Full text of Monthly Labor Review : March 1943, Vol. 56, No. 3
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JUL 15 1943
M A R C H 1943
VOL 56 • NO.
FOR WHAT AVAIL THE PLOUGH OR SAIL,
OR LAND OR LIFE, IF FREEDOM F A IL ?
In this Issue .
. . Employment outlook in hosiery indus
try . . Trend of child labor.. Progress of
minimum wage . . Wages in printing
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR • BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
F r a n c e s P e r k in s ,
Secretary
+
BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS
I sador L u b in , Commissioner (on leave)
A. F. H in r ic h s , Acting Commissioner
D onald D a v e n po r t , Chief, Employ
ment and
Branch
Occupational
A r y n e s s J oy , Chief, Prices and Cost
of Living Branch
Outlook
H e n r y J. F itzg er ald , Chief, Business
Management Branch
H ugh S. H a n n a , Chief, Editorial and
Research
N. A r no ld T ollés , Chief, Working
Conditions and Industrial Relations
Branch
S id n e y W. W ilco x , Chief Statistician
d iv isio n s
Construction and Public Employment,
Herman B. Byer
Cost of Living, Faith M. Williams
Employment Statistics, Lewis E. Tal
bert
Historical Studies of Wartime Prob
lems, Stella Stewart
Industrial Injuries, Max D. Kossoris
Occupational Outlook, Charles Stewart
(acting chief)
Post-War Labor Problems, Dal Hitch
cock
Price Analysis, Walter G. Keim
Productivity and Technological D e
velopment, W. Duane Evans
Industrial Relations, Florence Peter
son
Retail Prices, Ethel D. Hoover
Labor Information Service, Boris Stern
Machine Tabulation, Joseph Drager
Wage Analysis, Robert J. Myers
Wholesale Prices, J. M. Cutts
The Monthly Labor Review is for sale by the Superintendent of Documents,
U. S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D. C. Price, SO cents a copy.
Subscription price per year in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, $8.50; other
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UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR • BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS
+
HUGH
S.
HANNA,
-f
M A R C H 1 943, Vol. 56, No. 3
CONTENTS
Special articles:
EDITOR
JUL 15 1943
Employment outlook in the full-fashioned hosiery industry_________
Progress of State minimum-wage legislation in 1942________________
Trend of child labor, 1939 to 1942________________________________
P ag e
429
442
450
Wartime labor policies:
Nondeferable occupations for m en_______________________________
Employment rules for labor-shortage areas_______________________
Establishment of minimum 48-hour week__________________________
Collective bargaining in Canadian Government plants--------------------
468
470
471
474
Employment and labor conditions:
Annual report of the Secretary of Labor, 1941-42__________________
Employment in Federal executive service, December 1940-December
1942_________________________________________________________
Occupational status of Negro railroad employees----------------------------
476
478
484
Women in industry:
Replacement of men by women in New York service industries-------Enrollment campaigns for woman workers, 1942-----------------------------
486
488
Labor laws and court decisions:
Court decisions of interest to labor-----------------------------------------------Wage and hour decisions____________________________________
Labor relations and industrial disputes----------------------------------Workmen’s compensation------------------------------------------------------
491
491
494
497
Cooperation:
Developments in consumers’ cooperation in 1942----------------------------
499
Industrial relations:
Activities of National Labor Relations Board, 1941-42--------------------
516
Industrial disputes:
Strikes in January 1943_________________________________________
Activities of the United States Conciliation Service, January 1943—
518
519
Cost of living:
Changes in cost of living in large cities, January 1943---------------- •---
522
Wage and hour statistics:
Earnings in manufacture of electrical appliances, 1942--------------------Earnings in manufacture of domestic laundry equipment, 1942-------Wages in manufacture of mechanical rubber goods, August 1942-----Union wages and hours in the printing trades, June 1, 1942_-----------Wage-rate changes in United States industries-!----------------------------Illinois and New York—Earnings of clerical workers in factories,
October 1942_________________________________________________
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526
534
542
558
584
586
Il
Contents
W age and hour regulation:
Wage orders under Fair Labor Standards Act:
Grain-products industry___ ______________________
Handkerchief industry______________________________________
Manufacture of candy and related products_______________ ___
Seamless-hosiery industry___________________________________
Converted paper-products industry___________________________
Ruling of Secretary of Labor on seventh-day double tim e__________
Increased minimum-wage rates in Brazil, 1943____________________
Central control of farm wages in England and Wales_______________
Minimum-wage legislation in Haiti, 1942_________________________
Labor turn-over:
Labor turn-over in manufacturing, December 1942________________
B u ildin g operations:
Summary of building construction in principal cities, January 1943-_
R etail prices:
Food prices in January 1943______________________________'______
Coal prices, December and year 1942________________ __________ .
Establishment of price ceiling in Brazil, 1943______________________
Page
590
590
590
590
591
591
592
592
593
594
598
600
608
610
W holesale prices:
Wholesale prices in January 1943_________________________________
612
T rend o f em ploym ent and unem ploym ent:
Summary of reports for January 1943________________________ ____
617
Detailed reports for industrial and business employment, December
1942_________________________________________________________
620
Employment and unemployment in January 1943_________________
634
Labor conditions in L atin A m erica __________________________ 592, 593, 610
Recent pu blications of labor interest________________________________
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636
This Issue in Brief
+*+++**+*++*++**++**++++**+++*
Earnings in manufacture of electrical appliances, 1942.
Workers in electrical-appliance plants in the United States were earning, on the
average, 76.9 cents per hour in the summer of 1942 according to the findings
of a study by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In August 1939 the average was
64.1 cents. The average working week increased from 37.0 hours in August
1939 to 38.7 in August 1941; by July 1942 there was a further increase of 4 >2 hours
per week, to an average of 43.2 hours. Page 526.
Employment outlook in full-fashioned hosiery industry.
The manufacture of full-fashioned hosiery, a civilian-goods industry, is suffering
severe shortages of both labor and raw material. Since the silk-freezing order of
August 1941, the industry has operated on a lower level both of output and em
ployment. The number of employees, however, has declined more than produc
tion, partly because of the better utilization of labor time as a consequence of
elimination of short time and the scrapping of obsolescent machinery resulting
in the operation of only the more efficient machines. As the skills of hosiery
workers are readily usable in war industries, there has been a steady drain of
these workers from the hosiery industry to war jobs. Also, some of the woman
workers have quit work altogether because of their husbands’ higher earnings.
The mills in the South have felt the labor shortage even more than those in the
North because of the lack of a skilled-labor reserve (the industry being relatively
new there) and lower wage rates. The general conditions in the industry and the
employment outlook are described in an article on page 429.
Union wages and hours in the printing trades, 1942.
On June 1, 1942, the average union rate per hour for all printing trades in 75
cities was $1,255. The average for the book and job trades was $1,176 and for the
newspaper trades $1,408. These rates represent au increase of 4.3 percent for all
trades and also for the newspaper branch and 4.2 percent for the book and job
trades as compared with June 1, 1941. Average maximum weekly hours provided
by union agreements were 38.8 hours for all trades, 39.4 hours for book and job
trades, and 37.4 hours for the newspaper trades. The 40-hour week was most
common in the book and job trades and the 37^-hour week in the newspaper
trades. Page 558.
Developments in consumers' cooperation in 1942.
The year 1942 was characterized in the consumers’ cooperative movement by a
remarkable expansion of productive facilities owned by cooperatives, by renewed
emphasis upon the training of employees, and by intensified effort to increase
operating efficiency and to meet war conditions. Other developments included
the holding of the biennial cooperative congress, the establishment of closer
relationships between the various branches of the cooperative movement and with
organizations in the labor and religious fields, and a drive for a Nation-wide radio
program on cooperatives. Page 499.
Wages in manufacture of mechanical rubber goods, 1942.
Workers in plants primarily engaged in the production of mechanical rubber
goods received average hourly earnings, exclusive of premium pay for overtime
and night-shift work, of 78.8 cents in August 1942. For male workers the average
was 84.7 cents and for female employees 59.1 cents an hour. Inclusion of data for
mechanical-goods departments of tire and tube plants, average earnings in which
are higher, raised the general average earnings to 84 cents an hour— 90.4 cents for
men and 63.8 cents for women. Page 542.
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ni
This Issue in Brief
IV
State minimum-wage legislation, 1942.
In 1942 ten States issued a total of 19 minimum-wage orders, of which 3 were
for industries not previously covered. The other 16 were revisions of previous
orders and in all but 1 the former rates were increased. The activity of wage
boards in 1942, the increased numbers of women protected by wage orders, and
the large amounts of unpaid wage claims collected afford evidence that minimumwage laws are essential in times of prosperity as well as in depression. Data on
the developments under minimum-wage legislation in 1942 are given on page 442.
Earnings in the manufacture of domestic laundry equipment, 1942.
Average hourly earnings in plants manufacturing domestic laundry equipment
increased 25.3 cents between August 1939 and the summer of 1942, or from 68.8
to 94.1 cents. About a third of this increase was due to increased pay for over
time. Over a tenth of the workers were in the 10 occupational groups which had
average hourly earnings of $1 or more per hour, and 4 percent were in groups
with average hourly earnings of less than 60 cents. Page 534.
Trend of child labor, 1939 to 1942.
The dislocation of the labor force in the United States as a result of the war has
had an important effect upon the employment of children and young persons under
18 years of age. Their services have been increasingly in demand in industry and
trade. Between 1940 and 1941 the number of minors who obtained employment
certificates for full-time or part-time jobs, as reported to the U. S. Children’s
Bureau, more than doubled. In the first 6 months of 1942 the number was 62
percent greater than in the corresponding period of 1941. Page 450.
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ft
••
'ft SAVE GAS •
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
FOR MARCH 1943
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EMPLOYMENT OUTLOOK IN THE FULL-FASHIONED
HOSIERY INDUSTRY 1
Situation in Industry as a Whole
THE wartime" experienceof establishments engaged in the production
of full-fashioned hosiery provides a significant case study of the status
of civilian-goods industries in the United States. The cutting off of
imports and then the freezing of silk processing for civilian purposes
on August 2, 1941, created the first problem of economic adjustment
to raw-material shortages, which, with the outbreak of war, became
commonplace in most civilian-goods industries. At the present time,
in the full-fashioned hosiery industry, as in other civilian-goods indus
tries, some kind of concentration of production is being discussed.
Despite an increasing latent demand for hosiery today, owing to
higher consumer incomes, production and employment in the fullfashioned hosiery industry are below the levels maintained in the first
half of 1941 and will continue to decrease. Shortages of labor wit hin
the industry at the present time are as severe as scarcities of raw
material.
The war has had a varying effect on the major trends within this
particular industry. For example, single-unit conversion, a laborsaving technical improvement which was in its early stages before the
war, has been continued because of wartime pressure to keep only the
most productive machinery in operation. Thus, the decreasing em
ployment in the industry at the present time is the result not only of
raw-material and manpower shortages, but also of reduced labor
requirements. Another major trend of the past has been the move
ment of the industry to the South. Since the beginning of material
shortages the South has suffered a greater relative decline in employ
ment than the North. Although northern mills are experiencing
shortages of workers, the position of the southern mills is more
critical since they are having more difficulty in finding satisfactory
replacements. The effect of the war on the two producing areas will
probably influence developments within the industry during the
post-war period.
The complex, specialized, full-fashioned hosiery knitting machines
cannot be converted to other uses. However, the restricted opera
tions enforced by the shortage of yarn has given new impetus to the
junking of obsolete machines, leaving much idle floor space. In some
1 Prepared in the B ureau’s Occupational Outlook Division b y Florence L. Schoenberg.
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429
430
Monthly Labor Review—March 1943
plants this idle space lias been utilized for the production of other
commodities, such as parachutes, gas masks, mosquito netting and
various garments for service men. In some cases former hosiery
workers are working on these products. In other plants the machine
shops have been converted to make small parts for airplanes.
PRODUCTION IN 1941 AND 1942
After the freezing of silk in August 1941, the yarn shortage in the
full-fashioned hosiery industry remained acute throughout the month
of September. During October, with the effectiveness of an improved
rayon diversion order and the release to the industry of approximately
6,000 part-bales of silk opened before the freezing order, the industry
began to adjust its operations at a new reduced rate. As shown in
table 1, production during the latter half of 1941 was about 16 percent
less than in the first half of the year.
With the turn of the year, the shrinking silk supplies and the elimina
tion of nylon resulted in further declines in total production despite
an increasing output of rayon hose. However, the elimination of
shipments of nylon to hosiery mills in February 1942 caused no cut in
total production comparable to what had occurred when silk was cut
off, for by that time the rayon substitution machinery was operating
efficiently. It is evident from table 1 that- by the latter half of 1942
the industry had achieved a new equilibrium in output.
T a b l e 1.— Production and Percentage Distribution of Production of Women's Full-
Fashioned Hosiery, by Type and Fiber, 1941 and 1942 1
Period
G rand
total
All silk 2
Silk leg
Nylon
and cot All n y leg and
ton or
cotton
lon
rayon
or rayon
w e lt2
w e lt2
All other yarns and mix
tures
T o ta l3
Rayon
C otton
2, 267. 5
197.0
2, 070. 5
28,180.4
10, 650.1
17, 530. 3
(4)
(4)
1,311.1
25,166. 9
9, 329. 9
15,837. 0
(4)
(4)
347.9
2, 473. 6
1, 070.6
1, 403.0
5.5
.9
10.9
80.3
62.2
97.6
(4)
(4)
6.9
71.7
54. 5
88.2
(4)
(4)
1.8
7.1
6.3
7.8
Production (thousand dozen pairs)
1941______
F irst half_________
Second half_________
1942_________
First half___________
Second half_________
41,818.7
22, 709. 6
19, 109.1
35,082. 3
17,130. 3
17, 952.0
18,900. 8 11,544. 3
14, 507.4 4. 256.1
4, 393.4 7, 288.1
379.2 2, 939. 6
363.0 2, 745. 8
16.2
193.8
6, 999. 4
3, 749. 1
3, 250. 3
797.9
759.5
38.4
2,105. 8
(5)
2,105. 9
2, 785. 3
2,611.8
173.5
Percentage distribution
1941___________
First half .
Second half______ _
1942__________
F irst h alf_____ ___
Second half.
100
100
100
100
100
100
45.2
63.9
23.0
1.1
2.1
.1
27.6
18.7
38.1
8.4
16.0
1.1
16.7
16.5
17.0
2.3
4.4
.2
5.0
(*)
11.0
7.9
15.3
1.0
1 N ational Association of Hosiery M anufacturers. Condensed Hosiery Statistics. M onthly.
2 Including constructions w ith foot reinforcements other th a n m ain body yarn.
3 Includes yarns and m ixtures not specified in addition to the rayon and cotton shown and knee-length
hose.
4 Break-down n o t available.
6 Part-nylon hose no t on the m arket u n til A ugust 1941.
GENERAL LABOR SITUATION
Employment, on the other hand, over the past year and a half has
maintained a distinct downward trend (table 2). Since July 1941
employment in the industry has decreased more than production.
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431
Employment Outlook in Hosiery Industry
Whereas 87,600 workers produced 3.7 million dozen pairs of hose in
July 1941, in September 1942 the industry employed 62,600 workers
to produce approximately 3.2 million dozen pairs of hose. This has
been achieved, by the almost complete elimination of short-time work,
a considerable amount of overtime, and the use of only the best
machinery in each plant.2
In November 1942, employment in the full-fashioned hosiery indus
try stood at approximately 63,000 workers, its lowest level since
prior to 1929.
T a b l e 2 . — Estimated Number Employed in Full-Fashioned Hosiery Industry, by Months,
1940-42
[In thousands]
M onth
1940
1941
M onth
1942
A nnual average____
88.9
86.0
67.7
J a n u a ry .. ---------- - -F e b ru a ry -.- ------- - --M arch- _ ____
____
A pril_____ _- ------------M a y ___ _ ----------- -
91.7
91.2
88.7
88.2
86.4
90.5
90.5
91.6
91.6
90.5
75.2
74.4
72.7
70.6
68.5
Ju n e _____ ____ _____
J u ly __________________
A u g u st-- _____ ____
Septem ber_____
- --.
October- - _________ _
Novem ber
- ___
D ecem ber--------------------
1940
84.0
83.2
86.3
89.2
91.8
92.7
92.9
1941
88.5
87.6
85.0
79.6
79.1
78.3
78.4
1942
67.2
66.4
66.7
62.6
62.9
62.8
62.5
LABOR TURN-OVER RATES
Labor turn-over data provide several clues to the employment situ
ation and its development. They indicate clearly the change in the
nature of the employment decrease. As shown in table 3, the de
creases in employment in the early months of the yarn shortage
resulted largely from lay-offs, while since early in 1942 quits and
military separations have been the major reasons for the decline.
The lay-off rate jumped from 0.41 percent in July 1941 to 5.43 percent
in August 1941, and remained above 1.00 percent until February 1942.
During the crucial months of August and September 1941, quits also
increased slightly, contributing in small part to the decline in
employment.
Early in 1942 excessive quits became the major factor in the
employment decrease. Throughout 1942 the quit rate moved upward,
while military separations more than doubled their 1941 average.
In October the quit rate stood at 4.61 percent. The lay-off rate, on
the other hand, dwindled during 1942 until by October it amounted
to only 0.12 percent.
These turn-over rates bear out the statement that “ the draft and
voluntary enlistments, the shifting of workers from the hosiery indus
try to war plants and the withdrawal of countless women from the
industry have created a labor shortage in both union and nonunion
sections of the industry.” 2
The peculiar skills of hosiery making are valuable in other crafts.
For example, the special coordination between finger and eye of the
looper makes a superior drill-press operator. There are numerous
other causes for the loss of workers. Many woman workers are
retiring from the labor force because for the first time in years their
husbands are earning enough to support the family. This is particularly
2
D aily News Record, D ecember 11, 1942 (p. 23):
(American Federation of H osiery Workers).
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Y ear-End Review of the Research D epartm ent
432
Monthly Labor Review—March 1943
true in the South. Other workers are leaving the industry for higher
paying war jobs, or for the satisfaction of being directly concerned
with the war effort. Skilled female hosiery workers have been known
to accept lower wages as beginners in war plants.3
T a b l e 3 . — Turn-over Rates (per 100 Workers) in Full-Fashioned Hosiery Industry,
1941 and 1942 1
Miscel Total
R ehir Other
laneous
separa separa
ings
hirings
tions 2 tions
Total
acces
sions
Quits
Dis
charges
L ay
offs
m i
January__ - _ ____ __ ............
F eb ru ary ____ _ __
.......
M arch .
_____ ________________
A pril_______________________
M a y _____________________________
J u n e ______ ____ ..
1.16
1.15
1.43
2. 01
2. 02
2.10
0.05
.09
. 12
. 17
.12
.14
0.53
.75
.56
.96
.87
.70
0.16
.09
. 10
.10
.16
. 18
1.90
2. 09
2. 22
3.24
3.16
3.14
0.60
.38
.40
.55
.79
.71
1.13
1.39
1.58
1.82
1.72
2.11
1.73
1.78
1.98
2. 36
2.51
2.81
J u ly _____________________________
A ugust--- _______ ... __________
__ __
Septem ber____________
O ctober-... . ... N o v e m b e r.-....................
D ecem ber. . . . . ______ _ ______ .
1.82
2. 22
2. 78
2. 09
1.42
1.79
.13
.21
.13
. 12
.12
.05
.41
5.43
3.97
1.87
1.44
1.75
.16
.19
.12
.22
.08
.27
2. 52
8.05
7.01
4. 30
3. 06
3.87
.49
.46
.98
1.98
.81
.84
2. 79
1.09
1.42
1.27
1.57
1.13
3.28
1.55
2.41
3. 25
2.38
1.97
1S4S
Ja n u a ry _________ ____ _________
F ebru ary ........... ...............
..............
M arch __ __ ______ ______ ____ .
A pril____________ _____________ _
M ay _____________ . _____
Ju n e _________________ _____ _____
2. 63
3.04
3.40
3.91
4.91
3.73
.17
.20
. 16
.12
.14
.14
2.19
.89
.67
1.22
.76
.39
.34
.30
.40
.31
.29
.40
5. 34
4.43
4.68
5. 56
6. 09
4. 65
.81
.91
.57
.59
.63
.54
1.99
2. 08
2. 62
3. 32
2.70
2. 95
2.79
2.99
3.19
3.92
3. 33
3.49
3.73
4.36
5. 83
4.61
4.45
3.87
.13
.25
. 18
.21
.16
.13
.28
.50
.30
. 12
. 18
.19
.43
.42
.46
.88
.53
.62
4. 58
5. 53
6. 76
5.83
5. 32
4.81
.25
.41
.41
.53
. 58
.20
5.69
4. 55
5. 02
6. 65
4. 95
3.36
5. 94
4.97
5.43
7.18
5. 53
3.56
Year
J u ly _____________________________
A u g u s t-. ______________ _____
S e p te m b e r_______ __________ ___ .
O c to b e r____________________________
N o v e m b e r____ . _ _______ _
.
D e c e m b e r______
___
__
1 Based on approxim ately 61 plants employing 30,000 wage earners.
2 Including m ilitary separations.
Situation in Northern and Southern Producing Areas
TREND OF EMPLOYMENT
One of the most important past trends in the full-fashioned hosiery
industry has been its relocation in the South. From 1929 to 1939 the
percent of total wage earners located in the South increased from 9.7
percent to 35.4 percent.4 The main impetus to this movement in the
past has been the lower wage rates and lack of unionization in the
southern area. The comparative effect on the northern and southern
producing regions of wartime restrictions warrants close examination
at this time, for it will probably influence post-war developments within
the industry.
Employment in the full-fashioned hosiery industry decreased by
21.5 percent from August 1941 to August 1942 (table 2). The de
crease in employment varied with the different geographic areas. A
special study 6by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of 158 identical firms,
for selected months in 1941 and 1942, indicates that from August 1941
to August 1942 employment in the South decreased by 22.6 percent,
3 Interview w ith Alfred H offm an, director of research, American Federation of Hosiery W orkers,
October 1942.
4 Census of M anufactures, 1929 and 1939.
5 For more detailed d ata see Recent Trends in th e Full-Fashioned Hosiery In d u stry . M im eographed
report.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
433
Employment Outlook in Hosiery Industry
while in the North the decrease was 20.8 percent. From September
1941 to September 1942 the relative decline in both areas was similar.
Pennsylvania, the northern concentration oi the industry, showed
slightly greater relative decreases over the period than did North
Carolina, the southern center.
LABOR TURN-OVER
Despite the fact that the net decline in employment in the South has
been relatively greater than in the North, labor turn-over in the North
in 1942 was greater than in the South (table 4). The rate of total
separations in the North has been consistently higher than in the South,
except during June and July, while at the same time the total acces
sion rate in the North has also been consistently higher.
It is significant that during 1942 quits were higher in the North
(accounting for higher total separations), but discharges, lay-offs, and
military separations were generally higher in the South. The higher
discharge rate in the South would seem to indicate that northern
mills are experiencing numerical shortages of workers, while the south
ern branch of the industry has been having more difficulty in finding
properly qualified replacements. Since the industry is relatively new
in the South, there would not be in that area a reserve of retired
skilled workers who can be reabsorbed into the labor force. Further
more, as shown in table 7, wage rates in the southern branch of the
industry are lower than in the North and the plants are thus not able
to compete as well with war industries in recruiting qualified new
workers. It would appear, therefore, that the current labor shortages
in the South are more critical than in the North.
T a b l e 4 . — Turn-over Rates (per 100 Workers) in Full-Fashioned Hosiery Industry in
North and South, 1941 and 1942 1
Discharges
Quits
Lay-offs
Miscellaneous
separations 2
Total
separations
Year
N orth South N orth South N orth South N orth South N orth South
m i
January ,
F ebruary
_____ M arch _
A pril,, - - -- M ay
.......................
J u n e ______________________
1.39
1.37
1.78
2. 46
2. 70
2. 76
0. 81
.82
.87
1.34
1. 21
1.40
0. 05
.07
.15
. 17
.08
. 10
0. 06
. 14
.07
. 17
. 17
.20
0. 31
.91
.82
1. 33
1.34
1.09
0. 86
.51
.14
.42
.31
.30
0. 24
. 10
. 12
.07
. 19
.21
0. 05
.09
.08
. 16
. 12
.16
1.99
2. 44
2. 87
4. 02
4.32
4. 16
1. 78
1. 55
1.16
2.09
1.80
2.06
Ju ly , ____________________
A ugust .
__ __ _ _____ _
Septem ber,
October
_ _
_ _
N ovem ber
. D ecember
. ,
---- --
2. 27
2.92
3. 00
2. 55
1.81
2. 03
1. 34
1.49
2. 53
1. 59
.98
1. 54
.09
.08
.09
. 12
.14
.08
.17
.36
.17
. 12
. 10
.02
.42
5. 02
4. 44
2. 76
1.55
2. 95
.39
5. 87
3. 45
.89
1. 31
.45
.15
.25
.16
.30
.08
.35
.17
. 12
.10
. 13
.09
. 19
2. 94
8. 26
7. 68
5. 73
3.59
5. 42
2.08
7.84
6. 25
2. 72
2.49
2. 20
1942
January_________
February
. , -- -- M arch
April _ - ___ ,
-- M a y ,,, ---------------------------J u n e ____________________ _
3.06
3. 36
3. 76
4. 46
5. 22
3.60
2.11
2. 66
2.98
3. 42
4. 51
3. 87
.09
. 14
. 17
. 17
. 13
.11
.27
.27
. 15
.08
.15
.17
2. 40
.75
.63
. 96
.97
.28
1. 94
1.05
.71
1. 44
.49
.51
.22
.18
.39
.29
.23
.47
.50
.44
.42
.33
.35
.31
5.76
4. 43
4. 96
5. 8J
6. 54
4.47
4. 83
4. 43
4. 26
5. 27
5. 51
4.86
J u ly ,,- ___________________
August -- ___ - -- ---Septem ber,
October
_ _________
N ovem ber
,
- _
D ecem ber--------------------------
3.81
4. 83
7.11
5. 86
5.17
4.28
3. 64
3. 73
4.15
3.00
3. 47
3.32
.12
.27
.20
. 19
. 12
.14
.13
.22
. 14
.23
.21
.12
.18
.38
. 18
. 13
. 15
.19
.43
.66
.45
. 11
.23
.19
.27
.32
.37
.36
.38
.49
.64
.57
.56
1. 55
.75
.81
4. 37
5. 79
7. 86
6. 55
5.82
5.10
4.84
5.18
5. 31
4. 89
4. 66
4.44
1 N o rth figures based on approxim ately 28 plants w ith 17,000 wage earners and South figures based on
approxim ately 33 plants w ith 13,000 wage earners.
2 Including m ilitary separations.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
434
Monthly Labor Review—March 1943
T a b l e 4 . — Turn-over Rates (per 100 Workers) in Full-Fashioned Hosiery Industry in
North and South, 1941 and 1942— Continued
Rehirings
O ther hirings
T otal accessions
N et change
(total separations
m inus total
accessions)
N orth
N orth
Year
N orth
South
N orth
South
South
South
1941
Jan u a ry __________________
F ebruary ___ _
_. _
March___
_ . __________
A pril_______ _____________
M ay . _________________
Ju n e ______ ______________
0.41
.35
.22
.67
.88
.85
0. 88
.42
.70
. 36
.68
.56
1.30
1. 73
1.91
1.93
1.82
2. 60
0.89
.88
1.03
1. 65
1.60
1.59
1.70
2. 08
2.13
2.60
2.70
3.45
1.77
1.31
1.73
2.01
2. 28
2.14
-0 .2 8
- .3 5
- .7 4
-1 .4 2
- 1 . 61
- .7 1
-0 .0 1
- .2 5
+ .5 7
- .0 7
+ . 48
+ . 09
J u ly ______________________
A ugust____ ___ ___ _____
Septem ber__ ___ ___ _ __
October __________ ___ __
N ovem ber _
D ecember _ ______________
.53
.57
1. 25
2. 68
.99
1.00
.45
.34
.69
1.21
.61
.67
3.44
1. 18
1.42
1.52
2.31
1.53
2.11
.99
1.42
1.00
.77
.69
3. 97
1. 76
2. 66
4.20
3. 30
2. 53
2. 56
1.33
2.12
2. 21
1.38
1.36
+1.03
-6 .5 0
-5 .0 2
- 1 . 53
- .2 9
-2 .8 9
+ .4 8
-6 .5 0
-4 .1 3
- . 52
- 1 . 11
- .8 4
1942
Jan u a ry , ________________
F ebru ary ___ _________ _ _
M arch. _ ____________ _ _
A pril____________ _ _ _
M'ay ___________________
____ _____ ___
June
1.07
1.19
.71
.64
.66
.60
.49
.58
.41
.55
.58
.46
2. 63
2.67
3. 70
5. 59
3. 30
3. 42
1.21
1. 37
1.37
1.32
1.93
2.40
3. 70
3. 86
4.41
6. 23
3. 96
4. 02
1.70
1.95
1. 78
1.86
2.50
2. 86
-1 .9 8
- .5 8
- .5 5
+ . 35
- 2 . 58
- .4 4
- 3 . 22
- 2 . 49
- 2 . 48
-3 .4 1
-3 .0 0
-2 .0 0
Ju ly ______________________
A ugust ________
_____
Septem ber__ _ _________
________
O c to b e r____ _
N ovem ber
December __
___ _
.18
.30
.35
.46
.71
.19
.35
.56
.48
.61
.39
.21
7. 37
5.33
6. 00
7. 23
5. 02
3.81
3.51
3. 53
3. 72
5. 90
4.85
2. 76
7. 56
5. 63
6. 36
7.69
5. 73
4.01
3. 86
4. 09
4.20
6.50
5. 24
2. 97
+3.19
- . 16
-1 .5 0
+1.14
-.0 9
-1 .0 9
- .9 8
-1 .0 9
-1 .1 1
+1. 62
+ . 58
-1 .4 7
,
,
Occupational Distribution Earnings and Hours
Since tlie labor force in this industry has been and will continue to
be the source of workers for war industry, a description of its occupa
tional distribution, rates of pay, and hours of work just prior to and
during the first year of the war is useful.
OCCUPATIONAL PATTERN
As previously noted, employment decreases in the industry at the
present time are the result of more than simple material and man
power shortages; a third factor to be considered is the condition of
reduced labor requirements resulting from technological change.
After 1940 many mills began installing so-called “single-unit”
machines, which make possible the knitting of the entire stocking on
one machine, eliminating the functions of footers and toppers and
effecting considerable savings in labor costs.5 Even more common
than the installation of these new machines has been the conversion
of conventional legging machines into single-unit machines through
the installation of “back-rack” attachments which also make possible
the knitting of the entire stocking on one machine, thus serving the
same purpose as the standard single-unit machine.
For the duration of the war the production of new full-fashioned
hosiery equipment has been halted, but back-rack conversion has been,
somewhat encouraged by the large amount of machinery standing
5See Recent T rends in th e Full-Fashioned Hosiery In d u stry .
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
M im eographed report.
435
Employment Outlook in Hosiery Industry
idle. Labor requirements in the industry have therefore continued
to decrease as a result of this technological change.
Along with total labor requirements, the occupational structure of
the labor force has been altered by the introduction of these innova
tions. Table 5 gives the occupational distribution of the labor force
in 1938. The full-fashioned hosiery industry differs from most
textile industries, and especially from the seamless-hosiery industry,
in the degree of skill required of its labor force. The complex fullfashioned knitting machinery is not automatic and thus demands
close attention, manual dexterity, and mechanical skill on the part of
the operators. In 1938, as shown in table 5, 64 percent of the workers
in the industry were skilled.
T a b l e 5 . — Occupational Distribution of Workers in Full-Fashioned Hosiery Industry
in 1938 1
Percentage distri
bution of workers
Percentage distri
bution of workers
O ccupation and skill
O ccupation and skill
T o
tal
Male
Fe
male
All occupations______________ 100.0
44.3
55.7
Skilled occupations____
63.9
K nitters, fo o ter.-.
_ _ . 6.7
K nitters, legger
20.2
M achine fixers
1.0
T o p p e r s ....
______ . . . 15.9
Loopers ...
6.1
M en d ers...
3.3
Seamers .
8. 4
O ther skilled workers
. . 2.3
30.8
6. 7
20. 2
1.0
1.2
33.1
Semiskilled occupations. __
Boarders, autom atic. .
Boarders, ot he r . . . . . .
Clerks, factory___________
23.3
1.4
3.8
1.0
1.7
8.8
.8
1.6
6
14.7
6.1
3.3
8. 4
.6
14.5
.6
2. 2
.4
T o
tal
Semiskilled occupations—Con.
Dye-machine operators. . . _
K nitters, helpers
Inspectors and exam iners..
Pairers
O ther semiskilled w orkers.
Fe
Male male
0.6
2. 5
5.6
3.7
4.7
0.6
2.5
2.7
5.6
3. 7
2.0
Unskilled w o rk e rs.___
12.8
Learners and apprentices,
kn itters .
1. 7
Folders, wrappers, and
3.3
boxers.
Learners and apprentices.-- 2.3
Stam pers and la b o re rs.___ 1.3
Other unskilled w o rk e rs.. . 4.2
4.7
8.1
1.7
3.0
3.3
2.3
1.3
1.2
i
Source: M o n th ly Labor Review, M ay 1939: Earnings and H ours in the M anufacture of Full-Fashioned
Hosiery, 1938. T h a t stu d y covered 105 full-fashioned hosiery plants w ith 26,807 workers on the pay rolls
in September 1938. The sample was selected to reflect accurately geographical location, size of establish
m ent, and unionization.
Since 1938, footers and toppers have decreased in relation to the
total force, owing to technological displacement. Looping has also
decreased, although to a less extent. The proportion of leggershas
been maintained but has been divided between regular knitting and
single-unit knitting.5
The full reduction in labor requirements resulting from increased
productivity of new machinery will not become effective until after
the war. Nevertheless, these equipment changes of the recent past
indicate developments to be expected in the post-war period.
E A R N IN G S
Relative to other textile industries, earnings in the full-fashioned
hosiery industry are high, as indicated by the following statement
showing average hourly earnings in November 1942.
United States
Full-fashioned hosiery_____________ $0. 760
Seamless hosiery_________________
. 508
Cotton goods____________________
. 577
«See Recent T rends in th e Full-Fashioned H osiery In d u stry .
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
North
$0. 846
. 554
. 678
M im eographed report.
South
$0.654
.496
.552
436
Monthly Labor Review—March 1943
Since skilled workers form the largest part of the labor force in the
full-fashioned hosiery mills, their earnings do much to determine the
industry level. Here, as in other industries, average hourly earnings
in the North are generally higher than in the South.
The average hourly earnings in 1938 of the various occupational
groups are given in table 6. The key workers in the industry are the
large group of skilled males, constituting 31 percent of the total labor
force in 1938. Their earnings, which averaged $1.03 per hour in the
North and 94 cents per hour in the South in 1938, were far above any
of the other skilled groups. Next in order was the group of skilled
females (one-third of the total), who averaged 58 cents an hour in
the North and 48 cents in the South. In both areas their earnings
averaged 45 cents an hour less than the skilled males. The highestpaid individual occupations were the knitters and the machine fixers.
T able 6.-—Hourly Earnings in the Full-Fashioned Hosiery Industry, by Occupation, in
1938 1
'
U nited States
"
N orth
South
Occupation and skill
Fe
Total M ales
males
All occupations____
Skilled occupations.
K nitters, footer_
K nitters, Iegger.
M achine fixers._
T oppers_______
Loopers_______
M enders______
S e a m e rs............
Total
Fe
Males males
Fe
Total M ales
males
$0. 658 $0.835 $0. 509 $0. 693 $0.867 $0. 541 $0. 581 $0. 760
.773
1. 125
.992
1. 084
.584
.548
.487
.508
1. 002
Semiskilled occupations_____
Boarders, au to m atic_____
Boarders, o th er_________
Clerks, factory__________
Dye-machine operators__
K n itte rs’ helpers________
Inspectors and exam iners.
Pairers_____ _____ ______
.509
.759
.621
.481
.607
.422
.445
.519
.528
.759
.607
.535
.607
.422
Unskilled w orkers________________
Learners and apprentices, k n it
ters_______ ____ ____________
Polders, wrappers, boxers______
Learners and apprentices___
Stam pers and labelers............
.378
.377
.383
.447
. 254
.423
.383
1.125
.992
1.084
.615
.547
.581
.548
487
.508
.497
.759
.632
.396
.445
.519
.809
1. 180
1 . 028
1.020
1 . 020
1.082
.621
.573
.523
.535
.537
.765
.646
.500
.640
.448
.464
.536
1.180
1.082
.616
.555
.769
.625
.561
.640
.448
.580
.694
.997
.929
1. 089
.499
. 500
388
460
.939
997
.929
1 089
. 610
.430
(2)
.551
.431
(2)
. 362
. 512
444
.440
(2)
.569
.457
(2)
.362
.417
.292
.285
. 458
. 281
. 440
.275
. 396
. 237
.354
.275
.622
. 573
. 523
535
.524
.759
.659
.394
. 464
. 536
.378
.424
.437
.447
.254
.423
.485
.458
.281
.440
.485
$0. 440
.480
.496
500
388
.424
.529
.401
5] 2
444
.298
3%
937
354
H osferyC193g/r° Dthly Labor R eview >M ay 1939: Earnings and H ours in th e M anufacture of Pull-Fashioned
2 N u m b er of workers not sufficient to justify com putation of average.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
437
Employment Outlook in Hosiery Industry
Because changing internal and external conditions have affected the
wage level of the industry since 1938, it is of interest to examine a more
recent study covering earnings in 37 mills under contract with the
American Federation of Hosiery Workers.6 Earnings in these 37 mills
being representative of the North, the occupational wage data for
January 27 to March 1, 1941, may be compared with the 1938 average
hourly earnings in the North.7 Such a comparison indicated relatively
little change during the period in the northern producing area.
1938
____ $1. 02
Leggers
1. 18
Footers
. 62
Toppers (male and female)
_ .____
____
.5 7
Loopers
____
.5 4
Seamers.
____
.5 2
Menders _ _
__ _
____
.6 8
Boarders (male and female)
____
.5 4
Pairers
_ _-
mi
$i. 01
l. to
57
59
54
58
73
58
On September 2, 1941, a new contract effective for 2 years, between
the American Federation of Hosiery Workers and the Full-Fashioned
Hosiery Manufacturers of America, went into effect. It provided in
creases of 8 percent to 22 percent in wage rates, and covered approxi
mately 26,078 workers in the industry. Effective March 23, 1942,
wage-rate increases for rayon-hosiery production were adopted as
part of the above national contract. The contract expires in August
1943.
Table 7 reflects these increases in earnings. One reason for the more
recent increases in average hourly earnings is that overtime has begun
in many full-fashioned hosiery plants. Another reason is that wartime
shortages of material and workers have resulted in not only the scrap
ping of obsolete machines but also the maintenance of only the most
efficient ones in operation. Thus, a greater proportion of workers now
employed are operating the most efficient machines or back-rack con
verted machines. On the more efficient machines production is
greater and therefore earnings are higher, since piece rates are paid in
about 80 percent of the occupations. On the converted machines,
special rates are paid to knitters to make up for their decreased pro
duction.
Average full-time weekly earnings for loggers in the latter part of
1942 equaled $50.92 and for footers was $55.80.8 As compared with
these weekly earnings in the most skilled occupations in the industry,
average weekly earnings for all occupations in the northern branch
of the industry were $27.84 in September 1942.
8 Earnings of Full-Fashioned Hosiery W orkers in U nion M ills,1941, published by Office of the Im partial
Chairm an, Full-Fashioned Hosiery In d u stry , in cooperation w ith the A merican Federation of Hosiery
W orkers and the Full-Fashioned Hosiery M anufacturers of America, Inc. (p. 2).
7 The general average in the stu d y of the Im partial Chairm an is not exactly comparable w ith the Bureau ol
Labor Statistics 1938 stu d y because it is apparently not so representative of dyeing and finishing depart
m ents. The B ureau attem p ted to cover a proportionate num ber of independent dyeing and finishing
establishm ents in its survey.
s D ata are from stu d y of 26 union mills for 1942, made by Office of the Im partial C hairm an of Full-Fashioned
Hosiery In dustry.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
438
Monthly Labor Review—March 1943
"Fa b l e 7. — Average Hourly and Weekly Earnings in Full-Fashioned and Seamless
Hosiery Industries, North and South, A p ril 1941-Decemher 1942 1
Average hourly earnings
Y ear and
m onth
U nited States
Fullfash
ioned
N o rth 2
Average w eekly earnings
South 3
U nited States
N orth 2
South 3
FullFullFullFullSeam Fullfash Seam fash Seam fash Seam fash Seam fash Seam
less
less
less
less
less
less
ioned
ioned
ioned
ioned
ioned
1W
A pril_______ $0. 616 $0. 422 $0. 653 $0.449 $0.565 $0.414 $21. 79 $14. 94 $22. 69 $16.84 $20. 52
M a y ________
. 621
.429
.658
.453
.421 22. 02 15. 63 22. 73 17. 40 21.11
. 575
June. ______
.619
.432
. 656
.453
.574
.426 21.99 16.15 22. 88 17. 19 20. 85
J u ly ________
.627
.430
.658
.453
.580
.424 23.00 15. 33 24.13 16. 37 21.33
A ugust______ .612
.432
.644
.461
.424 21.27 16.18 22.45 17. 95 19. 65
.567
Septem ber___ .628
.442
.673
.473
.573
. 431 21.81 16.31 23. 03 18.34 20. 23
O ctober_____
.657
.464
.718
.481
.589
.459 23. 51 17.48 25.24 18.87 21.50
.656
N ovem ber___
.718
.463
.485
.596
.457 23.35 17.49 24. 84 18.86 21.73
.658
D ecem ber___
.484
.467
.717
.462 24. 22 17.42 26.05 18.82 22.22
.595
J a n u a ry _____
F eb ru ary ____
M arch ______
A p ril_______
M a y ________
Ju n e ________
J u ly ________
A ugust______
Septem ber___
October_____
N ovem ber___
D ecem ber___
.658
.659
.661
.680
.686
.710
.715
.733
.737
.745
.760
. 755
.472
.472
.476
.478
.476
.476
.484
.494
.497
.507
.508
.511
.714
.709
.714
.735
.742
.790
.798
.812
.826
.829
.846
.833
.493
.492
. 499
.502
.507
.508
.510
.521
.537
.540
.554
.560
.595
.601
.602
.613
.616
.617
. 620
.640
.642
.650
.654
.656
.467
.467
.471
.472
.468
.468
.478
.487
.487
.499
.496
.497
23.40
24.20
23. 75
24.19
24.93
25. 72
25. 50
27.50
25. 90
28. 79
29.41
30.00
16.96
17. 70
17. 75
17.15
17. 25
17.07
17.21
18.33
17. 55
19.09
19.03
19.52
25.26
26.03
25.81
26. 21
27.15
28. 89
28. 27
30. 51
27. 84
32. 40
33.04
33.57
18.14
19.17
19. 58
19.64
19.55
19.45
19. 38
20. 76
19. 94
21.52
22. 23
22.99
21. 31
22.07
21.47
21.77
22. 21
22.09
22. 26
24.00
23. 62
24. 82
25.07
25.58
$14.40
15.11
15.84
15.04
15.71
15. 77
17.11
17.12
17. 06
16.68
17.35
17. 32
16.55
16. 69
16.49
16.68
17. 74
17.00
18.56
18.31
18.66
1 Based upon m an-hour d ata reported to th e B ureau of Labor Statistics.
2 N o rth includes: California, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, M assachusetts, M ichigan, M innesota,
New H am pshire, N ew Jersey, N ew York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, W isconsin, a nd (starting A ugust 1941)
M issouri and V ermont.
2
South includes: Alabam a, Georgia, K entucky, M aryland, M ississippi, N o rth Carolina, South Carolina,
Tennessee, Virginia, W est Virginia, Louisiana, Texas, and (starting Septem ber 1941) Florida, and (starting
F ebru ary 1942) Arkansas.
HOURS OF WORK
In order to maintain production with the decreasing number of work
ers at present attached to the industry, short-time work has been
eliminated and many plants are working overtime.
Prior to August 1941 there had been very little part-time employ
ment in the industry. During the months of acute yarn shortage in
1941, however, part-time employment was utilized to keep workers
attached to the industry until the flow of rayon became stabilized.
This is indicated in table 8 in the decrease in average hours during
August and September of 1941.
It will be noted that plants in the South usually worked longer
hours per week during 1941 than did those in the North. The op
posite was true during 1942. This indicates the more intensive utiliza
tion of the labor force in northern plants during the past year, neces
sitated by their excessive loss of workers.
Prior to the yarn shortage, knitting machinery was operated a full
week on two, and in some cases three, shifts. With the restricted
supply of raw materials and later the loss of manpower, however, most
plants have eliminated their third shift, and second-shift operations
have also been restricted.
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439
Employment Outlook in Hosiery Industry
T a b l e 8 . — Average Hours per Week in Full-Fashioned and Seamless Hosiery Industries„
in North and South, A p ril 1941-December 1942 1
U nited States
M o n th
1941:
A p ril__ ___
_
....
...
M a y ..
J u n e __
J u ly ____________________________________
A ugust .
Septem ber
..... _
O ctober
. ___
N ovem ber
D ecem ber
1942:
J a n u a r y ..
F e b ru a ry . _
_
.
.
M arch
A pril ._
. . . _ _ _ . . . _ ____
M ay .
. .
Ju n e . .
... . . . _____
...
______
J u ly ____________________________________
A u g u st__
Septem ber 3
O ctober.
N ovem ber
December
Fullfash
ioned
Seam
less
South 2
N o rth 2
Fullfash
ioned
Seam
less
Fullfash
ioned
Seam
less
35.4
35.5
35.5
36.7
34.8
34.7
35.8
35.6
36.8
35.4
36.5
37.4
35.6
37.4
36.9
37.7
37.8
37.3
34.8
34.5
34.9
36.7
34.9
34.2
35.2
34.6
36.3
37.5
38.4
38.0
36.1
38.9
38.8
39.2
38.9
38.9
36.3
36.7
36.3
36.7
34.6
35.3
36.5
36.5
37.4
34.8
35.9
37.2
35.5
37.0
36.4
37. 2
37.5
36.9
35.6
36.7
35.9
35.6
36.3
36.2
35.6
37.5
35.1
38.7
38.7
39.7
35.9
37.5
37.3
35.9
36. 2
35.8
35.5
37.1
35.3
37.7
37.5
38.2
35.3
36.7
36.1
35.6
36.6
36.6
35.4
37.6
33.7
39.1
39.0
40.3
36.8
39.0
39.2
39.2
38.6
38.3
38.0
39.8
37.1
39.8
40.1
41.1
35.8
36.7
35.7
35.5
36.1
35.8
35.9
37.5
36.8
38.2
38.3
39.0
35.7
37.2
36.8
35.1
35.7
35.3
34.9
36.4
34.9
37.2
36.9
37.5
1 B ased upon m an-hour d ata reported to th e B ureau of Labor Statistics.
2 See footnotes 2 and 3, table 7, for definition of N o rth and South.
3 R eduction in average hours per week as a result of L abor D ay holiday which is more universally observed
in the N o rth th a n in th e South.
O U T L O O K F O B T H E IN D U S T R Y , F O R D U R A T IO N
OF W AR
In England the hosiery industry was among the first to be con
centrated. The United States will likewise have to determine some
line of action when material and manpower shortages reach the acute
stage. The logical first step in this process is for the Government to
determine basic civilian hosiery requirements.
In. 1943 the supply of rayon for manufacture of full-fashioned
hosiery will be less than in 1942. Rayon is allocated to hosiery by a
fixed percent of wliat is left after first subtracting military needs and
exports. Since military needs will probably continue to increase
during 1943, the amount remaining for hosiery will probably decrease.
During 1943 general manpower shortages as well as specific area
shortages are expected to become more acute. The outlook for the
full-fashioned hosiery industry during the war depends directly upon
the extent of these shortages. Some of the major centers of the fullfashioned hosiery industry are in areas which are already suffering
from shortages of labor. When pressure for concentration of produc
tion becomes strong, it is likely that acute manpower shortages in
specific areas will be the cause.
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Monthly Labor Review—March 1943
Pennsylvania is the most important single State in the manufacture
of full-fashioned hosiery. As shown in table 9, it contained 36.3 per
cent of all the workers employed in the industry in 1939. Phila
delphia and Reading, the two largest full-fashioned hosiery producing
areas in this State, were designated by the War Manpower Com
mission as areas of inadequate labor supply as of January 4, 1943.
It is estimated by the Commission that between November 1942 and
November 1943, 170,000 additional workers will be needed to meet
the demands of war industry and to replace military withdrawals
from the labor force in the Philadelphia area.9 This amounts to
approximately one-sixth of all nonwar industry employment in the
area. The situation is equally serious in the Reading-Pottstown area.
T a b l e 9 . — Concentration
Points Within M ajor Full-Fashioned Hosiery Producing
States in 1939 1
Wage earners
Labor-supply situation,
Jan u ary 1943 2
C ounty
Plants
N um
ber
Percent
T otal industry.
499
97, 200
Pennsylvania________________________
P hiladelphia area_________________
Philadelphia city ______________
Bucks, M ontgom ery, C hester
and Delaware C ounties______
Berks C ounty (R eading)______
N o rth am p to n C o u n ty_________
Lehigh C o u n ty_______________
Lancaster and Y ork C o u n ties.__
O ther Pennsylvania_______________
N o rth C arolina_______________________
Almance C o u n ty _________________
208
137
63
35, 253
15, 259
9, 340
100.0
74
31
7
14
19
75
5,919
13,656
2,654
1,322
2,362
20,347
16.8
38.7
7.5
3.8
6.7
100.0
26
8,850
43.5
10
3,489
2,775
5, 233
17.2
13.6
25.7
Guilford C o u n ty _________________
R andolph C ou n ty________________
M ecklenburg and Gaston C ounties..
B urke and C ataw ba C ounties_____
O ther N orth Carolina_____________
In adequate labor su p p ly . _
___ do__________________
___ do__________________
___ do__________________
0)-------------------
Inadequate labor su p p ly . _
___ do__________________
(3) --------------------------------
In ad eq u ate labor supply
or acute shortage.
Labor surplus___________
Percent
of U nited
States
total
100.0
36.3
43.3
26.5
20.9
(3) --------------------------------
A dequate supply now ___
(3)-------------------------------(3) --------------------------------
11
28
1 Source: Census of M anufactures, 1939.
2 As designated by W ar M anpow er Commission (Release No. 2037). Area designations are as follows:
I. Areas of acute labor shortage. II. Areas of current balance of labor supply and dem and (inadequate
labor supply to m eet expected increase in dem and). III. Areas of anticipated balance of supply and
dem and in 6 m onths (adequate sup p ly now). IV . Areas of labor surplus.
3 No designation.
These labor requirements must be met through the release of
workers now employed in civilian production for which facilities exist
elsewhere; through the drawing into the labor force of individuals not
commonly in the labor force; or, as a last resort, through an in-migra
tion of workers.
North Carolina is the second most important State in the production
of full-fashioned hosiery. Burlington, N. C. (in Almance County),
although too small a community to be included in the War Manpower
Commission list of January 4th, is an area of acute labor shortage.
Between November 1942 and November 1943 an influx of 2,000 workers
into this area will be necessary unless contracts for civilian goods are
withdrawn so that workers in the area will shift to war work. Such
8 W ar M anpow er Commission.
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B ureau of Program P lanning and Review.
L abor M ark et D ivision.
Employment Outlook in Hosiery Industry
441
a withdrawal of contracts has been recommended by the War Man
power Commission to the War Production Board. According to
unemployment-compensation figures of the U. S. Bureau of Employ
ment Security, in June 1942 there were 14,200 textile workers in the
Burlington area, 5,500 of whom were full-fashioned hosiery workers.
The remaining textile workers in the area were divided among cotton
mills (4,250b the rayon-weaving mills (3,300), and the seamlesshosiery plants (1,150). Of the textile employment in the area, 26
percent of cotton-goods employment, 17 percent of rayon, 5 percent
of seamless, and no full-fashioned hosiery wage earners were engaged
on war contracts.
Bearing in mind the relatively small number of workers in this
industry, and the havoc wrought on small firms by concentration of
production, it seems more desirable that the Government control the
further decrease in production facing the industry during the coming
year to insure that all of it occurs in areas of acute labor shortage or
in areas of inadequate labor supply.
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PROGRESS OF STATE MINIMUM-WAGE LEGISLATION
IN 1942
B y L ouise S titt and L oretta S ullivan , U. S . W omen’s Bureau
Minimum Wage in Wartime
AT THE conclusion of the first year of the United States’ participation
in the Second. World War the question arises as to whether State
minimum-wage legislation makes progress during a war period when
wages generally are rising. Is a minimum-wage law essentially a
depression expedient or at most a peacetime measure, affording workers
protection only when labor is plentiful or wages are falling? Com
parison of the record for the period of the First World War and for
the year 1942 furnishes ample evidence that State minimum-wage
legislation is as essential in periods of prosperity as in other times.
To be sure, no new minimum-wage laws were enacted in 1942, but the
legislatures of only 8 States were in regular session in that year, and
all but 3 of these States already had minimum-wage laws.
in 1917. when the United States entered the First World War,
11 States 5had minimum-wage laws for women. Before the Armistice
was signed, Arizona and the District of Columbia were added to the
list. Prices advanced sensationally during the First World War.
The cost-of-living index, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics,
increased from 103.0 in December 1914 to 142.4 in December 1917
and 174.4 in December 1918 (1 month after the Armistice was signed).
From 1913, when the first State minimum-wage law became effective,
to the outbreak of the war, a period of 4 years, 48 wage orders had
been issued. In the 19 months during which the United States was
at war, 36 orders were issued by 7 States. This rapid increase in the
number of wage orders, plus the fact that 17 of the new orders raised
existing rates set by earlier orders, shows that minimum-wage legis
lation did make progress during the First World War, and that these
laws were used in a period of economic prosperity to protect the
low-paid workers against the evils of rapidly advancing prices.
When the United States entered the present war 26 States,2 Alaska,
the District of Columbia, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico had minimumwage laws, and 134 wage orders were in effect. Though coverage was
considerably greater than in 1917—18, there still were thousands of
women without minimum-wage protection even in those States with
minimum-wage laws, as wage orders covering all occupations had not
yet been issued. When the United States entered the present war, in
December 1941, the cost of living had already increased by 12.1
percent since August 15, 1939, as a result of the outbreak of hostilities
in Europe. It was apparent that many low-paid woman workers
would suffer a dangerous decrease in living standards if a bottom were
not set to wages and a curb placed on rising prices. Early in 1942
the Federal Women’s Bureau urged State minimum-wage adminis
trators to cover new industries with wage orders as rapidly as possible,
1 States th a t had enacted m inimum -wage law s before A pril 6,1917, were Arkansas, California, Colorado,
Kansas, M assachusetts, M innesota, N ebraska (repealed 1919), Oregon, U tah, W ashington, and W isconsin.
Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, C onnecticut, Illinois, K ansas, K entucky, Louisiana, M aine,
M assachusetts, M innesota, N evada, N ew H am pshire, New Jersey, New Y ork, N orth D akota, Ohio
O klahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South D akota, U tah, W ashington, and W isconsin.
442
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State Minimum-Wage Legislation
443
and to reexamine existing orders with a view to revising them in
keeping with rising living costs. This policy seemed advisable not
only because of the immediate protection that would be afforded
woman workers, but because of the stabilizing effect that such orders
would have if wages tended to fall after the war.
It was thought that neither the establishment of new minimumwage rates nor the increase of existing rates would have a material
effect on inflation, as minimum wages usually are so low as to provide
only the bare necessaries of proper living. This opinion was shared
by the National War Labor Board, which on October 31, 1942, issued
General Order No. 7 giving blanket approval to all wage increases
made in compliance with State minimum-wage statutes and orders.
The President on October 3, 1942, had issued Executive Order No. 9250
in which he specified that no wage increases could be made without the
approval of the War Labor Board. According to that order the Board
could approve increases only when such increases were “ necessary to
correct maladjustments or inequalities, to eliminate substandards
of living, to correct gross inequities, or to aid in the effective prosecu
tion of the war.” The Board held that the purpose of State minimumwage laws is “ to eliminate substandards of living” and that all wage
increases authorized under such laws are in conformity with the
President’s order. This ruling lias prevented a great deal of confusion
and delay that might have resulted if the Board’s approval had been
required before the issuance of each wage order.
During 1942 as many as 19 wage orders were issued by 10 States.
Three of these—the mercantile trade in Connecticut, beauty culture in
New Jersey, and restaurants in Rhode Island—were for industries not
previously covered. Sixteen orders were revisions of or substitutions
for earlier orders that had covered the same occupations. All but
1 of the 16 revised orders increased the minimum-wage rates estab
lished by the earlier orders. For example, the 3 California orders
issued in 1942 raised the minimum wage from $16 for a standard work
week, which might be as long as 48 hours, to $18 for a 40-liour week.
The State of Oregon increased the hourly rate for canning fresh fruits
and vegetables from 4 2 cents to 52K cents, and the rate for fruit and
vegetable packing from 3 2 cents to 40 cents an hour. Quite as
significant as the increases in rates was the disapproval by the Secre
tary of Labor and Industry of Pennsylvania of wage rates recom
mended by a wage board for restaurant occupations. The Secretary
held that the rates recommended were too low to protect the workers
against the economic conditions that exist at this time, though similar
rates had been adopted by neighboring States for the same occupa
tions at earlier periods.
Collection of Wage Claims
The most convincing evidence of the protection State minimumwage laws afford workers in a period of rising wages and prices is the
amount of unpaid wages collected from employers who fail to pay
voluntarily the minimum wages required by law. Complete informa
tion on this question is not available, but the experience oi one or two
States is sufficient to prove that without State minimum-wage legisla
tion thousands of women even in a period as prosperous as the year
1942 would be paid less than enough to maintain the most humble
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444
Monthly Labor Review—March 1943
standard of living. In New York State alone, $174,327 was collected
in 1942 by the Division of Women in Industry and Minimum Wage for
women and minors who were paid less than the minimum wage to
which they were entitled under the law. The amount collected in
1942 was $51,115 more than was collected under the same six wage
orders in 1940, two years before the United States entered the war.
None of these orders, which cover laundries, restaurants, hotels,
beauty shops, cleaning and dyeing establishments, and the con
fectionery industry, provides for a basic hourly rate in excess of 36.7
cents, though several require the payment of higher rates for short
weeks and for overtime.
In California the Division of Industrial Welfare collected $407,605
in 1942 for women who were underpaid by their employers under the
State minimum-wage law. The records of other States, if available,
doubtless would reveal similar situations. It is apparent from the
figures just cited that minimum-wage laws are quite as necessary in
periods of prosperity as in other times.
Court Decisions on M inim um Wage
Ihe courts in 1942 also helped the progress of State minimum-wage
legislation. The most far-reaching court decision affecting such
legislation since the decision of the United States Supreme Court in
1937, holding the Washington State minimum-wage law for women
constitutional, was rendered on December 3, 1942." On that date the
Court of Appeals, the highest court of the State of New York, upheld
the New York minimum-wage order for the confectionery industry.
The so-called “guaranteed weekly wage” 3 provision was the question
at issue. The New I ork order for the confectionery industry, in
addition to providing for a minimum wage of $14 for a full 40-hour
week, requires employers to pay $10 to employees working 3 days or
less in any week during the busy season and $7 to employees working
2 days or less in any week during the slack season. In other words,
the order provides for a guaranteed weekly wage for part-time workers.
For years State minimum-wage administrators have tried to cope
with the problem of low wages that result from under-employment.
3
See M o n th ly L abor Review, September 1941 (p. 572): G uaranteed Living-W age Provisions of State
M inim um -W age Orders for W omen.
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State Minimum-Wage Legislation
445
Hourly minimum-wage rates, no matter how high, fail to provide
living wages for woman workers who lack the opportunity to secure a
full week’s work. It was this problem the New York wage order for
the confectionery industry was designed to_ correct, and which the
Court of Appeals recognized when in its decision it stated:
* * * It is fairly to be assumed that the legislature, bent on seeing to it that
women and minors should, so far as possible, receive subsistence wages for their
work, appreciated that no hourly rate of wages could achieve that result unless it
were multiplied by some appropriate number of hours. * * * The legislature,
driving toward its plainly marked goal, would have stopped far short of that goal
if it had provided for minimum hourly wages only. The accomplishment of its
high social purpose recpiired a grant of authority to the Labor Department to
make such orders as would in fact be directed toward providing a living wage, not
merely an hourly rate which, in most industries, would not produce a living
income, unless ordered paid for a sufficient minimum number of hours.4
The approval by so high a court as the New York Court of Appeals
of the guaranteed-weekly-wage principle is of national significance, as
it sets a precedent that may be followed by courts of other States.
Twelve States and the District of Columbia have issued wage orders
containing some type of provision for a minimum weekly wage.
Realizing how serious an adverse decision in this important case would
be to the wage orders of their own States, the attorneys general
of Illinois, Minnesota, New Hampshire, North Dakota, and Utah
joined the Attorney General of New York as amici curiae in this case.
A decision of the Supreme Court of Minnesota handed down in
December 1942 is also of interest, though of less significance than the
New York decision. The defendant in the Minnesota case contended
that the State minimum-wage law did not apply to a married woman
partly supported by her husband and intermittently employed. A
municipal court sustained the employer’s contention. The employee
involved in the case appealed to the State Supreme Court, which
reversed the lower court’s decision and held that the minimum-wage
law applies equally to married or single women fully or intermittently
employed.
Provisions of 1942 Wage Orders
A summary of the provisions of State minimum-wage orders
adopted or revised in 1942 is presented in the table following.
4 For further discussion
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ofthis case, see page 494 of this issue.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
f
y
f
j
Kentucky
Hotel and restau ran t (directory,
Oct. 1, 1942,).
W omen and minors
S e rv ic e Zone 1 10__
Zone 2 10__
Zone 3
Zone 4 10..
Nonservice—
Zone 1 10.
Zone 3 10.
Zone 4 10.
25 cents per h o u r...
37 Vi cents per hour.
23 cents per hour__.
3 4 cents per hour.
21 cents per h o u r...
31 Yi cents per hour.
20 cents per h o u r...
30 cents per h o u r...
48 per w eek_______
Over 48 per week ».
48 per w eek_______
Over 48 per week 11.
50 per w eek_______
Over 50 per week u .
52 per w eek_______
Over 52 per week ».
___ do____________
45 cents per h o u r...
28 cents per h o u r...
42 cents per h o u r...
25 cents per h o u r. _.
ZTYi cents per hour
22 cents per ho u r. _.
33 cents per ho u r. _.
48 per week 12.
40 cents per hour.
Massachusetts
C andy (directory,
1942).
Sept.
15,
W omen and minors.
B eau ty culture (directory, N ov. ------do------------------1, 1942).
Over 32 to 48 per week 12.
$18 per w eek____
32 or less per week 4___
56 cents per hour.
35 cents per hour. (D ippers, string
ers, and m iniature packers for 12
m onths; all others for 6 m onths.)
$12 per week for first 4 m onths; $15 for
second 4 m onths.
36 cents per hour for first 4 m onths;
46 cents for second 4 m onths.
N ew Hampshire
B eautician occupation (revised,
m andatory, Feb. 2, 1942).
W omen and minors:
Licensed hairdressers__________
M anicurists no t licensed hair
dressers.
Holders of tem porary perm its
issued prior to examination.
G raduate students (2 m onths
following date of tem porary
perm it or hairdresser’s license,
w hichever comes first).
Students working on custom ers..
A pprentices (1 to each estab
lishm ent) .
10 Vi per day, 54 per week 13___
___ do.13____________________
31 cents per hour.
25 cents per h o u r ...
25 cents per hour for first year.
___ do.13_____________ ____ _
25 cents per hour.
24 to 48 per week____________
Less th a n 24 per week 14_____
$9 per week.
25 cents per hour.
10\ i per day, 54 per week.
___do__________ ______ _
50 percent of service charge.
$3 per week for 3 to 6 m onths; $6, for
6 to 9 m onths; $9, for 9 to 12 m onths.
State Minimum-Wage Legislation
Zone 2 10.
48 per w eek_______
Over 48 per week 11,
48 per w eek_______
Over 48 per week ».
50 per w eek...... .......
Over 50 per week ».
52 per week_______
Over 52 per week
(No deductions except w hen a p
proved b y
Commissioner of
Labor.)
See footnotes at end of table.
447
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448
Monthly Labor Review—March 1943
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V
\
Packing fruits and vegetables
(m andatory, Sept. 7, 1942).
do
M anufacturing (m a n d a to ry ,
Sept. 7, 1942).
M ercantile (m andatory, Sept.
7, 1942).
O ccupations n o t covered by
other orders (m andatory,
Oct. 1, 1942).
do.
do.
M inors.
T
T hrough 12 per d a y _________ 40 cents per hour 21.
Over 12 per d a y _____________ Tim e and a half__
On 7th consecutive d a y ______ ___ d o ___________
8 per day, 6 days per week 35 cents per hour 22.
(m axim um ).
32)4 cents per hour.
___ d o _____________________
do
'i
25 cents per hour for first 320 hours;
32)4 cents for next 160 hours.
25 cents per hour.
Wisconsin
C anning or first processing of
perishable fresh fruits and
vegetables (special order,
m andatory, season 1942).
W omen 18 and over, boys 16 to 18___
Over 9 to 11 per day, not over
60 per week, on 12 emergency
days during season.23
Tim e and a half24.
n M axim um hours 10 a day, 60 a week.
1 In addition to the orders shown in this table th e K entucky laundry, dry cleaning, and
42 M axim um hours 9 a day, 48 a week, for w omen and m inors 16 and under 18. Over
dyeing order, and the M assachusetts restau ran t and hotel restau ran t order, both of which
tim e allowed only in extraordinary emergencies in businesses requiring shifts. If D epart
were adopted in 1941 and shown in th e M o n th ly Labor Review for M arch 1942, were made
m ent of Labor determ ines work to be seasonal, 52 hours a week m ay be allowed provided
m an d ato ry A pr. 1, 1942, and A pr. 15, 1942, respectively. The W ashington order for
yearly average not over 48. Supervisors exem pt from law.
office workers issued Oct. 30, 1941. and shown in the M arch 1942 Review became effective
43 M axim um hours for women and minors under 18. Em ployee m ust be paid at least
Jan . 1, 1942.
3 hours’ wages on any day called to work.
2 In m anufacturing other th an war industries women employed betw een 12 m idnight
44 Em ployee m u st be paid at least 3 hours’ wages on any day called to work.
and 6 a. m . m u st be paid at least 60 cents an hour. (In all cases a perm it is necessary to
43 No separate rate for learners perm itted, b u t em ployer not in violation of this order if
em ploy women during these hours.)
paying less th a n the State m inim um in accordance w ith learner certificate from Wage and
3 M axim um hours 8 a day, 48 a week.
H our Division, U. S. D epartm ent of Labor.
4 Em ployee m u st be paid a t least 4 hours’ wages on any day called to work.
3
O rder for the personal-service in d u stry provides th a t women employed between 43 M axim um hours 10 a day, 54 a week, for women and girls 16 and over.
47 For m inors under 18 m axim um hours are 8 a day, 44 a week.
10 p. m . and 6 a. m. m u st be paid at least 60 cents an hour. (In all cases a perm it is
48 If spread of hours exceeds 10, or there is more th a n one interval off d u ty (other th a n
necessary to em ploy women during these hours.)
meal period of 1 hour or less), employee m ust be paid 50 cents in addition to d a y ’s wage.
6 No person under 18 m ay be employed for more th a n 8 hours a day, 4S hours, 6 days a
49 M axim um hours 9 a day, 48 a week, for w omen and for minors 16 and u nder 18. If
w'eek, except b y perm it of In d u strial Welfare Commission. To prevent spoilage of
5-day week, 9% hours a day.
product, w omen over 18 m ay be employed more th a n 8 hours a day, 6 days a week; in no
29 One-half of the w om an and m inor piece w orkers m u st receive an average pay based
case m ay em ploym ent exceed 72 hours a week, w hich em ploym ent m ust be followed by
on this rate. All piece workers m u st receive a guaranty of 45 cents an hour.
24 hours off d u ty .
24 One-half of all piece w orkers m ust receive this rate.
7 Em ployee m u st be paid a t least 1 ho u r’s wage on any day called to work.
22 Experienced piece workers m u st be paid a rate th a t will enable a t least three-fourths
8 S tan d ard week means regularly established num ber of hours in the place of em ploy
of them to earn this rate. All piece workers m ust receive a t least 30 cents an hour.
m ent. For women and girls, m axim um hours are 48 a week, 8 a day (10 on 1 day a week,
23 D uring the canning season, m axim um hours are 9 a day, 5^ a week, except on 12
to make one shorter w orkday). Em ployee m u st be paid a t least 4 hours’ wages on any
emergency days when women 18 and over and boys 16 to 18 m ay be employed 11 hours
day called to work.
a
day,
60 hours a week. Because of the w ar emergency and scarcity of labor the emergency
9 N ot m andatory in cases of executives receiving at least $35 a week.
days have been increased from 8 to 12, the hours on those days from 10 to 11; and under
10 '/one 1.—Louisville, Shively (St. Helens), St. M atthew s, Covington, N ewport,
specified conditions the Industrial Commission m ay waive hour lim its and overtim e pay
D ay to n , Bellevue, P ark H ill, Ludlow, Bromley, F t. Thomas, Southgate, F t. M itchell,
for boys betw een 17 and 18. Before and after the canning season m axim um hours are
and W oodlawn, and 5 miles beyond th e city lim its thereof. Zone
Paducah, Owens
9 a day, 50 a week, for women, 8 a day, 40 a week, for all minors 16 to 18.
boro, A shland, C atlettsburg, Lexington, and 1 mile beyond city lim its thereof. Zone 3.—
24 P rior to 1942 the required overtim e rate was 1J4 tim es the basic hourly rates established
Bowling Green, C entral C ity, Corbin, C um berland, C ynthiana, D anville, Frankfort,
by the general m inimum -wage order.
Georgetown, Glasgow, H arlan, H errodsburg, H azard, H enderson, H opkinsville, Jenkins,
M adisonville, M ayfield, M aysville, M iddlesboro, M t. Sterling, Paris, Pikeville, Prince
ton, Providence, R ichm ond, Shelbyville, Somerset, W inchester, and 1 mile beyond
the city lim its thereof. Zone J.—T erritory no t included in Zones 1, 2, 3.
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Cai
a
Ia
era
4^
o4^
TREND OF CHILD LABOR, 1939 TO 1942
By E lla A r v illa M e r rit t , Industrial Division, U. S. Children’s Bureau
Summary
SINCE the beginning of World War II in 1939, labor in the United
States has made a remarkable adjustment to a war economy.
Increase in employment was at first somewhat slow, while production
of war materials for national defense was gradually taking up the
slack of unemployment. In June 1940, there were still 8.6 million
unemployed persons in the labor market. Between June 1940 and
June 1942, however, the number of persons in civilian employment
and in the armed forces increased from 48.1 millions to 57.1 millions.
At the end of 1942, this number had further increased by about a
million, and unemployment in the week of December 6, 1942, stood
at less than 2 millions.
Such a dislocation of the labor force has inevitably had an important
effect upon employment of children and young persons under 18.
They have been increasingly in demand, to some extent for jobs in
war plants, but to a larger extent to meet the mushrooming labor
needs of new population centers for workers in stores and service
trades, to cultivate and harvest crops, and to take the places of
thousands of older workers in varied types of employment who have
been drawn into war industries and the armed forces.
In view of this fact, it is significant that 1942, the first year of the
participation of the United States in the present war, found this
country with a much higher standard of protection for working minors
than was the case in the first World War. On April 5, 1917, when
the United States declared war against Germany, the effective date
of the first Federal child-labor law with its minimum age of 14 years
was nearly 5 months in tire future, and before tlie war was over that
law was destined to be declared unconstitutional by the United States
Supreme Court.1
During the quarter century that followed, public opinion developed
toward the idea that children should have the years up to 16, rattier
than only to 14, free for education and normal growth. In 1919 and
again in 1930, the recommendations of the White House Conferences
held in those years spoke for a basic minimum age of 16 for employ
ment. Scarcity of employment opportunities during the depression
thirties, and an increasing realization of the need for a better-trained
citizenry to meet the more and more complex social and economic
problems hastened the tendency to outlaw through State legislation
the full-time employment of children under 16.
The increasing number of children attending school beyond the
elementary grades is further evidence of this social trend. In 1920
only 32 percent of the population between 14 and 18 years of age were
enrolled in secondary schools, compared with 69 percent in 1938.
Enrollment in secondary schools increased from 2,494,676 children in
1920 to 4,799,867 in 1930, or 92 percent. In 1938, the latest year for
1 T his standard, however, was adopted b y the W ar Labor Policies B oard for insertion in all w ar contracts
450
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Trend of Child Labor
451
which figures are available, the enrollment was 6,736,939, an increase of
40 percent over 1930.2
By December 7, 1941, when Pearl Harbor was attacked by Japan,
14 States had adopted a basic 16-year-minimum age,3 and the Fair
Labor Standards Act of 1938, declared constitutional by the United
States Supreme Court February 3, 1941, set the same standard.
Though the Federal provisions apply only to the work of children and
young persons under 18 years of age in establishments producing goods
for shipment in interstate commerce, they affect most work in manu
facturing plants, because a large majority of such plants carry on an
interstate business. The basic minimum-age standard of the act—
16 years—therefore, has been of great value in preventing a large
influx of the 14- and 15-year-old workers into factory employment.
These Federal child-labor standards, administered by the Children’s
Bureau of the United States Department of Labor, have also been
closely related to employment-certificate provisions under State childlabor laws. A growing cooperative program with the State and local
agencies administering State child-labor laws has been carried on by
the Bureau since 1938. State employment and age certificates are
accepted as proof of age under the act in 44 of the 48 States, the
District of Columbia, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico; in the other 4 States—
Idaho, South Carolina, Mississippi, and Texas—Federal certificate
systems are operated with the cooperation and assistance of State and
local officials. The unprecedented increase in the number of young
workers has made very heavy demands upon already overburdened
certificate-issuing officials. The Children’s Bureau representatives
have given such assistance as has been possible in working out methods
of meeting emergencies and in so doing have helped to uphold the
administration of State child-labor laws.
