British Mandate: A Survey of Palestine: Volume II - Page 780

CHAPTER XVII.

WAGE DIFFERENTIALS OF UNSKILLED CASUAL LABOUR.

114. The existence of differences in the market rates of Arab and Jewish labour was pointed out in the memoranda prepared for the Royal Commission, paragraph 6 at page 140. During the war years the wage rates both of Arabs and Jews increased considerably but there are still appreciable differences between the respective wage levels.

115. The lowest rates obtained by adult Arab workers are those paid to non-Palestinian workers. This group comprises migratory Arabs from the neighbouring countries, mostly from Syria, who seek temporary employment in Palestine and are employed in unskilled work. Their principal place of employment is Haifa port". Their daily rates are 250 mils to 300 mils for nine hours' work and with two overtime hours their daily earnings reach 300 to 360 mils. The daily wage rates of unskilled Palestinian Arab workers at Haifa port range from 310 mils to 516 mils for eight hours' work; overtime is paid at the rate of 125% of the normal hourly pay.

116. Jewish workers engaged in similar work are employed at Haifa Port on a contract basis; for the purpose of computing compensation for industrial accidents the authorities have accepted, in respect of the Jewish contract workers, the rate of 450 mils per day, but it is probable that their actual gross earnings exceed that rate; the market rate of an unskilled Jewish worker is much in excess of 450 mils per day, although lower rates are obtained by Jewish unskilled labour in the employment of the military authorities

117. The lowest wage rate of an adult unskilled labourer employed on the railways (Palestine Arab, usually recruited in villages for platelaying) is 335 mils for a normal day's work. This rate represents a pre-war wage rate plus a cost-of-living allowance accepted by Government.

See, however, section 4(a) or chapter VII.

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