The full text on this page is automatically extracted from the file linked above and may contain errors and inconsistencies.
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
L. B. Schwellenbach, Secretary
BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS
Isador Lubin, Commissioner (on leave)
A. F. Hinrichs, Acting Commissioner
+
Wages in the Basic Lumber
Industry, 1944
Bulletin H o. 854
For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office
Washington 25. D.C. - Price — cents
Letter o f Transmittal
U nited S tates D epartment of L abor,
B ureau of L abor S tatistics ,
Washington, D. C., October 30, 1945.
The Secretary
of
L abor:
I have the honor to transmit herewith a report on wages in the basic lumber
industry. This report was prepared in the Bureau’s Wage Analysis Branch by
Victor S. Baril, assisted by Norbert J. Prager, W. C. Quant, and John Standish.
The field work was done under the direction of the wage analysts in the Bureau’s
regional offices.
The Bureau acknowledges its indebtedness to both unions and management for
their cooperation in this survey. For valuable assistance given by several Gov
ernment agencies, particularly the Forest Service, the Bureau wishes to express
its appreciation.
A. F. H inrichs , Acting Commissioner.
Hon. L. B . SCHWELLENBACH,
Secretary of Labor.
Contents
Page
Summary ........................................................................................................
1
The industry during the w a r ........................................................................
2
The labor market situ a tio n ...........................................................................
3
Wartime earnings trends under stabilization...............................................
4
Scope and method of su r v e y ..........................................................................
Branches of industry in clu d ed ...............................................................
Characteristics of operations stu d ie d ....................................................
Method of s t u d y ............................................. . .......................................
6
6
6
8
Basic wage structure of industry, summer of 1944 ......................................
General level of wages and regional variation s....................................
Branch variations in hourly earnings................................ ...................
Influence of incentive methods of p a y ........................................................
Wage levels in union and nonunion operations......................................
Size of operation as a factor in wage stru ctu re....................................
Occupational average hourly earn in gs...................................................
Occupational wage relationships...............................................................
Wage and related p ractices................................................................................
Typical workday and w ork w eek ...............................................................
Shift work and shift differentials..........................................................
Paid vacations and h o lid a y s......................................................................
Changes in basic wage structure of industry during w a r ...........................
Over-all changes by region and b ran ch ..................................................
Changes in occupational wage stru ctu re...................................................
9
9
12
14
17
18
19
24
28
28
28
29
29
29
31
Appendix tables:
A. —Percentage distribution of workers in Logging Camps, by straighttime average hourly earnings and region, August 1944 ........................
35
B. —Percentage distribution of workers in Sawmills, by straight-time
average hourly earnings and region, August 1944 .................................
36
C. —Percentage distribution of workers in Veneer Mills, by straight37
time average hourly earnings and region, August 1944 .......................
D. —Percentage distribution of workers in Cooperage-Stock Mills, by
straight-time average hourly earnings and region, August 1944 .........
38
E. —Percentage distribution of workers in Plywood Mills, by straighttime average hourly earnings and region, August 1944 ........................
39
F. —Percentage distribution of workers in Basic Lumber Industry, by
straight-time average hourly earnings, branch of industry, and method
of wage payment, August 1944 ...............................................................
40
G. —Straight-time average hourly earnings of workers in Logging
Camps in West, by occupation and region, August 1944 ........... ..........
41
H. —Straight-time average hourly earnings of workers in Logging
Camps in North and South, by occupation and region, August 1944 . . .
42
I.
—Straight-time average hourly earnings of workers in Sawmills in
West, by occupation and region, August 1944 ..........................................
43
J. —Straight-time average hourly earnings of workers in Sawmills in
North and South, by occupation and region, August 1944 ....................
44
(m )
Bulletin T^o. 854 o f the
United States Bureau o f Labor Statistics
Wages in the Basic Lumber Industry, 1944
Summary
The trend in wages in the basic lumber industry was sharply up
ward during World War II. Gross hourly earnings which include
overtime payments increased about 74 percent, advancing from 46
cents at the start of 1939 to 80 cents during the summer of 1944. From
then until the summer of 1945 hourly earnings increased only slightly.
Basic wage rates in 1944 were considerably higher than before the
outbreak of the war. Between the fall of 1939 and August 1944
straight-time hourly earnings (exclusive of overtime payments) in
creased from 46 cents to 72 cents, a gain of 56.5 percent. During the
same period straight-time hourly earnings rose from 75 cents to $1.18
in the West, from 40 to 73 cents in the North, and from 34 to 52 cents
in the South. The earnings figures for both periods are based on com
prehensive field surveys of occupational wage rates in six segments of
the basic lumber industry. The statistics for August 1944 are based on
reports from 2,651 companies maintaining 4,168 operations and em
ploying 184,446 workers.
The absolute gain in straight-time hourly earnings between the fall
of 1939 and August 1944 for workers in skilled occupations was gen
erally no greater than for the less-skilled occupations. On a percent
age basis, the wage increases for skilled jobs were generally lower than
for the less-skilled jobs.
In the various branches of the industry, straight-time hourly earn
ings in August 1944 averaged 67 cents in sawmills, 78 cents in logging
camps, 53 cents in cooperage-stock mills, $1.45 in shingle mills, 52
cents in veneer mills, and 73 cents in plywood mills. Representative
of regional differences in hourly earnings, common-labor entrance
rates were highest in the West, next highest in the North, and lowest
in the South. .
For nearly two-fifths of southern workers straight-time hourly
earnings averaged less than 50 cents, and for more than three-fourths
the average was under 55 cents. The majority of western workers
earned over $1.00 an hour, while in the North the greatest concentra
tion was between 60 and 80 cents.
In the West, the only region where a large number of lumber com
panies operate under union contract, straight-time hourly earnings of
union workers did not differ significantly from the earnings of non
union workers. In practically all sectors of the basic lumber industry,
time workers earned less per hour than workers employed on an in
centive basis. However, only a small proportion of the workers in this
industry were employed under the incentive method of wage payment.
(i)
2
The most common workweek schedule in the West was 8 hours a
day and 48 hours a week. In the North, where a shorter workweek
was common, the 8-48 hour schedule was observed by less than twofifths of the operations; in the South more than half of the operations
worked a 40-hour week and 8-hour day. Practically all of the opera
tions in the basic lumber industry paid time and a half for overtime
after 40 hours a week, while in about one out of four the premium rate
was also effective after 8 hours a day.
Single-shift operation was typical of most lumber operations. The
practice of paying a differential when more than one shift was worked
was more common in the West than in the North and South, as was
also the provision of paid vacations. About half of the western log
ging camps and sawmills and all the shingle mills in that region had
paid-vacation plans at the time of the survey.
The Industry During the War
Historically one of the oldest of American industries, the basic lum
ber industry has always occupied an important position in our econ
omy. Gigantic in size and dispersed over a broad area, the industry
produces a wide variety of items for sale in an extensive national
market. The principal peacetime outlets for its many products, in
addition to the building and construction industry, include railroads,
mining, communication, light and power, and such manufacturing
industries as furniture, refrigeration, radio, and paper and paper
products.
The supply of lumber, one of the most vital of war materials at the
start of the war, soon became critically short. In addition to serving
normal outlets, great quantities of lumber were required at the start
of the war for military construction. Later, nearly half of all lumber
produced was used for boxing, crating, and dunnage.
Despite a sharp increase in production after 1937, the lumber in
dustry was unable to manufacture enough lumber to meet war needs,
and as a result consumption exceeded production throughout the war
period. In 1942, for example, when peak wartime production of 36.3
billion board feet of lumber was attained, consumption exceeded pro
duction by nearly 7 billion board feet. In order to stop the heavy
drain on stocks and effect a better balance between consumption and
production, the W ar Production Board issued a number of restrictive
orders. The last of these orders (L-355, effective August 1,1944) af
fected all users of lumber, distributors, and all but the smallest saw
mills.
Demand for lumber is expected to continue at a high level during
the postwar period. Depleted stocks must be replenished. Long-de
layed repairs will also require much lumber. Perhaps the greatest
single user of lumber will be the building and construction industry.
I t is estimated that 400,000 dwelling units will be constructed in 1946
and, beginning with 1948, that 1,000,000 units will be built annually.
The physical reconstruction of liberated countries will also require
large quantities of lumber. I t is doubtful, however, that the industry
will be able to meet much of this foreign demand if the lumber re
quirements in this country continue to be high.
3
The Labor Market Situation
Of the many problems which beset the industry throughout the war
period, the manpower problem was undoubtedly one of the most press
ing. Although employment in the basic lumber industry increased
steadily through 1941, it declined slightly in 1942 and' fell precipit
ously thereafter. Production also fell off sharply after 1942. Between
1941 and 1944 employment in the industry declined about 26 percent
and by 1945 there were about 25 percent fewer workers in the industry
than in 1939.
The manpower problem was especially acute in logging camps and
in sawmills. The armed forces alone took a substantial number of
lumber workers; in the Far West alone, it was estimated that 25 per
cent of the workers who were in the industry at the start of the war
were inducted into the armed forces. There was also a steady exodus
of lumber workers to the better-paying war industries in the area. At
the start of the war, lumber workers left the logging camps and saw
mills to seek employment at much higher rates on construction proj
ects. They were also attracted to other war industries, such as ship
building, aircraft, metalworking, etc., because of more rapid advance
ment provisions, higher rates of pay, and liberal shift-differential
payments—all of which enabled them to earn considerably more than
in the lumber industry. War industries also provided greater con
tinuity of employment than the lumber industry which, for reasons
beyond its control, has always been highly seasonal.
A number of Government agencies endeavored to alleviate the man
power shortage in the lumber industry. These agencies developed a
number of plans, the most far reaching of which was the West Coast
Plan instituted late in 1943 by the War Manpower Commission to
tighten up earlier stabilization orders. This plan was later extended
to the whole country. Among other things, the plan required employ
ers to hire men through the U. S. Employment Service; employment
ceilings in certain areas were set and manpower priorities established
insofar as referral of labor was concerned. Under the plan, the re
cruiting activities of the U. S. Employment Service were stepped up.
In addition, the War Production Board designated the basic lumber
industry as one of the industries to be granted priority in the place
ment of workers, and Selective Service recognized lumber as one of
the essential industries.
The employment of women helped alleviate the labor shortage to a
limited extent. Owing to the arduous nature of the work in logging
camps and in most of the operations in sawmills, the employment of
women is very largely confined to box factories, veneer mills, and ply
wood mills. Here they perform a number of the lighter tasks as offbearers on machines, machine hikeaways, operators of stitching and
clipping machines, etc. The heavier and more difficult work involved
in operating saws and planers, pulling lumber from the chains and
stacking and loading lumber, is performed by men.
Despite determined efforts on the part of Government agencies to
solve the manpower problem, there was an acute shortage of labor in
the lumber industry throughout the war period. W ith the release of
substantial numbers from the armed forces and as workers are laid-off
from war industries, particularly the high-wage industries in the prin
4
cipal lumber-producing areas, employment in the basic industry is
expected to increase sharply in response to the anticipated high post
war demand for lumber and timber products.
Wartime Earnings Trends under Stabilization
The sharp upward trend in wages in the basic lumber industry dur
ing the war period reflects the upward pressure on wages from such
factors as the critical need of lumber and timber products for war
purposes; the serious manpower shortage; and the keen competition,
particularly from the higli-wage war industries, for available labor.
Gross hourly earnings increased about 74 percent, advancing from
about 46 cents at the start of 1939 to nearly 80 cents during the sum
mer of 1944. (See table 1.) From then until the summer of 1945
wages increased only slightly. I t will be noted that most of the in
crease in wages took place after January 1941, the base period for
wage stabilization purposes during the war. Earnings increased
T able 1.—Average Weekly Hours and Average Hourly and Weekly Earnings in
Basic Lumber Industry, by Months, January 1939 to June 1945
Year and m on th
W eek ly
hours
Gross earn in gs1
Year and month
H ourly W eek ly
Weekly
hours
Gross earnings1
Hourly Weekly
1942—Continued
April........ .......... ..........
May____ ________ ...
June_____ ___________
July_________________
August _ _________ ...
September____ ______
October______ ______ _
November____________
December......................
39.5
40.4
40. 7
40.4
41.2
40.6
42.0
40.9
40.1
Cents
60. 6
62. 0
64. 6
64.6
66.3
67.1
68.4
67.0
66.0
$23.97
25. 05
26. 26
26.14
27.33
27.22
28. 69
27.44
26.46
1943
January______________
February_____________
March____ ___________
April..... ........................
May__ _____ _________
June....... .......................
July_______ _______ _
August.. ................... .
September....................
October..........................
November_____ _____
December____________
38.6
41.2
41.6
42.5
43.4
44.0
42.1
45.0
43.1
43.7
42.8
42.1
65.7
66.6
68.1
69.9
72.6
72.9
72.5
73.3
75.9
76.3
76.3
75.1
25.36
27.43
28.31
29. 75
31.49
32.06
30. 50
32.99
32. 70
33.34
32.69
31.59
February.......................
March............................
April.............................
May_______ _________
Ju n e.................
July...................... .........
August..........................
September.....................
October._____ _______
November......................
December...................
40.1
42.2
42.6
42.7
42.7
43.9
41.5
44.4
42.7
44.2
42.1
41.4
75.7
75.6
75.7
77.5
78.8
79.2
78.8
79.3
79.5
79.8
77.6
77.9
30.37
31.94
32.26
33.14
33.59
34.72
32.73
35.21
33.91
35.29
32.66
32.28
February_____________
March__________ _____
2 1.77 April_______ _____ ___
2 3.20 Mav...............................
2 3.47 June...............................
42.0
42.6
42.5
43.1
42.4
43.5
77.3
77.7
78.0
79.0
80.0
80.8
32.43
33.11
33.15
34.05
33.90
35.17
1939
Janu ary__________________
February_________________
M arch___________________
A p ril_____________________
M a y _____________________
Ju n e_____________________
J u ly —............... —.......... .......
A u g u st____ ______________
Septem ber_______________
O ctober__________________
N ovem b er___ ____________
D ecem b er________________
33.2
3 3 .0
33.2
33 3
39 4
3 9.7
38.1
39. 0
3 8.4
4 0.3
3 8 .6
3 7 .0
Cents
4 5.8
4 5.2
4 6 .0
47. i
48.1
4 8.4
4 7.3
48.1
4 7.9
4 8.3
4 9.7
4 8.9
mo
Janu ary____________ _____
February_________________
M arch—........... ........... ........
A p ril________________ ____
M a y ............ ............... _ i___
J u n e......................................
J u l y .....................................
A u g u st.................................
S eptem ber______________ .
O ctober_____ ____________
N ovem b er________________
D ecem b er........ ................... .
3 6.1
3 7 .0
3 7.6
38.1
3 8.7
3 8.3
3 6.4
3 8.9
3 9.2
4 0.0
3 7 .7
3 8 .0
4 9.1
4 9.1
4 9.2
4 9 .7
5 0.3
5 0.5
4 9.6
50.9
50.7
5 0.6
5 0.5
5 0.7
17.73
18.19
18.49
18.93
19.43
19.32
18.02
19. 79
19.85
20.23
19.06
1944
19.29 January______________
1941
J a n u a ry ................................
F ebruary........... ......... . . . .
M arch___________________
A p ril........................ ..............
M a y .......................................
J u n e . - . . - .............................
J u ly .......................................
A u g u st..................................
Septem ber............................
O ctober....................... ..........
N ovem b er__________ _____
D ecem b er...... ......................
3 8 .5
3 8.5
3 8.9
3 9 .7
3 3.6
3 9.7
3 3.6
4 1.0
3 9 .7
40.2
3 3 .0
3 7.6
51.7
51.7
52.3
5 3.0
53.7
55.2
5 6.0
57.3
57.2
57.8
57.3
5 7.2
19.89
19.89
20.32
21.02
20.74
21.89
21.60
23.49
22.72
23.22
21.79
1945
21.48 January______________
1942
Jan u ary. ________________
February............. .................
M arch____________________
37.8
3 9 .7
3 9 .5
5 7.6
5 8.4
5 9.4
$17.50
17.18
17. 57
18.04
18.95
19.21
17.08
18. 76
18.39
19.45
19.20
18.11
1 These are gross earnings including both premium-overtime and shift-differential earnings.
5
nearly 58 percent between January 1941 and the summer of 1945; the
greatest gains were made in 1942 and 1943. I t appears that most of
the advance in hourly earnings during the war was due to general
wage increases, individual merit increases, and upgrading, and that
only a comparatively small part of the advance resulted from pre
mium payment for overtime work.1
Wage increases varied widely among regions both as to type and
amount of increase. Because of the prevailing low wages, the South
and the North were affected to a greater extent than the West by the
establishment late in 1941 (under the provisions of the Fair Labor
Standards Act) of a 30-cent minimum rate for logging camps and a
35-cent minimum rate for sawmills. A 40-cent minimum rate for both
branches of the industry was instituted early in 1944. These same
regions were also chiefly affected by General Order No. 30 of the
National War Labor Board and subsequent revisions of this order
which successively authorized employers to raise minimum rates to
40 cents (early in 1943), 50 cents (late in 1944), and 55 cents (early in
1945).
In the West, wage increases were generally flat across-the-board
amounts granted to all workers. In the Douglas F ir region, for ex
ample, four separate increases aggregating 27 y2 cents were granted
between 1940 and 1942. Furthermore, the average level of wages in
this region was raised substantially in 1942 when the War Labor
Board approved the report of a special panel which recommended that
wages in the Willamette Valley of Oregon be raised to the level of the
region as a whole. Much the same general pattern of increase took
place in the other regions of the West.
Gross weekly earnings doubled during the war period, rising from
an average of $17.50 in January 1939 to an average of $35.17 in June
1945. This sharp increase reflects primarily the advance in hourly
earnings, as weekly hours increased only moderately during the war
period.
The figures which appear in table 1 are based on summary reports
on employment, man-hours, and pay rolls submitted monthly to the
Employment Statistics Division of the United States Bureau of
Labor Statistics by a large number of firms in the basic lumber indus
try. These data make it possible for the Bureau to compute average
weekly hours worked and average gross hourly and weekly earnings.
The earnings data which appear in table 1 are gross earnings and as
such include premium payments for overtime work and for work on
late shifts. These earnings are not to be confused, however, with the
detailed wage data for August 1944 which appear later in this report
and which are based on a comprehensive field survey of wage rates
for selected key occupations in six branches of the industry; namely,
logging camps, sawmills, shingle mills, cooperage-stock mills, veneer
mills, and plywood mills. The two surveys do not cover exactly the
same segments 12 of the industry and a different sample of establish
1 The increase in n et hourly earnings, i.e., earnings from w hich premium overtime earn
ings have been eliminated, closely approximated the increase in gross earnings— 52 percent
compared to 5 8 percent for the period from January 1 9 4 1 to the summer of 1945.
2 The principal difference between the two surveys is th a t plywood m ills are included only
in the August 1 9 4 4 survey. Another difference is th at the August 1 9 4 4 survey includes only
occupations in six segm ents of the industry, whereas the summary figures subm itted to the
Bureau monthly may include data for additional segm ents of the industry operated in con
junction w ith any one of th e six segm ents covered by th e August 1 9 4 4 survey.
680284 ° — 46—2
6
ments was used in each survey. The differences between the two sur
veys, however, are not great and the level of earnings indicated by the
August 1944 field survey approximates very closely that shown for the
same period by the monthly survey.
Scope and Method o f Survey
BRANCHES OF INDUSTRY INCLUDED
The Bureau of Labor Statistics has collected and made available a
considerable amount of information on wage rates by occupation and
locality in a large number of industries. The present Nation-wide
study of wages in the basic lumber industry, undertaken during the
fall of 1944, is one in this series of industry wage studies.3 The imme
diate purpose of this study was to provide the National War Labor
Board with data for use in connection with the stabilization of wages
in the lumber industry. The study should also prove useful to both
labor and management in collective bargaining and should provide
the factual background necessary in the development of the lumber
industry in the postwar period.
The basic lumber industry is concerned with the production and
preparation of raw forest materials for the use of secondary industries
which manufacture finished lumber and timber products. Logging
camps and sawmills are the most important branches from the stand
point of both total production and number of workers employed.
The basic lumber group also includes four smaller branches—namely,
shingle mills, cooperage-stock mills, veneer mills, and plywood mills.
All six branches were included in the present study of the industry.
Logging camps, sawmills, and plywood mills are found in all re
gions and were surveyed in each. Veneer and cooperage stock mills
are comparatively unimportant in the West and were, therefore, not
covered in that region. For the same reason, shingle mills, which are
concentrated almost entirely in the Douglas F ir district of the West,
were not studied outside of that region.
CHARACTERISTICS OF OPERATIONS STUDIED
The six branches of the industry covered in this survey represent
distinct segments of the basic lumber industry. They differ both as to
end product and production process.
Logging camps are concerned with the production of logs for saw
mills and for other special-purpose mills manufacturing such prod
ucts as shingles, veneer, and plywood; they also produce a number of
finished timber products including hewed cross ties, poles, and piling.
Sawmills are primarily engaged in the production of rough lumber
from logs, though some mills also produce dressed lumber and a vari
ety of finished and semifinished lumber products.
Shingle mills are engaged solely in the manufacture of shingles,
8 A report covering one region of the basic lumber industry appeared under the title W ages
in the Basic Lumber Industry in the Far West, 1944, in the Monthly Labor Review, July
194 5 . A second report summarizing the findings of the Nation-wide survey appeared under
th e title W ages in the Basic Lumber Industry, 1944. in the Monthly Labor Review, October
1 9 4 5 . The results of a 1 939-40 survey of th is industry were reported in the article Hourly
E arnings in the Lumber and Timber Products Industry, in the Monthly Labor Review, July
1941.
7
while cooperage-stock mills produce staves, heading, and hoops for
use in the manufacture of loose and tight cooperage.
Veneer mills produce both face and utility veneer for use by other
wood-using industries; plywood mills manufacture a variety of ply
wood.
Varying degrees of integration are found in the basic lumber and
timber products industry. On the whole, however, these variations
are confined to logging camps and sawmills, as shingle mills, cooper
age-stock mills, veneer mills, and plywood mills are seldom operated
by firms or individuals connected with lumber manufacturing. Log
ging camps are operated either independently of lumber manufactur
ing operations or in conjunction with them. In some areas, particu
larly in the Douglas F ir region of the Far West, logging is carried
on by independent loggers who either own timber stands or obtain
timber from Government-owned land and sell their logs in open log
markets or under contract to manufacturers. Frequently, however,
logging camps are operated in conjunction with sawmills. In addition
to logging camps, some sawmills also operate planing mills and, in
some regions, particularly in the Western Pine region, they also manu
facture a substantial proportion of their lumber into box shooks.
