Wheeling majority. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1907-192?, 1916-02-17

In the dress and waist industry pay
rolls in the dullest week were found
to be only little over one-half those
in the average week and only little
over one-third of those in the busiest
week. With slight notifications,
similar fluctuations of employment
were found in the other branches Of
the Women's garment industries.
In spite of this extreme irregularity,
the matter of Repatriation of en-
ployment has so far received but
scant attention from manufacturers
or their organizations. Many indivi-
dual employers, when first interview
ed, were apparently unaware of the
extreme irregularity of their pay rolls
and stated that for the most part
their business showed very little ir-
regularity in the course of a year, and
that generally speaking employment
in the garment trades is as regular
as it could possibly be under the
existing circumstances. r'@
The matter of Repatriation of en-
ployment in these trades is of vital
importance to the manufacturer as
well as to the employees. The more
regular the business, the better the
distribution of the overhead: expense,
an item amounting generally to not
less than 10 per cent of. the total
sales. Seasonality of employment
also means that wages in many in
stances during the height of the sea-
son must be high enough to support
workers in comparative id1eness dur
ing slack periods, a decided factor in
increasing the cost of production and
~ price at which the goods must be
sold. -
There are in general two periods of
the intense activity in the Women's
garment trades, one in the fall, and
one in the spring, due almost entirely
to the changes in weather conditions,
during which time the making up of
heavy fabrics is undertaken for cold
weather and of ligt.t weight fabrics
for summer wear. Specific degrees of
variation in employment can be
traced to- various causes, changes in
weather conditions primarily, and,
secondly, to changes in styles, the
degree of specialization, scale of pro-
duction, the method of production,
and quality of the goods.
That considerable relief from the
unemployment prevailing in these
trades can be secured by the systema-
tic dovetailing of occupations in some
of the allied branches of >the trades
is evidenced by the experience of a
number of manufacturers found i'll
the course of this investigation.
Dovetailing, as it was found in these
establishments, consisted in utilizing
the employees during the dull seasons
of the year for the manufacture of
garments of simpler variety than
the line ordinarily produced, such
that a garment worker of average ex-
perience could easily adjust himself
at short notice, or garments such
that the manufacture in considerable
quantities was possible regardless of
seasonal demands; that is, in advance
of sales. Z
One of the primary obstacles to
dovetailing is the qualifications called
for in skilled trades. The manufac-
turers also are somewhat reluctant to
attempt it, firmly believing in spec
ialization as the only method of
achieving success in their business
and sometimes knowing relatively
little about materials, styles, market
ing, or method of manufacture in
other lines. The workers also are in
some cases opposed to it. hesitating
to accept the relatively smaller rates
of pay. that. usually prevail in trades
where simpler garments are manufac-
tured.
It was suggested by some emnlov-
ers that dovetailing could probab bly, he
materially assisted by industrial
training or general or technical
character. which would increase the
adaptability of the worker.