Full text of Monthly Labor Review : February 1943, Vol. 56, No. 2
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F E B R U A R Y 1943
V O L . 56 • N O . 2
In this Issue
. . » Absenteeism in Shipyards . . Wages in
Tire Plants. . Workers’Incomes inPuertb
Rico . . Common Laborers’ Wages
U N IT ED STATES D E P A R T M E N T O F LABO R • BUREAU O F LABO R STATISTICS
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
F rances P erk ins , S e c r e ta r y
+
BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS
Commissioner (on leave)
A. F. H in r ic h s , Acting Commissioner
I sador L u b in ,
Chief, Employ
Occupational Outlook
D onald D a v e n po r t ,
ment and
Branch
J. F itzgerald , Chief, Business
Management Branch
H enry
S. H a n n a , Chief, Editorial and
Research
Chief, Prices and Cost
of Living Branch
A r y n e ss J oy ,
Chief, Working
Conditions and Industrial Relations
Branch
N . A rnold T o l l e s ,
H ugh
S id n e y W . W il c o x ,
Chief Statistician
DIVISIONS
Construction and Public Employment,
Herman B. Byer
Cost of Living, Faith M. Williams
Employment Statistics, Lewis E. Tal
bert
Historical Studies of Wartime Prob
lems, Stella Stewart
Industrial Injuries, Max D. Kossoris
Industrial Relations, Florence Peter
son
#
Labor Information Service, Boris
Stern
Machine Tabulation, Joseph Drager
Occupational Outlook, Charles Stewart
(acting chief)
Post-War Labor Problems, Dal Hitch
cock
Price Analysis, Walter G. Keim
Productivity and Technological De
velopment, W. Duane Evans
Retail Prices, Ethel D. Hoover
Wage Analysis, Robert J. Myers
Wholesale Prices, J. M. Cutts
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MONTI
U N I T E D S TA TE S D E P A R T M E N T O F L AB O R • B URE AU O F L AB O R STATI STI CS
-f
HUGH
S.
HANNA,
C O N T E N T S
EDITOR
+
F E B R U A R Y 1943, Vol. 56, No. 2
Special articles:
Page
A bsenteeism in com m ercial shipyards, 1942__ _________ ___ ________
Incom es and expenditures of wage earners in P u erto Rico, 1940-41__
W ages in ru b b er tire an d tu b e p lan ts, A ugust 1942_________________
211
223
233
Wartime policies:
R eorganization of W ar M anpow er C om m ission__________
________
B lan k et suspension of S ta te labor laws n o t favored by F ederal
agencies------- --------------------------------------------Suspension of 8-hour law for W ar D e p a rtm e n t lab o rers_____________
R ationing of b u tte r in C a n a d a ______________________________________
255
257
257
Employment and labor conditions:
Effect of th e w ar on em ploym ent in th e iron a n d steel in d u s tr y ..----E m p lo y m en t conditions on C o nnecticut tobacco p la n ta tio n s __
.
258
267
Productivity of labor and industry:
P ro d u c tiv ity and lab o r conditions in a n th ra c ite mines, 1937-41--------
270
Social insurance:
Social-insurance proposals in G reat B ritain — Beveridge r e p o r t..
__
272
Women in industry:
E m p lo y m en t of w om en in shipyards, 1942___ __
______
E m p lo y m en t of w om en in New Y ork S ta te factories, 1942-------- __
277
282
Industrial relations:
T ypes of union recognition in effect in Ja n u a ry 1943________________
N a tio n al W ar L ab o r B oard cases, to N ovem ber 30, 1942____________
284
291
Industrial disputes:
Strikes in D ecem ber 1942____________ ____
-A ctivities of th e U n ited S tates C onciliation Service, D ecem ber 1942.
292
293
Labor organ izations:
R esearch w ork of tra d e -u n io n s_____________________________________
296
Cost of living:
C hanges in cost of living in large cities, D ecem ber 1942____
....
308
Wage and hour statistics:
H o u rly en tran ce ra te s p aid to comm on laborers, 1942______________
E arnings in m an u fa c tu re of carbon p ro d u cts for electrical in d u stry ,
1942_________
E arnings in m achine-tool-accessories in d u stry , 1942------------------------U nion wages and hours in th e b aking in d u stry , Ju n e 1, 1942.
E arnings, hours, an d labor tu rn -o v e r in cordage a n d tw ine plan ts,
O ctober 1942________________________________________
W age-rate changes in U n ited S tates in d u stries--------. . .
------------
313
329
336
347
355
357
Wage and hour regulation:
40-cent ra te for glove and m itte n in d u s try --------------------------------------O vertim e pay for G overnm ent em ployees----------------------------------------
359
359
Labor turn-over:
L ab o r tu rn -o v er in m an u factu rin g , N ovem ber 1842--------------------------
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i
362
Contents
II
Building operations:
S um m ary of building con stru ctio n in p rincipal cities, D ecem ber 1942_
P age
367
Retail pr ices:
Food prices in D ecem ber 1942____________
E lectricity prices, D ecem ber 1942_______________________
Gas prices, D ecem ber 1942_______________
371
378
380
Wholesale prices:
W holesale prices, D ecem ber an d year 1942_________________
383
Trend of employ ment and unemployment:
S um m ary of rep o rts for D ecem ber 1942_________
D etailed rep o rts for in d u strial a n d business em ploym ent, N ovem ber
1942_______________________________
E m p lo y m en t a n d unem p lo y m en t in D ecem ber 1942
391
396
409
Labor chronology:
C hronology of lab o r events, O cto b er-D ecem b er 1942.
Recent publications of labor interest_______________________________
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411
419
This issue in Brief
4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 * 4 4 4 * 4 * * 4 4 * * 4 * 4 * 4 4 * * # * # * 4 * * * * 4 4 * * 4 « « * * 4 4 ?*+ ***?****■
»
Entrance rates Jar common labor.
A very wide range of s ta rtin g wages was disclosed by a B ureau of L abor S ta tis
tics survey of th e en tran ce ra te s of com m on labor in Ju ly 1942. T he low est a v e r
age ra te was p aid in S outh C arolina (35.5 cents per hour) a n d th e highest in
Oregon (87.7 cents). By industries, th e range was from 43.5 cents in th e m a n u
factu re of fertilizer to 74.5 cents in b last furnaces, steel works, a n d rolling mills.
F or all industries com bined, in th e U nited S tates as a whole, th e average en trance
ra te was 58.5 cents. Page 313.
Types of union recognition under collective agreements.
A t th e beginning of 1943 a b o u t 13 m illion wage an d salaried w orkers were covered
by collective agreem ents. Of these, over 45 p ercen t were w orking u n d er closedor union-shop provisions, m ore th a n 15 p ercen t u n d er m ain tenance-of-m em ber
ship clauses, som ew hat less th a n 5 p ercen t un d er p referential-union-shop condi
tions, a n d a b o u t 35 p ercen t un d er agreem ents which provide oidy th a t th e union
shall h ave th e sole barg ain in g rights in th e in d u stry or p la n t. Page 284.
Income and expenses of wage earners in Puerto Rico.
E ven before th e U n ited S tates en tered th e w ar, w age-earning fam ilies in P u erto
Rico were n o t earning enough to m eet th e ir expenses. A W PA stu d y covering
1940-41 indicates th a t, w hereas th e y early cash earnings of th e fam ilies av er
aged $341, expenditures averaged $383. T he n u m b er of wage earners per fam ily
averaged 1.58. C ash earnings of all w orkers in th e fam ilies av erag ed $7.08 per
week, to w hich was a d d ed o th e r cash incom e averaging $0.39 a n d incom e in
k ind (gifts, hom e-produced foods, relief, incom e in kind, etc.) averaging $1.69
per week in value— a to ta l of $9.16 for an average fam ily of 5.5 persons. P age 223.
Wages in rubber tire and tube plants.
E arnings per h our (not including sh ift differentials or e x tra p ay for overtim e)
in th e tire a n d tu b e division of th e ru b b e r in d u stry av erag ed a b o u t $1.04 in
A ugust 1942. A stu d y m ade by th e B ureau of L ab o r S tatistics for th e N atio n al
W ar L abor B oard in d icated th a t m ale w orkers in tire a n d tu b e p la n ts earn ed on
th e average $1.12, as com pared w ith 75.8 cents for fem ales. In th e various regions
w here th e in d u stry is found, earnings ran g ed from 71.4 cents p er h our in th e S o u th
to nearly $1.14 in th e A k ro n -D etro it area. Page 233.
Beveridge report on social insurance.
A com plete plan pro viding social-insurance benefits of all kinds for persons^ of
all ages a n d w ays of life w as recently p resen ted for consideration by th e B ritish
G overnm ent. T his re p o rt— th e so-called Beveridge re p o rt— covers cash benefits
for unem ploym ent, disability, retire m en t, vocational reh ab ilitatio n , m a te rn ity ,
widow hood, an d burial. I t also provides for m edical tre a tm e n t of all kinds. A
sum m ary of th e plan is igiven in th e article on page 272.
Earnings in manufacture of carbon products for electrical industry.
A verage earnings in p la n ts m an u factu rin g carbon p ro d u cts for th e electrical
in d u stry increased from 70.8 cents an hour" in A ugust 1939 to 93.0 cents in th e
sum m er of 1942. H ow ever, th e earnings were affected by a 5-percent increase
in th e average w orkw eek since A ugust 1939, a n d th e a c tu a l increase in ra te s was
a b o u t 20 cents an hour. A bout a fo u rth of th e m ale w orkers for w hom detailed
earnings d a ta are availab le were in occupations w ith average h o u rly earnings of
$1 or m ore in th e sum m er of 1942, exclusive of e x tra p ay m en ts for o vertim e
a n d n ig h t w ork. Less th a n 3 p ercen t were in groups averaging less th a n 75 cents
an hour. Page 329.
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hi
IV
This Issue in Brief
Absenteeism in commercial shipyards.
In th e m idw eek of O ctober 1942, w orkers in sh ip y ard s lost an average of
4 hours each from absenteeism . In com m ercial sh ip y ard s rep o rtin g to th e
B ureau of L abor S tatistics, th e ra te of absence during th e period A p ril-O cto b er
was ab o u t 7 or 8 p ercen t.
L arge y ard s h ad higher ra te s th a n sm aller ones.
Among th e rep o rted causes of th is lost tim e were in a d e q u a te housing, tra n s
p o rta tio n difficulties, a n d th e necessity of recru itin g inexperienced w orkers,
m an y of w hom q u it w ith o u t giving notice. Page 211.
Union wage rates in bakeries.
U nion w orkers in bakeries h ad an average hourly scale of 81.9
1, 1942, or 9.6 p ercen t above th e average on th e sam e d a te of th e
Over 72 percent of th e w orkers covered by th e agreem ents h a d a
w eek; th e others w orked weeks ranging from 28 to 54 hours P ag e
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for P/a»es
SAVE GAS
-forSft/ps
r
\'for}f/cforyf
cents on Ju n e
previous year.
40-hour w ork
347
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
FOR FEBRUARY 1943
*
+**-*+++*•*+■*■*■■**#*+***++++*#**+*
A BSEN TEEISM IN
COM M ERCIAL SHIPYARDS, 1942
By E leanor V. K en ned y , Bureau of Labor Statistics 1
Summary
ABSENTEEISM in commercial shipyards fluctuated around 7 or 8
percent from April through October 1942. In 81 yards which re
ported throughout this period, absenteeism rose irregularly from 6.7
percent in April to 7.8 percent in October. In these yards in the
midweek of October the time thus lost was equivalent to 4 hours dur
ing the week for each wage earner on the pay roll.
Absenteeism is the failure of workers to report on the job when
the}7 are scheduled to work. It is a broad term which is applied to
time lost because sickness or accident prevent a worker from being
on the job, as well as to unauthorized time away from the job for other
reasons. Workers who quit without notice are also counted as absen
tees until they are officially removed from the pay roll. Although
absenteeism is a continuing problem of industry, it is only in periods
when manpower is at a premium and maximum production is a national
necessity that absenteeism becomes a matter of grave concern.
In yards along the Atlantic, Pacific, and Gulf Coasts absenteeism
rates were higher than in yards in the Great Lakes and Inland areas.
The rates varied widely from one yard to another, ranging from less
than 2 percent to over 20 percent of working time. Wide month-tomonth variations in the same yard were also reported. A few days of
bad weather were frequently responsible for unusually high absentee
ism in a yard.
In general, large yards had higher rates of absenteeism than small
yards. This fact may explain some of the differences between areas,
as the largest yards are all on the Atlantic, Pacific, and Gulf Coasts.
Company officials regarded poor housing and transportation facili
ties and the necessity of recruiting inexperienced workers, many of
whom quit without giving notice, as the major causes of absenteeism.
They were practically unanimous in stating that absenteeism was
highest on week ends.
Scope and Method oj Study
The Bureau of Labor Statistics, acting as agent for the War Pro
duction Board, collects monthly reports of operations from ship
building and ship-repair companies in the United States. Since April
i
Prepared in the Division of C onstruction ar.d Public Em ploym ent, H erm an B. Byer, chief.
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211
Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
212
9
1942, companies engaged in the construction of new vessels have been
requested to report the amount of time lost by wage earners because
of absenteeism. The yards from which these monthly reports are
received employ almost 90 percent of all wage earners engaged on new
construction in commercial yards. Because of the irregular working
schedules in ship-repair yards, absenteeism data are not collected from
companies engaged primarily in repair work.
Absenteeism is measured by the full man-days on which persons
scheduled to work fail to appear. Tardiness, or fraction-of-day
absences, vacations, authorized days off, and lay-offs are not included.
The number of absentees is compiled from daily attendance records
and is multiplied by the scheduled working hours to get total man
hours lost from absenteeism.
Rates of absenteeism may be computed in a variety of wrays.
Unless otherwise noted, the rates given in this article represent the
ratio of man-hours lost to man-hours worked plus man-hours lost by
wage earners during the midweek of the month.2
In addition to collecting the monthly reports on absenteeism, in
July 1942 the Bureau of Labor Statistics made a special inquiry of
the causes of absenteeism in 20 selected shipyards which had reported
absenteeism rates of 6 percent or more. The 4 largest shipbuilding
zones were represented in the sample, and the particular yards were
selected because their operations were considered representative.
Each yard was asked to submit daily records of absenteeism over a
2-week period, and company officials were requested to state what
they considered the major causes of absenteeism.
Difficulties in Measuring Absenteeism
Some absenteeism is accepted as a normal factor in industrial opera
tions. However, only sporadic studies of the extent of absenteeism
have been made and there are no regularly compiled statistical series
(such as have long been available on employment, earnings, indus
trial accidents, and labor turn-over) to trace the changes in the
amount of absenteeism over a period of years and to evaluate differ
ences among industries. Also, because no standardized procedure has
been established either for collecting the basic statistical data or for
computing absenteeism rates, it is difficult to compare the results of
such studies as have been made.
Fewr companies keep detailed records of absenteeism or require
workers to explain their absences. An additional complication is the
fact that practice varies in individual companies on such points as the
length of time during which a worker who fails to appear is carried as
an absentee before he is regarded as a “quit.” Some companies
count such workers as absentees for as long as a month, whereas others
remove their names from the pay roll after 2 or 3 days. Moreover,
policies regarding the granting of vacations and authorizing time off,
which undoubtedly have some bearing on the amount of unauthorized
leave which employees take, vary from company to company as well
as from time to time within the same company.
2
O ther m ethods of com puting absenteeism commonly used are: (a) R atio of man-hours lost to man-hours
actually worked; (b) average tim e lost per employee; and (c) ratio of num ber of absentees to the 'total n u m
ber on th e pay roll. (In th e last m ethod of com putation, th e average daily attendance for th e week is
expressed as a percentage of the total num ber on th e p ay roll; th e difference 'between this ratio of average
daily attendance and 100 percent is th e percent of absenteeism for the week.)
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Absenteeism in Commercial Shipy ards
213
It is difficult, therefore, to determine the irreducible minimum of
absenteeism occasioned by sickness and accidents and similar causes
beyond the control of either management or labor, and that which is
due to irresponsibility among the workers, or to managerial or govern
mental policies which lower worker morale.
Absenteeism in 1918
What was probably one of the most thorough early studies of ab
senteeism also dealt with the shipbuilding industry. During the first
World War the Emergency Fleet Corporation made a survey of ab
senteeism in 90 shipyards, for which continuous weekly records were
available from January to September 1918, inclusive. These yards
employed 320,000 workers in September 1918.
The results of that survey, which are summarized in table 1, show
that, during the 9-month period, on th coverage'almost Jl8 percent of
the workers in steel-ship yards were absent daily. The monthly rates
varied from 26 percent in January to 13 percent in June. Absentee
ism was lower'in yards building wooden ships than in those building
steel ships; the 9-month average'for wooden-ship yards washibout 13
percent. For both wooden-ship and steel-ship yards there was wide
variation in the extent of absenteeism in different shipbuilding dis
tricts. Absenteeism was highest in yards in the Northern Atlantic
States and lowest in those on the Pacific Coast. This fact, together
with the observation that absenteeism was greater in the winter than
in the spring and summer months, led to the conclusion at that time
that climatic reasons were a large factor in absenteeism in shipbuilding.3
T a b l e I .—Absenteeism
D istrict
Among Alt Employees of 90 Shipbuilding Companies, JanuarySeptember 1918 1
Steel-ship yards
Wooden-ship yards
D aily absentees as a percent
N um
of all employees
ber
of
yards
First Second T hird
re
9
quar quar qu ar
p o rt m onths
ter
ter
ter
ing
absentees as a percent
N u m D aily of
all employees
ber
of
yards
F irst Second T hird
re
9
quar quar Quar
p ort m onths
ter
ter
ing
ter
All districts. ____________
48
17.8
22.3
16.0
16.5
42
13.2
14.7
12.1
A tlantic. . ______________
7
6
2
4
23.7
16.9
23.5
14.5
31.0
20. 9
28.7
12.7
23.0
14.6
20.7
16.6
19.6
16.4
22.7
13.8
12
15.1
20.0
13.7
14.5
14
8
15.8
12.4
20.1
9.9
14.4
11.3
14. 6
15.3
4
3
10.7
21. 6
11.3
30. 2
9.3
18. 5
11.6
18.0
2
4
5
1
6
7
5
21.3
19.1
19.4
11.4
8.4
8.4
8.0
25.7
19.4
20.5
17.5
10.1
8.9
11.1
21.4
17.4
16.9
10.8
7.7
8.1
7.4
20.0
20.3
21.2
.8
8.2
8.5
6.6
M iddle A tlan tic__________
Southern .
. ____ . . .
Gulf
Great Lakes------- ---------N orth Pacific____________
No. I I 2
South Pacific______ ____
13.4
!
1 From Journal of Political Economy, M ay 1919, p. 387.
2 Includes all wooden-ship yards in Oregon and on Colum bia R iver, except those of Coos Bay.
3 Includes yards where parts fabricated in other plants are assembled.
The 1918 survey was made when the shipbuilding industry was ex
periencing a wartime expansion similar to that at the present time,
and absenteeism was considered extremely high. Unfortunately, it
3
For a more complete discussion, see Journal of Political Econom y, M ay 1919 (pp. 362-396): Labor
A dm inistration in th e Shipbuilding In d u s try D uring W ar T im e, by P . H . Douglas and F . E . Wolfe.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
214
Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
is impossible to make direct comparisons of absenteeism rates in 1918
and 1942, because of basic differences in the coverage of the data and
the methods of computing the rates. The 1918 study was based on
continuous weekly records for all employees, while current reports are
for the midweek of the month and cover wage earners only. The
1918 rates were computed on the basis of the percent that the average
daily absentees were of the total employees on the pay roll, whereas
the 1942 rates were computed on the basis of man-hours lost in
relation to man-hours worked plus man-hours lost.
Absenteeism in 1942
Absenteeism in shipyards fluctuated around 7 or 8 percent during
the 7 months from April through October 1942. Shipyard employ
ment expanded rapidly during this period, and with this expansion
there was some tendency for absenteeism to increase. Time lost from
absenteeism in 81 identical shipyards which reported each month rose
irregularly from 6.7 percent in April to 7.8 percent in October.
V A R IA T IO N S A M ONG S H IP B U IL D IN G Z O N ES
Absenteeism was more prevalent among workers in yards on the
Atlantic and GulfCoasts than in the other shipbuilding zones shown in
table 2. Throughout the 7-month period the Atlantic Coast rates were
above the rates for all zones combined. Absenteeism fluctuated more
from month to month in Gulf Coast yards than in any other area, and
in some months rates for the Gulf area exceeded those for Atlantic
Coast yards, 4 ards in the Great Lakes zone consistently reported the
lowest rates, ranging between 3.1 percent in August and 4.2 percent
in April. Absenteeism rates in the Inland yards were somewhat higher
than in the Great Lakes area, but well below those in the other 3 zones.
Throughout the summer, absenteeism rose in yards on the Pacific2
Coast, and in October this area had almost as high a rate as the Atlantic
Coast yards.
T a b l e 2 . — Absenteeism
in 81 Identical Commercial Shipyards,1 by Shipbuilding Zone,
April—October 1942
M an-hours lost as a percent of m an
hours worked plus m an-hours lost
M an-hours lost per week per wage earner
on pay roll
M onth
A p ril__
M a y ________
Ju n o ________
J u ly ________
August _____
Septem ber___
October ____
All
zones
Atlan-
6. 7
6. 5
7.2
7.3
7. 4
7.4
7.8
7. 8
7. 7
7.6
8.2
8.7
8. 2
8. Ü
Coast
Gulf Pacific Great
Coast Coast Lakes
6. 6
7. 3
8.3
6.7
5.4
6.7
8.9
5. 7
4. 9
6.8
6.8
7.3
7. 3
7. 7
4 2
3 7
3. 3
3.4
3. 1
3.4
3.5
Inland
4 4
3 7
4. 2
4. 7
4.0
4.6
5.6
All
zones
Atlan-
3 4
3 3
3.8
3.8
3.8
3.8
4.0
4 2
4 1
4. 1
4.4
4.6
4. 4
4. 2
Gulf Pacific Great
Coast Coast Coast Lakes
4.5
3.7
2.9
3. 5
4.9
3.4
3.3
3. 5
3. 5
3 7
1.7
1.7
1. 6
1.7
1.8
Inland
2. 5
2.8
2. 4
2. 6
3. 2
1 These 81 shipyards employed 60 percent of th e total num ber of wage earners in commercial shipyards
engaged in new construction in April. A lthough em ploym ent increased in the 81 yards from April to Octo
ber, th ey had only 53 percent of all wage earners in October.
2 T he A tlantic, Pacific, and Gulf Coast and Great Lakes zones are those recognized by the Shipbuilding
Stabilization Committee; the Inland zone is the Ohio-Mississippi Valley area.
The average time lost from absenteeism amounted to 4 hours per
week for each wage earner on the pay roll in the midweek of October.
In the Great Lakes yards the time lost averaged less than 2 hours per
week, but in Gulf Coast yards it was almost 5 hours.
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215
Absenteeism in Commercial Shipyards
The shipbuilding zones with the highest absenteeism rates included
by far the largest share of shipyard workers. In October almost 42
percent of all wage earners in commercial yards engaged in new con
struction were working in yards situated on the Atlantic Coast, 37
percent were in .Pacific Coast yards, and 15 percent were in Gulf Coast
yards. Thus, nearly 94 percent of the wage earners were in areas
wpere'absenteeism averaged at least 7.7 percent in October Yards
in the Great Lakes area had less than 5 percent of the workers and
Inland yards less than 2 percent.
V A R IA T IO N S AM ONG Y A RDS
Opinion varies as to where to draw' the line between absenteeism
which must be expected as a “ normal” part of industrial operations
and that caused by situations which, theoretically at least, could be
remedied. However, the wide variation in the absenteeism rates of
individual shipyards, shown in table 3, leads to the conclusion that
in some yards absenteeism far exceeds that which can be explained
by sickness and accidents and a moderate amount of time off for other
reasons. In April, 57 of the 81 yards for which absenteeism records
were available each month reported that man-hours lost; from absen
teeism were less than 6 percent. These 5/ yards employed 47 percent
of the wage earners in the 81 reporting yards. More than half of the
wage earners in the 81 yards worked in yards where absenteeism was
equal to 4 to 8 percent in April. If 8 percent is arbitrarily set as the
maximum amount of absenteeism which can be regarded as normal
in shipyards, it would appear that excessive absenteeism occurred m
yards with almost 25 percent of the wage earners in April.
T
able
3 . — Distribution
of 81 Identical Commercial Shipyards According to Absenteeism Rates 1 in April and October 1942
October 1942
April 1942
Absenteeism rate
T o tal____ _______
-
----------------------------------------
0 1 and und^r 9. p e r c e n t
_ ______ _____________
____
__ __- 9 and under 4 percent
____
-- —
4 and under 6 p e r c e n t
6 and under 8 perc.en t
__ _
- 8 and under 10 percent_____________________________
10 and under 12 pereen t,
__
_ __—
12 and under 14 p e r c e n t
_ _ _ _
14 and under 10 p e r c e n t
__ ____ ________
16 and under 18 p e r c e n t
_ _ __ _ — -18 percent and over
- ____
_____
Percent of
total wage
earners in
81 yards
N um ber
of yards
Percent of
total wage
earners in
81 yards
N um ber
of yards
81
100.0
81
100.0
17
25
15
13
9.2
13.0
25.0
28.2
8.6
7.9
1.6
0
6.5
0
13
19
16
13
8
5
7.7
6.0
19.8
23.1
11.2
19.2
7.0
5.0
.9
4
4
2
0
1
0
1
3
2
1
21
'
1 R atio of m an-hours lost to m an-hours worked plus m an-hours lost.
2 Absenteeism rate between 20 and 30 percent.
By October, employment in these same 81 yards had increased 50
percent, and the number of yards reporting absenteeism rates ol 8
percent or more had grown. Less than 34 percent of the wage earners
in October worked in yards where absenteeism was under 6 percent,
while more than 43 percent were in yards where the rate was 8 percent
or more.
.
..
,
Absenteeism appeared to be more of a problem m large smpyaias
than in small ones. Although the figures in table 4 show that some
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216
Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
yards with fewer than 500 wage earners in October reported absen
teeism of 8 percent or more, in three-fourths of these yards absenteeism
was below 6 percent, In a few yards with 5,000 or more wage earners
absenteeism was kept below 6 percent, but almost half of these large
yards reported rates of 8 percent or more.
Table 4 throws some light on the differences in the extent of absen
teeism in various shipbuilding zones which were observed earlier.
tactically all ol the yards in the (xreat Lakes and Inland zones
where absenteeism was lowest, had fewer than 5,000 wage earners
each. As a matter of fact, employment in over half of the yards in
these 2 zones was below 500 each in October. In practically 9 out of
10 yards in these areas absenteeism was kept below 8 percent.
T a b l e 4.-
-Distribution of All Commercial Shipyards Reporting in October 1942, Accord
ing to Absenteeism Rates 1 and Size and Location of Yards
N um ber of yards distributed according to num ber of wage
earners
Zone and absenteeism rate
All
yards
All zones_________________
0.1 and under 2 percent..
2 and un d er 4 percen t__
4 and un d er 6 percent.
6 and un d er 8 p e rc e n t..
8 and under 10 p e rc e n t..
10 and under 12 percent12 and under 14 percent.
14 percent and over____
206
41
51
47
29
18
A tlantic, Gulf, and Pacific zones.
0.1 and un d er 2 p ercen t_____
2 and under 4 percent______
4 and under 6 percent.
6 and un d er 8 percent. .
8 and under 10 percent______
10 and un d er 12 percent____
12 and under 14 p ercen t_____
14 percent and over_________
157
33
34
33
23
16
7
4
7
Less
than
500
500 and
un der
1,000
1,0 0 0
and
under
5,000
5.000
and
under
and
under
10 .0 0 0
20,00
10,000
20,000
and
over
8
4
G reat Lakes and In lan d zones
0.1 and un d er 2 percent__
2 and un d er 4 percent____
4 and un d er 6 percen t____
6 and un d er 8 p ercen t____
8 and under 10 p ercen t___
10 and un d er 12 p ercen t__
12 and under 14 percent. .
14 percent and over. _
1 R atio of man-hours lost to man-hours worked plus man-hours lost.
All the very large shipyards, i. e., those with more than 10 000
wage earners each m October, were on the Atlantic, Pacific, or Gulf
Toasts. Half of these large yards reported that absenteeism was at
least 8 percent m October. Similarly high absenteeism occurred in
half of the yards with 5,000 to 10,000 wage earners in these 3 zones.
However, the small yards m these areas reported absenteeism rates
which compared very favorably with those reported by similar yards
m the Great Lakes and Inland, zones. Almost 9 of every 10 vards
with fewer than 500 wage earners in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Gulf
yards reported absenteeism rates of less than 8 percent in October
as was the case in the other 2 zones.
These differences between large and small yards in the same areas
lend some weight to two of the explanations frequently given for the
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217
Absenteeism in Commercial Shipyards
current high absenteeism—inadequate housing and transportation.
Although these two factors constitute problems in all localities where
shipbuilding employment has expanded rapidly, it is probably true
that the problems of overcrowding and poor transportation increase
disproportionately with the expansion of large yards as compared
with expansion of smaller ones. It is also probable that in the smaller
yards closer contacts can be maintained between management and
workers, as well as between individual workers, than is possible in
yards with 20,000 or 30,000 workers.
(m u scs
of Absenteeism
Fourteen of the 20 yards from which the Bureau obtained informa
tion through its special survey of the causes of absenteeism furnished
daily records of the amount of absenteeism for 2 weeks during July
(see table 5), but the remaining information obtained through this
survey consisted of opinions of company officials.
In most cases a general tendency was observed for absenteeism to
rise over the week end. Absences on Saturday and Monday accounted
for about 40 percent of the man-hours lost throughout the week.
Several explanations of this attendance pattern were offered, triday
is pay day in many yards. Many workers whose homes were quite
distant visited their families over the week end and frequently did
not return until Tuesday. Others took Monday off to rest up from
week-end activities. In yards scheduling Sunday work regularly,
absenteeism wms usually greatest on Sunday.“
T a b l e 5. — Daily
Record of Absenteeism in 14 Selected Shipyards. July 6 July 18, 1942
July 13-July 18
■Tuly 6- Inly 11
M an-days
lost as
percent of
man-days
worked
plus mandays lost
Percent
of total
man-days
lost each
day
M an-days
lost as
percent of
man-days
worked
plus mandays lost
M onday through Satu rd ay--------------------------------------
8.3
100.0
8. 2
100.0
lVTnridfty
T uesd ay __________________________________________
WpHrmsiinv
_____
T hursd ay
_ _ F riday
__
S atu rd ay _______________________ —
10. 2
8.3
20.2
16. 6
15.5
14. 1
14.7
18.9
9.8
8. 1
19.6
16. 4
15.7
14. 5
14. 8
19.0
Period
7. 0
7. 2
9. 4
7. 1
7. '6
9. 4
Percent
of total
m an-days
lost each
day
The other reasons offered by company officials for the high absentee
ism in their yards are summarized in table 6. Most of them felt that
absenteeism resulted from a combination of factors. In specific areas
inadequate housing and transportation facilities were decidedly the
most important causes of absenteeism. High on the list of oilier rea
sons was the large number of workers quitting without notice, which
was associated with the increasing number of inexperienced workers
being hired.
a in one yard w ith 14.5 percent absenteeism, alm ost a th ird of the absenteeism occurs ° n ^ u n d a y ,
w hich is th e seventh day of work in th is yard. All w orkers in some departm ents are offered an °PP '
tu n ity to rep o rt for work on Sunday, although it is understood th a t m any of them will not report.
Those who do not rep o rt in these dep artm en ts are counted as absent.
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218
Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
T a b l e 6.
Zone and yard
A tlantic Coast:
I - A _______
I-B
__
I-C _ ___
I-D
I-E_________
I- F ____ __
I-G ______
I-II ____
IJ
G ulf Coast:
IIA ___
1I-B_______
II-C _________
II -I)
Pacific Coast:
I I I - A __________
11 I-B______
_
III-C _____
iii n
____
I I I - E ______
I I I - F _______
Great Lakes: IV-A
Causes of Absenteeism in Selected Commercial Shipyards
uits
Sick
W eek Q
Other
Cli
w ith
end
H ous T ra n s H igh Long ness
work
m ate
out
p
o
rta
earn
and (farms,
ab
ing
hours
or
no
tion
ings
acci
sences
etc.) w eather
tice
dents
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Inex Unex
peri plained
or
enced
labor miscel
laneous
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
x
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
—
X
X
X
x
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
H O U S IN G A N D T R A N SPO R T A T IO N
Lack of housing accommodations was undoubtedly the principal
cause of absenteeism in many yards, particularly in the Gulf and
1 acme areas. The tendency of workers to take' time off for week
end visits to their families has already been mentioned. In some
areas workers bringing their families with them were forced to live
in trailer or tent camps without adequate facilities for water supply
and sewage disposal, and being accustomed to and able to pay for
decent housing, took time off to look for better accommodations or,
in extreme cases, quit their jobs because housing conditions were
intolerable.
Shortage of housing facilities has caused many workers to commute
as much as 50 to 150 miles (round trip) daily. Rationing of tires and
gasoline have resulted in workers’ forming car pools, and a blow-out
or engine trouble may keep 5 or 6 workers away from work. As pre
viously stated, absenteeism in this report does not include fraction-ofday absences. If time lost because of tardiness were included, trans
portation would be a still more important factor, because automobile
trouble and congested traffic make many workers tardy. Some
workers traveling long distances prefer to work fewer days and make
less money than to make the long trip to and from work everv day.
Although both publicly and privately financed war housing has
been built m shipbuilding centers, in many areas the supply of housing
has tailed to keep pace with the increase in employment. Since the
natural requirements for launching large vessels limit the number of
possible locations for certain types of yards, many of the proposals
lor placing war industries where labor and housing are already avail
able are not applicable to the shipbuilding industry. Moreover,
shortages of critical materials preclude any large-scale building; of
new ways.
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Absenteeism in Commercial Shipyards
Q U IT S W IT H O U T N O T IC E A N D IN E X P E R IE N C E D
W ORKERS
A large percentage of absenteeism resulted from carrying on the
pay roll persons who had quit work without giving notice to the
company. Such workers are counted as absentees for varying
periods (in some yards for as long as a month) until their names are
removed from the pay roll. Detailed records of one shipyard, employ
ing more than 2,500 workers and reporting an absenteeism rate of
9 percent, illustrate the effect of unreported quits in absenteeism rates.
Approximately one-fifth of this company’s absenteeism was caused
by keeping on the pay roll persons who were probable terminations.
Bureau of Labor Statistics’ reports on labor turn-over in the ship
building industry show that cpiits rose from 4.29 per 100 workers
in April 1942 to 5.39 per 100 workers in October. This was in addi
tion to discharges, military separations, and lay-offs. Shipbuilding
officials attribute a large share of the quits to the necessity of hiring
inexperienced workers who are recruited from a wide variety of
occupations. Many workers after a few days find they cannot do
the work or cannot stand the grind, take time off to look for another
job, and do not return. One large shipbuilding company on the
Atlantic Coast submitted reports showing that of over 500 workers
who had quit in the first half of November, almost half had been
employed no longer than a month. Nearly seven-eighths of those
quitting had been employed by this company 6 months or less.
Many workers after being trained believe they can obtain better
wages elsewhere, take time off to seek other employment, and then
leave permanently. In some localities shipyards were hiring each
other’s workers. A survey of workers hired by representative ship
yards on the west coast during June 1942 showed that 14 percent of
the new persons hired had come from other shipyards. However,
about a third of the workers reported as recruited from other ship
yards were, in reality, employees shifted between two yards operated
by the same company, and were doubtless transferred by an arrange
ment of the management.4
H IG H E A R N IN G S A N D LONG H O U R S
Officials of 4 companies attributed absenteeism to high earnings in
combination with other causes, and an official of a fifth company men
tioned high earnings alone. Frequently workers who were separated
from their families preferred a visit home to more money. However,
many of these workers probably would not have taken jobs away from
home in the first place had it not been for the inducement of high
wages and the prospects which they afforded of visits to the families.
Company officials also felt that some workers were interested merely in
making a living and would work only until they made enough to
satisfy their wants. During the first World War “ wage income higher
than the standard of living” was also advanced as a cause of absentee
ism in certain sections of the shipbuilding industry.5
Comparison of average weekly earnings and absenteeism rates for
the 20 companies does not show any consistent relation between
changes in earnings and changes in absenteeism. In fact, the absentee
ism records of individual companies show chiefly that absenteeism
* M onthly L abor Review, N ovem ber 1942 (p. 926): Sources of Labor Supply in W est Coast Shipyards
and Aircraft P a rts P lants.
N .,
.
. _ ,
. ^ . TT n
6 Political Science Q uarterly, December 1919 (p. 603): Absenteeism m Labor, by I aul I I . Douglas.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
220
Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
rates change so erratically from month to month that in all yards the
explanation must lie in a variety of factors. In one Atlantic Coast
yard absenteeism rose from 2 percent in April to over 9 percent in
August and declined slightly in the following 2 months. In another
Atlantic Coast yard absenteeism dropped from 11.3 percent in April
to 8.0 in June, but rose to 14.4 in October. In a Pacific yard where
employment was more than doubled from April to October, but where
average weekly hours and average weekly earnings were about the
same in both months, absenteeism rose from 0.8 percent in April to
10.0 percent in October. In other yards absenteeism remained be
tween 8 and 7 percent throughout the 7-month period. On the other
hand, in a large yard on the Atlantic Coast absenteeism was consistently
high, but whereas employment increased 50 percent, absenteeism was
reduced from 16.0 percent in April to 11.9 percent in October. This
.yard also reduced average weekly hours from 54.5 to 49.9 per week
over the 7 months.
The two Gulf yards which mentioned long hours, along with other
causes, as the explanation for high absenteeism reported average
weekly hours of 52.8 and 53.6 in July, when the average for all ship
yard workers was 48.3. Scheduled workweeks in these yards were
54 and 58 hours, respectively.
S IC K N E S S A N D A C C ID E N T S
None of the shipbuilding companies questioned reported sickness
and accidents as a major cause of absenteeism. One company re
porting an absenteeism rate of 11.8 submitted a detailed analysis of
this time lost, which showed that industrial injuries accounted for 1 8
Percent and reported sickness 0.3 percent of the total.
W E A T H E R A N D CLIM ATE
Weather is probably a more important factor of absenteeism in
shipbuilding than m any other industry with the possible exception
of the construction industry. Much shipbuilding work is in the open
and is affected by heavy rains and severe heat'or cold. It is very
common for shipyards to report on their monthly schedules that high
absenteeism was caused by heavy rain, and this may account for some
oIffhe apparently erratic fluctuations in absenteeism rates for individual
companies. Since the available 1942 data cover only the months
bom April through October, it is too early to tell whether the increase
in absenteeism which occurred during the winter of 1918 will be
duplicated in 1942 and 1943.
O T H E R C A U SE S
All of the reasons offered by shipyard officials for the current high
absenteeism rates had been observed by Prof. Paul H. Douglas in a
general article on absenteeism, written shortly after the close of
Woild Wai I.6 In addition, his list of causes included: Employment
of women; nature of employment, e. g., heat, dust, excessive noise,
monotony; payment of overtime bonus; lack of materials; liquor; and
separation of interests between workman and employer.
Douglas*031 Science Q uarterly, December, 1919 (pp. 600-604): Absenteeism in Labor, by Paul H.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Absenteeism in Commercial Shipyards
221
Although woman workers in shipyards increased appreciably in
number during the summer of 1942, they represented no more than 2
percent of the workers in commercial shipyards in October.7 The
increasing employment of women may result in higher absenteeism,
but women were not numerous enough in the fall of 1942 to have much
effect on the rates.
Absenteeism attributable to the nature of the work was doubtless
implied when shipyard officials called attention to the large number
of quits, particularly among new workers. The effect of liquor was
probably also associated by company officials with week-end absences.
Separation of interests of workman and employer may have some
bearing on the fact that absenteeism seemed to be more of a problem
in large than in small yards in 1942.
The payment of overtime bonuses was regarded as such an impor
tant factor in absenteeism in the spring and summer of 1942 that an
agreement abolishing calendar premium days, which will be discussed
later, was made effective in all zones by August 1, 1942.
The extent to which worker morale is lowered and absenteeism is
thereby increased because of faulty planning of work and lack of
materials and equipment cannot be measured. Rapid expansion of
yards and difficulties in getting materials have unquestionably com
plicated the orderly planning of work and the most effective use ol
workmen in many yards.
Methods of Reducing Absenteeism
Although the majority of shipyard officials questioned stated that
they had taken steps to eliminate as much absenteeism as possible,
many reported that they had been unable to reduce it to any appre
ciable extent. The Navy Department, U. S. Maritime Commission,
War Production Board, and other Federal agencies^ have also at
tempted to assist labor and management in minimizing this loss of
working time.
Abolition of calendar 'premium days.—One step to reduce absentee
ism was the abolition of calendar premium days as the result of the
Shipbuilding Stabilization Committee agreement which was effective
in all zones by August 1, 1942. Shipbuilding companies were of the
opinion that employees were working on Saturday and Sunday in
order to receive premium pay and were then taking time off during
the week. The agreement provided that Saturdays and Sundays
would be considered as regular workdays and that work performed
on these days would be paid for at straight-time rates except when
Saturday and Sunday were the sixth or seventh regular shift of the
established workweek. Time and a half would be paid for the sixth
regular shift- and double time for the seventh regular shift worked in
an employee’s regularly established workweek.
Personal appeals to workers.—Most yards considered that appeals
made to the workers through foremen, through posters supplied by
the War Production Board, Navy, and Maritime Commission, and
through labor management committees were The most effective
methods of reducing absenteeism.
One Pacific Coast shipyard planned to maintain large bulletin
boards showing the relative percentage of absentees by crafts, shifts,
7 For d ata on em ploym ent of women in shipyards, see p. 277 of this issue.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
222
Monthly Labor Revieiv—February 1943
and divisions, with the hope that these hoards would stimulate com
petition and thus reduce absenteeism.
A popular method of appealing to the workers was to have speakers
m the yards, who pointed out to the workers the value of every day’s
work and the importance of their jobs in the war.
One of the most direct appeals was reported by a Pacific Coast
yard which printed an “Open Letter to Joe Lay-off” in the plant
magazine. This letter set forth the number of workers who were
absent on 1 day, the losses in terms of production, the essential
part that shipping plays in the war, and the importance of every
worker to his job and his country.
Assistance in housing and transportation problems . - Two companies
reported taking steps to alleviate transportation and housing difficul
ties. One of these companies arranged for shuttle train service be
tween the city in which the yard was situated and a neighboring city
where a large proportion of workers were forced to reside because of
housing shortages. The second company established a division re
sponsible for trying to eliminate the causes of absenteeism, which
assisted employees in obtaining houses.
Decrease in hours of work.—Although two yards reported that long
hours undoubtedly were a principal cause of absenteeism, only one of
them reduced hours—from a scheduled workweek of 58 to 48 hours.
Another yard reported that by allowing employees to work only 6
shifts a week, absenteeism had been reduced 50 percent.
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INCOM ES AND E X P E N D IT U R E S OF WAGE EA RN ERS
IN PU ERTO RICO, 1940-41 1
Summary
A TYPICAL wage-earning family in Puerto Rico before the United
States entered the present war had less thru $350 in yearly cash
earnings. On these funds, an average of 5.5 persons depended for
their living. This is a larger average family size and a distinctly lower
annual-earnings figure than is found in continental United States.
Average yearly expenditures of these families were $383, or $42 more
than their average yearly earnings. Although 60 percent of this
expenditure went for food—a much larger proportion than is spent
by wage earners’ families in the States—the food purchased was
insufficient to provide adequate nutrition.
There was an average of 1.58 wage earners per family, and their
cash earnings in a week averaged $7.08 per family. Other cash income
averaged $0.39, bringing the total cash, income to $7.47 per family
per week. It ranged by industry from $2.56 for families whose chief
earner was employed in the coffee industry in rural highland areas to
$13.60 for those in the liquor industry in urban areas. Income in
kind averaged $1.69 per family, raising the average total family
income per week to $9.16.
.
Cash incomes in Puerto Rico are largely dependent upon shipping
and market conditions outside the Island. This beautiful tropical
island is one of the most densely populated areas of the world, yet
agricultural pursuits provide its chief employment and revenues.
In normal times the greatest net returns have come from concentra
tion upon the export of cash crops of sugar and rum, and to a lesser
extent of tobacco, coffee, and fruits. In 1940, out of the total of
517,000 wage earners reported by the Bureau ol the Census as working
on the Island, more than 229,000 were employed in agriculture.
These exports have been balanced by importation of manufactured
articles and staple foods. Work in these agricultural lines is highly
seasonal, with about 6 months’ employment in the active season
followed by little or no employment in the slow season until the next
crop lias grown.
Stevedoring, for w hich th e stead y coming an d going of ships in th e pre-w ar
period provided year-ro u n d dem and, gave relatively w ell-paid em ploym ent to a
sm all group. T he sam e was tru e of th e liquor in d u stry whose raw m aterial was
sugar. N eedlew ork, p rio r to 1940, was one of th e m ajo r sources of cash revenue
to th e Island, em ploying m an y people on a piece-work basis a t rates of pay w hich
averaged as little as 3 an d 5 cents p er hour. Fine handw ork was done on h a n d
kerchiefs, underw ear, in fa n ts’ wear, and sim ilar articles, m ostly by c o n tract
w ith N ew Y ork firms. N eedlew ork declined sharply in 1940 as a resu lt of th e
25-cent m inim um -w age ho u rly ra te u n d er th e F ed eral w age a n d h o u r law . U nder
th e am en d m en t ad ap tin g th e a c t to P u erto R ican conditions, m inim um w ages
w ere set a t 12.5 cents for hand-sew ing operatio n s a n d 20 cents for all o th er oper
ations. T he in d u stry w ent th rough a period of re a d ju stm e n t to th e ty p es of
needlework w hich could m eet th e higher rates of pay.
i Prepared in th e B ureau’s Cost of Living Division, by Alice C. H anson, on the basis of prelim inary
returns from W ork Projects A dm inistration Project N o. 144, sponsored by the Insular D epartm ent of Labor.
Technical guidance to the project was furnished by the TJ. S. B ureau of Labor Statistics. M anuel A.
Perez now chairm an of the Insular M inim um Wage Commission, was the initial State supervisor of the
survey and C onchita Rodriguez-Ema the director of field work and editing. T abulation is being completed
under the direction of I. W . Jacobs, present State supervisor of the project. All tabular data are prelim inary
figures from a forthcoming report on W ork Projects A dm inistration Project No. 144.
5 0 7 1 2 3 — 43-------2
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
223
--4
Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
Aside from needlework, employment in 1940 and more particu
larly by 1941 was at a relatively high level for Puerto Rico, largely
because of the extensive program of road and airfield development
sponsored by the Federal Government. Wages and employment in
building construction were unusually high because of the same factors.
Problems of living costs, food supply, and employment have all
become acute in Puerto Rico as a consequence of wartime conditions.
A serious dislocation of the Island’s economy has followed the drastic
curtailment of shipping. The submarine campaign in the Caribbean,
together with the urgent need for ships for the United Nations’ supply
program, has resulted in a- severe cut in shipping bound for Puerto
Rico. To an area whose cash income is dependent on exports and
food supply on imports, this is a crippling blow. The shortage of
shipping means that much of the goods produced for export cannot
reach the mainland, and that the employment usually furnished by
the export industries is greatly curtailed. Likewise such revival of
the needlework industry as was under way in 1941 and 1942 has been
hard hit. ^ I lie military construction which was mainly responsible
lor the building boom of 1941 has been largely completed and private
construction has ceased for lack of imported materials. These con
tractions have their repercussions throughout the Island, so that the
employment situation resulting from the war is one of severe depres
sion, the exact reverse of the straining of productive capacities on the
mainland.
On the supply side, food, clothing, and all essentials of living which
were formerly imported have become very scarce. Though notable
efforts have been made to encourage increases in domestic food pro
duction, the local foods alone cannot supply all the needs of the very
large population j furthermore, these foods have been increasing rapidly
in price.
There has always been a certain amount of locally grown foods con
sumed on the Island. Some foods are produced on the Island, among
them bananas, plantains, yautia, breadfruit, and sweetpotatoes—all
starchy foods—and citrus fruits, mangoes, and some beans. There
are comparatively few meat-producing animals, aside from pigs and
chickens and a relatively small number of dairy cattle. Such food as
was locally produced has been far from meeting the total requirements
of the Island’s population of almost 2 million persons.
The main items in the Puerto Rican diet have been rice which was
almost entirely imported, beans of which about GO percent was im
ported, and salt codfish all of which was imported. These provided
cheaper sources of calories and proteins than could be produced on
the Island, and they are foods easily shipped. The high value of
sugar crops on much of the Puerto Rican land and the poor quality
of the other land in the mountainous interior were further explana
tions of the relatively small domestic food production.
The data presented in this article are based on an Island-wide cross
section of 2,000 families of wage earners surveyed between March and
November 1941. The returns are preliminary, since they are for the
fust 2,000 families covered,2 out of a total of 5,000. However, thev
lepresent an adequate sample of the families of city and rural workers.
I mllier details for families classified by income level and by area will
be available from final tabulations. The survey was made as a WPA
Washinpin^ 'at° ^a^ es are based on a smaller num ber of families b u t represent the only m aterial available in
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225
Incomes of Puerto Rican Wage Earners
project, sponsored by the Insular Department of Labor, with tech
nical guidance furnished by the United States Bureau of Labor Sta
tistics. it furnishes data on family incomes and expenditures in
detail for 1 week and in summary for a year. The families surveyed
constitute a random sample of the entire wage-earning population of
the Island as it was in 1941, with appropriate proportions of urban
and rural families, and representation of each industry in accordance
with its relative importance at that time. White-collar and pro
fessional workers, who form a relatively small part of the total popu
lation of Puerto Rico, were not included in the survey.
The data gathered provide a large body of basic information re
garding pre-war economic conditions in Puerto Rico, and, when ac
count is taken of the changes in the Island’s economy brought about
by the wartime curtailment of shipping, the acute nature of Puerto
Rico’s present problems of supplying her population with food and
other essentials.
Age Composition of Population
The age composition of the population is much lower than that
found in the States, reflecting both very high birth rates and high
death rates. The 1940 Census shows 4Î percent of the population
below 15 years and 76 percent below 35. The age distribution in
1941 of the 11,054 persons in the sample of 2,000 wage-earner
families follows:
Percent of
total
Percent of
total
U nder 5 years of age__________
5 to 9 years of age_____________
10 to 14 years of age__________
15 to 19 years of age________ - 20 to 24 years of age__________
25 to 29 years of age__________
30 to 34 years of age__________
17.
15.
12.
9.
9.
7.
5.
4 35
6 40
9 45
9 50
1
8
6
to 39
to 44
to 49
years
years of ag e_____
__
years of ag e___ - ....... _
years of a g e ___
of age an d o v e r_______
5.
4.
3.
7.
7
7
5
8
T o ta l___________________ 100.0
Estimated Yearly Earnings
Yearly earnings per family for this group averaged $341. Thirtyfive percent of the families received less than $200 per year and 72
percent less than $400. The rather unusual earnings of buildingconstruction workers at the time of the study result in a considerably
larger percentage of families with combined yearly earnings in excess
of $400 than would normally be found. Estimated yearly earnings
per family exclusive of all workers in building construction wTere
only $298.
Amounts earned per year were quite different as among various
industries. The differences in distribution of families, by yearly
earnings class and by industry, are shown in table 1. Averages by
industry are shown in table 2. The building-trades workers were
clearly in the most favorable position, with those in the tobacco and
coffee industries showing the lowest yearly earnings. The latter two
crops are raised principally by small farmers on mountainous lands,
who can afford to hire only low-paid wage workers for part of the year.
Stevedoring, the liquor industry, and the fruit industry provided
relatively high earnings but employed only a small proportion of the
total workers. Of the lamer industries, the sugar industry afforded
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
226
Monthly Lahor Review—February 1943
relatively high earnings, despite its annual slack season. Next to the
tobacco and coffee industries needlework showed the lowest yearly
earnings.
I
able
1. Distribution of 2,000 Puerto Rican Families, by Annual Earnings 1 and hr
Industry in Which Chief Earner W as Employed
Total
n u m b er Percent
fam Unof fam- ofilies
¡lies
der
8100
Item
All families:
N u m b e r___________________________
Average num ber persons per family___
Average num ber earners per family
2,000
5.53
1.58
174
4. 93
1.21
E stim ated yearly earnings class
$100
to
$199
$200
to
$299
$300
to
$399
$400
to
$499
$500 $1,000
to
and
$999 over
534
5. 21
1. 37
448
5. 57
1. 56
287
5. 68
1.66
176
6. 10
1.97
322
5. 72
1. 73
59
6. 42
2. 20
9.2
1.5
18. 1
1.9
28.7
32.8
10.8
44. 5
21.3
0.4
.8
0
.9
7. 5
11.1
3.8
8.8 U6. 1
3.0
Percentage distribution
In d u stry employing chief family earner
Sugarcane______________________
Tobacco________________________
F r u it_________________________
Coffee___________________________
B uilding__________________
Stevedoring______________________
N eedlew ork_____________________
Liquor__________ _______________
O ther industries_________________
All families______________
721
130
11
107
411
67
93
9
451
2, 000
100.0
100.0
.0
.0
.0
.0
.0
.0
100.0
100
100
100
100
100
100
7.6
22.3
0
23.4
1.7
4.5
19.4
0
8.2
34.5
46. 2
18.2
42.0
11.2
16.4
30.1
100.0
8.7
20.6
27. 7
20.8
27.3
20.6
18.0
20. 9
15.0
11.1
20.6
13. 2
6. 1
27.3
10.3
18.3
10.4
16. 1
22.2
15.7
26. 7
22.4
14.3
0
7.4
2.3
9. 1
.9
14. 6
7.5
8.6
11.1
9.8
0
1 In 12 m onths during period, M arch 1940-November 1941.
Weekly Income
o\ ariations in money income, by urban and rural areas, for the week
oi the survey, are shown in table 2. Incomes were substantially
higher in urban than in rural areas in all industries. Number of
earners per urban family was also higher in all industries except
needlework and the miscellaneous industry group. In rural areas,
families living in the lowlands, where most of the good sugar and
fruit lands are lound, had distinctly higher average incomes than
those living in the highlands, where there are principally coffee and
minor crops. Weekly earnings figures when multiplied by 52 do not
check exactly with estimated annual earnings, because of the differ
ences between slow and active seasons. Work in sugar, tobacco,
coffee, and fruit is highly seasonal, whereas work in the other industries
is spread more evenly throughout the year.
An average of 1.58 persons in the family reported some earnings.
Number oi earners in the family varied somewhat with industry, as
shown in table 2. Needlework had the highest number, showing
over 2 earners per family in the rural highlands (where the work is
mostly home work), but with average weekly income per family of
only $2.67. In the cities where the finished needlework is assembled
in shops for shipment, 1.7 workers had a weekly family income of $7.66.
Income from other sources as well as from earnings is shown in
table 3 for a 1-week period. Of the money income, 6.7 percent was
accounted for by such miscellaneous sources as sale of poultry, live
stock, or garden produce, gifts in cash, and income from boarders.
No direct relief in cash was dispensed in Puerto Rico, but there were
some earnings in 1941 from WPA and NYA. Income in kind (in the
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
227
Incomes of Puerto Rican Wage Earners
form of goods and services received as pay, gift, or relief) and value
of home-produced food and of owner-occupied housing added an aver
age weekly supplement of $1.69 per family to the average weekly
money income of $7.47.
T able
2.— Number of Earners and Annual Money Earnings, per Family, and Total
Money Income for 1 Week, by Location and Industry 1
R ural highlands
All areas
In d u stry in which
Average
chief earner was N u m b e r E sti N u m b e r total
money
of earn m ated of earn income
employed
of
ers per family for
ers per yearly
family earn in g s family
1 week
All ind u stries_____
1.58
$341
1. 53
$3. 97
U rban
R ural lowlands
Average N u m b e r Average
N u m b e r total
money of earn total money
of earn
income
of ers per income of
ers per family for
for
family
family family
1 week
1 week
1. 59
$7.12
1. 60
$11. 42
1. 49
4.15
1. 59
6. 83
1. 66
11. 60
1. 56
269
Sugarcane-- - __
1.92
3. 20
2. 50
8. 07
Tobacco
1.70
180
1.61
2.95
4.14
1. 48
2. 56
1. 67
1.80
11.01
Coffee-.____1.51
188
1. 22
F r u i t ____ - -- 1. 18
7. 25
352
(2)
(2)
Building.. _____
1.54
1. 54
8. 79
1. 52
10.28
1. 55
13. 07
509
Stevedoring
1. 18
7.91
1. 38
10. 82
1.30
470
Needlework.. .
2. 17
3. 47
1. 73
7. 66
1.90
256
2. 21
2. 67
1. 67
Liquor
1. 75
13. 60
578
(2)
(2)
1. 59
1. 46
3. 45
1.68
6. 07
1. 59
10. 79
O ther- __________
381
1 D a ta based on 2,000 Puerto R ican wage-earner families: Earnings in 12 m onths during period, M arch
1940-November 1941; total m oney income in 1 week during period, M arch 1941-November 1941.
2 Average not com puted for fewer th an 5 cases.
T
able
3 . — Average
Family Income in l Week, by Source of Income 1
Item
Averaee per
family
Percent
T otal current fam ily income,
M oney incom e________
Income in k in d ________
$9.16
7.47
1,69
100.0
81.6
18.4
T otal current family incomeRelief income__________
Nonrelief incom e______
9.16
.59
8. 57
100.0
6.4
93.6
N um b er of persons in family
N um ber of earners in family-
5. 5
1.6
Money income
Nonrelief m oney income:
Nonrelief earnings of economic fam ily__________
Income from roomers and boarders_____________
Gifts in cash_________________________________
Sale of poultry, livestock, or garden produce_____
O ther nonrelief m oney income_________________
Gross to ta l_________________________________
M inus deductions from other th an family income.
N et to ta l_______
6. 70
. 10
. 13
.10
.17
7. 20
.11
__________________ _______
7. 09
Relief m oney income:
Relief earnings_______________________________
D irect relief in cash_________ ________________
.38
0
94.9
T o tal______________________________________
.38
5.1
T otal money income________________________
7.47
100.0
Income in kind
Nonrelief income in kind:
Value of goods and services received as p a y __________________________
Value of goods and services received as gift___________________________
Value of home-produced or wild foods consumed by fam ily____________
Value of ren t of owned home, m inus current housing expense of home
ow ners_________________________________________________________
.14
.58
.32
T o tal___________________________________________________________
Relief income in k in d __________________ 1_______ ____ ______ _____ ______
1.48
.44
.21
1.69
Total income in k in d ______________________________________ ______
* D a ta based on 2,000 P uerto R ican wage-earner families: Income for 1 week during period M arch N ovem ber 1941.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
228
Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
Estimated Yearly Expenditures
The estimated average yearly money expense for these families was
$383 (table 4), or $42 more than their average yearly earnings. Of
this expenditure, $230 (60 percent) went for food—a much larger
proportion than is found among the wage-earning group in continental
United States. Nevertheless, the actual amount of food purchased
was inadequate when compared with standard nutritional require
ments. Clothing was the next most important source of expense,
averaging $38 per family, or nearly 10 percent of annual money
expenditures.
T a b l e 4 . — Average
Yearly Expense per Family, by Item of Expenditure 1
Item of expenditure
Yearly ex
pense per
family
C urrent m oney expenditures, all item s___
$383. 00
100.0
230 on
17. 00
14. 00
8.00
15.00
38.00
9. 00
11.00
20. 00
11.00
1 00
1.00
6. 00
1.00
1.00
60 0
Food___
H ousing_________________
Fuel and lig h t____________
O ther household o p e ra tio n __
Furnishings and e q u ip m en t______
C lothing___ . . .
___
M edical care
_ _.
Personal care
Recreation.. ______ _ __ _
T ransp o rtatio n_________________
Sehool__ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
V ocation___ __________
Gifts and contributions________
M utual-aid society and funerals ______
Miscellaneous __ _ _ _ ____
Percent of
total
4.4
3.7
2.0
3.9
9.9
2.3
2.9
5.2
2.9
3
.3
1.6
.3
.3
1 D ata are based on 2,000 Puerto Rican wage-earning families: E xpenditures in 12 m onths during period
M arch 1940-No vem ber 1941.
Housing, on the other hand, represented a much lower percentage
than is found in the States. Housing expense is low in Puerto Pico,
partly because, in the mild climate, the houses in which wage earners
live are of very flimsy construction; and partly because many families
are squatters who have erected huts on vacant land where they are
permitted to remain. The housing facilities occupied by these wageearner families were not at all comparable with those in the States.
Most of the homes were without running water and had neither window
glass nor screens; many had no electricity and no sanitary privy; many
were not equipped with sufficient furniture to provide a sleeping place
for each family member. Huts built on stilts to avoid the swampy
ground were common. Expenditures for items other than food,
clothing, and housing were extremely low as compared with families
of wage earners in continental United States.
The great difficulty these families had in making ends meet is
indicated by the large amount of their indebtedness in relation to
their incomes. Returns for 2,000 families showed the followingaverage outstanding debts for the year:
T o ta l deb ts for fam ily living, exclusive of m o rtg ag e_______ $32. 60
D ebts for fo o d ___________________________________________
D eb ts for re n t___________________________________________
D eb ts for clo th in g ________________________________
D eb ts for furnishings____ ________________________________
D ebts to in d iv id u als_____________________________________
O ther d e b ts______________________________________________
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
18. 27
1 . 79
1. 80
5. 38
2. 96
2. 40
Incomes of Puerto Rican Wage Earners
229
The debt for food alone represented 5 percent of average annual
earnings and over
times as much as 1 week’s cash income. Total
debts for current living (exclusive of mortgage) amounted to nearly 10
percent of annual earnings and almost 5 times the amount of 1 week’s
money income. Addition of mortgage indebtedness would bring the
figure to 11 percent of annual earnings.
FOOD P U R C H A SE A N D C O N SU M PT IO N
Living costs have certainly advanced tremendously since these
figures were obtained in 1941, although there is no cost-of-living index
available for Puerto Rico.3 There is, however, a retail food-cost
index, prepared by the Agricultural Experiment Station at the Uni
versity of Puerto Rico. According to that index, food costs in Puerto
Rico on October 15, 1942, stood at 196 percent of the July 1939
average, and were 54.3 percent higher than the average for the year
November 1940-November 1941 (the period to which most of the
present survey data apply). Thus, it would have cost $355 at October
1942 prices to buy the equivalent of the $230 worth of food which
wage-earning families purchased in 1941.
Since their annual earnings of $341 in 1941 have declined rather
than advanced, because of the restriction of the building program and
the serious reduction in shipping, it is difficult to see how these families
at the present time can purchase food and have any money left for
other items of family living. Though there has been some reduction
since the summer of 1942 in prices of most imported foods, as a result
of OPA action, these foods have been extremely limited in quantity.
In the stores covered on December 15 in and around San Juan, the com
pilers of the retail-food index reported that there were practically no
supplies of rice, red kidney beans, salt codfish, lard, or salt pork—
items which comprise the greater part of the Puerto Rican diet.
On J anuary 1, however, according to a report by the Division of Ter
ritories and Island Possessions of the Interior Department, there was
on the Island a 44-day supply of rice, an 80-day supply of beans, and
enough codfish, including supplies in transit, for 100 days. Prices of
domestic foods, such as plantains, yautia, and beans, have increased
very rapidly.
The War Shipping Administration now assigns monthly tonnage
for shipments to Puerto Rico to the Interior Department, which
allocates space for foodstuffs to the Food Distribution Administration.
The latter fills this space mainly with food from its stock piles.
Since this plan of allocating shipping space to Puerto Rico was put
into effect the food situation there has gradually improved until, at
the present time, ample supplies of basic foods are being shipped to
the Island. The shipping tonnage now transporting foodstuffs to
Puerto Rico is only a small percentage of that used in normal times
by commercial shippers. The Food Distribution Administration is
supplying the Island and building stock piles by eliminating all bulky
and nonessential foods and those whose calorie content does not
justify shipping space during the present emergency.
It will be seen from table 5 that 73 percent of the quantity, or 87
percent of the value, of foods consumed by Puerto Rican wage earners
in the pre-war period was purchased. About 7 percent of the quantity
s T he B ureau of Labor Statistics, in cooperation w ith local agencies, plans to construct one soon, utilizing
existing d ata on food prices supplem ented b y m aterial collected w ith funds provided b y the Office of Price
A dm inistration.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
230
Monthly Lahor Review—February 1943
was received in the form of food as pay or as relief, almost 6 percent
was given by neighbors or friends, and about 14 percent was pro
duced at home or picked from wild plants.
T a b l e 5. — Total
Weekly Purchased Food, and Received Free 1
Value of food
A m ount of
food
Source of food
Purchased
_ - ------- ----------------Received as p ay _ ------ ----------------- ------------ -----------------Received as relief - - - - - - - - Received as gift____________________ --- - ---------------------Home produced and wild foods . ___
----Food given aw ay (deduct)------------------------- ------ - ------Total, n e t 2___ _________
__________ ______ ____
A m ount
Percent of
total
Pounds
63.49
2. 76
3.17
4.85
12. 65
.95
$4. 35
.06
.20
. 11
.32
.02
86.6
1.2
4.0
2.2
6.4
.4
85. 97
5. 02
100.0
1 D a ta based on 2,000 Puerto Rican wage-earning families: Food purchased or otherwise received in 1
week during period, M arch-Novem ber 1941.
2 Value of total net food consum ption per person weekly, 89 cents; average num ber of net pounds of food
consum ed per person weekly, 15.5.
T a b l e 6 . — Average
Weekly Food Consumption, per Family of 5.54 Persons 1
Item
M eat and fish:
Fowl
Fresh m eat (pork) . . , _ . . _
Salt pork _ _ __
___
Fresh m eat (beef)___________
D ried salt m eat. . ___ . H a m _______________________
Tripe (mondongo).
_
. .
Fresh fish__________________
Other fresh sea food
_ ____
Codfish, salt
C anned salmon and other
canned sea food___
_
_
O ther
Grain products, including peas
and beans:
Bread
_
_ _ __
Crackers
W heat flour________________
Cornmea.1___
Rice flour.
_ . . . _ _
C o rn starch ..
. - _ _____
Cereals to cook. .
...
_
Rice___ ___________________
Cow peas (frijoles)___________
Pigeon peas (gandules)
Chick-peas (garbanzos)__
N av y b ean s._
. .
K idney beans
M acaroni and sp ag h etti______
Other
Vegetables:
Sweetpotatoes _
________
Potatoes. .
. ...
. ___
Green bananas
____ .
P la n ta in s____ ._
. . . ___
Corn on cob
Y a m s______________________
B readfruit fpanapen)________
Avocado (aguacate). . . . . . . . .
T om atoes__________________
Green vegetables____________
Yellow vegetables. _ _______
Pounds Value
0. 26
.61
.84
.57
. 11
. 52
. 17
.35
.02
1. 62
$0.08
. 10
.09
. 11
.02
. 13
.02
.04
(2)
.20
. 14
. 13
.02
. 02
2. 21
. 17
1.22
1. 64
. 12
.03
.25
15. 74
. 15
.47
.69
1. 12
2.37
. 26
. 18
. 18
. 03
. 05
.06
.01
(2)
.03
. 79
.01
.03
.07
.09
. 20
.03
. 01
6. 62
2. 78
5. 92
1. 57
. 08
1.29
4. 18
.06
.81
. 18
.20
. 10
. 03
.06
. 05
. 01
.03
. 03
(2)
.04
.01
.01
Item
Vegetables—C ontinued:
Y autia __ __ ___ ___
O ther___ _
- - - - - _
Fruits:
C itru s___ _________________
Coconut. . . .
. . .
B ananas, rip e __________ - __
M angoes_______ ____ _____
O ther______________________
Sweets:
...
Sugar___ _ _ .
Candies_____ - . . . ________
H oney . . . ____ - Other _ _ ___
Fggs_ ------------------------------------D airy products, oils and fats:
M ilk, canned.. _ __________
M ilk, fresh, cow
M ilk, fresh, goat
__
_
C h e e s e .__ _. .
_ _ .
B u tte r_____________________
O leomargarine._ _____
_
OliVe oil _______________
Lard (coconut or vegetable). . .
Lard (pork)_______________ _
Cod liver oil
. . . _ ._ _ _
Olives______________________
O th er______________________
Proprietary foods___ _ _ _
Condim ents and spices:
Tom ato sauce
Garlic (ajos)________________
P e p p e r.. ___ . _
Achiote (annato)____________
Other ________ .. . .
Drinks:
Cocoa or chocolate _ _
Coffee______________________
Soft drinks
.
. . . __
Alcoholic d rin k s ...
_ ____
O th er______________________
Total ____________________
Pounds Value
3. 15
.47
$0. 07
. 03
1.49
. 03
.82
.03
.26
.03
(2)
.01
.01
.03
5. 92
.07
(2)
.03
.51
.29
.01
(2) _
(2)
. 10
.47
8. 85
.65
.06
.05
.09
. 15
.37
2.16
(2)
.05
.01
.02
.07
.45
.03
.02
.02
.02
.05
. 04
.24
(2)
.02
.01
.01
. 70
. 12
.04
. 10
2. 16
.07
.03
(2)
.01
.05
. 07
1.41
. 50
.28
.02
.03
.39
.07
.09
.01
86. 76
5. 15
1 D ata based on 628 Puerto Rican wage-earning families: Food consumption in 1 week during period,
M arch-A ugust 1941.
2 Less than 0.005.
The heavy role played in the Puerto Rican diet by rice, beans, cod
fish, and salt pork is shown in table 6. The great importance of rice
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
231
Incomes of Puerto Rican H age Paniers
regardless of the amount of family income is clear from table 7. Other
foods which form a large part of the total bulk consumed are the
starchy foods—bread and flour, potatoes and green bananas, bread
fruit and yautia, and sugar. Analysis of the dietary adequacy of this
food consumption will be made by nutrition experts in Puerto Rico.
Preliminary indications, however, are that the diet is below conserva
tive standards for requirements in calories and proteins as well as in
protective elements furnished by minerals and vitamins.
T a b l e 7. — Weekly
Rice Consumption per Family and per Person 1
T otal rico consumed per
family
Rice consumed per
person
Y early income class
Pounds
Value 2
Pounds
V a lu e 2
All incomes___
15. 72
$0.81
2.84
$0.15
U nder $100_----$100 to $199_____
$200 to $299___-$300 to $399____
$400 to $499___-~
$500 to $999___-_
$1,000 and over.
13. 03
14.34
16.14
16. 79
17.99
16.41
17. 46
.65
.73
.84
.87
.93
.84
.96
2. 64
2.75
2. 90
2.96
2.95
2. 87
2.72
.13
. 14
. 16
. 15
. 15
. 15
.15
i D ata based on 1,959 Puerto R ican wage-earning families: Rice consum ption in 1 week during period,
M arch-N ovem ber 1941.
2 Valued at approxim ately 5 cents per pound. T he ceiling price on rice in January 1943 was 8 cents.
C L O TH IN G P U R C H A S E S
Details of clothing expenditures are as yet available for only a
small number of families in a few industries. Nevertheless, these
returns give some indication of the clothing purchases which were
customary before wartime restrictions altered the situation. Almost
all of the"garments were of cotton or rayon and silk. Because of the
climate, almost no wool was used by wage earners’ families. Thus,
the men averaged a little over 2 pairs ot trousers a year, at
slightly more than $1.00 per pair and about as many shirts at about
7o" cents per shirt. Suits were rare, and those purchased were chiefly
of seersucker or other cotton material at an average price of about
$3.00. The men bought a little more than 1 pair of shoes a year on
the average, paying less than $2.00 for them.
The women and girls purchased an average of a little more than 2
cotton dressés a year at less than $1.00 each, about 1 rayon dicss at' a
little over $1.50.'and about 1 pair of shoes a year priced under $2.00.
They averaged about 2 pairs of stockings a year- 1 cotton at about 15
cents a pair and 1 rayon at around 50 cents. Hats and headbands
were relatively unimportant. Coats or other similar outer garments
were not purchased at all because of the climate. Underwear was
principally cotton, and even major garments, such as cotton slips,
averaged less than 40 cents in price.
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T a b l e 8.— Average
Item
M en and hoys’ clothing_____ _
Trousers _______________
Shirts
O v e ra lls___
___
___
Suits____________________
Shoes
Straw hats
H andkerchiefs____________
Socks.. .- - ------------------Neckties
U nderwear
B elts____________________
G arters__ . . . ___ ________
W atches and jewelry
C loth for sewing garments
for own use
Thread, buttons, etc
P aid help for sewing . ...
O ther (specify)_____ ..
W omen’s, girls’, and infants’
clothing
Blouses or middies
Skirts___ ________________
Cotton dresses.- -------------Rayon or silk dresses
C otton h o se..
- _____
Rayon or silk h o se.._______
Yearly Purchases of Clothing per Person 1
Average
num ber Average
p u r
expendi
chased tu re per
person
per
person
2.16
2.13
. 10
.54
1.12
. 22
1.70
2. 11
. 27
2.12
.32
.02
$9.15
2. 30
1.58
.07
1.65
2. 00
. 17
. 11
.27
. 08
. 57
. 19
(2)
. 12
. 02
.08
(2)
.03
.03
. 21
. 15
2.35
. 90
1. 20
.98
0. 64
. 11
. 10
1.95
1. 48
. 21
.45
Item
W om en’s, girls’, and infants’
clothing—C ontinued.
Shoes .
..............
H andkerchiefs . . . .. .
H andbags________________
U m brellas. .
. ___
H ats and headbands____
B elts_________________ ..
H airpins and hair ornam ents ___ _ _ . . .
Garters . ______ ______
Panties, cotton___________
Panties, rayon or silk_____
Brassieres, c o tto n ________
Brassieres, rayon or silk___
Corsets.
. ____________
Slips, cotton.. ___ _____
Slips, rayon or silk _____ _
Sleeping garments, cotton...
Sleeping garm ents, rayon or
silk_________ _________
R o m p ers..
. _ _____
Diapers .
. _________
Jew elry and accessories____
C loth for sewing garm ents.. _
T hread, buttons, e t c . . . ___
Paid help for sewing______
Average
num ber Average
p u r
expendi
chased ture per
per
person
person
1.21
.38
.15
.08
.01
.09
.03
1.66
.95
. 12
.03
.01
1.26
. 71
.25
.04
.40
. 51
(3)
.49
.09
$2. 02
.03
. 12
. 12
.01
.02
.02
.01
.31
.29
.03
.02
(2)
.44
.46
.09
.03
. 11
.07
. 11
. 13
.04
.09
1 D ata based on 180 families of Puerto R ican wage earners in fruit, stevedoring, needlework, and liquor
industries' C lothing purchases in 12 m onths during period, M arch 1940-November 1941.
2 Less th a n 0.5 cent.
3 Less th a n 0.005 article.
Since the period covered by the field survey, clothing costs have
advanced appreciably. Preliminary price data indicate that in
January 1943, in San Juan, prices for many clothing items were 50 to
100 percent higher than in 1940-41.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
WAGES IN RUBBER TI KE AND TUBE PLANTS,
AUGUST 19421
By
H. M.
D outy,
Bureau of Labor Statistics
Summary
THE tire and tube division of the rubber-manufacturing industry,
despite drastic limitation upon the use of rubber for civilian trans
portation, employed a substantially larger number of workers in 1942
than in 1939. The facilities of the industry are being intensively
utilized in the production of a wide variety of rubber articles for
direct military use. Thousands of workers are now engaged in the
manufacture of self-sealing fuel tanks for aircraft, barrage balloons,
rubber boats, life rafts, pontoons, and other products required by the
armed forces of the United Nations. Tires and tire products for
military and essential civilian use are being manufactured m important
quantities.
Workers in the tire and tube division received average hourly
earnings, exclusive of overtime premium pay and shift differentials,
of almost $1.04 in August 1942. Male factory workers averaged
$1.12 an hour, and the average for women was 75.8 cents. The
highest level of wages was found in the important Akron-Detroit area,
where straight-time earnings averaged almost $1.14 an hour. Workers
in the southern division of the industry averaged 71.4 cents an hour.
These findings are the result of a detailed study of wages in the
tire and tube and mechanical rubber goods branches of the rubbermanufacturing industry, undertaken by the Bureau of Labor Statistics
at the request of the National War Labor Board. A report on wages
in the mechanical rubber goods division will appear in a later issue
of the Monthly Labor Review. The survey was designed to provide
primary data for use by the Board in its consideration of wage-dispute
cases in these industry divisions. The major portion of rubber
manufacturing employment is found in these two branches of the
industry.
Some Characteristics of the Industry
C O N C E N T R A T IO N A N D C O M PETITIO N
The tire and tube industry is characterized both by marked con
centration of control and by sharp competition. The industry often
is cited as one in which the benefits of large-scale production and
continuous improvement of product have accrued largely to the
benefit of consumers. At the same time, four multiple-plant cor
porations control the greater part of the productive capacity of the
industry.
Tire and tube manufacture is dominated by the Firestone Tire &
Rubber Co., B. F. Goodrich Co., Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., and
the United States Rubber Co.—commonly termed the “ Big Four.”
In 1935, each of these four corporations was listed among the 65 largest
industrial corporations in the country, and their combined assets,
i One of a series of two articles, th e second of which (dealing w ith the m anufacture of mechanical rubber
goods) will appear in a future issue of the M o n th ly Labor Review. Prepared in the D ivision of Wage
A nalysis w ith the assistance of Josepih W. Bloch and W . H . W eidowke.
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234
Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
including foreign investments, amounted to over $600,000,000.2
Iliese companies in 1935 employed 79.9 percent of the wage earners
a)ul accounted for 80.9 percent of the value of product in this division
of the rubber industry. The acquisition of new plants since 1935
and the decrease in the number of independent establishments
probably has increased the extent to which production in the industry
is controlled by the Big Four.
Some measure of the present importance of the four major companies
can be derived from data secured by the Bureau in this wage study.
Of the 32 plants surveyed in August 1942, 13 were operated by the
four major companies, and these 13 plants employed 85.2 percent of
the total number of wage earners reported. However, these figures
slightly overstate the relative importance of the four major companies,
since a number of plants, estimated to employ less than 2 percent of
the workers in the industry, were not covered by the survey.
Despite the concentration of production in a few companies, the
industry has been highly competitive. During the past two decades,
prices, profits, and employment have exhibited marked instability.
Competition for the original-equipment trade and for the trade of
large distributors of replacement tires has been severe, and price wars
have been frequent and bitter. A new phase of distribution obviously
began, however, when the Government became the principal consumer
of tires and the only consumer of the special war products that now
constitute an important part of the output of the industry.
LO C A TIO N OF IN D U S T R Y
In the fourth decade of the last century, rubber-manufacturing
plants were established in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode
Island v The industry later spread to other Eastern States, notably
New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. The Eastern States
remained the dominant area of rubber manufacture until the early
years of the present century, and certain types of rubber goods are
still produced predominantly in the East,3
The importance of Akron and the Middle West in the rubber indus
try is based largely upon the rise of the middlewestern area as the
major center of automobile production. The original Akron plant
was established in 18/ 0, and still bears the name of one of its founders,
Dr. B. F. Goodrich. Other rubber firms were established in Akron
before the turn of the century. The Akron companies found difficulty
in competing successfully with the older eastern establishments in
rubber footwear and other forms of rubber goods output then of major
significance in the industry, and tended to concentrate, therefore, on
the manufacture of solid carriage tires and pneumatic bicycle tires in
which competition was less severe. When the demand for pneumatic
tires for automobiles began, the small but vigorous Akron firms were
in an advantageous position to secure this new business.
Tires soon became the most important product made of rubber.
Even in 1914, the value of tire production represented almost 49 per
cent ol the value of the total output of the rubber industry. The
importance of ,Ohio as a center of tire and tube production appears
to have increased until about 1935. After 1935, a number of new
to n N1939nal Resources C om m ittee, The Structure of the A merican Economy, P a rt I (p. 274).
3
Washing-
Gaffey, John Dean: The Pro d u ctiv ity of Labor in the R ubber Tire M anufacturing In dustry (pp 149-175)
N e w Y ork, Colum bia U niversity Press, 1940.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Wages in Rubber Tire and Tube Plants
235
branch factories of major Akron companies were established outside
of the State, and the position of important competitors of the Akron
firms apparently improved. Moreover, the Ford Motor Co. opened
a tire plant at Dearborn, Mich. These developments combined to
reduce the proportion of workers employed in tire and tube plants in
Ohio from 68.4 percent of the industry total in 1935 to 55.3 percent
in 1939.
At the time of the Bureau’s wage survey in August 1942, however,
employment in Ohio tire and tube plants had climbed to approximately
64 percent of the industry total. This gain in relative position is
accounted for entirely by the almost phenomenal increase in employ
ment in Akron plants between 1939 and 1942 ; other Ohio plants, with
one exception, had fewer workers in 1942 than in 1939.
Akron, in any case, remains the dominant rubber-manufacturing
center of the country. The principal plants of Firestone, Goodyear,
and Goodrich are situated there, together with the plants of three
smaller companies. Half a dozen other tire plants are found in Ohio
outside of Akron, but the combined labor force of these plants does not
equal that in any one of the three big Akron plants.
The largest tire plant of the United States Rubber Co. is in Detroit.
The industry also is represented in Indiana and Illinois. About
three-fourths of the workers in tin1 industry in August 1942 were in
the Middle West.
In the Far West, tire and tube manufacture is carried on chiefly in
Los Angeles. Each of the Big Four has a plant there, the Goodyear
plant, dating from 1920. Between 1919 and 1938, the number of
tires built in California increased from less than 1 percent to approxi
mately 10 percent of the national output.
The eastern tire plants are scattered from Pennsylvania to Massa
chusetts. The East is somewhat less important than the Far West
in this division of the rubber industry, but somewhat more important
than the South. Two of the three plants in the South are branch
factories of Big Four companies, and the third southern plant is affili
ated with an eastern tire company. The rise of tire manufacturing in
the South dates from the late 1920’s.
U N IO N IZ A T IO N OF W O R K E R S
Attempts to unionize the rubber industry prior to 1933 were sporadic
and short lived. The passage of the National Industrial Recovery
Act, however, ushered in a period of vigorous organizational effort.
Initial success was slight. Indeed, it was not until 1937, after the
validation by the Supreme Court of the National Labor Relations
Act, that the United Rubber Workers of America (by this time affili
ated with the C. I. O.), obtained a written agreement with any of
the large companies. Unionism in the industry obviously has
enjoyed effective recognition for only a few years. The spread of
organization, however, has been rapid. By 1942, the major portion
of the tire and tube division of the industry was operating under the
terms of collective agreements. Akron and Los Angeles are major
centers of union strength.
Twenty-four of the 32 tire and tube plants covered by the present
study reported union agreements with locals of the United Rubber
Workers of America. The United Automobile Workers, also affili
ated with the C. I. O., exercised collective-bargaining rights in an
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236
Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
additional plant. No agreements in this division of the industry were
reported with unions affiliated with the American Federation of Labor.
Independent unions functioned in two plants. Five plants were
operating without union agreements at the time of the wage survey.
It is estimated that at least 80 percent of the workers in the tire and
tube division of the industry are covered by collective agreements.
I lie jurisdiction of the l nited Rubber AYorkers of America extends
to all incentive or straight-time workers employed in the manufacture
of rubber products or in the metal-fabricating departments and
plants operated by rubber companies. Collective agreements are
usually restricted to the individual plant. The prevalence of incentive
methods oi wage payment throughout the industry and frequent
alterations in products and specifications make for constant participa
tion in wage negotiations. Union locals typically act independently
in adjusting disputes over wage rates. They enjoy likewise a large
measure of independence in negotiating general wage changes.
L A BO R PR O D U C T IV IT Y
Hie various stages in the manufacture of tires and tubes—prepara
tion of crude rubber, processing, curing and finishing—are highly
mechanized.4 Although no fundamental changes in technology have
occurred during the past decade, many new devices have been intro
duced. The extensive application of time and motion study through
out the industry undoubtedly has played an important role in the
rationalization of production.
Between 1929 and 1940, labor productivity, as measured in physical
terms, increased remarkably in the tire and tube division.5 Average
output per man-hour approximately doubled, and average output per
wage earner increased by almost 62 percent. Stated differently,
production in 1940 was about 10 percent greater than in 1929, and
this output was achieved by the use of about 68 percent as many
workers and only 54 percent of the man-hours necessary in 1929.
Several factors that help to account for the very large gain in labor
productivity over the past decade have already been mentioned.
The cumulative effect of many relatively small technological changes
probably has been great. The wide use of incentive-wage systems,
which in turn involves careful job analysis and tends in general to
stimulate managerial effort, has been important. Over this period,
moreover, a material reduction in the number of plants in the industry
has taken place, and it is reasonable to suppose that production has
been concentrated in the more efficient plants. Some new and superbly
equipped plants have been added to the industry since 1935.
In terms of technology and production organization, the fabrication
of rubber war products included in the survey stands in sharp contrast
to the fabrication of tires and tubes. The manufacture of these products barrage balloons, rubber boats, other inflatable products, and
self-sealing fuel tanks—does not appear to lend itself readily to high
mechanization. Moreover, the large-scale production of these prod
ucts is so recent that production methods are in a state of flux, and
neither precise job classification nor time and motion study had been
undertaken by many plants at the time of the wage survey. The
pi,4,U U rf
T0nv°f
PrcU s??s !n tiro and tube m anufacture, see U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
58b h al?or. P ro d u ctiv ity in the A utom obile Tire In d u stry, by Boris Stern, W ashington, 1933.
A lthough th is stu d y is 10 years_ old, the description of basic processes is still valid.
t r i e K i i ^
and U n it Labor Cost in S o o te d M anufacturing Indus-
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Wages in Rubber Tire and Tube Plants
237
separation of stock preparation, assembly, curing, and finishing were
relatively clear cut, but within these stages of fabrication the differenti
ation of workers by jobs had not, as a rule, proceeded far. This state
ment, in general, is less true of the production of self-sealing fuel tanks
than of the other products covered.
E F F E C T OF T H E
W AR
Few industries have been affected more decisively by the war than
rubber manufacturing. The major sources of plantation rubber are
in the hands of the enemy, and a tremendous development of synthetic
rubber production is under way to meet the basic raw-material require
ments of the industry. Production for normal civilian needs has been
largely suspended, except to the extent that such needs fit into the war
production program. The market mechanism as a guide to production
policy has been replaced by governmental controls calculated to secure
the most effective use of available rubber supplies for the war effort.
The production of new rubber products for direct military use has
assumed large proportions.
In view of this, the basic factors affecting rubber manufacture—
rubber supply, use of plant capacity in establishments normally de
voted largely to the manufacture of tires and tire products, and the
effect of the war on the labor requirements of the industry—are of
great importance.
Rubber Requiiements and Raw Material Supply
The basic requirements for rubber products in the present situation
have been authoritatively described as follows:
T he dem ands now p laced upon us are enorm ous. W ith o u t a n y allowance
w hatsoever for civilian passenger car tires, th e estim a te d req u irem en ts for th e
y ear 1943 are 574,000 to n s (of crude ru b b e r or its sy n th e tic eq u iv alen t). T h is
co n trasts w ith th e to ta l average over-all consum ption in th e U n ite d S tates before
th e w ar of a b o u t 600,000 tons.
We m u st su pply n o t only th e needs of our own arm ed forces b u t m uch of those
of th e m ilitary m achines of our Allies as well. W e m u st equip our busses a n d
tru ck s a n d o th e r com m ercial vehicles an d provide on a large scale sp ecialty ite m s
for such purposes as facto ry b elting, surgical, h o sp ital a n d h e a lth supplies. And
in a d d itio n to all these we m u s t m a in ta in th e tires on a t le a s t a su b sta n tia l p o rtio n
of our 27,000,000 civilian passenger autom obiles. O therw ise an econom y geared
to ru b b er-b o rn e m o to r tra n s p o rt to an e x te n t n o t ap p ro ach ed elsewhere in th e
w orld will b reak dow n .8
The precise quantitative estimates of rubber supply and basic rubber
requirements for the 1942-44 period contained in the report of the
Baruch Committee are unquestionably the best available. It is un
necessary in this article to discuss these estimates in detail. Barring
a possible shortage of milling, mixing, and tire-building capacity in
1944, all of the crude, synthetic, and reclaimed rubber available for
consumption during this period can be used. The really crucial
question relates to rubber supply, and its answer hinges on the fulfill
ment of the planned synthetic-rubber production program. The
planned program provides for an output of more than 500,000 tons of
synthetic rubber in 1943 and of more than 900,000 tons in 1944.
These figures gain perspective when viewed against the record con
sumption of 775,000 tons of crude rubber in 1941.
«R u b b er Survey C om m ittee (B ernard M . B aruch, Jam es B. C onant, and K arl T . C om pton), R eport
Septem ber 10,1942 (p. 23).
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Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
It seems reasonable to assume that the volume of rubber available
for consumption will be sufficiently large to sustain a relatively high
level of employment in rubber manufacturing as a whole in 1943, and
that in 1944 the labor requirements will be even higher. Available
rubber in 1943, if the planned synthetic program is pushed through,
should be close to the average amount consumed in recent normal
years, and appreciably above this level in 1944. Moreover, the
labor-time used in the processing of a ton of synthetic rubber, at least
at present, is greater than the labor-time required to process a ton of
natural rubber.
Present Use of Plant Capacity in Tire and Tube Establishments
It was reasonable to anticipate a decline in employment in the tire
and tube division of the industry when normal civilian production was
virtually eliminated. Actually, this anticipated decline in employ
ment failed to materialize, at least in an acute form. The Bureau’s
index of employment in tire and tube establishments does indicate that
employment during the first 6 months of 1942 was measurably below
the very high plateau attained in the second half of 1941. In no
single month during this period, however, did employment fall below
the average level in 1939. The index began to climb sharply in June
1942, and in August, at the time of the wage survey, employment
was more than 25 percent above the 1939 level. In fact, labor short
ages had begun to appear in the major tire-producing areas.
The general maintenance of employment in the tire and tube division
may at first glance appear surprising. Tire production did decline
drastically. During the first 4 months of 1942, the output of pneu
matic tires was only about 26 percent as great as in the corresponding
period in 1939. The publication of tire-production data ceased in
April 1942, and the level of output in August, at the time of the survey,
may well have exceeded the level for the first 4 months of the year.
