TABLE 34-Concluded. AVERAGE EARNINGS OF MEMBERS OF LABOR ORGANIZATIONS IN EACH TRADE IN THE THIRD QUARTER, 1897-1901. INDUSTRIES AND TRADES. Number employed 1901. V. Shortening the Hours of Labor. [Summary tables T-U, detailed table XII.] The movement for shorter hours described in last year's Report has gone forward during the present year with renewed vigor. Its results among the members of labor organizations are shown in Table XII of Appendix IV and in summary tables T and U of Appendix III. Very little of the ground gained has been lost, the record showing only six instances of a reversion to longer hours, thus: The working time of 319 members of labor unions was increased an average of 4 hours weekly, whereas 26,147 members had their working time shortened by an average of 8 hours weekly. The clothing trades made the greatest gain, both as to time saved and number benefited; they were followed by the metal-working trades, while the building trades came third, The female members of labor unions shared in the gains to a certain extent; 1,133 women effected a reduction in their weekly working time that aggregated 11,310 hours, or an average of 10 hours each. Nearly all of them were workers in the clothing trades. Excluding the garment workers, the greatest advance in any trade was made by the machinists, of whom 3,803 who had been working 9 or 10 hours a day secured the 9-hour day. One-half the number were in New York City and one-half were scattered in 12 smaller cities and towns. Carpenters numbering 1,446 in the smaller cities reduced their daily working time from 9 and 10 hours; 1,010 dock builders in New York City won 8 and 9 hours, 821 car builders and repairers and 700 machine wood workers in Buffalo reduced their day from 10 to 9 hours, 761 painters and decorators in 11 cities and 1,054 laborers in 5 cities, gained shorter hours. Over 3,000 workingmen won the 8-hour day, of whom nearly two-thirds belong to the building trades, thus: TABLE 37. MEMBERS OF LABOR ORGANIZATIONS WHO WON THE EIGHT-HOUR DAY. In a very large proportion of cases the shortening of hours. was accompanied with an advance in the wage rate sufficient to keep the weekly income at its former level. On account of Principally carpenters (625) and painters (442). the change in rate, or earnings, these unions also appear in the table of changes in wages, to which reference is frequently made in Table XII. VI. Summary. An attempt to summarize the statistics concerning the economic condition of organized labor in the state of New York during the last five years would result about as follows: ↑ Based on the figures of the first and third quarters only. The averages here given are based upon the members employed one or more days each quarter, and are therefore considerably more favorable than they would be if they were inclusive of all the members. |