Gabriel 150 years - Flipbook - Page 36
Hierarchy and poor hearing
Class awareness was pronounced in the ±∫∂∞s.
This was also true in the workplace and also at
Kjærs Mølle. The salaried employees were “better” than the factory workers who were paid an
hourly wage, and colleagues addressed one another using the formal personal pronoun, “De”,
as well as the titles “Mr” and “Miss”. Factory workers referred to the most poorly paid office workers as “the collar proletariat” because they wore
nice clothing and still earned less than any of
those paid by the hour. Salaried employees and
those who earned an hourly wage did not even
use the same toilets.
The master weaver held a higher position in
the hierarchy than the tacklers who were higher
than the weavers who, in turn, were more highly
placed than the spinners. The burlers were often
paid less than the weavers, but, on the other
hand, had to point out the mistakes made by the
weavers when faults were found in the woven
cloth. The unskilled workers were at the bottom
of the ladder.
The older weavers trained the new weavers
for three months, and for this they were paid a
bonus. The weavers-in-training had to do the
worst jobs, and every Saturday when the looms
were cleaned, they had to empty the residue of
chewing tobacco and snuff from the spittoons
used by the older weavers. Brown spots on the
looms and walls bore witness to the poor aim of
some of the weavers.
Uppermost in the hierarchy was, of course,
the managing director who from November ±∫∂µ
was Michael Zacho. Contrary to many of his
predecessors, Zacho was often seen in the facAbove: The reception area in ±∫µπ, today the
tory and was well known by all the workers.
office of the managing director. Customers and
Leaders of that time were expected to demonstrate the kind of leadership that left no one in
suppliers were served at the counter.
doubt as to who was boss. Zacho was that kind of
Below: Fabric finishing machine, ±∫µπ. The woven
leader, but this was not a style that suited every-
fabric was heated in this machine for stabilising.
one. Many discovered, however, that Zacho re-
This was one of the final processes before the
spected those who stood up for their rights.
fabric was ready for sale.
1945-1959
37