It should be noted, in any case, that the measurement of production
in terms of number of units probably understates the importance of
tire output in the first 4 months of 1942 as compared with correspond
ing periods for earlier years. Rubber tonnage consumed would be a
better measure. The 1942 output undoubtedly consists of a larger
proportion of heavy-duty tires than in normal periods. It is probable,
therefore, that man-hour requirements for tire production did not
fall so drastically as the production figures would indicate. Moreover,
retreading and other forms of tire reconditioning undoubtedly helped
to cushion the effects of the decline in tire output in some plants.
It is not possible, from the information obtained in the survey, to
indicate in any detail the adjustments made by the tire and tube
division of the industry to the changes growing out of the war. A
rough picture can be drawn, however, of production at the time of
the wage survey in August 1942.
(a)
Tire plants were still producing tires. During the course of the
wage survey, one or two plants were discovered in which the produc
tion of tires had been replaced entirely in recent months by some other
form of rubber output. These plants represent highly exceptional
cases. Although almost all tire plants continue to manufacture tires
and tubes, the relative importance of these products has, of course,
declined. Twenty-three plants, however, reported that the value of
their tire and tube output in August 1942 represented at least 60
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Wages in Rubber l ire and Tube Plants
239
percent of the value of their total output in that month. These plants,
on the whole, are relatively small, and accounted for only 31.4 percent
of the total employment in all tire plants covered by the survey. Nine
plants, on the other hand, reported that tire and tube production
represented less than 60 percent of the value of their total output in
August 1942. These plants employed 68.6 percent of the total num
ber of workers found in all tire and tube establishments.
(b) The war created an enormous demand for certain types of
rubber products not normally produced in large volume. Some of
the tire and tube plants were able to move swiftly into the production
of the required military products. At the time of the survey, thou
sands of workers were employed on self-sealing fuel tanks, barrage
balloons, rubber boats, pontoons, and other rubber products designed
for direct military use. Slightly more than half of the plants—18 out
of 32—reported some production of special war products. In 8 of
these plants, 20 percent or more of the value of output in August 1942
was accounted for by the production of such goods. These 8 plants
employed 58.7 percent of the total number of workers in all of the 32
plants.
(c) The output of mechanical rubber goods or of other categories
of rubber products is of appreciable importance in a few plants pro
ducing tires and tubes. The continued production of such goods into
the war period helped to sustain employment in these particular
plants.
(d) Conversion of tiro and tube plant facilities to the war effort
has not ordinarily taken the form of nonrubber production. In a few
plants, however, extensive machine-shop and other facilities are beingutilized in the manufacture of nonrubber war products. Important
instances of this form of conversion were encountered in the Akron
area.
It should not be inferred from this discussion that the war had no
adverse effect on production and employment in individual plants,
for such is not the case. The adjustment of the industry division as
a whole, however, was remarkably favorable.
Changes in the Labor Force
War conditions have not resulted, to any appreciable extent, in
the use of female labor in tasks performed traditionally by men.
A large influx of female workers and boys has occurred, however, for
fabrication work on special war products.
The preparation of rubber and the manufacture of tires have
always required a moderate amount of skill and considerable physical
stamina in most occupations. The production of heavy tires for
military use has increased rather than diminished the need for male
labor in these departments. At the time of the survey, women
were employed in the processing departments of tire and tube plants
principally as band builders, bead flippers, inspectors, splicers, and
in a scattering of other jobs.
The fabrication of inflatable rubber-fabric products (barrage
balloons, pontoons, rubber boats, life rafts, lift belts, and life jackets)
has by no means reached the ultimate limits of process rationalization.
Many of the operations, however, have been divided into light and
relatively simple tasks, and large numbers of women have been
brought into the departments engaged in the fabrication of these
5 0 7 1 2 3 — 43— — 3
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Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
products. At the time of the wage survey, approximately 80 percent
oi the workers engaged in cutting, assembling, testing, and curing
inflatable rubber-fabric products were women. The production of
self-sealing and rubber-covered fuel tanks requires a greater amount
of male labor, but women constituted a substantial proportion (38
percent) of the workers employed in this division. For the most
part, the operations performed in constructing these special products
have no counterpart in the normal operations of the rubber industry.
The specific skill, dexterity, and experience acquired by the workers
appear to have largely, although not entirely, a wartime value.
The total employment of women in the plants included in the tire
and tube division is impressive. Almost 18,000 women were found
in these plants in August 1942. This number represented 27 percent
oi the total labor force at that time. In the Far West, 39 percent of
the workers were women, as compared with 27 percent in AkronDetroit, 22 percent in the East, 17 percent in other Midwest (Middle
West exclusive of Akron-Detroit), and 16 percent in the South.
Special war-product output was relatively greater in both the Far
A est and Akron-Detroit than in the other three areas.
Negroes constituted about 5 percent of the total labor force of the
industry in August 1942. The proportion of Negro employment was
less than 5 percent in other Midwest, Far West, and East, and approxi
mately 5 percent in the Akron-Detroit area. In the South, Negroes
formed 20 percent of the labor force. Negroes were employed princi
pally in compounding and milling occupations, and as janitors and
general plant laborers.
Scope and Method of Survey
The present survey of earnings in the tire and tube division of the
rubber industry represents the first detailed study of wages by occu
pation in this industry division since 1923.7 In 1940 the Bureau
conducted a mail-questionnaire survey of hours and earnings in the
entire rubber industry,8 but did not obtain data on occupational
wages. The 1940 study did yield valuable information on the dis
tribution oi workers, by hourly earnings, in the various divisions of
the industry.
The data for the present survey were collected by trained field
representatives of the Bureau from actual pay-roll and other plant
records. The pay-roll period covered was generally that ending
nearest August 29, 1942, but in a few plants was a representative
week shortly before or shortly after this period.
The information secured in the course of the survey includes occu
pational average hourly earnings, exclusive of premium payments
for overtime hours and shift-differential payments.9 Information
also was obtained on method of wage payment for each occupation
7 U. S. B ureau of Labor Statistics. Bulletin No. 358: Wages and H ours of Labor In the A utomobile Tire
Indu stry , 1923. W ashington, 1924.
,,8
Labor Review, June 1941 (pp. 1490-1513): Earnings In the M anufacture of R ubber Products,
-Aifty m u .
9
In some plants earnings d ata were obtained only for workers employed on the first daylight shift This
was done to expedite the stu d y by reducing the num ber of workers for which wage d ata had to be obtained,
and by avoiding the problem of shift-differential prem ium s to the extent th a t such prem ium s were being
paid. In p lan ts where only first-shift w orkers were scheduled, information was obtained on the num ber
of workers em ployed m each occupation on the other shifts. T o tal em ploym ent b y occupation was used as
a w eighting factor m combining the d ata for any given p la n t w ith other plants. To a lim ited extent, the
procedure of sam pling wages b y occupation was em ployed to increase the rapidity w ith which the field
work could be accom plished.
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241
W ages in Rubber Tire and Tube Plants
and on the sex of the workers. General plant information of various
kinds was secured to facilitate the interpretation of the earnings
data, Information was gathered, for example, on the character of
production, general wage changes since July 1940, plant minimumwage policy, shift operation, unionization, and aggregate employment,
man-hours, and earnings for selected periods from August 1939 to
August 1942.
,
.
Virtually all plants known to be engaged in the manufacture of tires
and tubes prior to the entrance of the United States into the war were
covered by the study. A few plants employing less than 100 workers
in the past were excluded. Data also were not secured for one mediumsized plant. The influence of these omissions upon the data reported
is negligible; the labor force in these plants is estimated to represent
less than 2 percent of the total employed in the tire and tube division
in August 1942. The full scope of the study is indicated in table 1,
which shows, by region, the number of plants included in the survey,
together with total employment in these plants.
T
able
).-—Number of lir e and lube Plants and I otal Number of II orkers Covered by
Survey, by Region, August 1942
Percentage of—
Region
N um ber of
workers
plants
W orkers
P lants
A ll regions_________
32
66, 721
100
100
A kron &nd D e t r o i t ____ __- __ _________ _______
O ther Midwest- - -—
F a r W est
_ _
~ E ast
___________________
S o u th _______ _____________________________________
i8
29
45, 367
4,486
7, 764
4, 940
4,164
25
28
16
68
3 5
47
53
7
12
22
7
9
6
1 6 p lants in Akron; 2 in D etroit.
,
.
2 6 p lants in Ohio; 1 in Indiana; 1 in M ichigan; 1 m Illinois.
.
2 5 p lants in California; d ata for 1 p lan t in the F ar W est prim arily m anufacturing mechanical goods arc
not included in this table, although occupational wages for the tire-and-tube operations of this p lan t are
included in subsequent tables.
. „
,. x
,
,
,,
4 3 p lan ts in Pennsylvania; 1 in N ew York; 2 in Connecticut; 1 in M assachusetts.
« 1 p lan t in Tennessee; 1 in Alabam a; 1 in Mississippi.
As table 1 shows, the survey covered 32 plants. Fully 68 percent
of the 66,721 workers employed in these plants were found in the
Akron-Detroit area,10 and approximately 7 percent in the other Mid
west. Twelve percent of the workers were employed in plants in the
Far West, 7 percent in the East, and 6 percent in the South.
Within the limits of the survey, the occupational coverage is com
prehensive in scope. The selection of occupations for coverage was
based primarily upon two criteria: (1) The importance of an occu
pation in terms of number of workers employed, and (2) the strategic
importance of a job in the occupational structure, It is estimated
that from 80 to 90 percent of the workers engaged in the manufacture
of tires and tubes are included in the occupational data here pre
sented. Over 90 percent of the workers engaged in the production
of selected war products in tire and tube plants likewise are found
within the occupations for which wage data were collected.
In normal times, most plants in this division of the industry are
relatively homogeneous with respect to product. The requirements
10
There are too few plants in D etroit to allow separate presentation for this area. Wage levels m D etroit
in the rubber industry approxim ate Akron wage levels, and for this reason the D etroit data were combined
w ith A kron rather th an w ith the other M idwest.
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Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
of a war economy have modified this characteristic of the tire and
tube division. Greater diversification of product, as pointed out
earlier, has developed from two principal factors—(1) the ability and
readiness of some of the large plants to undertake metal-fabricating
operations and (2) the growth in output of special rubber products of
direct military use. Mechanical-goods production is important in a
few plants producing tires and tubes.
In order to make the occupational data comparable from plant to
plant, operations relating to the manufacture of metal products,
synthetic rubber, rubber products11 other than mechanical goods,
miscellaneous specialty goods, and the construction of new plant
equipment were not covered by the survey. Workers employed in
reclaiming departments operated by rubber companies were scheduled
separately, but data for reclaiming operations are not included in the
present report. In substance, the occupational data presented in this
report relate to rubber preparatory operations, tire and tube manu
facture, the production of self-sealing fuel tanks, barrage balloons,
rubber boats, pontoons, and life rafts, and plant maintenance.
A special problem obviously arose in connection with those plants
producing mechanical rubber goods in addition to tires and tubes and
special war products. Direct production jobs on mechanical goods
created no difficulty, of course, and these jobs were scheduled sepa
rately. Where there was no physical separation of preparatory and
maintenance jobs credited to the production of mechanical rubber
goods or of products falling outside the scope of the survey, the proration of employment was necessary. Data pertaining to mechani
cal-rubber-goods operations, as pointed out earlier, will be included
in a subsequent report on that branch of the industry.
Method of II age Payment
U S E OF W A G E IN C E N T IV E S
The determination of earnings on an incentive basis is found pre
dominantly in the tire and tube industry. Each of the plants repre
sented in the occupational data operated some form of incentive plan.
In the main, workers were guaranteed certain basic rates and were
rewarded in direct proportion to output, usually above a standard
production level. The particular incentive system in use varied
from plant to plant; some plants had installed the Bedaux system, but
the majority of plans were less complex.
At least 60 percent of the workers for whom occupational data
were reported were paid on an incentive basis. Approximately 95
percent of the preparatory workers and 88 percent of the workers
engaged in tire and tube processing were compensated in this manner.
About one-third of the general and maintenance workers were cov
ered by incentive plans.
The application of incentive methods to the manufacture of rubber
war products was much less advanced. In August 1942 slightly less
than 50 percent of the workers constructing fuel tanks and less" than
20 percent of the workers fabricating other war products were paid on
an incentive basis. It is likely, however, that further rationaliza
tion of production and time study will extend considerably the cover11
Such as heels and soles, drug sundries, boots and shoes, sponge-rubber products, and household goods.
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W ages in Rubber Tire and Tube Plants
243
age of incentive plans to workers on rubber war products. The effect
of the extension of incentive methods of wage payment upon the
wage structure of these divisions of the industry will undoubtedly be
substantial.
SH IF T P R A C T IC E S A N D
S H IF T D IF F E R E N T IA L S
Multishift operation has been characteristic of the tire and tube
industry for many years. All of the plants covered by the wage
survey reported continuous operation, 11 working four 6-hour shifts
and the remainder working three 8-hour shifts. Of the 11 plants in
which four shifts were found, 6 were in Akron, 2 in other Midwest,
2 in the East, and 1 in the Far West. In these plants, however,
substantial numbers of workers were employed on a 3-shift basis,
usually in the departments devoted to special war products. It is
estimated that only one-third of the workers in the industry were
employed on the first daylight shift.
The payment of shift differentials is not common practice in the
industry. Only 4 of the 32 plants covered granted premium pay to
workers on night shifts. These 4 plants are relatively small, and it is
estimated that not more than 1,500 workers received shift-premium
pay at the time of the wage survey.
O V E R T IM E -P A Y M E N T PR A C T IC E S
Although 36 hours constituted the standard workweek for a substan
tial portion of the industry at the time of the wage survey, each
company included in the study reported the payment of time and a
half for hours in excess of 8 per day and 40 per week.
,
Occupational Earnings August 1942
The basic information obtained in this survey consists of hourly
earnings, exclusive of overtime premium pay or shift-differential pre
miums, for a comprehensive group of occupations in rubber prepara
tion, tire and tube processing, self-sealing fuel tank, and inflatable
rubber war products fabrication, and in service and maintenance.12
Occupational wage information is here shown for nearly two-thirds of
the total number of workers employed in the plants scheduled. The
data reflect earnings as of August 1942.
C H A R A C TER OF O C C U PA T IO N A L W A G E D A TA
In reporting occupational wage data, every effort was made to
classify occupations on the basis of duties performed and not merely
on the basis of job titles. Field representatives of the Bureau were
provided with an occupational glossary for general guidance in the
reporting of occupational data. It is believed that in this way reason
able uniformity of reporting was obtained from plant to plant.
It should be recognized, however, that many occupations are likely
to vary from plant to plant in terms of specific duties and responsiThese occupational d ata relate to 33 plants rather th an to only the 32 p lants for which general information
has been provided. The additional p lan t is engaged prim arily in the m anufacture of mechanical rubber
goods, b u t occupations in the tire and tube departm ent of this plant were scheduled separately, and prepara
tory and m aintenance occupations were prorated between tire and mechanical-rubber-goods production.
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Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
bilities, despite tlieir basic comparability. Some occupations are more
affected by the factor of variability than others. The duties of Ban
bury mixers, for example, are quite similar from plant to plant; the
duties of hand truckers, on the other hand, may vary considerably.
In small plants, millmen may be employed during the same workweek,
or even the same day, on different types of mills. In tire processing,
a worker in one plant may perform tasks that are divided among two
or more workers in another plant.
Another type of problem often encountered in occupational wage
studies may be illustrated by the case of tire builders. Tire building
is a clear-cut occupation. Although there may have been some point
iu segregating tire builders broadly by size of tire, inquiry indicated
that such an approach would have been wholly impractical at the
time of the wage survey, since many tire builders were constructing
various sizes of tires during the workweek. The earnings here
shown for tire builders therefore simply reflect the average earnings
of such workers, irrespective of tire size. Similarly, no distinction
was made between mixing millmen on 60- and 84-inch mills.
Care often must be exercised in a wage study to keep the data in
manageable form. For example, considerable numbers of machine
operators’ helpers are employed in the rubber industry. These
workers are distributed among many occupations, and to have shown
them separately by occupation would have greatly increased the
number of table entries. These workers, for the most part, were
grouped. Data on learners by occupation were obtained, but, except
in a few instances, such workers were combined into general learner
classifications.
I hese comments are designed to indicate the limitations inherent
in any industry-wide study of occupational wages. It is never
possible to introduce all of the refinements that suggest themselves
during the course of a survey. To do so, as a matter of fact, would
prove more confusing than helpful. What can be done, and what
this report attempts to do, is to show earnings data for a large number
of occupations capable of relatively precise definition and found
widely throughout the industry. Such data should reveal the nature
of the wage structure of the industry.
AVERAGE HOURLY EARNINGS RY OCCUPATION, AUGUST 1942
A summary of the data obtained on wages by occupation in tire
and tube plants is shown in table 2. Average hourly earnings, exclu
sive of overtime premium pay or shift premiums, amounted to
approximately $1.04 in August 1942 for all of the workers for whom
data on earnings by occupation were obtained. Since the occupa
tional coverage was broad and representative, this single figure
dependably reflects the general level of straight-time hourly earnings
in the industry. Even the summary data shown in table 2, however,
serve to reveal the wide range within which earnings move. Thus,
all male workers averaged $1.12 an hour; the average for all woman
wage earners was approximately 76 cents. Male workers engaged
in rubber preparation averaged nearly $1.16 an hour in the industry
as a whole; the average for these workers was $1.28 in the AkronDetroit. area and about 73 cents in the southern region.
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245
It ages in Rubber Tire and Tube Plants
T a b l e 2 . — Average
Hourly Earnings 1 in Tire and Tube Plants, by Plant Division, Sex,
and Region, August 1942
Average hourly earnings in—
Division and sex
U nited AkronStates D e tro it
$1.037
All workers
.
_ _
1.120
___ - - - ___ . M ales
.758
Fem ales______________________________________
$1.138
1. 245
8.01
1.155
1.166
1.229
.843
1.003
1.016
.718
.937
1.046
.760
1.281
1.279
1.366
.899
1.109
1.125
.768
1.106
1. 215
.854
.766
1.021
.702
.796
1.047
.728
R ubber preparation (m ales)_______________________
T ire and tu b e processing__________________________
M ales
-..
________
Females
_
General, service, and m aintenance_________________
M ales
.
__- _
Fem ales________________ _ ---------------------------Self-sealing fuel tan k fabrication------------- -------------M ales
Females
Barrage balloons and other inflatable rubber fabric
products
M ales
Fern ales
Other
M id
west
Far
W est
E ast
$0. 967
1.002
.728
$0.880
.954
.713
$0. 930
.979
.640
$0,714
.748
. 535
1. 127
1.049
1.077
1.041
1.101
1.106
.769
.759
.831 . .926
.952
.843
.603
.706
.796
(2)
.861
.716
.978
1.042
1.093
.712
.813
.819
.588
(2)
.727
.778
.800
.558
.676
.680
.530
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
South
(2)
1 T he average hourly earnings shown in this table are exclusive of prem ium overtime pay and shiftdifferential premiums.
2 N um ber of workers and/or p lants too few to justify com putation of averages. T he earnings d ata have
been included in th e totals for the U nited States and for th e region.
The detailed occupational wage data are shown in tables 3 and 4.
Table 3 shows occupational average hourly earnings by region and
sex for workers in three broad plant divisions: rubber preparation,
tire and tube processing, and general, service, and maintenance. The
number of workers in each occupation could not be shown because of
necessary restrictions on the disclosure of certain types of information
in time of war. Instead, the total number of workers in each division
was taken as 100 percent, and the number of workers in each occupa
tion was expressed as a percentage of this total. It is thus possible
to indicate the relative importance of various kinds of workers in the
occupational structure of a given plant division. Calender operators,
for example, comprised 7.2 percent of the workers in rubber prepara
tion; 26.9 percent of the workers in tire and tube processing were tire
builders.
Occupational wages in the fabrication of specified rubber waxproducts made in tire and tube plants are shown in table 4. It should
be clear, of course, that a portion of the workers in rubber preparation
and general and maintenance (table 3) was engaged in preparing
stock or maintaining plant and equipment for the production of
barrage balloons and other war products.
All of the rubber-preparation workers for whom data are shown
in table 3 are men. The average straight-time hourly earnings of
these workers amounted to almost $1.16 in August 1942. In the
individual occupations, earnings for experienced workers ranged
from 99.7 cents for compound sifters to $1.55 for spreaders. The
relatively small group of learners averaged 59.5 cents an hour.
Calender operators, a highly skilled group, averaged $1.34. The
average earnings of workers in three occupations containing 43.9
percent of the workers—calender operators’ helpers, mixing millmen,
and warm-up millmen—fell in the narrow range of from $1.12 to $1.16.
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246
Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
It lias already been pointed out that practically all workers engaged
in rubber preparation were paid on an incentive basis. The most
skilled jobs probably are calendering and spreading, with spreaders
subject to more unpleasant working conditions because of the presence
of fumes from solvents. The other jobs, on the whole, require moder
ate skill and considerable physical effort.
Earnings in the Akron-Detroit area for preparatory workers as a
group were consistently above earnings for preparatory workers in
the other regions. The general level in the Far West was about 15
cents lower than the level in Akron-Detroit; in the other Midwest
about 22 cents lower; in the East 30 cents lower; and in the South 55
cents lower. These differences reflect to some extent differences in
occupational structure from region to region; spreaders, for example,
were found only in Akron-Detroit.
More than 83 percent of the workers engaged in tire and tube proc
essing in August 1942 were men. Hourly earnings of all processing
workers, male and female, amounted to almost $1.17. The level of
earnings of processing workers was heavily affected by the earnings
of male tire builders, who constituted about 27 percent of the labor
force and whose earnings averaged $1.36 an hour.
The earnings of male processing workers alone averaged $1.23;
female employees averaged approximately 84 cents. The range in
earnings among experienced male workers was from 88.4 cents for
class C inspectors to more than $1.37 for tire mold handlers And solid
tire builders. Tire builder learners 13 averaged 73.5 cents and other
male learners, 69.5 cents. Hourly earnings for experienced male
employees averaged less than $1.00 in oidy 5 occupations, and these
occupations contained only 3 percent of all male workers. The earn
ings of experienced women ranged from 68 cents for the handful of
tire builders 14 to almost 94 cents for band builders. As in the case
of preparatory workers, the greater part of the processing workers
(about 88 percent) were paid on an incentive basis.
The general level of earnings in the processing division in the
Akron-Detroit area was $1.28, as compared with almost $1.08 in the
Far West, about $1.04 in other Midwest and the East, and approxi
mately 78 cents in the South.
The workers grouped in the general, service, and maintenance cate
gory averaged almost exactly $1.00 an hour in August 1942 (table 3).
Male workers earned an average hourly wage of approximately $1.02,
while the small group of woman workers averaged almost 72 cents.
Among the experienced male workers, hourly earnings ranged from
79.6 cents for janitors to $1.24 for rubber-cement mixers. Average
earnings for class A carpenters and electricians, sheet-metal workers,
tool and die makers, and machine repairmen fell within the very nar
row range of from $1,178 to $1,190. Hand truckers, who comprised
15 percent of the workers in this division, averaged $1.00 an hour.
About one-third of the workers in the general, service, and mainte
nance group were paid on an incentive basis.
The general level of earnings for the workers in this division in
Akron-Detroit was approximately $1.11. This compares with a
level of about 93 cents in the Far West, 83 cents in other Midwest,
81 cents in the East, and about 68 cents in the South.
13 1, e., less th an 3 m onths of experience.
14 W om an tire builders are employed principally on bicycle tires.
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247
W ages in Rubber Tire and Tube Plants
T a b l e 3 — Average
Hourly Earnings 1 in Tire and Tube Industry, by Division, Occupa
tion, Sex, and Region, August 1942
AkronD etroit
U nited
States
Division, occupation,
and sex
P er
cent
of
work
ers
Aver P er
age
iour- cent
ly
earn work
ers
ings
Other M id
west
Aver P er
age
lour- cent
of
iy
earn work
ers
ings
F ar W est
Aver P er
age cent
louriy
earn work
ers
ings
South
E ast
Aver P e r
age cent
hour of
ly
earn work
ers
ings
Aver P er
age
hour cent
of
ly
earn work
ers
ings
Aver
age
hour
ly
earn
ings
Preparatory processes
All workers: M ales-------Bale openers----------------B anbu ry m ixers-----------C alender operators-------C alender operators, helpCom pound sifter opera
tors_________________
Learners, miscellaneous-.
M illmen, break-dow n —
M illm en, m ixing_______
M illm en, sheeting--------M illm en, w arm -up-------M illm en, w ashing______
P lasticator tenders-------R ubber com pounders---R ubber cu tters------------Spreaders---------------------
100.0 SI. 155 100.0 SI. 281 100.0 51.049 100.0 51.127 100.0 to. 978 100.0 50. 727
1.7 1.038
2. 3 . 940
9.1 1.128
7.2 1.339
2.0 1.153
6. 7 1.243
6.6 1.450
.9 .750
19.3 1.103
8.3 1.156
10. 6 1.083
11 .2 1.348
14.3 1.145
12.9 1. 273
17.2 1.014
19.3 1.139
1 173
6
4 3 L 100
14. 7 1 . 120
8 2 1.090
14. 9 1 . 162
2. 5 1.014
1 2 1 . 061
9. 8 1.113
1.6 1.030
5AV
13.0
8.5
16.0
2.0
.9
10.7
1.4
. 736
1.275
1.193
1.223
1.248
1. 107
1.223
1.207
1.185
1 552
1.3
898
2.1
21.2
1. 131
1.042
4.3 1.012
9/8 1 . 020
4.3 (*)
1.9 .904
6.8 1.028
.929
2.6
3.5 .873
7.8 .987
5.9 1.231
14.3
.957
. 577
. 5 ( 2)
24.2 1.027
8.4 . 860
14. 1 1.067
8.6
.8
17.0
7.0
20.6
3.4
1.4
6. 7
.3
(2).
1.128
1.107
1.086
.968
1.077
1 . 066
(2)
1.6 1.019
9.2 1.113
1.9 .907
. 521
9.5 .854
6.3 1.032
6.0
13.9
.840
2.2
.577
.503
.594
. 619
. 746
. 815
. 617
GO
. 663
.046
4.4
11 . 1
2.8
13.9
10.4
4. 4
.9
12.0
2.2
Tire and tube processing
All w orkers____________
100.0
1.166 100.0 1.279 100.0 1.041 100.0 1.077 100.0 1.042 100.0
1. 229 81.4 1.366 81.4 1.106 92.8 1.101 86.5 1.093 90.9
1.2 1. 157
1. 7
2. 0 1.071
.5 1. 1 1 1
1.400
1.169
5.2
5.9 .948
6.0 1.014
4. 7 1. 015
2.3 1. 269
1 . 060
1.096
.
2
.
7
1.030
. 940
.6
.2 1.262
1.132
.3
.9 1.015
. i (2)
. 1 (-’)
. 977
1.2 1.028
.8
1. 5 .973
.3 1.053
1.036
.3 1. 259
.6
.5 .934
.4 1.033
. 3 1. 040
1.164
. 5 1.302
83. 7
M ale w orkers__________
.9
Air-bag extractors---3. 5
B and builders--------3
Bead builders--------.2
Bead coverers______
.5
Bead flippers---------.5
Bead-wire insulators.
Bias-m achine opera
2
1 1.201
to rs___, --------------1.3 1 . 161
Buffers____________
Creel ten d ers_______
Foremen, working:
. 5 1.281
Class A ________
2. 8 1.250
Class B ________
1.128
.2
G um d ip p ers---------H elpers, m achine op
1.245
5.9
erators—
1 . 2 1.213
Inner-tube builders. _
1.8 1.218
Inner-tube curers---Inner-tube inflators
.913
.2
and deflaters------1.8 1.159
Inner-tube sp licers... _
Inspectors:
_8 1 265
Class A ________
4 2 1. 181
Class B ________
884
Class C ________
Learners, miscellane
1
695
ous _____________
2.2 1. 28S
Pot-heater te n d e rs...
Slitting-machine op
1 .17C
erators___________
Soapstoners-----------.( 1. 37"
Solid-tire builders—
parers______
Splicers______
Tire balancers.
Tire builders. _
Tire shapers-----Tire w rappers—
Tread splicers__
Trim m ers, h an d .
.
1.
26
5
2.
1. ZOt.
.931
1. 22,
1 35c
73.
1. 37
1. 35(
1.22
1.18
1. 10 )
1- 5 1.20
T ube cu tte rs..
-See fo o tn o te s a t end of tab le.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
.856
.735
(2)
. 962
1.031
2. 5
.i
•
. 962
(2)
2.0
.894
3.3
.746
1.8
1.198
.9
. 824
. 1 (2)
.5 1.134
1. 5
. 76 i
1.6
1.2
4.1
.
(2)
. 825
. 766
2.S
.2
.622
(2)
.
2.
.705
. 720
3.6 1.083
.4 .873
3.0 1.059
.4 (2)
. 4 (2)
2.6
2.0
.3 1.429
3.7 1. 326
. 1 1.325
.1
1.3
(2)
.860
(2)
2 . 1 1.165
.880
1.2
1.1
.6
.2
7.7 1.335
1.4 1.301
1. 5 1.337
4.7
.918
2.8
.976
4.6 1.081
.811
1. 1
.3 (2)
1 . 1 1.109
. 1 1.117
2.1 1.264
1.5
.740
.941
1.4 1.053
.1
1.8
(2)
(2)
. 6 1. 386
4.6 1.289
(3)
4.5
.958
(2)
2.6 1. 077
l.S .856
1.6 1.139
2.4 1.000
.920
1.0 . 787
1.4 1.381
3.
1.162
2.2 . 627
5.8 1. 273
4.6 .638
4.9 1. 246
.1 1.251
1 31i
%< 1.38,
.
1.109
. 76
(2)
.
1.14,
l.S
1. 27(
23.
1.46
. 88
5.
1.44
3. ;
1.47
1.29
\)
1.28
i
1.22 i
1. 0
S
1. 1.34 3
1.
27.
2
6.
2.
!
(2)
.91,
1.033
1.29:
1.15(
1.12
. 99
.84
. 90
.91
(2)
(2)
. 791
1.8
1.2
1.088
.930
.7 1.166
1. 7 1.356
1.5 1.290
1 244
.1
.778
.800
. 690
. 688
.7 1.091
6.1
.
28.
3.
3a
5.
2.
1.01(
.99,
1.243
(2)
1.13
1. 32
(2)
(2)
(2)
1.03 i
.
.1
3.
28.
2.
3.
1.
1.
.943
.846
.634
4.
. 965
. 85C _____ —
.948
1.211 24.
. 610
. 683 17.
1.
1. 155
(2)
. 932
2.
1.201
1.19(
(2)
2
687
1.293
5 (2)
(2)
1. 5 .761
1.01(
24a
Monthly Lahor Review— February 1943
Hourly Earnings 1in Tire and Tube Industry, by Division, Occupa
tion, Sex, and Region, August 1942—Continued
T a b l e 3. — Average
U nited
States
Division, occupation,
and sex
Percent
of
work .
ers
AkronD etroit
O ther Midwest
r a r w est
b ast
South
Aver Per- Aver
Aver
Aver
Aver
Average Per- age Per- age
age
age
hour- cent hour cent hour cent hour cent hour cent hour
of
of
of
of
of
iy work
iy work
ly work
ly work
ly
ly
work
earn ers earn
ers earn
ers earn ers earn ers earn
ings
ings
ings
ings
ings
ings
C ontinued
M ale workers—Con.
Tube-m achine c
ators:
Inner tu b e.._
T read ______
Valve assem blers. _
Vulcanizers, mise
laneous________
tenders.
Female workers__
.
B and builders.
Bead builders..
Bead coverers..
Bead flippers. _
Bias-machine
operators_______
Creel te n d e rs..
erators______
Inner-tube b u ild e rs..
Inner-tube inflators
and deflators_____
Inner-tube sp licers...
Inspectors and testers
Learners, miscellane
ous______________
Skivers____________
Splicers____________
Tire builders_______
Trim m ers, h a n d ____
Valve assemblers___
0.
$1.184
1.223
1.069
1.064
1.
.£ 1.240
0.4
.7
.2
.J
$1.45
1.41!
1. 29fc
1. 426
2.7 $1.051
1.081
.
.937
.
. 98C
2.8
1. 1 1.346
1.249
1.2
1.418
16.3
3.1
.2
.7
18.6
4. (
.1
1.2
.843
.937
.833
.859
.841
1.4
.899
.966
(2)
.901
.880
18.6
.1
.1
.9
.9
.5
.2
.936
.887
.6
.2
.920
.885
1. 2
.8
.3
.880
. 768
1. 1
.2
.895
(2)
.7
2.0
.1
.3
3.2
.753
.857
.800
.1
.3
4.1
(2)
.954
.819
3.8
1.2
.2
.610
.811
.897
. 680
.752
.836
.4
.2
4.4
.676
.842
.930
2.1
.1
.4
(2)
.926
3.5
.3
.7
1.0
O.t $1. 033
.1 1.144
1.
.988
.4 1. 204
.7
1.8
3.3
.5
.1
.5
0.7 $1.094
2.3 1 . 10£
.3 .923
1.0
.915
1.7 1.277
.5
1.2
.1
.5
.759
(2)
(2)
.710
.676
(2)
......
7.2
.769
1.0
(2)
.9
.802
.2
(2)
.781
.669
.756
.783
.758
0
.753
.723
.638
(2)
.751
(2)
3.9 1.271
13.5
4.5
.712
.793
.2
1.4
(2)
.739
1.3
.804
5.0
.968
9. 1
.558
.2
3
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
.6
(2)
.2
.650
.525
.652
.1
.1
.3
.540
6.0
.526
0
1.4
(2)
4
.3
(2)
(2)
.800
.1
1.5
1.4
.629
2.7
1.4
.6
(2)
(2)
.9
.9
(2)
1.0
(2)
.5
.607
.7
o.< $0. 915
. 7 .874
.
(2)
.5 .737
General, service, and
maintenance
All workers___________
M ale workers____
Carpenters:
Class A ...
Class B__.
Cleaners, equipm ent.
Electricians:
Class A________
Class B _________
E levator operators___
F irem en___________
Helpers, journeym en
Janitors____________
Laborers___________
Learners, miscellane
ous______________
Loaders and unload
ers, racks and con
veyors___________
M illw rights:
Class A ________
Class B ________
Packers and craters. .
Pipefitters_________
Repairm en, machine.
Sheet-metal workers .
Stock'clerks________
100. 0 1.003 100.0 1.109 100.0
.831 100.0
.926 100.0
.813 100.0
.676
95.6 1.016
95.2 1.125
97.3
.843
92.7
.952
97.6
.819
97.0
.680
1.5 1. 178
. 6 .976
4.7 1.243
2.1
. 9S6
1.8 1.219
.2 1 . I ll
6.3 1.290
2.6 1.043
1.5
.3
.4
1.5
.978
.800
.827
1.4 1.135
.997
.977
.4
2.4
.907
.936
.871
.900
.2
4.2
(2)
.873
.791
.587
2.5 1.188
2.6
.2
1.239
1.133
.942
1. 229
1.003
.895
1.006
2.2
.8
.6
1.002
3.5
3.6
10.7
4.0
.914
1 . 062
.867
.796
.827
9.7
3.2
2.5
.708
1.6
1. 8
2.7 1.132
.9
.5
2. 1
3. 3
10. 2
.7
9.8
1.096
.891
1. 036
1.158
1.187
1.190
1.041
See footnotes at end of table.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
4.8
1.3
1.8
1. 1
3.9
3.4
12.6
8.8
.886
1. 055
.947
.702
.901
.755
.690
.705
.839 —
.4
(2)
.8 1.204
. 1 .955
1.8 1 . 228
.7
.771
.723
.780
1.069
.982
(2)
.824
3.3 1.215
1.238
.7 1. 249
8.5 1.196
.2
1.3
4.8
3.8
10.1
.8
14. 2
0
4.0 1.187
1.8 1.029
1.3 .805
3.0 1.128
4.2 .949
12.0
.794
1.0
(2)
7.1
3.5 1.206
11.0
2.0
.7
.8
.9
1.5 1.008
2.0
.945
2.2
.701
3.2 .775
14.5 .774
10.6
.673
4.4 .745
.5
1.2
2.3
1.9
1.0
.4
3.9
14.3
7.6
.993
.934
f2)
.980
.769
. 482
.480
5.7
.507
.7
.693
4.7
.640
(2)
2.2
.789
1.8
.618
1.4 1.004
2.3 .963
.6 .863
2.6 1.037
5.7 1.011
.4 1.050
13.3 .873
2.3
.979
.882
.768
.967
. 959
.980
.781
.5 1.080
5.0 .848
2. 1 1.199
13.7 1.165
. 1 (2)
9.6 .926
1.1
.7
4.3
5.1
.7
u re i
249
Wages in Rubber Tire and l ube Riants
T
able
Hourly Earnings 1in Tire and Tube Industry, by Division, Occupa
tion, Sex, and Region, August 1942—Continued
3.-—Average
U nited
States
Division, occupation,
and sex
P er
cent
of
work
ers
Aver
age
hour
ly
earn
ings
AkronD etroit
Per
cent
of
work
ers
Aver
age
hour
ly
earn
ings
O ther M id
west
P er
cent
of
w ork
ers
Aver
age
hour
ly
earn
ings
Far W est
Per
cent
of
w ork
ers
Aver
age
hour
ly
earn
ings
E ast
P er
cent
of
work
ers
South
Aver
age
hour
ly
earn
ings
P er
cent
of
work
ers
Aver
age
hour
ly
earn
ings
General, service, and maintenance—C ontinued
M ale workers—Con.
Tim e clerks___ _____
Tool and die m a k e rs..
T ru ck d r iv e r s .____
Truckers, h a n d _____
Truckers, pow er____
W atchm en. ________
Fem ale workers..... ............
Janito rs__ . . ___
Learners, miscellaneOUS-_.
P ackers.. _____ ___
Stock clerks_________
Tim e clerks
0.9 $1. 036
.4 1.184
1. 1 1.018
15.0 1.001
4.3 1.191
5.6 .924
4.4
1.6
.4
.6
1. 1
y
1.0 $1.117
.2 1.317
1. 1 1 . 118
1.2 $1. Ì34
.863
1.8
15. 7 1.116
6. 1 1.224
5.3 1. 035
12.3
.2
9.2
1.2
0
.8 $1. 213
1.5 .888
.853
.745
.740
5.1
. 889
.982
.881
9.6
.6
0.7 $0. 606
.6 1.067
1.5 .893
.847
11.0
.845
2.6
5.1 .672
1.9 $0. 882
.2
.975
.2
.590
21.6
.592
.6
(2)
5.2 . 742
.718
. 710
4.8
.768
. 729
2.7
1.0
.706
.597
7.3
1.4
. 603
.725
2.4
.9
.588
. 568
3.0
2.0
. 557
.728
.754
.765
.1
.4
1.4
.9
.515
.824
.803
. 797
1.7
.768
2.5
1.3
(2)
.548
(2)
.2
1.1
.2
(2)
.643
. 540
1.4
.1
2.1
.2
.2
1. 1
. 530
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
0
1 The average hourly earnings shown in this table are exclusive of prem ium overtime pay and shiftdifferential premiums.
2 N um ber of plants insufficient to justify th e com putation of an average.
3 Less th a n a te n th of 1 percent.
E A R N IN G S IN F A B R IC A T IO N O F R U B B E R W A R PR O D U C T S
Tabic 4 shows straight-time average hourly earnings by occupation,
sex, and region for workers engaged in the fabrication in tire and tube
plants of self-sealing fuel tanks and inflatable rubber war products.
Data can be shown only for Akron-Detroit, Far West, and for the
three other regions combined.
In the fabrication of fuel tanks, 62 percent of the workers were
males and 38 percent females. Average hourly earnings for all
workers amounted to 93.7 cents in August 1942—approximately
$1.05 for men and 76 cents for women. About 12 percent of the
total number of workers were classified as learners, and the existence
of this appreciable proportion of learners served to depress some
what the general level of earnings.
Among the male workers, stock cutters, metal-fuel-tank coverers,
and builders averaged $1.19, $1.21, and $1.18 an hour, respectively.
In only 2 male occupations, buffer and curer, were average earnings
less than $1.00 an hour. Female builders, who constituted almost
22 percent of the labor force, average 80.3 cents an hour. It should
be noted that fuel tanks are of various sizes and shapes, and the
duties of builders differ in difficulty and responsibility. These dif
ferences may help to explain the wide spread between the earnings
of male and of female builders. About half of the workers engaged in
fuel-tank fabrication were being paid on an incentive basis at the
time of the wage survey.
The hourly earnings of fuel-tank fabricators as a group amounted
to more than $1.10 in Akron-Detroit, almost 80 cents in the Far
West, and about 70 cents elsewhere. Fuel-tank production outside
of Akron-Detroit and the Far West is of distinctly minor importance.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
250
Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
T a b l e 4 . —Average
Hourly Earnings 1 in Fabrication of Specified Rubber War Products,
lir e and Tube Industry, by Product, Occupation, Sex, and Region, August 1942
U nited States A kron-D etroit
Product, occupation, and sex
F ar W est
All other areas
P er Aver Per Aver P er Aver Per Aver
cent
age
cent
age
cent
age
cent
age
of
hourly
of
hourly
of
hourly
of
hourly
work earn work earn w ork earn work earn
ers
ings
ers
ings
ers
ings
ers
ings
Fuel tanks: All w orkers_____
M ale workers____ _____
Buffers
. .
B uilders_______
Builders, learn ers... . _
Curers__ _________
Finishers
. _
Forem an, working _
Form builders. _ .
Inspectors and testers
__ _
Learners, miscellaneous _ .
M etal-fuel-tank coverers.. _
Repairm en, ta n k s, ,
R epairm en, tanks, learners___
Stock cutters. _ . .
Female w o rk ers..
Builders .
Builders, learners. ..
Foremen, working ..
Inspectors and testers .
Learners, miscellaneous
M etal-fuel-tank coverers .
Repairm en, tanks
Repairm en, tanks, learners
Stock cutters. . . .
100.0 $0. 937
62.0 1.046
.9
.893
14.0 1.182
3.8
.719
2.8
.967
7.2 1.095
2.4 1.073
1. 1 1.104
9.9 1.088
3.2
.687
3.4 1.215
9.5 1.051
2. 1
.618
1. 7 1.186
38.0
.760
21.8
.803
5.3
.623
.4
.828
1.5
.778
1.3
.615
.3
. 742
2.8
.762
1. 2
.621
3.4
.786
100. 0 $1.106
69.9 1. 215
.3 1.097
18.7 1.311
.6
(2)
1.5 1.208
10.6 1.180
1.6 1.244
1.0
(2)
14.4 1.154
. 2 1. 080
6. 5 1. 251
11.7
(2)
Barrage balloons, rubber boats, pontoons,
life belts, and rafts: All workers
M ale w orkers... _
Assemblers__________
Buffers____ __ _ . . .
C urers________
Fabric c u tters_________
Foremen, w orking___
Inspectors and te sters... .
Learners. _ . . .
Rope splicers and servers .
Female workers
Assemblers.
Cementers, h a n d . . . ___
Fabric c u tte rs .. _____
Inspectors and testers___
Lay-up g irls._ _________ . . . .
L earn ers... .
M arkers___ ______
100.0
19.9
8. 3
1. 2
1.0
2.6
.9
.8
3.6
1.5
80.1
54.0
2.5
.9
1.6
.6
19.9
.6
.766
1.021
1.035
.935
1. 255
1.019
1.243
1.066
.865
1.075
.702
.754
.571
.648
.703
. 651
. 581
. 691
100.0 $0. 796
55.4
.861
1.5
.857
10.8
.966
7.1
. 701
3.9
.890
3.6
. 943
3.1
.993
1.2 1. 035
5. 7
.956
5.8
.687
2.8
30.1
22.4
.3
.1
1.9
.1
1.268
.854
.871
(2)
(2)
.821
(2)
7.9
4. 2
.6
44.6
30.4
10. 5
.8
1. 3
2. 1
.920
. 615
(2>
. 716
.758
.630
(2)
(2)
. 640
5.3
.806
6.0
2. 2
1.3
. 762
. 638
«
100.0
21. 2
9. 4
1. 1
1. 1
2.8
1.0
.9
3. 3
1.6
78. 8
60.4
.796
1 047
1.036
. 958
1 277
1. 031
1.248
1. 066
. 960
1. 082
. 728
.757
(3)
(a)
.6
1.4
.6
15. 6
.2
. 661
.752
. 674
615
100.0
50.1
.4
1.3
2.9
3.4
9.6
2. 2
1. 6
7. 5
6. 7
6 5
4. 9
9 9
.9
49.9
27. 7
3. 8
$0. 697
. 788
(2)
(2)
(2)
.799
. 786
.940
(2)
. 860
. 611
Q02
(2)
(2)
(2)
. 605
.614
(2)
.2
5.6
6.1
(2)
(2)
.742
1. 8
4.7
(2)
.674
100.0
in ft
. 551
9 1
4
1 Fi
.2
5 ft
.6
ftQ ?
6. 5
90 ft
ft 3
2. 9
3.8
1^21)
«04
(2)
121
. 930
^3Q
. 585
571
. 534
\121)
.639
' T h ° ? T e ra g e i1 0urly earnings shown in this table are exclusive of prem ium overtime pay and shiftdifferential premiums.
2 N um ber of plants insufficient to justify the com putation of an average.
3 D ata for a small departm ent of 1 p lan t in the F ar W est engaged in the fabrication of inflatable war
products were combined w ith “ all other areas.”
Table 4 indicates that 80 percent of the workers engaged in fabri
cating barrage balloons, rubber boats, pontoons, life belts, and life
rafts were women. It was originally intended to present data sepa
rately for some of these inflatable rubber products, but this did not
prove feasible. It is not believed that the data are distorted by the
combination that proved necessary.
Average hourly earnings of all workers, male and female, amounted
to 76.6 cents in August 1942; male workers averaged about $1.02
and female workers 70 cents. The level of earnings for women was
pulled down measurably by the large proportion of learners (about
20 percent) on the pay rolls at the time of the wage survey. Moreover,
less than 20 percent of the workers on inflatable rubber products were
being paid on an incentive basis in August 1942.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Wages in Rubber Tire and rube Plants
251
The most numerous group of experienced workers on inflatable
rubber war products, female assemblers, averaged 75.4 cents an hour;
male assemblers averaged $1,035. As in the case of fuel tanks,
differences in duties probably exist between men and women in this
occupation.
V A R IA T IO N S IN R E G IO N A L W A G E L E V E L S
Inspection of the data in tables 3 and 4 indicates that appreciable
variations existed in August 1942 in regional wage levels in the tire
and tube division of the industry. A more precise measure of the
extent of these variations is given in this section.
It should first be pointed out, however, that the level of wages in
the Akron area for many years has exceeded wage levels in tire and
tube manufacture in other parts of the country. This fact appears
clearly in the study of wages in this industry division made by the
Bureau in 1923. The differences prevailing in 1923 in regional wage
levels are shown in the following tabulation,15 which gives average
hourly earnings in identical occupations in four areas, expressed as
percentages of the Akron average in 1923. At that time there were
no tire plants in the South, and the development of the industry on
the west coast was just getting under wav.
Percent of
Akron wage level,
ms
100. 0
A kron________________________________
Ohio (except Akron) an d M ich ig an-----In d ian a an d W isconsin---------- — __ —
C onnecticut, M assachusetts, New Y ork
N ew Jersey a n d P e n n sy lv an ia--------------
84.
70.
78.
73.
7
8
2
9
The Bureau’s 1940 questionnaire survey of wages in the rubber
industry yielded regional comparisons on a plant basis; that is, the
average earnings of all workers in the plants in a given area can be
compared with the average earnings of all workers in the plants in
other areas. This comparison is not so precise as one based upon
common occupations and an assumed identity of occupational struc
ture from region to region. For the 1940 period, however, usable
comparisons can be made on this latter basis, since the plants in the
industry were, with a few noteworthy exceptions, reasonably homo
geneous as to product. The tabulation below shows the relation of
plant wage levels in other areas to the level existing in the AkronDetroit area in May 1940.1(3
Percent of
Akron-Detroit wage level,
M ay 1940
A kron-D etroit_
O ther M idw est
C alifornia____
E a s t__________
S o u th ________
____ too. 0
_____
_____
____
_____
73.
87.
73.
57.
1
7
1
1
In an effort to measure regional variations in wages in August 1942
with as much precision as possible, a group of 21 occupations was
chosen from the list of occupations shown in table 3 for rubber prcp15 The tab u latio n was constructed by first obtaining an average of occupational wages m Akron. Aver
ages for th e other areas shown in the 1923 stu d y were obtained by weighting wages for each occupation m
each area b v th e num ber of workers in th a t occupation in Akron plants. The purpose of this form of w eight
ing is to elim inate the influence of differences in regional occpational structures on the wage averages
The basic data used m ay be found in U. S. B ureau of Labor Statistics B ulletin No. 358, table A (pp. 16-251.
16 M onthly Labor Review, June 1941 (p. 1494).
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252
Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
aration, tire and tube processing, and service and maintenance. Each
of these occupations is found in all five areas for which data are shown
in table 3, and the duties associated with each occupation are clear
cut and vary little from plant to plant.17 Straight-time average hourly
earnings in each of these occupations were weighted in each area by
the number of workers employed in the occupation in the AkronDetroit area. It was assumed, in other words, that each occupation
had the same relative importance in the other areas as in the AkronDetroit area. In this manner, an average of the earnings in the 21
occupations in August 1942 was computed for each area. The rela
tionships thus developed are shown in the following tabulation:
Percent of
A la on-Detroit wage level,
August 1942
A k ro n -D etro it________________________________
100. 0
O ther M id w est____
_
_ ___ ____
_ 83. 0
F a r W est___________________________________________
85.9
E a s t---------------------------------------------------------------------------80.9
S o u th --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 63.7
These data indicate that tire and tube wage levels in August 1942
in the other Midwest, Far West, and East were from about 81 percent
to 86 percent of the Akron-Detroit level, and that the southern wage
level was approximately 64 percent of this level.
Undoubtedly these variations are due to some extent to differences
in size of city and differences in size of plant as well as to broader
regional factors. In general, wages tend to be higher in large cities
and large plants than in small ones. On the whole, plants in the
other Midwest, the East, and South are in relatively small communi
ties and tend to be somewhat smaller in size than the plants in otherareas. Xo effort is made in this report to analyze the various
aspects of the regional differential problem.
, ,
Trend of Employment Flours and Earnings From 1939 to 1942
For the 32 plants in the tire and tube division, data were secured on
total employment, man-hours, and pay rolls for representative pay
roll periods in 6 selected months from 1939 to 1942. Table 5 shows
employment, average weekly earnings, average weekly hours, aver
age hourly earnings including overtime premium payments for these
six periods, and estimates of straight-time average hourly earnings.
These figures provide a rough general picture of the trend in em
ployment, hours, and earnings in the industry from 1939 to 1942.
Certain limitations are inherent in combined earnings data of the
type shown in table 5. Comparison of one period with another, or
even of one region with another, may be affected by changes or dif
ferences in occupational patterns. Thus, considerable differences
exist between the occupational structure for the industry as a whole
in the 1942 periods and in the 1939—
41 periods. In addition to new
occupations and appreciable change in the sex composition of the
labor force, the proportion of learners was certainly greater in the
1942 periods than in the earlier years. It must be remembered,
moreover, that even in normal times some of these plants manufacture
products other than tires and tubes, and the wages paid to the workers
on these other products are included within the aggregate figures.
17 These 21 carefully selected occupations contained 22.4 percent of the workers in rubber preparation
tire and tube processing, and service and maintenance.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
253
Wages in Rubber l ire and Tube Plants
As pointed out earlier, product diversification lias increased as a
result of the war. Despite these limitations, the material in table 5
is the most convenient and useful summary available of the trend of
employment and pay rolls in the industry division.
T a b l e 5.'—Number
of Workers mid Average Hours and Earnings, in Tire and Tube
Plants, by Region, August 1939—August 1942
M onth and year
A ver A ver
Em
age
age
ploy weekly weekly
m ent earn hours
ings
Average
hourly
earnings
w ith
punitive
overtime
E sti
m ated
straighttim e
average
hourly
earnings
E sti
m ated
Aver A ver Average
hourly straightEm
age
earnings
age
time
ploy weekly weekly
w ith
m ent earn hours punitive average
hourly
ings
overtime earnings
A kron-D etroit
U nited States
A ugust 1939_____
July 1940_______
January 1941
Ju ly 1941_______
June 1942 ____
A ugust 1942_____
49,162 $33. 51
49, 878 32. 77
56, 809 36. 63
64,101 39. 26
60, 214 44. 50
, 721 46.17
66
35.5
34.1
38.4
37.7
40.5
41.7
$0.944
.962
.953
1.040
1.100
1.106
$0.936
.957
.936
1.024
1.066
1.061
30,442 $35. 53
33,188 34.63
38,430 38. 49
42, 621 41.13
42,435 46.35
45,367 48. 59
5, 655 $30. 33
4,712 26.06
4,982 28. 25
6,035 34.00
4,173 39. 41
4,486 41.14
39.2
35.1
36.8
41.6
41.3
41.7
$0. 775
.742
.768
.818
.954
.987
$0. 759
.736
.758
.785
.918
.947
3,805 $38.11
3,360 37.66
3,860 38.60
4,535 10. 64
5,905 44. 58
7,764 43.19
5,685 $27.44
4,947 28. 66
5, 595 32.28
6,351 37. 32
4,197 39. 63
4,940 41.12
36.8
37.5
41.4
42.7
41.7
42. 7
$1.066
1.079
1.026
1.139
1. 151
1.156
39.4
39.1
39.3
39.1
46. 1
44.6
$0. 968
.964
.982
1.040
.966
.969
$0. 947
.944
.960
1.018
.895
. 907
$0. 607
.617
.676
.703
.816
.783
$0.575
.592
.611
South
E ast
A ugust 1939
July 1940_____ Jan u ary 1941
Ju ly 1941 _ _ _ _
June 1942
A ugust 1942____
$1.069
1.079
1.040
1.149
1.177
194
F ar W est
O ther M idw est
A ugust 1939 _ _
Ju ly 1940_____ Jan u ary 1941____
Ju ly 1941_____ _
June 1942_______
A ugust 1942____
33.2
32.1
37.0
35.8
39.4
40.7
$0,746
.764
.780
.874
.951
.963
$0. 736
.753
.750
.831
.912
.916
3, 575 $26.18
3,671 29. 59
3, 942 33.30
4, 559 30.10
3,504 33. 91
4,164 36.70
43.1
41.5
49.3
42.8
41.6
46.9
.668
.783
.721
In the industry division as a whole, employment in the 32 plants
increased from 49,162 in August 1939 to 66,721 three years later. It
will be observed that employment rose very sharply from July 1940,
when the National Defense program got under way, to July 1941, at
which time automobile production was at a high level and consumer
incomes were rising rapidly. Employment in June 1942 was some
what below the July 1941 level; by August 1942, however, the level of
July 1941 had been exceeded.
Average weekly hours per worker reached 41.7 in August 1942, as
compared with only 35.5 in August 1939. This represents an increase
in average hours per worker per week of more than 17 percent and
indicates, of course, that the data on increase in number of workers
understates the real increase in employment between these two periods.
Average hourly earnings, including premium overtime pay, rose in
the industry as a whole from 94.4 cents in August 1939 to $1,106 in
August 1942, an increase of approximately 17.1 percent. Average
weekly earnings, which are affected not only by average earnings per
hour but also by the number of hours worked per week, rose by
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254
Monthly Labor Review— February 1943
almost 38 percent over the 3-year period. Estimated straight-time
hourly earnings rose from 93.6 cents to $1.06—about 13 percent.18
Gross average hourly earnings in Akron-Detroit increased from
$1,069 to $1,194 between August 1939 and August 1942, or by about
11.6 percent, and estimated straight-time average hourly earnings by
8.4 percent. Since the level of hourly earnings declined in the AkronDétroit area between August 1939 and January 1941, the percentage
change in hourly earnings between this latter month and August 1942
is greater than the change as measured from August 1939.
In the other areas, except the Far West, average hourly earnings
increased more sharply than hourly earnings in Akron-Detroit.
Between August 1939 and August 1942, the level of hourly earnings
(both on an estimated straight-time basis and including premium pay
for overtime) increased by more than 20 percent in. the other Midwest,
East, and South. Except in the South, almost all of these increases
took place after January 1941. In the Far West, the level of hourly
earnings, including premium overtime, remained virtually unchanged
from August 1939 to August 1942, and the level of straight-time
earnings declined over this period. Between January 1941 and
August 1942, the level of earnings in the Far West declined on the
basis both of straight-time rates and of earnings including overtime.
It must be emphasized that changes in these general earnings data
need to be interpreted with care. The data for the Far West provide a
striking illustration. In 1939, the plants of this area were engaged
largely in the production^ of tires and tubes; in 1942, these plants
were engaged largely in the production of special rubber war goods.
Between these two periods, the character of the occupational struc
ture of the plants in the area changed materially. It will be recalled
that in August 1942 the west coast plants had a higher proportion
of female workers than plants in any other part of the country. Large
numbers of learners also were employed at this time. The reduction
in straight-time hourly earnings in these plants between August 1939
(or January 1941) and August 1942 appears to be adequately explained
on the basis of changes in. the composition of the labor force and in
occupational requirements.
18It will be recalled th a t the straight-tim e average hourly earnings for all of the workers for whom occu
pational wage d ata were secured am ounted to $1.037 in A ugust 1942 (table 2). E stim ated straight-tim e
hourly earnings for A ugust 1942 as shown for the p lan t em ploym ent in table 5 am ounted to $1.061. This is
a difference of 2.4 cents. This relatively small difference is probably due in part to the fact th a t not all
operations in these plants were included in the occupational data. Moreover, straight-tim e earnings in
table 5 are estim ated, and a portion of the difference m ay reflect this fact.
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W artime Policies
REORGANIZATION OF WAR MANPOWER
COMMISSION
TAKING advantage of the broad powers granted him by the Execu
tive order of December 5, 1942/ Paul V. McNutt, Chairman of the
War Manpower Commission, announced a reorganization of the
Commission.
Five bureaus were established, with full control over the many
divisions, offices, and services which have been added to the Commis
sion in recent months. These bureaus are the Bureau of Selective
Service, Bureau of Placement, Bureau of Training, Bureau of Labor
Utilization, and Bureau of Program Planning and Review. The
Bureau of Selective Service operates along the lines prescribed by the
Selective Service Act, but lias coordinated its activities with the
placement services and other offices of the War Manpower Commission.
The Bureau of Placement has responsibility for industrial emplo}"ment, agricultural employment, the placement of professional and
scientific manpower, and employment in Government services. The
Bureau of Training is responsible for professional and technical train
ing, vocational training, the National Youth Administration, the
training-within-industry program, and apprentice training. The
Bureau of Program Planning and Review is responsible for all reports
and research, compilation and relation of labor-market data, and
relations with war agencies. It also is required to coordinate the
statistical activities of the Commission and maintain technical con
sulting services. The detailed organization of the Bureau of Labor
Utilization has not been completed. It now includes the Manning
Table Division, and is expected to include analyses of in-plant em
ployment problems.
The office of the Executive Director was also strengthened, and
under the new organization the Executive Director is the general
manager in charge of all administration and operations in Washington
and in the field. He has two assistant executive directors; one of
these has general responsibilities, and the other will be in charge of
field management.
At the same time all Washington offices were instructed to make
a study of their operations in order to cut down the volume of paper
work and the number of reports requited from the field, and to
determine how much additional authority could be delegated to the
regional offices and from regional to local offices.
' See M o n th ly Labor Review. Jan u ary 1943 (p. 26).
255
5 0 7 1 2 3 — 43—
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
4
256
Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
BLANKET SUSPENSION OF STATE LABOR LAWS NOT
FAVORED BY FEDERAL AGENCIES
A JOINT statement to State labor commissioners, advising against
blanket suspension of State labor laws, was issued on January 4, 1943,
by the Federal War, Navy, and Labor Departments, War Production
Board, War Manpower Commission, Maritime Commission, and
Office of Defense Transportation.1 Because of the effective use of
power to grant exceptions from labor legislation in order to meet war
emergencies, the agencies were unanimously of the opinion that en
forcement of labor standards had not interfered with production of
war material.
The statement was as follows:
T he W ar, N avy, and L ab o r D ep artm en ts, W ar P ro d u ctio n B oard, th e W ar
M anpow er Com m ission, th e M aritim e Comm ission, an d th e Office of D efense
T ra n sp o rta tio n are being asked by S tate labor comm issioners and others w heth er
th e w ar p roduction an d tra n sp o rta tio n program s require fu rth e r am en d m en t of
S ta te labor legislation. T he legislatures of 44 S tates will m eet in regular session
in 1943 and will p ro b ab ly consider legislation w hich will speed th e w ar effort.
T he Federal d e p a rtm e n ts concerned have review ed th e a ctio n ta k e n by S tate
labor d ep artm en ts during 1942 following th e jo in t sta te m e n t of policy on S tate
laws issued in Ja n u a ry by th e W ar, N avy, and L abor D ep artm en ts. T his s ta te
m en t recom m ended t h a t S ta te laws an d regulations em bracing th e follow ing basic
principles should be preserved except w here m odification m ay be necessary during
th e w ar period to insure m axim um production:
1. A m axim um 48-hour week.
2. An 8-hour day.
3. One day of re st in seven.
4. A dequate rest an d m eal periods.
5. A d ap tatio n of hours of w ork and w orking conditions to th e age a n d sex of
th e w orker, except th a t th ere m u st be no relaxation or m odification of sta n d a rd s
governing th e em ploym ent of m inors u n d er 16.
6. P ro p er safeguards for h e a lth an d safety.
7. T he sam e wage ra te s for w om en as for men.
R ep o rts from th e field show th a t S ta te labor sta n d a rd s have n o t in terfered
w ith w ar production. T em p o ra ry m odification of certain lab o r sta n d a rd s has
been p e rm itte d u n d er p ro p er safeguards, a n d a t th e sam e tim e m axim um long
tim e production has been aided by preserving laws regulating hours of w ork an d
establishing safe w orking conditions. In some S tates it has been necessary to
en act legislation authorizing such actio n for th e w ar period; in oth er S tates
tem p o rary m odification has been auth o rized u n d er existing laws or u n d er th e
em ergencjr pow ers of th e G overnor.
T his o p eratin g experience dem o n strates th a t th e re is no need for b lan k et
suspension or lowering of lab o r sta n d a rd s as sta te d above in an y S tate. We
wish to com m end th e S tate lab o r comm issioners fo r th e ir assistance a n d good
offices in m eeting em ergency situ atio n s, an d to assure th e m of our full su p p o rt
in th e m aintenance of th e basic lab o r sta n d a rd s w hich have been b u ilt up by
th e ir several S tates over th e years. T he continuance of th e agreed p ro g ram of
1942 is recom m ended.
It was pointed out that recommendation 1 (as to hours of work)
does not affect the requirement of the Fair Labor Standards Act
that time and a half must be paid for all work over 40 hours a week.
“Late reports to the Department of Labor show that practically all
war production plants in the United States are now operating at
least 48 hours a week.”
1Office of W ar Information. Press release 1053, January 4, 1943.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Wartime Policies
257
SUSPENSION OF 8-HOUR LAW FOR WAR
DEPARTM ENT LABORERS
IN AN Executive order issued oil December 28, 1942 (No. 9290),
the President suspended the Federal law covering laborers and me
chanics employed by the War Department on public works within the
United States, which prohibited more than 8 hours of labor in 1 day.
In announcing the suspension of this provision, the President specified
that the laborers and mechanics concerned shall receive overtime
pay for all hours of work in excess of 8, at the rate of time and one-half.
The President pointed out that the War Department is engaged
in public work activities (including the storage and movement of war
materials and the embarkation of troops) which are essential to the
prosecution of the war, but that their efficient and speedy completion
was threatened by “an acute shortage of laborers and mechanics.”
ww#
RATIONING OF BUTTER IN CANADA
THE only foods subject to strict rationing in Canada prior to De
cember 21, 1942, were tea and coffee and sugar. The rationing
orders for these commodities, issued in May and June 1942, restricted
their use to fractional parts of their ordinary consumption. Coupons
attached to a ration card were used for sugar purchases.1 Coupon
rationing for butter was introduced December 21, 1942, by an order
(No. 220) of the Wartime Prices and Trade Board, issued December
15,2 under authority conferred by order P. C. 8528 of November 1,
1941.
Purchase of butter for personal or household consumption is de
pendent upon the surrender to the merchant of ration coupons,
which must be detached by or in the presence of the retailer. The
value of each coupon was specified to be one-lialf pound of butter,
representing a week’s ration. Each butter coupon except the second
was to cease to be valid at the expiration of 2 weeks after the date
when it became valid. The period of validity of the second coupon
was 1 week. The first ration book contained 11 coupons, the last
of which is not valid before March 1, 1943. The order provides
for the registration of public caterers and institutions, and fixes the
amounts which a public caterer can serve to a customer at one-tliird
of an ounce at any one sitting, and provides further that butter may
not be served to any customer unless he requests it. Sales of butter
by other than licensed retailers or suppliers are prohibited.
1 See M onthly Labor Review, August 1942 (p. 283).
C anadian W ar Orders and Regulations, Ottawa, December 19, 1942.
2
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Em ploym ent and Labor Conditions
EFFECT OF THE AVAR ON EMPLOYMENT IN THE
IRON AND STEEL INDUSTRY 1
Summary
THE inci ease in the production ol iron and steel caused by the defense
program carried employment in the industry to a peak of 550,000 wage
earners m August 1941. Up to that time the average hours of indi
vidual workers were maintained at 40 per week or less, and increased
man-hour requirements were met by the employment of additional
workers on “swing” shifts.
Although production continued to increase, employment leveled off
after October 1941 and then declined to 525,000 in October 1942
average weekly hours remaining at about 40 over the period. The
indicated decrease in man-hour requirements resulted principally from
a change in the pattern of finished steel production, emphasizing
types ol steel whose manufacture required relatively fewer man-hours
Increased labor requirements caused by expected additions to pro
ductive facilities in 1943 may be offset by a lengthening of the work
week, resulting in only a relatively small increase in employment
between November 1942 and December 1943.
Employment Trends in the Steel Industry 2
T H E P R E -W A R D E C A D E ,
1929-39
I erhaps the most significant development affecting the volume of
employment in the steel industry in the decade ending in 1939 wars
the marked decrease in the length of the normal workweek. In 1929
the average number of hours worked during a week was 51.4, and the
scheduled full-time hours were 54.6.3 In 1940, although the level of
production was somewhat higher than in 1929, average weekly hours
as reported to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, were 37.0.
The introduction of a shorter week as a basic policy developed
gradually over the decade. In 1932 a “spread-the-work” employment
policy induced by the abnormally low level of production brought
weekly hours down to an average of 26.1. (Production of ingots fell
as low as 14.1 percent of capacity during 1932 and averaged 19 7
Percent over the year.) The decrease, however, was due more to the
prex alence of part-time work than to a fundamental change in
scheduled hours. The first definite indication of a more permanent
decrease m scheduled hours came with the promulgation under the
’ Prepared in the B ureau’s Occupational Outlook Division by R ichard n . Lewis.
Includes blast furnaces, steel works, and rolling mills,
a Average w orkweek is derived from D augherty et al, Economics of the Iron and Steel In d u stry , Vol II
S
t
s
S
s
258
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
a
i
s
s
i
i
r
on a Bureau of Labor statistics
^
Employment and Labor Conditions
259
NR A of the steel code, which established a maximum 8-hour day and
6-day week. Even though production expanded substantially at
times during the life of the steel code, average weekly hours did not
rise above 40. In 1937 a 40-liour workweek was adopted as regular
practice bv many of the steel companies, and the passage ol the Fair
Labor Standards Act in 1938 has further reinforced the trend toward
a shorter workweek.
i 1
,
This development has significantly affected the volume ol employ
ment in the iron and steel industry, since it has made necessary a
much larger labor force to achieve production levels equivalent to
former years. For example, average employment in 1939 was 2 pet cent higher than in 1929, while ingot production was 14.5 percent less.
Another indication of the influence of this trend is an estimate made
by the United States Steel Co. that on the basis of 1929 hours it would
have employed 64,447 fewrer workers in July 1939 than its actual em
ployment of 214,205.4
,
,•
The effect of the shorter workweek on the volume ol employment is
particularly significant because it offsets the substantial rise in output
per man-hour which occurred over the same period. An index of
man-hour productivity developed by the National Research Project
of the Work Projects Administration and extended by the Bureau ol
Labor Statistics shows a gain from a base of 100 in 1929 to 136.9 m
1939 5 There was a steady rise in productivity after 1934, with the
greatest increase between 1938 and 1939. These gains in productivity
were largely the result of widespread introduction of technological
improvements, particularly in rolling mills and finishing plants. Some
of these were minor refinements of technique, while others were major
modifications of equipment. The most striking innovation wars the
continuous hot-strip mill which displaced many thousands of workers
in sheet and tinplate mills. Highly automatic m operation, these mitts
produced a larger volume of steel sheets with fewer workers than the
conventional hand mills they replaced. The Steel Workers Organiz
ing Committee estimated that,between 1929 and 1939, 38,470 woikers
inmbsolete hand sheet mills were displaced because of the competition
of the tremendously productive continuous mills.6 Increased efficiency
of open-liearth operation and improved methods of producing seamless
and butt-welded pipe also tended to reduce labor requirements 1 lie
period 1929-39 can be summarized as one in which a marked reduction
in man-hour requirements wras compensated by a proportionately large
cut in the length of the scheduled workweek so that the relatix e volume
of employment was maintained.
V AR P E R IO D , 1940-42
The outbreak of World War II in the fall of 1939 resulted in a rise
in steel activity which carried employment upward a hundred thou
sand from July 1939 to a peak of 464,000 m December 1939. This
expansion proved to be premature, however, when purchases m the
United States by the warring nations failed to reach the anticipated
levels, and employment declined to 411,000 m April 1940 (table ).
In June 1940, with the fall of France, came the initiation of the
defense program in the United States and, from this point onward,
I S " 1»
C o s y n M a n u f a ^ n n , Industrie,
(™iHearirngs1before tl^ ^ M n p o ra ry N ational Economte Com m ittee, Vol. 30, p. 17341.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
260
Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
the rising tide of defense expenditures carried the steel industry to
new high levels of production and employment. The trend of steel
employment between June 1940 and October 1942 may be divided
into two distinct phases. In the first period, which carried through
to October 1941, employment steadily rose until a peak of 550,000
was reached in August 1941, but fell off slightly to 543,000 in October.
The August figure represented a 26-percent increase over the 436,000
employment of June 1940.
During this time idle equipment was restored to use, and the in
dustry gradually increased its operations to levels approaching its
rated ingot capacity. Ingot production reached a new record of
7,236,000 net tons in October 1941 when the industry operated at
almost 99 percent of capacity. A feature of the expansion of pro
duction wuis that it was caused mainly by an increase in civilian
demand lor steel products rather than direct defense requirements.
Defense expenditures had stimulated a boom in civilian consumption
and large quantities of steel were flowing into civilian lines, such as
automobiles, refrigerators, and other durable consumption goods.
As a result, military and defense construction requirements for steel
were superimposed on a record civilian demand for steel.
Another notable feature of the rise in the steel industry’s employ
ment was the lack of a corresponding increase in average weekly hours
per employee. The increased man-hour requirements were met by
adding additional employees rather than by extending the working
hours of individual workers. This policy was in sharp contrast to
that of other war industries which partially supplied their demands
lor additional labor by raising the average hours worked as well as
the volume of employment. For instance, although the machine-tool
industry increased weekly hours from a 1939 average of 42.9 to 52.0
in October 1941, the steel industry stabilized its hours at about
40 hours.
A major reason for the difference lies in the fact that blast furnaces
and steel mills are operated most efficiently and economically on con
tinuous rather than intermittent operating schedules. This pro
cedure is desirable because it is expensive and wasteful to shut down
and then reheat the furnaces and also reheat the cold pig iron and
steel scrap. Continuous operations had always been in effect in blast
furnaces and steel furnaces. Rolling mills, however, except at times
of extreme activity, had usually shut down over week ends. As the
steel industry extended its operations to capacity levels under the
pressure oi the defense boom the increased flow of production through
the mills made it necessary to operate many rolling mills on a 24-hour
7-day schedule.
In scheduling their plants to operate on a continuous basis many of
the steel companies chose to spread the necessary increase in man
hours over a larger number of workers rather than to extend the shifts
of the workers already employed. This was accomplished by the
scheduling oi a fourth or “swing’’ shift. Under this system the work
ing force for the departments operating continuously is divided into
four shifts or turns of 40 hours each. Every week one of the shifts
works 48 hours, thereby filling out the complete 168-hour week. One
result ol the use of such a system is that the average hoars of indi
vidual employees are maintained at around 40 hours a week. This
system also requires that large numbers of employees be added to
staff the extra shift.
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Employment and Labor Conditions
T able
1.— Employment and Average Weekly Etours in Blast I nmaces, Steel Works, and
Rolling Mills, 1929-42
Average
weekly
hours 2
Y ear and m onth
N um ber
of wage
earners 1
1929 average_________ . - - 1932 average________ _____
379, 800
234,900
388,400
51.4
26.1
35. 3
455, 400
442, 200
421,400
411000
415’ 100
436’, 300
454, 200
464 800
467, 800
474! 100
480, 800
487, 800
450.900
37. 1
35. 4
34. 6
34.3
35.5
37.0
36.4
38. 0
38. 2
38.5
38.7
39.9
37.0
493, 300
499,400
504, 400
512,100
38.7
39.4
39. 5
39.0
1940:
Ju n e ___________________
J u l y __________________
O c to b er..
N ovem ber. _
D ecem ber. . . .
..
Average. . . . . . . . . —
1941:
J a n u a r y ___ . . .
F ebru ary___ .
__
Year and m onth
N um ber Average
weekly
of wage
earners 1 hours 2
1941—Continued
M a y ___________________
Ju n e. .. ___ .
J u ly ___________________
A ugust___ __________ _
Septem ber_____________
O ctober. . . .
N o v em b er... __________
D e ce m b e r... ___ . . .
A v e ra g e .______ ____
522,600
533, 700
544,100
549, 900
548, 000
543, 200
541, 600
543, 300
528, 000
39. 6
40.1
37.8
39.1
38.0
39.0
39. 2
39.2
39. 0
1942:
J a n u ary ___________ - F e b ru a ry ... . . . . .
M arch___ . . . ------------A pril___ ______ ________
M a y __________________
J u n e _____ _____ _____
J u ly ----------------------------A ugust________________
Septem ber._ .
... .
O ctober________________
N ovem ber. . . .
D ecem ber_____ _ -------
542, 300
543, 200
543, 900
546,100
547, 900
549,100
545, 500
539, 700
532, 300
525, 200
516, 700
520, 000
38.9
39.9
40.2
39.6
40. 0
40. 0
39.2
40.2
39.9
41. 0
42.0
(3)
1 Sources: 1929 and 1939 figures from Census of M anufactures; 1932, 1940, 1941, 1942 are from B ureau of
Labor Statistics data. Total for 1932 includes em ploym ent in steel castings.
2 Figure for 1929 from D augherty et al.: Economics of the Iron and Steel Industry, Vol. II, p. 814. Other
years are from Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Average hours for 1929 and 1932 include data for steelcastings industry.
3 N o t available.
It is probable that a large part of the 114,000 increase in employ
ment in the steel industry between June 1940 and August 1941 can be
attributed to the hiring of additional workers to operate the swing
shift. In January 1942, a group of plants scheduling swing shifts
indicated in their reports to the Bureau of Babor statistics that 32,000
workers, or 16.4 percent of their total number of wage earners, were
working on this shift.
In contrast to the previous period of expansion, employment leveled
off at the October 1941 total of 543,000 and declined to 525,000 by
October 1942. Throughout this time weekly hours remained stable,
so that the decline of employment represented a decline in total
man-hour requirements of the industry. The decrease in the labor
requirements in the steel industry was unusual because it occurred in
the face of an increase in the capacity and an increase in net tons of
ingots produced. Although material shortages and furnace repairs
kept production below the increased capacity of the industry during
most of the year, each month in 1942 showed a higher production of
ingots than the comparable month of 1941. By October 1942, the
rate of activity had been raised to such an extent that the industry
operated above its rated capacity throughout the entire month, the
first time this had been accomplished since 1916. The trend of em
ployment moved parallel with production during the first half of 1942
but in the third quarter the two trends diverged as employment turned
slightly but definitely downward. This drop in employment in a
basic war industry stood out sharply against the increases in employ
ment registered ' by other war industries, such as aircraft and
shipbuilding.
Another development which distinguished this later period was the
conversion of the industry from a civilian to a wartime basis. This
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262
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conversion was accomplished principally by changed emphasis in the
type of steel products shipped by the industry, and to a smaller
extent by the introduction of completely new products. In the
changed pattern of steel production can be found the explanation for
the relative decrease in labor requirements that occurred in the
latter part of 1942.
Ejject of the If dr on the Pattern of Finished Steel Production
In the early phases of the defense program the expansion of steel
output had been stimulated largely by the increased demands of
civilian consumption. The movement of steel into defense produc
tion was facilitated by the issuance of priority orders, but this system
proved insufficient to regulate the flow of steel into essential channels.
When the production of steel had approached capacity levels and
military and indirect defense demands became more urgent, it was
apparent that civilian demand for steel could not remain unchecked.
The recognition of this necessity brought, in the fall of 1941, the first
serious attempt at limiting the civilian consumption of steel. A
series of orders was issued curtailing the production of automobiles,
refrigerators, and other durable consumer goods into which had gone
large quantities of steel.
The entry of the United States into the war in December 1941 and
the formulation of the Victory program calling for all-out war produc
tion accelerated the change from civilian consumption to military
consumption of steel. Conservation orders and limitation orders
were used at first, but eventually it was necessary to resort to direct
allocation of steel. This program was carried on simultaneously
with the conversion of many steel-using industries to war production.
By September 1942 the transition of the iron and steel industry to a
war basis had reached a point where, according to the estimate of the
Iron and Steel Branch of the War Production Board, 75 percent of
finished steel output was going into direct war use, with most of the
remainder being directed into such essential industries as railroads
and machinery manufacture.
The immediate effect of this shift to war consumption was a sig
nificant change in the relative proportions of the various types of
semifinished and finished steel produced for sale. This distortion of
the usual pattern of steel production was caused by the demands of
war industries for certain types of steel products in quantities which
far exceeded their normal rate of production. The outstanding ex
ample of such a product was heavy steel plate. Large tonnages of
ship plates were required by both the Maritime Commission’s cargovessel program and naval shipbuilding. Great quantities of plate
were also needed for tanks and gun mounts, for locomotives and
railroad cars, and for new factories and industrial equipment. Since
the demand so greatly exceeded both the existing capacity and planned
additions to the industry’s capacity to produce plate, many large
continuous hot-strip mills were converted to turn out plates instead
of the lighter products usually rolled in these mills. By May 1942,
over 40 percent of the production of plates was rolled by these con
verted strip mills and several of them had set new production records
for plates produced in a single mill.
Another product with a heavy war demand is steel bars, a raw
material for shell production. These two products are extreme ex-
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Employment and Labor Conditions
263
arnples of increased demand but there are other instances. Special
types of seamless tubing are required in aircraft production. Large
amounts of structural steel have been needed for shipbuilding and
war construction, although in recent months total demand for struc
tural steel has tapered off, with the curtailment of less-necessary con
struction. At the same time that the output of some types of rolled
steel has been sharply increased, production of other types of steel
less essential in the war program has necessarily been curtailed be
cause of the limited supply of ingot steel for processing in the rolling
mills.
This situation has forced a drastic change from the pre-war pattern
of steel production. Thus steel plate, production of which had ac
counted for only 9 percent of the total tonnage of steel shipped by the
industry in 1940, represented almost 21 percent of the total in Octo
ber 1942. Almost the reverse had happened to the production of
sheet steel. During the 1930’s sheets had found greater use in auto
mobiles, refrigerators, metal furniture, and many other consumer goods
and had become the steel industry’s most important product both in
tonnage and value. During the war, with many of its normal uses
limited or prohibited and with fewer essential war uses, the produc
tion of sheets was severely curtailed. In 1940 the various types of
sheets accounted for almost 23 percent of total finished steel produc
tion, but by August 1942 their proportion had been reduced to less
than 11 percent.
These relative changes in the production of various steel products
have measurably affected the labor requirements of the steel industry.
In general, the types that declined in importance were those requir
ing greater labor input per ton. The products whose output was
stimulated by the demands of war production were the heavy steels,
such as plates, bars, structural shapes, and steel rails. Considerably
more man-hours are required to produce equivalent tonnages of sheets,
tin plate, wire and wire products, and pipe and tubing, which are
lighter and more highly fabricated, and it was these products which
failed to maintain their pre-war relative positions.
These differences in labor input arise from the nature of the prod
ucts. The lighter products usually represent a further stage in fabri
cation and are in a more finished form when they are shipped to the
consumers of the steel. For instance, tin plate passes through many roll
ing operations before the original slab of steel is reduced to a very thin
sheet called black plate. After the ,black plate is put through several
preparatory processes, it is finally given its coating of tin, to emerge in
mirror-finished sheets which still must be carefully inspected and pack
aged before being shipped to the tin-can manufacturers. In contrast
to the lengthy and complicated process necessary to produce tin
plate, heavy steel plates are rolled directly from bulky slabs of steel
and, except for a few special types, require little further processing
before they are ready for shipment. Besides these differences in the
nature of the operations required, it is obvious that a ton of steel
yields many more units of product to be processed and handled when
it is converted into thin sheets than when it leaves the plant in the
form of bulky plates or structural shapes.
A study of the man-hours of labor used in steel manufacture, made
by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in 1935, showed the extent of the
variations in man-hour requirements per ton for different classes of
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Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
semifinished and finished steel products.' Including the production
oi the basic steel, the average number of man-hours required for the
production of a gross ton of tin plate were found to be 58.4. Sheets
required almost 37 man-hours ; pipe and tubing, 41.3 j wire nails 42.7*
and drawn wire, 33.2. With these may be compared the much
smaller labor requirements of the heavier, less-fabricated products,
such as structural shapes, for which the man-hours per ton were 17.5.
;nul plates lor which only 18.6 man-hours were required per ton.
4 hat study was made while the industry was operating at a rate of
between 55 and 60 percent of capacity, and since the date of the sur
vey there have been important technological advances which have in
creased man-hour productivity. For these reasons the absolute
figures are no longer representative, but tlieir validity as indicators
ot relative man-hour requirements for different products has not been
vitally affected. By relating these man-hour requirements for each
product to the changed pattern of steel production, it can be shown
that the shift to heavier products tended to reduce the total labor re
quirements of the industry.
This tendency was partially offset by the additional labor required
loi the fabrication of ordnance products in the steel industry. Many
plants, besides continuing their steel-making activity, entered into the
direct production of ordnance material, such as shells and bombs,
leavy guns and mounts, and small arms and parts. In some cases
o.1 .ance represents only a small portion of a plant’s productive ac
tivity, but in other plants ordnance is the major product and has re
quired the addition of extensive forging and machining facilities.
An indication of the effect of the ordnance production on labor re
quirements is the marked gain in employment in many of the plants
with large ordnance contracts, in contrast to the employment trends
of other plants. Based upon an analysis of the trends of employ
ment in plants with substantial ordnance production, it is estimated
thaï the number of workers employed on ordnance increased by about
—,000 from October 1941 to October 1942, helping to maintain the
total \ olume of employment in spite of a decline in the labor required
m the production of steel.
In many other mills the trend of employment very clearly revealed
the effects of the reduced labor requirements. The plants whose
volume of employment suffered most were the specialized mills whose
production was curtailed by the allocation of semifinished steel to
more-essential products. Tin-plate mills and sheet mills were the
hardest hit by the diversion of their normal supplies of steel. By
October 1942, the reduced allocation of steel to tin-plate mills had
caused employment in mills where the major product was tin plate to
decline more than 40 percent below the level of October 1941 and the
decline continued in November 1942. Tin-plate departments of
integrated mills were also operating on curtailed schedules.
M a n y sheet, pipe, and wire mills also showed losses in employment
between October 1941 and October 1942, although usually not so
gieat as m the tin-plate mills. The effects of the reduction in labor
requirements were quite general; with the exception of those plants
with increasing ordnance production, most of the steel mills reported
at least a slight reduction in employment during this period. Despite
the increasing employment on ordnance production, total employfa c to e n th Iy L ab° r Review ’ M ay 1935 (p - 115A M an-H ours of Labor per U nit of O utput in Steel M am ,-
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Employment and Labor Conditions
265
ment in the industry declined by 18,000 between October 1941 and
October 1942.
Employm en l Onllook
The relative reduction of man-hour requirements caused by the
changed composition of finished steel production had been largely
completed by the fourth quarter of 1942. During 1943 this downward
tendency will probably be reversed by an absolute increase in finished
steel output as the increased ingot production from new facilities
becomes available.
By December 1943 the total annual ingot-producing capacity ol
the steel industry is expected to reach 97,115,000 net tons, an increase
of 8.8 percent from July 1942. If supplies of materials are sufficient
to maintain production at rates approaching this capacity, the total
man-hour requirements of the industry should be increased consider
ably by the end of 1943.
The steel industry’s employment requirements through 1943 will,
however, be affected by any changes which may take place in the
industry’s utilization of its labor force. During the past 2 years
the steel industry has scheduled the hours ol its employees so that
they have averaged less than in any other major war industry,
fluctuating in a narrow range around 40 hours a week. In proportion
to its man-hour requirements the industry has maintained a relatively
larger labor force than these other war industries. Its ability to carry
out this policy in a period of increasing labor shortages is based upon
several important characteristics of its labor-market position. The
steel industry, having been an important source of employment for
many years/ had a large reservoir of experienced workers when its
current expansion began. Because it was able to maintain an ade
quate supply of skilled workers by upgrading its employees, the
industry has been able to utilize large numbers of unskilled workers.
At the beginning of the defense program its hourly wage scale was
among the highest, and the industry also offered more definite post-war
emplovment prospects than some of the other war industries. In
many areas where it is situated it is the principal source of employ
ment. These and other factors have enabled the steel industry to
recruit and hold a sufficient number of workers to continue on a 40liour week. The additional workers required by the steel industry
when working on a 40-hour week, as compared to a longer workweek,
constitute in effect a labor reserve which protects the industry against
the drain of men to the armed forces and the increasing tightness of
the labor markets. With a steadily diminishing supply of manpower
available for war production and the military services, it is probable
that in the near future the steel industry will have to reduce its
reserve of workers by lengthening the hours ol its employees. This
action may result either from the difficulty of obtaining replacements
anti additions to its labor force or at the request of manpower officials
seeking to increase the Nation’s available manpower resources.
An indication of the effects on the steel industry’s current volume
of employment, if the length of the scheduled workweek were increased
to 48, is provided in table 2, which clearly shows the concentration of
over half the employment in plants whose average hours approxi
mated 40 a week or less. Plants employing over 90 percent oi the
employees averaged less than 46 hours a week. Since actual aveiage
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Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
hours are usually somewhat below the scheduled workweek, because
of lost time caused by absenteeism, labor turn-over, break-downs of
equipment, or temporary shortages of materials, a plant scheduled
for 48 hours a week may average about 46 hours. Thus, less than 10
percent of the employees in the industry are in plants where a 48-hour
workweek is scheduled.
For the plants whose average hours were under 46, table 2 shows
the number of workers that would have been required to put in the
same aggregate number of man-hours in October 1942 if these plants
raised their average hours to 46.
I he difference between this figure for each average-hour class interval
and the number actually employed represents the additional em
ployees required by the shorter workweek. The total number of
additional employees estimated on this basis amounts to 64,100. This
estimate does not imply that an automatic and proportionate reduc
tion in the number of employees would follow if scheduled hours were
increased to 48, but it does indicate the maximum extent to which
an increase in average weekly hours to 46 could lower the volume of
employment maintained by the steel industry. The actual reduction
in employment if hours were increased would be limited to some
extent by possible difficulties in adjusting the hours among depart
ments operating at different rates of capacity. Many plants and
departments rolling products that have been curtailed, such as tin
plate, have had low average hours because of their reduced rate of
operation. 11 a program for adjusting hours upward is to be effective
throughout the industry, plans should also be made for the con
centration ol the production of these products in fewer plants.
If average hours in the industry are increased, the effects of the
reduction in labor requirements upon the trend of employment will
depend largely on the timing of this shift. If the industry’s average
hours are increased gradually over a period ol months, the downward
tendency may be offset by an increase in the total man-hour require
ments as new facilities begin operation during the year. In this case
the increase in hours will tend to prevent the increase in employment
that would occur if the level of weekly hours remained unchanged.
T a b l e 2 . — Distribution
of Steel W orkers by Plant Average Weekly Hours, October 1942,1
and Number Required for 46-Hour Week
Wage earners.
October 1942
P lan t average weekly hours
N um ber
Less than 36.0.
36.0 to 3 7 .9 ....
38.0 to 3 9 .9 ....
40.0 to 41.9 . .
42.0 to 43.9 . .
44.0 to 45.9 . .
46.0 to 47.9___
48.0 to 4 9 -9 ....
50.0 and over..
25, 200
50,900
192,800
124,500
37, 800
39,400
28, 900
15,200
10,500
T o ta l.. _
525,200
N um ber of
N um ber of
additional
wage earners
wage
earners
if average
employed
weekly hours
on
account
Percent of in all plants
of shorter
total
were a t least 462
workweek
4.8
9.7
36. 7
23.7
7.2
7.5
5. 5
2.9
2.0
100.0
18, 700
41,100
163,200
110,100
35,100
38,300
28, 900
15,200
10, 500
461,100
6,500
9, 800
29,600
14, 400
2, 700
, 100
1
64, 100
‘ Based on reports to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Derived by dividing by 46 the num ber of m an-hours worked in the plants w ith average weekly hours of
2
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Employment and Labor Conditions
267
Although this would ho true for the industry as a whole, certain
areas where proportionately larger increases in capacity are planned
should show some gains in employment while other districts arc
experiencing employment decreases.
In summary, if the steel industry lengthens the scheduled workweek
to 48 hours, the increase in steel production expected by December
1943 can be attained with only a very small increase in employment
over the 517,000 level of November 1942. If, however, average
hours are not substantially greater, the industry will require an
addition of between 5 and 10 percent to its labor force.
