Cost of living in German towns

Bibliographic data

Monograph

Identifikator:: 866449027

URN:: urn:nbn:de:zbw-retromon-93831

Document type:: Monograph

Title:: Cost of living in German towns

Place of publication:: London

Publisher:: Stat. Off.

Year of publication:: 1908

Scope:: 1 Online-Ressource (LXI, 548 Seiten)

Collection:: Economics Books

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4 2 AACHEN. the whole of the workpeople of Aachen are Roman Catholics, the Church festivals and “ Mary days,” apart from the statutory holidays, are no longer observed ; the only exceptions are Corpus Christi and Good Friday. On the other hand, ecclesiastical festivals are observed by the public authorities. Most of Aachen’s industries employ an increasing number of workpeople, though the town’s growth has for a long time been comparatively slow. The cloth industry shows the steadiest progress ; the manufacture of needles holds its own very well ; but the card-makers, who 20 years ago numbered over 20 firms, have dwindled to a few large concerns. A fortnight’s notice before ceasing employment is the general rule, and wages are paid weekly. Both in the cloth and the several branches of the iron and metal industry payment is by piece, and fixed daily or weekly wages are the exception. List rates are observed in the cloth factories, these rates varying according to the class of work done and the machinery used. Male weavers earn in a full week from 21s. to 24s., but female weavers not more than 18s. The general rate for finishers is from 15s. to 18s., with an average of 16s. The earn ings of male spinners range from 20s. to 25s., while dyers earn from 15s. to 18s. Many of the textile workers are Belgians, who cross the frontier on Monday and remain in Aachen all the week. In the engineering works skilled men, paid by piece, earn from 30s. to 36s. per week, and labourers from 17s. to 21s. In the needle manufactories needle makers earn 24s., pointers from 30s. to 35s., polishers from 24s. to 27s., and stampers 30s. In the card-making works setters earn 40s. and finishers from 25s. to 27s. Piece-work is also the rule in these trades. Few wages agreements have as yet been concluded in the building trades at Aachen, though efforts are being made in that direction, consequent upon repeated disputes. Payment is by the hour ; the predominant rate is 5d. to 6<A, though rates of 4d. are common. With a ten hours day, masons and bricklayers earn 27s. weekly, carpenters, joiners, and cabinet-makers from 22s. 10¿/. to 27s., plumbers 27s., painters 25s. 2<L, roofers and tilers 26s. 5d., and bricklayers’ labourers from 15s. to 21s. Among miscellaneous trades the agreement rate for printers is 24s. 9d. for compositors, machine minders and pressmen, while for machine compositors it is 30s. 11 d. for news hands and 32s. 2d. for jobbing hands ; chemical workers earn 24s., bakers 22s. and 16s. 9d., according as they are first or second hands, 10s. Qd. being here reckoned as the value of board and lodging, and carters from 17s. to 19s. 6d. The usual wages of unskilled labour range from 3s. to 3s. Qd. per day, giving weekly rates of 18s. and 21s., of which the former predominates. It may be noted that the u local, rate for day labour,” as fixed by the administrative authorities for insurance calculations, is 2s. 4^d. for adult males, with Is. 4ft/, for juveniles. aW Æbwrs q/" LaWr m äß PrmwpaZ Occwpa&ms, OcMcr, 1905. Weekly Wages. Weekly Hours of Labour. Building Trades* :— Masons and Bricklayers Carpenters, Joiners and Cabinetmakers Plumbers ... - Painters Roofers and Tilers Bricklayers’ labourers 22s. 10(7. to 27s. 15s. to 21s. 27s. 60 60 60 60 60 60 Engineering Works :— Moulders Fitters ... Smiths ... Turners ... 60 60 60 60 60 60 Pattern-makers.. Labourers 30s. „ 33s. 17s. „ 21s. summer. * The wages and hours of labour stated for the building trades .re for a full week in

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