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INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS AND LABOR CONDITIONS.

Resolutions of Annual Convention of Canadian Manufacturers' Association.1

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MONG the resolutions adopted at the fifty-first annual general meeting of the Canadian Manufacturers' Association, at St. Andrews, New Brunswick, June 20 to 23, 1922, was one urging that the Government "intensify its efforts to increase desirable and necessary immigration, especially from other countries of the British Empire." Resolutions were also passed instructing the association's education committee to study the possibilities of extending industrial research through the organization's trade sections or in individual plants; and recording the association's opinion "that workmen's compensation boards should be judicial in character"; that if this principle is not observed, equal representation should be accorded those paying and those receiving compensation; that no legislation except that concerning the administration of the acts should be initiated by the compensation boards, and that employees should make some contribution to the total cost for the purpose of stimulating their interest in the economical administration of the funds.

The need of giving prompt and careful attention to the question of the probable growing shortage of skilled men was emphasized by the committee, which also declared that "the only solution of the so-called problem of industrial relations is the development of the spirit of mutual good will and cooperation instead of one of antagonism."

While the committee expressed its thorough approval of the principle of "freedom of employment," irrespective of church or union affiliation, "it feels that the common interests of employers and employed would be greatly furthered if some form of cooperative working, adapted as might be applicable thereto, were introduced in the particular units of industry."

The closing section of the report reads as follows:

A considerable increase in the development of works councils and shop committees which are, of course, forms of cooperative working, has been noticeable during the past year, particularly in the United States, but also, to a lesser degree, in Canada. Your committee watched with interest what would happen to these works councils when it became necessary for wage reductions to be put into effect. As a matter of fact, in the majority of cases, in the United States particularly, those industries which had developed a works council were able to make wage reductions with less trouble and bitterness than industries which had no works councils. Your committee feels that the development of works councils is in accord with the policy of the employers of Canada as laid down at the National Industrial Conference in September, 1919, to the effect that dealings between employers and employees should be within the particular plant or unit of industry.

1 Industrial Canada, Toronto, July, 1922, pp. 131, 132, and 156, 157.

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Labor Conditions in Spain in 1921.

CCORDING to a consular report from Barcelona, Spain, under date of July 15, 1922, there was a decided improvement in labor conditions in Spain during 1921 in spite of increased unemployment due to the industrial depression and the maintenance of high prices for the necessaries of life, which prevented any marked reduction in wages. This improvement was especially marked in Catalonia, the industrial region of the country. Although small strikes occurred from time to time, particularly during the early part of the year, usually on account of demands for higher wages, the general labor situation in Catalonia in 1921 may be said to have been quiet and unmarked by serious strikes or disturbances. Because of the business depression many textile establishments were compelled to adopt a three-day week schedule, which the employees willingly accepted, as otherwise many factories would have been forced to close down altogether. The peak of unemployment was reached the latter part of March, when about 60,000 textile workers were thrown out of employment, over 300 factories being shut down.

Strikes of some importance occurred in the Asturias mines and also among metallurgical plants in Bilbao, and there was a considerable increase in forced unemployment in these regions during part of the year, but on the whole fabor conditions throughout the country were generally improved as compared with 1920.

PRICES AND COST OF LIVING.

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Retail Prices of Food in the United States.

HE following tables are based on figures which have been received by the Bureau of Labor Statistics from retail dealers through monthly reports of actual selling prices.

Table 1 shows for the United States retail prices of food on August 15, 1921, and on July 15 and August 15, 1922, as well as the percentage changes in the year and in the month. For example, the price of onions per pound was 5.3 cents on August 15, 1921; 7 cents on July 15, 1922; and 5.9 cents on August 15, 1922. These figures show an increase of 11 per cent in the year but a decrease of 16 per cent in the month.

The cost of the various articles of food, combined, showed a decrease of 10 per cent in August, 1922, as compared with August, 1921, and a decrease of 2 per cent in August, 1922, as compared with July, 1922.

TABLE 1.-AVERAGE RETAIL PRICES OF SPECIFIED FOOD ARTICLES AND PER CENT OF INCREASE OR DECREASE AUGUST 15, 1922, COMPARED WITH JULY 15, 1922, AND AUGUST 15, 1921.

[Percentage changes of five-tenths of 1 per cent and over are given in whole numbers.]

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1 In addition to monthly retail prices of food and coal, the bureau secures prices of gas and dry goods from each of 51 cities and for electricity from 32 cities. These prices are published at quarterly intervals in the MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW.

The following 22 articles, weighted according to the consumption of the average family, have been used from January, 1913, to December, 1920: Sirloin steak, round steak, rib roast, chuck roast, plate beef, pork chops, bacon, ham, lard, hens, flour, corn meal, eggs, butter, milk, bread, potatoes, suger, cheese, rice, coffee, and tea. The remainder of the 43 articles shown in Tables 1 and 2 have been included in the weighted aggregates for each month, beginning with January, 1921.

TABLE 1.--AVERAGE RETAIL PRICES OF SPECIFIED FOOD ARTICLES AND PER CENT OF INCREASE OR DECREASE AUGUST 15, 1922, COMPARED WITH JULY 15, 1922, AND AUGUST 15, 1921-Concluded.

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Table 2 shows for the United States average retail prices of specified food articles on August 15, 1913 and 1914, and on August 15 of each year from 1917 to 1922, together with the percentage changes in August of each of these specified years compared with August, 1913. For example, the price of strictly fresh eggs per dozen was 33 cents in August, 1913; 33.2 cents in August, 1914; 46.1 cents in August, 1917; 53.6 cents in August, 1918; 60.2 cents in August, 1919; 63.6 cents in August, 1920; 47.6 cents in August, 1921; and 37.1 cents in August, 1922. As compared with the average price in August, 1913, these figures show the following percentage increases: 1 per cent in August, 1914; 40 per cent in August, 1917; 62 per cent in August, 1918; 82 per cent in August, 1919; 93 per cent in August, 1920; 44 per cent in August, 1921; and 12 per cent in 1922.

The cost of the various articles of food, combined, showed an increase of 37 per cent in August, 1922, as compared with August, 1913.

TABLE 2.-AVERAGE RETAIL PRICES OF SPECIFIED FOOD ARTICLES AND PER CENT OF INCREASE OR DECREASE AUGUST 15 OF CERTAIN SPECIFIED YEARS COMPARED WITH AUGUST 15, 1913.

[Percentage changes of five-tenths of 1 per cent and over are given in whole numbers.]

Article.

Unit.

Average retail price Aug. 15

Per cent of increase (+) or decrease (-) Aug. 15 of each specified year compared with Aug. 13, 1913.

1913 1914 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1914 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922

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38-ounce package.

4 28-ounce package.

6 No. 2 can.

See note 2, p. 25.

Table 3 shows the changes in the retail price of each of 22 articles of food as well as the changes in the amounts of these articles that could be purchased for $1, each year, 1913 to 1921, and in August, 1922.

Although monthly prices of 43 food articles have been secured since January, 1919, prices of only 22 of these articles have been secured each month since 1913.

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