Full text of Monthly Labor Review : January 1950, Vol. 70, No. 1
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Monthly
Labor
JANUARY
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%
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1950
VOL.
70
NO
Beginning a NEW series—
THE FEDERAL SOCIAL SECURITY PROGRAMS
1. Old-Age and Survivors Insurance
2. Unemployment Insurance
U N I T E D S T A T E S D E P A R T M E N T OF L A B O R
B U R E A U OF L A B O R S T A T I S T I C S
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
M aurice J. T obin , Secretary
BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS
E w an Clague,
Commissioner
A r y n e s s J o y W iCKENS,
Deputy Commissioner
Assistant Commissioners
H erm an
H
enry
B.
B yer
J . F it z g e r a l d
C h a r les D . Stew art
H. M. D outy, Chief, Division of Wage Statistics
W. D uane E vans, Chief, Division of Interindustry Economics
E dward D. H ollander, Chief, Division of Prices and Cost of Living
H ersey E. R iley , Chief, Division of Construction Statistics
B oris Stern , Chief, Division of Industrial Relations
Samuel W eiss , Chief, Division of Employment Statistics
F aith M. W illiams, Chief, Division of Foreign Labor Conditions
S eymour L. W olpbein , Chief, Division of Manpower and Productivity
P aul R. K erschbaum, Chief, Office of Program Planning
Inquiries should be addressed to
The E ditor, M on th ly Labor Review
B u reau of Labor Statistics, Washington tB, D , C.
The printing of this publication has been approved by the Director of the Bureau of the Budget
(July 25, 1947).
For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U. S. Government Printing Office, Washington 25, D. C, Price 40 cents a copy.
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Monthly Labor Review
31950
FEB
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR • BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS
. vj
I
U iL * '' U li <J
U U L
L awrence R. K le in , Chief, Office of Publications
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CONTENTS
Special Articles
1 The Federal Social Security Programs
1
Federal Program of Old-Age and Survivors Insurance
9
Insurance Against Unemployment in the United States
14 Building-Trades Bargaining Plan in Southern California
19 Great Britain: Coal Mining since Nationalization
Summaries of Studies and Reports
26
30
33
36
39
42
46
49
50
51
52
53
Guaranteed Employment and Wages Under Collective Bargaining
Wages and Related Practices in Airframe Industry, May-June 1949
Baking Industry: Union Scales, July 1, 1949
Local City Truck Driving: Union Scales, July 1, 1949
Standards Advocated by Labor Legislation Conference
State Labor Legislation Enacted in 1949
State Unemployment Insurance Laws, January 1950
Social Insurance Payments Under Public Programs, 1948
Low-Income Families and Economic Stability
Annual Conference of American Public Welfare Association
Consumers’ Cooperatives in Canada, 1948
Labor-Management Disputes in December 1949
Technical Notes
55 VII. Measurement of Industrial Employment
59 VIII. Calculating Hours and Earnings of Workers in Industry
Departments
hi
64
70
73
80
The Labor Month in Review
Recent Decisions of Interest to Labor
Chronology of Recent Labor Events
Publications of Labor Interest
Current Labor Statistics (list of tables)
January 1950 © Voi. 70 • No, 1
fZ
R.l
This Issue in Brief...
S ystems and b e n e fit s (as well as beneficiaries)
of social security have been a paramount topic
of discussion during 1949 and will be throughout
1950 and for some time beyond. A sizable por
tion of the contents of this issue of the Monthly
Labor Review consists of articles bearing directly
on different aspects of social security. T he
F ederal P rogram of O ld-A ge and S urvivors
I nsurance (p. 1) inaugurates a four-article
series on the subject, with the second article
appearing in this and the third and fourth in
subsequent issues. Almost 80 million living
persons (either retired or still working) had wage
credits under the program in 1949 and more than
2.5 millions were receiving benefits. The amount
of primary monthly benefits averaged under $26,
and workers who could and would like to supple
ment their payments are restricted to a maximum
self-earned supplement of $14.99 per month.
Over 25 million were excluded from this program,
but some were covered by other systems.
An interesting footnote to the article is S ocial
I nsurance P ayments U nder P ublic P rograms ,
1948 (p. 49). More than 5 billion dollars were
paid out in some kind of public benefits in the
1 year, or 10 percent less than in 1946. Half the
1948 payments were to veterans or their survivors.
I nsurance A gainst U nemployment in the
U nited S tates (p. 9) is the second article in
the four-article series on the Federal social
security programs, and the concluding one for
this issue. Unemployment insurance, which pro
tects the worker during relatively brief out-of-work
periods, rather than during retirement, covered
37 million workers in 1948. Weekly benefits
averaged $19 and 4 million workers drew them
for an average of nearly 11 weeks, although on
the average they could have drawn them for
twice that number had unemployment lasted
that long. Benefits approximated only about 35
percent of average weekly wages and almost a third
of people in jobs were not covered by the program
at all. The program itself is not uniform since
it is administered under separate State laws.
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Some of the problems attaching to this program
were attacked by State labor commissioners and
trade-union representatives late in 1949, and their
feelings are recorded in S tandards A dvocated by
C o nference on L abor L egislation (p. 39),
especially with respect to size of benefit and extent
of coverage. A convenient summary of the State
laws is found in S tate U nemployment I nsurance
L a w s , J a nuary 1950 (p. 46); a summary of
related legislation is contained in S tate L abor
L egislation E nacted in 1949 (p. 42).
It was quite natural that the wide public interest
in security and welfare programs and plans would
find critical evaluation at the A n n ual C onfer
ence of the
A merican P ublic W elfare A sso
(p. 51). One spokesman feared that
union-negotiated welfare plans would weaken
support for improvement of public welfare pro
grams. Another warned against the increase in
exhaustion of benefits.
One positive form of social security is to have
the employer guarantee a job or guarantee income.
Some of the current practices in this respect are
described in G uaranteed E mployment and
W ages u n d er C ollective B argaining (p. 26).
As early as 1890 unions and employers worked out
contractual relationships affecting job and wage
continuity. In this article, sample contract
clauses serve to illustrate what is agreed to in
connection with annual guarantees, weekly hours,
who is eligible to benefit, the effect of holidays and
absences, and escape clauses and transfers.
The Joint Congressional Committee on the
Economic Report recently released its report on
ciation
L ow -I ncome F am ilies and E conomic S tability
(p. 50), which points up some of the obverse
features of social security. Of the 10 million
families in the United States whose income aver
ages less than $2,000 a year (they “ constitute a
great underdeveloped economic frontier”), about
two-thirds were not farming people; but of those
who were, about half had incomes of less than
$1,000 a year. Marginal farming was the greatest
cause. Among city families and others not work
ing farms, about 25 percent were headed by persons
65 and over and a large proportion were headed
by unskilled workers. There was also a relation
ship between income and race in the urban group:
an eighth were headed by nonwhite males. Low
income groups as a whole use more grains as a diet
staple and less meat, milk, vegetables, and fruits
than better-off families.
The Labor Month
in Review
good faith; and that it had interfered with the em
ployers’ selection of their bargaining agent. By
early January, most of the other coal producer
associations had also filed charges of unfair labor
practices against the union. These charges were
being investigated by the Board.
during December indicated a
continuation of the recovery from the midsummer
low point. Industrial production was higher than
in November and the dollar volume of Christmas
trade equalled that of a year ago. Consumers’
prices continued at the stable level which has
prevailed for a number of months.
The situation in the coal industry remained un
settled during December 1949 and early January
1950, but there were no other major labor-manage
ment disputes which threatened work stoppages
in the month. Union-management relations in a
variety of situations were affected by actions taken
by the National Labor Relations Board. Pension
plans again were an important part of union con
tracts negotiated during the month.
NLRB Actions
B u sin e ss activity
No Coal Settlement
Bituminous-coal miners, since December 5,
continued to work a 3-day week at the order of
the United Mine Workers Policy Committee.
Some agreements were reached with small opera
tors which permitted a full schedule of production
but such production was estimated at only about
3 percent of total capacity. In early January, a
series of work stoppages closed a number of mines
in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky,
Virginia, and Alabama.
The reduction in coal production since the
termination of the UMW contract at the end of
June has led to an uneven distribution and
shortages of coal in certain areas and demands
that the President act under the national emer
gency provisions of the Labor Management
Relations Act. The Interstate Commerce Com
mission, to conserve available coal, ordered
railroads with 25 or fewer days’ supply of coal to
cut coal-burning railroad passenger service by
one-third, beginning January 9.
Near the end of December, the Southern Coal
Producers’ Association filed charges of unfair
labor practices with the NLRB against the
United Mine Workers. The operators charged
that the 3-day limit on mining, imposed by the
union, was a device to enforce illegal union-shop
conditions; that the union refused to bargain in
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Among the actions taken by the NLRB during
December was an amendment to its rules changing
the interpretation of the term “union officer” to
prevent the evasion of the non-Communist affi
davit requirement of the Taft-Hartley Act. The
Board announced that it would investigate situa
tions in which a union attempted to evade the
intention of the affidavit requirement by failing
to list certain officers. In the future, it may
require affidavits from persons who, in fact, act
as officers, although not listed as such.
The General Counsel of the NLRB, in a hear
ing before the Board, proposed that the TaftHartley Act’s union-shop election requirements
be waived in the case of the construction industry.
Experience in pilot elections has shown that their
conduct is administratively impractical, Mr. Den
ham stated. He was joined in his proposal by
the Building and Construction Trades Depart
ments (AFL) and officials of the Associated Gen
eral Contractors of America. The International
Association of Machinists (Ind.) opposed the
request. The Board indicated little sympathy
with the proposal, pointing out that the Supreme
Court of the United States (in the Colgate case)
had told the Board that it could not modify a
statute under the guise of administration.
A union of farm workers is not a labor organi
zation as defined by the Taft-Hartley Act and can
not be held subject to that act, the Board decided
during the month. The National Farm Labor
Union (AFL) has been restrained since July 1948
by a court injunction from picketing and violating
the secondary boycott provisions of the act in its
strike against the DiGiorgio Fruit Corp. in
California.
Employees who offer their membership fees and
dues to a union holding a union-shop contract are
protected from discharge under the union-shop
provisions of the law, the Board held in a 3 to 2
decision. The employee in the case had not ful
filled the union’s other requirements for member
ship but had tendered his initiation fees and
membership dues.
IV
LABOR MONTH IN REVIEW
Other developments affecting unions under the
Taft-Hartley Act included a petition for a unionshop election in 100 General Motors plants
scattered throughout the country filed by the
United Auto Workers (CIO) with the NLRB.
The union’s petition had 136,000 signatures, far
more than the 30 percent required by the law.
Over 250,000 workers will be eligible to vote, a
majority of whom must vote for the union shop
before the company will be required to bargain
on the issue. The company has refused to permit
the elections to be held on its property.
The uncertainty over representation in the
electrical goods manufacturing industry was not
settled by various court and NLRB actions taken
during the month. The General Counsel of the
Board had issued an order to regional directors
that in processing representation cases, in which
the United Electrical Workers (Ind.) and the Inter
national Union of Electrical Workers (CIO) were
both seeking representation, an existing contract
should not bar an election if it expires prior to May
1,1950. TheUE, claiming that this order amounted
to a prejudgment of the cases, sought a temporary
restraining order from the Federal District Court
for the District of Columbia delaying the NLRB
hearings until the General Counsel should rescind
his instructions. Meanwhile, the General Counsel
altered his order and the UE withdrew its com
plaint.
More Pension Plans
The spread of pension plans, many following the
recommendations of the President’s Steel In
dustry Board, continued in December. Pension
plans were adopted by agreements between the
United Steel-workers of America (CIO) and the
Continental Can Co., the Timken Roller Bearing
Co., and the Aluminum Co. of America. The new
International Union of Electrical Workers (CIO)
signed a pension agreement with the Philco Co.
to give retired employees minimum benefits of
$100 a month. The Amalgamated Clothing
Workers obtained an increase in pension benefits
from the Clothing Manufacturers Association.
Pensions for an estimated 150,000 clothing workers
will be increased $20 monthly over present bene
fits; when added to benefits under the Federal
Social Security Act they will average $100 per
month for workers reaching age 65.
The recent increase in minimum pensions to
$100 a month for employees, made by the American
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Telephone and Telegraph Co. without consulting
the union, was made the basis of unfair labor
practice charges by the Communication Workers
of America (CIO). While it approved the in
crease in pensions, the union asserted that the
AT & T had violated the Taft-Hartley Act by not
consulting it, as collective bargaining agent, about
the specific modifications in the plan.
Nonfarm Employment Remains High
Employment in nonagricultural industries, which
increased by more than 100,000 to 51% millions
from November to December, was at a 1949 high,
according to Bureau of the Census estimates.
Increased employment in such industries as trade
and service, which normally expand for the holiday
season, apparently offset declines in industries
such as construction which contract with winter
weather.
Farm employment fell sharply from 8 million
in early November to 6% million in the first part
of December. This drop accounted for the
decline in total employment which was at 58%
million in December 1949, almost a million below
the December 1948 figure.
Unemployment remained almost unchanged
over the period, the usual seasonal pattern for
that time of year. The number of unemployed,
about 3% million, did not vary much during the
last 5 months of 1949. The number of long-term
jobless also remained fairly steady from August
to December. However, about 1% million more
persons were unemployed in December 1949 than
a year ago; 820,000 were out of work for more
than 14 weeks compared with 255,000 in December
1948.
The most recent labor market survey of the
United States Employment Service shows no net
change between September and November 1949
in the number of major labor market areas classi
fied “E ,” those with an estimated 12 percent or
more of the labor force unemployed.
Price Changes Small
Wholesale prices in December declined fraction
ally from the November average, prices of farm
products and food accounting for the major por
tion of the decrease. Prices of textiles, metals,
and building materials increased during the
month. Changes in consumers’ prices were rela
tively minor, with a small decline in retail food
prices.
The Federal Social Security Programs
Analysis of Legislative Provisions, Exclusions from Coverage,
Cooperation with States, Operating Experience,
Value of Programs to Individuals and the Nation, and Further Needs
E ditor ’s N ote .— Public discussion of social secu
rity has been heightened by the current concern of
labor-management negotiations and of the Con
gress with various aspects of the problem. The
following two articles, dealing with retirement and
survivors benefits and unemployment insurance ,
are the first of four articles written by appropriate
specialists of the Federal Security Agency and
U. S. Department of Labor. Articles on public
assistance and the financing of unemployment
insurance will appear in early issues.
The Federal Program of
Old-Age and Survivors Insurance1
of the passage of
the Social Security Act, which now provides
benefits to retired workers and their dependents
and to the survivors of deceased workers insured
under the program, was marked in August 1949.
Benefits under the old-age and survivors insurance
program had been paid for only 9){ years on
June 30, 1949, but monthly payments had reached
over 51. 5 million dollars for almost 2. 6 million
persons. For the fiscal year 1949, the Treasury
Department certified 595 million dollars for
monthly benefits and an additional 32 million
dollars for lump-sum payments.
T he fo u r teen th an n iv er sa r y
i
Prepared by Jacob Perlman, OASI Liaison Officer, D ivision of Research
and Statistics, Social Security Administration, Federal Security Agency.
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Historical Developments
The United States lagged far behind other
countries in providing “social security” for its
older workers chiefly because the problem of the
older worker was not conspicuous until after
World War I. A declining birth rate and the
reduction in immigration produced a sharp in
crease in the ratio of the aged to the total popula
tion during the 1920’s. Furthermore, during
these years accelerated development of mechaniza
tion and mass-production shifted the emphasis in
the demand for labor from the skilled to the semi
skilled worker. Industry began to discriminate
against the older worker in hiring, and technologi
cal unemployment became an important factor.
These developments led to agitation in favor of
pensions for older workers.
Both industry and government moved slowly.
Company pension plans established during the
1920’s were relatively limited in scope and largely
restricted to executives and other salaried people.
Some old-age pension laws were introduced for
State and local government employees, and the
Federal Civil Service Retirement System was
started in 1920. But the majority of workers had
no guarantee of security in their old age. In fact,
social insurance on a government basis was widely
opposed, on the grounds that it would destroy
individual enterprise and initiative, that it con
stituted regimentation, that it was unconstitu
tional, and that it would bankrupt the Nation.
Even organized labor opposed it as late as 1932,
arguing that, if wages were adequate, the worker
could take care of himself in his old age.
1
2
FEDERAL OLD-AGE INSURANCE
With the onset of mass unemployment in the
severe depression starting in 1929, the problem of
protection against loss of earnings in old age came
to the fore. The older worker, in particular, had
almost no chance of finding a job. Need became
urgent for an immediate as well as a long-range
plan for providing economic security for the aged
and other persons without means to take care of
themselves.
Accordingly, early in 1934 President Roosevelt
recommended to Congress consideration of eco
nomic security legislation and, on August 14,1935, a
law embodying the recommendations of a specially
created Committee on Economic Security was
adopted. Although this law did not go as far as
the Committee had recommended, it established
a broad system of federally administered old-age
pensions.
In general, the law provided old-age benefits to
workers in industrial and commercial establish
ments, which constitute the major segment of the
Nation’s economy. Excluded were the selfemployed, agricultural labor, domestic workers in
private homes, government employees, those
working for certain nonprofit institutions (re
ligious, charitable, and educational), casual labor,
and those engaged in certain maritime services.
Administrative reasons justified some of these
exclusions. Others were authorized because the
employment was already covered by a retirement
system, and still others because those concerned
were opposed to coverage. Railroad employment
was not listed in the exclusions, but the Railroad
Retirement Act of 1935 specifically exempted
railroad workers from coverage under the Social
Security Act.
In order to become insured under the program,
a worker was required to have total wages of at
least $2,000 from covered employment earned in
five separate calendar years. Wages earned after
age 65 did not count towards eligibility, thereby
excluding from protection the older workers who
were most in need of it. Monthly benefits were to
be paid to insured workers after attainment of
age 65, beginning in 1942, with no provision for
survivors except a lump-sum payment. Provision
was made for lump-sum payment to contributors
who had not met the requirements for monthly
benefits. Benefits were to be financed by con
tributions by employer and employee of 1 percent
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MONTHLY LABOR
of wages up to $3,000 a year from any employer,
beginning in 1937, and rising to 3 percent each in
1949 and thereafter. Provision was made for an
old-age reserve account in the Federal Treasury,
to which sufficient funds were to be appropriated
annually by Congress to provide for the payments
under the program, determined on a reserve basis.
As a next step, what has been called the world’s
largest bookkeeping system was established in
order to record the wages of workers covered under
the old-age benefit system. It was necessary to
assign numbers to approximately 26 million
workers and more than 2 million employers in a
mass registration. An individual ledger sheet was
set up for each employee, and machines were either
invented or adapted to handle the posting of
reported wages.
Provisions Under the Present Program
“ Social Security” soon became generally ac
cepted and the insurance provisions of the act
were upheld by the Supreme Court of the United
States in 1937. However, serious shortcomings
in the old-age benefits program became obvious
and controversy developed over the financing
provisions. In 1937, therefore, the Social Secur
ity Board and the Senate Finance Committee
appointed an Advisory Council to study these
problems. Following the recommendations of
the Council, Congress substantially amended
the Social Security Act in 1939. Although several
legislative changes have been made subsequently,
the act as amended in 1939 remains the basis of
the current program.
The 1939 amendments started a trend toward
the concept of presumed need, which is the essence
of social insurance, and away from the principles of
individual savings and equity as known in private
insurance. Coverage was expanded to provide
benefits for survivors and dependents of those
insured. Benefits were made payable in 1940
instead of 1942. Furthermore, changed eligi
bility provisions considerably increased the num
ber of the aged who could qualify in 1940 or
shortly thereafter for retirement benefits. The
benefit formula was changed to increase many
retirement benefits payable in the early years of
the program on the basis of limited contributions.
Under these amendments, a wage earner who
reaches age 65 or over and retires is eligible for all
FEDERAL OLD-AGE INSURANCE
REVIEW, JANUARY 1950
types of benefits if he is “ fully insured.” 2 If he is
“ currently insured/’ only certain survivorship
benefits may be paid.3
Benefit amounts were related to average monthly
rather than accumulated wages, under a formula
favoring those with low earnings.4 By this
change, the amounts payable to persons retiring
soon after benefits became payable were increased
and benefits were also related more closely to the
wage loss due to retirement than formerly. The
basic monthly benefit is equal to 40 percent of the
first $50 of the average wage, plus 10 percent of
the next $200. To this basic amount is added a
1-percent increment for each year in which the
worker received wages of $200 or more. If the
benefit computed according to the formula is less
than $10, it is raised to $10. Examples of monthly
benefits (i. e. “primary benefits”) payable to
retired workers follow:
Average monthly wage
Years of coverage
5
$50 _________ ______ $ 21 . 00
26 . 25
$100 ______________
$150 ______________ 31 . 50
$200 ______________ 36 . 75
$250 ______________ 42 . 00
10
$ 22 .
27 .
33 .
38 .
44 .
40
no
00
50
00
50
00
$ 24 .
30 .
36 .
42 .
48 .
00
00
00
00
00
$ 28 .
35 .
42 .
49 .
56 .
00
00
00
00
00
If a worker is “fully insured,” benefits may be
payable to his wife or widow at age 65; his
unmarried children under 18; and his widow,
regardless of age, if she has such children in her
care; or to aged dependent parents. If he is
“currently insured,” monthly benefits may be pay
able to his children and his widow if she is caring
for the children. A wife, child, or dependent
parent receives half of the primary benefit; a
widow receives three-fourths. However, the total
2 In general, he is fully insured when he has half as many “quarters of
coverage” as there were calendar quarters after 1936 (or after his twenty-first
birthday, if that is later) and before the quarter in which he reaches age 65
or dies, whichever occurs first. A quarter of coverage is a calendar quarter in
which the individual is paid wages of at least $50 in covered employment.
There must be at least 6 quarters of coverage in any case. This minimum
applies in the case of persons who reached age 65 before July 1, 1940. The
amended act allows credit for employment after age 65, retroactive to January
1, 1939. When a worker has 40 quarters of coverage he is permanently fully
insured, regardless of age. Quarters of coverage may be acquired at any time
after 1936 and need not be consecutive.
3 A person is currently insured if he has earned 6 quarters of coverage during
the period consisting of the quarter in which he died and the 12 calendar
quarters immediately preceding such quarter.
‘ An individual’s average monthly wage is computed by dividing all of his
wages received in covered employment by the number of months which have
elapsed after 1936, or after he attains age 22, whichever is later, and before the
time when he dies or becomes entitled to benefits.
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3
benefits based upon one worker’s wages may not
exceed the smallest of the following: Twice the
amount of the primary benefit, or 80 percent of
the worker’s average monthly wage, or $85. The
maximum provision does not apply if family
benefits total less than $20.
Provisions with respect to lump-sum payments
were also changed in 1939. Such payment to a
worker at age 65 was discontinued, and, in view of
the new survivors’ benefits, the death payment
was limited to a sum equal to 6 months of the
primary benefit. It was further limited to those
who could be presumed to ha^e suffered an eco
nomic loss because of the worker’s death or who
had paid the funeral expenses, and could be made
only if there was no one immediately entitled to
monthly benefits.
All benefits are suspended for any month in
which the retired wage earner returns to work in
covered employment and receives $15 or more per
month. Likewise, if his dependents or survivors
(who draw benefits) work for more than $14.99
a month, their individual benefits are withheld.
This provision was adopted in order to assure
payments only to those individuals who have
substantially retired from work in jobs covered
by the law and who, therefore, might be presumed
to need benefits.
A broad extension of coverage was not provided.
Certain previously excepted services were included
under the 1939 amendments, notably those per
formed by persons aged 65 and over, beginning in
1939. As of January 1, 1940, coverage was also
extended to approximately 1.6 million workers.5
Concurrently, however, the 1939 amendments
restricted coverage in other areas, notably in
connection with agriculture.6 Among other
groups excluded at this time were student nurses
and interns, newsboys under 18, employees of
foreign governments, and domestic servants in
fraternities, etc. The coverage of family employ
ment was also limited.
Some further extensions have been made in
coverage. In 1943, it was extended for the dura* The extension of coverage applied to maritime service on American ves
sels, except certain fishermen, and to employment by governmental bodies
or instrumentalities not wholly owned by the Federal Government, such as
national banks, building and loan associations, and State banks which are
members of the Federal Reserve System.
4
The term agricultural labor was so defined as to exclude certain borderline
activities which were closely related to farming, and which previously had
been considered as covered.
4
FEDERAL OLD-AGE INSURANCE
tion of the war to seamen employed by or through
the War Shipping Administration. Employees
of the Bonneville Power Administration who were
not covered under the Federal Civil Service Re
tirement Act were covered by a 1945 law, for em
ployment performed after December 31, 1945.
Further restrictions were imposed in 1948.
Under one law, services performed by certain
newspaper and magazine vendors were excluded.
Another redefined the term “ employee” to restrict
it to the “ usual common-law rules” applicable in
Percent Distribution of Living Persons W ith W age
Credits, by Insurance Status, January 1,Each Year
Percent
MONTHLY LABOR
take over the assets of the old-age reserve account.
The size of the reserve account, as estimated in
connection with the 1935 act (47 billion dollars
by 1980), had been severely criticized as unneces
sary in a Government program, and strong senti
ment developed for placing the system on a “ payas-you-go” basis. In response to this sentiment,
the 1939 amendments provided that the Fund
trustees were to report to Congress whenever, in
their opinion, the fund would exceed three times
the highest annual expenditure within the follow
ing five fiscal years, implying that Congress would
keep the reserve from exceeding three times the
annual benefits. The contribution rates at 1
percent each for employees and employers were
maintained through 1949. In 1947, a new
schedule was adopted which increased the tax rate
to 1% percent each in 1950 and 1951 and to
2 percent each for 1952 and thereafter.
Experience Under the Present Program
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS
S ourc* FEDERAL SECURITY AGENCY
determining employer-employee relationship. The
result was more restricted coverage than that
under the test of “ economic reality” to determine
what constitutes employment, as handed down
by the Supreme Court in an opinion in June 1947.
As mentioned before, considerable interest and
controversy on the financing of old-age benefits
developed after passage of the Social Security Act.
The amendments of 1939 revised the financial
provisions, with the establishment of a Federal
Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund to
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Old-age and survivors insurance has become
an essential of our national life. By the end of
1948, a total of 92.3 million social security accounts
had been established—2.7 million of them in that
year. The number of living persons with wage
credits under the program had grown from 40.8
million on January 1, 1940, to 78.9 million on
January 1, 1949. (See table 1.) During 1948,
some 49.6 million workers were employed in jobs
covered by old-age and survivors insurance, and
total taxable wages of 84.5 billion dollars were
reported by about 3.3 million employers. Aver
age taxable wages per year were $1,704 as com
pared with only $900 per worker in the first year
of the program’s operation.
Of all persons with wage credits on January 1,
1949 (see table 2), an-estimated 38.3 million were
“ fully insured,” of whom about 2 million were
over age 65.
Of those persons who were fully insured on
January 1, 1949, 13.2 million had permanent
insured status—that is, they or their dependents
or survivors could qualify for benefits even though
the wage earner had no further employment. An
additional 5.1 million workers were currently but
not fully insured, so that benefits could be paid
to the survivors in the event of their death. (See
chart.)
Of the fully insured workers over age 65, more
FEDERAL OLD-AGE INSURANCE
REVIEW, JANUARY 1950
5
was small—on January 1, 1948, their average was
$1,300 compared with $12,200 for fully insured
workers. Some of the uninsured were seasonal or
part-time workers; others had just entered covered
employment; some had worked only a short time
and had withdrawn from covered employment;
and still others were shifting between covered and
noncovered employment. Among those who had
than half (1,048,000) were currently receiving
monthly benefits. Most of the 933,000 who were
not in payment status were still employed.
By contrast, 35.5 million persons were uninsured
under the program—having worked in covered
employment in too few calendar quarters to gain
insurance protection. Compared with the insured
workers, the cumulative amount of their wages
T able 1.— Extent of coverage of the old-age and survivors insurance 'program in terms of workers, wages and salaries, and firms,
1937-48
Covered industries
W ith covered wages
Year
Popula
tion 14
and over,
end of
year 1
Cumulative to end
of year
Number
Firms (in thousands)
Wages and salaries in year
Persons (in millions)
During
year
Total
United
States 3
During
year
Taxable
Total
(in billions)
Percent of
population
Amount Percent of
(in billions) total U. S.
First
quarter
of year
Average
1937_______________________
1938_______________________
1939_______________________
1940_______________________
1941_______________________
1942_____ __________________
98.8
100.0
101.1
102.4
103.5
104.7
32.7
36.5
40.8
44.9
51.0
58.5
33.1
36.5
40.4
43.8
49.3
55.9
32.9
31.8
33.8
35.4
41.0
46.4
$45.6
42.4
45.3
49.0
59.8
75.6
$32.8
29.0
32.2
35.7
45.5
58.2
$29.6
26.5
29.7
33.0
41.8
52.9
64.9
62.5
65.6
67.3
69.9
70.0
$900
833
881
932
1, 021
1,142
2,421
2,239
2,366
2,500
2,646
2,655
1943_______________________
1944_______________________
1945_______________________
1946_______________________
1947_______________________
1948_______________________
105.7
106.6
107.5
108.6
109.7
110.8
65.3
69.5
72.3
74.8
76.8
78.9
61.8
65.2
67.3
68.9
70.0
71.2
47.7
46.3
46.4
49.1
49.2
49.6
91.2
96.3
95.1
103.5
118.3
131.4
69.7
73.3
71.6
79.3
92.5
102.7
62.4
64.4
62.9
69.1
78.4
84.5
68.4
66.9
66.1
66.8
66.3
64.3
1,310
1,392
1, 357
1,407
1,593
1,704
2,394
2,469
2,614
3,017
3, 250
3,300
(? )
1,876
1,967
2, 069
2,188
2,204
1,971
2,010
2,076
2,287
2,509
2,590
3 N ot available.
Source: Covered data—Bureau of Old-Age and Survivors Insurance; popu
lation—Bureau of the Census; and total wages—Office of Business Economics,
U . S. Department of Commerce.
1
Includes Alaska and Hawaii, persons in institutions, and armed forces
overseas.
* Includes continental United States and pay of Federal civilian employees
In all other areas.
T able 2.— Extent of protection afforded by old-age and survivors insurance program, in terms of number insured and average
primary benefit1 to insured persons, 1989—48
Age 65 and over
All ages
End of year
Persons with
wage credits
Insured
cumulative
to end of year (in millions)
(in millions)
Average
accrued
primary
benefit
am ou nt3
Percent
insured
Persons with
Fully
wage credits
insured
cumulative
to end of year (in millions)
(in millions)
Percent
fully
insured
Average
accrued
primary
benefit
a m ou n t3
1939_________________________________
1940_________________________________
1941_________________________________
1942__________________________________
1943_________________________________
40.8
44.9
51.0
58.5
65.3
22.9
24.9
27.5
31.2
34.9
56.1
55.5
53.9
53.3
53.4
(*)
(«)
W
«
$25.00
0.7
.9
1.1
1.4
1.8
0.2
.5
.7
.8
1.0
28.6
55.6
63.6
57.1
55.6
(«)
M
«
(4)
$25.25
1944___ ____________________________
1945_____
___
__________________
1946_________________________________
1947______ ___________________________
1948_________________________________
69.5
72.3
74.8
76.8
78.9
38.6
40.3
41.5
43.1
43.4
55.5
55.7
55.5
56.1
55.0
25.00
25.25
25.75
26.50
M
2.1
2.4
2.7
3.0
3.4
1.2
1.5
1.6
1.8
2.0
57.1
62.5
59.3
60.0
58.8
25.25
25.50
25.25
27. 00
1 Primary benefit amount accrued to insured worker at end of year repre
sents amount on which monthly survivor benefits or lump-sum death payments
would be based if the worker were to die at end of year; also primary benefit
to which worker would become entitled if he were fully insured, aged 65 or
over, and had filed an application for such benefit at end of year, and the basis
on which supplementary benefits would be computed. N ot adjusted to
reflect changes in insured status and primary benefit amounts for (1) workers
with combined earnings under coordinated survivor provisions of the old-age
and survivors insurance and railroad retirement programs, and (2) veterans
8 6 6 5 9 3 — 50------ 2
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(4)
deemed to be fully insured only as a result of sec. 210 of title II of the Social
Security Act as amended in 1946. Averages estimated to nearest multiple
of 25 cents.
2 Excludes accrued primary benefit amounts for insured persons under 25
years of age. Includes primary benefit amounts for persons receiving benefits.
3 Includes primary benefit amounts for persons receiving benefits.
4 N ot available.
Source: Bureau of Old-Age and Survivors Insurance.
6
FEDERAL OLD-AGE INSURANCE
withdrawn from covered employment were many
women, whose participation in the labor force is
often interrupted by marriage and family re
sponsibilities. However, many of them will re
ceive benefits as wives, or widows, on account of
their husband’s wage records. Over a period of
future years, too, many workers who spend rela
tively little time in covered employment may
acquire permanently insured status, thus entitling
them to benefits under the program.
Benefit rolls under old-age and survivors in
surance have also grown. During the fiscal year
1949, monthly benefits were awarded to 622,000
MONTHLY LABOR
persons, almost 295,000 of whom were retired
workers. As stated before, 2.6 million persons
were receiving monthly benefits on June 30, 1949,
with monthly benefit amounts totaling 51.5 million
dollars. The extent to which the rolls have ex
panded since monthly benefits first became payable
is indicated by the 1940 and 1945 experience
reported in table 3.
On June 30, 1949, 46.1 percent of the benefici
aries were retired workers; 14.1 percent were wives
of these workers; 24.1 percent were children of re
tired or deceased workers; 9.3 percent were aged
widows; 5.9 percent were widows caring for child
T able 3.— Beneficiaries and monthly benefits in current-payment status, by type of benefit, fiscal years 1940-49
Total in current-payment
status
Number of beneficiaries, by type of benefit
End of fiscal year
Number
M onthly
amount (in
thousands)
Primary
Wife’s
Child’s
W idow’s
Widow’s
current
Parent’s
1940!_________
1941._ . . . . . . _ _ _
1942______________
1943_________________________
1944.. . . . . .
95,500
336, 240
529, 876
676,302
846,303
$1, 759
6,096
9,555
12,199
15,351
53,800
160,401
237,459
284, 063
339, 954
11,200
44, 320
68, 760
84,398
103,164
21, 500
88,091
147,674
201, 954
261,806
900
9, 567
21, 694
37,680
57,126
7, 900
32, 444
51, 789
64,711
79,866
200
1,417
2,500
3,496
4,387
1945_________________
____
... ......................
1946__ . .
1947__________________ _.
1948________ ________ .
1949________ ___ _ . . . . . .
1,106,002
1,502, 085
1,832, 285
2,162, 693
2,554,248
20,163
28, 211
35, 071
42,391
51, 520
430, 723
632, 038
797, 927
968, 682
1,180, 909
132,155
193, 241
245,364
296, 711
359, 840
348,413
431, 202
499, 246
556, 834
614, 714
81, 500
110,168
146,124
188, 612
236,394
107, 597
128,688
134, 673
140, 807
149, 724
5,614
6,748
8, 951
11, 047
12; 667
1 Estimated.
Source: Bureau of Old-Age and Survivors Insurance
beneficiaries; and 0.5 percent were aged dependent
parents of deceased workers. Persons aged 65 or
over thus comprised 70.1 percent of the total num
ber receiving benefits. Furthermore, of the 1.8
million families represented in the 2.6 million per
sons receiving monthly benefits, retired worker
families made up almost 67 percent of the total.
The average primary benefit has increased only
moderately since 1940, as shown in the accom
panying tabulation.
Average
monthly
prim ary
benefit
End of fiscal year—1940 1________ $21. 96
1941_________
22. 67
1942 ________
22. 87
1943_________
23. 23
1944_________
23. 61
End of fiscal year—
1945_________ $23. 94
1946_________
24. 43
1947_________
24. 72
1948_________
25. 13
1949_________
25. 72
1Estimated.
Source: Bureau of Old-Age and Survivors Insurance.
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Average
monthly
prim a ry
benefit
By type, the monthly average benefit in 1949
was $13.61 for a wife of a retired worker, $20.72
for an aged widow, $20.96 for a widow with child
beneficiaries, $13.09 for a child beneficiary, and
$13.70 for an aged dependent parent.
Naturally, the beneficiaries are concentrated in
the highly industrialized States. By contrast, the
agricultural States not only have relatively fewer
beneficiaries but their average benefits are also
lower. This is due to the fact that in the latter
States many workers divide their working time
between covered and noncovered employment.
Assets of the Old-Age and Survivors Insurance
Trust Fund on June 30, 1949, totaled 11,310 mil
lion dollars, with contributions during the fiscal
year amounting to 1,690 million dollars. Except
for 79 million dollars held in cash for current with
drawals, the money was invested in Government
REVIEW, JANUARY 1950
FEDERAL OLD-AGE INSURANCE
securities. At the end of fiscal year 1939, assets
had been only 1,745 million dollars.
Relation to Other Programs
In providing for the establishment of FederalState programs of public assistance under the
Social Security Act of 1935, Congress took into
account a number of factors. Some people, such
as those already old when the old-age insurance
program began and those handicapped since birth
or childhood, would never be able to meet the re
quirements of the insurance system, and the need
of others would be greater than this system was
able to meet. However, the assumption that the
insurance program would provide the necessary
basic protection was not fulfilled, namely, that
assistance cases would decline as more people be
came insured under the contributory system.
Instead, the number receiving old-age assistance
has almost doubled, while the number receiving
old-age insurance has lagged relatively by com
parison, notwithstanding that the average worker
prefers a benefit for which he has paid rather than
relief.
Private industrial pension systems have suc
cessfully supplemented the protection of old-age
and survivors insurance. Old-age and survivors
insurance extends broadly over the whole field of
private industry, providing continuous protection
for persons who move from job to job within that
field; private retirement plans, each limited to a
single firm or industry, are used to supplement this
protection and to reward faithful service.
In other fields, however, this basic relationship
has not been clearly worked out. Railroad-em
ployees, for example, have their own system, which
provides retirement benefits entirely separate from
those under old-age and survivors insurance. The
survivor benefits of the two programs were coordi
nated in 1946, and employment under both sys
tems is now counted toward benefits, which are
payable under a single system. By this device,
loss of benefits on the one hand, and excessive
duplication of benefits on the other, are prevented
if an individual has moved back and forth between
the two programs. Nevertheless, an individual
who attains retirement age and whose working
lifetime has been divided between the two pro
grams may receive somewhat less in retirement
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7
benefits than is appropriate in view of his com
bined periods of service.
No coordination has been worked out between
the Federal civil service retirement and the old-age
and survivors insurance program. The Federal
program providing compensation and pension for
veterans and their survivors also is separate and
apart from the old-age and survivors insurance
program, with one minor exception. Three years
of guaranteed survivorship protection under oldage and survivors insurance was provided in 1946
for veterans following their discharge from World
War II military service. It does not apply where
compensation or pension is payable under veterans’
law.
Adequacy of Present Program
Surveys of families to which benefits are being
paid, made by the Bureau of Old-Age and Sur
vivors Insurance, show that some have no re
sources except their benefits, and that even for
many with some resources benefits are entirely in
adequate. Nearly half of the aged beneficiary
groups included in the surveys had insufficient
income from all sources to provide a maintenance
living, although individuals shared a household
with relatives.
Even in 1940, the amounts payable failed to
provide basic security. Subsequent rises in living
costs have resulted in large numbers of elderly
workers continuing at work after age 65. Others
have retired only because they were ill and unable
to work. Even maximum benefits do not meet
the requirements of most beneficiaries.
A worker who would like to supplement his
benefits by part-time employment incurs hardship
because, under the act, his benefits must be with
held for any month in which he earns $15 or more
in a covered job. In 1935, when the act became
law, unemployment was widespread and Congress
assumed that this requirement would help to
provide jobs for younger persons who had rela
tively greater need. However, the result has
been that many beneficiaries must get along on
either inadequate jobs or inadequate benefits.
The limitation of coverage of this insurance
program is perhaps its most serious shortcoming.
In June 1949, over 25 million persons out of an
employed civilian labor force exceeding 60 million
8
FEDERAL OLD-AGE INSURANCE
were in jobs in which their earnings did not
count toward benefits under this program. Some
of these 25 million will never acquire any wage
credits; others, who move from covered to noncovered jobs, may lose their benefit rights or
suffer a reduction in the amount payable to them
or to their dependents.
Lack of protection against wage loss caused by
extended disability is also serious. Except for
veterans and relatively small groups of workers
who have total disability protection under special
retirement systems, there is no security for work
ers who have extended disability which is not
work connected.
Legislative Developments
Both Houses of Congress have recognized the
shortcomings of the old-age and survivors insur
ance system and steps have been taken toward
legislative action to extend and liberalize it.
In 1947, the Senate Committee on Finance ap
pointed an Advisory Council on Social Security
composed of prominent citizens to further study
the programs established under the Social Security
Act. The Council reported on old-age and sur
vivors insurance to the Senate Finance Committee
on April 8, 1948, referring to the three major de
ficiencies of the program as follows: (1) Inadequate
coverage; (2) unduly restrictive eligibility require
ments for older workers; and (3) inadequate bene
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
fits. It went on record as favoring contributory
social insurance with benefits related to prior earn
ings and awarded without a needs test.
During February 1949, H. R. 2893, a bill “to
extend and improve the old-age and survivors
insurance system, to add protection against disa
bility and for other purposes,” was introduced in
the House of Representatives at the President’s
request. This bill, in general, incorporated the
improvements which the Social Security Adminis
tration has urged for many years. The Ways
and Means Committee of the House made exten
sive study of the proposed changes and held public
hearings on them for 2 months. On August 15,
1949, Chairman Doughton presented the com
mittee’s bill to Congress (H. R. 6000), recommend
ing the enactment of major amendments. In con
nection with the old-age and survivors insurance
program, the bill if enacted into law would provide
for substantial increases in benefit amounts, exten
sion of coverage to approximately 11 million per
sons not now covered, liberalization of the eligi
bility and other requirements, and the establish
ment of a system of monthly benefit payments in
cases of permanent and total disability.
H. R. 6000 was passed by the House of Re
presentatives on October 5, 1949, and sent to the
Senate. Senator George, Chairman of the Senate
Finance Committee, stated that his committee
would commence hearings early in January on the
social security bill.
Insurance Against Unemployment
in the United S tates1
D e p e n d e n c y o n e a r n i n g s is characteristic of
modern industrial society. In the United States,
only a fifth of those at work in October 1949
were self-employed. The remaining four-fifths,
who derived their earnings from employment by
others, ran the risk of having their incomes cut
off by permanent or temporary interruption in
employment over which the employer and the
employee commonly have no direct control.
Unemployment is a hazard to the individual
directly affected, to nations, and to international
relations. Insurance is part of organized society’s
answer to the problem of wage loss due to lack
of work for those who have been separated from
their jobs and desire work.
After experimentation with private unemploy
ment insurance and the adoption of public plans
in several foreign countries and in the State of
Wisconsin in 1932, a Nation-wide system for the
United States was adopted by Congress in 1935.2
This plan was established under the terms of two
titles in the Social Security Act, which provided
for a Federal-State system.
By means of a tax-offset device, the individual
States were encouraged to enact and administer
their own unemployment insurance laws which
would meet certain general Federal standards.
Provision was made for grants to the States of
funds sufficient for the proper and efficient admin
istration of those laws.
The Federal Government has levied a tax on
the pay rolls (up to $3,000 per employee per year)
of employers within the covered industries who
had eight or more employees for 20 weeks in the
taxable year. Exempted from coverage are
chiefly persons engaged in services for nonprofit
organizations, agricultural labor, domestic service,
and government service. Bates were fixed at 1
percent for 1936, 2 percent for 1937, and 3 percent
thereafter. But an employer who is subject to a
1 Prepared by William H. Wandel, Chief of the Division of Program
Standards of the U . S. Labor Department's Bureau of Employment Security.
J This article is confined to a discussion of the Federal-State unemployment
insurance system. The Federal programs covering veterans and railroad
employees are excluded.
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State law meeting the general requirements of the
Federal law is permitted to credit, against the
Federal tax, amounts he is required to pay as
taxes (commonly called contributions) under the
State law. Such tax credits cannot exceed 90
percent of the Federal tax. In practice, this
provision constitutes an incentive to States to
retain, for the benefit of their own work force,
90 percent of the Federal tax; and all States, the
District of Columbia, Alaska, and Hawaii enacted
unemployment insurance laws within 2 years
after the Social Security Act was passed. Twentythree States started to pay benefits in 1938, and
all were paying benefits in July 1939.
From annual Congressional appropriations for
this purpose, the responsible agency (since August
20, 1949, the U. S. Department of Labor) grants
funds to each State for the administration of its
unemployment insurance program, provided its
law and its administration conform to certain
general standards. These grants are generally
made quarterly.
The applicable Federal standards for approval
of State laws, both for tax-offset and administra
tive grants, are very general. For tax-offset
purposes, the State law must provide that (1)
all monies collected under its terms will be depos
ited to the State’s account in a Federal trust fund
and withdrawn solely for the payment of benefits ;
(2) benefits will be paid only through public em
ployment offices; (3) benefits will not be denied
to any otherwise eligible individual who refuses
available new work because of a labor dispute,
which is at wages, hours, or other conditions of
work substantially less favorable than those pre
vailing in the locality, or when as a condition of
being employed, the individual would be required
to join a company union or to refrain from join
ing, or to relinquish membership in, a bona fide
union. In order to meet the requirements for
administrative grants, a State law must provide
for such methods of administration as are reason
ably calculated to insure full payment of benefits
when due, opportunity for a fair hearing to any
one whose claim is denied, and the making of
reports as required by the Federal agency. Grants
can be withheld if, in a substantial number of
cases, the State fails to pay benefits due under
its law.
9
10
FEDERAL UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE
Different rates of contributions by employers
because of their experience with some measure
of unemployment risk are levied under an “ ex
perience rating” system. If the State law has
approvable experience-rating provisions, an em
ployer who is required to pay to the State less
than 90 percent of the Federal tax can still obtain
the full 90-percent credit against the Federal
tax. Any reduced rate must be based on the
employer’s experience with unemployment, or
other factors directly relating to unemployment
risk, during not less than the preceding 3 years.
State Law Provisions3
The basic provisions of State unemployment
insurance are modeled on the Federal legislation
only with regard to coverage and general financial
structure. State laws generally cover only those
employments which are subject to the Federal
unemployment tax. Exceptions are one State
which covers nonprofit organizations, a few States
that include certain forms of agricultural services,
and nine which cover some State and local govern
ment services. Most States also provide cover
age for work with firms that are smaller than
those subject to the Federal tax: 29 States cover
firms with fewer than eight employees and 17
States cover firms having one or more employees.
In accordance with the changing level of the
Federal tax, noted above, States generally col
lected 0.9 percent in 1936 and 1.8 percent in 1937;
the standard rate subsequently has been 2.7 per
cent. Under the terms of the Federal act, any
reduced rates under the State laws are allowable
only on the basis of an individual employer’s
experience, never on a uniform flat-rate basis.
By July 1948, all States had adopted experience
rating provisions, Mississippi having been the
last to do so. Several, quite diverse, formulas are
used by the States for the determination of em
ployers’ rates of contribution. However, most
of them use benefits paid to former employees as
a primary determinant of the rate. This factor
is used differently under various laws. Sometimes
the actual duration of benefits paid to the firm’s
previous employees is disregarded; commonly,
benefits are not “charged” when paid under
certain circumstances. An employer having exs For a tabular summary of the provisions of State Unemployment In
surance Laws, September 1949, see p. 46 of this issue.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
MONTHLY LABOR
actly the same experience in more than one State
may be assigned quite different rates in those
States. At some time, nine States have required
contributions from employees as well as from
employers. However, such contributions have
been eliminated or diverted to the support of
temporary disability programs in all but two
States, Alabama and New Jersey; in New Jersey,
the employee contribution for unemployment
insurance is only 0.25 percent.
The benefit structures of most State laws have
much in common. All States attempt to pay
only part of the wage loss suffered by the wage
earner, commonly about 50 percent. All States
require a claimant to have evidence or prior
attachment to the labor force (usually, earnings of
a certain amount over a minimum period within
the year prior to the period for which benefits are
claimed). All States but one use the concept of
a benefit year to limit the amount of benefits which
an individual may claim, and of a base period, also
a year, which precedes the benefit year and is the
period within which the claimant must have had
his qualifying earnings or employment and the
wages upon which the amount of his weekly benefit
is based. All States but two require a waiting
period of 1 or 2 weeks before benefits are paid in
any benefit j^ear. Eleven States now pay (in
addition to the basic weekly benefit amount) sup
plemental amounts in accordance with the number
of dependents the claimant has. Fifteen States
pay benefits for the same maximum duration to
all qualified claimants, but most States vary the
maximum duration in relation to the amount of
earnings or employment in the base period. All
States impose periods of disqualification if the
claimant’s unemployment is due to a voluntary
quit, discharge for misconduct, or refusal of suit
able work, and benefits are not payable for weeks
in which the individual is not able and available
for work or in which his unemplojnnent is caused
by a stoppage of work due to a labor dispute.
Nevertheless, there are significant differences
between the State laws. Most States base the
weekly benefit amount on a fraction of earnings
in the highest calendar quarter of the base period,
but the fraction used ranges from K6to Ko- Some
States base the weekly benefit amount on total
earnings in the base period or an average of earn
ings in selected recent weeks. Minimum weekly
benefits vary from $0.50 (accumulated to $3) to
REVIEW, JANUARY 1950
FEDERAL UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE
$15. Maximum weekly benefits (excluding de
pendents’ allowances) vary from $15 to $27;
dependents’ allowances do not increase the maxi
mum in one State but nine States paying such
allowances increase the maximum by $7 up to $14
and, in Massachusetts, up to the amount of the
individual’s average weekly wage. Amounts
granted because of the existence of dependents and
the definitions of a dependent vary considerably.
Maximum potential duration of benefits varies
between 12 weeks and 26% weeks, although in
States with more than 90 percent of covered
workers, the maximum potential duration is 20
weeks or more; almost half of the workers are in
States with a 26 weeks’ maximum. However, in
nine States the maximum duration is available
only to those eligible for the maximum weekly
benefit. Maximum basic benefits payable in a
benefit year vary from $240 to $689 and maximum
augmented benefits (including dependents’ allow
ances) from $312 to $936.
Only six States limit disqualifications to
voluntary leaving, discharge for misconduct,
refusal of suitable work, and labor disputes.
Many States have added other disqualifications,
such as leaving because of marital or domestic
responsibilities. The disqualifications vary greatly
between the States in their severity, from a few
weeks’ postponement of benefits to the cancellation
of all rights to benefits. Twenty-two States have
supplemented their availability requirement by a
provision requiring the claimant to make an
independent search for work.
The State administrative agencies, in most cases,
are independent of other State departments—
either administered by commissions or boards (in
21 States) or single administrators (in 12 States).
In 18 States, however, they are in the State
department of labor and, in two States, in the
same agency which administers the State work
men’s compensation law. These agencies operate
through approximately 1,700 local employment
offices, affiliated with the United States Employ
ment Service, at which claims are taken. A
strong trend exists toward having as many deci
sions as possible on eligibility and qualification
made finally in the local office; a few States
actually make the benefit payment in the local
offices rather than through the mail.
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11
Operating Experience
A simplified outline of the manner in which the
program operates is shown below for 1948:
Number having sufficient wage
credits__________________________ 37, 000, 000
Number claiming benefits_________
6, 584, 600
Number found to have sufficient
wage credits____________________ 1 5, 153, 800
Number disqualified or found un
available________________________ 1 1, 022, 200
Number drawing a t least 1 week’s
benefits_________________________ 4, 008, 400
Average potential duration (w eeks).
21. 1
Average actual duration (w eeks)----10. 7
Number exhausting benefits_________ 1,027, 500
Average weekly benefit am ou n t____
$19. 03
1
These totals do not add to the total number of claimants. For example,
the number who were found to have insufficient wage credits are excluded.
Women formed about 40 percent of the claim
ants during 1948. They were unemployed a bit
longer than the men and filed 45 percent of the
claims for continued weeks of unemployment.
More than 60 percent of the beneficiaries during
1948 were in seven States: California, Illinois,
Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York,
and Pennsylvania. These States included about
half the country’s covered employment. Unem
ployment has been above the national average in
most of these large States as well as in New
England generally and on the Pacific Coast.
The proportions of beneficiaries who exhaust
benefits depend on many factors. Basically, the
exhaustion rate has depended on the number and
characteristics of the unemployed in relation to the
duration of benefits provided by the State law.
The rate has been generally high in years of slack
economic activity and low during full-employment
years. Other things being equal, the rate has been
the lowest in the States which provide a rela
tively long duration of benefits, and highest where
the duration was less adequate. Exhaustion rates
tend to be higher for the older worker and among
women than for other groups in the population.
Major developments within the program’s
history have reflected changing levels of employ
ment, unemployment, and wages.
The average number in employment covered
by the State programs rose from less than 20
million in 1938 to almost 33 million in 1948.
Many more were employed some time during
12
FEDERAL UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE
these years. This increase has been due in part
to changes in State laws broadening coverage, hut
chiefly to increases in the employed labor force.
The history of claims, benefit payments, and
the growth of reserves can perhaps be understood
best if it is divided into three periods: pre-defense,
war, and postwar. When benefits were first paid
in 23 States in 1938, the country was in the latter
phases of a short business recession. Some of
the States, e. g., New Hampshire, Rhode Island,
Oregon, and West Virginia, paid more in benefits
that year than they collected at a rate of 2.7
percent. In 1940, when all States for the first
time were paying throughout a full year, benefits
Unemployment Insurance
totaling 518.7 million dollars were the heaviest
until 1946. This was true even though the
average weekly benefit was less than $11 and
average duration of benefits less than 10 weeks.
Almost 5}{ million individuals became beneficiaries
in that year. Beginning in 1941, the amount of
benefits paid dropped sharply as preparation for
war, and the war itself, increased employment, and
unemployment dropped to levels previously be
lieved impossible. Although the average weekly
benefit had risen to almost $16 by 1944, benefits
in that year were only 62.4 million dollars, paid to
about 533,000 persons for an average duration of
7.7 weeks.
At the end of the war, unemployment increased
severely in some industries, reconversion was
undertaken in others, and a period of adjustment
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MONTHLY LABOR
took place in the labor force. The aggregat
amount of benefits paid rose from 62.4 million
dollars in 1944 to 445.9 million in 1945 and 1.1
billion in 1946; the number of beneficiaries
jumped from 533,000 to 2.8 million in 1945 and to
almost 4.5 million in 1946. There was some
dropping off in these figures for the subsequent
postwar years until 1949. Both 1947 and 1948
were years of high-level employment and, in
relation to the total labor force, low unemploy
ment. However, beginning in the fall of 1948
and extending into the middle of 1949, unemploy
ment furnished noticeable evidence of a second
postwar transition period. Consequently, it was
estimated that benefit payments for 1949 would
total approximately 1.7 billion dollars. Owing
to increases in wages and improvements in State
laws, these were to be paid at an average weekly
rate of almost $21 as compared with less than
$11 before 1941 and $16 in 1944.
Expressed differently, the benefit experience
has ranged from the point in 1940 when benefits
were 1.7 percent of taxable pay roll, down to 0.1
percent in 1943 and 1944, moved up to 1.7 per
cent in 1946, and down again to 1.0 percent in
1948. It was estimated that the benefits would be
over 2.0 percent in 1949.
The history of unemployment insurance reserve
funds, nationally, has been determined by the
relation between the level of benefit disbursements
and contributions. Although there has been a
steady decline in the rate of income, dropping to
2 percent of taxable wage by 1943 and to 1.2
percent by 1948, in every year except 1946 and
1949 the income has exceeded benefit disburse
ments. The margin was greatest in 1943 and
1944 when benefits were approximately 5 percent
of contribution income. (In 1943 benefits were
only 2 million dollars more than that year’s interest
on the State reserves.) The total reserves, which
were 1.8 billion dollars at the end of 1940, grew
to almost 7 billion dollars by the end of 1945 and
resumed their growth in 1947 so that at the end
of 1948 they amounted to 7.6 billion dollars, or
9.5 percent of taxable pay rolls.
Of course, all of these national figures conceal
wide differences between the States. For in
stance, benefit costs in 1948 were as low as 0.2
percent of taxable pay roll in one State, 2.5 per
cent in another. In the same year, contribution
rates were 0.3 percent in one State, 2.0 percent in
REVIEW , JANUARY 1950
FEDERAL UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE
another. At the end of the year, reserves were
5.3 percent of taxable pay roll in one State, 14
percent in another.
Value of Program
The unemployment insurance program has
definitely established its worth over the years.
A great virtue is that it brings unemployed workers
into contact with a Nation-wide employment
office system. More important, the benefit pay
ments are timely, increasing in volume in quick
response to an increase in unemployment. By
their timeliness, their use by beneficiaries for
consumer goods, and the release they give un
employed men from desperation and despair,
benefits have made a major contribution to this
Nation’s attack on unemployment and its de
termination to achieve full employment.
The program has also demonstrated that workers
in this country do not prefer idleness and benefits
to work and wages. Actual duration of unem
ployment experienced by covered workers has
operated independently of the allowable duration
of benefits; and, historically, the duration of
benefits has gone down, even when allowable
duration was being increased.
A significant byproduct of the program is the
supply of information on absolute numbers in,
and changing levels of, employment in major
industries, monthly and by State, and on unem
ployment characteristics by State and locality.
In Rhode Island, California, and New Jersey,
the program has also supplied a base upon which
to provide benefits for temporary disability as
well as unemployment due to lack of work. In
each of these States, the same collection pro
cedures, wage records, and administering agency
are used for both unemployment insurance and
temporary disability benefits. Washington State
has also enacted a law providing for such co
ordinated administration but it will not be effec
tive until after a referendum at the end of 1950.
Current Problems
In spite of the advances under the program and
the great contribution it has made to national
well-being, serious problems remain. The first of
these questions is the adequacy of the program.
Thirty percent of employed persons are excluded
from coverage. Chiefly because the maximum
weekly benefit amounts under State laws are low
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
13
enough to prevent benefits from bearing a fairly
uniform relation to wage loss, benefits are only
approximately 35 percent of average weekly
wages. The percentage of beneficiaries who
exhaust their rights to benefits in any benefit year
has been as high as 50 percent and currently is
about 30 percent. The variety and severity of
disqualifications tend to undermine the basic
security offered by the program. The goal is to
avoid that point at which workers will no longer
have the assurance of being compensated when
unwillingly unemployed because of forces com
pletely beyond their control, or at which they
might be forced to sacrifice their experience and
skills even during short periods of unemployment.
Diversity between State provisions creates a
second problem. Examples of the spread in
these provisions are given above. For instance,
a worker earning a weekly average of $475 in
his high quarter and $1,300 in his base period
would be entitled to a maximum in benefits of
$572 in one State but only $240 in an immediately
adjoining State. In addition to the problems of
inequity from such diversity, administration and
interpretation differ. These differences raise prob
lems, especially in interstate claims and appeals.
Experience rating has long been considered a
problem. Several questions are involved as to
its effects on stabilization of employment, its
adaptability to sound financial policy, and the
conflicting incentives it provides to maintain em
ployers’ interest in proper payment of benefits
and to minimize benefit payments in disregard
of the program’s purposes.
In spite of the accumulation of large reserves in
many States—and, indeed, partly because of such
accumulation—one basic problem is that of the
marked differences between the States in their
benefit experience. These differences have dis
turbing implications for interstate competition.
They make clear the need for securing a more
rational relationship in all States between benefits,
income, and reserves.
Obviously these problems are not simple; they
have been considered by Congressional committees,
advisory councils, State administrators, and various
private organizations. The vital part that unem
ployment insurance plays in stabilization of the
national economy and in measures to attain full
employment assures a continued and alert public
interest in the program.
6 basic
trades 1
Building-Trades
Bargaining Plan in
Southern California1
1941____________ ____________ $1. 18
1942____________ ____________
1. 38
1943____________ ____________
1. 38
1944____________ ____________
1.38
1945_____________ ____________
1. 48
1946_____________ ____________
1. 64
1947_____________ ____________
1. 84
1948_____________ ____________
1. 98
1949____________ ____________
2. 06
13 subtrades
2
$1. 38
1. 38
1. 38
1. 38
1. 53
1. 69
1. 98
2. 11
3 2. 19
1 Unweighted average of hourly rate pattern settlements.
2 Unweighted average of hourly rates.
3 Estimated.
A m a s t e r a g r e e m e n t establishing basic employ
ment standards in the Southern California building
construction industry has been in effect since 1941.
This agreement has been negotiated by joint
employer-union committees covering the 12 south
ern counties of the State.2 It applies to all
three branches of the industry: Building construc
tion and engineering projects in which work is
typically handled through general contractors and
special-trade construction (or subtrades) in which
most of the work is done by subcontractors.
About 60 percent of all employers in the industry
are in the subtrades, but the general contractors
employ about 55 percent of the employees. Under
peak employment conditions, spokesmen for the
industry estimate that the joint negotiations cover
approximately 150,000 workers and 20,000 con
tractors.
For the six basic building trades and the general
contractors, the agreement prescribes the basic
wage scales and working rules. It does not deal
with the schedules in the 13 subtrades. These
are negotiated by each union but the year-to-year
changes have generally followed the pattern set in
the basic trades. Thus, the general wage settle
ments in the two branches of the industry have
roughly paralleled one another as the figures for
1941-49 show:
1 Prepared by Prank C. Pierson, research associate of the Institute of
Industrial Relations, University of California.
2 These counties are: Imperial, Ingo, Kern, Los Angeles, Mono, Orange,
Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara,
and Ventura. They cover an area of about 70,000 square miles.
14
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Hourly wage rates in the basic trades and sub
trades have increased about 67 percent since the
program began.
The maintenance of uniform employment con
ditions in this industry would not by itself justify
the scheme. It would soon fail if it did not assist
the parties in a positive manner in meeting their
problems. Building operations are continually
shifting and, for larger contractors especially,
location changes in this part of the country take
place within a broad geographical area. A typical
project lasts for only a few weeks or at the most
a few months, so that staffing requirements are
always changing. Under these circumstances, em
ployers would be at a disadvantage in bidding on
jobs without advance knowledge of wage scales
and other conditions of employment. Similarly,
contractors could not undertake building projects
at widely separate locations if they could not count
on union assistance in recruiting labor in the
numbers and skills required. For the wellestablished employers, it is also important to have
a floor under competitive labor costs. Otherwise,
the threat is always present of a competitor
securing cost advantages through undercutting
labor standards. Finally, the contractors have
found it necessary to band together in dealing
with unions to offset the combined bargaining
strength of the latter. All of these factors help
explain why the contractors in the area have sup
ported the master labor agreement.
By acting together, the unions gain more in
their dealings with employers than they could by
individual action. Insofar as the plan provides a
means for avoiding interunion rivalry, disparities
BUILDING-TRADES BARGAINING PLAN
in wage scales, and the like, it also serves to
eliminate a serious source of weakness among
unions in this field. Furthermore, the continual
movement of labor from one location to another,
which prevails in this area, could lead to highly
unstable conditions if a comprehensive plan for
making job conditions uniform were not in effect.
Moreover, the unions face certain common prob
lems such as the treatment of new workers who
entered the industry during the Second World War
and the policy to be followed regarding the TaftHartley Act and other legislative developments
affecting all labor organizations in the field.
For purposes of collective bargaining in the
building trades, the State of California is divided
into two parts, the northern half centered in San
Francisco and the southern, in Los Angeles. The
larger contractors with headquarters in the latter
city occasionally take work outside the southern
portion of the State, but nearly all of their business
is confined to the 12-county area. In general,
the organizational structures of both the contractor
and union groups correspond to the geographical
boundaries of this bargaining area.3
Nineteen American Federation of Labor build
ing-trades unions participate in the plan, of which
6 basic trade-unions deal with the general con
tractor groups and 13 sub trade unions deal with
subcontractors.4 The 6 basic trade-unions are
those of carpenters, hod carriers, iron workers,
operating engineers, plasterers, and teamsters.
Also party to the plan are the 10 building-trades
councils in the Southern California area consisting
of the different craft unions in each locality.
Prior to 1941, building-trades unions in Southern
California had little strength and the number of
collective bargaining agreements was negligible.
Organizing began in 1935 but not until 1939 was
substantial progress made in winning new mem
bers. When general recognition of the unions
was finally achieved in 1941, the parties embarked
on what subsequently proved to be the most
comprehensive program for standardizing em
ployment conditions ever attempted in the in
dustry, either locally or nationally. Beginning
3
The jurisdiction of some of the contractor and union groups participating
in the plan formerly included Clark and Lincoln counties in Nevada and the
State of Arizona, but recently these areas have been placed under separate
jurisdictions. Rates and other conditions, however, are still much the same
as in the Southern California region.
* The only A FL building-trades union not belonging to the group is the
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
15
first in Los Angeles and spreading later to the
entire region, rates of pay and other basic work
provisions for given job classifications were
standardized throughout the 12-county area.
Subsequent changes in agreements resulting from
annual negotiations were kept largely uniform for
all groups in the industry. In certain other
localities, notably Chicago, Portland (Oreg.), and
Seattle, somewhat similar plans have been devel
oped. The principal union and industry spokes
men in the Southern California building trades
have stated that in no other area do the employers
bargain together with the unions as a group, and
nowhere else are the results of negotiations applied
uniformly throughout such a broad geographical
region.
The program was developed during a time when
business and employment conditions were generally
favorable to its success, this being especially true
of the Second World War years. However, with
the return to free collective bargaining after the
war, the pressures to modify or give up the
plan increased. Unemployment became a serious
problem in certain branches of the industry and
nonunion work increased in others. Some of the
stronger unions maintained that, because of the
plan, they were held back by organizations of
relatively less strength and, on occasion, they were
disposed to follow an independent course. None
theless, unity was preserved, testifying to the close
community of interests underlying dealings in this
industry. Relationships under the program have
been remarkably peaceful, only one strike of any
consequence having occurred since it started.5
Description of the Agreement
The terms of the master labor agreement be
tween the general contractors, the 6 basic tradeunions, and the 10 building-trades councils became
effective on May 12, 1941. Under the agreement,
provision is made for annual reopening on request
of either party. The negotiating committee for
the employers consists of 16 representatives of
local chapters of the Associated General Con
tractors of America and 4 representatives of the
Building Contractors Association of California,
the latter consisting of contractors doing residen
tial and small commercial construction. Since
8 Some strikes have occurred in fields closely related to building construc
tion, such as the 1949 strike in the sand and gravel industry, but the
operations affected were not covered by the master labor agreement.
16
BUILDING-TRADES BARGAINING PLAN
the inception of the plan, membership in the em
ployer negotiating committee has been broadened
to give direct representation to a more diversified
group than formerly. The employees are repre
sented by a committee of eight members, one each
from the six AFL unions in the basic trades and
two from the Los Angeles and San Diego building
trades councils, the largest councils in the region.
Voting strength of the employer and employee
groups is, of course, the same.
The purposes sought, as set forth in the first
part of the agreement, are an adequate supply of
labor, continuity of operations and employment,
and ‘‘uniform rates of pay, hours of emplojunent,
and working conditions.” General principles are
laid down in 15 administrative provisions which
are repeated, with only minor variations in lan
guage, in the agreements covering, the 13 sub
trades. In 1948, after passage of the Taft-Hartley
Act, it was agreed that the two provisions of the
agreement dealing with the union shop and prefer
ential hiring, as well as the arbitration clause
governing grievances, would not be “mandatory
upon the parties until such time as it is possible
to negotiate mutually satisfactory and legal union
security provisions.” Other provisions of this part
of the agreement, such as those concerning holiday
pay, apprentice training, and contract termination
or renewal procedure, have continued essentially
unchanged. These provisions furnish a common
basis from which more detailed, individual prob
lems can be better approached. They cover only
matters which have universal application and do
not deal with any issues requiring diversified
treatment.
Wage scales (already shown) and working
rules of the six basic trades make up the second
part of the master agreement. Between 1941
and 1949, the increase in straight-time wage rates
amounted to about 75 percent.6 Negotiations
with the general contractors have always been
conducted on a group basis and any increases
agreed upon have been applied uniformly to all
six trades, except in two instances. In 1947,
the carpenters received an increase of 25 cents an
hour as against the general settlement of 20
cents; and, in 1948, the ironworkers secured an
increase of 20 cents an hour as against 13% cents
received by the five other unions. Working
8 Unweighted average of hourly rates resulting from annual pattern settle
ments.
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MONTHLY LABOR
rules established by the agreement concern such
matters as shift schedules, call-in pay, and owneroperated equipment, which apply to all six trades.
The 13 sub trade unions are free to negotiate
their own agreements, so long as they conform
to the 15 administrative clauses of the master
labor agreement but, in practice, they are subject
to definite restraints. For example, if a union
threatens to strike in an effort to get more favor
able terms than those prevailing in the industry,
the local building-trades council’s representative
first ascertains whether or not the union’s inter
national office has sanctioned the proposed strike.
He then seeks to work out a settlement between
the parties within the limits set by the master
labor agreement. If the union still insists on
going beyond these limits and a strike is called, the
council will not support the union’s action. Such
action constitutes an effective device for pre
venting marked departures from the uniform
agreement. In the one strike that occurred,
the boilermakers (a subtrade union) demanded
an increase of 25 cents an hour in 1948. The
Los Angeles Building Trades Council had set the
limit at 20 cents and therefore refused to support
the strike. Finally, a settlement was worked
out in which the 20-cent increase was granted.
Grievances and Jurisdictional Disputes
In the application of the master agreement and
the agreements covering the sub trades, a grievance
dispute that cannot be settled by the parties
immediately concerned is referred to repre
sentatives of the local building-trades council and
contractor organization for mediation. Failing
a settlement, the case next goes to the 16-member
joint conference board, 8 representing the unions
and 8 the contractors. If the latter body is also
unsuccessful, the matter goes to an ad hoc joint
arbitration committee comprising four representa
tives for the union and four for the contractors, all
of them individuals not directly involved in the
dispute. If unanimous, the committee’s award
is final and binding; otherwise, the committee
appoints a ninth impartial arbiter whose decision
is final and binding.
The bulk of grievance cases which the parties
themselves cannot settle are handled by the
representatives of the local building-trades council
and contractors’ organization. Industry spokes-
REVIEW , JANUARY 1950
BUILDING-TRADES BARGAINING PLAN
men report that fewer than 5 percent of grievance
cases go beyond this stage. During the 8 years
the plan has been in effect, four cases have gone
to a joint arbitration committee and only one of
these required appointment of an impartial arbiter.
Since most of the important grievance cases are
handled by the two labor and employer spokes
men, settlements are reached expeditiously and
inconsistent results are avoided.
An important part of the program is the method
of handling jurisdictional disputes between the
various building-trades unions of the area. Tech
nically, jurisdictional disputes between the unions
can be referred to the AFL Building and Con
struction Trades Department for settlement.
Actually, the unions in Southern California simply
refer disputed cases to the local building-trades
council secretary for settlement. If his decision
proves unacceptable, the unions involved choose
two disinterested union officials to represent them
on an arbitration board and they in turn choose
an impartial chairman. The majority decision of
this board is final and binding. Under this plan
the disposition of jurisdictional disputes is solely
within union control, the employers agreeing to
abide by whatever decision is reached.
Almost all jurisdictional disputes that are not
settled by the unions immediately concerned, like
grievances, are disposed of by the local buildingtrades council secretaries. Thus, of 789 cases
referred to the secretary of the Los Angeles
Building Trades Council since inception of the
plan, 17 have been appealed and only 2 of these
decisions have been overruled. The important
part played by building-trades council secretaries
in handling jurisdictional disputes also helps
explain the prestige they enjoy in dealing with
other aspects of the program.
Basis of Plan’s Success
In such a broad and diverse market area and
particularly in the building trades, the task of
winning and holding all groups in the industry
to a single pattern is difficult. Care has been
exercised to allow every major group a voice in
determining policies that are generally acceptable.
Participants in the program are asked to assume
certain formal obligations, but the positive advan
tages to be derived from voluntary cooperation
are emphasized. Much of the success achieved
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
17
is attributable to the widespread acceptance won
by such means.
On the employers’ side, the first and probably
most important step in the development of the
plan was its endorsement by the larger and more
influential general contractors in the area. Once
the unions became well established, they found
bargaining on an individual firm basis to be dis
advantageous. Other contractors, including the
material dealers and specialty subcontractors,
followed the general contractors’ lead. The fol
lowing provision was incorporated in the master
labor agreement:
T hat if the contractors, parties hereto, shall sub
contract work as defined herein, provision shall be
made in such subcontract for the observance by said
subcontractor of the terms of this Agreement.
Thus, any subcontractor who attempts to depart
from the established union standards faces can
cellation of his contracts and an immediate loss
of business.
Another unifying factor was the formation of
the Construction Employers Council. All em
ployer groups in the industry are represented on
the council and, under the bylaws of the organi
zation, each member group is required to submit
any proposed agreement to the council for its
consideration before signing. No formal veto
power exists, but this organization is a discussion
forum for ironing out differences in viewpoints
which provides a means for strengthening the
influence of the general contractors. A somewhat
similar result is achieved through affiliation of
some of the larger subcontractors with the general
contractors’ organization. The subcontractors do
not have voting rights but are permitted to sit
in on annual wage conferences and to discuss
the issues.
On the union side, two steps were taken that
were decisive in the plan’s success. The first was
the decision of the six basic trade-unions to bar
gain as a unit, thereby providing a single view
point in negotiations for other unions in the in
dustry to follow. Second, considerable authority,
both in union-employer and interunion dealings,
was vested in the various local building-trades
councils and their respective secretaries. Thus
general acceptance of the plan was insured.
Obviously the plan could not have succeeded if
(1) the employers had not accepted the principle
of the union shop, and (2) the unions had not sup-
18
BUILDING-TRADES BARGAINING PLAN
ported the growth of the various employer asso
ciations, stressing the mutual advantages of mem
bership. Contractors who do not belong to an
association are asked to sign a brief “ standard
form” agreement obligating them to abide by the
terms governing member contractors in their
fields. Under these circumstances, no real bar
gaining occurs. Moreover, the agreements do not
contain no-strike clauses, and no procedure exists
for joint handling or impartial disposition of griev
ances. In some trades, nonmember employers are
asked to abide by all the rules contained in a
particular union’s constitution—a requirement to
which member employers are not subject. Despite
inducements, well over half of the unionized con
tractors do not belong to any employer association.
However, almost all of the large contractors are
members and work done by association members
constitutes at least three-fourths of the area’s
total volume of construction.
Parties to the master agreement have relied
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largely on their own organizing efforts and enforce
ment activities to prevent any substantial amount
of work being done below established union stand
ards. Favorable employment conditions have
minimized the problem, although a sizable number
of small-scale operators in the home building and
commercial fields are nonunion. Through the
Bacon-Davis Act,7 the Federal Government has
been an important factor in maintaining uniform
wage standards throughout the area. Owing to
the wide direct and indirect scope of the master
labor agreement and the agreements in the sub
trades, the Bacon-Davis Act has served to write
the union scale into all important Federal con
struction contracts in the 12-county region. The
same scale is used in construction contracts with
almost all local and State government agencies.
7 This law requires employers who have construction contracts with the
Federal Government exceeding $2,000 in value to pay mechanics and laborers
wages at least equal to the wage rates prevailing in the area. Authority to
administer this legislation is vested in the Secretary of Labor, and the prevail
ing wage is defined as the rate paid to the majority of employees in corre
sponding job classifications on similar projects in the area.
Great Britain:
Coal Mining
since Nationalization
C oal m ines in Great Britain passed into national
ownership on January 1, 1947, an event hailed by
the miners as opening a new era. Actually, the
Government had gradually been assuming control
of the industry since the late twenties. “ Vesting
day” marked the completion rather than the
beginning of the process. Economic and tech
nical conditions of the industry had long been
deteriorating, and with them the miners’ morale.
Unemployment and underemployment were excep
tionally high in the mining areas during the
twenties and thirties.2 In 1947, the national
economy itself was in worse shape than was then
realized. Improvement in the miners’ living and
working conditions which the National Coal
Board could make were severely limited by
existing economic conditions. Limits on the
scope of improvement could be removed only by
drastic reorganization of the industry, recruitment
of more miners, and higher total output and
productivity.
Between January 1946 and November 1949,
prewar levels of productivity were restored. The
improvement began a year before the Coal Board
took over the mines and has been continuous with
occasional set-backs. Annual output is still below
prewar.
Empowered by the Coal Industry Nationali
zation Act, the National Coal Board at once
moved to improve labor-management relations,
long a sore spot in the industry. Concessions
i Prepared by Jean A. Plexner, D ivision of Foreign Labor Conditions.
the peak of unemployment (August 1932) 41.6 percent of the insured
workers in coal mining were unemployed, compared with the national
average of 23 percent.
3At
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affecting wages, hours, and welfare were also
made during the first years of nationalization, in
negotiation with the unions.
In a period of full employment, recruitment of
labor for tasks as arduous and unpleasant as coal
mining encounters unusual difficulty. Coal-get
ting operations in British mines often impose
severe hardships on the working force because of
the depth to which, in the centuries since coal
mining began, the shafts have been sunk; the
narrow seams; and the long underground distances
the miner must travel, usually on foot. In the
Welsh coal mines, silica-bearing dust constitutes
a special hazard; this has been partially reduced
by preventive measures. In 1946, the average
age of the coal-mining work force (all wage
earners on colliery books) was 39.1 years, com
pared with 35.7 in 1931; 150,000 (21.5 percent)
were over 50 years of age in 1946. Coal mining,
because of the nature of the work, ages a man
more quickly than do healthier occupations.
Unions in the Coal Industry
The Board is required by the Coal Mines
Nationalization Act to consult with organizations
representing substantial proportions of its em
ployees, and to enter into collective agreements
with them.
Largest of the unions with which the Coal
Board deals is the National Union of Mineworkers
(having a membership of 610,629 out of 726,000
on colliery books as of December 31, 1948).
Formed on January 1, 1945, it replaced the Miners’
Federation of Great Britain, dating from 1889, by
substituting a strong centralized union (its funds
raised by assessment and dues) for a rather loose
federation of district miners’ unions. Some of the
latter have had a continuous history of more than
70 years. All wage and other negotiations except
on purely local questions are to be conducted at
the national level. However, the national officers
have not always been successful in imposing
national union authority on the men in the pits of
certain areas long accustomed to local autonomy.
The National Union of Mineworkers organizes
and represents all grades of labor employed in and
about mines and ancillary undertakings. Other
unions organize certain grades of workers, either
19
20
GOAL MINING IN GREAT BRITAIN
exclusively or in competition with the NUM. The
unions, and their membership, in the coal industry
are:
19 i8
Total, all unions______________________________
784, 730
N ational Union of Mineworkers________________ 610, 629
Colliery Overmen, Deputies, and Shotfirers____
24, 634
Others_________________________________________ 149, 467
B ritish Association of Colliery M anagement; Clerical
and Adm inistrative Workers’ Union; Electrical
Trades Union; N ational Federation of Building
Trades Operatives; N ational Union of General and
Municipal Workers; N ational Union of Colliery
Winding Enginemen; and Colliery Winders’ Fed
eration.
Source: M inistry of Labor Gazette, September 1939, p. 351; November
1949, p. 373; and TUO Annual Report 1939 and 1948.
Amicable arrangements have been reached
between some of these competing unions. The
higher managerial grades are organized in the
British Association of Colliery Management which,
since nationalization, has been recognized by the
Coal Board as exclusive bargaining agent for that
group. Another organization for lower managerial
grades was amalgamated with the NUM in 1947.
Some shotfirers, deputies, and overmen are repre
sented by the NUM, some by a separate union.
Office workers have been organized by rival
unions, including the Clerical and Administrative
Workers’ Union and the NUM. In 1949, the
NUM finally agreed to recognize the concurrent
jurisdiction of, and to cooperate with, the clerical
workers’ union rather than continue a jurisdic
tional fight at area and local levels, which was
proving an embarrassment to the Coal Board and
the trade-union movement.
Workers at coke ovens and byproduct plants
were claimed by three unions; one (the Blastfurnacemen’s Union) withdrew from the field, trans
ferring its members in 1946 to the NUM; the NUM
then made an agreement with the National Union
of General and Municipal Workers to bargain for
its members in the coal fields. Unions of certain
crafts—machinists and electricians—have some
what similar agreements with the NUM. These
provide that members of the craft unions become
members of NUM but retain membership in the
original union by paying to it the difference be
tween its dues and the NUM dues. The NUM
negotiates on behalf of these workers after consul
tation with the other unions. Groups of colliery
winding men, discontented with the arrangements
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MONTHLY LABOR
for representing their special interests within the
NUM, have twice seceded, but have not been
formally recognized by the Coal Board.
The NUM has demanded, but not obtained, a
closed shop. Very few colliery employees are
nonunion, but the presence of a few has occasioned
some strikes. A closed-shop proviso might set a
precedent for other nationalized industries.
In December 1948, the National Coal Board
agreed to check off union dues for NUM members
who signed a request therefor, charging the unions
a collection fee of £10,000 per year (approximately
0.6 percent).
Collective Bargaining and Consultation
After nationalization of the mines, the National
Coal Board became the sole employer, assuming
the role of the Mining Association in the national
union agreements, and in the existing machinery
for negotiation at both national and district
levels.3 It added pit conciliation committees
for negotiating on grievances and purely local
questions. Unsettled questions are referred for
arbitration to a reference tribunal. Separate
conciliation machinery and reference tribunals
were set up for miners (Coal Board and NUM),
for coke and byproduct plants (Coal Board and
NUM, acting also for NUGMW), and for man
agerial grades (Coal Board and British Association
of Colliery Managements).
A separate, comprehensive scheme for consul
tation was created by the Coal Board to function
at national, divisional, area, and colliery levels.
All unions recognized by the Board are represented
together with management. The pit consultative
committees take the place of wartime pit produc
tion committees, but are more closely tied in with
local unions which nominate the workers’ repre
sentatives. Pit committees, which function at
most of the 1,000 collieries, discuss the introduc
tion of foreign workers, reorganization plans, out
put, absenteeism, time-keeping, and safety
arrangements.
A questionnaire on workers’ participation in
control of nationalized industries was circulated
in 1949 by the Trades Union Congress to unions
having membership in such industries. General
satisfaction with the working of the consultative
* The machinery for negotiating on wages, hours, and conditions of em
ployment is called conciliation machinery.
REVIEW , JANUARY 1950
COAL MININO IN GREAT BRITAIN
scheme in coal was registered by the clerical
workers’ union and by the union of overmen, etc.,
but the National Union of Mineworkers com
plained of shortcomings in a number of respects:
some of the consultative committees were not
provided with vital information; advice proffered
by the workers’ side sometimes was not heeded;
there was need for acquainting more employees
with the recommendations and decisions of the
committees. Training programs conducted by
the Coal Board should provide, the union be
lieved, for training workers to serve on consul
tative committees; and greater efforts should be
made to recruit trainees for managerial posts
outside of public schools and universities.
In 1947, the Board began the practice of hold
ing an annual summer school in which Board
members, managers, clerks and some miners meet
to discuss common problems.
Consultation between the Coal Board and coal
consumers takes place through two councils, one
representing industrial and the other domestic
consumers. Each council makes an annual report
to Parliament, which is published. Consumers
of both types are instructed to take up complaints
in the first instance with their suppliers and, fail
ing satisfaction, with the appropriate council
which raises questions with the Coal Board.
Background of Nationalization
During the interwar period British coal mining
was, in most years, “working below its capacity
and yielding less than a fair return to either the
labor or the capital invested in it.” i Successive
Governments enacted a series of measures designed
to promote unification and reduce costs including
purchase by the Government of the coal seams
under an act of 1938.5 However, these measures
were not successful. Soon after the Labor Party
came to power in 1945, the coal Industry National4 Economist, London, November 20, 1937, p. 346.
8 The Coal M ines Act, 1930, fixed minimum prices, regulated output, and
attempted to provide amalgamation of collieries into more economical operat
ing units. The act of 1938, which was passed by a Conservative Government,
“nationalized” coal mine royalties, i. e., payments to owners of coaJ-bearing
lands by colliery companies for the privilege of operating mines. Owners of
coal-bearing lands received lump-sum compensation, and royalties were to be
paid by the lessees to a national commission. During the war, the M inistry
of Fuel and Power regulated coal production and distribution; in 1942, an
arbitration award gave the miners a national wage agreement and a national
minimum wage. At the s ame time, they agreed to accept arbitration of all
Questions not settled by negotiation on a permanent basis.
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21
ization Act was passed. It transferred ownership
of mines to the nation and set up the National
Coal Board to manage them under the general
direction of the Minister of Fuel and Power, sub
ject to general review by Parliament. The oppo
sition had attacked particular features of the bill,
rather than the principle of nationalizing the
industry.