In both logging and sawmilling, productions methods are different
in the West from those used in other lumber-producing regions of the
country. These differences, which exert a profound influence on the
occupational structure of these two branches of the industry as well
as on the level of wages paid, are due very largely to wide differences
among regions in the density of the timber stand and to the type and
size of trees. Production techniques in the other four branches studied
are, on the whole, much the same in all regions.
Aside from the felling and bucking operations, which are still very
largely performed with the aid of hand tools in all regions, logging is
much more highly mechanized in the West than in either the North or
the South. In the West, tractors, and in some sections of the Douglas
F ir region, power skidders, are required to move large logs over
rugged terrain from the cutting area to the landing or loading point,
and mechanical loaders are needed to load logs on trucks or railroad
cars. Power equipment is less frequently used in other regions and,
because of the much smaller size of the logs, the equipment as a rule
is lighter. In all regions, trucks are extensively used to transport logs
from the woods to the mill.
Because lumber manufacturing is generally more complex in the
West than in either the North or the South, medium-size and large
mills which customarily produce a wide variety of items, account for
the bulk of the lumber produced. In the two other regions, small mills,
which as a rule produce few items, account for the bulk of the lumber
output. Of the lumber produced in the Far West in 1943, fully fourfifths came from mills with an annual cut of 10,000,000 or more board
feet, two-thirds came from mills with a cut of 25,000,000 or more
board feet, and over one-third from mills with a cut of 50,000,000 or
more board feet. In Washington, over half of the lumber was pro
duced in mills cutting 50,000,000 or more board feet per year. In the
East, on the other hand, less than 15 percent of the lumber produced
in 1943 came from mills cutting 10,000,000 or more board feet, whereas
more than half was produced by mills cutting between 1,000,000 and
8
10,000,000 board feet and a third by mills cutting less than 1,000,000
board feet per year.4
Outside of the West, few lumber operations have collective bargain
ing agreements with organized labor. Thus, only 8 percent of the op
erations in the North with somewhat over one-fifth of the workers m
that area and only one percent of the operations in the South employ
ing about 8 percent of the workers in that region, had union agree
ments. In the West, however, one-half of the basic lumber operations
accounting for more than four-fifths of all workers in that area had
collective bargaining agreements with organized labor. The above
figures also indicate a preponderance of large operations among the
group having collective bargaining agreements. The above figures
reflect the extent of unionization in the industry in the summer of 1944
when the field survey was made. At that time extensive organiza
tional campaigns were under way in some regions, particularly in the
West, and it is understood that additional operations have been or
ganized.
METHOD OF STUDY
Information was obtained from a representative sample of compa
nies 5 and operations 6 in the six branches of the industry. The vari
ous operations in each of the branches were not sampled in the same
proportion, and for that reason it was necessary in combining the data
to assign different weights to the respective branches so that each
might be represented in proportion to its importance in the industry.
Data were actually obtained from 2,651 companies maintaining 4,168
operations and employing 184,446 workers. The figures which appear
in the final tabulations represent the results after weighting. This
T able 2.—Number of Operations and Workers in Operations Surveyed, and Estimated
Total in Basic Lumber Industry, by Region and District, August 1944
Actually surveyed
Estimated total
represented
Begion and district
Number of Number of Number of Number of
operations workers operations workers
------------ ----- ----
4,168
184,446
17,772
455,931
Total, West________________________ ________ ____
Douglas Fir region--------------------- --------Western Pine region---- ------------ -----------Eedwood region---------------------------------
716
334
363
29
63,851
31,821
27,268
4,762
2,174
1,057
1,035
82
135,152
73,000
53,899
8,253
Total, North.------ --------------------------------Prairie----------- ------------------------------Lakes______________________________________
North Central_______________________________
Middle Atlantic_______________ ______________
New England_________________ _______ ______
1,084
62
237
256
262
277
32,944
1,567
13,1*8
6,254
4,597
7,378
2,653
64
607
447
559
976
57,314
1,718
20,604
10,354
8,067
16,571
Total, South____________________________________
Southeast___________________________________
Southwest______________________________ ____
2,368
1,841
527
87,651
55,868
31,783
12,945
11,378
1,567
263,465
198,242
65,223
Total, United States---- --
m
4 Census of F orest Products, 1943, U. S. Department o f Commerce, Bureau of the Census.
5 In selecting the sample of companies and operations to be studied, full consideration w as
given to all im portant factors which influence wages, such as size and type of operation, cor
porate affiliation, geographical distribution, and unionization.
6 The term “operation” relates to a single segment of the industry such as a logging camp,
a sawmill, a shingle mill, etc. In the case of partially or com pletely integrated companies,
each segment w as counted separately. For example, a company w hich did both logging and
saw m illing w as included in both the logging camp and saw m ill counts.
9
weighting yielded a total of 17,772 operations and 455,931 workers,
which are believed to represent the approximate size of the basic lum
ber industry as defined in this study. Table 2 shows in further detail
the size of the sample upon which this study was based and the esti
mated total number of operations and workers represented.
Wage data were obtained only for key occupations which are be
lieved to be representative of the range of skills and wages in the six
branches of the industry. Roughly three-fourths of all the workers in
the industry are employed in these key occupations. In order to insure
as full comparability as possible among occupations, the Bureau’s
field representatives used uniform job descriptions in classifying
workers in the operations studied. A careful check was also made of
significant duties performed in each of the selected key occupations
and any important variations were reported. On the basis of this sup
plementary information on duties performed by workers, it was pos
sible for the Bureau to overcome interplant variations to a consider
able extent and to arrive at occupational classifications that are
believed to be dependable.
Three broad lumber-producing regions were covered—the West, the
North, and the South. The W est7 includes the three Pacific Coast
States and eight States in the Rocky Mountain area. The North in
cludes the Prairie States, Lake States, North Central States, Middle
Atlantic States, and New England. The South includes nine South
eastern and four Southwestern States.
The wage data for most operations relate to a pay-roll period in
August 1944 and represent straight-time average hourly earnings,
excluding premium payments for overtime and work on late shifts.
These earnings include incentive payments derived from piecework
and production-bonus plans, but exclude nonproduction bonuses. In
order to show the differences in average hourly earnings for workers
paid on a straight-time basis and those employed on an incentive basis,
special tabulations were made for each group.
The figures presented in this report depict the general level and
distribution of wages in each of the branches and regions studied.
Because of rather wide differences in the nature of the industry,
regional comparisons, particularly on an occupational basis, should
be made with caution.
Basic Wage Structure o f Industry , Summer o f 1944
GENERAL LEVEL OF WAGES AND REGIONAL VARIATIONS
Straight-time hourly earnings of workers in the basic lumber indus
try averaged 72 cents in August 1944. (See table 3.) This figure,
while useful in comparing general wage levels among industries, has
only limited significance in the lumber industry due to the widely
different levels of wages found in the principal lumber producing
areas of the country. While the general average for the industry
closely approximates the level of wages in the North, (72 cents
against 73 cents), it understates by as much as 46 cents the level of
7 This region is broader than the region covered by the special report for the Far West
published in the Monthly Labor Review, July 1945. The Far West, as defined for purposes of
th a t report, covered only five States, namely California, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Wash
ington. The lower Rocky Mountain S tates were not included.
10
wages in the West and overstates by 20 cents the level of wages in the
South.
The basic differences in wage structure among lumber-producing
regions are clearly indicated in the distributions of workers according
to straight-time average hourly earnings in table 3. Virtually all of
the workers in the West earned 80 cents or more an hour and roughly
two-thirds earned $1 or more an hour. Of the workers in the North
and in the South, however, only 28.2 and 4.5 percent, respectively,
received as much as 80 cents an hour, and only 13.2 and 1.7 percent,
respectively, averaged $1 or more an hour.
T able 3.—Percentage Distribution of Workers in Basic Lumber Industry, by Straight-
Time Average Hourly Earnings and Region, August 1944
Average hourly
earnings (in cents)
Under 40.0................
40.0, under 42.5.........
42.5, under 45.0.........
45.0, under 47.5.........
47.5, under 50.0_____
50.0, under 52.5_____
52.5, under 55.0.........
55.0, under 57.5_____
57.5, under 60.0----60.0, under 62.5----62.5, under 65.0----65.0, under 67.5.........
67.5, under 70.0.........
70.0, under 72.5_____
72.5, under 75.0_____
75.0, under 77.5_____
77.5, under 80.0.........
80.0, under 82.5.........
82.5, under 85.0_____
QR A ivnHnt*C7
oo.u>
U iiuer0/
f\
—
87.5, under 90.0_____
90.0, under 92.5.........
92.5, under 95.0...... __
95.0, under 97.5.........
Total, West
U. S.
0.4 . . . . . . .
12.1
1.4
9.9
1.2
23.9
1.1
4.0
.8
4.8
1.8
2.0
.6
1.5
.4
0)
0)
0)
2.6
1.6
1.9
2.2
.1
8.1
2.6
.2
1.6
(9
.3
.3
3.2
11« z
9
0.6
19.1
4.9
1.9
1.7
.4
.1
1.5
1.1
.4
6.0
Q)
C)
C1)
.9
.4
0.1
1.2
15.3
1.7
36.6
1.4
5.3
0.1
.7
.3
.9
2.4
2.1
North South
2.0
.7
8.9
1.3
2.7
15.4
5.8
6.9
6.7
1.4
3.3
1.0
O 7/
Z.
o U
^
A.
8.2
2.0
.8
5.3
6.3*
3.6
1.4
.8
1.1
.3
1.9
.3
.8
.3
• 4A
.4
.4
.2
.2
Average hourly
earnings (in cents)
97.5, under 100.0___
100.0, under 105.0___
105.0, under 110.0__
110.0, under 115.0..__
115.0, under 120.0__
120.0, under 125.0.___
125.0, under 130.0-_._
130.0, under 135.0__
135.0, under 140.0__
140.0, under 145.0__
145.0, under 150.0....
150.0, under 160.0__
160.0, under 170.0....
170.0, under 180.0... .
180.0, under 190.0__
190.0, under 200.0__
200.0 cents and over.
Total, West
U. S.
1.2
3.8
2.2
2.0
2.0
1.2
1.7
.8
.6
.5
.5
1.2
.6
.5
.4
.3
1.3
Total_______ 100.0
4.1
10.5
7.7
6.4
7.0
4.2
5.4
2.6
2.2
1.8
1.5
4.1
2.0
1.8
1.6
1.2
North South
0.6
0.1
.8
.2
.2
.1
.1
.2
.1
4.3
1.1
1.7
.9
.8
1.1
.5
.4
.4
.5
.5
.3
4.8
.2
.2
.1
.2
100.0
100.0
C9
to
to
(9
to
to
(9
(9
(9
100.0
Number of workers.. 331,716 87,135 36,914 207,667
Average hourly earn
$0.52
ings.................................... $0.72 $1.18 $0.73
i Less than a tenth of 1 percent.
The differences among regions with respect to the proportion of
workers in the lower wage brackets were equally wide. In August
1944 fully three-fourths of the workers in the South, for example,
earned less than 55 cents an hour and nearly two-fifths earned less
than 50 cents an hour. Only 14.6 percent of the workers in the North,
however, received less than 55 cents an hour and only 4.4 percent
earned less than 50 cents an hour, while in the West less than one per
cent received comparable low earnings. Subsequent to this survey
General Order No. 30 of the National W ar Labor Board was revised,
permitting wages to be raised to 50 cents an hour late in 1944 and to
55 cents an hour in May 1945. This revision undoubtedly resulted in
a substantial reduction in the number of southern and northern work
ers who in August 1944 received less than 55 cents an hour. A t the
time of the survey virtually no lumber workers in the country earned
less than 40 cents an hour.
The entrance rates of pay of common laborers provide another
medium for comparing wage levels in the lumber-producing regions
and in the various branches of the industry. In general, entrance
rates in 1944 were highest in the West, next highest in the North, and
lowest in the South. In the West these rates followed closely the
11
minimum rates set by the West Coast Lumber Commission for un
skilled workers in the various wage-stabilization districts: 90 cents in
the Douglas F ir district, 87.5 cents in central Oregon and northern
California, 85 cents in central California, 82.5 cents in the Inland
Empire, Snake Eiver and Redwood districts, and 80 cents in central
Washington. Substantially lower entrance rates, between 60 and 65
cents an hour, were paid in the lower Rocky Mountain district.
In over half of the basic lumber operations in the North common
laborers received 50 cents or more an hour, and in a substantial num
ber of operations they received 60 cents or more an hour. In the South
the most common entrance rate was 40 cents an hour, the statutory
minimum established under the Fair Labor Standards Act. More than
two-fifths of the southern sawmills, nearly half of the logging camps,
and half or more of the veneer, cooperage-stock, and plywood mills
had a 40-cent entrance rate. A third of the southern logging camps,
a fourth of the sawmills, and a fifth of the veneer and cooperagestock mills paid 50 cents an hour. Less than a tenth of the plywood
mills, however, had a common-labor entrance rate as high as 50 cents.
The high level of wages in the West has been supported to a large
extent by the superiority of the region’s basic timber resources and
the high productivity of labor. In 1938 it was estimated that 63 per
cent of the country’s old-growth saw timber was in the West, 25 per
cent in the South, and 12 percent in the North.*8 Such timber is the
most important, in the greatest demand, and is preferred in the manu
facture of most timber products. In 1944, 45 percent of the total
lumber production in the country was produced in the West, 39 per
cent in the South, and 16 percent in the North.9
Because of the great concentration of the timber stand and the large
size of the trees, western operations are larger in scale and more highly
mechanized than operations in the North and South and, as a result,
the productivity of western labor is far greater than in other regions.
A study made by the Bureau in 1937 showed that 32.2 man-hours were
required to produce 1,000 board feet of yard lumber in the Southern
Pine region and 36.0 man-hours in the Southern Hardwood region.
In the Western Pine region the corresponding figure was 25.3 man
hours, and in the western Douglas F ir region only 22.1 man-hours.10
The relatively high wage levels of the West also reflect the high
skill requirements of that region, the keen wartime competition for
labor from within the industry and from high-wage industries within
the region, and the high degree of unionization.
Under peacetime conditions, labor for the southern lumber industry
is drawn primarily from agriculture. The low farm wages in the
South and the fact that for a large proportion of the workers the
lumber industry is not, as in the West, the prime source of income but
only a supplement to farm income, have acted to lower the level of
lumber wages in that region. The skill requirements of the industry
in the South are also substantially lower on the whole than in the
West due largely to the much smaller size of the timber and the lesser
* 1 9 4 0 Yearbook o f Agriculture (p. 4 6 3 ).
8 D ata are from Forest Service and War Production Board. In 1944, 3 2 ,5 5 4 m illions o f
board feet of lumber were produced in the United States.
10 See Labor Requirements in Lumber Production by B. H. Topkis, in Monthly Labor Re
view, May 1 937. In the computation of man-hours, four operations were considered: Log
ging, m anufacturing, selling and adm inistration, and transportation. The northern lumber
region was not covered in th a t survey.
12
degree of mechanization. Equally important is the fact that in the
South, Negroes form a large proportion of the labor force and that, as
a group, they generally receive lower wage rates than white workers.
The latter situation is not primarily a result of wage discrimination
among workers doing the same work. Of greater importance is the
fact that the wage level of establishments employing substantial
numbers of Negroes is low and, in addition, Negroes are generally
found in the less-skilled and lower-paying occupations.
The scarcity of workers for the lumber industry in the South was
felt keenly during the war as this region also experienced an abnor
mal increase in industrial activity. While many southern lumber firms
increased wage rates as the data presented above indicate, others were
forced to curtail operations because of their inability to retain their
labor supply in the face of competition from higher-wage industries.
Labor market conditions in the North resemble those in the South,
although competition for labor from manufacturing industries is
somewhat more important. Very few Negroes are employed in the
Northern lumber operations.
BRANCH VARIATIONS IN HOURLY EARNINGS
Average straight-time hourly earnings in August 1944 ranged from
52 cents in veneer mills to $1.45 in shingle mills. As would be ex
pected, the branches also showed marked variations with respect to
the distribution of workers according to hourly earnings (table 4 ).
Although in no branch did more than a few workers receive less than
40 cents (the statutory minimum wage), the proportions of workers
whose straight-time hourly earnings were under 50 cents, under 55
cents, and over $1.00 were substantially different, as the following
summary based on table 4 shows:
Percent with straight-time hourly earnings of—
Under $0,50
Under $0.55
Over $1.00
Logging camps................
Sawmills______________
Veneer mills___________
Shingle mills___________
Cooperage-stock mills___
Plywood mills__________
19.3
28 .6
49 .5
47 .2
52 .3
68 .8
43 .3
2 6 .8
7 0 .5
3 7 .7
2 5 .9
14.4
1 .5
93 .9
.6
18.8
The relative importance of skilled labor in the labor force of each
branch also operates to differentiate wage levels. Although the
simplest occupational structure is found in shingle mills, this branch
employs a higher proportion of skilled workers than any of the other
branches. Logging camps and sawmills have a greater subdivision of
labor than shingle mills, but they also employ a large number of
skilled workers. The use of skilled workers is smaller in relation to
the size of the labor force in veneer, plywood, and cooperage-stock
mills. Yeneer and plywood mills are the only branches that employ
women in any considerable number, and veneer mills, because of their
concentration in the South, also employ relatively more Negroes than
do the other branches.
13
T able 4.—Percentage Distribution of Workers in Basic Lumber Industry, by Straight■
Time Average Hourly Earnings and Branch of Industry, August 1944
Average hourly earnings
Under 40.0 cents __ ________
40.0 and under 42.5 cents______
42.5 and imdpr 45. ft rants'
45.0 and under 47.5 cents...........
47.5 and under 50.0 cents______
50.0 and under 52.5 rants__
52.5 and under 55.0 rants.
55.0 and under 57.5 cents...........
57.5 and under 60.0 cents______
60.0 and under 62.5 cents______
62.5 and under 65.0 cents______
65.0 and under 67.5 cents...........
67.5 and under 70.0 cents...........
70.0 and under 72.5 cents______
72.5 and under 75.0 cents...........
75.0 and under 77.5 cents. ..........
77.5 and under 80.0 cents______
80.0 and under 82.5 cents___ .. .
82.5 and under 85.0 cents______
85.0 and under 87.5 cents...........
87.5 and under 90.0 cents...........
90.0 and under 92.5 cents______
92.5 and under 95.0 cents...........
95.0 and under 97.5 cents...........
97.5 and under 100.0 cents __
100.0 and under 105.0 cents____
105.0 and under 110.0 cents____
110.0 and under 115.0 cents___
115.0 and under 120.0 cents____
120.0 and under 125.0 cents........
125.0 and under 130.0 cents....... ..
130.0 and under 135.0 cents____
135.0 and under 140.0 cents____
14ft ft and nnrlftr 1 4 5 . ft rants
145.0 and under 150.0 cents _ _
15ft ft and under 16ft ft rants
160.0 and under 170.0 cents __
170.0 and under 180.0 cents
180.0 and under 190.0 cents____
190.0 and under 200.0 cents____
200.0 rants and over
Total, all Logging
branches camps
0.4
12.1
1.4
9.9
0.3
9.3
.7
Saw
mills
0.4
14.2
1.8
23.9
.9
26.9
10.9
1.3
22.7
4.0
4.4
3.6
.8
1.0
.6
1.2
1.1
4.8
1.8
2.0
.6
1.5
.4
8.1
1,0
5.5
2.4
1.9
.6
1.4
.5
1.0
Veneer
m ills 1
Cooper Plywood
Shingle age-stock
m ills 2
mills
m ills 1
0.4
0.1
16.3
1.4
19.9
5.6
25.6
10.0
1.6
6.6
4.1
11.0
2.1
8.8
2.1
4.1
1.8
1.1
6.2
1.3
3.0
22.1
5.8
19.7
1.9
18.0
1.3
5.8
4.5
1.3
4.0
3.3
2.0
4.3
2.0
.6
1.8
2.1
1.0
1.5
.3
3.3
1.6
2.9
1.1
1.8
1.0
2.2
.6
2.1
2.1
2.2
1.5
.5
1.5
.4
.4
.4
.3
.7
.7
.9
.5
8.1
1.1
.9
1.2
1.5
2.6
1.6
1.9
1.2
3.8
1.0
.6
.6
1.2
1.2
1.2
3.6
2.3
3.0
1.3
.7
.5
.8
2.6
1.5
4.8
2.2
2.0
2.0
1.2
2.5
2.4
2.0
1.7
.8
.8
1.7
2.5
1.2
.6
1.0
.5
.5
1.2
.6
.5
.4
.3
1.3
2.6
.9
.8
2.0
.9
.9
.8
.6
2.5
.5
.3
1.8
(3)
.9
.4
(3)
.3
.3
.9
.4
.6
.1
.2
2.4
.2
.6
4.6
4.9
.7
3. 7
7.1
.2
.4
3.7
3.8
.1
3.5
4.6
.1
1.7
1.4
7
.8
.
1.0
1.2
.8
.1
.1
1.7
1. 5
.4
.1
.2
6.2
3.5
2.7
4.1
3.9
3.9
.1
(3)
2.6
2.0
2.3
.3
(3)
5.0
5.4
(3)
.5
.3
12.9
(3)
.4
4.5
4.2
( 3)
.2
( 3)
( 3)
6.6
10.6
6.7
.2
.1
.1
6.6
Total..................................
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
Number of workers...................
Average hourly earnings.......... .
331,716
$0.72
140,991
$0.78
170,430
$0.67
4,727
$0.52
1,678
$1.45
3,669
$0.53
10,221
$0.73
1 Does not include data for veneer and cooperage-stock mills in the West, as these two branches of the
industry are relatively unimportant in that area.
2 Based only on data for shingle mills in the Douglas Fir region of the Far West, which produced approxi
mately 95 percent of all shingles manufactured in the United States.
2 Less than a tenth of 1 percent.
In a highly hazardous industry it is reasonable to assume that inter
branch differences in accident risks play some part in differentiating
wage levels. A study made by the Bureau in 1940 of accidents in
three branches of the lumber industry showed that the average num
ber of disabling injuries per million hours worked was 102.02 in log
ging camps, 46.53 in sawmills and 34.94 in planing mills. The aver
age number of days lost per 1,000 hours worked was 15.40 in logging
camps, 4.99 in sawmills, and 2.84 in planing mills.11
The general level of earnings of workers in each branch for the
three broad regions is indicated in the following text table. In logging
camps, sawmills and plywood mills, workers in the West earned more
11 Causes and Prevention o f Accidents in Logging and Lumber Mills, 1 940, in M onthly
Labor Review, December 1941.
