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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legislation for the protection of workers. (factory laws etc.) 709
basis of the terms of the Convention. A Bill was then drafted in close
conformity with the Committee’s proposals, and was brought before the
Riksdag in 1908. The Bill, which met with vehement opposition from female
quarters, was thrown out by the Riksdag. However, in the following j’ear
bills were introduced into both Chambers for the acceptance of the
proposals of 1908. Although the Bill in this form still gave rise to opposition
from the feminine element and from other quarters, it was nevertheless
passed by the Riksdag, and was issued in the 20th November 1909 as the
Act Prohibiting the ’Employment of Women at Night in certain Industrial
Enterprises.
The problem as to the legal regulation of the hours of labour in trade,
was one that solicited the keen interest of the body of traders in certain
towns as early as about 1900. Proposals for an inquiry into the subject
were not brought before the Riksdag till 1904. These proposals came up
before it again in the two years following, and led in 1906 to
representations being made to the Government to consider whether, and on what
conditions, communes might be entitled to determine a certain period
during which shops situated within the municipal district should be kept
closed. The "Central Association for Social Work" set on foot in 1907
an investigation into the matter, with special reference to the retail trade
of Stockholm. This investigation, which embraced 2 691 shops with 5 198
shop assistants, showed inter alia that only 6 % of the shops coming under
the investigation had a working day of less than 12 hours, 33 °/o being
kept open for 12 hours, 25 % for 13, 16 % for 14, 13 % for 15, and 7 °Jo
for more than 15 hours out of the 24. A Bill on the subject, partly
based on this inquiry was brought before the Riksdag in 1909, and its
proposals for a "Law prohibiting the Carrying on of Trade on
Weekdays beyond a certain Period of Time", were accepted by the Riksdag in
essentials. The corresponding Act was afterwards issued on the 5th June
1909. By a special resolution the Riksdag in 1912 amended the Act so
as also to apply to Sundays and holidays.
II. legislation now|in force.
1. Protection of Workers Act (29th June 1912). The most
characteristic feature of this Act is the range of its application. Broadly
speaking, it may be said aim at preventing or rendering it possible to redress
any kinds of evils coming within the scope of protective legislation, no
matter in what species of work the evil may occur, or what class
of workers it may afflict. The Act is thus essentially a general and
fundamental protective law, the regulations of which in order to be
effectively applied in different spheres, require to be further developed in
various respects by special laws to eke out and supplement it.
Scope of the Act. The Act applies to any kind of business, whether indu*
strial or not, in which workpeople are employed to work for the account of an
employer, as well as to house building, road and works construction, water
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