Full text of Facts on Women Workers : November 30, 1950

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FACTS

on Women Workers
U. S. Department of Labor

Maurice J. Tobin,

Women's Bureau

Frieda S. Miller,

Secretary

Director

WASHINGTON 25, D. c. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

November 30, 1950

EMPLOYMENT OF WCMEN IN OCTOBER 1950
Employment of women rose between October 19U9 and October 1950 by more than a
million, according to monthly reports of the Bureau of the Census«»
Not far
from half of this increase was among agricultural workers, due largely to more
favorable weather for harvesting of crops in October 1950 than in October 19U9*.
Unemployment of women fell by nearly l/L million and there were fewer women non­

workers than a year ago.
More than half a million women entered the labor market between September and
October 1950.
Large numbers of these were women in agricultural jobs, both wage

workers and unpaid family workers.

Unemployment declined somewhat.

October 1956
Number of
women

Percent women
Change since
of all persons
September 1950

Change since
October 19U9

Population (lh years
and over)
56,619.000
Civilian labor force 19,^36,000
18,668,000
Employed
In agriculture
1,902,000
In nonagricultual
16,766,000
industries
768,000
Unemployed
2U,000
Armed forces
37,160,000
Nonworkers

50.9
30.5
30.2
22.U
31.5
39.6
l.U
81.3

♦ 62,000
♦ 595,000
686,000
♦

U58,ooo

♦ 228,000
- 91,000
No change
- 532,000

680,000
♦
8U8,OOO
♦
* 1,093,000
U9U,000
♦
♦
♦

599,000
2U5,000
1,000

-

171,000

(U. S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census)

COST 0? LIVING

The cost of commodities and services allowed in the Massachusetts budget for
’’certain working persons,” which reflects the needs of both a working man and
a working woman without dependents, was estimated to be $1,527 as of
August 1950.
This figure, obtained by use of the State retail price index,
is $191 higher than the September-October 19U6 costs determined by actual

33/, ‘A

pricing.
Federal income and social security taxes computed on The most recent
commodity and service cost at rates applicable in August 1950 would amount to
$181, but these are not included as part of the Statefs official budget.
The
State levies no income tax on single persons whose incomes are under $2,000.




LIBRARY
A. & M. COLLEGE OF TEXAS

MINIMUM WAGE

Ohio’s revision of its 1936 minimum-wage order covering hotels and restaurants
sets an hourly minimum of hO cents for service workers in all population
classifications and minimums of 55, 53, 51, and U9 cents, according to
size of city, for non-service workers.
These rates apply to a workweek of
over 2li and up to H8 hours.
For part-time workers the minimums established are
3 cents higher than those specified above.
The order is mandatory, effective
December 9, 1950.
Deductions for meals are not permitted where meals are

4

regarded as a part of the employee’s compensation.

HOURS OF WORK LEGISLATION

In view of the existing National defense situation, California and Connecticut
recently amended their hours laws to permit women and minors to be employed
for hours longer than the maximums normally in effect.
Both Acts became
effective on passage.
The California Defense Production Act authorizes the
Governor, upon application of an employer in accordance with the law, to
issue a defense production permit "permitting the employment offfemale
employees at or for such hours, and at such type of work, and under such
conditions, as may be helpful in increasing production and furthering the
current defense program without unreasonably increasing the risk of impair­
ing the health or safety of said employees."
In event of war or other
National emergency, Connecticut’s labor commissioner, may, after investigation,
and with approval of the Governor, increase beyond 8 per year the total number
of weeks in which manufacturing and mechanical establishments may lengthen
the workday and workweek of women and minors to 10-95 hours.
WOMEN IN UNIONS
The 830 delegates and officers attending the convention of the National
Federation of Post Office Clerks, AFL, in August 1950, included 39 women—
26 local delegates, I4. State delegates, and 9 member-at-large delegates. ...Of
lh9 delegates attending the 1950 convention of the International Brotherhood

of Bookbinders, AFL, 31, or 21 percent, were women.
The New York Women’s Trade Union League opened its U8th season recently with

a pledge to continue serving the labor movement, even though the parent
organization terminated its activities last June.
"Despite the growth and
strength of the labor movement there are thousands of working women still
outside its ranks," the league’s bulletin said,
"...the league feels
that ... its point of view with regard to the millions of organized and
unorganized wage-earning women is still needed inside and outside the
labor movement."
Seventeen %

(l8h,325) of the total membership of a group of local unions

in California are women, according to a study made by the California State
Division of Labor Statistics and Research.
Each year this office distributes
a questionnaire to union locals in the State and publishes a summary of the
returns.
Over 2,300 locals returned the 19h9 questionnaire.
Comparing
19h8 and 19h9 union membership figures far both men and women, it was found
that while there was a net decline in over-all membership, the number of
women members rose 1 percent.