680284°—46—-3
14
than twice as much as southern workers. Earnings in the North ap
proximated more closely earnings in the South than in the West. On
the whole, wages in the various districts tended to conform to the
general pattern of the broad region. The extent to which the earnings
of individual workers within each branch varied among regions and
districts may be observed in appendix tables A, B, C, D, and E which
present distributions of workers according to straight-time average
hourly earnings in logging camps, sawmills, veneer mills, cooperagestock mills, and plywood mills.
Straight-time average hourly earnings
West
United States
North
South
Veneer mills________
Shingle mills________
Cooperage-stock mills.
Plywood mills______
$0.78
.67
.52
1.45
.53
.73
$1.37
1.04
1~45
U6§
$0.81
.69
.62
$0.53
.51
.49
.59
.62
~52
.49
For three branches of the basic lumber industry the physical loca
tion influences the level of wages to a greater extent than for other
branches because of the concentration of production within certain
areas. Yeneer and cooperage-stock mills, as has been noted, operate
primarily in the North and South and consequently wages in these
branches are not affected by the higher wage levels prevailing in the
West. On the other hand, almost 95 percent of all shingles are pro
duced in the West, the highest wage area. This, coupled with a high
proportion of incentive workers, accounts for the fact that average
hourly earnings in shingle mills were nearly twice as high as those
in logging camps, which had next to the highest earnings of the six
branches studied. Unlike veneer, cooperage-stock, and shingle mills,
however, sawmills, logging camps, and plywood mills are important
in all regions, and, as a result, their general wage levels are affected
by both the higher wages of the West and the lower wages of the
North and South.
INFLUENCE OF INCENTIVE METHODS OF PAY
Although only one-tenth of the workers in the basic lumber in
dustry were paid on an incentive basis, the high earnings of these
workers exerted considerable influence on the wage structure of the
industry. This influence, however, varied among regions and branches
because of differences in the proportion of workers paid on an incen
tive basis and in the level of earnings of such workers. For example,
the proportion of workers paid on an incentive basis varied from 5.8
percent in the South to 20.7 percent in the North; in the West 16
percent of the employees were incentive workers (see table 5). Among
the 6 branches studied, only 2.1 percent and 3.1 percent of the workers
in veneer and sawmills, respectively, received incentive pay, but 11.9
percent of the workers in cooperage-stock mills, 15 percent in ply
wood mills, 17.9 percent in logging camps, and 58.4 percent in shingle
mills received such earnings. To a very large extent incentive work is
confined to a few occupations such as fallers and buckers in logging
camps, car loaders, lumber pullers, green chain pullers and lumber
stackers and unstackers in sawmills, and shingle sawyers and packers
15
in shingle mills. Moreover, some of these occupations are among the
more skilled occupations and even without incentive payments would
be among the highest paid in the industry.
T able 5.—Straight-Time Average Hourly Earnings in Basic Lumber Industry, by
Region, Branch, and Method of Wage Payment, August 1944
Straight-time
average hourly
earnings
Straight-time
average hourly
earnings
Region and branch
Percent
of cov
ered
workers
paid on
All
In incen
work Time cen tive
ers
tive
basis
All branches:
United States____ $0.72 $0.66 $1.20
West _________ 1.18 1.07 1.77
North _______
.68
.95
.73
South _______
.51
.52
.71
Logging camps:
United States__
.78
West...... ............ . 1.37
.81
North
_ __
.53
S ou th _________
Sawmills:
United States....... .67
West___________ 1.04
.69
North
_ ___
South.................. .51
10.1
16.0
20. 7
5.8
.68
1.19
.70
.51
1.23
1.85
1.03
.72
17.9
27.5
30.5
10.8
.65
1.00
.68
.51
1.21
1.58
.80
.65
3.1
6.8
2.0
1.7
Region and branch
Percent
of cov
ered
workers
paid on
All
In incen
work Time cen tive
ers
tive
basis
Plywood mills:
United States___ $0.73 $0.74 $0.67
W est_________ 1.03 1.03
North_________
.62
.57
.68
South_________
.49
.49
.56
Shingle mills:
Douglas Fir dis
trict_________ 1.45 1.23 1.59
Cooperage-stock mills:
United States
.51
.53
.67
North_________
.59
.56
.94
South_________
.55
.50
.68
Veneer mills:
United States___ .52
.61
.52
.59
North_________
.62
.62
.49
South_________
.48
.74
15.0
47.2
4.1
58.4
11.9
7.4
12.3
2.1
7.6
.4
As a group, incentive workers averaged $1.20 an hour or nearly
twice as much as time workers who averaged 66 cents an hour. In the
West, incentive workers earned on the average 65 percent more than
time workers, while in the North and South they earned 40 percent
more. These differences are borne out by the distribution of workers
according to straight-time average hourly earnings presented in table
6 for the country as a whole as well as for each of the three broad
regions. I t will be observed that for the country as a whole more than
half of the incentive workers earned $1.00 or more an hour and not
far from a third earned $1.50 or more an hour, while only a sixth
of the time workers earned as much as $1 an hour and less than 2
percent received $1.50 or more an hour. In contrast, well over half
of the time workers as against less than a tenth of the incentive
workers earned less than 52.5 cents an hour. Wide differences in the
distributions of time and incentive workers according to straighttime average hourly earnings were found in each of the three broad
regions.
With the sole exception of veneer mills in the North, incentive
workers earned substantially more than time workers in each branch
and region for which comparative figures could be presented in table
5. The amount of the average differential, however, varied consider
ably—from 66 cents in logging camps in the West to 7 cents in ply
wood mills in the South.
16
T able 6.—Percentage Distribution of Workers in Basic Lumber Industry, by StraightTime Average Hourly Earnings, Broad Region, and Method of Wage Payment,
August 1944
Total, U. S.
North
West
South
Average hourly earnings
Time
Incen
tive
Under 40.0 cents..................................
40-0 and Tinder42,5 cents
42.5 and under 45-0 cents _
45.0 and under 47.5 cents......................
47.5 and under 50.0 cents.......................
50-0 and under 52,5 cents
52.5 and under 55.0 cents.__...................
55.0 and under 57.5 cents.—...................
0.4
13.3
1.5
10.7
1.1
26.0
.9
4.1
0.4
1.0
.9
2.1
1.4
3.8
2.2
3.0
57.5 and under 60.0 cents.—...................
60.0 and under 62.5 cents.—...................
62.5 and under 65.0 cents.—...................
65.0 and under 67.5 cents......................
67.5 and under 70.0 cents.—...................
70.0 and under 72.5 cents.—...................
72.5 and under 75.0 cents.—...................
75.0 and under 77.5 cents.......................
.6
5.1
1.8
1.9
.4
1.4
.3
2.1
77.5 and under 80.0 cents.—...................
80.0 and under 82.5 cents.—...................
82.5 and under 85.0 cents.—...................
85.0 and under 87.5 cents.—...................
87.5 and under 90.0 cents.—...................
90.0 and under 92.5 cents.—...................
92.5 and under 95.0 cents.—...................
95.0 and under 97.5 cents.—...................
Incen
tive
Time
Incen
tive
0.2
1.3
.3
2.2
.4
10.6
1.2
6.7
0.1
1.0
.7
1.0
2.0
1.8
1.8
3.3
0.5
20.0
2 3
15.9
1.7
38 3
1.2
5.2
1.0
2.3
2 1
5.3
2.8
9.5
4.9
6.3
.3
0.1
.1
.3 ....... .1
.1
.2
.1
.8
2.6
18.5
6.6
9.0
2.6
8.1
1.4
7.5
2.7
3.3
2.9
4.4
2.5
2.7
2.7
3.5
.6
5.0
1.7
1.5
.2
.8
.2
1.8
4.7
4.4
4.2
5.1
3.9
5.5
3.1
4.2
.2
.6
.1
.3
.3
.3
.1
.1
2.5
3.3
3.1
1.8
2.8
1.8
1.7
1.2
Time
>
(i)
(!)
0
0
0.1
0
0
0
2.3
2.3
2.2
2.9
2.0
2.7
1.7
2.3
0
.1
0
0
0
0
.3
1.0
.9
1.2
1.5
2.7
1.6
2.0
1.7
1.9
1.7
1.3
1.7
1.9
1.4
1.3
.3
1.1
2.8
3.2
3.7
9.8
6.2
7.5
.2
.2
.3
.3
.4
.2
.5
.3
.9
3.4
.7
2.2
3.8
1.2
.4
1.0
3.3
2.8
2.2
2.5
2.6
5.2
2.4
3.3
97.5 and under 100.0 cents.....................
100.0 and under 105.0 cents.—................
105.0 and under 110.0 cents.—................
110.0 and under 115.0 cents.—................
115.0 and under 120.0 cents.—................
120.0 and under 125.0 cents...................
125.0 and under 130.0 cents.—................
130.0 and under 135.0 cents.—................
1.2
3.9
2.3
2.0
2.0
1.1
1.6
.6
1.5
2.6
2.1
2.6
2.2
2.1
2.1
2.0
4.8
12.2
8.9
7.2
7.9
4.4
5.9
2.4
.7
1.7
1.8
2.3
2.5
2.8
2.7
3.2
.1
4.2
.4
1.0
.2
.2
.8
.1
2.4
4.6
4.1
4.3
3.5
3.0
2.4
2.0
135.0 and under 140.0 cents.—................
140.0 and under 145.0 cents.— ..............
145.0 and under 150.0 cents...... .............
150.0 and under 160.0 cents.__________
160.0 and under 170.0 cents._ ................
170.0 and under 180.0 cents.—................
180.0 and under 190.0 cents..................
190.0 and under 200.0 cents.—................
200.0 cents and over..............................
.5
.4
.2
.8
.2
.2
.1
.1
2.0
1.9
2.4
4.3
3.8
3.3
3.7
3.0
12.3
1.9
1.5
1.0
3.2
.9
.7
.3
.1
.2
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
Number of workers............................... 298,107
Average hourly earnings........................ $0.66
33,609
$1.20
73,185
$1.07
13,950
$1.77
29,293
$0.68
TotaL______________________
0
3.5
0
3.4
0
4.6
y
9.0
8.0
0
7.3
0
8.3
0
6.8
28.6 ...0 ....
Time
0
Incen
tive
1.9
2.4
1.2
1.9
.9
.7
1.3
.7
.7
.1
.1
.1
1.9
1.8
2.2
1.8
1.7
1.0
.9
.6
1.1
0
.1
0
0
0
0
(')
0
0
0
...0 ....
100.0
100.0
100.0
7,621 195,629
$0.95
$0.51
12,038
$0.71
0
.2
.3
.1
.2
.3
.1
.1
.2
1 Less than a tenth of 1 percent.
The influence of incentive methods of wage payments on wages can
best be appraised by comparing the earnings of workers in those
occupations in which both methods of pay are found. The comparison
must of necessity be confined to logging and sawmilling occupations,
however, as virtually all shingle sawyers and packers are incentive
workers. I t will be seen from the figures presented below for six
occupations in the West that in all cases incentive workers earned
considerably more than time workers. Thus, in both the Douglas Fir
and Western Pine regions fallers and buckers paid on an incentive
basis earned 50 percent more than fallers and buckers paid on a time
basis, while in the Redwood region they earned 30.9 percent more than
time workers. The general averages for time and incentive workers in
both the North and the South also indicate the existence of substan
tial occupational differentials in favor of incentive workers.
17
T able 7.— Straight-Time Average H ourly Earnings in Selected Occupations in the
W est , b y M eth od of W age Payment , August 1944
Straight-time average hourly earnings
Occupation
Time
Fallers and buckers, logging— ........... . . .
Car loaders, sawmill— ......_.....................
Pilers, sawmill— ...................................
Pullers, green chain, sawmill.................. .
Stackers, dry kiln, sawmill......................
Unstackers, dry kiln, sawmill...................
Western Pine
Douglas Fir
Incentive
Time
$1.94
1.59
0)
2.15
1.33
1.17
$1.28
.96
.99
.93
$1.12
.94
1.05
.97
.99
.90
Redwood
Incentive
Time
$1.70
1.65
2.12
1.64
1.51
1.47
Incentive
$1.10
1.00
.83
.95
W.87
$1.44
1.41
1.40
1.15
O
1.36
1 Insufficient number of incentive workers to present comparative figures.
WAGE LEVELS IN U NIO N AND N O N U N IO N OPERATIONS
Unionization in the basic lumber industry is largely confined to
Western operations and for that reason any analysis of the wages
paid to union and nonunion workers must be restricted to this region.
Furthermore, the comparison must be limited to 2 of the 4 branches
of the industry studied in the West, namely logging camps and saw
mills, as all plywood mills and virtually all shingle mills have col
lective bargaining agreements with organized labor.
Wages in union operations as a group were higher than those in
nonunion operations, but the difference was slight; the respective
average hourly earnings were $1.19 and $1.17 (see table 8). Union
workers earned slightly more than nonunion workers in logging
camps ($1.38 compared to $1.34), and the same amount in sawmills.
Earnings of union workers were slightly higher than those of non
union workers in the Douglas F ir region, but slightly lower in the
other 2 regions.
T able 8.—Straight-Time Average Hourly Earnings of Workers in Basic Lumber
Industry in West, by Branch, Region, District, and Unionization, August 1944
Total, all
branches
Region and district
Logging
camps
Sawmills
Shin- Ply
gle wood
mills mills
Non
Non-'
Non
Union union Union union Union union
Total, West........................... . . ................... $1.19
$1.17
$1.38
$1.34
$1.04
$1.04
$1.45
$1.03
1.24
1.22
1.12
1.46
1.23
1.43
1.26
1.03
1.06
.96
1.05
1.05
1.45
1.03
1.15
1.18
.91
1.03
1.10
Douglas Fir region......................................
Western Pine region_______ ____________
Inland Empire district______________
Snake River district-________________
Central Washington district...................
Central Oregon district.................... ......
Northern California district__________
Central California district............. .........
Lower Rocky Mountain district_______
Redwood region____ ________ ___________
1.12
1.05
1.13
.94
1.17
1.19
1.18
.94
1.16
1.04
1.04
1.03
1.30
1.25
1.17
.83
1.20
1.20
1.28
1.12
1.33
1.28
1.19
.97
1.34
1.11
1.15
1.13
1.50
1.37
1.32
.93
1.34
.88
1.10
1.02
.98
.97
.96
1.19
1.03
.80
1.12
Since the Bureau’s 1939-40 study revealed somewhat greater differ
entials in favor of union operations, it is apparent that the extraordi
nary conditions of wartime operated to the advantage of the lowerpaid nonunion workers. Any discussion of union-nonunion wage
18
differences in the western lumber industry should mention a number
of special factors that have tended to reduce or obscure their magni
tude. One consideration is the extent and recency of union organiza
tion. In the Douglas F ir region union organization is somewhat more
extensive, and operations have been organized for a longer period of
time than in either the Western Pine or the Eedwood regions. Other
factors which may affect earnings and tend to obscure somewhat the
actual influence of unionization on wages are size of operation and
type of equipment. Unionization has been confined chiefly to the
larger operations, whereas the smaller operations have generally been
unorganized. I t should also be borne in mind that, under the wagestabilization program, trade-unions had comparatively limited oppor
tunities to seek wage advances for their members. Furthermore, such
general increases as were granted by the War Labor Board to workers
in union plants which were parties to dispute cases before the Board
were also authorized for all workers in basic lumber operations in
the region.
SIZE OF OPERATION AS A FACTOR IN WAGE STRUCTURE
On the basis of summary figures for logging camps and sawmills
in the West it appears that in August 1944 there was no consistent
relationship between size of operation and level of wages. The com
parison was limited to western logging camps and sawmills because
of the preponderance of small operations in the North and the South
and because the number of operations in the remaining four branches
was small.
Summary figures for specified size groups and selected occupations
are presented in table 9 for logging camps and in table 10 for saw
mills. I t will be seen that wages were in general slightly higher in
the larger camps than in the smaller camps. In some sawmill occu
pations, earnings tended to vary with the size of the mill, but the
amount of difference varied considerably among regions.
T able 9.—Straight-Time Average Hourly Earnings of Workers in Selected Occupations
in Logging Camps, by Region and Monthly Production of Camp, August 1944
Douglas Fir region
Western Pine region
Logging camps with
monthly production of—
Occupation
Total
10,000
25,000 Mb.m. Under
Mb.m. and
and
under 10.000
under 25,000 Mb.m.
M b.m.
Logging camps with
monthly production of—
Total
10,000
25,000 Mb.m. Under
Mb.m. and
10.000
under M
and
b.m.
under 25,000
Mb.m.
Total, 6 selected occupations..... ......
$1.55
$1.57
$1. 55
$1.40
$1.32
$1.33
$1.36
$ 1.22
Cat drivers (tractor)___ __________
Choker setters, cat side....................
Fallers and buckers, hand_________
Head loaders, mechanical loading__
Hook tenders, cat sid e........... ........
Truck drivers, hauling___________
1.40
1.43
1.09
1.82
1.38
1.48
1.18
1.38
1.37
1.24
1.23
.99
1.63
1.38
1.29
1.07
1.23
1.23
1.64
1.24
1.14
1.07
1.30
1.06
1.10
1.78
1.38
1.47
1.18
1.10
1.75
1.38
1.44
1.18
1.10
1.53
1.33
1.46
1.15
1.00
1.59
1.29
1.26
1.07
1.01
1.02
1.38
1.12
19
T able 10.— Straight-Time Average H ou rly Earnings o f W orkers in Selected Occu
pations in Sawmills, b y Daily Capacity of Sawmill and b y . Region, August 1944
Sawmills with daily
(8-hour) capacity of—
Occupation
Total
26
M b.m. Under
81
Mb.m. and
26
and
under Mb.m.
over
81
Mb.m.
Sawmills with daily
(8-hour) capacity of—
Total
Total, Far West
26
Mb.m.
81
Under
Mb.m. and
26
and
under Mb.m.
over
81
Mb.m.
Douglas Fir region
Total, 12 selected occupations...........
$1.06
$1.05
$1.07
$1.09
$1.07
$1.06
$1.07
$1.09
Clean-up men...................................
Doggers, head rig..............................
Edgermen.........................................
Edger ofi-bearers..............................
Graders, finish chain........................
Graders or markers, green chain.......
Operating millwrights......................
Pondmen..........................................
Sawyers, head rig.............................
Setters, head rig................................
Trimmermen, head mill...................
Utility men......................................
.88
.96
1.14
.91
1.10
1.09
1.19
.99
1.50
1.09
1.02
.88
.88
.97
1.18
.90
1.10
1.10
1.19
1.01
1.59
1.11
1.07
.88
.89
.96
1.12
.91
1.10
1.07
1.18
.97
1.48
1.09
.99
.89
.86
.97
1.09
.93
1.04
1.07
1.24
.96
1.38
1.08
1.01
.93
.90
.97
1.16
.93
1.07
1.07
1.20
1.02
1.54
1.07
1.05
.90
.90
.96
1.24
.93
1.07
1.07
1.19
1.03
1.68
1.07
1.13
.90
.91
.97
1.14
.93
1.04
1.06
1.22
1.01
1.48
1.08
1.00
.91
.98
1.07
.95
1.06
1.06
1.21
.99
1.42
1.07
.98
.91
Western Pine region
.88
Redwood region
Total, 12 selected occupations.........
1.05
1.05
1.06
1.05
1.10
Clean-up m en ..................................
Doggers, head rig............................
Edgermen.........................................
Edger ofl-bearers..............................
Graders, finish chain........................
Graders or markers, green chain.......
Operating millwrights...............— .
Pondmen...................... — ............
Sawyers, head rig---------- ------Setters, head rig............. ..................
Trimmermen, head m ill..................
Utility men....................... ..............
.86
.96
1.11
.89
1.15
1.11
1.15
.95
1.47
1.11
.98
.85
.86
.98
1.13
.87
1.15
1.18
1.17
1.00
1.55
1.15
1.01
.86
.87
.94
1.10
.87
1.18
1.08
1.12
.90
1.48
1.10
.96
.85
.86
.97
1.07
.93
1.01
1.04
1.18
.90
1.33
1.06
.98
.77
.85
.98
1.26
.90
.99
1.10
1.33
.94
1.46
1.11
1.12
.90
.99
0
.93
1.20
.86
1.19
0
1.01
1.29
.96
0
.99
0
0
0
1.22
1.40
1.02
.95
.84
1.27
1.19
1.34
1.52
1.11
1.24
.97
1.33
0
1.33
1.44
1.51
1.25
1.21
1.00
1 Insufficient number of plants and/or workers to justify presentation of an average.
OCCUPATIONAL AVERAGE HOURLY EARNINGS
Interbranch variations in wage levels result very largely from basic
differences in occupational structure and skill requirements. This is
clearly indicated by the figures presented in tables 11 to 16 for 204
selected key occupations which, as previously pointed out, are believed
to be representative of the skill and earnings levels in the six branches
of the industry studied. The comparatively high earnings in logging
camps and shingle mills are due to the high proportion of skilled
workers and, more particularly, the heavy concentration of skilled
workers in three occupations customarily paid on an incentive basis,
namely, fallers and* buckers in logging camps and shingle sawyers
and packers in shingle mills. The lower wage levels of the other
branches, especially in veneer and cooperage-stock mills, reflect lower
skill requirements and less incentive work.
Within each branch the difference among occupations with respect
to average earnings was on the whole, quite limited. Exceptionally
high earnings were evident in a few occupations where incentive pay
was important or where the occupations required an unusually high
20
degree of skill. Saw filers in sawmills and shingle mills and fallers
and buckers in logging camps were typical of the few relatively high
wage occupations.
In all branches skilled maintenance workers were among the highest
paid in the industry as were skilled workers in a number of process
ing occupations. The maintenance group of occupations included elec
tricians, pipe fitters, machinists, millwrights, blacksmiths, truck and
tractor repairmen, donkey doctors, and saw filers. Among the skilled
processing workers receiving the highest wages in each of the branches
are engineers operating yarding, loading and railroad engines and
tractor drivers in logging camps, head sawyers in sawmills, shingle
sawyers and packers in shingle mills, veneer lathe operators in veneer
and plywood mills, and heading and stave sawyers in cooperagestock mills.
T able 11.—Straight-Time Average Hourly Earnings of Workers in LOGGING CAMPS,
by Occupation and Broad Region, August 1944
Total, U. S.
Occupation
West
North
South
Num Aver
Num Aver
Num Aver
Num Aver
age
age
age
age
ber of hourly
ber of hourly
ber of hourly
ber of
work earn work earn work earn work hourly
earn
ers
ers
ers
ers
ings
ings
ings
ings
Total, selected occupations--------- 140,991
$0.78
35,594
$1.37
16,330
$0.81
89,067
371
Blacksmiths........... -............. ...........
