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U. S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS
ROYAL MEEKER, Commissioner
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES) . . .
BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS):
WOMEN
IN
INDUSTRY
( WHOLE 1 H(2
( NUMBER 1 / 0
SERIES:
No.
6
EFFECT OF MINIMUM-WAGE
DETERMINATIONS IN OREGON
/
9
\
JULY, 1915
WASHINGTON
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
1915
CONTENTS.
Page.
Introduction and summary............................................................................ 5-10
Establishments covered and numbers employed in 1914..................................
10
Numbers employed before and after minimum-wage determinations............... 11-17
Changes in numbers employed compared with amount of sales................. 11-13
Changes in numbers of girls, inexperienced women, and experienced
women employed................................................................................. 13-17
Rates of pay before and after minimum-wage determinations.......................... 17-23
All female employees.............................................................................. 17-19
Girls under 18 years of age.......................................................................19,20
Inexperienced adult women 18 years of age and over............................... 20-22
Experienced adult women 18 years of age and over.................................. 22,23
Average weekly earnings before and after minimum-wage determinations........ 24-28
Selling efficiency before and after minimum-wage determinations.................. 28-31
Labor cost before and after minimum-wage determinations............................. 32,33
Portland department, dry-goods, and 5 and 10 cent stores............................... 34-56
Numbers employed before and after minimum-wage determinations.......34-44
Rates of pay before and after minimum-wage determinations................... 44-51
Average weekly earnings before and after minimum-wage determinations.. 52-54
Labor cost before and after minimum-wage determinations..................... 54-56
Summary of changes................................................................................
56
Portland specialty stores................................................................................ 57-61
Numbers employed before and after minimum-wage determinations........57,58
Rates of pay before and after minimum-wage determinations.................... 58,59
Average weekly earnings before and after minimum-wage determinations.. 60,61
Portland neighborhood stores......................................................................... 61,62
Employment of women before and after minimum-wage determinations.. 61,62
Salem stores.................................................................................................. 62-67
Numbers employed before and after minimum-wage determinations.......62-64
Rates of pay before and after minimum-wage determinations..................64,65
Average weekly earnings before and after minimum-wage determinations..
66
Labor cost before and after minimum-wage determinations.......................
67
Changes in rates of pay, occupation, and place of employment since minimumwage determinations, as reported by women personally interviewed............... 68-75
Table I.—Changes in the industrial status of women employed in Portland
and Salem department and other retail stores since the minimum-wage de
terminations went into effect......................................................................76-99
Table II.—Women who were not employed in October, 1914, but who had
been employed prior to the time the minimum-wage determinations went
Appendix A.—Act creating Industrial Welfare Commission of Oregon..........103-106
Appendix B.—Determinations of Industrial Welfare Commission of Oregon... 107,108
3
BULLETIN OF THE
U. S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS.
WHOLE NO. 176.
WASHINGTON.
JULY, 1915.
EFFECT OF MINIiHUM-WAGE DETERMINATIONS IN
OREGON.’
BY MARIE L. OBENAUER AND BERTHA VON DER NIENBURG.
INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY.
Does the establishment of a legal minimum wage for women do
more harm than good to the women it is designed to assist ? Does
it lead to their displacement by men, or is the child, in spite of the
pressure used to keep it out of industry, being drawn in to do the
unskilled work that the adult woman had been employed to do?
If any women are benefited, how many and to what extent? Are
the higher wages paid to the efficient women being leveled to meet
the additional expense imposed in raising the wage of the less
skilled? Does the assurance of a legal minimum wage reduce
woman’s efficiency? Finally, is labor cost increased by such legis
lation ?
Such are the insistent queries asked by the American public as
to the value of legal enactments in insuring a living wage to normal
wage-earning women. To answer these questions upon the basis of
experience in America has been the object of this study.
The field in which answers were to be found in the fall of 1914,
when this investigation was begun, was very limited. Only the
commissions in Oregon, Washington, and Massachusetts had made
wage determinations.2 In Massachusetts the determinations made
applied only to the brush industry, and like those in Washington,
were of too recent date to permit of the necessary business adjust
ments or to allow a study of conditions in corresponding normal
months before and after the determinations.3 Utah alone among the
States has a minimum fixed for all occupations in all industries by
statutory law. Although the date of enactment would have made
possible an investigation, women affected in this State were so few
in number and so scattered as to render the study inadvisable.
i The material forming the basis of this report was collected at the joint expense of the United States
Bureau of Labor*Statistics and the United States Commission on Industrial Relations.
* See Bulletin of the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, No. 167, for summaries and the text of
American minimum-wage determinations.
* The Massachusetts determination became operative Aug. 15, 1914; the Washington determinations
became operative at different dates from June 27,1914, to Feb. 20,1915.
6
BULLETIN OF TH E BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS.
Oregon was, therefore, the only State that could throw light on
all the queries asked.1 Yet even here, it was necessary to confine
the study to the retail stores—the industry employing the largest
number of women to which the determinations are applicable.
When this investigation was inaugurated the determinations made
by the Oregon Industrial Welfare Commission in regard to factory
employees applied only to time workers, all piecework being beyond
the scope of the determinations made up to that time. As the
commission was contemplating orders covering piece rates, a study
of the effect of the minimum wage in factories would have been of
little practical value.
The Oregon commission in fixing the minimum wage of women
employed in stores made one set of determinations for the city of
Portland and another for all other cities, towns, or villages. Port
land has a population somewhat in excess of 200,000. The next
largest city, Salem, with approximately 14,000 people, presents the
retail-store conditions which prevail in the other small cities in the
State, depending largely on the surrounding country for their trade.
The determinations in Oregon classify female employees in retail
stores as girls under 18 years,2 inexperienced adult women 18 years
of age and over with experience of not more than one year in an
occupation, and experienced adult women 18 years of age and over
having more than one year of experience in an occupation. Any
change in the character of service rendered constitutes a change in
occupation, and therefore the beginning of a new apprenticeship
year. All girls under 18 and inexperienced adult women in retail
stores in the State of Oregon must receive a minimum weekly rate
of pay of $6; all experienced adult women must receive $8.25, save
in Portland, where they must be paid at the minimum rate of $9.25
per week. These awards became operative on different dates, from
October 4, 1913, to February 7, 1914.8
To ascertain what the effect of the Oregon determinations had
been, a comparison was made of records of 40 department, dry-goods,
5 and 10 cent, specialty, and neighborhood stores for the two spring
months, March and April, in 1913 and the same two months in 19144—
periods ending five months before and beginning five months after
the date on which the first minimum-wage determination went into
1 See appendixes, for law creating Oregon Industrial Welfare Commission and for wage determinations.
2 Although the commission had the right to include boys under 18 in the determinations, they had not
done so at the time of this investigation.
* The exact dates on which the determinations applicable to women employed in stores became effective
were as follows:
Oct. 4,1913, for girls between Id and 18 years, a minimum wage of $1 a day.
Nov. 23,1913, for experienced adult women in Portland, a minimum rate of $9.25 a week.
Feb. 7,1914, for experienced adult women in the State outside of Portland, a minimum rate of 18.25 a week
Feb. 7,1914, for inexperienced adult women, a minimum rate of $6 a week.
4Conditions peculiar to one firm’s business rendered these months not comparable in the two years; the
records for September in 1913 and 1914 were therefore substituted.
EFFECT OF M IN IM U M -W AGE DETERMINATIONS IN OREGON.
7
effect and at the same time nearly one month after the date on
which the last retail-store determinations took effect. The number
of women under and oyer 18 years, with and without one year of
experience in each occupation, was taken for both periods, together
with each woman’s rate of pay, the hours she worked, the amount
received in wages, in P. M.’s1 and commissions, and, if selling, the
amount of her sales in both years. Data for men were taken for the
same periods in 1913 and 1914 as to the number employed, the total
earnings, and the total sales. All records were copied from store
books by the Federal agents. In addition 443 women were per
sonally visited and a record of their age and experience and their
places of employment, occupations, rates of pay, earnings, and hours
of work before and after the wage determinations was obtained.
Although this study of the effect of minimum-wage determina
tions was as comprehensive as the situation would permit, the num
bers of women affected in the State of Oregon were too small and the
time for adjustments both for the business interests concerned and
the State authorities was too short to allow the results of the study
to do more than show tendencies. It was deemed advisable, how
ever, to make this study in Oregon at this time in order that the
facts attending the earliest experience under minimum-wage legis
lation might be available for consideration in framing such enact
ments elsewhere; and also that this experience might be recorded
for comparison with later results shown by future studies. This
study can not be assumed to show the ultimate effects even in
Oregon. Such legislation must live through various fluctuations in
business conditions before some of its tendencies can be sharply
distinguished from changes due to other influences.
Regardless of minimum-wage determinations, there are constant
changes in business organization from year to year which have a
material bearing upon the opportunities and conditions of employ
ment. New departments are added from time to time, successful
departments are expanded, and other departments which have failed
to secure the public recognition expected are curtailed and sometimes
eliminated. All such rearrangements involve additions to, transfers,
or reductions in the labor force. These adjustments are of common
occurrence. Any study from which such normal changes were
eliminated in the effort tp single out the effects of the minimum-wage
legislation would defeat its own purpose.
The general business depression of 1914 was felt by Portland mer
cantile establishments, and injected into the problem of determining
the effect of the minimum wage another factor of material influence.
A depression in business automatically reduces the numbers employed.
* P. M.’s are premiums given for selling slow-moving stock.
8
BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS.
It is therefore important to guard against confusing the effects of
depressed business with the effects of minimum-wage determinations.
The problem in Oregon was further complicated because a reduction
of legal working hours and a 6 p. m. closing regulation took effect at
the same time as the wage orders.
Other difficulties were encountered in the progress of the investi
gation. Defective, or entire lack of, records limited the study to
approximately three-fourths of the stores of the classes covered.
Even among these establishments difficulty was encountered in ascer
taining the age and experience of all the women employees. This
was a serious obstacle in view of the fact that the Oregon Industrial
Welfare Commission, as stated, classified women employees in retail
stores by age and experience, yet neither the law nor any order of the
commission requires the keeping of such records. Manifestly an
effective enforcement can not be achieved until adequate records
are kept.
Notwithstanding all the difficulties and complications, a number
of conclusions can be drawn concerning changes in conditions of labor
after the minimum-wage determinations.
Certain readjustments occurred in Portland stores such as might
be expected even in a normal business year. The establishment of
three new departments and the elimination of two other departments
requiring different grades of labor brought about the employment of
some women and the dismissal of others. A policy of charging for
alteration of garments, inaugurated in 1914 by the Portland Retail
Merchants’ Association, decreased the demand for alterations, thereby
necessitating a reduction in the number of women employed in the
workroom, a department paying relatively high wages.
The effect of the country-wide depression manifested itself in a
marked reduction in sales in many stores. This operated to decrease
the labor force, both male and female.
Throughout this discussion the influence of these factors must be
borne in mind as they account very largely for the decrease in the
number of women employees. The decrease in total numbers bears
little or no relation necessarily to the minimum-wage determinations,
but the dismissal of particular women rather than others, because
they had completed their apprenticeship period and must therefore
be paid a higher wage if retained, can be considered as due to the
determinations.
Girls under 18 years of age have increased, especially in the errand,
bundle-wrapper, and cashier occupations, but not in the more skilled
work of selling, sewing, or of the office. These first-named occupa
tions tend to become the sphere for minors to the exclusion of adult
women with or without experience, a result, in all probability, of the
minimum-wage determinations.
EFFECT OF M IN IM U M -W AGE DETERMINATIONS IN OREGON.
9
The wage determinations have not put men in positions vacated
by women. The causes operating to decrease the number of women
also operated to decrease the number of men, though to a less degree,
as the nonselling male force is not as adjustable as the nonselling
female force.
The rates of pay for women as a whole have increased. Wherever
the wage rates of old employees have been changed since the minimum-wage rulings, the employees were benefited. Some women, upon
reinstatement after an absence, were compelled to accept the rate
to which they were legally entitled, although it was below that
received during their earlier service. The average rates of pay of girls
under 18 and of experienced adults have increased; that of inexperi
enced adults decreased very slightly. While formerly 26 per cent of
the girls under 18 received a rate of less than $6 a week, after the
determinations less than 1 per cent were paid below this rate. More
girls under 18 years received over $6 a week after than before the
minimum-wage determinations. Among the experienced women not
only the proportion getting $9.25 (the legal minimum) but also the
proportion getting over $9.25 has increased. The proportion of the
force receiving over $12 has also increased, although the actual num
ber has decreased. Some experienced women were receiving rates
below the minimum to which the determinations entitled them*
Employment was more regular in 1914 than in 1913. This was
due in part to the fact that under depressed business conditions
fewer new employees were taken on for short periods. The disparity
between rates and earnings was therefore less in 1914, but sufficiently
large in that year to call attention sharply to the importance of giving
unemployment consideration in making minimum-wage determina
tions. The Oregon commission took no cognizance of unemploy
ment, confining its first attempts to determining the minimum
amount below which a self-supporting woman could not subsist in
health and comfort, and to fixing this amount as the minimum rate
of pay. Whether the conditions in retail-store business in Oregon
would permit a steadiness of employment that would insure average
•earnings approximating the minimum rates to any woman able and
willing to work steadily, is a question which would have involved an
extensive and expensive investigation to answer satisfactorily. It is
important, however, to know the extent of unemployment and also
the extent to which the difference between actual and full-time hours
is due to business conditions, to voluntary absences from duty, to
illness, to family demands, or to other causes.
A comparison of sales made by women raised to, receiving, or who
should have received the minimum with those of women receiving
above the minimum does not reveal differences that would indicate a
decrease in the efficiency of those affected by the wage determinations.
10
BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS*
The numbers for whom comparable data on this subject could be
secured were too limited, however, to warrant conclusions.
All the changes arising from decreased business, reorganization of
departments, and increased rates of pay resulted in an increase in the
female labor cost and also in the total labor cost of 3 mills per dollar
of sales. This increased cost was not distributed equally among
stores or among departments in the same store. The changes in
female-labor cost varied from an 8-mill increase per dollar of sales in
Portland neighborhood stores to a 1.2-cent decrease in Salem stores.
ESTABLISHMENTS COVERED AND NUMBERS EMPLOYED IN
1914*
For reasons already explained, this study of the effect of minimumwage legislation in Oregon was confined to the department, dry-goods,
and 5 and 10 cent stores, the cloak and suit and waist specialty
houses/ and the small dry-goods stores situated in neighborhood dis
tricts. A complete survey of stores of these classes was not possible,
because all firms did not have the information desired.2 Records for
corresponding periods before and after the minimum-wage determi
nations were obtained from more than three-fourths of the establish
ments of these classes in business both in 1913 and 1914.
The number of establishments covered in the investigation and
the number of women and men employed during the period studied
in 1914 are shown in Table 1 below, the figures in the case of Port
land being shown separately for each class of store included.
T able 1.—ESTABLISHMENTS COVERED IN THE INVESTIGATION AND WOMEN AND
MEN EMPLOYED DURING PERIOD STUDIED IN 1914.
[This table does not include extra male or female help whose identity from week to week could not be
traced, such female help being equivalent to 3 women working full time; nor does it include 20 saleswomen
whose regular employment began with the opening of a new department on the last day of the period
covered in the investigation.]
Type of store.
Number
of estab
lishments
covered.
Number of persons em
ployed during period
studied in 1914.
Women
and girls.
Men.
PORTLAND.
Department, dry-goods, and 5 and 10 cent stores.............................
Specialty stores..................................................................................
Neighborhood stores...........................................................................
6
11
16
1,345
181
20
802
49
17
Total.........................................................................................
33
1,546
868
SALEM.
Dry-goods, specialty, and 5 and 10 cent stores....................................
7
96
34
Grand total...............................................................................
40
1,642
902
i See note *, p. 57.
* One firm, Olds, Wortman & King, a Portland department store, refused the Federal agents access to
their records. They offered to furnish a summary statement, but the Bureau did not regard this as com
parable with material obtained direct from other firms* books.
EFFECT OF M INIM UM -W AGE DETERMINATIONS IN OREGON.
11
NUMBERS EMPLOYED BEFORE AND AFTER MINIMUMWAGE DETERMINATIONS.
CHANGES IN NUMBERS EMPLOYED COMPARED WITH AMOUNT OF SALES.
During the months of March and April, 1913,1 there were 1,919
women and girls employed in the 24 Portland and 7 Salem stores
for which the amount of sales could be obtained, the other 9 stores
employing but 11 women. Many of these women worked but a frac
tion of a month in this period.2 The irregularity of employment
which occurs in a two-month period renders the actual numbers
employed an inexact basis for comparison of the work given to
women in the two years. By dividing the total hours which these
women worked in the period studied in each year by the establish
ment hours for the same period in each year, the number of full
time workers possible in each period is ascertained. Table 2 shows
that the 1,919 women whose names appeared on the pay rolls in
the 1913 period were equivalent to 1,498 full-time women, and that
the 1,634 women employed in the 1914 period were equivalent to
1,332 full-time workers. The percentage of difference between these
full-time workers measures the real decrease in the number of women
workers in 1914. The decrease in the numbers of full-time women
since the wage rulings was approximately 11 per cent, as compared
with an 8 per cent decrease in total sales.
Table 2.—ACTUAL NUMBER OF WOMEN AND GIRLS EMPLOYED AND THEIR EQUIVA
LENT IN FULL-TIME WORKERS, AND TOTAL AVERAGE W EEKLY SALES BEFORE
AND AFTER MINIMUM-WAGE DETERMINATIONS, IN 24 PORTLAND AND 7 SALEM
RETAIL STORES.
Actual number of
women and girls
employed.
Type of store.
Be After
fore deter
deter mina
mina tions.
tions.
Equivalent num
Per
ber of full-time cent of
workers.
increase
Per
cent Be
After
of in fore
crease deter deter
mina
or de mina tions-.
crease tions.
(-).
Per
cent
of in
crease
( t>
or
de
crease
(-).
Total average weekly sales.
or de
crease
(-)in
Before
actual
number determi
nations.
of men
em
ployed.
After
determi
nations.
Per
cent
of in
crease
(+ )
or de
crease
(-).
PORTLAND.
Department, dry-goods,
5 and 10 cent stores... 1,632 *1,345 -17.6 1,269 1,100 -13.3
Specialty stores............
167 181 + 8.4 127 139 + 9.4
12 -45.5
22
Neighborhood stores...
»23 8 12 -47.8
Total................... U,822 8 1,538 -15.6 1,418 1,251 -11.8
- 8.8 $175,338.83 *158,356.12 - 9.7
19,302.85 20,657.92 + 7.0
+16.7
4,821.42
-10.5
3,228.13 -33.1
- 7.7
199,463.10
182,242.17 - 8.6
SALEM.
Dry-goods, specialty,
ana 5 and 10 cent
stores.........................
97
96 - 1.0
80
81 + 1.2 None.
Grand total......... * 1,9198 1,634 -14.9 1,498 1,332 -11.1
7,416.53
8,079.70 + 8.9
- 7.4 206,879.63
190,321.87 - 8.0
* Conditions peculiar to one firm’s business rendered these months not comparable in the two years; the
records for September in 1913 and 1914 were therefore substituted.
* No “extras” or "contingents" are included in this discussion, which has to do with regular employees
only.
3 Nine neighborhood stores, employing 11 women and 6 men in 1913 and 8 women and 4 men in 1914,
did not report sales, and have therefore not been included in the table; nor does it include 20 sales
women whose regular employment began with the opening of a new department on the last day of the
period covered in the investigation.
12
BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS.
In the department, dry-goods, and 5 and 10 oent stores there
was approximately a 13 per cent loss of employment among women
in the 1914 as compared with the 1913 period; the total sales
decreased 9.7 per cent. A detailed study of occupations, however,
shows that the possible number of full-time saleswomen decreased
only 9 per cent, which fairly corresponds with the decrease in sales.
The excessive losses occurred in the workrooms, among the bundle
wrappers, and the miscellaneous help. These heavy decreases are
attributed to several causes not directly associated by employers with
the minimum-wage legislation. A policy of charging for alterations,
inaugurated by the Portland Retail Merchants’ Association in 1914,
reduced the demand for this sort of work to such an extent that the
alteration force was cut down 48 per cent, resulting in a reduction in
the total workroom force of one-third. In certain stores the public
restaurants and soda fountains, with the occupations incident to
those departments, were abolished. Unnecessary messenger service
was done away with in 1914. Only this last reduction of numbers
may be associated even indirectly with the wage determinations.
Whether attention was called to the unnecessary service by the
wage determinations or by the general need for cutting down ex
penses because of business depression can not be stated.
In the neighborhood stores the 33 per cent decrease in sales (in the
seven stores reporting sales) led to a discharge of the women employees
wherever temporary services of the daughter or wife of the owner
were available and sufficient. In only one of the seven stores dis
missing women did the owner give as the reason for the dismissal his
belief that they were not worth the wage required by law.
In the Portland specialty stores, where business was better in 1914
than 1913, the number of full-time women and girls increased.
Salem retail stores, which show a 9 per cent rise in sales, employed
almost the same number in both years. Where business improved,
therefore, no decrease in the number of women employed occurred.
The detailed study shows, however, that a smaller per cent of women
were directly affected by the minimum-wage determinations in these
stores than in the large department and dry-goods stores.
Little, if any, of the loss of employment among women as a group
can be related to the minimum-wage determinations. Decreased
business, curtailing of alteration help and messenger service, and
elimination of departments operated largely in producing the 11 per
cent decrease in the numbers of full-time women employed.
The force of 974 men employed in the 1913 period in the 40 stores
studied decreased 7.4 per cent in the 1914 period, a change in close
correspondence with the reduction in business. In Portland stores
where business decreased the actual number of men decreased less
EFFECT OF M IN IM U M -W AGE DETERMINATIONS IN OREGON.
IS
rapidly than the actual number of women. In Portland stores where
an increase in business occurred there was a greater increase among
men than among women. Obviously no general displacement of
women by men can have occurred. Furthermore, a detailed study
of occupations disclosed little attempt to fill with men the positions
left vacant by women. A few such adjustments in the office have
been made, but they were made to permit the completion of work
not always finished at 6 p. m.,1 the latest hour that women could
be employed in the store.
CHANGES IN NUMBERS OF GIRLS, INEXPERIENCED WOMEN, AND
EXPERIENCED WOMEN EMPLOYED.
Has the decrease in numbers employed necessitated by business
depression and normal readjustment been borne equally by women
of differing age and experience? The determinations of the Oregon
Industrial Welfare Commission divide women wage earners into those
under 18 years, those 18 years or over with not more than one year’s
experience in an occupation, and those 18 years or over with more
than one year’s experience in an occupation. For the girl under 18
and the inexperienced adult woman the minimum wage is $6. The
adult woman having more than one year of experience must receive
$9.25 in Portland and $8.25 in other parts of the State. Table 3,
which follows, shows the actual number of women and girls employed
and their equivalent in full-time workers, classified by age and expe
rience, before and after the minimum-wage determinations, with the
per cant of increase or decrease after the determinations.
1The question as to whether the 6p. m. closing order, made at the same time as the minimum-wage orders,
applies to all women employed in stores or only to women engaged in selling, was under consideration
by the State’s attorney at the time of this investigation.
14
BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OP LABOR STATISTICS.
T a b le 3.— ACTUAL NUMBER OF WOMEN AND GIRLS EMPLOYED AND THEIR EQUIVA
NUMBER OF MEN EMPLOYED BEFORE AND AFTER MINIMUM-WAGE
Total employees.*
Total men.
Total women.
Type of store.
Before
deter
mina
tions.
Per
cent
After of in
deter crease
mina
tions. or de
crease
(-)•
Before
deter
mina
tions.
Per
cent
After of in
deter crease
mina (+ )
tions. or de
crease
<-)•
Before
deter
mina
tions.
Per
cent
After of in
deter crease
mina (+ )
tions. or de
crease
(-).
879
802 - 8.8
1,632
1,345 -17.6
1,269
1,100 -13.3
PORTLAND.
Department, dry-goods, and 5 and 10
cent stores:
Actual number............................ 2,511
Equivalent full-time workers.......
Specialty stores:
Actual number............................
Equivalent full-time workers.......
Neighborhood stores:
Actual number............................
Equivalent full-time workers......
2,147 -14.5
209
230 +10.0
42
49 +16.7
167
127
181 + 8.4
139 + 9.4
53
37 -30.2
19
17 -10.5
34
33
20 -41.2
20 -39.4
Total:
Actual number...................... 2,773 2,414 -12.9
Equivalent full-time workers.
940
868 - 7.7
1,833 1,546 -15.7
1,429 1,259 -11.9
SALEH.
Dry-goods, specialty, and 5 and 10
cent stores:
Actual number............................
Equivalent full-time workers......
.8
34
Grand total:
Actual number...................... 2,904 2,544 -12.4
Equivalent full-time workers.
974
131
130 -
34
902 - 7.4
97
80
96 - 1.0
81 + 1.2
1,930 1,642 -14.9
1,509 1,340 -11.2
* Not including extra male help in 1914 or female help whose identity from week to week could not be
traced in 1913 and 1914, such female help being equal to 3 women working full time; nor does it include
20 saleswomen in 1914 whose regular employment began with the opening of a new department on the
last day of the period covered in the investigation.
* While age and experience records could not be secured for these women—not one of whom was on the
rolls for bom years—information obtained from their fellow workers, their rates of pay. and the statements
of employers that they had dismissed adult experienced women in certain unskilled occupations rather
than pay the required $9.25, clearly indicates that in 1913 these women were adults ana largely adult
experienced women. The same sources of information clearly indicate that the girls for whom records could
not be found in 1914 were minors, adult inexperienced, and adult experienced. See text discussion,
pp. 10 and 40.
EFFECT OF M IN IM U M -W AGE DETERMINATIONS IN OREGON.
15
LENT IN FULL-TIME WORKERS, CLASSIFIED BY AGE AND EXPERIENCE, AND ACTUAL
DETERMINATIONS IN 33 PORTLAND AND 7 SALEM RETAIL STORES.
Classi-lcation of women employees.
Girls under 18.
Before After
deter deter
mina mina
tions. tions.
/
\
/
\
*15
<120
*14
494
*27
4130
*23
4102
Per
cent
of in Before After
crease deter deter
mina mina
(-y
or
de tions. tions.
crease
< -).
*+80.0
«+ 8.3
*+64.3
4+ 8.5
3
2
3
3
138
111
7
6
145
117
Adult inexperienced.
160 +15.9
127 +14.4
4
3
164 +13.1
130 +11.1
*32
4 145
*25
4107
Per
cent
of in
crease
or de
crease
< -).
*10 *-68.7
4129 4-11 .0
*8 *-68.0
4107
Adult experienced.
Before After
deter deter
mina mina
tions. tions.
*105
4942
*83
4789
*116
4825
*99
4691
Per
cent
of in
crease
( -y
or
de
crease
< -).
Before
deter
mina
tions.
*+10.5
4-12.4
*+19.3
4—12.4
m
2
2
4
3
165
125
174 + 5.5
134 + 7.2
6
5
5
5
25
25
15 —40.0
15 -40 .0
1,237
1,022
1,130 - 8.7
939 - 8.1
82
67
78 - 4.9
67
185
139
8
7
193
146
148 -20.0
123 -11.5
14
11
162 -16.1
134 - 8.2
1,319
1,089
1,208
1,006
Adults, ex
perience not
definitely
known.
- 8.4
- 7. 6
3 Figures for 3 stores whose records were complete.
4 Figures for 3 stores whose records were incomplete.
97827°—Bull. 176—15----- 2
Age and ex
perience not
definitely
known.*
After
deter
mina
tions.
Before
deter
mina
tions.
After
deter
mina
tions.
49
152
59
78
32
79
38
121
78
49
32
152
79
59
38
121
78
49
32
152
79
59
38
16
BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS.
The above table shows that among the group whose age and
experience were definitely known the number of full-time inexperi
enced adult women, totaling 146 before the minimum-wage deter
minations, was reduced 8.2 per cent; the number of full-time expe
rienced adult women, by far the largest number employed in stores,
decreased 7.6 per cent. Girls under 18, most of whom were em
ployed in the department, dry-goods, and 5 and 10 cent stores,
show an increase of 11.1 per cent in full-time numbers. Similar
changes occur in the actual numbers of workers in each group,
although the per cent of decrease in the actual number of inexperi
enced adults was almost double that in the full-time number.
The fact that definite age and experience records were not available
for certain numbers does not militate against the significance of the
figures shown in Table 3 as much as would at first appear. While
statistical records were not available, the status of these women is
indicated by information secured from their fellow workers and from
their employers and by their rates of pay. A number of these women
were known by their fellow workers to be far above the 18-year limit;
in the light of the employers' statements that the rates known to
have been paid were never paid to minors, the age group of a consid
erable number of others was established; finally the policy pursued
by the particular firms where these women were employed, of elim
inating all adult women from the unskilled occupations and putting
in their places girls under 18 concerning whom the wage determina
tions raised no question of experience, indicates clearly that the
women whose age and experience were not definitely known in 1913
were largely adults and adults with experience. The influences bring
ing about the elimination of the adult before the minimum-wage
determinations went into effect would operate to increase the num
ber of girls under 18 after such determinations went into effect.
The increase in the number of girls under 18 can be traced directly
to the wage determinations. There are certain occupations which,
department-store managers contend, require little skill or experience
and do not warrant a wage of $9.25 per week, the legal rate estab
lished for experienced women by the determinations. The work, it
is said, can be done by minors as satisfactorily as by adults. A
number of adult women who were experienced in these errand-girl
occupations when the minimum-wage determinations took effect
were transferred to other occupations to begin an apprenticeship
anew; others who were not suited to or for whom there was no open
ing in more skilled occupations, such as selling, sewing, or clerical
work, were dismissed.1 Formerly no attention was given to the par
ticular age of the women entering these positions. A girl of 16 en
i See discussion of changes in occupation, pp. 70 to 72, and changes in place of employment, p. 70.
EFFECT OF M INIM UM -W AGE DETERMINATIONS IN OREGON.
17
tering now as a bundle wrapper can continue in the occupation for
two years before she is entitled to the minimum wage for experienced
women; another girl entering at 18 years or more must receive the
minimum in one year, and therefore becomes a problem for her em
ployer a year sooner than her younger sister. Naturally the minors
are given the preference in these relatively unskilled occupations.
In the skilled occupations minors have decreased.
RATES OF PAY BEFORE AND AFTER MINIMUM-WAGE
DETERMINATIONS.
ALL FEMALE EMPLOYEES.
The minimum-wage determinations aim directly at the rates of pay;
here, then, their effect ought to be readily measured. As elsewhere
stated, no woman or girl can now be employed in Oregon at a rate
less than $6 per week. No woman 18 years of age or over who has
been employed more than one year in a store occupation can be
employed for less than $9.25 per week in Portland or for less than
48.25 per week in other parts of the State in the same occupation.
In the period covered in 1913 approximately 50 per cent of the
women employed in Portland and Salem stores received a rate of
$9.25 or more. The minimum-wage determinations, therefore,
legally applied to not more than half of the female labor force in
retail stores in these cities.
Table 4, which follows, permits a comparison of the rates before
and after the minimum-wage determinations, with special reference
to the rates fixed thereby. The table relates to inexperienced and
experienced adults as well as to those under 18.
18
BULLETIN OF TH E BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS.
