BRITISH WAGE DURING THE WAR.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 November 1919, Page 10

BRITISH WAGE DURING THE WAR.

CENERAL REVIEW OF'RISE-IN RATES. MORE THAN 150 PER CENT. INCREASE. (London Correspondent 'of the Christian 'Science Monitor). A general review of the rise in rat«s of wages since the outbreak of war appears in the May issue of the Labor Gazette. After a brief historical account showing that the increases were largely due to the withdrawal of labor into the Army and the increased cost of living, the review states that generally speaking the trades which led the way . in the grant of successive measures were the munition and transport trades, together with certain other essential industries in which tho supply of labor had been much below the demand. In the building trades the amount of increases granted during the war had varied considerably under local conditions, but in the majority of the large towns the total increases up to the end of April, 1919, ranged between 7Jd and 10y 2 d per hour. The average increase per hour between July, 19.14, and April 30, 1919, including bonuses, if any, generally recognised for men in each'of the principal occupations in towns of the United Kingdom, with populations of over 100,000 were: Bricklayers 8.7 d or S8 per cent.; masons 8.9 d or 91 ptf cent.; carpenters and joiners B.Bd or per cent.; carpenters and joiners S.Bd or 1 91 per cent., plumbers lOd or 104 per cent.; plasterers B.Sd or 91 per cent.; |painters 8.1 or 103 per cent.; builders' labourers S.4d or 129 per cent. It should bo observed, however, that the last few months the normal hours of labor recognised as constituting a full week, have been reduced in many districts to 44 or 47 per week, and that in some cases, increased wages have been granted in order to give the same weekly wages as before the reduction m | hours. Allowing for this the general inI crease 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 the form of percentages calculated on the "basis" or "standard" rates of a particular date, and the rates paid in the summer of that period varied in different coalfields from 28 per cent- to +7 ner cent, above those paid in August, I!M4. For the great majority of the men employed the general increases ol prewar rates in the principal coalfields are now: Northumberland, 47 per cent.; South Wales, 40 per cent.; Scotland, 4p per cent.;' Durham, Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Midlands, 32 per cent.; Bristol, Radstock, and Forest of Dean, 2B per cent, to 33 per cent.; plus 5s a day in each case. It is estimated that the average increase during the war rs probably equivalent to about 110 to 120 per cent, oh the pre-war average wages of all classes of workers at coal mines. At iron mines and open works, where wages generally are regulated by the selling price of pig-iron, the average rate, of wages, including bonuses, has been rather more, than doubled. In the heavy iron and steel trades wages ordinarily fluctuate under sliding scale arrangements. In addition, special war wage advances and bonuses have, been granted in consideration of the increased cost of living. Blast furnace men in Durham and Cleveland have had increases of wages equivalent to nearly 08 per cent., and in addition war wage advances or bonuses ranging from 3s 3d to 2_s lOd per shift- In Scotland they have -received percentage increases equi-valent-to 51 per cent., and a bonus of 3s 9d per shift. Iron and steel mnimen in the principal districts have mostly had increases of 113 to 117* per cent", and iron, puddlers have had increases of corresponding amounts.. Steel smelters, .pitmen, etc., have received advances from 00 to 70 per cent., on different processes. In the ease of lower paid men there are increases up to 150 per cent. In the engineering and shipbuilding trades the average amount of increase inclusive of the 12J per cent, bonus granted from August 14. IM4, to the end of April, J019,' on the district time rates for men in certain representative occupations in' a number of the principal engineering and shipbuilding centres were as follows: Engineering—fitters and turners, 37s lid a week, or SS per cent-; iron moulders —3Ss 2d, or 92 per cent.; labourers—3ss Sd. or 150 per cent. Shipbuilding—platers, 37s 4(1,'0r 93 per cent.; riveters, 375. or 98 per cent.; shipwrights, 37s 7d. or 91 per cent.; laborers, 355.. 3d, or ,145 per cent. -Jn addition to the increase in wages the weekly hours have been reduced to 43 without any reduction in the weekly time rates. For women and girls in the engineering trades the present minimum rates show considerable increases. In a number of other metal trades increases have been granted corresponding ■with those given in the engineering- and shipbuilding trades. In the gold, silver, electro-plate and other trades in Shef-' field, an advance of 75 per cent, on prewar rates is paid, and in the tin plate trade in South Wales war bonuses range from 50 to 115 per cent., according to the wages paid. WOMEN'S WAGES. "' Dealing with women's wages, the review mentions that in the chain-mtiicing trade the minimum rate was raised from 23d to 4d per hour, but advances in the piece-workers' 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 9d per weeK. The minimum rate in the tin-box trade has been increased to 6id per hour, though a considerable number of women receive more than this. It is estimated that the increase average in the whole of the metal, engineering, and shipbuilding trades is between 100 and 1-20 per cent. In the cotton trade the general increases amount to 1:10 per cent, on the recognised wage lists, or 105, per cent. on the pre-war rates. In' .the woollen and worsted' trades, for the time workers in the spinning and weaving sections and pieceworkers in the worsted spinning section the increase is 107' per. cent; In. the wool spinning and woollen and worsted weaving and mungo section, it is 85J per cent, "for male piece-workers and 91 per cent, for fe-male..piece-workers. Other, increases, include blanket, .raisers cent.; millers, scourers,. finishers, etc.,- 100% to 125$ per cent. The hours have-been reduced, from 55J.t0. 40. . In the textile, bleaching, dyeing, printing, and finishing trades, the increases over pre-war. wages paid under agreements in Lancashire, Cbeihirttj Derhy