According to the 1945 report of a technical com
mittee (chaired by a prominent mining engineer,
Sir Charles Reid), private ownership of coal
resulted in “development of an excessive number
of mines of insufficient capacity for the require
ments of the best mining practice.” Its elimina
tion paved the way for reorganization, develop
ment, and technical progress. National owner
ship and operation also gave the industry access
to capital at a low rate of interest.
When the Coal Board took over in 1947, man
power, total output, and output per man-shift
were still well below prewar levels although
improvement began in 1946. (See table 1.)
More coal, more miners, more machinery, were the
immediate goals. It was realized, however, that
costs must soon be lowered in the interests of coal
exports as well as of the British economy as a
whole. An increase in the output per man-shift
of 4 to 5 percent a year would be required, the
Minister of Fuel and Power told a miners’ con
ference in 1948. Only by improved productivity
could the industry hope in the long run to fulfill
the promises made to consumers, ex-owners, and
the miners—unless indeed it were to become a con
stant drain on the exchequer.6
The labor policies of the National Coal Board
have been determined by two considerations: (a)
the need to attract more recruits, who would re
main in the industry and (b) the promises made
to the miners. Minister of Fuel and Power
Shinwell, in presenting the nationalization bill to
Parliament, stated: “ One of the principal reasons
for nationalizing this industry is the prospect that
State ownership provides for improving the con
ditions under which the mine workers have labored,
and for raising their general status.”
6 The Nationalization Act provided for paym ent in Government stock
within 2 years after vesting day, and for payment of an “interim income”
to former owners based on current earnings in the meantime. Compensation
payable on coal industry assets was fixed by an impartial tribunal at
£164,660,000.
22
COAL MINING IN GREAT BRITAIN
T able
MONTHLY LABOR
1.— Great Britain: Output, manpower, productivity, and time lost in deep-mined coal industry, 1986-49
Output in tons (2,240 pounds)
Salable
coal:
Weekly
average
(in
thousands)
Period
Number of wage
earners on colliery
hooks (in thousands)
Per man-shift
Total
Over-all
A t coal
face
At coal
face
Man-days lost in
industrial disputes
Absen
teeism:
Percentage
over-all
Coal
mining
(number
in
thousands)
Percent of
lost time,
all
industries
1936______________
1937___________ __
1938_______________
1939___________ .
1940____
4, 369
4,610
4, 353
4,437
4,290
1.18
1.17
1.14
1.14
1.10
3.06
3. 00
3.00
3. 00
2.97
756
778
782
766
749
(3)
(3)
(3)
(3)
(3)
6. 29
7.08
6.44
6. 94
8.27
852
1,496
697
554
505
47
44
52
41
54
1941____________________
1942_________
1943_____________
1944___________
1945____________
3,957
3,905
3,730
3, 521
3,344
1.07
1.05
1.03
1.00
1.00
2. 99
2.91
1 2. 75
2. 70
2.70
698
709
‘ 708
710
709
(3)
(3)
(3)
285
283
9. 03
10. 39
i 12. 43
13. 62
16.31
334
840
890
2, 480
640
31
55
49
67
23
1946_______________
1947_________________ .
1948__________________________
1949—
___________________________________
1st quarter______ . . . . _____ ______ .
2d quarter...
3d quarter______ ______ _____
4th q u arter_______ __________ _______
3, 476
3,590
3,777
4,000
4, 267
4,097
3,729
4,091
1.03
1.07
1.11
1.16
1.16
1.14
1.14
1. 20
2. 76
2. 86
2. 92
3.02
3.01
2.98
2.99
3.10
2 697
711
724
720
727
724
718
709
2 280
288
293
296
298
297
296
294
2 15. 95
12. 43
11.64
12.30
12. 97
11.84
12. 92
11. 45
422
912
464
4 746
92
321
310
20
37
24
4 43
38
47
46
1A change was made in method of calculation in 1943 which raised the
number of workers, reduced the output per man-shift, and raised the absen
teeism percentage slightly.
2 A standard method of recording wage earners on colliery hooks was
adopted January 1946, which reduced the total number by approximately
2,500, and reduced absenteeism by 0.3 percent.
Industry Position
The annual minimum targets for 3 postwar years
together with annual production are shown below.
The National Coal Board is not responsible for
open-cast mining (which resembles strip-mining).
1947
T argets— to ta l________ 200
D eep-m ined. __ _ _
Open-cast
Production— total
196. 7
Salable
deepm ined. _ _
186. 5
Open-cast _
10. 2
_
1948
(in m il li o n
211
200
11
208. 5
196. 7
11. 7
1949
to n s )
215-220
202-207
13
215. 1
202. 7
12. 4
In each of the 3 years coal production improved;
in 1947 and 1948 the minimum targets were almost
achieved. They might have been met or exceeded
if the work force had increased more, or if the time
lost by absences, strikes, etc., had been further
reduced. The increase in output since the end of
the war was obtained largely through increased
productivity. In some weeks during the last half
of 1949, the average was higher than in 1938.
However, coal quality has declined because of the
need for working thinner and dirtier seams, in spite
of attempts to improve methods of ^cleaning coal.
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2 N ot available.
4 January through November.
Source: Great Britain M onthly Digest of Statistics, June 1946, tables 28
and 31; September 1949, tables 29 and 32; M inistry of Labor Gazette, June 1938
and 1939, M ay 1947 and 1949. Annual 1949 figures are preliminary.
Coal exports increased in 1946, fell off in 1947,
and in 1948 attained a significant scale, though
still only a third of the 1938 volume.
A disturbing feature of the situation is the
decline in manpower during 1949 and the inability
to shift enough workers to the coal face. The net
increase in the average number of workers was
less in the year 1948 (13,000) than in 1947 (14,000).
During 1949, a shrinkage of 17,500 occurred.
The number of workers at the coal face was
scheduled to rise by 14,000 during 1949; but by
October 22 there was a decline of 3,300. Personnel
released from the armed forces dwindled as a
source of supply. Actually, the net increases of
1947 and 1948 were obtained largely by recruiting
foreign workers, and the sources for these workers
also were drying up. The Poles available for
resettlement in Britain had been absorbed by
September 1949; the displaced persons suited to
mining had mostly been recruited, either by
Britain or other countries.7 Despite agreement by
the NUM, some local miners’ unions continued to
oppose the introduction of foreign workers be
cause fear of unemployment persisted, notwith
standing the heavy postwar demand for coal.
* It is reported that 11,000 coal miners were recruited on the Continent in
1948, and 8,000 among the Polish Resettlement Corps in 1947 and 1948.
REVIEW , JANUARY 1950
In spite of the improvements made in the
workers’ status, earnings, and living and working
conditions, the industry is not attracting and re
taining enough native recruits to maintain its
present working force. Those at work are pro
ducing barely as much as prewar, even with much
new equipment.
Mechanization of coal mining has progressed
since nationalization, both at the coal face and in
the haulage systems. Investments were £19
million in 1947, £25 million in 1948, and £25.6
million were planned for 1949 out of a planned
national total of about £1.8 billion. The chair
man of the Reid Committee estimated that in
May 1948 the new equipment already installed
should have yielded 30 million tons of coal more
than was being obtained by the manpower then
employed.
One way to increase output would be to reduce
the tonnage lost by voluntary absences and by
unofficial strikes. Absenteeism is still high com
pared with prewar; after noticeable improvement
during 1947 and 1948, the trend during 1949 again
became unfavorable. (See table 1.) Failure to
lower it may be accounted for partly by the aging
of the work force. Both in coal mining and
in industry as a whole, less time was lost from
industrial disputes in the 3 postwar years than in
the years 1936-38. The ratio of man-days lost
in coal mining to time lost in all industries de
clined in the years 1945 through 1948, but rose
again in 1949. It was lowest in 1945 and 1946.
Nationalization does not appear to have been a
decisive factor. Both the mineworkers’ union
and the TUC, at their conventions, have repeat
edly deplored unofficial strikes. TUC general
council members and the NUM executive board
have exhorted unauthorized strikers to return,
and discontented workers to stay at work pending
settlement of grievances through the conciliation
machinery.8
Miners’ Position Since Nationalization
In addition to improving the machinery for
negotiation and consultation with employees, the
Coal Board acted promptly and sympathetically
on NUM demands. A 5-day week was granted,
* Some strikes occur even before the matter has been taken up with the
union, and others before pit conciliation committees can meet.
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23
GOAL MINING IN GREAT BRITAIN
despite some misgivings, on May 5, 1947, with
payment for a sixth shift provided live shifts were
worked. By fall, it became apparent that a drop
in coal output would result; consequently the
sixth shift, or its equivalent in longer daily hours,
was restored at overtime rates of pay. The
Board agreed to reopen the wage clauses of the
1944 agreement and to permit negotiation of new
rates at individual collieries after establishment of
the pit conciliation machinery. Agreements to
raise the wages of lower-paid workers, to reclassify
craftsmen, and to review wages of weekly paid
industrial staff were negotiated in 1947.
A supplementary contributory scheme for pay
ments of pensions to miners disabled by accidents
or industrial disease became effective July 5,
1948. Safety measures were improved, and in
1948 coal-mine fatalities were reduced to the
lowest point on record. Welfare arrangements at
the pits were extended.9 These are financed by
a levy on coal which is now about 3d. per ton.
The Coal Board has contributed additional sums
for capital improvements. It also undertook to
pay mine workers who lost jobs through reorgani
zation, for a maximum of 26 weeks in addition to
unemployment benefit if they cannot be fitted in
elsewhere. (This replaced a wartime guarantee
to displaced miners of 12 weeks’ work or minimum
pay.) Systematic attention has been given to
training, upgrading, and promotions.
T able 2.— Great Britain: Average weekly earnings of coal
miners, compared with other industrial workers
Coal miners 1
Other industrial
workers
Year
s. d.*
1935:
1938:
1946:
1949:
Males and females, all ages.
50
61
Adult m en_____
Adult m en_______ . . . . . . 3 149
Adult men_______ _______ 174
0
3
9
7
Index
(1938=100)
100
244
285
Index
s. d.2 (1938=100)
48 11
69 0
120 9
139 11
100
175
203
1 Including value of allowances in kind.
2 The foreign exchange value of the shilling in terms of United States cur
rency was as follows: 1935, 24.5 cents; 1938, 24.45 cents; 1946, 20.1 cents; 1949,
20.1 cents prior to Sept. 19 and 14.0 cents beginning Sept. 19. _
3 Ministry of Labor Gazette, April 1947, p. 109. A calculation made by
taking only the number who worked at least one shift in the week reported,
plus value of allowances in kind, 5s. Id.
The conversion of wage rates into United States currency by means of
foreign exchange rates has never provided accurate comparisons of differences
in purchasing power. (See M onthly Labor Review, November 1949, pp.
487-493.
Source: M inistry of Labor Gazette, September 1949, pp. 299, 301; April
1947, p. 109; July 1937, p. 258.
» These schemes are planned by the National Miners’ Welfare Joint Coun
cil, and administered by the National Coal Board’s staff. For accounts of
Miners’ Welfare Schemes since 1920, see M onthly Labor Review, M ay 1935
(p. 1208) and June 1946 (pp. 863-4).
24
COAL MINING IN GREAT BRITAIN
Earnings of coal-mine workers almost tripled
between 1938 and 1949, whereas earnings of other
industrial workers about doubled (see table 2).
The rise in living costs has reduced the increase
in real wages of both groups to about 63.4 and
16.4 percent, respectively, for the period 1938-49.
The major part of the coal-mine workers’ increase
occurred prior to nationalization. Wage gains
since nationalization have been on a par with
those of other industrial workers.
First quarter 1949 earnings of underground
workers, including value of allowances in kind,
averaged 184s. Id. a week (about $37 at the then
current official rate of exchange). Surface work
ers’ weekly earnings averaged 136s. 2d. (about
$27). Payment of a national minimum wage is
guaranteed for the regular workweek, provided
the worker is available for work. This guarantee,
a feature of wartime essential work orders, was
incorporated in the union agreement after the
order was terminated.
Existing pay arrangements for statutory holi
days and a week’s annual vacation with pay were
continued by the National Coal Board in 1947,
1948, and 1949.
Current Demands. Demands by the NUM, which
the Coal Board has been unable to grant chiefly
because of the costs involved, include the fol
lowing: (1) A second week of paid vacation; (2)
a cost-of-living bonus geared to the interim retail
price index; (3) a substantial increase for lowerpaid workers, and a revision of wage differentials
without lowering present earnings; (4) a nation
wide scheme for allotting free or cheap coal to
miners (hitherto practiced only in some areas);
and (5) the closed shop.
The miners have expressed dissatisfaction with
the Coal Board’s management because the Board
has not replaced many of the old managerial per
sonnel; it is impersonal and remote; not enough
miners are in higher positions; and consultative
committees have not always been consulted by the
management prior to making decisions. Criticism
of the Board’s structure and operation has come
from other quarters: Sir Charles Reid, a produc
tion member of the Coal Board, resigned May
1948 protesting against centralization which he
believed was stiffing regional and local initiative.
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MONTHLY LABOR
The National Union of Mineworkers is not
among the minority of unions in the TUC which
have asked for direct representation on the board
operating a nationalized industry. Consultation
on matters of common interest, and independence
in bargaining with the employer, the National
Coal Board, appear more desirable to the NUM
than sharing in full managerial responsibility
for the industry.10 Its leaders have, however,
shown themselves aware of the responsible posi
tion which, because of its great bargaining
strength, the union occupies.
Prospects of Industry and Miners
A period of less than 3 years is not long enough
to judge nationalization by the progress made
either in human relationships or in the technical
and economic field. Although good progress has
been made, it will take years to reorganize the
underground workings, develop promising coal
fields, or close down uneconomic pits. Great
difficulties are presented by labor’s traditional
immobility, housing shortages, competing de
mands for capital,11 and miners’ recurrent fear
of unemployment.
Incentives in the form of better housing and
more consumer goods in the stores may stimulate
more regular attendance and greater efforts,
whereas present shortages impel miners to seek
satisfactions—leisure and amusements which
cut into working time.
In spite of the obvious economic difficulties of
the coal industry and of the nation, the miners
have secured important gains in real earnings
and working conditions since nationalization.
Unless there is further improvement in output
per man-shift, in absenteeism, and time lost
through industrial disputes, and unless more
miners are willing to enter and stay in the indus
try, it seems questionable whether the Board
can meet future coal targets and the next round of
miners’ demands, while also reducing costs and
making its expected contribution to the national
economy.
10 The Coal Board includes two former trade-unionists, one of them a
former president of the Miners’ Federation, but these do not act as u n inn
representatives.
11 See London Times, November 25, 1949, p. 5: M oving Scottish Miners—
Scheme to Raise Output in the Coal Industry.
REVIEW , JANUARY 1950
COAL MINING IN GREAT BRITAIN
Already export prices are considerably above
domestic prices of coal. Domestic prices were
raised in September 1947 and in January 1948.
Cheaper coal would benefit the industries manu
facturing for export, the railways, and the shipping
industry.
In 1947, the Board incurred a deficit of £23%
million, which it will gradually pay off, compared
with an annual deficit of about £7 million during
1942-46. For the year 1948, there was a small
surplus of £1. 7 million after capital charges had
been met. These charges totaling about £15. 6
million per year consist of “ interim income” paid
to former owners (see footnote 6), and interest at
the rate of 2. 5 percent on capital, including work
ing capital advanced to the Board. During the
first half of 1949, the Board again earned a mod
erate surplus, and for the first time paid a profits
tax. The reasons for this better showing were
the sale of more coal at increased prices, and a
flattening of the cost curve because of the rise
in productivity.
In its 1948 report, the Coal Board raises certain
issues which will ultimately have to be decided,
after full discussion with the unions, in the light
of economic conditions—e.g., pressure for foreign
markets, threat of unemployment if prices remain
too high. (1) Should improvements in produc
tivity resulting from heavy capital investments
be handed on to consumers in the form of lower
prices, or to the i.r e workers in the form of
higher wages? (2) is national equalization of
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25
earnings above the minimum, economically prac
ticable? or should local differences, based on dif
ferences in efficiency be preserved in order to
encourage mobility of labor to low-cost mining
areas? (3) Should coal development and produc
tion be concentrated in low-cost districts? or
should the Board subsidize high-cost districts and
unprofitable activities?
The powerful miners’ union, with an experienced
and aggressive leadership is urging the claims of
its members, as it must to retain their confidence
and support. The union is under pressure from
the Labor Government to restrain wage demands.
The resulting conflict may be intensified by the
fact that Communists hold some important posts,
e.g., in the Scotland and South Wales branches,
and the office of national secretary. The control
of the national union is, however, in the hands of
trade-unionists, a majority of whom support the
Labor Party.
Both the union’s and the Coal Board’s dilemma
could be modified if technical improvements and
reorganization yield quick and substantial re
sults, in terms of larger total output at lower costs,
and if a high level of employment in the rest of the
economy provides a means of absorbing those mine
workers who may be displaced.
Sources: The National Coal Board: Annual Report and Statement of
Accounts, London, 1947 and 1948; Coal—M onthly Magazine; M inistry of
Fuel and Power: Coal Mining, Report of the Technical Advisory Committee
(Reid Committee), March 1945 (Cmd. 6610); National Union of Mineworkers:
Reports ’of National Executive Committee and Annual Conferences, 1947,
1948, and 1949; London Times, 1946-1949; United States Embassy, London:
Reports on Coal Developments and other foreign service reports; and Par
liamentary Debates.
Summaries of Studies and Reports
Guaranteed Employment and W ages
Under Collective Bargaining 1
A study of guaranteed employment and wage
provisions in collective bargaining agreements is
presented in the latest bulletin in the Bureau of
Labor Statistics series on collective bargaining
provisions.2
Job security has always been a matter of great
concern to workers, employers, labor unions, and
the Government. Therefore, guaranteed employ
ment or wage plans have gained widespread
support among wage earners, reflecting their
deep-rooted desire for steady jobs and income.
A guaranteed-employment or a guaranteedwage^plan is a formal commitment by an em
ployer to provide for all or some of his employees
a stipulated amount of work or wages during the
year. Under the former, a certain amount of work
is guaranteed; under the latter, income is guar
anteed. The difference between the two forms is
largely one of emphasis.
As early as the 1890’s, plans in which employers
assumed responsibility for providing minimum
annual work or wages were negotiated with unions
in several industries.
Many employers have voluntarily attempted to
provide year-round employment, not only because
of such intangible but important benefits as
better labor relations and the good will of the
community, but also because of savings to be
effected from reduced turn-over of personnel and
i Prepared in the Bureau’s Division of Industrial Relations.
1Bulletin No. 908-15 (in press). For a summary of other collective bargain
ing provisions, see M onthly Labor Review for March 1949 (p. 294) and Novem
ber 1948 (p. 487). Individual bulletins of the N o. 908 series are released as
they are completed. The clauses used in the guaranteed employment and
wage report, as in others previously published, were selected from the
Bureau’s file of about 15,000 collective bargaining agreements. They should
not be construed as representing the prevailing practice or necessarily as
model clauses. However, the wide variety of clauses is useful for reference.
26
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the improved employee morale which results from
eliminating workers’ fear of unemployment. How
ever, most employers have been unwilling to
commit themselves to guarantee annual employ
ment, fearing that seasonal or cyclical fluctua
tions, or both, may make fulfillment impossible.
Unions have, on occasion, participated with
employers in the planning and operation of pro
grams intended to reduce irregularity in employ
ment. Such programs may be limited to dis
tribution of available business in such manner
that seasonal fluctuations are reduced, or may be
designed to expand the business so that a greater
number of workers can be employed more steadily.
For example, the International Ladies’ Garment
Workers’ Union (AFL) and several associations
of dress employers established a cooperative
promotion program, with the objective of increas
ing the volume of production of the New York
market, improving further the quality of its
product, and offering even better values to the
consumer. The program aimed to publicize “the
outstanding position in the field of style, fine
workmanship, and sound values of the New York
market,” to stimulate consumer demand in the
United States and elsewhere, and to establish
New York as the fashion center of the world.
The campaign was expected to result in increased
business to the members of the organized dress
industry, and in material advantages to the union
members employed by them in the form of greater
continuity of employment and increased annual
earnings.
Stabilization of workers’ incomes or a lessening
of the effect of unemployment can be brought
about to a certain extent through seniority rules,
work-sharing in slack seasons, and dismissal pay.
These measures all help workers to bridge periods
of unemployment or idleness, but do not provide
security of income or employment. Seniority
GUARANTEED EMPLOYMENT AND WAGES
rules merely determine which employees are to be
laid off; sharing work also means sharing unem
ployment; dismissal pay only softens the blow
from loss of job.3
Some State unemployment-compensation laws
are designed to encourage stable employment by
means of merit-rating provisions, whereby the
employer’s unemployment tax decreases as em
ployment becomes more regularized. Although
unemployment compensation provides some in
come during slack times, payments are compara
tively small and continue for a relatively short
time. It is helpful, but is not a satisfactory
substitute for regularized and steady employment.
The Fair Labor Standards Act (sec. 7 (b) (2)),
applicable to employees engaged in interstate
commerce or in the production of goods for inter
state commerce, exempts an employer from paying
overtime for weekly hours of work in excess of 40
under certain agreements which guarantee annual
employment. Annual employment guaranteed
may be for 1,840 up to 2,080 hours in a year, or
for not less than 46 normal workweeks of at least
30 hours per week. After the guaranteed hours
have been completed, time and one-half must be
paid for each hour worked beyond 40 in a week.
All hours worked beyond 2,080 in the contract
year must be paid for at time and one-half. The
employees may not work more than a maximum
of 2,240 hours in the year.4 Hours in excess of 12
a day or 56 a week, however, must be paid for at
the rate of time and a half.
The majority of employment- or wage-guarantee
plans have been in consumer-goods industries.
However, successful plans have been established
in other industries. Some plans were negotiated
with individual employers; others with an associa
tion of employers in the same area, engaged in the
same trade or branch of business.
Currently, wage and work guarantees are found
in relatively few collective bargaining agreements.5
Those which occur vary widely as to the guaran
tee’s type and amount, the employee’s eligibility
for it, conditions under which it may be termi3 See the Bureau’s Bulletins No. 908-11, Seniority; No. 908-7, Promotion,
Transfer, and Assignment; Lay-off, Work-sharing, and Reemployment;
and No. 908-5, Discharge, Discipline, and Quits and Dismissal Pay Pro
visions.
4 Fair Labor Standards Act as amended 1949.
3 A survey by the Bureau in late 1949 disclosed that about 5 percent of the
more than 2,100 agreements analyzed provided for wage or employment
“guarantees.”
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27
nated, and related provisions. Some agreements
guarantee a year’s normal income or work; others
guarantee employment for much shorter periods.
Some guarantees are limited to a minimum number
of hours per week. The guarantee may cover the
employer’s entire labor force or only a designated
number or group of employees (those with a
minimum period of service; those in a certain
craft or type of work; certain “key” employees; a
“basic crew,” etc.). Many of the provisions
include “escape” clauses, which specify conditions
under which the employer is released from his
obligation to provide work. Some plans have
detailed provisions regarding the effects of
employees’ absence from work, holidays, vacations,
and other types of time off; the employer’s right to
transfer employees to any available work; and
penalty rates for overtime hours.
In some agreements, the employer merely
pledges to provide regular employment to the best
of his ability, or to study the possibility of institut
ing a guarantee.
Employers are often reluctant to commit them
selves to a definite guarantee of work for their
employees but sometimes pledge in general terms
to make every effort to stabilize employment.
Some contracts further require the employer to
study the problem of guaranteed employment and
to report the results to the union. Other agree
ments require joint labor-management conferences
to work out methods of eliminating or alleviating
irregular employment. In a few cases, the union
reserves the right to reopen negotiations for an
employment guarantee, if the employer makes a
practice of repeatedly laying off and recalling em
ployees.6
A few clauses illustrating different kinds of
guarantees are given in this summary.
Annual Guarantees
Annual guarantee plans in collective bargaining
agreements which are of the type that guarantees
employment assure a minimum number of hours,
days, weeks, or months of work each year, without
specifying the amount of earnings to be received.
A year’s job (or sometimes, a fraction of a year)
is guaranteed to the employee but his total annual
6 For additional clauses, see the Bureau’s Bulletin N o. 908-10, UnionManagement Cooperation, Plant Efficiency, and Technological Change
(p. 21).
28
GUARANTEED EMPLOYMENT AND WAGES
income may vary. For example, it is impossible
to determine in advance and guarantee the annual
earnings of an employee who receives a piece-rate
or incentive pay or a combined hourly rate and
incentive pay. Transfers to different jobs at
different rates of pay also complicate the fore
casting of earnings. For these reasons, most
guarantees are expressed in terms of regular
employment.
The plans which guarantee an annual wage
assure to the employee a certain income for the
year. Actually, insofar as the year's return to
the employee is concerned, little real distinction
exists between guaranteed-employment plans and
annual wage plans, for if an employer cannot
furnish sufficient work to fulfill his guaranteedemployment contract, wages must be paid for the
remainder of the time guaranteed. The significant
differences among the various plans relate to the
relative completeness of the guarantee; that is,
how closely tbe guarantee (whether expressed in
wages or in work) comes to providing the equiva
lent of full employment at normal wages.
A full year's work is usually considered to be
2,080 hours (40 hours times 52 weeks). Some
plans assure this amount of work; a few guarantee
more than 2,080 hours, and many guarantee
less than 52 weeks.
Usually tbe employment guarantee is expressed
in terms of hours or weeks, but a few contracts
guarantee a stated number of days or a specified
percentage of “normal working time." Several
agreements, most of them covering personnel of
inland water transportation lines, guarantee a
minimum number of months a year.
A few contracts in industries which are es
pecially susceptible to seasonal fluctuations guar
antee fewer hours a week in designated slack
months than in peak months. The annual
guarantee may be for full employment for several
months and may require employees to share avail
able work during the remaining months of the
year.
Some annual-guarantee plans have special
reserve funds supported by employer deposits
amounting to a specified percentage of the pay
roll, from which is paid the difference between the
employee's actual earnings and the guaranteed
minimum. In some instances, the employer’s
total liability is limited to the amount of his
deposits, and any unused balance in the fund at
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
MONTHLY LABOK
the end of the contract period reverts to him.
Some agreements set up an individual account
for each employee; a credit is made for overtime
compensation and a debit is entered for employer
advances in weeks when the employee works less
than the guaranteed minimum. When the ac
count is cleared at specified intervals, the employee
receives any credit balance, but is not liable for
payment of a debit.
The contractual obligation under any guarantee
plan included in a collective bargaining agreement
is limited to the effective period of such agreement.
Most agreements are in effect for 1 year. Some
guarantee plans are incorporated in 2-year agree
ments and, therefore, are in effect for 2 years.
The fact that most guarantees are for 1- or 2-year
periods tends to limit their effectiveness to seasonal
or intermittent situations rather than to prolonged
periods of business depression.
The following are examples of annual guaran
tees. The first of these clauses was based upon
section 7 (b) (2) of the Fair Labor Standards Act
prior to its amendment in 1949.
Annual Wage Plan Incorporating Requirements of Section
7 (b) (2) of Fair Labor Standards Act
The employees whose names are listed in schedule
— — annexed hereto and made a part hereof, shall be
em ployed on an annual basis and are hereby guaranteed
continuous em ploym ent for fifty-two (52) consecutive
weeks, from * * * including as a part of said fiftytwo (52) weeks the vacation period provided for in this
agreement. The weekly wage o f ---------- dollars shall be
paid to said em ployees during said period of fifty-two (52)
consecutive weeks so long as, and provided that, the said
employees continue to faithfully perform their services
for the employer. Should any em ployee work in excess
of tw elve (12) hours in any workday or in excess of fifty-six
(56) hours in any workweek, he shall be paid tim e and
one-half for all tim e worked in excess of tw elve (12) hours
per day or in excess of fifty-six (56) hours per week, which
ever method of com putation yields the em ployee the
greater compensation for the workweek. None of the
above-m entioned em ployees shall work more than two
thousand and eighty (2,080) hours during the said period
of fifty-two (52) consecutive weeks.
Guarantee of 2,080 Hours Per Year for 2 Years to Special
Class of Employees
Class A employees as defined in A r tic le ----------, Classifi
cation of employees, section ----------, are included in the
guaranteed work plan as hereinafter provided for (class A
em ployees are those who have been permanently added to
the work force filling a regular job and have completed
five (5) years of continuous service with the company at
the effective date of this agreement). Class B and class
C em ployees are not included in the guaranteed work plan.
REVIEW , JANUARY 1950
GUARANTEED EMPLOYMENT AND WAGES
The company agrees to provide work a t wage rates
agreed upon by the company and the union, for a period
of tw o (2) years from the effective date of this agreement,
to all class A em ployees as provided for in A rticle----------,
Classification of em ployees, of this agreement * * *.
Those em ployees who are guaranteed work under this
article will be given an opportunity to work 2,080 hours
during each of the guaranteed work years, less vacation
and holidays.
The right by the company to suspend or discharge an
em ployee for cause as provided for in this agreement shall
in no way be infringed upon through the application or
interpretation of this article.
Guarantee of Weekly Hours or Wages
In a number of industries, principally meat
packing, trucking, and laundry and dry cleaning,
the agreements provide some form of weekly guar
antee, either of the workweek or a minimum weekly
wage. Any employee called to work on the first
day of the workweek is guaranteed a minimum
amount of work or a specified minimum weekly
wage, regardless of the number of hours actually
worked. The guarantee varies from 36 hours to
40 hours or more, and in some agreements includes
overtime hours and pay. No guarantee is made
that the employee will be given an opportunity
to work every week or any minimum number of
weeks during the year. A guaranteed workweek
is not a guarantee of employment. However,
in a nonseasonal industry, such as public trans
portation, employees with long service are vir
tually assured the equivalent of full-time
employment or wages by reason of the weekly
guarantee.
Provision is sometimes made for reduction of
the number of guaranteed hours during weeks in
which operations are curtailed because of condi
tions beyond control of the employer. Another
qualification in several agreements makes the
guarantee inapplicable if the employee is laid off
in the early part of the workweek (usually the
first or second day) and not recalled later in’the
week.
Guaranteed Workweek of 86 Hours for Female Employees
and 40 Hours for Male Employees
The company guarantees a minimum of 36 hours per
week for all female employees and a minimum of 40 hours
per week for all male employees during normal operation
in the plant. This guarantee shall not apply to any em
ployee laid off before the comm encement of the second
866593— 50-------3
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29
workday of the week. If, however, any em ployees having
been laid off shall be recalled to work in their regular
order, said guarantee shall apply. This provision is sub
ject to reopening on 60 days’ written notice.
Eligibility Requirements
Some guarantee plans cover all regular or per
manent employees. Others restrict the guarantee
to a fixed total number of employees designated as
the “basic crew,” to a few designated classifica
tions, or even to one classification. If the guar
antee applies to a small number of key employees,
the plan is merely a contractual arrangement for
employees who in any case would have fairly
regular employment.
Although a few agreements, particularly in
retail-trade establishments, include part-time em
ployees in the guarantee plan, such employees are
usually excluded, as are also casual and seasonal
employees.
Guaranteed employment is often limited to em
ployees who have a specified minimum length of
service—frequently 1 year, but sometimes as much
as 10 years. Under some plans, the number of
weeks guaranteed per year is graduated according
to seniority.
A few plans specify that employees who are
ineligible for guaranteed annual employment, be
cause of lack of seniority or for other reasons, are
to be guaranteed a minimum number of hours for
each week during which they are called to work.
Effect of Absences, Holidays, and Vacations
Even if it is not specified, it usually may be in
ferred that employees covered by an employment
guarantee must be willing and able to perform
work which is made available to them. Under
some guarantee plans, time lost because of the
employee’s absence when work is available is
deducted from the total hours guaranteed. In
others, refusal to report for work invalidates the
guarantee for that particular week. In a few
cases, time lost because of sickness or accident is
not deducted from guaranteed time.
When employees are paid for holidays not
worked, the holiday hours are usually counted as
part of the guaranteed time, and the same is
usually true of paid-vacation time. Other types
of paid, unworked time, such as daily call-in
guarantees and clothes-changing periods, may also
be credited against guaranteed time.
30
WAGES IN AIRFRAME INDUSTRY
“ Escape” Provisions Including Transfer
Some guaranteed-employment plans obligate
the employer to fulfill the terms of the guarantee
during the term of the agreement, regardless of
developments. Often, however, the employer is
relieved of his obligations and the guarantee com
mitment is terminated or modified under certain
conditions, although the agreement as a whole
remains effective. The conditions specified fre
quently include emergencies and major catas
trophes, such as floods, storms, and other acts of
God, as well as fire, explosion, strikes, and similar
occurrences beyond the employer’s control.
Some broad escape clauses virtually invalidate
the employment guarantee. For example, the
employer may reserve the right to terminate or
modify the plan at any time, or he may stipulate
that a guarantee plan does not curtail the right
to lay off employees for lack of work. Continua
tion of the plan may be made contingent upon
maintenance of sales of the employer’s product at
a specified level. Some agreements permit arbi
tration of the employer’s request for relief if it is
denied by the union; others make the union’s
decision final. Some agreements allow the em
ployer to petition for relief if business conditions
require it. Occasionally, dismissal wages are
provided in lieu of payment of the guaranteed
annual wage.
A few contracts limit the total payments which
the employer may be required to make in any one
year as a result of the employment guarantee.
So far as individual employees are concerned,
the employment guarantee is terminated by dis
charge of an employee for cause, by his resigna
tion, and, in some instances, by his participation
in a strike.
Annual Employment Guarantee Not Subject to Arbitration
Regular full-tim e workers shall be guaranteed 44 hours
weekly for 52 consecutive weeks per year. This provision
shall not be subject to arbitration.
Company Liability Under Guaranteed Annual Wage Plan
Not To Continue More Than 2 Weeks After Disaster
In the event of fire, flood, tornado, or explosion, which
would make it impossible to operate the plant, the company
will not be liable for paym ents under the Annual Wage
Plan for any tim e in excess of 2 full w eeks’ pay of 40 hours
each at [the em ployee’s] base rate of pay, beyond the
date on which the disaster occurs. In addition, the
em ployee would receive any credits th at m ay have accrued
to him in the bank account prior to the date of the disaster.
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MONTHLY LABOR
Another safeguard designed to prevent undue
burden upon the employer is the right to transfer
employees in the event no work is available in
their regular jobs. Such right of transfer, how
ever, is usually governed by the contractual
seniority rules. Many of the guarantee plans
require employees to accept temporary transfer
to other jobs if insufficient work is available on
their regular jobs to provide the minimum guar
anteed time. Guaranteed time may be reduced
by any hours lost owing to the employee’s
refusal to accept available work; the guar
antee may be canceled entirely for any week
in which the employee refuses to accept a
transfer. Provisions of this nature are some
times qualified by safeguards against loss of
earnings caused by such transfers. If the em
ployee is transferred to a lower-rated job than
he normally fills, he may continue to receive the
rate of pay for his former job, either indefinitely
or for a designated period.
Time Lost by Employee’s Refusal To Accept Transfer
Deducted From Guaranteed Weekly Hours
If the company finds it necessary to transfer employees
from one departm ent to another in order to provide
guaranteed tim e of thirty-six (36) hours, then any em ployee
refusing such a transfer shall have his guaranteed tim e
reduced by the number of hours lost by such refusal.
W ages and Related Practices,
Airframe Industry, M ay-June 19491
employment in the 22 private companies
engaged primarily in the manufacture of air
frames, each employing at least 251 workers, was
about 147,0002 in June 1949. Of these 22 firms,
all but 1 employed 500 or more workers. Slightly
more than half of these workers were employed
in West Coast plants and the remainder were
distributed between the central and eastern sec-
T otal
i
Prepared by Kermit B. Mohn of the Bureau’s Division of Wage Statistics.
Field work was directed by the Bureau’s regional wage analysts. An earlier
study of the distribution of wage rates in the airframe and related industries
was made as of December 1948. Detailed information for both studies is
available on request.
1 Excluding executive, administrati re, and professional employees.
REVIEW , JANUARY 1950
WAGES IN AIRFRAME INDUSTRY
tions of the country on an approximate 60- to 40percent basis.
Plant (nonoffice) workers were covered by
union agreements in a substantial majority of the
establishments. The unions involved for most of
the workers were either the International Associa
tion of Machinists (Ind.) or the United Automo
bile, Aircraft, and Agricultural Implement Workers
of America (CIO). Other unions represented
specialized groups of workers in some of the
plants.
Hourly Wage Rates
Wage rates for a selected list of occupational
groups, as of May or June 1949, were obtained
from 20 of the 22 companies.3 The Nation-wide
average rates for these groups fell between $1.12
for janitors and $1.82 for master aircraft me1 All wage figures shown in this report exclude premium pay for overtime
and night work. The rates were those actually in effect at the time of the
study rather than those specified in formal structures.
31
chanics. Rates of less than 90 cents an hour were
found among janitors only, and relatively few
occupation groups included individual rates below
$1. Tool and die makers, jig and fixture builders,
maintenance electricians, production machinists,
and class A field and service inspectors and me
chanics, and inspectors of machined parts, all
had average rates of at least $1.70. Job wage
levels of $1.50, but less than $1.70 were quite
common. Of the 51 occupational groups studied,
25 had averages below $1.50 although only 3 were
below $1.25. Assemblers constituted the largest
occupational group. Class A workers in t his
category averaged $1.52, class B workers, $1.31.
The assembly group includes large numbers of
workers engaged in various related tasks. In
many plants they are segregated in specialized
fields, such as electrical and radio, plumbing and
hydraulics, power plant, precision assembly,
rigging and controls, structures and surfaces. An
attempt was made in this study to obtain the wage
data according to fields of specialization. Although
Average hourly wage rates (straight-time hourly earnings)1for selected plant occupations in the airframe industry,
M ay-June 1949
United
States
Occupation and grade
Average hourly
rates, by region 5
N um Aver
ber of age East Cen West
work hour ern
ern
tral
ly
ers
rates
Assemblers, class A > ____ _______ _______ 13,472 $1.52 $1.56 $1.46
Electrical and radio_________________ 1,056 1.53 1.58 1.43
Assemblers, class B A .................................... . 13,499 1.31 1.33 1.25
Electrical and radio_____ ___________ 1,052 1.35 1.37 1.24
Carpenters, maintenance................................
503 1.57 1.62 1.48
Drill-press operators, single or multiple
spindle:
Class A .........................................................
376 1.44 1.45 1.38
Class B ____________ _______________
209 1.30
(9 1.29
Electricians, maintenance..............................
650 1.73 1.70 1.65
Engine-lathe operators:
Class A .......................................................
470 1.67 1.67
(9
Class B ___ ________________________
85 1.49
(9 1.46
Guards................................................................. 1,127 1.34 1.30 1.28
Inspectors:
Assembly, class A .................................... 1,126 1.59 1.62 1.52
Assembly, class B __________________
508 1.46 1.47
(9
Assembly, class C . . ................................
72 1.29 1.26
(9
Fabrication, class A . . . ' . .................
198 1.60 1.66
(9
Fabrication, class B ................................ .
211 1.41
(9 1.28
Fabrication, class C ................................ .
43 1.25
(9
(9
Field and service, class A ........... ...........
329 1.79 1.77 1.71
Field and service, class B .......................
153 1.67
(9
(9
Final assembly___________ _________
395 1.65 1.62 1.54
233 1.72 1.75 1.65
Machined parts, class A ____________
Machined parts, class B ____________
143 1.52 1.45 1.42
Machined parts, class C........ ............ .
30 1.26
<9 (9
Processing.................................................. .
77 1.44 1.50 1.37
Janitors...................._........................... ............ . 1,433 1.12 1.17 1.05
Jig and fixture m akers.................................. . 2,475 1.70 1.72 1.67
Machinists, production................................. .
477 1.72 1.71 1.65
Mechanics, aircraft A .____ _____________ 2,632 1.64 1.73 1.54
Electrical and radio_____ ______ ____ _
450 1.65 1.67
(9
$1.55
1.55
1.34
1.41
1.57
1.45
(9
1.77
1.67
1.39
1.38
1.61
1.50
(9
1.63
(9
(9
1.85
(9
1.75
1.75
1.62
(9
(9
1.14
1. 71
(9
1.63
1.67
1 Excludes premium pay for overtime and night work.
1 The eastern region includes the States of Connecticut, New York, New
Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Ohio: the central region, Kansas,
Missouri, and Texas; the western region, California and Washington.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
United
States
Occupation and grade
Mechanics:
Aircraft, master______ _____ ________
Field and service, class A ___ ________
M aintenance______________ ______ . __
M etal fitters:
Class A ________________________ . . .
Class B ____________________________
Milling-machine operators:
Class A _________________ _______
Class B _________ _______ ________
Class C ________________ ____ ______
Painters, aircraft:
Class A ________________ ______ ____
Class B _________ __________________
Patternmakers, plaster....................................
Punch-press operators:
Class A ____ _______________________
Class B _______________ ____ ________
Class O_________________ _____ _____
Riveters:
Class A ______ _______ ______________
Class B ___ ________________________
Sheet-metal workers, production.................
Spot welders:
Class A ____________________________
Class B _____ _____________________
Class C ....... ...............................................
Tool and die makers__________________ _
Tool crib attendants____________________
Truckers, power___ __________________
Welders, hand, production:
Class A ____________________________
Class B _______________ ____________
Average hourly
rates, by regions
N um Aver
ber of age East Cen West
work houi- ern
tral
ern
ly
ers
rates
809 $1.82
(9
1,160 1.72 $1.75
(9
653 1.62 1.64 $1.56
$1.74
1.64
1.42
1.58
1.36
(9
430
292
1.54
1.30
1,012
339
57
1.63
1.41
1.26
(9
1.62 (9
(9 1.46
(9
(9
568
384
298
1.50
1.28
1.68
1.53
1.30
1.73
1.41
1.22
1.58
1.52
1.33
1.70
281
193
42
1.54
1.36
1.24
1.53
1.43
1.24
1.57
1.41
1,488
1,389
1,094
1.43
1.24
1.58
214
108
34
1,140
1,056
623
539
76
(9
1.36
(9
(9
(9
(9
(9
(9
(9
1.60
1.48
1.51
1.29
1.28
1.79
1.32
1.32
1.54
1.37
1.77
1.44
1.27
1.79
1.05
1.67
1.53
1.69
1.44
1.59
(9
(9
(9
(9
1.20
(9
1.62
1.37
(9
(9
81.61
(9
1.55
1.33
(9
1.79
1.32
1.37
1.71
(9
3 Includes data for workers specializing in the electrical and radio field
(shown separately) as well as all others in the broad group.
4 Data omitted to prevent disclosure of individual establishment informa
tion.
32
WAGES IN AIRFRAME INDUSTRY
the results did not warrant separate presentation
of any except the electrical and radio field, the
data seemed to indicate that in general the differ
ences among wage levels in the various fields
within the same grade were not appreciable.
A comparison of the rate levels for individual
jobs among the 3 regions covered reveals several
general relationships.4 In practically all cases the
averages of rates actually being paid in the central
region were below those paid in the eastern and
western plants. No significant difference was
apparent between general wage levels in the east
ern and western regions. Averages in the West
exceeded those in the East in a slight majority of
the occupations; however, in 35 of the 51 occupa
tional groups studied, these differences did not
exceed 5 cents. Class A assemblers as a group
averaged $1.56 in the East and $1.55 in the West;
for class B, the respective averages were $1.33 and
$1.34. In the central region, the average for
class A assemblers was $1.46, that for class B,
$1.25.
Individual rates of pay for each of the occupa
tions showed a sizable spread within each region,
in most cases. This condition was attributable
not only to the varying levels existing from plant
to plant, but also to the influence of plant ranges
in rates for the same job. The formalized rate
structures generally in effect usually provided
job spreads of from 20 to 30 cents within single
establishments. These plant ranges, coupled with
the trend of employment in individual plants, so
affected the job averages for a region or for
individual plants as to create a different picture
of the comparative wage structures than would
have been shown by comparison of the formal
plans themselves. For example, two plants within
the same region may have had practically identical
formal ranges for a particular job. However, if
one plant happened to be having a sharp con
traction in employment while the other was ex
panding, in view of the strict seniority rules ex
isting in these plants, the average rate being paid
at the time in the former plant could have been
considerably higher than the average in the
latter. The industry was characterized at the
time of the survey by these sharp differences in
employment patterns from plant to plant.
4 The eastern region includes Connecticut, N ew York, N ew Jersey, Penn
sylvania, Maryland, and Ohio. The central region includes Kansas, M is
souri, and Texas. The western region includes California and Washington.
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MONTHLY LABOR
Office workers in selected occupations received
pay averaging from $1.01 an hour for office boys
or girls to $1.57 for hand bookkeepers. General
stenographers averaged $1.24 and technical ste
nographers $1.29. The average for general clerks
was $1.20.
Related Wage Practices
Incentive methods of wage payment are rare
in airframe manufacturing. Only 1 of the 20
establishments studied reported their existence.
Generally, plant workers received compensation
under a formalized rate structure characterized
by a range for each occupation. Movement
within these ranges was based on merit review, or,
less frequently, on length of service.
Leadmen, group leaders, or working supervisors
in most of the establishments studied were em
ployed at the first level of supervision above the
regular workers in an occupation. Compensation
of these supervisory workers was generally related
to rates paid to those under their supervision.
The usual policies as to pay of the leadmen were:
(1) a fixed differential of between 5 and 10 cents
an hour above the highest-paid worker supervised;
or (2) 5 or 10 cents above the top of the formal
rate range of the highest-paid worker supervised;
or (3) within a range from the top of the formal
rate range of the highest-paid worker supervised
to 10 or 15 cents above that top.
Compensation of inexperienced workers was
covered by definite policies in most of the plants.
Usually, these were started at a set rate con
siderably below the minimum of the lowest clas
sified grade. The most common plan was to
increase the rates paid the inexperienced workers
automatically, by 5-cent increments every 4 weeks
or 30 days, until the minimum of the lowest clas
sified job was attained.
A 40-hour workweek was scheduled in 19 of the
20 establishments studied; 1 plant reported a
43%-hour week. Second shifts, involving a total of
22 percent of all plant workers, were reported in 19
plants, and 3-shift operations in 11 establishments.
Very minor portions of the plant forces were
reported on the third shift, however. Premium
pay for extra-shift work was reported by all
establishments having extra shifts. In all but 2
plants, the second-shift differential amounted to
more than 5 but not more than 10 cents an hour.
REVIEW , JANUARY 1950
UNION SCALES IN BAKING INDUSTRY
One establishment paid more than 10 cents and
another had a 15-percent differential policy.
Third-shift premiums were more liberal than
second-shift premiums in all but 1 plant. Ten
of the plants having third shifts reported differ
entials of between 5 and 10 cents an hour, and
allowed 8 hours pay for 6){ hours work.
Holidays with pay for plant workers were pro
vided by all except 1 establishment; for office
workers, all establishments had this feature. Six
days with pay were granted in 14 of the establish
ments; the number allowed by the others ranged
from 4 to 8.
Paid vacations after 1 year of service were
customary in all establishments, although in a
few instances the time could be used for either
vacation or sick leave. One week with pay was
most common for plant workers. Two weeks or
more were granted to office workers by a majority
of the establishments.
Sick leave with pay under formal plans was in
existence for plant workers in only 8 establish
ments. In 4 of these, the sick leave had to be
deducted from vacation time, as mentioned above.
Office workers were covered by formal sick-leave
provisions in 13 establishments. The number of
days with pay allowed to both plant and office
workers ranged from 3 to 12.
Insurance or pension plans of one type or
another were reported by all establishments
studied. Life, accident and health, hospitaliza
tion, and surgical insurance plans were found in
nearly all plants.
Old-age retirement plans for plant workers existed
in seven of the establishments, in three of which
the employer contributed the entire cost. Four
of these establishments were covered by collective
bargaining agreements, but the old-age plan was
mentioned in the agreement in only one instance.
Administration of the plans was in the hands of
the employer alone in four of the seven companies;
in one case an insurance company administered
the plan; and, in the two others, information on
this point was not available.
Nonproduction bonuses were a rarity; only two
companies reported existence of this feature.
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33
Baking Industry:
Union Scales, July 1, 19491
U n i o n w a g e s c a l e s in the baking industry
increased by 6 percent between July 1, 1948, and
July 1, 1949, according to the Bureau of Labor
Statistics annual survey.2 The over-all increase
of 7 cents an hour advanced the average union
wage scales of 72,477 bakery workers to $1.31
on July 1, 1949.3 The negotiation of new con
tracts during the year resulted in wage increases
for about nine-tenths of all workers studied.
The standard workweek for union bakery workers
averaged 40.7 on July 1, 1949, representing a slight
reduction from the previous year. A 40-hour
week was most prevalent in the industry and
applied to 4 of every 5 union workers.
Trends in Union Wage Rates
The 6-percent rise in union scales represented
the smallest annual gain since the end of World
War II.4 A rate increase of 15 percent was regis
tered in the year after VJ-day (July 1945 to July
1946), and annual gains of 13 and 8 percent,
respectively, were achieved during the next 2
years. About three-fifths of the total rate advance
during the 10-year period from June 1, 1939,
occurred after the end of hostilities in 1945.
Indexes of union hourly wage rates and maximum
1 Prepared by Annette Y. Sherier of the Bureau’s Wage Statistics Division.
Mimeographed listings of union scales by occupations are available for any
of the 75 cities included in the survey. A forthcoming bulletin containing
detailed information on the industry will be supplied upon request.
2 Information was based on union scales in effect on July 1,1949, and covered
72,477 union bakery workers in 75 cities ranging in population from 40,000
to over 1,000,000. Data were obtained primarily from local unions by mail
questionnaire; in some cities local union officials were visited by Bureau
representatives for the desired information.
Union scales are defined as the minimum wage rates, or maximum sched
ules of hours agreed upon through collective bargaining between employers
and trade-unions. Rates in excess of the negotiated minimum which may
be paid for special qualifications or other reasons are not included.
2 Average rates, designed to show current levels, are based on all rates re
ported for the current year; individual rates are weighted by the number of
union members working at the rate. These averages are not measures for
yearly comparisons because of annual changes in union membership and
in classifications studied.
4 In the index series designed for trend purposes, year-to-year changes in
union scales are based on comparable quotations for the various occupations
in both years, weighted by the membership reported in the current year.
UNION SCALES IN BAKING INDUSTRY
34
straight-time weekly hours from 1939 to 1949 are
as follows:
)
Indexes (Ju ne 1,1939=100 of—
H o u r ly
rates
1939:
1940:
1941:
1942:
1943:
1944:
1945:
1946:
1947:
1948:
1949:
June
June
June
July
July
July
July
July
July
July
July
1 _ ______ ___________
__________
1_ _
__________
1 ___
1___________ __________
1___________ __________
1___________ __________
__________
1_______
1___________ __________
1___________ __________
1___________ __________
1___________ __________
W e ek ly
hours
100.0 100. 0
102.7 99. 5
106. 1 99. 2
116. 3 99. 1
121.2 98. 6
122.0 98. 6
1 23.6 98. 6
141. 6 98. 3
160. 6 98. 2
173.4 98. 2
184.5 97. 8
The proportion of workers receiving wage in
creases in Hebrew and other nationality bake
shops, which employed less than 10 percent of all
Indexes of Union H ou rly W age Rates and W ee kly
Hours in the Baking Industry
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
MONTHLY LABOR
workers studied, was considerably below the levels
for the other branches and for the industry as a
whole. One-third of the Hebrew bakers and twothirds of the other nationality bakers received
upward adjustments in their scales between July
1, 1948, and July 1, 1949, as compared with
nine-tenths of the workers in other types of bake
shops.
Increases varying from 5 to 10 percent were
received by more than half of the workers whose
rates were advanced during the year. Raises of
5 and 10 cents an hour were most common in the
industry and generally applied to each of the
branches covered. Individual wage adjustments,
however, ranged from less than 5 to over 40 cents
an hour.
A comparison of basic scales throws light on the
extent of wage adjustments which occurred after
VJ-day. On July 1, 1949, more than half of the
union bakery workers were employed at hourly
wage scales ranging from $1.20 to over $2, and
only 20 percent had scales less than $1. On
July 1, 1945, however, wage scales as high as
$1.20 were applicable to only an eighth of the
workers, whereas scales under $1 covered threefourths of the workers.
Rate Variations by Industry Branch
Union wage scales are generally distinguished
as to type of baking process, type of product, and
specialized versus more standard baking. The
greater proportion of baked goods is now stand
ardized and produced in large and highly mech
anized establishments. Such establishments em
ployed about 80 percent of the union workers
included in the study. Specialized baking is
found primarily in bread and cake hand shops
and in nationality baking.
In the highly mechanized bakeries, a substan
tial proportion of the workers are semiskilled and
perform routine tasks which do not require ex
tensive periods of training. In contrast, the
work force in specialized or hand shops is composed
primarily of skilled all-round journeymen.
REVIEW , JANUARY 1950
UNION SCALES IN BAKING INDUSTRY
The level of union scales is naturally higher in
specialized baking than in the standard-product
plants. On July 1, 1949, the hourly scales of
workers in bread and cake hand shops and in
nationality baking exceeded the average ($1.31)
for all branches of baking by 31 cents or more
(see table 1). In the mechanized bread and cake
shops and cracker and cooky shops, union workers
had average hourly scales of $1.28 and $1.06,
respectively.
T
1.— Average union wage rates in the baking indus
try, July 1, 1949, and increases since July 1, 1948—
by type of baking
able
Average
rate per
hour
July 1,
1949 i
Type of baking
All baking_____ ____________
_ _ ___
Bread and cake:
H a n d ___________
_ ____________
Machine
______ _________________
N ationality baking:
Hebrew ____________________ _____ __
Other. _____________________________
Pie and pastry _________________________
Cracker and cooky______________________
Increase, July 1,
1948, to July 1,
1949 3
per
Percent Cents
hour
$1.31
6.4
7
1.62
1.28
6.8
6.4
10
8
1.86
1.63
1.18
1.06
1.3
3.4
9.6
8.4
2
5
10
8
1Average rates are based on all rates in effect on July 1, 1949; individual
rates are weighted by the number of union members reported at each rate.
3 Based on comparable rates for 1948 and 1949; weighted by the membership
reported in 1949.
35
hand shops with a scale level of $1.88, and Detroit
in Hebrew baking with an average scale of $2.18.
Chattanooga (Tenn.) had the lowest levels in
bread and cake hand shops and pie and pastry
shops with average union scales of $1 and 79 cents
an hour, respectively.
When the various cities are grouped according
to size of city, the average union hourly scale on
July 1, 1949, for all industry branches combined,
in cities with populations of 1,000,000 or more,
was 14 cents higher than that in cities with popu
lations of 500,000 to 1,000,000, and 25 cents
above the level in cities with populations of 250,000 to 500,000 (see table 2). In each of the two
smaller-size city groups, union scales averaged 29
cents below the level for the largest cities. Aver
age union scales for the individual branches of
the industry did not always rank in accordance
with size of city. The levels of scales in pie and
pastry shops and other nationality bakeries were
highest in cities with populations from 500,000
to 1,000,000, whereas average scales in the smallest
population group of cities exceeded those in the
next larger group for workers employed in bread
and cake hand shops and pie and pastry shops.
T able 2.— Average union wage rates1in the baking industry >
by population group and by type of baking, July 1, 1949
City and Regional Rate Differentials
Population group
Among the 70 cities having mechanized bread
and cake shops, which employed more than half
of the unionized workers studied, Oakland (Calif.)
ranked highest on July 1, 1949, with a scale level
of $1.93, and Savannah (Ga.) the lowest with a
level of 78 cents an hour. Four of the other five
Pacific Coast cities in the study had average scales
exceeding $1.50. Scale levels below $1 an hour
were found in 9 cities, primarily in the Southeast.
Average union scales in cracker and cooky shops
ranged from 84 cents in Birmingham (Ala.) to
$1.33 in Newark (N. J.). Atlanta (Ga.) with a
level of $1.11, was seventh among the 38 cities,
but ranked higher than Los Angeles, New York,
St. Louis, and other large northern cities.
In the other branches of the baking industry,
union scale levels in Pacific Coast cities, New
York, Chicago, and Detroit were generally among
the highest. San Francisco had the top scales in
other nationality baking and in pie and pastry
shops, averaging $1.77 and $1.70, respectively.
New York was the leading city in bread and cake
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Type of baking
All baking................................. .
Bread and cake:
H and___________________
M achine________________
Nationality baking:
Hebrew____________ ___
Other
______________
Pie and pastry______________
Cracker and c o o k y ................. .
Cities
Cities Cities Cities
Cities
with
with
with
with
with
500,000
250.000
100,000 40.000
1,000,000
to
to
to
to
or more 1,000,000 500.000 250,000 100.000
$1.442
$1. 298
$1.192
$1.146
$1.148
1.234
1.186
1.306
1.159
1.753
1.352
1.494
1.283
1.494
1.249
1.904
1.618
1.193
1.104
1.680
1.711
1.248
1.045
1.710
1.611
1.077
1.041
1.029
1.024
1.065
1.011
1 Average rates are based on all rates in effect on July 1, 1949; individual
rates are weighted by the number of union members reported at each rate.
On a regional basis, union scales of wages were
highest on the Pacific Coast and lowest in the
Southeast (see table 3). The national average of
rates for the baking industry as a whole—$1.31
an hour as of July 1, 1949—was exceeded in two
regions only, the Pacific Coast and the Middle
Atlantic States.
Of the three branches of the industry found in
all regions, the Middle Atlantic States led in bread
and cake hand shops and cracker and cooky
36
MONTHLY LABOR
UNION SCALES IN CITY TRUCK DRIVING
plants, and the Pacific Coast in bread and cake
machine shops; average scales were lowest for
cracker and cooky shops in the Mountain region
and for the other two branches in the Southeast.
Standard Workweek
Changes in weekly hours between July 1 , 1948,
and July 1 , 1949, affected relatively few union
bakery workers—less than one-half of 1 percent.
Reductions in the work schedules lowered the in
dex of weekly hours on July 1 , 1949, to 97.8 (as
measured from June 1939), and the average
standard workweek to 40.7 hours.
On July 1, 1949, the standard 40-hour work
week (before premium overtime rates became ef
fective) covered about 95 percent of the workers
in bread and cake machine shops and pie and
pastry shops and all workers in cracker and cooky
plants. These three branches of the industry em
ployed 80 percent of the unionized bakery workers
studied. Almost half of the workers in Hebrew
bake shops had straight-time weekly schedules of
45 hours. Approximately a fourth of the workers
in bread and cake hand shops and other nationality
baking and a fifth in Hebrew bakeries had a
standard workweek of 48 hours.
T able 3.—Average union wage rates in the baking industry, by region 1 and by type of baking, July 1, 1949
Type of baking
All baking____________ ______ ______
Bread and cake:
H and______________ ______________________
M ach ine..- - . - _____ ___________ .
Nationality baking:
Hebrew _____ _____ ___________________ . . .
Other______________________________________
Pie and pastry. _______________________________
Cracker and cooky____________________________
United
States
N ew
England
Middle
Atlantic
Border
States
$1.307
$1. 276
$1. 434
$1.164
$1.016
1.618
1.278
1.207
1.207
1.803
1.306
1.500
1.179
1.862
1. 634
1.179
1.059
1.766
1.118
1.020
1.870
1.499
1.222
1.104
.913
.968
Middle
West
South
west
$1. 216
$1.182
$1.121
$1.147
$1.495
.996
.995
1.483
1.211
1.252
1.264
1.200
1.152
1.319
1.360
1.669
1.596
1.542
1.878
1. 724
1.066
1.062
1.377
1.104
1.030
2.001
1.667
1.496
1.088
Southeast
.793
1.058
Great
Lakes
1.287
1.019
Mountain
.939
Pacific
1 The regions used in this study include: N ew E ngland— Connecticut,
Maine, Massachusetts, N ew Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont;
M iddle A tlan tic— New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania; Border States—
Delaware, District of Columbia, Kentucky, Maryland, Virginia, and West
Virginia; Southeast—Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Caro
lina, South Carolina, and Tennessee; Great Lakes— Illinois, Indiana, Miehi-
gan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin; M iddle W est—Iowa, Kansas, M is
souri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota; Southwest—Arkansas,
Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas; M oun tain —Arizona, Colorado, Idaho,
Montana, N ew México, Utah, and Wyoming; Pacific —California, Nevada,
Oregon, and Washington.
Local City Truck Driving:
on July 1, 1948. Increases in rates during the
year, which affected about four-fifths of the work
ers studied, advanced the index, as measured from
June 1, 1939, by 88 percent for drivers and 99
percent for helpers.3 About two-thirds of the
increase during the 10-year period had occurred
after the end of World War II.
The standard workweek showed a slight decline
Union Scales, July 1, 1949 1
of motortruck drivers
averaged $1.55 an hour on July 1, 1949, and their
helpers averaged $1.29, according to the Bureau
of Labor Statistics annual survey.2 The majority
of the truck drivers had wage scales of at least
$1.50 an hour and most of the helpers, union rates
of $1.25 or more. However, some of the scales
reported for each group of workers were below $1,
whereas others were as high as $2.40 for drivers
and $1.99 for helpers.
For each of the two groups of workers, rates in
effect on July 1, 1949, were 8 percent higher than
N egotiated wage rates
1 Prepared by James P. Corkery of the Bureau’s Wage Statistics Division.
Mimeographed listings of union scales by commodity classification and type
of truck are now available for any of the 77 cities included in the survey.
A forthcoming bulletin containing detailed information on the industry will
be supplied upon request.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
2 Information is based on union scales in effect on July 1, 1949, covering
235,506 drivers and 38,061 helpers engaged in local trucking in 77 cities ranging
in population from 40,000 to over 1,000,000. Over-the-road drivers and local
city drivers paid on a mileage or commission basis were excluded from the
study. Data were obtained primarily by mail questionnaire and from
regional representatives of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters,
Chauffeurs, Warehousemen, and Helpers of America (AFL); in some cities,
data were secured from local union officials by Bureau representatives.
Union scales are defined as the minimum wage rates, or maximum schedules
of hours (prior to premium overtime), agreed upon through collective bar
gaining by employers and trade-unions. Rates in excess of the negotiated
minimum which may be paid for special qualifications or other reasons are
not included.
3 Average rates, designed to show current levels, are based, on all rates
reported for the current year; individual rates are weighted b y the number of
union members working at the rate. These averages are not measures for
yearly comparisons because of annual changes in union membership and in
classifications studied.
REVIEW , JANUARY 1950
UNION SCALES IN CITY TRUCK DRIVING
of less than 1 percent since July 1, 1948, averaging
42.2 hours on July 1, 1949. The 40-hour work
week before the payment of overtime premium
was still the most prevalent, and affected 7 of every
10 truck drivers and helpers.
Trend of Union Wage Rates
The 8-percent increase in union scales between
July 1, 1948, and July 1, 1949, raised the index of
hourly rates to 189.3 (June 1, 1939=100); this
represented the smallest annual percentage gain
achieved by union motortruck drivers and helpers
since VJ-day. The 11-percent gain in the first
year after the war (as measured from July 1, 1945)
was followed by advances in rates of 15 and 9
percent respectively, for the following 2 years.
1.— Indexes of union hourly wage rates1 and standard
workweeks for motortruck drivers and helpers, 1986-49
T able
[June 1, 1939=100]
Drivers and
helpers
Drivers
Helpers
Year
Wage W eekly Wage W eekly Wage W eekly
rates
rates
hours
hours
rates
hours
1936:
1937:
1938:
1939:
1940:
1941:
1942:
1943:
1944:
1945:
1946:
1947:
1948:
1949:
M ay 15_________
M ay 15_________
June 1__________
June 1__________
June 1__________
June 1__________
July 1___________
July 1___________
July 1
. _____
July 1___________
July 1___________
July 1___________
July 1___________
July 1___________
88.5
94.4
97.8
100.0
102.0
106.1
113.6
119.8
122.6
125.2
139.3
160.8
175.1
189.3
101.8
100.9
100.9
100.0
99.1
98.5
98.8
98.6
98.5
98.3
96.3
94.0
93.2
92.9
(s)
94.5
97.9
100.0
102.1
105.9
113.1
119.2
121.9
124.5
138.4
159.9
173.9
188.0
(2)
100.8
100.8
100.0
99.2
98.5
98.6
98.4
98.3
98.1
96.1
93.6
92.9
92.6
(2)
94.2
97.5
100.0
102.0
107.0
116.4
123.0
126.8
129.8
145.5
166.8
184.3
199.0
(2)
101.2
101.2
100.0
98.7
98.1
100.0
99.8
99.8
99.7
97.5
95.8
94.5
94.0
creases of 10 percent or more. The 8-percent
over-all increase for helpers amounted to an
average of 10 cents an hour—2 cents under that
for drivers. Individual increases varied from less
than 5 to more than 35 cents an hour, but hourly
adjustments of 5, 10, and 15 cents affected the
largest number of workers.
Some drivers in all of the 77 cities received rate
increases between July 1, 1948, and July 1, 1949.
On a city basis, average increases ranged from less
than 1 percent in Butte, Phoenix, and Portland
(Maine), to 14 percent in Peoria and Philadelphia.
On a cents-per-hour basis, Newark (N. J.) was
the leading city, with an average advance of 21
cents an hour. Chicago, Kansas City, Peoria,
and Philadelphia were the only other cities register
ing average hourly increases exceeding 15 cents.
Upward adjustments in rates in 43 cities varied
from 5 to 10 cents; in 9 cities they averaged less
than 5 cents.
In 3 of the 73 cities in which union scales were
reported for helpers, there were no rate advances
during the year. Average increases in other cities
Indexes of Union H ou rly W age Rates and W ee kly
Hours for M otortruck Drivers
INDEX
1 Index series designed to show wage rate trends over a period of years;
year-to-year changes in union scales are based on comparable quotations
for each driver and helper classification weighted by the respective mem
bership for the current year.
2 Information not computed separately in 1936.
Wage scales for four of every five motortruck
drivers were advanced during the period from July
1, 1948, to July 1, 1949. The increases affecting
most of these drivers varied from 5 to 15 percent.
On a cents-per-hour basis the upward adjustments
averaged 12 cents and ranged individually from
less than 5 to 45 cents. An hourly increase of
10 cents was received by about 15 percent of all
drivers studied and advances of 15 and 25 cents
were negotiated in each case during the year for
approximately 10 percent of these workers.
Increases in rates for helpers during the same
period followed a pattern somewhat similar to
that for drivers. Approximately two-fifths of
workers in each of the two groups received in
866593- 50-
4
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
37
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS
UNION SCALES IN CITY TRUCK DRIVING
38
ranged from 2 percent (3 cents) in Dayton to 17
percent (19 cents) in Philadelphia. Union rates
for helpers in 7 other cities showed average gains
greater than 15 cents. In most of the other cities
showing increases between July 1, 1948, and
July 1, 1949, the amounts varied from 5 to 10
cents an hour.
The extent of postwar wage adjustments can be
further illustrated by comparing the July 1, 1949,
union rates of motortruck drivers and helpers with
those in effect 4 years earlier. On July 1, 1945,
almost half of the drivers and over four-fifths of
the helpers had union scales under $1 an hour.
In 1949, however, three-fifths of the drivers had
scales of at least $1.50 and seven-tenths of the
helpers were covered by agreements stipulating
hourly scales of $1.25 or more.
City and Regional Rate Differentials
Differences in wage scales of motortruck drivers
and helpers exist not only between cities and
regions but also between industry and commodity
classifications within a city. Variations in the
classifications and terminology used among cities,
however, preclude valid intercity comparisons of
truck drivers’ and helpers’ wage scales by com
modity handled, industry, and/or size of truck.
The wide variations in the July 1, 1949, rates of
drivers and helpers within individual cities did not
follow any consistent pattern. The relationship
between the rates of drivers and helpers also
T able 2.—Intracity and intercity differentials in union
hourly wage rates 1 of motortruck drivers and helpers in
six typical cities, July 1, 19J+9
Motortruck drivers 2
City
Helpers
Lowest Highest Differ Lowest Highest Differ
rate
rate
ence
rate
ence
rate
Atlanta___
$0. 755
Boston___ _
____
.955
C h ic a g o ...__________
1.170
Dallas________________
.990
N ew York __________
.833
San Francisco_________ 1.229
$1. 440
2.145
2.240
1.465
2.340
2.404
$0.685
1.150
1.070
.475
1.507
1.175
$0,900
.906
.920
.960
.862
1.226
$0.925
1.631
1.866
1.000
1.990
1.850
$0.025
.725
.946
.040
1.128
.624
MONTHLY LABOR
an hour in Newark. In 15 cities wage scales,
on the average, exceeded $1.50; in 34, hourly
levels ranged from $1.25 to $1.50. Portland
(Maine) was the only other city in which drivers
had a scale level under $1.
Hourly scales for helpers averaged highest in
Oakland ($1.68) and lowest in Charleston (S. C.)
and Jacksonville ($0.71). Rate levels in 3 other
Pacific Coast cities—San Francisco, Seattle, and
Spokane—exceeded $1.50 per hour. In 1 New
England and 16 Southern cities average scales for
helpers were less than $1 an hour.
Although the average hourly wage rate for
motortruck drivers in cities of a million or more
population was the highest among the 5 population
groups studied, New York and Chicago ranked
fifth and sixth, respectively, and Philadelphia
twelfth, in city scale levels. Similarly, the highest
city levels for helpers were not always found in the
population groups with the highest average rates.
Average rates by population group ranked in order
by size of city except for cities with populations
from 250,000 to 500,000, in which drivers averaged
almost 1 cent more than those in cities with
populations from 500,000 to a million.
1—
Average hourly rate
H elpers
Cities with population of—
Drivers
1,000,000 and over____________ $1. 657
500.000 to 1,000,000_________
1. 487
250.000 to 500,000___________
1. 493
100.000 to 250,000___________
1. 316
40.000 to 100,000____________
1. 315
$1. 364
1. 272
1. 258
1. 128
1. 018
• Based on all rates in effect on July 1, 1949; individual rates weighted by
number of union members reported at each rate. Excludes drivers paid on
a mileage or commission basis.
Average wage scales for motortruck drivers and
for helpers were highest on the Pacific Coast and
lowest in the Southeast (see table 3). The Middle
Atlantic States and the Pacific Coast were the
only regions in which the union-rate levels for
both drivers and helpers were higher than their
respective national averages. In only the South
east and the Southwest were average hourly scales
below $1.15 for drivers and below $1 for helpers.
1 Based on all rates in effect on July 1, 1949; individual rates weighted
by number of union members reported at each rate.
2 Excludes those paid on a mileage or commission basis.
Standard Workweek
varied widely between cities. Table 2 illustrates
the lack of uniformity in union scales for six
typical cities in various sections of the country.
Average union rates for drivers on July 1, 1949,
varied from 94 cents in Charlotte (N. C.) to $1.80
The standard workweek for motortruck drivers
and their helpers averaged 42.2 hours on July 1,
1949. As in several previous years, the decline
in standard weekly hours during the year amounted
to less than 1 percent. Over the 10-year period
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LABOR LEGISLATION CONFERENCE
REVIEW , JANUARY 1950
T able 3.— Average union wage rates of motortruck drivers
and helpers, by region, July 1, 1949 1
Average rate per hour 2—
Region
D rivers3
and
D riv ers8 Helpers
helpers
United States___________________________
$1.511
$1. 548
$1,285
N ew England-- ________________________
Middle Atlantic_________________________
Border States___ ______________________
Southeast - - ___________________________
Great Lakes__________________
___ ____
Middle W est____________________________
S ou th w est_____ ________________________
M ountain____ __________________________
Pacific__________________________________
1.345
1.582
1.281
1.051
1.523
1.391
1.097
1.348
1.694
1.376
1.631
1.319
* 1.127
1.545
1.414
1.132
1.364
1.705
1.243
1.339
1.106
.878
1.348
1.245
.946
1.185
1.486
1 The regions used in this study include: N ew E ngland— Connecticut,
Maine, Massachusetts, N ew Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont;
M iddle A tla n tic—N e w Jersey, N ew York, and Pennsylvania; Border States
—
Delaware, District of Columbia, Kentucky, Maryland, Virginia, and West
Virginia; Southeast— Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina,
South Carolina, and Tennessee; Great Lakes— Illinois, Indiana, Michigan,
Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin; M iddle W est— Iowa, Kansas, Missouri,
Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota; Southwest—Arkansas, Loui
siana, Oklahoma, and Texas; M oun tain —Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, M on
tana, N ew Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming; Pacific— California, Nevada,
Oregon, and Washington.
2 Based on all rates in effect on July 1, 1949; individual rates weighted by
number of union members reported at each rate.
8 Excludes drivers paid on a mileage or commission basis.
from 1939, the reduction in the work schedule
approximated 7 percent.
The number of workers covered by agreements
stipulating a 40-hour standard workweek con
tinued to rise. On July 1, 1949, 7 of every 10
drivers and helpers received overtime premium
pay for work after 40 hours a week. Straight-time
weekly hours of 48 or more applied to about 1 of
every 4 workers studied.
Standards Advocated by
Labor Legislation Conference
39
As pointed out by Secretary of Labor Tobin in
his opening address, the conference merely serves
as a forum before which the accomplishments of
individual States in the field of labor legislation
are reviewed and compared, ideas as to objectives
and method exchanged, and goals set. The
reports of the deliberations are binding on no one,
yet they constitute the collective aim sought by
the delegates.
Directing attention to what he termed “ some
pressing urgencies of the hour,” Secretary Tobin
specifically cited the need for improving the
Federal-State system of unemployment insurance.
He urged that coverage be broadened and the
amount of benefits be increased, and stated that in
his opinion “ the time has come to establish
certain minimum standards for the strengthening
of the program.” The Department of Labor, he
announced, “ is planning to back Congressional
action to that effect.”
President Truman, in a message to the con
ference, commended the delegates for their “ share
of the credit for increasing the minimum wage
under the Fair Labor Standards Act and the
strengthening of the U. S. Department of Labor, as
well as for liberal changes in your State laws.”
The President also expressed the hope that the
deliberations would “ be productive of sound
standards for the advancement of our entire
economy.”
Attending delegates were divided into five com
mittees (wages and hours, industrial health and
safety, migratory labor, employment opportuni
ties, and child labor). Committee reports as
adopted by the conference, including floor amend
ments, incorporated the following provisions.
Wages and Honrs
M ore adeq uate safeguards for the benefit of
wage earners are urged as a result of the Sixteenth
National Conference on Labor Legislation held in
Washington from November 29 through December
1, 1949. At this meeting delegates from 42 States,
the District of Columbia, Alaska, and Puerto Rico
adopted committee reports which look toward the
betterment of the worker’s position through im
provement in State legislation on such subjects as
industrial safety and health, employment oppor
tunities, wages and hours, migratory, and child
labor.
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The conference commended the revision of the
Fair Labor Standards Act minimum wage rate to
75 cents an hour and urged its increase to $1 an
hour applicable to all employees in interstate in
dustry “ with provision to permit raising the mini
mum to more adequate levels through wageboard procedures.” In addition, it asked that
steps be taken to provide adequate enforcement.
Considering the matter of State laws regulating
minimum wages, the delegates urged that States
“move as rapidly as possible toward the enactment
of minimum wage legislation” which would: (1)
40
LABOR LEGISLATION CONFERENCE
cover all workers with no exemptions permitted;
(2) set a statutory minimum of $1 an hour and
provide for the establishment of wage boards
authorized to set rates higher than the statutory
minimum; (3) provide overtime pay after 8 hours
a day and 40 hours a week based on time and onehalf the worker’s regular rate.
Regarding hours of work, the conference sug
gested legislation which would (1) guarantee all
workers a standard 8-hour day, 40-hour week with
time and a half their regular wage rate paid for
all work in excess of such daily and weekly hours;
(2) limit the employment of women to a maximum
48-hour workweek and an 8-hour day with time
and one-half their regular wage rate paid for all
hours of work in excess of 40 hours a week; (3) re
duce the weekly maximum number of hours of
work “ wherever possible” below 40 weekly and
8 daily without loss of pay; (4) reduce the night
employment of both men and women to the
“ minimum necessary for essential processing and
services” ; and (5) bring State labor standards
applicable to women workers at least to the mini
mum level set by ILO Convention No. 89.
Concerning equal pay for workers, the confer
ence advocated continued effort toward the enact
ment of both Federal and State legislation to
meet that aim.
Another specific recommendation was that
States enact legislation which would make full
payment of wages in cash, check, or voucher on
predetermined paydays, not less frequently than
semimonthly, obligatory on all employers. Em
ployers would also be required to furnish adequate
facilities, within a reasonable distance of the place
of employment, for the cashing of wage checks or
vouchers without charge to the employee.
Industrial Health and Safety
The major recommendations of the President’s
Conference on Industrial Safety, the conference
felt, form a sound basis on which further planning
can be accomplished, and are deserving of the
support of all States. It further endorsed in
creased efforts of State labor departments, with
augmented appropriations, toward rendering work
places safe through the formulation and promul
gation of improved safety codes, advisory counsel
ing facilities, and adequate uniform analysis of
accident data.
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MONTHLY LABOR
Reaffirming a recommendation of a prior na
tional conference, the delegates expressed a belief
that the United States Department of Labor
“ should continue to support the program of the
International Association of Governmental Labor
Officials to eliminate conflict in the provisions of
various safety codes and promote adequate guard
ing of machinery by the manufacturer.” It fur
ther urged the improvement of industrial safety
standards through an educational approach. All
States should review the terms of ILO Convention
No. 81 (providing for labor inspection facilities
for industrial and commercial establishments)
with a view to comparing their present practices
with those outlined in the Convention.
Employment Opportunities
Despite a high employment level nationally, the
conference declared that in certain regions and
localities unemployment constitutes a real prob
lem. Delegates acknowledged the varying nature
of the problem involved but stated that the estab
lishment and encouragement of continuing com
mittees of government, management, labor, and
public groups at the State level and in local com
munities will constitute an important step forward
in efforts to increase employment opportunities.
The conference asserted a need for more ade
quate Federal standards for unemployment com
pensation with specific reference to the extension
of coverage to workers now excluded. To meet
the need it advocated the “extension of the dura
tion of unemployment benefits, the liberalization
of the weekly benefit amount, so as to more closely
approximate at least 50 percent of the weekly
wage loss which was the original intent of the un
employment insurance systems, and some provi
sion for the reinsurance of State funds whose
solvency is threatened.”
Also recommended were dependents’ allowances
in the unemployment insurance systems and the
extension of temporary disability insurance pro
grams, preferably through Federal “ over-all”
legislation. If, however, Federalization proves
not immediately practical, the conference favors
State adoption of disability insurance laws pro
viding for “ exclusive State funds and financed
wholly by employer contributions.”
The application of education and appropriate
legislation was recommended for remedying the
REVIEW, JANUARY 1950
LABOR LEGISLATION CONFERENCE
inadequate job opportunities available to minori
ties in certain occupations and fields of work.
Migratory Labor
Realizing that migratory workers belong to no
one State, the conference asserted that “ there
must be action on the part of many States and the
Federal Government if migrants are to be pro
tected and their living and working conditions
improved.” Specifically, the following recommen
dations were made.
Asserting a belief that foreign labor is not needed
in the United States, the conferees urged (1) im
mediate discontinuance of the importation of
foreign labor, but this shall have no relationship
to this country’s participation in the displaced
persons7 program; (2) legislation penalizing em
ployers employing workers who have entered the
country illegally; and (3) appointment of a com
mission by the President to study the problem
posed by the employment of Mexican workers
who have illegally entered the United States.
To assure safe and suitable transportation of
migratory workers, the delegates would amend the
Interstate Commerce Act and State motor vehicle
laws.
Regulation of the recruitment of foreign work
ers could be better accomplished, declared the
delegates, through (1) enactment of State and
Federal laws licensing and regulating private
agents and labor contractors recruiting migrant
labor; (2) more adequate appropriations for the
United States Employment Service and State
employment services; and (3) State laws requiring
employers of migratory workers to register with
the State labor department, and obtain a permit
to be issued after determining that satisfactory
working and living conditions will be provided
before recruiting laborers outside the State.
The conference would insure better housing for
migratory laborers through (1) statutory authority
for State departments of labor to regulate such
housing, license labor camps, and formulate health
and sanitary codes governing their operation; and
(2) the amendment of Public Law 171—the Na
tional Housing Act of 1949—to permit the transfer
of Federally owned labor camps to State and local
housing authorities.
In addition, the conference recommended exten
sion of the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act,
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41
State minimum wage laws and related statutes,
workmen’s compensation, State child labor and
school attendance laws, unemployment compensa
tion and old-age and survivors insurance, to cover
migratory workers. To assure adequate knowl
edge with which the problem may be attacked, the
delegates urged a Nation-wide survey of the prob
lem of migratory labor to be undertaken by the
United States Department of Labor under a spe
cial appropriation.
Child Labor
In adopting the report of the committee on
child labor, the conferees outlined what they con
sidered the minimum standards of a sound legis
lative program. Among its features were the
following:
(1) Application of child-labor laws to employ
ment in all gainful occupations including employ
ment in agriculture “except for work on the child’s
home farm.”
(2) A 16-year minimum age for all employment
during school hours, and a 14-year minimum age
for employment outside school hours and during
vacations.
(3) A maximum 8-hour day, 40-hour week, 6day week for minors under 18 years of age.
(4) Hours of work for minors under 18 years
of age not to exceed, when added to hours of
school, 8 hours a day.
(5) Prohibition of employment of children under
16 between 7 p. m. and 7 a. m.; and of boys and
girls 16 and 17 years of age between 10 p. m.
and 7 a. m.
(6) At least double compensation under work
men’s compensation laws in cases of injuries to
illegally employed minors.
(7) The requirement of employment certificates
for minors up to 18 years of age, with the State
department of labor having general supervisory
powers over the issuance of such certificates.
Prerequisites of the issuance of the certificate shall
include a statement of the employer of his inten
tion to employ the minor, documentary proof of
the minor’s age, school record showing grade minor
has completed, and medical examination showing
fitness for the job.
Adequate appropriations for the child labor and
youth employment research program of the Bureau
of Labor Standards were also recommended, so
42
STATE LABOR LEGISLATION IN 1949
that States may be assisted in their administra
tive, legislative, and research work on child labor.
Resolutions
In addition to adopting the reports of its five
committees on specific problems, the conference
acted favorably on the recommendations of its
resolutions committee. Resolutions adopted called
for conferences between State labor commissioners,
industry, and labor in an effort to better the pro
gram of apprentice training; asked the formation
of a labor extension service in the U. S. Depart
ment of Labor; and supported legislation which
would empower the Federal Government to regu
late employment agencies doing business between
States.
Other resolutions urged additional regional con
ferences between State representatives and the
Bureau of Labor Statistics on statistical and labor
research; enactment of the women’s status bill
now pending in Congress; State prohibition or
limitation of industrial home work; the creation
of a Federal commission or agency within the
Labor Department for the physically handicapped;
State conformity with the minimum labor stand
ards set by the ILO; and repeal of the LaborManagement Relations Act of 1947.
State Labor Legislation
Enacted in 1949 1
N in e t e e n forty - n in e was an active year in the
field of labor legislation. Some type of law affect
ing workers was enacted in each of the 44 State
legislatures meeting in regular session, and in
Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico.
Improvements were made in provisions for
protection of women and children, in promotion
of workers’ safety and welfare, in requirements for
payment of a minimum wage, and in workmen’s
compensation. Labor departments were estab
lished in two States, and former acts which had
restricted union activities were repealed or modified
in several States. Protection of workers against
1Prepared by Beatrice McConnell in the U. S. Labor Department’s
Bureau of Labor Standards.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
MONTHLY LABOR
losses incurred through unemployment caused by
sickness was provided by two States, which fol
lowed the lead of three that had enacted such laws
within the 7 years immediately preceding 1949.
Another recent trend was followed in the enact
ment by four States of laws to prevent discrimina
tion in employment due to race, color, creed, or
ancestry. Nine States and Alaska provided for
protection of workers against bearing the cost of
medical examinations required by employers as a
condition of employment—marking a new trend
in 1949. Each of these topics is discussed in the
following summary of State labor legislation, with
the exception of workmen’s compensation laws
which were covered in an earlier issue of the
Monthly Labor Review.2
Child Labor and School Attendance
Under the 1949 child-labor laws of Maine,
Tennessee, and Alaska, a basic minimum age of
16 was established, making a total of 22 States,
Alaska, and Puerto Rico, having this standard.3
The hazardous-occupations provisions were im
proved in each law, Alaska and Tennessee setting
a minimum age of 18 for a considerable number of
occupations so designated, and Maine providing
authority for the addition of other occupations to
those already prohibited for minors under 18.
Maximum hours-of-work standards were also
improved in these three jurisdictions. Tennessee
and Alaska set an 8-hour day and a 40-hour, 6-day
week for minors under 18. In Maine, an 8-hour
day and a 48-hour, 6-day week was provided for
minors under 16. Under all three laws, also,
special regulation of combined hours of school and
work will now apply to children under 16 who are
attending school and working outside school hours.