EMPLOYMENT CONDITIONS ON CONNECTICUT
TOBACCO PLANTATIONS
EMPLOYMENT conditions on Connecticut tobacco plantations in
the summer of 1942 were much better than in 1941. Although the
State department of labor has no jurisdiction over agricultural em
ployment, it has for the past 10 years made an annual inspection of
tobacco plantations. In 1932 its exposé of the shocking conditions on
such plantations as to child labor, housing of seasonal workers, and
general employment conditions brought about an agreement by most
of the large growers not to employ children under 14 years of age.
Under this agreement and with the cooperation of the State board
of education in issuing certificates of age, the employment of children
under 14 years of age decreased, and working and living conditions had
been gradually becoming better. The report of the State department
of labor on the conditions found in its inspection in August 1941
revealed, however, that instead of continued improvement in that
year, employment of children as young as 8 years old, overcrowding
in substandard houses, unfit supervision, and hazardous transportation
were again prevalent.
In the spring of 1942, standards of employment agreed upon by a
committee of “shade” growers and the State department of labor were
adopted by 17 of the largest shade growers in the State, who with few
exceptions have endeavored to live up to these standards. In coopera
tion with a public-relations adviser appointed by them, growers and
managements succeeded in eliminating in large measure the most
glaring abuses found in 1941. Child labor under 14 became prac
tically nonexistent on the fields of these growers.
One of the two largest corporations with absentee ownership, which
refused to sign the agreement, did cooperate with the department in
maintaining most of the standards. The other corporation continued
to employ children as young as 12 years, but it did maintain one of the
better boarding houses for its young colored workers from the South.
Plantations Inspected in 1942
The annual inspection of tobacco plantations by the State depart
ment of labor was made between July 15 and August 31, 1942, and
covered 49 fields, representing 21 growers. Approximately 6,100
workers were employed on these fields—3,900 males and 2,200 females.
Of these workers, 1,045 were migrant male workers brought from the
South for the season—900 being colored and mostly high-school and
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Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
college students recruited through southern colleges, and 145 being
white boys between 16 and 21 years of age.
Child Labor
Over one-third (2,100) of all the workers employed on the tobacco
fields inspected w'ere children under 16 years of age. Children of 12
years were employed on 9 fields, and children of 10 years were found
working on 1 field. Proof of age was required by all but 10 fields, and
1,570 age certificates were on file.
Some 800 children were transported daily from Massachusetts
towns in company trucks. They were picked up.at 5:45 a. m. and
arrived at home at 7 p. m. Connecticut children were usually picked
up between 6 and 6:30 a. m. and reached home between 5:30 and 6
p. m. These over-all hours for child workers were the same as in 1941.
Hours and U ages
Most of the fields had a 9-hour workday and a 54-hour workweek,
as compared with a 9/ -hour day and 57-hour week in 1941. A few
fields, however, still had a 57-hour week.
Wages in 1942 were higher than in 1941, mainly because the number
of children over 16 years usually available for employment was much
smaller. An acute shortage in adult workers in this highly concen
trated defense-industry area had resulted in a demand for the services
ot such children. There was, however, no lack in the supply of chil
dren 14 to 16 years of age for work in the tobacco fields.
In the sheds the daily rates for girls who distributed leaves to the
sewers were $3 and $3.25, though 1 field paid as high as $3.75 and
5 fields as low as $2.50. Sewers, who were older girls and women,
were paid 60 cents a bundle, as compared with 45 cents in 1941 and
33 Yz cents in previous years. The daily earnings of an average experi
enced sewer ranged from $4.25 to $5.00. The younger boys employed
as pickers were paid from $3.25 to $3.60 a day, an increase of from $1
to $1.50 over 1941. Older boys and men hauled the picked leaves
from the rows and were paid from $3.50 to $4 a day.
A guaranteed minimum of $55 a month plus board and lodging was
paid by one company to its colored migrant workers. On all other
fields migrants were paid by the day, and their earnings depended on
the weather, as tobacco cannot be harvested in the rain or when
extremely damp.
II orking Conditions
2
Unsupervised long-distance transportation of large numbers of child
workers is still a serious problem, though greater attention to safety
in the use of company trucks was evident in 1942. In 1941 over
crowding had been common, Massachusetts workers having to stand
on the hour’s journey home. Frequently there was no tailboard on
the truck, there being only a narrow chain in its place. One 13-year
old girl was permanently scarred when the truck in which she‘was
standing sideswiped a tree, resulting in a deep cut over her eye from
an overhanging branch. In 1942 it was found that a notable number
of growers had leased school busses for the transportation of their
woman workers. Trucks owned and used by the grower for trans
portation of workers are not subject to State regulation.
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Living Conditions
In the 25 boarding houses inspected, 18 of which were for colored
and 7 for white males, living conditions in 1942, especially for colored
workers, did not show material improvement since 1941, although
some improvements had been made in cooking, bathing, and toilet
facilities. The old frame buildings used as boarding houses for both
colored and white workers still presented fire hazards.
In 1942, white workers paid $8 a week for 3 full meals and a room
shared with 2 or 3 others. Colored workers slept, without charge, in
so-called dormitories, which in some cases accommodated as many
as 40. Their food costs were pooled, and ranged from $3.50 to $5
a week per person, depending on the quality and quantity of the food
asked for by the workers. Sandwiches comprised the noonday meal.
One grower charged $4 a week for board, but on days lost because of
rain or sickness the rate was $1 for each day so lost.
A few of the growers were genuinely interested in the living con
ditions of their colored workers and cooperated with the State depart
ment of labor by asking for suggestions; they also encouraged athletics
and wholesome recreation; but such growers, the report states, were far
too few.
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Productivity o f Labor and Industry
PR O D U CTIV ITY AND LABOR CONDITIONS IN
A N TH R A CITE M IN ES, 1937-41
OUTPUT per man per day of workers in the anthracite mines re
mained at virtually the same level in the 3 years, 1939 to 1941,
inclusive—3.02 net tons in 1939 and 1940 and 3.04 net tons in 1941.
The number of employees averaged 88,054 in 1941, a decrease of
3,259 from 1940. The 1941 level of employment was less than onehalf the total of 179,679 in 1914 and was only 57 percent of the 154,174
on the rolls in 1917, the year of largest output.
The number employed is based on reports from operators, and
includes workers engaged in strip-pit and dredge operations. Men
and boys engaged in “bootleg” and illicit coal mining are excluded.
This type of mining has increased considerably since its start in the
early 30’s. Before 1941, production from bootleg mines was ex
cluded from the Bureau of Mines totals.1 In 1941, however, legiti
mate operators bought run-of-mine coal from bootleggers and this coal
was included in the production totals. To prevent an error in
measuring productivity, the bootleg coal bought was deducted from
the total production to obtain legitimate-mine production for calcu
lating output per man per day. Although some time was spent in
preparing the bootleg coal bought by operators, the time required was
very small and does not affect the validity of the productivity figures.
A statistical summary showing production and reflecting the condi
tions of labor in the anthracite mines from 1937 through 1941 is given
in the following table.
Statistical Summary of Anthracite Mining Conditions, 1937-41
Item
P roduction. __ _ ______ _______
n e t to n s.
Average n u m b er of days w orked___
M an-days idle on account of strikes and lock
o u ts_______ ____________________________
N u m b er of men on strike during year
Average num ber of m en em ployed.
O u tp u t per man:
P er d a y . . . ............... . . . .
n et to n s ..
Per y ear___ . . . _______ . . . ____-.do.__Q uantity cut by:
M a c h in e s ................ _ _ ........ ___do___
Stripping_____ ______ ________ . . . d o . . . .
Q uantity loaded by m achine underground
n et to n s..
1937
1938
1939
1940
51,856, 433 46, 099, 027 51, 487, 377 51, 484, 640
189
171
183
186
1941
56, 368, 267
203
580,462
34, 346
99, 085
579,457
27, 435
96,417
241, 688
27, 795
93,138
176, 432
19, 464
91,313
397, 616
39, 768
88, 054
2.77
523
2.79
478
3. 02
553
3.02
562
3.04
617
1,984, 512
5, 696,018
1,588,407
5,095, 341
1,881,884
5,486, 479
1, 816,483
6, 352,700
1,855, 422
7, 316, 574
10, 683,837 10,151, 669 11, 773,833 12, 326,000
13, 441.987
Working time of mine employees averaged 203 days in 1941, which
was far above the average of the preceding 4 years. The increase in
1 D ata are from Pennsylvania A nthracite, by J. A. Corgan and others (preprint from M inerals Y ear
book 1911, U. s. D e p artm en t of the Interio r, B ureau of Alines, W ashington, 1942).
270
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Productivity of Labor and Industry
271
working time helped to offset the reduction in employees, and the
production of 56,368,267 tons during 1941 was over 4.5 million tons in
excess of the next highest output of the 1937-41 period (i. e., 51,856,433
tons, recorded in 1937). Mechanization also contributed to the
increase in production with a reduced labor force. The stripped
product totaled 7,316,574 tons in 1941, or nearly 1 million tons more
than in 1940. Machine-loaded anthracite has increased gradually
since 1938, with 13,441,987 tons mechanically loaded underground
in 1941. Machine cutting has not shown a significant change;
1,855,422 tons were cut by machine in 1941, as compared with
1,984,512 tons in 1937.
No major labor disputes occurred in 1941. There were 397,616
days of idleness owing to strikes and lockouts, as compared with
176,432 in the preceding year and over one-half million in 2 of the 4
preceding years. The number of men involved in labor disputes—
39,768—was greater than in any of the 4 preceding years, however.
Several thousand miners in the Schuylkill and Lehigh regions were
away from work for approximately a month in 1941 because of dis
satisfaction concerning union dues and assessments. The time loss
from strikes averaged 1.9 days per man in 1940 and 4.5 days in 1941.
In 1941 a large part of the anthracite industry continued to operate
under the voluntary production-control program which was in
augurated in January 1940 by the State of Pennsylvania, the LTnited
Mine Workers of America, and producers representing over 90 percent
of the total anthracite production. The report here reviewed states
that the plan has brought production into closer alinement with
current demand and has aided in solving the problem of illicit coal
mining.
5 0 7 1 2 3 — 43 -
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Social Insurance
SOCIAL-INSURANCE PROPOSALS IN CREA I
B R ITA IN — BEV ERID G E REPORT
A COMPREHENSIVE plan of social insurance providing benefits
for all ages and various contingencies was presented for the consid
eration of the British Government by an interdepartmental commit
tee, with Sir William Beveridge as chairman. That committee was
appointed in June 1941 to make a comprehensive survey of existing
schemes of social insurance and allied services, with a view to mak
ing recommendations to the Committee on Reconstruction Problems.
Although representatives of the governmental departments concerned
with the social services assisted in the survey as advisers and asses
sors, Sir William Beveridge had the sole responsibility for the views
and recommendations presented in the report.1
The plan provides for uni+'orm rates of benefit for unemployment,
disability, retirement, and vocational-rehabilitation training. Certain
other features—maternity benefits, medical care, funeral expenses,
etc.—are also incorporated in the plan, and a single weekly contribu
tion for benefits is provided for.
Experience With Social-Insurance and Assistance Schemes in
Great Britain
Social-insurance and assistance schemes in Great Britain (aside
from the Poor Law, which dates from the time of Queen Elizabeth)
have developed piecemeal during the past 45 years, starting with the
Workmen’s Compensation Act of 1897. That act, which applied at
first to a limited number of occupations, was given general applica
tion in 1906. Compulsory health insurance was put into effect in
1912. In the same year, insurance against unemployment began for
a few industries, being made general in 1920. Noncontributory pen
sions, subject to a means test at the age of 70, date from 1908, but
in 1925 a law establishing a system of contributory old-age, widows’
and orphans’ pensions was passed. The unemployment-insurance law
was reenacted in 1934, and at the same time a new national service
of unemployment assistance was created. The local machinery for
relief of destitution has been altered by the new treatment of unem
ployment and in many other ways, including the transfer of the re
sponsibilities of the boards of guardians to local authorities. From
time to time special provision has also been made for different types
of disability, such as blindness. Other measures which have devel
oped with the growth of social insurance are provision for medical
1 G reat B ritain, M in istry of L abor Gazette, December 1942.
272
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Social Insurance
273
treatment, child-welfare services, and voluntary insurance by the
insured classes against various contingencies, through private
agencies.
The various social services which have been developed through the
years have grown up separately, with little relation to other services
oi the same nature, so that it was felt that the whole field of social
insurance should be surveyed with a view to closer coordination of
the services, more economical administration, and provision for many
persons now excluded by the different systems. The survey revealed,
it is said, that “provision for most of the many varieties of need
through interruption of earnings and other causes that may arise in
modern industrial communities lias already been made in Britain on
a scale not surpassed and hardly rivaled in any other country of the
world. In one respect only of the first importance, namely limita
tion of medical service, both in the range of treatment which is pro
vided as of right and in respect of the classes of persons for whom it
is provided, does Britain’s achievement fall seriously short of wliat
has been accomplished elsewhere; it falls short also in its prov sion
for cash benefit for maternity and funerals and through the defects
of its system for workmen’s compensation.” The limitation of com
pulsory insurance to persons under contract of service and below a
certain remuneration it' engaged on nonmanual work is regarded as a
serious fault of the existing systems, since the remuneration limit for
nonmanual workers is arbitrary and takes no account of family re
sponsibility. The differences between the benefits payable in cases
of sickness and those of unemployment are cited as an example of
the failure of the systems to recognize the fact that there is no real
difference between the income needs of persons who are sick and
those who are unemployed. An unemployed adult insured man, for
example, with a wife and two children, receives 38s. a week, but if
while unemployed he becomes sick and not available for work his
insurance benefit falls to 18s. Other examples of the inconsistencies
of the systems are given, which it is said are the natural result of
the manner in which social security has grown in Britain. It is evi
dent, therefore, the report states, that, by closer coordination, the
social services could be made not only more beneficial and more intel
ligible to those whom they serve but also more economical in their
administration.
Basis and Objectives of Beveridge Plan
Three guiding principles were followed in formulating the recom
mendations. The first principle was that while past experience should
be used in full, any sectional interests which had been established
should not be allowed to restrict proposals for the future. “A revo
lutionary moment in the world’s history is a time for revolutions, not
for patching.” The second principle was that organization of social
insurance is only one phase of a broad plan for social progress. By
providing income security, it is an attack upon want, but there
remain on the road of reconstruction four other obstacles besides
want—namely, disease, ignorance, squalor, and idleness. The third
principle was that there must be cooperation between the State and
the individual, with the State offering security in return for service
and contribution. However, it is stated, “the State in organizing
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
274
Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
security should not stifle incentive, opportunity, responsibility; in
establishing a national minimum, it should leave room for encourage
ment for voluntary action by each individual to provide more than
that minimum for himself and his family.”
The plan for social security presented in the Beveridge report
points the way to freedom from want. Social surveys made in a
number of principal towns in the years just preceding the present war
show that from three-quarters to five-sixths of all the want shown was
flue to interruption or loss of earning power, while practically the
whole of the remaining one-sixth to one-quarter was the result of
failure to relate income during earning to the size of the family.
From these facts it is concluded that the abolition of want requires a
double redistribution of income, through social insurance and by
family needs. To achieve this purpose provision against interruption
and loss of earning can be secured through improvement of State
insurance, and through adjustment of incomes (in periods of earning
as well as in interruption of earning) to family needs, i. e., by allow
ances for children. By such a double redistribution of income as this,
want, as defined in the social surveys, could have been abolished in
Britain, the report states, before the present war.
Summary of Main Provisions of Plan
The plan covers all citizens without regard to income, but gives con
sideration to their different ways of life.
It is pointed out that in relation to social security, the population
falls into six main classes, as follows:
Class I. Employees, that is, persons wdiose normal occupation is
employment under contract of service.
Class II. Others gainfully occupied, including employers, traders,
and independent workers of all kinds.
Class III. Housewives, that is, married women of working age.
Class IV. Others of working age not gainfully occupied.
Class V. Persons below working age.
Class VI. Retired persons, above working age.
Retired persons will receive retirement pensions. Those below
working age will receive children’s allowances, which will be paid from
the National Exchequer, for all children if the responsible parent is in
receipt of insurance benefit or pension and for all children except one
in other cases. The four other classes will be insured for security
(i. e., assured the maintenance of a certain income) appropriate to
their circumstances. For all classes, comprehensive medical treat
ment will be provided, as well as rehabilitation and funeral expenses.
C O N T R IB U T IO N S
Every person of working age will contribute in his appropriate class,
making a single weekly contribution payable by affixing a stamp on a
single insurance document. For persons in Class I the employer also
will contribute ; in this case the employer will affix the insurance stamp
and deduct the employee’s share from his wages or salary. The
amount of contribution will differ from one class to another, according
to age and the benefits provided. In the case of a married woman the
contributions will be paid by the husband.
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Social Insurance
275
Although it was impossible to determine the actual rates of benefits
and contributions which would be effective after the scheme comes into
operation, owing to various changes which might take place in prices,
the value of money, etc., provisional rates were suggested. The most
important of the suggested rates of contribution are a contribution of
4s. 3d. a week for an employed adult man and of 3s. 3d. a week for
the employer.
B E N E F IT S
Kind of benefit.—Subject to simple contribution conditions, every
person in Class 1 (employees) will receive benefit for unemployment
and disability, a pension on retirement, medical treatment, and
funeral expenses. Self-employed and independent workers (Class II)
will receive all these except unemployment benefit and disability
benefit during the first 13 weeks of disability. Persons in Class IV
will receive pension, medical care, and funeral expenses.
As a substitute for unemployment benefit, training benefit will be
available to persons in Classes II to VI, to assist them to find new
livelihoods if their present ones fail.
Maternity grant, widowhood and separation benefit, and qualifica
tion for retirement pensions accrue to all housewives by virtue of their
husbands’ contributions. In addition to maternity grant, housewives
who take paid work will receive maternity benefit for 13 weeks to enable
them to give up working before and after childbirth.
Under the plan, permanent pensions will no longer be granted to
widows of working age without dependent children. All widows,
however, will receive a temporary benefit at a higher rate than the
unemployment or disability benefit, and this is to be followed by
training benefit where necessary. For widows having the care of
dependent children, there will be guardian benefit, in addition to the
children’s allowances, adequate for subsistence without other means.
The position of widows now on pension will be safeguarded.
For the limited number of cases of need not covered by social
insurance, national assistance subject to a uniform means test will be
available.
Medical treatment covering all requirements will be provided for all
citizens by a national health service organized under the health de
partments, and post-medical rehabilitation treatment will be provided
for all persons capable of profiting by it.
Bate and ‘period of benefit.-—Irrespective of previous earnings, the
plan provides for a uniform allowance for unemployment, disability,
basic retirement pension (after a transition period), and training.
This rate will be large enough for subsistence in all normal cases.
There will be a joint rate for a man and a wife who is not gainfully
occupied. Where there is no wife, or where she is gainfully occupied,
there will be a lower single rate; where there is no wife but there is a
dependent above the age for children’s allowance, there will be a
dependent’s allowance. Maternity benefit for housewives who work
also for gain will be at a higher rate than the single rate in unemploy
ment or disability, but their unemployment and disability benefit will
be at a lower rate; there are special rates also for widowhood. A ith
these exceptions, all rates of benefit will be the same for men and for
women.
Disability resulting from industrial accident or disease will be treated
like all other disability for the first 13 weeks. If disability continues
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
276
Monthly Labor Review— February 1943
thereafter, disability benefit at a flat rate will be replaced by an
industrial pension related to the earnings of the individual, subject
to a minimum and a maximum.
Unemployment benefit will be paid at the same rate, without a
means test, as long as the person is unemployed, but the beneficiary
will normally be expected to attend a work or training center after
a certain period. Disability benefit will continue at the same rate,
without a means test, as long as the disability lasts or until it is re
placed by industrial pension; however, the injured person must accept
suitable medical treatment or vocational training.
Pensions other than industrial pensions are to be paid only on retire
ment from work. They may be claimed at any time after the mini
mum age of retirement—65 years for men and 60 for women. The
rate of benefit will be increased above the basic amount if retirement
is postponed. Contributory pensions as of right will be raised to the
full basic rate gradually, during a transition period of 20 years in which
adequate pensions according to need will be paid to all persons requir
ing them. The rights of existing pensioners will be safeguarded.
The most important of the provisional rates of benefit suggested was
that of 40s. a week for man and wife in unemployment and disability,
and, after the transition period, as retirement pension, in addition to
allowances lor children at an average of 8s. per capita per week. This
would mean a total benefit of 56s. for a man and wife (if the wife is
not working), with two children, in case of unemployment and dis
ability, without a means test, as long as the unemployment or dis
ability lasts; the present rate is 33s. for unemployment and 15s. or
7s. 6d. for sickness. A maternity benefit of 36s. a week for 13 weeks
for gainfully occupied married women would be paid, in addition to
the maternity grant of £4 for all married women. Similar increases
would be made in the benefits for widowhood, and there would be
new benefits for funerals, marriage, and other needs, as well as com
prehensive home and institutional medical treatment for all citizens
and their dependents.
A D M IN IST R A T IO N OF P L A N
A Ministry of Social Security will be established, responsible Un
social insurance, national assistance, and encouragement and super
vision of voluntary insurance, and will take over, as far as is necessary
for these purposes, the present work of other Government departments
and of local authorities in these fields.
I he benefits will be paid from a social-insurance fund formed by
contributions from the insured persons, from their employers (if any),
and from the State.
I lie total security budget on the basis of the provisional rates, it
is estimated, would amount to £697,000,000 in 1945, the first year of
the system, and to £858,000,000 in 1965, or 20 years later.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Women in Industry
>++++++++*»+4'+**+*+++*+****++******************************************
EM PLO Y M EN T OF WOMEN IN SHIPYARDS, 1942 1
Summary
THE manpower shortage is causing shipyards to hire and train an
increasing number of women for jobs customarily held by men.
In November 1942, 2.3 percent of the wage earners employed in
commercial shipyards were women. Although this is a relatively
small proportion as compared with some other war industries, notably
aircraft, the number of women employed in shipyards more than
trebled from September to November.
Less than half of the reporting commercial shipbuilding companies
employed woman wage earners in November. In these yards the
proportion of women varied from less than one-half of 1 percent to 12
percent of the total wage earners. The Bureau of Labor Statistics
estimates that by the end of 1943 as many as 15 percent of the wage
earners in shipyards will be women.
Women were most commonly employed on various types of welding.
They also operated a variety of machines, and in some yards were
employed as expediters, warehouse workers, and truck drivers.
Scope and Method of Study
Each month between 200 and 300 shipbuilding and ship-repair
companies report to the Bureau of Labor Statistics the number of
woman wage earners employed. In November 1942, at the request
of the Navy Department, the Bureau of Labor Statistics made a
special inquiry regarding the occupations in which women were
employed in 16 of the larger shipbuilding companies, all of which
employed 100 or more women in their yards. In addition to request
ing information on occupations, the Bureau asked for comments on
the efficiency of women and the current methods of recruiting and
training them, together with suggestions for further assistance by
the Federal Government in recruiting and training. Information
was submitted by 13 companies.
Proportion of Women in Individual ) aids
Although the tendency to employ women in production jobs in
shipyards was growing, less than half of the 201 commercial shipyards
covered in the accompanying statement reported woman wage
earners in November 1942. However, these yards employed over
three-fourths of all the wage earners. In over half of the yards where
i Prepared in the Division of C onstruction and Public Em ploym ent by Eleanor V. Kennedy.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
277
278
Monthly Labor Review—February J943
a start liad been made toward employing women they formed less
than 2 percent of the total workers in November.
Percent of
Women as p ercen t of to ta l wage earners:
porting
N o w om en--------------------------------------------108
50
0.1 an d u n d er 2 p e rc e n t_________________
2 and u n d er 4 p e rc e n t___________________
28
4 and u n d er 6 p e rc e n t___________________
7
6 and u n d er 8 p e rc e n t___________________
4
2
8 and u n d er 10 p e rc e n t__________________
1
10 an d u n d er 12 p e rc e n t_________________
12 and u n d er 14 p e rc e n t_________________
1
T o ta l--------------------------------------------------
201
earners
23. 6
3 6 .0
21. 1
6. 8
1. 7
5. 7
2. 8
2. 3
100. 0
In the 13 yards furnishing detailed information on the occupations
in which they were using women, the proportions of women ranged
from 1.4 to 12.0 percent of total wage earners in November.
Occupations of Women
Fable 1 contains a complete list of occupations in which women
were employed in the 13 yards.
T a b l e 1. — Occupations
of W oman W age Earners in 13 Selected Commercial Shipyards,
November 1942
Occupation
Assemblers. .
_
B lacksm iths’ helpers
Boilermakers’ h elp ers..
B u rn e rs _____
.
B urners’ helpers
C hauffeurs____ .
O hippers___ ______
C rane operators . . .
D raftsm en_____
Electricians . . .
Electricians’ helpers
Expediters . . .
Helpers (trade not specified)
Janitors_______
Laborers_______
Lay-out w orkers__
Loftsmens’ h e lp e rs.. .
M achine operators:
A cetylene cutting m a c h in e s .___
Bending machines
Buffers.
D rill p re sse s______
Electric saws
Engraving m achines___ . . .
G rinders. .
H and binding machines
H and punches___ . . .
K ey m achines___. . .
L a th e s .. . . . . . . . .
Light sheet m etal
M arking m achines. . .
M illing machines ____
Pipe c u t t e r s .. ______
Screw m achines.. . . .
Shapers____ _. __
T hreaders.. . . . . .
N um ber
of yards
reporting
4
3
4
9
1
1
1
1
1
4
7
4
1
3
6
3
1
1
2
3
10
3
1
8
1
1
1
5
3
2
1
1
2
2
1
Occupation
M aterial clerks
M echanics’ helpers
Painters
Painters* helpers
P ain t cleaners___. . .
Photographers
Pipe coverers
Pipefitters’ helpers
Kocl distributors
Sheet-metal workers
Shipfitters
Shipfitters* helpers
Shipw rights’ helpers
Silver brazers
Steam fitters* helpers
Steel checkers
T an k scalers
Tapers___ . . . . . . .
Tool checkers
Tracers
Truck drivers
W arehouse workers
W elders (by type and place):
T a c k ...
Horizontal _. .
Vertical .
Overhead
Off ways
On wavs
Topside
Below deck
N ot specified
W elding eh pokers
N um ber
of yards
reporting
4
1
j
o
L
1
11
9
L
q
q
Ó
Q
o
2
1
l
qo
3
3
l
l
\
oK
A
o
9
10
10
g
13
g
4
3
All 13 yards employed women for various types of welding. Prac
tically all of them specifically mentioned that women were doing tack
welding, and most of them reported using women for horizontal,
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
279
Women in Industry
vertical, and overhead welding. Women were employed mainly in
welding hull sections fabricated off the ways, but in about half of the
yards they also worked on the ways, welding plates to hull sections.
Most of the yards using women on the ways reported that they worked
both topside and below deck.
All yards but 1 reported that they had women operating a variety
of machines, such as drill presses, grinders, lathes, and other machines.
The majority of yards had woman shipfitters and shipfitters’ helpers,
but in 3 yards most of the latter were being used as steel checkers.
It was common to use women in the electric and sheet-metal shops,
and a number of yards reported employing women as expediters,
warehouse workers, truck drivers, and laborers. One Gulf Coast
company had woman apprentices in the electric shop, winding coils
for repaired motors; winding fixtures, appliances, fittings, etc.;
repairing portable lights; welding whips; and assembling cable
hangers.
At a large shipyard on the Pacific Coast, where women held about
6 percent of the ~production jobs, almost two-thirds of them were
welders, and over 59 percent of the yard’s in-school trainees were
women, as indicated in the statement below.
Women as
percent of
total wage
earners
Percent of total
woman wage
earners
B u rn e rs______________________________
C rane o p e ra to rs---------------------------------D rillers_______________________________
E lectrician s___________________________
E xpediters, m a te ria ls--------------------------H elpers (all c ra fts)-----------------------------W arehousem en-----------------------------------W elders, p ro d u c tiv e---------------------------W elders (in-school tra in e e s)-----------------
4. 9
. 2
4. 6
•1
•1
•6
•7
18. 5
3. 0
66. I
6. 3
. 5
1.
1.
5.
12.
18.
59.
1
7
7
0
0
2
5. 8
All occu p atio n s------------------------- 100. 0
Recruitment of Women
Woman shipyard workers were usually recruited through the
United States Employment Service, company employment offices,
unions, and trade schools (table 2). In addition to obtaining workers
T a b l e 2 .— Methods
Used in Recruiting Women in Selected Commercial Shipyards,
November 1942
Shipyard
U nited Com pany
States
employ
E m ploy
m ent
m ent
office
Service
X
Shipyard A -----------------------------------------Shipyard B__.--------------------------------- -
x
Shipyard D ----------------------------- - -
X
Shipyard F -------------------------------------- -Shipyard G -----------------------------------------
Shipyard M ----------------------------------- -S hipyard N -----------------------------------------
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
x
X
X
X
X
X
X
T rade
schools
U nion
News
paper
adver
tisem ent
Other
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Monthly Labor Review— February 1943
through the United States Employment Service, one company used
newspaper advertisements. Another company depended on the union
to furnish workers and also urged husbands to bring their wives to
work at the yard.
7 ra i n ing Program s
-The Federal Government was training women to be shipyard
workers in national-defense training schools sponsored by various
agencies of the \\ ar Manpower Commission. Shipbuilding companies
also conducted their own training courses, besides training workers
°n the job. Most of the yards reported a combination of the two.
One Atlantic Coast shipyard which sent its employees to trainingschools for prejob training reported that woman machinists received
144 hours’ training (85 percent practical and 15 percent classroom
w°rk) and welders received from 220 to 270 hours’ training (5 percent
classroom work). All other women were trained on the job, except
lor approximately 1 hour per week consisting of educational movies
safety talks, and trade theory.
In three shipyards, women who were taken in as students received
approximately 85 hours of training, depending upon individual apti
tude. Those who were able to pass a trade test after 40 hours of
burning or 60 hours oi welding in a national-defense training school
went into the yards as burner or welder trainees. Shipfitter trainees
and sheet-metal trainees were given on-the-job training by journey
men and were required to take supplementary training at the nationaldefense schools.
Most of the woman employees of one large Pacific Coast shipyard
came from preemployment schools. Until recently the normal period
of training before employment consisted of 60 hours, but because of
the increased demand for additional labor the period had been reduced
to 30 hours.
Plie training program at another yard in the same region was reMi icted to welding. After an average of 6 days in the welding school,
trainees were put on the job where their training continued until they
could qualify as journeyman welders, usually after 1 month. Another
yard s program consisted of approximately 60 hours’ instruction and
production training in flat position welding and 36 hours’ addit onal
training for vertical and overhead welding.
Three shipyards on the Atlantic Coast trained women only on the
job. A west coast yard reported that at least 75 percent of the train
ing was on the job, consisting ol from 50 to 200 hours of training,
depending on the type of work.
Efficiency of If omen
The yards were practically unanimous in reporting that on the whole
the work done by women was considered equal to that of men. The
only yard which reported that women were less satisfactory than men
also pointed out that, after 3 or 4 weeks in the yards, the women did
not work so regularly as the men.
I he shipyard which employed the largest number of woman wage
earners during the midweek of November reported satisfactory per
formance, especially where no great physical effort was entailed.
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Women in Industry
281
In one eastern yard the foremen were pleased with the work of
women and found that often women were quicker to learn than the
men available. Machine operators and tackers were equal to men
with comparable experience; in, the welding jobs women had not
been working long enough for a comparison to be made. As burners,
women were believed to be inferior to men, but they kept at then jo >s
and were anxious to learn. On the other hand, the company empha
sized a greater susceptibility of women to industrial poisons such as
were associated with galvanizing processes, and pointed out that pro
ductivity might be affected by this.
A second yard reported that although there had not been suffic le
experience to permit effective comparison of the productivity of men
and women, within the comparable limits of the workers’ experience
the results appeared to be equal. This yard also observed that m
many cases women exhibited a greater interest than did the men and
were more anxious to know “why’ and how.
Three yards considered the work of woman welders comparable
with that of men. Because shipbuilding is a heavy industry and a
heavy type of sheet metal is used, women were not very satisfactory
in the sheet-metal department. As drill-press operators and grinders,
women did commendable work, but were unable to handle heavy
material without assistance. As trained ship fitters helpers they
were working out very well, although the majority m this occupation
were used as steel checkers.
,■
Another vard reported that, as a whole, women compared tavoiab y
with men of equal experience and training. Women were satisfactory
production workers at trades for which they were qualified; they were
relatively less useful for work in difficult, unusual, or uncomfortable
P°Woman welders of one company were good primarily m slab and
tack welding, although less productive than men. In the machine
shop they were satisfactory in specialized work, such as small bar
turret-lathe work, small drill-press work, and filing and polishing.
The electricians’ helpers, when trained on the job m this capacity,
were equal to, and in some cases, superior to men.
Future Need for W omen in Shipyards
Five shipyards estimated that they could utilize women m produc
tion work up to about 20 to 25 percent of tlieir total labor force.
Three yards stated that the number of women they would employ
depended upon (1) the number of men now employed in nonwar work
who could be released for war work, and (2) the considei ation which
the Selective Service System would give shipyard workers.
One company reported that its need would be filled with the women
then employed or in training.
Suggestions for Further Assistance by Federal Government
Through the United States Employment Service and national
defense training schools, the Federal Government assish|' <U
^
in recruiting and training women.
hree yaids expiessu
1
that the Government could also help by making available to the ^
information as to the whereabouts.of potentially employable women
in the area. They added that, basic to the employment of married
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
282
Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
women, however, there was an immediate need for a constructive
child-care program.
A fourth company believed that the Government could facilitate
the recruitment and training of women for the shipbuilding industry
most efficiently by subsidizing trainees prior to actual employment
in the yard.
****##>
EM PLO Y M EN T OF WOMEN IN NEW YORK STATE
FACTORIES, 1942
WOMEN were holding a higher percentage of the factory jobs in the
State of New York in October 1942, than before the attack on Pearl
Harbor, the percentage being 31.9 as compared with 27.8 in January
1942. Approximately three times as many women as men were
added to the factory pay rolls during that period. This appears
from a study of factory employment in New York, by sex, made by
the Division of Statistics and Information of the New York State
Department of Labor (summarized in the Industrial Bulletin for
November 1942), based on the regular reports on employment made
by representative manufacturers each month.
In nearly all industries there has been a shift from men to women
in employment of workers. The war industries, with their great
demand for new workers, have had the most striking increase in the
employment of women. In January 1942 women held only 8.6 percent
of the factory jobs in the metals and machinery industries, while in
October 1942 the percentage had increased to 15.6. An increase of
22 percent occurred in total employment, but this represented an
addition of 123 percent more women and only 13 percent more men.
Similar changes occurred in the miscellaneous manufacturing indus
tries. In the professional and scientific instruments, and the photo
graphic- and optical-goods industries (included in this group), the
number of men increased 16 percent and the number of women 76
percent between January and October, raising the percentage of
women among the workers from 19.7 to 27.1. This group of indus
tries has been given important Government contracts. Employment
was being reduced in most of the other miscellaneous industries, but
in nearly all of them the percentage of women was higher in October
than in January.
In the food and tobacco industries, part of the gain of 18 percent
in total employment—9 percent more men and 41 percent more
women—was undoubtedly due to seasonal factors. However, the
fact that the percentage of women increased in all the individual indus
tries in the group except beverages indicates that the shift from men
to women was not dependent on seasonal factors.
The apparel industries, which normally employ the largest number
and highest percentage of women, had the smallest increase in the
proportion of women. In this industry group the percentage of all
jobs held by women increased only from 61.1 in January to 61.5 in
October, and in most of the different branches of the industry the
variation was slight.
All of the above major industry groups had increased their total
employment, hiring both men and women, In all of them, also, more
women than men had been hired.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
283
Women in Industry
In the stone, clay, and glass industry group the increase in total
employment was small, only 3.2 percent. The number ol men actu
ally decreased 7.8 percent, but this was more than offset by an increase
of 57.3 percent in the number of women employed.
Of the industries reporting decreases in total employment, those
manufacturing textile-mill products were the only group employing
fewer women in October than in January. The decrease of 1.9 per
cent in number of women employed was small, however, when com
pared with the decrease of 13.6 percent in the number of men. Fifty
percent of the total employment in October was composed ol women,
as compared with 46.9 percent in January.
All the other main industry groups had fewer employees m October
than in January, but had added more women.
The changes in employment in the various industries are shown m
the accompanying table.
Employment of Wage Earners, by Sex, in Representative New York State Factories,
January and October 1942 1
P e rc e n t of w o m en
in to ta l e m p lo y
m ent
Percent of change in employ
m ent, Jan u ary 1942 to October
1942
In d u stry
Jan u a ry
1942
October
1942
Total
M en
W omen
T otal, m anufacturing in d u stries---------------------
27.8
31.9
+ 9 .5
+ 3 .4
+25.3
Food and tobacco products---------------------------Textile-m ill p roducts________________________
A pparel and other finished-fabric p ro d u cts-----F u rn itu re and lum ber products- - - ----------P aper and allied products---------------------------Printing, publishing, and allied industries------Chemicals and petroleum p roducts----------------R ubber products----------- ------ ----------------------Leather products___________________________
Stone, clay, and glass-------- --------------------------M etals and m achinery---------------------------------Miscellaneous m anufacturing industries----------
28.8
46.9
61.1
12.7
27.5
20.1
17.6
21.9
40.9
16.9
8.6
29.9
34.4
50.0
61.5
18.0
32.1
24.2
22.1
43.5
46.0
25.7
15.6
33.8
+17.9
- 8 .1
+ 7 .2
-1 1 .8
-1 3 .7
- 2 .6
- 5 .8
- 7 .8
-.4
+ 3 .2
+22.4
+13.0
+ 8 .7
-1 3 .6
+ 6.3
-1 7 .2
-1 9 .3
-7 .7
-1 1 .0
-3 3 .3
- 8 .9
- 7 .8
+12.9
+ 6 .7
+40.8
- 1 .9
+ 7 .8
+25.1
+ .9
+17.5
+18.6
+83.5
+11.8
+57.3
+122. 7
+27.8
W eighted to represent about 50 percent of all wage earners in New Y ork State factories.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Industrial Relations
++****+*++**+***+**++**+++**+*+¿*+**++**++**-»++*¿+*m *+++*»*»*
TYPES OF UN IO N R EC O G N ITIO N TN E F FE C T IN
JANUARY 1943 1
Extent of Collective Bargaining
ABOUT 13 million wage and salaried workers were covered by collec
tive-bargaining relationships at the beginning of 1943. This repre
sents more than 40 percent of all persons engaged in occupations where
it could be reasonably assumed that union agreements might be in
effect.2
The extent of collective bargaining varies greatly among industries
and occupations. About 80 percent of all transportation, public
utility, and construction workers, 75 percent of all persons employed
in mineral extraction, and approximately 60 percent of the wage earn
ers in manufacturing are covered by union agreements. In contrast,
about 5 percent of those in wholesale and retail trade and in the
clerical, professional, and personal-service occupations are working
under collective-bargaining conditions. Since the number employed
in these latter professions and trades represents a third of the total
who might be under agreement, the slight amount of collective bar
gaining among them brings the general coverage down to 40 percent.
Closed and Union Shop
Approximately 6 million workers, or over 45 percent of all those
under union agreement, are covered by closed- or union-shop provi
sions. Almost 3 million of these are in manufacturing and over 1%
million in building construction. About half a million coal miners
and over 700,000 public-utility and transportation workers are covered
by either closed- or union-shop agreements; these are confined al
most entirely to motor and electric transportation, as there are no
such agreements in the railroad industry.
A closed or union shop is established when an agreement requires
union membership by all employees, as a condition of employment in
the plant or in the occupations covered by the agreement. In agree
ments establishing a closed shop for the first time, the provision may
allow a designated number of days, during which time all nonmem
bers must join the union as a condition of continued employment.
The term “ closed shop” lias come to be rather narrowly defined as
requiring not only complete union membership by all employees cov1Prepared in the B ureau’s Industrial Relations Division.
2 There are about 31 million persons employed in occupations where unions are actively engaged in efforts
to obtain w ritten agreements. This includes all the gainfully occupied except the self-employed, proprietors ana super\ isors, agricultural laborers on farms where fewer than 6 are employed, sharecroppers domestic
servants, m ilitary, elected officials, school teachers, and Federal civil service employees. Although teach
ers and civil service employees’ unions engage in w hat approximates collective bargaining, they usually
do not negotiate the custom ary bilateral agreement.
284
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
285
Industrial Relations
ered by the agreement, but also that all new employees must be hired
through the union or must be members at the time of employment.
PROPORTION OF WORKERS UNDER UNION AGREEMENT
BY TYPE OF RECOGNITION PROVIDED
MAJOR INDUSTRY GROUPS
PERCENT
PERCENT
ALU
WORKERS
MANUFACTURING
m in e r a l
c o n s t r u c t io n
EXTRACTION
a
PUBLIC UTILITIES
t r a n s p o r t a t io n
KEY TO RECOGNITION STATUS
■ ■
CLOSED SHOP
gg5
UNION SHOP
MEMBERSHIP MAINTENANCE
PREFERENTIAL HIRING
Y//A
SOLE BARGAINING
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS
Therefore, a frequent counterpart of closed-shop provisions is a pro
vision to grant the union some control over hiring.
In contrast to the closed shop, the term “ union shop” refers to the
situation in which the employer has complete control over the hiring
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
286
Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
of new employees, and such employees need not be union members
at the time of hiring. All employees must join the union as a condi
tion of continued employment, usually after a probationary period
ranging from a few days to several months. Such a probationary
period affords the employer an opportunity to test the qualifications
of new workers; these new workers may be discharged or laid off
without recourse to appeal through the union.
In actual practice, the distinction between a closed and a union
shop is sometimes more theoretical than real. For example, if a union
having a closed-shop contract does not have prohibitive initiation fees
and is willing to accept as members all persons whom the employer
vishes to hire, the situation is not materially different from that
existing under a union-shop provision. The same is true if all the
qualified workers in a particular trade in the community already
belong to the union and if the employer is permitted to make free
selection from among them—subject, ol course, to the seniority rules
in his own agreement. On the other hand, if a union-shop agreement
also provides that members be given preference in hiring, the situation
approximates a closed shop.
Construction workers, truck drivers and street-railway employees
are commonly covered by closed-shop agreements, while the coal-mine
agreements provide for the union shop. Among the manufacturing
industries, the number ol workers covered by closed-shop agreements
is gieatest in shipbuilding, manufacture of women’s clothing, printing
and publishing, men s clothing industry, bakeries, and breweries.
Union-shop conditions also cover a large number of workers in the
manufactuie of men s clothing and in shipbuilding. Many workers
m the industries manufacturing iron and steel products, aircraft, and
paper and allied products are covered by union-shop agreements.
\ Iaintenance-oj-Membership Clauses
About 2 million workers, or more than 15 percent of all workers
under agreement are now covered by clauses which provide that all
<mploy pi's v ho are members of the union at the time the agreement
was signed, or who later join the union, must retain their membership
tor the duration of the agreement. The large majority of the workers
now covered by such provisions are in the basic iron and steel, electri
cal equipment, shipbuilding, aircraft, rubber products, farm equip
ment, and paper industries.
Maintenance-of-membership agreements are spreading rapidly at
the present time. While provisions of the same general character
have been included in agreements in the past, they have become much
more common during recent months, largely as a result of orders of
the National \\ ar Labor Board. The Board has granted maintenance
of membership usually as a compromise of the union’s demand for a
closed oi union shop. It has based its actions in granting mainte
nance of membership on the necessity for stabilizing labor relations
toi. the duration oi the war and on the desire to encourage responsible
union leadership, as well as to offset, in part, the limitations on normal
union activities which have been imposed during the war emergency.
Most of the Board’s maintenance-of-membership orders provide a
15-day escape period during which any present members may resign
from the union if they desire. Many of the maintenance-of-m ember
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Industrial Relations
287
ship awards granted by the Board also provide for the check-off of
union dues (see p. 288).
Preferential Union Shop
About half a million workers, or less than 5 percent of all persons
covered by agreement, are employed under preferential-union-shop
conditions. While a varying number of agreements throughout all
industries provide that preference in hiring be given to union members,
such provisions are most common in the maritime industry, including
longshoring.
There are many types of preferential-shop clauses in union agree
ments. In most of them, the preference is limited to hiring and lay
off; in others, preference is broadened to include promotion and even
seniority rights. It is possible, of course, for preference to be granted
covering certain aspects of employment (such as promotion and lay-off)
without granting hiring preference to union members, but this arrange
ment is rare. Although there is no compulsion upon employees to
join the union or remain in good standing, the effect of preferentialshop agreements is to encourage continued union membership by
placing a definite handicap on nonmembers.
Union as Sole Bargaining Agent
Approximately 4 }{ million workers—35 percent of all workers under
agreement—are covered by provisions which grant the union sole
bargaining rights but no other form of union security. Under such
an agreement the employer is prevented from dealing with any rival
union or group of employees, and the nonunion as well as the union
employees work under the terms laid down in the agreement.
Unlike the maintenance-of-membership and preferential provisions,
this limited form of recognition does not protect the union against
membership losses among present employees, since there is no penalty
imposed on those who decide to drop their membership or refuse to
pay their dues. Unlike the closed- and union-shop provisions, the
right of sole bargaining alone does not provide security against both
resignations and losses occasioned by changes in plant personnel.
The incidence of such insecurity is most acute where there is high
labor turn-over, such as exists in most war plants today. As union
members quit or leave for military service, their places may be filled
with nonunion workers. Likewise, additions to the pay roll at the
present time are likely to be persons who have never belonged to
labor unions and who know very little about them. Under such
circumstances, a union must engage in continuous and vigorous
organizing campaigns in order to maintain its majority representation.
Union Recognition for Members Only
Less than 1 percent of all workers under agreement are covered by
provisions which recognize the union as the bargaining agency for its
members only. Such limited recognition would exist only in a situa
tion in which a minority of the employees belong to the union, or in
an intrastate industry in a State having no labor relations act, or
5 0 7 1 2 3 — 43 ------------6
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
288
Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
where, although the union has a majority, it has not exercised its
rights under the National Labor Relations Act (or similar State labor
relations acts) to secure exclusive bargaining rights.
A clause providing recognition for members only, of course, does
not eliminate the possibility of competition within a plant between
rival unions or between a labor union and an inside employee-asso
ciation plan.
Check-Off of Dues
Approximately 2y2 million workers—about one-fifth of all under
agreement—are covered by some form of check-off arrangement.
The check-off prevails in coal mining and the basic iron and steel indus
tries, and is fairly common in the aircraft, nonferrous-metal, hosiery,
silk and rayon, and cotton-textile agreements.
The check-off is a method of deducting from the employees’ pay,
at regular intervals, the amounts due the union for dues, fines, initia
tion fees, or assessments. The check-off provision has no inherent
connection with the type of recognition accorded. As a rule, how
ever, unions which are well-enough established to obtain a check-off
system are likely to have a status beyond that of mere recognition as
bargaining agent.
The check-off provision may establish a general check-off for all
employees where a closed shop is in force or, otherwise, for every
union member. A more limited type of check-off provision, however,
establishes the deduction only for those employees who file individual
written authorization with the employer. The agreement may pro
vide that the authorization holds until withdrawn by the employee
or until the expiration date of the agreement. In a number of cases
the National War Labor Board has ordered the general check-off for
all union employees; other awards provide for individual voluntary
authorization.
At present about 1V2 million workers are covered by agreements
which provide for the general or automatic check-off, while approxi
mately 1 million work under agreements which provide for check-off
upon individual authorization.
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Industrial Relations
PROPORTION OF WORKERS UNDER UNION AGREEMENT
BY TYPE OF RECOGNITION IN SELECTED INDUSTRIES
INDUSTRY
AIRCRAFT
ALUMINUM
AUTOMOBILE
BAKING
BREWERIES
BUS a STREET CAR
CHEMICALS
CLOTHING (MEN'S)
CLOTHING (WOMEN'S)
CONSTRUCTION
ELECTRICAL
EQUIPMENT
FARM EQUIPMENT
FURNITURE
GLASS
IRON 8STEEL, BASIC
IRON a STEEL PRODUCTS
LEATHER TANNING
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
KEY TO PROPORTION OF WORKERS'
B M I 9 0 -1 0 0 PERCENT
^
6 0 -8 9
V //\
PERCENT
4 0 -5 9
PERCENT
10 - 3 9
PERCENT
I- 9
PERCENT
ATTENTION IS CALLED TO THE FACT THAT THIS LISTING DOES NOT REFER T
the proportion of all workers employed in these industries but
RATHER TO THE PROPORTION WORKING UNDER COLLECTIVE BARGAINING PR
289
290
Monthly Labor Revieiv—February 1943
CHART 2 CON 7
PROPORTION OF WORKERS UNDER UNION AGREEMENT
BY TYPE OF RECOGNITION IN SELECTED INDUSTRIES
INDUSTRY
CLOSED SHOP UNION SHOP
MACHINE TOOLS
MARITIME S LONGSHORE
MEMBERSHIP
MAINTENANCE
PREFER
ENTIAL
HIRING
SOLE
BARGAINING
AGENT
V ////A
W ,W A
YA/AA/A
MINING ! COAL
im m
MINING 1NONFERROUS
NONFERROUS
ALLOYING, ETC.
PAPER 8 ALLIED
PRODUCTS
YA/AAÀ m m
'm m
vaaaaa
V/AAA
m m
m m
POTTERY
PRINTING a
PUBLISHING
m m
m m
W Æ ÏÏ m m
m m
■■■
m amm
RAILROADS
RUBBER TIRES
YAA/A/A
SHIPBUILDING
*m m
m m
m m
m m
m m
SMELTING a REFINING
m m
TELEPHONE a
TELEGRAPH
m m
YAAAAA
m m
TEXTILE- COTTON
m m
m m \
m m
RAYON a SILK
m m
m m
HOSIERY
A AW* V//A///A
WOOLEN a WORSTED
TRUCKING
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
m m
iMBUS
KEY TO PROPORTION OF WORKERS:
O B I 9 0 -1 0 0 PERCENT
6 0 -8 9
PERCENT
4 0 -5 9
PERCENT
V//A
1 0 -3 9
PERCENT
\//\
1-9
PERCENT
W //W A
m m
m m
291
Industrial Relations
NATIONAL WAR LABOR BOARD CASES, TO
NOVEMBER 30. 1942
NEARLY 400 cases, involving over 2,000,000 workers, were closed by
the National War Labor Board between January 12, 1942, when the
Board was created by Executive order, and November 30, 1942. In
all, 2,119 cases, involving approximately 3,800,000 persons, were
received for settlement in this period. The following statistical sum
mary, issued by the Board, shows the cases received and cases closed
during the 10%-month period.
Cases Received and Cases Closed by National War Labor Board,
January 13-November 30, 1942
Cases closed
Cases received
Item
Total
All tvpes of c a s e s _____ . - -- ------ -- . . .
D isputes—
--------- ---------A rbitration agreem ents.__ ..........
V oluntary wage agreem ents___
Disposition of closed dispute cases: All
m ethods
_
_ __
__ _
D irective order . .
...
M ediation
V oluntary arbitration
O ther disposal __
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
2,119
918
377
824
Prior to
N ovem
ber
D uring
N ovem
ber
1,420
693
237
490
699
225
140
334
T otal
Prior to
N ovem
ber
D uring
N ovem
ber
396
330
27
39
356
311
21
24
40
19
6
15
330
187
82
26
35
311
170
82
26
33
19
17
2
Industrial Disputes
STRIKES IN DECEMBER 1942
STRIKE activity in December 1942 was slightly greater than in
November, according to preliminary estimates of the Bureau of Labor
Statistics. While the estimated number of new strikes (160) and the
number of workers involved (57,000) were approximately the same
as in the preceding month, the amount of idleness during strikes
(200,000 man-days) was about 14 percent higher than in November.
There was an increase in strike activity affecting war work during
December. There were increases of 5 percent in number of new
strikes, 12 percent in number of workers involved, and 30 percent in
idleness during strikes.
The largest strike in December involved over 8,000 workers at the
South Portland (Maine) Shipbuilding Corporation from December 1
to 3.
Idleness during strikes in December is estimated to be 0.03 percent of
available working time.
Trend of Strikes, January to December 1942
All strikes 1
M onth
1948
January
____
- F e b ru a ry . ___
_ _ _ _ _
M arch _____________________
A p ril______________________
M ay ______________________
June- ______ - - ___________
J u ly ___________
A ugust____________________
Septem ber_________________
October.- ______ ______
_
N ovem ber-- _ ____ _ _
D ecem ber___ _ _
Strikes affecting w ar work 2
N um ber of N um ber of N um ber of N um ber of N um ber of N um ber of
strikes
strikes
workers
m an-days beginning
workers
man-days
beginning
involved
idle
involved
idle
in m onth
in m onth
155
190
240
310
275
350
400
350
290
235
165
160
32, 500
57, 000
65,000
55,000
58,000
100,000
87, 500
80, 000
80,000
60, 000
55, 000
57,000
390,000
425, 000
450,000
375, 000
325,000
550, 000
450,000
450, 000
450, 000
325,000
175,000
200,000
27
50
66
91
125
171
198
195
156
93
91
96
11,605
24, 587
34, 957
26, 255
44,891
78, 627
74, 812
70, 352
71,912
38,321
43, 422
48, 571
46, 197
118, 700
166, 680
173,513
137, 330
254, 653
233,614
266, 353
318,892
167, 865
91,925
119, 572
1 Figures are not final b u t are subject to change as later information is received.
2 As determ ined by a Joint C om m ittee of representatives from the W ar, N avy, and Labor D epartm ents,
M aritim e Commission, W ar LaborjBoard, and W ar Production Board. The B ureau of Labor Statistics
does no t p articipate in the selection of these strikes, b u t it does furnish the statistics after the Joint
C om m ittee determ ines which strikes affected war work.
292
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
293
I il dus tri al I)is putes
ACTIVITIES OF THE UNITED STATES
CONCILIATION SERVICE, DECEM BER 1942 1
THE United States Conciliation Service, during December disposed
of 1,413 situations involving 863,600 workers (table 1). The services
of this agency were requested by the employers, employees, and other
interested parties. Of these situations 86 were strikes and lock-outs
involving 31,453 workers; 837 were threatened strikes and contro
versies involving 518,823 workers. Altogether, 180 disputes wefe
certified during the month to the National A ar Labor Board, and in
54 cases other agencies assumed jurisdiction. The remaining 256
situations included investigations, arbitrations, requests for informa
tion, consultations, etc.
T able
1.— Situations Disposed of by United States Conciliation Service, December 1942,
by Type of Situation
T ype of situation
N um ber
W orkers
involved
i 1,413
863, 600
D isputes_________________________________________
Strikes_______________________________________
Threatened strikes------------------------------------------Lock-outs_____________________________________
Controversies--------------------------------------------------
923
84
115
2
722
550, 276
31,117
49, 464
330
469, 359
O ther situations---------------------------------------------------Investigations_________________________________
Technical services------------------------------------------A rbitrations--------------------- -----------------------------R equests to conduct consent elections___________
R equests for verification of union m em bership----Requests for inform ation_______________________
C onsultations_________________________________
Special services of Commissioners_______________
C om plaints___________________________________
256
54
9
81
4
2
8
74
13
11
43, 547
6,916
8, 051
26, 234
350
42
18
194
1, 726
16
D isputes referred to other agencies during negotiations
To N ational W ar Labor B oard_________________
To N ational Labor Relations B oard_____________
To other Federal agencies______________________
To Wage A djustm ent B oard___________________
To non-governmental agencies--------------------------To State agencies______________________________
234
180
31
6
3
10
4
269, 777
242, 695
13,541
9, 671
1, 560
2, 202
108
All situations handled.
1 D uring the m onth 155 cases, involving 39,591 workers, were adjusted, subject to arbitration or approval
of the wage provisions by the N ational W ar Labor Board.
The facilities of the Service were used in 28 major industrial fields’
such as building trades, and the manufacture of foods, iron and steel’
textiles, etc. (table 2), and were utilized by employees and employers
in 46 States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico (table 3).
i R eport prepared by the U nited States Conciliation Service, for the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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able
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2.——Situations Disposed of by United States Conciliation Service, December 1942,
by Industries
D isputes
Other situations
Total
In d u stry
N um
ber
All industries. . .
_ . _____
W orkers
involved
1,157
820,053
10
53
40
11
27
30
105
47
187
13, 040
29, 272
13, 662
26,394
10, 259
173, 444
26, 795
7,498
141, 697
L eather____ . . . . . .
L u m b er__ __ .
M achinery. . . . ___
M a r itim e _____ _______ .
M in in g ______________
M otion pictures____
_ .
N onferrous m e ta ls.. ___
P ap er______ . _
P e tr o le u m i.____ . . . . . .
19
38
45
2
19
3
43
5
18
P r in tin g ...
_
Professional
.. . _
R u b b er_____ _ _ . . . ._
Stone, clay, and glass________ __
Textile______________ _
Tobacco_____
_ _
T rad e_____ . . . .
T ran sp o rtatio n _____ ______
T ransportation eq u ip m en t.. . .
U tilities. .
Unclassified. . .
_ _____
33
5
15
41
51
7
88
69
66
12
68
Agriculture
. . ..
Building trades.
__ _ _____ _ ____
Chem icals.
______
Com m unications____
Domestic and personal
Electrical equipm ent
F o o d ____________________
F u rn itu re and finished lum ber
_ ...
Iron and steel. _ _____ ______
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N um
ber
256
W orkers
involved
N um
ber
W orkers
involved
43,547
1,413
863, 600
12
14
1
5
8
18
2
29
957
1,707
110
373
6,014
945
62
3,509
10
65
54
12
32
38
123
49
216
12 040
30’ 229
15, 369
26^ 504
10, 632
179, 458
27, 740
7, 560
145; 206
7,277
19,516
30, 761
200
17,117
75
27, 208
294
6, 575
10
9
14
1,192
501
3,180
2
1
4
2
8
59
30
687
5
168
29
47
59
2
21
4
47
7
26
8, 469
20, 017
33,941
200
17,176
105
27,895
299
6,743
11, 224
535
20, 048
7, 773
16, 235
2, 202
16, 892
14, 356
154, 002
2, 672
23, 030
6
1
1
9
34
2
14
17
12
3
18
601
34
3
1,636
6, 923
547
1, 276
1, 225
9,972
179
1,652
39
6
16
50
85
9
102
86
78
15
86
11,825
569
20, 051
9,409
23,158
2,749
18, 168
15, 581
163, 974
2, 851
2L 682
295
I ndustriaVDisputes
T a b l e 3 . — Situations
Disposed of by United Stales Conciliation Service, December 1942,
by States
States
N um ber
Total
O ther situations
D isputes
W orkers
involved
N um ber
W orkers
involved
N um ber
W orkers
involved
All States__________
1,157
820, 053
256
43, 547
1,413
863, 600
A labam a___________
A rizona____________
A rkansas__________
California__________
Colorado___________
C onnecticut________
D elaw are__________
D istrict of Columbia
19
8
6
111
4
6
1
1
13
484
2
64
1, 770
2
4
4, 405
6,570
665
46, 013
1, 302
2, 380
3, 060
25, 339
2
1
2
5
30
268
25
9
7
124
4
9
3
6
4,889
6, 572
729
47,783
1, 302
2, 385
3, 090
25, 607
Florida____________
Georgia____________
Idaho_________ ____
Illinois____________
In d ian a____________
Iowa_—____ _______
K ansas____________
K en tu ck y _________
18
17
5
75
39
13
14
17
5, 327
8, 869
148
34, 363
33, 699
15, 828
3, 675
3, 389
6
2
1
15
6
2
1
2
544
126
1
951
4, 534
72
1
2
24
19
6
90
45
15
15
19
5,871
8,995
149
35, 314
38, 233
15,900
3,676
3, 391
Louisiana__________
M aine_____________
M ary lan d _________
M assachusetts_____
M ichigan__________
M innesota_________
M ississippi________
M issouri__________
20
1
ID
36
94
23
4
40
3, 761
12
34, 655
16, 488
132, 648
11,584
2,372
8, 219
4
6
106
6
20
26
5
1
3
4, 478
2, 011
38
10
117
24
7
10
56
120
28
5
43
3, 867
18
34, 655
20, 966
134, 659
11, 622
2, 382
8, 336
M o n tan a__________
N ebraska__________
N evada___________
New H am pshire___
N ew Jersey________
N ew Mexico______
N ew Y ork_________
N orth C arolina____
9
4
5
2
40
3
116
7
1, 013
140
4, 818
74
19, 714
5, 316
217, 203
1,398
1
1
3
10
1
21
7
156
361
626
3, 207
581
9
5
5
5
50
4
137
14
1,013
141
4, 818
230
20, 075
5,942
220, 410
1,979
N orth D ak o ta_____
O hio_____________
O klahom a________
Oregon___________
Pennsylvania_____
Puerto R ico_______
Rhode Islan d_____
South C arolina____
2
97
13
24
87
21
6
6
303
53,822
8,407
4, 489
25, 322
17,910
3, 475
3,982
2
14
5
2
24
10
200
1,779
780
157
13, 744
282
4
4, 441
4
111
18
26
111
31
6
10
503
55,601
9,187
4,646
39,066
18,192
3,475
8,423
South D ak o ta_____
Tennessee_________
Texas_____________
U ta h ___________ _
V irginia__________
W ashington_______
W est Virginia_____
W isconsin________
1
21
25
4
14
27
8
28
13
9, 527
4,951
5, 329
4, 440
12,687
2, 375
8,574
2
3
173
256
2
9
3
7
6
111
315
751
1
23
28
4
16
36
11
35
13
9, 700
5, 207
5 ,32£
4,446
12,798
2,690
9,325
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
La bar Orga nizations
RESEARCH WORK OF TRADE-UNIONS
By
N
elso n
M.
B ortz ,
Bureau of Labor Statistics
l NION research as this term applies to the activities of labor organ
izations in their study of and factual approach to social and economic
problems of concern to workers- has expanded tremendously during
the last decade. This growth has been marked by the increasing
number ot unions which maintain specific research departments and
by the quantity and quality of their research activities. The need
for and usefulness of union research has been acknowledged by officers
°f both large and small unions, and the thoroughness of some of the
studies produced by union research directors has commanded the
respect of employers and government officials.
Records of the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicate that 51 labor
organizations now maintain research departments. This is in addi
tion to the research departments maintained by the headquarters of
the American Federation ol Labor and the Congress of Industrial
Organizations. A small but increasing number of State and local
central labor bodies have also established separate offices for economic
and statistical research. The growth of union interest in labor
statistics and economic research has resulted in many requests from
i epiesentatives oi organized labor to the Bureau of Labor Statistics
for comprehensive information on a wide variety of problems, such
as employment and unemployment, hours of work, earnings, ’wage
rates, prices and the cost of living, industrial injuries, and labor
piodncth ity. In order to meet more adequately the need of unions
Iqr factual data and also to discuss with the research directors the kind
of problems they are facing and how the Bureau may assist them in
the solution of these problems, annual conferences have been held
between union research directors and the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Development of Union Research
The quest for information which could be used by labor organiza
tions in their activities is virtually as old as the labor movement itself.
\\ ith the establishment, in 1884, of what has now become the Bureau
ol Labor Statistics, many unions then in existence plied the Bureau
with requests for data. The Bureau in turn sought the cooperation
ol the unions in its attempt to collect statistics on wages, hours, and
working conditions—the subjects uppermost in the minds of wage
earners.
I erhaps the first formal recognition of the need for collecting and
summarizing available economic and statistical data for use bv
organized labor came from the late Samuel Gompers, president of the
296
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Labor Organizations
297
American Federation of Labor, wlio, in 1910, engaged a research
worker to carry out economic studies for the Federation. One of the
first attempts at systematic compilation of wage and related economic
data by a union, for use in obtaining increased rates of pay ocurred
in 1913, when the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and the
Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen engaged econo
mists to prepare statistical material to support their wage case before
a board of arbitration.
Rising living costs, variations in wages between war and nonwar
industries, and problems of long hours and hazardous working con
ditions during the years of the first World War forcefully brought
home to workers the need for accurate information in a wide variety
of economic fields. Numerous Government agencies and boards,
such as the United States Railroad Administration and the National
War Labor Board, based their decisions about wage increases and
working conditions largely upon a thorough analysis of pertinent
economic and statistical data.
T R E N D D U R IN G T H E T W E N T IE S
The stress upon factual data, as a basis for collective bargaining,
did not diminish with the country’s return to peace. In the railroad
industry, for example, the Government established a special railroad
labor board to handle controversies between employees and manage
ment. Hearings before this agency usually required advance prepara
tion in the form of economic briefs, and decisions frequently hinged
upon the statistical evidence introduced by one party or another in
the dispute.
Unions in other industries, for purposes either of arbitration or of
general public policy, found it necessary and highly desirable to
support their position with factual evidence demonstrating the
fairness of their requests.
A few unions met the demand for a statistical approach and eco
nomic analysis of their problems by the creation within their own
organization of a statistical or research department. The attitude
which resulted in such action was typified by the declaration in 1920
of the officers of the International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union:
“The labor movement at its early stages, in its pioneer days, did
not have to rely upon or resort to statistics as a weapon of combat.
With the growth of the labor movement, with the strengthening of
its position and influence within the social body of our community
and the complexity of its relations toward the general public, it is
becoming evident that in order to accomplish its aims with greater
facility, and in order to be certain of its ground and to safeguard
the responsible steps which it is compelled to make from time to time,
it must be armed with all concrete facts, with every bit of informa
tion concerning the justice of its demands, and the solemnity of its
contentions. The labor movement is beginning to feel more and
more that its cause is so irrefutably sound, that its challenge is based
on facts and conditions to such an extent, that it is duty bound to be
able to marshal these facts and figures at the quickest possible notice,
and to be able to present these for the fortification of its contentions.” 1
i International Ladies’ G arm ent W orkers’ Union, Report and Proceedings, 15th Convention, 1920 (pp02, 03).
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Monthly Labor Review -February 1943
The Amalgamated Clothing Workers, prompted in part by the
urgent necessity of marshaling facts to counteract a serious court
injunction against the union’s activities, also established a research
department in 1920. During the same year the Railway Employees’
Department of the American Federation of Labor created a bureau
oi research. A number of other labor organizations confronted with
the post-war problems of maintaining wage rates, reducing hours,
and combating open-shop demands of employers, likewise established
within the next few years special departments of economic research
oi statistics. Among these were the International Typographical
Union, the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees, and the
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. In other instances,
unions relied upon the assistance oi the private labor research bureaus
which had been opened either during or shortly after the war. Some
unions also utilized the services and reports of various consumer
organizations, particularly those that conducted surveys on the
cost of living and employment conditions of women and children.
The American Federation of Labor supported the need for greater
research and became a charter member of the Personnel Research
Foundation, a nonpartisan organization formed in 1921 to serve as a
clearing house for information on the activities of various public and
private institutions conducting studies “pertaining to personnel in
industry, commerce, education, and Government.”
During the latter part of the 1920’s, statistical and research depart
ments were established by several other labor organizations. These
included the Brotherhood of Railway Clerks, Brotherhood of Loco
motive Firemen and Enginemen, Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen,
and the International Printing Pressmen and Assistants’ Union!
Meanwhile, the A. F. of L. was expanding gradually the scope of its
research work to meet the growing demands of its membership.
Several studies dealing with union wage policy and hours were
published and, beginning in September 1927, the Federation started
its monthly reports on the trend of unemployment among skilled
workers m a number of large cities. In 1929, the Federation
inaugurated its monthly survey of business and economic conditions.
Inquiry into economic issues and how problems facing labor could be
met through use of statistical data also was encouraged by the Brookwood Labor College, which was established in 1921 to provide educa
tional opportunities for workers in the trade-union movement.
FR O M D E P R E S S IO N , T H R O U G H R E C O V E R Y , TO W A R
The economic depression and the mass unemployment following the
1929 stock-market crash by no means reduced the need for sound
union research. Nevertheless, declines in membership and union
finances frequently curtailed such activities, and in at least one
instance forced the union to abandon its research program entirely.
1 nion research took on a new lease ol life in 1933. Enactment of
the National Industrial Recovery Act and the formulation of NRA.
industry codes necessitated the assembly of statistical data on wages
and hours to support union representatives at code hearings. The
A. F. of L. expanded its research activities; and the need for economic
and statistical information, analyzed and adapted for union use,
became evident to many labor organizations. The next few years
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Labor Organizations
299
therefore witnessed a substantial growth in union research, both
among A. F. of L. unions and among newly formed C. I. 0. unions.
Recognition of the need for and the usefulness of research services
recently has led to the establishment of research units in State and
city labor groups as well as in some of the larger local unions. This
trend has been particularly evident in the International Brotherhood
of Teamsters, Chauffeurs, Warehousemen, and Helpers. About a
year ago the international president of this organization strongly
advised every district council of teamsters to employ *‘a first-class
statistician * * * who would have vital information at his finger
tips when wage contracts are under discussion.”
Q U A L IF IC A T IO N S , T E N U R E , A N D
C O M PE N SA T IO N O F R E SE A R C H
D IR E C T O R S
Some union research directors have brought to their work a long
background of experience as workers in their trade and as officers
of their local or national organization. Their knowledge “from the
ground up” makes them thoroughly familiar with the nature of the
industry and with the peculiarities of the jobs performed by members
of the union. To this fund of practical knowledge they apply the
statistical and economic data necessary to support the particular
issue at hand.
Other union research directors have had little or no previous
intimate contact with the union or with the industry. For the most
part, such individuals are appointed to research positions because of
tlieir specialized training in the field of labor economics and statistics,
coupled with a sincere desire to participate constructively in the labor
movement.
Regardless of their background, research directors find that success
in their job requires that they be able to blend practical experience
with technical training. The director from the ranks must be able
to analyze complicated economic data and effectively present statis
tical material, and the professionally trained research economist must
obtain an understanding of the characteristics of the various_jobs
performed by members of the union and be thoroughly acquainted
with the industry or group of industries covered by the union’s
jurisdiction. He must also become thoroughly familiar with the
history of the union and absorb some of its philosophy and spirit.
In the words of the executive council of the American Federation of
Labor, “the research persons who can give the best service must be
especially trained, know the technical field, must know people, must
know labor, and be concerned for its welfare as an integral element in
our democratic societies, and must know the extent of their responsi
bility.” 2
_
.
Tenure of research directors is relatively secure, provided, of course,
their duties are competently and faithfully discharged. Some re
search people have served the same union lor 10 to 20 years or more.
In other instances, changes in international officers or shifts in union
policy have resulted in turn-over of research personnel.
Compensation appears to vary substantially, although the general
rule of “the larger the organization and the greater the responsibility,
the higher the pay” seems to prevail among unions in much the sanie
manner as in industry. On the average, the salary scale in union
2 R eport of Executive Council of the American Federation of Labor to the Sixty-second A nnual Con
vention, Toronto, Canada, 1942 (p. 107).
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Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
research work may be roughly compared with the scale paid for econ
omic research in the Government service and ranges from about
$2,000 to about $7,500 a year.
Services Rendered by Research Departments
First claim on the services of the research department generally
goes to the union president, secretary-treasurer, and members of the
general executive board, who shape the policies and activities of the
union between conventions. The union research director may thus
be assigned a series of jobs dealing with, for example, progress of the
industry in converting to war production, prospective sources of
supply of essential raw materials, effect of Government employment
or production regulations upon members of the union, the present
union wage structure in the light of the national economic-stabilization
program, probable effects of a longer workweek on the health of the
workers in the industry, possibility of using women in place of men,
etc. These broad questions are frequently accompanied by a series
of requests for specific data to meet the exigencies of situations as
they arise almost overnight in this or that locality and in this or that
section of the country.
In some organizations the research director must submit reports of
current economic trends at each meeting of the union’s executive
board or at least be present and be prepared to provide the officers of
the organization with information on problems within the scope of
activities of the research department. The union may request the
department to prepare reports for conventions or special meetings,
analyzing particular phases of an issue of concern to the members.
Thus, the research department of the United Automobile, Aircraft, and
Agricultural Implement Workers undertakes from time to time a
special poll to get a cross-section opinion from the union’s member
ship on problems of current importance on which the officers of the
organization desire information and advice.
S E R V IC E S TO LOCAL U N IO N S
Work performed for local unions or joint union councils usually deals
with very specific problems—wages, hours, or working rules—as they
relate to the particular group of workers or groups of employees cov
ered by the contract. If the issue is of great importance, affecting
the welfare or the policy of the entire union, the research department
may devote weeks or even months in preparing and handling the case.
The statistical department of the teamsters’ union, for example, has
participated actively in several important local or regional cases in
volving milk drivers in New York City and Chicago and “ over-theroad” motortruck drivers covered in a midwest regional union agree
ment. In the latter case, the president of the international union
stated that the “ splendid showing” of the statistical department was
largely responsible for a. favorable arbitration award which resulted
in a wage increase aggregating approximately $21,000,000 a year for
the 60,000 members covered by the terms of the contract.3
3 President, D aniel J. Tobin, in the In tern atio n al Team ster, M arch 1942.
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301
N E G O T IA T IO N S W IT H E M PL O Y ER S
As a general matter of policy, wage and other negotiations with em
ployers are carried on by officers of the union with the research director
serving in a technical and advisory capacity. In an increasing num
ber of instances, however, research directors have been given additional
responsibilities, and frequently they have been delegated the task of
bearing the brunt of the union’s case.
When negotiations with an employer pass beyond the stage of joint
discussion and involve the participation of an impartial umpire, ar
bitration board, or other public tribunal, the role of the research direc
tor often increases in importance. In such instances, both sides have
to marshal facts and figures to support their contentions and to en
lighten a third party on the peculiarities of the industry and the im
portance of the particular issues at stake. Unions have learned by
experience that in such undertakings sound statistical and economic
arguments are necessary and that they cannot afford to rely entirely
upon economic strength or public sympathy to win their case.
Problems of wages, hours, and working conditions consume the
greater portion of the research director’s time and energy. The task
of accumulating statistics on wage rates and earnings of union mem
bers, of unorganized workers in the industry, or of workers in com
peting industries, calls for all the resources the research director can
command. If the local unions have been reasonably cooperative in
forwarding copies of their collective-bargaining agreements or have
supplied the necessary information in periodic reports or question
naires, the research department has available a body of facts to help
meet its needs. All too frequently, however, these data are too scanty
and have to be supplemented by additional information derived from
a variety of sources—from friendly employers or unions, from special
field surveys, and from information on file or published by various
State or Federal Government agencies. The research department of
the International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union has on several
occasions undertaken wage studies of many of its members by means
of a simple questionnaire covering earnings and hours of work during
a specific week. Returns from approximately 90,000 workers were
obtained, and comparisons with pay-roll data available from other
sources indicated that the union’s analysis gave an accurate picture
of earnings in the industry.
The demand for precise and detailed wage data has been accen
tuated by the war and by the efforts of the Government to stabilize
prices, cost of living, and wages. Under the various Executive
orders of the President and the decisions of the National War Labor
Board, unions must substantiate any request for an upward revision
in the wage structure by accurate and thorough presentation of all
facts and figures involved in the case. Preparation of wage data for
such cases usually requires careful analysis of occupational differences
in earnings, not only in the specific plant or industry in question but
also in a comparison with wages in competing plants or industries.
Where the wage problem affects an entire industry engaged in war
work, such as the aircraft industry, the Government itself generally
conducts an exhaustive survey of earnings, labor turn-over, manpower
requirements, and other factors which may be involved in the problem
of wage stabilization. In such instances, the union must rely upon its
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302
Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
research department to assist in the development of the survey and
present data which are important from the worker’s point of view.
That such information is often quite useful to the Government agency
conducting the survey is borne out in the report of a special represent
ative of the National War Labor Board who, in submitting his recom
mendations for wage adjustments in the west coast aircraft industry,
declared that “the unions have supplied a great volume of material,
thoughtfully and ably prepared, which has been very helpful in analyz
ing the wage problem.” 4
In addition to problems of wages and hours, union research depart
ments must deal with an almost infinite variety of other questions
relating to working conditions; among these are problems dealing with
work loads, with illness, fatigue, and accidents, with paid vacations,
and with grievances. The development of adequate union grievance
machinery, as well as the provision of direct assistance in handling
specific grievances, frequently calls for a considerable portion of the
time of a union research department. Often the cause or the solution
of a grievance centers in a technical problem, perhaps involving
calculation of pay under incentive-wage or bonus plans, time or job
studies, or faulty flow of materials. The scope of research activities
in the field of grievances is thus described by the research director of
the Textile Workers’ Union:
In th e ac tu a l ad m in istra tio n of agreem ents, th e research d e p a rtm e n ts m ay
play an im p o rta n t role. G rievances rela tin g to tech n ical questions w hich are
n o t se ttled locally are referred to th is d e p a rtm e n t fo r review. T hey are fre
q u en tly able to fo rm u late otherw ise vague com plaints, id en tify sources of tro u b le,
review grievance m ach in ery a n d offer suggestions wiiich fa c ilita te a d ju stm e n ts.
P la n ts w ith tim e studies, com plicated w age in cen tiv e plans, m e rit-ra tin g system s,
h azard o u s an d u n h e a lth fu l em p lo y m en t conditions, w age p e n a lty provisions,
su b s ta n d a rd w age levels, b u rdensom e w ork loads, or excessive ra te s of change in
eq u ip m en t are co n sta n t sources of problem s w hich req u ire th e d e p a rtm e n t’s a id .5
Not all of the relations of research directors with employers deal
with controversial issues. Recently there have been numerous in
stances in which the union and employer or group of employers have
jointly attacked baffling problems relating to production, employment,
absenteeism, plant injuries, or grievances. Much of the cooperative
relationship existing between the various organized trades and the
Tennessee Valley Authority, for example, lias been due to the desire
of both parties to discuss the various problems frankly on an unemo
tional, factual basis, and in these conferences the unions have been
generally assisted by the research director of the International
Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. Another instance occurred when
the Government placed an embargo upon the imports of raw silk from
Japan in August 1941 and froze all existing silk stocks within the
country for military purposes. The American Federation of Hosiery
Workers immediately inaugurated a system of weekly reports from its
various locals and also from a large group of employers in the industry.
These reports provided current information, not only to the union but
also to employers and the Government, of the extent of unemployment
and the degree to which the industry was utilizing substitute fibers in
the manufacture of hosiery.
4 R eport of Paul R . Porter, chief, Shipbuilding Stabilization Branch, Labor Production Division, W PB
and special representative of the N ational W ar Labor Board, dealing w ith Pacific Coast aircraft wages.
(O W I Release B-354, D ecember 20, 1942.)
5 Personnel Journal, F ebruary 1941 (p. 295): Labor U nion Research D epartm ents, by Solomon B arkin.
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303
T E S T IM O N Y B E F O R E C O N G R E SS
Organized labor has always used the democratic right of petition as
well as the procedure of appearing before appropriate Congressional
committees to present its views on public policy and especially on
pending legislation affecting workers. The general practice is for the
elected leaders of labor organizations personally to present the posi
tion of the membership. The technical preparation of their testi
mony, however, often is assigned to the research department, and in
some instances the research director is authorized to testify on behalf
of the organization. This is particularly true of the research depart
ments of the American Federation of Labor and the Congress of In
dustrial Organizations, whose representatives have appeared before
committees to present data on issues of current importance.
The services of the research department are utilized to an even
greater extent if the hearings are primarily concerned with technical
economic problems. Thus, during the investigations of the Temporary
National Economic Committee, research directors accompanied the
heads of their unions to the witness stand and collaborated in pre
senting the union’s views on such problems as the impact of tech
nology upon production and employment. Again, in December 1942
the economist of the American Federation of Labor appeared before
the Senate Committee on Small Business to offer the suggestions of
that labor organization on the greater utilization of the facilities of
small businesses in the furtherance of the war effort.
R E L A T IO N S W IT H G O V E R N M E N T A D M IN IS T R A T IV E A G E N C IE S
The la bor legisla tion enacted during the last decade, combined with the
great expansion in collective bargaining since 1932, has made it neces
sary for organized labor to follow very closely a wide range of adminis
trative activities of the Federal Government. Here again the re
search departments of the various unions have been called upon to
prepare data to support the union’s position. They have dealt with
such matters as formulation of NBA codes of fair competition, hear
ings before the National Labor Relations Board, determination of
prevailing wages to be paid on Government contracts coming within
the scope of the Davis-Bacon and Walsh-Healey Public Contracts Act,
establishment of minimum wages under the Fair Labor Standards Act,
and, most recently, preparation and presentation of wage cases before
the National War Labor Board. Union research directors have also
had to prepare data for issues coming before the Federal Security
Agency, the Interstate Commerce Commission, and the Federal Com
munications Commission, as well as numerous Government depart
ments such as Agriculture and Commerce.
The war emergency has also resulted in a greater utilization by
Government agencies of the technical knowledge and union experience
of research directors. One union research director is now serving
full time as a technical labor adviser in an important industry branch
of the War Production Board, and another is working part time on
the important WPB Planning Committee. Economists of the A. F.
of L. and the C. I. O. research staffs are being constantly consulted on
specific problems, and they also act as labor representatives on
advisory committees created by various Government agencies.
5 0 7 1 2 3 — 43—
7
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Mon Ilily Labor Review—February 1943
In certain fields, notably the railroad industry, labor disputes which
threaten to interrupt interstate commerce must be submitted to an
impartial fact-finding board appointed by the President of the United
States. Under such circumstances, union research directors are
called upon to prepare exhaustive data and to testify at length before
the fact-finding boards. During the 1941 negotiations relating to
wage increases and vacations, at least six union research directors
appeared on the witness stand and analyzed the financial condition of
the railways, the living standards of railway employees, the hazards
of the industry, and similar problems which were pertinent to the
arguments of the employees.
R E SE A R C H P U B L IC A T IO N S
The research departments of several unions prepare regularly a
summary of important economic or technical data, which is either
incorporated into the union’s official publication or is issued as a
separate bulletin. Thus, each issue of the Machinists Monthly
Journal carries several pages surveying current data on production,
employment, living costs, and wages. Textile Labor, published by
the Textile Workers Union, devotes several columns to reporting the
activities of the union’s research department; and the Journal of Elec
trical Workers and Operators frequently carries lengthy articles
dealing with problems of national and international interest to their
membership, such as development of public power projects and the
activities of the International Labor Organization.
Among the separate bulletins, two of the printing trades—the
typographers and pressmen—issue detailed monthly and annual
bulletins presenting current statistical data useful to their members
and describing terms of new collective-bargaining agreements nego
tiated by various locals. The research departments of the aluminum,
automobile, and shipbuilding workers’ unions issue bulletins at
irregular intervals. Analyses of economic problems of more or less
general concern to workers are presented in Labor’s Monthly Survey,
issued by the Research and Information Department of the A. F. of L.
and the Economic Outlook, published by the C. I. O. Department of
Education and Research.
Cooperation With Bureau of Labor Statistics
In 1934, staff members of the Bureau of Labor Statistics met with
a group of union research officials and representatives of various
Government agencies for the purpose of improving the statistical data
compiled by the Bureau and to ‘‘supply laboring people with informa
tion as to what is happening, in such detail that they can make their
own plans and develop their own programs.” The conference raised
questions relating to the collection of statistics on the volume of
employment and unemployment and on more extensive industry
wage surveys, and recommended a revision of the 1918 study of
family expenditures so that the cost-of-living index published by the
Bureau would reflect more accurately the changed consumption habits
of wage earners. The meeting also endorsed the establishment within
the Bureau of a Labor Information Service, designed to provide tradeunions and workers with information which won Id enable them to
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Labor Organizations
305
follow what is happening in the country as a whole as well as in their
particular industries.
The widespread gains in collective bargaining during the following
5 or 6 years and the establishment of a number of new labor organiza
tions led to a greatly increased demand on the part of unions for
factual data on hours, wages, cost of living, and a multitude of other
problems of concern to wage earners. It was during this period that a
large number of unions, both A. F. of L. and C. I. ()., established
research departments. The Bureau took cognizance of this growth,
and in June 1940 invited all union research directors and statisticians
to attend a conference, with a view to obtaining from them suggestions
as to how the Bureau could best serve the statistical needs of the
unions.
In opening the conference, Commissioner Lubin said: “We feel
that the time lias come that this relationship between our customers
and ourselves, you being the customers of the Bureau of Labor
Statistics, should be a continuing one, and we hope some arrangement
can be made whereby this conference can be in constant touch with
the Bureau so that we will have direct access to the people wrho are
using our data.” The union research directors responded to this
suggestion by requesting the Bureau to arrange for at least one meeting
of all research directors each year. They also designated a standing
committee of union research directors to meet with the Bureau of
Labor Statistics periodically between annual conferences to discuss
problems of current importance.
The 2-day meeting reviewed at length the specific types of work
performed by the various divisions of the Bureau, and the research
directors suggested several changes in the types of studies made by the
Bureau as well as in the method of their publication. Some of these
requests, for example, called for data on the total labor force in the
United States and studies on methods of determining piece rates, cost
of production, and labor productivity.
At the time of the second annual conference, in June 1941, the
number of labor organizations maintaining research services had in
creased to 41, as compared with 32 a year earlier. A substantial
portion of the 2-day meeting was devoted to the labor aspects of the
national defense program. In reviewing the relations between the
Bureau of Labor Statistics and the research activities of trade-unions,
the standing committee said in part:
* * * We in th e com m ittee feel a g reat step forw ard has been m ade th ro u g h
th e developm ent of a frien d ly an d cooperative relatio n sh ip betw een th e B ureau
a n d th e m em bers of th e com m ittee.
M ost im p o rta n t of all, th e re h as been established th e conviction on th e p a rt of
th e B ureau th a t its g reate st service can be ren d ered only by close co ordination
of its w ork w ith th e needs of organized labor. I t has becom e, we th in k , realized
t h a t th is service to organized lab o r is a m ain sp rin g of th e B ureau. Y our com
m itte e believes th a t as th e B u re a u ’s service to organized lab o r grows, so will th e
B u reau ’s vigor an d a c tiv ity increase.
On th e o th er h an d , th e lab o r research people are com ing, due to th e activ ities
of th e conference and th e com m ittee, m ore to realize th e ir responsibility fo r th e
w ork of th e B ureau. T h ey h av e come to feel t h a t th e B ureau is, in p a rt, th e ir
in s titu tio n an d th a t now lab o r has a stak e in its o peration.
The third annual conference, in June 1942, dealt with problems
arising from the effect of the war on the national economy in general
and on wage earners in particular. The opening session was devoted
exclusively to a discussion of the activities of the major war agencies—•
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Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
War Production Board, Office of Price Administration, War Manpower
Commission, and the National War Labor Board. Three panel dis
cussions followed, covering the effect of the war on the wage earner as
producer and the wage earner as consumer, and post-war labor
problems. Much interest was evinced in the Government’s attempts
at price and wage stabilization, and many union research directors
stressed the need for more comprehensive wage and cost-of-living
data. The work of labor-management production committees was
likewise emphasized as a means not only of securing greater output but
also of conserving materials and manpower. The unions reiterated
their need for more data on production costs, labor productivity, and
industrial accidents and fatigue. Those who spoke on post-war labor
problems pointed out the necessity of preparing to meet the serious
problems of the peace and emphasized that organized labor be given
the opportunity to express its views and to participate fully in the
consideration of these problems.
Roster of Union Research Departments
As of January 1, 1943, the Bureau of Labor Statistics had record of
53 labor organizations, including A. F. of L. and C. I. O. headquar
ters, which maintained a research department or formally assign ed du ties
of economic research to an offi cer of that organization. The unions and
the persons charged with the responsibility for research work were as
follows:
In charge of research
A m erican F ed eratio n of L a b o r________________________ F lorence T horne.
C ongress of In d u s tria l O rg an izatio n s___
J. R ay m o n d W alsh.
A lum inum W orkers of A m erica_______________________ Ben Fischer.
A rchitects, E ngineers, C hem ists, a n d T ech n ician s_____ D av id B riansky.
A utom obile, A ircraft, a n d A g ricu ltu ra l Im p lem en t Jam es W ishart.
W orkers.
In tern atio n al U nion U n ited A utom obile W o rk ers-- __ W illiam L. M unger.
B akery an d C onfectionery W orkers In te rn a tio n a l U nion- A. W, M yrup.
U nited C annery, A gricultural, Packing, a n d Allied E lizab eth Sasuly.
W orkers.
U nited B rotherhood of C arp en te rs an d Jo in e rs________ A lbert E. Fischer.
C em ent, Lime, an d G ypsum W o rk ers_________________ Anne S. Woll.
B rotherhood of R ailw ay a n d S team ship Clerks, F re ig h t H orace Bacus.
H andlers, E xpress a n d S ta tio n E m ployees.
A m algam ated C lothing W orkers______________________ G ladys A. D ickason.
U nited E lectrical, R adio a n d M achine W o rk ers_______ A. N. Towsen.
In te rn a tio n a l B roth erh o o d of E lectrical W o rk ers______ M arion Hedges.
In te rn a tio n a l U nion of O perating E n g in eers___________ H e rb e rt W oods.
In te rn a tio n a l F u r a n d L e a th e r W o rk ers_______________ George K leinm an.
U nited F u rn itu re W orkers__________________ - ________ (V acancy.)
In te rn a tio n a l L adies’ G arm en t W orkers’ U n io n ________ L azare T eper.
Gas, B y-P roducts, Coke an d C hem ical W orkers, D is- R o b e rt K ap lan ,
tr ic t 50.1
Glass, C eram ic and Silica Sand W orkers_______________ L eland B eard.2
U nited H a tte rs, C ap a n d M illinery W orkers In te rn a - Alfred B rau n th al.
tio n al U nion.
A m erican F ed eratio n of H osiery W orkers 3____________ Alfred H offm ann.2
H o tel an d R e sta u ra n t E m ployees’ In te rn a tio n a l Alliance W. R. W asson,
an d B arten d e rs’ In te rn a tio n a l League.
B rotherhood of L ocom otive F irem en a n d E ng in em en __ H a rry Arries.
L ongshorem en’s an d W arehousem en’s U n io n __________ P a u l G. Pinsky.
In te rn a tio n a l A ssociation of M a c h in is ts --_____________P a u l H utchings.
1A part of the United Mine Workers.
2Vice president.
2A part of the Textile Workers Union.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
307
Labor Organizations
In charge of research
B rotherhood of M aintenance of W ay E m p lo y es----------- L. E. K eller.
M arine an d Shipbuilding W o rk ers____________________ M ichael Ross.
M aritim e C om m ittee, C. I. O.4________________________B jorne H ailing.5
A m algam ated M eat C u tte rs an d B u tch er W orkm en----- C harles E. H an d y .
M ine, M ill and Sm elter W orkers U n io n ----------------------- Ben Riskin.
U nited M ine W orkers________________________________ W alter N . Polakov.
