908 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



September 1, 1921 



EFFECT OF LIMITED HOURS FOR WOMEN 

 RUBBER WORKERS 



I ABOR laws regulating the cmployiiieiit ot women in industry 

 ■Li are becoming more general in the United States. Only five 

 States — Iowa, New Mexico, Alabama, Florida, and West Vir- 

 ginia — do not regulate in any way the hours which women may 

 work, while the 8-hour day is required for women in some or all 

 branches of industry in eight states, one territory, and the District 

 of Columbia. Whether the reduction in women's working hours 

 means a corresponding decrease in production, an increase in cost 

 of the tinished article, or both, is the subject of a report lately 

 submitted by the Women's Bureau of the United States Depart- 

 ment of Labor.' The bureau made a survey of the conditions 

 in rubber and other industries in New Jersey and Massachusetts 

 and found that the factories had been keeping pace with the 

 general trend throughout the United States to curtail the work- 

 ing time of women and advance their wages. Many factories have 

 increased pay and decreased working time without waiting for 

 legislative compulsion. 



To off.set reluced working time with the same or increased 

 pay, enterprising factory managers have installed various labor- 

 saving devices and have taken greater pains in eliminating waste 

 and promoting efficiency. The manager of one rubber concern 

 reported that in the 47-hour week, although the piece rates had 

 not been increased, the piece workers earned as much as in the 

 former 51 -hour week, and the general output was better. A rub- 

 ber hose manufacturer cited his experience where increased out- 

 put followed fewer hours with a 10-minute rest period in every 

 hour. Six girls on six machines were turning out on an average 

 of 3,000 feet of hose a week, when it became necessary to turn 

 out 25,000 feet a week. A night shift of men on the same ma- 

 chines failed as the men produced an inferior article. Two 

 8-hour shifts of women were then tried, with seven women to 

 attend the six machines, instead of six who had worked 10 hours 

 a day. The extra woman relieved each of the others during the 

 10-minute rest period at the end of each hour. The result was 

 the surprising weekly average production of 32.000 feet of hose. 

 Even though the machinery's speed had been increased from 40 

 to 74 revolutions a minute, it was figured that there was still a 

 large gain to be credited to shorter shifts and the relief periods. 



.-\ Massachusetts belting manufacturer stated that in 1918 he 

 had employed 28 women S2;/2 hours a week, paying them $8.87 

 a week. In October, 1919, he had 8 women 48 hours a week. 

 paying them $14.12, and was actually doing more business than 

 in 1918, and with fewer employes and women working shorter 

 hours. One manufacturer frankly stated that on the lighter lines 

 of work women not only produced a better article, but were 

 steadier and more dependable, and that it paid to hire them even 

 though their hours of work were more limited than those of men. 



As relating to the proportionate number of women employed 

 in rubber industries, a table is given showing the count made in 

 fifteen factories in New Jersey in April and October, 1919. The 

 total number of men employed in April was 6,771 and in October, 

 7,493. For the women in the same months the figures were 1,570 

 and 1,583. For the same months fifteen rubber establishments in 

 Massachusetts give these figures: men, 14,670 and 16,008; women, 

 6,765 and 7,131 ; relative percentage of women for .\pril, 31.6, 

 and for October, 30.8. A great difference in the products of the 

 two states, explains why the women in the rubber industry in 

 Massachusetts number nearly one-third the total number of em- 

 ployes, while in New Jersey they are less than one-fifth. In the 

 former state large quantities of light goods, such as rubber shoes, 

 are produced ; while in the latter state the rubber products are 

 largely heavier articles, such as tires, hose, belting, etc., which 

 can better be handled by men. 



The investigators say they found no desire on the part of 

 employes or employers to revert to former conditions, one of 

 the latter being quoted as saying that no manufacturer in his 

 state would be willing to go back to the 54-hour week, and 

 workers would rather take less pay. 



WAGES PAID IN THE RUBBER INDUSTRY 



Statistics regarding wages paid to rubber factory employes in 

 the United States have been recently compiled for the use of the 

 Coittmittce on Ways and Means, House of Representatives. 

 Average weekly earnings of workers in New York State rubber 

 factories during the month of October, for the year 1914, 1916, and 

 1918-1920 were, respectively, $10.63, $12.92, $18.19, $21.68, and 

 $26.22. 



From an industrial survey, conducted by the Labor Department, 

 and covering 45 rubber establishments in the United States, em- 

 ploying both men and women, the following statistics regarding 

 average hours and earnings per week, for the year 1919, were 

 taken : 



.\verage Average 

 Occupation Hours per Earnings per 



Tires and tubes Week Week 



Bead makers 48.6 $30.87 



Bias-cutter operators 52.8 32.32 



Builders or makers, hand 46.8 35.27 



Builders or makers, machine 44.4 34.00 



Operators, tubing machine (jacket and cover).. 49.8 29.93 



Ply cutters, tread cutters, and spK.'er preparers.. 47.4 29.14 



Tube toilers, wrappers, and strippers -15.0 31.81 



Vulcanizers 48.0 34.00 



Wrappers, machine 57.6 38.18 



Females 



Bead makers 49.2 18.58 



Bias-cutter operators 50.4 23.57 



Builders or makers, band 47.4 24.90 



Laborers and helpers 46.8 17.78 



Tube rollers, wrappers, and strippers 44.4 20.31 



Mechanical goods 



Belt makers 49.2 24.07 



Laborers and helpers 52.8 21.09 



Lathe men, buffers, and cutters 49.8 23.01 



Makers, hand 48.0 24.97 



Tube rollers, wrappers, and strippers 53.4 27.73 



Wrappers, machine 46.2 24.07 



^Bulletin No. 15, of the Women's Bureau, U. S. Department of Labor, 

 Washington, D. C. 



TUFFITE AND TUFFINE NEW RUBBER MATERIALS 



Tuflite is the pulverized product of tufa rock, first quarried at 

 Mt. .Angel, Oregon, for building purposes, but more recently found 

 to be a useful filler for rubber compounds. The material is of 



volcanic origin and is a 

 tuffaceous breccia, more 

 commonly and properly 

 called tuff. It is not a 

 lava, but an ash of frag- 

 ni e n t a r y composition, 

 having been thrown up 

 ill some gigantic up- 

 heaval, falling like snow 

 and in cooling and aging 

 has solidified. 



The rock is remarkably 

 liglit. weighing only 80 

 pounds to the cubic foot. 

 When pulverized it is 

 soft and velvety and its 

 specific gravity is 2.25. 

 It is said to compound readily with rubber, producing a finished 

 article that is tough, velvety, high heat resisting, light in weight 

 and possessing a non-slip and non-skid value. It requires 3,100 

 degrees F. to melt the material and therefore has been found ex- 

 cellent as a rubber insulating material. 



An accelerator marketed under the trade name "Tuffine," is 

 being produced from the same material calcined and treated. 

 Both Tuffite and Tuffine, it is said, are being used by several 

 rubber companies on the Pacific Coast in the manufacture of tire 

 treads and mechanical goods. 



N.\iLs Driven I.\tii TuKnit; 

 Hold Firmly 