A night-work prohibition was established in Alaska
for the first time, which prohibits employment of
minors under 16 between 7 p. m. and 6 a. m.
Minors under 16 may not be employed in Ten
nessee between 7 p. m. and 7 a. m., and employ
ment of those 16 and 17 years of age is prohibited
s Federal and State legislation enacted in 1949 on workmen’s compensation
was summarized in the November 1949 M onthly Labor Review (p. 514).
5 Either for factory employment at any time, or for all work during school
hours, except, in some States, in agriculture or domestic service. These 22
States are: Alabama, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky,
Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Montana, New Jersey, New York, North
Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee,
Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
REVIEW, JANUARY 1950
STATE LABOR LEGISLATION IN 19J,9
between 10 p. m. and 6 a. m. Formerly, no nightwork prohibition applied to minors of 16 and 17
in this State except for messenger work.
In two other States, specific provisions of the
child-labor laws were improved. In New York,
the street-trades regulation was made State-wide;
formerly it applied only to cities and school dis
tricts of 20,000 or more population. In Wash
ington, authority was provided for the issuance of
employment certificates for minors under 18.
Certain other States lowered child-labor stand
ards in some respects. An Ohio act lowered from
16 to 14 the minimum age for employment out
side school hours in bowling alleys. The Indiana
child-labor law was amended to permit girls of 16
and 17 to work until 9 p. m. in stores, two evenings
a week, under vocational educational programs—
formerly girls under 18 were not permitted to work
after 7 p. m. In Maine, the new child-labor law
eliminates the former night-work prohibition of
work between 6 p. m. and 6:30 a. m. by minors
under 16. Two States—Ohio and Wisconsin—
removed their minimum-age standards for em
ployment of minors in certain public exhibitions.
The authority originally granted during the Second
World War to the Massachusetts Commissioner of
Labor and Industries, to suspend the child-labor
law in an emergency or because conditions of hard
ship exist in an industry, was extended for another
year—until July 1, 1950.
Closely related to child-labor laws are compul
sory school-attendance laws. Here also some
progress can be seen. In Idaho, Michigan, and
Wisconsin, the provisions of the laws under which
children under 16 were formerly permitted to leave
school to go to work were repealed. An Oklahoma
amendment removed the provision that allowed
children 16 and 17 who had completed the eighth
grade to be excused from further attendance to
enter employment; under the amendment, minors
who are not high-school graduates must remain in
school until they are 18.
Safety and Health
Several States enacted legislation directed
toward providing more effectively for workers’
safety. An amendment to the Oklahoma factory
act increased the duties of the factory inspector,
and added to the coverage of the act many new
types of establishments. Offices are covered,
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
43
whether or not they are in connection with the
enumerated establishments, if they employ five
or more persons. The factory inspector is direct
ed, in addition to his former duties, to investigate
accidents to determine prevention methods. The
Commissioner of Labor is authorized to prescribe
codes for the safeguarding of machinery and for
adequate ventilation and sanitation.
A Michigan act authorized State factory inspec
tors to order installation of first-aid facilities and
specific ventilation, where necessary. California
prohibited discharge of an employee for refusing
to perform work in violation of a safety order of
the Division of Industrial Safety. Vermont and
West Virginia passed acts relating to both the
control of occupational diseases and industrial
health hazards.
Suitable lunchrooms in places of employment
may now be required by the Industrial Commis
sion of Wisconsin, if they are found to be necessary
for the safety and welfare of the employees. A
South Carolina enactment provided that emer
gency exits must be maintained in textile mills.
Wages and Hours
Two States—New Hampshire and Massa
chusetts—passed acts setting statutory minimum
wages for men, women, and minors.
The New Hampshire act fixes a minimum wage
of 50 cents an hour, except that the Commissioner
of Labor may authorize a minimum of 35 cents
for persons with less than 6 months’ experience in
an occupation, or persons who are physically or
mentally handicapped. The Massachusetts law
establishes a minimum of 65 cents an hour unless
a lower rate has been set, or may be set, under
wage-board procedure and approved by the
Commissioner of Labor and Industries.
Maximum-hours standards for working women
were improved in Maine, Tennessee, and Wy
oming. Maine extended the coverage of its
maximum 9-hour day and 54-hour week standard
for females 16 and over to a number of additional
industries, and set a 50-hour week for women
employed as production workers in factories.
Formerly a 54-hour week applied to all factory
work for women. Tennessee set a 50-hour week,
in place of its former 57-hour week, for women 18
and over in factories or workshops. A new law
in Wyoming provides for two daily rest periods of
44
STATE LABOR LEGISLATION IN 191,9
15 minutes each for female employees in certain
establishments.
Laws under which women must be paid the
same rates as men for comparable work were
passed in California, Connecticut, Maine, and
Alaska. In all, 12 States 4 and Alaska now have
such equal-pay laws.
State Departments of Labor
Three States—Idaho, South Dakota, and Mon
tana—passed laws relating to the creation of
separate agencies for enforcement of labor laws.
Idaho established a Department of Labor, re
placing the former Department of Immigration,
Labor, and Statistics, with a Commissioner of
Labor as its head.. The Commissioner is directed
to inspect safety and sanitary conditions in places
of employment, except in mines, and to cooperate
with the Industrial Accident Board in the admin
istration of the safety provisions of the workmen’s
compensation law. His duties also include media
tion of labor disputes.
South Dakota created a Division of Labor
under the Industrial Commission. The Deputy
Industrial Commissioner is to serve as Commis
sioner of Labor. He is directed to enforce the
State laws relative to employment of women and
children, and to conciliate labor disputes.
The 1949 Montana law proposes an amendment
to the State constitution that would provide for
a separate department of agriculture and one of
labor and industry, to replace the present Bureau
of Agriculture, Labor, and Industry. This pro
posal is to be submitted to the general election in
November 1950.
New York amended its law relating to the gen
eral powers and duties of the Industrial Commis
sioner. The amendment specifically grants him
general administrative supervision over any divi
sion, board, or agency that is established under
the law which created the department of labor or
under the workmen’s compensation law.
Industrial Relations
Delaware, Missouri, and New Hampshire re
pealed acts restricting union activities which had
been passed in 1947, and the State Labor Relations
4 California, Connecticut, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan,
Montana, N ew Hampshire, N ew York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and
Washington.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
MONTHLY LABOR
Act of Michigan was made less restrictive. The
former Delaware and Missouri acts had made
strikes unlawful unless they were authorized by a
majority vote of all employees in the bargaining
unit, regulated secondary boycotts and jurisdic
tional strikes, and placed other restrictions on
union activities. The Missouri act had also in
cluded regulation of the internal operations of
unions. New Hampshire, in addition to repealing
its former law regulating union-security agree
ments, under the 1949 act specifically provided
that no person, as a condition of employment, may
be forced into an agreement not to join a labor
organization. Under the amended Michigan law,
provision is made for voluntary arbitration in
settling labor disputes. Conditions under which
a strike vote may be held were liberalized in sev
eral respects. For instance, in authorizing a
strike, the law currently requires only a majority
of all votes cast rather than a majority of all
employees in the bargaining unit.
The Michigan act also eliminated compulsory
arbitration of labor disputes in public utilities and
hospitals, providing instead for voluntary arbitra
tion, or, if that fails, for a special fact-finding
commission to be appointed by the Governor.
The New Jersey act regulating labor disputes in
public utilities was also amended after a decision
of the State supreme court, which declared the
former act unconstitutional because of the absence
of standards for the guidance of arbitrators. The
amended law provided such standards and directed
the board to base its findings of fact and its
decisions on specified factors.
In Wisconsin, rural electrification cooperative
associations were specifically declared to be cov
ered under the State law regulating labor disputes
in public utilities.
An act similar to the Federal Labor Manage
ment Relations Act of 1947 was passed in Alabama,
but applies to Wilcox County only, which is a non
industrial area. Its acceptance was subject to a
special election held in September, and it went
into effect immediately thereafter. The act is to
be administered by the judge of the county circuit
court.
Five other States enacted legislation affecting
industrial relations. Connecticut enlarged its
Board of Mediation and Arbitration, providing
that it shall consist of two panels of three members
each; a worker appearing before the Board may
REVIEW, JANUARY 1950
STATE LABOR LEGISLATION IN 1949
designate which of the labor members he wishes
to serve on his case, and the employer may like
wise designate the employer member. A Massa
chusetts act provided that labor unions having a
membership of more than 50—instead of all labor
unions—shall file annual financial reports with the
Commissioner of Labor and Industries. Another
Massachusetts act provided that if the parties to
collective bargaining agreements have agreed that
the decisions of arbitration and conciliation tri
bunals shall be final, then such decisions are en
forceable in the courts. The Department of
Industrial Relations in California may now offer
its services in labor disputes even though neither
party has requested its help. A Nebraska law
prohibited mass picketing, which was defined as
any form of picketing that obstructs ingress to or
egress from the premises, or in which there are
more than two pickets at any one time within
50 feet of an entrance or of any other picket or
pickets.
Disability Compensation
Laws similar to those already in effect in Cali
fornia, New Jersey, and Rhode Island, providing
benefits for workers who are unemployed due to
nonwork-connected sickness or injury, were en
acted in New York and Washington.5 Operation
of the Washington act, however, is suspended,
pending a referendum to be held at the November
1950 general election. Weekly benefits from $10
to $26, for a maximum of 13 weeks in any 1 year,
are provided under the New York law. Under the
Washington law, the range is from $10 to $25 for
a maximum of 26 weeks a year.
Rhode Island increased benefits—from a range
of $6.75 to $18 a week to a range of $10 to $25 a
week. In California, provision was made for
hospital benefits of $8 a day for a maximum of 12
days during any one benefit year. Also, through
repeal of the former “ one and a half times” rule
in California, an individual may obtain both the
maximum unemployment and the maximum
sickness-disability benefit during the same benefit
year, rather than only an amount equal to one
and a half times the maximum for either type.
Looking toward future legislation on this sub
ject, commissions to study the problem and to
* For an earlier discussion of the N ew York and Washington laws, see
M onthly Labor Review for July 1949 (p. 37).
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
45
make recommendations for appropriate legisla
tive action were authorized in Massachusetts and
Ohio.
Discrimination in Employment
Prior to 1949, four States—Connecticut, Mas
sachusetts, New Jersey, and New York—had
adopted fair employment practice acts—laws
designed to eliminate discrimination in employ
ment based on race, creed, national origin, or
ancestry. During 1949, four more States—New
Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Washington—
passed such acts.
The four new acts are similar but not identical
in coverage, type of discrimination prohibited, and
methods of administration. In all cases, the
agencies administering the laws are authorized to
attempt by education and conciliation to eliminate
specific discriminatory practices. Where such
efforts fail, the commissioners are empowered,
after public hearing, to issue cease-and-desist
orders enforceable in the courts. In New Mexico,
Rhode Island, and Washington, the acts create
boards or commissions to administer the laws,
while in Oregon the act is administered by the
Commissioner of Labor.
New Jersey amended its Fair Employment
Practice Act in 1949, combining its provisions
with those of the State civil rights law, and plac
ing the administration of both under a single
administrative agency called the Commission on
Civil Rights.
In California, an act was passed which pro
hibited the inclusion of any question relative to
an applicant’s race or religion on any application
form. In Kansas and Nebraska, committees to
study the subject of discriminatory practices in
employment were authorized.
Cost of Medical Examinations
Acts making it unlawful for an employer to com
pel an employee or applicant for employment to
pay the cost of any medical examination required
by the employer as a condition of employment,
were passed in nine States: Maine, Michigan,
Massachusetts, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota,
Utah, Vermont, and Wisconsin. All these acts
except that of Ohio apply to all employers. The
Ohio law applies only to employers of three or
more persons. An Alaska act requires a physical
STATE UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE LAWS
46
examination to be given to all workers transported
into tbe Territory before they enter employment.
The expense of each such examination is to be
borne by the employer who has recruited the
worker.
MONTHLY LABOR
recruit labor from outside the Territory to pay
return transportation upon termination of em
ployment. Arkansas provided for regulation of
employment agents who hire workers in Arkansas
for work outside the State.
Florida and Texas amended their privateemployment-agency acts. Florida gave its In
dustrial Commission authority to suspend or
penalize a licensee for violating any provision of
the act. Texas replaced its private employment
agency act with two separate laws, one applying
to the hiring of common laborers or agricultural
workers only, and the other applying to all other
employment. The major provisions of the former
act were transferred to each of the new acts.
Other Important Acts
In Maine, an industrial home-work law author
ized the Commissioner of Labor to regulate the
conditions under which home work may be done
and to issue orders prohibiting it altogether under
certain conditions. A Utah act set up a program
of voluntary apprenticeship under State agree
ments. Alaska legislation requires employers who
benefit, waiting period, and the computation,
amount, and duration of benefit. In general,
the State laws cover employment in most types
of business and industry except employment in
railroads, which is covered by a separate Federal
law.
State Unemployment Insurance
Laws, January 1950
S ig n if ic a n t p r o v isio n s of State unemployment
insurance laws, under the State-Federal system,
are summarized for the individual States and
Territories, as of January 1, 1950, in the accom
panying table.1 Information is given as to the
requisite size of firm for coverage, wage or employ
ment qualifications of the unemployed worker for
1
The table was prepared in the U . S. Labor Department’s Bureau of
Employment Security by the D ivision of Legislation and Reference.
Because of the impossibility of giving qualifications and alternatives in
brief summary form, the Bureau of Employment Security recommends
that the State law and the State employment security agency be consult
ed for authoritative information. The compilation which is reproduced is
designed only for ready reference and comparative purposes.
Significant provisions of State unemployment insurance laws, January 1, 1950
Initial
waiting
period
(weeks)
State
Size of firm (mini
mum number of
employees and/
or size of pay
roll in a calen
dar year)
Alabama.
8 in 20 weeks.
A laska...
1 at any time.
Arizona. .
3 in 20 weeks.
Arkansas..
California.
1 in 10 days_____
1 at any time and
$100 in same
quarter.
Colorado.
8 in 20 weeks.
See footnotes at end of table.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Weekly benefit am ount1 for—
Total un
Wage or employ
Computation of employment
m e n t q u a lifi
weekly benefit
cation (number
amount 1 (frac
Partial unemploy
tim e s w e e k ly
tion of highment 4 (weekly
benefit am ount1 T otal Par
quarter wages s
b e n e fit le s s
unless otherwise unem tial
wages in ex
unless otherwise
unem
indicated)
indicated)
cess
of specified
ploy ploy
M ini- Maxi
allow
ment ment
mum3 mum3 earnings
ance)
1
2
n»
1
1
30; and wages in 2
quarters.
1
1
30.... .........................
30 times wba or
l } i times highquarter wages
w h ic h e v e r is
less, but not less
than $300.
30.
1
1
1
plus 20 per
cent wba for
each dependent
up to 3.
H o , plus $2 for
each dependent
up to $6.
1
no-no— ......
no-no______
2
2
n
30; and $75.01 in 1
quarter.
$150........................ .
no,
5-
$20
8-10
5-7 20-26
$2 .
P r o p o r t i o n of
wages in 4-quar
ter base period
(u n less o th er
wise indicated)
n.
$5.
$3.
$3.
$3.
7 22.75
Duration [of benefits] in
52-week period
$3 plus odd job
earnings.
Minimum
and
maxi
mum
weeks
of bene
fits for
total
unem
ploy
ment
10-20
«8-25
Uniform number
of weeks.
12
10-16
»12+-26
10-20
<
47
STATE UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE LAWS
REVIEW, JANUARY 1950
Significant 'provisions of State unemployment insurance laws, January 1, 1950— Continued
Initial
waiting
period
(weeks)
Weekly benefit am ount1 for—
Partial unemploy
ment 4 (weekly
b e n e fit le s s
wages in ex
cess of specified
Maxiearnings
allow
mum3 ance)
P r o p o r t i o n of
wages in 4-quar
ter base period
(u n less oth er
wise indicated)
M ini
mum
and
maxi
mum
weeks
of bene
fits for
total
unem
ploy
ment
Xo, plus $3 for 8-11 24-36
each dependent
up to X wba.
7
X s______________
6-7
X3, plus $1 for
each dependent
up to $3.
M s-X*--............... -
$ 3 ............
X~---- -------
5 6+-26
____
X......... ........... X------------------
310+-20
$3............
x............
2
X 3-X e---------- ---
$3.............
Uniform number
of weeks.
Uniform number
of weeks.
Weighted schedule
40-22 percent.
Computation of
Wage or employ
weekly benefit
m e n t q u a lifiamount 1 (frac
cation (number
tion of hightim e s w e e k ly
quarter wages 3
benefit am ount1 Total Par
unless
otherwise
tial
unless otherwise unem
indicated)
unem
indicated)
ploy ploy
ment ment
State
Size of firm (mini
mum number of
employees and/
or size of pay
roll in a calen
dar year)
Connecticut.
4 in 13 weeks____
$240 and wages in
2 quarters.
1
1
D elaw a re...._____
District of Colum
bia.
1 in 20 weeks____
1 at any time.........
30
25 up to $250_____
1
1
1
1
Florida-
8 in 20 weeks-------
30; and wages in 2
quarters.
25, 30, 40; and
wages in 2 quar
ters.
30
____
1
1
Georgia.
8 in 20 weeks.........
Hawaii.
1 at any tim e.........
Id ah o..
$75 in any quarter.
Illinois.
2
Total un-
$2
X of wba.
1
1
X s______________
0. .............
1
1
X «-X 4.....................
$5.............
6 in 20 weeks____
25-37+; and $150
in 1 quarter and
wages in 2 quar
ters.
$225 (effectiv e
w ith
benefit
year beginning
Apr. 1, 1950,
$300).
1
1
X o______________
$ 2. .............. ..
Indiana.
8 in 20 weeks____
$250 and $150 in
last 2 quarters.
1
1
X s______________
I o w a ...
Kansas.
8 in 15 weeks........
8 in 20 weeks or 25
in 1 week.
20
$100 in 2 quarters
or $200 in 1 quar
ter.
1
1
2
1
Kentucky.
1
1
Louisiana.
M aine.......
4 in 3 quarters of $300.........................
preceding year
each with wages
of $50 in each
quarter, or 8 in
20 weeks.
4 in 20 weeks____ 30
8 in 20 weeks........ . $300__________ _
X o______________
X s up to 50 percent of State
average weekly
wage.
Annual wage formula; weighted
schedule 2.3-1.1
percent.
$3 from other than
r e g u la r e m ployer.
$3........ .....................
1
1
1
1
M aryland.........
1 at any tim e.
30; and $156 in 1
quarter.
0
0
M assachusetts.
1 in 20 weeks.
$150...........................
1
2
M ichigan..........
8 in 20 weeks.
14 weeks of emp lo y m en t at
more than $8.
1
1
M innesota.
1 in 20 weeks 6_
$300_____________
1
1
M ississippi.
8 in 20 weeks.
30
1
1
X o______________
Annual wage formula; weighted
schedule 2.0-0.85
percent.
Xo, plus $2 for
each dependent
up to $8.
Xo, plus $2 for
each dependent,
total not to ex
cee d a verage
weekly wage.
6+57 percent of
average weekly
wage plus $1 or
$2 per depend
ent, by schedule
$l-$8.
Annual wage formula; weighted
schedule 3.3-0.91
percent.
Xo______________
3
$ 2. .....................
Missouri__
8 in 20 weeks.
1
2
X s--------------------- 70 .50
X of wages.
M ontana..
Nebraska.
1 in 20 weeks or
$500 in a year.
8 in 20 weeks or
$10,000 in any
quarter.
40; and wages in 3
quarters of 8quarter base pe
riod.
30
...........
$300
1
1
N evada.
$225 in any quar
ter.
30________ _____ -
0
0
See footnotes at end of table.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
2
Duration [of benefits] in
52-week period
(8)
\ ^ 2 ______________
X s, plus $3 for
each dependent
up to 6 percent
h ig h - q u a r t e r
wages.
22.50
27
« 11-26
7-1—16
16
20
10-20
Weighted sched
ule 56-33 percent
(effective with
benefit
year
beginning Apr.
1, 1950, 47-33
percent).
*10-26
X......... ..............
« 6+-20
________ _
X-....................x.....
—...... .
6- 1—20
H of wages.............
Uniform number
of weeks.
$2
$3............................
$3______________
2. . . ....................................
6 - 1—20
X ---------- --------
10-20
Uniform number
of weeks.
20
X— -.................
7 + -26
6-8 25-33
$
(3)
6-8 25—
0.................
Mo...........................
* 5-1—23
Wba, if wages less
than X basic
wba; X wba if
wages are at least
X basic wba.
X weeks of em
ployment.
9-1—20
$3.
Weighted sched
ule 47-23 per
cent.
14-25
6-7 24-32
...........
7
(8)
6
Wba, if wages less
than X wba; X
wba, if wages
are at least X of
wba.
$ 3 ...........................
8-11 25-37
16
Uniform number
of weeks.
X in 8 quarters___ 7 1- 1—20
18
Uniform number
of weeks.
X-..................... .
*
8 - 1— 20
10-26
STATE UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE LAWS
48
MONTHLY LABOR
Significant provisions of State unemployment insurance laws, January 1, I960 — Continued
Initial
waiting
period
(weeks)
State
Size of firm (mini
mum number of
employees and/
or size of pay
roll in a calen
dar year)
N ew Hampshire__
4 in 20 weeks_____
Computation of Total un
Wage or employ
weekly benefit employment
m e n t q u a lifi
amount 1 (frac
Partial unemploy
cation (number
tion of highment 4 (weekly
tim e s w e e k ly
quarter
wages
2
b e n e fit le ss
benefit am ount 1 Total Par
unless otherwise
wages in ex
tial
unless otherwise unem
indicated)
cess of specified
indicated)
ploy unem
M ini Maxi
earnings allow
ploy
ment ment
mum 3 mum 3
ance)
$ 2 0 0 _____________
1
N ew Jersey_______ 4 in 20 weeks_____ 30_______________
N ew M exico______ $450 in any quar- 30; and $78 in 1
ter or 2 in 13
quarter.
weeks.
N ew York________ 4 in 15 days______ 30_______________
1
8 in 20 weeks. . . .
1
North Carolina___
North Dakota____
Ohio_____________
Oklahoma________
Oregon.-.
Weekly benefit am ount 1 for—
$200_____________
8 in 20 w e e k s ____ 28_______________
3 at any tim e____
14 calendar weeks
of employment
and $240.
8 in 20 weeks____ 20_______________
o
i
i
1
1
1
m
2
1
1
1
1
1
------ 4 in 6 weeks and
$500 in same
quarter.
$400_____________
1
1
Pennsylvania_____ 1 at any time____
Rhode Island_____ 4 in 20 weeks____
30_______________
$100_____________
1
1
1
2
South Carolina____ 8 in 20 weeks_____ 30_______________
1
1
South Dakota____
8 in 20 weeks_____ $125; and $60 in 1
quarter.
1
1
Tennessee________
8 in 20 w e e k s ____
1
2
Texas____________
8 in 20 weeks_____
U tah_____________ $140 in any quarter.
Vermont. -----------
8 in 20 weeks..........
Virginia.. ________
Washington______
8 in 20 w e e k s ____
1 at any tim e____
30; 25 if wba is $5;
and $50 in 1
quarter.
$200 and wages in
2 quarters.
19 weeks of employment and
$352 base-period
wages.
30: and $50 in 1
quarter.
25; 20 if wba is $5..
$600_____________
West Virginia.......... 8 in 20 weeks_____ $300_____________
W isconsin... . . . . .
6 in 18 weeks or
$10,000 in any
quarter.
W yoming________
$500_____________
14 weeks of employment with
average of $12 or
more.
25; and $70 in 1
quarter.
Annual wage formula; weighted
schedule 3-1.25
percent.
V l2 ______________
______________
Annual wage formula; weighted
schedule 3-1 percent.
14aT plus $2 per
dependent, ‘by
schedule $2-$6.
i/i-i/o
______
__________
23
25
$3 .
Uniform nnmhpr
of weeks.
9
5
22
$ 3 _____
$3_______
14
'X
t
10
26
(«)
6
25
$2
20
51
of weeks.
of weeks.
5-7 20-26
1
1
1/26______________
1
1
I /o ,
1
1
1
1
1
]
1
0
2
2
1
1
plus cost-ofl i v i n g a llo w ance.
/ b ______________
Annual wage formula; weighted
schedule 1.7-1.2
percent.
Annual wage formula; weighted
schedule 2.7-1
percent.
68-51 percent of
average weekly
wage.
10
n 9R
1 2 -2 0
$3
of weeks.
$2_______________ %
____
26
20
20
512-[—26
$2
15
25
$2
14
6-)—26
8
10
25
25
$3
5-|—26
5
20
$1
Mo
W eighted schedule
52-27 percent.
6
20
$3
5
20
$3
of weeks.
ule 48-22 percent.
of weeks.
1 Weekly benefit amount abbreviated in columns as wba.
2 The fraction of high-quarter wages applies between the minimum and
maximum amounts. When State uses a weighted table, approximate frac
tions are figured at midpoint of brackets between minimum and maximum.
When dependents’ allowances are provided, the fraction applies to the basic
benefit amount. W ith annual wage formula, fraction is minimum and maxi
mum percentage used in any wage bracket.
3 When 2 amounts are given, higher includes dependents’ allowance. In
the District of Columbia same maximum with or without dependents. Max
imum augmented payment to individual with dependents not shown for
Massachusetts since highest taxable average weekly wage may be $231 and
any figure presented would be based on an assumed maximum number of
dependents.
4 In all States with dependents’ allowances, except Michigan, a claimant
receives full allowance for weeks of partial unemployment; in Michigan,
when eligible for / dependents’ allowance.
' If qualifying wages are concentrated largely or wholly in the high quarter,
weekly benefit may be higher than the minimum and weeks of benefits for
claimants with minimum qualifying wages are less than weeks of benefits
for claimants with minimum weekly benefit amount and m inimum qualify
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
.
y ,0
P r o p o r t i o n of
wages in 4-quar
ter base period
(u n less oth er
wise indicated)
M ini
mum
and
maxi
mum
weeks
of bene
fits for
total
unem
ploy
ment
6
( 1(1 1
for each depend- ! 12.501 25-30
ent up to $5.
1 J
6
22
Y z o _____________
Annual wage formula weighted
schedule 3.750.96 percent.
H s______________
Duration [of benefits] in
52-week period
7
20
$3
15-7 fl7-25
$6
6
25
$3
5
10
20
25
$2 . .
$5
25
ule in percentage
of average State
wage.
of weeks.
14
$6
of weeks.
9
20
5 + - 24
H
ule 25-31 perpercent.
8
18
3 6-1—20
15-20
20
15-26
23
26
Wba, if wages less % weeks of em- 9-1—26+
than i / wba; V2
ployment.
wba, if wages are
at least 1/2 of w ba.
I / o ____________ i° 7-10 1025-31 $3
H
6-20
ing wages; in Alaska, Delaware, Illinois and N ew Jersey, statutory minimum
6 Employers of less than 8 (not subject to the Federal Unemployment Tax
Act) outside the corporate lim its of a city, village, or borough of 10,000 popu
lation or more are not liable for contributions.
2 If the benefit is less than .$3, benefits are paid at the rate of $3 a week and
weeks of duration are accordingly reduced.
8 N o partial benefits paid, but earnings not exceeding the greater of $7 or
1 day’s work of 8 hours are disregarded.
8 Benefits are paid for each accumulation of 4 “effective days.” “ Effective
day” is defined as the Ith and every subsequent day of total unemployment
in a week in which not more than $24 is paid to the individual. Waiting
period is 4 effective days accumulated in 1-4 weeks.
18 Dependents’ allowances effective with respect to benefit years beginning
on or after January 1, 1950. Augmented benefit not more than 8 percent of
high-quarter wages.
tDepending on cost of living.
•Effective with benefit year beginning Apr. 1, 1950, $25.
Source: U . S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Employm ennt Security,
D ivision of Legislation and Reference.
REVIEW , JANUARY 1950
PUBLIC SOCIAL INSURANCE PAYMENTS
Social Insurance Payments
Under Public Programs: 19481
under public social insurance
and related programs—Federal, State, local, and
railroad—approximated 5.4 billion dollars in 1948.
This represented a drop of 4 percent during the
year and of 10 percent from the 1946 total. The
decrease reflected a sharp decline in payments to
unemployed and self-employed veterans under the
Servicemen’s Readjustment Act (GI Bill of
Rights), which was partially offset by the steady
increase in retirement, disability, and survivor
payments.
About half of the 1948 expenditure was made to
veterans and their survivors under programs
administered by the Veterans Administration.
Systems under the Social Security Act—old-age
and survivors insurance and State unemployment
insurance—accounted for a fourth of the aggre
gate.
Disability benefits absorbed two-fifths of total
benefits paid in 1948. Veterans received 77 per
cent of total disability-benefit payments, and
injured workers, under workmen’s compensation,
received about 15 percent. Benefits to sick and
B e n e f it paym ents
1 Information is from Social Security Bulletin (Federal Security Agency,
Social Security Administration), August 1949, p. 18.
49
disabled railroad workers, although only a small
part of all disability payments, were significantly
higher than in 1947—owing to a full year of opera
tion of the sickness program and to a rise in the
number of disability annuity payments under
1946 amendments.
Unemployment insurance payments constituted
slightly less than a fourth of benefit expenditures
in 1948. Almost two-thirds of unemployment
benefits were paid under the State programs.
Payments under the Federal program for unem
ployed veterans declined markedly in 1948, con
stituting only about a third of total unemploy
ment benefit payments.
Retirement benefits accounted for not quite a
fifth of total benefit payments in 1948. Federal
old-age and survivors insurance under the Social
Security Act, experiencing a more rapid rate of
increase than the other retirement programs,
accounted for 35 percent of total retirement bene
fit payments, and Federal civilian and military
personnel programs, for 26 percent.
Survivor benefits (including lump-sum and
death payments) constituted 15 percent of aggre
gate benefits. More than half (54 percent) of
such payments was expended by the Veterans
Administration, and slightly over a fourth went
to the families of workers insured under Federal
old-age and survivors insurance.
Payments under social insurance and related programs, 19J+8 1
[In thousands; corrected to Aug. 3, 1949]
Total pay mRetire
ent pay
ments
ments
Program
All programs__________ _
Old-age and survivors insurance __
Railroad retirement______
Federal retirem ent-..
Civil-service systems____________ .
Other contributory_______ - . . . .
Noncontributory_______ ____
State and local governm ent4___ Veterans’ pensions_______________
Workmen’s compensation 8 ___
State unemployment insurance_____________
State temporary disability insurance 7_Railroad unemployment insurance_______
Railroad temporary disability insurance______
Servicemen’s readjustment allowances 8_______
.
3 $5,390,722
$1, 048, 311
575,938
253,548
393, 290
217,337
4, 316
171, 637
285, 000
2,133,452
370,000
789, 736
26, 279
28,599
30,843
2504,037
366,887
150,148
277,055
103,458
3 1,960
3 171, 637
190,000
8 64,221
1 Data partly estimated.
* Includes allowances of $77,498,000 to self-employed veterans.
3 Retirement payments include a small but unknown amount of disability
payments under noncontributory systems and disability and survivor pay
ments under contributory systems.
4 Preliminary. For fiscal year, which usually ends in .Tune.
3 Payments to veterans of Spanish-American War, Philippine Insurrection,
and Boxer Rebellion retired for age.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Disability
payments
Survivor payments
M onthly
$2,120,005
58, 494
31, 428
31,428
(3)
0
20,000
1, 642,961
310, 000
Unem
ployment
insù.-ance
Lump-sum payments
$710, 558
$81, 796
176,736
35,992
918
918
(3)
32,315
8, 914
11, 209
10,869
340
23,000
413,912
8 60, 000
17, 000
12,358
(6)
$1, 244, 904
26, 279
30,843
Refunds
$107, 680
72, 680
70,664
2,016
35,000
789, 736
28,599
426,569
3 Preliminary. A small but unknown amount of lump-sum survivor pay
ments included with monthly survivor payments.
7 Temporary disability insurance programs in California and Rhode
Island.
8 Allowances to unemployed and self-employed veterans under provisions
of title V of the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act.
Source: Social Security Bulletin, August 1949 (p. 18).
50
LOW INCOME AND ECONOMIC STABILITY
Low-Income Families and
Economic Stability
T he t e n million fam ilies whose income averaged
less than $2,000 in 1948, according to a Congres
sional report,1have unfilled wants that “constitute
a great underdeveloped economic frontier—a new
and expansible market for the products of Ameri
can industry. In an economic system geared - to
mass production, there must be mass consumption
if severe economic dislocations are to be avoided.”
Under the Employment Act of 1946, the
Congress has the responsibility of promoting
1 Low-Income Families and Economic Stability. Materials on the Prob
lem of Low-Income Families, assembled by the staff of the Sub-committee
on Low-Income Families, Joint Committee on the Economic Report. (Joint
Committee Print, 81st Cong., 1st sess.) Washington, 1949.
MONTHLY LABOR
maximum employment, production and purchasing
power. Low incomes are a retarding factor in the
expansion of the economy and an appraisal of
the information relating to low-income families is
essential in arriving at remedial programs.
This is a summary of recent data on low-income
families in the United States compiled for the
Subcommittee on Low-Income Families from
materials submitted to it for its use in conducting
hearings and formulating recommendations on
the problem of low incomes. The report raises,
but does not answer, two broad questions.
(1) “What is the effect of the low production
and low purchasing power of the poorer families
on the economy as a whole? Will their low pro
duction and purchasing power hinder the stabili
zation of the economy at levels of maximum
production and employment? Does the prosperity
Characteristics of Low-Income Families, 1948 (Income less than $2,000)
In the nonfarm group
25%
34%
had low
incomes
28%
were farm
families
were headed
by persons
aged 65 and
over
OF THOSE IN THE NONFARM GROUP HEADED
BY PERSONS UNDER 65
36 %
i6 %
38%
were
nonwhite,
maie
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
had less than
8 years of
4^2, school
x
4
REVIEW , JANUARY 1950
PUBLIC WELFARE CONFERENCE
and progress of all depend upon raising their
level of living?”
(2) “What can be done to increase the produc
tion and earning capacity of these families, thus
making for a more prosperous national economy?”
In the discussion of low-income families, the
report states that they “have been left behind in
the economic progress of America. They do not
have many of the products considered symbolic of
the American standard of living. * * *. These
families would buy a larger quantity of the goods
produced, by the economic capacity of the Nation,
if their needs were backed by ability to buy.”
There were 38.5 million families and 8 million
“single individuals not in families” in the United
States in 1948, according to the Bureau of the
Census. A fourth of the families received total
cash incomes of less than $2,000 in that year.
Most of the nearly 10 million families in this lowincome group were urban or nonfarm families, but
about 3.3 million were farm families. Of the farm
families, 1.7 million had incomes below $1,000.
Marginal and submarginal farming, the report
stated, is an important cause of low incomes.
Old age also contributes heavily to the low in
come of families. Of the 6.3 million nonfarm fam
ilies with incomes under $2,000 in 1948, more than
a fourth were headed by persons 65 and over.
Among the nonfarm families, those headed by
unskilled workers were most numerous in the lowincome group. An eighth of the nonfarm families
in the low-income group were headed by nonwhite
males. Broken families, those headed by women
because of widowhood, desertion, or divorce, were
also frequent. Lack of education was a very im
portant factor: Almost two-fifths of the non
farm families headed by persons in the age
group 25 to 64 who received less than $2,000 had
less than 8 years of schooling.
Although existing detailed information on family
expenditures is outdated certain important facts
are available. Food expenditure takes about half
the incomes of urban families with incomes under
$2,000. This proportion decreases as income rises,
amounting to only 17 percent of total expenditures
for families with incomes above $7,500. The poor
families use more grains and less milk, meat, vege
tables, and fruits than those economically better
off. Housing expenses also accounted for a dis
proportionate share of the expenditures of urban
families with incomes under $2,000.
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51
Annual Conference of
American Public Welfare Association
S ocial- security leg islation , assistance pro
grams, medical care for the needy, welfare services
for children, and other aspects of public-welfare
responsibility were among the topics considered
at the annual round table conference of the Ameri
can Public Welfare Association, held in Wash
ington, D. C., December 1-3, 1949. More than
1,000 State, county, and local welfare officials
from the United States and Canada participated.
Delegates expressed great interest in extended
social-security legislation. This was especially
apparent among those from agricultural States
who sought increased coverage for farm workers.
Principal speakers included Prof. Eveline MBurns, of Columbia University’s School of Social
Work; Dr. Alva Myrdal, Swedish sociologist and
principal director of the United Nations’ Depart
ment of Social Affairs; and Ewan Clague, Commis
sioner of Labor Statistics, U. S. Department of
Labor.
Professor Burns, speaking on Trends in Our
National Economy and Their Effect on Public
Welfare Planning, said that expanding welfare
plans of labor unions tend to weaken public
support for public-welfare activities by fostering
the belief that “workers are quite well able to take
care of themselves.” She also asserted that unionnegotiated welfare plans weaken the interest of
union members in pressing for extensions and
liberalizations of general public-welfare programs.
In an address on Human Welfare and World
Peace, Dr. Myrdal declared it a “dangerous
illusion” to believe that the attainment of a high
level of human welfare would automatically guar
antee world peace. “Countries with the least
organized social welfare are not the ones most
dangerous to peace,” she pointed out. “The under
nourished, the poor in health, the ill housed
* * * ignorant masses still left in the world
are not ready to prepare for war.”
“But if welfare is not chiefly motivated as an
international concern because of its role as a
pacifier, there certainly are reasons to remember
that achievements in welfare might take the place
of achievements in conquests as a mark of national
prestige,” Dr. Myrdal said. “If national ambi-
52
CONSUMERS’ COOPERATIVES IN CANADA
tions * * * could be turned from power to
welfare, a great change would come over the
world.”
Mr. Clague characterized the unemploymentinsurance picture as “one of increasing exhaus
tions of benefits” in his talk on “Employment
Trends and Their Implications for Public Wel
fare”. He referred to the increasing number of
workers who have used up all of their rights, and
are not entitled to additional benefits.
“These individuals must necessarily apply for
public assistance, in fact for general assistance,
since they will not be eligible for any of the special
categories of assistance,” he declared. “Their
plight becomes important when we recognize that
few of the State general assistance programs are
adequate at present to pick up any great expan
sion of this type of load. Furthermore, in a good
many communities the general assistance program
would not recognize such employable heads of
families as qualified applicants for assistance.
The Nation will soon face the question of how to
provide some means of meeting the needs of this
particular group—the longer-time unemployed
who are still employable, but who do not readily
find new jobs.”
Pointing to the strong movement among labor
unions for industry-company retirement systems
written into the collective bargaining contracts,
Mr. Clague declared: “While the unions have
always supported the program of expanding the
Federal Old-Age Insurance system, they have
reached the point of feeling that it is impossible
to wait for this improvement to take place. Some
of the recent plans which have been written, how
ever, do provide that the industry benefits will be
lowered as the Federal benefits may be increased.
Without doubt, there will be greatly increased
pressure for industry retirement plans brought
about by collective bargaining. This will pick
up some of the problem that otherwise might fall
on the public welfare agencies of the States, but
the spread of these union plans will not be rapid
enough to relieve the welfare agencies of the
burdens which fall upon them.”
At a general session on social security legislation,
Wilbur J. Cohen, technical adviser to the Federal
Commissioner for Social Security, reported that
many wage earners not now covered under old
age and survivors insurance do not have any
protection against the risks of old age, death, and
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
MONTHLY LABOR
disability. He explained that many of those who
shift between employment covered by the program
and noncovered employment do not acquire in
sured status under the insurance program, and
derive no protection from their contributions.
In reference to coverage of the self-employed,
Mr. Cohen stated that farmers, small businessmen,
and many professional persons are just as much in
need of old-age, survivors, and disability insurance
protection as are wage earners, and added that a
number of social-insurance programs in foreign
countries now cover the self-employed.
Consumers’ Cooperatives
in Canada, 1948
F r o m the end of World War II through 1948 the
number of cooperatives in Canada, their member
ship, and their business steadily increased. A
report recently issued by the Marketing Service of
the Canadian Department of Agriculture 1 gives
statistics on the development of cooperatives since
1932. According to that report, “ there is little
doubt that cooperatives have attained an impor
tant place in the Canadian rural economy.”
At the end of 1948, there were 2,249 “ business”
associations marketing products or doing pur
chasing for their members and patrons. Of the
associations purchasing supplies, 631 were classi
fied as “ store” associations, as distinct from as
sociations doing a bulk business from a warehouse
or mill. For the year 1947-48 the stores’ business
totaled $74,687,177, of which about 50 percent
was in food.
Of the $157,874,045 retail distributive volume
done by the “ business” cooperatives, the largest
amount (42 percent of the total) was in farm sup
plies (feed, fertilizer, etc.); nearly 28 percent was
in consumer goods, such as food, clothing, and
home furnishings, and about 13 percent was in
petroleum products. All other commodities (ma
chinery, fuel, building supplies, and miscellaneous)
accounted for about 17 percent.
The Province of Quebec had the largest number
of local cooperatives (707), but Saskatchewan led
1 Canada, Department of Agriculture, Marketing Service, Economics
Division. Cooperation in Canada, 1948. Ottawa, 1949. 16 pp. (processed).
REVIEW , JANUARY 1950
LABOR-MANAGEMENT DISPUTES
in number of members (401,863) and business done
($203,935,776).
The 68 service associations reporting included
those providing transportation, medical care,
automobile and electrical repairs, rooms or meals,
funerals, housing, and recreation. Neither the
electricity cooperatives in Quebec nor the numer
ous housing associations in Nova Scotia were
covered. In addition, the report notes, there are
many cooperatively owned community halls and
recreation centers throughout Canada. The Pro
vince of Saskatchewan also has community pas
tures, cooperative farms, machinery cooperatives,
and cooperatives for the production of sheep, hogs,
honey, and fur.
The largest (and oldest) group of insurance as
sociations consists of the farmers’ mutual fire in
surance companies. There are also associations
providing employees’ bonds and faithful-per
formance insurance; an association writing marine
insurance for fishermen in British Columbia; one
writing automobile insurance in Ontario; and
another writing life insurance in 5 Provinces.
The local “ business” associations are federated
into Provincial wholesale cooperatives in every
Province except Prince Edward Island. Eight of
these wholesales are members of Interprovincial
Cooperatives, L td.; seven of these are also affiliated
with National Cooperatives, Inc., Chicago, 111.
Interprovincial Cooperatives, Ltd., controls the
“ co-op label” (the patent for which is the property
of National Cooperatives, Inc.) in Canada. It
had a business of nearly
million dollars in 1948.
In the field of manufacture, Interprovincial Co
operatives, Ltd., began operation of a bag factory
in September 1948, and the Saskatchewan Wheat
Membership and business of Canadian cooperatives, 1948
Type of association
Associa Members
tions
Local associations:
Business associations__ __ _ _______ 1 2, 249
Marketing . . . _ . . __________
1,123
Retail distributive______________ 1,592
Fishermen’s associations_________
87
Telephone associations
___
____ 2,318
Insurance associations_____________
412
Other service 6 _ _______ ________
68
Wholesale associations 6
______ _
10
Amount of
business
1,127,229 $774, 221, 522
616,347,477
(2)
157,874,045
(2)
/
8
14,940,017
12, 766
\ 4 1,979,379
(2)
(2)
« 22,346, 683
(2)
19,049
1, 737,966
71,650 f 52,316,972
X 42,096,580
1 N ot the sum of the two items, as there are many associations doing both
kinds of business.
2 N o data.
8 Value of products marketed.
* Distributive business.
8 Admitted assets.
8 Data are for reporting associations only.
7 Number of member associations.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
53
Pool opened a new flour mill. The product of
this mill is to be distributed by Interprovincial
Cooperatives, and part of it will carry the “ co-op”
label.
The “ protection and promotion” of the coopera
tive movement in Canada are the business of the
Cooperative Union of Canada, which celebrated
its 40th anniversary in March 1949. Its 922
local affiliates were reported to have an individual
membership of 628,745 and an annual business of
$472,954,035.
A similar organization, Le Conseil Canadien de
la Cooperation, exists for the French-speaking
cooperatives.
Labor-Management Disputes
in December 1949
S trike id len ess in December 1949 contrasted
sharply with the high levels prevailing during each
of the preceding 3 months. Reflecting usual
seasonal trends, the number of new stoppages and
of man-days of idleness declined to the year’s
lowest levels. By the end of the year, no strikes
involving as many as 5,000 workers were in
progress.
Termination of Steel Strike
The steel strike, largely terminated during
November when major steel companies reached
agreement with the United Steelworkers of Ameri
ca, was virtually ended following settlements with
the Aluminum Co. of America on December 7
and Timken Roller Bearing Co. on December 12.
The less than 5,000 workers remaining idle in
other remnants of the steel strike, were reportedly
involved in disputes over local issues other than
pensions.
The Alcoa and Timken agreements, following
the Bethlehem pattern, provided for noncontribu
tory pension plans yielding $100 monthly mini
mum, including Federal social-security benefits,
for employees retiring at age 65 with 25 years of
service. The Timken agreement follows the Beth
lehem pattern on social insurance in providing
that the costs be divided between company and
workers, while the Alcoa agreement provides that
the company will continue its past practice of
paying all costs.
54
LABOR-MANAGEMENT DISPUTES
Coal Still Unsettled
Following the November truce and the 2-day
stoppage on December 1 and 2, coal operations
were resumed on a 3-day workweek basis, since
the United Mine Workers of America bad set
agreement on new contract terms as the condition
for resumption of 5-day operations. Shortly after
the resumption of work, the union announced
the signing of contracts with a few unnamed
mining companies in Eastern Kentucky, provid
ing a wage increase of 95 cents a day, an increase
of 15 cents per ton in payments to the union wel
fare fund and permitting the union to name all
trustees of the pension and welfare fund. A few
other agreements of this character followed.
Major operators, announcing that their ranks
were unbroken, pointed out that these agreements
affected less than 3 percent of national soft coal
production. No apparent progress occurred in
negotiations during the month. That the parties
were still far apart in their positions was made
clear toward the end of the month. Southern
coal operators, followed by other coal-producing
associations, filed unfair labor practice charges
against the union, and requested the general
counsel of the National Labor Relations Board
to seek an injunction against the union. The
operators charged that the union-imposed 3-day
week was a coercive device to force acceptance
of an illegal union shop provision, and that the
union had refused to bargain in good faith.
Cleveland Transit Strike
A strike of approximately 5,000 employees of
the city-owned Cleveland Transit System, pro
vided the first test of the Ferguson Act, an Ohio
law providing substantial penalties for striking
public employees. The drivers, members of the
Amalgamated Association of Street, Electric
Railway and Motor Coach Employees (AFL),
stopped work early on December 22, and re
mained out until December 27, leaving the city
without public transportation during the Christ
mas rush period. The principal issue in dispute
was vacation pay. An arbitration award last
summer had altered the former method of com
puting vacation pay. The parties apparently
arrived at divergent interpretations of the award
since it did not specifically indicate the minimum
vacation pay which would be made under the
award. During the strike, the referee clarified
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
his ruling, indicating the minimum intended
under the award.
Local American Federation of Labor officials,
as well as city officials, censured the strike action.
Cleveland Federation of Labor officers charged the
striking union with failing “to live up to the
arbitration clause they have in their agreement’’
and failing to take the dispute before the Cleve
land Federation of Labor “to which they are
affiliated to get a strike sanction.” The city,
represented by the Transit Board, requested an
injunction, under the State statute, to end the
strike. The strikers voted to return to work
when the injunction was granted, following assur
ances from the Transit Board that there would be
no penalties for participating in the strike.
Other Important Negotiations
Negotiations between the Order of Railway
Conductors, the Brotherhood of Railway Train
men, and the railroads have failed to achieve
agreement, thus far, on the unions’ demands.
These include a proposed reduction in the work
week of 150,000 yard-service employees from 48
to 40 hours, with no reduction in pay. A strike
vote, to obtain emergency action by the National
Mediation Board, has been scheduled for the
250,000 members of the two unions. Meantime,
the Board has scheduled a meeting with the
parties for mid-January.
The agreement between the Masters, Mates
and Pilots (AFL) and East and Gulf Coast ship
operators was extended again, until April 1950.
Reports indicate that the union’s demands now
stress seniority and job-security provisions, rather
than the hiring hall.
A six-State strike by 50,000 employees of the
Southwestern Bell Telephone Co. scheduled for
midnight, December 31, was postponed for 15
days. The postponement, recommended by the
Governors of the States involved, was accepted by
the Communications Workers of America (CIO).
Another of the Governors’ recommendations pro
vided for submission to arbitration of any points
remaining unsettled after negotiations, which the
union also accepted on condition that the com
pany accept it in full. However, while willing to
negotiate, the company was reported as “neither
accepting nor rejecting” the Governors’ recom
mendations. Issues involved are wages, pensions,
and working conditions.
Technical Notes
E ditor ’s N ote .— This series oj technical notes
serves the useful purpose oj explaining the method
ology and limitations oj all major statistical series
oj the Bureau oj Labor Statistics. Reprint- d in
booklet form from the M onthly Labor Review, they
should, when completed, offer a convenient compen
dium jo r all users oj Bureau materials. A stand
ardized outline keyed by a generally uniform system
oj subheadings is employed as a reader-aid.
VII. M easurement of
Industrial Em ploym ent1
F o r m a n y y e a r s , the U. S. Labor Department’s
Bureau of Labor Statistics has collected and pub
lished monthly statistics relating to industrial
employment, wages, and hours of work as an
integral part of its employment-statistics program.
In the present article, the collection and compila
tion of the employment statistics is described;
in the article on p. 59 of this issue, the calcula
tion of the average wages and hours is explained.
These series provide a detailed and comprehensive
body of information on industrial activity for the
country as a whole and, on a more limited basis,
for States and important localities.
Continuous national series are published each
month on the number of wage and salary workers
employed in all nonagricultural establishments
and in the 8 major industry divisions: Manufac
turing, mining, contract construction, transporta
tion and public utilities, trade, finance, service,
and government. Both all-employee and produc
tion-worker employment series are also presented
i Prepared by Sydney S. Netreba of the Bureau’s D ivision of Employment
Statistics.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
for 21 major manufacturing groups and 104 sepa
rate manufacturing industries. Within nonmanu
facturing, total employment information is pub
lished for 23 major groups and 13 component
industries. Production-worker employment is
also shown for the mining division as a whole and
for the industry components.
Series covering employment in manufacturing
industries are also currently published for all
States; employment in all nonagricultural estab
lishments and in each of the major industry divi
sions is available for about 30 States. Expansion
of the program, now underway, is designed to
produce similar series for all States and for about
100 major metropolitan areas.
For private nonagricultural industries, the
employment information covers all full- and parttime employees who were on the pay roll, i. e.,
who worked during, or received pay for, the pay
period ending nearest the fifteenth of the month.
For Federal establishments, the employment
period relates to the pay period ending prior to the
first of the month ; for State and local governments,
during the pay period on or just before the last
of the month. Proprietors, self-employed persons,
domestic servants, and unpaid family workers
are excluded.
Limitations of the Data
Essentially, the Bureau of Labor Statistics
measure of employment represents a count of
persons on the pay rolls of nonfarm establishments
during one pay period. For most establishment
reports, the pay-roll period covers 1 week in each
month, generally the week ending nearest the
fifteenth of the month. Such a pay-roll count
includes persons who worked during, or received
pay for, any part of the reporting period. The
55
56
MEASURING INDUSTRIAL EMPLOYMENT
employment series, therefore, reflect turn-over of
personnel: The same person may appear on two
separate establishment pay rolls in the same
period. Thus, the employment information is not
a measure of the number of full-time jobs that
were available, nor is it an unduplicated count of
paid workers. Owing to the restrictions with
respect to the reporting period, the data do not
refer to employment throughout the month, nor
to employment at one point of time in the month.
Since the guiding principle of the Bureau’s
employment concept is that of work during, or
receipt of payment for, a given period, distinctions
must be made with respect to persons who may
have jobs but who are not at work for various
reasons. Thus, persons on paid vacations or paid
sick leave are included in the employment count,
but those on leave without pay during the reporting period are not considered as employed. Work
stoppages in effect throughout the reporting
period result in the exclusion from employment
of those so engaged; however, the employment
level is not affected if persons involved in work
stoppages worked or received pay in any part of
the pay period covered. Similarly, persons who
are laid off or who leave temporarily are excluded
from the employment count if such personnel ac
tions cover the entire reporting period and no
payment is made.
The problems of classification and the limita
tions of the classification structure also affect the
employment data. Thus, in most instances it is
not possible to provide detailed employment
information for specific products. The require
ment that establishments shall be classified accord
ing to major product or activity (as discussed in
the following section) may result in the “conceal
ment” or understatement of employment in other
important activities, and in a simultaneous over
statement of employment in the major activity.
Survey Sources and Methods
Approximately 120,000 cooperating establish
ments furnish monthly employment and pay-roll
schedules, by mail. The number of establish
ments reporting employment data and the num
ber of employees covered, for each industry
division, are as follows:
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
MONTHLY LABOR
Approximate coverage of employment and pay roll sample
D ivision or industry
M ining_________ ____ ______ .
Contract construction_________ . .
Manufacturing___________________
Transportation and public utilities:
Interstate railroads (IC C )_______
Rest of division (B L S )__________
Trade____________________ . .
Finance_________ __ .
Service:
Hotels________ . _ ______
Laundries and cleaning and dye
ing plants___________________
Government:
Federal (Civil Service Commis
sion)______ _______
State and local (Bureau of Cen
sus, quarterly)_______________
Employees
Number of
establish
ments
Number in
Percent
of total
sample
2,700
15, 000
35,200
460, 000
450,000
8, 845, 000
47
10, 500
40, 300
6,000
1,359,000
1, 056, 000
1,379, 000
281,000
98
1,200
115, 000
25
1,700
86, 000
17
1,885, 000
100
2, 400, 000
62
23
62
41
15
16
With respect to employment, the following in
formation is obtained:
(1) For manufacturing, mining, laundries, clean
ing, and dyeing: (a) all employees or the total
number of wage and salary workers, i.e. all fulland part-time employees in the respective estab
lishments who worked during or received pay for
any part of the period reported; salaried officers of
corporations are included, proprietors or firm
members are excluded; (b) the number of all
full- and part-time production and related workers
on the pay roll who worked during or received
pay for any part of the pay period reported;
persons on paid sick leave, paid holidays, and paid
vacations are, therefore, also included.
(2) For other nonmanufacturing industries, i.e.
wholesale and retail trade, public utilities, finance,
hotels, and miscellaneous: (a) the total number of
full- and part-time wage and salary workers as
indicated above; (b) the number of full- and parttime nonsup ervisory employees and working
supervisors; similarly persons on paid sick leave,
paid holidays, and paid vacations are included.
Cooperating State Agencies. The current employ
ment statistics program is an integrated FederalState project which provides industrial employ
ment information on a national, State, and area
basis. In accordance with authority granted in a
Congressional Act of 1930 (Public Laws, Chapter
873, Vol. 46, Part I) and in order to minimize the
reporting requirements for cooperating establish
ments, the Bureau of Labor Statistics has entered
REVIEW , JANUARY 1950
MEASURING INDUSTRIAL EMPLOYMENT
into agreements with various State agencies.
Basic uniformity in the collection of BureauState employment statistics is obtained by the use
of Bureau-designed schedules for monthly report
ing. The “ contract” State agencies edit these
reports according to standards defined in editing
instructions issued by the Bureau, and make these
data available for inclusion in the national esti
mates. The cooperating agencies are responsible
for the preparation of State and area employ
ment statistics. To maintain comparable data
from State to State, statistical standards are set
forth in a BLS-State procedures manual and in
related instructional memoranda. A list of the
cooperating State agencies, currently covering all
States and the District of Columbia, is presented
in the monthly mimeographed Employment and
Pay Rolls Detailed Report and in a footnote to
table A-10 of the Monthly Labor Review begin
ning with the October 1949 issue.
Calculation Procedures
In the employment series (as well as those on
hours and earnings), reporting establishments
are classified into significant economic groups on
the basis of major postwar product or activity as
determined from annual sales data. The industry
classification structure currently used in the em
ployment statistics program is defined' in the
following documents: (1) For manufacturing in
dustries—Standard Industrial Classification Man
ual, volume I, Manufacturing Industries, Bureau
of the Budget, November 1945; (2) for nonmanu
facturing industries—Industrial Classification
Code, Federal Security Agency, Social Security
Board, 1942.
Estimation Procedures. Current employment data
are estimates based upon reports from a sample
group of establishments, since in many industries
full coverage would be prohibitively costly and
time-consuming. To obtain the estimates the
following four steps are necessary:
(1) A total employment figure (bench mark) for
an industry, as of a specified period, is obtained
from sources which, singly or in combination,
insure either a complete count of employment for
the industry or an estimate of reasonable accuracy.
(2) Employment data for a sample group of
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57
reporting establishments are compiled for the
bench-mark month and subsequent months.
(3) The ratio of employment in one month to
that in the preceding month (i. e. the link relative)
for identical establishments in each industry, is
computed for each consecutive pair of months.
(4) The link relative for the month following
the bench-mark month is applied to the bench
mark for the industry to derive the level of em
ployment in that month. The resulting figure,
in turn, becomes the base for obtaining the next
month’s level. In succeeding months the same
procedure is followed until new bench-mark data
become available. At that time, an adjustment
is made, if necessary, to eliminate possible dif
ferences between series based on the old and new
bench marks.
An illustration of the estimation procedure
used in those industries for which both all-em
ployee and production-worker employment infor
mation is published follows: The latest produc
tion-worker employment bench mark for a given
industry was 50,000 in September. According
to the reporting sample, 60 establishments in that
industry employed 25,000 workers in September
and 26,000 in October, a 4-percent increase.
To derive the October figure of 52,000, the change
for identical establishments reported in the September-October sample is applied to the bench
mark:
5°'000X|H j1> (or 1-04) = 52.000
To determine the estimated all-employee level of
65,000 for October, that month’s sample ratio of
production workers to total employment is used
H IT
(°r multiplied by 1.25)=65,000^. Sim
ilarly, the employment level for the next month
would be prepared by the use of reports for
October-November and the previously deter
mined October employment. Thus, the industry
employment trends reflect the fluctuations shown
by establishments reporting to the Bureau of
Labor Statistics; the level of employment is
determined by the bench mark.
Sources of Bench-Mark Data. Complete counts or
bench marks are required periodically in order to
adjust for errors resulting from the use of a
month-to-month sample, and further, to provide
58
MEASURING INDUSTRIAL EMPLOYMENT
base levels of employment for subsequent pro
jections during inter-bench-mark periods. For
example, a source of possible error is the difficulty
of introducing new firms into the sample at the
time they begin operations which results in a
downward bias.
Since 1939, the primary source for bench-mark
materials has been the employment covered under
the social-security program: (1) employment in
firms liable to contributions to the State unem
ployment compensation funds; (2) data from the
Bureau of Old-Age and Survivors Insurance on
employment in firms exempt from State unemploy
ment insurance laws because of their small size.
Information from these two sources covers a
substantial number of the persons engaged in
nonfarm employment in each State. Special
bench marks are used for industries not covered
by the social-security program. Services for Fed
eral, State, and local governments, and services
performed for religious, educational, and charitable
organizations are among the more important ex
clusions from the social-security program. State
and local government bench marks are based on
data compiled by the Bureau of the Census, and
most of the data on Federal Government employ
ment are made available by the United States
Civil Service Commission. The Interstate Com
merce Commission is the source for railroads.
Production-worker employment information is
not available from the social-security reports and,
therefore, a production-worker bench mark must
be derived for each industry for which such
employment information is made available. This
is done by applying to the all-employee bench
mark the ratio of production-worker employment
to total employment in the comparable period, as
determined from the Bureau’s industry sample.
Revisions of Series. Owing to the sampling and
estimating procedures used, varying degrees of
error develop in the current monthly employment
levels. These errors are corrected by subsequent
revision of previously published data. In this
connection, two types of revisions periodically
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
incorporated into the employment series should
be distinguished: (1) revisions of current monthly
data following the preliminary release of the
information; (2) annual revisions on a more
extensive basis after more current bench-mark
reports become available.
(1) The Bureau of Labor Statistics makes avail
able, about a month after the month of reference,
preliminary information relating to wage and
salary employment in nonfarm establishments,
including major industry divisions and a number
of manufacturing and nonmanufacturing indus
try groups. Such information is based upon
preliminary tabulations of data from those
sample establishments that have been received
in time for the preliminary release. Subsequently,
revised data are made available on the basis of
all reports in the sample. Thus, data presented
in detailed industry reports for the current and
the immediately preceding month are subject to
further revision. These revisions represent the
first type mentioned above.
(2) Appropriate revisions, based on new bench
marks, are introduced into the employment ser
ies annually or less frequently, as required. These
adjustments are necessary primarily because
reports are not immediately available from new
firms; frequently such reports are not included
in the particular industry sample until after the
establishments have been in operation for some
time. Experience with the employment-statistics
program has shown that, without bench-mark
adjustments, the employment data tend to develop
a marked understatement which becomes larger
from year to year. For manufacturing and many
nonmanufacturing industries, the data used in
preparing the new bench marks are available
about 7 to 10 months after the last month of the
bench-mark period. In general, the bench-mark
period relates to the first quarter of the year. The
monthly employment levels which had been made
available previously for that quarter are com
pared with the new bench-mark data. The need
for adjustment of the published employment
information is determined from this comparison.
VIII. Calculating Hours and Earnings
of Workers in Industry 1
T he b u r e a u of labor statistics makes available
monthly series relating to wages and hours of
work in connection with its general program of
industrial employment statistics. Currently, such
data are issued in comprehensive and detailed
form for the manufacturing industries on a
national basis, and for a selected group of non
manufacturing activities. The program is de
signed, however, to produce similar data for all
important segments of the nonfarm economy.
Some progress has been made, in cooperation
with State agencies, in the development of such
series for States and important industrial areas.
Each month, the Bureau publishes average
weekly hours, average hourly earnings, and aver
age weekly earnings relating to production or
nonsupervisory workers in total manufacturing,
the durable and nondurable goods industry sub
divisions, 21 major groups of manufacturing
industries, and 178 separate manufacturing indus
tries. Within nonmanufacturing, 40 series are
published on hours and earnings. Similar aver
ages for class I railroads are also presented, based
on data supplied by the Interstate Commerce
Commission.
Hours and earnings in manufacturing industries
are also shown monthly for 26 States and 42 areas
at the present time. Expansion of this program,
currently under way, is expected to result in the
regular publication of similar data for all States
and for about 100 metropolitan areas.
Survey Sources and Methods
An integral part of the Bureau’s current em
ployment statistics program, the hours and
earnings data are based upon monthly mail re
ports provided by approximately 100,000 co
operating establishments. (See description in
preceding article.)
The number of cooperating establishments
reporting the above pay-roll and man-hour data
is shown in the following tabulation.
1 Prepared by Sydney S. Netreba of tbe Bureau’s D ivision of Employment
Statistics.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Approximate coverage of hours and earnings sample
Division or industry
M in in g ................... .................................
Contract construction_________ ____
Manufacturing____________________
Transportation and public utilities:
Class I railroads (IC C )_________
Local railways and bus lines 1___
Telephone____________________
Telegraph__________ _______ ___
Gas and electric u tilities.................
Trade________________________ ____
Finance__________________________ _
Service:
H otels___________________ _____
Laundries and cleaning and dyeing plants................ .......................
Employees
Number of
establish
Number in Percent of
ments
sample
total
2,700
15, 000
35,200
460, 000
450, 000
8, 845, 000
47
23
62
400
550
4,000
3,900
46,300
6, 000
1,215, 000
135,000
579,000
33, 000
360,000
1,379,000
281,000
100
86
90
60
70
15
16
1,200
115, 000
25
1,700
86,000
17
1 Refers to privately operated companies. The hours and earnings data
include reports for an additional 30,000 employees in Government operated
establishments.
In general, the establishment reports contain the
following information necessary for the computa
tion of the hours and earnings averages:
( 1) The number of all fu ll- and part-time pro
duction workers or nonsupervisory employees who
worked during or received pay for any part of the
period reported. For manufacturing, mining,
power laundries, and cleaning and dyeing indus
tries, the data cover production and related
workers only. Production and related workers in
clude working foremen and all nonsupervisory
workers (including lead men and trainees) engaged
in fabricating, processing, assembling, inspection,
receiving, storing, handling, packing, warehousing,
shipping, maintenance, repair, janitorial, watch
man services, products development, auxiliary
production for plant’s own use (e. g., power plant),
and record-keeping and other services closely
associated with the production operations. Data
for the telephone industry through May 1949
reflect mainly the hours and earnings of employees
subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act. Begin
ning with June 1949, the telephone averages relate
to the hours and earnings of nonsupervisory em
ployees. For the remaining industries, unless
otherwise noted, the data refer to all nonsuper
visory employees and working supervisors.
(2) Total gross pay rolls for such workers before
deductions for old-age and unemployment insur
ance, withholding tax, bonds, union dues, and
special clothing allowances. The pay-roll figures
also include: Pay for sick leave, holidays, and
vacations taken. They exclude: Cash payments
for vacations not taken, retroactive pay not
earned during period reported, value of payments
59
60
CALCULATING EARNINGS OF WORKERS
in kind, contributions to welfare funds and in
surance or pension plans, and bonuses, unless
earned and paid regularly each pay period.
(3)
Total man-hours actually worked or paid jor
by full- and part-time production or nonsupervisory workers including hours paid for holidays,
sick leave, and vacations taken; if employees elect
to work during a vacation period, only actual
hours worked by such employees are included.
The period reported generally represents a pay
period of one week ending nearest the fifteenth of
the month. For those establishments which use
a 2-week or longer pay period, the schedules are
edited to reduce the pay-roll and man-hour
aggregates to their proper equivalents for a
single week.
Cooperating State Agencies. The current employ
ment statistics program, and hence the hours and
earnings information, is an integrated FederalState project, under which the preparation of
data on National, State, and area levels is facili
tated. In accordance with authority granted in
a Congressional Act of 1930 (Public Laws,
Chapter 873, Vol. 46, Part I) and in order to
minimize the reporting burdens placed upon
cooperating establishments, the Bureau of Labor
Statistics has entered into agreements with
various State agencies, whereby basic uniformity
in the collection of Bureau-State employment and
hours and earnings statistics is obtained by the
use of Bureau-designed schedules for monthly
reporting. The “contract” States edit these
reports according to standards defined in editing
instructions issued by the Bureau, and make these
data available for inclusion in the National esti
mates. The cooperating agencies are responsible
for the preparation of State and area statistics.
To maintain comparable data from State to State,
statistical standards are set forth in a BLS-State
procedures manual and in related instructional
memoranda. A list of the cooperating State
agencies is presented in the monthly mimeo
graphed Hours and Earnings Industry Report
and in a footnote to table A-10 of the Monthly
Labor Review beginning with the October 1949
issue.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
MONTHLY LABOR
Calculation Procedures
The industry classification structure currently
used in the hours and earnings series under the
general employment statistics program follows the
standards established in the documents here listed:
(1) For manufacturing industries—Standard In
dustrial Classification Manual, volume I, Manu
facturing Industries, Bureau of the Budget, Nov
ember 1945; (2) for nonmanufacturing industries—
Industrial Classification Code, Federal Security
Agency, Social Security Board, 1942.
Average Hours and Earnings. In the hours and
earnings series, it is necessary to distinguish be
tween computations respecting groups of indus
tries from those for individual industries. To ob
tain average weekly hours for an individual in
dustry—e. g. blast furnaces, steel works, and
rolling mills—the sum of the man-hour totals re
ported by the plants classified in the given cate
gory is divided by the number of production or
nonsupervisory workers reported for the same
establishments.
For example:
112,000 (weekly man-hours)
40.4 (actually 40.36)
2,775 (production workers)
weeldy hours
Weekly hours for combinations of industries—•
all manufacturing, major manufacturing and non
manufacturing groups—are weighted averages.
The workweek average for each individual com
ponent industry is weighted by employment in
order to reflect the relative importance, and com
bined with others in the group to derive the group
average.
For individual manufacturing and nonmanufac
turing industries, average hourly earnings result
from the division of the reported pay-roll totals by
the aggregate man-hours furnished by the same
establishments.
Thus, ^112,000
94n5A6n°”(weekly
(T Myman-hours)
Payd ^ = $ 1 . 3 0
Average hourly earnings for industry groupings
are also weighted. For this purpose, however,
aggregate man-hours (employment multiplied by
weekly hours) are used, because the level of pay
REVIEW , JANUARY 1950
CALCULATING EARNINGS OF WORKERS
rolls depends, in part, on both employment and
hours of work. The aggregate man-hour weights
required for the group averages of hourly earnings
are a byproduct of the procedures utilized to obtain
average weekly hours for industrial groups.
For both individual components and the major
industry categories, the averages of weekly earn
ings are computed by multiplying the respective
averages of hourly earnings and weekly hours.
Hours and earnings data are based solely upon
the sample aggregates. Thus, only those totals
for employment, man-hours, and pay rolls as
reported by the establishments in the given indus
try samples are used for the computations of the
averages. Both the levels and the monthly
movements shown in the Bureau hours and earn
ings information are, therefore, entirely dependent
upon the data reported by such establishments.
In the Bureau’s employment series, owing to the
availability of complete counts or bench marks,
adjustments of the sample data are possible but
this cannot be done for the hours and earnings
information.
Earnings Exclusive of Overtime Premium Payment.
The pay-roll and man-hour totals on the reports from
respondent employers combine both straight-time
and overtime. To obtain straight-time earnings,
approximations for all manufacturing and the
durable and nondurable goods subdivisions have
been derived from the gross average hourly earn
ings provided by these totals. Such data are
computed by the application of adjustment fac
tors, as indicated in the Monthly Labor Review
for November 1942 (pp. 1053-6) and in Serial
No. R. 1496. The adjustment factors are based
on a special study of the relationship between
average weekly hours and the average number of
weekly overtime hours in the same period. Use
of these factors makes possible an approximate
deduction of overtime premium payments at the
rate of time and a half for hours in excess of 40
a week. The technique used in obtaining these
series of average hourly earnings exclusive of over
time premium payment is to apply the factors (as
indicated above) separately to the gross average
hourly earnings for each of the major manufac
turing industry groups. The resulting adjusted
average for each major industry group is then
weighted by the respective man-hour aggregate,
866593—50----- 5
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
61
as currently reported, in order to give more ade
quate representation to each of the component
groups in computing the averages for all manufac
turing and the durable and nondurable goods in
dustries. Results obtained, therefore, by direct
application of the adjustment factors to published
averages of gross hourly earnings for all manufac
turing and the durable and nondurable goods
industries differ somewhat from the figures derived
by the use of the man-hour weights.
Appli
cation of the term “take-home pay” to the
Bureau’s gross average weekly earnings series has
never been completely accurate because of varying
deductions for taxes, group insurance, occupa
tional tools and supplies, and union dues. These
deductions were generally not large prior to the
extension of personal income taxes to the lower
income brackets, and therefore average gross
weekly earnings were satisfactory as a measure of
the trends of weekly earnings available for spend
ing purposes. Before that extension of income
taxes, the only uniform Nation-wide deduction
from gross weekly pay was the social-security tax,
which became effective on January 1 , 1937.
After income taxes became a factor affecting the
spendable earnings of workers, a method was de
veloped for deriving so-called “net spendable earn
ings” from the gross average weekly earnings
series for production workers in manufacturing
industries. Net spendable average weekly earn
ings are obtained by deducting from gross weekly
earnings, social-security and income taxes for
which the specified type of worker is liable. The
amount of income tax liability depends, of course,
on the number of dependents supported by the
worker as well as on the level of his gross income.
Net spendable earnings have, therefore, been com
puted for two types of income-receivers: (1) A
worker with no dependents; and (2) a worker with
three dependents.
N et Spendable Average Weekly Earnings.
To
provide an indication of the changes in the pur
chasing power of money earnings resulting from
changes in the prices of consumer goods and serv
ices since 1939, gross weekly earnings in both cur
rent and 1939 dollars are published for selected in
dustries. All manufacturing net spendable weekly
Adjustment for Changes in Purchasing Power.
CALCULATING EARNINGS OF WORKERS
62
earnings are also shown in 1939 dollars. The ad
justment for changes in purchasing power is made
by deflating weekly earnings by the Bureau’s con
sumers’ price index, using the year 1939 for the
base period.
Thus, to express gross average weekly earnings
in all manufacturing industries for August 1947 in
1939 dollars the following steps are necessary:
1. Gross average weekly earnings, all
manufacturing, August 1947-------- $50. 07
2. Consumers’ price index, August 1947
(1 9 3 5 -3 9 = 1 0 0 )__________________ 160.3
3. Rebasing of the August 1947 con
sumers’ price index from 1 9 3 5 -3 9 =
100 to 1939= 100; 160.3 divided by
the 1939 index of 99.4 equals 1.613—the ratio betw een the consumers’
price index in August 1947 and
year 1939— or an index for August
1947 of 161.3 (1 9 3 9 = 1 0 0 )________
1. 613
4. Deflation of average weekly earnings
in current dollars to obtain the
August 1947 average in 1939 dol
lars_____________________________ $31. 04
Thus $50.07 divided by 1.613 equals 31.04.
Interpretation and Limitations
Average Hourly Earnings, Weekly Hours, and
Weekly Earnings. The average hourly earnings
series for full- and part-time production or nonsupervisory workers in manufacturing and non
manufacturing industries are on a “gross” basis,
that is, they reflect not only changes in basic
hourly and incentive wage rates, but also such
variable factors as premium pay for overtime and
late-shift work and changes in the output of
workers paid on an incentive basis. Industry
averages of hourly earnings are further affected
by changes in the relative importance of individual
companies or establishments as well as changes
in the composition of the labor force and shifts in
the relative importance of individual regions or
localities. In addition, averages for major groups
and divisions reflect changes in the relative
importance of individual industries.
Gross hourly earnings refer to the actual return
to the worker for a stated period of time. They
differ from wage rates, which represent the rates
stipulated for a given unit of work or time.
Owing to the exclusion of irregular bonuses,
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
MONTHLY LABOR
retroactive items, payments of various welfare
benefits, and of earnings for those employees not
covered under the production-worker or nonsupervisory-employee definitions, the average-earnings
series should not be interpreted as representing
total labor costs on the part of the employer.
Gross average weekly earnings are also affected
by changes in the length of the workweek, parttime work, stoppages for varying causes, labor
turn-over, and absenteeism. The weekly earn
ings, although sometimes incorrectly termed
“take-home pay,” are not the same as the amount
that is actually available to workers for spending,
since no deduction has been made for income and
social-security taxes, group insurance, occupational
supplies, and union dues.
The workweek information published each
month relates to average hours worked or paid for
and is somewhat different from standard or
scheduled hours. Thus, average weekly hours for
manufacturing and nonmanufacturing industries
are less than the hours of workers who are on the
pay roll during the whole of the workweek because
of the influence of such factors as absenteeism,
labor turn-over, part-time work, and stoppages.
Group averages further reflect changes in the
importance of component industries.
Hourly Earnings, Exclusive oj Overtime Premium
Payment. The method used in approximating
straight-time earnings provides only for the
elimination of overtime work paid for at one and
a half times the straight-time rates after 40 hours
a week. Thus, no adjustment is made for other
premium payment provisions, for example, holiday
work, late shift work, and penalty overtime rates
other than time and a half. The adjusted hourly
earnings differ in only one respect from the gross
average hourly earnings series; thus, except for
overtime premiums the previously mentioned in
fluences also apply to the estimated straight-time
earnings information. Average hourly earnings,
exclusive of overtime premium payment, are made
available only for manufacturing as a whole and
the durable and nondurable goods industry sub
divisions. The set of adjustment factors, however,
can be used to eliminate overtime premium pay
ments from gross average hourly earnings in those
manufacturing industries in which overtime for
REVIEW, JANUARY 1950
CALCULATING EARNINGS OF WORKERS
individual workers typically consists of hours in
excess of 40 per week paid at the rate of time and
a half. As these factors yield results which are
only approximate, they may not be appropriate
when exact data are required.
Net Spendable Weekly Earnings. Net spendable
weekly earnings differ from gross weekly earnings
only because of adjustment for Federal income and
social-security taxes. Consequently, those factors
which are reflected in the gross earnings data are
also reflected in the spendable earnings series.
It is necessary to note that the computations of
net spendable earnings for both the factory worker
with no dependents and the factory worker with
three dependents are based upon the gross average
weekly earnings for all production and related
workers in manufacturing industries without
direct regard to marital status and family com
position. The gross and spendable earnings data
do not reflect, therefore, actual differences in levels
of earnings for workers of varying age, occupation,
skill, and family composition. Thus, the primary
value of the spendable series is that of measuring
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
63
relative changes in disposable earnings for two
types of income receivers.
Earnings Expressed in 1989 Dollars. The “real
earnings” data resulting from the adjustment of
the selected gross and net spendable weekly earn
ings averages by the Bureau’s consumers’ price
index present merely a rough indication of the
changes in the purchasing power of money earn
ings—or earnings in current dollars—flowing from
changes in living costs. The deflated series should
not be considered, therefore, as representative of
changes in living standards as a whole since a
number of important characteristics are omitted,
such as the total income of the family or spending
unit, the extension and incidence of various social
services and benefits, the availability of leisure
time, and the duration and extent of employment
and unemployment.
The jmar 1939 is the base selected for compari
son; it is, of course, possible to select other periods.
Other bases may yield different results owing to
differences in the levels of both earnings and prices
at various times.
Recent Decisions
of Interest to Labor1
the Wage and Hour Administrator to bring in
junctive proceedings requiring the employer to
reinstate the wrongfully discharged employee and
reimburse the employee for back wages.
A Federal district
court held5that logcutters engaged by an employer,
a manufacturer of wood products, were employees
entitled to the benefits of the Fair Labor Standards
Act and were not exempt as independent con
tractors.
The cutters felled, cut, and trimmed trees.
They worked in teams according to mutual ar
rangement among themselves. They had no
written contract with the employer, which owned
or leased the land on which the logs were cut.
They were told by the employer’s foreman what
job to do and the height of the stumpage to leave,
but chose their own hours of work. They shared
equally in the proceeds of the work which were
paid according to an arrangement with the fore
man on the basis of a fixed sum for a thousand
board feet. Although the cutters owned their
own tools, they had no office and did no advertis
ing. Except for an interval of about a year and
a half in 1946-47, the employer deducted social
security and withholding taxes from the cutters’
earnings and always carried workmen’s compen
sation insurance on the cutters.
The court stated that the cutter’s work was
more like piecework than an enterprise depending
for success on the initiative, judgment, and fore
sight of the typical independent contractor. The
withholding of social security and other taxes
indicated that the company itself believed the
cutters to be employees.
Logcutters Held Employees.
Wages and H ours2
Portal Act —11Custom or Practice .” The Federal
Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit ruled 3
that allegation of a “custom or practice in this
industry” to compensate overtime spent by em
ployees in preliminary and postliminary activities
was not definite enough so as to state a cause of
action over which the district court had jurisdic
tion under the Portal-to-Portal Act of 1947.
The court upheld the district court’s decision
dismissing a wage earner’s suit for overtime com
pensation under the Fair Labor Standards Act
for time spent in changing clothes, walking to and
from work positions, washing up and other similar
activities. It was pointed out that the custom
or practice alleged was “in this industry” and not
in the place of employment, as required by section
2 of the Portal Act. There was no allegation of a
contract between employer and employee making
such activities compensable or that the custom or
practice alleged was not inconsistent with any
contract.
The employee had also sued to recover damages
from his employer for wrongfully discharging him
for bringing suit for overtime compensation. The
court dismissed this suit, stating that the FLSA
granted a remedy for discriminatory discharge by
criminal proceedings under section 16. In an
earlier case4 the same court upheld the right of
* Prepared in the U. S. Department of Labor, Office of the Solicitor. The
cases covered in this article represent a selection of the significant decisions
believed to be of special interest. No attempt has been made to reflect all
recent judicial and administrative developments in the field of labor law or
to indicate the effect of particular decisions in jurisdictions in which contrary
results may be reached, based upon local statutory provisions, the exist
ence of local precedents, or a different approach by the courts to the issue
presented.
a This section is intended merely as a digest of some recent decisions involv
ing the Fair Labor Standards Act and the Portal-to-Portal Act. It is not to
be construed and may not be relied upon as interpretation of these acts by
the Administrator of the Wage and Hour D ivision or any agency of the
Department of Labor.
*Bonner v. Elizabeth A rden, Inc., (U . S. O. A. (2d), N ov. 2, 1949),
*W alling v. O’Grady, 146 F (2d) 422.
64
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Labor Relations
Anti-Injunction Act— Discriminatory Representa
tion Under Railway Labor Act. The United States
Supreme Court held 6 that the Norris-LaGuardia
Act, limiting injunctions in labor disputes does not
prevent a Federal district court from restraining a
white firemen’s union from discriminatory repre
sentation of Negro firemen by which the Negroes
would lose seniority and ultimately their jobs.
#M cC om b v.
1949).
United Block Co., Inc (U. S. D. C.. W. D. N . Y ., Oct. 14,
• Graham v. Brotherhood of Locomotive, Firemen and Enginemen (IT. S. Sup.
Ct., N ov. 7,1949).
DECISIONS OF INTEREST TO LABOR
The suit was brought in the District Court for
the District of Columbia.
The Negro firemen alleged that The Brother
hood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen was
exclusively a white man’s union, that, since it in
cluded a majority of the craft, it possessed sole
collective bargaining power in representing the
craft under the Railway Labor Act, and that it
had negotiated agreements with certain railroads
which made Negro firemen “nonpromotable,”
while white ones were “promotable.” It was al
leged that by virtue of these agreements Negro
firemen were rapidly losing their jobs.
The union, without answering these allegations,
moved to dismiss, alleging improper service of
process and lack of jurisdiction in the District of
Columbia Court. The trial court dismissed this
motion and granted an injunction, but on appeal
the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia
reversed on grounds of improper venue and or
dered the case transferred to the Northern District
of Ohio.
The Supreme Court pointed out that the District
of Columbia Code gave jurisdiction to its courts
in cases where the defendant was “found within”
the district. Congress was held to have power to
grant such jurisdiction to District of Columbia
courts under special as well as general venue stat
utes in the case of parties asserting rights under
the Constitution or Federal laws.
As for the Brotherhood’s contention that the in
junction was prohibited by the Norris-LaGuardia
Act, the Court pointed to previous decisions 7 to
the effect that that act did not deprive Federal
courts of jurisdiction to compel compliance with
the Railway Labor Act. To do so would deprive
labor of the means of enforcing bargaining rights
accorded by that act. The Court also pointed to
its decisions8 upholding injunctions against similar
cases of racial discrimination practiced by rail
roads and railroad unions. Those decisions im
posed upon the majority union the duty to repre
sent all members of the craft without discrimina
tion and upheld the right of a racial minority to
enforce that duty. The Railway Labor Act pro
vided no administrative remedy for the breach of
such a duty. The Court stated that Congress
could not have intended to deprive minorities of
7 V ir g in ia R . C o .
1 S t e e l e v.
v.
300 U. S. 515.
323 U . S. 192; T u n s t a l l v.
E n g i n e m e n , 323 U . S. 210.
S y s te m F e d e r a tio n ,
L o u s i v i l l e & N a s h v i l l e R . C o .,
h o o d o f L o c o m o tiv e F ir e m e n a n d
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
B r o th e r
65
court protection from such breach of duty, since
in that case the rights would have been illusory.
Employer Unfair Labor Practices. The question
of when an employer’s interference with his em
ployees’ union activities converts an economic
strike into an unfair labor practices strike was
considered by the National Labor Relations Board
in two cases.
In one,9 after a strike was voted because of the
unsatisfactory status of contract renewal negotia
tions, the employer’s labor relations director told
workers they would lose their jobs if they struck.
During the strike the employer in a letter to
employees urged them to return to work and
threatened them with loss of jobs if they refused
to do so by a certain date. This threat was later
carried out. The Board held this a clear violation
of section 8 (a) (1) of the National Labor Relations
Act. Such an unfair labor practice was held to
convert the economic strike into an unfair labor
practice strike, since dismissal of these employees
became the main issue in prolonging the strike.
In the other,10 the Board held that while an
employer’s letter to three economic strikers threat
ening their discharge if they did not return to
work was an unfair labor practice, it did not con
vert the economic strike into an unfair labor
practice strike. The disagreement between the
parties as to the terms of a new contract was the
main issue in prolonging the strike. Therefore
there was no causal relation between the employ
er’s interference and the strike’s continuance.
Union Unfair Labor Practices. The NLRB in
two decisions 11 dealing with activities of the
International Typographical Union and its Chi
cago local, considered the application of a number
of the provisions of section 8 (b) of the NLRA
as amended by the Labor Management Relations
Act, 1947.