A m erican N ew spaper G uild----------------- ---------------------- l reel D aniel.
U n ited Office and Professional W orkers____ !----------------R ich ard Lewis.
Oil W orkers In te rn a tio n a l U n io n ______________________ W illiam Glazier.
Packinghouse W orkers O rganizing C o m m ittee--------------Virgil Case.
In te rn a tio n a l P h o to -E n g ra v e rs’ U nion________________ J. S. M ertle.
U nited A ssociation of P lum bers a n d S te a m fitte rs--------- Jo h n M cB ride.
In te rn a tio n a l P rin tin g Pressm en a n d A ssistan ts’ U n io n . H . Y. Feldman._
B rotherhood of R ailroad T ra in m e n ___________________ R o b e rt M cB irnie.
R ailw ay E m ployes’ D ep a rtm e n t, A. F. of L.6--------------- George Cucich.
U nited R etail, W holesale, a n d D e p a rtm e n t Store E m - George A. D elm an.
ployees.
U nited R u b b er W orkers______________________________ A. L. Lewis.
U nited Shoe W orkers_________________________________ H orace B. D avis.
S tate, C ounty and M unicipal E m ployees (A. F. of L.)__ G ordon W. C h ap m an .'
S tate, C o u n ty and M unicipal W orkers (C. I. O .)--------- E leanor Dowling.
U nited Steelw orkers of A m erica_______________________H aro ld R u tte n b e rg .
In te rn a tio n a l B rotherhood of T eam sters, Chauffeurs, F ra n k T obin.
W arehousem en, and H elpers.
O rder of R ailroad T eleg rap h ers_______________________ W. M. H om er.
N atio n al F ed eratio n of T elephone W o rk ers____________B ert H o rth .7
T extile W orkers U nion_______________________________ Solom on B arkin.
In te rn a tio n a l T ypographical U n io n ___________________ T . F. Griffin.
U pholsterers’ In te rn a tio n a l U n io n ____________________ W illiam K ohn.
4 Represents several C. I. O. unions w ith m em bership in the m aritim e industry.
5 Executive secretary.
e Represents several A. F . of L. unions w ith m em bership in the railroad industry.
7 Secretary-treasurer.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Cost of Living
LIVING costs were one-half of 1 percent higher on December 15
than on November 15, 1942, bringing the total rise for the first waryear to 9 percent. Since the outbreak of war in Europe, the increase
Las been 22.1 percent, as compared with almost 35 percent during
the same period of World War I. The cost of the goods and services
that were under OPA control on December 15 rose 0.3 percent from
mid-November to mid-December and that of services controlled by
other Government agencies remained unchanged, whereas prices of
goods and services not subject to control advanced 2.0 percent.
Pood costs for city wage earners and clerical workers were about
the same in December as in 1929 and wore 33 percent above the 193539 average. They rose 1.2 percent in the month ending December
15, 1942. Higher prices for fresh fruits and vegetables not controlled
by OPA were chiefly responsible for the increase. Much of this rise
was seasonal. Prices of foods under OPA control advanced 0.5 per
cent. Thus, egg prices, which usually decline at this season, rose
slightly between mid-November and mid-December. Local short
ages were reported for most meats, but supplies of fresh fish and
poultry were said to be adequate. The short supply of butter was
reflected by small advances in 41 of the 51 cities included in the foodcost index.
The following table shows the percent of change from November to
December and May to December for foods controlled by OPA and
those not under direct OPA control.
All foods_____
U nder control by OPA on D ecem ber 15
U nder control on M ay 18_________
Placed u n d er control since M ay 18.
N o t u nder control by OPA on D ecem ber 15
Percent of increase—
Nov. 17 to
M ay 12 to
Dec. 15
Dec. 15
- 1. 2
9. 1
.
5
.4
.8
7. 0
6. 9
1. 2
17. 5
29. 8
Housefurnishings remained unchanged, on thé average, from midNovember to mid-December, with increases reported from 4 of the
cities covered monthly. Furniture and sheet prices advanced in
these cities. Decreases in 3 cities were due to declines in prices of
rugs and electric-light bulbs. Some furniture prices declined in
Pittsburgh.
Clothing costs, on the average, remained unchanged during the
month. Men’s woolen suits and overcoats, cotton shirts, work
trousers, and women’s rayon underwear were selling for higher prices
on the average, but in some cities this rise was matched by a decrease
m prices of women’s wool coats, percale dresses, and shoes.
2 1
308
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
309
Cost of Living
The percentages of change in the cost of the various groups of
items, by city and geographical region, are given in table 1.
].— Pprcent of Change between November 15 and December 15, 1942, in Cost oj
Goods Purchased by W age Earners and Lower-Salaried Workers by Groups of Items
T a b le
Area and city
Average: Large cities__ ________ _
New E ngland:
Boston. ______________________
M anchester
________________
Portland, M aine
M iddle A tlantic:
Buffalo _
_______
New Y o rk _____
P h ilad elp h ia _. ___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
P ittsb u rg h ______________________
Scranton. _ _ ___ ____ _ __
E ast N orth Central:
Chicago__ _ _ _______________
C incinnati__
_ _
_
Cleveland _
____________
D e tro it_______________________
__ .
____
Indianapolis. ___
M ilw aukee _ _ _
W est N orth C entral:
K ansas C ity ___________________
M inneapolis___________________
St. Louis. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
South A tlantic:
________ ______
A tla n ta ___
B altim ore._ _ _ .. ___
_ ___
Jacksonville _
___ _ ____
N orfolk_______ _
R ichm ond
__ _____ _ _____
Savannah
__ ______ ______
W ashington, D . C
E ast South Central:
B irm ingham _ __ __________ _
M em phis _
_____ __
M obile_________________ _____
W est South Central:
H ouston______________________
N ew Orleans. _ _
_ ___
M ountain:
D enver_______________________
Pacific:
Los Angeles___________________
Portland, O re g o n __ _
_ _ _
San Francisco.. _______
Seattle.
_____________
All
item s
+
0.5
Food
2
+
1.2
+ . 2
(5)
(5)
+
+
+ . 5
+
+
+
+
+
+ .7
+ . 8
~K 7
(s)
0
+ . 3
+ . 7
+ . 7
(5)
(5)
+ . 6
+ . 3
+ 1.2
(5)
(5)
(5)
(5)
+ . 6
+ . 7
+ . 8
(5)
(5)
1.8
1.0
C loth
ing
+ 0.1
(6)
(5)
-.
1.6
1.8
+ . 2
-. 2
1.5
-.
(5)
1
-.
0
+• 7
+ 1.7
+ 1.7
+
1.4
+
1.8
- . 4
+ . 3
~K
8
~\~ 2 . 8
+ 1.8
+ 2.3
+. 7
+ 1.9
+ 1.2
+ 1.7
+ 2.0
+ 2.0
+ . 5
2
(3)
(3)
0
0
(3)
(3)
(3)
+ .1
0
+ .1
0
0
0
(0
(3)
(3)
(3)
+ . 2
+ . 8
+
1.9
+ .1
+ . 4
+ .9
+ 2.0
1.6
-.
1
( 3)
+■ 1
-. 1
1
+ . 2
-. 1
(3 )
( 3)
-.
0
0
0
0
0
0
+ . 2
0
0
(3)
0
0
+ .1
+ . 1
0
+.
+.
(3 )
( 3)
1
1
0
0
1
+ . 4
0
(3)
(3)
(3)
(5)
(3)
(3)
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
+ . 2
(3 )
(3)
0
0
0
0
(3)
0
+ . 2
0
0
0
0.1
(3)
(3)
0
+ . 2
0
0
+
0.1
C3)
(3)
0
0
- . 4
(3)
3
- . 1
0
0
(3)
(5)
3 + 0
+ •1
0
1
M iscel
laneous
0
0
1.1
0
(5)
+
+
1
Housefurnish
ings
0
0
+ . 2
0
1.6
+. 6
1
0
0
1
1.5
+ . 6
-.
2
(5)
0 )
+ . 3
-.
0
..
(5)
(5) '
(5)
-.
+ . 1
+ . 5
0
+
+
+ . 6
0.1
( 3)
(3)
0.1
(3)
+ .1
-.
-
2
+ .1
-.
+.
(5)
(5)
4+
3 0
30
1.3
1.1
Fuel, elec
R e n t 1 tricity, and
ice
(3)
(3)
0
(3)
+ . 6
+ . 3
-.
(3)
(5)
1
+ . 1
(3)
+ . 3
0
+ . 1
0
0
0
0
(3)
+•
0
0
0
+ . 2
0
+ . 1
0
-.
1
0
( 3)
(3)
1
1 R ental d ata are now obtained from ten an ts in 28 of the 34 cities covered b y the B ureau’s quarterly sur
veys. The D ecember survey on this new basis resulted in slight increases in rent indexes for a num ber of
cities, in particular for H ouston.
2 Based on data for 51 cities.
2 Based on d ata for 21 cities.
4 Based on d ata for 34 cities.
s M onthly d ata not available.
The percent of change over a 1-year and a 2-year period ending on
December 15, 1942, is shown for each city in table 2.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
310
Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
I able 2. Percent of Change in Cost of All Goods Purchased by Wage Earners and
Lower-Salaried Workers in Large Cities, for Specified Periods
Percent of change—
C ity
Dec. 15,
1941, to
Dec. 15,
1942
Dec. 15,
1940, to
Dec. 15,
1942
+ 9 .0
+19.6
+ 9 .9
+10.9
+10.5
+20.0
+22.4
+22.2
+9.1
+ 9 .8
+10.0
+ 8 .3
+ 8 .8
+21.5
+18.2
+20.8
+18.7
+18.5
+ 8 .0
+ 8 .8
+ 8 .5
+7. 7
+ 6.3
+ 8 .0
+18.3
+20.5
+20.5
+20.3
+18.0
+19.3
+ 8 .3
+ 7 .7
+ 8 .3
+19.4
+16.6
+18.6
Average: Large cities_______
N ew England:
B o sto n .. ______
M anchester .
. .
Portland, M ain e________
M iddle A tlantic:
Buffalo ___ _
N ew York
P hiladelphia .
P ittsb u rg h . ___.
Scranton. . .
E a st N orth C entral:
C hicago.. . . .
_____ ..
C in cin n ati. . . . _ .
C lev elan d .. . ____ _ . .
D etro it___
....
Indianapolis.. _____ . . .
M ilwaukee . . . .
W est N o rth C entral:
K ansas C ity .— .
M inneapolis________ _ .
St. L o u is .._ _____ . . . .
Percent of change—
City
South A tlantic:
A tlan ta — _
B altim ore. _____
Dee. 15,
1941, to
Dec. 15,
1942
____
Norfolk
R ichm ond .
Savannah . .
E ast South Central:
B irm ingham . . .
M em phis___ .
M obile.
AVest South Central:
H ouston
N ew O rle a n s... . . . . . .
M ountain:
D enver
Pacific:
Los Angeles________ . . .
Portland, Oregon
San Francisco
Seattle . . ___________
Dec. 15
1940, to
Dec. 15,
1942
+ 7 .8
+ 8.4
+ 8.6
+ 7.9
+ 8.4
+ 9.0
+ 8.5
+21.2
+21.9
+23.5
+19.7
+22.4
+19.4
+6.1
+10.1
+ 5.7
+18.5
+22.4
+22.8
+ 7.3
+ 9.9
+16.9
+23.0
+ 9 .2
+19.3
+10.3
+11.5
+11.4
+9.1
+21.2
+24.6
+22.0
+22.6
Table 3 gives indexes of the cost of the various groups of items, by
cities, for each month during the quarter ending December 15, 1942.
T a b l e 3 . —-Indexes
of Cost of Goods Purchased by W age Earners and Lower-Salaried
Workers by Groups of Items, October 15 -December 15, 1942
[Average 1935-39=100; some indexes for October and N ovem ber revised]
C ity and date
Average, large cities:
October 15.
______
N ovem ber 15____
December 15..
A tlanta:
October 15 __ • _ .
N ovem ber 15___ _
December 15
Baltimore:
October 15. . . .
N ovem ber 15___ . .
D ecember 1 5 ...
Birm ingham :
October 1 5 ._______ . . . . .
N ovem ber 1 5 ____
December 15. . . . . ___
Boston:
October 15______
N ovem ber 15 . . . __
December 15______________
Buffalo:
October 1 5 ...
_ ...
N ovem ber 15... .
D ecember 15. . . ___
Chicago:
October 15
N ovem ber 15... _ . .
D ecember 15 . . .
C incinnati:
October 15 _. .
N ovem ber 1 5 ____ . . .
D ecember 15_____ ____ .
See footnotes at end of table.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Fuel, elec
R e n t 1 tricity and
ice
All
items
Food
C loth
ing
119.0
119.8
120.4
2129.6
2131.1
2132. 7
125.9
125.9
125.9
108.0
108.0
108.0
106.2
106.2
106.3
123.7
123.9
124.1
111.8
112.7
112.8
(3)
(3)
119.2
129.0
129.2
130.2
(3)
(3)
125.5
(3)
(3)
4 106. 5
111.2
111.2
111.2
(3)
(3)
119.5
(3)
(3)
113.8
120.4
120.9
121.8
133.8
134. 9
137.3
125.7
125. 8
125.8
106. 7
106. 7
106.7
104.7
104.7
104.7
127.6
127.6
127.6
112.3
112.9
112.9
119.9
119.9
120.8
128.1
127.7
130.2
126.8
126.8
126.8
120.4
120.4
* 120.4
100. 2
100.2
100.2
119.1
119.1
119.1
112.4
113.1
113.0
117.9
118.8
118.9
128.5
130. 4
130. 7
122.6
105.1
122. 7
105.1
122.8 i 105.0
116.3
116.3
116.4
118.3
118.3
118.2
110.0
111. 1
111.1
122.0
123.0
123.6
131.8
133. 7
135.5
127.2
127. 1
126.9
114.6
114.6
114.6
103.6
103.6
103.6
125.1
125.1
125.0
117. 4
118.8
118.8
118.9
119.5
119.5
128.9
129. 9
129.9
121.4
121.5
121.3
114.4
114.4
4 114. 4
103.6
103.7
103.7
119.4
119.6
119.6
110.9
111.6
111.7
119.2
119.6
120.0
130.1
130.6
131.5
130.2
130.2
130.3
105.2
105.2
4 105. 2
102. 5
102.5
102.5
124.8
124.8
125.1
111.3
112.2
112.2
Housefur- Miscel
nishings laneous
311
Cost of Living
T a b l e 3 . — Indexes
of Cost of Goods Purchased by Wage Earners and Lower-Salaried
Workers by Groups of Items, October 15—December 15, 1942—Continued
C ity and date
All
1 item
s
Cleveland:
121.4
------October 15___ 122.0
N ovem ber 15_ - --_
122.9
December 15--- _ - . .
Denver:
October 15___ ____ - ------ _ 117.8
N ovem ber 1 5 - .- ____ . . -- --- - 118.5
119. 5
D ecember 15- -- ---- - -D etroit:
October 15_____ ______ _____ 119.9
N ovem ber 15 - .- 120.6
D ecember 15-- __________ - 121.4
Houston:
118.8
October 15 - '
118.8
N ovem ber 1 5 ___ - December 15__ _ ____
_ . 119.5
Indianapolis:
October 15-- _ _____ - ---0
N ovem ber 15_-_ - _____
0
December 15 _____
- . . . 120. 4
Jacksonville:
October 15_0
N ovem ber 15- 0
December 15_ -- - -- 124. 1
Kansas C ity:
116.4
October 15
117.0
N ovem ber 15.
117.7
December 15___ - ______
Los Angeles:
122. 7
October 15
. ..
- 123.4
N ovem ber 15- .
- 123.9
December 15- ______
-_- . . .
M anchester:
October 15
__
0
N ovem ber 15. _
0
122.8
December 15-- _____ ..
M em phis:
October 15____ -----(3)
_N ovem ber 15__ _
(3)
122.3
D ecember 1 5 - _ ________
M ilwaukee:
October 15____
- - - - - - - -(3)
N ovem ber 15_____
_ (3)
118.2
December 15 - __________ . .
M inneapolis:
October 15-- -_
- ..
118.0
N ovem ber 15__ _
118.9
119.2
D ecember 15 ___________ -_
Mobile:
October 15- (3)
N ovem ber 15____ .
(3)
December 15- _____- . _
123.0
New Orleans:
October 15__
. . -_(3)
Novem ber 15(3)
124.7
December 15.- . . _ _
New York:
117.4
October 15N ovem ber 15 _
118.5
December 15______. . . ____
119.3
Norfolk:
October 15___ ______ _________
(3)
N ovem ber 15
.
.
(3)
December 1 5 ____
- . . . . 124.4
Philadelphia:
October 15
117.7
N ovem ber 15
118.8
December 15 - _ 119.7
Pittsburgh:
October 15118.8
119.2
N ovem ber 15___
December 15__
- ... .
120. 0
Portland, M aine:
October 15___ ___________
(3)
N ovem ber 15 ____
_ _____
(3)
December 15____
___ _ - . . .
120.1
See footnotes at end of table.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Food
C loth
ing
Fuel, elec
R e n t1 tricity, and
ice
Housefur- Miscel
nisbings
laneous
131.8
132.5
134.8
128. 4
128.3
128.2
115.0
115.0
4 115.2
112.2
112.3
112.3
123.9
123.9
123.9
111.3
113.1
113.2
128.4
129.9
132.4
123.3
123.3
123.4
109.1
109.1
109.1
98.9
99.3
99.4
121.7
121.9
121.9
112.4
112.8
113.1
128.2
129. 6
131.8
127.0
127.0
127.1
114.5
114.4
i 114.4
107.3
107.3
107.3
120.5
120.6
120. 8
113.6
114.5
114.6
132.9
132.4
134.4
126. 7
126. 5
126.7
108.9
108.9
108.9
92.9
92.9
92.9
122.2
122.2
122.2
111.1
111.8
111.9
129.2
129.7
130.1
(3)
(3)
125.8
0
0
115.3
103.5
103. 6
103.6
0
0
125.3
0
0
114.0
137. 7
137.1
140.3
(3)
(3)
125.4
0
0
112.0
109. 6
109. 5
109. 5
0
0
121.3
0
0
114.9
124.0
125.0
127.2
123.1
123.1
122.6
108.4
108. 4
108.4
106.0
106.0
106.0
117.2
117.1
117.0
113.0
114.0
114.0
140.0
141.5
142.8
127. 6
127.6
127.5
110.1
110.0
110.0
94.2
94.2
94.2
118.5
118.4
118.4
113.7
114.5
114.5
128.8
130.0
132.3
(3)
(3)
127. 6
0
0
107.7
119.8
120.6
121.2
0
0
120.8
0
' 0
112.9
132.6
134.4
137.1
(3)
(3)
134. 5
0
0
115.6
104.4
104.4
104.4
0
0
123.9
0
0
108.1
125.2
126.8
128.6
(3)
(3)
122.6
0
0
108. 2
103.9
103.9
103.9
0
124.4
0
0
112.7
126.6
128.9
129.9
125.8
125.9
126.0
110. 4
110.3
109.9
99.0
99.0
99.0
124.3
124.3
124.3
114.4
115.0
115.0
136.8
137.6
138.3
(3)
(3)
127.0
0
0
4 114.9
103.4
103.4
103.4
0
0
141.4
140.7
142.9
0
129.3
107.1
96.5
96.5
96.5
0
0
128.0
130.2
132. 3
125.8
125.9
126.2
103.3
103.3
103.2
109.0
109.2
109.2
134.0
135.4
136.4
(3)
(3)
130.7
0
0
4 108. 7
114.9
114.9
114.9
125.8
128.2
130.5
126.2
126.2
125.9
106.7
106.7
106.7
103.7
103.7
103.7
122.1
122.2
122.4
112.7
113.6
113.6
129.4
129.6
131.6
127.9
128.2
128.1
107.3
107.3
4 107.3
108.4
108.4
109.6
122.0
121.9
121.8
111.2
112.4
112.5
128.5
130.0
131.3
(3)
(3)
123.7
105.9
0
0
113.9
113. 8
113.7
(3)
(3)
0
0
121.4
0
0
113.4
0
126.8
117.5
117.8
117.9
0
0
123.8
0
0
120.9
0
110.8
110.5
111.4
111.6
0
0
120.3
0
0
115. 2
Aloni lily Labor Review— February 1943
312
T a b l e 3 . — Indexes
of Cost of Goods Purchased by Wage Earners and Lower Salaried
Workers by Groups of Items, October 15— December 15, 1942 —Continued
C ity and date
Portland, Oreg.:
October 15_______ .
Novem ber 15_ .
December 15___________ _
Richmond:
October 15_____________
Novem ber 15 __ _
December 15____________
St. Louis:
October 15___ _______
N ovem ber 15_
December 15_
_ _
San Francisco:
October 15_____________ ..
N ovem ber 15__________ _
December 15 . . _
Savannah:
October 15_______________
N ovem ber 15____________
December 15_____
...
Scranton:
October 15___________
Novem ber 15_____________
December 15___________
Seattle:
October 15. _ _ _
N ovem ber 15____________
December 15___ _ _
W ashington, D . C.:
October 15_____________
N ovem ber 15___ _ _
December 15 __ _ _
Fuel, elec
R e n t1 tricity, and
ice
All
items
Food
C loth
ing
(3)
(3)
126.8
142.2
143.0
145.9
(3)
(3)
125. 9
(3)
(3)
4 115. 2
116.5
116.5
116.6
(3)
(3)
121.2
(3)
(3)
114.1
(3)
(3)
119. 3
128. 2
128. 9
131.3
(3)
(3)
131. 4
(3)
(3)
104.6
104.8
104.8
104.8
(3)
(3)
127. 1
(3)
(3)
111.7
117.9
118.4
119.8
129. 9
130.8
134.4
127.1
127. 1
126.9
106. 2
106. 2
106. 1
106. 2
106. 2
106.2
110.3
116. 3
116.3
109. 7
110. 6
111.0
121.7
123. 6
124.0
134.6
139. 3
140. 1
125.3
125.4
125. 5
105.9
105. 9
4 105. 9
94.1
94. 1
94. 1
119. 2
119. 2
119. 2
118. 5
119. 3
119.5
123.6
123.4
124. 2
137.1
136. 0
137.6
127.5
127. 5
127.6
114.9
114. 9
115.0
108.8
109.6
109.6
119.9
119.9
119. 9
114. 3
115. 1
115.8
(3)
(3)
117.8
129.0
130. 3
131. 7
(3)
(3)
126.7
(3)
(3)
97.8
99.5
99. 5
99. 5
(3)
(3)
122.9
(3)
(3)
109.4
123. 6
124. 3
125. 1
139. 6
141.3
143.6
128.8
128.3
128. 2
109. 8
109. 6
4 109. 6
100. 5
100. 5
100.6
119.6
119.6
119. 6
116.8
117.3
117.2
117.7
118. 2
119. 0
129. 5
130. 5
132. 7
131.8
131.8
131. 8
100. 3
100. 3
4 100. 3
103. 6
103.6
103.8
129.1
129. 1
129. 1
114. 5
115.4
115.7
Housefur- Miscel
nishings
laneous
1 R ental d ata are now obtained from tenants in 28 of the 34 cities covered by the B ureau’s quarterly su r
veys. lh e D ecember survey on this new basis resulted in slight increases in rent indexes for a num ber of
cities, m particular for H ouston.
2 Based on d ata for 51 cities.
2 M onthly d ata not available.
4 Includes suburban rents.
I a b l e 4.-
Indexes of (,ost of Goods Purchased by Wage Earners and Lower-Salaried
W orkers in Large Cities, 1935 to December 15, 1942
[Average 1935-39=100]
Year
1935____________ .
1936___
_______
. . .
1937______________
1938
1939________________________
1940
1941
Jan. 15 _
Feb. 15_______
M ar. 15-_
Apr. 15
_
__
M ay 15____
June 15___ _
Ju ly 15
______
Aug. 15 _ _
Sept. 15____
Oct. 15___ _
N ov. 15______
Dec. 15___ __
1942:
Jan. 15- ____
Feb. 15____________ ___
Alar. 15 _
Apr. 15-_
M'ay 15 ________
June 15- ___ _
Ju ly 15_____ ____
Aug. 15- ___________
Sept. 15. __ _ _
Oct. 15_____
Nov. 15______
Dec. 15_______
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
All item s
Food
Clothing
R ent
Fuel,
electric
ity, and
ice
Housefurnish
ings
M iscel
laneous
98.1
99.1
102. 7
100. 8
99. 4
100. 2
105. 2
100. 8
100. 8
101.2
102. 2
102. 9
104.6
105. 3
106. 2
108. 1
109.3
110. 2
110.5
100. 4
101.3
105.3
97.8
95. 2
96.6
105. 5
97.8
97.9
98.4
100.6
102. 1
105. 9
106. 7
108.0
110. 7
111.6
113. 1
113. 1
96.8
97.6
102.8
102.2
100. 5
101.7
106. 3
100.7
100.4
102. 1
102. 4
102.8
103.3
104.8
106. 9
110.8
112.6
113.8
114.8
94. 2
96.4
100.9
104. 1
104.3
104.6
106. 2
105. 0
105. 1
105. 1
105. 4
105. 7
105.8
106. 1
106.3
106. 8
107.5
107.8
108. 2
100. 7
100. 2
100.2
99.9
99.0
99.7
102.2
100. 8
100.6
100. 7
101.0
101.1
101.4
102.3
103. 2
103. 7
104.0
104. 0
104.1
94.8
96.3
104.3
103.3
101.3
100.5
107.3
100. 1
100.4
101.6
102.4
103.2
105. 3
107.4
108.9
112.0
114.4
115.6
116.8
98.1
98.7
101.0
101.5
100.7
101.1
104.0
101.9
101.9
101.9
102.2
102.5
103.3
103, 7
104. 0
105.1)
106.9
107. 4
107.7
112.0
112.9
114.3
115. 1
116. 0
116.4
117.0
117.5
117.8
119.0
119.8
120.4
116.2
116.8
118. 6
119. 6
321.6
123. 2
124.6
126. 1
126. 6
129.6
131. 1
132. 7
116. 1
119.0
123.6
126. 5
126. 2
125. 3
125.3
125. 2
125.8
125. 9
125.9
125.9
108.4
108.6
108. 9
109. 2
109.9
108. 5
108. 0
108.0
108.0
108. 0
108.0
108.0
104.3
104.4
104.5
104.3
104.9
105.0
106. 3
106.2
106. 2
106.2
106.2
123.7
118.2
119.7
121.2
121.9
122.2
122.3
122.8
123.0
123.6
123.6
123. 7
123. 1
108.5
109.4
110.1
110.6
110.9
110.9
111. 1
111. 1
111.4
111.8
112.7
112.8
H
ag and Hoar Statistics
HOURLY ENTRANCE RATES PAID TO COMMON
LABORERS, 1942 1
Summary
ADULT male common laborers in July 1942 had an average hourly
rate of 58.5 cents for the country as a whole, a study of 20 industries
reveals. This is a weighted average and not strictly comparable with
the results of past studies. Comparable unweighted data for 13
industries, however, indicate an increase of 7 cents an hour, or about
12 percent, since July 1941. Slightly over a third of all common
laborers studied received average hourly entrance rates under 42.5 cents
in 1942. About a third were paid 70.6 cents an hour or over.
As in earlier years, the average rate in the North and West (72.2
cents) was considerably higher than that in the South and Southwest
(41.1 cents). Among the subdivisions of regions, the Pacific Coast
reported the highest average (83.2 cents).
The average entrance rate in manufacturing was 56.1 cents; that in
public utilities, 53.6 cents; and that in the building construction
industry, 67.4 cents an hour. Among specific industries, blast fur
naces, steel works, and rolling mills showed the highest hourly entrance
rate (74.5 cents); and fertilizers the lowest (43.5 cents). Rates in the
larger cities tended to exceed those in the smaller. Among specific
cities, Oakland, Seattle, Portland, and San Francisco paid the highest
rates to manufacturing workers.
Significance of Common-Labor Rates
The entrance rates paid to male common labor occupy a position of
considerable importance in American industrial wage structure.
Numbering several millions, even in peacetime, common laborers
constitute the largest occupational group of workers engaged in nonagricultural pursuits. I heir wages, paid to a fairly homogeneous
group of workers and almost entirely free from the disturbing influence
of incentive-payment systems, provide the best available basis for
general comparisons of wage levels by region, size of city, etc. Com
mon-labor entrance rates are of great significance in collective bargain
ing and their level frequently determines the nature of the entire
lower portion of an industry’s wage scale.
Information regarding entrance rates of common labor has been
secured in annual surveys by the Bureau of Labor Statistics since
1926, by means of mail questionnaires. The Bureau’s studies have
i Prepared in th e B ureau's Division of W age Analysis by R obert L. Davis and John L. Dana, under the
supervision of E dw ard K . Frazier.
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SIS
314
Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
covered most of the manufacturing industries employing large num
bers of common laborers and have also included representation of
public utilities and building construction. In recent years, 16 man
ufacturing industries and 3 public utilities have been included.2
Among the more important fields of employment not represented are
the railroads and the construction of roads, highways, and other
public works.
As defined in the Bureau’s questionnaires, common laborers include
those workers “who perform physical or manual labor of a general
character and simple nature, requiring no special training, judgment,
or skill.” The instructions accompanying the questionnaires direct
that apprentices and learners be excluded, as well as machine operators
or other workers who can be designated by distinct occupational
titles. There is evidence that some unskilled male workers other
than common laborers are actually included in the returns received by
the Bureau, but it is believed that these are not numerous enough or
sufficiently different with respect to wage level to influence the results
appreciably.
Common laborers employed at rates other than the established
entrance rates are also excluded from the Bureau’s study. Un
doubtedly the average rates paid to all common laborers are slightly
higher than the average entrance rates alone. Substantial proportions
of all laborers receive the entrance rates, however, and it is in terms
of these rates that the closest comparability is attained.
Changes in Bureau s Method of Analysis
In most respects the scope and method of the Bureau’s 1942 study
of entrance rates are similar to those described in connection with
the reports on earlier studies.3 In two important respects, however,
the data presented for 1942 are different from those previously re
ported: (1) The 1942 rates relate exclusively to first-shift workers;
and (2) a system of weighting has been introduced in order to reflect
more faithfully the true importance of the various States and in
dustries.
The limitation of the 1942 data to first-shift workers wras adopted
in order to adhere to the current policy of reporting basic rates and to
eliminate the influence of changes in the organization of production
unaccompanied by wage changes. Rates of pay of evening and
night shift workers are often higher than those of first (day) shift
workers, as a result of the payment of a “late shift bonus” which is
common in many industries and localities. Employment on late
shifts has not been an important factor in earlier years and the in
fluence of such differentials could safely be ignored. The rise of war
production, however, lias brought about a substantial increase in
late-shift work. Establishments cooperating in the Bureau’s survey
reported that approximately 17 percent of the common laborers on
all shifts worked on shifts other than the first. The inclusion of these
late-shift workers would have increased slightly the average rates
for some sections of the country.
2 T he specific industries covered are indicated in table 4. D ata for electric light and power and for
m anufactured and natural gas have been combined. Definitions used in distinguishing the various
m anufacturing industries are those of the Census of M anufactures.
3 See, for example, M onthly Labor Review, Jan u ary 1942 (pp. 149-173): H ourly Entrance R ates Paid
to Common Laborers, 1941.
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Wage and Hour Statistics
315
Previous reports on entrance rates of common labor have combined
without special weighting the returns received by the Bureau from the
thousands of cooperating firms throughout the United States. Analy
sis has revealed, however, that certain industries and regions have
received more than proportionate representation, while others have
been under-represented. In general, for various reasons, the highwage industries and localities have received proportionately more
weight than the low-wage ones. For example, the steel industry, in
which wages are relatively high, has reported on a much more com
plete basis than the southern lumber industry, in which much lower
wages prevail. The result of this has been to overstate somewhat the
average rates for various combinations of establishments.
The weighting system introduced for the first tune in the analysis
of the 1942 data makes partial correction for such differences in
proportionate representation. First, the number of common laborers
in each covered industry, by State, was estimated; then, the number
of common laborers reported from each State industry segment was
weighted upward to the estimated total. In combining the data for
manufacturing, public utilities, and building construction (tables 1,
2. 3, and 6), the data for manufacturing have been given the weight of
all manufacturing and not merely that ol the specific industries cov
ered; and the data for the selected utilities have been given the
additional weight of a broad utilities grouping.4
This simple system of weighting is recognized as falling far short of
the ideal. It fails, for example, to take full account of the over-repre
sentation of large establishments in the questionnaire returns, another
factor which tends to exaggerate the wage levels. In certain compari
sons of wage rates by size of city (table 6) it has been necessary to
assume that the weightings used for entire States have been appro
priate for cities as well. In spite of these and other shortcomings,
however, there is little doubt that the weights employed have in
creased considerably the accuracy and consistency of the material
presented.
The effect of weighting, as revealed by comparisons with un
weighted figures, is to increase the over-all average rate for the North
and West by 1.6 cents and to reduce that for the South and Southwest
by 2.6 cents. At the same time the influence of the South and South
west is considerably enhanced, and the over-all average for the Nation
as a whole is reduced by fully 4.5 cents. The data presented in this
report are not strictly comparable, therefore, with those for earlier
years. For purposes of comparison, however, the unweighted figures
for 13 industries combined, in the United States as a whole, are pre
sented in table 8.
Variations in Entrance Rates in the Country as a II hole
The average hourly entrance rate paid to common laborers in the
country as a whole in July 1942 was 58.5 cents. This figure is based
on the weighted returns of 7,245 establishments employing 248,000
laborers at entrance rates on first shifts. The unweighted average
for 13 industries, presented in table 8, exceeds by 7 cents per hour the
4 T he following public-utility classifications of the 1940 Census of O ccupations were included: Electric
light and power; gas works and steam plants; street railw ays and bus lines; telephone and telegraph; truck
ing service; and warehousing and storage.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
316
Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
comparable figure lor 1941, revealing an increase of approximately
12 percent during the year.
The rates paid to individual workers ranged from less than 30 cents
an hour to more than $1.05. This broad range was due in part to the
influence of geographic factors, race, industry, size of city, and similar
factors. Some of these are discussed in the following pages. As is
indicated by the distribution in table 1, slightly more than a third of
all common laborers at entrance rates received less than 42.5 cents an
hour. A little less than a third received rates between 42.5 and 70.0
cents an hour. The remainder were paid 70.0 cents an hour or over.
rATil E 1 — .Percentage Distribution of Adult Male Common Laborers by Hourly Entrance
Hates, in Manufacturing , Public Utilities, and Building Construction, July 1942
Simple C um u
percent lative
percent
age
age
H ourly entrance rate
U nder 30.0 cents
E xactly 30.0 c e n ts ..
Over 30.0 and under 32.5 cents
32.5 and under 35.0 cents__
35.0 and under 37.5 cents
37.5 and under 40.0 cents. ..
40.0 and un d er 42.5 cents
42.5 and under 45.0 cents__
45.0 and under 47.5 cents
47.5 and under 50.0 cents
50.0 and under 52.5 cents
52.5 and under 55.0 cents
55.0 and u nder 57.5 cents
57.5 and under 60.0 cents
60.0 and un d er 62.5 cents
62.5 and under 65.0 cents
-
0.5
2.8
.1
.8
15.4
2.5
13.5
.5
2.5
.7
6. 5
.8
4. S
1.4
4. 7
1.9
0.5
3.3
3.4
4.2
19. 6
22.1
35.6
36.1
38.6
39.3
45.8
46.6
51.4
52.8
57. 5
59. 4 |
H ourly entrance rate
65.0 and under 67.5 cents
67.5 and u nder 70.0 cents_____
70.0 and under 72.5 cents
72.5 and under 75.0 cents
75.0 and under 77.5 cents___
77.5 and under 80.0 cents__
80.0 and under 82.5 cents___
82.5 and under 85.0 cents____
85.0 and under 87.5 cents________
87.5 and under 90.0 cents_____
90.0 and under 95.0 cents
95.0 and under 100.0 cents
100.0 and under 105.0 cents___
105.0 cents and over^
Total .
Simple C um u
percent- lative
percent
. age
age
3.6
2.7
5.7
2.4
3.9
4.9
2.4
3.8
1.6
1.6
2.1
1.8
3.2
.9
.63. 0
65.7
71.4
73.8
77.7
82.6
85.0
88.8
90.4
92.0
94.1
95.9
99.1
100.0
100.0
Pile largest concentration in any 2.5-cent interval, comprising 15.4
percent of the workers, fell within the rate-class interval of 35 0
and under 37.5 cents. This class apparently reflects the preponder
ance of common laborers in the lumber (sawmills) industry in the
pouth and Southwest at the 35.0-cent minimum set for the lumber
industry under the Fair Labor Standards Act. The interval of 40.0
and under 42.5 cents showed the second largest concentration in the
entire distribution. I he prevalence of the 78.0-cent common-labor
rate m the steel industry in the North is reflected by a modest con
centration of workers in the interval of 77.5 and under 80.0 cents.
Geogt aphical I aria dons
Table 2 and the accompanying map clearly demonstrate that the
geographical factor has an important bearing upon entrance rates
paid for common labor. The average rate in the North and West
was 72.2 cents and exceeded by 31.1 cents the average for the South
and Southwest (41.1 cents). Within these broad regions, however,
entrance rates were by no means uniform. Entrance rates were con
siderably higher on the Pacific Coast (83.2 cents) than in New England
(02.3 cents). Several Northern States paid lower entrance rates than
Kentucky in the South. It is to be noted that wage levels in the
various regions reflect in part differences in other factors, such as the
number of large cities and the type of industry. It is significant that
all cities of 500,000 population or more are in the North and West
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Wage and Hour Statistics
317
T able 2.— Average Hourly Entrance Rates of Adult Male Common Laborers in Manu
facturing, Public Utilities, and Building Construction, by Region and State, July 1942
Region and State
Average
hourly
entrance
rate
U nited S tates____ _ ________________
$0. 585
N orth and W est __ _________________
Pacific Coast
_________________
California________________
Oregon________ _____________
W ashington-,_ - - M ountain
____
ColoradoId a h o ______________________
M o n tan a_____________________
N ev ad a_____ - _____________
U ta h ________________ ______
W yom ing
_
_
_ .
Prairie_ _ _ ___ .
_- Iow a____
_ -_________ --- K ansas___ ______ ____________
M issouri- -_
- ____________
N ebraska
- --N o rth D a k o t a __ . . .
South D ak o ta.- ______________
G reat L ak es-- _
...
Illin o is ..............
_ - -.
I n d i a n a . ------ ---------- ------------M ichigan. _________________
M innesota. .
__
Ohio. . . . ___ _______ . ____
W isconsin_________ _________
New England
C onnecticut
.
M aine
.
_
.
M assachusetts.
___ . . .
.722
.832
.811
.877
.859
. 703
.729
.721
. 759
.021
.617
.645
.694
.659
.588
.764
. 658
(*)
.633
.753
.810
.722
.723
. 701
. 741
. 730
. 623
. 620
.540
.673
Region and State
N orth and W est—C ontinued.
New England—C ontinued.
New H am pshire.- ___________
Rhode Island. ______________
V erm ont_
.
______
M iddle A tlan tic_____ - --------------D elaware
.
D istrict of Colum bia - M aryland-- - ________________
New Jersey---------- -------------N ew Y ork. .
- __
Pennsylvania.
...
- __
W est V irginia________________
South and Southw est. Southeastern. ______ _____________
A labam a_____________________
A rk a n sa s ____
. -- Florida.
.
Georgia___________________ __
K en tu ck y .. _________________
Louisiana.
.
_
_ _ .
M ississippi___________________
N orth Carolina
- _____ - .
South C arolina..- - - - - T ennessee.. ________________ .
V irginia.- __________________
Southw estern. ____ _______ _ Arizona .
_ _____ _ _.
_
New M exico. . . .. ___
O klahom a.
Texas
. .
- _____
Average
hourly
entrance
rate
$0. 575
.683
.451
.695
.514
. 810
.618
.691
. 704
.722
.605
.411
.399
.429
. 390
. 385
.365
. 585
.434
.372
.359
.355
.433
.438
.468
(0
.492
.520
.429
1 Average not shown because of insufficient diversity of industries from which reports were received.
In the North and West as a whole (including 33 States and the
District of Columbia) rates varied over a range of 42.6 cents, from
the Vermont average of 45.1 cents to the Oregon average of 87.7
cents. The Pacific Coast area, with the highest sectional average,
exhibited a spread of only 6.6 cents between the California low of 81.1
cents and the Oregon high of 87.7 cents. This was the narrowest
spread within any area in the broad region.
The 6 Mountain States as a group averaged 70.3 cents. Rates
for these States ranged from 61.7 cents in Utah to 75.9 cents in
Montana, a spread of 14.2 cents. Farther in the interior, the 6
Prairie States averaged 69.4 cents and showed a spread of 17.6 cents
between the lowust and the highest State averages. The influence of
the larger cities in Missouri, and particularly of the building-construc
tion industry in those cities, obscures the influence of the geographical
factor to some extent.
The average of 75.3 cents for the Great Lakes area was the second
highest in the North and West region. Rates in the 6 States included
in the area were relatively uniform-—a spread of only 10.9 cents—
ranging from the Minnesota rate of 70.1 cents to the Illinois rate of
81.0 cents. The New England area, on the other hand, showed a
wide diversity of rates, ranging from a low of 45.1 cents in Vermont
to 68.3 cents in Rhode Island. It may be observed that the southern
New England averages in every case exceeded those for the more
northern States of Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont.
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CO
RATES OF ADULT MALE COMMON LABORERS, JULY, 1942
BY WAGE AREAS
iGONSlNj
™tXjCO.
¡untÄHOMA
a ™
''0/^/H
WSmml^m
^Tlabama,'
'■ '■ M ia
W m lM k
W
»AVERAGE
k
Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
C
O
I—l
ENTRANCE
Wage and Hour Statistics
319
The widest variation among rates in the North and West was
found for the Middle Atlantic area including 6 States and the District
of Columbia, and having a combined average of 69.5 cents. Indi
vidual average rates ranged from 51.4 cents in Delaware to 81.0
cents in the District of Columbia, a spread of 29.6 cents. In this
general area, the influence of such factors as size of city and type of
industry on the State averages was particularly pronounced.
In the broad region constituting the South and Southwest, and
including 15 States, two general sectional patterns were discernible.
The 11 Southeastern States averaged 39.9 cents, as compared with
46.8 cents for the 4 States in the Southwest. The first group of
States varied 23.0 cents, from the South Carolina rate of 35.5 cents,
to the Kentucky rate of 58.5 cents. When the Kentucky high was
excluded, however, the range for the 10 remaining States was only
8.3 cents. The spread in the western group of States was approxi
mately the same, 9.1 cents, being the difference between the Texas
and the Oklahoma averages.
Differences in Hates by Race
Almost two-thirds of the common laborers in the three industrial
groups combined, based on weighted data, were whites other than
Mexican. Approximately a third were Negroes and about 2 percent
were Mexicans. These proportions, of course, would not be the same
if wage earners in all occupations combined were considered. Average
rates paid to whites other than Mexican in the country as a whole
exceeded those paid to either of the other two racial groups. Negroes
as a group had the lowest average. The comparative figures for the
United States as a wTiole are as follows:
Whites other than Mexican___________________ $0. 653
. 575
Mexicans______________________ ___________
Negroes____________ ______________ ________
.474
Examination of the racial averages by broad geographic region?
however, reveals that the concentration of Negroes in the South and
Southwest is associated with their low average rate in the United
States as a whole. In the North and West, the average rate for
Negro common laborers was somewhat higher than the commonlabor averages for the other racial groups—73.6 cents, as compared
with 70.5 cents for Mexicans and 72.0 cents for other whites.
A higher entrance rate for Negroes than for other common laborers
in the North and West has been reported in earlier studies by the
Bureau of Labor Statistics. This fact apparently results from con
centrations of Negro workers in certain heavy industries in which
high wages prevail, as for example, in the steel and building-construc
tion industries. The distributions in table 3 illustrate the racial
variations further; thus, 49.7 percent of the Negroes in the North and
West received rates above 77.5 cents an hour, compared with 37.3
percent of the whites other than Mexican and 28.4 percent of the
Mexicans. On the other hand, the proportion of Negro workers re
ceiving less than 42.5 cents was also higher than for the other groups.
In the South and Southwest, the average paid to Negroes as a
group (39.6 cents an hour) fell below the regional average. Whites
other than Mexican averaged 43.6 cents an hour, and Mexicans 46.3
cents. As is indicated by table 3, 81.5 percent of the Negroes, 66.7
percent of the whites other than Mexican, and 61.6 percent of the
5 0 7 1 2 3 — 43 ------------8
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
320
Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
Mexicans received less than 42.5 cents per hour. In the South and
Southwest large numbers of N egroes are found in the lowest paid in
dustries, especially lumber, brick, tile and terra cotta, and fertilizer.
T a b l e 3 . — Percentages
of Adult Male Common Laborers by Entrance Rates in Manufac
turing, Public Utilities, and Building Construction, by Region and Race, July 1942
N o rth and W est
All la
borers
W hite
other
than
M exi
can
Negro
(i)
0.1
(i)
(i)
1.2
.3
(i)
0.1
0)
(i)
1.3
.3
0.3
(i)
(i)
1.1
.2
H ourly entrance rate
U nder 30.0 cents
______
Exactly 30.0 cents___
Over 30.0 and un d er 32.5 cents___
32.5 and under 35.0 cents
35.0 and under 37.5 cents________
37.5 and under 40.0 cents_________
South and Southwest
M exi
can
0.3
(»)
All la
borers
W hite
other
than
Mexi
can
Negro
M exi
can
1.0
6.3
.2
1.8
34.0
5.5
0.8
3.8
.1
1. 7
24.1
5.9
1. 2
7.6
.2
2.0
40.1
5.4
0. 2
5.3
.3
3.2
1.1
40.0 and
42.5 and
45.0 and
47.5 and
50.0 and
52.5 and
under 42.5 cents- _ _ _ ,
under 45.0 cents___ __ _
under 47.5 cents- __ , , _
under 50.0 cents_ _
under 52.5 centsunder 55.0 cents__
2.6
.3
2. 2
.7
6.9
.9
2.3
.3
2.4
.7
7.5
.9
4.6
.1
1. 1
.8
4. 1
.9
2.8
.1
5.1
2.8
27.4
.8
2.8
.7
5.9
.6
30.3
.5
3.1
1.0
8.1
.7
25.0
1.0
2.6
.5
4.2
.4
51.5
.5
3.1
.2
20. 4
2.0
55.0 and
57.5 and
60.0 and
62.5 and
65.0 and
67.5 and
under
under
un d er
under
under
un d er
57.5 cents ..
_
60.0 cents, 62.5 cents_________
65.0 cents 67.5 cents, „ 70.0 cents_________
4.1
1.2
7.3
2. 6
5.8
3.5
4.4
1.3
7.8
2.7
6.1
3.4
2.9
.9
3.5
2.1
4.6
4.4
3.6
1.3
8.3
4.4
4.6
.3
5.6
1.6
1.4
1.0
.7
1.7
7.1
2.8
1.5
2.4
1.0
3.0
5.1
1.0
1.4
.4
.5
1.1
.I
1.7
.2
.8
.2
70.0 and
72.5 and
75.0 and
77.5 and
80.0 and
82.5 and
un d er
under
u n d er
under
under
un d er
72.5 cents_________
75.0 cents____ __ _
77.5 cents _ , , _
80.0 cents _ _
82.5 cents
85.0 cents_________
9.8
4.3
7.0
8.8
4.3
6.2
10.1
3.8
7.3
8. 3
4.3
4.9
8.0
7.0
3. 7
11. 2
4.0
13.5
15.0
4.5
18.2
6.1
. 8.0
2.0
.3
(')
(>)
(0
0)
.7
(o
1.2
85.0 and under 87.5 cents,, _
87.5 and under 90.0 cents
90.0 and under 95.0 cents_______ _
95.0 and under 100.0 cents________
100.0 and under 105.0 cents_______
105.0 cents and over
_
2.9
2.8
3.7
3. 2
5.7
1.6
3.1
2.2
3.3
3.1
6.4
1.7
1.5
5.5
6.4
4.1
2.5
1.0
3.6
6.0
2.2
.2
.2
.1
(i)
(0
(’)
(0
100. 0
100.0
100.0
100.0
All ra te s,. . . . . .
.3
100.0
.7
(0
.i
.i
100.0
.2
.1
(>)
I1)
0)
.2
.1
8.9
100.0
100. 0
Percentage distribution oi laborers
a t entrance rates .......
100.0
83.0
15.1
1.9
100.0
32.5
64.7
2.8
Average hourly entrance ra te ____
$0. 722
$0. 720
$0. 736
$0. 705
$0,411
$0. 436
$0. 396
$0. 463
1 Less th an a te n th of 1 percent.
J aviations by Industry
Common-labor entrance rates showed considerable variation from
industry to industry. Industry variation occurred also within racial
groups and within the two regions. The general averages presented
in table 4 are indicative of rates in each of the three major industrial
groups.
The average rate paid in manufacturing in July 1942 for the country
as a whole was 56.1 cents and the rate in public utilities was 53.6
cents; both were exceeded by the building-construction rate of 67.4
cents. Within the manufacturing group, a range of 31.0 cents was
indicated between the 43.5-cent average for fertilizers and the 74.5cent average for blast furnaces, steel works, and rolling mills. Despite
the large spread, only three of the selected industries—fertilizers,
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
321
Wage and Hour Siati sties
lumber (sawmills), and brick, tile, and terra cotta- fell below the
manufacturing average itself. Within public utilities, the spread
was considerably less, 5.0 cents between the 51.7-cent average in
electric light and power and the 57.3-cent average in electric streetrailway and city motorbus operation and maintenance. Among all
industries and industry groups considered, three manufacturing in
dustries-—blast furnaces, steel works, and rolling mills; petroleum
refining; and chemicals—paid the highest average hourly entrance
rates in the country.
T a b l e 4 . — Average
Hourly Entrance Rates of Adult Male Common Laborers, by Industry,
Region, and Race, July 1942
N orth and W est
U nited
States
In d u stry
16 m anufacturing industries
. . . __
A utomobile p arts _ _
Blast furnaces, steel works, and rolling
mills____________________________
Brick, tile, and terra co tta__________
C em ent___________________________
Chem icals____________________ ___
Fertilizers__________________ ______
F o u n d ry and machine-shop products-.
G la ss.. . .
.......
Leather .
. .....
_ .......
Lum ber (sawm ills)___ . .
M eat packing________________ ____
P ain ts and varnishes____ . _ _____
Paper and pulp . . . .
Petroleum refining______ _________
R ubber tires and inner tu b es____ .
Soap........... . . . . . . . . ...... ..........
South and Southwest
W hite
W hite
other
other
ex
Total than Negro M
than Negro Mex
Total
ican
ican
Mex
M ex
ican
ican
$0.561 $0.672 $0.669 $0. 684 $0. 698 $0. 398 $0.427 $0. 384 $0. 458
. 640 «
0)
0)
<9
(9
(9
.745
.529
.640
.693
.435
.594
. 592
.616
.440
. 669
.620
. 622
.737
.647
.666
. 766
.600
. 676
. 750
. 565
.628
. 601
. 625
. 643
.691
. (336
.642
.838
(!)
(0
. 766
.599
. 675
.745
. 585
. 624
. 603
. 625
.647
.684
.634
.642
.844
(')
.766
.607
. 670
.801
.539
.647
. 567
. 630
.423
. 721
. 619
. 608
.795
0)
.775
.588
. 692
C)
.730
. 689
(2)
(2)
.671
.705
.814
(2)
(2)
.562
.383
.543
.485
.368
.430
.496
.538
.363
.535
. 419
. 576
.607
(i)
.538
.450
.552
. 521
.361
.437
. 487
.553
.366
.553
.430
. 568
.654
(9
(9
<9
(9
(9
.575
.355
.539
.453
.368
.424
516
. 467
.361
.492
.403
. 583
.546
(9
(>)
Public u tilitie s _______________________
Electric light and power and m anufactured and natural gas______ . . .
Electric street-railw ay and city motorbus operation and m aintenance____
.536
.605
.608
.004
. 528
.390
.411
.372
.517
. 595
.592
. 645
. 630
. 384
.407
.363
.361
.573
.621
.638
.585
.508
.408
.424
.394
(2)
B uilding construction..
.674
.833
.841
.806
.775
.454
.476
.439
.476
_ _ . _____
(2)
.421
.521
(2)
(2)
.436
(2)
. 460
.516
(2)
(2)
(9
.362
1 Regional average om itted to avoid disclosure of individual oj)erations.
2 D ata insufficient to justify presentation of an average.
In the North and West, rates in building construction averaged
83.3 cents, as compared with 67.2 cents in manufacturing and 60.5
cents in public utilities. Although Negroes averaged slightly more
than either of the other racial groups when all industry groups were
combined, this was not, the case when the industry group averages
were taken separately. In manufacturing, the Mexican average was
highest, 69.8 cents; Negroes averaged 68.4 cents, and whites other
than Mexican, 66.9 cents. In public utilities, whites other than
M exican averaged 60.8 cents; Negroes, 60.4 cents; Mexicans, 52.8
cents. In building construction, the corresponding averages for these
races in order were 84.1 cents, 80.6 cents, and 77.5 cents an hour.
The largest spread was in public utilities which showed a range of 8.0
cents from the rate for Mexicans to that for other whites.
Among the 13 manufacturing industries in the North and West for
which averages are presented, the highest rates were in petroleum
(83.8 cents), blast, furnaces, steel works, and rolling mills (76.6 cents),
and chemicals (75.0 cents). Fertilizers paid the lowest rate, 56.5
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
cents, showing a variation of 27.3 cents from the highest rate (pe
troleum).
r
racial group in the region maintained a consistent advantage
from industry to industry. ^ Among the more important industries
shown lor manufacturing, Negroes had the highest average rates in
chemicals and meat packing, and whites other than Mexican ranked
lu st m petroleum and paper and pulp. Mexicans’rates topped those
oi other workers m several industries but Mexicans were not found in
significant proportions. The largest variation evidenced within any
one industry was a difference of 24.8 cents between the Negro average
(42.3 cents) and the Mexican average (67.1 cents) in the lumber
industry.
Common-laboi entiance rates for the three major industry groups
varied relatively little in the South and Southwest although there
was considerable variation among specific industries. The range was
^ <;(>n,s’ k‘om the average paid in the public utilities group
biJ.O cents) to the average for building construction (45.4 cents)
1 he manufacturing average was 39.8 cents. Mexicans, who showed
the highest combined average for the region, had also the highest
average m manufacturing—45.8 cents an hour as against 42.7 cents
for whites other than Mexican and 38.4 cents for Negroes. Negroes
m building construction averaged 43.9 cents as compared with 47.6
cents for the other racial groups. The average for whites other than
_ exican in public utilities (41.1 cents) exceeded the averages for
Negroes (37.2 cents) and Mexicans (36.2 cents). Manufacturing
exhibited the widest range from one racial group to another.
Manufacturing industries in the South and Southwest also showed
an extreme variation of 24.4 cents between the 36.3-centlow in lumber
and the 60.7-cent high in petroleum. Ranking immediately below
petroleum were paper and pulp, and blast furnaces, steel works, and
rolling mills, with average rates of 57.6 and 56.2 cents. The second
lowest rate (36.8 cents) was paid in fertilizers.
Whites other than Mexican, numerically fewer than the two other
racial groups combined, were at the highest rate levels in 8 of the 13
manufacturing industries for which data are shown for the South
arid Southwest region. Negroes were highest in four. Mexicans for
whom averages are published for five industries only, were highest in
one. Whites other than Mexican received higher rates than either
Negroes or Mexicans in individual public utilities.
VARIATIONS IN ENTR4NCE RATES IN INDIVIDUAL INDUSTRIES
Cumulative percentages of common laborers at specified entrance
i a,temVter .s . ea°h the industries studied are presented in table
o 1he majority of the laborers in all industries, with the exception
oí lumber and fertilizers, were paid rates between 45.0 and 90 0 cents
an hour.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Wage and Hour Statistics
T
able
323
5 . — Cumulative
Percentage Distribution of Adult Male Common Laborers, by
Hourly Entrance Rates, Industry, and Region, July 1942
B last furnaces, steel
works, and rolling
mills
A uto
mobile
parts 1
H ourly entrance
rate (in cents)
Total
U nder 30.0____ - 30.0 and u n d e r-. .
U nder 32.5 ______
U nder 35.0.
U nder 3 7 .5 __ _
U nder 40.0
U nder 42.5_______
U nder 45.0_______
U nder 47.5
U nder 50.0_______
U nder 52.5
.. . . .
U nder 55.0. . . .
U nder 57.5.
U nder 60.0_____ . .
U nder 62.5_______
U nder 65.0..
U nder 67.5
U nder 70.0U nder 72.5
U nder 75.0
___
U nder 77.5
U nder 80.0
U nder 82.5
U nder 85.0
U nder 87.5
U nder 90.0
U ndèr 95.0 __
U nder 100.0
U nder 105.0______
N orth
and
W est
0.1
(2)
1.1
(2)
1.1
(2)
2.3
0.1
0.1
2.3
.3
.1
3.1
3.2
.1
3.3
3.8
.1
3.9
24.4
.2
26.0
4.1
.4
34.4
4.6
.9
35.8
5.7
1.2
11.5
50.4
2.7
50.5
12.4
3.3
57.2
13. 5
4. 6
15.9
58.1
7.3
67.3
11.0
20.1
69.4
21.9
13.0
82. 5
24.8
16.3
98.3
98.1
92. 0
98.9
93. 6
99.0
94.0 3 100. 0 3 100. 0
9L4
99.0
100.0
Total
U nder 30.0 _ - 30.0 and u n d e r___
U nder 3 2 .5 ---___
U nder 35.0______
U nder 37.5- _
U nder 40.0-- - .
U nder 42.5______
U nder 45.0_ .
U nder 47.5-_ - - .
U nder 50.0___ - .
U nder 52.5______
U nder 55.0 ____
U nder 57.5______
U nder 60.0
U nder 62.5 .
U nder 65.0
U nder 67.5
U nder 70.0-_ . .
U nder 72 5
U nder 75.0
U nder 77.5
U nder 80.0
Under 82.5
U nder 85.0
U nder 87.5
U nder 00.0
Tinder 05 0
U nder 100.0
U nder 105.0
0.6
.6
.6
1.3
1.9
5.6
6.3
13.8
14.3
19.2
19.3
21.5
25. 6
28. 6
30. 9
34. 7
35.7
44. 6
54.9
71. 1
74.1
80. 8
84. 9
88. 2
89. 2
99 7
100. 0
Cem ent
Total
N orth
and
West
South
and
South
west
1.1
5.7
5. 7
15.3
21.6
24. 2
29.5
30.2
36.2
39.5
46.0
46.7
52.4
54.1
68.1
75.3
77.3
92.1
95.8
96.8
97.9
98.2
98. 2
99.3
99. 7
99 7
99.9
100.0
(?)
(2)
(2)
0.5
1.1
1.8
5.2
6.2
11.4
15.4
24.1
25. 1
33.3
35.8
56.5
64.4
67.2
88.2
93.7
95.2
96.9
97. 4
97.4
99.0
99.5
99.5
99.9
100.0
3.3
17.4
17.4
45.8
63.8
70. 6
79.8
80. 1
87.8
89.8
91. 6
91.6
92.1
92.1
92.1
97.9
98.4
100.0
0.3
.3
.3
.3
2.3
30.7
36.2
36.2
36.2
36.2
44.1
87.0
90.1
90.1
90.1
99.2
99. 2
99. 2
100. 0
Fertilizers
Chemicals
H ourly entrance
rate (in cents)
South
and
South
west
Brick, tile, and terra
cotta
Total
0.5
.5
.5
1.3
1.8
2.0
2.0
13.4
14.0
23.6
27.5
37.9
44.4
55.1
56.3
93.4
96.6
96.9
98.0
99.3
99.5
100.0
Foundry and m a
chine-shop prod
ucts
N orth
and
West
1.0
1.0
1.3
1.3
1.4
1.4
2.2
4.8
15. 0
23. 4
38. 1
3,9.7
90.8
95.2
95. 6
97.2
99.0
99.3
100.0
South
and
South
west
1.9
1.9
1. 9
1.9
3.9
3.9
3.9
45.4
47.5
80.6
87.8
98.8
100.0
Glass
N orth South
orth South
orth South
orth South
and Total Nand
and Total Nand
and Total Nand'
and
and South
South
South
W est west
W est west
W est west
W est South
west
(2)
(2)
(2)
0.4
.5
1.1
1.1
1.1
1.3
3.9
3.9
6.5
8.0
11. 8
12. 0
16. 9
18. 2
29. 5
42.6
63. 3
67.1
75. 6
80. 8
85.0
86. 3
99. 7
100.0
2.5
2.5
2.5
4.3
6.6
21.5
24.9
59.6
61.4
74.8
75.3
76.3
89. 8
90.0
99.9
99.9
99.9
99. 9
99.9
99.9
99.9
100.0
See footnotes at end of table,
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1.7
22.5
22.6
23.8
37.4
42.2
60.3
61.0
66.7
67.2
78.8
79.4
81.9
82.2
89.8
91.9
94.8
96.0
97. 2
97.3
98.5
98. 5
98. 5
98. 5
98. 6
98. 6
99.9
100. 0
4.6
4.6
4.6
9.0
9. 7
15.6
16.4
19.8
20.6
38.6
40.2
46.9
47.9
70.3
76. 5
85.0
88. 6
92. 2
92.4
95.8
95.8
95.8
95.8
96.0
96.0
99.8
100. 0
2.5
31.6
31.8
33.6
52.0
59.0
83.4
84.0
90.9
91.3
99.7
99.7
100.0
(2)
2.3
2.3
2.3
3.6
4.0
14.2
14.7
19.1
20.6
32.3
34.6
43.3
45.3
57.6
61. 1
71.7
76.2
81. 8
88.0
92.4
94.4
96.4
96.7
99.6
99.6
99.9
100.0
(2)
(2)
(2)
0.2
.2
2.8
3.1
6.3
7.0
20.0
22.0
32.3
34. 6
49.0
53.2
66.0
71.4
78. 1
85.6
90.9
93. 3
95. 7
96.0
99. 5
99. 5
99.9
100.0
0.1
13.4
13.4
13.4
20.4
22.7
69.9
71.6
81.7
87.1
92.4
95.9
96.8
97.7
100.0
1. 3
1.3
2.2
2.6
2.8
3.3
3.6
8.7
12.7
25.3
36.5
49.3
52. 5
64.9
68. 7
83. 5
83.9
84. 7
84.8
98. 7
98. 7
98.8
100.0
0.1
.1
.1
.1
.2
.7
1. 1
4.2
8.6
21.8
34.0
48.0
51. 5
62.7
66.9
83.2
83.7
S3. 8
83.9
98.6
98.6
98.7
100.0
13.8
13.8
23.8
28.2
28.8
29.4
29.4
55.3
55.3
60.7
60.7
60.7
60.7
85.8
85.8
85.8
85.8
93.2
93.2
100.0
324
T
able
Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
5. —
Cumulative Percentage Distribution of Adult Male Common Laborers, by
Hourly Entrance Rates, Industry, and Region, July 1942-—Continued
Leather
H ourly entrance rates
(in cents)
U nder 30.0_____ ____ ___
30.0 and un d er
. ...
U nder 32.5._
U nder 35.0_______________
U nder 37.5_______________
U n d e r40.0.. . . . _____ . . .
U nder 42.5_______________
U nder 45.0. ___ _____
U nder 47.5_______________
U nder 50.0
_____ _ . . .
U nder 52.5 . . . .
....
U nder 55.0 . .. ___
_ .
U nder 57.5_. . . .
_
.
U nder 60.0
...
_ ... .
Under 62.5
U nder 65.0
U nder 67.5_______________
U nder 70.0 _ ________ . _
U nder 72.5_______________
U nder 75.0 . . .
____
U nder 77.5 .
. _ . ...
U nder 80.0
.
. . ____
U nder 82.5________________
U nder 85.0. .......... . . _ .
U nder 87.5______ _________
U nder 90.0 _
U nder 95.0. . .
. ______
U nder 100.0
__ . _ ___
U nder 105.0.. ____ . . .
Total
N o rth
and
W est
L um ber (sawmills)
South
and
South
west
Total
U nder 30.0___
30.0 and under.
U nder 32.5___
U nder 35.0___
U nder 37.5___
U nder 40.0___
U nder 42.5___
U nder 45.0___
U nder 47.5___
U nder 50.0___
U nder 52.5___
U nder 55.0___
U nder 57.5___
U nder 60.0___
U nder 62.5___
U nder 65.0___
U nder 67.5___
U nder 70.0___
U nder 72.5___
U nder 75.0. .
U nder 77.5___
U nder 80.0___
U nder 82.5___
U nder 85.0___
U nder 87.5___
U nder 90.0___
U nder 95.0___
U nder 100.0.__
U nder 105.0.._
(21.0
)
1.0
2. 1
.3
.3
2.9
4.5
6.8
7.5
19. 5
20. 1
35. 0
40. 1
49.4
64.4
71.5
77.3
88.9
93.4
93.4
96.0
96. 5
99.8
99.8
100.0
(2)
(")
1.9
2.5
5.0
5.8
18. 7
19.1
30. 7
34.9
45. 3
61. 9
68.2
1.4
1.4
10. 9
21.4
22. 1
22. 1
26. 6
29.0
72.4
85.4
85. 4
85. 4
100. 0
74.7
87.6
92. 6
92. 6
95. 5
96. 1
99.8
99.8
100.0
3. 2
3.4
3.9
52.0
61. 5
75.7
76.3
78. 1
79. 2
82. 1
82.9
83.0
84. 2
84. 7
85.3
85.6
86. 0
87.5
87.9
90.5
91.1
93.4
99.1
99.7
99. 9
i 100.0
N o rth
and
W est
0.1
.1
.3
.7
3.1
3.4
9. 7
9.9
16.5
16.6
33.7
36.4
41.5
41.5
49.6
51.5
60.7
66.5
70. 2
75.9
89.7
90.1
91. 2
91.5
91.5
94.3
99.6
89.3
90.5
90.8
90.8
93.8
99.5
100.0
100.0
1.0
6.8
6.9
12.4
12.4
28.9
31.4
36.7
36.7
45. 5
47. 5
57.5
63.8
67.8
73.9
88.8
See footnotes at end of table.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
N orth
and
West
0.8
1.2
1.2
1.2
0 .1
.1
.1
Paints and varnishes
H ourly entrance
rate (in cents)
Total
South
and
South
west
0.5
13. 2
13. 2
25.6
34.2
34.2
46.5
48.4
68.7
69.4
92.6
97. 2
100.0
1.1
N orth
and
W est
3.5
6.3
8.7
19.6
23.7
31.6
43.0
59. 3
65. 2
79.9
85.1
88.7
89.3
92. 0
92.4
92.7
99.0
100. 0
N orth
and
"V^est
0 .1
South
and
South
west
0 8
0 1
1
.1
.2
.2
1.0
1.0
1.2
1 .2
2.3
2.6
7. 0
7. 6
in 7
IX 6
18.8
IX. i
13 1
13.1
18. 6
19. 9
25.1
25. 2
26.4
32. 3
34. 0
36.6
47.2
55. 3
100.0
21 0
3
73 6
97 9
98 7
98 9
99 0
100. 0
Petroleum refining
South
and
South
west
Total
N orth
and
W est
R ubber
tires
South
and
and
inner
South tubes 1
west
( 2)
(2)
( 2)
(9
(2)
(2)
(2)
1.2
Total
4. 2
0. 5
1.9
4.4
.5
1.9
.5
5.1
1.9
8.9
68. 4
2.8
10. 7
80.8
3.0
17.8
4.4
97.7
19.0
98. 1
4.5
98.4
25. 1
4.8
28.7
98. 6
5.6
98.6
39.3
6.8
41.2
98.9
7.4
41.4
98. 9
12. 7
14.4
43. 1 « 100. 0
44.8
17. 1
46.8
25. 7
48.0
30.4
49.3
32. 3
54. 7
77. 4
56. 2
98. 1
65.6
98.8
67. 6
99. 0
76. 1
99.1
96.9
3 100. 0
99.1
99. 7
99.9
100. 0
Paper and pulp
Total
South
and
South
west
M eat packing
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
0.8
1.0
2.8
4.3
13.2
14.3
22.5
27. 6
47.4
54.4
71.6
78.9
84.0
84.9
88.7
89.3
89.8
98.4
100.0
( 2)
(22.0
)
9.1
14.1
18.6
34.3
45.7
52.8
79.3
87.8
91.3
100.0
0.1
.1
2.4
2.4
5. 7
9.6
21.0
( 2)
0. 2
( 2)
5.5
5.5
12.5 4
.2
0.
.8
21.9
32.8
33.5
34.9
35. 7
48.6
49.4
51.3
58.6
78.0
83.4
96.6
96.8
98.3
1.4
1. 7
3.9
4.1
5. 2
6.5
15.6
16.8
19.9
30.1
64. 4
71. 2
93.9
94.3
96.9
100.0
100.0
21.0
46.3
47.9
70.1
71.4
73.2
73.4
91.1
91.4
91.9
95.4
95.4
99. 1
100.0
1.4
1.4
5.0
5.3
13.3
13.3
28.1
28.1
37.5
37.5
40.4
40.4
89.8
89.8
91.3
96.3
96. 3
96. 3
100.0
325
Wage and Hoar Statistics
T
able
5 . — Comulative
Percentage Distribution of Adult Male Common Laborers by
Hourly Entrance Rates, Industry, and Region, July 1942 Continued
Electric light and power
and
m anu factu red
and n a tu ra l gas
H ourly entrance
rate (in cents)
Building construction
Soap ’
Total
U nder 30.0_____
30.0 and u n d er. .
U nder 32.5_____
U nder 35.0_____
U nder 37.5_____
U nder 40.0_____
U nder 42.5------U nder 45.0_____
U nder 47.5_____
U nder 50.0_____
U nder 52.5_____
U nder 55.0------U nder 57.5_____
U nder 60.0_____
U nder 62.5_____
U nder 65.0_____
U nder 67.5_____
U nder 70.0____
U nder 72.5_____
U nder 75.0_____
U nder 77.5_____
U nder 80.0____
U nder 82.5____
U nder 85.0____
U nder 87.5____
U nder 90.0____
U nder 95.0____
U nder 100.0___
U nder 105.0___
Electric street-railway
and city motorbus
operation and m ain
tenance
0.3
.3
.3
.4
3.7
8.9
9.0
12.9
13.4
20.9
25.9
30.8
35.1
45.9
46.7
48.8
49.5
51.7
70.1
71.2
77.9
82. 2
83.6
83.6
85.0
99.1
99.7
?99.9
1.2
8.7
9.3
10.0
18.6
19.0
31.8
32.7
40.6
41.3
58.5
58.9
63.1
63. 5
71.6
76.4
83.5
85.9
91.4
96.3
97.4
98.4
98.7
98.7
98.8
99.2
99.4
99.4
100.0
N orth
and
West
(2)
0.1
.1
.2
.9
1.1
7.3
8. 1
16.2
16. 5
34.8
35. 5
41. 7
42.3
55.1
62. 6
73. 9
South
and
South
west
3 2
23.2
24.8
26.4
48.5
49.3
73.5
74.7
82.2
83.6
99.1
99. 1
99. 7
99.8
99.9
100.0
86.4
94 2
95 9
97.5
98 Ü
98. 0
98. 1
99. 1
—
T otal
(2)
0. 1
.6
4.3
5. 4
19.0
22.9
27.3
29.4
35.4
40.8
48.6
49. 1
53.3
57.7
70.9
90.0
91.2
98. 5
98. 7
99. 1
99. 4
99. 4
99.4
99.4
99 9
100.0
South
■North
and
and
South
West
west
0.1
.2
.4
2.3
3.9
8.8
10.6
17.2
24. 2
33. 6
34. 3
39. 5
45. 2
62. 4
87. 1
88. 6
98. 1
98.3
98.8
99.2
99. 2
99. 2
99 2
99.2
99.9
100. 0
0.1
.5
2.5
18.6
22.6
76.1
87.8
90.4
93.2
97.0
97. 0
99. 4
99.4
99. 9
100.0
Total
0.3
2.8
2.8
2.8
4.7
4.7
27.3
27.4
29.0
29. 0
36.5
36.5
42.4
42.6
45.4
46. 1
48. 5
50.7
54.0
54. 0
60.2
60. 7
64.5
71.5
74.4
78. 5
83.7
88. 6
8 97. 5
N orth
and
W est
(2)
(2)
(2)
0 .1
.1
2. 5
2.5
South
and
South
west
0. 8
6. 7
6. 7
0. 7
11.0
11.0
61.6
61.7
64.1
3.5
64.1
3.5
76.6
7.3
76. 6
7.3
90.0
7.7
90.3
7.8
91.3
11.9
91.8
12.8
92. 7
16.3
97.6
16.6
97.9
22.1
22. 1
97.9
98. 0
32.8
98.0
33.7
98. 0
40.3
3 100. 0
50.8
55.8
62.9
71.8 ______
80. 2
9 95. 7
1 Regional figures om itted to avoid disclosure of individual operations.
2 Less th an a te n th of 1 percent.
s Includes less th a n a te n th of 1 percent receiving 85.0 cents and over.
4 Includes less th a n a te n th of 1 percent receiving 95.0 cents and over,
s Includes less th a n a te n th of 1 percent receiving 60.0 cents and over.
6 Includes less th a n a te n th of 1 percent receiving 87.5 cents and over.
7 The rem aining te n th of 1 percent received $1.05 and over.
8 The rem aining 2.5 percent received $1.05 and over.
» The rem aining 4.3 percent received $1.05 and over.
Among the higher-wage industries, more than half of the laborers
in petroleum, and over three-fourths in blast furnaces, steel works,
and rolling mills, had rates that averaged 75.0 cents an hour or better ;
and nearly half of those employed in building construction and
chemicals were paid at equivalent levels. In blast furnaces, steel
works, and rolling mills, a significant proportion—almost 75 percent
of all’the common laborers at entrance rates in the industry—re
ceived from 77.5 to 80.0 cents an hour. These workers were almost
entirely in the North.
Almost two-thirds of the laborers in fertilizers and °\w thieefourths in lumber—industries with the lowest rates among all indus
trial groups—averaged under 45.0 cents an hour. For both of these
industries there were important concentrations within the 35.0-37.5
and 40.0-42.5 cents intervals. Fertilizers showed the only important
concentration at exactly 30.0 cents an hour, tlie 4 air Labor Standards
Act minimum; the concentration at 35.0 to 37.5 cents
the lumbei
industry reflects the legal minimum of 35.0 cents, to which attention
has already been directed. Only six industries, four of which were
in the manufacturing group, had laborers below 30.0 cents an houi.
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Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
In none of these did workers at rates of less than 30.0 cents account
loi more than 2 percent of the common laborers employed.
/
ariations by Size of City
Rates tended on the whole to be higher in the larger city groups
than in the smaller ones. In cities with populations over a million
tin a\eiage was 79.9 cents an hour, as compared with 45.8 cents in
cities with populations under 2,500. The indicated difference of 34 1
cents m the country as a whole was greater than that in either of the
two major geographic regions.
Rates, however, did not vary consistently with size of city, as may
be seen from table 6. In the country as a whole, cities of 250,000 to
500,000 population averaged 2.1 cents less than the next succeeding
group, and cities ot 50,000 to 100,000 averaged 4.5 cents less than the
group immediately below. In the North and West the relationship
between size of city and level of entrance rate was pronounced and
iNatively consistent, but in the South and Southwest this relation
ship u as not close. It appears that other factors, such as location of
specific industries, tend to counteract to some extent the influence of
city size.
1
6. Average Hourly Entrance Rates of Adult Male Common Laborers in ManuJacturmg, 1 ublic t tilities, and Building Construction, by Size of City, July 1942
able
Size of city
All cities _ __
1,000,000 and over
500,000 and under 1,000,000
250,000 and under 500,000
100,000 and under 250,000
50,000 and under 100,000
25,000 and under 50,000
10,000 and under 25,000
5,000 and under 10,000
2,500 and under 5,000
Less th an 2,500
U nited
States
N orth and
W est
South and
Southw est
$0. o8.i
$0. 722
$0. 411
.799
.778
594
615
565
6io
.799
.778
. /80
. 145
. 698
. 69/
. 689
. 643
. 644
. 604
.473
.460
.407
.438
.370
.391
.360
. 374
. 680
.384
4QQ
C ity not reported—
E N T R A N C E R A T E S IN IN D IV ID U A L C IT IE S
Rates lor common labor varied widely from city to city. Data for
Si o l ei ! nt llStr!es are presented in table 7 for each of the 37 cities
of 250,000 population or more.
Thr lour cities paying the highest entrance rates in manufacturing
\\(‘ic all on the I acific Coast Oakland, Seattle, Portland, and San
r ran cisco. Detroit, Toledo, and Pittsburgh ranked next. All of
these cities also paid relatively high rates in building construction and
public utilities. Cities showing the lowest averages for manufacturing
were all m the South and Southwest—Atlanta, New Orleans, San
Antonio, Memphis, Dallas, Louisville, and Birmingham. Among the
largest cities, New I ork paid the lowest average rate.
Examination of the figures presented in table 7 reveals that en
trance rates varied appreciably from industry to industry even within
the same city.
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327
Wage and Hour Statistics
T a b l e 7. — Average
Hourly Entrance Rates of Adult Male Common Laborers for Selected
Cities, by Industry, July 1942
Population group and city
U nited States________
___ ____ --
1,000,000 and over:
Chicago, 111
D etroit, M ich
_____ _ _ __
Los Angeles, Calif_____ _
__
N ew Y ork, N . Y
Philadelphia, P a
___
____
500,000 an d u n d er 1,000,000:
Baltim ore, M d_ _ ___ _ ___
Boston, M ass
Buffalo, N . Y ____
Cleveland, O h io .. . .
M ilw aukee, Wis
_ ____ _____
P ittsb u rg h , P a .
____
. ..
St. Louis, M o _
__ - _____
San Francisco, Calif _
W ashington. D C
250,000 and u n d er 500,000:
A tlanta, Qa
..
_.
__
B irm ingham , A l a . ____
C incinnati, Ohio
_
______
Colum bus, Ohio
Dallas, Tex
Dp.nvpr, Colo
H ouston, Tex
_ _ _ _ _
Tnrjiana.polis, Tnd
Jersey C ity, N . J
"Kansas C ity Mb
Louisville, K y ____ __ _ _ _ _____
Mp/mphis, Tenn
Minnpapolis TVTinn
N ew ark, N . J
New Orlpans, La
Oakland, Calif
Portland, Dreg
__ __
Prnyidpnpp P, I
Bnphpster N 'V
Sf Pa.nl, M inn
San Anfnnin, Tex
Seattle, W ash
__
Toledo, O hio. .
. . . . . . . . ------
Blast
Foundry
16 m an u furnaces,
and
steel
Public
M eat
facturing
m achine- p ack
works
in g 1 utilities
indus
shop
and
tries
rolling products 1
mills 1
Building
construc
tion
$0. 536
$0. 674
.694
1.031
.887
.798
.959
.817
$0. 561
.723
.767
.692
.660
.689
$0. 745
$0. 594
$0.669
.787
.638
.783
.649
.575
.702
.735
(2)
.704
.729
.564
.519
.585
.680
.652
.003
. 721
.581
.874
.647
(2)
.559
.702
.717
(2)
.690
(2)
0
0
.653
.553
.658
.728
.659
.736
.641
.779
.731
(2)
(2)
.778
.716
.779
.690
0
.387
.479
.591
.605
.464
.636
.528
.556
.682
.635
.477
.462
(2)
.572
.434
.852
.800
.667
.607
.685
.444
.815
.763
(2)
.579
.674
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
.403
.513
.562
.413
.564
.505
.555
(2)
. 565
.494
(2)
.578
.577
.477
.862
.809
0
(2)
(2)
(2)
.646
.392
.785
.724
(2)
0
.535
.679
.551
.613
.745
.648
0
0
.684
.547
.655
. 610
.423
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
.691
.465
.694
0
.589
0
.650
0
.604
.633
.371
.673
.762
0
0
.700
.499
.825
.556
.400
0
0
0
0
0
0
.688
.605
0
1.000
.820
. 985
.932
. 806
.924
.886
.830
.389
.487
. 719
.657
.493
.797
.426
.826
. 919
.843
.659
. 382
.891
0
. 545
.915
.943
. 740
0
.903
.408
1.010
. 925
1 Included among 16 m anufacturing industries.
2 D ata insufficient to justify presentation of an average.
Trends of Entrance Kates From 1926 to 1942
In order to permit comparison with the data for earlier years, the
1942 averages shown in table 8 have been devised directly from the
questionnaire returns, without weighting. I he 1942 data, it is true,
differ from those for earlier years in that they refer to first-shift
workers alone. For a limited number of localities and industries,
shift payments were of some importance; for the United States as
a whole, however, these differentials were not found to be significant
and may be disregarded.
_
_
Included in the manufacturing group in table 8 are brick, trie, and
terra cotta; blast furnaces, steel works, and rolling mills; cement;
foundry and machine-shop products; leather; lumber (sawmills);
meat packing; paper and pulp; and petroleum refining. Data for
seven other manufacturing industries surveyed in the years since
1936 are excluded so as to retain comparability throughout the
17-year period.
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328
Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
T able 8. — Average Hourly Entrance Kates of Adult Male Common Laborers in 13
Industries, by Industry Group, 1926-42
All indus
tries
covered
9 m an
ufacturing
industries
1926______________________________________________
1927______________________________________________
1928__________ __________________________________
1929______________________________________________
1930________________ _________
___
1931______________________________________________
$0.426
.424
.428
.432
.429
.403
$0.401
.399
. 402
.407
.405
.383
$0. 420
.398
.429
.428
.446
.446
$0.471
.482
. 474
.483
.470
.426
1932______________________________________________
1933______________________________________________
1934____________________________
... __...... ......... _
1935_______ __ ____________________________________
1936_____
____ __________ ____________ _.......
.355
. 333
.420
. 430
. 434
. 318
. 305
.407
.415
.425
.415
.387
.418
. 420
.437
.399
.383
. 455
.481
. 509
19372________________________________________
1938 3_____________________________________________
1939______ _____ ______________
________ _. ...
1 9 4 0 . . _____________________________________
1941 _____ _______ _____________ _
... . ...
1942 4
.493
.495
. 500
. 507
. 565
. 635
.488
.486
. 487
.498
. 559
. 616
.463
.479
.485
.477
. 502
. 563
. 551
. 578
. 601
.601
. 648
.724
Ju ly —
Public
utilities
Building
construc
tion 1
1 For the years 1926 to 1935, inclusive, the figures cover a small am ount oi construction outside of the
building industry.
2 Averages for the year were com puted on the basis of identical establishm ents for both 1937 and 1938.
3 Averages for the year were com puted on the basis of identical establishm ents for both 1938 and 1939.
4 These averages, unlike the averages appearing in the preceding tables of this report, are not weighted.
The figures for 1942 alone are based on paym ents to first-shift workers.
The average for all 13 industries combined in 1942 was 63.5 cents,
indicating an increase of exactly 7.0 cents over the preceding year.
The manufacturing group advanced least (5.7 cents) and building
construction had the greatest advance (7.6 cents). In each instance
the 1942 averages were higher than those shown for any year since
1926, when the Bureau’s studies of entrance rates began.
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Wage and Hour Statistics
329
EA RN IN G S IN M ANUFACTURE OF CARBON
PRODUCTS FOR ELEC TR IC A L IN D U STR Y , 1942 1
Snnim ary
THIS report of earnings in plants manufacturing various types of
carbon products for the electrical industry is one of a series under
taken by the Bureau of Labor Statistics for the purpose of providing
information on the effects of the war on the several branches of the
machinery-manufacturing and electrical-products industries.2
Seven of the eight plants included in this survey had been assigned
high priority ratings by the summer of 1942 ; of these, six were devoting
between 90 and 100 percent of their output to products with high
priority ratings. No important technological changes appear to
have been necessary. All of the larger plants were operating two
or three shifts.
Average hourly earnings increased from 70.8 cents in August 1939
to 93.0 cents by the summer of 1942. However, the earnings were
affected by a 5-percent increase in the average workweek since
August 1939, and the actual increase in rates was about 20 cents an
hour. Employment in the summer of 1942 was 2% times the figure
for August 1939.
A fourth of the male workers for whom detailed earnings data are
available were in occupations with hourly earnings (exclusive of extra
payments for overtime and night work) averaging $1.00 or more in
the summer of 1942; less than 3 percent were in groups averaging
under 75 cents per hour. Plants of the larger size group paid
substantially higher wages.
Scope and Method of Survey
In order to provide basic information on the effects of the transition
to a war economy on technological processes, occupational patterns,
and wage structures, the Bureau of Labor Statistics has undertaken
a series of studies in establishments manufacturing various types of
machinery and similar products. Each of the industrial branches
covered in this series is defined in terms of the principal products of
the various plants during the year 1939 as reported by the Census
of Manufactures. Important changes in type of product are to be
expected, especially because the war emergency has accentuated the
shifts in production that would ordinarily occur over a 3-year period.
The data on these changes are in themselves significant, however,
and it is thus useful to take the 1939 classification as a starting point.
Reports of the latest Census of Manufactures (1939) show that
in the United States as a whole 31 plants were “engaged primarily
in the manufacture of carbons; carbon, graphite, and metal-graphite
brushes; plates, rods, and powder for making brushes; electrodes,
and miscellaneous carbon; graphite, and metal-graphite specialties,
including rings for steam seal.” 3 Of this total, 6 establishments
1 Prepared in the B ureau’s Division of Wage Analysis, by Oscar F. Brown. The study was directed and
the preparation of the report supervised by H arold R Hosea
.
2 Previous articles in this series have appeared m each issue of the M onthly Labor Review, M ay 1J42
Jan u a ry 1943; individual reports are available on request.
s This definition corresponds to th a t of Census ind u stry No. 1012.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
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Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
reported fewer than 6 wage earners and were excluded from the scope
of this survey. The remaining 25 plants employed an average of
3,1 ~(j workers during 1939, and over a fourth were working in the
8 establishments included in this survey. Somewhat less than half
of the plants and slightly more than half of the employees in this small
industry in 1939 were found in New York and Pennsylvania alone.
Most of the remainder of the plants manufacturing carbon products
were in the East North Central States, where Ohio, with 29 percent
of the industry’s employees, was the most important single State.
Three plants were in the South.
The data for the present survey were collected by trained field
representatives of the Bureau who visited the plants and analyzed
pay rolls and other pertinent records. The detailed wage data on
individual employees are limited to day-shift workers in certain
occupational groups selected for their numerical importance or be
cause they are key jobs. In general, however, earnings by occupa
tion were compiled for 80 to 90 percent of the wage earners on day
shifts. The current earnings data shown in this report are based, in
most instances, on a representative pay-roll period during July or
September 1942.
Characteristics of the Industry
T Y P E O F PR O D U C T
The carbon-products industry is one of the small divisions of the
electrical-products group, and supplies essential specialties made of
carbon, graphite, and metal-graphite. Of the total output of prod
ucts oi t his type, slightly over 50 percent consists of carbon or graphite
electrodes. Brushes, plates, rods, powder, and miscellaneous carbon,
graphite, and metal-graphite specialties for electrical uses make up
the remainder. Slightly over 90 percent of the 1939 national output
of products oi this nature was made by plants primarily engaged in
the manufacture of carbon products; nearly 10 percent represented
secondary production of other industries. On the other hand, of the
total output by value of the companies classified by the Census as
primarily engaged in the production of carbon products for the elec
ta ica I industry, 8 percent consists of products commonly made by
plants classified in other industries.
P R O D U C T IO N O F W A R M A T E R IA L
No important technological changes appear to have been necessary
in this industry as a part of its war effort. Its standard peacetime
products are demanded on a greatly increased scale by other indus
tries which produce war materials directly. The war has thus resulted
in a greatly expanded industry, using its regular techniques and
equipment on a larger scale. In 1940, the use of the industry’s
facilities in defense production was not a factor of any importance.
At the end oi 1941, however, half of the eight plants studied
woi e pi oducing materials with high priority ratings. By the summer
oi 1942, seven of the establishments surveyed were reported perform
ing work essential to the defense effort, and of this group, six plants
were applying between 90 and 100 percent of their capacity to defense
production.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Wage and Hour Statistics
331
T H E L A BO R FO RCE
Detailed earnings data were compiled lor about 70 percent of all
workers employed in the plants surveyed; this group amounted to
between 80 and 90 percent of those on day shifts. Of the males for
whom wage and occupational data were collected, slightly more than
an eighth (13.2 percent) were on skilled jobs; nearly two-fifths (39.2
percent) were doing semiskilled work; and the remainder, nearly half
(47.6 percent) of the workers studied, were working at unskilled jobs.
Women constituted nearly 10 percent of the factory workers
studied. In one medium-sized plant, over three-fifths of the em
ployees were women. The most common occupations for women
were those of class C bench assemblers, class C inspectors, and packers.
Other occupations in which women were found were dip painters,
riveting-machine operators, tamper operators, and learners. 1 his
industry shows a substantial percentage of female workers above the
unskilled level; nearly half (47.2 percent) were classified m semi
skilled occupations. In all the plants surveyed, however only 1
woman of a total of 199 studied was doing skilled work. Six Negroes
were employed in the plants surveyed, and all but 1 were working m
a single southern plant.
Three of the eight plants studied had agreements with nationally
affiliated unions, but these three plants employed 80 percent of all
the workers studied. Both of the establishments in the survey ha\ mg
over 500 employees were organized. The other unionized plant
employed fewer than 50 workers. Of these agreements, one was
with an American Federation of Labor union, and two were with
unions affiliated to the Congress of Industrial Organizations. In
addition, an independent union was recognized in one medium-sized
plant. The remaining four plants were unorganized.
M ETH O D O F W A G E P A Y M E N T
The typical products of the carbon-products industry tend to be
small or medium in size and are used as standard parts by other
branches of the electrical industry. Even in a small industry these
product characteristics permit plant organization to some extent on
the basis of mass-production techniques. The present survey shows
that nearly a fourth (22.7 percent) of the workers in the industry
were working under some form of incentive system. Of the three
plants in which workers were paid piece or bonus rates, two were m
the largest size group, i. e., those having more than 500 workers; the
third reported over 250 employees. In these three plants 25.5 per
cent of the employees were working under some form of incentive
system. The other five plants paid straight hourly rates to all
factory workers.
