BRITISH WAGE DURING THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 29, 29 October 1919, Page 10

BRITISH WAGE DURING THE WAR

GENERAL REVIEW OF RISE IN RATES

MORE THAN 150 PER CENT, INCREASE

(London Correspondent of tho "Christian .Science Monitor.") A general review of tho rise in Tales of wages 6iitco the outbreak of war appears in the May issue of tho "Labour Gazette." After a brief historical account showing that the increases wore largely duo to the withdrawal of labour into tho Army and the increased cost of living, the review states that generally speaking the trades which led the way in the grant of successive increases were the munition and transport trades, togother with certain other essential industries in which tho supply of labour ha« been much below the demand. In the building trades the amounts of increases granted during the war had varied considerably under local conditions. but in the majority of the largo, towns tho total increases up to tho end of April, 1913, ranged between 71d. and 10id. por hour. Tho averago increase per hour between July, 1914, and April 30. 1919. including bonuses, if any, generally recognised l'or men in each of the principal occupations in towns of tho United Kingdom, with populations of' over 100,000 were: Bricklayers 8.7 d. or 88 per cent.; masons 8.9 d. or 91 per cent.; carpenters and joiners B.Bd. or 91 per cent.; plumbers lOd. or 104 por cent. ; plasterers B.Bd. or 91 per cent.; painters S.ld. or 103 per cent.; builders' labourers 8.4 d. or 129 per cent. It should be observed, however, that during tho last few months the normal hours of labour recognised as constituting a full week, havo been reduced in raanv districts to 44 or 47 per week, and that in some cases, increased wages have been granted in order to givo tho same weekly lyages a3 before tho reduction in hours. ■ Allowing for this tho general increase in wages is about 100 per cent. Coal Miners' Wages. As to coal mining, until 1917 the additions to or deductions from rates of wages in the coal mining industry mostly took tho form of percentages calculated on tho "basis" or "standard" rates of a particular date, and the rates paid in the summer of that period varied in different coalfields from ?8 per cent, to 47 per cent, above those paid in August,' 1914. For the great majority of tho men employed tho general increases of prewar rates in the principal coalfields are now: Northumberland, 47 per cent.; South Wales, ft per cent.; Scotland, 43 per cent.; Durham, Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Midlands, S2 per cent.; Bristol, Badstock, and Forest of Dean, 28 per cent, to 33 per cent.; plus ss. per day in each case. It is estimated that tho average increase during tho war is probably equivalent to about 110 to 120 per cent, on tho pre-war average wages of all classes of workers at coal mines. At iron- mines and open works, where wages generally aro regulated by the sell-, ing prico of pig iron, the averago rato of wages, including bonuses, has been rather more than doubled. In the heavy iron and steel trades wages ordinarily fluctuate under sliding scalo arrangements. In addition, special war wago advances and bonuses have been granted in consideration of the increased cost of living. Blast furnace men in Durham and Cleveland havo had increases of wages equivalent to nearly C 8 per cent., and in addition war wago advances or bonuses ranging from 2s. 3d. to 2s. lOd. per shift. In Scotland they have received percentage increases equiv-. alont to 51 per cent., and a bonus of 3s. !ld. per shift. Iron nnd steel millmen in tho principal districts have mostly had increases of 113 to 117J per cent., and iron puddlers havo had increases, of corresponding amounts. Steel smellers, pitmen, etc., have received advances from CO to 70 por cent. 011 different processes. In the caso of lower paid men there are increases up to 150 per, cent. In the engineering and shipbuilding trades the overage amount of increase, inclusive of the 12J per cent, bonus granted from August 14, 1914, to tho end of April, 1919, on the district time Tatea for men in certain representative occupations in a number of tho principal engineering -andshipbuilding centres were as follow: Engineering—fitters and turners, 375. lid. a week, or 88 per cent.; iron moulders—3Bs. 2d., or 92 per cent.; labourers—3ss; 5d., or 15G per cent. Shipbuilding—platers, 375. 4d., or 93 per cent.; riveters, 375., or 98 j>er cent.,; shipwrights, 375. 7d., or 91 per cent.; labourers, 355. 