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U N IT E D S T A T E S D E P A R T M E N T OF L A B O R L. B. Schwellenbach, Secretary BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS Ewan Clague, Commissioner + Employment and Earnings in the Philadelphia K nitted' Outerwear Industry, 1944 and 1945 Bulletin 7\[o. 887 For sale by the Superintendent o f Documents, U. S. Government Printing Office Washington 25, D. C. - Price 5 cents Letter of Transmittal United States D epartment op L abor, B ureau of L abor Statistics, Washington, D . C., November 4 ,1 9 4 0 , The Secretary of L abor : I have the honor to transmit herewith a report on employment and earnings in the Philadelphia Knitted Outerwear industry, 1944 and 1945. This report was prepared in the Philadelphia regional office by George E. Votava. E wan C lague, Commissioner, Hon. L. B . SCHWELLENBACH, Secretary o f Labor, Contents Page Employment and hours of work_________ Hourly earnings_________________________ Annual earnings________________________ (H ) 1 3 4 B ulletin 7{p. 887 o f the U nited States Bureau o f Labor Statistics [Reprinted from the M onthly L abor R e v iew , August 1946] Employment and Earnings in the Philadelphia Knitted-Outerwear Industry, 1944 and 1945 T H E knitted-outerwear industry in Philadelphia has had a long history of successful collective bargaining. In 1945, practically all of the manufacturers in this city had agreements with the Knit Goods Workers7 Union, Local 190 of the International Ladies7 Gar ment Workers7 Union (AFL). These firms are members of the Knitted Outerwear Manufacturers Association and operate under a master agreement which provides, among other matters, that em ployers are to furnish the union with weekly transcripts of pay-roll records for each employee.1 After consultation with the Emitted Outerwear Manufacturers Association, the union made these unusual record cards of members7 hours and earnings available to the Bureau for use in this study. It is recognized that there were slight imperfections in the data. It was impossible, for example, to exclude learners and handicapped workers, as is normally done in the Bureau7s wage studies. Further more, the occupational classifications were not always up to date, and working foremen were probably included in some cases under other occupational titles. Nevertheless, the results are deemed fairly accurate, and slight inaccuracies which may exist do not seriously limit the validity of the material. Employment and Hours of Work The number of workers employed in the Philadelphia knittedouterwear industry averaged about 2,770 in 1943 and approximately 3,200 in 1945. Twenty-four, or nearly half of the establishments included in this study, had fewer than 50 workers, and 15 employed between 50 and 100 workers. The greater average employment in 1945 does hot represent a cor responding increase in the labor force, because turn-over rose con siderably during this period. Between 1944 and 1945 the proportion of all employees who worked less than 11 weeks increased from 26 to 32 percent, while those with an employment record of 46 weeks or 1 Under the arrangement with the union, the employer contributes amounts equal to 4 percent of the total weekly wages of the union members for the purpose of financing various benefits. From this fund the union, during 1944, provided vacation pay to its members based on total income for a designated period, with a maximum o f $38.00 and a minimum of $22.00. Persons in military service received $25.00. Sick benefits of $10.00 per week were paid for a maximum of 10 weeks during the year after an initial 4 days of illness. In addition, hospitalization of $3.00 a day up to 21 days and unlimited medical service at the union health center were provided. In 1945, the maximum vacation pay was increased to $50.00 and sick benefits to $12.00 per week. A post-pregnancy allowance of $50.00 and a surgical allowance up to $50.00 was provided. 