HC Deb 14 May 1925 vol 183 cc2063-5W
Mr. BENNETT

asked the Minister of Labour the hours of labour worked in the 12 most important industries of the United States, France, Germany, and Italy?

Mr. BETTERTON

The following statement embodies such information as is available with regard to working hours in the principal industries in the countries referred to:

United States.

Average full-time hours per week in certain principal industries on 15th May, 1924.*

Building.
Bricklayers … … 44˙0
Carpenters … … 44˙0
Painters … … 42˙8
Plasterers … … 43˙7
Plumbers … … 44˙0
Structural ironworkers … … 44˙0
Labourers … … 44˙6
* The particulars for foundries and machine shops, lumber and sawmilling, paper and pulp, and slaughtering and meat packing relate to the year 1923: those for cotton goods manufacture and boots and shoes to the early months of 1924 those for men's garment making to June-August, 1924.
Metal and Engineering:
Boilermakers 46˙4
Fitters 46˙8
Ironmoulders 47˙2
Patternmakers 45˙7
Foundries 52˙4
Machine shops 50˙8
Textile.
Cotton goods manufacture 53˙0
Clothing.
Men's garments 44˙1
Boots and shoes (factories) 49˙0
Transport.
Motormen, teamsters and drivers 57˙1
Dock workers 48˙3
Paper and pulp 51˙3
Printing.
Book and job 44˙4
Newspaper 45˙4
Lumber, sawmilling, etc 58˙1
Food Preparation.
Bakers 47˙6
Slaughtering and meat packing 48˙7

II. Germany.

An investigation recently undertaken by the General Federation of German Trade Unions, covering over two million workers, showed that in November last, in the building, printing, chemical, woodworking, metal and boot and shoe trades, the hours of labour most frequently worked were 48 per week, and in the textile trades from 51 to 54 per week. A considerable proportion of workers in the metal trades (36 per cent.) also worked from 51 to 54 hours per week.

The working hours of coalminers in Germany in 1924 were eight per shift in Lower Silesia, Dortmund, the Ruhr, Aix-la-Chapelle and Saxony and 8½ in Upper Silesia.

III. France.

Information as to the hours of labour actually worked in the principal industries is not available. The Act of 23rd April. 1919 (which fixes the general limits for working hours at eight per day or 48 per week), is applicable only to those industries in respect of which administrative decrees are issued. Up to the present time a large number of such decrees has been issued, and among the industries to which the Act. of 1919 in consequence applies are the following —textiles, clothing, tanning and skin-dressing, leather glove manufacture, engineering and metal trades, railway transport (with certain modifications), dock labour, mercantile marine, boot and shoe manufacture, milling. Underground work in mines is restricted to eight per day bank to bank by the Act of 24th June, 1919.

IV. Italy.

Information as to the hours of labour actually worked in the principal industries in Italy is not available.

working hours in industrial and commercial undertakings generally in Italy are subject to the Decree-Law of 15th March, 1923, in accordance with which the maximum hours of effective work may not as a general rule, exceed eight a day or 48 a, week. This decree applies to manual and non-manual workers in industrial and commercial undertakings of all kinds with certain exceptions, e.g., domestic service. As regards agriculture, the decree applies only to day labourers. Thus, with the exception of agriculture, the principal industries of Italy may be taken as coming within the scope of the Act.

Sources of Statements and Data.

United States.

  1. 1. Monthly Labour Review (issued by the (U.S.) Bureau of Labour Statistics), December, 1924.
  2. 2.Bulletin of the U.S. Bureau of Labour Statistics. Nos. 362 (Wages and hours of labour in foundries and machine shops, 1923), 363 (Wages and hours of labour in lumber manufacturing. 1923), 371 (Wages and hours of labour in cotton goods manufacturing, 1924).
  3. 3.Ministry of Labour Gazette, May, 1924 (p. 162), January, 1925 (p. 7).
  4. 4.Report by International Labour Office— flours of Labour in Industry: United States.

Germany.

  1. 1.Ministry of Labour Gazette, February, 1925 (p. 41).
  2. 2.Gewerksehafts-Zeitung (Journal of the General Federation of German Trade Unions), 3rd January, 1925.

France.

Texts of the Act and Administrative Decrees.

Italy.

Text of the Act.