The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1943-01-22
STATE LABOR
Department
DOES GOOD WORK
Necessarily Restricted In Its
Operation by Inadequate
Appropriations, the State
Dept. of Labor Nevertheless
Performs Useful Service.

With a measure already introduced
in the 28th legislative session calling
for the creation Of state department
of labor, many of the people of the
state fail t. realize that there is al
ready labor department functioning
as division Of the department of
agriculture. The labor division, OPP
Grating with q limited appropriation
nevertheless has a record of service
to labor and employers alike through
out the state.
The division of labor of the depart
ment of Agriculture, Labor and In
dustry, collected $5,499.O8 in back
wages during 1912, according to Hen
ry A. Yaeger, inspector in charge of
the division. He said this amount
was collected for Is employees invoIv-
ing % separate cases. The largest
amount collected for any individual
employee was s56725, while the small
est amount was S7.99. Not one of
these % cases was taken into court
for collection, all were negotiated on
an out of court basis. He said some
of the claims were settled on com
promise settlements the figure agreed
on in all cases being acceptable to
both the employee and employer.
suited In large saving financially
as we'll as avoiding unfavorable pub
licity in the community for the en-
ployer as well as employee. Jaeger
said although his division is not act
ually self-supporting since it has no
income, the division has collected
more money in back wages each year
for employees than the total appro-
priations for the comparable periods
which is $4,000 per year since July
1, 1941 to June 80, 1913.
Jaeger said his division has issued
1,1S3 age certificates during 1912.
Such certificates permits minors to
work as we'll as proves the ages of
the minors to the employers so that
the employer will not unwittingly en-
ploy minors below the age established
by federal and state law, for that par
ticularly industry. He said the en- |
ployment of minors in Montana based |
on the age certificates has increased |
$50 during 1912 than in 1871 and |
that during the month Of November, !
1912 the employment of minors in
creased 51% over the same month in
1871. This Is apparently due to the
scarcity of adult labor during this
war emergency period, making it nee
essay for minors to work displacing
he adults in many industries.
Yaeger pointed out that the re-
ported violations of Eight hour" laws
since the entry of the United States
nto the war, had decreased tremen-
lousy He said that in his opinion
his was probably caused by the fact
hat in normal times those employees, /,
by state Eight hour" laws,
Who were compelled to work in ex- /;
.ess of the eight hours per day with
he possibility Of losing their jobs if
hey complained, would now refuse to
york the excess hours without GER
ain overtime provisions or unless s
UGH was necessary to expedite the
var effort because they could now
uit their jobs and find employment i
lsewhere providing more favorable ,
onditions. No doubt, the decrease in {
iolations of "eight hour" laws, has ]
lso resulted in much better coop t
ration between industry, labor and s
he state division of labor. However,
g said, there are probably still some {
employers violating 8
eight hour" laws, although none have ]
cen reported for quite some time.
Yaeger pointed out that the bill 1
efore the present legislative assem- r
Confined on Page FOUR