The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1918-01-17
CONFERENCE OF
EMPLOYERS HAVE
LABOR THOUGHTS

Bulletin 227, recently issued by the
Bureau of Labor Statistics of the
u. S. Department of Labor, contains
the proceedings of the third confer
ence of employment managers, which
was held at Philadelphia April and
8, 1917. This conference was at
tended by about 500 representatives
of employment managers associa-
tons located in Boston, Chicago,
Cleveland, Detroit, Newark, New
York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh. Ro-
chester, and San Francisco, though
the membership of the association is
not confined to firms in the cities
named; the Boston association, for
example, includes the most important
industrial centers in New England.
About 1000 industrial companies are
enrolled as members of the 10 as
sociations.
The organization of these associa-
tions was the result of the recog-
milton by employers that changed
policy must be adopted toward their
employees; that the greatest waste
in all industries is the waste of la
Dor due to bad systems or no sys-
tens of handling employees, result
ing in irregular work, too little work,
too much work, no work, unsuitable
work, no training for work, training
for no work, and bad conditions of
work; and that employment mana
gers should have opportunity for ex-
change of ideas in order that the
best methods of handling the labor
force may be adopted, thus bringing
about reduction in the cost to the
employer of high labor turnover.
The first employment managers con-
ference was held at Minneapolis in
January, 1916; the second at Boston
in May, 1916
1t is believed that the output of
labor per man could be greatly in
creased-perhaps as much as 60 per
cent-by rational system of man
agement which would give due re-
gard to the workers health and safe
ty. A proper system of labor man
agement would provide for workers
ample time and facilities for rest
and healthful recreation. Wages
must be sufficient to provide the
workers with needed food, clothing,
shelter, and fuel to maintain health
and strength at the maximum. Econ
omy of consumption, that is the art
of spending the dollar wisely, is
even more important than economy
of production, or the art of earning
the dollar. Employers, working as
citizens, can do much to develop and
improve in their workers the art of
getting 100 cents worth of utility
for every dollar paid in wages.
AL! this has nothing whatever to
do with speeding up machinery, cut
ting down piece rates, working long
er hours, and the like stock methods
of trying to increase output per
man per day and per dollar of wages.
1t has rather to do with shortening
the working day, providing rest per-
iods at convenient intervals, advanc-
ing piece and time rates, cutting out
all overtime, re-creating in the en-
ployee an interest in the job he is
doing, and helping him to get the
most out of his earnings and his leis-
ure.
The addresses and discussions con-
tanned in this report show chat
the employers and employment man.
ayers in attendance at the Phila-
delphia conference realized the i'm
portance of the employment probl-
lem and manifested real industrial
craftsmanship in attacking it. The
matter of labor turnover-the pro-
portion of the number of employees
engaged in a year to the total num-
Der of employees on the pay roll
was given particular attention, since
this is one of the greatest problems
with which employment managers
have to contend. Among the prac-
teal plans mentioned for reducing la
Dor turnover were proper selection
of employees, payment of adequate
wages, provision. of steady work,
promotion of physical efficiency, fos-
tering of good habits, hearing of
complaints, and provision for the
future of workers by pensions, prof
it sharing, etc. The question of Sc
lection of employees and termina-
ton of employment formed the basis
of discussion during an entire ses-
sion, and the matter of following
up after hiring, including service
work, employees benefit associations
and mutual aid associations, was dis
cussed at length by a number of
speakers.
A feature of the conference was