Indian Jute Mills Association. Labour Department. Labour Investigation Committee. Answers to General Questionaire

Question 11.—W ould you advocate the extension of the Pament of Wages Act to any industry not at present covered by it and if so why ? Answer If the scope of the Factories Act is extended to cover he inumerable and varied types of establishmeLts which employed 3 tnillion workers in 1939 and were outside the purview of the Act the Payment of Wages Act might also be extended to apply to sitch [...] Owing to possible repercussions on the War effort the Association have recommended that for the duration of the war no changes should be attempted by any members in their existing rates until the question is taken up by the Association themselves on the basis of the standardisation of the. entire industry. [...] Answer No scientific principles were adopted in the fixation of wages the only determinants being the excess of supply over demancl of workers which has had an important influence on wages throughout the career of the industry up to the outbreak of the present war. [...] On receipt of a complaint the Labour Officer makes an impartial inqury into the case taking into account the managements version on the matter also and then submits his report in duplicate one of which is forwarded to the Managing Agent of the Mill19 concerned the other being for the information and.scrutiny of the Special Labour Sub-Committee of the Association. [...] deal with the problems of (a) sub-letting (b) occupation of quarters by workers in the employ of others and (c) eviction ? Answer Allocation of rooms.—The person or persons in charge of allocating the rooms to the workers and the methods of allocation differ from mill to mill.