The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-06-29
LABOR FRIENDS"
IN LEGISLATURE
KILL 8 HOUR LAW
Force Women to Long
Workday, Short Pay

L OiCe w OIll6Il W Long
Workday, Short Pay
CHICAGO, June 2S.-For fifteen
years a fight has been waged by the
various women's organizations and
supported by labor Through methods
Of lobbying) for a law setting a
limit Of an eight hour worSday for
women. Once more in this present
Legislature these efforts have been
defeated and in the usual style.
The bill provides an eight hour
day, day week, fifty-six hour work
week. At present the ten hour law
is in effect, passed in 1909 and the
bosses advanced the same arguments
against the eight hour day as thpr
did prior to 1909 against the 4
crease to a ten hour day. This an
/ has been re-introduced so many
times and granted so many excep.
tions for various industries that the
eight hour day proposal in itself has
/ become somewhat fictitious. All
/ seasonal industries such as can
neries and Others were exempted in
the proposed bill from an eight hour
day restriction during the busy
season.
More Women Work.
I In Illinois as well as other parts
of the country women are employed in
industries in increasing numbers. In
I 49, "a. .,IJ.- I'll ;re+o,aoe ,,,la..o 4box
perform equal work to the men en-
ployed, the wage rate is lower and
exploitation is greater. The survey
made in the state of Illinois in 1924
shows that in all of the industries
$500 percent of all women employed
work more than eight hours a day.
A Bill Essential TO Labor.
I Through this long standing fight it
has been universally acknowledged
by organized labor that the women's
eight hour bill is one Of prime i'm
portance not only from the point of
view Of health conditions for women,
but also as a further step in advance
4 for the labor movement in general.
( Hence, it has been universally sup
ported, but how?
Prior to every election in the state
the State Federation of Labor has
made endorsements of candidates who
should be elected. the so-called labor
friends, and candidates who shall be
defeated, the labor enemies. The
final vote taken on the women's eight
hour bill H B 81 was "a in favor,
Ga against, 8 present but not voting
and absent. The vote was short
Of the constitutional majority re-
! quired for passage.
How did the so-called labor friends
vote? OF those having the endorse
ment Of the Illinois State Federation
Of Labor three votes against the
eight hour bill, four reported them
selves present but not voting, two
were absent and it will thus be not
ed that the matter was nicely fixed
so that "A of the worthy lawmakers
elected on the capitalist ticket with
the labor endorsement could cast
their vote in favor and maintain
their record but still defeat the bill.
The whole affair was pre-arranged.
The extensive labor lobbying brought
no practical result whatever.
Incidently four colored legislators
voted against the bill, giving as their
reason that the action was determined
by the attitude Of the many trade
unions barring Negro workers from
membership. This should give some
food for thought for progressive
trade unionists.
/ A Real Opportunity for Real Labor
Leaders.
The issue contained in this bill of
an eight hour work day for women
in industry has become a popular one
in labor circles. No doubt mass sup
port could have been rallied for this
bin which would spell heavy pres
sure even on the capitalist politici-
ans. The fact that nothing was done
save through appearance before house
committees or legislature itself by
labor spokesman asking for favors
is responsible for the failure.
If on the other hand these labor
spokesman had recognized the mass
power of the workers and had the
courage to mobilize this mass power
by appearing before labor organiza-
tions everywhere enlisting their senti-
ment, by holding Of mass meetings,
an extensive publicity campaign,
propaganda through the shops and so
forth, labor's sentiment could have
been brought to the forefront, and
even legislators, elected on the capt.
talist tickets by support Of capitalist
slush funds, are compelled to recog-
nize such mass pressure.
This is but one more proof of the
! nnad 80 inaarap.ant ,oIft;caI oottoy,