WHAT STATE LABOR BUREAUS ARE DOING

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor

WHAT STATE LABOR BUREAUS ARE DOINGSource: Monthly Labor Review, Vol. 13, No. 2 (AUGUST, 1921), pp. 204-211Published by: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of LaborStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/41828089 .

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WHAT STATE LABOR BUREAUS ARE DOING.

Connecticut.

AMONG the more important subjects covered in the report ** of the industrial investigator of the Connecticut Department of Labor and Factory Inspection on the condition of industrial wage earners of that State, from January 15, 1919, to November 30, 1920, are labor conditions, mercantile establishments, and cost of living.

Labor Conditions.

The report states that there has been considerable idleness in New Haven, Norwich, Bristol, New London, New Britain, and Bridgeport, but not in a degree to be regarded as menacing.

Production is being lowered in nearly every branch of labor by the great law of supply and demand, augmented by limitation of credit by banks, deficient transpor- tation, irregularity of labor production, and scarcity of raw materials. The latter, by the way, for months, has not existed in the sense that raw material was not some- where, but it could not be obtained when it was needed. For example, it was hard for the woolen mills to secure the finer grades of wool at the time there was a great demand for the finished product, but there is and has been a surplus in Great Britain, Australia, South America, and the wool-growing parts of the United States.

An active agent in the bringing about of present conditions as far as many industries are concerned has been overlooked. This is the combination of the consumer against the maker and the seller.

The soaring of prices for finished products in 1919 and 1920, when they reached a ecale that even the reckless buying of the war time would not stand, caused people to limit, their expenditures to the absolute necessities. Of course, there were hundreds who bought as largely as their purses permitted, but there were thousands who did not, and the result of this quiet and persistent economy had an influence which can not be discredited.

Mercantile Establishments.

Since 1914 wages in the lower grades in mercantile establishments have increased over 200, 220, and 250 per cent. In the higher grades, ranging from $10 to $50 a week, the increase has ranged from 6 to 45 per cent.

This does not take into consideration the paying of bonuses by many firms not allowing the employees to buy at cost or at 10 per cent to 15 per cent discount from the selling price.

Many firms, an increasing number since 1916, in addition to the wages, pay their employees a commission on sales, ranging from 1 per cent to 5 per cent over a certain amount of such sales.

Notwithstanding the increase in wages, the $8 received to-day really equals in purchasing about $3.93 of the wages in 1914.

There are 16,634 women in mercantile employment in the State, 10,000 of whom have direct connection with stores. Out of 20,329 men in mercantile work about 10,000 are directly connected with stores, The large stores in many of the more important cities of Connecticut have made great progress in sanitary and welfare conditions. The stores in small towns are to a certain extent also making improvements along similar lines.

204 [466]



WHAT STATE LABOR BUREAUS ARE DOING. 205

Home Workers. The number of home workers reported for different periods in 1919

and 1920 in 34 villages, towns, and cities ranged from 1,016 to 2,658. It is probable that a survey at this time would show another change.

Over 100 firms employ home workers, 3,500 in number in 1920, an increase of 48 per cent in employers and 57 per cent in employees. There is no growth of sentiment in favor of this work. In no case did any employer say that he would use it in preference to shopwork. Nor is it of the character which interferes with the latter. Home work is an adjunct. Many employers stated that in their experience it was a most helpful and needed means of increasing the home income. * * *

It is difficult to establish a satisfactory ratio between the rates of pay for home work and for factory work. Taking piecework for comparison, it must be held in mind that in the factory the worker attains the highest rate of speed that can be mustered, while in the home the labor is performed at different times, when opportunity permits, and at varying rates of quickness. The character of the work is different. But as far as comparison can be carried out, it is estimated that the difference of wage rate is from 30 per cent to 45 per cent.

Cost of Living. The personal budgets of 1,000 workers of every grade of wages and

nationality were secured in 1919-20. The expenditure in families whose income was between $1,300 and $1,400 was about

$150 for clothing, $300 to $360 for rent, $500 for food. In some cases they had heated apartments for the latter rent; where they had not, they spent $70 to $80 for heat and light.

