CREFELD.

155

belong  to  the  local  branch  of  the  Socialist  Union  of  German  Textile  Workers.
There  is  also  a  "  Christian  ”  (i.e.  mainly  Roman  Catholic)  textile-workers’  union,
which,  however,  appears  to  be  much  less  active  and  successful  than  the  Socialist
organisation.  There  are  two  Workmen’s  Secretariates,  one  (quite  new)  founded
and  maintained  by  the  Socialist  trade  unions,  and  the  other  founded  by  the
"  Christian  ”  unions.  The  former  gives  advice  to  members  of  the  contributory
unions  on  all  questions  affecting  relations  with  employers,  the  insurance  laws,
civil  code,  &c.  The  Workmen’s  Secretariate  of  the  “  Christian  ”  unions  is  concerned ­
  rather  with  propaganda  work,  but  there  is  also  a  People’s  Bureau,  which
was  founded  14  years  ago  by  the  Roman  Catholic  unions,  and  gives  free  legal
advice  to  its  members,  who  pay  9d.  a  year  subscription.  The  municipality  has
recently  founded  an  Association  for  Social  Welfare  which  will  take  over  the
maintenance  of  the  People’s  Bureau,  and  receive  a  grant  from  the  town  for
that  purpose.
Finally  it  may  be  remarked  that  there  is  a  general  agreement  that  the
consumption  of  spirits  is  diminishing,  even  among  the  weavers,  and  is  being
replaced  by  an  increased  consumption  of  beer.  The  success  of  this  form  of  the
temperance  movement  is  ascribed  to  the  combined  action  of  societies,  local
authorities,  and  the  trade  unions  of  both  camps.
Wages  in  the  Silk  Industry.
Piece-work  is  predominant  in  the  weaving  branch  of  the  silk  industry,
(the  only  important  exception  being  for  the  weaving  of  patterns),  whilst  timework ­
  is  the  rule  in  dyeing  and  printing.  There  is  no  general  wages  agreement
for  weaving  ;  each  firm  makes  its  own  rates,  which  are  commonly  very  complicated ­
  ;  but  the  general  results  seem  to  be  the  same  in  all  the  factories.  There
are  complaints  in  many  cases  as  to  deductions  for  faults,  &c.,  but  this  practice
is  said  to  be  less  common  than  was  formerly  the  case.  As  a  rule  only  one
day’s  notice  is  necessary  on  either  side,  an  arrangement  which  the  workpeople
prefer,  though  married  men  are  often  engaged  subject  to  a  fortnight’s  notice.
Wages  are  paid  weekly.
Coming  to  the  wages  of  particular  occupations,  it  must  be  remembered  that
both  husband  and  wife  frequently  work  in  the  factories  ;  and  also  that  in  stuff
weaving  there  is  usually  no  difference  in  the  rates  paid  to  the  two  sexes,  though
there  may  be  in  the  actual  earnings.  In  many  cases,  also,  where  the  husband
is  employed  in  a  factory,  the  wife  and  sometimes  the  daughter  work  at  home
at  the  sewing  of  neckties.
Weaving.—The  wages  of  the  velvet  weavers  (mostly  men)  are  decidedly
higher  than  those  of  the  stuff  weavers  ;  the  rates  in  both  cases  are  so  much
per  metre,  and  the  earnings  naturally  vary  within  somewhat  wide  limits.  Thus
in  one  large  velvet  factory  the  wages  of  the  weavers  ranged  in  1905  from
2ls.  to  56s.  per  week,  but  the  normal  wages  vary  from  24s.  to  2os.  for  a  full
week  of  58?  hours.  But  though  employment  amongst  the  velvet  weavers  has
now  for  some  time  been  fairly  constant,  this  is  not  usually  the  case,  and  in  1905
the  actual  earnings  of  the  velvet  weavers  in  Crefeld  were  estimated  to  average
only  about  22s.  weekly,  while  in  the  rural  districts  they  were  considerably  lower.
The  velvet  hand  -  weavers  (for  ordinary  fabrics),  of  whom  a  few  lemain  in  the
district,  working  in  their  own  homes,  do  not  get  beyond  18s.  a  w  eek  for
12  or  13  hours  a  day,  and  even  then  the  worx  is  very  irregular.
The  usual  wages  of  stuff  weavers,  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  materials
for  dress  and  neckties,  are  from  21s.  to  24s.  per  week  of  58?  hours,  lhese
rates  are  for  a  full  week,  but  taking  the  year  through  it  is  rare  for  a  stuff
weaver  to  earn  much  beyond  £45,  equal  to  17s.  od.  per  week.  Hand  weavers
can  earn  about  14s.  to  15s.  per  day  of  12  or  13  hours.  Ribbon  weavers  with
full  work  earn  30s.  per  week.  Finishers  both  on  silk  and  velvet  earn  22s.
ZWn?  Tradf.—In  this  branch  of  the  industry  time-work  is  the  rule,
and  the  rates  ¿re  higher  for  colour  dyers  than  for  black  dyers,  since  the  work
of  the  latter  class  is  comparatively  simple,  and  is  little  more  than  the  carrying
out  of  instructions,  whilst  the  colour  dyers,  working  according  to  samples,  Imve
to  exercise  a  great  deal  of  judgment  and  have  a  personal  responsibility.  The
wages  of  dyers  are  regulated  by  agreement  as  follows  :  Black  dyers,  nom
29088  U  2