United labor bulletin., 1913-03-27
LABOR DEPART MENT.
Annual Report of State Labor De-
partment Now Ready = Shows
What the Commissioners and
Deputies Have Been Doing.
(By r. E. Croskey)

be mailed to them free of cost. Those
who desire a copy will receive one by
sending in their name to Labor Commits
sioner Brake. State Capitol building,
Denver.
The report on labor conditions in Colo
RADIO is the most comprehensive ever
gotten out, giving as it does the report
of individual wage-earners and their sug-
gestions of what should be done to i'm
prove the conditions of the wage-earners
of the state; the reports from the vari-
Gus unions in all lines of work, showing
the increase or otherwise in wages,
hours, ETC., during the last two years;
also the condition of trade and the aver
age days worked during the two years;
the labor unions of the state, location,
membership and secretaries addresses,
and much other matter that will be in
teresting to trade unionists and others.
lhe amount of work done by the en-
ployes of the department during the last
two years shows that in the bureau OF
statistics proper, 10000 schedules were
sent out to labor organizations. indlvld-
ual wage-earners, merchants and manu-
facturers, requiring answers to various
questions pertaining to the welfare oil
the wage-earners, hours and wages, time
worked, ETC., the amount of manufactur-
ing industry of the state, with average
wages and hours in various occupations
The answers were as received, compiled
and set forth. over 700 letters were
written in reply to inquiries upon labor
laws, their working and operation, what
can and cannot be done under these
laws and also giving legal advice free
to poor people who are unable to pay
for the service of lawyers. This one
feature alone comprises more work than
the average person would dream OF. 1t
is not too much to say that Labor Com
missioner Brake and some of his EN-
ployes are as well or even better posted
upon labor laws, wage decisions, etc.
than are many lawyers This naturally
comes from constant practice of looking
them up.
Twenty-seven arguments upon labor's
side of debates were prepared, written
and sent to speakers who requested
them from colleges from all sections OF
the nation, having been selected to take
the labor side in these college debates
upon labor subjects. ihirty-two pubic
addresses were delivered by members
of the department upon labor matters at
various public meetings
In the State Free Employment offices
the reports from the three offices, Den
yer, Colorado Springs and Pueblo, 30,1SI
Jobs were gotten for the job-seekers free
of charge, of which 21.652 were for men
anu J,loO lOI WolhCh, bCih5 GIL
of 1884 for each year, 19l1-1912.
There is no law requiring the depart
ment to collect wages for the workers;
in fact, this power is vested in the courts
alone, but during the two years l,546
such claims were taken up and acted
upon. The amount involved in these
claims was total of s45,62O.S3, wages
due This shows an average of about
$50 for each claim; however, many
\, las
point being claim of $4,000 due some
miners at Lake City, and required the
services of deputy on the ground for
over a week to finally arrange for the
men getting their wages. Some claims
we're small. of course, being few dol
lars due domestic servants; in fact, this
sort of collection predominates in the
claims filed. The amount collected and
paid over was S37 7,96i.05; the claims un-
collected were those that either refused
to pay or there were no assets in bust
ed" firms. This work alone occupies the
exclusive time of one clerk in the office
and is often extra work for the outside
deputies to look after, all of which is
cheerfully done by the members OF the
department, who, being old labor union
lists, are actuated with the desire OF as
sisting the wage-earners.
The factory inspection department.
since the abolishment of the fee system
for inspections and placing this depart
ment under regular pay from the state
August, 1911, has done an enormous
amount of work trying to clean up the
workshops and factories of the state
and enforcing labor laws. Much has
been done and there remains much
more to be done. The record shows
that with the four inspectors 5,371 estab-
lishments, employing 62,53S men and
women were inspected; 3,245 orders
were issued for safety guards around
dangerous machinery, sanitary improve
ments, fire escapes ordered installed,
and general clean up orders issued. In
addition to ordering these improvements
it is necessary for the inspectors to ira
vel over the ground again to see that
the orders are complied with. This has
to be done many times at some places,
while others readily comply with all Or
ders given; and in addition to this work
the inspectors have been employed In
investigating reported violations of labor
laws. At the present time nearly the
whole force is engaged in enforcing the
woman's eight-hour law. Forty-seven
coal mines were visited and inspection
of the mine scales made. Full reports
of this work under the signature of the
inspectors are to be found in the report
Twenty-seven cases of reported viola
tions of the state eighthour law were
Investigated and reports made. They
also investigated numerous accidents
and sent reports thereon.
| A condition existed among private EN-
poyment agencies wherein the 1aborint
people looking for jobs were systemati
cally robbed, brow-beaten and deceived
by some of these agents. During thu
last four years the department ha
cleaned up this condition. In all case
where it has been shown that men ant
women have been sent to jobs that wer'
not as represented, the employmen
agent has been compelled to not onl.
return the fee paid for such job, but ais
to pay wages and expenses to and from
the place that the people have been sen
to until these offices are now compelle
to conduct legitimate business. II
cite an instance of the far-reaching IN