in the immediate neighborhood, and the amount they earn in many instances supplements rather than constitutes the sole family income, that so-called sweat-shop conditions do not even exist in this industry, that labor employed in the bean elevators is satisfied and labor disputes are practically unknown. Hence, the very conditions which the act sought to eliminate are not only nonexistent among the employees of bean elevators engaged in the hand-picking of beans, but the evidence is also clear that forcing them to maintain the basis essential for payment of the minimum wages over the maximum period of hours permitted, will force upon such employees the exact conditions which the act endeavors to abolish. And, not only that such will be the case, but that this must of necessity be accompanied by a very substantial curtailment of employment, efficiency, and well-being of such workers. We, therefore, respectfully urge the committee that it recommend the retention of the "area of production" exemption as it now appears in section 13 (a) (10) of the Fair Labor Standards Act. It is only by this means that recognition can be given to the actualities of processing farm commodities, such as dry edible beans, into the finished farm product required for entry into the consumptive trade channels. The statutory provision is fair, reasonable, and administratively workable, as shown by its successful application for nearly 7 years in the dry edible bean industry, and its elimination would only be detrimental, we firmly believe, to the farmers, elevator operators, and employees alike. (The following testimony was presented for the record by witnesses of the International Union of Mine, Mill, and Smelter Workers, CIO, who because of the limitations of time were unable to appear before the committee:) TESTIMONY AND DEPOSITION OF Walter WHITE, EMPLOYEE Of Royster Guano Co., MACON, GA. My name is Walter White. I live in Macon, Ga. I came to Washington, D. C., with a delegation of representative workers from my community to bring to the attention of our Congress the absolute necessity of establishing a minimum wage level which is consistent with our desire to have a decent American standard of living. First, let me give some examples of wages being earned in my area. I brought with me pay vouchers of several of the companies in my community. From the Royster Guano Co. where I work I have pay vouchers which show take-home pay in six cases for the following amounts: $22.26, $21.48, $18.59, $23.42, $14.16, and $21.48. This is for a full week's work and, in many cases, is even more than 40 hours' work. These amounts represent the earnings of men with families with anywhere from two to seven children. We have just been able to negotiate a new rate in the plant, and the hiring rate is now 55 cents per hour. Out of 62 work classifications 1 person is being paid 72%1⁄2 cents; 4, 70 cents per hour; 4, 65 cents; 24, 60 cents; and 29, 55 cents per hour. This, of course, includes the lowest, as well as the highest, skilled in the plant. Again, in the Massey Gin & Machine Co., a foundry in my area, an example of several of the earned take-home pay vouchers shows the following: $22.87, $15.32, $19.95, and two more at $19.95. The common labor rate is 50 cents per hour. The highest skilled men in this plant, moulders, etc., are making only 70 cents to 75 cents per hour because of the low common labor rate. As in the case of Royster Guano, these are earned checks of married men with large families. Another example-Burns Brick Co., which is located in my area-shows the following five examples of take-home pay: $14.47 for 40 hours; $14.05 for 42 hours; $19.92 for 44 hours; $17.46 for 424 hours; $21.36 for 421⁄2 hours. I have check vouchers with me to prove that the rates on the sample checks which I have just mentioned above show rates running at 33 cents per hour; 34 cents per hour: € cents per hour, and 50 cents per hour, which is even below the minimum wage and-hour law. Finally, other examples of a plant in my area-Cherokee Brick Co-shows examples of take-home pay in the following amounts: $12.57, $17.62, $16.64, $1608. and $12.55. The hiring rate in this plant is 45 cents per hour. Even moulders and kiln repairmen, who are considered fairly skilled, are getting only 45 to 30 cents per hour. Again, these are checks of family men with average dependents of from four to five in their families. This is only one side of the story. Most people say that living costs in the South are much cheaper than in the large industrial areas where wages are higher. I would like to show that my experiences and those of the people who work with me are quite different from what everyone believes to be on the question of living costs where I come from. In the first place, going