Extent of Employment of young Persons Under 18 Years of Age
FEDERAL CENSUS
The latest Federal census may serve as a starting point for measuring
the present extent of employment of youth under 18. That census
showed 872,314 minors between 14 and 18 years of age employed in
the last week of March 1940—209,347 aged 14 or 15, and 662,967 aged
16 or 17. These figures, however, did not give a complete picture of
the extent of employment of boys and girls under 18 years of age, as
they did not include working children under 14 years of age. More
over, the fact that the census was taken in early spring inevitably
resulted in the omission of many children of the ages covered who are
regularly employed in agriculture. Although some commercial crops
are under cultivation as early as April 1, the majority of children who
engage in industrialized agriculture are not working at that date.
In addition to these totals of employed minors, 132,214 minors
between 14 and 18 years of age were classed as “experienced unem
ployed persons seeking work.” These two groups combined are
roughly comparable with the 1930 census totals of gainfully employed
2
U . S. Office of E ducation Bulletin, 1940, No. 2, ch. 1: Statistical Sum m ary of Education, 1937-38 (being
ch. 1 of vol. 1 of th e Biennial Survey of Education in the U nited States, 1937-38), table 13, p. 11. W ashing
ton, 1940. E stim ated population figures are used for 1938.
s Connecticut, Florida, M assachusetts, M ontana, N o rth Carolina, N ew Jersey, N ew \ ork, Ohio, P enn
sylvania, R hode Island, South Carolina, U tah, W est Virginia, a n d Wisconsin. In 1942 Louisiana also
adopted th is standard.
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Monthly Labor Review—March 1943
young persons.1 As shown in the following table, these figures indicate
a drop, in round numbers, from 2 million working minors between 14
and 18 years of age in 1930 to 1 million in 1940.
T able
1.— II brking Minors Between 14 and 18 years of Age, 1930 1 and 19402
Y ear
1930__________
1940 3____
T otal
1,910, 631
1,004, 528
14 and 15
years
431, 790
225,116
16 and 17
years
1, 478, 841
779, 412
1 IT. S. D epartm ent of Labor, C hildren’s Bureau, Publication No. 197: C hild Labor Facts and Figures,
1933 ed., p. 7. Figures compiled from C hildren in Gainful Occupations. U. S. Census 1930.
2 IT. S. Census 1941, Release Series P-16, No. 6.
3 Em ployed workers and experienced workers seeking work.
Rough estimates based on the 1940 census total for employed minors
and sample trends since 1940 indicate that by October 1942, the num
ber of minors between 14 and 18 years of age who were employed bad
climbed back to the 1930 total of 2 millions. Roughly a fourth, as
nearly as can be estimated, were in the 14- and 15-year-old group.
This total does not take into account the large influx of school children
into all types of vacation work, including agriculture, in the summer
of 1942. It is estimated, on the same basis of sample surveys, that
in July, when many school children were employed, considerably more
than 3 millions were at work.
E M P L O Y M E N T A N D A G E C E R T IF IC A T E S
Reports of employment and age certificates issued to boys and girls
between 14 and 18 years of age going to work, obtained by the Chil
dren’s Bureau from an increasing number of States and cities,5 furnish
an indication of trends from year to year in the number employed.
They do not give the total number of children and youth of these
ages employed during the periods indicated; rather they cover only
the stream of minors legally entering employment in occupations for
which certificates are required or requested during the period, and not
the number actually at work at any given time in those occupations.
Even for the flow of children and young persons between 14 and 18
years of age going to work, they do not give a complete picture.
They do not reflect illegal employment, which is on the increase.
Also, many children go to work without obtaining certificates, either
because the law does not require a certificate for the occupation they
enter or because the employer does not demand the certificate re
quired by law. Certificates are not usually required for work in
domestic service and agriculture, even for children of 14 and 15 years;
in some States most nonfactory work outside school hours and during
vacation is outside the scope of the certificate law; and a few States
have no State certificate system even for 14- and 15-year-old children.
4 Gainful workers in 1930 were persons reported as having a gainful occupation, regardless of w hether or
not they were w orking at the tim e the census was taken.
5 For previous reports on these statistics, obtained through the generous cooperation of State and city
officials, see reprints from the M o n th ly Labor Review for D ecember 1937 and Jan u ary 1940 (Serial Nos.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
453
Trend of Child Labor
For minors of 16 and 17, about half the States do not require certifi
cates, although administratively they are issued on request and are
accepted as proof of age under the Fair Labor Standards Act.
Nevertheless, though they do not tell the whole story, the figures
are large enough to be most significant as a minimum in any estimate
of the total employed. Table 2 gives the actual number of certificates
reported as issued in 1940 and in 1941. While the reports may include
some duplications,6 these are far outweighed by the large number of
young persons going to work without certificates. At the very least,
they indicate that in the year 1940 more than 250,000 minors between
14 and 18 years of age, and in 1941 more than 550,000, entered their
first full-time or part-time jobs. In 1941 alone, of the young workers
for whom exact ages were reported, there were 83,463 14- and 15year-old children and 447,005 16- and 17-year-old boys and girls
who obtained certificates for work. In the first 6 months of 1942
these young workers were joined by more than 50,000 children 14
and 15 years old and more than 275,000 young persons 16 and 17
years old. Incomplete reports for July to December 1942 already
show a total of more than 325,000 minors between 14 and 18 years
of age entering full-time or part-time employment during this 6-montli
period; about 60,000 were 14 or 15 years of age.
T a b l e 2 . — Regular and Vacation and Outside-School-Hours1 Certificates Issued for
Minors Between 14 and 18 Years, 1940 and 1941
[Areas reporting in 1940 and in 1941 no t comparable]
1940
Age
1941
Vacation
and
T ype
outside not re
school
ported
hours
All
Regular
T o tal___ ________ _______
251,932
143, 534
91,001
14 and 15 y e a r s _______ _
16 and 17 years.......................
Exact age no t reported_____
47,711
186,824
17, 397
7,595
135, 939
40,116
50,885
Vacation
and
T ype
outside not re
school
ported
hours
All
Regular
17,397
564, 695
325, 900
204, 568
17, 397
83,463
447,005
34, 227
9, 861
316,039
73, 602
130,966
34, 227
34, 227
1 See footnote 11, p. 455.
Trends in Employment
PERIOD 1929 TO 1942
According to the reports of employment and age certificates above
referred to, the employment of children 14 and 15 years of age and
16 and 17 years of age has usually risen and fallen somewhat from
year to year with the trend of general employment. This has been
the case in all years for minors of 16 and 17; for the younger group
the trend has been influenced at two periods by Nation-wide legislative
restrictions on their employment. Table 3 compares, from 1929
through 1941, the index numbers for first regular employment certifi• Some duplications m ay occur if a child gets a reissued vacation certificate as, in case of this type of
certificate, the reports received combine both first and reissued certificates; and also if a t the end of the school
vacation the child exchanges a vacation for a regular certificate perm itting work during school hours.
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Monthly Labor Review—March 1943
cates for children 14 and 15 7issued in areas in which the legal minimum
age under State law was not raised to 16, with the index of employment
in non agricultural industries.8 The usual trend for these young work
ers—of following roughly the trend of general employment—was inter
rupted in 1933 and 1934 when a 16-year minimum under the NR A
codes was in effect practically on a Nation-wide basis 9 for both intra
state and interstate industries. Removal of the code restrictions in
1935 was followed by an upward swing for employment of this younger
group, which continued until 1938, when it was checked by the slight
economic recession beginning in 1937 and continuing into the first
part of 1938. In 1939, in spite of rising employment, the number of
14- and 15-year-old children entering employment continued to drop
owing to the minimum-age standard of the Fair Labor Standards
Act—16 years—which went into effect October 24, 1938.10 This
trend was reversed, however, by the steadily increasing demand for
young workers beginning in 1940—a demand checked by the childlabor provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act only in industries
that produce goods for interstate commerce.
T a b l e 3 . — Minors Aged 14 and 15 Years Receiving First Regular Employment Certifi
cates 1929 to 1941, in Comparison With Nonagricultural Employment
C hildren 14 and 15
years of age to
w hom em ploy
m ent certificates
were issued 1
N u m b e r3
Index
(1930
= 100)
E stim ated nonagricul
tu ra l em ploym ent in
U nited States (all
ages)2
N um ber
Index
(1930
= 100)
192919301931
1932.
1933.
1934.
1935.
1936.
1937.
1938.
7,585
4,818
2,912
1,893
965
234
621
1, 577
1,667
1, 097
157.4
100.0
60.4
39.3
20.0
4.9
12.9
32.7
34.6
22.8
31,876,000
29, 727,000
26,747,000
23,713,000
23,854,000
26,150,000
27, 258,000
29,017,000
30, 552,000
28, 222,000
107.2
100.0
90.0
79.8
80.2
88.0
91.7
97.6
102.8
94.9
1939.
1940.
1941.
762
924
1,960
15.8
19.2
40.7
4 29, 757,000
4 30,992,000
4 34,409,000
100.1
104.3
115.7
1 Figures based upon reports from 16 cities w ith 100,000 or more population (1940 census) in w hich th e m ini m um age for em ploym ent was not raised to 16 during th e period 1929-41. Cities included are: A tlanta, B alti
m ore, D enver, D etroit, Fo rt W ayne, G rand R apids, Indianapolis, Knoxville, Los Angeles, Louisville,
N ashville, Omaha, South Bend, W ashington (D. C.), W ichita, and W ilm ington.
2 Source: U. S. B ureau of Labor Statistics. T h e estim ates cover all persons engaged in gainful work
outsideof agriculture, except for th e C CC , W PA , and N Y A work projects, and CW A and F E R A w ork pro
grams in 1933 and 1934. T h e estim ates presented here exclude officials, proprietors, and self-employed.
3 Figures for D etroit and G rand R apids are for 15-year-old children; law does not perm it issuance of certif
icates for 14-year-old children.
4 Revised estim ates of employees in nonagricultural establishm ents from January 1939 to December 1941.
T h e revised estim ates for th is period are not strictly comparable w ith earlier estim ates for 1929-39.
T he index num ber for the n u m b er of regular em ploym ent certificates issued for children going to work
for the first tim e is regarded as a rough index of em ploym ent of children of these ages.
8
The_ com puted index of total nonagricultural em ploym ent in the U nited States, based on estim ates by
the U nited States B ureau of L abor Statistics, is used as reflecting types of full-time w ork in w hich young
persons for w hom em ploym ent certificates are required are likely to be engaged.
2
N ational Industrial Recovery Act of 1933, 48 Stat. 195, ch. 90; Public No. 67 (73d Cong.). T he industrial
codes established under this act were effective throughout the country w ithout regard to State lines. W hen
the act was passed in 1933, a 16-year m inim um age for em ploym ent was on the statute.books of only 4 States—
M ontana, Ohio, U tah, and Wisconsin. Children for the most p art were perm itted to leave school for work at
14 years of age, if th ey had fulfilled certain requirem ents. In contrast, practically all the codes, beginning
w ith th a t for the cotton-textile in dustry, effective Ju ly 17, 1933, prohibited the em ploym ent of children
under 16, though there were a few exceptions. T he code-making power under the act was declared u n
constitutional in the Schechter case (Schechter v. United States, 55 Sup. C t. 837) on M ay 27, 1935.
10
Act of June 25, 1938, Public No. 718 (75th Cong., 3d!sess.), ch. 676. The act was passed June 25, 1938,
bu t did not go into effect u n til October.24 of th a t year.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
455
Trend of Child Labor
PERIOD 1939 TO 1941
Regular certificates.—In the area from which reports were received
for each year 1939-41, the number of first regular employment cer
tificates 11issued for 14- and 15-year-old children increased from 2,471
in 1939 to 5,312 in 1941; the corresponding numbers of 16- and 17year-old hoys and girls receiving certificates were 80,564 in 1939 and
208,694 in 1941.
Tables 4 and 5 show for each State and city reporting, the number
of children 14 and 15 years of age and the number 16 and 17 years of
age receiving regular certificates in the 3-year period, 1939-41. A gen
eral trend upward is evident in practically all places.
T able 4. — Number of First Regular Employment Certificates Issued for Minors Aged
14 and 15 Years, 1939-41
State or city
1939
1940
1941
124
A labam a
_ __
38
242
B irm ingham .. ________
8
57
41
0)
Arizona- .
_____
18
. ...
7
3
A rk a n s a s ____
19
California .
369
419
>452
94
128
Los Angeles _______ 281
San Diego ________ ___
7
11
i5
1
i1
0
San Francisco- - _
2 51
2 164
C olorado.92
2 41
D enver
_ .
81
2 152
C onnecticut __ .
3 240 3 236
278
D elaw are____. . . . ________
24
36
45
24
W ilmington
35
45
29
D istrict of C olum bia__ ____
28
69
27
Florida 4 _
_ _ 3 19
2 110
8
Georgia ____ ___ _
0
27
A tlan ta - - - - - 8
0
12
4 128
H aw aii___
___
235
32
Illin o is ____
57
145
28
29
23
Indiana . . . . . .
______
Fort Wayne_
_ _____
0
0
1
14
10
7
Indianapolis____ ____
South B en d ___________
1
0
0
21,639 2 1, 555
Iowa ____ ____
1
8
K an sas.- _______
17
0
0
1
W ichita.
- 189 2 157
K en tu ck y .
2 359
139 2 124
2 271
Louisville____ . . . _ . .
i 66
Louisiana
2 178 2 193
82
N ew Orleans
4
1
8
M aine 5 _ .
914
M aryland . . . ___ _____
289
371
B altim ore .
............
262 6 339
« 873
887
581
1,162
M assachusetts 4
113
36
' 151
Boston 4 . 7
7
B rockton 4
_ _
2
11
22
20
C am bridge 48
Fall R iver 4____ _ . _ _
26
7
18
7
5
Holyoke 4_ .
29
41
73
Lawrence 4
24
26
12
L ow ell4. _-_
34
15
8
Lynn4
_ _
12
9
8
M alden 4__ _
1
0
3
. M ed fo rd 4 __
87
139
N ew Bedford 4
112
1
4
2
N ew ton 4
9
12
9
Q uincy 4____ - - - - - - 11
22
7
Somerville 4
25
76
Springfield 4 _________
23
44
15
15
W orcester 4
State or city
1939
1940
M ichigan 5
208
D e tro it 5 - - - „
75
G rand R apids e
13
M innesota. *
54
M issouri .
K ansas C ity
32
St. Louis
-__ _
21
M ontana .
0
N ebraska 0
0
O maha,
N evada .
0
112
New H am pshire - ______ 59
M anchester. _ _______ _
N ew Je rse y 4. _ _ _ _______ 3,452
N e w a rk 4. .
394
N ew Mexico
6
N ew Y o rk .. _______ ______
28
A lbany.
0
Bingham ton
0
B u ffa lo ... - - - - - - - 0
M t. Vernon
0
0
N ew Rochelle__ _
N ew York
14
Niagara Falls
0
Rochester
0
Schenectady.
____
0
Syracuse. - . . . - . . ..
0
T ro y ____
_____
0
U tic a .. _. ___
0
Y o n k ers..
0
0
N orth Carolina .
C h a r lo tte ______ _____
0
N o rth D akota
...
0
Ohio__ - ..
.
____
C incinnati.
0
9
Cleveland ___________
D ayton _
9
6
Toledo .
. .
Y oungstown
0
O k la h o m a ... _____
.. Oklahoma C ity ______ _
0
47
T u lsa___ ______
...
Oregon ____ . ________ _
0
P o rtlan d . _ _
0
Pennsylvania__
A llentow n. .
93
0
Altoona
..
.. - ...
11
B ethlehem ..
47
Chester
3
E rie___________________
514
132
19
85
51
4
32
0
27
23
118
35
1,360
147
5
33
0
0
0
0
1
12
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
1
1941
1 266
211
28
77
62
0
38
o
28
26
i1
4 155
4 32
3
0
2
88
2
0
0
0
0
37
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
94
2
1
5
7
0
4 16
1
36
4
0
8
3
9
7
5
56
5
44
22
12
4 35
6
0
5
27
4
30
2
6
See footnotes at end of table.
11
A “ re g u la r” certificate, as th e te rm is u sed in th is rep o rt, is a certificate p e rm ittin g a m in o r to leav e
school a n d go to w o rk . A “ v a c a tio n or outside-school-hours ce rtific ate” is one p e r m ittin g a m in o r to w o rk
o n ly d u rin g v a c a tio n or o u tsid e school h o u rs d u rin g th e school te r m . I n a few S tates for c h ild re n 14 a n d 15,
a n d in a larg er n u m b e r of S ta te s for m in o rs 16 a n d 17, a reg u lar certificate is issu ed w h e th e r th e m in o r leaves
school for e m p lo y m e n t or c o n tin u e s to a tte n d school. F o r th is reason, figures for m in o rs receiv in g reg u lar
certificates in c lu d e som e m in o rs w ho do n o t leave school for w ork.
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Monthly Lahor Review—March 1943
T a b l e 4.-— Number of First Regular Employment Certificates Issued fo r Minors Aged
14 and 15 Years, 1939-41-—Continued
S tate or city
Pennsylvania—C ontinued.
H arrisb u rg .. . _
Johnstow n. _ . . . .
_
Lancaster .
_
M cK eesp o rt.. ________
P hiladelphia_______ . . .
P ittsb u rg h .
_ _
R eading____ _ _ _____
Scranton . . .
W ilkes-Barre____ _ .
Y o rk______ . _ _ . . .
Puerto Rico .
R hode Island
Providence____
South D a k o ta. . . . .
1939
1940
0
0
43
25
16
1941
0
13
262
53
322
49
i 22
28
5
327
92
0
0
'0
33
53
68
36
30
79
0
0
0
0
0
0
23
49
77
4 129
20
8
0
0
0
State or city
1939
1940
Tennessee. _____ _______
41
7
_____
Knoxville
.
N ashville.
_ .
19
U tah . . . ________________
1 14
Salt Lake C ity .
. _
0
V erm ont.. .
2
____
2 574
V irginia. .
Richm ond .
2 110
W ashington
S eattle... . . .
_______
21
W est Virginia 4
31
Wisconsin
2
M ilw au kee...
0
W voming
67
37
4
44
0
0
2 561
2 90
4
3
14
1
0
0
1941
151
82
6
30
i1
0
2 913
2 179
6
0
51
o
0
o
1 D a ta not complete for entire year.
2 Includes certificates issued for work outside school hours or during vacation.
3 Includes reissued certificates.
4 16-year minimum -wage law w ent into effect in M assachusetts in A ugust 1939, in W est Virginia in June
1939, in N ew Jersey in Septem ber 1940, and in Florida in June 1941.
5 In M aine and M ichigan 15 years is th e m inim um age for certificates.
e In 1940 and 1941 B altim ore C ity reports included B altim ore and H ow ard Counties, w hich were not in
cluded in 1939.
T a b l e 5 . — Number of Regular Employment Certificates Issued fo r Minors Aged 16 and
17 Years, 1939-41 1
State or city
1939
1940
1941
Percent of change in
1941 as compared
w ith—
1939 2
A labam a___
B irm ingham
M obile_____
A rkansas______
1,019
78
53
47
1,625
178
316
89
C alifornia_______
B erkeley____
F resno______
G lendale____
Long B ea c h ..
Los A ngeles..
O akland____
P asadena___
Sacramento _ .
San D iego__
San Francisco
San Jose____
5,043
5,853
33
123
80
98
2, 241
319
277
180
312
664
75
4 8, 727
0
0
0
0
4 3, 078
0
0
0
4 518
4 1, 289
0
233
214
7, 202
579
521
21, 634
Colorado______
D enver____
C onnecticut____
B rid g ep o rt-.
H artfo rd ___
N ew B ritain
New H av en .
W aterb u ry ..
66
214
81
49
1,958
387
298
f 264
231
583
« 126
203
187
4 3, 803
4 562
4 513
4 116
4 236
4 141
1,021
964
379
441
341
D elaw are__________
W ilm ington____
D istrict of Columbia
Florida 6__________
Georgia___________
A tla n ta __ _____
H aw aii____________
Id a h o _____________
Illinois____________
Chicago_______
302
176
1,843
20
22
1,601
1, 372
3, 031
2, 555
In d ia n a ________
E ast Chicago.
E v ansville__
Fort W ay n e..
G ary ----------H a m m o n d ...
3, 776
56
170
145
162
4,615
74
249
281
101
116
See footnotes at end of table.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
5 22
1,280
114
715
237
2, 371
5 222
1,989
125
4 3, 949
211
2, 636
332
(3)
+158.7
+325.6
1940 2
+62. 2
+ 86. 5
+116.9
193
+185. 2
+178.6
+148. 5
+143. 5
1,360
644
6, 317
5 1, 284
3,182
337
5, 635
114
9, 286
+350. 3
+265. 9
+242. 8
+90.2
+171.7
+166. 4
+148. 6
+195.6
+60.0
+169. 6
+480.0
+206. 4
11,911
+215.4
+158.1
+572.4
+247.0
0
0
______
+ 200.4
( 3)
( 3)
(3)
0
0
0
975
0
0
457
Trend of Child Labor
T a b l e 5 . — Number of Regular Employment Certificates Issued fo r Minors Aged 16 and
17 Years, 1939-41 1— Continued
S tate or city
1941
1940
1939
Percent of change in
1941 as compared
w ith—
1939 2
Indiana—C ontinued.
Indianapolis..
South B en d . .
- -
. ------------------------. . . . . . --------------
664
119
8 86
W ichita
K e ntuck y ... .
Louisville-----
----
-------------------------------------------------- -- ----- ----
N ew Orleans .
-- -------------M aine_________________________________
M ary lan d --------------------------------------------------------M assachusetts:
B o sto n 8. ___ .
------Brockton 8 __
.
------ C am bridge 8______ -- - - - - ------- ---------- Fall R iver 8 ------- . . . - -----------------------------H o ly o k e 8
-----------------Lawrence 8
.......................
...... ...
L o w ell 8
- L yn n 8 . .
-- - ----------------M a ld e n 8. . .
. ------------M ed fo rd 8
- - - - - - - New Bedford 8______________________________
N ew ton 8_ . . .
--------------------Q u in c y 8 --------------------------------------------------Som erville 8 -. . .
. . .
Springfield 8 . --------------------------------------------W o rcester8. . ----------- ------ --- ------M ichigan_______________________________________
D e tro it.. --------------------------- --- ---- -- -----_____
F lin t
G rand R apids.- ----- - - --- --- ------ _ -----H ighland Park
_ _
____
-------Jackson
. ... . . -- -L an sin g ._.---------- _ . . --- - ---------- -------Pontiac
---------------Saginaw---- ---- -- -------------------------- -------M innesota
_ __
Missouri
K ansas C ity ___ -- ------------ ------------------ St. Louis.. -------------------- ---------------------------New H am pshire
M anchester. _
_
... - .
New .Terspy n
Bayonne
Cam den
Elizabeth
--------H oboken________ _ -----------------------------------Jersey C ity
N ew ark. . . .
-_ _.
. .
.
—
Paterson
T re n to n .. ------------ -------------------------------------New York
.
.
.
. _ . . .
----A lb an y_______
------- --------------- ----------Bingham ton . . .
.. .
Buffalo_____________________________________
M t. V ernon. .
__
. . . .
New Rochelle---------- ----------- ------------------N ew York . . . . . . . .
...
------ ----Niagara Falls_______________________________
R ochester.
___
Schenectady
__________________________ Syracuse
.
---------- - -T ro y _______________________________________
U tica
- __ _
........................
Y onkers. ____________
________________
See footnotes at end of table.
512311—43------ 3
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
s 95
37
18
262
89
s 413
1,481
142
1,591
1, 322
2, 890
142
532
1.367
220
262
664
185
5 217
161
612
116
5 307
464
283
5 1,084
3, 502
9 72
1» 1,875
155
501
5 71
21
63
78
106
4 258
4 569
i
229
4 892
301
3 541
0
103
97
115
623
0
186
34,951
291
95
1, 619
119
66
23, 909
74
693
174
8 510
8 175
8341
274
1,050
76
8 363
60
70
33
17
533
414
8 439
878
117
4, 516
i 3, 527
3, 024
135
572
1, 178
228
313
517
226
5 329
139
718
113
5 434
387
360
s 1,491
5, 328
53
2, 071
159
656
8 145
62
48
56
90
344
264
651
60
304
1 , 180
308
6, 473
55
128
296
960
143
189
36, 837
370
119
1,970
128
59
24, 884
110
865
238
6 746
ó 212
5 276
268
-{-Ì89. 5
1, 922
+294. 1
469
s 499
(3)
(3)
158
79 ________
—
f—
373. 3
1, 240
+971. 9
954
« 5 i, 502
+108. 5
5 861
+133. 5
3, 458
(3)
+691.0
12, 585
7 10, 767
19402
+83.0
+517.1
+37. 5
+132. 6
+130.4
+96.1
+293. 8
+178. 7
+205. 3
+144. 6
7,069
+133.8
+183.1
402
+ 197.8
+ 149.1
+131. 6
1,325
+ / 0. /
+105.1
2,416
+222. 3
+ 211.0
709
+240. 1
+ 184. 7
891
+159. 6
+233. 5
1, 724
+170.8
501
+ 121.7
+336. 9
+ 188. 1
5 948
502
+ 211.8
+261. 2
+114. 6
1, 541
+151.8
+ 150.9
+ 157.5
291
5 1, 063
+246. 3
+ 144.9
-}-92. 7
+ 131.0
894
+242. 5
+335. 7
1,233
+223.1
5 3, 502
+134.9
+462. 3
+269. 6
19, 692
(3)
+300. 3
+262.4
7, 505
(3)
+169.1
+105. 5
1,348
(3)
—
(3)
—
—
(3)
—
(3)
(3)
+304. 4
1, 391
+48.5
392
+393. 2
3,211
+31.7
79 ________
+546. 7
+758. 5
1,966
+243. 1
4,048
—
20, 116
(3)
(3)
(3)
(3)
(3)
3, 597
(3)
(3)
+86.7
68, 782
+96.8
+71.1
+ 117.5
633
+285 3
+207. 6
366
+91. 5
+133.0
3, 772
+51.6
+63.0
194
+ 68.2
+ 88.1
111
+61.1
+67.6
40, 077
+443. 2
+265. 5
402
+178. 3
+247. 3
2, 407
+73.9
+137. 9
414
+328. 8
+193. 2
5 2, 187
+193. 9
+256.0
5 623
+37.8
+70. 3
5 470
+98.1
+93.8
531
458
Monthly Labor Review—March 1943
T a b l e 5 . — Number of Regular Employment Certificates Issued fo r Minors Aged 16 and
17 Years, 1939—41 1-—Continued
S tate or city
1939
1940
1941
P e rc e n t o ch an g e in
1941 as co m p ared
w ith —
1939 2
N o rth Carolina___
Asheville_____
C harlotte_____
D u rh am ______
G re e n sb o ro ,....
W inston-Salem.
O hio_____________
A kron________
C an to n _______
C incinnati____
C leveland_____
C olum bus_____
D ay to n _______
H am ilton_____
Lakewood_____
Springfield____
T o led o ...............
Y oungstow n__
Oklahom a________
Oklahom a C ity.
T u lsa_________
Oregon___________
P o rtlan d ______
Pennsylvania..*____
A llentow n____
A ltoona_______
B ethlehem ____
C hester_______
E rie__________
H arrisb u rg____
Johnstow n____
Lancaster_____
M cK eesport___
P h ilad e lp h ia .. .
P ittsb u rg h ____
R ea d in g ............
Scranton______
W ilkes-B arre.. .
Y o rk ...... ..........
P uerto R ico______
R hode Island_____
P a w tu c k et____
Providence____
South C arolina____
Tennessee________
K n oxville..........
M em phis_____
N ashville_____
Texas____________
U ta h _____________
Salt Lake C ity .
V erm ont_________
V irginia__________
N orfolk__ ____
R ichm ond____
W ashington______
Seattle________
W est Virginia 13___
W isconsin_________
M ilw aukee____
4,980
104
199
59
185
69
6,028
91
213
102
255
85
523
369
1,319
72 4,152
823
387
129
72
232
744
497
467
514
1,630
4, 222
945
475
109
111
208
1,042
463
10, 776
(3)
376
(3)
(3)
(3)
22,499
(8)
(3)
3,086
7,223
(3)
840
(3)
(3)
(3)
1,104
593
51
197
263
176
4 167
62
169
405
241
419
126
169
1,105
602
585
23
339
163
125
141
72
161
53
5,947
860
463
337
220
103
4 399
85
246
285
104
148
79
186
76
6,170
953
414
296
174
147
4 «348
4 15
228
1,895
309
36
93
62
1, 524
130
740
1, 768
311
29
73
120
4 399
434
63
281
51, 361
5 93
5 86
173
52
133
3, 358
1,057
4 254
115
175
5 844
5 53
3 34
122
2,903
921
202
557
422
311
406
4 121
413
142
14,074
2,188
968
437
296
344
4 600
5, 467
(3)
2, 340
3, 574
562
100
(3)
129
1,362
594
217
746
« 2,859
(3)
5 225
534
121
588
8,198
2, 750
19402
+ 1 1 6 .4
+ 7 8 .8
+ 8 8 .9
+ 7 6 .5
+ 13 4 .0
+ 8 9 .3
+ 7 1 .1
+ 11 7 .1
+ 7 6 .8
+ 4 8 .4
+ 1 9 .3
+ 6 .0
+ 2 8 .1
+ 14 7 .1
-1 4 .2
+320. 2
+ 24 2 .0
+103. 2
0
+172. 8
+149. 8
+ 6 4 .3
+ 1 5 8 .9
+ 1 4 8 .8
+ 187.9
+137. 6
+ 1 2 6 .4
+ 48. 1
+ 1 9 9 .0
+ 17 4 .3
+156. 5
+ 1 6 7 .9
+136. 7
+ 1 5 4 .4
+ 109.1
+ 2 9 .7
+ 3 4 .5
+ 23 4 .0
+122. 0
+ 8 6 .8
+ 128.1
+129. 6
+133. 8
+ 4 7 .6
+ 7 0 .1
+ 1 3 4 .0
+926. 3
+ 8 8 .6
+ 8 1 .9
' +216. 2
+ 102.1
+ 8 0 .7
+ 10 8 .1
+ 7 .5
+ 8 8 .7
+326. 3
+238. 7
+ 3 6 .9
+244. 4
+ 165.5
+110. 1
+258. 7
+ 1 6 1 .6
-j-208 7
+ 18 2 .4
198.6
+342. 1
+144. 1
+160. 2
1 T h is table includes all States reporting and all cities w ith 50,000 or more population (1940 census) rep o rt
ing 50 or more certificates in 1939, 1940, or 1941.
2 Percent no t shown where n um ber of children was less th a n 50 in 1939 or 1940 nor w herejigures were not
available or not comparable.
3 N o report because in 1941 the n u m b er of cities from which reports were requested was decreased in order
to lessen the burden on State reporting officers.
4 D a ta no t complete for entire year.
6 Includes certificates issued for w ork outside school hours and during vacation.
6 16-year-old m inimum -age law w ent into effect in Florida June 1941.
7 B altim ore city includes B altim ore and H ow ard C ounty in 1940 and 1941.
8 16-year-old mmimum -age law w ent into effect in M assachusetts A ugust 1939.
9 In 1939 reports were received for only 3 of the 5 D earborn districts.
10 Beginning in M arch 1939 th e reports included certificates issued to both 16- and 17-year-old minors.
1116-year-old minim um -age law w ent into effect in N ew Jersey Septem ber 1940.
12 Began separating regular and vacation certificates in Ju ly 1939.
13 M inim um -age law w ent into effect June 1939.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
459
Trend of Child Labor
P E R IO D
1940 T O
1942
In 1940, changes were made in the system of reporting certificates,
in order to connect it more closely with the administration of the childlabor provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act. State-wide reports,
rather than reports from individual cities, are now received from most
States, fitting into the development of plans for the State supervision
of certificate issuance—a measure vital to effective methods of such
issuance. Previously, also, reports for 16- and 17-year-old minors
had been requested only from States in which these certificates were
required by law for minors of these ages. Beginning in 1939 they have
also been received from States where these certificates are issued on
request.
A ll certificates issued .—A comparison of the rate of increase since
1940 must be based on a smaller number of reports than those pre
viously quoted (see p. 453), because not all States and cities have sent
in comparable reports for the entire period. On a comparative basis,
the number of minors between 14 and 18 years of age who obtained
certificates for full-time or part-time jobs in 1941 was more than double
the 1940 total, the increase for the 16- and 17-year-olds separately
being 132 percent, for those of 14 and 15 years, 77 percent. The
number between 14 and 18 years of age obtaining certificates in the
first 6 months of 1942 was 62 percent greater than in the corresponding
period of 1941—59 percent for the younger workers (14 and 15 years
of age) and 62 percent for the older group (16 and 17 years of age).
T a b l e 6 . — Employment Certificates Issued fo r Minors Aged 14 and 15 Years and 16 and
17 Years, 1940 and 1941 and First H a lf of 1941 and 1942 1
Age of minor, and type of certificate
Year
1940
Y ear
1941
Percent
of
change
Ja n .June
1941
JanJune
1942
P e rc e n t
of
change
M inors 16 and 17 years of age---------------------------------- 159, 910 370, 261 +131.5 160, 067 259, 963
Regular certificates----------------------------------------- 121,129 275, 749 +127. 6 121, 735 191, 449
V acation and outside-school-hours certificates. - _ 38, 781 94, 512 4-143. 7 38,332 68, 514
+62.4
+57.3
+78. 7
50, 260
5, 279
44.981
+58.5
+40. 5
+61. 0
M inors 14 and 15 years of age----------------------- --------- 37, 321
R egular certificates 2 ___
. ------ ---- - 2,957
V acation and outside-school-hours certificates------ 34, 364
65,898
5, 700
60,198
+76.6
+92.8
+75.2
31, 703
3,756
27,947
1 Based on reports from States and cities reporting for 1940 and 1941, and on reports for 6-m onths periods,
from States and cities reporting in each of these periods, For 14- and 15-year-old minors, only States are
included in which th e m inim um age was not raised during the designated period.
2 See footnote 11, page 455.
Tables 7 and 8 give examples of States and cities in which the in
crease in the numbers of certificates issued to children of 14 and 15
years and to boys and girls of 16 and 17 years has been particularly
great.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
460
Monthly Labor Review—March 1943
T a b l e 7 .— Employment Certificates Issued for Minors Aged 14 and 15 Years in Selected
States and Cities, First H a lf of 1940, 1941, and 1942
Regular and vacation- and-outside-school-hours certificates
State or city
F irst 6 m onths’of-—
1941
1940
A labam a____ . _______________ _ - _ . . .
____________ _ _ _ _
Illin o is-. _ _ In d ian a ____ _
_ _ - - ___
M ichigan____________________ ___ ____
N o rth Carolina-- - _ ________ ________
Tennessee_________ . . . _______________
V irg in ia--.
-------Baltimore, Md__
_ _ - - Boston, M ass
. .
__
D istrict of C o lu m b ia .-- ________________
Ohio, 5 cities____ _ ___________________
Philadelphia, Pa_ - - _
274
582
549
1942
505
1, 113
935
6, 926
1,300
116
338
1,431
1,004
224
2,010
924
79
260
914
668
131
629
369
Percent of increase
1941 over
1940
1,010
563
749
2,038
1,794
5,848
1,699
336
623
2, 086
1, 516
1,065
1,882
1,437
1942 over
1940
84.3
91.2
70.3
165.4
40.7
46.8
30.0
56.6
50. 3
71.0
60. 6
52.6
173.4
250.2
226.8
124.1
83.9
325. 3
139.6
128.2
126.9
713.0
199.2
289.4
In tlie last half of 1942 the numbers of boys and girls between 14
and 18 years of age going to work continued to rise rapidly. Figures
for the full 6-month period have not yet been received from many of
the States and cities reporting to the Bureau; comparisons with prior
years must therefore be made on a preliminary basis, subject to prob
able change in the final 1942 numbers. On this preliminary basis,
however, in the period July-December 1942, over 5,000 14- and 15year-old children left school for work; this was nearly four times as
many as in the same period in 1940—2 years before. Approximately
40,000—more than three times as many as in the corresponding 1940
period—took jobs during vacation or outside school hours.
In the 16- and 17-year-old group, according to these certificate
reports, more than 250,000 boys and girls took full-time or part-time
jobs in this 6-month period—4 times as many as in the corresponding
period of 1940.
T a b l e 8 . — Employment Certificates Issued for Minors Aged 16 and 17 Years in Selected
States and Cities, First H a lf of 1940, 1941, and 1942
Regular and vacation and outside-school-hours certificates
F irst 6 m onths
of 1940
First 6 m onths
of 1941
F irst 6 m onths
of 1942
Percent of
increase,
total
certificates
State or city
Vacation
V acation
V acation
1941
and
and
and
R egu outside
Regu outside
over
T
o
ta
l
T
o
ta
l
outside
T o ta l Regu
lar
lar 1 school
lar 1 school
1940
school
hours
hours
hours
A labam a__
,
C onnecticut-Georgia
- ............
Illinois____ __________
I n d i a n a ................
M ain e____
_ - M ichigan___
_ .
M issouri
_ _
N ew H am pshire - N orth C arolina_______
Oregon___ ____ - - - R hode Islan d _______ -
703
1,862
994
1,249
1,746
336
3,968
273
385
2,793
932
317
703
1,862
994
1,055
1, 746
336
1,799
272
385
1,961
109
309
1,287
9, 642
li 465
194 5, 382
4,801
1,627
2,169 18,053
1 1,466
2,189
832 8,191
823 1,625
8 2,605
1,287
9' 642
1,465
4, 207
4,801
1,627
9,470
1, 398
2,189
6, 538
302
2,440
1,982 1,982
12, 572 12, 572
3,150 3,150
1,175 8,844 6; 229
9, 393 9, 393
3,108 3,108
8, 583 21, 099 15,044
68 2, 822 2, 822
2, 724 2, 724
1,653 9; 690 7,406
1,323 6,425 2, 534
165 4, 392 , 3,993
2, 284
3, 891
399
Baltimore, M d ____
1, 151 1,151
Boston, M ass____ . . .
1,694 '914
666
666
D istrict of C olum bia . .
Ohio, 5 cities- _______ 4,126 3, 308
Philadelphia, P a ______ 2, 681 2,659
Pittsburgh, P a . _____
520
428
W orcester, M ass . . . .
441
441
4, 539
780 4,930
2,617
818 8, 459
322 6, 838
92 1, 178
1,713
4,539
3,291
2, 617
6, 065
5, 745
894
1, 713
7, 643
1,639 7,508
5, 557
2, 394 11, 503
1, 093 14, 109
284 2,882
2,018
294.4
3,012 191.0
292.9
4,916 105.0
3, 481 129. 4
934 126.5
288.4
1 See footnote 11, page 455.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
7,643
4,496
5, 557
6, 587
10, 628
1,948
2,018
2,615
6,055
1942
over
1940
83.1 181.9
417.8 575.2
47.4 216.9
330.9 608.1
175.0 438.0
384.2 825.0
355.0 431. 7
437.0 933. 7
468.6 607. 5
193.3 246.9
74. 4 589.4
721.8 1,285.5
564.0
343.2
734. 4
178.8
373.3
454.2
357.6
461
Trend of Child Labor
A few examples of increases in the entire year 1942 as compared
with 1940 are given in table 9.
T a b le 9.-—Employment Certificates Issued for Minors Aged Between 14 and 1H \ears
in Selected States and Cities in 1940 and 1942
R egular and vacation or outside-school-hours
certificates
State or city
E ntire year
1940
M inors 14 and 15 years of age:
Illinois
_____
_ __
____
M aryland
N orth Carolina,
__
Virginia
_ _ _
New Orleans, Pa
Heston M ass
-- - ________ ____ — Pittsburgh Pa
M inors 16 and 17 years of age:
C on nep.tic.il t
Indiana
_
N orth Carolina
____
Oregon
_
_
Virginia
_
_ _
Haiti more M d
- Philadelphia, P a
___
_ —
Percent of
increase
i 1942
1,558
1,984
2,179
561
193
1,306
174
4, 770
5, 774
6,144
1,934
1,215
4. 316
1,116
206.2
191.0
182.0
244.7
529.5
230.5
541.4
7, 202
4,623
9,155
'1,967
1,361
3,527
6,958
30, 220
26, 403
25, 290
18, 459
5, 753
17, 059
33, 710
319.6
471.1
176. 2
838.4
322. 7
383. 7
384.5
i Prelim inary figures.
Federal certificates of age.—In four States—Idaho, -Mississippi, South
Carolina, and Texas—a Federal system has been created to provide
employers with acceptable evidence of age under the Fair Labor
Standards Act of 1938. These systems were started with cooperation
of State and local officials, at different times between April 24, 1939,
and April 15, 1940. The certificates!issued in these States are of
interest as showing increases in employment of minors in industries
subject to the child-labor provisions of the Federal act, that is,
industries producing goods for shipment in interstate commerce.
Because the basic minimum age under the act is 16, most of these
certificates are issued for minors of 16 and 17 years; certificates are
requested also by many employers for minors 18 and 19, sometimes
merely as a precautionary measure, but at other times because the
minor is to be employed in one of the occupations found and declared
particularly hazardous under the act, for which the minimum age is 18.u
From 1940 to 1941 the number of minors 16 and 17, and 18 and 19,
years of age for whom first certificates were issued, rose from 464 to 969
in Mississippi, from 2,181 to 4,527 in South Carolina, and from 701
to 2,608 in Texas. These large increases are to a considerable extent
accounted for by the increase in defense industries in all three States
and the increase in Government contracts given to textile factories in
South Carolina.
In the first 6 months of 1942 the requests for Federal certificates
continued to rise rapidly. In these four States, almost twice as many
minors received certificates in this 6-montli period as in the whole
year 1940, the number rising from 3,991 to 6,295.
12 T he Chief of the C hildren’sB ureau is given power to find and declare occupations particularly hazard
ous or detrim ental to health or well-being of minors 16 and 17 years of age, a nd after such a finding has been
made and issued (in the form of a n order) th e m inim um age for em ploym ent m the occupation covered by
the order is 18.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
462
Monthly Labor Review—March 1943
REISSUED CERTIFICATES
In some States a child must obtain a certificate each time he gets
a new job. The number of reissued certificates, therefore, is some
indication of the extent to which these young persons change jobs.
In the first 6 months of 1942, among the 16- and 17-year-old workers,13
there was an increase over the same period in 1941 of 198 percent in
the number applying for certificates for jobs subsequent to their
first—an increase much larger than that occurring in the number
obtaining first regular certificates for work in the same periods (54
percent). In both years, the majority of the reissued certificates were
for work in manufacturing and in mercantile establishments, the
percentage for work in manufacturing increasing from 46 percent in
1941 to 53 percent in 1942. For mercantile work the corresponding
percentages were about the same in both years—22 in the 1941
period and 24 in the 1942 period.
Sex of Workers
Although a great many girls between 14 and 18 years of age are
being employed, in these ages working boys predominate. This is the
picture as shown both by employment-certificate reports 14 and by
1940 census figures.15 In 1941, of all the certificates reported (i. e.,
first regular certificates and first and reissued vacation and outsideschool-hours certificates) for 16- and 17-year-old workers, 61 percent,
and of those reported for 14- and 15-year-old workers 88 percent, were
issued to boys.
Since 1939, the percentage of boys 16 and 17 years of age as com
pared with girls has tended to increase. Figures for the States re
porting in all 3 years show that of the 16- and 17-year-old minors who
obtained first regular certificates 16 in 1941, 59 percent were boys as
compared with 56 percent in 1940 and 54 percent in 1939. Among
the corresponding group of 14- and 15-year-old minors, the proportion
of boys is larger and has increased more rapidly; it was 67 percent
in 1941, 58 percent in 1940, and 51 percent in 1939. In work during
vacation and outside school hours, many more boys than girls are
going to work; in 1940 and 1941, only about a third of the minors
of 16 and 17 and less than a tenth of those of 14 and 15 were girls.
This is a natural consequence of the fact that much of the usual
part-time and vacation employment consists of errand work, street
trades, and other jobs which traditionally have been performed by
boys.
13 C om paratively few certificates for jobs subsequent to the first were issued for 14- and 15-year-old children.
14 In the total population of these ages the num bers of boys and girls are almost equal—4,817,523 girls as
compared w ith 4,902,896 boys. Em ploym ent-certificate reports are incomplete for domestic service, where
more girls th an boys of these ages are employed, and for agriculture, where more boys th a n girls of these
ages are employed.
“
Svpensus of 1940 showed in the employed group betw een 14 and 18 years of age 226.824 girls and
645,490 boys; th a t is, 74 percent boys, and 26 percent girls.
le These certificates p erm itted the m inor to leave school and take full-time em ploym ent, b u t some of the
minors m ay m fact have continued in school and w orked only outside school hours or in vacation
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
463
Trend of Child Labor
Schooling
The school grade completed by these young people when they take
their first regular jobs marks for most of them the extent of their
formal education and school training. It is encouraging, therefore,
that these certificate reports indicate a slight rise from 1939 to 1941
in the proportion of boys and girls who have completed the eighth or
a higher grade—for boys and girls of 14 and 15 years from 63 percent
in 1939 to 66 percent in 1941, and for those of 16 and 17 an increase
in the same period of from 84 to 88 percent. Nevertheless, in 1941,
nearly a fifth (18.8 percent) of the younger children and 6 percent of
the older boys and girls had not gone farther than completion of the
sixth grade (table 10). That so large a proportion as 19 percent of
14- and 15-year-old children going to work have ended their schooling
with no more than a sixth-grade education (many of them with less),
and that even among the 16- and 17-year-olds an eighth have had less
than an eighth-grade education, are matters for concern, especially
in this war period when more and more children are leaving school
for work.
T a b l e 10.— Highest School Grade Completed by Minors Aged 14 and 15 Years and 16
and 17 Years Receiving First Regular Employment Certificates, 1939-41
Percent
N um ber
Age and highest grade completed
1939
1940
1941
3 5, 981
4 4,173
Grade completed reported- ------- ----------Grade 6 or lower 5._ - --------- ---------Grade 7.----------- ---------------------Grade 8 or higher-----------------------
2,449
510
396
1,543
3 532
3, 716
773
459
2,484
457
fi, 438
4,839
914
719
3,206
599
M inors 16 and 17 years of age 2 --------- _ ------Grade completed re p o rte d --- - - _ -------Grade 6 or lower «_____ _ _-. --------- Grade 7_______ ______ - ------ -Grade 8 or h igher.- __ ----------------- --
3 94,031
4 112, 313
3 255,706
77,119
6, 360
5,988
64, 771
16,912
89, 329
6. 460
6, 299
76, 570
22,984
206,892
12, 083
12,605
182, 204
48, 814
1939
1940
100.0
20.8
100.0
20.8
16.2
63.0
100.0
8.2
7.8
84.0
12.4
66.8
100.0
7.2
7.1
85.7
1941
100.0
18.8
14.9
66.3
100.0
5. 8
6.1
88.1
1 Includes figures based upon reports from 29 States, the D istrict of Columbia, and 39 cities in 6 other
States.
.
.
... .
i,
2 Includes figures based upon reports from 28 States, the D istrict of Columbia, and 42 cities in 9 other
States.
.
.
. . .
3 16-year minimum -age law w ent into effect in M assachusetts in A ugust 1939, and in n e s t Virginia in
June 1939.
4 16-year m inimum -age law w ent into effect in New Jersey in September 1940.
s 16-year m inimum -age law w ent into effect in Florida in Ju ly 1941.
6 Includes ungraded classes.
Industry and Occupation
Owing to incomplete reports, information as to industry and occu
pation entered by minors receiving certificates is not available for
as many States and cities as for the total number of certificates
issued. The totals shown in tables 11 and 12, therefore, are not so
large as those given in table 2 (p. 453). They are, however, repre
sentative of a large proportion of the minors of the country who
are working in manufacturing,' mechanical, transportation, and
service industries, and they show the trend. For domestic service in
private homes, for agricultural work, and to a less extent for street
trades, the picture is incomplete because in many States certificates
are not required for work in these occupations.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
464
Monthly Labor Review—March 1943
Industry and occupation figures for tfie years prior to 1940 are not
directly comparable to those for later years, because of a change in the
method of reporting. In a comparison of 1938 and 1939, the specific
effect of the child-labor provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act
is shown by a reduction in the percentage of minors 14 and 15 obtaining
regular certificates for work in manufacturing and mechanical occu
pations—from 12 percent in the former year to 7 percent in the
latter.
ALL CERTIFICATES
Children 14- and 15 years of age.-—Nearly a third of the 14- and
15-year-old workers in both 1940 and 1941 went into the various serv
ice industries. They worked as bus boys or cashiers in lunchrooms;
as “curbhops” for drive-in restaurants; as helpers and attendants in
filling stations and garages; as caddies; as pin boys in bowling alleys; as
messengers for business offices; in beauty-shops and barber shops; in
laundries. A largo and increasing proportion worked in retail or
wholesale mercantile establishments, doing delivery and errand work,
waiting on customers, working as “soda jerkers” in drug stores, and in
many miscellaneous jobs. Their numbers increased 137 percent in
1941 as compared with 1940, and 108 percent in the first 6 months of
1942 as compared with the corresponding period of 1941.
T a b l e 11.— Industry Entered hy Minors Aged 14 and 15 Years Receiving Regular and
Vacation and Outside-School-Hours Certificates in 1940 and 1941
1940
In d u stry
Total
1941
Regu
lar 1
Vaca
tion 2
Total
Regu
lar 1
V aca
tion 2
T o ta l_________ ________ _______________________
36, 449
2, 427
34,022
64, 078
4, 850
59, 228
In d u stry reported__ ______ _ ___________________
M anufacturing. _ . . . . ___
__
Publishing (i. e. newsboys)
.
__ _ . .
O th er._ _. .
_
_ .. ____ .
T ra d e __
.
..
. . . .
Personal (excluding domestic service), business,
and recreational services_______ ______ _____
Transportation, communications, and other publie u tilities_____ . . . __ ________ . . .
_______
O ther 3__ . . .
36,177
11, 294
10, 627
667
9, 495
2, 381
175
98
77
693
33, 796
11,119
10, 529
590
8,802
63, 762
14,096
12, 472
1, 624
22, 531
4,815
400
156
244
1,790
58, 947
13, 696
12, 316
1,380
20, 741
11,332
257
11,075
19,184
593
18, 591
442
3, 614
32
1, 224
410
2,390
1,127
6,824
123
1, 909
1,004
4,915
Percentage distribution
In d u stry reported_________ _____ _ _
M anufacturing______ . . .
___
Publishing (i. e. new sboys). __ ____
O ther______ ____
T rade. . . .
Personal (excluding domestic service), business, and
recreational services. .
. . .
Transportation, communication, and other public
utilities . . .
O th e r3. .
. .
100. 0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
31.2
29.4
32.9
31.2
1.7
26.0
22.1
26.3
7.3
4.1
3.2
29.1
19.6
2.5
35.3
8.3
3.2
5.1
37. 2
23.2
20.9
2.3
35.2
31.3
10.8
32.8
30.1
12.3
31.5
1. 2
10.0
1.3
51.4
1.2
1.8
7.1
2.6
10.7
39.6
1.7
8.3
1.8
1 Includes 28 States, Hawaii, and the D istrict of Colum bia and 35 cities in 4 other States.
2 Includes 27 States, Hawaii, and the_ D istrict of Columbia and 35 cities in 4 other States.
3 “ O ther” includes domestic service in private homes, agriculture, forestry and fishing, mining, construc
tion, and occupations not otherwise specified.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Trend of Child Labor
465
Newsboys made up nearly all of the 31 percent in 1940 and the
22 percent in 1941 classed as working for manufacturing industries.
With the opening up of new jobs to these younger workers, however,
the trend in their employment is away from newsboy work. The
proportion of newsboys in the whole group of 14- and 15-year-old
children has been decreasing; in 1940, 29 percent of all the 14- and
15-year-old children who received certificates were newsboys, in 1941,
20 percent, and in the first 6 months of 1942 only 10 percent.17 The
number increased very little—only 17 percent between 1940 and 1941—while the total number of children of these ages obtaining certificates
increased 77 percent. Most of these children obtained vacation and
outside-school-hours certificates or permits (sometimes in the form
of a badge), but a few—between 3 and 5 percent of the total—had
regular certificates permitting employment during school hours.
Comparatively few 14- and 15-year-old children obtain certificates
for regular factory work because, as already pointed out in discussing
the child-labor provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act, only work
in establishments that do not produce goods for shipment in inter
state commerce and a small amount of nonproductive work in inter
state factories are legal for children under 16 years of age. Moreover,
15 States have established a basic minimum age of 16 for work in
factories, at least during school hours. As a result, excluding news
boys, only a small percentage of the children of 14 and 15 who left
school for work went into work for manufacturing establishments—
3 percent in 1940 and 5 percent in 1941. The corresponding figure
for those going to work in vacation or outside school hours is 2 per
cent in both years. However, the actual number of children of these
ages going into manufacturing industries, exclusive of newsboys, in
either regular or part-time jobs, is on the increase; the number, though
small, was more than twice as large in 1941 as in 1940. In the first
6 months of 1942, as compared with the corresponding period of 1941,
a slight increase—from 5 percent to 8 percent—occurred in the per
centage of 14- and 15-year-old children taking manufacturing jobs
(exclusive of newsboys).
Many 14- and 15-year-old children are engaged in cultivating and
harvesting fruits and vegetables in industrialized agriculture, but
in most States no certificates are required for this work and their
numbers are not reflected in the certificate figures.
An increasingly smaller proportion of the 14- and 15-year-old
children are receiving certificates for work in domestic service, as
caddies, and as newsboys—types of work which in 1940 constituted
54 percent of all jobs reported as entered by children of these ages.
Only 20 percent of the children receiving certificates went into these
types of jobs in the first 6 months of 1942, as compared with 43 per
cent in the same period of 1941.
Minors 16 and 17 years oj age.—The large percentage of minors of
16 and 17 going to work who are entering manufacturing (exclusive of
newsboys, 30 percent in 1940 and 34 percent in 1941) is in direct
contrast to the situation for 14- and 15-year-old minors. Of minors
16 and 17 years of age receiving regular certificates, 37 percent in
1940 and 41 percent in 1941 went into manufacturing industries.
17 T he figure of 10 percent m ay he an understatem ent, however, because it does not take account of vacation
and outside-school-hours certificates issued in the vacation m onths after June.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
466
Monthly Lahor Review—March 1943
These proportions are somewhat overweighted by the inclusion of
States where certificates are not required for minors of 16 and 17
years under State law. In these States the greatest demand for certi
ficates is for work in factories covered by the Fair Labor Standards
Act. However, even in States where certificates are required up to
18 years of age for practically all occupations (except agriculture and
domestic service), a large proportion (more than a third) of the regular
certificates issued in 1941 to these minors was for work in factories.
Some of these young persons 16 and 17 years of age entering manu
facturing industries are in plants producing war materials; for ex
ample, in aircraft factories they are doing assembly and slieet-metal
work, in shipyards they are doing subassembly work or are working
in the sheet-metal shops, mold lofts, or machine shops, and they are
undertaking a variety of jobs in other war plants. In large numbers,
however, they are working in factories producing textiles, wearing
apparel, shoes and other leather products, electrical equipment, and
all sorts of metal products as well as various kinds of machinery.
T a b l e 12.— Industry Entered by Minors Aged 16 and 17 Years Receiving Regular and
Vacation and Outside-School-Hours Certificates in 1940 and 1941
[Includes only States and cities issuing 10 or more certificates in either year]
1940
In d u stry
Total
1941
Vaca
tion
Regular i and
outside Total
school
hours 2
T o tal______________________ - ------------------------- 148,282 3112,498
In d u stry reported_____________ ______ ________
M anufacturing___ ______ ___ _________ ___
Publishing (i. e. new sboys)___________ _ _
O ther__________________________________
Trade____ _
. ____ _ _ _________________
Personal (excluding domestic service), business,
and recreational services____ ______
___
T ransportation, communication, a n d other publie utilities. _____ ____ _ ________________
O ther 4___ _____________
________________
Vaca
tion
R egular 1 and
outside
school
hours 2
35, 784 342,157 3256,246
85,911
146, 703
47, 386
2,972
44,414
47,862
111,278
41, 267
842
40,425
30, 272
35, 425
6,119
2,130
3,989
17, 580
336,269
117, 996
2, 872
115,124
111,829
250,864
104, 201
897
103, 304
67,917
85, 405
13, 795
1,975
11,820
43,912
17,948
11, 322
6, 626
37, 267
22, 736
14, 531
11,031
22, 486
8,185
20, 232
2, 846
2,254
25,843
43, 334
19, 983
36,027
5,860
7,307
Percentage distribution
In d u stry reported__ ___________ __ . . . ________
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
M an u factu rin g .. ________________ ____________
Publishing (i. e. new sboys)__________________
O ther______________________________________
Trade________________ ________________________
Personal (excluding domestic service), business,
and recreational services_____ .
.....
T ransportation, com m unication, an d other publie utilities . - ________ . . . ________ . _
O ther 4 ____________ . . . ______________ . . . _
32.3
37.1
17.3
41.5
.3
41. 2
27.1
16. 2
2.3
13. 9
51. 4
17. 0
30.3
32.6
36.3
27. 2
11.3
49.6
35.1
.9
34.2
33.2
12. 3
10.2
18.7
11.1
9. 1
7.5
15.3
7.4
18.2
8.0
7.7
12.9
8.0
2.0
.8
6.0
6.4
14.4
6.9
8.6
1 30 States, th e D istrict of Colum bia, H aw aii, a n d 36 cities in 5 other States.
2 7 States, a n d 40 cities in 4 other States where regular certificates issued do not include vacation certificates.
3 In some States where children are not required to atten d school after reaching the age of 16, regular
certificates m ay be issued to all children applying who have the legal requirem ent w ithout regard to w hether
or not th e y are attending school. F o r this reason these figures include children working outside school
hours and during vacation.
4 “ O ther” includes domestic service (private homes)-, agriculture, forestry a nd fishery, m ining, construc
tion, and occupations not otherwise specified.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Trend of Child Labor
467
Another large group (33 percent) in both years entered mercantile
establishments—retail or wholesale, as sales clerks, errand boys, stock
boys and girls, and shipping clerks. As would be expected from the
nature of the industry, this work in stores was more frequently under
taken by the boys and girls who received vacation and outside-schoolliours certificates, and work in manufacturing more frequently by
those who obtained regular certificates; in 1941, 51 percent of the
vacation and outside-school-hours certificates and only 27 percent of
the regular certificates for minors of these ages were issued for work
in trade. The remainder of the 16- and 17-year-old workers were
widely scattered—in the personal and recreational services, as clerical
workers in banks and business offices, in domestic service in private
homes, and in the transportation and communication services.
About 6 percent in both regular and part-time work were telegraph
messengers and a few were telephone operators; those in personal and
recreational services included caddies, pin boys in bowling alleys,
ushers in moving-picture theaters, and busboys, waiters, and cashiers
in restaurants. As in the case of the younger children, large numbers
of boys and girls of 16 and 17 are employed on farms, but few obtain
certificates, because as a rule this is not required by law.
Sex of minors as related to occupation.—Of the girls 14 and 15 years
of age who obtained regular certificates in 1940, 80 percent were for
domestic service, slightly more than half for work in their own homes.
The increase in other types of employment open to girls is indicated
by a reduction to 59 percent in 1941 in the proportion going into
domestic service, and an increase from 10 percent in 1940 to 25 percent
in 1941 in the proportion going into stores. In the 16- and 17-year-old
group few States require certificates in domestic service, but even
here the percent of girls receiving regular certificates for domestic
work dropped from 26 in 1940 to 13 in 1941 and the percent for work
in stores increased.
Among the boys 16 and 17 years of age the increases occurred m
manufacturing exclusive of newsboys—from. 36 percent in 1940 to 43
percent in 1941—with a slight decrease in the percentage in work for
stores and in service industries. The proportion of boys 14 and 15,
however, increased slightly for work in stores.
FEDERAL CERTIFICATES OF AGE
As would be expected, the large majority of the minors receiving
Federal certificates of age issued by the Children’s Bureau representa
tives in the four States in which Federal systems have been started
took jobs in manufacturing establishments. These included fruit-,
vegetable-, and fish- canning factories, as well as shipyards and various
types of factories manufacturing textiles and army goods such as
tents, bags, and cots. A small proportion went to work as telegraph
messengers or for telephone companies, and in Texas a considerable
number entered plants engaged in packing fruits and vegetables. In
Idaho most of the Federal certificates were issued for work in metal
mining.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Wartime Labor Policies
'ft************************+*+**t*4*4*t****+++**t*+*****+*+*+***+*+*»*
NONDEFERABLE OCCUPATIONS FOR MEN
THE Bureau of Selective Service of the War Manpower Commission
has announced that effective April 1, 1943, certain activities and occu
pations will be “ nondeferable” regardless of dependents. This action
is intended to have the effect of speeding up transfers of men from
nonessential to essential employment and also of helping to meet the
needs of the armed services. It was taken after consultation with the
War Manpower Commission and the Management-Labor Policy
Committee. The order does not affect women; it applies only to men
who are subject to the Selective Training and Service Act.
In a memorandum addressed to local draft boards, the Bureau of
Selective Service listed about 35 occupations as “ nondeferable regard
less of the activity in which they are found,” and in about the same
number of activities, included all occupations. It was emphasized
that both of these lists were preliminary and that both would be added
to from time to time.
The local boards were instructed that, beginning April 1, they are to
reconsider the status of all registrants known to be engaged in activ
ities or occupations designated as nondeferable by the Chairman of
the War Manpower Commission. This effective date was used in
order to allow registrants in nondeferable activities and occupations
time to transfer to an occupation or activity not on the nondeferable
list. After April 1, a 30-day period for transfer will be granted to
registrants who register with the United States Employment Service
for that purpose and present evidence of such registration to their
local boards.
The boards were directed to stay within the scope of the list of non
deferable activities in making their decisions, and to consider all cases
with “ common sense.” The following grounds may be accepted as
reasonable excuses for temporary idleness or for being engaged in a
nondeferable activity or occupation: (a) Sickness of registrant or in
immediate family of registrant; (b) physical disqualifications; (c) rea
sonable vacation; (d) compelling circumstance that would not permit
the change of employment without undue hardship to the registrant
or his dependents.
The first, list of nondeferable activities and occupations, which will
be supplemented by others, was issued by the War Manpower Com
mission, February 3, and comprises chiefly occupations falling under
the heads of trade, services, and manufactures, in the luxury class.
The list follows.
468
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IN D U ST R IE S
IN
W H IC H
ALL JOBS
ARE
Wholesale and retail trade
Manufacturing
Curtains, draperies, and bedspreads
Pleating, stitching, tucking, and em
broidering
Trimmings, stamped art goods, and art
needlework
Cut, beveled, and etched glass
Cutware
Glass novelties
Mosaic glass
Stained, leaded, ornamented, and deco
rated glass
Jewelers’ fixings and materials
Jewelry
Lapidary work
Ornamental gold and silver leaf and foil
(nonindustrial)
Silverware and plated ware (nonindus
trial)
Costume jewelry and novelties
Decorative feathers, plumes, and ar
tificial flowers
Frames, mirror and picture
Greeting cards and picture post cards
Jewelry cases
Signs and advertising displays
JOBS
NONDEFERABLE
Antiques
Beer, wines, and liquors
Custom tailors and furriers
Candy, confectionery, and nuts
Florists
Jewelry
Novelties
Tobacco
Service
Automobile rental service
Dance, music, theatrical and art studios
and schools
Gambling
Interior decorating
Night clubs
Parking lots
Photographic studios
Turkish baths, massage parlors, cloth
ing rental, porter service, and socialescort services
REGARDLESS
Bar cashiers
Bar boys
Bartenders
Bath-house attendants
Beauty operators
Bellboys
Bootblacks
Bus boys
Butlers
Charmen and cleaners
Cosmeticians
Custom tailors
Custom furriers
Dancing teachers
Dish washers
Doormen and starters
Elevator operators (passenger and
freight, excluding industrial freight
elevators related to production)
Elevator starters (passenger and freight)
Errand boys (including messengers and
office boys)
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NONDEFERABLE
OF
WHERE
FOUND
Fortune tellers, including astrologers,
clairvoyants, mediums, mind readers,
palmists, etc.
Gardeners
Greens keepers
Housemen
Hairdressers
Lavatory attendants
Messengers, errand boys, office boys
Newsboys
Night-club managers and employees
Porters (other than in railway tram
service)
Private chauffeurs
Soda dispensers
Ushers
^ alg-^g
Waiters (other than in railway train
service)
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EMPLOYMENT RULES FOR LAB OR-SHORTAGE AREAS
AN ORDER issued by the War Manpower Commission on February
1, 1943, outlined a system of “hiring controls.” Under the terms of
this program, “all hiring, rehiring, solicitation, and recruitment of
workers for specified employments shall be conducted solely through
the United States Employment Service or in accordance with such
arrangements as the regional manpower director may approve.”
The order delegates to regional directors the authority to establish
hiring controls after consultation by the area director with the appro
priate area management-labor committees.
The hiring controls are to be exercised for the purpose of assisting
the War Manpower Commission in bringing about, with respect to
designated areas of manpower shortage (a) the elimination of wasteful
labor turn-over in essential activities, (b) the reduction of unnecessary
migration by encouraging the use of local labor, (c) the direction of the
flow of scarce labor to employers engaged in essential activities in
preference to other employers, and (d ) the maximum utilization of
manpower resources.
Labor-Shortage Areas
The order provides that hiring controls shall be established as soon
as practicable in. all “ critical labor-shortage areas,” which are de
scribed as areas in which the most intensive recruitment efforts have
failed to provide the manpower needed for essential activities. In
such areas all hiring is to be done through the U. S. Employment
Service, or in accordance with other approved arrangements.
Controls may also be established in an area other than a critical
labor-shortage area if found necessary for the effective prosecution
of the war in order to avert or relieve threatened shortages of manpower
needed for essential activities.
The following were designated as “ critical labor-shortage areas” :
Akron, Ohio.
Baltimore, Md.
Bath, Maine.
Beaumont, Tex.
Bridgeport, Conn.
Brunswick, Ga.
Buffalo, N. Y.
Charleston, S. C.
Cheyenne, Wyo.
Dayton, Ohio.
Detroit, Mich.
Elkton, Md.
Hampton Roads, Va.
Hartford, Conn.
Las Vegas, Nev.
Macon, Ga.
Manitowoc, Wis.
Mobile, Ala.
New Britain, Conn.
Ogden, Utah.
Panama City, Fla.
Pascagoula, Miss.
Portland, Oreg.
Portsmouth, N. H.
San Diego, Calif.
Seattle, Wash.
Somerville, N. J.
Springfield, Mass.
Sterling, 111.
Washington, D. C.
Waterbury, Conn.
Wichita, Kans.
Administration of Hiring Control
The several regional manpower directors are authorized and directed
to carry out the provisions of the order relating to hiring controls in
their respective regions. However, before putting into effect an
employment-stabilization program, including hiring controls, the area
manpower director must consult with the appropriate area manage
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471
ment-labor manpower committee. The regional directors are
authorized to delegate any or all of their authority to area manpower
directors, except the authority finally to approve employment-stabili
zation programs providing for hiring controls.
Hiring-control programs are to be varied to meet conditions in the
localities in which they apply. In general, establishments employing
fewer than 8 persons, small nonmanufacturing establishments, casual
employments, and domestic service will be excluded. Federal
employment will be covered (subject to Civil Service rules), but State
and local governments will be excluded unless they voluntarily request
coverage. Except in areas where agriculture is represented on an
area management-labor manpower committee, agricultural employ
ment will be covered only to the extent necessary to control movement
of farm workers to nonagricultural employment.
Hiring Practices
Under the rules announced by the War Manpower Commission, the
following practices are to be followed in the hiring of workers:
1. Workers shall be referred to jobs which will utilize their skills most effectively
in the war effort.
2. Priority shall be accorded to employers engaged in essential activities in the
order of the urgency of their activities, to meet labor needs that cannot be met by
efficient utilization of labor already employed.
3. A worker engaged or most recently engaged in an essential activity can be
employed only by an employer for work in another essential activity and only
then when the worker has obtained a statement of availability from his previous
employer or a designated representative of the War Manpower Commission. In
the case of the Federal Government, “employer” means the United States Civil
Service Commission.
4. The decision to hire or refer a worker shall be based on occupational qualifi
cations essential for performance of the job, and shall be made without discrimina
tion as to race, color, creed, sex, national origin, or except as required by law,
citizenship.
5. Insofar as it will not interfere with the effective prosecution of the war,
no worker shall be obliged to accept or to continue in employment which is not
suitable.
6. Insofar as it will not interfere with the effective prosecution of the war, no
employer shall be obliged to retain in his employ a worker who is incompetent to
perform the work to which he has been assigned or other suitable work offered
him by the employer, or who fails to conform to reasonable shop rules or standards
of conduct.
'* * + + * *
ESTABLISHMENT OF MINIMUM 48-HOUR WEEK
THE President, on February 9, 1943, issued Executive Order No.
9301 which established a 48-hour minimum workweek wherever the
War Manpower Commission deems it necessary, as part of “ the fullest
mobilization” of American manpower. This order is expected to
result in substantial increases in the weekly earnings of a large number
of workers. This will be the case especially in industries subject to
the Federal wage and hour law which requires payment of time and a
half for work in excess of 40 hours. The order made no change in
this law nor in union agreements requiring overtime pay.
Immediately following the issuance of the President’s order,
Chairman Paul Y. McNutt of the War Manpower Commission issued
ff statement pointing out that the purpose of the Executive order
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Monthly Labor Review—March 1943
was to make more manpower available as needed and to increase
production. In bis statement, Chairman McNutt directed the order
to be applied in 32 “ critical labor shortage areas” (see page 470).
He indicated that it would be applied to other places later. However,
it is expected that in many areas which have plentiful manpower
it may never apply.
Provisions of Executive Order
The Executive order provides that for the duration of the war, no
plants, factories, or other places of employment shall bo deemed to be
making the most effective utilization of their manpower if the mini
mum workweek is less than 48 hours. As a means of enforcement, all
departments and agencies of the Federal Government must require
their contractors to comply with the minimum work week prescribed
in the order and with the policies, directives, and regulations prescribed,
and shall promptly take such action as may bo necessary for that
purpose.
The Chairman of the War Manpower Commission is to decide all
questions arising under the order, and issue such policies, direc
tives, and regulations as he determines to be necessarv- He is author
ized to establish a minimum workweek greater or less than 48 hours
or to take other necessary action.
The order is not to be construed as superseding any Federal, State,
or local law limiting hours of work or the provisions of an individual
or collective agreement with respect to overtime pay. Neither does it
suspend or modify any law relating to payment of wages or overtime.
Statement of li ar Manpower Commission
The statement issued by Chairman McNutt directed establishments
in which the minimum workweek is less than 48 hours to stop recruiting
at once unless they can go on a 48-liour week without discharging
employees. This requirement does not apply if the employer, because
of expansion or the production, schedule, still needs more workers.
Under the directive, employers are not permitted to release workers
prior to March 31 for the purpose of attaining the 48-hour week.
If by that time, an employer has not attained a 48-liour week without
the need for releasing workers for other employment, he is required to
report to a representative of the War Manpower Commission the
number necessary to be released to attain a 48-liour week. The em
ployer will at that time present a proposed schedule for release of
workers or for further absorption within his own plant in order to
attain the 48-hour week. The area director will then authorize a
proper schedule of release or absorption in terms of the local labormarket needs.
In cases where employers have not attained a 48-hour week by
March 31, 1943, as a result of shortage of materials or other special
circumstances beyond their control, their cases will be reviewed at
that time by the area representative of the War Manpower Com
mission, and provision will be made for proper adjustments. This
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473
order is not intended to interfere with work schedules designed to
utilize workers who on account of other activities or limitations are
available for part-time work only.
Analysis of Executive Order
The War Manpower Commission has analyzed the order of the
President as well as explaining in more detail its effect on the people
of the country. A summary of this analysis follows.
Coverage.—The order does not apply at this time to everyone, but
is restricted to the 32 labor-shortage areas. However, other laborshortage areas will be added as labor shortages become acute. In
these designated areas, the order applies to all full-time employees; it
does not cover part-time workers or the self-employed.
In other areas, the Commission recommends that firms go on a
48-hour week if by doing so they can reduce their labor requirements
without having to discharge workers on their pay roll. Most war
plants in all areas are expanding their workweeks, and the Commission
suggested that nonwar plants plan similar action, in view of the drain
of their workers into the armed forces and into war industries. It was
pointed out, however, that the purpose of the President’s order is to
release workers for war work and essential jobs; mere increase of hours
that will not result in this was not intended by the order.
Overtime pay .—The order requires the payment of overtime at the
rate of time and a half only in those industries subject to the wage
and hour law. However, it does not change any collective agreement
as to the rate of overtime pay. It does, of course, abrogate labor
contracts which restrict the workweek to less than 48 hours in the
areas in which the mandatory order is applied.
Bureau of Manpower Utilization
At about the time the analysis was issued, Chairman McNutt
announced the establishment in the War Manpower Commission
of the Bureau of Manpower Utilization. This Bureau is to send
consultants into factories and offices, and to farms, to ascertain
whether manpower is being utilized effectively. The duties of these
consultants were described as follows:
1. Determining the extent to which manpower and womanpower are being
utilized, by analyzing such symptoms as absenteeism, labor turn-over, produc
tion restrictions and stoppages, low morale, performance on the job, idleness, the
use of women and the physically handicapped, etc.
2. Analyzing personnel methods as to what methods the employer is using, the
balance of an emphasis upon each method in relation to the others, their management-and-labor support, timing, etc.
3. Setting up an over-all plant program for manpower utilization based on the
studies just outlined.
4. Suggesting other WMC services available, such as placement and training,
and establishing contacts.
