Full text of Records of the Women's Bureau, Record Group 86 : Newsletter - 1937, Box 2, Folder 6

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These items
concern the
working
conditions of
women in
industry and labor
laws affecting
them in 1918.


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GAINFULLY EMPLOYED WOMEN IN 1936

Employment of Women
Women's Wages in 1936
Advances in women's earnings in 1936
Earnings very low for many women
Increases in wages for women compared to
men
Women's wages and entrance rates of
common labor
Some increase in wages of clerical
workers in 1936
The Minimum Wage for Women in 1936
Women and the International Labor Organization
Women's Bureau Surveys Published in the Year

U.S. Department of Laber
WOMEN'S BUREAU
Washington

GAINFULLY EMPLOYED WOMEN IN 1936

It is the custom of the Women's Bureau to review in January
of each year the situation of employed women in the year just completed.
For the most part, 1936 has represented a continuation of the upswing in
women's employment and wages noted in the three years just preceding,
though in the return of prosperity a tendency is shown toward too long
working hours in some industries, and there are evidences of considerable
part—time employment.
The Supreme Court ruling in June invalidating the New York
minimum wage law struck a severe blow to efforts to improve the wages of
women in the more sweated industries, but a similar law in Washington
was uphold by the highest court of that State and before the end of the
year a Federal District Court in Ohio had upheld the Ohio law.
The year closed with definite evidences of a more fully awakened
desire among women, through their organizations, to cooperate more effec—
tively than ever in formulating and promoting consistent efforts toward
fuller opportunity for women, together with more effective srfeguards
from employment exploitation.

EMPLOYMENT OF WOMEN
Women's employment in the manufacturing industries has con—
tinued to increase in each year since the low point in 1932, according
to the single source of such monthly data published by sex, the New York
indexes (based on June 1923 as 100). For example, in October, the 1-test
month reported, the index of women's employment was higher in 1936 than
in any year since 1929. These October indexes since the 1032 low Point
are as follows:
1932
61

!
1933 11934
68

I

70

t
1935
76

1936
I 81

Whil in most months the levels for women were higher than for
men (New York figures based on June 1923), the advances in employment
usually had been greater for men than for women. Samples showing the
points of increase in the employment indexes from 1933 to 1936 were as
follows:


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May
October

i
i.:en!Women
t
18 I 15
14 I 13

Though the figures are not separated by sex, an indication of
the employment situation in 1936 in certain of the more important womanemploying industries can be gained from the employment indexes prepared
by the Bureau of Labor St.Aistics (based on 1923-25 as 100).
In general, industries making non-durable goods, the groups
where many women are at work, showed advances in employment in 1936. The
entire manufacturing groups containing the fabrics, the clothing, and the
.
food products showed employment advances for 1936, though there were sub,
stantial employment declines in silk and wool manufacturing. Employment
had advanced in 1936 in stores, and both in hotels and laundries it had
climbed steadily from the 1932 low point.
The extent to which women have benefitted from public employment
projects is shown in a report of the Works Progress Administration that
gives figures for May 1936. At that time more than 400,000 women were at
work on such -orojects, and women formed 16 percent of all persons so
engaged. Though somewhat less than two-thirds of the women were on "goods"
projects (chiefly sewing and canning), over a fourth were engaged in educational, professional and clerical work.
Women formed practically a third (33.6 percent) of those in
professional and technical projects in March, but considerably less than
a sixth (13.3 percent) of those in unskilled work. It followed that in
every region womenls average monthly wage rate was somewhat higher than
men's. However, taking the United States as a whole, women earned less
than men, owing to the greater concentration of women on projects in the
lower wage districts.
In March, practically a
of the men received less than $30
what with greater opportunity for
by the fact that in December 1935
cent of the women received $70 or

third of the women but less than a fourth
a month. That earnings advanced somea full month's employment is indicated
only 6 percent but in March 1936 11 permore.

Data on employment agency placements show considerable differences between men and women in the extent to which their placement is in
private or public employment. Figures issued at the close of 1935 show
that about a tenth of those placed over a period of 2- years had been
women, and that a much larger proportion of these than of the men had been
given jobs in private employment. The percent of women and men placed in
various types of work was as follows:

In private employment
In public employment
On relief projects
nc u es . . . an

Men

Women

16.6
32.2
51.2

70.3
3.1
26.6
.)

In April 1936, one-fifth of those who were on the active rolls of the
public placement agencies were women.


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In considering employment, account should be taken of those who,
though having some work, have had only part—time jobs. The extent to
which part—time work exists is not known, but any indications available
show that it is very prevalent in woman employment, and that it may be on
the increase.
Such jobs are of two types (not including work where undertime
is prevalent, that is, weekly hours below the full schedule where the
system of pay by the hour thus cuts the weekly earnings). In one type of
part—time job, only certain days in the week are worked, as for the Sat—
urday extras in many stores; in the other type of part—time job, the work
is performed in only a few hours during the day, as with the extra check
girls and other employees in cafeterias that have their greatest rush of
business at midday.
the
Women's Bureau surveys in three States this year showed th
part—
only
had
stores
in
reported
saleswomen
the
of
proportions
following
time work:
Stores
General mercantile Limited price
Arkansas
Delaware
Texas.....

45
52
49

32
38
20

WOMEN'S WAGES IN 1936
Advances in women's earnings in 1936
For the most part, women's average weekly earnings in all man—
ufacturing industries taken together have increased in every month above
the same month in each year from 1933 on, as shown by figures from the
two States that publish such data by sex regularly for every month —
Illinois and New York. For example, in the various years in October (the
most recent month reported for 1936) the precent increases in women's
average weekly earnings in manufacturing were as follows:

Illinois
1933 to 1934
1934 to 1935
1935 to 1936

6.6
7.5
7.8

New York
1.3
4.9
2.0

The great increases ordinarily were from 1933 to 1934, though
the years following also show substantial advances. For example, in May.


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of each year, the percent increases in women's average weekly earnings in
manufacturing were as follows:

1933 to 1934
1934 to 1935
1935 to 1936

Illincis

New York

25.5
1.4
8.8

18.3
0.2
4.1

In certain of the more important woman employing industries,
considerable advances were shown in New York, though in some there were
declines in women's wages. Changes in these weekly earnings in October
(the latest month reported for 1936) were as follows:

1935
Shoes
Men's clothing
Women's clothing
Knit goods

1936

$12.71 $13.80
14.57 14.23
22.16 22.98
14.33 14.05

Percent
chang.e

—I

8.6
-2.3
3.7
-2.0

Earnings very low for many women
It is probable that in 1936 more surveys of women's wages were
being made than in any single previous year, owing to minimum wage activity
in many States, in addition to continued Women's Bureau reporting. Despite
the fact that these wages are on the increase, they are still at a very
low standard for many women.
That wages too often are so far below the requirements for a
decent livelihood emphasizes again the need for the fixing of a minimum
level for women's wages. Reports from certain studies outstanding among
those made in this year or late in 1935 show that the following proportions of women received less than $12 for a week's work in manufrcturing
occupations:

Percent
Arkansas, Women's Bureau survey
Delaware, Women's Bureau survey
New Hampshire, Minimum Wage Division
Clothing and acessories
Knit goods
Tennessee (late 1935).,


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1/

75.4 (white women) 1/

5e.5
35.1
6L.9
50.0 (white women) 1/

Wages of Negro women were considerably lower.

In New York, the State Department of Labor in a survey of women
in packing and packaging processes in factories putting out food, drugs
and chemicals, and cosmetics and toilet preparrtions, reported that 34.2
percent were paid less than 30 cents an hour. (This would be less than
$12 for a 40-hour week.)
Median week's earnings of women (one-half earning more, one-half
less) as shown in Women's Bureau studies this year were as follows:
General
mercantile
Laundries
Manufacturing
(excludes
5-and-10)
Arkansas (white women)
Delaware
Tennessee (late 1935)
(white women) 1/
Texas ..

$9.60
11.05
12.00
15 and
2/
- 1C.
10.30

West Virginia. (not yet
published)
—

12.70

$11.85
12.50

$7.10
10.55

12.55

7.85

13.30

8.65

12.20

11.50

Increases in vmges for women comnared to men
While from 1933 to 1934 women's earnings, usually so far below
men's in manufacturing industries, ordinarily increased much more than
men's, as shown from the New York figures, yet in the other years ments
increased somewhat more than women's. For example in May the percent increases in the average weekly earnings of the two sexes in manufacturing
industries were as follows:

193 to 19344.934 to 1935035 to 1936
Illinois
Men
Woren

13.0
25.5

3.3
1.4

11.7
8.8

New York
Men
Women—.

7.4
18.3

3.5
0.8

5.9
4.1

Though in many months, as shown from available sources, the entire increase
in average weelay earnings from 1933 to 1936 has been greater for women
than for men, yet this is by no means always the case, and women employed

1/ Wages of Negro women were considerably lower.
2/ Respectively in man's cotton garments and in cotton textiles, the two
major manufacturing groups.

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-6—

in manufacturing industries in 1936 still are paid less than 60 percent
of men's wages, as the following shows:

Average weekly earnings
Men

Women

Percent women's
_ formed
P
, earnins
of men's

Illinois
May
October....

$26.45
27.50

$14.91
15.68

56.3
57.0

New York
May.......r‘
October.

27.86
29.11

15.54
16.22

55.7
55.7

Women's wages compared to entrance rates for common labor
A comparison of womon's wages with those paid as the entrance
rates of common labor shows large proportions of women receiving less than
these common labor rates, though these women are employed in industries
where their jobs require considerable dexterity, concentrated attention,
for
and often great speed of response. This is the case in cotton mills,
of
ion
organizat
Board,
e
example, where the National Industrial Conferenc
mills
cotton
northern
in
large manufacturing interests, reported women
averaging only 39.3 cents an hour in September, though in the same month
entrance rates for common labor averaged 53.2 cents an hour in the North,
61.2 cents in Massachusetts, 45.7 cents both in Connecticut and New Hamp—
shire, 47.1 cents in Rhode Island.
Similarly in the shoe, knit goods, and men's clothing industries
reported in New York, estimates from the average weekly earnings reported
show women averaging, respectively, only 37.8 cents, 35.3 cents, and 48.4
cents, though entrance rates for common labor reported for the same month
(September) averaged 58.7 cents an hour.
In the South, where common labor rates averaged 32.2 cents, re—
ports from a Women's Bureau survey in one State (Tennessee) show the
following proportic-ns of women in the industry receiving only 30 cents or
less, though such large proportions scarcely could be considered less
skilled than those entering common labor pursuits:


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Percent of women reported who
received 30 cents or lesz
Candy factories ......
Work clothes factories...
Paper box plants.........
Seamless hosiery mills...

81
72
42
41

In a recent study of wages in the manufacture of work clothes,
made by the Women's Bureau for the board operating under the Public Con—
tracts Act, reports were obtained for this industry in 14 States, about
seven eights of the payroll records in the entire study referring to women.
In 10 of these States the average hourly wage in this industry was below
the average entrance rate for common labor.
Some increase in wages of clerical workers in 1936
Clerical work is the largest woman occuoPtion with the exception
of domestic and personal service. Though monthly reports for the entire
occupation do not exist, New York State shows in each year October earn—
ings of office workers in factories. As is the case with manufacturing
earnings, 1932 was the low year. While earnings are not back to the 1931
level, some increase is shown in each year. The extent of this from 1033
to 1936 is as follows:

Average weekly earnin,7s Percent
increase
1936
1933
Men
Women

$41.52
20.63

2.8
3.3

$42.67
21.31

Women in these New York factory offices were paid only about 50 percent of
the men's wage; in manufacturing occupations in the same month (October
1936) women were paid just over 55 percent of the men's wage.

WOMEN'S HOURS OF WORK
A slightly higher weekly wa,;e is not an actual advance if a
woman has to work just that much longer to obtain it. Data on hours of
work as reported periodically are rot senarated by sex, but in general
they show hours in manufacturing industries to be somewhat longer in every
month of 1936 than in the corresponding month of 1933, and in a number of
instances where the series go back comparably to 1933 hours were longer in
1936 than in 1933. Average weekly hours in manufacturing industries in the
latest months reported were as follows:


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1935

1936

Bureau of Labor Statistics
36.1 37.4
September

3P.7

1C33

Illinois
September.
October.
New York State
September
October

. 35.6 38.2
. 75.6 39.1

39.8
41.8

38.0 38.5
. 37.2 38,7

39.7
40.5

Those interested in legislation providing for maximum work hours
have noted that hours are lenEthening somewhat as prosperity advances.
Whilo for the most part when all industries are taken together hours have
not reached 40 a week, yet lacking limitation there is a tendency in some
industries to return to excessive work hours. Examples showing that many
women still have far too long hour schedules are as follows:
A recent State industrial survey made in West
Virginia by the Women's Bureau reported. 800 women who
were working more than 48 hours a week in manufacturing
plants, and nearly a third of these had worked 54 hours
or longer. (Survey not yet published.)
A similar survey in the small State of Delaware
reported more than 130 women working 52 hours or longer.
In a survey of employed women in Arkansas made
early in the year, 24 percent of the women in many:facturing had worked 48 hours or more.
In a survey of Texas industries made this year by
the Women's Bureau, 8 percent of the women reported in
cotton mills were working 54 hours or more in the week.
A report issued in June by the North Carolina
Department of Labor showed from St9te inspectorsl
reports that 20 of the cotton mills visited were on
a 55-hour schedule.
In certain clothing factories recently visited
by the Women's Bureau, more than 75 percent of those
at work in each of two States with large numbers reported had worked longer than 40 hours in the week,
though in three other States less than 5 percent had
worked so long.
Such instances show the tendency for hours of work to creep up
to an unhealthful length if not restricted. Excessive work hours are
especially likely to be found in the service industries; for example, the
hours worked in September average 47.9 in hotels and over 42 in laundries,
in each case above those of 1935. (Bureau of Labor Statistics and New
York figures.) In one State survey made this year by the Women's Bureau
(Texas), 16 percent of th: women reported in laundries had worked 54 hours
or longer in the week; in another (Arkansas) 29.5 percent had worked 48
hours or more.
Special mention should be made here of the act passed in Rhode
Island limiting womenls hours of work, since in 1936 few State legislatures were in session. The Rhode Island law, which went into effect June
1, fixes a 48-hour maximum work week.


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THE MINIMUM WAGE FOR WOEN IN 1936

The report for 1936 showed a fine growth of activity in a
number of States in the fixing of minimum wages for women, and the develop—
ment of sound administrative techniques. In this year the States probably
have carried on more studies of women's wages in many industries than ever
before, and increased attention has been paid to spreading the facts about
these wages. At least 12 States having minimum wage laws have been at
work throughout the year with organization and study directed toward making
known the status of women's wages and raising standards of their payment.
During 1936 a severe set—back to minimum wage development oc—
curred in the declaring unconstitutional of the New York minimum wage law,
first by the highest court of the State and later by the United States
Supreme Curt. Sore offset to this adverse action occurred in the uphold—
ing of the minimum wage law of Washington by the highest court in the
State, and later in the year in the upholding of the Ohio law by a Federal
District Court. These cases were carried to the United States Supreme
Court, where arguments relative to the Washington law were heard in
December.
The spirit of State minimum wage administrtAors was well ex—
pressed by the Secretary of Labor at a conference held by them shortly
after the Supreme Court decision. She said:
"Efforts to raise women's wages to a level of
health and decency must go on and the gains of thousands
of women and fair employers made under State minimum
wage laws must be preserved."
As one administrator said:
"We have contended that where working and wage con—
ditions are below reasonable standards the workers can—
not give a full measure of service to their employers."
The Women's Bureau has made available a summary in mimeographed
form of the actual wage rates fixed and the provisions of minimum wage
orders issued in the past four years. Among the higher spots of activity
in 1936 that look toward the improvement of women's wages in various States
are the following:


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California has continued the collections of back wages and ad—
justments through audits of pay rolls that have effected a
very large increase in women's earnings. During the 8 months
from March to October inclusive more than $157,000 was col—
lected for workers through such alju2tments. In this State
also the Pacific Coast Garment Y...17-mfacturerst organization
adopted a resolution endorsing the minimum wage of $16 a week
that was for so many years required by the State.

-10—

Connecticut continued its minimum wage activities and during the year
a board eas appointed and held meetings to consider women's wages
for the laundry industry in the State.
Illinois conducted an extensive survey of branches of the garment
industry to discover the standards of wages paid women. A survey
also was made of laundries to ascertain the effect of the minimum
wage order for that industry. It was found that this order had
resulted in the receipt by women of a slightly lower weekly average
wage, but the hours of work had been very materially shortened.
Before the order $10.97 was the average for 44.1 hours of work a
week, after the order $10.90 for 41.4 hours.
Massachusetts has twice revised its law to meet changing needs.
During the year directory wage orders have been issued in the fol—
lowing: Electrical Equipment and Supply, effective May 1; Retail
Stores, effective October 1; Men's Clothing and Raincoat, to be—
come effective Feb. 1. The work of the wage boards for the Brush a
and the Boot and Shoe Cut Stock and Findings industries is near
completion, and sessions or hearings have been held by wage beards
for the Candy, Corset, Men's Furnishings, Muslin Underwear, and
Women's Clothing industries. Boards also are being formed for
other industries.
Minnesota collected and paid to workers $8,832 during the year ending
June 30, 1936. This represented amounts that had to be paid to
bring the wage up to the reouired minimum for minors, the only
persons to whom the law can be applied at present. These payments
were required of 206 firms, though in the preceding year, when the
N.R.A. was in effect during most of the period, only 106 firms had
to make such payments.
New Hampshire has issued directory wage orders in the year for the
Restaurant industry (excluding hotel restaurants), effective April
1; and for Clothing and Accessories, effective Dec. 1, and includ—
ing: Winter outfits and men's clothing; handkerchiefs, aprons,
and gloves; women's house dresses; and other similar accessories.
Surveys of women's wages have been made or are nearly finished for
the Beauty Shop, Hosiery and Knit, and Boot and Shoe industries.
New Jersey has established a minimum wage division in the State de—
partment of labor, created an advisory board of 12 members, and
begun the organization of activities to ascertain the standards of
women's wages in the State.
New York, naturally most affected by the Supreme Court decision, has
continued surveys of women's wages and other effective work. The
Department of Labor offered to audit pay rolls of laundries apply—
ing for such service and would publish names of laundries whose
wage standards were up to those fixed in the minimum wage order


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— 11—

previously listed. A Partial check made early in the summer
showed that 141 laundries were continuing to abide by the minimum
wage law. In the fall the Department called a conference on the
minimum wage situation. Meanwhile the Governor has announced this
subject will form a part of his legislative program. Late in the
year an extensive survey was made of the wages of women in packing
operations in 621 plants in the State, including the packing or
packaging of foods such as candy, olives, figs and dates, dried
fruits, preserves and nickles, of cosmetics and toilet prepara—
tions, and powder puffs, and of drags and chemicals.
North Dakota made an intensive study of the ey,tent of woman employment
in over 1C,000 establishments in the State, and issued a minimum
wage order extending to minors the provisions of the five orders
already in effect for women (18 and over).
Ohio issued a directory minimum waj,e order for establishments furnish—
ing food and lodging, effective July 1. Later in the year activi—
ties were retarded by the Ohio case .)ending in the Federal District
Court, in which, hovrever, a decision favorable to the minimum wage
law was handed down in November. A wage board is being formed to
examine wages of women and of minors of both sexes in retail stores.
Rhode Island organized a minimum wage division under its newly enacted
minimum wage law, and immediately undertook an extensive survey of
the Jewelry industry, which is important in this State. Late in
the year, a board was established to recommend a minimum wage for
women in this industry.
Wisconsin has continued the minimum wage activities that have been so
effective for many years, and have been especially outstanding in
the highly seasonal canning industries in this State. It will
also be recalled that the minimum wage orders apply to domestic
service, Wisconsin being the only State where this occupetion is
included in minimum wage coverage.

worEN

AND THE INTERNATIlITAL LABOR ORGANIZATION

The imnortance to employed women of the work of the International
Labour Office has been emphasized this year by the decision of the Govern—
ing Body of the Organization at its session in February 1936 to develop
information as to woman employment along two lines.
First, it determined, in response to a special resolution of the
Assembly of the League of Notions, "to prepare a study on the legislation
governing women's work, and secondly, with a view to satisfying a request
made to the Office by a number of wor,en's occupational associations, to
develop to the greatest possible extent its studies of the question of the
actual economic position of women workers as shown by the facts." 1/

1/ Internntional Labor Office Year. Book, 1935-36, page 189.

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-12—
These decisions were made in the belief that, as was stated in
the
Chile in January 1936 at the Conference of American States Members of
would
workers
I.L.O., "a better knowledge of the real position of women
facilitate the taking of measures necessary to improve it." 1/
In Obtaining information the Office ordinarily communicates with
the
individual women in the various countries known to have a knowledge of
Com—
conditions of woman employment. These are called the Corresnondence
e
mittee on Women's Work (though not in the sense of an organized committe
that holds sessions).
The Office also solicits and welcomes authoritative reports from
organized groups of women, especially occupational groups or labor organi—
zations. Various large national women's organizations in the United States
that are making investigations of certain phases of the economic situation
of women have asked the Women's Bureau as an official body to act as a
center for such information, and to interpret it as a whole for transmis—
sion to the International Labor Office in connection with this inquiry
also
that it is conducting. Representrtives of these large women's groups
out—
groups,
have formulated a statement for discussion in their various
lining the general objectives sought for women, toward which their study
and action is directed. This statement has been called the Women's
Charter.
At its session in June, the International Labor Organization,
considered
composed of delegates from workers, employers, and governments,
workers.
women
to
a number of matters of importance
Outstanding among these was a proposal for a 40—hour week in the
women.
textile industry, nearly half of whose workers in this country are
is
g
Body
the
Governin
e,
This was placed on the agenda for 1937. Meanwhil
manufac—
textile
the
of
asked to convene a conference of representatives
in
turing countries to consider furthering work for improving conditions
invited
has
the textile industry. The government of the United States
this conference to meet in Washington next April.
Among other acts of the International Labor Conference of impor—
sub—
tance to women were the following: Adoption of a draft convention for
with
have
holidays
shall
workers
that
g
providin
nts
mission to the governme
nutri—
workers'
of
subject
the
of
study
d
pay; recommendation for continue
tion; proposal for the calling of an international conference to take up
the problem of the further control of diseases due to dust; placing the
question of labor inspection on the agenda for 1938; consideration of in—
cluding in an early agenda the freedom of association for workers; recom—
mendation for stud:, by the I.L.O. of the effects on employment of techno—
logical progress.

1/ Ibid., page 201.


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-13—

WOMEYIS BUREAU SURVEYS PUBLISHED IN THE YEAR
During 1936 information on a wide variety of subjects of vital
importance to employed women was made available through Women's Bureau
surveys. These included studies of wages and working conditions in several
important woman—employing industries and in a number of States, studies of
special employment problems and factors affecting the health of women in
industry, and several summaries showing the progress of minimum wage admin—
istration, and compilations of wage data indicating the need of fixing a
bottom level to women's wages.
Each of these studies was made at the special request of some
official or agency keenly interested in the conditions of woman employment,
or upon the striking appearance of some particularly vital need of gain—
fully occupied women. Those reaching final publication in any one year
often deal with continuing situations in woman employment and include data
gathered somewhat earlier. Other studiescre issued in mimeographed form
and deal with some iomediate -7ractical situation. Not all the material
made availa-ele in the year can be mentioned here, but certain of these
publications dealing especially with women's wages and other phases of
follows:
their employment problem are
Studies of Particular Industries
The Silk Dress Industry (In Bul. 141)
This study presents conditions as to women's wages and hours in
9 widely scattered cities before and after minimum wages and maximum hours
had been fixed by the N.R.A. code and union agreement. The regulation of
wages and hours resulted not only in marked weekly earnings increases, but
the workers' added leisure for health and recreation also showed its value
in definite increases in hourly earninf;P.
The Power Laundry Industry (In Bul. 143)
Factors affecting wagesin this industry in 22 citiesvere analyzed
found that there is no consistent relationship between retail
was
and it
public pays for laundry services and the wage rates of women
the
prices
operatives. There is a marked tendency for labor cost to approximate 50
percent of total operating costs. Variations in dollar volume of business
per productive worker in the same city leave no doubt that correction of
management defects in some laundries is necessary before all laundry work—
ers will receive fair value for services rendered.
The Merits Work Clothes Industry
Wage data were collected in 21 States and the District of
Columbia for the use of the board operating for this industry under the
Punic Contracts Act in its efforts to determine the wage prevailing.
(Not available in published form.)


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— 14 —

Department Stores (In Bul. 125)
This survey made in citiesin five States shows something of
recent trendsin store practices as they affect employees. Payment by the
quota bonus system seemed to be increasing, and employees at work under
this method often complained of the difficulty of figuring what their pay
envelopes would contain. Methods of spreading work in stores also formed
a part of this inquiry.
Studies of Employed Women in States
During the year surveys of employed women were made in five
States, as follows: Arkansas, Delaware, Tennessee (late 1935 data), Texas,
and West Virginia (not yet published). Each of these surveys was under—
taken at the srecial request of officials in the State who desired to
better the employment situation of women. Findings were -nublished in
mimeographed form, and the data reported have been quoted above where wages
and hours are considered.
Minimum Wage Studies
The major publication the Bureau has made this year in the field
of minimum wage has teen a compilation made at the request of State offi—
cials in Ohio of all data available as to the status of industrial women in
that State that gave rise to passage there of a minimum wage act. (Bul.
145) The discrepancies in wages paid for identical work indicate that the
wagespaid bear no relation to the actual value of the services rendered 'by
employed women, The information shows that women employed in the laundry
and dry cleaning industrieshave benefitted greatly from the establishment
of a wage minimum.
From time to time during the year, summaries of current minimum
wage situations have been issued in mimeographed form by the Women's Bureau
These include:
Suggested Language for a Standard Minimum Wage Bill
History of the New York Case (June 1936), with Supple—
ment (October 1936)
Present Status of Minimum Wage Laws and Orders (June 1936)
Report of Minimum Wage Conference, June 1936
Provisions of Wage Orders of States Having Standard Act
(October 1936)
The High Cost of Low Wages (a popular style leaflet)
Special Conditions Affecting Women Workers
From time to time, as particular needs of employed women arise,
the Women!s Bureau makes special investigations of various types (other
than those already described). Among those issued this year are the
following:


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- 15 -

Label for the Consumers' Protection (In Bul. 146)
At the request of representatives of eight national organizations of women meeting with a representative of the National Garment Label
Council, the Women's Bureau has issued a bulletin of a popular type giving
information for women buyers about the new Consumers' Protection Label of
the National Coat and Suit Industry Recovery Board. This label assures
the buyer that the product was made under good working conditions and also
that she is getting full value for her money in the garment purchases.
This label now is attached to women's, misses', infants' and children's
coats, jackets, capes, wraps, riding habits, knickers, suits, ensembles
and skirts. A label also is placed in women's hats, sponsored by the
Millinery Stabliization Commission and the United Hatterst Cap and Millinery
Workers' Industrial Union.
Occupational Diseases of Women (In Bul. 147)
From the five States reporting such data by sex, the Women's
Bureau has analyzed information on the diseases that have occurred to
women chiefly as a result of irritants and substances in constant use or
other conditions especially connected with their occupations. The frequent introduction of new processes and materials into industrial use often
causes increases in the number of such diseases to woen, and the Women's
Bureau has for several years past published such an analysis periodically.
Unemployed Women Seeking Relief (In Bul. 139)
Undertaken during the depths of depression, this survey of case
records supplemented by interviews sought to form a picture of the situation of the women in five cities who were seeking relief chiefly because
of loss of job, and most of whom were without close family ties.
Bibliography on Household Employment (In Bul. 138)
Prepared in response to an increased interest in the subject
this list directs the inquirer to sources of information on the occupation
employing the greatest number of women.
Effects of Dismissing Married Persons from the Civil Service
In this mimeographed report the Women's Bureau has analyzed the
results of a questionnaire survey made by the Government Workers' Council
to ascertain the results of a Federal policy that, while nominally so
Phrased as to apply to both sexes, nevertheless has affected women with
especial force.


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(1663)

(1675)


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
WOMEN'S BUI".EAU
Washington

February 1, 1937

ACT'XVITIES AFFECTING GAINFULLY EMPLOYED WOLEN

Effects on women's employment of a unique union agreement
New method of fixing piece rates in the dress i'ndustry
Minimum wage progress
Massachusetts. Progress of minimum wage
New Hampshire. Minimum wage activities
Ohio. Minimum wage activities
Rhode Island.
Report of the wage board for the jewelry industry
Earnings of women in the jewelry industry
Legislation affecting employed women
Employment of women
United States.
Employment of women in\December
Young women V.ded by Na onal Youth Administration
South Carolina.'i, Emrloymen of women in manufacturing
Wisconsin. Unqmtloyed gi Is on N.Y.A. projects in Milwaukee
T\
Problel f inAustPital home
Problems\o household employm t
InternAion0.. Continuing i terest in household employment
7overnment bureau or h usehold employment
Estonia.
Accidents to women
Wt chigco and Illinois.

Industrial accidents to women

Lis4\ot bills introduced that especially affect employed women
Recent publications of the Women's Bureau

1
AGREEMENT
EFFECT ON WOMEN'S EMPLOYMENT OF A UNIQUE UNION
New method of fixing_Eiece rates in the dress industry.
and employees is the
A unique and effective cooperation between employers
ry. This is of especially
price settlement method now being used in the dress indust
goods worn exclusively by
vital interest to women, since it concerns the making of
the industry, of whom women
Women, and since it safeguards the wages of workers in
s Bureau recently has inconstitute a large majority. For this reason, the Women'
rial cooperation.
vestigated the operation of this new venture in indust
for the operators, finishPrice settlement is a system for setting piece rates
designed for production.
ers, and pressers who will work on each new style of dress
year, the complexity of
As there may be as many as 225,000 styles designed during a
e last April, prices
the problem is obvious. Since the new system began to operat
method is proving a greater profor about 128,000 styles have been settled. The
ive dresses since the high
tection for women working on cheap than on more expens
definitely to protect
degree of skill of the latter operators enables them more
are made to sell for less than
their own interests. About 72 percent of all dresses
feature is part of the collective
$10, and half of these for less than $5. This new
by the International Ladies'
agreement made last February for a three-year period
Dress and Waistmakers' Union of
Garment Workers' Union and the Joint Board of
s' associations in the New York
Greater New York with the various dress manufacturer
a.r ea.

workers' weekly minima based on
Though the union agreement established for time
minima--a level in each case
the 35-hour maximum week and for piece workers' hourly
piece rates for different styles
below which wages may not fall--the setting of fair
piece rates vary with each
of dresses was found to be also essential. Because such
have to be determined for
new design, price lists cannot be set up in advance but
each lot of work which each employer plans to produce.
has eliminated the many
The price settlement system evolved, and now in force,
the plants and has meant pracshop disputes that formerly caused work stoppages in
plan went into effect. In fact
tically uninterrupted flow of production since the
very considerably, proit hes revolutionized the industry, raising wage standards
ing much better employerpromot
tecting employers against cut-throat competition, and
in the dress industry in the
employee relationships in the 2,800 individual shops
Westchester County, and secmetropolitan New York area, comprising New York City,
manufactured over four-fifths
tions of New Jersey an Connecticut. In this area are
country.
of the women's street and evening dresses produced in the
own factories, known as
These dresses are made partly by manufacturers in their
als, design styles, and in most
inside shops, but largely by jobbers who buy materi
tion over to plants known as
instances do the cutting, then turn the job of comple
and a jobber, and all
contract shops. One employer may be both a manufacturer
labor. The new price settleempleyers covered by the agreement must use only union
bidders among the contracment system forbids a jobber to award jobs to the lowest
of contractors on a pertors as was formerly done, but allows him a limited number
ate the competition between
manent list. The object of the whole plan was to elimin
--competition which was used
inside and outside shops, and amorrg contracting shops
standards and earnings of
for many years by jobbers and manufacturers to reduce the
agreement these have
the workers and resulted in sweatshop practices. Under the
among the firms in the
been abolished, and comparatively little chiseling exists
association.


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2
creating the
formulated came the task of
After the price-settlement plan was
neutral agency known
it out. There was set up a
necessary machinery for carrying
d for the Dress
of the Administration Boar
as the Price Adjustment Bureau as part
ial chairman of the
ed by Harry Uviller, the impart
head
ng
bei
d
Boar
the
ry,
ust
Ind
manager, and a number
es H. J. Rubenstein as the
lud
inc
ff
sta
au
Bure
The
industry.
, its headquarters
W. 38th St., New York City
263
at
ted
Loca
.
ers
ust
adj
ial
of impart
e committees may
rooms, where the joint pric
ce
eren
conf
ll
sma
of
er
numb
a
e
includ
a jobber's premsettlement may take place on
the
gh
hou
alt
,
ces
pri
tle
set
to
t
mee
resentatives of
each case, consists of rep
in
e
itte
Comm
The
ers.
he
pref
if
ises,
of the union.
contract shops concerned, and
the jobber, of the workers in the
and his contracber
job
for the particular
ed
rmin
dete
n
the
are
es
rat
e
Uniform piec
cerned. The jobber
een the jobber and workers con
tors by direct settlement betw
l
ona amount to be paid
ctors for a reasonable additi
then settles with his contra
them for overhead and profits.
time to prevent any
ay, and must be determined in
Rates must be set without del
there is prepared a
es. After each settlement,
delay in the weekly payment of wag
s for operators and finishFerment with the piece rate
complete description of each
olved. An operator
being sent to all parties inv
ers definitely specified, copies
for making a dress, the
s or $1.40 (or more or less)
for example might get 40 cent
skill required.
acy of the garment and the
rate varying with the intric
ene in settlements
ment Bureau does not interv
The staff of the Price Adjust
agree. Then one of the
s' representatives cannot
ber
job
and
s'
ker
wor
the
unless
r his decision, if
to settle the dispute. Afte
in
ed
call
is
s
ster
adju
impartial
to Mr. aubenstein to
satisfied, an appeal is made
either side still feels dis
occasional instance, his
the matter. If, in a very
review the case and to settle
be referred to Mr.
by both sides, the case can
opinion might not be accepted
last resort.
Uviller, as the court of
ide shops, except that
tlements is followed for ins
The same system of price set
roval of the union.
the prices, subject to the app
a shop committee may settle
ght order out of
est industry in New York has brou
By such procedure, the bigg
an example to other
or standards, and may serve as
chaos and established high lab
industries.
MINIMUM WAGE PROGRESS
e minimum wage are
the establishment of an effectiv
ard
tow
cted
dire
s
tie
ivi
Act
orders, shortly to
Massachusetts has established
.
tes
Sta
of
er
numb
a
in
proceeding
kincr the result:
New Hampshire and Ohio are chec
s.
rie
ust
ind
e
fiv
in
,
go into effect
new orders in addidies as to the need for issuing
stu
ing
mak
and
rs
orde
of earlier
leted unanimous recomIsland's first wage board has corp
tional industries. Rhode
application to home worker:
inite minimum and authorize its
mendations that fix a def
unts of the minimum
ress in these States, with the amo
Further details of the prog
ow.
provided, are given bel
Massachusetts.

