The benefits provided include financial assistance during illness, death benefits, and a gift payment at marriage. The organization in addition has offered to its members, and to nonmembers also, classes in shorthand, typing, commercial subjects, English, and home economics. Free legal advisory service is made available. Series of lectures, social affairs, excursions, and the use of the library and club rooms are provided. The club has worked for the improvement of labor legislation for white-collar employees. For women they have requested a seating law for places of work and a minimum and an annual wage.

LABOR AND SOCIAL LEGISLATION

LABOR LEGISLATION AFFECTING WOMEN

The labor laws of Peru relating to women are in general an expression of the traditional attitude toward women, that of safeguarding their welfare, and in particular the welfare of mothers. The hours law was undoubtedly an effort to make the lot of wage-earning women easier by shortening their workweek and at the same time protecting their wages. The law has not always proved advantageous, for some employers have found ways of getting around it. Some laws on the statute books are difficult to enforce, for example, those regulating industrial home work (which are difficult to enforce in all countries). As in other countries visited in South America, there was only partial compliance to the law requiring créches in work establishments employing a certain number of women and to the law requiring seats when the work permitted. However, the principal problem voiced by women workers whenever asked was "wages."

Hours Legislation

An 8-hour day and a 45-hour week are established by law for women. Women may not work on Sundays or civic holidays except with authorization by the Labor Department; then the workday must not exceed 8 hours and there must always be a weekly rest day.

On Saturdays, women may not work more than 5 hours, and the work must end by 3 o'clock; they must be paid for a full day's work -that is, for 8 hours instead of 5. If the nature of the work demands that women work a full day on Saturday, they shall have Monday off until 2 p. m. for rest; and the work time on Monday shall not exceed 5 hours. In this instance also they must be paid for a full day's work.

In case of necessity, when exceptions to the length of the workday are granted by the Labor Department, the workday shall never be more than 10 hours, and permission can be secured for not more than 60 days of 10 hours' work, including day and night work, during

the year.

Night work from 8 p. m. to 7 a. m. is prohibited for women.

A 2 hours' rest period at midday is required.

Wage Legislation

As already indicated, women cannot work more than 45 hours a week but must be paid for 48. The Constitution of 1933 of Peru provides for a law to fix a minimum wage for workers. Studies have been made preparatory to establishing a minimum wage and included an investi

gation by a committee named by the House of Representatives. The law, however, has not yet been passed. Article 1572 of the Civil Code states: "A wage adequate for the necessities of life is due the laborer for his work."

Minimum wages for certain employments have been fixed by Government decree. As already stated (see page 27), after careful studies were made of the textile and baking industries, wage increases were ordered for these two industries in 1940 and 1941. The investigations have been continued in these industries, and others, and further increases have been ordered. Minimum wages were also established in 1944 by Government decree for clerical employees in private

concerns.

Industrial home workers must be paid the same wages as those who work in shops or factories, and their daily earnings from piece rates must equal the daily wage of workers in shops or factories on corresponding work.

As in many of the other American Nations, provision is made for a dismissal wage instead of for unemployment compensation. The law includes the following provisions: Companies with a capital of less than 500,000 soles are required to give manual workers upon dismissal 6 days' pay for each year after 3 months' trial employment if they have not worked on Sundays, and 7 days' pay if they worked on Sundays; clerical and commercial employees shall be paid one-half of a month's wages. Companies with a capital of more than 500,000 soles are required to give laborers 15 days' pay for each year after 3 months' trial employment; clerical employees must be paid one month's wages for each year or fraction of a year exceeding 3 months. Women who are dismissed without just cause must receive 2 months' salary or wages. If a woman who is pregnant is dismissed within the 3 months before or after confinement, she is entitled to 90 days' wages, without losing her right to compensation provided in her work contract. Salaries and wages cannot be attached, except for debts for food, and then only up to one-third of the wages.

Other Legislation

Vacations.-Workers who work Sundays are entitled to paid vacations of 15 workdays; those who do not work Sundays to 13. Clerical and commercial employees are entitled to 1 month.

