Montana labor news., 1932-06-16
SCHOOL HEAD REFUSES WAGE REDUCTION
WOMEN AND GIRLS PANIC VICTIMS

NEW York; Pillow has the depression affected the female
worker? 70 answer this question Federated Press made a survey of the
extent OF employment and unemployment among women workers in New
York City.
For those who IRE still employed, it was found, standards of working
conditions and wages achieved through numerous trade union struggles in
The last 20 years, have been almost completely swept away. Where the
eight-hour day and union wage prevailed before the panic, the hours arr
now from 10 to u a day and the wages one-half and onethird of what
they used to be. The garment industry, in particular. is UNDERGOING
period of chaos, and signs O a lew and bigger sweatshop ire evident every
where. Work is chiefly done o the piece-work basis, and exceptionally
rapid skilled workers who formerly made from s5 to $50 a week 10 make
iron 81 to $50. Some employers, when they get IN order, hire workers
by means Of hepwanted signs hung in front of their factories, and fire
the workers when the job is completed.
Even more hard hit than the factory worker is the office worker. Her
salary las been drasticaly reduced, her work made more difficult and her
hours in many cases heightened. Many employers, in the curse Of reduc
ing their overhead, have eliminated a part of their stats, requiring those
who remain to do the work of two and even three, these often working
overtime without extra pay. In ne case, that of a sales promotion agency.
ypsts work from 8 a m. to 8 p M. daily.
A survey of employment agencies, including the Free Employment Service
maintained by the city, revealed that a good stenographer. who formerly
could command $50 a week as a starting salary, 10 cannot hope to ret
more than SIS to SIS a week. Bookkeepers are offered $l2 to SIS a week;
clerical workers from Sc to $40. In ne case clerical workers earning 81
a week re required to contribute 81 a week toward their firms unemploy-
ment fund! Heads of some of the agencies interviewed claimed that M
ploygs will not hire office workers unless they live at home, al excuse
lor paying men low wages. Girls, eager to get the jobs, lie about THEN
residence. The situation of the office worker is aggravated by the fact
that schools and colleges let out thousands of newly trained stenographers,
bookkeepers and clerical workers each year, with whom the experienced
office worker has to compete.
Department stores have followed the mode of reducing their saffs Is
well as reducing the wages of those who remain. Formerly. where the
starting wage vas SIS to SIT a week, it is ow So to $I2 a week, ever in
the best department stores.
Another factor aggravatng the situation is the entrance into the field
of droves of married women, wives of jobhss men, anxious to earn a few
dollars to keep the family together. Most of these women ar unskled
and have not worked since their marriage.
As difficult as is the situation with regard to the white worker, it is
much more so with regard to the colored worker. Even in times of 90
called prosperity most of the skilled trades and professions arc closed to
her. In normal times the Negro woman suffered singular disadvantages
such as bad working conditions. She val forced to accept jobs which other
female workers would not consider She received unequal pay for m
equal work. Even when work wa similar to that of other female workers
she W "a PAID less ina Ter wmte sister. AT present tn Negro woman IS
more Disseminated against than ever before. In normal times the field OF
domestic service was open to her; now she is being crowded out by the
white woman, who in turn is forced into this field due to lack of openings
in other fields