The two smallest plants studied paid no extra overtime rates
beyond minimum statutory requirements, i. e., time and a half for
all work over 40 hours a week. The other six plants paid this same
rate for work in excess of 8 hours a day; in addition, two plants ap
plied this premium rate to Saturday work, and, in three plants, this
rate was also paid for work on Sunday and holidays. One of the
larger plants paid double time on Sundays and holidays.
The increased demand for carbon products as a result of war
activity has resulted in a high degree of utilization of the industry s
facilities, especially by means of extra shifts. The three plants oper
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
332
Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
only one shift were the smallest included in the survey, while
all three of the largest plants studied were operating three shifts,
i he only plant operating two shifts paid a differential of 5 cents per
hour to workers on the second shift (table 1). In the group of four
plants reported as operating three shifts, one paid no premium to
workers on either late shift; one establishment allowed the same
tonus (10 percent) to workers on both late shifts, while two gave an
additional differential to the third shift. The extra compensation
paid by each of these two firms was a premium of 5 percent to workers
on the second shift and 7 percent to those on the night shift.
T able 1 .— Wage Di fferentials for Second and Third Shi fts in Eight Carbon-Products
Plants, July—September 1942
N um
ber of
plants
N um ber of shifts
worked
P lan ts w ith 1 shift only
P lan ts w ith 2 shifts____
P lants w ith 3 shifts___
3
1
1
2
1
Second shift
T hird shift
5 cents per hour .
No differential _ .
5 percent over base rate
10 percent over base rate. __
No differential.
7 percent over base rate.
10 percent over base rate.
, ,
Employment Hours and Earnings
T R E N D FROM 1939 TO 1942
Comparable data on employment for selected periods in 1939—
42
are available for seven of the eight plants included in the survey. In
these seven establishments as a group, employment in the summer of
1942 was 2% times the figure lor August 1939; the increase was from
920 to 2,302 workers (table 2). Average hourly earnings, which
amounted to 70.8 cents in August 1939 (including extra payments for
overtime and night work), had increased to 93.0 cents by the time the
survey was made; this rise of 22.2 cents represents a gain of nearly a
third (31.4 percent).
During the same period, the average workweek in these plants had
lengthened 2.2 hours, a change which resulted in some inflation of
T a b l e 2 .— Employment,
Average Hourly Earnings, and Average Weekly Hours in 7
Carbon-Products Plants 1for Specified Periods, 1939-42
Period
A ugust 1939. ..
April 1940. __ _
A ugust 1940.
January 1941 _
A ugust 1941.. .
January 1942.
J uly-Septem ber 1942
Total n u m Average
ber of wage
hourly
earners
earnings 2
920
1,322
1,441
1, 583
2,103
2, 190
2, 302
E stim ated
average
hourly
earnings,
exclusive
of extra
overtime
paym ents
.739
.720
. 706
.802
.930
. 810
.889
Average
weekly
hours
39.6
40. 1
40.0
41.9
43.4
42.4
7n H n ^ n f% b » ^ b h f A luded-b®cause comparable figures for this plant were not available for earlier periods.
in aw ™ h ro f o í f m í í perl.od co^er®d m 1942 wouid show gross average hourly earnings of 93.2 cents and
an average ot about 88.0 cents, exclusive of extra overtime paym ents.
Averages include earnings resulting from extra paym ents for overtim e and night work.
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333
average hourly rates as a result of increased premiums for overtime.
The elimination of such premium payments is estimated to reduce the
average hourly earnings for the latest period by 4.1 cents, or to about
88.9 cents. During the 3-year period hourly earnings, exclusive of
premium overtime payments, rose about 20 cents, an increase of nearly
30 percent. The one plant for which comparable data covering the
earlier periods were not available employed slightly more than 250
workers; the inclusion of wage data for this plant has a negligible effect
on average hourly earnings for the latest period.
PLA N T AVERAG ES
Plant average hourly earnings, including premium overtime pay
ments, varied from 44.2 cents paid in one of the medium-sized plants
to $1,047 in the case of the largest of the establishments studied. At
one extreme, two of the plants studied showed averages below 65 cents
per hour; in two others the figure was 90 cents or more.
The earnings of employees in the plants with fewer than 51 workers
amounted to 59.8 cents per hour, as compared with 67.4 cents for
workers in the two plants with 51 to 250 employees. The establish
ments which had 250 employees or more showed an average of 96.5
cents per hour. The apparent wage advantage of workers in the large
plants was due in part to the greater relative importance of incentive
methods of wage payment. No comparison of plant averages was
made on a regional basis; the relatively small number of establishments
studied made the computation of such averages inadvisable.
O C C U PA T IO N A L D IF F E R E N C E S IN E A R N IN G S
Average hourly earnings, exclusive of extra payments for overtime
and night work, are available for 1,693 workers, who constituted the
majority of the day-shift workers in the plants surveyed. For male
employees, average earnings (excluding those of learners) ranged from
50.0 cents for class C bench assemblers to $1,128 for class A machine
operators (table 3). The general hourly average for all workers in
the occupations studied in detail was 87.0 cents; the figure for male
workers alone was 90.6 cents.
Eleven occupational groups showed averages of $1.00 or more
per hour; these groups constituted about a fourth (24.1 percent) of all
male employees. Of the male workers in the survey who were classi
fied as skilled and semiskilled, more than two-fifths were in this rela
tively high-wage group. The largest group which averaged $1.00 or
more was made up of 73 furnace and oven operators who, aside from
laborers and loaders and unloaders, constituted the largest single occu
pational class in the group of plants studied. The two lowest-paid
groups among male workers, class C bench assemblers and class C
winders, showed averages of 50.0 cents and 50.4 cents per hour,
respectively.
As is indicated above, somewhat less than a tenth (9.5 percent)
of the employees in the industry are females; those studied in detail
received average hourly earnings of 57.5 cents. The largest single
occupational group of female employees studied were working as
packers, and received average hourly rates of 69.9 cents. Other classi
fications in which substantial numbers of females were found were
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Monthly Lahor Review—February 1943
class C bench assemblers and class C inspectors; the lowest average
for women, 45.3 cents per hour, was paid to class C bench assemblers.
T
able
3 . — Average
Hourly Earnings 1 of Day-Shift Workers in Selected Occupations in
8 Carbon-Products Plants, July-September 1942
Occupation a n d class
Total workers---- --------- -----------
N u m Aver
age
ber of hourly
work earn
ers
ings
1,693
$0. 870
.906
M ale workers __
- ----------- - - 1, 510
5
Assemblers, bench, class B ____
0
16
.500
Assemblers, bench, class C _
9
Buffers- ___' --------------------(2)
5
B urrers _.
. .
(2)
. 906
6
Carpenters, class B -----------1.042
54
Com pound mixers-----11
1.095
Crane o perators-- _ - - -- .872
20
Craters, class B _____________
5
Craters, class C ______________
(2)
.990
46
C utters, b ru sh__ . --------------.815
Drill-press operators, class B __
11
9
1. 093
Electricians, class A -_ _______
1.007
19
Electricians, class B __________
.863
16
Electricians, class C __________
54
1.025
Extrusion-press operators--.949
5
Firem en, statio n ary boiler _
1.112
Foremen, working, class A __ _
51
.858
13
Foremen, w orking, class B
1.024
73
Furnace and oven operators, 1. 124
37
Grinders, b ru sh ___ _ _______
G rin d in g -m ach in e operators,
20
class B __ ____ , _ _______
(2)
86
.898
H elpers- _
- - 11
Inspectors, class A __________ (2)
.902
20
Inspectors, class B __ _______
.764
58
Inspectors, class C_ _
- 36
.773
Janitors- ___
6
Job setters - - - - - - - (2)
275
.767
Laborers_________ _______ 26
Laborers, fo u n d ry .. — _
(2)
Lathe operators, engine:
8
Class A __ ______ - --- (2)
11 ■ .787
Class B- _. ______ - - L earn ers, jo u rn e y m e n a n d
.788
23
o th ers-, __ _____ - ______
Loaders ’and unloaders, racks
.912
121
and conveyors _____ - . .
Occupation and class
M ale workers—C ontinued.
M achine operators, all-round:
___ _ _ - - Class A
Class B __________________
M illw rights, classA___________
M illw rights, class B __________
Packers______ _ - -------------Painters, d ip ________________
P laters______________________
Riveting-machine operators. - .
Solderers, class O ____________
Stock clerks - - - - - - Testers, class A _________ ____
Testers, class B___ — - ..
Testers, class C - - __
,
Tim e clerks- _ . ----------- T ru ck drivers___ - ---------------Truckers, h a n d _______ - ___
Truckers, power, inside_______
W atch m e n ..
----W elders, hand, class B _______
W inders, class A- . .
_
W inders, class C __ _
Female w o rkers.. ---------- ---------Assemblers, bench, class B . __
Assemblers, bench, class C . _ .
Inspectors, class C ____________
Learners, m achine operators___
Loaders and unloaders, racks
and conveyors.
Packers_____________________
Punch-press operators.
Riveting-machine operators----T am per o p e ra to rs __ _ Testers, class C ______________
W irers, assembly, class C _____
N um Aver
ber of age
w ork hourly
earn
ers
ings
16 $1.128
.999
36
1.052
21
.949
24
1.034
19
7
(2)
24
(2)
5
(2)
10
(2)
.781
20
10
(2)
.825
5
6
(2)
.817
24
.766
16
. 802
26
.889
10
.794
30
.942
6
5
(2)
24
.504
183
5
36
23
5
.575
(2)
.453
. 656
(2>
5
53
11
12
9
16
8
(2)
.699
(2)
.505
(2)
(2)
0
1 Averages are based on actual earnings exclusive of extra paym ents for overtime.
2 N um ber of plants and/or workers too small to justify com putation of an average.
A significant variation was found in the relationship between occu
pational earnings and the average number of workers employed per
plant. For the 201 employees in plants with fewer than 250 workers,
average hourly earnings were 55.9 cents, while the corresponding
figure for the 1,492 wage earners in larger plants as a group was 89.4
cents (table 4). In many classifications the numbers of workers
are insufficient to permit any reliable comparison of averages between
plants of different size groups, and the occupational distributions in
the large and small establishments are so dissimilar in some cases that
comparable rates are difficult to compile. There are 13 occupational
groups, however, in which the number of employees is believed to be
adequate for this purpose. Without exception, the average hourly
earnings in the large plants were higher than the corresponding figures
for the small establishments. In only one case—class B working
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335
W age and Hour Statistics
foremen—was the difference less than 15 cents; in six cases the averages
were more than 25 cents higher in plants of the larger size group.
These differences in average earnings are to some extent reflections of
the greater extent of unionization and the larger use of incentive
methods in the larger companies; there is, however, little doubt as to
the substantial wage advantage of the workers in the larger plants.
T
able
Hourly Earnings 1 of Day-Shift If orkers in 8 (.urban-Products
Plants, by Occupation and Size oj Plant, July—September 1942
1. —Average
Average hourly earnings in
plants employing—
Occupation and class
250 workers
or less
Over 250
workers
N um ber of workers 2
_
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Average h ourly earnings 2----------------------------------------------------------------------
201
$0. 559
1,492
$0.894
Assemblers, bench, class C, female--------------------------------------------------------Cutter* brush
_
Foremen w ording blass R
Furnace a***! oyp.n opp.ra.tors
_
_______
_
—
Helpers journey*"*’1p.n,s
_
Inspectors class R
J an i tor«
_
___
_
___
Laborers
Learners journpyrnon
_
_
_
_
M illw rights class A
_ _
_ _
Stock clerks
__
_
____
T ruck drivers
W atch mpn
_ __
_________
$0.368
.703
.822
.775
.650
.780
.513
.596
.418
.750
.686
.570
.583
$0.621
1.042
.869
1.038
.822
.932
.806
.770
.600
1.084
.832
.794
.847
1 Averages are based on actual earnings exclusive of extra paym ents for overtime.
2 Includes w orkers in occupations not shown separately below.
507123 — 43 -
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9
336
Monthly Labor Review—February 1913
EARNINGS IN MACHINE-TOOL-ACCESSORIES
INDUSTRY, 1942 1
Summary
THIS report on earnings in plants manufacturing machine-tool
accessories is the thirteenth in the series undertaken by the Bureau
of Labor Statistics for the purpose of providing information on the
effects of the war on the several branches of the machinery industry.2
The importance of machine tools in the production of war materials
lias naturally resultedfin a marked expansion of the plants manufac
turing machine-tool accessories; man-hours in the industry have almost
quadrupled, and the number of employees has tripled. Average hourly
earnings which were 82.9 cents in August 1939 had risen to $1,074 by
the spring of 1942. Earnings in the industry have been affected by
the longer workweek, which increased nearly 12 hours during the same
interval. If extra payments for overtime were eliminated, average
hourly earnings for the spring of 1942 would be reduced nearly 14
cents, to 93.8 cents. It is not possible to calculate accurately the
effect on earnings of premiums paid for night work. That they are
important, however, is evident from the fact that 69 of the 141 plants
studied were operating 2 shifts and 20 were working on a 3-sliift basis.
This industry is largely concentrated in midwestern and northeast
ern States. Midwestern plants appear to pay substantially higher
wages than do northeastern plants. This difference, however, is due
in part to variations in size of community and in unionization; size of
plant and method of wage payment may also have some effect.
Hourly earnings, exclusive of overtime and shift-differential pay
ments, averaged over $1.00 for each of 26 occupational groups; these
employed approximately three-eiglitlis of the male workers for whom
detailed earnings data were secured. On the other hand, average
hourly earnings were below 60 cents for only 8 occupations.
Scope and Method of Survey
In order to provide basic information on the effects of the transition
to a war economy on technological processes, occupational patterns,
and wage structures, the Bureau of Labor Statistics has undertaken a
series of studies in establishments manufacturing various types of
machinery and similar products. Each of the industrial branches
covered in this series is defined in terms of principal products of the
various plants during the year 1939 as reported by the Census of
Manufactures. Important changes in type of product are to be
expected, especially because the war emergency has accentuated the
shifts in production that would ordinarily occur over a 3-year period.
The data on these changes are in themselves significant, however, and
it is thus useful to take the 1939 classification as a starting point.
According to the Census of Manufactures there were, in 1939, 954
plants engaged primarily in the manufacture of accessories for machine
tools and other metalworking machinery. These establishments in1 Prepared in th e B ureau’s Division of Wage A nalysis b y Odis O. Clark, T he stu d y was directed and
the preparation of the report supervised by H arold R. Hosea.
2 Previous articles in this series have appeared in each issue of the M onthly Labor Review, M ay 1942Jan u a ry 1943; individual reports are available on request.
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337
elude plants manufacturing such accessories as jigs and dies, metal
cutting and shaping tools, and machinists’ precision tools.3 The 141
plants from which data were obtained by means of this survey consti
tute approximately 20 percent of the 687 establishments which em
ployed an average of 6 or more workers during 1939; 267 plants em
ploying 5 workers or less were excluded from the scope of the present
survey. The sample plants were selected, as far as possible, to be
representative of the industry with respect to geographic region, size
(in terms of number of employees), and certain other characteristics.
The data for the present survey were collected by trained field
representatives of the Bureau who visited the plants and analyzed
pay rolls and other pertinent records. The detailed wage statistics
for individual employees were limited to day-shift workers in certain
occupational groups selected for their numerical importance or because
they are key jobs. In general, occupational earnings were compiled
for 80 to 90 percent of the wage earners on first (day) shifts. Most
of the earnings data reported in this study are based on a representa
tive pay-roll period during April, May, or June 1942.4
Characteristics of the Industry
G EO G R A PH IC D IS T R IB U T IO N
Almost three-fifths of the plants classified by the Bureau of the
Census in this industry are in the North Central States, and nearly
two-thirds of the industry’s workers were employed in this area in 1939.
Slightly more than one-third of the plants and workers in the industry
were in the Northeastern States; about twice as many plants but only
two-thirds as many workers were in the three States of New Jersey, New
York, and Pennsylvania as in the New England States. Few such
plants are found elsewhere in the country; the Pacific Coast States,
next in importance, had only about 5 percent of the plants and less
than 1 percent of the workers in the industry.
There is no great similarity in the geographic distribution of plants
manufacturing machine-tool accessories and those in the machine-tool
industry itself; over one-third of the workers in the machine-tool
industry are employed in the New England States, but only about
one-fifth of the workers in plants producing accessories are in this area.
On the other hand, only a little more than half of the workers in the
machine-tool industry are in the North Central States, as compared
with nearly two-thirds of those in accessory plants. It is evident that
the manufacture of machine-tool accessories is more concentrated
in the areas where these accessories are utilized. This is well illus
trated by the fact that nearly 30 percent of all workers in the machinetool-accessories industry are employed in Michigan, center of the
automotive industry.
PR O D U C T IO N OF W A R M A TE R IA L S
The urgent demand for machine tools in the production of war
materials has necessitated a rapid expansion in the output of acces
sories. Very few of the plants manufacturing machine-tool acces
sories have changed to production of munitions or other direct war
materials. The war program has resulted principally in an increase
3 T his definition corresponds to th a t of Census ind u stry No. 1742.
4 M arch pay-roll periods were used for 4 p lants and Ju ly or A ugust pay rolls for th e 5 other plants.
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Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
in the number of plants and personnel, with no significant changes in
product or technology. This expansion has not been restricted to
plants already within the industry at the outbreak of the war; many
plants formerly classified in other industries, especially those manu
facturing various types of industrial machines, have in the past year
produced a substantial volume of machine-tool parts and accessories.
T H E LA BO R FO RCE
Distributions by skill class are available for the 11,368 workers
for whom detailed earnings data were compiled in the Bureau’s study.
Approximately 38 percent of the male workers may be regarded as
skilled, about 48 percent as semiskilled, and 14 percent as unskilled.
It might be expected that this industry, which is characterized by
large amounts of high-precision work, would require proportionately
larger numbers of skilled workers. The contrast, however, between
this and many other machinery industries is not in the numbers of
skilled employees, but rather in the proportions of semiskilled and
unskilled workers. The plants manufacturing machine-tool acces
sories show about the same proportion of skilled workers as that found
in machinery manufacture generally, but relatively more semiskilled
and fewer unskilled workers are employed. The use of large numbers
of semiskilled workers is possible in part because of the specialization
of individual plants. Many plants in this industry concentrate on
only one or two types of accessories, such as chucks, dies, drills, or
reamers, even though they may produce many designs of the same type
of accessories according to customers’ specifications. This specializa
tion permits considerable division and dilution of skill of labor, even
in relatively small shops, and much of the high-precision work is thus
performed by semiskilled workers operating complex automatic and
semiautomatic machinery.
At the time of the present survey, women constituted less than 3
percent of the factory workers in the plants studied; they were em
ployed in only 23 of the 141 plants. In 5 of the plants, however,
women constituted over 20 percent of the factory workers, and in 1 of
these plants over 50 percent. A somewhat larger proportion of semi
skilled than unskilled female workers was employed; few skilled
woman workers were reported in the industry. The trend toward
the employment of women as machine operators is reflected by the
fact that a substantial number of the female workers in this industry
are operating grinding machines, milling machines, engine lathes, and
drill and punch presses, although not as skilled operators. Other
occupations in which women are employed in this industry are in
spectors, bench assemblers, burrers, and stock and time clerks.
There is little doubt that increasing numbers of women will be
employed for these types of work in the future.
In the 26 plants which reported the employment of Negroes, colored
persons formed slightly more than 2 percent of the workers; the
remaining 115 plants employed no workers of this race. I n ’only
3 plants did Negroes comprise as much as 10 percent of all employees;
of the total employment in all the plants studied, they formed less
than half of 1 percent. About 40 percent of the colored workers in
this industry were employed in unskilled jobs, typically as laborers,
helpers, material handlers, and janitors.^On the other hand, among
the Negroes employed were a working foreman, a toolmaker, 35
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Wage and Hour Statistics
339
grinding-machine operators, and 4 engine-lathe operators. Negroes
were found in union and nonunion shops, in large and small plants, in
small as well as large cities, and in the East, Midwest, and Far West.
Only about a fourth of the plants studied were operating under
agreements with nationally affiliated unions, but the 36 organized
plants employed slightly more than one-third of the workers studied.
Twenty-two 'of the agreements involved unions affiliated with the
Congress of Industrial Organizations, 8 with the American Federation
of Labor, 5 with the Mechanics’ Educational Society of America, and
1 with the International Die Sinkers’ Union. Two plants had agree
ments with an independent union. Union shops were more common
in the North Central States; 31 of the 82 plants in that area were
operating under agreements. In fact, among the plants studied,
only unions affiliated with the Congress of Industrial Organizations
had working agreements in any other area. Approximately 47 percent
of the workers in the North Central area were covered by agreements,
as compared with about 14 percent of the workers in the Northeastern
States; none of the 3 plants studied in the Pacific Coast States had a
union agreement.
The typical organized shop in this industry is a large plant situated
in a large city. Over 36 percent of the plants with 50 or more workers
were union shops; less than 15 percent of the smaller plants reported
agreements. In cities of 1,000,000 or more population, 21 [of the 45
plants studied were operating under union agreements; only 15 of the
96 plants in the smaller cities were organized.
M ETHOD OF W A G E P A Y M E N T
Only 12 of the 141 plants employed an incentive method of wage
payment for their workers; and only about 40 percent of the workers
in these 12 plants were paid piece or bonus rates. The fact that only
10 percent of the workers work under incentive-wage plans reflects
the lack of standardization in the accessories for machine tools.
Although such parts are relatively small, the designs vary with the
specific needs of the purchaser. Thus frequent set-ups are necessary
and processes are not often repetitive or routine; consequently, piece
rates cannot easily be established. In small plants (with fewer than
250 employees) less than 1 percent of the workers were paid piece or
bonus rates, but in larger plants about 20 percent were paid on an
incentive basis.
In 56 plants payment for overtime work was made on the basis of
minimum statutory requirements, i. e., time and a half for work over
40 hours per week. In 87 plants this rate also applied to all work over
8 hours in 1 day. In general, the larger plants were more liberal in
their provisions for overtime rates; approximately half the plants em
ploying fewer than 100 workers paid overtime rates only as required
by Federal statute. On the other hand, all but 7 of the 44 plants em
ploying 100 or more workers reported somewhat more liberal pro
visions.
Time and a half was paid for overtime work on Saturday in 39
plants and for work on the sixth consecutive day in 2 more, on Sun
day in 16 plants, and on holidays in 12 plants. At the time of the
survey, double time was paid for work on Sunday in 45 plants and in
1 plant for work on the seventh consecutive day; in 33 plants the
double rate was paid for work on holidays. Seven plants paid this
rate after 10 hours of work in 1 day, 2 plants after 11 hours, 3 plants
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Mojithly Labor Review—February 1943
after 12 hours, and 1 plant after 16 hours. Six plants paid double
time for Saturday work in excess of 8 hours, 1 plant for Saturday work
above 10 hours, and another for that in excess of 12 hours.
Of the 141 plants studied, 52 operated on a 1-shift basis, 69 oper
ated 2 shifts, and 20 reported 3 shifts.5 Of the 89 plants reported as
operating more than 1 shift, 27 paid no differential for either evening
or night shift; 1 other paid a differential for the night shift but not
for the evening shift. Two plants paid premium rates to only a part
of the workers on the second shift; 1 plant paid 5 percent extra in the
tool and pattern departments, but not in the foundry, and another
10 percent extra to machine-tool operators only. In 5 plants, workers
on the second shift were given a half-hour lunch period with pay but
no other premium (table 1).
T a ri .e
1.— Wage Differentials for Second and Third Shifts in Machine-Tool-Accessories
Plants, April—June 1942
N um ber of shifts
worked
Plants w ith 1 shift only
P lants w ith 2 s h i f t s ___
N um
ber of
plants
52
22
5
18
1
1
7
1
1
1
10
1
1
Plants w ith 3 s h ifts ...
5
1
6
1
1
2
4
Second shift
T hird shift
No differential .
A half-hour paid lunch period
5 cents per hour over base rate .
5 cents per hour over base rate,
plus paid lunch period.
8 cents per hour over base ra te ___
10 cents per hour over base rate
20 cents per hour over base rate
5 percent over base rate for tool
and p a tte rn departm ents only.
10 percent over base rate for machine-tool operators only.
10 percent over base rate
10 percent over base rate, plus paid
lunch period.
1-hour bonus, plus regular daily
O earnings.
|N o differential_______
No differential.
- . .. d o ___________
W ork 5 days, paid for 6.
5 cents per hour over base ra te ___ 5 cents per hour over base rate.
------do _ ________
10 cents per hour over base rate.
5 percent over base rate
5 percent over base rate.
------d o ___________
10 percent over base rate.
10 percent over base ra te . . . . .
Do.
Of those plants operating more than 1 shift, 26 paid a 5-cent dif
ferential for work on the second shift; one of these paid for the lunch
period in addition to the 5-cent bonus. Another plant paid an 8-cent
bonus to workers on the evening shift, 7 paid a 10-cent bonus, and 1
paid 20 cents. Some plants paid a bonus based on earnings at the
regular rates; 3 paid a differential of 5 percent and 15 a differential
of 10 percent, and one of the latter gave a half-hour paid lunch period
in addition to the 10-percent bonus. In 1 plant workers on the second
shift were paid a bonus of 1 hour’s pay. Of the 20 plants which
operated 3 shifts, 6 paid a bonus of 5 cents per hour to workers on the
night shift, and another paid a bonus of 10 cents. One plant paid a
differential of 5 percent to workers on the night shift and 6 plants
paid a 10-percent differential. Another plant gave 6 days’ pay for 5
days’ work on the night shift. Only 5 plants which operated 3 shifts
paid no differential for the third shift.
-lull plan< operates continuously by the use of 2 long shifts and a swing shift, the latter ordinarily for week
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W age and Hour Statistics
Hours and Earnings
T R E N D FROM 1939 TO 1942
Comparable data on employment and earnings for selected periods
since the outbreak of the war are available for 120 of the 141 plants
studied. Employment more than tripled in these plants from August
1939 to April-June 1942. The average workweek increased from
slightly less than 43 hours in August 1939 to over 54 hours in AprilJune 1942 (table 2). This parallel expansion in employment and
lengthening of the workweek resulted in an increase in man-hours in
these identical firms to nearly 4 times the corresponding figure for
August 1939. The increase in activity varied somewhat for different
types of plants.
T a b l e 2 . — Average
Hourly Earnings and Average Weekly Hours in 120 Machine-ToolAccessories Plants, Specified Periods, 1939-42
Average
hourly
earnings
Period
E stim ated
average
hourly earn
ings, exclusive
of extra
overtime
paym ents
42.6
. 44.3
47.5
49. 4
49.7
54. 3
$0.791
.794
.787
.789
.843
.938
$0.829
.845
.861
.875
.937
1. 074
A ugust 1939________________________________________
April 1940_________________________________________
August 1940 _______________________________________
F ebruary 1941 -----------------------------------------------------A ugust 1941____ - - _
-- - - A pril-June 1942____________________________________
Average
weekly
hours
In plants which employed fewer than 50 workers in August 1939,
the average workweek increased from slightly less than 44 hours to
approximately 55 hours—a rise of over 25 percent (table 3). On
the other hand, the workweek in the larger plants increased nearly 29
percent, from approximately 42 to 54 hours. Since the rate of in
crease in the numbers of employees was also somewhat higher in
the larger plants, the increase in man-hours was over 12 percent
greater in these plants than in the smaller establishments.
Hourly Earnings and Average Weekly Hours in 118 1 North Central
and Northeastern Machine-Tool-Accessories Plants, August 1939 and April—June 1942
T a b l e 3. — Average
Average hourly
earnings
item
A u
gust
1939
N o rth C entral plants 2
N ortheastern plants A
P lants w ith—Fewer th an 50 workers-50 or more workers____
E stim ated average hourly
earnings, exclusive of extra Average weekly hours
overtime paym ents
Per
A pril- cent
of August
June
in
1939
1942 crease
Au
A p ril- Percent of gust
June 1942 increase
1939
Per
A pril- cent
of
June
in
1942 crease
$0. 895 $1.180
.831
.683
31.8
21.7
$0. 847
.661
$1. 032
.725
21.8
9.7
43.5
40. 7
54.2
54. 6
24.6
34. 2
1.057
1.083
30.5
28.7
.764
.807
.919
.948
20.3
17.4
43.9
41.9
55.1
54.0
25.5
28.8
.810
.841
1 Plants in Pacific Coast States are not include! in this table.
2 Includes plants in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, M ichigan, Missouri, Ohio, and Wisconsin.
s Includes plants in Connecticut, M assachusetts, N ew H am pshire, N ew Jersey, New Y ork, P ennsyl
vania, R hode Island, and V ermont.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
342
Monthly Labor Review— February 1943
The workweek in plants in the Northeast increased approximately
34 percent on the average, from slightly more than 40 to nearly 55
hours. By contrast, the workweek in the North Central plants
increased only about 25 percent, from nearly 44 hours to slightly
more than 54 hours. The rate of increase in man-hours of work
was about 5 percent higher for plants in the Northeast than for
those in the North Central States.
After eliminating the effect of increased overtime, average hourly
earnings in these 120 plants rose from 79.1 cents in August 1939 to
93.8 cents in April-June 1942, an increase of approximately 19 percent
for the 33-month period. The rate of increase was somewhat higher
for plants which employed fewer than 50 workers in 1939 than for
larger plants. In a regional comparison, the average hourly earnings
in North Central plants show a rate of increase over twice as great
as for plants in the Northeast, 21.8 as compared with 9.7 percent.
PLANT AVERAGES
Although plant averages are often distorted by extra overtime
payments and shift differentials, they do serve, within certain limits,
to show variations among plants in the earnings of the workers.
Data for general average earnings of all workers were secured for
139 plants.
A comparison of plant averages shows very little difference between
large and small plants, a difference rather common among other
industries. The explanation is due, in part, to certain differences in
the composition of the labor force. Small plants are unable to effect as
much division of labor as large plants. Consequently, with less
dilution of skill, they must employ » larger proportion of skilled labor.
I able
4. Distribution of Machine-Tool-Accessories Plants by Plant Average Hourly
Earnings and by Size of Plant, A pril-June 1942
Plants employing—
P la n t average hourly earnings
All plants
100 workers
or less
Over 100
workers
$0.40 and
$0.50 and
$0.60 and
$0.70 a n d
$0.80 a n d
un d er $0.50-_„ _
under »0.60__
under $0.70____
un d er $0.80
_
under $0.90
2
6
7
18
20
2
3
4
14
14
3
3
4
6
$0.90 and
$1.00 a n d
$1.10 and
$1.20 an d
$1.30 and
un d er $1.00
under $1.10____
under $1.20__ .
under $1.30._
under $1.40
17
18
15
14
4
11
15
11
8
2
6
3
4
6
2
8
2
5
2
1
5
1
3
i
i
3
1
2
i
$1.40 and under
$1.50 and under
$1.60 and under
$1.80 and un d er
$2.00 or over .
$1.50______
$1.60.. .
$1.80 .
$2.00__ ______ _ _
_________ _
A V E R A G E E A R N IN G S B Y O C C U PA TIO N
Straight-time average earnings in 5 occupational groups of male
workers—class A boring-mill operators, class A grinding-machine
operators, class A lay-out men, wood-pattern makers, and class A
tool and die makers—were substantially above $1.30 per hour. In
12 other occupations, average earnings were more than $1.10 per hour,
and in 9 more the average hourly earnings were above $1.00. Thus,
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
343
lVage and Hour Statistics
average hourly earnings were more than $1.00 in 26 occupational
groups, in which were employed nearly 38 percent of the male workers
for whom detailed earnings data were secured.
On the other hand, in 6 occupational groups other than apprentices
and learners, the average hourly earnings were below 60 cents. The
occupations at this lower wage level were class C burrers, elevator
operators, machine operators’ helpers, class C punch-press operators,
class C testers, and hand truckers. Average hourly earnings were
less than 70 cents for 19 other occupational groups. In 27 occupations
(including apprentices and learners), in which were employed slightly
less than 25 percent of the male workers for whom detailed earnings
data are available, average earnings were below 70 cents per hour.
The range of average earnings for male workers was from 53./ cents
per hour for hand truckers to $1.44 for wood-pattern makers.
It is evident that comparative wage levels of different classes of
workers in some occupations are influenced by variations in wage
structure. Classes 13 and C inspectors have tlio same average wage
in the industry as a whole (table 5). This is the result of the dispro
portionate number of class C inspectors who are employed in the
North Central plants, which generally paid higher wages. This
factor also explains why there is so little difference between earnings
for classes 13 and C grinding-machine operators and classes 13 and C
punch-press operators.
T a b l e 5. _Average Hourly
Earnings 1 of Day-Sliift Workers in Selected Occupations in
Machine-Tool-Accessories Plants, April-June 1942
U nited States
O ccupation and class
T otal workers------------------------------M ale w orkers_____________________
Acetylene-burner operators------Apprentices, first y e ar-------------A pprentices, second y ear----------A pprentices, th ird y e ar------------A pprentices, fourth y e ar----------Assemblers, bench, class A__,---Assemblers, bench, class B -------Assemblers, bench, class C -------Assemblers, floor, class A ---------Assemblers, floor, class B ---------Assemblers, floor, class O ---------Boring-mill operators, class A ---Boring-mill operators, class B ---Broaching-machine operators----B uffers_______________________
Burrers, class B ----------------------Burrers, class C ----------------------C arpenters, class A -----------------C arpenters, class B -----------------C arpenters, class C -----------------Casting cleaners______ ____ ____
Coremakers, class A ----------------Crane operators----------------------C raters_______________________
Die setters____________________
Drill-press operators, class A ----Drill-press operators, class B ---Drill-press operators, class C ---D rop-ham m er operators, class A.
Electricians___________________
E levator operators------------------Firem en, stationary boiler------Foremen, working, class A_........
Foremen, working, class B ------Foremen, w orking, class C ------See fo o tn o te s a t en d o f ta b le .
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
New England
and M iddle
A tlantic
N o rth Central
Percent Average Percent Average Percent Average
hourly
hourly
of
of
hourly.
of
workers earnings workers earnings workers earnings
100.0
97.6
(2)
1.0
.9
.4
.1
1.0
1.6
1.0
.4
.4
.2
.8
.2
.1
1.3
.4
.3
(2)
.1
.2
.7
.4
1
.1
1
.5
.7
.7
.1
.3
.1
.1
1. 2
.5
.1
$0. 914
.923
. 790
. 545
.692
.785
.919
1. 132
. 814
.717
1.041
.785
.778
1. 380
.978
. 864
.874
. 776
.579
1. 004
.664
.631
.654
1. 092
996
. 642
. 900
.935
. 719
.648
.968
1. 026
.587
.626
1. 220
.836
.806
100.0
$0. 768
97.0
.778
.7
.9
.3
. 526
.626
.659
(3)
.917
.745
. 701
.849
.720
(3)
1. 003
(3)
0
.738
.731
.551
(3)
.630
.533
0
0
(2)
.7
2.1
.4
.2
.1
(2)
.2
.1
.1
1.5
.7
.5
(2)
.2
.2
.4
.1
.1
.5
1.0
.7
(2)
.2
(2)
.2
1.6
.6
.1
0
.904
.628
. 552
.840
.708
0
.584
1. 079
. 782
. 590
100.0
98.0
.1
1.1
.8
.4
.1
1. 1
1.3
1. 3
.5
.6
.3
1.2
.3
.1
1. 2
.2
.2
0
0
.1
.9
.6
.1
.1
.1
.5
.5
.8
.1
.4
.1
0
1.0
.4
.1
$1. 008
1.016
.790
.539
.733
.844
.980
1. 218
.887
.720
1.096
.791
.787
1. 417
1. 037
.837
.982
.864
.623
0
0
.766
.689
0
.996
.679
.900
.953
.839
.704
0
1.124
0
0
1. 372
.887
.888
344
Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
Hourly Earnings 1 of Day-Shift Workers in Selected Occupations
in Machine-Tool-Accessories Plants, April—June 1942—Continued
T a b l e 5 .— Average
U nited States
O c c u p a tio n a n d class
Percen
of
worker
M ale workers—C ontinued.
Gear cutters, class A _______________
Gear cutters, class B ______________
Gear finishers. ___________________
Grinding-machine operators, class A .
Grinding-machine operators, class B _
Grinding-machine operators, class C
H eat treaters, class A ______________
H eat treaters, class B ______________
Helpers, journeym en’s _____________
Helpers, m achine operators’_______
Inspectors, class A ________________
Inspectors, class B ________________
Inspectors, class C ________________
Jan ito rs__________________________
Job setters________________________
Laborers_________________________
Laborers, foundry_________________
Lathe operators, engine, class A ____
Lathe operators, engine, class B ____
Lathe operators, engine, class C _____
Lathe operators, tu rret, class A _____
Lathe operators, tu rret, class B _____
L ay-out men, class A _______________
Learners, jo u rn ey m en______________
Learners, m achine operators________
Learners, others___________________
M achinists, class A ________________
M achinists, class B ________________
M etal-saw operators________________
M illing-machine operators, class A___
M illing-machine operators, class B .
M illing-machine operators, class C ___
M illw rights_______________________
Packers___________________________
Painters, b ru sh ____________________
Painters, sp ray ____________________
Patternm akers, wood_______________
Planer operators___________________
Punch-press operators, class A ___ ___
Punch-press operators, class B ______
Punch-press operators, class C ______
R epairm en, machine, class A ________
Sandblasters_______________________
Screw-machine operators, class A ____
Screw-machine operators, class B ____
Screw-machine operators, class C ____
Shaper o p e ra to rs ___________________
Stock clerks________________________
Straighteners_______________
Testers, class B _____________________
Testers, class C _____________________
Thread-m illing-machine operators____
Tim e clerks________________________
Tool and die makers, class A _________
Tool and die makers, class B _ ______
Tool grinders_____________________
Truck drivers______________________
Truckers, h a n d _____________________
W atchm en________________________ ■_
W elders, hand, class A ______________
W elders, hand, class B ____________
W elders, m achine___________________
Female w orkers________________________
Assemblers, bench_______________ ___
B urrers_____ _____________
Drill-press operators_________________
G rinding-machine operators_________
Inspectors__________________________
Lathe operators, engine______________
Learners___________________________
M illing-machine operators____
Packers____________________________
Punch-press operators________ „______
Stock clerks_________ : _______
Tim e clerks_______________________
0. I
.3
6.8
7. 5
.8
.6
.8
.8
.6
1.0
1.7
.7
1.8
.5
1.3
.3
3.7
3.4
.8
1. 1
1.0
.1
1. 7
7. 2
1.0
1.7
I. 2
.8
2.9
3.6
.4
.7
1.0
.3
.1
.2
.6
.1
.3
.6
1. 1
.1
.5
.7
.3
.9
2.4
.8
.1
.1
.4
.4
9. 4
.1
1. 2
.3
.5
1. 3
.2
.i
.3
2. 4
.1
.1
.1
.4
.4
.1
.4
.4
.1
.1
.1
.1
Averag«
hourly
earning
$1. 103
. 840
. 740
1. 343
.785
.733
1. 038
.750
.731
. 599
1. 166
.748
. 748
.657
1.010
.650
.682
1. 170
.774
. 653
1. 132
.819
1.418
.623
.628
.571
1. 150
.860
. 725
1. 152
.821
.738
.843
.621
. 747
.881
1. 440
1.034
1.074
. 666
. 589
1. 020
. 929
1. 170
.786
.691
1. 123
.720
.964
. 625
.581
.823
. 642
1. 382
.855
1. 168
. 818
.537
.621
1. 147
. 770
.811
.559
. 460
. 471
. 444
. 502
.704
.563
.537
. 624
. 533
. 527 .
.479
.441 1
Newr England
and M iddle
A tlantic
N orth C entral
Percen Average
of
hourly
worker. earnings
Percenl Average
of
hourly
workers earnings
0
0.2
.6
6.4
8.9
.1
.6
1.0
.6
.8
.8
1. 5
.3
1.7
.4
1.0
.2
3.3
4. 1
1. 1
1. 2
1. 2
0
2.6
6.3
1. 7
1. 7
1. 3
.8
3. 1
4. 4
1.0
.6
1. 3
.2
0
.1
.4
.4
.6
.7
1.0
.1
2
.6
.2
.6
2. 1
1. 3
.1
.2
.7
.2
8. 7
.3
.8
.2
.6
1. 1
(2)
(2)
.4
3.0
.3
2
.2
.8
.3
(2)
.1
.6
.3
.2
(2)
0.2
.3
.2
7.4
6.9
1. 3
.7
.7
1.0
.5
1. 1
1. 7
1.0
1.8
.5
1.4
.4
4.0
2.9
.6
1.0
1.0
.1
1. 1
8.0
.5
1. 6
1. 1
.8
2.7
3. 2
.1
.7
.9
.3
.1
.4
.8
0
$0. 597
.647
1. 193
.699
. 507
. 792
. 586
. 575
.494
.824
.550
. 518
. 512
.890
.573
0
1.035
.671
.494
.954
.661
0
. 535
. 501
. 524
1. 069
. 736
.675
.949
.718
.723
.683
. 506
. 602
0
0
.829
1. 086
.648
. 518
.752
0
.826
. 651
.487
.967
. 593
.954
0
0
.826
. 584
1. 227
.855
.700
.607
.459
. 521
0
0
0
.394
0
.2
.4
9. 6
14
.4
.4
1. 5
.2
.1
.1
2. 0
0
0
. 636
.459
.450
. 436
. 444
.520
. 409
0
.427
.467
. 445
.2
.5
1.2
.2
.6
.9
.3
1.2
2.6
.4
0
0
$1.157
.925
.989
1. 427
. 858
. 749
1. 186
.906
. 789
.710
1. 332
.863
. 789
.747
1. 084
. 685
.723
1. 243
.869
. 830
1. 275
. 943
1. 579
. 757
. 693
. 677
1. 206
.952
. 760
1. 306
.913
.880
. 933
. 733
.816
.895
1.517
1.113
0
.711
.644
1.167
1.018
1. 240
.849
.808
1. 176
.790
.986
I-3)
0
.819
. 654
1.476
1. 330
. 866
.628
.669
1. 156
.784
1. 143
. 656
0
0
_2
.5
.1
.5
.3
.1
.1
.1
.1
.468
.838
. 583
. 558
.848
fS\
.527
0
0
1 A v e ra g e s a re b a s e d o n a c tu a l e a rn in g s e x c lu s iv e of e x t r a p a y m e n t s fo r o v e r t im e .
3 L e s s t h a n 0 05 p e rc e n t.
3 N u m b e r of p l a n t s a n d / o r w o r k e r s to o s m a ll to j u s ti f y c o m p u ta t io n of a n a v e ra g e .
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
345
Wage and Hour Statistics
Among female workers in the industry, average earnings ranged
from 44.1 cents per hour for time clerks 'to 70.4 cents for inspectors.
Only 1 other occupational group, milling-machine operators, received
an average of more than 60 cents per hour. Average earnings in 5 of
the 12 occupations in which any substantial number of women were
employed were less than 50 cents per hour.
The low earnings of female workers in an industry which otherwise
has a relatively high wage level are due to several factors. First, the
employment of women in any substantial numbers in the industry is
comparatively recent, and many of the female workers are still em
ployed at starting rates. Second, because of their recent hiring,
these women are often employed at the more routine and repetitive
tasks, whereas men are performing the more complicated jobs. With
some few exceptions, moreover, the plants employing the larger
numbers of women were plants with average hourly rates below the
level for the industry.
d if f e r e n c e s
in
r e g io n s
and
m e t r o p o l it a n
areas
The combined weighted totals shown in table 5 indicate a wage
advantage of about 24 cents per hour for workers in the North
Central States over those in the Northeast. When the comparison
is made for individual occupations of male workers, a substantial
difference in the same direction is also generally found, an outstanding
exception being the job of thread-milling-machine operators. Workers
in this occupation in the Northeast received on an average less than
1 cent more than those doing similar work in the North Central plants.
In all other occupations for which reliable comparisons are possible
the workers in the North Central plants received higher earnings
than those in the Northeastern plants. For 61 of the 71 occupations
for male workers the differences were greater than 10 cents per hour;
for 25 occupations the differences were as great as 25 cents; and in 8
the differences were greater than 40 cents per hour.
These regional differences are, in part, a reflection of the wage
levels of two large metropolitan areas, Cleveland and Detroit; 31 of
the 82 North Central plants were in these areas.
It is evident from table 6 that male workers in plants situated in
large cities receive higher wages than those employed in smaller
communities. Workers employed by plants in metropolitan areas
of 500,000 or more population received an average of 15 cents more
than those in less heavily populated areas. In 40 of the 45 occupational
groups for which reliable comparisons could be made, the workers
in the large metropolitan areas received the higher earnings. Workers,
in large metropolitan areas had a wage advantage of 20 cents or more
in 17 occupations. In the plants in large metropolitan areas, 16 of
the 45 occupational groups had average earnings of $1.00 or more per
hour, but only 9 occupational groups in plants in smaller communities
had average hourly earnings as high as $1.00. On the other hand,
in the smaller communities 22 of the 45 occupations showed average
earnings of less than 70 cents per hour, as compared with only 5
occupations in the large metropolitan areas.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
346
Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
6 — Average Hourly Earnings of Male Day-Shift Workers in Selected Occupations
in Machine-Tool-Accessories Plants, by Size of Metropolitan Area, April-June 1942
T able
Average hourly
earnings 1 in
m etropolitan
areas of—
O ccupation and class
Average hourly
earnings 1 in
m etropolitan
areas of—
Occupation and class
Less
th an
500,000
popula
tion
500,000
or more
popula
tion
All o ccu p atio n s______________
$0.857
$1.003
Apprentices, first year
A pprentices, second year
_
Assemblers, class A __
___
Assemblers, class BAssemblers, class C.__
- .
Boring-mill operators, class A —
Buffers ______ ______
Drill-press operators:
Class B ____ . . . ______
Class C ................ ...
...
Foremen, working, class A
G rinding-machine operators:
Class A __
Class B -.
____
Class C ___
___
H eat treaters, class A H eat treaters, class B
H elpers, journeym en’s . . . . . .
Inspectors, class A __ - ____
Inspectors, class B __ - _
Inspectors, class C . . _
Jan ito rs_____. . . . . . . _ . .
Laborers_____________
L ath e operators, engine:
Class A ,
___
rr*
.500
.651
.884
.679
.520
1.304
.811
.601
.743
1.240
.905
.761
1.423
.990
.645
.579
1.173
.827
.714
1.321
1.187
. 719
.631
.856
.631
.724
1.016
.640
.598
.553
.609
1.467
.836
.812
1.242
.928
.740
1.295
1.048
.806
.753
.682
1.079
1.259
Less
than
L athe operators, engine—Con.
Class B _________________
Class C _________________
L athe operators, turret:
Class A _________________
Class B _________________
Learners, journeym en_______
Learners, machine operators--.
Learners, others_____________
M achinists, class A __________
M achinists, class B __________
M etal-saw operators_________
M illing-machine operators:
Class A _________________
Class B _________________
M illw rights_________________
P ackers_____________________
Planer operators_____________
R epairm en, machine, class A__,
Screw-machine operators, class
B _________________________
Shaper operators_____________
Stock clerks_________________
Straighteners________________
Tool and die m akers_________
Tool-grinder operators________
W atchm en__________________
1 Averages are based on actual earnings exclusive of extra paym ents for overtime.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
5 0 0 ,0 0 0
or more
popula popula
tion
tion
5 0 0 ,0 0 0
$0.688
$0 . 8 4 4
.4 9 4
.7 2 9
.9 9 4
1 .2 0 5
.8 9 0
.6 5 0
.6 4 4
.5 2 0
.5 4 2
1 .1 7 2
.9 2 1
.6 0 8
.7 0 0
.6 1 3
1 .1 3 0
.8 0 1
.7 0 3
.7 4 3
.9 7 1
.7 2 1
1. 288
.7 9 1
.9 4 8
.7 2 3
1 .1 5 0
1 .2 2 3
.5 4 7
.8 7 2
.8 0 4
.6 5 8
1 .0 1 4
.6 2 4
.9 6 7
1 .4 0 2
1 .0 6 6
.5 9 1
.886
.9 6 0
1 .1 9 7
.8 0 7
.9 5 4
1 .3 6 2
1 . 224
.6 6 2
Wage and Hour Statistics
347
UN IO N WAGES AND HOURS IN TH E BAKING
IN D U STRY , JU N E 1, 19421
Summary
THE average hourly rate for union members in the baking industry
on June 1, 1942, was 81.9 cents. Two-thirds of the union members
had rates between 40 and 90 cents; almost one-third had rates between
70 and 90 cents; and over one-fiftli had scales of $1.00 or more. Organ
ized workers in Hebrew bakeries received [.the [highest hourly rate on
the average ($1,340), while those in the pie and pastry branch had
the lowest average rate ($0,602).
Based on comparable quotations for both June 1, 1941, and June 1,
1942, the general level of wages advanced 9.6 percent. Bread and
cake machine shops, with an increase of 10.6 percent, reported the
greatest change in the industry. Exactly 93.0 percent of the union
members received increases in rates during this period.
The 40-hour week was predominant in the industry, 72.7 percent of
the union members being covered by such a provision. The remain
ing workers were covered by 16 other workweek schedules ranging
from 28 to 54 hours. Overtime was practically always paid for at
time and a half, with over 87 percent of the members subject to this
premium scale.
Scope and Method oj Study
This study is one of a series of annual surveys begun in 1907, cover
ing union scales in various trades in selected cities of the United
States. The number of cities included has been gradually increased
from 39 to 75. These cities are in 40 States and the District of
Columbia. Effective union agreements providing wage and hour
scales for bakery workers were reported in 62 of the 75 cities in 1942^
The current survey included 3,450 quotations of scales covering 62,098
union members. All the data were effective as of June 1, 1942.
Averages.—The averages and percentages of change given in this
report are weighted according to the number of union members covered
by each scale. The resulting aggregates (rates multiplied by member
ship) were added and their sum was divided by the total number of
members used in the weighting. The average thus reflects not only
the actual scales of wages and hours provided in union agreements,
but also the number of members benefiting from these scales. A
weighted average of this kind is obviously more realistic than a simple
average of specific rates. In the latter case, a wage rate covering one
or two members would be given the same importance as a rate cover
ing several dozen members.
The percent of change from the previous year is the ratio between
similar aggregates computed from the scales quoted for identical
unions and occupational classifications in both years. The weights
in both of the aggregates used in each year-to-year comparison were
the membership figures reported in the second year.
i Prepared in the B ureau’s In d u strial Relations D ivision.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
348
Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
Changes in coverage.—Prior to 1939 only union members engaged
principally in bread baking were included. In the 1939 and 1940
surveys, all types of baking covered by union agreements have been
included, and all occupations except deliverymen. In the current
report, plant-maintenance workers, as well as deliverymen, are ex
cluded from the tabulations.
As in the 1941 survey, the data are classified according to the
various types of baking. Separate figures are shown for hand shops,
machine shops, Hebrew baking, other specialized baking, pie and
pastry shops, and cracker and cookie shops. Other specialized shops
include those baking French, Polish, Bohemian, Scandinavian,
Spanish, and Italian products.
Average Hourly Rates
The average hourly rate for union members in the baking industry
was $0,819 on June 1, 1942 (table 1). Actual rates ranged between
$0,266 for helpers in Latin hand shops in Tampa to $1,714 for machineshop first hands in Hebrew bakeries in New York City. Nine percent
of all union bakery workers had wage rates of less than 50 cents;
almost 28 percent had rates between 50 and 70 cents; about 30 per
cent had rates between 70 and 90 cents; and 12 percent between 90
cents and $1.00. Over one-fifth were covered by scales of $1.00 or more.
W ages in hand shops making ordinary bread and cake averaged
$0,952 per hour, while in machine shops the average was $0,772 per
hour. About 60 percent of the union members working in hand
shops had rates between $0.80 and $1.10 per hour compared to 36
percent in machine baking; 56.5 percent of the latter had rates under
80 cents as compared to only 23 percent in hand baking.
Union members in Hebrew shops had the highest wage rates, on
the average, in the baking industry. Members in this specialized
branch averaged $1.34 per hour, with over three-fourths of them
having rates of $1.20 or more and only 9 percent rates of less than
$1.00 per hour. The greater proportion of the organized bakery
workers in this branch were in such metropolitan centers as New
York City, Newark, and Los Angeles.
^ Union rates in other specialized bakeries, such as Italian, Polish,'
French, Scandinavian, Bohemian, and Spanish, averaged $0,925 per
hour, with almost half of the members having hourly scales of $1.00
or over. These specialized types of bakeries were found, usually, in
the largest cities only.
The cracker and cookie and the pie and pastry branches of the industry included the lowest-paid workers, on the average, having average
hourly rates of $0,616 and $0,602, respectively. Over two-thirds of
the union members in the cracker and cookie and the pie and pastry
shops had wage rates between 40 and 70 cents per hour. The large
differences in wage rates between these branches and the rest of the
industry are attributable, in the main, to the factors of sex and skill.
Women are employed extensively in cracker, cookie, pie, and pastry
shops where the need for skill is not nearly so great, as the shops,
especially those making crackers and coolies, are highly mechanized.
Because of the dissimilarities in occupational designations and
duties, no distribution based on particular occupations is possible.
However, mixers and ovenmen generally had the highest rates specified
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
DISTRIBUTION OF MEMBERS IN UNION BAKERIES
BY HOURLY WAGE RATES
JUNE I, 1942
P
Wage and Hour Statistics
0
UNDER
$ .4 0
.5 0
AND UNDER
.50
.60
.60
AND UNDER
.70
.7 0
AND UNDER
.8 0
.80
.90
AND UNDER
.90
AND UNDER
1.00
1.00
AND UNDER
1.1 0
HOURLY WAGE RATE
1.10
AND UNDER
1.20
1.20
1 .3 0
AND UNDER
AND UNDER
1.30
1.40
1.4 0
AND UNDER
1 .5 0
1.50
1 .6 0
* DUNDER
AND
1.60
OVER
349
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
$.4 0
AND UNDER
350
Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
in each agreement, while the lower scales applied to members in the
auxiliary and less skilled occupations, such as pan greasers, checkers,
wrappers, slicers, and general helpers.
T a b l e 1.— Distribution
of Union Members in the Bakery Trades by Hourly Wage Rates,
June 1, 1942
T ype of baking
All baking _ _____ .
_
Percent of union members whose rates (in cents) per hour were—
Aver
age
40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 130 140 150
rate U n and
and and and and and and and and and and and 160
per
u n u n u n un u n u n u n u n u n u n u n u n and
der
hour 40 der der der der der der der der der der der der over
50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 130 140 150 160
$0. 819 1.1 7.9 15.4 12.2 14.7 15.4 12.0 7.2 3.0 3.0 2.5 2.5 1.6
O rdinary bread and cake, h a n d .. .952 . 1 1.2 5.2
O rdinary bread and cake, machine. .
.
....
.772 .3 7.5 14.9
Pie and p astry .-..
. .602 2. 3 32.9 27.4
Cracker and cookie________
.616 5.6 15.4 34,4
H ebrew baking. _ _ . . . . . . . . 1.340 .3 . 1 .3
Other specialized b a k in g 1 _ _
.925 1
—7 1.8 8.4
6.4 10.0 17.8 25.9 15. 5 7.2
14.0
9. 6
18.8
.8
7.4
19.8 18.9 12.1 4.9
8. 3 10. 5 2. 6 4. 7
8.8 9.7 5.7 1.4
1.2 3.6 2.7 11.1
12. 7 5.6 13.6 27. 5
. 7 1.9
1.9
1.5
3.7
2.2 3. 1 2.0 .2 . 1
1. 4 .3
.2
2.7 10.3 12.4 25.9 16.5 12.1
13.2 7.2 1.9
1 French, Polish, Bohem ian, Scandinavian, Spanish, Italian, etc.
,
Changes in Hourly Wage Rates 1941 to 1942
Most of the union members in the bakery trades received hourly
wage increases during the year ending June 1, 1942 (table 2). About
89 percent of the quotations, including 93 percent of the total union
members, showed increases. These increases raised the general level
of union wages in the baking industry by 9.6 percent during the period
June 1, 1941, to June 1, 1942, as compared with a 3.3-percent rise for
the previous year.
Union members in the ordinary bread and cake machine shops were
most successful in obtaining increases, over 97 percent benefiting by
advances in rates. Hebrew bakeries ranked second, with 92.2 percent
of their members receiving increases, which is in marked contrast to
the 15.8 percent who received raises the previous year. Almost 90
percent of the members in hand shops, 83 percent in the pie and pastry
shops, 80 percent in the cracker and cookie shops, and 77 percent in
specialized bakeries other than Hebrew were recipients of higher rates.
T a b l e 2 . — Number
of Changes in Union Wage-Rate Quotations and Percent of Members
A ffected, June 7, 1942, Compared with June 1, 1941
N um ber of quotations show
ing—
Percent of union m em bers af
fected by—
N um ber
of com
parable
quota
tions
Increase
All baking ____________ . . . _
2, 671
2, 384
287
93.0
7.0
O rdinary bread and cake, h an d .
O rdinary bread and cake, machine..
. ... _
... _
Pie and p astry
Cracker and cookife.
. ..
Hebrew baking ________ __
O ther specialized baking 1_____
268
242
26
89.6
10.4
1,665
91
445
106
96
1,547
68
380
86
61
118
23
65
20
35
97.4
83.3
80.0
92.2
77.4
2.6
16.7
20.0
7.8
22.6
T y p e of baking
Decrease
No
change
1 French, Polish, Bohem ian, Scandinavian, Spanish, Italian, etc.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Increase
Decrease
No
change
351
Wage and Hour Statistics
Table 3 shows that over two-thirds of the union members received
increases of between 5 and 15 percent; 17.1 percent of the total
union membership received increases over 15 percent; while only s.o
percent received increases oi less than 5 percent.
T a b l e 3 . — Number
of Increases in Union Wage-Rate Quotations, and Percent of Members
A ffected, by Percent of Increase, June 1, 1942, Compared with June 1, 1941
N u m b er of quotations showing increases of—
T yp e of baking
All baking- _ ----------------O rdinary bread and cake,
hand
O rdinary bread and cake,
machine
_____ - P ie and p astrv _ _____
Cracker and c o o k ie ___
H ebrew baking-------- ------O ther specialized baking L
i
15
and
un
der
20
per
cent
20
and
un
der
25
per
cent
25
and
un
der
30
per
cent
Less
than
5
per
cent
5
and
un
der
10
per
cent
10
and
un
der
15
per
cent
149
908
849
24
88
88
20
8
4
568
12
123
28
30
142
6
67
11
61
3
2t
3
36
2
6
80
7
17
16
5
614
34
130
28
14
255
9
104
15
and
un
der
20
per
cent
20
and
un
der
25
per
cent
25
and
un
der
30
per
cent
30
per
cent
and
over
8.5 32.2 35.2 13.2
2.1
0.9
0.9
10 17.5 16.9 40.9 10.8
1.4
.3
1.8
14.6 2.3
11.0 6.1
16.3 2. 7
.3
2. 9
17.4 —
1.1
1.4
.7
.9
1.1
.2
30
per
cent
and
over
51
Percent of total m em bers affected by
increases of—
68
46
4
8
3
Less
th an
5
per
cent
5.3
4.1
2.3
27.1
1.1
5
and
un
der
10
per
cent
35.4
40.1
30.0
44.7
11.8
10
and
un
der
15
per
cent
37.8
19.5
27.8
17. 2
44.3
2.8
French, Polish, Bohem ian, Scandinavian, Spanish, Italian, etc.
Weekly Hours
The 40-hour week was most prevalent in union agreements in the
baking industry as a whole, although a longer week than 40 hours
prevailed in the hand shops and the specialized bakeries. Nearly 73
percent ol the organized workers were reported as covered by a regular
workweek of 40 hours. The remaining 27 percent of the union mem
bers were scattered among 16 other straight-time weekly work periods.
About 10 percent of the total had a week of 48 hours and over (table
4). The number of the agreements providing workweeks of less than
4o' hours was occasioned, primarily, by share-the-work plans; these
plans were most prevalent in Hebrew bakeries. The 36-hour week
was fairly common in the machine bake shops on the Pacific Coast.
The 40-liour week was almost universal in unionized cracker and
cookie bakeries, less than 1 percent of the members having a longer
workweek. Machine shops making ordinary bread and cake operated
on the 40-liour week in a majority of the cases, with 90 percent oi the
union members employed on this basis. In the hand shops almost
78 percent of the union members were covered by workweeks ol more
than 40 hours; over 46 percent had a normal workweek ol 48
hours. Almost three-fifths of the union members m specialized
bakeries, other than Hebrew shops, were covered by a workweek oi
48 hours or more. In contrast, almost 42 percent of the members
working in Hebrew bakeries had workweeks of less than 40 hours,
mauily as a result of share-the-work plans.
Weighting the various weekly working schedules by the union
membership covered by each resulted in an average maximum work
week in the baking industry of 40.9 hours. Only the average for
Hebrew bakeries was lower (39.2), while the average tor hand shops
making ordinary bread and cake was the highest (44.9).
5 0 7 1 2 3 — 43 ------------10
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
352
T
able
Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
4 . — Distribution
of Union Members in the Bakery Trades by Hours per Week,
June 1, 1942
All
baking
W eekly hours
Average weekly hours-
_ __
40.9
O rd in a ry O rd in a ry
bread
bread
and
and
Pie and
cake,
cake,
pastry
hand
m achine
shops
shops
44.9
40.1
41.3
Cracker
and
cookie
Hebrew
baking
Other
special
ized
baking 1
40.0
39.2
44.8
Percent of m embers w ith specified hours per week
28 hours- - - . __ ___
30 hours- - - _ - _
- 32 hours--. _ __
____
35 hours- _
-- _______
36 hours .
___ „
_
37^ hours_ - _
38 hours- . .
-------39 hours____ ______
_
40 hours. - _- _____ _
42 hours.. ___ ____.- -_- ___
42Vz hours_________ ________
44 hours. - - - - - - - - - - - 45 hours
.
47 hours.
-----48 hours 50 hours........... - - - 54 hours.- __________________
0. 8
1.8
.2
.5
1. 3
.8
.9
.3
72. 7
3. 2
(2)
1. 5
4. 5
1. 1
9.8
(2)
.6
10. 6
22.9
4. 1
11.9
0.1
2.3
8.2
3.9
9.9
6. 3
8. 2
4.9
1.6
22. 2
12. 5
90.0
2.3
3. 8
15. 3
81. 4
2. 4
.3
.6
1.6
1.9
.2
46.2
99. 5
.5
.
1
30. 7
.7
16.9
15.3
(2)
.9
44. 5
15.3
1 French, Polish, Bohem ian, Scandinavian, Spanish, Italian, etc.
2 Less th an a ten th of 1 percent.
The average workweek decreased by 0.1 percent during the period
June 1, 1941, to June 1, 1942. Of the 2,671 comparable quotations,
58 indicated a reduced working schedule affecting 1.6 percent of the
union members (table 5). Slightly more than 0.2 percent of the
quotations, including 1.2 percent of the total union members, indi
cated a lengthened workweek.
T a b l e 5.-—Number
of Changes in Union Hour Quotations and Percent of Members
Affected, June 1, 1942, Compared with June 1, 1941
N um ber of quotations
showing—
N um ber
of com
parable
quota
tions
Increase
____________
2, 671
6
O rdinary bread and cake, handO rdinary bread and cake, m a
chine- . ______
Pie and p astry _____
.
Cracker and cookie .
H ebrew baking. ___. . . ... _
O ther specialized baking i- _
268
T ype of baking
All b aking____
1, 665
91
445
106
96
Decrease
5
1
Percent of union members
affected by—
No
change
58
2,607
20
248
33
1, 627
90
445
101
96
5
Increase
1.2
1.8
3. 5
Decrease
No
change
1.6
97. 2
2.4
97.6
1.6
96.6
96. 5
100.0
97. 6
100.0
2.4
1 French, Polish, Bohemian, Scandinavian, Spanish, Italian, etc.
Overtime
Practically all (96 percent) of the bakery agreements indicated a
penalty rate of time and a half for overtime (table 6). More than 87
percent of the union members were covered b;y this provision. Other
penalty rates covered 4.9 percent of the members, while for 7.5 per
cent of the members no penalty rate was specified,
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
353
Wage and Hour Statistics
Most of the members receiving straight time for overtime worked
in Hebrew bakeries where share-the-work plans were in operation.
In these cases overtime on a penalty basis was not generally allowed
until the hours stipulated in the agreement were worked, rather than
those hours called “normal” under the share-the-work adjustment.
Generally any overtime work was discouraged and frequently a
limit was set upon the amount of overtime permitted. Many of the
agreements, however, in recognition of the fact that the demand for
bakery products is not uniform throughout the week, specified that
the overtime rate should apply only on the basis of weekly hours and
not on the basis of any one shift. Others achieved the same result
by specifying longer regular shifts on certain days than on others.
Not infrequently a tolerance was provided whereby a limited
amount of overtime could be worked without payment of any penalty
rate. This tolerance generally was not over 2 hours in any week.
T a b l e 6 . — Overtime
Rates Provided in Union Bakery Agreements, June 1, 1942
N um ber of quotations show
ing initial overtim e rates
of—
Type of baking
Time and
one-half
No pen
alty
rates
specified
Other
penalty
rates
Percent of union members
having initial overtime
rates of
Tim e and
one-half
No pen
alty
rates
specified
Other
penalty
rates
All baking _ _ _
3.313
88
49
87.6
7.5
4.9
O rdinary bread and cake, hand
O rdinary bread and cake, m a c h in e - ____
Pie and pastry
Cracker and cookie
H ebrew baking. _- _ _
Other specialized baking L.
268
1,977
121
776
72
99
25
18
8
6
18
12. 6
1.6
1.6
3.1
3.5
27
10
14
11
84.3
94. 9
98. 4
100.0
20.7
77.4
54.6
11.6
24. 7
11.0
French, Polish, Bohemian, Scandinavian, Spanish, Italian, etc.
Average Rates by City
Table 7 shows the average hourly rate for organized bakery workers
in each city, grouped according to the type of baking. These aver
ages were computed by weighting each rate by the number of union
members covered by it and then dividing the total aggregates so
obtained by the total number of union members in the city. In
using this table one should bear in mind the fact that it is possible for
average rates to vary inversely with the degree of organization. If
the union has organized all of the occupations and workers in a city
its average rate will probably be lower than that of a union that has
organized only the more skilled groups. However, the latter con
dition is rapidly disappearing, as the unions are organizing more of
the unskilled workers each year. In several cities it was impossible
to separate the members in hand and machine shops for the purpose
of computing an average. In these cases, all were tabulated under
that type of baking which included the greater number of members.
Portland, Oreg., had the highest average rate in hand shops mak
ing ordinary bread and cake—$1.135—followed closely by New
York with a rate of $1,130, while San Francisco ($1,063) was third
in line. Rochester ($0,980) and Cincinnati ($0,979) also had rates
above the average ($0,952) for all cities in this group. Washington,
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
354
Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
D. C., had the highest rate in the machine branch ($1,070), followed
by Portland, Oreg. ($1,054). San Francisco, Seattle, and Spokane
also had average rates of over $1.00. The cities on the Pacific coast
tended to have higher scales as well as shorter workweeks.
In the Hebrew-bakery classification, the highest average hourly
rate prevailed in New York ($1.420), followed by Los Angeles ($1,410)
and Newark ($1,374). Among other specialized bakeries, San
Francisco headed the list with $1,084; Buffalo was second with $1,041.
Chicago and Detroit also had rates over $1.00.
, Duluth had the highest average in cracker and cookie bakeries
($0,751). New York and Detroit followed with averages of $0,728
and $0,694. Rock Island district topped all other cities in the pie
and pastry field, with the high average of $0,900; and New York was
second, with $0,839.
T a b l e 7.
-Average Hourly Rates for Union Bakery Workers in Each City, by Tyne of
Baking , June 1, 1942
C ity and type of baking
O rdinary bread and cake, hand shops:
Portland, Oreg_________________
N ew York, N . Y _______________
San Francisco, Calif_____________
Rochester, N . Y _________________
C incinnati, Ohio________________
Average for all cities______________
Chicago, 111_____________________
N ew ark, N . J ___________________
St. Louis, M o________________
Springfield, M ass________________
N ew H aven, C onn_____________
Cleveland, Ohio_________________
D u lu th , M in n ____________
D enver, Colo___________
Buffalo, N . Y ___________
Toledo, Ohio________________
H ouston, T ex ______________
South Bend, In d ________________
St. Paul, M in n __________________
Y oungstown, Ohio_______
Phoenix, A riz___________
Peoria, 111_________________
"
M anchester, N . H _______
N ew Orleans, L a ______________
Des Moines, Iow a__________
Providence, R. I ________
M inneapolis, M in n ____________ i
Salt Lake C ity, U ta h ___
Rock Island (111.) district
M ilwaukee, W is__________
Dallas, T ex___________
Boston, M ass____________
Scranton, P a __________
Tam pa, F la _________________
Pittsburgh, P a _________________
Indianapolis, I n d ________
Birm ingham , A la_____
Ordinary bread and cake, machine shops:
W ashington, D . C ______
Portland, Oreg______________
San Francisco, Calif--- .
" ~
Seattle, W ash___________
Spokane, W ash_________
D enver, Colo_________
B u tte, M o n t_________________ '
Los Angeles, Calif_________
O klahoma C ity, O kla____
M adison, W is______
D u lu th , M in n _________
H ouston, Tex_
N ew Y ork. N . Y ________
N ewark, N . J _____________
Rochester, N . Y _________
Phoenix, A riz________
St. Louis, M o__________
See fo o tn o te s a t e n d o f ta b le .
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Average
hourly
rate
C ity and type of baking
O rdinary bread and cake, machine
shops—C ontinued.
K ansas C ity, M o __
Peoria, 111
D etroit, M ich.
Average for all cities
W ichita, K ans.
Des Moines, Iow a__
Pittsb u rg h, P a
Rock Island (111.) district 2
C incinnati, O hio...
Y oungstown, Ohio
Salt Lake C ity, U tah
M ilwaukee, W is___
M em phis, Tenn_
Reading, P a
W orcester, M a s s ...
Providence, R. I
St. Paul, M inn
Springfield, M ass
Cleveland, Ohio _
M inneapolis, M inn
D ayton, O hio..
Columbus, Ohio___
Chicago, 111 _
Philadelphia, P a
N ew Orleans, L a___
Toledo, Ohio _
Louisville, K y__.
Indianapolis, I n d ___
Buffalo, N . Y
South Bend, Ind
Boston, M ass
Omaha, N,ebr___
L ittle Rock, A rk
D allas, Tex . _.
Baltimore, M d
Scranton, Pa._
N ew H aven, Conn
B ingham ton, Ala
A tlanta, Ga_.
T am pa, F la.
C harlotte, N . C
Jacksonville, Fla
Bingham ton, N . Y
Richm ond, Va
Nashville, Tenn
Pie and pastry:
Rock Island (111.) d is tric t2
N ew York, N . Y
St. Louis, M o _
Boston, M ass
Average for all cities
Toledo, Ohio___
D u lu th , M inn __
1
Chicago, I1L _ __
$1.135
1.130
1. 063
.980
.979
.952
.945
.897
.873
.872
.864
.852
.846
.837
1.804
.794
.786
.781
.777
.774
.747
.745
.729
.724
.720
.719
.706
.699
.697
.690
.667
.627
.623
.614
.605
.517
.508
1.070
1.054
1.038
3 1.009
s 1.006
.983
.973
.952
.904
.854
.833
.831
.809
.804
.792
.788
.782
Average
hourly
rate
$0. 778
. 778
.772
.772
. 770
.768
.768
. 768
.764
.763
.762
.757
.756
.750
.749
.735
.733
. 720
. 719
.710
. 709
. 706
.705
.704
. 696
. 694
. 693
.679
. 678
. 671
.658
. 652
. 650
.641
.638
. 620
. 619
. 610
. 609
. 606
.586
.582
.548
.537
.474
.900
.839
.807
. 727
.602
.574
.568
.556
Wage and Hour Statistics
T able
355
1.— Average Hourly Rates for Union Bakery W orkers in Each City, by Type of
Baking, June 1, 1942—Continued
C ity and type of baking
Pie and p astry —C ontinued.
D etroit, M ich _________
Cleveland, Ohio_______
Philadelphia, P a ----------W ichita, K an s------------Providence, R. I ........ —
Baltim ore, M d -----------Buffalo, N . Y -------------P ittsburgh, P a ------ -----Cracker and cookie:
D u lu th , M in n _________
N ew Y ork, N . Y ---------D etroit, M ich ------ ------D ayton, Ohio-------------Des M oines, Iow a_____
San Francisco, Calif___
Toledo, O hio__________
Boston, M ass_________
K ansas C ity, M o --------M em phis, Term _______
Philadelphia, P a _______
Seattle, W ash _________
Buffalo, N . Y _________
Average for all cities____
Spokane, W ash ________
Los Angeles, Calif-------Chicago, 111----------------M inneapolis, M in n ____
Portland, Oreg________
D enver, C olo--............
St. Paul, M in n ________
W ichita, K an s________
Birm ingham , A la_ .........
N ashville, T e n n ---------Scranton, P a ....................
Average
hourly
rate
Average
hourly
rate
$0.556
.538
.509
.499
.469
.447
.435
.390
.751
.728
.694
.687
.683
.683
.642
.638
.635
.634
.630
.627
.620
.616
.613
.607
.589
.578
.553
.481
.463
.453
.433
.391
.389
Hebrew baking:
N ew York, N . Y ------Los Angeles, Calif----N ew ark, N . J ----------Average for all cities___
Boston, M ass_______
D etroit, M ich----------Chicago, 111_________
Cleveland, Ohio_____
Rochester, N . Y -------Philadelphia, P a ------Baltimore, M d --------Pittsb u rg h , P a ---------Providence, R. I ------Springfield, M ass-----W orcester, M ass_____
D enver, Colo_______
N ew H aven, C onn—
M ilwaukee, W is------K ansas C ity, M o -----M inneapolis, M inn.-_
St. Louis, M o ----------Y oungstown, Ohio__
O ther specialized baking: ‘
San Francisco, C alif-.
Buffalo, N . Y _______
Chicago, 111-------------D etroit, M ich ---------Average for all cities. . .
Cleveland, Ohio____
N ew Y ork, N . Y -----P ittsburgh, P a -------Providence, R. I -----Los Angeles, Calif---Philadelphia, P a -----Tam pa, F la -------------
$1.420
1.410
1.374
1.3Iß
1.332
1.290
1.233
1.198
1.189
1.172
1.143
1.132
1.094
1.075
1.073
1.066
1.053
.901
.898
.867
.856
.836
1.084
61.041
1.039
1.020
.935
.919
.912
.906
.693
.689
.582
.398
1 Includes a few small machine shops—not separable.
2 Includes Rock Island, 111., M oline, 111., and D avenport, Iowa.
3 Includes han d shops—not separable.
i French, Polish, Bohem ian, Scandinavian, Spanish, Italian, etc.
3 Includes H ebrew bakeries—no t separable.
EA RN IN G S, HOURS, AND LABOR TU RN -O Y ER IN
CORDAGE AND TW IN E PLANTS, OCTOBER 1942 1
WORKERS in the cordage and twine manufacturing industry had an
average workweek of 42.3 hours in October 1942; hourly earnings
averaged 63.8 cents. These data are based upon reports to the Bureau
of Labor Statistics from 64 plants, with 13,473 wage earners working
any part of the pay period ending nearest the 15th of the month. I or
October 1941 the 15,053 workers in the 57 reporting plants averaged
42.1 hours per week and 56.0 cents per hour.
Although the increase during the year period in the average num
ber of hours worked per week was small (0.5 percent), it should be
noted that increased separations and accessions in the month of
October 1942, as indicated by a special survey, tended to depress the
average weekly hours actually worked. That survey, which was
made at the request of the War Production Board, covered 25 plants
with 8,727 workers (of whom 6,189, or 71 percent, were men and
2,538, or 29 percent, women) in the earlier month and 7,988 (of whom
5,063, or 63 percent, were men and 2,925, or 37 percent, women) m
i Prepared in the Bureau’s Division of Employment Statistics by Nathan Buchalter.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
356
Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
the later month. These plants reported average separation rates in
October 1941 of 3.73 per 100 for men, 5.52 for women, and 4.25 for
both sexes combined, in contrast to October 1942 rates of 7.01 for
men, 9.30 for women, and 7.85 for both sexes. The higher rates in the
later period were due, no doubt, to the absorption of workers into the
military services or to the migration of workers to war industries where
higher rates of pay prevail. This conclusion is borne out by the fact
that the general accession rate was likewise much higher in October
1942 (8.09) than in the same month of the previous year (5.72).
It is notable also that, while in October 1941 the accession rate was
about the same for men as for women (5.67 and 5.83, respectively),
in October 1942 it was more than three times as great for women
(14.09) as for men (4.62), reflecting the tendency to replace male
employees with women. This tendency was further evidenced by
the fact that the number of male workers in the 25 plants covered by
the special survey decreased by 18.2 percent over the year interval
while the number of female workers actually increased by 15.2 per
cent. The general employment change for these 25 plants was a
decline of 8.5 percent, while for the industry as a whole the decline
was 7.3 percent.
In considering these labor turn-over figures, it should be noted that
the 25 plants, the reports for which were used in the calculation of
separation and accession rates, were the larger and better-paying
plants where separation rates would tend to be lower than in the
remainder of the industry. Workers in these plants, which are con
cent rated ^chiefly in the iNorth, averaged 64.9 cents an hour in October
1941 and 72.7 cents in October 1942, a gain of 11.2 percent—resulting
largely from increases in basic wage rates.
I he Bureau’s regularly reporting sample of northern plants reported
much lower average hourly earnings than the special sample—63 1
cents m October 1941 and 69.9 in October 1942—while the southern
sample showed average hourly earnings of 44.9 and 52.3 cents, respec
tively. The average workweek in the Northern States was 43.5
hours m the earlier period and 43.8 in the latter, as against 40.1 and
39.6 hours, respectively, in the Southern States.
Ihe geographic distribution of the reporting plants is given in the
following table.
Distribution of Reporting Cordage and Twine Plants by Geographic Division
P lan ts reporting in special survey
Geographic division
October 1941
N um ber
of
plants
October 1942
N um ber
of wage
earners
N um ber
of
plants
B ureau’s regularly reporting sample
October 1941
N um ber
of wage
earners
N um ber
of
plants
October 1942
N um ber N um ber N um ber
of wage
of
of wage
earners
plants earners
All divisions^..
25
8. 727
25
7,988
57
15, 053
64
13,473
N ew England
M iddle A tlantic
E ast N orth Central___
W est N orth C entral
Pacific__
South A tlantic _
E ast South Central
W est South C entral
3
13
5
2,408
4,417
1,000
3
13
5
2,502
3, 462
1, 065
15
15
7
1
2
8
7
2
1, 891
5, 096
1, 273
0)
0)
3,423
2, 389
0)
17
16
6
1
4
11
8
1
1,913
4, 887
1, 153
(0
289
2. 544
2, 323
(>)
1 D ata are confidential.
2 Less th an 1,000.
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1
3
(’)
(2)
1
3
(>)
(2)
357
Wage and Hour Statistics
W AGE-RATE CHANGES IN U N IT E D STATES
IN D U STR IES
THE following table gives information concerning wage-rate adjust
ments occurring during the month ending November 15, 1942, as
shown by reports received from manufacturing and nonmanufac
turing establishments which supply employment data to the Bureau
of Labor Statistics.
As the Bureau’s survey does not cover all establishments in an
industry and some firms may have failed to report wage-rate changes,
these figures should not be construed as representing the total number
of wage changes occurring in manufacturing and nonmanufacturing
industries.
W age-Rate Changes Reported by Manufacturing and Nonmanufacturing Establishments
During Month Ending November 15, 1942 1
E stablishm ents
Total
num
ber cov
ered 2
G roup and industry
All m a n u fa c tu rin g --_____ _________________ .-- 34, 630
13, 525
____
_ _ _
D urable goods
.
N ondurable goods---------- --------------- -- - _ - 21,105
Iron and steel and their products, not including m a
chinery___
_ ---------B last furnaces, steel works, and rolling m ills-----Plum bers’ s u p p lie s .____- - - - - ------ ----Stam ped and enameled ware and galvanizing---Fabricated stru ctu ral and ornam ental m etal
_ -------- ------work _ ____
Electrical m achinery. - .
----Electrical eq u ip m en t-- ____ '
..
-
-
M achinery, except electrical.
..........
M achinery and machine-shop p ro d u c ts..
...
M achine-tool accessories _
Textile m achinery.
____________
. _
Pum ps and pum ping e q u ip m e n t---------------- . .
3, 535
225
no
285
Employees
Average
percent of
change in
wage rates
of em
ployees
having
increases
N um
ber
report
ing in
creases
Total
num ber
covered 2
N um ber
receiving
increases
236
131
105
9, 330, 700
5, 689, 800
3,640, 900
50, 988
35, 521
15,467
9.3
9.9
8.0
32
4
3
4
1, 322, 200
442,600
17, 900
49, 400
10, 588
6, 960
88
785
6.3
6.5
8.2
5.1
200
4
34,100
77
11.0
735
580
9
7
490, 600
(3)
1,279
1,168
7.6
7.4
2,660
1, 500
200
120
125
37
18
4
4
4
847, 800
360,100
(3)
24,300
40,100
4, 519
855
493
129
277
8.8
6.1
23.6
5.9
11.0
385
7
419, 200
767
10.0
Transportation equipm ent, except autom obiles-------
625
6
1, 704, 300
9, 877
13.3
Nonferrous metals and th eir p roducts---------------- -_
P rim ary sm elting and refining-.. _ _ ----------Jew elry and jewelers’ findings------ -- --------------
1,175
60
165
19
7
4
331, 700
39, 200
10, 700
4, 509
3, 784
198
13.3
14.5
7.1
Lum ber and tim b er basic p ro d u c ts ... -_- -------------
1,275
3
174, 800
107
13.9
F u rn itu re a n d finished lum ber p ro d u cts.- C askets and other m orticians goods —
1, 555
110
11
3
171,100
6, 000
552
45
7.3
6.7
Stone, clay, an d glass products---- _ ----------------Glass --. . _ _____ _ . . . ------- ---------- ------
1, 580
150
7
5
228,100
68, 300
3,323
3, 256
9.7
9.6
All textiles and finished textile p roducts-----------
6, 970
20
1,404,100
1,631
9.1
Textile-m ill products and other fiber m an u factu res..
Silk and rayon goods------------- ----------------------
3,160
445
9
3
987, 200
74,400
866
291
10.0
8.2
A oparel and other finished textile p ro d u c ts.. . - .
M en’s clothing, not elsewhere c l a s s i f i e d -------W om en’s clothing, not elsewhere classified--------
3,810
1,095
1,295
11
3
5
416, 900
150, 300
95, 200
765
375
299
8.0
9.9
6. 5
Food and k in d red p ro d u c ts... . . . ---------------- -----B u tte r_____
-------------------- -------------------B aking______- - - - - - - - -.
-----
5,180
295
985
16
3
6
613,400
6, 400
89, 200
722
82
481
8.4
8.4
8.7
A u to m o b iles-...................
--------- ----------------
See fo o tn o te s a t e n d o f ta b le .
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.
358
Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
Wage-rate Changes Reported by Manufacturing and Nonmanufacturing Establishments
During Month Ending November 15, 1942 1—Continued
Establishm ents
Group and industry
Tobacco m a n u f a c t u r e s ____
Cigars___ - ___ . . _
P ap er and allied p ro d u cts_______
____
.
P rinting, publishing, and allied p ro d u cts__________
N ew spapers and periodicals...............
...
_
...
Book and job p r in t in g ___
Average
percent of
change in
wage rates
of em
ployees
having
increases
N um
ber
report
ing in
creases
Total
num ber
covered 2
N um ber
receiving
increases
7
7
74,400
40, 000
2,280
2, 280
7.5
7.5
1,365
5
222,500
609
14.4
2. 535
705
1,430
11
4
5
166, 800
59, 700
74, 900
456
224
70
4.6
5.6
5.9
Total
num
ber cov
ered 2
_____ _________
_ . . . __
._
Employees
205
150
Chemicals, petroleum , and coal p roducts_____ ____
2,465
20
550, 600
7, 233
5.4
Chemicals and allied p roducts___ ._ _. ________
P aints, varnishes, and colors. . . .
.
Drugs, medicines, and insecticides.. . . _ ______
Chemicals . . . . ___ _
______ . . .
2,180
480
205
290
20
5
3
4
453, 800
21, 900
22,400
92, 800
7, 233
121
331
459
5.4
10.3
6.9
5.3
Miscellaneous industries____ _____ . . . . . . . . . ___
B u tto n s. _________
. . _ _ _ ____________
1,035
55
22
12
221, 200
6, 500
1, 224
818
19.1
23.7
N onm anufacturing (except building construction). . . 87, 000
M etalliferous m ining. _. . . . . . . . . . . .
____
470
Q uarrying and nonm etallic m ining . . . . .
1,350
C rude-petroleum p roduction__________________
570
W holesale tra d e _____ . . . __________ ___ 14,120
R etail tr a d e .. . . . . . _____ .
_____ ____ . 47,460
H otels__________ _____
_.
____
1.720
D yeing and cleaning. .
_
.
790
B rokerage.
920
.
.
___ 3,470
I n s u r a n c e .__
71
6
3
3
18
15
11
3
3
6
3,116, 200
82, 300
50, 200
37, 900
332, 500
1, 085, 700
140, 500
19, 400
13,400
154, 500
4, 800
1,834
17
60
453
82
392
34
74
173
9.3
10.3
26.9
10.9
15.6
11.9
8.6
19.6
11.2
8.6
1 Figures are not given for some industries to avoid disclosure of information concerning individual
establishm ents. T h ey are, however, included where practicable in “ all m anufacturing,” and in the various
in d u stry groups. No decreases reported.
2 A pproximate—based on previous m o n th ’s, sample.
3 Included in group totals b u t not available for publication separately.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Wage and Hour Regulation
40-CENT RATE FOR CLOVE AND M IT T E N IN D U STR Y 1
THE minimum prevailing rate of pay was fixed at 40 cents per hour
for glove and mitten workers engaged on Government contracts,
under the terms of a wage determination by the Administrator of the
Public Contracts Act which became effective on January 16, 1943. An
earlier determination issued in 1937 had established the hourly rate
at 35 cents.2 By fixing hourly wages at 40 cents an hour or $16 a
week for 40 hours, under the Walsh-Healey law (Public Contracts
Act), the minimum was raised to the same level as exists under the
Fair Labor Standards Act.3 The definition of the industry was
extended to include the manufacture of gloves and mittens (except
athletic gloves and mittens) from any material other than rubber or
from any combination of materials other than rubber.
O V ER TIM E PAY FOR GO V ERN M EN T EM PLOYEES
CONGRESS, on December 15, 1942, enacted a joint resolution which
grants overtime pay to about 2,000,000 Federal Government employ
ees. A 10-percent increase was granted to those employees who c!o
not earn overtime. This measure was enacted following an urgent
request of the President that action be taken before Congress ad
journed. It was signed by him on December 24, 1942. At the same
time, the President sent to all departments and agencies a memoran
dum calling for a general minimum workweek of 48 hours for both the
departmental and the field services, and asking the executive depart
ments to reduce personnel whenever possible. On December 26,
the President issued regulations governing the payment of overtime.
The measure recognizes the 40-hour week as the official basic work
period in Government service, and suspends the Saturday halfholiday. For any work exceeding 40 hours, employees are paid time
and a half. For the purpose of paying overtime, a day is considered
to be 1/360 of a year. Overtime thus amounts to 10.8 percent for a
44-liour week and 21.6 percent for a 48-hour week. However, prac
tically all Government departments are now on a 48-liour week. The
measure was made retroactive to December 1, 1942, at which time a
number of departments and agencies were working 44 hours a week.
Under this legislation, overtime is paid only on the first $2,900
of the employee’s salary, and overtime earnings are not paid beyond
the point where salary plus overtime equals $5,000.
1 Federal Register, December 18, 1942.
2 M onthly Labor Review, October 1940 (p. 810).
s M onthly Labor Review, October 1942 (p. 844).
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
359
360
Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
The resolution is a temporary measure, effective only until April 30,
1943. By that time it is expected that Congress will have enacted
permanon t legislation.
Statement of the President
In his letter urging on Congress the necessity for action to increase
Federal employees’ wages, or to delegate to him the authority to
correct the situation, the President pointed out that the Government
“ has permitted a condition to develop regarding rates of pay, hours of
work, and overtime compensation for its civilian employees which is
grossly unfair, is one of the major causes of needlessly high personnel
turn-over, and is impeding the successful prosecution of the war
effort.”
The President stated that mechanics and laborers have pay fixed
by wage boards, on the basis of pay in private industry, but that
employees on a salary basis had had no pay adjustments for many
years, and that numerous inequities existed even'in the same depart
ments and agencies. Thus, in some departments and agencies
certain employees, as a result of special legislation, were given over
time pay for all work over 40 hours, while other employees working
over 40 hours a week were given no overtime pay. This, the President
said, was a complete violation of the principle of equal pay for equal
work, which had been the guiding policv in Federal pay matters since
the enactment of the Classification Act of 1923.
Summary of Legislation
t The joint resolution provides that all civilian employees of the
United States Government (except employees in the legislative and
judicial branches) shall receive overtime pay after 40 hours, at the
rate of time and a half on that part of an employee’s basic compensa
tion not in excess of $2,900 per year. However, the aggregate salary
and overtime may not in any case exceed $5,000 per year. Formerly
some employees receiving salaries of more than $5,000 were entitled to
overtime. The legislation does not apply to (a) employees whose
wages are fixed on a daily or hourly basis and adjusted from time to
time, m accordance with prevailing rates of wages by wage boards,
(b) elected officials, (c) heads of departments and* agencies, and
(d) employees outside the United States who are paid in accordance
with local prevailing wage rates.
Legislative, judicial, and per diem employees, rural carriers, railway
mail clerks, special delivery messengers, and others, who, because of
the nature of their work, cannot work overtime, are to receive an
increase in pay of 10 percent. The $2,900 and $5,000 wage ceilings
apply in this case also.
A it Inn 30 days after the enactment of the resolution, the heads of
departments and agencies were required to furnish to the Director of
the Bureau of the Budget information justifying the number of
employees in their respective departments or agencies. The Director
is authorized to reduce the number of employees if he finds the per
sonnel excessive. If any agency fails to comply with an order of the
Director, 30 days after the order is issued the provisions of the resolution shall no longer apply to the employees affected by the order. The
i esolution also authorized the Civil Service Commission to transfer to
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Wage and Hour Regulation
361
other departments and agencies any employees released in accordance
with an order of the Director.
