The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-10-09

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he Manufacturers association of
Bridgeport when asked today regard
ng a reported shortage of help in the
,ity, land there is shortage of COM
3etent men here. OF course wages are
affected, but they have been affected
oy every move for the last two years"
Mr.. Billion could not put in figures
he shortage Of competent men sup
posed to exist here, but others have
that several thousand more
men, that is skilled or competent men,
are needed. When several new shops
now being erected or contemplated are
ready for operation the shortage will 7
be considerably greater.
This shortage of men in the trades, |
and even of unskil1ed labor of the |
higher grades, is affecting the wage
rate and helpers IN some Of the shops.
one Of the big munit tons plants part4- |
cularly, earn So and more a day for
ordinary labor, handling trucks, and
other work which may require in
telligence but no considerable amount
OF skill
In the skilled trades wages are pro-
portionately higher, and reports Of
men in some of the shops earning from
$35 to $40 week are not uncommon.
Most of the shops are on an eight
hour basis, and where the higher fig
ures are mentioned it generally means
that some overtime, where a higher
rate per hour is paid, is included.
TO overcome the shortage of men
several Of the larger shops have taken
to the employment of women In
the Remington shops large numbers
of women are already employed, and
the number is being added to as fast
as places where they can accomplish
the work are being found.
Recently the foremen and heads Of
the various departments were asked
to Indicate how many places could be
assigned to women without letting
down the standard Of the work and
the production, and the employment
OF many women has been the result
of this survey.
Employment of girls, however, does
not relieve the labor situation to any
great extent, for in many cases they
arc drawn from other shops where
girls mostly are employed, and there
has been a shortage Of girl help in
Bridgeport for a number Of years.
This AFFECTS the big corset concerns,
and many OF them are continually adj
vertiAng for more girl help Wages
of the girls have been raised consider
ably during the last few years, and
working conditions have been meas
ureab1y improved.
One OF the complaints of the man
alfacturers regarding the draft is: that
lit has taken many Of the very best
worknen, mostly the young A1neri-
cans, and left the workmen of foreign
birth who have not taken out citizen
Il ship papers. This has drained the
factories of some Of the most desir-
able help.
assumptions have been comparative
lily few, and granted only when it is
clear1y shown that the business of the
manufacturers viii suffer considerably
lby the taking of the employe, and
then granted for q limited time only.
| The munitions shops Of couse have
had the greatest number Of exempted
employees, as the nature of the work
is directly for the government. u
Even the munitions shops have been
seriously affected by the draft, for OF
i the 400 men selected for the new
lNationaT Army a large number had
been employed in them in minor ca
pacities and the general shortage OF
men has made their places hard to fill
Aside from the munitions shops
q many of the other industries of the
city have been hit by the draft. and
the shortage of competent men. MeI
i are employed, trained SO that they
are beginning to be useful, and ther
In many cases they will sudden1.
throw up their places. They maj
have been promised a slightly highel
i wage in some other shop, and Thu
need for men ID so urgent that nearl.
every manuf acturer is obliged to hir,
where he can regardless Of his com
Il petitors.
One Of the East Side shops whic1
manufactures guages has work whic1
: is not highly skilled, but which de
!, mands a considerable amount o
training, and In number1ess instance
{ men who had been trained and wer
: beginning to be Of service suddenl
leave. In one of the departments Q
] a munitions shop there Is standin
i order for as many helpers as can b
secured. Here the men work for
day Or two, and then leave. The cos
of instruction is greater than thei
!. Eservice.
Even in occupations where no ski
is required, but just strength, men ar
!, hard to procure. and they are very in
= dependent. It is almost like asking
I favor to offer man a job. Still me
! appear in the city court at times an
: tell the Judge they have been unabl
) to obtain work in Bridgeport.
D With the new shops planned fe
I | Bridgeport there will be an addition.
Z demand for skilled men, but the maj
4 ufacturers confess they do not kno
: where the supply is to come from.
RI Practically all lines of work al
v effected. In an evening paper al
d advertisements for men as inspector
and for light bench work. girls fl
bench work and to operate pow,
presses. and for boys over 16 for OF
big shop. Another wants girls
learn corset making. promises his
wages, and excellent working cond
!. lions for eight hours. Another wan
= both men and girls, a fourth. wan
lraughtsmen and tracers for certa
= lines of work. and a constructie
company is seeking painters. The
g are only few Of the demands mad
Y and they appeal almost every day.
2 Bridgeport has grown abnormal
3 during the last three years, thousan
of skilled men have come here f
employment, and are making the CT
T. "