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

The full text on this page is automatically extracted from the file linked above and may contain errors and inconsistencies.

EAU
S. DEPARTMENT

OF LABOR

JANUARY 31,

1947

EMPLOYMENT OP WOMEN IK DECEMBER 1946
From November 1946 to December 1946, the employment of women decreased
by 600,000, due entirely to a fall in agricultural employment. These
women apparently withdrew from the labor market as the number of nonworking women rose by 620,000. (Woman employment fluctuated throughout
the year, the net decrease from December 1945 to December 1946 being
700,000.)

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

54,150,000
16,010,000
430,000
20,000
37,690,000

December 1946
Change since
Total persons
November 1946
Number
Percent
womBn

106,940,000
56,310,000
2,120,000
none
1,890,000
46,620,000
♦ 620,000
(U.S. Bureau of the Census)
♦ 4o,ooo
- 600,000
♦ 20,000

50.6
28.4
20.3
1.1
80.8

WOMEN’S EARNINGS AND HOURS

J

Women’s average weekly earnings for 25 selected manufacturing industries
were $33*70 in July, $34.86 in August, and $35*30 in September. Women’s
average hourly earnings for the same months were 87.1 cents, 90.4 cents,
and 91.cents. Women’s average weekly hours for the same periods were
38.8, 3M. and 38.6.
(National Industrial Conference Board)

EQUAL PAY
Significant support for equal pay for women appeared in The Economic
Report of the President submitted to the Congress on January 8. On
"Efficient Utilization of the Labor Force" the president said:

"We must end discrimination in employment or wages against
certain classes of workers regardless of their individual
abilities. Discrimination against certain racial and re­
ligious groups, against workers in late middle age, and
against women, not only is repugnant to the principles of our
democracy, but often creates artificial ’labor shortages’ in
the midst of labor surplus. Employers and unions both need to
re-examine and revise practices resulting in discrimination. I
recommend that, at this session, the Congress provide permanent
Federal legislation dealing with this problem.”



MINIMUM WAGS

Draft Bi118 - On December 2, 1946, the U. S. Department of Labor issued
two alternative draft bills for use of States interested in minimum-wage
legislation. One is a minimum-wage bill for women with supplementary
coverage of men; the other is a wage and hour bill with general worker
coverage. Also available are drafts of amendments providing for a
statutory rate, overtime pay, and extension of coverage of existing
women’8 laws to men. An accompanying memorandum issued with these drafts
describes Labor Department policy as follows:
”In States where general public sentiment will support a bill with
direct coverage of all workers, the wage and hour type bill may be
preferred. In States where there is primary concern for alleviating
the economic condition of women workers, the minimum-wage bill may
be found to be most feasible.

"In States which already have minimum-wage laws the basic purposes
of these draft bills can be accomplished by amendments of various
types:
1.

An amendment to establish one or more basic rates, where only
wage boards are now empowered to establish rates.

2.

An amendment to set up wage board procedure where this does
not exist.

3.

An amendment to provide payment of time-and-a-half the worker’s
regular rate of pay after specified basic hours.

4.

An amendment to extend to men wage and working conditions
standards set for women.

j
i

I
f

<

New Hampshire - Its revised minimum-wage order for retail trade became

‘
’

effective December 30, 1946. The new hourly rate for experienced workers
is 59 cents (formerly 27^ cents) and for learners 35 cents (formerly 22^5cents). Former differentials for small cities were wiped out.
Wisconsin - The revised minimum-wage order covering all occupations,
trades, and industries establishes three hourly rates based on size of
city - 45 cents in places of 3®590 or over; 4o cents in places between
1,000 and 3»5OO; and 3^ cents elsewhere. Learner rates are abolished.
In domestic service and non-industrialized agriculture, minimum weekly
wages are set for a workweek of 45 hours or over. Specified deductions
for board and lodging are permitted in any industry when furnished by an
earoloyer as part uayment of wages. Order becomes effective February 10,
19U7.

EASTMAN KODAK WAGE DIVIDEND

Directors of Eastman Kodak Company have voted an estimated $8,500,000 to
be paid in March to 47,000 men and women employees in the Western
Hemisphere — an average of $180 each. The payment is at the rate of 1-3
percent of the total of each eligible employee’s wages or salary during
the 5 years, 1942 through 1946.



