CHAP. 11.—UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS TO FIX WAGES 95

Thus the result of the nonenforcement of the awards seems to be
that unemployment is displaced but not avoided, while the starvation
wages remain a net loss to the community. Doctor Leichter states
that a new law, giving better representation in the commissions to
the home workers, is being prepared by a socialist deputy.
CZECHOSLOVAKIA

THE new Republic took over the principles of the Austrian legislation
 and passed a law similar to that of the Austrian Republic.
It provides (art. 9) for the establishment of central commissions
with functions analogous to those provided in the Austrian law. It
states (art. 21), however, that collective agreements remain in force
notwithstanding the fixation of minimum wages but that the parties
to a collective contract may, in such case, withdraw from the same.

Principle of Wage Fixation

No definite instructions are given to the boards. Bargaining
as in Germany, seems to be the central feature. The Minister
of Social Welfare states that the wage is fixed by compromise
between the parties.”

Application

THE work of the home work commissions in 1924 is reviewed by
J. Sirotek in an article in Socidlni Revue (July, 1925), published
by the Ministry of Social Welfare. Only one of the central commissions,
 that for the glass industry, was successful in 1924 in establishing
an official scale of wages for the industry. The work of the other
central commissions and of the district commissions consisted mainly
In the settlement of local disputes as to wages and in giving advice
on various points submitted to them.
He is of the opinion that “the operations of the commissions
were not of great importance, owing to the apathy of the workers
and the small interest taken in the work by the trade-unions.” He
points out that certain administrative difficulties, arising from the
provisions as to a Jeon ” being necessary for decisions, are also
largely responsible for this failure and that an amendment to the
act in this respect will be indispensable.
Results

A REPORT of the factory inspectorate in 1923 8 states that homework
 wages were reduced during 1923 by 10 to 40 per cent in
consequence of a rise in the exchange value of the currency and of
a fall of prices and general wages.
Some collective agreements were concluded. The home work act
was applied very slowly. Nevertheless the work of the home work

¢ International Labor Office. Legislative series 1920—Czechoslovakia 1: Act respecting
the regulation of work and wages in home work, dated Dec. 12, 1919, Geneva [19207].
"Letter to BE. M. Burns dated Soot, 16, 1923,
, *gh ternational Labor Office. International Labor Review, Geneva, January, 1925,