Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - V. Social Movements - 1. Labour Questions and Social politics - Legislation for the Protection of Workers. (Factory Laws etc.). By M. Marcus and J. A. E. Molin
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v. social movements.
ference at Berlin of 1890 gave to reforms in this line, there was appointed
in 1891 a new Committee for the Protection of Workers. This Committee
was entrusted with the task of inquiring into the effects of the Statute
of 1881, and of considering how far the principles adopted at the Berlin
Conference might he applied to Sweden.
The Committee brought forward its proposals in 1892. But it was not
till eight years later that the Government introduced into the Riksdag a
Bill based on its proposals. The Bill with certain minor amendments was
accepted by the Riksdag, and on the 17th October 1900 was passed the Act
relating to the Employment of Children and Women in Industrial Labour,
The Act applied, broadly speaking, to industrial enterprises driven on the
scale of a factory. It thus superseded the Statute of 1881, except with regard
to the employment of children in handicrafts or other minor trades. The
minimum age prescribed by the Act, as also the prohibition against night labour,
corresponded in essentials to the regulations of the earlier Statute. The hours of
labour were extended to 10 hours likewise for children of 13 years. Subject to
the condition of a certain division into shifts, the hours of labour for boys over
14 to be in mines, saw-mills, and in industrial enterprises in which fire was
continually kept up, were permitted to extend to 12 hours, and to embrace any
period of time in the 24 hours. The effect of these regulations was to sanction
the extensive exemptions from the Statute of 1881 which the Government had
found itself impelled to grant. The Act provided for an annual medical
inspection of children employed in labour, which was a new feature, but made
abatements in the required standard of education. As for female workers, the sole
prohibitions made were against their being caused to work during the four
weeks after child-birth, and against their being employed under ground in mines
and quarries. Finally, it was prescribed — and this would appear to be,
practically speaking, the most important improvement made by the Act — that
supervision of labour should be entrusted to the Government inspectors of trades.
Official inspection of trädas (factory inspection) had then already
existed for some ten years, although the observance of the regulations
made for the employment of children had not been subject to its control.
Inspection of trades was provided for by the Protection of Workers Act
of the 10th May 1889.
Previous to the issue of this law there had not existed in Sweden any
general and effective legislation with the object of preventing accidents
incurred in work. The provision of the "Liberty of Trade Ordinance"
(Närings frihets förordning) that employers of labour should " in the treatment
and employment of their workers pay due attention to their health and
capacity for work", must be regarded practically as well-meant advice. About as
effective must have been the prescription contained in the Statute of Public
Health that factories and other industries should not be constructed,
equipped, or driven in such a way that they would be prejudicial to the
health of the workers. In 1884 S. A. Hedin introduced a private Bill in the
Riksdag advocating the drafting of a law providing for precautions against
accidents in work in certain trades, etc. The Bill was passed, and the
Government appointed a Committee, which was termed the Workmens’ Insu-
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