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osIflWELL COLLEGE UMAfty
U .3
Uvt 3
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
FRANCES PERKINS, Secretary
WOMEN’S BUREAU
}
MARY ANDERSON, Director
-f
Hours and Earnings in Certain
Men’s-Wear Industries
SEAMLESS HOSIERY
Bulletin
of the
Women’s Bureau,
No. 163-3
3/. 4-
K- 3
O. lbl-3
UNITED STATES
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
WASHINGTON: 1938
For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, Washington, D. C.
Price 5 cent*
REPORTS ON MEN’S-WEAR INDUSTRIES IN THIS SERIES
Bulletin
Work Clothing; Work Shirts: Dress Shirts..
163-1
Knit Underwear; Woven Cotton Underwear
163-2
Seamless Hosiery------------------- ------- ------Welt Shoes-------------------------- ---------------
163 3
163-4
163-5
Raincoats; Sport Jackets-----------------------Caps and Cloth Hats; Neckwear; Work and Knit Gloves; Hand
163-6
kerchiefs
CONTENTS
Page
V
Letter of transmittal_______________
Introduction__________________ ” ’ * ' ”
“'
Earnings and hours____________IIIIII.II"'
Week’s earnings___________________
Hours worked______________________" ~
Average hourly earnings_____________
Average hourly earnings and occupation.
1
TABLES
1. Average and distribution of week’s earnings, bv sex and State
i. -Hours worked during the week, by sex and State___________ I
3. Average and distribution of hourly earnings, by sex and State.
in
LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL
United States Department of Labor,
Women’s Bureau,
Washington, July 18, 19S8.
I have the honor to transmit a report on earnings and
hours in the seamless-hosiery industry, one of the surveys made by
this Bureau in order to present current wage data for the use of the
Division of Public Contracts in determining prevailing minimum
wages. Though the 13 men’s-wear industries surveyed constitute a
closely related group, printing of these data in several pamphlets
has been decided upon as a measure of economy in distribution.
The report was written by Arthur T. Sutherland, of the editorial
division.
Respectfully submitted.
Madam:
Mart Anderson, Director.
Hon. Frances Perkins,
Secretary of Labor.
HOURS AND EARNINGS IN CERTAIN
MEN’S-WEAR INDUSTRIES
SEAMLESS HOSIERY
INTRODUCTION
In accordance with the procedure established under the Public
Contracts Act by the Secretary of Labor, who is charged with the
administration of the Act, the Women’s Bureau of the United States
Department of Labor made a survey of wages and hours of work in
the hosiery industry The survey covered factories producing seam
less hosiery as the Government’s purchases consist largely of this
ty.Pf jf,pr°du^: .An analysis of the information obtained was sub
mitted to the Division of Public Contracts.1
In April 1935 there were approximately 60,000 employees in the
seamless-hosiery industry,2 or well over two-fifths of the number
reported by the Census of Manufactures for 1935 for both branches—
seamless and full-fashioned—of the industry. The geographic dis
tribution of the industry, as given in a report of the National Recovery
Administration, is that North Carolina and Pennsylvania are bv
far the most important hosiery-producing States. Together they
account for a little more than half the total output. In 1934 North
Carolina produced about three times as many seamless hose as Pennsylvama, but only about one-fourth as many full-fashioned. * * *
After North Carolina, the most important States turning out seamless
hose are m order of their importance, Pennsylvania, Tennessee,
Georgia, Virginia, New York, Wisconsin, and Illinois ” 3
The Women’s Bureau study covered 158 establishments in 12
States as follows: Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, New Hampshire, New
York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West
Virginia, and Visconsm. At the time of the survey these firms
employed 30,368 workers, or approximately one-half the number
reported for the seamless-hosiery industry in 1935 by the National
Association of Hosiery Manufacturers. The largest numbers were
reported for North Carolina with 9,894, Tennessee with 6,304 Pennsylvama with 3,252, and Georgia with 2,576. In each of the other
states fewer than 2,000 workers were reported. In this report the
pay-roll data for Illinois Indiana, Ohio, and West Virginia have been
combmed, because too few establishments were scheduled in each for
e£££SS!i^attisi«Ba«»au8svasss
*. National Association of Hosiery Manufacturers, Statistical Bulletin, Vol. II No 2
U. S. National Recovery Administration. Division of Review, Evidence Study Series, No. 18, p. 15.
85150°—38
i’
2
HOURS AND EARNINGS IN CERTAIN MEN’S-WEAR INDUSTRIES
separate tabulation.
mary following.
