18K 
Department, 33} per cent. to Weavers, Warpers and Drawers, and 25 per cent. to Bobbin 
Carriers, Lorrymen, Oilmen, workers in the Blow and Card Rooms and other low-paid 
sime workers. In 1921 the Arbitrators recommended that Blow Room and Card Room 
workers should be granted an increase of 40 per cent. in place of the 25 per cent. of the 
previous year. In the same yoar an increase of about 15 per cent, was granted to spinners 
n account of the high level of house rents and the dearness of food-grains. 
In June 1923 wages in the Ahmedabad mills were reduced by an all round cut of 15-625 
per cent. mainly on account of depression in trade. No general changes were made in 
rates between 1923 and 1929 but slight changes have been effected in piece rates for 
certain sorts in particular mills but these changes have not affected the general level of 
rates to any appreciable extent. Early in the year 1929, the Textile Labour Union at 
Ahmedabad requested the Ahmedabad Millowners’ Association to restore the Wage Cut 
affected in 1923. The matter was referred to the permanent Arbitration Board congisting 
of Seth Mangaldas as the representative of the Millowners® Association and Mr. M. K. 
Gandhi as the representative of the Labour Union. On the Board failing to arrive at an 
agreement the matter was referred to a Sir Panck. Dewan Bahadur Krishnalal Mohanlal 
Thaveri, retired Chief Judge of the Small Causes Court, Bombay, was appointed the 
Umpire. Dewan Bahadur Jhaveri gave his award on the 4th December 1929 
recommending an increase of five per cent. for weavers and of eight per cent. for spinners 
with effect: from the 1st January 1930. The Ahmedabad Millowners’ Association, at a 
meeting held on the 7th December passed a Resolution agreeing to accept the Umpire’s 
Award and to grant these increases with effect from the date recommended. 
In the case of the Sholapur mills the increases granted in cash wages by individual mills 
hetween the years 1918 and 1920 were consolidated with the rates prevailing in 1914 and 
she first increases given as dearness allowances were paid in kind. In the Laxmi and the 
Vishnu Mills, full time adult operatives were given in January 1918 the right to purchase 
12 seers of grain per month for Re. 1-10-9. Children or half-timers were allowed to 
purchase six seers. From February 1619 onwards full-time workers who had not lost 
more than four days in a month were allowed to purchase 20 seers of grain at a flat rate of 
Rs. 2 giving them an advantage which varied between Re. 1-5-8 and Rs. 4-15-4 per head 
per month according to the fluctuations of prices in the Grain market. Children were 
allowed to purchase ten seers for a rupee with a corresponding advantage. . The first 
ncreases in basic rates in the same mills were granted during the year 1918. These varied 
in different departments. The next increases in cash rates were granted early in the year 
1920. The rates for Mixing Coolies were increased by 15 per cent., for Blow Room Ope- 
ners by 30 per cent., fr Card Strippers by 20 per cent., and for Frame Tenters by about 10 
per cent. In the Ring Department Piecers were given an increase of 11 per cent., doffers, 
who got no increase in 1918, 15 per cent., and Tarwallas (Followers) 10 per cent. Among 
women workers, Reelers got an increase of 12} per cent. and winders about 10 per cent. 
Front and Back Sizers were granted 20 and about 11 per cent. respectively. The rates 
tor two-loom weavers were so adjusted as to give them an increase of about 20 per cent. 
Workers in other Departments were also granted proportionate increases, but the highest 
‘nereases, amounting to about 40 per cent. were granted to Drawers in the Drawing- 
In Department and to Reachers. Both the increases in the cash rates granted in 1918 
and in 1920 were consolidated with the rates prevailing in 1914. The first dearness 
illowance to be given in cash, and as a percentage on the basic rates, was granted in 
March 1920. Time workers received 15 per cent. and piece workers 30 per cent. In 
November of the same year the allowance for * fixed *” workers wags increased to 30 per 
tent. and for piece workers to 35 per cent. There has heen no change in these parcent- 
ages since 1920. 
In the Sholapur Spinning and Weaving Mills, which employs over 7,000 workers, the 
Grain Allowance was first granted in February 1918. The scales of the grain concession 
from time to time were as follows —_ 
February and March 1918 (Jowari only for those 
whose basic wage was Rs. 13 and below) i 
April 1918 to January 1919 (Jowari and Dal) .. 
February 1919 to July 1922 (Jowari and Dal) .. 
August 1922 onwards 
Seers of Grain 
Sholapur Mea- 
sure. One seer 
of Jowari equi- 
valent to 143 
sola’) per month 
Neers 
12 
16 
22 
29 
Amount that the 
vorkers have to 
pay to the mills 
for the grain 
per month 
Rs. a. p. 
2 00 
3 00 
3 00 
2 8 0