The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1932-09-21
BOARD RECOMMENDS
REDUCTIONS IN WAGE
SCALES FOR WOMEN
Final Action Will Be Taken Fol-.
lowing Public Hearing
Here Oct. II
EMPLOYERS ASKED ACTION
Public Housekeeping, Laundry
and Mercantile Occupa-
tons Affected

Reports by three separate confer
ences on public housekeeping, laundry
and mercantile occupations recon-
mending general reductions in the
minimum wage scales for women have
been approved by the workmen's COM
pensation bureau, r. E. Wenzel, chair
man, announced Wednesday.
Public hearings for the three occu-
pations will be held in the office OF
the workmen's compensation bureau
Oct. II. at which time persons inter-
ested may appear in favor Of. or in
opposition to, the recommendation
OF the conference, Wenzel said.
The recommended changes in the
minimum weekly wages are:
Public housekeeping, mattresses or
counter girls reduced from $l4.9O. to
$13.4l, with board, from $3.50 to $8.16;
chambermaid or kitchen help from
$l4.20 to $12.78: with board from $8.25
to $7.53. Where room also is furnish
ed, not more than 81 per week may
be deducted.
Laundry: Experienced women
changed from $l4 to $3.50. with laun-
dry privileges $3.50 to $l210; first
period of apprenticeship Sill to $500;
second period of apprenticeship, $3.50
to $ll. rs; no deduction to be made for
laundry privileges during apprentice
ship.
Mercantile: Experienced women,
changed from sl4.50 to s13. the maxi
mum length of apprenticeship term
for women in mercantile establish
ments set at one year at a minimum
weekly wage of 5000.
Permit Night Work
Other recommendations III the re-
ports of the three conferences include
striking from the present order sched-
ules of apprentices covering chamber
maids and kitchen help and waitress
es and counter girls. and deleting the
provision, mo employer shall employ
any woman in any public housekeep-
ing establishment in the State Of
North Dakota between the hours. of
l and a. M"
The conferences ON mercantile and
public housekeeping occupations also
adopted the following recommended
ton:
Every woman employed in this &C.
cupation. whether regularly or on
part time, shall be paid one forty
eighth of the weekly wage for each
hour worked, provided. however. that
if such employee is part-time work.
err the employer shall so arrange con-
secutive hours Of continuous employ
ment so that such employee may have
a fair opportunity for securing such
other employment as will enable her
to earn a full weeks wage"
Added to the hourly wage recon-
mendation of the mercantile confer
ence was the provision that if
worker is an apprentice the basis shall
be one forty-eighth of the apprentice
wage and if she is an experienced
worker the basis shall be one-forty-
eighth of the experienced workers
wage.
Final Action Next Month
Final action on these recommended
tons. according to the minimum wage
law, will be taken following the hear
ings next month when the bureau
may render such an order as may be
proper or necessary" Such order will
become effective go days after it is
made and rendered.
Minimum wage regulations, In ef-
feet now, stand as made in 1922, Wen !
eel said. In 1922 minimum wage
schedules were adopted covering wom-
en- employed in public housekeeping.
mercantile, laundry,
and telephone occupations, and estab- |
fishing an average minimum wage Of
approximately $l4 per week for ex- |
perienced women workers in those &C.
equations.
At the requests Of employers in var
ious parts of the state for adjustments |
downward in the present minimum
wage schedules, public hearings were
held to permit presentation Of testi- !
mony relating to changes in the cost
of living.
Testimony offered for laundry. mer-
camille and public housekeeping oc-
equations was presented to a separate !
for each occupation. which
made the recommendations on these
to the bureau. Three en-
ployers, three employees and three
citizens representing the public con-
stituted each conference.