The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1942-04-09

OvERTIME-ITS PURPOSE AND EFFECT
By JOHN P. FREY, President Metal Trades Dept
THE PURPOSE of payment for overtime and its
influence, has changed with the passing OF
time. In the 1905 the majority of American
wage earners worked ten or more hours per day
The trade union movement of that period was en-
deavoring to shorten these hours, and to change a
condition in many manufacturing establishments
where, if for any reason workers were held more
than ten hours, they received no payment Whatso-
ever for the additional time. Overtime payment at
the end of ten hours it was hoped would put end
to this condition.
When the great effort was made to shorten the
hours to nine per day. and afterwards to eight, the
payment of overtime materially assisted in estab-
fishing these shorter hours.
AS trade unonists became more conscious OF
the injurious effects of unemployment on the wage
earners standard of living, the payment of over
time, a prohibitive overtime if possible, was ac-
cepted as a means of spreading employment. This
gave the payment of overtime different appllca,
ton than when it was originally conceived ano
established by the American trade union move
ment.
AS labor became better organized and the
practice of negotiating agreements with employers
became greatly extended, overtime in many In
stances took on new aspect. 1t became definite
part of the weekly pay envelope. Trade union
agreements with employers provided for minimum
wage rates, basic wage rates. Employers were un
willing to have these basic wage rates increased
they used all of their influence to prevent this, but
found means by which the weekly pay envelope
could be increased by establishing production con
ditions under which large number of workers re-
ceved so much overtime each week. For number
of years the payment of overtime has been accept
ed as definite part of the wage earners wage In
come. This was particularly true where the indus
try was of such character as to make continuous
employment the exception
With the necessity for an extensive manufac
turing program for national defense, and condi
ton which so rapidly developed after December 7
1871, the payment of overtime was applied for the
purpose of stimulating greater production, while
the worker from over physical ant
mental labor which would reduce his long time ca
pacity for production.
On January 13 and ii, 1912, a conference wa
held in San Francisco Calf, for the purpose o
putting into effect "a hours day, 365 days yea
production in the great shipbudng industry OF
the Pacific Coast. The Navy Department, Mari
time Commission and War Production Board wer
Officially represented, and participated in the con
ference and the agreement which was reached
Practically all of the shipbuilders on the Pacifi
Coast the Metal Trades Department, the lnterna
|tional Representatives of shipyard workers, am
the shipbuilding Metal Trades Councils also too
part
The existing Master Shipbuilding Agreemen
lon the Pacific Coast provided for time and one-hal
ION todIuIudyS dllu LllIle IOI ouiludyS. LII
|San Francisco conference agreed that calenda
saturdays and Sundays should be abolished, fo
lseven days a week production required the stag
|gering of work days for individual workmen 0
for work crews or gangs.
In discussing the problem, the conferenc
Learned from reliable data that some workmen EN-
Iployed in the shipyards, when they took day o
two off for any reason, invariably took the day
when straight time was paid, but reported fo
work on the days when overtime was paid unde
the Master Agreement. SO that there would b
more continuous work the conference provide
that only when a worker had been employed fo
five consecutive days would receive time and one
half for the sixth day. In this instance overtim
payments were for the purpose of securing cor
|tinuous employment by the worker during six con
tinuOus days
The conference also agreed that when the en-
|ploye worked seven consecutive days he should re
|ceve double time for the seventh day. In this in
stance the purpose of the overtime payment an
it's amount was to prevent workers from being en-
|ployed more than six consecutive days, unles
there was an urgent emergency.
1t was obvious that if a workman worked sevc
days a week for several weeks that his physic;
and mental capacity for production would be in
produce.
The purpose of overtime payment in thi
agreement dual one; first, to stimulat
|steady production on the workers part; and sec
IOndly, to prevent excessive consecutive days 0
employment. The purpose to stimulate tn
most speedy production of ships not to pcnaliZ
Tor retard it.