Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1920 [PAGE 97]

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1918]

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS August 27,1918

93

Prof, James M. White, Supervising Architect

M Y DEAR PROFESSOR W H I T E :

Complying with your request for an opinion upon the demand which the janitors in the University have made, I am pleased to hand you the following: For over fifty years there has been upon the statute book in Illinois a provision reciting that " 8 hours of labor between the rising and the setting of the sun, in all mechanical trades, arts and employments, and other cases of labor and service by the day, except in farm employments, shall constitute and be a legal day's work, where there is no special contract or agreement to the contrary". This provision has been before the Supreme and Appellate courts of the state several times. In the case of Phillips v. Christian County, 87 App. 481, where an employee in the sheriff's office was seeking the aid of this statute it was held that the constabulary of the state is not governed by it. In the case of Christian County v. Milligan, 191 111., 484 it was held that official employments are not governed by this section. The same was held by the Appellate Court of the second district in 92 App. 428. Under these decisions, of course, the janitors have not much of a case. The Supreme court in the late case of Redmon v. Board of Trustees, held that the employees of the University are in State service. In other words, they are in official employment. This statute does not, therefore, apply to them. Furthermore, the 8 hour provision only applies to men employed by the day. Section 2 of the Act of 1867 provides that it shall not apply to or in any way effect labor or service by the year, month or week. With reference to the contention that "the University of Illinois has no moral right to disregard this law" it may be replied, of course, that the law does not apply to the University of Illinois as is clearly outlined by the decisions referred to. The statute has application to private employment. Sincerely yours,

O. A. HARKER

Legal Counsel

In the absence of a recommendation from the Supervising Architect, no action was taken in this matter.

C O U R S E S IN T Y P E W R I T I N G , S T E N O G R A P H Y , A N D O F F I C E PRACTISE (10) Certain recommendations from the College of Commerce in regard to courses in typewriting, in stenography, and in office practise. July 16, 1918

To THE COUNCIL OF ADMINISTRATION:

The action of the Council of Administration of July 2, 1918, approving recommendations of the War Committee concerning war courses and asking for an early report was submitted to the Departments for their consideration. The following report is based on the replies received: 1. At the last meeting of the Council the recommendation of the Department of Economics that courses be offered next year on "Economic Reorganization after the