The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-06-18
FIFTY-FIVB HOURS.
The New Factory Law
Which Becomes Opera
tive July +.
IS IT CONSTITUTIONAL? ?
Many Local Concerns Will Be
Affected By It-Women
Much Concerned.

There is a law which goes into effect on
July of this year, which is exciting a
considerable amount of comment through
out the State, particularly among manu-
facturers and their employees. While it
does not appear. as rule, to affect Jer-
sey City and Newark as much as the silk
weavers of Paterson and other New Jer-
sey Industries of like nature, there are
sufficient manufacturers who come un-
der its provisions to give it local inter-
est.
The law in question is known as the
Fifty five Hours law, and it affects all
who have employees working more than
ten hours day aud more than five hours
on Saturday. 1t is in respect to tho hours
of labor on Saturday that This law princi
pally Affects this city. There are at pres
but few factories whose hands work
more than ten hours day, but there are
comparatively few who grant the Satur-
days half holiday, and most of those
whodo only give 1t during the summer
months.
The act is entitled "a further supple
ment to an act entitled - general act re-
iating to factories and workshops and the
employment. safety, health ami work
4i.Ni'' "a NpCiebniNOS3 apptONtu ApIlk .,
1856"
FIFTY FIVE HOURS A WEEKS WORE
This supplement in brief enacts that
htty-hve hours shall constitute weeks
work, and that the work shsll be done be-
tween the hours of seven A. NJ. and noon
and one p. M. and six 2. NJ every day ex-
cept Saturday, when work shall stop at
noon time.
Section makes it specially mandatory
that no male or female, under eli ightesu,
or female above that age, shall be en-
ployed except in the horrs named, but ex-
cepts those engaged in fruit canning, the
preserving of perishable goods or in the
manufacture Of glass.
Section 3 provides that he inspectors
Shall investigate any reported violations
of the law.
Section fixes the penalty for each
offence at 500 This, in fact, means that
any manufacturer or workshop proprietor
can be fined 800 for every person that
works in his place more than fifty-fiv
hours in any one week. or ut any other
time than that specified in the act.
Some OF the manufacturers com plain
that ir will do them an injustice if this
act is pressed, as they will be obliged to
pay the same rate of wages as at present
for less hours of work, or work their men
under the Old time aud render themselves
amenable 10 a fine Of 500 for each
worker. 1t ls claimed also that it will be
lHDOSSlUle 10 COLlpeUo WITH nlnnuTuctuF-
| ers in other States where such n law is
not enforced, as they will be able to
| undersell New Jersey manufacturers!
The bill emanated from the employees
| in the silk mills in Paterson, and was
presented by Assemblyman Flynn. 1t
! met with considerable opposition and was
! ultimately passed in an amended FORM
which excepted the persons engaged IN
preserving perishab!e goods, or fruit can
ming establishments OR in any glass
factory. The bill also leaves it optional
to factory inspectors to press for q conyic-
tlon against any offender.
Is IT CONSTITUTIONAL?
| So far very little attention has been paid
to the law as it Is the opinion of most law
yers that it is unconstitutional, and can
never be enforced. 1t is claimed bv many
lawyers that the insertion of the clause
excepting certain industries from its
enactment makes in unconstitutional
A number of lawyers who were
seen by an Advertiser reporter
gave the opinion that law
| must be general in its object. and no ex-
ceptions can be made. This law is special
because it distinguishes between the
sexes. Clause 2. it will be seen, legis-
lates specially for males and females un-
der eighteen, and for women over that
age. This is apparently contradiction
of clause l. and would appear to make it
optional for men to work n longer time
| than the law designates 1t the law is
enforced there is no doubt that it will be
| tested in the courts. AT the present time
there are no signs that active measures
to enforce it will be taken.