(1) The Board upheld findings of the trial exam
iner that the international union violated section
8 (b) (2) of the amended act by applying “coercive
pressures” on newspaper employers in order to
compel them to accept closed shop conditions of
bargaining. At a convention prior to the effective
date of the amended act, the international and its
» I n r e K a n s a s M i l l i n g C o . (86 N L R B No. 136, Oct. 28,1949).
10 I n r e A n c h o r - R o m e M i l l s , I n c . (86 N L R B No. 119, Oct. 31, 1949).
11 I n r e I n t e r n a t i o n a l T y p o g r a p h i c a l U n i o n e l a l . (86 N L R B N o. 115, Oct.
28, 1949); I n r e C h i c a g o T y p o g r a p h i c a l U n i o n N o . 1 6 e t a l . (86 N L R B No.
116, Oct. 28, 1949).
66
DECISIONS OF INTEREST TO LABOR
locals agreed to follow a uniform bargaining policy
which included the refusal to enter into bargaining
contracts, the insistence on “conditions of employ
ment,” including refusal to work with nonunion
men, and the threat of work stoppages in case
employers failed to comply with these conditions.
The trial examiner found that subsequent negotia
tions by the local unions followed the pattern set
by the convention. This was held to be a clear
violation of section 8 (b) (2).
An alternative union proposal known as “P-6A,”
contained an offer of a bilateral agreement can
cellable on 60 days notice. This was held merely
to delay the effectuation of the reprisal threat in
case of the employment of nonunion men and
was likewise held to violate the act. The Board,
with one member dissenting, refused to consider
the validity of certain miscellaneous clauses in the
proposed agreement, since the 60-day clause
rendered the entire agreement invalid.
The union sought to prevent the admission into
evidence of certain intraunion publications which
reported the union’s official position on the ground
that they were protected free speech under section
8 (c) of the amended NLRA. But the Board
held that the policy expressions in these publica
tions were not expressions of opinion, but were
directions or verbal acts and therefore admissable.
It also held that these publications were not made
inadmissible by the provision in section 8 (b) (1)
(A) preserving a union’s right to prescribe its own
rules with respect to the acquisition or retention
of membership.
However, the Board ruled that the international
union’s threats of expelling both the local unions
and their members should they fail to support
the closed shop policy and bargaining strategy did
not constitute restraint and coercion under section
8 (b) (1) (A). The Board pointed to the proviso
in that section against impairment of a union’s
right to apply its membership rules to its mem
bers.
The union was found by the trial examiner to
have engaged in coercive conduct to compel
employers to hire only union foremen. The
Board held such conduct violated section 8 (b)
(1) (B) which prohibited union restraint or
coercion of an employer in the selection of his
representatives for adjustment of grievances.
Such representatives were held to include the
foremen in question, in view of the union “laws”
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
MONTHLY LABOR
providing that all grievances must in the first
instance be submitted to them for adjustment.
The union’s conditions included a demand that
reproduction practices be maintained in the print
ing industry. By such practices employers must
reproduce certain advertisements published in the
newspapers. This demand was held not to violate
section 8 (b) (6) of the amended NLRA prohibiting
a union from levying an “exaction” upon an
employer “for services which are not performed or
not to be performed.” The Board pointed to the
legislative history of this subsection to show that
it was intended to cover payments where no work
was to be performed by an employee, not cases in
which the consideration for employment includes
payment for a relatively short period of nonpro
ductive time.
(2) In the Chicago case, the “no-contract”
policy of the ITU and its locals was held to con
stitute a refusal to bargain in violation of section 8
(b) (3). The union’s avoidance of any bilateral
agreement with employers over matters which
were properly subjects of negotiation, it was
pointed out, was a departure from the ITU’s
former practice of making 1-year agreements.
No good reason was given for this change of
practice.
The later modification of the no-contract policy
to the “P-6A” proposal of a contract with its
60-day cancellation clause was also held to con
stitute a refusal to bargain, since it did not
represent a good-faith attempt to arrive at a
mutually satisfactory agreement, but was merely
designed to cause the employers to capitulate to
illegal demands for a noncontractual relationship.
The Board did not determine the legality o£ other
proposed clauses in the P-6A agreement since such
a determination would not add to the scope of its
remedial order. The union’s failure to bargain
was held not excused by the employers’ refusal to
negotiate wages or other employment conditions,
since this was not shown to have caused the union’s
failure to bargain, and the duty to bargain created
by the act was separable and not dependent on the
action of the other party.
The Board, with two members dissenting, held
that the international, as well as the Chicago local,
union was liable for this illegal refusal to bargain.
The employees were held to have designated both
international and local as bargaining representa
tive. The international was found to have
REVIEW, JANUARY 1950
DECISIONS OF INTEREST TO LABOR
assisted in the actual negotiations with the
employers in more than an advisory capacity in
view of the memberships’ adoption of “1947
Collective Bargaining Policy,” which placed curbs
on the right of the local to negotiate independently
of the international, and the right of the inter
national to approve all contracts before they
became binding. Dissenting members believed
that the 1947 convention had not changed the
bargaining powers of the local and international so
as to eliminate the local’s independence in bargain
ing negotiations.
Secondary Boycotts Not Affecting Commerce. A
Federal court of appeals held 12 that a secondary
boycott did not subject the participating union to
an action for damages under the Labor Manage
ment Relations Act, 1947, where the effect on
interstate commerce was minimal.
An employer had sued a union under section
303 (b) of the act to recover damages caused by
stoppage of work when his employees refused to
cross a picket line maintained by the union at a
school construction project. The picket line was
established by the union on finding that an electri
cal contractor engaged by the school on the same
project was employing nonunion men. Since the
employer and the electrical contractor were
independent of each other, there was a clear case
of a secondary boycott. However, the district
court dismissed the suit because the employer was
not engaged in commerce.
In affirming this decision, the court of appeals
pointed out that secondary boycotts were within
the prohibition of the act even though a contrac
tor’s operations were purely local, if the boycott
affected commerce by reason of the intimate
association between the local business and com
merce. But in this instance, assuming all the
employer’s allegations to be true, he had pur
chased from outside the State not more than
$6,000 of materials for use at the picketed project.
Such an amount was held to have a negligible
effect on commerce.
Transfer of Labor Union Property. A Federal
district court handed down a decision concerning
the controversy between “right-wing” and “ leftwing” elements in the United Electrical, Radio
13 G r o n e m a n v. I n t e r n a t . B r o t h e r h o o d ,
O. A. (10th), N ov. 4, 1949).
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
o f E le c . W o r k e r s , L o c a l N o . 364
(U. S,
67
and Machine Workers of America, whose affili
ation with the CIO was recently terminated.
At a regular membership meeting of local 901
of the electrical workers, a majority of those
present voted to transfer all the local’s property
and cash to a corporation formed with the avowed
purpose “ to protect the assets” of the local.
The property was accordingly transferred to the
corporation, whose directors were the same as the
officers of the local. The “left-wing” minority of
the local sued to enjoin this transfer.
The district court found that the transfer was
part of a plan of the “ right-wing” leaders in the
local to remain within the parent federation (CIO)
in the event the United Electrical Workers
severed their affiliation with it. The court held 13
the transfer to be inconsistent with the constitu
tions of the local and the national union, which
provide for certain controls over local funds by
the national union. For this reason, the trans
fer to the corporation was held void and ordered
to be rescinded, even though it has been approved
by a majority of the members of the local. The
court pointed to the rule prohibiting diversion of
the funds of an unincorporated association to uses
other than those permitted by its constitution and
bylaws unless the unanimous consent of the mem
bership of such association is given.
Representation and Elections— Employer Petition.
The NLRB refused 14 to dismiss a representation
petition filed by an employer, although he had
previously recognized the union and no other
union was seeking to represent the employees.
The union contended that the petition was a
disguised decertification petition filed after a
consent election in which a majority of the plant’s
employees had voted against a union shop.
This, the union claimed, was an insufficient basis
for granting the employer’s petition. However,
the Board pointed to a previous decision15 in
which the reasonableness of the employer’s basis
for questioning the union’s majority claim was
held immaterial. The Union’s recent request for
renewal of the bargaining contract was held to
constitute a claim for recognition which entitled
the employer to file the petition. The Board
also held that the employer was not required to
furnish any evidence of representative interest.
13 S e s l a r v. U n i o n L o c a l 9 0 1 , I n c . (U .S.D .C ., N .D ., Ind., N ov. 9,1949).
13 I n r e J . C . P e n n e y C o . (86 N L R B No. 109, Oct. 27, 1949).
13 M a t t e r o f C o n t i n e n t a l S o u t h e r n C o r p . (83 N L R B No. 100).
68
DECISIONS OF INTEREST TO LABOR
Collective Bargaining Contract— Remedy of E m
ployee Against Breach. A railroad employee who
was dismissed from work claimed his dismissal
violated a collective bargaining agreement con
taining provisions for a fair hearing before dis
missal and sued for specific performance of the
agreement. While loss of possible pension and
disability insurance benefits accruing from his job
could not be measured in dollars, a Federal court
of appeals, affirming the trial court, refused16 to
compel specific performance of the contract.
The court pointed out that the employee could
quit his employment at will, so that there was no
mutuality of obligation between employer and
employee.
Veteran’s Reemployment
In
two cases decided together, the United States
Supreme Court held 17 that a veteran’s statutory
seniority protected by the reemployment statutes
did not terminate upon the expiration of the first
year of his reemployment.
In both cases, the veterans, though reemployed,
claimed they had never received full statutory
rights. Oakley, a locomotive machinist, had left
a position in the Loyall shop of his employer.
During his absence that shop reduced its force of
machinists. All the machinists employed there
were given the right to transfer to shops at Corbin,
with seniority running from the date of transfer.
The returning veteran was assigned to the Corbin
shop, with seniority from date of his reinstate
ment. Oakley claimed seniority from the date he
would have transferred to Corbin had he not been
absent, i. e., he wanted credit for the part of his
time in military service following the reduction
and transfers. Haynes claimed he should have a
higher position with another railroad, with appro
priate seniority and pay because, due to his sen
iority, he would have been promoted to that
position during the period of his military service.
Both actions were dismissed as moot in the
District courts because, when the motion to dis
miss was filed, more than a year had elapsed since
each veteran’s return to his employment. The
legal theory applied was that seniority is protected
by the reemployment statutes for only the first
Statutory Seniority— Year After Reemployment.
18 C l a y v. C a l l a w a y (U. S. C. A. (5th), N ov. 18, 1949).
17 O a k l e y v. L o u i s v i l l e & N a s h v i l l e R . R . C o . , H a y n e s v. C i n c i n n a t i ,
O r l e a n s & T e x a s P a c i f i c R w y C o . (U. S. Sup. Ct., N ov. 14,1949).
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
N ew
MONTHLY LABOR
year after such return. The Supreme Court, on
the contrary, held the cases were not moot and
remanded them for appropriate further proceed
ings.
The veteran, said the Supreme Court, “assumes
upon his reemployment, the seniority he would
have had if he had remained in his civilian employ
ment. * * * The act added special statutory
protection, for 1 year, against certain types of
discharges or demotions that might rob the
veteran’s reemployment of its substance, but the
expiration of that year did not terminate the right
of the veteran to the seniority to which he was in
the first instance entitled by virtue of the act’s
treatment of him as though he had remained
continuously in his civilian employment.” The
expiration of the year did not “open the door to
discrimination against him as a veteran.”
The Court also held it error to dismiss Haynes’
complaint, although it was not brought until 3
months after the first year of reemployment. The
provisions for special statutory protection, for 1
year, against certain types of discharges and de
motions was held not to constitute a 1-year
statute of limitations upon the assertion of the
veterans’ initial rights of reemployment .
Decisions of State Courts
The
California Supreme Court held18 that workers
were not entitled to an injunction compelling a
union to admit them to membership until they
had complied or offered to comply with all reason
able conditions of membership prescribed by the
union, even if such compliance or offer to comply
would have been an idle act. The burden of
proof was on the individual workers to show a
union with closed-shop contracts had arbitrarily
closed its membership to them.
Two members of an international union of
moving-picture workers secured work as projec
tionists in the San Francisco Bay area under an
arrangement provided by the international’s con
stitution whereby they kept their membership in
their home locals which were outside that area,
but deposited “working cards” with the local
having jurisdiction in that area. These “outside
members” were not entitled to vote or participate
in meetings of the local, and preference in securing
California— Closed Union— Burden of Proof.
18 D o t s o n v.
I n te r n a t. A llia n c e o f T h e a tr ic a l S ta g e E m p lo y e e s a n d M o v in g
P ic tu r e M a c h in e
O p e r a to r s , e tc ., L o c a l 1 6 8
(Calif. Sup. Ct. Sept. 30, 1949).
REVIEW , JANUARY 1950
DECISIONS OF INTEREST TO LABOR
work was given to members of the local. Bycontracts between the local and theaters in the
area, no work was given to projectionists unless
they were members of the local or dispatched by
it. The “outside members” were entitled by the
international’s constitution to apply for member
ship in the local either on the prescribed applica
tion form or by presenting “transfer cards” from
their home locals to this local. The applications
were subject to approval by the local.
The two “outside members” after working for
several years in the Bay area had consulted a law
firm, which had later written a letter to the inter
national in which the local in the area was accused
of being closed to outsiders. On being referred
to the local, this letter caused much bitterness.
Shortly thereafter these two “outside members”
secured work elsewhere. Subsequent attempts by
them to secure work under the auspices of the local
were rejected. The “outside members” then sued
in the State courts to compel the local to admit
them to membership and to enjoin it from prevent
ing their employment. The trial court granted
this petition, but denied them damages.
On appeal, the State supreme court reversed
the lower court’s decision and ordered the case
remanded for a new trial. The court pointed out
that the “outside members” had not given any
evidence that they had attempted to comply with
local’s conditions for accepting them into full
membership. It was insufficient for them to argue
that such a procedure would have been futile,
since they had not shown that they could meet the
reasonable conditions of membership laid down
by the local. The union’s right to require certain
qualifications for membership was upheld, although
the court pointed out that the union could not
impose arbitrary conditions of membership and
at the same time prevent nonunion workers from
securing employment.
New Jersey —Anti-Injunction Act— “Reasonable
Effort to Settle Strike .” The refusal of an em
ployer to negotiate with a union while strikers
were engaged in mass picketing was held19 by a
State court to be no defense to the grant of an
injunction under the State anti-injunction law.
The union claimed that this refusal to negotiate
showed that the employer had not made every
18 C o n t i n e n t a l P a p e r C o . v. U n i t e d P a p e r
Super. C t., Chanc. D iv., Oct. 5,1949).
8 6 6 5 9 3 — 50------- 6
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
W o rk e rs o f A m e r ic a (C I O ).
69
reasonable effort to settle the strike—a condition
for the grant of an injunction under the act. But
the court pointed out that the employer had en
gaged in negotiations with the union both before
and after the beginning of the strike and the
picketing. It also held that the mass picketing
was illegal, since it was accompanied by threats
and violence against nonstrikers and supervisors
and against employees attempting to enter an
adjoining plant of another employer with whom
the strikers had no labor dispute. Such threats
and violence, it was pointed out, were contrary to
a stipulation made in court by the union to the
effect that such practices would be discontinued.
The employer had continued to negotiate until
after the case had reached court. It was unreas
onable, the court stated, to require further con
tinuance of negotiations in the face of the illegal
picketing.
Wisconsin— Vacation Pay— Time of Vacations .
The Supreme Court of Wisconsin held20 that, in
the absence of a contract to the contrary, the time
of an employee’s vacation is to be fixed by his em
ployer and that an employee taking a vacation at
a different time fixed by his union was not entitled
to vacation pay.
An employee took a vacation in July 1945 during
the period voted for at a union meeting. How
ever, a week after the union meeting, the employer
had informed employees that vacations would
be during certain weeks in August. When he was
not paid for his vacation, the employee sued there
for on the ground that payment was required by a
union contract of February 1943 which provided
that vacation assignments should be made by the
employer to insure orderly continuation of pro
duction, but that the employer agreed to give,
whenever possible, the desired vacation time
indicated by the employee. The court pointed
out that this contract had expired in April 1944,
but that, in any event, it did not authorize em
ployees to take a vacation en masse. The con
tract expressly stated the vacation assignments
should be made by the employer, and not by the
union. An order of the National War Labor
Board concerning industrial relations between the
union and the employer contained no mention of
vacations, although the union had petitioned the
Board in this regard.
(N . J.
20 S k i b b v.
J . I . C ase C o.
(Wis. Sup. Ct. Oct. 11 1949).
November 16
Chronology of
Recent Labor Events
November 12, 1949
T h e N a tio na l L a bo r R e l a tio n s B oard unanimously
set aside an election allegedly won by Local 5 of the
D epartm ent Store Em ployees Union (Ind.) at the Stern
Brothers departm ent store, N ew York City, because the
union’s officers and adherents “w ent far beyond the limits
of legitim ate electioneering,” by assaulting employees,
threatening physical violence and economic sanctions, and
starting a victory celebration before the election was over.
(Source: N L R B release R -259, N ov. 12, 1949.)
November 13
T he N L R B , in the case of Thompson v. Combustion Engi
neering-Superheater, Inc., Chattanooga, Tenn., held
unanim ously that an employer relying upon a State court
decree in discharging an employee is still liable if the
discharge is illegal under the Labor M anagement Relations
Act. The Board, in reversing a State court’s decision
(that the employer was under a contractual obligation to
the union to dismiss the em ployee because of failure to
keep his union membership in good standing), found that
the contract had expired before the em ployee’s dismissal
and that the discharge was therefore illegal under the
LM R A . (Source: N L R B release R -260, N ov. 13, 1949.)
November 14
T h e S u pr em e C ourt of the United States, in the cases of
Oakley v. Louisville & Nashville Railroad Co. and Haynes
v. Cincinnati, New Orleans and Texas Pacific Railway et al.,
held that a veteran’s right to seniority, as protected by the
Selective Training and Service Act, does not terminate
after 1 year of reemployment by his preservice employer.
It continues beyond that period subject only to the lim ita
tions of seniority. (Source: Labor Relations Reporter,
Extra Edition Bulletin, vol. 25, N ov. 14, 1949.)
T h e G e n e r a l E x e c u t iv e B oard of the International
Ladies Garment Workers Union (AFL) made an initial
contribution of $100,000 for the establishm ent of an
officers training school to be located at its headquarters
in N ew York C ity— probably the first full-time day
school of its kind in this country. Arthur A. Elder, former
head of the Extension Service of the University of M ichi
gan, has been named director. (Source: AFL Weekly
News Service, N ov. 22, 1949.)
T h e I n t e r n a t io n a l C o u n c il
of
A l u m inu m W orkers
(AFL) signed contracts w ith the Aluminum Co. of America
along the lines of the Bethlehem formula for approximately
10,000 workers in five plants (see Chron. item of Oct. 31,
1949, M LR, Dec. 1949). (Source: AFL W eekly News
Service, N ov. 22, 1949.)
On December 7, the U nited Steelworkers of America
(CIO) ended its 52-day strike against ALCOA (see chron.
item for Oct. 17, 1949, M LR, Dec. 1949) on terms th at
included a noncontributory social insurance program as
well as a noncontributory pension plan averaging $100 a
m onth (including Social Security benefits) for workers
reaching 65. These more liberal concessions, the company
said, would be extended to the AFL unions of the ICAW .
(Source: N ew York Times, Dec. 8, 1949, and CIO N ews,
Dec. 12, 1949, p. 2.)
November 18
T h e I l l in o is S u pr e m e C o u r t , in deciding against an
appeal brought by the Ford Motor Co., ruled th at 1,025
members of the U nited Automobile Workers (CIO) in
Chicago were entitled to unem ploym ent benefits. Their
unem ploym ent was not caused by a strike but by the
closing of the local Ford plants during the UAW strike in
D etroit. (Source: N ew York Times, N ov. 20, 1949.)
November 20
A ft e r 13 y e a r s , it was announced th at old-age and
survivors insurance taxes on both employers and em ployees
would be increased by law from 1 percent to 1.5 percent
on January 1, 1950. According to the Federal Security
Agency, the new rates will affect 39 million workers and
add 667 million dollars a year to the “trust fund.” Benefits,
however, will remain unchanged. (Source: N ew York
Tim es, N ov. 20, 1949.)
November 15
November 22
T h e U n ited M in e W or k er s of A merica (Ind.) and its
president, John L. Lewis, paid $1,420,000 in fines to the
U. S. D istrict Court a t W ashington, D . C., following a
refusal on November 7 by the Supreme Court to review the
decision in this case (see Chron. item for N ov. 7, 1949,
M LR, N ov. 1949). (Source: U M W Journal, Dec. 1, 1949.)
T h e A m erican T e l e p h o n e a n d T e l e g r a ph C o., the
country’s largest private employer, announced a liberali
zation of its existing noncontributory pension plan covering
all of its 600,000 em ployees to bring the benefits up to
those provided under the Bethlehem formula. (Source:
N ew York Tim es, N ov. 22, 1949.)
70
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a
CHRONOLOGY OF LABOR EVENTS
November 23
T h e U n it e d P a c k in g h o u se W or k er s of A m erica (CIO)
and Armour & Co. agreed on a contract providing pay
increases for approxim ately 18.000 of the union’s 25,000
members. A new feature of the agreement is the guaranty
of 36 hours work for every 5 days worked instead of the
previous 6. (Source: CIO N ews, Dec. 5, 1949, p. 2.)
T h e N L R B barred the Independent Leather Workers
Union from a representation election on the grounds that
it was “ fronting” for the International Fur and Leather
Workers Union (CIO), whose officers had not filed nonCommunist affidavits as required by the LM RA. The
Board reported that, in addition to receiving advice and
assistance from the international, the “ independent” had
also received $4,000 in financial support and had not
changed its officers and executive board. (Source: N L R B
release R -264, N ov. 23, 1949.)
November 25
T he N L R B , in the case of the International Brotherhood
of Electrical Workers, Local No. 16 (AFL) and Al. J.
Schneider, Inc., ruled unanim ously th at a Board of Educa
tion in K entucky is neither an “em ployer” nor a “person,”
but a “political subdivision” of the State and that its
relations with labor unions are therefore beyond the scope
of the LM RA. The company had charged th at the
IB E W violated the secondary boycott provisions of the
LM RA. (Source: N L R B release R -263, N ov. 25, 1949.)
November 27
T h e N L R B ruled unanim ously th at three W est Coast
maritime unions violated the LM RA by perm itting picket
line assaults on employees and erecting barriers across the
entrance to the plant the unions were picketing. The
unions involved are the N ational Union of Marine Cooks
and Stewards, the Pacific Coast Marine Firemen, Oilers,
W atertenders and Wipers Association (Ind.), and Local 12
of the International Longshoremen and W arehousemen’s
Union (CIO). (Source: N L R B release R -265, N ov. 27,
1949.)
November 28
T h e N L R B , in the case of the Ship Scaling Contractors
71
map a campaign to gain the 400,000 members of the
ousted U nited Electrical, Radio and M achine Workers
(for discussion, see M LR, Dec. 1949, p. 640). Over 400
delegates representing 133 locals and 221,325 workers
attended the 4-day convention. (Source: CIO N ews,
Dec. 5, 1949, p. 6.)
November 29
T he 16th a n n u a l C o n f e r e n c e on State Labor Legisla
tion convened in W ashington, D . C., with State labor
commissioners and representatives of organized labor
from 40 States, the D istrict of Columbia, Alaska, Hawaii,
and Puerto Rico attending. (Source: U. S. D ept, of
Labor release, N ov. 29, 1949; for discussion, see p. 39
of this issue.)
December 1
T h e N a tio na l P olicy C ommittee of the U nited Mine
Workers of America (Ind.) unanim ously approved a
resolution decreeing a 3-day week in the anthracite and
bituminous-coal industries, effective December 5. The
order came less than 11 hours after th e expiration of a
3-week resumption of work in the bituminous-coal fields
(see chron. item for N ov. 9, 1949, M LR, Dec. 1949).
(Source: U M W Journal, Dec. 1, 1949 and N ew York
Times, Dec. 2, 1949; for discussion, see p. 54 of this issue.)
On December 8 the U M W announced th at it had signed
contracts providing for a daily wage increase of 95 cents
w ith coal companies producing 7.3 million tons of soft
coal annually, approxim ately 1 percent of national pro
duction. The welfare fund royalty per ton was raised to
35 cents from 20 cents. The normal 5-day week was im
m ediately effective in those mines. (Source: U M W
Journal, Dec. 15, 1949, p. 3.)
T h e N L R B , in a m ove to prevent evasions of the non-
Communist affidavit requirements of the L M R A (see
Chron. item for Oct. 7, 1947, M LR, Jan. 1948) announced
that, effective January 1, 1950, it would reserve the right
to require any union member th at it has reasonable cause
to believe to be performing “ officer” duties to file nonCommunist affidavits with it. (Source: N L R B release
R -268, Dec. 2, 1949.)
December 5
Association of San Francisco and Ship Painters Local 961
T h e S u pr e m e C ourt of the U nited States, in the case of
(AFL), ruled that a controversy leading the local union to
post pickets at piers where members of the International
Longshoremen and W arehousem en’s Union (CIO) were
painting the hulls of ships did not constitute a jurisdic
tional dispute under the LM RA. The picketing was a
protest “against different wage scales between the two
unions and not one of assignment of work.” (Source:
N L R B release R -266, N ov. 28, 1949.)
Colgate-Palmolive-Peet Co. v. N LRB et al., ruled th at a
closed shop contract of indefinite duration, valid in the
State where made, protects an employer from charges of
unfair labor practices under the original N L R A for dis
missing workers expelled from a union for trying to re
place it by a rival union. (Source: Labor R elations
Reporter, Extra Edition Bulletin, vol. 25, Dec. 5, 1949.)
T h e S u pr e m e C ourt of the U nited States, in the case of
T h e International Union of Electrical, Radio and Machine
Workers (IU E -C IO ) convened its first organizational
meeting a t Philadelphia to draw up a constitution and to
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Cole et al. v. State of Arkansas, unanim ously upheld the
constitutionality of the Arkansas “ right to work” statute
making it illegal for tw o or more persons “ to assemble at or
72
CHRONOLOGY OF LABOR EVENTS
near any place where a ‘labor dispute’ exists and by force
or violence prevent or attem pt to prevent any person
from engaging in any lawful vocation.” T he Court con
tended that this interpretation does not abridge the con
stitutional right of freedom of speech or assem bly. (Source:
Labor R elations Reporter, Extra Edition B ulletin, vol.
25, Dec. 5, 1949.)
December 7
T h e A m algamated C lo th ing W o rkers (CIO) and the
Clothing Manufacturers Association, both of which pio
neered noncontributory pensions and social welfare bene
fits, concluded an agreement providing for an increase of
$20 in m onthly pensions for 150,000 of the union’s mem
bers, bringing the average noncontributory m onthly pen
sion (including Social Security benefits) up to $100 for
workers reaching the age of 65. (Source: N ew York
Tim es, Dec. 7, 1949, and CIO N ews, Dec. 12, 1949, p. 3.)
T he I n t e r n a t io n a l C o n fe d e r a t io n of F r e e T rade
U n io n s was established in London in accordance with
plans laid at an earlier session (see Chron. item for June
25, 1949, M LR, Aug. 1949). D elegates representing
about 48 million workers in 52 countries attended the
recent conference. (Source: Labor, Dec. 3 and 10, 1949;
for discussion see M LR, Dec. 1949, p. IV.)
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December 10
T he N L R B , in the case of Andrews Co., Spartanburg,
S. C. v. American Federation of Labor, ruled that an em
ployer is not legally obligated to bargain with a union
th at has not filed non-Com m unist affidavits at the tim e
th at it sought to bargain. In the same case, the Board
also held th at an employer m ay increase wages without
consulting a non-com plying union even though it repre
sents a majority of the workers. (Source: N L R B release
R -270, Dec. 11, 1949.)
December 11
T he N L R B , in overruling the findings of a trial examiner
in the case of Schultz Refrigerated Service v. Local 807 of
the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Chauffeurs,
Warehousemen and Helpers of America (AFL), held that
the use of mobile squads in picketing commercial trucks of
an employer against whom a union has a grievance is not a
violation of the secondary boycott prohibitions of the
LM RA. The Board decided that commercial trucks
“are the necessary instruments of the primary em ployer’s
operations” and found th at the picketing was “within the
im mediate vicinity of Schultz’s own trucking operation
and the aggrieved em ployees’ own em ploym ent.” (Source:
N L R B release R -271, Dec. 12, 1949.)
*
Publications
of Labor Interest
Special Reviews
Enterprise in a Free Society.
B y Clare E. Griffin. Chi
cago, Richard D. Irwin, Inc., 1949. 583 pp. $5.
Unions and Capitalism. B y Charles E. Lindblom. N ew
H aven, Yale U niversity Press, 1949. 267 pp.
$3.75.
Professors Griffin and Lindblom are both followers
of the late Professor Simons of the University of Chicago.
In these books they apply the Chicago school’s wellknown interpretation of liberal economic doctrine to the
general problem of enterprise, and to a specific facet
of that problem, the trade-union movem ent. M any labor
econom ists can be expected to challenge the validity of
the analyses and the conclusions in both books.
In Enterprise in a Free Society, Professor Griffin ex
amines the possibility of maintaining freedom in a society
which is becoming increasingly complex. The objective
of such a society is to see that “as many people as possible
will be as free as possible to seek as successfully as possible
the ends that to them seem good.” Applying this
objective to the various segm ents of our economy, Pro
fessor Griffin emphasizes the need for appreciating their
interdependence rather than their conflict, for guarding
against “a tendency to present every problem as one of
some group against others.”
One such tendency is in labor-management relations.
D evelopm ent of labor unions has led to an abandonment
of the principle of com petition which is deemed so impor
tan t to the free operation of market forces resulting from
substitution of concerted demands by groups of workers
for individual demands of single workers. W ithout judging these combinations as good or bad, the author charges
that such policies, if followed by business, would result in
antitrust prosecutions. The labor-management relation
ship is then examined from the viewpoint of the mutual
interests of these tw o groups: the common interest in a
profitable business, in continuous employment, in per
sonal satisfaction in the job, in a clear definition of job
requirements, in proper utilization of abilities, and in
“shop governm ent.”
E ditor' s N ote.—Correspondence regarding the publications to which
reference is made in this list should he addressed to the respective publishing
agencies mentioned. Where data on prices were readily available, they have
been shown with the title entries
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One does not have to be a Marxist, convinced of the
inevitability of class conflict, to point to the fact th at the
problem of labor-management relations is not centered in
a definition of mutual interests. Rather, it concerns
itself first with differing concepts as to which economic
policies will achieve common interests; and then seeks to
identify those concepts which m ust be sacrificed to others
when any are m utually incom patible.
The crisis of liberalism becomes, for Professor Griffin,
the need to determine the degree to which we m ust
sacrifice the ideal of a pure free market in order to achieve
humanitarianism.
Applying the same analytical m ethodology to a narrower
field, Professor Lindblom concludes th at the free operation
of trade-unions is resulting in the destruction of the price
system . This the unions accomplish through their control
of wages, their system atic disorganization of markets, and
their persistent undercutting of managerial authority.
Professor Lindblom says, in effect, th at w hat seems to
Americans as bread-and-butter unionism in a later stage
of its developm ent is really an early stage of anti-capitalist
trade-unionism. H e has not expanded his work to include
evidence supporting a conclusion of union monopoly
control of wages, nor does he separate and assay the
relative effects upon wages of trade-unions, on the one
hand, and such economic phenomena as labor shortages
and war production requirements, on the other. It would
also have been interesting if he had examined the theory
th at revolutionary unionism in Europe resulted from a
combination of im mature economic developm ent and the
need to fight for political freedom (as contrasted with
American developm ent). Professor Lindblom ’s theory
does not come to grips with this opposite one.
H e is convinced th at industry-wide and national bar
gaining give courage to unionism “to step up its wage
demands in proportion to its new power and prestige.”
H e leaves to others to point out th at it m ight be th at it
is the economic situation in a particular industry which
encourages wage demands, rather than some ogre of union
power.
From Professor Lindblom ’s analysis it m ight be expected
th at the author would recommend im m ediate and drastic
action to curb the power of unions. B ut such is not the
case. Each drastic step examined by Professor Lindblom
either is found wanting as a solution, or creates more
problems than it m eets. Professor Lindblom apparently
reaches the point (as does Professor Griffin) where he
appreciates the inadequacies of com petition as a guarantor
of the efficient operation of the free enterprise system .
H e does not, however, see governmental regulation as the
avenue of reform. H e looks to the labor m ovem ent to
take steps to reform itself because “only the union m ove
m ent is strong enough to carry the main burden of reform
and at the same tim e radical enough to wish to do so.”
It is possible th at the labor m ovem ent will not look
with so much disfavor upon m any of the solutions suggested
in both of these volum es. It is likely, however, to
challenge both the analyses and the policy conclusions
which m ay be derived from them by persons not so closely
identified with traditional economic liberalism.— M. W.
73
74
PUBLICATIONS OF LABOR INTEREST
Cooperative Movement
Directory of Consumers’ Cooperatives in the United States.
Washington, U. S. D epartm ent of Labor, Bureau of
Labor Statistics, 1949. 186 pp. (Bull. No. 959.) 35
cents, Superintendent of D ocum ents, Washington.
The General Farm and National Cooperative Organizations.
Washington, American Institute of Cooperation, 1949.
24 pp., bibliography.
Describes briefly each of the national farm organizations
and cooperative federations (including the Cooperative
League of the U. S. A.) and lists its officers. Appended
is a list of State farmers’ cooperative or agricultural coun
cils.
Cooperation in Canada, 1948— Seventeenth Annual Sum
mary. Ottawa, Dominion Departm ent of Agriculture,
Marketing Service, 1949. 16 pp.; processed.
D ata from this report are given in this issue of the
M onthly Labor R eview (p. 52).
The German Consumers’ Movement, its Past and Future.
B y H . Ever ling. {In Review of International Co
operation, London, August 1949, pp. 210-215.)
Account of the German cooperative m ovem ent before,
during, and since World War II, by the former directorgeneral of the German Cooperative W holesale Society.
Beretning av Norges Kooperative Landsforening for 1948.
Oslo, [1949]. 68 pp.
Report on activities during 1948 of the Union of Co
operatives of Norway and on those of related organizations,
including Nordisk Andelsforbund (the joint wholesale to
which the cooperative wholesales of Norway, Denmark,
and Sweden belong).
Kooperativ Verksamhet, Aren 1945 och 1946.
Stockholm,
Socialstyrelsen, 1949. 56 pp., maps, chart.
Statistics of operation for the local cooperative associa
tions (consumers’ cooperatives, dairies, and productive
cooperatives) and the national cooperative union and
wholesale, Kooperativa Fòrbundet, in Sweden. A résumé
in French and a French translation of the table of contents
are provided.
Cost and Standards of Living
Family Income and Expenditures: Los Alamos,
1948.
Washington, U. S. Departm ent of Labor, Bureau of
Labor Statistics, 1949. 7 pp. (Serial No. R. 1970;
reprinted w ith additional data from M onthly Labor
Review, September 1949.) Free.
Les Budgets Familiaux d’Ouvriers et d’Employés, 1947-48.
By G. Jacquemyns. Brussels, Institut Universitaire
d’Information Sociale et Économique, 1949. 56 pp.
Findings of an investigation of fam ily budgets of manual
and white-collar workers in Belgium. The survey was
intended to provide data for the developm ent of a cost-ofliving index, but the data obtained are not being used for
this purpose as it was found that rent controls, rationing,
and subsidies on basic item s were still exercising an abnor
mal influence on fam ily expenditures in 1947-48. Con
tinuation of the investigation was planned.
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MONTHLY LABOR
Report on an Inquiry Into the Family Budgets of Middle
Class Employees of the Central Government [of India].
Delhi, Office of the Economic Adviser to the Govern
m ent of India, 1949. 314 pp., charts. Rs. 5.
Economic and Social Problems
Cutting Costs in Industry: I, Factory Costs.
By R. Maxil
Ballinger and M alcolm C. Neuhoff. N ew York,
N ational Industrial Conference Board, Inc., 1949.
68 pp., charts. (Studies in Business Policy, N o. 37.)
According to this report, which summarizes data from
a survey of several hundred companies, “cutting costs is
the m ost pressing problem facing industry to d a y .” M ost
companies, it is stated, hope to reduce unit costs by a more
efficient or effective use of men, m oney, and machines, and
expect to be able to lower unit labor costs even though
hourly wages m ay continue to rise. A section of 13 pages
deals w ith personnel management.
Patterns of Anti-Democratic Thought: An Analysis and a
Criticism, with Special Reference to the American
Political Mind in Recent Times. By D avid Spitz.
N ew York, M acmillan Co., 1949. 304 pp. $4.50.
The various anti-democratic writers whose views are
analyzed, criticized, and documented in detail are, first,
those who deny the possibility of democracy, and, second,
those who assert th at democracy is undesirable. The
author concludes, on the basis not only of his criticisms of
opposing doctrines but also of a positive analysis of the
democratic process itself, th at the various attacks on
democracy have failed to validate them selves. The demo
cratic state is described as having tw o central and distinc
tiv e ingredients— the free play of conflicting opinions and
the constitutional responsibility of the rulers to the ruled.
A basic consideration is the fact th at among all the forms
of state, only a democracy provides the necessary m echa
nisms for its own correction. Abuses of power, the author
asserts, m ay arise in any form of government, but only in
a democracy is there a recourse for correction short of
revolution.
Wealth of the American People: A History of Their Eco
nomic Life. B y James A. Barnes. N ew York, PrenticeHall, Inc., 1949. 910 pp., bibliography, maps, charts,
illus. $5.75.
The subtitle describes the volum e more accurately than
the main title. There is little explicit analysis of topics
normally suggested by the term “w ealth.” However, the
author traces, distinctively in many ways, the historical
evolution of the national economy, with emphasis on chang
ing points of view and public policies.
Economic Planning: The Plans of Fourteen Countries with
Analyses of the Plans. By Seymour E. Harris. N ew
York, Alfred A. Knopf, 1949. 577 pp. $4.50.
Passages from official documents, which are described as
giving the essentials of the various plans, comprise most of
this volume. The section on the U nited States, which is
referred to as having only “an approach to planning,” pre
sents excerpts from reports of the Council of Economic
Advisers and the Economic Reports of the President under
the Em ploym ent Act of 1946. The author in, roughly, the
REVIEW , JANUARY 1950
PU BLICATIO NS OF LABO R IN T E R E S T
first hundred pages analyzes the plans, and in the final
chapter discusses them in the light of recent developm ents.
Slave Labor in Russia. W ashington, American Federation
of Labor, 1949. 179 pp.
Collection of articles, documents, speeches, and discus
sions presented by the AFL to the Economic and Social
Council of the U nited N ations in 1949. Part III of the
volum e consists of 13 affidavits by former inm ates of Soviet
concentration camps, testifying to the brutal and inhuman
conditions in Soviet forced labor camps.
Education and Training
Recent
Developments in Apprenticeship. Washington,
1949. 8 pp. (Reprinted from M onthly Labor
Review, August 1949. Reprints are available free
from Bureau of Apprenticeship, U. S. D epartm ent of
Labor, Washington.)
Trends in University Programs for Labor Education,
1946-48. By Caroline F. Ware. (In Industrial and
Labor Relations Review, Ithaca, N . Y., October 1949,
pp. 54-69. $1.25.)
Vocational Guidance in the Argentine Republic. By Juan
Kaplan. (In International Labor Review, Geneva,
August 1949, pp. 132-144. 50 cents. D istributed in
U nited States by W ashington Branch of ILO.)
Vocational Guidance in France. B y Mrs. C. BénassyChauffard. (In International Labor Review, Geneva,
October 1949, pp. 391-408. 50 cents. Distributed
in U nited States by W ashington Branch of ILO.)
Holidays With Pay
Holidays With Pay: Public Holidays and Weekly Rest
Days. (In International Labor Review, Geneva,
July 1949, pp. 48-66; August 1949, pp. 155-162. 50
cents each. Distributed in United States by Wash
ington Branch of ILO.)
The article in the July International Labor Review
summarizes provisions for public holidays with pay, and
the one in the August issue, provisions for weekly rest days
with pay in various countries.
Holidays With Pay in Agriculture.
Geneva, International
Labor Office, 1949. 58 pp. (Report V III (1) pre
pared for 33d Session of International Labor Confer
ence, 1950.) 35 cents. D istributed in United
States by W ashington Branch of ILO.
Industrial Accidents and Accident Prevention
Discussion of Industrial Accidents and Diseases, 1948
Convention of the International Association of Indus
trial Accident Boards and Commissions, New York
City. Washington, U. S. D epartm ent of Labor,
Bureau of Labor Standards, 1949. 336 pp. (Bull.
No. 105.) 60 cents, Superintendent of Docum ents,
Washington.
Review of Fatal Injuries in the Petroleum Industry for 1948.
Washington, American Petroleum Institute, Depart
ment of Safety, 1949. 15 pp.; processed.
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75
Materials Handling: Safe Practices That Save Dollars.
(In
Modern Industry, N ew York, October 15, 1949, pp.
52-56, illus. 50 cents.)
Recommended Good Practice for Safeguarding Flammable
Liquids— Storage and Processing. Hartford, Conn.,
Factory Insurance
diagrams.
Association,
[1949].
119
pp.,
Storage and Handling of Fusees and Torpedoes.
(In
N ational Safety News, Chicago, Novem ber 1949, pp.
36, 37, 48, illus. D ata Sheet D R R 7— 15 cents to
members, 30 cents to nonmembers of N ational Safety
Council.)
Teach Them to Lift.
W ashington, U. S. D epartm ent of
Labor, Bureau of Labor Standards, 1949. 8 pp.,
illus. (Bull. No. 110.) 10 cents, Superintendent of
D ocum ents, W ashington.
Twenty-sixth Annual Report on Safety in Mines Research,
1947- London, M inistry of Fuel and Power, 1949.
94 pp., charts, illus. 2s. net, H. M. Stationery
Office, London.
First report on safety in mines research under the M in
istry of Fuel and Power, to which some functions of the
former Safety in Mines Research Board were transferred
in 1947.
Industrial Hygiene
Dermatological Hazards in the Cigar Industry. B y M. H.
Samitz, M .D ., and others. (In Industrial M edicine
and Surgery, Chicago, October 1949, pp. 434-439.
75 cents.)
Graphite (Plumbago, Black Lead) as a Source of Dusty Lung
Disease. B y Carey P. McCord, M .D . (In Industrial
M edicine and Surgery, Chicago, November 1949, pp.
483-486, bibliography. 75 cents.)
Pneumoconiosis Among Workers in a Plant Engaged in
Grinding Synthetic Abrasive Materials. By Adelaide
Ross Smith, M .D ., and Arthur E. Perina. (In
M onthly Review, N ew York State D epartm ent of
Labor, D ivision of Industrial H ygiene & Safety
Standards, N ew York, August 1949, pp. 29-31,
bibliography.)
Review of Literature on Conditioning A ir for Advancement
of Health and Safety in Mines: Methods of Controlling
the Chemical and Physical Qualities of Underground
Air. B y J. J. Forbes and others. W ashington, U. S.
D epartm ent of the Interior, Bureau of M ines, October
1949. 57 pp.; processed. (Information Circular No.
7528.)
Toxic Eye Hazards.
M anual prepared by Joint Com
m ittee on Industrial Ophthalmology of American
M edical Association and American Academy of
Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology. N ew York,
N ational Society for the Prevention of Blindness, Inc.,
1949. 101 pp., bibliography, diagrams, forms, illus.
(Publication No. 494.) $1.
D eals primarily with eye hazards from toxic chemicals,
and their control. Specifically discusses standards and
PUBLICATIONS OF LABOR INTEREST
76
tests for protective equipment, and suggests emergency
procedures in injury cases. Includes tables of toxic
chemicals, showing main effects of each on the eye.
Labor
E c o n o m ic s
Reynolds.
552 pp.
Labor
York,
$6.35.
R e la tio n s .
B y John G. Turnbull.
N ew York, Social Science Research Council, 1949.
112 pp. (Bull. No. 61.) $1.25.
Survey of social research projects and literature in the
field of labor-management relations.
L a b o r-M a n a g em e n t
By
Charles P. McCormick. N ew York, Harper & Broth
els, 1949. 136 pp. $2.
Account of accomplishments of the "multiple manage
ment plan” in improving plant managem ent and manage
ment-labor relations in the company of which the author
is president. As described by him, “the multiple manage
ment plan is built on a firm concept of putting people first.
The plan operates through a combination of auxiliary
managem ent boards, participation, sponsorship, merit
rating, and two-way communication between all em ployees
and management. A major aim is to eliminate one-man
rule in business and to train and develop young executives
in accordance with their merit, rather than their age.”
T h e P o w e r o f P e o p l e : M u l t i p l e M a n a g e m e n t u p to D a te .
D e c la r a tio n s
of
th e
C h am ber
of
C om m erce
of
th e
U n ite d S ta le s .
W ashington, Chamber of Commerce
of the United States, 1949. 159 pp.
Principles of labor-management relations held by the
organization to be basic are outlined and briefly discussed.
P r o c e e d in g s
of N ew
fere n c e o n
Y ork
L abor:
U n iv e r s ity
T re n d s in
Second
A nnual
C o lle c tiv e B a r g a i n in g
Con
and
Edited by Emanuel Stein. Albany,
M atthew Bender & Co., 1949. 720 pp. $10.
Centering on the general problem of “living together
under the collective agreement,” the papers presented in
this volume deal w ith the Labor M anagement Relations
Act, wages, health and welfare funds, social insurance,
intra- and inter-union relationships, union security, man
agem ent functions, seniority, grievance procedure and
arbitration, and labor-management disputes.
Labor
The N ew
Law .
Y ork
S to r y — A
H i s t o r y o f th e N e w
Y ork
C lo th in g
N ew York, N ew York Clothing
Manufacturers’ Exchange, Inc., 1949. 88 pp., illus.
Spans a 25-year period of constructive relations between
I n d u s try ,
1924~49-
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
A.
B a r g a in in g
Winters.
in
th e
R u b b er I n d u s tr y .
C o lle c tiv e
B a r g a in in g
in
By
th e
B y Martin A. Cohen and
Martin Lieberman. ( I n Industrial and Labor Rela
tions Review, Ithaca, N . Y., October 1949, pp. 3-16
and 17-32, respectively. $1.25.)
M o to r
R e la tio n s .
B y Lloyd G.
Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1949.
As indicated in the preface, this study is based on the
assumption that the United States is in the process of
developing a "highly unionized econom y.” Collective bar
gaining is, therefore, accepted as the major them e of the
study. Following the two chapters of the introduction,
"The Growth of a Working Class” and "W hat is the Labor
Problem?”, the author deals with the trade-union as an
institution, m anagem ent objectives, the bargaining process,
handling of non-wage issues, public control of labor rela
tions, economics of wage bargaining, and the politicoeconomic im pact of trade-unionism.
P o lic y
o f J o in t
Robert
and
N ew
the N ew York Clothing M anufacturers’ Exchange and the
Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America. Employee
benefit programs are briefly dealt with.
A s p e c ts
Industrial Relations
MONTHLY LABOR
F r e ig h t
I n d u s tr y .
A p p r o p r i a te B a r g a in in g U n it C o n tr o v e r s y .
B y Fred
W itney. ( I n Southern Economic Journal, Chapel Hill,
N. C., October 1949, pp. 170-188. $1.25.)
The author examines the manner in which World War
I I — with its conversion of industry to war production—■
and the passage of the Labor M anagement Relations Act
affected the selection by the National Labor Relations
Board of the appropriate bargaining unit in collective bar
gaining. He reviews the controversy concerning the selec
tion of such units where industrial versus craft unions
were involved.
The
I n c r e a s in g
P r o d u c tiv ity
T h ro u g h
L a b o r-M a n a g em e n t
C o
B y Ernest Dale. ( I n Industrial and
Labor Relations Review, Ithaca, N. Y., October 1949,
pp. 33-44. $1.25.)
o p e r a tio n .
W o rk S to p p a g e s
C a u sed b y L a b o r-M a n a g e m e n t D is p u te s in
W ashington, U. S. D epartm ent of Labor,
Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1949. 26 pp., charts.
(Bull. No. 963.) 20 cents, Superintendent of D ocu
ments, W ashington.
1948.
Labor Organizations
P o w e r o f U n io n s .
Statem ents presented to
Com m ittee on Banking and Currency, U nited States
Senate, by Admiral Ben Moreell, William H. Colvin,
Jr., Luke Sawyer, August 24, 1949. N ew York,
American Iron and Steel Institute, 1949. 32 pp.
E c o n o m ic
T h e L a b o r S to r y :
A
P o p u la r H is to r y o f A m e r ic a n
L abor,
B y Aleine Austin. N ew York, CowardMcCann, Inc., 1949. 244 pp., bibliography. $2.50.
Sym pathetic, general historical review of some of the
major milestones in the developm ent of the American
labor m ovem ent. The author, herself a one-time factory
worker, portrays the aspirations and feelings reflected by
many union members.
1 7 8 6 -1 9 4 9 .
W h ite
C o lla r
A n a ly s is
U n io n iz a tio n — U n io n
of
C o n tr a c ts ,
S tr a te g y
P r o b le m s
a fte r
and
T a c tic s ,
U n io n iz a tio n .
N ew York, N ational Industrial Conference Board,
Inc., 1949. 88 pp., charts. (Studies in Personnel
Policy, No. 101.)
E a r ly E n g lis h T r a d e U n io n s .
B y Arthur Aspinall.
London, Batchworth Press, 1949. xxxi, 410 pp. 30s.
Collection of letters, legal opinions, drafts of legislation,
union rules, etc., taken from Hom e Office papers in the
Public Records Office, which deal w ith the history of
trade-unions during the period when th ey were treated
as illegal conspiracies in restraint of trade. A brief
introduction reviews the legal situation from 1790 to 1825.
The
REVIEW , JANUARY 1950
PUBLICATIONS OF LABOR INTEREST
The Miners: A History of the Miners' Federation of Great
Britain, 1889-1910. B y R. Page Arnot. London,
George Allen & Unwin, Ltd., 1949.
raphy, illus. 21s.
409 pp., bibliog
Labor Unions in Postwar Japan. B y William T. Moran.
(In Far Eastern Survey, N ew York, October 19,
1949, pp. 241-248.
25 cents.)
Medical Care and Health Insurance
Cost Estimates for National Health Insurance, 1948. By
I. S. Falk. (In Social Security Bulletin, Federal
Security Agency, Social Security Administration,
Washington, August 1949, pp. 4-10. 20 cents,
Superintendent of D ocum ents, W ashington.)
How Shall We Pay for Health Care?
B y Oscar R. Ewing
and George F. Lull, M .D . N ew York, Public Af
fairs Committee, Inc., 1949. 32 pp., bibliography.
(Public Affairs Pamphlet No. 152.) 20 cents.
The case for compulsory health insurance is presented
by the Federal Security Administrator, and the case for
the expansion of voluntary insurance, by the Secretary of
the American M edical Association. Various other na
tional approaches are summarized and the issues stated.
Group Medicine and Health Insurance in Action.
By
Robert E. Rothenberg, M .D ., Karl Pickard, M .D .,
Joel E. Rothenberg. N ew York, Crown Publishers,
1949. xxviii, 278 pp., forms. $5.
D etailed report on organization, operation, and experi
ence of a physicians’ partnership, the Central Medical
Group of Brooklyn, which is one of 26 such groups or
ganized under the H ealth Insurance Plan of Greater N ew
York to furnish comprehensive medical service to workers
and their families under voluntary health insurance.
The Central Medical Group of Brooklyn serviced, on an
area basis, an average of some 14,000 of the approximately
200,000 members of the H ealth Insurance Plan in 1948.
In this book, the chairman and two other officials of the
medical group discuss such pertinent questions as pro
fessional staffing, method of compensating physicians,
medical standards, utilization of services, patient-doctor
relationships, preventive aspects of the program, and
professional acceptance of group practice under H IP.
On the basis of their experience, th ey outline a plan for
national voluntary health insurance.
Social Medicine, Its Derivations and Objectives: New York
Academy of Medicine Institute on Social Medicine,
1947. Edited by Iago Galdston, M .D . N ew York,
Commonwealth Fund, 1949. 294 pp., bibliographies.
$2.75.
The importance of social, environm ental, and psycho
logical factors in disease and disability among population
groups as well as among individuals is stressed, and also
the need that they be system atically studied and attacked.
The new approach to these problems is illustrated by dis
cussions of the place of programs of nutrition and social
psychiatry in the new field of “social” medicine (as differ
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77
entiated from "socialized” medicine and from medicine
dealing with the individual). An opening chapter on
changing concepts of the relation of medicine to society
serves as background.
Studies in Disability Insurance.
N ew York, State D e
partment of Labor, D ivision of Research and Statistics,
1949. 157 pp. (Special Bull. N o. 224.)
Reprints of four reports issued by the N ew York D e
partm ent of Labor prior to enactm ent of th e N ew York
law of April 13, 1949, requiring paym ent of temporary
disability insurance to workers. In addition to the data
for N ew York, the volum e contains analyses of similar
laws and experience under them in Rhode Island, Cali
fornia, and N ew Jersey, and information on temporary
disability benefits under the Railroad U nem ploym ent In
surance Act.
Health Reference Book, 1948.
Ottawa, D epartm ent of
Trade and Commerce, Dom inion Bureau of Statistics,
Health and Welfare D ivision, 1949. 121 pp., charts.
Contains a section on the history and status of health
insurance in Canada.
The National Health Service, [Great Britain ]. London,
H. M. Stationery Office, [1949]. 36 pp., bibliography,
maps.
6d. net.
Migration
Current Problems of Immigration Policy. B y E. P. H utchin
son. N ew York and W ashington, American Enter
prise Association, Inc., 1949. 38 pp. (N ational
Economic Problems, No. 430.) 50 cents.
Immigration [into United States] from the Western Hemi
sphere. B y K ingsley D avis and Clarence Senior. (In
M onthly Review of Im migration and N aturalization
Service, U. S. Departm ent of Justice, W ashington,
September 1949, pp. 31-39, chart. 10 cents.)
The Adm ission and Resettlement of Displaced Persons in the
United States: A Handbook of Legal and Technical In
formation for the Use of Local Social and Civic Agencies.
B y Frank L. Auerbach. N ew York, Common Coun
cil for American U nity, 1949. 40 pp., forms; proc
essed. 75 cents.
Procedures in the United States for the Admission, Exclusion,
and Expulsion of Aliens. B y Albert E. Reitzel. (In
M onthly Review of Im migration and Naturalization
Service, U. S. Departm ent of Justice, W ashington,
July 1949, pp. 6-13. 10 cents. Reprinted from
Federal Bar Journal, April 1949.)
A Survey of Chinese Emigration.
(In International Labor
Review, Geneva, September 1949, pp. 289-301. 50
cents. Distributed in U nited States by W ashington
Branch of ILO.)
R eviews the situation of Chinese in countries to which
they have migrated, present attitude of different countries
toward Chinese immigration, and Chinese Government
measures for protection of emigrants.
MONTHLY LABOR
PUBLICATIONS OF LABOR INTEREST
78
Handbook for Pension Planning.
Occupations
Careers in Natural Science and Engineering.
Ottawa, D e
partm ent of Labor, Economics and Research Branch,
1949. 108 pp. (Canadian
Occupations, Mono
graphs Nos. 20-35.)
Employment Outlook in Railroad Occupations.
Washing
ton, U. S. D epartm ent of Labor, Bureau of Labor
Statistics, 1949. 52 pp., bibliography, charts, illus.
(Bull. No. 961.) 30 cents, Superintendent of D ocu
ments, Washington.
International
Standard
Classification
of
Older Workers and the Aged
Classified Bibliography on Geriatrics and the Care of the
Aged. B y John J. P. Griffin. Somerville (57 School
80 pp.
Report of the Illinois Public Employees Pension Laws
Commission. [Springfield], 1949. 130 pp.
Soda! Security (General)
Occupations.
Geneva, International Labor Office, 1949. 139 pp.
(Studies and Reports, N ew Series, No. 15.) 75 cents.
Distributed in United States by W ashington Branch
of ILO.)
Report prepared for Seventh International Conference
of Labor Statisticians, Geneva, September 1949.
Street), Mass., the Author, 1948.
B y Flem ing Bomar and
others. W ashington, Bureau of N ational Affairs,
Inc., 1949. 363 pp. $5.
Simple guide to em ployee pension planning, w ith
chapters on essential phases, including bargaining for
pensions, by individual specialists. Contains a glossary
of pension terms.
$1.85.
[Institute on Problems of Aging, Washington University,
St. Louis, April 11-12, 194-9.] (In Journal of Geron
tology, Ann Arbor, Mich., October 1949, pp. 273-317.
$ 2 .)
Condensations of seven papers presented at the insti
tute, dealing with both economic and social aspects.
Proceedings, Institute on the Adjustment of the Aging
Population, February 1~4, 1949, [University of Cali
fornia]. Berkeley, U niversity of California, 1949.
Variously paged; processed.
Summary of Physical Findings of Employees Over Sixty
Years of Age. B y George A. Paul, M .D . (In
Industrial Medicine and Surgery, Chicago, September
1949, pp. 360-364. 75 cents.)
Covers a group of 108 em ployees 60 years of age and
over. Includes comparative data for younger workers.
Pensions
The Background of the Pension Problem.
American Social Insurance.
B y Domenico Gagliardo.
N ew York, Harper & Brothers, 1949. xxiii, 671 pp.,
bibliography. $5.
Comprehensive, concise textbook on social-insurance and
related programs in the U nited States and their evolution.
Various system s are described as to major provisions and
operations in connection w ith basic considerations of oldage, unem ploym ent, occupational injuries, and illness and
disability. In considering problems of illness and dis
ability, the author describes State and railroad temporarydisability programs; discusses prepaid hospital-service and
medical-care plans (largely Blue Cross and medicalsociety); and presents salient provisions of some Federal
health-insurance proposals made since 1939.
Earners and Their Dependents in the Population in April
1948. B y Jacob Fisher. (In Social Security Bulletin,
Federal Security Agency, Social Security Administra
tion, W ashington, September 1949, pp. 3 -7 , 18, 19.
20 cents, Superintendent of D ocum ents, W ashington.)
Provides a basis for estim ating number of beneficiaries
under social-insurance programs.
Coverage of the Self-Employed Under Old-Age and Sur
vivors Insurance: Foreign Experience. B y Wilbur J.
Cohen. (In Social Security Bulletin, Federal Secu
rity Agency, Social Security Administration, W ash
ington, August 1949, pp. 11-15. 20 cents, Super
intendent of D ocum ents, W ashington.)
Aspects of Social Reforms in Guatemala, 1944~49.
B y Leo
A. Suslow. Ham ilton, N. Y., Colgate U niversity,
1949. 133 pp., bibliography, maps, illus.; processed.
(Area Studies, Latin American Seminar Reports,
No. 1.) $1.50.
B y Ewan
Clague. W ashington, U. S. D epartm ent of Labor,
Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1949. 7 pp.; processed.
Address by U . S. Commissioner of Labor Statistics
before Machinery and Allied Products Institute, Wash
ington, December 3, 1949.
Social Legislation in Japan. B y Beatrice G. Reubens.
(In Far Eastern Survey, N ew York, N ovem ber 16,
Contributory vs. Non-contributory Pensions.
Wages, Salaries, and Hours ©f Labor
Princeton,
N . J., Princeton University, Industrial Relations
Section, N ovem ber 1949. 4 pp. (Selected Refer
ences, No. 30A.) 15 cents.
Funding a Pension Plan.
B y F. Beatrice Brower. (In
M anagement Record, N ational Industrial Conference
Board, Inc., N ew York, N ovem ber 1949, pp. 466-468,
502.)
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1949, pp. 269-275.
25 cents.)
Hourly Earnings by Industry, Selected Wage Areas, Sep
tember 1948-January 1949. W ashington, U. S. D e
partm ent of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1949.
12 pp. (Bull. No. 969; reprinted from M onthly Labor
Review, M arch-M ay and August 1949.) 10 cents.
Superintendent of D ocum ents, W ashington.
REVIEW, JANUARY 1950
Salaries of Office Workers in Large Cities, 1949: Part I,
Hartford, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Philadelphia, St.
Louis. W ashington, U. S. D epartm ent of Labor,
Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1949. 58 pp. (Bull.
No. 960-1.) 20 cents, Superintendent of D ocum ents,
W ashington.
D ata for the 12 other cities covered in this survey will
be published in parts 2 -4 of Bulletin No. 960.
Wages and Hours in the Beauty Service Industry, New York
State, 1947-48. N ew York, State Departm ent of
Labor, D ivision of Research and Statistics, 1949.
32 pp.; processed. (Publication No. B -26.)
Wage Differentials, by Skill: 1920-48.
By Elizabeth M.
Caselli. ( I n Conference Board M anagement Record,
N ational Industrial Conference Board, Inc., New
York, August 1949, pp. 348-350, charts.)
Wages
and Payroll Statistics. Geneva, International
Labor Office, 1949. 177 pp. (Studies and Reports,
New Series, No. 16.) $1. Distributed in United
States by W ashington Branch of ILO.)
Report prepared for Seventh International Conference
of Labor Statisticians, Geneva, September 1949.
Wages, Income, and Compensation Under Unemployment
Insurance. By Peter D. Shilland. {In Industrial
and Labor Relations Review, Ithaca, N. Y., October
1949, pp. 45-53. $1.25.)
The Question of a Flexible Statutory Minimum Wage.
By
Gustav Peck. W ashington, Library of Congress,
Legislative
Reference
Service,
1949. 26 pp.;
processed. (Public Affairs Bull. No. 73.)
The Use of the Cost of Living Factor in General Wage
Adjustments—A Survey of Recent Experience and
Opinion in New Jersey. B y Richard H. Wood and
John J. Pearce, Jr. N ew Brunswick, N. J., Rutgers
U niversity, Institute of M anagement and Labor
Relations, 1949. 29 pp. (Occasional Studies, No.
1.) $1.25.
Women in Industry
Equal Remuneration for Men and Women Workers for Work
of Equal Value. Geneva, International Labor Office,
1949. 125 pp. (Report V (1) prepared for 33d
session of International Labor Conference, Geneva,
1950. ) 75 cents. D istributed in United States by
Washington Branch of ILO.
Miscellaneous
Labor Offices in the United States and in Canada, September
1, 1949. W ashington, U. S. Departm ent of Labor,
Bureau of Labor Standards, 1949.
N o. 108.)
Inc., 1949.
Czechoslovakia’s New Labor Policy.
Prague, Orbis, 1949.
122 pp., bibliography, charts, illus.
General survey of labor and social welfare policies and
measures adopted or promoted by the Czechoslovakian
Government.
Labor Problems in Greece.
Geneva, International Labor
Office, 1949. 381 pp. (Studies and Reports, N ew
Series, N o. 12.) $2. Distributed in U nited States
by W ashington Branch of ILO.
Report of the International Labor Office Mission to
Greece, O ctober-N ovem ber 1947. Appended are observa
tions of the Greek Government on the M ission’s report,
together w ith the report of the supervisory com m ittee of
the ninth Pan-Hellenic Trade Union Congress, Athens,
M arch-April 1948.
The Colonial
Territories (1948-49) . London, H . M.
Stationery Office, 1949. 136 pp. (Cmd. 7715.)
2s. 6d. net.
In effect, this docum ent is the annual report of the
British Colonial Office. One of the seven chapters is on
economic developm ent, with a brief section on the coopera
tive m ovem ent in the colonies; a chapter on social services
has a section on activities w ith respect to labor.
Labor.
B y P. Sargant Florence. London, H utchinson’s
U niversity Library, [1949]. 230 pp., bibliography,
charts. 7s. 6d.
This general work on labor, primarily in Great Britain,
is divided into four parts: Labor resources and utilization;
Labor in em ploym ent; Unem ploym ent; The direction of
labor policy.
Social Policy of the Peruvian Government.
Lima, Secre
tariat of Public Relations, 1949. 4 pp.
Brief official exposition of the Peruvian Governm ent’s
labor policy.
Yugoslavia.
Discusses the situation as to part-time work, lists its
advantages and disadvantages, and outlines a program of
“research, propaganda, and action” to m eet the need for
more part-tim e work for college-trained women.
80 pp.
W ashington, U. S.
Selective Service System , N ational Headquarters,
Records and Research D ivision, 1949. 22 pp.;
processed.
Trends in Part Time Employment of College Trained Women.
By Eva vB. Hansl. New York, W oman’s Press, 1949.
63 pp., bibliography. $1.
(Bull.
Manpower— [Selected Bibliography).
Turkey:
Washington,
U. S. Departm ent of Labor, W omen’s Bureau, 1949.
31 pp., bibliography, illus. (Bull. No. 231.) 15
cents, Superintendent of Documents, Washington.
34 pp.
Labor Practice: Sources and Working Tools, Administrative
Procedures, Court Practice. N ew York, Prentice-Hall,
The Outlook for Women in Police Work.
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PU BLICATIO NS OF LABO R IN T E R E S T
An Economic Appraisal. B y M ax W eston
Thornburg, Graham Spry, George Soule. N ew York,
T w entieth Century Fund, 1949. 324 pp., illus.
$3.50.
Edited by Robert J. Kerner. Berkeley and
Los Angeles, U niversity of California Press, 1949.
558 pp., bibliography, maps, illus. (U nited N ations
Series.) $6.50.
Symposium of articles by various writers discussing the
geography, people, and history and the economic, social,
cultural, and political conditions of Yugoslavia.
Current Labor Statistics
A
A.—Employment and Pay Rolls
82 Table A -l:
Estimated total labor force classified by employment status, hours
worked, and sex
83 Table A-2: Employees in nonagricultural establishments, by industry division
and group
86 Table A-3: Production workers in mining and manufacturing industries
88 Table A-4: Indexes of production-worker employment and weekly pay rolls in
manufacturing industries
89 Table A-5: Federal civilian employment by branch and agency group
90 Table A-6: Federal civilian pay rolls by branch and agency group
91 Table A-7: Civilian Government employment and pay rolls in Washington, D. C„,
by branch and agency group
92 Table A-8: Personnel and pay in military branch of Federal Government
.—Labor Turn-Over
93 Table B -l : Monthly labor turn-over rates (per 100 employees) in manufacturing
industries, by class of turn-over
94 Table B-2: Monthly labor turn-over rates (per 100 employees) in selected groups
and industries
.—Earnings and Hours
96 Table C-l:
110 Table C-2:
111 Table C-3:
111 Table C -4 :
BO
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Hours and gross earnings of production workers or nonsupervisory
employees
Gross average weekly earnings of production workers in selected
industries, in current and 1939 dollars
Gross and net spendable average weekly earnings of production
workers in manufacturing industries, in current and 1939 dollars
Average hourly earnings, gross and exclusive of overtime, of produc
tion workers in manufacturing industries
81
CURRENT LABOR STATISTICS
D.—Prices and Cost of Living
112 Table D -l:
Consumers’ price index for moderate-income families in large cities, by
group of commodities
113 Table D-2: Consumers’ price index for moderate-income families, by city, for
selected periods
114 Table D-3: Consumers’ price index for moderate-income families, by city and
group of commodities
115 Table D-4: Indexes of retail prices of foods, by group, for selected periods
116 Table D-5: Indexes of retail prices of foods, by city
117 Table D-6: Average retail prices and indexes of selected foods
118 Table D-7: Indexes of wholesale prices, by group of commodities, for selected
periods
119 Table D-8: Indexes of wholesale prices, by group and subgroup of commodities
E.-—Work Stoppages
120 Table E -l:
Work stoppages resulting from labor-management disputes
F.—Building and Construction
121
Table F -l:
Table F-2:
122
Table F-3:
120
123 Table F-4:
124 Table F-5:
Expenditures for new construction
Value of contracts awarded and force-account work started on federally
financed new construction, by type of construction
Urban building authorized, by principal class of construction and by
type of building
New nonresidential building authorized in all urban places by general
type and by geographic division
Number and construction cost of new permanent nonfarm dwelling
units started, by urban or rural location, and by source of funds
N o t e .— Earlier figures in many of th e series appearing in the following tables are shown in th e Handbook of
Labor Statistics, 1947 Edition (BLS Bulletin 916). The H andbook also contains descriptions of the
techniques used in compiling these data and information on the coverage of the different series. For
convenience in referring to the historical statistics, the tables in this issue of the M onthly Labor Review
are keyed to tables in the Handbook.
M LR
ta b le
H andbook
ta b le
M LR
ta b le
H andbook
ta b le
A - l _______ ________ A-12 A -8_______ _______
A -2_______ -----------0) B - l _______ _______
A -3_______ -----------« B -2 ________ _______
A -4_______ -----------(1) C - l________ -----------A -5 _______ ________
A-8 C -2________ -----------A -6 _______ -----------(i) C -3_______ ________
A -7________ ________
A-7 C -4________ -----------i N ot included in 1947 edition of Handbook.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
A-9
B -l
B-2
0)
0)
C-10
0)
M LR
ta b le
D - l ____
D -2 ____
D -3 ____
D -4 ____
D -5 ____
D -6 ____
D -7 ____
H andbook
ta b le
M LR
ta b le
___________ D - l D -8 .
___________
D -2 E - l .
___________
D -2 F - l .
___________ D -4 F-2
___ D -2 and D -3
F -3 .
___________ D -4 F -4 .
__________
D -6 F -5 .
Handbook
table
_
_
.
_
_
D -6
E -3
H -l
H -2
H -4
.
1-3
(>)
82
A :
E M PLO YM E N T
AN D
P A Y
MONTHLY LABOR
R O LLS
A : Employment and Pay Roils.
T able
A -l: Estimated Total Labor Force Classified by Employment Status, Hours Worked, and Sex
Estimated number of persons 14 years of age and over 1 (in thousands)
1948
1949
Labor force
N ov.3
Oct.
Sept.3
Aug.
July 3
June
A.
M ay
Apr.
N ov.3
Jan.
Dec.
61,896
61,546
62,828
63,138
60,388
3, 221
57,167
50,174
40,830
5, 737
1,876
1,730
6,993
4, 591
1, 776
367
260
60, 078
2,664
57,414
50, 651
41,314
5,533
1,899
1,907
6, 763
4,299
1, 725
392
345
61,375
1,941
59, 434
52,059
43,425
5,303
1,844
1,488
7,375
5, 235
1,680
265
196
61, 724
1,831
59,893
51, 932
40, 036
8,469
1,877
1, 549
7,961
5, 485
1,997
279
201
Mar.
Feb.
62,305
Total, both sexes
Total labor force 3_____________________ Civilian labor force-------- ------ -------------------Unem ploym ent________ _____ _________
Employm ent_________ ______ __________
NonagriculturaL _________________
Worked 35 hours or m ore..............
Worked 15-34 hours___________
Worked 1-14 hours 4____________
W'ith a job but not at work 5____
Agricultural . ------------------------------Worked 35 hours or m o r e _____
Worked 15-34 hours...... .......... .......
Worked 1-14 hours 4. __________
W ith a job but not at work 3____
64,363
62, 927
3,409
59, 518
51,640
36,766
11,383
1,991
1,501
7,878
6,205
1,256
238
179
64,021
62, 576
3, 576
59,001
51,290
41,354
6,056
2,027
1,855
7, 710
5,462
1,604
365
279
64, 222
62, 763
3,351
59,411
51,254
27,366
19,683
1,867
2,339
8,158
6,294
1, 455
269
140
65,105
63,637
3,689
59,947
51,441
40, 407
5, 231
1,509
4, 294
8, 507
6, 724
1, 290
264
228
65,278
63, 815
4,095
59, 720
50,073
27,686
14, 701
1,438
6,247
9,647
7,326
1, 871
262
189
64,866
63,398
3, 778
59, 619
49,924
40, 924
5,425
1,525
2, 051
9,696
7, 400
1, 952
228
116
63,452
61, 983
3,289
58,694
49, 720
41,315
5,073
1,778
1,554
8,974
7,159
1,474
211
130
62,327
60, 835
3,016
57, 819
49, 999
40, 761
5, 913
1,888
1,438
7,820
5, 656
1,700
243
221
60,814
3,167
57, 647
50, 254
40, 761
5,964
1,944
1,585
7,393
4,973
1, 833
357
231
Males
Total labor force3_________________________ 45,515
45,413
45, 759
46, 613
46,712
46, 282
45,337
45,143
45,000
44, 721
44,614
45, 012
45,182
44, 099
2,316
41, 783
35, 484
26,629
6,922
870
1.064
6,299
5,335
638
152
173
43,988
2, 563
41,426
35,123
29,631
3,234
901
1,359
6,302
4,896
910
247
249
44, 319
2, 233
42, 085
35,521
20,498
12,663
810
1, 551
6,565
5,465
792
179
128
45,163
2,519
42,644
35,549
29, 277
3,080
593
2,599
7,095
6,019
705
161
209
45, 267
2,845
42, 422
34,799
20,820
9,604
651
3, 723
7,623
6,356
916
185
168
44, 832
2,598
42, 233
34, 796
29,889
3, 004
629
1,274
7,438
6,453
731
148
105
43,886
2,366
41,521
34, 411
29,813
2, 766
780
1,052
7,109
6,249
610
134
115
43,668
2,205
41,463
34, 714
29, 621
3, 237
825
1,032
6, 749
5,372
1,023
153
201
43, 525
2,433
41, 092
34, 622
29,425
3,286
802
1,109
6,470
4,738
1, 294
223
216
43, 229
2,417
40,812
34,689
29, 425
3,199
825
1, 239
6,123
4,344
1,263
270
246
43,161
2, 011
41,150
35,193
29, 888
3,075
879
1,352
5, 957
4,102
1,261
275
318
43, 573
1,411
42,162
35, 991
31,469
2, 678
763
1,082
6,171
4, 813
1, 046
143
170
43, 782
1,231
42, 551
36, 079
29, 442
4, 719
808
1,110
6,472
5,007
1,120
163
182
Civilian labor force..______________________
U nemployment____ ____ ______________
E m ploym ent_________________________
N onagricultural............. .....................
Worked 35 hours or more________
Worked 15-34 hours____________
Worked 1-14 hours 4. __________
W ith a job but not at work 5__
Agricultural_______________________
Worked 35 hours or more_______
Worked 15-34 hours ___________
Worked 1-14 hours 4___________
W ith a job but not at work 3____
Females
Total labor force3____ ____________________
18,848
18,608
18,463
18,492
18, 566
18, 584
18,115
17,184
17,305
17,175
16, 932
17, 816
17, 956
Civilian labor force...............................................
Unem ploym ent_______________________
Employm ent______________ ____ ______
N onagricultural_________ _____ ___
Worked 35 hours or more_______
Worked 15-34 hours________ . . .
Worked 1-14 hours 4-.. _______
W ith a job but not at work 3___
Agricultural_______________________
Worked 35 hours or more_______
Worked 15-34 hours____________
Worked 1-14 hours 4_. . . . ______
W ith a job but not at work 3_.
18, 828
1,093
17, 735
16,156
10,137
4, 461
1,121
437
1,579
870
618
86
6
18, 588
1,013
17, 575
16,167
11,723
2,822
1,127
496
1,408
566
694
118
30
18, 444
1,118
17,326
15, 733
6,868
7,020
1,057
788
1,593
829
663
90
12
18,474
1,170
17,303
15,892
11,130
2,151
916
1,695
1,412
705
585
103
19
18, 548
1,250
17,298
15, 274
6,866
5,097
787
2,524
2,024
970
955
77
21
18, 566
1,180
17,386
15,128
11, 035
2,421
896
777
2, 258
947
1,221
80
11
18, 097
923
17,173
15,309
11, 502
2,307
998
502
1,865
910
864
77
15
17,167
811
16,356
15, 285
11,140
2,676
1,063
406
1,071
284
677
90
20
17, 289
734
16, 555
15, 632
11,336
2,678
1,142
476
923
235
539
134
15
17,159
804
16,355
15, 485
11,405
2,538
1,051
491
870
247
513
97
14
16,917
653
16, 264
15, 458
11, 426
2,458
1,020
555
806
197
464
117
27
17,802
530
17,272
16,068
11,956
2,625
1,081
406
1,204
422
634
122
26
17,942
600
17,342
15, 853
10, 594
3, 750
1,069
439
1,489
478
877
116
19
1 Estimates are subject to sampling variation which may be large in cases
where the quantities shown are relatively small. Therefore, the smaller
estimates should be used with caution. All data exclude persons in institu
tions. Because of rounding, the individual figures do not necessarily add to
group totals.
3 Census survey week contains legal holiday.
* Total labor force consists of the civilian labor force and the armed
forces.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
4 Excludes persons engaged only in incidental unpaid family work (less than
15 hours); these persons are classified as not in the labor force.
3 Includes persons who had a job or business, but who did not work during
the census week because of illness, bad weather, vacation, labor dispute or
because of temporary lay-ofl with definite instructions to return to work
within 30 days of lay-ofl. Does not include unpaid family workers.
Source: U. S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census.
REVIEW , JANUARY 1950
T able
A :
E M PLO YM E N T
A N D
P A Y
83
R O LLS
A-2: Employees in Nonagricultural Establishments, by Industry Division and Group1
[In thousands]
Annual
average
1948
1949
Industry group and industry
Nov.
Oct.
Sept.
Aug.
July
June
M ay
Apr.
Mar.
Feb.
Jan.
Dec.
N ov.
1948
1947
Total employees...... ........................................... 42,695 42, 607 43,464 42,994 42,573 42,835 42, 731 42,966 42, 918 43,061 43,449 45,282 44,815 44,201 43,371
Mining____________ _____ ____ _______ ___
927
M etal_____________________ _____ ____ _
68.1
Iron________________________________
Copper_________ ___________________
Lead and zinc............................................... - ........ Anthracite............................................... .........
Bituminous-coal..............................................
435.9
Crude petroleum and natural gas production___________________ ________
Nonmetallic mining and quarrying____
Contract construction_______________
Manufacturing___________________
94.1
2,245
948
91.8
35.6
21.1
18.0
956
93.8
36.0
21.1
19.0
943
94.5
36. 4
21.2
18.7
968
100.3
36.8
22.2
21.7
974
101.4
36.5
22.8
22.4
984
103.1
36.5
23.2
23.5
981
102.0
35.2
23.5
23.6
886
101.1
35.2
22.5
23.5
991
98.2
35.1
20.0
23.5
1,002
98.5
35.2
20.3
23.5
999
97.2
35.2
19.9
23.2
681
98.5
35.5
22.3
21.7
943
96.8
33.1
22.5
22.9
76.2
75.6
75.7
75.5
77.1
77.0
78.3
78.6
79.5
80.5
80.1
80.0
80.0
79.4
101.0
422.0
424.7
410.1
431.2
438.4
446.4
448.0
455.0
457.5
460.8
458.0
444.9
431.8
256.1
260.3
262.9
263.5
261.9
260.1
258.8
257.4
258.3
260.0
263.7
263.0
257.5
237.3
99.1
97.8
97.5
97.3
94.5
92.5
94.3
99.3
100.8
100.1
97.8
2,277
2,205
2,137
2,036
1,947
1,928
2,016
2,200
2,287
2,165
1,982
95.6
2,310
98.4
2,341
99.1
2,340
13,741 13,903 14,312 14,114 13, 757 13, 884 13,877 14,177 14,475 14,649 14,782 15,174 15,368 15,286 15,247
Durable goods *_________________ 7,019
Nondurable goods 3........................ 6,722
Ordnance and accessories.................. ...........
21.7
Food and kindred products____________ 1,532
Meat products__________ ___________
Dairy products_____________________
Canning and preserving____________
Grain-mill products... ...........................
Bakery products.____ ______________
Sugar_________________ ____________
Confectionery and related products___
Beverages___ ______________________
Miscellaneous food products.............. .
Tobacco manufactures_________________
Cigarettes__________________________
Cigars____ ___________ ____ _________
Tobacco and snuff_______ ________
Tobacco stemming and redrying______
96
Textile-mill products__________________ 1,266
Yarn and thread mills______________
Broad-woven fabric m ills____________
Knitting mills . ____ _ _________
Dyeing and finishing textiles________
Carpets, rugs, other floor coverings___
Other textile-mill products___________
Apparel and other finished textile products______________________________ 1,120
M en’s and boys’ suits and coats______
M en’s and boys’ furnishings and work
clothing__________________________
Women’s outerwear_________________
Women’s, children’s undergarments__
M illin ery ... _____________ ________
Children’s outerwear________________
Fur goods and miscellaneous apparel ..
Other fabricated textile produ cts........ .
Lumber and wood products (except furniture)____________________ _______
Logging camps and contractors_______
Sawmills and planing m ills. ...................
Millwork, plywood, and prefabricated
structural wood products__________
Wooden containers............. .................. .
Miscellaneous wood products............ .
593
64.1
8.6
21.2
17.0
750
—
7,006
6,897
22.6
7,416
6,896
22.7
7,302
6,812
22.6
7,255
6,502
23.8
7,392
6,492
25.3
7,441
6,436
26.1
7, 656
6, 521
27.3
7,819
6,656
27.9
7, 923
6,726
28.0
8,044
6,738
28.2
8,258
6,916
27.9
8, 352
7,016
28.2
8,315
6, 970
28.1
8, 373
6,874
26.9
1, 627 1,700 1, 718 1, 585 1,501 1,436 1,410 1,406 1, 414 1,439 1,513 1,570 1,536 1, 532
293.4 287.0 285.9 284. 7 282.7 277.5 274.8 282.6 289.4 298.8 304.8 291.7 271.2 275
142.3 149.8 156. 5 162.3 161.6 153.9 146.3 141.4 136.7 134.0 136.3 140.7 147.7 148.0
256.2 349.9 369.8 247.3 194.5 156.4 150.1 134. 6 133.0 143.7 172.7 199.7 222.0 223.5
127.0 124.0 122.5 121.8 119.4 118.7 116.4 117.8 118.9 118.8 119.2 120.8 117.7 116.9
290.6 288.7 288.0 281.9 282.3 276.1 273.9 271.7 278.6 279.8 286.3 286.4 282.9 274.9
49.9
35.5
27.1
27.4
34.5
26.9
28.8
38.4
26.7
48.4
26.8
29. 9
27.8
30.7
92.9
96.3 100.5 109.0 114.8 100.2
91.5
98.5
87.1
84.9
113.3 105. 2
83. 7
92.5
214.0 221.6 232.6 235. 7 210.5 204.4 194.0 205.6 199.6 200.8 213.2 224.1 218.6 211.9
142.2 142.7 140.2 140.0 138.5 135.5 136.2 132.5 134.2 133.9 136.3 141.7 141.3 144.1
99
101
26. 9
27.0
45.8
45.2
13.1
13.1
13.0
16.1
98
26 9
44.3
13.1
14.1
89
27.0
42.9
12.5
6. 7
91
26.9
44.4
13.0
6.7
90
26.8
43.3
12.6
6.9
90
26.3
42.9
12.8
7.5
92
25.8
45.4
13.1
7.8
95
25.8
45.5
13.3
10.0
96
26.2
45.3
13.7
11.2
100
26.6
48.4
13.9
11.3
104
27.3
50.4
13.8
12.2
100
26.6
48.3
13.7
11.2
104
26.2
49.4
14.8
13.0
1,255 1, 218 1,179 1,145 1,170 1,175 1,188 1,240 1,279 1,288 1,324 1,333 1,362 1,325
153. 2 148.3 141.4 135.3 140.7 141.4 142.9 153.1 159.0 162.4 167.2 166.6 177.6 179.5
594.8 576.7 559.8 548.1 555.2 557.1 560.3 589.5 613.4 621.4 637.7 640.4 645.7 618.3
244.6 236.9 228 7 218.1 220.8 220.1 225.1 228.6 231.8 229.2 237.2 242.8 249.0 242.4
89.9
89.6
88.4
87.9
89.8
87.1
87.9
86.8
85.4
83.4
86.9
85.1
81.3
82.6
65.8
64.9
65.8
64.8
57.3
61.7
63.5
64.6
58.5
56.9
55.8
50.9
57.7
55.3
118.2 115.5 111.0 111.1 113.4 112.1 111.3 117.4 121.6 122.6 126.3 127.7 135.2 140.9
1,197 1,197 1,155 1,055 1,073 1,070 1,121 1,166 1,171 1,129 1,155 1,174 1,162 1,130
141.7 145.9 143.5 128.8 134.7 131.8 147.3 150.7 152.5 149.2 148.8 149.5 154.4 151.2
268.8
343.5
106.7
23.8
68.4
98.2
146.3
264.2
353.4
103.7
24 0
67.9
95.5
142.3
253.1
341.1
98.2
23.1
67.3
91.1
137.9
239.3
296.5
90.8
20.4
63.4
84.7
131.0
253.8
292.1
92.5
17.3
62.3
86.4
133.7
257.4
290.7
94.1
20.3
57.3
83.4
135.1
258.9
322.0
95.1
23.1
58.5
83.0
133.1
260.2
352.3
97.3
25.6
63.0
84.4
132.3
259.0
359.7
97.9
25.5
62.3
84.1
129.9
243.1
349.6
96.5
23.5
59.7
81.4
126.2
254.3
350.2
99.1
21.9
58.7
91.5
130.7
264.5
349.9
101.4
20.4
60.6
95.4
131.9
269.1
342.4
97.4
22.9
59.5
90.1
125.6
269.8
336.4
90.8
23.9
53.1
83.5
121.6
751
63.6
444.0
744
59.1
445.9
747
62.3
444.8
736
62.7
436.8
747
63.8
442.1
733
63.3
430.4
719
58.1
418.8
719
60.3
415.6
714
58.8
408.5
726
58.9
416.9
780
67.2
450.5
816
75.8
474.2
812
72.8
472.9
838
81.1
488.3
114.4
72.1
56.8
110.4
71.8
56.7
109.4
72.0
58.1
106.6
71. 7
58.0
108.4
73.7
58.8
106.2
73.7
59.2
108.1
73.4
60.3
107.9
73.5
61.4
109.7
74.5
62.2
112.0
76.4
62.1
118.4
80.0
63.7
120.3
81.2
64.2
119. 5
81.8
65.2
113.2
87.3
68.4
Furniture and fixtures............ ....... ..............