Pro7ress in minimum wage

Minimum Wae Comboards have been presented to the
The reports of five wage
become effective at
epted, so that the recommendations
acc
been
have
and
mission,
en's clothing, men's
s so covered are brush, candy, wom
rie
ust
ind
The
e.
dat
an early
ds for toys, games and
and raincoats. The wage boar
hing
clot
's
men
and
furnishings,

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3
still at work. Boards
sporting goods and for stationery goods and envelopes are
and bread
for two new industries will soon be formed, jewelry and related lines,
and bakery products.
effective March 1,
The wage rates recommended for the brush industry to become
hour for learners.
are 3* cents an hour after 6 months' experience and 24 cents an
cents an hour or
Rates for the candz industry to be effective February 1, are 30
hour or $9.60 for
an
cents
4314.40 for a 48-hour week after 1 year's experience, 20
an hour or
cents
25
and
,
a 48-hour week for the first 6 months' learning period
g and raincoat
clothin
$12 for a 48-hour week for the second 6 months. In the men's
ry 1. In the
Februa
ive
industry, two sets of rates are established to become effect
workers
enced
experi
manufacture of men's and boys' wool clothing, the rate for
first 3
the
week. For
(after 9 months) is to be 40 cents an hour for a 36-hour
for the next 6 months,
months of the learning period the rate is to be ;$9 a week,
is fixed as the
12 a week. For the women's clothing industry 35 cents an hour
of the number of plants
minimum for workers after 36 weeks of employment (regardless
rates become effective
in which she has worked) and 25 cents for apprentices. These
March 1.
rather more elaborate
For the men's furnishinEs and accessories industry a
into the industry is to
system of apprenticeship is set up. A worker newly entered
months and is to be paid 21t cents an hour
3
be an apprentice for not to exceed
be considered semior $8.50 for a 40-hour week. After 3 months, the worker shall
for the semirate
The
.
months
skilled for a further period of not to exceed 3
After 6 months
week.
-hour
40
a
for
skilled worker is set at 25 cents an hour or '4)10
35 cents an
than
less
not
paid
the worker is rated as of ordinary skill and must be
nce in any
experie
'
months
3
hour or $14 for a 40-hour week. A worker with at least
e plant
outsid
an
from
s
worker
plant may be classified as semiskilled. Experienced
be
to
are
more
or
or any worker who has been away from the industry for 3 years
1.
ry
Februa
ve
effecti
classified as semiskilled. Rates for this industry become
women's clothing
Administrative regulations for all the industries except
received) are practically
(where the full report of the wage board has not yet been
Time spent on the
the same. fl_ece workers are to be ;euaranteed the minimum rates.
the individual worker's
employer's premises waiting for work is to be paid for at
approval of the Minimum
regular rate. No deductions are allowed except with the
lower rates only if
Wage Commission. Handicapped workers may be employed at
Bureau with copies of
domen's
the
to
on
licensed by the Commission. (Communicati
Reports.)

New Hampshire.

Minimum wage activities

New Hampshire is at presThe Minimum Nage Division of the Bureau of Labor of
d by the first wage order
ent engaged in reinspectinr laundries which were covere
restaurant order had begun.
issued in the State. Tabulation of the results of the
ions will be available from
When completed, figures on wages, hours and other condit
. A check-up on the
over 400 New Hampshire restaurants employing women and minors
clothing order is also in process of completion.
ries has made tentative
The ware board for the hosiery and knit goods indust
State. Two such hearings
the
in
plans for holding hearings in four or five centers
expected about the middle of
already have taken place. The report of the board is
February. (Communication to the Women's Bureau.)


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4
Ohio.

Minimum waP-e activities

A recent report issued by the Ohio Division of Minimum Wage shows that from
Y.,arch 1934, when the Laundry Wage Order went into effect until late in the fall of
1936, $3,886.72 had been collected in back wages for women and minors under its
three orders now in effect. This amount was divided as follows:

Dry cleaning:
Restaurants
and hotels:

$525.00 under Directory Order (3-26-34
11
Mandatory Order (7-26-34
706.95
Directory Order (9-10-34
566.52
999.22
Mandatory Order (1- 7-35
1,039.03

It

to
to
to
to

7-26-34)
9-17-36)
1-7-35 )
9-17-36)

Directory Order (7- 1-36 to 11-6-36)

The women and minors covered by these orders are: laundries, 5,489; drycleanin7 establishments, 2,074; food establishments and hotels, 359000 .(estimated).
The tabulation of wage and hour data secured in a study of retail stores is
now being done. It is estimated that 60,000 women and minors are employed in this
industry.
The Division has announced a hearing on February 4, before declaring mandatory
Directory Order Number 3, covering food and lodging establishments. (Communication
to
.;omen's Bureau.)

Rhode Island.

Rmort of the wage board for the jewel

industry

The wage board for the jewelry industry, appointed in November, presented a
report to the Director of Labor on January 4, 1937. Their chief recommendation (a
unanimous one) was that a minimum rate of 30 cents an hour be set for the industry,
this amount to be the lowest level for any worker whether beginner, learner, apprentice or unskilled. It was further recommended that no deductions from wages be
allowed except those required by law, or deductions requested in writing by the
employee, in behalf of and on the initiative of the employee. A study of the industry (reported below) showed that considerable proportions of workers had earned less
than 30 cents an hour, as follows: All workers, 26.6 percent; men,8.8 percent;
women and girls, 36.7 percent; and 56 percent of the male minors (who represented a
very small proportion of the total, as shown just below where details of the jewelry
report are given).
In regard to time spent waiting for work the board recommended that such time
Spent by the employee on the employers premises and at his request, shall be paid
for at the employee's regular rate and in no case at less than 30 cents. It is
further recommended that in the event an employee is requested to report for work
and there is not at least 4 hours' work furnished, the employer shall nevertheless
be required to pay for at least 4 hours at the regular rate.
The Wage Board, recognizing that the distribution of industrial home work constitutes a major obstacle to the efficient administration of a minimum wage order,
recommended that no home-work licenses or certificates be issued for the industry
except in cases in which the Director or Commissioner is able to ascertain that at
least the minimum wage will be maintained. (Communication to the Women's Bureau.)


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5
Rhode Island.

Earnin7s of women in the lewelry_industa

The first survey under the new Rhode Island Minimum Wa;_e Law, made by the
Division of domen and Children of the State Department of Labor, covers the jewelry
industry, a manufacturing industry employing more women than any other in the State
With the exception of textiles. The survey covered 19 branches of the industry,
150 establishments and 8,094 employees. Well over half (58 percent) of these
employees, were women or girls, 38 percent men and 3 percent male minors.
The median of hourly earnings of all employees was 34.7 cents (half earned
more half less). That for men was 47.5 cents; for worsen, 33 cents; and for male
minors, 27.5. Thus the median of women's hourly earnings was but one-half cent
more than the N.R.A. code minimum hourly wage; and 45 percent earned less than 3*
cents. Median hourly earnings are reported by occupation. Seven quite specific
occupations employed at least 50 men and 50 women, giving an opportunity to compare
earnings for fairly comparable work. The earnings of women (including female
minors) ranged from 28 cents for colorers to nearly 39 cents for foreladies; men's
from 37 cents for foot and hand-press operators to 86 cents for foremen.
The following table presents the information for these seven occupations.
....—
I Number reporting
—

Median hourly earnings

Occupation

Foremen ........
Bundle hands
?ower-press operators.
Foot and hand-press
operators
Colorers
Stonesetters
Solderers
.L.

Men

Women

Percent
women's
earnings
are of
men's

Men

Women

150
354
25,

53
844
308

86.2
42.8
41.8

38.8
32.3
30.7

45.0
75.5
73.4

327
204
328
108

641
213
381
314

37.3
42.5
63.5
47.2

31.9
26.1
32.6
35.5

85.5
66.1
51.3
75.2

The median of hours worked during the week studied was 40 for both men and
Women; however, nearly 44 percent of men and 34 percent of the women had worked more
than 40 hours, and 13 and 3 percent respectively, over 48 hours.
While 15 women and 215 men had earned over 4140 in the week studied, the median
of week's earnings was 42.67 in the case of women and 4119.37 in the case of men.
Nearly 6 percent of the women had earned less than i4i5 and nearly 27 percent, less
than 40. (Survey of Hours, Wages, and Other Conditions of Employment in the jewelry
Industry in the State of Rhode Island. Prepared by the Division of Women and Children of the Department of Labor.)


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6
LEGISLATION AFFECTING EMPLOYED WOMEN
The lecrislatures of 43 States will meet in regular session during 19379 the
exceptions beine. Alabama, Kentucky, Louisiana, iassissippi, and Virginia. The bills
introduced that especially seek improvements for employed women are listed at the
end of teis NhJS LETTER. State officials in a nuuber of States have made recommendations for the passage of laws to improve the situation of employed women, outstandlne; among such recommendations being the following:
The Department of Labor of Alabama in its 7irst Annual deport (year
ending Sept. 11, 1936), recommends a minimum waze law, perhaps for both
men and women, and an hour law for women (40-hour week).
The Labor Commissioner of Connecticut urges an adequate appropriation
for the enforcement of the State's minimum wa .l Je law, a 40-hour week for
women and men in factories and a 48-hour week in hotels, restaurants and
mercantile establishments.
The Governor of Illinois in his inaugural address (Jan. 11, 1937) recommended a law limiting women's work to 8 hours a day. He also recommended
the regulation of home work.
In his message
the need to "devote
minimum wage law to
limitation of hours
present hour law.

to the New York legislature, Governor Lehman stresses
consideration at the earliest possible time to a new
protect women workers." He also recommended some
in hotels which are not under the coverage of the

In the First Annual aeport of the Department of Labor of South
Carolina, the Comiseioner recommends a minimum wage law and a '7eneral
40-hour week law, both to cover men and women.

EMPLOYikINT OF WOMEN
United States.

Em plament of women in DecerTher

The report for woman-employing industries for the end of 1936 shows, in most
cases, encouraging gains over December 1935. The index of employment in non-durable
Roods industries, where most women in factories are employed, was nearly 7 percent
above the previous year; the index of pay-rolls, over 14 percent.
Employment in the textile group was practically 6 percent above December 1935,
Pay rolls more than 15 percent above. Of the 8 component industries of the group,
three showed employment declines; silk and rayon goods, 6 percent; fur-felt hats,
1 percent; woolen and worsteds, less than 1 percent. Fay rolls had declined only
in silk and rayon mills (2.4 percent). In cotton mills, employment had gained
practically 12 percent; pay rolls, 24 percent. In knitting mills the gains were 6
percent and 12 percent respectively.
In clothing factories, employment in December 1936 was 8 percent above 1935,
Pay rolls, nearly 12 percent. Every industry in the group had gained except
millinery. Women's clothing, a very large qroup, gained by 10 and 12 percent in
employment and pay rolls, respectively.


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7
No other group employs so many women as do the textile groups, but in other
specific industries, important woman employers, there were also improvements, as
the following table shows:

Industry

•
Percent increase in-Employment Pay rolls
4.8
2.5
2.9
9.3
2.5

Boots and shoes
Confectionery
Cigars and cigarettes
Paper boxes
Druggists' preparations

6.8
3.1
7.3
14.6
8.5

Among the nonmenufacturim industries, in only one (a mining industry) had
employment declined from December 1935 to December 1936. General merchandising
showed gains of 11 percent above the preceding December, in both employment and pay
rolls. In year-round hotels, employment had gained 3.5 percent; pay rolls, 8 percent. In laundries the euins were 9 percent and nearly 13 percent respectively.

United states.

You

women aided bz_the National Youth Administration

A report has just been received from the National Youth Administration showing
numbers of younc: men and women students who had received aid in the form of parttime employment durins- the period from September 1935 to June 1936. At the latter
date the young women among these numbered 95,211 and were 45 percent of all students
receiving aid. The greatest number of younc: women were reported for April 1936—
more than 1809000.
The type of part-time work given these students included clerical and research
work for the school or college attended and work connected with various community
activities. Wherever possible, students were given work which was allied to or
directly concerned with the field of their major interest. In this way their knowledge of their field has been broadened and increased while earning an N.Y.A. wage.
(The Student Aid Plan, Circular No. 10.)

South Carolina.

Employment of women in manufacturing

The Department of Labor of South Carolina which was established by an act
1936,
approved in May 1936, has issued its first report for the period from June
employed
age
to January 1, 1937. It shows over 33,000 women more than 16 years of
In the factories of the State, and forming 30 percent of all persons so employed.
Nearly 87 percent of these women were employed in textile mills, where they formed
34 percent of all workers. The only othar industries employing women to.any considerable extent were: canneries, 1,047 women, clothing, 1,196, and cigar and
tobacco factories, 1,498.

19

The new department takes over and continues certain activities of the Departthat from reports for 1935 a picture
ment of Agriculture, Commerce and Industry,
in
the State. In all factories women's
employment
may be secured of the progress of
employment had increased by 5 percent, men's by nearly 4 percent; in textile mills,

50


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IL

8
women's by 3 percent and men's by 1.6 percent. Total wages paid to men and women
also were reported: these had increased more than had employment, 8.3 percent for
women, 7.7 percent for men, in all factories.
The Division of Inspection of the South Carolina Department of Labor, in the
course of its inspections, has been able to check on the extent to which N.R.A.
standards still are being maintained in the State. The results are, on the whole,
encouraging. Of 220 textile mills inspected, 210 are still paying N.R.A. code
wages ($12 a week minimum for 40 hours). Of 220 manufacturing establishments, 193
were still operating 40 hours a week per shift, with not more than two shifts. In
449 mercantile establishments, the majority of the employees still are receiving
wages above those fixed by the N.R.A. and are working on the code schedule of hours.

Wisconsin.

Unemployed girls on N. Y. A. projects in Eilwaukee

A report recently received from the superintendent of the N.Y.A. work for girls
and young women in Milwaukee, shows that the needs of these girls for vocational
education are being placed before any standard of production. In November some 360
girls were employed in sewing rooms making blouses and skirts for school girls, the
garments being turned over to the Department of Outdoor Relief. Each girl was learning to make a complete garment. Only when the workers become more proficient, are
Operations subdivided as they would be in a factory. In addition to their work for
project needs, the girls are privilep:ed to use six hours a month to sew for themselves or their own families.
Handicraft weaving also is being taught, five-footpower all-purlose hand looms
being used for this. On these, girls have learned to weave pattern rugs out of the
cuttings left from the garments made. (Communication to the domen's Bureau.)

PROBLEYS OF INDUSTRIAL HOPE WORK
Local postmasters are not permitted to post in their office notices from employers soliciting industrial home workers, according to a statement made by the Chief
Post Office Inspector to the Department of Labor, in response to an inquiry from the
Director of the Division of Women and Children of the New York State Department of
Labor reporting instances in which New York employers had sent such notices to post
offices in Connecticut. Both Connecticut and New York have laws restricting industrial home work. The Chief Bost Office Inspector further informed the Department
of Labor that he would appreciate being notified of any and all instances of such
Posting in local post offices of notices advertising for industrial home workers,
since such posting is unlawful.

FROBLEInternational.

OF HOUSEHOLD EEPLOYEENT

Continuing interest in household emaloyment

uns.1212E2

A communication from the World's Y. W. C. A. (headquarters, Geneva) states:
"From the stream of magazines, papers and reports which come to our
desks sent to us by other organizations and our national sections, it is
evident that there is a live and growing interest in the question of
household employment."

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9
g the followOutstanding activities along these lines are presented includin
ings
at
At a conference of the Association des Foyers de Jeunes Filles held
employd
househol
Parizet, irance, in July, the principal subjects discussed were
; the
improvin,
ment, the problems it presents as an occupation for women, ways of
of
ity
possibil
status of household employees, different kinds of training, the
of
establishing foyers or hotels in connection with schools for the training
household employees.
In August, an important
an Occupation for dolmen" was
and the organizing committee
to work to find the best way
been passed.

three days' conference on "Household Employment as
initiated by the Melbourne (Australia) Y. W. C. A.
representing 28 women's organizations, is now setting
of carrying into effect the resolutions which have

in course
From New Zealand comes word that "A union for domestic workers is
of organization."
to discover
The Y. T. C. A. in Canada recently held a "stock takini" in order
Finding
nt.
employme
d
househol
where the Association had arrived in their work on
ing
interest
an
uneven
that the development in different parts of the country was
a
in
up
summed
exchange of experiences was carried on. The results have been
(Information on
series of papers grouped under the title "The Growth of an Idea."
Y. W. C. A., 2.
Social and Industrial questions, Nov. 30, 1936, issued by World's
rue Daniel Golladon, Geneva, Switzerland.)

stonia.

A government bureau for household employment

women, have recently
Women in Estonia, interested in the status of all working
Chamber, which is
d
Househol
a
h
succeeded in persuading the government to establis
its head.
-at
EenpaluLinda
an actual branch of the State, with a woman--Mrs.
(Christian Science Lonitor, January 229 1937.)

ACCIDENTS TO WOMEN
Michigan and Illinois.

Industrial accidents to women

that for Michigan
Accident reports have been received recently from two States,
In i,ichigan,
1934.
for
,
Illinois
for
that
being for the year ending June 30, 1936,
of the
percent
5.7
or
1,255
in
involved
of 22,180 compensable accidents women were
of all
percent
6.6
formed
and
total. In Illinois accidents to women numbered 2,089
accidents.
manufacturIn each State the women involved were rather fairly divided between
g the
reportin
es
ing and nonmanufacturing industries. The manufacturing industri
factories
shops,
greatest number of accidents in Michigan were laundries and machine
s; in
factorie
making automobile bodies and parts, and food, beverage and tobacco
Illinois, food, textiles and metal factories.
onal disease or
Death resulted in nine cases in Illinois, three due to occupati
one due to some
industrial poisoning, three to vehicles, one to handling objects,
deaths resulted in
poisonous or corrosive substance, one to hoisting apparatus. Two

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10
Michigan, one due to elevators or hoists, one to hot corrosive or poisonous substances. A woman of 20 in Illinois was permanently and totally disabled. This
type of disability is rare, and none was reported for women in Michigan. In
Illinois just over one-fourth of women's accident cases closed during the year
had resulted in some form of permanent partial disability, such as amputation or
permanent stiffening of a member. In Michigan only 6 percent of women's cases
resulted in this type of disability.
In report after report, it is noticeable that the two most important causes of
women's accidents are falls and machinery. In the present reports, practically onethird of women's accidents in Illinois were caused by falls, in Michigan, 29 percont. Data reported only for Michigan show a great difference in the importance of
falls in manufacturing and nonmanufacturing industries. While in manufacturing,
only about 17 percent of the accidents were due to falls, in other industries 43
percent were so caused. While cause of accident and nature of injury are not correlated, injuries frequently caused by falls are fractures and sprains and strains.
These injuries are reported much more frequently in nonmanufacturing than 1anufacturing, fractures being nearly 18 percent of all injuries in ronmanufacturing industries, sprains and strains nearly 22.
In Illinois, machinery caused 18 percent of all women's accidents, in Michigan,
27.5 percent. The details' for Michigan show that 07 percent of all machine accidents occurred in manufacturing. None of these machine accidents in Michigan
caused fatalities, but 18.6 percent of them compared with 6 percent of all accidents
resulted in some permanent disability. (Cost of Industrial Accidents in Illinois
for the year 1934 and Annual Compensable Accident Report, year ending June 30, 1936-Department of Labor and Industry, Michigan.)

BILLS INTRODUCED THAT ESPECIALLY AFFECT EMPLOYED WOMEN
Arizona. S.B. No. 8. Adds to the existing hour law for women a limitation of
hours for men and minimum wages for females and males--i$15 for a 48-hour week for
females and 18 for a 59-hour week for r'ales.
California. A.60 and A.508. Limits the hours of personal or domestic workers
to 48 a week if the worker lives off the premises of the employer; 60 hours a week
if worker lives on premises. Exempts persons employed exclusively in care or
management of children; as graduate, undergraduate, or practical nurses or attendants chiefly in care of sick.
A.241. Provides 6-hour day, 5-day week for all employment, public or private,
with certain exceptions.
Georgia. H.B.50. Limits hours of work of any person in mill, factory or
manufacturing establishment to 8 in any 24. Allows daily overtime of 4 hours if
time and a half is paid. Exempts watchmen or employees engaged in making necessary
repairs or in case of emergency where life or property is endangered.
Massachusetts. S.68. Suspends, until April 1, 1938, 6 o'clock law for women
in textile mills.
S. 26. Amends present hour law for employees in state institutions to provide
that the 8 hours of labor shall be worked within 12 consecutive hours.
H.D. 125. Resolution memorializing Congress to provide 6-hour day, 5-day week.
H.B. 123. Petitions Congress to amend Constitution relative to minimum wages
for women and minors.


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11

minors.
Yachiatn. S. 23. Standard minimum wage bill for women and
cost of living.

Includes

hours from
Minnesota. H.B. 12. Amends hour law for women to reduce weekly
manufacturing
,
eeping
54 to 44. Provides also 8-hour day. Applies to public housek
Certain
ors.
operat
mechanical, mercantile, or laundry occupation, or telephone
er or class
employ
any
exeroptions are specified; the Industrial Commission may exempt
in a
weeks
4
inT,
exceed
of employers, and may allow longer hours in emergencies not
calendar year.
hours to 9 3/4 a
New Hamplhire. H.B. 60. Amends hour law for women to limit
g plants. In other
day, 48 a week in manual or mechanical labor in manufacturin
t law.
1 hours a day, 54 hours a week apply as under the presen
;
employment 10,
its work
prohib
and
hours
s
women'
ng
limiti
law
t
H.3. 51. Strikes out presen
18 employed at manual or
between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. for women and minors under
mechanical labor in any employment.
••••••••••!•••••••••••

(including nurses) in hosNew York. S. No. 159. Limits hours of employees
rdinary emergency. Adminisextrao
of
cases
pitals to 8 a day, 48 a week, except in
nes, patholor:ists, etc.) superintrative officials, professional employees (inter
exeupt.
tendents of nurses, and ambulance drivers, are
rooms and kitchens of hotels
A. No. 167. Extends to women employed in dining
clay, 54 a week, 6 days a week,
a
to 9
the law limiting hours of wonen in restaurants
6 a.m.
and prohibiting employment between 10 p.m. and
in any retail grocery store,
ed
employ
s
person
of
hours
Limits
S. No. 148.
where uncooked Rnd unprepared
dairy, fruit and vegetable store, or other places
days, 48 hours a week and 8 hours a
food and food products are sold at retail to 6
does not a:ceed 48 hours.
day. Allows 10 hours on 1 day a week if week
ees in factories or mercantile
employ
for
week
r
A. No. 102. Provides 30-hou
pay.
establishments; six hours overtime allowed for extra
ors from 54 a week, 9 a day,
operat
or
elevat
women
A. No. 23. Reduces hours of
between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. to
to 48 a week, 8 a day. Extends prohibition of work
t elevators.
freigh
and
ger
women over 21 and to operators of all passen
and minors. Like standwomen
for
bill
S. No. 2 and A. No. 105. nnimum wage
.
ard bill but omits reference to cost of living
for men, women and minors
S. No. 196. Provides for fixing minimum fair wages
. Provides for
living
of
cost
during period of emergency. Omits reference to
mandatory orders for minors.
m fair wa:es and maximum hours for men,
S. No. 217. Provides for fixing minimu
women and minors.
r, 6-day week, for perNorth Carolina. H.B. 54. Provides 8-hour day, 40-hou
ishment engaged in manufacture of
g
sons in any mill, factory, manufacturin establ
rayon or woolen garments. Allows
tobacco, or textile products or of cotton, silk,
. Hours for other nersons in
sioner
by
d
Commis
Labor
exemvtions, under terms define
with exceptions allowed.
gainful occupations, 8 a day, 48 hours, 6 days a week,
for passenger elevator
Ohio. H.B. 61. Requires employers to provide seats
a longer period than 2
for
operators and prohibits compelling employees to stand
hours in any working day.
e punch presses, shearing
H.B. 41. Makes it unlawful for any female to operat
es. Provides that all women
machinery, milling machinery or other like machin
m the same class of work as men,
employed in factories and assigned to perfor
to be healthful and fitted to their
although the work has been rearranged so as
as that of men.
needs, shall be paid the same rate of pay

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12
Pennsylvania. H.B. 56. Prohibits employment of any person by any employer
for more than 35 hours a week.
H.B. 73. Standard minimum wage bill including reference to cost of living.
S. 11. Provides for minimum wage of 50 cents an hour for workmen employed on
per diem basis at any State institution and on any State project.
A. 51. Amends hour law for women by reducing hours from 54 a week, 10 a day,
to 40 a week, 8 a day. Women employed in other than industrial establishments:
44 hours, 6 days week, 8 hours a day. Telephone and telegraph operators over 13:
2 hours daily overtime in emergencies but not more than 44 hours a week. ':;omen
employed in canning perishable fruits and vegetables: 10 hours in 1 day but not
more than 40 hours, 6 days a week. Domestic service: 54 hours' maximum a week.
Nurses are exempted and also women over 21 earning $25 to $35, according to the
size of the city, in following occupations (1) bona fide executive positions, (2)
learned professions, (3) court stenographers. Hours of continuous employment are
reduced from 6 to 5.
Rhode Island. H.B. 509. Prohibits deductions from wages of women and minors
in manufacturing and mechanical establishments, paid by day or hour for time lost
because of stoppage of machinery, unless such workers are permitted to leave plant
during repairs. Requires overtime pay for workers at regular rates for time spent
in making up lost time if they have been kept in workrooms durina repairs. Requires
an employer who penalizes a worker for leaving without notice to pay a similar
forfeiture if he discharges without notice.
H.B. 523. Provides that women and children shall not be employed in factories
more than 5 hours consecutiv-ely without at least 45 minutes for a meal; six and onehalf hours of continuous work allowed on day ending at 1 p.n. Exemptions allowed
in certain continuous industries and may be allowed by department of labor in others
if not injurious to health of women and children affected.
H.B. 519. Prohibits night work between 12 p.m. and 6 a.m. for women in factories, manufacturing or mechanical establishments. Lxempts women working on shifts
or public utilities.
South Carolina. H. 19. To make 40-hour bill passed in 1936 effective upon
approval by Governor instead of effective when passed also by Georgia and North
Carolina.
H. 19. To make same act effective June 1 9 1937.
Texas.
_. _ H.13, 43.
women and children.

:Aandard minimum wage bill, cost of living omitted.

For men,

Utah, House Concurrent itemorial No. 1. Asks Congress to submit amendment to
Constitution fol. 30-hour week with time and one-half for overtime.
Washington. House Joint ljemorial No. 1. Petitions Congress to enact legislation for 6-hour day, 6-day week.
Also remoralizes Congress to prohibit employment in industry or public utilities for more than 30 hours a week.
H.B. 45. Makes it unlawful to employ any person in excess of 30 hours a week.
H.B. 51. To repeal the Sunday closing law. (Repealing secs. 2429 249,
S.L. 1909.)
Wisconsin. Assembly Joint Resolution No. 12. To amend State constitution to
provide that the legislature is authorized to fix minimum wages in any employment.
RECENT PUBLICATIONS OF THE WOMEN'S BUREAU
Employed 1,voman Homemaker in the United States:
Support.

Her Responsibility for Family

Women's Employment in West Virginia (miemographed.)


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(168r.,)

U.S. Department of Labor
WOI,EN'S BUREAU
..Vashington

March 1,
•


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//
ACTIVITIES AFFECTING GAINFULLY E- PLOYED WOMEN

xi
Minimum we
ries
the
garment/indust
in
women
of
Earnings
Illinois.
,;age/Divisioll
Linimum
the
of
w
N;-, Jersey. Activities
Rhode Island. Order issued for the j6welp industry
Employment and earnin-s of women
United States. Emrloymert of women i January
California. Xomen aorlicants for w4ek
North Carolina. Registration and Aacel:ent of women
Ore7or. Emr1Jyment end earnings ,fif women, 1934 and 1935
Fennsylvania. Emcloyment and eanins cf women 134
Puerto Rico. Employment and earnings of women:, 1936
Other conditions of work
North Caro'lina. Pours of wOrk in textile mills
Hazards to women in industry
L:assachusetts. Occupay.onal diseases of women
Lissouri. In, strial 'accidents to women
Problems of in&u.fa,2 h me work
New fork. Irol) Ption of home work on ren's neckwear
Jihibit of articles rade in workors'
New Jersey.
homes
menace of industrial home work
Penncylvania.
Legislation affecting ,:Yomen
Recent pub1i4ations of the Women's Bureau

921

1
MINI1:UL: 'NAGE
Illinois.

Earnin-s of women in theiarment industries

Preliminary information is now available as to the earnings of nearly
and minors in various branches of the garment industry in Illinois.
The study made by the Minimum '.:acre Division covered a busy week in 1935 (usually
'in the fall). harnings for the entire year of 1935 were also secured for approximately 10 percent of the workers for whom weekly records were secured. Nine classifications of the industry were r,ade, includirv outerwear, underwear, headwear,
neckwear and accessories.

.l5 00() women

For the entire groun, median week's earnings in the busy season were
$14.43 (half earned more, half less); median hours worked, just over 39; and median
hourly earnings, 38.3 cents. Ledian earnin,.7s varied considerably from one branch
of the industry to another. The lowest median was reported for the largest :1-oup,
42.67, for workers in factories making women's and children's cotton and rayon
dresses, cotton aprons and uniforms. The highest median was for the next to the
smallest gnoups 418.81, in the making of men's neckwear. In the second and third
largest ::roups, men's cotton wear and women's neckwear, medians were between 44
and 44.50. In all other groups, nedians were 45 or more a week.
Median annual earnings of 1,3/14 women were $665.49 for a usual working
year of 50 weeks. Here again the lowest earnings were in the cotton dress group,
43587.29. The highest median, y791.57, was for workers on hats, caps and nillinery.
The median of the evera„:e wee:7.1y earrings of those workers whose records for the
year were secured, was 42.87. This amount more nearly indicates what the average
worker has to live on week in and week out, than a median for a week when the
industry is at its peak of 1,roduction.

New Jersa.

Activities of the Minimum Wage Division

The preliminary survey and inspection work for alinimum wage in the laundry industry is nearly finished and the completed report is expected soon. (Communication to the women's Bureau.)

Rhode Island.

Order issued for the 'ewelrv industry

The Rhode Island Department of Labor, under date of January 30, 19379
has issued its first minimum wage order, covering women and minors in the jewelry
industry. The order follows the recommendations of the wage board (See February
News Letter), and fi;:es an absolute minimum of 30 cents an hour, which "shall not
be reduced by any arrangement or device." (Communication to the domen's Bureau,
with copy of Order.)

FiTLOYEENT AND EkilNINGS OF W011N
United States. .LTplument of_woven in January
For several months the increase in pay rolls in all marufacturincr industries over the sane month of the preceding year has been about twice as rrea'., as
tile gain in employment. This is an important feature of recovery as pay rolls nad
fallen lower than did employment. This tendency probably reflects both increases in
wage rates and a 7eneral increase in hours of employment.

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4fre.'",

• -v. •

.

• --v7.

r

-•

WV

JOT.j.•

2
11 perThe increase in employment from January 1936 to January 1937 was
joods,
cent; in ray rolls, nearly 23 percent. In the manufacture of non-durable
16
and
percent
8
were
increases
the
engaged,
industries in which many women are
the
in
y
consistentl
quite
shown
are
percent respectively. These same tendencies
following
the
show
industries
.chief employers of women. Reports for individual
increases:
' Percent increase January 1937
over Januara 1936
Employment

Fay rolls

10.010

Fabrics
Cotton goods
Knit goods
Silk goods
Woolen and worsted

9

22

14

31
13
8.5
17

0.7
9

10

Men's clotling

5

10

Shoes
Confectionery
Tobacco ........
Paper box

6
7

11
16
7
20

Clothing

•

1

0

10

.1111.1.1

In the non-manufacturing croups, no clear pattern appears, although in
general, pay rolls had increased more since January 1936 than had employment. This
IANS true in year-round hotels, where employment had increased 5 percent, pay rolls,
percent
9 percent, and in laurdrias, where the gains were nearly 9 percent and 12
11
nearly
advanced
had
employment
group
n
inerchandisi
respectively. In the general
percent, pay rolls, 9 percent.

California.

1ornen applicants for work

The Calircrnin State Eriployment Service has issued recently a detailed
y age and type of work asked
inventory of men and 'Ncrr:en seek5ng work :in the
for. This survey is b-.3ed or the active fila D: :;)vsmber 209 1935, and si.ovs nearly
cr; cn that date. These 1:ersons in60,000 INemen and. over '7,7'..1.(„00 men aW-.„r,
...rsns workina at security wages
all
bA
seekare
job
..21Lyed
cluded "not only uno.
reliaf
status awnitina assignment to
with.
per
cons
all
and
on relief works :;rojects,
of
persons
employed but seeking better
nuLber
smell
relief wor:,s projects, and also a
work opportunities."
Over 70 percent of the wouen were 20 but not 50 years of age, with each
of the 10-year groups formin7: not far from the same proportion of the total. Over
one-fifth were 50 or elder, end about 7 percent under 20.
Nearly half of the women in the active files were seeking domestic or personal service jobs; 23 percent, clerical work; 11 percent, professional or administFative work. Only 8.5 percent were classified as skilled, semiskilled, or unskilled workers, predominant in the group being the semiskilled. Nearly 7 percent

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9

3
were saleswomen or in related services. Only 2 percent of the women were unassigned
to any occupational classification, this group consisting of the recent students,
others without work experience, and the unemployables.
Two-thirds of the women applying for work were on relief. This proportion
workvaried with the different occupational groups from 51 percent of the clerical
and
domestic
Of
workers.
skilled
of
ers to nearly 80 percent of the small group
percent; of
personal service workers, 70 percent were on relief; of saleswomen, 64
on relief
proportions
The
percent.
the professional and administrative group, 76
of those
relief;
on
were
half
varied with age also. Of the women under 259 nearly
on rewere
ourths
three-f
about
25 to 39 9 less than two-thirds; of the older women,
1935.)
30,
Nov.
Survey,
lief. (California State Employment Service, Active File

North Carolina.

Registration and placement of women

The North Carolina Department of Labor has made public recently a summary
of the activities of the public employment offices of the btete for a three-year
period ending July 1936. During this period, 135,359 women applied for work and
56,723 were placed, F ratio of 42 placed to each 100 applicants.
Women were, on the whole, less successful in securing jobs than were men
as is shown by the fact that they formed 23 percent of all persons registered and
only 17 percent of all persons placed. It is interesting to note that women formed
21 percent of all persons placed on relief jobs. This large proportion is contrary
to the usual situation. A recent report for the country as a whole showed that
women formed only 10 percent of persons placed on work relief projects foe the year
ending July 1936. 1/
The proportions of all the women reistered who were from the e'ore important industries were approximately as follows: domestic and personal service, 39
percent; manufacturing, 13; agriculture; forestry and fishing, 7; trade, 6; professional service and commercial service, 4 percent each; government service, 3.
Details show that women who were agricultural workers, those in domestic and perscnal service, and in trade, had more chances of securing this same work than did
other groups. (North Carolina Labor and Industry, December 1936.)

