Full text of Facts on Women Workers : February 28, 1947

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WOMEN'S BUREAU
U.S. DEPARTMENT
OF LABOR

<il_s^,
FEBRUARY 28,

1947

EMPLOYMENT OP WOMEN IN JANUARY I9U7
The number of women in the labor force in January was about half a million
less than in December. At the January level the woman labor force was
lower than at any time since the end of the war. There were fewer women
working in both agricultural and nonagri cultural industries in January
than in December* while the number looking for work was practically un­
changed.

__________
Number of
women
Population (l4 years
and over)
Employed
Unemployed
Armed forces
Nonworkers

54,180,000
15,'480,000
450,000
20,000
38,230,000

January 19^7________________________
Change since
Total persons______
December 1946 Number
percent
women
106*970,000
50.6
55*390,000
27.9
2,400,000
18.8
none
1,720,000
1.2
47,460,000
540,000
80.6
♦
(U. S. Bureau of the Census)
♦ 30,000
- 530.000
♦ 20,000

STATE LEGISLATION

Tor ty-four State legislatures are now in session. In a number of States bills
have been Introduced which, if passed* will undermine existing working con­
ditions standards for women.
In Pennsylvania, a bill would Increase the maximum weekly hours from 44 to
Ufi>, the maximum daily hours from 8 to 10, and the maximum workweek from 5i
to 6 days; third-shift work in manufacturing would be permitted under per­
mit. In Indiana, suspension of the night-work law would be extended to
March 1949. In Massachusetts, a bill would permit women In manufacturing
to work until 11 p.m. Instead of 10 p.m.; prohibit employment of boys under
16 (formerly under IS) and girls under 21 between 11 p.m. to 6 a.m.; reduce
lunch period for women and minors from 45 to 30 minutes; and permit the
Commissioner* after hearings, to suspend until July 19^9 enforcement of any
law or ruling that regulates* limits* or prohibits the employment of women
and minors.
More favorable legislation Introduced includes; New Hampshire, an equalpay bill; New York State, extension to additional establishments of the 48hour maximum workweek; Minnesota, a 30-minute meal and 10-minute rest
period bill; Maryland, a minimum-wage bill applicable to both men and women:
Tennessee, a bill reducing maximum hours from 57 to 48 a week, and from
10$ to 10 a day.

7^ ' /



MINIMUM WAGE
Wev York - Three wage boards were recently sworn in to revise minimum
wages set in 1938 and 1939 in confectionery, beauty service, and
cleaning and dyeing industries* Three other boards - for hotels,
restaurants, and laundries (set up late in 1946) - are now holding
hearings to raise rates set in 1938 and 1940.
Connecticut - The highest guaranteed weekly wage in any industry $28 - becomes applicable March 3 to 3-year operators in beauty parlors.
Operators with less experience and clerks receive $25 and $23? maids
receive $22 for a week of 32-44 hours. Overtime rates of 75 cents to
95 cents are provided after 44 hours. The order is applicable to men
and women.
ELIMINATION OF WAGE INEQUITIES IN STEEL

Wage adjustments recently made under the terms of a I9U5 collective
- bargaining agreement between the U. S. Steel Corporation and the
United Steelworkers of America, CIO, are of significance to women in
other industries as well as to "women in steel" who have been directly
affected by the existence of long-standing wage rate Inequalities. A
joint union-management committee worked for two years, establishing
30 job classifications into which were fitted some 45,000 to 50,000
job titles. Procedures were agreed on for working out the new wage
rate plan with respect to (1) description of joba, (2) job classifications
and reducing them to the smallest practical number, and (3) establishing
wage rates for the job classifications. The plan will be adapted, also,
to 84 other steel firms. Bureau of Labor Statistics data show 139,800
women employed in iron and steel in September 1946, or 9*6 percent of
the work force.

PRAC 'ICES unfavorable to women

Department Stores - Entry wages for women in most department stores are
lower than for men. In 81 percent of 413 reporting stores (none in
New York City were included) men’s beginning wages are between $20 and
$35 a week, while in 74 percent of the stores, women begin at $18 to $30.
Less than 3 percent of the stores pay beginning wages of $15 to $18 per
week to men, but over 9 percent pay these wages to women. Men are paid
$30 or more to start in 3° percent of the stores, but women are paid
that much in only 3 percent of the stores. Since women constitute nearly
three-fourths of department store employment, their wage rates are more
nearly representative of the industry.
Married Women - International Business Machine Corporation, reverting to
a prewar policy of not employing married women whose husbands are gain­
fully employed, dismissed all married women employees February 15* The
dismissal policy is Nation-wide.

Union Seniority - The president of Fisher Local 650 charges the Reo
Motor Company (Lansing, Mich.) with hiring new employees in preference
to taking back some 500 or 600 women with seniority. He says this is
in violation of the union contract.




