New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-02-13
SEATS FOR SALESWOMEN.
HOW THE LAW On THIS SUBJECT IS AND IS not
COMPLIED WITH IN THE SHOPS IN THIS CITY.


COMPLIED WITH IN THE SHOPS IN THIS CITY.
law was passed last winter by the Legislature
compelling all merchants who employ saleSWOmel
to pr vide seats for them when qnoccup ed.
don't believe" said Mrs. NJ. W. Ferrer Slperln-
tendent of the Working Women's Protective Union,
at No. 3S BleecEer-st. In speaking to IRibnNE
reporter recently in regard to this subject that
1 co%ped with 0Fc iho law 'n' treat many
sale women come here and complain that they have
10 stand up all day; but we can do notmngto heIp
them because they are all afraid to make COM
plant lest they should he discharged. Our lawyer
is ALWAYS wiling to begin proceedings Ill their De-
half but you cannot expect girl to lose her place
TO benefit Others. We have hal several who have
been discharged offer to testify, but that would
hardly do. As MANY six girls have heen here our
ing one day to complain that their employers dld ho'
In Macy's store at Fourteent st. audSixth-ave.,
there was a large crowd of won n shopping or pre-
saleswomen were busiiy engaged in waiting on
them. few girls who wera dlsengaged were
sitting on rather uncOmfor able boxes. ID inc
northeast corner of the second hoor Is me once 81
Mr. Wheeler a member of the firm. II Is small
room with low ceiling and is not as comioTlahle as
two rooms adjoining it, i'll which the bookkeepers
are employed. Mr.. Wheeler was engaged, ana HE
JRIBTSF reuorter amused himself for half an hour
onIside the do r. watching the shOpgirls as they
went up and down the stairs Three or 10uf niue
cash girls had opened a WINDOW ana were
throwing snow around III way thai womb
not make one think their employers were very ~
Tannical. Presently tail, rather stout woman WIN
buttons, cane sailing up the stairs lacking all;
ruptly she shecrcd of to lie book keepers Once ana
inquired for Mr. Perry. He was taking ms lunch
and bright-eyed young woman, Wlth peary wlnt
teeth. waited upon the strangerwho eNpl lned mat
she had been insulted because the cashier would not
receive h-r check without ldentlncatloh. .
" Do look like dishonest woman u said the
person with the ulster. g.
wounded feelings by cashng the check, and escort
ing her 10 the stairway MI W heeler; pleaSa Z
faced man. came ont of his Office Ist them.
We have moi complied" "a d ne, III T. ply TO the
rcporter's Questions = with the law and | don't
know that any one has. Our girls usually SIT when
we are not busy there Is number OF boxes ne
hnl the counters, but there are no seat. IL :
girl sitting down when there is nothing I" 90,
never tell her TO rise and If do see her get up
always tel her to sit down We Try 10 treat our
en- 5lOyes ike human neingS and not Ike beasts
But il is really difficult matter 10 find seats That
Won can put behind a counter, which viii not take
uU all the room. l have talked good deal with
carpenter ON she subject, Dut we nave not
found seats perfectly satisfactory III all RESPECTS"
AT b. AltInau < COS, at SiXth-avc. and Nine
teenth-st. Julius Rug Imam, the supe lntcndcnt,
was seen bv he reporter. NO" tie replied 10 the
uueStion put 10 hun, we don't have hrats Tor our
girls to sit down. but we do what we think is better
Ior Them Come with me and ! VIII show yOu.
iAnd tnen Mr.. Kugel nan lei TIE way to the tGlrd
floor where there large room with three tables
and perhaps Il hundred comfortable hardwood
chaifsJ d" his is tine lunch room Tor the gllls VINO
work on the second floor In the cellar there Is one
inst like ii Tor those vino on the trs floor. We
allow he saleSwomcn to come here thiee ,liHes
once IN the afternoon. they are allowed about
twenty minutes for their lunch, and ten TO twelve
minutes at their other visits. This gives them
three good rests III the course OF the day,
which lasts with us from am. TO pm. the year
round | think tins is better than if we gave the
Urls seats Tor then they EOoDer get coniorlaoly
sea ed than "A customer come III. IL >drSWOHtn
is sick all she has to dc l. TO speak 10 the supcllh-
1cnnent of her department and sue can have longer
rest he girl. work better for their rests, ana II
they try % slIirk The work IL Is very easy 10 ma
them ont But we have very good class OF persons
here and the, seem to appreciate Wha.eNer We 90
Tor them, Even if we tired 10 + How the law We
could not have eats for all the girls behind the
counters for they would tahe u all The ROOM lac
Law ,ya,s passeu 10y men who didn know what they
were talking about. our girls seem well Sitshed
OF course, .hey can't lave sllgh-rld-s III the Iark
every atteTnO H."
AT stern Bro, hers, in West Twenty-third-st there
were many customers at he counters When the re-
porter went in, yej some Of The glTs were sIttlnC
down. "N have seals for some o. our CLERKS said
Louis stern "but not Tor all of them. Oar Gus
toners diner so much in their habits: Some ladies
viii get very angry Ii they see girl sitting oown
and she doesn't jump up to wait on them the mn
ute they come III the door,. .
The Superintendent of Eirchs place IN Eighth
ave saiu tnat there seat, for the sieSW omen
in that store and that tne employers never COM
mel ed q