The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-05-16
WAGE INCREASE FOR
BRITISH WORKMEN
Higher Cost of Living Bal
anced by Higher Pay

London, April correspondence
of the Associated Press War as 2
wage raiser has brought to a consider
soie proportion of the laboring classe
in England some compensation for the
increased cost of living. Social work
ers estimate that the increased cost
OF living averages is at least 10 per
cent, while the average increase IN
wages is not over five per cent The
plentiful supply of overtime work i'll
most trades. makes it easy for most
workmen to more than even matters.
The upward tendency of the English
Worklngman's wages was very marked
| In March. According to the official
| Board of Trade reports, the increases
granted during the month reached a
total of nearly $3.50, 600 The number
of workpeople who shared the in
creases was 10000.
Increased wages In some of the .ead-
| ing branches of industry are summed
up briefly as follows.
Comparative Figures
| Railwayman-All round increase of
rs cents week.
! Bongshoremen increases VARYING
| from % cents to 81 a week.
| Po1icemen-War bonus of 70 cents IL
Week upwards
carpenters-War bonus of 81 to s1.S0
a week.
General Observation-Disclosures of Is
! cents to $3.50 a week.
| Miners Employers generally offer 10
per cent advance In pay; miners demand
| 20 per cent
| Postal Employees Including telephone
and telegraph workers)-1ncrease of 81 a
week has been demanded
/ Gas Workers-Increas es averaging 81 a
week
Bakers-Increase of $.25 a week asked,
| but employers offer of is cents accepted
| pending negotiations.
Textile Workers-Bonus for overtime
work in factories doing work army
| clothing.
Boot and Shoe Workers-War bonus for
8 to 10 per cent granted In some places
oopersmiths-Average wage before war
80; now $3.50.
clerks--Some increases; 10000 grocers
assistants have asked reimbursement OF
| wages: similar movements pending in
other branches
Engineering and Building Trades Work
ers-Some sections have secured substan
tial increases
The number of unemployed i'm Great
| Britain shows large falling off the pas
February and March as compared witt
the corresponding months Of last year
The board of trades labor gazette print:
statistics from the governments 403 Labor
exchanges according TO which there wer,
s7o04 names on the register last mont
as against 100,616 for February and 123, II
for March of last year.
More Situations Open
The number of vacancies in employ
ment reported to the exchanges ais,
show an increase over the late winte
OF 1911, having a daily average o
574G. or 90 more than the average fc
February and 1900 more than the aver
age for March of last year.
London passed through the wintc
with fewer cases of restitution de
handing relief from the poor fund
than any winter. within the memory 0
the present poor law officials
The war, in fact. has enabled man.
thousands of people belonging to TIL
classes which usually must be helped
to dispense with this kind of relief
and has even put them in possessio,
of funds more than sufficient to NEE
their needs London's pauper popula
| ton has decreased steadily during tn
past three months.
/, The London's guardians. al the begin
ming of 1915, were providing for 100,
000 paupers. April l showed the lota
decreased by further 5000.
1t is evident, however, that these de
creases are in part at least deceptive
being accounted for, not by improves
conditions. but by the fact that grea
deal of relief is being administered b
2 new agencies, such as the special Wa
| elief funds and the old age pensions