MÜLHAUSEN.
353
50 years. The daily duration of work was 13 hours in 1855, 1860, and 1865,
and 11 hours in 1870 and later years : —
Year.
Hours
of Work
Daily.
Spinners
(Male
Adults).
Piecers
(Male
Adults).
Rovers
(Male
Juveniles).
Spoolers
(Female
Adults).
Dressers
(Male
Adults).
Weavers
(Male
Adults).*
Weavers
(Female
Adults).
Labourers
(Males).
1855 .
1860 .
1865 .
1870 .
1875 .
1880.
1885 .
1890.
1895 .
1900 .
1905 .
13
J3
13
11
11
11
11
11
11
11
11
s. d.
15 0
16 0
16 0
18 0
19 0
19 0
20 0
24 0
26 0
27 3
30 0
s. d.
11 0
11 6
11 6
12 6
13 0
13 0
14 0
15 0
18 0
18 10
20 9
d.
8 O'
8 0
9 0
9 6
9 6
11 0
13 0
16 0
16 9
18 5
s. d.
6 0
6 6
7 0
8 0
10 0
11 0
11 0
12 0
13 6
14 1
15 6
s. d.
13 0
13 0
14 0
16 0
17 0
18 0
19 0
21 0
24 0
25 2
27 8
s. d.
9 0
9 6
11 0
12 6
14 0
14 6
15 0
17 0
18 0
18 10
20 8
s. d.
7 0
7 6
8 0
9 0
10 0
10 6
11 0
13 0
14 0
14 8
16 1
s. d.
8 0
8 0
8 0
9 6
10 0
12 0
12 0
13 0
14 0
14 8
16 1
* Three-loom weavers began to be numerous from 1898 forward, and four-loom
weavers from 1900.
Wages in the engineering trade do not compare favourably with those
prevailing in the North of Germany, and the trade union officials maintain that
nowhere in the wdioie country are they so low as in Alsace, and especially in the
small towns, where mechanics earn as little as 16s. and 17s. per week. In
Mülhausen the range for skilled men is from 19s. 2d. to 80s. in exceptional
cases, while unskilled labourers earn from 17s. to 18s. 6d.
It has been possible to obtain from an engineering firm of repute partial
rates for this trade also, going back many years, and though they do not
afford a basis for any comprehensive comparison they nevertheless illustrate
in a striking manner the movement of wages and hours in important branches
of the trade. For example, the wages of locomotive fitters in 1862 were
2s. 11 d. per day, and the hours of labour were 71 weekly, figures which in the
same works compare with 4s. 2d. and 59| hours to-day. Foremen on locomotive
building received in 1862 5s. 7d. per day, where the rate is now 9s. 2d. In
1867 the average daily wage for the whole of the works concerned was 2s. 5d.,
the number of hours weekly being still 71 ; in 1870 the average, similarly
reckoned, was 2s. 6if. per day ; in 1875 the average was 3s., the number
of hours being 65 weekly ; in 1880 the average was 3s., the hours being
63 ; in 1885 the average was 2s. 1 Id., the hours being as before ; and in
1890 the average was the same. Further, the wages of turners have increased
since 1877 from 2s. 9d. to 3s. 10d. per day ; the wages of fitters from 3s. Id.
to 4s. 1 if., and the wages of labourers from 2s. 6d. to 3s. I if. per day. The
following comparison of average daily wages covers a period of 10 years :—
Occupation.
Fitters
Turners
Smiths
Pattern-makers
Labourers
1895.
s. d.
3 5
3 10
3 10
3 11
2 10
1900.
s. d.
3 5
3 10
3 8
3 7
2 10
1905.
s. d.
4 1
3 10
3 11
3 11
3 1
Wages in the building trade are fixed by agreement with every individual
employer, as general “tariffs” do not exist, The range is from 21s. Id, to
33s. 7if., though most rates fall within the range 24s. to 25s., while masons’
labourers eariT 18s. to 21s. In the municipal service bricklayers and masons
receive 27s., stone-cutters 36s., carpenters and joiners 25s. 2d., painters 27s.,
and labourers 19s. 2d. It is usual for a contractor to take in hand all the
works in the construction of buildings, save painting, plumbing, and stucco
work, which he sublets. •
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