Table 4 —NUMBER AND PER CENT OF WOMEN AND GIRLS WHOSE WEEKLY RATES
OF PAY BEFORE AND AFTER THE MINIMUM-WAGE DETERMINATIONS WERE
UNDER, EQUAL TO, OR OVER THE MINIMUM RATES FIXED, AS SHOWN BY THE PAY
ROLLS OF 33 PORTLAND AND 7 SALEM RETAIL STORES.
[For girls under 18and inexperienced adult women of 18 and over the minimum wage is $6; for adult women
with more than 1 year of experience it is 19.25 in Portland and $8.25 in other ports of the State.]
Women whose weekly rates of pay were within each classified
amount.
Type of store.
AvTotal
Over $9.25 num ofratef
pay
ber. per
week.
Num Per Num Per Num Per Num Per Num Per
ber. cent. ber. cent. ber. cent. ber. cent. ber. cent.
Under $0
Over $6 and $9.231or
under $9.231
$9.25
$6
PORTLAND.
Department, dry - goods,
and 5 and 10 cent stores:
Before determinations..
After determinations...
Specialty stores:
Before determinations
After determinations
Neighborhood stores:
Before determinations..
After determinations...
142
3
8.7
.2
30.4
13.9
147
338
9.0
24.8
597
564
36.6 1,632 $9.69
41.3 21,365 10.15
12.6
5
18
3.0
9.9
140
139
83.8
76.8
167 12.68
181 12.11
<16
<5
47.1
25.0
3
8.8
7 35.0
12
35.3
34 9.54
20 10.28
250
270
15.3
19.8
496
190
1
4
2.2
.6
•21
^20
11.0
2
5.9
1
1
2.9
5.0
143
7.8
253
13.8
533
29.1
155
8.5
749
40.9 1,833
4
.3
274
17.5
215
13.7
363
23.2
710
45.3 21,566 10.38
Dry-goods, specialty, and 5
ana 10 cent stores:
Before determinations..
After determinations
8
8.2
1 1.0
11 11.5
*47
40
48.5
41.7
10
7
7.2
10.4
34
35
Grand total:
Before determina
tions...................
After determina
tions...................
151
7.8
254
13.2
580
30.1
162
8.4
783
4
.2
285
17.1
255
15.3
373 22.4
745
Total:
Before determina
tions.......... •........
After determina
tions ...................
7 35.0
9.96
SALEM.
35.1
36.5
97
96
9.23
9.47
40.6 1,930
9.92
21,662 10.33
1 Firms fixing wages on a monthly basis pay a minimum of 140 per month, which is equivalent to $9.23
per working week; this rate was accepted by the commission as complying with the determination of
|9.25 a week.
2 Including 20 women whose regular employment began with the opening of a new department on the
last day of me period covered in the investigation.
* Including 8 women who received in addition to the weekly rate a 2 per cent commission on all sales.
<Including 2 women who received in addition to the weekly rate a 1 per cent commission on all sales.
* There were 19 women before and 6 women after the minimum-wage determinations receiving over $6
but under $8.25.
Any rate lower than $6 a week was practically abolished in the 40
stores after these determinations went into effect. The per cent
receiving $6 was slightly increased and the per cent receiving $9.251
(the legal-minimum for experienced adults in Portland) was increased
from 8.4 per cent to 22.4 per cent. The per cent of the force receiving
over $9.25 per week was increased from 40.6 per cent to 44.8 per cent.
The average rate of pay for all women employed in the 40 stores
increased 41 cents per week in 1914, or from $9.92 to $10.33 per week.
As a whole, therefore, the rates of the women employed in these 40
* A monthly rate of $40, equivalent to $9.23 a week, was regarded by the commission as a compliance
with the determinations.
EFFECT OF M IN IM U M -W AGE DETERMINATIONS IN OREGON.
19
stores have been materially increased since the wage rulings. The
only decrease shown in any group of establishments occurred in the
specialty stores, the stores paying rates that were out of the reach of
the law save in a few instances. This decrease of the average rate
from $12.68 to $12.11 per week was not caused by a general reduction
of rates of pay for old employees; rather it was due to a taking on of
additional help at the legal rates of $6 and $9.25, rates slightly lower
than the rates formerly paid to women entering the stores for the first
time.
GIRLS UNDER 18 YEARS OF AGE*
Table 5 shows for girls under 18 the number and per cent receiving
certain weekly rates of pay before and after the minimum-wage
determinations, just as were shown in Table 4 for all classes of women.
Table 5.—NUMBER AND PER CENT OF GIRLS UNDER 18 WHOSE W EEKLY RATES OF
PAY BEFORE AND AFTER THE MINIMUM-WAGE DETERMINATIONS WERE UNDER,
EQUAL TO, OR OVER THE MINIMUM RATES FIXED , AS SHOWN BY THE PAY ROLLS
OF 33 PORTLAND AND 7 SALEM RETAIL STORES.
(For girls under 18 and inexperienced adult women of 18 and over the minimum wage is 16; for adult women
with more than 1 year of experience it is 99.25 in Portland and 18.25 in other parts of the State.]
Women whose weekly rates of pay were within each
classified amount.
Type of store.
Aver
age
Total rate
Over $6 and 99.23 or 19.25 num
under 19.23
of
pay
ber. per
week.
Num Per Num Per Num Per Num Per
ber. cent. ber. cent. ber, cent. ber. cent.
Under $6
16
PORTLAND.
Department, dry-goods, and 5 and
10 cent stores: •
Before determinations................
After determinations..................
Specialty stores:
Before determinations................
After determinations..................
Neighborhood stores:
Before determinations................
After determinations..................
Total:
Before determinations..........
After determinations...........
33 24.44
.64
1
77 57.04
124 78.98
25 18.52
29 18.47
3
1.91
3 100.00
3 100.00
33 23.91
.62
1
77 55.80
127 79.38
28 20.29
29 18.13
3 75.00
2 28.57
1 25.00
77 53.10
130 79.27
30 20.69
30 18.29
3
1.87
135 95.92
157 6.23
3
6.00
3
8.31
138
160
5.98
6.23
7
4
5.07
6.58
145
164
5.93
0.24
SALEM.
Dry-goods, specialty, and 5 and 10
cent stores:
Before determinations...............
After determinations..................
5 71.43
Grand total:
Before determinations..........
After determinations............
38 26.21
1
.61
3
1.83
20
BULLETIN OP THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS.
Prior to the rate determinations 26.2 per cent of the girls under
18 years of age received less than $6, 53.1 per cent received $6,
and 20.7 per cent received more than $6. In the 1914 period but
one got less than the legal minimum. Almost 80 per cent were
getting exactly $6, while the proportion receiving more than $6
remained the same, namely, 20 per cent. The fact that 20 per cent
were still receiving more than $6, although in a group for which
the awards stipulated only that they should be paid not less than
$6, shows that employers did not reduce wages of minors to the
m inimum permitted by the wage determinations, but continued
to pay wages as before on the basis of the value of the services
rendered. The rate for the 145 minors employed in all stores prior
to the wage determinations averaged $5.93, or 7 cents less than the
legal minimum rate afterwards fixed by the industrial welfare com
mission. The average rate of pay for these girls under 18 years
increased 31 cents per week after the wage determinations.
INEXPERIENCED ADULT WOMEN 18 TEARS OF AGE AND OVER.
A lower rate was fixed for inexperienced adult women than was
considered a living wage for independent women because the earning
power of an inexperienced woman, regardless of her age, was not con
sidered equal to the rate fixed for experienced women. Pending
further study by the industrial welfare commission the employer was
permitted to pay her the minimum paid minors until she had been
in an occupation one year. Then, if retained in the same occupa
tion, she must be paid not less than the minimum rate for experienced
adult women—$9.25 in Portland and $8.25 elsewhere throughout the
State.
Table 6 shows the number and per cent of inexperienced adult
women receiving certain weekly rates of pay before and after the
minimum-wage determinations, according to the form used in Tables
4 and 5, for all women and for girls under 18 years of age.
EFFECT OF M IN IM U M -W AGE DETERMINATIONS IN OREGON.
21
T able 6.—NUMBER AND PER CENT OF INEXPERIENCED ADULT WOMEN WHOSE
W EEKLY RATES OF P A Y BEFORE AND AFTER THE MINIMUM-WAGE DETERMI
NATIONS W ERE UNDER, EQUAL TO, OR OVER THE MINIMUM RATES FIX ED , AS
SHOWN BY THE PAY ROLLS OF 33 PORTLAND AND 7 SALEM RETAIL STORES.
[For girls under 18 and inexperienced adult women of 18 and over the minimum wage is $6; for adult women
with more than 1 year of experience it is $9.25 in Portland and $8.25 in other parts of the State.]
Women whose weekly rates of pay were within each classified
amount.
Type of store.
Under $6
$6
Over $6
and under
$9.23
$9.23 or
$9.25
To
tal
Over $9.25 num
ber.
Aver
age
rate
of
pay
per
week.
Num Per Num Per Num Per Num Per Num Per
ber. cent. ber. cent. ber. cent. ber. cent. ber. cent.
PORTLAND.
Department,dry-goods,and
5 and 10 cent stores:
Before determinations..
After determinations
Specialty stores:
Before determinations
After determinations
Neighborhood stores:
Before determinations
After determinations...
Total:
Before determina
tions....................
After determina
tions....................
8
4.52
1 20.00
66 37.29
73 51.41
99 55.94
55 38.73
1 50.00
1 25.00
1 50.00
3 75.00
2 33.33
3 50.00
1 20.00
103 55.68
8
4.32
69 37.30
1
.66
74 49.01
59 39.07
1 12.50
1 12.50
8 57.14
6 75.00
6 42.86
3 1.69
* 12 8.45
1 16.67
2 40.00
4
14
1
2
177 $6.85
0.56
1.41 i 142 6.81
1 20.00
2.16
1
9.27
3
2
4
6.50
7.25
6
5
7.78
8.09
185
6.88
1.99 U51
6.86
8
14
6.81
6.66
193
6.88
1.82 1165
6.84
.54
SALEM.
Dry-goods, specialty, and
5 and 10 cent stores:
Before determinations..
After determinations
Grand total:
Before determina
tions...................
After determina
tions....................
9
4.66
70 36.27
109 56.48
4
2.07
1
1
.61
82 49.70
65 39.39
14
8.48
3
.52
* Including 3 women whose regular employment began with the opening of a new department on the
last day of the period covered in the investigation.
The $6 ruling had very little direct effect on the rate of pay of
inexperienced adult women, as only 9 -women whose age and experi
ence were known to place them in this group were getting less than
$6 in the 1913 period. The average rate of pay per week for these
women was decreased by 4 cents. The old employees were not
reduced, but the place of a $28 or a $30 a month girl was filled by a
$26 girl. Fifty-nine per cent of these women received more than $6
before the minimum-wage determinations; only 50 per cent received
more than that after the determinations. The proportion receiving
$9.25 per week or more was increased, however.
It is evident that the minimum-wage determinations have been
followed by a reduction in the rate for some adult inexperienced
women. This may have been due to the unfavorable business con
ditions in 1914; it would not follow that the same reductions would
22
BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS.
have occurred in a good business year. The fact remains, however,
whether due to the depression in business or not, that the adult
inexperienced as a group have suffered a reduction in rates.
EXPERIENCED ADULT WOMEN 18 YEARS OF AGE AND OYER.
The number and per cent of experienced adult women receiving
certain weekly rates of pay before and after the minimum-wage
determinations are shown in Table 7, according to the form used for
the other classes of women in Tables 4, 5, and 6.
Table 7.—NUMBER AND PER CENT OF EXPERIENCED ADULT WOMEN WHOSE RATES
OF PAY BEFORE AND AFTER THE MINIMUM-WAGE DETERMINATIONS WERE UN
DER, EQUAL TO, OR OVER THE MINIMUM RATES FIXED , AS SHOWN BY THE PAY
ROLLS OF 33 PORTLAND AND 7 SALEM RETAIL STORES.
[For girls under 18 and inexperienced adult women of 18 and over the minimum wage is $6; for adult women
with more than 1 year of experience it is 19.25 in Portland and $8.25 in other parts of the State.]
Women whose weekly rates of pay were within each classified
amount.
Type of store.
Aver
age
Total
rate
$9.23 or
Under $6
$6
Over
$9.25
num
of
$9.25
ber. pay
per
week.
Num Per Num Per Num Per Num Per Num Per
ber. cent. ber, cent. ber. cent. ber. cent. ber. cent.
Over $6
and under
$9.23
PORTLAND.
Dcpftf
dry-goods,
and 5 and 10 cent stores:
Before determinations..
After determinations
Specialty stores:
Before determinations
After determinations
Neighborhood stores:
Before determinations..
After determinations
Total:
Before determina
tions ...................
After determina
tions ..................
7 0.67
24 2.29
20 2.09
1 4.00
8
.65
24
282 26.94
61 6,37
140 13.37
319 33.30
s 20 12.12
«17 9.77
5 3.03
18 10.34
140 84.85
139 79.89
165 12.74
174 12.20
3 10 40.00
*4 26.67
2 8.00
5 33.33
12 48.00
6 40.00
25 10.12
15 11.01
594 56.73 1,047 $11.62
558 58.24 i 958 11.94
1.94
312 25.22
147 11.88
746 60.31 1,237 11.74
20 1.74
82 7.15
342 29.82
703 61.29 i 1,147 11.97
<39 47.56
<33 42.31
7 8.54
10 12.82
24 1.82
351 26.61
154 11.67
780 59.14 1,319 11.62
20 1.63
115 9.39
352 28.74
738 60.24 11,225 11.85
SALEM.
Dry-goods, specialty, and
5 and 10 cent stores:
Before determinations..
After determinations
Grand total:
Before determina
tions ..................
After determina
tions ..................
2 2.44
10
.76
34 41.46
35 44.87
82 9.82
78 10.12
i Including 17 women whose regular employment began with the opening of a new department on the
last day of the period covered in the investigation.
* Including 8 women who received in addition to the weekly rate a 2 per cent commission on all sales.
* Including 2 women who received in addition to the weekly rate a 1 per cent commission on all sales.
* There were 27 women before and 26 women after the minimum-wage determinations receiving more
than $8.25.
About 28 per cent of the experienced adult women employed in
Portland stores received less than $9.25 per week before the minimumwage determinations; 60 per cent received more than- that amount.
EFFECT OF M INIM UM -W AGE DETERMINATIONS IN OREGON.
23
After the rulings had gone into effect there were 102, or 9 per cent of
the total number, who were still receiving less than the legal mini
mum.1 The numbers receiving $9.25 per week had increased from
12 per cent to about 30 per cent of the total number, while the per
cent getting more than $9.25 remained substantially the same. The
average rate of pay for experienced adult women in Portland was
increased 23 cents per week, or from $11.74 to $11.97.
In Salem only a few experienced adult women (14) were affected
by the State-wide minimum of $8.25. None was found at just that
rate. In the 1914 period only 7 were found receiving a rate as
low as the legal minimum, $8.25. A larger per cent than in 1913
was reported at $9.25 and a larger per cent at rates higher than $9.25.
The average rate reached $10.12 in April, 1914, an increase of 30 cents
over 1913.
Notwithstanding the 102 obvious violations in Portland and the
decrease in rates of pay in the Portland specialty stores, the wage
rates for all experienced adult women in the two cities increased from
$11.62 to $11.85. In spite of this increase in.average rate and the
increase of a little over one point in the per cent of experienced women
receiving over $9.25 per week, the number of women receiving $12
and over decreased—a decrease, however, not out of proportion to
the decrease in the whole force and due largely to the readjustments
heretofore described in the alteration department (p. 12).
On the whole, women entering retail stores no longer have to begin
at a. $4 or $5 wage. Regardless of their age and experience they now
begin their industrial career with at least a $6 rate. That this has
meant a much better start for minors is apparent from these tables;
that more adult women who can not lay claim to a year of experience
in the occupation they enter have had to begin at $6 than formerly
is also true. At the same time the per cent of inexperienced adults
getting $9.25 or over have increased. Many women employees of
experience received as much as $9.25 per week for the first time since
their employment, in the stores as a result of the minimum-wage
determinations. The large per cent who had been receiving more
than the legal minimum did not have their wages decreased, although
for reasons closely connected with business readjustments the actuaj.
number of women getting more than $12 has decreased. Whether
such rulings will make advancement in wages above $9.25 less rapid
than formerly can not be said at this time. Undoubtedly the rates
of pay of women as a whole have been increased.
* Owing to the fact that the constitutionality of the minimum-wage law was under consideration by the
State supreme court, some merchants were slow in complying with the law. There were evidences that
fbe number of violations were decreasing. The State commissioner of labor statistics and inspector of
factories and workshops is responsible for the enforcement of these decisions. A fine or imprisonment,
or both, can be imposed for violations and the girl discriminated against may collect all back wages due
her. No prosecutions against retail store merchants for violations of the minimum-wage determination
were recorded by this bureau in its biennial report for the period ending Sept. 30,1914.
24
.BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OP LABOR STATISTICS.
AVERAGE
WEEKLY EARNINGS BEFORE AND
MINIMUM-WAGE DETERMINATIONS.
AFTER
More important to the wage-earning woman than her rate of pay
is the amount of money she actually earns. Her rate may be high
and yet if her employment is not steady, if she is asked to lay off one
day a week, or if she is frequently ill, her earnings may fall below
the wage determined by the commission to be the minimum required
for healthful living. No attempt was made in this study to determine
the causes of absences.1 How many hours she worked and how
much money she received for her services in two normal months
before and after the minimum-wage determinations were among the
more important objects of this study.
The average weekly earnings and hours of labor before and after
the minimum-wage determinations, with per cent of increase or
decrease after the determinations, are shown in Table 8. The average
weekly earnings from commissions and P. M.’s are separately shown.
T able 8.—AVERAGE W EEKLY EARNINGS AND HOURS OF LABOR OP WOMEN AND
GIRLS BEFORE AND AFTER MINIMUM-WAGE DETERMINATIONS, WITH PER CENT
OF INCREASE OR DECREASE AFTER DETERMINATIONS, IN 83 PORTLAND AND 7
SALEM RETAIL STORES.
Type of store.
Aver Total
Aver
age
aver Aver
Num Aver
age
age
weekly
age
age
ber of weekly weekly com
weekly
weekly
women. wages. P. M.’s. mis
earn hours.
sions. ings.
PORTLAND.
Department, dry-goods, and 5 and 10 cent stores:
Before determinations............................................
After determinations...............................................
Per cent increase (+ ) or decrease (—) ....................
Specialty stores:
Before determinations.............................................
After determinations................ ..............................
Per cent increase (+ ) or decrease (—) .....................
Neighborhood stores:
Before determinations.............................................
After determinations..............................................
Per cent increase (+ ) or decrease (—) ....................
Total:
Before determinations.....................................
After determinations........................................
Per cent increase (+ ) or decrease (—) ..............
1,632
1,345
$7.87 $0,022
$8.65 $0,017 $0,004
+9.9 -22.7
$7.89
$8.67
+10.0
39.59
40.34
+2.0
$0.11
$0.05
-54.5
$10.20
$9.96
-2 .4
40.73
37.89
-7 .0
34 $9.16 $0.41 $0.09 $9.66
20 $10.23
$0.08 $10.31
+6.7
+11.7 -ioo.*6‘ -11.1
50.19
47.27
-5 .8
167
181
$9.85
$9.67
-1 .8
$0.24
$0.24
1,833
1,546
$8.07
$8.79
+8.9
$0.04 $0.02
$0.02 $0.04
-50.0 +100.0
$8.13
$8.85
+8.9
39.89
40.14
+0.6
Dry-goods, specialty, and 5 and 10 cent stores:
Before determinations.............................................
After determinations..............................................
Per cent increase (+ ) or decrease (—) ....................
97
96
$7.65
$8.15
+6.5
$0,013
$0,023
+76.9
$7.66
$8.17
+6.8
42.81
41.86
-2 .2
Grand total:
Before determinations......................................
After determinations........................................
Per cent increase (+ ) or decrease (—) ..............
1,930
1,642
$8.05
$8.76
+8.8
$0.02
$0.03
+50.0
$8.11
$8.81
+8.6
40.04
40.24
+0.5
SALEM.
$0.04
$0.02
-50 .0
i The amount and causes of unemployment among retail store women in Boston was the subject of a
special study, the results of which will appear in Bulletin of the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics,
No. 182.
EFFECT OF M IN IM U M -W AGE DETERMINATIONS IN OREGON.
25
With the establishment of a minimum wage the legal working
hours in Portland mercantile establishments were restricted to 8
hours and 20 minutes a day, or 50 hours a week, the closing hour to be
not later than 6 o’clock in the afternoon. Outside of Portland the
order of the industrial commission restricted the hours to 54 per week,
with an 8.30 p. m. closing hour. Prior to this the legal minimum
had been the 10-hour day and 60-hour week. None of the 40 retail
stores included in the study, however, worked the legal maximum hours
in 1913. The nominal hours ranged from 48 to 56£ per week in Port
land and from 48 to 56 in Salem. With the fixing of the maximum the
nominal hours varied from 48 to 50 in Portland, the largest number of
employees being affected by a 49J-hour schedule. In Salem the hours
ranged from 48 to 54 hours per week. In 1914, as compared with
1913, the nominal hours in some stores had decreased, in others they
increased slightly. These changes in establishment hours in the two
periods make it impossible to judge of the regularity of employment by
the actual hours worked without comparing also the changes in
nominal hours.
The average hours of employment per week for the regular women
employees in the 40 stores covered in this study were approximately 40
in the 1913 period and scarcely a quarter of an hour more in the corre
sponding period in 1914. As stated heretofore the records of hours
worked were secured, except in the case of one firm, for a two-months
period before and after the wage determinations. How much of the
average time lost was due to voluntary absence from duty, how much
to illness, how much to family demands, how much to lay-off, and how
much to first employment are not known. The period studied covered
the spring season, when the ebb and flow of employment would not
be as great as in the dull summer months or in the months preceding
and succeeding the holiday pressure. Because of the business depres
sion prevailing in 1914 and the consequent effort to reduce the force,
the number of new employees taken on for the first time during the
period covered in 1914 was comparatively small,1 so that average
hours worked in 1914 were not materially influenced by women com
ing into the stores late in the period studied.
With less than a quarter of an hour more of service per week in
the 1914 period, women were paid on the average $8.76 in wages
after the minimum-wage determinations, as against $8.05 before, an
increase of 71 cents per week, or 8.8 per cent. The additional sums
affecting earnings and commonly known as P. M.’s, paid for sell
ing certain lines of goods, and bonuses paid for finding mistakes
in sales checks, have been fewer in number and less in amount since
the minimum-wage determinations. As the average amount received
i See pp. 53 and 54 for a detailed discussion of this subject.
26
BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS.
per week from theso sources was but 4 cents, the decrease of 50 per
cent in P. M.’s and bonuses, or 2 cents, means very little in the earn
ings of the average woman. This is especiaDy so since the custom of
granting commissions either on all'sales or sales above a specified
amount has increased slightly. The average commission earned by
all girls was 3 cents, as against 2 cents per week in 1913. The average
weekly earnings for these store employees totaled, therefore, $8.11
before and $8.81 after the minimum-wage determinations.
These earnings are $1.81 less per week in 1913 and $1.52 less per
week in 1914 than the average rate of pay for the respective periods.
In other words the average earnings for all women increased 8.6 per
cent while the average rates of pay increased but 4.1 per cent.1
Considering each group of stores separately, Table 8 shows that
in the six Portland department, dry-goods, and 5 and 10 cent stores
the average weekly earnings were $8.68 after the wage determina
tions, an increase of 10 per cent over the year before, and accom
panied only by about a 2per cent addition in the averagehoursworked.
In the cloak, suit, and waist specialty houses, where the average rate
of pay fell nearly 5 per cent, the earnings decreased only 2.4 per cent,
with a decrease in average weekly hours of almost three hours, or 7
per cent. The earnings of the neighborhood-store women and the
women employed in Salem both increased more than 6 per cent,
while the hours for the first group decreased approximately 6 per
cent and for the second group but 2 per cent.
How the earnings in these periods varied with the age and experi
ence of the individual is shown in Table 9. The girls under 18 years
who had been earning an average of $4.82 per week in 1913 still
earned less than $5 after the minimum-wage determinations. Their
earnings had increased to $4.96, approximately 3 per cent, while
their hours had decreased 3.4 per cent. The 5.2 per cent increase
in rates of pay for minors 2 resulted in a 3 per cent increase in their
earnings, the difference being due to a reduction in the regularity
of their employment.
1See Table 4, p. 18.
* See Table 5, p. 19.
EFFECT OF M IN IM U M -W AGE DETERMINATIONS IN OREGON.
27
T able 9.—AVERAGE W EEKLY EARNINGS AND HOURS OF LABOR OF WOMEN AND
GIRLS BEFORE AND AFTER MINIMUM-WAGE DETERMINATIONS, GROUPED
ACCORDING TO AGE AND EXPERIENCE, IN 33 PORTLAND AND 7 SALEM RETAIL
STORES.
Classification of women employees.
Girls tinder 18.
Adult inexperienced.
Adult, experienced.
Type of store.
Aver Average
Num weekly
„
ber.
earn weel
ings. hours.
Aver Aver
Aver- Aver
age
age
Num weekly age
Num weekly
weekly
ber.
ber.
earn
earn- weekly
hours.
ings. hours.
PORTLAND.
Department, dry-goods, and
5 and 10 cent stores:
14.71
Before determinations...
157 14.92
After determinations___
Per cent increase (+ ) or
decrease (—) ............... +16.3
+4.5
Specialty stores:
Before determinations...
3 14.06
After determinations___
Per cent increase (+ ) or
decrease ( —) . ..............
Neighborhood stores:
110.97
Before determinations...
After determinations___
Per cent increase <+) or
decrease (—) ...............
Total:
B efore determina
138
tions......................
A fte r determina
160
tions......................
Per cent increase (+ )
or decrease (—) ___ +11.6
$5.22
$5.67
40.04
39.16
177
139
2.2
-21.5
+8.6
+8.5
-
2
$4.75
$4.85
41.75
34.24
+100.0
+2.1
-18 .0
6
5
$6.89
$8.09
47.78
45.50
-16.7
+17.4
-4 .8
-
33.81*
4
50.00
37.75
40,94
1,047
941
$10.21
10.1
+4.5
-1 .7
. 165 $10.27
174 $10.18
41.57
38.05
+5.5
$9.77
42.10
41.39
-0 .9
-8 .5
$10. i7
15 $11.04
50.79
47.90
+8.6
-5 .7
-40 .0
$4.85
40.25
185
$5.27
38.12
1,237
$9.85
42.09
$4.96
39.06
148
$5.69
40.91
1,130
40.96
+2.3
-3 .0
20.0
$10.20
+8,0
+7.3
-8 .7
+3.6
-2 .7
$4.20
$4.80
41.88
34.80
$6.25
$5.47
48.17
40.64
+14.3
-16.9
+75.0
-12.5
-15.6
$4.82
40.33
193
$5.31
$4.96
38.96
162
$5.67
+2.9
-3 .4
-16.1
+6.8
-
SALEM.
Dry-goods, specialty, and 5
and 10 cent stores:
Before determinations. . .
After determinations___
Per cent increase (+ ) or
-------- *<-).......... -42.9
Grand total:
B efore determina*
tions.....................
145
A fte r determina
164
tions......................
Per cent increase (+ )
or decrease (—) ___ +13.1
$8.10
$8.84
42.37
42.44
-4 .9
+9.1
+0.2
38.54
1,319
$9.74
42.11
40.89
1,208 $10.12
41.06
+6.1
-8 .4
-2 .5
+3.9
The adult women without a year’s experience continue to earn less
than $6, although here, too, the earnings have increased, the change
being from $5.31 to $5.67 per week. This 6.8 per cent increase in
their earnings was noticeable in view of the 0.6 per cent decrease
in their rates of pay.1 The larger earnings were accompanied by a
6 per cent increase in hours worked.
The average earnings of experienced adult women were $10.12 per
week after the wage determinations, an increase of about 4 per cent
over the average earnings in 1913 as compared with a 2 per cent
increase in rates.* The earnings of the experienced women, who
I See Table 6, p. 21.
* See Table 7, p. 22.
28
BULLETIN OF TH E BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS.
received a rate of exactly $9.25 in Portland or $8.25 in Salem, the
minimum sum decided by the commission to be necessary to main
tain a self-supporting woman in frugal but decent conditions, are
shown in Table 10.
Table 10.—AVERAGE W EEKLY EARNINGS RECEIVED IN 1914 BY EXPERIENCED ADUL T
WOMEN WHOSE WEEKLY RATE OF PAY WAS $9.25 IN PORTLAND AND $8.25 IN SALEM.
Type of store.
Total
Number Average Average Average
weekly average
Weekly weekly commis
of
weekly
women. wages. P. M.’s.
sions. earnings.
PORTLAND.
313
$7.61
Department, dry-goods, and 5 and 10 cent stores.........
(*)
18
Specialty stores...........................................................
5.70
Neighborhood stores...................................................
5
9.23
Total............................. ...................................
336
7.75
Dry-goods, specialty, and 5 and 10cent stores.............
7
6.91
Grand total.......................................................
*343
7.73
(l)
$0,013
(l)
$7.62
5.70
9.23
7.75
SALEM.
6.91
(l)
C)
7.73
i Less than l cent.
* Not including 9 women whose regular employment began with the opening of a new department on the
last day of the period covered in the investigation.
Only 123, or a little more than one-third, of these women earned
their full rate of $9.25 or $8.25 per week throughout the period cov
ered. The average earnings for all in Portland were $7.75 per week,
in Salem $6.91.
This showing in earnings emphasizes the need of analyzing closely
the causes of unemployment in the department and other retail stores
in order to determine the normal earning possibility under a given
rate. Few of the women whose minimum rate was fixed at $6 or of
the women whose minimum rate was fixed at $9.25 really earned that
amount throughout the period covered. The increase in earnings
since the minimum-wage determinations, however, as has been shown,
has been greater than the increase in rates.
SELLING EFFICIENCY BEFORE AND AFTER MINIMUMWAGE DETERMINATIONS.
Whether minimum-wage legislation reacts upon the efficiency of
the wage earner is a question earnestly discussed. The legal guaranty
of a minimum equal to a living wage is regarded by some as likely to
lure the less conscientious employee toward relaxed efforts.
In a situation such as exists in Oregon, where the female labor
supply1 is in excess of the demands, there would be no reason why
any such person could not be discharged. Interviews with the women
i While no statistical survey was made of the labor supply, that it was in all respects ample was the testi
mony of employers, and this was further evidenced by the large number of applicants waiting upon tHe
superintendents of employees.
EFFECT OF M IN IM U M -W AGE DETERMINATIONS IN OREGON.
29
employees impressed this fact upon the agents, for all women depend
ent on their earnings were greatly troubled over the decrease in their
sales.
The only measurement of efficiency of store employees that was
obtainable was the amount, of sales of the saleswomen. Admittedly
these are not a complete or always a fair basis upon which to judge
of a woman’s efficiency. Other duties which she performs, such as
care of stock, have a value to the employer. Sometimes certain cir
cumstances make it impossible for a woman to sell as much at one time
as another. For example, in one year the head saleswoman in a cer
tain department took care to see that the customers were distributed
evenly among her assistants. She did not wait on a patron unless
these women were busy or were having difficulty in making the sale.
