Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1918 edition. Excerpt: ..., 2id. After 12 months,, 2jd., A war bonus of 2s. a week is paid in addition. But the workers can endure no longer with a rise of 50 per cent. in the cost of living. In December 1916, the women strike and join the National Federation of Women Workers; while the Amalgamated Society of Engineers comes to the rescue, although the quarrel is none of its members. The women return to work, but apply en bloc for their leaving certificates, bringing the case before the Munitions Tribunal. However, the Tribunal suspends judgment in order to give the firm another chance to come to terms with the workers. The case goes once more to arbitration, and the women secure at last the statutory standard. Thus, the workers "stick in the knife" themselves, and the " watch " survives the operation. The theory, advanced by working-women, that the statutory orders follow only the line of trade union organisation, shows at least a substance of truth. Nor can the Government refuse to accept responsibility for the terms of female employment, because the workers are employed in part and not complete ammunition-making. The engineering and allied metal trades are scheduled under Section 7 of the Munitions of War Act; and the express object of the Government, in taking powers to fix rates of wages and other conditions of female labour, was to protect the worker, restricted by law in moving from one factory to another. In a great munition centre, six months after the passing of the Munitions of War Act, January 1916, a woman ventures at last to appeal to the local munitions tribunal against the refusal of a discharge certificate by her employer. Her wages are given by the firm as 8s. 5d., 1os. 1d., and 1os. 6d. respectively, in the three..."
