The labor world., 1911-08-12
OVER 1000 INSPECTIONS
:. MADE DURING THE YEAR
Bureau Performed Excellent Ser.
vice. in. Ordering Better
. <r:
Fire Protection.

hart his first annual report for the
fiscal year ending July 81. and which
covers the work Of the Bureau Of
Labor for six months under Labor
Commissioner w. N.> McEwen. '. =.
According to the report. nearly 500
factories have been made safer for
employees by the officers Of. the Blu
reau OF. Labor. The following IL q
brief statement Of tho achievements
Of the bureau for the past twelve
months. '-''7: .~~'
Free Employment Bureau.
Compelled %. factories to put in
new or additional fire escapes, !,
Made more than 1000 Inspections
and recommended 2,701 improve.
ments to safeguard life.. :,
Issued nearly 300 orders to reg
ulate sanitary conditions. -.
Inspected 400 railroad yards and
issued many orders for block switches
frogs and guard rails.
Shows q decrease in industrial ac-
cidents tor the fiscal year.
Asks federal legislation to remedy
defects in licensed employment bu-
reaus.
Found Jobs for $4,000 persons.
2b,1s7 males and 20.718 females. st..
Paul's free employment bureau got
work for 4.640 males and 3,612 fe-
n1ales. - =
. Relative to the safeguarding Of life
In the factories Of the state, Mr..
Houk says: :. -
Terrible holocausts in Eastern
factories recently have caused. spec
ial attention to be paid to fire pro-
lection and the. followfngj suggestions:
Provide new or additional fire ,eset
capes; improve, facilities for e9res8
from building by additional stairs, re-
pairs to windows. ladders to roof; re-
move obstruotions from fire escape
exists; repair and extend fire es-
capes; designate fire escape ;: exists;
PROVIDE fire extinguishers; recharge
fire @ext1nguishers; provide metal re-
ceptacles for waste paper.
Improving Health and Comfort.
Many recommendations have been
made to improve the conditions Of
health, comfort and morals in work
places.
The last legislature, taking cogniz-
ance Of the large number Of accidents
caused by corn shredders on Minne-
sofa farms, passed a law requiring
these machines to be guarded. The
guards were to be approved by the
! labor commissioner. Two. new guards
have been recommended.
Considerable. time has been devoted
to enforcement Of the child labor and
compulsory education. laws. Three
orders were served on employers to
comply with the child labor law. A
total Of 1,279 truancy cases were in
vestigated and most of the children
were returned to school:
Nine strikes and ,lockouts involving
1920 persons were Investigated by
the department. The, most import
ant. the carpenters strike Of the
Twin City. commenced. May l. and
lasted until July 20. and was settled
for st. Paul by an agreement.
On Wage Collections.
Frequent complaints are received
from employees unable to collect their
| wages.
The following changes are recon-
nended In the laws covering wage
claims: .,
! First That where man is dis
fcharged suit can be brought im1nedi-
ately upon refusal to pay. g.:
| Second, That irf the absence Of
aswrttten contract the .employe may
dAmand his wages upon quitting and
/ upon refusal. bring suit Immediately
to collect. . .,. -.
Third. That In a written contract
the employer may withhold wages
until PAYDAY, but not longer than
thirty days. -, ..,
Fourth. That where conditions of
q contract are not carried out and
the. employe' quits, suit may be
! brought for immediate payment of
wages upon its being shown that the
conditions Of contract were not car
ried out:,s 80: ~... .. So
The free employment bureaus at
Minneapolis, St. Paul and Duluth did
a. flourishing. business during the
years, at total of. $1,000 situations
having been secured. .<.>!t " -
2,701 Recommendation for Safety
More than: 1000 factories and mer-
+, camille establishments have been Wis
tied by the. department and 2,701 re-
commentators have been made to
safeguard workers from accidents by
exposed machinery. The department
has issued i 1,74s orders compelling
compelling employers of labor to
place guards about machinery. Vari-
i GUS devices have been ordered In,
Il a,lcf, q = r1Ia Y1a "a So1evo Tor = ~ hnl o$