The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1915-09-04
AUGUST REVIEW OF v. s. LABOR
STATISTICS.

Health and Safety Of Employees.
The provisions of the law under this
head are very general. The Federal
Government merely prescribes that
workrooms, machinery, and tools shall
be SO maintained as to secure health
full and safe conditions of work for
the employees; and to secure these
ends factory rules and regulations may
be enforced by the cantonal govern
ments. In the drafting of factory
rules hearing must be granted to the
workmen, and the period of stay for
holding such hearings before enforce
ment Of the rules must be at least
two weeks, though not in excess of
eight weeks. These rules and regu-
lations must then be notified to the
local authorities for sanction, and
then properly posted in the work
room; thereafter these rules become a
part Of the contract of employment.
Payment Of Wages.
Wages are required to be paid every
two weeks, or some shorter interval,
on regular workday, at the place of
work, and in specie. Deductions for
defective work or spoiled material are
permitted, though not in excess of the
actual cost thereof. The proceedings
in the ordinary tribunals for the set
Element of disputes involving the wage
contract are free of cost.
Hours Of Labor.
The new law reduces the length of
the working-day in factories and work
shops from II to 10 hours; the limit
of 9 hours on Saturday and on days
before holidays is retained. These re-
strictions apply to all employees ire
spective of sex or age. Nor may this
provision Of the law be evaded by CIV
ing out work to be done at home, or
by doing voluntary work in the fac
tories after the prescribed hours.
Under certain exceptions the work
day may be extended, but not as rule
In excess of hours day, nor for more
than 80 days ID year. For such
overtime work the employer must pay
time and one-quarter.
Night Work and Sunday Work.
Night work and Sunday work is gen.
orally prohibited, although it is al
lowed exceptionally, but under stricter
! control than formerly; thus night
work and Sunday work is restricted
to 10 hours in every "a, and special
authorization must be obtained to per.
init such work; furthermore, the Fed.
eral Council must designate those in
dustries in which permanent night
work and Sunday work is deemed alb.
solutely necessary. In establishments
SO designated weekly rest day must
be granted to the workmen, including
every alternate Sunday; and night
shifts must alternate with day shifts
every IA days at least.
Employment Of Women.
| The provision of the former law is
followed prohibiting nightwork and
Sunday labor to women, while the
Federal Council may prescribe those
industries where all employment of
women is prohibited. Henceforth wo.
men must be granted nights rest of
! at least II consecutive hours, includ.
ing the period from 10 p. m. to a. m.
This period however, may be excep.
tionally reduced to 10 hours, but not
generally for more than 60 days in the
year; yet, when the working of per-
ishable materials is involved, the ex-
ception may be extended for 140 days
in the year. The new law provides for
the exclusion Of women from work in
factories for weeks following confine.
ment, which period may, however, be
extended to weeks.
| Employment Of Children.
The minimum age of employment of
IA years is retained in the new law.
A new provision is added requiring
that children under 16 years shall not
be employed where the normal hours
of labor are exceeded, while the Fed
eral Council may further designate &C.
equations at which young persons un-
der 16 may not be employed at all. For
children under 16 who are still attend
ing to their religious instruction and
schooling. the daily hours of such at
tendance, together with their hours of
labor in the factory, must not exceed
the prescribed maximum of 10 hours.
Cancellation Boards.
For the friendly settlement Of dis
putes, without waving the rights of the
employer and employee to establish vol
untary boards, the new law provides
for the appointment of permanent can
tonal Cancellation boards. These
boards may intervene in dispute
either on their own initiative, or on
the request either Of the parties con-
cerned or of the local authorities. The
boards have the right to compel the
attendance of witnesses and to con-
duct Investigations under oath. These
Cancellation boards are established for
settling disputes only in private indus.
tries. while special permanent cem-