LABOUR

GAZETTE

Volume 22

Number 2

The month in brief

In addition to the regular monthly and quarterly articles respecting employment, prices, industrial disputes, strikes, wage agreements, etc., this issue of the LABOUR GAZETTE contains many articles of special industrial interest. Mention might be made of a summary of the labour legislation enacted or amended by the Dominion and Provincial parliaments during the year 1921; also of two important judgments delivered in Nova Scotia courts arising out of an application for an injunction to restrain certain coal companies from reducing wages pending action of a conciliation board. This issue also contains the text of a Dominion Order-in-Council respecting unemployment relief.

At the beginning of January the percentage of unemployment reported by trade unions stood at 15.1 as compared with percentages of 11.1 at the beginning of December, and with 13.1 at the beginning of January, 1921. Considerable short time continued to be indicated by the unions making returns. According to reports received from some 5,800 firms, there was considerable fluctuation in the volume of employment afforded, but on the whole the movement was decidedly unfavourable. There continued to be a great deal

less activity than was reported by the firms making returns for January of last year.

The average cost of the weekly family budget of 29 staple foods in some 60 cities was $11.03 for January as compared with $11.00 for December; $14.48 1920; and $7.73 for January, 1914. for January, 1921; $15.30 for January, Including the cost of fuel and rent with that of food the figures averaged $21.52 for January; $21.49 for December; $25.30 for January, 1921; $24.15 for January, 1920; and $14.49 for January, 1914. In wholesale prices the index number fell back from the slight rise noted in December, standing at 227.7 for January as compared with 230.7 for December and 227.3 for November; 281.3 for January, 1921; 336.4 for January, 1920; and 136.5 for January,

1914.

The time loss due to industrial disputes during January was greater than during either December or January, 1921. There were in existence during the month 23 strikes, involving about 3,357 workpeople with a time loss of about 76,070 working days. Six of the strikes commenced during January. Two of the strikes commencing in January were later reported terminated, leaving 21 strikes involving about 3,199 workpeople on record at the end of the month.

Proceedings under the Industrial Disputes Investigation

Act

During the month of January the Department received reports from two Boards of Concilia

tion and Investigation established to deal with disputes between (1) the Hull Electric Company and certain of its employees, being members of Division No. 591, Amalgamated Association of Street and Electric Railway Employees of America, and (2) the Dominion Coal Company, Nova Scotia Steel and Coal Company, and Acadia Coal Company, the leading coal mining companies of Nova Scotia, and certain of their employees respectively, being members of District No. 26, United Mine Workers of America.

One application was received for the establishment of a Board. There was also received a copy of the agreement reached as a result of renewed negotiations between the various railways, members of the Railway Association of Canada, and certain of their employees, pursuant to the recommendations of the interim report rendered in October last by the Board established to deal with this dispute.

Jottings

Announcements have

been made of forthcoming conventions of the following International Unions: The Order of Sleeping Car Conductors will meet at Chicago, Ill., on March 13 to 18. The Railway Employees' Department of the American Federation of Labour will meet at Chicago on April 10.

It is understood that an inter-provincial conference may be held shortly to discuss plans for the better co-ordination of the work of the minimum wage boards that have been established in various provinces of the Dominion.

At the opening of the first session of the fifth Legislature of Alberta, on February 2, it was announced that legislation would be introduced to create Bureau of Labour, in order that problems concerning wage-earners through

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At the request of the Provincial Association of Retail Merchants of Alberta, the Minister of Public Works of that province recently drafted a model “early-closing" by-law which it was sugly-closing" by-law gested might be adopted by Edmonton, Calgary, Lethbridge and Medicine Hat, in order to secure uniformity of practice in these four chief cities of the province. The suggested by-laws would close all shops at 1 p.m. on Wednesdays, and at 6 p.m. on all other week days.

An Association of Builders' Exchanges was recently formed for the Province of Quebec, the local associations at Montreal, Quebec and Sherbrooke having associated together in order to extend their organization over the Province. The new association is making representations to the Provincial Government on the disability now carried

by builders in the Province of Quebec in being held liable for a period of 20 years for the safety of buildings constructed by them; also on the subject of workmen's compensation and the necessity for calling for tenders for provincial work.

According to reports received by the Ontario Department of Mines there occurred during 1921 at all the mines, metallurgical works, quarries, clay pits, and sand and gravel pits, 1,286 accidents, of which 24 were fatal. Four fatal accidents at the quarries were due to the carelessness or ignorance in the handling of explosives. Of three fatal accidents at the gravel pits, two were due to undermining and the third to material falling from a face which was 16 feet in height. It is suggested that these accidents would have been prevented by a knowledge of explosives and a strict observance of the Mining Amendment Act.

monthly periodical entitled "Canadian Congress Journal." In the official announcement it is stated that this magazine is "to provide a medium of pubicity whereby the official declaration of the Congress, the legislative desires of its membership and general news of trades union and social development throughout the world might be transmitted regularly to its membership and the public."

According to information supplied by the Saskatchewan government "agricultural inspection trains" operated over a large area of the province during the year 1921. The attendance at the agricultural instruction cars was 16,592; at the "Interprovincial weed train," 4,851; and the "Better Farming train,' 32,774. The expenses paid by the province amounted to $18,134.

The executive of District 26, United Mine Workers of America, have been requested by the miners of Glace Bay, N.S., to hold a local referendum "for the purpose of choosing two miners to sit on the board of directors of the Dominion Coal Company, in order that labour may share in the control of the coal industry of this sub-district, and that when these two representatives are duly chosen by the miners the Dominion Coal Company be requested to make a place for them upon the board of directors. Copies of this resolution were ordered to be sent to the Premiers of Canada and Nova Scotia and to the president of the British Empire Steel Corporation.

The legislative committee of the Winnipeg Trades and Labour Council and the Manitoba Executive of the Trades and Labour Congress are urging certain amendments to the Manitoba Workmen's Compensation Act, Mothers' Allowances Act, and Distress Act.

A Canadian Association of Child Protection Officers was organized last October in Winnipeg, at a conference of