The scope of the survey is shown in the sum
Women
Number of Number of Number of
establish employees
men
ments
State
Total.....................................................
Number
158
30, 368
»9,373
20,995
10
5
4
67
33
18
7
6
8
2, 576
979
1,017
9,894
3,252
6,304
1, 852
1,087
3,407
810
332
258
3, 303
617
2,123
538
292
i 1,100
1, 766
647
759
6,591
2, 635
4, 181
1, 314
795
2,307
•
Percent of
total
w
M
68.6
06.1
74.6
66.6
81.0
66.3
71.0
73 1
i Number of men in the 2 West Virginia establishments not obtained,
i Includes 1 establishment in Illinois, 2 each in Indiana and West Virginia, and 3 in Ohio.
It is apparent from the table that the great majority of the workers
were women. The proportion varied from 66 or 67 percent in New
Hampshire, Tennessee, and North Carolina, to 81 percent in Pennsyl
vania.
In all cases the data used in this study are for a pay period considered
by the plant management as representative of normal operation. Due
to incomplete or inadequate records in some plants, the numbers of
workers for whom the different types of information were reported
varied. The amount of earnings for a pay period was reported for
29,438 employees in the 158 establishments. These workers were en
gaged in the manufacture, handling, or shipping of the product and
do not include office or custodial workers. Of the group covered,
20,866 were women and 8,572 were men. Data were not reported for
men in the two West Virginia establishments.
The number of hours worked in the pay period was reported for
19,902 workers in 95 establishments, and for each of these workers
hourly earnings were computed by dividing the week’s earnings by the
number of hours worked.
The occupation was reported for 18,926 workers employed in 90
establishments and representing all the States but New Hampshire.
The principal occupational groups for which separate tabulations have
been prepared are knitters (4,928), loopers (3,757), boarders (1,585),
and machine fixers (889). Women comprised the greater proportion
of the knitters, the loopers, and the residual group not shown, but the
vast majority of the boarders and all the machine fixers were men.
EAENINGS AND HOURS
Week’s earnings.
The average week’s earnings of the 29,438 workers, regardless of
the number of hours worked, were $13.15. Week’s earnings were
considerably higher in the more northern and midwestem States, in
each of which they were above the general average for all workera,
ranging from $14.35 in the group of “other States” and $14.75 in
Pennsylvania to $16.60 in New York. In each of the southern
SEAMLESS HOSIERY
3
States the week’s earnings were below the general average—$12.95 in
North Carolina, $12.85 in Virginia, $11.65 in Georgia, and a low of
$11.50 in Tennessee. In the table following are shown the week’s
earnings of the employees reported.
Table 1.—Average and distribution of week’s earnings, by sex and State
Percent of employees who earned—
State
Num
ber of
em
ployees
Aver
age
week’s
earn
ings1
Un
der
$5
$5,
un
der
$10
$10,
un
der
$15
$15,
un
der
$20
$20,
un
der
$25
$25
and
over
Un
der
$8
Un
der
$12
Un
der
$16
$16 $18
and and
over over
ALL EMPLOYEES
Total.......... 29,438 $13.15
Georgia........ ........
New Hampshire..
New York
North Carolina...
Pennsylvania.......
Tennessee.............
Virginia................
Wisconsin
Other States *
*___
2,574
979
1,008
9,875
3,242
6,191
1,846
1,049
2,674
11.65
15.60
16. 60
12.95
14.75
11.50
12.85
15. 85
14. 35
7.3
22.6
39.7
20.3
5.5
4.5
18.4
44.3
75.9
24.1
15.4
7.7
5.8
1.8
8.8
1.8
12.1
6.0
.9
3.7
31.2
19.1
12.8
23.4
14.4
30.6
22.2
7.6
13.8
43.9
28.9
30.9
37.8
42.8
37.4
44.9
36.6
48.6
10.8
27.1
31.5
19.4
29.7
13.0
20.4
42.0
23.2
3.5
7.9
14.9
5.7
6.6
3.6
3.2
10.8
5.3
2.9
11.3
8.2
4.9
4.8
3.4
3.4
2.1
5.4
21.3
15.3
6.4
20.9
7.7
28.2
16.7
3.6
9.2
58.7
34.8
22.2
47.0
28.8
56.2
45.2
14.9
34.9
86.7
60.4
54.3
75.7
68.2
84.7
80.7
55.1
73.7
13.3
39.6
45.7
24.3
31.8
15.3
19.3
44.9
26.3
8.9
28.9
33.7
15.7
18.6
9.6
10.7
26.2
16.9
WOMEN
Total......... 20, 866 $11. 70
Georgia...............