512311-43-
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Monthly Labor Review—March 1943
COLLECTIVE BARGAINING IN CANADIAN GOVERN
MENT PLANTS 1
THE right of workers in Government-owned companies in Canada to
join trade-unions and bargain collectively was established by orderin-council of December 1, 1942 (P. C. 10802). This extension of such
privileges to employees of Crown companies established since the out
break of war was made on the recommendation of the Minister of
Labor.
Provisions of the Industrial Disputes Investigation Act were
extended to all companies engaged in war work in November 1939.
In June 1940, by order-in-council (P. C. 2685), it was recommended
that the right to join trade-unions and bargain collectively should be
extended to their employees.
Subsequently, the Government established a number of Crown
plants engaged in various phases of war work. The status of their
employees was brought before the Minister of Labor by organized
labor groups, and he agreed that they should be accorded the same
rights as employees in privately owned plants.
Under P. C. 10802, the principles laid down in both P. C. 2685 and
the Industrial Disputes Investigation Act are made applicable to
employees of Crown companies. Thus, it is possible for employees
of Government-owned companies to apply to management for col
lective-bargaining rights, and, if necessary, they may apply to the
Department of Labor for a Board of Conciliation and Investigation
under the Industrial Disputes Investigation Act.
The Minister of Labor advised the Governor General in Council
that improvement in employer-employee relations is vital to accelera
tion of production of war supplies and munitions, and to obtaining the
full support of the war by Canadian workers.
The Crown companies covered are defined as comprising any cor
poration engaged in manufacturing war materials, the majority
of whose share capital is held by or on behalf of the King, and “any
corporation having a share capital, in respect of any plant or establish
ment or part thereof and directly controlled by an officer of the King
for a period exceeding 3 months.” Employees affected include any
person employed by a Crown company to do any skilled or unskilled
manual, clerical, or technical work.
Any such employee is free to join or continue membership in a tradeunion and to participate in the administration and lawful activities of
a trade-union. Coercion or intimidation of any kind to influence any
employee to join or abstain from joining a trade-union is prohibited.
Attempts to organize a trade-union in working hours are not author
ized. No officer, agent, or other employee of a Crown company may,
while acting on behalf of the company, participate or in any manner
interfere with the formation or operation of a trade-union. Refusal
to employ or dismiss an employee by reason of his membership in
a trade-union, or the imposition of penalties to compel an employee
to abstain from becoming or continuing to be a member of a tradeunion, is also prohibited.
I D ata are from C anadian L abor Gazette (O ttaw a), D ecember 1942.
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An officer or agent of a Crown company may negotiate a collective
agreement with the company’s employees, provided the workers enter
ing into the negotiations are the properly chosen representatives of
the trade-union to which the majority of the employees of the com
pany belong, or to which the majority of its employees in any trade
or craft which is appropriate for collective-bargaining purposes belong.
No Crown company may enter into any collective agreement any
provision of which the Minister of Labor deems will have the effect
of restricting or hampering productive output, except insofar as it is
necessary for the protection or the safety and health of employees.
Differences that may arise regarding the appropriate bargaining
agency are to be determined by the Minister of Labor, who may refer
the matter to an Industrial Disputes Inquiry Commission. Other
differences shall be settled under the provisions of the Industrial
Disputes Investigation Act.
Nothing in the new order shall be deemed to limit or restrict in any
way the operation of the Wartime Wages Control Order (P. C. 5963).
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*+++++**+**++**++4**++*+***++++**+**4ft*******************************
ANNUAL REPORT OF SECRETARY OF LABOR, 1941-42
THE experience of this war compared with that of World War I has
demonstrated more convincingly than ever that in order to maintain
maximum production, the requirements of the best Federal and State
legislation must be observed. The annual report of the Secretary of
Labor for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1942, lays stress on the
importance of prevention of accidents by machine guarding, by fire
exits, etc., proper ventilation, proper lighting facilities, proper sanita
tion, and other good physical conditions, and the necessity of reason
ably short hours of work, with meal periods.
State legislation and union contracts often prohibit work beyond 48 hours except
on penalty overtime rates which tend to discourage it. The Fair Labor Standards
Act, while permitting unlimited hours of work, tends to discourage long hours by
providing for overtime after 40 hours. The effect of this act upon our production
program has been most interesting. First, when large demands were made
upon industry for war production, employers took on new people rather than going
to the longer workweek. This had the effect of bringing millions of people into
the factories and giving them training and experience, which made rapid ex
pansion and addition of new departments possible when the Government began
to increase its demands on these industries.
As war orders began to be greater, employers moved to using overtime, paying
time and one-half for it. This had the effect of attracting from the nonwar in
dustries into the war industries exactly the extra personnel required. It also
had the effect of making a satisfactory income which undoubtedly retarded and
delayed the movement of wages upward, which was so important a part of our
efforts to mitigate inflationary trends. Although extremely long hours are worked
in many war industries, there is a growing understanding of the desirability of
maintaining a steady flow of production with reasonably short working hours.
Industrial Disputes and Their Settlement
The Secretary noted that the time lost through industrial disputes
as compared with time worked in industry decreased steadily, not
withstanding the large numbers of new persons entering industry, and
stated that at no time during the fiscal year 1941-42 was the working
time lost more than one-tentli of 1 percent of the time worked.
The Conciliation Service of the Department of Labor continues to be the key
to the prevention and settlement of controversies between employers and workers.
Not all of these controversies, of course, result in strikes, though many of them
call for the assistance of an experienced conciliator. During the fiscal year the
Conciliation Service settled 6 thousand controversies involving nearly 3% million
workers. Of all cases brought to the attention of the Service while in the threat
ened-strike or controversy stage, 94 percent were settled without any stoppage of
work. Officials of the Department acting as arbitrators made findings and awards
in 453 disputes, with the consent of labor and management. These awards were
accepted. Many of these were in vital war production.
476
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Tlie Department of Labor, the Secretary stated, has worked in close
cooperation with the War Labor Board.
It was anticipated that many more cases would be settled through the Concilia
tion Service than before the War Labor Board, and this has proved to be the fact.
There is, however, no rivalry, the War Labor Board being regarded by the con
ciliators and by the Department, and by the general public, as being the agency
to which an appeal can be taken when the processes of negotiation between the
parties with the assistance of a conciliator or a mediator have not been successful.
The Board has been obliged to develop policies as cases arose and to apply these
with such regularity as it can. The Conciliation Service merely assists the parties
in reaching an agreement, and in seeing that there is fair treatment all around.
Need of Training for Skilled W ork
The need to train men for skilled work is shown in the present situa
tion, the report states.
The need for systematic training on the job, guided by skilled workers and
employers, is as necessary today as it ever was and will continue to be in the future.
In times of labor surplus it was easy to overlook this need. Various theories as
to the displacement of skilled men by machinery also encouraged an abandonment
of systematic training. Today we are paying for our lack of foresight in employ
ment problems arising out of shortage of workers with an all-round apprentice
training. Apprenticeship and practical training in industrial occupations should
be permanent in our society. The return of men from the combat fronts unable
to continue at the front, and the long period of demobilization in the postwar
period will create a need for inducting these men into the apprenticeship and
training programs, and it is fortunate that these are being expanded at this time.
Injured soldiers must be made welcome and useful in our social effort.
Recommendati on s
The recommendations of the Secretary of Labor are as follows:
I recommend for the future the gradual growth and development of the activi
ties of the Government in the field of labor and social legislation and administra
tion along the lines sketched above.
I recommend a considerable extension and development of our social-security
program. It can be made to cover all workers. It can be developed to include
many self-employed and professional people not otherwise able to provide for the
disasters of their lives. It can be made to provide for covering a much greater
variety of social hazards and disasters for all of those covered. Labor in the
United States will always be deeply concerned with the development of that system
and to its full stature in the United States, and will always cooperate with the
Social Security Board and the Congress to that end.
I recommend after the war, but not until after the war, a consolidation in the
Department of Labor of various ministerial functions having to do with labor
matters which are now scattered through a variety of agencies of the Govern
ment. Many of these are in the emergency agencies of Government which will
not be retained after the war. Such functions of the Manpower Commission as
Employment Service, Apprenticeship, and Occupational Training should be
transferred to the Department of Labor on the break-up of that organization.
Such functions of the War Production Board as Labor Planning for Production
should be transferred to the Department of Labor. The fixing of wages and prices
should be abandoned as soon as possible and the various activities of the Govern
ment looking toward the prevention of industrial disputes or their equitable settle
ment should find their permanent home in the Department of Labor. This in
cludes the functions of the War Labor Board, the National Labor Relations Board,
and the Labor Division of the War Production Board.
I recommend such increase as possible of the ministerial duties and functions
of the Department of Labor in order that all the people of the country may have
the full services of that Department.
I recommend lodging in the Department of Labor the functions that have to
do with adult education insofar as they affect working people and the people of
the industrial communities.
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I recommend the maintenance of a strong civil service in the Department,
carefully following all the policies which develop a career service of men and
women devoted to improvement of life in America through the improvement of
the living and working conditions of all the people.
I recommend the development of a strong Working Conditions Service within
the Department of Labor on a permanent basis. This Service should have the
duty and function of establishing safe, healthy, practical, and effective physical
and social conditions for employment and work, and having some slight but
carefully guarded authority to carry out or to secure compliance with at least a
minimum of such standards. When I say carefully guarded, I mean sufficient
membership on advisory committees of employers, labor, and industrial experts
to prevent merely arbitrary action, and sufficient number of the public to be cer
tain to prevent the establishment of ways of doing things contrary to the best
interests of the community.
EMPLOYMENT IN FEDERAL EXECUTIVE SERVICE,
DECEMBER 1940--DECEMBER 1942 1
Summary
AT THE close of 1942, the executive branch of the Federal Govern
ment had in its employment 2,914,000 civilians. This was an increase
of 143 percent since December 1940—404 percent in war agencies
and 9 percent in other agencies. The greater relative increase in
employment in war agencies caused the proportion of war-agency
employment to rise from 3 out of every 10 workers in December
1940 to 5 in November 1941 and 7 in December 1942. Total em
ployment increased at the rate of 36,000 a month before our entry
into the war and 102,000 a month thereafter.
The 128,000 additional workers drawn into Federal service in the
Washington, D. C., metropolitan area during 1941 and 1942 repre
sented an increase of 82 percent. In other parts of the country the
number added was 1,587,000, or 152 percent. The relatively greater
increase in employment outside the Washington, D. C., area resulted
mainly from expansion of arsenals, navy yards, air stations, and other
military and naval field establishments. Also, other war agencies
such as the Office of Price Administration, as well as some of the older
agencies, were opening regional offices throughout the country.
As a result of expanding normal activities to wartime volume and
taking on specific war assignments, agencies such as the Justice,
Treasury, and Post Office Departments, and the Civil Service Com
mission, made sizable additions to their staffs. The Federal Works
Agency, Department of Agriculture, and Department of the Interior
showed the largest employment declines in 1941 and 1942.
Trend of Employment in War and Other Agencies
Of the 2,914,000 civilians in Federal employment in December
1942, approximately 1,280,000 were in the War Department and
560,000 in the Navy Department (table 1). Other war agencies 2
1 Prepared in the B ureau’s D ivision of C onstruction and Public E m ploym ent b y F. Lucile C hristm an.
2 Includes the W ar M anpow er Commission, and the Offices of Price A dm inistration, Em ergency M anage
m ent, Strategic Services, and Censorship, M aritim e Commission, N ational Advisory C om m ittee for Aero
nautics, and the P anam a Canal,
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Employment and Labor Conditions
employed an additional 210,000 persons, bringing employment in
these agencies and tlie War and Navy Departments to 2,049,000 or
70 percent of tlie total. Tlie rest of the agencies employed 864,500
persons in December. If the seasonal postal employees who are
included in this figure are disregarded, however, employment in these
agencies would be reduced to 782,600, or 28 percent of the total.
During 1941 and 1942 the number of Federal employees rose by
1,715,000. Employment increased consistently after January 1941,
rising at the rate of 42,000 employees a month in the prewar period,
and at the rate of 102,000 a month from December 1941 through
December 1942.
T a b l e 1.— Total Civilian Employment in Executive Branch of Federal Government1 in
War and Other Agencies, December 1940-December 1942 2
W ar ageiicies
Y ear and m onth
T otal
Total
1940:
D ecem ber____________ ____ 1941:
J a n u a ry _____________ -- - --F eb ru ary ------------------------------M arch . ------------- - ------A p ril. . .
M ay . ---------------------- - J u n e ..
.. ...
. -----J u ly -------------------------------------A u g u st_____________ _______
Septem ber____ . . ----------O c to b e r ..------------------ . . .
N ovem ber------------------------- .
D ecem ber--------- ------ ------------1942:
Jan u ary . . . . . . . ------ -- -F e b ru a ry ________ . . . . .
M arch .. . --------- . . . . . .
A pril
... .
M a y ..
. --------------- --------Ju n e.
..................................
J u ly _________________________
A u g u st.. . ---- -- ----------------. .
Septem ber____. . .
O c to b er...------------------------ . . .
N ovem ber .
D ecem ber_____ _
______ -
All other
agencies 6
W ar'D e N av y D e Other
p
a
rt
war
p artm en t 3 m ent 3
agencies 4
U,199, 282
406,996
193,845
167, 724
45,427
«792, 286
1,171,013
1,191, 740
1, 222, 326
1, 276, 908
1,333,995
1, 404,399
1,426, 662
1,482, 321
1, 523, 473
1,553, 978
1,591,799
6 1, 671, 689
428,968
448,924
473, 540
519,409
565,363
611,663
634, 560
682,178
725,341
754,729
795, 654
821,912
205,983
218, 227
232,057
262,754
298,444
328,678
337, 687
369, 363
406, 527
426, 577
449, 870
454, 593
176, 231
182, 949
193,311
201,107
211,445
222, 862
235,467
253,421
255, 264
264, 594
281, 774
302,435
46, 754
47, 748
48,172
55, 548
55,474
60,123
61,406
59,394
63, 550
63,558
64,010
64,884
742,045
742,816
748,786
757,499
768.632
792, 736
792,102
800,143
798,132
799, 249
796,145
»849, 777
1, 742,980
1, 805,489
1,921, 635
2, 053, 503
2,135, 975
2, 275,440
2, 413,180
2, 510,364
2, 591, 522
2, 699, 303
6 2, 771, 335
«2,913,874
922, 843
989, 599
1, 097,136
1, 225,941
1,298,811
1,423, 398
1, 573, 653
1, 676,931
1, 764, 736
1, 879, 660
1, 948, 642
2, 049, 403
522,404
560, 596
635, 665
721,860
770,455
847, 421
958, 892
1, 030,194
1, 096,911
1,189, 833
1, 234, 502
1, 280, 017
327, 916
350,456
376,470
401,024
416, 014
449,824
475, 696
500, 568
518, 664
531,141
547, 786
559, 590
72, 523
78, 547
85, 001
103, 057
112,342
126,153
139, 065
146,169
149,161
158, 686
166, 354
209, 796
7 820,137
815,890
824,499
827,562
837,164
852, 042
839, 527
833, 433
826, 786
819, 643
6822, 693
3 864, 471
1 Source: U. S. C ivil Service Commission except for force-account em ploym ent.
2 D ata have been revised to include certain supervisory employees of the N ational Y outh A dm inistration
and the P anam a Canal Division of the War D epartm ent om itted from previously published series.
3 Excludes employees a t secret bases.
4 Covers Office for Em ergency M anagem ent, Office of Censorship, Office of Price A dm inistration, Office
of Strategic Services, Board of Economic W arfare, W ar M anpow er Commission, M aritim e Commission,
N a tio n a l A dvisory Com m ittee for A eronautics, and the P anam a Canal.
6 Includes certain employees of the Office of Censorship, Alien Property C ustodian, and Office of G overn
m ent R eports before their shift to “ W ar agencies—other,” in M arch, A pril, and Ju ly 1942 respectively.
Em ployees of the N ational Y outh A dm inistration, the U nited States E m ploym ent Service, and certain
other employees of the Federal Security Agency who were placed under the W ar M anpow er Commission
(W ar agencies—other) by Executive order dated September 17, 1942, are included under nonw ar agencies
through N ovem ber 1942 w hen th eir transfer became effective. Coast G uard transferred from Treasury to
N avy D epartm ent N ovem ber 1, 1941.
6 Includes tem porary substitutes of the Post Office D epartm ent who were added only for the C hristm as
season. In December 1940 these employees num bered 58,083, in December 1941, 53,678, in N ovem ber 1942,
12,589, and in December 1942, 81,902.
7 Public em ploym ent offices transferred from State to Federal operation.
Of the 1,642,000 increase in war-agency employment during 1941
and 1942, the War Department accounted for 1,086,000, the Navy
Department for 392,000, and the other war agencies for 164,000.
Thus at the end of 1942 the War Department was employing more than
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
480
Monthly Labor Review—March 1943
6}{ times as many workers as at the beginning of 1941, and the Navy
Department more than 3 times as many. Although employment in
other war agencies increased to more than 4 %times the January 1941
level, a large part of the increase was the result of reorganizations
which shifted certain employees to war agencies. For example, in
December 1942 the employees of the United States Employment Serv
ice, the National Youth Administration, and certain employees in ap
prentice training and training-within-industry work were shifted from
the Federal Security Agency to the War Manpower Commission.
Except in the war agencies, there was little tendency toward expan
sion during the 2-year period, the total increase amounting to 9 per
cent. The employment by the Post Office Department of large num
bers of temporary workers at Christmas time to handle the heavy
holiday mails, and by the Agriculture and Interior Departments of
soil and crop specialists, produce inspectors, and foresters during the
summer months, established a rather marked seasonal pattern, with
sharp rises in December and June. The addition of temporary postal
employees in November 1942 to handle the heavier-than-usual Christ
mas mail with foreign destinations caused the seasonal rise to occur a
month earlier than usual.
Employment Inside and Outside the District of Columbia
The Federal Government added 128,000 workers in the Washington,
D. C., metropolitan area during 1941 and 1942. This was at the rate
of 3,900 a month in the pre-war period, December 1940-November
1941, and 6,500 a month thereafter. Of every 10 workers added
during the 2 years, 4 were employed by the War Department, 2 by the
Navy Department, and 3 by other war agencies. Only 1 of the 10
was employed outside the war agencies (table 2).
Federal employment increased much more rapidly outside the
Washington, D. C., area than inside, particularly after our entry into
the war. Outside the District the gain was 152 percent over the 2
years, as contrasted with 82 percent inside. More than three-fourths
of the total increase of 1,587,000 outside Washington occurred after
war was declared. Ninety-six of every 100 workers added outside the
District of Columbia were for war agencies—65 for the War Depart
ment, 23 for the Navy Department, and 8 for other war agencies.
In the case of the War Department, the relatively greater expansion
outside the District of Columbia was occasioned by the building and
staffing of numerous camps, air and other stations, and the addition
of large numbers of production workers in arsenals and quartermaster
depots, all situated outside Washington. In the Navy Department,
the expansion of employment took place for the most part in navy
yards, torpedo stations, air stations, ammunition depots, and ordnance
plants.
Other war agencies, mainly the Office of Price Administration and
the Selective Service System, as well as the United States Employment
Service which came under Federal operation in January 1942 and
became a war agency under the War Manpower Commission in
December 1942, were opening or expanding field offices in all sections
of the country.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
481
Employment and Labor Conditions
The decentralization of whole divisions of certain agencies, such as
the Patent Office of the Commerce Department, was reflected in the
increase in departmental employees working outside the Washington
area from 5,100 in February 1942, just before the decentralization
began, to 24,800 by the end of the year. A part of this increase was
attributable to establishments, such as the National Housing Agency,
remaining in Washington but expanding their regional activities.
T a b l e 2 . — Civilian Employment in War and Other Agencies of Federal Government
Inside and Outside District of Columbia, December 1940—December 1942 1
W ar age ncies
Y ear and m onth
T otal
Total
W ar
D ep art
m ent
N avy
D epart
m ent
Other
war
agencies
All other
agencies
In W ashington, D . C., m etropolitan area
): December____ _____________
156, 012
34, 487
13,190
18,753
2, 544
J an u a ry . . . . ________________
F ebruary. _____ ___________
M arch
...
_
_
A pril. ______ ______________
M ay ________________________
June _ . . ____ _ ____ ____
Jul v _________________________
A ugust. ___________________
September . . . . . _____ ___
October . .
. ___
N ovem ber . .
_ ....
December .
. . . . .
158, 722
161,982
167, 055
172, 950
177, 498
184,465
185,337
187, 106
192,164
194, 421
199,113
207, 740
37, 620
40, 480
43, 794
47, 654
50, 734
54.128
56, 681
57,153
61,372
64,016
68,431
72, 078
15, 095
16, 721
18,127
20, 019
21, 620
23,176
23, 747
24,713
25, 233
26,151
26, 539
28, 856
19,803
20, 600
21,887
23,121
24, 296
25, 559
26, 802
25, 804
27, 424
27, 461
29, 538
31, 064
2, 722
121,102
3,159
3, 780
4, 514
4,818
5, 393
6,132
6, 636
8, 715
10,404
12,354
12, 158
121, 502
123, 261
125, 296
126, 764
130, 337
128, 656
129, 953
130,792
130, 405
130, 682
135, 662
Jan u a ry .
F ebruary.
. ___________
M arch
..
_ __ _
A p r i l ___ _ .... ____ _______
M ay ___ _ _ ________________
June _ _
___ ______ _ _
J u l y . . _______________________
A ugust. ____________________
September
_ _ ___ _. ..
October
.
_
N ovem ber
__ _ . . . . .
December _
.
___ _
225, 651
233,107
239, 001
249, 771
256,819
269,186
274, 097
275, 536
281,452
284,173
283, 969
284, 068
87, 923
93,975
104, 246
114,220
119, 974
129,936
135,436
138, 549
145, 998
147, 529
146, 046
147,155
34,144
37, 833
40, 754
45, 590
49,125
54,450
56, 985
57, 921
63,862
64, 026
60, 887
59, 843
36, 289
38,143
40, 764
42, 668
43, 613
45, 796
45, 501
46, 073
46,815
47, 837
48, 225
47, 813
17,490
17,999
22, 728
25, 962
27, 236
29, 690
32, 950
34, 555
35, 321
35, 666
36, 934
39, 499
137,728
139,132
134, 755
135, 551
136,845
139, 250
138, 661
136, 987
135, 454
136, 644
137, 923
136, 913
121, 525
Outside W ashington, D . C., m etropolitanarea
1940: December _________ ______
1941:
Jan u ary
....
_
F eb ru ary .
.
M arch____________________ __
A pril________________________
M ay ____ __________________
June ____ _ __ _ _ . . . . . . ..
J u ly _________________________
A u g u st.. ____________________
September
October ____________________
N ovem ber.
. .
D ecember ___ _____ .. ___
1942:
Jan u ary
...
.
.
F eb ru ary ------ ---------------------M arch .______
__________
April . _________ _____ ____
M a y ..----------------------------------Ju n e ______________________ . . .
J u ly _________________________
August.
-------------------------Septem ber.__________________
October. . ______________ . . .
N ovem ber .
_ ___ _ _
December .
. . . .
1 See footnotes to table 1 .
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1,043, 270
372, 509
180, 655
148, 971
42, 883
670, 761
1, 012, 291
1, 029, 758
1,055, 271
1,103, 958
1,156,497
1,219, 934
1,241,325
1, 295, 215
1, 331, 309
1, 359, 557
1, 392, 686
1, 463, 949
391,348
408, 444
429, 746
471,755
514, 629
557, 535
577, 879
625,025
663, 969
690,7)3
727, 223
749,834
190, 888
201, 506
213,930
242, 735
276, 824
305, 502
313, 940
344, 650
381, 294
400, 426
423, 331
425, 737
156, 428
162, 349
171,424
177, 986
187,149
197, 303
208, 665
227, 617
227, 840
237,133
252, 236
271, 371
44,032
44, 589
44, 392
51, 034
50, 656
54, 730
55, 274
52, 758
54, 835
53,154
51,656
52, 726
620, 943
621, 314
625. 525
632, 203
641, 868
662, 399
663, 446
670,190
667,340
668,844
665, 463
714,115
1, 517, 329
1, 572, 382
1, 682, 634
1, 803, 732
1,879,156
2,006, 254
2,139, 083
2, 234, 828
2, 310, 070
2,415,130
2, 487, 366
2,629, 806.
834, 920
895, 624
992, 890
1, 111, 721
1,178,837
1, 293,462
1,438, 217
1, 538, 382
1, 618, 738
1, 732,131
1,802, 596
1, 902, 248
488, 260
522, 763
594,911
676, 270
721,330
792, 971
901,907
972, 273
1, 033, 049
1,125,807
1,173, 615
1, 220,174
291, 627
312, 313
335, 706
358, 356
372, 401
404, 028
430,195
454, 495
471, 849
483, 304
499, 561
511, 777
55, 033
60, 548
62, 273
77. 095
85,106
96,463
106,115
111, 614
113, 840
123, 020
129, 420
170, 297
682,409
676, 758
689, 744
692,011
700, 319
712, 792
700, 866
696, 446
691, 332
682, 999
684, 770
727, 558
482
Monthly Labor Review—March 1943
W ar Agencies Other Than W ar and Navy Departments
In December 1942 employment in war agencies other than the
War and Navy Departments totaled 210,000. From December 1940
through November 1942, employment in these agencies increased
121,000, or approximately 266 percent. With the transfer to the
War Manpower Commission in December 1942 of the National Youth
Administration, the United States Employment Service, and certain
other employees of the Federal Security Agency, the increase over
December 1940 was 164,000 or 362 percent (table 3).
The War Manpower Commission led the other establishments
with 62,600 employees; the Office of Price Administration ranked
second with 44,500; and the Office for Emergency Management and
the Panama Canal, respectively third and fourth, with 44,200 and
31,700 persons.
Over 80 percent of the total employment of these war agencies was
outside the Washington metropolitan area. This was because most
of the larger agencies require a network of offices throughout the
country in order to perform their work. Examples are the Selective
Service System, the United States Employment Service, the Office
of Price Administration, and the Office of Censorship. The larger
share of the employees of the War Production Board were inside the
District of Columbia. This was also true for the Board of Economic
Warfare and the Office of Strategic Services.
T a b l e 3 . — Civilian Employment in Selected War Agencies of Federal Executive Service,
December 1942 1
T otal
Agency
Inside
D istrict of
Columbia
Outside
D istrict of
Colum bia
- - __ ___
209, 796
39, 499
170, 297
W ar M anpow er Commission______ .
. . . . . __________ .
Selective Service S y s te m ____________ . . . .
_ . . . ..
O ther 2______________________________________________
62, 593
27, 095
35, 498
2,652
703
1,949
59, 941
26, 392
33, 549
Office for Em ergency M anagem ent___ . .
. ... ...
W ar Production B oard. _
.
.
. .. .. .
W ar Shipping A dm inistration _____
______________
Alien Pro p erty C ustodian __
_____ _____________
Other 3___ _ ___________ ____ _ . . . ................... .......
44,180
, 628
1, 707
, 118
19, 727
24, 459
14,400
647
493
8,919
19, 721
7, 228
1,060
625
10,808
Office of Price A d m inistration___
.....
__
___ . . .
B oard of Economic W arfare_______ _ . . _________________
Office of Strategic Services_______ . . ___________________
Office of C ensorship_______ _ . _ _ _______________ ____
M aritim e C om m ission..
. . . . . . __ . . . __________ . .
N ational Advisory Committee for A ero n au tics...
_ ____
Panam a C an a l... ______ _______ ___________________
44, 517
2,961
1,160
, 600
, 858
3, 254
31, 673
5,020
2,684
929
788
2,623
129
215
39, 497
277
231
11,812
4,235
3,125
31, 458
T otal
__________________
21
1
12
6
1 Source: U. S. Civil Service Commission.
2 Includes employees of the U nited States E m ploym ent Service, the N ational Y outh A dm inistration,
and certain other employees who were transferred from the Federal Security Agency to the W ar
M anpow er Commission in D ecember 1942.
3 Includes the following: the Offices of Defense T ransportation, Civilian Defense, C oordinator of InterA merican Affairs, Lend-Lease A dm inistration, Scientific Research and D evelopm ent, W ar Inform ation,
the W ar Relocation A uthority, C entral A dm inistrative Services, and the W ar Labor Board.
Employment in Selected Other Agencies
Labeling some departments as war agencies tends to minimize the
extent of war work, since practically all departments have engaged in
additional activities as a result of the war or have shifted the emphasis
of their normal activities so as to service the war agencies more
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
483
Employment and Labor Conditions
effectively. The largest increase of employment because of such
expanded activities was in the Department of Justice where 12,100
workers were added in 1941 and 1942 (table 4), The major part of
this increase was in the Federal Bureau of Investigation where the
espionage investigations were expanded and investigations under
the Selective Training and Service Act were added. The additional
duties of the Justice Department connected with alien-enemy control
are handled by a newly created War Division.
The Treasury Department, in order to meet the fiscal problems
arising from the war and to discharge its additional war duties of
control of foreign funds and of certain phases of export control, in
1941 and 1942 added 11,800 employees; while the Civil Service Com
mission, in its program of recruiting wartime personnel, added 3,400
employees. The number of pieces of mail handled by the Post Office
Department increased many times because of the war, and as a result,
regular postal employment increased approximately 19,300 persons
since December 1940. Other agencies showed the following increases:
Labor Department 1,425, Federal Communications Commission
1,030, General Accounting Office 2,650, Government Printing Office
920, and Veterans’ Administration 3,160. Although the Tennessee
Valley Authority closed the year 1942 with 16,600 more workers than
in December 1940, it employed 7,300 fewer than the peak of 42,200
in July 1942. TVA employment will continue to decrease because
material shortages have necessitated postponing construction of all
projects which cannot be completed in 1943.
Several other agencies also had reduced employment by the end
of 1942 as a result of the curtailment of certain activities which are
nonessential in wartime. During the 2 years, employment declined
10,700 in the Federal Works Agency, 5,700 in the Department of
Agriculture, and 1,670 in the Department of the Interior. The
employment decline in the Federal Works Agency was the result of
contraction of the Public Works Administration and Work Projects
Administration programs.
T a b l e 4 .— Civilian Employment in Selected Agencies in Executive Branch of Federal
Government, December 1940 and December 1942 1
December 1940
D epartm ent or agency
T otal
T r e a s u r y - - ___
__ _ _____ _-- _ ____
60,211
Justice. _ - .
----------17, 769
Post Office 2_- __________________ _ -- -„ __ 361,457
Interio r______________ ____ _ _ ___________
43,410
A griculture_________________ _ _ ______ __ 82,549
Commerce
25,304
Civil Service Commission.
. __
3,980
Federal Security Agency 3 -- _______ _____
44, 084
Federal W orks Agency- _
-- ---- ____
37,395
Inside Outside
D istrict D istrict
of Co
of Co
lum bia lum bia
18,894
5.252
5,977
4,211
12,491
15,609
2,863
9, 039
11,177
41,317
12,517
355,480
39,199
70, 058
9,695
1.117
35, 045
26,218
D ecember 1942
Total
72, 021
29,879
404,529
41, 739
76,875
26.271
7,349
30, 092
26, 647
Inside Outside
D istrict D istrict
of Co
of Co
lum bia lum bia
24,746
8,156
, 594
5,007
10, 531
12, 558
3,817
7,274
15, 378
6
47,275
21,723
397,935
36,732
, 344
13, 713
3,532
22,818
11, 269
66
1 Source: U. S. Civil Service Commission except for force-account em ploym ent.
2 D ata include the following num ber of tem porary employees to handle the holiday mails: D ecember
1940: T otal 58,083, inside the D istrict of Colum bia 1,059, a nd outside the D istrict of Colum bia 57,024. D e
cem ber 1942: Total 81,902, inside the D istrict of Colum bia 357, and outside the D istrict of Colum bia 81,545.
3 D ata for D ecember 1940 include a total of 14,938 supervisory employees of the N ational Y outh A dm inis
tra tio n o m itted from previously published data. D ata for December 1942 exclude employees who were
transferred D ecember 1 to th e W ar M anpow er Commission. In N ovem ber 1942 the Federal Security
Agency em ployed 65,349 workers—8,458 in W ashington, D . C., a n d 56,891 outside.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
484
Monthly Labor Review—March 1943
OCCUPATIONAL STATUS OF N EG RO RAILROAD
EM PLO YEES
THE Negro employees of the Pennsylvania Railroad are in 74 different
occupations, many of which require skilled and semiskilled workers.
The 16,155 Negroes employed by the company, as of September 28,
1942, represent a gain of more than 6,000 persons over its normal
number of Negro workers. According to the National Association of
Negroes in American Industry, as reported in Service (Tuskegee
Institute, Ala.) for January 1943, the railroad is thus the largest
single industrial employer of that racial group.
These Negro employees are scattered through the eastern, central,
and western regions, the New York zone, the Long Island Railroad
(a subsidiary), the system’s general offices, and its Altoona works.
The eastern region, which includes Philadelphia but excludes the
New York zone, had a total of 5,437 Negro workmen, the central
region 2,340, and the western region 2,408. The New York zone,
exclusive of the Long Island Railroad with its 548 Negro workers,
employed 2,063 of that race. The repair shops at Altoona hired 18
Negro workmen, and the dining-car department employed 3,208.
In the general offices of the company there were 133 Negroes.
Of the total number of colored employees, 154 were women, whose
occupations ranged from marine stewardesses to coach cleaners, and
included elevator operators, matrons, crossing watchwomen, and
locomotive preparers.
Male Negro workers were listed in the mechanically skilled and
semiskilled classes as well as the unskilled. Those employed in the
skilled and semiskilled classes, it is stated, had more than doubled
during recent years, beginning well before the outbreak of war.
Among the workers in these classes were 37 marine firemen, 65 tally
men, 14 machinists and 72 machinists’ helpers, 151 oilers, and 12
stationary engineers and firemen.
Indicative of the railroad’s tendency to upgrade Negro workers, it
is said, is the fact that they are represented in such skilled occupations
as electricians, painters, welders, masons and masons’ helpers, black
smith’s helpers, cranemen, and tractor, turntable, and stoker oper
ators. In the maintenance-of-way department, 12 Negro track fore
men headed units with 17 assistants, and 19 in the group acted as
machine operators.
Negro freight truckers and station baggagemen, numbering 2,012
and 317, respectively, were engaged in handling the system’s freight
and baggage. The greatest number in this group were in the eastern
region (1,197), and in the western and the central division and the
New York zone (784).
The dining-car department employed Negroes in the following
occupations: 549 chefs and cooks; 2,598 waiters and other food
attendants; and 61 attached to trains in various capacities. Alto
gether, 621 Negroes were station porters, with 14 acting as captains.
More than half (approximately 350) of the station porters were in the
New York zone and 194 were in the Philadelphia area.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
485
Employment and Labor Conditions
The occupational distribution of the Negro employees of this
company is presented in the following table:
Negro Employees of Pennsylvania Railroad, September 28, 1942, by Occupation
Occupation
All occupations
A shm en
. _ _______________ _ .
Baggagemen, statio n . __ _ - ___ _ __
B lacksm iths’ helpers________________
B oilerm akers___ _____ . . - _ ___ _
Boilermakers’ helpers.
. . . . . ____
Boiler w ashers__
. . .
Bridge and building h elpers._ ..
___
C arm en..
._
____ _ .
Carm ens’ helpers_____
. ... ... .
Chauffeurs. . . . . ____ . . ____ .. . . .
Chefs and cooks_____________________
Cleaners, car ___ . . . . . ___ . .
Cleaners, locomotive.
_. . . . . __
Cleaners, statio n . . . . _ ____ _ ___
C lerks_____________________________
Coopers__ . . . ______ _ __________
Conveyor a tte n d an ts__ . . _______
Cranem en __ _ . ____ _________ .
D eckhands_______ . . . . .
.
___
Draw bridge tenders___ . . . . __ _
E lectricians________________________
Electricians’ h e lp e rs .___ ___ . ____
E levator atten d an ts, operators. _ ___
Engineers, work equipm ent _ _ ___ .
Engineers and firemen, stationary. . .
Firem en, m a rin e ..
....
... ___
Freight truckers____ . _____________
Hostlers. .
____
.
___ .
Inspectors, cleaners.. . . . _____ .
Janitors and cleaners.. _ _____ .. .
Laborers, assigned___________________
Laborers, common, sto re s.. . . . . .
Laborers, station. . . . . . ____ . . .
Lam pm en ______ . _ ____ _ ___
Lamp-room a tte n d a n ts... _ . . . . . . . .
Loaders . ____ .
. .....
. _
Locomotive prep arers.. . . .
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
N um ber of
employees
16,155
87
317
10
18
58
30
1
40
105
20
549
421
126
330
4
3
1
2
18
4
5
3
50
5
12
2,012
32
1
37
106
324
804
56
4
9
104
156
Occupation
M achine operators .
___ .. . _.
M achinists.
___
_ ____ _ . . .
M achinists’ helpers_________________
M asons’ helpers_____________________
M atrons
..
. . . . . . ____ . . .
M aintenance-of-equipment helpers and
apprentices.. .
.
_______ __
M essengers._
_ _
. .
....
Oilers______ ______________________
P ainters’ helpers
.
...
Plum bers_____ ____________________
Plum bers’ helpers___________________
Pipefitters and helpers____ . . . _
Porter captains, station.
. . .. . ...
Porters, statio n _____________________
Porters (m arine). _ ___
....
.
Rest-room a t t e n d a n t s . . ____________
Scrap so rters.. . . . .
_ .
...
Stoker operators____________________
Store atten d an ts _.
... .. .
Stowers. . ._
. ______ . . . .
Switch tenders
.
. _ _ __
T allym en_____ ____________________
Tender repair m en. . . ____ .. .
Tender repair m en’s helpers_____ _ _
Track foremen______________________
Track foremen, assistant
_______ .
Trackm en.
. _
_ _ _ . .
.
Tractor operators___ ______________
Train a tte n d a n ts..
. . . . .
. .
T urntable operators.. _________
..
W aiters, dishwashers, kitchen h e lp ... _
W arehousem en___ __ ______________
W atchm en _____ . . . . . . . ___
W atchm en, bridge. . . . .
W atchm en, crossing .. . . . . . .
_
W atchm en, tu nnel. _ . _ .
______
W elders__________ ________________
N um ber of
employees
19
14
72
1
15
102
44
151
9
2
i
5
14
607
2
6
5
6
9
23
1
65
3
5
12
17
6,214
8
26
4
2, 598
20
12
2
192
3
2
Women in industry
t4+++*++&++***++**++*****+&*+*+-t&***+**+**+++++***+*+++++*++*•*
R EPL A C E M E N T OF M EN BY WOMEN IN NEW YORK
SERV ICE IN D U ST R IES
THE employment of women and minors in retail stores, restaurants,
and other service industries has increased in the State of New York
since the war began, and the number of men 21 years of age and over
has decreased in these industries. Three surveys recently completed
by the Division of Women in Industry and Minimum Wage of the
New York State Department of Labor indicate what is happening
to the composition of the labor force in service and trade in that
State. In one survey 855 restaurants in New York City 1which had
employed only men in the fall of 1941 were revisited. The second
survey was an analysis of minimum-wage inspection records of
over 3, 000 hotels in 10 resort counties 2 of the State which are rep
resentative of the Adirondacks, Long Island, Catskill, and Chau
tauqua resort areas. The third survey covered retail _stores and
miscellaneous services in 18 cities 3 in various parts of the State,
and included department stores, shoe stores, cleaning and dyeing
stores, drug stores, grocery stores, restaurants, and meat markets.
The following data reported from these surveys are from the In
dustrial Bulletin of the New York State Department of Labor for
November 1942.
Women in restaurants and hotels.—Sixteen percent (138) of the 855
restaurants revisited in the fall of 1942 were employing a total of 191
women and minors. The employment of men had decreased from
3,790 in 1941 to 3,682 in 1942. One chain of restaurants, which
in 1941 had no woman workers, in 1942 employed 26 women. Res
taurants of all sizes, ranging from those with only 1 or 2 employees
to those with over 25 workers, were employing women and minors.
More women and minors were employed by the 3,000 resort hotels
during the 1942 season than in 1941, notwithstanding the rationing
of gasoline. In 1942, 14,283 women and minors were working in these
hotels, as compared with 13,896 in 1941. Women and minors were
employed in 1942 in 122 hotels which in 1941 had employed none,
and in 124 new hotels which had been opened in 1942. On the other
hand, 420 hotels which had employed women and male minors
in 1941 employed none in 1942. The number of hotels subject to
minimum-wage inspection decreased from 3,272 in 1941 to 3,181
in 1942, but the hotels which employed women and minors showed
increased numbers of such employees in 1942.
1In the Boroughs of M an h attan , Brooklyn, Bronx, and Queens.
2C hatauqua, Essex, Greene, H erkim er, St. Lawrence, Saratoga, Suffolk, Sullivan, Ulster, and W arren.
3New York C ity, Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Schenectady, Bingham ton, Troy, E lm ira, Jamestown,
Poughkeepsie, M iddletow n, Glens Falls, C ortland, Oneonta, Norwich, C anandaigua, Wellsville, and
Penn Y an.
486
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
487
Women in Industry
Women in retail trade and miscellaneous services.—An even more
notable upward trend in the employment of women and minors
was revealed in the survey of retail stores and miscellaneous service
establishments. An increase of 9 percent in 1,203 stores was shown,
16,527 being employed in 1941 and 18,068 in 1942. The number of
male employees 21 years of age and over decreased from 8,622 in 1941
to 7,782 in 1942, or 10 percent. The proportion of women in the
total number of employees increased from 62 percent in 1941 to 65
percent in 1942.
All the different types of stores showed the trend from male to
female employees, but it was more marked in some than in others.
One grocery store had increased its woman employees fourfold since
1941, and in food stores more than twice as many women were em
ployed in 1942 as in 1941. Employment of women in variety stores
showed a gain of 15 percent in the year.
Women had replaced men as window trimmers, buyers, shipping
clerks, stock clerks, and porters in department stores; as sales clerks
in grocery stores, meat markets, and shoe stores; as cleaners and
ushers in movie houses; as cashiers, drug clerks, bakers, dishwashers,
checkers, and in numerous other] occupations. .Male minors were
replacing men as janitors, doormen, delivery boys, and as sales clerks
in grocery stores.
In Buffalo a 17-percent increase in the employment of women and
minors occurred between 1941 and 1942, whereas the employment of
adult males decreased 6 percent. In Syracuse, on the other hand,
there was an increase of 13 percent in the employment of women and
minors but no decrease in the number of adult males employed.
The following table shows the number of employees, by sex, in rep
resentative retail trade and service establishments in 18 cities in the
State of New York in September 1941 and 1942:
Employment in Representative Retail Trade and Service Establishments in 18 Cities in
N ew York State, September 1941 and 1942
N um ber of employees
T y p e of establishm ent
N um
ber of
estab
lish
m ents
1941
1942
Total W omen M en
All types-
_________________ 1,203
Clothing and departm ent stores.
5- and 10-cent variety stores__
Food stores_____________
D rug stores________ _______
R estauran ts. . _
______
Cleaning and dyeing _______
T h e a te r s ._____ _______ __
All other. . . .
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
152
11
618
94
82
65
58
120
M ale
minors
25,149
15, 505
8, 622 1,022
14, 037
2, 264
4,035
937
1, 740
640
1,164
332
10, 927
1, 790
439
359
1,135
373
261
2,864
370
3, 294
510
557
250
221
668
109
246
104
302
68
48
17
235
2
Total W omen M en
M ale
minors
25,850
16,832
7,782
1,236
14, 242
2,473
4, 069
955
1,965
665
1,168
313
11,179
2,056
883
443
1, 347
432
278
214
2,743
285
2, 813
427
547
213
657
97
320
132
373
85
71
20
2
233
488
Monthly Labor Review—March 1943
ENROLLMENT CAMPAIGNS FOR WOMAN WORKERS,
1942
THE increasing need for more workers in industry because of war
pressure lias focused attention on the use of women to supply this
need. In many areas where a shortage of male workers exists or
is anticipated, large numbers of men from outside the area are filling
the demand. It is realized, however, that the use of local labor
reserves would save the time of transferring and placing these workers,
and would not create housing, transportation, and other community
problems. If women in such localities can be persuaded to enter
industry in sufficient numbers when needed, the demand for addi
tional workers can be met.
As the need for such workers is not general in all areas, several
campaigns to enroll all the women available for work in sections
where shortage of workers is acute have been initiated, and other
campaigns are being recommended as critical situations arise.1
The first drives to enroll woman workers were on a State-wide
basis, and were conducted by the Employment Service with the
close cooperation of the local women’s defense organizations.
Oregon’s campaign, in February 1942, was for the express purpose
of procuring women to take the places of men in nonessential indus
tries as the latter went into war work. The Connecticut campaign,
in May 1942, was stated to be for the purpose of supplying a pool of
potential workers for future needs. In Oregon 302,000 women, or
79 percent of the women over 18 years, enrolled. Few of the enrollees desired factory or agricultural work. A third of them, how
ever, were willing to help during a harvest emergency. In Con
necticut only a small proportion of the expected number enrolled.
Half of the woman enrollees wanted factory work, and many preferred
clerical or other work; only a few wanted farm work.
Campaigns to recruit local labor were held in Seattle and Akron
last summer, to relieve pressing labor and housing shortages, and
second campaigns were planned. In Akron both men and women
were registered, and an attempt was made to combine a housing
investigation with a survey of available workers. The results of
the survey indicated that 19,000 residents could be secured for work.
When contacted, however, only a third of those who had originally
stated they were available were still interested in work opportunities.
The Detroit campaign was the most carefully planned and the
most successful thus far held. Faced with a shortage of 170,000
workers before November 1943 unless large numbers of women not
usually in the labor force could be recruited, the local agencies of
the War Production Board and the Employment Service, together
with representatives of employers, made plans for an enrollment
campaign in August 1942, as it was estimated that labor reserves
would be exhausted by the end of that month. The six major
employers’ organizations and the two largest organized labor groups
supported the drive.
1 W ar M anpow er Commission. B ureau of Program Planning and Review. T he L abor M arket,
N ovem ber-D ecem ber 1942, p. 11.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Women in Industry
489
The registration forms, 650,000 in number, were distributed through
the postal service to every household in Wayne County and adjacent
urban sections, to be returned by mail to the United States Employ
ment Service in Detroit. Civilian defense workers conducted a
house-to-house follow-up campaign, and employers were urged to
hire these available registered women.
Three-fourths of the 266,000 women who idled out and returned
the questionnaires were not wage workers, and 142,000 of this group
signified that they were available for work. Analysis of a very large
sample indicated that 121,000, or 62 percent, of the unemployed
women wanted factory work, 30 percent of them having had some
experience in such work. It has been found that not all of the
women who report that they are available for employment will
actually accept it. Nevertheless, labor migration to the area will
be decreased considerably by this large number of available woman
workers.
Between September 15 and October 15, at least 12,000 women
entered Detroit war industries. This was 80 percent of the net
increase in employment in the month. One of the results of the
campaign was that training courses were, to a large extent, being
filled by women. By late November, 4,000 women had been referred
by the Employment Service to vocational training, and the reserve
of prospective woman trainees was considered ample for practically
all of the industrial needs of Detroit.
Similar enrollment drives were held in New Bedford, North Adams,
and Greenfield, Mass., in September and October 1942, and in
these areas, as in other parts of New England, larger numbers of
women are entering employment than ever before. Relaxation of em
ployers’ requirements and unskilled entrance wage rates as high for
women as for men in similar work have aided in procuring sufficient
available women.
In Rochester, N. Y., in Dayton, Ohio, and in the Spring-fieldHolyoke-Northampton section of Massachusetts—areas of critical
labor shortage—registration campaigns were held in November, and
preliminary reports indicated that a large proportion of the poten
tial woman workers were willing to enter the labor market.
A campaign was also scheduled to be held in the Territory of
Hawaii in November. This enrollment, compulsory for all women
in the Territory over 16 years of age was under military regulations,
as its purpose "was to afford necessary information for the Office of
the Military Governor and the Office of Civilian Defense, as well as
occupational information for placement purposes. It was estimated
that 3,000 women could be placed immediately, and recruitment and
placement of women were to be expedited as soon as registration
forms were received.
Policy for Future Campaigns
The results of the foregoing campaigns indicate the problems
inherent in efforts to induce women to enter the labor market. „De
terrents such as the rising earnings of male members of the family,
inexperience, young children, fears of the effect on the husband’s
draft status, prejudice against factory work, and the refusal of many
5123 1 1 — 43-------5
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
490
Monthly Labor Review—March 1943
working men and some unions to accept women, will have to be over
come. Vocational training courses, adequate child-care programs,
clarification of Selective Service p o l i c y , and the acceptance of the
principle of equal pay for equal work, will solve some of the problems.
The experience gained in these campaigns has been drawn upon by
the War Manpower Commission in formulating policies to govern
the enrollment of women for war work. The conclusion was reached
that any scheme for recruiting potential woman workers should be
part of a general program for the effective use of all workers in the
local area. Qualified workers in essential industries should be used
in jobs utilizing their highest skills, and all the unemployed, including
minority groups, should be used. The less-essential industries should
be drawn upon for workers needed in war industries, and older, parttime, alien, and woman workers should be substituted.
The enrollment of women, it was also found, should be done locally,
and only when the need in the local area is clearly evident. Emphasis
is laid on the proper timing of recruiting campaigns, whether the
recruiting he by an intensive educational program as to the need or
by an enrollment campaign. In either case the plan should be
inaugurated in time for the completion of interviewing or training of
the women before they are needed, and yet so near the time for hiring
that the enthusiasm aroused for utmost participation in the war
effort will not have waned. In an enrollment campaign, especially,
precise timing is essential, as the availability status of women is
constantly changing and even a short period of delay may destroy the
validity of the information.
In issuing plans for the voluntary mobilization of women, upon the
recommendation of the Women’s Advisory Committee, the Chair
man of the Commission pointed out that in those areas where recruit
ment is needed, no enrollment of women will take place until—
1. Measures to control migration of outside workers into the area and to
prevent pirating of workers are in effect.
2. Effective use is being made of war production workers already employed
3. Local labor demand cannot be met by full use of the unemployed, transfer
from less- to more-essential jobs, and direct recruitment of women on individual
basis through educational campaigns.
4. A sufficient- local reservoir of women is available to justify the enrollment
5. Employers have analyzed jobs available to women and have made reports to
the local Employment Service office, showing the number of women to be hired
the jobs for which they will be hired, the approximate hiring schedule, and thé
amount of preemployment training required.
6. Employers have agreed to hire the women recruited by the enrollment so
that a substantia] number will be placed immediately.
7. Management and labor support the recruitment plan.
The regional manpower directors will be responsible for conducting
all recruitment activities in every area to correspond with specific
employer agreements to hire women. These agreements will detail
the number of women to be hired, when they will be hired, and in
what occupations. Local manpower officials will also take steps to
expand training facilities for the kind of training and the number of
trainees needed in the area. On-the-job training for woman workers
upgrading training for woman foremen and supervisors, and technical
training, will be included.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Labor Laws and Court Decisions
COURT DECISIONS OF INTEREST TO LABOR1
NUMEROUS court decisions affecting labor have been made during
the past few months. The cases covered in this article represent a
selection of significant decisions believed to be of especial interest.
No attempt has been made to reflect all recent judicial developments
in the field of labor law nor to indicate the effect of particular decisions
in jurisdictions in which contrary results may be reached based upon
local statutory provisions, the effect of local precedents, or a different
approach by the courts to the issue presented.
Wage and Hour Decisions
APPLICABILITY OF FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT
Baker employed by timber company .—In a recent case (Consolidated
Timber Co. v. Womack, 132 Fed. (2d) 101, Dec. 7, 1942) the United
States Circuit Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit held that the
company’s employees engaged in the preparation of meals at the
company cookhouses were engaged in a “process or occupation neces
sary to the production” of timber for interstate commerce and were
therefore within the scope of the Fair Labor Standards Act. At one
cookhouse operated by the company, primarily for the convenience of
its logging crews and the employees of its contractors, meals were also
served to the general public. Meals served to the public and to em
ployees of the company’s contractors were paid for in cash; those
served to the company’s employees were charged for at a rate 10 per
cent less than was charged to cash customers and were paid for by
deductions from wages. The greater proportion of the company’s
employees took their meals at places other than the company’s cook
house. Another cookhouse operated by the company, about 10 miles
away, was patronized by substantially all the company’s employees in
the locality, it being the only practicable eating facility in the neighbor
hood. This cookhouse was also patronized by employees of the
company’s contractors and, occasionally, by members of the general
public. Meals were paid for in the same manner as at the first cook
house.
In its decision the court pointed out that the employees at these
cookhouses “were actually assisting the work of the loggers by keeping
their board close to their place of work, thus rendering it easier (per
haps, even, possible) for Consolidated to maintain a proper organization
of its loggers and forwarding their work by furnishing the food whereby
the men were given the strength to pursue their labors.”
i Prepared b y the Office of the Solicitor, D epartm ent of Labor.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
491
492
Monthly Lahor Review—March 1943
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit reached
a result contrary to the above in a suit for overtime wages instituted
by an employee against a partnership engaged in the business of pro
viding meals and lodging for maintenance-of-way employees of rail
road companies. (.McLeod v. Threlkeld, 131 Fed. (2d) 880, Dec. 9,
1942.) The meals were served and sleeping accommodations furnished
in railroad cars operating on railroad tracks, under contractual arrange
ment with a railroad. The service was paid for by deductions from
wages. As the employee could not claim that he was engaged in
production for commerce, he sought to show that he was “engaged in
commerce” and, therefore, within the coverage of the Fair Labor
Standards Act.
The court distinguished the above situation from that involved in
a leading case under the Federal Employer’s Liability A c t2 in which
recovery had been allowed, on the theory that in that case the de
cision was based upon the grounds that the commissary had been
operated, not by a contractor but by the railroad itself, and that the
employee there involved moved from place to place as a member of a
railroad gang. The court concluded that the plaintiff’s activities in
the present case were purely local in character and that he was not
engaged in commerce.
Employees of detective agency furnishing watchmen’s services.—The
recent case of Walling v. Sondock (132 Fed. (2d) 77, Dec. 12, 1942)
places additional emphasis on the rule that the application of the
Fair Labor Standards Act is governed by the duties of an employee
and not by the nature of the employer’s business. The defendants
operated a detective agency, providing watchmen for companies en
gaged in producing goods for interstate commerce. Holding that the
watchmen were necessary to the production of goods by such compa
nies, irrespective of the character of the employers’ business, the
Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals concluded that the defendants were
subject to the act. The court, relying on the decision in Kirschbaurn Co. v. Walling (316 U. S. 517), also rejected the defendants’
thesis that they were engaged in rendering a service, and that they
were, therefore, exempt as a service establishment under section 13
(a) (2) of the act.
Employees maintaining and operating toll road and drawbridge
.—
In reversing the decision of the Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit,
in the case of Overstreet v. North Shore Corp. (63 Sup. Ct. 494, Feb. 1,
1943) the Supreme Court of the United States held that the FailLabor Standards Act applied to employees of a corporation owning
and operating a toll road and drawbridge which connects an interstate
arterial highway with an island off the coast of Florida. The draw
bridge spanned a creek which is part of the Intracoastal Waterway.
The employees involved maintained and repaired the road and draw
bridge, operated the drawbridge, and sold and collected toll tickets for
the use of the road and bridge. It was alleged that the company had
failed to pay the minimum and overtime wages required by the act.
The corporation claimed that its employees were not “engaged in
commerce” but in activities traditionally local in character and not
within the scope of the act. The Court found that the road and bridge
are instrumentalities of interstate commerce and, in the language
2
Pedersen v. Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad, 229 U . S. 146.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Labor Laws and Court Decisions
493
of the Pedersen case, previously noted, “the work of keeping such
instrumentalities in a proper state of repair * * * is so closely
related to such commerce as to be in practice and in legal contempla
tion a part of it.” In connection with the application, as precedents,
of decisions involving the Federal Employers’ Liability Act, the Court
observed that vehicular roads and bridges, “are as indispensable to
the interstate movement of persons and goods as railroad tracks and
bridges are to interstate transportation by rail.”
Maintenance employees of office building.—The Supreme Court had
held in two cases that maintenance employees of' a loft building
housing tenants engaged in the production of goods for interstate
commerce were necessary to such production by the tenants and,
therefore, subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act (Kirschbaum Co. v.
Walling and Arsenal Building Cory. v. Walling, 316 U. S. 517).
The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals recently refused to apply the
doctrine of these two cases to the maintenance employees of an
office building containing tenants engaged in commerce, and not in
“production” for commerce, on the apparent theory that the act by
definition includes persons “necessary to the production” of goods,
but that there is no similar definition defining the status of employ
ees “engaged in commerce” as distinguished from production for
commerce (Johnson v. Dallas Downtown Development Co., 132 Fed.
(2d) 287, Dec. 10, 1942). Although the court did not specifically
state that employees who are not engaged in “production” of goods
but who are necessary to commerce are excluded from the act, that
would appear to be a necessary result of the decision, since main
tenance employees may be as necessary to tenants engaged in com
merce as they are to those engaged in production of goods. In
reaching its conclusions the court relied upon its own decision in
Overstreet v. North Shore Cory. (128 Fed. (2d) 450) in which it had
held that employees engaged in the maintenance and operation of
a toll road and bridge connected with an arterial interstate highway
were not subject to the act. The Supreme Court of the United
States, however, recently reversed the decision in the Overstreet case
(see page 492).
Intrastate distribution by wholesalers.-—In Walling v. Jacksonville
Payer Co. the United States Supreme Court for the first time passed
on the application of the Fair Labor Standards Act to employees of
a wholesaler engaged in the intrastate distribution of goods purchased
by it in other States.3 The Court held the act applicable to employees
engaged in the procurement or receipt of goods from other States,
in the distribution of merchandise brought into the State in response
to a prior order or certain types of transactions substantially of the
same character (such as a pre-existing contract or an understanding with
specific customers), and in the distribution of goods purchased by the
wholesaler to meet the needs of specific customers. The interstate
journey of such goods continues, the Court said, until delivery to the
customers, even though the wholesaler holds the merchandise at its
warehouse temporarily before delivery to customers of the types
3 63 Sup. C t. 332 (Jan. 18,1943). See, also, the companion case of Higgins v. Carr Brothers Co. (63 Sup. Ct
337) decided the same day.
In this connection, reference should also be m ade to Walling v. Goldblatt Bros., certiorari denied, 63 Sup.
Ot. 524, Feb. 1, 1943, and, particularly, Walling v. American Stores Co., 6 W age H our Rept. 180 (Feb. 11
1943). In th e American Stores case th e th ird C ircuit C ourt of A ppeals w ith the Jacksonville and G oldblatt
decisions of th e Supreme C ourt before it held an injunction should issue w ith respect to th e wholesale-ware
house employees of an enterprise w ith num erous retail outlets. These cases will be discussed in detail in
later issues of th e Review.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
494
Monthly Labor Review—March 1943
indicated. The Court rejected the contention of the Administrator
of the act that distribution by a wholesaler to its customers in the
same State is “in commerce” merely because the merchandise was
brought into the State by the distributor in anticipation of the
recurrent needs of the trade. However, the Court said that it did
not mean to imply that a wholesaler’s course of business based on
anticipation of needs of specific customers, rather than on prior
orders or contracts, might not at times be sufficient to establish that
practical continuity in transit necessary to keep a movement of
goods ‘in commerce’ within the meaning of the act.”
PREVAILING RATES ON PUBLIC WORKS
The New York labor law provides that workmen employed on
Public works must be paid not less than “prevailing rates” which
must be set forth in the contract between the public body and the
contractor.4 In Fata, v. S. A. Hcaly Co. (6 Labor Cases (C. C. II.), par.
6 1 ,407, Jan. 14, 1943) the New York Court of Appeals upheld the right
oi an employee to recover from his employer, the contractor, the
difference between his actual wages and the prevailing rates, even
though the workman is not a party to the contract. The employee
the court held, need not look to the remedy provided by the statute'
but may rest his recovery on the common-law theory that the contract
containing the prevailing rates was made for his benefit.
MINIMUM WAGES
The New York minimum-wage law provides for the promulgation
ol wage orders prescribing minimum rates for women and minor em
ployees, based in part on the fair value of the services rendered by
employees subject to the orders. The New York Court of Appeals,
three judges dissenting, upheld against constitutional attack an order
requiring employers in the confectionery industry to pay employees
a “guaranteed” minimum of $10 per week for work of 3 days or'less
in any week during the “peak period” and a minimum of $7 per week
for work of 2 days or less in any week during the “dull period” in the
industry. (M ary Lincoln Candies, Inc., v. Department of Labor of the
State of New I ork, 45 NE. (2d) 434, Dec. 3, 1942.) In answer to the
argument that the order called for wages not bearing a reasonable rela
tion to the “fair value” of the work done, the court pointed out that the
wage board had carefully considered the value of services and wages
currently paid in the industry and that it was not unreasonable or
arbitrary to fix wages on a weekly unit basis where only part of a week
had been worked.4a
Labor Relations and Industrial Disputes
DECISIONS INVOLVING NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS ACT
Refund of check-off dues collected for company-dominated union
.—
The Circuit Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit recently upheld
the power of the National Labor Relations Board to make a reparation
order as an incident to the disestablishment of a company-dominated
4 New Y ork Consol. Laws, ch. 31.
4a For further discussion of th is case, see page 445 of th is issue.
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union. Sustaining the Board’s finding that the employer had “initi
ated and promoted” the union with which it had entered into a closedshop agreement providing for a check-off of union dues, the court also
upheld the Board’s order directing the employer to refund dues de
ducted by it from the employees’ pay under the agreement. (Virginia
Electric Power Co. v. National Labor Relations Board, 132 Fed. (2d) 390
Dec. 9, 1942.) The court refused to follow authority to the contrary 5
emphasizing that the restitution order was not a penalty, but merely
“affirmative action * * * to expunge the effect” of the unfair
labor practice which gave no choice to the employees but to subscribe
to a closed-shop agreement between the employer and the companydominated union.
Employee’s right to court review of order on back pay. —In two recent
cases, circuit courts of appeals have considered their jurisdiction to re
view Labor Board orders granting or denying back pay. (.Anthony v.
National Labor Relations Board, 132 Fed. (2d) 620, Dec. 31, 1942,
and Stewart Die Casting Corp. v. National Labor Relations Board, 6
Labor Cases (C. C. H.), par. 61, 386, Dec. 31, 1942.)
In the Anthony case, the court pointed out that an employee lias
“no personal claim to back pay” and is, therefore, not a “person
aggrieved” within the meaning of section 10 of the act conferring
jurisdiction on the circuit courts of appeal to review orders of the
Board.
The Stewart case arose out of contempt proceedings to enforce an
order for back pay. The Board sought dismissal of the proceedings
after a compromise on the amount due was reached between the
Board and the employer. Claiming that the amount agreed upon was
insufficient, employees opposed the dismissal and sought to intervene.
The court denied the employee’s application, holding that the right to
seek enforcement of a Board order is vested in the Board exclusively.
Effect of repudiation of union by employees after election.—When a
union has been chosen by employees at an election and it lias been
certified as the exclusive bargaining agent for the employees by the
National Labor Relations Board, a repudiation of the union by a
majority of the employees Uweek after the election in letters sent to
the employer will not justify his refusal to bargain with the union.
The United States Circuit Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit in
National Labor Relations Board v. Botany Worsted M ills (11 Labor
Relations Rept. 684, Jan. 18, 1943) decided that, once the bargaining
agent of the employees is chosen, orderly procedure requires that the
employer bargain with that agent in the absence of a request by
employees to hold another election or, perhaps, an arbitrary refusal by
the Board to hold such an election within a reasonable time.
STATE LABOR RELATIONS ACT
In construing the Wisconsin Employment Peace Act,6 the Wisconsin
Supreme Court upheld an order of the State Employment Relations
Board requiring a hospital to bargain collectively with its employees.
(Wisconsin Employment Relations Board v. Evangelical Deaconess
Society, 7 NW.(2d) 590, Jan. 12, 1943.) The court referred to the
statutory design to promote industrial peace and said that in the
5
6
Compare N . L . R . B . v. West Kentucky Coal Co., 116 Fed. (2d) 816; N . L . R . B . v.. United States Truck
Co., 124 Fed. (2d) 887; and N . L . R . B . v. J . Oreenebaum Tanning Co., 110 Fed. (2d) 984.
W is. Stats. (1941), ch. 111.
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absence of specific exemption of charitable organizations from the
act, it was constrained to hold that the law applied to such institutions.
USE OF INJUNCTIONS IN LABOR DISPUTES
Applicability of State act to retaliatory picketing.—Following an
election conducted by the New York State Labor Relations Board,
two unions affiliated with the Congress of Industrial Organizations
were certified as the sole bargaining agents in the stores of a shoe com
pany. The employer and the unions subsequently entered into a
closed-shop contract.
An affiliate of the American Federation of Labor began picketing two
of its stores, and the company sought an inj unction. 11 was granted by
the Supreme Court of the State of New York in Kings County, on the
ground that the provisions of the anti-injunction statute 7 may not be
invoked when picketing carried on for retaliatory purposes only is
“unrelated to the attainment of a bona fide labor objective.” The
court found as a fact that the picketing had been initiated “not for the
purpose of effectuating an improvement of conditions under which
plaintiff’s employees work or to secure their protection from labor
abuse, but simply in reprisal for the fact that one of the C. I. O. unions
itself has picketed certain stores owned by a third party * * *
which, in turn, has a closed-shop agreement with an affiliate of the
American Federation of Labor.” (Regal Shoe Co. v. Doyle, 11 Labor
Relations Rept. 682.)
Applicability of State act to establishment with no employees.-—In
Angelos v. Mesevich (Labor Relations Rept. 726, Jan. 21, 1943) the New
York Court of Appeals by a divided vote sustained an injunction against
peaceful picketing, by a union, of a restaurant in which, according to
the majority opinion, all the work was performed by the members of a
partnership operating the establishment. The court held that the
statute prohibiting injunctions against such picketing was inapplicable,
on the theory that its application requires the existence of a labor
dispute, and there could be no labor dispute “unless there is employ
ment.”
The facts of the case are not readily susceptible to statement,
because the vigorous dissent either stresses facts which are omitted
from the majority opinion or differs radically from the majority in
its interpretation of the facts. The minority opinion emphasizes that
picketing began while one of the plaintiffs, who was the sole proprietor
before the partnership was formed, employed six persons with whom
he subsequently formed the partnership; the majority view makes no
reference to the former employment status of the partners. The
prevailing opinion held itself bound by the trial court’s finding that
the organization was “a valid partnership” ; the minority adverted to
the fact that the partnership was a “device” to “stop the picketing.”
However, it is plain that the majority rested its view on the formalistic
character of the partnership rather than its bonafides, since the opinion
asserts that the formation of the partnership to “avoid the establish
ment of a picket line” would not affect the result. The minority
opinion upheld the picketing as an exercise of the right of free speech,
7 N ew Y ork Civil Practice Act, sec. 876-a.
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irrespective of the existence of an employment relation in the estab
lishment.8
Constitutional guaranty of right to picket.—Even though picketing by
a union may tend to induce a breach of contract between an employer
and another union, the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals has
held that, where such picketing is a peaceful exercise of the right of
free speech or press, it may not be enjoined. The employer in the
case had a contract with an American Federation of Labor union.
After the expiration of the agreement, the employees formed an
independent union with which t he employer then signed an agreement.
Thereafter, the A. F. of L. local attempted to reopen negotiations with
the employer, and upon its failure to secure an agreement, caused the
company’s establishment to be picketed with placards stating that
the company was “unfair” to organized labor. Concluding that the
union’s right to picket was constitutionally protected from judicial
interference,9 the court also rejected the view that an injunction
should issue because the “unfair” signs were untrue. The term
“unfair,” as used in labor disputes, the court held, “does not bear its
primary and usual meaning, but has a well-known and well-under
stood ' * * * significance. * * * It appears to be merely a
word of disapprobation, or invective, loosely applied to any person or
practice” failing to meet the “approval, for the time being, of the
protesting labor organization.” As used in “the parlance of organized
labor,” the court concluded, the word “unfair” is not actionable.
(.Blossom Dairy Co. v. International Brotherhood oj Teamsters, 23
SE. (2d) 645, Dec. 8, 1942.)
Workmen's Compensation
Applicability oj Jones Act to injury to seamen in course oj employment
on land.—In a recent opinion the Supreme Court of the United States
held that a seaman on shore, assisting in the repair of a gasket_ con
necting a conduit passing from a hatch to a land pipe and injured
through the negligence of a fellow employee, may maintain an action
under the Jones Act. {O’Donnell v. Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Co.
63 Sup. Ct. 488, Feb. 1, 1943.) The Court stated that although the
maritime law as recognized in the Federal courts has not, in general,
allowed recovery for personal injuries occurring on land, the right of
maintenance and cure for injuries suffered in the course of service to
a vessel, whether occurring on sea or land, has been a well-recognized
exception. It held that the Jones Act, which affords seamen a cause
of action for injuries resulting from negligence, supplements the remedy
of maintenance and cure and it is immaterial whether the injuries
were suffered on shipboard or on shore, provided they were occasioned
in the course of employment.
“ Twilight zone” between Federal and State jurisdiction over compen
sation jor injuries on navigable waters.—The difficulty of harmonizing
the exclusive jurisdiction of the Federal Government over admiralty
and maritime occupations with the permissible scope of State control
over workmen’s compensation was emphasized by the United States
s The m ajority and m inority also took differing views of the tru th of the picketing signs.
Cf. American Federation of Labor v. Swing, 312 U. S. 321; Journeymen Tailors Union v. Miller s, Inc.,
312 U. S. 658.
9
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Supreme Court in Davis v. Department of Labor and Industries of
Washington (63 Sup. Ct. 225). The case involved the application of
the Washington Workmen’s Compensation Act to a workman em
ployed in dismantling a drawbridge over a navigable river. At the
time of the accident, the employee was on a barge which was drawn
up beneath the bridge and was being loaded with dismantled steel.
While engaged in inspecting and cutting the steel on the barge, the
workman fell into the river and was drowned. Apparently giving
recognition to the problems inherent in determining whether an occu
pation is maritime in character or is otherwise subject only to Federal
regulation, the Washington statute restricts its application to occu
pations which are “within the legislative jurisdiction of the State.”
The Supreme Court referred to the many decisions for and against
recovery of compensation by workers performing maritime functions.
Many of these cases, the Court said, stemmed from Southern Pacific
Co. v. Jensen 10 which expressed the formula that State legislation is
invalid only when it “works material prejudice to the characteristic
features of the general maritime law or interferes with the proper
harmony and uniformity of that law in its international and interstate
relations.” In the present case the Court stressed the difficulties
involved in applying the formula, pointing out that whether a State
law interferes “with the proper harmony and uniformity” of maritime
law must depend on particular facts. The Jensen doctrine, the Court
said, left the boundary of State jurisdiction “a perplexing problem.”
It was noted that the lack of certainty in this field of law imposes
hardships on both employees and employers: on employees, by re
quiring them to decide before bringing action whether the State law
“interferes with the proper harmony and uniformity” of Federal
maritime law—a factual question “over which courts regularly divide
among themselves and within their own membership” ; and on em
ployers by requiring them to make a choice, at their risk, of paying
contributions into a State fund or paying insurance premiums on the
assumption of Federal coverage.
Concluding that the facts in the Davis case occupied a “twilight
zone,” the Court achieved a solution by invoking the presumption of
constitutionality in favor of State legislation and stressing the absence
of conflict of administration between the State act and the Federal
Longshoremen’s and Harbor Workers’ Act, as well as the fact that
the employer had relied on the State insurance fund for protection
against workmen’s compensation litigation. Accordingly, the decision
oi the State Court, holding that it was beyond the competence of the
State to grant relief, was reversed.
Mr. Chief Justice Stone wrote a dissenting opinion in which he
stated that Congress intended the Federal jurisdiction to be ex
clusive, where it applied, and that there was therefore no “twilight
zone” such as was described in the opinion of the Court.
i° 244 IT. S. 205.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Cooperation
DEVELOPMENTS IN CONSUMERS’ COOPERATION
IN 1942
Summary
THE outstanding development in the consumers’ cooperative move
ment in the United States during 1942 was the remarkable expansion
in the productive facilities owned by cooperatives. In no previous
year has so much progress been made in this direction. Cooperators
have learned by experience that not only do the productive depart
ments return the largest savings but the destiny of the movement
may depend upon the degree in which it can become self-sufficient.
Therefore, as fast as resources will permit, productive facilities are
being acquired.
Cooperative associations were increasingly affected by wartime
restrictions and regulations, and had to make many adjustments of
method and operation to meet them. Problems of supply and of
manpower were by the end of the year facing cooperatives as well as
other businesses. The manpower situation was regarded by coopera
tives as particularly grave, in view of the special background of
cooperative philosophy desired in cooperative employees. For this
reason the training courses given throughout the movement were
becoming of even greater importance than formerly and special
attempts were being made to attract women into cooperative em
ployment.
Early reports received by the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicate
that throughout 1942 both retail and wholesale cooperatives were
maintaining or even increasing their volume of business, and many
reported 1942 as a record year in both sales and earnings. The
increased importance of adequate reserves to meet uncertainties
ahead was being stressed, and to a large extent earnings were being
placed in reserves or, if returned in patronage refunds, were in the form
of share capital.
As 1942 was an “off” legislative year, there were no particularly
important developments as regards legislation. There were, however,
several significant court decisions affecting cooperatives.
Cooperatives have begun to fight in the courts for the rights of
cooperative associations and of consumers generally. In Minne
apolis, the Cooperative Housing Association, which had bought taxdelinquent forfeited land on which to build houses, was required by
the city, as a prerequisite to the installation of water and sewer
facilities, to pay off all of the delinquent taxes. The association paid,
but began suit in court to recover the money. Its position was up
held by the Minnesota Supreme Court, which declared that the city
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must accept the loss. The decision resulted in the recovery of $4,500,
or about $125 per member, for the association.