Household furniture________________
Other furniture and fixtures__________
323
327
231.2
96.0
320
224.4
95.5
305
212.3
92.5
295
204.0
90.9
298
205.5
92.8
301
207.9
93.2
311
215.9
94.6
316
219.7
95.8
320
223.3
97.0
325
226.9
98.4
339
238.5
100.5
346
245.1
101.1
348
247.0
100.9
340
243.9
96.1
Paper and allied products............................
Pulp, paper, and paperboard mills____
Paperboard containers and boxes_____
Other paper and allied products.............
See fo o tn o te s at end of table.
457
455
227.4
124.2
103.8
448
225.7
119.4
102.9
436
219.5
114.9
101.2
429
217.8
110.6
100.9
434
221.7
111.4
100.8
437
223.3
111.5
101.9
442
226.2
113.0
102.6
451
231.5
115.0
104.8
456
233.9
116.6
105.9
463
237.4
119.4
106.3
475
240.7
125.5
109.1
477
240.7
126.9
109.8
470
240.7
121.4
107.6
465
234.0
122.1
108.7
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
84
A : E M PLO YM E N T
A N D
P A Y
MONTHLY LABOR
R O LLS
T a ble A -2 : Employees in Nonagricultural Establishments, by Industry Division and Group1—Con.
[In thousands]
1949
Annual
average
1948
Industry group and industry
N ov.
Manufacturing—Continued
Printing, publishing, and allied indus
tries. ............... .............. ........................
Newspapers—..............................................
Periodicals......................... .........................
Books....... .....................................................
Commercial printing______ _____ ____
Lithographing..................... ......................
Other printing and publishing...............
Oct.
Sept.
Aug.
July
June
M ay
Apr.
Mar.
Feb.
Jan.
Dec.
Nov.
1948
1947
733
733
289.6
53. 2
41.6
199. 5
41.4
107.9
724
285.8
53.3
41.5
196.0
40.7
107.1
719
285.2
52.7
41.5
193.1
40.2
106.3
716
283. 5
52.2
41.4
195.5
39.7
103.8
725
283.8
51.9
44.8
196.4
40.2
107.9
722
280.8
53.4
45.0
194.9
40.6
107.6
722
277.9
54.1
45.0
195.6
41. 2
108.4
723
276.6
54.7
45.1
196.0
41.3
109.1
726
275.0
54.9
45.4
198.8
41.0
110.5
729
274.7
54.8
45.6
201.5
41.6
111.1
739
276.9
55.9
46.1
203.0
43.8
113.3
736
274.8
55.9
46.2
199.9
44.7
114.6
725
267.5
54.7
46.6
197.5
45.1
113.3
709
248.5
56.5
48.6
191.0
48.2
115.6
Chemicals and allied products...............
Industrial inorganic chem icals..........
Industrial organic chemicals................
Drugs and medicines______________
Paints, pigments, and fillers...............
Fertilizers.................. ......................... .
Vegetable and animal oils and fa ts...
Other chemicals and allied products.
661
666
67.5
185.8
94.1
67.9
31.8
65.0
153.9
655
66.0
184.7
93.1
66.1
32.3
58.9
153.7
636
65.7
180.3
92.0
65.8
30.4
48.7
153.0
630
66.6
181.1
90. 7
64.9
29.6
46.5
150.1
642
654
68.6
69.0
185.0 188.3
91.6
91.1
66.7
67.3
30.6
36.4
48.5
50.5
150.5 .151.7
675
70.0
195.9
91.5
67.7
42.3
54.5
152.9
691
70.9
205.7
91.7
68.1
43.2
57.0
154.1
693
71.1
211.4
91.8
68.7
38.8
58.2
152.7
700
72.6
212.4
91.8
69.6
35.5
60.4
158.1
709
72.9
214.1
90.2
69.9
33.7
63.0
165.2
713
71.9
214.6
90.4
70.6
33.2
64.6
167.8
699
70.9
210.3
89.5
70.7
35.9
56.2
165.0
692
66.6
205.5
93.6
68.3
36.7
55.7
165.3
Products of petroleum and coal______
Petroleum refining................... .........
Coke and byproducts..........................
Other petroleum and coal products.
242
241
197.6
13.2
30.4
247 T
198.9
19.3
28.4
247
200.2
19.5
27.7
246
199.9
19.8
26.3
246
198.9
20.5
26.6
246
198.0
20.7
27.1
246
199.1
20.5
26.1
245
198.5
20.4
25.6
246
199.6
20.5
25.7
247
200.4
20.4
25.8
249
200.4
20.4
28.3
251
200.0
20.2
31.1
250
199.1
20.0
30.8
239
189.3
18.6
31.2
Rubber products_______
Tires and inner tubes. .
Rubber footwear..........
Other rubber products.
238
234
103.3
26.4
104.6
211
82.4
25.9
102.7
227
103.5
25.2
98.3
224
104.9
24.9
94.0
230
110.2
24.6
95.0
233
111.2
25.2
96.9
238
112.8
26.2
99.3
243
113.1
26.7
103.0
246
113.9
27.8
104.6
251
115.9
29.9
105.2
256
117.5
31.1
107.7
259
119.1
30.7
109.2
259
121.1
29.6
107.9
270
132.4
28.8
109.2
Leather and leather products.
Leather............. .............. ........
Footwear (except rubber)...
Other leather products____
377
390
49.4
249.2
91.2
395
49.2
255. 5
90.5
397
48.3
259.4
89.2
383
47.4
250.9
84.3
380
49.0
247.7
83.4
373
49.1
240.2
83.3
389
49.6
253.1
86.1
399
50.9
259.0
88.7
400
51.7
259.7
88.7
396
52.6
257.4
85.6
396
53.4
253.3
89.4
399
52.6
250. 1
96.6
410
54.2
260.1
95.4
409
55.7
257.3
95.5
Stone, clay, and glass products.............
Glass and glass products.....................
Cement, hydraulic................................
Structural clay products........ .............
Pottery and related products.............
Concrete, gypsum, and plaster products.
Other stone, clay, and glass products.
481
477
123.0
40.3
78.2
57.1
86.6
92.2
482
122.5
42.3
79.3
55.7
87.1
94.6
480
122.2
42.5
79.5
54.9
85,8
94.9
469
116.5
42. 7
79.6
51.5
83.7
94.6
478
121.1
42.5
80.0
55.3
83.3
95.4
482
121.6
42.0
80.1
57.4
83.6
97.3
484
120.0
41.8
80.2
59.9
82.7
99.3
492
123.4
41.4
80.9
61.2
82.8
101.9
498
126. 2
41.6
82.0
61.4
83.1
103.5
504
128.5
41.7
83.3
61.1
85.0
104.3
518
133.7
42.0
86.0
62.7
87.3
106.3
524
136.5
42.2
86.6
62.5
89.0
107.6
514
135.9
40.9
83.4
60.6
87.8
105.9
501
143.8
38.1
76.1
58.8
81.5
102.7
715
Primary metal industries.............................
Blast furnaces, steel works, and rolling
m ills......................................... ...............
Iron and steel foundries_____________
Primary smelting and refining of nonferrous m etals.._____ _____________
Rolling, drawing, and alloying of nonferrous metals.........................................
Nonferrous foundries........... ...................
Other primary metal industries.......... .
Fabricated metal products (except ord
nance, machinery, and transportation
equipm ent)............................................ .
Tin cans and other tinware.....................
Cutlery, hand tools, and hardware___
Heating apparatus (except electric) and
plumbers’ supplies.................. ............
Fabricated structural metal products—
M etal stamping, coating, and engraving.
Other fabricated metal products___
803
Machinery (except electrical)...................... 1,217
Engines and turbines.......... .................. .
Agricultural machinery and tractors...
Construction and mining m achinery...
Metalworking m a ch in ery ......................
Special-industry machinery (except
metalworking machinery)............. ......
General industrial m ach in ery..._____
Office and store machines and devices.
Service-industry and household ma
chines___________________________
Miscellaneous machinery parts_______
Electrical machinery__________________
Electrical generating, transmission,
distribution, and industrial appa
ratus...................... ...................................
Electrical equipment for vehicles_____
Communication equipment...................
Electrical appliances, lamps, and
miscellaneous products_________
See fo o tn o te s a t end o f tab le.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
756
1,099
1,092
1,095
1,135
1,158
1,195
1,229
1,245
1,257
1,267
1,265
1,247
1,231
199.2
198.3
574.0
200.6
572.0
205.5
581.3
204.4
599.1
212.3
610.8
214.9
621.9
227.3
628.3
242.4
628.9
248.6
47.5
51.0
50.3
51.5
54.0
54.7
56.1
56.0
55.3
55.2
55.2
55.5
55.6
55.1
85.4
76.4
108.1
83.0
74.0
115.9
79.9
71.1
113.1
78.4
70.5
109.3
81.1
71.9
116.3
84.2
73.0
119.9
88.8
75.4
125.7
95.3
78.2
129.1
99.6
80.9
131.5
102.9
85.0
133.3
103.8
85.8
133.9
104.0
86.3
133.3
103.8
85.2
130.7
111.5
85.9
132.3
837
46.2
140.2
863
.9
137.1
843
49.4
135.2
826
47.7
133.1
836
47.1
138.0
843
44.2
140.7
867
43.8
145.2
890
44.6
148.8
917
44.9
152.8
932
46.2
154.5
966
47.9
158.7
980
48.8
156.8
976
48.7
154.4
995
47.7
156.5
141.6
181.4
148.7
178.9
134.7
201.9
152.2
188.5
124.5
201.8
146.6
185.1
117.4
201.1
142.9
184.2
118.6
202. 6
142.5
187.3
123.3
202.3
140.2
191.8
129.4
204.0
145.7
199.1
134.5
206.8
151.0
204.6
139.7
210.5
157.1
211.5
145.2
212.5
159.9
213.8
159.1
216.6
165.4
217.9
168.3
217.7
169. 7
219.1
165. 8
215.9
172.2
219.0
174.3
206.7
180.4
229.1
626.1
254.9
627.4
260. 5
623.5
262.6
612.0
259.3
589.0
256.8
1,222 1,237 1,229 1,241 1,285 1,327 1,385 1,431 1,458 1,481 1,509 1,518 1,533 1,535
69. C 71.8
64.5
66.9
75.0
77.5
80.1
81.9
83.0
67.6
83.7
83.7
83.8
83.9
166.1 178.9 179.4 178. 7 183.7 187.1 190.0 192.5 193.8 194.6 194.9 193.5 191.3 178.9
88.6
95.6 101.9 106. C 111. 4 114.8 116.5 118.6 120.4 121.8 122.6 120.2
90.5
01.1
197.9 199.4 197.4 198.2 205.8 212.8 219.0 223.2 226.3 232.9 237.9 238.1 239.5 248.3
158. 9
175.0
88.8
162.0
177.6
88.6
161.8
177.9
86.8
163.8
179.7
87.8
169.3
184.0
89.7
175.6
189.2
90.5
181.6
194.5
91.3
188.4
200.2
94.8
192.0
204.3
97.1
195.0
207.1
98.1
197.5
209.3
101.9
198.1
209.4
103.3
201.9
209.8
109.1
204.4
208.6
108.2
136.7
143.5
130. f
143.3
126.0
141.3
126.4
142.2
133.2
145.3
136.9
153.6
158.8
161.1
167.0
169.9
169.1
176.6
172.5
179.6
180.8
182.1
187.4
183.1
191.3
183.4
184.8
197.3
755
736
712
712
725
746
770
795
818
834
853
860
869
918
288.9
65. i
271.1
286.4
65. ‘
258.0
281.9
63. ‘
250.2
280.6
62. :
253.7
284.2 292.9
62. (
63. ‘
261. C 266.0
303.2
64.2
270.7
310.1
67.2
278.4
314.8
67.6
291.0
314.8
68.2
302.7
321.3
69.Í
311.3
325.6
69.6
312.3
332.9
69. (
312.2
343.5
74.3
336.2
128.9
125.9
116.5
115.4
117.9 ! 123.3
131.7
139.2
144.4
148.0
150.8
152.7
154.8
164.0
REVIEW , JANUARY 1950
A :
E M PLO YM E N T
A N D
P A Y
85
R O LLS
T able A-2: Employees in Nonagricultural Establishments, by Industry Division and Group1—Con.
[In thousands]
1949
Annual
average
1948
Industry group and industry
Nov.
Manufacturing—Continued
Transportation equipment_____________
Automobiles________________________
Aircraft and parts___________________
A ircra ft._________________________
Aircraft engines and p a r t s ...______
Aircraft propellers and parts________
Other aircraft parts and equipm ent..
Ship and boat building and repairing..
Ship building and repairing4_______
Railroad equipm ent___ _____________
Other transportation equipment______
Oct.
Sept.
Aug.
July
June
M ay
Apr.
Mar.
Feb.
Jan.
Dec.
Nov.
1948
1947
1,096 1,206 1,240 1,224 1,242 1,224 1,183 1,242 1,248 1,245 1,267 1,282 1,277 1, 263 1,263
787.1 810.1 807.0 799.0 775. 6 726.9 777.9 775.6 772. 5 794. 0 803. 7 799.6 792. 8 776.2
255.7 258.3 252. 2 259.6 253.7 254.1 259.3 259. 4 256.0 254. 9 252. 2 248.6 228.1 228.6
169.3 171. 2 171. 7 172.8 169.3 169. 8 171.0 171.0 168.9 168. 5 168.3 166.3 151. 7 151. 4
52.4
52.3
53.1
53.8
53.0
52.8
46.2
52.3
52.2
52.1
49. 9
50. 4
46.7
47.8
8.2
8.2
7.8
8.2
8.0
8.1
7.7
7.7
7.6
7.6
7.7
7.6
7. 4
7. 4
25.9
26.5
22.7
27.6
26.3
26.3
23.2
27.9
25. 8
22. 4
27.3
26.7
24.8
22 0
83.0
88.7
94.6 100.6 103.7 108.2 109.0 113.6 116.4 118.1 123. 3 124. 4 140. 7 159.4
91.3
95.1
72.7
78.0
95.9 100.3 102. 2 103. 7 109.0 110.1 124.2 137.3
83.3
88.8
68.4
71.2
81.2
83.0
84.6
87.5
88.2
59.3
87.6
88.0
73.3
87.3
84.8
81.4
11.4
12.0
9.6
10.5
11.1
11.5
11.5
10.5
9.3
12.3
15.0
16.6
16.8
17.0
Instruments and related products............
Ophthalmic g o o d s ...______ _________
Photographic apparatus...........................
Watches and clocks.... ...............................
Professional and scientific Instruments.
235
235
25.8
49.7
32.2
127.1
233
26.0
49.5
31.7
125.8
230
26. 2
50.1
30.6
123.3
231
26.2
51.2
29. 4
123.7
236
27.0
53.0
30.6
125.8
238
27.3
53.8
30.6
126.3
242
27.7
55.6
31.1
128.0
245
28.0
56.1
31.6
129.0
246
28.1
56. 7
32.0
129.4
251
28.0
57.7
33.8
131.7
258
28. 2
59.1
37.6
133.3
259
28.1
59.6
40.5
130.4
260
28. 2
60.3
40.8
130.5
265
30.1
61.6
41.3
131.9
Miscellaneous manufacturing industries..
Jewelry, silverware, and plated ware—.
Toys and sporting goods_____________
Costume jewelry, buttons, n o tio n s___
Other miscellaneous manufacturing in
dustries__________________________
455
458
57.4
77.3
64.2
439
54.9
72.3
62.9
417
52.5
70.3
58.1
384
49.0
63.8
52.8
403
53.4
65.3
51.6
404
54.3
65.6
50.1
414
55.7
66.5
53.3
426
57.1
66.4
67.8
434
58.5
67.0
60.0
439
58.7
66.9
59.4
458
60.5
73. 2
61.7
479
61.9
82.3
64.6
466
60.3
80.8
62.3
461
58.1
80.0
61.0
258.6
248.5
236.4
218.0
232.6
233.5
238.6
244.9
262.4
248.7
254.1
270.0
262.8
262.3
Transportation and public utilities________
Transportation........................... ....... ............
Interstate railroads...................................
Class I railroads______ ________ . .
Local railways and bus lines_________
Trucking and warehousing . ________
Other transportation and services........ .
Communication.................. ............... .......
Telephone_________ ______________
Telegra ph..................................................
Other public utilities_________ _________
Qas and electric ulitities...........................
Local utilities_____ _____ ___________
3,896 3,873 3,959 3,992
2,691 2,665 2,739 2,760
1,258 1,339 1,375
1,090 1,166 1,202
157
' 156
157
555
568
539
688
683
689
676
666 669
685
618.5 624.7 632.9
49.4
50.1
51.6
544
547
539 539
513.8 518.7 521.4
24.9
24.7
25.3
4,007 4, 031 4.021 3,991
2,771 2,800 2,792 2, 761
1,381 1,410 1,416 1,387
1, 208 1,230 1,237 1, 215
161
159
159
' 158
532
532
537
540
691
685
681
695
691
695
691
698
638. 2 636. 6 639.1 641.1
53.1
54.5
65.4
52.3
534
532
540
545
520.0 515.2 509.3 507.0
24.4
24.8
24.8
25.0
3,875 4,024
2, 745 2, 795
1,370 1,414
1,198 1,231
' 160
' 161
538
544
677
676
700
701
643. 5 643.8
55.3
56.0
530
528
504.9 504-2
24.6
23.4
4,054
2, 829
1,440
1, 255
' 161
549
679
699
640.6
56.9
526
502.9
23.5
4,158 4.166
2, 928 2, 937
1, 504 1, 517
1,306 1,329
’ 162
162
571
579
691
679
702
702
043.6 643.0
57.8
58.3
527
528
504.9 503.3
23.4
23.4
4, 151
2,934
1, 517
1,327
' 163
566
687
696
634.2
60.8
521
497.0
23.7
4,122
2,984
1, 557
1,352
' 185
551
692
646
581.1
63.4
492
469.5
22.6
Trade__________________ ____ ________ _
Wholesale trade........... ..................................
Retail trade..... ................................................
General merchandise stores......................
Food and liquor stores_________ _____
Automotive and accessories dealers.......
Apparel and accessories stores________
Other retail tra d e......................................
9,579 9,503 9,409 9,213
2. 530 2.549 2, 538 2.515
7,049 6.954 6,871 6,698
1,572 1,487 1, 428 1,337
1,199 1,202 1,191 1,181
692
688
700 696
546
557 556
486
3,021 3,013 3,014 3,006
9, 220 9, 336 9,342
2,472 2,491 2,482
6, 748 6,845 6, 800
1.356 1,401 1,434
1,201 1,208 1, 203
061
670
679
564
553
507
3,005 3,013 2, 998
9,478
2, 504
6, 974
1, 515
1,204
658
616
2,981
9,310
2, 523
6, 787
1,411
1,193
648
548
2,987
8,292
2, 541
6, 751
1,386
1,184
647
534
3,000
9,388
2,559
6, 829
1,423
1,186
653
554
3,013
10,273
2, 595
7, 678
1,990
1,208
668
670
3,142
9, 807
2,012
7,195
1,647
1,197
654
608
3,089
9,491
2, 533
6, 958
1,470
1,195
634
677
3,081
9,196
2,410
6, 785
1,389
1,161
581
567
3, 088
Finance................... ......................................... .
Banks and trust companies____________
Security dealers and exchanges_________
Insurance carriers and agents___________
Other finance agencies’and real estate___
1,764
1,767
415
54.9
626
671
1,770
417
55.0
626
672
1,780
422
55.4
628
675
1.780
422
55. 7
624
678
1,774
417
55.3
616
686
1.763
413
55.3
612
683
1,757
413
55.4
613
676
1,749
415
55.9
611
667
1,735
413
56.3
006
600
1,731
410
56. 5
602
662
1,724
409
56.9
602
656
1,721
408
57.0
600
656
1,716
403
57.9
589
665
1,641
380
60.1
549
652
Service_____ ________ _____ ______ _______
Hotels and lodging places......... .................
Laundries______________ __________
Cleaning and dyeing plants__________
Motion pictures..'_____________________
4,760
4,792
450
350.1
147.2
238
4,832
474
355.8
146.8
236
4,836
504
358.0
144.2
238
4,851
511
364.0
150.6
239
4, 834
487
361.0
154.1
240
4.804
464
352.6
153.1
238
4.768
451
347.3
149. 5
237
4.720
445
346.2
143.5
235
4.712
447
346.4
142.0
234
4.723
447
350.5
143.6
235
4,757
401
349.6
145.3
238
4,782
458
350.5
146.8
238
4,799
478
356.1
149.9
241
4,786
497
364.8
153.7
252
Government________ _________________ _
Federal._______________________ ______
State and local__________ _____________
5,783 5,866 5,893 5,763 6, 738 5, 803 5.813 5. 775 5. 761 5, 737 5, 764 5,894 5,685 5.613 5,454
1,823 1,863 1,892 1,900 1,905 1,909 1,898 1, 885 1.877 1,877 1,875 2,101 1, 856 1,827 1, 874
3, 060 4, 003 4,001 3,863 3,833 3,894 3,915 3,800 3,884 3,860 3,889 3,833 3,829 3,786 3, 580
i The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ series of employment in nonagricultural
establishments are based upon reports submitted by cooperating establish
ments and, therefore, differ from employment information obtained by house
hold interviews, such as the M onthly Report on the Labor Force (table A -l),
in several important respects. The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ data cover
all full- and part-time employees in private nonagricultural establishments
who worked during, or received pay for, the pay period ending nearest the
15th of the month; in Federal establishments during the pay period ending
just before the first of the month: and in State and local government during
the pay period ending on or just before the last of the month, while the
M onthly Report on the Labor Force data relate to the calendar week which
contains the 8th day of the month. Proprietors, self-employed persons,
domestic servants, and personnel of the armed forces are excluded from the
BLS but not the M R L F series. These employment series have been ad
justed to levels indicated by Unemployment Insurance Agencies and the
Bureau of Old-Age and Survivors Insurance data through 1947, and have been
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
carried forward from 1947 bench-mark levels, thereby providing consistent
series. Comparable data prior to 1947 for industry divisions only, are avail
able upon request.
2 Includes ordnance and accessories; lumber and wood products (except
furniture); furniture and fixtures; stone, clay, and glass products; primary
metal industries; fabricated metal products (except ordnance, machinery,
and transportation equipment); machinery (except electrical); electrical
machinery; transportation equipment; instruments and related products;
and miscellaneous manufacturing industries.
8 Includes food and kindred products; tobacco manufactures; textile-mill
products; apparel and other finished textile products; paper and allied prod
ucts; printing, publishing, and allied industries; chemicals and allied prod
ucts; products of petroleum and coal; rubber products; and leather and
leather products.
4 Data by region, from January 1940, are available upon request to the
Bureau o fLabor Statistics.
86
A :
E M PLO YM E N T
A N D
P A Y
MONTHLY LABOR
R O LLS
T able A-3: Production Workers in Mining and Manufacturing Industries 1
[In thousands]
Annual
average
1948
1949
Industry group and industry
Nov.
Oct.
Mining :
Metal ______________________________
Iron __ ____________________________
Copper __ _______________________
Lead and zinc_______________________
53.4
5.4
18.8
14.6
Sept.
80.9
32.2
18.6
15.6
Aug.
82.8
32.6
18.6
16.5
July
83.3
32.8
18. 8
16.1
June
89.5
33.4
19.8
19.1
M ay
90.9
33.1
20.5
19.8
Apr.
92.7
33.2
20.9
21.0
Mar.
92.0
32.0
21.2
21.1
Feb.
91.0
32.0
20.2
21.0
Jan.
88.3
31.9
17.9
21.0
Dec.
88.5
32.2
18.1
20.9
Nov.
87.2
32.2
17.7
20.5
1948
88.6
32.6
20.0
19.2
1947
87.5
30.5
20.1
20.7
Anthracite____________________________
71.6
71.1
71.2
71.0
72.7
72.9
73.9
74.3
75.1
76.1
75.9
75.9
75.8
74.6
Bituminous-coal____________ ________
78.4
395.9
399.7
383.1
404.5
411.7
419.6
421.6
428.2
430.5
434.5
431.9
419.1
407.7
Crude petroleum and natural gas pro
duction:
Petroleum and natural gas production..
126.2
128.7
131.6
131.1
130.0
126.5
125.7
125.7
125.9
125.7
127.0
127.8
127.1
120.0
85.6
86.0
85.9
85.6
85.4
82.0
80.4
81.9
87.2
88.6
87.6
86.0
83.0
Nonmetallic mining and quarrying_____
85.8
Manufacturing__________________________ 11,215 11,382 11,770 11,561 11,211 11, 337 11,324 11,616 11,904 12,074 12,201 12, 578 12,775 12,717 12,794
Durable goods---------------------------Nondurable g o o d s.._____ ________
Ordnance and accessories......................... .
5,683
5,532
17.3
Food and kindred products........ .............. . 1,178
Meat produ cts_____________________
Dairy products____ _ ______________
Canning and preserving_____________
Grain-mill products_________________
Bakery products____________________
S u g a r____________ . ____________
Confectionery and related products___
Beverages__ ._ . _ ____ ___________
Miscellaneous food products_________
Tobacco manufactures_________________
Cigarettes__________________________
Cigars_____ _ _____________________
Tobacco and snuff___ ___ _____ ______
Tobacco stemming and redrying_____
88
5,676
5,706
6,062
5,708
5,947
5,614
5, 894
5,317
6, 022
5, 315
6,057
5,267
6, 262
5,354
6,417
5,487
6,523
5, 551
6,640
5, 581
6, 845
5, 733
6,942
5,833
6,909
5, 808
7,010
5,784
18.1
18.2
18.2
19.3
20.7
21.3
22.5
23.2
23.3
23.6
23.6
23.9
23.9
22.5
1,268 1, 337» 1,350 1, 224 1,153 1,095 1,071 1,069 1,073 1,097 1,171 1,226 1,197 1,216
235.9 229.9 228. 5 227.2 225.6 220.6 217.4 225.5 230.9 239.7 247.2 234.8 215.8 223.9
98.6 100.3 104.0 111.0 115.2
103.9 110.4 116.3 122.1 122.1 115.3 107.8 103.3 100.0
229.8 319.4 J 339.1 220.1 169.0 130.9 125.0 109.9 108.3 118.2 146.7 172.9 195.3 198.2
91.5
93.9
93.8
93.0
93.4
94.1
94.1
100.9
98. 2
96.9
96.8
94.3
96.0
93.6
198. 2 195.7 194.1 190.5 191.7 187.8 186.0 185.3 188.6 190.0 196.4 197.0 195.5 194.0
23.7
22.9
23.5
24.8
22.8
22.6
22.7
31.1
33.9
43.6
26.7
25.7
45.0
30.0
86.4
82.4
98.8
91.1
69.9
73.6
77.8
79.3
94.7 101.0
85.9
78.7
71.1
84.0
148.7 157.4 164.7 168.5 152.4 148.0 140.1 149.4 144.5 145.6 156.9 167.4 161.4 161.1
99.8 103.3 108.1 108.1 111.3
108.5 107.7 105.8 105.2 104.0 102.7 102.7 100.2 101.2
92
24.4
43.8
11.7
11.9
94
24.5
43.1
11.6
14.9
91
24.4
42.3
11.7
12.9
82
24.4
40.9
11.0
5.7
84
24.3
42.4
11.4
5.6
82
24.3
41.3
11.0
5.8
82
23.8
40.9
11.3
6.4
85
23.5
43.3
11.6
6.8
88
23.4
43.4
11.9
9.1
90
23.9
43.2
12.2
10.2
93
24.3
46.3
12.3
10.3
97
25.0
48.3
12.2
11.2
93
24.3
46.2
12.2
10.2
96
23.8
47.2
13.0
12.1
Textile-mill products.................. .................. 1,177
Yarn and thread m ills. _____________
Broad-woven fabric m ills.........................
Knitting m ills.. ______ __________
Dyeing and finishing textiles_________
Carpets, rugs, other floor coverings___
Other textile-mill products___________
1,168 1,131 1,092 1,058 1,083 1,087 1,100 1,150 1,190 1,200 1,236 1,245 1, 275 1,243
144.3 139.3 133.0 126.6 131.9 132.6 133.7 143.6 149.9 153.1 158.1 157.4 168.5 170.6
564.5 546.7 V 530.1 518.0 524.7 526.4 529.5 558.3 582.1 590.4 607.1 609.7 615.3 590.2
226. 5 I 219. 2 ' 210.8 199.7 202.9 202.3 206.8 210.5 213.9 211.5 219.7 225.1 231.4 226.2
76.2
78.3
78.9
78.0
80.2
79.9
80.4
78.3
75.5 : 73.2
77. 6
71.9
74.0
77.7
49.2
53.9
55.8
56.9
57.3
57.2
50.5
49. 9
48.1 r47.5
43.5
50.8
58.0
58.1
98.5 103.9 108.5 109.6 113.1 114.4 121.7 127.2
104.9 102.5 , 97.7
98.9
97.9 100.5
Apparel and other finished textile products______________________________ 1,001
M en’s and boys’ suits and coats______
M en’s and boys’ furnishings and work
c lo th in g .___ ____________________
Women’s outerwear_________________
W omen’s, children’s undergarments__
M illinery__
. __________ _______
Children’s outerwear____________ ___
Fur goods and miscellaneous apparel__
Other fabricated textile products............ —
1,079 1,079 1, 040
128.6 132.9 130.6
!»
250.8 245.9 235. 4
307.1 317.4 306.3
93.7
97.0
88.6
20.8
21.2
20.3
62.4
63.0
61.9
86.4
83.8
79.3
125.4 121.7 117.8
Lumber and wood products (except furniture)___________________________
Logging camps and contractors_______
Sawmills and planing mills__________
Millwork, plywood, and prefabricated
structural wood products _________
Wooden containers___ ____________
Miscellaneous wood products________
Furniture and fixtures___________ ____ _
Household furniture ___________
Other furniture and fixtures.......... .........
See footnote at end of table.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
691
280
942
115.9
959
121.5
956 1,008 1,051 1,055 1,015 1,040 1,058 1,049 1,028
117.7 133.7 137.3 138.7 135.4 134.7 135.3 140.1 138.4
221. 4
263.3
81.7
17.7
58.4
72.9
110.8
236.3
257.6
83.5
14.7
57.3
74.5
113.9
239.1
257.0
84.5
17.6
52.4
71.8
115.4
241.0
288.5
85.5
20.5
53.4
71.1
113.8
242.0
317.7
87.7
22.8
57.7
72.8
112.7
240.6
324.1
89.0
22.6
57.0
72.5
110.7
225.4
314.3
87.6
20.6
54.5
70.5
106.8
235.9
315. 2
90.3
19.1
53.6
79.4
111.7
246.3
314.5
92.4
17.6
55.3
83. 5
113.1
250.7
308.7
88.7
20.2
54.7
78.5
107.5
252.3
305.4
83.3
21.1
49.1
73.0
105.5
777
77.7
455.4
691
59. £
414.7
685 T
55.3
416.4
686
58.6
414.5
676
58.7
407.1
686
60.1
410.3
672
59.7
398.5
659
54.5
388.6
659
56.6
384.8
655
55.4
379.5
667
55.5
386.9
720
63.8
420.3
754
72.3
443.4
752
69.5
442.0
98.8
66.8
50.9
95.7
66.4
51.0
94.6
66.6
52.1
91. £
66.3
51.9
93.7
68.5
53.0
91. £
68. 4
53.3
93.6
68.3
54.2
93.5
68.2
55.5
95.3
68.8
56.2
97.5
70.9
56.1
103.6
74.3
57.7
105. 4
75.2
58.1
105. C 100.0
76.0
81.8
59.2
62.4
284
205. £
78.4
277
199. (
77.8
263
187. (
75.8
253
179. c
74.1
257
181.1
75.9
259
274
268
183. C ion 5 104.7
76.4
77.41 78.9
278
198.2
80.0
284
202.1
81.5
297
305
213. i 219. £
84.1 1 84.6
306
221.6
84.1
300
219. 7
80.0
REVIEW , JANUARY 1050
T able
A :
E M PLO YM E N T
A N D
P A Y
87
R O LLS
A-3: Production Workers in Mining and Manufacturing Industries1—Continued
[In thousands]
Annual
average
1948
1949
Industry group and industry
Nov.
Manufacturing— Continued
Paper and allied products________ _____
Pulp, paper, and paperboard mills____
Paperboard containers and boxes__ _
Other paper and allied produ cts_____
Oct.
Sept.
Aug.
July
June
M ay
Apr.
Mar.
Feb.
Jan.
Dec.
Nov.
1948
1947
393
391
199.4
106.5
85.5
384
197.1
101.9
84.5
371
190.5
97.4
83.4
365
188.2
93.3
83.1
369
191.7
94.2
83.3
372
193.6
94.3
84.2
377
196.3
95.6
84.7
386
201.4
97.7
86.8
391
204.2
99.1
87.9
398
207.7
102.0
88.2
409
210.4
108.0
90.3
412
210.6
109.8
91.1
405
210.8
104.6
89.4
406
206.9
107.4
91.1
497
498
144.5
35.7
33.9
166.6
32.4
84.9
493
143.8
35.8
33.8
162.9
31.8
84.4
486
141.4
35.6
33.9
160.7
31.2
83.5
485
140.9
35.2
33.8
162.4
30.8
82.1
494
141.9
35.0
37.1
163.8
31.1
85.4
494
141.0
36.6
37.2
162.3
31.5
85.5
495
139.5
36.9
37.2
163.1
32.3
85.5
496
138.8
37.4
37.3
163.7
32.1
86.2
497
136.7
37.1
37.6
166.4
31.6
87.4
500
136.0
37.2
37.7
168.6
32.2
88.0
509
139.3
36.9
38.1
169.7
34.3
90.4
508
138.0
37.5
38.1
167.3
35.1
91.9
501
133.5
37.3
38.6
165.5
35.1
91.0
497
125.4
38.7
40.4
161.0
38.2
93.2
Chemicals and allied products......... .........
Industrial inorganic chemicals __ _
Industrial organic chemicals.
Drugs and medicines _______________
Paints, pigments, and fille r s _________
Fertilizers —
_____ _ _________
Vegetable and animal oils and fats
Other chemicals and allied products__
485
488
51.6
141.4
61.6
44.0
26.0
54.6
109.1
478
50.0
139.8
60.7
42.3
26.6
49.2
109.0
458
49.8
135.2
60.1
41.8
24.7
38.5
108.0
453
50.7
135. 8
59.2
41.0
24.0
36.3
105.7
464
52.3
139.1
59.9
42.6
24.9
38.7
106.3
476
52.6
141.8
59.8
43.4
30.7
40.4
107.3
495
53.4
148.1
60.5
43.7
36.6
44.4
108.7
511
54.6
157.4
61.2
44.0
37.6
47.1
109.5
513
55.0
161.7
61.5
44.5
33.1
48.1
108.7
519
55.6
163.2
61.5
45.3
29.9
50.4
113.4
526
56.0
165.3
60.2
46.0
28.0
52.8
117.6
529
55.7
165.5
60.3
46.6
27.6
54.1
119.5
520
54. 7
164.4
59.9
46.9
30.2
46.6
117.6
523
51. 9
162. 6
63.9
45.9
31.4
46.9
120.7
Products of petroleum and coal_________
Petroleum refining. _________________
Coke and byproducts __ ____________
Other petroleum and coal products___
185
185
148.4
10.8
25.3
190
149.2
16.8
23.5
190
149.9
17.0
22.9
189
150.3
17.3
21.4
189
149.6
18.0
21.6
188
148.5
18.1
21.8
188
148.8
17.9
20.9
187
149.3
17.9
20.2
188
149.5
17.8
20.2
187
149.1
17.9
20.0
189
149.1
17.8
22.5
192
149.4
17.6
25.4
192
148.9
17.5
25.3
184
141. 5
15.9
26.3
Rubber products. . __________________
Tires and inner tubes__ _______ _____
Rubber footwear . _________________
Other rubber products_______________
191
187
81.0
21.5
84.6
168
64.2
21.1
82.7
180
80.9
20.3
78.6
177
82.0
20.2
74.5
181
86.3
19.8
75.3
185
87.2
20.5
77.2
190
88.6
21.4
79.6
194
88.6
21.9
83.1
197
89.4
22.9
85.1
201
91.3
24.8
85.3
206
92.7
25.9
87.2
209
94.3
25.5
88.9
209
96.2
24.6
88.1
220
105.8
23.9
89.9
Leather and leather products. ________
Leather.
. . __
___ ___ _____
Footwear (except rubber)___ _________
Other leather products.
337
350
44.9
224.3
80.4
354
44.6
230.2
79.0
356
43.8
234.2
77.5
342
43.1
226.3
73.0
339
44.5
222.5
72.1
332
44.5
215.7
72.2
348
45.0
227.8
74.9
358
46.3
234.4
77.4
359
47.1
234.5
77.3
354
47.8
232.5
74.1
354
48.6
227.5
77.8
357
47.9
223.9
84.9
368
49. 5
234.8
83.5
372
51.5
235.5
84.8
Stone, clay, and glass products_________
Glass and glass products______ ______
Cement, h yd rau lic_________________
Structural clay products______ ______
Pottery and related products.
_____
Concrete, gypsum, and plaster products.
Other stone, clay, and glass products
412
410
107.4
34.6
71.0
51.5
74.5
70.9
413
106.7
36.5
72.1
50.3
74.9
72.8
412
106.6
36.7
72.1
49.7
73.5
72.9
400
101.1
36.9
72.1
46.3
71.5
72.1
409
105.4
36.6
72.8
50.2
71.2
73.2
414
105.9
36.2
72.8
52.3
71.2
75.7
416
104.5
36.0
72.9
54.6
70.3
77.5
423
107.4
35.7
73.4
55.7
70.7
80.5
429
109.5
35.8
74.5
56.1
71.1
81.9
436
112.1
35.9
75.8
55.9
72.9
83.1
451
117.3
36.4
78.7
57.4
75.4
85. 3
457
120.4
36.6
79.2
57.3
77.1
85. 9
448
119.6
35.5
76.5
55.5
76.4
84.6
438
126.9
33.0
70.2
54.1
71.5
82.4
Primary metal industries______________
Blast furnaces, steel works, and rolling
mills_______ .
__________ ___ _
Iron and steel fo u n d r ie s..____ ____
Primary smelting and refining of nonferrous m e ta ls__ . . .
. _
Rolling, drawing, and alloying of nonferrous metals
Nonferrous foundries _
Other primary metal industries
. . .
728
574
940
932
934
971
991
141.2
171.6
499.9
173.7
497.6
177.3
505. 8
175.9
523.0
184.0
533.9
186.3
545.4
198.4
551.7
213.5
552.8
219.2
39.1
41.8
41.4
42.3
44.9
45.4
46.8
46.6
45.8
45.8
82.3
68.2
109.0
85.4
72.0
111.0
767
Printing, publishing, and allied industries- ____ __________________ _____
Newspapers________________________
Periodicals__________________
Books. -_- __________________ _____
Commercial printing ________________
L ith o g ra p h in g ,-___
___________
Other printing and publishing________
Fabricated metal products (except ordnance, machinery, and transportation equipm ent)---------------------- . . .
Tin cans and other tinware.
_______
Cutlery, hand tools, and hardware.
Heating apparatus (except electric)
and plumbers’ supplies ___
Fabricated structural metal products
Metal stamping, coating, and engraving
__ _ _ _ _ _______
Other fabricated metal products
Machinery (except electrical)__________
Engines and turbines.. ______ _______
Agricultural machinery and tractors .
Construction and mining machinery
Metalworking machinery
Special-industry machinery (except
metalworking machinery!__
G e n e r a l i n d u s t r ia l m a c h i n e r y
Office and store machines and devices..
Service-industry and household machines
____- __________
Miscellaneous machinery parts_______
See footnote at end of table.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
652
916
___
1,028
1,062
1,077
1,090
550.3
225.8
1,101
1,099
1,083
1,073
546.8
233.9
536.8
230.9
517.6
229.4
46.3
46.7
46.8
46.9
86.3
73.4
111.9
86.4
74.0
111.5
86.0
73.2
109.1
111.3
550.8
231.8
93.3
69.8
64.1
88.1
67.2
62.0
95.1
63.8
59.5
92.4
62.4
58.7
88.4
64.4
59.5
95.2
67.3
59.9
98.2
71.4
62.2
103.9
77.9
65.3
107.3
684
40.5
116.2
708
43.2
113. 6
688
43.6
111.4
671
41.8
109.2
679
41.0
113.8
683
38.3
116.7
706
37.9
120.6
729
38.5
124.7
752
38.7
128.4
40.2
130. 5
801
4,1.9
134.7
816
42.5
133.6
812
42.2
131.6
837
41.0
134.8
116. C
136.6
109.3
155.7
99.7
155.4
91.8
155.0
93.6
156.0
97.2
155.8
103.0
157.3
107.8
159.9
112.3
162.5
117.2
164.5
130.7
169.2
139.7
170.0
137.1
168.7
146.0
164.6
127.3
147.8
129.8
156.1
124.9
152.5
121.5
151.5
120.7
154.3
117.9
157.3
123.3
164.0
128.4
169.7
134.3
176.2
136.4
178.5
142.1
182.8
146.3
183.9
148.6
183.8
156.3
193.9
923
46.7
127.9
63.7
147.8
935
49.3
139.9
62. 2
149.1
927
49.0
140.4
64.2
146.9
939
50.7
139.8
67.7
149.5
977 1,014 1,066 1,108 1,133 1,155 1,179 1,187 1,203 1,217
65.3
63.9
63. 5
63.1
63.5
60.9
61.9
58.7
53.2
56.4
145.2 148.0 150.5 152.8 153.7 155.1 155.3 153.6 151.7 140. 3
90.4
91.1
89.8
87.3
88.6
85.3
83.6
76.0
80.3
72.5
155. 8 161.1 167.1 171.2 174.5 179.1 185.1 185.2 186.6 196.1
119.4
123.2
73.6
121.8
124.8
73.4
122.6
124.5
71.7
124.0
125.3
72.5
129.2
129.3
74.7
134.9
134.4
75.3
140.2 146.0
139. C 144.5
79.4
76.1
149.0
148.7
81.6
151.7
151.4
82.8
154.3
153.4
85.8
154.9
153.3
87.1
158.6
154.3
93.0
108.3
102.0
112.1
98.3
109.8
98.5
110.6
104.5
112.6
107.5
120.6
127.2
127.3
134.6
135.3
136.7
141.1
140.1
144.4
147.2
146.2
151.8
147.4
156.3 152.2
147. 51 161.0
112.2
74 .4
163.0
156.4
92.4
88
A :
T
able
E M PLO YM E N T
A N D
P A Y
MONTHLY LABOR
R O L L S
A-3: Production Workers in Mining and Manufacturing Industries1—Continued
[In thousands]
1949
Annual
average
1948
Industry group and industry
Nov.
Manufacturing—Continued
Electrical machinery...................... ..............
551
Electrical generating, transmission,
distribution, and industrial appara
tus........................................................ .......
Electrical equipment for vehicles...........
Communication equipment.....................
Electrical appliances, lamps, and
miscellaneous products............. ............. ............
Oct.
Sept.
Aug.
July
June
M ay
Apr.
Mar.
Feb.
Jan.
Dec.
Nov.
1948
1947
505
518
538
560
585
607
623
643
650
656
706
200.1
46.3
181.4
209.1
48.1
185.4
219.5
49.1
188.7
227.0
52.0
195.7
232.7
52.6
207.2
234.2
53.4
217.4
240.3
54.5
225.7
244.5
55.0
226.1
251.4
54.6
224.4
262.7
59.7
249.1
95.1
103.0
110.1
114.6
118.4
122.2
124.0
125.5
134.8
549
531
507
202.5
50.5
194.7
200.8
49.6
182.4
196.5
47.0
173.4
195.6
45.8
175.5
101.3
98.2
90.1
88.4
90.6
882
986 1,017
665.1 686.2
187.9 190. 6
125.6 127.6
37.8
37.9
5.5
5.5
19.0
19.6
68.6
74.0
CO. 3
65.4
53.4
56.2
10.5
9.9
998 1,014
678.0 669.5
185.3 192.4
128.6 129.5
31.9
37.9
5.2
5.5
19.6
19.5
79.5
85.5
70.4
75.7
46.5
58.5
8.8
7.7
995
646.1
187.1
127.2
38.5
5.4
16.0
88.2
77.8
65.6
7.8
955 1,012 1,017 1,021 1,038 1,048 1,046 1,031 1,038
600.5 648.8 646.1 648.9 664. 6 670.3 669. 3 657.6 648.8
186.5 192.1 192.4 190.0 189.5 186.1 182.9 166.6 167.2
126. 7 128.0 128.2 126.6 126.8 125.4 123.4 111.5 110.9
39.0
38.6
38.4
37.9
37.8
36.3
35.7
33.6
35.0
5.2
5.1
5.1
5.0
5.0
5.1
5.0
4.9
4.9
15.6
20.4
20.7
20.4
19.9
19.3
18.8
16.6
16.4
92.3
93.0
97.6 100.1 101. 5 106.3 107.6 123.2 140.6
81.3
82.0
86.4
88.2
89.4
94.3
95.6 109.3 121.7
67.4
68.8
71.5
72.1
71.6
72.3
71.8
69.6
66.6
8.7
9.1
9.5
9.6
10.3
12.9
14.6
14.5
15.1
Instruments and related products______
Ophthalmic goods.................. ....................
Photographic apparatus___ __________
Watches and clocks........ ..........................
Professional and scientific instruments.
174
174
20.8
35.8
27.6
89.5
172
21.0
35.3
27.1
88.3
169
21.1
36.0
26.0
80.3
170
21.2
37.5
25.0
86.7
176
22.1
38.7
26.0
88.7
177
22.5
39.5
26.0
89.4
181
22.9
41.2
26.2
90.5
183
23.1
41.3
26.4
91.8
185
23.3
42.0
26.7
93.4
190
23.1
42.9
28.4
95.1
196
23.3
44.5
32.0
96.5
198
23.2
44.9
34.5
94.9
200
23.8
45.4
35.0
95.4
207
25.8
46.5
35.7
99.1
Miscellaneous manufacturing industries..
Jewelry, silverware, and plated w are...
Toys and sporting goods........ ..................
Costume jewelry, buttons, notions____
Other miscellaneous manufacturing
industries......................................... .........
380
383
46.8
67.9
53.5
366
44.6
63.3
52.2
347
42.2
61.3
48.5
313
39.1
54.9
43.8
333
43.1
56.6
42.3
333
43.9
56.8
41.0
343
45.2
58.0
44.1
354
46.5
57.8
48.6
363
47.8
58.1
51.9
366
48.0
57.8
51.5
385
49.3
64.0
53.4
406
50.7
73.0
55.9
394
49.6
71.5
53.9
394
47.9
71.5
53.5
214.7
205.5
194.5
175.2
190.5
191.5
195.9
201.3
204.9
209.1
218.6
226.3
219.4
220.9
Transportation equipment...........................
Automobiles_________ ______________
Aircraft and parts___________________
Aircraft_______ ___________________
Aircraft engines and parts.....................
Aircraft propellers and parts................
Other aircraft parts and equipm ent..
Ship and boat building and repairing...
Ship building and repairing.................
Railroad equ ip m en t.................................
Other transportation equipment..........
—
' Data are based upon reports from cooperating establishments covering
both full- and part-time production and related workers who worked dur
ing, or received pay for, the pay period ending nearest the 15th of the month.
D ata have been adjusted to levels indicated by Unemployment Insurance
Agencies and the Bureau of Old-Age and Survivors’ Insurance data through
1947 and have been carried forward from 1947 bench-mark levels, thereby
providing consistent series. These series supersede data shown in monthly
T able
mimeographed releases dated prior to September 1949 and issues of the
M onthly Labor Review dated prior to October 1949. Comparable data
from January 1947 are available upon request to the Bureau of Labor
Statistics. Such requests should specify the series desired. Revised data
in all except the first t h r e e columns will be identified by an asterisk for
the first m onth’s publication of such data.
A-4: Indexes of Production-Worker Employment and Weekly Pay Rolls in Manufacturing
Industries1
[1939 average=100]
Period
1939:
1940:
1941:
1942:
1943:
1944:
1945:
1946:
Average....... ....................
Average_____________
Average____________
Average....... . ..................
Average___ __________
Average___ ____ _____
Average........... ................
Average...........................
1 See footnote 1, table A-3.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Em ploy
ment
100.0
107.5
132.8
156.9
183.3
178.3
157.0
147.8
Weekly
pay roll
100.0
113.6
164.9
241.5
331.1
343.7
293.5
271.1
Period
1947: Average...................... .
1948: Average_______
1948: November.......................
December...................... .
1949: January______ ______ _
February........................
March_______________
April____ ___________
Em ploy
ment
156.2
155. 2
155.9
153.5
148.9
147.4
145.3
141.8
Weekly
pay roll
326.9
351.4
362.8
360.7
345.9
340.4
332.8
319.2
Period
1949: M ay.________________
J u n e................................
Ju ly..................................
A ugust.............................
September___________
October...........................
Employ
ment
138.2
138.4
136.9
141.1
143.7
138.9
136.9
Weekly
pay roll
312.8
315.7
312.8
323.0
335.0
321.3
REVIEW , JANUARY 1950
T able
A : EM PLO YM EN T
A N D
P A Y
R O L L S
89
A-5: Federal Civilian Employment by Branch and Agency Group
E xecutive 1
Year and month
All branches
Defense
agencies >
Total
Post Office
Department
All other
agencies
Legislative
Judicial
Total (including areas outside continental United States)
1947.......................
1948......................
2,153,170
2,066,545
2,142, 825
2,055, 790
989,659
916,358
455,002
471,368
698,164
668,064
7,127
7,273
3, 218
3; 482
1948: November.
December.
2,078,623
2,380,186
2,067,643
2,369,331
934, 509
937,178
459,685
759,268
673,449
672,885
7,443
L 343
3,537
3, 512
1949: Jan u a ry ...
February..
March........
April..........
M ay...........
Juno...........
July............
August___
September.
October__
November.
2,089,545
2,089, 040
2,089, 806
2,095,814
2,106, 927
2,114, 767
2,106, 242
2,094, 877
2, 081, 793
2.047, 312
2,001, 757
2,078, 593
2,078,068
2,078, 766
2,084, 764
2,095, 881
2,103, 698
2,095,156
2,083, 448
2,070, 269
2,035, 748
1,990,155
933,670
935,216
934,433
934, 969
935, 966
934, 661
917,001
902, 401
8 8 6 , 890
860, 286
817, 238
475,836
475,022
474,945
476,440
479, 722
482, 447
485,196
491,408
494, 087
496.038
497, 814
669,087
667, 830
669,388
673,355
680,193
6 8 6 , 590
692, 959
689, 639
689, 292
679, 424
675,103
7,414
7,420
7,482
7,478
7,480
7,498
7, 507
7,842
7, 924
7,937
7, 992
3, 538
3 ’ 552
3 ) 558
3, 572
3 ’ 566
3, 571
3, 579
3, 587
3, 600
3 627
3.610
Continental United States
1947
1948
..................
..................
1,893,875
1,847,232
1,883,600
1, 836, 550
766, 854
734,484
453, 425
469, 671
663,321
632,395
7,127
7,273
3,148
3; 409
1948: November.
December.
1,876,443
2,181, 744
1,865, 538
2,170, 964
770, 286
777,474
457,972
756,549
637, 280
636, 941
7,443
7,343
3,462
3,437
1949: Jan u ary...
February..
March___
April..........
M ay...........
June...........
July............
August___
September.
October__
November.
1,895,969
1,897,665
1,897, 224
1,905,131
1, 918, 278
1,929, 461
1,925, 251
1,920,248
1, 912, 227
1,882,859
1,843, 246
1,885,092
777,679
781,958
780, 782
784,077
787, 045
790,087
777,454
770,034
760. 059
738,195
700,374
474,100
473, 289
473, 215
474,679
477,940
480,651
483,390
489, 562
492, 227
494,178
495, 963
633,313
631,524
632, 264
635,402
642,324
647, 731
653,398
649,300
648,494
638, 999
635,384
7,414
7,420
7,482
7,478
7,480
7, 498
7, 507
7,842
7, 924
7,937
7,992
3, 463
3, 476
3, 481
3,495
3,489
3,494
3,502
3, 510
3. 523
3, 550
3,533
1, 8 8 6 , 769
1 , 8 8 6 , 261
1,894,158
1,907,309
1,918,469
1,914,242
1, 908,896
1, 900, 780
1,871,372
1, 831, 721
1
Includes Government corporations (including Federal Deserve Banks
and mixed-ownership banks of the Farm Credit Administration) and other
activities performed by Government personnel in establishments such as
navy yards, arsenals, hospitals, and force-account construction. Data,
which are based mainly on reports to the Civil Service Commission, are
adjusted to maintain continuity of coverage and definition with information
for former periods.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1
Covers civilian employees of the National Military Establishment,
Maritime Commission, National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, the
Panama Canal, Philippine Alien Property Administration, Philippine War
Damage Commission, Selective Service System. National Security Resources
Board, National Security Council, Secretary of Defense.
90
A :
T able
E M PLO YM E N T
A N D
P A Y
MONTHLY LABOR
R O LLS
A-6: Federal Civilian Pay Rolls by Branch and Agency Group
[In thousands]
Execiitive1
Year and month
All branches
Defense
agencies2
Total
Post Office
Department
All other
agencies
Legislative
Judicial
Total (including areas outside continental United States)
1947-_____________ _____ ______________
1948__________________________ _____ _
$5,966,107
6, 223, 486
$5, 922,339
6,176, 414
$2,646, 913
2, 660, 770
$1, 205,051
1,399,072
$2, 070, 375
2,116, 572
$29, 074
30, 891
$14, 694
16,181
1948: November________ ______________
December................................ - ............
550,354
624, 586
546, 252
620, 396
235, 507
245,159
125,130
178,899
185, 615
196,338
2,683
2,722
1, 419
1,468
1949: January..................... ...........................
February______________ ______ ___
M a rc h ____ _____ _______________
A p r il___________________________
M a y --_____ ____________ _____
June________________ _______ ____
July_________ ____ ______________
A ugust.__________ ______________
September______ _______________
October_________________________
November_________
________
538, 453
518,821
576, 546
546,000
562,080
574, 990
540,440
574, 046
557, 436
539, 200
574,374
534, 443
514, 865
572, 328
541,967
557, 889
570, 757
536, 210
569, 536
553, 011
534, 944
569,819
230, 653
220, 788
250, 618
233, 826
242, 059
247, 993
223, 458
239,178
230, 016
222, 221
236,851
122,134
120, 505
124, 948
124, 576
122, 930
124, 673
124, 914
125, 794
125, 064
125, 164
130,861
181, 656
173, 572
196, 762
183, 565
192, 900
198,091
187, 838
204, 564
197, 931
187, 559
202,105
2,657
2, 650
2, 763
2, 722
2,762
2,792
2,884
3,005
2,968
2,936
3,137
1,353
1,306
1, 455
1,311
1, 429
1, 441
1,346
1, 505
1, 457
1,320
1,420
Continental United States
1947____________ _____________ ____ _
1948__________________________________
$5,463, 671
5, 731,115
$5, 420, 337
5, 684, 494
$2, 234, 417
2, 272, 001
$1, 200, 943
1,394,037
$1,984, 977
2,018, 456
$29,074
30, 891
$14, 260
15,730
1948: November.... ................................... .
December___________ ____ _______
509,114
581, 370
505,052
577, 220
203,323
211,614
124, 667
178,151
177, 062
187, 455
2, 683
2,722
1,379
1, 428
1949: Ja n u a ry ..____ ____ ____ __________
February________________________
March__________________________
April____________ ______ ________ _
M ay___ ____ ____________________
June__________ _________________ _
July---------------------------- ------------- A ugust.................................................. .
September___ _____ _____________
October______________ _______ ___
November_______________________
499,162
481, 725
534,633
504, 901
522,002
533, 002
500, 642
532, 977
518, 493
501, 628
534,323
495,191
477,807
530. 456
500,907
517,853
528, 810
496, 451
528, 509
514, 109
497,411
529,808
200, 204
192, 441
218, 474
202, 699
212, 447
216, 532
194, 463
209, 583
202, 222
195, 416
208,273
121, 691
120, 067
124, 489
124,114
122, 474
124, 210
124,446
125,321
124, 596
124, 700
130,376
173, 296
165. 299
187, 493
174,094
182, 932
188, 068
177, 542
193, 605
187,291
177, 265
191,158
2,657
2,650
2,763
2,722
2, 762
2.792
2, 884
3,005
2,968
2,936
3,137
1,314
1,268
1,414
1,272
1,387
1,400
1,307
1,463
1, 281
1,356
1,378
1 See footnote 1, table A-5.
2 See footnote 2 .table A-5.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
REVIEW , JANUARY 1950
T able
A : E M PLO YM E N T
A N D
P A Y
91
R O LLS
A-7: Civilian Government Employment and Pay Rolls in Washington, D. C.,1 by Branch and
Agency Group
Federal
Year and month
District of
Total
Columbia
government government
Execiitive
Total
All agencies
Defense
agencies *
1
Post Office
Depart
ment
All other
agencies
Legislative
Judicial
Employment
1947______ ____ _________________
1948________ _____ ______________
233,667
231, 242
18,140
18, 777
215, 527
212,465
207,824
204,601
69, 771
68,509
7,645
7,826
130,408
128,266
7,127
7,273
576
591
1948: November_________________
December_____________ ____
236,478
242,626
19,065
18, 731
217,413
223,895
209,373
215,955
71,084
72, 219
7,702
12,015
130, 587
131, 721
7,443
7,343
1949: January___________________
February__________________
March_____________________
April____._ _______________
M ay______________________
June_________________ _____
July__________ ____ ________
August____________________
September_________________
October___________________
November_____ _________
237, 542
238,911
239,898
241, 442
242,370
243, 896
245, 067
244, 743
242, 426
240, 852
239, 643
18,896
19,064
19,095
19,358
19,144
19, 767
19, 708
19, 736
19, 416
19, 470
19,970
218,646
219,847
220,803
222,084
223, 226
224,129
225,359
225,007
223, 010
221, 382
219, 673
210,629
211,823
212, 719
214,004
215,133
216,019
217,237
216,546
214, 470
212, 828
211,062
71,202
71,723
71,991
72,359
72, 545
72,440
72, 521
71, 246
69, 448
68,069
66,121
7, 623
7,613
7,625
7,750
7,755
7,749
7, 770
7,784
7, 773
7,749
7,891
131,804
132,487
133,103
133,895
134,833
135,830
136,946
137, 516
137, 249
137, 010
137,050
7,414
7,420
7,482
7,478
7,480
7,498
7, 507
7,842
7,924
7,937
7,992
597
597
11^
603
604
602
602
613
612
615
619
616
617
619
Pay rolls (in thousands)
1947____________________________
1948____________________ ________
$767, 770
815,351
$49,455
52,045
$718,315
763,306
$686, 796
729, 791
$217,337
233, 589
$29, 562
31,298
$439, 897
464,904
$29,074
30,891
$2,445
2,624
1948: November_________________
December_________ ________
73,223
78,680
4,528
4, 742
68,695
73,938
65, 782
70, 972
21,656
22,526
2,750
3,704
41,376
44,742
2,682
2,722
231
244
1949: January___________________
February_____________ ___
March_____________ _ _ ___
A pril.,- __________________
M a y ... ________ _____
June_________________ _____
July_______________________
August____________________
September_______ ________
October.__________________
November. . _____________
71,971
69,096
77,819
72,228
74,803
74, 475
72, 686
80,173
77, 040
73,813
79, 456
4,647
4,418
4,801
4, 577
4, 676
4,748
3,775
4,185
5,379
5,185
5, 513
67,324
64,678
73,018
67,651
70,127
69, 727
68,911
75, 988
71, 661
68, 628
73, 943
64,441
61,810
70,011
64, 703
67,128
66, 695
65, 793
72, 733
68, 457
65, 458
70, 554
20,687
19,984
22,190
20,491
21,020
20,080
21,238
23,851
20, 921
20,137
21, 684
2,669
2,597
2,721
2,642
2,670
2,678
2,691
2, 760
2,737
2,685
2,777
41,085
39,229
45,100
41, 570
43,438
43,937
41,864
46,122
44, 799
42, 636
46, 093
2,657
2,650
2,763
2,722
2,762
2,792
2,884
3,005
2,968
2,936
3,137
226
218
244
226
237
240
234
250
236
234
252
1 Data for the executive branch cover, in addition to the area inside the
District of Columbia, the adjacent sections of Maryland and Virginia which
are defined by the Bureau of the Census as in the metropolitan area.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
See footnote 1, table A-5.
» See footnote 2, table A-5.
2
A :
92
T able
E M PLO YM E N T
A N D
P A Y
MONTHLY LABOR
R O LLS
A-8: Personnel and Pay in Military Branch of Federal Government
[In thousands]
Pay 3
Personnel (average for year or as of first of month) *
Year and month
Total
Army
1947 ...............................................
1948...................................................
1,671
1,492
«1,059
» 964
1948: November............................
D ecem b er...........................
1,611
1,629
647
662
1949: January..................... ...........
February_______________
M a rc h ________________
April__________________
M ay _________________
Juno _________________
July___________________
August_________________
September.............. ............
October........................... .....
November.........................
1,645
1, 688
1, 682
1,667
1,651
1,639
1,637
1, 638
1,629
1.614
1,605
677
712
703
689
673
664
659
655
656
656
657
Air Force
N avy
Coast
Guard
Total
Pay rolls
MusteringFamily al
out and
leave pay
lowances
ments
494
424
98
84
20
20
$5,350,396
3, 442,961
$3, 336,934
2,993,124
$308, 220
317, 258
$1,705,242
132,579
410
410
446
449
87
87
21
22
298,971
294, 061
264,137
260,046
28, 534
28,605
6,300
5,411
412
416
417
417
418
418
419
423
420
418
417
447
450
451
450
449
447
450
451
444
432
425
88
88
89
88
87
87
86
86
86
84
83
22
22
22
23
23
23
24
24
24
2-1
23
299, 593
290, 041
289,063
292, 446
284, 790
291,583
302, 994
298, 893
304, 426
331,512
328, 611
265, 618
257, 503
255, 310
258, 961
250, 549
256, 996
270, 428
266, 772
272, 386
305, 301
303, 682
28, 709
28, 163
29, 108
29, 037
29, 517
29, 254
29,050
28, 982
29, 547
23, 921
23,153
5,266
4, 376
4,615
4, 448
4, 724
5, 333
3,515
3,139
2, 492
2, 290
1, 776
(>)
(»)
1 Represents persons on active duty as of the first of the month. Reserve
ersonncl ore excluded if on inactive duty or if on active duty for only a
rief training or emergency period. Persons on terminal leave were included
through October 1947. Data ior Army include Philippine Scouts.
2 Pay rolls represent obligations based on personnel count, plus terminal
leave payments to currently discharged personnel. Leave payments to
former or active personnel are included under mustering-out and leave pay
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Marine
Corps
ments. Cash payments for clothing-allowance balances are included under
pay rolls in January, April, July, and October for N avy, Marine Corps, and
Coast Guard, and at time of discharge for Army and Air Force. Fam ily
allowances represent Government’s contribution.
3
Separate figures for Army and Air Force not available. Combined data
shown under Army.
REVIEW , JANUARY 1950
B : LA B O R
93
T U R N -O V E R
B: Labor Turn-Over
T able B -l: Monthly Labor Turn-Over Rates (Per 100 Employees) in Manufacturing Industries, by
Class of Turn-Over 1
Class of turn-over and year
Total accession:
1949______________________________________
1948.______________________________________
1947.................................................... .........................
1946___________________________ _____ _____
1939 8________________ ______ ______________
Total separation:
1949______________________________________
1948..........................................................................
1947-___________ _________________________
1946______________________________________
1939 3_____________________________________
Quit: 4
1949— , ___________________________________
1948-____ ______ : __________________ ______ _
1947._______ __________________ ______ _____
1946________________________________ _____ _
1939 a________________ ____ ________________
Discharge:
1949— _________ ________________ _______ _
1948.............................................................................
1947______________________________________
1946_______ _______________ _______________
1939 3_____________________________________
Lay-off:8
1949........... ......................................................... .......
1948____________________ _____ _____ _______
1947............. ................................................................
1946-_____________________________________
1939 3_____________________________________
Miscellaneous, including m ilitary:4
1949______________________________________
1948__________________ ____________________
1947______________________________________
1946..................... ........................................................
Jan.
Feb.
Mar.
Apr.
M ay
June
3.2
4.6
6.0
8.5
4.1
2.9
3.9
5.0
6.8
3.1
3.0
4.0
5.1
7.1
3.3
2.9
4.0
5.1
6.7
2.9
3.5
4.1
4.8
6.1
3.3
4.4
5.7
5.5
6.7
3.9
4.6
4.3
4.9
6.8
3.2
4.1
4.2
4.5
6.3
2.6
4.8
4.5
4.9
6.6
3.1
4.8
4.7
5.2
6.3
3.5
5.2
4.3
5.4
6.3
3.5
1.7
2.6
3.5
4.3
.9
1.4
2.5
3.2
3.9
.6
1.6
2.8
3.5
4.2
.8
1.7
3.0
3.7
4.3
.8
.3
.4
.4
.5
.1
.3
.4
.4
.5
.1
.2
2.5
1.2
.9
1.8
2.2
2.3
1.2
.8
1.7
1.9
2.8
.1
.1
.1
.2
.1
.1
.1
.2
i Month-to-month changes in total employment in manufacturing indus
tries as indicated by labor turn-over rates are not precisely comparable to
those shown by the Bureau’s employment and pay-roll reports, as the former
are based on data for the entire month, while the latter, for the most part,
refer to a 1-week period ending nearest the 15th of the mouth. The turn
over sample is not so extensive as that of the employment and pay-roll sur
vey—proportionately fewer small plants are included; printing and publish
ing, and certain seasonal industries, such as canning and preserving, are not
covered. Plants on strike are also excluded. See note, table B -2.
8 6 6 5 9 3 — 5 0 --------7
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Aug.
Sept.
3. 5
4.7
4.9
7.4
4.2
4.4
5.0
5.3
7.0
5.1
4.1
5.1
5.9
7.1
6.2
2 3. 6
4.5
5.5
6.8
5.9
3.9
4.8
5.7
4.1
2 2.7
3.6
4.3
2.8
4.3
4.5
4.7
5.7
3.3
3.8
4.4
4.6
5.8
3.3
4.0
5.1
5.3
6.6
3.0
4.2
5.4
5.9
6.9
2.8
2 4.0
4.5
5.0
6.3
2.9
4.1
4.0
4.9
3.0
4.3
3.7
4.5
3.5
1.6
2.8
3.5
4.2
.7
1.5
2.9
3.1
4.0
.7
1.4
2.9
3.1
4.6
.7
1.8
3.4
4.0
5.3
.8
2.1
3.9
4.5
5.3
1.1
2 1.4
2.8
3.6
4.7
.9
2.2
2.7
3.7
.8
1.7
2.3
3.0
.7
.2
.2
.4
.3
.4
.2
.4
.4
.4
.4
.1
.2
.3
.4
.4
.1
.3
.1
.4
.3
.4
.4
.1
.1
.1
' .4
.4
.2
.2
.1
.9
1.8
2.2
2.8
1.2
1.0
1.4
2.6
3.3
1.1
1.4
1.5
2.7
2.5
1.1
1.1
1.2
2.5
2.1
1.0
1.0
.6
2.5
1.8
1.2
.8
.7
2.1
1.8
1.0
.9
1.0
1.6
2 2. 3
1.2
.9
1.0
1.8
1.4
.8
.7
2.0
2.2
.9
1.0
2.7
.1
.1
.1
.2
.1
.1
.1
.2
.1
.1
.1
.2
.1
.1
.1
.2
.1
.1
.1
.2
.1
.1
.1
.2
.1
.1
.1
.2
2.1
.1
.1
.2
.1
.1
.1
.1
.1
.1
.3
.4
.4
.4
.1
1.2
.4
.4
.4
.4
July
.4
.4
.4
.4
.4
Oct.
N ov.
Dec.
2 .2
.4
.4
2 Preliminary figures.
* Prior to 1943, rates relate to wage earners only.
4 Prior to September 1940, miscellaneous separations were included with
quits.
8 Including temporary, indeterminate (of more than 7 days’ duration), and
permanent lay-oils.
MONTHLY LABOR
B : LABO R TURN-OVER
94
T able
B-2: Monthly Labor Turn-Over Rates (Per 100 Employees) in Selected Groups and Industries1
Separation
Total accession
Miscellaneous,
including
military
Lay-ofl
Discharge
Quit
Total
Industry group and industry
Oct.»
1949
Sept.
1949
Oct.»
1949
0.2
.2
2.8
1.7
2.1
1.5
0.1
.1
0.1
.1
.2
(3)
.2
.3
,2
.2
.7
.2
.5
.2
.1
.3
.2
.1
.2
1.1
.2
.3
2.8
(3)
3.7
.9
3.2
1.9
2.8
6.1
1.1
1.9
1.7
2.3
2. 7
4.9
•8
4.3
1.3
1.2
.1
.1
.1
.1
.1
.1
•1
.2
.2
.1
1.0
1.5
2.0
.i
.2
.6
.3
.2
.5
1.2
.8
3.0
' 1.2
1.6
1.0
1.2
1.5
1.0
.5
.6
1.8
2.2
1.8
.8
.8
.3
.3
.3
.1
.1
.6
.3
.4
(4)
.2
1.1
5. 5
3. 2
2.1
3.2
.7
2.0
3.7
1.2
2.9
.1
.1
.1
.2
.1
1.1
.6
2.2
.7
1.4
.9
2.3
1.3
.2
.1
.5
.2
.1
.4
.2
1.5
1. 2
.8
1. 7
2.2
1. 2
1.6
2. 4
.1
.1
.1
.1
.1
3.1
2. 5
2.9
2. 6
2.6
2.2
5. 0
1.5
4. 2
1.8
.1
(4)
.1
.1
.3
.2
.1
.3
.2
.5
Oct.»
1949
Sept.
1949
Oct.»
1949
Sept.
1949
Oct.»
1949
Sept.
1949
Oct.»
1949
3.3
3.9
3.8
4.4
4.3
3.6
4.3
4.1
1.2
1.6
1.9
2.3
0.2
.2
3.2
0
3.0
2.2
2.3
2.1
2.4
2.3
4.1
3.1
1.7
4.0
3.4
2.2
2.1
7.4
2.9
3.1
4.1
(3)
4.9
2.2
4.1
2.8
4.5
7.7
2.9
3.5
3.0
4.3
4.0
6.0
1.7
9.3
3.3
2.6
1.0
(3)
.9
.9
.6
.6
1.0
1.3
1.2
1.3
1.1
1.6
1.0
.9
.6
3.7
1.6
1.0
3.1
4.8
5.4
2.0
4.6
9.1
2.1
2.4
5.5
2.6
3.4
3.6
.6
1.3
1.9
6.0
2.8
3.0
1.3
2.4
6.6
5.0
3.5
2.6
2.8
2.7
7.4
4.6
2.9
4.0
3.1
4.6
6.1
2.2
4.0
3.7
2.2
7.4
1.9
4.4
1.9
9.1
1.3
2.9
2.0
3.6
2.7
3.9
2.3
4.3
4.0
Sept.
1949
Sept.
1949
M A N U F A C T U R IN G
Durable goods_______ ____ ____ _____ - .........- ..........
Nondurable goods.................... ..............................................
D u r a b le go o d s
Ironrand steel and their products------------------- --------Blast furnaces, steel works, and rolling m ills--------Gray-iron castings--------------------- --------------------Malleable-iron castings....... .......................... - .............
Steel castings.. . ------------------ ------ -------- ------ —
Cast-iron pipe and fittings............ .................. ............
Tin cans and other tinware------------------------------Wire products------------------------------------------------Cutlery and edge tools------------------------- -----------Tools (except edge tools, machine tools, files, and
Hardware___ ___ — -------------------------------Stoves, oil burners, and heating equipment--------Steam and hot-water heating apparatus and steam
fittings---- --------------- ---------- --------------------Stamped and enameled ware and galvanizing-----Fabricated structural-metal products----------------Bolts, nuts, washers, and rivets------------------------Forgings, iron and steel-----------------------------------Electrical machinery-------------- ------------------------------Electrical equipment for industrial use__________
Radios, radio equipment, and phonographs..........
Communication equipment, except radios............
.2
0
0
.1
.1
.1
.1
.1
.1
.2
.1
.1
.1
.1
0
0
.1
.2
.2
.1
.1
.1
0
.1
.2
.1
.2
.2
Machinery, except electrical.......
............................ .
Engines and turbines------- ------------------------------Agricultural machinery and tractors____________
Machine tools---- --------------------- ------------ ---------Machine-tool accessories______________ ______ —
Metalworking machinery and equipment, not
elsewhere classified---- ----------------------------------General industrial machinery, except pumps_____
Pumps and pumping equipment______ _____ ___
2.3
4.1
2.3
1.1
3.2
2.5
3.0
2.5
1.0
4.8
4.0
3.2
4.1
3.4
5.1
3.8
6.4
3.7
5.4
3.8
.7
.7
.8
.6
2.1
1.2
1.2
1.7
.8
1.5
1.2
1.7
2.0
1.9
1.9
1.8
2.6
4.2
3.1
2.7
3.9
2.4
.7
.6
.7
.8
1.0
1.3
.1
.2
.1
.1
.2
.2
1. 7
3.3
1.9
1.7
2.6
.8
Transportation equipment, except automobiles______
Aircraft..----------- --------- ---------------------------Aircraft parts, including engines---------------- ------ Shipbuilding and repairs...............................................
4.6
2.2
1.9
(3)
5.4
3.2
2.0
15.0
7.5
4.7
3.3
(3)
8.1
5.2
3.0
18.3
1.2
1.3
.9
(3)
2.1
2.6
1.2
1.8
.2
.2
.5
(3)
.3
.2
.3
.4
6.0
3.2
1.8
(3)
5.6
2.3
1.4
16.0
Automobiles----------- ---------------------------- ------- -----Motor vehicles, bodies, and trailers_____________
Motor-vehicle parts and accessories...........................
2.2
2.1
2.4
3.6
3.8
3.3
6.8
5.9
8.8
5.3
4.9
6.0
1.6
1.8
1.1
2.9
3.2
2.1
.3
.3
.2
.4
.4
.4
4.8
3.7
7.4
1.9
1.2
3.3
Nonferrous metals and their products............................ .
Primary smelting and refining, except aluminum
and magnesium_____________________________
Rolling and drawing of copper and copper alloys..
Lighting equipment------------------------------- --------Nonferrous metal foundries, except aluminum and
magnesium............ ............................................ .........
4.9
5.7
4.0
3.2
1.1
1.5
.3
.2
2.5
1.3
.i
.2
2.2
5.2
4.8
2.4
4.7
3.7
2.2
1.4
6.9
1.8
1.5
4.2
.7
.5
.9
.9
.7
1.4
.3
.2
.2
(4)
.2
1.1
.8
5. 6
.6
.7
2.4
.i
,i
.2
.1
.1
.2
4.4
4.6
3.0
3.6
1.2
2.0
.4
.3
1.3
1.2
,i
,i
Lumber and timber basic products......... ........................
Sawmills________________________________ ____ _
Planing and plywood mills...........................................
3.9
3.4
4.3
4.9
4.5
4.6
3.7
3.8
2.5
5.7
5.5
3.6
2.1
2.1
1.6
3.7
3.7
2.5
.2
.2
.1
.3
.2
.2
1.4
1.5
.8
1.6
1.5
.8
Furniture and finished lumber p ro d u cts.......................
Furniture, including mattresses and bedsprings...
6.4
6.7
7.7
8.0
4.1
4.2
4.5
4.6
2.4
2.5
2.8
2.9
.6
.6
.5
.6
1.0
1.0
1.1
1.0
,i
.i
.i
.i
Stone, clay, and glass products...........................................
Glass and glass products...............................................
Cement______________________________________
Brick, tile, and terra cotta...........................................
Pottery and related products....... ..............................
2.9
3.9
1.1
3.0
3.2
3.3
5.1
1.7
2.3
3.1
3.6
2.9
1.5
5.1
2.1
3.2
3.3
2.0
4.5
2.5
1.0
.8
.7
1.5
1.3
1.3
1.1
1.5
2.1
1.3
.2
.1
.2
.1
.3
.2
.1
.1
.2
.2 1
2.3
1.9
.5
3.4
.4 1
1.6
1.9
.3
2.2
1.0
.i
.i
.i
,i
,i
.i
.2
.1
See footnotes at end of table.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
0
0
0
.3
.1
.1
0
.1
.1
.4
.1
.i
.1
,i
.i
.1
.1
.i
.i
,i
.i
.1
a
.1
.2
0
.i
,i
.1
0
0
0
0
0
REVIEW , JANUARY 1950
T able
B :
LA B O R
95
T U R N -O V E R
B-2: Monthly Labor Turn-Over Rates (Per 100 Employees) in Selected Groups and
Industries 1—Continued
Separation
Total accession
Total
Industry group and industry
Miscellaneous,
including
military
Lay-ofi
Discharge
Quit
Oct.
1949a
Sept.
1949
Oct.
19492
Sept.
1949
Oct.
1949»
Sept.
1949
Oct.
19492
Sept.
1949
Oct.
19492
Sept.
1949
Oct.
1949»
4.5
4.5
4.1
5.7
3.4
6.5
3.0
5.2
5.5
4.5
6.2
4.2
6.8
6.4
2.7
2.5
3.1
4.3
2.0
2.7
3.1
3.5
3.0
3.7
5.6
2.4
4.0
3.7
1.5
1.7
1.6
1.2
1.7
2.1
2.3
1.9
2.1
2.0
1.3
2.0
2.4
2.7
0.2
.2
.2
.2
.2
.1
.2
0.2
.2
.2
.3
.1
.1
.4
0.9
.6
1.2
2.6
.1
.5
.6
1.3
.7
1.4
3.7
.3
1.5
.6
0.1
0
.1
.3
0
0
0
3.5
4.3
1.2
1.9
.7
1.3
.1
.2
.3
.4
.1
Apparel and other finished textile products....................
M en’s and bovs’ suits, coats, and overcoats______
M en’s and boys’ furnishings, work clothing, and
allied garments--------------- -----------------------------
4.0
2.9
5.4
3.7
4.9
3.7
4.6
2.7
2.4
1.4
3.2
1.7
.2
.1
.2
.1
2.3
2.2
1.2
.9
0
0
5.0
6.8
4.2
5.4
3.4
4.5
.3
.3
.5
.6
0
Leather and leather products______________________
Leather..
-------------------------------------------------Boots and shoes_______________ ____ __________
2.5
3.0
2.4
3.1
2.7
3.1
3.8
1.8
3.5
4.1
2.9
4.1
1.8
.6
2.0
2.6
1.0
2.8
.2
.2
.2
.2
.1
.2
1.7
.9
1.3
1.2
1.7
1.1
0
Food and kindred products________________________
Meat products. _. ------------- --------------------------Grain-mill products_______________ ____ _______
Bakery produ cts-----. . . . -------------------------------
5.4
6.4
3.4
0
5.7
5.6
4.8
4.9
5.1
4.3
3.0
(3)
6.2
6.4
4.5
4.1
1.8
1.6
1.7
(3)
3.1
3.0
2.9
2.9
.4
.4
.5
(3)
.4
.4
.4
.4
2.8
2.2
.8
0
2.6
2.9
1.0
.8
0
0
Tobacco manufactures-------------------------------- ----------
3.0
3.7
3.1
2.9
1.7
2.0
.2
.3
1.1
.6
.1
Paper and allied products------- ------------- ---------------Paper and pulp______________________ _________
Paper boxes_________ ____ ____________ ________
2.8
2.1
4.9
2.9
2.4
4.5
2.0
1.8
2.6
2.9
2.5
3.5
1.1
.8
1.7
1.9
1.7
2.4
.2
.2
.3
.2
.1
.4
.6
.7
.5
.7
.6
.6
.1
.1
.1
.1
.1
.1
Chemicals and allied products______ _______________
Paints, varnishes, and colors.------------- --------------Rayon and allied products . . _ . . . -------------Industrial chemicals, except explosives__________
1.9
1.6
2.0
1.9
2.5
2.4
4.3
1.9
1.4
1.6
1.1
1.2
2.2
2.0
1.3
2.4
.5
.6
.5
.4
1.0
1.4
.8
.9
.1
.2
.1
.1
.1
.2
.1
.1
.7
.7
.4
.6
1.0
.3
.3
1.3
.1
.1
.1
.1
.1
.1
.1
.1
Products of petroleum and coal______________ ______
Petroleum refining------- --------------- . . . -------------
.4
.2
.5
.3
1.1
1.0
1.3
1.2
.3
.2
.7
.6
(0
0
.7
.7
.4
.4
.1
.1
.2
.2
Rubber products____________________ _______ ______
----------------Rubber tires and inner tubes------Rubber footwear and related products__________
Miscellaneous rubber industries________________
3.6
2.9
4.2
4.7
4.6
3.7
4.0
6.2
2.8
2.3
2.3
3.8
3.4
3.3
3.0
3.7
1.2
.7
1.7
1.9
1.8
1.1
2.3
2.4
0
1.4
1.5
.4
1.3
1.4
2.1
.5
.9
.1
.1
.1
.2
.1
.1
.1
.1
Sept.
1949
M A N U F A C T U R IN G —Continued
N ondurable goods
Textile-mill products__________ _____ _____ ____ ____
C otton.------------------------------------- -----------------Silk and rayon goods____ ____ ___________ _____
Woolen and worsted, except dyeing and finishing.
Hosiery, full-fashioned_________________________
Hosiery, seamless_______________ ______________
Knitted underwear-----------------------------------------Dyeing and finishing textiles, including woolen
and worsted-------------------- ------------------------
.1
0
2.9
(3)
3.2
(3)
1.6
0
Metal mining___________________ ____________ ____
Iron-ore......................... ............................. ......................
Copper-ore----------- ------------- ---------- ----------------Lead- and zinc-ore______ ______________ ______
2.7
(3)
5.2
1.7
4.9
.9
8.9
4.6
3.0
(3)
4.0
2.2
5.0
3.6
5.3
4.4
1.8
(3)
3.1
1.1
3.6
2.1
4.5
3.1
0
Coal mining:
Anthracite___________________ ________________
Bituminous___________________________________
(3)
(3)
Communication:
Telephone.........................................................................
Telegraph....... ........................................... .....................
(3)
(3)
Miscellaneous industries......................................................
0
0
.1
.4
.1
0
.1
.3
0.1
0
0
0
0
*(«)
0
0
0
.1
.1
.1
.1
0
.1
.1
.2
.1
.1
.1
0
1.4
0
.2
.1
.2
.4
1.0
0
.7
.9
1.1
1.3
.5
.8
0
.1
.3
0
0
.1
N O N M A N U F A C T U R IN G
(3)
(3)
.8
1.1
(3)
(3)
(3)
(3)
i Since January 1943 manufacturing firms reporting labor turn-over infor
mation have been assigned industry codes on the basis of current products.
M ost plants in the employment and pay-roll sample, comprising those which
were in operation in 1939, are classified according to their major activity at
that time, regardless of any subsequent change in major products. Labor
turn-over data, beginning in January 1943, refer to wage and salary workers.
(3)
(3)
2.3
3.2
(3)
(3)
(3)
(3)
(3)
(3)
1.6
.9
.1
.1
.1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
.1
0
0
0
0
.5
2.1
0
0
0
0
0
0
.1
.2
Employment information for wage and salary workers is available for major
manufacturing industry groups (table A-3); for individual industries these
data refer to production workers only (table A-6).
a Preliminary figures.
3 N ot available.
<Less than 0.05.