They had very little of the income over at the end of the year. Families between $1,400 and $1,500 covered their clothing expenses by $200 for entire family; between $500 and $600 for food; $420 for rent; $80 to $90 for heat and light; took a daily paper, went to the movies, spent about $50 a year on insurance; about $40 on recreation.

Between $1,500 and $1,600, clothing expense ran from $200 to $250 a year; food $600, an average of about $12 a week; some expense for household assistance to the wife; rent- over $400 or whole or part ownership of a home; in some, no expense for heat; expense for light and phone $68 or $75; incidentals much larger. In the class from $1,600 to $1,800, in some there was found a closer economy than in the lower wage earners, but more expense for clothing, amusement, recreation, and travel.

Other Subjects of Investigation. Labor unrest and turnover, profiteering, child labor and voca-

tional education, housing, the laundry industry, and the worker's attitude toward cultural and uplift work in the factory are also dis- cussed in this report on conditions of wage earners.

Kansas.1 T^HE Labor Department of Kansas, under the direction of the Court

of Industrial Relations, is gathering and compiling information from industrial establishments regarding the number of employees, male and female; their hours of labor and average weekly earnings; the number of strikes, lockouts; and other labor difficulties during the year. The results of this survey will give very valuable data on the industrial activities of the whole State.

The women's division of the Industrial Welfare Commission, under the Kansas Court of Industrial Relations, is making a survey of the cost of living of the women of the State. This survey will include 1 Information furnished by the judge ol the Kansas Court of Industrial Relations under date ol June 25. 1921.

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206 MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW.

the 31 towns in which the United States Women's Bureau made its hour and wage study last summer.

Conferences are being held with the retailers in the various communities. A general cost-of-living budget has been prepared and also a special clothing budget.

The plan of procedure will be as follows : 1. To get working women in the various cities to ascertain what

they actually do spend. 2. To study room rent and board, both at restaurants and board-

ing houses. 3. To have the women's division agents take the prepared budgets

and price the various articles by making shopping tours in the different communities.

4. To hold conferences with women's organizations and business men, especially retailers, and submit to them both the general and the clothing budgets.

Massachusetts - Department of Labor and Industries.1

AS PART of the industrial health work of the department, a study ** of infected injuries is being made by its division of industrial safety. The questionnaire employed in this connection covers occupation of the injured person, previous employment, age and sex, nature of injury, date and duration of injury, provisions made in the establishment for treatment of injured persons, nature of first-aid given, when infection was first noted, ana result of injury.

The division of minimum wa^e is conducting an investigation of wages of women employed in trie public housekeeping occupation, including hotels, restaurants, apartment houses, clubs, and insti- tutions.

A study of the pay rolls of 107 buildings inspected in Boston, under the office and other building cleaners' decree, shows that in 38 the rates as recommended by the commission were adopted without any change in the number oi working hours or in the number of women cleaners. No change was necessary in 5 buildings, as the prevailing rates were as high, or even higher, than those recommended. The total number of women cleaners in these 43 buildings is 320.

Prior to the recent decree of the commission, the majority of women worked 5 hours a night - six nights a week. Subsequent to the decree, hours in 10 bundings were changed from 30 to 42 a week.

In 63 buildings, approximately one-half, minimum rates recommended were technically adopted, but various changes were made in the working schedules of these buildings which seem to indicate that although the letter of the recommendations was acknowledged, the spirit of the decree was not. In 23 buildings there has been a reduction of 105 women since the decree went into operation. Fol- lowing is a summary of the inspection of 107 buildings: Number of buildings where compliance with the decree was already in effect. . . 5 Compliance with the decree without a decrease in hours or reduction of working

force 38 Compliance with decree by increasing the hours from 30 to 42 a week and wages

to $15.40 or more 10 1 Note furnished by the Department of Labor and Industries of Massachusetts*

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Compliance with the decree by reducing hours and slightly increasing wages 5 Compliance with the decree by reducing hours- pay roll remaining unchanged. . 20 Compliance with the decree by reducing hours - pay roll lower than formerly 2 Compliance with the decree by increasing rates and reducing number of women . . 4 Approximate compliance with the decree, employers refusing to pay fractions of

dollars as it complicates bookkeeping 14 Compliance with the decree by increasing hours and reducing number of women . . 9

The following question was submitted to the attorney general's office: ' 'Does the law permit a woman to work more than 48 hours in 7 consecutive days, although in any calendar week she does not exceed 48 hours?"