New Hampshire.
New York
North Carolina...
Pennsylvania.......
Tennessee______
Virginia___
Wisconsin
Other States *___
1,765
647
754
6, 564
2, 625
4,121
1,314
769
2,307
10. 40
12. 30
14.15
11.10
13. 60
10.15
11. 70
15. 45
12. 75
8.6
25.8
43.4
19.0
2.8
0.3
21.3
50.5
84.3
15.7
7.5
8.8
7.4
2.4
10.9
1.9
14.9
6.9
.8
4.2
34.8
25.8
16.6
29.0
16.1
33.8
25.1
8.7
15.9
46.4
37.2
39.4
40.7
48.7
38.0
47.5
39.7
54.2
9.2
25.7
34.1
16.2
29.1
11.8
18.3
40.2
22.5
.8
3.2
6.9
2.9
3.2
1.4
1.8
9.6
3.1
.6
.6
.2
.9
.1
.4
1.1
.2
24.1
20.1
8.4
26.2
8.2
33.4
19.5
3.0
10.5
66.2
46.5
28.5
56.7
32.6
62.3
50.3
16.3
40.0
93.7
77.0
69.1
86.2
76.8
91.4
86.7
57.9
82.2
6.3
23.0
30.9
13.8
23.2
8.6
13.3
42.1
17.8
2.6
12. 5
17. 4
6. 6
3. 5
5.7
24.1
8.6
MEN*
Total.
8,572 $16.80
Georgia___ _____
809
New Hampshire..
332
New York........
254
North Carolina... 3,311
Pennsylvania___
617
Tennessee___
2,070
Virginia.........
532
Wisconsin___
280
Other States *
367
14.40
22.10
23.85
16.70
19.90
14.25
15.65
16.85
24.10
4.3
14.7
30.6
23.5
12.1
14.8
11.1
29.3
65.4
44.6
34.6
5.4
2.7
23.2
6.0
1.6
12.4
7.3
24.2
15.0
4.6
.5
38.6
12.7
5.5
32.2
17.7
36.2
38.3
28.2
13.6
14.2
29.8
24.0
25.9
32.3
15.2
25.4
47.1
27.8
9.3
16.9
38.6
11.3
20.7
8.0
6.6
13.9
19.1
9.2
31.9
30.3
14.0
20.7
9.9
10.9
5.0
38.1
15.3
6.0
.4
10.1
5.0
17.9
10.0
4.6
1.1
42.4
12.0
3.1
27.7
12.3
44.0
32.7
11.1
3.0
71.4
28.0
10.2
65.1
31.6
71.3
65.8
47.5
20.7
28.6
72.0
89.8
44.9
68.4
28. 7
34.2
52.5
79.3
22. 5
60.8
—
4.3
1.3
6.5
3.8
1.1
.8
23. 3
31.8
69.8
1 The mean—the simple arithmetic average.
* Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and West Virginia.
* Data for men in West Virginia not obtained.
Considering all employees as a group, it may be seen from table 1
that two-fifths of the workers earned $10 and under $15, between
one-fifth and one-fourth (23 percent) earned $5 and under $10 and
one-fifth earned $15 and under $20. Only one-tenth of the entire
group earned as much as $20.
In each of the States but New York and Wisconsin, the largest
group of workers, ranging from 29 percent in New Hampshire to 45
percent in Virginia, had earnings of $10 and under $15; in four of these
States—Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Georgia—the next
4
HOURS AND EARNINGS IN CERTAIN MEN’S-WEAR INDUSTRIES
largest group, ranging from 22 to 31 percent, earned $5 and under
$10, but in New Hampshire and Pennsylvania the second largest
group had earnings of $15 and under $20. The proportion of workers
with earnings of $16 or more varied from less than one-fifth in Georgia,
Tennessee, and Virginia to two-fifths and more in New Hampshire,
New York, and Wisconsin. One-fourth or more of the workers in
New Hampshire, Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee
had earnings of less than $10.
,
Women comprised much the larger proportion of the employees in
seamless hosiery, and their wage level was very much lower than the
wage level of men. The average week’s earnings of all women
combined were only $11.70. The figure varied from $10.15 in Ten
nessee and $10.40 in Georgia to $15.45 in Wisconsin. Other States
with averages well above the figure for all States were New York with
$14.15 and Pennsylvania with $13.50.
