FllPTH NATIONAL CONSERVATION CONGRESS 233 



thousand board feet. The manner of regulating the amount- of each truckload 

 and the sum paid for piling work is not known. 



7. Lumber loaded on cars for shipment is paid by the thousand board feel 

 loaded. The practice at this plant is to tally the lumber as it is loaded. The in 

 specter provides his own labor, but their time is kept by the company, and thej 

 are also paid by the company from the amount due the inspector. The difference 

 between the agreed price for loading and the wage of the laborers constitutes the 

 inspector's remuneration. 



The results of the piecework system used by this company, after a trial o, 

 five or six years, have been an increase in the earning power of the men and a dt 

 crease in the operating costs. 



The company has stated that it believes that men on piecework accomplisl, 

 about 30 per cent more work than they did under a day-wage system, not so mucli 

 because of added labor performed, but because of the greater intelligence used in 

 devising easier and quicker methods of doing the work. 



An example of the changed attitude the piecework system has brought about 

 in the average laborer is well illustrated with the skidding crew. Loggers work- 

 ing on a day-wage basis often welcome breakdowns in machinery, which tem- 

 porarily arrest work and give them an opportunity to remain idle for a time ax 

 the expense of the operator. Under the piecework system every minute of time 

 lost means a decrease in the daily earnings of the workmen. It has been found 

 that every workman on the skidding crew is on the alert to see that extra skid- 

 dings tongs, cable, and other supplies are close at hand, so that quick repairs caii 

 be made and lost time reduced to a minimum. 



The scheme has led mill employes to a careful study of grading rules, with u 

 resulting increase in the percentage of the better grades manufactured. Further, 

 since the introduction of the piecework basis labor has been more contented, 

 more efficient and stable, and labor troubles have been almost negligible. 



This plan of operation may not prove feasible for many plants, especially 

 where there are a variety of species manufactured and the number of grades are 

 many. The idea, however, is worthy of careful consideration on the part of every 

 logger and manufacturer. The plan may not prove feasible for many operators, 

 but it is certain that for some lines of work it is a step forward in the solution of 

 the problem of efficiency. 



One operator has objected to the piecework system, especially for mill work, 

 on the grounds that this basis tends to increase the general level of day wages paid 

 to men not working on a piece basis ; that the saving in cost effected by such a sys- 

 tem does not always compensate the operator for the added cost of supervision ; 

 that the accuracy of determining the daily mill cut on which payment is made 

 would be dependent on the honesty of the tallmen and graders, who consciously or 

 unconsciously would tend to favor the employe at the expense of the employer. 



He recommends in lieu of piecework a merit system in which a record is kept 

 of the work of each man, and as opportunity affords promotion is based on the 

 efficiency records. 