Midland Cooperative Wholesale (Minneapolis) was the leader in
the attempt to obtain for consumers’ cooperative wholesales the privi
lege, accorded to private dealers and farmers’ cooperatives, of doing
business under the Guffey Coal Act. The Bituminous Coal Division
which administers the act ruled that Midland was not entitled to the
discounts other wholesalers received, because the wholesale’s earnings
are returned to its members in patronage refunds. This was ruled to
be a violation of the price provisions of the law. The U. S. Circuit
Court of Appeals at St. Louis upheld the Division, and Midland
appealed the case to the Supreme Court. It refused to review the
decision, and steps are being taken with a view to having the act
amended so as to give specific recognition to cooperatives.
Cooperatives, again led by Midland, were instrumental in obtain
ing in 1941 a reduction in freight rates on gasoline by which, accord
ing to report, “every consumer” throughout the Northwest benefited.
Another contest, to obtain a reduction in freight rates on heavier oils,
was begun early in 1942.
On May 15, 1942, the United States Court of Appeals upheld by
unanimous decision the conviction of the American Medical Asso
ciation and the Medical Society of the District of Columbia on charges
of conspiracy in restraint of trade against Group Health Association
of Washington, D. C. These organizations were fined $2,500 and
$1,500, respectively. The case was carried to the United States
Supreme Court by the medical associations and was argued in the
fall term of 1942. The court’s unanimous decision, delivered on Janu
ary 18, 1943, upheld the conviction of the two societies. The Court
did not find it necessary to pass upon the defendants’ contention that
the practice of medicine is a profession and not a trade and that
therefore they were exempt from prosecution under the Sherman Act.
The Court held that, for the present purpose, the fact that Group
Health Association was carrying on a business, with which the medical
societies were seeking to interfere, was sufficient.
Group Health Association was also involved in a case brought in a
District court against the association and three of the physicians on
its staff, by the wife of a member who died following an appendectomy.
All defendants were cleared of charges of malpractice and it was held
that the deceased had been given appropriate treatment.
Developments Among the Distributive Associations
PRODUCTION BY CONSUMERS’ COOPERATIVES
Those regional and district wholesales which have undertaken pro
duction and service activities have noted that it is precisely in those
departments that the greatest savings have been made. It is this
realization that has caused the spread of the slogan (first voiced by
the pioneer in the consumers’ production field, Consumers Coopera
tive Association, North Kansas City) that “factories are free.” It
has been the experience of CCA that the earnings of its various pro
ductive departments very soon paid the initial costs and thereafter
made possible the return of substantial patronage refunds.
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Greater expansion occurred in cooperative production in 1942 than
in any previous year. The Cooperative League of the U. S. A.
reported that at the end of 1942 consumers’ productive enterprises
numbered 49, including 12 oil wells, 92 miles of oil pipeline, 4 oil
refineries (and another, one-third of which was owned cooperatively),
7 oil-compounding plants, 2 paint factories, a grease factory, 3 print
ing plants, 2 bakeries, 2 canneries, a coffee-roasting plant, 3 flour
mills,1 8 feed mills, 11 commercial-fertilizer plants, a lumber mill,
tractor factory, serum plant, and a dozen chick hatcheries. Of these,
2 oil refineries, a lumber mill, a cannery, a feed plant, and 2 oil wells
were added in 1942.
In addition, plans were under way for the purchase of two more oil
refineries (by Midland Cooperative Wholesale and Farmers Union
Central Exchange), as well as the construction of 57 miles of addi
tional pipeline and a plant for the dehydration of vegetables and fruits
by Consumers Cooperative Association.
Midland Cooperative Wholesale started a research department to
enable the wholesale “to get into production at the right place, the
right time, and in the right way.” A 5-year program of cooperative
research in the production field was decided upon by the board of
directors of CCA.
Acquisition of a binder-twine plant by several of the regional whole
sales was reported to be under consideration for early action.
Consumers Cooperative Association put in, at its oil refinery at
Phillipsburg, Kans., equipment to be used in the production of codimer,
described as “a petroleum fraction which may be used in the manu
facture either of synthetic rubber or of aviation gasoline.” The
association’s application for priorities on materials, to enable it to
build a plant for the manufacture of grain alcohol from surplus farm
products, was denied by the War Production Board. The whole
sale’s annual meeting authorized further expansion of refining and
crude-oil production, tlie erection of a refinery for lubricating oils,
a sawmill, a shingle mill, a roofing plant, cement factory, feed mill, and
potato-starch factory.
NEW SERVICES ANI) ORGANIZATIONS
Numerous expansion measures planned for 1942 had to be post
poned because of war conditions. Nevertheless a great many buying
clubs opened stores, and store associations embarked upon remodeling
and modernization of premises or moved to larger and better quarters.
Various innovations were carried into effect. Thus, one association
which serves a wide area put into operation what was described as a
“butcher shop on wheels”—a truck carrying a refrigerated display
case, butcher’s block, and butcher. What effect gasoline and tire
rationing may have upon this venture is not known. Another associa
tion erected a meat-curing plant, which will handle the slaughtered
animals of its members, render the lard, make sausage, cure bacon
and ham, etc. Midland Cooperative Wholesale started a campaign
for “sparkle-clean” restrooms in the service stations ol its affiliated
petroleum associations, allotting a specified number of points for
1
A p art interest in another cooperative flour mill (not included above) was owned by Eastern Coopera
tive Wholesale.
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each particular standard met and awarding a display sign to all
associations scoring 100 percent.
In some small towns cooperatives are the predominant method of
business. rims, in Badger, S. Dak., the cooperative (with a reported
membership of 210 in a town with a population of 200), which already
owned the grain elevators and the only lumber yard, in 1942 purchased
a grocery store. In Stockton, Kans., of 85 private companies of
various kinds, 26 are reported to be fully paid members of the coopera
tive and 16 others are earning shares through patronage refunds;
in a number of cases all of the employees of these companies also are
members of the cooperative. In Vermillion, Minn., it is stated, every
family in the community is a patron of the local cooperative.
The held of membership from which cooperators are drawn varies
somewhat with the times. For several years there have been con
sumers^ cooperatives among the migratory farm laborers staying at the
Farm Security Administration camps. During the period of opera
tion of the National Youth Administration there were a few small
cooperatives among the NYA workers. After the camps for consci
entious objectors were opened, the residents in several of these started
cooperative activities. Most recently developed associations include
the cooperative transportation associations (carrying war workers to
and from their jobs) and the cooperatives started or planned in the
camps for evacuated aliens of enemy nationalities.
I he entering of new fields of business, already noted among the local
associations, had its counterpart among the wholesales. The Farmers
Union Central Exchange (St. Paul), serving local associations in
Minnesota, the Dakotas, and Montana, decided to go into the handling
of groceries. By arrangement, the Exchange took over the business
of the Northwest Cooperative Society (a joint grocery-buying associa
tion for a group of stores in North Dakota and Montana), and the
latter closed before the end of 1942. The Exchange plans the active
encouragement of grocery departments among its" affiliates, most of
which are petroleum associations.
Another important extension of cooperative grocery business,
representing a significant combination of farmer and urban cooperators,
took place in Ohio. Under a program of collaboration between the
Farm Bureau Cooperative Association (Columbus) and Central
States _Cooperatives^ (Chicago), a new association, the Ohio Co
operative Grocery Wholesale, was organized in November 1942 as a
subsidiary of the two above-named wholesales.
In V isconsin, Central Cooperative Wholesale directors authorized
the inauguration of a system of centralized bookkeeping for local
associations that cannot afford or cannot obtain bookkeepers. At
the same time the management of the wholesale was instructed to
study the possibilities of a repair shop for the trucks used in its
trucking service. The latter service was greatly expanded during
1942, CCW having taken over the gasoline-transport service of
several of the district wholesales, in addition to continuing its previous
trucking service in general merchandise, groceries, and farm produce.
This service has grown so large that it seemed likely that it would
pay the wholesale to do its own truck-repair work.
Central States Cooperatives at its annual meeting voted to estab
lish a regional paper.
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Several new organizations of the federated type were started during
1942. In Minnesota a new district federation was formed under the
name, Federated Co-ops of East Central Minnesota. Shortly after
wards it took over as a department the United Cooperative Funeral
Service of Cambridge, Minn. The new federation will also carry on
a district-wide insurance program, and wall undertake other duties as
need arises. Any cooperative in the area is eligible for membership
in the federation. In Colorado a new organization, the Farmers
Union Marketing Association, was formed. In addition to its market
ing service, the organization will purchase lumber, coal, and other
commodities, expanding these gradually; eventually it expects to
provide cash funeral benefits.
The Cooperative Terminal (Duluth, Minn.), which was started in
1941 under the sponsorship of Central Cooperative Wholesale, has
widened its field somewhat. Its main function is to market and pro
cess farm, forest, and marine products, but it is also supplying these
products as well as fresh meats to the store associations in its district
(northeastern Minnesota and northern Wisconsin). The Terminal
took over from Range Cooperative Federation the latter’s forestproducts business.
In Wisconsin, cooperatives in Appleton and vicinity formed a
federation, called Valley Cooperative Services, to undertake activities
not feasible for the individual cooperatives. The new federation’s
first activity will be the provision of funeral service. In the same
State an educational association, the Chequamegon Cooperative
Federation, was organized, to which both marketing and consumers’
cooperatives in the Ashland-Bayfield territory will be eligible.
Steps toward the formation of a national auditing service wTere taken
at the annual meeting of the National Society of Cooperative Account
ants. The purpose of the new association would be to seek and obtain
the auditing business of regional and national cooperatives of all types.
Early in 1942 the announcement was made of an Inter-American
Cooperative Marketing Corporation formed in New York City, to
facilitate business relations between cooperatives in the United States
and in Latin American countries.
DISCONTINUANCES
In October 1942, the board of directors of Consumers Cooperative
Wholesale, Los Angeles, Calif., decided to dissolve the organization.
This was a small joint-purchasing association which had been experi
encing increasing difficulties in obtaining cooperative-label goods and
in establishing dependable sources of supply for nonlabel products.
EDUCATION AND TRAINING
The training of sufficient numbers of cooperative employees, not
only in business methods but also in cooperative philosophy, lias for
some years been a matter of serious concern to the cooperative move
ment. To meet the problem, training courses have been given by
the various cooperative wholesales and by Rochdale Institute and the
Council for Cooperative Business Training. The shortage of trained
personnel has been greatly intensified by the wartime conditions—the
drafting of the younger male workers and the departure of many of
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the others either for war work or to enlist in the armed services. The
engaging of woman workers, where possible, has been one of the
methods used to meet the situation; it is reported that this has been
carried farthest by cooperatives in the Central States Cooperatives
territory.
The announcements of cooperative training courses in 1942 par
ticularly stressed the opportunities for women in the various enter
prises. Early in February the Cooperative League announced that
six training schools had already been scheduled in the United States—
in New York City, Harrisburg, Pa., Superior, Wis., Chicago, 111,
North Kansas City, Mo., and Walla Walla, Wash. Most of these
included instruction in cooperative principles as well as in business
practices, financial problems, and administrative methods. “Post
graduate” courses for the training of cooperative managers were held
in Chicago, Walla Walla, and Superior. In addition, a training con
ference of persons already employed as managers of cooperative
stores was held at Amherst, Mass.
During 1942 a much greater use was made of motion pictures to
spread the story of cooperation. The various cooperative films were
in continuous use throughout the movement, and in addition, the
Cooperative League reported, 11 organizations outside the cooperative
movement—universities, boards of education, labor organizations, and
civic groups—had purchased prints for use in their visual-education
departments.
THE RADIO CONTROVERSY
The cooperative movement in 1942 encountered difficulties in
placing its program before the people. Early in the year, during the
celebration of Wisconsin “cooperative week,” officially proclaimed by
the Governor, radio talks were planned which were sponsored jointly
by cooperatives and the State department of agriculture. Numerous
radio stations broadcast the talks, but stations in Sheboygan and
Milwaukee are reported to have refused to do so on the ground that
the script was “too critical of private business.” 2
In a previously planned drive, funds were raised by cooperators for
a coast-to-coast radio program to acquaint the public with the aims
and accomplishments of consumers’ cooperation. It was planned that
the broadcasts should start October 11, 1942, and 30 stations were
announced. About a week before the program was scheduled to
begin, both major networks cancelled the agreement, giving various
reasons for the refusal, among them that the subject of consumers’
cooperation is “controversial” and that the programs were designed
to attract new members. Repercussions were immediate and wide
spread. Criticisms of the action, as a violation of the right of free
speech, appeared in many newspapers and even in the trade papers of
private business. In Congress, Senator Norris introduced a resolution
directing the Senate Committee on Interstate Commerce to investigate
the whole issue. At a joint meeting of the Code Committee of the
National Association of Broadcasters and representatives of the
Cooperative League, on December 14 and 15, a joint statement of
principles was reached. It was agreed that advertising of cooperatives
is acceptable when the programs are designed to sell goods, trade2 Cooperative Builder (Superior, W is.), M arch 5. 1942.
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marks, or services; and that the copy could incorporate statements
setting forth that any person can purchase goods at cooperatives,
membership is open and voluntary, cooperatives are owned by mem
bers, each with a single vote, and net earnings are returned to the
members. However, attacks on any other business enterprise or
system of distribution were barred, and discussions of cooperative
philosophy must be confined to such “sustaining time” as individual
stations might see fit to give “in accordance with the public interest.” 3
League representatives pointed out tha.t the “broad questions of
public interest in the regulation of the radio industry,” involved in
the Senate investigation, were not covered in the above joint state
ment.
Following further conferences with executives of the radio industry,
the Cooperative League announced that the series would be started
on February 14, 1943, and would be broadcast each week, for 13
weeks, from stations in 30 cities (later increased to 34).
Cooperative League Activities
The Cooperative League of the U. S. A. is the capstone of the con
sumers’ cooperative movement in this country. It has in membership
various wholesales and educational leagues throughout the United
States. The latter, in turn, unite practically all of the larger retail
and service cooperatives in the consumers’ cooperative distributive
movement and a large proportion of the smaller ones.
During 1942 three additional regional organizations were admitted
to membership in the Cooperative League. These were Pacific
Supply Cooperative (Walla Walla, Wash.), American Farmers Mutual
Auto Insurance Co. (St. Paul, Minn.), and Cuna Supply Cooperative
(Madison, Wis.).
COOPERATIVE CONGRESS
From the cooperators’ point of view, one of the most important
events of the year under review was the holding of the Thirteenth
Biennial Congress of the Cooperative League, at Minneapolis, Septem
ber 28-30, 1942. The general subject of the proceedings was “Plan
ning for a Better World” ; and the role of cooperatives in the economy
of the post-war period held an important place in the agenda and
discussions.4
Resolutions of the congress included the following:
1. That Canadian and other cooperatives in North and South
America be approached with a view to the formation of a federation
of cooperatives in the Western Hemisphere.
2. That Rochdale Institute be removed from New York City to a
more central location and that it start an extension service.
3. That, for the purpose of facilitating the speedy mobilization of
cooperative opinion and action in emergencies, a network of minutemen be formed throughout the cooperative movement, each of whom
3
Cooperative League News Service, December 17, 1942.
« For more extended discussion of this phase of th e proceedings, see M o nthly Labor Review, January
1943 (p. 86).
512311— 43-
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would undertake to notify 10 other cooperators, the Cooperative
League to coordinate the whole.5
4. That the League board of directors appoint a national planning
committee which would draw up a 5-year program, coordinate co
operative activities with the plans of the National Resources Planning
Board, and submit the whole to a special meeting of regional coopera
tives or to the next congress of the Cooperative League.
5. That a standing committee on post-war planning be appointed,
which would also keep in touch with similar groups in other fields.
6. That a committee of three be appointed to formulate a plan for
post-war transportation of commodities through cooperatives, to
countries needing such distribution, and to cooperate with established
agencies such as the Red Cross.
7. That the League board appoint a committee to study the feasi
bility ol a nationwide system of life, casualty, and fire insurance on
the cooperative plan, report to be made not later than to the 1944
congress of the League.
8. That the cooperative movement recognizes labor’s right to
collective bargaining, etc., and urges labor in turn to recognize the
peculiar character of the cooperative movement. The appointment
by the League of a full-time secretary to work among and collaborate
with labor groups was recommended.
9. That regional and local associations (a) offer pay-roll deductions
for a plan ol cooperative medical care and other benefits and (b)
that they make substantial contributions to the cost of such a plan.
10. That the Congress of the United States be requested to amend
the Bituminous Coal Act so that consumers may operate coal busi
nesses to serve themselves.
. n - That cooperatives give greater publicity to their own activities
in the war effort.
Developments in Special Branches of Cooperation
MEDICAL AND HOSPITAL CARE
All of the medical-care cooperatives in the United States known to
the Bureau of Labor Statistics operate on a monthly dues basis.
The associations are of two general types—those having their own
medical staff and equipment, and those which merely contract for
medical or hospital care for their members from individual physicians
or groups of physicians. In the one case the doctors are employees
of the association; in the other they are independent practitioners
or associates in a doctor-managed enterprise.
1here are some half dozen associations of the first type. They in
clude two associations each operating a hospital and about four which
operate clinics giving various kinds of medical care.
The insurance type of association is more numerous. One of the
largest of these—Group Health Mutual of Minnesota—by the middle
ol 1942 had established more than 100 local groups throughout the
State, serving about 9,000 members. Under its plan clinical care
(through such well-known organizations as the Mayo and Nicollet
clinics) was provided, as well as accident treatment from private
physicians throughout the United States.
5This has already been p u t into effect in various places and has proved m ost effective.
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Most of the medical-care associations are members of the Group
Health Federation of America (Little Rock, Ark.).
INSURANCE ASSOCIATIONS
In Wisconsin and Minnesota, two wholesales (Central and Midland)
jointly support an insurance program under which the local coopera
tive associations affiliated with the two wholesales act as insurance
agencies.
The life-insurance phase of the program is carried on by Cooperators’
Life Association, an association formed in 1934, with headquarters in
Minneapolis. One of the greatest difficulties of insurance associations
that do business over a large territory is to obtain democratic control
by the members (policyholders). A step toward better democratiza
tion of Cooperators’ Life Association was taken in 1942 when district
meetings and finally the annual meeting of the association voted to
form local cooperative “lodges,” one function of which would be to
select, by vote of policyholders, voting delegates to the annual meeting.
Merger of the Cooperative Insurance Mutual (Wisconsin) and
American Farmers Mutual Auto Insurance Co. (Minnesota) was voted
by the membership of the two associations.
Further coordination of cooperative activities in the insurance field
was made possible by changes in the annual-meeting dates to allow the
insurance associations to hold their meetings at the same place, on
successive days.
The annual meeting of Consumers Cooperative Association directed
that a study be made of the possibilities of the wholesale’s entering
the life-insurance field. Toward the end of the year the association
circularized its members to obtain their reaction regarding the estab
lishment of an insurance organization.
During 1942 organizations—both cooperative and private—writing
automobile insurance had begun to note the effect on their business of
the greatly reduced mileage allowed and of the discontinuance of use
of cars in some cases.
ELECTRICITY COOPERATIVES
The formation of new rural electricity cooperatives has of necessity
been halted by the war, and for a time the installation of new lines by
existing cooperatives was forbidden because involving the use of the
strategic metal, copper. Liberalization of the War Production Board
restrictions, however, has made it possible to extend service to an
estimated 20,000 farms per month during the first few months of 1943.
Existing associations appear to have fared very well during 1942 and
although a few were delinquent in repayments on their REA loans,
others not only had met their obligations but had made advance
payments amounting to $3,702,651.6
In March 1942 representatives of local electricity cooperatives from
the 10 REA districts organized a national educational body, the Na
tional Rural Electric Cooperative Association, whose efforts will be
devoted to the advancement of rural electrification throughout the
United States. By the end of July, 30 State-wide meetings had been
6
U npublished d ata supplied to the B ureau of L abor Statistics b y R ural Electrification A dm inistration
(see M o n th ly L abor Review, Jan u ary 1943, p. 91).
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held to allow local associations to express their wishes in the matter.
Altogether, 28 States were reported to have voted in favor of the new
association and 2 against. The first annual meeting of the new feder
ation was held in St. Louis, January 19 and 20, 1943. Among the
expected functions of the association are insurance for local cooper
atives and the publication of a national paper. The association will
have offices in Washington and St. Louis.
CREDIT UNIONS
Credit unions have been hard hit by war conditions. The first
measure to affect them was the regulation of installment buying
(Federal Reserve Board Regulation W, August 1941), which pro
hibited the making of contracts which, could not be repaid within a
period of 18 months (later reduced to 15 and then to 12 months). A
substantial proportion of loans of any credit union which has been in
operation for any considerable time consists of the larger loans which
run for long periods. The immediate effect of the regulation was to
reduce the size of many individual loans and to restrict the granting
of large loans to such persons as were in a financial position to make
large monthly repayments. There will always remain a certain
amount of loan business for such purposes as meeting the expenses of
sickness and death, and various family purposes. Much of the creditunion business, however, was in loans for education, house repairs or
remodeling, vacations, insurance, and other purposes, some of which
were incurred as desirable though not necessarily as imperative.
It is this latter class of loans that has fallen so greatly; as the emphasis
today is on repayment of debts, not on incurring new ones, many
credit unions may feel that they cannot with propriety publicize their
service in such loans. Also, the rapid turn-over in credit-union mem
bership, with men of draft age being called up and others transferring
to different jobs, poses problems of collection that call for strict
attention on the part of credit-union directors.
Relations with Other Organizations and Movements
RELATIONS WITH CREDIT-UNION MOVEMENT
Each year, recently, has seen closer relationships between the con
sumers’ cooperative movement and the credit-union movement. For
many years a representative of the latter group has attended the
biennial congresses of the Cooperative League, and credit unions have
generally had some place on the congress agenda. In 1939 the
Credit Union National Association (“Cuna”), composed of 44 district
and regional leagues, was admitted as a fraternal member of the
Cooperative League. Cuna’s annual meeting in June 1942 voted to
create a joint committee of representatives of Cuna and the League,
to facilitate continuous cooperation between the two bodies.
In 1942 the Cuna Supply Cooperative, an association which deals
in office supplies, forms, etc., for local credit unions, became a full
member of the League.
In the 1942 congress of the League the chairman of the committee
on cooperative financing, reporting on “next steps in cooperative
finance,” presented a program which called for extensive interrela-
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tionships with the credit unions. Under the proposed arrangement
the consumers’ cooperatives would promote credit unions among
their members and every cooperative wholesale or other regional mem
ber of the League would promote (1) banks to serve credit unions and
others and (2) regional credit associations which would serve the
long-term credit needs of both the credit unions and consumers
cooperatives. To top the whole would be a central cooperative bank
which would coordinate the activities of all, put to use the collective
resources, and guarantee the collective liability. This program was
the result of several years’ work by the committee.
RELATIONS WITH LABOR
The American Federation of Labor, at its 1942 convention, again
endorsed consumers’ cooperation and directed the appointment of a
committee of three to bring about a “reciprocal relationship^ in the
development of consumer cooperatives and credit unions.’ The
Cooperative League, in commenting on this, stated that the lailroad
brotherhoods had already created similar machinery. Like action
was taken in December by the Congress of Industrial Organizations.
The League reported, early in 1943, that local trade-unionists had
already begun to act upon the resolutions of their national organiza
tions and were taking an increasingly active part in the cooperatives
in their communities. The names of a number of cooperatives,
mostly in the Central States territory, were cited in this connection.
The Western Pennsylvania Council of Consumers’ Cooperatives
issued a series of 10 articles on cooperatives, designed for use in laboi
papers.
.
.
N
The annual meeting of Central States Cooperatives (Chicago)
voted to form a regional Labor-Cooperative Council and local groups
of the same kind, with the purpose of accelerating the spread ol
cooperation among industrial workers. Funds for the purpose are
to be supplied by the cooperative associations and the labor unions
concerned.
.
.
f ,
A 5-percent increase in wages ol service-station attendants, lotlowed by an additional increase, 5 months later, of $9 per month,
was reported by Cooperative Services in Minneapolis. Its agreement
with the union also provides a closed shop, 2 weeks’ vacation, and
2 weeks’ sick leave, with pay.
Midland Cooperative Wholesale also granted a 5-percent increase
in wages to its drivers and warehousemen. The collective agreement
under which the increase was made provides for revisions in wage
scale according to changes in the cost of living.
Consumers Cooperative Services (New York City) early m 1■*4_
granted its cafeteria employees a wage increase of 5 ^percent, retro
active to November 1, 1941. A second increase of 5 percent went
into effect July 1, 1942. After the latter date its minimum rate was
$22.70 for a 48-hour week; the basic union scale in privately owned
cafeterias was reported to be $16 per week for a 45-hour week foi
women and $18 for a 48-hour week for men.
.
. .
The board of directors of Range Cooperative Federation (Vlrgima,
Minn.) voted in September 1942 to pay $1 per month toward medical
care for each of its 46 employees. Under the Minnesota Croup
Health plan this would cover all or half ol the cost of care, depending
upon the type of plan chosen by the employee.
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RELATIONS WITH FARM GROUPS
The National Farmers’ Union, one of the most vigorous advocates
ol cooperative effort, in its 1942 meeting adopted a resolution urging
extension of cooperative practice in the field of distribution and in
the use of costly farm machinery. It also provided for the establish
ment of a cooperative department in its organization, the purpose of
which will be to work for closer relationships between the various
Farmers’ Union cooperatives and the national organization, to aid
in cooperative education and organizational work, and keep a closer
check on legislation affecting cooperatives.
Immediate steps to put this into effect were taken by the board of
directors. The Farmers’ Union Herald (issue of September 1942)
stated that in the Northwest alone there are already more than a
thousand cooperative stores, credit unions, burial associations, petro
leum associations, creameries, and marketing associations among
Farmers’ Union members.
RELATIONS WITH RELIGIOUS GROUPS
The consumers’ cooperative movement has for many years main
tained relations with the Council of Churches of Christ in America.
The Council’s industrial secretary, Rev. James Myers, has served
continuously as chairman of the League’s Committee on Cooperatives
and Labor. Under his direction numerous district joint meetings of
cooperatives and unionists have been held. Institutes bringing
together representatives of cooperatives and the various religious
denominations have also been held, under his direction or that of
i)r. Henry Carpenter (chairman ol the League’s Committee on
Churches and Cooperatives).
I he National Catholic Rural Life Conference has for several years
given its endorsement of the cooperative movement. Its meeting in
October 1942 again endorsed cooperatives and credit unions as being
“in close harmony with Christian social philosophy and powerful
instruments of self-help.” It recommended study of both con
sumers cooperatives and credit unions by parish groups.
Cooperatives and the War
Cooperatives have always been among the foremost proponents of
peace, and resolutions on this subject have occupied a prominent place
among those passed at the congresses. Their wholehearted support
of the present war is therefore all the more noteworthy. Local co
operative associations have taken an active part in the various drives
lor rubber, metal, paper, etc., and have achieved outstanding records
of collection. One of the wholesales, Farmers Union Central Ex
change, developed a plan whereby its local member associations col
lected carlots of scrap iron from their members; these were gathered
by the wholesale, which handled the sales and prorated the returns.
By July 15, these cooperators had collected about 11,000,000 pounds,
or 223 carloads, of scrap. In order to interest the children in the con
servation program, the wholesale offered war stamps for various items
turned in. In the scrap-rubber drive, the various wholesales collected
over 8,000 tons.
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Several of the central cooperative organizations have turned to war
work. Thus, in Minneapolis, the Co-op Press is reported to have
become a subcontractor on war work on a 3-sliift basis. Consumers
Cooperative Association turned over to the Federal Government
36,000 cases of canned goods from the first pack of goods from its new
cooperative cannery. The National Farm Machinery Cooperative,
owned by several of the regional wholesales, in the spring of 1941 ob
tained subcontracts for defense production and began manufacturing
tank parts for armament contractors. It expects to be engaged on
this work for the duration of the war, hut is nevertheless carrying on
experimental work on tractors and auxiliary equipment, the manu
facture of which will be resumed after the war.
A representative of the cooperative movement sits on the petroleum
board that advises the Petroleum Coordinator, and another representa
tive is on the Minnesota State War Petroleum Advisory Committee.
At the request of the Federal War Relocation Authority, Rochdale
Institute conducted a course in cooperation (principles and technique)
in one of the Authority’s camps for evacuated Japanese.
WARTIME PROBLEMS
Like all other businesses, cooperatives have been greatly affected
by war conditions and have had to make many adjustments to meet
them. Some of these are noted below.
Price ceilings.—It is stated that some items handled by the whole
sales must be sold at a loss, either because the margin allowed is not
great enough to cover handling costs or because of the higher cost of
land transportation as compared to water-borne freight formerly used.
The General Maximum Price Regulation and others issued later will
necessitate much more careful merchandising and the paring of oper
ating expenses in order not to operate at a loss. The regulation be
came effective on May 11, 1942; Eastern Cooperative Wholesale,
however, did not wait for the regulation to go into effect but instituted
the ceiling immediately.
Supplies and rationing .—It has been difficult for the cooperatives to
contract for “co-op label” goods, because of Government buying, crop
failures in some lines, uncertainty about price ceilings, and finally, the
canned-goods freezing order of September 1942. All new-pack canned
goods were frozen under a WPB order in September and their release
was permitted only at stated times: 35 percent between time of freez
ing and December 1, 35 percent between December 1 and April 1,
and the remaining 30 percent thereafter. As products are canned at
different times of the year, some packers had already disposed of a
considerable part of their goods before the order, and the distributors
depending upon them for later supplies were unable to get them be
cause the rest of the packer’s goods could not be shipped. It was re
ported at a meeting of Eastern Co-operative Wholesale that after
contracts had been made for cooperative-label peaches, the entire pack
was taken by the Government.
Margins allowed by OPA are said to be about three-fourths of what
distributors had been able to operate on before. Cooperative whole
sales are classified as “retailer-owned” wholesales and are allowed
margins of 2 to 6 percent, or about half to a third of those allowed to
“service” wholesales. One of the cooperative buyers predicted re
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cently that 33 to 40 percent of the distributors of the country will have
to go out of business during the next year, not so much because of
margins as because of the drastic reduction in the amount of goods
available to sell. In his opinion, “Any organization that can’t get
operating costs down or doesn’t have reserves to take a loss will fold
up.”
Operation under quota system works a hardship on businesses—
such as cooperative associations, especially wholesales—which have
been expanding rapidly. As the quotas are based on business in the
previous year, tlie supply leaves no margin to cover the increased
activity. Thus, in the case of Eastern Cooperative Wholesale, the
coffee quota of 75 percent was based upon sales 30 to 40 percent below
1942 business.
The cooperative movement has for some time been urging Nation
wide rationing—before shortages arise—of all basic commodities of
which there is likely to be a shortage. In August, Eastern Coopera
tive Wholesale petitioned OPA for rationing of coffee and tea. It was
felt that rationing insures equitable distribution among all con
sumers and frees quantities of goods which otherwise might be hoarded,
particularly if it is made clear that the amount on hand must be
declared. A conference of representatives from regional cooperatives
and organizations of consumers was called by the national Cooperative
League and held in Washington, I). C., on November 20, 1942. In
stancing the “run” that developed in the case of coffee, this conference,
at which 20 national organizations with consumer interests were
represented, adopted a resolution urging rationing of those goods that
are scarce or becoming scarce, “at once without a preliminary an
nouncement.”
As early as February 1942 the Cooperative League urged WPB and
OPA to see to it that consumers were given representation on all local
rationing boards. It wTas suggested that consumers’ cooperatives, as
“effective organizations of consumers,” should be consulted when
rationing boards were appointed. It was pointed out that the co
operatives could do good wrnrk in safeguarding consumer interests.
The services of local, regional, and national cooperative organizations,
to this end, were offered.
The annual meeting of Eastern Cooperative Wholesale, held in
June 1942, adopted a plan (suggested previously by the national
Cooperative League) for the creation in local cooperatives of com
mittees on public affairs whose duties would be (1) to acquaint
community leaders and organizations of the benefits of cooperation;
(2) to inform legislators of the view point of cooperatives on legisla
tion directly affecting consumers, and (3) to study and interpret to
cooperative members the legislation and administrative rulings
affecting the interests of cooperatives.
The 'problem, oj transport and delivery.—Tire and gasoline restrictions
have entailed some hardship on cooperatives, especially in the East
where a radical revision of delivery policies has ensued. Various
methods have been worked out, in order to reduce the number of
deliveries and the mileage, and to concentrate orders within an area
by the pooling of members’ orders at a central point therein.
An order issued by the Office of Defense Transportation, effective
June 30, 1942, required a 25-percent reduction (from the 1941 mileage
for the same period) in the monthly mileage of trucks operating within
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a metropolitan area or not more than 15 miles from the city in which
based. Trucks operating in long-distance hauling were required to
have capacity loads in one direction and at least 75 percent capacity
for the other or return trip. “ Circuitous routes” (i. e., more than
10 percent greater in distance than the most direct highway) were
prohibited.
The first of these provisions affected the retail deliveries of local
cooperatives and the second the wholesales and the local associations
doing trucking of supplies to members. In order to comply, coopera
tives were forced to pool their trucking needs, so as to insure full loads
each way. In Wisconsin the Central Cooperative Wholesale which
had operated a fleet of trucks in which to carry supplies to its retail
members took over the trucks and haulage business of several of the
district federations (C-A-P, Trico, and Range) which had been
engaged in hauling supplies for local cooperatives in its district.
Combination of these haulage businesses insured the full use of the
trucks on the round trip. The Farmers Union Central Exchange
also increased the number of its transport trucks. On the Atlantic
seaboard, Eastern Cooperative Wholesale has member associations
scattered through several States as far south as the District of
Columbia and as far north as Maine, and consequently has an exten
sive haulage problem. It opened a new wholesale branch warehouse
in Philadelphia, in order to eliminate some of the haul and cut freight
expense; trucking to the Pittsburgh area was let on contract to a
private carrier.
In order to meet the problems of transportation, local cooperative
associations are also entering into joint ownership of transport facilities.
News For Farmer Cooperatives reports (September 1942) that scores
of new trucking cooperatives are being formed. In one area 22 are
reported and in another 20. Most of these are hauling farm produce
between terminal markets and the cooperative associations. In the
consumers’ cooperative field, it is reported that cooperatives in 5
Iowa towns united in the purchase of a truck to haul their supplies
and formed a new association for the purpose. In Ohio a State trans
portation council was created to coordinate the haulage activities of
some 3,000 trucks owned by cooperatives in the State. Montana
and western North Dakota petroleum associations formed a new
association, the Farmers Union Transport Association, to carry on the
pooled trucking business of the member cooperatives.
EFFECTS UPON COOPERATIVES
The associations retailing tires and petroleum products were among
the first to be hit by wartime restrictions. Mergers of neighboring
cooperatives were being discussed by the end of 1942, and the closing
of a sizable percentage of stations had already taken place.7 In fact,
even before the end of 1941, numerous associations which had overexpanded in the palmy days of the petroleum business had closed at
least some of their branches.
Faced with declining volume of business, as a result of tire and
gasoline restrictions, the petroleum cooperatives are expanding into
various sidelines. This trend began several years ago but has been
7T h a t th e private dealers were also seriously affected is indicated b y the fact th a t one of COA’s truck
drivers reported early in October 1942 th a t of 687 private service stations along his route, 219 had been closed.
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accentuated by war conditions. One association in Minnesota made a
contract arrangement with two local repair garages for discounts on
repair work of cooperative members. Associations with repair
departments of their own are featuring that service. Midland
Cooperative Wholesale reported in August that already 60 of its
affiliated petroleum cooperatives had gone into the grocery business,
and that the business of the wholesale’s grocery department was
running about 65 percent over 1941. In the Central Cooperative
Wholesale area these associations are reported to have started handling
furniture.
In Texas little diversification of business had taken place among
the petroleum cooperatives until war conditions forced them to do so.
Now they are reported to be expanding into various sidelines, usually
farm supplies and tractor and machinery repair. In one of the Mid
land districts, associations were reported to be studying the feasibilitv
of entering into distribution of work clothing, drygoods, tableware,
etc.
Although many new associations were formed in 1942, wholesale
organizations were not particularly encouraging the opening of new
stores under conditions as they existed toward the end of the year.
Difficulties of obtaining not only the necessary equipment for the
store, but also of obtaining stocks of goods, made leaders dubious of
the wisdom of opening new business enterprises, at least until impor
tant items were placed under rationing. Extension of buying-club
technique, enabling groups to obtain supplies without undertaking the
overhead and problems of store operation, was being encouraged. In
addition, mergers of existing associations, to form more stable societies
and cut overhead, were urged.
Up to the end of 1942, thanks partly to the higher level of prices,
greater efficiency, and greater sales efforts, both wholesale and retail
cooperatives in the food field had in the main been able to maintain or
increase their volume of business. It is probable, of course, that
eventually some of the weaker associations will have to close. In this
connection it is of interest that, regarding the Farmers’ Union cooper
atives in Nebraska, the Nebraska Union Farmer (Oct. 28, 1942)
reported that these organizations were in a “ good position to weather
war and post-war conditions,” as about 75 percent of them were
“ debt-free or practically so.”
Wartime conditions may eliminate some of the benefits heretofore
claimed by cooperatives. Thus, the lowered margins allowable under
price control will drastically reduce the price savings possible to be
made under the cooperative method; and the necessity for strengthen
ing the financial structure of the cooperative movement will tend to
abolish, for the duration, the payment of cash patronage refunds even
if earned. Also, supply difficulties may slow up and hinder the
progress of the cooperative movement toward controlling the quality
of goods handled, as associations find they must take what they can
get, not what they would prefer.
MEASURES TO MEET CONDITIONS
The president of one of the cooperative wholesales recently presented
a 10-point program for cooperatives during the war. In addition to
cash trading, training of new employees, and consolidation of weaker
associations, these included the following:
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1. To keep an uninterrupted flow of goods to agriculture to enable
farmers to produce to the maximum.
2. To “ speak with a united voice to the end that the cooperative
movement may not suffer from discriminatory regulations * * *
and see to it that violence is not done to the nonprofit character of
cooperatives.”
3. To expand into war effort (such as dehydration, manufacture of
alcohol, etc.), possibly by joint action of several wholesales.
4. To keep organizations democratic.
5. To build cooperatives “ at all levels which will be so sound and
effective that people will turn to them naturally and logically in the
reconstruction period as the answer to their most pressing economic
problems.”
The immediate steps urged upon cooperatives include the following:
(1) Elimination or drastic reduction of credit business, and reduction
of extra service; (2) more efficient use of employee time, improved
store lay-out, and close scrutiny of all expenses; (3) keeping the most
efficient staff possible, “ even at the cost of wages apparently too high
for economical operation” ; (4) adding new lines of goods to take the
place of those no longer obtainable; and (5) closer cooperation with
other cooperatives and the wholesale on problems of merchandising.
Renewed emphasis is being placed upon making sure that the coopera
tive is financially stable; this involves building up reserves. In an
open letter to local cooperatives, Central Cooperative Wholesale early
in 1942 urged that cooperatives achieve “ financial self-sufficiency,”
and noted that to do so would mean for most cooperatives “ outlawing
cash patronage refunds for the duration of the emergency.” It
recommended that associations “keep the earnings in the business in
one way or another.” Cash patronage refunds should be made only
after paying all bills, making provision for necessary facilities for
efficient operation, reserve to cover a probably 15-25 percent inventory
loss when prices drop, reserve to meet “ probable freezing of receivables
when the present war boom ends and depression comes,” and “ pro
vision for possible—probable—operating losses in the years of general
economic adjustments that will follow termination of the war econo
my.” Somewhat the same adv ce has been given in the periodicals
of the other wholesales.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Industrial Helations
ACTIVITIES OF NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS
BOARD, 1941-42
THE duties of the National Labor Relations Board are of two general
types: (a ) To prevent employers engaged in interstate commerce
from engaging in any of the unfair labor practices listed under the
National Labor Relations Act; and (b) to settle controversies with
respect to representation of employees and certify the name of the
employee organization which shall represent the workers.
During the 12 months ending June 30, 1942, a total of 10,977 new
cases was filed with the Board, the largest number received in any
year of its activity. For the first time representation cases were in
the majority, 6,010 representation cases being filed, as against 4,967
cases involving unfair labor practices; the former increased 39 percent
and the latter 3 percent, over the previous fiscal year.
Altogether, 11,741 cases wore closed by the Board during the fiscal
year—5,456 involving unfair labor practices, and 6,285 involving
representation. Of the cases closed, 84 percent were closed through
amicable adjustment by agreement, or were withdrawn or dismissed
before the institution of formal proceedings. Of the unfair-laborpractice cases, 92 percent were disposed of before formal action, and
of the representation cases 78 percent.
Varied action was taken to remedy unfair labor practices, in cases
closed by adjustment or by compliance. To rectify discriminatory
discharges 8,251 workers were reinstated; and 32,137 were reinstated
after strikes caused by unfair labor practices. Back-pay awards
totaled $1,266,408, and 5,925 workers received back pay. The posting
of notices was required in 1,365 cases and the disestablishment of
company-dominated unions in 283 cases. Collective-bargaining ne
gotiations were part of the remedy ordered in 1,032 cases.
A. F. of L. affiliates were the petitioners in 44.7 percent of the
representation cases closed during the year, C. I. O. affiliates in 43.3
percent, unaffiliated unions in 10.5 percent, and employers in 1.5
percent (92 cases).
In approximately 75 percent of the elections there was no contest
between unions—that is, the name of only one union appeared on the
ballot. In most of the remaining elections there were two partici
pants, and in only a negligible number were there more than two
participants involved.
Unions affiliated with the C. I. O. won 75 percent, A. F. of L.
affiliates 67 percent, and unaffiliated unions 57.7 percent of the elec
tions in which they participated.
516
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
517
industrial Relations
T a b le 1
Results of Elections and Pay-Roll Checks Conducted During 1942, by P artici
pating Union
Elections won by
union
Elections in which union
participated
Participating union
A. F . of L _______________
c .u . 0
______
Unaffiliated _ _
_ _
ber
N um ber Nofum
valid
N u m of
eligible
votes
ber
voters
cast
N um
ber
406, 034
824, 442
283,702
1,522
1, 723
391
2, 270
2,284
678
490, 028
999, 922
338,195
Valid votes cast
for union
Percent of
P er
elections
in which
N um ber
cent
union par
of total
ticipated
67.0
75.4
57.7
206, 605
560, 815
127, 834
50.9
68.0
45.1
Per
cent
of eligibles
voting
82.9
82.5
83.9
Manufacturing industries accounted for 76 percent of all elections
and pay-roll checks, and for 91 percent of all valid votes. More than
50 percent of all valid votes in manufacturing were in iron and steel,
transportation equipment (excluding automobile), and nonelectrical
machinery.
T a b l e 2. — Comparison of Distribution of Workers and of Valid i otes Cast in 12 Leading
Manufacturing Industries
In d u stry
T o ta l........
...............................
Iron and steel___ ________ _ _
T ransportation e q u ip m en t____
Textiles__________ _ _______
Food
M achinery, excluding electrical
1
Percent Percent
of valid
of
workers 1 votes
84.5
87.1
12.9
30.1
18.5
11.1
10.4
9. 8
8.3
8.8
4.0
10.7
In d ustry
AppareL _
Electrical m achinery_________
Chemicals ___
P rin tin g _____________________
Lum ber. _ _ _
_ _ __ .
F u rn itu re _______ _
_ __ _
Stone, clay, and glass_________
Percent Percent
of
of valid
w orkers1 votes
7.3
5.1
4.7
4.1
4.1
3.4
3.3
1.2
2.9
3.6
.7
2.2
2.4
2.0
Based on Estim ated E m ploym ent and Wages of W orkers Covered b y State U nem ploym ent Com pen
sation Law s, October-December 1941, compiled by the Bureau of Em ploym ent Security of the Social Se
curity Board.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Indii si rial Dispu tes
STRIKES IN JANUARY 1943
PRELIMINARY estimates of tlie Bureau of Labor Statistics show
that strike activity in January 1943 was substantially greater than in
December. The number of strikes was about 20 percent greater, the
number of workers involved in new strikes was more than 50 percent
greater, and the amount of idleness during strikes was more than
double that in December.
The greatest contributing factor to the increased strike activity in
January was the strike of 20,000 anthracite miners in Eastern Pennsyl
vania during the first 3 weeks of the month. There was also a 2-day
stoppage involving about 16,000 garment workers in New York, New
Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania.
As compared with January 1942—the month following Pearl
Harbor—the number of strikes and the amount of idleness during
strikes in January 1943 were about 37 percent greater; the number
of workers involved in new strikes was more than 3 times as great.
Idleness during strikes in January was less than half the average
for January during the 5-year pre-defense period, 1935-39, although
the number of strikes was 15 percent and the number of workers
involved 46 percent greater than the respective averages.
Idleness during strikes in January is estimated to be 0.06 percent
of available working time. Heretofore, the percentage of strike
idleness has been calculated as if industry generally were working
an average 5-day week. Beginning with January 1943 the percentage
of strike idleness is calculated on the basis of an average 6-day week.
The change to a 6-day base reduces the percentage for January 1943
from 0.07 to 0.06 percent.
Past issues of the Monthly Labor Review have included figures on
strikes affecting war work as determined by a joint committee of
representatives from several Government agencies directly con
cerned. This series was discontinued with figures for December 1942,
as it became more and more difficult to distinguish between strikes
which affected war work and those which did not. As increasing
proportions of the national economy became converted to war work
practically all strikes affected the war effort directly or indirectly to
some degree.
518
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Industrial Disputes
519
Strikes in January 1943 W itli Comparisons fo r Earlier Periods
Item
Jan u a ry
1943 i
Decem
ber
1942 1
Averages for 5-year
period, 1935-39
Jan u ary
1942 2
Jan u a ry
N u m b e r of strikes beginning in m o n th
N u m b e r of w orkers involved in new strikes
N u m b e r of m an-days idle d uring all strikes in prog
ress during m o n th __
195
90.000
160
57,000
450,000
200,000
141
25, 731
170
61, 742
328,316 1,012, 665
Decem
ber
127
31,899
SKO t
1 P relim in ary estim ates.
2 Revised, b u t n o t final.
ACTIVITIES OF THE UNITED STATES CONCILIATION
SERVICE, JANUARY 1943
THE United States Conciliation Service during January disposed of
1,2/8 situations involving 692,401 workers (table 1). The services of
this agency were requested by the employers, employees, and other
interested parties. Of these situations, 96 were strikes and lock-outs
involving 64,239 workers; 650 were threatened strikes and contro
versies involving 300,906 workers. During the month, 217 disputes
were certified to the National War Labor Board, and in 44 cases other
agencies assumed jurisdiction. The remaining 271 situations included
investigations, arbitrations, requests for information, consultations,
etc.
T able
1.
Situations Disposed of by United States Conciliation Service, January 1943,
by Type o f Situation
T ype of situation
W orkers
involved
N um ber
All situations h an d led_____________________________
i 1, 278
692, 401
D isputes________________________________________
Strikes_________________________ f i l l ____ ~_l~f
T hreatened strikes____________________I . I I I h .
Lock-outs___________________________________ "
Controversies__________________________
746
95
365,145
64,046
33, 737
193
267,169
86
1
564
O ther situations_____________________________
Investigations_____________________________ ’7 ’
Technical services___________________________
A rbitratio n s________________________________
R equests to conduct consent elections________
R equests for inform ation______________________
C onsultations_________________________________
Special services of Commissioners__________
C om plaints___________________________________
271
62
13
70
3
15
77
19
D isputes referred to other agencies during negotiations
To N ational W ar Labor B oard_________________
To N ational L abor Relations Board___
To other Federal agencies______________________
To Wage A djustm ent B oard____________________
T o nongovernm ental agencies________________
To S tate agencies_______________________
261
217
30
3
4
5
12
2
34, 385
4,820
3,881
17, 566
193
35
200
7, 668
22
292,871
275,461
11,019
1,412
1,007
570
3,402
1 D uring th e m onth 106 of these cases, involving 60,820 workers, were adjusted, subject to arbitration or
approval of th e wage provisions b y th e N ational W ar Labor Board.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
520
Monthly Lahor Review—March 1943
The facilities of the Service were used in 26 major industrial fields,
such as building trades, and the manufacture of foods, iron and steel,
textiles, etc. (table 2), and were utilized by employees and employers
in 46 States and the District of Columbia (table 3).
T a b l e 2 . —Situations Disposed o f by United States Conciliation Service, January 1943,
by Industries
D isputes
In d u stry
N um
ber
O ther situations
W orkers
involved
N um
ber
Total
N um
ber
W orkers
involved
W orkers
involved
All industries. . _ . . _______ _____ . . .
1,007
658,016
271
34,385
1,278
692, 401
Building trades . . . .
Chemicals .
...
.
C om m unications
. . .
Domestic and personal________ . ______
Electrical equipm ent
.
. .
35
51
6, 752
35
23
15,187
25,955
18, 339
9, 255
18
7
3
7
480
2,170
107
917
200
53
58
14
42
25
7, 232
17, 357
26,062
19, 256
9, 455
Food
_ . . . . ________ ______________
F u rn itu re and finished lum ber. _ _
Iron and steel_________________________
L eather___ _ .
- - - - - - Lum ber
. . ______
. .
75
45
156
24
37
34, 226
8, 917
99, 213
7,548
34,941
21
3,905
830
1,433
1 , 221
354
96
50
191
38
43
38,131
9, 747
100, 646
8, 769
35, 295
M achinery ___ ________ _____________
_ ...
M a r itim e ___
M in in g .
. . .
M otion pictures
N onferrous m etals. . .
60
8
1
222
68
18
3
49
18, 695
585
24, 614
1,329
29,804
75
7
18
3
47
130
57
18,917
660
24, 614
1,376
29, 934
13
13
27
19
30
57
4,050
7, 086
16, 421
9, 374
6, 464
108, 417
9
5, 539
21
4
58
52
60
7
39
9,024
22, 812
27, 873
94, 847
3, 491
12, 797
P a p e r.. _ _ ___________ ______________
Petroleum _________ _ __________ ____
Prin tin g
_ _
. .
R ubber
Stone, clay, and glass. . _
Textile
_______ ___________________
T o b acco .. ___________________________
T rade ______________________________
T ra n s p o rta tio n .-. ___________ ____ ___
T ransportation equipm ent _____________
U tilities
____ . ___ . . .
______
Unclassified _ _____
. ___ _
___
11
6
.
2
5
35
14
6
8
4
8
1
5
8
24
1
3, 408
349
5,633
1
2
31
3, 799
536
1,030
44
1,944
11
23
4
13
6
17
4,059
12, 625
16, 422
12, 782
6,813
114,050
28
24
38
81
5
89
63
83
9,026
26, 611
28, 409
95, 877
3, 535
14, 741
11
52
T a b l e 3 . — Situations Disposed of by United States Conciliation Service, January 1943,
by States
D isputes
O ther situations
T otal
State
N um
ber
W orkers
involved
N um
ber
W orkers
involved
N um
ber
W orkers
involved
All S ta te s.. ______ ____ ________ _ ____
1,007
658, 016
271
34, 385
1,278
692, 401
A labam a_____________ __________ ____
Arizona
A rkansas _ ..........
...... California. ._ ..
................
Colorado___ _____ ____ _ . . . - ___
C onnecticut. _. . - - - - - - - - . ._ _____
8
3
6
11
3
3
90
13
2, 345
15, 007
1,343
64, 572
20, 365
9, 291
3
24
3, 593
6
112
22
7
997
15
17
2, 351
15 007
1,367
68,165
20,387
10,288
D istrict of C olum bia____ ____ ______
F lo rid a .. _________ _____ __ . . . _
Georgia. _ _ _ _
_______ _____ _
Idaho _ .
.
.
Illinois
____ .
. _ In d ia n a ___ . .
__ ______________ __
16
7
3
97
41
4
4
5
693
128
353
20
12
15
350
5, 927
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
10
1
13
12,612
2, 257
592
65, 573
14, 476
22
2
11
3
5
3
112
52
706
12, 740
2, 610
592
65, 923
20, 403
521
Industrial Disputes
T a b l e 3 . — Situations Disposed of by United States Conciliation Service, January 1943,
by States— Continued
N um
ber
Iowa __ _
— Kansas
K entucky
- --------------------------------Louisiana.
---------------- ----------------M ain e ..
M ary lan d --------------------------------------------
15
4
19
17
3
M assachusetts. ................... ............ - -M ichigan---- ------------------------------- M innesota.
. .
- - - - - - -----M ississippi
. . . -------------M issouri______________________________
31
75
6
20
3
35
1
4
2
N ew H am pshire------- ----------- . . . ---N ew Jersey. . . . ------ -- --- - ------ -N ew M exico.
. . .
N ew York
N o rth Carolina. --------------- . . . . . . --
46
5
108
13
1
101
2
Ohio
..........
O klahom a__________________________ Oregon
.
- _
- P ennsylvania.
------ -------------- - - R hode I s l a n d . ...... ........... ...........................
South C arolina. ----
18
72
6
2
----------------- --------
3
16
17
3
3
Tennessee
.
. - -------------Texas
___ - . .
- - - TTtqh
V erm ont______________________________
Virginia
_
- .
W ashington -------------------------------------W est V irginia____ - - - - - - - - - -------- W isco n sin -.. _ ------------------------- -W yom ing. - __ --------------- -- ----------
512311—43-
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
■7
11
11
15
26
1
1
Total
O ther situations
D isputes
State
W orkers
involved
N um
ber
W orkers
involved
N um
ber
204
84
1,078
3,100
550
4,321
4,177
135
921
6
1
4
7
4
4
271
2,175
14,180
42,870
3,498
590
32,206
65
18
32
3
3
4
1,673
3,690
91
142
353
11
21
5
23
24
7
10
49
107
23
6
39
1
185
26
4
9
50
1
100
6
16
1,567
2,920
124
19
123
4
3
14
3
2,309
106
84
664
2, 303
237
2,696
1,890
8,268
167
463
3
1,410
3
4
175
33
5
3
19
1
1
1,868
9
4
3
4
251
133
117
136
199
1,007
48,219
1,213
155, 337
2,777
17
42, 769
2,160
1,380
45, 242
12, 302
4,305
1,479
8,932
30
7
4
6
1
22
2
21
86
9
21
3
4
20
15
18
30
1
W orkers
involved
3,304
634
5,399
4,188
406
3,096
15,853
46,560
3, 589
732
32, 559
65
199
1,192
48, 245
1,313
156,904
5, 697
17
45, 078
2,266
1, 464
45,906
14, 605
1,647
2, 696
2, 065
8,301
167
464
2,119
4, 438
1, 596
9, 068
30
Cost o f Living
* + + + + ***+ + **+ + *+ + ¿ + + + **+ # + 4 * ** + * *+ + + + **+ + **+ *+ *+ *+ + **+ + + + + + + *+ + + + # + + + ,*
CHANGES IN COST OF LIVING IN LARGE CITIES,
JANUARY 1943
LIVING costs of city workers increased 0.2 percent from December
15, 1942, to January 15, 1943. This was the smallest monthly advance
since February 1941. The cost of goods and services under OPA
control on January 15 rose 0.3 percent during the month. The cost
of gas, electricity, and other services controlled by other Government
agencies remained unchanged, and prices of goods and services not
under any form of governmental control declined for the first time
since May 1942. The decrease of 0.3 percent occurred largely
because of seasonally lower fruit and vegetable prices.
The slower rate of advance for the month ending January 15
was largely brought about by two factors. With new crops from the
South, prices of a number of fresh fruits and vegetables declined and
the usual January clearance sales of men’s and women’s heavy wool
coats and men’s suits in many stores throughout the country brought
price reductions in clothing. However, prices of coal went up by
2.5 percent, and there were continued slight advances in prices of
many staple foodstuffs.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics cost-of-living index reflects actual
prices in retail stores where families with moderate incomes usually
trade. Black-market operations or sales to customers who pay
bonuses for service cannot, however, be measured.
Food.—The family food bill advanced 0.2 percent from midDecember to mid-January. Among the principal increases were higher
prices for meat, which rose 1.1 percent. Beef, veal, pork, and lamb
prices went up less than 1 percent, while prices of poultry and fish,
used by many families as substitutes for red meats, advanced 3.3
percent and 2.9 percent, respectively. Prices of fresh milk rose 1.4
percent on the average, with higher prices for delivered milk in 8
cities and higher store prices in 13. The usual winter increases were
reported for cabbage, green beans, apples, sweetpotatoes, onions,
and white potatoes. Among the fresh vegetables not under OPA
control, however, lettuce prices dropped seasonally by over 6 percent,
while carrots and spinach moved downward contraseasonally by 22
and 6 percent. Prices of oranges, grapefruit, and bananas, all under
OPA control, declined seasonally. Prices of fats and oils rose 0.7
percent.
522
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
523
Cost of Living
The following statement shows the trend of food prices from Decem
ber 15 to January 15.
Percent of change—
Dec. IS, 1942,
to
Jan. 12,1943
M ay 18,1942,
to
Jan. 12,1943
All foods___________________________________________
+0.2
+9.4
Foods under direct control January 12, 1943___________
Controlled on May 18, 1942_____________________
Brought under control since May 18, 1942 +_ ____
Foods not under direct control January 12, 1943______
+ .6
+.6
+ .3
—2. 3
+ 7 .4
+ 1 .8
+ 18. 7
+27. 2
i
Includes p ean u t b u tte r placed u nder control on M ay 18, exem pted from control in August, and new
ceilings set in December.
On January 12 the Bureau’s index of food costs stood 33 percent
above the 1935-39 average, 9.4 percent above May 12, and 14 percent
above a year ago.
Fuel , electricity, and ice.—Costs of fuel, electricity, and ice rose 0.9
percent during the month. Anthracite and bituminous-coal ceilings
were revised upward by OPA to compensate the retailer for the higher
prices of coal at the mine. In addition, a Federal transportation
tax on coal caused a slight increase. Fuel-oil prices advanced in
several cities as a result of expenses incurred by dealers in complying
with the rationing program.
Clothing.—Clothing prices remained unchanged, on the average,
in the large cities of the country between December 15 and January
15, 1943. January clearance sales of men’s and women’s heavy
woolen suits and coats brought about decreases in 11 cities.
Elsewhere, however, men’s and women’s wool coats returned to ceiling
levels after December sales. Higher prices for shoes and shoe repairs
were also reported. Goods of the quality previously priced were not
available in some parts of the country and clothing costs increased
because customers were obliged to buy goods in higher price lines.
Housefurnishings.—Housefurnishing costs showed no change be
tween December 15 and January 15. Birmingham, where prices of
sheets advanced, was the only city reporting increased prices for
household goods, while declines in prices of sheets were noted in
New York, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh. Part-wool blankets were
also lower than in December in several cities.
Miscellaneous goods and services.—The cost of miscellaneous goods
and services rose 0.3 percent. Higher charges for medical services
were reported in Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Houston, San Francisco,
and Seattle. Newspaper rates advanced in Buffalo, Chicago, Cin
cinnati, arid Philadelphia.
The relative importance of gasoline in cities on the eastern seaboard,
as used in computing the index, was reduced to allow for decreased
consumption caused by the lowered value of ration coupons and the
ban on pleasure driving.
Rents.— Rents were not surveyed in January, as an economy
measure. Since last September when rent control had become
established in most large cities, rents have varied little from month
to month in the 21 cities covered in the Bureau’s monthly cost-ofliving index. The Bureau’s regular survey of rents will be made in
March.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
524
Monthly Labor Review—March 1943
T a b l e 1. -Percent of Change in Cost of A ll Goods Purchased by Wage Earners and
Lower-Salaried Workers in Large Cities, for Specified Dates
Percent of change—
C ity
Jan. 15,
1942, to
Jan. 15,
1943
Average: Large cities_
+ 7 .7
N ew England: Boston
M iddle A tlantic:
Buflalo__________
N ew Y ork_______
P hiladelphia_____
P ittsb u rg h _______
E ast N orth Central:
Chicago_________
C incinnati_______
C leveland_______
D etro it__________
W est N orth Central:
Kansas C ity _____
M inneapolis_____
T
ab le
+ 8.6
Percent of change—
Dec. 15,
1940, to
Jan. 15,
1943
+19.8
+ 20.0
+ 8 .5
+ 8.6
+ 8.2
+ 7 .7
+22.7
+ 18.7
+ 20.8
+19.4
+ 6.8
+ 7 .2
+ 7 .3
+ 5 .7
+ 18.4
+20. 3
+20.7
+19.9
+ 7 .3
+ 6 .3
+19.5
+16.4
C ity
Jan. 15,
1942, to
Jan. 15,
1943
W est N o rth C entral—Con.
St. Louis_______________
South A tlantic:
B altim ore______________
Savannah______________
W ashington, D. C ______
E ast South C entral: B ir
m ingham ________________
W est South C entral: H ouston
M ountain: D enver_________
Pacific:
Los Angeles____________
San Francisco__________
Seattle_________________
Dec. 15,
1940, to
Jan. 15,
1943
+ 6 .7
+18.1
+ 7 .6
+ 8.6
+ 7 .5
+ 22.0
+23.4
+ 19.8
+5. 3
+ 6.2
+ 7 .5
+18.9
+ 16.9
+19.4
+ 8 .9
+ 9 .3
+ 7 .7
+20.9
+22.5
+23.2
2 . — Percent o f Change, Dec. 15, 1942, to Jan. 15, 1943, in Cost of Goods P u r
chased by Wage Earners and Lower Salaried Workers in Large Cities
Fuel,
C loth
electricity,
ing
and ice
Housefurnish
ings
M is
cella
neous
All
Item s
Food
Average: Large cities___________
+ 0.2
+ 0.2
30
4 + 0 .9
30
New E ngland: B oston__________
M iddle A tlantic:
Buflalo____________________
N ew Y o rk_________________
Philadelphia_______________
P ittsb u rg h ______________
E ast N orth Central:
Chicago____________________
C incinnati_________________
C leveland__________________
D e tro it____________________
W est N o rth Central:
Kansas C ity ________________
M inneapolis________________
St. Louis___________________
South A tlantic:
B altim ore__________________
Savannah__________________
W ashington, D . C __________
E a st South C entral: B irm ingham
W est South C entral: H o u sto n ___
M ountain: D en v er_____________
Pacific:
Los A ngeles________________
San Francisco______________
Seattle 5____________________
0
- 0.2
- 1.1
+ 1.6
0
0
1.0
+ 1.8
+ 1 .4
- .3
+ .3
-. 1
-. 1
+ 1 .4
+ 1 .4
+ 1.4
0
- 0.2
- .1
- .2
+ 1.1
+ .4
+• 1
0
-.4
+ .8
0
0
0
0
+ .4
+ .3
+ .7
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
+ .1
0
0
0
+ .1
+* 1
C ity
1 R ents no t surveyed in January.
2 Based on d ata for 51 cities.
+
+.4
0
+.6
+.1
-.2
+.2
+ .6
- .2
+ .2
-. 4
-. 1
-1 .4
+ .5
+ .2
+ .1
-.2
+ .1
- .6
- 1.0
-. 2
+ .1
+ 1.0
-.4
+.7
+. 0
+ 1 .3
+ 1.6
-.3
+ .3
+ .3
0
+.1
-.2
+.4
5+.l
+ .8
+ .9
+ .3
0
+ .6
+ .3
+ .7
-.4
+ .8
+ .1
0
0
- .1
-. 1
+ 1.2
+ 2.6
+ 1 .9
+ •1
-. 1
+ .2
+ .1
+ .2
+ .2
+ .2
0
0
- 1.0
+ .9
-. 1
+ .6
+ .2
- .1
0
0
0
0
0
0
-.9
3 + 0 .3
+ .1
+ .1
+ .3
+ .1
5 + .5
See p. 523.
s Based on d a ta for 21 cities.
4 Based on d a ta for 34 cities.
5 Indexes for Seattle revised: Oct. 15, 1942, all item s 124.0, miscellaneous 118.3; N ov 15 1942 all item s
124.7, miscellaneous 118.8; and Dec. 15, 1942, all item s 125.6, miscellaneous 119.2.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
525
Cost of Living
T a b l e 3.- —Indexes of Cost of Goods Purchased by H age Earners and Lower-Salaried
Workers in Large Cities, by Groups of Items, Jan. 15, 1943
[A verage 1935-39=100]
C ity
A vftragfi: L a rg e c itie s
__
_ _
- __
1 R e n ts
2 B ased
3 B ased
4 B ased
n o t su rv e y e d in J a n u a ry .
on d a ta for 51 cities.
on d a ta for 21 cities.
on d a ta for 34 cities.
M is
cella
n eo u s
Food
C lo th
ing
F u e l, elec
tric ity ,
a n d ice
i 120. 6
2 133. 0
3 125. 9
4 107. 3
3 123.7
118. 3
118.2
111. 1
120.1
112. 0
113. 7
112.6
118.9
____
ISTp.w E n g la n d : B oston
M id d le A tla n tic :
B uffalo
_
N ew Y o rk
P h ila d e lp h ia
P itts b u r g h
.
_
E a s t N o rth C e n tra l:
C hicago
_
_ _
C in c in n a ti
C le v ela n d
D e tro it
W e st N o rth C e n tra l:
K a n s a s C ity
__
__
_______
M in n ea p o lis
_ __
_ _ _
S t. L ouis
S o u th A tla n tic :
B altim o re
S av a n n a h
W a sh in g to n , D . C
E a s t S o u th C e n tra l: B irm in g h a m
W e s t S o u th C e n tra l: TTouston
M o u n ta in : D e n v e r __ __ _
Pacific:
L os A ngeles __
S an F ran cisco
_
__
S e a ttle
_ __ _____
___ ___
H ousefu rn is h
ings
A ll
ite m s
130. 5
121.5
3 113.1
124.8
119. 8
119.7
120.7
137.9
133.1
130. 2
133.4
126.5
126.6
125.8
128.0
105.0
110. 7
105.2
109. 8
125. 0
117.7
122. 3
121. 5
119.6
119.8
123. 1
121.0
129.9
131. 0
134. 6
130.0
120.8
130.3
129. 0
127.7
104.5
102.8
113. 1
107. 5
119.6
125.1
123.9
120. 8
112.2
112.3
113.5
115.4
117.8
119. 0
119.3
127.3
129. 1
133. 1
122.3
126.1
126.4
107. 1
99.8
106.3
117.0
124.3
116.3
114.0
115. 0
111.0
122.6
125. 3
119.4
121.2
119.5
119.6
139.1
139.8
133.8
131.4
134.8
132.6
125.8
127.6
131.7
126.7
125. 6
123.5
106.0
112. 5
105. 8
100.3
93.1
99.6
127.6
119.9
129.0
119. 3
122. 2
121.9
113.0
115.8
115. 7
113. 0
112. 0
113.2
123.6
124.5
125.7
141.4
141.3
143.5
128. 3
125.8
128.1
94.2
94.1
100.6
118.4
119. 2
119.6
114.8
119.6
119.8
See p . 523.
T a b l e 4 . — Indexes of Cost of [Goods Purchased by U age Earners and Lower-Salaried
Workers in Large Cities, 1935 to January 1943
[Average 1935-39=100]
Year
1935
_ ________________
1936
--- ______________
1937 ________________ _____
1938 ________________________
1939
- . ___ _____________
1940
- _________
1941
__ ________
1942 ______________________
1942:
J a n . 15
Feb. 15
_______________
M ar. 15__________________
A pr. 15 __
__ -M ay 15
June 15 _
Ju ly 1 5 __
Aug. 15
Sep“t. 15
_______
Oct. 15
N o v . 15_ _
D ec. 15— _ ----------------1943: Jan. 15_
_____________
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All item s
98.1
99.1
102.7
100.8
99.4
100.2
105.2
116.5
112.0
112.9
114.3
115.1
116.0
116.4
117.0
117.5
117.8
119. 0
119.8
120.4
120.6
Food
100.4
101.3
105.3
97.8
95.2
96.6
105.5
123.9
116.2
116.8
118.6
119.6
121.6
123.2
124.6
126.1
126.6
129.6
131.1
132.7
133.0
Clothing
96.8
97.6
102.8
102.2
R ent
94.2
96.4
100.9
100.5
101.7
106.3
124.2
104.1
104.3
104.6
106.2
108.5
116.1
119.0
123.6
126. 5
126.2
125.3
125.3
125.2
125.8
125.9
125.9
125.9
125.9
108.4
108.6
108.9
109.2
109.9
108.5
108.0
108.0
108.0
108.0
108. 0
108.0
108.0
Fuel,
electric
ity, and
ice
Housefurnish
ings
100.7
100. 2
94.8
96.3
104.3
103.3
101. 3
100.5
107.3
100.2
99.9
99.0
99.7
102.2
105.4
104.3
104.4
104. 5
104.3
104.9
105.0
106.3
106.2
106.2
106. 2
106.2
106.3
107.3
122.2
118.2
119.7
121.2
121. 9
122.2
122.3
122.8
123.0
123.6
123.6
123.7
123.7
123.7
M iscel
laneous
98.1
98.7
101.0
101.5
100.7
101.1
104.0
110. 9
108. 5
109. 4
110 . 1
110.6
110.9
110.9
111 . 1
111 . 1
111.4
111.8
112.7
112.8
113.1
II age
and Hour Statistics
EARNINGS IN MANUFACTURE OF ELECTRICAL
APPLIANCES, 19421
Summary
THIS report on earnings in plants manufacturing domestic electrical
appliances is one of a series undertaken by the Bureau of Labor
Statistics lor the purpose ol providing information on the effects of
the war on the several branches of the electrical-products industries.1’
Twenty-two of the 27 plants included in this survey had converted
to war production by the summer of 1942; of these 22 plants, half were
devoting at least 90 percent of their output to war production. Em
ployment increased about 27 percent between August 1939 and Sep
tember 1942, an amount somewhat below that for many machinery
and electrical industries during the same period. The increase between August 1939 and August 1941 was about 47 percent; however,
there was a decrease of more than 13 percent during the following
year, presumably as a, result of the conversion order for the industry.
Aveiage hourly earnings (including overtime and shift premiums)
rose from approximately 65 cents in August 1939 to 81 cents in the
summer of 1942.
Average hourly earnings, exclusive of overtime premiums, are esti
mated at 76.9 cents during the late summer of 1942. Approximately
200 male workers in the occupations studied were classified in the
seven groups which showed average hourly earnings in excess of $1.
in general, the larger plants paid higher wages.
Scope of Survey 3
According to the Census of Manufactures there were, in 1939, 138
plants engaged primarily in the manufacture of domestic electrical
appliances. Included in these establishments are plants manufactur
ing such products as electric fans, irons, mixers, percolators, hot
plates, and vacuum cleaners.4 The only important appliances excluded
are domestic refrigerators and washing machines; manufacturers of
such equipment are classified in separate industrial divisions. The
27 plants from which data were obtained by means of this survey con
stitute 25 percent of the 108 establishments which employed six or
more workers during 1939; 30 plants employing five workers or less
were excluded from the scope of the present survey. The sample
n r â r L T f f L d ,fnd he B u r° a u ’s D iYisi?n o fW a g e A n aly sis b y O dis C. C la rk . T h e s tu d y w as d ire cted a n d
p re p a ra tio n of th e re p o rt su p e rv ise d b y H a ro ld R . H osea.
i (M reL 0US7 iri ieles in th is series aPPeared in each issue of th e M o n th ly Labor Review, M ay 1942-February
194L individual reports are available on request.
th*® S? °pe a n d m e th o d of th is s u rv e y ap p e a rs in th e article e n title d “ E a rn in g s in
M a n u fa c tu re of D o m e stic L a u n d ry E q u ip m e n t, 1912” (p. 534 of th is issue)
T h is d efin itio n corresponds to th a t of C ensus I n d u s tr y N o. 1620
526
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Wage and Hour Statistics
527
plants were selected, as far as possible, to be representative of the
industry with respect to location, size (in terms of number of employ
ees), and certain other characteristics. Most of the earnings data
were for a representative pay-roll period during July 1942.5
Characteristics of the Industry
GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION
Slightly more than one-lialf of the plants classified by the Bureau
of the Census in this industry, in which nearly two-thirds of the work
ers in the industry were employed, are in the Midwest; over half of the
1939 labor force was in the States of Illinois and Ohio. One-third of
the plants and almost one-third of the workers were found in the
Northeastern States. Other plants, most of which were quite small,
are in the Pacific Coast States; the few plants in the South were very
small.
PRODUCTION OF WAR MATERIALS
No appreciable shift to defense production was reported for the 27
plants studied in this survey until 1941; only 1 plant was reported as
devoting any of its facilities to the defense program as early as 1940
and it was producing indirect war materials. During 1941, slightly
more than one-third of the plants were manufacturing either war
materials or products with high priority ratings, although none of
these was reported as devoting as much as 50 percent of facilities to
the war program.
In 1942, all production of domestic electrical appliances was rigidly
curtailed. All but 5 of the 27 plants studied were at least partially
converted to war production at the time this study was made. Of
the 22 plants engaged in war work, half were devoting at least 90
percent of their facilities to the war effort.
Although some production of electrical appliances on Government
order still continued, the output of the plants at the time they were
studied consisted principally of war materials. Articles were being
produced as dissimilar from the usual output as ammunition boxes,
gun canisters, screw-machine parts, mess kits, and marine hardware.
Two large vacuum-cleaner plants closed down certain departments
and expanded and converted their electric-motor divisions; both of
these establishments were producing several varieties of motors which
were more complex than the pre-war product and both had retrained
employees formerly making the discontinued items. Among the
striking conversions were from vacuum cleaners to portable field-light
ing equipment, from electric table stoves to aircraft bombing acces
sories, and from electric fans to aerial bombs. Despite drastic changes
in products, the plants Surveyed found, for the most part, that their
usual machinery was adaptable to the manufacture of war materials.
On the other hand, substantial readjustments were apparently
necessary even on the part of some of the larger establishments. In
nearly half of the 17 plants for which information is available, the
total labor force at the time of the survey was about 30 percent below
that in January 1942.
5 P ay -ro ll periods e n d in g in J u n e , A u g u st, or S ep te m b er w ere used for 4 p la n ts .
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
528
Monthly Labor Review—March 1943
THE LABOR FORCE
Approximately one-fifth of the male workers for whom detailed earn
ings data were compiled may be regarded as employed at skilled work ;
about one-half were employed on semiskilled and about one-third on
unskilled jobs. The manufacture of electrical appliances does not
involve large proportions of high-precision work, and many of the
assembly operations are limited to simple bench work. Thus, the
skill requirements of this industry tend to be somewhat lower than
those of certain other industrial divisions.
