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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BERLIN. single powerful combination. When, in 1905, there was a general lock-out in this industry, it was reported that over 30,000 workpeople were affected. So strong is the position of the leading electrical companies that in conflicts with labour they have invariably succeeded, while, owing to the ability of the large com panies to withstand pressure from the labour organisations, the smaller concerns enjoy a certain measure of protection which would not otherwise fall to them. The other branches of the engineering trades include large foundries, “ construction ” works, railway material works, besides general machine works. The brass and copper industry includes many concerns engaged in the production of lamps, for which Berlin has long been noted. The pianoforte industry embraces a large number of firms, some of which manufacture extensively for export. The wood industry includes important furniture manufactories ; there are a number of works engaged in the manufacture of paper and cardboard into boxes, fancy and otherwise ; and the leather industry comprises the production of bags, étuis, and fancy goods of various kinds. There are also several chemical works on the outskirts of the city ; and chemical cleaning and dyeing works employ together several thousand workpeople. In several of the suburbs there is an extensive textile industry, including carpet weaving and the manufacture of shoddy. Some of the works of the latter kind were originally established by English firms from the Yorkshire shoddy districts. Beer brewing is also an important industry in Berlin, in spite of the popularity of “ imported ” beers, by which are generally understood Bavarian and Pilsen beers. There are over 30 breweries in the neighbourhood, employing some 7,000 men. The building trades take a prominent place in the economic life of the town owing to the rapid growth of Berlin and the suburbs during recent years. Counting to these trades bricklayers, stone-cutters, joiners and carpenters, painters, plasterers, plumbers, roofers, glaziers, labourers, and excavators, they are estimated to give employment in normal times to nearly 100,000 men. Of industries employing a large amount of female labour may be named the papei industry, the manufacture of body linen, in which 18,000 persons of both sexes are engaged, either in workshops or at home ; and the clothing trade, which has long been established in Berlin, though English and American competition would ; ppear to be making itself severely felt. The turnover in the ladies’ and children’s mantle trade alone is estimated at about £10,000,000. Over 200 firms are engaged, and their wages bill with the contractors who work for them is understood to amount to £1,000,000. These contractors number between 3,000 and 4,000, and the tailors in their employment number some 40,000, of whom 13,000 are engaged in workshops and the rest at home, 90 per cent, of the latter being females. The costume, coat, and blouse trade is esti mated to employ between 2,000 and 3,000 contractors and 12,000 workshop and home workers. The men’s and boys’ clothing trade employs about 22,000 workers, and its turnover is estimated at from £3,750,000 to £4,000,000, of which £1,000,000 is paid in wages. The home workers in this trade are estimated at 20,000, and 80 per cent, of them are females. Further, of the 67,495 employees engaged in 1906 in the clothing and cleaning factories and workshops 50,681, or 75 per cent., were females above the age of 16, these being more than half of the female workers of that age employed in all the factories and work shops of Berlin. It is estimated that about 10 per cent, of the female employees under factory inspection are married. There is a growing tendency towards the specialisation of labour, and it shows itself in various industries. For example, the fine and exact work which needs to be done in the electrical industry has brought into prominence the “ mechaniker,” who may be described as a superior fitter. He puts together the parts of a piece of fine mechanism, and may be compared, in the delicacy of his work, to a watch and clockmaker. So, too, the pipefitters are not merely differentiated from plumbers and fitters in general, but are classified according as they are engaged on electrical installations, on central heating apparatus, on gas aiid water installations, or on general outside work. In the building trade, likewise, a clear distinction is drawn as to the rates of pay between the brick - laver, the stonecutter {Steinmetzer) who does profile work, the sculptor (Bild hauer) who works on figures, and the fixer ( Versetzer) who puts into position the finished stones. Still minuter distinctions apply to the workers in plaster,

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