Oregon.

EsEloment and earnings of women

1934 and 1935

The Bureau of Labor of Oregon in a report recently issued summarizes the
employment and earnings of men and women in the chief industries of the State in
1934 and 1935. The report also contains the usual hour schedules in these industries.
The food industries were the largest employers of women, with canning and
packing the most important in the group. The textile and clothing group was second
in im7)ortance; laundries and cleaning and dyeing establishments, third. it is less
usual to find woodworking establishments important as employers of women; this group
was fourth in the State in the employment of women, women being employed in plants
making boxes and barrels; shingles and veneer and other wood products. In each of
•••••••••

011••••••••••••••.

1/ See Yonthly Labor Review, December 1936, page 1528.

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number had inthese four groups more than 500 women were reported in 1935 and the
proportion of
The
ably.
creased between 1934 and 1935, in some cases quite consider
women also had increased slightly.
in the
The approximate median of women's weekly wage rates (computed
t food indusdomen's Bureau) had decreased or stood still in the three most importan
in
- emained the same in the textile grout, increased slir:htly
tries. Such rates r
in woodworking
laundries and dry-cleaning establishments, and quite materially so
changes:
establishments. The followirv: table shows these
ApproxLmate median
weekly rate
I

Industry

1934
Canning, packing, drying foods
Biscuits, confections, etc
Creameries, etc
Wearing apparel and knit goods
Woolen and linen mills
Laundries, cleaning and dyeirw establishments
1-laners, boxes, barrels, etc
Sash doors, etc
Shingles, veneer, etr.

1

15.50 1
14.50
17.50 1
17.50 1
14.50 !
13.50 ]
13.50
15.50
16.50

1935
14.50
14.50
16.50
17.50
14.50
13.70
15.50
13.51
19.50

week,
Scheduled hours reported were most frequently 8 a day and 40 a
.
Of the
frequent
most
was
schedule
except in food establishments in which an 8-48
and
schedule
8-40
an
reported
11
laundries and dry-cleaning establishments in 1935,
'State
the
and
Labor
of
'Bureau
10 one of 8-48 hours. (17th Biennial Report of the
30, 1936.)
Welfare Commissioner of the State of Oregon, July 1, 1934 - June
Pennsylvania.

Employment and earnin'e of women

1934

A final summary of the census of employable persons taken in Pennsylvania
rain the spring of 1934 has just been issued by the State Emergency Relief Administ
900,000
on,
showed
populati
farm
rural
the
tion. This census, which covered all but
employable women, representing one-fourth of all the employable persons 15 years of
age or older in the State.
Though women formed one-fourth of all employable persons and also of peron of
sons employed, they were 28 percent of the unemployed; a much greater proporti
report
The
ly.
the women than of the men who were unemployed had not had jobs previous
points out, however, that housewives and others who would not normally have becone
wage earners but reported themselves as "seeking work" solely because other potential
workers were unemployed, were not included in the tabulations as "employable."
A greater proportion of women than men were unemployed. Considered by
a.:e groups, the greater unemployment of women compared to men was in Eles 30 to 50.
By large age groups the unemployment of men and women was as follows:


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4

-•
kercent °I all employables
who were unemiloYed
Age
Men
All ages.
Under 20..
20-29
30-39....
40-49
50 and over.

Women
30.6
56.5
27.9
21.9
22.7
24.2

27.2
63.5
31.6
19.1
19.9
27.2

d by sex. It has
Unemployment by occupational groups has not been reporte
in certain lari:e
been of interest, however, to note the extent of unemployrent
typists and domesaphers,
Stenogr
women.
nantly
occupation groups apt to be predomi
epers, beauhouseke
women;
all
did
than
yment
tic servants showed a greater unemplo
unemployroent,
of
percent
lower
a
had
rs
ticians, trained nurses and telephone operato
teachers a much lower percent.
a
Weekly earnings of men and women working full-time (30 hours or more
5002C00
nearly
fo
secured
were
week) are reported by occupation. Such earnings
of all women and of those
women and the following table uives the redian 1/ earnings
in a few important occu ations.

Occupation
All occupations
Sewing; machine oserators....0
Telephone operators
Saleswomen in stores
Housekeepers and matrons.
Domestic servants
'Waitresses
Bookkeepers
Stenographers
Nurses, registered and graduate.
Professors and teachers

,
.Jumcer of wolien liedian week's
earnings
repalted
464,348
11,846
7,846
34,965
20,794
68,941
11,007
16,161
35,588
10,(244
49,328

$16.85
9.75
16.85
15.15
10.55
9.45
11.55
19.50
20.55
32.60
32.15

probably repreThese earnings are based on the report of the workers and
earnins
our,
the
by
sent recent earnings. For persons on piece rates or '.)aid
salary.
regular
a
will, of course, fluctuate more than do those of persons on
?ennsyvania 5 1934.)
(Census of Employable 7orkers in Urban and Rural nor-ferl., Areas,
0.0.11•.••••••••••

1/ :edian colnputed in the Nomen's bureau.


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5
Puerto Rico.

Euloylent and earnings of women, 1936

industries
Tobacco in various forms, and clothinp., are the most important
of the
report
latest
the
to
g
accordin
offering a livin to women in Puerto die°,
emwere
women
500
69
Nearly
1936).
Deparlanent of Labor (for the year ending June
of
making
the
in
18)
and
ion
.ployed in tobacco stripping, 339 in tobacco cultivat
being
groups
largest
the
women,
cigars. The needle trades gave employment to 2,623
canning was third in
at work on woolen's underwear and children's clothing. Fruit
importance as an employment for women, giving work to 782.
earnings than
Women cigar makers averaged $7.04 a week, which are higher
averaged
s
were reported for any other important industry. The tobacco stripper
es,
industri
clothing
$2.59 a week, and women on tobacco plantations $1.59. In the
work
for
, to .$5.26
average earninc-s ranged from $3.67 in children's garment makinr
week.
a
$2.22
averaged
women
s,
on men's suits. In fruit cannerie
week, while average
Average full-time hours for women never exceeded 48 a
group.
hours actually worked seldom reached 40 for any important

OTHER CONDITIONS OF WORK
North Carolina.

Hours of work in textile mills

s from time
The North Carolina Department of Labor and Industry publishe
most
State's
the
uring,
manufact
to time data regardilv operating hours in textile
naires,
question
on
based
subject,
this
important industry. The most recent report on
women
55,000
nearly
showed
D35
gives data on 332 mills. (An inspection report for
ns
found.)
conditio
the
to
employed in the textile mills of the State and subject
by the N.R.A.
It is encouraging that standards of work schedules set up
an 6-hour
reported
mills
the
of
still prevail to a considerable extent; 82 percent
kn
shifts.
or
two
one
day; 80 percent, a 40-hour week; 82 percent operated with
the
of
In 77 percent
even larger proportion, 95 percent, reported a 5-day week.
mills a lunch period is given.
ns.
It is discouraging that 66 mills have reverted to three shift operatio
hours.
50
more
than
12,
in
;
schedule
In 43 mills, 50 hours of work is the weekly
(North
In 86 mills, no lunch period is given, 52 of these being yarn mills.
Carolina Labor and Industry, ,)ecember 1936.)

HAZARDS TO WOMEN IN INDUSTRY
Massachusetts.

Occaational diseases of women

Labor
The Division of Industrial Safety of the Massachusetts Department of
by
to them
and Industries regularly investigates occupational diseases reported
issued recentbeen
has
which
1935,
for
reyort
The
cases.
physicians treating such
women's cases.
were
48
of
which
ated,
investir
were
ly, indicates that 290 such cases
dermaIn the great majority of their cases, 431 women were affected by
g
includin
es,
substanc
of
variety
titis, caused, as the details show, by a wide

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6
alkaline solutions, dyes, selvents, cements, and the like. 6uch substances are
used in a very many industries, 12 different groups being specifically reported as
having at least one case of dermatitis among its women. The industries involved
. are: Shoes, 10 cases; textiles, 8; electrical products, 8; food products, 4;
foundry and macidne shops, 3; rubber products and dress ornaments, 2 each; tanneries,
'metal products, chemicals, paper products, and clothing, 1 each.
There were rerorted 4 cases of women poisoned by as or fumes, 3 in food
plants, and one case of pneumoconiosis, the industry not being indicated.
It is interestinFr to note the increased reaaorting of dermatitis. At the
same time there is a great decrease in reports of lead poisoning cases. The report
for 1925 speaks of lead pAsonin:". as "the commonest occupational disease", the
department having investigated 67 cases in that year while only 8 cases of industrial dermatitis were reported. Those data were not given by sex. Undoubtedly,
preventive measures following the Department inspections have caused the great
decrease in lead poisoning Gases. As to dermatitis there probably has been an increase in the use of irritants likely to ceuse skin affections, and also an increase
in the reporting of such affections as their cause is better understood. (Annual
Reports of the Deaartmert of Labor and Industries for the years ending ov. 30,
19359 and Nov. 30, 1925.)

Lissouri.

Industrial accidents to women

Nearly 5,000 :issouri women suffered from industrial accidents in 1935,
according to the Report of the Lissouri Workmen's Compensation Commission received
recent3y. The great majority of these accidents, 4,832, resulted in temporary
disability only. There were 2 fatalities and 29 cases of permanent partial disability. In 5 cases there was temporary loss cf earning povder due to the accident,
although no time was lost from work. (Ninth Annual Report of the Missouri .;orkmen's Compensation Commission, the 3tatistical year of 1935 and operating year of
1936.)

PROBELS OF INDUSTRIAL H013 WORK
New York.

Prohibition of home work on men's neckwear

nd luirimum
Following a very comprehensive study of home work in men's neckwear in
the Industrial Commissioner
New York, made by the Division of ',:omen in Industry
has issued an order prohibiting all home work in the industry after lay 1, 1937
(with certain exceptions provided in the home work law). The report showed conclusively that home work lowered wage rates for all workers and caused a decline in
the employment of factory workers.
The study of the industry covers three periods, before, during, and after
the N.R.A. code. Since the code prohibited home work, the results of such prohibition could be studied and appraised. The survey included 124 firms employing at
the time of the. investigation 3,268 factory workers and 580 hoee workers. Threefourths of the factory workers and practically all the home workers were women. The
following summary of the study deals chiefly with hand sewers, known as slipstitchers.

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7
In the fall of 1933, before the code for the industry was adopted, 70
percent of the slipstitchers employed by the firms studied were home workers. Fiece
rates, which had been set at 70 cents a dozen ties by a union agreement in 19299
were so low in 1933 that the majority of workers were paid less thnn 45 cents a
'dozen, and one-fourth of the factory workers and 43 percent of the home workers,
.leos than 30 cents.
(was prohibited. Jhile complete compliance
In the N.R.A. code, adopted in EarCE-1-934T Flom-6-;x6rkwas by no means
seclused, the employment of factory slipstitchers increased in the plants studied
from 569 to 1,353 and home workers decreased from 1,356 to 394. The code fixed a
minimum piece rate of 45 cents a dozen for slipstitching, and in the fall of 1924
only S percent of the slipstitchers covered by the study received less than this
aount. Analysis shows that enforcement of the code minimum was less effective in
the case of home workers, as over one-fourth of them were paid less than 45 cents
a dozen.
The shift from home work to factory work necessitated a marked change in
factory set-up. It brought an increase in labor costs and also in overhead, part
of which had formerly been borne by the home worker. These increased costs forced
the manufacturers to turn their attention to better planning, more division of hand
operations and more supervision of work in the shop. Nevertheless, many manufacturers stated that they profited by the better quality and increased speed of production.
By the fall of 19359 the first busy season after the nullification of the
code, the employalent oC home workers had increased and that of factory workers had
declined. Throughout the industry as a whole, piece rates for slipstitcning had
declined and some em)loyers had cut the rate to 23 cents. Over one-fourth of all
slipstitchers were receiviry-- less than 45 cents and 14 percent less than 30 cents.
A visit to certainof these firms in the fall of 1936 showed rates in some cases
as low as 16 and 20 cents a dozen.
Visits were made to the homes of 249 home workers, 4 of whom were men.
Although this was the busy season, one-fourth of the home workers who had worked
without help of others in the previous week had earned less than $5, and 56 percent
less than $10. Many of the home workers visited had also worked in the factory
during the period when the code was in effect. These women expressed their preference for factory work, not only because of the hii:her piece-work rate paid, hut also
because of the greater regularity of work and their increased output under factory
conditions. (Comunication to the iomen's Eurenu with jummary of Aeport and Copy
of Order.)

New JersPy.

An eYhibit of articles made in workers' homes

The Consumers' League of New Jersey has made an exhibit of industrial
home work, collected through the courtesy of the State Department of Labor. The
exhibit is being shown throughout the 3tato in order to interest organizations and
individuals in the Assembly Bill (No. 134) for the regulation of home work. The
League has received a letter from the New Jersey Dress Manufacturers and Contractors
Association pledging their help in passing the bill. (Communication to the Women's
Bureau.)


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8
Pannsvlvaria.

The menace of industrial home work
••••MO

Under the title of "Three Cents an Hour" the Bureau of 'Iomen and Children
of the Pennsylvania DEreartelent of Labor and Industry, describes the exploitation of
woLen and children who work in their own homes on various industrial processes. The
rnport concludes: "Difficulties encountered by the bureau of fomen and Children
.during ten years of regulation of home work are so great that the consuming public
as well as the home worker and the factory worker can be fully protected only by
complete abolition of the home-work system. This the 3ureau unequivocally recome.ends."
Descriptions of some of the more prevalent forms of home work, quoted in
part below, are accompanied by case histories of women who are trying to supplement
a meager income by this form of work.
"In small town and rurel newspapers throughout the State there are constantly appearing advertisements seekina- to recruit the large army of woen knitting
baby sacques, caps, bootees, and embroidering fine dresses at incredibly low wares.
Employers maintain no factories; the plants are the huiable homes, and the usual
costs of 'reduction, light, heat and rent are borne ly the women workers. Herein,
also lies an interstate industrial problem.
"Another widely scattered form of industrial home work is the handwork on
infants' and children's dresses. Even machine-made dresses require some handwork
such as sLocking, fagoting, embroidering and turning of collars and cuffs. Some
manufacturers find it more profitable to send the work to Puerto Rico. Then there
are the dainty all hand-made dresses which are sold in the finest shops in America.
The home worker pays the price for the fortunate mother who insists upon exquisite
handwork for her baby's thins. Each dress sells for more than the price paid to
the worker for a dozer.
"Several large firms in Pennsylvania employ hundreds of women to fashion
by hand paper novelties widely used for parties. They cannot be turned out by
'machine because they lack the appearance given them by deft rirgers. Ear! ings range
from 2 cents to 10 cents per hour.
"1:any of these workers are aleproaching blindness and wrecked nervous
systems from the long tedious night and day knitting. The shelves of the fashionable shops are piled with the fruits of their labor, luscious in color, and fascinating in design. Little does Eadame realize when she says, "Charge and send" a
knitted suit at -1;85 to $145 that the overburdened foreign-born sister has been paid
$7 to ca0.50 for the inhumanly long hours entailed in its fashioning.
"The head of a firm with a large capitalization replied to official
inquiry as to the necessity for distributing home work from his factory with the
statement that since it was very costly and impracticable to card hooks, eyes, and
bobby pins, etc., by machine, they were dependent u-)on werkers to process them in
their homes."
LEGISLATION AFFECTING WOEEN
United States. H.J.R. 237. Proposes an amendment to the Federal Constitution as follovs: The Congress of the United States shall have the power and
authority to regulate by law maximum hours, minimum wages, and working conditions
in industry, mining, manufacturing in the United States and the several States.

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.1•••••••11•111•1•••••••

9
nu7+?,r of
The legislatures of 27 States are in session, and a very large
bills have been introduced that affect employed women.
The following have Eassed one or both houses:
cooperation between
Arizona. H.J.A. 2. hiemorializes Congress on a plan of
hours. Passed
States to abolish depressions by setting minimum wages and maximum
'House February 17.
to include hotels,
Arkansas. S. 116. Extends coverage of women's hour law
es, public
compani
ce
insuran
tions,
associa
restaurants, banks, building and loan
Approved by
ture.
legisla
of
houses
both
utilities, and elevator operators. Passed
Governer February 13.
legislation providCalifornia. A.J.R. 12. Lemorializes Congress to enact
ing 30-hour week. Passed House January 15.
n to Congress
Massachusetts. H. 123. Both Houses have passed the petitio
and minors.
women
for
for a constitutional aoendment relative to minimum wages
week. Has been passed
Minnesota. H.R. 12. Provides 8-hour day and 44-hour
Committee on
by House by a vote of 85 to 32 and reported favorably by the Senate
Labor.
law.
H. 11. T1 bring girls 18 to 21 years under minimum wage
ee.
committ
Senate
by
d
passed by House and favorably ra,Dorte

Has been

minors. Based on
Montana. H. 174. Provides minimum wage for women and
February 13.
House
Passed
ion.
commiss
living wage. Establishes a minimum wage
H. 267.

Regulates hours in hotels.

Passed House February 16.

States and the
Minimum wage bills are under consideration in at least 13
and lAnnesota
Lontana
in
House
one
passed
District of Columbia. Those that have
from
Arizona and
s
Congres
to
ls
memoria
already have been mentioned, as have the
series of
a
on
1
y
Februar
held
were
Lassachusetts. In New York joint hearings
the Senate as
in
and
the
House
in
both
minimum wage bills that had been introduced
d to
designe
are
These
follows: S. 2 - A. 105; S. 193 - A. 234; S. 217; A.629.
of
Arizona
houses
lower
the
in
answer constitutional obje:Itions to this law. Bills
the
on
wage
a
such
(H. 61) as well as that referred to in Fontana (H. 174) base
(H. 330)2 another
vania
Pennsyl
a,
Columbi
t
of
Distric
the
cost of living; those in
y (A1922 &
Arizona House bill (H. 124), and an amendment in the California Assembl
d; and a second Lontana
1924), base the minimum wage on value of services rendere
re, H. 160 seeks to
Hampshi
New
In
wage.
bill (H. 53) seeks to fix a flat ,18
, and an Ohio House bill
c
service
doinesti
tc
extend coverage of the minimum wage law
ld employees.
for
househo
ds
standar
wage
(H. 111) provides both hour and minimum
wages for employminimum
provide
Several Colorado bills, both in House and Senate,
and for
235),
es
(S.
ees in industry (H. 225 and H. 226), for telephone employe
provide
State
public utility em2loyees (S. 236). Three other bills in the same
ion
regulat
for
minimum wage for women (H. 65, H. 74, and H.788), and one provides
been
has
bill
of wages in agriculture (H. 35). A minimum wage and maximum hour
and in dashing29)
(H.
New
1,exico
in
bill
wage
a
and
156)
(H.
antroduced in Nevada
es of public penal
ton (H. 194). A 'disconsin bill seeks to fix a minimum for employe
and charitable institutions (A. 45).

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emelmis aliab.m/m•••••••••••••

10
Hour legislation of some type has been introduced in the great majority of
the leaislatures in session, and in many of them several bills are under consideration. In some cases these bills represent entirely new regulation, in some they
shorten hours, in some they increase coverage, in some they provide one day's rest
in sever, some seek to restrict night work for women. The bill passed in Arkansas,
'those through ore house in Minnesota and Eontana already have been mentioned.
•

30-hour week is the object of hills in Michigan (S. 52) and Washington
(H. 88), the latter combined with collective bargaining provisions and of the
memorial to Congress from California, already referred to. Ar Indiana bill proposes
a 6-34-hour week (H. 34). The dyomirg Legislature memorializes Congress to enart
legislation providing a 30-hour week in industry and public utilities (H.J.E. 1).
Provision for a 40-hour week, usually with an 8-hour day, sometimes with a
5-day or a 6-day qualification, is made in the following:
Connecticut. S. 757, S. 263, and H. 427.
Manufacturing and mechanical.
California. A. 2435. Shortens women's hours to 40.
District of Columbia. H.R. 4409.
New York. S. 254; A. 273. Restaurants. Also
removes the present exemption for cities under 509000 and
extends coverage to dining rooms and kitchens of hotels.
S. 253; A. 272. daiters and cooks in hotels and
restaurants.
North Carolina. (H. 54). Mills and factories.
Provision for a 48-hour week is made in Connecticut for many types of establishments, some of the chief being restaurants, hotels and eating places (S. 755),
beauty shops (S. 756), stores (S. 759, S. 215 and S. 321) and hotel lodzing departments (S. 785). In most cases these exempt supervisory employees receiving over
$200 a month.
States proposing new laws for an 8-hour day are Indiana (H. 140)9 West
Virginia (H. 249, also providing 48-hour, 6-day week), and also the District of
Columbia (H.R. 4409 9 also providing 40-hour, 6-day week).
Shortened hours are proposed in Illinois (S. 45, 5. 557, H. 1439 reducing
from 10 to 8-48), and in Nebraska (Bill 94, reducing from 9 to 8 a day). Increase
in coveraF:e is the purpose of tills in Colorado (H. 35, 8 hours for drug-store
employees ; Montana (H. 161, 8 hours in hotels, restaurants and cafes); New York
(S. 253, A. 272, 8-48 hours for restaurants); .asconsin (A. 45, 8-48 hours for public
penal and charitable institution employees and also a minimum wage).
A series of bills has been introduced in New Hampshire and hearings have
taken place. h.1 reduces hours in manufacturing from 10-4- to 9 with a 45-hour week;
H. 51 eliminates the present hour law; H. 60 provides 9 3/4-48 hours in manufacturing; H. 2 requires lunch periods.
Domestic employees would be restricted to 56 hours with minimum ware coverage
by an Ohio bill (H. 111) and to 60 hours by a ,iashington bill (S. 60). 'Montana
bills fix hours for most occupations (H. 140) and especially for hotel workers
(H. 267). A Pennsylvania hill does away with exemptions for overtime work and for
cannery employees (S. 199). Nevada seeks to fix hours and minimum wages for women
in one bill (H. 156).


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••••

11

Fuller regulation of industrial home work is sought in 6 States.
•


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New laws, similar to that suggested by
the Departrent of Labor have been introduced in
Delaware (S. 37), New Jersey (A. 134), and West
Virginia (H. 248).
Amendroents to existing laws are proposed
in:
Connecticut, S. 753, as to conditions of
distribution; Ilassachusetts, S. 259, revisions;
Pennsylvania, H. 72, H. 390.

RECENT PUBLICATIONS OF THE WOLEN'S BUREAU
State Labor Laws for Worer, Bul. 144 (revision of Bul. 98)
Employment in Hotels and Restaurants, Bul. 123.

U. S. Department of Labor
OMEN'S BUREAU
gashington

(1704)

April 19 1937.

ACTIVITIES AFFECTING GAINFULLY EI:PLOYED WOMEN

Einimum wage
California. Minimum wage in canneries
Massachusetts. Progress in minimum wage
New Hampshire. Report of the Hosiery and Knit Goods sage Board
New York. i:,arnings of women in laundries, October 1936
North Dakota. Two years' work of the Yinimum Wage Department

Employment of women
United States
Emlioyment of women in February
Occupations of woJen eligible for 'jorks Program employment
Wo:len certified for :orks Program employment
Nomen in State legislatures
New York. Equal opportunities for women teachers

Earnings of women
New York. Earnings of women in clothing factories
Texas. Employment and earrings of women

Legislation affecting women

Problems of household employment
United States. Household service demonstration projects
Ohio. Trend of housework wa7es in Lakewood
Jest Virginia. gages offered for household employment in
Fairmont .
Canada. Proposed legislation for household workers
Norway. Study of problems of household employment
Sweden. Conditions of work of women domestic servants

Personnel

Recent publications of the Women's Bureau


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6
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•
A

1
MINIMU1,; ,IAGE LA ti UPHELD

Judicial approval was accorded to one of the most important stepping
stores to better labor stanards for women that has been established in
many years when the United States Surreme Court on Ilarch 29th upheld the
minimum wage law of the State of Washington in the case of west Coast
Hotel Company vs. Ernest Parrish and Elsie Parrish.
Since the District of Columbia law was thrown out in 1923 in the
case of Ad%ins vs. C:,ildren's Hospital, minimum wage legielation based on
cost of livine: has been under a cloud. Newer laws enacted based the
minimum on value of service rendered as well. Courts in the State of
shington, however, still upheld its cost of living type law. Now the
majority opinion handed down by Chief Justice .reAehes in the new Parrish
case gives the following definite assurence as to its legality:
"Our conclusion is that the cese of AdHns v. Children's
Hospital. . . should be, and is, overruled. The judgment of
the Supreme Ceurt of Washington is affirmed."
Concurring with Chief Justice Hughes were Justices Brandeis, Stone,
Cardozo and Roberts.
This decision immediately infueed new life into ninimum wage procedure in States with laws long held inactive in the courts and renewed
activities in many States to uphold, reenact or newly enaet minimum wage
laws. The first such legislation was pessed in Eassachusette in 19139
and shortly after the following States enacted laws: California,
Wisconsin, North Dakota, South Deleota, Colorado, Kansas, Linnesota,
Arkansas, Oregon, -tiashington end the District of Columbia. Newer laws,
under some of which great activity has been in progress, exist in New
York, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Ohio, New Jersey, Illinois, Utah, and
Rhode Island. A minipum ware lAw has just been 1:assed in Nevada, and new
minimum wage legislation is pending in 1,farylaed, FlorUa, Pennsylvania,
South Carolina, e:ontsna, Arizona, New It:exico.
The Supreme Court decision just rendered states in part:
The Diesl,',r-tonl Legislature was entitled to adopt measures to reduce the evils of the "sweating system", the exploiting of workers at wages so low es to be insufficient to meet
the bare cost of living, thus nakini7 their very helplessness
the occasion of a most injurious com2etition. . .
There is an additional and corpelling consideration which
recent economic experience has brought into a strong light.
The exploitation of a class of workers who are in an unequal
position with respect to bargainintr power and are thus relatively defenseless egainst the denial of a living wae-e is not
only detrimental to their hoalth and well-being but casts a
direct burden for their support upon the community. What these
workers lose in wages the taxpayers are called upon to pay. The
bare cost of livina must be net. .;e may take judicial notice

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vd1

of the unparalleled demands for relief which arose during the
recent period of depression and still continue to an alarming
extent despite the degree of economic recovery wA.ch has been
acnieved. It is unnecessary to cite official statistics to
establish what is of common knowledg-e through the length and
breadth of the land. . .
California.

Linimum waoe in canneries

It voluntary association of canneries has been formed in Central
and Northern California known as The California Processors and Growers,
Inc. Ito members own 61 fruit and vegetable plants and do 94 percent of
the canning in the region. The -primary object of the organization is to
improve employer-emrloyee relations and they consider that an important
part of such a plan involves attention to wages, hours and working corad'Aions.
For the season of 1(:,37, minimum wages have been fixed for both men
and women which are at least 25 percent hiher than the rates paid in
this region in 1936.
The minima set for hourl:, workers are: men, 5'1 cents an hour;
women, 40 cents an hour; for piece werkers, a baae rate of 4* cents an
hour. It is usual for the majority of women in canneries to be paid on
a piece-wor:o basis. (CoNmunication to the jotc,en's -oureau.)

Massachusetts.

?rogress in minimum waRe

Two more wage boards have completed their work in Massachusetts.
The report of the board for the corset industry was accepted and became
effective on April 1. Hearins on the recommendations of the Board for
the stationery :oods and envelope industry were set for April 2.
The Corset Age Eoard recommended a minianum rate of 29 1/6 cents
an ho 1r, or OA for a full week for employees at least 17 years of age
who have had one year's experience in the industry. Apprentices are to
receive 20 5/6 cents en hour or 4)1.0 for a full week. Full time is defined as "the full number of hours per wee:: reouired by employers and
permitted by the laws of the Commonwealth." At least minimum hourly
rates must be paid to all piece workers.
The Stationery Goods and Envelope Wage Board have recommended a
minimum rate for workers of ordinary ability of ci14.50 a week for establishments working on a basic week of 40 hours or less. For estaolishmerits having a basic week of over 40 hours, a minimum of 32 cents an hour
is recomiended. This would mean „;15.36 P week if toe :ull legal week of
48 hours is worked. Workers of ordinary ability are defined as persons
18 years of age and over who have had 9 months' experience.
For minors under 18 with 9 months' experience the recommended rates
are 4313.75 for a week of 40 hours or less, or 30 cents an hour for a week
of more than 40 hours. For learners with less than 9 months' experience,
the rates recommen6ed are respectively, ;g1.50 a we';: for a week of 40

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3
hours or less, or 27 cents an hour if more than
40 hours are worked.
(Communication to lomen's 6ureau with copy of -Araes 3oard
Reports.)
New Hamnshire.

ReLort of te Hosier7 and Knit Goods 4aFe Board

The eg 3oard for the liosiery and hnit Goods Industry,
after holding three public hearine:s on conditions in the indus
try, heve recommended
a minimum wae:e rate of 274 cents an hour for all exper
ienced women and
minor employees, this rate to be guaranteed to
piece workers as well as
time workers.
Fcr workers during their first 6 months' experience
in the industry,
a rate of 15 cents an hour is rtcol2mendeC.
It is further recommended
that in any factory apprentices shell not exceed
10 percent of all ereployees includine leen ; except that every fecto
ry shell bc_ entitled to at
least 1 apprentice.
The report was accepted by the Labor Commission
and a hearing conducted on March 21. (Communication to Wcuen
's Bureeu with copy of
report.)

New

York.

Earninrs of women in laundries

October 1936

During the aCneinistration of the Laundry '4eic:e Order
(1933-36), the
Division of .4oleen in Industry and itliniloum
provided, as one means of
enforcine• that order, for an annual sworn payroll report in writing from
every laundry employing women or min(rs.
Because of the interest in the
effects of the iAni,rum .6iage Law's invalidati
on, the Division requested
these laundries voluntarily to submit ney
rolls for the week ending
October 31, 1936. That the laundry industry
was also greatly interested
in the problem was ShONTI by the fact that
of 25021 laundries which had
reported for a compareble week in 1925,
responses were received from 1,993,
five of these, however, 'Lein?: too late for
tabulation. Employment had
increasd 5.2 percent o'er i.evember 1935.
Analysis of thece f
- ay rolls show that since the laundry order had
ceased to be in effect veelely hours had,
in general, increased and weekly
earnings had decreased, as follows:

1 kecl.ian week's-T- Mediane7D-s
1 . earnin_Ls
hours
-4Novaelber 1.)35...1;
October 1936..• ,1

-

$13.42
13.40

)
i

41.8
42.1

That the changes were not greater is
undoubtedly due to the interest of
the majority of laundry owners in
the maintenance of standards.
Those actually affected by the wage reduction
(something more than
half of all laundry worsen workers),
of course, suffered more than the 1
percent wage decrease shown by the indus
try as a whole. In laundries
employing from 10 to 24 workers the wage
decrease from November i35 to

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4
October 1936 was 3 percent; in laundries employing from 50 to 99 workers,
1.3 percent; those employing 100 to 199 workers, 1.2 percent. These
three classifications employ more than 50 percent of the women laundry
workers.
The stabilizing effect that the Minimum Wage Law had on the laundry
industry is recognized by its progressive employers who realize that a
break-down in wage standards will endanger seriously the delicate equilibrium attained after three years of enforcement. At the public hearing on
minimum wage legislation held before the joint Senate and Asseelbly Labor
and Industry Committees on February 4, 1937, resolutions were presented
in favor of such legislation by nearly all the laundry associations in the
state. That wage standards have been depressed since the Law was declared
unconstitutional is shown by the pay-roll records submitted but what is
more important is that the unstable minority element of the industry
appears to be the active factor in depressing the standard. Ten percent
of the laundries continually lowering their wage standards may plunge the
entire industry into a state of chaos. This vicious cycle, if again permitted to operate freely, may well result in a return to the cutthroat
tactics which were common before the minimum war:e laws went into effect.
(The Industrial ,Allletin, February 1937.)

North Dakota.

iP:lo years' work of the Minimum Wage Department

The 3iennial Report of the Linimum Age Department of the North
Dakota Department of Agriculture and Labor for the period ending June 30,
1936, has been received recently.
The secretary of the Minimum Wage Department urges an increased appropriation for the Department, which would allow additions to be made to the
staff. A field worker to assist in personal inspection is needed and
"sufficient help to enforce the excellent sanitary rules which are contained in the wage orders." Additional clerical help is also needed in
the office.
It is also recommended that a prorosed Wage Claim Collection law be
passed thus enabling the Labor Commissioner to collect minimum wage claims.
At present, when conciliation fails, the Department can only advise the
complainant to start civil action, a procedure too expensive in cases of
small claims.
Need was felt for a more complete mailing list and considerable
effort was expended in bringing such a list up to date. Lacking sufficient
office force, the assistance of three clerks for a three months' period was
secured from the Works Progress Adalinistratior.
Pay-roll blanks were sent out to over 8,000 firms, replies being sent
from nearly 2,200. These results show again, the need of a persen to spend
full time in the field securin7 the data required by the Department. kSee
July 1936 News Letter.) An analysis of the hours renorted showed the following to be the median in the various industries covered by minimum wage
orders.

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Public housekeeping
Bakeries
Factories
Press
Creameries
Yercantile stores
Drug store-,
Laundries
Independent telephone companies

59
45
48
42
46
45
51
48
51i

(Compiled Agricultural Statistics of North Dakota for period ending June
30, 1936.)

E:PLOMENT OF WOLIN

United .3tates.

Ennloyment of women in February

As has been true for several months, employment and pay rolls in
February 1937 have gained over February 1936 in nondurable goods industries, the group containirw7 most of the women-emp1oyin7 industries and
in the subgroups within that classification where most wmen are found.
The most important industry groups show the following increases in the
indexes of employli:ent and pay rolls:
! Percent gain February 1936
to February 1027 in—
1
Employment
Nondurable goods
Fabrics
clearing apparel
Boots and shoes
Food and kindred products
Tobacco manufacture

9.3
11.2
10.2
7.1
8.9
4.3

Fay Rolls
20.3
24.1
16.0
18.9
15.9
13.6

It is interesting to note also the industry groups that may be considered to have returned to normal with an index at or above 100 (3-year
averae, 1923-1925). alployment in nondurable :oods ha:, been above 100
in every month after July 1936; the fabric inthastries since Jovember
19369 the wearinz arparel TTroul-,s since July 1935. Employment in shoe
factories just passed 100 in February of this year, wnile emrloyment in
confectionery and in tobacco manufacturing is still below that level.
In the nonmanufacturing industries employilT Nary women, general r,)erchandisinF had the highest level of employment in February 1937, 93.59
while in hotels and in laundries employment was between 85 and 90. In
each of these industries both emeloyment and pay rolls had advanced above
the level of February 1936.