This industry employed substantial numbers of women as factoiy
workers even prior to the war. Slightly over 30 percent of the workers
included in this survey were women; in fact, the only plants not em
ploying at least a few female factory workers were five small estab
lishments with fewer than 20 workers each. In two plants, women
constituted over 80 percent of the labor force; in each of five other
establishments, over half of the workers were women, By far the
most important occupation among women was bench assembly work;
the second most important was inspection. Substantial numbers of
women were also employed as rack and conveyor loaders, packers,
product repairers, testers, winders, and wirers. Women were re
ported infrequently as machine operators except on drill presses and
punch presses; in the operation of these machines women were em
ployed in substantial numbers on lighter jobs. Among the females,
the ratio of workers at unskilled work was even higher than that
for males; approximately 80 percent of the women studied were em
ployed at unskilled jobs.
The number of Negroes employed in the industry was negligible ;
only about one-fourth of 1 percent of the total employed in the 27
plants studied were Negroes. In fact, only 5 of the plants employed
any Negroes and, in the plant employing the largest number, they
constituted less than 2 percent of the factory labor force. Most of
the Negroes reported in the industry were employed in foundry work
or as janitors or truck drivers.
Nationally affiliated unions had working agreements with 11 of the
plants studied; one additional plant had a contract with an independ
ent union. Although some small plants had contracts with unions,
such contracts were more prevalent among the larger establishments.
In fact, only 3 of the 16 plants employing fewer than 100 workers were
working under union agreements, as compared with 7 of the 11 larger
establishments. Approximately 42 percent of the workers included
in the survey were employed in organized shops.
Nine of the 11 collective agreements with nationally affiliated unions
were with the members of the American Federation of Labor. Union
strength in the industry was about evenly distributed between the
North Central area and the Northeastern States; 4 of the 12 plants in
the North Central region were unionized as compared with 3 of the 9
plants in the Northeast.
METHOD OF WAGE PAYMENT
Incentive systems of wage payment are common in the manufacture
of electrical appliances; it is probable that this method of wage pay
ment was even more prevalent, prior to the conversion to wrar pro
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Wage and Hour Statistics
529
duction. Piece rates and bonus systems are, of course, readily adapt
able to an industry which employs large numbers at the simple and
repetitive machine and assembly work which characterizes the manu
facture of small and standardized products.
Some type of incentive system of wage payment was reported for
12 of the 27 plants studied; these plants employed well over twofifths of the workers included in the survey. In these 12 plants, 45
percent of the workers received pay at piece or bonus rates and the re
mainder were paid hourly rates. Incentive systems were in effect in
small as well as large plants. Five of those included in the survey, and
employing fewer than 100 workers each, used some incentive system of
wage payment, and over 45 percent of all the workers employed in the
plants of this size group were paid at incentive rates. For the industry
as a whole, slightly less than 29 percent of the workers were paid under
incentive systems.
All but 7 of the plants studied paid for overtime work under more
liberal provisions than those required by Federal statute; these 7 firms
employed fewer than 100 employees each. In 19 of the establish
ments, overtime was paid at the rate of time and a half for all work
over 8 hours in 1 day, and in 1 of these the double rate applied after 12
hours’ work in the same day. The payment of overtime rates for
work on Saturday was not so prevalent as in many other industries;
only 7 plants paid overtime rates for Saturday work. In 4 plants, time
and a half applied to all work on Saturday and in another the same rate
was paid for the first 4 hours of work on that day, with double rates
thereafter; in the sixth plant, time and a half was paid if Saturday was
the sixth day of work in the week, and in the seventh plant the same
premium rate was paid for the sixth day of work in any week. Pay
ment for Sunday work was at the rate of time and one-half in 5 plants,
at double rates in 6 other plants, and at double rates for work on the
seventh day of work in any week in 2 plants. Payment for work on
holidays was usually at the same overtime rates as for Sunday work;
5 plants paid time and a half and 6 paid double rates.
Compared with the other industries studied in connection with the
survey of plants manufacturing machinery and electrical products,
an unusually large proportion of the establishments manufacturing
electrical appliances reported the operation of only a single shift.
That there is some relation between the comparatively small propor
tion of plants engaging in multiple-shift operation and the decline
in employment, as a result of the industry’s shift to war production,
seems apparent, however, from the fact that, in the plants which
reported only one shift, employment declined over 10 percent between
January 1942 and the time of the survey, while for those operating
two or three shifts an increase of about 20 percent was reported.
Two-thirds of the 27 plants studied in the industry operated on a
single-shift basis (table 1). Of the remaining 9 plants, 3 operated
two shifts and 6 were working three. With the exception of one
plant, all paid some wage differential for work on the evening and
night shifts. The most common shift differential reported was 5
cents above the base rate.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
530
Monthly Labor Review—March 1943
T a b l e 1. — Wane Differentials for Second and Third Shifts in Electrical-Appnance
Plants, J u ly 1942
N um
b e r of
p la n ts
N u m b e r of shifts w o rk ed
P la n ts w ith 1 sh ift o n ly
P la n ts w ith 2 s h ifts ________
P la n ts w ith 3 s h ifts ,
_____
D ifferen tial p a id for—
Second shift
T h ir d sh ift
18
2
1
1
1
5 cen ts p er h o u r.
8 cen ts p er h o u r . . . ________
N o d iffe re n tia l_____________ N o d iffe re n tia l.
Yi-h o u r p a id lu n c h period . __ 8 h o u rs ’ p a y for 7 h o u rs ’ w o rk , p lu s
Y i-h o u r p a id lu n c h perio d .
_______ 5 cen ts p er ho u r.
1 5 cen ts per h o u r ..
1 5 p erce n t over base r a t e __
5 p erce n t o v er base rate.
1 ..... d o . _ _________________
10 p erce n t o v er base rate.
1 10 p erce n t over base r a t e ___
D o.
,
,
Employment Hours and Earnings
TREND, AUGUST 1939 TO JULY 1942
Comparable data on employment, earnings, and hours are available
from 20 plants for specified periods since the outbreak of the war
(table 2). The number of persons employed in these 20 plants in
creased about 27 percent, an amount somewhat below that for many
machinery and electrical industries during the same period. The
increase between August 1939 and August 1941 was about 47 percent,
but there was a decrease of more than 13 percent during the following
year, presumably as a result of the conversion order for the industry.
The workweek, however, was lengthened during this later period,
so that total man-hours worked decreased only about 3 percent
during the year; over the 3-year period, man-hours increased nearly
50 percent.
T a b l e 2 . — Employment, Average H ourly Earnings, and Average Weekly Hours of
Workers in 2 0 1 Electrical-Appliance Plants, Specified Periods, 1939-42
Y ear a n d m o n th
A u g u st 1939. ____
. . . ___________________
. ..
A p ril 1940.
. . .
.
. .. .
____
A u g u st 1940________________ . . . . .
J a n u a r y 1941.
. . . ____ _ .
. . .
A u g u st 1941______ - - - - - - - -- - J u ly 1942_______ ____ . . . . -------- --- -------------------- . .
T o ta l
n u m b e r of
w age
ea rn e rs 2
2, 727
3,610
3, 124
3, 544
4, 001
3,453
A verage
h o u rly
ea rn in g s
$0. 649
.715
. 651
.686
.706
.811
E s tim a te d
average
h o u rly
earn in g s
exclusive
of p re m iu m
o v ertim e
p a y m e n ts
$0. 641
.704
.642
.669
.692
.769
A verage
w eek ly
h o u rs
37.0
37.8
37. 2
39.6
38.7
43. 2
1 T h e exclusion of 7 p la n ts from these c o m p u ta tio n s because com plete d a ta were n o t a v a ilab le is n o t b e
liev ed to affect th e v a lid ity of th e tre n d com parisons for th e in d u s try .
2 D a ta for 1 c o m p a n y u sed w ith red u ce d w eig h t to av o id o v errep re se n tatio n of large p la n ts .
Average hourly earnings (exclusive of estimated extra payments for
overtime) of the factory workers in these 20 plants rose from approxi
mately 64 cents in August 1939 to nearly 77 cents in July 1942, an
increase of 20 percent. Because of the lengthened workweek, how
ever, and the consequent increase in premium overtime payments,
average weekly earnings increased from approximately $24 to slightly
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
531
Wage and Hour Statistics
more than $35, or more than 45 percent. The sharpest increase in
earnings occurred during the last year of the period, when many of
these plants had converted to war production.
PLANT AVERAGES
Although shift differentials and variations in the amounts of over
time pay may produce some distortion, general plant average earnings
do indicate the approximate effect of certain plant characteristics on
workers’ earnings. Although some of the plants in both the North
eastern and the North Central States pay average wages below 60
cents per hour, there is some indication from a study of relative plant
averages that, compared with other sections of the United States, a
somewhat larger proportion of the plants in the North Central area
pay average wages of 85 cents or more per hour (table 3). However,
geographiclocation doesnot appear to affect earnings to any great extent.
T a b l e 3 . — Distribution of Electrical-Appliance Plants by Plant Average H ourly
Earnings,1 Region, and Size of Plant, Ju ly 1942
P la n ts em p lo y in g —
P la n ts in —
P la n t average h o u rly e a rn in g s
45.0 a n d u n d e r 50.0 cen ts
50 0 a n d u n d e r 55.0 cen ts
- ____ 55.0 a n d u n d e r 60.0 cents
60.0 a n d u n d e r 65.0 cen ts
_ _
65.0 a n d u n d e r 70.0 cents
......................
70.0 a n d u n d e r 75.0 ce n ts
_ _ ___ ______ __
75.0 a n d u n d e r 80.0 cents
- ____________ ____
80.0 a n d u n d e r 85.0 cents
85.0 a n d u n d e r 90.0 c e n ts ____ . . ___ -------------- - _ _ ----90.0 a n d u n d e r 95.0 c e n ts ______________
95.0 ce n ts or over
T o t a l _______ ____ _________
1 Includes
2 Includes
3 Includes
4 Includes
_ ---------------- -------
A ll
p la n ts 2 N o rth
e a ste rn
S ta te s 3
2
3
2
l
4
1
2
1
5
3
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
25
9
N o rth
C e n tra l
S ta t e s 4
Less
th a n 100
w o rk ers
1
1
1
2
4
2
1
2'
2
2
1
1
2
1
4
1
1
12
15
10
100 or
m ore
w orkers
3
2
1
2
prem ium paym ents for overtime a n d night work.
3 Pacific and 1 South C entral plants.
plants in Connecticut, M assachusetts, N ew Jersey, New Y ork, and Pennsylvania.
plants in Illinois, Indiana, M ichigan, and Ohio.
On the other hand, differences in size of plant do appear to be
reflected in average earnings. Of the 15 plants employing fewer than
100 workers, only 8 showed averages of more than 60 cents per hour,
and in only 3 were the averages above 85 cents. Of the 10 larger
plants, none showed an average below 60 cents and 6 paid an average
of more than 85 cents.
OCCUPATIONAL DIFFERENCES
Earnings data, excluding extra payments for overtime and night
work, are available for 72 occupational groups of male workers
(table 4). In only 7 of these occupational groups were average hourly
earnings above $1; these higher-paid occupations are class A working
foremen, class A grinding-machine operators, class A screw-machine
operators, class A slieet-metal workers, class A testers, tool and die
makers, and class A hand welders. Moreover, for only 7 additional
occupations were average earnings as high as 95 cents per hour.
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T a b l e 4 . — Average Hourly Earnings,1 of D ay-Shift Workers in Selected Occupations
in Electrical-Appliance Plants, J u ly 1942
O ccupation and class
All workers^ - - --_
— ....
Acid dippers
A pprentices, first year-- _
A pprentices, second y e ar-----Assemblers, bench, class A --Assemblers, bench, class B - - Assemblers, bench, class C _ Assemblers, floor, class B ----Carpenters, class AC arpenters, class B
Die setters
Drill-press operators:
Class B
. - -
N um
ber of
w ork
ers
Aver
age
hourly
earn
ings
Occupation and class
3,380
$0. 720
M ale workers—C ontinued.
2, 206
.805
.859
.595
.642
.940
.809
.633
.977
.992
.895
.816
.880
13
17
11
18
127
148
13
72
6
19
17
----
Electricians, class B -- -------Electricians, class C ------------Firem en, stationary boiler---Foremen, working, class A _.
Foremen, working, class B Galvanizers
- - ---- Grinding-machine operators:
Class A
Class B
----H elpers, machine operators.-Helpers, other_____ -- - -Inspectors, class A__- ---------Inspectors, class B_ - ------Inspectors, class C ------- L aborers____ Lathe operators, engine:
26
16
6
6
5
12
32
42
13
5
34
19
15
15
43
52
57
17
64
1 . 162
10
,946
.778
25
L athe operators, tu rret:
Class A . ___ -- ---------Class B
Learners, m achine operator. __
Learners, other.
Loaders and unloaders, racks
and conveyors.. . .. - M achine, operators all-round:.
Class A
Class B
M achinists
M illing-machine operators,
i
.948
.685
.718
.976
.812
.742
.628
.907
.570
25
5
23
.900
.797
.525
.677
44
.724
9
15
.973
.817
.999
6
12
7
12
6
Painters, sp ray --------------------
.816
. 652
. 937
.862
.724
.895
1. 250
.965
.933
57
48
.949
.958
.797
.781
.866
P laters_________ ____ ____ Power-shear operators-. Punch-press operators:
Class B
- - - - - -Class C ______________ Kepairmen, m achine. ____ .
Repairm en, product______ _
Screw-machine operators:
Class A _
Class B . .
.
.- Class C __ ___ ___ -Sheet-metal workers, class A —
Sheet-metal workers, class B._
Solderers, class C __ - ____
Stock clerks.- ______
Testers, class A
Testers, class B . . . __
Tim e clerks____
____
Tool and die m akers___ ..
T ruck drivers
Truckers, h a n d ........ _
T um bler operators__
W atchm en________________
Welders, hand, class A
Welders, hand, class B ______
Welders, m a c h in e ------- _ .
W inders___ - . ___ ______
Female w o rk e rs.. . -------- ___
Assemblers, bench:
Class A -----------------------Class B -. - .
Class C __ _________ .
Drill-press operators:
Class B __ ________ _-Class C __________ -- .Inspectors, class B __ _. _ __
Inspectors, class C . .
Learners, other. ____ - ___
Loaders and unloaders, racks
and conveyors - - - - - - Packers_______ _____ . . . Punch-press operators, class C_
Repairers, product, class B--_
Repairers, product, class C ..Solderers, class C . ___ ____
Testers, class B ___________ .
Testers, class C _____ _______
Tim e clerks
- ____ . _W elders, m a c h in e ..- . . __
W inders, class B
W inders, class C . .
Wirers, assembly, class C . . _
N u m A ver
age
ber of
work hourly
earn
ers
ings
to
21
51
$0. 824
.862
.816
64
.943
.731
.885
,720
11
1.100
7
.807
.600
1.013
.823
.733
.694
1. 095
.712
.657
1.209
.826
.641
.814
.623
1.064
.869
.794
.829
68
22
11
14
22
6
110
15
17
58
96
15
86
5
47
14
19
139
27
1,174
.562
24
81
557
.669
.669
.550
7
14
.626
.425
.532
.573
. 406
20
96
20
26
37
55
14
50
6
6
13
7
5
5
75
56
.545
.564
.533
.621
. 501
.550
.726
.494
.616
.470
.690
.563
.583
Averages are based on earnings exclusive of prem ium paym ents for overtime.
In addition to apprentices and learners, 9 male occupational groups
showed average hourly earnings below 70 cents. For all the male
workers, average hourly earnings ranged from 52.5 cents for machineoperator learners to $i.25 for class A working foremen.
Of the 22 occupational groups of female workers, only 4—class
A and B bench assemblers, class B testers, and class B winders—
showed average hourly earnings over 65 cents. In addition to learners,
the average hourly earnings for 7 of the occupational groups were
below 55 cents, and, for 3 of these occupations—class C drill-press
operators, class C testers, and machine welders—the average earnings
were less than 50 cents per hour.
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Wage and Hour Statistics
The apparent anomaly in the averages shown for class A and B
bench assemblers and for class B and C inspectors is the result, at
least in part, of varying degrees of division of labor in large and small
plants. In the larger establishments, there is a relatively greater
division of labor in assembly and inspection work; consequently,
proportionately fewer skilled workers are ordinarily employed. In
the smaller establishments, however, such elaborate division of labor
is not possible, and workers must possess a higher degree of skill in
order to perform a larger number of operations. As a result, the
smaller plants, even with their generally lower wage levels, employ
more class A bench assemblers and class B inspectors while the larger
shops, which tend to pay higher wages, hire a far greater proportion
of less-skilled assemblers and inspectors. In fact, oidy 3 plants
reported the employment of class A bench assemblers and class B
inspectors and each of these plants employed fewer than 100 workers.
Workers in plants with fewer than 100 employees consistently
received lower average earnings than those employed in larger plants.
In each of the 8 most important (numerically) occupations in the
industry the employees of the larger plants received higher average
earnings (table 5). Among the occupations for male workers the
wage differences ranged from 7.5 cents for stock clerks to 29.6 cents
per hour for class C punch-press operators. Among female workers
the differences ranged from 12.3 cents for packers to 21.3 cents for
class C assembly wirers. If comparisons are limited to production
workers, the difference for each occupation was over 10 cents per hour.
T a b l e 5.— Average Hourly Earnings1 of Day-Shift W orkers in Electrical-Appliance
Plants, by Occupation and Size of Plant, J u ly 1942
P lan ts employing—
100 workers or less
Over 100 workers
Occupation and class
N um ber of
workers
M ale workers:
Assemblers, bench, class C __
Buffers_____________________
Laborers___________________
Punch-press operators, class C
Stock clerks________________
Fem ale workers:
Assemblers, bench, class C ___
Packers____________________
W irers, assembly, class C ____
Average
hourly
earnings
N um ber of
workers
Average
hourly
earnings
17
$0. 530
.858
.448
.483
.631
136
56
54
57
93
$0. 642
1. 031
.592
.779
.706
114
15
17
.444
. 491
.435
443
.577
.614
.648
12
16
10
11
22
39
1 Averages are based on earnings exclusive of prem ium paym ents for overtime.
When the output of most electrical appliances ceased, a considerable
modification in occupational patterns occurred with the shift to war
production. One plant reported that with the assignment to new and
unfamiliar work the earnings of incentive workers declined, and as a
result, a general job revaluation and piece-rate increases were neces
sary. In another instance, with a change from routine assembly
work to job production, all female employees (about half of all work
ers) were laid off. Another plant retrained its employees for new
tasks, but in this establishment the incentive workers as a group
were unable to exceed their guaranteed piece-work rates.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
534
Monthly Labor Review— March 1943
EA RN IN G S IN M AN U FACTURE OF DOM ESTIC
LAUNDRY E Q U IPM E N T , 1942 1
Summary
THIS report on earnings in plants manufacturing various types of
domestic laundry equipment is the fourteenth in a series undertaken
by the Bureau of Labor Statistics for the purpose of providing infor
mation on the effects of the war on the several branches of the machin
ery-manufacturing industries.2
In the summer of 1942, the 9 plants included in this survey were
using nearly all of their facilities in the production of direct war
materials; considerable plant conversion was found necessary. All
but 1 of the establishments studied were working at least 2 shifts.
Employment in these plants increased over 40 percent between
August 1939 and the summer of 1942; average hourly earnings in
creased 25.3 cents—from 68.8 cents to 94.1 cents per hour—-during
the same period. It is estimated that about a third of this rise in
earnings was a result of increases in extra payments for overtime work.
Average hourly earnings in plants which had over 250 workers were
about 14 percent higher than those in establishments with 250 or
fewer. This industry is concentrated in the North Central States.
More than a tenth of the workers were in the 10 occupational groups
which showed average hourly earnings of $1 or more, exclusive of
extra payments for overtime and night work; 4 percent were in groups
which averaged less than 60 cents per hour.
Scope and Method of the Survey
In order to provide basic information on the effects of the transition
to a war economy on technological processes, occupational patterns,
and wage structures, the Bureau of Labor Statistics has undertaken
a series of studies in establishments manufacturing various types of
machinery and similar products. Each of the industrial branches
covered in this series is defined in terms of the principal products of
the various plants during the year 1939 as reported by the Census of
Manufactures. Important changes in type of product are to be
expected, especially because the war emergency has accentuated the
shifts in production that would ordinarily occur over a 3-year period.
I lie data on these changes are, however, in themselves significant,
and it is thus useful to begin with the 1939 classification as a starting
point in order to determine their nature.
According to the latest Census of Manufactures (1939), there were,
in the United States, 42 plants “engaged primarily in the manu
facture oi laundry equipment for household use, comprising washing
machines, ironing machines, wringers, driers, and extractors, whether
operated by mechanical power or by hand.” 3 Of this total, 5 estab
lishments reported fewer than 6 wage earners, and were excluded
1 Prepared in the B ureau’s Division of Wage A nalysis b y Oscar F . Brown. The stu d y was directed
and the preparation of the report supervised by H arold R. Hosea.
2 Previous articles in this series have appeared in each issue of the M onthly Labor Review, M ay 1942-January 1943; individual reports are available on request.
3 T his definition corresponds to th a t of Census In d u stry No. 1781.
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Wage and Hour Statistics
535
from the scope of this survey. The remaining 37 plants as a group
employed an average of 7,45*6 workers during 1939, and slightly over
a third (36.6 percent) were working in the 9 establishments included
in this survey. This small industry is largely concentrated in the
North Central States. In 1939 almost three-fifths of all the plants
nd approximately two-thirds of the workers in the industry were
in the 3 States of Illinois, Iowa, and Ohio. Few such plants are
found elsewhere; New York, with about an eighth of the wage earners
in the industry, is the only State outside the North Central region
in which the manufacture of domestic laundry equipment is important.
The plants selected for study are distributed in essentially the same
manner.
The data for the present survey were collected by trained field
representatives of the Bureau who visited the plants and analyzed
pay rolls and other pertinent records. The detailed wage data on
individual employees are limited to day-shift workers in certain
occupational groups selected for their numerical importance or because
they are key jobs. In general, however, earnings by occupation were
compiled for practically all the wage earners on day shifts. The
current earnings data shown in this report are based on a repre
sentative pay-roll period during July or August 1942.
Characteristics of the Industry
TYPE OF PRODUCT
The manufacture of domestic laundry equipment is a highly spe
cialized industry and makes use of a particular pattern of standard
metalworking techniques. The electrical equipment used in most of
the items produced is purchased from manufacturers of electrical
devices, an<j only the larger establishments operate their own foun
dries. Washing machines for household use were by far the most
important single product of the industry; in 1939, this one item
accounted for over 80 percent by value of the total output. Over
90 percent of the household washers produced in 1939 were electrically
driven; the remaining machines were powered mostly by gas or by
gasoline engines. The manufacture of hand-operated machines was
relatively unimportant. Aside from household washers, electric iron
ing machines constituted the only other important single article of
production in the industry. A miscellaneous group consisting most
ly of ironing attachments, wringers, cabinet driers, extractors, parts,
and accessories accounted for about 11 percent by value of the total
output.
Included among the products mentioned above was a substantial
output of goods made as secondary products by establishments
classified by the Census in other industries; the domestic laundry
equipment made by such concerns amounted to nearly 10 percent
of the value of the total produced in the United States. On the other
hand, less than 2 percent of the value of total production of domesticlaundry-equipment plants consisted of products not classified in this
industry.
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Monthly Lahor Review—March 1943
PRODUCTION OF WAR MATERIALS
The effect of the war was relatively retarded in this industry.
Until fairly late in 1942, the plants studied were almost wholly
engaged in manufacturing their usual products at an increasing rate.
Of the 9 plants covered in the survey, the 3 which were producing
war materials in 1941 were using less than 1 percent of their facili
ties in defense production. By August 1942, however, all the plants
in the survey were manufacturing direct war materials, and small as
well as large plants were affected. The transition to war production
had no marked effect on employment in the industry as a whole,
but in the case of several of the small and medium-sized plants there
was some difficulty in adjusting to the war effort at the time of the
present survey. Employment in 6 of the 9 plants studied was still
below the level for the preceding year. Three plants were using
about two-thirds of their facilities in direct war production, and in
the remaining 6 establishments the corresponding figure amounted
to 90 percent or more. Regular production was, in most instances,
limited to the manufacture of repair parts.
The radically different nature of war materials made substantial
technological changes necessary in some of the plants studied; a
few of the establishments had to retool their plants extensively.
Several of the converted plants were concentrating on one specialized
type of war material.
THE LABOR FORCE
Detailed earnings data were compiled for about two-thirds of all
the workers employed in the plants surveyed; this group included
practically all the workers on day shift. Approximately a fourth
(24.4 percent) of the male wage earners for whom wage and occupa
tional data were collected were working at skilled jobs, 43.7 percent
were doing semiskilled work, and the remainder, who constituted
about a third (31.9 percent) of the wage earners studied, were classi
fied as unskilled.
At the time the present survey was made, women constituted
slightly over 8 percent of the total employees in the plants studied.
Over 90 percent of all the women found were working in l plant,
where they amounted to about 23 percent of the total working force.
The most common occupations were class C inspectors and learners
in various occupations; several female class B and C bench assem
blers, class C drill-press operators, and class C burrers were reported.
About three-fifths (59.2 percent) of the female wage earners found in
the industry were doing semiskilled work, while the remainder (40.8
percent) were all working at unskilled jobs; no women employed at
skilled jobs were found. The high percentage of semiskilled women
can probably be attributed to a policy of encouraging the training
of woman workers by the 1 plant which employed nearly all those
found in the survey. Only 2 Negroes were employed by the establish
ments surveyed; both were working as janitors in the same plant.
Seven of the 9 plants had agreements with nationally affiliated
unions. Four of these agreements were with unions affiliated with
the Congress of Industrial Organizations and 3 with unions affiliated
with the American Federation of Labor. In addition, an independ-
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
53 7
Wage and Hour Statistics
ent labor union was recognized in one of the large plants. The 1
remaining plant employed fewer than 50 workers and was unorganized.
METHOD OF WAGE PAYMENT
Largely because of the lack of standardization resulting from the
wide variety of processes involved in manufacturing most of the
products of this industry, all but two of the plants studied paid on
the basis of straight hourly rates. Of the 2 plants which used an
incentive system, 1 had somewhat less than 250 employees, and the
other had over 1,000. In these 2 plants which made use of such
a system, and in which somewhat over two-fifths (43.0 percent) of
the workers in all the plants studied were employed, about a fourth
(24 0 percent) were paid incentive-wage rates; these workers consti
tuted about a twelfth (8.8 percent) of all workers studied in the
industry. There was some modification of wage-payment methods
with the shift to war production and the resulting need for new
machines. In most cases, however, there appears to have been a
tendency to retain the existing wage structure.
One of the establishments studied paid no overtime rates beyond
minimum statutory requirements, i. e., time and a half for all work
above 40 hours a week. This premium rate was paid by the other 8
plants studied for work in excess of 8 hours in a day, and by 3 plants
for all Saturday work. Three establishments also paid on this same
basis for Sunday work, and 1 paid time and a hall lor holiday opera
tion. Double-time rates were effective on Sundays and holidays
in 2 plants.
.
The high degree of utilization of the productive equipment oi
the domestic-laundry-equipment industry is evident from the fact
that, of the 9 plants studied, only 1 operated on a single-shift basis,
while 4 operated two shifts, and the remaining 4 establishments
reported three shifts (table 1). All the 8 plants operating more
than 1 shift were paying shift differentials at the time the survey
was made. In the group of 4 plants which reported 2 shifts, 3 paid
the second-shift workers a premium of 5 cents per hour, and 1 paid
5 percent over the base rate. Four establishments worked both a
second and a third shift. Three of these plants paid the same bonus
to workers on both shifts, i. e., 5 cents per hour; the other plant
allowed second-shift workers a differential of 5 percent over the base
rate, while its third-shift employees received a rate of 10 percent
above those on the day shift.
T a b l e 1 .— Wage Differentials fo r Second and Third Shifts in 9 Domestic-Laundry-
Equipment Plants, July-A ugust 1942
N um ber of shifts w orked
N um
ber of
plants
3
P lants w ith 3 shifts
3
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Second shift
T hird shift
1
Plants w ith 1 shift only
Plants w ith 2 shifts
512311—43------8
Differential paid for—
1
1
5 cents per hour_ _ ----------5 percent over base rate 5 cents per hour_ _ ------ 5 percent over base ra te ____
5 cents per hour.
10 percent over base rate.
538
Monthly Labor Review—March 1943
,
,
Employment Hours and Earnings
TREND, 1939 TO 1942
Total employment in the 9 establishments as a group increased over
40 percent during the 3-year period for which comparable data are
available; the increase was from 2,131 in August 1939 to 3,013 in
July-August 1942 (table 2). Average hourly earnings including
premium payments for overtime and night work, which amounted to
68.8 cents in the earlier period, had increased to 94.1 cents by the time
the survey was made; this rise of 25.3 cents represents a gain of 36.8
percent.
,ABw 2. Employment, Average Hourly Earnings, and Average Weekly Hours of
Workers in 9 Domestic-Laundry-Equipment Plants fo r Selected Periods, 1939-42
Y ear and m onth
A ugust 1939____ _
April 1940 ___
A ugust 1940__
Feb ru ary 1941
A ugust 1941 _
July -A u g u st 1942_ __
Total
wage
earners i
2,131
2,583
2, 441
2,641
2,971
3, 013
Average
hourly
earnings
$0. 688
.709
.741
.721
.787
.941
E stim ated
average
hourly
earnings
exclusive
of extra
overtime
paym ents
$0. 669
. 702
.733
. 715
.764
.867
Average
weekly
hours
39.9
36. 2
36.5
35.4
40.3
46.6
i D ata for 1 com pany used w ith reduced weight to avoid overrepresentation of large plants.
During the same period, the average workweek in these plants as a
group had lengthened 6.7 hours, from 39.9 to 46.6 hours, a change
which progressively inflated hourly rates as a result of increased
premiums for overtime. It is estimated that the elimination of extra
payments for overtime work would reduce average hourly earnings for
the latest period by 7.4 cents or to about 86.7 cents; on this basis
average hourly rates, exclusive of premium payments for overtime
and night work, increased by an estimated 19.8 cents, or nearly 30
percent.
PLANT AVERAGES
Average hourly earnings, including premium payments for overtime
and night, work, amounted to 94.1 cents for the entire 9 plants in
cluded in the survey. The averages for individual plants varied from
63 cents in the case of a medium-sized plant in a small city to $1.17
paid in a somewhat smaller establishment in one of the largest indus
trial centers. Three of the 9 plants showed average hourly earnings
of $1 or more; an equal number reported average earnings below 80
cents.
The tendency for average earnings to increase with size was far
from uniform among these plants; the establishment with the highest
average hourly earnings of all the plants studied had fewer than 100
workers, and showed an average rate of $1.17 per hour. On the other
hand, one of the plants with over 1,000 employees paid average hourly
earnings about 9 cents below the average for the industry as a whole,
despite the large amount of overtime work in that particular establish
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Wage and Hour Statistics
539
ment. These variations from the general tendency for hourly earnings
to vary directly with plant size are probably due in part to organ
ization on a job basis of some of the small plants in which higher
proportions of skilled workers are employed, and to the ability of some
of the larger plants to make use of mass-production techniques, with
consequent dilution of skill, and, in one case, by the extensive use of
female labor.
There is a general tendency, however, for average hourly earnings
to vary directly with plant size, despite exceptions in the case of
individual establishments. Average earnings in the four plants
which had 250 or more workers were 14.9 cents per hour higher than
the average for those in the smaller size groups. The apparent wage
advantage of workers in the larger establishments was due in part to
the use of an incentive-payment plan and extensive overtime pay
ments in one of the largest of the plants surveyed.
The fact that the domestic-laundry-equipment industry is largely
concentrated in the North Central States precludes any analysis of
plant averages on the basis of geographical location. Likewise, an
analysis of the relationship between size of community and levels of
earnings expressed in terms of plant averages would be inconclusive,
partly because of the small number of establishments included in the
survey and because such variations are obscured by the combined
effect of other and more important factors such as methods of plant
operation, unionization, plant size, systems of wage payments, and
sex distribution of workers.
Average hourly earnings in the two plants which were not operating
under agreements with nationally affiliated unions were about 10 cents
lower than the figure for the organized plants. This difference of
more than 10 cents per hour is not, of course, to be interpreted as a
result of the union factor alone. The working force of the two
unorganized plants contained a large number of female workers, as well
as a substantially greater percentage of male wage earners in the less
highly skilled occupational groups than were employed in the union
establishments. On the other hand, one of tire unorganized plants
was among the largest in the industry. The net effect of these two
factors, which tend to offset one another, cannot be stated precisely on
the basis of the data available.
OCCUPATIONAL DIFFERENCES IN EARNINGS
Average hourly earnings, exclusive of premium payments for
overtime and night work, are shown for 1,740 male workers, who
constituted about three-fourths of the day-shift workers in the plants
surveyed (table 3). These hourly averages (excluding those for ap
prentices and learners) ranged from 58.5 cents for watchmen to $1,152
for tool and die makers. The general hourly average for all workers in
the occupations containing adequate numbers of workers (and distrib
uted among a sufficient number of plants) to warrant detailed study
was 82.3 cents. This figure is 4.4 cents below the estimated hourly
earnings of 86.7 cents for the industry shown in table 2; the difference
is due, at least in part, to the inclusion of shift differentials in the
industry average.
Ten occupational groups showed averages of $1 or more per hour.
These groups contained about 200 workers, and included almost a half
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Monthly Labor Review—March 1943
(48.1 percent) of tlie skilled employees and slightly over one-tenth
(11.7 percent) of all workers for whom detailed occupational data
were compiled. By far the largest of the groups earning an average
of $1 or more were the tool and die makers, who, as stated above, also
received the highest average hourly earnings. Of the occupational
groups studied, the averages for four were under 65 cents per hour; 4
percent of the employees, apart from apprentices and learners, were
in the two occupational groups which were paid averages under 60
cents per hour.
T a b l e 3 . — Average Hourly Earning 1 of D ay-Shift Workers in Selected Occupations in
Domestic-Laundry-Equipment Plants, July-A ugust 1942
Aver
N um
age
ber
hourly
of
workers earn
ings
O ccupation and class
All workers
_ _
__
.
Acid dippers __ _____ _ __ . ____
Apprentices, first year.
_ ____
A pprentices, second year _______
Assemblers, bench, class A . ___
Assemblers, bench, class B
Assemblers, bench, class 0 _____
Buffers .
Burrers, class B _____ _ _
Burrers, class C ____ . . . .
C arpenters, class B ___
C asting cleaners
___
C raters, class B .
....
Drill-press operators, class A .. _
Drill-press operators, class B ___
Drill-press onerators, class C ___
Electricians, class B ___
. ....
Electricians, class C. . . . . ___
Firem en, stationary boiler _____
Forem en, working, class A
___
Foremen, working, class B
....
Grinding-machine operators:
Class A .
________
__
Class B
H eat treaters, class B .
Helpers, journeym en’s and other...
Helpers, machine operators’_____
Inspectors, class A ____ _
Inspectors, class B .
Inspectors, class C ____ . . . ___
J a n ito rs ...
J ob setters
Laborers
_ _
Laborers, fo undry_____
L athe operators, engine:
Class A .
Class B . . . . ___
1.740
$0.823
7
. 893
.600
. 713
.998
.874
.633
.944
.818
. 789
. 823
. 929
. 760
1. 094
. 742
. 773
.931
.754
. 828
1.104
.897
8
8
16
39
60
15
9
40
9
19
18
38
79
11
5
11
41
40
9
14
13
13
13
65
36
48
55
17
30
1.059
. 851
.801
.715
. 764
. 998
.840
. 732
.655
. 996
.675
.593
7
41
1.073
.900
11
O ccupation and class
N um A ver
age
ber
hourly
of
workers earn
ings
Lathe operators, turret:
Class B
Learners, journeym en and other.
Learners, machine operator
M illing-machine operators:
Class A . ___ _
Class B
M illw rights, class A
M illw rights, class B
M olders, m achine, class A
Packers
Painters, spray
Patternm akers, m etal
Patternm akers^ wood____ _____
P laters__ _
___
R epairm en, machine
R epairm en, product, class B
Screw-machine operators:
Class A _
Class B _ .
Class C _
Shake-out m e n _______________
Sheet-metal workers class B
Stock clerks
Testers, class B
Tim e clerks ________ __________
Tool and die makers
Tool-grinder operators
T ruck drivers
Truckers, hand
Truckers, power, inside.
W atchm en
94
42
19
818
.680
.563
25
107
7
7
19
26
7
7
1. 023
. 787
973
. 790
1 096
684
949
6
11
1.039
. 750
836
.790
23
16
16
13
107
8
5
87
1 012
1.093
.855
.882
.815
754
8
662
.877
.627
1 .152
838
687
29
5
46
.585
11
22
56
24
686
.668
1 Averages are based on actual earnings exclusive of extra paym ents for overtime.
As already stated in connection with general plant averages, a
comparison of wage rates on a regional basis is not possible, because of
the small proportion of the industry outside the North Central region.
Likewise, the small number of plants in the sample surveyed, as well
as the other factors mentioned in connection with plant averages,
does not permit analysis of average hourly earnings on the basis of
size of community, unionization, and method of wage payment.
Occupational rates do tend, however, to vary significantly in rela
tion to the average number of workers employed per plant, despite
the fact that, as already noted in analyzing plant averages, the rela
tionship is by no means uniform. In order to compare occupational
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
541
Wage and Hour Statistics
rates in the larger and smaller plants, workers in each of the classifica
tions which contain numbers adequate to permit reliable comparisons
are divided into two groups: those in plants with fewer than 250
employees, and those in larger plants. For the 373 employees in
plants with fewer than 250 workers average hourly earnings were 73.1
cents, whereas the corresponding figure for the 1,367 wage earners in
the group of larger plants was 84.7 cents.
In many occupations, the numbers of workers are insufficient to
permit any reliable comparison of hourly rates between plants of
different size groups, or the distribution of occupations between the
smaller and larger plants is so uneven that relative rates are difficult
to compute.
There are 16 occupational groups, however, in which the numbers
of employees are believed to be adequate for comparisons of average
hourly rates between the large and small plants (table 4). For 13 of
these occupations, the average earnings of workers in the large plants
are higher than the corresponding figure for the smaller establish
ments; in 6 instances the difference in occupational averages between
the two size groups was 20 cents or more. The three occupations in
which wage differences were in favor of the small plants were highlyskilled. The fact that average hourly earings of certain class C
workers shown in table 3 are slightly above the corresponding rates
for class B operators in the same occupational groups is a further
reflection of the tendency of the larger establishments to pay higher
wages; in such cases, plants in the large size group reported a greater
number of workers in the lower classification.
T a b l e 4 . — Average Hourly Earnings1of Day-Shift Male Workers in 9 Domestic-Laundry-
Equipment Plants, by Occupation and Size of Plant, J u ly—August 1942
Average hourly
earnings in p lants
employing—
Average hourly
earnings in plants
employing—
O ccupation and class
Occupation and class
250
workers
or less
Over 250
workers
N um ber of workers 2 —- .
Average hourly earnings 2-----
373
$0.731
1,367
$0.847
Buffers
B urrers, class C . _ ------ -----Drill-press operators, class B._
Forem en, working, class B ___
Inspectors, class A __________
Inspectors, class B . _
Janitors.
__ _ _ __
Job setters
.921
.591
.643
.710
1.030
.674
.560
.966
.969
.884
.800
.961
.979
.904
.666
1.001
L athe operators, engine, class
B _______________________
L athe operators, tu rret, class
B _______________________
M illing-machine operators:
Class A _______ _______
Class B ____ . _ . _ _ _
R epairm en, product, class B _
Stock c lerk s.. _ ____ __ ___
Tool and die m akers..
W atchm en . . . .
i Averages are based on actual earnings exclusive of extra paym ents for overtime,
s Includes w orkers in occupations no t shown separately below.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
250
workers
or less
Over 250
workers
$0. 605
$1,008
.633
.843
1.055
.633
.714
.614
1. 252
.533
.998
.917
.851
.671
1.109
.610
542
Monthly Labor Review—March 1943
WAGES IN M ANUFACTURE OF M ECH AN ICA L RUBBER
GOODS, AUGUST 1912 1
Summary
MUCH of the normal output of the mechanical rubber goods division
of the rubber-manufacturing industry serves essential industrial uses.
Some of the plants in this division, moreover, are engaged in the
fabrication of rubber products for direct military use. For these rea
sons, production and employment have been maintained at a relatively
high level in the face of a grave rubber-supply problem.
Workers in plants primarily engaged in the production of mechani
cal rubber goods received average hourly earnings, exclusive of
premium pay for overtime and night-shift work, of 78.8 cents in
August 1942. Male factory workers averaged 84.7 cents an hour, as
compared with an average of 59.1 cents for female employees. Aver
age earnings in the mechanical-goods departments of tire and tube
plants were substantially greater than in primary mechanical-goods
establishments, and the inclusion of data for workers in these depart
ments has the effect of raising the general level of earnings in mechani
cal-goods manufacture to 84 cents an hour—90.4 cents for men and
63.8 cents for women.
Some Characteristics of the Industry
PRODUCTS, SIZE OF PLANT, AND CONCENTRATION OF CONTROL
The term mechanical rubber goods ’ has reference to the end-use
of certain rubber products; that is, to their use for mechanical or
industrial purposes. The rubber products that fit into the broad
category of mechanical goods are extremely numerous. A few of the
more significant types may be mentioned. Belting is an important
product, and the belting produced in the industry ranges from very
heavy conveyor belts to small V-belts used in motor vehicles and for
othei purposes. Rubber hose of all kinds—garden liose, air-brake and
other pneumatic types, fire hose, oil and gasoline liose-—account for
an appreciable segment of production. Washers, gaskets, pump
sleeves and similar products, and the familiar jar ring used bv the
housewife in canning are all mechanical rubber goods, as are also
lubber tubing, packing, friction tape, rubber-covered rolls (for use in
printing and for other purposes). The war has made rubber halftnicks for military tanks an item of some importance.
Tins variety of products may help to explain the great variation in
size oi the plants in the industry. The smallest plant covered by the
survey employed fewer than 20 workers, and the largest plant emple;ycd o’ore than 8,000. The average plant employed approximately
andPW P H 6 Weldowkp1ViThT0/« ^ ,age A na,!ysfis b y -H - M D outy, wich the assistance of Joseph W . Bloch
in tir 7 U d t n h p n W = ' „Z bls the second of a series of two articles the firsi of which, dealing w ith wages
o° the ma reHaDn l w i S
? / 11 th? UebT arJ - 1943 issue of the M onthly Labor Review (p 233). Some
is r
e
l
e
v
a
n
t
°
f rUbb6r requirem ents and raw m aterial suPPly .
tube tfranche^of thp rnhher Tm,™ f d.etailed. s*u d y of wages V1 th e mechanical rubber goods and tire and
request of t
h
e
f
15 dusTry u n dertaken by the B ureau of Labor Statistics a t the
rhp U nnrl „
0
A ar Labor Board. T h e survey was designed to provide prim ary d ata for use by
the Board in its consideration of wage dispute cases in these in d u stry divisions,
y
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Wage and flour Statistics
543
385 workers. The great range in size of plant provides some indica
tion of the flexibility of production organization in the mechanical
rubber goods division. It is technically and economically feasible to
operate a small plant producing one or a few items. Large and
diversified plants, producing hundreds of different mechanical rubber
goods articles, are also found in the industry.
The question of concentration of control over output in this branch
of the industry is of some interest. In the tire and tube division, four
major companies control the bulk of the output. The influence of
these four companies—Firestone Tire & Rubber Co., B. F. Goodrich
Co., Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., and the United States Rubber
Co.—is also felt significantly in the mechanical rubber goods branch.
The influence of the “ big four” companies, however, is not so great in
this branch as in the tire and tube division. Of the 52 establishments
included in the Bureau’s sample of plants primarily engaged in the
manufacture of mechanical goods,2 only four were operated by the
major rubber companies. These 4 plants, however, employed more
than one-third (37.4 percent) of the workers in all 52 establishments.
The full importance of the “ big four” in the mechanical-goods field
is not adequately expressed by the proportion of workers employed by
these companies in plants devoted primarily to the manufacture of
mechanical goods, since mechanical-goods production is carried on
within some of the tire and tube plants operated by the major rubber
companies. This is notably true in the case of the B. F. Goodrich
Co. The major mechanical-goods operations of this company are still
conducted in its works at Akron, Ohio. The mechanical-goods output
of the other major Akron companies—Firestone and Goodyear—is
found to a considerable extent in specialized plants, although a rela
tively large amount of mechanical-goods production at Goodyear is
carried on at its main Akron establishment.
LOCATION OF THE INDUSTRY
The marked geographical concentration that characterizes the tire
and tube division of the rubber-manufacturing industry is not found
in the location of mechanical-goods plants. Most of the products
manufactured in these latter plants are not standardized and seldom
bear trade names; in general, they are not consumer goods and do not,
like tires and tubes, move in a Nation-wide market. The location of
mechanical-goods plants has undoubtedly been influenced to a large
extent by the location of the industries that represent the primary
market for mechanical rubber products.
In terms of employment, the eastern region of the industry is pre
dominant. About 64 percent of the workers employed by plants
primarily devoted to mechanical-goods production are found in New
England and the Middle Atlantic States, principally in Massachu
setts, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Although only 23
percent of the employment in mechanical-goods plants is found in
the Middle West, the manufacture of these products by tire and
tube plants in this region may possibly place the Midwest in a pre
dominant position in terms of actual production. The far West,
2 I t should be noted th a t the sample is composed of p lants norm ally engaged prim arily in the production
of mechanical rubber goods. At the tim e of th e survey, mechanical goods accounted for less th a n half of
th e value of o u tp u t in a few plants.
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Monthly Labor Review—March 1943
with the exception of the one large plant that dominates the region,
is of minor importance in the industry. The number of mechanical
rubber goods plants in the South is very small; no southern plants
were covered in the present survey.
UNIONIZATION
At the time of the survey, primary mechanical-goods plants employing
approximately 78 percent of the wage earners reported the existence of
union agreements. The United Rubber Workers of America, affiliated
with the C. I. O., exercised collective-bargaining rights in 27 plants
in which 55 percent of the total number of workers were employed.
Six plants employing almost 19 percent of the workers reported
agreements with federal labor unions affiliated with the A. F. of L.
The principal source of A. F. of L. representation was in the East.
Two eastern plants reported agreements with unaffiliated unions.
No union agreements were in effect at the time of the survey in 17
plants employing 23 percent of the workers. Typically, union agree
ments in this industry cover all factory workers.
CHARACTER OF THE LABOR FORCE
As in the tire and tube division of the industry, the labor force of
mechanical-goods plants is composed predominantly of male workers.
The proportion of women in the labor force is somewhat greater,
however, in mechanical-goods establishments. In the sample of 52
plants primarily engaged in the manufacture of mechanical goods,
31 percent of the labor force consisted of female workers. More
than 6,000 women were employed in these plants, principally as
trimmers, finishers, assemblers, packers, and inspectors. The pro
portion of women in the labor force varied from 21 percent in the far
West to 34 percent in the East. The relatively high ratio in the
East may be attributed, at least in part, to the manufacture of a greater
proportion of special rubber war products in eastern plants.
The predominance of male workers in the mechanical-goods division
of the rubber industry, as well as in the tire and tube branch, results
largely from the nature of the productive processes. Although only
a few of the direct production jobs are highly skilled, in the sense of
requiring prolonged training, many tasks demand moderate skill and,
in some cases, considerable physical stamina. Practically no women
are found in rubber preparation departments, and the women em
ployed in processing are engaged, for the most part, on light and
repetitive tasks. Finishing and inspecting offer considerable scope
for the employment of women. Maintenance and general plant
labor, of course, is largely male.
Negro workers constituted less than 2 percent of the labor force.
Most of them were employed in the East, principally as janitors and
laborers and, to a minor extent, as millmen.
EFFECT OF THE WAR
In view of the nature of the majority of products of this industry
division, the demands of war did not compel widespread conversion
or drastic alteration of manufacturing practices. The pressure of
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Wage and Hour Statistics
545
wartime requirements and restrictions on the use of rubber, however,
have undoubtedly affected the type and volume of production and,
to some extent, labor requirements in the industry.
It is probable that the staple commodities of mechanical-goods
production (hose, belting, gaskets, and a number of other products)
have been altered somewhat to meet specifications for use in tanks,
airplanes, and other war machines. The war has required expansion
in the production of specified items such as fire hose. Although data
are not available for precise measurement, such changes probably
have had effects on the size and composition of the labor force.
Additional labor-force changes have been occasioned by the manu
facture in mechanical-goods plants of special rubber war goods not
normally produced in the industry. It is pointed out elsewhere
that 3 of the 52 plants covered in this study were engaged in the
fabrication of such products as barrage ballons, rubber boats, and
self-sealing fuel tanks at the time of the wage survey. Two additional
plants were producing gas masks. These products accounted for at
least 75 percent of the value of August 1942 output in 3 of the 5 plants.3
These five plants employed more than 6,000 workers, or more than onefourth of all of the workers in the 52 plants covered. The nature
of operations and the labor-force requirements in the fabrication of
special war products have been discussed in some detail in the article
on wages in the tire and tube division of the industry.
Scope and Method of Survey
The present survey of earnings in the manufacture of mechanical
rubber goods represents the first detailed study of wages by occupa
tion ever made by the Bureau in this industry division. In 1940,
however, the Bureau conducted a mail questionnaire survey of hours
and earnings in the entire rubber industry.4 Data were not obtained
in that survey on occupational wages, but the study did yield valuable
information on the distribution of workers by hourly earnings in the
various divisions of the industry.
The data for the present survey were collected by trained field
representatives of the Bureau from pay-roll and other plant records.
In most instances, the pay-roll period covered was that ending
nearest August 29, 1942. In a few plants, wage data were obtained for
a representative week shortly before or shortly after this period.
The data obtained in the course of the survey include occupational
average hourly earnings exclusive of premium payments for overtime
hours and shift-differential payments. Information was obtained on
method of wage payment for each occupation and on the sex of the
workers. Data were also secured for each plant on the character of
production, general wage changes since July 1940, plant minimumwage policy, shift operation, unionization, and aggregate employment,
man-hours, and earnings for selected periods from August 1939 to
August 1942.
s T he relative im portance in term s of em ploym ent of special w ar product o u tp u t in mechanical-goods
p lan ts approaches the relative im portance of such o u tp u t in tire and tu be plants. In absolute terms, of
course, th e em ploym ent on w ar-products fabrication in th e latter p lants greatly exceeds em ploym ent in
the former.
4 M o n th ly L abor Review , June 1941 (p. 1490): Earnings in the M anufacture of R ubber Products, M ay
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Monthly Labor Review—March 1943
The survey was not intended to cover all plants engaged primarily
in the manufacture of mechanical rubber goods. The study does cover
a balanced sample of approximately half of the industry. The sample
was selected to reflect as accurately as possible wages in plants of
varying size, location, and product. The sample was chosen from the
plant list derived from the Bureau’s 1940 questionnaire survey, cor
rected and brought up to date on the basis of the records of the Rub
ber Division of the War Production Board. In addition to data on
this representative sample of plants primarily engaged in the produc
tion of mechanical goods, occupational wage data were also obtained
for the mechanical-goods departments of 8 tire and tube plants.5 In
these plants, preparatory, general, and maintenance workers were pro
rated to mechanical-goods production on the basis of the relative value
or volume of such production or upon the allocation of cost. The
scope of the study is indicated in table 1, which shows, by region, the
number of primary mechanical-goods plants included in the survey,
together with the total employment in those plants.
T able
1.— Number of Prim ary Mechanical-Goods Plants and Total Number of Workers
Covered by Survey, by Region, August 1942 1
Region
U nited States _
E a s t 2 __ __ . .
M id w e st3 —
F a r W est U -
_
__
____
N u m b er of N um ber of Percent of
plants
workers
plants
Percent of
workers
52
20,040
100
100
22
12,819
4,657
2, 564
42
45
13
64
23
13
23
7
1 In addition to the p lants shown in the table, the mechanical-goods departm ents of 8 tire and tube plants
were also covered. The occupational d ata from these mechanical-goods departm ents are included in table
3, and in the sum m ary of the occupational data in table 2.
*
2 1 p la n t in Connecticut, 5 in M assachusetts, 1 in Delaware, 7 in New Jersey, 2 in New Y ork, 6 in P e n n
sylvania.
2 11 plan ts in Ohio, 5 in Illinois, 4 in Indiana, 3 in M ichigan.
4 6 plants in California. 1 in Colorado.
Of the 52 plants primarily producing mechanical goods, 22 are
in the East, 23 in the Midwest, and 7 in the far West. Of the 20,040
workers employed in these plants, 64 percent were found in the eastern
division, 23 percent in the Midwest, and 13 percent in the far West.
The 8 tire anti tube plants, the mechanical-goods departments of
which were covered in the survey, are all situated in the Midwest;
it is estimated that these plants employed more than 6,000 workers
in the production of mechanical rubber goods. Since total employ
ment in the sample of primary mechanical-goods plants represents
approximately one-half of the industry, it is apparent that only a
minor proportion of all workers engaged in mechanical-goods produc
tion were employed in the 8 tire and tube plants.
The selection of occupations for coverage was based primarily on
t wo criteria: (1) The importance of an occupation in terms of number
of workers employed, and (2) the strategic importance of a job in the
occupational structure. Mechanical-goods plants are homogeneous
as to product only to a limited extent. Most preparatory occupations,
of course, are common to all plants, and most of the general and
maintenance occupations likewise are found in all establishments.
5 These 8 plants account for almost all of the mechanical-goods production found in tire and tube plants.
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Wage and Hour Statistics
547
This statement should be qualified at least to the extent that differences
in plant size affect occupational patterns even in rubber preparation
and plant maintenance. Many direct processing occupations are not
found in all plants, or even in a majority of plants.
lu order to make the occupational data comparable from plant to
plant, operations relating to the manufacture of metal products,
rubber products 6 other than mechanical goods, miscellaneous spe
cialty goods, rubber reclaiming, and the construction of new plant
equipment were not covered by the survey. In substance, the occupa
tional data presented in this report relate to rubber preparatory opera
tions, mechanical-goods processing, and general and plant maintenance
occupations. Information was secured on wages in the production of
specified rubber war products, including self-sealing fuel tanks,
rubber boats, and pontoons. It was hoped that wage data could be
shown for workers engaged in the fabrication of these products in
mechanical-goods plants, just as data were shown for such workers in
tire and tube plants. Significant wage data for these workers could
not be shown, however, since fabrication of special rubber war products
was found in too few plants 7 to warrant the computation of averages.
One problem arose in connection with the combining of occupational
wage data for workers in the mechanical-goods departments of tire
and tube plants with data for workers in plants primarily engaged in
the production of mechanical goods. The latter data represent
approximately a 50-percent sample of the mechanical-goods division
(defined as composed of plants primarily engaged in mechanical
rubber goods production); the data for the mechanical-goods depart
ments of tire and tube plants, on the other hand, represent virtually
complete coverage for the occupations shown. Consequently, in
combining these data to show average hourly earnings by occupation
for the industry as a whole (as in table 3), employment in each occupa
tion in the mechanical-goods departments of tire and tube plants was
reduced by half to give these departments their proper weight in the
total industry.
Methods of Wage Payment
USE OF INCENTIVE-WAGE SYSTEMS
The use of incentive methods of wage payment in primary me
chanical-goods plants is not so extensive as in tire and tube establish
ments. Even in the mechanical-goods division, however, incentivewage plans are widely employed. The use of incentives was reported
in 35 of the 52 plants covered by the survey. Straight piece-rate
systems predominated.
In plants primarily engaged in the manufacture of mechanical
goods, approximately 47 percent of the workers for whom occupa
tional data wrere obtained were paid on an incentive basis. The ratio
of incentive workers to hourly or day rate workers varied greatly by
department. Sixty-seven percent of all rubber preparatory workers,
59 percent of the processing workers, and 16 percent of the general,
service, and maintenance workers were paid on an incentive basis.
In the tire and tube division, by way of contrast, about 95 percent of
6 Such as heels and soles, drug sundries, hoots and shoes, sponge-rubber products, and household goods.
7 D ata for workers other th a n those engaged in special w ar-product fabrication in these plants are shown
in this report.
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Monthly Labor Review—March 1943
the preparatory workers, 88 percent of the tire and tube processing
workers, and about one-third of the general, service, and maintenance
workers received incentive earnings.
OVERTIME-PAYMENT PRACTICES
All of the 52 mechanical-goods plants included in the survey reported
the payment of time and a half for hours wmrked above 40 per week,
but only 38 of the plants paid time and a half for hours in excess of
8 per day. Double time was reported as paid for work on Sunday
and holidays in 12 plants. Nine plants reported the payment of time
and a half for Saturday work, but it is not known whether this extra
rate is paid if Saturday falls within the normal 40-hour workweek.
SHIFT PRACTICES AND SHIFT DIFFERENTIALS
At the time of the survey, only 14 of the 52 mechanical-goods
plants were operating on a single-shift basis, but 28 plants were operat
ing three shifts, and 10 plants reported two-shift operation. In
many multiple-shift plants, full operating crews were not employed
on the extra shifts. In the 52 plants as a whole, approximately twothirds of the workers were employed on the first daylight shift. The
proportion of the labor force working on extra shifts was highest in
the Mid'west.
Shift-premium payments were not common in the industry in
August 1942. Eleven plants reported the payment of night-shift
differentials ranging from 2 to 10 cents an hour, but the number of
workers receiving this extra pay constituted only 13 percent of those
employed on second and third shifts in the plants surveyed.
,
Occupational Earnings and Regional W age Levels August 1942
The basic information derived from the survey consisted of average
hourly earnings, exclusive of premium overtime pay and night-shift
premiums, for a comprehensive group of occupations in mechanical
rubber goods plants and in the mechanical-goods departments of
tire and tube establishments. Occupational wage data are shown
for more than two-thirds of the workers in the sample of 52 plants
primarily engaged in the manufacture of mechanical goods,8 as well
as for workers in mechanical-goods processing occupations in tire
and tube plants and for the estimated proportion of preparatory and
maintenance workers in such establishments allocable to mechanicalgoods production.
Every effort was made to classify the occupations in the plants
covered on the basis of duties performed and not merely on the basis
of job titles. Field representatives of the Bureau were provided with
an occupational glossary, for general guidance in the reporting of
occupational data. Variations in plant size, production methods, and
many other factors may make for small variations from plant to
plant in the specific duties and responsibilities attaching to many
occupations without seriously affecting their basic comparability.
8
Some of the workers for whom occupational wage d ata are not shown are engaged in the production of
special rubber war products. Some mechanical-goods occupations were found in too few plants to w arrant
the presentation of average earnings d ata. F inally, some workers were engaged in forms of production
falling outside the scope of th e survey.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
549
Wage and Hour Statistics
EARNINGS BY OCCUPATION
A summary of the data secured on occupational wages in the
mechanical-goods division of the rubber-manufacturing industry is
shown in table 2. Attention is called to the arrangement of this table
which is similar to the arrangement of the detailed occupational table
that follows. In the first column, the average earnings of workers by
major plant division and sex are shown for the industry as a whole—
that is, for workers in plants primarily engaged in the manufacture of
mechanical goods as well as those employed in the mechanical-goods
departments of tire and tube plants. The figures are representative
of earnings in the total industry. The second column shows data
for the industry exclusive of the mechanical-goods departments of tire
and tube plants. The wage data in this column relate solely to work
ers in plants primarily engaged in the manufacture of mechanical
goods, and the next three columns show data for these workers by
region. In the final column, data for workers in mechanical-goods
departments of tire and tube plants are shown.
As table 2 indicates, the straight-time average hourly earnings of
all of the workers covered by the occupational data amounted to 84.0
cents in August 1942. In view of the comprehensive nature of the
occupational coverage, this figure may be taken with confidence to
reflect the general level of straight-time hourly earnings in the industry.
The level of earnings of all workers employed in plants primarily
engaged in the manufacture of mechanical goods was 78.8 cents. The
difference between 84.0 cents and 78.8 cents measures the influence of
the mechanical-goods departments of tire and tube plants on the
general level of earnings in this industry division. Actually, as the
general figures in table 2 reveal, the level of hourly earnings in the
mechanical-goods departments of tire and tube plants was about 31
cents above the level in plants primarily producing mechanical goods.
As previously stated, only a small fraction of the employment in the
industry division is found in tire and tube plants.
T a b l e 2 . — Average Hourly Earnings 1 in the Mechanical Rubber Goods Industry, by
Plant Division, Sex, and Region, August 1942
Average hourly earnings in—
D ivision and sex
U nited
States
P lan ts prim arily engaged in the M echan
m anuf acture of mechanic al goods
icalgoods
dep art
m ents
U nited
M id
Far
of tire
E ast
States
west
W est and tube
plants
All w orkers------- ------ ------------ --- ------- -M ale --- -- -- __________
______
Fem ale------ ---- ------------------- ---------- --
$0.840
.904
.638
$0. 788
.847
.591
$0.813
.872
.611
$0. 748
.813
.567
$0. 744
.793
.543
$1.099
1. 209
.830
R ubber preparation (m ale)_____ - - ------ Mechanical-goods processing. ---------- __ ------M ale- -- --- - --- ____ - --------- - -----Fem ale----------------- ------------------------------General, service, and m aintenance------ ---------M ale___________________________________
Fem ale_________________________________
.970
.829
.925
.641
.826
.850
.604
.911
.779
.936
.814
.911
.619
.778
.803
.569
.877
.735
.822
.568
.745
.761
.542
.843
.724
.791
.541
.767
.781
.562
1.278
1.076
1,241
.828
.868
.595
.771
.793
.565
1.101
1.137
.791
i T he average hourly earnings show n in th is table are exclusive of prem ium overtim e p ay and shiftdifferential prem ium s.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
550
Month 1y Labor Review—March 1943
The large difference between the level of earnings in the mechanicalgoods departments of tire and tube plants and in plants primarily
engaged in the manufacture of mechanical goods deserves brief com
ment. Most of the mechanical-goods production in tire and tube
plants is found in the Akron area. As the Bureau’s study of wages in
the tire and tube division of the industry clearly reveals, wages in the
Akron area (including Detroit) are substantially above wages in tire
and tube plants in other regions. If important mechanical-goods out
put were found in tire and tube plants outside of the Akron area, the
spread between wages in such plants and wages in primary mechanicalgoods plants undoubtedly would be smaller than the difference shown
in this article. An appreciable spread unquestionably would remain,
however, because of the general tendency for wages, regardless of
region, to be higher in tire and tube plants than in primary mechanicalgoods plants.
The wage levels for workers in tire and tube production inevitably
influence largely the wages of workers in the same plants engaged in
the manufacture of mechanical goods. It is very difficult to segregate
some categories of workers engaged in the two types of production in
the same plant. The wages paid to preparatory, general, and main
tenance workers engaged in tire and tube production have come to
determine, at least in a substantial measure, the wages of similar
workers in the same plants who are engaged in mechanical-goods
production. In most cases, physical separation of these workers is
not practiced. The influence of tire and tube wages is felt also in the
mechanical-goods-processing departments, which generally are physi
cally separate. It may be pointed out that the higher level of wages
in mechanical-goods-processing departments in tire and tube plants
is not a reflection, except to a minor extent, of differences in occupa
tional structure as between mechanical-goods operations in tire and
tube plants and in primary mechanical-goods plants. The wage dif
ferences are real. This helps greatly to explain the historical tendency
for tire companies to dissociate tire and tube and mechanical-goods
production.
Table 2 shows that there is a sharp difference in the level of earnings
of men and women. Tims, male workers in the total industry aver
aged 90.4 cents an hour, as compared with an average of 63.8 cents for
female employees. In plants primarily engaged in making mechanical
goods, men averaged 84.7 cents an hour and women 59.1 cents. These
figures, together with other average earnings data in table 2, provide a
broad picture of wages in mechanical rubber goods manufacture. A
detailed picture is shown in table 3.
Table 3 shows straight-time average hourly earnings for individual
occupations by region and sex of workers in three broad plant divi
sions—rubber preparation, mechanical-goods processing, and general,
service, and maintenance. The total number of workers in each
division is taken as 100 percent, and the number of workers in each
occupation is expressed as a percentage of this total. Thus, the
relative importance of various kinds of workers in the occupational
structure of a given plant division is indicated.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Wage and Hour Statistics
551
T a b l e 3 . — Average Hourly Earnings 1 in the Mechanical Rubber Goods Industry, by
Division, Occupation, Sex, and Region, August 1942
U nited
States
P lan ts pi im arily enga ?ed in the ma nufacture
of mechardeal goods
U nited
States
D ivision, occupation,
and sex
P er
cent
of i
work
ers
A ver
age
hour
ly
earn
ings
P er
cent
of
work
ers
E ast
M idw est
Aver Per Aver Per Aver
age
age
age
hour cent
hour- cent
hour
of
of
ly
ly
ly
ork #earn
work earn
earn wers
ers ings
ings
ings
' F ar W est
P er
cent
b of
work
ers
Aver
age
hour
ly
earn
ings
M echanicalgoods de
partm ents
of tire and
tube plants
Per
cent
of
w ork
ers
A ver
age
hour
ly
earn
ings
Preparatory
All w orkers (m a le ) ___
100.0 $0.970 100.0 $0. 912 100.0 $0. 936 100.0 $0. 877 100.0 $0.843 100.0 $1. 278
B anbury mixers _„ ,
C alender operators______
H elpers,
M illm en, miscellaneous, __
M illm en, m ixing,.
M illm en, sh ee tin g ,, ____
M illm en, w arm -up______
R ubber com pounders___
R ubber cu tters________
6.3 .958
13.6 1.093
14.9 .955
10.4 .865
17.1 .961
3.0 1.013
22.3 . 9S4
10.9 .927
1.5 .867
7.1 .940
14.1 1.037
14.3 . 87C
10.3 .797
16.1 .885
3.1 .975
22.4 .938
11.2 .870
1,6 .852
5.9 .993
15. 1 1.074
16.2 .880
12.0 .808
11. S .925
2.8 .971
24.0 .952
10.4 .917
1.7 .874
6.7
11.0
9.5
5.3
26. S
4.6
20. 5
13.4
,2. 1
.906 14.8 .849
.909 15.6 1.025
.883 12.5 .778
.738 10.9 .789
.864 17.3 .794
.990
1.6 0
.931 16.4 .837
.807 10.9 .781
.805 —
2.3 1. 256
11.0 1.475
19.3 1. 285
11.0 1. 204
22.4 1. 252
2.8 1. 240
21. 5 1. 238
9.2 1. 297
.5 0
Processing
All w orkers.
M ale workers . . . _ _____
Assemblers:
Classes A and B , _
Class C
B elt builders, large__
Belt-mold assemblers.
Bias c u tte rs_________
B raider and loom
operators_________
Buffers________ _
C utting-m achine operators, _ , , , __ _ _
Fabric cu tters___ _
Foremen, working:
Class A _________
Class B__
Helpers, m a c h i n e
operators’ , ,
Hose couplers
Hose makers
Hose strippers ,
Hose w rappers___
Inspectors and testers:
Class A ______
Class B _________
Class C
Learners, miscellaneous________
Liners, tank, pipe,
and v a lv e ,,, ,
P ressm en,__ _
Pressm en, learners__
Slitting-machine operators.
Soapstoners, ,
Stock preparers, press.
Trim m ers and finishers__________
T ube cutters___
Tube-m achine operators_______________
V-belt builders______
Vulcanizers, miscellaneous, ,
W rapper rollers_____
100.0
.829 100. 0
.779 100. 0
.814 100.0
.735 100.0
.724 100.0 1. 076
.925
67.3
.868
66.8
.911
65.6
.822
.791
2. 7 1.027
.6 . 802
1.8 1. 061
.5 1. 192
.3 1.067
2.4
.7
1. 7
.1
.2
.922
.777
.959
.693
. 953
2.8
.969
2.7
.831
.765
2. 7
66.1
2.6 .973
0
. 2 1.010
2.0
.4
.1
0
0
73.2
0
1. 0
0
2.5 1. 250
.7 1 267
5.2
.9
.658
0
1.8 1.196
.870
.819
. 846
2.9
.8
.770
.763
3.3
.9
.822
.828
1.0
.6
.688
2.5
.5
.868
2.7
.5
.841
.751
2.6
.815
. 759
3.7
.4
. 900
.691
1. 1
.8 1. 215
3.1
2.4
.916
6.0
0
1.3
.7
.678
0
1.8
.1
10. 2
1. 1
0
.751
1 . 1 1. 096
3.5
. 915
4. 1
.826
.906
.972
.903
.959
.8
5.9
2. 1
.9
.7
1.2 1. 070
1 . 1 1.082
4. 0
. 901
4. 1
. 913
4. 2
.7
.782
.799
. 926
.875
.807
6.3
.9
7.5
3.6
.5
.799
.766
.983
6.1
2. 2
.7
.888
.826
1.6
.2
.2
.839
0
.4
.710
2.4
.939
1. 295
. 9 1. 231
.697
0
.805
2. 1
1. 1
.886
2.6
.741
1.5
. 7 1. 039
.913
. 759
. 2 1 . 180
.9 .835
.7 . 672
2.5
.809
.9
.660
.9
.634
.2
.9
.636
4. 2
.634
.3 1 . 222
14.7 . 966
1. 1 . 590
15.8
1.3
.925
.586
13.9
.998
.550
23.5
2.4
.846
.607
6.8
.8
0
.915
.927
.723
.7
.5
.9
.855
.913
.724
.9
.814
.905
.2
.2
.8
.867
.894
3.5
1. 0
.781
.804
1. 1
.3
.845
3.6 .957
.9 1.022
3.8
.7
.899
.918
3.7
.910
3.1
3.1
.4
.892
.735
.6
.4
.8
3.7
1.0
.6
See footnotes at end of table.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
.960
.904
.8
.6
.3
0
2.5
.6
0
.4
. 7 1 309
1. 2 1.186
.741
.4 1. 057
2. 2 1 433
.645
.850
.9
1.0 1. 159
1. 7 .886
4.4 1. 304
.5
979
.5
.4
.8
.692
60.0 1. 241
.893
3. 6
1. 2
4. 6
1. 3
1. 8
1 087
1 250
1. 274
0
1 244
3.7 1. 217
.9
789
9. 7 1 296
.2
742
.686
0
. 5 1. 295
. i 1. 191
4.6
. 687
. 745
4.7 1.180
. 9 1 364
.881
.952
2.4
4. 2
.900
.916
2.8 1. 342
l. 8 1 227
.955
2.0 .752
.764 — — —
8.2
1.0
.886
3.0 1. 308
1.7 1.125
0
.886
0
0
.2
.658
3. 7
7.6
2.3
.778
.801
4.6
.5
.675
.663
1
0
Monthly Lahor Review—March 1943
552
T a b l e 3 . — Average Hourly Earnings 1 in the Mechanical Rubber Goods Industry, by
Division, Occupation, Sex, and Region, August 1942—Continued
P lan ts prim arily engaged in the m anufacture
of m echanical goods
U nited
States
Division, occupation,
and sex
P er
cent
of
work
ers
Processing—C ontinued
Female workers------------Assemblers, class C__.
Belt coverers________
Braider and loom op
erators—
B uffers-------------------Creel tenders----------C utting-m achine op
erators_______ ____
Forewomen, working,
class B ____ r --------Helpers, machine op
erators’—
Inspectors and testers.
Learners, miscellane
ous---------- v----------Sewing-machine op
erators----------- - —
Trim m ers and finish
ers_______________
W rapper rollers-------General, service, and
maintenance
33.9 $0. 641
.6
.740
3.7
1.4
.688
P er
cent
of
work
ers
M idw est
E ast
Aver P er
age
hour cent
of
ly
earn work
ers
ings
32.7 $0. 595
7
577
. 2 .607
Aver P er
age
hour cent
of
ly
ork
earn wers
ings
33.2 $0. 619
.3
(2)
F ar W est
Aver Per Aver P er A ver
age
age
age
hour
hour cent
hour cent
of
of
ly work ly work ly
earn ers earn ers earn
ings
ings
ings
34.4 $0.568
2. 2 .576
. 1 (2)
26.8 $0.541
.653
.609
.595
4.9
1.4
.3
.679
.595
.636
.2
(2)
.655
(2)
4.9
.4
.3
1.2
.2
1.2
.739
1.0
.573
1.1
.556
1.5
.538
.4
.612
.8
(2)
.6
.646
.7
.646
1. 1
.647
.1
(2)
.5
8.4
.713
.619
.5
8.3
.680
.576
.6
9.3
.711
.592
6.5
2.8
.490
2.9
.470
1.9
.508
.8
.604
.9
.596
.4
.646
11.5
.640
.628
12.2
1
.615
.581
11.4
.638
(2)
16.1
.1
All workers____________
100.0
M ale workers___________
Carpenters:
Class A ------------Class B ------------Cem ent m ixers-------Cleaners, equipm ent.
Electricians:
Class A ------------Class B -----------Elevator operators-__
Factory clerks--------F irem en -------------Helpers, journeym en s
Janitors-----------------Laborers----------------L e a rn e rs , m is c e l
laneous—
Loaders and unloaders
racks and convey
ors ______________
M illwrights:
Class A ---------- Class B ------------Packers and craters
Pipefitters---------7--Repairm en, machine..
Tool and die m akers.
T ruek drivers---------Truckers, h a n d ------Truckers, pow er-----W atchm en--------------
90.2
Female w orkers—
Factory clerks _
Janitors______
Packers----------
A ver
age
hour
ly
earn
ings
U nited
States
.698
3.7
.
.826 100.0
.1
.771 100. 0
.9
(3)
.436
4.0
.471
2.5
2.3
(2)
.778 100.0
.9
.7
.982
.785
.6
Cl
.741
.9 1.035
1.2 .937
.811
1.1
1.2 .665
.3
(2)
1 . 7 1.152
1.3 1.118
1.4 1.138
. 3 .833
1.7 .679
12.2 .776
2.6 .842
3.9 .744
6.8 , 694
18.3 .762
1.1
1.033
.
