Their second contention is that the minimum
wage offered is fair and just when the $45 per
week for day work is compared with the mini-
mum wage for day work in thirty-six principal'
cities in the United States, many of Which are in
close competition with New York city. Consider
the further fact that the actual living costs ia
New York are not as high as in many of these
other cities and in some of the competing cities.
This latter contention will be further emphasized
later on by the showing which we will make of
the conditions governing the wage. For example,
we will show that New York Publishers get
forty-five hours of production for a week's wage,
whereas other competing publishers get forty-
eight hours of production; some have preferences
in overtime; preferences in the selection of their
forces ; preferences in more flexibility of hours ;
preferences in paying for only what is produced—
the piece scale; no restrictions of the employment
of extra men without extra price, and for parts
of a day.
A perusal and comparison of the proportion
offered here (to which we have agreed), with
similar propositions in scales in other cities and
the New York Book and Job Scale, shows the
many exactions and restrictions.
The Publishers having concluded the discussion
of the subject of wages, will now take up the
working conditions, that is to say, the service of
the members of the Typographical Union which
the Publishers will receive in return for the wage.