Brakemen, head................. ........ .
260
Brakemen, second----- -----------227
Bull buckers---- ------- ---------- 2,820
Bulldozer operators---------------1,016
360
Cat doctors--------- -------------5,990
Cat drivers (tractor)--------------432
Chasers, high lead and skidder side..
Choker setters, cat side___________ 6,041
87
Donkey doctors_________________
Engineers, high lead and skidder
696
slackline---------- -------------Engineers, mechanical loading------ 1,871
Engineers, rail transportation______
282
Fallers and buckers, hand----- ---- 58,829
Fallers and buckers, power---- ---- 4,828
1,652
Filers, woods..---- ----------- ---Firemen, rail transportation_______
265
Head loaders, mechanical loading__ 1,686
Head rigging slingers, high lead and
534
skidder slackline. „ -------------304
Hook tenders, cat side............... —
Hook tenders, high lead and skidder
642
slackline_____________ ________
1,305
Landing men___________________
2,356
Limbers and knotters____________
3,734
Loaders, hand................. .......... —
186
Motor patrol operators___________
360
Powdermen--- ---- --------------907
Rigging slingers, cat side----------Road monkeys----- --------------- 1,843
Scalers, woods---- ------- --------- 1,165
Second loaders, mechanical loading.. 2,724
Second rigging slingers, high lead
253
and skidder slackline.....................
Section hands---------- ----------- 1,943
13,003
Teamsters, skidding_________ ____
232
Tire and greasemen______________
Truck drivers, hauling....... ........... 19,564
977
Truck mechanics........................—
Whistle punks, high lead and skid
524
der slackline------- ------------722
Winch operators, skidding________
.94
1.14
1.03
.85
1.22
1.17
.79
1.12
.76
1.36
175
260
227
533
779
291
1,601
432
2,914
87
1.21
1.14
1.03
1.47
1.35
1.28
1.29
1.12
1.05
1.36
124
0)
0
185
137
27
879
0
266
0
.73
0
0
.81
.87
.78
.80
0
.68
0
72
0
0
2,102
100
42
3,510
0
2,861
0
1.34
1.05
1.20
.81
1.00
.97
.99
1.04
696
1,224
282
11,001
1,623
563
265
1,055
1.34
1.29
1.20
1.69
1.85
1.35
.99
1.34
0
150
0
8,421
159
59
(l)
52
0
.70
0
.92
.81
.66
0
.76
0
497
0)
39,407
3,046
1,030
0
579
1.31
1.41
534
304
1.31
1.41
0
0
0
0
1.52
.51
.63
.52
1.18
1.12
.78
.52
.92
.86
642
0
407
C1)
186
360
422
0
634
1, 546
1.52
0
1.07
0
1.18
1.12
1.11
0
1.17
1.12
0
175
138
453
0
01)
48
598
196
- 207
0
.65
.73
.73
0
0
.65
.62
.74
.67
0
1,130
1,811
3,281
0
0
437
1,245
335
971
0
1.18
.71
.52
1.02
.66
1.06
253
1,028
0)
232
3,838
676
1.18
.87
0
1.02
1.11
1.21
0
212
2,101
0
1,677
66
0
.63
.69
0
.67
.79
0
703
10,902
0
14,049
235
0
1.07
.53
524
1.07
0
722
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
$0.53
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
.66
.69
.65
.62
.56
.47
.55
.53
.57
.78
.51
0
0
0
0
0
.49
.52
.50
.48
.47
.57
.48
.49
.49
.53
.70
.53
1 No information obtained for workers in this occupation which is not commonly found in this broad
region.
21
The lowest earnings were generally received by helpers on various
machines, by material handlers and by workers in a large number of
occupations in which the skill requirements were low. Somewhat
higher earnings were received by workers in a number of moderately
skilled occupations, many of which involve the operation of machines.
Typical occupations in this group are choker setters and chasers in
logging camps, cut-off saw operators and green chain graders in saw
mills, veneer driers operators and veneer patchers in plywood mills
and splittermen in shingle mills.
The wide regional variations indicated earlier in the summary
tables are quite evident in the occupational earnings presented for
each of the broad regions. In all cases workers in the West had by
far the highest earnings, while workers in the North had the next
highest earnings and workers in the South had the lowest earnings.
Moderate variations in earnings were also found among districts
within each of the three broad regions as may be seen from appendix
tables G and H for logging camps, tables I and J for sawmills, table
14 for cooperage-stock mills, table 15 for veneer mills, and table 16 for
plywood mills.
Table 12.—Straight-Time Average Hourly Earnings of Workers in SAWMILLS, by
Occupation and Broad Region, August 1944
Total U. S.
Occupation
Sawmills, including planing mills
Blacksmiths......................................
471
Car loaders_________________ ____ 9,136
Carpenters______ _______________ 1,207
Carrier drivers____________^_____
1,436
Clean-up men_______________ ___ 3,350
Cut-off saw operators_____________ 3,537
Deckmen, including dragsaw m en... . 8,115
Doggers, head rig----------- ------ 4, 533
Edgermen_______ ____________
7,646
Edger off-bearers______ __________ 8,111
454
Electricians.................................
Filers................................................ 1,521
322
Filers, bench.....................................
471
Filers* helpers...................................
6,259
Firemen........................................
923
Firemen’s helpers...................... ......
Gang saw off-bearers.........................
28
Gang saw spotters............................
44
Gang sawyers...................................
70
765
Garage mechanics..... .......................
Graders, finish chain_________ ____ 2,129
Graders or markers, green chain....... 1,949
698
Graders, rough dry chain..................
Helpers, maintenance.......................
954
939
Hog feeders......................................
474
Kiln tenders— .................................
Knife grinders...................................
394
689
Machinists.......... ...........................
Off-bearers, head rig.......................... 9,546
Oilers...... ......................................... 1,105
Operating engineers.........................
970
Operating millwrights...................... 1,861
Pilers, yard, including timber han
dlers............................. ................. 14,169
148
Pipe fitters........ ............. .................
Planer feeders, including matcher
and sizer feeders............................. -2,747
South
Num Aver Num Aver Num Aver Num Aver
ber
age
ber
age
ber
ber
age
age
hourly
hourly
hourly
of
hourly
of
of
of
work earn work earn work earn work earn
ers
ings
ings
ers
ers
ings
ings
ers
Total, selected occupations________ 170,430
See footnote at end of table.
680284°—46—4
North
West
$0.69 108,206
$0.51
.76
.65
.80
.65
.62
.62
.67
.67
.70
.62
.90
.99
.84
.70
.63
.62
0
0
0
.79
.71
.76
.76
.71
.67
.85
.75
.88
.66
.64
.75
.81
219
6,011
645
525
1,895
2,042
6,115
3,301
5,395
6,583
103
881
78
191
4,398
887
0
0
0
435
1,216
799
373
402
460
285
264
296
7,427
555
353
560
.62
.46
.58
.49
.45
.48
.48
.49
.51
.47
.74
.89
.73
.55
.48
.46
2,022
0
.64
0
10,611
0
168
.66
1,773
$0.67
45,981
$1.04
16,243
.84
.66
.79
.83
.62
.60
.56
.59
.64
.53
1.07
1.14
1.01
.85
.59
.46
.97
.94
1.13
.82
.80
.81
.82
.78
.67
.78
.83
.99
.55
.71
.88
1.02
181
2,474
420
883
1,229
691
1,133
717
1,311
920
321
470
131
252
1,309
0
28
44
70
258
877
808
261
458
399
149
113
355
1,292
495
518
1,151
1.15
1.15
1.12
1.04
.88
.94
.96
.96
1.12
.90
1.20
1.67
1.32
1.10
.95
0)
.97
.94
1.13
1.14
1.10
1.08
1.14
1.01
.91
1.05
1.17
1.21
.96
.96
1.08
1.19
71
651
142
27
226
804
867
515
940
608
30
170
113
28
552
36
0)
0)
(l)
72
36
342
64
94
80
40
17
38
827
55
99
150
.60
1.18
1,536
148
1.38
1.18
.65
806
.97
0
0
0
.63
.58
.56
.62
.54
.46
.64
.69
.74
.46
.49
.62
.73
.48
0
.50
22
T able 12.— Straight-Time Average Hourly Earnings o f W orkers in S A W M IL L S , hy
Occupation and Broad R egion , August 1944— Continued
Total,,U. S.
West
North
South
Num Aver Num Aver Num Aver Num Aver
ber
ber
age
age
ber
ber
age
age
hourly
hourly
of
of
of
hourly
of
hourly
work earn work earn work earn work earn
ings
ers
ings
ers
ers
ings
ers
ings
Occupation
Sawmills, Inluding Planing Mills—
Continued
Planer off-bearers, including matcher
and sizer off-bearers....... .......... ...
Planer operators, including matcher
and sizer operators_____ ________
Pondmen, including slipmen______
Pullers, dry chain.______ ________
Pullers, green chain______________
Resaw off-bearers, head m ill_______
Resaw off-bearers, planing mill____
Resawyers, head mill...............
Resawyers, planing mill__________
Sawyers, head rig....................... ......
Setters, head rig..... ..................... .
Set-up men, planing mill__________
Sorters, planed lumber.....................
Stacker-carrier operators__________
Stackers, dry kiln.......... ............. .
Straighteners, green chain_________
Tallymen..................... ........ ..........
Tiers and bundle sorters, planing
mill_____ ____________________
Tractor drivers__________________
Transfer car operators, dry kiln____
Trimmer spotters.................... .........
Trimmermen, head m ill___ _____
Trimmermen, planing m ill....... .......
Truck drivers, yard..........................
TJnstackers, dry kiln........................
Utility men....... ..................... .........
Watchmen, service_______________
Yard men, log, including hoistmen..
2,374
$0.59
657
$0.90
173
$0.58
1,544
$0.45
586
2,674
1,864
7,839
597
590
915
573
8,028
4,970
1,002
1,406
156
4,656
137
2,179
.82
.75
.71
.79
.48
.56
.78
.62
.92
.69
.88
.76
1.03
.81
.93
.81
231
1,406
831
4, 518
1.12
.96
1.02
1.02
124
388
128
1,221
1,206
353
928
156
897
137
895
.90
1.08
.99
1.47
1.08
1.16
.91
1.03
1.22
.93
1.05
87
316
69
427
80
34
111
33
1,255
586
24
21
0)
203
0)
221
.66
.62
.59
.62
.64
.61
.73
.68
.93
.69
.78
.58
(x)
.73
0)
.79
268
952
964
2,894
517
432
416
412
5,552
3,178
625
457
0)
3,556
(l)
1,063
.62
.46
.46
.46
.46
.45
.51
.49
.80
.54
.74
.47
0)
.50
0)
.62
592
1,383
146
907
3,050
1,469
5,868
3,021
8,656
4,295
620
.48
.50
.94
.73
.69
.63
.59
.57
.56
.61
.50
0)
0)
146
476
1,056
462
841
488
1,893
1,628
0)
0)
(l)
.94
.95
1.02
.96
1.01
1.10
.87
.84
(>)
39
151
V)
33
369
28
1,030
47
676
311
35
.62
.69
C1)
.65
.66
.62
.68
.59
.58
.56
.56
553
1,232
0)
398
1,625
979
3,997
2,486
6,087
2,356
585
143
455
385
283
.88
.81
1.05
.81
143
455
385
283
.88
.81
1.05
.81
0)
0)
(l)
0)
(x)
(i)
(i)
0)
C1)
0)
(l)
Q)
(i)
0)
Q)
C)
227
49
46
495
512
112
.88
.91
1.15
.81
.96
.87
227
49
46
495
512
112
.88
.91
1.15
.81
.96
.87
C1)
0)
0)
(*)
(l)
0)
C1)
0)
C1)
(l)
0)
0)
(i)
b)
(!)
l1)
(l)
0)
C1)
(x)
(i)
0)
(l)
Box factory
Car loaders..... ..................................
Cut-off saw off-bearers....................
Cut-off saw operators______ ______
Machine hikeaways.........................
Nailing, stapling, and stitching ma
chine operators_________________
Planer feeders_________ _________
Planermen........................... ............
Resaw off-bearers......... ....................
Resawyers.............. ....... .................
Tying machine operators........ .........
0)
,
.47
.48
.47
.49
.48
.48
.46
.45
.45
.50
1 No information obtained for workers in this occupation which is not commonly found in this region.
Table 13.—Straight-Time Average Hourly Earnings of Workers in SHINGLE MILLS
in the Douglas Fir Region, by Occupation, August 1944
Occupation
Total, selected occupations.
Block pilers..........................
Cut-off operators__________
Deckmen, log_____________
Filers, head............................
Filers’ helpers..... ..................
Knee bolters...... ....... ....... .
Number
of
workers
Straighttime
average
hourly
earnings
1,678
$1.45
151
105
54
42
22
68
1.07
1.35
1.17
2.00
1.50
1.48
Occupation
Loaders, car and truck_____
Millwrights_______ _______
Shingle packers.....................
Shingle sawyers............. .......
Splittermen_______________
Tallymen
Watchmen, service_________
Number
of
workers
Straighttime
average
hourly
earnings
56
11
485
548
19
66
51
$1.02
1.14
1.45
1.71
1.11
1.08
.98
23
T able 14.—Straight-Time Hourly Earnings of Workers in COOPERAGE-STOCK
MILLS, by Occupation and Region, August 1944
South
Total
Occupation
Num
ber of
work
ers
North
Southeastern Southwestern
States
States
Total,
South
Aver Num Aver Num Aver Num Aver Num Aver
age ber of age ber of age ber of age ber of age
hourly work
hourly work hourly work hourly work hourly
earn ers
earn ers
earn
earn ers
earn ers
ings
ings
ings
ings
ings
Total, selected occupations... 3,669
$0.53
241
$0.59
3,428
$0.52
2,459
$0.51
969
282
612
286
191
91
111
201
101
129
156
102
70
_536
27
47
139
63
232
294
100
.51
.49
.45
.45
.49
.46
.49
.47
.47
.63
.63
.69
.61
.61
.71
.53
.49
.63
.47
.47
18
37
2
17
3
7
18
5
3
8
9
8
43
1
2
21
4
24
6
5
.88
.51
264
475
283
174
88
104
183
96
126
148
93
62
493
26
45
118
59
208
288
95
.48
.49
.45
.44
.49
.46
.49
.46
.47
.63
.63
.71
.61
.61
.71
.52
.49
.64
.47
.46
172
366
271
139
86
69
151
62
104
85
65
39
319
15
34
57
31
154
170
70
.49
.48
.44
.44
.49
.44
.49
.45
.46
.65
.61
.77
.60
.57
.72
.50
.47
.62
.45
.46
92
109
12
35
2
35
32
34
22
63
28
23
174
11
11
61
28
54
118
25
Bolters............................ —
Bundlers, staves and headings
Car loaders.......... — ............
Clean-up men, m ill service...
Croze machine operators---Cull stave sawyers................
Cut-off saw operators, log--Deckmen, log_______ _____
Heading machine tailers____
Heading matchers— ...........
Heading saw operators..........
Heading turners....................
Joiner operators....................
Knife setters..........................
Millwrights______________
Stave-bolter equalizers..........
Stave-planer operators...........
Stave-saw operators..............
Truckers, hand.................... .
Watchmen, service..............
(9
.51
.50
.52
.56
.55
.53
.56
.68
.54
.60
0)
(9
.56
.52
.61
0)
<9
$0.55
.47
.50
.50
.45
(9
.49
.48
.48
.47
.59
.67
.62
.65
.65
.69
.54
.52
.68
.49
.49
1 Insufficient number of plants and/or workers to justify presentation of an average.
T able 15.—Straight-Time Average Hourly Earnings of Workers in VENEER MILLS,
by Occupation and Region, August 1944
Total
Occupation
North
South
Number Average Number Average Number Average
hourly
hourly
of
of
of
hourly
workers earnings workers earnings workers earnings
Total, selected occupations--------------------
4,727
$0.52
1,144
$0.62
3,583
$0.49
Barkers.............................. ............... ................
Car loaders....................------- --------------Carpenters------ --------- ------- ----------Clean-up men, m ill service__________________
Clipper machine operators__________________
Cranemen_____________ __________________
Cut-off saw operators______________________
Machinists__________________________ _____
Millwrights................—________ ___________
Pondmen---- ----- --- ----- ------- --------Truckers, hand................ ....... ........................
Veneer driers_____________________________
Veneer drier feeders---------- ----- ---------Veneer drier off-bearers............... ..................... .
Veneer graders____ ______ ________________
Veneer lathe operators_______________ ______
Veneer lathe operators’ helpers ........................
Veneer slicing machine operators...... ............... .
Veneer tapers______________ _____-...............
Watchmen, service............................................
394
201
32
269
352
94
59
34
39
258
101
165
561
•530
513
228
675
58
37
127
.50
.47
.65
.46
.58
.58
.50
.68
.82
.49
.47
.53
.48
.46
.51
.76
.49
.76
.52
.49
100
23
8
39
115
22
11
13
8
29
13
49
171
112
117
68
176
21
18
31
.62
.58
.79
.56
.65
.71
.71
.81
.78
.62
.62
.62
.55
.51
.63
.86
.57
1.00
.55
.57
294
178
24
230
237
72
48
21
31
229
88
116
390
418
396
160
499
37
19
96
.46
.46
.60
.44
.54
.53
.45
.60
.83
.47
.45
.49
.45
.44
.48
.72
.47
.62
.49
.47
24
T able 16.—Straight-Time Average H ou rly Earnings o f W orkers in P L Y W O O D M IL L S ,
by Occupation and Region, August 1944
North
Total,
United
States
West
Total,
North
Other
Northern
States
Lake
States
Occupation
South
Num AverNum AverNum AverNum AverNum AverNum Aver
ber age ber age ber age ber age ber age ber age
of hourly of hourly of hourly of hourly of hourly of hourly
work earn work earn work earn work earn work earn work earn
ers ings ers ings ers ings ers ings ers ings ers ings
Total, all occupations---- 10,221 $0.73 3,882 $1.03 2,956 $0.62 1,412 $0.67 1,544 $0.57 3,383 $0.49
Barkers......................... .
Blacksmiths....................
Oar loaders.....................
Carpenters.......................
Clean-up men, mill service..........................—
Clipper machine operators..... ..........................
Crane followers...............
Cranemen____ ________
Cut-off saw operators---Electricians......................
Glue-spreader catchers—
Glue-spreader feeders---Glue-spreader helpers---Helpers, maintenance___
Inspectors.....................
Machinists.................. .
Millwrights................. .
Off-bearers, saws...... .......
Oilers..------- ---------Patchers, plywood and/or
panels...........................
Pipe fitters____________
Plug cutters------------Plywood stock craters___
Pondmen..... ....................
Pressmen______________
Pressmen’s helpers______
Rip saw operators............
Truckers, hand................
Truckers, power.......... ....
Veneer driers.......... .........
Veneer drier feeders_____
Veneer drier off-bearers...
Veneer graders_________
Veneer jointermen______
Veneer lathe operators___
Veneer lathe operators’
helpers............ .............
Veneer matchers________
Veneer repairers....... .......
Veneer tapers...................
Watchmen, service------
251
7
320
85
.67
1.21
.70
.94
274
72
7
133
40
1.10
1.21
.95
1.17
44
(9
78
24
.62
<9
.61
.75
35
(9
33
12
.62
95
.90
48
.57
29
516
16
115
268
39
415
305
214
77
277
70
152
351
17
.71
.98
.82
.71
1.21
.87
.76
.61
.79
.67
1.00
1.08
.59
1.00
110
16
67
58
39
207
124
49
29
70
32
102
77
17
1.11
.98
1.02
1.11
1.21
1.20
1.10
.95
1.04
.96
1.27
1.21
.91
1.00
215
.63
118
.61
.59
.58
.70
.60
.82
.82
.56
30
33
24
17
38
7
19
44
351
20
74
105
227
366
395
190
162
40
177
808
660
386
223
241
1.06
1.19
.95
285
20
74
27
.71
.57
.98
.76
.69
.67
.77
.73
.89
150
90
51
27
40
69
352
277
179
77
72
1.16
1.20
.95
.96
1.09
1.10
.95
1.11
.97
.98
1.05
.92
.91
.99
.96
1.25
633
136
495
547
216
.62
.58
.84
.61
.62
127
15
398
61
61
.99
.99
.92
.99
.90
.66
.71
.81
.66
86
(9
10
118
(9
86
92
65
29
126
14
35
116
(9
44
<9
<9
33
34
117
141
57
44
C9
58
199
144
101
82
89
216
48
32
346
71
(9
(9
.58
2
39
.68
(9
(9
(9
.62
(9
<9
.64
.62
.64
.62
.61
.56
(9
.61
.59
.61
.59
.65
.76
.61
.63
.66
.59
.57
(9
11
(9
(9
7
15
45
67
12
14
(9
27
102
83
53
43
42
110
36
24
205
36
.61
(9
.70
.83
.63
(9
9
45
12
19
.67
(9
.54
.67
.48
135
(9
109
21
131
.45
(9
.46
.70
.43
97
191
.68
.57
.57
(9
(9
(9
(9
(9
8 .55
38
.53
(9
79
.73
.66
92
.50
(9
(9
(9
(9
(9
.69
56
.57
122
.47
59
.68
.54
89
.48
41
.67
.53
100
.45
12
.71
.68
19
.53
88 .54
.74
81
.51
.84
.87
.65
(9
.70
(9
(9
.70
.67
.70
.68
.60
.60
(9
.65
.64
.67
.60
.67
.85
.65
.63
.63
.63
.61
7
16
72
(9
33
.79
.76
. 51
(9
.60
24
15
158
<9
22
.75
.79
.45
(9
.60
(9
(9
(9
(9
(9
(9
(9
(9
(9
(9
(9
(9
26
19
72
74
45
30
31
97
61
48
39
47
106
12
8
141
35
.63
.57
.61
.56
.62
.54
.58
.53
.53
.57
.62
.69
.58
.64
.74
.52
.52
45
107
99
164
82
91
50
257
239
106
64
80
290
73
65
140
84
.48
.44
.55
.52
.53
.45
.51
.44
.44
.56
.58
.72
.46
.47
.44
.51
.47
1 No information obtained for workers in this occupation which is not commonly found in this region.
3 Insufficient number of plants and/or workers to justify presentation of an average.
OCCUPATIONAL WAGE RELATIONSHIPS
The relationship of wage rates among different occupational groups
has been illustrated by the preceding discussion and the data con
tained in tables 11 through 16. A more convenient method of describ
ing this relationship is to express the wages for individual occupa
tions as a percentage of the wages of a representative unskilled job.
Table 17 shows in index form the results of this computation for 100
occupations typical of the range of skills and wages found in 3
branches.