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.•••

6
The reports of pu'71ic employment offices throughout the country
for February 1937 9 show a reduced pressure by job seekers, the number of
new applicants being 26 percent below that of February 1936. The applications of women had declined 28.6 percent. The placements of women had
ereased by 19.5 percent, an) there were 32 percent fewer on the
files.

United States.

Occupations of women eligible for Works Program aaillame

The 'S.P.A. has issued recently a report showing the usual occupation
of persons elipible for ,iorks Program employment on January 15, 1936. 1- *,o
family could be certified for such employment unless the family had relief
status during the period from Lay 1 to November 1, 1935, except with
specific authorization of the ',forks Progress Administrator. The greup included nearly 19 8009 000 women who formed 28 percent of all eligible workers.
Nearly one-third of the women were without work experience, this group
being about evenly divided between young women 16 but under 25 and women 25
or older.
Nearly one-fourth of the women had usually been employed in domestic
and personal service. About one-sixth had been semiskilled workers, the
majority of these operatives in factories. One-twentieth had been office
workers; 3 percent had been in professional or technical occupations; 3
percent in sales or kindred occupations; and 3 percent,farm workers.
In each family one worker was selected to be given preference in employment, this person being designated the economic head of the family.
This decision was based on the qualifications of the different members of
the family, the attitude of the household, and the occupational skill
which should be developed or preserved. In nearly 700,000 families, 15
percent of the total, this person was a woman. iomen economic heads of
families were 38 rercent of all women certified for work. They were
nearly twice this proportion of the women in the professional and the
administrative groups, and a relatively high proportion of the office
workers and of the skilled workers. (Usual Occueations of lorkers Eligible for works Program Employment in the United States, Jan. 15, .136.)

United States.

Amen certified for 'orks Proaar erialament

The Works Progress Administration has recently issued a "Survey of
Cases Certified for ;larks Program Employment in 13 Cities", based or a
random sample of cases of families with a member employed on the works
program as of April 1936, ard a similar number wita no member employed.
The collected data, based on the combined figures for all 13 cities, are
presented in brief form, with facts shown in the form of percent distribution.
About one-sixth of the economic heads of families were women. Over
one-third of these women give domestic or personal service as their usual
occupation, and over ore-fifth, semiskilled work. Ono-fifth had no usual
occupations. Other occupations represented by these women were: Office

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7
lercent; sales and kindred work, 5 percent; professional and
technical work, 3 percent; proprietors, managers and officials, 2 percent.
:ed or the 'darks Program,
Of the economic heals of feeilies erre1;10,
one-fourth
of those not employed
were
They
women.
only 14 Fercent weee
those
not able to take
of
percent
and
19
but able to take an assignment,
Program emWorks
secured
out
that
men
an assignment. The report points
of works
the
type
revailing
plcrent ieore easily then did women because
projects were unsuited to women. (Research bulletin, Series IV, No. 2
N.P.A.)

United States.

.Lislatures
k-ner in State le

.M.W••••••••••.•••••••••.•

tctal of 137 women are me-bers of the 1937 State legislatures in
34 States, a gain of 7 over 1936. Of this nurber 12 are State senators,
a gain of one over the last two years. States having the largest numbers of women legislators are New Hampshire with 19, Connecticut with
18 and Vermont with 14.
hot fnr from half of these women, 44 percent, are entering on at
least a second term, and many are serving third, fourth and fifth terms.
Outstandi/v in length of service is kiss Eleanor laller who has been a
member of the California riouee since 1022, and ire. ..abeth H. Paige and
Ers. Hannah Kempfer who have served in the Einnesota legislature since
1923. (Information furnished by the National League of domen Voters.)

New York.

.
Ealml oaortunities for women teachers

The teachers' union of New York City is sponsoring a bill thnt would
do away with all sex distinction in examinations given for teachin7 positions and in eligible lists, except in connection with teaching of certain
specific subjects such as sewin: or carpentry where it would seem reasonable.
In a supporting brief the union points out that women meet the same
eligibility requirements as men and take the sate examinations but are
then put on separate eligible lists. hee:ardine the License No. 1 list,
there are 10 women to every man, yet the ratio of alpoirtments is 4 women
to every man. Appointments of 15 men from the list of December 1930,
passed over 1,300 women on three prior lists.
In the matter of examinations, for 6 years examineticns for highschool French and science were closed to women, and a German examination
scheduled for Larch 29, 1')37, will he closed to them.
The union feels that allowing sex to enter into the matter is a violaticn of the merit system. In every other type of civil service there
is only one list. (Colueueicatioe: to the domer's Bureau.)


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EAaNII.r.-JS OF dnEN
New York.

Earnings of women in clothinc, factories

- esause of reports of very low wages being paid in certain branches
n
of the clothing industry, the Division of women in Industry and Einimum
Wage made a survey in the fall season of 1936 covering 41 plants, all
located outside of New York City and all non-union shops.
The report shows that earnings of women in the plants studied were
indeed lo". The median week's earnings were 4)10 in factories making
dresses, 4)11.32 in those making other women's clothing, and 4;11.99 in the
making of shirts. At least one-fourth of the 4,000 women covered had
earned less than 25 cents an hour, the proportions for workers on the
different types of 7ar.)ents 'neirg: shirts, 24.9 percent; c:resses, 38.4
percent; other warren's clothing, 28.6 percent. From two-thirds to over
three-fourths of the woinen in the different groups had earned less than
35 cents.
The contrast between earnings in New York C:.ty clothing factories
(often unionized) and in factories in the remainder of the State is shown
in the regular monthly report of average weekly earnings as of January
1937. These are as follows:

T
Averege weekly earnings of women in-Industry

••••••••••

•

•••.•

New York City
.L'ien's clothing
Len's furnishings
Women's clothing
Women's underwear

$17.98
15.R5
22.63
17.42

••••••eolia.m.m•••••••••••••

Remainder of State
y
e.
3')
'q6.
12.84
12.59
11.33

TTile Industrial n
- ulletin, February 1937.

Texas.

Employment and earnings of women

The 14th Biennial Report of the Texas Bureau of Labor Statistics
just issued, shows nearly 50,000 women em2loyed in Texas in factories,
stores, 'notels, restaurants, laundries, and telephone and telegraph establishments. The classified wage scale for nen and women is also sown.
These data are 'eased on information secured in the course of inspections
during the biennium ending Allrust 31, h)36. ':ion-,on formed 42 percent of
all employees reported. Just over 10 percent were classified as operatives 1/ in fastor , s, nearly 20 percent as o.:fiee corkers, nearly 19
percent as operatives in stores. Svaller pron,ortions were found in laundries, hotels and restaurants, telephone exchanges and the like.
IMO

1/ Al]. workers not office workers are desicnated as operatives.


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The report points out that 8,740 women were employed at wage scales
below $9 a week and emphasizes the fact that such rates cannot be considered sufficient for self support. Over one-third of all the women
reported (17,959) received less than $12 a week. The proportions of women
in different important groups whose wage scales were at these levels is
shown in the following table:
Percent of all women receiving less than--

Factory operatives
Clothing factories
Food factories
Office workers in factories..
Operatives in stores
Operatives in hotels........
Operatives in laundries
Operatives in restaurants
Office workers not in factories

$9 a week

$12 a week

19.5
7.6
63.3
1.3
6.1
38.1
43.9
54.9
17.6

43.0
15.3
71.6
2.0
16.8
90.0
88.0
84.7
22.7

1

It is interesting to note that ware scales of women in factory
offices are much better thpn are those of office workers in stores, laundries, hotels, etc. The low scales for workers in food factories is duo
chiefly to rates for workers in miscellaneous food factories, which includes pecrn shelling. Two-thirds of the women in this group were on
wape scales of ,,;3 but less than $5.

LEGISLATION AFFECTING WC E
Of the 44 legislatures meeting thus far this year at least 18 are
reported to have adjourned (.arch 26, 1937). The most outstandin:7 le7islative action affecting women (in addition to that reiported in the NE.i6
LETTIR of L.arch 1) has been as follows:
Hours
.
. work
_ of
Final action has been taken in New Har:nshire on amendments to the
women's hour law. The new act reduces Lours for women in manual or mechanical labor in manufacturihr establishments only, from 101i: a day, 54 a week
to 10 a day, 40 a week and ads a provision whereby the Labor Commissioner,
after hearing, may exempt establishments for 8 weeks in any 6-month period.
During such time hours may not exceed 10i a ivy, 54 a week.
A bill providing an 8-hour dLy for women has been introduced in
Michigan.
Washirw.ton is reported to have adopted a law providing a maximum 60hour week for all household or domestic employees, except in emergency,
and specifyin: double compensation for overtime.

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1C.
Legislation is pending. in Wisconsin that would extend to domestic
service certain provisions of the Labor Law including the daily and
weekly hour and night-work regulations for women in industry and the
roquirenent for 24 consecutive hours of rest in every 7 consecutive days.
In lAnnesota the 44-hour bill met defeat and another measure has
been introduced providing a 9-hour day, 48-hour week and a 90-day annual
exemption for surer resort public housekeeping occupations.
The bill to continue suspension of the six o'clock law in "tiassachusetts has Passed one House.
Bills are pending in Illinois to extend the coverage of the day-ofrest law and to prohibit the emcloyrient of women on a tip basis in hotels,
restaurants, checkrooms or as maids.
Home work law
..
•
A bill to reFulate industrial home work is T:endinp. in Vissouri
....*•••••••••••••

Minimum wage_laws
After years of effort Yinnesots has erected legislation defining
minors under the minimun wage law as persons of either sex under 21, thus
makin ,. the minimum wa-e ap,:licable to girls 83 well as boys between la
and 21 years of a,re.
In hew York the minimum wao.e bill S. 2 - A. 105 (Fisohel-Steingut)
has passed the Senate. (Further details will be given in a later issue
of this bulletin.)
Minimum wage bills have been introduced in i:arvland and South Carolina.

PRO3LEES OF HOUSEliOLD EEPLOY11,2NT
United Sates.

Househol6 service demorstration_ixojeLa

The works Iro- rcos ki-niriootrption is institotini: a series of )i-ojects
known as household Service Demonstratton l'rojecs. This type of project
takes the rlece of the classes which ha-7e been conducted for the training
of household employees.
nrojects are -21nunr-d to J6monstrate proper
methods of housekeepino,-. At the ca-ole time the:: are resio-ned ES consultative centers to which either household workers or their employers may
brina: thE,ir probloms.
Persons eli7i1)10 for eviployment are to be certified as in need of
relief in the usual way. IIesu Persons employed rust have sufficient
experience to be able to act as demonstrators under supervision. ?rovision is also made for the nclusior of women as assistants or trrinees
without pay. It is planned that such trainees shall continue on the project until ritted for private employment. Both demonstrators and persons
being trained will be given ussitance in securing private e:nployIent.

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II
The projects work toward three results:
1.

2.

3.

Ohio.

To equip needy women interested in obtaining experience
anirxel,aration for household work to hold jobs in
private employment.
To place those who are successful in obtaininr a certificate from the demonstration centers in homes of employers who maintain acceptable staniards of work.
To organize committees who are interested in permanently
raising the standards in household work.

Trend of housework

wa7es in Lakewood

The office of the Ohio State Employment Service at Lakewood, a residential suburb of Cleveland, has compiled a wage-rate chart covering
housework placements made by that office from July 19 19349 to Deceliter 31,
1936. This shows clearly an upward trend in wages in the vicinity. While
placements at $5 a week are still in the majority, those at less than $5
are decreasing rapidly in numbers, and those at over .„35 are increasing
even more rapidly.
The rates at which placements have been mvde in this period is shown
by half years in the followino. table:
Percent of all women
!
Elaced at-!Number of
1
Half year
, Over Over
!placements Under
1
.
P
°
—
3.5
16
36
4S
138
half,
1934...1
Last
3
26
1935...i
145
33
41
First "
2
28
"
132
33
1935...1
39
Last
194
42 15
45
First "
1936..
13
65 24
160
24
11
"
1936...1
Last
,
Ohio State Employment Service r3roadcest, February 1937.

West Virginia.
,••

aes offered for household employment in Fairmont
W7.

The Y.W.C.A. of Fairmont, W. Va., maintains an employment service
for household employees, and also conducts a club for such workers. Their
records show that household workers are commanding higher wages than they
were a year ago. Wages offered by employers have ranged from V down to
$2 a week, but jobs offering less than $3 a week can no longer be filled,
regardless of how little work there may be to do. The following shows
the numbers of women offering wages within various ranges:


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otal wo.,nen
Number offering-$5 and over
$4..........
$3 to 3.5O
Less than $2

186
29
11
96;
20

1^

A total of 381 applicants sought employment through the Y.J.C.A. last
year. Of this number, 237 were white applicants for general housework.
Their average a-e was 24, and half were under 20. Negro applicants for
general housework, numbering 3F:4, averaged 27 with only 30 percent under 20.
Jomen applying for day work were older than the other applicants, 77 white
women avera7ing 31, and 29 negro women, just over 36. (Times-West
Virginian, Karch 7, 1937.)

Canada.

legislation for household workers
Proposed
-

In five Canadian provinces Government agencies have lately been
lending their support to efforts to raise the status of domestic service
and improve the conditions of domestic workers.
Extension of existing minimum wage legislation to apply to iomestic
servants was provided for in a lil which this year passed its second
reading in the Yanitoba Legislature. Similar action was asked for by
organized houseworkers in Alberta and by a representative delegation in
British Columbia, while a brief argument for legislative protection of
domestic workers has been laid before the Goverment of Saskatchewan.
Although difficulties in the way of enforcement have discouraged immediate
legislative action, the Governments have addressed themselves to the study
of existing conditions and the possibilities of ree-ulation. Kanitoba has
set up an investigating committee, and British Columbia has circulated to
employers questionnaires to be returned to the Minister of Labour and
appointed an agent to direct investigation of conditions of employment. In
these provinces and in Alberta, Ontario and Saskatchewan, the Governments
are assisting in the promotion of experimental treinin . courses for domestic workers, either by direct subvention or through the services of departments of education and employment bureaus.
ieeanwhile the Young iomen's Christian Association has made personal
budget studies and promoted consultation and experimentation by household
workers and their employers to draw up timetables for household work, and
requirements with respect to time off and living-in conditions, which have
been made the basis of a voluntary code to lie observed by household workers and their employers as a means of systematizing their work and giving
them some definite status. (Industrial and Labor Information, Feb. 22,
1937.)

Norway.

Study of problems of household employ:lent

In Norway the problem of the conditions of work of housewives and
domestic servants and the occupational trainino- of the latter has in recent
years received particular attention from the housewives' and dor:'estic servants' associations and women's organizations in general.
The Government showed its interest ]n this matter by setting up in
the autumn of 1936 a special service for domestic questions in the Department of Ajriculture. Further, in order to give effect to proposals made
by a committee appointed in 193" by the Department, 20 travelling instructresses have been appointed to orqanize domestic science courses in different
parts of the country.

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3
The Central Statistical Office has undertaken an enquiry into domestic servants' wages, and the Department of Social Affairs has appointed
and
a committee of five women, ineludina; a graduate in law, a housewife,
whether
ascertain
to
,
the president of the Domestic Servants' Federation
to
riemetic employment can be re,rulated by law, and if so to draft a Jill
that effect.
Recently, a non-political association of housewives and domestic
in the
servants was set up to promote mutual voodwill and comprehension
field of domestic employment and to raise the occupational and social
state
standards of domestic servants. The rules of the new association
that servants in search of employment must give full particulars rearding age, domicile; place of birth, occupational training, last place and
health, while housewives seeking servants must supply information as to
the size of the house, the size of the family, the nature of the employment and hours of work, any extra labor employed, payment for overtire,
etc.
The rules also state that servants are entitled to have a decent bedroom, to finish work at 7 p.m. except in special circumstances, to be free
one afternoon a week from 2 p.m. and every second Sunday from 10:30 a.m.;
and to a holiday of 1,1 days with pay, plus a subsistence allowance of 2
crowns a day, after six months' service, and one week's holiday after
throe months' service. In case of illness the servant is entitled to be
cared for during one month in the emoloyer's house or elsewhere at the
expense of the eLployer. Disputes may be submitted to the office of the
association. (Industrial and Labor Information, Larch 8, 1937.)

Sweden.

Conditions of work of women dorestic servants

The Swedish Social Board has recently published the report on an
enquiry undertaken in accordance with a Royal Order or 29 December, 1933
into the conditions of life and work of female domestic servants. The
enquiry was carried out with the help of experts specially appointed for
the purpose.
Information was secured through a general questionnaire sent to public and private employment agencies, to domestic training schools, and
to other institutions, as well as to certain individuals who were expected
to have some knowledge of the subject. Two other more detailed questionnaires, practically identical inform, were sent through the public employment exchanges anu the occupational organizations to employers and employamount
ees. These questionnaires called for data regardinF hours, wages,
like.
the
and
of work required, training and experience of employees,
A study of the general questionnaires revenled a shortage of skilled
servants, which has indeed been noted for many years back. The supply
falls especially short of the demand in the case of general servants
between the ages of 20 and 30 who have learnt their work either in a domesthe
tic training school or by sufficient experience. On the other hand, in
country as a whole, except in the large towns and a few industrial centers;
the
there is a surplus of less skilled workers, especially of girls between
ages of 15 and 18 with no vocational training. This state of affairs is
due in the first place to the absence of sufficient opportunities for

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14
domestic training, but it must also be
noted that many girls decline to
enter domestic service because the work
is Jenerally looked down upon
and because the conditions, particularly
as regards hours of work and
free time, are much less satiEfactory
than they are in other female occupations. Domestic service is usua
lly looked upon as a temporary occupation, and many domestic servants
, if they do not marry, try to find a
better post; they often take post
s as waitresses in restaurants or cafes
or as hotel chambermaids, or find
employment in industrial or commercial
occupations.
It should be noted that the exerts
who took part in this enquiry
propose shortly to put forward
a Bill to deal with vocational training
for domestic servants, followed late
r on by a Bill to regulate their
conditions of amployment.(Int
ernational Labour Review, January 1937.)

PERSONNEL
New York
Wdss Rose Schneiderman has been
appointed secretary of the New York
State Department of Labor as 8 succ
essor of Mrs. Maud O'Farrel Swartz
who died February 22. Miss Schn
eiderman is president of the
New 'fork
',iomen's Trade Union League. Unde
r the National Recovery Administ
ration
she WRS the one woman member of
the Labor Advisory Board.
Italy
Dottoressa Amalia Fassio has
been appointed Directoress of
a newly
formed Office for domen and Yout
h's .iork, the Ufficio Per
Ii Lavoro
Femminile E 4norile of the
Confederazione Fascista Del Lavorato
ri Dell'
Industria. kCommunication to
the Women's Bureau.)

RECENT FU3LICATIONS OF
THE WOMEN'S BUREAU
The benefits of nnimum '.:iag
e Legislation for 'iom
en (mimeographed).


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(1725)


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U.S. Oepartment of Labor
WOMEN'S BUREAU
tiashington

May 1, 1937

ACTIVITIES AFFECTING GAINFULLY EMPLOYED

OYEN

Legislation affecting women
Minimum wage laws
Hours of work

Emnloyl:,ent of women
United Stales. Employment of women in larch
United States. Personnel policies aff - cting women
Nortli Carolina. Age of wohlen served b: public
Pmployr.ent offices
Pennsylvania. Women's work under the j,P,A.
Em r;loyment and workio7 hour'l of women
WOrkinE, women covr!red by in3ur.,rice
Gern_cny. Trends in women's employm,rt
India. LmnloyiLent of wome,, in factories

Wcmc:n .in!TrJ w.)rkers
engaged in hore 7/ork in Clevaland
In(4.ustricl 110M3 work in 1936

Indstrial hazards affezting women
acnents to women in 16
Britn. Accidents to wcan due to weight
lifting

Publications of interast to wcaler w;)rkers

1
LEGISLATION AFFECTING WCY,EN

Minimum wage laws
The outstanding events of the month affecting employed women have had
to do with the progress of minimum wage legislation and administration,
which has been given new impetus by the recent decision of the United States
Supreme Court upholding the Washington State law, Ihni.cn enables a wage minimum to be fixed on the basis of living costs.
Two new States, Oklahoma and Nevada, have passed minimum wap;e, laws; the
Oklahoma law applies to men, women and minors; the Nevada law applies to
females. The Nevada act also fixes the waT,e rates--$3 daily, $18 weekly.
Bills to provide minimum wage fixing machinery are pending also in
lachigan, Llissouri, Pennsylvania, and Texas. The Pennsylvania bill has
passed the Senate and has reached second reading in the House. The Ijissouri
bill has passed the House.
The new minimum wage bill which has been ado-ted in New York is patterned in general after the law formerly in effect. It contains, however,
a provision basing the minimum on the cost of living, and work has been
started on this aspect of the law.
A rinimum wage bill is penainc, in Wisconsin which will repeal the
oppressive wage law for women and authorize the Industrial Conission to
determine living wages for women as well as minors. WF1',.0 rntes in effect
under the present act shall continue in effect until new rates nre deters.incd.
In Utah the legislature has made an appropriation for enforcement of
the minimur; wage law and in Colorado an arpropriHtion bill :or enforcement
of the minimum wage law is rending as well as a till to amend the law
••••••••••••••••

In the District of Columbia the minimum wage law, invalidated in 1923,
has been revived and Etc:air becomes enforceable through the decision of the
United States Supreme Court in the viashington State minimum wage case which
reversed the 1923 decision in the District of Columbia case.
In Minnesota, also, the minimum wage law is a:-ein applicable to adult
women, according to a ruling of the State's Attorney General who has held
that the recent decision of the United States Supreme Court in the Ashington
case, reversing the 1923 decision in the District of Columbia case, makes
the lannesota law again enforceable for both women and minors.
The Massachusetts Minimum 'daze Commission has formed two new
boaras, one for jewelry and related lines, and one for muslin underwear
industries. This is the second board for the latter industry, the report of
the first board having been rejected by the Commission.
In Ohio, Minimum Wage Order No. 3 governing food and lodginc, establishments, Was declared mandatory on March 30, to become effective Y,ay 1.


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Hours of work
In North Carolina a new law has been edopted -providing a 9-hour day,
48-hour, 6-day week for females. Employers of not more then 8 persons are
exempted and also many industries including hotels, tobc.cco redrying plants
end warehouses, cotton ginss and cotton seed oil mills.
Measures reported pe.ssed in New York reduce to 48 the maximum hours of
women elevator operators, women employed on street reilroads and in hotels
and extend the one day's rest in seven law to hotels and restaurants.
Massachusetts has again suspended the operation of the 6 o'clock law
for one year.
In Illinois and Minnesota n 48-hour bill for women has been approved by
one house.
A new enactment in Nevada provides again an 8-hour day but reduces the
weekly hours to 48 from 56. In emergencies, however, up to 12 hours a day,
56 a week may be allowed if time and a half the regular wage rate is paid
for hours over 8 a day, 48 a week.
The Colorado legislature is considering a bill reducing the maximum
work week for women.
A new hour law in Vermont provides a 9-hour dey and 50-hour week.
(Hours were 104 daily, 56 weekly.)

Syria.

Laws governiaL_Taloyment of women

A Legislative Decree was promulgated by the President of the Syrian
Republic on June 14, 1936, regulating the employment of women and c'eildren.
The principle regulations regarding women (over 16 years of are) are as
follows:
It is forbidden to employ women more than eieht hours
a day, excluding one or several compulsory breaks for rest
amounting in all to not less than one hour. Breaks must
be arranged so that women do not work more than four cr:secutive hours in one spell. It is forbidden to employ
women between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. These regulations do not
apply to women employed otherwise than on manual lebour.
A weekly rest of at least 24 consecutive hours must ie
granted to every employed woman. The Decree mentions a
number of trades in which women may not be employed. On
producing a medical certificate, any woman in a state of
pregnancy may absent herself from work for one month before
her confinement. No woman may be required to work during
the fortnight following confinement, and this period may
be prolonged by a fortnight at the woman's request. An
employer may not dismiss a woman who is absent from work
for this reason, but the woman cannot claim wages for such
periods of absence. The employer is entitled to dismiss
the woman if it can be shown that she was employed elsewhere
during her absence.
(Industrial and Labor Information, March 15, 1937.)


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EMPLOVENT 07 WOMEN

United States.

Emnlovment of woolen in March

Employment and pey rolls in March in aroman-amploying industries continue
to show substantial gains over the same month of 1936, and in a number of
cases have reached the normal levels of the years 1925-25 that are used as a
base for measurement. In nondurable goods industries as a whale, the gains
were greater than those for January and February, as the followinc firures
show:
.i-ercene change in indexes of-Pav rolls _
Emnlo,rment
January 1936 to January 1937...
February " to February "
it
" to March
t:iarch
000

000

15.1
23.6
21.4

8.0
9.7
10.6

In textile goods industries in March, employLen was nearly 12 percent
end pay rolls 24 percent above Larch 1936. Gains in employment and pay rolls
in cotton goods were evel, more marked, 17 percent and 34 percent, respectively.
In the other important textile industries, knit goods, silk and rayon goods
and woolen and worsted goods, a-nins in employment were between 7 and 10 percent and in pay rolls between 12 and 22 percent.
In the garment industries employment had advanced by nearly 9 percent
since March 1936 and pay rolls by nearly 15 percent. Pay rolls in shoe factories increased by nearly 29 percent in -Lie years periaa, an advance from
an index of 69 to one of 89. Erployment, with a ,:ain of about 9 percent,
stood at nearly 103 in March 1937.
Employment an pay rolls in confectionery and in cigars and cigarettes
were still far from normal, but employment in each hod reined by about 4
percent, pay rolls by about 11 and 15 percent, respectively.
In the nonmanufacturina- industries employing the most women, the gains
since March 1936, were as follows:
0.00010.1.00

Percent change
i March 1936-March 193/J
rolls
IFIraoloyTeent
General merchandisine.....,
Hotels (year-round)
Laundries

United States.

9.1
5.5
8.1

13.5
11.5
10.8

Personnel_Eolicies affectina women

The National Industrial Conference Board, among other activities, has
furnished much information regarding the policies of representative business
firms on a great variety of subjects. A recent report "Personnel Practices
Governing Factory and Office Aiministraticn", covers such points as attendance, employalent and pay-roll procedure, working rules, and discharge and


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4
resignation. While most practices presented would apply equally to men and
women, two are of especial concern to women: the preference stated es to
the employment of men or women on work that might be done by either; and
policies regarding women employees who marry.
Of 201 companies reporting on preference for men or women wage earners
on similar work, a few gave no preference, but over 3 in 10 preferred women
and 6 in 10 preferred men. Regarding salaried employees, something over
half of 276 industrial and 38 financial concerns preferred men, while about
one-fourth nad no preference. In the case of 2 financial concerns a preference was retorted for men in supervisory positions but for women as clerks.
In the question of allowing married women to remain at work, wage earners were in a more favorable position than were salaried workers. Of 344
companies reporting, only 8 percent stated that women wage earners were not
allowed to remain at work after marriage. This was the policy regarding
salaried workers in practically 15 percent of 395 industrial establishments,
and 55 percent of 53 financial establishments. Furthermore, women salaried
workers must resign after a period of from 1 to 6 months in 3 percent of the
industrial firms and 11 percent of the financial fir's.

North Carolina.

Age of women served by public emnloyment offices

During the year ending June 30, 1936, the month-to-month renorts of the
employment offices of the State show that a total of nearly 65,000 woen
applied for work.
For every 100 women applying, 47 secured jobs. The women 25 but under
45 were most successful in securing work. Women under 20 were even more unsuccessful than were the older women--those over 55, and even those over 60.
The age groups of these applying and the relative ease or diffi:!ulty
with which those at various ages found jots were as follows:
Percent of
those
___ILE1Ying
Under 20
20, under 25
25, under 45
45, under 60
60 and over

18
18
44
16
4

Number of women
placed in each
'CO alllioants
27
46
57
45
38

1111•••••••••=•••••••

When consideration is given to the industries in which women found work,
the situation is seen to be an abnormal one. Over half of the women were
placed on relief jobs. Only half that many were placed in 'Iomestic and personal service. (Biennial Retort of the Department of Labor of North
Carolina, July 1, 1934, to June 30, 1936.)


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5
a
Pennsylvani.
,

Women's work under the W.P.A.

A report just issued by the dorks Progress Aeministration for
Pennsylvania gives a very comprehensive picture of the work done during
the year ending June 30, 1936. It describes the way in which projects are
started, the way persons arc selected and put to work, the type of work
done and its value to the communities. In general, the statistics are not
by sex, but it is possible to point out achievements in work more usually
done by women.
The making of clothing for needy persons was entirely a woman's project. About 19,000 women, representing as many families, were so emeloyed.
In many cases, these women were the sole employable persons in their families. Up to June 30 these women had made over 2,000.000 articles, mostly
wearing apparel.
The library projects, also carried on chiefly by women, reported a
total of over 450,000 books cleaned, mended or rebound as needed and nearly
140,000 books, magazines and newspapers catalogued and indexed.
Nearly 175,000 men and women were enrolled in educational classes in
the month ending May 15, 1936. Of these 15,737 were taking home economics
courses; 7,084, home nursing, hygiene and child care; and 399, domestic
service. Thus about 13 percent were in those three types of classes that
it is fairly safe to assume were of interest primarily to women. (One
Year of 'S.P.A. in Pennsylvania.)

yirOnia.

Employment and working hours of women

The Annual Report of the Department of Labor and Industry of Virginia
for the year ending September 30, 1936, presents statistics as to the
employment of men and women in 1935. It shows over 479 000 women employed in
the Strte in manufacturing, in laundries and cleaning and dyeing establishments, and in public utilities. While the numbers of both men and women had
increased since 1934, the proportion of women had declined slightly--from
30 to 29 percent.
The manufacturing industries offering the oTeatest employment opportunities to women are, in order of importance, textiles, food, tobacco and clothing. Negro women were found most frequently in the tobacco industries,
especially tobacco rehandling, and in food industries, c'eiefly canning of
fruits and vegetables or the cleaning, shelling and c:rading of peanuts.
The hours of work reported for manufacturing Plants show the trend to a
reduced working week. Though the law permits women to work 60 hours a week,
few persons of either sex worked more than 54 hours. Hours were more often
short for women than for men, as 11 percent of the women but about 22 percent of the men worked more than 43 hours. If under 40 hours be considered
less than full time, considerably larger proportions of women than men were
subject to undertime work. The following table shows the hours reforted
for the two sexes:


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Percent of men and women working
sific hours per week—
55 and
Under 40 40-43 I 44-4P
49-54
cnrer
Men
Women

28.1
40.6

50.1
47.7

1
1

13.7
3.5
5.5
2.4
__1________

4.6
7,7
--J

Women working mone than 43 hours were found chiefly in three industries:
tobacao rehandling, canning of fruits and. vegetables, and laundry and drycleaning establishments. Over 4,000 women, all negro, worked in tobacco
rehandling plants. Of these one-fourth worked more than 48 hours. In laundry and dry-cleaning establishment:), of 2,775 women erployed over half were
negro. Of the 2,775 women, two-thirds had worked more than 43 hours and
nearly one-fourth more than 45 hours.

Chile.

Working_women covered by insurance

The end of 1936 found nearly 400,000 women insured under the Compulsory
Insurance Fund of Chile, which administers a shceme for coniuleory insurance
of manual workers which covers the risks of sickness, maternity, invalidity
and cld age. In 190 nearly 260,000 women were insured, and the nunioer has
increased steadily each year. In 1936 women represented 31 percent of all
work,-,rs covered by the Fund. (Industrial and Labor Information, Larch 299
1937.)
Germany.

Trends in wonen's emnlovment

According to statistics published by the National Statistical Office,
1,463,000 women were Emplayed in German industry during the first half of
1936. Although the absolute nurber of women so employed had increased by
about 36 unrcent since 1933, tho ratio of women to all persons so employed
had fallen from 30.1 to 2.5 percent.
The President of the National Institute for Employment Exchanges and
Unemployment Insurance, speaking on the employment situation, has stated
that the elimination of women from employment would be an error, but that
their health should be considered in choice of an occupation and that night
work is inadvisable.
In a recent interview, Yrs. Scholtz-Klink, head of all the German
women's organizations, spoke against the tendency to consider certain occupations as exclusively feminine simply because they involved dc-nestic or welfare work; women had long since proved their aptitude for office and commercial work, and teaching, medicine and law offered wide fields for qualities
which women possessed; by their occupational activities woman mado an indispensable contribution to the national lifo.
With a view to eliminating the employment of women in work of too strenuous a nature, various collective regulations prescribe that for such work
women must receive the same wa7es as men. Cellective regulations of this sort
have been issued for the hat-makinn: industry throughout Germany and for the
brick industry in certain districts. (Industrial and Labor Information,
April 5, 1937.)

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7
India.

Employpent of women in factories

A report issued recently giving for the year 1935 statistics or factories, subject to the Factories Act of 1934, shows nearly 240,000 females
employed, 96 percent of them being adults, that is 17 years of age and over.
Since the Act covers only places that at some tine in the year employ at
least 20 persons, and, in addition uses some power-driven machinery, the
figures are seen to be far frma a complete picture of women's employment in
factories.
About ore-third of the women were employed in seasonal factories. These
are defined in the Act as doing cotton ginning or cotton or jute pressing,
or processing of ground nuts, coffee, indigo, lac, rubber, sugar or tea.
women formed over one-third of all adults in seasonal but only 12 percent of those in "perennial" factories. In cotton spinning and weaving
mills and in jute mills women were between 14 and 15 percent of all adult
workers.
Thol01 hours for adults in perennial factories shall not exceed 54 a
week, nearly one-third of those reporting hours for women, had a normal
week of 48 or less, and nearly 15 percent, of 42 or less.
While seasonal factories may require adults to work 60 hours a week,
hours for women were 54 or less in 45 percent of those reporting, and 48 or
less in 35 percent (Statistics of Factories Subject to the Factories Act,
1934, for the year ending December 31, 1935. Index and copy of Factories
Act of 1934).

WOMEN HOME WORKERS
Ohio.

Women engaged in home work in Clevelnnd

The Consumers' League of Ohio has been making a study of home work in
Cleveland, with the view of discovering its extent, and the conditions under
which it is done. This work is limited to a few lines of production, most
of them having to do with women's clothes, particularly knitted garments.
Some women are knitting entire sweaters by hand, others are doing handwork
on machine knitted dresses, such RS crocheting belt buckles and balls, embroidering flowers (pert of the popular Tyroleun fad), appliqueing, making
hand buttonholes.
A very decided difference was found in the waees paid to the women
doing finishing on machine made garments, and to those makinc, the entire
garment by hand. The latter received unbelievably low pay--40 cents or 50
cents for a sweater, depending or the design. No record of hours worked is
kept, of course, and knitters differ in their speed. A few women said they
could make a sweater in four hours--which would menn 12f)
3. cents en hour for
the 50 cents sweeter, but the great majority took 10 hours or more, raid
thus their wage amounted to 4 cents or 5 cents an hour. When there was deducted from this the carfare spent in getting materials and delivering garments, the payment became a mere pittance. One woman who lived about two
miles from the factory made a point of walking one way when delivering the


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8
sweaters, otherwise her payment for 12 hours would have amounted to 35 cents.
Among 30 women visited who were knitting sweaters, the highest weekly earning reported was $4 for 75 hours' work. This was a marginal income which
had kept the family from applying for relief.
The work sent out by the knitting 2ills is :such better paid for. Some
women estimated that they were getting 25 cents an hour; others, 15 cents,
18 cents and 20 cents. The payment is all by piece, and it naturally :1.s impossible to estimate the hourly rate with accuracy, in the absence of time
records. (Quarterly Bulletin of the Consumers' League of Ohio, April 1937.)