N o t e : Explanatory notes outlining the concepts, sources, size of the reporting sample, and method
ology used in preparing the data presented in tables B - l and B -2 are contained in the Bureau’s
m onthly mimeographed release, “Labor Turn-Over,” which is available upon request.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
.1
.1
.1
.1
.1
.1
.1
C: EARNING AND HOURS
96
MONTHLY LABOR
C: Earnings and Hours
Table 0-1: Hours and Gross Earnings of Production Workers or Nonsupervisory Employees 1
Mining
Metal
Year and month
1947: Average______ $54. 63
1948: Average........ . 60.80
1948: October--------November___
December____
1949: January______
F ebruary____
March_______
April________
M ay_________
June...................
July-------------August______
September___
October______
Iron
Total: Metal
Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn hours
ings
64.09
64.02
65.36
04. 75
64. 74
66.16
64. 71
63. 72
60.53
58.75
58.18
58.92
59.78
Avg.
hrly.
earn
ings
Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn hours
ings
41.8 $1.307 $52.34
42.4 1.434 58.32
42.5
42.4
43.0
42.1
42.4
43.3
42.6
42.2
40. 6
39.4
39.5
39.6
40.5
1. 508
1.510
1.520
1.538
1. 527
1. 528
1.519
1.510
1.491
1.491
1. 473
1.488
1.476
Coal
62. 74
61.10
61. 32
62. 75
62.81
63.30
62.20
61.64
60. 26
56.97
57. 32
58. 99
59.30
Copper
Avg.
hrly.
earn
ings
Avg.
wkly.
earn
ings
Avg.
wkly.
hours
Lead and zinc
Avg.
hrly.
earn
ings
Avg.
wkly. Avg.
earn wkly.
ings hours
Avg.
hrly.
earn
ings
40.7
38.0
$1.636
1.898
41.8
41.2
41.1
42.0
42.1
42.4
41.8
41.4
40.8
38.7
39.1
39.3
39.8
45.1
45.5
46.2
45.9
43. 7
46.1
46.3
44.5
39.8
39.7
38.0
39.4
40.1
41.6
42.3
43.1
42.0
42.1
43.1
41.0
41.9
40. 9
39.9
40.1
40.2
40.6
38.7
33.4
34.0
36.0
26.1
25.0
30.6
34.1
23.4
35.0
23.4
31.6
38.8
39.2
37.2
39.0
39.2
37.9
36.4
37.4
37.5
30.7
25.1
26.1
27.2
32.0
1.945
1.955
1.956
1.947
1. 941
1. 938
1.934
1.946
1.951
1.910
1. 897
1.940
1.981
1.501
1.483
1.492
1.494
1.492
1.493
1.488
1. 489
1.477
1.472
1. 466
1.501
1.490
68.37
70. 62
71. 70
72.15
67. 56
70.90
71.35
67. 37
59. 02
59. 43
56.20
58. 27
58. 79
1. 516
1. 552
1. 552
1.572
1. 546
1.538
1.541
1. 514
1.483
1.497
1. 479
1. 479
1.466
64.15
66.20
68.23
68. 67
67. 82
69. 56
64. 74
66.03
63. 27
61.41
59. 87
60.34
61.06
1. 542
1. 565
1. 583
1.635
1.611
1. 614
1. 579
1. 576
1. 547
1.539
1. 493
1. 501
1.504
73.68
60. 89
63. 27
67.39
47. 97
46.15
56. 82
63. 63
45. 28
6 6 . OS
42.80
58.90
75.04
1.904
1.823
1.861
1. 872
1. 838
1. 846
1.857
1. 866
1.935
1.888
1. 829
1.864
1.934
76. 24
72. 73
76.28
76. 32
73.56
70. 54
72.33
72. 98
59.90
47. 94
49. 51
52. 77
63.39
Contract constructiona
Nonbuilding construction
struction
Total: Nonbuilding
construction
40.3 $1. 473 $50. 54
40.0 1. 667 55.31
45.0 $1.123
44.5 1.243 $68. 25
39.7
39.6
40.0
41.1
39.8
39.6
39.9
40.6
39.7
40.3
40.1
40.4
41.1
45.7
44.4
44.3
42.7
42.3
42.5
43.3
44.3
43.8
43.4
44.3
43.4
44.2
1.720
1.738
1.738
1.784
1.768
1.756
1.762
1.768
1.778
1.800
1.764
1.792
1.802
Avg.
hrly.
earn
ings
37.7 $1. 665 $66.59
36.8 1. 809 72.12
Petroleum and natural
gas production
68.28
68. 82
69. 52
73. 32
70.37
69. 54
70.30
71.78
70.59
72.54
70.74
72.40
74.06
Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn hours
ings
41.3 $1.334 $62. 77
41.3 1.486 66. 57
and quarrying
1948: October___
N ovem ber..
D ecember..
1949: January___
February...
March.........
April...........
M ay............
June______
July..............
August........
September.
October___
Avg.
hrly.
earn
ings
44.8 $1.323 $55.09
45.2 1. 456 61.37
Crude petroleum and
natural gas production
$59.36
66.68
Avg.
Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn
hours
ings
Bituminous
40.2 $1.302 $59. 27
41.3 1.412 65. 81
Mining—Continued
1047: Average___
1948: Average___
Anthracite
58.68
57.05
56. 79
54.91
54. 36
54.40
56.38
58.17
57.82
56.77
57. 86
56.90
57.64
1.284
1.285
1. 282
1.286
1.285
1. 280
1.302
1.313
1.320
1.308
1.306
1.311
1.304
70.51
68. 28
71.65
70.14
69.96
69. 22
69. 86
71.70
71.41
71.55
72.13
70. 73
71.99
Highway and street
H eavy construction
38.1 $1. 790 $66. 61
40.6 $1. 639 $62.41
41.6 $1. 500 $69. 69
39.9
$1.746
38.6
37.1
38.5
37.5
37.3
36.9
37.3
38.5
38.5
38.6
38.7
37.7
38.3
42.1
39.1
40. 7
39.5
39.7
39.5
40.1
41.7
41.9
42.2
42.4
40.9
41.8
43.7
40.6
40.7
39.2
39.8
40.4
40.2
42.9
42.3
43.3
43.4
41.5
42.3
1.541
1.514
1. 538
1. 530
1.536
1.534
1. 555
1. 567
1. 574
1.575
1. 578
1.610
1. 617
40.7
37.5
40.6
39.7
39.6
38.8
40.2
40.8
41.5
41.3
41.7
40.6
41.5
1.799
1.803
1. 833
1.839
1.827
1. 826
1. 842
1.851
1. 837
1.840
1. 834
1.835
1.826
1. 826
1.840
1.862
1.869
1.877
1.875
1.872
1. 864
1. 856
1.856
1.862
1.877
1. 878
70. 40
65.31
69. 64
67. 54
68.06
67. 25
68. 47
71.42
71.34
72.20
72. 50
70. 82
72. 57
1.672
1.671
1.712
1.710
1.714
1.703
1.709
1.712
1.704
1.712
1.712
1. 733
1.736
67. 42
61. 54
62. 62
59.98
61.17
61.96
62.44
67. 17
66. 52
68.17
68. 55
66. 79
68.37
73.18
67. 53
74.47
73.00
72. 34
70. 78
73. 96
75. 47
76.25
75.98
76.43
74.50
75. 87
Contract construction *—Continued
Nonbuilding
construction—Con.
Building construction
Special-trade contractors
Other construction
1947: Average___
1948: Average___
$66.16
1948: October___
N ovem ber.
December..
1949: January___
February...
March.........
April.........
M ay............
June............
July..............
August____
September.
October___
69.74
67.00
69.03
67. 52
67. 88
67. 67
67.69
71.07
71.19
72.64
72.67
70. 78
74.50
General contractors
Total: Special-trade
contractors
Plumbing and
heating
Painting and
decorating
40.4 $1,637 $68.85
37.3 $1.848 $64. 64
36.6 $1. 766 $73. 87
38.0 $1.946 $76. 83
39.2 $1. 960 $69.77
36.3
$1. 925
41.7
39.8
40.6
39.6
39.9
39.8
39.6
41.3
41.7
41.6
41.0
39.7
41.1
37.3
36.4
37.8
37.0
36.5
36.1
36.4
37.2
37.1
37.1
37.2
36.4
36.9
36.7
35.6
37.4
36.5
36.1
35.8
35.9
36.8
36.7
36.6
36.8
35.9
36.5
38.0
37.3
38.1
37.5
37.1
36.5
36.9
37.7
37.7
37.7
37.8
37.1
37.5
38.7
38.0
39.7
39.1
38.8
38.6
38.3
38.5
38.6
38.8
38.9
38.5
38.9
2.004
2.010
2.031
2.022
2.014
2.003
2.009
2.018
2.022
2.013
2.033
2.055
2.064
35.9
35.3
35.9
34.4
34.9
35.5
35.5
36.6
36.8
36.7
36.4
35.6
35.7
1.982
2.003
1.991
1. 985
1.974
1. 964
1.965
1.963
1.961
1.968
1.992
2.013
2.001
See footnotes at end of table.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Total: Building
construction
1.671
1.683
1.702
1.705
1.701
1.698
1.710
1.722
1.709
1.744
1.774
1.781
1.813
70. 59
69. 39
72. 33
70.88
70. 53
69.83
70.33
71.81
71.44
71.28
71.95
70.69
71. 76
1. 892
1.906
1.915
1.918
1. 930
1.933
1.934
1.930
1. 924
1.922
1. 932
1.940
1.943
66.53
64.97
68.60
66.84
66. 84
66.69
66. 88
68.34
67.70
67.33
68.02
66.64
67. 89
1.815
1. 824
1.835
1.833
1. 853
1.864
1.862
1.858
1.846
1.838
1.848
1.856
1.861
75. 51
74. 72
76.86
75.50
75.13
73. 87
74. 84
76. 29
76.43
76.59
76. 99
75. 77
76.43
1.988
2.006
2.017
2.012
2.027
2.022
2.027
2.023
2.026
2.032
2.036
2.043
2.039
77. 49
76.34
80.71
79.08
78.16
77.33
76.93
77. 75
77.95
78.08
79.13
79.12
80.32
71.15
70. 61
71.59
68.33
68.92
69. 73
69.66
71. 93
72.18
72.18
72.51
71. 74
71.41
REVIEW , JANUARY 1950
T able
C: EARNING AND HOURS
97
C -l: Hours and Gross Earnings of Production Workers or Nonsupervisory Employees1—Con.
Contract construction
Continued
Building construction—Continued
Special-trade contractors—Continued
Year and month
Electrical work
Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn
ings hours
Avg.
hrly.
earn
ings
Masonry
Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn
ings hours
Plastering and lathing
Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. Avg.
earn earn wkly.
ings
ings hours
Carpentry
Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly.
earn earn wkly.
ings
ings hours
Roofing and sheetmetal work
Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly.
earn earn wkly.
ings
ings hours
Avg.
hrly.
earn
ings
Excavation and
foundation work
Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn hours
ings
Avg.
hrly.
earn
ings
1947: Average.........
1948: Average_____ $83.01
39.8 $2.084 $69.61
35.4 $1.969 $78. 52
36.1 $2.175 $67.98
37.9 $1. 792 $62.47
36.5 $1.710 $66.44
38.9
$1.709
1948: October.......... . 84. 68
November___ 85.11
December___ 87. 58
1949: January......... . 87.49
February____ 86. 35
March______ 85.67
April................ 86.84
M a y ________ 87. 01
June________ 87. 02
July.................. 86.41
A u gu st______ 87.80
September___ 85. 77
October.......... 86.02
39.6
39.2
40.4
40.0
39.2
38.8
39.3
39.2
39.3
39.2
39.7
38.7
39.1
36.3
36.1
35.9
34 5
32.2
32.1
33.4
35.2
35.0
35.1
35.3
32.9
34.7
35.5
34.0
35.3
34.4
35.4
34.6
35.2
34.7
35.8
36.0
35.7
36.2
35.0
37.8
37.2
38.2
37.9
35.9
35.7
36.7
38.1
38.0
37.0
36.3
35.8
36.1
37.6
37.0
36.9
35.5
33.6
33.6
35.3
36.9
36.9
36.8
36.7
36.0
37.0
40.3
38.2
37.7
36.6
37.4
36.6
37.1
39.0
38.9
38.6
38.9
37.6
38.4
1.744
1.807
1.749
1.767
1.818
1.807
1.793
1. 803
1.842
1.863
1.863
1. 864
1.882
2.138
2.172
2.171
2.186
2.201
2. 205
2.209
2.220
2.215
2.202
2. 210
2. 215
2.197
73.87
73.44
72. 76
70.08
65.83
65. 44
68. 04
70. 97
71.23
71.47
71.36
66. 42
70.60
2.033
2. 036
2.027
2. 030
2.044
2.038
2.036
2. 018
2.034
2.037
2.021
2.018
2.035
79.82
75.91
78. 77
76. 82
78. 66
77. 51
80. 27
79. 88
83. 73
84.59
83.13
84. 26
81.11
2. 248
2.231
2. 233
2. 230
2. 221
2.241
2.283
2. 303
2. 338
2.352
2. 330
2. 327
2.316
69.87
67. 78
69. 92
68.98
64.95
64.41
65. 00
67. 09
67. 00
66. 40
66.45
67.17
68.46
1.848
1.824
1.831
1.821
1.810
1.802
1.773
1.763
1.763
1.795
1. 831
1.877
1.896
65.98
65. 36
65. 46
62. 71
58.91
58.80
61. 50
63.99
64.20
64.50
64.53
63.08
66.06
1. 754
1.766
1.776
1.768
1.754
1. 748
1.740
1.735
1.739
1.753
1.759
1. 755
1. 784
70.25
69. 00
65. 93
64. 53
68.00
66.11
66. 51
70. 28
71.67
71.93
72.51
70.04
72.22
Manufacturing
Food and kindred products
Total: Manufacturing
Durable goods *
Ordnance and
Nondurable goods * Total:accessories
Total: Food and
kindred products
M eat products
1947: Average............ $49.97
1948: Average........... 54.14
40.4 $1. 237 $52. 46
40.1 1.350 57.11
40.6 $1.292 $46.96
40.5 1. 410 50. 61
40.1 $1.171 $53. 74
39.6 1. 278 57.20
41.5 $1.295 $48. 82
41.6 1.375 51.87
42.9 $1.138 $54. 58
42.0 1.235 58. 37
44.3
43.3
$1.232
1. 348
1948: October______
November___
December____
1949: January______
February____
March_______
April.................
M ay_________
June_________
July..................
A u g u st............
September___
October_____
40.0
39.8
40.1
39.5
39.4
39.1
38.4
38.6
38.8
38.8
39.1
39.6
39.7
40.7
40.4
40.7
40.1
39.9
39.5
39.0
39.0
39.2
38.8
39.3
39.7
39.8
39.1
39.2
39.3
38.7
38.8
38.6
37.6
38.1
38.5
38.7
38.9
39.6
39.6
42.1
41.9
41.4
40.9
41.3
39.6
36.7
40.3
39.7
40.3
39.7
40.3
40.1
41.8
41.8
41.9
41.5
41.3
40.9
40.6
41.3
41.6
42.2
41.7
41.7
41.8
42.0
42.9
44.1
42.9
41.2
40.3
39.9
40.7
40.4
41.8
41.0
41.5
40.9
1.355
1.403
1.395
1.389
1.352
1.371
1.378
1.380
1.383
1.388
1.387
1.388
1.377
55.60
55.60
56.14
55.50
55.20
54.74
53.80
54.08
54. 51
54.63
54.70
55. 72
55.26
1.390
1.397
1.400
1.405
1.401
1.400
1.401
1.401
1.405
1.408
1.399
1.407
1.392
59. 50
59.11
59.67
58. 83
58.49
57.83
57.21
57.21
57.82
57.31
57.89
58. 84
58.03
1.462
1.463
1.466
1.467
1.466
1.464
1.467
1.467
1.475
1.477
1.473
1.482
1. 458
50.91
51.63
51.84
51.35
51.33
51.07
49. 67
50.41
50. 97
51.55
51.31
52.59
52. 51
1.302
1.317
1.319
1.327
1.323
1. 323
1.321
1.323
1.324
1.332
1.319
1.328
1.326
59.28
59. 50
58. 62
58. 08
59.22
57. 90
54.13
59.32
58.72
59.64
58. 44
59.76
59.71
1.408
1.420
1.416
1.420
1.434
1.462
1.475
1.472
1.479
1.480
1.472
1.483
1.489
52.29
53.25
53.84
53.62
53.07
52.80
52.33
53. 44
53.62
54.69
53.00
53.50
53.88
1.251
1.274
1.285
1.292
1.285
1.291
1.289
1.294
1.289
1.296
1.271
1.283
1.289
56.91
60.19
61.52
59. 59
55. 70
55.25
54.98
56.17
55.87
58.02
56. 87
57.60
56.32
Manufacturing—Continued
Food and kindred products—Continued
M eat packing
1947: Average____
1948: Average____
$55. 57
59.15
1948: October____
N ovem b er..
December__
1949: January____
February__
March_____
April_______
M a y .______
June_______
July...............
A u g u st____
September._
October____
57.46
61.16
62.43
60.34
56.13
55.69
55.32
56. 64
56.44
58. 55
57.34
58.13
56. 57
Canning and
preserving
Grain-mill
products
Flour and other
grain-mill products
Prepared feeds
44.6 $1. 246 $47. 54
43.4 1.363 52. 26
45.8 $1.038 $41.33
45.4 1.151 42.63
39.7 $1.041 $51.96
38.2 1.116 54, 53
45.7 $1.137 $56.11
44.3 1.231 57.23
49.0 $1.145 $46.38
46.3 1. 236 51.01
44.6
45.3
$1.040
1.126
42.0
43.1
44.4
43.1
41.3
40.3
39.8
40.6
40.4
41.7
40.9
41.4
40.7
45.0
44.9
44.7
44.8
45.0
44.4
44.6
45.2
45.8
45.7
45.0
44.4
44.2
39.3
35.6
36.5
36.8
38.2
37.2
36.5
37.4
38.3
39.7
40.8
40.0
40.0
44.9
43.9
43.6
44.2
43.5
43.1
42.7
43.6
44.7
45.4
44.0
44.4
44.3
47.7
45.6
45.5
46.6
44.8
43.4
42.7
43.6
45.0
46.1
44.3
46.0
46.0
52.85
53.61
51. 99
52.19
51.10
53. 78
55.07
55.88
57.36
57.14
55. 75
56. 59
55. 54
45.6
45.7
44.7
44.8
44.2
45.5
46.2
47.2
47.6
47.7
46.3
47.0
46.4
1.159
1.173
1.163
1.165
1.156
1.182
1.192
1.184
1.205
1.198
1.204
1.204
1.197
See footnotes at end of table.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Dairy products
1.368
1.419
1.406
1.400
1.359
1.382
1.390
1.395
1.397
1.404
1. 402
1.404
1.390
53.42
53.39
53.37
54.34
54. 59
53. 77
54.10
54.47
55.23
55.71
54. 72
55. 28
54.94
1.187
1.189
1.194
1.213
1.213
1.211
1.213
1.205
1.206
1.219
1.216
1.245
1. 243
45.16
39.41
42.45
42.61
43.89
42.89
43.07
43. 65
42.63
43.59
44. 27
44.68
45.88
1.149
1.107
1.163
1.158
1.149
1.153
1.180
1.167
1.113
1.098
1. 085
1.117
1.147
56. 93
56.06
55.50
57.19
55.51
55. 21
54.66
55.81
57.84
59.75
57.46
59. 23
58.52
1.268
1.277
1.273
1.294
1.276
1.281
1.280
1.280
1. 294
1.316
1.306
1.334
1.321
61.82
58.82
58.51
61.84
57. 79
55.42
54.36
55.90
58.10
61.13
58. 70
63. 20
62.97
1.296
1.290
1. 286
1.327
1. 290
1. 277
1.273
1.282
1.291
1.326
1.325
1.374
1.369
98
C:
T able
E A R N IN G
A N D
MONTHLY LABOR
H O U R S
C -l: Hours and Gross Earnings of Production Workers or Nonsupervisory Employees‘—Con.
Manufacturing—Continued
Food and kindred products—Continued
Year and month
Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly.
earn earn wkly.
ings hours
ings
Avg. Avg.
wkly.
earn wkly.
ings hours
1947: Average_____ $45.41
1948: Average_____ 49.35
1948: October_____
November___
December____
1949: January_____
February.........
March__ . . . .
April________
M ay________
June________
J u ly ................
August______
September___
October______
50.67
50.24
50.74
49.82
51.28
50.34
51.07
51.61
52.29
52.62
51.83
52.79
52.41
42.4 $1,071 $49.17
42.4 1.164 52.04
1.195
1.199
1.211
1.218
1.218
1.216
1.216
1.226
1.239
1.247
1.249
1.257
1.263
42.4
41.9
41.9
40.9
42.1
41.4
42.0
42.1
42.2
42.2
41.5
42.0
41.5
Confectionery and
related products
Sugar
Bakery products
51.46
56.30
50.90
55.04
54.95
53.40
51.45
55.08
57.93
57.72
56.53
59.17
53.54
Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. Avg.
earn earn wkly.
ings
ings hours
43.4 $1.133 $41.04
41.8 1.245 44.00
41.8
46.0
40.3
42.4
40.2
39.5
37.8
40.5
42.5
42.5
41.2
43.6
43.0
1.231
1.224
1.263
1.298
1.367
1.352
1.361
1.360
1.363
1.358
1.372
1.357
1.245
45. 59
45. 76
45.49
44.70
43.88
44.60
42.71
42.86
44. 76
43.69
4 5 .39
47.63
48.90
Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly.
earn earn wkly.
ings hours
ings
40.0 $1,026 $39.18
40.0 1.100 41.46
41.0
41.0
40.8
39.7
39.0
39.5
37.9
38.1
39.3
38.8
40.2
42.0
42.6
1.112
1.116
1.115
1.126
1.125
1.129
1.127
1.125
1.139
1.126
1.129
1.134
1.148
43.25
43.88
42.66
42.28
41.86
42.48
40. 56
40.60
42.38
41.39
42.80
43.96
45.41
Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. Avg.
earn earn wkly.
ings
ings hours
39.7 $0.987 $57.60
39.6 1.047 61.43
40.8
41.2
40.4
39.4
38.9
39.3
37.8
37.8
39.2
38.9
40.0
41.2
41.7
1.060
1.065
1.056
1.073
1.076
1.081
1.073
1.074
1.081
1.064
1.070
1.067
1.089
Bottled soft drinks
Beverages
Confectionery
61.24
64.33
62.34
60.90
61.54
62. 75
62. 29
64.54
65.59
68. 79
66.24
64.52
64.44
Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly.
earn earn wkly.
ings
ings hours
Avg.
hrly.
earn
ings
42.6 $1.352 $44.82
41.9 1.466 46.26
43.9
44.1
$1,021
1.049
1.490
1.528
1.513
1.515
1.527
1.538
1. 523
1.544
1.558
1.611
1.600
1.593
1.591
45.2
43.7
42.9
42.5
43.4
43.3
43.2
44.0
44.9
44.9
44.1
42.9
45.3
1.063
1.071
1.074
1.078
1.084
1.083
1.090
1.104
1.118
1.129
1.131
1.117
1.102
41.1
42.1
41.2
40.2
40.3
40.8
40.9
41.8
42.1
42.7
41.4
40.5
40.5
48.05
46.80
46.07
45.82
47.05
46.89
47.09
48.58
50. 20
50.69
49.88
47.92
49.92
Manufacturing—Continued
Tobacco manufactures
Food and kindred products—Continued
Malt liquors
1947: Average........... $63.03
1948: Average_____ 66.40
1948: O c to b e r .____
November___
December____
1949: J anu ary_____
February____
March_______
April________
M ay__ ______
June____ .
July....... ...........
August _____
September___
O ctober_____
65.41
67.77
67.03
64.68
66. 21
67. 98
67. 44
70. 85
71. 74
75.60
72.02
69.16
69.43
Distilled, rectified,
and blended liquors
43.2 $1.459 $49.37
42.0 1.581 54.92
40.5
41.2
41.4
40.0
40.3
41.1
41. 2
42.5
42.5
43.3
41.7
40.4
40.2
1.615
1.645
1.619
1.617
1.643
1.654
1.637
1.667
1.688
1.746
1.727
1. 712
1.727
56.78
64.12
56. 98
56. 55
54.80
55.15
55.29
55. 39
55.11
56.42
57.14
60.18
58.90
Miscellaneous food
products
Total: Tobacco
manufactures
40.8 $1.210 $47.87
40.5 1.356 49.74
43.2 $1.108 $35.26
42.3 1.176 36.50
40.5
43.8
39.9
39.3
38.7
39.0
38.8
38.9
38.7
39.1
38.9
40.2
39.8
42.5
42.4
42.3
41.9
41.6
41.7
40.8
41.7
41.8
42.3
42.5
42.1
42.5
1.402
1.464
1.428
1.439
1.416
1.414
1.425
1.424
1.424
1.443
1,469
1.497
1.480
50.87
51.47
51.61
51.91
52.00
51.42
50.55
51.71
51.41
52.33
53.04
52.37
53.21
1.197
1.214
1.220
1.239
1.250
1.233
1. 239
1.240
1.230
1.237
1.248
1.244
1.252
37.94
37.07
37.50
35.69
34.94
36. 21
35.15
36.27
38.57
38.19
38.58
38.36
37. 86
Cigars
Cigarettes
38.7 $0.911 $42.40
38.1
.958 44.51
40.0 $1,060 $32.42
38.6 1.153 32.71
37.7
37.6
$0.860
.870
39.9
37.9
38.3
36.2
35.4
36.1
34.7
35.7
38.0
37.4
38.7
38.9
38.2
39.9
36.4
37.9
35.5
34.8
37.1
35.9
35.9
39.1
39.1
39.5
38.9
37.9
38.0
38.7
38.0
37.2
35.8
35.2
33.8
35.7
37.4
36.6
37.2
38.0
37.8
.879
.892
.881
.877
.874
.884
.881
.886
.882
.878
.882
.885
.885
.951
.978
.979
.986
.987
1.003
1.013
1.016
1.015
1.021
.997
.986
.991
45. 77
43.43
45. 71
43.20
42.32
45.11
44.01
43.98
47.78
48.13
48.90
47.92
46. 73
1.147
1.193
1.206
1.217
1.216
1.216
1.226
1.225
1.222
1.231
1.238
1.232
1.233
33. 40
34.52
33.48
32.62
31.29
31.12
29. 78
31. 63
32. 99
32.13
32.81
33.63
33.45
Manufacturing—Continued
Textile-mill products
Tobacco manufactures—Continued
Tobacco and snuff
Tobacco stemming
and redrying
Total: Textile-mill
products
1947: Average_____ $35.29
1948: Average_____ 37.21
38.4 $0.919 $32.24
37.7
.987 34.24
40.4 $0.798 $41.26
.856 45. 59
40.0
1948: October______
November___
December____
1949: January_____
February.........
March_______
April_____
M ay________
June________
J u ly .................
A ugust______
September___
October...........
39.2
38.0
39.2
36.4
35.8
36.7
35.2
35.5
38.2
37.4
38.1
38.1
37.7
46.1
36.9
39.5
33.1
34.4
37.8
35.4
35.0
38.1
36.4
42.9
42.1
40.5
39.44
38.91
39.12
37.02
37.09
38.02
36. 82
37.35
40.30
40.02
40.35
40.92
39.81
See footnotes at end of table.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1.006
1.024
.998
1.017
1.036
1.036
1. 046
1.052
1.055
1.070
1.059
1.074
1.056
37.76
30.92
34.29
29.26
30.68
35.31
34.02
34.55
38.14
36.22
36.59
34.27
33.82
.819
.838
.868
.884
.892
.934
.961
.987
1.001
.995
.853
.814
.835
45.25
45. 49
45.93
44.89
45.01
44.19
42.20
41.91
42.98
43.26
44.37
45.86
47.16
Yarn and thread
mills
Yarn mills
39.6 $1. 042 $37.99
39.2 1.163 41.49
38.8 $0. 979 $38.00
38.1 1.089 41.42
37.9
38.0
38.4
37.5
37.7
37.2
35.7
35.4
36.3
36.6
37.6
38.6
39.5
35.2
35.7
36.4
35.3
35.8
35.2
34.1
33.9
35.1
35.6
36.5
38.0
38.6
1.194
1.197
1.196
1.197
1.194
1.188
1.182
1.184
1.184
1.182
1.180
1.188
1.194
38.97
39.59
40.33
39. 32
39.77
39. 21
37.85
37. 56
39.10
39.73
40.33
42.22
43.04
1.107
1.109
1.108
1.114
1.111
1.114
1.110
1.108
1.114
1.116
1.105
1. I ll
1.115
38.81
39.66
40.33
39.39
39.99
39. 05
37.99
37.66
39.32
39.84
40.33
42.18
43.04
Broad-woven fabric
mills
38.7 $0.982 $41.52
37.9 1.093 46.13
40.0
39.6
$1.038
1.165
1.112
1.114
1.114
1.119
1.117
1.119
1.114
1.111
1.117
1.119
1.108
1.113
1.118
38.3
38.4
38.7
37.7
37.8
36.8
35.2
34.6
35.7
36.3
37.6
38.5
39.6
1.190
1.193
1.192
1.188
1.186
1.176
1.167
1.171
1.179
1.181
1.181
1.190
1.202
34.9
35.6
36.2
35.2
35.8
34.9
34.1
33.9
35.2
35.6
36.4
37.9
38.5
45.58
45.81
46.13
44. 79
44.83
43. 28
41.08
40.52
42.09
42.87
44.41
45.82
47.60
REVIEW , JANUARY 1950
T able
G: E A R N IN G
A N D
99
H O U R S
C -l: Hours and Gross Earnings of Production Workers or Nonsupervisory Employees1—Con.
M anufac taring—0 ontinue d
Textile-mill products—Continued
Year and month
Cotton, silk, syn
thetic fiber 8
Avg.
wkly. Avg.
earn wkly.
ings hours
1947: Average1948: Average-
$40.30
44.36
1948: October.
44.08
November___ 44.20
December
44. 54
1949: January_____ 42.97
F eb ru a ry ...
43.28
March..........
42.13
April______
40.08
M a y ............
39.02
June_______
39.78
July_______
40.46
August_____
42. 71
Septem ber..
44.31
October........
46.17
Avg.
hrly.
earn
ings
Woolen and worsted
Avg.
Avg.
wkly. Avg. hrly.
earn wkly. earn
ings hours ings
40.1 $1.005 $46.28
39.4 1.126 52.45
38.1
38.2
38.5
37.3
37.5
36.7
35.1
34.2
34.8
35.4
37.2
38.3
39.6
1.157
1.157
1.157
1.152
1.154
1.148
1.142
1.141
1.143
1.143
1.148
1.157
1.166
51.10
51.85
52.56
62.11
51.43
48.30
46.58
47.88
51.64
52. 25
51.16
51. 85
53.29
Knitting mills
Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn
ings hours
40.0 $1.157 $37.78
40.1 1.308 41.14
38.8
39.1
39.7
39.3
39.2
37.1
36.0
36.8
39.3
39.7
39.2
39.4
39.8
1.317
1.326
1.324
1.326
1.312
1.302
1.294
1.301
1.314
1.316
1.305
1.316
1.339
42.29
42.48
41.65
40.88
41.09
41.39
39.87
40.07
40.73
40.44
41.11
42.18
43.64
Avg.
hrly.
earn
ings
Full-fashioned
hosiery8
Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn hours
ings
37.9 $0.997 $46. 92
37.5 1.097 52.85
37.1
37.1
36.5
35.7
36.3
36.5
35.1
35.3
36.2
36.3
37.0
37.8
39.0
1.140
1.145
1.141
1.145
1.132
1.134
1.136
1.135
1.125
1.114
1. I ll
1.116
1.119
55.32
55.88
53.63
52.05
51.66
51.72
50.31
50.87
51.11
50.26
51. 56
52.79
55.34
Avg.
hrly.
earn
ings
Seamless hosiery 8
Knit outerwear
Avg. Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
hrly.
earn hours earn
ings
ings
Avg. Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
hrly.
earn
earn
ings hours ings
38.3 $1.225 $29.68
38.8 1.362 30.27
39.4
39.8
38.2
37.1
37.3
37.4
36.3
36.6
36.9
36.5
37.5
38.2
39.7
1.404
1.404
1.404
1.403
1.385
1.383
1.386
1.390
1.385
1.377
1.375
1.382
1.394
30.55
30.36
30.38
30.13
30.94
30.74
30.31
29.57
30.50
30.61
31.40
31.82
33.76
36.2 $0.820 $37.73
.860 39.76
35.2
38.0
38.0
$0.993
1.046
.883
.885
.883
.894
.884
.886
.889
.880
.879
.867
.877
.884
.893
37.1
38.7
37.7
38.4
37.8
38.0
35.6
37.4
37.6
38.1
37.8
38.5
39.8
1.069
1.072
1.064
1.089
1.091
1.086
1.101
1.091
1.076
1.048
1.048
1.057
1.065
34.6
34.3
34.4
33.7
35.0
34.7
34.1
33.6
34.7
35.3
35.8
36.0
37.8
39.66
41.49
40.11
41.82
41.24
41.27
39.20
40.80
40.46
39.93
39.61
40.69
42.39
Manufacturing—Continued
Textile-mill products—Continued
Knit underwear
Dyeing and finishing
textiles
Carpets, rugs, other
floor coverings
1947: Average_____ $35.36
1948: Average.......... 37.40
38.9 $0.909 $47.03
37.7
.992 51.00
41.8 $1.125 $49.93
41.0 1.244 58.13
1948: October.. . . . .
November___
December____
1949: January..........
February____
M arch.............
April________
M ay............ .
June..................
July. --------August ______
September___
October______
36.1
35.3
35.1
33.9
34.9
35.7
33.5
33.8
35.8
36.0
37.0
38.6
38.7
39.7
40.0
41.2
39.9
41.0
41.0
39.4
38.6
39.4
38.7
39.9
40.8
41.2
36. 75
35.79
35.66
34.41
35.18
36.09
33.63
34.04
35.80
36.00
36. 85
38. 83
38. 74
1.018
1.014
1.016
1.015
1.008
1.011
1.004
1.007
1.000
1.000
.996
1.006
1.001
50. 58
51.16
52.61
51.11
52.60
52. 56
50.47
49.49
49.92
48. 76
50. 59
52.10
52.65
1.274
1. 279
1.277
1.281
1.283
1.282
1.281
1.282
1.267
1.260
1.268
1.277
1. 278
60.96
60.92
60.76
60.01
59.55
58.95
54.68
55.29
51.98
53.78
54.14
56.17
57.26
Wool carpets, rugs,
and carpet yarn
Other textile-mill
products
41.3 $1.209 $50.35
42.0 1.384 58.09
41.2 $1.222 $44.07
41.7 1.393 47.96
41.9
41.7
41.7
41.5
40.9
40.6
38.0
38.5
36.5
37.9
38.1
39.2
39.9
41.4
41.4
41.1
40.9
40.1
40.2
36.9
37.8
34.7
36.4
37.1
38.1
39.2
1.455
1.461
1.457
1.446
1.456
1.452
1.439
1.436
1.424
1.419
1.421
1.433
1.435
60.57
60.82
60.13
59.84
58.47
58.81
53.47
54. 58
49.69
51.98
53.24
55.40
57.31
1.463
1.469
1.463
1.463
1.458
1.463
1.449
1.444
1.432
1.428
1.435
1.454
1.462
46.76
46. 55
48.59
47.91
47.97
47.37
45.81
46.24
47.39
47.66
47. 48
49. 64
48.78
Fur-felt hats and
hat bodies
40.1 $1.099 $47.01
39.7 1.208 49.17
36.9
36.5
$1.274
1.347
1.224
1.225
1.230
1.238
1.230
1.221
1.215
1.220
1.234
1.238
1. 230
1.241
1.235
35.0
33.4
37.2
36.6
37.3
35.7
29.9
34.3
37.3
37.4
36.4
35.6
33.6
1.388
1.380
1.384
1.402
1.388
1.375
1.386
1.394
1.412
1.412
1.385
1.400
1.373
38.2
38.0
39.5
38.7
39.0
38.8
37.7
37.9
38.4
38.5
38.6
40.0
39.5
48.58
46.09
51.48
51.31
51.77
49.09
41.44
47.81
52.67
52.58
50. 41
49.56
46.13
M anufacturing—Con tinued
Apparel and other finished textile products
Total: Apparel and
other finished tex
tile products
M en’s and boys’
suits and coats
M en’s and boys' fur
nishings and work
clothing
1947: Average_____ $40.84
1948: Average_____ 42.79
36.3 $1.125 $48.26
36.2 1.182 50.11
37.7 $1.280 $31.99
36.6 1.369 33.20
1948: October______
November___
December____
1949: January_____
February____
March_______
A pril.............. .
M ay________
June_________
J u ly .. --------August______
September___
October______
35.0
36.0
35.7
35.3
36.2
36.3
34.4
35.5
35.4
35.4
35.7
36.9
36.6
34.5
35.5
35.3
35.4
36.5
36.7
34.5
34.2
33.3
34.4
33.5
35.5
34.4
41.48
43.24
42.95
43.10
43.87
43.41
39.53
39.94
40.11
41.03
41.95
44.02
42. 86
See footnotes at end of table.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1.185
1.201
1.203
1.221
1.212
1.196
1.149
1.125
1.133
1.159
1.175
1.193
1.171
46.68
48.03
48.01
48.07
49.42
50.13
46.30
46.00
43.86
44.93
44.96
48.00
46.27
1.353
1.353
1.360
1.358
1.354
1.366
1.342
1.345
1.317
1.306
1.342
1.352
1.345
32.99
33.02
32. 50
32.05
32.89
33.82
32.49
33.36
32.76
33.03
32.80
33.93
34.33
Shirts, collars, and
nightwear
36.6 $0.874 $32.50
.917 33. 50
36.2
35.9
35.5
34.8
34.2
35.6
36.4
35.2
36.1
35.8
36.1
36.4
37.0
37.4
.919
.930
.934
.937
.924
.929
.923
.924
.915
.915
.901
.917
.918
33.09
34.12
32.52
31.69
32.79
33.98
33.03
34.09
33.19
32.68
32.02
33.23
33.94
Separate trousers
Work shirts
37.1 $0.876 $34.53
36.1
.928 35.31
36.7 $0. 941 $25.64
.989 26.49
35.7
35.7
34.6
$0.741
.742
35.5
36.3
34.6
33.5
35.3
36.3
35.4
36.5
35.8
34.8
35.7
36.6
37.3
33.3
32.6
34.2
34.8
35.7
37.0
35.6
37.0
35.3
35.4
35.7
36.6
35.5
.976
.982
.988
.998
.988
.999
.989
.983
.979
.948
.970
.978
.966
37.0
33.7
32.4
33.9
35.3
36.5
34.0
33.3
34.9
35.7
36.1
36.5
37.1
.754
.759
.775
.932
.940
.940
.946
.929
.936
.933
.934
.927
.939
.897
.908
.910
32.50
32.01
33.79
34.73
35.27
36.96
35.21
36.37
34.56
33.56
34.63
35. 79
34. 29
27.90
25.58
25.11
26.85
27.36
28. 62
26.45
25.91
26.80
27.60
27.33
28.14
28.27
.792
.775
.784
.778
.778
.768
.773
.757
.771
.762
100
O: E A R N IN G
A N D
MONTHLY LABOR
H O U R S
T a b l e C - l : H ours an d Gross E arnings of P roduction W orkers or N onsupervisory Em ployees 1— C on.
X
Manufacturing—Continued
Apparel and other finished textile products—Continued
Year and month
Women’s outerwear
Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn hours
ings
Women’s dresses
Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly.
earn earn wkly.
ings
ings hours
Household apparel
Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. Avg.
earn earn wkly.
ings hours
ings
Women’s suits, coats, Women’sand children’s Underwear and night
wear, except corsets
and skirts
undergarments
Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly.
earn earn wkly.
ings hours
ings
1947: Average........... $49.60
1948: Average_____ 61.49
35.0 $1. 417 $46. 68
35.1 1.467 48. 72
34.5 $1.353 $30.06
34.8 1.400 31.59
35.7 $0. 842 $68.36
36.1
.875 70.60
1948: October...........
November___
December___
1949: January......... .
February-----March........... .
April—............
M ay________
June________
July------------August_____
September___
October..........
32.6
35.2
35.2
35.1
35.8
35.4
33.4
35.0
34. 6
33.9
34.4
35.8
34.3
31.9
34.3
34.8
34.2
35.0
35.5
34.3
35.2
34.3
33.2
34.1
35.4
33.2
35.0
36.3
36.7
35.7
37.0
37.5
36.2
38.1
37.2
35.1
35.3
37.8
35.9
48.16
52. 98
52. 52
53.81
53.84
51.68
45.42
45.61
46. 33
48.51
50. 40
52.98
49. 70
1.477
1.505
1.492
1.533
1.504
1.460
1.360
1.303
1.339
1.431
1. 465
1.480
1.449
43.83
47.92
49.35
48.63
48.44
48. 53
46. 58
48.65
46.06
42.66
46. 21
50.09
46. 48
1.374 31.12
1.397 32.56
1.418 32. 81
1.422 31.88
1.384 32. 78
1.367 33. 49
1.358 31.89
1.382 34. 56
1.343 33.03
1.285 30.71
1.355 30. 85
1.415 33. 08
1.400 31.45
.889 64.96
.897 74.25
.894 70. 59
.893 75.71
.886 75.82
.893 69. 46
.881 56. 49
.907 52.42
.888 59. 91
. 875 66.05
.874 67. 61
.875 69.18
.876 64. 74
Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. Avg.
earn earn wkly.
ings
ings hours
Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. Avg.
earn earn wkly.
ings hours
ings
Avg.
hrly.
earn
ings
35.0 $1. 953 $33. 62
35.0 2. 017 35.32
36.9 $0. 911 $32. 44
.965 34.12
36.6
36.2
36.3
$0.896
.940
32.0
35.8
35.1
36.4
36.7
34.0
29.7
30.6
33.3
34.1
34.3
35.1
33.3
36.6
37.3
36.4
36.0
36.2
36.4
33.8
35.6
36.3
36.0
36.8
37.9
38.6
.986 35. 04
.983 35. 65
.974 34.00
.977 33. 57
.982 33.93
.984 34.44
.978 31.50
.971 32. 67
.973 33.10
.959 32. 25
.964 33. 54
.982 36. 00
.987 36.44
36.5
37.1
35.9
35.6
35.9
36.1
33.4
34.9
35.4
34.9
36.1
37.7
38.2
.960
.961
.947
.943
.945
.954
.943
.936
.935
.924
.929
.955
.954
2.030
2.074
2. 011
2. 080
2. 066
2.043
1.902
1.713
1.799
1.937
1.971
1.971
1.944
36. 09
36.67
35.45
35.17
35.55
35.82
33.06
34. 57
35.32
34.52
35. 48
37. 22
38.10
Manufacturing—Continued
Lumber and wood products (except
furniture)
Apparel and other finished textile products—Continued
ur goods and mis
Children’s outerwear Fcellaneous
apparel
Millinery
1947: Average....... .
1948: Average____
$47.03
50.22
1948: October___
Novem ber..
December...
1949: January.___
February__
M arch..........
April............
M ay.............
June.............
J u ly ............
August____
September—
Oct.ober.......
50.72
41.41
47.68
50.96
58.64
62.29
52.49
46.48
46.06
51.35
54. 40
63.63
53. 98
Other fabricated
textile products
Total: Lumber and
wood products (ex
cept furniture)
Logging camps and
contractors
35.2 $1.336 $34.33
34.8 1.443 36.72
36.1 $0. 951 $39.93
36.5 1.006 42. 21
36.8 $1. 085 $35.57
36.7 1.150 38.49
37.6 $0. 946 $47.36
38.0 1.013 51.38
41.8 $1.133 $55.15
41.5 1. 238 60.26
38.3
38.7
$1.440
1. 657
33.7
29.6
33.7
34.5
37.4
39.1
34.9
31.9
31.7
34.6
36.1
39.5
35.7
34.7
36.1
35.4
35.9
36.3
36.6
33.7
36.0
35.9
36.8
36.9
37.3
36.9
36.1
37.4
36.7
35.2
36.2
35.8
32.7
34.1
35.2
35.0
36.3
37.4
38.6
38.7
38.7
38.4
37.8
38.2
37.8
37.3
38.1
38.3
37.8
38.2
39.1
39.6
42.0
41.2
41.0
40.7
39.5
40.3
40.5
41.1
40.7
39.4
40.7
40.7
41.7
1.286
1.275
1.247
1.224
1.216
1.246
1.272
1.288
1.300
1.288
1.299
1.297
1.297
38.9
39.3
37.3
37.9
35.2
38.3
38.5
40.5
40.0
37.6
41.1
40.0
40.4
1.642
1.629
1.543
1.457
1.367
1.519
1.630
1.599
1.624
1.601
1.634
1.602
1.598
1.505
1.399
1.412
1.477
1. 568
1.593
1.504
1.457
1.453
1.484
1.507
1.611
1.512
35.60
37. 22
35.93
37.95
38. 51
38.47
33.23
35.14
36.04
37.09
37. 38
38.38
37.97
1.026 41.95
1.031 44.95
1.015 42.98
1.057 39. 56
1. 061 41.30
1.051 40.20
.986 37.38
.976 40.14
1.004 42. 28
1.008 42.18
1. 013 42. 54
1.029 44.17
1.029 45. 63
1.162
1.202
1.171
1.124
1.141
1.123
1.143
1.177
1.201
1.205
1.172
1.181
1.182
40.17
39.94
40. 01
39.09
39.84
39.31
38.90
39.97
40.52
39.61
39. 77
41.17
41. 50
1.038
1.032
1.042
1.034
1.043
1.040
1.043
1.049
1.058
1.048
1.041
1. 053
1.048
54.01
52. 53
61.13
49.82
48.03
50.21
51.52
52. 94
52.91
50.75
52.87
52. 79
54.08
63.87
64.02
57. 55
55.22
48.12
58.18
62.76
64.76
64.96
60. 20
67.16
64.08
64. 56
Manufacturing—Continued
Lumber and wood products (except furniture)—Continued
Sawmills and planing Sawmills and planing
mills
mills, generals
1947: Average__
1948: Average__
$47. 88
51.83
1948: October__
November.
December.
1949 January__
February..
M arch___
April........
M ay.........
June.........
Ju ly .........
August___
September.
October__
54. 56
52. 52
51.24
50.59
48.73
50.85
52. 29
53.76
53.56
51.25
53.53
53.31
54. 84
Millwork
42.0 $1.140 $48. 55
41.5 1.249 51.87
42.0 $1.156 $49.65
41.4 1.253 54.95
43.4 $1.144 $47. 67
43.3 1.269 53. 40
42.2
41.0
40.8
40.8
39.3
40.2
40.6
41.1
40.7
39.3
40.8
40.6
41.8
42.1
40.9
40.6
40.7
39.2
40.2
40.6
41.1
40.7
39.3
40.8
40.6
41.7
43.6
43.2
42.8
41.4
41.1
41.3
41.6
41.8
41.8
40.2
41.3
42.0
43.1
See footnotes at end of table.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Millwork, plywood,
and prefabricated
stru ctu ral wood
products
1.293
1.281
1.256
1.240
1.240
1.265
1.288
1.308
1.316
1.304
1.312
1.313
1.312
55.19
53.17
51.68
51.20
49.27
51.50
52.98
54.42
54.21
51.88
54.14
53.96
55.42
1.311
1.300
1.273
1.258
1.257
1.281
1.305
1.324
1.332
1.320
1. 327
1. 329
1.329
56.94
56.42
56.03
53.20
53.02
53. 69
54.62
55.09
55. 22
52.74
54.19
55.52
57.06
1.306
1.306
1.309
1.285
1.290
1.300
1.313
1.318
1.321
1.312
1.312
1.322
1.324
55.89
54. 65
54.99
53.47
52.63
52.37
52.62
53.29
54.06
53.19
53. 71
54. 69
56.29
Wooden containers
Wooden boxes, other
than cigar
43.1 $1.106 $39.08
43.2 1.236 41.57
41.8 $0.935 $39.58
41.4 1.004 42.39
42.7
42.1
$0. 927
1.007
43.7
43.1
43.2
42.3
41.7
41.4
41.3
41.7
42.1
41.2
41.7
42. 2
43.3
41.6
41.1
41.7
40.8
40.4
40.7
40.2
40.8
40.3
40.3
39.8
40.6
41.1
44.12
42.95
43.08
40.91
40.54
40.37
40.80
42.11
42.82
43.31
42. 91
43. 89
44. 67
42.3
41.9
42.4
41.2
40.7
40.9
40.6
41.0
40.7
40.9
40.1
41. 1
41.9
1.043
1.025
1.016
.993
.996
.987
1.005
1.027
1.052
1.059
1.070
1.068
1.066
1.279
1.268
1.273
1.264
1. 202
1.265
1.274
1.278
1.284
1.291
1.288
1.296
1.300
43.35
41.96
42.49
40. 84
40.48
40.62
40. 52
41.66
42.19
42.40
42.03
43. 00
43.11
1.042
1.021
1.019
1.001
1.002
.998
1.008
1.021
1.047
1.052
1. 056
1.059
1.049
A
h
REVIEW , JANUARY 1950
C: E A R N IN G
A N D
101
H O U R S
T a b l e C - l : H ours and Gross E arnings of P ro d u ctio n W orkers or N onsupervisory Em ployees 1— Con.
Manufacturing—Continued
Lumber and wood
products (except
furniture)—Con.
Year and month
Miscellaneous wood
products
Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn
ings hours
Furniture and fixtures
Total: Furniture and
fixtures
Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. Avg.
earn earn wkly.
ings
ings hours
Avg.
hrly.
earn
ings
Household furniture
Wood household fur
niture, except up
holstered
Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn
ings hours
Avg.
wkly. Avg.
earn wkly.
ings hours
1947: Average___
1948: Average___
$41.22
44.06
42.1 $0. 979 $45.64
42.0 1.049 48.99
41.6 $1.097 $44. 01
41.1 1.192 46.76
1948: October___
N ovember.
Decem ber..
1949: January___
February...
M arch____
April............
M a y ______
June............ .
July............. .
A ugust____
September..
October____
45. 77
45.13
45.13
44. 70
44. 47
44. 23
43.66
44.08
43.68
43.02
43.52
43.96
45.14
42.5
41.9
42.1
41.7
41.6
41. 3
40.8
40. 7
40.0
39.4
40.0
40.0
41.0
41.6
40.7
41.2
39.4
39.8
39.6
38.7
38.5
39.0
38.6
40.4
41.2
41.9
1.077
1.077
1.072
1.072
1.069
1.071
1. 070
1.083
1.092
1.092
1.088
1.099
1.101
50.92
50.02
50. 76
48.34
48. 99
48. 87
47. CO
47.59
48. 36
47.86
49.69
51.05
51.66
1.224
1.229
1. 232
1.227
1.231
1.234
1.230
1.236
1.240
1.240
1.230
1.239
1.233
48. 65
47.63
48.26
45.40
46. 22
46.37
45. 08
44.92
45.70
44.80
47.23
48.86
49.85
Avg.
hrly.
earn
ings
Wood household fur
niture, upholstered
Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly.
earn earn wkly.
ings
ings hours
41.6 $1.058 $41.19
40.8 1.146 43.84
41.9 $0.983 $47.23
41.2 1.064 50.33
41.4
40.4
40.9
38.7
39.3
39.3
38.3
38.0
38.6
38.0
40.3
41.2
42.1
41.6
40.6
41.5
39.4
39.6
39.4
38.2
37.9
38.4
37.7
40.2
41.0
42.6
1.175
1.179
1.180
1.173
1.176
1.180
1.177
1.182
1.184
1.179
1.172
1.186
1.184
45.22
44. 54
45.65
43.06
43.24
43. 22
41.68
41.54
42.09
41.06
43.17
44.20
46.14
1.087
1.097
1.100
1.093
1.092
1.097
1.091
1.096
1.096
1.089
1.074
1.078
1.083
52.94
52.97
51.83
46. 96
47.43
47. 96
47.82
46. 54
47. 39
46.87
49.82
52.25
53.79
Mattresses and bedsprings
Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. Avg.
earn earn wkly.
ings
ings hours
Avg.
hrly.
earn
ings
40.4 $1.169 $48.94
40.1 1.255 50.85
41.3
40.1
$1.185
1. 268
41.2
40.9
39.9
36.6
37.2
37.5
37.3
36.5
37.2
36.7
39.2
40.6
41.6
41.1
39.0
39.1
37.5
39.5
39.6
38.5
38.2
40.0
39.7
41.4
42.6
41.2
1.306
1.296
1.297
1.290
1.302
1.298
1.290
1.294
1.300
1.290
1.303
1.341
1.316
1.285
1.295
1. 299
1.283
1.275
1.279
1.282
1.275
1.274
1.277
1.271
1.287
1.293
53. 68
50. 54
50.71
48.38
51.43
51.40
49.67
49. 43
52.00
51.21
53.94
57.13
54. 22
Manufacturing—Continued
Furniture and fix
tures—Continued
Other furniture and
fixtures
Printing, publishing,
and allied indus
tries
Paper and allied products
Total: Paper and al
lied products
Pulp, paper, and
paperboard mills
Paperboard contain
ers and boxes
Other paper and allie d products
Total: Printing, pub
lishing, and allied
industries
1947: Average___
$50.25
1948: Average______ 54. 59
41.7 $1. 205 $50. 21
41.7 1.309 55.25
43.1 $1.165 $54.10
42.8 1.291 59.88
44. 2 $1. 224 $46. 24
44.0 1.361 50.96
42.0 $1.101 $45. 74
41.7 1.222 49.48
41.7 $1.097 $60.75
41.3 1.198 66.73
40.1
39.3
$1.515
1.698
1948: October........ .
November__
December........
1949: January...........
February___
M arch______
April...............
M a y ________
June...............
J u ly ...............
A u g u st..........
September___
October______
42.0
41.6
42.0
41.3
41.1
40.4
39.6
39.8
40.1
40.2
40.8
41.2
41.3
42.8
42.9
42.6
41.6
41.2
41.0
40.3
40.4
40.7
41.1
41.8
42.7
43.1
43.8
43.9
43.3
42.7
42.0
41.7
41.2
41.1
41. 1
41.8
42.6
43.1
43.7
42.3
42.3
42.0
40.1
40.0
39.9
38.8
39.4
40.3
40.4
41.5
42.9
43.6
41.2
41.3
41.6
40.6
40.7
40.4
40.0
39.8
40.2
40.4
40.3
41.4
41.3
1.231
1.247
1. 252
1.258
1.256
1.252
1.246
1.244
1.247
1.260
1.261
1.271
1.268
38.9
39.2
39.6
38.6
38.6
38.6
38.4
38.7
38.7
38.6
38.5
39.1
38.4
1.742
1.744
1.750
1.751
1.770
1.802
1.807
1.819
1.821
1.825
1.836
1.845
1.851
56.70
56.37
57.08
55.88
55.90
55.11
53.74
54.13
54 86
65.44
55.94
56.57
56.29
1.350
1.355
1.359
1.353
1.365
1.364
1.357
1.360
1.368
1.379
1.371
1.373
1.363
56.84
57.27
56.66
55.54
54.84
54.45
53.48
53.73
54.54
55. 57
56.26
57. 77
58.31
1.328
1.335
1.330
1.335
1.331
1.328
1.327
1.330
1.340
1.352
1.346
1.353
1.353
61.41
61.94
60.79
59.91
58. 72
58.17
57.35
57. 58
57.95
59.65
60.32
61.20
62.19
1.402
1.411
1.404
1.403
1.398
1.395
1.392
1.401
1.410
1.427
1.416
1.420
1.423
53.17
53.04
52.37
50.29
50.08
49.95
48. 81
49. 49
51.38
51.63
53.00
55.26
56.11
1.257
1.254
1.247
1.254
1.252
1.252
1.258
1.256
1.275
1.278
1.277
1.288
1.287
50.72
51.50
52.08
51.07
51.12
50.58
49.84
49.51
50.13
50.90
50.82
52.62
52.37
67.76
68.36
69. 30
67.59
68.32
69.56
69.39
70. 40
70.47
70.45
70.69
72.14
71.08
Manufacturing—Continued
Printing, publishing, and allied industries—Continued
Newspapers
1947. Average1948: Average.
1948: October...........
N ovem ber__
December____
1949; January...........
t
.February____
M arch______
i
April...............
M a y________
June................
July............. .
A u g u st............
September........
Oetober.
$65.78
74.00
76.15
76.76
79.39
74.83
75.65
76. 72
78. 43
80.02
78. 73
78.02
77.80
80.14
80.07
8 6 6 5 9 3 — 5 0 ------- 8
Books
37.5 $1.754 $67.30
37.6 1.968 69. 55
43.0 $1. 565 $54.06
40.6 1.713 57.43
37.7
37.7
38.5
36.9
37.1
37.1
37.6
37.8
37.4
37.1
36.8
37.5
37.4
41.0
40.0
39.0
38.6
39.2
39.0
38.8
38.4
38.8
38.6
39.0
40.0
38.9
See footnotes at end of table.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Periodicals
2.020
2.036
2.062
2.028
2.039
2.068
2.086
2.117
2.105
2.103
2.114
2.137
2.141
72. 65
70.12
66. 77
67.40
69.70
70. 67
69.61
68.62
68.91
70.21
70. 90
74.20
71.19
1.772
1.753
1.712
1.740
1.778
1.812
1.794
1.787
1.776
1.819
1.818
1.855
1.830
56.03
59. 59
58.25
58.33
59.21
60.53
60.68
60.53
59.50
60.87
63.30
64.92
61.22
Commercial printing!
Lithographing
40.4 $1.338 $60.65
38.7 1.484 66.33
41.2 $1.472 $59.08
40.3 1.646 64.15
37.6
38.9
38.4
37.9
38.4
38.7
38.7
38.7
37.8
38.5
39.1
40.3
38.5
39.8
40.1
40.7
40.1
39.6
39.6
39.3
39.7
40.0
39.8
39.6
39.8
39.0
1.506
1.532
1.517
1.539
1.542
1.564
1.568
1. 564
1.574
1.581
1.619
1.611
1.590
66.90
67.37
68. 58
67.77
67.91
69.26
68. 42
69.51
70.80
70.05
69.66
70. 21
69.30
1.681
1.680
1.685
1.690
1.715
1.749
1.741
1.751
1.770
1.760
1.759
1.764
1.777
66.11
67.15
66.79
64.45
65.70
67.14
66.14
67.86
68. 87
67.75
71.22
73.57
73.36
Other printing and
publishing
41.4 $1. 427 $55.32
39.5 1.624 59.93
40.0
39.3
$1.383
1.525
59.63
60. 61
62.32
61.43
61.93
63.14
61.56
61.62
61.75
62. 89
63.24
63.17
62.05
38.2
38.9
39.9
39.0
39.0
39.0
38.0
38.2
38.4
38.7
38.4
38.8
37.7
1.561
1.558
1.562
1.575
1.588
1.619
1.620
1.613
1.608
1.625
1.647
1.628
1.646
39.8
40.6
40.6
38.0
38.4
38.7
37.9
38.6
39.0
38.3
39.5
40.6
40.6
1.661
1.654
1.645
1.696
1.711
1.735
1.745
1.758
1.766
1.769
1.803
1.812
1.807
102
G:
E A R N IN G
AN D
MONTHLY LABOR
H O U R S
T a b l e C - l : H ours and Gross E arnings of P roduction W orkers or N onsupervisory E m p lo y e e s1— Con.
Manufacturing—Continued
Chemical and allied products
Year and month
Total: Chemicals
and allied products
Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn hours
ings
Industrial inorganic
chemicals
Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. Avg.
earn earn wkly.
ings
ings hours
Industrial organic
chemicals
Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly.
earn earn wkly.
ings hours
ings
1947: Average_____ $51.13
1948: Average.......... 56.23
41.5 $1.232 $55.56
41.5 1.355 62.13
40.3 $1.381 $52. 79
40.9 1.519 57.69
1948: October_____
November___
December___
1949: January_____
February ___
March______
April________
May................
June________
July.................
August______
September___
October........ .
41.8
41.7
41.8
41.1
41.0
40.9
40.6
40.7
40.8
40.6
40.5
41.4
41.7
41.0
40.7
40.8
41.1
40.7
40.3
40.5
40.2
41.4
40.3
40.1
40.6
40.8
57.56
57. 92
58.35
57.70
57. 81
57. 51
57. 45
58.20
59. 08
59.44
58. 77
59.66
59.55
1.377
1.389
1.396
1.404
1. 410
1.406
1. 415
1.430
1.448
1.464
1.451
1.441
1.428
63. 59
63. 78
63.85
64.20
63.37
62.55
62.98
62. 59
65.41
64.00
63.20
64. 64
64.42
1. 551
1.567
1. 565
1. 562
1.557
1. 552
1. 555
1.557
1.580
1.588
1.576
1.592
1.579
59.23
59.93
60.05
59.36
60.37
59. 69
59.17
60.09
60. 56
61.50
60. 68
62. 37
62.08
Plastics, except syn
thetic rubber
Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly.
earn earn wkly.
ings hours
ings
Synthetic rubber
Synthetic fibers
Avg. Avg. Avg. Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly.
hrly. wkly.
.
earn earn wkly
earn earn wkly.
hours
ings hours
ings
ings
ings
Avg.
hrly.
earn
ings
40.3 $1.310 $53.96
40.4 1.428 58.75
41.6 $1. 297 $56.81
41.4 1. 419 62.88
39.7 $1.431 $49.02
39.9 1.576 53.05
39.5
39.5
$1.241
1.343
0.1
40.3
40.3
39.6
39.9
39.4
38.8
39.2
39.2
39.3
39.2
39.8
39.9
41.1
41.0
40.9
41.5
40.8
40.0
39.3
39.2
39.6
39.8
40.0
41.3
41.2
39.2
39.3
40.1
40.0
39.9
39.2
38.8
39.8
39.9
39.0
39.8
39.7
40.7
39.2
39.5
39.5
39.2
39.0
38.7
37.5
38.5
38.2
38.1
37.7
38.7
39.0
1.407
1.411
1.420
1.417
1.417
1.422
1.430
1.437
1.430
1.447
1.433
1.446
1. 429
1.477
1.487
1.490
1.499
1.513
1.515
1. 525
1.533
1.545
1.565
1. 548
1. 567
1. 556
59.60
59. 94
59. 51
61.59
60.38
58.96
58.05
58.21
59.68
59.78
59. 56
62. 45
62.13
1.450
1.462
1.455
1.484
1.480
1.474
1.477
1. 485
1.507
1.502
1.489
1. 512
1.508
62.29
63.55
64. 96
64. 40
64. 24
65.11
64.87
67. 02
67.07
68. 21
67. 62
67. 97
69.19
1.589
1.617
1.620
1.610
1.610
1.661
1.672
1.684
1.681
1.749
1.69 9
1.712
1. 700
55.15
55.73
56.09
55.55
55. 26
55.03
53.63
55.32
54. 63
55.13
54. 02
55. 96
55.73
Manufacturing—Continued
Chemicals and allied products—Continued
and
Drugs and medicines Paints, pigments,
fillers
1947: Average_____ $48.23
1948: Average,....... - 53. 71
40.7 $1.185 $53.34
40.6 1.323 58.40
1948: October..........
November___
December___
1949: January_____
February____
March______
April_______
May........... .
June................
July................
August______
September___
October_____
40.7
40.9
41.2
40.7
40.6
40.7
40.1
40.4
40.2
40.0
40.0
40.4
40.5
55. 51
56.24
56.36
56. 45
56.52
56.37
55.78
56.68
56.28
56.40
56. 32
57.00
57.19
1.364
1.375
1.368
1.387
1.392
1.385
1.391
1.403
1.400
1.410
1.408
1.411
1.412
60.07
59.32
59.14
58.45
58.97
58.81
59.92
59.22
59.90
59.31
59.51
60.88
61.15
Vegetable and animal Other chemicals and
allied products
oils and fats
Fertilizers
42.3 $1. 261 $40.07
42.2 1.384 42.33
42.4 $0.945 $46.19
41.5 1.020 50.39
46.8 $0. 987 $52. 54
47.4 1.063 57.90
42.3
41.6
41.3
40.9
40.7
40.5
41.1
40.7
41.2
40.9
41.1
41.5
41.4
41.1
39.8
40.7
40.8
41.5
42.3
42.3
42.7
42.5
42.3
41.1
40.9
40.8
50.2
50.6
50.6
48.3
46.4
47.1
45.7
45.8
45.2
44.5
44.7
48.0
49.5
1.420
1.426
1.432
1.429
1.449
1.452
1.458
1.455
1.454
1.450
1.448
1.467
1.477
43.44
41.83
42.98
42.80
43.12
44.12
45.13
46.67
46.58
46.87
45. 21
44. 99
43. 70
1.057
1.051
1.056
1.049
1.039
1.043
1.067
1.093
1.096
1.108
1.100
1.100
1. 071
50. 50
51.71
53. 28
50.91
49.93
50.96
50.18
51.30
52.12
52.69
52.30
51.12
51.28
1.006
1.022
1.053
1.054
1.076
1.082
1.098
1.120
1.153
1.184
1.170
1.065
1.036
59.14
59.49
59.80
59. 58
59.50
59.23
59.12
59.89
60.94
61.32
61. 02
62.12
62.80
Soap and glycerin
41.6 $1. 263 $59.32
41.3 1.402 65.90
42.8
42.0
$1.386
1. 569
41.3
41.2
41.1
40.5
40.7
40.4
40.3
40.6
40.9
40.8
40.9
41.3
41.7
42.5
41.8
41.9
40.6
40.6
40.5
40.0
40.5
40.9
40.8
41.1
41.7
41.9
1.596
1.631
1.627
1.607
1.616
1.603
1. 599
1.614
1.622
1.656
1.625
1.638
1.647
1.432 67.83
1.444 68.18
1.455 68.17
1.471 65.24
1.462 65.61
1.466 64.92
1.467 63.96
1.475 65.37
1.490 66.34
1.503 67.56
1. 492 66. 79
1. 504 68 30
1.506 69.01
M anufacturing—Continued
Rubber products
Products of petroleum and coal
Total: Products of
petroleum and coal
Petroleum refining
petroleum and
Coke and byproducts Other
coal products
1947: Average_____ $60.89
1948: Average.......... 69.23
40.7 $1.496 $62.95
40.7 1.701 72.06
40.2 $1.566 $52.17
40.3 1.788 58. 56
39.4 $1.324 $55.03
39.7 1.475 60.59
1948: October.........
November___
December___
1949: January...........
February____
March.............
April...............
May________
June................
July________
August______
September___
October_____
41.4
40.4
40.4
41.2
39.9
40.0
40.1
40.7
40.2
40.7
40.3
41.1
41.0
40.8
40.0
40.4
41.5
39.9
40.0
39.8
40.5
39.9
40.4
39.8
40.5
40.3
40.1
39.9
40.2
40.1
39.9
39.6
39.7
39.6
39.2
39.2
39.4
39.1
39.3
73.15
72.60
71.59
73.29
70.82
70.92
71.26
72.12
71.84
73.59
72.38
74. 43
74.09
See footnotes at end of table.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1.767
1.797
1.772
1.779
1.775
1.773
1.777
1.772
1.787
1.808
1. 796
1.811
1.807
76.13
75.92
75.02
77.02
73.89
74.00
73.95
75. 21
74.73
76.60
75.10
77.07
76.13
1.866
1.898
1.857
1.856
1.852
1.850
1.858
1.857
1.873
1.896
1.887
1.903
1.889
61.63
61.21
61.87
62.24
61.77
61.18
61.54
60.83
61.00
61.47
60. 79
61.35
61. 03
1.537
1.534
1.539
1.552
1.548
1.545
1.550
1.536
1.556
1.568
1.543
1.569
1.553
65.10
60.52
56.75
55.26
56.10
57.43
60.08
60.09
60. 54
62.03
63. 26
67. 48
67.65
Total: Rubber
products
44.2 $1.245 $55.32
44.1 1.374 56.78
45.4
42.8
40.8
39.9
39.9
40.7
42.4
42.8
43.0
43.9
44.3
46.6
45.8
1.434
1.414
1.391
1.385
1.406
1.411
1.417
1.404
1.408
1.413
1.428
1.448
1.477
58.96
58.20
57.67
56.89
56.55
55.43
55. 50
57.08
58. 29
58.37
57. 72
60. 97
59.53
Tires and inner tubes
39.8 $1.390 $61.75
39.0 1.456 62.16
38.5
37.2
$1.604
1.671
39.2
38.7
38.5
37.9
37.7
37.0
36.9
37.7
38.2
38.4
38.3
40.3
39.4
37.2
36.2
35.6
35.3
35.4
35.8
35.4
36.3
36.6
36.6
36.0
39.1
37.3
1.734
1.731
1.719
1.720
1.723
1.718
1.721
1.741
1.751
1.761
1.731
1.791
1.738
1.504 64.50
1.504 62.66
1.498 61.20
1.501 60.72
1.500 60.99
1.498 61.50
1.504 60.92
1.514 63.20
1.526 64.09
1.520 64.45
1. 507 62. 32
1.513 70.03
1.511 64. 83
4
h
REVIEW , JANUARY 1950
103
G: EARNING AND HOURS
T a b l e C - l : H ours and Gross E arnings of P roduction W orkers or N onsupervisory E m p lo y e e s1— Con.
Manufacturing—Continued
Rubber products—Continued
Year and month
Rubber footwear
Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn
ings hours
Avg.
hrly.
earn
ings
Leather and leather products
Leather and
Other rubber products Total:
leather products
Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn hours
ings
Avg.
hrly.
earn
ings
Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn hours
ings
Footwear (except
rubber)
Leather
Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly.
kly.
earn earn w
ings
ings hours
Avg.
hrly.
earnnigs
Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn hours
ings
Other leather products
Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. Avg.
kly.
earn earn w
ings
ings hours
Avg.
hrly.
earn
ings
1947: Average........__ $48.31
1948: Average............ 51.75
41.5 $1.164 $49.53
41.8 1.238 52.47
40.8 $1.214 $40.61
40.3 1.302 41.66
38.6 $1.052 $50. 76
37.2 1.120 53.26
40.8 $1.244 $39.14
39.6 1.345 39.71
38.3 $1.202 $38.64
36.6 1.085 40.49
38.3
37.7
$1.009
1.074
1948: October............
November___
December........
1949: January...........
February.........
M arch_______
April.................
M ay.............. ...
June..................
July...................
A ugust.............
September___
October......... .
42.0
41.6
42.3
40.2
37.5
33.6
37.2
38.5
39.4
38.7
38.9
40.4
39.1
40.5
40.4
40.5
40.1
40.1
39.2
38.4
39.1
39.8
40.2
40.6
41.2
41.6
36.4
35.7
37.1
37.2
37.7
37.5
35.8
35.1
36.5
37.0
37.2
36.8
36.4
39.1
39.2
40.0
39.6
39.5
38.7
38.0
38.4
39.1
38.1
38.9
39.0
39.0
35.4
34.3
36.5
36.9
37.3
37.2
35.1
34.0
36.0
36.8
36.7
36.0
35.1
37.5
37.6
37.0
36.7
38.0
37.5
36.5
36.4
36.6
37.1
37.6
38.1
38.5
1.091
1.108
1.100
1.087
1.085
1.087
1.094
1.102
1.108
1.097
1.086
1.093
1.102
53.26
54.04
54.82
51.86
48.15
42.07
46.65
48.39
50.35
48. 84
48.78
51.71
49. 81
1.268
1.299
1.296
1.290
1.284
1.252
1.254
1.257
1.278
1.262
1.254
1.280
1.274
54.84
54.54
54.88
54.38
54.05
52.49
51.69
52.51
53.85
54.11
55.46
56.28
57.12
1.354
1.350
1.355
1.356
1.348
1.339
1.346
1.343
1.353
1.346
1.366
1.366
1.373
41.50
40.88
42.41
42.30
42.83
42.56
40.74
40.05
41.46
41.74
42.00
41.99
41. 57
1.140
1.145
1.143
1.137
1.136
1.135
1.138
1.141
1.136
1.128
1.129
1.141
1.142
53.61
54.02
55.28
54.29
54.47
53.41
52.29
53.03
54.39
53.19
54.34
54. 76
54. 87
1.371
1.378
1.382
1.371
1.379
1.380
1.376
1.381
1.391
1.396
1.397
1.404
1.407
39.15
37.87
40.22
40.63
41.07
40.96
38.68
37.37
39.24
39.93
40.04
39.71
38. 54
1.106
1.104
1.102
1.101
1.101
1.101
1.102
1.099
1.090
1.085
1.091
1.103
1.098
40.91
41.66
40.70
39.89
41.23
40. 76
39.93
40.11
40.55
40.70
40.83
41.64
42.43
Manufacturing—Continued
Stone, clay, and glass products
Total: Stone, clay,
and glass products
Glass and glass
products
Glass containers
Pressed and blown
glass
Cement, hydraulic
1947: Average........... $49.07
1948: Average............ 53.46
41.1 $1.194 $50.13
40.9 1.307 54.06
39.6 $1.266 $49. 78
39.2 1.379 52.05
40.6 $1.226 $45.39
39.7 1.311 47.61
39.5 $1.149 $49. 56
38.8 1.227 54. 76
1948: October...........
November___
December___
1949: January_____
February____
M arch.............
April............... .
M a y .................
June.......... .......
July...................
A u gu st.......... .
September___
October______
41.4
40.6
41.0
40.1
40.4
39.9
39.3
39.6
39.4
38.7
39.6
39.7
40.2
40.2
38.8
39.7
39.3
39.9
39.1
38.2
39.1
38.9
37.9
39.0
38.3
39.0
40.7
39.4
39.0
38.4
39.1
39.2
38.7
39. 8
39.9
39.3
39.6
37.3
40.2
39.7
37.6
39.8
39.3
38.9
38.9
38.0
38.3
37.9
36.6
38.1
38.9
39.1
56. 01
55.18
55.72
54.50
55.02
54.18
53.37
53. 90
53.58
52. 94
54.17
54.75
55.19
1.353
1.359
1.359
1.359
1.362
1.358
1. 358
1.361
1.360
1.368
1.368
1.379
1.373
56.92
55. 91
57. 45
57. 30
58.53
56.97
55.39
56.81
55. 98
55.22
56.08
55.96
56.16
1. 416
1.441
1.447
1.458
1.467
1.457
1. 450
1. 453
1.439
1.457
1.438
1.461
1.440
55.23
53.54
53.35
53.07
53.92
53. 35
52.90
54. 53
54. 30
54.12
53. 58
51.59
54.79
1.357
1.359
1. 368
1.382
1.379
1.361
1.367
1.370
1, 361
1.377
1.353
1.383
1.363
49.31
48. 28
51.78
50.85
50.73
50.96
49.10
50. 25
49. 08
47.80
49.15
50.53
50.75
1.242
1.284
1.301
1.294
1.304
1.310
1.292
1.312
1. 295
1.306
1.290
1.299
1.298
56.35
55.67
55.54
55.56
55. 29
55. 67
56.32
57.68
58. 80
58.07
58.36
59.16
59.36
Structural clay
products
42.0 $1.180 $45.07
41.9 1.307 49.57
40.6
40.4
$1.110
1.227
52.06
51.21
51.43
49. 54
50.25
49. 79
49.81
49.94
49.43
48.86
49. 51
49.91
49.78
40.8
40.2
40. 4
39.1
39.6
39.3
39.1
39.2
38.8
38.5
38.8
38.9
38.8
1.276
1.274
1.273
1.267
1.269
1. 267
1.274
1.274
1.274
1.269
1.276
1.283
1.283
41.8
41.3
41.6
41.4
41.6
41.7
41.5
41.8
42.0
41.1
41.6
41.6
42.1
1.348
1.348
1.335
1.342
1.329
1.335
1.357
1.3S0
1. 400
1.413
1.403
1.422
1.410
Manufacturing—Continued
Primary metal indus
tries
Stone, clay, and glass products—Continued
Brick and hollow
tile
Pottery and related
products
Concrete, gypsum,
and plaster products
Concrete products
Other stone, clay, and Total: Primary metal
glass products
industries
1947: Average_____ $44.58
1948: Average............ 49.05
42.7 $1.044 $45. 74
42.5 1.154 49. 46
38.7 $1.182 $51.30
38.7 1.278 56. 49
45.0 $1.140 $53.61
44.8 1.261 56.92
45.2 $1.186 $50. 88
44.4 1.282 55.10
1948: O ctober..........
November___
December........
1949: January______
February.........
M arch..............
April.................
M ay____ ____
June..................
Ju ly ..................
A ugust______
September___
October______
43.6
42.8
42.9
41.2
41.3
41.1
41.5
41.7
42.2
41.5
42.6
42.2
42.6
39.3
39.0
38.8
37.9
38.1
37.6
36.7
36.1
34.9
31.9
34.9
35.1
37.6
45.6
44.9
45.0
43.4
43.3
42.8
42.5
42.8
43.1
43.8
44.6
44.7
45.0
45.1
43.2
44.0
43.1
43.1
42.4
43.8
44.8
44.3
44.3
44.2
44.7
45.0
52.23
51.19
51. 22
48.37
48. 40
48. 09
49.18
49. 66
50.01
48.93
50.40
50. 56
51.12
See fo o tn o te s a t end o f tab le.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1.198
1.196
1.194
1.174
1.172
1.170
1.185
1.191
1.185
1.179
1.183
1.198
1. 200
51.99
51.99
51.37
50. 79
50.98
50. 46
49.10
48.30
46.59
42.55
46.84
46.75
50. 38
1.323
1.333
1.324
1.340
1.338
1.342
1.338
1.338
1.335
1.334
1.342
1.332
1.340
60.01
59.18
59.27
56.25
56.51
55.47
55.17
55.30
56.20
57. 77
59. 50
60.17
60.39
1.316
1.318
1.317
1.296
1.305
1.296
1.298
1.292
1.304
1.319
1.334
1.346
1.342
59. 71
57.67
58.48
56.68
56.89
56.10
58.30
59.38
59. 98
60.60
61.39
62.62
61.83
1.324
1. 335
1.329
1.315
1.320
1.323
1.331
1.325
1.354
1.368
1.389
1.401
1.374
57.61
56. 20
57.15
55. 96
55.78
54. 91
53. 97
54.05
53. 72
52.76
53.69
55.28
55.32
41.6 $1. 223 $55.24
41.0 1.344 61.03
39.8
40.1
$1.388
1.522
41.3
40.4
41.0
40.2
40.1
39.5
38. 8
38.8
38.7
37.9
38.6
39.4
39.4
40.6
40.3
40.3
40.0
39.8
39.0
38.4
38.0
37.6
36.9
37.6
37.7
37.6
1.589
1.590
1.591
1.593
1.587
1.582
1.584
1.581
1.591
1.589
1.581
1.608
1.558
1.395
1.391
1.394
1.392
1.391
1.390
1.391
1.393
1.388
1.392
1.391
1.403
1.404
64. 51
64.08
64.12
63. 72
63.16
61.70
60.83
60.08
59.82
58.63
59.45
60.62
58. 58
104
G: E A R N IN G
A N D
MONTHLY LABOR
H O U R S
T a b l e C - l : H ours and Gross E arnings of P ro d u ctio n W orkers or N onsupervisory E m p lo y e e s1— Con.,
Manufacturing—Continued
Primary metal industries—Continued
Year and month
Blast furnaces, steel
works, and rolling
mills
Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn hours
ings
Iron and steel
foundries
Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly.
earn earn wkly.
ings
ings hours
Gray-iron foundries
Avg. Avg.
hriy. wkly. Avg.
earn earn wkly.
ings
ings hours
Malleable-iron
foundries
Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. Avg.
earn earn wkly.
ings hours
ings
Steel foundries
Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. Avg.
earn earn wkly.
ings
ings hours
P rim a ry sm elting
and refining of nonferrous metals
Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. Avg.
earn earn wkly.
ings
ings hours
Avg.
hrly.
earn
ings
1947: Average......... - $56.12
1948: Average......... . 62.41
39.0 $1.439 $54.80
39.5 1.580 58.45
41.2 $1.330 $55.24
40.7 1.436 57.46
42.3 $1.306 $54.39
40.9 1.405 59.19
40.2 $1.353 $53.94
40.4 1.465 59.93
39.6 $1.362 $52.73
40.6 1.476 58.22
41.0
41.0
$1.286
1.420
1948: October____ November.... .
December__ 1949: January____ February___ M arch_____ April............ . M ay_______ June_______ .
Ju ly ............... .
August_____ .
Septem ber... .
October. ^__ .
40.3
40.0
39.8
40.0
39.9
39. 5
39. 4
38. 7
37.7
36.4
37. 6
37.2
34.1
40.9
40.6
40.7
39.5
39.4
37.6
36.2
35.5
36.2
36.3
36.2
36.6
37.1
41.0
40.8
40.9
39.6
39.6
37.4
35.9
35.1
36.4
36.4
36.6
37.8
38.4
41.1 1.540
39.5 1.531
40.0 1.534
38. 7 1.523
37.3 1.522
35.7 1.507
34.9 1.518
34.4 1.500
35.4 1.517
35.1 1.524
35.2 1.520
35.0 1.543
34.4 1. 521
40.7
40.8
40.6
39.6
40.0
39.0
37.3
30.8
36.2
36.8
35.9
35.2
36.9
41.3
40.4
41.0
41.0
40.8
41.0
41.3
40.7
40. 5
39.1
39.4
39.6
40.7
1.479
1.484
1.488
1.510
1.499
1.490
1 500
1.500
1.499
1. 509
1.482
1.496
1.471
66.66
66.16
65.87
66.24
65.64
64. 90
64.69
63.24
62. 21
59. 88
61.33
62.31
56.13
1.654
1.654
1.655
1.656
1.645
1.643
1.642
1.634
1.650
1.645
1.631
1.675
1.646
60.86
60.37
60.52
58. 74
58.51
55. 50
53.43
52. 26
53.47
53.62
53.50
54.39
55.06
1.488
1.487
1.487
1. 487
1.485
1.476
1.476
1.472
1.477
1.477
1.478
1.486
1.484
59.41
59.16
59.35
57.58
57.38
53.82
51.73
50.47
52.67
52. 63
53.00
55.07
56.18
1.449
1.450
1.451
1.454
1.449
1.439
1.441
1.438
1.447
1.446
1.448
1. 457
1.463
63.29
60.47
61.36
58.94
56. 77
53.80
52. 98
51.60
53.70
53.49
53.50
54.01
52.32
62. 27
62.42
62.08
60.39
61.12
59.40
56. 55
55.72
54.73
55.57
54.50
53.54
56.12
1.630
1.530
1.529
1.525
1.528
1.523
1.516
1.514
1.512
1.510
1. 518
1.521
1. 521
61.08
59.95
61.01
61.91
61.16
61.09
61.95
61.05
60.71
59.00
58.39
59.24
59.87
Manufacturing—Continued
Prim ary metal industries—Continued
Prim iry sm elting
and refining of
copioer, lead, and
zinc
Prim ary refining of
aluminum
Rolling, drawing,
and alloying of
nonferrous metals
Rolling, drawing,
and alloying of
copper
Rolling, drawing,
and alloying of Nonferrous foundries
aluminum
1947: Average____
1948: Average........
$51.41
57.14
40.9 $1.257 $53.46
40. 9 1.397 58.95
40.9 $1.307 $51. 89
41.4 1.424 57. SI
39.7 $1.307 $54.14
40.2 1.438 60.42
40.1 $1.350 $48.38
40.8 1.481 53.88
38.7 $1.250 $54.92
39.1 1.378 59.96
40.0
40.0
$1.373
1.499
1948: October.........
November__
December___
1949: January____
February___
M arch_____
April..............
M ay...............
June...............
July...............
August_____
September__
October.........
