FROM JULY 1, 1921, TO JUNE 30, 1922-(Concluded)

Result of intervention

Result of strike

Mediator interviewed representatives of both sides.

Mediator interviewed both sides and ascertained that settlement would be effected.

Conference arranged by mediator and settlement effected.

Several conferences arranged by mediator and settlement effected. Mediator endeavored to arrange joint conference; representative of company refused to deal with members of the union..

Mediator interviewed representative of company..

Efforts to arrange joint conference unsuccessful.

Strike averted.

Strike averted.
Compromise.
Strike won.

Strike pending.
Strike pending.
Strike lost.

ENFORCEMENT OF SECTION 220 OF THE LABOR LAW

The report of the work done under and pursuant to section 220 of the Labor Law, is attached hereto in schedule and statistical form, as the work of Henry B. Whitney, Confidential Agent of the Department of Labor.

In the last annual report attention was called to the necessity of amending section 56, subdivision 35, of the Code of Criminal Procedure of the State of New York, by adding the words, "and labor laws." Such amendment was accomplished by the legis lature of 1922. Already the wisdom of such amendment has been demonstrated.

Attention is called to the advisability of either re-enacting so much of old section 3 of the Labor Law relating to withholding money from contractors who have failed to comply with the prevailing rate of wages, or striking from section 220 the words "on which the contractor has been convicted of a second offense in violation of the provision of this section." The writer believes that it is not advisable to make the payment of money under contract contingent upon the conviction of crime as a second offense, and I trust that similar statute to that introduced in the 1922 legislature may be enacted in support of this work.

While the work accomplished during the last year has been on the whole very satisfactory, I believe that broadening the enforcement power conferred by section 220 as above suggested would assist the carrying out of the intent of this section, and while the work is continuously being extended as is shown by comparison of this annual report with that of last year, which was the first year a report was made, yet it is of sufficient importance to require and properly use such additional power.

SEAMAN F. NORTHRUP,

Director, Bureau of Industrial Relations.

Date of investigation

Result of investigation

TABULAR SUMMARY OF INVESTIGATIONS MADE BY HENRY B. WHITNEY FROM JULY 1, 1921 TO JUNE 30, 1922

LOCALITY

Contractor

Job

Immediate compliance and report submitted. Report submitted.

Immediate compliance and re-
port submitted.

Immediate compliance and re-
port submitted.

Immediate compliance and re-
port submitted.
Report submitted.

Immediate compliance and re-
port submitted.

Immediate compliance and re-
port submitted.

Immediate compliance and re-
port submitted.
Report submitted.

Immediate compliance and re-
port submitted.

Immediate compliance and re-
port submitted.

Immediate compliance and re-
port submitted.

Immediate compliance and re-
port submitted.
Report submitted.

Immediate compliance and report submitted.

Report submitted.

Immediate compliance and report submitted. Report submitted.

Date of investigation

Result of investigation

TABULAR SUMMARY OF INVESTIGATIONS MADE BY HENRY B. WHITNEY FROM JULY 1, 1921 TO JUNE 30, 1922-Continued

PREVAILING RATE OF WAGES (PUBLIC WORK COMPLAINTS)

DIVISION OF EMPLOYMENT

The year 1921-1922 began under most unfavorable conditions. The State was going through a period of great industrial unrest. Serious unemployment existed in nearly all industries and there was a general business depression. In January, 1922, the Buffalo agency adopted various methods for attracting the attention of the public to the seriousness of the situation. Through the local press they sent out an appeal to house owners generally to provide all possible incidental jobs such as rough painting, cleaning yards, minor repairs, etc.; to employers to manufacture for stock to the limit of resources and to rotate groups of employees on a part-time basis; to the municipal officials to undertake immediately certain repairing and construction projects, previously authorized and held in abeyance, and suggested the adoption of the rotation plan as to employees in public works and park departments. During the winter months of 1921-1922, all of these suggestions were more or less effectively carried out.

In Dunkirk it was necessary to organize a relief organization. In the city of Rochester, a widely circulated questionnaire disclosed the fact that almost half the working population was either employed part time or not at all. During the summer when the railroad strikes threatened to paralize the State, Rochester also had strikes among the shoe workers, and soup kitchens were opened for the second time in the history of the city. Emergency reliefs measures were resorted to and the available jobs went to heads of families, self-supporting girls and returned soldiers.

Albany and Syracuse did not experience the idleness and suffering of many other cities. The President of the Chamber of Commerce of Albany called a conference of all charity organizations for a discussion of the employment problem and to make plans for the winter. This conference decided that the State agency was capable of handling the situation and no special committees were appointed. Syracuse recovered rapidly and by April there was no unemployment trouble and the demand soon became greater than the supply.

In the Greater City business was depressing for the first six months but early in the spring in New York and Brooklyn the building trades became very active.

In spite of the re-organization of the Division of Employment, the cut in personnel and the unfavorable conditions of the first six months, the agencies maintained made more placements during the year 1921-1922 than during the previous year. At the present time there is no real unemployment problem in the State. of New York. In fact, the shortage of unskilled labor is becoming serious; this condition is also true of domestic help. All through the summer, farmers were seriously handicapped by disinclination of men to work on farms.