The labor world., 1922-09-30

shift and development Of the three
shift eight-hour day in steel and iron
and other continuous industries OF
the country was voted by the execu-
tive board of the American Engineer
ing Council, delegate body of the
Federated American Engineering So
cieties, at a meeting in Boston last
week.
! The vote stood 20 to after hot
debate in which reactionary inter-
ests opposed the adoption of the re-
port. Its acceptance will, engineers
say, greatly influence the general la
Dor situation and will eventually re-
suit in far-reaching changes in labor
hours in the steel industry.
Dean Mortimer E. Cooley of the
University of Michigan Engineering
School, president of the council,
urged the adoption of the report,
calling it remarkable contribution
Of the engineering profession to-
ward the advancement Of mankind.
Important Investigation Work. =
Professor Samuel McCune Lindsay
VI 0OANAA0Ae~ AAAASSASASJS tOpA OoC1llAA6
the, Cabot fund, cooperating with
the American Engineering Council,
said the report is 'The most impor-
tant investigation of any industrial
situation ever undertaken in this
country" He quoted Professor Henry
r. Seager of Columbia, president of
the American Economic association,
as sharing his views generally. :
The majority of managers and ex-
ecutives. of steel industries, with
whom the matter was discussed, be-
lieve, says the report. that the good
Of the industry can be better served
by eliminating the 12-hour day than
by increasing dividends, provided\ by
means of labor saving devices and
in other ways this step can be taken
without serious injury to the indus
try.
1t is not expected, however. that
Wall street will welcome this blow
at the god of profits and dividends
en- behalf of the good Of the indus
students of economics, and the most
prominent managers and executives
in the industrial world are on the
side Of labor in, the campaign for
the 8-hour: shift. Eventually the 12-
hour day will be a matter of history,
in the: opinion of the engineers.
Increased Product, Decreased Hours.
I'm almost every continuous in
dustry," says the report, there are
plants which are operating on an g.
hour shift basis in competition with
12-hour shift plants"
In practically every major contin-
uous industry, plants that have
changed from II hours to eight hours
have increased the quantity Of pro.
duction per man up to as much as
rs per cent.
- In a few cases, the report states,
the increase has been much higher.
In the steel and iron industry, it was
found that "the change from the II
to the 8-hour day has secured results
sufficient to compensate in whole or
in part for the extra COSTS"
Other advantages of the 8-hour
day in the steel and iron industry are
described as increased efficiency,
better morale, eliminatiog Of the
FLOATING gang" which is maintained
to give 12-hour men a day off a
week. and greater prestige of the in
dustry with the public.
'There are few continuous indus
tries which do not have 12-hour
plants" says the report. "Of some
40 or so continuous Industries, a
number are Overwhelmingly on
three shifts. The majority are partly
on two shifts and partly on three
shifts, with three-shift operation on
the preponderance. There are half
dozen industries in which two-shift
operation is so nearly universal that
it is difficult to find an exception.
"Outside of the steel industry the
total number Of employees n/S-hour
shifts is now considerably larger than
the total number Of employees on 12-
hour shifts. Taking into considera-
tion all continuous industries be-
tween one-half and two-thirds of all
workers on the continuous operation
are on shifts averaging IL hours.
SOC, 900 Workers Work 12-Hour Day.
There are upwards Of 40 continu-
Gus industries operating more or less
completely upon shift system. They
employ between 100000 and 1,000,>
900 wage earners on shift work.
Their families constitute from 1,5o0,-
900 to 100000 persons who are de-
pendent upon earnings from shift
work. :~... .~
"There are 100000 wage earners
working on 12-hour shifts. They
and their families number more than
100000, persons. 3. . :
1.-THE logical alternative to the two
12-hour shift system is the three g.
hour shift system, and this is the
usual procedure. Nevertheless, other
shift systems have been resorted to
in limited way, in changing from
the 12-hour shift. IL Z.
The effect Of the s-hour as COM
pared with the 12-hour shift opera
ton on the quantity and quality Of
production, absenteeism and indus
trial accidents, has been satisfactory
where good management and co-op-
grafton Of labor have been secured.
In practically every major continu.
Gus industry there are plants which
have increased the quantity Of pro.
duction per man as much as Is per
cent. In few exceptional cases the