The Washington times., 1894-05-20
EIGHT HOURS IN ENGLAND.
The Growing Popularity of the Movement
in that Country.

The Growing Popularity of the Movemen,
in that Country.
Claude Meeker, consul at Bradford, Eng
land, has contributed an interesting chspte,
to the history of labor legislation in report
to the Department Of State upon experiments
with the eIght-hour system by English en-
ployers of labor. He says that though at
tempted legislation In that direction has been
several times defeated. the fight is to be re-
newed and the eight-hour bill will be soon be-
fore Parliament. The navy and war depart
ments are now experimenting with the sys-
TEN, and other branches of the government
service will soon try it. It Is fast achieving
public popularity, and in Bradford q ma
iority OF the corporation employees, includ-
ing the police, are working but eight hours
daily.
An important test was made by the Salford
iron works, near Manchester, where the sys-
tenn was tried for one year without solicita-
tion either by employees or trade unions, at
the firms own risk, to prove how far the
widespread desire for shorter hours Of work
might be met without injury to the mechan-
ical trades and to ascertain whether 1t must
be resisted in the interest OF all concerned.
The full complement Of men is 200, and
the wages paid for forry-eight hours were
the same az for fifty-three hours Under the
old svstem About one dozen trades were
represented. The trial was in n year OF ex-
ceeding depression, when the prices obtained
for the output were the lowest on record, but
the invoice value of the goods produced
amounted 10 the average rate Of value Of the
six preceding years. This was regarded as
an unfavorable condition for the test One
third OF the men employed were on piece
work wages, and that system received q
thorough trial. as well as the weekly wage
system. The production during the trial
year was actually greater, but the turn
over" on account of cheap prices. was some
what less.
This resulted in showing an increase OF
four-hundredths Of l per cent. in labor cost,
but it was remarkable fact that the economy
in the shorter hours for burning gas and fuel,
for wear ard tear of tools, machinery, ETC.,
amounted to a saving OF four-hundredths OF
/ per cent, thus exactly equalizing the In
creased labor cost. In the fifty-three and
ffty-hours' work (the old SYSTEM the lost
time amounted to 2.46 per cent, while In the
forty-eight hours it amounted to but .46. The
result on piece work was looked forward to
with interest, and the wages realized were
/. IL per cent less than the standard. The
figures in this manner showed a steady adapt
alton to the altered conditions, and made it
evident that as the work proceeded the differ
ence would entirely disappear. Inc piece
work rates were not advanced in the year.
The superintendent urged the adoption Of
the system by the government, holding that
the men have a better home life by striking
off the two hours before breakfast. He says:
zone wears trial mas convinced me that we
have found happy medium in the number
Of hours, during which only one meal and
one stoppage are needed, and this resolved
itself into the eight hour day." The foremen' s
reports show that the men were more steady
at work, more cheeful and less given to inso-
briefly under the eight hour system. The
moral tone was also improved and all seemed
brighter and more cheerful.
Another important test was made by the
Sheffield Smelling Company. 1t was found
that the cost of wages for both the ton OF the
material smelted and the ounce Of bullion
produced was slightly less under the new
scheme The men had been fresher and
brighter, showed an increased cheerfulness
and interest, as manifested in both the guam
tity and quality OF their work.