Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-02-18
Sub-cOntractIng.

About abolishing OF sub-eontract-
ing he says:
1.-The practise of compelling the
employees in the rush months and
permitting them in the dull season to
bring in apprentices whom the en-
plovee pays. is known in the trade as
sub-contracting. Again 1t is the
sporadic and hectic nature of the in
dustry that causes the trouble. Dur
ing the rush season the work cannot
be done without the assistance OF
apprentices, but the system, never
theless. % prevents the maintenance
and enforcement of any standard
wage; ~ compels the payment Of
another profit; go relieves the con-
tractor of responsibility 10 grieN-
ance committee, and ca lowers the
standard of efficiency for the whole
/ industry.
"Many workers who have relatives
arriving In the country take them on
as assistants, often paying them no
wage whatever for weeks, and very
1 little even after they have attained
/ n degree of efficiency TO warrant the
union wage. This practise In con-
/ fined generally the shops working
for the New York Manufacturers
Mr.. Colby then takes up the strikers
demand that no work shall be given
out to be finished at home
Finishing a garment means the
/ hand sewing that is required to finish
| it after the operating and basting
/ have been done. and it consists of
! Telling the lining to the cloth, When
/ this has not been done on "a machine.
/ The reason assigned by the contrac-
tors for giving out home work is that
/ "hnishers" take up too much room
/ in the factory, and that rather than
nav rent for the extra space that
would be required, the factory IS
made to reach out into the homes OF
the employees. The employer In this
way saves not only his rent, but a
charge for the heating, lighting, fur
nishing and equipment for his shop.
.The contention of the union is that
there are always women to be found
by the contractors so poor TINT they
will take anything In the way of
| work, nnd do Ii for almost nothing.
In order TO remain in the home and
care for the children, and that much
less suffering would result If the work
was done in the factory for fair
wage.
irresponsible Employers.
"The union contends that It should
be able to deal directly with the man
ufacturers on the ground that in the
last analysis they are the employers
of the labor, and the contractor ne
more than a foreman Of one of theii
own factories. They claim that the
manufacturers not only fix the price
at which the garment is sold, but also
the price for making up the garment
without due regard or allowance fol
the price the contractor must pay fol
labor. What is more, they claim tina
some of the contractors are not finan
cially responsible That for $50. thu
advance payment for one month!
rent, any person can purchase a few
sewing machines on the installmen
plan, and set up as a contractor anC
employer of labor without making tn
manufacturer for whom he works re
sponsible in any way for the paymen
of wages.
There has been very little violence
} and disorder during the strike. Sew.
eral nOn-union men have beer
roughly handled by the strikers, Z
| few windows have been broken anc
: one or two union men beaten up b,
the police. The truth about thes'
conflicts is extremely l.Acult Il