722865°—46 (1 ) 2 more declined from 42 to only 36 percent in the same period. (See table 1.) M any workers from other textile industries, who were temporarily unemployed because of war conditions in 1945, took short-term employment in the knitted-outerwear industry. Among the selected occupations listed in table 1, cutters showed the greatest continuity of employment, averaging 43 weeks in 1944 and 38 weeks in J945. The greatest turn-over was indicated for brushers, folders and packers, and examiners and trimmers. About 27 percent of their total number were employed in the industry for less than 6 weeks in 1944; over 30 percent worked this short time in 1945. Although the scheduled workweek remained unchanged at 40 hours between 1943 and 1945, average actual hours worked declined from 39.0 in 1943 and 38.3 in 1944 to 37.7 in 1945. In large part this reduction was due to less overtime being worked in the latter period and to the increase in labor turn-over. T able 1.— Distribution o f Workers in Philadelphia Knitted-Outerwear Industry, by Number o f Weeks Worked During 1944 and 1945 Number of workers in selected occupations Number of weeks worked A ll workers Brushers Cutters Examin ers and Finishers trimmers Folders and packers Knitters 1944 1945 1944 1945 1944 1945 1944 1945 1944 1945 1944 1945 1944 1945 1 to 5 weeks........................ 620 951 356 488 6 to 10 weeks...................... 260 313 11 to 15 weeks___________ 16 to 20 weeks..................... 195 214 21 to 25 weeks.................... 160 161 140 159 26 to 30 weeks___________ 31 to 35 weeks..................... 130 171 36 to 40 weeks..................... 134 138 41 to 45 weeks..................... 206 214 46 to 51 w e e k s.................. 1,163 1,224 52 weeks............................. 406 371 60 10 6 3 4 1 45 11 4 6 3 2 3 7 3,770 4,404 96 T otal!.................... 2 1 2 16 3 5 6 6 3 2 3 3 7 5 52 45 92 137 6 2 1 65 36 120 80 45 33 18 15 17 22 24 120 37 201 82 47 41 35 20 28 21 25 124 32 28 27 11 4 10 3 8 7 13 51 12 44 14 12 11 8 11 6 5 9 61 12 56 37 32 15 10 10 11 2 13 48 26 66 49 19 18 7 14 18 12 14 48 22 12 7 8 6 4 6 5 3 6 92 66 35 17 17 8 8 6 9 3 8 93 55 155 531 656 174 193 260 287 215 259 15 11 12 4 3 Yearly average (weeks)___ 30.9 27.9 10.9 17.0 43.4 38.0 25.1 22.1 29.2 28.6 24.5 24.3 42.6 35.7 Number of workers in selected occupations—Continued Number of weeks worked Merrow Menders operators Pressers Special Singer machine operators operators Winders Miscel laneous 1944 1945 1944 1945 1944 1945 1944 1945 1944 1945 1944 1945 1944 1945 1 to 5 weeks...................... 6 to 10 weeks...................... 11 to 15 weeks.................... 16 to 20 weeks.................... 21 to 25 weeks..................... 26 to 30 weeks___ ________ 31 to 35 weeks..................... 36 to 40 weeks................... . 41 to 45 weeks..................... 46 to 51 weeks..................... 52 weeks.............................. 10 5 2 1 2 2 2 2 7 41 12 Total......................... 