The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1918-05-11
WOMAN MUN|T|0N
WORKER NOT PAID
AN Equal. SALARY
Wages Given Leave Nothing For
Expenses and Incidenta|s,
Is the Claim,

contrary 10 the general opinion,
! women workers in munitions factories
are not receiving an equal wage. ac-
cording to Women's Work and War,
bulletin issued by the National
Woman's Trade Union league. Atten-
ton is called to the high cost of liv-
ing in the munition7 factory towns,
| which leaves woman workers nothing
for incidentals or emergencies after
actual living expenses are paid. The
bulletin which is issped for the pur-
| pose of publicity on the working con-
| ditions affecting women and girls and
| with the intention of getting a square
deal for the women enlisted in the
industrial war work follows:
Equal pay for equal work would
seem. to allow OF no wedge for argu-
ment, yet ecc nomic Justice to the
woman worker has not been fully
paign OF publicity to attain this prin-
ciple is apparent to all who are in
formed on industrial problems.
Expenses Eat Up Wages.
Some interesting facts on actual
wage conditions among women are
coming to light with the present inter;
women's wages have advanced within
the last few months. And this seems
S Ss f s to neSgs the Of
women workers is excellent. The mis-
lake of this is at once seen when the
present living expense of the woman
is figured.
For instance. in one Of the munition
plants of the middle west hundreds Of
girls are employed. the majority of
them earning xu ss12 ~, This is high
compared with the wages of a few
years ago. But the cost Of living has
advanced there as elsewhere and it will
Of to he muno ssx the
town period of boom. The cheapest
board and room to be found for girl
is IS week and her carfare to and
from work the factory is so cents a
week. Figuring thus. = girl has left
from her pay each week $2.52
Nothing for Recreation.
What must that cover? Clothing. Of
| course. and instead of paying 81 for a
pair of shoes as she formerly did she
must now pay 81. A living schedule
lowed 81 a week for the girls cloth
ing: II this was allowed for that time
pitlful as it seems, IS a week would
necessary clothing today. The girl
must also have something each week
for recreation if it is nothing more
than moving picture.
|
| home, living anon strangers and this
| cheap form of entertainment is not a
luxury; it is a necessity. Last but
most important of all there should be
doctors bill that is certain to come
sooner or later. For even the clever
economist this is hopeless mather:ati-
cal proposition. 1t can not be done.
As matter Of fact there is:never any
| thing left at the weeks end to be laid
! aside for emergency.
Mems Wages Higher.
The difference between mems and
| womens wages in this middle west
munition factory is striking. The US
ual wage for the poorest paid man is
Sex{ wor XeeK TGs is 1ef the num
/. expenditure of nervous energy. The
average girl worker keeps pace with a
! machine which is nervous strain In
itself. She is often employed at opera
| the work 1t is freely conceded that
where girls have replaced men for
such work the output has increased.
ployers' minds against equal pay fo1
women who de- an equal work with
men. The stumbling block to the en-
gloyer'ss mind seems to lie in the in:
necessary to fit the work to. the wom'
an. It is not possible for the woman
to lift heavy a load as man. con.
sequentlv she is not so good for heavy
she can not be transferred 50 readily
from one job to another because OF
the same inability to do the lifting
necessitated by much of the work.
The EMPLOYERS. point of view Is
Of all character: to figure the value Of
mere lifting as equal to the difference
between So and $14.