WOMEN IN TEE UNITED STATES
Dr. Mildred McAfee Horton, president of Wellseley College and wartime
commander of the Waves, has "been elected president of the Association of
American Colleges. All other officers are men.
... Jo Anne Steane, 25-year-old Stanford graduate (19U3) is the firs/t
woman to he elected to the Society of Naval Architects and Marine
Engineers.
... Veterans Administration has appointed ten outstanding women doctors,
all veterans of World War II, to work with VA branch offices and central
office medical staffs to ensure highest possible standards of medical
care for women veterans.
... Dr. Plemmie Kittrell, Negro nutritionist and head of Howard Univer­
sity’s home economics department, has gone to Liberia, southwest Africa,
to make a six-month nutritional survey to determine causes of under­
nourishment, rickets, and high infant mortality among Liberians. Her
trip is financed by the U. S. Department of State.
... Mrs. Pelisa Rincon de Gauthier was unanimously appointed city manager
of San Juan, Puerto Rico, a city of 300,000.

WOMEN IN LATIN AMERICA
... Senora Carmen Vial de Senoret has been appointed Chilean Minister to
the Netherlands. Women in Chile will soon have national sufferage, have
voted in municipal elections since 1937*
... Senora Maria Marchant de Gonzalez Vera was appointed "Intendente" of
the State of Santiago by the President of Chile. The position carries
the same responsibilities as Governor.
... Women will be included in jury lists in Panama City this year.

WOMEN IN THE UNITED NATIONS
Mrs. Pranklin D. Roosevelt, delegate to the UN General Assembly, has been
confirmed as a member of the Economic and Social Council, and Miss Dorothy
Kenyon as a member of the Commission on the Status of Women. The Commission
on the Status of Women, which became a full commission June 21, 19^6, will
meet at Lake Success, February 10-28. The following women are members:
Australia - Mrs. Jessie Mary Grey Street
White Russia - Mrs. E. I. Ouralova
China - Mrs. W. S. New
Costa Rica - Senora Lottie T. de Gonzales Lahmann
Denmark - Mrs. Bodil Begtrup
Prance - Mme. Marie Helene Lefaucheux
Guatemala - name not received
India - Begum Hamid All
Mexico - Mrs. Amelia C. de Castillo Ledon
Syria - Mrs. Alice Kandalft Kuzma
United Kingdom - Miss Mary Sutherland
United States - Miss Dorothy Kenyon
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics - Mrs. E. A. Popova
Venezuela - Mrs. Isabel Urdaneta
Miss Alice Bruun of Denmark and Mrs. Krista Djordsevitch of Yugoslavia have
been appointed to the Social Commission.




WOMEN IK THE ORIENT
CHINA - A new constitution for China was adopted by the Rational Assembly
December 25, to become effective a year from that date. The constitution
guarantees equality of all persons, regardless of race, sex, or political
affiliation. The ballot is to be secret. All men and women 20 years old
or over will have the right to vote. Women will have a definite quota of
members in the Rational Assembly and Legislative Yuan “as prescribed by
law.”

JAPAN - Japanese labor unions have organized 80 percent of all industrial
workers, according to the Government’s Ministry of Welfare, and union
membership now totals an estimated U,100,000 members. One in four is a
woman.
KOREA - Lieut. Gen. John R. Hodge, American Military Government head, has
appointed four Korean women as members of the interim legislative group
of Korea - the first democratic governing group in Korea.

PENSIONS FOR OFFICERS OF ILGWU

International Ladies Garment Workers Union, AFL, has established a retire­
ment fund for its paid officers. Benefits ranging up to 50 percent of
regular salaries will be paid to men retiring at oO and women at 55* The
union will pay two-thirds of the cost of the retirement system and the
officer-beneficiaries will contribute the remaining one-third. About 700
officers of the international union and its affiliated locals and joint
boards are covered by the program. The ILGWU is seeking employer-financed
pension plans for all of its 350,000 members.
PRODUCTION JOBS FOR WOMEN INCREASE

In September 19^6 31 million women were employed in factory production,
one million more than in the fall of 1939* The total of 787,000 women
workers in the durable goods group is more than double the prewar figure.
In such heavy industries as iron and steel, nonferrous metals, automobiles,
and electric machinery, employment of women was at least twice the 1939
total. In every branch of nondurable goods except tobacco, the number of
women has increased. Apparel tops the list with a total of 822,000 (or 77
percent of all workers in the industry); textiles with 5^U,8OO, and food
with 329,700, follow.

HAVE

YOU

READ

WHO’S WHO IN LABOR - The Dryden Press, New York, 19U6. List of International Labor Unions; Directory of the Labor Press; List of Educational
& Research Directors; Chronology of Labor Legislation.
TRAINING FOR JOBS FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS - How to obtain free vocational
training. Women’s Bureau Leaflet No. 1, I9U7.
WOMEN WORKERS IN PARAGUAY - Women’s Bureau Bulletin No. 210, l6 pp., 19^7.
WHAT FLOOR TO WAGES - A 20-min. skit on minimum wage. Women’s Bureau.