Norwich bulletin., 1915-01-16
WOMEN WORKERS IN TIE STATE
Miss Charlotte M Holloway Special Investigator Makes Her Report - Her Work Commended By Labor Commis- sioner Conneley--sone Conditions in Norwich New London and WiIimantc Described

i store, might, even in its closest neigh l1or appear inadequate or more than | just compensation. It was also very necessary not to let one man know, 1 save in direct communication with his 1 brother merchant, what that man was pa yi11s his help Such knoEledge would not only give him undue advan- 1 tage over a business competitor but would inevitably lead to his arrange nfent of his own wage in as close con- 1 this onfor1niry exists. Certain phases 1 of department and other store work ] has. almost uniform remuneration in all stores. but there is a great deal of in l:diViduaf differences that would not exist to the advantage of the clerks if l each man accurately knew the wage system of the other.
 1 Relieving that tho people Of Connec- ticut want 2. concise and accurate statement of conditions within their 1 own state, there has been close adher- l ence to that belief and no wandering g l into adjacent, fields for illustrations. 1 These can be plentifUlly found within l the borders of the old Charter Oak state. In the opinion of the writer,
 reference to outside authorities, quot Ting of economic writings is simply { waste Of state money, which is being paid to learn the everyday life and l stories of the girls with whom the in duify is concerned. Keeping strictly hllil1u tJe SLdlS CO1ltl1eS IS not G1lly going to be helpful to Connecticut but to other states engaged in similar work. To them compilation of Con- necttcut work and conditions may be very useful They can deduce their toNE comparisons and conclusions.
 Conditions in Norwich.
 | In the course of her report Miss Hol- loway made the following mention of conditions in Norwich, New London and Wiliiniantic: ! very peculiar condition existed in one of the stores in Norwich. It is otherwise fairly well appointed, but there is no toilet anywhere in fair dis tance of the store without going to that in the hotel adjoining. This was the chief grievance of the girls, wno stated they would rather have that
 remedied than receive more wages. There are two weeks vacation with pay. Lunch hour is onIy one hour and the weekly time of work is 56, keeping open on Wednesday nights until and on Saturdays until 10. There was also
 a demand for oQe night in the week only. No gi .s under 16 employed One firm, having nine employees, sev- eral members of the owners family
 also working, opens at quarter past $ and closes at 6, save on Wednesday
 and Saturday nights when the hours
 are half mast and 10. It has 5S
 working hours q week and allows only
 OS4N@ A-A4t~~A- u S54 SS OIiC hf CCh $
 vacation with pay at start. The wages
 in this firm are not sufficiently high
 for the amount of work that the girls do. Working under the same condi- tions and privileges, the employees of a second store with the same number of
 women have a half hour shorter work
 in the week. Neither store employs
 anyone under 16
 The general opening hour is quarter
 past and the closing, Wednesday, at
 half past and Saturday 10 D. m.
 There are many stores like these men,