The provisions of the Saturday half-holiday law were suspended
during the period for which the resolution is in effect. The resolution
was made retroactive to December 1, 1942, and terminates on April
30, 1943.
Regulations of the President
The regulations issued by the President1 provide that heads of
departments and agencies, or designated officers or employees, shall
establish official hours of duty and a regular workweek for each
employee or group of employees. No employee may be required to
work in excess of the officially established hours of duty except upon
the order of the head of the department or agency or other officer or
employee having specific authority to require such additional work.
Overtime compensation for employment in excess of 40 hours dur
ing an officially established workweek, and for work ordered or ap
proved in addition-to the regular workweek, is to be paid at the rate of
one and one-half times the employee’s regular rate of compensation.
However, no overtime compensation is paid on any part of an em
ployee’s basic compensation in excess of $2,900 per year, and an em
ployee is paid only such overtime compensation as will not cause his
aggregate compensation, composed of his salary and overtime, to
exceed a rate of $5,000.
For the purpose of computing overtime compensation, the pay of
1 hour is considered to be one-eighth of the employee’s pay for 1 day,
and the pay for 1 day is considered to be 1/360 of the employee’s an
nual salary. Overtime compensation of per annum employees for em
ployment during an officially established regular workweek in excess
of 40 hours may be calculated on an annual basis and paid in equal
amounts on the regular monthly or semimonthly pay days.
In the case of an employee entitled to annual or sick leave, approved
leave, except leave without pay, during any part of the officially
established regular workweek, shall be charged as annual or sick leave,
as the case may be, and an absence is not construed to reduce the
amount of overtime compensation to which the employee is entitled.
Overtime compensation for employment in excess of 40 hours per
week during the period between December 1, 1942, and the date of
these regulations (December 26) is to be paid on the basis of the official
hours of duty during such period and on the basis ol any additional
overtime officially ordered or approved and currently recorded..
The regulations provide that-Federal civilian employees on vessels
operated by the United States, whose wages and allowances are com
puted on the basis of special hours and working conditions, may be
compensated in accordance with the wage practices of the maritime
industry. Employees whose work requires them to remain at or
within the confines of their posts of duty for more than 40 hours per
week but does not require them to devote all their time to actual
work are considered to have intermittent or irregular hours of duty,
and thus are not entitled to overtime, but instead are entitled to the
10-percent pay increase.
i Executive Order No. 9289, D ecember 26, 1942.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
La bo r I u rn-over
*++++***+*+*++**+++***
LABOR TURN-OYER IN M ANUFACTURING,
NOVEM BER 1942
FOR the second consecutive month, there was a drop in the total
separation rate for all manufacturing industries combined—from the
September high of 8.10 to the November rate of 7.09. The separa
tion rate, however, was twice as high as in November 1941. It may
also bo noted that declines in the separation rates occurred in October
and November 1941. All of the components (quits, discharges, lay
offs, and miscellaneous separations) contributed to this decrease. The
most significant change occurred in the quit rate, which was lower
than in any month since July. The quit rate declined in nearly all
the 42 manufacturing industries for which the Bureau publishes
complete turn-over data. The average quit rate in 11 selected war
industries was 3.86; only explosives and shipbuilding showed small
increases for the month, the other 9 industries losing men through quits
at a lower rate than in October.
The decline in accessions, however, offset to some extent this reduc
tion in separations. The rate of accession was 8.14 in November as
compared with 8.69 per 100 employees in October. The peak month
was September, with a rate of 9.15 accessions.
The labor turn-over data are based on reports from approximately
8,000 plants employing 4,900,000 workers in November 1942. Table 1
shows the monthly turn-over rates for 135 combined industries. Table
2 shows the rates in 42 selected manufacturing industries for October
and November 1942 and November 1941. Table 3 shows the quit
rates for each of the 11 selected war industries for which the publication
of other turn-over data has been restricted for military reasons.
362
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Labor Turn-over
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
364
Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
T able 1 — Monthly Labor Turn-over Rates of Factory Workers in Representative Estab
lishments in 135 Industries 1
Jan F eb
uary ru ary M arch April M ay
June
Ju ly
A u
gust
Sep
tem Oc
ber tober
N o D e
vem cem
ber
ber
2. 36
1.31
2.41
1.33
3.02
1.70
3. 59
2.08
3. 77
2. 20
3.85
2.06
4.02
2.25
4.31
2.46
5.19
2.81
4. 65
2.11
4. 21
1.57
1.75
.30
.18
.29
.19
.33
.21
.35
.25
.38
.24
.38
.26
.43
.29
.42
.30
.44
.31
.45
.28
.43
.24
.29
1.61
1.61
1.39
1.20
1.19
1.06
1.31
1.19
1.43
1.08
1.21
1.03
1.05
1.40
.87
1.13
.68
1.16
.78
1.41
.65
1.44
2.15
.83
.31
.73
.43
.82
.43
.87
.37
.96
.34
1.02
.36
1.23
.30
1.46
.25
1.79
.25
2.03
.33
1.80
.26
.52
T o ta l1942__________ 5.10
1941__________ 3.41
4.82
3.15
5.36
3.40
6.12
3.89
6.54
3.86
6.46
3.71
6.73
4.24
7.06
4.14
8.10
4. 53
7. 91
4.13
7.09
3.51
4. 71
Class of turn-over and
year
Separations:
Q uits—
1942_______
1941________ _
Discharges—
1942________
1941____________
Lay-offs 2—
1942______
1941
Miscellaneous separations 3—
1942____________
1941________ . .
Accessions:
Rehirings—
1942________
1.41
1941__
1.45
New hirings—
1942____________ 5.46
1941__
4.09
1.03
1.08
1.18
1.24
1.11
1.04
J.07
.92
1.12
.90
1.09
1.04
1.12
1.11
1.08
.87
.85
.86
.91
.79
.94
4.99
3.84
5.81
4.38
6.01
5.00
6.22
5.03
7.13
5.41
7.19
4. 96
6.78
4. 32
8.07
4.29
7.84
4.01
7.23
3.12
3.82
Total—
1942__________
1941. . . . .
6.02
4. 92
6.99
5. 62
7.12
6.04
7.29
5.95
8. 25
6.31
8.28
6.00
7.90
5.43
9.15
5.16
8.69
4.87
8.14
3.91
4. 76
6.87
5.54
1 T urn-over rates are not comparable to th e em ploym ent and pay-roll reports issued m onthly b y the
B ureau oi Labor Statistics as th e former are based on d ata for th e entire m onth, w hile the la tte r refer only to
tne pay period ending nearest th e m iddle of th e m onth. In addition, certain seasonal industries, such as
canm ng and preserving, are no t covered by th e labor turn-over survey and the sample is not as extensive
as th a t of th e em ploym ent survey, which includes a larger n u m b er of small plants
2 Including tem porary, indeterm inate, and perm anent lay-offs.
3 M ilitary separations included.
T able 2.- Monthly Turn-over Rates (per 100 Employees) of Factory Workers in 42
Manufacturing Industries 1
Separation rates
In d u stry
M onth
Q uit
A gricultural im plem ents.
Automobiles and bodies _
A utom obile p arts and equip
m e n t___________________
B last furnaces, steel works, and
rolling m ills________________
Boots and shoes.
Boxes, paper.
Brick, tile, and terra c o tta .
Cast-iron p ip e _____ ______
N ov.
Oct.
N ov.
N ov.
Oct.
N ov.
M is
cella Total
Total
neous separa Rehir New acces
separa tio n 2 ing hiring sion
tion 2
1942
1942
1941
1942
1942
1941
2.39
2.92
0.87
2.49
2. 92
1.29
0.30
.38
.15
.25
.32
.17
1.29
1.05
1.39
.80
1.11
1.51
1.54
2.11
.25
1.57
1.72
.54
5.52
6.46
2. 66
5.11
6.07
3.51
0.48
.65
.45
1.73
1.94
1.31
6.92
1.73
8.18
7.15
2.50
6.17
7. 57
2.18
9.91
9.09
3.81
N ov. 1942
Oct. 1942
N ov. 1941
3.91
4.82
1.69
.73
.81
.28
1.46
1.18
2.85
1.78
1.76
.33
7.88
8.57
5.15
1.40
1.18
1.05
6.58
8.12
4.01
7.98
9.30
5.06
N ov.
Oct.
Nov.
Nov.
Oct.
N ov.
N ov.
Oct.
N ov.
1942
1942
1941
1942
1942
1941
1942
1942
1941
2.87
3.33
1.09
4.71
5. 68
1.33
6.01
6.78
2.11
.18
.19
. 10
.22
.24
.16
.49
.47
.41
.21
.60
.41
.41
.50
2. 04
.60
.61
1.41
1.91
2.06
.34
1.16
1.33
.26
1.51
1.51
.20
5.17
6.18
1.94
6. 50
7. 75
3.79
8.61
9.37
4.13
.73
.63
.36
1.14
1.56
1.04
.80
.88
.57
4.68
4. 73
1.38
5.97
6.44
2.04
10.79
9. 96
3.42
5.41
5.36
1.74
7.11
8.00
3.08
11.59
10.84
3.99
N ov.
Oct.
N ov.
N ov.
Oct.
N ov.
1942
1942
1941
1942
1942
1941
5.14
5.80
1.59
2.42
1.47
1.45
.43
.54
.15
.32
.34
.34
1.62
1.38
2.35
.24
.61
.21
1.47
1.52
.23
1.71
1.43
.16
8.66
9.24
4.32
4.69
3.85
2.16
.69
.60
.67
.49
.12
.53
6.95
6. 74
1.69
6.46
5.14
1.51
7.64
7. 34
2. 36
6.95
5.26
2.04
See footnotes at end of table.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Dis
Lay
charge off
Accession rates
365
Labor Turn-over
T able
2.— Monthly Turn-over Rates (per 100 Employees) of Factory Workers in 42
Manufacturing Industries 1—Continued
S e p a r a t io n r a t e s
In d u stry
M o n th
Q u it
C em ent______________________ N o v . 1942
A c c e s s io n r a t e s
M is
c e lla T o t a l R e h i r N e w
n eo u s se p a ra
in g
h ir in g
s e p a r a tio n ^
ti o n 2
T o ta l
ac c e s
sio n
D is
c h a rg e
Lay
off
0. 22
.31
.1 3
.5 0
.4 4
.2 4
.2 4
.2 9
.3 1
0.1 5
.1 9
2.0 5
.3 8
.5 5
.7 6
. 12
.4 0
2 .1 9
1.51
1.65
.41
1.81
1.9 0
.3 0
.7 4
.6 5
.1 8
4. 76
6.3 6
3.3 7
6.1 8
6.91
2.41
6. 59
7. 42
5.1 8
0 .5 8
.3 2
.5 4
.61
.4 0
.3 5
1.20
.9 2
.7 6
2.85
4.8 8
1.32
6.30
7 .0 6
2.70
4. 66
7. 61
2. 97
3.4 3
5.2 0
1.86
6.91
7.4 6
3.0 5
5.8 6
8 .5 3
3. 73
O c t.
N ov.
N ov.
O c t.
N ov.
N ov.
O c t.
N ov.
1942
1941
1942
1942
1941
1942
1942
1941
2.88
4. 21
.7 8
3 .4 9
4 .0 2
1.11
5.4 9
6.0 8
2. 50
N ov.
O c t.
N ov.
N ov.
O c t.
N ov.
1942
1942
1941
1942
1942
1941
5.4 9
6. 58
2.43
5.2 0
6.5 8
2.18
.3 8
.3 8
.2 8
.4 7
1.06
.3 4
.51
.4 5
.9 6
.2 6
.6 9
.7 7
1.18
1.63
.2 2
1.75
2.08
.1 8
7. 56
9 .0 4
3.8 9
7.68
10.41
3.4 7
1.46
1.70
.9 5
.9 4
1.37
.8 6
6.2 0
6.8 8
3.01
7.15
9.5 6
2.8 9
7.6 6
8 .5 8
3 .9 6
8 .0 9
10.93
3. 75
N ov.
O c t.
N ov.
Foundries and m achine shops- __ N o v .
O c t.
N ov.
F u rn itu re ____________________ N o v .
O c t.
N ov.
1942
1942
1941
1942
1942
1941
1942
1942
1941
6. 34
7.15
1.41
4. 26
5.15
1.64
6.73
7. 22
2.64
.5 7
.81
.2 4
.5 8
.6 0
.3 7
.7 4
.7 3
.4 3
.5 9
.5 7
1.98
.4 8
.4 6
.9 6
2.38
3 .0 8
1.93
1.38
2 .1 2
. 10
1.81
2.08
.2 7
1.70
2.14
.3 3
8 .8 8
10.65
3.73
7.13
8 .2 9
3 .2 4
11.55
13.17
5 .3 3
1.29
.4 5
.63
.3 8
.4 4
.4 4
1.52
1.44
.8 3
7.71
12.01
1.57
8 .0 8
9. 30
3 .2 5
8 .8 7
10. 36
4 .0 9
9.0 0
12.46
2. 20
8 .4 6
9 .7 4
3 .6 9
10.39
11.80
4 .9 2
N ov.
O c t.
N ov.
N ov.
O c t.
N ov.
N ov.
O c t.
N ov.
1942
1942
1941
1942
1942
1941
1942
1942
1941
4.5 6
4.6 6
1.37
5.1 4
5.6 9
2. 57
4 .2 0
5. 25
1.69
.3 3
.3 4
.1 9
.2 4
.4 7
.2 9
.2 2
.3 2
.21
.61
2 .0 0
2 .1 6
.9 7
.2 4
.9 2
.3 0
.3 0
1.38
1.93
1.76
.31
1.24
1.49
.2 6
.6 2
.7 8
. 12
7 .4 3
8 .8 2
4 .0 3
7. 59
7. 89
4. 04
5. 34
6. 65
3 .4 0
1.69
1.43
.7 7
.5 3
.8 6
.8 0
.5 5
.7 7
.7 9
7 .8 0
7. 82
2. 35
7. 44
7.91
3 .6 7
5 .6 8
6.55
2.31
9 .4 9
9 .2 5
3 .1 2
7. 97
8. 77
4. 47
6 .2 3
7 .3 2
3 .1 0
N ov.
O c t.
N ov.
N ov.
O c t.
N ov.
N ov.
O c t.
N ov.
1942
1942
1941
1942
1942
1941
1942
1942
1941
3.46
4. 29
.8 2
5 .3 4
5. 68
1.69
4. 52
4 .8 7
1.40
. 19
.1 8
. 11
.2 8
.2 7
. 15
.2 2
.2 6
.0 9
.2 5
.5 4
1.46
.2 8
.6 1
1.33
2 .0 9
2 .7 3
2 .4 7
1.14
1.45
.2 0
1 .4 2
2 .4 4
.2 9
.6 3
.5 1
. 1.0
5 .0 4
6. 46
2. 59
7 .3 2
9 .0 0
3 .4 6
7 .4 6
8 .3 7
4. 06
.3 6
.5 5
.6 8
.8 3
2 .4 4
.6 9
1.08
.9 9
1.31
4 .7 3
6.0 3
2.05
7. 45
9.7 1
2 .6 3
5.01
5.1 7
1.64
5 .0 9
6. 58
2. 73
8 .2 8
12.1 5
3 .3 2
6. 09
6 .1 6
2 .9 5
N ov.
O c t.
N ov.
N ov.
O c t.
N ov.
N ov.
O c t.
N ov.
N ov.
O c t.
N ov.
1942
1942
1941
1942
1942
1941
1942
1942
1941
1942
1942
1941
4.5 4
6. 45
1. 23
5. 79
5. 88
1 .5 2
1.65
2 .0 4
.3 5
6 .3 7
7. 50
2 .2 7
.6 4
.5 0
. 18
. 51
.3 9
.2 6
.1 6
.2 0
.0 7
.9 6
.7 0
.4 6
.3 5
.4 0
.9 0
.7 4
.7 2
.7 9
.2 9
.3 7
.9 0
2. 21
2 .6 4
2. 10
1 .8 2
2 .1 4
.2 8
1 .8 3
2 .0 7
.2 2
1.27
2. 14
.2 7
2 .1 8
2. 10
.2 4
7. 35
9.4 9
2 .5 9
8 .8 7
9 .0 6
2 .7 9
3.3 7
4. 75
1. 59
11. 72
.12. 94
5.0 7
.1 5
.7 6
.2 1
.6 7
.8 6
.71
.2 3
.2 0
.4 7
1.0 8
.7 9
.4 3
5.8 7
7.31
1 .8 5
8 .1 5
7. 45
2. 21
3. 08
3. 26
1.49
9 .1 5
11.44
2 .8 2
6. 02
8 .0 7
2 .0 6
8 .8 2
8.31
2 .9 2
3 .3 1
3. 46
1 .9 6
10. 23
12. 23
3 .2 5
N ov.
O c t.
N ov.
N ov.
O c t.
N ov.
1942
1942
1941
1942
1942
1941
3. 62
3. 80
1.50
1. 55
1.5 6
.6 6
. 17
.2 7
. 20
.0 8
. 15
.2 1
1. 21
1. 23
2 .2 1
.5 4
.6 2
1.31
1. 23
1.34
. 11
.9 6
.9 2
.21
6. 23
6. 64
4 .0 2
3. 13
3. 25
2 .3 9
.9 8
1.11
1.46
.4 3
.8 7
.71
7. 61
7. 43
3. 52
2 .5 8
3. 28
1 .0 2
8. 59
8 .5 4
4 .9 8
3. 01
4. 15
1.73
N o v . 1942
O c t. 1942
N o v . 1941
4 .4 2
5. 56
2. 81
.5 2
.5 5
.4 3
.1 6
. 19
2 .2 5
1.45
1.67
.2 8
6. 55
7.9 7
5. 77
.5 1
.6 3
.6 9
8. 38
11.81
2 .8 6
8 .8 9
12. 44
3 .5 5
C hem icals___________________
Cigars and cigarettes__________
C otton m anufacturing________
Dyeing and finishing textiles__
F lour________________________
G lass________________________
H ardw are____________________
K n it goods___________________
Leather goods_______ : ________
Lighting eq u ip m en t__________
M en ’s clothing_______________
P aints and varnishes_________
P aper and p u lp ______________
Petroleum refining____________
Planing m ills________________
Printing:
Book and jo b _____________
N ewspapers and periodicals-
Radios and phonographs______
See fo o tn o te s a t e n d o f ta b le .
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
:
366
Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
T a b l e 2 . — Monthly
Turn-over Rates (per 100 Employees) of Factory Workers in 42
Manufacturing Industries 1—Continued
Separation rates
Industry
M onth
Q uit
Accession rates
MisTotal
Lay cellar- Total Rehir New acces
Dis
neous separa ing
charge off separa
hiring sion
tion 2
tio n 2
N ov.
Oct.
N ov.
N ov.
Oct.
Nov.
Nov.
Oct.
Nov.
1942
1942
1941
1942
1942
1941
1942
1942
1941
2.03
2.03
.56
7. 89
8.56
2. 22
3.99
4.36
1.04
0. 28
.24
. 18
.21
.34
.17
.25
. 19
.06
0.40
.27
1.39
.48
.03
.67
.11
.12
.39
1. 57
1.65
.26
1.44
1.47
. 56
1.96
1.86
.46
4.28
4.19
2.39
10. 02
10.40
3.62
6.31
6. 53
1.95
0. 35
.30
.10
.84
1. 71
.90
.24
.36
.48
3. 59
4. 26
1.26
11.14
10.81
2.83
8. 58
10. 73
1.80
3.94
4. 56
1.36
11.98
12.52
3. 73
8.82
11. 09
2.28
Nov.
Oct.
Nov.
Silk and rayon goods__________ Nov.
Oct.
Nov.
Slaughtering and m eat p acking.. Nov.
Oct.
N ov.
Stam ped and enameled w are___ N ov.
Oct.
N ov.
Steam and ho t w ater heating
ap p aratu s__________________ N ov.
Oct.
Nov.
Stoves_______________, _______ Nov.
Oct.
N ov.
Structural and ornam ental m et
alwork _____________________ Nov.
Oct.
N ov.
Textile m ach in ery____________ Nov.
Oct.
N ov.
Tools (not including edge tools,
machine tools, files, and saw s). Nov.
Oct.
Nov.
1942
1942
1941
1942
1942
1941
1942
1942
1941
1942
1942
1941
4.96
6.33
2.39
5. 12
6.14
1.96
7. 26
8. 65
1.60
5. 35
7.18
2.99
.44
.47
.50
.34
.26
.23
.65
.68
.28
.73
.56
.43
2.40
1.32
3. 69
1.55
.77
2.09
1.85
3.18
4. 54
.71
1.58
3. 24
1.77
2.08
.28
.90
1.06
.20
2.91
2.93
.49
1 87
2.17
.42
9. 57
10. 20
6.86
7.91
8.23
4.48
12. 67
15. 44
6.91
8.66
11.49
7. 08
1.06
1.14
1.10
1. 21
1.49
1.21
3. 59
3.18
4. 93
.85
.39
.61
5. 81
6. 99
2.63
4.82
5.91
2.79
13.46
10. 20
7.18
9.01
9.96
3.27
6. 87
8.13
3. 73
6.03
7.40
4. 00
17.05
13.38
12.11
9.86
10. 35
3. 88
1942
1942
1941
1942
1942
1941
3.17
4.07
1. 60
5.61
6.07
2.55
.27
.27
.25
.67
.68
.31
.08
.42
.99
.95
2.27
4. 67
2. 20
2.19
.30
1. 56
1.68
.39
5. 72
6. 95
3.14
8. 79
10. 70
7. 92
.13
.58
.48
.99
2.83
1.08
6. 24
8.18
1.79
11.02
13.98
1. 75
6.37
8. 76
2. 27
12.01
16. 82
2.83
1942
1942
1941
1942
1942
1941
4. 49
6. 24
1.29
2. 17
2.81
2.17
.77
.65
.18
. 16
.19
.36
3. 20
2.03
1.03
.29
. 18
.27
2.07
2.29
.21
2.80
2.04
.18
10. 53
11.21
2.71
5.42
5. 22
2.98
.64
.52
.53
.45
.37
.51
7.02
10.04
2.19
5. 03
5. 36
2.59
7. 66
10. 56
2.72
5.48
5.73
3.10
1942
1942
1941
4.10
4. 64
1.88
.40
.51
.31
.41
.13
.94
1.43
1. 78
.22
6.34
7.06
3. 35
.35
.28
.18
6.82
7.81
3.21
7.17
8. 09
3.39
Nov. 1942
Oct. 1942
N ov. 1941
3.58
4.35
2.06
.20
.22
.24
.94
1.41
.83
1.61
1.77
. 13
6. 33
7. 75
3.26
1.34
1.27
.70
4.19
4. 72
2.96
5. 53
5.99
3.66
R ayon and allied p ro d u cts_____
R ubber boots and shoes_______
R u b b er tires_________________
Saw m ills____________________
Woolen and worsted goods_____
1 No individual industry d ata shown unless reports cover a t least 25 percent of industrial em ploym ent.
2 M ilitary separations included.
In table 3 are given the quit rates for strategic war industries for
which the publication of other turn-over data has been restricted.
T a b l e 3 . — Monthly
Quit Rates (per 100 Employees) in Selected War Industries
Q uit rates
In d u stry
N ovem ber
1942
Average for 11 selected war industries 1
.
_____
October 1942
N ovem ber
1941
_ ___
3. 86
4. 29
1. 57
A ircraft_ _
_ __ _ A lum inum and magnesium products 2- .
_ _ _ _
Brass, bronze, and copper products . _____
Electrical m achinery _ _
__
___
Engines and tu rb in es. - ______ __________ _ - _________
Explosives— __
— -- _____
_ _
Firearm s__ _
______
. _ ___ . _
M etalw orking m achinery. . . .
.
_
_________
Shipbuilding...... ..................
_ .
_____
3. 93
4. 77
4.46
2. 64
1.91
2. 39
3. 55
3. 02
5.41
4 41
5. 27
5.17
3.17
2.01
2. 12
4.50
3. 64
5. 39
1. J4
1.71
1.20
1.04
.75
1. 57
1.59
2.39
1 Includes blast furnaces, steel works, and rolling mills, and foundries and machine shops, as shown in
table 2.
2 Beginning in October 1942, the sample was expanded and now includes magnesium products.
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Bu i Iding Opera lions
m++*****+++++++++^M>+++**+**+*+***&+*+*********++***++*+*+*++**+*+++*
SUMMARY OF BUILDING CONSTRUCTION IN PR IN
CIPAL CITIES, DECEMBER 19421
BUILDING permit valuations for 1942 were 43 percent below the
1941 total. Los Angeles reported the highest permit valuations in
1942, and Washington, D. C., was second. New York City, which
had held first place each year since the Department of Labor began
collecting building permit statistics in 1921, dropped to third place
with the lowest valuations on record. Chicago and Philadelphia
ranked fourth and fifth, respectively.
Although total permit valuations reported to the Bureau of Labor
Statistics were lower in 1942 than in 1941, substantial increases oc
curred in cities with expanding war activities. This was the case
in Washington, Chicago, and Philadelphia, and even larger increases
were reported in Norfolk ~(Va.), Portland (Oreg.), Camden (N. J.),
Syracuse (N. Y.), Tacoma (WTash.), and Saginaw (Mich.).
December permit valuations were 12 percent below those for Novem
ber 1942, chiefly as a result of a 27-percent decrease in new residential
building. Permit valuations for new nonresidential construction
rose 21 percent during the month. The total for December 1942 was
72 percent below that for the same month of last year, owing partly
to the tapering off of the Federal construction program.
Comparison of December 1942 with December 1941 and
November 1942
The volume of building construction in 2,345 identical cities with
populations of 500 and over, which reported to the Bureau of Labor
Statistics in November and December 1942 and Decemberl941, is
summarized in table 1.
T able
1.— Summary of Building Construction for Which Permits Were Issued in .2,345
Identical Cities, December 1942
N um ber of buildings
Class of construction
P erm it valuation
Percent, of
change from—
December
1942 (in
thousands of
N ovem Decem
N ovem Decem
dollars)
ber 1942 ber 1941
ber 1942 ber 1941
Percent of
change from—
December
1942
All construction--------------------------------
27, 349
-2 3 .9
-3 9 .3
61, 259
-1 1 .8
-7 1 .5
N ew residential______________________
N ew nonresidential------- -----------------A dditions, alterations, and repairs_____
7, 749
2, 923
16, 677
-1 0 .4
—39.6
-2 5 .7
-4 6 .4
-6 1 . 2
-2 7 .6
28, 801
20, 258
12, 200
-2 6 .9
+21.0
- 8 .4
-5 8 .2
-8 3 .4
-4 7 .9
i M ore detailed information b y geographic divisions and population groups is contained in a separate
mim eographed release entitled “ Building Construction, December 1942,” copies of which will be furnished
upon request.
5 0 7 1 2 3 — 4 3 ----------- 11
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
368
Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
The number of new dwelling units for which permits were issued
and the permit valuation of such new housekeeping residential con
struction in the 2,345 cities reporting in December 1942 are presented
in table 2. Percentage changes between December 1942 and November
1942 and December 1941 are also shown.
T a b l e 2 . — Number
and Permit Valuation of New Dwelling Units in 2,345 Identical
Cities, December 1942, by Source of Funds and Type of Dwelling
N u m b er of dwelling units
Source of funds and type of dwelling
D ecember
1942
All dwellings
___
P erm it valuation
Percent of change
from—
Percent of change
December
from—
1942 (in
thousands of
N ovem Decem
dollars)
N ovem Decem
ber 1942 ber 1941
ber 1942 ber 1941
9,923
-1 6 .0
-4 2 .4
28,044
-2 3 .8
-5 6 .4
P riv ately financed______
1fam ily ___ __
2family 1___
M ultifam ily 2_ ___
6, 927
4, 576
1,048
1, 303
-1 6 .0
-2 3 .9
+24.5
- 6 .7
-5 3 .5
-6 3 .2
- 6 .0
- 3 .1
21, 257
15,950
2,699
2,608
-2 1 .5
-2 6 .2
+19.1
-1 8 .6
-6 2 .0
-6 7 .8
- 6 .9
-2 3 .6
Publicly financed^
2,996
-1 5 .9
+28.3
6,787
-3 0 .1
-1 8 .8
______
1 Includes 1- and 2-family dwellings w ith stores.
2 Includes m ultifam ily dwellings w ith stores.
Comparison of 1941 and 1942
Permit valuations reported in 1941 and 11942 are compared in
table 3.
T able 3.
Permit Valuation of Building Construction, by Class of Construction
1941 and 1942 *
P erm it valuation
Class of construction
1942 (in thou 1941 (in th o u
sands of dollars) sands of dollars)
All construction. ___
N cw residential . _
N <v nonresidential
A dditions, alterations, and repairs
Percent of
change
1, 720,166
3,034,877
-4 3 .3
785, 779
682, 111
252, 276
1,454,861
1,208,003
372,013
-4 6 .0
-4 3 .5
-3 2 .2
01cltte with *pop““ “ ot * “ a »™-th«
The number and permit valuation of new dwelling units for which
permits were issued in 1941 and 1942 are compared in table 4.
Construction from Public Funds, December 1942
The value of contracts awarded and force-account work started
during November and December 1942 and December 1941 on all
construction projects financed wholly or partially from Federal funds
is shown in table 5. This table includes other types of construction
as well as building construction, both inside and outside the 2,345
reporting cities.
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369
Building Operations
T a b l e 4 . — Number
and Permit Valuation of New Dwelling Units, by Source of Funds
and Type of Dwelling, 1941 and 1942 1
N um ber of dwelling u n its
Source of funds and ty p e of dwelling
1942
1941
P erm it valuation
Percent
of
change
1942
(in thou
sands of
dollars)
1941
(in thou
sands of
dollars)
Percent
of
change
233, 728
381, 535
-3 8 .7
768,683
1,434, 682
-4 6 .4
P rivately financed_______ .
_ ----1-family____
____. . . . . . --------2-fam ily2. . - ------ . . . . . ----------M ultifam ily 3 ...................................
170, 218
120, 337
15, 936
33,945
321,308
251, 050
21,120
49,138
-4 7 .0
-5 2 .1
-2 4 .5
-3 0 .9
561, 807
428, 296
43,973
89, 538
1, 230. 331
1, 033, 646
55, 292
141, 393
-5 4 .3
-5 8 .6
-2 0 .5
-3 6 .7
Publicly financed________ _____ . . . .
63, 510
60, 227
+ 5 .5
206,876
204, 351
+ 1 .2
All dwellings
_____ _
__________
1 Based on reports from a varying n um ber of cities w ith a population of 500 and over, the cities being identi
cal for any given m o n th of both years.
2 Includes 1- and 2-family dwellings w ith stores.
3 Includes m ultifam ily dwellings w ith stores.
T a b l e 5 .—
Value of Contracts Awarded and Force-Account Work Started on Con
struction Projects Financed from Federal Funds in Specified Months
[In thousands of dollars]
Contracts aw arded and force account w ork
started
Source of funds
D ecember
1942 i
N ovem ber
19422
December
1941 2
T o t a l ................................ ......... .
162,064
493,363
772,803
W ar public w o r k s ____
. . . __ _______ . .
.
R egular Federal appropriations ’------------- ----------------Federal Public H ousing A uthority A ________________
882
124,490
36,692
1,421
455,956
35,986.
3,639
758,899
3 10, 265
1 Prelim inary; subject to revision.
2 Revised.
3 Exclusive of contracts aw arded for public housing.
4 Includes contracts aw arded for all public housing.
3
Includes $7,960,209 for contracts aw arded on U SH A projects and $2,304,917 for contracts aw arded from
regular Federal appropriations.
The value of all contracts awarded for public buildings and highway
construction to be financed wholly from State funds, as reported by the
State governments for November and December 1942 and December
1941, was as follows:
Public buildings
D ecem ber 1941_____________________ ___________ $ 1 .2 7 4 ,8 3 9
N ovem ber 1942________________________________
208, 826
D ecem ber 1942________________________________
300, 647
Highway construction
$ 1 0 ,5 1 3 ,2 8 7
2, 960, 060
4, 580, 475
Coverage of Building Pertnit Statistics
Building-permit data are collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics
each month from more than 2,500 places having a population of 500
or more in 1940, from which are selected those for cities which also re
ported in the preceding month and in the corresponding month of the
previous year. In addition, the Bureau receives notifications of the
value of construction contracts awarded by Federal and State Gov
ernments. Federal and State building construction in the 2,345
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
370
Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
reporting cities totaled $15,955,000 in December 1942, as contrasted
with $21,744,000 in the previous month and $101,045,000 in
December 1941.
The permit-valuation figures represent estimates of construction
costs made by prospective private builders when applying for permits
to build and the value of contracts awarded by Federal or State
Governments. No land costs are included. Unless otherwise indi
cated, only building construction within the corporate limits of the
reporting cities is included in the tabulations.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Retail Prices
FOOD PRICES IN DECEMBER 1942
RETAIL costs of food continued the same rate of increase between
November 17 and December 15 that was shown for the period from
mid-October to mid-November. The index rose over the 4-week
period from 131.1 to 132.7 percent of the 1935-39 average, representing
an increase of 1.2 percent over November 17, of 9.1 percent over midMay, and of 17.3 percent over December 1941. The December 1942
level was the highest since December 1929, when the index was 133.8.
Prices of foods not under direct control by the Office of Price Ad
ministration were again chiefly responsible for the increase, but cer
tain controlled foods also edged up during the month. The following
statement shows the percent of change from November to December
and May to December for foods controlled by OPA and those not so
controlled.
Percent of increase
fromNov. 17 to M ay IS to
Dec. 15
Dec. 15
9.
6.
1.
17.
29.
. _ 11. 22
All foods______________________________________________________
U nder control by OPA on D ecem ber 15----------------------------_ . 5
.. ■
. 44
U nder control on M ay 18-------------------------------------------Placed u nder control since M ay 18------------------------------ •. 8
. _ 7. 0
N o t u nder control by OPA on D ecem ber 15— -------------------
1
9
2
5
8
Eight of the nine uncontrolled foods included in the Bureau’s foodcost index showed price increases over the month. Higher prices of
fresh fruits and vegetables included the usual seasonal increases for
apples, cabbage, carrots, spinach, and sweetpotatoes, and a contraseasonal increase for lettuce. Fresh green beans, usually increasing
in price at this season, declined moderately. Other uncontrolled foods
increasing in price were fresh fish and peanut butter. I he group of
uncontrolled foods represents approximately 10 percent of the family
food bill, but short supplies for several important foods have caused an
increase in the relative importance of some of the uncontrolled foods
available.
Increases between November 17 and December 15 were reported tor
33 foods, prices of which are under direct control by the OPA. In
some cases, these increases reflect adjustments in ceilings at the vari
ous levels of distribution. Lard prices, under a fixed percentage
mark-up at wholesale and retail, rose, following adjustments for the
processors. Canned and dried fruits and vegetables, under the same
type of ceiling, increased slightly. Local shortages were reported for
most meats and dairy products, and those prices increased moderately.
Potatoes, onions, bananas, eggs, and certain cereal products edged up.
Tea prices increased, but coffee prices declined after the introduction
of rationing at the end of November. Prices of oranges and grape
fruit were somewhat lower than in November.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
371
co
-to1
RE TA IL
COST
OF
ALL
FOODS
AVERAGE FOR 51 LARGE CITIES
1 9 3 5 - 3 9 = 100
INDEX
200
160
140
120
100
80
60
1923
UNITED STATES BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1924
1925
1926
1927
1928
1929
1930
1931
1932
1933
1934
1935
1936
1937
1938
1939
1940
1941
Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
180
373
Retail Prices
Percentage changes in retail costs of food on December 15, compared
with costs for May and November 1942, December 1941, and August
1939, are shown in table 1.
T a b l e 1 .— Changes
in Retail Costs of Food in 51 Large Cities Combined, by Commodity
Groups
Percent of change, Dee. 15,
1942, compared w ith—
Percent of change, Dec. 15,
1942, compared w ith—
1942
C om m odity group
All foods__________
Cereals an d bakery
produ cts____ _ __
M ea ts.-, ______ _
Beef and v eal.. _
P o rk __________
Lamb.__ ______
Chickens______
Pish, fresh and
canned-
1941
1939
N ov.
M ay
Dec.
Aug.
17
12
16
15
+ 1 .2
+ 9 .1
+ 1 7 .3
+ 4 1 .9
+ 7 .2
+ 2 .7
+ 1 .6
+ 1 4 .8
+ 1 9 .0
+ 3 .1
+ 1 9 .9
+ 1 1 .5
+ 2 1 .3
+ 2 5 .5
+ 3 4 .2
+ 1 3 .2
+ 3 9 .2
+ .7
+ .3
+ 1 .3
+ 1 .0
+ 3 .1
+ 2 1 .5
+ 3 2 .0
+ 8 4 .1
+• 5
0
+ 1 .0
+28.0
+ 4 2 .3
+ 3 7 .3
+ 4 2 .6
Com m odity group
1942
M ay
12
Nov.
17
+ 0 .4
D airy products___
Eggs--------------------- + .5
F ru its and vege+ 3.6
tables_______
F re s h .-- _____ + 4.4
+ .7
C anned
_ _+ .5
D rie d _________
Beverages- - - _____ - . 1
F ats and o ils-.. _ -- + .8
+ .6
Sugar, _____ ______
1941
1939
Dec.
16
Aug.
15
+ 7.3 + 9 .8
+44.9 +21.1
+42.1
+84. 3
+32.7
+36.0
+20.2
+27.2
+ 9.1
+15.5
+11.6
+58. 7
+62. 7
+39.5
+66.7
+31.2
+48. 3
+33.6
+13.9
+16.2
+ 4 .2
+14.7
-. 1
+ 2.4
+ .5
Details by Commodity Groups
Indexes of retail food costs by commodity groups are presented in
table 2 for May, October, November, and December 1942, December
1941, and August 1939. The accompanying charts show the trend in
costs of all foods, January 1913 to December 1942, inclusive, and for
each major commodity group for the period January 1929 to December
1942, inclusive.
T
able
2 . — Indexes
of Retail Costs of Food in 51 Large Cities Combined,1 by Commodity
Groups, in Specified Months
[1935-39 = 100]
1942
1941
1939
Aug. 15
Com m odity group
All foods__
--- ---------- - -
Cereals and bakery products ..........
M eats
_ ________ ___ _____ __
Beef a n d veal
_ .
Pork
____ ___ _____ ___
__ -Lam b .
_____
____ - _____
Chickens
___
Fish, fresh and can n ed .„ _ _
D airy p roducts_____ _ ______
Eggs __ _____ ______________ _ F ru its and v e g etab le s____
- ____- _
Fresh
____
C anned
________
D ried
__ , . _
Beverages
_ _ ____ _ __
F ats and o i l s _____ ______ __Sugar
- . ____ ___ _
______ -
Dec. 152 Nov. 17
Oct. 13
M ay 12
Dec. 16
131.1
129.6
121.6
113.1
93.5
105.7
131. 2
126.5
124.4
133.0
133.0
172.8
131.2
164.7
105.2
124.3
124.1
123.2
118.2
113.4
150.9
123.3
115.4
102.5
111. 1
114.4
103.2
108.1
100.5
138.9
120.5
138.1
93.4
95.7
99.6
88.0
98.8
94.6
99.6
93.1
90.7
1 3 7 .1
1 3 9 .3
1 2 5 .0
1 4 9 .9
1 2 4 .1
1 2 8 .7
1 3 0 .0
1 2 4 .6
1 1 0 .5
1 1 1 .0
1 0 6 .3
1 1 8 .3
1 1 4 .1
9
9
9
9
1 2 1 .2
1 2 2 .4
1 2 7 .1
1 0 8 .5
1 1 4 .4
132.7
105.7
133.2
127.5
125.2
135.7
134.9
183.4
132.3
167.2
105.7
131.9
126.6
124.8
134.0
133.5
177.9
131.8
166.3
1 4 6 .6
1 5 1 .0
1 2 7 .8
1 5 0 .5
1 4 1 .5
1 4 4 .6
2 126.8
1 2 4 .5
1 2 5 .3
1 4 9 .7
1 2 4 .6
3 1 2 4 .2
1 2 7 .7
1 2 7 .0
1 2 6 .9
1 2 2 .7
1 3 1 .2
9 2 .4
2
1
0
4
.8
.6
.3
.9
8 4 .5
95.6
1 Aggregate costs of 54 foods in each city, weighted to represent to tal purchases of fam ilies+f wage earners
and lower-salaried workers, have been combined w ith th e use of population weights.
2 Preliminary.jga
».BeviseduB^^i
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
t.>.j &l J
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Retail Prices
375
Cereals and bakery products.-—Prices of corn meal advanced 2 percent,
while flour, macaroni, and soda crackers showed smaller increases.
Prices of vanilla cookies declined moderately, and the average for
other foods in the group remained unchanged. The index for the
group was unchanged from November 17, and was only 3.1 percent
above December 1941.
Meats.—Average prices for meats continued the advance begun last
December, increasing 1 percent between November 17 and December
15. The rise during the year was 19.9 percent. During the past
month, increases were reported for all meats priced, except whole
ham, salt pork, and canned red salmon. Most increases were small,
with only sliced bacon, lamb, fresh fish (uncontrolled), and pink
salmon increasing 1 percent or more. Local shortages were reported
for all meats except roasting chickens and fresh fish.
Dairy products.—The index for the dairy-products group advanced
0.4 percent over the month, with small increases reported for butter
and cheese in most cities. The average price for milk delivered to
homes increased in 4 cities but the average for 51 cities combined
remained at the level of November 17. The price of milk sold through
stores increased slightly. The level of the group is 9.8 percent higher
than in December 1941.
Eggs.—-Egg prices increased in 32 cities, declined in 13, and remained
unchanged in 6 cities. The average price in December, 59.3 cents per
dozen, was 21 percent above December 1941 and 1.5 percent above
October 13, the first date on which the Bureau collected data after
egg prices were frozen on October 5.
" Fruits and vegetables.—The index of the group rose 3.6 percent over
November 17, with fresh fruits and vegetables moving up 4.4 percent;
canned, 0.7 percent; and dried, 0.5 percent. The total group was
32.7 percent above December 1941, with increases of 36 percent, 20
percent, and 27 percent, respectively, for fresh, canned, and dried
fruits and vegetables. The greatest increases for the month occurred
m prices of those fruits and vegetables not under direct OPA control,
the advances ranging from 6 percent for apples to 27.8 percent for
cabbage. A decrease was reported for green beans (uncontrolled).
Among those fruits and vegetables the prices of which are controlled,
citrus fruits decreased, but bananas, onions, and potatoes increased
by 2.8 percent, 6.4 percent, and 0.6 percent, respectively.
' Beverages.—Tea prices advanced slightly, and several reports of
inadequate local supplies were received. Coffee prices moved down
ward after the introduction of rationing. Decreases were reported
in 28 cities, with increases shown in 8. The December average for
the group was 9 percent above December 1941.
Fats and oils.—Following adjustments in processors’ price ceilings,
the retail price of lard, with ceilings established by a fixed percentage
mark-up, advanced in 38 cities, the average increase being 2.2 percent.
Other shortenings remained fairly stable. Salad dressing declined
moderately in price, while peanut butter, not under control, increased
by 2.8 percent. The index for the group was 0.8 percent above No
vember 1942 and 15.5 percent above December 1941.
Sugar.—Prices of sugar remained fairly stable, increasing 0.6 percent
over the month. The December level was 0.6 percent below March
1942 and 11.6 percent above December of the previous year.
Average prices of 65 foods in 51 cities combined are given in table 3
for May, November, and December 1942, and December 1941.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
376
T a b l e 3 . — Average
Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
Retail Prices of 65 Foods in 51 Large Cities Combined, May, Novem
ber, and December 1942 and December 1941
1942
1941
Article
Dec. 15 i
Cereals and bakery products:
Cereals:
Flour, w h eat______________
M acaroni_________________
W heat cereal 2. . . __________
Corn flakes___________ ____
Corn m eal________________
Rice 2_______ _____ ________
Rolled o a ts 2_______________
B akery products:
B read, w h ite______________
B read, w hole-w heat________
B read, ry e ________________
V anilla cookies____________
Soda crackers______________
M eats:
Beef:
R ound steak______________
R ib ro ast_________________
C huck ro ast_______________
Veal: C u tlets_________________
Pork:
C hops____________________
Bacon, sliced______________
H am , sliced 2______________
H am , whole_______________
Salt p o rk __________________
Lam b:
Leg----------------------------------R ib chops_________________
Po u ltry : Roasting chickens____
Fish:
Fresh, frozen_______________
Salmon, p in k ______________
Salmon, r e d 2______________
D airy products:
B u tte r________________________
Cheese________________________
M ilk, fresh (delivered)_________
M ilk, fresh (store)______________
M ilk, fresh (delivered an d storej2M ilk, evaporated______________
Eggs--------------------------------------------F ru its a n d vegetables:
Fresh:
A pples______ ____ _________
B ananas___________________
Oranges___________________
G rapefruit 2________________
Beans, green_______________
Cabbage___________________
C arrots____________________
L ettu ce___________________
Onions__________________
Potatoes___________________
Spinach______ ____ _________
Sw eetpotatoes______________
C anned:
Peaches___________________
Pineapple__________________
G rapefruit juice 2___________
Beans, g re e n 2______________
C o rn ______________________
Peas. _____________________
Tom atoes__________________
D ried:
P ru n es____________________
N av y beans________________
Beverages:
Coffee_________________________
T e a ___________________________
Cocoa 2________________________
F ats and oils:
L a rd __________________________
Shortening, other th a n lard:
In cartons__________________
In other c o n ta in ers.-........ .......
See footnotes at end of table.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
N ov. 17
M ay 12
Dec. 16
--.10 pounds.
------- pound.
— 28-oz. pkg.
----- 8 ounces.
------- pound.
-----------do_-.
---------- d o ...
Cents
55.6
14.2
24. 1
7.0
5.2
12. 5
8.8
Cents
55.4
14.1
24.1
7.0
5.1
12.6
8.8
Cents
51.6
14.2
24.1
7.2
4.7
12.3
8.6
Cents
49.2
14.0
23.9
7.1
4.4
9.4
7.6
_______ d o ...
---------- d o ...
_______ d o ...
---------- d o.-.
-----------d o.-.
8.7
9.6
9.7
26. 2
16.8
8.7
9.6
9.7
26.5
16.6
8.7
9.5
9.7
27.7
16.4
8.6
9.5
9.6
25.8
15.3
------- pound.
---------- do--_
- ............ d o .-.
-----------d o ...
44.7
35. 0
30.4
55.3
44.5
34.7
30.2
55.1
44.2
34.0
28.9
53.6
40.1
31.8
27.0
48.9
---------- do-_.
---------- do__.
_______ d o ...
---------- d o ...
-----------do--_
43.1
41.9
59.7
38.5
23.5
43.0
40.8
59.7
38.5
23.5
43. 2
39.3
58.8
37.8
24.0
34.5
36.0
52.4
31.9
20.2
-----------d o ...
---------- do-_-----------d o ...
38.8
47.2
43.1
38.4
46.5
42. 7
33.8
41.3
36.1
30.5
38.2
32.1
_______ d o ...
---16-oz. can.
-----------d o -.-
(4)
22.3
40.2
(4)
22.2
40.6
(4)
21.8
40.0
------- pound---------- d o ...
-------- q u a rt.
............- d o ...
----------do... .
.14)4-oz. can.
------- dozen.
54.8
36.1
15.1
13.6
14.6
9.2
59.3
54.6
36. 1
15.1
13.5
14.5
9.2
59.0
45.7
34.0
14.9
13. 5
14.4
8.7
40.9
42.3
34.5
14.8
13.7
14.4
8.8
49.0
------- p o u n d _
--------- do . .
------- dozen.
-------- e ac h ..
-------pound.
--------- do.. ..
-------b unch.
---------head.
-------p o u n d .
..15 pounds.
-------p ound.
--------- d o . . .
7.1
11.0
44.0
6.1
17.0
4.6
10.6
16.0
5.0
51.9
12.5
5.8
6.7
10.7
45.0
6.8
17.6
3.6
9.8
14.9
4.7
51.6
10.5
5.2
7.5
12. 0
31.4
6.3
13.4
4.5
6.6
9. 2
6.8
53.0
7.4
5.4
5.6
7.5
30.0
5.0
11.3
4.0
7.2
12.3
5.1
40.0
7.8
4.4
No. 2Yz can..
---------do___
..N o . 2 can..
-------- do___
---------d o___
---------do___
---------do___
25.3
29. 1
13.3
14. 1
13.8
14.8
12. 0
25.0
29.1
13.1
13.9
13.6
14.7
11.9
23.3
27.1
9.8
14.0
13.0
15.8
12.1
21.6
22.5
9.6
12.3
12.2
14.3
10.0
------pound..
---------do___
16.0
9.2
15.8
9.2
12.3
9.0
10.7
8.5
------pound..
. .. J4 pound..
.--Yi p ound..
28.6
21.6
10.1
28. 1
21.9
2 10.2
28.9
22.4
10. 2
26.9
19.7
9.2
(4)
20.0
36.9
------p o u n d ..
18.8
18.4
17.9
15.2
-------- do___
..... . .. d o ___
19.7
24.4
19.6
24.4
19.8
25.8
17.9
23.7
377
Retail Prices
T able 3.— Average Retail Prices of 65 Foods in 51 Large Cities Combined, May, Novem
ber, and December 1942 and December 1941—Continued
1941
1942
Article
Dec. 15 i
F a ts and oils—C ontinued.
Salad d re s s in g ____ . . _ ______ . _____ __ p in t..
Oleomargarine______
- ------- ________ pound-P eanut b u tte r______________ - ______ ____ do___
Sugar and sweets:
Sugar________________________ - . _______ do -_Corn sirup 2___________________ . . _-24 ounces...
M olasses2____ ______________ _____ 18 ounces .
Nov. 17
M ay 12
Dec. 16
Cents
25.0
22.5
29.8
Cents
25.1
22.5
29.0
Cents
25.4
22.4
26.9
Cents
23.8
19.7
20.0
6.9
15.3
17.2
6.9
15.3
315.1
6.9
14.8
14.5
6.1
14.1
13.6
1 Prelim inary.
2 N ot included in index.
3 Revised.
4 Composite prices not com puted.
Details by Cities
The advance in food costs between November 17 and December 15
was general throughout the country, with 50 cities reporting increases
in the index for all foods. The largest advances were in St. Louis
(2.8 percent), Jacksonville (2.3 percent), Rochester (2.2 percent), and
New Haven (2.1 percent) where there were greater-than-average
increases for fruits and vegetables, and in Rochester, an advance of
1 cent per quart was authorized for milk, effective December 15. In
Chicago, prices of fruits and vegetables declined 1.6 percent and the
all-foods index showed no change. When compared with the 17.3percent increase over December 1941 for 51 cities combined, 26 cities
showed increases greater than the average, with all cities in the New
England; Mountain, and Pacific regions included, and all the Middle
Atlantic area except Pittsburgh. The remaining 6 cities were scat
tered throughout 4 other regions. The increases during the year
ranged from 12.3 percent in Charleston, S. C., to 21.4 percent in San
Francisco.
Indexes of food costs by cities are shown in table 4 for May,
November, and December 1942 and for December 1941.
T a b l e 4 . — Indexes
of Average Retail Cost of All Foods, by Cities,1 May, November, and
December 1942 and December 1941
[1935-39= 100]
1942
C ity
U nited States.
Dec.
15 2
Nov.
17
M ay
12
Dec.
16
___ 132.7
131.1
121.6
113.1
130.7
131.6
130.9
132 3
133.0
131.3
131.0
130.4
130.1
130.6
130.0
130.3
130.0
129.7
118.3
121.3
120.8
124.0
120.6
121.7
122.1
110.1
111.9
110.5
111.8
111. 1
110.7
110.2
135.5
134.5
132.3
130.5
133.7
133.6
130.2
128.2
125.2
120.9
118.0
119.4
115.4
112.1
112.5
109.8
N ew England:
B oston________
B ridgeport-.
Fall R iver. ___
M anchester____
New H av en .-- _
Portland, M aine.
Providence____
M iddle A tlantic:
Buffalo________
N ew ark_______
N ew Y o rk_____
P hiladelp h ia___
See footnotes'at end of table.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1941
1942
1941
C ity
M iddle A tla n tic C ontinued.
P ittsb u rg h ------R o c h e s te r.____
Scran to n ..
..
E ast N orth C entral:
Chicago____
C in cin n ati........ Cleveland_____
Columbus, Ohio
D e tro it____ -Indianapolis___
M ilw aukee____
P eo ria_________
Springfield, 111..
Dec.
15 2
N ov.
17
M ay
12
Dec.
16
131.6
132.0
131.7
129.6
129.2
130.3
121.4
122.3
121.0
113.7
112.2
111.8
129.9
131.5
134.8
126.0
131.8
130.1
128.6
135.2
136.0
129.9
130.6
132. 5
124.4
129.6
129.7
126.8
134.6
134.3
121.7
122.4
124.1
118.6
122.4
125 0
119.8
129 0
128.0
113. 2
112.7
115.0
111.1
111.4
115. 2
110.5
116.7
115.8
378
I
Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
able
4. Indexes of Average Retail Cost of All Foods, by Cities,1 May, November, ana
December 1942 and December 1941—Continued
[1935-39= 100]
1942
1941
1942
C ity
W est N orth Central:
K ansas C ity ___
M inneapolis___
O m aha.-.
___
St. L o u i s . . . ___
St. P a u l______
South A tlantic:
A tla n ta ________
B altim ore - . .
Charleston, S. C_
Jacksonville____
Norfolk 3______
R ichm ond
___
Savannah
W a s h in g to n ,
D . C ........ .
E ast South Central:
B irm in g h am .. _
Louisville___ _
Dec.
15 2
N ov.
17
M ay
12
Dec.
16
127.2
129.9
129.0
134.4
128.1
125.0
128.9
127.0
130.8
127.1
118.8
120.9
119.9
123.8
118.7
109.7
111.9
110.5
117.5
111.5
130.2
137.3
129.2
140.3
136.4
131.3
137.6
129.2
134.9
127.6
137.1
135.4
128.9
136.0
120.4
125.8
123.2
127.4
126.1
120.9
130.3
111.1
116.1
115.1
117.3
117.6
112.6
118.1
132.7
130.5
120.7
113.4
130.2
128.0
127.7
126.5
120.5
122.6
112.0
113.7
1941
C ity
East South Central—
Continued.
M em p his____ _
M obile________
W est South C entral:
D allas. ____
H ou ston___ . . .
L ittle R ock____
N ew Orleans___
M ountain:
B u tte . ______
D en v er__
Salt Lake C ity ..
Pacific:
Los Angeles____
Portland, Oreg..
San Francisco.. .
Seattle________
Dec.
15 2
Nov.
17
M ay
12
137.1
138.3
134.4
137. 6
123.5
126.8
113.1
120.7
126.9
134.4
131.1
142.9
125.1
132.4
130.3
140.7
116.8
125.9
123.2
129.0
111.0
117.9
115.5
119.9
132.7
132.4
137.8
131.3
129.9
136.1
121.5
122.9
124.2
110.4
111.9
115.4
142.8 141.5
145.9 4143.0
140.1 139.3
143.6 4141.3
128.1
134.5
125. 5
129.9
118.6
121.3
115.4
120.6
Dec.
16
1 Aggregate costs of 54 foods in each city, weighted to represent total purchases of families of wage earners
and lower-salaried workers, have been combined for th e U nited States w ith the use of population
weights. Prim ary use is for tim e-to-tim e comparisons rath er th a n place-to-place comparisons.
2 Prelim inary.
3 Includes Portsm outh a n d N ew port News.
4 Revised.
,
Annual Average Indexes of Retail Food Costs 1913 -December 1942
Annual average indexes of food costs for the years 1913-41, and
monthly indexes for 1942, are presented in table 5.
.I a b l e 5. Indexes of Retail Food Costs in 51 Farge Cities Combined, 1913 to December
1942
[1935-39=100]
Y ear
1913
1914
1915
1916
1917
1918
1919
1920
1921.
1922
1923
1924.
1925.
1926.
1927.
All-foods
index
79.9
81.8
80.9
90.8
116.9
134.4
149.8
168.8
128.3
119.9
124.0
122.8
132.9
137.4
132.3
Y ear
1928_______
1929_______
1930______
1931_______
1932_______
1933_______
1934____
1935_______
1936_______
1937______
1938_______
1939______
1940_____ ..
1941______
All-foods
index
130.8
132.5
126.0
103.9
86.5
84.1
93.7
100.4
101.3
105. 3
97.8
95.2
96.6
105.5
Y ear and
m onth
-foods
ldox
1941
J a n u a ry ____
F e b ru a ry ___
M arch ______
A pril_______
M a y _______
J u n e ________
J u l y _______
A ugust_____
Septem ber__
O ctober_____
N ovem ber. __
D ecem ber___
Y ear and
m onth
All-foods
index
1942
97.8
97.9
98.4
100. 6
102. 1
105.9
106.7
108.0
110.7
111.6
113.1
113.1
J anuary ____
F e b ru a ry ___
M arch ______
A pril_______
M a y ____ . . .
Ju n e ____ .
J u ly ________
A ugust_____
Septem ber. __
O ctober. . ..
N ovem ber. _.
D ecem ber___
116. 2
116.8
118. 6
119. 6
121.6
123. 2
124.6
126. 1
126.6
129. 6
131. 1
132.7
*#*##*#■ i
ELECTRICITY PRICES, DECEMBER 1912
RESIDENTIAL rates for electricity are obtained quarterly, by the
Bureau of Labor Statistics, in March, June, September, and Decem
ber, from 51 cities. These rates are used for computing net monthly
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
379
Retail Prices
bills in each city for quantities of electricity which have been selected
as representative of average use throughout the country for each of
three combinations of services.
Reports published for March, June, and September discuss only the
changes which occurred during the preceding 3 months. The De
cember report discusses changes for the year.1
Prices on December 15, 1942
Prices of electricity for household use, which had declined steadily
for many years, remained at the level of December 1941 during the
first part of 1942 and advanced slightly in September. Fewer rate
changes were reported in 1942 than in any of the 30 years during
which the Bureau has collected these records. Rate reductions in 2
of the 51 cities, both reported in June, were too small to affect the
weighted average of prices for cities combined. The slight advance
for September and December was due to the application of fuel
clauses, under which higher prices for electricity were automatically
allowed, to cover increased costs of fuels used in generating the cur
rent. In December 1942 the cost of electricity for household use was
about 0.1 percent higher than in December 1941.
Indexes of the cost of 25 kilowatt-hours and 100 kilowatt-liours for
the 51 cities combined are shown in table 6 for December of specified
years from 1923 through 1938 and for quarterly periods from 1939
through 1942. »
T a b l e 6.-—Indexes
of Retail Prices of Electricity for 51 Cities Combined, in Specified
Months
[1923-25 = 100]
D ate
Lighting Lighting,
appli
and small
ances,
appli
and
re
ances
frigerator
25 kw h
]Q23* December
]q?/v December
1Q?7* December
]Q2Q- December
1QÜ1 • December
193^. December
1Q25* December
}Q27 • December
1Q38’ December
1Q3Q• ATarch
ftppfcrnbor
D ecem ber---------------- -
101.1
97. 3
94. 0
89. 7
88. 3
84. 9
80. 7
76. 0
74. 8
74. 6
74.1
73.7
D ate
25 kw h
100 kw h
101. 2
97.1
91. 5
84.4
77.0
75.1
70. 2
67.4
66.6
66. 3
66.1
65.9
65.6
Lighting
Lighting
appli
and small
ances,
appli
and
re
ances
frigerator
1940: M arch, June _ -----Septem ber____________
D ecem ber,
, _ 1941: M arch, .
- J une ,
September.
D e c e m b e r,._ . , , ,
1942: M arch . ,
June .,
S eptem ber,, ------ ------December 1, , -------------
73.6
73.2
73.0
72.9
72.9
72.9
72.4
72.2
72.2
72.2
72.3
72.3
100 kwh
65.7
65.3
65.0
64.8
64.7
64.7
64.2
64. 1
64. 1
64. 1
64.2
64.2
1 Indexes are prelim inary.
Details by Cities
Indexes of price changes for each of 51 cities for the use ol 25
kilowatt-hours and 100 kilowatt-hours for March, June, September,
and December 1942 and for December 1941; and monthly bills and
average prices per kilowatt-hour for amounts of electricity repre
sentative of the requirements of 3 residential services on December 15,
1942, will be published in a bulletin now under preparation.
^
i Average prices for electricity for 25, 40, arid 100 kilowatt-hours for 1923 through 1938 are shown in B ulletin
No. 664.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
380
Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
Price Changes Between December 1941 and December 1942
Electricity-rate reductions occurred in 2 of the 51 cities in 1942—
New York City and Houston. In New York City the slight de
creases ranging from 2.0 percent for 25 kilowatt-hours to 1.1 percent
for 250 kilowatt-hours, which affected only those customers residing
m Richmond Borough, was offset later by increases in the other four
boroughs as a^ result of higher costs of fuels used for generating the
electricity. The rate reduction in Houston was applicable to elec
tricity in excess of the first 75 kilowatt-hours used per month.
Decreases amounted to 3.0 percent for 100 kilowatt-hours and 7.7
percent for 250 kilowatt-hours.
GAS PRICES, DECEMBER 1942
RESIDENTIAL rates for gas are secured quarterly in March, June,
September, and December from 50 cities. These rates have been
used for computing net monthly bills for each city for quantities of
gas which approximate the average residential consumption require
ments per month for each of four combinations of services. In order
to put the prices on a comparable basis it was necessary to convert
the consumption requirements used for computing montlilv bills into
an equivalent heating value expressed in therms (1 therm = 100,000
B. t. u.).
*
Reports published quarterly for March, June, and September
show only the changes by cities for the preceding 3 months. The
December report discusses changes for the year.2
Prices , by Kinds of Gas, on December 15, 1942
Composite indexes covering costs of the kind of gas in each of 50
cities in December 1942 were about 0.5 percent above the level of
December 1941. The increase was due principally to higher costs of
manufactured gas in the New England and Middle Atlantic areas,
where rate increases or adjustments in rates to cover higher costs of
coal or fuel oil, reported from 7 cities, increased the indexes of manu
factured gas for 10.6 therms by 0.9 percent and for 30.6 therms by
0.6 percent. Indexes for natural gas and for mixed manufactured
and natural gas showed relatively little change during the year.
Table 7 presents composite indexes for each of 2 services for all
kinds ol gas, 50 cities combined, and separate indexes for manufac
tured, natural, and mixed manufactured and natural gas for Decem
ber ol specified years from 1923 through 1938, and for quarterly
periods from 1939 through 1942.
Details by Cities
Indexes of price changes for each of the 50 cities for the use of 10.6
therms and 30.6 therms for March, June, September, and December
1942, and December 1941, and net monthly bills and average prices
per thousand cubic feet and per therm for each of four services, based
on rates effective December 15, 1942, will appear in a bulletin now
under preparation.
N o A628raSe PrkeS ° f ^
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
f° r 10 6 therm s and 30'6 th erms for 1923 through June 1936 are shown in Bulletin
381
Retail Prices
T a b l e 7. — Indexes
oj Retail Prices of Gas in Specified Months
[1923-25 = 1001
30.6 therm s, range and autom atic w ater
heater
10.6 therm s, range
M an u
factured
All gas,
1923,
50 cities 40 cities;
1941,
24 cities
D ate
D ecem ber___ ____
D ecem ber________
D ecem ber________
D ecem ber________
D ecem ber________
D ecem ber_______
D ecem ber____ ._
D ecem ber. _ _____
D ecem ber______ _
M a rc h ... ._
Ju n e.
.. . ...
Septem ber____ _ .
D ecember . . . . . .
1940: M arch____ . . . _ .
Ju n e .. ____ _____
Septem ber_____ .
D ecember . .
1941: M arch ________ __
J u n e . ___ .
.. .
Septem ber______
D ecem ber____ _ .
1942: M a r c h . ______ . . .
Ju n e _____________
Septem ber____ __
D ecem b er1. _____
1923:
1925:
1927:
1929:
1931:
1933:
1935:
1937:
1938:
1939:
99.5
100.2
100.1
99.7
98.3
97.2
97.2
96.8
98.8
99.3
99.4
99.3
99.8
99.9
98.2
98.3
98.0
97.8
97.8
97.5
97.2
97.2
97.4
97.8
97.8
N atural
1923,
7 cities;
1941,
19 cities
99.5
99.7
99.6
100.1
100.0
99.2
100.0
100.0
100.7
100.5
100.5
100.5
101.4
101.6
101.6
101.6
101.6
101.6
101.6
101.1
100.7
100.7
100.9
101.6
101.6
99.3
107.1
109.3
119.2
119.2
118.8
114.1
112.7
112.3
116.5
116.5
116.0
116.0
116.0
115.6
116.1
114.9
113.4
113.4
113.2
113.2
113.1
113.4
113.4
113.4
M ixed
1923,
3 cities;
1941,
7 cities
99.4
98.9
101.0
98.2
99.3
97.7
98.3
98.4
107.6
107.5
107.7
107.7
107.4
107.4
98.6
98.4
98.2
98.1
98.3
98.3
98.1
98.2
98.0
98.0
98 0
M an u
factured
1923,
All gas,
50 cities 40 cities;
1941,
24 cities
99.5
100.2
99.3
95.4
91.1
88.4
86.8
85.1
86.0
86.3
83.8
83.4
85.9
85.7
82.3
82.3
84.5
84.1
81.5
81.2
83.6
83.6
81.1
81.3
83.9
99.6
99.6
99.0
97.0
94.2
92.1
90.4
89.4
90.0
89.8
85.6
85.6
89.7
89.4
84.8
84.8
88.7
88.7
84.5
84.1
87.9
87.9
83.9
84.3
88.4
N atural
1923,
7 cities;
1941,
19 cities
98.5
108.1
108.0
108.3
108.2
107.9
104.0
101. 2
100.5
103.9
103.9
102.9
102.9
103.3
103.1
103.6
102.3
99.2
99.2
98.5
99.2
99.1
99 3
99.2
99.2
M ixed
1923,
3 cities;
1941,
7 cities
99.4
98.9
101.0
98. 1
98.8
92.2
92.4
92.4
95.8
95.7
95.9
94.4
94.0
94.0
90.9
90.6
90.3
90.2
90.4
90.4
90.2
90.3
90.1
90.2
90.3
1 Prelim inary.
Price Changes Between December 1941 and December 1942
Changes in costs of gas for household use in 1942 occurred in 17 of
the 50 reporting cities, and one additional city reported a change
early in 1942 which was retroactive to September 1941. The factors
contributing to changes in costs of gas, one or more of which affected
costs in each city, were changes in rates, adjustments in basic rates
under “fuel clauses” designed to cover costs of fuel used in manu
facturing the gas, and changes in the heating value of the gas served.
The accompanying list shows the 18 cities, classified by kinds of gas
served and nature of the change.
Manufactured gas
R ate changes.
A d justm ents
fuel costs.
Fall R iver.
P o rtlan d , M aine.
Philadelphia.
N ew Y ork (sea
sonal) .
for
Natural gas
Mixed manufactured
and natural gas
M inneapolis.
P ittsb u rg h .
W ashington, D. C.
M obile.
New O rleans (1941).
D allas.
H ouston.
San Francisco.
B oston.
M anchester.
P o rtlan d , M aine.
Providence.
Scranton.
Changes in heating
value of gas.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
M obile.
C incinnati.
H ouston.
New O rleans (1941).
Salt Lake C ity.
San Francisco.
382
Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
Manufactured gas.—Changes in costs of manufactured gas in 1942
were confined to the New England and Middle Atlantic areas. Seven
cities reported increases resulting from higher rates, from higher costs
of fuels used in manufacturing the gas, or from a combination of these
two factors. New York City reported the usual seasonal change
which provided lower rates during 6 months of the year. The
greatest rate increase was in Fall River, where advances to domestic
customers ranged from 4.8 percent for 40.6 therms to 14.6 percent
for 10.6 therms. Adjustments for fuel costs in 5 cities resulted in
advances ranging from 1 to 6 percent. In most of the New England
cities increases in the first 9 months of 1942 were followed by adjust
ments at slightly lower levels in the last 3 months.
Natural gas.—Two cities reported increases in costs of natural gas
in 1942. In Pittsburgh an advance in rates for one company serving
about 10 percent of the residential customers in the city increased
costs by approximately 40 percent for 10.6 therms to 80 percent for
19.6 therms. In San Francisco an advance of less than 1 percent was
due to a decrease in the heating value of the gas, together with the
accompanying decrease in rates as provided in the schedule of rates
(the schedule specifies that rates shall be changed to compensate
for variations in the heating value of the gas above or below a specified
standard). Of the 4 cities reporting lower prices of gas, the smallest
decrease—about 1 percent—occurred in Salt Lake City as a result of
an increase in the heating value of the gas served. The greatest
decrease was in Mobile, where the “objective rate schedule” was
superseded by a single rate. The decrease amounted to 10.5 percent
for 10.6 therms up to 16.8 percent for 40.6 therms for about 45 percent
of the customers, i. e., those which had been billed under the “present”
rate, and a 2 percent decrease for other customers billed under the
“objective” rate.
Lower rates in New Orleans, retroactive to September 1941, pro
vided decreases ranging from 5.8 percent for 10.6 therms to 18.5
percent for 40.6 therms.
Mired manufactured and natural gas.—Rates for mixed manufac
tured and natural gas in Minneapolis advanced twice during 1942, with
a total increase of about 3 percent in December 1942 compared with
December 1941. In Washington, D. C., higher rates for gas used in
excess of the first 2,500 cubic feet' per month increased the costs by
0.4 percent for 19.6 therms up to 1.6 percent for 40.6 therms. An
increase in the heating value of the gas served in Cincinnati increased
the cost about 8 percent as compared with the average cost for the
preceding year in 8 months of which the gas served was of a greater
heat content than in the 4 summer months.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
W holesale Prices
W HOLESALE PR IC ES, D ECEM BER AND YEAR 1942'
THE upward movement in commodity prices in primary markets 2
continued unabated through the third year of World War II. Although
the General Maximum Price Regulation issued late in April brought
under control most of the processed commodities which were not
already under price ceilings, a large part of the raw agricultural com
modities were not controlled and the Bureau of Labor Statistics index
of prices for nearly 900 series rose 13 percent during 1942 as compared
to a gain of 11 percent in 1941.
Except for a slight reaction in June, the index advanced steadily
throughout the year, from a low ol 96.0 percent oi the 1926 average
in January to a high of 101.0 percent in December. From. January to
April, immediately preceding the General Maximum Price Regula
tion, the all-commodity index rose 2.8 percent, while during the last
8 months—May to December—it rose 2.2 percent. This slowing down
was the result 'of price control over industrial commodities. During
the first 4 months of 1942 the index of “ all commodities other than
farm, products and foods” advanced a little more than 1 percent, while
the increase amounted to only 0.2 percent from May to December.
Farm product prices, on the contrary, advanced 3.7 percent from.
January to April and 9 percent from May to December.
Since the outbreak of the war in August 1939 average prices for
industrial commodities have risen slightly more than 19 percent, while
agricultural commodities have increased over 73 percent.
During the year 1942 the farm products group index advanced 28.o
percent, led by increases of 28 percent for livestock and poultry and
nearly 21 percent for grains, together with substantially higher prices
for cotton and fresh fruits and vegetables. Average wholesale prices
for foods were 20 percent higher than in the preceding year, largely
because of increases of 41 percent for fruits and vegetables, about 24
percent for meats, 14 percent for dairy products, 10 percent for cereal
products, and higher pi ices for other important foodstuffs, including
eggs and lard.
,
. ,
Of the industrial commodity groups, textile products and chemicals
and allied products show the sharpest increases in 1942—over 14
percent each. Higher prices for cotton goods, woolen and worsted
goods, and for clothing largely accounted for the rise in the textile
products group index. IVtarked advances in prices for iats and oils,
together with higher cpiotations for certain imported drugs, and
i D uring the period of rapid changes caused b y price controls, m aterials allocation, ^ T 1T w r m nstt he
B ureau of Labor Statistics will atte m p t prom ptly to report changing prices.
dexes w DtZr a d i m ore
considered as prelim inary and subject to such adjustm ent and revision as required by later and more
CT T h e teBnrPe0au Sof Labor Statistics’ wholesale price d ata for the m ost p a rt represent prices prevailing in
thefirst^co m m ex ciaftran sactio n V T hey are ¿rices quoted in prim ary m arkets, at principal distribution
points.
383
5 0 7 1 2 3 — 43 ----------- 12
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
384
Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
increased taxes on alcohol were mainly responsible for the advance in
the chemicals and allied products group index.
The increases for the remaining 6 groups during the year period
were under 10 percent. _ They ranged from 3 percent for fuel and
lghtmg materials to a little more than 9 percent for miscellaneous
commodities.
Average prices for raw materials increased more than 20 percent
last year, mainly because ol the marked rise in agricultural com
modity prices. Manufactured commodities advanced about 11 per
cent while prices for semimanufactured articles increased over 6
percent.
By the end of 1942 the upward price spiral which began shortly
alter the outbreak of war brought prices of nearly all types of com
modities up substantially over their relatively “low levels of the
summer of 1939. Aside from the increase of over 73 percent for farm
products since August 1939, foods have advanced 48 percent in this
period of a little more than 3% years. Textile products were nearlv
43 percent higher, largely because of broad price advances in cotton
goods, and chemicals and allied products increased 31 percent led
by a rise of nearly 159 percent for industrial fats and oils. Other
group increases from August 1939 to the average for the year 1942
were 27 percent for hides and leather products, 23 percent for building
materials, 22 percent for miscellaneous commodities, 19 percent for
housefurmshmg goods, 11 percent for metals and metal products, and
8 percent for fuel and lighting materials.
Table 1 piesents index numbers of wholesale prices by groups and
subgroups of commodities for 1941 and 1942 and the percentage
changes between the 2 years.
T able
l.— Index Numbers of Wholesale Prices by Groups and Subgroups of Commodities for 1941 and 1942 and the Percentage Changes from 1941 to 1942
[1926 = 100]
G roup and subgroup
All com m odities_________
Y ear
1941
|
Percent
of
change
G roup and subgroup
*98. 8
87.3
+13.2
Fuel and lighting mate-
Farm products________
105.9
G rains_______________ 92.9
Livestock and p o u ltry . 117.8
O ther farm p ro d u c ts,,, 101.6
82.4
76.9
91.6
77.8
+28 5
+20.8
+28.6
+30.6
92.3
117.7
125.7
117.6
101. 3
114.9
96.9
106.9
112.4
82.7
87.3
80.7
67.5
90.4
78.9
108.3
113.5
108.4
97.9
104.7
84.8
92.6
94.2
+20.4
+14. 5
+ 10.5
+41.5
+23. 7
+17.0
+8. 7
+10 7
+K 5
+3 5
+ 9 .7
+14.3
+ 15.4
+19. 3
A nthracite
_ .
B itum inous coal _
Coke
___
E lectricity______
G a s ______
Petroleum and produ cts_________
70.5
30.3
63.1
29.7
+11.7
+ 2 .0
Woolen and worsted
goods___________ I
110.4
O ther textile products, _ I 97.9
See fo o tn o te s a t e n d o f ta b le .
96.6
90.7
+14.3
+ 7 .9
Foods___________________
D airy products_______
Cereal p roducts______
F ru its and vegetables,,
M ea ts_______________
O ther foods________
H ides and leather products.
Shoes________________
H ides and skins______
L e a th e r_____________
O ther leather products.
Textile products_________
C lothing_____________
C otton goods_________
Hosiery and u n d er
w ear_______________
R a y o n ...____
sijk_____
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
99.6
100.0
89.2
95.5
111.8
(0
(0
Y ear
1942
Y ear
1941
85.5
109.7
122.1
(l)
0)
82. 7
104.3
119. 3
68 3
78.6
Percent
of
change
+3. 0
+3 4
+5 2
+2 3
59.8
57.0
+ 4 .9
M etals and m etal products *103.8
A g ric u ltu r a l' im p le m e n ts ____
96.9
Farm m achinery,— 98.0
Iron and steel
97.2
M otor vehicles
*112.7
N onferrous metals
85.7
P lum bing and heating. 95.4
99.4
+4 4
93.5
94.5
96.4
103.3
84.4
84.8
+ 3 .6
+ 3 .7
+ .8
+ 9.1
+1. 5
+12.5
110.2
98.0
94.0
132.8
103.2
93.7
92.0
122.5
+6 8
+ 4 .6
+ 2 .2
+ 8 .4
100.3
95.4
107.3
91.4
84.8
107.3
+ 9 .7
+12.5
o
103.5
98.3
+ 5.3
Building m aterials______
Brick and tile
C em ent____ , .
L u m b er, , , , ,
P a in t and paint m aterials, ______ .
Plum bing and heating
Structural steel___
O ther building mate[
ria l____ _
385
Wholesale Prices
T
1. — Index Numbers of Wholesale Prices by Groups and Subgroups of Com
modities for 1941 and 1942 and the Percentage Changes from 1941 to 1942 Con.
able
¡[1926 = 100]
G roup and subgroup
Chemicals and allied prod
u c ts__________
_____
C hem icals.- . . . D rugs and pharm aceu
ticals -- -------- - Fertilizer m aterials___
Mixed fertilizers..
Oils and f a t s . _____
H ousefurnishing goods____
Furnishings___ . . . . .
F u r n itu r e ____ ______
M iscellaneous______ _____
A utomobile tires and
tu b e s______________
Y ear
1942
Y ear
1941
Percent
of
change
97.1
96.2
84.6
87.2
+14.8
+10.3
133.8
78.7
82.7
105.1
102.4
107.3
97.4
89.7
105.1
73.5
76.0
77.6
94.3
99.9
88.4
82.0
+27.3
!: +7.1
f + 8 .8
+35.4
+ 8 .6
+ 7 .4
+10.2
+ 9.4
72.5
61.0
+18.9
Year
1942
Y ear
1941
Percent
of
change
Miscellaneous—Con.
134.4
C attle feed..- Paper and pulp---- 100.8
R ubber, crude--- - - - 46.3
O ther miscellaneous- _. 93.4
101.2
98.2
46.1
87.8
+32.8
+ 2 .6
+• 4
+ 6.4
100.6
92.6
*98.6
83.5
86.9
89.1
+20.5
+ 6.6
+10.7
*97.0
88.3
+ 9 .9
*95. 5
89.0
+ 7.3
G roup and subgroup
R aw m aterials------- ------Semimanufactured articles
M anufactured products—
All commodities other than
farm p r o d u c ts .__ All commodities other than
farm products and foods.
*Prelim inary.
1 D ata not available.
Index numbers for the groups^and^subgroups of [commodities for
selected years are shown in table 2.
T a b l e 2 . — Index
Numbers of W holesale Prices by Groups and Subgroups of Commodities
[1926=100]
1942
1941
1940
1939
1938
1937
1933
*98.8
87.3
78.6
77.1
78.6
86.3
65.9
95.3
Farm products___________________________ 105.9
92.9
G rains
-- .
- _________
Livestock and p oultry. ___ _
--- -- 117.8
O ther farm products___ _
. . . ---- 101.6
82.4
76.9
91.6
77.8
67.7
68. 0
69.2
66.1
65.3
58.6
72.2
62.6
68.5
60. 6
79.0
63.9
86.4
98. 3
95.5
77. 2
51.4
53. 1
43. 4
55. 8
104.9
97. 4
103. 1
106. 6
99.6
Foods
__ _____________________________
D airy pro d u cts___
------------ -- - - 100.0
89. 2
Cereal products____________ ________
F ruits and vegetables______ - - ---------- 95.5
111.8
M eats
_____
--- Other foods___ - - ---------- --------- - 92.3
82.7
87.3
80.7
67.5
90.4
78.9
71.3
77.6
78.3
63. 1
73.3
63.5
70.4
69.5
74. 8
62.0
77.2
64. 1
73.6
72.8
78. 4
58.2
83.3
67.5
85.5
83.1
87. 6
74. 2
99.1
75.6
60.5
60. 7
75. 0
61. 7
50. 0
61.1
99.9
105. 6
88. 0
97. 8
109.1
93. 9
117.7
125.7
117.6
101.3
114.9
108.3
113.5
108.4
97.9
104.7
100.8
107.6
91.9
92.5
99.9
95.6
102.6
84.6
87.5
97.1
92.8
102.2
73.6
83.7
98.5
104.6
105. 0
113.5
96.8
102.6
80.9
90. 2
67. 1
71. 4
81.1
109.1
105. 3
112. 7
113.2
108.4
Textile p ro d u c ts... . _ ------ . ----------------- 96.9
C lothing.
.
____ .
---- 106.9
C otton goods.. . . __ . .
.
-- -- 112.4
Hosiery and underw ear. ------- --------- - - 70. 5
30.3
Rayon ___ __________
- -- — 0)
Silk _______________________________
110.
4
Woolen and worsted goods_________ . . .
97.9
Other textile products-------------------------
84.8
92.6
94.2
63. 1
29.5
(0
96.6
90.7
73.8
85.2
71.4
62. 3
29.5
46.8
85.7
74.5
69.7
82. 0
67.2
61.4
28.8
46. 1
79.8
69.2
66.7
82.9
65.4
60.3
28.9
29.6
77.4
65.5
76.3
87. 9
84.3
65.1
33.3
32. 7
91.1
68.4
64.8
72. 2
71. 2
58. 9
33. 0
29.8
69.3
72. 5
90.4
90. 0
98.8
88. 5
68. 4
82. 7
88.3
93.1
Fuel and lighting m aterials. _ ------ ---------- *78.5
A nthracite
______ . ____ -- -- 85.5
B itum inous coal .
-- -- -- 109.7
Coke
- -- __________ _____ ____ 122.1
0)
E lectricity___________________________
(i)
Qas
____ __________________
Petroleum and products_____________ — 59.8
76.2
82. 7
104.3
119.3
68.3
78.6
57.0
71.7
78.9
97.6
110.2
74.5
82.0
50.0
73.1
75.8
97.5
105.6
78.6
84. 1
52.2
76.5
78.0
99.0
104.8
84.9
86. 1
55.9
77.6
77.8
98.6
103. 1
80.4
82. 4
60.5
66.3
82. 2
82.8
77.9
94.3
97.5
41.0
83.0
90.1
91. 3
84. 6
94. 5
93.1
71.3
M etals and m etal products------------------------ *103.8
A gricultural im plem ents---------------------- 96.9
98.0
Farm m achinery________ . . . ------Iron and steel____ - --- ---------------- 97.2
M otor vehicles______________ _________ *112.7
99.4
93.5
94.5
96.4
103.3
95.8
92.5
93.7
95. 1
96.7
94.4
93. 4
94.6
95.8
93.4
95.7
95. 5
96.9
98.6
95.4
95.7
94. 0
95.6
98. 2
89.3
79.8
83. 5
87. 7
78. 6
83.2
100.5
98. 7
98.0
94. 9
100. 0
G roup and subgroup
All commodities____
- ---------------------
Hides and leather p roducts------ ---------------Shoes
- ______ ______ ______ -H ides and skins ___
L e a th e r. ____ ____
-.
----Other leather p ro d u c ts,. -------------- --
See footnotes at end of table.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1929
386
Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
T a b l e 2 . — Index
Numbers of Wholesale Prices by Groups and Subgroups of Com
modifies—Contin ned
[1926 = 100]
G roup and subgroup
1942
1941
1940
1939
1938
1937
1933
1929
M etals and m etals products—C ontinued.
Nonferrous m etals.. . . . . .
P lum bing and heating________________
85. 7
95.4
84.4
84. 8
81.3
80.4
78. 0
79. 2
72.8
78. 5
89.6
78 8
59. 6
67 1
105. 1
Q5 0
110. 2
98. 0
94. 0
132.8
100. 3
95. 4
107. 3
103.5
103. 2
93. 7
92.0
122. 5
91.4
84.8
107.3
98.3
94.8
90.5
90.8
102. 9
85.7
80. 4
107. 3
93.3
90.5
91.4
91.3
93.2
82.8
79.2
107.3
90.3
90.3
91.0
90.3
87.4
81. 3
78.5
111. 0
92.7
95.2
93. 5
89.0
99. 7
83.4
78.8
113. 2
99.1
77.0
79.2
88.1
70. 7
73. 3
67.1
83.1
82. 7
95. 4
91.3
89.0
93. 8
94. 9
95.0
98. 1
97. 7
Chemicals and allied products
Chem icals. ____
Drugs and pharm aceuticals
Fertilizer materials .
M ixed fertilizers .
Oils and fats__________ .
97. 1
96. 2
133. 8
78.7
82. 7
105. 1
84. 6
87.2
105. 1
73. 5
76.0
77.6
77. 0
85.1
88.9
69.4
73.8
44.3
76. 0
84.7
78.2
67.9
73.0
48.4
77.0
86. 4
79. 0
67.0
72.6
49.6
82. 6
88.2
86. 6
69. 0
73.8
76.8
72.1
86.8
54. 6
62. 9
64.0
39.4
94. 0
99. 7
66. 8
95. 6
95. 2
89.0
H ousefurnishing goods
Furnishings _
F u rn itu re ________
102. 4
107.3
97.4
94.3
99.9
88.4
88.5
94.7
81.8
86.3
91. 1
81.3
86.8
90.8
82.8
89. 7
93.4
85.9
75.8
76.6
75.1
94. 3
93.6
95.0
M iscellaneous____
A utomobile tires and tubes
C attle fe e d ...
Paper and pulp
R ubber, crude
O ther miscellaneous . . .
89.7
72.5
134. 4
100.8
46. 3
93.4
82.0
61.0
101. 2
98. 2
46. 1
87.8
77.3
57.8
87.8
91.7
41. 5
84.1
74.8
59. 5
83.3
82.4
37. 2
82.6
73.3
57.7
76.9
85.0
30. 5
81.5
77.8
55.8
110. 5
91. 7
40. 5
84.7
62. 5
42. 1
57. 9
76. 6
12. 2
76.2
82. 0
54. 5
121. 6
88. 9
42. 3
98.4
Rhw materials
Sem im anufactured articles
M anufactured p ro d u cts___
All commodities other th a n farm products
All commodities other than farm products
and foods_______
100.6
92.6
*98. 6
*97.0
83.5
86.9
89.1
88.3
71.9
79.1
81.6
80.8
70. 2
77. 0
80. 4
79. 5
72.0
75. 4
82. 2
80. 6
84. 8
85. 3
87. 2
86. 2
56. 5
65 4
70. 5
69 0
*95. 5
89.0
83.0
81.3
81.7
85. 3
71. 2
Building m aterials___ . . . _ _
Brick and tile . . . . . .
C em ent____________ . .
L u m b er___ __ .
P a in t and paint m aterials
Plum bing and heating____
Structural steel.. _
•
Other building m aterials
_ ______
. ____
......
*Prelim inary.
‘ 97
93
94
93
5
9
5
3
91.6
1 D a ta not available.
Following the general price picture of 1942 further broad gains in
prices for domestic agricultural products dominated the commodity
markets in December. Pronounced increases in grains contributed
in a large measure to an advance of 0.7 percent in the Bureau of Labor
Statistics general index of commodity prices in primary markets dur
ing the month. The all-commodity index rose to 101.0 percent of
the 1926 average, the highest level reached in nearly 17 years. In the
past 12 months average prices for these commodities advanced nearly
8 percent and in December 1942 they were approximately 35 percent
higher than in August 1939.
During the month, prices for farm products in primary markets rose
3 percent and foods advanced 0.8 percent. Continued advances in
grains were reflected in higher prices for cattle feed, with the result
that the miscellaneous commodities group index rose 0.4 percent.
Textile products and fuel and lighting materials were up 0.1 percent,
while building materials declined slightly. Few changes occurred in
prices for hides and leather products, metals and metal products,
chemicals and allied products, and housefurnishing goods, and the
indexes for these groups remained unchanged at the November level.
Higher prices for agricultural commodities were largely responsible
for an increase of 2.1 percent in the index for raw materials, which in
December was 15 percent above the corresponding month of 1941.
Average prices for manufactured commodities increased fractionally
during the month while semimanufactured commodities declined
slightly.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
387
Wholesale Prices
Prices for most industrial commodities fluctuated within a very
narrow range since December 1941 under the influence of Govern
ment regulation. Agricultural commodities, on the other hand, ad
vanced sharply. Farm products in December were 20 percent higher
than in December 1941, with livestock and poultry up 27 percent
“Other farm products,” including cotton and certain fresh fruits and
vegetables, were up 18 percent; and grains, nearly 11 percent. Aver
age wholesale prices for foods were 15 percent higher than m Decem
ber 1941, mostly because of increases of 41 percent for fresh fruits and
vegetables, 19 percent for meats, and 17 percent for dairy products.
Aside from an increase of 9 percent in the chemicals and a n ( P10
ucts group, caused mainly by increased taxes on alcohol there were
no outstanding changes in prices for industrial commodities during
1942.
,
The increase in farm products prices in December was led by an
advance of 8.5 percent for grains. Quotations for rye were up 19
percent; corn, nearly 12 percent; wheat, over 7 percent; oats, 6 per
cent ; and barley, almost 2 percent. In addition, livestock and pou try
increased 2.1 percent, with sharp advances reported m prices for sheep
and live poultry. Hogs and cows also advanced while steers averaged
lower than in November. Other important farm commodities which
increased during the month w'ere cotton, eggs, milk, hops, peanuts,
tobacco, hay, seeds, oranges, apples, onions, and sweetpotatoes
A 2.3-percent increase in prices for fruits and vegetables, together
with an advance of 1.4 percent in prices for meats, largely accounted
for the rise of 0.8 percent in average prices for foods during December.
Important food items which averaged higher were butter, flour, corn
meal, oatmeal, most meats, and peanut butter. Increased scaling
weight for bread forced the average price of bread down m some
markets although no changes were reported in prices on the baked
lo£lf
Increased prices were quoted for raw jute, natural gasoline in the
Oklahoma fields, and for destination prices on coal largely because ol
the transportation tax of 4 cents a ton.
,
The transportation tax also raised prices for some metals wheie
ceilings were not imposed on a delivered basis. Dowser prices were
reported for heating equipment.
. ^
•fi
Sales realization prices on lumber varied during December, with
certain types of Ponderosa pine, redwood, red gum, and maple flooring
up. Oak declined slightly. Higher prices were reported for linseed
oil while turpentine and rosin declined.
•
In the chemicals and allied products group fertilizer materials lose
0.5 percent and quotations were also higher for oleic acid. 1 y
alcohol and ergot, on the other hand, declined sharply.