86 2 4 4 35 16 38 29 33 30 18 21 20 24 31 238 50 54 35 29 17 17 20 24 25 38 239 49 18 9 8 10 3 4 5 5 7 45 16 35 21 13 9 5 7 3 2 13 44 15 27 16 19 16 22 21 14 15 33 130 45 54 36 22 18 18 16 14 21 31 138 23 24 29 19 15 21 19 12 13 25 136 28 47 50 34 21 15 24 12 16 25 159 34 8 7 7 8 7 6 2 8 5 42 10 16 13 11 5 4 4 8 6 10 35 9 89 532 647 130 167 358 391 341 437 110 121 6 7 6 4 5 214 94 64 51 39 29 31 24 34 161 59 333 141 87 54 33 37 39 20 33 168 65 800 1,010 Yearly average (weeks)___ 38.6 36.6 37.1 36.3 33.3 28.4 36.6 32.0 35.4 32.4 34.9 30.1 23.9 20.8 3 H ourly Earnings Straight-time hourly earnings2 of workers with 6 or more weeks of employment in the Philadelphia knitted-outerwear industry in creased from 88.2 cents in 1944 to 94.5 cents in 1945. (See table 2.) Although individual earnings ranged from 40 cents to over $2.00 per hour, over 65 percent of the employees in both years received between 45 cents and $1.00. However, the proportion with average earnings of $1.00 or more per hour increased from 25 to 33 percent between 1944 and 1945. Cutters and pressers, predominantly men, were the highest paid employees, earning $1.35 and $1.26 per hour, respectively, in 1944, and $1.41 and $1.40 in 1945. Among the occupations where women were employed in large numbers, Singer operators had the highest earnings— $1.03 per hour in 1944 and $1.11 in 1945. T able 2.— Distribution o f Philadelphia Knitted-Outerwear Workers Employed 6 Weeks or M ore in 1944 and 1945, by Straight-Time Hourly Earnings Number of workers in selected occupations All work ers Brushers Classified hourly earnings Examin ers and Finishers trimmers Cutters Folders and packers Knitters 1944 1945 1944 1945 1944 1945 1944 1945 1944 1945 1944 1945 1944 1945 36 165 441 260 224 174 202 174 171 144 155 176 153 126 113 147 102 80 72 59 36 35 63 52 26 15 16 40 2 2 8 5 7 2 Total— .................. 3,150 3,457 36 40.0 to 44.9 cents_________ 45.0 to 49.9 cents..... ........... 50.0 to 54.9 cents..... ........... 55.0 to 59.9 cents................. 60.0 to 64.9 cents..... ........... 65.0 to 69.9 cents................ 70.0 to 74.9 cents_________ 75.0 to 79.9 cents_________ fift Otr» 84.0 cents 85.0 to 89.9 cents.......... ...... 00-ft 94.9 cents __ _ 95.0 to 99.9 cents_________ 100-0 to 104.9 cents _ . _ 105.0 t.n 109.9 cents 110.0 to 114.9 cents.............. 115.0 to 119.9 cents.............. 190 0 t.n 124.9 cents 125.0 to 129.9 cents............. 130.0 to 134.9 cents............. 135.0 to 139.9 cents.... ___ _ 140.0 to 144.9 cents _ _ 145.0 to 149.9 cents............. 150.0 to 159.9 cents _ .. ... 160.0 to 169.9 cents ___ 170.0 to 179.9 cents 180.0 to 189.9 cents............. 190.0 to 199.9 cents_______ 200.0 cents and over........... 130 300 SIS 212 200 176 185 160 148 159 174 149 118 104 105 100 80 59 45 45 34 16 46 25 17 12 13 20 4 1 3 1 4 10 7 4 5 4 4 2 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 47 1 2 9 7 16 25 9 9 6 8 4 2 9 4 4 2 6 10 5 5 12 27 10 9 8 9 6 4 6 8 4 5 10 11 132 140 41 85 88 61 28 31 20 15 11 11 11 4 1 2 1 1 14 65 119 57 43 32 22 17 18 17 15 11 8 6 2 1 3 3 1 1 18 26 27 21 16 11 13 2 5 5 2 7 17 36 26 16 5 8 7 7 2 6 2 3 1 3 18 65 42 20 6 14 10 11 6 3 2 3 1 7 22 49 38 24 16 18 12 9 3 4 9 5 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 204 221 1 1 1 411 455 146 150 1 3 4 9 19 12 39 35 30 35 20 28 17 26 7 10 8 15 10 • 4 5 8 5 8 3 6 3 5 2 3 7 5 11 5 1 3 3 2 2 3 6 203 224 Average hourly earnings (in cents)....................... . 88.2 94.5 67.3 72.6 135.4 140.9 61.4 66.5 60.8 66.4 61.2 67.8 109.6 112.9 2 Exclusive of premium overtime pay, but including piece-rate or other incentive earnings. 4 T able 2.— Distribution o f Philadelphia Knitted-Outerwear Workers Employed 6 Weeks or M ore in 1944 and 1945, by Straight-Time Hourly Earnings— Continued Number of workers in selected occupations Merrow Classified hourly earnings Menders operators Pressers Special Singer machine operators operators Winders Miscella neous 1944 1946 1944 1945 1944 1945 1944 1945 1944 1945 1944 1945 1944 1946 40.0 t.o 44.fi ruvnt.s 46.0 t o 4ft.fi rPints _ _ . _ _ 60.0 to 64.9 cents................. 