Evening star., 1943-04-15

cess, 1t was learned by The Star.
York added their opposition to COM
pulsory service legislation.
Labor turnover in 1912 at the
Cadillac plant in Detroit totaled
l24.6 per cent of the average num-
ber of hourly workers employed.
Some OF the total represented lay
offs due to curtailed ordnance con-
tracts. The toll OF the draft and
enlistments likewise was heavy.
Quits last year were 826 per cent of
the payroll. In September, the peak
turnover month. 1853 per cent Of all
employees separated from their jobs
for one reason or another.
Carried over a period of a year,
the current rate of labor turnover at
Cadillac would be ia per cent of
the total number of employees. Quits
now are averaging 5. 2per cent a
month as compared to a rate of
7.3 In 1912. Separations rose some
what following the January job
freeze" although the recent trend
has been downward.
Nearly all plant executives be-
lieved that job shopping" will level
oil as the Nation gets deeper into
war and casualties mount. They
said there still was a lack Of war
consciousness" among workers, al
though the situation has improved
as the war is brought closer home
by the drafting of close relatives and
friends
zS5 Leave Small Plant.
A small manufacturer whose pay
roll averaged from $50 to 800 work
ers last year said 285 left the plant
for various reasons. In March he
hired 20, lost Fl. Most of the work
ers were trained, others in the pro-
cess of training. Mr.. Rising said
the manufacturers story could be
duplicated In many other small
plants.
Declaring that the number of diff
ferent jobs workers held in a year
would open the eyes of manpow-
er ofhcials." the plant executive said
he knew of kids just out Of high
school who had as many as II jobs
/ last year" He suggested that should
the Government submit a question
naire to workers as to the number
of jobs held 1t would bring "amaz-
ing results"
Absenteeism in Detroit plants was
running from 3l2 to 8 per cent. A
Muskegon manufacturer reported
that absences increased from 4 to 6.5
per cent in the last six months. In
this instance, however, absenteeism
in the plant foundry averaged 116
per cent. Work in the foundry con-
trolled output of the entire plant
1 SO efficiency of the place was ad-
versely affected by the high rate of
absences there. Generally. alb
senteeism was more common among
women employees than among the
men.
WPB Survey Minimizes Effect.
Although most plant officials
stated that absenteeism was seri-
ously interfering with production,
the regional War Production Board
ONCE in Cleveland conducted a sur
vey, the result Of which tended to
minimize the overall effect of work
er absences. The survey included
,269 plants in the region. The alb
sentee average was 4.1 per cent, and
only II plants reported that ab-
sences affected production to any
appreciable extent.
Jack IL Heintz. the Cleveland
war plant Of high wages. long hours
and high worker productivity, re-
ported that for the last eight DAYS
of January, and the entire months
of February and March. I'VE had
no unauthorized absences what
ever" An oflicial said excuses may
be obtained for illness or genuine
necessity, but any such absences
can be planned for by management
and therefore do not disrupt pro-
duction."
An instance of a worker quitting
the job at Jack g. Heintz to accept
one at higher pay is practically un-
heard Of. In fact. the Arm claims
to have more than 10000 people on
its waiting list.
The Lincoln Electric Co. in Cleve-
land. where the annual pay of the
average worker is about 5000 a
year, reported absenteeisn of less
than Ia per cent. Labor turnover
In the plant was only IS per cent
year. including losses to the
armed forces.
Absentee Types Classified.
General Motors made q survey of
absenteeism. It showed that 10
per cent of employees were respon-
sible for so per cent of the absences,
and that absenteeism was about
so per cent greater than normal
-Four classes of people were held
responsible for major portion of
absences. These classes are:
l. Young man facing induction
into the armed services, who legit-
imately is taking care of his affairs
or is having . last fling
2. The man of middle age whose
employment background has been
one of instability-the perpetual
reliefer who never has developed
a strong sense of job responsibility
3. The married woman who prob
ably Is the secondary wage Garner
of the family.
4. The worker who Is 4 member
Of a high-income family with four
or five members bringing home pay
checks. Incentive to work with
regularity Is lacking.