Note 134 — Chapter IX · —THE LIVING WAGE
Reading edition
A number of collective agreements in which the arrangements for wage adjustment to price decline are similar to those suggested here, have recently been negotiated in England. The wage scales established in 1919 for many grades of railroad workers are an example. So also, the agreement of the Wool Textile Industrial Council, in October, 1919. The following agreement made for the Yorkshire Dyeing and Finishing Industry in March, 1919, may be given as an example.
"(7) When the index figure as defined in classes 4 and 5 hereof exceeds 107 per cent. the War Wages shall be:—
"To male and female timeworkers—107.90 per cent. of the basis wage.
"To male and female pressworkers—85.672 per cent. of the basis wage.
"To hand pressers—64.254 per cent. of the basis wage, and when the index figure is 107 or less, but not less than 100, the percentage war wages of timeworkers shall be equal to the index figures; for every 1 per cent. decrease in the index figure below 100 the war wages of timeworkers shall be decreased ¾ of 1 per cent. The ratio of percentage war wages of timeworkers, pieceworkers and pressers respectively, shall for all index figures, be the same as that shown for index figures, exceeding 107."