The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-12-04

signed 10 Lne up-SInacKlng SAUSAGE
ton of New York Department Store
owners, Percy N. Straus, President OF
R. H. Macy & Co., praised 1t highly
for its liberal articles-and prompt
~ bolstered merchandise bought or
contracted for, before the Code for
mally began operation.
Codes Aid In Wage Cutting
In early September Macy's begins to
take on new help to meet the anndal
season demand. Late in AUGUST
THEY HAD SIGNED THE BLANKET
CODE CALLING FOR A S1400 min
imum wage for sales and mainten-
ance help, so that when the seasonal
increase of hands occurred, Macy,s
not only got new help at a new low
wage, but could use their compliance
with the code in their displays and
newspaper releases for its advertising
value. 1t could use it to further their
hypocritical six per cent undersellirg
policy''-to say nothing OF the right
eousness with which it might raise
prices.
AS to all big business, to r. II. Macy
& Co. the NR.A. is a blessing. Gun
ming manipulation of daily hours Of
labor under the vicious 5tagger sys-
tenn and judicious spreading and de-
crease of lunch hours, brought the
need for new help down to a mini
mum. The large stores contriyed to
get along with as little help as before
the introduction of the forty-hour
week - even discounting speed-ups,
which are tradition at Mays Soon
after new clerks were hired in Sep
TENDER, old clerks were discharged,
replaced by lower salaried newcomers.
But not until after Christmas will
discharges Of those receiving Excess
Sive" salaries become wholesale.
For the yearly emergency of Christ
mas hiring, the Department Store
Code has thoughtfully provided. The
codes allow working hours to be in
creased for three weeks of each year.
from forty hours to ty-eight week.
ly; commencing Dec. 4th, everyone,
and especially those hired only for
the brief tenure of the holiday season
to be fired again December 23rd, is
compelled to work hours overtime
each week. Far from receiving extra
pay, the seasonal help work for two
to three dollars less than the old wage
and for only one-fourth the commits
sions.
Besides these new attacks inspired
by the N.R.A., the Macy worker has
inherited grievances of long standing.
He is compelled to contribute to a
Hospital Fund called the Macy Mu-
tual Aid, which is used for the upkeep
Of so-called clinic.
The Hospital is used largely for the
care of the customers seized with ill
ness or accident, for the examination
of prospective new help and for peri
odical health studies Of employees,
whereby anyone found TO have symp-
toms Of debilitation due to the ter
rifle strain of great store and to
the Speed-up, may be fired before
he becomes case for insurance. No
pay may be received for illnesses con-
tracted by the employee during the
first six months of his employment
To maintain this outrageous spy anti
insurance system, the Macy worker
must contribute one per cent OF his
pay.
Due to the shortness of the lynch
hours grudged out to most of the
clerks, they are compelled to eat in
the company lynchroom. Prices are
maintained at level of Is to Is per
cent higher than the average outside
cafeteria prices, with portions meas
urably smaller. The effect OF even
a small mass protest was attested to
recently when a flood Of letters from
indignant Macy workers to the man
agement, letters sponsored by the
Macy Worker" secret bulletin of the
Macy Section OF the Office Workers
Union, protesting the lunchroom out
rage, brought some slight decline In
prices. Ostensibly maintained for
the benfit OF the workers, this lunch
room is a source of great profit TO
the grasping organization.
The Macy group urges its fellow
workers and sympathizers to come
to the Open Meeting Of Department
Store and white collar workers, FOR
purposes of organizing the depart
ment store workers on Tuesday, Dec.
5th, at the Christ Church, 344 w. 36th
ST., at $50 pm.