The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1942-03-12
LABOR news
FROM BRITAIN
INCREASE IN WAGE RATES
. AVERAGE EARNINGS UP
LONGER HOURS WORKED
. CHANGED WORK

London.-Co Complete confidence in the
system of voluntary wage negotiations
was declared six months ago by the
British government in an official
statement on its policy of price stabi-
liZatOn.
In refuting the allegation that the
Trade Unions have taken advantage
of the conditions of national emer-
gency to make rnpacous wage claims,
the government statement said:
"Since the outbreak of war, the eX-
listing joint voluntary machinery for
wage negotiations has operated sue
cessfully. Increases in wage rates
have been reasonable: the authority of
the unions in the day to day adjust
ment of wages and conditions has been
maintained the freedom of OppOr-
tunty to make claims and to have
them discussed has enabled Industrial
peace to be maintained.'
Official figures just published by tn"
Ministry of Labor strengthen this teS-
timony to the responsible and rational
conduct of the Trade Unions in ne
gotiating wage claims.
The Ministry gives the latest re-
turns of wage increases, covering all
but the last month of 1911. Complete
statistics for the whole year are not
yet available, but the returns show
that in the first II months, some seven
and three quarter million WorkpeOplc
obtained by Trade Union action Il net
addition to ordinary full time wage
rates amounting to G1,G5O,OOO Il week.
These 1941 increases in wage rates
not earnings but rates-reflect the
moderation of Trade Union wage
claims They testify also to the com
parative stability of the cost of living
thanks to the governments measures
of rationing and price control.
! Comparison in the rise in the l9ll
wage level, with that of the preceding
year brings this point out quite clear
! ~. In 1919 the aggregate increase Of
wage rates, for eight million workpeo
pie, was over f2,OOO,OOO week. If the
wage increases for the four wal
months of 1899 are added, the total in
crease was f3OOO,OOO II week, nearly
double the increase recorded for 19l1
1t Is II notable achievement, Justify
ing the tribute paid by the government
to the Trade Unions that such sub
Sianlial increases in wage rates have
been obtained by voluntary methods %
collective bargaining.
Some interesting data has also beer
made available concerning the work
erS' earnings under war conditions
Not only has there been Il general riS'
in the wage level, but pay packets have
likewise grown heavier.
The expansion is represented by ;
percentage increase of average earn
ings in mid-July 1911 as compared
with IL corresponding week i'm mid-10lO
and week in 1898. In shillings an'
pence the rise was from about 53S. Sd
in 1893 to Cos. ID i'm 1910 and 75s. 1Od
in 1911; representing an Increase o
nearly 30 per cent in 1910, and of near
~ 42H per cent in 1911, compared witt
1888.
II should be emphasized that theS
figures relate To average earnings. Tn
pay packets in these comparativ
weeks of boys and girls We're combinc'
with adult men and women to give tn
average for all workers. There are. ~
course, wide diSparities in the earning
of these groups. Equally wide wer
the variations in the earnings of work
crS in the several industrial groups.
Between October 1898 and July 1911
the mems wages Gagged ~ and over
rose from Cos to 99s Sd, an increase u
more than A per cent. But the earn
ings of boys and girls rose from 2bs
1d In 1898 to ll.lld in 104l, an In
crease of over GO per cent. The earn
ingS of women (aged Is and over
rose from 32s sd to 43s. lid and thoS
of girls from lSS. Cd To DDS, an IN
crease In both cases of exactly 35.1 pc
cent.
AS might be expected, average ear
ings showed the greatest pcrcentag
Increase for the workers in the meta
engineering and Shipbuilding group q
trades, aS compared with other indus
trial groups. The increase in their cas-
was nearly 80 per cent (D.2%s) Il
against, for example. an increase of n
: more than Is per cent in the case &
: paper, printing and stationery trades
and Of 20 per cent for the workers |
the public utility services.
The rise in average earnings du
: ing the war period is, of course, tn
result of Il number of factors combiI
ing To increase opportunities for earl
. ing. The effect Of fuller employmel
with longer working hours and MOI
, extended working of night shifts mu.
also be taken into account. Changes
e the proportions of men, boys, wome
and girls, employed in different indu