Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

the two systems, comparing the amount of work performed and the annual wages paid. The next table attempts to throw some light upon this question. The preferable way to determine the efficiency of the employees would be to secure the number of units of output in each specific plant to compare with the number of employees. That it has not been possible to do, but it has been possible in a few cases to secure the total amount of gross sales made by the uniting companies for the year previous to the combination and the total amount during the year 1899. The reports secured for the number of employees and annual wages did not cover exactly the same periods of time, being in the earlier period for some fiscal year just previous to the formation of the combination and in the more recent period for some fiscal year including the time of the visit of the agent of the Department of Labor. These facts relating to gross sales, employees, and annual wages are, however, brought together in the table following for whatever value they may have in a study of the question. The table gives the total amount of gross sales, the total number of employees, and the total annual wages of all employees for some year previous to the formation of the combinations and under combination, with the per cent of increase or decrease. Of the 8 combinations reporting, 4 were organized in the earlier part of the year 1899, 1 was organized in 1898, 1 in 1895, 1 in 1891, and 1 in the 60's. Of course it is to be expected that in the case of those formed earlier, the percentage of increase of sales during the year 1899 as compared with that before the organization should be very great. It is also to be expected that with this increase in output should come an increase in the total number of employees and in the annual wages paid them.

TOTAL AMOUNT OF GROSS SALES, NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES, AND TOTAL ANNUAL WAGES BEFORE AND AFTER COMBINATION AND PER CENT OF INCREASE OR DECREASE IN EACH, FOR 8 COMBINATIONS.

[blocks in formation]

d Output of about two-thirds of the plants in the combination.

e One combination reports output of about two-thirds of its plants.

f Six combinations reporting.

g Six combinations reporting. One combination reports wages for 6 months only.

While the relation of the number of employees to gross sales can not be taken as a sound economic basis for calculating the efficiency of labor, it may be used as indicating the economic results of management or method or the activity of the whole force. It is in this light the analysis as to efficiency must be considered.

While the number of combinations reporting is so small and the character of the reports such that one would not be justified in reaching positive conclusions, it is nevertheless to be noted that so far as these returns go they serve to support the contention of those who claim that combinations of capital increase the efficiency of the workingmen. On the other hand, one needs to guard against laying much stress on that, inasmuch as prices during the year 1899 in the industries reported on have very generally increased, the increase in some having been very marked indeed. So, also, as regards the increase in wages, it is well known that in many lines wages have been increased, but it is as yet too soon to draw a positive conclusion to the effect that combinations will, on the whole, increase wages. Not until after they have passed through a period of depression as well as one of prosperity will there be sufficient data so that one can reach positive conclusions regarding their effects upon prices and wages.

In order that wages paid by the combinations may be compared with those paid by large private companies, several tables have been prepared dealing with the wages paid by three large private companies engaged in business similar to some of the combinations covered by the previous tables. These private companies, perhaps, it should be stated, employ as many workmen and carry on business on quite as large a scale as some of the combinations included in this report. The first of the tables gives the per cent of each class of employees receiving each classified rate of wages per week in 1897 and 1899, each establishment being shown separately. This is followed by a table showing for the three companies combined the number of employees in each class and at each classified rate of pay. A third table shows the average annual wages paid, with the per cent of increase or decrease in average wages, in number of employees, and in total annual wages.

6759 No. 29-3

PER CENT OF EMPLOYEES IN 3 PRIVATE COMPANIES PAID EACH CLASSIFIED RATE OF WAGES PER WEEK, 1897 AND 1899.

[blocks in formation]

NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES IN 3 PRIVATE COMPANIES PAID EACH CLASSIFIED RATE OF WAGES PER WEEK, 1897 AND 1899.

[blocks in formation]

AVERAGE ANNUAL WAGES PAID BY 3 PRIVATE COMPANIES IN 1897 AND 1899, AND THE PER CENT OF INCREASE OR DECREASE IN AVERAGE ANNUAL WAGES, NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES, AND TOTAL ANNUAL WAGES.

[blocks in formation]

The latter table summarizes the facts for the three companies combined, so far as reports were obtained. The average annual wages in 1897 and in 1899 are shown for each class of employees and the per cent of increase or decrease in the latter year over the former. In additional columns are shown, first, the per cent of increase in 1899 over 1897 in the number of employees, and, second, in the total annual wages.

It will be noted upon an examination of this table that the percentage of increase in the average annual wages of all employees taken together in the one company reporting as to all employees was 17.58. This company employed no traveling salesmen. If one were to remove that element from the combinations and give the per cent of increase of average wages not including traveling salesmen, it would make it 13.90. The average annual wages of superintendents and foremen decreased 5.52 per cent in the case of the private company and 2.77 per cent under the combinations. In the private

company the greatest percentage of decrease was likewise among the unclassified employees, being 6.73 per cent to 12.20 among the combinations. The unskilled laborers, on the other hand, had their wages considerably increased under the combinations, receiving an increase of 19.39 per cent, while under the three companies operating independently it was only 16.97 per cent. The skilled laborers under the combinations received an increase of 13.71 per cent, the increase under the private companies being only 7.25 per cent. It should be noted, however, that these increases in the private companies were between the years 1897 and 1899. The increases in the case of the combinations are comparisons between any one year before the combination was made and the year 1899. In a few cases this year was considerably earlier than 1897, so that the comparison can not be directly made. The only conclusion that can fairly be reached under the circumstances is that the combinations on the whole show the same tendency as the large private companies, and that so far as the figures go one can not say that they have treated the laborers any less generously.

The two short tables which follow give the average daily compensation of all railway employees in the United States for the years ending June 30, 1892 to 1899. In the first table the figures are absolute and in the second relative, the wages for 1892 being taken as the basis, or 100.

AVERAGE DAILY COMPENSATION OF ALL RAILWAY EMPLOYEES IN THE UNITED STATES FOR THE YEARS ENDING JUNE 30, 1892 TO 1899.

[The data contained in this table for the years 1892 to 1898 are from the reports of the Interstate Commerce Commission on the statistics of railways in the United States. Those for 1899 were furnished to the Department through the courtesy of the statistician from advance sheets of his annual report for 1899.]

[blocks in formation]
« AnteriorContinuar »