These branches, logging camps, sawmills and plywood mills, which
25
employ most of the wgrkers in the industry, were studied in all re
gions and therefore a comparison of wage relationships on a regional
basis is made possible. In logging camps, the occupation of choker
setter was used as a base, while in sawmills and plywood mills the
base occupation was mill clean-up man. As earnings of workers in
the base occupations were generally among the lowest in the branch,
the indexes of wage relationships reflect clearly the steps or grada
tions in wages above the base.
T able 17.— Indexes of Average Hourly Earnings in Selected Key Occupations in Basic
Lumber Industry, by Branch and Region, August 1944
[Indexes based on weighted average hourly earnings of choker setters in logging camps and
mill clean-up men in sawmills and plywood mills]
Occupation
United
States
West
North
South
Logging camps
Blacksmiths................................ . ........................ „__________
Bullbuckers---- . ----- ------- ----------------------------Bulldozer operators________________________________. ____
Cat doctors_____ ________ _____________________________
Cat drivers (tractor)____________________________________
Choker setters, cat side___ _____ __________________________
Engineers, mechanical loading___________________________
Fallers, and buckers, hand___________ ___________________
Fallers and buckers, power---------------------------------Filers, woods____________________________ _____________
Head loaders, mechanical loading_________________________ •
Limbers and knotters____ ___________ __________________
Rigging slingers, cat side..................... .......... •____________ Scalers, woods_________________________________________
Second loaders, mechanical loading______________________
Truck drivers, hauling.____ __________________ _________
Truck mechanics......................................... r-........ -...............
••
124
112
161
154
104
100
138
107
132
128
137
83
103
121
113
87
139
115
140
129
122
123
100
123
161
176
129
128
102
106
111
107
106
115
107
119
128
115
118
100
103
135
119
97
112
107
96
109
99
99
116
140
147
138
132
119
100
117
113
121
166
109
111
102
121
102
113
149
Sawmills
Blacksmiths.......................................... ............ .......................
Car loaders------------------ ------------------------------Carpenters— ........................................................ ...................
Carrier drivers____ ______ _____________________________
Clean-up men.......... .................. .................. ........................ .
Cut-off saw operators---- ------- ---------- ---- ------ ----Deckmen, including dragsaw men________________________
Doggers, head rig------- -----------------------------------Edgermen_____________________________________________
Edger off-bearers-------------------------------------------Electricians---- -------------------------------------------Filers____ _______ ____________________________________
Filers, bench.._______________________ _________________
Filers* helpers_________________________________________
Firemen______________________ ______________________
Garage mechanics...---- --------------- . . . -------------Graders, finish chain------- --------------------------------Graders or markers, green chain---------------------- ------Graders, rough dry chain---------- ------------------------Helpers, maintenance--------------------------------------Hog feeders------------------------- ----------------------Kiln tenders.......................... —---- -----------------------Knife grinders________ ________________________________
Machinists------- ---- -------- ---- ----------------------Off-bearers, head rig____________________________ _____—
Oilers_____________________________________ __________
Operating engineers____________________________________
Operating millwrights---------- ---- ---------- ------------Pliers, yard, including timber handlers...................................
Planer feeders (including matcher and sizer feeders).......... .......
Planer off-bearers (including matcher and sizer off-bearers).......
Planer operators (including matcher and sizer operators)..........
Pondmen, including slipm en...------------------------- ---Pullers, dry chain_______________________ ______________
Pullers, green chain..... ....... ................... .................................
Resaw off-bearers, planing m ill_____________________ _____
Resawyers, head mill..................................... ............................
Resawyers, planing m ill.-----------------------------------Sawyers, head rig______________________________________
Setters, head rig........................................................................
Set-up men, planing m ill..................................... ....................
Sorters, planed lumber........................... ...................................
680284°—46—5
135
106
127
134
100
97
90
95
103
85
173
184
163
137
95
132
129
131
132
126
108
126
134
160
89
115
142
165
97
105
95
132
121
115
127
90
126
100
148
111
142
123
131
131
127
118
100
107
109
109
127
102
136
190
150
125
108
130
125
123
130
115
103
119
133
138
109
109
123
135
157
110
102
127
109
116
116
102
123
113
167
123
132
103
123
105
129
105
100
100
108
108
113
100
145
160
135
113
102
127
115
123
123
115
108
137
121
142
106
103
121
131
103
106
94
106
100
95
100
98
118
110
150
111
126
94
138
102
129
109
100
107
107
109
113
104
164
198
162
122
107
140
129
124
138
120
102
142
153
164
102
109
138
162
107
111
100
138
102
102
102
100
113
109
178
120
164
104
26
T able 17.— Indexes of Average Hourly Earnings in Selected Key Occupations in Basic
Lumber Industry, by Branch and Region, August 1944—Continued
[Indexes based on weighted average hourly earnings of choker setters in logging camps and
mill clean-up men in sawmills and plywood mills]
Occupation
United
States
West
North
South
SawmiUs—Continued
Stackers, dry kiln..... .................. .............
.....................
Tallymen--'............................... ..............
.............
Trimmer spotters...........................................
................
Trimmermen, head mill— ........................................................
Trimmermenj planing mill................................. ......................
Truck drivers,"yard. T._______________ ________ __________
Unstackers, dry kiln.......................................... ......................
Utility men..................................................................... .........
Watchmen service....................... ............................ ........ .......
131
131
118
111
102
95
92
90
98
139
119
108
116
109
115
125
99
95
118
127
105
106
100
110
95
94
90
111
138
104
109
107
107
102
100
100
Plywood mills
Barkers.......... .................................... ......................................
Car loaders________ _________________________ _______
___ ______
Carpenters ____ _______ _____ ____
Clean-up men. mitt service_________ ____________ __________
Clipper machine operators_____ _______ _________________
Cut-off saw operators_______ __ _____ ___________________
Glue-spreader operators____ _____ _____ _ _ ____________
__
Glue-spreader feeders
Glue-spreader helpers____ _____________ ______ __________
Helpers, maintenance__________________ ___________ ____
Inspectors __________________________________________
Machinists _________________________________________
Millwrights_______ ____________________________________
Off-bearers, saws.____ ______ __________________________
Patchers, plywood and/or panel__________________________
Plywood stock craters__________________ _______________
Pondmen _ _ ___ ____________________________ ______
Pressmen
___________________________________ ____
Pressmen’s helpers ____________________________________
Rip saw operators _ __________________________________
Truckers, hand_______________________________________ _
Veneer driers_____________________________ ___________
Veneer drier feeders _ __________________________________
___ __ ____________
Veneer drier off-bearers _
Veneer graders .. __ ________________________________
Veneer jointermen_____________________________________
Veneer lathe operators
___ _______________
Veneer lathe operators’ helpers _________________________
Veneer matchers_______________________________________
Veneer repairers_______________________________________
Veneer ta p e rs.__ ____________________________________
Watchmen, service_____________________________________
100
113
152
100
115
115
140
123
98
127
108
161
174
95
171
106
115
131
106
115
92
123
111
108
124
118
144
100
94
135
98
100
122
106
130
100
123
123
133
122
106
116
107
141
134
101
129
107
121
122
106
123
108
117
102
101
110
107
139
110
110
102
110
100
109
107
132
100
111
119
107
104
102
123
105
144
144
98
109
112
109
112
109
107
98
107
104
107
104
114
133
107
110
116
104
100
105
107
163
100
133
116
109
112
105
123
119
174
184
105
140
112
102
128
121
123
105
119
102
102
130
130
167
107
109
102
119
109
I t is also apparent, when the wage indexes are examined according
to the skill requirements of the occupations, that skilled, semiskilled
and unskilled workers have distinctive wage levels. The range in
earnings within each skill group is in most instances limited and the
variations found reflect degrees of skill within the group. In these
cases where the variations within any group are wide, they are due
for the most part either to the influence of incentive earnings or, in
the case of skilled workers, to an unusually high degree of skill in
some occupations. For certain skilled occupations, especially in the
South, the shortage of qualified workers was so great that wages were
raised more than for others; the effect of this was to widen the wage
spread between skilled- and lesser-skilled jobs.
The highest level of wages and also the widest differentials among
component occupations was found in the skilled group. In sawmills,
for example, the earnings of workers in skilled occupations exceeded
those of mill clean-up men (the base occupation) by a rather wide
margin—from 20 to 40 percent for most skilled occupations in the
West and from 15 to 30 percent for a majority of the skilled occupa
27
tions in the North. Much wider differences were found in the South.
Thus, of 19 skilled sawmill occupations for which indexes are shown
in the South, 13 had earnings which were 35 percent or more above
those of mill clean-up men and 8 had earnings which were higher by
50 percent or more. The greatest differences were found for head
sawyers and for such maintenance occupations as saw filers, elec
tricians, machinists, operating millwrights and knife grinders.
The earnings of semiskilled workers varied, on the whole, within
a comparatively limited range. In a majority of the semiskilled
sawmill occupations workers averaged from 5 to 20 percent more than
mill clean-up men in the West and from 5 to 15 percent more in the
North. In the South, the most common differential was from 5 to 10
percent.
In all regions, the earnings of unskilled workers deviated but little
from those of workers in the unskilled base occupation. In sawmills,
for example, the average earnings for most unskilled occupations
were not more than 10 percentage points removed from those of mill
clean-up men and in a majority of the cases they differed by less than
5 points. No unskilled sawmill occupation in the South had earnings
as much as 5 percent above those of mill clean-up men; in four occu
pations, earnings were the same.
The three factors largely responsible for lack of uniformity in occu
pational wage relationships among regions, are differences in skill
requirements, substantially different labor market conditions, and
degree of unionization. Because western operations are on the whole
larger and more highly mechanized, skill requirements, even for occu
pations with the same title are somewhat greater than in other re
gions. For example, a cat driver in the West as a rule operates a much
larger tractor over generally more difficult terrain and handles much
larger timber, and, as a result, is somewhat more skilled than the
average cat driver in either the North or South. The same situation
is found for many other occupations in both logging camps and saw
mills.
The wide, wage differentials in the South between skilled workers
and workers in the unskilled base occupation reflect the scarcity of
skilled workers, particularly maintenance workers whose special skills
were in great demand in the higher-wage war industries. In contrast,
the narrow differentials in earnings between other occupations and
the base occupation indicate that the supply of workers below the
skilled grade was more adequate.
The degree of unionization also has a direct bearing on the nature
of occupational differentials in the various regions. I t is well known
that unions are concerned not only with the general level of wages
but also, and often more particularly, with the relationship of wages
among different types of work. Outside of the West there is com
paratively little organization of labor, and consequently it may be
inferred that the influence of unionization on wage differentials has
been greater in the West than in the North or South.
The data on occupational relationships in logging camps, sawmills
and plywood mills provided in table 17 should be used with care,
especially in making regional comparisons. It should be borne in
mind that (1 ) there are sharp regional differences in basic processes
which are reflected in variations in occupational structure and in job
28
content; this is particularly true of logging camps and sawmills;
(2 ) the figures are not based on data for identical operations (estab
lishments) and as a result occupational differences may reflect to
some extent interoperation differences in wage levels; (3) since earn
ings of incentive workers are generally higher than the earnings of
workers paid on a time basis, the differences between certain occupa
tions may be unduly exaggerated.
Wage and Related Practices
TYPICAL WORKDAY AND WORKWEEK
In the West the most common workweek at the time of the survey
was 8 hours per day and 48 hours per week; nearly three-fourths of the
logging camps, two-thirds of the sawmills, and all but three of the
plywood mills were on this schedule. In the North less than twofifths of the operations worked a 48-hour week and 8-hour day; onefourth were on a 40-hour week and 8-hour day; about one-fourth had
a workweek schedule of 50 hours or more with daily hours varying
from 8 to 10. The 50-hour schedule in the North was confined pri
marily to logging operations and sawmills; in veneer, plywood, and
cooperage-stock mills the most common workweek was 48 hours, with
an 8-hour day.
The workweek was in general shorter in the South than in the other
two regions, with more than half of the operations on a 40-hour week
and 8-hour day. More than half of all southern logging camps and
sawmills and nearly a third of the cooperage-stock mills were on this
schedule. In plywood mills a 48-hour workweek with an 8-hour day
was most common; in veneer mills approximately one-fifth of the
operations had a 40-hour week and 8-hour day, the same proportion
had a 45-hour week and 9-hour day, while one-fourth worked on a
schedule of 48 hours a week and 8 hours a day.
Overtime after 40 hours a week was paid for at the rate of time and
a half in three-fourths of the operations in the basic lumber industry;
in nearly a fourth of the operations, the premium rate was effective
after 8 hours a day. This practice appears to be most common in the
West; in shingle mills, however, under the terms of an industry-wide
agreement, overtime is paid for at the rate of time and a half after 36
hours a week and 6 hours a day.
SH IF T WORK AND SH IF T DIFFERENTIALS
Basic lumber operations, and especially logging, are typically
single-shift operations. Less than 3 percent of all sawmills operate
more than one shift, and fully three-fourths of these multiple-shift
operations are large western mills. Approximately two-fifths of the
plywood mills operate more than one shift, while almost two-thirds of
the shingle mills operate two 6-hour shifts. Comparatively few veneer
and cooperage-stock plants operate more than one shift.
Shift-differential payments are most common in the West. More
than two-thirds of the western sawmills working a second shift and
virtually all of those working a third shift paid a shift differential.
The most common differential on both shifts was 3 cents an hour and
29
the next most common was 3% cents an hour. Less than a third of
the northern sawmills operating more than one shift paid a differen
tial which varied from 2.5 cents to 5 cents an hour. Only one southern
sawmill reported paying a shift differential, and that amounted to 5
cents for workers on the second shift. All western plywood plants
operating more than one shift paid a shift differential which varied
from 4 cents for work on the second shift to 7 cents for work on the
third shift. Few southern plywood mills and few shingle mills, veneer
mills, and cooperage-stock mills paid premium rates for work on the
late shift.
PAID VACATIONS AND HOLIDAYS
In general, paid vacations are confined to the West where about half
of the logging camps and sawmills, all of the plywood mills, and vir
tually all of the shingle mills granted their workers paid vacations.
With the exception of veneer and plywood mills, in which two-fifths
and three-fifths of the operations, respectively, granted paid vaca
tions, only a small number of northern operations had such policies.
Very few southern operations granted paid vacations.
The length of the paid vacation varied among regions and branches
of the industry. In western logging camps and sawmills the most
common paid-vacation period was 1 week after 1,400 hours of work
per year, 4 days after 1,120 hours of work, and 3 days after 840 hours
of work. A substantial number of operations (one-fifth of the logging
camps, two-fifths of the sawmills, and more than two-thirds of the
plywood mills) granted 1 week of paid vacation after 1 year of serv
ice. Shingle mills had a paid vacation of 1 week, but during the war
period all workers elected to remain on the job and to accept instead
a flat increase of 3 cents an hour. In both the North and the South
the most usual paid vacation was 1 week after 1 year of service. A
few operations in these regions granted 1 week for a shorter period of
service, such as 1 week after 1,000 hours of work or 6 days of pay
after 6 months of service, while others required a longer period of
service, such as 2 years of service for 1 week of paid vacation.
Six holidays were reported by 58 percent of western operations, 28
percent of northern, and 9 percent of southern operations. The rate
of pay for holidays worked was generally time and a half.
Changes in Basic Wage Structure o f Industry During War
OVER-ALL CHANGES BY REGION AND BRANCH
Comprehensive field surveys of wages in the basic lumber industry
conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics during the fall and win
ter of 1939-40 and in August 1944 make it possible to appraise changes
in the basic wage structure during the war period. Although over
time pay at premium rates was included in the earlier data, the figures
for both periods are believed to be comparable because very little over
time was actually worked during the fall and winter of 1939-40. The
comparison is limited to six segments of the industry—logging camps,
sawmills, shingle mills, cooperage-stock mills, veneer mills, and ply
wood mills. Moreover, in order to insure proper representation of
30
each branch in each period (logging camps in the South and North
were underrepresented in the earlier survey) and also to eliminate
variations resulting from changes in the relative importance of the
branches of the industry between the two periods, constant weights12
were used in combining the data for each branch in each period. As
a result, the 1939-40 figures which appear in tables 18, 19, and 20 of
this report are not comparable with previously published figures13
for the latter were based on 1939-40 employment statistics.
In the basic lumber industry, as defined in this survey, average
hourly earnings increased from 46 cents in the fall and winter of 19391940 to 72 cents in August 1944, an increase of 56.5 percent. (See
table 18). In both periods average hourly earnings were highest in
the West and lowest in the South, with the North falling in between
these two. However, the percentage gain was greater in the North
than in the other two regions. Earnings in the North rose from 40
cents to 73 cents per hour, a rise of 83 percent. The corresponding
change for the West was from 75 cents to $1.18, an increase of 57
percent, and for the South, from 34 to 52 cents, an increase of 53
percent. Wage increases also varied widely among branches in each
region. The greatest increase (113.2 percent) was reported for log
ging camps in the North and the smallest increase (40 percent) for
veneer mills in the South.
T able 18.—Straight-Time Average Hourly Earnings of Workers in Basic Lumber
Industry by Branch and Region, Fall and Winter 1939-40 and August 1944 1
Branch and region
FallPercent Fall- August Percent
winter August
of
winter
of
1939-40 1944 increase 1939-40 1944 increase
United States
Total, all branches.
Logging camps-----Sawmills___________
Shingle mills____ _
Cooperage-stock mills.
Veneer m ills________
Plywood mills...........
West
$0.46
$0.72
56.5
$0.75
$1.18
.46
.44
.95
.36
.37
.51
.78
.67
1.45
.53
.52
.73
69.6
52.3
52.6
47.2
40.5
43.1
.80
.70
.95
1.37
1.04
1.45
71.3
48.6
52.6
.73
1.03
41.1
North
Total, all branches.
Logging camps-----Sawmills....................
Shingle mills...... ----Cooperage-stock mills.
Veneer m ills..-........ Plywood m ills..........-
57.3
South
$0.40
$0.73
82.5
$0.34
$0.52
53.0
.38
.41
.81
.69
113.2
68.3
.34
.34
.53
.51
55.9
50.0
.35
.42
.41
.59
.62
.62
47.6
51.2
68.6
.36
.35
.34
.52
.49
.49
44.4
40.0
44.1
i In order to overcome underrepresentation of certain branches of the industry in some areas in the earlier
period (particularly logging camps in the South and also in the North) and to eliminate variations resulting
from changes in the relative importance of the branches of the industry between the two periods, constant
weights were used in combining the data for each branch for each period in arriving at over-all branch
averages and also at an over-all average for all branches. The total employment in the branch in each region
in 1944 was used in combining the data for the branch for both periods.
12For both periods August 19 4 4 employment figures were
13 The findings of the earlier survey appeared under the
Lumber and Timber Products Industry, in the Monthly Labor
these figures also appeared in the article, Wages in the Basic
M onthly Labor Review for October 1945.
used in combining the data.
title, Hourly Earnings in the
Review for July 1941. Some of
Lumber Industry, 1944, in the
31
Since the Bureau’s last study of the lumber industry, considerable
change took place not only in the level of wages for each branch as a
whole, but also with respect to the distribution of workers within each
branch. I t is apparent from the figures presented in table 18 that the
shift at the low end of the wage scale was considerably greater than
at the high end, but in both instances the change was substantial. It
is especially notable that whereas three-fifths of the workers in log
ging camps and sawmills and three-fourths or more of the workers
in veneer mills and cooperage-stock mills received under 40 cents an
hour in the fall and winter of 1939-40,14 no workers in veneer mills
and less than one percent of the workers in the other three branches
had as low earnings in August 1944. In plywood mills the proportion
of workers receiving less than 40 cents an hour dropped from 44.5
percent in the fall and winter of 1939-40 to 0.4 percent in August
1944. In shingle mills, where wages were always much above those
in other branches, the shift of workers to the higher brackets was also
great. Slightly more than a third of the workers in this branch earned
more than $1.00 an hour in the fall of 1939; almost all shingle workers
were found in this class in August 1944.
T able 19.—Percentage Distribution of Workers in Basic Lumber Industry, by StraightTime Average Hourly Earnings and Branch, Fall and Winter 1939-40 and August 19441
FallFallFallwinter August winter August winter August
1939-40 1944 1939-40 1944 1939-40 1944
Average hourly earnings
Logging camps
Under 40.0 cents__________ _____________________
40.0 and under 52.5 cents________________________
52.5 and under 62.5 cents_____ ______ ____________
62.5 and under $1.......................................... ..........
$1 and over_____________ _____________________
60.0
12.4
5.1
18.1
4.4
0.3
45.9
11.9
16.0
25.9
Shingle
mills
Under 40.0 cents__________ _____________________
40.0 and under 52.5 cents_________________________
0.1
62.5 and under $1_______________________________
62.1
37.6
52.5 and under 62.5 cents
_
_
$1 and over____ _______________ ___ ___________
Veneer mills
Sawmills
60.9
10.9
6.3
20.0
1.9
0.4
50.9
9.7
24.6
14.4
Cooperage-stock
mills
78.7
12.6
.2
6.1
93.9
4.3
4.4
(2)
0.1
68.8
13.0
17.5
.6
74.3
18.5
3.7
3.3
0.2
68.9
13.0
17.5
.6
Plywood
mills
44.5
12.4
5.3
36.1
1.7
0.4
35.2
10.5
34.8
19.1
1 Method followed in combining data for both periods explained in footnote 1, table 18.
3 Less than a tenth of 1 percent.
CHANGES IN OCCUPATIONAL WAGE STRUCTURE
Comparative wage data are presented in table 20 for both periods
for some 70 representative occupations. This comparison is limited to
processing and auxiliary occupations, as separate figures are not avail
able for maintenance workers for the 1939-40 period. These occupa
tions are believed to be representative of the skill and earnings levels
of processing and auxiliary occupations in each branch studied and
provide a dependable measure of changes in the occupational wage
structure of the industry during the war period.
14
hour.
At th a t tim e the minimum rate under the Fair Labor Standards Act was 3 0 cents an
32
Perhaps the most interesting observation to be drawn from these
figures concerns the relative increase in earnings of the more-skilled
and the less-skilled occupations between the 1939-40 period and August
1944. In terms of absolute gains, the more-skilled occupations gen
erally appear to have enjoyed little advantage over the less-skilled
workers. On a percentage basis, the wage increases in the skilled
occupations have accordingly been less. This was observed in western
logging camps where earnings of such skilled occupations as head
loaders and engineers in the mechanical loading crew and cat drivers
increased 38 cents, as against gains of 34 cents and 36 cents respec
tively for the less-skilled groups—cat-side choker setters and second
loaders in the mechanical loading crew. Similarly in the North, the
earnings of skilled cat drivers rose 38 cents and of wood scalers and
engineers, 21 and 22 cents respectively. Less-skilled jobs such as hand
loaders, teamsters, and cat-side choker setters had gains of 43 cents,
35 cents, and 31 cents respectively. In the South the increases for the
more-skilled jobs ranged from 10 cents for mechanical loading engi
neers to 22 cents for hauling truck drivers. The smallest increase
for southern workers in the less-skilled jobs was 16 cents for second
loaders of the mechanical loading crew.