60.28
59.01
60.37
61.55
60. 75
60.53
61.18
60. 22
59.85
57.77
56. 76
57. 51
57.29
41.2
40.2
40.9
40.9
40.8
40.9
41.2
40. 5
40.3
38.8
39.2
39.2
40.2
41.2
40.9
41.2
41.5
41.0
41.1
41.9
41.1
41.1
41.2
40.9
41.1
42.4
40.6
39.9
40.9
39.9
39.0
37.3
36.1
36.5
37.3
37.9
39.0
39.5
40.4
41.0
40.0
41.2
39.8
38.3
35.8
33.5
34.5
36.4
37.8
39.6
40.0
40.9
39.7
39.3
39.9
40.1
39.9
39.0
39.0
38.7
38.2
38.0
38.0
38.4
39.4
40.0
39. 7
40. 4
39.5
39. 5
38.6
38.0
37.9
38.5
38. 8
33. 6
39.3
39.4
1.547
1.550
1.572
1. 556
1. 556
1. 541
1. 547
1. 557
1.557
1. 561
1. 558
1.566
1.579
1.463 61.14
1.468 61.27
1.476 60.89
1.505 61.59
1.489 60. 68
1.480 60. 66
1.485 62.81
1.487 61.07
1.485 60.91
1.489 61.10
1.448 61.92
1.467 62.23
1.425 65.13
1.484
1.498
1.478
1.484
1.480
1.476
1.499
1. 486
1.482
1.483
1.514
1.514
1.536
61.18
59.81
61.47
59. 77
57. 99
55.09
52.99
53. 62
55.17
56.36
58.89
59. 65
61.53
1.507 63.43
1.499 61.44
1. 503 63.65
1.498 61.37
1.487 58. 45
1.477 54. 09
1.468 50.38
1. 469 51.92
1.479 55.18
1. 487 57. 42
1.510 61.26
1.510 61.96
1.523 64.17
1. 547 57. 72
1.536 56. 87
1.545 57. 70
1.542 58.02
1. 526 57. 70
1.511 55.81
1. 504 55. 65
1.505 55.30
1.516 54. 89
1.519 55.02
1. 547 55.48
1. 549 55.83
1.569 57.41
1.454
1.447
1.446
1.447
1.446
1.431
1. 427
1.429
1.437
1.448
1.460
1.454
1.457
61.88
61.54
63. 51
61.46
61.46
59. 48
58. 79
59. 01
59.94
60. 57
60 14
61.54
62. 21
Manufacturing—Continued
Fabricated metal products (except ordnance, machinery, and
transportation equipment)
Primary metal industries—Continued
Other primary metal
industries
Iron and steel forg
ings
Wire drawing
Total: Fabricated
metal products (ex
cept ordnance, ma
chinery, and transpor
tation equipment)
Tin cans and other
tinware
Cutlery, hand tools,
and hardware
1947: Average........ $56.94
1948: Average......... 63. 08
40.5 $1. 406 $59. 79
40.8 1.546 65.16
40.7 $1.469 $56. 47
40.8 1.597 62.17
40.6 $1.391 $52.06
40.5 1.535 56. 68
40.8 $1. 276 $48.95
40.6 1.396 54.07
41.0 $1.194 $50.02
40.9 1.322 54.22
41.2
40.8
$1.214
1.329
1948: October.........
November__
December___
1949: January........ .
February___
M arch........... .
April_______
M ay_______
June________
Ju ly............. .
August______
September___
October......... .
41.3 1.623 69.26
41.3 1.631 69.38
41. 3 1.620 69.39
41. 2 1. 625 69.30
40. 9 1.627 68. 67
39. 7 1.611 65.17
38.3 1. 606 62.24
38. 3 1. 612 61.96
38. 5 1. 625 62.93
38. 2 1.620 61.28
38.1 1.618 60.37
38.8 1. 626 60.02
39. 2 1.622 59.79
41.4
41.2
41.4
41.3
40.9
39.4
38.0
37.6
38.0
37.5
36.9
36.4
36.3
40.7
40.4
40.6
41.1
40.7
39.2
36.8
37.5
37.9
38.0
38.0
38.9
40.1
40.8
40.7
41.0
40.1
39.7
39.5
38.7
39.0
39.2
39.3
39.6
40.1
39.9
40.5
40.1
41.3
39.9
39.9
40.0
39.1
39.4
40.7
42.6
42.6
41.1
39.2
40. 9
40.8
41.4
40. 6
39.9
39.8
38.7
39.1
38. 6
38. 7
38.2
39.3
38.5
1.380
1.382
1.396
1.393
1.391
1.393
1.392
1.394
1.397
1. 404
1.397
1.405
1.388
67.03
67.36
66. 91
66. 95
66. 54
63. 96
61. 51
61. 74
62. 56
61.88
61.65
63.09
63. 58
See footnotes a t end of table.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1.673
1.684
1.676
1.678
1.679
1.654
1.638
1. 648
1.656
1.634
1.636
1.649
1.647
66.14
66. 05
65.98
67.24
66. 54
63. 58
58.99
60.34
61.44
61.26
61. 26
63.13
65. 56
1.625
1.635
1.625
1.636
1.635
1.622
1.603
1.609
1.621
1.612
1. 612
1.623
1.635
59.20
59.10
59. 57
58.23
57. 72
57.35
56.19
56. 67
57.39
57. 6]
58.13
59.11
58.25
1.451
1.452
1.453
1.452
1.454
1.452
1.452
1. 453
1. 464
1.466
1. 468
1.474
1.460
55. 73
54.78
56. 46
54. 46
54. 62
55.04
53.68
54. 06
55. 68
59. 34
61.13
58. 86
55.27
1.376
1.366
1.367
1.365
1.369
1.376
1.373
1.372
1.368
1.393
1.435
1.432
1.410
56.44
56. 39
57. 79
56. 56
55.50
55. 44
53.87
54. 51
53.92
54.33
53.37
55. 22
53.44
REVIEW, JANUARY 1950
T able
C : E A R N IN G
A N D
105
H O U R S
C-T: Hours and Gross Earnings of Production Workers or Nonsupervisory Employees1—Con.
Manufacturing—Continued
Fabricated metal products (except ordnance, machinery, and transportation equipment)—Continued
Y ear and month
Cutlery and edge
tools
Avg. Avg.
wkiy. wkly.
earn
ings hours
1947: Average___
1948: Average___
$48.14
51.13
1948: October___
Novem ber.
D ecember..
1949: January___
February...
M arch____
April_____
M a y ______
J u n e ..........
Ju ly ---------August____
September.
October___
52. 66
53.04
52.82
52. 07
50. 72
50.20
47.92
49.99
49. 88
49.68
49.87
52. 31
52. 59
Hand tools
Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. Avg.
earn earn w kly.
ings
ings hours
Heating apparatus
(except electric) and
plumbers’ supplies
Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. Avg.
earn earn wkly.
ings
ings hours
Sanitary ware and
plumbers’ supplies
Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. Avg.
earn earn wkly.
ings
ings hours
Avg.
hrly.
earn
ings
Oil burners, nonelec
tric heating and cook Fabricated structural
ing apparatus, not
metal products
elsewhere classified
Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn
ings hours
Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly.
earn earn wkly.
ings
ings hours
Avg.
hrly.
earn
ings
41.9 $1.149 $51.66
41.3 1.238 56.07
41.2 $1.254 $52.85
40.9 1.371 57. 53
40.5 $1.305 $55. 38
40.2 1.431 60.40
40.6 $1.364 $51. 72
40.4 1.495 55.80
40.5 $1.277 $53. 57
40.0 1. 395 68.17
41.3
41.2
$1.297
1.412
41.3
41.5
41.3
40.9
40.0
39.5
38.0
39.8
39.4
39.3
39.3
40.8
40.8
41.1
40.5
41.0
40.7
40.3
39.8
38.8
38.4
37.2
37.4
36.8
37.2
38.3
40.9
40.0
40.2
38.1
37.2
37.6
36.6
37.1
37.3
37.7
39.5
40.3
41.2
41.0
40.7
41.1
37.8
37.6
37.9
36.5
37.2
36.3
38.3
38.5
38.6
40.8
40.9
39.6
39.7
38.4
37.0
37.5
36.7
37.0
38.0
37.6
40.1
41.1
41.4
41.7
41.7
41.9
41.2
41.2
40.8
40.0
40.5
40.4
40.0
40.4
40.9
39.9
1.471
1.472
1.472
1.476
1.477
1.477
1.472
1.479
1.484
1.483
1.481
1.484
1.475
1.275
1.278
1.279
1.273
1.268
1.271
1.261
1.256
1.266
1.264
1.269
1.282
1.289
58.44
57.51
58. 51
58.08
57.31
56. 72
54. 90
53.95
52.23
52. 25
51.78
52. 86
54. 08
1.422
1. 420
1. 427
1.427
1.422
1.425
1.415
1.405
1. 404
1.397
1.407
1.421
1. 412
60.82
59. 36
59. 58
55.97
54.94
55. 57
53.99
54.61
54.72
54.85
57. 63
59.56
60.93
1.487
1.484
1.482
1. 469
1. 477
1.478
1.475
1.472
1. 467
1.455
1.459
1.478
1.479
64. 82
63.98
64. 07
58. 33
58. 47
59.09
56. 58
57. 55
55.94
58.64
59.25
60.18
63. 73
1.681
1.572
1. 559
1.543
1.555
1.559
1. 550
1.547
1. 541
1.531
1.539
1.559
1.562
58. 81
56. 79
56.93
54. 57
52. 76
53. 51
52. 37
52. 76
54.26
53.05
56.82
59.10
59.28
1.438
1.434
1.434
1. 421
1.426
1.427
1.427
1.426
1.428
1.411
1.417
1.438
1.432
61.34
61.38
61.68
60.81
60.85
60. 26
58. 88
59. 90
59.95
59.32
59.83
60. 70
58.85
Manufacturing—Continued
Fabricated metal products (except ordnance, machinery, and transportation equipment)—Continued
Structural steel and
ornamental metal
work
1947: Average___
1948: Average___
$53. 28
57.68
1948: October___
N ovem ber..
December...
1949: January___
F ebruary..
March____
A pril.......... .
M ay.............
June______
July..............
August____
September..
October___
61.28
61.43
61.15
61.02
61.19
60.79
59. 09
60. 75
61.13
60.13
62. 32
62. 31
58.90
Boiler-shop products
Sheet-metal work
M etal stamping,
coating, and
engraving
Stamped and pressed
metal products
Other fabricated
metal products
41 4 $1. 287 $54. 38
41.2 1.400 58.79
41.1 $1.323 $51. 74
41.2 1.427 56.64
41.0 $1.262 $52. 25
40.6 1.395 56. 66
40.5 $1. 290 $53. 71
40.1 1.413 58.39
40.6 $1. 323 $52.25
40.3 1.449 56.88
40.6
40.4
$1. 287
1. 408
41.8
41.9
41.8
41.4
41.6
41.1
40.2
40.8
41.0
40.3
41.8
41.9
39.8
41.2
41.7
42.1
41.0
41.0
40.7
40.4
40.3
39.6
40.1
39.8
40.5
40.0
41.2
40.8
41.3
40.8
40.1
39.9
37.9
39.9
39.8
39.9
39.6
39.9
38.6
40.1
40.2
40.5
40.0
39.6
39.1
38.9
38.8
39.7
38.8
39.8
40.2
39.8
40.2
40.3
40.6
40.3
40.0
39.4
39.2
39.1
40.0
38.9
40.0
40.4
39.8
40.5
40.6
40.8
40.3
40.0
39.3
38.5
38.5
39.0
39.5
39.0
39.6
40.1
1.461
1.467
1.466
1.466
1.471
1.467
1.470
1.466
1.491
1.495
1. 485
1.490
1.484
1.466
1.466
1.463
1.474
1.471
1.479
1.470
1.489
1.491
1.492
1.491
1.487
1.480
60.85
61.72
62.52
60.68
60.80
60.24
59. 79
59.68
59.00
59. 75
59.10
60.63
69.52
1.477
1.480
1.485
1.480
1.483
1.480
1.480
1.481
1.490
1.490
1.485
1.497
1.488
60.32
59.24
59. 72
59.24
58.27
57.42
55.22
57.93
57.63
58.25
57.70
58.13
55.04
1.464
1.452
1.446
1.452
1.453
1.439
1.457
1.452
1.448
1.460
1.457
1.457
1.426
58.75
59.09
59.41
59.00
58.21
57. 20
57.07
57.11
59.35
58.08
60. 06
60.86
58.74
1.465
1.470
1.467
1.475
1.470
1.463
1.467
1.472
1.495
1.497
1.509
1.514
1.476
60.34
60.81
60. 98
60.85
60.24
59. 02
68.76
58. 69
61.16
59. 59
61.88
62.94
60.34
1.501
1.509
1. 502
1.510
1.506
1.498
1.499
1.501
1. 529
1.532
1.547
1.558
1.516
59.17
59.56
59.81
59.08
58.84
57.65
56.60
56.44
58.15
59.05
57.92
59.00
59.51
Manufacturing—Continued
Machinery (except electrical)
Total: Machin ery (exEngines and turbines Agricultural machin
cept electri cal)
ery and tractors
1947: Average___
1948: Average.......
$55.89
60.52
1948: October___
N ovem ber..
December...
1949: January___
February...
M arch........ .
April........... .
M a y______
June______
Ju ly — .........
August____
September..
October___
62.43
62.02
62.80
61.72
61. 57
60.85
59.55
59. 70
59. 94
59. 67
59.86
60.44
60.02
41.4 $1.350 $58.40
41.2 1.469 63. 50
41.1
40.8
41.1
40.5
40.4
39.9
39.1
39.2
39.2
39.0
39.1
39.3
39.1
See footnotes at end of table.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1.519
1.520
1. 528
1. 524
1. 524
1.525
1. 523
1.523
1. 529
1. 530
1.531
1.538
1.535
65.73
64.84
66. 75
64.16
64.96
63. 50
62.38
63.10
63.58
61.72
62.93
62.56
62.15
Agricultural machin
ery (except tractors)
Tractors
Construction and
mining machinery
40.7 $1.435 $55. 76
40.5 1. 568 60. 59
40.7 $1.370 $57.69
40.5 1.496 62.05
40.8 $1.414 $53.43
40.5 1.532 58.62
40.6 $1.316 $54. 72
40.4 1.451 60.33
41.8
42.1
$1.309
1.433
40.4
39.9
40.9
39.7
39.9
39.1
38.6
39.0
39.2
38.1
38.8
38.5
38.2
40.4
39.9
40.4
40.1
40.2
39. 7
39.0
39.0
39.5
39.7
39.1
39.1
39.1
40.6
40.2
40.5
40.6
40.2
39.6
38.6
38.8
39.6
40.1
39.3
38.8
38.6
40.2
39.6
40.3
39.6
40.2
39.8
39.4
39.2
39.4
39.2
38.9
39.5
39.7
41.9
41.8
42.0
41.2
41.1
40.6
40.2
39.8
39.9
38.6
38.8
38.9
38.8
1.479
1.484
1.484
1.483
1.477
1.478
1.485
1.474
1.469
1.476
1.469
1.469
1.471
1.627
1.625
1.632
1.616
1.628
1.624
1.616
1.618
1.622
1.620
1.622
1.625
1.627
62.42
61.41
62.54
62.11
62.07
61.38
60.18
60.26
61.78
62.09
61.00
61.39
60.68
1.545
1.539
1.548
1.549
1.544
1.546
1. 543
1.545
1. 564
1.564
1.560
1.570
1.552
64.35
63.32
63.95
64.15
63.11
62.25
60.52
60.80
62. 57
63.68
62.25
61.69
60. 72
1. 585
1.575
1.579
1. 580
1.570
1.572
1.568
1.567
1.580
1.588
1.584
1.590
1.573
60.18
59.16
60.81
59.72
60.82
60.30
59.61
59.51
60.83
60.13
59.48
61.03
60.86
1.497
1.494
1. 509
1. 508
1.513
1.515
1.513
1.518
1. 544
1.534
1.529
1.545
1.533
61.97
62.03
62.33
61.10
60.70
60.01
59.70
58.67
58.61
56. 97
57.00
57.14
57.07
106
T able
C:
E A R N IN G
A N D
MONTHLY LABOR
H O U R S
C -l: Hours and Gross Earnings of Production Workers or Nonsupervisory Employees 3—Con.
Manufacturing—Continued
Machinery (except electrical)—Continued
Metalworking
machinery
Year and month
Avg.
wkly.
earn
ings
Avg.
wkly.
hours
Avg.
hrly.
earn
ings
Machine tools
Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn hours
ings
Avg.
hrly.
earn
ings
M etalw orking
machinery (except
machine tools)
Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn
ings hours
Avg.
hrly.
earn
ings
Machine-tool
accessories
Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn
ings hours
Special - i n d u s t r y
machinery (except
metalworking
machinery)
Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. Avg.
earn earn wkly.
ings
ings hours
General industrial
machinery
Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. Avg.
earn earn wkly.
ings
ings hours
Avg.
hrly.
earn
ings
1947: Average___
1948: Average___
. $58.49
. 62.94
42.2 $1.386 $57.75
42.1 1.495 61.57
42.4 $1.362 $57. 57
42.2 1.459 62.98
41.9 $1,374 $60.52
42.1 1.496 65.21
42.0 $1.441 $55.89
41.8 1.560 60. 62
42.7 $1.309 $55. 79
42.3 1.433 59.78
41.7
41.2
$1.338
1.451
1948: October___
November..
December..
1949: January___
February...
March____
A pril...........
M ay______
June............
July.............
August____
Septem ber..
October___
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
41.7
41.4
42.1
41.3
41.0
40.6
39.7
39.4
38.8
38.3
38.6
39.0
38.7
42.0
41.6
42.1
41.2
40.9
40.4
39.7
39.2
38.5
37.9
38.6
38.4
38.4
41.6
41.6
42.4
41.5
41.3
41.0
39.9
39.9
39.3
38.7
39.0
39.0
39.5
41.2
40.9
41.7
41.4
40.9
40.7
39.4
39.2
39.0
38.7
38.0
39.9
39.2
42.0
41.3
42.1
41.4
41.0
40.8
40.5
40.3
39.8
39.8
39.7
39.8
39.5
41.2
40.8
41.3
40.6
40.6
39.9
39.4
39.3
39.3
38.8
38.9
39.1
39.5
1.50
1. 505
1. 508
1.507
1.507
1.508
1.504
1. 500
1. 508
1.499
1. 501
1.509
1.513
64.34
63.80
65.21
63.73
63.26
62.93
61.26
60.72
59.79
59.10
59.87
60.53
60. 29
1.543
1.541
1.549
1. 543
1.543
1.550
1.543
1.541
1.541
1.543
1. 551
1.552
1.558
63.13
62. 57
63. 40
61.59
61.27
60.68
59. 67
59.04
57.90
57.00
58. 32
58.06
57.98
1.503
1.504
1.506
1.495
1.498
1.502
1.503
1. 506
1.504
1.504
1.511
1.512
1.510
64.44
64.73
66. 48
64.91
64.39
64.12
62.04
61.61
60.68
59.64
60. 22
60. 26
61.58
1.549
1.556
1.568
1.564
1. 559
1.564
1.555
1.544
1.544
1. 541
1.544
1.545
1. 559
66.33
65. 24
67.05
66.32
65.77
65.89
63.20
62.80
62. 52
62.38
62.09
65. 44
64. 76
1.610
1.595
1.608
1.002
1.608
1.619
1.604
1.602
1.603
1.612
1. 634
1. 640
1.652
61.74
60. 96
62.81
61.56
60.93
60.83
60. 47
60. 57
59.98
60.02
59. 67
60.38
59. 92
1.470
1.476
1.492
1.487
1.486
1.491
1.493
1.503
1.507
1.508
1. 503
1. 517
1. 517
61.96
61.40
62.28
61.18
61.18
60.17
59. 26
58.95
59. 26
58.16
58.39
59. CO
59.76
Manufacturing—Continued
Machinery (except electrical)—Continued
Office and store ma
chines and de
vices
1947: Average__
1948: Average__
$57.59
61.49
1948: October__
N ovember.
December..
1949: January__
February. .
March____
April...........
M a y............
June______
July— ........
August___
September .
October___
60.25
62. 85
64. 29
63. 11
62. 72
62. 92
61.78
62. 21
62.73
62.45
60. 87
62.65
62. 53
Computing machines
and cash registers
Typewriters
41.7 $1.381 $62. 34
41.1 1.496 66.54
41.7 $1,495 $52. 50
41.2 1.615 55.65
39.3
40.6
41.0
40.2
40.0
39.9
39.0
39.3
39.6
39.3
38.6
39.5
39.5
40.0
40.6
40.8
40.4
40.3
40.3
39.9
39.4
39.6
39.5
39.5
39.7
39.7
1.533
1.548
1.568
1. 570
1.568
1. 577
1.584
1.583
1. 584
1.589
1. 577
1.586
1.583
66.16
67.19
68. 71
68.07
67. 82
68.07
67.43
66. 70
67. 28
67.86
67.15
67.93
67.89
1. 654
1.655
1.684
1. 685
1.683
1.689
1.690
1.693
1.699
1.718
1.700
1.711
1.710
51.14
58.16
58. 92
56. 27
55.60
55. 78
53. 83
56.55
56. 76
56.23
54.08
56. 74
56.85
Service - i n d u s t r y
and h o u s e h o l d
machines
Refrigerators a n d
a i r - conditioning
units
Miscellaneous ma
chinery parts
41.5 $1.265 $54. 50
41.1 1.354 58.98
40.7 $1. 339 $53. 77
40.4 1.460 58. 29
40.1 $1.341 $53.09
39.9 1.461 57.62
40.1
40.1
$1.324
1.437
37.3
40.9
41.2
39.6
39.1
38.9
37.1
39.3
39.2
39.1
37.9
39.4
39.7
41.1
40.6
40.0
39.8
39.8
39.4
37.8
39.3
39.3
40.9
40.6
41.1
39.5
40.7
40.0
40.0
39.3
39.5
38.7
36.7
38.8
38.5
40.4
40.2
40.7
38.2
40.6
40.2
40.4
39.9
39.3
39.0
37.7
37.3
37.7
37.2
38. 5
38.4
39.0
1.487
1.495
1. 498
1.495
1.493
1.491
1.485
1.484
1. 482
1.484
1.488
1.494
1.490
1.371
1. 422
1.430
1.421
1.422
1.434
1.451
1.439
1.448
1.438
1.427
1.440
1.432
62.88
61. 79
61.12
60. 58
60.70
59. 73
56.96
59.03
59.66
62.58
62.48
63.71
60.95
1.530
1. 522
1.528
1.522
1.525
1.516
1.507
1.602
1. 518
1.530
1.539
1.550
1.543
62. 47
60.84
61.36
59. 97
60. 44
58. 71
55. 45
58. 86
59.02
62.78
62.91
64.10
59.25
1.635
1.521
1. 534
1.526
1.530
1.517
1.511
1.517
1.533
1.554
1.565
1.575
1.551
60. 37
60.10
60. 52
59. 65
58. 57
58.15
55. 98
55. 35
55. 87
55.20
57.29
57.37
58.11
Manufacturing—Continued
Machinery (except
electrical)—Con.
Machine shops (job
and repair)
1947: Average___
1948: Average___
$54. 46
58. 77
1948: October___
November.
December..
1949: January___
February..
March____
April............
M ay............
June______
J u ly ...........
August____
Septem ber..
October___
61.22
60.69
60.60
60. 29
59.58
59.58
59. 24
57.45
58. 72
58.36
58.31
56.29
56.47
Total Electrical ma
chinery
Electrical generat
ing, transmission,
distribution, and
industrial appa
ratus
Motors, generators,
transformers, and
industrial controls
40.1 $1. 358 $51. 26
40.2 1.462 55. 66
40.3 $1. 272 $53.92
40.1 1.388 58.34
40.6 $1.328 $55.01
40.4 1.444 59.55
40.6
39.9
40.0
39.9
39.3
39.2
39.0
38.1
39.2
38.8
39.0
37.6
37.9
40.2
40.3
40.4
39.7
39.6
39.1
38.5
38.8
39.0
38.7
39.1
40.0
40.4
40.3
40.6
41.0
40.1
40.0
39.5
38.9
38.6
38.8
39.0
39.3
39.8
39.9
See footnotes at end of table.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Electrical machinery
1.508
1. 521
1.515
1. 511
1. 516
1. 520
1.519
1.508
1. 498
1.504
1.495
1.497
1.490
57.93
57.91
58.10
57.01
57.02
56.50
55. 59
55. 99
56.16
56.00
56.73
57.88
58.01
1.441
1. 437
1. 438
1. 436
1. 440
1.445
1.444
1. 443
1.440
1.447
1.451
1.447
1.436
60. 53
60. 74
61.66
60.15
60.20
59. 49
58.66
58.36
58. 55
59.24
59. 74
60.22
60.01
1.502
1.496
1.504
1.500
1.505
1. 506
1.508
1.512
1. 509
1.519
1. 520
1.513
1.504
61. 89
62.20
63, 41
61.90
61. 48
60. 91
60.06
60.06
60. 21
61.23
61.62
62.24
61.52
E lectrica l e q u ip
ment for vehicles
Communication
equipment
40.6 $1.355 $51. 89
40.4 1.474 56.77
39.7 $1,307 $48.00
39.7 1.430 52.10
39.9
39.8
$1,203
1.309
40.4
40.6
41.2
40.3
40.0
39.5
39.0
38.9
39.1
39.4
39.6
40.1
40.0
39.9
40.0
39.8
39.3
39.1
38.2
38.5
39.5
39.4
39.9
40.8
40.9
39.7
40.0
40.3
40.0
39.3
39.1
39.0
38.4
38.8
39.2
37.9
38.3
40.0
41.1
1. 356
1.349
1.346
1.343
1.346
1.361
1. 364
1.362
1.361
1.300
1. 363
1.361
1.351
1.532
1.532
1. 539
1.536
1.537
1.542
1.540
1. 544
1.540
1.554
1. 556
1.552
1.538
59.77
60.08
59. 94
59.19
58.85
57.26
57. 40
59.80
59. 69
60. 97
62.79
62.90
59.95
1. 498
1. 502
1.506
1. 506
1.505
1.499
1.491
1.514
1.515
1.528
1.539
1.538
1.510
54.24
54. 36
53. 84
52.78
52.63
53.08
52.38
52.85
53.35
51.54
52.20
54. 44
55.53
REVIEW, JANUARY 1950
T able
G: EARNING AND HOURS
107
C -l: Hours and Gross Earnings of Production Workers or Nonsupervisory Employees1—Con.
M anufacturing—Continued
Electrical machinery—Continued
Year and month
Radios, phonographs, Telephone and tele
television sets, and
graph equipment
equipment
Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn
ings hours
Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly.
earn earn wkly.
ings hours
ings
1947: Average______ $44. 41
1948: Average.......... . 48.53
39.2 $1.133 $56. 44
39.2 1.238 59. 54
1948: October______
November____
December____
1949: January______
February_____
March_______
April________
M av..................
June_________
July-------------August_______
September____
October______
39.2
40.1
40.2
39.0
38.7
38.8
38.0
38.6
39.3
37.5
38.0
40.4
41.6
50. 22
51.17
51.54
49. 65
49.23
49.70
48. 64
49. 41
50.42
47.78
48.60
51.99
53.46
1.281
1.276
1.282
1.273
1.272
1.281
1,280
1.280
1.283
1.274
1.279
1.287
1.285
62. 67
62.19
60.19
60. 59
60. 74
61.15
61.19
61.04
61.50
60.68
61.54
61.90
62.33
Transportation equipment
Electrical appliances, Total: Transportation
lamps, and miscel
equipment
laneous products
Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly.
earn earn wkly.
ings
ings hours
Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly.
earn earn wkly.
ings hours
ings
41.5 $1.360 $51. 68
40.7 1.463 56.08
40.6 $1. 273 $56.87
40.2 1.395 61.58
41.2
40.7
39.7
39.6
39.7
39.3
39.2
39.1
39.4
38.8
39.2
39.1
39.4
40.5
40.0
40.2
39.9
39.8
39.0
38.0
38.6
38.7
39.1
39.3
39.8
40.3
1. 521
1.528
1.516
1.530
1.530
1.556
1,561
1. 561
1.561
1.564
1.570
1.583
1.582
58. 52
58.08
58.01
57.70
57. 59
56. 28
54. 42
54.58
54.49
55.13
55. 77
56.83
57.59
1.445
1.452
1.443
1. 446
1.447
1.443
1.432
1. 414
1.408
1.410
1.419
1.428
1.429
64. 85
64. 27
66. 21
66.23
65.79
63.19
63. 58
63.03
65. 49
66.27
65.90
67.13
64.75
Automobiles
Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly.
earn earn wkly.
ings
ings hours
Avg.
hrly.
earn
ings
Aircraft and parts
Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn
ings hours
Avg.
hrly.
earn
ings
39.3 $1. 447 $57. 45
39.0 1.579 61.86
39.0 $1. 473 $54.98
38.4 1.611 61. 21
39.9
41.0
$1.378
1.493
39.3
39.0
40.1
39.9
39.8
38.6
38.7
38.2
39.5
39.9
39.7
40.1
39.1
39.0
38.8
39.7
39.8
39.5
37.7
38.6
37.3
39.4
40.3
39.8
40.4
39.0
41.2
41.4
41.4
40.5
41.2
40.7
39.4
40.5
40.5
39.9
40.2
40.6
40.4
1.563
1.571
1.565
1.560
1.566
1.558
1.548
1.555
1.554
1.556
1.544
1.566
1.572
1. 650
1.648
1.651
1.600
1.653
1. 637
1.643
1.650
1.658
1.661
1.660
1.674
1.656
65. 75
65. 22
66.82
67. 74
66.91
62.96
64. 77
63.22
66. 94
68.67
67.78
69.33
65.87
1.686
1.681
1.683
1.702
1.694
1.670
1.678
1.695
1.699
1.704
1.703
1.716
1.689
64. 40
65. 04
64. 79
63.18
64. 52
63. 41
60.99
62. 98
62.94
62.08
62.07
63.58
63.51
Manufacturing—Continued
Transportation equipment—Continued
Aircraft engines and
parts
Aircraft
Aircraft propellers
and parts
Other aircraft parts
and equipment
1947: Average______ $53.99
1948: Average______ 60. 21
39.7 $1.360 $56.30
41.1 1.465 63.40
39.9 $1.411 $59.68
40.9 1.550 62.13
41.5 $1. 438 $56. 50
39.7 1.565 63. 59
1948: October............
November____
December____
1949: January. ___
February_____
March_______
April________
M ay_________
June_________
J u ly .................
August_______
September____
October______
41.1
41.3
41.4
40.1
41.2
40.9
39.8
40.4
40.3
39.7
40.3
40.4
40.3
41.9
41.3
41.3
41.8
41.2
40.3
40.2
40.3
41.0
39.7
39.4
41.0
40.2
39.3
40.0
40.3
40. 7
40.7
40.8
40.1
41.6
41.5
42.2
40.9
41.4
40.5
63.17
64.02
63.84
61.55
63. 82
63.07
60. 97
62.26
61.90
60.78
61.46
62.26
62.42
1.537
1.550
1.542
1.535
1.549
1.542
1.532
1.541
1.536
1.531
1.525
1.541
1.549
68.00
66. 78
66.49
67.13
65. 96
64. 00
64.04
64.08
65. 52
63.80
61.66
65.72
64.68
1.623
1.617
1.610
1.606
1.601
1.588
1.593
1.590
1.598
1.607
1.565
1.603
1.609
63.39
65.60
65. 77
66.34
65. 97
65. 81
64.36
68.14
67. 89
69.88
66.42
68.60
65.73
1.613
1.640
1.632
1.630
1.621
1.613
1.605
1.638
1.636
1.656
1.624
1.657
1.623
67.10
67. 75
68.02
65.73
66.36
64.04
54. 50
63. 53
63.52
65.37
65.98
66.91
68.88
Ship and boat build
ing and repairing
40.1 $1. 409 $57.34
41.0 1.551 60.68
41.7
42.0
42.3
40.7
41.4
40.3
35.0
40.7
40.2
40.3
40.6
40.8
42.1
1.609
1.613
1.608
1.615
1.603
1.589
1.557
1.561
1.580
1.622
1. 625
1.640
1.636
60. 61
56.11
63.34
63.30
61.99
62.98
62. 50
61.61
62. 82
61.94
60.05
61.00
59.39
Shipbuilding and
repairing
39.6 $1. 448 $57.59
38.7 1.568 61.22
39.5
38.7
$1.458
1.582
37.3
34.7
39.0
39.0
38.5
38.9
38.2
38.1
38.4
38.4
37.3
37.7
36.5
37.2
34.4
39.0
38.9
38.4
39.0
38.1
38.0
38.2
38.3
37.1
37.5
36.2
1.641
1.634
1.640
1.638
1.624
1.631
1.651
1.631
1.651
1.623
1.621
1.633
1.642
1.625
1.617
1.624
1.623
1.610
1.619
1.636
1.617
1.636
1.613
1.610
1.618
1.627
61.05
56.21
63.96
63. 72
62.36
63. 61
62.90
61.98
63.18
62.16
60.14
61.24
59.44
M anufacturing—Continued
Transportation equipment—Continued
Railroad equipment
1947: Average______ $57.06
1948: Average______ 62. 24
1948: October______
November____
December____
1949: January______
February.........
March_______
April________
M ay_______ .
June_________
J u ly ........... .
August_______
September____
October______
63.92
64.51
68.89
66.50
65.53
64.76
62.42
63.39
62. 71
60.32
64.64
61.84
62.37
Railroad and street
cars
Other transportation
equipment
Total: Instruments
and related products
Ophthalmic goods
40.5 $1.409 $58.93
40.0 1.556 63.80
39.8 $1.480 $55.86
39.6 1.611 60.82
40.8 $1.369 $53. 53
40.2 1.513 58.14
40.8 $1.312 $49.17
40.8 1.425 53.45
40.3 $1. 220 $43.39
40.1 1.333 45.54
40.9
39.7
$1.061
1.147
39.9
39.7
41.5
40.8
40.7
39.9
38.6
39.2
39.0
37.7
40.0
38.1
38.5
38.4
39.1
40.6
39.8
39.3
39:8
39.5
39.6
39.2
39.0
44.4
38.7
39.7
40.9
40.1
42.1
41.5
41.6
39.9
37.9
38.9
38.8
36.9
38.1
37.7
37.9
43.8
44.3
39.3
38.1
38.0
39.4
39.0
39.6
39.3
39.3
40.4
41.9
42.6
39.8
39.9
40.0
40.0
39.8
39.7
39.3
39.5
39.2
39.0
39.0
39.5
39.9
39.3
39.9
40.1
40.0
39.6
39.9
39.3
39.7
38.9
39.1
38.6
39.9
40.1
1.187
1.171
1.176
1.184
1.183
1.179
1.186
1.190
1.190
1.191
1.178
1.194
1.191
See footnotes a t end of table.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Locomotives and
parts
Instruments and related products
1.602
1.625
1.660
1.630
1.610
1.623
1.617
1.617
1.608
1.600
1.616
1.623
1.620
63.44
65. 77
71.13
67.22
64.10
66.35
66.20
66. 21
64. 48
63.65
75.57
64. 44
65. 78
1.652
1.682
1.752
1.689
1.631
1.667
1.676
1.672
1.645
1.632
1.702
1.665
1.657
64.29
63.68
67. 32
66.11
66.39
63. 40
59.54
61.38
61.34
58.23
59.93
59.87
60.22
1.572
1.588
1.599
1.593
1.596
1. 589
1.571
1.578
1.581
1.578
1.573
1.588
1.589
66.93
67.11
56.08
54. 44
54. 57
56.07
55.50
56.83
56. 87
54.94
58.46
62.85
63.94
1.528
1.515
1.427
1.429
1.436
1.423
1.423
1.435
1.447
1.398
1.447
1.500
1.501
54. 49
54.90
55. 24
55.36
55.28
55.18
54.51
54.83
54. 61
54.37
54.25
55.22
56.14
1.369
1.376
1.381
1.384
1.389
1.390
1.387
1.388
1.393
1.394
1.391
1.398
1.407
46.65
46. 72
47.16
47.36
46.85
47.04
46.61
47.24
46.29
46.57
45.47
47.64
47. 76
108
T able
G: E A R N TN G S
A N D
MONTHLY LABOR
H O U R S
C -l: Hours and Gross Earnings of Production Workers or Nonsupervisory Employees1—Con.
Manufacturing—Continued
Instruments and related products—Continued
Year and month
Photographic
apparatus
Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn
ings hours
Watches and clocks
Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly.
earn earn wkly.
ings hours
ings
1947: Average............ $54. 35
1948: Average............ 58.64
40.5 $1. 342 $44. 53
40.5 1. 448 48.84
1948: October.......... .
N ovem ber___
December........
1949: January............
February____
March_______
April________
M ay________
June, . _____
July-------------A ugust, .........
September___
October______
40.4
40.1
40.5
40.4
39.8
39.8
39 2
39.4
38.8
39.2
39.1
39.6
39.8
59. 71
60.15
60. 55
60.28
60. 30
60. 30
58 80
58. 78
58. 24
5S. 84
58.73
59. 72
60.26
1.478
1.500
1.495
1.492
1.515
1. 515
1 500
1.492
1.501
1,501
1.502
1.508
1. 514
49.99
49.93
50. 29
49.30
49. 33
49.54
49 34
48.91
48.91
48.15
48.43
49. 75
60.69
Total: Miscellaneous
Professional and
manufacturing in
scientific instruments
dustries
Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly.
earn earn wkly.
ings
ings hours
39.9 $1.116 $49. 80
40.1 1.218 64. 78
39.8
39.5
39.6
39.0
38.9
39.1
39.1
38.6
38.6
38.0
38.5
39.3
39.6
1.256
1. 264
1.270
1.264
1.268
1. 267
1.262
1.267
1.267
1.267
1. 258
1. 266
1.280
Miscellaneous manufacturing industries
55. 56
56. 28
56.28
57. 00
56. 72
56. 60
56. 03
56.61
56.85
56.13
56.43
56. 85
58.05
Avg.
hrly.
earn
ings
Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn hours
ings
Jewelry, silverware,
and plated ware
Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. Avg.
earn earn wkly.
ings
ings hours
40.1 $1.242 $46. 63
40.1 1.366 50.06
40.8 $1.143 $54. 41
40.9 1.224 57.25
39.6
40.0
39 8
40.2
40 0
39.8
39.4
39.7
39.7
39.2
39.3
39.4
39.9
41.0
41. 0
41.0
40.2
40 3
40.2
39.0
39.0
39.4
39.0
38.9
40.2
40.6
1.403
1.407
1.414
1.418
1 418
1. 422
1.422
1.426
1. 432
1.432
1.436
1. 443
1. 455
51.05
51.33
51. 78
50. 77
60 86
50.17
48.95
48. 83
49. 72
48.75
48. 51
50.49
51. 20
1.245
1.252
1.263
1.263
1 262
1.248
1. 255
1.252
1.262
1.250
1.247
1. 256
1.261
59.18
59. 45
58. 99
56. 34
56.28
54.34
53. 76
51.52
51.10
50.00
50.13
54.07
59. 58
Jewelry and findings
Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. wkly.
earn earn
ings
ings hours
Avg.
hrly.
earn
ings
43.7 $1. 245 $48.40
43.6 1.333 50. 47
41.3
41.2
$1.172
1.225
44.1
44.2
43.6
42.3
42.0
41.2
40.7
39.6
39.8
38.2
38.5
41.4
44.1
41.8
42.0
41.8
41.0
40.6
41.5
40.1
39.9
40.1
37.8
38.8
41.2
42.7
1.253
1.255
1.276
1.240
1.255
1.251
1.251
1.247
1. 245
1,289
1.240
1.236
1.265
1.342
1.345
1. 353
1.332
1.340
1.319
1.321
1.301
1.284
1.309
1.302
1.306
1.351
52.38
52.71
53. 34
50.84
50.95
51.92
50.17
49. 76
49.92
48.56
48.11
50.92
54, 02
Manufacturing—Continued
Transportation and public utilities
Miscellaneous manufacturing industries—Continued
Silverware and
plated ware
1947: Average.
1948: Average,
1948: O ctober...
November.
December.
1949: January...
February..
M arch___
April____
M ay..........
June..........
July-------August___
September.
October___
$59.23
62.38
64. 63
64. 62
63.41
60. 89
60. 70
56. 42
56. 59
52.99
52.02
50.94
51.88
57.03
65.21
45.6 $1.299 $44.46
45.4 1.374 47.24
45.9
45.8
45.0
43.4
43.2
41.0
41.1
39.4
39.5
38.5
38.2
41.6
45.6
See footnotes at end of table.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Toys and sporting
goods
1.408
1.411
1.409
1.403
1.405
1.376
1. 377
1.345
1.317
1.323
1.358
1.371
1.430
48.20
48. 76
48.00
47.91
47. 51
47.62
45.49
45.96
46.25
44. 76
45.67
47. 48
48.16
Costume jewelry,
buttons, notions
40.2 $1.106 $42.03
40.1 1.178 45. 36
40.3
40.2
39.6
39.4
39.3
39.1
37.5
38.3
38.8
37.8
38.8
39.6
40.1
1.196
1.213
1.212
1.216
1.209
1.218
1.213
1.200
1.192
1.184
1.177
1.199
1.201
46. 28
45. 50
45.43
45.51
46. 36
46. 06
45. 75
44. 54
46.93
46.49
43.88
45.90
47.28
Other miscellaneous
manufacturing in
dustries
Class I railroads 7
39.8 $1. 056 $46.89
40.0 1.134 50.39
40.7 $1.152 $54.22
40.7 1.238 59.27
40.0
39.6
39.3
39.3
39.9
40.4
39.2
38.6
39.4
39.4
37.5
39.2
39.3
40.8
40.8
41.2
40.2
40.2
40.3
39.0
39.2
39.5
39.4
39.3
40.3
40.4
1.157
1.149
1.156
1.158
1.162
1.140
1.167
1.154
1.191
1.180
1.170
1.171
1.203
51.37
51.65
52. 74
51.62
51.58
51.02
49. 57
50.06
51.07
50.24
50.11
51.70
51.43
1.259
1.266
1.280
1.284
1.283
1.266
1.271
1.277
1.293
1. 275
1.275
1.283
1.273
59.92
60.42
60.19
60. 21
61.64
60.00
62. 51
60. 69
57.27
60.37
62.64
60.98
Local railways and
bus lines 8
46.3 $1.171 $57.14
46.2 1.283 61.73
46.8
46.1
46.2
45.7
45.6
45.2
45.9
45.5
46.0
44.4
42.3
44.1
46.4
39.6
45.7
45.6
45.9
45.1
45.1
45.2
45.2
44.9
46.0
45.1
44.7
44.3
44.4
1.297
1.322
1.320
1.333
1.343
1.318
1.359
1.367
1.354
1.369
1.354
1. 540
63.29
63. 25
63. 85
63.82
64.18
64.18
64. 64
64.48
66.01
65.21
64.46
64.46
64.56
$
1.221
1. -339
1.385
1. 387
1.391
1.415
1.423
1.420
1.430
1.436
1.435
1.446
1.442
1.455
1.454
REVIEW, JANUARY 1950
T able
O: E A R N IN G
A N D
H O U R S
109
C 1: Hours and Gross Earnings of Production Workers or Nonsupervisory Employees 1—
Continued
Transportation and public utilities—Continued
Communication
Year and month
Telephone 6
Avg.
wkly.
earn
ings
Avg.
wkly.
hours
Avg.
hrly.
earn
ings
1947: Average__________ .
1948: Average_____________
$44. 77
48.92
37.4
39.2
1948: October_____________
November__ _______
December___________
1949: January........................
February____________
March___________ .
April________________
M ay _____ ____ ______
June________________
July____________ . . .
August_____________
September__________
October_____________
49.85
51.42
49. 85
49. 84
50. 84
50. 82
50. 58
51.84
51.49
51.90
51 57
52 57
53.33
39.5
39.4
38.7
38.4
38.6
38.3
38.2
38.6
38.4
38.5
38.4
38.6
38.7
Other public utilities
Switchboard operating
employees 10
Line construction, in
installation, and main
tenance employees 11
Avg.
wkly.
earn
ings
Avg.
w kly.
earn
ings
Avg.
hrly.
earn
ings
Avg.
hrly.
earn
ings
Telegraph 12
Gas and electric utilities
Avg.
wkly.
earn
ings
Avg
wkly.
hours
Avg.
hrly.
earn
ings
Avg.
wkly.
earn
ings
$1.197
1.248
$53.56
60. 26
44.6
44.7
$1. 201
1.348
JpÙU. 0«7
41.9
41. 8
1.262
1.305
1.288
1.298
1.317
1.327
1.324
1.343
1.341
1.348
1.343
1.362
1.378
61.32
61.41
61.17
61.58
61.94
62.31
63.37
63. 69
62.96
63.97
63.64
62.83
62.97
44.4
44.4
44.1
44.3
44.5
44.7
45.3
45.2
45.0
45.4
45.1
44.5
44.5
1.381
1.383
1.387
1.390
1.392
1.394
1.399
1.409
1.399
1.409
1.411
1.412
1.415
62.38
At n/
41.
41. 7
41. 8
41. 8
41. 4
41. 0
A1 o
O
41.
A1 o
O
41.
41.3
41.3
41.4
41.4
41. 7
$44.30
44.81
44.23
45.37
Avg.
wkly.
hours
36.7
37.0
36.8
37.1
$1.207
1.211
1.202
1.223
$68.52
69.06
69. 22
70.10
Avg.
wkly.
hours
41.6
41.6
41.6
41.7
$1.647
1.660
1.664
1.681
63.08
62.82
63.40
63.64
64. 02
63.92
64. 79
Agv.
wkly.
hours
Avg.
hrly.
earn
ings
$1.358
1.453
1.496
1.496
1.493
1. 509
1.512
1. 507
1. 521
1. 535
1.541
1. 550
1. 544
1.565
1.576
Trade
Retail trade
Wholesale trade
Retail trade (except eat
ing and drinking places)
General merchandise
stores
Department stores and
general mail-order houses
Food and liquor stores
1947: Average___
1948: Average___
$51.99
55. 58
41.0
40.9
$1. 268
1.359
$40.66
43.85
40.3
40.3
$1,009
1.088
$30.96
33.31
36.3
36.6
$0. 853
.910
$34.85
37.36
37.6
37.7
$0.927
.991
$43. 51
47.15
40.7
40.3
$1.069
1.170
1948: October___
N ovem ber..
December..
1949: January___
February...
March_____
A pril............
M ay______
June______
July..............
August____
September..
October___
56.28
56.48
56. 87
57.24
56.82
56.88
57.12
57.83
57.49
58.18
57.10
57.39
58.26
40.9
40.9
41.0
40.8
40.5
40.6
40.6
40.7
40.6
40.8
40.7
40.7
40.8
1.376
1.381
1.387
1.403
1.403
1.401
1.407
1.421
1.416
1.426
1.403
1.410
1.428
44.17
43. 99
44.36
45. 51
45.14
44.95
45.31
45.98
46.45
46.95
46.87
46. 42
46.06
39.9
39.7
40.4
40.2
40.2
40.1
40.2
40.3
40.5
40.9
40.9
40.4
40.3
1.107
1.108
1.098
1.132
1.123
1.121
1.127
1.141
1.147
1.148
1.146
1.149
1.143
33.19
32.86
34.46
34.42
34.01
33.68
34. 26
34.85
35.62
35.86
35. 75
35.32
34.66
36.0
35.8
37.5
36.5
36.3
36.1
36.6
36.3
36.8
37.2
37.2
36.6
36.1
.922
.918
.919
.943
.937
.933
.936
.960
.968
.964
.961
.965
.960
37.49
37.17
40.06
38.79
37.96
37.86
38.80
39.33
39.95
39.79
39. 58
39.68
39.07
37.3
37.1
39.2
37.7
37.4
37.3
37.6
37.6
37.8
38.0
37.8
37.5
37.1
1.005
1.002
1.022
1.029
1.015
1.015
1.032
1.046
1.057
1.047
1.047
1.058
1.053
47. 52
47.84
48.48
49. 07
49.12
48.87
49.08
48. 99
50. 26
51.13
51.00
50.57
50.38
40.0
39.8
40.2
39.8
40.0
39.7
40.0
39.7
40.4
41.1
41.0
40.2
40.3
1.188
1.202
1.206
1.233
1.228
1.231
1.227
1.234
1.244
1. 244
1.244
1.258
1.250
Trade—Continued
Retail trade —Continued
Automotive and accessories
dealers
Avg.
wkly.
earnings
Avg.
w kly.
hours
Other retail trade
Apparel and accessories stores Furniture and appliance stores Lumber and hardware supply
stores
Avg.
hrly.
earnings
Avg.
wkly.
earnings
Avg.
wkly.
hours
Avg.
hrly.
earnings
Avg.
wkly.
earnings
Avg.
wkly.
hours
Avg.
hrly.
earnings
Avg.
wkly.
earnings
Avg.
wkly.
hours
Avg.
hrly.
earnings
1947: A verage...
1948: A verage...
$51. 80
56.07
45.4
45.4
$1.141
1.235
$38.08
39. 60
36.9
36.5
$1.032
1.085
$48.99
51.15
42.9
42.7
$1.142
1.198
$45.20
49.37
43.5
43.5
$1,039
1.135
1948: O ctober...
^November.
December.
1949: January...
February..
M arch___
April_____
M ay..........
June_____
July...........
August___
September.
October__
57.11
57. 22
57.07
57. 25
57.15
58.18
59. 50
60.00
59.70
59.83
59. 55
59. 69
59.39
45.4
45.2
45.4
45.4
45.5
45.7
45.7
45.8
45.5
45.6
45.6
45.6
45.9
1.258
1.266
1.257
1.261
1.256
1.273
1.302
1.310
1.312
1.312
1.306
1.309
1.294
39.81
39. 71
40.66
41.11
39. 79
39.64
40.88
40. 92
40. 85
40.37
40.52
40.04
39.79
35.8
35.9
37.0
36.8
36.4
36.3
36.7
36.8
36.7
36.5
36.8
36.7
36.5
1.112
1.106
1.099
1.117
1.093
1.092
1.114
1.112
1.113
1.106
1.101
1.091
1.090
51.60
52. 39
53.93
52.74
52.36
52.02
52.82
53.93
53.16
52.78
52.82
63.32
53.46
42.5
42.7
43.6
42.6
43.2
43.1
43.4
43.5
43.5
43.3
43.4
43.6
43.5
1.214
1.227
1.237
1.238
1.212
1.207
1. 217
1.225
1.222
1.219
1.217
1.223
1.229
50.68
50.14
50. 53
50.25
50.87
51.20
51.35
52.48
51. 96
52.34
52.40
52.23
53.10
43.5
43.0
43.6
43.1
43.0
43.5
43.3
44.1
43.7
43.8
44.0
43.6
44.1
1.165
1.166
1.159
1.166
1.183
1.177
1.186
1.190
1.189
1.195
1.191
1.198
1.204
See footnotes at end of table.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
110
G:
T able
E A R N IN G S
A N D
MONTHLY LABOR
H O U R S
C -l: Hours and Gross Earnings of Production Workers or Nonsupervisory Employees1—Con.
Finance13
Service
Banks
and
trust
com
panies
Secu
rity
dealers
and ex
changes
Insur
ance
carrier
Avg.
wkly.
earn
ings
Avg.
wkly.
earn
ings
Avg.
wkly.
earn
ings
Avg.
wkly.
earn
ings
1947: A verage...
1948: A verage...
$39.46
41.51
$63.08
66.83
$52. 58
54. 93
$29.36
31.41
1948: O ctober...
November.
December.
1949: J an u ary...
February..
March___
April..........
M ay_____
June_____
July............
August___
September.
October__
41.90
42.19
42.04
43.92
43. 55
43.24
43.49
44. 05
43.10
43.80
43.10
43.80
43.96
67. 52
65. 62
68.26
68.41
67.80
66.46
67.48
67.82
66.12
65.70
65.30
67.01
70.89
54.29
54. 82
55.46
57.84
56.88
56.67
56. 48
57. 26
56. 59
56.70
55. 54
55.29
56.00
32.06
32.35
32.35
32.41
32.47
32. 53
32.35
32.99
32.85
32. 90
32.93
32. 71
32.65
Year and month
Hotels, year-round 14
Avg.
hrly.
earn
ings
Avg.
wkly.
earn
ings
45.2
44.3
$0. 650
.709
$32. 71
34.23
44.1
44.2
44.2
44.1
44.0
44.5
44.2
44.7
44.1
44.1
44.2
43.9
44.0
.727
.732
.732
.735
.738
.731
.732
.738
.745
.746
.745
.745
.742
34.20
34 74
34. 99
35.49
34.90
35.07
35.24
36. 04
35.32
35.03
34. 27
34. 73
34.73
Avg.
wkly.
hours
• These figures are based on reports from cooperating establishments
covering both full- and part-time employees who worked during, or received
pay for, the pay period ending nearest the 15th of the month. For mining,
manufacturing, laundries, and cleaning and dyeing plants industries, the
data relate to production and related workers only. For the remaining
industries, unless otherwise noted, the data relate to nonsupervisory em
ployees and working supervisors. All series, beginning with January 1947,
are available upon request to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Such requests
should specify the series desired. Data for the two current months are
subject to revision without notation; revised figures for earlier months will be
identified by an asterisk for the first month’s publication of such data.
3 Data relate to all construction workers, both on-site and off-site, engaged
in actual construction work including pre-assembly and precutting opera
tions. Both privately and publicly financed construction are included.
Data are based on comparable but not necessarily identical samples.
3 Includes ordnance and accessories; lumber and wood products (except
furniture); furniture and fixtures; stone, clay, and glass products; primary
metal industries; fabricated metal products (except ordnance, machinery,
and transportation equipment); machinery (except electrical); electrical
machinery; transportation equipment; instruments and related products;
and miscellaneous manufacturing industries.
4 Includes food and kindred products; tobacco manufactures; textile-mill
products; apparel and other finished textile products; paper and allied prod
ucts; printing, publishing, and allied industries; chemicals and allied prod
ucts; products of petroleum and coal; rubber products; and leather and
leather products.
3 Data by region, North and South, from January 1949, are available upon request.
8 Data by region, South and West, from January 1949, are available upon request.
i These averages are based on reports summarized in the M-300 report
Cleaning and dyeing
plants
Laundries
Motion
picture
produc
tion and
distribu
tion 13
Avg.
hrly.
earn
ings
Avg.
wkly.
earn
ings
42.6
41.9
$0. 767
.817
$38.30
39. 50
41.9
41.1
$0. 914
.961
$99 13
92! 27
41.5
41.7
42.0
42.1
41.5
41.5
41.8
42.4
41.6
41.5
40.8
41.2
41.2
.824
.833
.833
.843
.841
.845
.843
.850
.849
.844
.840
.843
.843
40. 51
39.76
40. 62
40.37
39.32
39.93
42.15
43.17
42.17
40.43
38. 63
41.56
40.77
41.0
40.7
41.2
40.9
40.0
40.5
42 4
42.7
42.3
41.0
39. 5
41. 9
41.6
. 9S8
.977
.986
. 987
. 983
.986
. 994
1. Oil
.997
.986
. 978
.992
.980
93. 4 5
89 79
Q9, Qfi
88 22
8QT75
Q1 5Q
90 24
90 96
94 73
95 52
92 65
92 26
Avg.
wkly.
hours
Avg.
wkly.
hours
Avg.
hrly.
earn
ings
Avg.
wkly.
earn
ings
9 4 .4 5
prepared by the Interstate Commerce Commission, and relate to all hourly
rated employees who received pay during the month. M ost executive
professional, and supervisory personnel are excluded. Switching and ter
minal companies are excluded. The annual average data include retro
active pay when such payments are made. M onthly data do not include
retroactive payments. Beginning with September 1, 1949, data reflect the
following changes for nonoperative employees (about two-thirds of the total) •
(D. scheduled weekly hours were reduced from 48 to 40; (2) hourly rates were
adjusted to maintain the former weekly earnings for 48 hours; (3) an additional
wage increase of $0.07 an hour was granted.
8 Data include privately and municipally operated local railways and bus
lines.
« Through M ay 1949 the averages relate mainly to the hours and earnings
of employees subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act. Beginning with
June 1949 the averages relate to the hours and earnings of nonsupervisory
employees. Data for June comparable with the earlier series are $51 47
38.5 hours, and $1.337.
10 Data include employees such as switchboard operators, service assistants
operating-room instructors, and pay-station attendants.
11 Data include employees such as central office craftsmen; installation and
exchange repair craftsmen; line, cable, and conduit craftsmen; and laborers.
11 Data relate mainly to land-line employees, excluding employees com
pensated on a commission basis, general and divisional headquarters per
sonnel, trainees in school, and messengers.
13 Data on average weekly hours and average hourly earnings are not
available.
14 M oney payments only; additional value of board, room, uniforms, and
tips, not included.
m
N ote : Explanatory notes outlining briefly the concepts, methodology, size of the reporting sample, and sources used in preparing the data presented in
request0 ’ 1 tbr0Ugh C_4’ are contamed m the Bureau’s monthly mimeographed release, “Hours and E arnings-Industry Report,” which is available upon
T able
C-2: Gross Average Weekly Earnings of Production Workers in Selected Industries, in Current
and 1939 Dollars 1
Gas and electric
Manufacturing Bituminous-coal
mining
utilities 3
Year and month
Manufacturing Bituminous-coal Gas and electric
mining
utilities 3
Year and month
Current 1939 Current 1939 Current
1939
dollars dollars dollars dollars dollars dollars
1947: Average..................... $49. 97
1948: Average__________
54.14
$31.20
31.43
$66.59
72.12
$41.58
41.87
$56. 69
60.74
$35.40
35.27
1948: O ctober...................
November________
December................
55.60
55.60
56.14
31.84
32.09
32.56
76.24
72. 73
76.28
43.65
41.98
44.24
62.38
62.38
62. 41
35. 72
36.01
36.19
1949: Jan u ary...................
February.................
55.50
55.20
32.28
32.47
76.32
73.56
44.39
43.27
63.08
62.60
36. 69
36.82
1 These series indicate changes in the level of weekly earnings prior to and
after adjustment for changes in purchasing power as determined from the
Bureau’s Consumers’ Price Index, the year 1939 having been selected for the
base period. Estimates of World War II and postwar understatement by the
Consumers’ Price Index were not included. See the M onthly Labor Review,
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Current 1939 Current 1939 Current 1939
dollars dollars dollars dollars dollars dollars
1949: M a rc h .,_________ $54. 74
April_____________ 53.80
M ay_____________ 54.08
June................ ........... 54.51
July...... ............. ....... 54.63
August___________ 54. 70
Septem ber 3 ___
55. 72
October 3 ________ 55. 26
$32.10
31.51
31. 77
31. 95
32.23
32. 21
32.66
32. 60
$70.54
72.33
72.98
59.90
47.94
49. 51
52. 77
63.39
$41.37
42.37
42.87
35.11
28.28
29.15
30. 93
37.39
$62.54
62.82
63.40
63.64
64.02
63.92
64. 79
65. 72
$36.68
36.80
37.25
37.30
37.77
37. 64
37. 97
38. 77
March 1947, p. 498. See Note, table C-L Comparable data from Janu
ary 1947 are available upon request to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
3 Data relate to all nonsupervisory employees and working supervisors.
1 Preliminary.
REVIEW , JANUARY 1950
>
T able
C: E A R N IN G S
A N D
111
H O U R S
C-3: Gross and Net Spendable Average Weekly Earnings of Production Workers in Manufactur
ing Industries, in Current and 1939 Dollars 1
N et spendable average weekly
earnings
N et spendable average weekly
earnings
Gross average
weekly earnings
Worker with
no dependents
Period
V
Index
Amount (1939=
100)
Worker with
3 dependents
111.7
199.1
190.5
181.5
$25.41
39.40
37.80
37.30
$25.06
30.81
29.04
27.81
$26.37
45.17
43.57
42.78
$26.00
35.33
33.47
31.90
1939:
1940:
1941:
1942:
1943:
1944:
1945:
1946:
1947:
1948:
100.0
105.6
124.0
153.6
180.8
193.1
186.0
183.3
209.4
226.9
23.58
24.69
28.05
31.77
36.01
38.29
36.97
37.65
42.76
47.43
23.58
24.49
26.51
27.11
28.97
30.32
28.61
26.87
26.70
27. 54
23.62
24.95
29.28
36.28
41.39
44.06
42.74
43.13
48.24
53.17
23.62
24.75
27.67
30.96
33.30
34.89
33.08
30.78
30.12
30.87
23.86
25.20
29.58
36.65
43.14
46.08
44.39
43.74
49.97
54.14
1 Net spendable average weekly earnings are obtained by deducting from
gross average weekly earnings, social security and income taxes for which
the specified type of worker is liable. The amount of income tax liability
depends, of course, on the number of dependents supported by the worker
as well as on the level of his gross income. Net spendable earnings have,
therefore, been computed for 2 types of income-receivers: (1) A worker with
no dependents: (2) A worker with 3 dependents.
The computation of net spendable earnings for both the factory worker with
no dependents and the factory worker with 3 dependents are based upon the
T able
Worker with
no dependents
Period
Cur
Cur
1939
1939
rent
rent
dollars dollars dollars dollars
1941: January..................
$26.64
1945: January...................... 47.50
July____ __________ 45.45
1946: June____________ _
43.31
Average___________
Average___________
Average___________
Average___________
Average.. ________
Average___________
Average___________
Average___________
Average..................
Average___________
Gross average
weekly earnings
Index
Amount (1939=
100)
1948: Ootnbp.r
November
TJp.ee.mher
1949: January__________
February
M a re h
April
May
June
July
August,
S e p te m b e r 2
O n to b e r 2
Worker with
3 dependents
Cur
Cur
1939
1939
rent
rent
dollars dollars dollars dollars
55.60
55.60
56.14
233.0
233.0
235.3
48.66
48.66
49.10
27.86
28.09
28.47
54.40
54.40
54.85
31.15
31.40
31.81
55. 50
55.20
54.74
53. 80
54.08
54.51
54.63
54. 70
55. 72
55.26
232.6
231.3
229.4
225.5
226.7
228.5
229.0
229.3
233. 5
231.6
48.57
48.32
47.93
47.14
47.38
47.74
47.84
47. 90
48. 75
48.37
28.25
28.42
28.11
27.61
27.83
27.98
28.22
28. 21
28. 57
28.53
54.31
54.06
53.67
52.88
53.12
53.48
53.58
53. 64
54. 50
54.11
31.59
31.80
31.47
30.97
31.21
31.34
31.61
31.59
31.94
31.92
gross average weekly earnings for all production workers in manufacturing
industries without direct regard to marital status and family composition.
The primary value of the spendable series is that of measuring relative
changes in disposable earnings for 2 types of income-receivers. That series
does not, therefore, reflect actual differences in levels of earnings for workers
of varying age, occupation, skill, family composition, etc. See Note, table
C -l. Comparable data from January 1947 are available upon request to the
Bureau of Labor Statistics.
2 Preliminary.
C-4: Average Hourly Earnings, Gross and Exclusive of Overtime, of Production Workers in
Manufacturing Industries 1
Durable
goods
Manufacturing
Excluding
overtime
Period
Gross
amount
Index
A m ount (1939=
100)
Gross
Ex
clud
ing
over
time
Nondurable
goods
Gross
Ex
clud
ing
over
time
Period
$1.133
1. 241
1949: March
April
M ay...........„
June
J u ly ............. .
A u gu st... .
September 2_
October 2__
1947: Average____
1948: Average____
$1.237
1.350
$1.198
1.310
1948: October____
Novem ber...
D ecem b er...
1.390
1.397
1.400
1. 347
1.357
1.358
212.8
214.4
214.5
1.462
1.463
1.466
1. 414
1.419
1.418
1.302
1.317
1.319
1.266
1.281
1.283
1949: January____
February___
1.405
1.401
1.367
1.366
216.0
215.8
1.467
1. 466
1. 427 $1. 327
1. 428 1.323
1. 294
1.291
189.3 $1.292 $1.250 $1.171
207.0 1.410 1.366 1.278
1 Overtime is defined as work in excess of 40 hours per week and paid for at
time and one-half. The computation of average hourly earnings exclusive of
overtime makes no allowance for special rates of pay for work done on holi-
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Manufacturing
Durable
goods
Excluding
overtime
Gross
am ount
$1,400
1.401
1.401
1. 405
1.408
1. 399
1.407
1.392
Index
A m ount (1939=
100)
1. 368
1. 373
1.371
1.373
1.376
1.366
1.369
1.353
216.1
216. 9
216. 6
216 9
217.4
215.8
216.3
213.7
Nondurable
goods
Gross
Ex
clud
ing
over
time
Gross
1 464
1.467
1.467
1 476
1.477
1.473
1.482
1.458
1 430
1 437
1.437
1 443
1.447
1. 440
1.444
1.419
1 323
1 321
l! 323
1 324
L 332
1.319
1.328
1.326
Ex
clud
ing
over
time
1 2Q4
I ?Q4
l! 294
1 ?Q3
L 298
1.286
1.290
1.287
days. See Note, table C -l. Comparable data from January 1947 are avail
able upon request to the Bureau of Labor Statistics,
2 Preliminary.
112
I): P R IC E S
AN D
CO ST
OF
MONTHLY LABOR
LIV IN G
D : Prices and Cost of Living
T able D - l : Consumers’ Price Index 1 for Moderate-Income Families in Large Cities, by Group of
Commodities
[1935-39=100]
Fuel, electricity, and refrigeration
Year and month
All items
Food
Apparel
Rent
Total
1
Housefurnishings
Miscella
neous 8
Gas and
electricity
Other
fuels
Ice
(4)
W
(4)
(4)
(4)
(4)
59.1
60.8
50.9
52.0
m
(4)
(*)
(4)
(4)
(4)
(0
(4)
(4)
121.2
169.7
111.7
85.4
83.1
100.7
104.6
101.7
70.7
71.7
79.9
81.7
69.3
69.8
92.2
92.2
61.9
62.3
December.............................
June___________________
Average_________ ______
Average.................................
118.0
149.4
122.5
97.6
149.6
185.0
132.6
86.5
147.9
209.7
115.3
90.8
97.1
119.1
141.4
116.9
90.4
104.8
112.5
103.4
1939: Average------------- --------- August 15_______ _______
1940: Average________________
1941: Average__________ ____ January 1 ______________
December 15------------------
99.4
98.6
100.2
105.2
100.8
110.5
95.2
93.5
96.6
105.5
97.6
113.1
100.5
100.3
101.7
106.3
101.2
114.8
104.3
104.3
104.6
106.2
105.0
108.2
99.0
97.5
99.7
102.2
100.8
104.1
98.9
99.0
98.0
97.1
97.5
96.7
99.1
95.2
101.9
108.3
105.4
113.1
100.2
100.0
100.4
104.1
100.3
105.1
101.3
100.6
100.5
107.3
100.2
116.8
100.7
100.4
101.1
104.0
101.8
107.7
1942:
1943:
1944:
1945:
Average................- ..............
Average............ ....................
Average................................
Average________________
August 15-...........................
116.5
123.6
125.5
128.4
129.3
123.9
138.0
136.1
139.1
140.9
124.2
129.7
138.8
145.9
146.4
108.5
108.0
108.2
108.3
(*)
105.4
107.7
109.8
110.3
111.4
96.7
96.1
95.8
95.0
95.2
115.1
120.7
126.0
128.3
131.0
110.0
114.2
115.8
115.9
115.8
122.2
125.6
136.4
145.8
146.0
110.9
115.8
121.3
124.1
124.5
1946: Average________________
June 15_________________
November 15___________
139.3
133.3
152.2
159.6
145.6
187.7
160.2
157.2
171.0
108.6
108.5
(!)
112.4
110.5
114.8
92.4
92.1
91.8
136.9
133.0
142.6
115.9
115.1
117.9
159.2
156.1
171.0
128.8
127.9
132.5
1947: Average___________ ____
December 15------------------
159.2
167.0
193.8
206.9
185.8
191.2
111.2
115.4
121.1
127.8
92.0
92.6
156.1
171.1
125.9
129.8
184.4
191.4
139.9
144.4
1948: Average___ ____________
November 15.......................
December 15_______ ____
171.2
172.2
171.4
210.2
207.5
205.0
198.0
201.4
200.4
117.4
118.8
119.5
133.9
137.9
137.8
94.3
95.4
95.3
183.4
191.6
191.3
135.2
138.0
138.4
195.8
198.7
198.6
149.9
153.9
154.0
1949: January 15-------- -----------February 15............ .............
March 15...........................
April 15________________
M ay 15_________________
June 15________________
July 15........ .........................
August 15---------------------September 15.......................
October 15- - _________
November 1 5 -__________
170.9
169.0
169.5
169.7
169.2
169.6
168.5
168.8
169.6
168. 5
168.6
204.8
199.7
201.6
202.8
202.4
204.3
201.7
202.6
204.2
200.6
200.8
196.5
195.1
193.9
192.5
191.3
190.3
188.5
187.4
187.2
186.8
186.3
119.7
119.9
120.1
120.3
120.4
120.6
120.7
120.8
121.2
121.5
122.0
138.2
138.8
138.9
137.4
135.4
135.6
135.6
135.8
137.0
138.4
139.1
95.5
96.1
96.1
96.8
96.9
96.9
96.9
97.1
97.1
97.0
97.0
191.8
192.6
192.5
187.8
182.7
183.0
183.1
183.1
185.9
188.3
190.0
139.0
140.0
140.4
140.5
140.1
140.0
139.9
141.1
141.5
145.6
146.6
196.5
195.6
193.8
191.9
189.5
187.3
186.8
184.8
185.6
185.2
185.4
154.1
154.1
154.4
154.6
154.5
154.2
154.3
154.8
155.2
155.2
154.9
1913: Average___________ ____
1914: July........................................
1918:
1920:
1929:
1932:
1 The “ Consumers’ price index for moderate-income families in large cities,”
formerly known as the “ Cost of living index” measures average changes in
retail prices of selected goods, rents, and services weighted by quantities
bought in 1934-36 by families of wage earners and moderate-income workers
in large cities whose incomes averaged $1,524 in 1934-36.
Bureau of Labor Statistics Bulletin 699, Changes in Cost of Living in Large
Cities in the United States, 1913-41, contains detailed description of methods
used in constructing this index. Additional information on the consumers’
price index is given in a compilation of reports published by the Office of
Economic Stabilization, Report of the President’s Committee on the Cost
of Living.
Mimeographed tables are available upon request showing indexes for each
of the cities regularly surveyed by the Bureau and for each of the major
groups of living essentials. Indexes for all large cities combined are available
since 1913. The beginning date for series of indexes for individual cities
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
(4)
(4)
(<)
varies from city to city but indexes are available for most of the 34 cities since
World War I.
1 The group index formerly entitled “ Fuel, electricity, and ice” is now des
ignated “ Fuel, electricity, and refrigeration” . Indexes are comparable w ith
those previously published for “ Fuel, electricity, and ice.” The subgroup
“ Other fuels and ice” has been discontinued; separate indexes are presented
for “ Other fuels” and “Ice.”
* The miscellaneous group covers transportation (such as automobiles
and their upkeep and public transportation fares); medical care (including
professional care and medicines); household operation (covering supplies and
different kinds of paid services); recreation (that is, newspapers, motion
pictures and tobacco products); personal care (barber- and beauty-shop
service and toilet articles); etc.
4 Data not available.
4 Rents not surveyed this month.
A
REVIEW , JANUARY 1950
*
D :
P R IC E S
A N D
CO ST
OF
113
LIV IN G
T able D-2: Consumers’ Price Index for Moderate-Income Families, by City,1 for Selected Periods
[1935-39=100]
City
N ov. 15, Oct. 15, Sept.15, Aug. 15, July 15, June 15, M ay 15, Apr. 15, Mar. 15, Feb 15, Jan. 15, Dec. 15, Nov. 15, June 15, Aug. 15,
1939
1949
1949
1948
1946
1949
1949
1948
1949
1949
1949
1949
1949
1949
1949
Average____ ____ _________
168.6
168.5
169.6
168.8
168.5
169.6
169.2
169.7
169.5
169.0
170.9
171.4
172.2
133.3
98.6
Atlanta, Ga.............................
Baltimore, M d— ........ ...........
Birmingham, Ala_________
Boston, M a s s ____________
Buffalo, N. Y _____________
Chicago, 111______________
Cincinnati, Ohio__________
Cleveland, Ohio........._ .........
Denver, Colo_____________
Detroit, M ich.........................
Houston, Tex_____________
170.5
(2)
170.5
164.0
(2)
175.3
168.3
170.3
(2)
169.8
173. 3
(2)
(2)
170.3
164.1
167.4
174.4
168.7
(2)
164.6
168.7
172.0
(3)
174.0
171.8
165.4
(2)
175.8
170.8
(2)
(2)
170.4
171.4
172.3
(2)
171.1
163.8
(2)
174.4
168.8
171.6
(2)
169. 9
170.4
0
0
171.0
162.6
169.4
173.9
168.7
0
167. 8
170.4
170.4
0
174.2
172.1
163.3
0
175.9
170.5
0
0
172.0
170.5
170.5
0
171.4
162.2
0
174.2
169.1
171.5
0
171.6
170.6
0
0
171.6
162.4
168.3
175.0
170.7
0
169. 9
171.1
171.0
0
173.9
171.8
162.5
0
174.5
170.7
0
0
170.8
170.2
170.1
0
171.7
161.4
0
172.9
169.7
172.5
0
170.7
170.2
0
0
173.7
163.9
169.8
174.9
172.0
0
171.0
171.6
172.6
0
174.0
174.8
164.7
0
175.4
172.2
0
0
172.8
173.8
173.7
0
175.0
160.7
0
175.9
173. 8
» 176. 2
0
173.1
173.9
133.8
135.6
136.5
127.9
132.6
130.9
132.2
135.7
131.7
136.4
130.5
98.0
98.7
98.5
97.1
98.5
98.7
97.3
100.0
98.6
98.5
100.7
Indianapolis, Ind_________
Jacksonville, Fla__________
Kansas City, M o. ______
Los Angeles, Calif_________
Manchester, N . H ___ ___
Memphis, T enn__________
Milwaukee, W is__________
Minneapolis, M inn_______
Mobile, Ala______________
N ew Orleans, L a ........... .......
New York, N . Y __________
(2)
(2)
(2)
166.6
(2)
(2)
168.4
(2)
(2)
173.3
165.8
172.1
(2)
161.1
166.5
169.3
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
165.9
(2)
176.5
(2)
167.1
(2)
172.7
(2)
168.3
169.2
(2)
167.5
(2)
(2)
(2)
166.8
(2)
(2)
166.9
(2)
(2)
173.8
166.8
171.0
0
162.1
167.2
170.0
0
0
0
0
0
167.1
0
174.9
0
168.7
0
173.5
0
169.1
170.3
0
167.0
0
0
0
169.6
0
0
169.3
0
0
172.5
166.8
171.9
0
163.3
171.2
170.6
0
0
0
0
0
168.1
0
174.3
0
171.0
0
173.3
0
169.3
171.1
0
167.4
0
0
0
» 171.3
0
0
168.7
0
0
173.2
166.8
173.6
0
165.1
172.7
172.3
0
0
0
0
0
169.2
0
176.2
0
172.7
0
174.3
0
170.8
173.5
0
169.2
0
0
0
172.2
0
0
171.2
0
0
176.6
171.0
131.9
138.4
129.4
136.1
134.7
134.5
131.2
129.4
132.9
138.0
135.8
98.0
98.5
98.6
100.5
97.8
97.8
97.0
99.7
98.6
99.7
99.0
Norfolk, V a „ . ............. .........
Philadelphia, P a__________
Pittsburgh, P a__________ .
Portland, M aine__________
Portland, Oreg____________
Richmond, Va____________
ßt. Louis, M o .____________
San Francisco, Calif ____
Savannah, Qa_ ________ .
Scranton, Pa............................
Seattle, W ash_____________
Washington, D . C . . . ............
168. 2
168.6
171.3
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
166.3
171.6
166.2
(2)
168.9
171.1
(2)
173.6
164.9
(2)
(2)
173.4
(2)
(2)
«
(2)
169.6
172.3
164.9
(2)
(2)
168.9
173.0
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
170.2
168.7
172.4
(2)
(2)
0
0
0
0
169.5
170.8
166.0
0
167. 5
171.9
0
2175.1
164.4
0
0
173.3
0
0
0
0
169.2
173.1
165.8
0
0
169.8
173.7
0
0
0
0
170.3
169.9
172.9
0
0
0
0
0
0
168.4
172.5
165.3
0
169.0
173.0
0
177.6
164.2
0
0
174.9
0
0
0
0
169.0
172.7
165.0
0
0
169.0
174.6
0
0
0
0
170.6
168.5
172.1
0
0
0
0
0
0
166.8
174.3
164.1
0
170.4
174.6
0
178.6
166.5
0
0
176.7
0
0
0
0
170.6
174.9
167.1
0
0
171.1
176.7
0
0
0
0
174.0
171.7
175.9
0
0
0
0
0
0
169. 4
174. 3
167. 1
135.2
132.5
134.7
128.7
140.3
128.2
131.2
137.8
140.6
132.2
137.0
133.8
97.8
97.8
98.4
97.1
100.1
98.0
98.1
99.3
99.3
96.0
100.3
98.6
i The indexes are based on time-to-time changes in the cost of goods and
services purchased by moderate-income families in large cities. They do not
indicate whether it costs more to live in one city than in another.
* Through June 1947, consumers’ price indexes were computed monthly for
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
21 cities and in March, June, September, and December for 13 additional
cities; beginning July 1917 indexes were computed monthly for 10 cities and
once every 3 months for 24 additional cities according to a staggered schedule.
* Corrected.
114
D :
P R IC E S
A N D
CO ST
OF
MONTHLY LABOR
LIV IN G
T a b l e D -3 : C onsum ers’ Price Index for M oderate-Incom e Fam ilies, b y C ity and G roup of
C om m odities 1
[1935-39 = 100]
Fuel, electricity, and refrigeration
Food
Apparel
Rent
Housefurnishings
Total
City
Miscellaneous
Gas and electricity
N ov. 15, Oct. 15, N ov. 15, Oct. 15, N ov. 15, Oct. 15, N ov. 15, Oct. 15, N ov. 15, Oct. 15, N ov. 15, Oct. 15, N ov. 15,
1949
1949
1949
1949
1949
1949
1949
1949
1949
1949
1949
1949
1949
Average................
200.8
200.6
186.3
186.8
122.0
Atlanta, Qa___
Baltimore, Md
Birmingham, Ala
Boston, M ass...
Buffalo, N . Y__
Chicago, 111__
Cincinnati, O hio..
Cleveland, Ohio
Denver, Colo
Detroit, M ic h .............
Houston, Tex__
197.7
211.9
197.2
193.2
193.2
208.3
198.7
206. Ö
200.2
195.5
212.7
199.9
211.5
197.2
193.7
195.1
206.5
199.7
209.2
196.0
192.4
212.4
192.1
0)
193.3
177.0
(0
189.9
187.0
185.2
0)
182.9
199.3
(9
126.2
(2)
143.1
117.8
Indianapolis, Ind.
Jacksonville, Fla
Kansas City, Mo
Los Angeles, C a lif...
Manchester, N . H
Memphis, Tenn
Milwaukee, W is___
Minneapolis, M inn___
Mobile, Ala
New Orleans, L a ..
N ew York, N . Y . ........
196.9
206.9
186.9
200.5
195.5
210.2
199.3
192.0
203.6
213.2
201.5
198.9
205.9
186.0
200.6
197.2
209.7
199.4
191.1
204.8
210.0
201.0
(9
0)
Norfolk, Va
Philadelphia, Pa
Pittsburgh, Pa.
Portland, Maine
Portland, Oreg
Richmond, Va
St. Louis, M o.
San Francisco, C alif...
Savannah, Qa
Scranton, Pa
Seattle, Wash
Washington, D . C
200.8
196.8
205.4
188.4
207.8
195.0
208.6
212.9
207.1
198.1
207.4
202.6
203.5
197.9
204.8
189.7
209.7
197.4
207.5
213.1
208.2
200.9
205.0
200.1
(9
181.0
(0
(9
184.2
(9
(9
199.3
183.4
180.6
184.8
216.1
(9
(>)
(0
(0
(9
0)
194.3
184.2
210.3
(9
193.4
176.4
185.3
190.2
187.3
(>)
182.9
183.2
199.9
182.9
(9
178.0
180.9
180.7
(9
(B
0)
0)
( 2)
141.2
115.5
127.8
(2)
129.2
137.6
(2)
( 2)
( 2)
126.4
( 2)
( 2)
131.9
( 2)
( 2)
(9
115.0
108.9
(9
116.4
121.2
121.4
183.9
184.9
217.1
(0
186.0
187.2
0)
(9
185. 2
(9
(9
(0
( 2)
( 2)
(2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
111.8
124.9
106.4
121.5
139.1
138.4
97.0
97.0
185.4
185.2
154.9
155.2
(2)
(2)
142.7
117.6
124.5
140.6
115.9
0)
125.3
128.8
130.6
151.2
150.5
135.5
154.4
145.5
132.5
145.4
145.1
112.2
147.7
98.1
144.7
150.2
134.1
154.1
145.5
128.3
145.2
145.0
111.7
147.4
98.1
83.4
126.1
79.6
116.9
110.0
83.5
101.9
105.6
69.2
91.9
81.4
83.4
126.8
79.6
117.0
110.0
83.5
101.9
105.6
69.2
91.7
81.4
187.8
(9
179.0
177.5
0)
171.3
178.6
168.6
(9
195.7
186.2
(i)
159.8
(9
150.2
153.0
(0
158.9
155.7
153.0
0)
166.5
155.8
0)
0)
150.2
153.3
158.4
159.4
155.7
(i)
151.6
166.5
155.6
132.4
157.4
146.4
126.1
95.1
155.3
140.3
147.2
140.6
129.0
113.1
139.5
157.4
146.4
125.5
95.1
155.2
140.3
147.2
140.6
129.0
113.1
139.3
86.6
100.5
66.7
89.3
99.6
77.0
110.9
78.9
83.8
75.1
101.7
86.6
100.5
66.6
89.3
99.1
77.0
110.9
78.9
, 83.8
75.1
101.8
0)
(9
161.0
0)
155.1
154.7
146.9
(9
152.5
147.2
138.4
151.1
131.7
146.5
135.5
82.7
152.4
147.1
128.3
141.2
152.5
145.0
138.4
151.8
131.7
146.5
135.5
82.7
152.4
147.1
128.6
141.3
102.6
108.9
103.3
105.7
92.0
109.4
88.4
72.7
108.6
98.3
91.7
100.6
102.6
108.9
103.3
107.9
92.0
109.4
88.4
72.7
108.6
98.3
92.3
100.6
( 2)
125.9
126.2
114.0
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
108.9
( 2)
121.1
121.4
( 2)
127.8
114.9
( 2)
(2)
118.0
( 2)
(2)
( 2)
1 Prices of apparel, housefurnishings, and miscellaneous goods and services
are obtained monthly in 10 cities and once every 3 months in 24 additional
cities according to a staggered schedule.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Oct. 15,
1949
0)
(9
(B
182.3
0)
(9
184.9
(9
(9
191.3
174.4
184.2
191.4
188.9
(9
(9
(9
0)
0)
0)
163.1
185.9
195.4
(>)
178.7
176.6
183.8
171.5
177.2
( ')
203.5
196.0
185.7
175.7
0)
176.8
182.4
193.6
0)
0)
0)
0)
(9
173.7
0)
191.6
188.9
(9
1776.
196.1
0)
0)
193.3
(9
0)
0)
(>)
155.0
0)
(i)
148.1
(9
(i)
145.6
157.2
152.8
152.1
146.3
(9
0)
(0
( i)
0)
0)
144.2
160.0
156.9
(9
0)
(>)
(9
158.2
0)
152.3
146.2
(9
159.8
146.2
(9
0)
159.6
(9
(9
(9
2 Rents are surveyed every 3 months in 34 large cities according to a stag*
gered schedule,
REVIEW , JANUARY 1950
T able
D :
P R IC E S
A N D
CO ST
OF
115
LIV IN G
D-4: Indexes of Retail Prices of Foods,1 by Group, for Selected Periods
[1935-39=100]
Year and month
Cere
als Meats,
All
and
poul
foods bakery try,
prod and Total
ucts
fish
Fruits and vegetables
Meats
Beef
and
veal
Pork
Lamb
Chick Fish
ens
Dairy
prod
ucts
Eggs
Sugar
and
sweets
Total Fresh
Can
ned
Bever Fats
and
ages
oils
Dried
136.1
141.7
143.8
82.3
91.0
90.7
93.8
169.5
210.8
169.0
103.5
94.5
92.4
96.5
173.6
226.2
173.5
105.9
95.1
92.8
97.3
124.8
122.9
124.3
91.1
92.3
91.6
92.4
175.4
152.4
171.0
91.2
93.3
90.3
100.6
131.5
170.4
164.8
112.6
95.5
94.9
92.5
126.2
145.0
127.2
71.1
87.7
84.5
82.2
175.4
120.0
114.3
89.6
100.6
95.6
96.8
Average______ 124.0
Average............ 137.4
Average______ 132.5
Average
__ 86.5
Average______ 95.2
93.5
A ugust____
1940: Average............ 96.6
105.5
115.7
107.6
82.6
94.5
93.4
96.8
101.2
117.8
127.1
79.3
96.6
95.7
95.8
96.6
95.4
94.4
101.1
99.6
102.8
88.9
88.0
81.1
99.5
98.8
99.7
93.8
94.6
94.8
101.0
99.6
110.6
129.4
127.4
131.0
84.9
95.9
93.1
101.4
1941: Average............
December____
Average............
Average............