66.0 to 69.9 cents................. 60.0 to 64.9 cents................. 66.0 to 69.9 cents................. 70.0 to 74.9 cents................. 76.0 to 79.9 cents................. 80.0 to 84.9 cents................. 86.0 to 89.9 cents................. 90.0 to 94.9 cents................. 96.0 to 99.9 cents................. 100.0 to 104.9 cents.............. 106.0 to 109.9 cents............. 110.0 to 114.fi np.nts 5 2 11 19 13 8 4 3 51 2 1 1 11/5.0 t o 11fi.fi oon ta 120.0 to 124.9 cents............. 126.0 to 129.9 cents............. 180.0 to 134.9 cents_______ 186.0 to 139.9 cents.............. 140.0 to 144.9 cents............. 146.0 to 149.9 cents_______ 160.0 to 159.9 cents............. 160.0 to 169.9 cents.............. 170.0 to 179.9 cents.............. 180.0 to 189.9 cents.............. 190.0 to 199.9 cents............. 200.0 cents and over........... 2 T otal........................ 76 1 1 3 6 10 14 14 8 8 4 1 2 1 2 1 3 1 1 83 2 2 12 9 25 28 25 34 32 40 44 37 45 26 34 20 17 17 10 7 11 3 6 3 3 3 464 2 9 9 23 16 26 29 30 32 26 35 33 34 26 36 25 20 17 16 10 8 12 4 8 4 1 2 1 2 1 2 5 2 3 3 13 2 2 7 2 7 9 2 5 2 5 5 1 3 11 6 3 2 3 3 493 112 2 4 9 10 17 11 15 10 16 22 11 30 20 15 13 27 18 17 11 9 5 10 11 12 5 3 1 4 3 6 22 18 25 15 20 15 20 20 22 27 11 14 13 17 8 7 7 6 4 3 8 2 2 6 22 20 19 24 24 17 23 18 26 27 20 16 21 17 15 14 12 7 10 5 10 8 2 2 10 3 6 11 12 14 9 26 14 17 19 15 18 19 23 17 23 21 11 10 12 9 3 8 5 1 2 2 2 2 2 6 132 331 337 317 390 1 12 3 1 2 1 8 3 3 2 2 5 6 9 10 9 7 8 6 1 2 8 6 5 2 2 6 9 20 19 8 10 12 4 2 1 2 3 1 1 2 1 7 5 16 13 15 8 8 10 4 9 2 4 1 42 106 100 60 57 36 36 37 25 27 14 14 7 6 4 2 5 4 1 2 1 1 6 43 170 83 60 44 51 48 37 24 18 14 19 6 12 7 12 4 4 5 1 2 6 3 1 1 102 105 586 680 Average hourly earnings (in cents)......................... 71.8 75.4 97.6 105.8 126.2 139.5 103.0 110.9 95.2 100.2 81.6 87.6 65.3 76.6 Table 3 shows straight-time hourly and gross weekly earnings of workers with different periods of employment. Since individual productivity in this largely piece-rate industry determines earnings to a large extent, it is interestmg to note that workers with the largest employment experience had higher hourly rates and higher weekly earnings than those with shorter employments. T able 3.— Straight-Time H ourly and Gross W eekly Earnings o f Philadelphia Knitted Outerwear Workers with Specified Lengjths o f Employment, 1944 ana 1945 Number of workers Length of employment 1944 1 week or niore_ _ 6 waaVs or more 46 Wfteka or more _ . . _ ____________ , T ___ 3,770 3,150 1,669 Average hourly earnings 1945 4,404 3,467 1,597 Average gross weekly earnings 1944 1945 1944 $0,878 .882 .933 $0,939 .945 .992 $35.17 35.43 38.50 1945 $36.71 37.09 40.44 Annual Earning? Annual earnings of workers employed for at least 46 weeks averaged $1,937 in 1944 and $2,031 in 1945 (see table 4). Although individuals’ earnings varied between $600 and $4,200 in 1944, 85 percent of the workers were in the $1,000 to $3,200 class and 50 percent earned 5 between $1,000 and $2,000. In 1945 the distribution of workers changed only slightly: 83 percent fell between $1,000 and $3,200 and nearly 10 percent earned over $3,200. Pay-roll deductions for various purposes meant that net take-home pay was substantially less than gross earnings. T able 4 . — Distribution o f Philadelphia Knitted-Outerwear Workers Employed 46 Weeks or M ore in 1944 and 1945, by Annual Earnings Number of workers in selected occupations Classified annual earnings workers Brushers