to and from work we take the public conveyances, and that means 20 cents per day carfare, which is the same in any large city, and also means $1 or $1.20 per week out of our very small earnings. Our cigarettes, one of our few luxuries, cost us 20 to 22 cents per pack. Here are some of our food items: Round steak in my community is 37 cents per pound. I have just checked in Washington at a large market and the price for double A grade is 40 cents per pound. Here are some of the other prices of our meats: Center cut pork, 39 cents; pork shoulder steak, 35 cents; B grade beef loin boneless, 44 cents; bone end steak, 35 cents; round steak, 37 cents; T-bone, 44 cents. These prices are not very much cheaper than what is being paid anywhere else for these meats. Our grade A eggs (large) are 67 cents, the same as ceiling prices here in the East. Our medium eggs are 61 cents; our small, 51 cents-exactly the same as the prices here. Our butter costs us 51 cents per pound. Creamery butter advertised in the paper I read in Washington is only 43 cents per pound. Our margarine is 23 to 27 cents; here in the East it is 25 cents. Table-dressed chicken costs us 62 cents per pound in Macon. The markets here in Washington are advertising the same quality chickens for 41 cents per pound. Milk is 14 cents a quart, the same as in the East. Perhaps you will ask how we can buy these items with the wages we make. We can't! Clothing is higher than even in the large industrial areas. Work shirts for which we paid 98 cents before the war are now $1.98. Dress shirts for which we paid $1.50 are now $2.75. Our shoes run 30 percent higher. We used to be able to get men's shorts for 25 cents; now the cheapest we can get them is $1. The same is true of clothes for our women and children. Decent housing-whenever we can get it-is just as bad. There are some Government housing projects, and if you are lucky enough to get into them, you have a decent place to live. But if you earn about $100 per month the rent still costs you $30 per month. A good many of us are forced to live in alley shacks and other similar places where the rent for a three-room place that is dilapidated is $10 per month. When it rains you have to move out. In addition, we have to pay for water and electricity, if you are fortunate enough to have it. Otherwise we do all our cooking and heating with coal and wood stoves, and this boosts our rent. This shows a comparison between what we make and what it would cost us to be able to live decently. Actually we can't. We are forced to take our children out of school to put them to work and also to put our wives to work so that we may be able to keep our families together. Many of our sons have willingly and ably fought in this war to protect our country. We feel that we are entitled to te able to live like every American family wants to live-in a good home with elec tricity and heat, good food, and decent clothing. We want to impress upon Congress the need for establishing at least a 65-cent-per-hour minimum wage that will at least help us a little along the road toward securing just that. Week's earnings Below is statement of your time with Deductions: leductions, week ending: Current tax payment $0. 20 tax____ Old-age benefit tax__ 19 $18.98 18. 59 $16. 64 Name: Hattie M. Hopkins. .37 P. R. No. 39. Week's earnings.... Deductions: Current tax payment $0. 10 tax__. Old-age benefit tax__ 16. 27 Net amount due employee_ . 14 $14.40 14. 16 To employee: The above statement of wages due you for the indicated period shows the amount deducted for old-age benefit insurance required by Federal Social Security Act. This envelope should be retained by you as a record of your employment under provisions of the Act. F. S. ROYSTER GUANO Co. Important: Keep this envelope as Superintendent helperour statement of earnings and deduc- Roustabout- 55 45 Truck driver.. 50 ons. ESTIMONY OF JERRY SCALF, EMPLOYEE OF AMERICAN ZINC CO. OF TENNESSEE, MASCOT, TENN., AND MEMBER OF LOCAL 188, INTERNATIONAL UNION OF MINE, MILL, AND SMELTER WORKERS, CIO My home is in Mascot, Tenn. I work for the American Zinc Co. at its zinc ine in Mascot. There are about 650 men employed at this mine. More than lf of these men make 67 cents an hour or less; 87 of them make 58 cents. I am submitting recent pay slips for John H. Hart, William L. Davis, and Roy McMurtry, showing that over a course of several weeks every cent of wages is deducted by the company for groceries, rent, medical fees, and taxes. y slips are typical for the majority of the employees of this company. y for week ending April 7, 1945. te paid, Apr. 15, 1945. ne: Roy E. McMurtry. reman: 17. Deductions-Continued. Store orders___ These $8. 15 1.00 2.00 17.05 1.80 30.81 Page 44. Line Milk AMERICAN ZINC CO. OF TENNESSEE |