6. Labour
The main obstacle to the expansion of production in the hand-blown domestic glassware industry is the shortage of labour. Male labour is the main requirement, women being employed to a lesser extent in the industry and scarcely at all in the glasshouse. The numbers of workers in the industry has fallen very considerably since before the war. Separate Ministry of Labour returns showing the number of workers and the amount of unemployment in this section of the glass industry are not available, but the table below shows the labour force in the principal centre, Stourbridge and Brierley Hill districts, from 1923 onwards.
TABLE 10
APPROXIMATE NUMBERS OF PERSONS INSURED AGAINST UNEMPLOYMENT IN THE GLASS (OTHER THAN GLASS BOTTLES) INDUSTRY AS SHOWN BY THE NUMBERS OF UNEMPLOYMENT BOOKS EXCHANGED AT BRIERLEY HILL AND STOURBRIDGE EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGES AT JULY OF EACH OF THE YEARS I923-I946.
|
Year |
Aged 14 and 15 years * |
Aged 16 and 17 years |
Aged 18 years and over |
Totals |
Boys |
Girls |
Boys |
Girls |
Men |
Women |
Males |
Females |
Total |
1923 |
No returns available |
140 |
120 |
1,270 |
440 |
1,410 |
560 |
1,970 |
1924 |
160 |
120 |
1,290 |
510 |
1,450 |
630 |
2,080 |
1925 |
120 |
130 |
1,330 |
560 |
1,450 |
690 |
2,140 |
1926 |
100 |
120 |
1,320 |
590 |
1,420 |
710 |
2,130 |
1927 |
140 |
150 |
1,330 |
610 |
1,470 |
760 |
2,230 |
|
|
Aged 18-20 |
Aged 21-64 |
Aged 18-20 |
Aged 21-64 |
|
1928 |
150 |
160 |
170 |
1,170 |
190 |
480 |
1,490 |
830 |
2,320 |
1929 |
150 |
180 |
170 |
1,190 |
210 |
490 |
1,510 |
880 |
2,390 |
1930 |
130 |
200 |
180 |
1,180 |
200 |
550 |
1,490 |
950 |
2,440 |
1931 |
130 |
150 |
180 |
1,160 |
210 |
570 |
1,470 |
930 |
2,400 |
1932 |
110 |
110 |
170 |
1,150 |
220 |
570 |
1,430 |
900 |
2,330 |
1933 |
110 |
100 |
160 |
1,160 |
180 |
570 |
1,430 |
850 |
2,280 |
1934 |
90 |
120 |
140 |
1,150 |
170 |
580 |
1,380 |
870 |
2,250 |
1935 |
60 |
180 |
100 |
130 |
120 |
1,150 |
140 |
580 |
1,430 |
1,030 |
2,460 |
1936 |
70 |
200 |
80 |
160 |
100 |
1,080 |
150 |
560 |
1,330 |
1,070 |
2,400 |
1937 |
50 |
130 |
80 |
170 |
80 |
1,100 |
130 |
500 |
1,310 |
930 |
2,240 |
1938 |
30 |
150 |
90 |
180 |
90 |
970 |
170 |
510 |
1,180 |
1,010 |
2,190 |
1939 |
30 |
130 |
70 |
140 |
80 |
950 |
180 |
480 |
1,130 |
930 |
2,060 |
|
Aged 21-59 |
|
1940 |
50 |
90 |
40 |
120 |
70 |
830 |
180 |
450 |
990 |
840 |
1,830 |
1941 |
80 |
90 |
60 |
90 |
50 |
680 |
130 |
430 |
870 |
740 |
1,610 |
1942 |
50 |
60 |
60 |
70 |
40 |
630 |
80 |
400 |
780 |
610 |
1,390 |
1943 |
30 |
30 |
60 |
40 |
30 |
460 |
30 |
180 |
580 |
280 |
860 |
1944 |
40 |
30 |
60 |
30 |
30 |
460 |
40 |
180 |
590 |
280 |
870 |
1945 |
60 |
40 |
50 |
40 |
30 |
520 |
50 |
190 |
660 |
320 |
980 |
1946 |
60 |
50 |
40 |
50 |
30 |
700 |
50 |
250 |
830 |
400 |
1,230 |
* Boys and girls aged 14 and 15 years became insurable against unemployment in September, 1934.
Prior to January, 1928, all persons over 16 years of age were insurable against unemployment, and the figures for 1923 to 1927 inclusive relate therefore to men and women aged 18 years and over, including those aged 65 and over, while those for the years 1928 to 1939 inclusive relate to men and women aged 18 years and under 65 years.
Women aged 60 years and under 65 years ceased to be insurable against unemployment in July, 1940, and the figures for 1940 and later years relate therefore to men aged 18 years and under 65 years, and to women aged 18 years and under 60 years.
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