Pennsylvania.

Industrial home work in 1936

A report on industrial home work prepared by the Bureau of ';omen and
Children of the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry shows that
while the number of firms licensed to give out home work in 1936 was much
below 1935, 54-7 conpared with 977, the number of home workers renerted had
increased by over one-fifth from 5,513 to 6,737.
An analysis of the types of industries givin.: out home work (as of
December 1936) shows 57 different classifications a1thou-7h men's, women's
or children's clothing accounted for ovor half of the firms 9111 over twothirds of the hore workers. knong ether types of home work employing considerable numbers of workers may be nctsd tobacco strip:Anrr;the carding of
hooks, eyes, snaps and pins; sewing of rrws for rugs anl carpsts; and the
covering by crochet work of rings for windod shades.
The difficulties of arriving at the hours spent by the worker on these
Ionic of industrial production, and the earnino.s receivecl in relation to the
time spent, are great. The home worker is most usually the mother who cannot
leave her family. Often, of course, she is assisted by other melbers of the
family, frequently school children. Infrmation as to hours and earriss-s was
secured by personal interviews with over 2,000 worloars, representing the best
estimate the chief wage earner Was able to make.
Hours worked, reduced to a median or averaae for the workers in each
industry represented, ranged from 21 a week in tobacco striuring to nearly
49 in the sewing of rags. It must be realized that such medians oeseeal a
far greater range of hours for the individual worktr, than would a median of
hours of workers in a factory.
Estimated weekly earnings ranged from $1.16 for hand knitting on cnildren's clothing to $8.14 for work on hosiery. Median hourly earnings ranged
from 3 cents for hand knitting on children's clothing to 26 cents for work
on boots and shoes. Median earnings were less than 20 cents an hoar in 14
and less than 10 cents in 7 of the 18 industry groups represented. The data
for industries in which more than 100 women reoorted are as follows:


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9
...._
_
Hours
---------7-1771an
Workers
lerkers
weekly
reperting
ru
i)ortin g
hours

Industry
__
Children's clothing,
hand-knit
dresses
Women's clothing,
hand-knit
Men's clothin:
Tobacco

•••••••••••••••

Earnine:s
kedlan !Estimated
hourly 1 weekly
eerninif,s earnings

342
Kl

38.8
39.2

:;27
423

$.03
.143

$1.16
5.60

385
96
106

47.5
41.9
21.0

369
112
103

.063
.183
.137

2.99
7.66
2.87

A bill which would further limit industrial home wsrk
is at present
before the State legislature. It would prohibit such
work in certain industries such as infant's and 3hi1dren's clothing, food,
tobacco and drugs-industries in which there exists a health hazard to
the consumer and in which
rates paid for home processing pre fHr below subsis
tence level. By imposing
special fees on home-work employers in other indust
ries, the proposed bill
attempts to equalize the competitive advantages enjoye
d by the employer uho
utilizes home work over the employer who has all work
done in his factory.

INDUSTRIAL HAZARDS AFFECTING 1UMEN
Maryland.

Industrial accident> to wonen in 1936

The report of the State Industrial Accident Commis
sion of Maryland,
recently issued shows that compensation was
allewed for 767 accidents to
women, these formin[::. nea.:ly 8 percent of all
claims allowed in the year ending October 31, 1936. The women's cases includ
ed two fatalities and 27
cases of permanent disability.
The only other item reported by sex was the
age of persons whose claims
were allowed. The following table shows the
age distribution of these wcmen:
••••••••••••••••••••••

Percent of womel
Ldured
ICO.0

All ages
Under 20
20 not 30
30 not 40
40 not 50
50 not 60
60 and older

Great Britain.

I

13.7
38.0
22.6
15.1
6.7
3.9

Aeciderts to woren dun to weight 1iftir7

The Home Office of the British Government has issued recent
ly a study
entitled "Weight Lifting by Industrial llorkers,"
one of a series of safety
pemphlets. It analyzes about 2,000 accidents due to weight liftin
g, of which
94 occurred to women or girls.

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For two periods of three months each, one in 1929 and one in 1933, all
reported accidents caused by the manipulation of loads were analyzed. In
each period, such accidents to adult woman (18 years and over) formed 38
percent of all those to adults. Among young people, girls suffering from
lifting formed 26.5 percent of all young persons 80 affected in 1929 and
18.2 percent in 1933.
For both men and women, the most usual injury was muscular strain, and
with regard to this the report states:
"It is difficult to determine the results of muscular strain. There
may be recovery in a few days; on the other hand it may be the origin of
chronic ill-health, while between the two lie many possibilities."
Other types of injuries suffered by women or girls were hernia, fracture, contusions and lacerations, injury to blood vessels and dislocation of
joints.
The study reaches the conclusions that to prevent such accidents, it is
of first importance that the question of a safe maximum loed ohould be
studied. Certain theoretic ratios have been tentatively established between
the body weight of the worker and the weight carried, age of the worker also
entering into this consideration. Ideally, all loads should be based on
physical data relating to the individual worker. If the job requires fairly
continuous lifting, the load must be less than if the lifting is intermittent.
Other points to be considered are: (1) Bulk. The more coe7pact a load,
the easier it is to carry. (2) Level of lifting. The nearer a load can be
kept to the same level, the lees the work will be. (3) Viethod. New 'corkers
on a job must be trained as to best gays of doing the work. (4) Pace of
work end rest pauses. (5) Use of mechenicrl devices.
PUBLICkTIONS OF INTEREST TO YiO2N JORKES
Survty of the lnundry industry—Project 6006—'ilor'eers EducetiorLj.P.A.
This study is intended for the use and .
?,formation of teachers of +he
Workers Education Project. It gives a brief survey of the industry since
1929, with detai2s for New York State. Earnings are given and the effects
on earnings of minimum wage orders.

The women's Earnent industry.

An econonic anal10.3 by ',azure Teper

A brief history of the industry, a discussion of its ,
erobleres, effects
of union agreeelents and of the N.R.A.


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(1744)


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U. S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
'WEN'S BUREAU
Washington

June 1 7 1904
,r
,te
aP

ACTIVITIES AFFECTING GAINFULLY FL:PLOYD AO1EN

Minimum wage
Nev- laws
New York. Administration of mini m rage law
District of Columbia. Revival
minimum 7;ae activity
Minneoota. Enforcement of min*
wage law
Utah. Survey of woNen's wage9/plunn
Other States
Quebec. EinimuN wag tixeict in thc food
dustry
/

,e'

Legislation affecting wo
Employmont of women
Unite" States.
Emp oyment of w en in Aprf
Placvmont of woCen in April
EmplOyiuent priAlems of deaf and hard-of-hearing women
lachian. EmilXoyent and unem2loyment of women, 1934
Switzerland.fi:obility of women workers
e
f
Conditions o women's employment
Canada.
roblems o' worki)ng iris

Pe u

affecting women in Latin-American countriec
Regulations governinz the omployment of women
State control of home work

Ind4trial accid:
-,nts to women
Injurias to wonen in 1936
, R,6c1nt publications of the Tomen's 3ureau
Recent publications concerning women in other countris

1
WAGE
New laws
A minimum wage bill has passed both houses of the legislature in Pernis_y?Nania and was signed May 27 by the Governor. This
brings to three the number of new States having passed such laws and
to a total of 21 the jurisdictions having such laws, i.e. 20 States
and the District of Columbia.
Liinimum wage bills in richigan and Lissouri have passed
one house, and a bill is tending in Florida. Revisions of minimum
wage laws are also pending in rassachusetts and 7isconrin.

New York.

Administrtstion of minimum wage law

Since the new minimum wage law was signed on April 27, the
Division of Yomen in Industry and rinimum lage has been flooded with
inquiries from both employers and employees asking what minimum rate
was in effect in the industry in which the enquirer was interested.
This situation has led the Industriel Commissioner to issue a statement outlining the steps that the law requires shall be taken and
the probable time that will elapse before orders may actually be issued.
Since the minimum wage is to insure an income "sufficient
to provide adequate maintenance and to protect health" the first step
is to determine what items should be provided in the working woman's
budget, and what these items cost in various parts of the State. The
information thus secured can then be drawn upon in esteblishing a budget for workers in various industries. For example, the clothing
needs of a saleswomn will be different from those of a factory worker.
It will require et least four months to complete this initial study so that the first minimum wage board cannot begin work before September 1. Considering the time allowed in the la,- for the
vcrious steps following the formation of a wage board, it is reasonable to hope that the first minimum wage order will become effective
by Thanksgiving, 1937. Since other boards may be formed before the
first one has completed its work it will be )ossible during the fall
and winter of 1937-38 to apply the law to three or four of the industries most urgently in need of minimum wages for women and minors.
Employers in the laundry and restaurant industries have
petitioned that te minimum wage law be applied to them as soon as
possible. On April 23, the day after Governor Lehman approved the
law, the New York State Restaurant Association, meeting ir 3uffale,
adopted a resolution inviting the Industrial Commissioner to "take
steps forthwith leading to the establishment of a minimum wage order
applicable to restaurants at the earliest 1-eossib1e date." The resolution pledged the association's "full cooperation in collecting data
upon which such minimum wage order must be based; in expediting a
report of a minimum "age board, and in enforcing any fair minimum
wage order." (Communication to the ';'omen's Bureau.)

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2
District of Columbia.

Revival of minimum waE2 activity

The recent Supreme Court decision upholding minimum wage
legislation gave new life to the District of Columbia law still on
the statute books. The Comiesioners of the District have appointed
a committee to study questions concerning the law's operation, amount
of personnel needed, and the funds necessary to carry on its administration. Members of this committee are Fay Bentley, Judge of the
Juvenile Court, Elwood Street, welfare director, and Dr. George C.
Ruhland, health officer of the District, under whose department the
women's hour law is administered. This committee is advisory and
differs from the minimum wage adreinistration board provided for in
the law.
Recommendations made to the Commissioners by the Corporation Counsel of the District included the suggestion that the law be
given a 6-month test beginning July 1, before amendments are proposed, and that consideration be given to its extension to include
men. These recommendations await the reeort of the committee a:1pointed by the Commissioners. The importance of public sentiment behind the law is evidenced by the fact that the advertisements of at
least one prominent department store include the statement that its
employees all receive more than the minimum wage formerly fixed.
To test the retroactive character of the decision, suits
for the payment of wages under the law back to 1923 when it was thrown
out, have been instituted by a waitress and a laundress. The minimum
fixed for these occupations was t16.50. The suits were argued Eay 19
before Judge Ellen Ready, only woman on the 1:unicipal Court bench.
The claims were based on the fact that, though declared unconstitutional, the law never was repealed.

Minnesota.

Enforce:lent of minimum wage law

The most recent
minimum wage law has been
for adult women. Pending
in 1925 automatically are
cation in daily papers in
board has been chosen and
in June.

development in the operation of Linnesota's
the reinstatement of the 1921 wage orders
the fixing of new rates, the rates in effect
in force. These rates have had legal publiall towns over 100,000. A new advisory wage
will begin consideration of new rates early

Althouh employers have quite generally cooperated to the
extent of complying with the present wage order, wage discrepancies
covering several hundred adult women have already been corrected by
requiring payment in full of unpaid minimum wages which have accrued
since April 16, when the attorney general advised the Industrial Commission to renew enforcement of the wage law. The wage discrepancies
which have been disclosed have occurred largely in beauty parlors
where a recent survey revealed the median wage as being approximately
$11 in the larger cities of the State. The present order fixes a wage
of $12 for workers of ordinary ability. (Communications to the
Women's Bureau.)

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3
Utah.

Survey of women's wages planned

At the request of Mr. William M. Knerr, Commissioner of
Labor of Utah, the 7omen's Bureau will assist in making a survey of
the wages paid to women in the State. This material will be used in
a report to be submitted to the first wage conference to be called
in the State.
Although the minimum wage law was passed In 1933, it has
never been put into operation because of lack of appropriation. The
present session of the legislature has granted $20,000 for the enforcement of the law and Kr. Knerr is eager that the women of the
State shall have the benefits of the law as soon as possible.

Other States
A wage board for the garment industry is now meeting in
Illinois and one for the apparel industry is in session in Rhode
.
Island.
•••••••••••••••••••••••••M•

Quebec.

Minimum wage fixed in the food industu

A new minimum wage order for the food industry recently
issued in Quebec went into effect June 1, 1937. The law as now in
force in Quebec, provides that minimum wage orders shall apply to all
males who replace females. The new order declares that all work in
the food industry shall be considered women's work thus making the
order apply to all employees.
The effect of the new order is to raise rates for the majority of the employees in the industry. Under the old order, the minimum hourly rates for Montreal provided 21 cents for 65 percent of all
employees. In the new order the industry is divided into two groups.
Group 2 includes the manufacture of beverages, certain groceries, and
meat packing, and 65 percent of the workers in these industries must
receive at least 26 cents; group 1, includes other food manufacturing,
and the hourly rates for Montreal provide that 23 ccnts must be received as a minimum by 65 percent of the employees. Lower rates are
fixed for the remaining workers and rates for the remainder of the
province outside Montreal etre from 2 to 3 cents lower. (The Labor
Gazette, Canada, April 1937.)

LEGISLATION AFFECTING 1-0EEN
(See also Finimum Tage section above)
Division of women and children
The Illinois legislature has adopted legislation providing
within the State Department of Labor a superintendent of women's and
children's employment.


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4
Home work
Pennsilvania has adopted new legislation, approved by the
Governor May 18, to regulate and in some cases prohibit industrial
home work. The act requires employers' licenses and home workers'
certificates. The Department of Labor and Industry is charged with
enforcement and is authorized to set up regulations.
In New Jersey and New Hampshire bills to prohibit and regulate industrial home work have passed the House.

Night work
In New Jersey a bill to fix a penalty for violation of the
night-work lay has passed the House.

Seating,
, seats for passenOhio has passed new legislation requirin.c,
ger elevator operators and prohibiting employers from compelling
employees to stand for a longer period than 2 hours in any working day.

Hours of work
Colorado. A law recently passed provides a 9-hour day for
drug-store employees.
Connecticut. Revision of the hour law for women in mercantile establishments reduces hours from 9 a day, 52 a week, to 8 a day,
48 a week.
Illinois.

The 48-hour bill has passed the Senate.

Massachusetts. Removed the exemption for restaurants from
the law requiring one day's rest in 7 for all employees.
Michigan. A substitute hour bill in the Senate provides an
8-hour day, 48-hour, 6-day week for women and minors. The present law
allows a 9-hour day, 54-hour week.
New York. New legislation now means that a maximum of 48
hours is provided for all groups of women in this State covered by
hour laws.
Hours are reduced from 9 a day, 54 a week to 8 a day, 48 a
week for women elevator operators and women employed on street railroads, and from 54 a week to 48 a week, for women employed as messengers for telegraph or messenger companies.
For the first time New York has enacted a law affecting
women employed in hotels. By this act their working hours are limited
to 8 a day, 48 a week, with a provision for one 10-hour day and 4 days
of 9 hours in order to make a short day of 41 hours. The same provisions

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5
apply, under new legislation to women in restaurants as well as an
exemption for "resort" and "seasonal" hotels and restaurants in places
of less than 15,000 population.
A new section has been added to the New York labor law permitting women over 18 in sauerkraut canneries to be employed between
September 1 and December 1, as long as 10 hours a day, 60 hours a week.
Ohio. Hours for v.-omen in manufacturing were reduced to 8 a
day, 45 a Teeek, and to 8 a day, 48 a week in other employments with
specified exemptions and with overtime privileges for mercantile,
laundry and dry cleaning establishments at specified times.
•••.•...•••••••

Pennsylvania. The Senate has passed a bill providing an 8hour day, a 44-hour and 5. -day week for women.

=DLOYI.ENT OF WOM7N

United States.

Emploirznt of women in April

. Employment and pay rolls in the nondurable goods industries,
where most of the women in manufacturing are employed, continue to be
somewhat above the average for 1923-25. In April 1937, employment
was 10 percent, and pay rolls 23 percent above April 1936.
Employment in the textile goods industries was 13 percent
above the level of April 1936, pay rolls practically 30 percent. Each
of the 8 component industries showed gains. The following table
gives these increases for the 4 largest industries:

Industry

Percent above
______....tle'ril 1936
Employment 13.
.y rolls

P.....

Cotton goods
Knit goods
Silk and rayen goods
rToolen and worsted goods.

19.1
7.1
8.0
12.1

43.5
15.3
20.4
36.8

Employment in the wearing apparel group in April 1937, was
6 percent above 1936 and pay rolls 12 percent. In one of the 6
industries, millinery, these had declined between 3 and 4 percent)
all others showed ains. increases vere greatest in 3 industries
manufacturing men's wear.
The status of 6 other industries should be noted because
of the large numbers of women employed. The gains from April 1936
to April 1937 were as follows:


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6

Industry

Boots and shoes, leather
Canning and preserving
Confectionery
Cigars and cigarettes
Paper boxes
Rubber boots and shoes
_

Percent above
April 1936
717112yment_Pav rolls
8.8
18.0
4.5
2.6
14.1
10.4

31.0
42.5
16.2
18.4
26.6
28.9

In nonmanufacturing industries, employment and pay rolls
are compared to an average for 1929. For several years hotels and
laundries have been below this level, and general merchandising has
been above only during the Christmas holiday season. All three show
advances over April 1936, as follows:

Industry

Percent above
A ril 1936
Fer.ployment
rolls_

p.al

General merchandising
Hotels (year-round)
Laundries

United States.

2.2
6.2
6.7

I9.7
12.1
11.0

Placement of women in April

Over 1,500,000 women were actively registered for work in
the offices of the United States Employment Service on April 30. Over
90,000 new applications were received from women during the month and
Just over 80,000 women were placed, the great majority in private
employment.
Women formed 21 percent of all persons in the active files
at the end of April and nearly 32 percent of all new applicants.
While they received less than one-fourth (22.9 percent) of all jobs,
they were over one-third (35.7 percent) of the persons given private
employment.

United States.

Employment problems of deaf and hard-of-hearing women

An investigation of the employment problems of men and
women handicapped by sore degree of deafness, made by the United
States Office of Education, has recently reported interviews with
more than 6,000 yomon and 13,000 men who were or had been employed.
These represented, of course, a sample rather than an exhaustive enumeration of deaf and hexd-of-hearing adults. The findings were intended primarily as a help in the vocational guidance of deaf and
hard-of-hearing young people.


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7
Practically half of the women were employed at the time
of the interview. Of the unemployed, only ono-fifth gave their
defective hearing as the reason, while practically half gave reasons
that might be summed up as due to the depression.
The occupational distribution of these women differed
rather markedly from that of all employed women. The largest group
was classified as operatives and laborers. These represented chiefly
factory employment and formed 30 percent of the total. Just under
one-fifth were in domestic and personal pursuits, 18 percent in
clerical occupations, and 14 percent in professional or semiprofessional services.
In comparing the proportions of women not employed in these
chief occupational groups it is seen that 55 percent of the operatives and laborers compared with 37 percent of those in professional
service were not employed. It must be ncted, however, that reasons
for nonemployment are not given by occupation. About half of the
clerical workers and of those in domestic and personal service were
not employed.
An important point to be considered in the placement of
these handicapped workers is the extent of the hearing defect. Practically 60 percent of the women could understand loud speaking without ear phones while 36 percent could not hear speech at all understandingly. Comparing these two chief groups among those employed
at the time of the interview, it is found that half of those practically totally deaf were either operatives or laborers, while the
hard-of-hearing were more evenly distributed among the several groups.
The following table shows these facts for chief occupation groups.

Present occupation

All occupations
Professional occupation.
Domestic and personal
occupation
Clerical occupation
Operatives and laborers.
Other

Percent of women wnose
present occupation was
specified
Cannot
Understand
loud speech understand
speech
without
ear phones
at all
100.0
---21.5

100.0

19.7
27.1
14.8
16.9

19.7
6.1
50.7
13.5

12.9

.4.......,.....M•

Nearly 900 women reported that they had received vocational
training in schools for the deaf. A comparison of the type of training with the type of occupation followed at the time of the interview,
shows that the vocational training had not been used to any considerable extent. There was a marked overtraining in mechanical pursuits
such as drossmakimr, and in domestic service, and an undertraining in

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8
factory occupations. D ails reported for certain occupations show
that 338 women had received training as domestic servants compared
with 100 so employed, and 355 women were trained as dressmakers while
only 38 were following this trade. (The Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing in
the Occupational World. U.S. Department of the Interior, Office of
Education. Bulletin 1936, No. 13.)

MichiRan.

Employment and unemployment of women 1934

A series of reports being issued by the State Emergency
'Y:elfare Commission of Michigan based on a census taken in January
1935, give considerable detail regarding over 300,000 women who were
or had been gainfully occupied. These women formed not quite onefifth (18.8 percent) of 811 workers enumerated.
The distribution of these women in the chief industry
groups differed in two important respects from the distribution in
1930. About 90 percent in each year were in manufacturing, trade,
professional service or domestic and personal service, but in 1935
the proportion in professional service industries had decreased and
in domestic and personal industries had increased, as the following
table shows:

Industry group
All groups
Manufacturing and mechanical
industries
Trade
Professional services
Domestic and personal services.
Other

Percent of gainfully
occupied women in
_ soecified vyoup
1930
1935
100.0

100.0

22.8
18.6
18.4
30.0
10.2

22.9
18.8
17.9
32.3
8.1

Distributed according to the type of occupation, 31 percent
of the women in 1935 were doing clerical work; 25 percent, semiskilled; nearly 23 percent, unskilled; and 14 percent, professional
work. The proportion of employed women doing clerical work was much
above that in 1930, when 21.8 percent were so engaged. Data are not
available for comparison as to the other occuoational classifications.
Of all the women for whom industry and occupation was reported, just under one-tenth were unemployed in 1935. Of the important industrial groups here discussed, unemployment was greatest in
domestic and personal service, 12.1 percent, and least in professional
service, 4.3 percent. In the four large occupation groups unemployment was greatest among the unskilled, 14.6 percent, and least among
the professional workers, 3.5 percent.
An interesting correlation can be made between the education of these women and their em4oyment status. Unemployment was

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Q
greatest in the small group with no education, and least among those
who had finished college. Nearly three-fourths of the women
had
either finished eighth grade or had entered or completed high school
.
The following list shows the percent of women unemployed at
the
various educational levels:
Percent
No education
21.2
Eighth grade not completed
19.5
Eighth grade completed
14.2
High school not completed
15.6
Hi,:h school completed
10.5
College not corepleted
8.3
College completed
4.4
The median period of unemployment was approximately 7 months
(half more, half lens) at the time of the Census.
The median unemployment of women in dorestic and personal service was
also 7 months.
In the other larL;e industry groupsthey were longer as follow
s: manufacturing and mechanical, 8 months; trade, nearly 10
months; professional services, nearly 12 months. When duration
of unemployment is
correlated with age the women 45 but under 55 showed
the longest unemployment, a median of 11 months, girls under 20, the
shortest) a
median of 4 months.
All workers enumerated were asked to report their
total income for 1934. Over 115,000 men and women had
earned nothing for the
year. The median annual incoine of women who
reported earnings was
$583. ';:omen ')etreen the ages of 25 and 55
earned appreciably more
than those either younger or older. The median
earnings for the various age groups were:
15 - 24
$432
25 - 34........ 746
35 - 4A
710

45 - 54
56 - 64
65 and over

$632
485
405

(Eichigan Census of Population and
Unemployment, Employment and Unemployment Statistics, First Series Nos.
3-6 inclusive.)
Switzerland.

Mobility of women workers

The Swiss Federal Office of Indust
ry, Arts and Crafts and
Labor has for several years made
inquiry as to the numbers of unemployed persons who were prepared to
change their place of residence
in order to secure work. The inquir
y shows that there were more transferable unemployed persons among
men than anong women. In 1935, 18
percent of the men were transf
erable and in 1936, 21 percent, while
the percent of women was 15 in each
year. (Industrial ard Labor Information, I:ay 3, 1937.)


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10
CONDITIONS OF 'DIN'S Elr.PLOY1ENT
Canada.

Problems of workin_gir]s

Nearly 1,000 Canadian girls filled out a questionnaire
sent out by the National Council of the Young ';:omen's Christian Associations in Canada, giving information on many points, including
their work and working conditions and their economic responsibility.
These girls represent office work, housework, business, industry and
the professions, the largest groups being office and housework.
Of the entire group 24 percent had others dependent on them.
For two groups the proportion was higher, being 27 percent for office
workers and 28 percent for those in the professions.
Financial obligations and expenses are large in proportion
to earnings. Though 19 percent professional and 15 percent business
girls are able to live at horle and keep all their earnings for their
own use, only 4 percent of the industrial and 4 percent of the office
girls are in this happy position; 56 percent pay board at home. Those
in industry and business pLy a much larger proportion of their salaries than those in office, housework and the professions, their earnings undoubtedly being more needed e:t home a1thou7h they Darn less.
Financial responsibility of those on low salaries is greatest among
the industry and housework groups.
For over half of the women in industry, daily hours were 9,
10, or even longer. For office workers 8 or 844- hcurs a day were the
usual schedules but overtime was frequent. Half of the girls in
domestic service worked 12 hours or loner a day.
Provincial health insurance schemes as worked out in Canada
to date cover persons earning from t500 to $1,600 a year. One-eighth
of the office workers, over one-fifth of those in factories, nearly
one-fourth of those in orofessional work s and one-third of the business girls would not be eliij_ble because their earnings were less than
$40 a month or $430 a year. (The Women's Press, Eay 1937.)

LEGISLATIOF AFFECTING .
..OEN IN LATIN-AYERICAN COUNTRUS
Cuba.

Reeulations governin

the employment of women

The President of Cuba in Earch,, issued new regulations concerning the employment of .omen to supersede those issued in November
1935. These regulations went into effect early in Adril. Tee following provisions, to safeguard the rights of women., are included in the
decree:
Article 1.--The same rights are recognized for women as for
men as regards the amount of compensation in similar 1.ork and in the
enjoyment of the benefits of social laws, without further exception
than the prohibition of currying on unhealthful or lam7erous work.

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11
Article 2.--The paymenL of the salary should be made in
view of the neture of the work and not in consideration of
the sox
of the workers.
Article 3.-- 4s *
their salaries directly.

Single or married womer shall receive

Article 4.--No women may be dismissed from work for the
reason that she has rarriee nor as a consequence of the
application
of the provisions as to night work. In the latter case
employers
wile use women at night shall be obliged to give than work
during the
daytime.
(Communication frcm the American 7mbassy, Havana,
Cuba,
with copy of decree.)
Peru.

State control of home work

The President of Peru, in March 1937, promulgated
a lay: for
the control of industrial home work. 131/ its provisions
employers
giving out home work must keep complete records of the
home workers,
the work given out to them, and the amount of their
compensation.
To further protect the home worker "every
employer of home
labor will deliver to each of his workers a bookle
t in which will appear the value and kind of raterials which the
worker receives the
pay due him, and the date on which the work must
be delivered. There
must be noted, also, the data on which the comple
ted articles are
returned by the %orker, and the Irice mid
for the %.ork."
"The remuneration of the home worker shall
not be less than
that received for the sawe leork, in the stare
locelity, and under equal
conditions by the worker who Yorks under
the immediate direction of an
employer and in the employer's fLctory or
workshop." (Communication
from the American Consulate General, Callao
-Lime, Peru, with copy of
law.)

INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS TO TOEEN
Illinois.

Injuries to women in 1936

Compensable injuries to women report
ed in Illinois during
1936 increased by 15 percent over
those reported in 19?5. At the came
time, the percent that women's injuri
es forAed of the total increased
slightly, from 6.1 to 6.3 percent.
Not far from half of the women for v.hom injuri
es were reported were employed in manufa
cturias:; over one-fourth '.:ere in services
other than government or profes
sional, and one-sixth in trade and
finance. About 7 percent 'eere in
lrofessicnal services. In manufacturing industries, the greatest
concentration of '.:omen's injuries was
found in food, metal, paper and
textile (including clothing) industries.
Such comparison as can be made with
tne 1930 Censue as to employment in

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12
factories, shows that injuries to women in food factories and in
metal factories are nearly twice what tlloir employment would seem to
warrant. The following table shos this comparison for the four manufacturing groups:

Industry

Food procl.ucts
Eetals and eeetal products
Paper and paper products
Textile products
_

Percent reported in
ssecified industries
Of all ,eomen
Of all women's
operatives and
injuries
laborers, 1930
1936
C.:rnsus
25.5
22.3
9.9
16.7

12.3
11.2
7.5
31.0

Not far from one-third (30.3 percent) of wonen's injuries %:ere
caused by the fall of the person injured; 19 percent ere caused by
machinery; 18 percent by handling objects; 11 percent by striking
against objects or pereons, while 5 percent were due to het substances
or flames. Of the 15 ;:omen vho lost their lives due to accident, 3 were
killed by explosions and 3 by occupational diseases or industrial poisons. One death resulted from each of the following causes: handling
objects, hoisting apparatus, poisonous and corrosive substances, striking against objects or persons, and vehicles. For 4, the cause wac not
given.
Of tha 1,922 cases of com3encab1e injuries to e:omen that were
closed during the yee.r, 68 percent lost time. from 'eork but suffered no
permanent injury, 29 percent wore left with some permarant disability
and just over 2 percent .ere com2onsated for disfigurenent. There were
10 fatal cases closd and on case of nerrean,Dnt tote' disability, that
13, th .3 person co injured can never work again. (Cost
of Industrial
Accidents in Illinois for the Year 1936. Illinois Department of Labor,
Division of Statistics and Recearch.)


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RECENT PU3LICATIONS 07 THE WO1:EN'S BUREAU

Employment of '::omen in Tennessee Industries--Bul. No. 149.
women's Employment in ...est Vir2eiria--Bu1. No. 150.
Tages :owl Hours in Florid industries (Ldneegraphed).

R2CENT PUBLICATIONS CONCERNING r`OI -E:'!
, IY OTHER COUrTRIES

V:omon 7ho 7:ork-i-Joan Beauchamp (Great Britain).
Position of 7omen in Contereporary France --Frances I. Clark.
The Position of 7.'omon in the U.S.S.R.--G. N. Serebrennikov.

(1751)

U. S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
WOMEN'S BUREAU
Washington

July 1, 1937.

ACTIVITIES AFFECTING GAINFULLY EMPLOYED WOMEN
I. L. 0. urges full opportunity for women workers
Minimum wage administration
District of Columbia. New Minimum Wage Board begins activities
L:assechusetts, New minimum wage orders issuud
Minnesota. Immediate rise in women's wages results from law
ment
Now York. Women experience marked wage increase and also employ
increase under minimum wage
y wage order
Rhode Island. v:omen's earnings rise markedly under jewelr
ties
Other States. Minimum wage activi
Australia. Basic wage rates of women in Queensland
British Columbia. lanimum wage rates for women janitors
New legislation affecting women
Employment of women
United States.
Employment of women in May
Employment opportunities for college women
Opportunities for women in journalism
of work 1,.,n7thening
Maryland. Employment of women declining and hours
Industrial home work
home work
Many States now active in controlling industrial
regulation
home-work
on
ation
New Jersey and New York. Cooper
tion
regula
rk
Rhode Island. The first year of home-wo
Women's earnings and hours of work
United States.
Salaries of public-health nurses improved in 1937
The growth of an 8-hour day for nurses
Connecticut. Tomen's earnings in lock and wood screw industries
below N.R.A. level
New Hampshire. Enforcement of hour law for women
Pennsylvania. "Tomen's wages lower and hours longer since N.R.A.
Other conditions of employment
India. Eaternity protection in Mysore
Recent publications of the Womon's Bureau


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I. L. Q. URGES FULL OPPORTUNITY FOR WOMEN WORKER5

As Activities Affecting Gainfully Employed
Women is in final preparation, word comes that a resolution advocating full opportunity for women workers
hos been passed by the International Labour Conference
in session in Geneva. The resolution, sponsored by the
Government Delegates from the United States, Mr. Edward
F. McGrady and Miss Grace Abbott, reads as follows:
Whereas, in view of the social and political
changes of recent years and the fact that women workers
have suffered from special forms of exploitation and
discrimination in the past, there is need to re-examine
their general position; and
Whereas, it is for the best interests of
society that in addition to full political and civil
rights and full opportunity for education, women should
have full opportunity to work and should receive remuneration without discrimination because of sex, and

be protected by legislative safeguards against physically harmful conditions of employment and economic
exploitation, including the safeguarding of motherhood;
and
Whereas it is necessary that women as well
as men should be guaranteed freedom of association by
Governments and should oe protected by social and
labour legislation which world experience has shown to
be effective in abolishing special exploitation of women
workers; therefore be it
Resolved, that the Twenty-third Session of the
International Labour Ccnference, while recognizing that
some of these principles lie within the competence of
other international bodies, believes them to be of the
greateet importance to workers in general and esoecially
to women workers; and therefore requests the Governing
Body to draw them to the attention of all Governments,
with a view to their establishment in law and in custom
by legislative and adminietrative action.

k

1

NINIMUM WAGE ADMINISTRATION
District of Columbia.

New Minimum Wage Board begins activities

The District Minimum Wage Board whose duty is to enforce the
minimum wage law, have taken office and have begun to formulate their
plans. Mrs. William Kittle, past president of the Voteless D. C.
Leas.ue of Tamen Voters, representative of the public, has been elected
chairman. John Hanna, Chairman of the Board cf the Capital Transit
Company; represents employers and Arthur L. Schoenthal, Vice-President
of the Washington Building Trades Council, represents labor.
One of the first major tasks of the new board will be a survey of wages paid to women and minors in the District. For this purpose,
the Board is expected to make use of data of the Departinent of Labor.
The 7omen's Bureau very recently has made available a preliminary report
of a study of the earnings of 12,742 women found in laundries, stores,
hotels and restaurants, factories, cleaning establishments and beauty
parlors. Pay-roll data was for a week in March or April of 1937.
Comparisons were made between the present earnings of women
and the minimum rates fixed for certain industries during the period that
the law was in effect (1919-1922). Large proportions of.the women whose
earnings were reported in 1937 received less than these minima, as the
following taule shows.