The next year a new head of the department was introduced whose
system was quite different. This woman insisted that no girl in her
department wait on a customer unless she, the head of the depart
ment, was busy. The result, as told by her assistants, and as shown
by the accounts of the department, was that the sales of the assistant
saleswomen had very much decreased, while the sales of the head
saleswoman had correspondingly increased. These assistant sales
women could not with fairness be held responsible for these decreases.
The sales slip is usually taken as the measurement of a woman’s
efficiency and her rate of pay is as commonly regulated thereby. In
the following table, therefore, the sales were used as a measure to
determine the relative increase or decrease after the wage determina
tions in the efficiency of saleswomen receiving different rates of pay.
30
BULLETIN .OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS.
Table 11.—PER CENT OF INCREASE OR DECREASE IN AVERAGE DAILY SALES AFTER
MINIMUM-WAGE DETERMINATIONS OF SALESWOMEN UNDER 18, INEXPERIENCED
ADULT SALESWOMEN, AND EXPERIENCED ADULT SALESWOMEN RECEIVING THE
MINIMUM RATE OR LESS, COMPARED WITH THE PER CENT OF INCREASE OR
DECREASE IN AVERAGE DAILY SALES OF ALL SALESWOMEN RECEIVING MORE
THAN THE MINIMUM RATE IN 3 PORTLAND RETAIL STORES.
[The significant comparisons in this table are in the sale increases or decreases of the several groups and
not in the actual amount sold by such groups. Data for women whose age and experience were not
reported or whose sales were not separately reported, together with transfer sales not credited, are not
included in the classification but are included in the totals for all women.]
Before determinations.
Classification of saleswomen.
Total days. Total sales.
After determinations.
Aver
Aver
age
age
sales Total days. Total sales. sales
£ .
Women affected by minimumwage rulings:
Inexperienced minor and
adult women................
Experienced adult women
receiving99.25per week
Total.............................
Women not affected by min
imum-wage rulings:
Experienced adult women
receiving more than
99.25 but not more than
911.54 per week.............
Experienced adult women
receiving more than
911.54but not more than
915 per week.................
Experienced adult women
receiving over 915 per
week.............................
ss.
1,659.98
938,962.24 923.47
1,574.88 939,476.11
6,293.26
Per
cent
of in
crease
(+ )
or de
crease
in av
erage
daily
sales
after
deter
mina
tion.
925.07
+ 6.8
170,oea 01
27.02
4,272.75
112,808.05
26.40
- 2.3
7,953.24 209,022.25
26.28
5,847.63
152,284.16
26.04
-
3,426.59
117,490.58
34.29
4,297.61
131,222.42
30.53
-11 .0
2,977.97
132,974.79
44.65
2,710.46
106,685.17
39.36
-11 .8
.9
1,591.80
100,581.21
63.19
1,697.30
93,419.96
55.04
-12 .9
Total.............................
7,996.36
351,046.58
43.90
8,705.37
331,327.55
38.06
-13 .3
Total, all women..........
17,231.64
587,455.50
34.09
15,871.37 507,636.10
31.98
- 6.2
This table was confined to three stores, because in three only were
there a sufficient number of saleswomen in comparable groups before
and after the minimum-wage determination. The average sales per
day of work in these stores had decreased 6.2 per cent in the 1914
period. An increase, therefore, in sales in any group of individuals
would be counter to the general trend. Did the women affected by
the minimum-wage determinations contribute more than their share of
the decrease ? The average sales of the three groups of women that
were affected by the minimum wage—minors, inexperienced adult,
and such of the experienced adult as were receiving $9.25 or less in
both years—decreased 0.9 of 1 per cent. The sales of women in the
same stores receiving more than the $9.25 minimum, and therefore
not affected by the determinations, were lowered 13.3 per cent.
EFFECT OF M IN IM U M -W AGE DETERMINATIONS IN OREGON.
31
Analyzing the factors that entered into this result, as shown in
Table 11, it becomes plain that the only groups showing any increase
in sales are the minors and inexperienced adult women. The minors
are selling in departments such as the notion, handkerchief, and
pattern, departments less affected by a depression in business than
others; the inexperienced adult women, however, are sprinkled
throughout all the departments. The sales made by experienced
adult women who received $9.25 or less in 1913 and 1914 decreased
2.3 per cent. It should be noted that this group receiving $9.25 or
less is made up of two classes in 1914, the first receiving $9.25, the
exact minimum, and the second receiving, in violation of the
law, less than $9.25. The sales made by this second class of women
decreased in practically the same proportion as those made by the
women receiving $9.25, the exact minimum rate.
Those made by experienced adult women receiving over $9.25 but
not more than $11.541 decreased 11 per cent. The sales of women
getting over $11.54 but under $15 weekly decreased 11.8 per cent,
while the sales made by women getting more than $15 weekly
decreased 12.9 per cent. These higher-paid women are in depart
ments devoted to the more expensive goods. Naturally a business
depression makes itself felt most in such departments, and this fact
accounts in part for the excessive decrease in the sales of women
getting the rates to which wage determinations did not apply.
To what extent the small decrease of sales among those affected by
the minimum was due to a maintenance of the efficiency in the indi
vidual and to what extent it was due to the elimination of the ineffi
cient can not be stated from this table, as these sales were not neces
sarily made by identical groups of women in the two periods. Until
a large number of individuals affected by the minimum-wage deter
minations can be found in the same department before and after the
rulings, working side by side with women getting rates not affected
by the determinations, no definite conclusion as to the effects of the
minimum on individual efficiency can be shown. The numbers in
Oregon did not permit of such a selection.
i Equivalent to $50 a month.
97827°—BuU. 176—15----- 3
32
BULLETIN OF THE BTTBEAU OF LABOR STATISTICS.
LABOR COST BEFORE AND AFTER MINIMUM-WAGE
DETERMINATIONS.
When business is prospering wage increases are a matter for
consideration; in a period of depression they are granted only after
careful deliberation. The year 1914, the first year in which the
minimum-wage determinations were in operation in Oregon, was
considered a poor year in the mercantile business. To show how
changes in weekly wage payments, after the minimum-wage determitions, compared with changes in the weekly sales, is the purpose of
Table 12.
T able 12.—PER CENT WHICH AVERAGE W EEKLY WAGE PAYMENTS TO SELLING AND
TO NONSELLING FORCES COMBINED WERE OF AVERAGE W EEKLY SALES BEFORE
AND AFTER MINIMUM-WAGE DETERMINATIONS IN 24 PORTLAND AND 7 SALEM
RETAIL STORES.
(In each case the sales and wage payments are shown to the nearest dollar, and for this reason the totals
are not always exactly equal to the sum of the items. The percentages are based on the exact
amounts, including cents.l
Males.
Females.
Type of store.
Total.
Per Aver
Per
Per
Aver
cent Aver
age
cent
cent
age Aver wage
Aver wage
age
Aver wage
weekly
weekly age pay wage
weekly
age
age
pay
wage weekly pay- wage weekly ments
pay weekly ments
pay
pay
areof
are
of
ments.
are
of
ments.
ments.
PORTLAND.
Department, dry-goods, and 5
and 10 cent stores:
Before determinations___ i $12,878 i$107,251
After determinations....... . ' $11,698 i $93,077
Per cent increase (+ ) or
decrease (—) ..................
-9 .2
-13.2
Specialty stores:
Before determinations...... $1,704 $14,340
After determinations........ $1,803 $16,505
Per cent increase (+ ) or
decrease (—) ..................
+5.8
+15.1
Neighborhood stores:2
Before determinations.......
$232| $2,446
After determinations.........
$132, $1,279
Per cent increase (+ ) or
decrease
..............
- 4 3 .0
-4 7 .!
Total:
Before determinations. $14,813 $124,037
After determinations.. $13,633 $110,862
Per cent increase (+ )
or decrease (—) ------ 8.0
- 10.6
12.0 *$14,288 $68,088'
12.6i $13,524 $65,279
-4 .1
.......'
-7 .2
$714 $4,962
$708 $4,153
14.4
17.0
$2,417
$2,511
$19,303
$20,658
+3.9
+7.0
$442
$324
$4,821
$3,228
-26.7
-33.1
-5 .3
11.9
10.9
21.01$27,165 i $175,339
20.7j> $25,221 i $158,356
-0.9 -16.3
9.5
10.3
$210 $2,376
$191 $1,949
8.8
9.8
—8.8 -18.0
11.9 $15,211 $75,426
12.3 $14,423 $71,381
-5 .2
20.2
20.2
-5 .4
-9 .7
$30,025 $199,463
$28,056 $182,242
-
6.6
15.5
15.9
-
12.5
12.2
9.2
10.0
15.1
15.4
8.6
SALEM.
Dry-goods, specialty, and 5
and 10 cent stores:
Before determinations___
After determinations....... .
Per cent increase (+ ) or
decrease (—) ................. .
$743
$785
$5,439
$6,258
+5.6
+15.1
Total:
Before determinations. i $15,557 i $129,476
After determinations.. i $14,418 i $117,119
Per cent increase (4- )or
decrease (—) ............
-9 .5
13.7
12.5
$495 $1,978
$495 $1,822
-
0.1
-7 .9
12.0 $15,706 $77,404
12.3 ‘ $14,917 $73,203
-5 .0
-5 .4
25.0
27.1
$1,238
$1,280
$7,417
$8,080
+ 3.3
+8.9
20.3 $31,263 $206,880
20.4 $29,335 $190,322
-
6.2
-
8.0
i Includes wage payments for extra help and sales made by such help.
* 9 neighborhood stores did not report sales, and have therefore not been included in this table.
16.7
15.8
15.1
15.4
EFFECT OF M IN IM U M -W AGE DETERMINATIONS IN OREGON*
33
Sales made in March and April, 1914,1 were, according to the
above table, 8 per cent less than sales made in the same stores in
these months in 1913. Yet the rates of pay of a large number of
women employees had been raised to meet the conditions imposed
by the determinations of the Oregon Industrial Welfare Com
mission. In spite of the increase of 4 per cent in the average rates
of pay for women and of 8.6 per cent in their average earnings,
the total weekly wage payments decreased 7.3 per cent in the period
covered in 1914, a decrease made possible by the reduction in the
number of women employed. On the other hand, the sales made by
women decreased 9.5 per cent. By reference to Table 12 it is seen
that before the determinations the average weekly wage payments to
Women were 12 per cent and after the determinations 12.3 per cent
of the average weekly sales, or 12 and 12.3 cents, respectively, out of
every dollar of sales. The net female-labor cost, therefore, increased
3 mills on every dollar of sales.
The male-labor cost increased only 1 mill on every dollar of sales,
but the number of men and the amount of money involved were not
sufficient to change the total labor cost as much as a half mill. Con
sequently the net increase in the cost of labor, male and female, was
3 mills and a negligible fraction on a dollar of sales. This increase
in wage payments was not borne equally by all stores or groups of
stores. Unquestionably the increase in labor cost was due primarily
to a rise in cost in the six department, dry-goods, and 5 and 10 cent
stores of Portland, the group employing the largest number of people,
and was emphasized by the big increase in the labor cost of the
neighborhood stores. These rises in labor cost were offset somewhat
by a decrease in labor cost of 3 mills and 9 mills, respectively, in
Portland specialty and Salem stores. A study of the detailed table
on page 55 will make plain that the cost of labor was kept within the
limits named largely by money-saving adjustments in the female
nonselling force and in the male selling force.
i Conditions peculiar to one firm’s business rendered these months not comparable in the two years; the
records for September in 1913 and 1914 were therefore substituted.
34
BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OP LABOR STATISTICS.
PORTLAND DEPARTMENT, DRY-GOODS, AND 5 AND 10
CENT STORES.
NUMBERS EMPLOYED BEFORE AND AFTER MINIMUM-WAGE
DETERMINATIONS.
Department and dry-goods stores are very much alike in business
organization and service required of employees. The 5 and 10 cent
store differs in organization and service requirements not only
from these stores but also from the specialty and neighborhood
stores. In other words, the 5 and 10 cent store really presents a
problem in itself in conducting an investigation into the effect of
minimum-wage determinations. But to treat it separately was not
possible in this study without thereby disclosing to the public the
records of individual firms. Combining their records with the
neighborhood or specialty stores, where comparatively few women
are employed, would have unduly influenced the figures and concealed
conditions prevailing in these establishments. It was necessary,
therefore, to include them with the department and dry-goods
stores where the numbers were too large to be submerged.
The records for three department stores, two dry-goods stores,
and one 5 and 10 cent store were included in this group. The
records of the numbers of women employed, the individual rates,
hours worked, earnings, and sales were taken for March and April,
1913 and 1914.1 For men only the numbers, the earnings, and
the sales were taken in the same periods. Three of these stores
pay their employees weekly or biweekly, the other three pay semi
monthly. Data had to be taken for 48 days in the first case and 52
days in the other and had to be reduced to a common basis of a
six-day week. Information concerning the age and experience of
women employees was obtained from the stores’ application blanks.
Because some files were incomplete and some application blanks
were not carefully filled out, there were a number of women whose
age and experience were not obtainable from these records. Many
of these were traced to their homes and the information obtained
from them personally. Out of 1,632 employed in 1913 and 1,345
in 1914, the final number for whom age but not experience records
was obtained was 121 in 1913 and 49 in 1914. The number about
whom no definite information for either age or experience was forth
coming was reduced to 152 in 1913 and 59 in 1914.
In the six stores covered in the investigation 45 per cent of the
women were employed in the selling departments. The demands
upon the department and dry-goods store saleswomen—showing
goods, suiting the taste and desires of customers, making sales checks,
i Conditions peculiar to one firm’s business rendered these months not comparable in the two years; the
records for September in 1913 and 1914 were therefore substituted.
EFFECT OF M IN IM U M -W AGE DETERMINATIONS IN OREGON.
35
caring for stock, and cleaning and arranging show cases—are well
known to the public.
In some stores the goods sold and the money and sales checks
are given to a woman called the “ floor cashier,” who wraps the
bundles, inspects the checks for errors, and makes change by means
of a cash register. In other stores bundles are wrapped by one
woman and the money and the sales checks are sent through a
tube to the “ tube cashier,” whose sole work consists in inspecting
checks and in making change. These floor and tube cashiers, who
are held responsible for the money that passes through their hands,
constituted from 6 to 7 per cent of the force in the six stores.
The women who only wrap the bundles, and the cash girls who
carry goods to the cashiers, errand girls, girls who put the price
tags on goods, and stock girls formed approximately 12 per cent
of the store force. The work done by these girls requires the least
skill of any work given to women in mercantile establishments.
The alteration, millinery, corset, upholstery, and other workrooms
gave employment to about 17 per cent of the women in 1913. Over
13 per cent of the women worked in the office, where the work
varies from a simple listing of goods sold to responsible bookkeeping.
Executive positions, such as buyers or department heads, Were
held by but a little over 1 per cent. The remainder of the store
force—from 3 to 4 per cent—were engaged as janitresses, matrons,
waitresses, detectives, or telephone operators.
In describing the work which women do in the six Portland stores
the slightly different organization in the 5 and 10 cent stores should
be noted. With the exception of some office help, they employed
women whose duties involved giving whatever slight assistance a
purchaser needed to buy wares on display, wrapping the bundles,
and making the change on a cash register. These women are called
saleswomen and are classed with saleswomen in this report, although
the difference in the demands made upon them from those made
on saleswomen in the typical department and dry-goods stores are
important.
In Table 13, which follows, comparison is made of the actual
numbers of women and girls employed in each occupation before and
after the minimum-wage determinations and of the equivalent full
time workers classified according to age and experience. The per
cent of increase or decrease in numbers after the determinations is
also shown.
36
BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS.
T able 13.—ACTUAL NUMBER OF WOMEN EMPLOYED AND THEIR EQUIVALENT IN
OF MEN EMPLOYED BEFORE AND AFTER MINIMUM-WAGE DETERMINATIONS,
FIED OCCUPATIONS, IN 6 PORTLAND DEPARTMENT, DRY-GOODS, AND 5 AND 10
Total employees.^
Total men.
Total women.
Occupation.
Before
deter
mina
tions.
Sales force:
Actual number.............................
Equivalent full-time workers.......
Workroom help:
Actual number.............................
Equivalent full-time workers.......
Officenelp:
Actual number............................
Equivalent full-time workers......
Cash girls, bundle wrappers, errand
girls, etc.:
Actual number.............................
Equivalent full-time workers.......
Cashiers:
Actual number.............................
Equivalent full-time workers......
Buyers, department heads, and floor
walkers:
Actual number.........................
Equivalent full-tim e w orkers...
Miscellaneous:
Actual number............................
Equivalent full-time workers.......
Per
cent
After in Before After
deter crease deter deter
mina (+ ) mina mina
tions. or de tions. tions.
crease
(-).
Per
cent
in
crease
(+ )
or de
crease
(-).
Before
deter
mina
tions.
Per
cent
After in
deter crease
mina (+ )
tions. or de
crease
(-)•
977
851 -12.9
239
217 - 9.2
738
549
634 -14.1
500 - 8.9
314
204 -35.0
35
29 -17.1
279
221
175 -37.3
151 -31.7
288
286 — .7
71
82 +15.5
217
182
204 - 6.0 j
177 — 2.7 i
286
237 -17.1
76
68 -10.5
210
160
169 -19.5
131 -18.1
100
103 + 3.0
100
89
101 + 1.0
82 - 7.9
108
103 - 4.6
91
79 -13 .2
17
16
24 +41.2
23 +43.8
441
371 -15.9
367
325 -11 .4
74
52
46 -37.8
36 -30.8
2
•
I
Total:
Actual number...................... *2,511 52,147 j—14.5 | 879
Equivalent full-time work
ers......................................
802 - 8.8 <1,632 51,345 -17.6
1,269 1,100 -13.3
1 Not including extra male or female help whose identity from week to week could not be traced, such
female help being equal to 3 women working full time; nor does it include 20 saleswomen whose regular
employment began with the opening of a new department on the last day of the period covered in the
investigation.
2 While age and experience records could not be secured for these women—not one of whom was on the
rolls for bom years—Information obtained from their fellow workers, their rates of pay, and the statements
of employers that they had dismissed adult experienced women in certain unskilled occupations rather
than pay the required $9.25, doarly indicates that in 1913 these women were adults and largely adult expe
rienced women. The same sources of information clearly indicate that the girls for whom records could
not be found in 1914 were minors, adult inexperienced and adult experienced. See text discussion, pp. 16
and 40.
* Less than one-half full-time worker.
EFFECT OF M IN IM U M -W AGE DETERMINATIONS IN OREGON.
37
FULL-TIME WORKERS CLASSIFIED BY AGE AND EXPERIENCE, AND ACTUAL NUMBER
WITH PER CENT OF INCREASE OR DECREASE AFTER DETERMINATIONS, FOR SPECICENT STORES.
Classification of women employees.
Girls under IS.
Before After
deter deter
mina mina
tions. tions.
Per
cent
in
crease
( t>
or
de
crease
(-).
Adult inexperienced.
Before After
deter deter
mina mina
tions. tions.
Per
cent
in
crease
( *y
or
de
crease
(-).
Adult experienced.
Before After
deter deter
mina mina
tions. tions.
Adults, expe Age and ex
rience not perience not
definitely
definitely
known.2
known.
Per
cent
in
Before After
crease deter- deter
mina- mina
or de tions. tions.
crease
(-).
1
Before
deter
mina
tions.
After
deter
mina
tions.
65
15
39
27
16
13
15 - 6.3
15 + 15.4
76
47
63 -17.1
50 + 6.4
541
452
496 - 8.3
399 -11.7
40
22
21
9
2
2
1 — 50.0
1 — 50.0
17
14
5 —70.6
4 —71.4
241
193
163 —32.4
140 -27.5
19
12
6
6
30
26
24 — 20.0
18 - 30.8
25
21
26 + 4.0
22 + 4.8
139
119
139
127 + 6.7
10
8
11
9
13
8
4
1
73
55
78 + 6.8
61 + 10.9
39
32
40 + 2.6
33 + 3.1
36
29
39 + 8.3
31 + 6.9
18
14
4
3
44
30
8
3
14
12
39 +178.6
29 +141.7
17
16
39
35
45 +15.4
41 +17.1
30
26
8
7
17
16
24 +41.2
23 +43.8
37 + 5.7
29 + 3.6
1
<’ )
1
1
9
5
-47.1
-68 .8
4
2
1 —75.0
1 -50 .0
35
28
6135
«157 + 16.3
•177
7139 -21.5
•1,047
108
125 + 15.7
132
115 -12.9
872
•941
34
22
7
5
-10.1
121
49
152
59
790 - 9.4
78
32
79
38
<1 minor and 1 adult inexperienced and 1 adult experienced woman worked in 2 occupations.
*1 minor and 5 adult inexperienced and 2 adult experienced women worked in 2 occupations.
•1 worked in 2 occupations.
7 5 worked in 2 occupations.
8 2 worked in 2 occupations.
38
BULLETIN OP TH E BUBEAtT OF LABOR STATISTICS.
According to the above table, in these six department, dry-goods,
and 5 and 10 cent stores a 14.5 per cent decrease occurred in the
total number of men and women employees in the period covered in
1914, as .compared with the same period in 1913. All occupations
save the cashiers shared this decrease, although not equally. The
workroom employees engaged in altering garments, making and
trimming hats, or sewing pennants and upholstery goods sustained
the largest decrease, namely, 35 per cent. This reduction in numbers
was brought about by a falling off in the amount of altering ordered
on ready-made garments. An agreement had been made in 1914
by the department and specialty stores to charge for alterations.
The result was that many women purchasers of garments who used to
have the necessary alterations made in the store did the work them
selves in 1914. Among the bundle-wrapper and messenger group
a 17 per cent decrease in numbers employed occurred. This, too,
was occasioned largely by readjustments in some stores. Reorgani
zation of the messenger service in 1914, where a lack of system had
theretofore prevailed, necessarily resulted in a material reduction in
the force of messengers. Doing away with the restaurant and soda
fountain in one store in 1914 accounted for the decrease of the
female labor force in the miscellaneous group. The numbers of
men and women employed in selling were reduced approximately
13 per cent. The office force remained almost stationary, while the
floor and tube cashiers increased very slightly.
These losses of employment occurred among men as well as among
women. Salesmen decreased less rapidly than saleswomen, tailors
less rapidly than tailoresses, boy messengers less rapidly than girl
messengers. As long as men could not hold their own positions in
these occupations, they could not have taken the places vacated by
women to any extent. In the office only did the numbers of men
increase while the numbers of women decreased. But Table 13
shows that the dismissed women were girls under 18 and subject only
to the $6 a week determination. It is not probable that adult male
labor was employed in occupations commanding such low rates. The
secretaries in several stores confirmed this inference. Believing that
the order for a 6 o’clock closing hour applied to all women em
ployed in mercantile establishments,1 they had replaced some compe
tent women bookkeepers by male bookkeepers, so that the occasional
nightwork required in obtaining balances might go on unhindered.
Other experienced adult women were employed in less important
office occupations, however, so that the number of experienced adult
women in the office was the same in both years, even though the total
number of women workers decreased. Evidently the increase in
i No decision as to whether this closing hour applies to store employees not engaged in selling had been
rendered by the State attorney at this time.
EFFECT OF M IN IM U M -W AGE DETERMINATIONS IN OREGON.
39
men and the decrease in girls under 18 who had been receiving $6
or more in 1913 in the office can not be associated with the minimumwage determinations. The women buyers and department heads
*appear to have increased at the expense of men buyers and depart
ment heads. The group of miscellaneous occupations is not com
parable for men and women, as the largest group of men included
here are employed as drivers, warehouse and stock men, elevator
attendants, and in other occupations where no women are employed.
On the whole, therefore, little displacement of women by men seems
to have occurred in these six large stores.
The decrease measured in the foregoing paragraphs was the decrease
in the numbers of men and women whose names appeared on the
pay rolls during each period covered. These numbers do not accu
rately measure the real decrease in the amount of work unless the
change in the regularity of employment is also known. Because the
purpose of this study was to ascertain the changes, since the wage
determinations, in women's status, the regularity of men's employ
ment was not obtained. The nominal hours in five of these six
establishments changed in 1914, thus making it impossible to obtain
the relative regularity of employment merely by a comparison of the
hours actually worked in each year. The method used to measure
the difference in regularity in this study was to compare the number
of women and girls who, if employed full time in each period, would
have worked the same number of hours as was worked by the actual
number of women and girls employed. Table 13 shows that the
decrease in the number of possible full-time women in this group of
stores was 13.3 per cent, as compared with a 17.6 per cent decrease
in actual numbers. This decrease in full-time women in the six Port
land stores almost exactly corresponds with the 13.2 per cent decrease
in women's sales. Among the saleswomen the real decrease in em
ployment was 8.9 per cent, a decrease considerably less than the
decrease in their sales. Obviously the nonselling female force de
creased much more rapidly. The foregoing paragraphs (p. 38) de
scribing the readjustments in the alteration rooms, the messenger
service, and the miscellaneous occupations, explain this result.
The Oregon Industrial Welfare Commission, in its wage determina
tions, classified female employees into girls under 18 years, adult inex
perienced women 18 years of age and over with experience of not
more than one year in an occupation, and adult experienced women
18 years of age and over with more than a year of experience in an
occupation. Of the total number of female employees included in
the investigation, 1,632 in 1913 and 1,345 in 1914, there remained
152 in 1913 and 59 in 1914, for whom, as has been stated, statistical
information as to age and experience was unavailable. There was
reasonably reliable information, however, as to the probable age and
40
BULLETIN OF THE BXJBEAU OF LABOR STATISTICS.
experience of these women for whom actual records were not obtain
able. None of these women was employed in both years. They
were principally the 5 and 10 cent store saleswomen, bundle wrap
pers and cashiers, and unskilled office help. The employers asserted
that experienced adult bundle wrappers and cashiers had been dis
missed and girls under 18 put in their places. Women visited, who
had been bundle wrappers and cashiers or 5 and 10 cent store sales
women, said that many others like themselves had been dismissed
because they were adults and experienced. And girls who had
begun in these occupations since the wage determinations main
tained that as minors they were filling the places vacated by experi
enced adult women. It would seem, therefore, that most of these
women, whose age and experience were not definitely known, were
experienced adults in 1913, and that the majority were girls under
18 in 1914. In the office the wage rates paid, together with the
information given by women working there, would divide the women
whose age and experience were not reported principally into inex
perienced adults and experienced adults in each year. Roughly,
therefore, this group, whose age and experience were not known, can
be divided in 1913 into adults, both inexperienced and experienced,
but with the experienced predominating; in 1914 into girls under 18,
inexperienced adults, and experienced adults not receiving the legal
minimum, but with the girls under 18 predominating.
In the group whose ages were definitely known, the girls under 18
increased in numbers. Obviously, accurate information as to the
ages of those for whom definite age records were not available would
have emphasized this increase. The minors increased largely be
cause a preference for them was shown in the positions of bundle
wrapper, messenger, and floor cashier,1 a preference based on the
managers’ belief that such positions, in spite of the real responsibility
which the last occupation requires, can not pay $9.25 a week. A girl
entering at 16 need not be paid increased wages for two years; for
every adult who is employed in these occupations the question of
whether she is worth $9.25 as a bundle wrapper or a cashier, whether
she can be employed as an apprentice elsewhere, or whether she is to be
dismissed arises at least one year sooner. Naturally the circum
stances favor the girl of 16.
Among those whose experience was definitely known, the inexpe
rienced adult women were reduced 21.5 per cent in actual numbers,
but only about 13 per cent in possible full-time numbers. To what
extent these per cents would be changed by the numbers of inexpe
rienced women and girls known to be among the group not reporting
* Because of the number whosa age and experience records were not obtained for this occupation, this
showing is blurred in Table 13. The text statement as to the occupation is based on the assertions of the
employers who dismissed the women, of the girls dismissed, and of girls taking their places.
EFFECT OF M IN IM U M -W AGE DETERMINATIONS IN OREGON.
41
definitely on this question of experience in both years can not be
measured. Undoubtedly besides suffering a reduction in numbers
in the occupations in which the girls under 18 have gained, the inex
perienced adults have been less desired in the workroom than before.
In the selling department, however, in spite of the decrease in actual
numbers, the equivalent full-time women employed were increased.
The experienced women employed in these six stores decreased 9.4
per cent in full-time numbers. The biggest reduction occurred in the
workroom force (27.5 per-cent) and for reasons explained on page 38.
As has been shown by the foregoing table, a decrease of 11.7 per cent
occurred in the number of full-time, experienced, adult saleswomen.
Table 14, which follows, shows what increases or decreases in numbers
occurred in each of the various selling departments. The possible
full-time experienced adults decreased in all selling departments
save in muslin underwear, ribbons, and bargains. Their number
decreased most heavily in the crockery and silverware, and the corsets
departments.
BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS.
42
14.—ACTUAL NUMBER OF WOMEN AND GIRLS EMPLOYED AND THEIR EQUIV
AND AFTER MINIMUM-WAGE DETERMINATIONS, WITH PER CENT OF INCREASE OR
6 PORTLAND DEPARTMENT, DRY-GOODS, AND 5 AND 10 CENT STORES.
T able
[Percentages of increase or decrease were not computed for those under 18
Total women employed.
Department.
Per cent
Before
After
increase
determi determi (+ ) or
nations. nations. decrease
<-).
Cloak, suit, and waist:
Actual number...............................................................
Equivalent full-time workers.........................................
Jewelry, stationery, books, pictures, music, art needlework:
Actual number...............................................................
Equivalent full-time workers.........................................
Millinery:
Actual number...............................................................
Equivalent full-time workers.........................................
Muslin underwear:
Actual number...............................................................
Equivalent full-time workers.........................................
Laces, embroideries, and dress trimmings:
Actual number...............................................................
Equivalent full-time workers.........................................
Ribbons:
Actual number...............................................................
Equivalent full-time workers.........................................
Hosiery and knit underwear:
Actual number...............................................................
Equivalent full-time workers....................................... .
Notions:
Actual number...............................................................
Equivalent full-time workers.........................................
Drugs, groceries, pastries, and candy:
Actual number...............................................................
Equivalent full-time workers.........................................
Yard goods:
Actual number...............................................................
Equivalent full-time workers........................................
Bargains:
Actual number..............................................................
Equivalent full-time workers........................................
Crockery, silverware, and statuary:
Actual number...............................................................
Equivalent full-time workers........................................
Gloves:
Actual number...............................................................
Equivalent full-time workers.........................................
Corsets:
Actual number...............................................................
Equivalent full-time workers.........................................
Handkerchiefs, veilings, and patterns:
Actual number...............................................................
Equivalent full-time workers........................................
Neckwear:
Actual number...............................................................
Equivalent full-time workers.........................................
Leather goods and shoes:
Actual number...............................................................
Equivalent full-time workers.........................................
Miscellaneous *:
Actual number..............................................................
Equivalent full-time workers........................................
Total:
Actual number.......................................................
Equivalent full-time workers.................................
75
+ 6.7
+ 1.7
52
-24.6
—28.8
47
+ 1.7
+ 2.2
-19 .6
-13 .5
-26.2
-25.0
+ 2.6
+ 6.9
+11.8
- 6.7
26
-18.2
- 3.8
26
-15 .6
-11.5
27
17
- 3.2
- 3.4
+30.8
-40 .0
-38.1
+ 4.5
-10.5
-15.8
-25 .0
+11.1
+ 7.1
+20.0
- 7.7
146
77
*738
549
-13 .0
<634
500
-14.1
- 8.9
* Less than one-half full-time worker.
