CHAP. 10.—PROTECTION OF HOME WORKERS 85

vention on minimum wage-fixing machinery, while the Home Work
Council by majority vote (1928) favored the conclusion of such a
tonvention. Opinions remain sharply divided.22

Minimum Wage for Home Workers

ARGENTINA

0 N OCTOBER 8, 1918, a law was passed in Argentina ** to protect
home workers in the capital and in the Federal Territories. It
empowered the National Labor Department to appoint wage boards
for every industry employing home workers if 50 workers therein
ask for it. These boards are to fix minimum hourly rates and piecework
 rates in conformity with the national laws fixing maximum
hours per day. (Art. 13.) The boards are composed of an equal
aumber of representatives of employers and of employees, and an
independent chairman, appointed by the National Labor Department.

Principle of Wage Fixation

The wage boards are to take into account, (art. 17) the nature of
the work; the price of the articles in the locality; the sums necessary
for the existence of the workers; the lowest salaries earned by shop
workers; local customs; the price of articles of prime necessity in
the locality ; and finally, the value of accessories needed for the work.
Thus the *living-wage ” principle and “ fair-wage ” principle after
the French fashion (adaptation of the earnings of home workers to
the earnings of shop workers) are combined. ’
Administration

Employers who are found not to have paid the minimum wage
are liable to a fine of 300 pesos.&gt;* (Art. 20.) Any worker can bring
civil suit against the employer at fault. (Art. 21.) The inspectors of
labor, the wage boards, the National Labor Department, and the
judicial authorities are intrusted with supervision of the application
of the rules. (Art. 22.)
Home work prevails particularly in the city of Buenos Aires, and
the main steps for enfarcement have been taken there.?® Some trade
organizations, particularly the unions of the tailoring trades, cooperated
 with the National Labor Department and with its inspectors
 and facilitated the establishment of minimum wages for that
industry. The disinclination of the trade-unions in the boot and
shee trade, on the other hand, rendered it impossible to accomplish
satisfactory work for that industry.

* International Labor Conference, cleventh session, Geneva, May, 1928. Report on
Minimum Wage-Fixing Machinery. Geneva, International Labor Office, 1928, p. 24.
* International Labor Office. Legislative series 1919—Argentina 1 and 9: Act No.
10505, respecting home work, dated Oct. 8, 1919.
* At par peso==gold, 96.48 cents ; paper, 42.45 cents.
= Argentina. Department of Labor. Cronica Mensual, various numbers; International
Labor Office, Studies and reports, series D (wages and hours of work), No. 17: Minimum
Wage Fixing Machinery, Geneva, 1927, p. 97. For general background see also Boletin
del Museo Social Argentino, Buenos Aires, various numbers,