The earnings of the colored women were distinctly lower than those of the white, the median ranging from $5.50 in textile manufacturing to $7.15 in other manufacturing, while the median for a group of 757 colored workers was $6.05. It is pointed out that these figures seem to represent pretty fairly average earnings.

These medians were not the result of extensive undertime employment, as the median of week's earnings of full-time white women was only $10.40 and of full-time negro women $6.35. Neither were they the result of a temporary depression-for the median of earnings of white women for 1921 varied only to the extent of 35 cents from that of 1922, and the median of year's earnings when divided by 52 was only 75 cents less than the median of week's earnings of fulltime workers in January, 1922, and 85 cents more than the median of week's earnings of all workers in January, 1922.

A study of the workers themselves showed that they were almost without exception native born. Of 3,482 women reporting facts as to nativity, 77.7 per cent were native-born white, 21.7 per cent native-born colored, and 0.5 per cent were foreign born. Of 3,118 reporting age, 28 per cent were between 16 and 20 years old, 38.6 per cent were 20 but under 30 years, 28.9 per cent 30 but under 50, and 4.4 per cent 50 and over. The five and ten cent stores had the largest proportion of young workers, 56 per cent being under 20 years old, and the laundries showed the largest proportion of older women, 54 per cent of the group being over 25 years old. A study of the length of time the workers had been employed at their trades showed considerable stability.

Of the 2,937 women who reported on the length of their trade experience, 59.8 per cent had worked for 3 years or over in the trade in which they were occupied at the time of the survey, 42 per cent had worked for 5 years or over in their trade, and 22.3 per cent for 10 years or over. Of the 42 per cent whose trade experience had been 5 years or longer, nearly one-half had worked in that trade for from 5 to 10 years, one-fourth had worked for from 10 to 15 years, and more than one-fourth for 15 years or longer.

Of 3,021 who reported on conjugal condition, 50.4 per cent were single, 27.2 per cent married, and the remainder widowed, separated, or divorced. Considering only the white workers, the single formed 52.5 per cent, the married 26.7 per cent, and the widowed, separated, or divorced 20.7 per cent of the total. The great majority of both races lived at home or with relatives, only 9.3 per cent of the white and 12.1 per cent of the colored women lived independently. A special study made of a small group whom it was possible to interview personally showed that of 194 women questioned 58.8 per cent contributed all their incomes regularly to the family fund, only 11 retained all their earnings for their own use in spite of the fact that 14 were living independently.

A

Employment of Children in Louisiana

GE certificates for children in New Orleans are issued by the city factory inspector and for children in other parts of Louisiana by the State department of labor.

The following statistics, taken from the twelfth biennial report of the State commissioner of labor and industrial statistics, show the number of age certificates issued by the factory inspector of New Orleans and by the Louisiana Department of Labor in three bienniums:

Of the 2,825 child workers who received certificates in the city of New Orleans in 1923, 93.52 per cent of the white children had completed the fourth grade; 83.56 per cent had completed the fifth grade. These figures are based on the first half of 1923. Of the entire number of certificates issued, 9.82 per cent were for colored children, of whom 73 per cent had completed the fourth grade. "The average grade completed by all children, both white and colored, was a fraction above the sixth." The report states that "it must be understood that the vast majority of these child workers are not actively engaged in industrial occupations."

The commissioner criticizes the State child labor law which he points out is far behind legislation on the subject in various other States, especially as to educational requirements, physical fitness, and hours of work. He refers specifically to some of the more progressive provisions in effect in other parts of the country. The decrease in the number of industrially employed children in the State is mainly due, the commissioner thinks, to national legislation on the subject, employers being made "to realize through compulsion that child labor is a poor investment, a lesson that they had never learned nor cared to learn, in many cases, by humane consideration or business experiment.'

LABOR AGREEMENTS AND AWARDS

IN

AGREEMENTS

Bakers-Little Rock

'N THEIR agreement signed May 1, 1924, the bakers of Little Rock secured a scale of $30 a week for foremen, $27 for journeymen, $23 for two-year experienced men, and $18 for one-year experienced men. Jobbers who work less than 6 days a week receive $5 a day if they have had three years' experience at the trade. Night men receive $1 a day additional for work between 6 p. m. and 4 a. m. A week consists of six 9-hour days or nights.

Proprietors are obligated to employ only members in good standing with the union.

In case the local can not furnish such help as required the employer can hire same elsewhere, but the foreman of the shop will collect $5 of the nonunion help's first week's salary, which will be part of initiation fees, unless new men do not desire to become members of Bakery Workers' Local Union No. 184; in that case will be considered working fees, men to be notified of this when starting to work. All new men shall be present at the next regular meeting following their employment.

The

Three days' notice shall be given by either party to this agreement. employer may hold back $5 on the man. The same to be forfeited if man quits without the three days' notice. The same to be paid the man on his retirement from service of employer. The above does not apply to jobbers. One apprentice is allowed for three journeymen.

Bricklayers Pittsburgh

THE agreement entered into between the Western Pennsylvania Brick Contractors' Association and Local Union No. 2 of the Bricklayers, Masons, and Plasterers of Pittsburgh, effective June 1, 1924, increased the wages of bricklayers from $1.40 to $1.55 per hour. New provisions in the agreement are as follows:

Joint committee to have right to remove foreman from job if he discriminates against bricklayers.

Bricklayers must not leave tool house until 8 o'clock morning and 12.30 noon. When bricklayers must take a train to reach job, contractors to purchase tickets for them in advance.

When bricklayers are started to work by foreman he must start all of them if there is room on job for all to work.

Any member of No. 2 who, upon reporting at the job, shall not be placed at work shall receive two hours' pay unless unable to work on account of inclement weather conditions.