* Includes men’s furnishing goods, boys’ clothing, infants’ and children’s wear, umbrellas, toys, cam
eras, phonographs, sewing machines, hair goods, furs, flags, and 5 and 10 cent departments.
* 11 women worked in 2 departments and 1 woman worked in 3 departments.
< 16 women worked in 2 departments and 1 woman worked in 3 departments, not including 20 sales
women whose regular employment began with the opening of a new department on the last day of the
‘period covered by the investigation.
EFFECT OF M IN IM U M -W AGE DETERMINATIONS IN OREGON.
43
ALENT IN FULL-TIME WORKERS, CLASSIFIED BY AGE AND EXPERIENCE, BEFORE
DECREASE AFTER DETERMINATIONS, FOR SPECIFIED SELLING DEPARTMENTS IN
and for Inexperienced adults because of the very small numbers involved.]
Classification of employees.
Girl3 under 18.
Adult inexperi
enced.
Adult experienced.
Adults, experi
ence not defi
nitely known.
Age and experi
ence not definitely
known.
Per cent
Before
After increase Before
Before
After
Before
After
After
After
Before
determi determi determi determi determi determi (+ )o r determi determi determi determi
nations. nations. nations. nations. nations. nations. decrease nations. nations. nations. nations.
< -).
1
7
4
71
57
73
56
+ 2.8
- 1.8
3
2
8
5
3
2
56
45
44
31
-21.4
-31.1
4
2
3
1
4
3
54
44
51
40
- 5.6
- 9.1
6
4
1
1
38
29
39
30
+ 2.6
+ 3.4
7
4
1
1
4
2
3
3
37
29
26
20
-29.7
-31.0
1
1
2
1
1
1
10
9
6
4
27
19
32
26
+18.5
+36.8
1
1
1
1
1
5
4
32
28
32
24
-14.3
5
5
8
5
6
6
21
17
16
14
—23.8
-17.6
1
1
2
1
1
1
29
24
21
18
-27 .6
-25 .0
2
1
2
2
29
26
27
24
— 6.9
— 7.7
17
7
14
7
12
6
16
10
+33.3
+66.7
6
4
3
3
19
17
12
10
-36.8
-41 .2
1
1
1
20
17
21
16
+ 5.0
- 5.9
1
1
3
2
17
14
12
9
-29 .4
—35.7
3
2
12
11
13
10
+ 8.3
- 9.1
2
2
13
11
15
10
+15.4
- 9.1
1
1
13
12
11
U
-15.4
— 8.3
(9
1
3
2
0)
1
1
<*)
3
3
1
1
0)
2
2
3
3
1
1
5
3
1
1
2
2
2
2
2
1
3
2
1
1
1
1
4
3
1
1
1
1
1
1
0)
0)
1
1
7
5
2
2
6
3
2
2
50
46
46
40
- 8.0
-13 .0
22
10
5
3
61
13
38
20
10
13
* 15
15
•76
47
•63
50
*541
452
8 496
399
- 8.3
-11.7
41
22
19
14
64
15
41
22
* 3 women worked in 2 departments.
* 4 women worked in 2 departments.
* 9 women worked in 2 departments.
* II women worked in 2 departments.
44
BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS.
* This table also indicates the selling departments in which appren
tices (girls under 18 and inexperienced adults) receive their training.
The proportion of apprentices in each department varied from none
to 54 per cent of the full-time force in 1913 and from 3.1 per cent
to 44 per cent in 1914, the 54 per cent being employed at bargain
counters, the 44 per cent at the notion counter. Aside from
the 5 and 10 cent stores, whose saleswomen are included under the
miscellaneous group of saleswomen, the notions, the handkerchiefs and
patterns, and the jewelry, stationery, etc., departments were the only
places employing three or more full-time minors in either year. The
inexperienced adult women were sprinkled thinly through almost all
departments. They increased most (although nowhere more than
four possible full-time women) in the cloaks and suits, the millinery,
the hosiery and knit underwear, and the corsets, all high-grade depart
ments where the number of possible full-time experienced workershave
decreased. These inexperienced adult women have decreased in the
art needlework, the muslin underwear, and the ribbon departments,
the last two being departments in which the full-time experienced
women have increased. These adjustments are only such as might
be expected in the normal course of business management.
RATES OF PAY BEFORE AND AFTER
MINATIONS.
MINIMUM-WAGE DETER
How the rates of pay in the various occupations in the six Portland
department, dry-goods, and 5 and 10 cent stores after the minimumwage determinations compared with the rates existing before the
determinations is shown in Table 15. The comparison is made with
special reference to the legal minimum rates established in the deter
minations, namely, $6 for girls under 18 and inexperienced adult
women of 18 and over and $9.25 for adult women with more than
one year of experience in Portland and $8.25 in other parts of the
State.
EFFECT OF M IN IM U M -W AGE DETERMINATIONS IN OREGON.
45
15.—NUMBER AND PER CENT OF WOMEN AND GIRLS WHOSE W EEKLY RATES
OF PAY BEFORE AND AFTER MINIMUM-WAGE DETERMINATIONS WERE UNDER,
EQUAL TO, OR OVER THE MINIMUM RATES FIXED, FOR SPECIFIED OCCUPATIONS,
AS SHOWN BY THE PAY ROLLS OF 6 PORTLAND DEPARTMENT, DRY-GOODS, AND 5
AND 10 CENT STORES.
T able
[For girls under 18 and inexperienced adult women of 18 and over the minimum wage is $6; for adult women
with more than one year of experience it is $9.25 in Portland.]
Women whose weekly rates of pay were within each classified amount.
Occupation.
Under $6
Over $6 and
under $9.23
$6
$9.23 or $9.25
Over $9.25
Total
num
ber.
Num Per Num Per Num Per Num Per Num Per
ber. cent. ber. cent. ber. cent. ber. cent. ber. cent.
Saleswomen:
Before determinaAfter
determina
tions......................
Workroom help:
Before determina
tions......................
After
determina
tions.....................
Office help:
Before determinaAfter
determina
tions......................
Cash girls, bundle wrap
pers, errand girls, etc.:
Before determina
tions......................
After
determina
tions......................
Cashiers:
Before determina
tions......................
After
determina
tions......................
Buyers, heads of depart
ments, and floorwalk
ers:
Before determina
tions......................
After
determina
tions......................
Miscellaneous:1
Before determina
tions......................
After
determina
tions......................
104 14.09
1
20
Total:
Before determi
nations............ 2 142
After determi-
5.28
.15
9.52
3.00
10.40
100
32.25
11.25
274 37.13
738
15.29
175 26.76
310 47.40
654
177 63.44
279
111
63.43
175
9
3.22
21.51
3
1.70
4.00
38 17.51
33.64
15
6.91
41.02
217
32 .15.69
18.14
51 25.00
40.68
204
117 55.71
29.53
2.38
2.86
210
119 70.42
15.38
13.02
1.18
169
44 44.00
36.00
7.00
11.88
10.00
52 51.49
20.79
15.84
100
101
3*
11.47
54 30.86
100.00
17
100.00
24
17.57
4.05
39.19
6.76
32.43
74
2.17
4.35
19.57
34.78
39.13
46
8.70
250 15.32
«496 30.39
.22
8270 19.78
*190 13.92
147
9.01
24.76
597
1Includes detectives, advertising department, matron, nurses, janitresses, waitresses, etc.
2 1 woman worked in 2 occupations.
8 2 women worked in 2 occupations.
* 3 women worked in 2 occupations.
* 6 women worked in 2 occupations.
68 women worked in 2 occupations.
*1,632
564 41.32 *1,365
46
BULLETIN OF TH E BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS.
Before the minimum-wage determinations came into effect there
were 142 women and girls in the six department, dry-goods, and 5 and
10 cent stores who were receiving rates of less than $6. Most of these
were saleswomen in the 5 and 10 cent stores, or cash girls, bundle
wrappers, and errand girls. With three exceptions, the $4 and $5
wages had disappeared in the second period studied, as a result of the
minimum-wage determinations. In the sealing department this has
meant an increase of 29, or 74.4 per cent, in the number of women
getting a $6 rate; among the bundle wrappers of 2, or 1.7 per cent;
while among the cashiers, few of whom were getting less than $6 in
1913, an increase of 8, or 18.2 per cent. About a third of the women
employed in selling, in the office, as bundle wrappers, and as cashiers
received more than $6 in 1913, but not more than $9.23, the weekly
equivalent of the $40 monthly rate. Eight dollars and eight cents
per week had been a frequently occurring wage for experienced sales
women and office help. Thirty dollars per month, or $6.92 per week,
and $7.50 were sometimes paid to advanced bundle wrappers and
cashiers. The order that took effect November 23, 1913, made it
compulsory for all women 18 years and over with more than one
year's experience in an occupation in Portland mercantile establish
ments to be paid $9.25 (a monthly rate of $40, or $9.23 per week, was
accepted as complying with the determination). Women with a
year's experience in one occupation could be shifted to a new occupa
tion and retained there one year at any rate from $6 up. Some
shifting of this kind was done; a few bundle wrappers and cashiers
were put to listing or paging on books in the office, or became sales
women. In spite of these changes and notwithstanding the fact that
81, or 8.5 per cent, of the experienced adult women were not receiving
the legal minimum,1 the numbers receiving $9.23 or $9.25 increased
from 147 to 338, an increase of 130 per cent.
But how were the women who received more than $9.25 before the
wage determinations affected ? As a group they constituted a smaller
number but a larger proportion of the total number of women in 1914
than in 1913—597 in 1913 and 564 in 1914, the per cents being
approximately 37 and 41, respectively.
Table 16 shows weekly rates of pay before and after the minimumwage determinations more in detail, giving the number receiving
certain classified amounts, the per cent of increase or decrease in the
number falling in each wage group, and the average rates of pay.
The figures are by occupation, as in Table 15.
* See Table 7, p. 22.
97827°— Bull. 176— 16--- 1
BULLETIN OP THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS.
48
16.—ACTUAL NUMBER OF WOMEN AND GIRLS RECEIVING CLASSIFIED W EEKLY
PER CENT OF INCREASE OR DECREASE AFTER DETERMINATIONS, FOR SPECIFIED
DRY GOODS, AND 5 AND 10 CENT STORES.
T able
Women whose weekly rates of pay were within each classified amount.
Occupation.
Under $5 to
$5
$5.99
$6
$6.01
to
$6.99
$7 to
$7.99
$8 to
$8.49
$8.50 $9.23
to
and
$9.22 $9.25
$9.26 $10 to $10.50
to
to
$9.99 $10.49 $10.99
Saleswomen:
Beforedeterminations
64
40
83
24
43
6
47
39
26
145
17
Aftftr deterrnftvitfons T
1
68
33
175
21
64
21
38
8
15
Increase (+ ) or de
crease (—)—
Number................ — 63 — 40 + 29 — 5 +
15 +
2
17 —
9 — 107 — 35 + 92 +
Per cent................ - 98.4 —100.0 +74.4 - 19.2 + 37.5 - 73.8 - 81.4 +110.8 +250.0 + 36.2 - 11.8
Workroom help:
9
6
3
3
Before determinations
1
32
5
26
23
36
1
After determinations.
3
6
2
54
3
17
Increase (+ ) or de
crease (—>—
—
1 — 6 — 6 — 5 — 20 — 22 + 22
1
Number................
19 —
—100.0 —66.7 —100.0 —100.0 — 76.9 — 95.7 + 68.8
Per cent................
— 52.8 — 33.3
Office help:
Before determinations
2
7
3
3
21
35
10
15
15
38
1
7
2
2
After determinations.
3
10
51
16
32
18
Increase (+ ) or de
crease (—)—
1— 2 — 61+
Number................ +
—
8 + 36 —
3
1
Per cent................
-100.0 -15.8 - 14.3
- 71.4 — 80.0 +240.0 - 33.3 + 6.7
Cash girls, wrappers,er
rand girls, etc.:
9
5
3
5
Before determinations 1 10
10 117
45
1
4
After determinations
22
12
9
119
Increase (+ ) or de
crease (—)—
—
1—
Number................ — 10 — 10 + 2 — 33
2 + 17
Per cent................ -100.0 -100.0 + 1.7 - 73.3
- 20.0 - 66.7 +340.0
Cashiers:
1
5
9
4
7
1
2
18
B efo re determ in a tion s
44
2
3
2
21
After determinations
10
52
Increase (+ ) or de
crease (—)—
1—
1 — 18 —
4+
14 +
Number................ —
2+ 8— 3+
3+
1
Per cent................ -100.0 -100.0 +18.2 - 60.0 + 11.1 -100.0 -100.0 +200.0
+100.0
B u y e rs, department
neads*
Before determinations
After determinations
Increase (+ ) or de
crease (—)—
Number................
Per cen t...............
Miscellaneous:1
1
1
2
4
3
3
11
15
2
5
Before determinations
10
1
1
2
6
5
2
16
Aiter determinations.
Increase (+ ) or de
crease (—)—
11
3 — 1— 5
Number................ — 9 15
2+
+ 11 —
- 45.5
+220.0 -100.0 + 25.0 -100.0
Per cent ................ - 90.0 -100.0 -33.3 -100.0
Total:
118
*57 250
85
Beforedeterminations
3
*52
« 270
After determinations.
Increase (+ ) or de
crease (—)—
66 +
57 + 20 Number................ 82 Per cent................ - 96.5 -100.0 + 8.0 - 55.9 +
56
61
<238
64
84
13
147
*338
14
29
15 +
71 + 191 +
5 - 174 8.9 - 73.1 - *4.5 +129.9 +107.1 +
103
104
14
1.0 - 16.7
i Includes detectives, advertising department, matron, nurses, janitresses, waitresses, etc.
* 1 woman worked in 2 occupations,
a2 women worked in 2 occupations.
24
20
EFFECT OF M IN IM U M -W AGE DETERMINATIONS IN OREGON.
49
RATES OF PAY BEFORE AND AFTER MINIMUM-WAGE DETERMINATIONS, WITH
OCCUPATIONS, AS SHOWN BY THE PAY ROLLS OF 6 PORTLAND DEPARTMENT,
Women whose weekly rates of pay were within each classified
amount.
$11 to $12 to
$11.99 $12.99
47
56
$13 to
$13.99
$14 to
$14.99
24
20
36
45
9
6
Total
num
ber.
$20
$15 to $16 to $18 to and
$15.99 $17.99 $19.99 over.
28
27
32
27
11
14
17
15
Aver
age
rate
of
pay.
738 $9.63
654 $10.69
1+
4 3 284 +$1.06
5 3+ 9 +
9 +19.1 + 25.0 - 16.7 - 33.3 - 15.6 - 3.6 + 27.3 - 11.8 -11.48 +11.01
22
17
15
12
47
32
3
4
12
3
8
3
9
10
279 $11.68
175 $10.25
19
8
9+
11 - 104 -$1.43
— 5 3 +
15 5 11 -22.7 - 31.9 -2 0 .0 + 33.3 - 62.5 -75.0 + 11.1 - 57.9 - 37.3 -12.24
7
6
13
15
19
13
3
3
3
3
— 6
-31.6
—
2
— 20.0
— 1 +
2
—14.3 + 15.4
4
2
10
8
6
6
7
8
217 $10.22
204 $10.39
+
1+ 14.3 -
13 +$0.17
6.0 + 1. "
1
1
210 $6.48
1
2 —
-50.0 -100.0
—
1
-100.0
41 +$0.20
- 19.5 + 3.
3
5
5
3
1
2 +
+ 2 —
+66.7 - 40.0
1
+
4
2
—
1
-100.0
87
89
+ 2 + 2.3 -
105 .
96
3
3
1
2
1
4
4
1 —
1
-100.0 - 50.0
23
18
50
36
2
6
2
7
13
$29.16
1
4
74 $8.85
46 $11.32
—
2+
28 +$2.47
3-100.0 +300.0 - 37.8 +27.91
66
51
27
33
14 - 15 +
7 5 9 68.6 - 15.2 - 21.7 - 28.0 -22.7 + 22.2 -
$7.55
101 $7.86
+
4+
6 + •7 +$0.93
+200.0 + 85.7 + 41.2 + 3.29
—
46
39
100
1+$0.31
1.0 + 4.10
1
—
2
- 50.0
3
1
— 1 2
-25.0 - 66.7
1
1
1
1
4
3
$6.68
52 41,6
49 •1,3
3
5.8
* 3 women worked in 2 occupations.
66 women worked in 2 occupations.
* 8 women worked in 2 occupations.
Occupation.
Saleswomen:
Before determinations.
After determinations.
Increase (+ ) or de
crease ( —)—
Number.
Per cent.
Workroom help:
Before determinations.
After determinations.
Increase (+ ) or de
crease (—)—
Number.
Per cent.
Office help:
Before determinations.
After determinations.
Increase (+ ) or de
crease (—)—
Number.
Per cent.
Cash girls, wrappers, er
rand girls, etc.:
Before determinations.
After determinations.
Increase (+ ) or de
crease (—)—
Number.
Per cent.
Cashiers:
Before determinations.
After determinations.
Increase (+ ) or de-
-ve(-)-)—
Number.
Per cent.
B u y e r s , department
heads:
Before determinations.
After determinations.
Increase (+ ) or de
crease ( —)—
Number.
Per cent.
Miscellaneous:1
Before determinations.
After determinations.
Increase (+ ) or de
crease (—)—
Number.
Per cent.
Total:
Before determinations.
After determinations.
Increase (+ ) or de
crease (—)—
+$0.46
Number.
+ 4.75
Per cent.
$9.69
$10.15
50
BULLETIN OP TH E BUREAU OP LABOR STATISTICS.
A detailed examination of the rates received, as shown in the above
table, reveals not only that the proportion but the actual number
getting over $9.25 but under $12 increased after the wage deter
minations, in spite of the 17.6 per cent decrease in the total female
force.
The proportion of the total force getting $12 and over also increased,
although the actual numbers decreased 12.7 per cent, or approxi
mately five points less than the percentage of decrease in the total
female force. As the biggest decrease in the latter group occurred
among the high-salaried women in the alteration workroom, a branch
of the department store but little affected by the minimum-wage
determinations, this reduction may be directly associated with the
lessened need for experienced fitters and sewers spoken of on page 38.
The average rates of pay increased in all departments save the
workroom. Exclusive of the miscellaneous occupations, the great
est increase occurred among the saleswomen—a rise of $1.06. The
bundle wrappers and messengers received an average increase of 20
cents, the cashiers 31 cents, while the office help gained an average
of 17 cents in the rates of pay.
Table 17 indicates which of the selling departments were affected
most by the minimum-wage rulings. Outside of the miscellaneous
selling departments, where the saleswomen in the 5 and 10 cent stores
are included, few saleswomen were paid less than $6 in 1913. An av
erage rate of less than $9.25 per week was paid to girls employed at the
bargain counters, in the notions, the handkerchiefs, veilings, and pat
terns, the neckwear, and the ribbon departments in the period studied
in 1913. The jewelry, stationery, and art needlework, the laces, the
crockery, and the leather-goods departments also had a number of
experienced adult women getting less than $9.25 per week, although
the average rate for all women in the several departments was in
excess of this amount. The departments least affected were the
cloak and suit, the millinery, the corsets, the gloves, and the yard
goods departments. Average wage rates increased after the minimum-wage determinations went into effeot in all selling departments
save the yard goods, the drugs and groceries, the millinery, the
hosiery and knit goods, and the corsets departments, where they
decreased. The last three departments were the departments where
the number of inexperienced adults had increased.
EFFECT OF M IN IM U M -W AGE DETERMINATIONS IN OREGON.
. 51
17.—NUMBER AND PER CENT OF WOMEN AND GIRLS WHOSE W EEKLY RATES
OF PAY BEFORE AND AFTER THE MINIMUM-WAGE DETERMINATIONS WERE
UNDER, EQUAL TO, OR OVER THE MINIMUM RATES FIXED, FOR SPECIFIED SELL
ING DEPARTMENTS, AS SHOWN BY THE PAY ROLLS OF 6 PORTLAND DEPART
MENT, DRY-GOODS, AND 5 AND 10 CENT STORES.
[For girls under 18 and inexperienced adult women of 18 and over the minimum wage is 16; for adult women
with more than 1 year of experience it is $9.25 in Portland.]
T able
Women whose weekly rates of pay were within each classified
amount.
Selling departments.
Aver
Total age
Over $9.25 num rate
ber.
of
pay.
Num Per Num- Per Num Per Num Per Num Per
ber. cent. ber. cent. ber. cent. ber. cent. ber. cent.
Cloak, suit) and waist:
Before determinations..
After determinations...
Jewelry, stationery, books,
pictures,music,art needle
work:
Before determinations..
After determinations...
Millinery:
Before determinations..
1.7
After determinations...
Muslin underwear:
2.0
Before determinations..
After determinations...
Laces, embroideries, and
trimmings:
Before determinations..
After determinations...
Ribbons:
Before determinations..
After determinations...
Hosiery and knit under
wear:
5.9
Before determinations..
After determinations...
Notions:
Before determinations..
After determinations...
Drugs, groceries, and candy:
Before determinations..
After determinations...
Yard goods:
Before determinations..
Alter determinations...
Bargains:
Before determinations..
After determinations...
Crockery, silverware, stat
uary:
- Before determinations..
After determinations...
Gloves:
Before determinations..
After determinations...
Corsets:
Before determinations..
After determinations...
Handkerchiefs,veilings,and
patterns:
Before determinations..
22.2
After determinations.
Neckwear:
Before determinations..
6.7
After determinations..
Leather goods and shoes:
Before determinations.
After determinations..
Miscellaneous:^
Before determinations..
98 67.1
After determinations.
Total:
Before determinations *104 14.1
After determinations.
1 .2
Over $6 and
under $9.23
$6
Under $6
1.3
2.5
13.3
5.0
8.0
10.0
58 77.3
82.5
75 $13.83
14.05
11.6
1.9
46.4
17.3
13.0
40.4
29.0
40.4
9.26
10.46
6.8
1.7
13.3
6.8
76.3
12.02
60 11.50
5.9
2.4
33.3
2.4
19.6
31.7
39.2
63.4
9.64
10.41
7.1
6.5
47.6
12.9
4.8
25.8
40.5
54.8
9.67
10.84
2.6
52.6
12.8
28.9
35.9
18.4
48.7
9.04
9.47
7.9
26.5
13.2
26.5
26.3
14 41.2
52.6
14.8
72.7
48.1
18.5
6.1
9.1
18.5
3.1
46.9
22.2
15.6
44.4
34.4
33.3
9.95
9.77
22.0
35.5
9.7
44.0
54.8
34.0
11.90
10.86
17.2
26.7
75.9
23.3
3.4
30.0
20.0
12.0
13.3
52.0
20.0
4.0
20.0
32.0
46.7
9.29
10.61
4.5
13.0
22.7
18.2
17.4
54.5
69.6
10.93
10.5
5.3
25.0
10.5
12.5
73.7
62.5
13.73
11.59
5.6
15.0
44.4
25.0
5.6
40.0
60.0
27.8
53.8
16.7
3 2.1
41 44.1
39
12.3
11.8
10
3.4
34
9.86
9.93
8.11
8.38
29
7.55
8.23
11.00
22.2
20.0
8.47
9.44
33.3
20.0
13.3
38.9
8.75
9.82
16.7
46.2
66.7
10.87
11.75
6.8
11.6
28.0
16.1
146
93
6.31
a 12
5.3 *238 32.2
83 11.2 4274 37.1 #738 9.63
10.4 <100 15.3 7175 26.8 *310 47.4 •654 10.69
1Includes men’s fumisning goods, boys’ cloth
ing, infants' and children’ s wear, umbrellas,
toys, cameras, phonographs, sewing machines,
hair goods, furs, flags, and 5 and 10 cent depart
ments.
* 1 woman worked in 3 departments.
* 9 women worked in 2 departments.
*2 women worked in 2 departments.
10.2
15.0
12.1
•68
$9.23 or
$9.25
^11 women worked in 2 departments, and 1
woman worked in 3 departments.
* 4 women worked in 2 departments.
76 women worked in 2 departments.
* 2 women worked in 2 departments, and 1 woman
worked in 3 departments.
* 16 women worked in 2 departments, and 1
woman worked in 3 departments.
52
BULLETIN OP THE BUBEAU OF LABOR STATISTICS.
AVERAGE WEEKLY EARNINGS BEFORE AND AFTER MINIMUM-WAGE
DETERMINATIONS.
The average weekly earnings of all women in the six department,
dry-goods, and 5 and 10 cent stores increased 10 per cent, or from $7.89
to $8.67 per week after the minimum-wage determinations, according
to Table 18 below. This increase occurred almost entirely in the
average weekly wages; the amount paid in premiums, commonly
known as P. M.’s, averaged the same in both years, and the commis
sion system, which had not been in use in 1913, netted the women on
an average of less than 1 cent a week. This percentage of in
crease in earnings was approximately twice as great as the increase
occurring in the rates of pay. Its relation to rates differed, however,
in the several occupations. Among the saleswomen the average
weekly earnings increased from $7.73 to $8.49, or 9.8 per cent; their
rates had increased 11 per cent. In the workroom an 11 per cent
increase occurred in the earnings. The numbers and the rates of pay
had decreased in this department, but the women who were retained
worked more steadily, and therefore earned more than in 1913. In
the office and among the bundle-wrapper group the rise in earnings
was greater than the rise in weekly rates of pay. For the cashiers,
however, the weekly earnings decreased 1 per cent in spite of the 4 per
cent increase in rates; this slight fall in earnings was accompanied by
a 14 per cent decrease in hours, a decrease due partly to the shorten
ing of the normal hours and partly to the decreased regularity of em
ployment.
EFFECT OF M IN IM U M -W AGE DETERMINATIONS IN OREGON.
53
T a b le 18.— AVERAGE W EEKLY EARNINGS AND HOURS OF LABOR OF WOMEN AND
GIRLS BEFORE AND AFTER MINIMUM-WAGE DETERMINATIONS, WITH PER CENT
OF INCREASE OR DECREASE AFTER DETERMINATIONS, FOR SPECIFIED OCCUPA
TIONS, AS SHOWN BY THE PAY ROLLS OF 6 PORTLAND DEPARTMENT, DRYGOODS, AND 5 AND 10 CENT STORES.
Occupation.
Saleswomen:
Before minimum-wage determinations.
After minimum-wage determinations...
Per centincrease (+ ) or decrease ( —) . .
Workroom help:
Before minimum-wage determinations.
After minimum-wage determinations...
Per centincrease (+ ) or decrease (—) . . .
Office help:
Before minimum-wage determinations.
After minimum-wage determinations...
Per cent increase (+ ) or decrease (—) . . .
Cash girls, wrappers, errand girls, etc.:
Before minimum-wage determinations.
After minimum-wage determinations...
Per cent increase (+ ) or decrease (—) . .
Cashiers:
Before minimum-wage determinations.
After minimum-wage determinations...
Per cent increase (+ ) or decrease ( —) . .
Buyers, department heads, floorwalkers:
Before minimum-wage determinations.
After minimum-wage determinations...
Per cent increase (+ ) or decrease (—) . .
Miscellaneous: *
Before minimum-wage determinations.
After minimum-wage determinations...
Per cent increase (+ ) or decrease (—) . .
Total:
Before minimum-wage determinations.
After minimum-wage determinations..
Per cent increase (+ ) or decrease (—)..
Aver- Total
Num Aver- Aver- weekly aver- Aver
age
ber of wee]
com wXy weekly
women. wages. A
earn- hours.
mis
sions.
738
1634
$7.68
$8.44
+ 9.9
279
175
$0.05
$0.04
$7.73
$8.49
+ 9.8
+ 1.8
$10.20
+11.1
$9.18
$10.20
+11.1
39.92
42.43
+ 6.3
217
204
$8.77
$9.18
+ 4.7
$8.77
$9.18
+ 4.7
43.36
42.78
- 1.3
210
109
$4.93
$5.20
+ 5.5
$4.93
$5.20
+ 5.5
37.09
38.31
+ 3.3
$6.69
$6.62
46.69
40.06
-14.2
$0.01
$9.18
100
101
$6.61
-
1.0
$0.01
$0.01
-
$28.01
$27.23
-
$28.01
$27.23
2.8
$7.87
$8.65
+ 9.9
$0.02
$0.02
<*)
47.29
47.86
2.8
+ 1.2
$7.02
$9.25
+31.8
+10.1
-
$7.02
$9.25
+31.8
41,632
* 1,345
1.0
38.19
38.88
$7.89
$8.67
+10.0
35.32
38.88
40.34
+ 1.9
i Not including 20 saleswomen whose regular employment began' with the opening of a new department
on the last day of the period covered by the investigation.
* Less than one-half cent.
s Includes detectives, advertising department, matron, nurses, janitresses, waitresses, etc.
* 3 women worked in 2 occupations.
&8 women worked in 2 occupations. Not including 20 saleswomen whose regular employment began with
the opening of a new department on the last day of the period covered by the investigation.
The relative difference between the earnings and the rates of pay
in the six Portland stores under discussion was greatest among
the group of cash girls, wrappers, etc., in both periods studied.
The disparity for the saleswomen was a heavy one in both years,
approximating 20 per cent. What had amounted to a 21 per cent
difference between rates and earnings for the workroom help in
1913 resolved itself into an almost negligible difference in 1914; the
average rate in 1914 was $10.25, the average earnings were $10.20.
Among the office help and cashiers the disparity in rates and earnings
varied from 11 to about 16 per cent in both periods. How much of
this difference between rates and earnings is due to the women who
.entered an establishment during the two months for which records
were taken having been employed in other stores before or not
employed at all, and how much is due to time lost from industrial or
54
BULLETIN OF TH E BUREAU OP LABOB STATISTICS.
personal reasons, are not definitely known. In a period of depression,
where the policy, as has been seen, was to reduce the force, a material
number of new employees would not be taken on. This inference is
confirmed by an inspection of pay rolls covering 705 women and
giving information on this subject. Of the 344 who had some unem
ployment during the period covered in 1914, 249, or 72.4 per cent,
were definitely known to have been absent, losing an average of 7§
days. The scattered days—averaging 6£ days—lost by 80, or 23.3
per cent, would strongly point to the same cause, although definite
information concerning their absence was not obtained. In any
case the amount of time lost was less than that lost by women known
to be absent, and if the 80 were excluded, average hours of the remain
ing 625 would be raised slightly more than 1 per cent. Only 15, or
4.3 per cent, may have been taken on for the first time in the last half
of the pay-roll period, as no information as to the cause of their nonappearance in the first half of the period was available. The 95
women concerning whose absences there is no definite information
affect the average hours of the 705 by just 3 per cent.
LABOB COST BEFORE AND AFTER MINIMUM-WAGE DETERMINATIONS.
If the same women who were employed in the period studied in 1913
had been retained in 1914, and if these women had worked full time,
the minimum-wage determinations would have increased the female
pay roll of these six stores by approximately 4 per cent. Regardless
of minimum-wage determinations, a pay roll in a large establishment
does not remain the same from year to year; the labor force fluctu
ates with business conditions and is further affected by influences
operating among individual employees. The periods studied in Port
land were no exception to the rule. As has been shown, the force of
women employees was materially lessened in 1914, the proportion of
minors, inexperienced adult, and experienced adult women was
changed and the work was not steady. It is not, therefore, possible
to measure the extent to which the increase in wage rates enforced by
the minimum-wage determinations, entirely apart from other causes,
affected the labor cost.