Exam* iners and Finishers trimmers Cutters Folders and packers Knitters 1944 1945 1944 1945 1944 1945 1944 1945 1944 1945 1944 1945 1944 1945 lam to $7»o $800 tn$Q0Q $1,000 to $1,199.................... $1,200 to $1,399.................... $1,400 to $1,599.................... $1,600 to $1,799.................... $1,800 to $1,999.................... $2,000 to $2,199.................... $2,200 to $2,399.................... $2,400 to $2,599.................... $2,600 to $2,799.................... $2,800 to $2,999.................... $3,000 to $8,199.................... $3,200 to $3,899.................... $3,400 to $3,599.................... $3,600 to $3,799.................... $3,800 to $3,999.................... $4,fln0tn $4,1M $4,200 and river 15 92 168 179 184 183 152 111 97 91 69 66 34 25 25 27 11 22 18 15 99 144 172 186 182 150 138 89 76 78 69 45 41 27 22 14 12 38 Total......................... 1,569 1,597 1 1 2 1 1 1 7 4 8 1 1 3 1 2 1 1 2 4 6 19 1 11 1 9 9 1 11 . 11 1 9 6 1 2 5 8 22 11 8 8 9 6 5 14 19 97 101 3 30 44 83 18 21 5 2 1 2 26 46 25 20 21 14 1 1 2 13 17 13 10 7 1 8 32 11 10 10 1 1 1 3 16 17 17 10 3 1 1 2 1 2 1 8 14 16 12 4 5 4 3 1 2 1 157 156 63 74 74 1 71 1 8 16 10 21 21 24 13 8 9 7 4 8 8 1 3 3 6 10 8 15 28 12 14 13 7 6 4 5 13 158 148 Average annual earnings (in dollars)...................... 1,937 2,031 1,753 1»7$8 3,263 3,421 1,263 1,319 1,239 1,320 1,317 1,497 2,921 2,986 Number of workers in selected occupations—Continued Classified annual earnings Merrow Menders operators Pressers Special Singer machine operators operators Winders Miscel laneous 1944 1945 1944 1945 1944 1945 1944 1945 1944 1945 1944 1945 1944 1945 $600 to $799......................... $800 to $999___ _______ $1,000 to $1 , 1 9 9 ___ ____ $1,200 to $1,399................... $1,400 to $1,599.................... $1,600 to $1,799.................... $1,800 to |1,990.................... $2,000 t o :$2,199................ . $2,200 toi$2,399.................... $2,400 t o !$2,599 ______ $2,600 t o :$2,799.................... $2,800 to!$2,999.................... $3,000 t o !$3,199.................... $3,200 to l$3,399.................... $3,400 t o !$3,599 ______ $3,600 t o !$3,799 . ______ $3,800 t o !$3,999.................... $4,000 to I{4,199.................... $4,200 an<1 over.__________ Total........ ......... ..... 2 5 15 13 9 5 1 1 1 1 2 3 16 8 14 4 2 1 1 3 12 18 34 55 60 30 25 28 8 9 2 2 2 53 51 288 2 6 21 39 49 39 46 26 21 17 12 4 4 1 1 1 288 2 3 1 5 4 4 5 6 3 6 4 2 3 2 5 3 3 61 1 1 3 6 2 4 4 4 5 7 5 9 1 1 1 12 11 27 14 25 20 30 11 6 7 3 1 2 3 1 11 11 13 20 17 22 19 12 12 8 2 3 6 1 6 1 1 8 59 175 161 5 11 17 22 28 18 23 9 12 6 8 1 2 1 1 1 3 9 15 29 33 33 21 15 11 6 5 6 3 1 1 2 4 7 12 12 8 3 3 2 4 10 9 5 9 3 1 1 1 5 19 45 45 35 26 18 10 7 4 3 1 1 1 1 3 18 36 43 36 25 17 21 9 5 5 2 2 1 1 4 2 2 164 193 52 44 220 232 Average annual earnings (in dollars)...................... 1,518 1,561 1,937 1,996 2,763 3,062 2,014 2,123 1,887 1,932 1,642 1,778 1,466 1,662 6 Cutters, the highest paid group in the industry, averaged $3,263 in 1944 and $3,421 in 1945. Nearly 17 percent of the cutters earned over $3,800 in 1944 in contrast to 24 percent earning over that amount in 1945. Knitters and pressers ranked next, with average earnings of $2,921 and $2,753, respectively, in 1944 and *$2,986 and $3,062 in 1945. Finishers showed the lowest annual earnings ($1,239) in 1944, but they were replaced in that position by examiners and trimmers, who in 1945 earned $1,319 and $1,320, respectively. In both years, over 84 percent of the finishers earned between $800 and $1,600. a. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1947