Evening star., 1937-11-05
Nv BIAIK BOLLEE.

Whas Is the "Bedaux system" and
why do such labor spokesmen ~ the
A. F. Of L. resent It?
To understand why the Baltimore
Federation Of Labor has roundly con-
demned Charles E. Bedaux-managing
the Duke Of Windsor's prospective trip
to this country-as ''the arch-enemy
of labor" why William Green, presi-
dent Of the American Federation Of
Labor, agreed that the Baltimore at
titude is fairly" indicative Of the
view Of the American worker and why
the same Baltimore federation re-
ferred to the Windsor trip, ostensibly
arranged to watch the American at
work, as Stunning tour" it Is help
full to read the American Federation
ist, A. F. L. monthly magazine, Of
September, 1885.
System Is Reviewed.
In that issue an anonymous author
reviews the operation Of the Bedaux
system, which Bedaux himself refers
to as the "Bedaux unit" damns 1t on
eight counts and closes his catalogued
CClLSuIC WIFI Illl5 Old6I.
"The Bedaux system, stripped of its
pseudo-technical verbiage, is nothing
more or less than method Of forcing
the last ounce Of effort out Of workers
at the smallest possible cost In wages
An operative in the Galloway Cotton
Mills down in La Grange, Ca, who
had been striving unsuccessfully to
attain his Bedaux standard asked his
overseer for guidance.
"'All I can say is, work like hell
replied the harassed foreman. That
reply sums up the Bedaux system very
truthfully and completely. Reputable
engineers have condemned the system
as an unscientif1c tool for the ex-
ploitation Of workers"
The avowed purpose Of the Bedaux
system is to increase industrial EN-
cheney. It's method is to inspire faster
production on the part of the In
| dividual worker through offering him
a bonus for what he produces in ex.
cess OF his normal output Along with
this supposedly goes improved EN-
cheney on the part Of the factory In
supplying the worker materials, divid-
ing work and stAndardizing machine
| speeds, tools and lubricants-all OF
which, of course, would contribute to
the improved efficiency Of the worker.
Engineer Goes Along.
According to the description Of the
system in the magazine article, when
the Bedaux Co. Of New York sells an
industrial plant its plan. the firm
sends a resident engineer to the plant.
For his first move he calls a meeting of
the industry's executives and explains
how he will introduce the system. He
then chooses department of the fac
tory in which to make beginning.
In this department the engineer sta
tions an observer with . stop watch,
and while the seconds tick the OBJ
server times relatively fast worker as
he goes through the various operations
Of his job. On an observation sheet"
the watcher enters the time required
for the worker to complete each ele-
ment Of his job. The sum OF the times
required for the elements is the time
required for the whole operation.
Now, this normal, or par, time Of the
relatively fast worker is rated so B
(B for Bedaux). The time is later
adjusted to allow for fatigue or rest
periods. This adjusted so B Is the
normal time the observer figures is
required for the completion Of the Job
being judged.
Worker Il Paid for Sneed.
Here enters the incentive for faster
work which gives the Bedaux and its
two related systems (the Haynes Manit
and the Dyer their label Of point
premium plans" Suppose, to rate so
B, a worker does = job in 90 minutes.
Then II he speeds his work to the point
| where he does it in 20 minutes, he has
increased his productivity by 20 Bs.
II this worker is paid so cents an
hour for normal output, he receives q
premium Of 20 cents for his speedy
hour, while for a go B hour or for a
| subnormal hour, he receives the reg
ular pay.
From this highly simplified state
ment Of the operation Of the plan,
it seems sound, but where the chief
rub lies is in the allowance of pre-
miums to the foreman, who, according
to the article, drives his workers to
their utmost. And out Of this arises .
second criticism because the fore
mans premium is taken from the total
premiums Of his men.
] Furthermore, the A. F. Of L. author