A comparison of the actual amount of the average weekly sales and
of the average weekly wage payments before and after the minimumwage determinations, covering both the selling and nonselling forces
of the six Portland department, dry-goods, and 5 and 10 cent stores,
is made in Table 19, which follows.
EFFECT OF M INIM UM -W AGE DETERMINATIONS IN OREGON.
55
T a b l e 19.— PER
CENT WHICH AVERAGE WEEKLY WAGE PAYMENTS TO SELLING
AND TO NONSELLING FORCES WERE OF AVERAGE W EEKLY SALES BEFORE
AND AFTER MINIMUM-WAGE DETERMINATIONS IN 6 PORTLAND DEPARTMENT,
DRY-GOODS, AND 5 AND 10 CENT STORES.
[In each case the sales and wage payments are shown to the nearest dollar, and for this reason the totals are
not always exactly equal to the sum of the items.)
Females.
Occupation.
Selling:
Before determinations
After determinations.
Per cent increase (+ )
or decrease (—)......
Nonselling:
Before determinations
After determinations.
Per cent increase (+ )
or decrease (—)......
Males.
Total.
Per
Per
Per
cent Aver Aver
Aver
cent Aver
cent
age
Aver wage age Average wage
age Average wage age
weekly weekly pay- weekly weekly age pay- weekly weekly paywage
hours wage weekly m’ts wage
sales. m’ts
sales. m’ts
are
of
pay
sales. are
are
pay
Pay
ments.
of labor. ments.
of ments.
of
sales.
sales.
sales.
i$5,712 *$107,251 5.33 28,184 $3,330 $68,088 4.89 $9,042 $175,339 5.16
i $5,413 *$93,077 5.82 24,650 $2,968 $65,279 4.55 $8,380 $158,356 5.29
-5 .3
-13.2
-12.5
-10.9
$7,165
$6,285
36,427 *$10,958
29,607 1$10,556
-12.3
-18.7
-3 .7
-4 .1
-7 .3
-9 .7
$18,123
$16,841
-7 .1
Total:
Before determi
nations............. i $12,878 *$107,251 12.01 64,611 i $14,288 *$68,088 20.98 i $27,165 *$175,339 15.49
After determina
tions................ t $11,698 *$93,077 12.57 54,257 i $13,524 *$65,279 20.72 i $25,221 *$158,356 15.92
Per cent increase
or decrease
-9 .2
-13.2
-5 .3
-4 .1
-7 .2
-16.0
-9.7
» Includes wage payments for extra help.
* Includes sales made by extra help.
What really happened, as shown in the above table, was that instead
of increasing, the wage payments to both selling and nonselling women
combined decreased 9.2 per cent. This decrease in wage expenditures
was not equal to the decrease in sales made by women, the result being
that their average weekly wage payments per dollar of sales after the
determinations amounted to 12.57 cents, as compared with 12.01 cents
before the determinations, an increase of 5.6 mills. As a saving was
was made in the male-labor cost, the net increase on a dollar of sales
for all employees was 4.3 mills.
Among women the largest saving of wages was effected in the non
selling force. The wage payments to saleswomen decreased 5.3 per
cent, to nonselling women 12.3 per cent. The hours of labor of females
decreased by 12.5 per cent in the first and by 18.7 per cent in the second
group. Among men the reverse was true. The wage payments to
salesmen decreased 10.9 per cent, while that to the nonselling force
decreased but 3.7 per cent.
Considering only the selling department, the female selling cost
was 5.33 per cent, the male 4.89 per cent in 1913. One increased to
5.82 per cent while the other decreased to 4.55 per cent in 1914. In
other words, the female selling cost increased 4.9 mills per dollar of
sales while the male selling cost decreased 3.4 mills per dollar of
56
BULLETIN OP TH E BUKEAU OP LABOE STATISTICS.
sales. The increase in total selling cost was 1.3 mills per dollar of
sales. As the largest amount of wages was paid to the nonselling
male and female force, the rise in their labor cost brought about
the net increase in total labor cost of 4 mills on every dollar of sales.
As has been said, it is impossible to state how much of this was due
to the minimum-wage determinations in periods in which the num
bers, the identity of the force, and their hours of service changed.
SUMMARY OF CHANGES.
The total number of possible full-time workers in these six Port
land stores suffered a 13.3 per cent decrease, a reduction closely
corresponding to the 13.2 per cent decrease in sales made by women.
A loss of about 9 per cent in number of full-time workers was sus
tained by saleswomen, 8 per cent by cashiers, 3 per cent by the office
force, 32 per cent by the workroom help, 18 per cent by the bundle
wrappers, and 31 per cent by those in the miscellaneous group. The
reductions in the last three groups were intimately connected with the
changes in business conditions. Men have not taken women’s places.
Girls under 18 years increased in numbers, but only in the unskilled
occupations. The number of inexperienced adult women decreased
in the cashier, workroom, and miscellaneous occupations. Although
they decreased in actual numbers in the selling departments, the full
time workers increased, and increased most rapidly in the departments
where experienced adult women decreased.
The legal minimum of $6 fixed for girls under 18 years and for inex
perienced adults affected the 5 and 10 cent store saleswomen and the
bundle-wrapper and messenger group to the largest extent. The
$9.25 rate for experienced adult women affected the largest number
of women in the selling departments in the other stores. The
minimum rate of pay for the experienced adult workers was raised
in all occupations. The per cent of the force receiving $12 and over
increased after the wage determinations. The average rate of pay
was increased in all departments save the workroom.
Average weekly earnings increased 10 per cent for the total number
of women employed in 1914. This increase occurred in all occupa
tions save among the cashiers and department heads. The average
earnings were nearer the average rates of pay in 1914 than 1913,
although they fell materially below the rates in that year in each
occupation save the workroom and among department heads.
The net increase in total labor cost was 4.3 mills per dollar of sales,
a saving in the male labor force offsetting to some extent the increase
per dollar of sales in the female-labor cost.
EFFECT OF M IN IM U M -W AGE DETERMINATIONS IK OREGON.
57
PORTLAND SPECIALTY STORES.
NUMBERS EMPLOYED BEFORE AND AFTER MINIMUM-WAGE
DETERMINATIONS.
Records for 11 down-town stores selling particular lines of women’s
wearing apparel, such as cloaks and suits, waists and neckwear, and
gloves,1 were taken for the months of March and April, 1913, and
the same two months in 1914.
The actual number of women and girls employed in each occupa
tion in these stores and their equivalent in full-time workers, classified
by age and experience, before and after the minimum-wage determi
nations, with the per cent of increase or decrease after the determina
tions, is shown in the following table:
TABLE 20.—ACTUAL NUMBER OF WOMEN AND GIRLS EMPLOYED AND THEIR EQUIV
ALENT IN FULL-TIME WORKERS, CLASSIFIED BY AGE AND EXPERIENCE, BEFORE
AND AFTER MINIMUM-WAGE DETERMINATIONS, WITH PER CENT OF INCREASE
OR DECREASE AFTER DETERMINATIONS, FOR SPECIFIED OCCUPATIONS IN 11
PORTLAND SPECIALTY STORES.
Workroom
help.
Sales
women
Classification of
employees.
Females:
Girls under 18—
Before determi
nations ...........
After determina
tions................
Adult, inexperi
enced—
Before determi
nations ...........
After determina
tions. ...............
Adult,
experi
enced—
Before determi
nations.............
After determina
tions................
Per cent increase
(+^ or decrease
Total females:
Before determina
tions...................
After determina
tions...................
Per cent increase
£+^ or decrease
Total males:
Before determina
tions....................
After determina
tions....................
Total employees:
Before determina
tions....................
After determina
tions....................
Per cent increase
(+ ) or decrease
Ac
tual
num
ber.
1
Equiv
alent
full
time
work
ers.
(*)
Office help.
Ac
tual
num
ber.
Equiv
alent
full
time
work
ers.
2
2
Ac
tual
num
ber.
Equiv
alent
full
time
work
ers.
Cashiers,
de
cash girls, Buyers,
partment
wrappers, heads,
floor
errand girls, walkers, etc.
etc.
Ac
tual
num
ber.
Equiv
alent
full
time
work
ers.
3
2
1
1
1
2
2
1
1
4
3
4
165
125
5
8174
134
+5.5
+7.2
5
167
127
6
* 181
139
+9.1 +60.0 +20.0
+8.4
+9.4
45
95
65
12
11
4
73
55
82
62
14
12
7
+9.1 +75.0 +25.0
+35.2 +22.2 —13.7
76
Equiv
alent
full
time
work
ers.
1
54
45
Ac
tual
num
ber.
1
1
56
Equiv
alent
full
time
work
ers.
1
2
54
Ac
tual
num
ber.
Total.
96
85
+40.7 +24.4 -11.5
-4 .6 +16.7
66
12
11
65
14
12
-1 .5 +16.7
5
8
15
5
9
16
3
7
1
69
101
21
5
13
209
92
88
21
9
22
8230
+33.3
-12.9
+80.0
+69.2
+10.0
13
42
22
49
58
BULLETIN OF TH E BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS.
These stores employed 167 women and girls in the first period and
181 women and girls in the second period, an increase accompanying
a 15 per cent increase in sales made by women in this period. Over
a third of the women were employed in selling and about one-half in
altering garments and trimming hats. This increase in numbers was
reflected in all departments save in the workroom. Here the charge for
alterations instituted in 1914 in some stores caused an 11.5 per cent
reduction in the actual number of women, a decrease amounting only
to 1.5 per cent in the number of full-time workers. In 1913 the de
mands for altering were such that the regular force could not do the
work, so extra women were called in for short periods from time to
time. -The work which 96 women were employed to do would have
employed 66 full-time workers. In March and April, 1914, 85 were
employed to do work that 65 full-time workers could have done.
In the selling departments where an increase in numbers occurred
in 1914, the reverse was true; that is, the work was more regular
for the saleswomen in 1913 than for the increased numbers in 1914.
RATES OF PAY BEFORE AND AFTER MINIMUM-WAGE DETERMINATIONS.
With two exceptions, all women employed in the spring of 1913
were experienced workers. After the minimum-wage determinations
three minors and four adult apprentices were employed. Because
of this increase in the minors and apprentices the numbers getting
$6 increased in 1914, as shown in Table 21. There were 20 experi
enced adult women receiving less than $9.25 before the minimumwage determinations. The total weekly pay rolls had to be increased
$7.75 to raise these women to the minimum prescribed by the com
mission. After the determinations there were still 17 experienced
adult and 3 inexperienced adult women getting more than $6 but less
than $9.25. Eight of these experienced women were receiving a flat
rate of $8 per week with a 2 per cent commission on all sales, a com
mission netting earnings in excess of the minimum wage for such as
worked full time. Whether such an arrangement is in accordance
with the time-rate ruling of $9.25 per week remains to be deter
mined. The nine other cases of unquestionable violations occurred
in the workrooms and among the bundle wrappers, where new but
experienced women were employed at $8 and $9 per week. A larger
per cent received $9.25 after than before the minimum-wage determi
nations. The per cent of the force receiving more than $9.25 de
creased. This decrease was not due to a cutting of wage rates of
old employees—in a number of cases their rates advanced—but to
the increase in numbers getting exactly $9.25 per week, a rate which
it should be observed is considerably below the average rate received
before the determinations. The average rate for all employees fell
EFFECT OF M IN IM U M -W AGE DETERMINATIONS IN OREGON.
59
57 cents, or from $12.68 to $12.11 per week. This decrease occurred
in the comparatively high paid occupations. The cashiers and bun
dle wrappers gained an increase in wage rates.
21.— NUMBER AND PER CENT OF WOMEN AND GIRLS WHOSE W EEKLY RATES
OF PAY BEFORE AND AFTER MINIMUM-WAGE DETERMINATIONS WERE UNDER,
EQUAL TO, OR OVER THE MINIMUM RATES FIXED , FOR SPECIFIED OCCUPATIONS,
AS SHOWN BY THE PAY ROLLS OF 11 PORTLAND SPECIALTY STORES.
tab le
[For girls under 18 and inexperienced adult women of 18 and over the minimum wage is <6; for adult women
with more than 1 year of experience it is $9.25 in Portland and $8.25 in other parts of the State.]
Women whose weekly rates of pay were within each
classified amount.
Occupation.
Over $6 and $9.23 or $9.25
under $9.23
$6
Over $9.25
Num Per Num Per Num Per Num Per
ber. cent. ber. cent. ber. cent. ber. cent.
Saleswomen:
Before determinations......
After determinations........
Workroom help:
Before determinations___
After determinations........
Office help:
Before determinations......
After determinations........
Cash girls, bundle wrappers,
errand girls, etc.:
< Before determinations.....
After determinations........
Cashiers:
Before determinations......
After determinations........
Total:
Before determinations.
After determinations..
1.3
18.5
14.5
1.9
17.1
79.6
67.1
$13.70
12.46
2.4
11.5
9.4
3.5
88.5
84.7
12.05
11.61
8.3
7.1
91.7
92 9
14.61
14.44
66.7
25.0
25.0
8.15
8.47
50.0
25.0
50.0
75.0
9.62
9.91
33.3
25.0
.6
2.2
11 woman worked in 2 occupations.
Aver
Total age
num rate of
pay
ber.
per
week.
25.0
12.6
11.0
5
118
3.0
9.9
140
1139
83.8
76.8
167
2181
* 2 women worked in 2 occupations.
12.68
12.11
60
BULLETIN OF THE BUBEAU OF LABOR STATISTICS.
AVERAGE WEEKLY EARNINGS BEFORE AND AFTER MINIMUM-WAGE
DETERMINATIONS.
The increase or decrease in average weekly earnings after the
determinations differs somewhat from the increase or decrease in
wage rates/ Table 22, which follows, permits a comparison of the
increases or decreases in weekly earnings and hours.
22.—AVERAGE WEEKLY EARNINGS AND HOURS OF LABOR OF WOMEN AND
GIRLS BEFORE AND AFTER MINIMUM-WAGE DETERMINATIONS, WITH PER CENT
OF INCREASE OR DECREASE AFTER DETERMINATIONS, FOR SPECIFIED OCCUPATIONSi AS SHOWN BY THE PAY ROLLS OF 11 PORTLAND SPECIALTY STORES.
T able
Occupation.
Total
Number Average Average Average
weekly weekly weekly average
of
women. wages. P. M.’s. commis- weekly
Saleswomen:
Before determinations.........................
After determinations...........................
Per cent increase (+ ) or decrease (—)..
Workroom help:
Before determinations.........................
After determinations...........................
Per cent increase (+ ) or decrease
Office help:
Before determinations.........................
After determinations...........................
Per cent increase (+ ) or decrease (—)..
Cash girls, wrappers, errand girls, etc.:
Before determinations.........................
After determinations...........................
Per cent increase (+ ) or decrease (—)..
Cashiers:
Before determinations.........................
After determinations...........................
Per cent increase (+ ) or decrease (—)..
Total:
Before determinations...................
After determinations.....................
Per cent increase (+ ) or de
crease (—) ..................................
$12.66
$10.52
-16.9
44.52
36.28
-18.5
$8.55
$9.16
+7.1
$8.55
$9.16
+7.1
37.01
37.78
$13.04
$12.09
-7 .3
$13.04
$12.09
-7 .3
48.00
41.93
$7.97
$7.97
54.12
46.38
-14.3
$9.62
$5.80
-39.7
$9.62
$5.80
-39.7
53.25
29.21
-45.1
$11.59
$9.82
-15.3
$0,336
$0,136
-59.5
$0,738
$0,566
-23.3
$8.10
+1.6
167
1181
Average
weekly
hours.
$8.10
+1.6
+2.1
-12.6
$9.85
$9.67
$0,109
$0,057
$0,239
$0,238
$10.20
$9.96
40.73
37.89
-1.8
-47.7
-0 .4
-2 .4
-7 .0
12 women worked in 2 departments at different periods.
The average weekly earnings fell off 2.4 per cent after the minimumwage determinations. Approximately 2 per cent of the decrease
occurred in the flat wages, the rest in the P. M.’s and commissions
earned by saleswomen. Only in the workroom and for the bundlewrapper group did the earnings per week increase. The average
earnings of salespeople were almost $2 lower than their average rate
in 1914; in the workrooms the difference was $3.50 in 1913 and $2.45
the next year. In the first occupation this difference was on a par
with the difference for saleswomen in the six department, dry-goods,
and 5 and 10 cent stores. For the workroom there is a greater
difference than was seen in the large department stores. The 18
experienced women workers who received the minimum rate of $9.25
per week averaged but $5.70* in the two months studied in 1914.
The nominal hours in 1913 ranged from 48 to 56£ per week. All'
the specialty stores had kept open on Saturday evenings. In 1914
i See Table 10, p. 28.
EFFECT OF M IN IM U M -W AGE DETERMINATIONS IN OREGON.
61
most of the stores ran on a 48-hour schedule, although some reached
the 50-hour limit. How markedly the actual hours worked differ
from the nominal hours is seen in Table 22. The women employed
in the workroom did not average 38 hours per week in either year.
The hours for the saleswomen fell from 44$ to 36| per week, a de
crease indicative of the decrease in regularity of employment.
Only about 12 per cent of the women employees in the specialty
stores was affected by the minimum-wage determinations. Two
stores ignored the determinations for experienced adult women;
others increased slightly the minors and adult apprentices; still
others adopted the legal minimum for experienced adults as the be
ginning rate for experienced women in their stores in place of the
somewhat higher rate formerly paid. As a whole, therefore, the
minimum-wage determinations have not benefited these women.
PORTLAND NEIGHBORHOOD STORES.
EMPLOYMENT OF WOMEN BEFORE AND AFTER MINIMUM-WAGE
DETERMINATIONS.
The small storessituated in the residential districts are not important
in the discussion of the effect of the minimum-wage determinations
on woman’s status, for all told they employ but a handful of women.
From the viewpoint of the employers, however, they are important;
the wage paid to the single woman employee is as important an item
in the expenditures of each of these small merchants as the wages
paid to 300 women are to a department-store proprietor.
Sixteen of these stores were therefore included in this survey.1
They employed 34 women in 1913 and only 20 in 1914. Five stores
no longer employed women in 1914. One employer said he had dis
missed the woman employed because she was not worth the legal
minimum; two others because it was illegal to employ a woman after
6 p. m., and two others because of the decrease in their business. The
seven neighborhood stores reporting sales show a decrease of 48 per
cent in 1914 in sales made by women and 18 per cent in sales made by
men. Almost all the merchants visited believed a part, at least, of
this decrease had been caused by their attempt to close at 6 p. m., in
compliance with the 6 p. m. closing regulations for women. These
neighborhood-store merchants maintain that they do the bulk of
their business after the down-town stores are closed and that they
need to employ their women after 6 p. m., although they are willing
to comply with the 8 hours and 20 minutes a day regulation.
Had no women been dropped from the rolls in 1914 the neighbor
hood stores would have had to increase their weekly pay roll by $13.37,
i Nine stores, employing 11 women and 6 men in 1913 and 8 women and 4 men in 1914, did not report
their sales for either period studied.
62
BULLETIN OP TH E BUREAU OP LABOR STATISTICS.
or about 4 per cent, to meet the minimum-wage regulations. As the
employment in these stores is regular and no deductions are made for
tardiness, this per cent would probably represent the possible increase
in wage payments to women. The wage payments in the seven stores,
however, decreased 43 per cent, making an increase in the cost of
female labor of 8 mills per dollar of sales. That these stores were not
employing the cheapest of female labor is evidenced by the fact that
the average rate of pay was $9.54 in 1913 and $10.28 in 1914. In
addition to the flat rate, commissions and P. M.’s were given in some
stores, so that the earnings of the neighborhood-store women averaged
$9.66 before and $10.31 after the minimum-wage determinations.
Attention should be called to the fact that only in these stores, of
all the groups studied, were the earnings in excess of the rates of pay.
SALEM STORES.
NUMBERS EMPLOYED BEFORE AND AFTER MINIMUM-WAGE DETER
MINATIONS.
Until time should permit a study of the conditions surrounding
retail-store employees in each city in Oregon, the industrial welfare
commission made one set of wage determinations for all women and
girls employed in mercantile establishments outside of Portland.
For experienced women the determination was $8.25 per week, or $1
less per week than that for Portland. For girls under 18 and inex
perienced adult women a single rate applied throughout the State,
including Portland.
Salem, the second largest city in Oregon, with a population of
approximately 14,000, was chosen as the place in which to study the
effects of these State-wide determinations. All stores that had com
plete files, namely, three dry-goods, two specialty, and two 5 and 10
cent stores, were included. Records of the numbers of women em
ployed, by age and experience, their rates, earnings, hours worked,
and sales, together with the numbers of men and their earnings
and sales, were obtained for March and April, 1913, and March and
April, 1914.
The actual number of women employed in the seven Salem stores
and their equivalent in full-time workers, classified by age and
experience, before and after minimum-wage determinations, with the
per cent of increase or decrease after the determinations, is shown in
Table 23 below.
EFFECT OF M IN IM U M -W A GE DETERMINATIONS IN OREGON.
68
TABLE 23.— ACTUAL NUMBER OF WOMEN EMPLOYED AND THEIR EQUIVALENT IN
FULL-TIME WORKERS, CLASSIFIED BY AGE AND EXPERIENCE, AND ACTUAL NUM
BER OF MEN EMPLOYED BEFORE AND AFTER MINIMUM-WAGE DETERMINATIONS,
WITH PER CENT OF INCREASE OR DECREASE AFTER DETERMINATIONS, FOR
SPECIFIED OCCUPATIONS, IN 7 SALEM DRY-GOODS, SPECIALTY, AND 5 AND 10 CENT
STORES.
Total employees.
Occupation.
Saleswomen:
Actual number.............................
Equivalent full-time workers.......
Workroom help:
Actual number.............................
Equivalent full-time workers.......
Office help:
Actual number.............................
Eauivalent full-time workers.. . . .
Cashiers, cash girls, bundle wrappers,
etc.:
Actual number.............................
Equivalent full-time workers.......
Buyers, floor-walkers, etc.:
Actual number.............................
Total:
Actual number.......................
Equivalent full-time work
ers.......................................
Before
deter
mina
tions.
Total men.
Per
cent
in Before After
After
deter crease deter deter
mina (+ )o r mina mina
tions. de tions. tions.
crease
< -).
92
98 + 6.5
17
10 -4 1 .2
22
Total women.
Per
cent
in
crease
<+)or
de
crease
(-).
Before
deter
mina
tions.
21 - 4.5
'Per
cent
After
in
deter crease
mina (+ )o r
tions. de
crease
(-).
70
62
77 +10.0
67 + 8.1
17
8
10 -41 .2
5
7
8
1
2
6
6
6
6
7
6
3
3
4
4
3
3
8
8
8
8
34
34
97
96
- 1.0
80
81
+ 1.3
130 -
131
.8
Classification of women employees.
Adult inexperi
enced.
Minors.
Adult experienced.;
Occupation.
Before
deter
mina
tions.
After
deter
mina
tions.
Before
deter
mina
tions.
5
4
3
2
7
6
Saleswomen:
Actual number.............................
Equivalent full-time Workers.......
Workroom help:
Actual number.............................
Equivalent full-time workers.......
Officehelp:
Actual number..................... .......
Equivalent full-time workers.......
Cashiers, cash girls, bundle wrappers,
etc.:
Actual number.............................
Equivalent full-time workers.. . . .
Buyers, floor walkers, etc.:
Aerial number.............................
Total:
Actual number.......................
Equivalent full-time Work
ers.......................................
97827°—Bull. 176—16----- 5
1
1
1
1
After
deter
mina
tions.
14
11
1
1
1
1
Before
deter
mina
tions.
After
deter
mina
tions.
Percent
increase
(+ )o r
decrease
< -).
58
52
60
54
+ 3.4
+ 3.8
17
8
10
5
-41.2
4
4
6
6
3
3
2
2
7
4
8
14
82
78
6
3
7
11
67
67
- 4.9
64
BULLETIN OP TH E BUREAU OP LABOR STATISTICS.
The seven Salem stores employed 97 women and 34 men before
the wage determinations. More than 70 per cent of the women were
engaged in the selling departments; the remainder were distributed
among the workroom, office, cashier, and bundle-wrapper positions.
The numbers employed were practically the same after these deter
minations.
The female force was made up of 82 experienced women, 7 girls
under 18 and 8 inexperienced adult women prior to the determina
tions in 1913. The first two groups suffered a reduction in actual
numbers, while the inexperienced adult women increased in 1914. The
reduction in experienced adult women did not, however, change the
numbers of days’ work these women did, for there were the same
number of possible full-time workers, 67, in each year.
RATES OF PAT BEFORE AND AFTER MINIMUM-WAGE DETERMINATIONS.
The actual number of women and girls receiving certain classified
weekly rates of pay before and after minimum-wage determinations,
with the per cent of increase or decrease in each wage class after the
determinations, is shown by the pay rolls of seven Salem stores, as
presented in Table 24 below.
Prior to the minimum-wage determinations there were eight
women and girls in the Salem stores receiving less than $6. Nineteen
were receiving between $6 and $8.25. The $8.25 rate per week, the
rate later fixed as the minimum for experienced adults, did not
appear on the pay rolls of Salem stores in 1913. Seventy-one per
cent of the women were being paid at a rate in excess of $8.25 in
that year. As there were no violations in the Salem stores studied
in March and April, 1914, any wage rate less than $6 was swept
away and all experienced women received $8.25 or more. The
numbers at $6 naturally increased; seven experienced and two
inexperienced women were paid on the $8.25 basis. The number
and per cent receiving over $8.25 remained practically the same.
EFFECT OF M IN IM U M -W A G E DETERMINATIONS IK OREGON.
65
TABLE 24.— ACTUAL NUMBER OF WOMEN AND GIRLS RECEIVING CLASSIFIED W EEKLY
RATES OF PAY BEFORE AND AFTER MINIMUM-WAGE DETERMINATIONS, W ITH PER
CENT OF INCREASE OR DECREASE AFTER DETERMINATIONS, FOR SPECIFIED OCCU
PATIONS, AS SHOWN BY THE PAY ROLLS OF 7 SALEM DRY-GOODS, SPECIALTY, AND
5 AND 10 CENT STORES.
Women whose weekly rate of pay was within each classified
amount.
. Occupation.
Tin
der
16
1
11
8
+10 -10 +8 +2
Before determinations.......
After determinations........
Number increase (+ ) or
decrease (—)...................
Workroom help:
Before determinations.......
After determinations.........
Number increase (+ ) or
decrease (—)..................
Office help:
Before determinations.......
After determinations.........
Number increase (+ ) or
12
70 $9.26
77 $9.47
13
+4
+1
—2 +2
+7
+0.21
17 $9.30
10 $9.51
+0.21
6 $8.50
—7
1
-2 +1
Cashiers,cash girls.' mappers,
Before determinations.......
After determinations.........
Number increase (+ ) or
decrease (—)...................
Total:
Before determinations.
After determinations..
Number increase (+ )
or decrease (—) ........
Per cent increase (+ )
or decrease (—) ........
16
Aver
Total age
num rate
of
18.26
$15 ber.
16.01
to $10 to $11 to and
to 18.25 to 19
pay.
$8.24
18.99 19.99 $10.99 $14.99 over.
-1
8
1
11
9
-8 +10 -13 +9
-100+1,000 -68.4 +100
-7
1
+1
$9.24
+0.74
$9.52
$9.69
1
+1 -1
12
10
13
+3
-1 +0.17
5
7
14
-4
+2
$9.23
$9.47
-2 +2 -1 +0.24
-1 + 2.6
+40
+30 -13.3 +16.7 -16.7
The average rate of pay for both saleswomen and workroom help
was increased 21 cents, the office force received a 74 cent increase,
and the cashiers, etc., received an increase of 17 cents, which raised
the average for all employees from $9.23 to $9.47, or 24 cents per
week. Table 24 shows that the largest group of employees in both
years received from $9 to $11. It also indicates that a rise in rates
occurred for some women receiving more than $8.25 per week.
66
BULLETIN OP TH E BUREAU OP LABOR STATISTICS.
AVERAGE WEEKLY EARNINGS BEFORE AND AFTER MINIMUM-WAGE
DETERMINATIONS.
In Salem, as in Portland, the average weekly earnings during the
two months studied were materially less than the average rates of
pay in both years. This is shown in Table 25, which follows:
25.—AVERAGE W EEKLY EARNINGS AND HOURS OP LABOR OP WOMEN AND
GIRLS BEFORE AND AFTER MINIMUM-WAGE DETERMINATIONS, WITH PER CENT
OF INCREASE OR DECREASE AFTER DETERMINATIONS, FOR SPECIFIED OCCUPA
TIONS, AS SHOWN BY THE PAY ROLLS OF 7 SALEM DRY-GOODS, SPECIALTY, AND 5
AND 10 CENT STORES.
T able
Total
Number Average Average
weekly
average Average
weekly
of
weekly o
weekly
o
i
women. wages.
earnings. hours.
Oocapation.
Saleswomen:
Before determinations..................................
After determinations....................................
Percent increase (+ ) or decrease (—) .......... .
Workroom help:
Before determinations................................ .
After determinations...................................
Per cent increase (+ ) or decrease (—).........
Office help:
Before determinations................................ .
After determinations.................................. .
Per cent increase (+ ) or decrease ( —)........ .
Cashiers, cash girls, wrappers, errand girls, etc.:
Beforedeterminations..................................
After determinations....................................
Per cent increase (+ ) or decrease (—) ........ .
Total:
Beforedeterminations.......................... .
After determinations............................ .
Per cent increase (+ ) or decrease (—)...
$0.02
$8.31
$8.42
+1.3
46.12
42.96
-6 .9
$4.70
$5.50
+17.0
$4.70
$5.50
+17.0
25.58
27.02
+5.6
$8.18
$8.72
$8.18
$8.72
52.65
49.16
$8.15
$9.69
+18.9
$8.15
$9.69
+18.9
43.38
48.50
$8.29
$8.39
+1.2
$0.03
+50.0
+6.6
$7.65
$8.15
+6.5
+6.6
$0.01
$0.02
$7.66
$8.17
+6.7
—6.6
+11.8
42.81
41.86
-2.2
*No P. M.’s received.
In 1913, Salem store women averaged $1.57 less in their earnings
than in their rates of pay; in 1914 they earned $1.30 less per week than
their average rate of pay. The greatest difference between earnings
and rates of pay occurred among the workroom help. Before the
minimum-wage determinations the $9.30 average rate brought in
$4.70 in earnings; after the wage determinations with a rate averaging
$9.51 the weekly earnings were $5.50. Table 25 shows that these
women worked less than half-time in 1913 and only 55 per cent of
full time in 1914. Their hours were only 25%and 27 per week in each
year as compared with nominal hours of 51J and 48f, respectively.
The seven experienced girls who worked for the minimum rate of
$8.25 each earned an average of $6.91 per week. Only two earned
$8.25, or their full rate of pay.
EFFECT'OF M IN IM U M -W AGE DETERMINATIONS IN OREGON.
67
LABOR COST BEFORE AND AFTER M INIM UM -W AGE DETERMINATIONS.
The relation of the wage payments, to the selling and to the non
selling forces, to the amount of weekly sales before and after the
minimum-wage determinations in the seven Salem stores is shown in
Table 26. The table gives the percentage which the average weekly
wage payments were of the average weekly sales before and after the
determinations.
