Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-02-10
LABOR COMMITTEE HEARINGS.
Consolidation Of Offices and Seats tor
Women Employees.

The labor committee had two hear
ings on Thursday afternoon Inc lfst
was en- Representative Plummer Dill
to REQUIRE the furnishing Of seats Tor
women and girls employed in factories,
| stores, etc. at such times as they are
not actively engaged in labor. AS Il
! physician he stated that lie knows the
| law to be necessary, because women
| are not so we'll able as men TO stand
I'D for long hours, and that they are
not sufficiently protected against the
dangers of strains due from such CON
di.icrs.
Scctt Wilson OF Portland stated that
the principle is right. but it might not
| be feasible. particularly in factories
where there is no room Tor the seats
Woodbury. X Dana the WestbrooH
warp manufacturer, undertook to an
swer one remark of DR.. Plummer 10
the effect that the employer has the
advantage in the trade between nm
and the employee. and then at tae re-
quest of the committee confined nm
self to the question of seats He eX-
planned that seats are provided IN his
mills for women workers in all depart
ments except the draw frames, where
they would have no time for them I'M
less they neglected their work. 1hat
means about 40 out Of 80 women. he
asserted that bis employees are healthy.
and that Wien they leave the mills and
get married they have large families OF
children. Dr. Plummer inquired what
it would cost to fix the mill so that
seats could he provided at the draw
frames and Mr.. Dana said 1t would
cost the rebuilding of fivestory brick
mill.
George Emery of the Sanford plush
mills stated that seats are already pro-
vidcd in such of his company's work
rooms as have women engaged at work
which does not require them to be con-
tinually on their feet. and that that IS
done because it is not profitable 10
employ tired help. Representative Otis
Of the committee stated that the bill
wouldn't reach such condition as Mr.
Emery described but in reality its
principal effects would be in the large
stores where women clerks have many
opportunities TO sit down if seats We're
provided.
Hon. George r. Morrison of Bidde-
ford, state factory inspector. said that
factory owners are doing all they can
in this direction. as they find that it
PAYS to keep the employees in good
physical condition. He did not see the
use CT seat where it could not be
used. Senator Leach, chairman of the
committee, asked Mr.. Morrison if it
was not part of his work to look after
the welfare of the employees in the mills
and ne answered: Il do not so under
stand it."
Nobody seemed to want to ask MI.
Morrison ony more questions, and tie
next speaker was Mr.. Emery, who was
recalled and asked if there We're III
stances of employers forcing employees
| to stand. He readily admitted that it
! was probable and then said that the
, bill as drawn was apparently harmless
| to his interests. but he would like to
| ask who was to say where it was
practicable to place seats, the bill
using that word.
Scott Wilson again spoke. to say
| that there might be a difference of
opinion as to when woman is actively
| employed He thought that woman
using her eyes for close watch of the
work might be as actively employed
as one using her hands or actively
moving about the machines. Repre-
sentative Descoteaux thought that UNI
der the bill a woman not moving about
or using her hands would not be ac-
lively employed and would have q
right to a seat. Mr. Descoteaux was
formerly weaver in Biddeford. and
is member of the labor committee.