical day by day
ia
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-5..
exp erienc e
of the wor:cshors, that lead poisonins can be abolished, and ought to be
abolishod, and if ye are to have to wait some time long ,r for men to get rid of this
evil, then we will not wait zo loni; before oromon will got rid of it." (Labor Gazette,
CanodL, 3opterobor, 1927.)
unEary
The International Labor Office has been infor000d that the 1-lui1;arian Iiinist er
of Comfier ce has submitted to the arg aniz at ioris concerned, for their opinion, a bill
for the protection of voomen, young persons arid children in industrial and certain
other undertakings. The terms of the bill, if passed, will facilitate the ratification of the Draft Conventions (Washington, 1919) concerning the emplo-yeiont of womon
before and after childbirth, employment of women durine the nift7ht, and the nit:ht work
of young persons eint)loyed in industry. (Industrial and Labor Information, Augozst 15,
1927.)
,Lapa.n
Resolution of the Association for International Labor Legislation.
The twelfth yeeetirk; of the Commission on Women's Labor !Problems of the
Japanese Association for Labor Legislation was held in Tokyo on 4 June, 1927, under
the chainoanship of iiss N. Kawasaki.
Discussion took ploce on matters relating to the protection of women workers in silk spinnin factories. The members of the Commission, who had visited and
eovoet.i4;eted some of the silk-spinnin,; factories in NaRano Gunrna and other profectur)s, reported separately on the working conditions of women, and on hours of work,
holida;s, waL;es, recruiting of workers, safety, sanitation, and dormitories.
At the close of the meeting, the Commission adopted the following resolut
In spite of the fact that the silk-spinning industry is the most important
ind,istry in this country, onel that its prosperity greetly depends upon the toil and
onr2oe.vors of young welnen workers, of whom there are about 300, 000, their conditions
,rork are not only very bad and do not compensate them for their toil and endeavor,
77z-i-i-Juat on is such as to frequently endanger even their ohastity.
he Commission on 7Tomen' s Labor Problems of the Japanese Association for
• or000tioi:al Labor Logislaton considers that the fol:lowine,
. measures aro most uroent
r• for the io- provaeent of the i.7rorkinc conditions of women in oilk-sinning
•
cries, Laci requests the government authorities and employers concerned to put
ruso improvements into practice:
1. The aointmont of women rectory inspectors;
. The eml.;lo-ome,it of 1.-rom)n superintendents or foret-orrien;
3. The protection and encourego.eent of privete organizations for the
pootection of women 7-orkore;
4. Th r.- Y-J000ro:erroort of the cooi.erotive wor:zin: and management of
Jooinot recto:oleo;
5. The re.ue ion of hours of wol-k in spinning fac-,;ories to 11 per day;
for all workers on the S.ZIO day;
7. .t:1 minimum -va,;e;
8. The r evj s]oo of the mat hod of calcolat leo; ,,ve.t,es;
9. The aoliij. en of tho practice of ccoireloory savirs kept by the
foo:ory corner
The eO - ic!.; o'.:seocrenc,.e of res-L, mt o•,..vaie Lod An.; oriel for oleals;
The iejyro .Ternont of saoitery eoielipment, ; etc ., L •eookirg 711 aces and
dc lonit i es of factories;
12. Strict; observance of the 7,:rincip1e of the physical exoolinetion of
work ors and the notificet ion of cases of sio'nens;
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-613. The establishelent of seasonal einnloyment exchange offices;
14. The improvement or abolition of the system of making loan
in advance to workers on their recruitment;
15. The creation of societies for the protection of women work
in localities where they are chiefly recruited;
16. Strict enforcement of the regulations for the control of the
recruitine. of workers;
17. Revision of the regulations concerning dormitories attached to
factories;
18. The employInent of women as caretakers in dormitories attaehed
to factories.
(Industrial and Labor Information, August 8, 1927.)
Freedom for Factory Girls in Japan.
The Japanese Cotton Spinners' Trade Union, which is affiliet
eral li'ederet:.on of Japanese Trade Unions, recently decided to start a mo.vem
ebolisil restrictions on the freedom of factory girls throughout the country.
.;enda leaflets will shortly be distributed among factories and sent to ell won'e
or7,anizat ions to support the movement. Osaka Asahi of June 2, 1927, published the
following:
With a view to protecting factory girls, and to prevent their being
over by other factories, it has been customary in Japan to restrict the liberty of
female workers to leave their dormitories except on their regular holidays. The
workers reeented teis restriction, and it was a frequent cause of labor disp.utes.