Industry

Rate set
by Board

$15.00
Laundries
15.00
Dry cleaning
16.50
Stores
Department 1/..
Ready-to-wear 1/
Limited price 1/

1 Percent of women whose earnins in 1937 were-Lass than' Same as More than
rate
rate
rate
89.1
70.1

1.9
4.9

9.0
25.0

45.7
30.5
100.0

8.0
6.2

46.4
63.3

I Full-time workers only.
Further details show that about one-fifth of women in all
industries had earned less than $10 in the week studied, and about
one-third, less than $12.

Massachusetts.

New minimum wage orders icsued

Reports of 2 wage boards have been accepted by the Minimum
Wage Board of Massachusetts and their recommendations become effective
as orders, for the stationery goods and envelope industry on July 155
and for toys, games and sporting goods industries on August 1.
In stationery goods and envelopes occupations, experienced
employers 18 years cf age and over shall be paid not less than $14.50
a week in establishments working 44 hours or less nor less than 33
cents an hour for over 44 hours. For experienced minors under 18, the
rates are $13.75 a week or 3Ie cents an hour. The rates for learners

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2
are $11.50 a week or 26* cents an hour. An employee is experienced
after 9 months' work in the industry, not necessarily continuous nor
for the same employer, on any specified operation in the industry.
The minimum rates set for toys, games and sporting goods
occupations are as follows: employees with 1 or more years' experience,
35 cents an hour or $14 for a 40-hour week; employees with 6 weeks' to
1 year's experience, ni cents an hour or $13 for a 40-hour week;
employees with 1 to 6 weeks' experience, 27i cents an hour or $11 for
a 40-hour week. (Communication to the Women's Bureau with copy of
orders.)
Minnesota.

Immediate rise in women's wages results from law

The experience of Minnesota gives a vivid illustration of the
benefit of minimum- wage laws in raising women's wages. The reinstatement of Minnesota's minimum wage order for adult women is resulting in
wage adjustments being paid to approximately 250 women since May 1. A
significant majority of these discrepancies occurred in beauty parlors
and low-priced mercantile establishments.
Minnesota's present wage order for all occupations provides
for a wage of $12 per week of 36 to 48 hours in towns over 5,000 with a
wage of $10.25 in towns under 5,000. Provision is made for a sliding
scale of rates for learners. Because the wage is such a modest one it
is surprising that so many discrepancies have occurred. It indicates
that the median wage in beauty shops was less than $11. In the cutprice shops the majority of licensed beauty operators received wages
between $5 and $8 per week for full-time employment. With the reinstatement of the minimum wage law and the organization of beauty parlor
operators, the wages of many licensed operators have been doubled within
the last six weeks.
The recently created advisory board composed of 5 employer,
5 employee and 1 public representative is functioning and is about to
consider new rates in line with the present cost of living. (Communication to the Women's Bureau.)

New York. ';omen experience marked wage increase and also employment
increase under minimum wage
As more and more States are continuing to put into operation
minimum wage legislation, it is of interest to note a bit of new evidence of the fact that under minimum wage laws employed woman experience very decided advances in pay, while at the same time the numbers
employed continue to increase.
The Women's Bureau recently has analyzed pay-roll data for a
large sample of the laundry employees in New York, where a minimum wage
was in effect at the time surveyed, and the adjoining State of Pennsylvania in which industrial conditions are similar so far as laundries are
concerned, but which had not fixed a wage minimum for such workers.
Records were taken for more than 4,300 employees in each of these States

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3
measure had been taken to
at three pay-roll dates, May 1933, before any
low wages; November 1933,
prevent exploitation of women workers through
York by a directory order;
after a minimum wage had been fixed in New
made mandatory.
and November 1935, when the order had been
e their wage level,
Before any effort had been made to rais
workers earned less than
three-fourths of these New York women laundry
as a minimum by a
d
fixe
27i cents an hour. After this amount was
liance, the proportion
comp
y
directory order, in effect urging voluntar
atory order scarcely
mand
the
paid so low declined markedly, and after
any women wore so low paid.
first a much larger proporIn Pennsylvania, however, while at
cents than was the case in New
tion of the women received less than 27i
A. toward better wage levels
York, and while the influence of the N.R.
,
did also the progress of recovery
somewhat decreased this proportion, as
forwho
n
wome
York
all the New
yet in November 1935, when practically
ced some wage increase due to
rien
expe
merly had received a low wage had
l
of these Pennsylvania women stil
the fixing of a minimum, three-fourths
.
were paid less than 27i cents an hour
striking was the proportion of
The following figures show how
a
the fixing of a minimum wage in
women who experienced benefit from
such
no
contrast to women for whom
single industry in one State, in
been undertaken:
efforts at raising wage levels had
---

—r

State

New York
Pennsylvania

1
Percent of women who received
hour
loss than 271 cents an
-November
November
3
May 193
1935
1933
74
87

15
31

Lessthanl
74

oyment of women had increased in New
At the same time, the empl
as in
almost twice as great a proportion
York under the minimum wage in
from
ease
incr
of
on
This proporti
d
Pennsylvania where no wage was fixe
ows:
as
foll
plants reported was
May 1933 to November 1935 in the
Percent
5.6
New York
2.9
Pennsylvania
inder
r minimum was fixed than in the rema
In New York City, where a hihe
employment of women was greater than in
of the State, the increase in
the State as a whole.
received by women in the lowest
Besides increasing the amounts
minimum wage experience showed increases
earnings levels, the New York
n
considerably above the minimum, a situatio
in numbers of women earning
s
yeer
of
California over a long period
similar to that experienced in
isions were in effect. In Pennsylvania
during which minimum wkfe prov
receiving the higher amounts, but
there was some upswing in numbers
ease in New York under minimum wage
this was far exceeded by the incr
ons paid well above the minimum was
operation. The advance in proporti
minimum was highest.
greatest in New York City where the

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4
The following shows the proportion of women who earned $15 or
more:
May 1933
Pennsylvania
New York:
Whole State
New York City
Outside City

Rhode Island.

November 1935

3.4

7.0

9.9
11.9
4.9

16.2
19.0
8.9

Wcmen's earnings rise markedly under jewelry wage order

The Division of Tomen and Children of the Department of Labor
has received its first sworn pay-roll reports from jewelry manufacturers,
for a period about 1 month after a directory order for the industry went
into effect, fixing a minimum of 30 cents an hour.
A survey made before the wage order showed that 36.2 percent
of all women in the jewelry industry received less than 30 cents an hour.
(See February NEWS LETTER.) The sworn pay rolls showed that only 5.6
percent were receiving less than 30 cents one month after the order
became effective. 7hi1e 9 of these women were office workers not covered
by the order, most represented violation of the wage order. Under the
directory order the law provides no way to bring an employer into line
except by moral suasion or by publishing the names of violators. However,
several employers paid the sums necessary to raise earnings to 30 cents,
either at once or after some persuasion from the Division.
It is often stated that under a wage order the minimum tends
to become the ma;:imum, that employers lower wages in the higher brackets
to offset increases in the lower brackets. This has not proven true in
the jewelry manufacturing industry in Rhode Island. Before the wage
order 34 percent of the women were receiving between 30 cents and 35
cents an hour, after tha order 58 percent were in this wage group, about
half of them receiving more than 30 cents. The increase in this wage
group is due to the fact that women formerly earning between 3 cents and
29 cents an hour have had wage rates increased, rather than because wages
in the higher brackets have been decreased. (Communication to the
Women's Bureau.)

Other States.

4:.nielum wage activities

A wag a boaid for the laundry industry has been appointed by the
Comelissioner of Labor of New Jersey, Mrs. Helene. N. Simmons, executive
secretary of the Consumers League of New jersey having been chosen as
chairman.
The Commission for Minimum Wage in Oklahoma has been appointed
and is compiling data on retail mercantile and department stores, garages,
retail automobile establishments, and laundries and cleaning establishments. The law, it may be recalled, covers both men and women.

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5
The Industrial Commission of Utah has appointed Mrs. Lottie
Shupe as an inspector for the enforcement of laws governing the employment of women and children. These will include the minimum wage law
and the 48-hour law for women. At the request of State authorities, the
Women's Bureau now has begun the survey of women's hours and wages in
Utah that was noted in the May 1 News Letter as having been requested.
In Washington a conference of employers and employees with the
Industrial Commissioner unanimously recommended an increase in the
minimum rate for women in canneries from 30 to ni cents to 37* cents.
(Communications to the Women's Bureau.)

Australia.

Basic wage rates of women in Queensland

The Industrial Court of Queensland, on March 22, 1937, raised
the Basic weekly wage rates of women by 2 shillings and of men by 4
shillings, making the rate for women 2 pounds 1 shilling and of men 3
pounds 18 shillings. The ratio of women's to men's rates, while low,
is higher than in the 3 earlier awards. The percent women's rates
formed of men's in the various awards were as follows:
September 1925
August 1930
December 1930
July 1931
taIrch 1937

Percent
50.6
51.3
51.0
52.7
52.6

(Industrial and Labor Information, June 7, 1937.)

British Columbia.

Linimum wage rates fcr women janitors

The Board of Industrial Relations which administers both the
"male" and the "female minimum wage act", has issued recently 2 wage
orders, one covering women employed as janitors in apartment houses, one
covering men so employed. The rates fixed and the conditions of labor
and employment in the 2 orders are identical. British Columbia was the
first Canadian Province to enact a minimum wage law for men, such a law
having been in effect a little more than 10 years.
Rates fixed in the orders for resident janitors range from $22
a month in a building containing 5 residential suites to $125 where there
are more than 50 suites. The minimum for janitors on an hourly basis is
371. cents an hour. These rates went into effect June 1, 1937. (Communication to the Women's Bureau with copies of orders.)


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6
NEW LEGISLATION AFFECTING WOMEN

Outstanding events of the past month in the field of labor
legislation applying to women are as follows:
Hour legislation
Illinois has passed a law fixing maximum hours for women at 8
a day, 48 a week, the final favorable vote in the House being 109 to 22.
The coverage of the old law is extended to include barber shops, beauty
parlors, and offices. The most important exceptions are telephone
operators working at night if allowed to sleep 4 out of 10 hours, and
telephone operators at private switchboards; establishments canning
perishable fruits and vegetables direct from the field between June 1 and
October 15. Certain overtime provisions are included. The hour law
added to the minimum wage law now in effect for several years, helps in
building toward more adequate labor standards for women in the State. In
addition, a new division of the labor department devoted to enforcement
of such legislation has been created (as reported in the Women's Bureau
May NEWS LETTER).
Pennsylvania has passed a maximum hour law providing an 8-hour
days. Hours are thus reduced from 10
day, and a week of 44 hours,
daily, 54 weekly, 6 days weekly. This is the first State to have legislation fixing such short weekly hours, though a 44-hour week was fixed
in Oregon by a labor department order. Occupations exempted in the law
are: Agricultural occupations, domestic service in private homes, employment in orphan homes and industrial schools, all employees over 21 earning at least $25 a week in executive positions. This, with the new law
in the State further regulating industrial home work, should greatly improve women's working conditions in Pennsylvania. An additional hour law
passed covers men as well as women, and also provides for an 8-hour day,
44-hour week schedule.
In New Jersey the night work law for women has been amended by
adding a penalty for violation and by changing the period during which
employment is prohibited from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. to 12 pm. to 7 a.m.
New legislation in Michigan reduces working hours for women to
8 daily, 48 weekly. The old law provides a 9-hour day, with 10 hours
possible, and a 54-hour week.
In Vermont the law has been amended to reduce the hours of
women working in manufacturing and mechanical establishments, mines or
quarries, from lq to 9 a day and from 56 to 50 a week. A new provision
also requires that a record of the daily and weekly hours worked by
women shall be kept by the employer.
A bill in Wisconsin to reduce the hours of women workers from
9 a. day, 50 a week to 8 a day, 44 a week, has passed the House. The
17isconsin House has also passed a bill providing that mercantile establishments shall not employ persons (with certain exceptions) who work
less than 30 hours a week or who receive pay for less than 4 hours a day.

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Industrial home work laws
New legislation, modeled on the standard bill, to regulate and
prohibit industrial home work has been adopted in Massachusetts;
as has enacted such
Connecticut has amended its home work law, and
administration in
places
act
legislation for the first time. The Texas
and places
Department,
Labor
the State Board of Health, instead of the
public.
the
and
worker
.the emphasis on the health and welfare of the
costing
certificates
Employers' permits, costing $501 and home workers'
health
a
present
must
5C cents are required annually. The home worker
Health
of
Board
State
certificate or other evidence of good health. The
a
hearing,
after
has power to make investigation of an industry, and,
to prohibit home work.

Minimum wage laws
The Pennsylvania minimum wage bill has passed the legislature
and was approved by the Governor May 27. It becomes effective September
1, 1937.
Minimum wage legislation has been passed by the legislature in
Arizona and sent to the Governor for approvul.
Connecticut has amended the minimum wage law of that State to
provide that directory orders may be made mandatory after 3 months instead of 9 as before. The Connecticut legislature also has provided a
small appropriation for minimum wage enforcement.
••••••ft.........••••••••.m.N.

Colorado also has appropriated funds (for the first time) for
minimum wage enforcement.
In Arkansas, the minimum wage law of 1915 has been revived as a
result of the recent reversal of opinion by the United States Supreme
Court, and movement is under way to revise wage rates and to make the act
effective.
In Puerto Rico, also, the minimum wage law of 1919 has recently
been revived s a result of the 1937 opinion of the United States Supreme
Court. The lew applies to "industrial occupations, or commercial or public service undeetakings" and the Commissioner of Labor interprets it as
applicable to home-work industries. In consequence, practically all
needlework has been stopped in the Island and the question of application
of the law to home-work industries has been carried to the courts. It is
reported that tobacco stripping employers and fruit canners also claim
exemption under the law which excepts "agricultural industries." Commercial establishments and factories, however, are complying. The law fixes
wage rates of $6 a week for women over 18 and $4 a week for those under
that age.
The Wisconsin bill to extend to women the present minimum wage
act for minors and to repeal the oppressive wage law, has passed one
house of the legislature.


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EMPLOYIENT OF '70VEN

United States.

Employment of women in May

In comparing employment and pay rolls in 1937 with the corresponding month in 1936, gains in pay rolls have been consistently greater
than have gains in employment. Two factors probably combined to bring
this about, increases in wage rates and increases in schedules of hours,
or more steady employment. Employment in May 1937 in nondurable goods
industries was 9 percent above May 1936 and pay rolls 22 percent.
Nearly half of the women in manufacturing industries are concentrated in the making of textiles or of wearing apparel. Employment
in textile factories in May 1937 was nearly 13 percent above May 1936,
while pay rolls were 30 percent above. In both respects 7 of the 8
individual industries had advanced over 1936. Employment in the wearing apparel group had gained by practically 5 percent, pay rolls by 9
percent, and 4 of the 6 industries of the group were above the level of
May 1936.
The paper and printing industries had gained 8 percent in
employment over 1936 and 17 percent in pay rolls, each of the 4 industries in the group showing gains.
Employment in shoe factories in Hay 1937 was nearly 8 percent
above 1936, pay rolls 30 percent. In confectionery manufacturing the
gains were 1 percent and 3 percent respectively. In the tobacco industries employment was slightly below 1936 but pay rolls had gained nearly
10 percent.
In nonmanufacturinF industries also, pay rolls had in general
increased more than had employment. The following shows the gains in
industries which together normally employ at least 2,000,000 women:
___
Nonmanufacturing
industry

General merchandising
Hotels (year-round)
Laundries

United States.

Percent change since
May 1936
Employment Pay rolls
6.3
4.5
5.7

13.0
11.5
7.9

Employment opportunities for college women

The Vocational Office of Smith College reports 30 percent more
openings for women in businees, research, government and other noncommercial organizations in the last nine months than a year ago.


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Other indications of rising trends in employment of college
graduates are the visits of more eMployers to the campus on recruiting
trips; the reinstatement of paid training courses by telephone, advertising, business machine and other industries; increasing salaries; and
the number of openings discovered in the course of field work by placement workers.
Of the placements of Smith College alumnae and seniors by midApril, 39 percent were in teaching; 28 percent in business; a like percent in government departments, hospitals, research foundations, and
other nonprofit-making organizations; 2 percent in social work; and 3
percent in miscellaneous fields. Within the business group the largest
number have been placed in secretarial work. Other fields in order of
number placed are: department stores, research, insurance, service
representative work for telephone companies, copywriting, statistics,
fashion and libraries.
Already there is a shortage of well-trained secretaries,
personable and willing to shoulder responsibility; a lack of statisticians with either previous experience or secretarial training; a
demand for graduates with science majors and language equipment; and
openings for placement and employment specialists.
Social work agencies are experiencing a marked shortage of
workers because trained persons occupied with relief problems during
the depression have been reabsorbed by private agencies and the government.
In teaching, however, the shift from an oversupply to a
scarcity of good candidates is less marked than in business. Despite
enlargements of teaching staffs and some increasing demands for teachers,
there is not yet a serious shortage. However, there are indications
that such a shortage will soon come about.
In the department-store field the usual beginning position
continues to be selling. From this as a start, college graduates go
into buying positions, advertising, styling, personnel, and all the
other outgrowths, but selling first seems to be absolutely necessary.
(Placement Trends for College Women by Marjory P. Nield and Ruth
Houghton—Occupations, Juno 1937.)

United States.

Opportunities for women in journalism

"Promising opportunities for men in journalism but less
promising opportunities for women, are suggested by the placement
records of collegiate schools and departments of journalism, as reported
to the National Occupations Conference." (March 1937.)


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10

Reports on the subject were secured from 21 institutions and
these show that of 383 men graduates, 85 percent were known to their
alma maters to have secured jobs in journalism. Of a total 262 women
who were graduated at the same time, 64 percent are known to be working
in the profession for which they prepared. (Opportunities in Journalism--Robert Hoppock--Occupations, June 1937.)

Maryland.

Employment of women declining and hours of work lengthening

Nearly 83,000 women were at work in factories, stores, offices,
telephone establishments, hotels, restaurants, laundries and the like in
Maryland in 1936, according to the report of the Commissioner of Labor
Statistics issued recently. These women formed practically 30 percent
of all persons so employed and about one-third of those in factories,
stores and service establishments.
Comparing the figures for 1936 with those of 1935 it is seen
that the numbers of women reported had declined while the total employment had increased. The result is a material decrease in the proportion
of women, Ls they formed practically 35 percent of the 1935 employment.
On an industrial basis, 59 percent of the women were employed
in manufacturing, 22 percent in mercantile, and nearly 10 percent in
service establishments. On an occupational basis, nearly 59 percent
were workroom employees, 18 percent sales, and nearly 16 percent
clerical.
Reports on the hours worked daily by these women show that
while the majority still work 8 hours or less a day, the proportion
working longer hours was larger than in 1935. The only important
industry group showing a decrease in this respect was the mercantile
industry, while public utilities showed a marked increase. The following table shows these changes.


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Industry

All industries
Manufacturing
Mercantile
Office
Public Utilities
Service

Percent of women working
more than 8 hours daily
1935

1936

13.0

20.8

8.5
20.2
0.4
4.6
26.1

19.0
9.9
0.0
60.5
37.4

11
INDUSTRIAL HOME WORK

home work
Many States now active in controlling industrial
of States
Women administrators of labor laws in a number
being underties
activi
ed
continu
and
recently conferred as to the new
enabling
laws
New
work.
home
rial
indust
taken to reduce the ills of
, New Jersey and
home-work regulation have been passed in Pennsylvania
is. A Rhode
Illino
in
pending
is
Massachusetts, and such legislation
ticut
Connec
in
those
year,
a
Island law has been in operation for
and New York, for several years.
n processes,
Most of these laws prohibit home work on certai
to
secure
er
employ
the
and for other types of work they require
the
ting
permit
e
annually from the State labor department a licens
they
is
paid;
fee
a
e
employment of home workers, and for this licens
g
engagin
before
icates
also require that home workers be given certif
indusof
tion
regula
in such employment. Texas has passed a law for
entative to attend
repres
her
enable
to
ly
trial home work too recent
this conference.
tion, and
Wisconsin has a somewhat different type of regula
workers
home
their
pay
to
s
cturer
manufa
since 1920 has required the
to keep
tended
has
This
women.
enced
the minimum wage fixed for experi
now reare
There
State.
the
ng
home work of various types from floodi
The
kee.
in
Milwau
ers
employ
ported 142 women working at home for 13
y.
of
hosier
ng,
clocki
mes
someti
largest group of these do mending, and
ed that in
Two women administrators from Connecticut report
home workers
7,000
were
1933 at the time the law went into effect there
sorts of
All
on bead bags.
in the State, 600 of them children at work
garter
s' dresses,
processes were performed, such as sewing on infant
g
children's garments,
knittin
eyes,
and
hooks
making, carding snaps and
only 137 women hold
t
time
presen
the
At
s.
Trapping wire for kid curler
work.
home
do
to
certificates allowing them
Massachusetts and Penns:ilvania administrators stated that they
are now acquainting employers w:Ith the new law.
The New Jersey woman representative reported that surveys
home
showed that in certain sewing industries about the same /lumber of
resiworkers in her State were employed by Nev: York firms as by firms
dent in New Jersey.
According to the New York administrator, employers of home
compensaworkers as well as of factory labor are subject to workmen's
issue
to
is
mode
Effort
ions.
nce
provis
insura
tion and unemployment
ement
requir
s
of
issue
notice
to
as
well
as
,
any new prohibitory orders
as
so
ry,
indust
an
in
season
peak
of permits, considerably before the
well
work
his
adjust
to
er
to allow plenty of opportunity for the employ
law,
the
in
before his busiest time. In addition to the prohibitions
to be
the commission has issued orders refusing to permit home work
ar.
neckwe
done on men's and boys' outer clothing and men's and boys'


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12
Both in New York and Rhode Island, licenses must be taken out by the
actual employer of the workers.
The Rhode Island woman administrator stated that in cities
in that State, zoning ordinances do not permit factory operations to
be performed within certain areas, and consequently perelits to do home
work are not granted to persons residing in these parts of a city.

New Jersey and New York.

Cooperation on home-work regulation

New York contractors cannot send, nor give out, work to home
workers living in New Jersey, under a cooperative arrangement between
the Departments of Labor in New York and New Jersey, which has been
announced recently by Commissioners of the two States.
The Industrial Commissioner of New York states:
"New Jersey's Commissioner of Labor . . . merits the thanks
of wage earners and the friends of decent labor standards not
only in New Jersey but in other States because of his initiative
in barring home work sent into the State by distributors located
outside the State. If the same cooperation is given by labor
commissioners in other States, we can lick the home-work evil.
The Commissioner's department, which is in charge of licensing
home workers in New Jersey, is refusing to issue licenses to
home workers employed by distributors who live outside the State."
(News Release of the New York State Department of Labor, June 16

Rhode Island.

1937.)

The first year of home-work regulation

The Rhode Island Act prohibiting home work on certain proc- .
and
for other types of work requiring employers to obtain
esses
wont into effect June 1 of last year.
annually,
licenses
At the end of a year's operation, 72 employers have been
granted licenses, and 972 home workers have secured certificates. One
employer was refused a license and 75 home workers failed to obtain
certificates, in most cases either because the worker had other employment outside the home so that if she did home work in addition she would
have longer total hours of labor than the maximum allowed by law, and
in some instances because of insanitary conditions in certain homes.
The greatest number of home workers in Rhode Island are in the
jewelry industry, doing some 20 different processes, including stone
setting, engravirq,, box work, carding, soldering, enameling, cutting
chains, sewing hands for wrist watches, and other work varying from
little skilled to a hish degree of skill. Lace making employs the
next largest group of home workers, and others are at work on artificial flowers, mechanical pencils, textile mending, greeting cards, arms
and legs of dolls, knit underwear, metal findings, handkerchiefs,
leather and wirework for jewelry supplies, tags, optical parts, brushes,
textile machinery, paper boxes, and custom tailoring.

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13

home
When an employer's application for a license to employ
workhome
tive
prospec
of
workers is received, together with his list
invesers, both factory and homes are visited. At the factory, the
factory
the
to
n
relatio
tigator considers the rata of home-work pay in
y
adequac
homes,
wage, method of transporting the work to and from the
as
such
laws,
of plant records kept, and compliance with other labor
the
hours of work, minimum wage, and posting of labor laws. Unless
trator
adminis
applicant for home work is handicapped physically, the
jeopardmay refuse a license if it appears that home work would unduly
the
of
ize factory workers' wages, or injure the health and welfare
home worker, or be detrimental to the public health or safety.
ial home
In issuing licenses to employers sending out industr
for at the
work the investigator assumed that where home work was paid
did not
same rate as such work was paid for in the factory that it
in the
done
work
the
Where
.
jeopardize the wages of factory workers
it is
factory
the
in
done
that
home of the worker is not the same as
oppresare
workers
home
for
difficult to tell whether the piece rates
home
of
earnings
hourly
sive and unreasonable because no records of
the investiworkers can be obtained. The only way to find out is for
earn in an
can
she
much
gator to sit with a home worker and figure how
one woman
y
industr
hour at the rate which she is paid. In the jewelry
who
Another
hour.
an
who was linking chains was found to earn 60 cents
hour;
an
cents
15
was linking short chains to tie clips received only
an hour.
while cne who was sawing watch bracelets earned 25 cents
issuing
Many problems come up concerning the advisability of
type of work done
home-work licenses, for example: one concern has a
with
factory
the
in
doing
are
in the home which his competitors
had to
has
he
prices
tors'
competi
machinery. In order to meat his
to the
sends
he
work
of
line
The
reduce rates paid to home wcrkers.
has
gator
investi
An
.
factory
homes is not done at all in his °len
es as
sometim
low,
very
is
earned
timed the home workers and the rate
of
made
were
studies
y
industr
low as 12i cents an hour. In the tag
g
for
spanglin
doing
the amount earned by 3 home workers. One was
to do a box
which she was plaid 40 cents a box. It took her 2 hours
she has no
weeks
Some
and she could nct earn over 20 cents an hour.
$2. Ancther
over
work and the weeks whichehe has work she rarely earns
ng to
home worker was stringing tags. The pay per box varied accordi
on at the time
the type of tag but on the ones which she was working
to earn
found
was
worker
third
A
she earned 10 cents an hour.
earn about 14
could
she
s
spangle
On
tags.
cents an hour on slipknot
But
.
these home
spangle
of
type
the
to
or 15 cents an hour according
d
for
years on
depende
have
and
pped
handica
workers are cal physically
p
to
the
have
hancni
great
a
it
r
home-work earnings and would conside
can
they
earn
whielpittance
opportunity refused them to obtain the
at those lowered rates. The employer has been granted a temnorany
license, while an effort is being made to get work fur these employees
at the Bureau of the Handicapped or find some way of having them taken
care of.


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14
WOMEN'S EARNINGS AND HOURS OF WORK
United States.

Salaries of public-health nurses improved in 1937

Each year the National Organization for Public Health Nursing
presents data on the salaries of nurses and supervisors employed by
public-health nursing associations, hoalth departyients and boards of
education. The information for 1937, giving salaries being paid in
January, shows that earnings continue to improve.
The salary most frequently paid to staff nurses was $125 a
month in both private organizations and in health departments, as was
true in 1036, but the proportion of nurses receiving more than $125
increased from 59 to 68 percent. The most usual annual salary paid to
school nurses was $1,800 while in 1936 it was $1,700. More than onethird of the school nurses receive $1,800 or more.
In reply to the question, "Have salaries been increased since
January 1936?", about half of the private organizations replied, "Yes."
Approximately the same proportion of the health departments have increased
salaries and two-thirds of the boards of education reportink; on this
question have done so. In the majority of cases, whore increases were
general rather than for particular considerations in individual cases,
the increase was a restoration of cut previously made rather than an
automatic increase due in accordance with a salary schedule.
In approximately 40 percent both of the private agencies and
of the health departments, salaries are at their pre-cut level. This
is true of the salaries of nurses in only 22 percent of the boards of
education. Last year this figure was 10 percent for these departments.
In almost half of the agencies in which salaries have not been restored
in full, they are 10 percent or less below the level prior to cuts.
(Public Health Nursing, June 1937.)
United States.

The growth of an 8-hour day for nurses

The American Nurses' Association reports that the number of
calls for nurses for 8-hour service continuos to increase and those for
12-hour service to decrease. Reports from nurses' registries for 3
different periods show this trend.

Period
1934 - February 1935...
March
1935 - December 1935...
March
January 1936 - December 1936...

Number of Percent of calls for-registries
8-hour f 12-hour
reportinif
service__
service
48
77
72

41.9
58.3
59.8

I

49.7
33.2
32.3

_
In April 1931,, the American Nurses' Association listed 278
hcspitals using an 8-hour day for special nursos. In October 1935 the
number so listed had iacreased to 580, in 80 of which the plan was
optional. The March 1937 list showed 855 hospitals in 41 States using
the 8-hour plan. In 176 of these the plan was optional. (The American
Journal of Nursing, May 1937.)

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15
Connecticut.

Women's earningpin lock and wood screw industries below
N.R.A. level
0.10111.1.11

The Department of Labor and Factory Inspection of Connecticut
has completed a study of the lock and wood screw industries of the State
and has issued a brief summary of the findings. The full report will be
published soon.
Investigations were made of 10 factories employing 4,223 persons, nearly 30 percent of whom were women. Wage information was secured
for a week in the latter part of 1936. Most employees made between $15
and t25 a reek and worked from 40 to 50 hours.
Median hourly earnings of men were 29 percent higher than •those
This was due partly to
of women (54 cents as compared with 42 cents).
the greater degree of skill and effort required to perform the men's work,
and partly to the tradition of paying men higher rates than women.
The majority, 94 percent, of the workers received at least the
N.R.A. minimum rate. However, 3 shops paid a substantial number of their
workers less than this. A higher proportion of women than men failed to
receive the N.R.A. minimum. As yet the State has not fixed a minimum for
women in this industry, but these data add to the already long list that
show her women in particular, usually the lowest paid workers, stand in
need of the fixing of a wage bottom. (Communication to the Women's
Bureau.)

New Hamnshire.

Enforcement of hour law for women

As a first step to the enforcement of the new 48-hour law in
manufacturing establishments, the Bureau of Labor of New Hampshire, prior
to the date on which the law became effective, sent a form letter enclosing a copy of the amended law to all companies subject to the new
provision. Returns were made by these companies showing the new schedule
of hours which would be adopted. These will be checked by the factory
inspectors on their regular inspection. Any special complaints of violations will be checked personally by the Commissioner as soon as possible
after their receipt. (Comunication to the Women's Bureau.)

Pennsylvania.

Women's wages lower and hours longer since N.R.A.

The Bureau of Research and Information has issued recently preliminary findings of a survey begun in the spring of 1936. The object of
the study was to determine from the workers theeiselves the effect of the
discontinuance of the N.R.A. upon their hours and wages.
A sample of approximately 1,500 women workers was selected from
the Denartment's files of rorkers involved in industrial accidents.
Special investigators called upon these women and obtained a record of
their weekly earnings and hours both under and after the N.R.A. period,
and the industry and occupation in which they worked. The returns of
1,223 visits were found ccmplete enough for inclusion in the study.


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16

Only 10 women reported no change in hours or earnings, while
for 85.5 percent the changes were unfavorable. Over three-fourths of
the women in manufacturing industries and just over half of those in
)°, that is, wages
nonmanufacturing reported the most unfavorable chary
were decreased and hours increased. Nearly 14 percent of the women in
all industries reported favorable changes and nearly 3 percent renorted
both a wage increase and a decrease of hours.
A comparison of actual hours reported by women during and after
the N.R.A. shows that under the N.R.A. half of the women in all industries and nearly two-thirds of those in manufacturing worked between 37i
and 421 hours. This shows, undoubtedly, the influence of the general
establishment of a 40-hour week especially in manufacturing. The number
working more than 42-i hours increased after the N.R.A. by nearly 26 percent in all industries and by 60 percent in manufacturing.
Considering actual weekly earnings the most significant change
is in the group earning less than $12.50. These increased by nearly 16
percent in all industries and by 43.5 percent in manufacturing.

OTHER CONDITIONS OF EEPLOYEENT

India.

.in Mysore
Maternity_protection

The Mysore Maternity Benefit Regulation
the Legislative Council came into effect April 1,
the employment of, or work by a woman for 4 weeks
and entitles her to absent herself from work upon
expects to be confined within 4 weeks.

recently adopted by
1937. It prohibits
after her confinement
notification that she

The employer is required to pay maternity benefits for not to
exceed 8 weeks at the rate of the woman's average daily wage during the
3 months immediately preceding notification, or 8 annas a day, whichever
is less, providing the woman has been employed by him for at least 3
months immediately preceding the notification, and that she does not
work in any factory while in receipt of maternity benefits. The employer is forbidden to dismiss a woman during the period of maternity benefits or to give her notice of dismissal expiring within that period.
(Industrial and Labor Information, June 7, 1937.)

RECENT PUBLICATIONS OF TM WOMEN'S BUREAU

Bul. No. 151--Injuries to Women in Personal Service Occupations in Ohio.
Women's Hours and Wages in the District of Columbia in 1937.
(Mimeographed.)


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Jr. S. DEPART= OF LABOR
WOMEN'S BUREAU
Washington

August 1, 1937

ACTIVITIES AFPECTING GAINFULLY EMPLOYED 1 OW4
if
Minimum wage administration
California. Minimum wage adjustments in Amen's wages
Distict o Columbia. Orders issued byAhe :animum Wage Board
Mirns.sota. Adviry Bot.. rd anpointed
of minimum wage law
Rulings re:ardin: a?Dlicat
Other States. Y:nthttocy ordars and4oarings
Ontario. 'Alges of women,improvedin 1935
%
Legislation affecting women/

Employment of womipn
United States
worn; in June
Emploraent
Vi in June
Placements o
Occupations of prominent American

omen

oblerve women
Economic
United tatt*V Transient and homeless women in 1936
New York _A:a:len receiving old-age assistance for the first
time n $36
Southrd Sfates. Economic responsibilities of working. girls

Ardid other conditions of employment
liational. Reduction of hours of work in textile industries
I ter
i0td States
inome wo:k voluntarily abolished by the tag industry
/ A cousuitier's group otudies working conditions
Mew York. Enforcement of the hour law ior women in hotels rlad
restburaLts
Ohio. Occupational diseases of vomon in 1936


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MIND:1311 WAGE ADEINISTRATION

Einimum wage adjustments ill women's waD.es

alifornia.

The report of the Division of industrial Welfare of the
California Department of Industrial Relations shows that $42,000 was
added to women's earnings during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1937.
This represented adjustments made in cases of violations of the minimum wage rates. Over two-thirds of these shortages were found in
routine inspections of the Division; the others represented complaints
made by the workers.
An additional feature in insuring the payment of at least the
minimum to pieceworkers is the regular audit made in fruit and vegetable
canning establishments and in places where nuts are cracked and sorted.
As a result of these audits nearly $151,500 in wage adjustments were
paid.
Another duty of the Division of Industrial Welfare is the
licenses to learners, and to elderly and infirm eorkers, and
of
issuing
industrial home workers; licenses issued to learners numbered
to
permits
4,454 during the year ending June 1937; 1,589 licenses were issued to
elderly and infirm workers, and 463 such licenses renewed. There were
issued 55 certificates allowing industrial work to be performed in the
home (Communication to the 7omen's Bureau).

