Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-02-17
UNION WOMEN
ASK S-HOUR DAY
League Here Launches
Campaign for State
Law Amendment
Y. W. G.. A. CO.OPERATES
Meetings Will Be Held in In
dustrial Centers to Obtain
Public Support

The women's Trade Union League OF
this city has begun an active campaign
for passage of an cight-hour law 70
apply to all women workers.
The new law would take the form of
an amendment TO tho existing act regu-
lating the employment of women in in
dustry.
a bill to amend this act was introduced
in the Senate at harrisburg February 10
by state Senator Horace W. Schonts,
Lehigh County. II was referred to the
Senate Jud ciary Special Committee, of
which Senator William C. Mcconnell, OF
Northumberland County, Is chairman
WhIle the bill is IN committee the
Women's Trade Union League, with the
support and assistance of various other
organizations. Is waging vigorous cam
paign TO gain friends for tho measure
| among the state Legislators.
The league hns written to every menu
ber of the state Senate and House In
| advocacy of tho BILL inclosing "a marked
copy of the reconstruction legislative
program, on which the Woinan's Tradc
Union League is working
a statewide publicity campaign has
been outlined to familiarize the people
/ OF pennsylvania with the eight-hour bill
and TO get them behind the measure.
The Young Womcn's Christian Associa-
ton Is cooperating with the league In
| this and other ACTIVITIES. and the eight
hour bill will boJdlscussed at industrial
section meetings of the Y w. G. A.
throughout the state.
Later the league plans TO hold mass.
meetings of workers in the most popu-
i tNnsII ttts. tt
talks by leaders of organized industries
which already hasc gained an eight hour
! day by agreement with their employers.
Present Laws Provision
Under the existing law, as amended
June l, 1915, no woman cmployc may
| be required TO work moro than six DAYS
! or moro than flfty-four hours in any ono
week. The longest day may not exceed
ten hours. An exception is made. how
ever, where Il legal holiday occurs and
| is observed by the employer In this
! case, on each of three days of the week
| in which the holiday occurs the women
employees may be kept for two hours
overtime, provided the total number of
! hours of work in the week does not eX-
coed the legal fifty-four
The proposed amendment follows;
mo female shall be employed or be
|
with any establishment for moro than
| six days in any one week or more than
| forty-cight hours in any one week; OF
! moro than eight hours In any one day
/ provided that, for the sole purpose OF
/ making "a shorter workday on ono day
| in the week any female may be EN-
| ploycd by such establishment on each OF
| the other fve days of the week for a
! period of time not exceeding eight and
! three quarter hours.
THE employment of such persons at
! any other time than as stated herein
| shall be deemed violation of the pro
visions Of this section unless It appears
that such employment was to make vi
| time lost in the same week In con
! sequence of the alteration, repairs OF
! accidents TO machinery or plant upon
which she was employed and dependent
for employment; but no stopping of ma
| chinery for less than thirty consecutive
minutes shall Justify such overtime en-
| ployment, nor shall such overtime en-.
| ployment be legal unless a written re-
| port of the same Is sent to the Com
missioner of Labor and Industry, but
more than the maximum number OF
| hours per week specified in this act'
! women's Legislative Program
III llS lcSlSldtlNe program sent 10 INC
| members Of the state Legislature the
! Woman'5 Trade Union League says:
Ever since organized labor found its
! voice it has been strunHes; 10 champion
tho reduction of the working day. and
through organization many workers have
succeeded in lessening their hours OF
| daily toll down TO eight and even less.
Now eight hours are almost univcr-
sally recognized as the limit that can
be rightfully demanded of any worker.
"The evidence of medical science
down to the recent war-work inyestiga-
tlons in England, is also to the effect
that women and children should be es-
pecially guarded against the evil consc-
quences of fatigue due to long hours
Accordingly. call upon our state Leg
islature to take cognizance of these we'll
known facts and to enact a law provid'
ing that women and minors shall not
work over eight hours in any one day"