The Attorney General's reply was: "That in the absence of an express declaration that the term

'week' in the statute shall mean any consecutive 7 days, it must be given its usual meaning and be considered equivalent to the phrase 'in any calendar week.' "

This opinion affects the employment of women in drug stores, hotels, and restaurants. In such establishments it is possible under this opinion for women to be employed as long as 57 hours in a period of 7 consecutive days, provided thay are not employed more than 48 hours in any one calendar week.

During the month of May (25 days) the number of persons placed by the three offices was 2,67.9, as compared with 2,660 placed during the month of March (25 days) and 1,804 during the month of January (25 days) . This very gratifying increase was made possible by an increase of 1,166, or 50 per cent, in the number of persons applied for in May over the number in January. The extent to which the industrial depression has affected the work of the three State employment offices is indicated by the following comparisons: During the first 5 months of 1921 the number of persons placed was 11,523, as compared with 16,885 placed during the first 5 months of 1920 - a decrease of 5,362, or 31.7 per cent; while the number of persons applied for by employers during the first 5 months in 1921 was 15,019, as compared with 28,014 during the corresponding period in 1920 - a decrease of 12,995, or 46.4 per cent. The three offices supplied 76.7 per cent of the persons applied for by employers during the first 5 months in 1921, as compared with 60.2 per cent during the first 5 months of 1920.

Minnesota.

HTHE 1 secretary of the Industrial Commission of Minnesota reports, 1 under date of June 27, 1921, that the former civil-service law of the State, providing that all appointments in the department of labor should be made from a list of eligibles who had passed com- petitive examinations, was amended by the last legislature "by eliminating all positions in the department from the civil-service feature with the exception of factory inspectors, railroad inspectors, elevator inspectors, inspectors of the bureau of women and children, statisticians, clerks, and stenographers." Many have been taking examinations for these positions.

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Under the above-mentioned date the secretary of the Minnesota commission also writes that there was scarcely any improvement in the industrial conditions in that State during the previous 60 days.

Considerable unemployment is reported. Man^ men have been thrown out of work by the closing down of a majority of the iron mines on the Mèsaba Èange.

There has been, however, an amicable adjustment between building contractors and the building trades, the latter having accepted a 20 per cent reduction in wages, and building operations have been stimulated to some extent.

North Dakota.

AT THE request of the commissioner of agriculture and labor of ** North Dakota, a special agent of the Federal-State Employment Service at Fargo has forwarded to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics the following information under date of July 5, 1921:

To facilitate proper handling of harvest laborers, North Dakota has been divided into districts, with offices at Fargo, Grand Forks, Minot, Bismarck, Jamestown, Devils Lake, and Oakes. Each office serves a certain number of counties, the grouping being primarily based upon railroad facilities. The various county agents, farm- bureau presidents, etc., have been advised as to which office will serve them. No office accepts an order from outside its own territory, but if such an order is received the applicant is referred to the proper office or the application is relayed to that office.

State distribution headquarters is at Fargo. All offices within the State report to the Fargo office regarding conditions in their fields. The Fargo office is in a position to direct the movement of labor in the State and keeps all offices informed as to the demand and supply of men in other parts of the State as well as an average wage.

Weekly news letters are mailed to each county agent, farm-bureau president, or other individuals personally interested in the labor market through placing individuals in positions. These news letters contain a summary of the reports from all offices in the State, giving a general idea of labor conditions throughout the State.

Pennsylvania. Department of Internal Affair*.