The table indicates that the week’s earnings of large proportions of
the women in seamless hosiery were very low. In four States—Vir
ginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Georgia—from one-half to twothirds of the women, and in all the other States but Wisconsin more
than one-fourth of the women, had earnings of less than $12; in fact,
from one-fifth to one-third of the women in the four southern States
and in New Hampshire earned less than $8. The much higher wage
level in Wisconsin and New York is shown by the large proportions,
42 and 31 percent, respectively, with earnings of $16 and over, m
contrast to only 3 and 8 percent, respectively, with earnings below $8.
The average week’s earnings of the men amounted to $16.80, or
more than $5 above the women’s average. By State, the men’s
average ranged from $14.25 in Tennessee and $14.40 in Georgia to
$23.85 in New York. The difference in the wage levels of men and of
women varied considerably among the States, but in every case the
men’s average was above that of women. The least difference was
in Wisconsin, where the men’s figure exceeded the women’s by only
$1.40, but the differential favoring men was as much as $9.80 in New
Hampshire and $9.70 in New York, and ranged from about $4 to
almost $6.50 in the other States.
_
In general, small proportions of the men had earnings of less than
$8; the largest proportions with such earnings were 18 percent in
Tennessee, 15 percent in Georgia, and 10 percent in Virginia and
North Carolina. In the remaining States only 6 percent or less
earned so little. Earnings of $16 or over were much more common.
From 45 to 90 percent in North Carolina, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania,
New Hampshire, and New York were paid $16 or more; in Georgia
and Tennessee, however, only 29 percent had such earnings, and in
Virginia only 34 percent.
Hours worked.
Though actual earnings are of first importance to wage earners, a
thorough analysis of their problems must include time worked.
Because of inadequate records in many instances, the number of
hours worked by each employee was not available in all plants.
Table 2 gives the data as to hours worked by the 19,902 workers,
employed in 95 establishments, for whom this information was
reported.
*
I
*
•«
,
A
•,
•
4
SEAMLESS HOSIERY
5
Considering all employees as a group, it is apparent that large pro
portions worked short hours in the week recorded; nearly one-half
(46 percent) of the 19,902 employees worked less than 40 hours.
Approximately equal numbers worked 40 hours and more than 40
hours, the proportion being just over one-fourth of the workers in each
case.
Among the States, Tennessee had the largest proportion of employ
ees who worked less than 40 hours, 62 percent; no other State exceeded
46 percent. The large number in Tennessee working short hours
probably was partly responsible for the low week’s earnings in that
State, since its hourly earnings (see page 6) are not the lowest.
Other States in which a substantial number of the employees worked
under 40 hours were North Carolina with 46 percent and New York
with 45 percent. In the remaining States the proportion working
under 40 hours ranged from 35 to 40 percent. New Hampshire, with
40 percent exceeding 40 hours of work, and Wisconsin, with 42 percent
working 40 hours, were the only States in which the largest group of
employees worked 40 hours or more, though in Georgia and Penn
sylvania the groups working more than 40 hours were nearly as large
as the groups working less than 40 hours.
That short hours do not necessarily mean low wages is evident in the
case of New York, where average earnings were the highest though as
many as 45 percent of the employees worked less than 40 hours and 21
percent worked 40 hours. In Georgia practically two-fifths of the
employees worked more than 40 hours, but average week’s earnings
ranked next to the lowest among the States.
Table 2.—Hours worked during the week, by sex and State
All employees
Women
Percent who
worked—
State
Men i
Percent who
worked—
Percent who
worked—
Num
Num
Num
ber Under
ber Under
Over ber Under
Over
40
40
40 Over
40
40
40
40
40
40
hours
hours hours hours
hours
hours
hours hours hours
Total............. 19,902
Georgia...................
New Hampshire.
New York
North Carolina___
Pennsylvania........
Tennessee - ............
Virginia---............
Wisconsin...............
Other States 2
2,324
976
993
3, 111
2, 430
4, 672
1, 778
1,047
2, 671
46.2
26.4
27.4 14,173
49.7
26.3
24.0
5,729
37.5
26.8
35.8
39.8
36.3
45.3
46.1
38.2
61.7
39.0
36.4
45.9
21.3
24.6
20.5
31.1
24.7
26.3
28.1
41.7
23.2
38.9
40.1
34.1
22.8
37.2
12.0
33.0
22.8
30.9
42.9
43.0
56.3
54.0
42.5
62.8
41.5
28.1
51.3
21.8
24.1
18.7
30.3
22.4
27.8
25.5
48.6
23.7
35.3
32.8
25.0
15.7
35.1
9.4
33.0
23.3
25.0
720
330
249
1,192
495
1,590
511
278
364
32.8
20.3
12.4
33.3
21.2
59.5
32.7
55.8
11.5
20.3
25.5
26.1
32.4
33.5
23.5
34.4
22.7
20.1
46.9
64.2
61.4
34.3
45.3
17.0
32.9
21.6
68.4
1,604
646
744
1,919
1,935
2,982
1,267
769
2,307
1 Data for men in West Virginia not obtained.
* Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and West Virginia.
