B is a master scavager (a small contractor, though the instances are not confined to this class), and a “Grinder.” He pays 1s. a week less than the “regular wages” of the honourable trade. He employs six men; hence the amount that the workmen in his pay are mulct of every year is as follows:—
| Sum received per Annum. | Sum they should receive. | Difference. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| £ | s. | £ | s. | £ | s. | |
| 6 men, at 15s. a week, for 9 months in the year | 175 | 10 | 187 | 4 | 11 | 14 |
Here the loss to the men is 11l. 14s. per annum, and there is but one such grinder among the 19 master scavagers who have contracts at present.
3. The third and last method of reducing the earnings of the men as above enumerated, is by a combination of both the systems before explained, viz., by grinding and driving united, that is to say, by not only paying the men a smaller wage than the more honourable masters, but by compelling them to work longer hours as well. Let me cite another illustration from the trade.
C is a large contractor, and both a grinder and driver. He employs 28 men, and not only pays them less wages, but makes them work longer hours than the better class of employers. The men in his pay, therefore, are annually mulct of the following sums.
| SUMS THE MEN RECEIVE. | SUMS THEY SHOULD RECEIVE. | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| £ | s. | d. | £ | s. | d. | ||
| 7 Gangers, at 16s. a week, for 9 months in the year | 218 | 8 | 0 | 7 Gangers, at 18s. a week, for 9 months in the year | 245 | 14 | 0 |
| 21 Sweepers, at 15s. a week | 614 | 5 | 0 | Over work, 4 hours per day | 61 | 8 | 6 |
| 832 | 13 | 0 | 21 Sweepers, at 16s. a week, 12 hours a day | 655 | 4 | 0 | |
| Over work, 4 hours a day | 163 | 6 | 0 | ||||
| 1125 | 12 | 6 | |||||
Here the annual loss to the men employed by this one master is 292l. 19s. 6d.
Among the 19 master scavagers there are altogether 7 employers who are both grinders and drivers. These employ among them no less than 111 hands; hence, the gross amount of which their workmen are yearly defrau—no, let me adhere to the principles of political economy, and say deprived—is as under:—
| SUM THE MEN ANNUALLY RECEIVE. | SUM THEY SHOULD ANNUALLY RECEIVE. | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| £ | s. | d. | £ | s. | d. | ||
| 28 Gangers, at 16s. a week, employed for 9 months in the year | 873 | 12 | 0 | 28 Gangers, at 18s. a week (12 hours a day), for 9 months in the year | 982 | 16 | 0 |
| 83 Sweepers, at 15s. a week, employed for 9 months in the year | 2427 | 15 | 0 | Over work, 4 hours per day | 245 | 14 | 0 |
| 3301 | 7 | 0 | 83 Sweepers, at 16s. a week, 12 hours a day | 2589 | 12 | 0 | |
| Over work, 4 hours per day | 647 | 8 | 0 | ||||
| 4465 | 10 | 0 | |||||
Here we perceive the gross loss to the operatives from the system of combined grinding and driving to be no less than 1164l. 3s. per annum.