St. Paul tidende. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1902-1928, 1913-05-02


AN ACT to establish a 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 a
Wage Commission. 1t shall consist of three
persons, one of whom shall be the Commits
sioner Of Labor who shall be the chairman
two others, one of whom shall be an en-
ployer Of women. and the third shall be a
woman. who r shall act as secretary Of the he
made within sixty days after the passage
Of this act for a term ending Jan. L, 1915.
ments shall be for two years from the first
day Of January and until their successors
qualify. Any vacancy that may occur shall
be filled in like manner for the uneSp1rcd
portion Of the term.
Sec. .. The Commission may at its 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
mission shall forthwith make such 1nvestl-
cation as herein provided.
Sec. 3. Every employer Of women and
minors shall keep a register Of the names and
aud minors 81 em apa @as by P Rim, to together I'll wo WIEN
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 or agents to inspect such
register.
to hold public hearings at which employers,
employees, or other interested persons may
and other an0 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
er 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 ana per
diem allowed by our courts in civil cases;
patton the Commission is OF opinion that the
wages paid to one-siXth or more of the Wom-
en- or 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. 6. The Commission shall determine
for women and minors Of ordinary ability,
and also the minimum wages SUFFICIENT Tor
living wages for learners and apprentices: The
commission shall then issue an order, to be
effective thirty days thereafter. making the
wa es thus determined the minimum wages
in said occupation throughout. the state. Or
within any area of the state if differences In
the cost of living warrant this restrIcsion.
A copy. Of said order shall be mailed, SO far
as pIdCllCdUlS, ~ SaNh nav
and each such employer shall be required. to
post such a reasonable number of copies as
the Commission may determine in each build
ing or other work-place i'll which affected
workers are employed. The original order
shall be filed with the Commissioner of la
Dor.
Sec. &. The Commission may at its discre-
ton establish in any occupation an advisory
board which shall serve without pay, con-
sisting Of not less than three nor more than
ten persons representing employers, and an
equal number of persons representing the
workers in said occupation, and Of one or
more DISTINGUISHED persons appointed by the
Commission to represent the public; but the
one Of the representatives Of the public shall
not exceed tile 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 representatives OF the public snail
be a woman. The Commission shall make
rules and regulations governing taes serec-
ton of members and the modes Of procedure
of the advisory boards. and shall exercise
exclusive jurisdiction over all questions arts
ing with reference to the validity of the
procedure and Determination Of slis. boards.
Provided: that the selection Of members rep.
resenting emplo. ers and employees snail be
so far as practicable thru election by en-
ployers and employees respectively.
Sec. 8. Each advisory board shall have
the same power as the Commission to sub