Substantial advances in prices for bran, middlings, and c0^°nsee
and linseed meal resulted in an increase of 7 6 percent “ ™ “ J L
feed index during December. Boxboard and certain soap products
aX r i T a C
?ed comparisons of the December 1942 level of wholesale
p r i c e s whh“ December 1941, November
, and the low pomt of
1939 with corresponding index numbers, are given m table o.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1 9 4 2
Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
388
T
a b l e 3 . — Index Numbers of Wholesale Prices by Groups and Subgroups of Commodities,
December 1942, With Comparisons for November 1942, December 1941 and August 1939
[ 1926 = 100]
Per
cent of
change
De
cem
ber
1941
*100.3
+ 0 .7
93.6
+ 7.9
75.0
+34.7
110.5
92.8
121.3
108.0
+ 3 .0
+ 8 .5
+ 2.1
+ 2 .2
94.7
91.0
97.4
93.4
+20.2
+10. 7
+27.2
+18.2
61.0
51. 5
66.0
60.1
+86.6
+95.5
+87.7
+83.7
104.3
111.8
89.3
104.3
113.6
95.9
103. 5
111.2
89.5
102.0
112.0
95.9
+ .8
+ .5
-.2
+ 2 .3
+ 1.4
0
90.5
95.5
89.3
73.8
95.3
89.2
+ 15.2
+17. 1
0
+41.3
+ 19.2
+ 7 .5
67.2
67.9
71.9
58. 5
73.7
60.3
+55.2
+64.7
+24. 2
+78.3
+54.1
+59.0
117.8
126.4
116.0
101.3
115.2
117.8
126.4
116.0
101.3
115.2
0
0
0
0
0
114.8
120.7
115.9
101.3
112.8
+ 2 .6
+ 4.7
+ .1
0
+ 2 .1
92.7
100.8
77.2
84.0
97.1
+27.1
+25.4
+50.3
+20.6
+18.6
97.2
Textile p roducts------ ------- ----------- --------C lothing---- --------------------- --------------- 107.0
112.4
Cotton goods-------------- 70.5
Hosiery and underw ear-----------E a y o n ___________ - - - -------------------30.3
(i)
Silk
_ _____________
Woolen and w orsted goods.__ _ _________
112.1
O ther textile products.-- 1________ ____ _
97.7
Fuel and lighting m aterials__________________
79.2
86.2
A n th racite_________ _ --- —
------ ..
. .
112.4
B itum inous coal__ Coke- ------- ------- ---------------------------- - 122.1
p)
F lectricity
(i)
Gas
__
- __
- - ___
Petroleum and products__ _____ ________
60.7
M etals and metal p ro d u c ts... .
. _ ------- *103. 8
.
------A gricultural im plem ents______
96.9
Farm m achinery. . . ______ _______
98.0
Iron and steel___
- - - ___ . . . ..
97.2
_______ . . . ___ *112.8
M otor v e h ic les____
Nonferrous m etals.. .
86.0
Plum bing and heating . . _ ______ ____ _
90.4
B uilding m a te ria ls...
_ ___ ------- _ .
110.0
Brick and tile _____
..
_ ._ ________
98.7
C em ent______ *_____________________ .
94.2
L um ber .
_ ............ 133.3
P ain t and paint m aterials
100.3
Plum bing and heating___ _
_ . . . ____
90.4
Structural steel--------------------- --------107.3
O ther building m aterials________________
103.0
Chemicals and allied products_________ _ . . .
99.5
C hem icals____________________ ______
96.1
D rugs and p h a r m a c e u t i c a l s _
. ...
165. 4
Fertilizer m aterials____________________ .
79.0
Mixed fertilizers__ . _
_ _ _ __
82.8
Oils and f a t s . ______.
___ - . .
101.5
97.1
107.0
112.4
70.5
30.3
(i)
111. 7
97.6
79.1
85.7
111. 4
122.1
62. 3
78. 4
60.7
*103. 8
96.9
98.0
97.2
*112.8
86.0
93.2
110.1
98.6
94.2
133.1
100.7
93.2
107.3
102.9
99.5
96.2
165.4
78.6
82.8
101.5
+ .1
0
0
0
0
+5 9
+8. 7
+ 4.6
+ 5 .2
0
+ 1 .5
+ .5
+ .5
+ .5
+ .2
+ .4
+ 1.4
+ 1 .5
+ 2 .0
+ 2.1
+. 9
+ 3 .0
+ 3.9
+1 5
0
.+ •5
+ 9.0
+ 8 .5
+34.5
+ 1 .5
+ 2 .0
-.4
67.8
81. 5
65.5
61. 5
28. 5
44.3
75.5
63.7
72.6
72.1
96.0
104. 2
75.8
86.7
51.7
93.2
93.5
94. 7
95.1
92.5
74.6
79.3
89.6
90.5
91.3
90. 1
82.1
79.3
107.3
89.5
74.2
83.8
77.1
65.5
73.1
40.6
+43.4
+31.3
+71.6
+14.6
+ 6 .3
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
- 3 .0
-. 1
+ .1
0
+ .2
-.4
- 3 .0
0
+ .1
0
-.1
0
+ .5
0
0
91.8
98.4
107.5
67.0
30.3
0)
102.7
96.2
78.4
85.3
108.0
122.2
67.4
77.4
59.8
103.3
96.4
97.5
97.0
112.4
84.8
89.1
107.8
96.7
93.4
129.4
96.5
89.1
107.3
102.5
91.3
88.6
123.0
77.8
81. 2
101.9
+17.4
+11.4
+ 3 .6
+ 3 .5
+ 2 .2
+21.9
+15.3
+ 14.0
+22.8
+ 9.1
+ 3 .2
+47.9
+22.2
+ 14.0
0
+15.1
+34.1
+14.7
+ 114.5
+ 20.6
+13.3
+150.0
102. 5
107.3
97.4
90.5
73.0
142.1
99.0
46.3
94.9
106.1
92.5
*99.6
*98.1
102.5
107.3
97.4
90.1
73.0
132.1
98.8
46.3
95.1
103.9
92.6
*99.4
*97.9
0
0
0
+ .4
0
+ 7 .6
+ .2
0
-.2
+ 2.1
-.1
+ .2
+ .2
101.1
105.6
96.6
87.6
67.4
124.4
102.5
46.3
92.4
92.3
90.1
94.6
93.3
+ 1 .4
+ 1 .6
+ .8
+ 3 .3
+ 8.3
+14.2
- 3 .4
0
+ 2 .7
+15.0
+ 2 .7
+ 5 .3
+ 5.1
85.6
90.0
81.1
73.3
60.5
68.4
80.0
34.9
81.3
66.5
74.5
79.1
77.9
+19.7
+19.2
+20.1
+23.5
+20.7
+107. 7
+23.8
+32.7
+16.7
+59.5
+24.2
+25.9
+25.9
*95.9
*95.8
+ .1
93.7
+ 2 .3
80.1
+19.7
G roup and subgroup
D e
cem
ber
1942
N o
vem
ber
1942
All commodities—------------------------------------ —
*101.0
Farm products. . - .
------------------------------G rain s. . _ .
-----Livestock and p o u ltry ________ ____ - - O ther farm products--------- --------------------
113.8
100.7
123.9
110.4
F oods___-- ___ - - --------D airy products-------------------------------------Cereal p roducts-------------- - - F ru its and vegetables-------------. . .
- -- -----M eats__
O ther foods---------------- ------------------------H ides and leather products----------- Shoes_________ ________ ________
Hides and skins___ _________ _______ L e a th e r__________ _ ------- — - - - - —
O ther leather products ___ - - _ ------ -
H ousefurnishing goods____ _____ _ . . .
___
Furnishings______________________ . . ._
F u rn itu re . _- - .
_ ________ _ _____
M iscellaneous. _
__ _ . .
__________
A utomobile tires and tu b es______________
C attle feed_______ _________ . . . . _ _ _
P ap er and p u lp ______ . .
. . . . . .
R ubber, cru d e____ . .
____ ____
O ther miscellaneous.. _ . . .
. . . _____
Raw m aterials___________________ ____ _____
Sem im anufactured articles.
M anufactured p roducts__ _ _ _ _ . . . ______
All commodities other th an farm products____
All commodities other th a n farm products and
foods.
_ . ____ . . . .
- _______ _
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
*Preliminary.
+ .4
+ .1
+ .1
+ .6
+ .9
0
1 D a ta not available.
P er
cent of
change
+ 9 .2
+ 1 .6
+ 1.0
+1.1
+ 4.1
-. 1
A u
gust
1939
P er
cent of
change
+48.5
+53.4
+ 9.1
+ 19.6
+ 17.1
+17.2
389
Wholesale Prices
Index Numbers by Commodity Groups, 1926 to December 1942
Index numbers of wholesale prices by commodity groups for
selected years from 1926 to 1941, inclusive, and by months from
December 1941 to December 1942, inclusive, are shown in table 4.
T a b l e 4. — Index
Numbers of Wholesale Prices by' Groups of Commodities
[1926 = 100]
Y ear and m onth
C hem
Hides Tex Fuel M etals B uild icals HouseAll
furM is com
and
and
Farm
and
and
tile
nish- cella m
metal ming
prod Foods leather prod
odi
allied
ate
light
ing
neous ties
prod rials prod
prod ucts
ucts
ing
ucts
ucts
ucts goods
1926________________
1929________________
1932________________
1933________________
1936________________
1937________________
100.0
104.9
48.2
51.4
80.9
86.4
1938________________
1939.______________
1940________________
1941________________
1942________________
68.5
65.3
67.7
82.4
105.9
100.0
109.1
72.9
80.9
95.4
104.6
100.0
90.4
54.9
64.8
71.5
76.3
100.0
83.0
70.3
66.3
76.2
77.6
100.0
100.5
80.2
79.8
87.0
95.7
100.0
95.4
71.4
77.0
86.7
95.2
100.0
94.0
73.9
72.1
78.7
82.6
100.0
94.3
75.1
75.8
81.7
89.7
100.0
82.6
64.4
62.5
70.5
77.8
100.0
95.3
64.8
65.9
80.8
86.3
73. C 92.8
95.6
70.4
71.3 100.8
82.7 108.3
69. 6 117.7
66.7
69.7
73.8
84.8
96.9
76.5
73.1
71.7
76.2
78.5
95.7
94.4
95.8
99.4
103.8
90.3
90.5
94.8
103. 2
110.2
77.0
76.0
77.0
84.6
97.1
86.8
86.3
88.5
94.3
102.4
73.3
74.8
77.3
82.0
89.7
78.6
77.1
78.6
87.3
98.8
100.0
99.9
61.0
60.5
82.1
85.5
94.7
1941: D ecem ber_____
1942:
100.8
Ja n u a ry _____
F eb ru ary _______ 101.3
M arch .. _____ 102.8
A p ril.. _ . . . ___ 104.5
M a y ___________ 104.4
Ju n e ___________ 104.4
90.5
114.8
91.8
78.4
103.3
107.8
91.3
101.1
87.6
93.6
93.7
94.6
90.1
98.7
98.9
99.3
114.9
115.3
116.7
119.2.
118.8
118.2
93.6
95.2
96.6
97.7
98.0
97.6
78.2
78.0
77.7
77.7
78.0
78.4
103.5
103.6
103.8
103.8
103.9
103.9
109.3
110.1
110.5
110.2
110 1
110.1
96.0
97.0
97.1
97.1
97.3
97.2
102.4
102.5
102.6
102. 8
102.9
102.9
89.3
89.3
89.7
90.3
90.5
90.2
96.0
96.7
97.6
98.7
98.8
98.6
J u ly ____________ 105.3
A ugust______ .. 106. 1
Septem ber___ . 107.8
O c to b e r... . . . . . 109.0
IS1ovem ber______ 110.5
113.8
December
99.2
100.8
102.4
103.4
103.5
104.3
118.2
118.2
118.1
117.8
117.8
117.8
97.1
97.3
97.1
97.1
97.1
97.2
79.0 103.8
79.0 103.8
79.0 103.8
79.0 103.8
79.1 *103.8
79.2 *103.8
110.3
110.3
110.4
110.4
110.1
110.0
96.7
96.2
96.2
96.2
99.5
99.5
102.8
102.7
102.5
102.5
102.5
102.5
89.8
88.9
88.8
88.6
90.1
90.5
98.7
99.2
99.6
100.0
*100. 3
*101.0
’‘■Preliminary.
The price trend for specified years and months since 1926 is shown
in table 5 for the following groups of commodities: Raw materials,
semimanufactured articles, manufactured products, commodities
other than farm products, and commodities other than farm products
and foods. The list of commodities included under the classifications
“Raw materials,” “Semimanufactured articles,” and “Manufactured
products” was shown on pages 10 to 12 of Wholesale Prices, Decem
ber and Year 1941 (Serial No. R. 1434).
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
390
T able 5.— Index Numbers of Wholesale Prices by Special Groups of Commodities
[1926=100]
Semi- M an
Raw man- ufac
Year and m onth m ate ufac- tured
rials tured prod
a rti ucts
cles
All
com
mod
ities
other
th an
farm
prod
ucts
All
com
m odi
ties
other
th a n
farm
pro d
ucts
and
foods
1926____________ 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
1929
_______
97. 5 93.9 94.5 93.3
1932___ _________ 55.1 59.3 70.3 68.3
1933____________ 56. 5 65. 4 70. 5 69. 0
1936_ _ ________ 79.9 75.9 82.0 80.7
1937
________ 84.8' 85.3 87.2 86.2
100.0
91. 6
70.2
71. 2
79.6
85.3
1938___________
72. 0
1939____________ 70.2
1940 . . . . ____ 71. 6
1941._.
83.5
1942____
100.6
75.4
77.0
79.1
86.9
92.6
82. 2
80.4
81. 6
89.1
98.6
80. 6
79. 5
80.8
88.3
97.0
81.7
81. 3
83.0
89.0
95.5
1941: D ecem ber. _ 92.3
90.1
94.6
93.3
93.7
SemimanRaw ufacm ate tured
rials a rti
cles
Y ear and m onth
1942:
J a n u a ry _____ 96.1
Feb ru ary ___ 97.0
Q8 9
A p ril.. . . 100.0
M a y ________ 99.7
Ju n e.
. .
99.8
Ju ly
A ugust_____
Septem ber.
O cto b er.. . . .
Novem ber
D ecem ber___
100 1
101. 2
102.2
103.0
103. 9
106.1
All
com
M an m od
ufac ities
tured other
prod than
ucts farm
prod
ucts
All
com
m odi
ties
other
than
farm
prod
ucts
and
foods
91.7
92.0
96.4
97.0
94.8
95. 5
94. 6
94.9
92.8
92.9
92.8
98.7
99.0
98. 6
97.2
97.4
97.1
95. 6
95.7
95. 6
09 8 08 0
92.7 98.9 97.5
92.9 99.2 97.7
92.7 99.4 97.9
92.6 *99.4 *97.9
92.5 *99.6 *98.1
95. 6
95. 5
95. 5
*95.8
*95.9
*Preliminary.
Weekly Fluctuâtions
Weekly changes in wholesale prices by groups of commodities dur
ing November and December 194 2 are shown by the index numbers
in table 6. These indexes are not averaged to obtain an index for the
month but are computed only to indicate the fluctuations from week
to week.
T a b l e 6. — Weekly
Index Numbers of Wholesale Prices by Commodity Groups, November
and December 1942
[1926 = 100]
Com m odity group
All commodities___________ _______ ______
Dee.
26
Dec.
19
Dec.
12
Dec.
5
N ov.
28
Nov.
21
Nov.
14
Nov.
7
*101. 2 *100. 7 *100. 5 *100.1 *100.1 *100.1 *100.1
*99.7
h arm p roducts__________________________ 115.2 113.3 112.0 110.6 110.8 110.9 110.7
Foods__________________________________
104.6 104. 2 104. 0 103. 3 103. 6 103.3 103.0
H ides and leather products_______________ 118.4 118.4 118.4 118.4 118.4 118.4 118.4
Textile products________________________
96.6
96. 6
96.6
96.6
96.6
96.6
96.6
Fuel and lighting m aterials_______________
79. 9
79.9
80.0
79.8
79. 7
79.7
79. 7
M etals and m etal products_______________ *103.9 *103.9 *103. 9 *103.9 *103. 9 *103.9 *103. 9
Building m aterials_______________________ 110.0 110.0 110.0 110.0 110.2 110. 2 110. 2
Chemicals and allied products____________
99.5
99. 5
99.5
99. 6
99.5
99.5
99. 5
H ousefurnishing goods___________________ 104.1 104.1 104. 1 104.-1 104.1 104. 1 104. 1
M iscellaneous___________________________
90.4
90.4
90.3
90. 0
89.9
89.9
90.0
R aw m aterials___________________________ 106.6 105.4 104.7 103. 7 103.8 103. 8 103. 7
Sem im anufactured articles________________
92.4
92.5
92.5
92.5
92.5
92.5
92.5
M anufactured p ro d u cts__________________ *100.1 *99. 8 *99.8 *99. 7 *99.7 *99.7 *99. 7
All commodities other th an farm products-.. *98.2 *98.0 *98.0 *97. 8 *97.8 *97.8 *97.8
All commodities other th a n farm products
and foods______________________________ *96.2 *96.2 *96.2 *96.1 *96.1 *96.1 *96.1
109.8
102. 9
118.4
96.6
79.6
*103. 9
110. 2
96.2
104.1
88.7
103.2
92.5
*99.3
*97.5
'Prelim inary.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
*95.7
Trend o f Employment and Unemployment
SUMMARY OF R EPO R TS FOR D E C E M B E R 1942
TOTAL employment in nonagricultural establishments stood at
38,956,000 in mid-December 1942, a new all-time peak. The gain
was 423,000 from mid-November and 2,868,000 from December 1941.
These figures do not include proprietors of unincorporated businesses,
self-employed persons, unpaid family workers, domestics employed in
private homes, personnel of the NYA, WPA, and CCC, and the uni
formed personnel of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast
Guard. They are based on preliminary December and revised
November reports.
The outstanding gains over the month among the major industry
divisions were a seasonal increase of 341,000 in trade employment (due
primarily to the hiring of additional personnel to handle the preChristmas buying) and a gain of 235,000 in manufacturing employ
ment (chiefly in war plants). Contract and Federal force-account
construction showed a decline of about 9 percent or 170,000 workers.
Over the year interval, the outstanding gains were in manufacturing
(2.103.000) and Federal, State, and local government (1,200,000), the
gain in the latter division being due primarily to expansion in the War
and Navy departments. The chief declines over the year were in
trade (399,000) and contract and Federal force-account construction
(154.000) .
Industrial and Business Employment
Between mid-November and mid-December employment increases
were reported by 109 of the 152 manufacturing and 4 of the 16 non
manufacturing industries surveyed monthly by the Bureau of Labor
Statistics. Pay-roll gains were even more general, _haying been
reported by 124 manufacturing and 10 nonmanufacturing industries.
War industries continued to show increases in wage-earner employ
ment and pay rolls in the effort to maintain an increasing flow of war
goods, among them being such durable-goods industries as aircraft,
shipbuilding, automobiles,"* electrical equipment, machine-shop pro
ducts, and engines. The automobile industry had reduced the num
ber of its workers from 142.5 percent of the 1939 average in November
1941 to 92.8 percent in April 1942, but had shown substantial gams
each month since then. By December 1942 the industry had con
verted its facilities almost entirely to war work and had brought its
working forces up to 27.1 percent above the 1939 average.
Among nondurable-goods industries showing substantial employ
ment gains over the month interval—partly on account of war demands
and partly because of seasonal influences—were slaughtering and meat
packing, *ammunition, fireworks, cotton goods, tires and tubes,
chemicals/paper boxes, men’s clothing, and fertilizers.
391
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
392
Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
Employment decreases, largely seasonal, were noted in canning
(24,600); beet sugar (4,700); brick, tile, and terra cotta (1,300); cotton
seed—oil, cake, and meal (1,300), and butter (1,100). Sawmills and
logging camps reported an employment decline of 6,200 wage earners,
caused partly by seasonal factors and partly by the difficulty of replac
ing men who had been called into the service or had left for other jobs.
The durable-goods group, as a whole, in which most of the war
industries are concentrated, showed employment gains over the month
and year intervals of 2.4 percent and 25.5 percent, respectively, in
contrast to increases of only 0.4 percent and 3.4 percent, respectively,
lor the nondurable-goods industries, which produce chiefly for civilian
consumption. The corresponding gains in weekly pay rolls were 3.0
percent and 60.0 percent, respectively, for durable goods and 3.3 and
24.1 percent, respectively, for nondurable goods. For all manu
facturing industries combined the number of wage earners had ex
panded by 1.5 percent between mid-November and mid-December and
by 15.0 percent between December 1941 and December 1942, while
pay rolls had increased by 3.1 and 46.0 percent, respectively. The
aggregate figures from which these percentages were derived and the
corresponding indexes are given in table 1.
T ab le
1.— Aggregate W age-Earner Employment and Weekly Pay Rolls for Manufac
turing, Durable and Nondurable, and Indexes Thereof
W age-earner
em ploym ent
W age-earner weekly pay roll
Item
A bsolute num bers (in thousands):
Total m anufacturing___
. __
D u ra b le __________
N ondurable
____
Indexes (1939=100):
Total m anufacturing___ _ _ _ _
D u ra b le ______
______ _
N ondurable____ ______
Decem Novem Decem
Decem
ber
ber
ber
ber 1942
1942
1942
1941
N ovem
ber 1942
13,023
7, 455
5, 568
159.0
206.5
121.5
12, 827
7. 281
5,546
156.6
201.6'
121. 1
Decem
ber 1941
11, 327
5,940
5, 387
$503, 688
$337, 112
$166, 576
$488,619
$327,340
$161,279
$344,984
$210,719
$134,265
138.3
164.5
117.6
278.9
377.6
182.4
270.6
366.6
176.6
191.0
236.0
147.1
In anthracite and bituminous-coal mining employment declined
slightly between mid-November and mid-December 1942 (1.0 and
0.8 percent, respectively) and quite sharply between December 1941
and December 1942 (6.9 and 7.2 percent), reflecting the difficulty of
replacing miners who. have been called into the service or who have
moved to other jobs. Anthracite pay rolls, however, showed a gain
of nearly 40 percent and bituminous-coal mining 8 percent over the
year interval, primarily because of increased working hours. Metal
mining employment as a whole showed little change over the month
interval because of offsetting influences in the various branches of
the industry. For example, gold and silver mines reduced their
forces by 10.1 percent as a result of the Government closure order,
while copper, lead, and zinc mines added nearlyj2 percent to the
number on their pay rolls.
Employment declines over the month were reported in all but 2
of the public utility and service industries. These declines were less
than 1 percent for all of these industries except dyeing and cleaning
(3.6 percent) and electric light and power (1.1 percent). The latter
industry has been showing employment reductions each month since
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Trend of Employment and Unemployment
393
August 1941. Brokerage firms reported an employment gain of 1.0
percent over the month, but a comparison over the year interval
showed a decline of 23.0 percent. Street railway and bus companies
continued to take on more workers (2.2 percent) to meet increased
demands for local transportation resulting in part from more general
gas rationing and the restrictions on^ pleasure driving. The gain
over the year interval of 27.8 percent in pay rolls in this industry
reflected corresponding gains of 9.9 percent in employment, 6.0
percent in average weekly hours (the average number of hours worked
in December 1942 was nearly 50), and 10 percent in average hourly
earnings.
Retail-trade establishments took on 9.7 percent more employees
to handle the large crowds of Christmas shoppers. Despite Govern
ment restrictions on the manufacture and sale of certain items, the
net employment decline in retail trade since December 1941 was
only 6.0 percent. Declines over the year interval of 39 percent in
automotive establishments, 26 percent in stores selling furniture and
housefurnishings, and 17 percent in establishments selling lumber
and building materials have been partially offset by a 3-percent in
crease in the large group of stores selling general merchandise. The
latter group, including variety, general merchandise, and department
stores as well as mail-order houses, reported an employment increase
over the month of 26.3 percent. The apparel group reported an
employment increase over the month of 10.5 percent, the furniture
and housefurnishings group a gain of 2.9 percent, and the automotive
group an increase of 1.8 percent. The gain in the last-named group
was due in part, no doubt, to the sale by many stores of such nonautomotive items as toys and work clothing. The lumber group re
ported 1.9 percent fewer employees.
Wholesale-trade employment showed virtually no change over the
month (a decrease of 0.2 percent), all of the major groups having
reported employment reductions except the automotive group (an
increase of 1.6 percent) and the machinery, equipment, and
supplies group (an increase of 1.2 percent). Over the year interval
declines were quite large for all of the major wholesale groups, the
largest being in the automotive group (18.6 percent) and the dry goods
and apparel group (10.4 percent) and the smallest in machinery,
equipment, and supplies (2.2 percent). Wholesale trade as a whole
reported an employment decline of 7.6 percent over the year interval.
A preliminary report of the Interstate Commerce Commission for
class 1 steam railroads showed that employment increased by 0.2
percent between November and December to reach a total of 1,320,910
in December. Corresponding pay rolls for December were not avail
able when this report was prepared. For November they were
$252,241,938, a decrease of $13,979,593 since October. This decrease
resulted partly from the fact that the November pay roll covered
only 30 days as against 31 for October.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
394
Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
Employment and pay-roll indexes and average weekly earnings for
November and December 1942 and December 1941 are given in table
2 for all manufacturing industries combined, for selected nonmanu
facturing industries, for water transportation, and for class T steam
railroads.
i able
2.
Employment, Pay Rolls, and Earnings in All Manufacturing Industries
Combined and in Nonmanufacturing Industries
[Prelim inary figures]
E m ploym ent index
Pay-roll index
Average weekly
earnings
In d u stry
Dec.
1942
Nov.
1942
Dec.
1941
All m anufacturing industries combined 1 .
0 939=10 9)
159.0 156.6 138.3
Class I steam railroads 2 __
(1935-39=1 00)
129.4 129.1 116.2
Coal mining:
A nthracite
B itum inous- _
Metalliferous mining
Q uarrying and nonm etallic miningC rude-petroleum production
Public utilities:
Telephone and telegraph
Electric light and pow er.
Street railways and busses- .
T rad e’
Wholesale
Retail
Hotels (year-round) 4___
Laundries _
D yeing and cleaning..
B rokerage5. . . __
Insurance 5
Building construction
W ater transportation 6
Dec.
1942
(3)
Dec.
1942
Nov.
1942
0
(3)
Dec.
1941
$31. 79
0
(3)
36.11
38. 70
41. 17
32.31
42. 82
35. 05
36. 71
41.16
33. 98
41. 74
24. 05
33. 38
36. 76
27. 74
38. 92
122.9
115.2
80.0
33. 82
40. 79
43. 02
33.90
41.14
42. 05
33.39
37.73
36. 94
95.8
96. 3
92.8
107.5
99.2 107.8
105.9 103.9
93.3
120.2 118.5 102.6
104.2 107.9
88.6
+ 3 .0
+ .3 -1 7 .3
+ 1.2
+ .4 + 1.4
- 6 .3
- 3 .6 -1 5 .5
0
+10.7 +70.3
37.28
22.88
18. 98
22. 36
25.51
43. 86
39.31
46. 25
(3)
37.41
23.20
18. 56
21.86
25.48
43.03
38. 91
45. 90
(3)
33. 69
21. 59
16. 79
19. 59
21.69
41.09
38. 33
37. 73
(3)
45.7
88.fi
79. 6
46.4
54.7
49. 1
95.5
80.2
50.9
61.1
50. 1
129. 5
104. 8
60. 4
63.8
92.6
80.3
77.6
93.1
81.3
75.9
90.0
93.1
70.6
128.0
108.6
102.2
89.3
96.3
96.8 113.0
95.3
95.3
114.2 108.4
119.7 ? 113.3
-1 .1 -2 3 .0
- 1 .3
- 5 .5
- 4 . 5 -3 2 .2
80.8
77.5
Dec.
1941
(1 939=10 0)
278.9 270.6 191.0 $40. 38 $39. 78
929=10 9)
46.2
89.3
79.1
48.5
55.0
89.1
100. 2
95.1
113.3
115.5
+ 1 .0
-.5
- 7 .3
80.9
Nov.
1942
929=10 9)
49.2
35.9
123.9 119.9
104. 1
93. 7
66.4
55.8
62.6
64.6
129.0
109.4
97.8
(3)
1 Em ploym ent and pay-roll indexes for m anufacturing are now based on 1939 average as 100 and are
adjusted to 1940 and 1941 d ata supplied by B ureau of Em ploym ent Security.
N ot comparable w ith indexes
published in issues of M onthly Labor Review dated earlier th an Jan uary 1943.
2 Prelim inary; source—Interstate Commerce Commission.
3 N ot available.
s b ash paym ents only; the additional value of board, room, and tips cannot be computed,
v,
of em ploym ent and pay rolls not available. Percentage changes from Novem ber 1942 to December 1942, October to N ovem ber 1942 and December 1941 to December 1942 substituted.
Based on estimates prepared b y the U. S. M aritim e Commission covering steam and m otor m erchant
vessels of 1,000 gross tons or over in deep-sea trades only. Pay-roll indexes on'l929 base not available. P er
centage changes from N ovem ber to D ecember 1942, O ctober to N ovem ber 1942, a nd December 1941 to
December 1942 su b stitu ted .
Public Employment
Civilian employment in the executive branch of the Federal Govern
ment aggregated 2,924,000 in December. This represented an addi
tion since November of 162,000 workers. Approximately 111,000
were added in the War and Navy Departments and other war
agencies,1 and 69,000 were temporarily employed by the Post Office
Department to handle the heavy holiday mails.
i O ther war agencies include O EM , O PA, Office of Censorship, Board of Economic W arfare, Office of
y ra te m c Services, W ar M anpow er Commission, M aritim e Commission, N ational A dvisorv Com m ittee
for Aeronautics, and the P anam a Canal.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Trend of Employment and Unemployment
395
Over the past year, Federal executive-service employment showed
an increase of 1,252,000 which was distributed as follows: War De
partment, 825,000; Navy Department, 257,000; other war agencies
(including Federal Security Agency employees who were transferred
to the War Manpower Commission in December 1942) 145,000, and
nonwar agencies 25,000.
Reductions in December 1942 in personnel of the NYA, WPA, and
CCC programs were 7,300, 26,100, and 700, respectively, leaving
aggregate" personnel on the NYA of 158,000 and on the other two
programs of 338,000. In December 1941, workers on the NYA pro
gram totaled 623,000 and on the work-relief programs 1,206,000.
The decline during December 1942 of 24,200 workers on construc
tion and shipbuilding projects financed by the Federal Government
resulted partially from the completion of several airport and nonresidential building projects, and partially from seasonal declines
on road and reclamation projects. Gains reported during the month
on new ship construction and air-corps station construction projects
were not great enough to completely offset these declines.
During the past year of war, employment on construction and ship
building projects increased 1,056,000. From the level of 1,068,000
T able 3.— Employment and Pay Rolls in Regular Federal Services and on Projects
Financed Wholly or Partially from Federal Funds
[Subject to revision]
E m ploym ent
Service or program
Decem
ber 1942
N ovem
ber 1942
i
Decem
ber 1941
P ay rolls
D ecember
1942
N ovem ber
1942
D ecember
1941
Federal services:
E x e c u tiv e 1___
___- - -- 2,923, 874 2,761,621 1, 671, 689 $475, 021,102 $463,187, 737 $270,430, 735
656,938
675,370
710,948
2,617
2,593
2.636
Judicial
__ _
1, 373, 715
1, 379, 556
1, 434,978
6,290
6,320
6,406
Legislative _ ___
Construction projects:
Financed from regular Fed
980, 355 400, 798, 555 403, 817, 576 164, 398, 318
1,956,193 1,966, 738
eral appropriations 2 __
862,754 385, 655,781 387,460, 650 147, 524,464
1, 871, 886 1,876, 626
W ar
- __
16, 873, 854
15,142, 774
16, 356,926
117, 601
90,112
84,307
O ther
___
11, 441,663
9, 642,439
10,174,792
68,943
71, 062
65, 337
Public housing 3 ___
__ _
51,149
1,
269,986
1,291,058
666
9,383
9,746
W ar public works _ _ _____
2, 877,769
19,902,524
18,932,123
15,809
101,164
93, 585
Financed by R FC 4
18,
619,
994
2,629,
608
19.
721,
207
14,175
99,
343
92,498
W ar
312,129
248,161
1,634
181. 317
1,821
1,087
Other
O ther programs:
N ational Y outh A dm inistra9, 230,384
2,919,017
3,062, 370
623, 262
165, 569
158,349
tio n 5
__
_ ______
2, 301, 493
699, 633
626,910
335,119
80, 295
77,096
S tudent work program __
W ar production training
2, 362, 737
6,928, 891
2, 292,107
288,143
85, 274
*§1, 253
program 6
W ork Projects A dm inistration
69,769,684
23,144, 330
22,971,789
363,005 1,053,095
336,934
projects
-- _
20, 763, 347
115,272
322, 406
(7)
106,562
(7)
W ar _________________
49,006, 337
730, 689
247, 733
(7)
230, 372
(7)
O ther _
7,484, 630
296,680
165,851
1, 650
152,748
1,028
C ivilian Conservation C orps..
1 Includes force-account employees also included under construction projects, a nd supervisory and tech
nical employees included un d er N Y A , W PA , and C C C .
2 Includes new Federal ship construction.
.
„
’ Includes all Federal housing projects, including those formerly u n d e r the U nited States Housing
A uthority.
4 Includes employees and pay roll of th e R F C M ortgage Co.
t Beginning Ju ly 1942 the N ational Y outh A dm inistration was considered a training program for w ar
work, rath er th an a work-relief program. Value of m aintenance is included in the pay-roll data for Decem
ber 1941 b u t excluded from N ovem ber and D ecember 1942.
« Called the out-of-school w ork program prior to Ju ly 1942.
7 Break-dow n not available.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
396
Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
in December 1941, employment rose rapidly during the spring and
summer of 1942 until in August a peak of 2,229,000 workers was
reached. From that point employment tapered off only gradually to
a level of 2,124,000 in December. Most of the declines were the result
of the completion of projects rather than of seasonal influences. War
project employment constituted 89 percent of the total in December
1941 and 96 percent in December 1942.
For the regular Federal services, data for the legislative, judicial,
and force-account employees are reported to the Bureau of Labor
Statistics by the respective offices; for the executive-service em
ployees, data are reported through the Civil Service Commission.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics receives monthly reports on employ
ment and pay rolls for the various construction projects financed
wholly or partially by Federal funds directly from the contractors and
subcontractors, and for the NYA, WPA, and CCC programs from the
respective agencies.
######*
DETAILED REPORTS FOR INDUSTRIAL AND
BUSINESS EMPLOYMENT, NOVEMBER 1942
Estimates of Nonagricultural Employment
ESTIMATES of civil employees in nonagricultural establishments by
major groups are given in table 1. With the exception of the trade
and finance-service-miscellaneous groups, they are not comparable
with estimates published in the September 1942 or prior issues of the
Monthly Labor Review. Revisions, however, for the years 1929 to
1939 are contemplated, and comparable figures for the months from
January 1939 to July 1942 were given in the October 1942 issue of
the Monthly Labor Review.
The estimates are based on reports of employers to the United States
Bureau of Labor Statistics, on data made available by the Bureau of
Employment Security of the Social Security Board and the Bureau of
Old Age and Survivor’s Insurance, and on information supplied by
T a b l e 1. — Estimates
of Employment in Nonagricultural Establishments, by Industry
Divisions 1
[In thousands]
Change,
October
to No
vember
1942
Change,
N ovem
ber 1941
to N o
vem ber
1942
N ovem
ber 1942
(prelim
inary)
October
1942
Total 2_ __
38,437
38,478
-4 1
qpifi
M anufacturing
M inin g ______
C ontract construction and Federal force-account
construction.
T ransportation and public utilities
T rad e______
Finance, service, and miscellaneous
fe d e ra l, State, and local governm ent (civil employees). _ _ _ _ _
15, 436
893
15,313
902
+123
13, 563
+1,873
-8 7
1,810
3, 517
6, 773
4, 295
2,028
3, 539
6,697
4, 327
-218
—22
+76
-3 2
2,091
3, 382
7 14fi
4, 229
-281
+135
-373
+66
5, 713
5, 672
+41
4,535
+1,178
In d u stry division
N ovem
ber 1941
i Comparable series Jan u ary 1939 to Ju ly 1942 in October 1942 M o n thly Labor Review.
Estim ates exclude proprietors of unincorporated businesses, self-employed persons, domestics employed
m private homes, public emergency employees (W PA , N Y A , and C C C ), and personnel in the arm ed forces.
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Trend of Employment and Unemployment
397
other Government agencies, such as the Interstate Commerce Com
mission, Civil Service Commission, and the Bureau of the Census.
They do not include military personnel, emergency employment (such
as WPA, NYA, and CCC), proprietors, self-employed persons, unpaid
family workers, and domestics.
Estimates of employees in nonagricultural establishments, by States,
are given each month in the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ mimeographed
release on employment and pay rolls.
Industrial and Business Employment
Monthly reports on employment and pay rolls are available for 152
manufacturing industries; 16 nonmanufacturing industries, including
private building construction; water transportation; and class I
steam railroads. The reports for the first 2 of these groups—manu
facturing and nonmanufacturing—are based on sample surveys by
the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The figures on water transportation
are based on estimates prepared by the Maritime Commission, and
those on class I steam railroads are compiled by the Interstate Com
merce Commission.
The employment, pay roll, hours, and earnings figures for manu
facturing, mining, laundries, and dyeing and cleaning cover wage
earners only, but the figures for public utilities, brokerage, insurance,
and hotels relate to all employees except corporation officers and exec
utives, while for trade they relate to all employees except corporation
officers, executives, and other employees whose duties are mainly
supervisory. For crude-petroleum production they cover wage earn
ers and clerical field force. The coverage of the reporting samples for
the various nonmanufacturing industries ranges from approximately
25 percent for wholesale and retail trade, dyeing and cleaning, and
insurance, to approximately 80 percent for public utilities and 90
percent for mining.
The general manufacturing indexes are computed from reports
supplied by representative establishments in 152 manufacturing indus
tries surveyed. These reports cover more than 65 percent of the total
wage earners in all manufacturing industries of the country and about
80 percent of the wage earners in the 152 industries covered.
Data for both manufacturing and nonmanufacturing industries are
based on reports of the number of employees and the amount of pay
rolls for the pay period ending nearest the 15tli of the month.
The average weekly earnings for individual industries shown in
table 3 are computed by dividing the weekly pay rolls in the reporting
establishments by the total number of full- and part-time employees
reported. As not all reporting establishments supply information on
man-hours, the average hours worked per week and average hourly
earnings shown in that table are necessarily based on data furnished
by a slightly smaller number of reporting firms. Because of varia
tion in the size and composition of the reporting sample, the average
hours per week, average hourly earnings, and average weekly earn
ings shown may not be strictly comparable from month to month.
The sample, however, is believed to be sufficiently adequate in virtuallv all instances to indicate the general movement of earnings and
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
398
Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
hours over the period shown. The average weekly hours and hourly
earnings for the manufacturing groups are weighted arithmetic means
of the averages for the individual industries, estimated employment
being used to weight weekly hours and estimated aggregate hours to
weight hourly earnings. The average weekly earnings for these
groups are now computed by multiplying the average weekly hours
by the corresponding average hourly earnings and are not comparable
with figures published in the November 1942 or earlier issues of the
Monthly Labor Review, which were computed by dividing total
weekly pay roll by total employment without any formal weighting
of figures for the component industries.
EMPLOYMENT AND PAY-ROLL IN D E X E S, AVERAGE HOURS, AND EARNINGS
Employment and pay-roll indexes, as well as average hours worked
per week, average hourly earnings, and average weekly earnings for
September, October, and November 1942, where available, are
presented in tables 2 and 3.
In table 4 indexes of employment and pay rolls are given for all
manufacturing industries combined, for the durable- and nondurablegoods groups of manufacturing industries, and for each of 13 non
manufacturing industries, by months, from November 1941 to Novem
ber 1942. The chart on page 399 indicates the trend of factory
employment and pay rolls from January 1919 to November 1942.
The revised manufacturing^indexes and aggregates in tables 2 and 4
are not comparable with the indexes published in the November 1942
or earlier issues of the Monthly Labor Review, because of changes in
definitions, a change in the index base period, and adjustments in
levels. Revised figures for the major manufacturing groups are
available in mimeographed form by months from January 1939 through
October 1942 and for individual manufacturing industries from
January 1939 through August 1942.
The figures relating to all manufacturing industries combined, to
the durable- and nondurable-goods divisions, and to the major industry
groups, have been adjusted to conform to levels indicated by final
1940 and preliminary 1941 data released by the Bureau of Employ
ment Security of the Federal Security Agency. The Bureau of Em
ployment Security data referred to are (a) employment totals re
ported by employers under State unemployment-compensation pro
grams, and (b) estimates of the number of employees not reported
under the programs of some of these States, which do not cover small
establishments. The latter estimates were obtained from tabulations
prepared by the Bureau of Old Age and Survivors’ Insurance, which
obtains reports from all employers regardless of size of establishment.
Data relating to individual manufacturing industries have been
adjusted from 1937 to date to conform to levels of the 1939 Census of
Manufactures. Not all industries in each census group are represented
in the tables, since minor industries are not canvassed by the Bureau,
and others cannot be shown because of their close relationship to the
war program. Furthermore, no attempt has been made to allocate
among the separate industries the adjustment to unemploymentcompensation data. Hence, the estimates for individual industries
within a group will not in general add to the total estimate for that
group.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
507123 — 43-
Trend of Employment and Unemployment
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
\o
O
400
Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
T able
2.— Employment and Pay Polls in Specified Months 1
[M anufacturing indexes are based on 1939 average as 100. For the individual industries they have been
adjusted to the 1939 Census of M anufactures and for the groups to final 1940 and prelim inary 1941 B ureau
of E m ploym ent Security figures. Com parable series for earlier m onths available on request]
MANUFACTURING
Indexes 2 of—
E sti
m ated
num ber
Em ploym ent
P ay rolls
of em
ployees,
N ovem
Oct.
ber
Sept.
Nov. Oct. Sept. N ov.
1942 2
1942
1942
1942
1942
1942
1942
In d u stry
All m anufacturing____ _
_________________
D urable g o o d s ___
___ . _ ____
N ondurable goods __
_
Thou
sands
12, 827
7, 281
5,546
156. 6
201. 6
121.1
155.5
198.2
121.8
154.6
194. 2
123.3
270.6
366.6
176.6
261.3
350.6
174.0
252.6
337.2
169.8
1,644
517
81
20
29
34
31
21
165. 8
133.0
268. 3
121.9
90.5
156.0
103.7
133.9
165.1
135.2
265. 1
121. 7
98.8
154.0
103. 5
131.3
163.8
137.0
260. 5
121.7
110.6
150.4
101.7
130.6
270.2
203. 7
443.2
205.7
127.9
227.3
178.4
252.4
264.5
200. 7
434.7
204. 0
139.4
221. 3
172.5
242.3
255.8
199.7
419.8
191. 5
148.9
212. 7
165. 2
224.2
27
42
21
173. 6
117. 0
85.8
173.4
118.5
82.2
173.3
118.8
79.5
307. 2
210.8
132.7
303.4
209. 9
126.1
289.8
194.6
113.7
Durable goods
Iron and steel and their products_______________
B last furnaces, steel works, and rolling mills 3__
Steel castings 3__ _
_____
__ __ _ __
Cast-iron pipe and f it tin g s __
T in cans and other tin w are___________ __ __
W ire draw n from purchased ro d s.______ _ . . .
W irew ork. _
C utlery and edge tools. ...................
Tools (except edge tools, m achine tools, files,
and saws)___________ _________ _
__ _
H a rd w a re ... _ _____________ _____ _ . . .
Plum bers’ supplies____
___ _ ______ _
Stoves, oil burners, and heating equipm ent,
n. e. c _________ _______ _______ _ ___
Steam and hot-w ater heating apparatus and
steam fittings . .
______ _ . . .
._ .
Stam ped and enam eled ware and galvanizing. _
Fabricated stru ctu ral and ornam ental metalwork_.
.
_ _
. . .
____
M etal doors, sash, frames, molding, and trim ..
Bolts, n u ts, washers, and riv e ts____ . . _ .
Forgings, iron and steel. ____ . . . . . . . ___
W rought pipes, welded and heavy riv e te d ___
Screw-machine products and wood screw s._ _
Steel barrels, kegs, and d ru m s___ _
....
Electrical m ach in ery .. .
_____ . . .
________
51
110. 1
106.9
98.8
170.1
167. 2
143.6
56
75
183.4
135.7
178.6
134.9
171.4
134.5
319.3
231.4
307.5
227.2
298.3
208.9
68
11
26
38
21
48
7
190.4
140.1
184.7
246.6
255.4
285. 7
110.6
189. 6
138.2
181.4
243. 6
239.5
283. 1
114.1
182.9
132. 1
177.7
236. 4
222.9
277.3
114. 2
313.9
227.1
295.0
442.3
460.7
506. 6
183.9
317. 5
215.9
305.4
431.2
431.1
489.7
180.7
296.7
212.8
291. 6
390.1
420.6
462.2
169.1
613
236.4
229. 0
220.3
392.5
372.4
358.9
___ . ___ . .
M achinery, except electrical .
M achinery and machine-shop products__ ._
_____
T rac to rs4. _______ ____ _______
A gricultural m achinery, excluding tractors 4__.
Textile m achinery_______
_____. .
P u m p s and pum ping eq u ip m e n t.. . . .
T yp ew riters.. . . . _____ . . . . ___ _ _
Cash registers, adding and calculating m a
chines. . . .
. . .
. . .
W ashing m achines, wringers, and driers, do
. . . . ...
mestic ____ . . . . . . . .
Sewing machines, domestic and in d u stria l.. ..
Refrigerators and refrigeration eq u ip m en t___
1,137
457
47
30
29
69
11
215.1
226.0
150. 8
106.2
133.7
284.7
68.3
211.6
222.0
148.9
115. 2
131.2
281.2
73.3
207.4
217. 5
144.6
114. 1
133. 3
280.3
75.3
371.5
381.9
211.9
171.6
219.0
556. 3
120.4
361.7
371.5
212.6
186.9
222.6
531.3
130.9
343.0
354.8
198.4
163.5
218.7
510.8
124.9
31
159.9
151.8
145.8
279. 5
260.1
255.9
11
11
43
141.6
140. 6
123.4
137.8
135.5
115.4
127. 0
132.0
107.3
217.4
264.3
190.8
213.3
259.8
176.1
190.3
236.4
157.1
T ransportation equipm ent, except autom obiles__
Motorcycles, bicycles, and p a r t s __ _______
1,839 1158.3 1113.7 1062.9 2207. 9 2037. 5 1976.8
9 129.8 131.7 135. 5 219.9 216.2 213.4
A utom obiles_______ ________ ______
___ ____
492
122. 2
118.8
114.8
212.2
192.4
183.3
N onferrous m etals and their products ...... ............
P rim ary smelting and refining. ____ ________
Clocks and w a tch e s.. . . . . . . ______
. ..
Jew elry (precious metals) and jewelers’findings.
Silverware and plated ware . _ _ _________
Lighting eq u ip m en t_______ . _____________
Sheet-metal w ork_________ _____ _ _____
376
37
26
17
12
21
29
163.8
133.6
127.5
115.4
94.8
104.1
154.3
162.0
131.8
127.4
113.2
94.6
103.8
149.5
161.5
130.7
128.1
115.0
96.0
102.8
149.7
275.8
218.6
231.2
170.0
148.1
180.6
251.2
267.4
197.1
228.3
160.4
145.2
164.6
238.9
259.1
189.7
222. 8
155.2
138. 5
158.5
217.2
L um ber and tim ber basic products. . . . ____ . .
Sawmills
.
. . . ___ ..
Planing and plywood mills. _______ . . . ___
476
290
87
113.2
100.6
120.3
115.1
102.5
121.4
117.5
105.0
122.8
170.6
152.8
173.4
179.4
163.0
174.8
173.9
158.4
168.1
F u rn itu re and finished lum ber products_____ . . .
M attresses and bedsprings _______
_ . ___
F u rn itu re _______________ . . . . ______ ..
350
16
168
106.6
86.7
105. 8
108.3
85.4
108.3
168.0
84.7
107.2
159.1
118.8
158.2
162.1
116.6
164.5
152.4
104.6
154.1
See footnotes at end of table.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Trend of Employment and Unemployment
T able
401
2.— Employment and Pay Rolls in Specified Months1—Continued
MANUFACTURIN G—Continued
Indexes 2 of—
Estinum ber
of em
ployees,
November
1942 -
In d u stry
Durable goods—C ontinued
F u rn itu re and finished products—C ontinued.
Wooden boxes, other than cigar __ __ ___
baskets end other m orticians’ goods
Wood preserving
Wood turned and shaped _ _
Stone clay and glass p ro d u cts-_ _______ ______
Glass
__ ____
Glass products m ade from purchased glass----C em ent
_
______
__ —
Brick tile and terra cotta _ ____ _ ______
P ottery anti related products _ _ ________ _
G ypsum
------W allboard and plaster (except gypsum) and
mineral wool
______
Lime
_ _
__
__ - M arble, granite, slate, and other products*---Ahrasive wheels
_ ______ _ _ ____
\shestos products ______ ____ _ - - -- -
P a y rolls
E m ploym ent
Nov.
1942
Oct.
1942
Sept.
1942
N ov.
1942
Oct.
1942
Sept.
1942
Thousands
32
12
12
23
125.2
95.7
104.1
105.9
126.5
95.2
107.1
105.0
128.3
93.4
111.6
107.1
199.3
140. 6
169.8
160.6
197.4
130.4
171.5
157.1
190. 4
113. 8
177. 9
150. 4
354
82
12
29
60
46
54
120.7
117.3
117.9
123.4
105.9
138.1
94.2
120.7
117.0
116.6
124.0
108.7
137.3
93.3
121.2
118.9
113.8
127.3
111.4
134.0
92. 7
172.7
161.1
163.4
169. 3
152.0
187.8
144.9
172.3
163.8
157.3
167.3
154.7
183.8
144.8
162. 3
147. 1
141.7
168. 7
152.0
172.5
131. 5
11
10
14
20
22
139. 6
104. 2
73.0
254.8
135.9
134.3
107.1
73.7
238.0
135.8
134. 3
109.3
73.7
228. 3
134. 5
208.2
165.6
88.3
382.6
228.1
201. 7
164.0
90.8
365.3
226.1
184. 4
163.1
85.2
338. 6
218. 1
Nondurable goods
Textiles and finished textile products __
Textile-miíl products and other fiber manufactures
C otton manufactures, except small w ares.
Cotton small wares
_ ______ ___ ____ Silk and rayon goods _
_________
Woolen and w orsted manufactures, except
dyeing and finishing------ ------------ ---Hosiery _
._ _ _ ____
— K nitted cloth------------------ ------ -------K n itted outerw ear and k n itted gloves---K nitted underw ear
_ _ ■
_ _ _
D yeing and finishing textiles, including
woolen and worsted
_ __ _
__
Carpets and rugs, wool _______
H ats, fur-felt
____ __ ___ ___
Ju te goods (except felts) __
_____ ___
Cordage and tw ine
__ __ _ _ _ _ _ ___
Apparel and other finished textile p ro d u c ts...
M en ’s clothing--------------------- --------- -Shirts, collars, and n ig h tw ear---------------U nderw ear and neckw ear---- . . . . . .
W ork shirts
____
__
W om en’s clothing*. ---------- --------- ---Corsets and allied garm ents----------- . . .
M illinery
------ .
- ----------------Handkerchiefs
_____ ______ ________
C urtains, draperies, and bedspreads------Housefurnishings, other th a n curtains, etc.
Textile bags
________ _____________
2,083
107.8
108.4
108. 5
160.0
160. 2
153.0
1,257
506
18
99
109. 9
127.7
133.7
82.7
109.7
127.7
134.7
83.2
109. 5
127.7
133. 9
81.9
172.7
212.8
219.3
131.3
170.3
210. 6
227.5
130.8
164.2
208.2
216. 1
126.5
176
124
12
31
45
118.1
78. 1
107.0
109.8
115. 8
118.7
77.9
107.3
107. 5
116.1
120.3
77.6
107. 8
105.9
115.4
201. 0
104. 6
157.6
164.4
179.2
198.2
103. 2
152. 9
158.6
177. 0
196.3
93. 2
145. 7
139.1
158. 8
71
23
10
4
16
826
235
66
13
19
248
18
17
4
18
16
16
106.5
91.2
65.6
112.4
133.9
104.6
107.6
93.3
83.2
137.6
91.4
94.5
71.6
87.9
104.8
152.0
134.5
104.7
90. 8
61.3
109. 3
131. 7
106.6
111.0
93.8
85.8
139. 6
92.5
93.2
85.5
87. 0
99.5
151.3
129.2
102.8
89.8
61.3
104.3
132.3
107.0
112.5
94.4
84.5
140. 0
92.1
91.9
91.6
89.6
97.4
146.6
127.1
157.9
138.5
97.9
193.0
206. 9
142.1
144. 7
142.8
123.2
222. 0
123.1
134.4
75. 7
135.3
156.0
232.8
188. 1
153.1
137.7
83.0
182.2
202. 2
146.1
148.4
141.9
125.4
222.2
127.1
128.6
103.3
131.2
149. 5
229. 0
181.7
142. 6
130.7
70.2
167. 5
194. 6
137. 2
142, 5
130. 4
115.2
214. 2
115.8
116. 5
120.7
121.9
135.4
214. 1
164. 7
Leather and leather products
___
__
L eather
- -- - - -------- -- -Boot and shoe cut stock and findings __ _ __
Boots and shoes
___________ ______ Leather gloves and m ittens
____ ____
T ru n k s and suitcases
__ ______ —
357
49
19
204
14
17
103.0
103.8
99.1
93.4
140.8
199.6
101.2
102.4
96.4
91.3
144.6
201.8
101.1
102.2
95.1
91.7
144.2
193.1
150.8
152.7
138. C
137.4
196.5
275. 5
146.7
145.8
133.7
134. 5
199. 4
260.6
143.2
137.7
126.5
134. 9
177. 0
227.9
J, 063
176
22
12
15
26
21
10
263
12
124.4
145.8
120.2
126.0
95.5
104.9
136.0
130.4
114.1
87.6
131.7
144.6
120.0
134.7
102.1
104.5
133. 6
131.7
114.7
81.4
145.1
147.3
124.5
140.1
110.2
103.7
127.5
118.9
113.6
85.6
164.3
181. £
161.7
167.7
118. 1
148.4
204. 2
186.0
144.0
109. 7
168. 4
176.8
159.0
180. 3
123.6
149.6
195.3
183, (
143.5
95.1
177.4
173.0
158.7
186.3
131.6
137.8
182.5
149.2
140.7
119.8
Food and kindred products
___
_______
B utter
__
-_
Condensed and evaporated milk__ __ _____
Ice cream
____
_
-----'Flour
__ __ _ _ _ _ _
---Feeds prepared
_ __ --------- Cereal preparations
_ __
____
Bakinff
__ -_ _
-----------------Sugar refining, cane-----------------------------------
See footnotes at end of table.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
402
Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
T a b l e 2 . — Employment
.
and Pay Rolls in Specified Months 1—Continued
MANUFACTURING—Continued
Indexes 2 of—
E sti
m ated
num ber
P ay rolls
of em
Em ploym ent
ployees.
N ovem
N ov.
Oct.
Sept.
ber
Sept. Nov. Oct.
1942
1942
1942
1942
1942
1942
1942 2
In d u stry
Nondurable goods—C ontinued
Food and kindred products—C ontinued.
Sugar, beet .
________________________ _
------------Confectionery .
__ -------Beverages, nonalcoholic 5___ . . . . .
M alt liquors 6*
_ _ _ _
............... C anning and preserving___ ______ ________ _
Thou
sands
26
65
24
42
140
253.4
130.3
113.9
115.5
103.9
239.2
129.5
116.6
120.1
146.4
94.6
121.5
121.2
123. 3
239.7
380.7
182.4
127. 8
137.4
163.9
293.8
178.0
133. 3
143.5
228.7
118.9
155.4
137.6
152. 9
373.4
Tobacco m anufactures______________ _______ _
Cigarettes 8_____ __ _____________
_ ___
C ig ars6___ ________ _- _ _ _ _ _ ____ ___
Chewing and smoking tobacco and snuff___ _
100
35
49
9
106.7
128.9
96.7
94.4
106.4
126.0
98.0
93.5
105.2
123.3
98.5
87.4
157.6
179. 1
146. 2
135.3
153. 7
171.8
145.2
129.8
144.1
167. 3
131. 9
120.4
Paper and allied products_______________ ___ __
Paper and p u lp _____ _________ ____ _ _____
P ap er goods. _ _____________ _____ _______
Envelopes___ _ _________________________
Paper b ag s., _ _ _ _________ _
._ _______
Paper boxes___________ _______ ________ _
299
150
47
10
12
77
112.6
109.3
124.2
113.3
106.8
110.7
111. 1
109. 5
119.9
109.6
105. 9
107.4
109.9
109.7
117.5
109.1
107.5
103.5
160.5
161.1
164.7
146. 5
156.1
154. 2
156.0
158.9
156.0
138.1
151.4
146.9
144.3
148.5
142.7
131.9
146. 5
131.8
Printing, publishing, and allied in d u stries____ ._
Newspapers and periodicals____ .... _ _ ____
Book and jo b _____ . . . _____________________
L ithographing. ___ __________________ __ _
Bookbinding______________________________
331
117
133
24
27
100.8
98.5
104. 9
94.0
106.2
98.9
98. 1
101.8
92.0
103.2
96.6
97.4
97.5
88.7
104.0
119.7
111.3
126.9
114.1
154.1
114.0
109. 4
119.2
103. 4
139.9
109.0
107.8
110. 3
98.3
134.8
Chemicals and allied products.
_
.___•
Paints, varnishes, and colors __ __ .... __ _ _ _
Drugs, medicines, and insecticides .
__
Perfumes and cosmetics_____ ____ _ ______
Soaps._ ____________ _ ______ ________
R ayon and allied products _
_ __ _ ___
Chemicals
__
....
_____
_ _
Compressed and liquefied g a s e s _________ __
Cottonseed o i l ____
. . . . . . . .................
F ertilizers... . ________ . -----------------------
684
29
41
11
14
51
111
6
23
20
237.4
103.6
148.9
101.4
101.7
105.1
159. 5
158.4
148. 7
103.9
230.5
102.6
141.5
101.0
103. i
106.9
158. 9
160.7
151.3
102.6
222.4
102. 5
139.1
101.7
102.5
106.6
159.2
161.9
126. 5
103.0
360.8
135.0
189.9
128. 9
133.9
141.2
235.9
229.8
234.6
163.8
347.0
130.9
183.1
125.6
134.3
144.7
230. 6
231.2
237.2
164.1
334. 5
128.8
172.9
120.7
133.2
146.2
222.1
229.3
179.3
164.6
Products of petroleum and coal___
Petroleum refining. __
..
Coke and byproducts. . .
.
Paving m aterials----- --------Roofing m aterials __ _ _ . „
123
78
26
2
11
116.4
107.0
120.1
77.3
132.1
117.9
108.4
122.8
82. 3
128.8
119.4
110.3
124.7
74.1
127.9
163. 3
150.6
162.9
123.2
204.8
158.9
145.7
160. 4
131.6
201.9
158.6
144.3
170. 7
113.0
186.5
R ubber products. _.
. _ . _ _. . . . .
R ubber tires and inner tu b e s..
.
_____
R ubber boots and shoes.
_ _ _______
R ubber goods, o th e r ____ . ________. . .
168
77
21
68
138.9
141. 5
141.3
130.9
135.2
136.7
136.1
129.0
130.7
130. 5
138.0
124.6
206. 3
203. 2
226.4
196.9
195.1
190. 0
208.8
191.3
183. 5
178.6
206.4
177.1
Miscellaneous industries. __
. ._
Photographic ap p aratu s. . . . . . . . .
_. .
Pianos, organs, and p arts____ . . . ______
Games, toys, and d o l l s . ----_
. . . .
B u tto n s. .
. . . __ . . . . . .
338
26
8
15
12
138. 1
147.8
100.0
80.0
109.9
137.2
144.5
91.4
75. 5
111.9
134.4
141.0
82.0
80.0
115.0
225.4
222.5
166.8
128.9
174. 3
215.1
209.4
151.5
119.8
172.9
207.0
199.9
128. 7
113.8
175.4
.
._ ___
. . . . _____
.
------_ ... .
NONMANUFACTURING
[Indexes are based on 12-month average, 1929= 100]
Coal mining:
A nthracite 7 8____ _ _ __
___ . --------B itum inous L
---------- - .
----------M etalliferous m ining 18 _ _ _
_ ------- -Q uarrying and nonm etaliic m in in g ...
C rude-petroleum production n _ _
. ----Public utilities:
Telephone and te le g ra p h 72
_ _
_
Electric light and power 12„_ _
. __ _
Street railw ays and busses 121!___
_
Trade:
Wholesale !4—_ --------Food products 15___ . . . .
.
See footnotes at end of table.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
(s)
(»)
(»)
(»)
(»)
46.2
89.3
79.1
48.5
55.0
46. 2
90.6
77.7
50.0
55.5
46.6
91.6
78.6
50.7
55.9
49.2
123.9
104.1
66.4
62.6
48.3
124.8
99.8
68.9
64.1
50.1
122. 2
99.1
67. 5
64.9
(9)
m
(•)
93.1
81.3
75.9
93.3
82.6
75.9
93.6
84. 2
75. 7
129.0
109.4
97.8
128.4
111. 1
95.3
130. 5
112.5
93.6
(»)
(s)
89.3
-. 5
90.0
- .9
89.4
- 1 .8
96.3
+ •8
94.6
+ .8
92.3
-.4
403
Trend of Employment and Unemployment
T able 2.— Employment and Pay Rolls in Specified Months 1—Continued
M AN U FA C TU R IN G — Continued
In d u stry
T rad e—C on tin u ed .
Wholesale—C ontinued.
Groceries and food specialties 15--------------D ry goods and a p p a re l15----------------------M achinery, equipm ent and supplies 15----F arm products u ---------------------------------Petroleum and petroleum products (in
cludes bulk ta n k stations)1«___________
A utom otive 15_________________________
R e ta il12__________________________________
Food 12________________________________
General merchandising 12----------------------A p p a re l12_____________________________
F u rn itu re and housefurnishings 12_______
A utom otive 12_________________________
L um ber and building m aterials 12_______
Hotels (year-round)718_________________________
Laundries 7___________________________________
D yeing and cleaning 7_________________________
Brokerage 15__________________________________
Insurance 16__________________________________
Building construction 15_______________________
W ater transportation 17________________________
Class I steam railroads 18_______________________
Indexes2 of—
Estim ated
num ber
of em-
P a y rolls
E m ploym ent
Novem
ber
N ov .
Oct.
Sept.
N ov .
Oct.
Sept.
1942 2
1942
1942
1942
1942
1942
1942
(9)
(9)
(9)
(9)
(9)
(9)
(9)
(9)
(8)
(»)
(9)
(»)
(9)
(9)
(9)
(9)
(9)
(9)
(9)
(9)
(9)
-
1 .1
- .1
- .6
1 2 .0
-
- .8
- .5
1 .0
9 6 .8
- .3
9 4 .6
1 1 4 .5
1 1 3 .9
1 3 1 .8
9 7 .9
5 8 .9
51. 1
6 7 .5
95.3
1 1 4 .2
1 1 9 .7
- 1 .1
-
+ 0 .3
-. 1
—. 7
+ 2 1 .2
1 .3
-4 .5
8 0 .8
1 2 9 .1
+
+
0 .3
-
1 .8
1 .3
5 .0
3 .0
9 1 .7
1 1 2 .1
1 2 1 .1
9 6 .5
5 8 .9
1 1 2 .0
9 1 .6
5 9 .4
5 1 .3
6 9 .3
9 5 .6
5 1 .9
1 1 5 .9
1 2 4 .8
-
1 .3
1 .2
1 .4
7 4 .6
1 2 9 .5
+
+
+
1 .1
C
69.
9 3 .9
1 1 6 .4
0 .8
1 .1
2 .7
1 1 .3
-
+ 3 .6
+. 4
99.2
+
1 1 9 .9
1 3 0 .8
119. 5
121. 6
1 0 1 .8
6 4 .3
5 9 .3
8 0 .8
1 0 3 .9
1 1 8 .5
C
123.
- 3 .8
- 1 .4
1 0 7 .9
-
-3 .6
3 .9
7 1 .4
1 2 9 .6
+ 3 .6
+ 2 .2
+ 1. 4
+ 1 4 .9
+ .3
+•
+
4
1 0 .7
(9)
- .8
2 .3
9 6 .4
98
63
57
82
.7
.6
.8
.2
103. 2
1 1 8 .9
1 1 2 .5
+ 2 .4
+ .4
- .9
+ 7 .3
(9)
+
1 .9
+ .4
—. 7
+
7 .8
+
-
2 .7
1 .4
9 3 .1
1 1 7 .9
112. 4
93.0
6 2 .5
5 6 .6
8 0 .4
9 8 .5
1 1 7 .3
1 0 7 .9
- 1 .1
- 1 .8
-. 1
+ 1 0 .2
(9)
1 D ata for m anufacturing, mining, laundries, and dyeing and cleaning, cover wage earners only; for crudepetroleum production th ey cover wage earners and clerical field force; for public utilities, brokerage, in su r
ance, and hotels, th ey relate to all employees except corporation officers and executives; and fortrade, to all
employees except corporation officers, executives, and strictly supervisory personnel.
2 T he indexes for th e m anufacturing industries are com puted from aggregates of a t least 3 significant
figures. Inform ation concerning th e following w ar industries is no t published b u t m ay be obtained by
authorized agencies upon request: A ircraft engines; A ircraft and parts, excluding engines; Alloying, rolling,
and draw ing of nonferrous m etals except alum inum ; A lum inum m anufacturers; A m m unition; Cars,
electric- and steam-railroad; C om m unication equipm ent; Electrical equipm ent, other; Radios; Engines and
turbines; Explosives and safety fuses; Fire extinguishers; Firearm s; Fireworks; Locomotives; M achine
tool accessories; M achine tools; Optical in stru m en ts and ophthalm ic goods; Professional and scientific
instrum ents; and Shipbuilding.
3 N ew subdivisions: “ B last furnaces, steel works, and rolling m ills” and “ steel castings’ were formerly
shown as one in d u stry u nder th e heading, “ blast furnaces, steel works, and rolling mills.”
4 N ew subdivisions: “ A gricultural m achinery” and “ tractors” w ere form erly shown as one industry
under the heading, “ agricultural im plem ents including tractors.”
5 N ew subdivisions: “ Beverages, nonalcoholic” and “ m alt liquors” were form erly shown as one industry
under the heading, “ beverages.”
6 N ew subdivisions: “ C igarettes” and “ cigars” were form erly shown as one indu stry under th e heading,
“ cigars and cigarettes.”
.
,. ,,n
7 Indexes adjusted to 1935 Census. Com parable series back to Jan u ary 1929 presented m January 1938
issue of “ E m ploym ent and P ay Rolls” pam phlet.
.
. .
8 See table 7 of October 1940 “ E m ploym ent and P ay Rolls” for revised figures for anthracite mining,
F ebruary 1940 to Septem ber 1940, inclusive.
9 N ot available.
. .
10 See table 7 of F eb ru ary 1941 pam phlet for revised figures for metalliferous and bitum inous coal mining
from Jan u a ry 1938 to Jan u ary 1941, inclusive.
11 Does no t include well drilling or rig building.
. . . .
„
12 R etail-trade indexes adjusted to 1935 Census and public-utility indexes to 1937 Census. N ot com
parable to indexes published in pam phlets prior to Jan u ary 1940 or in the M onthly Labor Review prior to
A pril 1940, w ith b u t one exception, retail furniture, which has been revised since publication of July 1940
pam phlet, back to Jan u ary 1936. Com parable series for earlier m onths available upon request.
13 Covers street-railways and trolley and m otorbus operations of subsidiary, affiliated, and successor com
panies; form erly “ electric-railroad and m otorbus operation and m aintenance.”
14 Indexes adjusted to 1933 Census. Comparable series in N ovem ber 1934 and subsequent issues of “ E m
ploym ent and P ay Rolls.”
18 Indexes of em ploym ent and pay rolls are not available; percentage changes from preceding m onth
substituted.
18 Cash paym ents only; additional value of board, room, and tips cannot be com puted.
17 Based on estimates prepared by the U nited States M aritim e Commission covering em ploym ent on
steam and m otor m erchant vessels of 1,000 gross tons or over in deep-sea trades only. Pay-roll indexes on
1929 basis not available. Percentage changes from preceding m onth substituted.
18 Prelim inary: Source—In terstate Commerce Commission.
‘ Revisions in th e following industries have been m ade as indicated:
Marble—A ugust pay-roll index to 85.9.
Women’s clothing—A ugust em ploym ent index and pay-roll index to 92.9 and 119.6.
M alt liquors—A ugust pay-roll index to 150.4.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
404
Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
T a b l e 3. — Hours
and Earnings in Specified Months
MANUFACTURING
Average weekly
earnings 1
In d u stry
Nov.
1942
Oct.
1942
Sept. N ov.
1942 1942
All m anufacturing, __________ ___ _________ $39. 78 $38. 89 $37. 80
D urable goods,-46. 27 45.31 44.45
N ondurable goods_______ _______ ____ 31.25 30. 66 29. 53
Durable goods
Iron and steel and their products . . - - ___ 44.16 43.43 42. 30
B last furnaces, steel works, and rolling
m ills 2______________________________ 45. 63 43.87 43. 21
Steel castings 23 _ ___________________
46. 08 45.45 44. 64
Cast-iron pipe and fittin g s,. . ______ _ 36. 48 36.24 34. 02
T in cans and other tinw are .
33.12 33. 09 31. 50
W irework
42. 45 41.25 40. 12
C u tlery and edge tools___ ________ . . . 40. 33 39.44 36. 69
Tools (except edge tools, machine tools,
files, and saws)
42.74 42. 33 40. 47
H a rd w are 4
_ _
39.18 38.40 35. 43
. . . 40. 00 39. 57 36. 73
Plum bers’ s u p p lie s .......... ,
Stoves, oil burners, and heating equip
m e n t, , ________ ________
38.43 38.88 36. 35
Steam and hot-w ater heating apparatus
and steam fittings, _ ____ ____ , 45.19 44. 70 45.11
Stam ped and enam eled ware and galvan
izing. ____ _ __________________
40. 57 40. 04 36.95
Fabricated stru ctu ral and ornam ental
m e ta lw o rk ,,.
, .
,
___ 45. 44 46.43 44.92
Bolts, nuts, washers, and r iv e ts ________ 40. 76 42.97 41.96
Forgings, iron and stee l,, , ___ . ,
___ 54. 09 53. 09 49. 56
Firearm s.
56. 70 55. 81 58. 02
Electrical m achinery ___________
___ , 44. 30 43. 71 43. 77
Electrical e q u ip m e n t5
46.41 45. 23 45. 30
Radios, and phonographs
38. 53 38. 25 37. 28
C om m unication e q u ip m e n t5___________ 39. 98 40. 29 41.25
M achinery, except electrical __
49.64 49. 34 47. 68
M achinery and machine-shop products 4 . 48. 65 48. 30 46. 95
Engines and turbines, excluding aircraft
engines 4_______________
56. 25 55.36 53. 33
A gricultural m achinery, excluding trac
tors 6 7 , _
.....
42. 66 42.85 37.82
T ra c to rs 7, . . . . ___ _____
47. 46 48.16 46. 30
M achine tools
. .
53.18 52.32 50. 72
Textile m achinery______________
42. 39 43. 90 42.41
T y p e w riters., . _____
__________
42.31 42.88 39. 87
Cash registers, adding and calculating
machines . . _________ _ _____ _
52.99 51.96 53. 21
Automobiles______________________________ 54.38 52.72 51.85
T ransportation equipm ent, except autom o
b ile s.. ____________ . _
55.29 53.33 54.18
Locomotives 7_______
59.17 56.49 53. 57
Cars, electric-an d steam -railroad,, . , - 42. 35 47.75 44. 54
Aircraft and parts, excluding aircraft
______ __ _ ___
engines
46. 44 45. 77 46. 55
Aircraft engines 4
_ _____
64.86 59.24 60. 36
Shipbuilding and boatbuilding _____
60.75 57. 53 58.60
Nonferrous m etals and their products _____ 43.99 43. 31 42.15
P rim ary sm elting and refining 3_________ 43.18 39. 20 38. 09
Alloying; and rolling and draw ing (of nonferrous m etals, except alum inum )4___ _ 48.03 48.82 49.03
Clocks and w atch es8 .
.
$37. 37 $36.85 $35.82
Jew elry (precious metals) and jewelers’
findings 4__ _ . . .
38. 20 36. 69 34. 95
Silverware and plated w are_____________ 40. 96 40. 25 37. 83
Lighting equipm ent . . . . . . . _ _ . _____ 44. 55 40. 74 39. 51
A lum inum m a n u fa c tu re s... ,
.
. . . . 46. 56 46.16 44. 72
Lum ber and tim ber basic products
______ 28. 56 29. 52 28. 01
Sawmills
.. .
27.43 28. 69 27. 22
Planing and plywood m ills 8
_____
32.08 32. 23 30. 68
Fu rn itu re and finished lum ber products
29.34 29. 33 27. 66
F u rn itu re ...
. . .
30. 05 30. 50 28. 90
Stone, clay, and glass products ._ . _ _ ____ 33. 57 33. 52 31.44
Glass. __ ______________ . . .
...
34.73 35.40 31.28
Cem ent _ ___________ _ _
36. 51 35. 91 35. 29
Brick, tile, and terra cotta 8 ____________ 29.19 28.99 27. 72
P o ttery and related p roducts___________ 30. 77 30. 29 29.11
M arble, granite, slate, and o th e r3_______ 32. 67 32.98 31.00
Asbestos products _____ . ____ ______ 39.44 39. 33 39.08
See footnotes at end of table.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Average wTeekly
hours 1
Average hourly
earnings 1
Oct. Sept. Nov.
1942 1942 1942
Oct. Sept.
1942’ 1942
44.0
46.0
41.1
43.6
45.7
40.6
Cents Cents Cents
42.4 89.9 88.7 88.6
44.6 100. 3 98.8 99. 5
39.5 76.3 75.7 75.0
43.9
43.4
42.1 100. 0
42. 0
46.2
44.8
41. 6
47. 0
47. 5
41.0
45. 7
44.2
41.9
46. 1
46.6
39.9 107. 8 107.1 107.9
45.5 99.2 99.4 98. 1
42.8 81.2 81.7 78.9
40.8 79.7 79.3 77.6
45.0 90.5 89.6 89.2
44.8 85.6 85.3 82. 5
48.0
47.2
45.5
48.1
46. 5
45.2
46. 5
43. 6
42.5
89. 0
83.0
87.9
99.4
88.1
82.6
87.5
99.7
87. 0
81.0
86.4
44.4
44.7
42.5
87.1
87.1
85.6
47.8
47.6
46.3
94.7
94.0
97. 5
45.3
45.1
42.3
89.6
88.8
87.4
46.8
44. 0
47.9
49. 2
46.8
47.4
46.2
46.1
48.7
49.0
47.6
46.0
48.1
49. 0
46.4
47.0
46.1
45.9
48.6
49.0
46.5 97.6 97.6 96. 6
44.9 92.5 93. 5 93. 5
45. 6 112.4 110.5 108.8
48.8 115. 3 113 9 119. 0
45.7 95.2 94.7 96.3
46.4 97.9 97. 0 98.3
44.9 83. 0 83.0 83. 0
45.2 86.8 87.9 91. 5
47.2 102.4 101.7 101.3
47.8 98.6 98.3 97.9
49. 5
49.6
47.7 113.1 111.9 112.3
43.1
44.6
52.8
48.3
48.1
43.7
45.0
52. 5
50.3
49.1
39.0 99.0 98.0 97.0
42.9 105.4 106.1 106.9
51.2 100.7 99.8 99. 0
49.4 87.4 87.4 85. 9
45.1 88.0 87.4 88. 5
48.2
45.3
47.7
44.9
47.0 110.8 109.8 114.3
43.7 120.3 117.2 118.8
47.6
48.6
40.7
47.1
48.4
43.9
46.6 114.2 111.3 114.2
47.7 119.6 116.6 112.3
41.9 104.2 108. 7 106. 3
46.6
51.2
48.0
46.2
45.6
46.3
48.2
47.6
45.6
42.2
46.3 99.4 99.1 101. 1
48.0 123.7 122.9 124.8
47.0 126.3 120.8 124.7
44.3 98.0 97.9 97.9
41.5 94.7 93. 0 91.6
45.7
45.9
46.5
45. 6
45.7 105.2 105.1 107.7
44. 5 81.2 80.9 80.5
45.9
46.1
44.8
47.1
41.7
40.9
44.3
42.8
43.1
40.0
39.7
42.4
39.8
39.9
39.7
46.3
45.3
46.4
44.2
45.8
42.5
42.0
44.3
42.8
43.3
39.8
39.9
41.7
39.8
39.4
40.3
46.0
44.4
43.7
42.9
44.8
41.0
40.6
42.6
41.0
41.5
37.9
36.7
40. 6
38.7
38.3
38.9
44.2
81.2 79.6
88.8 86.8
93. 5 92. 2
98.6 100.9
68.5 69.4
67. 0 68.4
73.0 72.9
70.5 70.5
70.3 70.7
82.1 82.3
87.8 88.9
86.0 86.1
73.3 72.5
77.0 77.4
80.0 80.0
87.3 87.2
78.6
86.6
92. 1
99.7
68.2
67. 1
72.0
69.5
70.0
81.0
85.4
87. 0
71. 2
76.4
79. 5
88.4
405
Trend of Employment and Unemployment
T a b l e 3 . —Hours
and Earnings in Specified Months—Continued
MANUFACTURING—Continued
Average weekly
earnings 1
Industry
Textiles and apparel and other finished prod
ucts. __ . . . ------- - ----------------- ---- ---Textile-m ill products and other fiber
m anufactures
C otton manufactures, except sm all
__________ __ - wares _ _ C otton sm all wares__________ . . . .
Silk and rayon goods_______________
Woolen and worsted manufactures,
except dyeing and finishing_______
_____ ___ _
H osiery.. .
K n itted cloth 7
..
. . .
K n itted outerwear and k n itted gloves.
K n itted u n d e rw e a r.. .
. ..
D yeing and finishing textiles, including woolen and w orsted___ . . .
Carpets and rugs, wool
_______
H ats, fu r-felt._ _ .
.
. . . . . . ..
Apparel and other finished textile products______________ . . ------------------M en’s clothing__ ____ . ------- -----Shirts, collars, and n ig h tw e a r4 . . . .
Underw ear and neckwear 4
W om en’s clothing 3 7 .
. . . _______
Corsets, and allied garments 7_______
M illinery_____________________ ____
Leather and leather p roducts. . . . ------------Ijfiather
Boots and shoes ____ . ______ . . .
Food and kindred p ro d u cts.. . --------- . . .
Slaughtering and m eat packing. ______
B u tte r____ ______ __________________ ..
Ice cream
F lo u r_________________________________
B aking. ________
_____ . -----Sugar refining, cane.
Sugar, b e et__________________ _______
Confectionery . . . . . . .
. . . -----Beverages, nonalcoholic 9
. . . ____
M alt liquors 39_____ . . . ____ . . . ____
Canning and preserving________________
'Tobacco manufactures ._
. . .
Cigarettes 10_________ ________________
C ig a rs10
. . . . . . . . . ______ _ .
. Chewing and smoking tobacco and snuff..
T aper and allied products__________________
Paper and p u l p _______ ______
P aper boxes . . . _____
_
_ ...
Printing, publishing, and allied industries___
Newspapers and periodicals.. .
Book and jo b .. . . .
.......................... .
Chem icals and allied products.
_________
P ain ts, varnishes, and colors .
.
....
D rugs, medicines, and insecticides 4_________
Soaps_________________________________
Rayon and allied products, i
_____ .
Chem icals. . . . ____ _ ______ _______
Explosives and safety fuses L . . . _____
A mmunition 3 ___ ____ . _ . . . . . . .
Fireworks
Cottonseed oil____________ . . . ____ . . .
Fertilizers___ _ . . ___ _____ _________
Products of petroleum and coal_____________
Petroleum refining . . . .
. .
...
R ubber products . .
...
.
...
R ubber tires and inner tu b e s_____ ______
R ubber boots and shoos___________ ____
R ubb er goods, oth er_____
.
. .
Miscellaneous in d u strie s... . . . . . . . . . . . .
Professional and scientific instrum ents
and fire control eq u ip m e n t___________
See footnotes at end of table.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Nov.
1942
Oct.
1942
Average weekly
hours 1
Sept. Nov.
1942 1942
Oct.
1942
Average hourly
earnings 4
Sept. N ov.
1942 1942
Oct. Sept.
1942 1942
C e n ts
C e n ts
$25. 29 $25. 21 $23. 99
39.5
39.3
37.8
64.7
64.7
64.1
2G. 16 25. 84 24.96
40.8
40.4
39.4
64.4
64.2
63.6
23. 62 23. 39 23.12
30. 56 31.46 29.97
25. 46 25.31 24. 69
41.0
43. 6
41.1
40.6
44.4
40.9
40. 2
42.7
40.4
57.7
70.4
61.9
57.6
71.1
61.5
57.5
70.4
61.1
31. 53
24. 57
29. 04
24. 52
23. 06
30.40
22. 05
26. 80
21. 60
20. 57
40.2
38.1
42.9
40. 0
40.5
39.7
38.2
41.6
39.3
40.0
39.1
35.2
39.6
36.4
37.8
78.9
64. 5
68.5
61.5
56.2
78.3
64.3
68.2
61.0
56. 0
77.9
62.8
68. 0
58.8
54.5
30.47 30. 32 28. 91
34. 77 34. 69 33. 30
34. 26 31.10 26.19
43.5
42.0
38.5
43.1
42.2
36.2
41.6
40. 7
30.0
71.0
83.0
90. 0
70.9
82.5
86,3
69.4
82.0
87.9
23.96
25. 66
20. 90
20.21
27. 48
24. 75
25. 71
27. 79
36.03
25.97
31.84
34. 52
29. 70
34. 07
35.92
32. 32
30. 00
37. 67
25.80
28.52
41.57
25.18
24.91
29.00
21. 74
25. 28
34.01
37.18
30.44
38. 60
42.88
36.81
38.10
37. 86
30. 27
37. 54
32. 68
44.32
45. 91
38. 89
33. 02
21.39
22. 69
45. 66
48.85
41.57
47. 65
36.18
35.81
37. 35
22.54
24.18
18.88
18. 58
25. 67
21.97
32.02
25.78
33. 09
25. 93
29.91
32. 62
28. 01
32. 91
33. 79
31.72
33. 55
31.61
23. 59
28.87
43.41
24.88
23.02
28.31
19.27
24. 02
31. 26
34. 10
27.80
36.64
41. 86
34.07
37.61
36.11
29.50
37.03
33. 38
41. 70
46. 31
39. 72
33. 30
19.23
23. 23
42. 95
45.19
39. 27
45. 80
33.78
33. 64
35. 45
36.8
36.5
38.1
35.7
36.8
40. 3
29.6
39.0
42. 2
37.9
42.7
42.0
47.7
46. 5
46.7
43. 2
40.5
51.8
41.9
41.9
40.8
37.5
40.8
41.6
40. 2
40.3
44.0
44.8
43.5
39.5
36.5
41.1
42. 7
42.3
41.7
41.9
39.4
43.2
46.3
45. 6
43.3
52.2
38.5
41.8
41.7
43.6
42.9
44.8
44.0
44.6
36.8
36.5
37.6
35.8
37.1
39.7
32.3
38.9
41.5
38.1
41.9
41.4
47.3
46.0
47. 5
43. 1
36.5
42.2
41.4
42.8
40.8
37.6
40.4
41.3
40.1
38.9
43.4
44.2
42.8
38.5
36. 1
40. 1
42. 3
41.8
41.7
41.1
39.5
42.6
46.0
45.0
41. 7
52.7
39.2
40.5
40.1
42.7
41.8
43.7
43.3
44.1
34.7
34.6
35.2
34.1
34.3
36.8
33.9
36.6
39. 6
35.9
42.0
40.1
46. 7
46. 2
44.9
43.4
37.4
36.9
39. 2
43.2
41.9
41.1
38.6
40. 7
37.2
38.3
40.8
41.4
40.3
38.2
35.7
40. 1
41. 5
41.2
40.0
41. 2
39.5
41. 1
45.7
45.2
42. 6
45.1
39.1
39.5
38.8
41. 6
41.2
42.8
41. 5
42.7
65.4
70.5
55.0
56.0
65.1
60.9
75.5
71.5
85. 5
68.3
76.3
82.3
61.7
71.5
77.1
74.6
74.1
72.8
61.7
70.6
102.2
68.5
60.5
69.9
54.3
62.7
77.2
83.1
70.1
97.7
115.3
88.9
88.4
89.0
73.1
89.7
82.9
102.7
99.1
85.3
76. 3
40.7
58.5
109.3
117.4
95.6
112.1
80.8
81.4
83.4
65. 9
70.2
54.9
55.1
66.3
60.5
76.4
71.0
84. 2
68.3
75.7
82.1
61.7
70.9
76.9
74.1
76.8
73. 0
61.4
70.7
102. 5
67.7
59. 6
68. 9
53.5
62.1
77. 1
82.8
70.2
97.3
114.6
88.6
88.3
88.3
74.2
90. 3
83.4
101.9
98.2
86.4
76. 4
40. 1
58.9
108.1
116.0
94.9
111. 5
79.2
81.4
81.6
65.2
70. 1
53.8
53.4
64.7
59.8
80.3
70.5
83.7
67.7
72.8
81.3
59.9
69.6
75.5
73.3
80.5
85. 7
60.3
69. 7
103.7
62.2
59.1
69.6
51.9
62. 8
76.7
82. 5
69.3
96.0
114.9
85. 4
89.9
87.9
73.2
89.8
84.5
101.4
101.3
88 0
78. 1
42.6
59.3
108.8
116.5
94.8
111.4
7S. 9
81.2
82.8
49.65 48.17 50.24
52.2
52.2
51.0
95.1
92.4
98.5
31.13
24.15
28.30
24.16
22. 76
24.17
25. 56
20. 65
19. 93
28.17
23.99
29.38
27.58
34. 89
26.03
30.97
34. 02
29.25
33.34
36. 36
31.90
28.01
30.90
25. 30
29. 05
41.69
24. 93
24. 32
28. 46
21.34
24.38
33. 46
36. 59
29.89
37. 51
42.29
35. 32
37. 73
36. 79
30.84
37.14
32.96
43. 38
45.09
38. 92
31. 87
21.25
23.10
43.80
46.56
40. 39
46. 55
34. 65
35.07
36.23
C e n ts
406
Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
T a b l e 3.— Hours
and Earnings in Specified Months—Continued
NONMANUFACTURING
A v e ra g e w e e k ly
e a rn in g s 1
A v e ra g e w e e k ly
h o u rs 1
A v e ra g e h o u r ly
e a rn in g s 1
I n d u s try
N ov.
1942
O c t.
1942
S e p t.
1942
C o a l m in in g :
A n th r a c i t e 11 _ _ _ _
$35.05 $34. 36 $35. 40
B i t u m i n o u s ____ _____ ______
36. 71 36. 56 35. 64
M e ta llif e r o u s m i n i n g .................._
41.16 40.11 39.16
Q u a r r y in g a n d n o n m e ta l lie m i n in g
33. 98 34 01 32 85
C r u d e p e t r o le u m p r o d u c t io n
41.74 42.26 42. 38
P u b l i c u t i l i t i e s : 12
T e le p h o n e a n d te le g r a p h .
33. 90 33. 67 34.10
E l e c t r i c lig h t a n d p o w e r
40. 52 40. 71 40. 59
S tr e e t ra ilw 'a 5Ts a n d b u s s e s ___ __
42. 05 40.98 40. 39
T ra d e :
W h o le s a le 12___________
_ ____ _
37. 32 36. 52 36.08
R e t a i l 12 __ ________ __ ________
23. 20 23. 36 23.41
F o o d ___________ _
27.09 26. 75 27.07
G e n e ra l m e r c h a n d is in g
_. _
19.43 19. 75 19.76
A p p a re l
___ _ _ .
24.12 23. 74 23.93
F u r n i t u r e a n d h o u s e f u r n i s h i n g s ______ 33.48 33.06 32.16
A u to m o t iv e _____ ______ __
35. 56 33. 46 32 65
L u m b e r a n d b u il d in g m a te r i a ls
32.98 33.09 32.01
H o te ls (y e a r - r o u n d ) 12___ ________
18. 56 18. 60 17. 95
L a u n d r i e s ____________________
21. 86 21. 57 21.15
D y e in g a n d c l e a n i n g s . .
25. 48 25. 23 24. 49
B r o k e r a g e 1213______
.... .
43.03 43. 24 41.86
I n s u r a n c e 12 . . . .
38. 66 38. 26 37. 67
B u il d in g c o n s tr u c tio n ______________
45. 90 45. 36 45. 40
N ov.
1942
O c t.
1942
S e p t.
1942
N ov.
1942
O c t.
1942
S e p t.
1942
C e n ts
C e n ts
C e n ts
35.7
34.4
44. 4
45 .6
38.6
35.1
34 .2
4 4 .0
45.7
39.8
35.8
3 3 .5
4 3 .2
4 4 .7
39.9
99.3
98.4
98. 6
107.3 107. 5 106. 5
92.8
9 1 .3
9 0 .6
74.7
74.4
7 3 .8
105. 7 103.9 103. 7
4 0 .7
40.1
4 9 .0
4 0 .6
4 0 .5
4 7 .9
41.4
40.1
47.4
83. 5 8 3 .3
100.1 100. 0
84 .7
8 4 .0
4 1 .7
4 0 .7
4 0 .9
36.9
3 6 .6
4 4 .6
4 8 .3
4 2 .7
44 .3
43 .3
42 .9
4 1 .7
4 0 .9
40.9
37.3
3 6 .7
4 4 .2
47 .8
43.4
45 .0
43. 3
43 .5
41. 2
41. 1
4 1 .2
37. 5
36.8
44 .0
47 .5
42 .2
4 5 .3
43. 1
43. 1
W)
(H )
(14)
(H )
(14)
38.0
04)
37.9
37.8
89.3
62. 5
63 .5
52.0
65.9
77.9
71 .6
79.8
4 1 .0
51.0
6 1 .7
(14)
(14)
120.9
8 7 .9
62.3
63. 0
52. 0
64.8
7 7 .6
70.5
7 8 .5
4 0 .6
50. 2
60.1
(14)
(14)
119.8
82. 9
100. 5
83. 6
87.8
62. 1
62. 9
51.9
64. 7
7 5 .5
6 9 .3
7 8 .8
3 9 .2
4 9 .6
5 8 .8
(14)
(H )
120. 1
1 These figures are based on reports from cooperating establishm ents covering both full- and part-tim e
employees who worked during any p a rt of one pay period ending nearest the 15th of the m onth. As not
all reporting firms furnish m an-hour data, average hours and average hourly earnings are based on a smaller
sample th a n are w eekly earnings. W eekly earnings for m anufacturing groups are now weighted, and are
therefore not comparable w ith the unw eighted series published in the N ovem ber 1942 and earlier issues of
the M o n th ly Labor Review.