Maternity Leave and Benefits.-Under the Social Security System of Peru women workers are entitled to 50 percent of their wages during 36 days before and 36 days after childbirth. This takes the place of the provisions of the labor law requiring employers to pay women 60 percent of their wages during the 20 days before and 40 days after

confinement they are not permitted to work. Women receiving 50 percent of their wages from social security cannot claim maternity leave wages from the employer. Women cannot work for wages at any employment and receive maternity leave pay at the same time. The Social Security System of Peru provides general or special medical care and hospital services for maternity as well as sickness. For 8 months after the birth of the child, women are further entitled to a "nursing" subsidy, equal to 25 percent of their salary, in cash or in milk coupons.

Nurseries in Factories.-Every work establishment that employs over 25 women, 18 years of age and older, must provide a room suitably equipped where mothers can receive and attend their babies up to the time the babies are one year of age. Several employers may establish a joint nursery.

Mothers are allowed a total of 1 hour a day for nursing their babies. This time is not deductible from wages.

Seats. If the work permits, chairs must be provided for women workers.

Accident Compensation.-Compensation for accidents is increased by 25 percent if the victim is a woman.

THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

The Labor Department in Peru is in the Ministry of Justice and Labor. The functions of the Department concerned with the administration of labor law and the welfare of workers are carried out by the following divisions: Conciliation Division and Labor Tribunals; an Inspection Division which includes safety inspection among its responsibilities; and a Technical Division which is responsible for special studies, statistics, labor legislation and labor standards, compilation of trade union data, and publications. In 1945 a Division for Woman and Child Workers was established. Regional offices in different sections of Peru have responsibility for inspection, conciliation, and compiling statistics.

Workers come to the Department in Lima and to the regional offices for help and advice.

SOCIAL INSURANCE

The most outstanding achievement in improving social conditions is the social insurance system of Peru. The law of 1936 and 1937 includes all except clerical workers but has not yet been made obligatory for those employed in domestic work." Coverage includes sick

However, domestic employees may voluntarily enter the social insurance system and receive the same benefits as other workers, in which case the employer and the government must pay their corresponding percentages.

ness, maternity, disability, old age, and death. The worker may insure his family by making a small additional payment.

The plan is financed by the Government, from taxes paid by the employer on pay rolls and by the worker on wages, from additional taxes levied on tobacco and alcoholic drinks, from fines for certain law infractions, and from legacies, donations, etc.

Hospitals and clinics are being erected under the plan in centers of population throughout the country, and medical assistance posts are being established even more rapidly. These posts are in rural communities and small towns where the population is not large enough for a hospital or clinic. Some hospitals are already functioning. The Workers' Hospital in Lima is a modern, well-run institution, providing both hospital and clinical services.

HOUSING AND RESTAURANTS FOR WORKERS Low-Cost Housing

Low-cost housing projests have been built by the Government, and an official housing-inspection service has secured improvements in hundreds of privately owned buildings. Up to 1941 there were three projects for industrial workers in Lima; these contained a total of 366 family units. The houses of one project, called "La Victoria," are built around a large recreation field which has a swimming pool at one end. A social worker and a physical education director are employed for this project. Other cities, like Callao (the port city), Trujillo, and Arequipa, have low-cost houses for workers also. Low-Cost Restaurants

The first low-cost restaurant was opened in Lima in 1934. In 1941 there were three in Lima, one in Callao, and one in Oroya, the mining center. In 1940 and the first 5 months of 1941, more than 21⁄2 million meals at 20 and 30 centavos were served. Over 5 million breakfasts and lunches were given free of charge to school children, and meals were also furnished in some welfare and other institutions. Plans are under way for establishing additional restaurants for commercial employees and students.8

Scarcities caused by the war and by transportation difficulties have increased the cost of food and other supplies. This, added to an already low standard of living, created serious difficulties for working people. The Government set up price controls, bought foodstuffs and retailed them directly, and required a certain percentage of the arable land to be used for rice and other foodstuffs instead of crops like cotton which produce higher profits.

• Restaurants for commercial employees and students have been established since June 1943 In Lima and Callao. Meals are served for 1 sol to clerical workers, for 60 centavos to students. These restaurants are extremely popular.