TTHE Bureau of Information of the Pennsylvania Department of * Internal Affairs reported on July 15, 1921, that 79,512,200 tons of hard coal were produced in 1919 in the 10 anthracite counties of the State, while in 1920 the production was 79,364,600 tons, or 147,600 less than in the previous year. The coal mined in 19.20, however, had a value of $436,488,000, while . that in 1919 was valued at $364,801,100. In 1919 there were 151,812 workers employed in 178 coal-mining plants in the anthracite field and in 1920 144,551 persons in 187 plants, a decrease in the number of employees of 4.8 per cent. The value of the anthracite coal produced was approximately 20 per cent higher in 1920 than in 1919, while the actual quantity of coal produced in 1920 was less than in the preceding year.

The records show that anthracite mine workers in 1920 were paid a total wage of $237,302,900, while in 1919 the total wages amounted to $209,452,900. Of the 144,551 wage earners in the industry in 1920, all were males with the exception of one. Of the number employed 67,299 were Americans, white, 333 were Americans, colored, and 76,919 were foreigners. Increases were recorded in both classes of American employees last year, but the number of foreigners was 7,629 less than in 1919.

[47bM




Regulation of Motion Pictures.1

The committee appointed by the commissioner of the Department of Labor and Industry of Pennsylvania to aid the Industrial Board to draft regulations for the exhibition of motion pictures in churches^ schools, and "similar places of public assembly has agreed to submit the following rulings for the consideration of the industrial board at its July 12, 1921, meeting: 1. Approval of motion-picture projectors. - All motion-picture projectors shall be ap-

proved by the Industrial Board for use within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in accordance with the method of procedure for the approval of such devices.

2. Permits and licenses for operators. - (a) All persons operating approved motion- picture projectors in churches, schools, lodges, and other similar places of public assembly shall file an application for a permit.

(b) Applicants desiring to operate approved motion-picture projectors designed for safety films only shall be granted a permit upon filing an application properly filled in and duly affirmed before a notary public or other person authorized to administer oaths.

(c) Applicants desiring to operate approved motion-picture projectors designed for "standard films' ' only, or "safety and standard films, "shall file an application properly filled in and duly affirmed before a notary public or other person authorized to administer oaths.

Such applicants shall be granted a permit upon completing satisfactorily an examination covering the particular type of projector to be operated.

(c?) Applicants desiring to operate approved motion-picture projectors for com- mercial purposes shall be required to take the regular examination for motion-picture operators of theaters and similar places of public amusement.

3. Permit for use of building. - Every building in which motion pictures are ex- hibited shali be approved for such purpose by the Department of Labor and Industry and a permit be issued signifying the approval.

Home Work in Custom Tailoring in Philadelphia. An investigation of 121 homeworkers in custom tailoring in Phila-

delphia has recently been made by six Bryn Mawr graduate students unaer the supervision of the Pennsylvania Department of Labor.

It was found that in 91 homes the homeworkers whose names were listed were assisted by 121 additional persons, 71 of whom were classified as helpers. Thirty-five wives were working with their husbands, and 5 daughters and 10 sons were assisting their fathers.

Forty-seven of the home workers are operating under city licenses, five under State licenses, and sixteen did not know whether the license heia was city or State. Fifty- four had no licenses. Thirty-one of the licenses held have been issued since 1920. The workers in many instances do not know whether their licenses have to be renewed or not. All but five of the licenses held will have expired by the end of June, 1921. The ideas of the workers regarding inspection are very hazy. Seven. of the homes have never been inspected. Some of the homes were inspected at the issuance of licenses, in many cases several years ago, and not since then; some "every once in a while' '; and a very few "once or twice a year. "

One hundred and nine of the 121 listed workers have special work rooms. Fourteen rooms were reported as "not orderly, poor, or dirty." There had been 11 cases of contagious diseases within 6 months.