2 N ew subdivisions; B last furnaces, steel works, and rolling m ills and steel castings were combined in
the N ovem ber 1942 and earlier issues of M o n th ly Labor Review.
3 Revisions in the following industries have been m ade as indicated:
S t e e l c a s tin g s — August hourly earnings to 95.9 cents.
M a r b l e —August average w eekly earnings, average hours, and average hourly earnings, to $30.78, 38.6,
and 79.1 cents.
M a l l liq u o r s — Ju ly average w eekly earnings, average hours, and average hourly earnings, to $44.10,42.3,
and 103.5 cents.
A m m u n i t i o n — June, Ju ly , and A ugust average w eekly earnings to $39.27, $39.98, and $40.58; June and
Ju ly average hours to 46.3 and 46.4; June, Ju ly , and A ugust average hourly earnings to 84.9, 86.2, and 87.4
cents.
W o m e n ’s c lo th in g — August w eekly earnings to $26.38.
4 N ew series—agrees w ith Standard In d u strial Classification definition.
5 New subdivisions; Electrical equipm ent and com m unication equipm ent were combined in the N o
vem ber 1942 and earlier issues of M o n th ly Labor Review.
6 N ew subdivisions; A gricultural im plem ents and Tractors were combined in the N ovem ber 1942 and
earlier issues of the M o n th ly Labor Review.
7 Because of changes in the composition of the reporting sam ple, hours and earnings are not comparable
w ith those previously published as indicated:
L o c o m o t i v e s — Average w eekly earnings and average hourly earnings (comparable August $53.36 and
111.3 cents).
A g r i c u l t u r a l m a c h i n e r y — Average w eekly earnings and average h ourly earnings (no com parable August).
1 r a c to r s — Average w eekly earnings (no comparable A ugust).
K n i t c lo th — Average w eekly earnings, and average hourly earnings (comparable August $27.32 and 66.4
cents).
W o m e n ’s c l o t h i n g - Average w eekly earnings (comparable Ju ly $24.37).
C o r s e ts — Average hourly earnings (comparable A ugust 58.4 cents).
8 In d u stry definitions changed slightly to conform to Standard In dustrial Classification, not strictly
comparable w ith previously published series.
9 N ew subdivisions: Nonalcoholic beverages and m a lt liquors were combined in the N ovem ber 1942 and
earlier issues of the M o n th ly Labor Review.
10 New subdivisions: Cigarettes and cigars were combined in the N ovem ber 1942 and earlier issues of
the M onthly Labor Review.
11 See table 7 of October 1940 “ E m ploym ent and P a y rolls” for revised figures for anthracite m ining,
February 1940 to September 1940, inclusive.
12 N ot comparable w ith figures published in E m ploym ent and P a y rolls pam phlet prior to January 1939
as they exclude corporation officers, executives, and other employees wiiose duties are m ainly supervisory.
13 See note 18 in tab le 9 in the Ju ly 1941 issue of “ E m ploym ent and P ay rolls” for revised average weekly
earnings in the brokerage in d u stry Jan u ary 1939 to Jan u ary 1941.
14 N ot available.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
■
T a b l e 4 .—-Indexes
V
9
of Employment and Pay Rolls in Selected Manufacturing 1and Nonmanufacturing 2 Industries, November 1941 to November 1942
EM PL O Y M EN T
in d u stry
Aver N ovem Decem Jan u
ary
age
ber
ber
April
M ay
June
Ju ly
Octo N ovem
A ugust Septem
ber
ber
ber
130.3
151.3
113.7
138.4
164.2
118.1
138.3
164.5
117.6
136.6
164.2
114.8
138.7
167.2
116.3
140.6
170.5
117.0
142.2
173.8
117.3
143.5
177.2
116.9
145.1
181.5
116.5
148.5
186. 1
118.8
152.1
191.1
121.3
154.6
194.2
123.3
155.5
198.2
121.8
156.6
201.6
121.1
49.7
86.2
77.6
49.8
61.0
86.3
92. 7
69.3
94.0
98.0
95.0
108.5
115.1
50.2
95.1
79.5
52.6
60.9
90.1
93.4
70.2
96.3
103. 0
96.1
108.9
117.2
49.1
95.5
80.2
50.9
61.1
90.0
93.1
70.6
96. 3
113.0
95.3
108.4
113.3
49.0
95.1
80.7
46.8
61. 3
90.4
92.0
70.4
94.9
95.4
94.2
108.8
109.8
48.8
94. 5
81.0
46.7
60.6
90.3
90.5
70.7
94.3
94.0
94.1
107.6
109.5
48.4
93.7
81.9
47.7
59.7
90. 5
89.6
71.2
93.9
94. 4
93.5
107.9
113.8
47.8
93.5
81.9
50.3
58.8
91.2
88.9
72.1
92.7
94.3
95. 2
110.3
121. 3
48.2
92.9
82.2
51.7
58. 1
91.7
88.0
72.9
91.2
94.0
96. 1
113. 7
127.6
45.5
92.7
81.8
51.9
57.5
92.5
87. 7
74.0
90.4
92.8
95.5
114.8
130.1
46.8
93.0
81.5
51.6
57.1
93. 5
86.9
74.8
89.7
90.3
94.4
119.1
126.9
46.7
92.3
80.3
51.5
56.7
93.8
85.9
75.0
90.2
89.4
93.4
117.4
123.7
46.2
46.6
91.6
90.6
78. 6
77.7
50. 7
50.0
55.9
55.5
93.6
93.3
84. 2
82.6
75.7
75.9
89.4
90.0
91. 7
94.6
93.9 ) ) i
116.4
115.9
123.0
124.8
46.2
89.3
79.1
48. 5
55.0
93.1
81.3
75.9
89.3
96.8
95.3
114.2
119. 7
Nonmanu] acturing
A n th racite m ining 3____ . . . __________ ______________
B itum inous-coal m ining 3___________ ______ _________
M etalliferous m in in g 6 .
________
. ...
...
Q uarrying and nonm etallic m ining.
. ...
C rude-petroleum production. . . . __
___.
Telephone and telegraph 7____ ____ ____ _____
_____
Electric light and power 7._ . ._ . . . ______ ________
Street railw ays and busses 78__________________________
W holesale t r a d e __ _____
. . . . ..
R etail trad e 7_____ _______________ . . . . . . . . ____ ._
Y ear-round hotels 3._ _ . __ . . .
...
L a u n d rie s 3____ ______ ____ . . .
. ____
___ _ . . .
D yeing and cleaning 3__ . . . . . . .
. . . . .
See fo o tn o te s a t e n d o f ta b le .
407
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Trend of Employment and Unemployment
M anujacturing
All industries
..
_ _
_________ ________
___
D u rab le goods3 __ __ _____ _________________
N ondurable goods 4________________________________
F eb ru M arch
ary
able
4 . — Indexes
of Employment and Pay Rolls in Selected Manufacturing 1 and Nonmanufacturing 2 Industries, November 1941 [to November
1942—Continued
408
T
PAY ROLLS
1942
1941
In d u stry
Ja n u F e b ru M arch
ary
ary
April
M ay
June
July
A ugust Septem [Octo N ovem
ber
ber
ber
199.3
132.0
185.0
228. 0
143.0
191. 0
236. 0
147.1
195.9
248.6
144. 4
202.9
'257. 9
149.1
209.2
267. 3
152. 3
214. 8
277. 2
153. 7
221.2
288.2
155.7
226. 5
299. 1
155.4
234.3
310.3
160.0
245. 8
327.3
166.1
252. 6
337. 2
169.8
261. 3
350. 6
174.0
270.6
366. 6
176. 6
41.4
99.6
81.9
51.8
60.5
112. 7
111.2
75.4
87.1
93.4
88.5
99.3
90.4
41.8
116.4
89.8
57.5
64.2
118.3
115.2
78.5
91.6
98.5
93.2
101.9
93.0
35.9
119.9
93.7
55.8
64.6
122.9
115.2
80.0
92.8
107.8
93.3
102.6
88.6
39.4
117.1
94. 3
48.9
64.8
120. 9
114.6
80.5
91. 8
94.6
91.5
103.8
86. 5
49.6
118. 2
98.4
52.0
64.8
120.9
113. 7
83.7
93. 7
93.9
92.6
102. 5
85.6
50.9
116. 7
99. 1
54. 4
62.6
121. 8
113. 5
84. 7
93.9
93. 7
91.6
104. 3
92. 7
44.7
118.3
99.1
58.1
63.2
122. 2
113.5
84.4
92. 2
93.6
93.5
108. 6
1051 7
51.5
122.1
100. 8
63.0
62.0
125.0
113.6
86.8
91.7
94.0
95. 4
113. 8
113. 1
56.0
140.3
102.0
65. 1
62.9
125.3
113.6
89.4
91.0
93.4
96.6
115.2
117.7
45. 9
112. 7
99. 3
65.9
62. 4
126.0
113.4
91.0
91. 3
91.8
96.5
117.8
109. 2
48.2
118. 6
102.1
67.4
62.4
127.4
112.8
93.8
91.7
91.4
96.6
116.8
106.4
50.2
122. 2
99. 1
67. 5
64. 9
130. 5
112. 5
93. ö
92. 3
93.1
98. 5
117. 3
107.9
48.3
124.8
99.8
68. 9
64.1
128. 4
111. 1
95. 3
94. 6
96. 4
103. 2
118.9
112.5
49.2
123. 9
104. 1
66. 4
62. 6
129. 0
109. 4
97. 8
96. 3
99. 2
103. 9
118. 5
107. 9
Nonmanujacturing
A nthracite m ining 5_____ _________________ __________
B itu m in o u s-co alm in in g 3____. . . . ___________
_ ___
M etalliferous m ining «___ _ . ___. . ______ . . _ _ _ _ _ _
Q uarrying and nonm etallic m ining______________ ______
C rude-petroleum production______ ______ ________
Telephone and telegraph 7__ . . . . __________ . _____
Electric light and p o w e r7 _
..........
Street railw ays and busses 78____ ____ _ . ______ ______
W holesale tra d e ____________ ________ . . . . . _______
R etail tr a d e 7 . . . _______ . . . . . . . . . . ___ . . . . . . . . . .
Year-round h o te ls 5_____ . . . . . . .
. ____
L a u n d ries1 . . . . . . . ___________ _ _.
___________
D yeing and cleaning 5___ ______ _______ ____ _________
1 1939 average=100—adjusted to 1940 and prelim inary 1941 d ata supplied by B ureau of
E m ploym ent Security. N o t comparable w ith previously published indexes.
2 1929 a v erag e= 100. Com parable indexes for wholesale trade, quarrying, m etal m ining,
a n d crude petroleum production are in N ovem ber 1934 and subsequent issues of “ E m
ploym ent and P ay Rolls” or in February 1935 and subsequent issues of M onthly Labor
Review. For other nonm anufacturing indexes see notes 5, 6, and 7.
3 Includes th e following groups: Iron and steel and th eir products; m achinery except
electrical; transportation equipm ent except automobiles; nonferrous m etals and their
products; lum ber and tim ber basic products; stone, clay, and glass products; electrical
m achinery; automobiles; and furniture a n d finished lum ber products.
4 Includes th e following groups: Textiles and finished textile products; leather and
leather products; food and kindred products; tobacco m anufactures; paper and allied
products; chemicals and allied products; products of petroleum and coal; rubber products;
textile-mill products and other fiber manufactures; apparel and other finished textile
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products; printing, publishing, and allied industries; and a num ber of miscellaneous
industries not included in other groups.
3 Indexes have been adjusted to the 1935 Census. Com parable series from January 1929
forward are presented in January 1938 and subsequent issues of “ E m ploym ent and P ay
Rolls.” See also table 7 of October 1940 “ E m ploym ent a nd P a y Rolls” for revised figures
for anthracite mining, F ebruary to Septem ber 1940.
« See table of February 1941 “ Em ploym ent and P a y Rolls” for revised indexes Jan u ary
1938 to Jan u ary 1941.
7 R etail-trade indexes adjusted to 1935 census and public-utility indexes to 1937 census.
N ot comparable w ith indexes published in “ E m ploym ent and P a y Rolls” prior to
January 1940 or in M onthly Labor Review prior to A pril 1940. Com parable series, Ja n u
ary 1929 to April 1942, available in m imeographed form.
3 Covers street railways and trolley and m otorbus operations of subsidiary, affiliated,
and successor companies.
Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
M anujacturing
All in d u strie s... ..................
. . . ____ . .
________
D urable goods3_______ ____ ______ _ . _____ . . . .
N ondurable goods 4________________________________
A ver N ovem- Decem
ber
ber
age
409
Trend of Employment and Unemployment
E M P L O Y M E N T A N D U N E M P L O Y M E N T IN
DECEMBER 1942
A DECLINE of 200,000 in the number of unemployed persons carried
unemployment to a new low of 1,500,000 in December 1942, accord
ing to returns from the Bureau of the Census Monthly Report on the
Labor Force. The size of the civilian labor force declined by 1,100,000
persons between November and December, while employment de
creased by 900,000. All of the 900,000 decrease in the number of
employed persons was accounted for by the seasonal decline in agri
cultural employment (table 1).
In the year since the attack on Pearl Harbor, the number of women
in the labor force increased by 1,700,000, while the number ol men
decreased by 2,300,000. As a result, the size of the civilian labor
force dropped by only 600,000, despite the large drain of men into the
armed services.
Women also accounted for all of the increase in the number of em
ployed workers during this period. In the year ending December 1942,
the increase in the number of employed women (2,300,000) was more
than enough to counterbalance the decline of 600,000 employed males.
T able
1.— Estimated Civilian Labor Force, by Employment Status and by Sex,
April 1940—December 1942
[Source: U. S. D epartm ent of Commerce, B ureau of the Census]
Estim ated num ber (millions of persons)
Female T otal
Female Total
M ale
Female
11.0
11.0
11.2
10.8
10.8
11.2
10.8
10.5
10.6
8.8
8.4
8.6
9.3
8.9
7.0
7.4
7.4
7.1
6.5
6.0
5.9
2.3
2.4
2. 7
6.3
6.0
3.0
2.9
2.2
2.3
2.1
35.1
35.4
35.4
36.2
37.0
38.3
38.9
38.8
38.0
37.9
37.7
37.6
10. 2
10.3
10.4
10.6
11.5
11.9
12.0
12.2
12.3
12.3
12.5
12.6
7.7
7.2
6.9
6.7
5.7
6.0
5.7
5.4
4. 5
37.0
37.2
37.6
37.8
38.4
39.4
39.9
39.7
38.2
38.1
37.5
37.0
11.9
12.2
13.3
12.9
13.2
13.9
14.1
14.3
14.2
14.3
15.3
14.9
M ale
T otal
M ale
53.9
54.7
56.2
56.9
56.6
54.9
54.4
53.7
53.4
40.6
41.3
42.3
43.1
42.9
41.5
41.3
41.1
40.9
13.3
13.4
13.9
13.8
13.7
13.4
13.1
12.6
12.5
45.1
46.3
47.6
47.6
47.7
47.9
47. 0
46.3
46.3
34.1
35.3
36.4
36.8
36. 9
36.7
36.2
35.8
35.7
1941
Jan u ary
_ ____
February
___
M arch
April
M ay
_
.
J une
July
_______________
August
September
October
Novem ber
December
- ___
53.0
52.9
52.7
53.5
54.2
56.2
56.6
56.4
54.8
54. 1
54.1
54.0
40.7
40.6
40.4
40.9
40.9
42.3
42.6
42.4
41.0
40.4
40.3
40.2
12.3
12.3
12.3
12.6
13.3
13.9
14.0
14.0
13.8
13.7
13.8
13.8
45.3
45.7
45.8
46.8
48.5
50.2
50.9
51.0
50.3
50.2
50.2
50.2
1942
J anuary
_
_____
February __ - __M arch
April
__ _____
M ay
June
j uly
_______ _____ _
A11211st
_ - _ _____
September
October
N ovem ber
- - December
53.2
53.4
54.5
53.7
54.2
56.1
56.8
56.2
54.1
54.0
54.5
53.4
40.0
40.0
40.0
39.8
40.0
41.1
41. 6
41.1
39.2
39. 0
38.5
37.9
13.2
13.4
14.5
13.9
14.2
15.0
15.2
15. 1
14.9
15.0
16.0
15.5
48.9
49.4
50.9
50.7
51.6
53.3
54.0
54.0
52.4
52.4
52.8
51.9
April
M ay
j uiie
J uly
August
September
October
Novem ber
December
1940
- ___ _____
--
_
_ __
- ___
__ __- - _
---------
! Includes persons on public emergency projects.
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Unem ployed 1
Em ployed
I^abor force
M onth
3.9
3.9
3.8
4. 8
5.1
5. 3
5. 2
5.6
5.2
5. 0
4. 7
3.9
4. 0
3.7
3. 6
3.0
2. 5
2.6
2. 6
4.3
3.0
4.0
2.8
2. 4
3.6
3.0
2. 6
2.8
2.8
2.2
1.7
1.6
1.7
1.5
2.0
1. 6
1. 7
1. 7
1. 4
1.0
.9
1.0
.9
1. 9
2.1
2.0
1. 9
2.0
1. 8
2.0
2.0
1.8
1. 5
1. 4
1. 3
1.2
1.3
1.2
1.2
1.0
1.0
1.1
i.l
.8
.7
./
.7
.6
410
Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
The largest change during the past year took place among the
unemployed. Between December 1941 and December 1942, the
number of unemployed persons decreased from 3,800,000 to 1,500,000—
a decline of 2,300,000 or more than 60 percent.
T a b l e 2 . — Estimated
Civilian Labor Force, Employment and Unemployment, by Age
Groups, November and December 1940, 1941, and 1942 1
[Source: U . S. D epartm ent of Commerce, B ureau of the Census]
1942
1941
1940
Labor-m arket statu s and age
Decem N ovem Decem Novem Decem N ovem
ber
ber
ber
ber
ber
berEstim ated num ber (millions of persons)
L abor force - __
14 to 24 years
_ ___ _
25 to 54 years _ _
55 years and over. _ __
E m ployed_____ _ .
14 to 24 years ____
25 to 54 years ____
55 years and o v e r. ____
U nem ployed...
_
14 to 24 y e ars____ ____
25 to 54 years .. __
55 years and over ...
53.4
11.1)
33. 5
S. 9
51.9
10.5
32.8
8.0
1. 0
.5
.7
.3
54.5
11.5
34.0
9.0
52.8
11.0
33.2
8.6
1.7
.5
.8
.4
54.0
11.7
34.3
8.0
50.2
10.6
32.4
7.2
3.8
1.1
1.9
.8
54.1
11.9
34.3
7.9
50.2
10.6
32.2
7.4
3.9
1.3
2.1
.5
53.4
11.9
33.7
7.8
46.3
9.5
30.0
6.8
7.1
2.4
3.7
1.0
53. 7
12.2
33. 7
7.8
46.3
9.6
30. 0
6. 7
7. 4
2. 6
3. 7
1.1
U nem ploym ent rate 2 (percent) 3
All age groups ___
14 to 24 years ___
25 to 54 years _ . .
55 years and over . __ _
2.8
3.8
2.0
4.4
3.2
4.3
2.5
4.3
7.0
9.7
5.7
8.7
7.3
10.6
0.0
7.8
13. 3
20.7
10.8
13.2
13.7
21.3
11.0
13.8
Percentage distribution of unem ployed3
All age groups
______
14 to 24 years _ . . .
25 to 54 years _
55 years and over__
. .
100.0
28. 2
45. 7
26.1
100.0
28.5
49.0
22. 5
100.0
29.8
51.9
18.3
100. 0
31.9
52.1
16.0
100. 0
34.6
50.9
14.5
100.0
35. 2
50.2
14.6
1 All d ata exclude persons in institutions. Persons on public emergency work projects are included w ith
the unemployed.
2 Unemployed as a percent of labor force in each age group.
3 Percentages com puted from unrounded num bers.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
La bar Ch ro n o log \
CHRONOLOGY OF LABOR EVENTS,
OCTOBER DECEMBER 1942 1
WITH this issue the Bureau inaugurates a chronology of events in the
labor field, selected as being of importance and significance. It is
desired to make this department as valuable as possible to the users
of the Monthly Labor Review. The Bureau will therefore be
interested to know if the readers find this chronology helpful and will
be glad to receive any suggestions for its improvement.
O CTOBER
1942
Oct. 2 .
Oct, 2-4.
Oct. 3.
Oct. 3.
Oct. 5.
Oct. 5-14.
T he P resid en t approved an a c t authorizing him “to issue a general
order stabilizing prices, wages, and salaries, affecting th e cost of
living. * * * Such sta b iliz a tio n shall so far as practicable
be on th e basis of th e levels w hich existed on S eptem ber 15, 1942.”
(Source: Public L aw 729; for su m m ary , see M onthly L abor
Review , N ovem ber 1942, pp. 917-921.)
T he C onfederated U nions of A m erica (In d ep en d en t) was founded
in C hicago a t a m eeting of 175 delegates, claim ing to represent
39 unions w ith a b o u t 300,000 m em bers. T he an nounced purpose
of th is unification of in d ep en d e n t unions was “ to w ork effectively
for lab o r’s in terests on a n atio n al scale.” N o officer of th e new
organization w ould receive a salary of over $5,000 a y ear; a n d all
th e officers w ould be “ u n d er th e d irect control an d supervision of
an E xecutive B oard com posed of one ra n k a n d file m em ber of
each affiliated u n io n .” (Source: CUA News [M ilw aukee, Wis.],
O ctober 1942.)
T he P resid en t established th e Office of E conom ic S tabilization,
u nder a u th o rity of a c t of O ctober 2. (Source: F ed eral R egister,
vol. 7, pp. 7871-7874; for sum m ary, see M onth ly L abor Review,
N ovem ber 1942, pp. 917-921.)
T he P resid en t by E xecutive order suspended th e 8-h o u r law as
to laborers an d m echanics em ployed by th e Civil A eronautics
A dm inistratio n in necessary w ar w ork. (Source: F ed eral R eg
ister, vol. 7, p. 7933; for sum m ary, see M o n th ly L ab o r Review ,
N ovem ber 1942, p. 924.)
T he Office of Price A d m inistration, in conform ity to th e P resi
d e n t’s directive of O ctober 3, issued orders leading to th e ex
tension of “ re n t control to th e rem ain d er of th e co u n try including
ren tal dwelling u n its in ru ra l areas.” Previously, 363 defense
re n ta l areas h ad been designated in th e U n ited S tates, w ith a
to ta l p o p u la tio n of 90 million. (Source: O PA -890.)
T he A m erican F ed eratio n of L ab o r held its 62d an n u al con
ven tio n a t T oronto, C anada. (F or su m m ary of proceedings, see
M onthly L abor Review, N ovem ber 1942, pp. 1000-1006.)
i Prepared in th e B ureau’s Division of H istorical Studies of W artim e Problem s by E d m u n d N ash.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
411
Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
412
October— continued
1942
Oct. 9.
T he P resid en t approved, by E xecutive order, th e regulations
prescribed by th e Civil Service Com m ission for th e establish
m ent, in each F ederal agency h aving positions an d em ployees
su b ject to th e C lassification A ct of 1923, of one or m ore boards
of review to consider a n d pass upon em ployees’ appeals from
efficiency ratin g s. (Source: F ed eral R egister, vol. 7, pp
8079-8081.)
Oct. 9.
T he N atio n al W ar L abor B oard an nounced th a t it h ad u n a n i
m ously ado p ted a general order exem pting em ployers w ith 8 or
few er em ployees from th e w ag e-ad ju stm en t control of th e E xecu
tiv e order of O ctober 3. On O ctober 14, th e B oard issued a
general order allowing wage a d ju stm en ts, in th e cases of individual
em ployees, on th e basis of len g th of service, increased efficiency,
prom otion, an d as a resu lt of an ap p ren tice or train ee system .
(Source: G eneral O rders Nos. 4 an d 5 of N atio n al W ar L abor
B oard, B -242 a n d B -245.)
Oct. 16.
Because of th e critical shortage of m anpow er in th e nonferrousm etal m ining in d u stry , th e N atio n al W ar L abor B o ard auth o rized
an increase (approved by th e D irecto r of E conom ic S tabiliza
tion on O ctober 24) of $1 a d ay to 10,000 copper, lead, a n d zinc
w orkers in Id ah o and U tah , half of th e increase being p ay ab le to
w orkers who w ould a tta in a certain sta n d a rd of p ro d u ctio n and
co n tin u ity a t w ork. T he increase was m ade retro a c tiv e to M ay
16 for Id a h o an d Ju ly 1 for U ta h ; th e re tro a c tiv e p ay w as to be
in bonds a n d stam p s to those c o n tin u in g a t w ork an d to those
im m ed iately retu rn in g .
T he B oard also created a 5-m ap panel to recom m end specific
plan s a n d policies for th e stab ilizatio n of labor relations in th e
in d u stry . (Source: N a tio n a l W ar L ab o r B oard, B -251, B -263
B-264.)
Oct, 17.
T he W ar M anpow er Com m ission issued G eneral O rder 1 , pro v id
ing tra n sp o rta tio n for an y w orker a n d th ree of his dependents
“ from po in ts in th e co n tin en tal U nited S tates to places of em
ploym ent in th e n o n ferrous-m etal in d u stry in S tates w est of th e
M ississippi R iv e r.” F u n d s had been allocated for th is purpose
from th e E m ergency F u n d of th e P resident on O ctober 8. (Source:
Federal R egister, vol. 7, pp. 8457-8458.)
Oct, 20.
T he W ar M anpow er C om m ission rep o rted on th e a v ailab ility of
m anpow er for in d u stria l purposes th ro u g h o u t th e U nited States.
T he re p o rt listed 227 com m unities a n d areas, divided into th ree
groups: 66 areas w here lab o r shortages existed; 64 areas w here
shortages were a n tic ip a te d ; an d 97 areas w ith labor-surpluses.
T he W ar P ro d u ctio n B oard h ad asked for th is in form ation to
enable w ar p ro cu rem en t agencies to place th e ir c o n tracts w here
lab o r was available. By D ecem ber 7 th e list of areas was ex
ten d ed to 270, w ith th e corresponding figures for th e th ree groups
being 102, 77, a n d 91. (W ar M anpow er Com m ission, P M -4 0 5 2
an d P M -4197.)
Oct. 21.
T he P resid en t ap p ro v ed th e R evenue A ct of 1942, w hich raised
th e no rm al incom e ta x to 6 p ercen t of n et incom e an d th e su rtax
to 13 p ercen t on th e first $2,000 of n e t income, w ith progressive
increases in th e ta x up to a m axim um of 82 p ercen t for net incom e
over $200,000. A fiat 5-percent v icto ry ta x was im posed on all
1943 a n n u al earned incom e of over $624, or on all w eekly incom e
over $ 12 , th e ta x to be ded u cted from wage an d salary p a y m en ts
by all em ployers. (Source: P ublic Law 753.)
Oct. 22 .
T h e N a tio n a l W ar L ab o r B oard, in order to p re v e n t th e p iratin g
of w orkers, in te rp re te d th e E xecutive order of O ctober 3 as prohib itin g “ an em ployer from h iring an in dividual a t a ra te higher
th a n th e one previously established in his p la n t for w orkers of
sim ilar skill an d pro d u ctiv e a b ility .” (Source: N atio n al W ar
L ab o r B oard, B-262.)
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Labor Chronology
October— continued
1942
Oct. 27.
Oct. 27.
413
T he P resid en t ap p ro v ed th e regulations of th e Econom ic S tab iliza
tion D irector, lim iting indiv id u al n e t salary incom es to a m ax i
m um of $25,000. H e also a u th o rized th e N atio n al W ar L ab o r
B oard an d th e Com m issioner of In te rn a l R evenue to control all
wage a n d salary a d ju stm e n ts in conform ity w ith th e E m ergency
Price C ontrol A ct of O ctober 2 . (Source: F ed eral R egister,
vol. 7, pp. 8748-8750 an d 10050-10057; for sum m ary, see
M onthly L ab o r Review, D ecem ber 1942, pp. 1142-1147.)
T he W ar P ro d u ctio n Board announced th e organization of th e
L abor R eq u irem en ts C om m ittee, th e d u ty of w hich w ould be to
inform th e W ar M anpow er Com m ission on th e feasibility of su p
plying lab o r to m eet an y fu tu re p ro d u ctio n program s, a n d on th e
availab ility of various ty p es of lab o r; a n d to create a system of
labor priorities for th e tra n sfe r of lab o r to th e m ore essential in d u s
tries. R egional an d area req u irem en ts com m ittees— like th e one
in operation for some tim e in San F rancisco— w ould be organized
to expedite th e fo rm ulation of local lab or-priorities system s.
(Source: W ar P ro d u ctio n B oard, 2069.)
NOVEMBER
N ov. 2.
Nov. 4.
N ov. 5.
N ov. 6 .
N ov. 6 .
Jo h n L. Lewis, p resid en t of U n ited M ine W orkers of America,
announced th a t th e in te rn a tio n a l h e a d q u a rte rs of th a t union h ad
g ran ted perm ission, for th e first tim e, for w ork on S unday and
holidays, in order to forestall a th re a te n e d coal shortage. M iners
in W ashington, Oregon, M o n tan a, W yom ing, U tah , Colorado,
an d N ew Mexico were affected. T he union also agreed to a N a tio n
wide increase in m iners’ hours of w ork. (Sources: O W I-742;
an d U n ited S ta te s M ine W orkers Jo u rnal, N ov. 15, p. 4.)
T he W ar M anpow er Com m ission a n d th e D e p a rtm e n t of A gricul
tu re offered to re c ru it c o tto n pickers from su rrounding S tates
an d to p ay th e ir tra n sp o rta tio n if th e A rizona C o tto n G row ers’
C ooperative A ssociation -would g u aran tee certain m inim um
requirem en ts as to w orking conditions. (Source: O W I-752.)
T he N a tio n a l W ar L ab o r B oard an nounced th a t it h ad recom
m ended th a t th e G o vernm ent ta k e over th e m an ag em en t of th e
Toledo, P eoria & W estern R ailro ad Co. for th e d u ra tio n of th e
w ar. T he m an ag em en t of th e railro a d h a d refused to com ply
w ith th e B o ard ’s o rd er of S eptem ber 23 on ra te s of p ay an d
w orking conditions of th e carrier’s em ployees. (Source: N atio n al
W ar L ab o r B oard, B -282.)
T he N a tio n a l W ar L ab o r B oard an nounced its policy of approving
increases in wages an d salaries only in exceptional cases, w hen
necessary to correct m a lad ju stm en ts, inequalities, th e sta n d a rd
of living, or to pro m o te th e prosecution of th e w ar. (Source:
N atio n al W ar L abor B oard, B -284; for sum m ary, see M onth ly
L abor Review , D ecem ber 1942, pp. 1144-1147.)
T he W ar M anpow er C om m ission issued th e “ D irective to P rom ote
E m plo y m en t S tab ilizatio n on D airy, Livestock, a n d P o u ltry
F a rm s.” T h e S ecretary of A griculture an d th e U n ited S tates E m
p loym en t Service were d irected to assist in th e re c ru itm e n t of
ad d itio n al w orkers for such farm s. T he A rm y an d N av y had
agreed n o t to accept th e en listm en t of these specified farm w orkers;
w ar co n tracto rs were to be in stru cted n o t to hire th em ; and th e
Selective Service System w ould in stru c t its local boards to defer
them . (Source: F ed eral R egister, vol. 7, pp. 9218-9220; Office of
W ar In fo rm atio n , P M -4 0 6 6 an d O W I-721.)
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
414
Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
November —continued
1942
Nov. 6.
Nov. 9-13.
Nov. 11.
Nov. 13.
Nov. 17.
Nov. 18.
Nov. 22.
Ihe War Manpower Commission announced the availability of a
manning table plan” that it had prepared, together with the
Selective Service System, for the orderly withdrawal of workers
from war industries into the armed forces. The “manning table”
was a listing of jobs, not men; for each plant it would show “the
essential characteristics needed by each worker for each job,
and the estimated length of time required to replace each worker.’’’
(Source. Office of War Information, War Manpower Commission
PM-4096 and PM-4201.)
’
The Congress of Industrial Organizations (C. I. O.) held its 5th
convention in Boston. (For summary of proceedings, see Monthly
Labor Review, December 1942, pp. 1219-1222.)
The Secretary of Labor, acting under the Walsh-Healey Public
Contracts Act, and at the request of the War and Navy Departments and the Maritime Commission, ordered the lowering of
the minimum age of women employed in war industries from 18
to 16. The order contained provisions for the welfare of working
girls under 18. (Source: United States Department of Labor
Division of Public Contracts, 543-42.)
ihe 1 resident approved an act lowering the draft age to 18
exempting from draft registered men aged 45 or over, and auth
orizing the deferment of workers “engaged in an agricultural
occupation or endeavor essential to the war effort ” (SourcePublic Law 772.)
U 1? National Mar Labor Board decided unanimously that its
jurisdiction extended to all labor disputes over wage adjustments
B-3oT)War industries- (Source: National War Labor Board,
Ihe 1 resident directed Montgomery Ward & Co.—even though
not engaged in war industry—to comply with the direction of
the National War Labor Board to sign, with its employees’
union in Chicago, a labor agreement containing a maintenance-ofmembership clause to which the company objected. The com
pany had agreed to sign only if the President would direct it to
do so. (Source: National War Labor Board, B-343.)
I he National War Labor Board announced the appointment of
regional advisory boards to assist its 10 regional directors in the
administration of the wage-stabilization program. Each advisory
board would be composed of 6 persons drawn, by arrangement
for individual convenience, from a pool of 12, representing equally
the public management, and labor (2 from the A. F. of L. and 2
rom the C. I. O.). The Board published a list of 29 industries,
having about 8 million workers, for which the regional directors
would make final decisions concerning wage increases, without
review by the Board; the Board expressed the hope that all
industries would eventually be added to this list. It had been
announced earlier that the regional, branch, and field offices of
the Wage and Hour and Public Contracts Divisions of the Labor
Department would cooperate with the National War Labor
Board by furnishing information or assistance to labor in the
filling of applications for wage and salary increases. (SourceNational War Labor Board, B-273, B-309, B-310, and 13—312 )
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Labor Chronology
415
NOVEMBER— continued
1942
Nov. 22.
Nov. 23.
Nov. 24.
Nov. 24.
Nov. 27.
Nov. 28.
Nov. 30.
The War Manpower Commission announced approval of a man
agement-labor plan for the mobilization and utilization of labor
in region 12 (California, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, and
Arizona). The major provisions of this first region-wide compre
hensive plan, which was hoped to serve as a model for the other
manpower regions, included continuous survey of the labor supply
and needs of essential industries; central clearance for all hiring;
promotion of the maximum utilization of available labor, with
the elimination of labor pirating and migration; and facilitation
of the orderly withdrawal of employees into the armed forces
by the recruitment and training of new workers. (Source:
Office of War Information, War Manpower Commission, PM 4157.)
Essential employees in the aircraft and shipbuilding industries
were barred from voluntary enlistments into the Army and the
Navy; also affected were all the esssential employees who had
resigned within 60 days. (Source: OWI-853.)
The National War Labor Board adopted an order authorizing,
without its preliminary approval, “adjustments which equalize
the wage or salaryi rates paid to females with the rates paid to
males for comparable quality and quantity of work.”«« (Source:
General Order 16 of National War Labor Board; Federal Register,
vol. 7, p. 9861.)
The National War Labor Board delegated to the Secretary of War
(but subject to Board review, in its discretion) authority over
wage and salary adjustments for civilian employees in the War
Department. Wages and salaries fixed by statute were exempt.
Similar authority (but not all-inclusive in every case) was sub
sequently delegated to the Navy Department; the Office of
Price Administration (over local board clerks); the Federal Re
serve System; the United States Employment Service; the
Department of Interior; State, county, and municipal agencies;
the Department of Agriculture; and the Tennessee Valley Au
thority. (Source: General Orders of the National War Labor
Board, Nos. 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 24, 25; B-360.)
By unanimous decision, the National War Labor Board for the
first time took away an established maintenance-of-membership
clause from a union—the Chemical Workers Union (A. F. L.),
Local 22574, East Alton, 111.—which had called a strike. The
Board promised the restoration of the usual maintenance pro
vision after 6 months, if the union would show its “good faith and
responsibility.” (Source: National War Labor Board, Case No.
458, and B--332.)
The National War Labor Board unanimously adopted a resolution
setting aside any union rules, regulations, laws, or constitutional
provisions that would prevent union members from withdrawing
from unions during the 15-day “escape” period provided by the
standard maintenance-of-membership clause in agreements
between unions and employers. The same resolution also pro
vided th at employers “shall refrain from attempting to influence
employees to resign from unions” or otherwise interfere with the
voluntary action and free choice of employees, prior to the
effective date of the maintenance provision. (Source: National
War Labor Board, B-327.)
Because of the disparity between farm and industrial wages, the
Director of Economic Stabilization authorized the exemption of
agricultural workers earning less than $2,400 yearly from the
provisions of the Presidential order of October 3, stabilizing all
wages and salaries. The Secretary of Agriculture was given
discretion to prevent pay increases for farm labor. (Source:
Federal Register, vol. 7, p. 10024.)
5 0 7 1 2 3 — 43 ------------ 14
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
416
Monthly Lahor Review—February 1943
DECEMBER
1942
Dec. 2.
Dec. 4.
Dec. 5.
Dec. 5
Dec. 8.
Dec. 9.
Representatives of the A. F. of L. and the C. I. 0., after 2 days
of deliberation in Washington, signed an agreement to remain in
force (after being approved by the Executive Councils of the two
labor organizations) “until labor unity is effected.” The agree
ment provided for the establishment of a “joint A. F. L.-C. I. O.
committee to hear and decide any disputed jurisdictional differ
ences th at may arise between the two * * * organizations.”
Should the joint committee fail to agree, the dispute would be
settled by an arbiter appointed either by the committee within 5
clays thereafter, or subsequently by the President of the United
States. Of immediate urgency and first to be considered were
the A. F. L.-C. I. O. jurisdictional disputes in various shipvards
on the western coast. (Sources: A. F. of L. Weekly 'News
Service, Dec. 8, 1942; and The C. I. O. News, Dec. 7 and 14
1942.)
The President directed the Federal Works Administrator to close
WPA operations in 16 States and the District of Columbia by
February 1, and in the remaining States as soon as possible after
that date. (Source: Work Projects Administration.)
1he President issued an Executive order providing for the most
effective mobilization and utilization of the national manpower
and transferring the Selective Service System to the War Man
power Commission. The induction of men 38 years old and over
was stopped, and men between the ages 18 and 37, inclusive,
would no longer be permitted to enlist. The Army, upon re
quest, would release men of 38 and over to esssential industrial
and agricultural employment.
The Chairman of the Mai1 Manpower Commission was author
ized to take “all lawful and appropriate steps to assure” the
U. S. Employment Service exclusive control over “all hiring, re
hiring, solicitation, and recruitment of workers” in any area,
plant, or occupation he might designate. Employers were for
bidden to retain workers whose services would be more urgently
needed elsewhere.
The Chairman was also authorized to appoint and consult with
“a Management-Labor Policy Committee to be selected from the
fields of labor, agriculture, and industrial management.”
The Chairman of the Commission would consult with the Sec
retaries of the Army and Navy concerning the “efficient utiliza
tion of the Nation’s educational facilities and personnel for the
effective prosecution of the war.” (Source: Federal Register vol
7, pp. 10177-10179.)
This order embodied most of the recommendations, for Govern
ment action, of a report by the Management-Labor Policy Com
mittee of the War Manpower Commission, released on Novem
ber 9.
The President, by Executive order, directed the Secretary of
Agriculture “to assume full responsibility for and control over
the Nation’s food program.” (Source: Federal Register vol 7
pp. 10179-10181.)
The National War Labor Board forbade the operation of “esca
lator clauses” in labor agreements where such clauses would in
crease wages or salaries by more than 15 percent over those pre
vailing on January 1. 1941. (Source: General Order No. 22 of
National War Labor Board.)
The War Manpower Commission “froze” over 600,000 workers in
34 essential industries within the Detroit metropolitan area.
Employers were ordered not to hire or solicit workers from other
essential industries in the area unless the prospective employees
held certificates of release from their former employers or from
the Review Unit of the U. S. Employment Service. Six “ac
ceptable reasons for changing employment” were listed. (Source:
War Manpower Commission.)
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Labor Chronology
417
December —continued
19 4 2
Dec. 14.
Dec. 14.
Dec. 15.
Dec. 16.
Dec. 17.
Dec. 18.
Dec. 22.
Dec. 24.
In order to prevent the pirating of skilled workers, the National
War Labor Board announced the establishment of maximum rates
for the “more than 50,000 tool and die workers in all jobbing
and manufacturing plants in a 6-county Detroit, Mich., area.”
A special Detroit Area Tool and Die Commission was created to
rule on disputes arising from the application of the new order.
(Source: National War Labor Board, B-346.)
The National War Labor Board authorized (subject to ultimate
review on its own initiative) the Wage Adjustment Board for
the Building Construction Industry to make final rulings in
accordance with the provisions of the President’s Stabilization
Order of October 3, provided such rulings were unanimous or
that no dissenting member appealed to the National War Labor
Board within 7 days after the ruling. (Source: General Order
13-A of National War Labor Board.)
The National War Labor Board announced its unanimous deci
sion that it had no authority on Constitutional grounds “to issue
any directive order or regulation in * * * disputes govern
ing the conduct of * * * State or municipal agencies * *
The disputes th at had been called to the Board’s attention in
volved 32,000 transportation employees in New York City, 400
public works employees in Newark, N. J., and 800 gas and water
employees in Omaha, Nebr. (Source: National War Labor
Board, B 351.)
The National War Labor Board announced the creation of a
tripartite Trucking Commission to decide labor disputes and
wage and salary adjustments in the trucking industry, involving
approximately half a million workers. The Commission was also
authorized to consider cases involving the trucking activities of
other industries, whenever referred to it by the Board. (Source:
National War Labor Board, B-350.)
The Office of Defense Transportation announced that special
labor-management committees had been appointed in 25 “critical”
cities to survey and to remedy labor shortages in the trucking
industry. (Source: Office of War Information, Office of Defense
Transportation, PM-4227.)
The National War Labor Board delegated (subject to ultimate
review) its authority to rule on wage and salary adjustments in
Alaska to the Territorial Representative of the Wage and Hour
and Public Contracts Divisions of the Department of Labor.
(Source: General Order No. 23 of National War Labor Board.)
The other Territories and possessions of the United States had
been free from wage and salary review since October 31. (Source:
National War Labor Board, B-276.)
The President approved the Joint Resolution of Congress ex
tending overtime rates of compensation to nearly all civilian
employees of the United States Government. (Source: Public
Law 821; for summary of law, see this issue of Monthly Labor
Review, p. 359.) The basis for overtime computation was de
fined by Executive order, on December 26. (Source: Federal
Register, vol. 7, p. 10897.)
The National War Labor Board announced a twofold decentraliza
tion plan, involving (1) establishment of panels composed of public,
management, and labor representatives in major cities, to consider
all labor disputes referred by the U. S. Conciliation Service, and
to make recommendations to the regional advisory boards (see item
under Nov. 22), just as national panels are doing with respect
to the National War Labor Board; and (2) granting of authority to
the Board’s regional directors “to make final decisions on all volun
tary wage or salary adjustment cases involving employers of not
more than 100 employees.” About two-thirds of all recjuests for
wage or salary adjustments are of this nature. (Source: National
War Labor Board, B-357.)
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
418
Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
DECEMBER— con tinued
1942
Dec. 27.
Dec. 28.
Dec. 28.
The Office of Price Administration announced that upon the
direction of the Department of Agriculture, it would “undertake
the rationing of virtually all commercially processed vegetables
and fruits—canned, bottled, and frozen vegetables, fruits, juices;
dried fruits; and all soups.” The actual rationing would begin
as early in February as possible. (Sources: OPA-1375 and
OPA-1393.)
The President suspended the 8-hour law as to laborers and
mechanics employed by the War Department on public works
within the United States. (Source: Federal Register, vol. 7,
p. 11051; for summary, see this issue of Monthly Labor Review,
p. 257.)
William Green, president of American Federation of Labor,
announced appointment of a 9-man Post-War Planning Commis
sion, headed by Matthew Woll (vice president of the Federation),
to investigate and report on (1) labor representation at the post
war peace conferences, (2) specific labor proposals to be inserted
into peace treaties, (3) post-war reconstruction to forestall
depression, and (4) universal extension of social, economic, and
political security. (Source: A. F. of L. Weekly News Service,
Dec. 28.)
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Recent Publications o f Labor Interest
FEBRUARY 1943
Agriculture and Agricultural Labor
By F. L. Morison and Ross
V. Baumann. Wooster, Ohio, Agricultural Experiment Station, 1942.
38 pp. (Bull. No. 628.)
L a b o r , p o w e r , a n d m a c h i n e r y o n s m a ll f a r m s i n O h io .
S a t e l l i t e a c r e s : A s t u d y o f 1 ,1 0 0 h o u s e h o ld s i n r u r a l R h o d e I s l a n d w i t h in c o m e f r o m
c o m b i n a t i o n s o f n o n a g r i c u lt u r a l e m p l o y m e n t a n d a g r i c u lt u r a l p r o d u c tio n .
By
W. R. Gordon. Kingston, R. I., Rhode Island State College, Agricultural
Experiment Station, 1942. 80 pp., charts. (Bull. No. 282.)
B io - s o c io lo g ia - r u r a l d e C h ile : P r e v i s i ó n s o c ia l d e l tr a b a ja d o r a g r íc o la .
By Serafín
Elguin M. and others. (In Boletín Medico-Social, Caja de Seguro Obliga
torio, Santiago de Chile, Áugust-September 1942, pp. 344-436.)
A series of eight articles concerning Chilean agricultural laborers, covering such
subjects as housing, cost and nutritional value of food, legal protection, coopera
tives, colonization, wages, and social insurance.
Child, Labor and Child Welfare
p r o b le m s o f m a n p o w e r .
By
Marshall Field. New York, National Citizens’ Committee of White House
Conference on Childien in a Democracy, 122 East 22d Street, 1942. 18 pp.
Address before the Delaware White House Conference on Children in a Democ
racy, Wilmington, November 18, 1942. Discusses care of children of working
mothers, wartime problems of education, juvenile delinquency in wartime, child
labor, and maternal and child health.
S t a n d a r d s o f c h ild h e a lth , e d u c a tio n , a n d s o c ia l w e lfa r e .
Washington, U. S. Chil
dren’s Bureau, 1942. 21 pp. (Publication No. 287.) 10 cents, Superin
tendent of Documents, Washington.
Published as a guide to States and localities and to private agencies in the
development of services for meeting the wartime needs of children. Based on
recommendations of the White House Conference for Children in a Democracy
and conclusions of discussion groups.
T r e n d s in S t a t e legislation, 1941—4
By Norene McDermott. (In The Child,
U. S. Children’s Bureau, Washington, November 1942, pp. 69-71. 5 cents,
Superintendent of Documents, Washington.)
Summary of State legislation in the child-labor field in 1941-42, especially
with regard to modifications to meet the labor emergency in agriculture and in
other fields. I t is noted that in spite of these relaxations of labor standards in
the child-labor field, advances were made that more than offset them.
The
r e la tio n s h ip
b e tw e e n p r o b le m s o f c h i l d r e n a n d
Cooperative Movement
C o o p e r a tiv e S o c i e t y , p a s t a n d p r e s e n t, 1 8 8 2 - 1 9 4 2 .
By N. S. B. Gras.
Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Press, 1942. 191 pp., illus. $1.50.
Chronological history of the oldest of the student cooperatives in the United
States, with statistics of operation.
H a rva rd
E ditok’s N ote .—Correspondence regarding th e publications to w hich reference is m ade in this list should
be addressed to th e respective publishing agencies m entioned. W here d ata on prices were readily available,
they have been shown w ith th e title entry. T h e am ounts do n o t include postage, and also they are subject
to change.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
419
420
Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
Problems of cooperation: A study of the deficiencies of the cooperative method of
economic organization and the difficulties in the way of its expansion. By
James Peter Warbasse. New York, Cooperative League of the United States
of America, 1942. 212 pp. $1.
Defects “as shown by autopsies on dead societies” covered are given under
the headings of errors in financial policy, in educational and social work, in and
about the store, and in organization and management; and dangers from without
(underselling by competing businesses, false reports about the cooperative, and
admitting disloyal and disruptive members). The “obstacles to cooperative
development,” in Dr. Warbasse’s opinion, lie in the noncooperative element,
organic hindrances, and political hindrances. The book is written on the basis
of the author’s 25 years’ active experience in the cooperative movement in the
United States.
The W ashington S e lf-IJ d p Exchange— a sum m ary of its work, 1941. Washington,
Washington Self-Help Exchange, Inc., [1942?]. 20 pp., illus.
A description of the Exchange and its activities through 1940 was given in
the Monthly Labor Review, July 1941 (reprinted as Bureau of Labor Statistics
Serial No. R. 1343).
Cooperation in Canada, 1941 ■ By J. E. O’Meara and Lucienne M. Lalonde.
Ottawa, Dominion Department of. Agriculture, 1942. 16 pp., charts. (Pub
lication No. 740; Circular No. 173.)
Gives descriptive accounts of the state of the cooperative movement in Canada,
with statistics of membership, business, etc., of both producers’ and consumers
cooperatives.
Bibliographical review of literature on cooperation in L atin America. New York,
Edward A. Filene Good Will Fund, Inc., 1942. viii, 155 pp.; mimeographed.
(Studies of the Cooperative Project sponsored by U. S. Bureau of Labor
Statistics and U. S. Work Projects Administration, series F, Cooperation in
Latin America, part 1.)
Latin America. By Jane Powell. [Washington, Pan American Union], 1942.
21 pp. (Reprinted from Year Book of Agricultural Cooperation, London,
1942.)
Brief account of the progress, including some statistics, of agricultural and
other cooperatives in 18 of the Latin American republics.
Cost and Standards of Living
By Faith M. Williams, Frances R. Rice, Emil D.
Schell. (In Journal of American Statistical Association, Washington,
December 1942, pp. 415-424. $1.50.)
W artim e living costs. By Frances R. Rice and Emil D. Schell. (In Contemporary
America, American Association of University Women, Washington, Novem
ber 1942; 24 pp., mimeographed. 15 cents.)
A summary of the general changes in cost of living and of changes in the separate
items with some account of variations in costs between cities. Wage changes in
relation to cost of living are broadly indicated. The effects of wartime conditions
on family spending are described. Mention is made of major developments in
the field of price and wage policy.
W orking class budgets, J u n e 1942; a comparison with J u n e 1941 ■ (In Bulletin of
Institute of Statistics, Oxford, England, Vol. 4, Supplement No. 3, October 10,
1942; 12 pp., diagrams.)
^ Results of a study of cost of living of workers’ families in selected cities of
England and Scotland. The survey indicated that expenditures for all the main
items of the budgets except rent increased from June 1941 to June 1942. Increased
food expenditure, however, the writer states, was due to increased consumption,
possibly, of more of the relatively expensive kinds of food, and not to higher
prices. ^The general nutritional intake of food showed improvement over 1941,
especially of protein, which increased mainly because of consumption of more
cheese and milk.
Cost of living indexes in wartime.
Economic and Social Problems
Democratic processes at work in the South: Report of Commission on Interracial
Cooperation, Inc., 1939-1941. By Jessie Daniel Ames. Atlanta, Commis
sion on Interracial Cooperation, Inc., 1941. 21 pp. 5 cents.
In the fall of 1941, 8 of the Southern States comprising the field of operations
of the Commission on Interracial Cooperation had interracial organizations which
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Recent Publications of Labor Interest
421
w ork for b e tte r race relations th ro u g h education of public opinion. T he re p o rt of
th e Com m ission describes th e sp read of th e principles of in terracial cooperation
in th e South thro u g h these means.
E c o n o m ic e ffe c ts o f s te a d y e m p l o y m e n t and, e a r n in g s : A c a se s t u d y o f th e a n n u a l wages y s t e m o f G eo. A . I l o r m e l & C o.
By Jack Chernick. M inneapolis, U ni
versity of M innesota Press, 1942. 75 pp., bibliography, ch arts. $1.25.
T he stu d y shows th e effects of stabilized em ploym ent on th e em ployees of th is
p la n t and th e com m unity (A ustin, M inn.) in w hich it is located.
F l u c t u a t i o n s i n in c o m e a n d e m p l o y m e n t, w i t h s p e c ia l r e fe r e n c e to r e c e n t A m e r i c a n
e x p e r ie n c e a n d p o s t- w a r p r o s p e c ts .
By T hom as W ilson. London, Sir Isaac
P itm a n & Sons, L td ., 1942. 213 pp., bibliography, ch a rt. (L ondon School
of Econom ics an d P olitical Science, Studies in economics a n d com m erce,
No. 8 .) $ 6 .
P a r t I is a review of trade-cycle theo ry , in w hich th e a u th o r m akes m uch use
of M r. K eynes’ “ G eneral th e o ry of em ploym ent, in terest, an d m o n ey .” The
second p a rt is a stu d y of cyclical fluctuations in th e U n ited S tates from 1919 to
1937, w ith em phasis on th e problem of re d istrib u tin g incom e “ to offset th e
p a rtia l exhaustion of in v estm en t o p p o rtu n itie s.” A t th e end of th e volum e th e
a u th o r offers suggestions for post-w ar policies. T he fu tu re of dem ocratic govern
m ent, he holds, depends on success in solving th e problem of unem ploym ent.
By Lewis
L. Lorw in. W ashington, U. S. N a tio n a l R esources P lan n in g B oard, 1942.
I l l pp. (T echnical p a p er No. 7.) 30 cents, S u p erin ten d en t of D ocum ents,
W ashington.
Includes a description of in te rn a tio n a l public w orks such as inlan d -w aterw ay s
p ro jects an d sa n ita tio n system s a n d an acco u n t of th e developm ent of th e idea,
largely u n d er th e influence of A lbert T hom as, th e first D irecto r of th e In te rn a
tio n a l L abor Office, who b ro u g h t th e proposal in to public discussion in 1931.
Such p ro jects are described as affording new a n d prom ising m eth o d s by w hich
econom ic an d social re a d ju stm e n ts m ay be m ade. T here is a section on lab o r
supply a n d social stan d ard s. Suggestions are offered regarding th e steps deem ed
desirable for developm ent of public policy in th is field.
I n t e r n a t i o n a l e c o n o m ic d e v e lo p m e n t-— p u b l i c w o r k s a n d o th e r p r o b le m s .
Education and Training
Co
lum bia, M o., U niversity of M issouri, D e p a rtm e n t of In d u s tria l E du catio n ,
1941. 75 p p .; m im eographed.
A n n o t a t e d b ib lio g r a p h y o f i n s t r u c t i o n a l m a te r ia ls f o r d iv e r s ifie d o c c u p a tio n s .
A
W ashington, F ederal P ublic H ousing A u
9 p p .; m im eographed.
s e le c te d b i b lio g r a p h y o n t r a i n i n g .
th o rity , N ovem ber 1942.
H o w to t r a i n w o r k e r s f o r w a r i n d u s t r i e s : A
m a n u a l o f te s te d t r a i n i n g p r o c e d u r e s .
E d ited by A lvin E. D odd an d Jam es E. Rice. N ew Y ork, H a rp e r & Bros.,
1942. 260 pp., bibliography. $3.
T he volum e contains in form ation developed by th e A m erican M an ag em en t
A ssociation an d o th er agencies in th e field of in d u stria l train in g , w hich can be
used for train in g w orkers in w ar industries.
J o b in s tr u c tio n : A m a n u a l f o r sh o p su p e r v is o r s a n d in s tr u c to r s .
By W estern
E lectric Co. W ashington, U. S. W ar P ro d u ctio n B oard, L abor D ivision,
[1942], 43 pp., bibliography. (T rain in g w ith in in d u stry publication.) 10
cents, S up erin ten d en t of D ocum ents, W ashington.
Housing
F H A h o m e s i n m e t r o p o l it a n d is t r i c t s : C h a r a c te r is tic s o f m o r tg a g e s , h o m e s , b o r r o w e r s
u n d e r th e F H A p l a n , 1 9 3 4 - 1 9 4 0 .
W ashington, F ed eral H ousing A dm inis
tra tio n , 1942.
238 pp., m aps, ch arts.
P hiladelphia, P hiladelphia H ousing A ssociation,
1942. 23 pp., illus.
R ep o rt for 1941 an d th e first h alf of 1942 describing th e housing p roblem in
th e P hiladelphia area a n d w h at has been done to im prove th e situ atio n .
H o u s in g i n P h il a d e l p h i a , 1 9 4 1 .
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422
Monthly Labor Revieiv—February 1943
By K e ith W. Johnson. (In S ur
vey of C u rre n t Business, U. S. D e p a rtm e n t of Com m erce, W ashington,
D ecem ber 1942, p p . 19-22, c h a rt. 15 cents, S u p erin ten d en t of D ocum ents,
W ashington.)
Shows th e vacan cy ra te s over a period of years ending in A ugust 1942 an d
discusses th e fu tu re housing prospects.
R e s i d e n t i a l v a c a n c ie s i n w a r t i m e U n i t e d S t a t e s .
b u i l d i n g c y c le s .
By W alter Isard . (In Q u arterly
Jo u rn al of Econom ics, C am bridge, M ass., N ovem ber 1942, pp. 90-112, ch arts.
$1.25.)
T his article aim s to disclose a fu n d a m e n ta l relatio n betw een tra n s p o rt d evel
opm ent an d building a c tiv ity .
T r a n s p o r t d e v e lo p m e n t a n d
houses her w a r w o rkers.
By L ad y Simon. (In S ta te G overnm ent,
Chicago, D ecem ber 1942, pp. 229, 230 e t seq., illus. 35 cents.)
E n g la n d
Industrial Accidents and Workmen's Compensation
gas in d u s tr y fo r 1 9 f l .
N ew Y ork, A m erican Gas
18 pp. (S tatistical bull. No. 47.)
C o a l m i n e r s ' s a f e ty m a n u a l .
B y J. J. Forbes, M. J. A nkeny, F rancis Feehan.
W ashington, U. S. B ureau -of Mines, 1942. 218 pp., illus. 25 cents, Super
in te n d e n t of D ocum ents, W ashington.
T h e p r e v e n tio n o f a c c id e n ts o n f a r m s a n d i n h o m e s .
W ashington, U. S. B ureau
of A gricultural Econom ics, 1942. 49, v p p .; m im eographed.
Analyzes farm an d hom e accident d a ta collected from all available sources and
representing practically all ty p es an d conditions of ag ricu ltu re in th e U n ited S tates.
D i s a b i l i t y e v a lu a tio n : P r i n c i p l e s o f t r e a tm e n t o f c o m p e n s a b le i n j u r i e s .
B y E a rl D.
M cB ride, M. D. Philadelphia, etc., J. B. L ip p in co tt Co., 1942. V arious
paging. 3d ed. $9.
An in te rp re ta tio n of th e physiological a n d m echanical effects of physical in ju ry
as re lated to e x ten t of in cap a city of in ju red persons. T h ere is a c h a p te r on th e
doctor as an expert w itness a n d one on w orkm en’s com pensation laws. D ifferent
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P e r m a n e n t p a r t i a l d i s a b i l i t y u n d e r w o r k m e n ’s c o m p e n s a t i o n a c ts .
By O scar E.
W hitebook. (In Iow a Law Review , Io w a C ity, N ovem ber 1942, pp. 37-54.
$ 1.)
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e x p e r ie n c e
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22 p p .; m im eographed. (PG AS
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B v I. Bessling. (In In te rn a tio n a l L ab o r Review, M ontreal, N ovem ber
1942, pp. 525-568. 60 cents.)
R e p o r t o f N e w Y o r k S t a t e J o i n t L e g is la tiv e C o m m itte e o n I n d u s t r i a l a n d L a b o r
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A lbany, 1942. 150 pp., ch arts. (L egislative docum ent, 1942,
N o. 47.)
T his rep o rt of a co ntinuing com m ittee of th e N ew Y ork L egislature contains
recom m endations as to legislation in th e field of lab o r a n d in d u strial relations.
Special subjects considered by th e com m ittee include unem p lo y m en t insurance,
education, in d u stria l m igration, an d plan n in g for po st-w ar reconstruction.
By Ju lia E. Johnsen. N ew Y ork, H . W. W ilson Co., 1942.
263 pp. (Reference Shelf, Vol. 15, No. 7.) $1.25.
Selected articles on th e open a n d closed shop, sum m aries of pro and con arg u
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T h e c lo s e d s h o p .
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Receñí Publications of Labor Interest
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423
T h e s to r y o f a u n i q u e e x p e r i m e n t a n d o f a g r e a t la b o r u p h e a v a l.
By A lm ont L indsey. Chicago, U niv ersity of Chicago Press, 1942. 385 pp.,
illus. $3.75.
A com prehensive accou n t of th e struggle of th e A m erican R ailw ay U nion ag ain st
th e lab o r policies of th e P u llm an P alace C ar C om pany. T he a u th o r describes in
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U n i o n - m a n a g e m e n t c o o p e r a tio n : A p s y c h o lo g ic a l a n a l y s is .
B y Irv in g K n ick er
bocker an d D ouglas M cG regor. (In Personnel, N ew Y ork, N ovem ber 1942,
pp. 520-539. 50 cents.)
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Labor Organizations
By E d w ard M. D angel a n d Iren e It. Shriber. B oston,
N atio n al Law Publishers, 1941. xxxii, 743 pp. $15.
T h e N e w O r le a n s lo n g s h o r e m e n .
B y H e rb e rt It. N o rth ru p . (In P o litical Science
Q u arterly, New Y ork, D ecem ber 1942, pp. 526-544. $1.)
T races th e histo ry of th e N ew O rleans longshorem en a n d exam ines th e problem s
encountered by th e ir unions.
T y p e s o f u n i o n r e c o g n itio n i n e ffe c t i n D e c e m b e r 1 9 4 2 .
W ashington, U. S. B ureau
of L ab o r S tatistics, [1943], 15 pp., c h a rts; processed. (In d u strial relations
problem s arising u n d er w ar p roduction, m em orandum No. 5.) Free.
T h e la w o f la b o r u n i o n s .
Negro Labor and Welfare
b u s in e s s o f d e m o c ra c y .
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N ovem ber 1942, pp. 455-564 et. seq., ch arts, illus. 50 cents.)
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developm ents as regards dem ocracy a n d th e colored races. P a rt I, Negroes,
U. S. A., 1942, tre a ts of th e N egro a n d th e w ar a n d th e N egro in A m erican life,
including in d u s tiy ; p a rt II , T h e challenge of color, discusses th e colored peoples
in th e New W orld an d in th e Old W orld.
T h e N egro h a ndbook.
Com piled a n d ed ited by Florence M u rray . N ew Y ork,
W endell M alliet & Co., 1942. 269 pp. $3.50.
P resents cu rren t facts an d figures a b o u t th e N egro, including in fo rm atio n on
N egro lab o r unions, occupations in in d u stry an d th e professions, p a rtic ip a tio n in
governm ent an d politics, a n d housing an d hom e ow nership.
S e le c te d b i b lio g r a p h y o n th e N e g r o .
N ew A ork, N a tio n a l U rb an League, 1942.
23 p p .: m im eographed. 10 cents.
T he references, classified b y su b ject, include m a te ria l on social a n d econom ic
problem s.
T o s e c u r e fo r N e g r o e s th e ir b a s ic c i v i l r ig h ts .
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ber 1*6, 1942. 10 p p .; m im eographed. (Public Affairs N ew s Service bull.
No. 2, series No. 7. ) 10 cents.
D iscusses F ederal an d S ta te civil-rights provisions as apply in g to N egroes, a n d
certain specific rig h ts sta te d especially to need im plem en tatio n , including th e
rig h t to a job.
Colo?'-— u n f i n i s h e d
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l i s t o f r e fe r e n c e s o n th e c iv i l s e r v ic e a n d p e r s o n n e l a d m i n i s t r a t i o n i n th e U n ite d
S t a t e s — F e d e r a l, S t a t e , a n d lo c a l.
C om piled by Ann D u n can B row n. W ash
ington, L ib rary of Congress, D ivision of B ibliography, Ju ly 1942.
m im eographed.
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107 p p.;
424
Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
B y O rdw ay T ead a n d others.
N ew Y ork, A m erican M an ag em en t A ssociation, 1942. 36 pp. (Office m a n
agem ent series, No. 99.)
In “ In d u strial relations in th e office,” th e first of th e four articles in th is p a m
p h let, M r. T ead discusses com m on shortcom ings in th e handling of office personnel
m a tte rs an d m akes suggestions for im proving procedures.
W a r t i m e o ffice p e r s o n n e l p r o b le m s .
B y R o b e rt N. M cM u rry a n d others. New
Y ork, A m erican M an ag em en t A ssociation, 1942. 43 pp. (Office m an ag e
m en t series, N o. 97.)
Five p ap ers by different personnel experts: Im p ro v in g interview techniques;
Selecting office w orkers from th e facto ry ; U p grading women w orkers for m en ’s
w ork; A djusting personnel sta n d a rd s to th e m anpow er sh o rtag e; Effect of c u rren t
salary tren d s on th e office; C ontrolling tu rn o v e r of office personnel.
T r e n d s i n o ffice o r g a n i s a t i o n a n d 'p e r s o n n e l p o lic ie s .
1host- If ar Reconstruction
B y E rn e st B evin. N ew Y ork, R o b e rt M. M cB ride
& Co., 1941. 303 pp. $2.75.
D escribes th e p a rt of lab o r a n d cap ital in th e w ar a n d afterw ards.
P la n fo r p e r m a n e n t peace.
B y H an s H ey m an n . N ew l rork a n d London, H a rp er
& Bros., 1941. xx, 315 pp., m aps, ch arts. $3.50.
One ch ap ter is on th e p o ten tialities of th e In te rn a tio n a l L ab o r O rganization.
R e l i e f f o r E u r o p e — th e f i r s t p h a s e o f r e c o n s tr u c tio n .
W ashington, N atio n al P lanning
A ssociation, 1942. 59 pp. (P lanning p am p h le t No. 17.) 25 cents.
T o w a r d p o s t- w a r a d j u s t m e n ts i n A m e r i c a .
By V era R eynolds K ilduff a n d E sth e r
Cole F ran k lin . W ashington, A m erican A ssociation of U niversity W om en,
1942. 47 pp., b ib lio g rap h y ; m im eographed. (C o n tem p o rary America, Vol.
IV , No. 3. 30 cents.)
F u ll em ploym en t of m anpow er, wise use of in d u stria l facilities an d of n a tu ra l
resources, econom ical techniques for exchange of goods, a n d balanced policies for
in v estm en t and financing, are listed as th e m ajo r economic goals of th e post-w ar
period. Problem s and plans are briefly analyzed in term s of these m ajo r goals.
W a r a n d p o s t- w a r p l a n n i n g i n C a l i f o r n ia .
Sacram ento, S ta le P lanning B oard,
D ivision of S ta te P lanning, 1942. 32 p p .; m im eographed.
R eview of m ajo r problem s, including certain labor questions, an d an outline
p ro g ram for consideration and ap p ro v al by th e S ta te P lan n in g B oard.
T h e b a la n c e sh e e t o f th e f u t u r e .
Price and Wage Control
B y J. Steindl. (In B ulletin of In s titu te
of S tatistics, Oxford, E ngland, Vol. 4, No. 14, O ctober 10 , 19-12, pp. 269-271.)
A discussion of experience in C an ad a an d th e U n ited S tates. I t is sta te d th a t a
stoppage of wage increases can n o t p re v e n t inflation because th e m ain inflationary
factor is th e restrictio n of civilian supply. A stoppage of wage a d ju stm e n ts, it is
held, would require com pulsion in th e allocation of lab o r to jobs, an d th is is
viewed as having an unfav o rab le effect on p roduction. T he p rev en tio n of infla
tion requires, it is sta te d , a policy of com prehensive rationing. I t is also held th a t
in lim ited fields subsidies are necessary.
T h e p r o b le m o f p r ic e a n d w a g e c o n tr o l.
S e c o n d r e p o r t o f V . S . O ffice o f P r i c e A d m i n i s t r a t i o n , c o v e r in g o p e r a tio n s o f the
O ffice b e tw e e n M a y 1 a n d J u l y 3 1 , 1 9 j 2 .
W ashington, G overnm ent P rin tin g
Office, 1942.
session.)
255 pp., ch arts.
(House doc. No. 891, 77th Congress, 2d
T h e e v id e n c e b e fo r e th e W a g e a n d H o u r D i v i s io n .
B y E. B.
M itfelm an. (In Political Science Q u arterly, New Y ork, D ecem ber 1942,
pp. 561-597. $1.)
C ritical review of th e wmrk of th e W age an d H o u r D ivision, U. S. D e p a rtm e n t
of L abor. T he conclusion reached by th e a u th o r is th a t th e W age an d H o u r
D ivision “has not, in general, p e n e tra te d th e w-age problem m uch bevond th e
w ork of th e a rb itra tio n boards called in for th e occasion.”
W a g e d e t e r m i n a t io n :
By Jam es S. E arley.
W ashington, U. S. Office of P rice A dm in istratio n , 1942.' 182 p p .; m im eo
graphed.
O utlines th e m ajo r principles an d objectives of B ritish price regulation, m eas
ures ad o p ted for control of prices an d supply of com m odities, an d operations.
B r i t i s h w a r tim e p r ic e a d m i n i s t r a t i o n a n d p r ic e m o v e m e n ts .
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425
Recent Publications of Labor Interest
(In R o u n d T able, London,
D ecem ber 1942, pp. 17-23. 5s.)
T he a u th o r advocates wage control in G reat B ritain , w ith th e G overnm ent
tre a tin g th e wage and earnings problem as a p a rt of general price stab ilizatio n .
M easures ad o p ted in B ritish E m pire countries are cited.
W a g e s a n d p r ic e s — r e s p o n s ib i l i t i e s o f th e G o v e r n m e n t.
Relief Measures and Statistics
F i n a l s t a t i s t ic a l r e p o r t o f F e d e r a l E m e r g e n c y R e l i e f A d m i n i s t r a t i o n .
U. S. W ork P rojects A d m inistration, 1942.
W ashington,
405 pp., charts.
P u b l i c a n d p r iv a te a id i n 1 1 6 u r b a n a r e a s , 1 9 2 9 —3 8 , w i t h s u p p l e m e n t f o r 1 9 3 9 a n d
1940.
By E nid B aird an d John M. L ynch. W ashington, U. S. Social
Security B oard, B ureau of Public A ssistance,' 1942. 116 pp., charts. (P u b
lic assistance re p o rt No. 3.) 40 cents, S u p erin ten d en t of D ocum ents,
W ashington.
T he rep o rt, covering relief expenditures in u rb an areas over a 12-year period,
shows n o t only tren d s in expenditures, b u t also a tte m p ts to analyze these e x
p e n d i t u r e s from th e b ackground of econom ic depression and th e far-reaching
changes th a t have occurred in th e stru c tu re of public a n d p riv a te aid.
P u b l i c a s s is ta n c e , 1 9 4 1 .
W ashington, U. S. Social Security B oard, B ureau of
P ublic Assistance, 1942. 45 pp., charts. (Public assistance re p o rt No. 4;
rep rin te d from Social S ecurity Y earbook, 1941.)
H o w to h e lp c a s e s o f d is tr e s s : A y e a r b o o k o f i n f o r m a t i o n r e s p e c tin g th e s ta tu to r y
a n d v o lu n ta r y m e a n s o f r e l ie f [G rea t B r i t i a n ] . London, C h a rity O rganization
Society, 1942.
255 pp.
3s. 6d,
Social Security (General)
By Sir W illiam Beveridge. L ondon, H is
M a je sty ’s S tatio n ery Office, 1942. 299 pp. (Cm d. 6404.) 2s. (R epro
duced photograph ically by M acm illan Co., N ew Y ork. $1.)
A sum m ary of th is re p o rt is given in th is issue of th e M on th ly L ab o r R eview
(P- 272).
S o c ia l i n s u r a n c e a n d a llie d se r v ic e s .
S o c ia l in s u r a n c e a n d a llie d se rv ic e s :
M em o ra n d a fr o m
G to r e p o r t b y S i r W i l l i a m B e v e r id g e .
L ondon,
o r g a n iz a tio n s
A p p e n d ix
H is M a je sty ’s S tatio n ery
Office, 1942. 244 pp. (C m d. 6405.) 2s.
C ontains m em orand a su b m itted by organizations and individuals for consider
atio n in p rep aratio n of th e rep o rt by Sir W illiam B everidge (see preceding en try ).
Wages and Hours of Labor
E a r n i n g s a n d h o u r s i n m e n ’s c o tto n - g a r m e n t i n d u s t r i e s a n d i n p l a n t s m a n u f a c t u r i n g
s in g le p a n t s o th e r t h a n c o tto n , 1 9 3 9 a n d 1 9 4 1 .
W ashington, U. S. B ureau of
L abor S tatistics, 1942. 25 pp., ch art.
in te n d e n t of D ocum ents, W ashington.
(Bull. No. 719.)
10 cents, Super
B y H . R. H osea, O. C.
C lark, G. E. V otava. W ashington, U. S. B u reau of L ab o r S tatistics, 1942.
46 pp. (Bull. No. 720.) 10 cents, S u p erin ten d en t of D ocum ents, W ashing
ton.
E s t a d í s t i c a d e s a la r io s [ M é x ic o ] .
B y P edro M erla. (In tr a b a jo y Previsión
Social, S ecretaría del T ra b a jo y Previsión Social, M éxico, A ugust 1942,
pp. 13-37.)
E xam ines th e rise in indexes of wages in Mexico in com parison w ith those oi
cost of living, from 1935 to Ju n e 1942, a n d gives d a ta as to em ploym ent, to ta l
wages, production, an d costs of finished p ro d u cts in th e m an u fa c tu re of various
articles entering in to th e cost-of-living index, for each y ear from 1936 th ro u g h
1941, w ith conclusions reached an d recom m endations.
E a r n in g s i n m a n u fa c tu r e o f in d u s tr ia l m a c h in e r y , 1 9 4 2 .
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426
Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
Wartime Conditions and Policies
(In L aw a n d C o n tem p o rary Problem s, D u rh am , N . C., Vol.
^ IX , N o. 3, sum m er 1942, pp. 371-578. $ 1 .)
Topics covered in th is sym posium include th e effect of th e w ar on lab o r legis
latio n ; w ork of lab o r b oards a n d agencies in w artim e; recru itm en t, train in g , an d
allocation of m anpow er; w artim e m eth o d s of dealing w ith lab o r in G reat B rita in
a n d th e D om inions; a n d lab o r m obilization by th e G erm ans.
L a b o r i n w a r tim e .
N o t h i n g c o u n ts b u t v ic to r y : C o n s e r v e m a t e r i a ls to w i n th e w a r , by Jo h n M iller;
I I o w to g e t a j o b i n w a r w o r k , by Jo h n M iller; W h a t b o y s a n d g ir ls c a n d o to w i n
th e w a r , edited by A lbert P a rry ; W h a t w o m e n c a n d o to t v i n th e w a r , ed ited by
A lbert P a rry ; W h a t y o u c a n d o i n c i v i l i a n d e fe n s e , edited by F. J. M eine and
H . L. H itchens. Chicago-, C onsolidated Book P ublishers, Inc., 1942.
p am p h lets; various paging. 15 cents each.
5
(Special n u m b er of
A rm y an d N av y Jo u rn al, Vol. 80, No. 15, whole n u m b er 3143, W ashington,
D ecem ber 12 , 1942; 180 pp., illus.)
A rticles on lab o r q uestions in th is n u m b er of th e A rm y a n d N av y Jo u rn al
are: A m erican lab o r in th e w ar; T he A m erican F e d eratio n of L ab o r an d th e w ar;
I he C IO a n d th e w ar; T he in d ep en d e n t unions in th e shipbuilding in d u stry and
th e ir w ar efforts; A ll-out m o b ilization for all-o u t w ar; M anpow er a n d th e A rm y;
L abor, m anagem ent, a n d th e N avy.
U n i t e d S t a t e s a t w a r , D e c e m b e r 7 , 1 9 f l - D e c e m b e r 7, 1 9 j 2 .
W a r w ith o u t in fla tio n :
T h e p s y c h o lo g ic a l a p p r o a c h to p r o b le m s o f w a r e c o n o m y .
By George K ato n a . N ew Y ork, C olum bia U n iv ersity Press, 1942. 213
pp. $2.50.
D iscussion of such topics as th e effects of a ttitu d e s of m ind on inflation an d th e
problem s of price-fixing, ratio n in g , ta x a tio n , w age stab ilizatio n , saving, and
governm ent publicity . I t is s ta te d th a t public au th o ritie s should give careful
consideration to prevailin g a ttitu d e s of m ind a n d should a d o p t m easures designed
to insure an u n d ersta n d in g of policies reg ard ed as necessary to p rev en t inflation.
W a r t i m e e c o n o m ic a n d s o c ia l o r g a n i z a t i o n i n F r e e C h i n a .
(In In te rn a tio n a l L abor
R eview , M ontreal, D ecem ber 1942, pp. 692-715. 60 cents.)
Review s I he m easures ta k e n d u rin g th e p a st tw o years for th e social and eco
nom ic o rganization of th e c o u n try w ith a view to n a tio n al defense. W hile these
m easures have been p lan n ed from th e sta n d p o in t of th e m ilitary needs of th e
co u n try , th e y have also ta k e n in to a c co u n t considerations of a progressive social
policy w hich is g rad u ally ta k in g shape.
a ffe c t B r i t i s h h o m e l ife .
By R u th T aylor. (In Public
W elfare News, Chicago, D ecem ber 1942, pp. 1- 3 , 8.)
R esults of a stu d y , m ade on th e a u th o r’s recen t trip to E ngland, of th e effects
of w ar upon hom e life, show ing th e p a rt th a t w om en are ta k in g in w ar work and
th e difficulties resultin g from blackouts, ratio n in g , long hours of work, shortage
of tra n sp o rta tio n , etc.
W a r p r o b le m s a s th e y
Wholesale Prices
p r ic e s , J a n u a r y - J u n e 1 9 ^ 2 .
W ashington, U. S. B ureau of L abor
S tatistics, 1942. 52 pp., c h arts. (Bull. No. 718.) 10 cents, S uperintendenf
of D ocum ents, W ashington.
T he bulletin gives index nu m b ers for groups a n d subgroups of com m odities
a n d index num bers a n d average a c tu a l prices of in d iv id u al com m odities.
I n d e x n u m b e r s o f w h o le s a le p r ic e s o f f o o d s t u f f s i n P u e r to R ic o .
San Ju a n , D e p a rt
m en t of A griculture a n d Com m erce, B ureau of Com m erce, 1942. 58 pp.,
charts. (Bull. No. 1.)
W h o le s a le
If omen in Industry
W a r d e m a n d s f o r c o lleg e w o m e n .
N ew B runsw ick,
New Jersey College for W om en, 1942. 51 pp. 25 cents.
S tu d en ts’ rep o rts on in form ation a n d advice given th e m by speakers a t
th e F o u rth V ocational In fo rm a tio n C onference held a t th e N ew "Jersey College
for W omen, N ew B runsw ick, O ctober 29 to 31, 1942. T he th em e of th e confer
ence was "W ar dem ands for college w om en.”
V o c a tio n a l i n f o r m a t i o n d ig e s t:
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Recent Publications of Labor Interest
427
W ashington, U. S. Office of W ar In fo rm atio n , M agazine
Section, 1942. 48 pp. 10 cents, S u p erin ten d en t of D ocum ents, W ashing
to n .
C ontains inform atio n as to th e kinds of w ar jobs for w om en w hich are o b tain
able— jn serving Uncle Sam, in th e w ar industries, in business a n d th e professions,
an d as volunteers in various services— describing th e qualifications necessary,
p ay , train in g , an d w here to find o u t a b o u t th e m a n d to apply for them .
W o m e n in in d u s tr y .
Chicago, N atio n al S afety Council, 1942. 8 pp., illus.
(Safe practices p am p h le t N o. 107.)
D eals w ith m easures for p rom oting safety a n d h e a lth for w om en in in d u stry .
W o m e n i n i n d u s t r y -— th e ir p r o b le m s o f h e a lth .
By M ilton H . K ronenberg, M. D.
(In In d u stria l M edicine, Chicago, D ecem ber 1942, pp. 589-592. 50 cents.)
D iscusses th e w ork of w om en in in d u stry from th e sta n d p o in t of ad eq u ate
provision for th e ir h e a lth an d well-being.
T h e w o m e n le a r n f a s t .
By C arl N . Brow n. (In A m erican M achinist, New
Y ork, D ecem ber 24, 1942, pp. 1492-94. 35 cents.)
D escribes how th e G eneral E lectric C om pany tra in s w om an m achine operators
rapidly w ith an “ observe-then-do” program .
W o m e n w o r k e r s i n A r g e n t i n a , C h ile , a n d U r u g u a y .
B y M ary M. C annon. W ashington, U. S. W om en’s B ureau, 1942. 15 pp. (Bull. No. 195.) 5 cents,
S up erin ten d en t of D ocum ents, W ashington.
Shows e x ten t of em ploym ent of w om en in various fields an d discusses th e ir
wages, hours, an d w orking conditions; lab o r legislation for w orking w om en;
organisations of em ployed w om en; a n d educational o pportunities.
C o n s c r ip tio n o f w o m e n i n G rea t B r ita in .
B y M arg aret G. Bondfield. (In Occu
p ations, th e V ocational G uidance M agazine, N ew Y ork, D ecem ber 1942, pp.
283-287. 50 cents.)
W a r jo b s f o r w o m e n .
Youth Problems
P rep ared for A m erican Y o u th Com m ission by
P au l T. D avid. W ashington, A m erican Council on E d u catio n , 1942.
110 pp. $1.75.
A stu d y of obstacles w hich freq u e n tly seem to s ta n d in th e w ay of y o u th em
ploym ent, such as e n tran ce req u irem en ts for certain occupations, sen io rity
practices, child-labor regulation, a n d m inim um -w age law s. T h e im p o rtan ce of
these barriers an d th e a d v isab ility of revising p resen t policies a n d practices to
facilitate y o u th em ploym ent are considered.
C i v i l i a n C o n s e r v a tio n C o r p s .
A m o nograph p rep ared by L egislative R eference
Service, L ib rary of Congress. W ashington, G overn m en t P rin tin g Office,
1942. 149 pp. ' (Senate doc. No. 216, 77th Congress, 2d session.)
D escribes th e organization a n d functio n in g of th e C ivilian C onservation Corps
an d considers sim ilar y o u th lab o r groups in E urope. P a rt I deals w ith th e social
an d c u ltu ral background of th e CCC, its h istory, an d th e social groups involved in
its form ation. P a rt I I includes a general acco u n t of th e set-u p of th e CCC, b o th
form al a n d inform al. P a rt I I I a tte m p ts to e v alu a te th e im p o rta n t accom plish
m en ts of th e CCC an d to in d icate som e of its shortcom ings. P a rt IV concerns
th e m ore im p o rta n t problem s, such as costs, a n d a lte rn a tiv e s listed. P a rt V
p resen ts th e experience of o th e r n atio n s w ith lab o r cam ps. (P a rt V is available
only in m im eographed form , on re q u e st from L egislative R eference Service,
L ibrary of Congress.)
G o v e r n m e n ta l p r o g r a m s f o r y o u th .
(In B ulletin of C om m ittee on Y o u th Problem s,
A m erican C ouncil on E d u catio n , W ashington, N ovem ber 1942, pp. 2-7.)
C om pilation of th e y o u th p ro g ram s su p p o rte d by th e F ed eral G overnm ent,
w ith a description of th e purpose, req u irem en ts, etc., of each.
W h i c h j o b s f o r y o u n g w o r k e r s ? No. 1, E m p l o y m e n t o f y o u n g w o r k e r s i n w a r i n d u s
t r ie s ; No. 2, A d v i s o r y s t a n d a r d s f o r s h i p b u i l d i n g ; No. 3, A d v i s o r y s t a n d a r d s f o r
le a d a n d l e a d - u s i n g i n d u s t r i e s .
W ashington, IJ. S. C h ild ren ’s B ureau, 1942.
4, 5, an d 5 pp.
F irst of a series of leaflets dealing w ith accident and h e a lth h azard s in in dustries
in w hich young w orkers are a p t to be em ployed in w artim e, a n d se ttin g up a d
visory sta n d a rd s concerning h azard s of occupations. No. 1 is a general in tro d u c
tio n to th e series, an d n um bers 2 an d 3, as in d icated by th e titles, deal w ith th e
shipbuilding an d lead-using industries, respectively.
B a r r i e r s to y o u t h e m p l o y m e n t.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
428
Monthly Labor Review—February 1943
Work experience programs fo r older youth in school. H artfo rd , C onn., S ta te
D e p a rtm e n t of E d u catio n , 1942. 44 pp. (Bull. X X L )
R eview of ty p e s of pro g ram s now being a tte m p te d in C onnecticut high schools,
sum m ary of legal req u irem en ts, com m on questions a n d answ ers, an d m eth o d s of
organizing w ork experience program s.
General Reports
A national defense bibliographical series on the worker and his needs: N o. 1, The
health of the worker; No. 2, The worker as a consumer; N o. 3, Workers and
national defense. W ashington, U. S. W ork P ro jects A d m inistration, W orkers
Service P rogram , A ugust 1941. 20, 11, an d 12 p p .; m im eographed.
A n n u a l report of D epartment of Labor and In d u stria l Relations, Territory of H aw aii,
J u ly 1, 194L to J u n e 30, 1943. H onolulu, 1942. 58 pp.
T he re p o rt describes th e effect of th e w ar on th e in d u stria l life of th e T e rrito ry
an d sum m arizes th e w ork of th e b u reau s of labor-law enforcement-, w orkm en’s
com pensation, unem p lo y m en t com pensation, a n d research a n d statistics.
A short history of labor conditions under industrial capitalism : Volume I, Great
B rita in and the E m pire, 1750 to the present day. B y Jü rg e n K uezynski.
London, F rederick M uller, L td ., 1942. 272 pp. 12s. 6d. ($4.50, S. J. R.
Saunders, T o ro n to ).
Labor in L a tin Am erica. B y E rn esto G alarza. W ashington, A m erican Council
on Public Affairs, [1942?]. 16 pp.
R eview s th e a ttitu d e of w orkers in L a tin A m erica to w ard dem ocracy a n d th e
w ar effort,’a n d gives som e in form ation on lab o r organization, in d u stria l a n d ag ri
cu ltu ral wages, cost of living, housing, a n d lab o r m ig ratio n in L a tin America,.
B razil under Vargas. B y K a rl Loew enstein. N ew Y ork, M acm illan Co., 1942.
xix, 381 pp., m ap. $2.75.
L abor provisions of th e B razilian C o n stitu tio n of 1937, lab o r organizations,
m inim um wages, la b o r courts a n d th e ir ad m in istratio n , p ro tectio n of sm all
farm ers, p ro tectio n of th e fam ily, restrictio n s on em plo y m en t of aliens, an d o th e r
m a tte rs of lab o r in te re st, are am ong th e su b jects tre a te d .
Las estadísticas del trabajo en Cuba. B y J. E. de S andoval a n d R o b e rt Guye.
(In T rab ajo , M in isterio del T ra b a jo , H a b a n a , Ju n e 1942, pp. 277-300.)
T h e article gives in fo rm atio n on th e legislative back g ro u n d of th e recentlyform ed C uban S ta tistic a l Com m ission, th e re p o rt of th e tech n ical specialist fu r
nished by th e In te rn a tio n a l L ab o r Office to cooperate w ith th e Com m ission, an d
an outline of a general schem e for th e collection a n d p rese n ta tio n of C uban lab o r
statistics.
E arning and living in colonial M exico City: I , Prices and profits; I I , Workers and
taxes. B y C hester L. G u th rie. (In B ulletin of th e P a n A m erican U n io n ,
W ashington, A ugust 1942, pp. 421-431; S ep tem b er 1942, pp. 514-518. 15
cents each.)
T his acco u n t of economic life in colonial (17th century) Mexico C ity contains
inform ation on m ark etin g a n d price reg u latio n s fo r grain, m eat, livestock, etc.;
guilds an d th e ir control an d o p eratio n ; a n d w ages. R ep rin ted from R ev ista
de H isto ria de A m érica, Mexico C ity , D ecem ber 1939.
A nuario estadístico de Venezuela, 1940. C aracas, M inisterio de F om en to , D irec
ción G eneral de E sta d ístic a , 1941. 710 pp.
Includes d a ta on n u m b er of persons em ployed a n d to ta l an d av erage salaries
an d wages in in d u stry , com m erce, a n d service enterprises, by S ta te s a n d by in d u s
tries, as show n in censuses of 1936; a n d in a g ricu ltu re a n d grazing, by S tates,
according to th e ag ricu ltu ral census of 1937; em p lo y m en t of aliens a n d n atio n als
in th e petroleum in d u stry , w ith average salaries a n d wages, for 1936-38; w holesale
an d retail prices of various articles for 1940 a n d earlier y ears; detailed su m m ary
of a cost-of-living stu d y m ad e in C aracas in 1939; a n d for 1939 a n d 1940, sta tistic s
of lab o r inspection, in d u stria l accidents, an d placem en ts of w orkers b y p riv a te an d
G overnm ent em ploym ent offices.
World economic survey, 1941-4® ■ G eneva, L eague of N atio n s, 1942. 198 pp.,
charts. $2.50, C olum bia U n iv ersity Press, N ew Y ork.
Following a general o utline of th e economic situ a tio n in different countries,
ch ap ters are devoted to p ro d u ctio n , consum ption an d rationing, finance an d b a n k
ing, price m ovem ents a n d price control (including in form ation on wages a n d wage
control), in te rn atio n a l tra d e , an d th e tra n s p o rt situ atio n .
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
U. S. GOVERNMENT P O IN TING O F F IC E : 1943
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