Average______
Average______
August-........ —
105.5
113.1
123.9
138.0
136.1
139.1
140.9
97.9
102.5
105.1
107.6
108.4
109.0
109.1
107.5
111.1
126.0
133.8
129.9
131.2
131.8
106.5
109.7
122.5
124.2
117.9
118.0
118.1
110.8
114.4
123.6
124.7
118.7
118.4
118.5
100.1
103.2
120.4
119.9
112.2
112.6
112.6
106.6
108.1
124.1
136.9
134.5
136.0
136.4
102.1
100.5
122.6
146.1
151.0
154.4
157.3
124.5
138.9
163.0
206.5
207.6
217.1
217.8
112.0
120.5
125.4
134.6
133.6
133.9
133.4
112.2
138.1
136.5
161.9
153.9
164.4
171.4
103.2
110.5
130.8
168.8
168.2
177.1
183.5
104.2
111.0
132.8
178.0
177.2
188.2
196.2
97.9
106.3
121.6
130.6
129.5
130.2
130.3
106.7
118.3
136.3
158.9
164.5
168.2
168.6
101.5
114.1
122.1
124.8
124.3
124.7
124.7
94.0
108.5
119.6
126.1
123.3
124.0
124.0
106.4
114.4
126.5
127.1
126.5
126.5
126.6
1946: Average______ 159.6
June _______ 145.6
November___ 187.7
125.0
122.1
140.6
161.3
134.0
203.6
150.8
120.4
197.9
150.5
121.2
191.0
148.2
114.3
207.1
163.9
139.0
205.4
174.0
162.8
188.9
236.2
219.7
265.0
165.1
147.8
198.5
168.8
147.1
201.6
182.4
183.5
184.5
190.7
196.7
182.3
140.8
127.5
167.7
190.4
172.5
251.6
139.6
125.4
167.8
152.1
126.4
244.4
143.9
136.2
170.5
1923:
1926:
1929:
1932:
1939:
1942:
1943:
1944:
1945:
1947: Average______ 193.8
155.4
217.1
214.7
213.6
215.9
220.1
183.2
271.4
186.2
200.8
199.4
201.5
166.2
263.5
186.8
197.5
180.0
1948: Average. ____ 210.2
N ovem ber___ 207.5
December____ 205.0
170.9
169.9
170.2
246.5
246.7
241.3
243.9
243.1
235.4
258.5
262.4
255.1
222.5
214.4
206.2
246.8
246.5
238.6
203.2
200.5
208.0
312.8
328.1
328.1
204.8
199.5
199.2
208.7
244.3
217.3
205.2
189.4
192.3
212.4
192.4
196.2
158.0
159.4
159.4
246.8
230.6
229.8
205.0
206.4
207.8
195.5
189.4
184.4
174.0
173.3
173.0
1949: January_____
February____
M arch_______
April________
M ay ________
June. ______
July_________
August______
September. ._
October______
November___
170.5
170.0
170.1
170.3
170.1
169.7
169.5
169.4
169.7
169.1
169.2
235.9
221.4
229.6
234. 4
232.3
240.6
236.0
239.5
243.6
235.1
229.1
228.2
212.3
222.5
228.5
228.0
239.3
234.4
237.3
242.0
233.1
226.4
244.5
220.5
230.3
233.3
235.2
247.8
245.3
246.3
249.9
248.2
248.5
203.1
196.3
206.4
209.5
203.9
216.0
209.8
221.9
227.6
207.7
189.7
234.4
228.4
240.7
271.0
275.5
278.4
265.5
247.8
254.7
246.1
242.0
208.9
199.0
198.9
201.2
190.5
184.4
182.8
191.5
192.5
184.6
184.5
331.7
327.2
325.9
321.3
315.4
312.6
307.7
308.9
311.9
306.8
300.6
196.0
192.5
190.3
184.9
182.6
182.0
182.2
184.9
185.3
186.7
186.4
209.6
179.6
180.1
183.8
190.9
198.0
204.1
222.2
232.6
227.8
207.8
205.2
213.7
214.5
218.6
220.7
217.9
210.2
201.9
199.8
194.5
202.0
213.3
224.9
226.0
231. 5
234.6
231.1
221.2
211.4
209.0
202.3
212.7
159.2
158.6
158.0
157.1
156.3
155.3
154.2
149.7
148.0
147.0
146.2
228.4
224.6
227.9
228.3
227.5
227.3
228.1
229.6
230.1
228.5
224.7
208.7
209.0
208.5
208.2
207.2
207.6
208.2
208.8
211.0
213.8
265.3
174.7
159.8
155.1
149.8
144.4
142.9
141.0
144.0
148.3
144.5
139.7
173.4
174.3
175.6
176.2
176.1
176.5
176.2
176.5
176.8
177.5
178.9
204.8
199.7
201.6
202.8
202.4
204.3
201.7
202.6
204.2
200.6
200.8
1 The Bureau of Labor Statistics retail food prices are obtained monthly
during the first three days of the week containing the fifteenth of the month,
through voluntary reports from chain and independent retail food dealers.
Articles included are selected to represent food sales to moderate-income
families.
The indexes, based on the retail prices of 50 foods, are computed by the
fixed-base-weighted-aggregate method, using weights representing (1) rela
tive importance of chain and independent store sales, in computing city aver
age prices; (2) food purchases by families of wage earners and moderate-
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
income workers, in computing city indexes; and (3) population weights, in
combining city aggregates in order to derive average prices and indexes for all
cities combined.
Indexes of retail food prices in 56 large cities combined, by commodity
groups, for the years 1923 through 1948 (1935-39= 100), may be found in Bulle
tin No. 965, “ Retail Prices of Food, 194S,” Bureau of Labor Statistics, U. S.
Department of Labor, table 3, p. 7. Mimeographed tables of the same
data, by months, January 1935 to date, are available upon request.
9
116
D :
T able
P R IC E S
A N D
CO ST
OF
MONTHLY LABOR
L IV IN G
D-5: Indexes of Retail Prices of Foods, by City
[1935-39=100]
N ov.
1949
Oct.
1949
Sept.
1949
United S ta te s........................
200.8
200.6
204.2
202.6
Atlanta, Ga______________
Baltimore, M d ___________
Birmingham, Ala_________
Boston, M ass_____________
Bridgeport, Conn--------------
197.7
211.9
197.2
193.2
200.3
199.9
211.5
197.2
193.7
198.2
206.9
216.4
201.9
197.1
204.8
203.9
215.4
199.8
194.6
201.1
Buffalo, N . Y . . . ............... .
Butte, M ont_________ ____
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 1______
Charleston, S. C ....................
Chicago, 111_______________
193.2
199.8
203.4
189.2
208.3
195.1
200.2
201.2
190.5
206.5
198.2
201.4
205.2
193.0
212.1
199.5
200.8
203.9
193.9
209.2
Cincinnati, Ohio__________
Cleveland, Ohio
_______
Columbus, O hio.. _______
Dallas, T ex_______________
Denver, Colo____________ _
198.7
206.0
180. 8
205.0
200.2
199.7
209.2
183.6
204.8
196.0
205.4
211.1
187.9
207.0
200.2
Detroit, M ic h .. _________
Fall River, M a s s .. . ..............
Houston, T ex.. __________
Indianapolis, In d _________
Jackson, M iss.1------------------
195.5
198.1
212.7
196.9
206.5
192.4
198.7
212.4
198.9
204.4
Jacksonville, F la__________
Kansas City, M o _________
Knoxville, Tenn.1-------------Little Rock, Ark___ ______
Los Angeles, Calif. ...........
206.9
186.9
223.3
198.8
200.5
Louisville, K y ...... .............. .
Manchester, N . H _______.
Memphis, Tenn_________ _
Milwaukee, W is .......... .
Minneapolis, M in n _______
Aug.
1949
July
1949
June
1949
M ay
1949
201.7
204.3
198.3
211.5
198.6
194.2
200.3
200.5
216.2
201.4
195.9
205.0
200.2
202.1
205.1
190.3
207.4
201.6
210.4
186. 2
205.3
199.1
197.4
201.7
212.2
200.5
206.0
205.9
186.0
223.6
198.2
200.6
188.3
195.5
210.2
199.3
192.0
Feb.
1949
Nov.
1948
204.8
205.0
207.5
145.6
93.5
202.1
213.5
202.0
194.1
200.0
203.3
214.6
204.8
194.2
201.0
205.9
218.7
205.4
199.2
205.9
141.0
152.4
147.7
138.0
139.1
92.5
94.7
90.7
93.5
93.2
197.9
205.0
211. 5
196.9
207.3
200.0
205.7
211.8
197.1
208.2
201.6
209.3
214.4
198.9
211.9
140.2
139.7
148. 2
140.8
142.8
94.5
94.1
199.7
207.2
182.3
200.7
204.5
205.5
212.8
188.6
207.1
209.6
205.2
213.0
189.4
208.2
211.0
209.4
217.0
193.1
212.7
207.7
141.4
149.3
136.4
142.4
145.3
90.4
93.6
88.1
91.7
92.7
195.1
199.6
209.6
197.9
203 7
194.5
195.3
208.0
195.5
205 4
197.3
199.8
215.7
200.9
209 5
198.7
200.4
218.1
204.8
213 8
199.9
202.5
217.6
206.8
145.4
138.1
144.0
141.5
90.6
95.4
97.8
90.7
206.6
189.8
220 5
201.2
212.1
206.0
189.8
222 1
198.0
211.2
201.2
189.2
221 3
197.2
210.8
210.6
194.6
230 0
199.8
215.5
209.9
194. 7
233 9
201.6
214.9
212.6
198.5
233 Q
202.4
213.7
150.8
134.8
95.8
91.5
13911
154.8
94.0
94.6
189.4
199.4
215.6
204.9
193.5
187.6
199.7
214.9
205. 8
193.1
187.7
199.3
211.9
203.2
192.4
189.2
196.4
212.2
200.8
190.1
193.9
201.8
217.1
206.5
195.3
196.6
203.6
217.9
205.0
195.6
198.9
204.8
219.0
207.5
197.8
135.6
144.4
153.6
144.3
137.5
92.1
94.9
89.7
91.1
95.0
207.9
199.6
198.5
215.2
203.4
204.6
198.5
194.3
210.1
202.2
203.9
199.7
194.3
212.4
203.7
206.9
197.6
193.6
211.0
202.4
207.4
196.3
190.9
210.2
200.0
214.5
200.1
195.1
3 213.2
205.3
211.8
201.2
194.5
216.1
204.3
211.3
203.9
199.6
218.0
208.7
149.8
147.9
140.4
157.6
149.2
95.5
95.6
93.7
97.6
95.8
202.0
196.2
214.6
195.2
205.3
206.9
201.1
218.9
198.7
208.8
204.9
196.9
212.4
198.1
208.0
205.2
196.4
211.1
197.9
206.1
203.5
196.5
210.8
196.7
204.6
202.0
195.7
207.9
195.0
202.2
208.7
198.0
215.7
200.4
208.0
209.8
203.1
216.8
199.3
208.0
211.8
205.6
218.0
202.0
211.0
146.0
139.5
151.3
143.5
147.1
93.6
92.3
93.4
93.0
92.5
194.8
211.6
209.0
200.7
198.6
194.7
213.6
209.7
195.8
197.5
197.2
219.4
208.9
197.5
199.3
191.1
218.8
206.5
195.0
198.3
190.0
221.6
200.8
195.5
194.3
191.5
222.5
206.4
197.1
193.3
189.7
220.4
202.9
193.5
192.1
194.3
224.2
210.1
200.3
195.5
195.0
223.5
209.2
201. 5
196.5
198.0
222.9
211.7
203.6
196.7
138.4
158.4
144.9
138.4
142.5
95.9
96.1
93.7
92.2
92.3
211.6
190.3
203.1
213. 7
218.3
210.6
188.8
201.0
209.9
212.5
206.8
189.1
204.9
212.6
210.2
212.8
192.3
207.5
215.5
217.1
207.8
191.6
206.6
215.3
213.2
207.5
191.0
206.6
222.1
212.2
207.6
190.4
207.3
216.3
212.4
207.1
188.9
207.4
219.3
208.5
212.4
192.9
211.8
223.2
215.3
212.2
192.1
209.8
221.1
216.0
213.1
194.8
208.8
219.5
215.0
147.4
137.3
151.7
155.5
158.5
93.8
94.3
94.6
93.8
96.7
208.3
208.0
209.6
203.8
211.8
200.6
206.1
205.5
210.1
203.5
211.9
200.6
202.7
205.8
208.4
200.4
210. 7
198.9
204.1
208.5
214.0
202.2
216.4
200.6
202.6
209.3
207.8
201.2
214.0
197.8
202.2
212.8
208.0
200.1
215.3
198.3
201.1
213.5
207.5
198.8
215 1
197.8
196.0
213.6
206.0
195.2
213 0
195.6
201.6
214.4
214.0
202.4
201.1
211.8
214.4
201.8
202.8
213.4
215.2
203.5
144.0
151.6
150.1
145.5
92.1
94.5
94.1
94.1
203.7
20e!6
206.1
145.3
Mar.
1949
202.4
202.8
201.6
199.7
197.0
213.0
198.5
192.4
201.7
197.5
212.4
198.3
191.3
198.8
198.3
212.9
197.4
190.9
197.9
194.7
210.3
195.8
187.8
194.9
199.6
206.7
211.2
195.4
211.6
198.9
202.6
208.1
191.3
207.0
195.5
204.6
209.0
195.2
208.5
195.0
201.3
207.8
193.8
205.9
191.4
201.5
206.8
190.8
202.7
200.5
208.9
182.9
204.8
204.5
204.2
211.2
185.4
204.9
208.2
200.3
208.1
184.3
204.4
206.6
203.2
209.2
185.6
204.4
208.1
201.9
210.2
184.3
202.0
207.0
197.2
201.2
211.6
199.3
205.5
197.9
199.3
211.0
195.7
207.8
201.5
201.1
211.8
200.5
205. 5
200.0
197.0
211.3
197.3
204. 7
197.0
199.4
212.6
196.7
203.1
208.5
190.7
227.3
201.4
202.8
206.0
187.2
226.5
201.6
201.7
207.0
188.5
222.3
196.8
202.3
208.3
190.5
226.0
204.2
206.6
205.6
189.0
223. 2
201.9
208.7
189.7
197.2
209.7
199.4
191.1
194.3
203.3
213.0
203.7
192.8
192.4
202.1
214.3
200.0
190.1
189.4
200.3
217.1
201.6
190.6
194.1
205.2
215.3
205.6
194.3
Mobile, Ala_____________
203.6
Newark, N . J_____________ 198.6
N ew Haven, Conn------- .
2 198. 4
New Orleans, L a__________ 213.2
New York, N . Y ._ _______ 201.5
204.8
198.2
197.9
210.0
201.0
207.0
201.2
198.3
215.5
205.8
206.6
198.5
194.2
214.4
204.1
205.8
198.5
194.7
214.0
204.1
Norfolk, Va_______________
Omaha, Nebr...........................
Peoria, 111______ _____ _
.
Philadelphia, P a—.............
Pittsburgh, P a -----------------
200.8
194.7
210.0
196.8
205.4
203.5
195.7
211.9
197.9
204.8
208.9
197.9
214.4
199.9
208.0
206.1
196.4
214.9
198.3
207.9
Portland, M aine__________
Portland, Oreg-----------------Providence, R . I ---------------Richmond, Va--------------- .
Rochester, N . Y ----------------
188.4
207.8
205.2
195.0
193.5
189.7
209.7
207.0
197.4
193.7
193.8
211.1
210.9
202.4
198.1
St. Louis, M o......... ..............
St. Paul, M in n .. .................
Salt Lake City, U tah____
San Francisco, C a lif ____
Savannah, Ga_________. . .
208.6
187.9
202.0
212.9
207.1
207.5
187.5
202.6
213.1
208.2
Scranton, P a ___________
Seattle, W ash_______
Springfield, 111__________
Washington, D . C _ _ ____
Wichita, Kans.1_________
Winston-Salem, N . C.1___
198.1
207.4
204.4
202. 6
210.9
197.8
200.9
205.0
204.7
200.1
211.2
197.5
J June 1940=100.
2 Estimated index based on half the usual sample of reports. Remaining
reports lost in the mails. Index for December 15, will reflect the correct level
of food prices for N ew Haven.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Jan.
1949
Dec.
1948
Apr.
1949
City
June
1946
Aug.
1939
95.1
92.3
3 Estimated index based on half the usual sample of reports. Remaining
reports lost in the mails. Index for Feb. 15 reflects the correct level of food
prices for N ew Orleans.
REVIEW, JANUARY 1950
*
D :
P R IC E S
A N D
COST
OF
117
L IV IN G
T a b l e D-6: Average Retail Prices and Indexes of Selected Foods
. ________________________________ ___________
Commodity
Aver
age
price
N ov. N ov.
1949
1949
Indexes 1935-39=100
Oct.
1949
Cereals and bakery products:
Cereals:
Cents
Flour, w heat.................. .5 pounds.
48.1 186.3 184.8
Corn flakes__________ 11 ounces.
16.8 177.7 177.3
Corn m ea l............................. pound.
8.5 178.2 179.8
94.1
d o ...
Rice 1........
16.8
98.4
Rolled oats 8_________ 20 ounces.
16.2 147. 4 148.0
Bakery products:
Bread, w hite..........................pound.
14.0 164.1 164.1
Vanilla cookies____________ d o ...
44.5 190.4 190.1
Meats, poultry, and fish:
Meats:
Beef:
Round steak...................... d o ...
262.2 260.8
Rib roast______________ d o ...
70.3 244.2 243.7
Chuck roast___________ d o ...
58.3 260.3 261.3
Hamburger *...................... d o ...
51.6 166.8 166.8
Veal:
Cutlets.................................d o ... 100.1 250.8 252.1
Pork:
66.4 201.6 228.3
Chops..................................d o ...
Bacon, sliced......................d o ...
65.0 170.7 183.9
57.3 195.1 208.5
Ham, w hole_________ . .d o . ..
Salt pork_____________ do___
37.9 181.8 176.1
Lamb:
L eg ...................................... d o ....
9.7 245.8 250.1
Poultry...............................................d o ....
184.5 184.6
Frying chickens:8
N ew York dressed 6____do___
46.1
61.2
Dressed and drawn 7___ do___
Fish:
Fish (fresh, frozen)8................ do___
0 266.4 268.4
48.2 367.9 385.7
Salmon, pink 8_____ 16-ounce can..
Dairy products:
Butter_________________
..p ou n d ..73.3 201.3 200.4
52.5 232.4 232.2
C h e e se ................................
do____
M ilk, fresh (delivered).................quart.. 21.0 171.3 172.3
M ilk, fresh (grocery)..................... do___
19.6 174.2 175.6
12.7 178.1 176.3
M ilk, evaporated____ 14 J-i-ounce can..
Eggs: Eggs, fresh..................................dozen.. 71.9 207.8 227.8
Fruits and vegetables:
Fresh fruits:
8.7 165.8 165.0
Apples__________________ pound..
16.8 277. 9 273.9
Bananas__________________ do___
Oranges, size 200—.........
dozen.. 47.4 167.3 195.3
Fresh vegetables:
Beans, green.......................... pound.. 21.6 198.1 137.4
5.4 143.0 147.9
Cabbage...................................... do__
Carrots__________________bunch.. 11.8 219.9 202.0
Lettuce___________________ head— 18.5 222. 9 199.7
8.5 204.9 191.9
Onions_________
pound..
70.1 194.1 196.0
Potatoes_____________15 pounds..
( 10)
(10)
Spinach_____ ____
pound.. (.0)
Sweetpotatoes______________do__
9.5 182.6 183.0
Tomatoes 11.......
do___ 25.7 168.8 12100.0
Canned fruits:
28.!
Peaches........................N o. 2H can ..
149.8 152.4
Pineapple................................. do__ 38.4 177.0 179.4
Canned vegetables:
Corn.................................. N o. 2 can .. 18.9 152.4 153.1
Peas_______________________ do__
14.7 112.6 112.8
Tomatoes.....................................do__
14.2 158.4 158.4
Dried fruits: Prunes_________ pound.. 23.5 230.7 232.0
Dried vegetables: N avy beans..do___ 15.5 211. 7 219.2
Beverages: Coflee................................... .d o__ 66.6 264.8 213.4
Fats and oils:
Lard...................................
do___
17.8 119.3 130.4
Hydrogenated veg. shortening » .d o ___ 32.8 158.5 159.1
Salad dressing_____ _____
p in t.. 33.7 139.3 140.9
Margarine__________________ pound.. 28.8 157.9 161.0
Sugar and sweets:
Sugar.....................................................do__
9. 7 179.8 178.4
Sept.
1949
Aug.
1949
July
1949
June
1949
M ay
1949
Apr.
1949
Mar.
1949
Feb.
1949
Jan.
1949
Dec.
1948
N ov.
1948
184.2
177.8
182.2
103.3
148.1
183.6
178.0
182.4
106.1
148.4
183.9
179.0
181.7
104.9
149.0
184.9
178.7
181.7
104.6
149.2
186.3
178.6
184.6
106.6
149.3
186.0
178.2
184.7
107. 5
150.0
186.3
178.0
185.1
107.3
151.8
186.4
177.8
186.4
107.4
152.2
187.0
177.4
189.0
107.2
155.5
185.7
177.8
194.9
107.6
155.8
184.0
177.6
199.5
109.4
155.2
82.1
92.7
90.7
0
0
164.2
193.2
164.1
191.3
164.2
190.8
164.3
190.9
163.8
194.0
164.0
194.5
163.5
194.4
163.3
194.3
163.2
195.6
163.0
194.9
162.8
194.1
93.2
0
269.2
241.7
253.8
168.0
264.7
237.8
248.1
167.2
263.1
237.0
249.6
167.2
264.6
239.6
252.0
168.4
246.8
228.2
236.6
162.7
240.7
226.5
237.3
161.8
234.5
224.1
235.0
161.9
218.5
213.8
224.3
156.8
248.3
241.7
257.7
175.9
261.1
253.1
276.8
181.7
269.3
262.0
291.5
184.6
102.7
97.4
97.1
0
254.6
252.6
249.7
254.7
248.1
251.5
250.0
251.9
248.7
248.7
248.4
101.1
264.0
177.6
233.0
171.3
253.6
173.5
232.7
169.5
234.6
169.4
222.5
163.1
252.4
168.4
218.6
161.9
229.5
166.9
211.3
161.4
229.6
176.8
221.2
167.5
223.5
178.8
217.2
169.7
201.6
179.5
213.3
171.1
203.4
190.0
222.5
191.6
204.6
195.8
223.3
211.6
219.7
200.7
227.2
200.1
90.8
80.9
92.7
69.0
258.7
192.5
251.7
191.5
269.7
182.8
282.8
184.4
279.8
190.5
275.3
201.2
244.5
198.9
232.1
199.0
238.1
208.9
242.4
208.0
250.4
200.5
95.7
94.6
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
(0
0
260.1
428.8
254.4
434.1
251.1
439.0
252.2
454.4
254.5
458.4
261.4
460.7
266.8
462.7
267.2
466.3
272.4
468.3
268.5
466.0
268.1
467.0
98.8
97.4
200.1
230.2
169.8
174.1
177.3
232.6
198.5
228.6
169.8
174.6
177.5
222.2
192.9
225.8
168.4
172.2
179.2
204.1
193.2
226.4
167.9
171.6
180.5
198.0
194.6
226.5
168.4
171.6
181.9
190.9
197.0
227.5
170.1
174.4
186.5
183.8
201.8
230.9
176.2
179.8
192.5
180.1
203.6
234.0
177.5
182.4
200.2
179.6
205.9
245.8
179.9
185.7
204.6
209.6
207.6
246.8
184.5
189.4
208.0
217.3
205. 7
246.6
185.3
191.4
210.0
244.3
84.0
92.3
97.1
96.3
93.9
90.7
184.7
271.4
183.4
192.1
275.0
200.1
248.1
280.7
215.5
309.9
284.3
209.0
311.4
274.1
194.2
306.2
272.8
173.2
289.8
275.2
175.8
275.5
272.7
165.7
255.7
267.7
168.4
241.5
269.3
153.7
229.1
270.6
161.0
81.6
97.3
96.9
156.4
168.1
197.0
254.7
179.3
208.4
206.8
206.1
154.1
176.3
191.3
209.3
160.3
222.1
193.0
270.8
0
168.5
164.2
187.2
156.5
186.6
233.5
177.2
322.6
0
175.0
170.0
188.9
131.8
204.3
259.7
143.8
330.4
0
186.8
214.3
187.4
163.6
187.8
271.6
154.2
312.4
0
209.4
197.8
181.0
243.2
155.3
246.5
190.4
268.5
0
194.3
211.9
184.3
223.3
148.1
237.2
213.8
234.2
0
222.0
179.2
196.7
220.2
153.9
237.9
259.4
220.9
(*)
234.6
163.7
199.9
185.9
155.7
225.5
202.3
211.4
0
173.3
142.5
184.2
170.8
156.9
208.3
163.2
198.1
0
224.9
133.7
184.3
158.9
154.6
199.1
155.1
181.9
0
61.7
103.2
84.9
97.6
86.8
91.9
118.4
115.7
0
155.5
180.9
158.3
183.0
161.6
183.7
163.5
182.5
166.8
182.2
168.4
182.5
168.2
182.5
168.4
182.6
169.0
180.4
168.2
181.3
168.2
178.1
92.3
96.0
155.1
112.3
158.8
231.3
224.4
210.6
155.3
112.9
161.4
230.2
224.7
208.4
155.7
113.5
171.8
228.9
223.1
207.8
155.7
113.8
174.5
226.9
223.9
207.2
156. 9
113.8
175.2
226.2
225.7
206.8
158.8
115.0
175.4
226.4
227.4
207.8
159.8
115.3
177.1
224.0
230.0
208.1
159.4
117.0
178.3
220.9
226.4
208.6
160.2
117.1
179.6
218.9
239.1
208.3
160.4
117.2
180.0
216.6
246.2
207.4
159.7
117.5
181.4
211.6
255. 7
206.0
88.6
89.8
92.5
94.7
83.0
93.3
133.9
159.3
142.6
171.8
129.4
158.9
139.3
163.0
120.1
163.7
140.2
157.7
121.4
165.4
143.0
159.0
121.2
167.1
145.9
161.3
125.0
174.9
149.2
170.5
131.2
176.9
151.6
181.9
133.2
187.1
156.1
186.7
163.2
197.2
159.3
199.0
181.0
202.8
162.7
208.6
191.4
204.9
163.7
213.4
65.2
93.9
(<)
93.6
177.7
177.4
177.1
177.4
176.9
177.1
176.5
175.1
174.2
173.8
174.2
95.6
0
i July 1947=100.
8 Index not computed.
8 February 1943=100.
‘ N ot priced in earlier period.
8 New specifications introduced in April 1949, in place of roasting chickens.
8 Priced in 29 cities.
’Priced in 27 cities.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Aug:
1939
8 1938-39 = 100.
• Average price not computed.
10 Discontinued October 1949.
11 October 1949=100.
12 First inclusion in Retail Food Price Index.
18 Formerly published as shortening in other containers.
D :
118
T able
P R IC E S
AN D
CO ST
OF
MONTHLY LABOR
LIV IN G
D-7: Indexes of Wholesale Prices,1 by Group of Commodities, for Selected Periods
[1926=100]
M is
cella
neous
com
modi
ties
80.2
77.9
178.0
173.7
94.0
56.1
56.7
99.2
143.3
94.3
93.1
88.1
142.3
176.5
82.6
68.8
67.3
138.8
163.4
97.5
74.9
67.8
162.7
253.0
93.9
69.4
66.9
130.4
157.8
94.5
69.0
65.7
131.0
165. 4
93.3
70.0
65.7
129.9
170.6
91.6
71.4
90.5
89.6
94.8
73.9
76.0
74.2
77,0
75.1
86.3
85.6
88.5
64.4
74.8
73.3
77.3
55.1
70.2
66.5
71.9
59.3
77.0
74.5
79.1
70.3
80.4
79.1
81.6
68.3
79.5
77.9
80.8
70.2
81.3
80.1
83.0
99.4
103.3
103.8
103.8
103.8
103.2
107.8
110.2
111.4
115.5
84.4
90.4
95.5
94.9
95.2
94.3
101.1
102.4
102.7
104.3
82.0
87.6
89.7
92.2
93.6
83.5
92.3
100.6
112.1
113.2
86.9
90.1
92.6
92.9
94.1
89.1
94.6
98.6
100.1
100.8
88.3
93.3
97.0
98.7
99.6
89.0
93.7
95.5
96.9
98.5
84.0
84.8
104.7
104.7
117.8
117.8
95.2
95.3
104.5
104.5
94.7
94.8
116.8
116.3
95.9
95.5
101.8
101.8
100.8
100.9
99.7
99.9
116.3
109.2
131.6
141.7
90.1
87.8
94.5
108.7
115.5
112.2
130.2
145.0
132.6
129.9
145.5
179.7
101.4
96.4
118.9
127.3
111.6
110.4
118.2
131.1
100.3
98.5
106.5
115.5
134.7
126.3
153.4
165.6
110.8
105.7
129.1
148.5
116.1
107.3
134.7
146.0
114.9
106.7
132.9
145.5
109.5
105.6
120.7
135.2
149.8
147.4
146.7
134.2
137.6
137.2
163.6
173.3
173.8
199.1
203.1
202.2
135.7
134.4
131.1
144.5
148.2
148.4
120.5
119.2
118.5
178.4
175.2
172.2
158.0
161.0
160.8
159.4
158.8
157.6
159.8
160.1
158.9
151.0
153.6
153.1
146.1
184.8
145.2
182.3
143.8
180.4
142.2
179.9
140.5
179.2
139.2
178.8
138.0
177.8
178.9
138.1
139 0
181.1
181.3 » 138.0
180.8 « 138.0
137.1
135.9
134.3
132.0
130.1
129.9
129.9
129.7
«130. 5
c 130.5
130.0
175.6
175.5
174.4
171.8
168.4
167.5
167.9
168.2
«168. 2
167.3
167.3
202.3
201.5
200.0
196.5
193.9
191.4
189.0
188.2
189.4
189.2
189.5
126.3
122.8
121.1
117.7
118.2
116.8
118.1
119.7
117.7
116.0
116.1
148.1
148.3
148.0
147.0
146.2
145.1
143.0
142.9
142.9
143.0
143.4
117.3
115.3
115.7
115.6
113.5
111.0
110.3
109.8
109.6
109.0
109.7
169.3
165.8
167.3
165.8
165.9
164.5
163.2
161.3
162.0
160.3
160.4
160.4
159.6
156.9
153.1
149.4
146.5
146.0
147.9
147.8
145.3
145.1
156.2
154.0
154.1
153.0
151.5
150.7
149.7
149.4
150.1
149.1
148.1
157.8
155.7
155.3
153.7
152.1
151.2
150. 5
150.6
151.2
150.3
150.2
152.9
151.8
150.7
148.9
146.8
145.6
145.0
145.0
145.3
145.0
145.0
Build
ing
mate
rials
61.3
55.7
114.3
159.8
83.0
90.8
79.1
143.5
155.5
100.5
56.7
52.9
101.8
164.4
95.4
54.9
69.7
67.8
73.8
70.3
73.1
72.6
71.7
80.2
94.4
93.2
95.8
108.3
114.8
117.7
117.5
116.7
84.8
91.8
96.9
97.4
98.4
76.2
78.4
78.5
80.8
83.0
106.2
106.4
118.1
118.0
100.1
99.6
148.9
140.1
169.8
181.2
130.7
112.9
165.4
168.7
137.2
122.4
172.5
182.4
165.1
164.0
162.4
188.3
180.8
177.3
179.1
174.3
170.2
188.8
186.2
185.3
1949: January_____
160.6
February___
158.1
158.4
March______
A pril_______
156.9
M ay________
155.7
154.5
J u n e _______
153.5
July________
August............ 152.9
September___ «153.6
O r tn h p r
152.2
151.6
November__
172.5
168.3
171.5
170.5
171.2
168.8
166.2
162.3
163.1
159.6
156.8
165.8
161.5
162.9
162.9
163.8
162.4
161.3
160.6
162.0
159.6
158.9
Foods
Tex
tile
prod
ucts
71.5
71.4
150.3
169.8
104.9
64.2
62.9
128.6
147.3
99.9
68.1
69.7
131.6
193.2
109.1
57.3
55.3
142.6
188.3
90.4
64.8
77.1
75.0
78.6
48.2
65.3
61.0
67.7
61.0
70.4
67.2
71.3
72.9
95.6
92.7
100.8
1941: Average_____
December___
1942: Average_____
1943: Average------1944: Average_____
87.3
93.6
98.8
103.1
104.0
82.4
94.7
105.9
122.6
123.3
82.7
90.5
99.6
106.6
104.9
1945: Average_____
A ugust...........
105.8
105.7
128.2
126.9
1946: Average_____
June. - ........ .
November___
1947: Average..........
121.1
112.9
139.7
152.1
1948: Average_____
November__
December___
Farm
prod
ucts
A verage.........
July------------November___
M ay..... ...........
Average_____
69.8
67.3
136.3
167.2
95.3
1932: Average_____
1939: Average_____
August______
1940: Average____
Year and month
1913:
1914:
1918:
1920:
1939:
1 BLS wholesale price data, for the most part, represent prices in primary
markets. They are prices charged by manufacturers or producers or are
prices prevailing on organized exchanges. The weekly index is calculated
from 1-day-a-week prices; the monthly index from an average of these prices.
M onthly indexes for the last 2 months are preliminary.
The indexes currently are computed by the fixed base aggregate method,
with weights representing quantities produced for sale in 1929-31. (For a
detailed description of the method of calculation see “ Revised Method of
Calculation of the Bureau of Labor Statistics Wholesale Price Index,” in
the Journal of the American Statistical Association, December 1937.)
Mimeographed tables are available, upon request to the Bureau, giving
monthly indexes for major groups of commodities since 1890 and for subgroups
and economic groups since 1913. The weekly wholesale price indexes are
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
All
com
modi
ties
ex
cept
farm
prod
ucts
and
foods !
Chem Houseicals
furand
nishallied
ing
prod* goods
ucts
Fuel Metals
and
and
light metal
ing
prod
mate ucts J
rials
Hides
and
leather
prod
ucts
All
com
modi
ties 1
All •
com
Seml- Manu modi
Raw manufac
extured ties
mate
faccept
tured
prod
rials
farm
articles ucts ! prod
ucts s
available in summary form since 1947 for all commodities; all commodities
less farm products and foods; farm products; foods; textile products; fuel and
lighting materials; metals and metal products; building materials; and
chemicals and allied products. Weekly indexes are also available for the
subgroups of grains, livestock, meats, and hides and skins.
! Includes current motor vehicle prices beginning with October 1946. T he
rate of production of motor vehicles in October 1946 exceeded the monthly
average rate of civilian production in 1941, and in accordance with the an
nouncement made in September 1946, the Bureau introduced current prices
for motor vehicles in the October calculations. During the war, motor
vehicles were not produced for general civilian sale and the Bureau carried
April 1942 prices toward in each computation through September 1946.
» Corrected.
REVIEW , JANUARY 1950
T able
D :
P R IC E S
A N D
CO ST
OF
119
LIV IN G
D-8: Indexes of Wholesale Prices,1 by Group and Subgroup of Commodities
11926=100]
1949
1948
1946
1939
June
Aug.
Group and subgroup
N ov.
Oct.
Sept.
All commodities 1...................
161.6
152.2
= 153.6
152.9
Farm products____________
Grains. _ ____________
Livestock and poultry..
Livestock_________
Other farm products___
E ggsr-.........................
Foods____________________
Dairy products________
Cereal products_______
Fruits and vegetables...
M eats, poultry, and
fish________________
M eats_______ ____ _
Other fo o d s............ .........
Hides and leather products..
156.8
156.4
169.6
188.3
148.2
132.5
158.9
154.7
144.6
130.8
159.6
155.3
177.7
197.6
148.8
147.5
159.6
154.6
144.6
128.1
163.1
156.4
186.6
207.5
149.8
158.3
162.0
153.5
143. 7
126.9
162.3
150.4
186. 3
206.6
150.1
146.4
160.6
152. 7
142.8
130.3
198.9
212.9
139.6
180.8
184.3
199.5
177.0
141.1
138.0
144.3
178.1
98.4
39.6
49.5
146.0
169.0
130.0
139.3
192.4
222.2
(3)
205.0
219.6
137.4
181.3
183.4
205.6
176.5
141.1
=138.0
144.6
176.5
98.4
39.6
49.2
145.1
175.6
=130.5
139.1
191.2
222.2
W
87.8
= 109.9
167.3
215.1
230.4
137.8
181.1
183 8
204.8
175.5
141.1
139.0
144.8
174.8
98.4
39.6
49.2
' 150.4
181.5
130.0
138.6
190.5
222.1
68.9
89.3
109.1
=168.2
210.7
224.4
136.5
178.9
183. 8
194.5
173.7
141.1
138.1
144.8
170.2
98.4
39.6
49.2
152.6
180.9
129. 7
135.9
188.8
222.0
68.5
88.9
109.7
168.2
143. 8 = 143. 8
146.4 =146.5
163. 4
163.3
176.7 =177.0
186.7
187.0
134.9 =135.0
131.7
131.5
154.6
154.6
189.5
189.2
161.7
161.8
134.5
134.5
283.4
281.9
143.9
=146.5
=164. 0
=177.1
187.0
=135.3
135.7
154.6
189.4
161.8
133.0
279.7
Hides and skins...............
Leather _ . __________
Other leather products..
Textile products__________
C lo th in g ........................ .
Cotton goods__________
Hosiery and underwear.
Rayon and nylon______
Silk__________________
Woolen and worsted. . .
Other textile products...
Fuel and lighting materials.
Anthracite_______ ____
Bituminous coal_______
C oke... ____________
E le ctric ity ......................
Gas__________________
Petroleum and products.
Metals and metal products '.
Agricultural machinery
and equipment______
Farm machinery___
Iron and steel_________
Motor v e h ic le s............ ..
Passenger cars____
T rucks.____ ______
Nonferrous m etals.. . . .
Plumbing and heating..
Building materials..................
Brick and tile_________
C em entf______________
Lumber______ ________
Paint and paint materials__ . _ ________
Prepared paint____
Paint materials____
Plumbing and heating..
Structural steel____ _.
Other building materials......... ........................
Chemicals and allied produ c ts .......................................
Chemicals___________ _
Drug and pharmaceutical materials____
Fertilizer materials____
Mixed fertilizers_______
Oils and fats__________
Housefumishing goods_____
Furnishings....... ..............
Furniture_______ ____ _
M iscellaneous_______ _____
Tires and tubes_______
Cattle feed......... ..............
Paper and p u lp .............
Paperboard_______
Paper____ _____ _
Wood pulp________
Rubber, crude________
Other miscellaneous___
Soap and synthetic
detergents..............
V)
108.5
167.3
Aug.
July
Mar.
Jan.
N ov.
160.6
162.4
164.0
112.9
75.0
172. 5
167.7
194.7
209.9
159.4
124.4
165.8
163.6
148.0
145.3
177.3
171.1
204.6
221.7
161.4
140.9
170.2
171.2
150. 0
139.8
180.8
171.1
213.4
234.1
162.6
160.9
174.3
170.7
150.5
139.6
140.1
151.8
137.4
143.4
137.5
97.3
112.9
127.3
101.7
136.1
61.0
51.5
66.0
67.7
60.1
47.5
67.2
67.9
71.9
58.5
214.2
222.8
134.4
184.8
187. 8
198.7
185. 4
145.4
146.1
147.7
186.9
102.5
41.8
50.1
161.6
189.0
137.1
137.7
196.5
220.5
67.7
88.1
121.3
175.6
220.8
230.8
140.9
185.3
188.0
197.2
186.5
148.6
146.7
148.8
189.2
103.7
41.8
46.4
159.6
190.0
137.2
136. 4
195.4
219.0
67.7
91.1
122.0
173.8
227.4
240.0
149.4
186.2
188.1
206.0
183.8
148.6
147.4
149.1
191.2
104.0
41.8
46.4
159.6
190.5
137.6
136.4
195.1
219.0
67.3
92.6
122.8
173.3
110.1
116.6
98.1
122.4
129. 5
121.5
110.7
115.2
109.2
120.3
139.4
75.8
30.2
(3)
112.7
112.3
87.8
106.1
132.8
133.5
67.2
79.6
64.0
112.2
73.7
78.1
60.3
92.7
100. 8
77.2
84.0
97.1
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
144.2
146.7
169.1
175.8
183.2
142.4
172.5
156.1
201.5
162.4
134.3
296.9
144.1
146.6
169.1
175.8
183.2
142.4
172. 5
156.9
202.3
162.5
134.1
299.5
144.0
146. 5
165. 4
175.7
183.3
142.0
172.5
157.3
202.2
160.5
133.4
305.9
143.6
146.1
165.0
175.3
183.2
140.3
171.4
157.3
203.1
160.4
133.6
311.2
104.5
104.9
110.1
135.5
142.8
104.3
99.2
106.0
129.9
121.3
102.6
176.0
93.5
94.7
95.1
92.5
95.6
77.4
74.6
79.3
89.6
90.5
91.3
90.1
M ay
153.5
154.5
155.7
156.9
158.4
158.1
166.2
154.1
188.5
209.4
155.0
138.7
161.3
149.2
146.1
145.4
168.8
154.9
193.3
212.6
156.7
126.9
162.4
145.5
145.6
157.5
171.2
159.9
191.5
207.7
160.8
125.2
163.8
145.9
145.1
167.3
170.5
163.8
189.0
202.4
160.0
124.4
162.9
147.2
145.3
158.1
171.5
162.6
195.0
209.5
158.6
116.1
162.9
154. 8
146.5
151.7
168.3
157.2
187.2
201.1
158.9
112.5
161.5
159.8
146.7
152.3
212.2
227.3
130.5
177.8
183.8
184.7
175.4
142.4
138.0
144.8
167.3
98.5
39.6
49.2
157.6
178.8
129.9
135.4
188.9
222.0
70.0
89.5
110.2
167.9
215.5
230.3
127.8
178.8
184.1
186.0
177.1
144.4
139.2
145.6
169. 7
99.6
39.6
49.2
159.7
177.7
129.9
134.2
188.6
222.4
68.9
90.1
110.4
167.5
215.2
227.0
128.5
179.2
184.0
188.2
177.4
144.6
140.5
146.0
172.6
100.4
40.8
50.1
159.7
179.1
130.1
133.7
188.9
222.7
68.2
90.9
110.7
168.4
216.0
224.9
127.6
179.9
186.9
183.4
177.8
144.7
142.2
146.4
176.2
101.2
41.8
50.1
160.9
180.9
132.0
135.0
190.7
222.8
67.9
92.3
113.3
171.8
214.8
222.4
126.6
180.4
187. 8
181.8
178.9
145.6
143.8
147.1
180.1
101.2
41.8
50.1
161.8
184.9
134.3
137.9
195.2
222.9
67.9
92.8
115.9
174.4
205.1
212. 5
127.5
182.3
187.8
185.9
183.9
145.4
145.2
147.3
184.8
101.3
41.8
50.1
162.1
186.9
135.9
138.0
196.9
222.9
68.5
91.9
118.7
175.5
144.1
146.6
163.8
177.2
187.0
135.7
135.9
154.7
188.2
161.5
133.0
277.4
144.2
146.6
164.2
177.2
187.0
135.7
132.1
154.7
189.0
161.5
133.6
277.4
144.3
146.7
164.7
177.1
185.3
141.0
128.8
154.7
191.4
160.8
134.3
280.7
144.3
146.7
165.1
175.0
182.4
142.0
138.2
154.8
193.9
160.8
134.3
285.2
144.3
146.7
166.2
175.8
183.3
142.1
156.4
154.9
196.5
160.8
134. 3
290.6
144.2
146.7
168.3
175.2
182.5
142.4
168.4
155.3
200.0
162.4
134.3
294.7
Feb.
139.9
138.5
144.1
154.6
178.8
141.1
138.5
146.7
154.6
178.8
143.9
138.5
152.5
154.6
178.8
143.8
138.5
152. 3
154.7
178.8
145. 2
138.5
155.3
154.7
178.8
153.6
151. 3
159.0
154.7
178.8
157.4
151.3
167.1
154.8
178.8
157.9
151.3
168.1
154.9
178.8
162.3
151.3
177.4
155.3
178.8
165.3
151.3
183.8
156.1
178.8
166.3
151.3
185.8
156.9
178.8
161.2
142.9
184.3
157.3
178.8
161.4
142.9
184.6
157.3
178.8
108.6
99.3
120.9
106.0
120.1
82.1
92.9
71.8
79.3
107.3
168.6
168.1
168.9
167.3
168.8
168.5
170.5
173.8
178.3
179.1
179.1
176.9
175.6
118.4
89.5
116.1
115.2
116.0
115.5
117.7
117.4
119.7
118.0
118.1
118.1
116.8
116.9
118.2
116.9
117.7
117.2
121.1
118.4
122.8
119.5
126.3
122.2
131.1
123.4
134.4
125.8
96.4
98.0
74.2
83.8
123.0
119. 8
106.8
118.3
143.4
149.8
136.8
109.7
62.5
184.9
156.5
147.1
151.0
189.7
35.4
121.2
123.1
120.2
107.0
115.6
143.0
149.2
136.7
109.0
60.7
182.1
156.5
146.4
151.0
190.5
34.8
121.2
125.0
120.4
108.2
118.4
142.9
149.1
136.6
109.6
60.6
190.3
156.5
146.4
151.1
190.5
37.2
121.2
125.0
121.8
107.9
130.3
142.9
149.1
136.6
109. 8
60.6
197.9
156. 8
146.2
151.4
190.5
35.6
121.1
124.7
120.7
108.3
118.5
143.0
149.1
136.8
110.3
60.6
204.7
156.8
146.4
151.5
190.5
35.1
121.6
124.3
117.5
108.3
116.9
145.1
150.9
139.3
111.0
62.1
199.3
159.6
146.9
152.9
205.4
34.5
121.9
123.6
118.9
108.3
127.0
146.2
151.9
140.3
113.5
64.5
213.8
163.3
149.3
155. 7
216.8
37.4
122.4
123.0
119.7
108.3
121.2
147.0
152.4
141.6
115.6
64.6
231.9
165.1
153.9
156.6
219.2
38.9
124.2
142.4
119.6
108.3
129.3
148.0
153.9
142.1
115.7
64.6
209.2
167.2
155.5
158.4
223.7
40.0
125.6
148.9
120.8
108.3
131.7
148.3
154.2
142.3
115.3
64.7
190.4
168.0
157.6
158.4
227.3
38.8
126.4
150.4
120.8
108.7
146.1
148.1
153.4
142.8
117.3
65.5
212.0
168.3
159.0
158. 4
227.3
39.5
128.1
151.5
120.1
108.3
179.4
148.4
153.6
143.1
118.5
66.2
217.1
169.5
161.7
158.4
233.6
38.9
129.5
152.0
119.5
107.9
195.1
148.2
153.6
142.8
119.2
66.2
217.9
169.9
162.2
158.4
236.0
40.4
130.5
109.4
82.7
86.6
102.1
110.4
114.5
108.5
98.5
65.7
197.8
115.6
115.6
107.3
154.1
46.2
101.0
77.1
65.5
73.1
40.6
85.6
90.0
81.1
73.3
59.5
68.4
80.0
66.2
83.9
69.6
34.9
81.3
126.6
127.0
127.0
126.3
129.0
131.3
131.3
134.9
140.4
143.0
149.6
153.7
157.0
101.3
78.9
i See footnote l, table D-7.
* See footnote 2, table D -7.
t Revised indexes for. dates prior to August 1949 available upon request.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Apr.
Dec.
June
» N ot available.
• Corrected.
* Revised.
120
E :
W O R K
MONTHLY LABOR
STO PPA G E S
E: Work Stoppages
T able
E -l : Work Stoppages Resulting From Labor-Management Disputes 1
Number of stoppages
Month and year
Beginning
in month or
year
Workers Involved in stoppages
Beginning
in month or
year
In effect dur
ing month
2,862
4, 750
4,985
3,693
3, 419
1935-39 (average)
1945..
.........
1946..
.........
1947........................
1948...................... .
1948: N ovem ber..
D ecem ber...
1949: January *___
February*._
March *____
A p ril* ..........
1.130.000
3.470.000
4.600.000
2.170.000
1.960.000
216
144
225
225
275
400
450
375
300
375
275
250
May*___
June *............
July *............
August *___
September *.
October *__
November *.
In effect dur
ing month
388
283
400
350
400
500
600
550
625
550
475
425
360
200
1 All known work stoppages, arising out of labor-management disputes,
involving six or more workers and continuing as long as a full day or shift
are included in reports of the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Figures on “ work
ers involved” and “man-days idle” cover all workers made idle for one or
189.000
93.100
110.000
111,000
40, 500
70.000
80.000
500, 000
175.000
250.000
675, 000
120,000
540. 000
225.000
320.000
660.000
225.000
250.000
610.000
110.000
150.000
510.000
600.000
70,000
1, 000.000
875,000
Man-days idle during month
or year
Percent of
estimated
working time
Number
16.900.000
38,000, 000
116,000,000
34.600.000
34.100.000
0.27
.47
1.43
.41
.37
1.910.000
713, 000
800,000
650,000
3.600.000
1.800.000
3, 200,000
4.600.000
2. 100.000
.26
.09
.11
.10
.46
.25
.45
.61
.31
.26
2, 000,000
.88
6.350.000
19,000,000
7.500.000
2.70
1.00
more shifts in establishments directly involved in a stoppage. They do not
measure the indirect or secondary effects on other establishments or indus
tries whose employees are made idle as a result of material or service shortages.
» Preliminary estimates.
F: Building and Construction
T able F - l:
Expenditures for New Construction 1
[Value of work put in place]
Expenditures (in millions)
1949
Type of construction
Dec.* N o v .5 Oct.5 Sept.
Total new construction *_______ _____ _
Aug.
July
June
M ay
Mar.
Feb.
Jan.
1949 *
1948
Dec.
Total
Total
$1,612 $1,767 $1,879 $1,922 $1, 903 $1,833 $1,735 $1, 576 $1,370 $1,267 $1,172 $1, 293 $1,447
Private construction...................................... 1,225 1,295 1,343 17368 1,343 1,301 1,229 1,108
690
715
715
Residential building (nonfarm)................
710
600
675
650
530
261
266
261
Nonresidential building (nonfarm)9____
263
269
268
264
257
68
68
68
Industrial..________________________
72
82
70
76
71
84
82
86
Commercial_______________________
83
92
85
91
83
26
25
22
Warehouses, office and loft buildings.
22
24
24
23
24
58
61
60
Stores, restaurants, and garages........
61
67
61
68
60
109
112
111
Other nonresidential building...............
110
92
108
106
100
30
32
Religious.................. ...........................
31
31
28
31
30
26
23
23
23
22
Educational____ _____ ___________
22
21
19
20
19
20
21
22
23
22
Social and recreational____________
22
20
24
23
22
Hospital and institutional • _______
21
19
15
17
14
Remaining types 7________________
13
14
14
14
14
15
15
13
15
Farm construction........................................
25
50
65
75
50
60
40
259
289
Public utilities............. ................................
317
330
329
322
311
281
Railroad..................... .................................
31
34
35
36
34
36
37
36
Telephone and telegraph____________
42
43
45
52
47
47
48
51
Other public utilities....... ......................
186
212
237
247
246
237
223
196
Public construction............. ....... ..................
654
387
472
536
532
560
506
468
Residential building...... ...........................
22
24
27
23
27
17
15
20
Nonresidential building (other than mil142
151
158
152
itary or naval facilities)*___ _______
155
148
144
141
Educational_____________ ________ _
77
78
80
76
74
72
70
71
41
44
Hospital and institutional___________
45
43
47
40
39
36
All other nonresidential........................ .
24
29
31
34
35
34
36
35
14
12
Military and naval facilities___________
9
12
14
10
9
9
Highways___________________________
92
145
185
200
215
185
200
160
Sewer and w a te r _____ ______________
46
50
52
52
51
51
51
49
Miscellaneous public service enterprises
6
8
9
9
9
9
8
9
Conservation "and development________
74
77
56
65
77
75
74
67
All other public I0. . . ____________ _____
14
17 1
!
20
20
19
18
18
18
> Joint estimates of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U . S. Department of
Labor, and the Office of Domestic Commerce, U . S. Department of Com
merce. Estimated construction expenditures represent the monetary value
of the volume of work accomplished during the given period of time. These
figures should be differentiated from permit valuation data reported in the
tabulations for urban building authorized and the data on value of contract
awards reported In table F-2.
* Preliminary. * Revised.
4 Includes major additions and alterations, except for private residential
building which covers new construction only.
* Expenditures by privately owned public utilities for nonresidential build
ing are included under “ Public utilities.”
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Apr.
1948
$19,329 $18, 775
989
445
251
89
76
23
53
86
24
19
19
12
12
30
263
31
52
180
381
14
951
420
262
96
79
25
54
87
24
20
19
11
13
18
251
27
57
167
316
10
905
400
271
104
78
27
51
89
25
21
19
11
13
10
224
25
46
153
267
8
1,002
475
285
110
82
29
53
93
26
22
20
10
15
12
230
27
45
158
291
8
1,129
547
305
114
93
31
62
98
27
24
21
10
16
13
264
33
56
175
318
7
14,059 14,563
7,025 7, 223
3,178 3, 578
974 1,397
1,001 1,224
294
323
707
901
1,203
957
338
236
255
239
246
211
199
116
155
165
500
450
3,406 3,262
379
389
575
713
2,442 2,170
5,270 4,212
85
215
134
68
34
32
8
100
46
9
56
14
122
64
31
27
9
68
42
8
45
12
108
60
27
21
7
52
39
5
39
9
110
60
28
22
7
68
41
6
40
11
110
61
27.
22
9
83
42
5
50
12
1,665 1,057
850
567
455
219
360
271
120
137
1,670 1,585
57C
481
95
108
745
597
190 1
162
c Includes Federal contributions toward construction of private nonprofit
hospital facilities under the National Hospital Program, totaling approxi
mately $13 million for 1949, distributed about as follows: First quarter $1
million, second quarter $2 million, third quarter $4 million, October, N ovem
ber, and December $2 million each.
7 Hotels and miscellaneous buildings not elsewhere classified.
* Excludes expenditures to construct facilities used in atomic energy projects.
• Covers primarily publicly owned electric light and power systems and
local transit facilities.
10 Covers construction not elsewhere classified such as airports, naviga
tional aids, monuments, etc.
F: BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION
REVIEW , JANUARY 1950
121
T able F -2 : V alue of C o n tracts A w arded and Force-A ccount W ork S ta rte d on F ederally Financed
N ew C onstruction, b y T ype of C o n stru c tio n 1
Value (in thousands)
Conservation and
development
Building
Period
Total
new con Air
struc ports 8
tion *
Nonresidential
Total
Resi
den
tial
Total
E du
ca
tional 4
Hospital and
institutional
Total
$561, 394
V)
$4, 753 669, 222
579,176 6,130, 389
14,859 549, 656
24, 645 276, 514
49, 718 332, 793
River,
har
bor,
and
flood
control
$189, 710
225, 423
217, 795
300, 405
308,029
494,604
$73, 797
115, 612
150, 708
169, 253
77, 095
147, 921
$115, 913
109, 811
67,087
131,152
230, 934
346, 683
1,760
3, 483
35, 402
66,901
13,895
22, 558
21, 507
44, 343
51,672
74,085
5,078
2,758
24, 784 3, 669
22,615 3, 867
1,637 6, 927
930 4,544
13, 607 5,857
10,418 19, 279
1,980 8, 074
946 2.488
534 3, 534
2,392 1,574
5,305 2,853
14,977
23,966
84,332
35, 541
88, 553
78, 249
21,932
52,188
22,138
12, 553
41, 918
7, 596
3, 079
22, 536
18,778
61, 537
26, 563
6,822
12,341
14,439
1,091
5,634
7, 381
20,887
61, 796
16, 763
27,016
51, 686
15,110
39,847
7, 699
11,462
36,284
34, 465
28, 961
41, 619
52, 057
83, 750
79, 390
75, 435
79,004
63,035
49,824
38,023
1,290
2,690
7,498
2,854
4, 599
8, 607
2,032
3,088
3,638
546
8,495
(S) $63,465 $497,929 (8)
(8)
(»)
(8)
(8)
231, 071 438,151 (8)
(8)
(*)
(8)
(8)
(f)
549, 472 5, 580, 917 (8)
(8)
(*)
(8)
(8)
(8)
435,453 114, 203 (8)
(8)
(s)
(8)
(8)
(9)
51,186 225, 328 $47, 692 $101, 831 $96,123 $5,708 $31,159 $44, 646
8, 328 324, 465 1,417 246,242 168,015 78,227 28, 797 48, 009
1936_________ ______
1939___________ ____
1942________________
1946____ ___________
1947________________
1948________________
$1, 533,439
1, 586, 604
7, 775, 497
1, 450, 252
1, 294,069
1,690,182
1948: November.........
December_____
107,157
165,208
2,535
1,039
12,470
20,425
2, 374
1,855
10, 096
18, 570
84
0
1949: January.............
February_____
M arch................
A p r il.................
M ay__________
June__________
July__________
August________
September____
October 9_____
November 18___
87, 542
94, 727
169, 357
117, 506
220,963
264, 597
131,126
171,896
145,492
81, 773
108,968
(8)
(s)
(8>
(8)
(8)
(8)
(8)
(8)
(8)
(8)
(8)
36, 810
39,110
35, 908
27,054
44, 061
98, 351
31, 727
37, 616
56, 681
18, 850
20,532
87
1, 970
1,773
2, 801
6,245
14, 730
608
16
249
672
2
36, 723
37,140
34,135
24, 253
37,816
83,621
31,119
37, 600
56.432
18,178
20, 530
148
635
0
0
17
0
0
140
0
0
60
1 Excludes projects classified as “secret” by the military, and all construc
tion for the Atomic Energy Commission. Data for Eederal-aid programs
cover amounts contributed by both the owner and the Federal Government.
Force-account work is done, not through a contractor, but directly by a gov
ernment agency, using a separate work force to perform nonmaintenance
construction on the agency’s own properties.
9 Includes major additions and alterations.
* Excludes hangars and other buildings which are included under “ Other
nonresidential” building construction.
* Includes educational facilities under the Federal temporary re-use educa
tional facilities program.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Vet
erans’ Other
Rec
lama
tion
AdminTotal
istra- Other
non
tion
resi
and
gen dential
eral 8
7,408
13, 566
436 6, 972
95 13,471
8,122
359 7,763
10,023 5, 468 4, 555
25, 571 9,410 16,161
18, 779
575 18, 204
750 17, 585
18, 335
53, 924 14, 648 39, 276
21,065
123 20, 942
34,026 25,492 8,534
52,364 26, 269 26, 095
14,212 8,737 5,475
12,312 7,228 5,084
844
1, 521
High
ways
All
other®
$511, 685 $270, 650
355, 701 331, 505
347,988 500,149
535, 784 49, 548
657, 087 27, 794
769, 089 43,978
8 Includes post offices, armories, offices, and customhouses. Includes
contract awards for construction at United Nations Headquarters at New
York City as follows: September 1948, $497,000; January 1949, $23,810,000.
8 Includes electrification projects, water-supply and sewage-disposal sys
tems, forestry projects, railroad construction, and other types of projects not
elsewhere classified.
7 Included in “All other.”
8 Unavailable.
9 Revised.
80 Preliminary.
122
F:
T able
B U ILD IN G
A N D
MONTHLY LABOR
C O N ST R U C TIO N
F-3: Urban Building Authorized, by Principal Class of Construction and by Type of Building1
Number of new dwelling units—House
keeping only
Valuation (in thousands)
Privately financed
N ew residential building
Housekeeping
Period
Total all
classes *
1942194619471948-
Publicly Nonfinanced housePrivately financed dwelling units
dwell
keeping
ing 3
units
2-fam
M
ulti
1-family
Total
family 4
ily 3
$2, 707, 573 $598, 570 $478,658
4, 743,414 2,114,833 1,830,260
5, 561, 754 2,892,003 2,362,600
6,961,820 3,431,664 2, 747, 206
$42,629
103,042
156, 757
184,141
N ew nonresi
den tial
building
Addi
tions,
altera
tions,
and
repairs
$77,283 $296,933 $22, 910 $1, 510,688 $278, 472
181, 531 355, 587 43,369 1,458,602 771,023
372, 646
35,177 29,831 1,712,817 891,926
500,317 136, 459 38,034 2,354,314 1,001,349
2-fam.
ily 3
Pub
licly fi
M ulti nanced
fam
ily 4
Total
1-fam
iiy
184,892
430,195
503,094
517,112
138,908
358,151
393,720
392,779
15,747
24,326
34,105
36,650
30,237
47, 718
75, 269
87,683
95,946
98,310
5,100
14, 76«
1948: October___
November.
December..
590,922
477,462
432,979
258,238
215,081
168,483
217, 735
178,348
135,189
11,834
9,143
10,043
28,669
27, 590
23,251
13, 779
23,913
29, 712
2,728
1,490
1,940
235, 891
167, 666
166,872
80,286
69,312
65,972
38,465
32, 584
25, 549
31,189
25,642
19, 225
2,393
1,729
1,995
4,883
5, 213
4,329
1,541
2,205
3,277
1949: January__
February..
March____
April_____
M ay_____
J u n e _____
July.............
August........
September 1
October L .
409, 729
387,181
586,940
635, 111
665,644
748,046
598,943
683,898
722,056
678, 828
143,359
153, 593
272,325
322,063
359, 364
356,816
307.631
368,133
401,433
377,215
111,019
118,452
222,811
254, 245
254, 546
256, 544
231,617
278, 286
302,265
296,942
9,607
6, 507
11,915
13, 782
13,446
10, 547
8, 711
11, 004
12,119
14,395
22, 733
28,634
37, 599
54,036
91,372
89, 725
67, 303
78,843
87,049
65, 878
32,910
23, 439
39,602
24,021
30, 497
28, 782
22,342
12,88S
17 825
18,987
1,120
1,626
2,529
6,397
3.084
3,850
3,937
3,074
3,144
3,635
171,911
147, 725
192,648
199,181
186,151
259, 474
181,367
207,335
215,605
195,793
60,429
60, 798
79,836
83, 449
86, 548
99,124
83, 666
92,467
84,049
83,198
23, 411
24, 839
42,229
50,800
54,199
55,331
48,425
57,051
63,316
57,165
16, 730
18,331
32,905
37, 538
36, 563
36,947
34, 324
40,340
43,982
41, 768
1,919
1,345
2,381
2,862
2, 580
2,131
1,765
2,282
2,316
2,847
4,762
5,163
6,943
10,400
15.056
16,253
12,336
14, 429
17,018
12,550
3,660
2,480
4,102
2,738
3,110
3,373
2,791
1,507
2,116
2, 254
i Building for which building permits were issued and Federal contracts
awarded in all urban places, including an estimate of building undertaken
in some smaller urban places that do not issue permits.
The data cover federally and nonfederally financed building construction
combined. Estimates of non-Federal (private and State and local govern
ment) urban building construction are based primarily on building-permit
reports received from places containing about 85 percent of the urban popula
tion of the country estimates of federally financed projects are compiled from
notifications of construction contracts awarded, which are obtained from other
Federal agencies. Data from building permits are not adjusted to allow for
lapsed permits or for lag between permit issuance and the start of construc
tion. Thus, the estimates do not represent construction actually started
during the month.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Urban, as defined by the Bureau of the Census, covers all incorporated
places of 2,500 population or more in 1940, and, by special rule, a small num
ber of unincorporated civil divisions.
* Covers additions, alterations, and repairs, as well as new residential and
nonresidentiai building.
* Includes units in 1-family and 2-family structures with stores.
4 Includes units in multifamily structures with stores.
i Covers hotels, dormitories, tourist cabins, and other nonhousekeeping
residential buildings.
« Revised.
TPreliminary.
REVIEW , JANUARY 1950
T able F -4 :
F:
B U IL D IN G
AN D
123
C O N ST R U C T IO N
New Nonresidential Building Authorized in All Urban Places,1 by General Type and by
Geographic Division2
Valuation (in thousands)
Geographic division and
type of new nonresi
dential building
1949
•
Oct.3
Sept.4
Aug.
July
June
May
1948
Apr.
Mar.
Feb.
Jan.
Dec.
N ov.
Oct.
1948
1947
Total
Total
All types________ ____ _ $195,793 $215,605 j $207,335 $181,367 $259, 474 $186,151 $199,181 $192, 648 $147, 725 $171,911 $166, 872 $167,666 $235, 891 $2,354,314 $1, 712,817
N ew England...........
Middle Atlantic___
East North Central.
West North Central.
South A tla n tic ____
East South Central.
West South Central.
M ountain_________
Pacific........................
Industrial buildings 4. . .
New E n g la n d ____
Middle Atlantic___
East North Central.
West North Central.
South Atlantic____
East South Central.
West South Central.
Mountain_________
Pacific_________ _
Commercial buildings «_
N ew England_____
Middle Atlantic___
East North Central.
West North Central.
South Atlantic____
East South Central.
West South Central.
M ountain_________
Pacific____________
Community buildings 7.
N ew England_____
Middle Atlantic___
East North Central.
West North Central.
South Atlantic____
East South Central.
West South Central.
M ountain_________
Pacific____________
Public buildings 8_____
N ew England...........
Middle Atlantic___
East North Central.
West North Central.
South Atlantic____
East South Central.
West South Central.
M ountain_________
P a c ific ___________
Public works and utility
buildings 8__________
N ew England_____
Middle Atlantic___
East North Central
West North Central
South Atlantic____
East South Central
West South Central
M ountain_________
Pacific...... ..................
All other buildings 10___
N ew England_____
Middle Atlantic__
East North Central.
West North Central.
South Atlantic____
East South Central.
West South Central.
Mountain_________
Pacific........................
7,178
34,018
50,319
14,244
26,863
8,027
24,130
5,344
25,670
18, 792
202
5,111
5,462
956
2,529
180
1,117
242
2,994
67,392
2,953
9,114
16,635
4,170
8,420
2,879
11,680
1,393
10,148
73,319
586
12,822
21,923
6, 609
8,364
4,116
7,499
2,940
8,461
9,810
154
3,836
1,861
532
1,377
0
774
28
1,249
12,194
33,335
46,910
34,351
23, 330
13,155
19, 598
10,256
22,476
17,160
706
2, 201
8, 275
2,328
942
796
249
345
1,319
73,899
5, 513
14, 596
15,951
4,604
9,291
1,976
10, 522
2,167
9,278
98, 681
4,783
13, 731
16,015
23,380
10, 224
9,422
7,074
5,452
8,600
3,904
128
107
175
178
937
500
229
1,371
280
10,192
37,961
41,852
17,666
19,614
15,638
29,701
7,676
27,033
15,617
352
2,743
5,674
1,150
1,389
1,145
495
100
2, 569
70,047
3,041
13,905
14, 542
4,732
9,502
3,231
9,022
3,059
9,013
96,164
5,385
15,845
15,428
7,823
7,050
10,887
18,432
3,722
11,592
2,761
18
409
534
440
538
0
292
5
526
6,683 13,859
28,468 35, 246
38, 795 55, 772
17,824 19, 736
19, 536 28, 257
8, 279 16,128
30,554 33, 808
6, 847 17, 729
24,381 38, 938
15, 645 16, 473
367
350
2,281
5, 650
6,959
3, 826
1,995
780
910
715
612
775
533
645
329
142
2, 489
2,764
57,349 65, 896
3,195
2,137
8,333
7,720
11,229 13,037
4,240
5,139
5, 844 12, 883
3,268
2,833
9,705
11,453
2,436
1,467
9,529
8, 798
83, 691 138, 831
3,129
8, 203
11,236 19, 215
19,317 30,333
9,451 11,976
8, 7S3 12,159
6,748
4,371
16,192 18, 617
4,350 14, 205
6,860 17, 374
5,270 12, 643
702
282
991
620
211
381
283
1,105
803
1, 418
5,120
28
1, 731
361
55
121
2,746
954
8,485
26,378
38, 941
12, 255
31, 298
8,897
14,088
7,360
38, 450
14, 358
623
2,410
4, 889
1,122
1, 241
570
703
994
1, 806
65, 862
2, 956
9,315
12, 616
4, 541
10,092
3, 207
5, 594
2,688
14, 853
68, 573
3, 445
10,360
14, 273
4, 649
8,007
4, 488
6,706
2,351
14, 296
13, 277
55
575
1,149
55
10, 712
0
42
39
649
15, 672
28,400
37, 251
17,178
26, 965
9, 621
19,910
6,647
37, 537
19, 829
972
4, 416
5.009
2,063
2,475
1, 664
560
493
2,177
64, 539
3, 878
14.109
11, 625
4, 802
8, 447
4,949
6, 777
1, 827
8,124
71, 780
3,171
7, 427
13, 376
8,274
9,172
2, 688
10. 766
3, 768
13,138
11,046
431
453
111
74
2,103
0
75
82
7, 716
8,026
26, 848
46,191
18, 663
22, 220
10,231
20, 537
7,042
32, 890
15,836
1,019
3, 478
4,012
1,112
2,088
644
537
439
2.506
61, 786
2,848
8,068
13, 340
4, 955
8, 528
4,333
6,424
2,829
10, 461
89, 276
3, 077
12, 506
23, 532
5, 531
10, 261
4, 517
12,042
2, 446
15, 364
6, 654
340
145
17
4,317
194
268
0
276
1,097
6,229
16, 777
21, 264
8,535
39,158
8,048
21, 203
3, 510
23, 001
16, 855
858
3, 862
4, 568
1, 746
2,682
600
557
197
1, 785
57, 527
3, 817
6,699
8, 205
3,437
8, 965
2,129
9, 888
1,936
12, 451
34, 679
487
3, 717
5,323
2,900
3,493
2,247
9,902
1, 245
5,365
22, 843
138
457
50
0
22,028
0
8
3
158
4,607
47, 775
40, 516
10,812
17,961
5,394
17,869
4,840
22,135
26,085
378
4,128
16,013
860
1,173
826
751
551
1,405
55, 268
2,282
14, 861
10,330
1, 456
7,343
2,002
5,354
2,632
9,007
49,152
1,505
3,314
11,145
6,590
5,605
1,610
10,099
1, 505
7, 779
28,096
20
24,010
184
459
1,159
32
674
44
1, 514
8,092
28,386
34, 823
11, 345
16, 589
9,890
17, 726
4,751
35, 270
19,964
1, 445
5,083
7,600
996
1, 454
843
244
380
1,919
53, 528
2,692
6,933
11, 498
3, 381
8,125
2,674
6,804
1,414
10,007
72,192
1, 651
14,051
13,035
5,139
4, 476
5, 483
8,873
1,809
17, 675
5, 274
300
201
158
1,054
1,234
721
364
803
439
8,288
29, 254
32, 256
11, 624
18, 709
5,197
26,047
3,310
32, 979
20, 387
1,483
7,347
4,393
882
2,010
458
786
69
2,959
66, 917
3,918
13,072
11,907
3,666
9,261
3,191
10, 684
1, 523
9,695
56, 648
1, 741
7,279
11,143
5, 405
5,326
1, 215
11, 577
805
12,157
1, 882
9
140
136
251
431
80
211
260
364
12, 737
43,850
54, 200
22,623
26,463
15,399
16, 476
5,697
38, 436
33,631
2,569
4,955
8,137
822
6,972
1, 506
1,431
413
6,826
84, 905
2,453
15,100
23, 614
10, 263
8, 789
3,016
8, 342
2, 640
10, 688
88, 646
5, 822
20,166
16,675
7, 798
8, 523
9,110
3, 531
2,113
14,908
4,452
453
640
15
25
633
961
121
37
1, 567
147, 633
392, 348
506,435
172,407
266,635
102, 763
271,383
82, 603
412,106
299, 371
19,840
65,934
100,034
16,058
27, 776
9, 054
15, 863
2, 769
42, 043
925, 954
55, 468
132, 703
177, 322
72, 809
121, 571
39, 391
126,054
35, 275
165, 361
778, 045
47,004
153,109
149, 667
53, 460
78,034
38, 392
102, 937
34,081
121,361
71, 953
5,901
8,681
11,173
4, 815
7,661
8,936
6,112
3,605
15,069
109,977
272, 626
371,948
132,163
200,053
73, 009
193, 221
58,162
301, 658
322, 230
26,098
58,139
118, 667
19, 890
20, 549
13, 426
17, 519
2,852
45,090
686, 282
32,853
91,206
118, 839
57, 240
106, 788
34, 680
91, 548
26, 855
126, 273
406,920
25, 759
80,190
62, 542
34, 639
40,172
16, 913
65,309
18, 366
63,030
41,049
3,418
4, 712
8,372
1,696
6, 285
830
4,579
2,416
8,741
11,424
2,135
513
390
329
5,484
491
1,357
138
586
15,055
1,147
2,622
4,050
1,647
689
362
1,703
604
2,233
6,527
53
319
1,828
1,994
1,031
112
700
219
270
15,435
1,010
2,382
4,665
1, 867
906
349
825
703
2, 728
10,045
702
3,467
1,839
2,004
459
70
499
164
840
12, 701
694
1,592
3,836
1,517
677
304
961
627
2,492
8, 508
129
1,986
1,309
442
1,039
0
1,234
243
2,128
10,903
657
1,256
2, 733
907
1, 737
271
670
525
2,146
13,928
778
2,743
1,813
208
799
20
2,431
177
4,960
11, 704
613
1,683
3,420
1,035
703
360
793
526
2,571
10, 635
790
2,127
1,158
569
645
402
257
838
3,850
13, 446
616
1, 591
4,857
1,319
601
230
787
450
2,996
20,304
6, 459
274
3, 714
745
3,889
24
1,021
40
4,138
11, 684
761
1, 721
3, 416
1,221
879
296
710
437
2,244
7,963
131
1,093
2,726
953
535
98
769
494
1,164
11,134
610
1, 559
2, 565
1, 796
614
370
764
558
2,298
10, 540
729
1,225
2,420
234
1,383
2,875
383
0
1,292
5,282
200
817
699
218
607
196
467
129
1,948
8,571
145
605
2,157
1,202
2, 265
763
596
5
833
4,739
277
858
688
245
416
161
395
102
1,597
9, 398
1,584
1,178
1,339
223
787
3
1, 044
131
3,109
6,516
420
940
1,193
552
513
166
397
214
2,121
11,853
371
262
2,148
620
893
36
2,240
148
5,135
9, 977
766
1,154
2, 529
800
788
217
549
505
2,669
11,953
456
1,423
2,274
2,327
779
534
2,241
66
1, 853
12, 303
984
1, 566
3,494
1,388
767
272
810
428
2,594
150,020
11, 439
16, 656
35, 809
13, 574
22, 204
3, 751
12, 811
2,055
31, 721
128, 970
7.981
15, 265
32, 430
11, 691
9,389
3, 239
7,606
4, 818
36, 551
143, 824
15,085
24, 968
35, 972
8,737
19,046
4,154
7,647
3,520
24, 695
112,512
6, 764
13, 412
27,556
9,961
7,213
3,006
6,618
4,153
33,829
1 Building for which permits were issued and Federal contracts awarded
in all urban places, including an estimate of building undertaken in some
smaller urban places that do not issue permits. Sums of components do not
always equal totals exactly because of rounding.
3 For scope and source of urban estimates, see table F-3, footnote 1.
3 Preliminary.
4 Revised.
! Includes factories, navy yards, army ordinance plants, bakeries, ice plants,
industrial warehouses, and other buildings at the site of these and similar
production plants.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
• Includes amusement and recreation buildings, stores and other mercantile
buildings, commercial garages, gasoline and service stations, etc.
7 Includes churches, hospitals, and other institutional buildings, schools,
libraries, etc.
8 Includes Federal, State, county, and municipal buildings, such as post
offices, courthouses, city halls, fire and police stations, jails, prisons, arsenals,
armories, army barracks, etc.
• Includes railroad, bus and airport buildings, roundhouses, radio stations,
gas and electric plants, public comfort stations, etc.
10 Includes private garages, sheds, stables and barns, and other buildings
not elsewhere classified.
124
T able
F:
B U IL D IN G
A N D
C O N ST R U C TIO N
F-5: Number and Construction Cost of New Permanent Nonfarm Dwelling Units Started, by
Urban or Rural Location, and by Source of Funds1
Number of new dwelling units started
Estimated construction cost
(in thousands)1
All units
Privately financed
Period
Publicly financed
Total
nonfarm
Urban
Rural
nonfarm
Total
nonfarm
Urban
Rural
nonfarm
Total
non
farm
Urban
Rural
nonfarm
1925«__________________________
1933 <__________________________
1941 8________________ _____ ____
1944 «__________________________
1946____ ______________________
1947_______________ _____ ______
1948________ ____ . ____ . . _______
937,000
93,000
706,100
141,800
670, 500
849,000
931, 300
752,000
45,000
434,300
96, 200
403, 700
479, 800
524,600
1S5,000
48, 500
271,800
45, 060
266, 800
369, 200
406, 700
937,000
93,000
619, 500
138, 700
662, 500
845,600
913, 500
752,000
45,000
369, 500
93, 200
395, 700
476, 400
510,000
185,000
48,000
250,000
45, 500
266,800
369, 200
403, 500
0
0
86,600
3,100
8,000
3,400
17,800
0
0
64, 800
3,000
8,000
3,400
14,600
0 $4, 475,000 $4,475,000
285,446
0
285, 446
21,800 2,825,895 2, 530, 765
100
495, 054
483, 231
0 3, 769, 767 3, 713, 776
0 5,642, 798 5, 617, 425
3,200 7,199,161 7,028,980
1947: First quarter...........................
January................... .........
February____ _________
March...............................
Second quarter____________
April_________________
M ay________ ______ _
June____ _____ ________
Third quarter_____________
July--------------------------August_______________
September____________
Fourth quarter........................
O ctober............................
N o v em b er..__________
December........................ .
138,100
39, 300
42,800
56, 000
217, 200
67,100
72, 900
77, 200
261, 200
81,100
86,300
93,800
232, 500
94,000
79, 700
58,800
81,000
24, 200
25,000
31, 800
119,100
37.600
39,300
42, 200
142, 200
44, 500
47, 400
50, 300
137, 500
53, 200
48,000
36,300
57,100
15,100
17,800
24, 200
98,100
29, 500
33, 600
35,000
119,000
36,600
38, 900
43, 500
95,000
40,800
31, 700
22, 500
137,000
38, 200
42,800
56.000
217,000
67,100
72,900
77,000
260, 700
81,100
86,100
93, 500
230,900
93, 500
78, 900
58, 500
79,900
23,100
25,000
31,800
118,900
37,600
39, 300
42,000
141, 700
44, 500
47, 200
50,000
135, 900
52, 700
47, 200
36,000
57,100
15,100
17,800
24, 200
98,100
29, 500
33,600
35,000
119,000
36, 600
38, 900
43, 500
95,000
40,800
31, 700
22, 500
1,100
1,100
0
0
200
0
0
200
500
0
200
300
1,600
500
800
300
1,100
1,100
0
0
200
0
0
200
500
0
200
300
1, 600
500
800
300
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
808, 263
223, 577
244, 425
340, 261
1,361,677
418, 451
452, 236
490,990
1, 774,150
539,333
589,470
645,347
1, 698, 708
678, 687
584, 731
435, 290
800,592
215, 906
244,425
340,261
1,360,477
418,451
452, 236
489, 790
1, 770,475
539,333
587, 742
643,400
1,685,881
675,197
578,324
432,360
7,671
7,671
0
0
1,200
0
0
1, 200
3,675
0
1,728
1,947
12,827
3,490
6,407
2,930
1948: First quarter............................
January................... ...........
February_____________
March____ _____ ______
Second quarter____________
April___ _____________
M ay__________________
June____________ _____
Third quarter........ ................ .
July__________________
August_______ ____ ___
September________ . . .
Fourth quarter........... .............
O ctober............................
Novem ber. ................. .
December______ ____ _
180,000
53, 500
50,100
76, 400
297,600
99, 500
100,300
97,800
263,800
95,000
86,600
82, 200
189,900
73, 400
63,600
52,900
102,900
30,800
29,000
43,100
166,100
55,000
56, 700
54,400
144,100
52,300
47, 600
44, 200
111, 500
41,300
38, 000
32, 200
77,100
22, 700
21,100
33,300
131, 500
44, 500
43, 600
43,400
119, 700
42, 700
39, 000
38,000
78,400
32,100
25, 600
20, 700
177, 700
52, 500
48, 900
76,300
293,900
98,100
99, 200
96,600
259,300
93, 700
85,100
80, 500
182, 600
71, 900
61, 300
49,400
100,800
29,800
28,000
43,000
164,600
54, 600
56,100
53,900
140,100
51,000
46, 600
42, 500
104, 500
39,800
35,800
28,900
76,900
22, 700
20,900
33, 300
129,300
43, 500
43, 100
42, 700
119, 200
42, 700
38, 500
38,000
78,100
32,100
25, 500
20, 500
2,300
1,000
1, 200
100
3, 700
1,400
1,100
1,200
4,500
1,300
1,500
1,700
7,300
1,500
2,300
3, 500
2,100
1,000
1,000
100
1,500
400
600
500
4,000
1,300
1,000
1, 700
7,000
1,500
2, 200
3,300
200
(0
200
(7)
2, 200
1,000
500
700
500
(7)
500
C)
300
(7)
100
200
1,315,050
383, 563
368, 915
562, 572
2, 286, 758
748,848
769,093
768,817
2, 111, 278
750,843
719,080
641,355
1,486,075
573, 888
498,040
414,147
1,296,612
374, 984
359, 420
562, 208
2, 252, 961
736,186
758, 635
758,140
2,065, 770
738,659
703, 066
624,045
1,413,637
560, 347
471, 336
381,954
18, 438
8, 579
9, 495
364
33, 797
12,662
10, 458
10, 677
45, 508
12,184
16,014
17,310
72, 438
13, 541
26, 704
32,193
1949: First quarter.......... ...............
January_______________
February.____ ________
March________________
Second quarter___________
April_________________
M ay...... ............................
.Tune....................................
Third quarter____ _________
July_________ _________
A u gu st8________ ______
Septem ber8. . . . . _____
Fourth quarter____________
October 8______________
169,800
50,000
50, 400
69,400
279, 200
88, 300
95,400
95, 500
295,100
96,100
99, 000
100, 000
94, 200
29, 500
28,000
36, 700
157, 300
49, 500
53, 900
53,900
75,600
20, 500
22,400
32, 700
121,900
38,800
41, 500
41, 600
84,100
25,800
25, 500
32,800
147, 800
46, 700
50, 600
50, 500
75,300
20, 500
22, 300
32, 500
119, 500
38, 300
40, 700
40, 500
300
(7)
100
200
2,400
500
800
1,100
42,800
43,100
(10)
50,100
54, 300
(10)
42, 600
42, 300
(10)
10,400
3, 700
2,600
4,100
11,900
3, 300
4,100
4, 500
7,900
3,400
2,400
2,100
10,100
3, 700
2, 500
3,900
9, 500
2, 800
3, 300
3,400
53, 300
55,900
(10)
159,400
46,300
47,800
65,300
267, 300
85,000
91, 300
91, 000
287, 200
92. 700
96,600
97,900
3,200
1,600
(.0)
200
800
(iO)
1, 285,835
373, 940
382, 684
529, 211
2,118, 686
666, 383
732,604
719. 699
2,196,412
710,127
743, 514
742, 771
1,189,640
340, 973
357, 270
491, 397
2, 007, 563
637,170
692, 063
678. 330
2,129,996
682,863
722, 208
724,925
96,195
32,967
25,414
37, 814
111, 123
29. 213
40, 541
41, 369
66,416
27, 264
21, 306
17,846
100, 000
(10)
(10)
97, 700
(10)
(10)
2, 300
(10)
(10)
742,155
722,833
19,322
i The estimates shown here do not include temporary units, conversions,
dormitory accommodations, trailers, or military barracks. They do include
prefabricated housing units.
These estimates are based on building-permit records, which, beginning
with 1945, have been adjusted for lapsed permits and for lag between permit
issuance and start of construction. They are based also on reports of Federal
construction contract awards and beginning in 1946, on field surveys in nonpermit-issuing places. The data in this table refer to nonfarm dwelling units
started, and not to urban dwelling units authorized, as shown in table F-3.
All of these estimates contain some error. For example, if the estimate of
nonfarm starts is 50,000, the chances are about 19 out of 20 that an actual
enumeration would produce a figure between 48,000 and 5,2000.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Total
Privately
financed
Publicly
financed
0
0
$295,130
11,823
55,991
25,373
170,181
2 Private construction costs are based on permit valuation, adjusted for
understatement of costs shown on permit applications. Public construction
costs are based on contract values or estimated construction costs for in
dividual projects.
2 Housing peak year.
* Depression, low year.
8 Recovery peak year prior to wartime limitations.
8 Last full year under wartime control.
7 Less than 50 units.
8 Revised.
• Preliminary.
N ot available.
u.
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1950
@FedFRASER