ON women's labour. 307 



Cantonal Legislation. 



Cantonal legislation is largely concerned with the small industries 

 which are so numerous in Switzerland, and which do not fall within the 

 scope of the law of 1877. Seven cantons have passed special latrs for 

 the protection of workpeople : Basle in 1888, Glaris in 1892, St. Gall in 

 1893, Zurich in 1894, Lucerne in 1895, Soleure and Neuchutel in 1896. 

 Glaris is the only canton where the law includes adult males ; the others 

 are concerned only with women and young persons. The cantonal laws 

 of Glaris, St. Gall, Lucerne, Soleure, and Neuchatel contain special 

 regulations with regard to women employed in shops ; women in offices 

 come under the protection of the law in Neuchatel only. Special laws 

 for the protection of women employed in hotels and cafes have been 

 passed in Zurich, Basle, Glaris, St. Gall, Lucerne, Soleure, and 

 Neuchatel. All except Glai-is prohibit the employment of girls under 

 eighteen years of age as waitresses unless they belong to the family of 

 the landlord. Women employed in hotels and cafes on Sunday must 

 have a free afternoon in the week — once a fortnight in Zurich, and once 

 a week in Basle and Lucerne. 



The laws of Zurich, Soleure, and Neuchatel extend their protection to 

 single workers if occupied in a trade (inetier) and in receipt of wages ; 

 St. Gall and Basle only protect single workers if under eighteen years of 

 age ; if above that age the law applies only where two or three persons 

 are employed. Persons employed directly or indirectly by a large 

 manufacturer, even when working in their own homes and using their 

 own tools, are regarded by the law as wage-earners. Neuchatel is the 

 only canton which stipulates that the worker must be employed outside 

 his own home to come within the scope of the law. 



Cantonal legislation has followed the main outlines of the federal 

 law of 1877, diminishing its rigour in some cases, in others supplementing 

 its defects. The eleven hours' day has been accepted by most cantons. 

 Zurich is ahead of the law in fixing the working day for women at ten 

 hours, with H hour's rest, and at nine hours on Saturdays and the days 

 preceding holidays. Overtime of two hours a day, with a maximum 

 limit per annum, is allowed by most cantons. The limit in Zurich, 

 where least overtime is allowed) is seventy-five hours in the year. No 

 one can be compelled to work overtime, and such work must be paid — 

 except in Glaris — at a higher rate ; in Zurich, Lucerne, and Soleure at 

 1^ time the daily wage. In the German cantons, except Basle and 

 Glaris, girls under eighteen years of age may not work overtime at all. No 

 work may be given out to be done at home after working hours. Night 

 work, except in Lucerne, is only permitted to women over eighteen years 

 of age, and for certain definite reasons Basle and Glaris are the only 

 cantons which have adopted the eight weeks' rest for lying-in women pre- 

 scribed by the federal law. St. Gall and Lucerne require only six weeks, 

 Zurich and Soleure four weeks. The appointment of cantonal inspectors 

 is considered desirable. The only canton where such an appointment 

 has been made up to the present is Zurich. 



Insurance against accidents is provided for to a small extent in the 

 cantons of Appenzell and St. Gall, where all workmen who are not 

 citizens of the canton iare required to join some benefit society.^ 



' Hygiene et Securite des Tro/vaillcurt clans les Ateliers Tndustrleh, pp. 91-03 j 

 Congres International do Li'gislation du Travail, pp. 393-398. 



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