From the foregoing it is apparent that men, more than women,
worked the longer hours. In each State with one exception (Wis
consin), a larger proportion of women than of men worked less than
40 hours, and with two exceptions (Wisconsin and Virginia) a smaller
proportion of women than of men worked more than 40 hours. In
Wisconsin nearly one-half (49 percent) of the women worked 40
hours, and more than one-fifth (23 percent) worked over 40 hours.
6
HOURS AND EARNINGS IN CERTAIN MEN’S-WEAR INDUSTRIES
In the same State the largest group of men, 56 percent, worked less
than 40 hours, and only 22 percent worked more than 40.
Average hourly earnings.
When hourly earnings were computed, by dividing the week’s
earnings of each individual by the number of hours he or she worked,
an indication of the basic wage rate was secured. Hourly earnings
were computed for the 19,902 employees for whom hours worked were
reported. The average for the entire group amounted to 36.1 cents.
Table 3, showing the data as to hourly earnings, indicates that rela
tively high wages were paid in New York, with an average of 41.7
cents, and in Wisconsin, with an average of 40.2 cents. Lowest
earnings were found in Georgia, Virginia, and Tennessee, the averages
being 30.4, 33.4, and 34.4 cents, respectively.
Individual earnings per hour ranged from less than 10 cents to more
than $1.50, but the heaviest concentration was at 30 and under 40
cents, 47 percent having such earnings. In several States there were
large proportions in the 5-cent interval of 30 and under 35 cents;
these were Georgia, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and
Virginia, with from 24 to 41 percent in this class. In each of these
but Georgia the next largest group of workers, ranging from 17 to 22
percent, had earnings in the interval of 35 and under 40 cents; in
Georgia the second largest group, 19 percent, had earnings of 25 and
under 30 cents. The chief group in Wisconsin, 23 percent, earned
35 and under 40 cents, followed by 21 percent with earnings in the
5-cent interval just above. There was less concentration in New
York than in any other State, and in each of the 5-cent intervals from
30 and under 35 cents to 50 and under 55 cents were from 11 to 15
percent of the New York workers.
In each State a substantial proportion of the workers had hourly
earnings below 25 cents. Only in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin were
there fewer than one-tenth of the workers with such low earnings, and
as many as 15 percent in Tennessee, 16 percent in Virginia, and 32
percent in Georgia were in that earnings class.
Table 3.—Average and distribution of hourly earnings, by sex and State
Hourly earnings
(cents)
New New North Penn Ten Vir Wis Other
Caro syl nes
Total Geor
con States
gia Hamp
shire York lina vania see ginia sin
(9
Number of employ
ees with hours
worked reported. 19,902 2,324
Average hourly
earnings3 (cents). 36.1 30.4
976
993
39.3
41.7
37.6
wom men
(>)
en
2,671
14,173
5,729
34.4
33.4
40.2
37.2
33.3
43.1
7.1
7.7
10.6
34.5
18.2
10.9
3.6
7.4
7.3
8.4
13.2
34.8
20.5
8.0
2.8
5.0
0.4
5.3
5.9
17.1
23.4
20.7
12.8
14.4
0.1
6.0
5.8
41.0
22.2
10.8
5.3
8.8
6.6
10.3
12.8
31.4
19.0
10.5
4.9
4.5
2.5
4.1
6.6
20.9
18.0
13.3
8.9
25.7
3,111 2,430 4, 572 1,778 1,047
38.3
Total Total
Percent of employees
20, under 25.............
30, under 35.............
35, under 40............
60 and over.............
5.5
8.5
11.0
28.3
18.7
11.3
6.1
10.6
14.2
18.0
19.0
24.4
10.9^
5.2
2.4
6.0
3.7
7.4
10.2
25.0
17.4
10.9
8.5
16.9
2.6
7.8
8.2
14.2
13.8
15.1
12.4
26.0
i Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and West Virginia.
* Data for men in West Virginia not obtained.