1.4
14.5
.7
.684
.6
.622
.5
. 615
1.3
.831
1.3
.746
.7
1.3
2.8
3.0
6.8
.990
.860
.907
2.7 1.060
8.4 1.001
2.0 1.042
1.2 .803
8. 5 .836
2.5 1.034
5.9 .708
1.4
1.1
5. 6
9. 8
2.8
1.2
5.8
.604
.626
.563
.601
1.5
. 684
.781
.848
.863
.757
.706
.749
2.3
13. 1
3.1
3.4
7.0
16.8
.763
.834
.737
.675
.741
12.6
1.6
1.2
4.9
2.4
8.1
2.4
1.3
7.8
1.5
6.7
9.7
2.4
1.2
6.1
.982
.858
.811
1.006
.940
1.042
.783
.750
.818
.699
.565
.552
.537
. 57C
l.S
6.0
2.5
6.2
2. f
.9
8.8
1.5
5.9
10.8
1.9
1.2
7.7
.4
(21
(2)
5.7
.699
.800
1.1
(2)
10. i
.1
.745 100.0
.9 1.028
1.3 .896
.9 .843
1.3 .638
1.0 1.072
1 . 2 .896
K .866
89.2
.857
.816
4.2
8.4
.3
.536
(2)
. 931
.767
.5
8.9
.603
.914
00
.5
.528
.761
.793
3.9
2.5
.9
7.9
92.7
90.3
.605
(2)
40.0 $0.828
9.6 .845
2.7 .791
f2)
.557
.3
.803
.850
M echanicalgoods de
partm ents
of tire and
tube plants
7. 7
.2
.602
(2)
.837
.711
.767 100.0 1.101
.781
89.7 1.137
1.4 1.042
3.3 .836
.2 (2)
3.5 (2)
1.5 1.220
93.7
1.6 1.110
.9 (2)
1.4 (2)
19.0
2.1
3.5
8.6
.763
.913
.728
.633
. 635
.1
(2)
.4 1.141
2.2 1.050
3.3 1.224
6.6 .897
15.9 1.199
1.2 1.218
1.2 1.045
5.4 .915
2.8 1.013
.627
.683
16.0
1.4
.628
.2
(2)
1.3
.840
4.0
(2)
.9
(2)
1.3 1.284
.975
.875
.831
1.031
.962
1.119
.82c
.747
.819
.691
2.7
. 984
.820
.698
.880
.849
.920
.770
.763
.822
.683
.569
.593
.508
.573
6.7
10.4
l.f
3. (
2.4
12.0
1
0.
1.9
8.5
1.9
9.5
7.3
2.3
2.0
3. (
.542
.420
.607
.591
.841
1.6 1.017
2 (2)
.3 (2)
. 1 .940
9.0 1.180
4. 1 1.224
11.1 1.232
.2
1.2
(2)
7.5
.808
.769
12.3 1.124
7.8 1. 250
1.5 .927
6.3
5.8
.562
.549
10.3
5.0
.9
4.4
1.4 .645
1.9 1.066
12.9 1.010
.9 1.050
3.3
.727
___ ___
.5
0
.4
___
(2)
.791
.807
.744
.783
i T he average hourly earnings shown in th is table are exclusive of prem ium overtime pay and shift-difer2eN u m b erTof plants insufficient to justify the com putation of an average,
s Less th a n a te n th of 1 percent.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Wage and Hour Statistics
553
Wages are relatively high in rubber preparatory occupations.
These are all male occupations. A very large proportion of the
workers, as pointed out earlier, are paid on an incentive basis. Av
erage hourly earnings in August 1942 in the entire industry division
ranged from 86.5 cents for miscellaneous millmen to about $1.09 for
calender operators. Average earnings in the same occupations in
plants primarily engaged in mechanical-goods manufacture ranged
from almost 80 cents to approximately $1.04. In addition to calender
operators, only sheeting millmen averaged more than $1.00 an hour
in the total industry; these latter workers in primary mechanicalgoods plants averaged 97.5 cents.
For the mechanical-goods industry as a whole, processing workers
averaged 82.9 cents an hour in August 1942, the average for men being
92.5 cents as compared with 64.1 cents for women. The correspond
ing averages in plants primarily engaged in the manufacture of
mechanical goods were 77.9 for all workers, 86.8 cents for men and
59.5 cents for women.
Earnings for experienced male processing workers in the total
industry ranged from 72.3 cents for stock preparers to $1.22 for pipe,
valve, and tank liners. The most numerous group of male workers,
pressmen, averaged 96.6 cents an hour; average earnings in 19 occupa
tions, employing approximately 66 percent of the male processing
workers, were 90 cents or more an hour; in only 3 occupations, with
3.4 percent of the male workers, wTere average earnings less than 80
cents an hour. In plants primarily manufacturing mechanical goods,
pressmen averaged 92.5 cents. Average hourly earnings of 90 cents
or more were found in 10 occupations containing almost 50 percent
of the male processing workers. In 11 occupations, hourly earnings
for experienced workers averaged less than 80 cents; 23 percent of the
male processing workers were included within these occupations.
The hourly earnings of experienced female processing workers
in the industry as a whole ranged from 57.3 cents for cutting-machine
operators to 77.7 cents for class C assemblers. Trimmers and finish
ers, the most numerous group of female employees, averaged 64 cents.
These workers averaged 61.5 cents in plants primarily engaged in the
manufacture of mechanical goods. The average hourly earnings in
the primary mechanical-goods plants in all female occupations,
exclusive of the learner category, fell within the range of 55.6 cents
to 68.0 cents.
In the industry as a wdiole, workers classified in the general, service,
and maintenance categories averaged 82.6 cents, the average for
men being 85.0 cents as compared with 60.4 cents for women. The
average for all workers in this group in primary mechanical-goods
plants was 77.1 cents an hour, the averages for men and women being
79.3 cents and 56.5 cents, respectively.
Among experienced male workers, skilled maintenance men (class
A carpenters, electricians, millwrights, pipefitters, machine repair
men) earned approximately $1.00 an hour or more in the total
industry; in primary mechanical-goods plants, average earnings in
these occupations ranged from 94 cents for machine repairmen to
almost $1.12 cents for first-class electricians. Tool and die makers
received average earnings of more than $1.00 an hour in primary
mechanical-goods plants. Common laborers and factory clerks,
512311—43------0
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
554
Monthly Labor Review—March 1943
numerically the most important occupational groups in the general
and maintenance category, averaged 74.9 cents and 84.8 cents,
respectively, in the total industry; the corresponding averages in
primary mechanical-goods plants were 74.1 cents and 76.3 cents.
The most important occupational group among experienced female
employees was composed of packers. These workers averaged 60.1
cents in the total industry and 57.6 cents in primary mechanicalgoods plants. The earnings of female factory clerks were very
similar to those of inspectors and testers.
REGIONAL WAGE LEVELS IN PRIMARY MECHANICAL-GOODS PLANTS
It is possible to give a measure of general regional variations in
earnings that is perhaps somewhat more precise than the measures
derived from table 2. The regional averages shown in table 2 are
affected to some extent, for example, by differences among regions
in the composition of the mechanical-goods labor force and in occu
pational structures. The following procedure was devised to elimi
nate the influence ol this factor. A group of very clear-cut occupa
tions, represented in each of the three regions in which the primary
mechanical-goods plants are situated, was selected.9 The average
wage in each occupation in each of the three regions was weighted
by the number of workers in that occupation in the industry. In
this way, general averages were computed for each of the three
regions. It was assumed, in other words, that each region had the
same occupational structure as the industry as a whole. The
averages themselves are unimportant. It is the relationship of the
regional averages that may have significance. The general level
of wages m the Midwest in August 1942, on the basis of these com
putations, was about 89 percent of the eastern level; the level in the
far West was about 90 percent of the eastern level.
The above procedure yields results that are roughly similar to the
wage relationships among regions indicated by the data in table 2.
That is, m plants primarily engaged in the manufacture of mechani
cal goods, the general level of earnings does not differ materially in
the Midwest and the far West. Wages in both of these regions are
somewhat below average wages in the East. The indication is that
the level of earnings in the eastern plants is in the neighborhood of
10 percent greater than the level in the middle western and far
western plants.
,
,
,
Trend of Employment Hours and Earnings 1939 to 1942
For the sample of plants primarily engaged in the manufacture of
mechanical rubber goods, data were secured on total employment,
man-hours, and pay rolls for representative pay-roll periods in 6
selected months from 1939 to 1942. These data were not available
for 11 of the 52 plants covered by the survey for the August 1939
period, and from one to three plants in four of the other periods.
Table 4 shows number of plants, employment, average weekly
earnings, average weekly hours, and average hourly earnings, including
overtime premium pay and night-shift premiums, for these six periods
in 9ta b te ll occuPa^ ons contained almost 42 percent of the w orkers for whom occupational data are shown
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555
ftage and Hour Statistics
for the industry division as a whole and separately for the industry in
three regions. Estimates of average hourly earnings exclusive of
overtime premium pay likewise are set forth in this table. Although
it was possible to estimate the effect of overtime premium pay on
hourly earnings, data were not available for an estimate of the influence
on hourly earnings of premium pay for night-shift work. The effect
of night-shift premiums, however, appears to be small. Since some
plants did not report for certain of the periods shown in table 4, chain
indexes of employment were constructed to eliminate the influence
of differences in the number of reporting plants. These indexes are
shown separately in table 5.
The data in table 4, in conjunction with the employment indexes in
table 5, provide a general picture of the trend in employment, hours,
and earnings in the industry from 1939 to 1942. The use of aggregate
earnings data for comparison over periods of time, or even for com
parison of one region with another, may be affected by changes or
differences in occupational patterns. The first of these factors—
that is, changes in occupational pattern—has been of some importance,
especially in the East, since 1939. On the basis of the occupational
data in table 3 for August 1942, the pattern of occupations among
regions appears to be reasonably comparable for mechanical-goods
operations, but this table does not show the new occupations that have
developed in the production of special war goods.
T a b l e 4 . — Number of Workers and Average Hours and Earnings in Prim ary Mechanical-
Goods Plants, by Region, August 1939-August 1942
Region, m onth, and year
U nited States:
A ugust 1939
Ju ly 1940
Janu ary 1941
July 1941
June 1942
A ugust 1942
_________
______________
.
East:
A ugust 1939
Ju ly 1940
_
Janu ary 1941
Ju ly 1941
June 1942
A ugust 1942
M idw est:
A ugust 1939
Ju ly 1940
_________________
Janu arv 1941
Ju ly 1941
_______________
June 1942
_
__
_____
A ugust 1942
Far West:
A ugust 1939
Ju ly 1940
- _____ ______
Jan u ary 1941
Ju ly 1941
________________
June 1942
______
A ugust 1942 _ _
_____
Average
N um ber
ploy weekly
of plants E m
m ent
earnings
reporting
41
49
50
50
51
52
18
20
21
21
22
22
16
22
22
22
22
23
7
7
7
7
7
7
Average
weekly
hours
E stim a t
Average ed aver
hourly
age
earnings
hourly
including earnings
overtime excluding
overtim e 1
9, 981
13,655
18,150
21,130
19,113
20,040
$25.87
24. 43
24. 16
27. 00
34. 13
35. 77
40.1
39.2
38.5
39.9
42.3
43.6
$0. 645
.623
.627
.676
.806
.820
$0. 627
.610
.616
.658
.769
.774
5,855
7, 745
12,462
12,439
12,819
26. 34
25.51
25.38
26. 42
34.88
35.99
39.8
40.1
39.1
39. 1
43.2
43.4
.662
.636
.649
.676
.808
.828
.645
.618
.635
.662
.764
.782
2,088
3,664
5, 634
5, 964
4, 361
4,657
24.84
22. 27
21.89
26. 26
30.67
34.51
39.1
37.8
37.4
40.2
38.7
42.8
.635
. 589
.585
.654
.793
.806
.622
.580
.577
.635
.778
.766
2, 038
2,246
2,235
2,704
2,313
2. 564
25. 60
24. 23
24. 27
31.34
36. 57
36. 94
42.2
38.2
38.6
43.4
44.8
46.0
.607
.634
.629
.723
.816
.802
.580
.623
.617
. 683
.762
.743
10, 281
1 No correction has been m ade for the influence of shift-differential prem ium pay.
prem ium p ay for night work on wage levels is believed to be very small.
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T he influence of
556
Monthly Labor Review—March 1943
In the industry division as a whole, as table 5 shows, employment
increased by about 56 percent between August 1939 and August 1942.
Employment advanced very sharply from July 1940, shortly after the
inauguration of the national defense program, to July 1941. The
high level of employment in July 1941 reflects the intense economic
activity growing out of the defense program at a time, moreover, when
rubber supply was not a problem. Employment in August 1942 was
approximately 6 percent below the July 1941 level, but this decline,
as pointed out below, has been more than balanced by an increase in
the length of the average workweek.
The percentage increase in employment between 1939 and 1942 was
much greater in the East than in either the Midwest or far West. A
very large gain in employment in a single eastern plant had consider
able influence on the general level of employment in the eastern region.
T a b l e 5 . — Indexes of Employment in Prim ary Mechanical Rubber Goods Plants, by
Region, August 1939~August 1942
[August 1939=100]
M o n th and year
A ugust 1939.. . . . . . .
Ju ly 1940.. ________
Jan u ary 1941_______________________
Ju ly 1941________________
June 1942__ . _ _____
A ugust 1942__________ _
U nited
States
100.0
106. 9
141.9
165. 3
148.8
155.9
E ast
100.0
107. 8
142.7
173.1
171.4
176.7
M idw est
100.0
101.2
155.4
164.6
120.3
128.2
F ar W est
100.0
110. 2
109.7
132.7
113.5
125.8
Average weekly hours per worker (table 4) amounted to 43.6 in
August 1942, an increase of 9.5 percent as compared with August 1939,
and to approximately the same percentage if the comparision is made
with July 1941. In fact, employment measured in terms of man
hours was greater in August 1942 than in July 1941, despite some
decline in the number of workers employed.
Average hourly earnings, including premium pay for overtime and
shift-differential premiums, in the industry as a whole increased
from 64.5 cents in August 1939 to 82 cents in August 1942, or by 27
percent. Average weekly earnings, which are affected not only by
average earnings per hour but also by the number of hours worked
per week, increased from $25.87 in August 1939 to $35.77 in August
1942, an advance of 38 percent. Estimated average hourly earnings
exclusive of premium pay for overtime rose from 62.7 cents to 77.4
cents during this 3-year period.10 An inspection of the table indicates
that the greater part of the increase in earnings occurred after July
1941. This statement appears to be true not only for the industry as
a whole but for the industry in each of the three regions shown
separately.
10 Straight-tim e average hourly earnings in prim ary mechanical-goods plants for all of the workers for
whom occupational wage d ata are shown am ounted to 78.8 cents in A ugust 1942 (table 2). E stim ated
straight-tim e hourly earnings for A ugust 1942 as shown for th e to tal p lan t em ploym ent in table 4 am ounted
to 77.4 cents. T his relatively small difference of 1.4 cents is probably due largely to the fact th a t not all
of th e occupations in these plants, n otably those found in special war-goods production, were included in
the occupational data. M oreover, th e straight-tim e earnings in table 4 are estim ated, and a portion of the
difference m ay reflect th is fact. I t should be pointed ou t th a t th e average earnings of all w orkers for whom
occupational d ata are shown were 74.4 cents (table 2) in th e tar W est; the estim ated straight-tim e earn
ings of all w orkers in these p lan ts were 74.3 cents (table 4), a difference of only 0.1 cent. T he respective av
erages in th e M idw est were 74.8 cents and 76.6 cents, a difference of 1.8 cents. T he appreciable difference
(3,1 cents) between th e two averages in th e E a st probably reflects th e influence of the om itted special warproducts occupations.
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557
li age and Hour Statistics
K am i tigs by Size of Plant and Unionization
Table 6 shows average hourly earnings, inclusive of premium over
time pay and night-shift premiums, for four groups of plants classi
fied on the basis of size and for union and nonunion plants similarly
classified. Average weekly hours for each plant group are also shown,
so that allowance can be made for the influence on hourly earnings of
premium pay for overtime worked.11
_
.
An inspection of table 6 suggests that there is no consistent relation
ship between plant size and the general level of earnings. It is obvious,
for example, that if premium pay for overtime were eliminated, the
level of earnings in plants employing from 251 to 500 workers would
be lower than the level of earnings in plants employing fewer than 100
workers. The level of earnings in plants employing more than 500
workers is more influenced by hours worked than the level in plants
employing 101 to 250 workers. If overtime premium payments
were removed, it is probable that the level of earnings in the lattei
group of plants would exceed the level of earnings in the former
group.
. .
.
.
Table 6 does show, however, that a distinct difference exists in
average hourly earnings between organized and unorganized plants in
each of the size classes. The level of earnings in union plants as a
whole is consistently above the level of earnings in nonunion plants
as a whole in the same size groups. Since average weekly hours
were also higher in the nonunion groups of plants, the exclusion ol
punitive overtime pay would undoubtedly increase the diffeiences in
hourly earnings shown in table 6.
T a b l e 6 . — Average Hourly Earnings 1and Average It eekly Hours in Prim ary Mechanical
Rubber Goods Plants, by Size of Plant and Unionization, August 1942
Size of plant
N um ber
of
workers
N um ber
of
p lants
All p lan ts------------------------100 w orkers and u n d e r. _
101 to 250 w orkers______
251 to 500 w orkers______
501 workers and over-----
52
Union p lan ts______________
100 workers and u nder _
101 to 250 w orkers______
251 to 500 w orkers_____
501 workers and over-----
35
N onunion p lan ts--------------100 workers and u n d er.
101 to 250 w orkers_____
251 to 500 w orkers_____
501 w orkers and over-----
21
12
0
13
11
10
3
11
17
10
2
3.
2
Average
hourly
earnings
A verage
weekly
hours
20,040
852
1,969
2,165
15,054
$0.820
.748
.823
.750
. 830
43.6
40.8
41.2
45.2
43.8
15,473
518
1, 605
1, 080
12, 270
.839
.775
.839
.816
.844
43.1
39.2
41.1
43.3
43.5
4,567
334
364
1.085
2,784
.740
.707
.751
.684
.765
45.4
43.3
41.6
47.0
45.5
1 Prem ium overtim e p ay and shift-differential prem ium s included.
it i t is possible to estim ate straight-tim e average hourly earnings for these groups of plants. Such esti
mates, however, m ight not be reliable because of the relatively small num ber of plants and workers m some
of the p ia n t groupings. For large groups of plan ts th e im portance of overtim e prem ium p ay can be esti
m ated w ith reasonable accuracy.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
558
Monthly Labor Review—March 1943
UNION WAGES AND HOURS IN THE PRINTING
TRADES, JUNE 1, 1942
Summary
THE average union rate per hour for all printing trades in the 75
cities covered in a survey by the Bureau of Labor Statistics was
$1.255 on June 1, 1942. The average for the book and job trades
was $1.176 and for the newspaper trades $1.408. Almost threefifths of the union members in the printing trades had rates be
tween $1.10 and $1.50 per hour—56.6 percent in the book and job
trades and 62.7 percent in newspapers. Over 23 percent of the book
and job workers had scales of less than $1.00 per hour in contrast to
only 3 percent in the newspaper trades.
The index of union rates in the printing trades increased 4.3 percent
during the period, June 1, 1941, to June 1, 1942, raising the index to
119.0 (1929 = 100). The book and job group raised its index 4.2
percent and the newspaper branch, 4.3 percent. Over 78 percent of
the quoted scales provided for some raises, benefiting more than 80
percent of the members.
Union agreements in the printing trades provided an average maxi
mum workweek of 38.8 hours. In the book and job trades the
average was 39.4 hours; the 40-hour week was specified for 86.9
percent of the membership. The newspaper trades had an average
ol 37.4 hours; almost half of the workers operated on a 37/(-hour
basis. \ ery few changes in hour schedules were made during the
year. The indexes for all trades combined declined by one-tenth
of 1 percent to 87.4 (1929 = 100). The book and job index (89.4)
showed no change, but the newspaper index was reduced by onetenth of 1 percent to 84.2.
Overtime in the printing trades is practically always paid for at
the rate of time and a half. Over 97 percent of the union members
were covered by this provision.
Scope and Method of Study
Data on union scales of wages and hours in the printing trades
have been collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics each year
since 1907. The early studies were made in 39 cities and included 7
book and job occupations and 4 newspaper occupations. The study
has been gradually extended to cover 75 cities and now includes 11
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Wage and Hour Statistics
559
book and job occupations and 8 newspaper occupations. These
cities are in 40 States and the District of Columbia.1
As far as possible the scales covered were those actually in effect
on June 1. The collection of the data was made by agents of the
Bureau who personally visited some responsible official of each local
union included in the study. Each scale was verified by the union
official interviewed, and was further checked by comparison with the
written agreements, when copies were available. The 1942 survey
included 2,629 quotations of scales, covering 66,242 union members
in the book and job trades and 34,171 in the newspaper trades, a
total of approximately 100,500 members.
Union scale.—A union scale is a scale of wages and hours agreed
to by an employer (or group of employers) and a labor organization,
for persons who are actually working or would be working if there
were work to be done in that locality. The union scale usually
fixes the minimum wages and maximum hours. More experienced
and skilled workers may earn more than the union rate. This is
especially true during periods of prosperity, when a plentiful supply
of jobs creates competitive bidding for the better workmen.
Union rates and 'prevailing rates.-—This report is concerned only
with the contract scales for union members. No attempt was made
to discover what proportions of all the workers in the different occupa
tions were union members. As union strength varies from city to
city and trade to trade, the prevailing scale for any one occupation
in any one city may or may not coincide with the union scale. If
practically all the workers in a particular trade belong to the local
i The following are the cities covered.
is included in tables 8 and 9.
The num erals indicate the population group in which the city
North and Pacific
N ew H aven, Conn., IV.
Baltimore, M d., II.
N ew Y ork, N . Y ., I.
B ingham ton, N . Y ., V.
Omaha, N ebr., IV .
Boston, M ass., II.
Peoria, 111., IV.
Buffalo, N . Y „ II.
Philadelphia, Pa., I.
B utte, M ont., V.
Pittsburgh, Pa., II.
Charleston, W . Va., V.
Portland, M aine, V.
Chicago, 111., I.
Portland, Oreg., III.
C incinnati, Ohio, III.
Providence, R. I., III.
Cleveland, Ohio, II.
Reading, Pa., IV.
Columbus, Ohio, III.
Rochester, N . Y ., III.
D avenport, Iowa, included in Rock Island (111.)
Rock Island (111.) district, IV.
district.
St. Louis, Mo. II.
D ayton, Ohio, IV.
St.
Paul, M inn., III.
Denver, Colo., III.
Salt Lake C ity, U tah, IV.
Des Moines, Iowa, IV .
San
Francisco, Calif., II.
D etroit, M ich., I.
Scranton, P a., IV.
D uluth , M inn., IV.
Seattle,
W ash., III.
Erie, P a., IV .
South Bend, Ind., IV .
G rand Rapids, M ich., IV.
Spokane,
W ash., IV.
Indianapolis, Ind., III.
Springfield, M ass., IV.
K ansas C ity, M o., III.
Toledo,
Ohio,
III.
Los Angeles, Calif., I.
W ashington, D . C., II.
M adison, Wis., V.
W
ichita,
K
ans.,
IV.
M anchester, N . H ., V.
Worcester, Mass., IV.
M ilw aukee, W is., II.
Y
ork,
Pa.,
V.
M inneapolis, M inn., III.
Y oungstown, Ohio, IV.
M oline, 111., included in Rock Island (111.) district.
N ewark, N . J., III.
South and Southwest
A tlanta, Ga., III.
Birm ingham , Ala., III.
Charleston, S. C., V.
C harlotte, N . C., IV.
Dallas, Tex., III.
E l Paso, Tex., V.
H ouston, Tex., III.
Jackson, M iss., V.
Jacksonville, Fla., IV .
L ittle Rock, A rk., V.
Louisville, K y., III.
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M em phis, Tenn., III.
M obile, Ala., V.
Nashville, Tenn., IV.
New Orleans, La., III.
Norfolk, Va., IV.
O klahoma C ity, Okla., IV.
Phoenix, Ariz., V.
R ichm ond, Va., IV.
San Antonio, Tex., III.
Tam pa, Fla., IV .
UNION S C A L E S OF WAGES AND HOURS
IN THE PRINTING T R A D E S
JUNE I
1929=100
IN D E X
IN D E X
14 0
140
120
100
100
80
0 1907
1910
1920
1925
1930
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
A
A
1935
É
1940
1942
Wage and Hour Statistics
56 f
union the union scale will be equivalent to the prevailing scale. On
the other hand, if the proportion of craftsmen belonging to the union
is small, the union scale may not be the actual prevailing scale.
Apprentices and foremen .—A young person working in the trade for
a definite number of years, for the purpose of learning the trade, and
receiving instruction as an element of compensation, is considered an
apprentice. Scales for apprentices are not included in this report.
No rates are included for strictly supervising foremen or for indi
viduals who are paid unusual rates because of some personal qualifica
tion as distinct from the usual trade qualifications.
Averages.—-The averages given in this report are weighted accord
ing to the number of union members covered by each rate. When
a union representative reported more than one occupational wage
rate he was requested to divide the total membership of his local
union, allotting to each quotation the number normally working
for the rate specified. Members who happened to be unemployed
on June 1 were included in the quotation of the rate that they regu
larly receive when working. Honorary and inactive members were
excluded, as were members employed in government printing plants
where wage scales are not established through agreements with the
unions. In computing the averages, each particular wage rate or
hour scale was weighted by the number of members reported in that
particular quotation. Thus, the averages reflect not only the actual
rates provided in the union agreements but also the number of persons
presumably benefiting from these rates.
Index numbers.- In the series of index numbers the percentage
change from year to year is based on aggregates computed from the
quotations of unions which furnished reports for identical occupations
in both years. The membership weights in both of the aggregates
used in each year-to-year comparison are those reported for the second
year. The index for each year is computed by multiplying the index
for the preceding year by the ratio of the aggregates so obtained.
The index numbers were revised on this basis in 1936 in order to
eliminate the influence of changes in union membership which obscure
the real changes in wages and hours.
Caution: For the trend of union rates, the table of indexes (table 1)
should be consulted; for a comparison of wage rates between trades
or cities at a given time, the tables of averages (tables 4 and 8) should
be used.
Trend in Union II age Hates 190 to 1942
, /
Union wage rates in the printing trades increased 4.3 percent during
the period from June 1 , 1941, to June 1 , 1942, raising the index
(1929= 100) to 119.0. The newspaper and the book and job branches
showed about the same percentage increase in rates (4.3 and 4.2 per
cent, respectively). The 1942 indexes were 120.1 and 118.3. (See
table 2 for indexes of individual trades.)
Since the beginning of the series in 1907, rates for the book and jot)
trades and those for the newspaper trades have advanced at a pro
gressive yearly increase, on the average, of 4.0 percent and 3.2 percent,
respectively. The actual increases from year to year were gradual
and steady until 1918. During the following 3 years union wage
rates advanced rapidly. For all trades combined they increased
72 percent-—book and job, 77 percent, and newspaper, 60 percent.
Unlike wages in most other industries and trades, rates in the union
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
562
Monthly Lahor Review—March 1943
printing trades were not generally reduced during the post-war
depression of 1921-22. Subsequent to 1922 the trend of rates again
resumed a gradual increase until 1931, following which the only
reductions in the trend of union wages in the printing trades occurred.
By May 1, 1933, general decreases had reduced the index 6.5 percent
in the book and job trades and 6.7 percent in the newspaper trades.
However, recovery was rapid and by 1935 the index was approximately
the same as in 1932. Since 1935 there has been a steady advance each
year, the increase during the past year being somewhat greater than in
preceding years.
T a b l e 1.— Indexes of Union H ourly Wage Rates in A ll Printing Trades, 1907 to 1942
[1929 = 100]
H ourly wage rates
Year
All
printing
1907_____________
1908 _____ _____
1909___ ________
1910 _..........._ __ ._
1911_________
1912_____________
1913______________
1914__________
1915_____________
1916_____________
1917_____________
1918_____________
1919______________
1920_____________
1921
1922______________
1923______________
1924__ ___________
Book
and job
H ourly wage rates
'
Newspaper
Year
(')
40. 0
40. 7
41. 5
42. 3
42.5
30.0
33.3
35. 7
37. 6
38.6
39.3
40.0
40.9
41.1
39. 2
41.3
43. 1
44. 6
45.2
46. C
47.0
47.5
47.8
1925_____________
1926_____________
1927_____________
1928 _____________
1929_____________
1930_____________
1931_____________
1932_____________
1933 _____________
42.9
44. 4
48.3
59. 1
75.7
83.0
83.8
86.4
90.6
41.7
43.2
47.8
58.9
76.9
84. 7
85. 0
88.3
92.0
48.0
49.2
51.6
62.2
76.1
82.8
83.5
84.4
89.5
1934_____________
1935_____________
1936_____________
1937_____________
1938_____________
1939_____________
1940_____________
1941_____________
1942_____________
0)
(')
(0
All
printing
Book
and job
92.0
94. 0
96. 7
98.5
92.9
95. 0
97.3
98. 7
100.0
100.0
101. 5
101. 8
102. 5
101.4
95.8
102. 1
101.3
95.3
97.3
101.0
103.3
106.8
110. 2
111 . 2
112. 7
114. 1
119.0
98.4
100. 6
1C3. 5
106. 7
110.4
111 . 2
112 . 2
113. 5
118.3
News
paper
91. 1
93. 1
95. 9:
98. 3'
100. C
101.(7
101. 3
101.1
94. 5
95.8
101. 6
103. 1
107. 0
109.8
111 . 1
113.5
115. 1
120. 1
’Com bined d a ta for th e years 1907-10 no t available.
Trends in Individual Trades
Each of the trades appearing in tables 2 and 3 registered increases
in their average rates during the period June 1 , 1941, to June 1 , 1942.
The mailers in the newspaper branch recorded the largest average
increase (6.6 percent). The press assistants and feeders (6.0 percent)
and the bindery women (5.9 percent) had the largest increases among
the book and job trades. Among all of the other trades in both
branches, only the book and job bookbinders, mailers, and cylinder
pressmen reported an average advance of as much as 5 percent,
although 4 of the book and job trades, in addition to the 5 mentioned
above, and all of the newspaper trades, except the photoengravers,
showed average increases of at least 3.6 percent.
Compared with the base year, 1929, the photoengravers showed the
greatest increase in average hourly rates, their 1942 indexes indicating
a 21.0 percent rise in the book and job branch and a 22.0 percent
advance in the newspaper branch. Bindery women recorded the
next highest increase (20.3 percent). All of the other trades in both
branches, with the exception of machine operators in book and job
work, increased their 1929 averages by at least 16 percent and all of
the newspaper trades advanced their rates by at least 18 percent.
The indexes for each printing trade, except mailers, are shown in
table 2, Separate indexes for day and night work in the newspaper
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
563
Wage and Hour Statistics
trades are not shown, since the movement is very similar although
the rates for any one year are different.
T a b l e 2 .— Indexes of Union Hourly Wage Rates in Each Printing Trade, 1916 to 1942
BOOK AND JOB
[1929=100]
B ind Book
ery
women binders
Year
45.0
46.1
50.6
62.2
77.9
90.1
89.0
90.8
94.8
41.0
42.3
44.4
50.9
72.9
84.7
86.4
91.8
95.2
38.9
42.3
44.9
52.3
72.2
76.9
77. 6
78.4
83.9
36.0
37.9
44. 3
57. 1
78.4
84.8
82.1
91.9
91.1
44.2
45.0
49.9
60.5
78.6
94.9
' 98. 2
98.8
99.2
94.9
95.8
96.9
97.7
86.0
96.2
97.3
98.5
99.1
95.4
97.3
97.5
98.3
100.0
100.0
100.2
100.0
101.2
102. 0
100.0
101.8
37.9
40.6
45.3
58.7
81.1
94.7
91.7
95.8
97.2
40.6
43.1
48.4
61.8
81.2
88.9
85.3
90.5
94.5
42.0
42.9
47.3
57.8
76.1
87.3
90.9
94.9
45.7
46.8
50. 5
60.9
77.6
87.8
87.9
89.5
93.3
1925______________
1926______________
1927_____________
1928______________
1929______________
1930______________
1931______________
1932______________
1933______________
98.3
96.4
98.7
99.2
95. 6
97.3
99.4
98.9
94.4
96.3
98.0
99.5
93.3
94.4
98.1
98.4
100.0
100.7
101.2
100.0
101.2
101. 6
98. 7
94,8
97.9
94.4
102.5
96.3
102.7
103. 2
103.3
96.9
99.6
100.5
102.4
104.0
109. 0
97.9
99.3
100. 6
103. 4
107.2
109.3
109.9
111.5
117.3
97.3
99.0
97.0
98.6
110.6
111.1
113.9
120. 3
Press
men,
cyl
inder
M a
chine
oper
ators
1916______________
1917______________
1918______________
1919______________
1920______________
1921_________ ____
1922______________
1923______________
1924______________
1934______________
1935______________
1936______________
1937______________
1938______________
1939______________
1940______________
1941______________
1942______________
M a
Press
chine
Photo- assist
tenders Electro engrav
ants
(ma typers
ers
and
chin
feeders
ists)
Com
posi
tors,
hand
88.8
100.0
102. 2
102.8
102.0
105.8
109.4
109.9
111.8
113.4
117.6
100.0
102.0
104. 8
107. 7
108.0
108.8
109.7
114.9
100.0
101.8
102.9
103.5
97.4
100. 4
100.9
104. 0
107.0
110. 3
110.7
111.9
112.8
118.0
91.5
95.9
98.6
102.9
105. 2
104.8
98.2
100.5
103.5
101.5
105.1
106.7
107.1
108.5
113.4
114.2
114.4
116.8
118.9
103.1
109.6
112.3
113.7
116.6
117.5
118.4
118.9
121.0
97.0
90.9
94.4
96.5
99.7
104.8
110.2
110.9
111.7
112.8
119. 5
86.8
84.8
91.5
94.2
Press
men,
platen
41.8
43.9
48.4
59.4
80.5
89.9
87.9
91.5
94.3
94.8
99.3
100.2
98.5
100.0
101. 7
102.5
99.8
93.6
102.2
100. 0
96.3
97.5
101.5
105.1
108. 2
109.0
109.7
110.5
116.0
95.7
96.4
100.4
105.0
108.2
109.2
109.8
110.9
116.3
93.1
N EW SPA PER
Year
1916_______________________
1917_______________________
1918_______________________
1919_______________________
1920_______________________
1921_______________________
1922_______________________
1923_______________________
1924_______________________
1925_______________________
1926_______________________
1927_______________________
1928_______________________
1929_______________________
1930_______________________
1931_______________________
1932_______________________
1933_______________________
1934_______________________
1935_______________________
1936_______________________
1937 _____________________
1938_______________________
1939_______________________
1940_______________________
1941_______________________
194?_______________________
1 Includes pressmen-in-charge.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
M achine
tenders
(machin
ists)
Photo
engravers
Pressm en,
web
presses 1
50.7
51.3
53.8
68.3
84.3
87.9
88.7
88.9
94.0
42.7
44.6
48.3
56.9
65.6
77.6
81.3
81.0
84.4
46.3
47.2
50.9
62.7
77.5
83.0
78.7
79.8
88.7
51.3
52.6
54.8
61.7
75.3
87.7
86.4
90.6
47. 5
48.9
50. 6
61. 6
76.3
81.2
83.4
84.3
89.4
91.3
93.4
96.5
98.3
91.1
93.4
95.4
98.9
91.4
90.5
95.7
97.9
87.8
94.4
95.7
99.5
92.7
92. 7
97.5
99.6
93.1
94.3
95.5
95.5
100. 0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.9
100.8
101.0
100. 9
101. 6
102.6
101.7
102. 3
103.6
97.0
Composi
tors, hand
48.9
50.1
52.3
62.9
76.4
83.3
85. 2
86.0
M achine
operators
100.0
100.2
100.0
100.8
101.0
100.4
93.4
93.7
93.3
94.8
100.9
102.7
107.1
109.3
94.9
94.5
100.9
101.2
110.1
102.9
107.3
109.7
110. 5
112.4
113.8
118.6
113.7
118.6
112.6
102.8
107.2
109.8
110.3
112.4
113. 7
119.0
103.8
96.0
100.5
105. 3
107.9
109.9
115.5
117.8
119.1
119.6
122.0
97.2
102.5
103.1
106.5
109.3
111.7
114.4
116.0
120.5
Stereo
typers
88.1
90.7
100.0
100.8
101.2
100.2
94.6
96.0
100.5
102.0
105. 2
108.8
109.9
113.0
114.8
120. 3
564
Monthly Lahor Review—Marek 1943
Since data for mailers were not collected in 1929, it is impossible to
present index numbers for this craft comparable to those of the other
trades. The changes from the previous year, as shown in comparable
quotations for each year in which data have been collected for this
trade, are given in table 3.
T a b l e 3 . — Percent of Change in Union Hourly Wage Rates and Weekly Hours of M ailers
1937 to 1942
Percent cf change from previous year
-LlCiJLi
1938
M ailers, book and job:
H ourly wage r a t e s . ___. . .
W eekly hoursM ailers, newspapers:
H ourly wage rates___ ____ _ ______
W eekly ho u rs______
_
_____ __ . . . . .
1939
1940
1941
1942
+ 5 .9
+ 1.7
0
0
+ 2.7
-.5
+ 1.3
0
0
+ 2 .7
+ .8
+ .1
+3.1
-.7
+ 4 .0
-. 1
+ 0.6
-.4
0
+ 5 .2
,
Average Union Wage Rates 1942
The average union rate per hour for all printing trades in the 75
cities included in the survey was $1.255 on June 1, 1942 (table 4).
The book and job average was $1.176 and the newspaper average
for both day and night work was $1.408. & For newspaper, the average
for day workers was $1.333, while the average for night workers was
$1.478.
The photoengravers had the highest average rates in both branches
of the printing trades. Their book and job average of $1.633 was
almost 46 cents above the average for all trades in that group and over
15 cents higher than the average for the electro typers, who were in
second place. In newspaper work, the pliotoengravers had an average
($1.716) that was over 30 cents above the average for all trades and
19.4 cents higher than the figure for pressmen-in-charge, their closest
rivals for top honors.
Among the book and job trades, 2 of the composing trades (machine
operators and machine tenders) ranked next to the photoengravers
and electrotypers, with average rates of $1.341 and $1.365, respectively.
The bindery women had the lowest average, $0.577. The com
paratively low rates for this trade are, to a great extent, due to
differences in skill.
In addition to the photoengravers, four newspaper trades (hand
compositors, machine operators, machine tenders, and pressmenin-charge) had average rates above $1.45 per hour. Only the press
men and mailers had average rates below $1.35.
Actual scales in the printing trades ranged from 35 cents an hour
for some of the bindery women in Baltimore to the top rate of $3.00
per hour for compositors and machine operators setting Hebrew text
on the night shift for newspapers in New York City. However,
almost three-fifths of the union members in all printing trades in
cluded in the survey had rates ranging from $1.10 to $1.50 per hour.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
565
Wage and Hour Statistics
Including bindery women, who had no rates as high as 75 cents, almost
three-fifths of the book and job members had rates between $1.10
and $1.50, and 62.7 percent of the members in newspaper work had
rates in the same range. Only 3 percent of the union newspaper
workers had rates below $1.00, but 23.1 percent of the members in
the book and job trades were under that amount.
Differences in rates for day and night work on newspapers were
responsible for the sharp variations in the percentages of union
members having rates between $1.10 and $1.50. Over 74 percent of
those on the day shift had hourly rates between $1.10 and $1.50, and
16.4 percent had rates of $1.50 or more. On the night shift, only
51.9 percent bad rates between $1.10 and $1.50, while 44.2 percent had
rates of $1.50 or more. The night rates for photoengravers consti
tuted one of the main factors in this large difference—over 93 per
cent of the total members on night shifts had rates of at least $1.50,
and 33 percent had rates as high as or higher than $2.00.
T a b l e 4 . — Percentage Distribution of Union Members in the Printing Trades, by Hourly
Rates, June 1, 1942
Trade
Average
rate
per
hour
Percent of union members whose rates
(in cents) per hour were—
110
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
U n and
and and
and and and and and
der under under
under under under under under under
40
120
110
90
100
80
60
70
50
All prin tin g trad es--------------------------- $1.255
0.2
0.8
4.4
4.2
1.4
2.0
3.4
6.5
Book and job
__ __________
B indery women
Bookbinders
Horn posi tors band
Fdeetro typers
Machirip opp.ra4.ors
Adachine tendprs (machinists')
M ailers
_ __ _____
p b ntopn gra vers
Press assistants and feeders--------Pressm en p.ylinder
P re^m p n platen
1.176
. 577
1. 118
1.293
1.481
1.341
1.365
1.076
1.633
.999
1.305
1.096
.3
1. 9
1.1
6.8
6.6
6.2
2.0
2.7
4.2
8.1
14.5
45.7
1.4
2.6
39.7
.7
5.9
.5
2.6
.1
.1
.1
.2
4.2
.9
19.7
5.1
2.9
4.4
2.7
22.4
.5
17. i
7.1
29.4
19.2
9.6
15.1
15.8
16.7
(>)
15.7
18.8
15.6
Newspaper
D ay work
_ _____
N ie h t work
_ _ _ __
Compositors band
D ay w ork______ . ------------N^ght work
M achine operators
D ay work
N ifb t work
M achine tenders (machinists)
D ay work
"Night work
M ailers
D ay work
N ig h t work
Photoengravers
D ay work
N ight w rrk
Pressm en (jou.rnevmen)
P)fly work
N ight work
Pressm en-in "charge------------- -----D ay work
N D h t work
Q+ûmofwnors
D ay w erk
"M'iVbt work
1.408
1.333
1.478
1 472
1.408
1 527
1.478
1.416
1. 531
1.476
1.417
1 536
1.114
1.041
1.169
1. 716
1.575
1.822
1.339
1 . 260
1. 426
1.522
1.421
1.608
1. 351
1.278
1.458
i Less th an a ten th of 1 percent.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
.1
.4
.1
.5
.3
4.5
.5
7.2
10.9
1.1
5.6
8.1
(0
1.6
14.6
.7
6.7
22.2
.1
.8
1.9
.3
1.3
.5
1.9
.1
.1
(0
1.1
.3
.1
.2
.1
.2
.1
1.6
.6
16.2
3.3
20.6
13.4
3.4
5.5
1.4
11.3
14.2
.1
1.0
8.0
.1
1.1
9.3
3.5
.5
5.4
13.6
14.3
35.3
6.5
21.8
44.7
1.4
.6
1.0
0)
1.8
.1
.3
1.8
8.6
3.1
11.4
3.2
.2
.2
.3
1.6
2.5
.4
3.4
1.6
29.9
2.5
.3
2.1
.1
.1
.3
1.8
4.0
1.4
11.6
8.1
.5
1
566
Monthly Labor Review—March 1943
T able 4.-— Percentage Distribution of Union Members in the Printing Trades, by Hourly
Rates, June 1, 1942— Continued
Percent of union members whose rates
(in cents) per hour were—
Trade
120'*
130
140
150
160
170
180
190
and
and
and
and
and
and
and
and 200
under under under under under under under under and
150
130
140
160
170
180
190
200 over
__ . . . ____
16.8
11.8
16.7
5.6
4.7
4.4
2.8
0.4
0.5
Book and job _ _ _
B indery women _
Bookbinders______
Compositors, h a n d _____ .
E lectrotypers______
M achine operators
M achine tenders (machinists)
M ailers
Photoengravers .
Press assistants and feeders
Pressm en, c y lin d e r.. .
Pressmen, p la te n ___
17.7
7.9
16. 5
4.5
2.3
1.6
3.2
.5
.1
31. 0
27. 8
19. 6
17.2
10.9
33.4
1.4
17. 7
20. 1
23.1
6. 7
.3
33. 8
.1
10. 5
24. 4
21. 7
.2
All printing trades.
N ew spaper . . .
D ay w ork______
N ight w ork. . .
Compositors, hand
D ay w ork_______
N ight w ork____
M achine operators
Day w ork.
N ig h t w ork____
M achine tenders (machinists)
D a y w o r k .. .
Night w ork___
M ailers..
D a y w o rk . . .
N ight work _
Photoengravers
D a y w o rk . _ __
N ight w o rk ..
Pressm en (journeymen)
D a y w o rk .
N ight w o rk ...
Pressmen-in-charge
D a y w o rk .
N ight work
Stereotypers____
D ay w o rk . .
N ight w ork. ... .
12. 9
11 . 1
12. 5
15.8
4. 1
9.3
3.4
9. 0
1
49. 7
36.2
16.0
12.0
27.1
6.3
5. 5
33.1
26.4
3. 3
9.5
4.0
.9
.1
7.8
3. 1
22.0
8.6
19.4
19. 7
19. 1
17.0
18. 5
15.6
12. 1
9.5
11.5
7.6
IS. 0
17. 4
6.9
25. 9
17. 6
23 7
19. 7
3 2
15.1
19 5
3. 6
33 7
17. 5
22 0
8.0
14.6
26 6
20. 2
3 5
17.4
16 4
4.4
15. 5
6. 7
27.5
16. 3
26. 8
21. 9
1. 8
15. 5
22 2
12. 8
8.1
17.5
3. 6
1.1
1. 9
.5
5. 3
16. 5
18. 7
29.0
12.6
21.9
33.6
15. 1
13.6
.2
10. 2
25. 7
21. 5
6.3
27.8
12.1
10. 4
26.6
15. 9
21 2
2.6
5.1
47.2
16. 2
17. 4
24. 6
16. 4
14.1
.3
12. 3
13
15.0
.3
2.4
9.7
.8
2.2
4.8
(!)
.3
.4
1.4
4.2
.2
2. 1
.1
.6
.2
1 9
(0
.6
.3
31.0
9
1
.9
3
4 0
34 0
37 3
14.0
17 3
5. 2
26. 3
5
13.7
33. 1
.6
.8
2.1
11.6
6
3. 6
33.0
21.8
1 Less th a n a te n th of 1 percent.
Among the individual book and job trades, only the photoengravers
reported no rates of less than $1.00 per hour. In fact, over threefourths ol the members had rates of at least $1.50 per hour and about
one-third had rates between $1.80 and $1.90. A majority of the
machine operators and tenders had rates of $1.40 or more, and the
electro typers had a majority of their members working under scales
between $1.50 and $1.80. Next to the bindery women, all of whom
had rates between 35 and 75 cents, the press assistants and feeders had
the lowest rates, with 63 percent of them receiving less than $1.10
per hour.
In the newspaper branch, all of the trades on the day shift, except
mailers and photoengravers, had a majority of their members under
contract to receive rates between $1.20 and $1.50; the same trades
on night shifts, excluding pressmen-in-charge, had a majority of
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
DISTRIBUTION OF UNION M E M B E R S IN PRINTING TRAD ES
ACCORDING TO HOURLY WAGE RATES
JUNE I, 1942
P ER C EN T
30
BOOK AND JOB
Wage and Hour Statistics
NEWSPAPER
1.70
AND
UNDER
1.80
UNDER
1.10
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
HOURLY
WAGE
RATE
IN
DO LLARS
1.90
AND
UNDER
2.00
2.00
AND
OVER
Cn
O
N
•"■X,
568
Monthly Labor Review—March 1943
their members rated between $1.30 and $1.60. The only craft with
a substantial number of members receiving less than $1.00 per hour
was the mailers—29.5 percent on day shift and 18.5 percent on night
shift received less than this rate. An additional 35.3 percent of the
day-shift members were reported to be receiving between $1.00 and
$1.10, while 44.7 percent of the night membership had rates between
$1.10 and $1.20. Practically all of the photoengravers (95.1) on day
shift had rates ol at least $1.30 but less than $1.80 per hour, while
62.9 percent of the night members had rates of at least $1.80, with
33 percent receiving a minimum of $2.00. Practically all of the
photoengravers receiving $2.00 or more were in New' York City,
but there were a few in Newark also.
Changes in Union Rates Between 1941 and 1942
2
Wage-rate increases were reported in 1,952 of the 2,478 quotations
of all printing trades for the period June 1, 1941, to June 1, 1942
(table 5). These raises in scales benefited 80.4 percent of the total
membership included in the survey. A greater proportion of the
members in the newspaper branch received increases than did those
m the book and job trades (82.9 percent and 79.2 percent). The
number of quotations reporting reduced scales from 1941 was neglig
ible, being only 12 in number and affecting but one-tenth of 1 percent
of the total membership.
On an individual basis in the book and job branch the mailers,
followed closely by the platen pressmen, recorded the largest propor
tion of increased scales (89.5 percent and 88 percent, respectively)
being higher than in 1941. These raises affected 94.7 percent and
90.2 percent of the respective memberships. Over 90 percent of the
bookbinders, press assistants and feeders, and cylinder pressmen also
benefited by increases. The only trade which did not secure increases
for a majority of its members was that of the electrotypers, who
received next to the highest rate in the industry.
Among the newspaper trades, the mailers were most successful in
negotiating wage increases. ^ Over 88 percent of both day and night
quotations showed raises. The proportions of the members benefiting
from these increased wage rates were even larger—93.1 percent of
those on day shift and 96.7 percent of those on night shift. The
machine tenders were not far behind the mailers, as 85 percent of
their quotations also indicated increases, affecting 92 percent of the
flay membership and 94.7 percent of the night membership.
- C ertain anomalies enter into a comparison of average rates betw een 2 years w hen such averages reflect
not only th e actual rates provided for in th e agreements b u t the n um ber of union m em bers for those years
in each local union covered by the reported rates. B y and large, it would be expected th a t a general increase
in actual rates w ould be accompanied by a corresponding increase in the average rate paid to union members
b u t if union m em bership increases m ost (or decreases least) in th e lower-paid crafts or in areas w ith lesstflan-average rates, the average of the rates paid to all union members m ay not increase correspondingly or
m ay even show a decrease. Conversely, the average rate m ay increase in spite of a dow nw ard swing in
actual rates if union m em bership declines suflicientiy in the lower-paid crafts or in areas where lower-thanaverage rates are paid.
,nPoecaUse ^ e averages do no t accurately reflect changes from year to year, no table comparing 1941 and
1942 averages is included m this report. For the trend of actual union rates, the tables of indexes (tables
1 and 2) should be consulted, since these are so com puted as to elim inate the effect of fluctuating membersnips a t various rates. The current averages, on the other hand, best serve for comparison of the general
level of wage rates between trades, or betw een cities and regions a t th e tim e the survey was made.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
569
Wage and Hour Statistics
T a b l e 5 . — Number of Changes in Union W age-Rate Quotations and Percent of Members
Affected, June 1, 1942, Compared with June 1, 1941
N um ber
of quoTrade
Percent of union m em
bers affected by—
N um ber of quotations
showing—
com par
Inable w ith
crease
1941
Decrease
No
change
Increase
Decrease
0.1
No
change
19.5
All printing trades.
2, 478
1,952
12
514
80.4
Book and jo b ---------------------------B indery w om en_____________
B ookbinders________________
Compositors, h a n d __________
E lectrotypers_______________
M achine operators---------------M achine tenders (machinists).
M ailers.___________________
Photoengravers-------------------Press assistants and feeders—
Pressm en, cylinder__________
Pressm en, p laten ____________
1,371
84
194
89
56
1,096
59
168
65
27
79
30
34
26
188
308
3
272
25
24
24
29
25
5
4
36
42
43
15
79.2
71. 1
92.2
70.9
41.7
87.2
79.4
94. 7
51.7
94. 6
93.6
90.2
N ew spaper_____________________
D ay w ork______________
N ig h t w ork________ ____
Compositors, hand:
D ay w ork______________
N ig h t w o rk .____________
M achine operators:
D ay w ork______________
N ig h t w o rk .____________
M achine tenders (m achinists):
D ay w ork______________
N ight w o rk ______________
M ailers:
D ay w o rk ______________
N ight w o rk______________
Photoengravers:
D ay w ork______________
N ig h t w o rk_____________
Pressm en (journeym en):
D ay w ork______________
N ig h t w o rk_____________
Pressm en-in-charge:
D ay w ork______________
N ight w ork_____________
Stereotypers:
D ay w ork______________
N ig h t w ork_____________
1,107
580
527
856
445
411
9
242
129
113
82.9
82. 5
83.3
.2
3
(0
17.0
17.3
16.7
82
75
62
62
2
1
18
12
86.5
90.4
.2
0)
13.3
9.6
85
78
64
64
2
1
19
13
84.3
90.4
.3
(>)
15.4
9.6
65
62
55
53
1
9
9
92.0
94.7
.3
7.7
5.3
63
52
56
46
—
6
93.1
96.7
6.9
3.3
50
28
27
—
23
23
54.3
45.7
45. 7
54.3
35
38
62
9,30
352
197
2
1
112
6
20.8
(')
.1
28.9
7.7
29. 1
58. 3
12.8
20.6
.1
.1
5.3
48.3
5.4
6.3
9.8
86
66
77
57
20
20
74.9
61.6
25.1
38.4
74
56
49
18
17
78.5
71.6
21.5
28.4
74
67
58
53
15
13
84.9
92.1
1
1
.5
.2
14.6
7.7
i Less th a n a te n th of 1 percent.
Almost 75 percent of the quotations lor all trades except photoengravers for both shifts showed increases benefiting almost 72 percent
of the members. The photoengravers listed the smallest proportion of
wage increases (54 percent) as well as members affected by increases.
However, the average hourly rates for this craft, as shown in table 4,
are the highest in the industry.
Practically all the wage increases in all printing trades were less
than 10 percent (table 6). Of the total advances reported (1,952),
over two-fifths were of less than 5 percent, and over six-sevenths were
of less than 10 percent. Over nine-tenths of the total members
benefiting from raises had their 1941 rates increased by less than 10
percent; these increases covered about 73 percent ol all members
included in the survey. Almost 8 percent of the total membership
reported raises of between 10 and 15 percent. Only slightly over 1
percent of the entire membership covered reported increases ol 15
percent or over.
512311 - 43 -
10
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
570
Monthly Labor Review— March 1943
In general, similar conditions existed in the individual trades in
both branches of the printing industry. The bindery women were
the only book and job workers who had a substantial number (28.5
percent) of their members receiving increases of 10 percent or more.
The mailers constituted the only newspaper trade which was able io
negotiate raises of 10 percent or over for a considerable number of its
members; 18.3 percent on the day shift and 18.1 percent on the night
shift were recipients of these comparatively large increases. In fact,
5.3 percent of the day-shift workers had their rates advanced by at
least 20 percent.
T a b l e 6 .— Number o f Increases in Union W age-Rate Quotations and Percent of Members
Affected, June 1, 1942, Compared With June 1, 1941
Trade
All printing: trades
. . .. ...
N um ber of quotations showing
increases oi—
Percent of total members affected
b y increases of—
Less 5 and
th an under
10
5
per- percent cent
Less 5 ana
than under
5
10
per- percent cent
lOanc
under
15
percent
15 and
under 20 per
cent
20
and
percent
___
810
875
215
28
24
36.9
Book and job . _
_ ______
B indery women . . .
B ookbinders___ _
Compositors, h an d . __
E lectrotypers. - . . . .
M achine operators
. __ _ M achine tenders (m achinists)__
M a ile rs.-. _____ ____
Photoengravers
Press assistants and feeders
Pressm en, cylinder
Pressm en, p la te n _____ __
458
5
58
35
16
50
19
473
24
73
27
123
22
20
36.0 36. 5
7. 0 35.6
42. 1 45.1
34. 2 36.1
37.6
3.9
36.9 50.1
36.9 35. 2
45.4 41. 7
47 4
2.1
38. 3 45 5
46. 0 44 9
44 5 40 1
N ew spaper __ _
D ayw ork-.. .
N ig h t w ork.
Compositors, hand:
D ay w ork_____ _ .
N ight work
M achine operators:
D ay w o rk _________
N ight w o rk ..
M achine tenders (machinists):
D a y w o rk -- . _
N ig h t w ork_________
M ailers:
D ay work .
N ight w ork_______
Photoengravers:
D ay w ork_____
N ight work
Pressm en (journeym en):
D a y w o rk --- _ .
N ight w ork_______
Pressmen-in-charge :
D a y w o rk -.. _ ..
N ight w o rk ..
Stereotypers:
D a y w o rk .. . . . __ _
N ig h t work
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
8
20
63
146
38
10
28
9
17
4
77
144
60
20
0
33
Ï
2
1
1
1
7
9
1
1
2
30
14
13
352
175
.177
402
191
92
52
40
25
28
28
28
27
30
21
7
2
11
2
1
6
36.2
lOand
under
15
percent
6.4
~T
22.5
4.6
15 and 20 per
under
cent
20
and
percent over
0.7
0.2
1 0
_2
.1
.1
5.9
.3
4. 9
2.2
0 3
25
5.5
2.4
2.3
.9
38.8
33.5
43.9
35.7
38.8
32.7
8.0
6
41.4
60.5
34.5
26.1
10.6
30
30
7
4
36.0
60.1
37.4
27.9
in Q
2.4
25
24
9
5
37 1
63.7
40.2
28.3
14.7
2.7
*
9
32
29
10
8
10.8
26.5
64.0
52.1
12.8
.2
17
18
7
4
4
5
35.6
31.7
12. 2
10.6
6. 5
34
22
22
38
28
6
1
27.1
19.7
39.0
31.8
8.6
9.9
ÄT
28
25
24
18
3
5
1
1
35.0
25.9
41 8
28.6
1.5
16.9
J2
. 2
25
27
30
5
1
1
.1
43.3
29.3
36.1
60.4
4.9
L2
.6
1. 2
24
10
21
211
3
3
4
9
1
3
1
9.5
6.6
.6
.1
.1
.3
.6
.ï
.ï
3.8
—
18.1
5.3
.2
571
Wage and Hour Statistics
Night-Rate Differentials
There was an average wage-rate differential of 10.9 cents an hour
in favor of newspaper night workers as compared with day workers
in identical occupations and cities. In a very few instances the same
rate was reported for both day and night work, hut these quotations
applied to less than 1 percent of the total membership normally work
ing on night shifts. Over half of the membership on night shifts had
wage rates that were 8 or more cents per hour higher than the corre
sponding day rates, and over a third had differences amounting to
between 6 and 8 cents.
The photo engravers had the highest average difference (20.3 cents)
among the several trades. Sixty-three percent of their night-working
members had rates that were more than 20 cents per hour higher
than the corresponding day rates; only 8.4 percent had night rates
that were not at least 10 cents higher than their day rates. For
pressmen, pressmen-in-charge, and stereotypers, night rates were
higher by between 14 and 16 cents. The differences for the typo
graphical trades and mailers were between 8 and 10 cents.
All of the differentials in excess of 32 cents per hour were reported
in either New York, Chicago, or Newark. The highest was that of
the hand compositors and machine operators setting Hebrew text in
New York, who had a night rate 81.9 cents per hour higher than the
day rate. Similar work in Chicago had a night differential of 63.3
cents per hour. The other differences of over 32 cents occurred among
the stereo typers. In New York the night-shift workers in this trade
received 36.6 cents more than the day shift, in Newark 41.2 cents,
and on foreign text in Chicago 37.3 cents.
The average differentials and the distribution of the night-working
membership, according to the amount of their differences, are shown
in table 7.
T a b l e 7. — Differences in Union W age Rates Between D ay and Night W ork in Newspaper
Printing Trades, June 1, 1942
Trade
Aver
age
differ
ence
per
hour
in
wage
rate 1
All newspaper trad es----- $0.109
Compositors, h a n d _____
M achine operators------M achine tenders (ma
chinists)_____________
M ailers_______________
Photoengravers-----------Pressm en (journeymen) .
Pressmen-in-charge_____
Stereotypers-----------------
Percent of night workers whose wage-rate differences (in cents) in
comparison to day work were—
24
28
20
16
14
12
10
6
4
and and and and and and and and and and 32
un u n un un un un u n un un un and
der der der der der der der der der der over
32
28
24
20
16
14
12
10
6
9.8 4.0
35.2
0.3
.3
.6
7.1 55.9 13.0 15.2
8.4 57. 2 11.7 13.3
8.1
1.1
4.7
4.3
3.6
3.8
0.5
1. 7
1.8
.2
.7
3
34.1 14.0 36.0 2.4
.5
.4
.3 15.1 14.9 21.0 3.2 5.8 13.8 3.9 21.6
.3 23.6 7.8 31.6 . . . . .
.8
4.7 22.
.6
3.0 4.8
10.7
28.5
14.3
10
.
1
9.6
(2)
11.6
~L4
~~~7
38.6 17.6 2.4
.9 16.1
7.3
.4 1.5 fi. 3 4
21.8
1.9
6.8
4.6
9.1
7.2
19.2
18.
1.0
6.8 6.3
2.0
i Since some cities did no t have b o th day and n ig h t workers, and are th u s excluded from table 7, the
average differences shown in this table are no t the same as th e difference between the averages for day and
night work shown in table 4.
t Less th a n a ten th of 1 percent.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
572
Monthly Labor Review—March 1943
City and Regional Averages
AVERAGE RATES IN EACH CITY 3
New York City recorded the highest average rates in both branches
of the printing industry. In the book and job branch its average of
$1,352 was 6.7 cents higher than that of Chicago ($1,285). San
Francisco ($1,215) and Detroit ($1,204) ranked third and fourth in
the book and job trades. In the newspaper crafts, the highest wage
cities outside of New York were Chicago ($1,535), Detroit ($1,481).
and N ewark ($1,479). (See table 8.)
In addition to the four highest in the book and job branch, Kansas
City ($1,195), and Madison ($1,179) had average rates that were
higher than the average for the 75 cities combined ($1,176). The
high average for Madison is due in part to the fact that it had no
bindery women in its composite average. Other cities having averages
of at least $1.15 per hour were Cleveland, Toledo, and Cincinnati.
Richmond had the lowest average ($0,819).
In the newspaper trades', nine cities had averages higher than the
average for the 75 cities ($1,408) included in the survey. In addition
to the four already mentioned were Cleveland ($1,474), Washington.
I). C. ($1,468), Boston ($1,447), Providence ($1,442), and Cincinnati
($1,432). Seven others—Milwaukee, San Francisco, Columbus,
Seattle, St. Louis, Indianapolis, and Toledo—had average rates of at
least $1.35 per hour. New Orleans recorded the lowest average
($1,029).
Not all the trades had effective union scales in all the cities. This
was especially true among the bindery women, bookbinders, electro
typers, machine tenders, mailers, and photoengravers—occupations
which either did not exist or were not organized in a number of the
smaller cities. No averages have been included in table 8 unless they
were computed from the effective rates of at least two distinct
printing trades. In consequence, a few cities included in the survey
do not appear in the table. In this respect, the three typographic
classifications were considered as constituting only one trade, as were
the newspaper pressmen and pivssmen-in-charge. Day and night
newspaper rates for identical occupations were also considered as
representing but one trade. As it may be assumed that the types of
printing done in cities of comparable size will in general be similar,
the averages should be comparable within the city-size groups.
The averages are w eighted according to the n um ber of m em bers in each local union covered by the
ra^ s . A lthough a comparison of average rates between cities where averages include the influence
of th e mem bership factor m ay be somewhat misleading where m em bership is unusuallv large or small in
comparison to the same trade in other cities, a weighted average of this kind is obviously more realistic than
a simple average of specific rates. In th e latter case a wage rate in a trade including half a dozen members
would be given the same im portance as th a t of a trad e including several thousand members.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Wage and Hour Statistics
T a b l e 8 .— Average
573
llnioji Hourly Wage Rates in the Printing Trades, by Cities and
Population Groups, June 1, 1942
C ity and population group
Book and job
Population group I (over 1,000,000):
N ew Y ork, N . Y _________________
Chicago, 111___
________ _______
Average for group 1______ ________
D etroit, M ich ____________________
Philadelphia, P a _____ - - ______
Los Angeles, C alif________________
Population group II (500,000 to 1,000,000):
San Francisco, Calif___ __________
Cleveland, Ohio
St. Louis, Mo._ . . . . . .
.
.
Average for group 1 1 _ ______ ___
Buffalo, N . Y . .
Boston, Mass
M ilwaukee, Wis
W ashington, D . C
Baltim ore, M d ________ _________
____ . : _
P ittsburgh, P a ____
Population group I I I (250,000 to 500,000):
K ansas C ity, M o _____
_______
C incinnati, Ohio
Toledo, Ohio..
...
.
Indianapolis, I n d _________ __ _ . . .
Seattle, W ash
. . . ___
Providence, R. I .
Portland, 6 reg_. _. _________ .
Dallas, Tex. __ _ _ _________
N ew ark, N . J ____
Columbus, Ohio. ____
H ouston, Tex
Rochester, N . Y . .
D enver, Colo . . .
Average for group I I I _
Louisville, K y .................
N ew Orleans, L a.. . . .
St. Paul, M in n __
_ .
A tlanta, G a_______ ._
Birm ingham , A la____ _.
M em phis, T e n n __
_ __
M inneapolis, M in n . ____________
San Antonio, T ex_______________
P opulation group IV (100,000 to 250,000):
Norfolk, V a. .
Youngstown, Ohio
Rock Island (111.) d is tric t 1 . ___ Peoria, 111 . _ .
... ......
Erie, P a ...
. _
. . .
D ayton, Ohio. . . .
C harlotte, N . C __________________
South Bend, Ind_. . .
Omaha, N e b r. ___
Reading, P a
W orcester, M ass.
Average for group I V .
Des Moines, Iow a__
G rand Rapids, M ich.
. _
Oklahom a C ity, Okla . .
. . . . . .
Springfield, M ass .
Scranton, P a ___________________
N ew H aven, Conn ____
T am pa, F l a . . . __________________
Jacksonville, F la _ _______________________
D u lu th , M in n ________________________
Spokane, W ash. .
Salt Lake C ity, Utah . . . . .
W ichita, K ans
Nashville, T en n _____________________________
Richmond, Va . . . . .
P opulation group V (40,000 to 100,000):
M adison, W is.
_____
Charleston, W. V a ..............................
....
E l Paso, Tex
Phoenix, A riz. . . . . . . . . .
M obile, A la __________________ . . _____
B ingham ton, N . Y_
Average for group V .
B utte, M ont .
York, P a ______ ________
Jackson, M iss
...............................
M anchester, N . H
L ittle Rock) A rk
. _____ _____
Portland, M ain e____ ___________
R ate
$1.352
1.285
i.m
1. 204
1.119
1.092
1.215
1.169
1.106
1.094
1.076
1.075
1.072
1.040
.995
.944
1.195
1.175
1.169
1.145
1.139
1. 134
1 . 120
1.092
1.081
1.073
1.069
1.058
1.054
1.036
1.013
.966
. 938
.924
.916
.840
.839
.820
1. 141
1. 134
1. 126
1. 104
1 . 100
1.081
1.078
1. 070
1.052
1.049
1.023
1.014
1.002
.991
.989
.983
.974
.966
.965
.957
.943
.897
.895
.890
.882
.819
1.179
1 121
.
1.119
1.114
1.078
1.011
1.007
.998
.957
.936
.912
,878
.849
C ity and population group
Newspaper
Population group I (over 1,000,000):
N ew Y ork, N . Y _________________
Chicago, 111______________________
______ _. _
Average for group I
D etroit, M ich ______ _ ________
Philadelphia, P a _________________
Los Angeles, C alif..
...
Population group II (500,000 to 1,000,000):
Cleveland, Ohio__________________
W ashington, D . C ________
Boston, M a s s ... ________________
Average for group I I ______ ______
San Francisco, Calif.
. . .
M ilwaukee, W is. . . ...................
St. Louis, M o.
_
_ _____
Baltimore, M d _ . . . . . . . . . _
.
Buffalo, N . Y ____________________
P ittsburgh, P a ___________________
Population group I I I (250,000 to 500,000):
N ewark, N . J ____________________
Providence, R. I__ ___ . . .
Cincinnati, Ohio_________________
Seattle, W ash____________________
Indianapolis, I n d ______ _________
Columbus, O hio____ .
...
Toledo, Ohio_____________________
St. Paul, M in n ___________________
Average for group I I I ________
Portland, Oreg _______
M inneapolis, M inn
Louisville, K y
.
___ _ _ __ __
Rochester, N . Y _______ __
...
_____ _
Dallas, T ex ________
M em phis, T e n n .. __
K ansas C ity, M o __ _____ ____
H ouston, Tex.
__ . . .
Denver, Colo___ ______ ____ . . .
Birm ingham , A la .. . . . . . _ _____
San Antonio, Tex
___
A tlanta, G a______________________
New Orleans, L a _________________
Population group IV (100,000 to 250,000):
Youngstown, Ohio
D ayton, Ohio
Erie, P a ___ ____________________
Des Moines, Iowa. . _____
Reading, P a __
_. .
Scranton, P a _ . . .
Peoria, 111______ _______________
D uluth, M in n _______________
Richm ond, V a. _ ______
Rock Island (111.) district 1 . .
South Bend, In d
_
Tam pa, F la .
. . .
Norfolk, V a. . ________ ___ .
Jacksonville, Fla ____ _ .
Average for group I V _ _ _ _ _ _ .
G rand Rapids, M ich . _ .
Springfield, M ass_________________
New H aven, Conn __ . . . . .
. ..
Omaha, N e b r _________________________________
W orcester, M ass ______ ______________________
C harlotte, N . C. . _ _____________________
Spokane, W a s h . .
_ . . . ___
N ashville, T enn. ____________ . ..
Oklahoma C ity, Okla
Salt Lake C ity, U ta h _____________________
W ichita, K ans. . . . .
. . .
Population group V (40,000 to 100,000):
Butte, M o n t______ . . . . . .
Bingham ton, N . Y _______________
Phoenix, Ariz . . . .
M adison, W is____________. . . _______
Charleston, W . Va . _________ . _ _
Average for group V .
_
El Paso, Tex .
. . . .
_____
Mobile, Ala. _________ . _ _ ______ _ _
M anchester, N . H ___
_
Portland, M aine . . . . . . . . . . . . _
L ittle Rock, A rk ........ . . .
1 Includes Rock Island, III., D avenport, Iowa, and Moline, 111.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
R ate
$1. 663
1.535
1.523
1.481
1.289
1. 268
1.474
1.468
1.447
1.395
1.363
1.357
1.356
1.324
1.312
1.306
1. 479
1. 442
1.432
1. 389
1.382
1.369
1 . 359
1. 342
1.325
1. 308
1. 306
1.303
1.292
1.290
1.283
1.273
1.270
1. 256
1. 194
1.191
1.183
1.029
1.343
1.297
1.297
1.290
1.249
1. 245
1. 230
1.220
1.220
1.217
1. 217
1. 217
1. 215
1. 209
1.209
1. 204
1. 194
1. 185
1. 183
1. 170
1. 154
1.149
1. 147
1. 130
1.124
1.032
1.277
1.261
1.227
1.199
1.196
1.175
1.165
1.141
1.140
1.110
1.103
574
Monthly Labor Review—March 1943
AVERAGE WAGE RATES, BY SIZE OF CITY
Flie averages of the wage rates for all printing trades within the
several population groups varied directly with the size of the city
groups (table 9). This direct relationship prevailed for all printing
trades combined, for the book and job branch, and for the news
paper group.
The differences between the averages of group I cities (over 1,000,000
population) and the cities in group II (500,000 to 1,000,000) were
considerably greater than the differences in averages between subse
quent groups. For all printing trades combined the difference be
tween groups I and II was 15.1 cents; between groups II and III
(250,000 to 500,000) 5.8 cents; between groups III and IV (100,000
to 250,000) 4.4 cents; and between groups IV and V (40,000 to 100,000)
0.6 cent. In the combined book and job trades the differences, in
descending group order, were 19.0 cents, 5.8 cents, 2.2 cents, and
0.7 cent; for the newspaper branch they amounted to 12.8, 7.0, 11.6,
and 3.4 cents.
In the North and Pacific region, the direct variation in accordance
with population held for the averages of all trades combined and also
for the averages of both the book and job and newspaper branches.
In the South and Southwest, the averages for the newspaper trades
varied directly with the city sizes, but this was not true of the averages
for the book and job trades and for all trades combined. In the book
and job branch the average for group V was higher than for group III,
which in turn was higher than that for group IV. This was largely
due to the fact that the lowest-paid trades in the book and job group—•
bindery women, bookbinders, and press assistants and feeders—
were usually less widely organized in the small cities than in the large
cities. These lower-paying trades included less than one-fifth of the
total book and job membership in size V cities, while the proportion
was over one-third in cities of group III and almost 37 percent in
group I \ cities.^ The influence of the lower-paid trades on the
average thus logically becomes greater as these trades extend their
organization. The high rates for pressmen in Phoenix arid El Paso
also raised the group V averages to a considerable extent. Some of
these influences carried over into the averages for all printing trades
combined, with the result that the average for size V cities in the South
and Southwest was higher than that for size IV cities.
Direct variation by city size was not the rule among the individual
book and job trades, as only 5 of the 11 trades had this relationship.
Four trades in the northern and Pacific group and 4 trades in the
southern and southwestern cities varied directly. The most frequent
exception in the averages of all cities, as well as the averages for the
North and Pacific cities, was a higher average for size V cities than for
size IV cities.
. The averages for the individual newspaper trades varied with the
city-size groups more consistently than those of the book and job
trades, as the day-shift pressmen constituted the only trade not in
direct variance. Group V cities, owing to the influence of the high
rates in Butte, Mont., Binghamton, N. Y., and Madison, Wis., had
average rates for pressmen higher than those of group IV. Both the
averages for all regions and for the northern and Pacific cities showed
the effects of these differences. Other averages not in direct variation
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
576
Monthly Labor Review—March 1943
in the North and Pacific area were the mailers and pressmen-in-charge
on both the day and night shifts, and pressmen on the night shift. The
mailers on day shifts had higher averages in size III cities than in
size II cities, while the mailers on the night shifts showed a higher
average for size V cities than for size IV cities. The pressmen on
the night shift and the pressmen-in-charge for both shifts, had higher
averages in group V cities than in group IV cities.
