As an indication of the possibilities of this development, the
experience of the State of New Jersey co-operating with this section
may be cited. In order to overcome possible objection which labor
might have to the introduction of emergency training a program was
agreed on, after a series of conferences, which was heartily approved
by all the employers and by the representatives of the employees.
Some of the clauses of this agreement are as follows:
“All skilled labor available within the surrounding territory should
be brought into the essential war industries before it is unduly
diluted by the introduction of unskilled labor. When such dilution is
necessary, and in the opinion of the committee that time has already
arrived, the more skilled activities should be supplied by training
those already at work and successful in handling the lesser skilled
activities of the same general type. The lesser skilled activities
should be supplied by training those already skilled in non-essential
activities and not engaged at present in essential war industries,
and who, because of such skill, are peculiarly capable of quickly
learning the rudiments of the new activities.
“Exploitation of labor and reduction of wages through dilution for
war purposes is to be avoided, and to this end persons brought into
an essential industry, or promoted from one grade of work to another,
are to be paid the prevailing rate of wages for the class of work for
which they have been trained, after a training period of reasonable
duration.
“Dilution of labor by the employment of women when necessary is
recommended, provided women receive wages equal to men for the class
of work performed by them, and provided the working conditions
surrounding their activities are carefully controlled for their
comfort and well-being.”