The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1933-05-29
LABOR LAWS IN
SOON
New Important Legislation
Becomes Operative
First of June
The TimcS-Ncws Bureau
Sir Walter Hotel

RALEIGH, May 29.-Two new
and important labor laws enacted
by the 1888 general assembly,
one giving much greater power
to the commissioner of labor than
ever before and the other setting
up a 55-hour week for women
employees in stores, restaurants,
cafes and hotels, go into effect
on Thursday, June /, it was
pointed out here today by r. II.
Lawrence, president Of the North
Carolina Federation of Labor.
First reports were to the effect
that these laws did not go into
effect until July l. But subse-
quent study of them shows the
effective date to be June l in
stead.
There are three important pro-
visions in the law giving the
commissioner of labor more pow
ers and defining his duties. The
first of these is that it requires
the posting of placards contain
ing a digest of the state labor
laws in every manufacturing
plant and every room in a manu-
featuring plant in which five or
more workers are employed, so
that they may become familiar
with the states labor laws.
The second important provision
is that it makes it mandatory for
the employers to secure these
placardS from the commissioner
Of labor and to post them accord
ing to the law. This transfers
the responsibility for obtaining
and posting these laws from the
commissioner of labor to the en-
ployers. In the past it was the
duty of the commissioner of la
Dor to send out these placards to
the employers, it was pointed out,
so that the employers could plead
ignorance of the law or say they
never received them. Now the
employers must make application
for them and must post them in
accordance with the law.
The third major provision Of
the new law is that wherever the
commissioner of labor finds any
he must Immediately report such
a violation to the solicitor in the
district in which the violation oc-
Cured. The law also requires
that the solicitor when notified
of violation by the commission
er of labor, shall Immediately
proceed to prosecute. This pro-
vision at last gives the labor laws
some real teeth and the commits
sioner of labor some real power
to enforce the laws, Lawrence!
pointed out.
"'Some of the big manufactur-
ers who have opposed this type of
labor legislation are still wonder
ing how this bill ever got through
the general assembly" Lawrence
said.
The other law that goes into
effect on Thursday, is that limit
ing the working hours for women
in stores, cafes, restaurants, no"
tells and other similar places to
SIS hours week and not more
than 10 hours in any one day,
Lawrence pointed out.
"There has probably been more
abuse in the employment of wo-
men in stores and restaurants
than in any other line of work
for women, and that was the rea-
son this law was passed." Law
renee said. "There is restau-
rant here in Raleigh that right
now is requiring its mattresses to
work II hours week. There is
a restaurant in Charlotte that is
compelling its mattresses to work
"a hours week. Most of the
restaurants and hotels that en-
ploye women have been requir-
ing them to work from 65 to 70
hours week. But after this
new law goes into effect June L,
| SIS hours a week will be the
limit"
The five and ten cent stores.