* The mean—the simple arithmetic average.
5.7
7.9
12.5
18.5
18.9
12.1
9.1
15.3
2.5
6.6
9.9
26.5
22.2
14.5
7.4
10.4
7
SEAMLESS HOSIERY
States in which a fairly large proportion of the workers had earnings
at a relatively high level were New York with 38 percent, Wisconsin
with 27 percent, New Hampshire with 25 percent, and North Carolina
with 24 percent with earnings of 45 cents or more. Less than onetenth in Georgia and Virginia and only 11 percent in Tennessee had
such earnings.
Table 3 indicates also the difference in the wage levels of men and
women. The average hourly earnings of all women were 33.3 cents.
The largest group, 31 percent, had earnings in the interval of 30 and
under 35 cents, but as many as 30 percent had earnings below 30
cents; less than 5 percent earned 50 cents and more. The average
hourly earnings of men were 43.1 cents, but even among the men
there were 13 percent with earnings below 30 cents, and 21 percent
with earnings of 30 and under 35 cents. More than one-fourth of
the men, however, earned 50 cents or more.
That women’s and men’s earnings varied considerably among the
States is shown in the summary following, which gives the average
hourly earnings separately for women and men in each State. In
every State the men’s average earnings exceeded the women’s average,
the smallest differential being 5.1 cents in Wisconsin and the largest
16.7 cents in New Hampshire. Women’s average ranged from 27.7
cents in Georgia to 38.5 cents in New York and 38.9 cents in Wis
consin. For men the average varied from 36.3 cents in Georgia to
51.4 cents in New York.
Women
State
Men i
Number
Average
hourly
earnings 2
(cents)
Total.........................................................................
14,173
33.3
5,729
43.1
Georgia.._______ _____________ _________ ________
New Hampshire........... .............................. .......................
New York... ______________ _________________
North Carolina................................................ ............
Pennsylvania______ ______ _____________________
Tennessee-_____ ____________ ___________________
Virginia......................... ............. ................ ........... ...........
Wisconsin..................................... ......................................
1,604
646
744
1, 919
1,935
2, 982
1,267
769
2, 307
27.7
33.7
38.5
720
330
249
36.3
50.4
51.4
35.3
31.8
31.0
38.9
34.3
495
1,590
511
278
364
46.3
39.4
39.6
44.0
65.0
Number
Average
hourly
earnings 2
(cents)
1 Data for men in West Virginia not obtained.
2 The mean—the simple arithmetic average.
3 Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and West Virginia.
Average hourly earnings and occupation.
In each State where the material was available to the Bureau’s
agents, records of the employees’ occupations were taken in addition
to the records of earnings and hours worked. Average hourly earn
ings have been computed for each of these workers. The total num
ber for whom this information was reported was 18,926, and it included
all the States surveyed but New Hampshire. Tabulations have been
prepared for only the more important occupational groups, as follows:
Knitters with 4,928, loopers with 3,757, boarders with 1,585, and
machine, fixers with 889. The fact that data were not reported for
men in,West Virginia probably affects to some extent the boarder and
machine-fixer groups, as the latter is composed solely of men and the
8
HOURS AND EARNINGS IN CERTAIN MEN’S-WEAR INDUSTRIES
boarder group almost wholly of men. The other groups, as stated
previously, are chiefly women.
Hourly earnings showed a very wide range in each occupational
group, but Georgia, already shown to rank below other States in
hourly earnings, is lowest also for each of these occupations. In all
States without exception machine fixers had the highest earnings,
boarders the second highest, loopers the next, and knitters the lowest.
In the summary following are shown, by State, the average hourly
earnings of men and women in these four occupations for each group
of 50 or more:
State 1
Number in
the four
occupations
shown
11,159
Boarders
1,585
Loopers
Knitters
3,757
4,928
Machine
fixers
889
Average hourly earnings2 {cents)
New York______________ ____________
11,159
40.0
36.4
33.7
58.6
1,426
577
1,775
1,510
2, 677
1,055
684
1,455
31.6
30.0
43.7
38.8
37.5
33.3
34.5
41.4
<36.8
29.3
40.7
37.4
35.5
31.6
30.8
37.6
*34. 9
51.2
39.3
47.3
39.4
35.9
46.7
*43.9
1 Excludes New Hampshire, for which data were not obtained.
2 The mean—the simple arithmetic average. Computed only for groups of 50 or more.
* Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio.
* Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and West Virginia.
O
67.4
57.0
54.7
58.9
3 67.8
@FedFRASER