WOMEN IN THE UNITED STATES
Miss Katharine F* Lenroot, Chief, U. S. Children’s Bureau, Federal
Security Agency, has been named United States member of the executive
board of the International Children’s Emergency Fund, established by
the General Assembly of the United Nations in December 19U6, The Fund
will provide a supplementary diet to children and nursing mothers in
war devastated countries*

Ml88 Frieda S* Miller* Director of the Women’s Bureau, is the United
States Substitute Delegate to the Governing Body of the International
Labor Organization meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, in March*

Miss Martha J* Ziegler* Women’s Bureau regional representative in the
Chicago area, made an official visit to Puerto Rico in February. Young
women from Puerto Rico have recently been brought to continental United
States by private employment agencies to work as household employees;
the purpose of Miss Ziegler's visit was to consult with insular labor
department and other government officials about problems that have arisen*
At the request of the War Department, Miss Margaret K* Anderson. Women’s
Bureau regional representative for the Pacific Coast area will go to
Japan for two months to advise on employment and general problems of
Japanese women* She will leave the United States in March*

WOMEN IN THE UNITED NATIONS
The UN Commission on the Status of Women meeting (February 10-28 at
Lake Success, N. Y.) for the first time as a full commission, elected
Mrs* Bodll Begtrup of Denmark, chairman; Mrs* Jessie M. G. Street of
Australia, vice-chairman; Mrs* Evdokia Uralova of White Russia, rapporteur,
Mrs. Begtrup was chairman of last year’s subcommission on the status of
women* Mrs* Rachel Nason, regional supervisor of the Women’s Bureau, is
serving as an adviser to Miss Dorothy Kenyon, United States representative
on the commission*

Mrs. Franklin D* Roosevelt is chairman of the UN Comnission on Human
Rights, not a member of the Economic and Social Council, as was stated
in the January issue of this publication*
WOMEN AROUND THE WORLD

Australia - The Federal Parliament now includes four women members - two
in the House of Representatives and two in the Senate*

JU N 13 195 6

Union of South Africa - First woman mayor of Johannesburg is Mrs. Jessie
McPherson* She is a former member of Parliament and is active in the
South African Trades and Labour Council.
Venezuela - In the elections of October 19^6, the first in which women
had voted, twelve women were elected to the Constituent Assembly. Among
them were Dr. Panchita Soublette, a lawyer, and Senorita Ana Luisa Llovera
who holds an important post in the Executive Offices of Venezuela.




WOMEN IN BRITAIN
Equal Pay - More than 3,000 women representing 75 organisations
unanimously voted to renew their fight for "equal pay for equal work."
The resolution, sent to Prime Minister Atlee, "expressed indignation
at the long delay in establishing this principle and calls on the
government to give a lead by implementing the policy of equal pay for
equal work in all Government and public employment now."

At the Seventy-eighth Annual Trade Union Congress in October 19^6 a
resolution was adopted expressing dissatisfaction with discriminatory
practices against women workers. The Congress asked the General
Council to use its resources to secure for women clerical workers equal
opportunities and equal pay. It also denounced the continuation by
banks, insurance companies, and other concerns of the ban against em­
ployment of married women.
WOMEN AS HEADS OP FAMILIES

Women heads of families in February 19^6 numbered 6.6 million, of whom
1 million were single, UJ million widowed and divorced, and 1 million
married with husband absent from the household, according to a Census
Bureau release. Of this total, 2,560,000 women constituted l-person
families. The proportion of families with a woman head declined from
21.9 percent in May 19^5 (V-E Day) to 17.^ percent in February 19^6;
the percentage was 15.3 in 19^•
•
The number of women heads under 35 years of age was 1,220,000 in
February 19^6, 600,000 above 19^0. In 19^5* when numbers in the armed
forces reached a maximum, women heads under 35 were 1,600,000 above
I9HO0 The proportion of women heads in this age group was 18.U percent
in 19^6, compared with 27.3 percent in 19^5, and 11.6 percent in 19^*0.

INDUSTRIAL INJURIES TO WOMEN

Between July 1, 19UU, and June 30, 19^6, nearly 66,000 workmen’s com­
pensation cases (opened January 19^2 or later) were closed in Michigan.
Of these, nearly 8,500, or 13 percent, involved industrial injuries to
women. The injuries of l6 women resulted in death and of 513 caused
some permanent disability. More than two-thirds of women’s injuries
occurred in manufacturing, with by far the largest numbers in the
automobile, the iron and steel, and the machinery industries.
(Michigan Department of Labor and Industry.)

HAVE
YOU
peat)

WILL ECONOMIC DOORS OPENED TO BRITISH WOMEN IN WAR BE CLOSED IN PEACE?
Ethel M. Johnson in Journal of the AAUW, Winter 19^7.
WOMEN AND THE PROFESSIONS - Frieda S. Miller in Think, January 19^7.
WHY WOMEN WORK - Frieda S. Miller in American Federation!st, Feb. 19^7*
THE LEGAL STATUS OF WOMEN IN THE UNITED STATES (Cumulative Supplement
1938-19^5) Women’s Bureau Bulletin No. 157-A, 31 PP. 19^7.