T able 20.—Straight-Time Average Hourly Earnings of Workers in Selected Occupa
tions in Basic Lumber Industry> by Branch and Region, Fall and Winter,
1939-40, and August 1944 1
United States
Occupation and branch
Sawmills
Total, 20 occupations....................................
Car loaders................. ............. ..............
Clean-up men____________ __________
Deckmen, including drag-saw men....... .
Doggers, head rig---------------------Edgermen_____________ ________ ____
Edger off-bearers---------------------Graders, finish chain------------------Graders or markers, green chain. _____
Off-bearers, head rig............. ..................
Pilers, yard, including timber handlers.. _
Pondmen, including slipmen......... .......
Pullers, dry chain_________________ _
Pullers, green chain______ __________
Resaw off-bearers, head mill...___ _____
Resawyers, head mill.............. ...............
Sawyers, head rig-------------- ----- Setters, head rig........... .........................
Tallymen. ____ _____________________
Tractor and truck drivers....... ........... .
Trimmermen, head mill______________
See footnotes at end of table
North
South
Fall Au Fall
Au and
Au Fall
Au Fall
and
and
and
gust winter.
gust winter,
gust winter.
gust winter,
1944 1939-40 1944 1939-40 1944 1939-40 1944 1939-40
Total, 70 occupations.................................... $0.70
Logging camps
Total, 10 occupations....................................
Cat drivers (tractor)............................
Choker setters, cat side.................. .......
Engineer, mechanical loading_________
Fallers and buckers, hand____________
Head loaders, mechanical loading..........
Loaders, hand........ .................. ..............
Scalers, woods----- -------------------Second loaders, mechanical loading____
Teamsters, skidding..... .................. .......
Truck drivers, hauling......................—
West
.75
.79
.76
1.05
.81
1.04
.52
.92
.86
.52
.66
.66
.66
.62
.56
.59
.64
.53
.80
.81
.55
.60
.75
.71
.79
.48
.78
.92
.69
.81
.57
.69
$0.44
$ 1.21
$0.77
$0.74
$0.40
$0. 51
$0.34
.44
.52
.44
.75
.44
.75
.30
1.40
1.29
1.05
1.29
1.69
1.34
(2)
1.17
.83
.91
.71
.91
.87
.96
(2)
.84
. 76
.85
.71
.83
.80
.38
.42
.37
.48
.38
.46
.30
.53
.44
.34
.37
.52
.56
.47
.55
.53
.51
.50
.57
.48
.49
.53
.33
.36
.31
.45
.34
.40
.30
.40
.32
.30
.31
.42
.38
.37
.36
.39
.43
.35
.55
.48
.35
.39
.35
.39
.38
.38
.47
.64
.43
.40
.40
.38
.51
.46
.45
.48
.49
.51
.47
.58
.51
.46
.48
.46
.46
.46
.46
.51
.80
.54
.62
.48
.49
.33
.30
.30
.29
.30
.34
.29
.48
.39
.29
.31
.31
.31
.30
.31
.36
.62
.35
.33
.30
.31
.66
.58
.31
.39
.43
.41
.41
.34
.36
.43
.33
.61
.55
.34
.38
.49
.48
.51
.32
.52
.71
.46
.49
.36
.45
1.12
(2)
1.11
1.07
1.15
1.08
.96
1.38
.96
.70
.67
.59
.58
.61
.80
.58
.80
.73
.61
.81
.65
(2)
1.08
1.47
1.08
1.05
.65
.60
.71
1.18
.75
.71
.88
.96
.96
1.12
.90
1.10
1.02
1.02
1.01
1.02
.68
.68
.68
.68
.70
.92
.76
.73
.74
.67
.69
.67
.69
.65
.62
.67
.67
.70
.62
.71
.76
.66
.64
.62
.59
.62
.64
.73
.93
.69
.79
.68
.66
33
T able 20.—Straight-Time Average Hourly Earnings of Workers in Selected Occupa
tions in Basic Lumber Industry, by Branch and Region, Fall and Winter,
1939-40, and August 19441—Continued
West
United States
Occupation and branch
Cooperage-stock mills
Total, 12 occupations---------------- ----Bolters____________________________
Bundlers, staves and headings________
Car loaders________________________
Clean-up men, mill service___________
Cut-off saw operators, log.......................
Deckmen, lo g ..---- ------------------Heading matchers______________ ____
Heading-saw operators .................... Heading turners_________ ___________
Jointer operators____________________
Stave-planer operators........ ............... .
Stave-saw operators........................... .
Plywood mills
Total, 12 occupations..................................
Car loaders. ....................................... Clipper-machine operators..-----------Glue-spreader catchers----------------Glue-spreader feeders-----------------Patchers, plywood and/or panels______
Pressmen_________________________
Truckers, hand-----------------------Veneer-drier feeders and off-bearers........
Veneer graders---------------- ---- --Veneer lathe operators------------ ---Veneer lathe operators’ helpers--------Veneer matchers----------- ---- ------
South
Fall Au Fall
Au Fall
Au Fall
Au and
and
and
and
gust winter,
gust winter,
gust winter,
gust winter,
1944 1939-40 1944 1939-40 1944 1939-40 1944 1939-40
Veneer mills
Total, 8 occupations............................ ......... $0.51
.47
Car loaders-------------- ------------.46
Clean-up men, m ill service___________
.58
Clipper-machine operators____________
.47
Truckers, hand_________ ___________
.47
Veneer drier feeders and off-bearers.
.51
Veneer graders-----------------------.76
Veneer lathe operators_______________
.49
Veneer lathe operators’ helpers......... —
Shingle mills
Total, 8 occupations------ ------- ------Block pilers----- ---- ----------------Cut-off operators---------- ---- ------Deckmen, log...... ....................-....... .
Loaders, car and truck......... ................ .
Shingle packers------------ ---- -----Shingle sawyers...............
Splitter men------------ -------------Tallymen............................
-
North
$0.36
.35
.31
.39
.31
.32
.39
.54
.33
(3)
(3)
(3)
(3)
(3)
(3)
(3)
(3)
(3)
(3)
(3)
(3)
(3)
(3)
(3)
(3)
(3)
(3)
$0.60
.58
.56
.65
.62
.53
.63
$1.45
1.07
1.35
1.17
1.08
.96
.73
.87
.75
.71
.92
1.17
.83
.78
$0.96
.73
.87
.75
.71
.92
1.17
.83
.78
.54
.51
.49
.45
.45
.49
.47
.63
.63
.69
.61
.49
.63
.37
.32
.31
.30
.32
.33
.30
.38
.44
.47
.46
.37
.45
(3)
(3)
(3)
(3)
(3)
(3)
(3)
(3)
(3)
(3)
(3)
(3)
(3)
.74
.70
.71
.87
.76
1.06
.81
.57
.51
.46
.46
.67
.53
.59
.57
.39
.47
.54
1.45
1.07
1.35
1.17
1.02
1.45
1.71
1.11
.68
.77
.89
.62
.58
.68
.41
.40
1.02
1.45
1.71
1.11
1.08
1.04
.95
1.11
1.20
1.10
1.16
1.10
.97
.92
.99
1.25
.99
.99
$0.40
.40
(2)
.42
C2)
.38
.46
.57
.37
$0.48
.46
.44
.54
.45
.44
.48
.72
.47
(4)
(4)
(4)
(4)
(4)
(4)
(4)
(4)
(4)
( 4)
( 4)
( 4)
(4)
(4)
(4)
(4)
(4)
(4)
(4)
(4)
(4)
(4)
(4)
.60
.53
.48
.49
.45
.44
.49
.46
.63
.63
.71
.61
.49
.64
.37
.32
.31
.30
.32
.33
.30
.38
.44
.47
.46
.37
.45
.49
.46
.57
.47
.48
.60
.55
.45
.44
.56
.72
.46
.47
.33
.31
.33
.32
.32
(2)
.32
.32
.31
.33
.53
.31
.32
.86
.57
(4)
(4)
(4)
( 4)
(3)
(3)
(3)
(3)
(3)
(3)
(8)
(3)
.51
(2)
.51
.56
.55
.56
(3)
(3)
(3)
(3)
.54
.60
.52
.61
.42
(8)
.37
(8)
(8)
(8)
(8)
(8)
(8)
(8)
.43
(8)
.47
.73
.65
.76
.98
.78
.64
.83
.69
.64
.72
.97
.69
.70
.61
.61
.63
.61
.59
.62
.64
.56
.60
.59
.76
.61
.63
.40
.35
.41
.40
.38
.40
.44
.35
.37
.43
.57
.37
.43
(3)
.88
.68
$0.35
.33
.31
.38
.31
.32
.37
.53
.32
(4)
(4)
(4)
(4)
(4)
(4)
(4)
(4)
(4)
1 Method followed in obtaining data for both periods explained in footnote 1, table 18.
3 No information obtained for workers in this occupation, which is not commonly found in this broad
region.
3 No data obtained for veneer and cooperage-stock mills in the West, as these two branches of the industry
are relatively unimportant in that area.
* No data obtained for shingle mills in the North or South as that branch of the industry is relatively
unimportant in these two areas.
Of the 20 sawmill occupations listed in table 20, edgermen, finish
chain graders, green chain graders, head sawyers, head mill re
sawyers, head rig setters, and trimmermen are among the more skilled.
The increases in hourly earnings between the 1939-40 period and
August 1944 for this group ranged from 29 to 37 cents in the West,
from 16 to 29 cents in the North, and from 10 to 19 cents in the South.
In contrast, the gains for the less-skilled occupations varied from
34
29 to 38 cents in the West, from 20 to 31 cents in the North and from
15 to 19 cents in the South.
In the veneer mills, lathe operators, the outstanding skilled occu
pation, had the largest absolute increase (29 and 19 cents, respec
tively) in both the North and the South. Among the less-skilled jobs,
the gains varied from 23 cents for clipper-machine operators in the
North to 12 cents for veneer drier feeders and off-bearers in the South.
In shingle mills, block pliers, cut-off operators, log deckmen, car
and truck loaders, and tallymen are representative of the less-skilled
occupations. For these jobs the absolute gains varied from 31 cents
to 48 cents. Splitter men, a relatively skilled occupation, showed an
increase of only 28 cents. Shingle sawyers and packers, most of whom
are paid on an incentive basis, showed increases of 54 and 53 cents,
respectively.
Adequate comparative figures for occupations in cooperage-stock
mills are available only for the South. The absolute gains for the
less-skilled jobs ranged from 12 to 25 cents and for the more-skilled,
from 12 to 24 cents.
In plywood mills the earnings of lathe operators, one of the most
skilled of processing occupations, rose by 28 cents in the West, and
by 19 cents in the North and in the South. As in the case of several
other branches of the industry the range of absolute increases for the
less-skilled jobs was somewhat greater.
The greater relative increases received by unskilled workers re
sulted very largely from the type of wage increase granted during the
war period. As pointed out earlier in this report, many of the in
creases were flat amounts granted to all workers which led to pro
portionately greater gains for the lower-paid unskilled workers.
Unskilled workers also profited most from the establishment of
minimum rates of pay under the provisions of the Fair Labor
Standards Act and from General Order No. 30 of the W ar Labor
Board and its subsequent revisions under which operators were
authorized to raise wage rates to 40 cents, 50 cents, and finally to 55
cents. The greater increases granted unskilled workers narrowed
somewhat the occupation differentials.
APPENDIX TABLES
T able A .— Percentage Distribution o f W orkers in L O G G IN G C A M P S , b y Straight-Time Average H ou rly Earnings and Region, August 1944
West
Average hourly earnings
Under 40.0 cents..............................................
40.0 and under 42.5 cents.................................
42.5 and under 45.0 cents.................................
45.0 and under 47.5 cents................................
47.5 and under 50.0 cents................................
50.0 and under 52.5 cents.................................
52.5 and under 55.0 cents.................................'
65.0 and under 57.5 cents................................
57.5 and under 60.0 cents.................................
60.0 and under 62.5 cents.................................
Total,
United
States
.9
26.9
1.0
4.4
1.0
5.5
87.5 and under 90.0 cents................................
90.0 and under 92.5 cents................................
92.5 and under 95.0 cents................................
95.0 and under 97.5 cents................................
97.5 and under 100.0 cents...............................
100.0 and under 105.0 cents.............................
105.0 and under 110.0 cents.............................
110.0 and under 115.0 cents.............................
115.0 and under 120.0 cents.............................
120.0 and under 125.0 cents.............................
1.3
.6
1.4
.5
2.1
.4
1.0
.6
.6
1.2
.7
.5
.8
2.6
2.5
2.4
2.6
1.7
2.5
1.2
1.0
.9
Total
0.2
.7
.4
.5
.3
5.3
.7
3.8
3.3
15.3
8.1
2.4
1.9
Douglas Western Redwood
Fir
Pine
region region region
0.3
9.3
.7
62.5 and under 65.0 cents.................................
65.0 and under 67.5 cents.................................
67.5 and under 70.0 cents.................................
70.0 and under 72.5 cents................................
72.5 and under 75.0 cents.................................
75.0 and under 77.5 cents................................
77.5 and under 80.0 cents................................
80.0 and under 82.5 cents.................. .............
82.5 and under 85.0 cents................................
85.0 and under 87.5 cents................................
125.0 and under 130.0 cents.............................
130.0 and under 135.a cents.............................
135.0 and under 140.0 cents.............................
140.0 and under 145.0 cents.............................
Total
North
0)
0)
0.1
(i)
(i)
(i)
(i)
C1)
(1)
(1)
^ 0.2
(!)
0)
.1
.3
.1
.2
.8
.6
(l)
( 1)
0)
(!)
(i)
0.1
0)
.i
.2
.5
1.9
1.6
.1
2.6
.2
.3
.3
2.3
9.3
6.3
3.4
3.0
3.0
1.9
5.2
13.7
7.5
9.0
6.0
6.7
8.8
9.7
4.4
3.9
3.7
2.2
6.9
8.7
7.6
9.4
4.1
3.6
3.0
11.8
2.8
2.0
.5
.9
.3
17.5
2.2
2.8
.3
5.9
2.5
7.8
.7
.6
.4
.4
1.3
.6
2.5
7.6
8.9
1.0
5.9
3.4
.9
2.5
2.7
1.7
3.8
5.2
2.9
1.3
1.4
5.3
.9
1.3
.3
1.3
6.5
1.5
3.3
1.0
5.0
2.2
8.8
6.6
4.8
12.3
14.5
7.3
5.9
2.0
2.8
1.6
1.4
7.5
1.3
.3
1.9
7.8
3.5
3.0
1.9
5.8
4.1
3.6
2.5
1.8
1.6
6.0
0.1
3.1
.9
2.6
2.6
.2
.2
12.2
0.6
Lake
States
5.1
7.3
2.7
7.6
2.3
6.0
1.9
6.6
1.6
.1
.1
.9
.i
1.4
2.7
1.3
.9
4.9
.4
Prairie
States
.9
.9
.9
.3
6.1
2.2
2.2
2.8
1.9
2.1
1.5
4.5
2.8
2.9
2.6
South
North Middle
New
Central Atlantic England
States ■ States
States
1.2
1.1
.1
.9
(l)
14.3
.8
8.3
2.4
29.9
7.0
9.0
2.2
8.1
1.7
5.3
.5
1.5
.7
1.7
1.2
1.3
1.0
.5
.5
.2
6.2
1.0
5.1
.5
14.3
5.5
0.9
.3
.3
.4
3.3
.4
2.5
1.8
14.7
3.7
7.6
1.4
10.3
2.8
9.5
1.7
7.0
5.8
3.1
2.6
2.1
2.0
.8
1.3
3.9
.8
1.1
.6
5.2
9.9
.2
2.0
4.3
.1
.2
2.0
.9
.3
.1
.7
.1
.4
2.0
1.7
0.1
.8
.7
4.4
.5
1.8
1.0
.7
1.6
.1
.......
Total
0.5
14.5
1.1
12.6
1.3
41.5
1.4
6.2
1.0
South South
eastern western
States
States
0.5
16.4
1.0
12.0
1.1
42.4
1.1
6.2
2.8
5.7
6.0
6.3
1.9
4.7
3.0
1.9
.6
3.0
1.8
2.9
2.3
.4
.9
.4
.3
.2
1.7
.9
2.5
1.3
.2
.9
.4
.5
1.0
1.0
.5
2.0
.4
.9
.4
1.9
.9
.3
.2
1.2
.1
.2
.4
.1
.3
.2
7.3
2.6
4.4
2.0
1.8
2.8
.1
.1
1.3
.2
1.0
1.0
6.1
1.4
14.8
2.3
37.7
.8
1.6
1.3
0.3
8'
8 ’1
1.1
1.2
.8
.7
.4
.4
.8
.4
.3
.3
.2
.1
.2
.1
.2
CO
Ol
T able A . — Percentage Distribution of W orkers in L O G G IN G C A M P S, b y Straight-Time Average H ourly Earnings
and Region, August 1944— Continued
North
West
Average hourly earnings
145.0 and under 150.0 cents
150.0 and under 160.0 cents.......................... .
]$0 0
under 170.0 cents
170 0 and under 180.0 cents
180 0 and under IQO.Ocents
190.0 and under 200.0 cents. _ __________
200 0 cents and ever
Total,
United
States
.8
2.0
Total
2.6
Douglas Western
Pine Redwood
Fir
region region region
3.3
9.7
3.1
3.8
3.6
1.6
3.9
2. 5
7.3
3.0
3.2
3.1
2.4
9. 5
2.6
12.1
2.1
5.4
Total, all workers.................................
100.0
100.0
100.0
Number of workers_____________ _____. ..
Average hourly earnings--------- ----------
140,991
$0.78
35,594
$1.37
20,898
$1.45
.9
.9
.8
.6
2.8
2.2
.9
4.0
2. 5
Total
1.0
1.0
.8
2.1
.9
.5
0.5
.2
.1
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
16,330
$0.81
320
$0.78
4,687
$0.84
2,670
$0.63
2,624
$0.77
6,029
$0.89
100.0
13,441
$1.24
1,255
$1.34
.3
.7
.6
1.7
1.4
.9
.3
100.0
1.9
1.3
1.3
North Middle
New
Central Atlantic England
States
States
States
.2
.6
10 8
2.4
Lake
States
0.1
.1
.1
.5
.4
.3
.5
2.8
Prairie
States
South
.3
.3
.3
.6
.8
.4
.5
Total
0)
South South
eastern western
States
States
(x)
n
0)
(x)
C1)
b)
( 1)
0)
(x)
0.1
.1
(x)
p)
(i)
(!)
100.0
100.0
100.0
89,067
$0.53
72,063
$0.52
17,004
$0.58
0.1
.4
1 Less than a tenth of 1 percent.
T able B.—Percentage Distribution of Workers in SAWMILLS, by Straight-Time Average Hourly Earnings and Region, August 1944
North
West
Average hourly earnings
Under 40.0 cents_______ _______
40.0 and under 42.5 cents_______ __________
42.5 and under 45.0 cents__________ ______
45.0 and under 47.5 cents. _______________ _
47.5 and under 50.0 cents_________________
50.0 and under 52.5 cents_________________
52.5 and under 55.0 cents_________________
55.0 and under 57.5 cents............. ...................
57.5 and under 60.0 cents_________________
60.0 and under 62.5 cents................................
1 Less than a tenth of 1 percent.
Total,
United
States
0.4
14.2
1.8
10.9
1.3
22.7
1.0
3.6
.6
4.5
Total
Douglas Western Redwood
Pine
Fir
region region region
0)
0)
(i)
(i)
p)
(!)
0.1
(i)
(x)
(i)
(i)
p)
.1
.2
0.1
(i)
(x)
(x)
.1
Lake
States
0.1
1.1
.2
4.2
0.2
10.6
1.1
29.9
.3
7.6
5.5
.9
4.7
7.0
14.5
1.4
.4
0.1
(x)
(x)
Prairie
States
Total
0.2
.1
.4
.2
7.3
1.9
17.6
South
North Middle
New
Central Atlantic England
States
States
States
0.2
4.5
1.2
.1
.1
1.2
.9
.1
1.8
.8
0.2
2.1
(x)
.4
.8
20.9
8.3
10.3
9.1
1.1
2.6
27.0
1.2
2.1
24.8*
1.3
.6
2.8
.2
6.7
1.3
6.7
2.0
8.8
Total
0.6
22.2
2.8
16.9
1.9
34.1
1.5
4.5
.6
4.3
South South
eastern western
States
States
0. 7
26.1
2.0
16.4
1.4
33.8
1.0
4.1
.4
3.8
0.6
10.3
5.3
18.7
3.6
35.2
2.9
6.1
1.1
5.9
62.5 and under 65.0 cents..............................
65.0 and under 67.5 cents.............................
67.5 and under 70.0 cents................................
70.0 and under 72.5 cents.............................
72.5 and under 75.0 cents..............................
75.0 and under 77.5 cents........................... .
77.5 and under 80.0 cents............................
80.0 and under 82.5 cents................................
82.5 and under 85.0 cents........ .......................
85.0 and under 87.5 cents.............................
87.5 and under 90.0 cents.............................. .
90.0 and under 92.5 cents................................
92.5 and under 95.0 cents_____________ ____
95.0 and under 97.5 cents______________
97.5 and under 100.0 cents_______________
100.0 and under 105.0 cents__________ _____
105.0 and under 110.0 cents.............................
110.0 and under 115.0 cents........................... .
115.0 and under 120.0 cents.............................
120.0 and under 125.0 cents........ ................. .
125.0 and under 130.0 cents...........................
130.0 and under 135.0 cents______ ______
135.0 and under 140.0 cents_____ ____ ______
140.0 and under 145.0 cents_____________
145.0 and under 150.0 cents________________
150.0 and under 160.0 cents_______ ______
160.0and under 170.0 cents.........................
170.0 and under 180.0 cents........ ....................
180.0 and under 190.0 cents..... .......................
190.0 and under 200.0 cents________________
290.0 cents and over........................................
Total, all workers..... ......................... .
