SWEATING SYSTEM. The practice pur sued by certain manufacturers, particularly of clothing, of giving out piece work to individuals on which the work is to be done at home and at starvation wages.
The system is a survival of the household form of industry that still exists in certain trades in large cities. The term 'sweater' was used first by journeymen tailors in London, who worked long hours. As more work was given out, the home worker employed his family and out siders, and thus a system of sub-contract de veloped in which the middleman was called the sweater. To-day 'the sweating system' designates the fag end of all industries, low wages and bad conditions prevail. The work is on a cheap grade of goods, principally cigars, bread made in cellars, candy, and garments. The people sweated belong to a low class of unskilled labor, generally foreign born. The sub-contractors usually are Jews.
Evils of the sweat shop are long hours—ten to eighteen hours a day, including Sunday; over crowding in the shops and surrounding tene ments; unsanitary conditions in the work rooms and tenement houses, laeking in light, air, and cleanliness; child labor, very young girls and boys often running the machines; disease and de formity brought on by confinement and dust; irregularity of the work; and poor pay. The chief causes of the sweating system are (1) the exces sive supply of unskilled labor; (2) an economic advantage to large dealers. in having their work
done in small shops, thereby saving rent and evading factory laws, in cheap labor, in the ina bility of isolated workers to combine, and in the irregularity of work; (3) finally, the irresponsi bility of employers, and the indifference of the public.
Among proposed remedies may be mentioned (I) stringent legislation. hacked by public opin ion, to force these kinds of work into large shops and factories; (2) cooperative production; (3) trade unions for unskilled workers; (4) pub lic workshops; (5) restriction of foreign immigra tion; (6)an eight-hour day; (7)consumers' longue. Factory laws of Ohio, Massachusetts, Illinois, and New York require licenses, or permits, de scribing rooms in which work may be done. sachusetts only enforces such laws successfully; and she cannot protect herself against srkent shop goods from elsewhere.
i;IBLIOERAPIIY. Banks, White Slaves (Bos ton, 18112) ; Dobson, Problem of Poverty (Lon don, 1801); Hull Rouse .11 ups and Papers (New York, 18J8); .1 Social ,s'cicts CC .Issociu lion Journal, 30, 57; Bailcd States Labor Com mission Bulletin /I. 1896 ) ; Factory ln sinvtors' Report 1895-96). See CON