T a b l e 9 . — Average Hourly Union Wage Rates in the Printing Trades, by Regions and
Population Groups, June 1, 1942
Average hourly wage rates in cities of specified population group 1
T rade
G roup G ro u i
I2
II 2
G roup II I
G roup IV
G roup V
South
South
N o rth N o rth
o r th South
All Nand
and
All N o rth and
All N o rth and
and
and
and
and
Pacific Pacific regions Pacific S outh regions Pacific S outh regions Pacific S o u th
west
west
west
All printing trad es__ $1. 354 $1,203 $1,145 $1.161 $1.092 $1,101 $ 1. I ll $1.063 $1.095 $1. 103
Book and job
.
B indery w om en..
Bookbinders___
C o m p o s ito rs ,
h a n d _________
Electro ty p ers___
M achine operators
M achine tenders
(m achinists)__
M ailers. . _ __
Photoengravers. __
Press assistants
and feeders___
Pressm en, cylinder__.......
Pressm en, p laten.
N ew spaper. .
D ay w o rk ___
N ig h t w o rk ...
C o m p o s ito rs ,
hand:
D ay w o rk ..
N ig h t w o rk ...
M achine operators:
D ay w ork___
N ig h t w o rk ...
M achine tenders
(machinists) :
D ay w ork___
N ight w o rk ...
M ailers:
D ay w o rk___
N ight w o rk ...
Photoengravers:
D ay w ork___
N ig h t w ork. .
Pressm en (journeymen) :
D ay w ork___
N ight work
P r e s s m e n -in charge:
D ay w o rk___
N ight w ork..
Stereotypers:
D ay w ork___
N ig h t w o rk ...
1.284
.610
1.130
1.094
.577
1.153
1.395
1.662
1.435
1. 268
1.469 1 . 186
1. 120. . 1. 117
1.719 1. 506
1.240
1. 227
1.036
.532
1.088
1. 053
.539
$1,081
1.111
.959
.488
.986
1.0(4
.525
.934
1.033
. 550
.935
.912
.464
.931
1.007
. 530
1.068
1.014
. 554
1.105
. 994
(3) '
(3)
1. 216
1.272
1.228
1.098
1.190
1.137
1.253
1.148
1.053
1 . 110
1.086
1.094
(3)
1.023
1.096
1 . 121
1.124
1.241
1.135
1.093
1.201
1.154
1.051
1.264
1 . 112
1.477
1.268
1.125
1.507
1.097
.887
1.395
1.183
.885
1.403
1.000
1.216
Oh
1.352
1. 239
(3)
1.352
1.184
1.190
1.266
1 . 100
(3)
1.336
(3)
1.374
(31
1.098
.924
.848
.887
.645
.856
.871
.663
.720
.735
.674
1.413
1. 252
1.233
1. 052
1.179
.981
1.209
1.000
1.049
.891
1.185
.965
1.205
.993
1.021
.866
1.064
.946
1.067
.905
1 054
.998
1.523
1.445
l. 570
1. 395
1.335
1.459
1.325
1. 285
1.384
1.36.3
1.318
1.431
1.231
1.191
1. 281
1.209
1.182
1.246
1.2i9
1. 191
1.263
1.179
1.152
1.206
1.175
1. 141
1. 211
1.197
1 . 160
1.248
1. 144
1. 108
1.173
1.588
1.662
1.422
1. 514
1.359
1.429
1.394
1.472
1.259
1.327
1.218
1.277
1 . 226
1.290
1.190
1.244
1.167
1.221
1.186
1. 246
1.202
1.635
1. 684
1.432
1. 515
1.370
1.449
1. 397
1.476
1.278
1.372
1.220
1.278
1.228
1.292
1.191
1.247
1.169
1.236
1.191
1.263
1.135
1.205
1 . 601
1.690
1.428
1. 505
1.358
1.429
1.388
1.466
1.290
1.341
1.229
1.281
1.243
1.298
1.190
1.247
1. 166
1.238
1.173
1.253
1.153
1. 223
1.138
1. 223
1.023
1.129
.993
1.056
1.040
1.119
.839
.963
.877
.965
.883
.990
.859
.914
.807
.951
. 821
1.061
. 738
.842
1.686
1. 963
1.591
1. 762
1. 454
1.519
1.528
1.677
1. 348
1.304
1. 359
1.491
1.368
1.511
1.335
1.436
(3)
(3)
(S)
1.320
1.181
1.239
1. 394
1.213
1.304
1.248
1.329
1.131
1.245
1.139 1. 148
1. 205* 1.222
1.108
1.162
1.151
1.175
1.210
1.261
1.071
1.099
1.525
1.705
1.354
1.435
1.321
1.407
1.336
1.426
1.271
1.371
1 . 266
1.329
1.270
1.341
1. 251
1.306
1. 240
1.246
1.325
1. 386
1.072
1.107
1.345
1.591
1.318
1.477
1. 238
1.321
1.268
1.365
1.169
1.247
1.149
1.228
1.155
1.245
1.126
1.196
1.122
1.153
1.062
1.170
1.220
1.112
1.134
(3)
Tv
07£r V n 0^ 000 Population; G roup II, 500,000 to 1.000,000; G roup III, 250,000 to 500,000; G roup
IV, 100,000 to 250,000; G roup V, 40,000 to 100,000.
I N ° city of this size in th e South or Southw est.
3 Insufficient quotations to com pute an average.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Wage and Hoar Statistics
577
Among the southern groups there were two exceptions to direct
variation. The day-shift mailers and night-shift photoengravers had
higher averages in group IV cities than in group III cities.
REGIONAL DIFFERENCES IN WAGE RATES
There is no city in the South or Southwest with a population of over
500,000. Consequently, the comparison of average wage rates
between the regions, given in table 9, had to be confined to popula
tion groups III, IV, and V.
Within the comparable city-size classifications the averages for all
printing trades combined, as well as for both the book and job and
the newspaper branches, were consistently higher in the North and
Pacific region than in the South and Southwest. The same relation
ship prevailed generally throughout the averages of the individual
trades, there being only two exceptions in the book and job trades
and none in the newspaper trades.
The southern and southwestern cities in group V had higher aver
ages for hand compositors and platen pressmen in the book and job
branch than did the northern and Pacific cities. The difference for
platen pressmen was due primarily to the influence of Phoenix and
El Paso, but the difference for hand compositors, 109.6 compared with
109.3, was so slight that it is impossible to attribute the cause to the
influence of any one city.
Overtime Rates
Time and a half for all overtime, or for the first few hours of over
time, is practically universal in the printing trades, over 97 percent
of the union members being paid on this basis.
Double time is effective in over one-third of the 753 agreements
analyzed, most frequently after 11 or 12 consecutive hours of work.
In a few cases triple time is called for after 15 or 16 consecutive
hours. Double time is specified as the initial overtime rate in a
few of the book and job quotations, but none of the workers in the
newspaper branch receive initial penalty compensation amounting to
twice the regular hourly rate. The bindery women indicated double
time for 10.7 percent and machine tenders for 4.1 percent of their
membership, these being the only trades to have less than 98 percent
of their members receiving time and a half for overtime. In the
newspaper trades, agreements covering day-shift pressmen and
pressmen-in-charge specified no penalty rate for 11.6 percent and 8.3
percent of their respective memberships, while for the night shift 22.1
percent and 13.6 percent of their members respectively, worked under
the same type of agreement. All other trades except the stereo
typers provided time and a half exclusively as their initial overtime
rate.
Among the agreements which provided that the initial overtime
rates applied for only a limited number of hours, book and job photoengravers had the greatest number (93 percent) calling lor double
time, usually after 11 or 12 consecutive hours of work. The book
binders and bindery women and the pressmen also reported the same
provisions in a majority of their agreements (69 percent and 51
percent, respectively). Double-time provisions are considerably less
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
578
Monthly Labor Review—March 1943
frequent in newspaper agreements, the stereotypers (39 percent) and
photoengravers (23 percent) being the only trades to have a substantial
number providing double time, usually after 11 or 12 consecutive
hours. A number of the unions require any member who has worked
overtime to take equivalent time off as soon as a competent substitute
is available to work in his place.
The distribution of the initial overtime rates provided in the print
ing-trades agreements, and the proportions of the memberships to
which they applied, are shown in table 10.
T a b l e 10. — Initial Overtime Rates Provided in Printing-Trades Union Agreements,
.June 1,1942
N um ber of quotations showing
initial rates of—
Trade
Time
and a
half
Double
time
Other No pen
pen
alty
Tim e
rate
alty
and a
scales speci
half
fied
All printing trades
2,608
6
9
Book and job __
B indery women _ .
Bookbinders
Compositors, hand
Electrotypers
M achine operators
M achine tenders (machinists)
Mailers
Photoengravers
Press assistants and feeders
Pressm en, cylinder
Pressm en, platen
1,479
94
213
89
57
104
34
40
73
250
392
133
6
3
3
2
1
N ew spaper-.D ay work .
N ig h t work
Compositors, hand:
D ayw ork-_
N ight work
M achine operators:
D ay work
N ight work
M achine tenders (machinists) :
D ay w orkN ig h t work
M ailers:
D ay work- _
N ig h t work
Photoengravers:
D ay w ork___
N ig h t work
Pressm en (journeym en):
D ay w o rk --N ig h t work
Pressmen-in-charge :
D ay w o rk .-N ight work
Stereotypers:
D a y w o rk
N ight work . . .
1,129
' 592
537
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Percent of union m embers
having initial overtime rates
of—
6
1
97.1
1.2
0.5
1 8
J2
7
5
95.9
100.0
100. 0
100. 0
100. 0
100.0
6
6
4
3
3
2
Q.5 1
9fi 0
94.2
83
76
100.0
100. 0
88
80
100. 0
100.0
65
62
100. 0
100. 0
71
58
100. 0
100. 0
54
53
100. 0
100. 0
85
76
2
1
]
72
65
2
1
1
1
87 1
83.5
1
1
99. 5
99 6
74
67
1
Other No pen
pen
alty
alty
rate
scales sped
fled
Q8 0
88. 6
99. 5
98.8
100.0
98. 6
1
1
Double
tim e
8.8 4
70.7
10 7
1.2
1. 2
1. 4
4.1
1.4
3 6
98
4.4
5 o
7.2
11 6
22.1
4 6
83
13.6
13
1 2
2.9
_5
4
579
Wage and Hour Statistics
W eekly Hoars
TREND IN UNION HOURS,
4
1907
TO
1942
There was practically no change in the index of weekly hours (at
regular rates) in all printing trades during the period June 1, 1941, to
June 1, 1942. The book and job index showed no change whatever,
maintaining its previous index of 89.4, while the newspaper index was
reduced by one-tenth of 1 percent to a figure of 84.2.
The trend of weekly hours in the printing trades is marked by short
periods of abrupt change followed by long intervals of practically no
change. This is especially true in the book and job branch. The
index of weekly hours for these trades indicates a 27-percent reduction
from 1907 to 1942. Practically all of this decrease occurred in three
short periods—1907-9, 1919-22, and 1931-35. The most noticeable
reduction in weekly hours occurred during the period 1919-22, when
the printing-trades unions concentrated on a drive for the 44-liour
week. As a result, maximum weekly hours were decreased by 12.5
percent. Average weekly hours remained relatively unchanged for
the next 9 years, after which a combination of factors—various sharetlie-work plans established during the depression, and the NKA
40-hour-week program—induced a movement for another sharp
reduction. During this period (1931-35) weekly hours in the book
and job branch decreased 9.5 percent. Since 1935 the decreases have
been very slight, the 1942 index being only 1.2 percent lower.
T a b l e 11. — Indexes of Union Weekly Hours in*All Printing Trades, 1907 to 1942
[1929 = 100]
W eekly hours
W eekly hours
Y ear
1907
1908_____________
1909_____________
1910_____________
1911
1912
1913
1914_____________
1915_____________
1916_____________
1917_____________
1918_____________
1919_____________
1920_____________
1921_____________
1922_____________
1923_____________
1924_____________
Y ear
All
Book and
printing
job
(0
(>)
(0
(0
111.6
111.5
111.4
111. 3
111.3
111.3
111.3
111.3
111.3
108. 1
101. 5
101.1
100. 7
100.3
122.4
116.8
115.8
115.4
115.4
115.3
115.3
115.3
115.3
115.3
115.3
115.3
115.2
110.9
102.1
100.8
100.2
100.2
News
paper
102.3
101.8
101.5
101.3
101.3
101.1
101. 0
100.8
100.7
100.6
100.6
100. 6
100.8
100.7
100.4
102.4
102.2
100.8
1925_____________
1926_____________
1927______ . ____
1928_____________
1929_____________
1930_____________
1931_____________
1932_____________
1933_____________
1934_____________
1935_____________
1936_____________
1937_____________
1938_____________
1939_____________
1940_____________
1941_____________
1942__________
All
Book and
printing
job
99.9
99.8
96.5
95.7
99.9
99.9
96.1
95.1
100.5
100.7
100.4
100. 2
100. 0
99.8
99.8
97.3
96.8
90.8
89.3
88.9
88.5
91.8
90. 4
90.5
90.3
89.9
89.6
89.4
89.4
89.4
89.1
87.6
86.5
85.7
85.3
84.9
84.6
84. 3
84.2
100.3
100.2
100.1
100.1
100.0
88.1
87.8
87.6
87.5
87.4
100.3
News
paper
100.1
100.1
100.1
100.0
i C om bined d ata for the years 1907-10 no t available.
The index of weekly hours in the newspaper branch did not change
materially during the entire period from 1907 to 1931, representing,
in general, scales from 40 to 48 hours. A slight increase in the index
was indicated in 1922, but the effect of this upturn was _practically
canceled by 1924. Beginning in 1931 and continuing until 1936, the
hours for newspaper workers decreased rapidly. The reductions
* “ M axim um weekly hours,” discussed in this section, refers to the scheduled workweek a t regular pay.
Actual tim e w orked w ith overtime rates m ay be longer
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Monthly Labor Review—March 1943
580
during these 5 years (13.3 percent) amounted to over five times the
amount (2.5 percent) of the reductions for the 25-year period pre
ceding them. The greater part of this decrease occurred between
May 15, 1933, and May 15, 1934, when the newspaper index declined
by "8 percent. These recent declines represent an ever-widening
adoption of weekly scales of less than 40 hours a week.
Trend in Individual Trades
Seven of the 11 book and job trades did not register a change in
their average weekly hours during the past year. Only the photo
engravers succeeded in reducing their average, and this decrease
amounted to only tliree-tenths of 1 percent. In contrast, all of the
newspaper trades showed declining indexes. The decreases amounted
to less than 1 percent in each of the trades.
In relation to the base year (1929) the electro typers’ index for
1942 (81.7) reflected the greatest reduction in average allowed hours
among the book and job trades. The least reduction among the book
and job trades was that of the press assistants and feeders, whose
1942 index showed a decline of 8.5 percent during the 12-year period.
In the newspaper branch the typographic trades (compositors,
machine operators, and machine tenders) had the greatest reductions
in hours since 1929 (17.1, 18.4, and 20.9 percent, respectively).
The indexes for each printing trade, except mailers, are shown in
table 12. Separate indexes for day and night work in the newspaper
trades are not shown, since the movement is very similar.
T a b l e 12.— Indexes of Union Weekly Hours in Each Printing Trade, 1916 to 1942
BOOK AND JOB
[1929 = 100]
Year
1916______________
1917______________
1918______________
1919______________
1920______________
1921____ ________
1922______________
1923______________
1924___
1925______________
1926______________
1927______________
1928______________
1929______________
1930__________
1931__________
1932____________
1933_______ .
1934______________
1935______________
1936______________
1937______________
1938______________
1939______________
1940______________
1941______________
1942______________
B ind Book
ery
women binders
107.0
107.0
107.0
107.0
107.0
102.1
100.8
100.3
100.3
107.4
107.4
107.4
107.4
107.4
101.9
100.9
100.4
Com
posi
tors,
hand
108.7
108.7
108.7
108.7
108.7
102.8
100.7
99.7
M a
Press
M a
chine
Photo assist
chine tenders, Electro engrav ants
(ma typers
oper
and
ers
chin
ators
feeders
ists)
Press
men,
cyl
inder
108.1
108.1
108.1
108.1
108.0
108.4
108.4
108.4
108.4
108.4
102.4
107.7
107.7
107.7
107.7
107. 7
102.1
100.6
100.2
100.1
100.0
99.8
100. 3
100.5
99.9
99.8
100.4
100.3
100.0
100.0
99.9
99.8
99.9
99.9
99.9
99.8
99.7
99.6
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.2
100.0
100.2
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
99.7
96.5
99.9
95.6
93.5
92.8
92.4
91.9
91.5
90.4
90.4
90.4
90.6
93. 1
91.5
91.5
91.5
91.2
90.0
90.0
89.9
90.0
94.1
92.4
91.7
91.6
91.4
91.4
91.4
91.4
91.4
92.9
91.2
90.4
90.3
90.1
90.1
90.1
90.1
90.1
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
100.0
100.7
108.8
108.8
108.8
108.8
108.8
103.5
103.4
103.4
103.4
103. 3
100.8
100.1
100. 4
98.7
99.6
99.3
100.1
100.0
100.2
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.2
100.0
100.2
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
95.0
98.8
98.1
98.2
93.1
99.8
99.8
94.9
91.7
91.5
90.7
90.2
90.2
90.1
90.0
90.0
90.0
90.0
90.1
86.5
86.3
84.5
83.6
81. 7
81.7
81.7
90.5
86.9
85.7
85.2
84.4
83.8
83.7
83.6
83.3
100.2
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.2
100.2
108.9
108.9
108.6
108.6
100.3
88.2
102.2
101.1
101.2
Press
m en,
platen
107.9
107.9
107.9
107.9
107.8
102.2
101.6
100.3
100.6
100. 7
100.9
100.3
100.4
100.5
99.7
99.7
99.9
100.4
100.6
100.2
100.1
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.2
100.2
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
87.9
92.9
91.4
92.4
100.5
98.2
95.9
89.8
89.6
91.9
91.7
91.5
91.5
91.5
91.5
91.5
89.2
88.9
90.7
90.4
90.1
90.1
90.1
90.1
90.1
92.0
91.3
91.3
90.9
90.6
90.6
90.6
90.4
90.4
100.0
100.0
581
Wage and Hour Statistics
T a b l e 12.— Indexes of Union Weekly Hours in Each Printing Trade,
1916 to 1942— Continued
N EW SPAPER
Year
Composi
tors, hand
M achine
operators
M achine
tenders
(m achin
ists)
P hoto
engravers
Pressm en,
web
presses 1
Stereo
typers
1916_______________________
1917_______________________
1918_______________________
1919_______________________
1920_______________________
1921_______________________
1922_______________________
1923_______________________
1924_______________________
100.7
100. 7
100.8
100.8
101.1
100.9
102. 1
102.1
101.1
100.5
100.5
100. 7
100.7
100.8
100.6
102.1
102.0
100.6
100.2
100.2
100.3
100.3
100.4
100.4
101.0
101.0
100.4
106.9
106. 9
105. 7
105.4
104.3
101.1
101. 8
100. 9
100. 9
98.4
98.3
98.3
99.0
98.6
98.4
103.5
103. 0
99.8
101.0
100.9
100.9
101.0
100.5
99.1
101.0
100.9
100.8
1925_______________________
1926_______________________
1927_______________________
1928_______________________
1929_______________________
1930____________ __________
1931_______________________
1932_______________________
1933_______________________
101.0
101.2
100.6
100.4
100.0
99.7
99.7
97.6
96.5
100.6
100.3
100.2
99.9
100.0
99.8
99.8
95.9
95.2
100.9
100.7
100.1
100.3
100.0
99.8
99.8
92.9
92.1
99.2
100.3
100.1
99.7
100.0
99.8
99.8
97.8
98.7
100.4
100.4
100.2
100.7
100.0
100.0
100.1
99.3
98.1
1934_______________________
1935_______________________
1936_______________________
1937_______________________
1938_______________________
1939_______________________
-- _____
1940____________
1941_______________________
1942_______________________
86.7
85.6
84.0
83.5
83.5
83.4
83.1
83.0
82.9
85.2
84.3
82.7
82.2
82.1
82.1
81.9
81.8
81.6
82.6
81.4
79.9
79.7
79.6
79.6
79.5
79.4
79.1
100.2
99.8
100. 2
100.0
00.0
99.9
99.5
99.4
99.6
■m
95.5
92.4
92.1
91.1
88.6
88.4
88.2
88.1
87.9
93.9
91.8
91.4
90.3
89.7
89. 1
88.9
88.6
88.5
94. 9
92.7
92.3
90.6
88.8
86.1
85.3
84.3
84.2
i Includes pressmen-in-charge.
,
Union Honrs 1942
Tlie two branches of the printing trades differed sharply in their
hour scales for a normal workweek (table 13). In the book and job
trades the 40-hour week prevailed; 86.9 percent of their members
were operating under agreements specifying that scale. The news
paper trades in general had a shorter workweek. The 37%-hour week
applied to 49.7 percent of the newspaper workers (day shift 52.4
percent, night shift 46.9 percent), while only 20.9 percent had 40 hours
and almost none had more than 40 hours as their normal workweek.
Only 13.8 percent of the night-shift workers were covered by 40-hour
scales. In, fact, 3 of every 8 newspaper workers on night shifts oper
ated on schedules of less than 37/2 hours; about 1 of every 7 workers
on day shifts were in the same category. Only one-tenth of 1 per cent
of the newspaper workers and none of the book and job members had
workweeks of over 40 hours.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
582
Monthly Labor Review— March 1943
T a b l e 13. — Percentage Distribution of Union Members in the Printing Trades, by Hour
Scales, June 1, 1942
Percent
A ver
age
hours U n
per
30
week der
30
Trade
All printing trad es-- __ ________
of members whose hours per week were
Over
30
and
under
35
35
...
38.8
0.2
Book and job . .
_
_
_
B indery w om en___ ____________
Bookbinders . .
Compositors, h a n d _____ _______
E lectrotypers____ - .- . . ________
M achine operators. M achine tenders (m ach in ists)-.. ..
M ailers______ ___ . . _
_____
Photoengravers__________ ______
Press assistants and feeders_______
Pressm en, cylinder___ __________
Pressm en, platen . . . .
39.4
40.0
40.0
39.9
35.9
39.8
39.9
39.8
36.9
40.0
39.9
40.0
.1
N ew spaper_____ _____ ___
_ _ _
D a y w o rk . . . . .
N ight w o r k ... ______ ______
Compositors, h a n d _______________
D ay w ork___
__________ .
N ight w ork. .
_ .
M achine operators_______ ._ ___
D a y w o rk .
_ ___
...
N ight w ork. _ _ .
M achine tenders (m achinists).
D ay w ork____________ _______
N ight w o rk __ _______ . . .
M ailers . _ ______________
Day work _______
N ig h t w o r k .._ ______ . . .
Photoengravers . .
D a y w o rk .
N ight w ork. ___. . . . . _
Pressm en (journeymen) __ _ _ .
D ay work . _
N ig h t w o rk .. _____ _____
Pressm en-in-charge____ _ _
D ay w ork___
__ . .
N ight w o rk .. _______
Stereotypers
_
. . .
D a y w o rk .. _ .
N ig h t w o r k . . . _______
37.4
37.9
36.9
37.4
37.4
37.3
37.2
37.1
37.3
37.3
37.4
37.3
37.7
38.9
36.9
38.0
38.4
37.7
37.5
38.6
36.3
37.2
38.5
36.1
37.2
38.3
35.6
.4
.7
.2
.3
.5
.1
5.2
.3
9 8
10.6
6.0
14 9
.6
.2
.7
.1
.2
.2
2. 2
.7
1. 4
.2
.3
..
0.1
Over
Over
35
371/2
and 371.4 and
under
under
371/2
40
(>)
3.2
6.2
3.6
21.0
1.2
64.5
3 9
4
6.3
J2
86 Q
100.0
100 0
45.8
.2
.8
7
8. 7
.7
37.9
3. 4
.6
4.7
9
.5 3
2.7
95 2
43 8
03 5
97.3
4 1
91 8
14 0
98 4
96.9
98.1
45 3
1.6
1.7
1.9
2 2
9.7
6.9
12.4
49.7
52.4
46.9
3.1
4.4
1.9
9. 4
8.0
13 2
17.1
58 6
62.9
3 0
.8
14 3
.5
.1
9 6
8. 8
13 2
15.7
55 2
62.0
40
13 3
1.3
1112
.5
.5
8.0
7.2
17.0
19 5
60.3
63.7
2.3
11.6
^5
8.6
1
JS
40 0
3 n
55 8
22.1
1.1
20. 2
33.7
3.4
20.3
1.4
20.9
28.5
13.8
7. 8
.5
74.1
1.1
3
16.5
50 8
78
30 7
22. 5
2
28 9
11.3
4.2
lèi 6
.5
42.9
35 Q
11 7
57 1
16.0
4 5
13. 9
3.6
11.9
1.0
33. 2
10 5
9. 7
12
3.0
41 3
36.6
3 Q
J2
42 1
16.’ 3
7
0.1
.3
10.7
35 5
16.5
64.1
1.0
Over
40
2. 2
.1
.3
40
1.2
1.3
1Less th a n a te n th of 1 percent.
These various hour scales resulted in an average workweek in the
printing trades of 38.8 hours. The average for the book and job
trades was 39.4. The newspaper average was 37.4 hours; on day work
it amounted to 37.9 hours, on night work 36.9 hours.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Wage and Hour Statistics
583
Nine of the 11 book and job trades reported the 40-hour week as
applying to over 91 percent of their members; 4 of them included
over 98 percent. Only the electro typers (43.8 percent) and photoen
gravers (14.0 percent) reported a minority of their members on the
40-hour basis. The electrotypers had 45.8 percent of their members
on a 32-hour week. The photoengravers had workweeks of 35 hours
applying to 37.9 percent, and 37/2 hours covering 45.3 percent of their
number. Because of these exceptions, the electrotypers and photoengravers had the lowest average hours per week (35.9 and 36.9,
respectively). None of the other book and job trades had average
workweeks of less than 39.8 hours, although none of them exceeded 40.
Among the newspaper workers, the mailers on day shift were the
only ones with a majority of their number (55.8 percent) working a
40-hour week. The typographic trades and photoengravers, day and
night shifts, had substantial majorities of their members operating
under agreements providing for a 37 /2-hour week, as did also the dayshift workers of the pressmen (journeymen and pressmen-incliarge). However, over one-half of the night-shift workers of the
pressmen group had workweeks of 35 hours or less, as did over onethird of the stereotypers on night shifts. Only the pressmen and
pressmen-in-charge reported workweeks of over 40 hours, 1.2 percent
and 1.3 percent, respectively, having scales of 42 hours. The stereotypers on night work had the lowest average hours per week (35.6)
closely followed by the night pressmen-in-charge (36.1) and pressmen
(36.3).
Changes in Hours Between 1941 and 1942
There was very little change in weekly hours for union members in
the book and job printing trades during the period June 1 , 1941, to
June 1 , 1942. Only 10 of 1,371 quotations reported differences from
last year (table 14). Six of these changes provided for a shorter work
week affecting less than 1 percent of the total members. Hours of
work at straight time remained the same for over 98 percent of the
members in this branch. Seven of the trades had no changes what
ever.
In the newspaper branch, changes were slightly more numerous,
although 93.7 percent of the total members maintained their 1941
schedules. Both day and night workers had 4.5 percent of their
number working a shorter week than in the previous year.
Among the individual trades, only the mailers on night shift had as
many as 15 percent of their members receiving a reduction in working
hours. The machine tenders on day shift obtained a shortened work
week for 10.1 percent of their number. In contrast, the pressmen-incharge and pressmen on night shifts had their workweek lengthened
by 9.1 percent and 7.6 percent, respectively. All of the other trades
and shifts maintained their 1941 scales for at least 90 percent of their
members.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
584
Monthly Labor Review—March 1943
T a b l e 14.— Number of Changes in Union Hour Quotations and Percent of Members
Affected, June 1, 1942, Compared with June 1, 1941
Trade
N um ber N um ber of quotations
of quo
showing—■
tations
compa
In
No
D e
rable
w ith 1941 crease crease change
Percent of union m em
bers affected by—
In
crease
D e
crease
No
change
All printing trad es______________________
2, 478
18
76
2, 384
1.1
2.1
96.8
Book a n d jo b ___________________________
B indery women- _
_ .
Bookbinders
Compositors, handElectrotypers
- - .
M achine operators__
M achine tenders (m achinists)________
M ailers - Photoengravers - ____ ___ _ _
Press assistants and fe e d e rs ___ ___
Pressm en, cy lin d e r...
Pressmen, platen_______ _
1,371
84
194
89
56
104
35
38
62
230
352
127
4
2
1
6
1,361
82
193
89
55
104
35
38
56
230
352
127
.7
3.3
2.1
.8
98.5
96. 7
97.9
100.0
99.4
100.0
100.0
100.0
91.2
100.0
100.0
100.0
N ew spaper__ _ ______________________
D ay w o rk ... ____ ______ ___
N ig h t w ork___________________ .
Compositors, hand:
D ay work
_
_ . . __
N ig h t w ork______ _____________
M achine operators:
D ay w ork
.
. ___ _
N ig h t w o rk .. ____
M achine tenders (machinists) :
D a y w o rk _____ .
____________
N ight w ork- _____ ____________
Mailers:
D ay w ork___ _ _______________
N ight work _ . Photoengravers:
D ay work _
. .
N ig h t w ork, _
Pressm en (journeym en) :
D a y w o rk .__ __________ _
N ig h t w ork.
____
____ Pressmen-in-charge :
D ay work
N ight w ork_____________________
Stereotypers:
D ay w ork______ _ .
N ig h t w ork_______________ _
1,107
580
527
14
5
9
70
35
35
1,023
540
483
1.8
1.0
2.4
4. 5
4.5
4.5
93.7
94.5
93.1
82
75
1
2
5
4
76
69
2.2
1.5
4.5
3.0
93. 3
95. 5
85
78
1
2
4
3
80
73
1.8
1.4
6.5
4.3
91.7
94.3
65
62
1
2
5
4
59
56
1.3
1.3
10.1
4.3
88.6
94.4
63
52
1
5
4
57
48
.5
5.3
15.7
94.2
84.3
3
4
48
46
2.9
1.9
97.1
98. 1
1
6
51
50
.6
8.8
86
77
1
2
5
7
80
68
.1
7.6
2. 6
1.3
97.3
91. 1
74
66
1
5
7
69
58
9.1
3.1
1.7
96.9
89.2
3
2
71
65
3.0
1.2
97.0
98.8
74
67
—
WAGE-RATE CHANGES IN UNITED STATES
INDUSTRIES
THE following table gives information concerning wage-rate adjust
ments occurring during the month ending December 15, 1942, as
shown by reports received from manufacturing and nonmanufacturing
establishments which supply employment data to the Bureau of Labor
Statistics.
As the Bureau’s survey does not cover all establishments in an
industry, and furthermore, as some firms may have failed to report
wage-rate changes, these figures should not be construed as represent
ing the total number of wage changes occurring in manufacturing and
nonmanufacturing industries.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
585
Wage and Hour Statistics
Wage-Hate Changes Reported by Manufacturing and Nonmanufacturing Establishments
During Month Ending December 15, 1942 1
Establishm ents
Employees
Average
percentage
change
in wage
rates of
employees
having
increases
Total N u m
num
ber
ber
report
cov ing in
ered 2 creases
T otal
num ber
covered 2
184
124
60
9, 426, 700
5,812, 300
3,614,400
87,916
44, 242
43, 674
“ 6.0
6.6
5.5
3,595
745
580
95
2,735
1, 545
70
215
620
170
1,185
1,250
675
575
1,565
6,875
21
13
8
5
35
23
3
5
5
3
6
34
31
3
6
12
1,314, 200
516, 300
(3)
(3)
891, 200
388, 600
(3)
(3)
1, 742, 300
(3)
332, 400
170, 500
126,300
44, 200
227, 300
1, 386, 600
5,747
14, 865
4,621
10, 244
2, 263
1, 320
434
364
11,798
11, 549
971
7, 829
7, 339
490
420
383
5.9
7. 6
7.9
7.4
8. 7
8.8
9.6
7.3
5.2
5. 1
5. 9
6. 6
6.6
7.6
5. 5
9.2
3,125
3, 750
5,170
970
1,350
2, 455
2,175
490
35
290
320
1,050
6
6
14
7
4
23
23
3
7
3
3
3
987,900
398, 700
576, 600
88, 500
216,900
575, 200
481,500
22, 700
51, 900
95, 200
14,800
239, 800
215
168
908
778
178
41, 969
41, 969
279
14,102
672
46
51
7.5
11.4
11. 7
12. 0
8. 7
5. 2
5. 2
3. 8
4.0
4. 3
8.6
9. 5
85, 570
50
3,070, 500
1,671
10.5
480
M etalliferous m ining----------------------------------------1,340
Q uarrying and nonm etallic m in in g .. . -------------2,
640
Public utilities: Electric light and pow er------------Wholesale tra d e --------- ------------------------------------ 13, 870
46,890
R etail tra d e _______________________ __________
3
4
16
4
13
85, 700
47,100
181,600
326,800
1,117, 200
369
134
425
84
100
6.7
14. 8
9.0
5. 7
9. 4
G roup and industry
N um ber
receiving
increases
M anufacturing
All m anufacturing------- -------- --------- ----------- - 34, 570
D urable goods... ----------------------------- ---- 13, 660
N ondurable g o o d s-------------------------------------- 20,910
Iron and steel and their products no t including
m achinery_____________________________ ; -----Electrical m achinery__________ _______ _________
Electrical e q u ip m en t---- -------------------- --------R adios and phonographs - . ----------- - - —
M achinery, except electrical---------- ------------ - M achinery and m achine-shop products
Engines and tu rb in es.. . ----------- ------ --- -M achine-tool accessories---------------- - - ------T ransportation equipm ent, except autom obiles---Aircraft and parts (excluding engines)-----------N onferrous m etals and th eir pro d u cts----- . . -------L um ber and tim ber basic p ro d u cts--------------------Sawmills---------- --------- ---------------------------Planing and plywood m ills________ ______
Stone, clay and glass p ro d u c ts,. . --------- ------All textiles and finished textile pro d u cts---------- ,,
Textile-m ill products and other fiber m anufactures, ________________
---------------Apparel and other finished textile p roducts----Food and kindred products ----------- , ------ , B aking
------- ------- - , --------------------------Paper and allied p roducts.
. ------------------------Chemicals, petroleum and coal p roducts---------- .
Chemicals and allied products__________________
Paints, varnishes, and colors
..
.....
R ayon and allied products ------- -------------C hem icals-------------- ------ ------------------- --------Fertilizers____ . ------------------------------- -----M iscellaneous industries-------- ------- ------------------N onm anuiaduring
N onm anufacturing (except building construction)
a Correct figure for October is 6.9, instead of 9.6 as published on page 136 of the M onthly Labor Review
for Janu ary 1943.
............
,. ,
..
.
1 Figures are no t given for some industries to avoid disclosure of information concerning individual estab
lishm ents. T h ey are, however, included where practicable in “ all m anufacturing,” and in the various
industry groups. No decrease reported.
2 A pproxim ate—based on previous m o n th ’s sample.
s Included in group totals b u t not available for publication separately.
512311-43-
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
11
586
Monthly Labor Review—March 1943
EARNINGS OF CLERICAL WORKERS IN ILLINOIS
AND NEW YORK FACTORIES, OCTOBER 1942
Illin ois 1
AY ERAGE weekly earnings of male clerical workers in Illinois manu
facturing plants increased 2 0 percent, and those of women 13 percent,
in the year from October 1941 to October 1942, as shown by data
based on reports received by the Illinois Department of Labor from
2 ,0 0 0 establishments with 55,401 clerical employees. During the year
and a half from April 1941 (when the department’s first semiannual
survey of clerical workers was made) to October 1942, the increase
for men was 34 percent and for women 22 percent. In the 6 months
from April to October 1942, earnings of men increased about 12 percent
and those of women a little over 8 percent. Data showing the number
of hours worked were not tabulated, but the Illinois department
attributes the greater increases in men’s earnings to their having
worked more overtime than women, whose daily working hours are
limited by law to 8 . Weekly earnings in October 1942 in all manu
facturing industries combined averaged $49.43 for men, $27.50 for
women, and $38.55 for both sexes taken together.
Table 1 shows the number of reporting establishments and the
number of clerical workers in the major manufacturing groups, and
the average weekly earnings of men and of women in the major
groups and their subdivisions. It will be noted that earnings varied
considerably from industry to industry. The report states that this
variation was due partly to the different types of work performed.
In some plants the clerical workers consist of a few timekeepers and
stockmen, while in others there are large clerical staffs, including
many production clerks and technical employees. The workers
covered by the survey included clerks, stenographers, bookkeepers,
and other clerical employees in the production and nonproduction
departments, as well as technical employees such as draftsmen,
chemists, and other laboratory assistants doing routine work. Sales
men and clerks in sales offices were excluded.
2 T he d ata for O ctober 1942 are from the Illinois Labor Bulletin, Illinois D epartm ent of Labor, Chicago,
N ovem ber 30, 1942. R eports of the Illinois D ep artm en t of L abor’s three previous surveys of em ploym ent
and earnings of clerical workers in Illinois m anufacturing industries, giving d ata for April and October 1941
and April 1942, were published in th e Illinois Labor B ulletin for M ay and December 1941 and M av 1942’
rp s n p .p t,i v p xr
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
J
’
587
Wage and Hour Statistics
T a b l e 1 — Employment and Average Weekly Earnings of Clerical Workers in Illinois
Factories, October 1942
In d u stry
All m anufacturing industries _
Stone, clay, and glass----------------------Gravel and other stone--------------Lim e, cement, and p laster----------B rick, tile, pottery, clay products.
Glass and glass p ro d u cts-------------
N um ber of workers
N um
ber of
report
ing es B oth
ta b lish sexes
M ale F em ale
com
m ents
bined 1
Chemicals and allied products------Drugs, compounds, cosm etics..
P aints, varnishes, dyes, colors..
Petroleum refining---------Chemicals, explosives, so ap -----
25.03
24. 78
24. 48
24. 11
25.37
17, 805
40. 91
40. 57
39. 36
34.86
36. 99
38.17
40.08
44. 04
45.92
37.60
30.42
51.37
45.03
47. 72
46. 30
51. 19
49.42
54. 46
56.21
54.11
45.46
44.96
28.03
26.69
27.34
25. 62
26.90
26. 75
27.22
30. 66
26. 36
30.15
23. 78
3, 429
1,867
42.13
42.31
43. 05
40. 26
51.79
52.13
50. 82
52. 54
27.09
27. 55
27. 99
24.91
896
408
488
36. 03
39.06
34. 84
36.71
48. 36
45. 78
47. 34
51.79
25.71
25.28
25. 34
26. 37
81
32,881
478
194
73
121
31.68
42.27
25.28
64
943
257
686
28.29
35.03
26.33
33.13
41.04
43. 93
37.95
61.35
23. 52
30. 68
22. 03
25. 22
149
2, 254
875
34.17
26.88
33. 07
48.21
32.80
46.60
35. 87
45.16
58. 66
42. 28
26. 28
24. 76
26.91
28.19
26.39
2, 700
33.39
35. 68
31.82
37. 57
31.82
32. 57
32. 68
44.18
47. 77
41.20
53. 17
39. 73
47. 04
48.51
25.98
27.99
27.56
26. 24
24. 97
25.68
24.41
1,195
30. 39
30. 55
29. 07
29. 69
44. 82
45. 18
42. 96
41. 13
26. 17
26. 25
24.61
26. 83
4,552
Paper goods, printing, publishing.
Paper boxes, bags, tu b e s------O ther paper goods---------------Job p rin tin g-----------------------Newspapers and periodicals._.
Bookbinding and publishing __
L ithography and e n g rav in g .._
Textiles_____________________
C otton, woolen, silk goods.
K n it goods--------------T hread and tw ine------------
$27.50
401
R ubber products.
Leather and allied p ro d u c ts.__
Leather, tan n in g -------------Boots and shoes----------------O ther leather and fur goods.
F e
male
42.48
41.06
47. 70
53.89
39. 57
26, 862
879
W ood and allied products--------Sawmills and planing millsF u rn itu re and cabinet w ork.
O ther wood products---------
M ale
32.99
32.10
38.35
40.09
31.37
55,401
Transportation e q u ip m en t------------Automobiles (excluding rep air). ..
Cars—locomotive, electric—steam .
O ther transportation eq u ip m en t. _
Both
sexes
com
bined
26,940 $38. 55 $49.43
2, 000
M etals and m achinery------------------B last furnaces and rolling m ills..
F oundry and forge products-----Sheet iron and tin p la te -----------C utlery, edge tools, h ardw are---H eating, plum bing e q u ip m e n t..
M achinery and machine tools—
Electrical m achinery, apparatusA gricultural im plem ents----------N onferrous m etals and products.
W atches, clocks, and jew elry-----
Average weekly
earnings
87
C lothing and m illinery---------M en ’s clothing----------------------M en ’s furnishings, work clothes----W om en’s and children’s clothing---W om en’s and children’s underw ear M illinery------------------------------------
1,313
401
29. 55
31.09
24. 16
31. 16
25.88
26. 48
40. 33
40. 77
37.68
42. 30
33.60
42. 00
24. 80
23.98
20. 75
27. 73
24. 38
25.88
Food, beverages, and to b a c co .. . . .
Slaughtering and m eat packing.
D airy products----------Flour, feed and other cereals---F ru it and vegetable canning---O ther groceries---------------------B akery p roducts-------------------Confectionery-----------------------Beverages----------------------------Tobacco products------------------
5, 970
2,315
36.19
37.41
29. 92
31.41
33.95
43.97
30.78
33.85
32.23
. 39.41
42.47
43.14
39.81
31.77
47. 26
54.94
40.12
55.19
37. 72
50. 60
30. 26
29. 71
24. 50
31.11
26. 57
38.08
24.36
30. 78
25. 35
28.21
38.86 51. 52
Miscellaneous m anufacturing.
i T he figures in this column are not in an cases m e sum oi me
rately, as some of the totals include workers employed b y firms which did not furnish d ata by sex.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
27. 47
588
Momhly Labor Review— March 1943
New Y ork
2
"Weekly earnings of 67,427 workers in factory offices in New York
State in October 1942 averaged $44.69, representing a new all-time
high and an increase of 13.2 percent over earnings in October 1941,
according to data obtained by the New York State Department of
Labor in its annual survey of factory office workers. Increases in
individual industry groups ranged from 4.2 percent in printing and
allied trades to 27.2 percent in the manufacture of rubber products,
only one group—food and tobacco products—showing a decrease
(0.5 percent). Employment in New York factory offices rose 30.1
percent during the year, the greatest increase (4 9 .9 percent) taking
place in the metals and machinery group, which also had over half
of the total number of employees covered by the survey.
Employment, pay rolls, and average weekly earnings in factory
offices in New York State in October 1942 are shown in table 2,
with the percentage of change since October 1941, by industry group.
Variations in average earnings among the different industry groups
are accounted for in part, the report states, by the uneven distribu
tion of the higher-salaried supervisory and technical staff and the
lower-paid clerical force reported for different industries. The work
ers covered by the figures in the table include clerks, stenographers,
bookkeepers, accountants, cashiers, stock clerks, office managers’
etc., and also such technical employees as draftsmen, chemists, and
laboratory assistants doing routine work.
T able 2.
Employment, Pay Rolls, and Average W eekly Earnings in Factory Offices in
N ew York State, October 1942 1
N um
ber
of em
ployees,
October
1942
Percent
of
A m ount
change,
of
October pay roll,
1941October
October
1942
1942
All industries_____
67, 427
+30.1 $3,013, 325
Food and tobacco products
Textile-mill p roducts...........
Apparel, etc _
F u rn itu re and lum ber products
Taper, e tc __________________________
P rinting, etc.
Chemicals and petroleum products
R ubber products
L eather products. ..
Stone, clay, and glass .
M etals and m achinery
M iscellaneous m anufacturing industries
2,924
1,332
3,046
1,030
1,222
3,828
2,860
670
1,697
1,179
35, 973
11,666
In d u stry
- S I o o S b S r ”S ' f ï ï Œ ; Ï 9 2
- 2 .1
101,325
40, 775
-1 1 .9
-2 .8
35,161
43,903
+13.9
+29. 1
- 9 .0
+17.0
+49.9
+48.9
114.128
SSïïKSSr 1' ' 24
43, 878
1784 filG
539,666
Percent A ver
of
age
change, weekly
October earn
1941ings,
October October
1942
1942
Percent
of
change,
October
1941October
1942
+47.2
$44. 69
+13.2
-2 .6
- 5 .2
+ .2
-3 .1
+ 5 .2
+• 1
+24.4
+64.2
-. 1
+29.3
+67.6
+61.7
34. 65
30. 61
29. 35
34.14
35.93
38. 20
39. 90
48. 33
25.86
35. 50
49. 61
46.26
-. 5
+ 4.8
+6. 2
+ 9.9
+ 8 .2
+ 4 .2
+ 9.2
+27. 2
+ 9 .8
+10.5
+11.8
+ 8 .6
whloh “ m" ar*ble ,,BUres ror ,he
Earnings of men and of women in factory offices in New York
State as a whole, in up-State New York, and in New York City, in
October 1942, are given in table 3, by industry group. While eammgs of men, as shown in the table, averaged almost twice those of
women, and both earned less in New York City than up-State, the
îeport cautions that no conclusions should be drawn from the figures
2 l)ata are fr°m Industrial B ulletin, N ew York State D epartm ent of Labor, A lbany, N ovem ber 1942,
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
589
Wage and Hour Statistics
the table as to the relative pay of men and women in the same
occupation either upstate or in New York City, because of variations
in the composition of the labor force reported by different firms.
Men are more likely to be employed in the higher-paid research and
supervisory positions. Also, the up-State sample includes not only a
greater proportion of large plants, which hire highly paid office per
sonnel, but also most of the war plants covered by the survey. On
the other hand, New York City has a large proportion of small firms
whose executives take care of many of the duties performed by highsalaried employees in the large establishments.
in
T a b l e 3 . — Average Weekly Earnings of Men and Women in Factory Offices in New York
State, October 1942 1
W omen
M en
In d u stry
All industries _-
___
_______
-
-
--
--
Food and tobacco p roducts------ --------------------Textile-mill p roducts_____________________ ..
A pparel, e tc _____ _
--- - --- ---------------- F u rn itu re and lum ber products----------- --------Paper, e tc _______
------- — - --------------Printing, etc------------------ ----------------------------Chemicals and petroleum pro d u cts----- ---------R ubb er products. ----------- -------- --------------Leather p ro d u c ts ... --------------------- ------------Stone, clay, and glass------- --------- ---------------M etals and m achinery------------ ----------- -----Miscellaneous m anufacturing industries__ ____
T otal
State
New
Y ork
C ity
$56.17
$52.17
46.09
47.32
43.18
48.77
46.64
46.03
54. 29
58.58
38.12
48.98
58.92
59. 34
46.22
43. 25
42.15
49.09
49. 20
46.79
46.00
40.90
36.95
36.82
55. 09
56.19
T otal
State
New
York
C ity
$58.38
$30.00
$29.41
$30. 38
45.84
48.18
46.41
48.66
45. 76
43.91
58.79
62.32
39.08
50.16
59. 61
69.08
26.65
24.96
25.81
24.86
26.17
27.84
27.98
27.89
22.62
27.70
32.54
32.56
27.65
26. 23
25.97
27.19
27.18
29.11
26. 73
25.01
24.79
26.60
29.09
34.89
25. 22
24. 78
25. 38
24.24
25. 53
24.91
29.88
29. 24
21.31
27.82
33.40
29.31
Up-State
U p-State
1
Based on an unw eighted aggregate of th e reports from 2,387 firms, which reported separate figures for
men and women.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Wage and Hour Regulation
WAGE ORDERS UNDER FAIR LABOR STANDARDS
ACT 1
THE Administrator of the Wage and Hour Division has recently
issued orders establishing a 40-cent minimum hourly rate for five in
dustries: Grain-products industry, converted paper-products in
dustry, manufacture of candy and related products, seamless hosiery
industry, and handkerchief industry. The rate for the grain-products
industry became effective on March 1 , and that for candy manu
facturing on March 29, 1943; February 15 was the effective date for
the other three industries.
Grain-Products Industry
The 40-cent rate became effective March 1 , 1943. The term
“grain-products industry” means the handling, warehousing, and
storing of grain when performed in conjunction with milling opera
tions, and the processing of grain or alfalfa into food products or
feeds. It includes, but without limitation, the production of flour,
prepared or blended flours, breakfast cereals, coffee substitutes, pearl
barley, hominy, flakes, grits, rice, meal, feeds, and prepared or mixed
feeds, including those made wholly or in part from such products as
cottonseed, soy beans, or peanuts (but not the crushing of such
products), except those made chiefly from meat products. It excludes
bakery products.
IIa n dkerchief I n dustry
In the handkerchief industry, where the 40-cent minimum became
effective February 15, 1943, the determination applies to the manu
facture of men’s, women’s, and children’s handkerchiefs, plain or
ornamented, from any materials.
Manufacture of Candy and Related Products
The branches of the candy industry covered by the 40-cent rate are
the production of chocolate and cocoa products; candied, crystallized
or glace fruits and fruit peels; and any other products of the candy and
related products manufacturing industry. The effective date of the
order was March 29, 1943.
Seamless-11osiery Industry
The hourly rate of pay for work on and after February 15, 1943, in
the seamless-hosiery industry, was fixed at 40 cents. Under the order
1 Federal Register, W ashington, Jan u a ry 27, 1943.
590
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Wage and Hour Regulation
591
the seamless-hosiery industry covers the manufacture or processing of
seamless hosiery, including among other processes the knitting, dye
ing, clocking, and all phases of finishing seamless hosiery, but exclud
ing manufacturing or processing yarn or thread.
Converted Paper-Products Industry
A 40-cent hourly minimum, effective February 15, 1943, was ordered
for the converted paper-products industry. The order applies to the
manufacture of all products which have as a basic component pulp,
paper, or board, and the manufacture of all like products in which
synthetic materials such as cellophane, pliofilm, or synthetic resin,
used in sheet form, are basic components. Products covered by other
wage orders are excluded, as are rayon, cellophane, and other such
pulp products; roofing paper, insulation board, and products there
from; newspapers, etc.
*-*■-*++*+*<
RULING OF SECRETARY OF LABOR ON SEVENTHDAY DOUBLE TIME
THE Secretary of Labor recently amended her interpretation of the
so-called “premium pay order” issued by the President, under which
payment of double time is required for the seventh day worked in a
regularly scheduled workweek whenever an employee works for 7
consecutive days.
In her first interpretation of this requirement, the Secretary stated
that double time was required for the seventh day worked, regardless
of whether the 7 days fell within the same workweek, unless (1 ) the
employee had at least 1 day off in each regularly scheduled workweek
and (2 ) his work schedule was mutually satisfactory to him and his
employer.
In the new interpretation, the Secretary points out- that schedules
are frequently considered efficient and generally satisfactory, under
which employees have 2 days off followed by 10 days of work, and then
2 days off again; the same is true of swing-shift schedules, which
occasionally require 7 straight days of work but afford at least f day ol
rest in every workweek.
Double time will not be required on the seventh consecutive day ol
work in the workweek. Although 7 consecutive days are worked, if a
day of rest is afforded in each workweek double time is not required.
A workweek consists of 7 days, starting with the same calendar day
each wTeek. This is the definition of a workweek under the Fair Labor
Standards Act and is generally accepted in industry. This will per
mit, without penalty payment, the use of various work schedules
which facilitate maximum production and still afford proper days of
rest. It will, however, by the requirement of double time, discourage
work schedules which do not allow a day of rest each week and thereby
impair health and efficiency and maximum production.
Any payments previously made in accordance with the earlier inter
pretation should be regarded as in compliance with Executive Order
9240. From the date of this interpretation (January 26, 1943),
double time for the seventh consecutive day of work may be paid only
where all 7 days fall in the same workweek.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
592
Monthly Labor Review— March 1943
IN C R EA SED
M IN IM U M -W A G E
RATES
TN BRAZIL,
1943 1
MINIMUM wage rates in Brazil were increased by 25 percent in the
Federal District, the Territory of Acre, and the capitals of the various
States and by 30 percent for all other localities, by an order of January
8 , 1943. The order, which was issued by the Coordinator of Economic
Mobilization of Brazil, was retroactive to January 1 , 1943. The
offices handling minimum-wage scales are charged with carrying out
the terms of the order.
I he basic minimum rates thus increased were established May 1 ,
1940, by decree-law No. 2162. That law fixed rates for all adult
workers without distinction as to sex, according to locality. Minors
under 18 received half the adult rate. Premiums over the basic rate
were provided for in unhealthful operations.2
CEN TRA L CONTROL OF FARM WAGES IN ENGLAND
AND W A L E S3
A GOVERNMENT decision to have minimum wages and hours of
agricultural workers in England and Wales established by the Central
Agricultural Wages Board instead of by the 4 7 county wages com
mittees, as formerly, was announced to the National Farmers’ Union
and the workers’ unions on November 1 2 , 1942. Centralized wage
and hour administration is expected to continue as long as agricultural
prices are fixed nationally and an assured market for agricultural
produce is maintained .
Y\ hen a 60s. minimum weekly wage was applied to adult-male farm
labor in England and Wales late in 1941, it was approved by most
of the county committees,4 but notwithstanding adoption of the 60s.
national minimum, varying rates are being proposed by local county
wages committees in some instances. For example, the East Riding
of Yorkshire committee recently recommended a 65s. weekly minimum.
The Government is of the opinion that to permit variations in wages
among the different districts would jeopardize stability by creating
differences in the production outlays of farmers. Also, in view of the
pledge that production costs will be considered in fixing prices, wage
variation would interfere with the Government’s policy of fixed rates
for agricultural produce.
The general secretary of the Agricultural Workers’ Union supported
the new order to centralize the fixing of wages and hours, and stated
that he understood the Central Board would also have control over
holidays with pay. Women will benefit from national wage fixing,
as their rates of pay have varied as much as 7 s. or 8 s. from county to
county. He foresaw a wage claim for higher pay, stating that the
land worker “cannot regard £3 a week as a ceiling * * * he ought
to have the same consideration as any other industrial employee.”
R io ^ e* Janeiro*™ re p 0 rt ° f W a lte r J - D o n n elly , counselor for econom ic affairs, U n ite d S ta te s E m b a s sy a t
2 F o r pro v isio n s of th e law , a n d specific ra te s b y lo c ality , see M o n th ly L a b o r R ev iew , J u ly 1940 (p 158)
a D a ta are from re p o rt of E . M a b e l H o d g k in so n , U n ite d S ta te s E m b a s sy , I.o n d o n .
4 See M o n th ly L a b o r R ev iew , F eb ruary|1942 (p. 501)
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Wage and Hour Regulation
593
M IN IM U M -W A G E LEG ISLA TIO N IN H A IT I, 1942 1
EACH manual laborer in Haiti, whether employed at day, piece, or
job rate, in public work or in private agricultural, industrial, or com
mercial enterprises, is to receive a minimum daily wage of 1.50
gourdes.2 This rate was established by a decree-law of May 4, 1942,
as amplified by decree-law No. 205 of September 24, 1942. An agree
ment between employer and worker is operative only in case it pro
vides a rate higher than the above minimum. Fines are prescribed
for cases of violation of the legislation, to be applied by the competent
ustices of the peace.
The amplification of the original decree law was needed because
employers were said to be evading the provisions for a minimum daily
wage by assigning work on a piece or job basis, making it impossible
for a worker to earn the legal minimum.
Previous legislation on wages in Haiti, embodied in the labor law of
August 1 0 , 1934, fixed the minimum wage of employees and day
laborers in public services (not including paid domestic servants) at
1.50 gourdes per day. This wage was not liable to attachment beyond
one-tenth of its total, and not more than one-third of the total salary
of salaried employees and clerks was liable to attachment.3 As the
legislation of 1942 repealed only such wage provisions as were in
conflict with its provisions, presumably the provisions concerning
attachment of wages and salaries are still in force.
This legislation is to be carried out under the direction of the Secre
taries of State for Labor, for National Economy, and for Justice.
1 D a ta are from re p o rt of V in to n C h a p in , second se c re ta ry of th e U n ite d S tates leg atio n a t P o rt-a u -P rin c e .
2 G o u rd e = 20 ce n ts in U n ite d S ta te s cu rren c y .
3 See M o n th ly L a b o r R eview , A u g u st 1940 (p. 453).
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Labor Turn-over
+++++++*+*++++*+*++*+++++*+*+++++*+++++++++++*####++##########
LABOR TURN -O V ER IN M AN U FACTURIN G ,
D E C EM B ER 1942
THE total separation rate of 6.37 for December 1942 for all manufac
turing industries combined continued its steady decline since the
September high of 8 .1 0 per 100 employees. This is the lowest since
April 1942.
The decrease in total separations is largely the result of significant
declines in the quit rate and in the rate for miscellaneous separations
which is heavily weighted by military separations.
The rate for total accessions dropped to 6.92 per 100 employees
which is lower than any month since February 1942 when, on the
average, 6 .0 2 persons were added to the pay rolls for every hundred
workers. Many firms in the Bureau’s reporting sample commented
in December on the continuing shortage of labor, particularly in the
industrial areas where most of the war manufacturing is found.
Most of the 42 manufacturing industries for which the Bureau pub
lishes individual industry data, showed declines in the quit rate, as
did also all of the 11 selected war industries. The average rate for
the 11 selected war industries was 3.40; the most significant declines
were in shipbuilding (from 5.41 in November to 4.49 in December)
firearms (3.55 to 2.73) and aluminum and magnesium products
(4.77 to 3.82).
These labor turn-over data are based on reports from approximatelv
7,800 plants employing 4,000,000 workers in December 1942. Table
1 shows the monthly turn-over rates for 135 combined industries,
and table 2, the rates in 42 selected manufacturing industries for
November and December 1942 and December 1941. ' The quit rates
for each of the 11 selected war industries for which the publication
of other turn-over data has been restricted for military reasons are
given in table 3.
594
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
595
Lahor Turn-over
T a b l e 1 .— M onthly Labor Turn-over Rates (per 100 Employees) in Representative
Establishments in 135 Industries 1
C lass of tu rn -o v e r an d
yea r
S ep aratio n s:
Q uits:
1942 __________
1941____________
D ischarges:
1942 ____________
1941____________
L a y -o ff:2
1942
_________
1941____________
M iscellaneous sep a
ra tio n s: 3
1942
________
1941____________
T o ta l:
1942 ________
1941___________
J a n u F e b M arch A pril M a y
a ry ru a ry
Ju n e
J u ly
A u
g u st
N o D e
S ep
v e m cem
te m Obcto
er
b er
b er
b er
2. 36
1.31
2.41
1.33
3.02
1.70
3. 59
2.08
3. 77
2.20
3.85
2.06
4. 02
2. 25
4.31
2. 46
5.19
2.81
4.65
2.11
4.21
1.57
3.71
1.75
.30
.18
.29
. 19
.33
.21
.35
.25
.38
. 24
.38
.26
.43
.29
.42
.30
.44
.31
.45
.28
.43
.24
.46
.29
1.61
1.61
1.39
1.20
1.19
1.06
1.31
1.19
1.43
1.08
1.21
1.03
1.05
1.40
.87
1.13
.68
1.16
.78
1.41
.65
1.44
.70
2.15
.83
.31
.73
.43
.82
.43
.87
.37
.96
.34
1.02
.36
1. 23
.30
1.46
.25
1.79
.25
2. 03
.33
1.80
.26
1.50
.52
5. 10
3.41
4.82
3.15
5.36
3.40
6.12
3.89
6. 54
3.86
6. 46
3.71
6. 73
4.24
7. 06
4. 14
8.10
4. 53
7.91
4.13
7.09
3.51
6. 37
4.71
A ccessions:
R ehirings:
1942
_______ 1.41
1941_____________ 1.45
N e w hirings:
1942
_______ 5. 46
1941_____________ 4. 09
1.03
1.08
1.18
1.24
1. 11
1.04
1.07
.92
1. 12
.90
1.09
1.04
1.12
1.11
1.08
.87
.85
.86
.91
.79
. 77
.94
4. 99
3.84
5.81
4. 38
6.01
5.00
6. 22
5. 03
7.13
5.41
7.19
4.96
6. 78
4. 32
8. 07
4. 29
7. 84
4.01
7. 23
3. 12
6.15
3.82
T o tal:
1942
______
1941___________
6. 02
4. 92
6. 99
5. 62
7. 12
6.04
7. 29
5. 95
8. 25
6.31
8. 28
6.00
7.90
5.43
9.15
5.16
8.69
4.87
8.14
3.91
6. 92
4. 76
6.87
5. 54
1 T u rn -o v e r ra te s are n o t co m p arab le to th e e m p lo y m e n t a n d pay -ro ll re p o rts issu ed m o n th ly b y th e
B u re a u of L a b o r S ta tistic s as th e form er are b ased on d a ta for th e e n tire m o n th , w h ile th e la tte r refer o n ly
to th e p a y p erio d e n d in g n e a re st th e m id d le of th e m o n th . I n a d d itio n , c e rta in seaso n al in d u s trie s , su ch as
c a n n in g a n d preserv in g , are n o t covered b y th e la b o r tu rn -o v e r su rv e y a n d th e sam p le is n o t as ex ten siv e
as th a t of th e e m p lo y m e n t su rv e y , w hich includes a larg er n u m b e r of sm all p la n ts .
2 In c lu d in g te m p o ra ry , in d e te rm in a te , a n d p e rm a n e n t lay-offs.
3 M ilita ry sep aratio n s in c lu d ed .
T a b l e 2 . — Monthly Turn-over Rates (per 100 Employees) in 42 Manufacturing
Industries 1
Accession rates
Separation rates
D ate
In d u s tr y
Q uit
A g ricu ltu ral im p lem en ts ____ A u tom obiles a n d b o d ie s---------A u to m o b ile p a rts a n d e q u ip
m e n t________________________
B la st furnaces, steel w orks, and
ro lling m ills-------------------------B o o ts a n d sh o es---------------------Boxes, p a p e r__________________
B ric k , tile, a n d te rra c o tta ------C ast-iron p ip e ________________
Total
R ehir New acces
ing hiring sion
1942
1942
1941
1942
1942
1941
1. 76
2. 39
1. 25
2.54
2. 49
.95
0. 35
.30
.26
.29
.25
. 24
0. 12
1. 29
.85
.40
.80
5.02
1.15
1. 54
.60
1.28
1.57
.44
3. 3s
5. 52
2.96
4. 51
5. 11
6. 65
0.41
.48
.36
1. 18
1.73
.53
4.95
5. 69
2. 02
6.63
8. 18
3.61
5.36
6. 17
2.38
7.81
9.91
4.14
Dec. 1942
Nov. 1942
Dec. 1941
3. 34
3.91
1.75
.65
.73
.33
1.00
1.46
8. 89
1.44
1. 78
.62
6. 43
7. 88
11. 59
1.16
1.40
1.47
6.82
6. 5s
4.10
7. 98
7. 98
5. 57
1942
1942
1941
1942
1942
1941
1942
1942
1941
1942
1942
1941
1942
1942
1941
2. 60
2. 87
1.09
4. 14
4. 71
1. 72
4. 78
6. 01
2.50
4. 50
5.14
1.95
2. 57
2. 42
1.22
. 17
. 18
. 11
.29
.22
. 17
.59
.49
.66
. 40
.43
.28
.47
.32
.28
.45
.21
.40
.51
.41
1.64
1.51
.60
4.03
2. 56
1.62
4. 82
.58
.24
.47
1.70
1.91
.59
.98
1. 16
.32
1.34
1. 51
.46
1. 19
1.47
.36
1.27
1.71
.50
4. 92
5.17
2.19
5. 92
6.50
3. 85
8. 22
8.61
7. 65
8.65
8. 66
7.41
4.89
4. 69
2. 47
.72
.73
.41
.89
1. 14
1.49
. 72
.80
.54
1.07
.69
.72
.25
.49
.57
4.18
4. 68
1.64
4.66
5.97
3.17
7. 33
10. 79
2.77
4.05
6.95
2.21
3. 85
6.46
1.94
4.90
5.41
2. 05
5. 55
7.11
4. 66
8.05
11.59
3.31
5.12
7. 64
2.93
4.10
6.95
2. 51
Dec.
Nov.
Dec.
Dec.
Nov.
Dec.
Dec.
Nov.
Dec.
Dec.
Nov.
Dec.
Dec.
Nov.
Dec.
Dec.
Nov.
Dec.
Dec.
Nov.
Dec.
See footnotes at end of table.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
M is Total
D is L ay cella
sepa
charge off neous2 ration
596
Monthly Labor Review—March 1943
T a b l e 2 . — Monthly Turn-over Rates
(per 100 Employees) in 42 Manufacturing
I ndustries1— Continued
S e p a ra tio n ra te s
In d u stry
D a te
C em ent____________________
M en’s clothing____________
P ain ts and varnishes_________
Paper and p u lp _________
Petroleum refining___________
Planing m ills_______________
Printing: Book and jo b _______
Printing; Newspapers and pe
riodicals___ _____ __________
Radios and phonographs______
Rayon and allied p ro d u cts____
R ubber boots and shoes_______
R ubber tires________________
6. 94
4. 76
3.14
6. 39
6.18
3.07
8. 29
6. 59
9. 99
6. 96
7. 56
4. 30
6. 97
7.68
4. 69
9. 48
8.88
3.63
6. 33
7.13
3.80
0.40
.58
.37
.58
.61
.25
1. 22
1. 20
.60
1.20
1.46
.82
.73
.94
.84
.73
1.29
.83
.42
.38
.55
2. 89
2. 85
1. 71
6. 62
6. 30
3. 82
3. 67
4. 66
2. 65
5.22
6. 20
3. 02
6.49
7.15
2.30
8. 93
7.71
4.83
7.18
8. 08
4.10
3. 29
3.43
2. 08
7. 20
6.91
4.07
4 89
5. 86
3. 25
6. 42
7. 66
3. 84
7. 22
8.09
3.14
9. 60
9. 00
5. 60
7. 60
8. 46
4. 56
D ec.
N ov.
D ec.
D ec.
N ov.
D ec.
D ec.
N ov.
D ec.
D ec.
N ov.
D ec.
D ec.
N ov.
D ec.
D ec.
N ov.
D ec.
Dec.
N ov.
D ec.
1942
1942
1941
1942
1942
1941
1942
1942
1941
1942
1942
1941
1942
1942
1941
1942
1942
1941
1942
1942
1941
6.11
6. 73
2. 77
3. 89
4. 56
1.27
4.49
5.14
2. 47
4. 01
4. 20
1.81
3. 42
3. 46
.84
3. 97
5. 34
1. 74
4. 23
4.52
1.45
.84
.74
.39
.53
.33
.27
.40
.24
.40
.22
.22
.18
.25
. 19
.15
.24
.28
.25
.21
.22
.12
1.11
2. 38
2. 99
2. 57
.61
3. 86
. 51
.97
2. 90
.39
.30
1.58
.37
.25
1.20
1. 16
.28
19. 46
1.48
2.09
2. 68
1.27
1.70
.65
1. 73
1.93
.62
1.32
1. 24
.52
.73
.62
.23
1. 21
1.14
.29
1.11
1.42
. 54
.74
.63
.13
9.33
11. 55
6. 80
8.72
7. 43
6. 02
6. 72
7. 59
6.29
5. 35
5. 34
3.80
5. 25
5. 04
2. 48
6. 48
7.32
21.99
6. 66
7. 46
4. 38
1. 11
1. 52
.57
1.45
1.69
.99
.79
. 53
.57
.47
.55
.81
.46
.36
.73
.78
.83
1.07
2. 03
1.08
2.12
9. 38
8. 87
2. 33
7. 42
7.80
2.08
7. 57
7.44
3. 57
3.92
5. 68
1, 72
5.07
4. 73
1. 99
7. 86
7. 45
2. 67
4.10
5.01
1.51
10.49
10. 39
2. 90
8.87
9. 49
3.07
8. 36
7. 97
4.14
4. 39
6. 23
2. 53
5. 53
5. 09
2. 72
8 64
8. 28
3 74
6.13
6.09
3.63
D ec.
N ov.
D ec.
D ec.
N ov.
D ec.
D ec.
N ov.
D ec.
D ec.
N ov.
D ec.
D ec.
N ov.
D ec.
1942
1942
1941
1942
1942
1941
1942
1942
1941
1942
1942
1941
1942
1942
1941
3.48
4. 54
1.25
5. 78
5. 79
1.36
2.26
1. 65
.50
5. 95
6. 37
2. 22
3. 10
3. 62
1.63
.37
.64
.27
.36
.51
.24
. 14
. 16
. 11
.72
.96
.35
.29
. 17
.23
.68
.35
1.18
.52
.74
.94
.17
.29
.97
1.61
2. 21
4. 11
2. 42
1.21
4.20
1.38
1.82
.57
1.72
1.83
.57
1.41
1.27
.43
1.72
2.18
. 72
.90
1.23
.46
5.91
7. 35
3. 27
8. 38
8.87
3.11
3.98
3. 37
2.01
10. 00
11.72
7. 40
6.71
6.23
6. 52
. 10
.15
.39
.50
.67
.46
.27
.23
.66
.80
1.08
1. 76
1.09
.98
1.31
5.01
5. 87
2.02
7. 30
8.15
2.40
3. 49
3.08
1.64
6. 35
9.15
2. 68
6.00
7.61
3.68
5.11
6. 02
2. 41
7. 80
8. 82
2. 86
3. 76
3. 31
2. 30
7.15
10.23
4. 44
7.09
8. 59
4. 99
D ec.
N ov.
D ec.
D ec.
N ov.
D ec.
D ec.
N ov.
D ec.
D ee.
N ov.
D ec.
Dec.
N ov.
D ec.
1942
1942
1941
1942
1942
1941
1942
1942
1941
1942
1942
1941
1942
1942
1941
1.20
1.55
.66
4.53
4. 42
2. 26
2.08
2. 03
.48
7.14
7.89
2. 32
3.68
3. 99
.95
.08
.08
.28
.94
.54
1.59
. 16
. 16
1.45
1.25
.40
.96
.23
.48
1.20
.23
.92
.96
.22
.80
1.45
.37
1. 66
1.57
.30
1. 54
1.44
.50
1.41
1. 96
1.01
3.14
3.13
2. 75
6. 04
.59
.43
1.07
.04
.51
.57
.60
.35
.24
1.05
.84
1.05
.28
.24
.60
2. 23
2. 58
2 82
3. 01
4. 40
8 09
8 89
2. 92
4.14
3. 94
1. 55
11. 54
11.98
2.03
7.18
8. 82
1.60
See footnotes at end of table.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
T o ta l
acces
sion
1.56
1.51
.46
1. 65
1.81
. 76
. 59
. 74
.25
1. 16
1.18
.41
1.57
1. 75
.46
1.35
1.38
.40
1.50
1.81
.53
Foundries and machine shops..
Lighting equipm ent_________
N ew
h irin g
1.88
. 15
1.64
.45
.38
.60
2. 19
. 12
6. 52
.47
.51
1. 11
.66
.26
1.83
.34
.59
1. 16
.35
.48
1.24
F lour_______________________
Leather goods_______________
R e h ir
ing
0.26
.22
. 11
.67
.50
.31
. 26
.24
. 21
.37
.38
.31
.72
.47
. 34
.47
.57
. 13
.65
.58
.38
D yeing and finishing textiles....
K n it goods__________________
M is T o ta l
cella s ep a
neo u s2 ra tio n
3. 24
2. 88
.93
3. 62
3.49
1.40
5. 25
5.49
3. 01
4. 96
5. 49
2. 47
4. 02
5.20
2.06
7. 32
6. 34
1.94
3.83
4. 26
1 65
C otton m anufacturing_______
H ardw are___________________
Lay
off
1942
1942
1941
1942
1942
1941
1942
1942
1941
1942
1942
1941
1942
1942
1941
1942
1942
1941
1942
1942
1941
Cigars and cigarettes_________
Glass_______________________
D is
c h a rg e
D ec.
N ov
D ee.
D ec.
N ov
D ec.
D ec.
N ov
D ec.
D ec.
N ov
D ec.
D ec.
N ov
D ec.
D ec.
N ov
Dec.
D ec.
N ov.
Dec.
Chem icals__________________
F u rn itu re ___________________
Q u it
A ccession ra te s
.55
.52
.31
.22
.28
. 11
.34
.21
. 12
.24
.25
.08
.11
7. 15
6. 55
4. 39
5.21
4. 28
1.85
9. 25
10.02
4.14
5. 56
6.31
9.19
3.33
8.05
8. 38
2.35
3. 54
3. 59
1.31
10.49
11.14
.98
6.90
8. 58
1.00
597
Labor Turn-over
Turn-over Rates (per 100 Employees) in 42 M anufacturing
Industries 1—Continued
T a b l e 2 . — Monthly
A ccession ra te s
S ep aratio n ra te s
i
I n d u s tr y
D a te
Q u it
D is
charge
Lay
off
M is T o ta l
cella sep a
n eo u s2 ra tio n
R e h ir N ew
h iring
ing
T o ta l
acces
sion
D ec.
N ov.
D ec.
D ec.
N ov.
D ec.
D ec.
N ov.
D ec.
D ec.
N ov.
D ec.
1942
1942
1941
1942
1942
1941
1942
1942
1941
1942
1942
1941
4.64
4. 96
2.60
4.74
5.12
2. 34
8. 98
7.26
1.92
4.93
5. 35
2.40
0. 58
.44
.32
.34
.34
.23
.87
.65
.34
.78
.73
.46
2. 76
2.40
4.21
.69
1.55
2.24
2.53
1.85
5. 37
.51
.71
8. 04
1.26
1. 77
.70
.84
.90
.38
2.91
2.91
.85
2.15
1.87
.63
9.24
9.57
7. 83
6.61
7.91
5.19
15.29
12. 67
8.48
8. 37
8. 66
11.53
1.19
1.06
1.16
.89
1.21
1.14
2.64
3.59
5. 82
.48
.85
.98
4. 70
5.81
3.02
3.86
4. 82
2.15
15. 05
13.46
7.21
9.59
9.01
2. 46
5.89
6.87
4.18
4. 75
6.03
3.29
17. 69
17.05
13. 03
10.07
9.86
3.44
D ec.
N ov.
D ec.
D ec.
N ov.
D ec.