Of the 121 families, 72 are Italian, 46 Jewish, 2 Hungarian, and 1 Swedish. Thirty families have 5 persons in them; 36 less than 5; and 54 more than 5. Five constitutes the average family. In 16 families, 4 girls and 12 boys under 16 years of age run er- rands and receive and return work after school. One family has the children do bast- ing on garments. > Bulletin of Information issued by the Industrial Board of the Department of Labor and Industry of

Pennsylvania, Juno, 1921. [471]




The work was very irregular in 1 18 families. The two busy seasons are about three months in the spring and about three months in the fall. The figures on hours and wages are for the most part mere guesses by the home workers, as in the majority of cases no records were kept. Hours of work are reported, however, as varying from 8 to 18 per day in the busy times of the year. ^ It is also reported that the average weekly earnings range from "0 in ^ the slack seasons to $190 per week in the busy seasons. The highest wages for one member range from $6 to $125 and the lowest from 0 to $25. Rates of pay vary from $7 to $25 per coat, $1.50 to $4.50 per vest, and from $2.50 to $5 for trousers/7

Texaa.

ACCORDING to the sixth biennial report of the Bureau of Labor ** Statistics of Texas, 1919-1920, the private employment agencies of the State during the fiscal year ending August 31, 1920, had 121,127 applications for employment and furnished 113,295 positions. The total tees collected amounted to $135,168.80.

The following figures show the number of positions furnished men and women (white, Negro, and Mexican) for the same year:

MALE. PEMALB. White 12, 333 White 452 Negro 2,373 Negro 107 Mexican 96, 745 Mexican 1, 285

111, 451 1, 844

The women's division of the State department of labor has formu- lated the following labor standards for women and children in industry which will be recommended in all industries employing women and children:

(a) No woman should be employed for more than 8 hours in any one day. The time when the work period begins and ends and the time allowed for meals and rest periods should be conspicuously posted in workrooms, and a strict record of overtime kept.

( b ) Half holidays on Saturday should be the custom. (c) Every woman should have one day of rest out of seven. (d) At least three-quarters of an hour should be allowed every woman worker for

meals. (e) A rest period should be allowed in the middle of each work period. (/) No woman should be employed between the hours of 10 p. m. and 6 a. m. (q) Equal pay for equal work regardless of sex. (h) Continuous standing, sitting, or heavy lifting should be prohibited, and suit-

able seats provided for every woman employed, and their use encouraged. ; í) All machinery should be safeguarded and fire drills and other forms of safety

regulations instituted. (j) Dress suitable for occupation, health, and safety should be required. (k) Thorough study in matters of industrial hygiene in order to be cognizant of the conditions leading to the deterioration of health of workers, and be able

to promote industrial hygiene and sanitation. (/) Proper provisions should be made for lighting, ventilation, and sanitation, and

comfortable rest and dressing rooms provided. (ra) No work should be given out to be done in rooms used for living or sleeping

purposes, or in any rooms directly connected with rooms used for living or sleeping purposes.

(n) No child should be employed in industrial pursuits where the sendee of an adult can be used, and under no circumstances where it comes in contact with

[472]




influences which may have a bad effect upon its physical, moral, or mental condition.

(o) No child should be permitted to work more than 8 hours per day of 24 hours, and under no condition should it be permitted to work after 8 p. m. or before 6 a. m. (p) The child who is prohibited from working should be in school, and the school

should make every effort to interest the child, so that he will postpone going into • industry as long as possible.

The findings in the child labor surveys in Austin and Corpus Christi clearly demonstrate the need for improvement in the legal protection of children.

Wisconsin - Changes in Personnel of Industrial Commission.

TTHE secretary of the Wisconsin Industrial Commission states that A Hon. F. M. Wilcox, who has been a member of the commission for eight years, has succeeded Hon. George P. Hambrecht as chairman of tnat body. Hon. R. G. Knutson, of La Crosse, became a member of the commission July 1 upon the retirement of Mr. Hambrecht.

Wyoming. AN IMPORTANT development in the work of the Wyoming ** Department of Labor is its cooperation with the Federal Em- ployment Service in conducting an employment clearing house. The commissioner of labor and statistics reports that the scheme is working out in a very satisfactory manner and that most of the activities of the department are centered along this line at present because of the large amount of unemployment.

The commissioner also reports that through a mediation board , of which he was the chairman, a controversy between the contractors' association and the several building crafts of Cheyenne has been successfully adjusted and a new wage scale established for 1921.

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WHAT STATE LABOR BUREAUS ARE DOING

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