CONDITIONS RELATING TO THE TREATMENT OF EMPLOYES AND LABORERS IMPOSED BY THE CITY OF PARIS UPON THE COMPANY TO WHICH THE METROPOLITAN ROAD WAS LEASED.
By a law passed March 30, 1898, the city of Paris was authorized to pro- ceed with the construction of a system of underground railway lines, to be known as the Metropolitan Railway and to be operated by electricity.
The city was permitted to excavate the tunnels, make the cuttings, and build the viaducts — at the point where the railway emerges from the ground, as it will in one or two places. It is not permitted, however, to lay the tracks or work the road. This part of the enterprise must be intrusted to a work- ing company, which is to lay the tracks, construct the electric plant and sta- tions, and operate the road. The city receives, roughly speaking, one-third of the gross income from the sale of tickets, as rent for the part of the road which it constructs and for the right-of-way. The company takes two-thirds for its portion.
One section of the road, completing about one-sixth of the entire system, is almost completed, and is expected to be in operation by June i.
The conditions which the city imposed upon the company in regard to the treatment of its laborers and employes are extremely interesting, and indicate the high-water mark attained by modern cities in this respect.
The more important of these conditions are contained in the following provisions, of Articles XVIII and XIX of the agreement between the city and the traction company :
Article XVIII. The working of the leased lines shall be organized in a manner to comply with the following provisions :
1. The salaries or wages of the workmen and employes shall be paid fortnightly, and shall in no case be less than 1 50 francs per month. Men employed temporarily shall receive wages which shall not be lower than 5 francs per day.
2. The working day shall not exceed ten hours. One full day of rest or two full half-days shall be granted each week to the personnel.
3. An annual vacation of ten days, with full salary, shall be granted to all employes.
4. The full salary shall be paid during the periods of military instruction.
5. Days of sickness, properly certified by the physician appointed by the managers of the fund established in accordance with Article XIX below, shall be paid for in full, without any deduction, during the period of at least one year.
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