On jobs where time clocks and checks are used, bricklayers shall not punch clocks or take out checks before 8 o'clock a. m., or punch clocks or return checks after 4.30 p. m.

Clothing Workers-New York City

THE HE strike of 40,000 men's clothing workers, children's clothing workers and cutters, declared June 25, 1924, was followed June 30 by the signing of an agreement terminating the strike against a number of the most responsible and influential clothing manufacturers of the city. The agreement assured the return to their jobs of about 10,000 members employed by firms affiliated with the Clothiers' Exchange, and other strikers will return to work as the agreement is signed by employers not members of the exchange. The agreement, which is preliminary in character, reads as follows:

This agreement is entered into between New York Clothing Manufacturing Exchange (Inc.), in behalf of itself and each of its members, and the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America, and is effective from June 30, 1924, to June 30, 1925.

Because of the desire of both parties to this agreement to have the workers return to work as soon as possible, it is deemed advisable not to enter into the details of the agreement at this time, leaving that to be worked out in future conferences between the representatives of the association and the Amalgamated, and to set forth at this time the main terms of the agreement only.

1. It is agreed that the principle of the union shop shall prevail in all of the shops of the members of the association as well as the contracting shops working for the members of the association.

2. It is agreed that the present wages shall remain in force; with the understanding that a joint committee representing the association and the union be appointed within 30 days to establish scales of minimum wages dependent upon production. It is understood that the production of the minimum scale of wages shall not increase present costs of production.

3. An unemployment insurance fund is to be established, beginning with December 1, 1924. An amount equal to 3 per cent of the weekly pay roll shall be paid into this fund each week. One-half of this amount shall be borne by the manufacturers and contractors, the other half by the employees.

4. It is agreed that the detailed agreement to be worked out shall provide arbitration machinery.

Electrotypers-Chicago

THE agreement between the Chicago Employing Electrotypers' Association and the Chicago Electrotypers' Union No. 3, concluded December 31, 1922, and reprinted in the MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW for April, 1923, pages 81 to 83, has been extended, with a few slight additions for a year from May 1, 1924. The scale, $59 for a 44-hour week, remains unchanged. The principal additions to the old agreement are as follows:

When members of the party of the second part are required to work 11⁄2 hours or more overtime, they shall be allowed 30 minutes for lunch with pay.

There shall be created a joint apprenticeship committee consisting of three representatives from the association and three representatives from the union, who shall examine all applicants for apprenticeship as to their qualifications before they are recorded. All apprentices shall have a grammar-school education or its equivalent, provided that where a proposed apprentice, who is otherwise acceptable, does not meet the above requirements the joint apprenticeship committee shall see that he makes up the necessary credits.

It shall further be the duty of the joint apprenticeship committee to see that no apprentice is discriminated against. Should an employer or an apprentice have any complaint to make relative to the conduct of the apprentice, said employer or apprentice shall submit his complaint in writing to the committee, who shall pass upon the merits of the case. The committee shall have power to summon before it any member of either party to this contract.

Should an employer discharge an apprentice without the consent of the joint apprenticeship committee, he shall forefeit all rights to replace the discharged apprentice until after the expiration of the term of said apprentice.

A joint sanitation committee consisting of the secretary of the association and the president of the union shall take up all complaints relative to sanitary conditions in the workrooms of the members of the party of the first part.

It shall be the duty of the members of the party of the second part to in every way assist in maintaining sanitary conditions.

Provision is also made that on Sundays and legal holidays 6 hours shall constitute a day's work with one-half hour for lunch after 3 hours' work. Double time is charged for such a full day's work, and triple time for less than 3 hours' work or for work preceding and following regular hours on such days.

Hat and Cap Industry-New York City

THE two-year agreement between the Cloth Hat and Cap Manufacturers' Association and the Joint Council of New York, comprising Locals 1, 2, 3, 17, 23, 30, and 40 of the United Cloth Hat and Cap Makers of North America (printed in full in MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW, September, 1922, pages 135-139) which expired June 30, 1924, has been continued for another period of two years. The form and contents of the new agreement closely follow those of the old. The principal additions are in regard to unemployment insurance and the establishment of a security trust fund.

The 44 hours a week are arranged so as to avoid any work on Saturday.

The article relative to wages has been rewritten as follows:

(a) The system of work shall be by the week in all departments.

(b) The association agrees that in no case will any worker employed by any member of the association in any of the following branches be paid less than the following minimum wage for these branches, namely: Operators, cutters, and blockers, $40 a week; packers, $35 a week; pressers, $33 a week; lining makers and trimmers, $27 a week.

NOTE.--The wages of handicapped workers are settled in each case by a special understanding between the union and the firm.

(c) Wages of workers who have recently come into the trade, or of any other workers for whom for one reason or another there has been temporarily fixed a wage below the minimum, shall be revised every three months with a view to bringing them up to the fixed minimum wage.

(d) Newly engaged workers shall work for two weeks trial period, at a price mutually agreed upon by the employer and the employee. This price shall not be less than the minimum wage specified above, except in case covered by note to paragraph "b" of this article. During, or at the end of this period, the employer and the worker shall agree upon a price which shall be his or her fixed wage. This mutually agreed upon price shall not be less than the minimum wage for the respective branch of work as specified in this article, except in cases covered by note to paragraph "b" of this article.

(e) All wages shall be paid weekly and in cash on a specified day.

The new articles relative to the unemployment fund and the security trust fund are as follows:

Unemployment fund

(a) The association agrees that every one of its members shall send to the Joint Council of New York of the United Cloth Hat and Cap Makers of North America on each and every pay day during the life of this agreement a sum equal to 3 per cent of the pay roll for that particular week, covering all the workers