If the identity of the female force in Salem stores had not changed
and all women and girls employed had worked full time, the weekly
pay roll would have been increased $25.21 per week, or 2.8 per cent;
$11.50 of this would have been due to the $6 ruling for girls under
18 and inexperienced adult women, $13.71 to the $8.25 ruling for
experienced adult women. The actual wage payment to women in
creased in excess of this; that is, 5.6 per cent. The 15.1 per cent
increase in sales made by women brought about a decrease in female
labor cost of 1.2 cents per dollar of sales. An increase in the cost of
male labor, however, made the decrease in total labor cost 9 mills
per dollar of sales.
TABLE 2 8.-P E R CENT WHICH AVERAGE W EEKLY WAGE PAYMENTS TO SELLING AND
TO NONBELLING FORCES WERE OF AVERAGE W EEKLY SALES BEFORE AND AFTER
MINIMUM-WAGE DETERMINATIONS IN 7 SALEH DRY-GOODS, SPECIALTY, AND 5
AND 10 CENT STORES.
[In each case the sales and wage payments are shown to the nearest dollar, and for this reason the totals
are not always exactly equal to the sum of the items.)
Females.
Occupation.
Aver
age
week
ly
wage
pay
ments.
Per Aver
Aver cent
age
age wage weekweek- pay
iy
ments hours
sales. are of
of
sales. labor.
Selling:
.$582 $5,439
Before determinations......
After determinations........
$649 $6,258
Per cent increase (+ ) or
decrease (—) .................. +11.5 +15.1
Nonselling:
$162
Before determinations.......
After determinations........
$136
Per cent increase (+ ) or
decrease (—) .................. -15.6
Total:
Before determinations. $743 $5,439
After determinations..
$785 $6,258
Per cent increase (+ )
or decrease (—)........ + 5.6 +15.1
Males.
10.70 3,228
10.36 3,308
Aver
age
week
ly
wage
pay
ments.
Per Aver
Aver cent
age Aver
age wage week age
weekweek- pay
ly
ments wage
sales. are of pay saSfes.
sales. ments.
Per
cent
wage
pay
ments
are of
sales.
$919 $7,417
$951 $8,080
12.39
11.77
$337 $1,978
$302 $1,822
- 2.5 -10.2 - 7.9
924
711
Total.
17.03
16.59
+ 3.5 + 8.9
$158
$192
$320
$329
-23.1 +21.4
+ 2.8
13.7 4,153
12.5 4,019
$495 $1,978
$495 $1,822
25.0 $1,238 $7,417
27.1 $1,280 $8,080
- 3.2 - 0.1 - 7.9
+ 3.3 + 8.9
16.7
15.8
68
BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS.
CHANGES IN RATES OF PAY, OCCUPATION, AND PLACE OF
EMPLOYMENT SINCE MINIMUM-WAGE DETERMINATIONS,
AS REPORTED BY WOMEN PERSONALLY INTERVIEWED.
The belief was very prevalent among store women that the mini
mum wage had wrought only harm to them as a whole. The experi
enced women contended that formerly they had gotten through the
day without any hurry or strain. If it was necessary to work a
few minutes overtime, they did so willingly. Now, they said, they
are under constant pressure from their supervisors to work harder;
they are told the sales of their departments must increase to make up
for the extra amount the firm must pay in wages. With business
declining, this was hardly a possibility. The result was that the
women were very worried and the worry was intensified in Novem
ber, 1914—the month they were visited—because of the fear that
large numbers would be dismissed after the Christmas rush was over
and the dull days of January confronted the employers. These
women did not ask themselves to what extent the same conditions
would have prevailed in a poor business year had there been no wage
regulation. They knew there were wage and hour regulations and
that some women had been benefited, but if they had not per
sonally benefited and had only experienced the pressure from above
and the fear of the future, their anxiety found vent in heated denun
ciation of the minimum wage as the visible cause of their jeopardy.
As expressed by one assistant department head: “ It’s mighty fine
for the young girls beginning now, but for us, who have worked our
way up from the bottom to near the top, to have to see that the
wherewithal is made to pay the younger girls a living wage, is
making us pay a heavy price for the benefit of the next generation.”
To test the validity of this prevailing hostility by discovering
what changes or losses in employment individuals had experienced
since the determinations became effective, and the reasons for these
changes, 443 women were personally visited. Most of these women
were or had been employed in the department, dry-goods, and 5 and
10 cent stores, 57 of them having been employed during the year in
the department store to whose records the Bureau was refused ac
cess. The numbers constitute nearly 27 per cent of the number of
women employed during March and April, 1914, in the stores from
which records were secured, and over 20 per cent of the number em
ployed in the scheduled stores and in the store refusing records.
The data secured from the women cover a later period than that
represented by the store records heretofore discussed, because it was
desirable to reduce to a minimum the errors resulting from defective
memory. The women were questioned as to the changes in place
of employment, occupation, rate of pay, earnings, and hours of
EFFECT OF M IN IM U M -W AGE DETERMINATIONS IN OREGON.
69
work which had taken place between September 1, 1913, a month be
fore the first ruling took effect, and October 31, 1914, eight months
after the last award was made. The personal data also include
age and experience. The story told by the results is not a cross
section of what happened among the store women, for in the attempt
to visit women believed to have suffered from the wage determina
tions a larger number of low-paid women were interviewed than a
strict representation of each group of occupations would have called
for.
The number of women and girls in each occupation group in the
stores scheduled and the number and per cent who were personally
interviewed are shown in Table 27.
T a b u s 27.— NUMBER AND PER CENT OF WOMEN AND GIRLS PERSONALLY INTER.
VIEWED AND FURNISHING INFORMATION IN REGARD TO AGE, EXPERIENCE,
OCCUPATION, BATES OF PAY, ETC.
Number
of women
Occupation.
Women and girls
personally inter
viewed.
in stores
Percent
sched
num
uled. Number. ofber
in
stores.
Portland:
Saleswomen*......................................... ......... ......................................
Office h
e
l p
. . . . . . . ................
Cashiers................................................................................................
Bundle wrappers.errand ^ stock girls......................... ....................
Workroom M p
.....................................................................................
taftlnHfag buyCTS...........................................................
727
221
105
173
260
70
223
61
52
43
26
30.67
27.60
49.52
24.86
10.00
Total...................................................................................................
* 1,546
96
405
38
26.20
-39.5ft
Grand total..................................... ..................................................
11,642
443
26.96
i Include 10 women working In 2 or more departments.
Three hundred and seventy-eight of the 443 women and girls
scheduled had been employed in Oregon both before and after the
minimum-wage determinations. Sixty-five had not been working in
the State before the rulings took effect: some had been working in
stores in other States; some had been unemployed, and others were
just beginning their industrial career. Thirty-five women giving
information were not employed when visited.
For 99 women who had made some change in place of employment
since the minimum-wage determinations came into effect, the reasons
assigned for the changes, as stated by the women in personal
interviews, are given in Table 28.
70
BULLETIN OF TH E BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS.
T ab u s 28.—REASONS GIVEN FOR CHANGES IN PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT BY WOMEN
AND GIRLS PERSONALLY INTERVIEWED, WHO HAD MADE SOME CHANGE SINCE
THE MINIMUM-WAGE DETERMINATIONS CAME INTO EFFECT.
Women giving specified reasons for change.
Changes in place of employment.
Retail store to retail store................................
Other employment to retail store....................
Retail store to other employment....................
Retail store to unemployment........................
Total......................................................
Per cent..................................................
Dis
missed,
ap
pren
ticeship
year
ended.
Dis
agree
ment
with
em
ployer.1
Better
pay
ing
posi
tion.
Laid
off,
Per
Not
Total.
busi sonal
re
ness reasons. ported.
dull.*
7
4
1
14
3
2
4
17
2
5
15
2
3
6
8
2
2
8
48
14
10
33
6
5.7
20
19.1
12
11.4
23
21.9
39
37.1
5
4.8
*105
100.0
1Includes being dismissed or leaving voluntarily because of disagreements.
* Includes seasonal work.
•6 women made 2 changes during period and gave different reasons for each change, and each change
has been counted.
Of the women who had made changes the largest number had left
their places of employment for purely personal reasons; the next
largest group had been laid off because business had been dull. The
six who had finished their apprenticeship period in their respective
occupations declared their employers said they could not pay them
$9.25 a week, and that unless they could obtain a permit to work for
less their services could not be utilized. As these girls showed no signs
of physical defects,1permits were not granted them by the industrial
welfare commission and they had been unable to obtain any work
up to the time they were visited. Probably this completed ap
prenticeship played some part in the dismissal of girls who had
just reached the time when they should have received $9.25, but
who were told they were laid off because business was dull. Some
of the disagreements over wages which resulted in a girl's leaving
were due to her inability to obtain the legal minimum in her old
position. Undoubtedly, from the employers7 statements and the
confirmation of girls who were dismissed, there were more thrown out
of employment because of the completion of their apprenticeship
than the number shown.
Changes made in occupation have gained in importance since the
minimum-wage determinations because experience in an occupation
is one of the controlling factors in fixing the minimum rate to
which an employee is legally entitled. If an adult woman has been
a stock girl for one year, she must be paid $9.25 a week if
* At the time of this investigation permits to work for less than the minimum rate for experienced women
in stores had been granted to 2 women not included in the number individually scheduled.
EFFECT OF MINIMXJM-WAGE DETERMINATIONS IN OREGON.
71
retained as a stock girl. If, however, she is put in the altera
tion workroom, she may be employed for any sum not less than $6
for another year. The law will permit her to make as many changes
for as many years as there are occupations in the retail stores,1with
out making it necessary for her to receive the minimum wage for
experienced adult women. Such frequent changes, however, would
not be practicable. To what extent changes from occupation to occu
pation had been made since the minimum-wage determinations by
women still employed in October, 1914, is shown in Table 29.
T a b le 29.—CHANGES IN OCCUPATION HADE SINCE THE MINIMUM-WAGE DETERMINA
TIONS CAME INTO EFFECT REPORTED BY THE PORTLAND WOMEN AND GIRLS
PERSONALLY INTERVIEWED WHO WERE EMPLOYED IN OCTOBER, 1914.
Women employed in first
occupation 1 year or more.
Changes in occupation.
Bundle wrapper, errand girl, or stock girl to—
Saleswoman.........................................................
Clerk.....................................................................
Cashier............ ....................................................
Cashier to—
Saleswoman..........................................................
Clerk................ ...................................................
Saleswoman to—
Cashier................................................................
Other occupations................................................
Other occupations to—
Saleswoman......................................... ...............
Cashier.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Other changes.............................................................
Total..................................................................
Percent
of total
Number Number
Number. in present
receiving receiving
occupa
increase 19.23 or
tion.
Number. in rate 19.25 per
of pay
week
after • after
change. change*
11
8
4
5.2
14.0
8.5
9
7
4
6
4
3
1
6
4
2.8
7.0
5
3
5
t
1
4
7
8.5
2
4
1
2
8
5
9
3.8
10.6
6
3
5
12
2
1
4
«66
16.7
48
27
*9
1
1
1
*2 others suffered a decrease.
* 3 women made 2 changes and each change has here been counted.
* Includes 2 women who received 19.23 or more prior to change in occupation.
According to this table one-sixth of the women scheduled who
were employed in October, 1914, had suffered some change since
the minimum-wage determinations came into effect. Of the 63, 48,
or 76 per cent, had been employed in their former occupations for
one year or more. With the change of occupation, more than half
of the 48 received some increase in pay, but only 7 who had not been
receiving $9.25 reached the $9.25 minimum. Twenty-one continued
to work for the same rate of pay that they had received in their last
occupations.
* The Oregon Industrial Welfare Commission has issued no order defining “ occupations.” The number
of occupations in retail stores varies from one to over a dozen, depending upon the store organization.
72
BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS.
As before stated, department-store men do not consider an ordinary
bundle wrapper or a stock girl, whatever her experience, to be worth
$9.25. To earn $9.25, in the judgment of the employer, she must
be put at work requiring more skill. Twenty-three of the women
making changes in occupation since the .determinations had come
from these less skilled occupations and gone into better positions.
About a third began their new apprenticeship without a raise. Twothirds got an increase in wage, two getting the minimum rate of $9.25.
If the demands made upon the girl who runs errands or who only wraps
bundles are so slight that adult women of normal development ought
not to be so engaged, it is natural that these changes should be made.
There are some women, however, who have an aversion for certain
occupations and others who can not perform more skilled duties.
The law will not permit a girl, unless defective, to stay in any occu
pation after she is 18 for more than one year at less than $9.25.
The only basis used for determining her defectiveness is a physical one.
Mental retardation occurring in apparently normal people is not
taken into consideration. There probably were some women em
ployed in Oregon stores not capable of doing more than errand-girl
work. Under the present conditions they will not be retained more
than their apprenticeship period.
To what extent women employed in stores have gone from one
retail-store occupation to another is shown in Table 30. The table also
shows the average years of experience in the present or last occupa
tion and in other retail-store occupations:
EFFECT OF M INIM UM -W AGE DETERMINATIONS IN OREGON.
73
T a b le SO.— AVERAGE YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN PRESENT OCCUPATION AND IN
OTHER RET AIL-ST ORE OCCUPATIONS OF WOMEN AND GIRLS PERSONALLY
INTERVIEWED.
[In some cases persons have worked in more than 1 occupation before entering the present one, and so have
been recorded in more than 1 column of the table. In such cases the total number reporting will not
equal the sum of those having experience in 1 occupation only and those reported as having previous
experience in 1 or more other occupations.]
Experience as—
Sales
woman.
Office help.
Cashier.
Present occupa
tion.
Av
erage
Num years Num
ber. of ex ber.
peri
ence.
Bundle
wrapper,
etc.
Av
Av
Av
erage
erage
erage
years Num years Num years
of ex ber. of ex ber. of ex
peri
peri
peri
ence.
ence.
ence.
Total retailNum store expe
ber
rience,
Workroom whose
reported.
help.
store
experi
ence
Av was in
Av
erage 1 occu
erage
Num years pation Num years
ber. of ex only. ber. of ex
peri
peri
ence.
ence.
PORTLAND.
Saleswomen.......... 1221
Office h elp ...........
4
Cashiers.................
5
Bundle wrappers,
3
etc......................
Workroom help__
*4
4.4
1.3
.9
*4
*60
4
1.3
2.5
.7
10
5
52
1.5
1.1
1.8
18
17
12
1.7
2.3
1.2
3.2
3.4
1
.1
1
1.7
43
3
Total:............. 4 237
4.2
*69
68
1.7
2.3
*4
2.1
...... ......
3
.7
1.2
1.8
26
6.6
93
1.5
*33
5.5
*4
8.4
93
1.5
*37
5.8
185 1221
40 *60
52
30
4.6
3.3
2.3
43
26
1.2
7.5
312 «402
4.0
38
19
SALEM.
Miscellaneous........
*31
4.1
3
.8
1
1.5
Grand total__ « 268
4.2
572
2.3
69
1.7
38
4.3
346 * 440
34
4.0
* Not including 2 women having less than 1 year’s experience but definite amount not specified.
* Not including 1 woman, experience not reported.
8Not including 1 woman having less than 1 year’s experience but definite amount not specified.
* Not including 3 women, experience not reported.
* Not including 2 women, experience not reported.
« N ot including 4 w om en, experience n ot reported.
Approximately 22 per cent of the 402 Portland women and 11 per
cent of the 38 Salem women who reported their retail-store experience
had been employed in more than one occupation. More than half
of these 94 women had had some experience as bundle wrapper, stock,
or errand girl; 17 and 18 per cent, respectively, had gone from cashier
and selling work to other occupations, and less than 10 per cent had
gone from the office or workroom to other occupations. Seventynine per cent of the women reporting had had experience in but one
retail-store occupation. Obviously it has not been customary for a
woman to work her way from one occupation to another. Where it
has been done the girls have gone principally from bundle-wrapper
occupations to selling, office, or cashier positions.
The women in the workroom have had the longest experience in
their present occupations in the stores, the saleswomen the second
longest. The girls in the bundle-wrapper positions averaged a
little over a year of experience. Table 31 shows how the ages of the
women in the several occupations differed.
74
BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS.
T able
31.—CLASSIFIED AGES OF WOMEN PERSONALLY INTERVIEW ED, BY OCCU
PATIONS.
Women in each age group.
Total
number
report
18 and
20 and
22 and
25 and 30 years ing age.
Under
20 under 22 under 25 under 30
and
18 years. under
years.
years.
years.
years.
over.
Occupation.
Portland:
Saleswomen........................
Office help.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cashiers..... .........................
Bundle wrappers, errand
girls, etc...........................
workroom help...................
S a lem ......................................
Total number...................
Per cent...........................
9
6
11
32
17
19
32
16
18
36
14
3
49
6
1
64
2
222
61
52
18
1
20
1
8
4
5
8
7
4
1
4
8
7
9
43
25
37
45
10.2
97
22.0
83
18.9
64
14.6
69
15.7
82
18.6
^440
100.0
1 Not including 3 women not reporting age.
More than half of the saleswomen and workroom help were 22 years
or over. In the office the majority were between 18 and 25 years of
age; among the cashiers between 18 and 22 years; 41.9 per cent of
the bundle wrappers and errand girls were under 18 years and 46.5
per cent were between 18 and 20 years.
Although the minimum rate for experienced adults went into
effect on November 23, 1913, the increases in rates were frequently
not obtained until the spring of 1914, or, in some cases, until after the
sustaining decision of the State supreme court in May, 1914. Some
violations still existed in September, 1914, as is shown by the tabula
tions. Table 32 indicates what changes the rates of pay of the 374
women and girls employed before and after the minimum-wage deter
minations had undergone during the course of the 13 months’ period
studied. One hundred and fifty-seven, or 42 per cent, received
more after the minimum-wage determinations; 18, or less than 5 per
cent, received less; 199, or 53 per cent, received the same. Among
those receiving an increase in wages, 132 had been getting less than
$9.25; 25 had been getting $9.25 or more before the wage determina
tions took effect.
EFFECT OF MINIMTJM-WAGE DETERMINATIONS IN OREGON.
75
T able 32.—NUMBER OF WOMEN PERSONALLY INTERVIEWED RECEIVING SPECIFIED
W EEKLY RATES OF PAY BEFORE AND AFTER MINIMUM-WAGE DETERMINATION S.*
Weekly rate
of pay before
minimumwage deter
minations.
Under $6........
$6...................
$6.01 to $6.99..
$7to $7.99.......
$8to $8.49.......
$8.50to $9.22
$9.23 to $9.25...
$9.26to $9.99
$10to $10.99
$11to $11.99
$12 to $12.99
$13 to $13.99
$14
over
Weekly rate of pay after minimum-wage determinations.
$6
7
44
1
Total Per
$6.01 $7
$8 $8.50 $9.23 $9.26 $10 $11 $12 $13 $14 num
cent.
to
to
to
to
to
to
to
to
to
to
and ber.
$6.99 $7.99 $8.49 $9.22 $9.25 $9.99 $10.99 $11.99 $12.99 $13.99 over.
1
8
6
1
1
13
3
3
1
Total.......
54
P ercen t- 14.4
1
1
1
4
8
1
1
1
2
2
1
2
1
15
15
5
31
6
47
2
2
1
1
2
2
3
1
2
2
6
1
23
2
1
15
4.0
20
5.4
17
4.6
8 125
2.1 33.4
5
2
17
1
4
14
1
8
2.1
37
9.9
27
7.2
1
1
19
5.1
2
18
1
21
5.6
1
2
19
11
83
28
16
45
14
59
5
29
27
17
18
22
2.9
22.2
7.5
4.3
12.0
3.7
15.8
1.3
7.8
7.2
4.6
4.8
5.9
23 *374 100.0
6.2 100.0
* Excludes 65 women who were not employed in Oregon prior to the minimum-wage determinations.
* Not including 4 women, whose previous rate was not reported; present rates, respectively, 2 at 16,1 at
16.92, and 1 at $14.
Of women who suffered a decrease, only two received less than
$9.25 before the determinations, while 16 received that amount or
more. All but one of these cases of decreased wages were incidental
to some change in position; nine occurred when a change was made
in the place of employment, four upon reinstatement after an absence
or upon a change in occupation, and four others when women were
changed from full-time to part-time work. These figures from the
individual, therefore, agree with the showings of the pay roll, namely,
that there were very few old employees whose rates, if affected by
the minimum-wage determinations, had not been benefited, and that
the women and girls entering the retail store with experience some
times had to begin at a lower rate after the determinations than
they had received in their earlier employment.
O T OF THE BUEEAtr OF LABOR STATISTICS.
*ES IN THE INDUSTRIAL STATUS OF WOMEN EM
STORES SINCE THE MINIMUM-WAGE
[Where two or more former or present weekly rates are shown for an
PORTLAND: Saleswomen.
f experience.
Changes since Sept. 1.1913 (1 month before first determine*1 tion went into effect;), of individuals having any change
in place of employment, occupation, or rate of pay.
As
cash
Place of employment.
gW,
tell
ing
de>artwnt.
bun As
dle cash
In wrap
office per, ier
(cler er (tube
ical). rand or
floor). Change from-
Change to—
&
gW,
etc.
Years
in
for
mer Reason for change.
posi
tion.
3
21
H
10
30
9
13
12
Store..
Store..
DDepart
epartm en t
store.
Depart
D
epartm en t
store.
Better position___
D epartm en t
store.
Moved from out of j
town.
10
Moved from out of
town.
9
16
11
6
5
3
14
16
5
9
5i
10
10
11
9
5
9
! Store..
5
10
10
12
3
2
14
3
10*
5
r
2 candy stores.. 1 candy store..
Work too heavy.
7
* No longer receives P. M.’s.
* Not reported.
EFFECT OF M IN IM U M -W AGE DETERMINATIONS IN OREGC
7
?LOYED IN PORTLAND AND SALEM DEPARTMENT AND OTHER
DETERMINATIONS WENT INTO EFFECT.
:l
adividuai her rate has been changed more than once during the period.]
PORTLAND: Saleswomen.
Changes since Sept. 1,1913 (1 month before first
determination went into effect), of individuals
having any change in place of employment,
occupation, or rate of pay.
Weekly rate
of pay.
Occupation.
Change
from—
Data for last pay-roll period in October, 1914.
Years
in
for For
Change to— mer mer
occu- rate.
a-
iFull
days
lost Week
dur
ly
ing wages.
Rate Actual
Department of weekiy
or occupa pay hours
Pres
tion.
P
e
r
work
week. ed.
2
ent
rate.
wks.
idal
o.
tfin.
Supervisor.. Saleswoman.
<*)
Upholstery $25.00
and dra
peries.
Muslin un 23.08
derwear.
Cloaks and 19.61
suits.
(*) Draperies... 19.61
$18.46 $19.61 Dress goods. 19.61
18.46 17.31 M illinery.... 17.31
Cloaks and 17.31
suits.
.....d o ......... 17.31
12.00
11.54
11.54
$25.00
1
41*
19.26
2
48
19.61
3
*
4
5
a
19.61
19.61
17.31
15.64
49*
17.31
$
48
16.15
15.00
15.00
9
19
49|
7
----- do.........
----- do.........
Cloaks and
suits.
Jewelry......
16.15
15.00
15.00
Cloaks and
suits.
Leather___
Millinery__
Cloaks and
suits.
Men’s fur
nishings.
13.84 Si^V TT:....
.do
13.84 Corsets.......
Millinery...
15.00
49|
15.00
15
13.84
13.84
13.84
33
15
49*
9.60
3.55
13.84
16
17
IS
13.84
49|
13.84
19
13.84
13.84
13.84
13.84
48^
13.84
13.84
13.84
13.84
20
21
22
3
13.75
15.00
15.00
15.00
15.00
15.00 Millinery.... 15.00
___ do......... 13.84 494
13.84
Dress trim 13.84 52*
13.84
mings.
Drugs......... 13.84
13.84
Knit under 13.84 3
13.84
wear.
I n f a n t s ’ 13.84 49}
13.84
wear.
Notions...... 13.84 49*
13.84
Candy......... 13.00 48
13.00
11.54 12.69 Domestics... 12.69 48
12.69
Toys........... 12.69 49*
12.69
11.50 12.50 Notions...... 12.50
11.46
Waists........ 12.50
12.50
Children’ s 12.50
11.46
clothing.
20.40 12.00 Candy........ 12.00 48
12.00
J>nigs........ 12.00 49*
12.00
and 12.00 50
12.00
(<) Cloaks
suits.
* In addition to weekly rate now receives 2 per cent commission on sales above a stipulate<
6
11
12
13
14
23
24
25
29
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
*78
T a b le
BULLETIN OF TH E BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS.
I .—CHANGES IN THE INDUSTRIAL STATUS OF WOMEN EM
STORES SINCE THE MINIMUM-WAGE DETER
i Not reported.
* Over 36 years of age.
EFFECT OF M IN IM U M -W AGE DETERMINATIONS IN
PLOYED IN PORTLAND AND SALEM DEPARTMENT AND O'
MINATIONS WENT INTO EFFECT—Continued.
PORTLAND: Saleswomen—Continued.
Changes since Sept. 1,1913 (1 month before first
determination went into effect), of individuals
having any change in place of employment,
occupation, or rate of pay.
Weekly rate
of pay.
Occupation.
Change
from—
Data for last pay-roll period in October, 1914.
Years
in
for For
Change to— mer mer
occu- rate.
Q-
Rate Actual
Department of weekiy
or occupa pay hours
tion.
per
Pres
week. work
ent
ed.
rate.
li-
idal
Full
days
lost
dur
ing
iO.
2
wks.
tSon.
Doll doctor. Saleswoman.
(l)
11.54
40
41
42
43
11.54
11.54
44
45
m
10.65
46
49|
11.54
47
11.54
49*
11.54
48
11.54
11.54
11.54
11.54
11.54
11.54
494
49}
49*
48
49*
11.54
11.54
11.54
11.54
11.54
11.54
49
50
51
52
53
54
11.54
11.54
$
11.54
11.54
55
56
50
12.00
12.00
12.00
491
10.38 11.54 Jewelry.......
9.23 11.54 Muslin un
derwear.
9.23 11.54 Cloaks and
suits.
Children’s
clothing.
H an dker-
11.54
11.54
49*
11.54
11.54
15.00
9.25
9.
\10.00
11.54
97827°—Bull. 176—15----- 6
11.54
49«
49I
49|
m
11.54
49*
11.54
57
11.50 Millmery__ 11.50
47*
11.50
58
11.50 Muslin un
derwear.
Children’s
clothing.
Ribbons___
Muslin un
derwear.
11.50
49*
11.50
59
11.50
49*
11.50
60
10.61
4&
10.56
9.80
61
62
10.50
Knit under 10.50
wear.
10.38 R ibbons... 10.38
24f
49*
6
5.25
10.50
63
64
41*
2
9.18
65
10.38
10.38
10.38
43f
49*
49*
1
9.18
10.38
10.38
66
67
68
10.38
52*
10.38
69
10.38
10.38
49
47$
10.38
9.99
70
71
1
9.18
10.38
1 10.38
10.38 n
* Over 40 years of age.
72
73
11.00
10.00
10.50
Veilings......
Linens........
Toilet arti
cles.
9.23 10.38 Muslin un
derwear.
Baskets......
Art needle
work.
Jewelry......
Drugs.........
* No longer receive P. M.’s.
39
$12.00
Draperies...
Mllunery__
Draperies...
Millinery__
9.23 811.54 Gloves........
Knit under
wear*
Waists........
Knit under
wear.
Boys’ cloth-
/
$12.00
12.00
12.00
12.00
Children’ s
cloaks.
M illinery....
Waists.......
___ do........
$9.23 $11*54 Knitunder-
BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS.
80
Table
I . —CHANGES IN THE INDUSTRIAL STATUS OF WOMEN EM
STORES SINCE THE MINIMUM-WAGE DETER
PORTLAND: Saleswomen—Continued.
Changes since Sept. 1,1913 (1 month before first determina
tion went into effect), of individuals having any change
in place of employment, occupation, or rate of pay.
Years of experience.
ln-
divid- Age.
In
ual
sell
No.
ing
de
part
ment.
35
25
26
30
27
33
25
As
cash
girt,
bun As
tion In
dle
or office wrap cash
ier
milli (cler per, (tube
nery ical). er
or
Change from—
rand floor).
de
part
&
ment.
girl,
etc.
Place of employment.
Inal-
!
!
4
1
6
i*
4
Change to—
Years
in
for
mer Reason for change.
posi
tion.
4
Store................ D epartm en t
store.
0)
81
29
35
6
84
30
36
3
........ i..........................
25
27
4
7
28
27
29
4
4*
5
3
!
!
!.......... ...................................!................. ................i______
1
:
•
87
22
7
6
38 *5
26 3
26 3
97
21
21
f
35
30
9
7
44
21
9
2
8
100
101
102
27
25
24
4
103
104 '>
105 !
106
107
108
30
3
3
22
20
27
18
Moved from out of
town.
0)
........ i.........I.......................... *.........................
...................i
...........................I ...............
i
........ L ’
1
D epartm ent
store.
I
i
109
28
1
110
111
39
3
Laid off on account
of business de
pression.
1
Moved from out of
town.
1
........ i.........j Store................ D epartm en t
store.
1
i
!
,
)
i.
1
i
1
<
i
1
4
A Temporary em
ployment.
Specialty store. D epartm en t
store.
o
21
D ep a rtm en t
store.
!
!
fStore................ Wholesale mil
linery.
D epa rtm en t
store.
ii
1 Wholesale mili l linery.
1
*
Moved from out of
town.
Better position___
|
19 31
1 Not reported.
2 In addition formerly received 2 per cent commission on sales above a stipulated amount.
EFFECT OF M IN IM U M -W AGE DETERMINATIONS IN OREGON.
81
PLOYED IN PORTLAND AND SALEM DEPARTMENT AND OTHER RETAIL
MINATIONS WENT INTO EFFECT—Continued.
PORTLAND: Saleswomen—Continued.
Changes since Sept. 1,1913 ( 1 month before first
determination went into effect), of individuals
having any change in place of employment,
occupation, or rate of pay.
Weekly rate
of pay.
Occupation.
Change
from—
Data for last pay-roll period in October, 1914.
Years
in
for- For
Change to— mer | mer
occu- rate.
Rate
Department of week
ly
or occupa pay hours
per
tion.
Pres
week. work
ent
ed.
rate.
Full
days
lost
dur
ing
2
wks.
t?on.
Millinery..
Jew elry...
$9.23 $10.38 Muslin—
9.23 10.15 Leather...
...... d o ....
9.25 10.00 Corsets__
Millinery..
8.50
11.14
*8.25
8.00
0)
Secret service Saleswoman.
8.08
9.23
15.00
9.00
9.23
8.00
8.50
8.25
10.00
8.00
*8.’ 50
Domestics...
Knit under
wear,
10.00 Gloves........
Muslin un
derwear.
10.00 Waists........
10.00 C hildren’s
clothing.
10.00 R ib b on s....
Neckwear...
9.23 ►Ribbons___
9.81
Toys and
kodaks.
9.25 Bari *
9.25
*9.25 .......do.........
9.25 Ilosiery.......
<9.25 Knit under
wear.
9.25 Leather.......
9.25 Laces and
embroidery.
9.25
9.25 Leather___
Muslin un
derwear.
* 9.25 Ilosiery___
8.25 9.25
11.25 5 9.25
6.00 9.22
8.00 9.25
8.25
C1)
9.25
1.50
V elvets....
N otions....
General___
N otions....
Books........
Art needle
work.
....d o .......
9.25 •___do........
Notions.......
