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An example to Ontario
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Minimum wage regulations
reduce messenger robberies
Toronto Star, December 26, 1940
The plight of young delivery boys has been allayed somewhat in Toronto
within recent months but the deep-set core remains. Since last October,
as a result of the early-closing by-law and the co-operation of the
retail druggists’ association, fewer boys have been exposed to the
danger of being robbed but a large number are still unprotected in
their working conditions.
The improvements that have been made do not yet meet the problems,
which confront the bike messenger boys in this city; and elsewhere in
the province their conditions are worse than in Toronto. These juvenile
workers have to cope not only with non-working hours, which for some of
them extend late into the night, but also unsatisfactory wages and
other working conditions. Young boys are asked to carry heavier loads
on their bicycles and those have to be transported on roads which even
motor cars find difficult and dangerous. For work, which is fraught
with responsibility and frequently excessive strain, the boys receive
comparatively low pay. In the December issue of the Toronto Welfare
Council’s bulletin, Mr. L, E. Smith of the Big Brother Movement of
Toronto points out in an article on this subject:
“The robbery of the boys is merely an indication of the underlying
causes. Boys 13-19 years of age are asked to work under
conditions that are difficult and dangerous both physically and
psychologically. Cold, dark winter nights, icy poorly lighted streets
and lanes, orders late at night, too heavy loads, deliveries made to
side doors, competition between employers, carelessness and
unreasonableness on the part of customers – all have contributed to
this type of misdemeanor. Then, too low wages and long hours tend to
make the young messenger feel that his employer is taking advantage of
him. His hours of work vary from 8:00am to 11:00pm, his wages $5 per
week.
The need in Toronto is, as was found elsewhere, specific legislation
designed to protect this class of employees. Such legislation will also
protect the interest of the fair employers. In this respect the
province of British Columbia offers an example that might profitably be
studied here. Protection for messenger boys and those who employ them
is provided in that province through the Male Minimum Wage Act and the
Hours of Work Act. Among other items are stipulated minimum wage rates,
and limitation of hours of work to 48 in a week and 8 in a day.
The minimum hourly rates of pay for messenger boys are graded from 15
cents for workers under 17 years of age to 35 cents per hour for those
of 20 years and under 21 and 40 cents per hour thereafter. Uniforms are
required to be provided by the employer and other arrangements are
subject to the Minimum Wage Board. In British Columbia it is stated,
the application of these regulations has made robberies among
messengers a rarity and has reduced other problems among this class of
employees.
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