4

*

MAJOR OCCUPATIONS OF WOMEN, OCTOBER 1950
From October 19h9 to October 1950 employment of women increased in all major

occupational groups except one—the proprietary and managerial group. Greatest
increase, h-73,000, occurred among wonen farm workers, because of more favorable
weather conditions in 1950 than the year before.
The number of women manual
workers (factory operatives and the like) also rose substantially, reflecting to
some extent increased demands in defense industries.
In each of two other
occupation groups, the clerical group and the household worker group, there were
significant increases*

n
Occupation Group

------------------------------------------------------------ Xki____ -_____________________________
_____________________________ Women, July 1950
JZZuZZ
Percent
Percent of
Change in number

All occupations
Clerical and kindred
workers
Operatives, laborers
(except farm and mine),
craftsmen, foremen
Service workers (except
domestic)
Professional, technical,
and kindred
Farmers and farm workers
Private household workers
Sales workers
Proprietors, managers,
and officials (except
farm)

distribution
18,668,000
100*0

all workers

from October 19h9

30*2

♦ 1,093,000
122,000

It,695,000

25.1

62.2

3,971,000

21.3

16.2

♦

302,000

2,0hh,000

10.9

Uu3

♦

3,000

1,902,000
l,861t,OOO
1,767,000
l,lt78,000

10*2
10*0
9.5

39.6
22.lt

7.9

97.9
37.7

♦
♦
♦
•

76,000
lt73,000
108,000
U9,000

9lt6,000

5.1

15.2

b.2,000

(U. S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census)
WOMEN IN FACTORIES, JUNE 1950

Factories in the United States employed 3,710,000 women in the summer of 1950

according to quarterly figures recently released by the U. S. Department of
Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics* Women in factory offices as well as women
production workers are included in this figure.
There were only 9,300 more
women reported in June than in March 1950, but in certain industry groups the
changes were considerable*
The number of women in durable goods factories rose
by nearly 6U,000, the gains being greatest in making of electrical goods (l7,h00)
transportation equipment (16,600), and in fabricated metal products (11,200)*
Employment of women in nondurable goods industries fell by nearly 55,000*
There
was a seasonal drop in apparel factories of 67,300 and a seasonal gain in food
processing of 28,200*

Women constituted 25 percent of all wage and salary workers in factories in
June 1950, compared with 26 percent in March 1950*
In few industries was the
change marked*
In general the proportion of women to all workers rises in a
busy season and falls in a slack season.
Seasonal factors probably account
for the rise in the ratio of women to all workers in canning and the fall in
ratio in millinery, in the making of fur goods, and in confectionery*




WOMEN
IN THE 82ND CONGRESS
-----,----------------------------------------I There will be 9 women in the 82nd Congress—1 in the Senate and 8 in the House

j of Representatives. Senator Margaret Chase Smith, Republican of Maine, was
i not up for re-election this year. Mrs. Helen Gahagan Douglas ran as the Demo­
cratic nominee to the Senate from California but was defeated. The following,
out of a total of 17 women candidates from the Democratic and Republican parties,
were elected to the House:

Mrs.
Mrs.
Mrs.
Mrs.
Mrs.
Mrs.
Mrs.
Miss

i
i

Frances P. Bolton, R., Ohio
Reva B. Bosone, D., Utah
Marguerite S. Church, R., Ill.
Cecil M. Harden, R., Ind.
Edna F. Kelly, D., N. Y.
Edith Nourse Rogers, R., Mass.
Katharine St.George, R., N. Y.
Ruth Thompson, R., Mich.

(7th term)
(2d term)
(1st term)
(2d term)
(2d term)
(lljth terra)
(3rd term)
(1st term)

The number of women in Congress has remained within the 8 to 10 range since 1929.
In the 71st Congress (1929-31) there were 9 women; 72d, 8; 73rd, 8; 7hth, 8;
75th, 9; 76th, 9; 77th, 10; 78th, 9; 79th, 10; 80th, 8; 8lst, 10.
WOMEN IN THE UNITED NATIONS
! Two women are serving as Representatives at the fifth session of the UN General

I Assembly, now meeting in New York—Miss Minerva Bernardino, Dominican Republic,
| and Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt, United States of America. Serving as alternates^
are 12 women from 11 countries—Belgium, Canada, Chile, Denmark, India,
Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, United Kingdom, United States. The
Netherlands has 2 women alternates. Four of the 9 women advisers at this
session come from the United States; the other 5 represent Australia, Denmark,
France, Netherlands, and Poland.
"FOOTPRINTS ON THE SANDS OF TIME"
j On November 1 Susan B. Anthony, a leader of the woman suffrage movement, was
elected to the Hall of Fams at New York University, becoming the eighth woman
so named and the first elected since 1920.
Names of two other women were also
proposed this year, but they were not elected: Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell,
nominated by the New York League of Business and Professional Women, and
Dorothea Lynde Dix, nominated by the National Committee for Mental Hygiene, Inc.
Already standing in the Hall of Fame are portrait busts of these women—
Mary Lyon, Maria Mitchell, Emma Willard, since 1905; Harriet Beecher Stowe,
Frances E. Willard, since 1910; Charlotte S. Cushman, since 1915; and.
Alice Freeman Palmer, 1920.

HAVE
YOU

READ

CAREER WOMEN OF AMERICA, 1776-18^0, by Elisabeth Anthony Dexter.
Marshall Jones Company, Francestown, N. H.
1950.
"The Woman Chemist,"by Cornelia T. Snell, in CHEMICAL AND ENGINEERING NEWS,
September 11, 1950.
W0MENrS ELIGIBILITY FOR JURY DUTY. U. S. Department of Labor, Womenrs Bureau.
Leaflet. . 1950.
(Revision of earlier edition.)




(The printing of this publication was approved by the
Director of the Bureau of the Budget, March 9, 1950.)