AMERICA'S 8-HOUR DAS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 149, 13 March 1918, Page 5

AMERICA'S 8-HOUR DAS

—ft Tho December issue of the official journal of tho American Federation of Labour publishes an interesting account of negotiations which have resulted in the application of tho EightHour Law of 1912 to certain classes of war contracts. Tho assumption of tho. legal officers of the Stato that certain important classes of contracts wore outside the scope of tho Act at first caused some difficulty, but a determined effort, principally by the Leather Workers' Union acting through tho General Federation, has resulted in a victory for the employees. All necossary overtimo will bo'paid for .at time and a half rates. While American workers are not disposed to accept any industrial oppression under the plea of war; necessity, it is clear from tho correspondence that the American Labour leaders are anxious to co-operato "with the Government to secure the greatest industrial efficiency during the war. The policy of the Federation is ' to seoure the establishment of a basio eight-hour' day in all industries, and tho opinion is expressed that the acceptance of this policy would do moro than any other single act to mobilise the goodwill of all tho workers m support" of war work."