shire, and Scotland were 30s lOd a -week for men, 19s 3d a week for women, and 15b 5d for boys and girls of 16 ana unaer 18 years. In Yorkshire they were 107 per cent, for time workers and Ssf per cent, for most of the piece-workers. In the flax industry in Ireland time workers in Belfast and districts have received .advances amounting to 24s a week "for men, and 13s for women, with equivalent increases on piece 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 OJtl in the shilling on their earnings; .jute operative's in Dundee have increases amounting to 27s 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 whole the rates of wages have risen by about 100 to 110 per cent. " '"■ BOOT TRADiE ADVANCES. ~. In-the hqot.nnd shoe trade, increases have • been , given -'amounting to '26s or 27s per, week, and representing in the case of skilled men approximately ,S7. ; to ,D 3 per .cent, on,;the,pre-war minimum rates.' Girls'of 10 receive las and women of. 20, 30s a week increase. .In the. clothing .trade, increases' have varied in different districts and a recent order by the" Ministry" of Labor has fixed the minimum rate of 7d per hour for adult women with lower rates for girls engaged in the women's clothing trades. - ... ■ . ' Railway servants generally engaged in the traffic' sections have received' flat rate advancements during- the war amounting to 33s per week for men and 10s Od a week for boys. Dock laborers at .the principal ports have mostly received advances amounting to about Gs to 8s a day. Seamen's wages have been raised to £ll 10s.per month for able' seamen atid £l2 for ■firemen. During the war ,t)iere was.a ■special homis" of B per month to m'en : on vessels trading within the war zone. •' Tri the .carting' industry and in the tramway and omnibus services a general war wage advance of 30s per week has been-granted. , • •.. • In addition, a shortor working week • adopted generally, 44, hours for dock laborers, and 48 hours x>r railwaymen, etc, - , • In agriculture, the wages for the agricultural laborers ranged from 30s to ,38s a week, representing an increase.of S3 per,eerit,'in .the .ease of ordinary laborers, a _and 103. per 'cent, in the case of "stock men, or an average of 88 per cent, for nil classes'. A further increase of'os Od'per week, dating from May jr» ■was agreed upon; '■.:'■■■" Other trades which come under review •ire printing and ■ bookbinding, 20s to |B")s per week-increase; furniture manuifacture, 8d to lOd per hbuf increase; pottery (North Staffs) 71 ppr cent in-erease;-.glass bottle manufacture, 04 per cent, increase; chemical manufacture, 28s ,Gd per weok increase, plus 12'/ 2 per cent, on earnings; baking and confectionery, 27a to 33s per- weok increase, and sras and electricity undertakings 28s Od per week increase, plus 12£ per eent. on earnings.