The Japanese Cotton 3";inners' Trcdo Union, durinz, a dispute with the
Kremeido Factory of.t'n.e Orent1 Muslin Cormany in May 1926, presented a statement
demands ic which tho removal of the restriction in question was included. The ee
pr.ny aecepted the proposal, and allowed its factory girl.) to go out . freely from
1 June 1926. Contrary to exrectation, one year's experience has clearly proved
these women are caplole of taking care of themseJves, so that the fear that had eeee
entertained was found entirely groundless. There have boon much Lever cases involving moral discipline, and the number of ,..:omm L;oing, out or stopping, out of the dormitori-Ds has diminished; it has also been found that the efficiency of their work has
greatly increesed. The cerepany, satisfied witn tho result of this experiment, is
planning to remove the dormitories from its preleises, and construct new ones in the
suburbs of the city, givin:,.;
- them a more homely atmosphere. (Industriel and Labor
Information, Oen-ter:11:er 12, 1927.)
"+ 1-.erl ands
;:b the request of the Netherlands Nat io.eal .3ure
-ea for .
7 7omen's 7.7ork, Lass
Anna Polak r,)eently undertook an inquiry into the hours of work of women shop
assistants at '11:-Ie
The i.louiry co-.r,7!ci 343 shop::,, that is to say, 113 independent shops and
330 branches, in weicn altot:ether. more than 1,300 women shop assistants were employed.
The shops included 45 different branch•-s of traae, and were in all quarters of the
.town, including the most fashionable and the popular quarters in the center of the
.'-evel and in the suburbs. %.;o:rien assstants in eh ehop varied ileteyeen 1 to over 4u0.
It was found possible to calculate daily hours of work in 341 shops, the
result s shoe:ini:, that ten chop:: had Lours free. 7-:y to 8 a day; LI 145 shops hours
le,-- eged from re-;1- to 10 a day; in 59 shoDs the range was from lq to 12.1;-, while the
)'cersaining 127 shops operal.;ed from 13 to 14 hours a day.
Ihe hours of c few chop assist -eft s are comet Lees short er, since in certain
enops a holiday for a part of the day is liven once or twice a week, but out of 343
el-ieeds there are 1E6 in which the 10 hours provided for in the Labor Act of 1919 are
censiderably exceeded. On 3.-A,urday, hours of work are even Jonger, only 24 shops,
Digitized for
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fret, workiru' 10 ho7:_rF; or lees, and 127 workinL, from 15 to 16 hours.
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- 7 i'Thus, in 308 shops the 10,-hour day is exceeded on Saturday, and in 207
shops it is exceeded by even as much as 5 hours. Of the 343 shop; there are 101
where Sundey v.rork is done. Hours of work in this case vary between 2-k and 12 hours
. per day4
.
Hours cff are regulated in various ways. During the lonn day's .work,
except in brench est abli shment s,'the general rule is to allow time off b etwe en 12.30
and 2 p.m., and in certain shops an extra querter of an hour or half an hour is given.
On the shorter working days the time off is sometimes no more than half an hour or
three-quart are of an hour. Shop assistants who live in have sometimes the same hours
can not obtain
off as the assist -m-ts who live out, but, generally speaking, they
and pastry-shops
bakeries
in
e“.7.,
shops,
fixed or regular hours of rest. In certain
hours off.
fixed
or
rest
of
hours
included in the inquiry, there is no such thing as
In 38 of the 343 shops, the niaxirrium legal duration of work per week of 55
hours including Sunday but not including hours of rest, is net exceeded. In four
shops the total number of hours of work per week is 48 or less. In the remaining 303
(there were only two where it was impossible to calculate hours of work), the period
varied between 55+ hours and 92. (Indust nial and Labor Information, August 1 1927.)
New South Wales.
After a controversy extending over several months between the legislative
Council and Legislative Assembly, the family Endowment Act of Now South Wales was
passed in i.Iarch 1927. The act is based on the principle that the living wage for
adult mule workers shall be declared for husband and wife only instead of (as previously) for a husband, wife, and two children. It will not therefore come into
and wife without
effect until after the declaration of the living wage for a man
South
Wales. The act proNew
of
children has been made by the Industrial Commission
each
for
child for the
week
a
shillings
vides fcr the payment to eaothere of five
of
years
age. The allow14
under
maintenance, training and advencement of children
d fme earning
incapacitate
ance may be continued up to 16 years in case of children
a. living by reason of a' physical or mental defect. Various conditions must be satisfied before the allowance becomes -payable. At the date when the claim to an allowance is made the mother and children must have been residents of New South Wales for
or to the
two years; allowances are not payable to" mothersof illegitimate children
are
father
alien
excluded
an
of
children
pensions;
methers in receipt of widows'
to the living for one year,
unless born in Austrelie; families with an income equal
for en allowance. The
eligible
not
are
age
of
nlue lel3 for each child under 14 years
shall pay into a
employers
that
provides
bniance (Teeelly Endoviment Tax) Act, 1927
cent of their
per
three
to
equal
newly coast i-c7.1-ted frnii2.y endowment fund amounts
be
will
paid.