District of ColuTibia.

Orders issued by the Minimum rage Board

Twe orders have been issued recently by the Minimum Tage Board
of the District of Columbia. The first order provides that all previous
orders and amendments to orders of the former Beard are rescinded as of
July 15. The second order provides that all employers of women or minors
(under 18) shall keep the followinz information concerning each such
employee:
1.
2.
3.

Name in full
Address
Occupation

4.
5.
6.

Date of birth of all minors
Total hours worked per week
Amount of wages paid each -)ay period

Such records shall be kept on file for at least three years and
shall be open to inspection by the members and any duly authorized representatives of the Board. (Copy of orders.)

Minnesota.

Advi,alalazlEl_apointed

An advisory board of 11 members was set up late in June by the
State Industrial Commission to reconmend minimum wages for women in industry. The Finnesota Employers' Association named five reorebers and the
Einnesota State Federation of Labor named five. These two groups will
name the eleventh member, a woman, who will represent the public.


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2
Nevada.

Rulings regarding application of minimum wage law

Two opinions regarding the application of the minimum wage law
have been rendered by the Attorney General of Nevada. One concerns graduate nurses, the other the duties of the District Attorney in each of the
various counties in cases of violations of the law.
Regarding nurses the opinion stated that "trained" or "graduate"
nurses are independent contractors rather than employees and hence neither
their wages nor their hours are controlled by the Einimum Wage Law.
In the second opinion it is stated, that, while, it is the mandatory duty of every District Attorney to prosecute violations of the act,
he is not required to act in the case of any complaint unless he is also
furnished with the necessary data and information concerning violations
either by the Labor Commissioner or an aggrieved person. (Communication
to the Women's Bureau.)

Other States._ Mandatory orders and hearin,gs
The laundry wage order in Illinois has been made mandatory,
effective August 2, and that for the jewelry industry in Rhode Island
effective August 1.
In Oklahoma, hearings are scheduled for laundry, dry cleaning
and mercantile establishments, garages and filling stations.

Ontario.

Wages of women improved in 1935

The minimum wage law for women in Ontario, passed in 1920, continues to serve women workers, and to be of help to an increasing number
in the industries covered by various orders. The report of the Linimum
Wage Board for the year ending Earch 31, 1936, issued recently, shows
105,840 women and girls covered in 1935 as compared with 83,304 in 1934.
It also shows that 'age rates in general are improving. The proportions
of women paid wage rates well above the minimum for experienced workers
had increased from 60 percent in 1934 to 63 percent in 1935.
The following tabulation shows, for the industries or occupations
employing 5,000 or more women, the large proportions receiving well above
the minimum:


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Percent of women receiving
rates well above the minimum
Retail trade
Offices
restaun,Hol
Seasonal canneries
Textile trades
Needle trades

et

34.8
84.6
52.6
19.6
65.9
74.4

-J

3
From the data compiled from reports of employers to the Minimum
Wage Board, it is impossible to deter-nine exactly how many women and girls
are receiving more than the minimum rate, and hence certain women on rates
that may be 50 cents or nearly $1 above the minimum have necessarily been
omitted. Thus the data presented here 1/ are the more striking. Long
apprenticeship periods are also allowed under most orders, usually of at
least 6 months and sometimes 2 years. The information here presented is
confined only to persons receiving well above the minimum for experienced
workers.
The order for seasonal canneries defines inexperienced workers
as all below 18 or over 60 years of age, and at least 69 percent of the
workers reported must have been in these age groups. (The Seventeenth
Report of the Department of Labour, including the Sixteenth Report of the
Einimum Tage Board, Province of Ontario.)

LTZISLATION AFFECTING WOIEN

harried persons in Federal service
Section 213 of the 1932 Federal Economy Act, known as the
"married persons" clause, has been. repealed by Congress. The repeal
bill was signed by the President July 26.
Section 213 directed heads of Government agencies in the classified civil service to dismiss husband or wife, if both were employed by
the Federal Government, before single persons, whenever personnel reductions were neepssa,.y- Hundreds of married persons, most of them women,
lost their jobs during the 5 years the Act was in effect. The great
majority of these were in the lower salary ranges.

State legislation
Regular sessions ef State le7!.slltures, with two exceptions,
Tel. sfty has
e .j.11 1:1:'3',JIIR And '''TJ77
.1fP is '
l'have comf to an ende
apee'ial ses_eoea. 19 nod re1e;n2;
recessed until 1:c‘eTtseY,
sion, Fichigan will recenvene in sl:.ecia._ se:en Jaly 20) end it is
possible there vill be other special sessiene at a later date.

Eichigan Hour Pill
An early report from Eichigan authorities, quote6 by the 17omen's
Bureau on July 1, 1937 to the effect; that an 8--hour law for women had
been passed was later found to be in error.


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1/ Cor.piled by the 'omen's Bureau Iron' Ontario report.

4
Several days after adjournment of the legislature it was found
by the State authorities that on the last night of the session the bill
had lost in the House by 15 votes.
It is now reported, however, that naximum hour and minimum wage
bills are scheduled for further considerition at the special session of
the legislature called for July 30.

New jersey Home 7:ork Bill
The bill to regulate and prohibit industrial home work unrler
consideration in the New Jersey le7,islataro was erroneously reeorted to
have been enacted into law. The bill paesed the lower house but did not
reach a vote in the Senate.

FEPLOTLENT OF

United States.

OYEN

Employment of women in June

Employment in nondurable goods industries, Ihere most woman
employment is found, may be considered to have been at least normal for
11 consecutive months, that is with an index of at least 100 (based on
1923-25 average employment). Pay rolls have been normal for 4 months.
Employment in nondurable goods in June 1927 was 8 percent above June 1936
while pay rolls were 21 percent above.
Employnient in the textile, group as a whole was practically normal
and had increased by 10 percent over 1936. Pay rolls lere 6 points below
normal but with a gain of 25 percent since June 1936. Employment in the
v:earing apparel group was nearly110; pay rolls, only 23; and both had
gained since 1936 by 2 percent and 85 percent, respectively.
The following table shows the status in certain other important
woman employing industries; most of which had gained since 1936 but still
were below the 1923-25 level, both of employment and pay rolls:

Woman-employing
industries

Percent change since
index of-June 1936
1
Pay rolls
Pay rolls 'T,mploymunt
Employment
.0...1.•

Boots and shoes.....
Confectionery.......
Tobacco manufacture.
Paper box...........


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'n.7
68.9
60.0
103.1

73.1
6E.2
55.6
104.4

8.6
0.4
- 0.3
12.9

26.5
14.2
11.0
21.5

5
only employIn nonmanufacturing industries employing many women,
in recent
ment in stores, "general merchandising", has reached normal
s:
years. The present situation is as follow
Percent change since
June 1936

index of-Nonmanufacturing
industries

General merchandising.
Hotels (year-round)...
Laundries.............

United States.

Employment
102.8
87.0
93.6

Pay rolls
92.0
73.9
85.4

7amployment I Pay rolls
6.7
3.6
7.3

13.2
10.9
12.6

Placements of women in June

activities
The report of the United States Employment Service
jobs, the great majority
in June show that nearly 85,000 women were given
0 women applied for work
of them in private employment. Just over 112,00
on June 30, 1937.
during the month and 1,121,507 were in the active files
new appliomen applying during the month were one-third of all
of those
and
placed
s
person
of
t
cants, while they v:ere just over 22 percen
in the active file.

United States.

Occupations of prominent American women

7;ho
The second volume of American ':-omen, the official Tho's
brief bibliogamong women of this country has been issued recently gieinz
work. The first
raphies of nearly 8,000 women prominent in many lines of
volume came out in June 1935 and contained 6,214 names.
in the 1937-33
A brief summary of data regarding the women listed
2,300 have one or
volume shovs that 43 percent are married and that over
40 years of
under
were
more children in their homes. Half of the women
age, and nearly a third were 50 or older.
work, the
Most of the women are engaged in some professional
s and other
Author
largest group, 28 percent, being- in educational work.
poets.
58
ing
includ
writers form 18.5 percent of the total, these not
percent
6
art, nearly
Nearly 7 percent are engaged in various lines of
nercent doing editorial
are librarians, 4 percent in musical lines, and 4
executives each
work. Government officials and personnel or business
ented by 100 or more
form 3 percent of the total. Other pursuits repres
research.
women were law, medicine and surgery, sociology, and
ss women have made,
The volume is a good indication of the progre
ence, and
promin
gained
the great variety of fields in which they have
the breadth of their interests.


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ECOYMIC PRO=S OF rMEN

United States.

Transient and homeless women in 1936

Two surveys of the transient and homeless populaticn in
selected cities—the first made immediately after the closing of intake
at F.7a.R.A. transient bureaus in September E-)35 and the second made one
year later, show a marked decline in the size of this group. They also
show an increase in the proportion of women in the group receiving
relief of some for. The report states:
During the operation of the F.7.R.A. Transient Program, women
constituted a relatively small proportion of the cases receiving
care. This small proportion was particularly marked among unattached
transients of whom not more than 3 percent were women. Although
more women were heads of transient fawily groupc, the proportion
seldom exceeded 15 percent. The relatively small number of women
at the transient bureaus reflected the difficulties and hardships
attendinv, their migration.
Surprisingly, a year after the closing of transient bureau intake the proportion of women, both unattached and heads of family
groups, had increased. Among unattached persons the proportion of
women increased from 3 percent in 11 States on September 30, 1935,
to 8 percent at agencies in the 12 cities in Septe_lber 1936. The
corresponding increase among heads of faelilies was from 14 percent
to 39 percent. "-A private agencies in the 12 cities the increases
were even more marked.
In spite of the general increase in the proportion of women
under care, it does not necessarily follow that the transient and
homeless population included a higher proportion of women in
September 1936 than it had a year before . . . In September 1925
both public and private agencies, because of demands in excess of
their funds and facilities, accepted only the more distressed
cases. Unattached women and women with families, includirT, uninarried mothers, were usually accepted for care in preference to less
urgent casns. (A Survey of the Transient and Homeless Population
Division
in 12 Cities, Septenber 1935 and Sente7ber 1926 of Social Research.)

New York.

7omen receiving old-age assistance for the first tis7e in 1936

SoEe picture of the women who are receiving old-ege assistance
in New York City may be secured from data regarding new recipients of
assistance given in the Annual Report of the Departnent of Public Telfare for the year 1936. This shows over 4,000 woen added during the
year to the nuciber of persons receiving this type of aid, these for-sling
53 percent of all new recipients. Nearly 3,000 of these woreen, 70 percent of the total, had been previously omeloyed. This is not surprising.
There is repeatedly presented evidence as to low wages of woinen in many
industries, wages too low to :sake possible any saving for old age.


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Over half of the women were widows, well over a fourth were
married and more than a tenth single. Less than 5 percent were divorced
or separated. Nearly three-fourths of the women lived with others, the
greatest majority with relatives other than their husbands. post of
those living alone were either keeping house or living in a rooming house.
Nearly two-thirds, while not having had a physical examination,
were reported as having some ailment or health complication, while sone
illness, usually chronic, was reported for nearly one-fifth. For about
one-third of the women, provision for medical care was included in their
budget. (New York Advancing Toward Social Security, Annual Report of
the Department of Public Welfare of the City of New York for the year
1936.)

Southern States.

Economic responsibilities of workin

girls

That working girls and women contribute to the support of
others is shown again in information furnished by girls attending the
Southern Industrial Conference of the Y.w.C.A. held the last week in
June at Camp lierrie Wood°, Saphire, N.C.
It is evident that many girls with economic responsibilities
would be unable to attend such a conference, since they could ill
afford to take even a week's vacation without pay, although the expenses
of the trip were met for them. As it was, 14 of the 36 girls attending
were at least partially responsible for the support of others on earnings
ranging from $10 to $26 a week. Only 2 earned as much as $20 and 6
earned less than $15 a week.
A looper in a hosiery mill was attempting to support herself
and child on earnings estimated at q0 for a full weak. She was unemployed at the time of the conference. A girl doing clerical work in a
store had the entire responsibility of herself and her mother on $15.50
a week. A timekeeper in a hosiery mill earning $16.50 a week helped to
support 4 brothers and sisters.
Of the 14 girls who contributed to others, 8 estimated their
yearly earnings in amounts ranging from $663 to $900. Vost of these
estimates were based on a full week's work for from 42 to 52 weeks in the
year, a goal often difficult to achieve when sickness on the one hand
and one or more slack seasons on the other hand, have to be taken into
consideration. (Information secured by a representative of the Women's
Bureau attending the conference.)

HOURS AND OTTER CONDITIONS OF EliPLOTENT
International.

Reduction of hours of work in textile industries

Of especial interest to working women is the action of the
International Labor Conference at the meeting in June 1937, in adopting
a draft convention reducing hours of work in the textile industry. In
general the convention calls for a 40-hour week, or 42 hours for persons

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8
on successive shifts on continuous processes. The convention was adopted
by a vote of 88 to 41. The convention was supported from the beginning
by the entire American delegation.
The importance of the industry to woman is shown by the data
compiled by the International Labour Office to be presented at the Tripartite Technical Conference on the textile industry which met in
"Aishington in April. Thi1e these data arc not all for the same year,
and while it has not abbeys been possible to exclude employers and
managers, it shows that over 6,000,000 women workers are, or recently
have been employed in 22 countries in this :lost important of womanemploying manufacturing industries. They formed 54 percent of all persons reported and in 10 countries were almost or more than two-thirds
of the workers.
In 5 countries, unemployment was also reported. This showed over
650,000 persons out of work, 53 percent of whom were vomen. Since these
figures were for 1931 or earlier in all but one country, unemployment
undoubtedly increased at a later date.
It is hoped and expected that a reasonable decrease in the weekly
schedule will reduce unemployment and make for elore stabilized employmnnt
wage
for those who work. The 6,000,000 women who in the main were factory
and
week
earners, tenders of spindles and looms, working overtiiee this
laid off next will be grateful to the I.L.C. for the step forward.
(Industrial and Labor Information, June 23, 1937, and The World Textile
Industry—Economic and Social Problems, Vol. II, Parts TI-V, I.L.C.)

United States.

Home work voluntarily abolished by the tag industr

At a general meeting of the Tag Manufacturers' Institute held
late in June, it was unanimously agreed that all home work should be
discontinued. This action had been recommended by the Executive Committee at a meeting in Hay.
An educational campaign for such action has been carried on for
some time by the officers of the Tag Institute, with the cooperation of
the Women's Bureau. An attempt was r-ade under the N.R.A. code to fix
minimum rates for home work, but cxperience again demonstrated that uniform piece rates do not insure minimum earnings under the inefficient
and unsatisfactory home conditions of production.
Voluntary uction such as has been taken by the tag industry is
an important aid to the effcrts of State Labor Denartments to do away
with what has always been a low paid ty;Ne of work. (Communication to
the Women's Bureau.)

United States.

A consumer's group studies working conditicns

An organization known as the League of 'Comen Shoppers has
appeared on the scene rather recently, originating in New York City.
are
Their purpose is to insure that the goods and services they purchase
produced under fair labor conditions.

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The New York League has been studying the laundry situation in
that city and has now issued a bulletin "Consider the Laundry ":orkers"
which is based on visits to 44 laundries and interviews with 102 laundry
workers. The study brings out vividly the problems of the workers and
cites many individual stories.
The bulletin points out in conclusion that both a minimum wage
order for tha industry and unionization of the workers are necessary to
meet the problems which the investigation showed.

New York.

Enforcement of the hour law for women in hntels and restaurants

Administration of the new law which for the first time limits
the hours of women employed in restaurants in smaller cities and in all
hotels (with a few exceptions) has been assigned to tne Division of
—omen in Industry and Einimum Wage, as has also the law providing one day's
rest in seven for both women and men in hotels and restaurants. The inspection staff, augmented by eight new investigators has been enforcing
the law since July 1. Inspection was undertaken first in New York City
where splendid cooperation was given by the industry. Inspectors have
recently been sent to ether parts of the State.(Communication to the
Women's Bureau.)

Ohio.

Occupational diseases of women in 1936

During 1936 Ohio physicians rs)orte,d to the Division of Hygiene
of the State Department of Health 1,453 cases of occunatienal disease,
one-sixth of which were women's oases. Among compensnble MEOF women's
formed 17.4 percent and nursbered 234. The discussion here is confined
to these compensable cases.
Nearly two-thirds of the women were reported as suffering from
dermatitis. These skin diseases were caused by a great variety of substances, which, for many persons appear to be harmless. Among the more
common materials reported were cleansers of various sorts, such as soap,
soap powders or chemicals; lubricating oils or greases; juices of fruits
and vegetables; dyes, usually in cloths or garments, and a great variety
of chemicals, duets and so on.
Tenosynovitis, usually of the wrist, was reported for 57 women.
This disease manifests itself in inflammation of the tendons and their
sheaths and is caused by continuous or excessive strain of a joint. The
women so affected wore frequently reported as .nrnnpers, packers, rollers,
folders or trimmrs of heavy materials.
nbmen's cases of chrome ulceration had increased from 3 in
in 1936. lost of the latter cases occurred in metal stamping
24
to
1935
plants and were associated with plating operations or the handlin:; of
plated materials.


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It is of interest to note the more important occupations associated with diseases of women in 1936, in the terminology of the doctor.
The following list shows the occupations each of which were
reported in 10 or more cases of women's diseases:
Occupation

Number of women

Electroplaters
Food handlers, bakers and confectioners
Huchinists or machine operators,
mechanics
Window shade workers
Cleaners, janitors, etc
Rubber workers
Dyers, handlers of dyed cloth and
clothing
Clerks, retail merchandising
Painters, enamclers
P
aper

workers................ • • • • • 0 • 0

0

29
28
26
20
18
16
14
13
10
10

(Industrial 1;:edicine, June 1937, and unpublished m.,7)terial of
the Ohio IndwArial Commission.)


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(1771)

U. S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
WOMEN'S BUREAU
Washington

September 1

1937

ACTIVITIES AFFECTING GAINFULLY EUPLOYED WOMEN

Minimum wage administration
Connecticut. Earnings of women in pants fabries
District of Columbia. I-Jage board being fokMed for retail trade
Illinois. Minimum wage administration
Massachusetts. Hearings and orders
Ninnesota and Ohio. Minimum v•as.e ad4Ais ments for women
New Hampshire and 'Jtah. Minimum wage adiünistration
New Jersey. PropoJed rates for lfV,Indric4 will raise women's wages
Oklahoma. Hearing:; in progress,/
Oregon. Now Minimum waTT,e ord s issued
Rhode Island. Earnings of w9fhn in wearing\apparel industries

Employment of women
United States
Employment of women in July
Placement of woyren in July
Employment opiktunities for *men in retail stores
New York. Placemen of women in 1936
Tisconsi.11. Placemet of women by public and by private agencies
Great Britain, "bmon registered as unemployed

Earnings and tours of women
IV.;14 York,‘ ',omen's work conditions mnterially improved by a union
0 agp6ement
\
Virgioia. ':omen in household employment in Lynchburg
i
A
GrAat Britain. Earnings and hours of women
!
Swoon. Equal pay for women teachers

Ecoihomic problems of women
omen applying for old-age insurance
, United States.
Pennsylvania. Sunplementary relief to wage-earning women

Other problems of employed women
Maryland. Health facilities and health hazards affecting women
New York. Activities of the Bureau of Home Tork, 1936


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MIiIMUM WAGE ADMINISTRATION

Connecticut.

Earnings of women in pants factories.

Relatively low wages for women accompanied by irregular employ—
ment are the outstanding features of work in the men's pants industry
as shown in a recent study of nine Connecticut factories employing 148 men
and 570 women. Wage data were secured for four busy weeks and four slack
weeks in each plant.
During the busy season women's median weekly earnings were
$11.68 (half earned more, half less) and 519 women were found employed.
In the slack season the median was $6.92 for 417 women. Thus in the
slack season employment was practically 20 percent and earnings 41 per—
cent below the busy se son. All but one of the factories did contract
work and it is interesting to note that this one factory reported steady
work throughout the year "probably due to the fact that it could exercise
direct control over sal -ls and inventory."
In each seami earnings varied markedly from plant to plant,
and not always directly with the hours worked. In the busy season,
women's median weekly earnings ranged from $8.25 in one plant where
median hours were nearl .- 43, to $13.58 in another plant for 42 hours of
work. In the slack seacon the range was from $3.43 to $11.25, but records
of hours in those plants were not available.
Women's median hourly earnings were 31.5 cents in the busy
season and 66 percent ha l_ earned less than 35 cents, the minimum set for
the industry in the X. R. A. Code. During the slack season median hourly
earnings were 24.6 cents and 73 percent of the women had earned less than .
35 cents.
In summoning a wage board for the industry, the Commissioner of
Labor states:


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"The payment of arbitrary and oppressive wages
in this industry has established a condition which
is detrimental to employers and employees alike."
(Communication to the Women's Bureau and Copy of
report).

2
District of Columbia.

—are board being formed for retail trade.

Retail tra,:a is to be the first industry for which a wage
rate will be set in the District of Columbia. Steps are now being
taken to form a wage board for the industry.
Two meetinge of store employees were called by the District
Finimum Tare Board. :t the first meeting, the workings of the law
and the procedure for forming wage boards and setting rates, were
carefully explained. At the second, 9 store employees were nominated
as employee represent: tives. Three of these will eventually be selected as members of -tie board for the retail industry. Three representatives of employers and of the public also are to be selected.

_Illinois. :Tinielum wae e administration.
Eise Kate O'Connor, who for four years has heeded the Tanimum Wage Division of the Illinois Department of Labor, has been made
chief of the new Division of ':.omen's and Children's Employment. This
division will enforce the new 3-hour day law, the law requiring one
day's rest in seven, and the regulation of industrial hone work, as
well as the minimum 7/age law.
The wage board for the cotton :arment industry has set a
rate of 37 cents an hour for that industry. The candy industry is
nov being surveyed. (Communication to the 'omen's Bureau.)

rassachucetts.

Hearings and orders.

Hearings ;..re held during August on reports of two minimum
wase boards, vomen's and children's underwear, neckwear, and cotton
garments, an jewelry and related lines. At the latter hearing it
was agreed thEA the board should deliberate further before submitting
e final report to the Einimum "age Commission.
The report of the board for the garment industry 'as accepted.
It provides that employees with six months' experience shall be eligible
for $14 a week or 35 eents an hour. For workers with less than three
months' experience, tee rates are .;'.8.50 a week or 21i cents an hour;
for those with from tlree to six months' experience, $10 a week or 25
cents an hour. For t! e purpose of the order, 40 hours shall be regarded
as a full weak.
Effective October 1, the Commissioner of Labor and Industries
has declared that the first 10 directory orders are to become mandatory.
These orders cover the following industries: Laundry and dry cleaning,
electrical e :uipment and supplies, retail stcre, boot and shoe cut
stock and findings, men's clothing and raincoat, candy, men's furnishings, brush, women's clothing, and corset. (Communication to the Women's
Bureau.)


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Minnesota and Ohio.

Linimum wage adjustments for women.

Tith the reinstatement of the minimum wage law for adult
women in Minnesota, and through the activities of the Division of
7omen and Children of the Industrial Commission, wages of women workers in the lower-paid groups are being definitely increased, in some
cases by as much as 50 percent. In the two months ending August 1, a
total of t4,804.26 was collected in wage adjustments. Of this,
women and $2 2076.63 to 83 male minors.
$2,727.63 was paid to
In Ohio the ::inimum Wage Division of the Department of
Industrial Relations h s collected to date more than $12,000 for
employees under the th-ee wage orders in effect in the State. The
amounts in each industly were as follows:
$3,350.14
Ladries...,
4,900.55
Dr cleaning
3,754.77
lcdging,
Po)d and
(Communications to the 'omen's Bureau.)

New Hwnpshire and Utah.

L.inimum wage administration.

Notice was published by the Commissioner of Labor of New
Hampshire for a hearLng to consider making mandatory the directory
order for the clothing and accessories industry. The hearing was set
for August 27.
In Utah a board has been selected for retail trade, composed
of three representatives of employers, three employees and one representative of the Industrial Commission. (Communications to the Women's
Bureau.)

New Jersey.

Proposed rates for laundries will raise women's wages.

The report e' the wage board 2or the laundry industry was
accepted and a hearing' held on August 19. The arguments advanced by
various interested pereons at the hearing are now being considered by
the Labor Commissioner.
The board re .ommended the division of the State into three
areas, A, the northern part centering around Newark; B, that part
centering around Camden and, between June 1 and October 1, the part
centering around Atlan6ic City; C, the remainder of the State. The
proposed rates for all workers except those especially licensed as
handica2ped, are: Area A, 33 cents an hour; Area B, 30 cents Area C,
26 cents. It is further proposed that a bonus of 10 percent be added
to the basic rata per hour in all cases where the employees' total
wage for the week is less than the amount the basic minimum hourly
rate would yield for 40 hours. Area C would be excepted from this
provision.


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4
while at the hearing certain owners of small laundries opposed
the bonus proviFion and also asked for a lover rate for a short learning
period, another laundry owner opposed these suggestions saying that
laundries should encourage higher wages. The bonus lrovision, he said,
would force owners to spread their work over a 40-hour reek. If a
learning period were permitted, owners would be tempted to employ beginners all of the time. The Secretary of the southern Laundryowners'
Association urged that shore hotels be included in the wage provisions
because they operate their own laundries and sometimes do outside work
in competition with commercial laundries.
The survey upon which the laundry wage board based its findings covered 98 laundries in 52 different cities of the State. There
were found 5,29 ereployees engaged in actual laundering operations of
whom, 41253 or 30 percent were females. rage data w-is secured for
4013women and minors for a week in November 1936.
Since three areas are set up in the proposed order for the
industry, the findings of the study should be considered for each of
these areas. About 80 percent of the women covered worked in Area A,
10 percent in Area B, and 10 percent in Area C.
The tabulation for Area A does not show the exact number receiving less than 33 cents, but 55 percent received less than 32 cents
an hour. The basic week of 40 hours at 33 cents an hour would yield
$13.20 but the eledian week's earnings were $]2.78. rhen only women
working 41 hours or more are considered, over one-third had earned less
than $13 a week.
In Area 3, 88 percent of the women had earned less than 30
cents an hour. Eedian week's earnings were $11.07 and 45 percent of
those working 41 hours or more had received less than $12, the equivalent of 30 cents an hour for 40 hours.
In Area C, less than one-third of the women received 26 cents
or more and only one-third received $10 or more in the week. A short
week was more prevalent than in the other areas and 59 percent of the
women had worked less than 37 hours. (Communication to 'omen's Bureau;
Copy of wage rJoort and study; New York Times, Aug. 22, 1937.)

Oklahoma.

Hearings in Illoress.

The Commissioner of Labor of Oklahoma states that it is their
purpose to conduct as many public hearings as possible in the industries employing the greatest numbers of employees before issuing wage
orders. Then orders for these industries may be issued at about the
same time. In this way no ono inductry will be put at a disadvantage.
Hearings have been held on the following industries: Laundries
and dry cleaning,, automobile repair and filling stations, wholesale and
retail mercantile establishments and drug manufacturing. Hearings are
set for the hotel and restaurant industries. It will be rememeered
that the law in this State applies to both men and women.

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5
An estimate of the number of women in certain of these industries may be obtained from the Census of Business for 1935, recently
available. In that year over 13,500 women were employed in retail distribution (including restaurants), 1,500 in wholesale distribution, and
1,000 in hotels. (Communication to the Women's Bureau.)

Oree-er.

New minimum wage orders issued.

The State Welfare Commission of Oregon has issued a series of
new orders for most of the industries of the State. These were promulgated on July 16, 1937, and will go into effect October 1.
In most orders the important change is a reduction of hours
for women from 9 a day and 48 a week to 8 a day and 44 a week, with a
change from 27i cents to 30 cents an hour for experienced persons. Thus
earnings for the full week allowed remain $13.20 but for women working
less than 44 hours earnings will be higher than under the-old orders.
Apprenticeship rates are such that earnings for 44 hours are a little
higher than they formerly were for 48 hours. These changes are found
in orders for the following industries: lianufacturing, personal service, telephone and telegraph, public housekeeping.
The rate for mercantile occupations was already sot at 30
cents an hour for experienced workers and is not raised, but hours are
reduced from 9-48 to 8-44. The order for office occupations reduces
hours from 48 a week with no daily limit to 44 a week and 3 a day. A
rate of 35 cents an hour for experienced workers will yield $15.40 for
44 hours compared to approximately $13.80 for 48 hours ($60 a month).
An order affecting student nurses reduces hours from 56 to 48 a week.
No minimum rates have been set for this group of women. (Communication
to the 'foments Bureau with copy of orders.)

Rhode Island. Earnings of women in wearing apparel industries.
The earnings of a considerable number of women working on
wearing apparel and accessories, should be raised materially if the
recommendations of the wage board for the industries are finally accepted.
The report of: the board recommended a minimum of 35 cents an hour for all
women except leArners and persons certificated as handicapped by the
Department of Labor. It was further recommended that all occupations in
the industry snail be covered, including clerical work. The report was
accepted by the Director of Labor and hearings on the recommendations
were held Aujust 12.
Other important recommendations were as follows: Not more
than 10 percent of the workers may be classed as learners. The rates
for learners are to be 20 cents an hour for the first 240 hours and 25
cents for the second 240 hours, but if on piece work, learners shall be
entitled to whatever they earn above the minimum. Waiting time on the
employer's premises shall be paid for at the workers' regular rate and
if asked to report for work, employees shall be paid for at least 4
hours. Home work is prohibited except in the case of handicapped persons who hold certificates from the Department of Labor in accordance
with the provisions of the home work law.


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The study which furnished information for the guidance of the
wage board, covered 60 firms employing 4,451 workers, a large proportion of whom were women. Wearing apparel as covered by the study included headwear and footwear; accessories, handkerchiefs, handbags and
the like. A few places doing alteration work and other work on curtains rugs and mattresses were also included. 7age data were secured
for a week in the fall of 1936.
Well over half of the 3,486 women covered by the survey
earned less than 35 cents an hour, the minimum suggested for the industry. Over one-third earned less than 30 cents and one-fifth less than
25 cents.
The median week's earnings for all women were $13.10 and
for women who worked 40 hours or reore the median was $14.16. Over
2,000 women had worked so long hours and.over 1,100, 44 hours or longer. Median week's earnings of women by type of product ranged from
$8.53 for workers on cotton garments to $17.03 for those on raincoats.
The largest single group of women, 1,042, worked on knit garments,
earning a median of $,13.73 a week.

EMPLOYIENT OF 7101,EN
United States.

Employment of women in Julir.

July indexes in woman-employing industries show the level of
employment and pay rolls still above that of 1936 in most instances.
Employment in nondurable goods was 6 percent above July 1936 and pay
rolls 17 percent above.
Employment in the textile fabrics group was nearly 7 2ercent
above July 1936 and pay roils 16 percent. Each of the 8 component
industries had gained in employment but fur-felt hats, and three,
cotton textiles, dyeing and finishing and knit goods were above 100
(average 1923-25). No industry showed declines in pay rolls. Knit
goods was above 100 9 the others below.
Employment in the wearing apparel group 1/ had decreased
nearly 2 percent, due to declines in women's clothing and millinery.
However, women's clothin7, stood above 100 as did men's clothing,
men's furnishings and shirts and collars. In none of the 6 clothing
groups were ?ay rolls at 100 or above, but there was a slight gain
since 1936 for the group and for 4 of the 6 industries.

I/ In the August issue of Activities Affecting Gainfully
Employed Women, the gain in pay rolls in the wearing apparel group
from June 1936 to June 1937 should have been 8.5 instead of 85 percent.

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7
The level of employment and pay rolls and the improvement
since 1936 are shown for other important industries in the following table:
Woman-employing
industries
Boots and shoes
Confectionery
Tobacco manufacture
Paper boxes.......,

Index of-—.._
Employment Pay rolls
98.6
69.3
60.6
101.7

81.7
64.0
55.9
99.8

Percent change since
July 1936
Em)loyment Pay rolls
7.1
3.7
0.0
10.2

16.2
14.1
9.6
16.7

In nonmanufacturing industries, no woman-employing industry
had reached 100 in this month. All showed improvement over July 1936,
however. In employment the gains were: General merchandising, 5.2
percent; hotels, 3.4 percent; laundries, 5.1 percent; in pay rolls:
General merchandising, 12.6 percent; hotels, 11.3 percent; laundries,
10 percent.

United States.

Placement of women in July.

The end of July found over 1 5120,000 women on the active
files of all offices of the United States Employment Service. This
was a decrease of less than 0.1 percent since the end of June. The
numbers of women applying for work for the first time during the
month had declined by 18 percent, and placements of women by 14 percent.
Over 91,000 women applied for work in July and over 72,000
were placed, so that for every 100 new applicants, 79 women found
work. This was a higher ratio than in June when there were 76 placements for each 100 new applications.

United States.

EmPlovment opportunities for women in retail stores.

The opportunities for employment for men and women in
retail stores nre set forth in a very comprehensive study by Dorothea
de Schweinitz sponsored by the National Vocational Guidance Association and the United States Employment Service. The study is designed
as a vocational guide and various occupations are analyzed from that
point of view. The analysis is based on field work conducted in the
fall of 1934 and the winter and spring of 1935. The field work was
done in 18 cities and communities and 3,820 stores employing 61,598
workers (including proprietors) were visited. For a small number of
workers sex was not specified, and the discussion here is based on
the 58,448 persons for whom sex was reported.
Woman's greatest epoortunity for employment was found to
be in department stores which accounted for 60 percent of all women.
Nearly one-sixth were in groceries or meat markets and nearly onetenth in limited-price stores. The next largest groups were less

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8
than 4 percent in drug stores and in women's apparel stores. Een's
opportunities were more varied, the largest group being 42 percent
in groceries and meat markets.
In respect to occupations, 67 percent of the women compared to 47 percent of the men were in merchandising, chiefly selling. One-fifth of the women and not far from one-half of the men
were engaged in store management, including maintenance, while 11
percent and 6 percent respectively did clerical work.
A epecial analysis of executive positions shows that
women held only 14 percent of them. In point of numbers, the most
usual positions for women in these lines were: Store manager or
superintendent, buyer or assistent buyer, department head or head
of sales. Of the 26 personnel managers or assistants, 19 were
women and the 27 training directors and assistants were all women.
(Occupations in Retail Stores, Dorothea de Schweinitz.)

New York.

Placement of women in 1936.

Over 90,000 women were placed in various lines of employment by the New York Etate Employment offices in 1936, according to
the Annual Report of the Industrial Commissioner, issued recently.
Supplementary information compiled from the Industrial 3ulletin,
issued monthly, shows that over naif of these women were placed in
domestic and personal service, ‘ehile less than one-sixth were given
1%P.A. jobs. 'Tomen formed nearly 31 percent of all new applicants
registering for work during the year, and 24 )(,-rcent of all persons
Placed. They were 7 percent of those placed with the T.P.A.

