The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1913-11-28
A CHECK ON VIOLATIONS.

Workers Will Act as Unofficial In
spectors--Organized Labor to CO.
operate With State Department.
Shorter Hours For Women.
Pennsylvania new labor reform
laws. passed to go into effect Nov. 1,
will not become dead letter If or
ganized labor can prevent. D. l. p.
Jackson, commissioner of labor and In
dustry, with staff of only fifty in
spectors in the entire state. conceived
the idea Of obtaining the cooperation
OF organized labor In aiding him to see
that the labor laws are strictly en-
forced in every shop, store and factory.
He therefore appeared before the Cen
tral Labor union and outlined his plan
This organization appointed q central
committee, and every establishment
where organized labor was employed
appointed shop committees All COM
plants will be made to the shop COM
mittees. the chairman of which will
report them to the central committee.
This committee will make an investi-
CATION as far as 1t lies in its power
to do so. and If the complaint is found
to be on good foundation the complaint
will be sent to the commissioner.
This privilege of having shop com
mittees to cooperate with the depart
ment OF labor is not limited only to
organized labor. In fact, the employees
of any establishment can form one
OF the recently passed bills relating
to labor the women's act is probably
the most important. In general it pro-
hibits the employment of females for
more than six days or fifty-four hours
a week. No girl under twenty-one
years Is to do work before 6 O'Clock
in the morning or after at night.
Those over this age are permitted to
work until 10. Telephone operators
over the age of eighteen are exempted
from the provision.
Overtime is to be not more than two
hours daily and the total number not
to exceed the maximum Of fifty-four
hours. Midday meal periods for those
employed eight or more hours Is fixed
at forty-five minutes. while those who
work less are to have thirty minutes.
No female is permitted to work for
more than six hours continuously with
out the foregoing rest periods. Seats,
one for every three employees, are to
be furnished and the reasonable use of
same allowed by the employer.
A sufficient number of washrooms
are to be supplied for female employ
ees. Where poisonous substances, such
as white lead and arsenic. are manu-
factured, separate rooms for the eating
of lunches are to be provided. Pure
water is also to be supplied free of
charge for their use The punishment
for violations OF this act ranges from
fines of SO to 500 for first offenses
and from SO to 5000 for second Of
fenses, with an alternative punishment
OF sixty days IN prison.
An amendment to the child labor act
of April %. 1909. also went into effect
on Nov. l. 1t provides punishment for
persons who, for the purpose of OBJ
tanning an employment certificate for
minor, make false statement, present
q forged birth or baptismal certificate
or passport or other religious or official
record or in any other way obtain the
certificate by fraud. Such offenses will
be deemed a misdemeanor, and for the
first offense fine of from $40 to $25
will be imposed For the second and
any subsequent offense fine of not
more than $50 shall be imposed or not
more than ninety days in the county
prison. Not only will the chief fac
tory inspector be responsible for the
enforcement of this law, but the truant
officers Of various school districts also.
Two other laws became operative on
the same date. One requires a report
of all accidents to employees to the
department of labor and industry, and
the other provides that all exits to ex-
terror fire escapes be made freproof
For violation of this latter act a fine Of
$500 or an imprisonment of two
months Is to be imposed upon any per-
son or organization having charge of
nlace where such violation is made.