Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1922-06-21
CLEVELAND PLAN
MAY Be SOLUTION
OF BIG PROBLEM
After Two Years Trial Employ
ers And Employees Both De-
clare 1t Workable"
(By NEA Service.)


employment problem has been proved
in the woman's garment industry in
Cleveland. Two years of trial,
through the difficult period of read
justment, has shown that the ''Cleve-
land plan" is workable and satisfac-
tory both to employer and employe.
The plan was worked out in con-
aechon with wage decrease of 10
per cent. The question Of the re-
duction was placed before a board of
referees. Their decision allowed the
manufacturers to put the reduction
into effect provided they set aside
weekly 25 per cent of the new wage
scale as an unemployment fund
Acceptance Of this plan was OPP
tional with the employers, those not
accepting it to continue at the old
Gale and to set aside 1-2 per cent
weekly for an unemployment fund.
This was to take care of the smaller
manufacturers.
Unemployed Paid, Too.
The working year was consider
ed on a basis of Al weeks year, and
anyone not employed this length of
time, might draw the whole amount
of his minimum weekly wage from
the fund during unemployment pc
RODS. If manufacturer provided
the full Al weeks work to his em-
ployes he could, at the end of the
year, recover the amount of the en-
ployment fund.
The plan has worked to the entire
satisfaction Of both employers and
employees. 1t has stimulated produc-
lion and avoided strikes and lock-
cuts. For it is to the benefit of both
that as much work be done as pos
sible; of benefit to the manufacturer
because he does not then have to
pay from the unemployment fund;
Of benefit to the employe because,
employed, he can earn more than he
would otherwise get from the unem-
Iolyment fund.
Relieves Workers Fear.
But the main good of the plan has
been that il has relieved the work
ers of the fear of starvation through
unemployment. Such fear is detri-
mental to the employer as well,
bringing as it does a desire to get
sufficient during good times to tide
over lean times. 1t is this that
causes disagreements, strikes and
lockouts. And the garment industry
is highly seasonal, an industry
whose demand for workers varies
considerably with the time of the
year.
Workers and manufacturers un-
der the former plan were in a CON
stant state of argument as to what
was a decent living wage A manu-
facturer would say: Fifty dollars
a weeI good living wage"
"YeA, the worker would reply,
'but, owing to the seasonal nature
Of the work, / expect to be let out
at the end of 80 weeks, thus making
my total income for the year $500,
or less than $50 a week"
The attitude of the workers
toward the Cleveland plan" is well
exemplified by the story of Miss
Mary Styblo, Cleveland garment
worker.
Miss Styblo made her first entry in
the garment trades at the age of
16. She began as an apprentice,
working II 1-2 hours day for so
cents week.
Later Miss Styblo was put on the
operating machines at So week for
an outside tailor" When she got
a position with one OF the factories
'inside" the manufacturers associa-
lion, her wages were increased to 50
week
What does she think of the gar
ment industry?
"Oh, it's all right now" she says
There haven't been any strikes for
more than three years and the new
girls don't know what it was like"
Miss Styblo knows something
about strikes. She went through
those of 1911 and 1918.
Tells of Strike.
She tells of the strike Of 1911:
F"There were guards all around the
factory, at the first floor windows"
she says. They were always hav-
ing fights with the pickets outside
There was acid throwrGand rotten
eggs. There was man killed in
ore Of those fights.
'In 1918 practically everybody
went out on strike" she continued.
There was no minimum wage and
the girls got just what the tailor in
their section wanted to give them.
at was then that the government
referees stepped in, settled the
strike and there haven't been any
strikes since. You don't hear the
people talk about Striking now. It's
all under the agreement now, you
know