WOMEN WORKERS

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 68, 17 September 1927, Page 17

WOMEN WORKERS

U.S.A. CONDITIONS

LITTLE LEGAL SHELTER

The United States has no such social legislation as that existing in Australia with old age pensions and baby bonuses, so that it is incumbent on the workers to provide for their dwa future, but when the rate of wages is compared the definitely higher cost.of living in the United States must betaken, into consideration. . . The above is one. of the findings of Dr. Kate Mackay, one of the two women observers appointed by the Federal Ministry to accompany' the Australian Industrial Mission to the United States. Dr. Mackay is Medical Inspector of Factories rin Victoria! With Miss May Matthews,Vof Sydney, it was her responsibility to-.report on the conditions in industry for women in the United States. Of 500 industries in the United States she found that.women had invaded all but 36, and were accepted everywhere on the same footing as men. There is no such protective legislation for women in the United States as exists in Australia with regard, for instance, to prohibited-indvstries, night work, and limited: hours. "In the United States they make the job safe for both men and women, rather than select the women for consideration, 3' Dr. Mackay said. She was interested, too, to find women holding responsible executive positions in large factories, as well as in the Government services. With regard to hours, as in other matters, conditions in. the different States varied greatly. In States such as New York and Wisconsin, for instance, they have a 48-hour week, but in other States they may work legally for 10 hours a day for seven days'.in the week. Economic conditions have compelled married women in large numbers to go into industry, ;and they are ac.cepted now as a matter, of course. The majority of the women, are. unskilled workers, but in places s^li'as furniture factories, where they are employed in decoration and-in-doing'marquetry work, which calls for a very high standard of skilled labour, they worked on. the same grade as the men and received equal payl In'this" connection the Women's Labour Bureau at Washington, which was doing excellent work in formulating standards, creating public opinion, and initiating legislation with regard to the. employment of women, had directed attention to. the lack of facilities, for vocational training for women, and already in some factories classes had Been established. .One of the greatest problems for industry in the future, Dr. Mackay considers, is "intense repetitive work," which calls for little,initiative or intelligence from the worker. ■..':.■

Speaking of medical and welfare work, Dr. Maekay says- that it is regarded by employers as a payable undertaking, apart from any altruistic motives,, and the medical department is accepted as an integral part of the factory system. This aspect of industrial life, and the effect of the high school leaving age on child labour, were the things that most impressed Dr. ilackayv Like. everything else, the school leaving age varies in the different States, but in no ease is a. child aged less than 14 years allowed to .enter employment. The average.,age is 16 years, and in some States in special circumstances, such. as. parental poverty, permission may be given 'for. a child to go to work when aged '14. years,' biifc he is required to attend ii part-time school in his employer's time. In other States in no circumstances are they allowed to begin work beforo 1.6 years, and if in poor circumstances t!Xy have to get assistance from charitable organisations. To meet this situation many firms provide schools in their own factories. The result of this regulation of the school leaving ago is that there is no problem of child labour in the Northern States at all, though it still exists in the South. ■