The Carbon County chronicle. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1924-1924, 1924-04-18
LABOR TURNOVER :
COSTLY PROCESS
Spring Brings to the Fore
the Question cf Cost of
Hiring and Firing.

With employment again on the up
grade I'm the Middle West and the sea-
sonal shifting Of workers in prospect,
the subject of labor turnover becomes
Of immediate interest. says a writer in
the Chicago Tribune.
Spring restlessness is felt In the
great majority of industrial plants.
Common laborers, who enter the foun-
dries and factories in the cold months,
feel the urge of the outdoors and listen
TO old man Hockey. who used to peer
In the schoolhouse window. The bait
usually is building job for the la
borer instead of the fishing pole and
can of worms that caused so many OF
us to fall from grace in kite or marble
time.
Addressing the local Society of In
dustrlal Engineers the other night, NJ.
Howard Montgomery urged more
honey and less vinegar in the fore
mans lunch basket and expressed a
doubt whether many executives appre-
clate the cost of hiring and firing.
He presented an estimate worked out
after two years study by West side
concern employing $50 men. He gave
It for what II was worth. adding that
he thought 1t reasonable after about
twenty-five years of experience in
shop and foundry practice Here II
is. the cost of hiring and firing a man:
Advertising, so cents; clerical work,
rs cents; instructing new workers,
$780, wear and tear on equipment.
SIP; loss In production. $3.50; defec-
tive work, SIP; accidents, So; inter
est on equipment, so cents; total,
S59.75.
Mr.. Montgomery said that industry
will never be free from labor turn
over, but at $50 per shift the cost is
now excessive. He suggested a better
reflection Of company policies by fore
men. to be obtained by education of
the foremen.
AS to any prospect of labor short
age he remarked: "There is a whole
lot being said for and against the pro-
posed immigration bill before congress
at this time. Several of our aldermen
are trying to influence the committee.
What is II all about7 Last year many,
In fact all, of the large employing
concerns found II possible to secure
two and three men for every Job they
had, and most of these concerns EN-
ploy only those who are citizens of
the o. s. A. and physically fit Does
that Indicate shortage Of laborr
The answer may be found in the
production records of 1923 and 1924 as
given out by the Department Of Com
merce and estimated In the various
federal reserve bulletins.
One of the most Interesting and in
structlve suggestions for an intelligent
mobilization of American labor re-
sources was made recently by MIR. W..
r. Ingalls, in Mining and Metallurgy.
Discussing what is to become Of the
bltuminous coal miners who are to be
dispensed with as the new wage agree
ment between the union and operators
closes down more mines, In addition to
the 1900 now down and out, Mr.. In
gals suggested that the United Mine
Workers has plenty of money and lin
the person Of Mr.. LewIs) plenty of
brains, with Gompers able to help.
Recalling how laborers in pre-war
Russia used TO band themselves to-
gether, elect leaders, and then make
contracts for jobs all over the en-
pire, proceeding from one place to
the other as the demand arose, MIR.
ingalls, suggests that a similar peace
full army Of industry might be formed
from the ranks of superiluous miners,
single men especially.