total wages bill, and :rom this fund the family allowances
The family allowance is a social experiment which has attracted wide attention .in recent years. I 13 generally held that the sub;:ect is one which concerns
-Glee, State rather then the employer. Since the State is prilearily coneenned with the
well-beirn; of tne, family, any endeavor to shift the responsibility to tne employer
would almost inevitably lead to a preference for unmarried workmen. Howeven, one of
the early stops in the direction of family endowment was taken by the tral.,lo:,ers i.
-the coal fields of Now South Wales, who recently introduced family wages. The sys-be..
has else made considerable progress on the continent of alrope, espeeielly in Franc
and Belgium. (Le.lor Gazette, Canada, September 1927.)
erern
The Norwegian Government recently submitted to the Storting re-eorts on the
possibility of ratification by Norway of those conventions which it has not yet
ratified. The reports were forwarded to the Committoe on Social Affairs. The major
ity of the Committee was of the opinion that certain conventions represent such
important advances from the point of view of social policy and would involve suer,
slinht exn -,nse, that- it was desirable that they should be ratified without dole:
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.01
- 8 -
The Government's reports were approved by the Storting without discussion.
Concerning the employment of women before and after childbirth, the Ministry
was of the opinion that the question whether the LEbor Protection Act should be
-ereende,1 on points where it varies from the crnvertion should be considered in connection with a possible revision of the act, and that the question of ratification should
be postponed until such areendenents have been made.
Concerniiv the ,?.moloyment of women during the night, the Ministry was of the
opinion thet the que stion. whether it was desirable to restrict further or prohibit
entirely the work of women in industry durin: the niL.:ht, was closely bound up with the
question of ni.ght work in industry in general. It therefore recommended that the
question should be postponed together with other possible amendments to the Labor Protection Act. (InduLtrial and Labor Information, August 29, 1927.)
The Diet of the State of Sa.::ony recently adopted tho principle of the 8-hour
iay for nurses in hospitals and nursing homes. (Industrial and Labor Information,
August 1, 1927.)
NOTES.
International Congress of Christian Tobacco Workers.
The International Federation of Christian Tobacco Workers held its fourth
epe,_,ress at Munich on 27-28 July last. In addition to the general report submitted
by the secret ery other reports were submitted concerning the work of married women in
the tobacco industry, the sanitary conditions of tobacco workers, rnd fiscal charge:
in the tobe.cco.induAry.
After hearing these reports, the Congress gdopt ed resolut
points of which are—
(1) The Congress claims for each'worker wages sufficient to meet -,,he requirements of his family and to allow his wife to remain at home in order to fulfill
her duties as a housewife and mother;
(2) Married women should not be employed for 10n-rer then 44 hours per wr,f,k
or 8 hours per day;
(3) Pregnant women should stop work eight weeks before and eight weeks aft,
•
.e -7--Y
childbirf . During this period they should receive an allowance in comr,
wages los;
(4) Rooms Should be se-t apart in factories to allow pregnant women to rest
n L.,..adisposed;
(5) There should be equal wages for ue,n and for women, and it should -Le
.Zorbidden to employ women on heavy work.
ion
Th3 Congress also adopted a re
tobacco workers and into the causes of
of
official inquiries into the state of health
reeurrir7 diseases. It drew the attention of the Internetional Labor Of fie to this
that,
questio , and asked it to take part in the inquiries, and to take measures to see
rreee:14.o nf the inquiries were put in-to practice in'the various countriee.
international Conference of Christian Stone Worketee.
The Internetional Conference of Christian Stcne and Earth 1Voi-eel.e
lournai, Thelgitee, on 13-14 July last. Among other resolutions the Coniress adopted
one pronouncing against the work of married women in factories and asserting thsuen
is
work
single women should be employed in industry only when the nature of the
should
as to threaten no denger to their moral and material eituation. However, women
o eler.
rr' for thee-ee werk wrTes equal to those r i
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