3d., or 145 per cent. In addition to tho increase 111 wages tho weekly hours have been reduced to 47 without anv reduction in tho weekly time rates. for women and girls in tho engineering trades tho present minimum rates show considerable increases. In a number of other metal trades increases have been granted corresponding ivith those given in the engineering and shipbuilding trades. In the gold, silver, electro-plate and other trades in Sheffield, an advance of 75 per cent. 011 pre-war rates is paid, and in tho tin plate trade in South Wales war bonuses rango from 50 to 115 per cent, accordiii" to tho wages paid.. Women's Wages. Dealing with women's woges, the review mentions that in the chain-making trade the minimum rate was raised from 2Jd. to 4d. per hour, but advances in the prices gave a considerably greater percentage increase. In the hol-low-ware trade the minimum of 3d. per hour was raised to 4d., with a guaranteed minimum rate of 30s. 9xl: per week. Tho minimum rate in the tinbox trade has been raised to 5Jd. per hour, though a considerable number of women receive more than this. It is estimated that the increase average in tho whole of tho metal, engineering, and shipbuilding trades is between 100 and IK) per cent. In the cotton trade tho general increases amount to 110 per cent. 011 tho recognised wage lists, or 10."> per cent, on tho pre-war rates. In the woollen and worsted trades, for the timo workers in the spinning anil weaving sections and pieceworkers in the worsted spinning section the increase ia 107 per cent. In tho wool spinning and woollen and worsted weaving and mungo and shoddy sections, it is 85J- per cent, for male pieceworkers and 91 per cent, for female pieceworkers. Other increases include blanket raisers 64! per oont.; millers, scourers, finishers, etc,, 10CJ to 1251 per cent.' Tho hours havo been reduced from 551 to 40. In the textile, bleaching, dyeing, printing, and finishing trades, tho increases over pre-war wages pa'id under agreements in Lancashire, Cheshire, Derbyshire, and Scotland were 80s. lOd. a week for men, 19s. 3d. a week for women, and 15s. sd. for boys and girls of 1G and under 18 years. In Yorkshire they were 107 per cent, for time workers, and 85J pjr cent, for most of the pieceworkers. In the flax industry in Ireland time workers in Belfast and districts have rewived advances amounting to 245. a week for men, and 18s. for _ women, with ■equivalent increases on pieco rates. An advance of 75 per cent, has been granted in the carpet manufacturing trade; hosiery workers in Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, and Derbyshire received a bonus of GJd. in the shilling on their earnings; jute operatives in Dundee have increases amounting to 275. per week .for men, and 20s. a week for women, and the lace makers and curtain makers in Nottingham have received a bonus of 40s. In the textile trades as a wlvlo the rates of wages have risen by about 100 to 110 per cent. Boot Trade Advances. In the boot and nlioo trado increases have been given amounting to 2Gs. or 275. por week and representing in the iiise of skilled men approximately 87 to 93 per cent. 011 the pre-war minimum rales. Girls of Hi receive 15s. and women of 20, 30s. a week increase. Tn tho d'.othing trado, increases have varied in different districts and a recent order by tho Ministry of Labour has fixed the minimum rale of 7d. per hour for adult women with lotfer rates for girls engaged in the women's clothing trades. „ . Vailwav servants generally engaged in (lie traffic sections luivA received Hat rate advancements dur'ng the war amounting t" "3s. per week tor nun and IBs. lid. a week for Iw.va . Dock labourers at I ho principal ports have mostly received advances amounting to about lis. lo Ss, a day. Seamen s

wager havo boon raised to ,£ll 10s, per 11011U1 for able seamen and .£l2 for firemen. During tho war thero was a special bonus of .£3 per month to men on vesseia trading within tho war zone, An the carting industry and in tho tramway and omnibus services a general war wago advaneo of 30s. per week has been granted. In addition, a shorter working week h»5 been adopted generally, 41 hours for dock labourers, and 48 hours for railvnymcn, etc. In agriculturo the wages for tho agricultural labourers ranged from 30s. to 3S& a week,, representing an increase of S;1 per cent, in tiic caso of ordinary lnIjoii rem, and 1011 per cent, in the caso of stock men, or an average of 88 per cent, for all classes. A further increase of Gs. fid. ,per week dating from May 19 was agreed upon. Other trades which come under Tcvicw are printing and Ixiokbinding, 295. to ,15s. per week increase; furniture manufacture, fid. to lOd, per hour increase; pottery (North Staffs) 71 per cent, increase; glass bottle manufacture. 04 per cent. increase; chemical manufacture, 28s. Gd. per week increase, plus 12\ per cent, on earnings; bakinv and confectionery, 275. tn 335. per week increase, and gas and rfeetricity undertakings 28s. Gd.per week increase, plus 12J per cent, on earnings.