TECHNIQUE OF THE FIVE-DAY WEEK 33

“During the summer of 1920, in order to give our employees an
opportunity of enjoying non-employment on Saturday as well as
Sunday during the hot summer weather, we changed our working
schedule to five days a week instead of five-and-one-half as formerly,
ncreasing the schedule of the five days to 9 hours and 35 minutes, or
47 hours and 55 minutes a week. This schedule met with so much
favor with our employees that when in the Fall we proposed to resume
‘he regular working schedule, we received a practically unanimous
petition from the employees to continue the same schedule during
the winter months also.
“Under the provisions of the present law we understand that we
are only permitted to work nine hours on account of the employment
of women, who represent the majority of our employees at the present
time, and we have been appealed to by all of our employees to do our
utmost to have the present schedule, which has now been in existence
for approximately eight years and is very much favored by every one
of our employees without exception, continued. . . . From a
material point of view it is quite indifferent to us whether we work the
48 hours a week in five-and-one-half days instead of in five days, and
we are merely urging the privilege of continuing the schedule as we
are now doing for the benefit of our employees.”

Corroboration of the employees’ attitude is contained in a
etter from the President of the Employees’ Aid Society of
-his company to the Speaker of the State Assembly: '

“At a meeting of the Employees’ Aid Society of this company, a
resolution was voted on and adopted to petition the Assemblyman
and Senator of this District to ask for an amendment to a Bill passed
by the House in the last session, known as the Mastick Bill. This Bill
is unfair and restrictive to our female workers, as it limits the hours
of labor not to exceed 9 hours per day. This will be a hardship to a
great many industries who are now working 48 hours in 5 days. We
are working that plan here since 1920 and the workers at the meeting
mentioned were up in arms against any proposed change that will take
away their Saturday holiday.
“We are working 9 hours, 35 minutes per day, which makes 47
hours, 55 minutes per week in 5 days. This ideal way of working
gives us all day Saturday and Sunday for rest and recreation. We
have a great many married women and widows with children working
here who have assured me that if we have to work on Saturday they
will have to give up their positions with us as they now use Saturday
and Sunday to clean up their homes and prepare for another week.
“We would also draw your attention to the fact that this Bill calls
for a 4914-hour week, as 9 hours per day and 424 hours on Saturday
make a longer week than we are now enjoying. I would ask you to use
vour influence with our Assemblyman and Senator to see that this