1.3
2.0
.6
1. 5
.3
.l
.4
.2
.5
.3
(ij
(i)
.l
.i
.9
.4
1. 0
.6
2.1
2.2
1.1
.1
1.2
1.2
1.6
4.0
4.7
.1
.1
.1
.9
3.1
7.1
9.0
4.9
11.7
.3
17.4
9.4
.4
1.7
1.8
3.6
2.3
3.0
1.5
4.8
2.0
1.7
1.4
.8
.9
.4
.3
.3
.2
.5
.3
.2
.1
.1
.4
.4
8.0
10.1
5.2
13.5
7.1
5.4
4.9
2.7
2.8
1.5
1.2
11.8
15.9
6.1
16.3
9.4
5.2
6.0
2.3
2.7
1.0
.7
.7
.4
.9
.7
1.7
1.0
.4
.3
.2
.2
1.1
.6
1.6
.7
.5
.5
6.6
4.5
5.0
4.2
11.0
4.8
5.5
4.0
3.1
.5
i
i!e
13.1
8.1
6.6
3.9
4.8
3.1
6.9
9.9
5.8
6.6
2.0
2.6
2.4
1.9
1.5
8.1
2.8
.9
.9
4.6
1.1
2.2
1.5
.8
.6
.4
2.8
3.7
1.1
1.2
.8
.6
.1
.1
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
Number of workers................................... .
170,430
Average hourly earnings. ________________
$0.67
45,981
$1.04
22,102
22,019
$1.05
1,860
$1.06
1 Less than a tenth of 1 percent.
$1.03
T able C.— Percentage Distribution o f W orkers in V E N E ER M IL L S , b y Straight-Time
Average H ou rly Earnings and Region , August 1944
Average hourly earnings
Total,
United
States
North
South
40.0 and under 42,5 cent*
____ __ __
42.5 and under 45.0 cents____________________________________
45.6 and under 47.5 c e n ts.___________________________ _______
47.5 and under 50.0 cents...................................................................
50.0 and under 52.5 cents..... ............................................................
52.5 and under 55.0 cents.......................................... ............. ..........
22.1
3.4
.3
5.6
1.7
16.6
27.9
7.6
24.1
1.9
18.5
55.0 and under 57.5 cents _ . _______________________________
57.5 and under 60.0 cents _ _ _______________________________
66.6 and under 62.5 cents
_ _ ______________________________
62.5 and under 65.0 cents..... ......................... .......... ........................
65.0 and under 67.5 cents.. ______ _____ _____ ________________
67.5 and under 70.0 cents _ ______________________________
6.6
1.8
11.0
5.2
11.6
4.0
5.3
19.7
1.9
18.0
1.3
5.8
2.0
4.3
1.8
70.0 and under 72.5 cents____________________ ______ __ ______
72.5 and under 75.0 cents................ .......... ........................................
75.0 and under 77.5 cents____________________________________
77.5 and under 66.0 cen ts____________________________________
66.0 and under 82.5 cen ts____________________________________
82.5 and under 85.0 cents .......................... ...................... ..............
2.1
1.0
85.0 and under 87.5 c e n ts___________________________________
87.5 and under 96.0 cen ts____________________________________
90.0 and under 92.5 cen ts____________________________________
92.5 and under 95.0 cents
. ______________________________
95.0 and under 97.5 cents ___________________________________
97.5 and under 106.0 c en ts___________________________________
.5
.3
100.0 and under 105.0 cents_________________ _____ ___________
105.0 and under 110.0 cents___________________________________
110.0 and under 115.0 cents___________________________________
115.0 and under 120.0 cents___________________________________
120.0 arid under 125.0 cents
125.0 and under 130.0 cents - ____________________________ _
130.0 and under 135.0 eents
__
135.0 and under 140.0 cents___________________________________
1.5
.3
.7
.1
1.9
1.8
5.8
13.6
5.3
.8
1.4
.7
5.5
2.7
4.3
1.0
.5
.6
.4
.5
.5
1.4
.4
.3
.1
.1
.3
.2
.7
1.1
.4
1.0
.5
.1
.3
.1
.3
.2
.1
(9
<9
1.1
2.0
.6
.1
(9
1.8
.2
1.0
.7
.2
.1
.3
.1
.1
(9
.3
(9
Total, all workers___ _________________________ _____ ___
100.0
100.0
100.0
Number of workers_________________________________________
4,727
1,144
3,583
Average hourly earnings
$0.52
$0.62
$0.46
........... .................. ............................. .
1 Less than a tenth of 1 percent.
39
T able D .— Percentage Distribution o f W orkers in C O O P E R A G E -ST O C K M IL L S , b y
Straight-Time Average H ou rly Earnings and Region, August 1944
South
Average hourly earnings
Under 40.0 cents................ .................._............ ......
40.0 and under 42.5 cents............................. . ...........
42.5 and under 45.0 cents........ .............................
45.0 and under 47.5 cents____ ________ __________
47.5 and under 50.0 cents...
50.0 and under 52.5 cents...... .............................. ......
52.5 and under 55.0 cents...
.
...
55.0 and under 57.5 cents____________ __________
57.5 and under 60.0 cents
_
__
____
60.0 and under 62.5 cents............... ........... ...............
62.5 and under 65.0 cents---------- ----- ----- ---65.0 and under 67.5 cents........... ....... ....... ...............
Total,
United
States
0.1
South
eastern
States
0.1
19.5
17.4
1.5
19.9
27.8
25.4
22.0
4.1
12.0
1.7
3.5
3.7
4.0
3.3
9.1
5.0
10.4
3.0
3.6
4.6
2.4
1.0
1.1
1.2
0.8
1.6
1.1
6.2
.5
1.5
.7
82.5 and under 85.0 cents_______________________
85.0 and under 87.5 cents--------- ----------------87.5 and under 90.0 cents.........................................
1.2
.8
.1
92.5 and under 95.0 cents...........................................
95.0 and under 97.5 cents___________ . _________
.2
..6
97.5 and under 100.0 cents_______ ______________
100.0 and under 105.0 cents_______ _____ ________
105.0 and under 110.0 cents______________________
.4
_.l
1.1
1.8
1.0
2.5
i.7
2.9
.4
.4
1.7
.5
90.0 and under 92.5 cents
120.0 and under 125.0 cents— __ _______________
125.0 and under 130.0 cents
. .
Total
0.1
16.3
1.4
19.9
5.6
25.6
67.5 and under 70.0 cents.............. .............................
70.0 and under 72.5 cents_______________________
72.5 and under 75.0 cents----------- ----- --------75.0 and under 77.5 cents---------- ---- ------- —
77.5 and under 80.0 cents-------------------------80.0 and under 82.5 cents..........................................
110.0 and under 115.0 cen ts
115.0 and under 120.0 cents
North
.2
(i)
.1
(i)
3.3
.4
1.7
6.0
20.5
2. 0
23.3
5.1
2.0
1.1
1.2
6.0
2.8
1.9
.4
1.4
.4
.8
1.1
1.0
.8
.8
1.3
1.7
.8
.1
.6
.2
.6
.2
.1
.1
1.0
.2
.4
.2
.5
.2
C1)
South
western
States
9.6
.2
11.0
8.4
33.8
.7
3.0
1.5
12.3
2.3
3.9
.7
3.7
.4
2.4
.7
1.8
.4
.3
.1
1.0
.2
1.0
.4
.1
.2
100.0
.4
Total, all workers.................................. -....... .
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
Number of workers.................................... ...............
3,669
241
3,428
2,459
969
Average hourly earnings.............................. .............
$0.53
$0.59
$0.52
$0.51
$0.55
1 Less than a tenth of 1 percent.
40
T able E.— Percentage Distribution of W orkers in P L Y W O O D M IL L S , b y StraightT im e Average H ou rly Earnings and Region, August 1944
North
Average hourly earnings
Under 40.0 c e n t s . ___ _______________
4ftT0 and nndftr 42.5 cents
42.5 and under 45.0 cents______________
45.0 and under 47.5 cents..........................
47.5 and under 50.0 cents..........................
50.0 and under 52.5 cents........ .................
52.5 and under 55.0 cents..... ............... ......
55.0 and under 57.5 cents__________ ____
57.5 and under 60.0 cents______________
60.0 and under 62.5 cents...........................
62.5 and under 65.0 cents. .........................
65.0 and under 67.5 cents.........................
Total,
United
States
0.4
0)
3.7
1.3
3. 3
11. 0
11.2
4.1
13.2
2.1
8.8
6.3
2.1
4.1
1.3
3.0
82.5 and under 85.0 cents______________
85.0 and under 87.5 cents................... .......
87.5 and under 90.0 cents................ ..........
90.0 and under 92.5 cents................... .......
92.5 and under 95.0 cents................... .......
95.0 and under 97.5 cents......................... .
.8
.9
.4
8.1
4.6
4.9
3.7
3.8
2.6
3.5
4. 6
2.0
11.4
9.0
9.0
5.8
8.9
11.9
5.1
2.3
.3
0)
0)
0)
(»)
6.0
.7
6.9
9.2
5.1
6.0
4.7
3.5
4.7
1.7
3.0
4.1
5.9
1.6
8.2
1.1
2.2
.1
2.2
1.7
.2
2.0
.2
2.0
.2
3.5
.5
.5
.3
.7
(0
.4
0)
2.8
2.0
0.3
.4
5.6
6.9
2.8
15. 0
12.7
3.1
20.1
11.2
6.9
4.2
12.0
1.2
27. 0
8. 7
23.8
5.3
7.9
2.0
1. 5
.9
.7
0.1
6. 6
2. 3
14.9
4. 0
14.3
.2
South
.9
5.4
.5
3.6
.1
1.9
3.1
5.1
0)
0.4
Other
northern
States
2.6
6.1
1.6
Lake
States
3.9
8.1
2.9
1.0
2.2
.6
125.0 and under 130.0 cents.....................—
130.0 and under 135.0 cents_____________
135.0 and under 140.0 cents................... .
140.0 and under 145.0 cents_____________
145.0 and under 150.0 cents.......................
150.0 and under 160.0 cents_____________
Total
10. 0
67.5 and under 70.0 cents..........................
70.0 and under 72.5 cents...........................
72.5 and under 75.0 cents.............. ...........
75.0 and Under 77.5 cents .. _____ _____
77.5 and under 80.0 cents.__ __________
80.0 and under 82.5 cents___ __________
97.5 and under 100.0 cents..___ ________
100.0 and under 105.0 cents..... ....... ........ .
105.0 and under 110.0 cents_______ _____
110.0 and under 115.0 cents_____________
115.0 and under 120.0 cents_____________
120.0 and under 125.0 cents..................... .
West
1.9
1.1
.7
1.1
1.3
1.5
.9
1.2
.7
.2
.1
.1
3.0
1.8
1.3
1.6
2. 3
2.1
1.2
2.1
8.8
.6
1.0
.6
.5
1.4
.3
.1
.1
.1
.1
.2
.5
1.2
.5
.3
.1
.3
.5
.1
.1
.1
.1
.1
.1
(l)
.1
Total, all workers............................
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
Number of workers___________________
10,221
3,882
2,956
1,412
1,544
3,383
Average hourly earnings..........................
$0.73
$1.03
$0.62
$0.67
$0.57
$0.49
1 Less than a tenth of 1 percent.
T able F.— Percentage Distribution o f W orkers in B A S IC L U M B E R IN D U S T R Y , b y Straight-Time Average H ourly Earnings, Branch of
Industry , and M ethod of W age Payment , August 1944
Logging
camps
Total, all
branches
Veneer
m ills1
Sawmills
Shingle
mills 12
Cooperagestock m ills1
Plywood
mills
Average hourly earnings
Incen
tive
Time
Incen
tive
0.4
13.3
1.5
10.7
1.1
26.0
.9
4.1
.6
5.1
0.4
1.0
.9
2.1
1.4
3.8
2.2
3.0
2.3
2.3
0.4
1.0
.6
1.9
1.2
3.6
1.9
2.9
2.2
2.2
1.8
2.2
0.3
11.0
.8
9.3
.8
31.7
.8
4.7
.8
6.1
2.5
Time
Under 40.0 cents________________________
40.0 and under 42.5 cents_____________ ____
42.5 and under 45.0 cents.............. ............. ..
45.0 and under 47.5 cents_____________ ____
47.5 and under 50.0 cents................................
50.0 and under 52.5 cents................................
52.5 and under 55.0 cents...............................
55.0 and under 57.5 cents................................
57.5 and under 60.0 cents........................ .......
60.0 and under 62.5 cents................................
62.5 and under 65.0 cents., ....... ......................
65.0 and under 67.5 cents_________________
67.5 and under 70.0 cents_________________
70.0 and under 72.5 cents__________ _____
72.5 and under 75.0 cents................................
75.0 and under 77.5 cents______ ___________
77.5 and under 80.0 cents_____________ ____
80.0 and under 82.5 cents________________ _
82.5 and under 85.0 cents___________ ______
85.0 and under 87.5 cents................................
87.5 and under 90.0 cents................... ............
90.0 and under 92.5 cents____ ____ ________
92.5 and under 95.0 cents_________________
95.0 and under 97.5 cents_________________
97.5 and under 100.0 cents..............................
100.0 and under 105.0 cents_____________ _
105.0 and under 110.0 cents___ ___________
110.0 and under 115.0 cents........ ...................
115.0 and under 120.0 cents.............................
120.0 and under 125.0 cents....................... .
1.9
.4
1.4
.3
2.1
.3
1.0
.9
1.2
1.5
2.7
1.6
2.0
1.2
3.9
2.3
2.0
2.0
1.1
2.9
2.0
2.7
1.7
2.3
1.7
1.9
1.7
1.3
1.7
1.9
1.4
1.3
1.5
2.7
2.1
2.6
2.2
2.1
1.8
.3
1.1
.2
2.0
.2
.8
.4
.5
1.2
1.0
.5
.3
.6
2.6
2.6
2.4
2. 7
1.7
2.2
2.6
1.8
2.8
1.8
2.5
1.6
2.0
1.8
1.3
2.1
2.2
1.4
1.4
1.6
2.6
2.1
2.6
2.3
2.0
Time
0.4
14. 6
1.8
11.1
1.3
23.1
1.0
3.6
.5
4.6
1.3
2.0
.5
1.5
.3
2.3
.3
1.2
1.3
1.7
1.9
3.7
2.3
3.1
1.5
4.8
2. 0
1.6
1.4
.7
Incen
tive
0.3
.6
1.8
3.1
.8
4.6
2.7
2.8
2.0
2.1
1.5
1. 7
2.3
1.9
1.1
1. 6
1.3
1. 5
.9
.8
.7
1. 0
1.2
.8
1.5
3.4
2. 6
3. 6
2. 7
3.2
Time
22*3
5.9
19.9
1.6
18.2
1.3
6. 5
1. 6
5. 7
2. 0
4.1
1.9
Incen
tive
Time
Incen
tive
3.0
3.0
2. 0
15. 0
7.0
1.0
12.0
13. 0
13.0
1.0
14. 0
2.1
1.0
3.0
1. 5
.3
.7
.1
.5
.3
1.0
0.3
4. 0
2. 0
Time
18.3
l! 5
22.3
5.4
27. 5
1.6
4.1
.6
5.6
3.3
3.4
.5
.6
2.3
1. 5
.3
.7
.7
.2
.1
1.0
.3
.6
.1
6.4
.2
.7
.2
.4
.1
.2
.6
4. 0
1. 0
9. 7
18. 6
14. 4
5. 3
6. 6
4.7
.i
.2
.1
1. 2
2. 3
.4
3.7
(3)
Incen
tive
0.5
1.8
!5
1. 6
7.3
9.2
.9
4.3
5.2
11.2
9.3
3.0
5. 5
10.4
2.3
1. 6
4.1
3.9
5.2
5. 5
.2
Time
0.5
ll! 2
3! 5
12.6
1.4
9.3
1.3
3.6
.5
2.8
1.0
1.3
[4
2.1
]1
1.2
(3)
.5
.3
.5
.2
2.3
.5
.9
.5
1.4
9.3
5.1
5.4
4.2
4.2
.9
4. 0
5.3
2.3
2.8
Incen
tive
0.1
Z. 9
2.2
3.1
6! 0
5.7
6.8
7. 0
5. 7
4* 0
4. 7
12.1
3.8
2.3
3* 5
3. 5
5. 7
2. 0
3.3
2.9
1.3
l! 5
2.1
1.9
1.1
1.9
1.3
.3
.3
1 Does not include data for veneer and cooperage-stock mills in the West, as these two branches of the industry are relatively unimportant in that area.
2 Based only on data for shingle mills in the Douglas Fir region of the Far West, which produced approximately 95 percent of all shingles manufactured in the United States,
a Less than a tenth of 1 percent.
T able F.— Percentage Distribution o f W orkers in B A S IC L U M B E R IN D U S T R Y , b y Straight-Time Average H ourly Earnings, Branch of
Industry, and M ethod of W age Payment , August 1944— Continued
Average hourly earnings
Total, all
branches
Time
125.0 and under 130.0 cents.............................
130.0 and under 135.0 cents.............................
135.0 and under 140.0 cents.............................
140.0 and under 145.0 cents
145.C and under 150.0 cents
_____ ____
150.0 and under 160.0 cents
_______
100.0 and under 170.0 cents
170.0 and under 180.0 cents
180.0 and under 190.0 cents
190.0 and under 200.0 cents
__ _
200.0 cents and over
_ _______ _____
1.6
.6
.5
.4
.2
.8
.2
.2
.1
(i*3)
.1
Logging
camps
Incen
tive
2.1
2.0
2.0
1.9
2.4
4.3
3.8
3.3
3.7
3.0
12.3
Time
2.7
1.1
.9
.7
.5
1.6
.2
.3
.1
(3)
.1
Sawmills
Incen
tive
2.0
1.8
1.7
1.7
2.2
3.6
3.8
3.4
4.2
3.3
13.7
Time
0.9
.4
.3
.2 '
.1
.3
.2
.1
(3)
(3)
Veneer
m ills 1
Incen
tive
3.3
3.4
3.4
2.8
Time
Incen
tive
0.2
Incen
tive
4.4
2.3
1.3
3.3
3.7
5.0
5.7
7.5
8.9
15.9
15.9
9.4
9.2
6.4
4.8
3.9
1.9
3.1
6.4
3.0
2.7
2.3
2.8
8.1
1.9
2.2
1.6
.1
Time
2.2
(3)
(3)
11.9
Cooperagestock m ills 1
Shingle
mills *
Time
Incen
tive
Plywood
mills
Time
Incen
tive
2.7
.3
(3)
.1
(3)
(3)
(3)
100.0
100. 0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100. 0
100.0
Number of workers_________________ ____ 298,107
$0.66
Average hourly earnings..................... ..........
33,609
$ 1.20
115,806
$0.68
25,185
$1.23
165,119
$0. 65
5,311
$1.21
4,627
$0.52
100
$0. 61
639
$1. 23
1,039
$1. 59
3,230
$0. 51
439
$0.67
8, 686
1, 535
$0.67
Total, all workers..............................
$0.74
i Does not include data for veneer and cooperage-stock mills in the West, as these two branches of the industry are relatively unimportant in that area,
a Based only on data for shingle m ills in the Douglas Fir region of the Far West, which produces approximately 95 percent of all shingles manufactured in the United States,
s Less than a tenth of 1 percent.
43
T able G.—Straight-Time Average H ou rly Earnings of W orkers in Logging Camps
in W est , b y Occupation and Region , August 1944
Total,
West
Occupation
■ RralrAmeo, head
_______________
Bulldozer operators_____________________
Oat doctors
_______________________
Cat drivers (tractor),___________________
Chasers, high lead and skidder side_______
Choker setters, cat side ____ ___________
Donkev doctors
___________________
Engineers, high lead and skidder slackline..,
Engineers, mechanical loading _________
Engineers, rail transportation ___________
Fafiers and buckers, hand_______________
Fallers and buckers, power______________
Filers, woods
______________________
Firemen, rail transportation. ___________
loaders, Tn^hanipal loading ________
Head rigging slingers, high lead and skidder
slackline
_______________________
Hook tenders, cat side
-. . ___________
Hook tenders, high lead and skidder slackline
T.imKoro onH ImAttPfQ
Motor patrol operators _________________
Powdermen
______________________
Rigging slingers, cat side _______________
Scalers woods
________
Second loaders, rneehanieft.! loading___ •___
Second rigging slingers, high lead and skidder
slackline
_ __ ___________________
Section hands
_______________
Tire and grease men
________________
Truck drivers, hauling _________________
HTpimlr mftf>hftnira
_ _ _ ________
Whistle punks, high lead and skidder slack
line
...............T............ ............
Douglas Fir Western Pine
region
region
Redwood
region
Num
ber
of
work
ers
Aver Num Aver Num Aver Num Aver
age
ber
ber
age
age
ber
age
hourly of hourly of hourly of hourly
earn work earn work earn work earn
ings
ings
ers
ers
ings
ers
ings
35,594
$1.37 20,898
175
.260
227
533
779
291
1,601
432
2,914
87
696
.1,224
282
11,001
1,623
563
265
.1,0 5
534
304
642
407
186
360
422
634
1,546
$1.45 13,441 $1.24
= .... j =*■•=■■ =
1.69
1.85
1.35
.99
1.34
105
167
133
350
355
97
572
432
1, 526
87
696
699
182
7,002
848
395
163
707
1.31
1.41
1.52
1.07
1.18
534
199
642
17
79
1.31
1.47
1.52
.98
167
331
584
1.24
1.29
1.21
1.14
1.03
1.47
1.35
1.28
1.29
1.12
1.05
1.36
1.34
1.29
1.20
1.12
1.11
1.17
1.12
202
1.28
1.18
1.07
1.53
1.44
1.39
1.40
1.12
1.10
1.36
1.34
1.33
1.23
1.78
1.97
1.44
1.01
1.38
1.21
1.20
1.20
61
82
77
164
399
182
948
0)
1,289
C)
C1)
490
89
3,746
469
147
92
305
C1)
79
C1)
390
103
145
235
284
907
1.00
0)
0)
1.25
1.17
1.56
1.60
1.15
.96
1.29
0)
1.26
0)
1.07
1.16,
1.02
1.02
1.03
1.07
1.02
1.11
1.21
253
546
124
1,786
394
1.18
.90
1.06
1.18
1.26
427
1C6
1,946
279
.83
.97
1.05
1.14
524
1.07
524
1.07
0)
0)
0)
9
1.10
1.07
.98
1.36
1.27
1.23
1.23
0)
253
1,028
232
3,838
676
1.18
.87
1,255
0)
11
17
19
25
12
81
0)
99
C1)
0)
35
11
253
306
21
10
43
(0
26
(*)
$1.34
=
1.18
1.07
.95
1.21
1.29
1.25
1.22
(l)
1.06
0)
0)
1.16
1.11
1.29
1.90
1.19
.92
1.20
0)
1.36
0)
4
13
(2)
1.08
19
55
1.09
1.07
20
C)
55
2
106
3
0)
1.21
0)
. 85
(2)
1.10
(2)
0)
1 No information obtained for workers in this occupation which is not commonly found in this district.
2 Insufficient number of plants and/or workers to justify presentation of an average.
44
T able H .-S tra ig h t-T im e Average H ourly Earnings of W orkers in Logging Camps
in North and South , b y Occupation and R egion , August 1944
North
Occupation
Total
South
North- Middle New
Eng
Prairie Lake Central
States States States Atlantic
land
States States
South South
Total eastern western
States States
Average hourly earnings
Total, selected occupations. _ $0.81
Blacksmiths........................
