The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1886-07-28
GOVERNMENT PRINTING.
Condition of Male and Female Workers ID
the French Imprimerie Rationale

Condition of Male and Female WorkerS II
the French Imprimerie Rationale.
The Reveil Typographique has been
issuing series of papers describing the
condition of the workers in the State !
workshops of France. Among Others
the Imprimerie Rationale, or Govern
ment Printing Office situated at No. 81
Rue Vieille-du- Temple, Paris, comes in
for notice. This establishment possesses
the finest printing material in the
world, and an annual budget Of 81, 400
900 insures it's constant renewal, as
we'll as the salaries of the managers,
clerks and workmen. Most of the work
ers are paid by the piece. The higher
official staff comprises general man
ager at $4,000 year; an under man
ager at $1,000; superintendent over
the interior department work at 81, 200;
an assistant to the latter at 5000, and
score of others, such as cashiers, ever
seers, clerks, ETC., with salaries ranging
from $500 to $500.
The establishment is divided into
three great services, named respectively
first division, second division and re-
serve, with a superabundance of over
seers and clerks. The personnel of the
office consists of clerks and officials,
22O; laborers, so; bookfolders, sewers,
perforators, gummers and females con-
nected with the drying room, 80; book
binders, 1920; typefounders 15 males,
70 females), and machine boys, 120;
pressmen, ITO; compositors, 209, show
| ing total of about 200 persons occu-
pied exclusively in the printing OF Gov
eminent work. The working day OF
the skilled workers is ten hours, but the
laborers have to work eleven. The
male workers receive six cents an hour
extra for overtime; the females have to
be content with four cents. The read
ers earn, thanks to extra work, between
sl.75 and So day; compositors, on an
average, about $3.50 week; machlne-.
men, between S1.75 and $40
day; pointers (male), on. an
average, ST. day. The pointer is re-
spoons BILE for any paper that may be
spoiled, and he has to do the spoiled
work over again without any remnn-
Grafton. The book binders and press
men make between 81 and $l.25 day
the typefounders about $3.50 q week.
The wages of the females may be
thus classified: Booksewers, 50 eshts a
day bookbinders, go cents ; rulers ID
cents; casemakers, 80 cents gluefs'
about IS cents; perforators, % cents.
In the drying-room, where elderly
women are chiefly employed, they earn
6S cents. The female pointers make 50
cents day. Fines somewhat diminish
these by no means cxorbtant earnings.
A quarter of an hours lateness costs IL
cents; an absence of half day, 20
cents whole day, 40 cents. The
females are fined at half the above
rates. Drunkenness, fighting and
smoking may all be enjoyed at charge
of S1.2 for each otlense.
The pay OF the laborers is supple
mented by means of an oppressive Gus
tom. They receive only s16.25 month
but the workers have to make on thell
behalf so-caIled optional contribution
under the name of a gratuity--of foul
! cents per man every week. Thus the
state, which gives $4,000 to a manager
forces it's own servants to augment the
low wages of the porters whom it EN-
ploys. After thirty years service thu
, male worker is is entitled to a pension
of S11O year; the female to one o
$50. The officials receive half OF thei
: emoluments, which means, for example
!, in the case of the manager, $1,000
year. When a worker has completed
: twenty-five years service and reached
: the sixtieth year Of his age, he is equal.
entitled to the pension. Infirmitie
contracted at work, along with twent..
years. service, give the same right. 1
, third of the pension is revertible to tn
. widow when the marriage bond has ex
listed for at least five years. This pen
e sion and sickness fund is maintained b
deduction of three per cent from tn
salaries, by the fines, and by share Q
the profits. -The Bookmaker.