The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-09-29
Mass. Westinghouse
Comp. Factories Are
Workers SIave-PGnS
(By Worker Correspondent

(By worker Correspondent
EAST SPRINGFIELD, Mass, Sept.
2J.-The factory of the Westinghouse
Mfg. Co. is one of the largest in
Springfield. Various electric motors,
fans, radios, etc. are manufactured
there 1t is also the home of the
largest broadcasting station in New
England, WBz (Which the workers
interpret to mean Wages Below Zero).
Regularly Laid Off.
Most Of the work, especially in the
manufacture of radios and fans, is
seasonal. During the height of the
season about 1900 hands are en-
ployed in this factory. The work
usually lasts a few months and then
the general lay-off comes, leaving
only the workers needed to fill the
regular orders.
Practically all work is so called
standard time (piece) work. Jobs are
given out to be done by group of
workers. This group system, the
IN s. efficient speed-up system
known, has been introduced here only
recently.
Ingenious Speed-Up.
Each group of workers is under
supervision of line of men. When
the work is given over to the group,
it is figured out by the company at
standard time of 40-50 cents per
hour, to be completed in so many
hours. The object of this group
system is to make each group mem
Der watch the other to make them
work hard in order to finish the given
job in a shorter period. If the work
is finished in the time set by the
company they get cents over their
set rate, and if it is finished sooner,
than the time left over, whatever the
rate for it may be, is divided by the
group, thus making each individuals
pay higher. Working in this manner
the workers are encouraged and
forced to speed each other in order
to produce more and thus make more
pay. The company benefits by such
speed up, for when it sees that it
takes the workers much less time to
finish the job, then the next job
given will be most assuredly figured
out SO that the time allowance will be
less. The workers will have to speed
all the more in order to make bigger
pay.
To get the same production at
cheaper labor, the company is grad
ually laying off men in different de-
partments and hiring more and more
women workers for the same jobs.
The women's standard time wage is
rs cents per hour or about 55 per
cents of mems wages.
Women Slaves.
The time for the jobs is figured so
low for the women workers that
they work over their 4S hours per
week in order to make S15-16 the
highest pay drawn by women. In
many instances, where power is not
needed to work, they start working
about 10 minutes before starting time
morning and noon.
| Where men and women work to-
gether in the same groups, the men
complain that they do not turn out
as much work as the women do. thus
driving them to work almost beyond
human power.
There is sick and injury relief or
ganization, organized by the COM
pany, which is kept up by the work
ers themselves. 1t is compulsory for
each employee to pay monthly dues
according to the wages received, some
paying as much as $1.50 per month.
Conditions Frightful.
The ground floors Of the buildings
are of concrete, which is very detri-
mental to the health of the workers.
Those working for any length Of time,
contract eczema, rheumatism and fall