Bull buckers...... .................
Bulldozer operators............
Cat doctors___ __________
Cat drivers (tractor)______
Choker setters, cat side---Engineers, mechanical loading---------------------Fallers and buckers, hand. _.
Fallers and buckers, power..
Filers, woods____________
Head loaders, mechanical
loading________________
Landing^men____________
Limbers and knotters_____
Loaders, hand___________
Rigging slingers, cat side_
Road monkeys. 1_________
Scalers, woods.......... ..........
Second loaders, mechanical
loading________________
Section hands____________
Teamsters, skidding______
Truck drivers, hauling........
Truck mechanics_________
Winch operators, skidding..
.73
.81
.87
.78
.801
$0.78
.75
.94
.71
.82
.73
.81
.69
.97
.91
0
.70
.92
.81
0
.66
.67
.63
.69
.67
.79
(i2)
.88
.86
0
0
.68
.76
.65
.73
.73
.65
.62
.74
$0.84
$0.63
.68
0
(l)
.69
.62
.78
.52
.81
.67
0)
.69
.64
.62
.82
.78
.67
.64
.74
.71
.72
.79
(2)
.64
(2)
.68
0
0
.63
.57
.54
0)
.60
0
.60
.65
.60
(l)
(2)
.68
.79
.87
.86
$0.53
$0.52
.69
.65
.62
.56
.47
.66
.67
.71
.65
.61
.56
.47
.62
.69
.60
.44
$0.58
.62
.66
.66
.77
.87
.64
.71
.85
.76
0
1.01
.55
.53
.57
.78
.55
.51
.57
.57
. 6’
.61
.53
1.23
.67
.58
.67
(!)
.67
(!)
.79
.71
.70
.58
.73
.51
.49
.52
.50
.48
.47
.57
.50
.49
.52
.50
.48
.47
.60
..55
.49
.47
.48
. 51
.46
.54
.69
.70
.87
(2)
.48
.49
.49
.53
.70
.53
.48
.50
.49
.53
.72
.53
.49
.47
.50
.53
.80
.63
.65
.66
$0.89
.79
.91
(l)
0
.75
$0.77
.91
.62
0
.66
.70
.69
.67
.78
(2)
0
.66
(2)
Number of workers
Total, selected occupations.. 16,330
320
4,687
2, 670
2,624
6,029
89,067
72,063
124
185
137
27
879
266
1
65
17
98
4
56
15
68
40
43
23
72
3
2,102
100
18
7
203
58
1
40
8,300
104
325
Blacksmiths_____________
Bull buckers........ .......... .
Bulldozer operators_______
Cat doctors______________
Cat drivers (tractor)...........
Choker setters, cat side____
Engineers, mechanical load
ing---------------------Fallers and buckers, hand...
Fallers and buckers, power..
Filers, woods______ _____
Head loaders, mechanical
loading_______ _______ _
Landing men.....................
Limbers and knotters_____
Loaders, hand.....................
Rigging slingers, cat side__
Road monkeys....................
Scalers, woods____ ______
Second loaders, mechanical
loading_______ ________
Section hands.................... .
Teamsters, skidding..........
Truck drivers, hauling____
Truck mechanics_________
Winch operators, skidding..
150
8,421
159
59
52
175
138
453
48
598
196
207
212
2,101
1,677
66
189
1
4
8
2
6
4
20
56
10
42
3, 510
2,861
60
1, 584
89
36
3,307
2,803
1
497
39,407
3,046
1,030
457
31,107
2,942
705
16
24
31
89
3
43
39
265
125
19
250
117
579
1,130
1,811
3,281
437
1,245
335
456
1,046
1,709
3,074
362
1,060
168
971
703
10,902
14,049
235
722
658
488
8,279
10,793
158
722
270
116
10
8
129
81
3
3
237
32
225
30
119
2,255
38
15
1,205
10
24
14
1,171
85
5
3,601
26
29
46
54
19
104
6
29
62
14
72
46
117
54
178
85
551
463
32
2
14
127
288
462
12
9
2
332
334
910
362
12
10
17,004
12
518
11
6
123
84
102
207
75
185
167
313
215
2,623
3,256
77
i Insufficient number of plants and/or workers to justify presentation of an average.
* No information obtained for workers in this occupation which is not commonly found in this region.
45
T able I.— Straight-Time Average H ou rly Earnings of W orkers in Sawmills in W est ,
b y Occupation and Region, August 1944
Douglas Fir
region
Total,
West
Occupation
Num
ber of
work
ers
Total, selected occupations................. ......... 45,981
SawmillSf including planing mills
Blacksmiths—...............................................
Car loaders...................................................
Carpenters............................. .......... ..........
Carrier drivers....... ................................ —
Clean-up m e n ...----- --- -------- -------Cut-off saw operators.................. ............... .
Deckmen, including dragsaw men________
Doggers, head rig_______________________
Edgermen........ ......... ............................... .
Edger off-bearers.......... ...............................
Electricians......... .........................................
Filers......................................................— .
Filers, bench................................................
Filers’, helpers........................................... .
Firemen............ ...................................^___
Gang saw off-bearers.____ ______ ________
Gang saw spotters_____ ______ __________
Gang sawyers--------------------- ------ Garage mechanics............. ...........................
Graders, finish chain_____ ______________
Graders or markers, green chain ..................
Graders, rough dry chain..............................
Helpers, maintenance___________________
Hog feeders........... ................ ......................
Kiln tenders................. ....................... .......
Knife grinders..............................................
Machinists.................................................
Off-bearers, head rig—______ ____________
Oilers..................... .....................................
Operating engineers..................... ................
Operating millwrights___________________
Pilers, yard, including timber handlers____
Pipe fitters____________________________
Planer feeders, including matcher and sizer
feeders___________________ __________
Planer off-bearers, including matcher and
sizer off-bearers............. ............................
Planer operators, including matcher and
sizer operators________________________
Pondmen, including slipmen_____________
Pullers, dry chain_________^-------------Pullers, green chain----------------------Resaw off-bearers, planing m ills..________
Resawyers, head mill.............................. .
Resawyers, planing mills___________ ____
Sawers, head rig------- ------ ------- ----Setters, head rig______ _____ ___________
Set-up men, planing m i l l . ______ _______
Sorters, planed lumber_______ __________
Stacker-carrier operators.............. ............... .
Stackers, dry kiln.......... ............... ...............
Straighteners, green chain.............................
Tallym en......... ..........................................
Transfer car operators, dry kiln___________
Trimmer spotters........................................ .
Trimmermen, head m ill................ .............
Trimmermen, planing mill.................. .........
Truck drivers, yard..................................... .
Unstackers, dry kiln.....................................
Utility men..................................................
Watchmen, service......................................
Box factory
Car loaders_________________________ _
Cut-off saw off-bearers................. _•________
Cut-off saw operators...... ............. ...........
Machine hikeaways........ ................... .........
Nailing, stapling, and stitching machine
operators................ ................... ..............
Planer feeders.............................................. .
Planer men....................... ...........................
Resaw off-bearers..........................................
Resawyers.....................................................
Tying machine operators.______ _________
181
2,474
420
883
1,229
691
1,133
717
1,311
920
321
470
131
252
1,309
28
44
70
258
877
808
261
458
399
149
113
355
1,292
495
518
1,151
1,536
148
Western Pine
region
Redwood
region
Aver Num Aver Num Aver Num Aver
age ber of age ber of age ber of age
hourly work hourly work hourly
hourly work
earn ers
earn ers
ings
earn
ers
ings
ings
ings
ings
$1.04 22,102
1.15
1.15
1.12
1.04
.88
.94
.96
.96
1.12
.90
1.20
1.67
1.32
1.10
.95
.97
.94
1.13
1.14
1.10
1.08
1.14
1.01
.91
1.05
1.17
69
1,412
161
561
680
448
473
419
524
419
157
202
70
131
580
28
44
70
98
444
429
50
314
212
$1.03 22,019
1.21
1.06
1.16
1.05
.90
.98
.98
.97
1.16
.93
1.21
1.62
1.37
1.12
.99
.97
.94
1.13
1.15
1.07
1.07
1.06
1.04
.95
1.06
1.17
1.25
.98
$1.05
1,860
107
1.11
992
1.26
213
1.11
299
1. 01
485
.-85
228
.88
603 ■ .94
282
.95
713
1.08
465
.87
147
1.19
250
1.72
54
1.28
108
1.07
679
.92
5
70
46
23
64
15
57
16
64
36
17
18
7
13
50
0
0
0
143
401
328
208
125
163
0
0
0
1.12
0
0
0
1.15
1.10
1.16
.94
.86
17
32
51
3
19
24
806
.97
482
1.00
303
657
.90
379
.94
248
231
1,406
831
4,518
124
388
128
1.12
143
764
272
2,738
64
280
48
499
495
233
617
49
401
137
543
45
283
486
348
299
192
918
825
1.10
1.00
87
607
546
1,527
42
91
70
654
656
115
311
92
482
1.14
.93
1. 05
1
0
0
(i)
(i)
(!)
(0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0)
0
1,221
1,206
353
928
156
897
137
895
146
476
1,056
* 462
841
488
1,893
1,628
143
455
385
283
227
49
46
495
512
112
.96
1.02
1.02
.90
1.08
.99
1.47
1.08
1.16
.91
1.03
1.22
.93
1.05
.94
.95
1.02
.96
1.01
1.10
.87
.84
.88
.81
1.05
.81
.88
.91
1.15
.81
.96
.87
.93
.97
.92
1.10
.98
1.54
1.07
1.18
.93
1.07
1.05
.93
1.06
.97
.97
1.05
.98
1.04
.98
.90
.87
(!)
0
0
0
0
0
300
112
36
52
23
54
1.18
1. 33
.91
21
1.02
30
1.11
.87
1.04
1.00
35
13
253
18
17
10
68
1.42
1.09
1.13
.87
.97
1.36
0
.81
1.05
.81
227
49
46
495
512
.99
.83
143
455
385
283
101
1.10
0
1.06
532
262
872
731
165
502
1. 25
.99
66
8
1.03
.94
.93
.97
.91
.99
1.18
.84
.81
101
0
0
0
1.02
1.01
1.11
.95
1.14
1.20
1. 57
1.23
1. 01
.97
20
1.00
50
163
692
237
279
412
932
69
1.13
1.12
.88
1.11
1.11
.96
.96
1.C8
1.19
1.38
1.18
1.21
1.04
1.18
1.18
.94
.92
1.04
1.15
1.65
1.23
1.11
1.40
1.05
.99
.85
.99
.97
.98
1. 26
.90
11
8
50
55
156
548
238
216
685
538
71
88
$1.06
0
1.12
.88
0
0
.93
.99
.92
1.01
0
1.46
55
5
1.11
0
15
14
1.25
1.26
52
28
68
13
10
34
103
72
0
1.06
.88
1.12
.89
0
0
.90
.82
.88
.88
.91
1.15
.81
.96
.87
1 No information obtained for workers in this occupation which is not commonly found in this region.
2 Insufficient number of plants and/or workers to justify presentation of an average.
46
T able J.— Straight-Time Average H ou rly Earnings of W orkers in Sawmills in N orth
and South, b y Occupation and Region , August 1944
North
Occupation
South
North Mid
New
South- South
dle
Eng Total east west
Lake Cen Atlan
Total Prairie
States States tral
land
ern
ern
tic States
States States
States States
Average hourly earnings
Total, selected occupations................ $0.69
Blacksmiths.......... ................... .......
.76
Car loaders______ _______________
.65
Carpenters........................ ....... _____
.80
Carrier drivers__________________
.65
Clean-up men___________________
.62
.62
Cut-off saw operators--------------Deckmen, including dragsaw men___
.67
Doggers, head rig________________
.67
Edgermen________ ________ ___ ___
.70
.62
Edger off-bearers_................... ....... .
Electricians............................ ..........
.90
.99
Filers........ ............................. ..........
.84
Filers, bench.....................................
Filers’ helpers.................................. .
.70
Firemen.......... ..................................
.63
Firemen’s helpers— ........ ............. .
.62
Garage mechanics____ ___________
.79
Graders, finish chain--------------. 71
.76
Graders or markers, green chain____
Graders, rough dry chain. ............. .
.76
Helpers, maintenance..:...................
.71
Hog feeders.......................................
.67
.85
Kiln tenders________________ ____
Knife grinders______ ____________
.75
Machinists______________________
.88
Off-bearers, head rig---------------.66
Oilers______________________ ____
.64
Operating engineers------------ --.75
Operating millwrights-------------.81
Pilers, yard, including timber hand
.64
lers________________ __________
Planer feeders, including matcher
.66
and sizer feeders________________
Planer off-bearers, including matcher
.58
and sizer off-bearers-------------Planer operators, including matcher
.66
and sizer operators---- ----------Pondmen, including slipmen------- . .62
.59
Pullers, dry chain...----- ---------.62
Pullers, green chain---------- ----.64
Resaw off-bearers, head m ill_______
.61
Resaw off-bearers, planing m ill_____
.73
Resawyers, head m ill____________
.68
Resawyers, planing mill.......... .........
.93
Sawyers, head rig................ —.......
.69
Setters, head rig....... ........... ...........
.78
Set-up men, planing m ill....... . ........
.58
Sorters, planed lumber................. __.
.73
Stackers, dry k iln .............................
.79
Tallymen........... ............................. .
Tiers and bundle sorters, planing
.62
m ill.............. ..................................
.69
Tractor drivers_______ __________
.65
Trimmer spotters___________ _____
.66
Trimmermen, head m ill__________
.62
Trimmermen, planing mill...............
.68
Truck drivers, yard______________
.59
Unstackers, dry kiln.........................
.58
Utility men........... ..........................
.56
Watchmen, service______________
.56
Yard men, log, including hoistmen..
$0.64
$0.70
0)
.68
0)
.78
.58
.57
.55
.56
.62
.56
_
.88
0)
.55
C1)
.72
. 73
0)
__
0)
.66
.91
0)
.71
.59
.64
.64
.71
.63
.91
1.05
.81
.68
.70
.67
.79
.73
.77
.82
.74
.70
1.04
.79
.91
.64
$0.62
$0.67
$0.74
$0.51
$0.51
$0.52
0)
.76
.61
.75
.55
.58
.56
.59
.63
.55
.94
.99
.94
.81
.60
0)
.84
0)
.67
.64
.62
.52
.64
.64
.65
.71
.65
0)
.96
.83
0)
.59
0)
.74
0)
.74
.76
.69
.64
0)
.71
.74
.74
.65
.61
.46
.57
.48
.44
.48
.47
.49
.51
.47
.70
.90
.54
.48
.45
.64
.59
.57
.64
.51
.46
.64
.70
.72
.46
.48
.59
.74
.64
.47
.60
. 50
.47
.48
.49
.51
.54
.48
.78
.89
.80
.57
.51
.48
.61
.57
.54
.57
.58
.47
.64
.84
.75
.63
.72
.83
.62
.46
.58
.49
.45
.48
.48
.49
.51
.47
.74
.89
.73
.55
.48
.46
.63
.58
.56
.62
.54
.46
.64
.69
.74
.46
.49
.62
.73
.59
.74
V)
.68
.65
.76
.73
.74
.65
0)
.84
.94
0)
.62
0)
.78
0)
.80
0)
.76
.65
.75
.68
.77
.80
.71
.72
.74
.58
.61
.71
.85
1.06
.63
0)
.95
.82
.59
.63
.57
.63
.71
.48
.47
.50
.60
.67
.61
.66
.67
.50
.49
.52
0)
.56
0)
.82
.66
C1)
.68
.82
.48
.50
.65
.73
0)
.62
.55
.55
.60
.45
.45
.48
0)
.63
.67
.63
.67
.65
.64
.79
.71
.90
.73
.81
.65
.89
.84
.64
.57
.58
.54
.57
.59
.60
.65
.64
0)
.58
.55
0)
.58
0)
.89
.74
.59
0)
.65
.76
0)
.71
0)
.99
.62
.46
.46
.46
.46
.45
.51
.49
.80
.54
.74
.47
.50
.62
.63
.46
.46
.45
.45
.44
.51
.49
.80
.53
.74
.47
.48
.62
.57
.48
.46
.48
.48
.45
.53
.52
.80
.54
.73
.48
.54
.62
.47
.48
.47
.49
.48
.48
.46
.45
.45
.50
.45
.47
.45
.48
.47
.48
.46
.45
.44
.50
.49
.49
.49
.51
.49
.48
.48
.47
.47
.50
.63
.67
.63
(l)
.86
0)
.85
.66
V)
(i)
0)
0)
.71
• .68
.59
.72
.59
.55
.54
.59
.70
.65
.71
0)
.67
.61
.59
.63
.66
.91
.65
(!)
.55
.77
0)
.59
.59
.63
.58
.54
, 57
.52
.56
.68
0)
.68
V)
.75
.69
.76
.75
.58
0)
0)
.66
0)
0)
.58
.52
0)
.64
.65
.59
0)
.74
(i)
.58
.51
47
T able J.—Straight-Time Average H ou rly Earnings o f W orkers in Sawmills in North
and South , hy Occupation and Region , August 1944— Continued
North
Occupation
South
North Mid
South- South
New
dle
Eng Total east west
Lake Cen Atlan
Total Prairie
ern
land
ern
States States tral
tic States
States States
States States
Number of workers
Total, selected occupations________ 16,243
671
5,105
71
651
142
27
226
804
867
515
940
608
30
170
113
28
552
36
72
36
342
64
94
80
40
17
38
827
55
99
150
3
49
221
Blacksmiths----- -------- ---- ---Car loaders-----------------------Carpenters________ ___________ ~
Clean-up men....................... ............
Cut-off saw operators..... ..................
Deckmen, including dragsaw m en...
Doggers, head rig..........................: ~
Edgermen.............. . ...........— ....... Edger off-bearers...............................
Filers........... .................................. Filers, bench____________________
Filers* helpers......... ..........................
Firemen................... ..................... ..
Firemen’s helpers________________
Garage mechanics__________ _____
Graders, finish chain-------- -----Graders or markers, green chain---Graders, rough dry chain............. ...
Helpers, maintenance_____________
Hog feeders____________ _______
Kiln tenders___________________
Knife grinders_. _______________
Machinists
_
______________
Off-bearers, head rig-------- ---- —
Oilers__________________________
Operating engineers_____ ________
Operating millwrights-------------Filers, yard, including timber hand
lers------------------ ----------- 2,022
Pipe fitters_____________________
Planer feeders, including matcher
168
and sizer feeders.................. . .........
Planer off-bearers, including matcher
173
and sizer off-bearers— ........ .........
Planer operators, including matcher
87
and sizer operators______________
316
Pondmen, including slipmen------69
Pullers, dry chain _ __ _______
427
Pullers, green chain. ___ ________
80
Resaw off-bearers, head m ill....... —
34
Resaw off-bearers, planing m ill....... .
111
Resawyers, head m ill..... ................ _
33
Resawyers, planing m ill.......... .........
Sawyers, head rig_________ _____ _ 1,255
586
Setters, head rig....... ....... .................
Set-up man, planing mill
__
24
21
Sorters, planed lumber.....................
203
Stackers, dry kiln_______ _____—
221
Tallymen______ ______ ______ —
39
Tiers and bundle sorters, planing mill
Tractor drivers...........................—
151
33.
Trimmer spotters________________
369
Trimmermen, head m ill....................
Trimmermen, planing mill...............
28
Truck drivers, yard......................... . .1,030
Unstackers, dry kiln.......................
47
Utility men_____________________
676
311
Watchmen, service__________ _____
Yard men, log, including hoistmen..
35
43
71
109
238
98
288
74
218
19
6
26
230
124
89
181
123
14
34
44
1
86
1,620
160
7
123
19
72
23
38
55
16
62
19
16
27
13
17
14
4
174
5
156
25
14
4
26
532 10,611
7,958
2,653
6
21
6
112
94
194
107
6
6
10
6
8
10
2
22
16
12
8
29
1
6
6
18
162
35
57
74
69
545
485
391
35
3
133
4,391
425
388
1,241
1,794
5,238
2, 492
4, 507
5,898
45
602
43
127
3,292
580
301
795
580
242
232
264
189
173
228
6,581
368
209
363
73
68
1
219
6, Oil
157
19
9
5
7
3
9
113
16
26
41
213
349
226
237
151
3
25,704
51
14
1
200
6
3,954 108,206 82,502
645
525
1,895
2,042
6,115
3,301
5,395
6,583
103
20
881
10
78
191
2
89 4,398
2
887
435
10
1 1,216
799
174
6
373
402
23
12
460
6
285
2
264
5
296
300 7,427
4
555
353
13
30
560
40
27
2
10
76
43
45
23
6
3,030
192
36
2
8
3,483
11
2
220
137
654
248
877
809
888
685
58
279
35
64
1,106
307
134
421
219
131
170
196
96
91
68
846
187
144
197
6
60
22
28
52
1,773
1,277
496
2
65
37
40
29
1,544
1,282
262
1
30
105
16
185
43
20
15
51
7
15
17
215
268
665
952
3
582
964
60 2,894 1,878
408
12
517
315
3
432
21
416
321
313
412
3
434 5,552 4, 756
61 3,178 2,511
1
458
, 625
284
457
8 3,556 2,586
56 1,063
785
20
553
306
23 1,232
963
4
398
221
61 1,625 1,101
979
695
6
287 3,997 3,551
3 2,486 1, 559
42 6,087 . 3,874
33 2,356 1,550
585
367
53
287
382
1,016
109
117
95
99
796
667
167
173
970
278
247
269
177
524
284
446
927
2,213
806
218
23
22
4
2
5
2
21
56
20
40
23
3
272
241
15
4
3
105
65
7
94
27
154
9
287
25
286
8
10
16
3
55
21
19
8
8
112
51
43
145
4
6
7
5
243
186
5
77
41
12
12
58
7
46
19
184
92
24
2
22
3
266
75
5
9
56
12
2
80
3
355
143
55
3
21
86
1 Insufficient number of plants and/or workers to justify presentation of an average.
U. S. GOVERNMENT P R IN TIN G O FFIC E: 1946— 680284
@FedFRASER