$10.38
10.38
10.38
10.15
10.15
10.00
10.00
10.00
10.00
10.00
10.00
10.00
10.00
10.00
1
4
1
Week
ly
earn
ings In(in diWeek clud
vidly
wages. P.ing
ual
M.’S No.
and
com
mis
sions).
$10.38 $10.38
10.38 10.38
10.38 10.38
10.15 10.15
10.15 10.15
10.00
10.00
10.00
10.00
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
10.00
10.00
10.00
10.00
81
82
6.67
9.20
6.67
9.20
83
84
10.00
10.00
10.00
10.00
85
10.00
10.00
87
9.92
9.81
9.81
9.92
9.81
9.81
89
90
9.25
8.48
9.25
9.25
8.48
9.38
91
92
93
9.25
9.25
9.25
9.25
9.43
10.25
94
95
9.
9.25
9.25
9.25
9.25
9.25
96
97
9.25
9.25
8.48
9.25
9.25
9.25
8.48
9.25
100
101
9.25
9.64
102
7.71
8.48
9.25
9.25
9.25
9.25
7.71 103
8.48 104
9.25 105
9.25 106
9.25 107
9.25 108
9.25
9.25
9.25
9.25
9.25
9.25
110
9.25
9.25
9.25
in
9.92
9.81
9.81
9.25
9.25
9.25
9.25
9.25
9.25
9.25
1
1
9.25
9.25
9.25
9.25
9.25
9.25
9.25
2
2
8 And 2 years in store secret service.
4 In addition to weekly rate now receives 2 per cent commission on sales above stipulated amount.
5 At present receives some P. M /s.
86
88
98
99
109
82
T a b le
BULLETIN OF TH E BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS,
I . — CHANGES IN THE INDUSTRIAL STATUS OF WOMEN EM
STORES SINCE THE MINIMUM-WAGE DETER
» No longer receives P. M.’s.
OF M IN IM U M -W AGE DETERMINATIONS IN
sa
N PORTLAND AND SALEM DEPARTMENT AND OTHEI
rS WENT INTO EFFECT—Continued.
'AIL
PORTLAND: Saleswomen—Continued.
Changes since Sept. 1.1913 (1 month before first
determination ventinto effect).of individuals
having any change in place of employment,
occupation, or rate of pay.
pupation.
i.
Weekly rate
of pay.
Years
in
for For
Change to— mer mer
occu rate.
pa
tion.
Saleswoman
Data for last pay-roll period in Octol
Rate Actual
Department of weekor occupa pay hours
* ly
tion.
per
Pres
week. work
ent
ed.
rate.
Full
days
lost Week
dur
ly
ing wages.
2
wks.
Individual
No.
112
Groceries.... 19.23
$4.00 $6.00
9.23
6.00
9.23
8.08 9.23 Domestics.
9.23
Crockery___ 9.23
8.31 9.23 Bargains___ 9.23
8.08 9.23 White goods 9.23
Jewelry....... 9.23
49*
49*
49*
49*
49}
49!
51
$9.23
9.23
9.23
9.23
9.23
9.23
9.23
8.08 9.23 Neckwear... 9.23
7.00 9.23 Candy....... . 9.23
6.92 9.23 Notions___
9.23
8.08 9.23 Drugs......... 9.23
4.00 16.00 VArt needle | 9.23
6.00
9.23 / goods.
8.08 9.23 Veilings....... 9.23
8.77 9.23
9.23 8.77 [Millinery__ 9.23
8.77 9.23
8.08 9.23 C h ildren ’s 9.23
clothing.
Neckwear... 9.23
Art needle 9.23
goods.
Art needle 9.23
work.
49|
49*
49*
49!
49^
49!
9.23
9.23
9.23
9.23
9.23
9.23
119
9.23
125
6.92
6.00
8.08
8.08
8.08
49|
113
114
115
116
117
118
120
121
122
123
124
4.97
126
49!
49|
9.23
9.23
127
128
49!
9.23
129
29*
5
Bargains__
9.23
49!
9.23
130
Art needle
work.
Toys...........
General.......
9.23
49!
9.23
131
9.23
9.23
49!
49!
9.23
9.23
132
133
•Notions.......
9.23
M illinery....
Bargains___
Millinery__
9.23
9.23
9.23
49!
49!
49|
9.23 Art needle
work.
9.23 B a r g a in
millinery.
B a r g a in
cloaks and
suits.
9.23 Domestics...
9.23 Stationery..
Jewelry.......
Stationery..
R ib b on s....
9.23 Notions.......
Gloves........
9.23
134
9.23
9.23
9.23
135
136
137
138
9.23
49!
9.23
9.23
49!
9.23
139
9.23
49!
9.23
140
9.23
9.23
9.23
9.23
9.23
9.23
9.23
49*
49*.
49*
48
49*
49*
49|
9.23
9.23
9.23
9.23
9.23
9.23
9.23
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS.
84
Table
I . — CHANGES IN THE INDUSTRIAL STATUS OF WOMEN EM
STORES SINCE THE MINIMUM-WAGE DETER
PORTLAND: Saleswomen—Continued.
Changes since Sept. 1,1913 (1 month before first determina
tion went into effect), of individuals having any change
in place of employment, occupation, or rate of pay.
Years of experience.
In
di
vid* Age.
In
ual
sell
No.
ing
de
part
ment.
148
149
150
20
18
28
2*
151
27
4
152
153
20
2
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
23
36
26
25
19
23
19
8
6
1
163
164
165
166
26 0 )
19 2*
23 4
23 U
167
23
4
168
169
19
26
H
9
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
17
50
18
24
3
3
21
§
177
178
179
21
§
§
tt
180
181
182
183
24
20
19
19
17
As
cash
girl,
bun As
dle cash
In wrap
office per, ier
(cler er (tube
ical). rand or
floor). Change from -
Place of employment.
Change to—
&
Rirt,
etc.
n
3
41
20
In al
tera
tion
or
milli
nery
de
part
ment.
Years
in
for
mer Reason for change.
posi
tion.
D epartm en t D epartm en t
store.
store.
Store................ -----do..............
Disagreement with
manager.
Moved from out of
town.
Genera! store... Depar t m e n t
store.
Moved from out of
town.
tit
1*
7
5
3
H
4
/D epartm en t
\ store.
Store.
D epartm en t
store.
Temporary em-1
ployment.
j
D epartm en t
store.
Moved from out of
town.
4
i
25
1*
I
20
1
17
22
3
3
184
18
1
185
21
2
Private family. Store..
D epartm en t
store.
D epartm en t
store.
0) (*)..
II
Laid off; business
depression.
i Not reported.
* In addition, formerly received 2 per cent commission on all sales above a stipulated amount.
EFFECT OF M IN IM U M -W AGE DETERMINATIONS IN OREGON.
85
PLOYED IN PORTLAND AND SALEM DEPARTMENT AND OTHER RETAIL
MINATIONS WENT INTO EFFECT—Continued.
PORTLAND: Saleswomen—Continued.
Changes since Sept. 1,1913 (1 month before first
determination went into effect), of individuals
having any change in place of employment,
occupation, or rate of pay.
Weekly rate
of pay.
Occupation.
Change
from—
Data for last pay-roll period in October, 1914.
Years
in
for For
Change to— mer mer
occu rate.
pa
Pres
ent
rate.
Department
or occupa
tion.
tion.
16.00
7.
8.08
6.92
Cashier..
8.08
8.08
6.00
Saleswoman
6.92
6.00
11.54
li
M illin e ry
maker.
Cashier..
7.50
8.08
9.23
*7.50
$9.23 Patterns....
9.23 Corsets........
9.23 Art needle
work.
C hildren’s
clothing.
Draperies...
9.23 Art needle
work.
Jewelry.......
Linings.......
9.23 Crockery___
9.23 Veilings......
9.23 Toys...........
Crockery—
9.23 W a ists......
9.23 Books.........
9.23 Notions.......
9.00 Bargains..
9.23 \___d o ....
9.00
8.75 Linings...
Millinery..
H osiery...
Saleswoman
Cashier....... Saleswoman.
Stock g irl... .....d o .........
Bundle ----- do.........
wrapper.
___ do......... .....d o .........
Cashier....... .....d o .........
Governess... Saleswoman.
T r a n s fe r ----- do..........
girl.
9.30 8.08 Leather....
10.38 38.08 Muslin un
derwear.
5.77 8.08 Neckwear..
Buttons___
6.00 7.50 Stationery.
7.00 7.50 Notions___
6.00 4 7.50 Drugs........
6.46 7.50 Corsets.......
6.00 7. Leather___
1
1
.00 7.38 .......do........
* 6
6.00 311.96
Mr 11.96
7.25
6.00 7.00 Art needle
work.
6.00 7.00 Dm*
6.00 6.50
6.50 7.00
6.00 7.00 House fur
nishings.
6.00 6.92 R ibbons....
Bargains....
*6.00
8No longer receives P. M.’s.
<At present receives some P. M.'s.
BULLETIN OF TH E BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS*
86
T able
I . —CHANGES IN THE INDUSTRIAL STATUS OF WOMEN EM
STORES SINCE THE MINIMUM-WAGE DETER
PORTLAND: Saleswomen—Concluded.
Years oi experience.
Individ- Age.
In
ual
sell
No.
ing
de
part
ment.
In al
tera
tion
or
milli
nery
de
part
ment.
Changes since Sept. 1,1913 (1 month before first determina
tion went into effect), of individuals having any change
in place of employment, occupation, or rate of pay.
As
cash
girl,
bun As
dle cash
In
office wrap
ier
per,
(cler er (tube
ical). rand or
floor). Change from—
Place of employment.
Change to—
&
Years
in
for
mer Reason for change.
posi
tion.
etc.
186
20
187
188
17
19
189
17
190
19
t
191
19
*
192
21 i
19
*
19
20 S1
17
i
18
i
22
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
26
17
15
23
203
204
205
206
22
207
18
5 and 10 cent D epartm en t
store.
store.
Office..........
....d o ..............
0)
i
210
211
18
Store............... D epartm ent
store.
D epartm en t -----do.............
store.
Moved from out of
town.
Laid off; business
depression.
D epartm en t
store.
Laid off on ac
count of sickness.
i
19
18
D isa g ree m en t
with manager.
(*).............. ! ! .......
3*
17
32
41
209
(*)
2
2*
5 and 10 cent
store.
(D epartm ent Hop picking...
I store.
jHop picking.., Grocery store..
D epartm en t
store.
D epartm en t
store.
18
i Less than 1 year.
2 Not reported.
I
Disag r e e m e n t
with employer.
Seasonal employ
ment.
1 (*)..................
EFFECT OF M IN IM U M -W AGE DETERMINATIONS IN OREGON.
87
PLOYED IN PORTLAND AND SALEM DEPARTMENT AND OTHER RETAIL
MINATIONS WENT INTO EFFECT—Continued.
PORTLAND: Saleswomen—Concluded.
Changes since Sept. 1,1913 (1 month before first
determination weni into effect), of individuals
having any change in place of employment,
occupation, or rate of pay.
Weekly rate
of pay.
Occupation.
Change
from—
Years
in
for- For
Change to—
mer
occu- rate.
ana
>n.
tion
Bundle Saleswoman.
wrapper.
----- do.......... ...... do..........
(2)
wrapper.
Cash g irl.... ___do..........
2
Bundle
Bundle
Saleswoman.
Bundle
wrapper.
Saleswoman.
wrapper.
$6.92 Bargains—
$6.92
6.92 Corsets...
6, Notions..
6.92
6.92
<*)
*6.92 Paper goods.
6.92
Corsets........
6.46 H an dk er
chiefs.
Art needle
work.
General.......
2i
6.00
H
Clerk........... .....d o ....
6.92
1*
Cashier..
9.23
T r a n s fe r
girl.
Cashier..
Saleswoman.
Saleswoman.
Bate Actual
Department of weekiy
or occupa pay hours
tion.
per work
Pres
week.
ent
ed.
rate.
$6.00
6.00
5.00
Demonstra
tor a n d
salesw o
man.
Clerk..
Data for last pay-roll period in October, 1914.
If
’ At present receives some P. M.’s.
2
wks.
$6.92
186
3
6.92
6.92
6.92
6.92
187
188
41-jfr
5.86
5.86
6.46
49*
6.46
6.46
190
6.46
49}
6.46
6.46
191
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
5.77
5.65
6.00 192
6.00
6.00 194
6.00 195
6.00 196
6.00 197
6.00 198
6.00 199
6.00 200
5.77 201
5.65 202
5.54
5.54
5.54
5.54
49}
6.00 49}
6.00 49}
Gloves........ 6.00 49}
Millinery__ 6.00 49}
Bargain mil 6.00 49}
linery.
Jewelry....... 6.00 49}
6.00 Patterns___ 6.00 49}
Linens........ 6.00 48
Candies...... 6.00 50
Notions...... 6.00
Infants7 6.00 3
wear.
Bargains.... 6.00 46*
Drugs......... 6.00
Bargains__ 6.00 3
6.00 Crockery__ 6.00 50
Stationery.. 6.00 49}
<8) Corsets........ 6.00 49}
Groceries.... *6.00
Hosiery.
6.00
----- do...
Full
days
lost
dur
ing
Week Inly diearn vidings ual
(in No.
Week clud
ly
ing
wages. P.M
.’s
and
commis-
6.00
36
6.00
6.00
6.00 6.00
6.00 7.
6.00
6.00
203
204
205
206
207
208
4.00
4.00
209
4.
4.38
4.38
4.
210
211
« Dinners in addition.
88
BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS.
[ANGES IN THE INDUSTRIAL STATUS OF WOMEN EM
STORES SINCE THE MINIMUM-WAGE DETER
T abi
PORTLAND: Workroom employees.
Years of experience.
Individoal
No.
In al
tera
tion
or
milli
nery
de
part
ment.
I Changes since Sept. 1,1913 (1 month before first determina! tion went into effect), of individuals having any change
in place of employment, occupation, or rate of pay.
As
cash
girl,
bun As
dle cash
In wrap
office per, ier
(cler er (tube
ical). rand or
floor). Change from -
Plac e of employment.
Change to—
stock
girl,
etc.
Years
in
for
mer Reason for change.
posi
tion.
1
2
15
35
5
3
4
5
6
Hi
7
8
5 !;
20 |
9
13 |
6!
10
11
8 7 I
12
Millinerv store. I) ep a rtm en t
store.
13
14
Moved from out of
town.
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
Dry-goods store D epartm en t
store.
D epartm en t .....d o ..............
store.
23
24
D epartm en t
store.
25
i Over 40 years of age.
* Not reported.
Housekeeper...
<2)
1
Laid off at end of
season.
----- do...................
Personal.
* Includes experience as saleswoman.
89
EFFECT OF M IN IM U M -W A G E DETERMINATIONS IN
Air,
PLOYED IN PORTLAND AND SALEM DEPARTMENT AND OTHER
MINATIONS WENT INTO EFFECT—Continued.
PORTLAND: Workroom employees.
Changes since Sept. 1,1913 (1 month before first
determination went into effect), of individuals
having any change in place of employment,
occupation, or rate of pay.
Occupation.
Change
from—
Change to—
Saleswoman Mender.
Saleswoman A 1 t e r a tion hand.
{
A lteration Stock girl...
hand.
A 1t e r a Stock girl... tion hand.
A l t e r a Housekeeper.
tion hand.
Data for last pay-roll period in October, 1914.
Weekly rate
of pay.
in
for For
mer mer
occu rate.
pa
tion.
Week
Rate Actual
Department of week. iy
or occupa pay hours
per
tion.
Pres
week. work
ent
ed.
rate.
$18.46 $19.61 A l t e r a tion, cloak
and suit.
....d o .........
___ do.........
Alteration,
corsets.
10.00 14.00 A l t e r a
tion, cloak
and suit.
Workroom,
$19.61
orkroom,
carpets.
Workroom,
millinery.
...... do.........
Workroom,
shades.
12.69 11.54 A l t e r a tion, cloak
and suit.
Workroom,
gloves.
Workroom,
millinery.
Alteration, cloak
and suit.
8.25 9.25 Workroom,
millinery.
8.00 9.25 .....d o .......
___ d o ...—
*6*92 *9.23 A 1 t e r a tion, cloak
and suit.
8.08 9.23 ...... do..........
8.08 9.23 Alteration,
corsets.
8.08 9.23 .......do..........
Workroom,
millinery.
10.00 9.23 .......d o .......
jA 1 1 e r a ] tion, cloak
1 and suit.
14.0C (*) Housekeep
ing.
ly IndiFull
viddays
ual
(inlost Week dudNo.
dur
ly
ing
vSfc
2
and
wks.
com
mis
sions).
48
18.46
15.00
1400
$19.61
1
18.46
15.00
14.00
3
14.00
5
2
4
1400
48
13.84
49*
13.84
6
13.84
49*
13.84
7
8
13.84
47|
13.80
13.75
12.69
49*
48
13.75
12.69
11.54
49*
11.54
10
11
12
9
11.54
49*
11.54
10.38
49*
10.38
13
9.25
49*
9.25
14
9.25
49*
16
17
18
15
9.25
9.23
9.23
49*
49*
7.71
9.23
9.23
9.23
9.23
49*
49*
9.23
9.23
9.23
9.23
9.23
9.23
49*
45|
9.23
8.52
9.23
8.52
20
21
22
9.23
47f.
8.87
8.87
23
[ 6.00
’ (*)
m
(*)
<#)
6.00 6.00
(*) (a)
19
24
25
90
T able
BULLETIN OF TH E BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS.
I . —CHANGES IN THE INDUSTRIAL STATUS OF WOMEN EM
STORES SINCE THE MINIMUM-WAGE DETER
PORTLAND: Office employees.
Changes since Sept. 1,1913 (1 month before first determina
tion went into effect), of individuals having any change
in place of employment, occupation, or rate of pay.
Years of experience.
In-
dividual
No.
In al
In tera
sell tion
or
ing milli
de nery
part de
ment. part
ment.
As
cash
girl,
bun As
dle cash
In wrap
office per, ier
(cler er (tube
ical). rand or
floor). Change from—
Place of employment.
Change to—
&
Years
in
for
mer Reason for change.
posi
tion.
etc.
14
15
4
5
TS
6
6
1
A
1
5
5
2
2
2
2
2
*
1
5 and 10 cent
store.
2
2
5
4
5
2
f
2
?
2
3
1
3
l
21
2J
li
*
§
§
1
*
D epartm en t
store.
4*
3
Newspaper of
fice.
/5 and 10 cent jMeat m arket...
\ store.
H
Could not obtain
legal minimum,,
l
1
t
6
If
I
2
2
i*
2|
General store... D epartm en t
store.
1
Moved from out of
town.
li
(<)
* Over 30, but under 35 years of age.
* Over 35 years of age.
EFFECT OF MINIMTJM-WAGE DETERMINATIONS IN OREGON.
91
PLOYED IN PORTLAND AND SALEM DEPARTMENT AND OTHER RETAIL
MINATIONS WENT INTO EFFECT—Continued.
PORTLAND: Office employees.
Changes since Sept. 1,1913 (1 month before first
determinationYrent into effect), of individuals
having any change in place of employment,
occupation, or rate of pay.
Weekly rate
of pay.
Occupation.
Change
from—
Years
in
for For
Change to— mer mer
occu- rate.
>a>n.
Auditor___
(? » 10.25
10.25 11.25 •Clerk......... .
9.23 10.38 Auditor......
Com plaint
clerk.
Bill clerk ...
9.00 10.00.......do.........
9.34 9.92 Cashier........
7.50 9.75 S ten ogra
pher.
7.50 9.25 Stock clerk..
Auditor.......
$08 (!) Clerk...........
— do.........
Com plaint
clerk.
Bookkeeper.
8.65 9.23 Clerk...........
Bookkeeper.
6.00 9.23 Bill cle rk ...
6.92 9.23 Clerk...........
6.00 9.23 Bookkeeper.
8.08 9.23 C le r k .......
8.54
.......do.........
Bill cle rk ...
6.92 9.23 Clerk...........
8.08 9.23 .......do.........
6.92 9.23 ....d o .........
S ten ogra
pher.
Typist
6.00 6.92
6.92 8.08 . pher.
6.92 8.00.......do.
S ten ogra
pher.
Errand girl.. S ten ogra
pher.
Clerk..........
.......do.........
Saleswoman
Bill clerk ...
Cashier----- .
Saleswoman
(Cashier
\Saleswoman
C lerk .........
-----do.........
M ail-order
clerk.
Wrapper..
Clerk.
Week- Iniy
diearn- vidFull
togs ual
Rate Actual
days
(in- No.
Department of week- lost Week dudiy dur ly
or occupa pay hours
tion.
per
ing wages, P&.’s
Pres
week. work
ent
2
ed. wks.
and
rate.
commis-
$16.15 $16.15
13.84 13.84
$15.00 $16.15 Cashier........ $16.15
M ail-order 13.84
clerk.
11.54 12.69 Cashier___ _ 12.69
11.54 12.69 Bookkeeper. 12.69
11.54
10.38 11.54 Cashier...
Cashier,tube Cashier, of
fice.
Stock girl.
Cashier.. .
Wrapper..
Data for last pay-roll period in October, 1914.
7.00
5.00
6.00
2*
6.50
6.00
6.00
* Not reported.
1
2
12.69
12.69
11.54
12 . 6C
12.69
11.54
3
4
5
11.54
11.25
10.38
10.38
11.54
11.25
10.38
10.38
11.54
11.25
10.38
10.38
6
10.38
10.38
10.38
9.92
9.75
9.92
9.75
9.92
9.75
10.00
10.00
7
8
9
10.00
10
11
12
14
15
16
17
18
13
9.25
9.23
9.23
9.23
9.23
9.25
9.23
9.23
9.23
9.23
9.25
9.23
9.23
9.23
9.23
9.23
9.23
9.23
9.23
9.23
9.23
9.23
9.23
9.23
9.23
9.23
9.23
8.08
9.23
9.23
9.23
8.87
9.23
9.23
9.23
9.23
9.23
9.23
9.23
9.23
8.08
9.23
9.23
9.23
8.87
9.23
9.23
9.23
9.23
9.23
9.23
9.23
9.23
8.08
8.08
8.08
8.08
8.08
8.00
8.00
32
33
34
7.37
6.25
7.37
6.25
35
36
7.50
7.38
7.25
6.92
6.92
7.50
7.38
7.25
6.92
6.92
37
38
39
40
41
6.50
6.46
42
43
44
45
49*
8.08
8.08
8.00 Clerk..
8.00
8.00
7.50 .......do.,
7.50
7.50 Bill clerk ... 7.50
Cashier........ 7.38
*7.25 Clerk........... 7.25
...... do......... 6.92
6.92 M ail-order 6.92
clerk.
...... do......... 6.50
*6*46 ...... do......... 6.46
Bill clerk ... 6.00
S ten ogra 6.00
pher.
* Less than 1 year.
6.50
6.46
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
92
T a b le
BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS.
I ___ CHANGES IN THE INDUSTRIAL STATUS OF WOMEN EM
STORES SINCE THE MINIMUM-WAGE DETER
PORTLAND: Office employees—Concluded.
Changes since Sept 1.1913 (1 month before first determina
tions went into effect), of individuals having any change
in place of employment, occupation, or rate of pay.
Years of experience.
Individ- Age. In
ual
sell
No.
ing
de
part
ment.
In al
tera
tion
or
milli
nery
de
part
ment.
AS
cash
girl,
bun As
dle cash
In
ier
office wrap
per,
(cler er (tube
ical). rand
or
floor). Change from—
Place of employment.
Change to—
S
Sk
girl.j
Years
in
for
mer Reason for change.
posi
tion.
etc. j|
1
46
47
48
20
20
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
18
16
18
19
19
29
22
i f
56
57
18
17
i
I
19
i
i
2
11
...........r ; * ; ; ......................
...........!..................................
*
¥
1
8
$
Printing office.. D epartm en t
store.
( i ) ........................;
1
i
&
PORTLAND: Cashiers (tube and floor).
i
!\
23
28
23
19
;
«
10
8
i
j
i
.......................;
j
j
2i
20
20
4
19
1*
1
i
19
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
i
20
20
j
!
f
19
19
H
20
18|
20
21
20
19
22
19
18
H
3
*
2h
n
If
2*
_______________
2
u
ll
23
24
2
a
n
_____________
_
n
4
4
2*
19
i
l
i
j ____
Dry-goods store D epartm ent
store.
(D epartm ent Office...............
< store.
[Office............... D epartm ent
store.
1
1 .................................1
* Not reported.
.................
2*
b
Laid off because
of hour restric
tions.
(Laid off; tempo{ rary employl ment.
EFFECT OF M IN IM U M -W AGE DETERMINATIONS IN OREGON.
93
PLOYED IN PORTLAND AND SALEM DEPARTMENT AND OTHER RETAIL
MINATIONS WENT INTO EFFECT—Continued.
PORTLAND: Office employees—Concluded.
Changes since Sept.l, 1913 (1 month before first
determination went into effect). of individuals
having any change in place of employment,
occupation, or rate of pay.
Weekly rate
of pay.
Occupation.
Years
in
for For
Changeto— mer mer
occu rate.
pa
tion.
Change
from—
Data for last pay-roll period in October, 1914.
Week
ly
earn
Full
ings
Bate Actual
days
(in
Department of week- lost Week- clud
. iy
dur iy
or occupa pay hours
ing wages. P.ing
tion.
per
Pres
M/S
week. work
2
ent
ed.
and
wks.
rate.
com
mis
sions).
$6.00 47^
6.00
6.00 51i
6.00 48
6.00
6.00
6.00 49 >
6.00 49]
6.00
6.00
6.00 46*
6.00 48
Clerk..........
...... do.........
M ail-order
clerk.
Clerk..........
...... do.........
...... do.........
...... do.........
Auditor......
Clerk..........
$5.88 $6.00 M ail-order
clerk.
Clerk..........
M ail-order
clerk.
Messenger... Clerk..
----- do.
wrapper.
Bundle
Marker...
Clerk..
Compositor.. .......d o .
In-
dividual
No.
$6.00
$6.00
6.00
6.00
46
47
48
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
5.54
5.54
6.00
6.00
56
57
6.00
6.00
PORTLAND: Cashiers (tube and floor).
Cashier, tube
.......do.........
.......do.........
$1 0 .11 Cashier, floor
9.81 Cashier, tube
9.25 Cashier, floor
9.25 .......d o ........
$13.84
12.69
10.38
/ 6. 50 7.00 • ....d o ......
7.00 9.25
! 7.00 9.75
9.75 ia ii . . . .d o ......
9.25
1 0 .11
6.92 9.23 .......d o .........
9.25
$6.00
8.42
Bundle wrap Cashier........
per.
6.00
li
7.50
!
6.00
6.00
Saleswoman. Cashier........
2*
6.00
6.00
6.00
9.23 .......d o .........
9.23 .......do.........
9.23 .......do.........
9.23 .......do.........
9.23 .......do.........
9.23 Cashier, tube
Cashier, floor
9.23
7.50 .......do.........
7.00 .......do.........
(Cashier........ Clerk...........
2
j. 6.00
7.00 .......do.........
6.92
...........
. . . . i ..................... . .
6.92
8.08
8.08
10 .11
9.81
9.25
9.25
9.25
9.23
9.23
9.23
9.23
9.23
9.23
9.23
9.23
9.23
9.23
7.50
7.00
7.00
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
9.25
9.25
9.25
9.25
9
*8.98 *a98
9.23 9.23
9.23 9.23
9.23 9.23
9.23 9.23
9.23 9.23
9.23 9.23
9.23 9.23
9.23 9.23
*8.15 *8.15
7.50 7.50
7.00 7.00
10
11
12
8
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
45*
6.42
6.42
22
6.92 49*
6.921
8Deductions made for mistakes in making change.
6.92
6.92
6.92
6.92
23
24
(Clerk........... Cashier........
W rapper.... Cashier, tube
$13.84 $13.84
12.69 12.69
10.38 .10.38
7.25 7.25
9.81 9.81
9.25 9.25
9.25 9.25
11
6.00
6.00
.......do.........
1 iS i Cashier, tube1
BULLETIN OF TH E BUREAU OF LABOB STATISTICS.
94
T able
I . — CHANGES IN THE INDUSTRIAL STATUS OF WOMEN EM
STORES SINCE THE MINIMUM-WAGE DETER
PORTLAND: Cashiers (tube and floor)—Concluded.
Changes since Sept. 1,1913 (1 month before first determina
tion went into effect), of individuals having any change
in place of employment, occupation, or rate of pay.
Years of experience.
In-
divid- Age. In
ual
sell
No.
ing
de
part
ment.
In al
tera
tion In
or jffic
milli (cler
nery ical).
de
part
ment.
As
cash
Place of employment.
girl,
bun
As
dle
wrap cash
ier
per, (tube
er
or
Change from—
rand floor).
Change to—
&
girl,
Years
in
for
mer Beason for change.
etc.
25
pry-goods store D epartm ent
store.
[D epartm ent -----do..............
store.
20
27
t
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
1
1
A
Better position.. 4
Because of parttime work.
Laundry office. D epartm ent
store.
Wholesale mil — do..............
linery.
Dry-goods store
.d o.
Better position.,.
Office.
D epartm ent
store.
Lost p o s itio n
through illness.
Dry-goods store D epartm ent
store.
Laid off; business
depression.
D epartm ent D epartm ent
store.
store.
— do............ . ....d o .............
Laid off............;.
Failure of firm .i.
Personal reasons.
Moved from out
of town.
Grocery store.. D epartm ent
store.
Moved from out
of town.
Dry-goods store D epartm ent
store.
Wholesale mil ----- do............ .
linery.
Better position..
1 Deductions made for mistakes in making change.
...... d o ...............
EFFECT OF M IN IM U M -W AGE DETERMINATIONS IN OREGON.
95
PLOYED IN PORTLAND AND SALEM DEPARTMENT AND OTHER RETAIL
MINATIONS WENT INTO EFFECT—Continued.
PORTLAND: Cashiers (tube and floor)—Concluded.
Changes since Sept. 1,1913 (1 month before first
determination went into effect), of individuals
having any change in place of employment,
occupation, or rate of pay.
Occupation.
Change
from—
Weekly rate
of pay.
Years
in
for For
Change to— mer mer
occu- rate.
Saleswoman Cashier.
/ $6.00
\ 8.18
Bookkeeper. Cashier..
5.00
M illin e ry
maker.
4.15
Clerk.
....d o ..
Cashier..
Bate Actual
Department of week>y
or occupa pay .hours
tion.
Pres
per
week. work
ent
ed.
rate.
$8.18 jcashier, floor
6.00
.do.
.do.
.do.
4.61
6.00
.do.
.do.
.do.
Cashier..
.do.
.do.
Transfer girl. Cashier..
.do.
.do.,
M illin ery
maker.
----- d o ..
4.15
97827°—BuU. 176—15----- 7
$6.00
49}
.do.
6.00
6.00 .do.
6.00
6.00.......do......... 6.00
Cashier, tube 6.00
Cashier, floor 6.00
...... do......... 6.00
...... do......... 6.00
...... do......... 6.00
...... do......... 6.00
.do.
6.00
.do.
6.00
Saleswoman. Cashier..
Bundle wrap Cashier..
per.
Data for last pay-roll period in October, 1914.
6.00.......do.
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
36*
Full
days
lost
dur
ing
2
wks.
Week
In-
$6.00
$6.00
25
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
26
27
6.00
6.00
28
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
29
30
31
32
33
34
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
35
36
37
38
39
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
40
41
15.88 15.88
42
ly diearn vidings ual
(in No.
