The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1913-05-02

AN ACT to establish Minimum Wage Com
mission, and to provide for the deter nina
ton and establishment Of minimum wages
for women and minors.
Be it enacted by the Legislature Of the State
of Minnesota:
Section l.. There is hereby established
commission to be known as the Minimum
Wage Commission. 1t shall consist of three
persons, one OF whom shall be the Commits
sioner of Labor who shall be the chairman
of the Commission. the Governor shall appoint
two Others one of whom shall be an en-
ployer of women, and the third shall be
commission. The first appointments shall be
made within. sixty days after the passage
Of this act for a term ending Jan. /, 1915.
Beginning with the year 1915 the appoint
ments shall be for two years from the first
day of January and until their successors
be filled in like manner for the unexpirad
portion of the term.
Sec. .. The Commission may at it's dis
erection investigate the wages paid to women
and minors in any occupation in the state.
At the request of not less than one hundred
persons engaged in any occupation in which
women and minors are employed. the Com
mission shall forthwith make such investi-
cation as herein provided.
Sec. g.. Every employer of women and
minors shall keep, register Of the names and
addresses OF ana vases PAD to az w women s,
number OF hours that they are employed per
day or per week; and every such employer
shall on request permit the Commission or
any Of its members agents to inspect such
register.
Sec 4. The commission shall specify times
to hold public hearings at which employers,
employees, OF other interested persons may
and other pertinent conditions Of the occupa-
ton or industry. The Commission or any
member thereof shall have power to subpoena
witnesses, to administer oaths, and to COM
pei the production of books, papers, and 9TH
evidence. Witnesses subpoenaed by the
Commission may be allowed such compensa-
ton for travel and attendance as the Com
mission may deem reasonable, to an amount
not exceeding the usual mileage and per
9y our IN e OF anv
patton the Commission is of opinion that the
wages paid to one-sixth or more of the wom
en- minors employed therein are less than
living wages, the Commission shall forthwith
proceed to establish legal minimum rates of
wages for said occupation, as hereinafter de-
scribed and provided.
Sec g. The Commission shall determine
the minimum wages sufficient for living wages
for women and minors of ordinary ability,
and also the minimum wages sufficient for
living wages for learners and apprentices: The
commission shall then issue order to be
effective thirty days thereafter, making the
wages thus determined the minimum wages
in said occupation throughout. the state, or
the cost of living warrant this restrIcs,
A copy Of said order shall be mailed, so far
!,
and each such employer shall be required to
post such reasonable number of copies as
the Commission may determine in each build
ing other work place in which affected
workers employed. The original order
shall be fled with the Commissioner of la
Dor.
Sec. I. The Commission may at its discre-
tion establish in any occupation an advisory
board which shall without pay,
sisting of not less than three nor more than
ten persons representing employers, end an
equal number Of persons representing the
workers in said occupation, and Of, one or
more d.sinterested persons appointed by the
Commission to represent the public; but the
one Of the representa- tives OF the public shall
not exceed the number Of representatives of
either of the other parties. At least vne-
fifth OF the members of any advisory board
shall be composed of women, and at least
one Of the representa- ives of the public snail
be a woman. The Commission shall make
rules and regulations governing the se1ec-
ton of members and the MODES of procedure
OF the advisory boards.4 and shall exercise
exclusive Jurisdiction over all questions aris-
ing with reference to the validity Of the
procedure and discrimination IF said boards.
Provided: that the selection OF members rep
resentiag emplo. ers and employees shall be-
SO far as practicable thru election byt EN-
l,ioyers and employees respectively. z5.t5sI
Sec Each advisory board 3 shall have
the same power as the Commission to- sub