Full text of Facts on Women Workers : August 31, 1947

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WOMEN'S BUREAU
U.S. DEPARTMENT
OF LABOR

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COLLEGE

AUGUST 3I’ 191,7

EMPLOYMENT OF WOMEN IN JULY 1947
The woman labor force in July 1947 was 400,000 greater than in July 1946.
The increase was not far from the normal amount expected as a result of
the growth in the population of working age. There were nearly 300,000
more women unemployed than in July 194-6, while the number employed had
risen by about 100,000.

Number of
women
Population (14 years
and over)
Civilian labor force
Employed
Unemployed
Armed forces
Nonworkers

54,561,000
17,803,000
17,008,000
795,000
19,000
36,739,000

Change since
June 1947

July 1947
Total persons
Number
Percent
women

107,504,000
♦ 55,000
62,664,000
- 346,000
60,079,000
- 294,000
2,584,000
- 53,000
1,371,000
No change
43,469,000
♦ 402,000
(U. S. Bureau of the Census)

50.8
28.4
28.3
30.8
. 1*4
84.5

FEDERAL LEGISIATICN
A Federal equal pay bill, HR 4273, was introduced by Rep. Helen Qahagan
Douglas (Dem.) on July IB. The bill contains the same provisions as does
S. 1556 introduced by Senators Pepper (Dem.) and Morse (Rep.) on July 2
(See July Fact Sheet). Rep. Margaret Chase Smith (Rep.) also introduced an
equal pay bill, HR 4408, on July 26. The recent action by Representatives
Douglas and Smith gives equal pay legislation bipartisan support in both
Houses of (Congress.

MINIMUM WAGE
The Utah retail trade order has been revised, effective September 1, 1947*
It increases the minimum basic rate for a workweek of 40-48 hours from *20
to *23 per week in the 2 largest cities and sets up 4 geographical sones
with varying rates. Increases over previous rates of *3 per week in
2 zones and of *4 in 1 zone are provided.

COST OF LIVING
Cost of living figures of 2 minimum wage States have been revised to bring
them in line with December 1946 prices. Both States base food and housing
costs on a furnished room and meals eaten in restaurants. It was estimated
that the mini nan average annual cost of adequate maintenance for a delfsupporting, employed woman was *1,965 in Pennsylvania; *2,163 in New Jersey.
Both of these figures include allowances for taxes, insurance, and savings.
The cost of commodities and services alone was *1,611 and *1,747 respectively
in these two States. This represents ’an increase of 57 percent in the
r commodity and service items in the former State and 62 percent in the latter

since 1938 when the budgets were originally priced.


MARITAL STATUS OF WOMEN WORKERS
Unpublished Census estimates for June 19A6 show that of all single women in
the population of working age 56.3 percent were workers, compared with 34*8
percent of the widowed or divorced, and 22.7 percent of the married.

Among all women in the population of working age over 60 percent were married,
while less than one-fourth were single. Of women in the labor force 44*3
percent were married, 40• 2 percent were single, and 15•$ percent were widowed
or divorced.
Previous data are not entirely comparable with these figures. Comparisons
with improved census enumeration techniques in use since 1945 indicate that
previous unrevised labor force data probably understate somewhat the pro­
portion of married women in the labor force. In addition the estimates for
1946, which relate to June, include a large number of seasonal agricultural
workers, whereas the data for previous years relate to earlier months,
generally March or April, and were not affected by seasonal factors to the
same extent. After allowance is made for these differences, it is likely
that married women workers in the postwar period are somewhat less important
proportionally than during the war (1944), but they are significantly more
prominent relative to both population and labor force than in 1940.

The growing importance of married women workers continues a long-time trend
in our industrial economy, in which money income has increasingly determined
the fami ly* s standard of living. In addition there are available for the
production of goods and services, more married women and fewer single women
in the population than in the prewar period.
ILO NIGHT WORK CCNVENTIONS
The Governing Body of the International Labor Organization is now making a
decennial study and report of the operation of the two night-work conventions
for women: No. 4, adopted in 1919, and No. 41, adopted in 1934* Convention
No. 4 provides for the prohibition, with some exceptions, of the employment
of women in "industrial undertakings" during a period of U or more consecu­
tive hours including the interval between 10 p.m. and 5 ajn. Convention
No. 41 differs from No. 4 on one major point only: It exempts women holding
responsible positions of management. As of April 1, 1947, these countries
had ratified one or both conventions: Afghanistan, Albania, Argentine
Republic, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Chile, Colombia, Cuba,
Czechoslovakia, Estonia, France, United Kingdom, Greece, Hungary, India,
Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Nicaragua, Netherlands, Peru, Portugal,
Rumania, Spain, Switzerland, Union of South Africa, Uruguay, Venezuela,
Yugoslavia, Burma, Iraq, and New Zealand. Most of the countries ratifying
the conventions have enacted legislation carrying them into effect. Such
legislation, although it varies from one country to another in details,
conforms substantially with the terms of the conventions. The laws and
regulations of all ratifying countries cover women of all age groups; a
few provide stricter regulation for girls under 21.

HAVE

YOU
READ

Economic Status of Nurses, in MONTHLY IABOR REVIEW, July 1947.
You Are Losing Ground, by Alice Fraser, in McCALL’S, August 1947*
INDUSTRIAL INJURIES TO WOMEN. U. S. Women*s Bureau Bulletin No. 212.
MATERNITY BENEFITS UNDER UNION-CONTRACT HEALTH INSURANCE PLANS.
U. S. Women's Bureau Bulletin No. 214.