Week clud
ly
ing
P.M .’s
and
com
mis
sions).
5.77
5.75
5.77
5.75
43
44
5.50
5.50
5.50
5.50
45
46
4.61
4.61
47
96
T a b le
BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OP LABOR STATISTICS.
I . — CHANGES IN THE INDUSTRIAL STATUS OF WOMEN EM
STORES SINCE THE MINIMUM-WAGE DETER
* Occupation changes with demands of work.
EFFECT OF M IN IM U M -W A G E DETERMINATIONS IN OREGON.
97
PLOYED IN PORTLAND AND SALEM DEPARTMENT AND OTHER RETAIL
MINATIONS WENT INTO EFFECT—Continued.
PORTLAND: Bundle wrappers, errand girls, etc.
Changes sinceSept. 1,1913 (1 month before first
determination went into effect), of individuals
having any change in place of employment,
occupation, or rate of pay.
Weekly rate
of pay.
Occupation.
Change
from—
Bata for last pay-roll period in October, 1914.
Years
in
for For
Change to— mer mer
occu- rate.
Bate Actual
Department of weekiy
or occupa pay .hours
tion.
per
Pres
week. work
ent
ed.
rate.
&.
6.00
Stock girl...
19.23 ....d o ? !....
....d o .........
9.23 Alteration
attendant.
9.23 Errand girl..
7.50 Bundle
9.23 wrapper.
6.92 Stock girJ...
1.50
6.00 1Telephone
16.00
8.08
6.00
6.92
7.50
M illin e ry
a p p ren -
Stock girl..
6.00
S tock girl... Telephone
operator.
7.50
Transfer girl.
Saleswoman. B u n d l e
wrapper.
Bundle
wrapper.
0).
Stock girl...
G).
0)
4.61
Saleswoman.
Button
clamper.
Transfer girl. Stockgirl...
Cashier..
Stockgirl...
Bundle
wrapper.
Stock girl
and sales
woman.
7.50
6.60 I operator.
If
5.00
5.00
Full
days
lost
dur
ing
2
wks.
Week
ly
earn
ings
(in
Week clud
ly
ing
wages. P.M
.'s
and
commis-
9.23
9.23
9.23
19.23
9.23
9.23
9.23
9.23
9.23
6.92
9.23
9.23
6.92
6.60
6.46
Bundle 6.00
wrapper.
Erramfgirl.. 6.00
Tag maker.. 6.00
Bundle 6.00
wrapper.
— do....... . 6.00
Errand girl.. 6.00
Transfer girl. 6.00
Bundle 6.00
wrapper.
-----do......... 6.00
___ do......... 6.00
___ do......... 6.00
Transfer girl. 6.00
Stockgirl... 6.00
Bundle 6.00
wrapper.
___ do......... 6.00
___ do_____ 6.00
Transfer girl. 6.00
Stock girl... 6.00
6.00
Bundle
wrapper.
6.00 Errandgirl.. 6.00
Bundle
6.00
wrapper.
----- do......... 6.00
Button 6.00
clamper.
Stockgirl... 6.00
Transfer girl. 6.00
Bundle 6.00
wrapper.
6.00 Stock girl... 6.00
6.00 Bundle 6.00
wrapper.
Stockgirl... 6.00
32
5.50
5.79
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6
6.0
.00
0
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
5.54
6.00
6.00
5.08
98
BULLETIN OF TH E BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS.
T a b le
I . — CHANGES
IN THE INDUSTRIAL STATUS OF WOMEN EM
STORES SINCE THE MINIMUM-WAGE DETER
SALEM.
Changes since Sept. 1,1913 (1 month before first determina
tion went into effect), of individuals having any changfe
in place of employment, occupation, or rate of pay.
Years of experience.
In-
divid- Age. In
ual
sellNo.
mg
de
part
ment.
In al
tera
tion
or
milli
nery
de
part
ment.
As
cash
girl,
bun As
dle cash
In wrap
office per, ier
(cler er (tube
ical). rand or
floor). Change from-
Place of employment.
Change to—
J&
g
irl,
etc.
Years
in
for
mer Reason for change.
posi
tion.
6
4
{
5 and 10 cent
store.
§
%
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
23
26 *5
26
29
30
Dry-goods store Dry-goods store
with
2* Disagreement
employer.
Dry-goods store Dry-goods store
....d o .............. Specialty store.
/Disagreement with
\ employer.
Closed business..
f
20
21
22
27
....d o ...
7
28
64 12
25
26 6
20 4
24 4
18
(<) 3
24
Personal.
Office..............
45 10
27
31 f
27 6
36 4
26 3
23
Office..
School.
18
21
I
18 1
18
A
21 *
21 1«
31
32
Dry-goods store 5 and 10 cent
store.
Disagreement with
employer.
1*
Dry-goods store Hardware store
Specialty store. Beauty parlor..
5 and 10 cent
store.
* Sells and helps fit.
* Not reported.
<2)
Sanitarium___
1*
Better position...
Temporary em
ployment.
Personal.
* In addition formerly received 5 per cent commission on all sales.
« Early twenties.
EFFECT OF M IN IM U M -W AGE DETERMINATIONS IN OREGON.
99
PLOYED IN PORTLAND AND SALEM DEPARTMENT AND OTHER RETAIL
MINATIONS WENT INTO EFFECT—Concluded.
SALEM.
Changes since Sept. 1,1913 (1 month before first
determination went into effect), of individuals
having any change in place of employment,
occupation, or rate of pay.
Occupation.
Change
from—
Weekly rate
of pay.
Years
in
for For
Change to— mer mer
occu rate.
pa
tion.
Saleswoman Stenographer
Stenographer Teacher..
8.00
6.92
6.00
6.92
7.00
7.50
7.50
7.50
6.00
7.50
6.00
6.50
6.00
6.50
6.00
Saleswoman Nurse..
Rate
Department of
or occupa- pay
per
Pres
week.
ent
rate.
$21.25 $15.00 A Iteration, $15.00
hand.
Fitter and 15.00
sales
woman.
16.00 13.13 Saleswoman, 13.13
suits.
9.00 11.0 0 ^Saleswoman,
11.0 0 12.00 * hosiery and 12.00
underwear.
6.00 (*)
■Teacher.
11.54
(8) . 11.54
Saleswoman, 11.54
ribbons, etc.
___ do___
11.54
___ d o ...
10.50
10.38
....d o ...
----- do___
10.38
9.50 10.00 -----do___
10.00
«6.92 9.81 ----- d o ...
9.81
9.00
9.00
Saleswoman Bookkeeper.
M illin e ry Beauty par
maker.
lor assist
ant.
Data for last pay-roll period in October, 1914.
6.50
9.00
8.25
6.00
9.50 .......do.
9.50 .......do.
— d o .,
— do.,
6.92 ___do.
9.00
9.00 ....d o ..
....d o ..
8.51 . — do..
7.50 — do..
8.50
....d o .
8.25 W orkroom
8.25
and sales
woman.
8.00 Cashier........ 8.00
7.50
8.00 Saleswoman 8.00
6.50
.do......... 7.00
7.00
6.50
.do.........
7.00
7.00
•6.50 ___do.......... 7.00
•7.00
14.00 Clerk........... 14.00
6.00 Beauty par 6.00
lor assist
ant.
Saleswoman 6.00
71.85 Nurse.......... 71.85
•Also includes experience in millinery workroom.
•No longer receives commission.
9.50
9.50
9.23
9.23
9.00
9.00
9.00
8.51
8.50
8.25
Week
ly
earn
ings
(in
clud
ing
P.M.’s
Full
days
lost
dur
ing
2
wks.
$15.00 $15,00
15.00 15.00
10.65
10.50
10.38 10.38
10.38 10.38
10.00 10.75
9.81 9.81
9.50 9.50
9.50 9.50
9.23 9.23
9.23 9.23
5.89
9.00 9.00
9.00 9.00
8.51 10.36
8.50 9.02
8.25 8.25
4.13
17
21
4.13
8.00 8.00
8.00 8.00
7.00 7.00
14.00 14.00
5.25 5.25
6.00
6.00
71.85 71.85
7 Board and lodging not included.
31
100
BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OP LABOR STATISTICS.
T able
H i—WOMEN WHO WERE NOT EMPLOYED IN OCTOBER, 1914, BUT
DETERMINATIONS
PORTLAND.
Years of experience—
Indi
In altera
vid. Age.
uai
Inselling tion or In office
No.
depart millinery (clerical).
depart
ment.
ment.
31
23
30
23
As cash
girl.
As
cashier
wrapper, (tube or
errand or floor).
stockgirl.
Years in
service.
Department store..
II
31
Y*
19
23
3
Speciaity storoIIIII
5 and 10 cent store.
Department store..
%
19
1h
21
m
19
17
19
2
.....
20
19
___ do...................
___ do...................
___ do...................
Dry-goods store....
Department store.
Dry-goods store...
Department store.
Specialty store___
Department store.
...T do...................
....d o ...................
..d o .....................
..d o .....................
.......do.....................
5 and 10 cent store...
Department store...
19
20
10
18
20
1
(l)4
!*
i
K
..d o .
____do.
.••••do.
..d o .
..d o .
20
20
17
19
21
27
Place of previous employ
ment.
o and 10 cent store.
19
SALEM.
1
2
3
4
5
6
44 .
26 .
19
18
17
20
20
i Not reported.
Dry-goods store___
Specialty store.......
Dry-goods store... .
5 ana 10 cent store.
.....d o ....................
___ do....................
* Includes experience as wrapper.
<<)
EFFECT OF M IN IM U M -W AGE DETERMINATIONS IN OREGON.
101
WHO HAD BEEN EMPLOYED PRIOR TO THE TIME THE MINIMUM-WAGE
WENT INTO EFFECT.
PORTLAND.
Data for last pay-roll period in previous place of employment.
Reason for change of occupation.
Personal............... ........................
.....d o ............................................
...... do............................................
...... do............................................
Laid oft; disagreement with em
ployer.
Disagreement with employer........
Personal........................................
...... do............................................
...... do............................................
DJ
P<
Disagreement with employer.
Laid off; business dull....................
...... do..............................................
Personal..........................................
Laid off; firm refused to grant legal
minimum.
.....d o .......................................
----- do..............................................
Laid off; errors in slips...................
Personal..........................................
Laid off; firm refused to grant legal
minimum.
___ do..............................................
...... do..............................................
Laid off: business dull....................
Personal..........................................
Bundle wrapper’s apprenticeship
complete; refused to be sales
woman.
Discharged: conversing during
business hours.
Department or
occupation.
Selling.
Office..
Selling.
O ffice..
Selling.
Rate of
pay per
Actual
weekly
hours.
$12.69
12.50
12.00
11.54
10.61
...... do.................
...... do.................
...... do.................
Cashier...............
Selling................
Office..................
Cashier...............
Office..................
Selling................
Cashier................
Bundle wrapper..
9.25
9.23
9.23
9.23
9.23
8.08
8.08
8.00
7.38
6.92
6.92
Indi
vid
ual
Weekly Weekly No.
wages. earnings.
$12.69
12.50
12.00
11.54
10.61
$12.69
12.50
12.00
11.54
10.61
9.25
9.23
9.23
9.23
9.23
8.08
8.08
8.00
7.38
6.92
9.25
9.23
9.23
9.23
9.23
8.08
8.08
8.00
7.38
6.92
2.11
2.11
2.66
----- d o ..
Cashier.
.....d o ..
Selling..
.....d o ..
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
<■
'100
6.00
----- do.................
Bundle wrapper..
___ do.................
----- do.................
Workroom..........
6.00
6.00
6.00
Selling.
5.00
$15.00
9.00
8.50
7.00
■r
6.00
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
6.00
6.00
21
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
22
56
5.00
5.00
27
55
. 511
52
52
12j
52j
$15.00
9.00
8.50
7.00
1.50
5.00
$15.00
9.00
8.50
7.00
1.50
5.00
1
2
6.00
6.00
6.00
23
24
25
26
SALEM.
Personal..........................................
Disagreement with employer..........
Personal..........................................
...... do..............................................
Temporary employment.................
Personal........................................
Workroom............
Office....................
Selling..................
.......d o ..................
.......do...................
.......do...................
* Loss for the period exceeds wages by $2.
6.00
5.00
« 3 days.
3
4
5
6
APPENDIX A.—ACT CREATING INDUSTRIAL WELFARE COMMISSION OF
OREGON.
ACTS OF 1913.
Chapter 62.—An act to protect the lives and health and morals of women and minor
workers, and to establish an industrial welfare commission and define its powers and
duties, and to providefor thefixing of minimum wages andmaximum hours andstandard
conditions of laborfor such workers, and to provide penaltiesfor violation of this act.
Whereas the welfare of the State of Oregon requires that women and minors should
be protected from conditions of labor which have a pernicious effect on their health
ana morals, and inadequate wages and unduly long hours and insanitary conditions of
labor have such a pernicious effect; therefore, be it enacted * * *:
Section 1. It shall be unlawful to employ women or minors in any occupation
within the State of Oregon for unreasonably long hours; and it shall be unlawful to
employ women or minors in any occupation within the State of Oregon under such
surroundings or conditions—-sanitary or otherwise—as may be detrimental to their
health or morals; and it shall be unlawful to employ women in any occupation within
the State of Oregon for wages which are inadequate to supply me necessary^ cost of
living and to maintain them in health; and it shall be unlawful to employ minors in
any occupation within the State of Oregon for unreasonably low wages.
Sec. 2. There is hereby created a commission composed of three commissioners,
which shall be known as the “ Industrial Welfare Commission,,; and the word “ com
mission” ashereinafter used refers to and means said “ industrial welfare commission” :
and the word “ commissioner” as hereinafter used refers to and means a member of said
; *industrial welfare commission.’ ’ Said commissioners shall be appointed by; the gov
ernor. The governor shall make his first appointments hereunder within thirty aays
after this bill becomes a law; and of the three commissioners first appointed, one shall
hold office until January first, nineteen hundred and fourteen, and another shall hold
office until January first, nineteen hundred and fifteen, and the third shall hold office
until January first, nineteen hundred and sixteen; and the governor shall designatethe
terms of each of said three first appointees. On or before the first day of January of
each year, beginning with the year nineteen hundred and fourteen, the governor shall
appoint a commissioner to succeed the commissioner whose term expires on said first
day of January; and such new appointee shall hold office for the term of three years
from said first day of January. Each commissioner shall hold office until his suc
cessor is appointed and has qualified; and any vacancy that may occur in the mem
bership of said commission shall be filled by appointment by the governor for the un
expired portion of the term in which such vacancy occurs. A majority of said com
missioners shall constitute a quorum to transact business, and the act or decision of
such a majority shall be deemed the act or decision of said commission; and no vacancy
shall impair the right of the remaining commissioners to exercise all the powers of
said commission. The governor shall, so far as practicable, so select and appoint said
commissioners—both the original appointments and all subsequent appointments—
that at all times one of said commissioners shall represent the interests of the employ
ing class and one of said commissioners shall represent the interests of the employed
class and the third of said commissioners shall be one who will be fair and impartial
between employers and employees and work for the best interests of the public as a
whole.
Sec. 3. The first commissioners appointed under this act shall, within twenty
days after their appointment, meet and organize said commission by electing one of
their number as chairman thereof and by choosing a secretary of said commission;
and by or before the tenth day of January of each year, beginning with the year
nineteen hundred and fourteen, said commissioners shall elect a chairman and choose
a secretary for the ensuing year. Each such chairman and each such secretary shall
hoM his or her position until his or her successor is elected or chosen; but said com
mission may at any time remove any secretary chosen hereunder. Said secretary
shall not be a commissioner; and said secretary shall perform said duties as may be
103
104
BULLETIN OP THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS.
prescribed and receive such salary as may be fixed by such commission. None of
said commissioners shall receive any salary as such. All authorized and necessary
expenses of said commission and all authorized and necessary expenditures incurred
by said commission shall be audited and paid as other State expenses and expendi
tures are audited and paid.
Sec. 4. Said commission is hereby authorized and empowered fco ascertain and
declare, in the manner hereinafter provided, the following things: (a) Standards ot
hours of employment for women or for minors and what are unreasonably long hours
for women or for minors in any occupation within the State of Oregon; (b) standards
of conditions of labor for women or for minors in any occupation within the State of
Oregon, and what surroundings or conditions—sanitary or otherwise—are detrimental
to the health or morals of women or of minors in any such occupation; (c) standards
of minimum wages for women in any occupation within the State of Oregon and what
wages are inadequate to supply the necessary cost of living to any such women
workers and to maintain them in good health; and (d) standards of minimum wages
for minors in any occupation within the State of Oregon, and what wages are unrea
sonably low for any such minor workers.
Sec. 5« Said commission shall have full power and authority to investigate and ascer
tain the wages and the hours of labor and the conditions of labor of women and minora
in the different occupations in which they are employed in the State of Oregon; and
said commission shall have full power and authority, either through any authorized
representative or any commissioner to inspect and examine any and all books and
pay rolls and other records of any employer of women or minors that in any way
appertain to or have a bearing upon the questions of wages or hours of labor or con
ditions of labor of any such women workers or minor workers in any of said occupa
tions and to require from any such employer full and true statements of the wagea
paid to and the hours of labor of and the conditions of labor of all women and minors
m his employment.
Sec. 6. Every employer of women or minors shall keep a register of the names of
all women and all minors employed by him, and shalloon request, permit any com
missioner or anyauthorized representative of said commission to inspect and examine
such register. The word “ minor,” as used in this act, refers to and means any person
of either sex under the age of eighteen years, and the word *‘women,” as used in
this act, refers to and means a female person of or over the age of eighteen years.
Sec. 7. Said commission may hold meetings for the transaction of any of its business
at such times and places as it may prescribe; and said commission may hold public
hearings at such times and places as it deems fit and proper for the purpose of inves
tigating any of the matters it is authorized to investigate by this act. At any such
public hearing any person interested in the matter being investigated may appear
and testify. Said commission shall have power to subpoena and compel the attend
ance of any witness at any such public hearing or at any session of any conference
called and held as hereinafter provided; and any commissioner shall have power to
administer an oath to any witness who testifies at any such public hearing or at any
such session of any conference. All witnesses subpoenaed by said commission shall be
paid the same mileage and per diem as are allowed by law to witnesses in civil cases
before the circuit court of Multnomah County.
Sec. 8. If, after investigation, said commission is of opinion that any substantial
number of women workers in any occupation are working for unreasonably long hours
or are working under surroundings or conditions detrimental to their health or morals
maintain then?in^ealth, said commission^may call and conve^a^conference for the
purpose and with the powers of considering and inquiring into and reporting on the
subject investigated by said commission and submitted by it to such conference.
Such conference shall be composed of not more than three representatives of the
employers in said occupation and of an equal number of the representatives of the
employees in said occupation and of not more than three disinterested persons repre
senting the public and of one or more commissioners. Said commission shall name
and appoint all the members of such conference and designate the chairman thereof.
Said commission shall present to such conference all information and evidence in the
possession or under the control of said commission which relates to the subject of the
inquiry by such conference; and said commission shall cause to be brought before
such conference any witnesses whose testimony said commission deems material to the
subject of the inquiry by such conference. After completing its consideration of and
inquiry into the subject submitted to it by said commission, such conference shall
make and transmit to said commission a report containing the findings and recom
mendations of such conference on said subject. Accordingly as the subject submitted
to it may require, such conference shall, in its report, make recommendations on any
EFFECT OF M IN IM U M -W AGE DETERMINATIONS IN OREGON.
105
or all of the following questions concerning the particular occupation under inquiry,
to wit: (a) Standards of hours of employment for women workers and what are unrea
sonably long hours of employment for women workers; (6) standards of conditions of
labor for women workers and what surroundings or conditions—sanitary or otherwise—
are detrimental to the health or morals of women workers; (c) standards of minimum
wages for women workers and what wages are inadequate to supply the necessary cost
of living to women workers and maintain them in health. In its recommendations on
a question of wages such conference shall, where it appears that any substantial num
ber of women workers in the occupation under inquiry are being paid by piece rates
as distinguished from time rate recommend minimum piece rates as well as mini
mum time rate and recommend such minimum piece rates as will in its judgment be
adequate to supply the necessary cost of living to women workers of average ordinary
ability and maintain them in health; and in its recommendations on a question of
wages such conference shall, when it appears proper or necessary, recommend suitable
minimum wages for learners and apprentices and the maximum length of time any
woman worker may be kept at such wages as a learner or apprentice, which said wages
shall be less than the regular minimum wages recommended for the regular women
workers in the occupation under inquiry. Two-thirds of the members of any such
conference shall constitute a quorum; and the decision or recommendation or report
of such a two-thirds on any subject submitted shall be deemed the decision or recom
mendations or report of such conference.
Sec. 9. Upon receipt of any report from any conference said commission shall con
sider and review the recommendations contained in said report; and said commission
may approve any or all of said recommendations or disapprove any or all of said recom
mendations; ana said commission may resubmit to the same conference or a new con
ference any subject covered by any recommendations so disapproved. If said com
mission approves any recommendations contained in any report from any conference,
said commission shall publish notice, not less than once a week for four successive
weeks in not less than two newspapers of general circulation published in Multnomah
County, that it will on a date ana at a place named in said notice hold a public meeting
at which all persons in favor of oi*opposed to said recommendations will be given a
hearing; and after said publication of said notice and said meeting, said commission
may, in its discretion, make and render such an order as may be proper or necessary
to adopt such recommendations and carry the same into effect and require all employ
ers in the occupation affected thereby to observe and comply with such recommenda
tions and said order. Said order shall become effective in sixty days after it is made
and rendered and shall be in full force and effect on and after the sixtieth day following
its making and rendition. After said order becomes effective and while it is effective,
it shall be unlawful for any employer to violate or disregard any of the terms or pro
visions of said order or to employ any woman worker in any occupation covered by
said order for longer hours or under different surroundings or conditions or at lower
wages than are authorized or permitted by said order. Said commission shall, as far
as is practicable, mail a copy of any such order to every employer affected thereby;
and every employer affected by any such order shall keep a copy, thereof posted in a
conspicuous place in each room in his establishment in which women workers work.
No such order of said commission shall authorize or permit the employment of any
woman for more hours per day or per week than the maximum now fixed by law.
Sec. 10. For any occupation in which only a minimum time-rate wage has been
established, said commission may issue to a woman physically defective or crippled
by age or otherwise a special license authorizing her employment at such wage less
than said minimum time-rate wage as shall be fixed by said commission and stated in
said license.
Sec. 11. Said commission may at any time inquire into wages or hours or conditions
of labor of minors employed in any occupation in this State and determine suitable
wages and hours and conditions of labor for such minors. When said commission has
made such determination, it may issue an obligatory order in the manner provided for
in section nine of this act, and after such order is effective, it shall be unlawful for any
employer in said occupation to employ a minor at less wages or for more hours or under
different conditions of labor than are specified or required in or by said order; but no
such order of said commission shall authorize or permit the employment of any minor
for more hours per day or per week than the maximum now fixed by law or at any times
or under any conditions now prohibited by law.
Sec. 12. The word “ occupation” as used in this act shall be so construed as to
include any and every vocation and pursuit and trade and industry. Any con
ference may make a separate inquiry into and report on any branch of any occupation;
and said commission may make a separate order affecting any branch of any occupa
tion. Any conference may make different recommendations and said commission
106
BULLETIN OF TH E BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS.
may make different orders for the same occupation in different localities in the State
when, in the judgment of such conference or said commission, different conditions
in different localities Justify such different recommendations or different orders.
Sec. 13. Said commission shall, from time to time, investigate and ascertain whether
or not employers in the State of Oregon are observing and complying with its orders
and lake such steps as may be necessary to have prosecuted such employers as are
not observing or complying with its orders.
Sec. 14. The “ commissioner of labor statistics and inspector of factories and work
shops” and the several officers of the “ board of inspection of child labor” shall, at
any and all times, give to said commission any information or statistics in their respec
tive offices that would assist said commission in carrying out this act and render such
assistance to said commission as may not be inconsistent with the performance of
their respective official duties.
Sec. 15. Said commission is hereby authorized and empowered to prepare and
adopt and promulgate rules and regulations for the carrying into effect of the foregoing
provisions of this act, including rules and regulations for the selection of members
and the mode of procedure of conferences.
Sec. 16. All questions of fact arising under the foregoing provisions of this act shall,
except as otherwise herein provided, be determined by said commission, and there
shall be no appeal from the decision of said commission on any such question of fact,
but there shall be a right of appeal from said commission to the Circuit Court of the
State of Oregon for Multnomah County from any ruling or holding on a question of
law included in or embodied in any decision or order of said commission, and, on the
same question of law, from said circuit court to the Supreme Court of the State of
Oregon. In all such appeals the attorney general shall appear for and represent said
commission.
Sec. 17. Any person who violates any of the foregoing provisions of this act shall
be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof shall be punished
by a fine of not less than $25 nor more than $100 or by imprisonment in the county jail
for not less than ten days nor more than three months or by both such fine ana im
prisonment in the discretion of the court.
Sec. 18. Any employer who discharges or in any other manner discriminates against
any employees because such employee has testified, or is about to testify, or because
such employer believes that said employee may testify, in any investigation or pro
ceedings under or relative to this act, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and
upon conviction thereof shall be punished by a fine of not less than $25 nor more than
$100.
Sec. 19. If any woman worker shall be paid by her employer less than the minimum
wage to which she is entitled under or by virtue of an order of said commission, she
may recover in a civil action the full amount of her said minimum wage less any
amount actually paid to her by said employer, together with such attorneys’ fees as
may be allowed by the court and any agreement for her to work for less than such
minimum wage shall be no defense to such action.
Sec. 20. Said commission shall, on or before the first day of January of the year
nineteen hundred and fifteen and of each second year thereafter, make a succinct
report to the governor and legislature of its work ana the proceedings under this act
during the preceding two years.
Sec. 21. There is hereby appropriated out of the general fund of the State of Oregon
the sum of $3,500 per annum, or so much thereof as may be necessary per annum,
to carry into effect the provisions of this act and to pay the expenses and expenditures
authorized by or incurred under this act.
Filed in the office of secretary of state February 17,1913.
APPENDIX B.—DETERMINATIONS OP INDUSTRIAL WELFARE COMMIS
SION OP OREGON.
Order No. 1.
1. No girl under the age ol 18 years shall be employed in any manufacturing or
mercantile establishment, millinery, dressmaking or hair-dressing shop, laundry, hotel
or restaurant, telephone or telegraph establishment, or office in the State of Oregon
more than 8 hours and 20 minutes during any one day or more than 50 hours in any
one week.
2. No girl under the age of 18 shall be employed in any one of the above-named
occupations after the hour of 6 o’clock p. m.
3. A minimum wage of $1 a day shall be established for girls between the ages of 16
and 18 years working in the above-mentioned occupations except as otherwise
arranged by the commission in the cases of apprentices and learners.
Said order shall become effective from and after October 4,1913.
After such order is effective it shall be unlawful for any employer in the State of
Oregon affected thereby to fail to observe and comply therewith, and any person
who violates said order shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and upon convic
tion thereof shall be punished by a fine of not less than $25 nor more than $100, or by
imprisonment in the county jail for not less, than 10 days nor more than three months,
or by both such fine and imprisonment, in the discretion of the court.
Order No. 2.
No person, firm, corporation, or association owning or operating any manufacturing
establishment in th$ city of Portland, Oreg., shall employ any woman in said estab
lishment for more than 9 hours a day, or 54 hours a week, or fix, allow, or permit for
any woman employee in said establishment a noon lunch period of less than 45 min
utes in length; or employ any experienced adult woman worker, paid by time rates
of payment, in said establishment at a weekly wage of less than $8.64, any lesser
amount being hereby declared inadequate to supply the necessary cost of living to
such women factory workers and to maintain them in health.
Said order shall become effective from and after November 10,1913.
Order No. 3.
No person, firm, or corporation owning or conducting any mercantile establishment
in the city of Portland, Oreg., shall pay to any experienced adult woman worker a
wage less than $9.25 a week: nor shall any such person, firm, or corporation owning
or conducting any mercantile establishment in tne city of Portland, Oreg., employ
any woman worker in such mercantile establishment more than 8 hours and 20 min
utes in any day, and 50 hours in any week, or after the hour of 6 o’clock in the after
noon of any day.
Said order shall become effective from and after November 23,1913.
Order No. 4.
1. No person, firm, corporation, or association shall employ any experienced adult
woman in any office or at office work in the city of Portland for more than 51 hours in
any week nor at a wage rate of less than $40 a month.
2. The following classes of work are included under this ruling as office work:
Stenographers, bookkeepers, typists, billing clerks, filing clerks, cashiers (movingpicture theaters, restaurants, amusement parks, ice-cream stands, etc.), checkers,
mvoicers, comptometer operators, auditors, and all kinds of clerical work.
Said order shall become effective from and after February 2,1914.
107
108
BULLETIN OF THE BUBEAU OF LABOB STATISTICS.
O rder
No. 5.
(1) No person, firm, or corporation shall employ any experienced adult woman in
any industry in the State of Oregon, paid by time rate of payment, at a weekly wage
rate of less than $8.25 a week, any lesser amount being hereby declared inadequate
to supply the necessary cost of living to such women workers and to maintain them
in healtn.
(2) Nor shall any such person, firm, or corporation employ women in any industry
in the State of Oregon for more than 54 hours a week.
(3) Nor shall any such person, firm, or corporation pay inexperienced adult women
workers employed by time rate of payment at a rate of wages less than $6 a week.
And the maximum length of time such workers may be considered inexperienced in
any industry shall not exceed one year.
(4) No person, firm, or corporation owning or conducting any mercantile, manufac
turing, or laundry establishment in the State of Oregon shall employ women workers
in such establislunent later than the hour of 8.30 o’clock p. m. of any day. This
hour of dismissal does not apply to telephone and telegraph companies, confectionery
establishments, restaurants, and hotels.
Said order shall become effective from and after February 7, 1914.
O r d e r i n R e g a r d t o P r e a p p r e n t i c e s h ip P e r i o d i n M i l l i n e r y a n d D r e s s m a k i n g
T rades.
Under date of August 31, 1914, the commission issued the following order (but not
as a numbered order) authorizing employment for a preapprenticesnip penod at a
special lower rate in the millinery and dressmaking trades:
P o r t l a n d , O r e g . , August $1,1914.
To t h e M i l l i n e r s a n d D r e s s m a k e r s o f t h e S t a t e o f O r e g o n :
The industrial welfare commission on August 28 decided, in view of the circum
stances surrounding the apprenticeship conditions in the millinery and dressmaking
trades, to permit a preapprenticeship period of one month to women and girls who
wish to learn either of these trades. As this month is given that the ability of the
learners may be tested and their fitness for the trade discovered, they may be engaged
for a wage rate of less than $6 a week, but after the end of the 30 days’ period the
apprentice must be paid at least $6 a week. The regular apprenticeship period of
12 months, as allowea by I. W. C. Order No. 5, will date from me end of the month’s
trial.
This preapprenticeship period of 30 days will be allowed only to those women and
girls who have had no previous experience at dressmaking or millinery. Every
learner who is taken on under this regulation must have a special permit from this
office before she can begin work. A duplicate of this permit will be sent to the
employer, which duplicate must be returned with the original when the preappren
ticeship time is completed. Those women who have had slight experience at either
of the trades, but who have not had a full year, must be employed as regular appren
tices at $6 a week and will not receive a permit for a trial month.
@FedFRASER