7isconsin.

Placement of women bublic and by private agencies.

A recent report from the industrial Commission of Tisconwork of 10 licensed private employment agencies for a
the
sin gives
series of years. Two agencies for doeiestics had placed 1,314 persons in the fiscal year ending June 30, 1937, and had taken in
$3,627 in fees. Three agencies for clerical workers had placed
2,663 persons in the same year and had received '1;29,298 in fees.
Placements ere not reported by sex but considerable numbers of women
are undoubtedly included.
A compilation of the persons placed in these occupations
by the free eeeeloyment oL'fices of the State for the same twelire
months' period show 3,806 placed in clerical werk, 54 )ercent of
whom were woelen and 20,174 placed in domestic service, S6 percent
of them being women. Persons placed by the State, compared with
those patronizing fee charging agencies saved on an average $2.73
each if they were domestic servants and $11 each if they were
clerical workers.


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9
Great Britain.

Won-en registered as unemployed.

Nearly a quarter of a million women 18 years of age and
over v:ere registered as unemployed in Great Britain on May 3, 1937,
these forming one-sixth of the total so registered. Wlile the number of unemployed women had decreased by 19.5 percent since May
1936, unemployed men had decreased by 22 percent. A comparison of
unemployed boys and girls (under 18) also shows a greater advantage
for the ',Joys in securing work, the numbers unemployed having decreased 43 percev:A in the year, while the numbers of girls had
decreased only 26 percent.
Comparing certain age groups of women registered as unemployed in 1936 and 1937 it is seen that the reduction in unemployment has been greatest in the group 18 hut under 25 and least among
those 45 and over. The following table shows these changes and the
relative size of the age groups:
Percent of all women
in 1937 in each group
All se7e,
18 - 24
25 - 44
45 and over.....0.

Percent decrease in each
group since 1936

100.0
30.0
46.6
23.4

19.5
31.7
18.0
6.9

The report for Lay 1937 shows that nearly 42 percent of
the unemployed women were mErried, and this was true of over half
of those 25 but under 45 years of age.
The extent of unemployment by localities, recorded in The
Local Unemployment Index of Lay 1937 shows women's unemployment
of all insured men 16 to 64 inclusive
lower than men's 5 19
- percent
being unemployed, and 7 percent of all insured women. In England the
in
unemployment was lower, in Scotland higher. Unemployment was less
Lancashire
London than in the country as a whole, and greater in
The 1:i:listry of Labor Gazette,
where the textile industry centers.
July 1937 and The Local Unemployment index prepared by the Ministry
of Labor Statistical Branch, May 1937.)

EARNINGS AND HOURS OF WOMEN
New York.

Women's work conditions materially improved by a union
agreement.

A union agreement secured between The United Laundry Workers
Local 300 of the Amalgainated Clothing V:orkers of America has been
negotiated with a large firm which is in the towel and uniform supply
laundry business. The agreement covers drivers and also about 8,000
inside workers, by far the greatest proportion of whom are women.

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10
It is provided that hours for women shall immediately be
limited to 45 a week and for men doing inside work the same limit
will be set as soon as 85 percent of the firms in the same business
in Greater New York shall have signed similar union contracts. In
the meantime a 48-hour Leek is established for inside men.
A minimum wage is fixed for inside employees of $15.75 for
a 45-hour week with a guaranteed minimum of t15 a week for 11 months.
All wac-Le rates are to be raised at least 10 percent with a minimum
raise of $2 unless a greater raise is required to bring the weekly
earnings up to $15.75. Piece-work prices are also raised.
a
All inside employees after 1 year's service are to have
sick
unused
Any
pay.
with
leave
sick
week's vacation and 3 deys'
es
leave may be taken as vacation at the end of the year. Employe
they
if
though
pay,
with
s
holiday
are in general to receive 7 fixed
ble
a
reasona
by
up
made
be
to
do not work on holidays the time is
If asked
addition of hours on other days, without additional pay.
regular
their
f
one-hal
and
to work on holidays it shall be at time
rates.
Looking to the future two commissions are formed reprethe feasibility
sentative of workers and the employer. One is to study
The other
days.
6
of extending the 5-day week to plants now working
stabiat
s aimed
is to study the industry and to make recommendation
secure
union to
lization. Active work is to be carried on by the
s in order that the
busines
the
in
firms
other
with
similar contract°
(Communication
one employer shall not be placed at a disadvantage.
t.)
Contrac
of
Copy
to 7oren's Bureau with

Virginia.

omen in household em)12yEent in Lynchburg.

nce of other
The Y.W.C.A. of Lynchburg, with the assista
the
working conding
regardi
interested groups has secured information
filled
nnaires
tions in 141 homes. The data were recorded in questio
The
rs.
64
employe
out by means of interviews with 77 employees and
interviewing was begun in 1936 and finished in 1937.
The answers descriptive of the general status of the
from 12 to 60 years.
employee showed a wide variety of ages, ranging
equal to the number
mately
approxi
was
The number of single employees
as
compared to 54)
(72
y
majorit
who were, or had been, married. A
they
that
supported other
d
reporte
of those who answered the question
group loft
The
largest
ce.
persons. A majority also carried insuran
from 7 to
was
range
school between the ages of 15 and 18, though the
23. School records ranged from 1 year of grammar school to coreplction of college and the largest group had 5 to 8 years of grammar
school.
'ages ranged from $1.50 to $10 a week, but
wage was $5 or $6 a week. The typical work week was
though there was one report of 91 hours and 16 of 80
time for rest during the day was normal and also two
a week.

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the most usual
72 hours, alto 90. Some
free afternoons

11
Among the needs brought out by the study, most important are
a better standard of working conditions especially of leages and hours,
and a better standard of performance, probably best secured by
courses of training. (Household Employment, Lynchburg Study, by
Gladys Boone. Sweet Briar College.)

Great Britain.

Earnings and hours of women.

A survey of over 5,500,000 work people recently made public, shows that the average weekly earnings of women (18 years old
and over) were only 48 percent of the average weekly earnings of
men (21 year: old and over). Women's earnings in all industries
averaged 31s. 3d. (about $7.50) compared with 64s. 6d. (about $15.50)
for men. The survey was based on earnings for the week ending
October 12, 1935.
Women's earnings were about 29 or 30 shillings in 7 of 15
industry groups, including the textile industries. In clothing and
in paper and printing industries women's earnings averaged about 33
shillings. Their highest average earnings were 38s. 10d. in Government industrial establishments.
The inquiry also covered prevailing hours for the same week,
not, however, reported by sex. Selecting certain woman-employing
industries it is seen that scheduled weekly hours are most frequently
47 or 48. This was true of 85 Percent of the work people reported in
textile industries, nearly 79 percent of those in paper and printing
industries and about 66 percent of those in clothing and in food,
drink and tobacco industries. (The Linistry of Labor Gazette, July
1937.)

Sweden.

Equal pay for women teachers.

A law was passed recently by the Riksda7 one feature of
which is to establish the same schedule of salaries for men and
women teachers.
Thirty years ago, the custom of paying the men and women
elementary and infant school teachers in Sweden an equal salary for
what was regarded as equal work, was abandoned in favor of a system
which gave to women a lower rate than it gave to non. The women,
believing such a change was unjust, immediately banded together in
an association, and, ever since have striven to have their grievances redressed.
In the campaign for the measure the argument that men have
support was met by the recital of figures which proved
to
families
that, in just as many instances, women are supporters of parents-since Swedish law enforces upon young people the necessity of such
responsibilities. (The Christian Science J\Lnitor, Aug. 14, 1937.)


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12
ECONOMIC PROBLEMS OF WOMEN

United States.

Tomen applying for old-age insurance.

An analysis of the first 11,500,000 applicants for participation in the Federal old-age benefits program shows that nearly
27 percent of them were women compared to 22 percent of all gainfully
employed persons reported by the Census in 1930 in the age groups 15
to 64 inclusive. Women formed larger proportions of all applicants
in the younger age groups, being 43 percent of those 15 but under 20
and only 12 percent of those 60 but under 65.
Nearly half the women applying for social security accounts were between the ages of 20 and 30 and 72 percent between 20
and 40. These age groups among the gainfully occupied women in 1930
were respectively 38 and 58 percent of the total. (Social Security
Board Release of August 2, 1937.)

Pennsylvania.

Supplementary relief to wage-earning women.

A study of the problem of supplementary relief has been
issued recently by the Philadelphia County Relief Board. It includes
a study of cases (each representing a family) approved for relief in
Philadelphia in February 1937. Of 2,787 cases, 511 or about 18 percent were granted relief supplementary to earnings from private
employment of some member of the family.
There were 546 vorkers in the 511 families so that in most
cases there was but one wage earner. 'omen or girl workers numbered
204, young as a whole, 41 percent being under 24 and about 22 percent
40 or over. Nearly half were daughters in the family and over onethird wives of the head of the family.
Several factors led to the need for relief in these families,
chiefly low wages, under-employment, unemployment of some other rage
earner, large families. The median week's earnings of the 546 workers
was ,14.52, but 46 percent worked part-time (less than 30 hours a week)
and 29 percent ware casuel workers. Still the median for full-time
workers was only $10.07.
In two-thirds of the families there was no unemployed worker,
in one-fourth one such worker) in one-tenth two three or four.
One-third of the families had 5 or more members, but one-fifth were
one-person families. Regarding the two factors of under-payment and
under-emploTeent the repert states:


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. . . if the principle of the living wage means
anything at all, it does not mean simply the rate of
pay but also a minimum amount of employment. The best
rates per hour are a mockery unless the average number
of hours per week and weeks per year come up to a certain level. Under-employment infringos upon the standards of life as does under-payment and their effects

13
are indistinguishable. In fact, under employment is
only an indirect form of under-payment--a sweating by
irregular earnings as disastrous as any sweating by
low wages."
The report discusses various phases of the problem and
notes questions that require further study. It suns up other earlier
studies on the same subject. (Grants in Aid of Wages. Philadelphia
County Relief Board.)

OTHER PROBLEMS OF EMPLOYED WO=

Maryland.

Health facilities and health hazards affecting women.

The health hazards to which men and women are exposed in
certain industries in YLaryland was determined by a study conducted
jointly by the United States Public Health Service and various agencies of the State. It covered the chief manufacturing industries of
the State, retail trade, laundries and dry-cleaning establishments.
The sampling method was used and the 136422 persons covered formed
31 percent of all persons in the selected industries. The sample
included over 35,000 women, about one-fourth of the total. The
study was made in the latter half of 1936.
The extent to which medical facilities were supplied was
indicated by showing the percent of all workers in each industry
for whom such services are available. Hospitals provided for onefourth of all workers, were available in only two woman-employing
industries, food and allied for nearly 4 percent of the workers and
paper and printing for 1 percent. First-aid rooms, provided for
over half the workers were available to less than one-fourth of
those in laundries and dry-cleaning establishments, clothing, and
food industries. Part-time physicians were available to many workers in the woman-employing industries, full-time physicians to relatively few. Nurses, either full- or pert-time were seldom available.
Retail-trade establishments provided well for the health of their
workers, over 95 percent having a first-aid room s a full-time nurse,
and a part-time doctor available.
The prevalence of certain heelth hazards is indicated by
the percent of workers in a given industry exposed to a given material capable of causing occupational disease. Since these data are
not given by sex, it is impossible to judge of the exposure of women
except in certain cases noted as follows:
In cotton mills, 64 percent of the employees were exposed
to organic dusts and in shoe factories, 57 percent.
In fruit and vegetable canning, 71 percent of the workers
were exposed to agents frequently causing dermatitis.


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14
report states
In summing up the results of the survey the
in part:
lishments
"It is realized that some of the large estab
trial
indus
of
ams
progr
are now carrying on effective
nt survey
hygiene, but the data resultin; from the prese
employed in
are
and
show that half of the workers in Maryl
an effecout
ing
small plants which are incapable of carry
se condisea
al
tive and economical program of occupation
of a
h
healt
trol. It is apparent, therefore, that the
and
Maryl
of
large percentage of the industrial population
."
nment
must necessarily be the concern of State gover
of a State,
ems
Probl
ne
Hygie
trial
Indus
(Evaluation of the
c Health Service.)
Public Health Bulletin No. 236, U.S. Publi

New York.

Work
Activities of the Bureau of Home

1936.

workers and permits to
Both certificates issued to home
of 1936 according to the resend out work increased in the course
New York Department of Labor
port of the Bureau of Home Work of the
0 home workers' certificates
36,00
recently issued. There were over
ase of 78 percent. Permits
incre
in force at the end of the year, an
1,154, an increase of
red
to employers to send out home work numbe
home workers visited
the
of
11 percent during the year. Over half
al Report of the
(Annu
during the year were found without work.
12 months ended
the
State for
Industrial Commissioner of New York
December 1936.)


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(1779)

U. S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
BUIUAU
Washington

October 1, 1937

ACTIVITIES AFFECTING GAINFULLY EMPLOYED WOMEN

Current developments in minimum-wage administration
Colorado. Survey in progress
Connecticut. Wage board for women making men's pants
District of Columbia. Living costs of store workers studied
Massachusetts. Minimum wage to be fixed in additional industries
New York. Cost-of-living study in progress
Rhode Island. Laundry industry surveyed
Utah. Wage Board for manufacturing

Present status of minimum wage
Number of States having minimum-wage laws
Types of laws in the various States
Activities of 1937 legislatures
Rulings of Attorneys General
Appropriations, 1937
Activities of Wage Boards since the Washington Decision, Larch 29, 1937
Mandatory orders issued after the Washington Decision, March 29, 1937

Employment of women
United States.

Employment of women in August
Placement of women in August
Illinois. Women workers on relief in 1935
Kansas. Employment of women in 1936
Canada. Placement of women in Alberta

Hours of women's work
New York. Enforcement of hour laws in hotels and restaurants
Pennsylvania. Regulations governing women's hours under the new law

Industrial injuries to women
Massachusetts. Women injured in industrial accidents

Women in industrial disputes
United States. Women affected by industrial disputes in July and August

Recent publications of the Women's Bureau


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1

CURRENT DEVELOPMF,NTS IN MINIMUM WAGE ADMINISTRATION
olorado.

Survey in progress

In order to form a basis for determination of minimum wages, a
survey of the wages and working hours of employed women threughout the
State is being made by the Colorado Industrial Commission, with the assistance of the Women's Bureau of the U.S. Department of Labor. A study of
living costs is also in progress.
Connecticut.

Wage Board for women making mon's pants

A wage board in Connecticut has under consideration the fixing of
a minimum for workers making men's pants. The summary of the study of this
industry reported in the September Activities Affecting Gainfully Employed
Women cited the code minimum as 35 cents. This should have been 40 cents.
More than 80 percent of the women reported had received less than this
amount.
District of Columbia.

Living costs of store workers studied

The board composed of representatives of employees, employers,
and public to propose a minimum wage for women in stores in the District
of Columbia has had under consideration estimates for a budget representing
a minimum for health and decency for such workers. The Minimum Wage Board
has investigated prices of more than 1,000 rooms in the District, and prices
of clothing and of food in restaurants. The budget resulting from their
studies gave an estimated minimum of costs for healthful living at about a
third more weekly than another minimum-cost budget submitted as the result
of study by the industrial interests committee of the Board of Trade. The
two budgets were as follows:
Employees' Budget
Board of Trade
Based on
Budget
Wage Board Study
Clothing (including upkeep).• • •.•
Food......... OOOOO ... OOOOOOOOOO G
Room................ OOOOOOO
Sundries
Total weekly.. OOOOO

$4.66
7.00
5.00
4.85
21.51

$3.37
5.00
3.00
3.20
14.57

The costs of items of clothing as cited in the two budgets correspond fairly we1l 5 that of the Board of Trade seeming to tend toward
somewhat greater quantity of a poorer quality article, as for example 4
nightgowns at 59 cents where the other budget provided 3 at $1; or 3 handbags at $1 as Egainst 2 at $2.95. Both allowed 24 pairs of hosiery, 1 at
69 cents, 1 at 89 cents. The Board of Trade budget presupposed that a girl
would do practically all her own laundry and much of her cleaning, allowing
only 50 cents a week for cleaning, repairs soap and sewing materials, a
year's amount of $26, while the other budget estimated a yearly $3.50 for
shoe repair, $26 for laundry and washing, and $14 for cleaning of dresses
and coats. Here it must be remembered that girls in stores must keep themselves fairly well groomed.

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2
The transportation allowance of the Board of Trade was only 90
cents, despite the fact that a week's street car or bus pass costs $1.25,
approximately the amount allowed for this item in the other budget. Certain
of the other miscellaneous items contributing to a decent living standard
were estimated at the following weekly rate:
Employees' Budget
Roard of Trade
Based on
Budget
Wage Board Study
Amusements, movies, lectures, etc.
Church and charity
Doctor dentist, medicine
Beauty parlor, toilet soap, toothbrush, cosmetics, etc., and
magazines
Vacation
Insurance and savings

$.57
.23
.75

$.20
.10
.50

.74
.40
.51

.60
.25
.35

Massachusetts.__Minimum wago be fixed in additional industries
Wage boards have been formed in Massachusetts, and hope to begin
work October 1: Bread and bakery products; druggists' preparations; paperbox making; pocketbooks end leather goods. (Communication to the Women's
Bureau.)
New York.

Cost-of-living study irl_Erogress

Clothing, shoes, food, fuel and light, rent, medical and dental
care, a few beauty items and other services, including some recreation items,
are to be priced in 15 representative cities throughout the State within
the next four weeks by 20 trained field representatives of the State Department of Labor, Industrial Commissioner Elmer F. Andrews announced today.
This pricing is a second step in the determination of the cost of
living which the legislature set as one of the standards to be used in establishing minimum-wage schedules for women and minors. The other two factors
to be considered in setting minimum-wage schedules are: fair value of services rendered by wage earners and the wages paid for comparable work by other
employers in the State.
"On Monday, September 20, 1937, a historic step will be taken when
for the first time the State of New York will go into the principal industrial communities of the State to find out what it costs wage earners to
live, as a preliminary to establishing minimum wages for women and minors
who as a group are notoriously the most exploited and underpaid of the wage
earning population", Commissioner Andrews said.
"For the past five months, Miss Frieda S. Miller, Director of the
Division of Women in Industry and Minimum Wage, has been developing a budget necessary for adequate maintenance and the protection of health. This
work has been done in collaboration with experts in the fields of nutrition,
housing, clothing and medical care. The items to be used in the final drafting of this budget have been listed; the next job is to take this list,


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3
ba sed on the best scientific and field experience, into the market places
of the State to get prices in the various localities.
"Representative stores, shops and professional offices will be
isited by these field representatives. The assistance of chambers of
ommerce, trade associations, and real-estate boards and other local groups
vill be sought in planning this work."
Among the items to be priced in the cities included in the survey
are:
Clothing: Winter coat, rayon dress, cotton dress, felt hat,
gloves, nightgowns, slip, bloomers, hose) street shoes) dress shoes rubbers)
shoe repairs.
Food: Cereal and bakery products, dairy products, meats) fish
and poultry, fresh fruits and vegetables, canned fruits and vegetables,
coffee, tea, fats and oils, sugar.
Housing:

Rents--family dwellings; rents--furnished rooms; fuel

Other items: Meals in restaurants, medical care dental care
toiletries, beauty-shop services, street-car and bus fares,
and
drugs
admissions. (Communications to the Women's Bureau.)
-picture
motion
Rhode Island.

Laundry industry surveyed

The Rhode Island Division of Minimum Wage has completed a survey
of the laundry industry preparatory to the consideration of a minimum wage
for its workers. (Communication to the Women's Bureau.)
Utah.

Wage Board for manufacturing,

In Utah a wage board has been formed to consider fixing a minimum
for the more than 2,500 women employed in manufacturing industries in the
State. (Communication to the Women's Bureau.)

PRESENT STATUS OF MINIMUM WAGE
In addition to the information that has been given from time to
time, the following pages summarize the present minimum-wage status as a
whole.
Number of States having minimum-wage laws.
Minimum-wage laws now exist in 24 jurisdictions in the United
States--22 States, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. These laws all
apply to "women and minors" or "females", and that of Oklahoma also includes
men.


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4
Types of laws in the various States.
1.

Value of services rendered.

principle upon
"The fair value of the services rendered" is the
: Connecticut,
States
8
ing
which the minimum-wage laws are based in the follow
lvania, and
Pennsy
Ohio,
Illinois, Massachusetts New Hampshire New Jerse
, though,
States
these
Rhode Island. The New York law is similar to that of
ed to be
render
services
as reenacted in April 1937, it requires the value of
The
.
of living
taken into account, though placing emphasis on the cost
the
of
both the value
Arizona law provides that the minimum shall equal
The laws of Massachusetts
service rendered and the necessary cost of living.
taken into account in
and Pennsylvania provide that the cost of living be
determining the value of the services rendered.
2.

Cost of living.

9 States of
The cost of living is the basis of the laws in the
, Utah,
Oregon
ma4
Oklaho
,
California, Colorado 4_ Minnesota, North Dakota
by
upheld
was
This
ia.
Washington, Tisconsin and the District of Columb
The
1937.
29,
March
case,
the United States Supreme Court in the Washington
wage
A
women.
as
well
as
Oklahoma law also is of this type, applying to men
ed by the Commission to
is written into the Arkansas law, which may be adjust
d its law in 1925 from
equal the cost of living. Wisconsin, which had change
restored the former in
a "cost of living" to an "oppressive wage" principle,
1937 after the Washington decision.
3.

Flat-rate laws.

as,
The minimum to be paid is written into the law in Arkans
Nevada, South Dakota, and Puerto Rico.
Activities of the 1937 legislatures.
this year,
Einimum-wage legislation was enacted in four new States
as follows:
$18 as the
Nevada. The Governor signed, March 29, a bill setting
minimum wage for women and minors for a 48-hour week.
by the
Oklahoma. The only State law to include men was signed
Governor, April 22, 1937.
Pennsylvania.
May 28, 1937.
Arizona.

The standard bill was signed by the Governor,

28,
The standard bill was signed by the Governor, June

1937.

to above
7
'


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Wisconsin, as referred
In addition to these new laws, New York and
ving principle.
-of-li
amended their laws to include the cost

5
Rulings of Attorneys General.
District of Columbia. The Attorney General of the United States
ruled April 3, 1937, that the District law, due to the Washington decision,
is now a valid act of Congress and may be administered in accordance with
its terms.
Minnesota. The legislature of Minnesota passed a bill extending
the age of female minors to 21 to correspond to the provision covering male
minors. Since 1925 the Minnesota bill has not been applied to adult wemen
due to a ruling of the Attorney General following the Adkins decision. The
Commissioner of Labor of Minnesota asked the Attorney General to rule on the
effect of the Washington decision upon the validity of the Minnesota law in
its application to women. On April 16, 1937, the Attorney General ruled that
the law is again applicable to women. The $12 rate is now being enforced.
Arkansas. In May 1937, the Attorney General of Arkansas ruled
that the law of that State, held unconstitutional, 1927, by the Supreme
Court of the State, is now valid due to the Washington decision.
Puerto Rico. The Attorney General of Puerto Rico advised the
Commissioner of Labor that the minimum wage law declared unconstitutional
by the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico, 1924, is now valid as a result of the
Washington decision.
Appropriations, 1937.
Utah. The legislature appropriated $20,000 for the administration of the minimum wage law. The law has never been enforced due to lack
of appropriations.
Colorado. Colorado has received an appropriation which has
enabled the State to begin enforcement.

Activities of wage boards since the Washington decision, March 29, 1937.
Rhode Island. A wage board for the wearing-apparel industries in
Rhode Island recommended a 35 cents hourly rate for that industry. The
report was accepted by the Commissioner July 22. A public hearing was held
August 12. A directory order for the industry becomes effective October 18,
1937.
Illinois. A wage board for the wash dress-industry industry began
negotiations April 1937, and made its report to the Commissioner in July,
recommending a minimum of 37 cents an hour for a 40-hour week.
New Jersey. On July 14, 1937, the Laundry Wage Board recommended
minimum hourly rates of 33, 30, and 26 cents for three zones in the State
of New Jersey. The report was accepted by the Commissioner and a public
hearing held August 19. The Commissioner issued a directory order effective
September 6.


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6

Mandator

orders issued after the Washin ton decision

March 29

1937.

Illinois. Hearings were held in Illinois May 24 and 25, preparatory to making the minimum wage order for the laundry industry mandatory.
The order was made mandatory, effective August 2, 1937.
Massachusetts. A directory order for the corset industry was
issued April 1, 1937; similar orders were issued for the stationery goods
and envelopes; toys, games and sporting goods; and women's and children's
neckwear and cotton garments, industries July 15, August 1, and October 1,
respectively. On October 1, 1937, the orders for 10 industries, laundry
and dry-cleaning, electrical equipment and supplies, retail stores, boot
and shoe, cut stock and findings, men's clothing and raincoats, candy,
men's furnishings, brush, women's clothing and corsets, become mandatory.
New Hampshire. The order for the clothing and accessories indusmade mandatory, effective October 1.
been
has
try
Ohio. The minimum wage order for hotels and restaurants was
by the Director of Industrial Relations, March 30, 1937.
mandatory
declared
Oregon. Beginning September 14, 1937, the minimum rate in Oregon
will be 30 cents an hour for 44 hours, instead of $13.20 for 48 hours in
manufacturing, telephone and telegraph, public housekeeping and personal
service industries, and 35 cents an hour for 44 hours for office workers.
A new order providing 32-i cents for 44 hours for cherry stemming and pitting will become effective October 6, 1937.
Washington, Effective May 6, an hourly rate of 37- cents was
set for the canning and preserving of food products. In the beauty-culture
industry, a rate of $15 for 48 hours or 35 cents an hour was fixed effective
September 7.

EIOLOYIENT OF WOIVEN
United States.

Employment of women in August

While employEent and pay rolls in nondurable goods industries were
August
1936, by 3.7 and 12.3 percent resoectivoly, increases in the
above
woman employing industries were not as general as has been
important
more
true for several months.
Textile fabrics, shoes, confectionery and paper and printing
industries were above the level of 1936. Employment in textiles had gained
nearly 3 percent and pay rolls over 7 percent. Cotton goods was well above
August 1936, knit goods had advanced slightly. Employment in silk and rayon
goods gained a little, pay rolls lost a little; while in woolen and worsted
the employment had lost and pay rolls gained. In boots and shoes employment was 3 percent above 1936, pay rolls nearly 1 percent. Employment and
pay rolls had advanced in paper boxes by 7 percent and 11 percent respectively, in book and job printing, by 5 percent and 12 percent.


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Employment in the wearing apparel group was nearly 3 percent
below August 1936, pay rolls over 1 percent. There were declines in four
of the six, component groups, the most important being in women's clothing,
over 7 percent in employment and 5 percent in pay rolls. Employment in
the tobacco group was nearly 2 percent below 1936, but pay rolls had advanced by 6 percent.
All of the nonmanufacturing industries of importance to women
were in an improved position compared with August 1936, as the following
shows:
Increase since August 1936 in-Employment
General merchandising
Hotels.
Laundries
Telephone and telegraph

United States.

5.3
3.9
5.1
8.6

Pay Roll
12.3
11.4
12.1
13.4

Placement of women in Auqust

During August the United States Employment Service found work
for 85,205 women in private employment, these forming over one-third of all
persons so placed. Placements on public relief and nonrelief jobs were
not reported by sex.
The end of August found over 1,1005000 women actively registered
for work a decline of 1.4 percent from the number in the active files at
the end of July.

Illinois.

Women workers on relief in 1935

A study of the occupational characteristics and background of
employable men and women who were on relief in February 19355 has been
recently issued by the Illinois Relief Commission. This showed that
273,215 families (including one-person families) received relief during
the month studied. In these families were over 420,000 potential workers,
nearly 23 percent of whom were women.
More than 350,000 women and girls in these families were 16
years old or over and over half of these were or had been gainful workers.
At the time of the study, 23 percent, though without work, were considered
employable and 3.5 percent were actually at work. This latter group
though proportionately small, consisted of 12,500 women whose earnings
were being supplemented by relief.
Of the 96,000 women who were potential workers, over one-third
either had no experience or reported no occupation. Over one-fourth were
servants or allied workers and over one-fifth were classified as semiskilled,
many in factories. Clerical workers formed nearly 12 percent of the total
and professional or managerial workers just over 2 percent.
A woman was head of nearly 48,000 families and women were over
one-sixth of all family heads. Only 5 percent of these women were working


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but one-third were employable but out of work. (Illinois Persons on
Relief, by Elizabeth A. Hughes.)

Kansas.

Employment of women in 1936

Over 5,000 women were found employed in the course of inspections of factories and workshops during the calendar year 1935. These
were one-sixth of all persons so employed.
Among the industries inspected, the food group accounted for by
far the largest number of women, 40 percent of the total. The majority of
these were employed in slaughtering and meat packing or poultry packing.
About one-fifth of the women were employed in clothing factories, chiefly
in the making of women's dresses, and one-tenth in paper and printing,
chiefly printing. One-sixth were workers in laundries. (Annual Report
of the Commission of Labor and Industry of Kansas for the year ending
December 31, 1936.)

Canada.

Placement of women in Alberta

Nearly 5,000 women secured jobs through the Employment Service
during the year ending March 27, 1937, being practically oneAlberta
of
persons placed. With 8,664 women applying for work during
all
of
fifth
ratio of placements was 58 for each 100 applicants.
the
the year,
The principal occupations represented by women applicants were:
Domestic and personal, 58 percent; casual, 21 percent; agricultural, 14
percent; clerical and mercantile, 5 percent. The ratio of placements to
applications varied greatly among these groups. Among women farm workers,
81 were placed for each 100 applying; among casuals, 73; domestic and
personal, 52; clerical and mercantile, 4. (Annual Report of the General
Superintendent of Employment Service of the Province of Alberta for the
year ending March 27, 1937.)

HOURS OF WOMEN'S WORK

New York.

Enforcement of hour law in hotels and restaurants

Since the 1st of July when the new law providing a 6-day, 48-hour
week for women in hotels and restaurants, inspectors of the New York State
Department of Labor have covered some 800 hotels, employing approximately
30,000 workers. The first check of hotels in the Metropolitan Area of New
York and in a number of up-State cities has been almost completed, and the
inspectors have continued to get good cooperation from the industry.
(Communication to the Women'e Bureau.)
Pennsylvania.

Regulations governing women's hours under the new law

The new hour law for women providing in general an 8-hour day and
a 44-hour 5i-day week contains the provision that the Department of Labor


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and Industry with the approval of the Industrial Board may provide variations from this schedule of hours when strict application of the law imposes an unnecessary hardship and violates the intent and purpose of the
act. The Industrial Board, representing women and children, employees in
general, employers and the public, after hearings, formulated general
regulations and also rules for certain specific industries to be followed
in enforcement of the law which went into effect September 1. These regulations may be modified and added to from time to time.
Among the general regulations, are the following:
None but a temporary variation is allowed from the 44-hour maximum except for the canning of perishable foodstuffs. If more than 8 hours
are permitted in any one day, time and one-half shall be paid for such
overtime. The half day provided in the Act shall be considered not more
than 4 hours except that where employees work less than 44 hours in the
week s the half day may be interpreted to be 5 consecutive hours. Any
employer who employs a person on a full-time schedule of 5 consecutive
days a week may permit the person to work 9 hours in any one day, but not
in excess of 44 hours a week. Existing contracts involving longer hours,
if negotiated before September 1, may be permitted to stand until the
expiration of such contracts, providing they are the result of bona fide
collective bargaining.
Laundry owners may permit employees to work 10 hours on one day
Employees in retail trade may work 10 hours on Saturday and
week.
in the
a holiday on which they are not permitted to work. In
preceding
on a day
and in newspaper publishing, employment may be
service
public-utility
extended to 10 hours in any day of the week in order to prevent a sudden
and unreasonable termination of the services. In all these cases time and
one-half shall be paid for the hours in excess of 8 and the weekly limit
of 44 hours shall be maintained.
Until the end of the fiscal year, the limit for hospital employees
shall be 10 hcurs a day and 48 a week. Until such time as the Department
may complete a study of the hour problem in banks, such institutions shall
be permitted an avera4:;e of 40 hours a week over a 13-week period beginning
September 1 (520 hours ih 13 weeks) but employment shall not exceed 10
hours a day nor 54 a week.
For one period in the year, not to exceed 12 weeks, employees
ehgaged in canning, drying or packing fruits and vegetables may be employed
for not more than 10 hours in any one day, or more than 48 hours in any
one week or more than 6 days in any 7. All hours worked over 8 in any day
or over 44 in any week shall be paid for at the rate of time and a half the
regular rate, whether that rate be based on time or piece work. (Copy of
regulations as released September 1.)
INDUSTRIAL INJURIES TO WOMEN
Massachusetts.

Women injured in industriel accidents

Over 3,600 women were injured in industrial accidents in
Massachusetts in the year ending June 30, 1936, being practically 11 percent
of all persons so injured.

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The great majority of the women suffered only temporary injury,
but 75 were left with some permanent disability, 9 died as the result of
accident and one was permanently and totally disabled.
The preponderance of younger women among those injured is marked.
Of all the women injured one-tenth were under 20, nearly half under 30 and
more than one-tenth, 50 or older. No data are available to show exposure
to accident by age. However, the following comparison of ae distribution
among injured women and women found employed full time in the Massachusetts
Census taken in 1934, may be of some interest.
Percent distribution of women
Injured 1935-36
Employed full time, 1934
Total
Under 20
20 - 29
30-- 39
•.• •.•..• • • •
40 - 49..
50 - 59
60 and over..........

100.0

100.0

10.3
33.4
21.6
16.5
7.9
3.4

7.6
40.8
22.4
15.2
9.1
4.9

(Annual Report of the Department of Industrial Accidents of
Massachusetts for the year ending June 30, 1936.)

WOMEN IN INDUSTRIAL DISPUTES
United States.

Women affected by industrial disputes in July and August

Nearly 42,000 women were reported as directly affected by industrial disputes which were referred to the Conciliation Service of the
Department of Labor during July and August. In a selected list of womanemploying industries, 164 disputes were referred to the Conciliation Service but in only 95 cases was there a report by sex of the workers involved.
This showed 91,650 workers, 45.7 percent of whom were women and the following discustion is based on these 95 disputes.
Two-thirds of all workers involved and eight-tenths of the women
were employed in textile manufacturing chiefly silk. Over 1,500 women
were clerks in stores, over 1,700 were in clothing factories, nearly 1,000
in laundries, 700 were enamelers, over 600 were optical workers, over 400
in shoe factories, nearly 300 in cigar factories.
Women formed from one-half to two-thirds of the workers affected
by disputes in the following industries: Canning, enameling, optical
goods, shoes, textiles, hotels, restaurants, stores. They were threefourths or more of those in cigars, clothing and laundries. (Analysis by
the Women's Bureau.)

RECENT PUBLICATIONS OF THE WOMEN'S BUREAU
Minimum Wage Laws and Orders, 1936-37 (Mimeographed).

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