1942
1942
1941
1942
1942
1941
2. 96
3.17
1.98
4.86
5.01
3.01
. 24
.27
.30
.75
.67
.24
.48
.08
.50
3. 35
.95
6. 95
1.95
2. 20
.76
1.70
1.56
.62
5.63
5.72
3. 54
10. 66
8. 79
10.82
.29
. 13
.51
.95
.99
1.52
5.70
6. 24
2. 64
7.87
11.02
1.69
5.99
6. 37
3.15
8.82
12.01
3. 21
D ec.
N ov.
D ec.
T e x tile m a c h in e ry ___________ - D ec.
N ov.
D ec.
T o ols (n o t in c lu d in g edge tools,
m a ch in e tools, files, a n d s a w s )- D ec.
N ov.
D ec.
W oolen a n d w o rsted goods ___ D ec.
N ov.
D ec.
1942
1942
1941
1942
1942
1941
3. 65
4. 49
1.70
3.25
2.17
2. 25
.62
.77
. 15
. 18
. 16
.32
.90
3. 20
2. 52
. 11
. 29
.13
1.87
2.07
.48
1.73
2. 80
.91
7.04
10.53
4. 85
5. 27
5. 42
3.61
.31
.64
.41
.25
.45
.35
6.74
7. 02
2.81
4. 34
5.03
4.25
7.05
7. 66
3. 22
4.59
5.48
4. 60
1942
1942
1941
1942
1942
1941
3.61
4. 10
1. 70
3. 42
3. 58
2.10
.47
.40
.35
. 15
.20
.15
.41
.41
.26
.92
.94
1.31
1.45
1.43
.53
.91
1.61
.41
5. 94
6. 34
2. 84
5. 40
6. 33
3.97
.30
.35
.49
.87
1.34
1.19
6.19
6. 82
3. 83
3.41
4.19
2. 71
6.49
7.17
4. 32
4. 28
5. 53
3. 90
S aw m ills____
_ _ ______
____
_______
Silk an d ra y o n goods-
S lau g h terin g a n d m e a t p ac k in g S tam p ed a n d en a m ele d w a re ___
S te a m a n d h o t-w a te r h e a tin g
a p p a ra tu s ___ - ___________
S to v e s ____ - ___________
_____
S tru c tu ra l a n d o rn a m e n ta l m etalw o rk , ___ _ _ _ - - - - - - -
1 N o in d iv id u a l in d u s try d a ta sh o w n unless re p o rts cover a t le ast 25 p e rc e n t of in d u s tria l em p lo y m e n t.
2 M ilita ry s ep aratio n s in c lu d ed .
In the following table are given quit rates for strategic war in
dustries for which the publication of other turn-over data has been
restricted.
T a b l e 3 . — Monthly Quit Rates (per 100 Employees) in Selected War Industries
W a r in d u s try
D ecem b er 1942 N o v e m b e r 1942 D ecem b er 1941
A verage for 11 selected w a r in d u s trie s 1_________________
3. 40
3. 86
1.72
A irc ra ft_______ .
--- ---------------------- -------------A lu m in u m a n d m a g n esiu m p ro d u c ts 2---------- _ . . . . . .
B rass, bronze, a n d copper p ro d u c ts --- ----------- ------- -E lectrical m a c h in e r y ____ _ _ -------- ---------------E n g in es a n d tu rb in e s ----------- _
- -------------------------E x plosives____ - --------------------------------------------------------F ire a rm s _________________ __________ _______ ____
M e ta lw o rk in g m a c h in e ry ------------------- - ----------- -- - -S h ip b u ild in g ------ ----------- - _ --- -- ----------------- -- -
3. 69
3.82
4. 27
2.57
1.68
1.94
2.73
2. 35
4. 49
3. 93
4. 77
4. 46
2. 64
1.91
2. 39
3. 55
3.02
5. 41
2.28
1.80
1. 79
1. 29
1. 22
. 65
1. 05
1.58
2. 93
i In clu d es b la st furnaces, steel w orks, a n d rolling m ills a n d foun d ries a n d m a ch in e shops as sh o w n in
tuit;
2 B eginning in O ctober 1942 th e sam ple w as ex p a n d ed a n d now in c lu d es m a g n e siu m p ro d u c ts.
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BuiIding Opera îion s
*+++-+*'++*'+*'+'++'+++-*'+*'+*'++*-*-*-*-*-*-++++**-++-*-+*-*-+++-++4-+-*-4-*-*-+-*-*++++-»-+0--0-4--0:+4>+4t
SUM MARY OF BU ILD IN G CONSTRUCTION IN P R IN
CIPAL C ITIES, JANUARY 1943 1
BUILDING permit valuations for January 1943 were 62 percent
below those reported for January 1942. The most pronounced de
cline, 85 percent, occurred in the valuations of new non residential
buildings. Although contracts for Federal housing projects were
more than doubled this January, continued curtailment of private
building caused a 34-percent decrease in new residential building.
Valuations for additions, alterations, and repairs dropped 58 percent
between January 1942 and January 1943.
From December 1942 to January 1943 there was a decrease of 30
percent in proposed expenditures for building construction, chiefly as
a result of the 75-percent drop in new nonresidential building, and a
13-percent decline in additions, alterations, and repairs. Permit
valuations for new residential construction rose 36 percent during the
month, due to the public housing program for war workers.
C o m p a r i s o n o f J a n u a r y 1 9 4 3 W ith J a n u a r y a n d D e c e m b e r 1 9 4 2
The volume of building construction in 2,421 identical cities with
populations of 500 and over which reported to the Bureau of Labor
Statistics in January 1943, January and December 1942, is sum
marized in table 1 .
T able
1.— Sum mary of Building Construction fo r Which Permits W ere Issued in 2,421
Identical Cities, January 1943
N um ber of buildings
Class of construction
Jan u ary
1943
Percent of
change from—
Decem
ber 1942
Jan u ary
1942
P erm it valuation
Jan u a ry
1943 (in
thousands
of
dollars)
P ercent of
change from—
Decem
ber 1942
January
1942
All construction
31, 828
+10. 0
-2 1 .2
69,120
-2 9 .5
-6 2 .4
N ew residentiaL
New nonresidential
A dditions, alterations, and repairs
13, 785
2,482
15, 561
+48.2
-1 8 .7
- 6 .1
-3 .5
-5 5 .6
-2 4 . 2
44, 951
13,337
10, 832
+ 36.1
-7 4 .6
-1 3 .1
-3 3 .7
-8 5 .3
-5 7 .5
The number of new dwelling units for which permits were issued
and the permit valuation of such new housekeeping residential con
struction in the 2,421 cities reporting in January 1943 are presented
in table 2 . Percentage changes between January 1943 and December
and January 1942 are also shown.
! M ore detailed inform ation b y geographic divisions and population groups is contained in a separate
mimeographed release en titled “ Building Construction, Jan u ary 1943,” copies of w hich will be furnished
upon request.
598
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
599
Bu tiding Operations
T able 2. — Number and Permit Valuation of New Dwelling Units in 2.421 Identical
Cities, January 1943, by Source of Funds and Type of Dwelling
N um ber of dwelling u n its
Source of funds and type of dwelling
Jan u ary
1943
Percent of
change from—
Decem
ber 1942
Jan u ary
1942
Perm it valuation
January
1943 (in
thousands
of
dollars)
Percent of
change from—
Decem
ber 1942
January
1942
-8 0 . 7
+38. 1
44, 562
+ 7 .2
+63.1
19,632
All dwellings.
-6 9 .8
-3 0 .9
15, 065
-6 4 . 2
-2 9 .0
5, 114
P rivately financed..
-7 7 .9
-4 0 . 6
9,589
-7 3 .3
-3 5 .9
2,994
1fam ily______ ________
-1 5 . 6
-2
1
.
6
2, 087
-2 3 .2
843
2family i ___ __ _. ___ _________
_--1
- 8 .7
-1 7 .9
+ 13.4
3,389
-3 4 . 1
-1 4 .4
1,277
M ultifam ily 2-_. ______ ________
+
105. 1
+
182.1
29,497
+259. 7
+200. 2
14, 518
Publicly financed____________________
1 Includes 1- and 2-family dwellings w ith stores.
2 Includes m ultifam ily dwellings w ith stores.
The value of contracts awarded and force-account work started
during January 1943 and January and December 1942 on all construc
tion projects financed wholly or partially from Federal funds is shown
in table 3. This table includes other types of construction as well as
building construction, both inside and outside the 2,421 reporting cities.
T able 3. — Value of Contracts Awarded and Force-Account H orb Started on Construc
tion Projects Financed from Federal Funds in Specified Months
C ontracts aw arded and force-account work
starte d (thousands of dollars)
Source of funds
T o tal-
_
-
Ja n u a ry
1943 1
-
-----------------
R egular Federal appropriations 3------------------------------F e d e ra l Public Housing A u th o rity 4---------------------------
178, 651
1,704
101,500
75. 447
December
19422
Jan u ary
1942 2
356,950
714
313,947
42, 289
2,350,850
2,802
2,335,467
3 12,581
P relim in ary ; subject to revision.
2 Revised.
2 Exclusive of contracts aw arded for public housing.
4 Includes contracts aw arded for all public housing.
« Includes $9,072,915 for contracts aw arded on U. S. H . A. projects and $3,507,927 for contracts aw ardedfrom
regular Federal appropriations.
i
The value of all contracts awarded for public buildings and highways
to be financed wholly from State funds, as reported by the States for
January 1943 and January and December 1942, was as follows:
Public buildings
Ja n u a ry 1942___________________ $356, 793
D ecem ber 1942__________________ 300, 647
Ja n u a ry 1943___________________
127, 368
Highway construction
$9, 839, 102
4, 580, 475
780, 275
Building-permit data are collected by the Bureau ol Labor Statistics
each month from more than 2,500 places having a population of 500 or
more in 1940, from which are selected those for cities which also re
ported in the preceding month and in the corresponding month of the
previous year. In addition, the Bureau receives notifications of the
value of construction contracts awarded by Federal and State govern
ments. Federal and State building construction in the 2,421 reporting
c itie s totaled $34,674,000 in January 1943, as contrasted with
$54,025,000 in the previous month and $88,582,000 in January 1942.
The permit-valuation figures represent estimates of construction
costs made by prospective private builders when applying for permits
to build and the value of contracts awarded by Federal or State
governments. No land costs are included. I nless otherwise indi
cated, only building construction within the corporate limits of the
reporting cities is included in the tabulations.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Retail Prices
*+++++*+++**++++++*+*+*+**++*+++*+*+*+#**+*+*++++**+++**+**+**++»+*+++
FOOD PR IC E S IN JANUARY 1943
RETAIL costs of food advanced slightly between December 15, 1942,
and January 1 2 , 1943. The index reached 133 percent of the 1935-39
average, 0 .2 percent above December 15, 9.4 percent above May 12
(the last survey preceding control of prices at retail), and 14.5 percent
above January 1942. The average cost of foods in January 1943
rose 42 percent from August 15, 1939, the point immediately pre
ceding the outbreak of war in Europe.
The advance was a result of continued moderate advances in the
prices of meats, dairy products, and some other foods which are under
OPA control, and sharp declines for some fresh fruits and vegetables
which had risen steeply in the last few months. Prices of foods under
OPA control rose 0.6 percent and those not controlled by OPA (mak
ing up about 10 percent of the family food bill) decreased 2 .3 percent
from mid-December to mid-January, partly because of normal seasonal
declines and partly because of contraseasonal reactions from previous
high peaks. This was the first decline in uncontrolled foods since
May 1942; in January 1943 they were 27 percent above the May
level as compared with 1.8 percent for foods which have been under
control since that month.
The following statement shows the trend of food prices from Decem
ber 15 to January 1 2 .
Percent of change
from—
Dec. 15, 19f2, to
M ay 12, 1942, to
i Ji
KTJ+U
All foods--------------------------------------------------- + 0 . 2
Foods u nder d irect control, Ja n u a ry 12, 1943 + . 6
C ontrolled on M ay 18, 1942___________ + . 6
B rought u n d er control since M ay 18,
19421---------------------■_----------------------+ .3
ro o d s n o t u nder direct control Ja n u a ry 12,
1943---------------------------------------------- -------- —2. 3
KJ K ill
. J
1
lo
+9. 4
+7. 4
+ 1. 8
+ 1 8 .7
+27. 2
i Includes peanut b u tte r placed under control on M ay 18 and exem pted from control in August- new
ceilings were set m December.
s
'
Many factors other than price changes are affecting the family
food bill. Difficulties in obtaining certain foods are being reported
from all over the country and these short supplies have forced the
consumers to purchase substitutes which are not currently priced.
Reports of black-market operations for meats cannot be fully re
flected in official reports.
600
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
601
Retail Prices
Prices for five of tlie uncontrolled foods showed increases, while 3
declined. The increases varied from 1.3 percent for fresh and frozen
fish to 21.7 percent for cabbage. Decreases ranged from 5.6 percent
for spinach to 21.7 percent for carrots. Decreases for carrots and
spinach were contraseasonal, while lettuce showed the usual seasonal
decline after rising contraseasonally in December. All increases
reported among the other uncontrolled foods followed the usual
seasonal pattern.
Prices of canned and dried fruits and vegetables, coffee, and lard
and other shortenings, all under the mark-up type of OPA price ceiling,
advanced during the month, with short supplies reported locally for
most of these articles. Other significant increases reported from midDecember to mid-January included meats, dairy products, certain
fresh vegetables, and peanut butter. Retailers were given until March
10 to determine new ceilings for many commodities under the
mark-up plan, and the effects of these adjustments were noticeable
at the January pricing period and will continue through February and
the first part of March.
Percentage changes in retail costs of food on January 12 compared
with costs for January, May and December 1942, and August 1939
are shown in table 1 .
T a b l e I .— Changes in Retail Costs of Food in 51 Large Cities Combined, by Commodity
Groups
Percent of change, January
12, 1943, compared w ith—
Percent of change, January
12,1943, compared w ith—
All foods__________
1939
1942
C om m odity group
Dec.
15
M ay
12
Aug.
15
Dec.
15
+ 0 .2
+ 9 .4 +14.5 +42.2
D airy p roducts------- + 1.4
-.4
F ru its and vegeta
bles__________ -- - 1 .7
F resh ___ ______ - 2 . 6
+ 1 .2
C an n ed____. . .
D rie d _________ + 2.1
0
Beverages^
____
+ .7
F ats and oils______
-.2
Sugar_____________
Jan.
13
Cereals and bakery
+ .6 + 2 .5
0
products______
M eats______ ___ + 1.1 + 8 .4 +15.7
Beef and veaL__ + .5 + 3 .3 + 6 .5
+ .2 + 1 .9 +17.1
Pork__ _______
L a m b .. ______
+ • 7 +15.6 +22.2
Chickens--------- + 3 .3 +22.9 +29.9
Pish, fresh and
c an n e d ............ + 2 .9 +25.0 +30.0
+13.3
+40.8
+28.7
+42.6
+38.3
+47.4
1939
1942
Com m odity group
M ay
12
Jan.
13
Aug.
15
+ 8 .8 +10.5
+44.3 +27.2
+44.1
+83.6
+23.0
+23.6
+19.0
+26.1
+ 7 .8
+14.1
+ 7 .5
+56.0
+58.5
+41.0
+70.1
+31.2
+49.3
+33.3
+ 12.0
+ 13.2
+ 5 .3
+17.1
-.1
+ 3.1
+ .2
+89.5
D e ta ils b y C o m m o d ity G ro u p s
Indexes of retail food costs by commodity groups are presented
in table 2 for January 1943, January, May, November, and December
1942, and August 1939. The accompanying charts show the trend
and costs of all foods January 1913 to January 1943, inclusive, and
for each major commodity group for the period, January 1929 to
January 1943, inclusive.
512311—4:
•12
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
C
n
ots3
RETAIL COST OF ALL FOODS
AVERAGE FOR 51 LARGE CITiES
Monthly Labor Review—March 1943
UNITED STATES BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
603
R e ta il P rices
RETAIL COST OF FOOD
1935- 39=100
IN D E X
220
IN O E X
220
FRUIT S A ND VEC>ET/M3L ES
200
200
180
180
160
160
J
y
140
120
140
120
1
100
100
J___ ___
80
80
WyALL FOODS
___ 1___ 1___
60
160
60
160
CE REA LS AND BA KER Y FR0[ )UC‘rs
140
140
120
\^AL . FOODS
100
__
Va
•
120
100
80
80
60
60
160
UJ
:>
160
MS
140
140
y \ ''n
120
ALL FOOD >
120
100
80
60
100
yj
s / i
80
'
60
160
140
120
100
80
60
BUREAU OF LABOR ST A T IST IC S
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
604
Monthly Labor Review—March 1943
Indexes of Retail Costs of Food in 51 Large Cities Combined,1 by Commodity
Groups, in Specified Months
1 a b l e 2.
[1935-39=100]
1943
1942
1939
C om m odity group
Tan. 12 2
All foods-- -
_ ...
Cereals and bakery products .
M eats____ . . .
Beef and veal
P o rk _______
L am b_____
C hickens_____ . .
Fish, fresh and cannedD a iry p ro d u cts____. .
Eggs--------------------------------------F ru its and vegetables____
F resh_______
C anned________
D rie d __
Beverages_______ F a ts and oils__
Sugar___
Dec. 15
N ov. 17
M ay 12
J a n . 13
133.0
132.7
131.1
121.6
116.2
93.5
105.8
134.7
128.2
125.5
136.6
139.4
188.7
134.2
166.5
144.1
147.1
129.2
153.6
124.5
126.2
127.4
3 105.8
133.2
127.5
125.2
135.7
134.9
3 183.3
132.3
167.2
146.6
151.0
3 127. 7
150. 5
124.5
125.3
127.7
105.7
131.9
126.6
124.8
134.0
133.5
177.9
131.8
166.3
141.5
144.6
126.8
149.7
124.6
124.2
127.0
105.2
124.3
124.1
123.2
118.2
113.4
150.9
123.3
115.4
128.7
130.0
122.7
131.2
124.6
122.4
127.1
103.2
116. 4
120.4
107.2
111.8
107. 3
145.1
121.5
130.9
117.2
119.0
108.6
121.8
115.5
110.6
118.5
93. 4
95. 7
99. 6
88.0
98.8
94. 6
99.6
93.1
90. 7
92.4
92.8
91.6
90.3
94. 9
84.5
95.6
Aug. 15
1 Aggregate costs of 54 foods m each city, weighted to represent total purchases of families of wage earners
and lower-salaried w orkers, have been combined w ith the use of population weights
2 Prelim inary.
3 Revised.
Cereals and bakery products .—The largest advance shown for the
group was 3 percent reported for soda crackers with smaller increases
for rye bread, rolled oats, wheat flour, and vanilla cookies. Prices
of macaroni declined slightly and the average for other foods in the
group remained unchanged. Small increases were reported for white
bread in 5 cities, but the average for 51 cities combined remained
stable. The index for the group was unchanged from December
and was only 2.5 percent above January 1942, thus registering the
smallest increase of any food group over the year.
M eats .—The average for meats rose 1.1 percent, with increases of
3.3 percent for roasting chickens, 2.9 percent for fresh and canned
fish, and less than 1 percent for beef, veal, pork, and lamb. Increases
were well distributed over the country, the number of cities sharing
m the rise varying from 20 for salt pork to 43 for roasting chickens.
Local shortages were reported throughout the 51 cities for all meats
except fresh fish and chickens. The use of the latter two as substi
tutes for other meats indicates that family expenditures for meat
products may have risen more than the 1.1 percent shown in the index.
Dairy products .—The dairy-products index rose 1.4 percent from
mid-December to mid-January and is now 1 0 .5 percent above a year
ago. All commodities priced in the group shared in the increase.
Prices of fresh milk delivered to homes rose in 8 cities, accompanied
by increases in 13 cities for that sold through grocery stores. Six
cities showed increases of 1 cent or more per quart and the average
increase for the 51 cities combined was 1.3 percent for home delivery
and 2 .2 percent for grocery-store sales. Prices of butter increased
slightly and widespread reports of shortages for this commodity
were received. On January 8 the OPA placed evaporated milk under
the mark-up type of ceiling and the average prices for January 12
compared with December 15 showed a 4.3-percent increase. Cheese,
for which reports of’short supplies are beginning to come in, advanced
3 percent over the month.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
605
Retail Prices
Eggs .—Prices of eggs decreased less than the usual seasonal amount.
The average price of 59 cents per dozen on January 12 was 0.5 percent
below the December level. Twenty-four of the 51 cities reported
increases and 22 showed decreases, in January 1943 egg prices
were 27 percent above January 1942 and 83 percent above August
1939.
Fruits and vegetables.—Prices of all fruits and vegetables combined
decreased 1.7 percent from December 15 to January 1 2 , as a result of
sharp declines of fresh produce. Canned and dried fruits and vege
tables moved up 1.2 percent and 2 .1 percent, respectively. Canned
fruits and vegetables were 5.3 percent above May, fresh were 13.2 per
cent, and dried were 17.1 percent higher. The index for the group
was 23 percent above January 1942.
Beverages.—The index for beverages remained unchanged as coffee
advanced 2.1 percent and tea declined 3.2 percent over the 4-week
period. By mid-January beverages were 7.8 percent above the
previous year and 31 percent above August 1939.
Fats and oils.—The average for the fats and oils group increased to
a point 0.7 percent above December, 14 percent above the previous
year, and 49 percent above August 1939. Increases ranged from 0.4
percent for shortening in containers other than cartons to 3 percent
for shortening in cartons. Pure lard advanced 1.6 percent. These
commodities are under the mark-up type of ceiling. Peanut butter,
placed under ceiling on December 29, rose 3.7 percent in price, while
oleomargarine remained unchanged, and salad dressing decreased
slightly.
Sugar .—Prices of sugar remained fairly stable with declines in 11
cities being sufficient to cause a decrease of 0 .2 percent in the average.
In no city was there a change of more than 0 .2 cent per pound in the
average.
Average prices of 65 foods in 51 cities combined are given in table
3 for January 1943, May and December 1942, and December 1941.
T a b l e 3 . — Average Retail Prices of 65 Foods in 51 Large Cities Combined, January 1943
and January, M ay, and December 1942
1942
1943
Article
J a n . 12 >
Cereals and bakery products:
Cereals:
____ 10 pounds _
Flour, wheat- __.
M acaroni________ _______ ________ p o u n d ..
W heat cereal2_____ ______
28-oz. pkg _
__8 ounces
Corn flakes__________ ____
Corn m eal________________ ________ pound.R ic e 2_______
__ _ ____ __________ do ___
Rolled oats 2______________ __________ do___
Bakery products:
Bread, w h ite______ _ _____ __________ do ___
Bread, w hole-w heat________ __________ do___
Bread, ry e _____________
__________ do___
Vanilla cookies____________ __________ d c ___
Soda crackers______________ __________ do___
M eats:
Beef:
R ound steak. __ _________ ___________ do___
R ib ro ast_________________ __________ do ___
C huck ro a st. _____________ __________ do___
Veal: C utlets_______________ ___________ do ___
See footnotes at end of table.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Dec. 15
M ay 12
J a n . 13
Cents
55.9
14.1
24.2
7.0
5.2
12.5
8.9
Cents
55.6
14.2
24.1
7.0
5. 2
12. 5
8.8
Cents
51.6
14. 2
24.1
7.2
4.7
12.3
8.6
Cents
50.7
14.1
23. 9
7.2
4.5
10.2
7.8
8.7
9.6
9.7
26.7
17.3
8.7
9.6
3 9.6
26.2
16.8
8.7
9.5
9.7
27.7
16.4
8.7
9.5
9.6
26.1
15.3
44.9
35.2
30.6
55.5
44.7
35.0
30.4
55.3
44.2
34.0
28.9
53.6
42.3
33.2
28.2
52.5
606
Monthly Labor Review—March 1943
T a b l e 3. — Average Retail Prices of 65 Foods in 51 Large Cities Combined, January 1943
and January, M ay, and December 1942—Continued
1943
1942
Article
Jan. 12 1
M eats—Continued.
Pork:
C hops_____________________
Bacon, sliced_______________
H am , sliced 2_______________
H am , w hole________________
Salt p o rk __________________
Lam b:
Leg-----------------------------------R ib chops_________________
Po u ltry : Roasting chickens______
Fish:
Fresh, frozen_______________
Salmon, p in k _______________
Salmon, red 2_______________
D airy products:
Butter_________________________
Cheese________________________
M ilk, fresh (delivered)__________
M ilk, fresh (store)______________
M ilk, fresh (delivered and store) 2
M ilk, evaporated_______________
Eggs--------------------------------------------F ru its and vegetables:
Fresh:
A pples_____________________
B ananas___________________
O ranges___________________
G ra p e fru it2________________
Beans, green_______________
C abbage___________________
C arrots____________________
L e ttu c e ____________________
Onions____________________
P o tato es___________________
Spinach____________________
Sw eetpotatoes______________
Canned:
Peaches____________________
Pineapple__________________
G rapefruit juice 2___________
Beans, green 2______________
C orn______________________
Peas_______________________
Tom atoes__________________
D ried:
P ru n es_____________________
N a v y beans________________
Beverages:
Coffee_________________________
T e a __________________________
Cocoa 2____________________ ~~
F a ts and oils:
L a rd ___________________________
Shortening, other th an lard:
In cartons__________________
In other containers_________
Salad dressing__________________
Oleomargarine________________
P ean u t b u tte r__________________
Sugar and sweets:
Sugar______________'.___________
Corn siru p 2____________________
M olasses2____________ _________
1 Prelim inary.
2 N o t included in index.
3 Revised.
4 Composite prices not computed.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Dec. 15
M ay 12
Jan. 13
____ p o u n d ..
_____ do ___
______ do ___
----------do ___
----------do___
Cents
43.3
42.2
59.6
38.5
23.5
■ Cents
43.1
3 41.8
59.7
38.5
23.5
Cents
43.2
39.3
58.8
37.8
24.0
Cents
35.0
36.7
54.4
34.6
20.6
______ do ___
----------do ___
----------do___
39.0
47.5
44.4
38.8
47.2
43.1
33.8
41.3
36.1
31.5
39.5
34.2
______ do___
...16-oz. c a n ..
______ do___
(4)
22.3
40.7
____ pound __
--------- do___
_____ qu art __
----------do___
_____ d o .T_.
14J^-oz. can ..
_____dozen__
55.1
37.3
15.3
13.9
14.8
9.6
59. 0
54.8
3 36.2
15.1
13.6
14.6
9.2
59.3
45.7
34.0
14.9
13.5
14.4
8.7
40.9
42.4
34.8
15.0
13.7
14.5
8.8
46.4
____ p o u n d ..
______ d o ___
_____ dozen..
----------each..
____p o u n d ..
______ d o ___
____ b u n c h ..
--------- h e ad ..
____ p o u n d ._
__15 p o u n d s..
____ pound __
----------do___
7.4
10.8
39.0
6.0
19.6
5.6
8.3
13.4
5.5
53.8
11.8
6.3
7.1
11.0
3 44. 1
6.1
17. 0
4.6
10.6
16.0
5.0
3 51.8
12. 5
5.8
7.5
12.0
31.4
6.3
13.4
4.5
6.6
9.2
6.8
53.0
7.4
5.4
5.9
7.5
29.1
4.9
13.6
4.7
6.9
12.7
6.2
47.0
8.2
4.9
.No.
c a n ..
--------- do ___
. No. 2 can ..
______ do ___
______ do ___
--------- do___
______ do ___
25.5
28.9
13.4
14.3
13.9
15.0
12.3
25.3
29.1
13. 3
14.1
13.8
14.8
12.0
23.3
27.1
9.8
14.0
13.0
15.8
12.1
21.8
23.1
9.7
12.5
12.2
14.6
10.2
____ pound __
--------- do ___
16.3
9.5
16.0
9.2
12.3
9.0
11.0
8.8
--------- d o ___
-- Vi p o u n d ..
---Vi p o u n d ..
29.2
20.9
9.8
28.6
21.6
3 10.0
28.9
22.4
10.2
27.1
20.1
9.4
«
22.3
40.2
0)
21.8
40.0
w
20.3
37.5
____p o u n d ..
19.1
18.8
17.9
15.6
_____ do ___
______d o ___
--------- p in t..
____p o u n d ..
---------d o___
20.3
24.5
24.9
22.5
30.9
19.7
24.4
25.0
22.5
29.8
19.8
25.8
25.4
22.4
26.9
18.2
24.1
23.9
20.3
20.6
---------d o___
..24 ounces..
..18 ounces..
6.9
15.3
15.2
6.9
15.3
3 15.2
6.9
14.8
14.5
6.4
14.1
13.7
607
Retail Prices
D e ta ils b y C itie s
Increases in food costs between December 15 and January 12 were
distributed throughout the country, with 34 cities reporting advances,
16 showing decreases, and 1 (Chicago) remaining unchanged. The
largest advances were in Norfolk (2.1 percent), Buffalo and Atlanta
(1.8 percent), and Savannah (1.6 percent), where greater-than-ordinary
increases were reported for dairy products and fruits and vegetables.
Decreases of 1 percent or more in Detroit, St. Louis, and Los Angeles
were primarily due to large decreases for fruits and vegetables. All
cities showed increases of more than 10 percent over January 1942,
with Memphis reporting the greatest advance among the cities in
cluded in the index (19 percent).
Indexes of food costs by cities are shown in table 4 for January
1943, and January, May, and December 1942.
T a b le 4 . — Indexes of the Average Retail Cost of all hoods, by Cities,1 January 1943 and
January, M ay, and December 1942
[1935-39 = 100]
C ity
C ity
Jan.
12 2
Dec.
15
M ay
12
Jan.
13
U nited S tates______ 133.0
132.7
121.6
116.2
130.5 130.7
132.5 4131. 4
131.0 130.9
133.4 132.3
132.1 133.0
131.7 131.3
130.8 131.0
118.3
121.3
120.8
124.0
120.6
121.7
122.1
112.6
115.1
113.8
114.5
113.8
112.4
113.9
135.5
134.5
132.3
130.5
131.6
132.0
131.7
125. 2
120.9
118.0
119.4
121.4
122.3
121.0
118.4
116.0
115.4
113.9
116.9
116.3
114.6
129. 9 129.9
131.0 131.5
134.6 134.8
126.9 126.0
130.0 131.8
131.3 4131. 4
129.0 128.6
136.1 135.2
136.4 136.0
121.7
122.4
124.1
118.6
122.4
125.0
119.8
129. 0
128.0
116.0
115.8
117.8
113.5
115.0
118.1
113.3
118.6
119.8
127. 2
129.9
129.0
134.4
128. 1
118.8
120.9
119.9
123.8
118.7
112.2
114.9
113.1
119.8
113.4
N ew England:
Boston-- . _
BridgeportF all River
M anchester-- _ New H aven. ___
P ortland, M aineProvidence_____
M iddle Atlantic:
Buffalo- -- .-N ew ark-_ N ew Y ork- _ P hiladelp h ia--- . .
P ittsb u rg h ______
Rochester - Scranton_____ E ast N orth C entral:
Chicago
C incinnati
. .
Cleveland_______
C olum bus, Ohio-D etro it__________
Indianapolis_____
M ilw aukee______
Peoria__________
Springfield, 111___
W est N o rth C entral:
K ansas C ity _____
M inneapolis_____
O m aha__________
St. Louis_____ _
St. P a u l_________
137.9
135.5
133.1
130. 2
133.4
132. 2
133.7
127.3
129.1
128. 6
133.1
128.0
1942
1943
1942
1943
South A tlantic:
_____
A tla n ta .
B altim ore. - C harleston. S. C__
Jacksonville-------Norfolk 3________
Richm ond
S avannah_______
W ashington, D. C .
E ast South C entral:
B irm ingham - _
Louisville.-- -.
M em p h is________
M obile__________
W est South C entral:
D allas__________
H o u sto n .. ______
L ittle R o ck____ _
New O rleans____
M ountain:
B u tte ___________
D enver.
Salt Lake C ity ___
Pacific:
Los A n g eles...
P o rtlan d , Oreg___
San Francisco___
S eattle__________
Jan.
122
Dec.
15
M ay
12
Jan.
13
132.5 130.2
. 139.1 137.3
131. 0 129. 2
139.7 4138.3
139. 2 136. 4
132.4 131.3
139.8 137.6
133.8 132.7
120.4
125.8
123. 2
127.4
126.1
120.9
130. 3
120.7
114.3
119.0
116.4
120.2
121.1
115.7
121.2
116.4
131.4
128.9
137.2
139.5
130.2
128.0
137.1
138.3
120.5
122.6
123.5
126.8
115. 2
116.8
115.3
124.0
127. 2
134.8
130.6
144.8
126.9
134.4
131.1
142.9
116.8
125.9
123.2
129.0
112.7
120.1
117.9
123.0
131.8
132.6
139.0
132.7
132. 4
137.8
121.5
122.9
124.2
113.0
116.4
116.9
141. 4
146.4
141. 3
143.5
142.8
145.9
140.1
143.6
128.1
134.5
125.5
129.9
120.6
125.8
120.7
125.3
1 Aggregate costs of 54 foods in each city, w eighted to represent total purchases of families of wage earners
and lower-salaried workers, have been combined for the U nited States w ith the use of population weights.
P rim ary use is for tim e-to-tim e comparisons rath er th a n place-to-place comparisons.
2 Prelim inary.
2 Includes P ortsm outh and N ew port News.
«Revised.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
608
Monthly Lahor Review—March 1943
A n n u a l A v e r a g e i n d e x e s o f R e t a i l F o o d C o s ts , 1 9 1 3 - 4 1
Annual average indexes of food costs for the years 1913-41 and
monthly indexes for 1942 are presented in table 5."
T a b l e 5 . — Indexes of Retail Food Costs in 51 Large Cities Combined, 1913 to January
1943
[1935-39=100]
All-foods
index
Year
1913________
1914________
1915________
1916________
1917________
1918________
1919_______
1920________
1921............. ..
1922________
1923________
1924_____
1925________
79.9
81.8
80.9
90.8
116.9
134.4
149.8
168.8
128.3
119.9
124.0
122.8
132.9
Year
1926_______
1927______
1928____
1929____
1930________
1931________
1932______
1933________
1934________
1935________
1936________
1937_______
1938________
A11-foods
index
137.4
132.3
130.8
132. 5
126.0
103.9
86.5
84.1
93.7
100. 4
101.3
105.3
97.8
Y ear and
m onth
All-foods
index
1939________
1940_______
1941________
1942_______
95.2
96.6
105.5
123.9
1942
Jan u ary __
F eb ru ary ___
M arch .
A p ril_____
M ay _______
Ju n e _______
116.2
116.8
118.6
119.6
121. 6
123.2
Year and
m onth
All-foods
index
1942— Con.
Ju ly _______
A ugust_____
Septem ber. ._
O ctober.
N ovem ber. _
D ecem ber. __
124.6
126.1
126.6
129.6
131. 1
132.7
1943
J a n u a ry __
133.0
COAL PRICES, D E C EM B ER AND YEAR 1942
P r ic e s in D ecem b er 1 9 4 2
RETAIL prices of coal in 1942 maintained, with minor variations, the
level reached in January as a result of the sharp advances after June
1941, amounting to approximately 7 percent for bituminous coal and 8
percent for Pennsylvania anthracite. Seasonal reductions in 1942.
effective in April only, were 0 .8 percent for bituminous coal and about
1.3 percent for Pennsylvania anthracite. With the exception of 1941
the seasonal decrease was less than in any of the years since 1922.
Prices of coal in December were higher than in January 1942 by 0.1
percent for Pennsylvania anthracite and by 0 .5 percent for bituminous.
1he increase between these months in 1941 amounted to about 6.5
percent. Slight advances during 1942 were shown for prices of
Arkansas and Colorado anthracites, while New Mexico anthracite was
unchanged.
Prices of coal were controlled by mutual agreement with producers
and dealers until May 18, 1942, when formal price ceilings were estab
lished. I here have been several adjustments in ceiling prices of coals
produced in various localities to correct inequalities and to cover
higher costs of production and distribution.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
609
R e ta il P ric e s
Average prices of coal, together with indexes for bituminous coal and
for stove and chestnut sizes of Pennsylvania anthracite are presented
in table 6 for December and September 1942 and December 1941.
T a b l e 6 . — Average
Retail Prices of Coal in Large Cities Combined, December and
September 1942 and December 1941
Average retail price per
ton of 2,000 pounds
Index of retail price
(October 1922-September 1925 = 1001
Percent of
change Dec. 15.
1942, compared
w ith—
K ind of coal
1941
1942
1942
1941
1942
1941
Dec. 151 Sept. 15 Dec. 15 Dec. 151 Sept. 15 Dec. 15 Sept. 15 Dec. 15
B itum inous coal (35 cities) old series2.
Pennsylvania anthracite (25 cities),
new series:3
Stove________________________
C h estn u t___
_____________
Pea
B uckw heat
W estern anthracite:
Arkansas ffi cities)
Colorado (1 city)
N ew Mexico (1 city)
$9. 56
$9. 54
$9.50
97.2
97.0
96.5
+ 0 .2
+ 0 .7
12. 43
12.49
10. 56
8. 58
12.42
12. 48
10. 55
8. 57
12. 35
12. 43
10. 48
8. 52
88.3
88.9
88.2
88.8
87.7
88.5
+ .1
+ 1
+• 1
+■1
+ .7
+ .5
+ .8
+ .7
13.63
15.85
13. 63
15. 85
24. 72
4 13.57
15.81
24. 72
0
0
0
+ .4
+ .3
0
94 79
1 Prelim inary.
2 U nw eighted average. W eighted composite prices are in preparation.
3 W eighted on the basis of the distribution by rail or rail and tidew ater to each city during the 12-month
period from Aug. 1, 1935, to Ju ly 31, 1936.
4 Revised.
P r ic e s , 1 9 2 9
T h rou gh 1 9 4 2
Annual average prices of bituminous coal and Pennsylvania anthra
cite in 1942 were about 4 percent higher than in 1941. Prices of
bituminous coal were 5.9 percent above the level of 1929, while Penn
sylvania anthracite prices were lower—stove by 1 2 .2 percent and
chestnut by 9.0 percent. During these 14 years prices of bituminous
coal were at the lowest point in 1933 when the index, 79.1 percent of
the average in 1923-25, was 22.5 percent below the 1942 level. Penn
sylvania anthracite prices continued to move downward for 6 years
after bituminous prices began to advance and reached the lowest
point in 1939 when the indexes for stove and chestnut, which were about
77 percent of the 1923 -25 average, were 15 percent lower than in 1942.
Average prices and indexes for bituminous coal and for stove and
chestnut sizes of Pennsylvania anthracite are shown in table 7 by
years from 1929 through 1942, and by months for 1941 and 1942.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
610
Monthly Labor Review— March 1943
T a b l e 7. — Average Retail Coal Prices and Indexes fo r Large Cities Combined, 1929 to
December 1942
Average price per ton of 2,000 pounds
D ate
1929__________
1930______ __
1931___________
1932_______
1933_______________
B itum inous
(unweighted
average, 38
cities)
Index (October 1922-September
1925=100)
Pennsylvania anthracite
(weighted average, 25 B itum inous
cities)
(unweighted
average, 38
cities)
Stove
C hestnut
Pennsylvania anthracite
(weighted average, 25
cities)
Stove
C hestnut
$8. 85
8.83
8.33
7.71
7.65
$14.14
14.03
13.68
12.55
12.12
$13.70
13.66
13. 65
12.45
11.93
91.5
91.3
86.2
79.7
79.1
100.5
99.7
97.1
89.2
86.2
97.7
97.3
97.3
88.7
85.0
8.26
8. 29
8.42
8.58
12.18
11.38
11.74
11.05
11.92
11.14
11.01
11.19
85.4
85.7
87.1
88.4
86.6
80.9
83.5
78.5
85.0
79.4
82.7
79.6
8.61
8. 52
i 8. 60
9.15
9.53
10.96
10.79
11.33
11.96
12. 42
11.11
10.84
11.35
12. 02
12. 48
88.7
87.7
87.9
93.1
96.9
77.9
76.7
80.5
85.0
88.2
79.1
77.2
80.8
85. 5
88.9
J a n u a ry _________
F ebruary . . . .
M a rc h ______ _
April .
M ay . ______ . . .
J u n e _________
8.87
8.87
8. 88
8.86
8.85
8.89
11.64
11.63
11.63
11.64
11.62
11.51
11.67
11.66
11.66
11.67
11.64
11.57
90.3
90.3
90.3
90. 1
90. 1
90.5
82.7
82.7
82.7
82.7
82.5
81.8
83.0
83.0
83.0
83.0
82.8
82.4
J u ly ____________
A ugust.. ______
September . .
O ctober. _ .
N ovem ber_______
Decem ber. .
9.06
9.24
9.34
9.42
9.47
9.50
11.84
12.10
12.36
12. 40
12.35
12.35
11.88
12.17
12.41
12.46
12. 42
12. 43
92.0
93.8
94.9
95.8
96.3
96.5
84.1
86.0
87.8
88.1
87.7
87.7
84. 6
86. 6
88.3
88. 7
88.4
88. 5
Jan u ary __ _____
F ebruary
. ...
M arch .
. ...
A pril____________
M a y ____________
J u n e .. _ ____
9.52
9.51
9.51
9.43
9.46
9. 49
12.41
12.42
12. 42
12.28
12. 42
12. 41
12. 48
12. 48
12. 48
12. 29
12.48
12.48
96.7
96.7
96.7
95.9
96.1
96.6
88.2
88.2
88.2
87.2
88.2
88.1
88.8
88.9
88.9
87.5
88.8
88.8
Ju ly ____________
A ugust..
S ep tem b er.. . ..
O ctober_________
N ovem ber_____ _
December _ . _
9. 52
9.52
9.54
9. 54
9.55
9.56
12. 42
12. 42
12. 42
12. 42
12.42
12.43
12. 48
12. 48
12. 48
12.49
12.49
12.49
96.8
96.9
97.0
97.0
97.1
97.2
88.2
88.2
88.2
88.3
88.3
88.3
88.8
88.8
88.8
88.9
88.9
88.9
1934_____________ .
1935____________
.
1936________________
1937______________
1938__________________
1939__________________
1940________ . . .
1941____________ ____
1942 2_________
1941:
1942:
! 35 cities, beginning December 1940.
Prelim inary.
ESTA B LISH M EN T OF P R IC E C E IL IN G IN
1943 1
BRAZIL,
A TEMPORARY price ceiling, at the December 1 , 1942, level, was
established in Brazil for merchandise, products, and transportation,
by the Coordinator of Economic Mobilization. This ceiling will be
in force until the Coordinator can readjust prices to their appropriate
levels, taking into consideration the variations in foreign trade and
the results of studies on the subject.
'D a ta are from reports of W alter J. D onnelly, counselor for economic affairs of the U nited States
E m bassy a t Rio de Janeiro
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Retail Prices
611
The above order was issued on January 8 , 1943; further regulations
were published January 1 0 , 1943, and were effective from that date.
The prices effective on December 1 , 1942, were to be established as
ceiling prices within 10 days after January 8 , 1943, by the municipal
price commissions. Each commission was to ascertain what prices
were charged on December 1 , 1942, in its municipality by producers
and wholesale and retail dealers, and to publish within 10 days from
its first meeting a list of maximum prices of foodstuffs and basic
commodities of importance in the municipal area, to be effective
immediately. Within 30 days from date of publication of the above
list, it was to publish a price list of maximum prices of all the commer
cial products of necessity to the less-privileged classes. The com
missions are also charged with enforcing the observance of the price
list, making necessary changes, upon the advice of the Coordinator of
Economic Mobilization. They are required to receive and submit
to the Coordinator suggestions made by specified local organizations
or by any 10 reliable persons residing in the municipality who are not
of a relationship to each other closer than that of cousins, and shall
submit to the Coordinator’s Delegate for Price Control authentic
copies of all incoming complaints and of all decisions made. The
commissions must furnish data on prices fixed and price changes to
the Service of Statistics of Welfare and Labor of the Ministry of Labor,
Industry, and Commerce.
Each municipal price commission shall be organized under the chair
manship of the municipal mayor, with equal representation of sellers
and consumers. Presidents of specified local employer and commer
cial organizations and of worker and consumer organizations, certain
other specified persons, and additional members of both groups
chosen by the chairman, shall make up the personnel of each commis
sion. Decisions of the commission shall be made by majority vote of
members present, the chairman having the right to vote in case of a
tie; the minority may appeal from majority decisions to the Federal
Price Commission.
The first meeting of each commission was to be held within 72 hours
from date of publication of the regulations (January 1 0 , 1943), and
first appointments of members shall be effective for 120 days dating
from that meeting.
A Federal Price Commission, under the chairmanship of the Dele
gate for Price Control, with equal representation of employers, em
ployees, and specialized technicians, all appointed by the Coordinator
of Economic Mobilization, is authorized to supervise prices in the
Federal District, to review cases appealed from municipal price
commissions, and to exercise certain supervisory functions relating
to the price-control program for the entire country.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
SI h olesale I yrices
WHOLESALE PR IC E S IN JANUARY 1943 1
THE Bureau of Labor Statistics comprehensive index of 889 price
series in primary markets 2 reached a new war-time high of 1 0 1 .9 per
cent of the 1926 average during January. With continued advances
in prices for agricultural products and higher ceiling prices for coal,
and for mixed fertilizers in some areas, the all-commodity index rose
0.9 percent from December to January to the highest level in almost
17 years. Average prices for these commodities were over 6 percent
higher than in January 1942, and nearly 36 percent higher than in
August 1939.
Market prices for farm products advanced 2.8 percent in January.
Foods rose 0.9 percent; chemicals and allied products, 0 .7 percent;
miscellaneous commodities, 0.2 percent; and textile products, and
fuel and lighting materials, 0.1 percent. Building materials declined
slightly as a result of lower prices for several types of pine lumber, for
rosin, and for sewer pipe.
Quotations for raw materials advanced 2 percent in January to a
point nearly 63 percent over the August 1939 average, while semi
manufactured commodities increased 0.3 percent and manufactured
products were 0.5 percent higher than in December.
Except in a few instances, prices for most industrial commodities
have moved within narrow limits in the past 12 months under the
influence of Government regulation. Drugs and pharmaceuticals rose
31 percent as a result of increased taxes on alcohol. Ceiling prices
of coal were raised to compensate for higher production costs, and in
addition a transportation tax of 4 cents a ton was added. The Office
°f Price Administration also adjusted ceiling prices upward for mixed
fertilizers in some areas. Prices for some commodities, particularly
industrial fats and oils, paper and pulp, and plumbing and heating
fixtures were somewhat lower than they were in January 1942.
Quotations for most commodities have risen substantially over their
relatively low levels of August 1939. Among the outstanding increases
are 150 percent for industrial fats and oils, 114 percent for drugs and
pharmaceuticals, 108 percent for grains and cattle feed, over 9 5 per
cent for livestock and poultry, 85 percent for “ other farm products,”
75 percent for fruits and vegetables, from 60 to over 70 percent for
dairy products and cotton goods, and more than 50 percent for meats,
“ other foods/’ hides and skins, and “ other textile products.”
1 D uring th e period of rapid changes caused b y price controls, m aterials allocation, and rationing the
B ureau of Labor Statistics will atte m p t prom ptly to report changing prices. Indexes m arked (*), however,
m u st be considered as prelim inary and subject to such adjustm ent and revision as required b y later and more
complete reports.
2 T he B ureau of Labor Statistics wholesale price d ata for the m ost p art represent prices prevailing in the
“ first commercial transaction.” T hey are prices quoted in prim ary m arkets, a t principal distribution
points.
612
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Wholesale Prices
613
The increase in January for the farm products group was led by
advances of 6 .6 percent for grains and 4.3 percent for livestock and
poultry. Oats rose nearly 10 percent; corn, 8 percent; rye and wheat,
about 6 percent; and barley, over 2 percent. Quotations for live
poultry at New York were 13 percent higher, and at Chicago about 5
percent higher. Hogs, cows, and calves increased approximately 5
percent and higher prices were also reported for sheep and lambs.
In addition, cotton and peanuts advanced 4 percent and prices rose
sharply for onions, potatoes, hay, seeds, and tobacco. On the
contrary, citrus fruits were seasonally lower and eggs and wool also
declined. Average prices for farm products, which have risen 16
percent since January 1942, are nearly 92 percent higher than just
before the outbreak of the war.
Increases of 1.5 percent for cereal products and 1.4 percent for dairy
products largely accounted for the advance in the foods group index.
Quotations were higher for butter, cheese, and milk. Rye flour
advanced sharply during the month and higher prices were also
reported for oatmeal and cornmeal, for most fresh fruits and vegetables,
fresh beef, lamb, and dressed poultry, and for certain vegetable oils.
Prices for mutton, on the contrary, declined sharply.
Average prices for cotton goods advanced slightly because of higher
quotations for gingham and muslin.
Anthracite and bituminous coal and gasoline in the North Texas
area rose fractionally.
Weakening prices for rosin and sewer pipe, together with minor
declines in prices for Ponderosa and Idaho white pine lumber, brought
the building materials group index down 0 .2 percent. Higher prices
were reported for linseed oil and turpentine, for common building
brick, and for red gum, oak, sugar pine, and spruce lumber.
The advance of 0.7 percent in average prices for chemicals and allied
products was accoimted for by continued advances in prices for fatty
acids, Office of Price Administration action in raising prices for
mixed fertilizers in certain areas, and higher quotations for ground
bone. Phenol declined as a result of lower production costs.
Prices for boxboard, which has been selling below ceilings for some
time, rose 6 .2 percent in January. Higher prices were also reported
for soap products.
Average prices for cattle feed advanced 0.5 percent as a result of
higher quotations for bran and middlings. Cottonseed meal de
clined.
Percentage comparison of the January 1943 level of wholesale
prices with December 1942, January 1942, and August 1939, with
corresponding index numbers, are given in table 1 .
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
614
Monthly Labor Review—March 1943
T a b l e 1.-— Index
Numbers o f Wholesale Prices by Groups and Subgroups of Com
modities, January 1943, With Comparisons for December and January 1942 and
August 1939
[1926=100]
G roup and subgroup
All commodities___ _____ . . . ■ ___
Jan
uary
1943
D ecem P ercent
ber
of
1942 change
Jan
uary
1942
Percent
of
change
A u
gust
1939
Percent
of
change
*101.9
*101.0
+ 0.9
96.0
+6.1
75.0
+35.9
Farm products. _
________________. _
G r a i n s . _____ __________________ ..
Livestock and po u ltry ____ .
____
O ther farm pro d u cts___________________
117.0
107.3
129.2
111.5
113.8
100. 7
123.9
110.4
+ 2 .8
+ 6.6
+ 4 .3
+ 1 .0
100.8
95.9
105.7
98.4
+16.1
+11.9
+22.2
+13.3
61.0
51. 5
66.0
60.1
+91.8
+108.3
+95.8
+85. 5
Foods .
. . . . .
.
D airy p roducts______________ _ . . . . . .
Cereal p ro d u cts____ . . . . . . . ..............
F ru its and vegetables..
. --------- . .
M eats____ . . . .
..
_____ _ _ _ _ _ _
O ther foods___ ______
______
105. 2
113.4
90.6
102.6
115.5
96.2
104.3
111.8
89.3
104.3
113.6
95.9
+ .9
+ 1.4
+ 1.5
-1 .6
+ 1 .7
+ .3
93.7
96.0
91.1
78.3
101.6
91.0
+12.3
+18.1
- .5
+31.0
+13.7
+ 5.7
67.2
67.9
71.9
58.5
73.7
60.3
+56.5
+67.0
+26.0
+75.4
+56.7
+59.5
H ides and leather products__ . . . . . . . .
S hoes.. . ____
H ides and skins___ . . . . . . _______
L eath er____________ . . . . . ____ . . .
O ther leather pro d u cts_____ . . . _____ '
117.8
126. 4
116.0
101.3
115.2
117.8
126.4
116.0
101.3
115.2
0
0
0
0
0
114.9
121.1
115.3
101.4
113.3
+ 2 .5
+ 4.4
+ .6
-. 1
+ 1.7
92.7
100.8
77.2
84.0
97.1
+27.1
+25.4
+50. 3
+20.6
+18.6
Textile products ______________ . ----------C lo th in g .. .
. .
.
.. . . .
Cotton goods. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ----------------Hosiery a n d u nderw ear___ ___ ____ ____
R ay o n _____ ____
. . . ____ _____ .
Silk__________________________________
W oolen and worsted goods . .
O th er textile p roducts__ ____ _______
97.3
107.0
112.5
70.5
30.3
(i)
112 4
97.7
97.2
107. 0
112.4
70.5
30.3
(!)
112 1
97.7
+ .1
0
+ .1
0
0
93.6
101. 1
110.5
69.0
30.3
0)
103 0
97.5
+ 4.0
+ 5.8
+ 1.8
+ 2 .2
0
67.8
81.5
65. 5
61. 5
2S.5
44. 3
75 5
63.7
J-43.5
+31.3
+71.8
+14.6
+ 6.3
Fuel and lighting m aterials_______ . ______
A n th ra c ite .. . . .
. _ ---- _ _ _ _ -------B itum inous coal______________________
Coke___
...
___
E lectricity___
. . . . .
Gas .
____
__ _ . . .
....
Petroleum and products___ . . . . _____
79.3
88.5
112.5
122. 1
(i)
(I)
60.8
79.2
86.2
112.4
122.1
(i)
76.1
60.7
+ .2
78. 2
85.3
108.4
122. 2
67. 6
76. 4
59.5
M etals and m etal pro d u cts.. . . _ _ . _____
A gricultural im plem ents . . . ------Farm m ach in ery .. . . . .
....
Iron and stee l.. ________________
. ..
M otor vehicles
. .
Nonferrous m etals . . . . . . . .
.
...
Plum bing a n d h eatin g ------- -- -----------
*103.8
96.9
98.0
97.2
*112.8
86.0
90.4
*103.8
96.9
98.0
97.2
*112.8
86.0
90.4
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
103.5
96.7
97.8
97.0
112.4
85.4
93.6
B uilding m aterials_______ ._ ______ . _
Brick and tile. ______ . . . _____
Cem ent . .
L u m b er__ . . . .
_______ _______
P ain t and pain t m aterials
.............
Plum bing and heating . . . . . .
Structural steel. ___________ _________
O ther building m aterials____ ______ _.
109.8
98.7
94.2
133.3
100.6
90.4
107.3
102.2
110.0
98.7
94.2
133.3
100.3
90.4
107.3
103.0
-.2
0
0
0
+ .3
0
0
-.8
109.3
96.9
93.4
131.6
99.1
93.6
107. 3
103.1
Chemicals and allied products________ . ..
Chem icals_______________________ . . .
Drugs and pharm aceuticals... .
____
Fertilizer m aterials.
.
.
. . .
M ixed fertilizers . . . .
Oils and fats______ .
. . . . . ____
100.2
96.9
165. 4
79.0
85.3
101.5
99.5
96.1
165.4
79.0
82.8
101.5
+ .7
+ .8
0
0
+ 3 .0
0
H ousefurnishing goods. .
F u rnishings.. . . . . .
F u rn itu re _______ _____
....
___. . ____ _
102.5
107. 3
97.4
102.5
107.3
97.4
M iscellaneous commodities_____ . . . _____
Autom obile tires and t u b e s . _______ . _
C attle fe e d ... ----------- . -------------- . .
P ap er and p u lp .. .
. _______________
R ubber, cru d e____________________ . . .
O ther miscellaneous___________ ____ . . .
90.7
73.0
142.8
100. 1
46 3
94.9
Raw m aterials . . . .
Sem im anufactured articles_________ . . . _.
M anufactured p r o d u c t s .. _____ .
_____
All commodities other th a n farm products__
All commodities other th an farm products
and foods____ . . . . . . .
... . . .
...
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
♦Prelim inary.
+ 3
0
+9 1
+ .2
+48 Q
+53.4
+ 9 .2
+22.7
+17.2
+17.2
+ 2.2
72.6
72.1
96.0
104.2
75. 8
86 7
51.7
+17.6
+ .3
+ .2
+ .2
+ .2
+ .4
+ .7
- 3 .4
93.2
93.5
94.7
95.1
92.5
74.6
79.3
+11.4
+ 3.6
+ 3.5
+ 2.2
+21.9
+15.3
+14.0
+1 3
+ 1.5
- 3 .4
0
-.9
89.6
90.5
91.3
90.1
82.1
79.3
107. 3
89.5
+22. 5
+9.1
+3. 2
+47.9
+22.5
+14.0
0
+14.2
96.0
95.3
126.3
78.6
81.8
106.4
+ 4.4
+ 1.7
+31.0
+ .5
+ 4.3
- 4 .6
74.2
83.8
77.1
65.5
73.1
40.6
+35. 0
+15.6
+114.5
+20.6
+16.7
+150.0
0
0
0
102.4
107.2
97.4
+ .1
+ .1
0
85.6
90.0
81.1
+19.7
+19.2
+20.1
90.5
73.0
142.1
99.0
46.3
94.9
+ .2
0
+ .5
+ 1.1
0
0
89.3
71.0
135. 2
102. 8
46.3
92.5
+ 1.6
+ 2.8
+ 5 .6
-2 .6
0
+ 2.6
73.3
60.5
68.4
80.0
34.9
81.3
+23.7
+20.7
+108.8
+25. 1
+32.7
+16 7
108.2
92.8
*100.1
*98.5
106.1
92.5
*99.6
*98.1
+ 2 .0
+ .3
+ .5
+ .4
96.1
91.7
96.4
94.8
+12.6
+ 1 .2
+ 3.8
+ 3.9
66.5
74. 5
79.1
77.9
+62.7
+24. 6
+26.5
+26.4
*96.0
*95.9
+ .1
94.6
+ 1.5
80.1
+19.9
+ 2.7
+ .1
0
i D ata n o t available.
+ 3.8
+3 8
-, 1
+ 1 .9
Wholesale Prices
615
I n d e x N u m b e r s b y C o m m o d i t y G r o u p s , 1 9 2 6 to J a n u a r y 1 9 4 3
Index numbers of wholesale prices by commodity groups for selected
years from 1926 to 1942, inclusive, and by months from January 1942
to January 1943, inclusive, are shown in table 2.
T a b l e 2 . — Index Numbers of W holesale Prices by Groups of Commodities
[1926 = lOOj
Year and m onth
1926____________
1929____________
1932____________
1933____________
1936____________
1937 _ __________
1938____________
1939____________
1940____________
1941_.. _______
1942____________
Hides Tex
Farm
and
tile
prod Foods leather prod
prod ucts
ucts
ucts
etals
Fuel Mand
and
etal
light m
prod
ing
ucts
100. 0
104.9
48.2
51.4
80.9
86.4
68.5
65.3
67.7
82.4
105.9
100. 0
99.9
61.0
60.5
82.1
85.5
73.6
70.4
71.3
82.7
99.6
100.0
109.1
72.9
80.9
95.4
104.6
92.8
95.6
100.8
108.3
117.7
100.0
90.4
54.9
64.8
71.5
76.3
66.7
69.7
73.8
84.8
96.9
100.0
83.0
70.3
66.3
76.2
77.6
76.5
73.1
71.7
76.2
*78.5
100. 8
101.3
102. 8
104.5
104.4
104.4
105.3
106.1
107.8
109.0
110.5
113.8
93.7
94.6
96. 1
98.7
98.9
99.3
99.2
100.8
102. 4
103.4
103.5
104.3
114.9
115.3
116. 7
119.2
118.8
118.2
118.2
118.2
118. 1
117.8
117.8
117.8
117.0
105.2
117.8
Chem i
B uild cals
House- M is
and furnish
ing
cella
m ate allied
ing
prod goods
neous
rials
ucts
All
cornmodi
ties
100.0
100. 5
80.2
79.8
87.0
95.7
95.7
94.4
95.8
99.4
* 103. 8
100. 0
95.4
71.4
77.0
86.7
95.2
90.3
90.5
94.8
103.2
110.2
100. 0
94. 0
73.9
72.1
78.7
82.6
77.0
76. 0
77.0
84.6
97.1
100.0
94.3
75.1
75.8
81.7
89.7
86.8
86.3
88. 5
94.3
102.4
100.0
82.6
64.4
62.5
70.5
77.8
73.3
74.8
77.3
82. 0
89.7
100. 0
95.3
64.8
65.9
80.8
86.3
78.6
77.1
78.6
87.3
*98.8
93.6
95.2
96.6
97.7
98.0
97.6
97. 1
97.3
97. 1
97. 1
97. 1
97.2
78.2
103.5
78.0
103.6
77.7
103. 8
77.7
103.8
78. 0
103.9
78.4
103.9
79.0
103.8
79. 0
103.8
79.0
103.8
79.0
103.8
79. 1 * 103. 8
79.2 * 103. 8
109.3
110.1
110. 5
110.2
110.1
110. 1
110.3
110. 3
110.4
110.4
110. 1
110.0
96.0
97.0
97. 1
97. 1
97.3
97.2
96.7
96.2
96.2
96. 2
99.5
99.5
102.4
102.5
102.6
102.8
102. 9
102.9
102.8
102. 7
102. 5
102.5
102.5
102.5
89.3
89.3
89.7
90.3
90.5
90.2
89.8
88.9
88.8
88.6
90. 1
90.5
96.0
96.7
97.6
98.7
98.8
98.6
98.7
99. 2
99.6
100. 0
*100.3
*101.0
97.3
79.3
109.8
100. 2
102. 5
90.7
*101.9
1942
J a n u a ry ________
F e b ru a ry ^
M arcn ___
A pril....................._
M ay ___________
June. _ ____
.
Ju ly ____________
A ugust_________
Septem ber______
O ctober______ _
Novem ber . __
D ecem ber.
_ .
1943
Jan u a ry _____
*113.8
*Preliminary.
The price trend for specified years and months since 1920 is shown
in table 3 for the following groups of commodities: Raw materials,
semimanufactured articles, manufactured products, commodities
other than farm products, and commodities other than farm products
and foods. The list of commodities included under the classifications
“Raw materials,” “Semimanufactured articles,” and “Manufactured
products” was shown on pages 10 to 12 of Wholesale Prices, December
and Year 1941, Serial No. R. 1434.
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616
Monthly Labor Review—March 1943
T a b l e 3 . — Index Numbers of Wholesale Prices by Special Groups of Commodities
[1926 = 100]
Y ear and
m onth
Raw
m ate
rials
Semim anufactured
a rti
cles
All
com
m
odi
M an
ufac
ties
tured other
prod th a n
farm
ucts
prod
ucts
1926________ 100.0 100.0 100.0
1929______ - 97.5 93.9 94.5
1932________ 55.1 59.3 70.3
1933________ 56. 5 65.4 70. 5
79.9 75.9 82.0
1936
1937________ 84.8 85.3 87.2
1938________ 72. 0 75.4 82.2
70.2 77.0 80.4
1939____
1940________ 71.9 79. 1 81.6
1941___
... 83. 5 86.9 89. 1
1942________ 100.6 92 6 *98. 6
All
com
m odi
ties
other
th a n
farm
prod
ucts
and
foods
100.0
93.3
68.3
69.0
80. 7
86.2
80.6
79.5
80.8
88.3
*97.0
100.0
91.6
70.2
71.2
79. 6
85.3
81.7
81.3
83.0
89.0
*95.5
94.8
95.5
94.6
94. 9
Y ear and
m onth
SemiRaw manm a te ufacrials tured
a rti
cles
All
com
M an m odi
ufac
ties
tured other
prod than
farm
ucts
prod
ucts
All
com
m odi
ties
other
than
farm
prod
ucts
and
foods
m s — 'C on.
M arch _
98.2
April
____ 100.0
M a y . ____
99. 7
Ju n e ________ 99.8
J u ly ________ 100. 1
A ugust. . . ... 101. 2
Septem ber__ 102. 2
October
. _ 103. 0
N ovem ber__ 103.9
D ecem ber. __ 106.1
m 2
92.3 97.8
92.8 9.8. 7
92. 9 99. 0
92.8 98.6
92.8 98.6
92. 7 98.9
92.9 99.2
92.7 99.4
92.6 *99.4
92. 5 *99. 6
96. 2
97. 2
97.4
97. 1
97.0
97.5
97.7
97.9
*97.9
*98.1
92.8 *100.1
*98.5
95.2
95. 6
95. 7
95.6
95. 7
95.6
95. 5
95.5
*95. 8
*95.9
1943
Jan u a ry _____ 96.1
F ebruary . . . 97.0
91.7
92.0
96.4
97.0
J a n u a ry _____ 108. 2
*96.0
*Preliminary.
It eekly Fluctuations
Weekly changes in wholesale prices by groups of commodities during
December 1942 and January 1943 are shown by the index numbers in
table 4. These indexes are not averaged to obtain an index for the
month but are computed only to indicate the fluctuations from week
to week.
T a b l e 4 . — Weekly Index Numbers of Wholesale Prices by Groups of Commodities,
December 1942 and January 1943
[1926=100]
Com m odity group
All com m odities-. - ___________
Jan.
30
Jan.
23
Jan.
16
Jan.
9
Jan.
2
Dec.
26
Dec.
19
Dec.
12
*101.8 *101.7 *101.6 *101.4 *101.2 *101.2 *100. 7 *100. 5
117.7
F arm products______ __________
Foods___ ______ _______________ 105.0
H ides and leather products- - - - 118.4
Textile products. _ - - - - ------ - - 96.8
F u el and lighting m aterials - _ .__ ._ 80.1
*100. 1
112.0
104,0
118.4
96.6
80.0
110.6
103.3
118.4
96.6
79.8
M etals and m etal products . _____ *103.9 *103. 9 *103. 9 *103.9 *103.9 *103.9 *103.9 *103. 9
Building m aterials._____
110.1 110.0 110. 0 110.0 110.0 110.0 110. 0 110.0
Chem icals and allied products. _:. .
99. 5
99.5
99.5
99.5
99.5
99.5
99. 5
99. 5
Housefurnishing goods.___ . . . ..
104.1 104.1 104.1 104.1 104.1 104.1 104.1 104. 1
M iscellaneous.
.
---- 90.5
90.5
90. 5
90.4
90.4
90.4
90.4
90.3
*103. 9
110.0
99. 6
104.1
90.0
R aw m aterials . . . . . .
Sem im anufactured articles.- . . . . . .
M anufactured products . ___ ______
All commodities other th a n farm
p ro d u c ts.___________________ ___
Ail commodities other th a n farm
products and f o o d s . ____ _ . .
'Prelim inary.
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117.2
104.7
118.4
96.8
80.1
116.6
104.8
118.4
96.7
80.1
116.1
104. 4
118.4
96.7
80.0
115.4
104.2
118.4
96.7
79.9
115.2
104.6
118.4
96.6
79.9
108.3 108.0 107.6 107.2 106.7 106. 6
92.5
92.5
92.5
92.5
92.5
92.4
*100. 3 *100. 3 *100.3 *100.2 *100.1 *100.1
113.3
104.2
118.4
96.6
79.9
Dec.
5
105. 4
92.5
*99.8
104.7
92.5
*99.8
103.7
92.5
*99.7
*98.4
*98.4
*98.3
*98.2
*98.2
*98.2
*98.0
*98.0
*97.8
*96.3
*96.3
*96.3
*96.2
*96.2
*96.2
*96.2
*96.2
*96.1
Trend o f Employment and Unemployment
SUMMARY OF REPORTS FOR JANUARY 1943
THE total number of employees in nonagricultural establishments
January 1943 was 37,906,000, about 3 million more than were em
ployed in January 1942, 6 million more than in January 1941, and 8
million more than in January 1940. These figures do not include
proprietors of unincorporated businesses, self-employed persons,
domestics employed in private homes, public emergency employees,
and personnel in the armed forces.
Two-thirds of the gain in employment over the year was in the
manufacturing industries, which accounted for an increase of 2,251,000.
Chief employment decreases were noted in trade (364,000), contract
and Federal force-account construction (204,000), and minino
(91,000).
Between mid-December and mid-January there was a decrease of
about a million workers due almost entirely to seasonal declines in
trade and in construction. This decline is somewhat less than the
average December-to-January change which has occurred in recent
years.
Manufacturing employment was 15,719,000—slightly more than in
December. This is the first time since 1935 that manufacturing
employment has not been lower in January than in December. Usu
ally there is a decline of more than 100,000 over this period. All other
industry divisions showed seasonal declines—about the same amount
as in recent years. These ranged from 11,000 in mining to 216,000
in construction and. 715,000 in trade.
industrial and Business Employment
The momentum of the war effort has been most strongly felt in
those industries largely engaged in production for war use. Industries
of the durable-goods group enploying 7,886,000 wage earners in
January gained 1,779,000 workers since January 1942. This increase
was largely confined to the metal and metalworking groups, which
are now engaged almost entirely in war work; while such groups as
lumber and timber products, furniture and finished lumber prod
ucts, and stone, clay, and glass products reported decreases.
The transportation equipment group, which employed 2,068,000
wage earners, added the largest number to its pay roll, more than a
million since January 1942 and 70,000 during the month. The largest
numerical decrease, on the other hand, was in the lumber and timber
basic products group, which employed 499,000 in January 1943,
44,000 less than in January 1942, and 16,000 less than in December
1942.
512311—43----- 13
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Monthly Labor Review—March 1943
618
The nondurable-goods industries gained only 276,000 over the year
and registered a decline from December to January. Wage-earner
employment in the nondurable group in January was 5,625,000, 5
percent above the level in the first month of last year. Chiefly re
sponsible for the increase were chemicals and allied products and rub
ber products (reflecting munitions orders) and food and kindred
products. On the other hand there was no increase of employment
in textiles, apparel, or leather products despite large war orders in
these industries. Over the month interval only 3 of 11 nondurable
industry groups showed increases—chemicals and allied products
(13.000), rubber products (3,000), and paper and allied products
( 1. 000 )
.
Employment in both wholesale and retail trade showed sizable
declines which reflected the usual reduction in temporary personnel
employed to handle the Christmas holiday trade. Street-railway and
bus companies continued to take on more workers to meet increased
demands. The gain over the month was between 1 and 2 percent.
In spite of the shortage of labor confronting most bituminous-coal
operators, this industry reported an increase of more than 1 percent
in wage-earner employment from mid-December to mid-January.
The anthracite industry, however, reported a decline in employment
of nearly 10 percent, due largely to the strike situation.
T a b l e 1.— Estimated Number of Wage Earners and Indexes of Wage-Earner Employ
ment, in Manufacturing Industries, by Major Group 1
[Subject to revision]
----- *---------------------------------------E stim ated num ber of wage
earners (thousands)
W age-earner
indexes
(1939=100)
In d u stry group
Jan u
ary
1943
No
De
Janu
cember vember
ary
1942
1942
1942
All m anufacturing.
. . . . ----..
.
- ---D urable goods- ----------------------N ondurable g o ods-._ ...
13, 511
7, 886
5,625
13,482
7, 781
5,701
13, 267
7,597
5, 670
Iron and steel and th eir products
.
. ..
.
-----------Electrical m achinery
-- ------M achinery, except electrical ------ -- -- ----- ----T ransportation equipm ent, except automobiles , , . _
_ ---------- ------- . . - —
Automobiles___
Nonferrous m etals and th eir products - ________ _
L um ber and tim ber basic products
...
_
... _
F u rn itu re and finished lum ber p ro d u cts___
Stone, clay, and glass products _.
Textile-mill products and other fiber m anufactures___
Apparel and other finished textile p ro d u c ts--.
.. _
L eather and leather p r o d u c t s . . . ----- . ------------- _
Food and kindred p roducts. _ _ — _ _ . ----Tobacco m anufactures------ ----------- - . --------Paper and allied products------ ------------ -----___
Printing, publishing, and allied industries___
Chemicals and allied p ro d u c ts .. ------------- -------- —
Products of petroleum and coal-. . . . -----. . .
-----R ubber products ____________________________ —
M iscellaneous in d u strie s.-. ------..
----------- .
1,691
660
1, 203
2,068
2 640
405
499
359
361
1,271
882
361
965
96
310
332
721
123
183
381
1, 676
649
1,190
1,998
615
405
515
365
368
1,287
886
364
1,021
99
309
342
708
124
180
381
1, 643
630
1,168
1,909
592
398
526
363
368
1,277
887
363
1,038
100
304
338
693
125
174
371
Janu
ary
1943
De
cember
1942
164.9
218.4
122.8
164.6
215.5
124.4
1,515
170.6
493
254. 7
979
227.7
958 1,302.6
490 2 159.0
362
176.7
543
118.7
392
109.5
375
122.9
1,294
111. 1
890
111. 7
377
104.0
925
113.0
92
103.0
329
117.0
345
101.3
496
250.1
122
116.1
146
151.3
333
155.6
169.0
250.3
225.1
1,258.8
152.9
176. 5
122.5
111.3
125. 5
112.5
112.2
104.9
119.5
106.3
116.4
104.2
245.7
117.4
149.0
155.9
11,456
6,107
5,349
1 T he estim ates and indexes presented in th is table have been revised since the publication of December
' data. A djustm ents have been m ade to final d ata for 1941 and prelim inary d ata for the second quarter of
1942, made available by th e B ureau of E m ploym ent Security of the Federal Security Agency. Estim ates
and indexes for th e period Jan u ary 1939 to October 1942, comparable to the d ata in th e above table, will be
released in about 1 week.
2 E stim ate based on incom plete sample.
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Trend of Employment and Unemployment
619
Public Employment
War-agency employment in the Federal executive service rose
87.000 during January 1943 but the laying off of temporary postal
employees who wTere hired for the heavy Christmas business, seasonal
declines in the Interior and Agriculture Departments, and the closing
of some Tennessee Valley Authority projects offset all but 2,000 of the
war-agency increase. Federal employment rose since January 1942,
however, by 1,173,000 with an increase in war-agency employment of
1.211.000 and a decrease in employment in other agencies of 38,000.
The latter decline, however, was almost altogether the result of the
transfer of employees of the United States Employment Service, the
National Youth Administration, and certain other employees of the
Federal Security Agency to the War Manpower Commission in
December 1942.
The WPA and CCC programs reduced personnel in January 1943
by 48,300 and 400, respectively, while the NYA dropped 1,140 from
its war production training program and added 4,580 persons on the
student work program. In January 1943 personnel on the WPA and
CCC programs aggregated 289,000 and on the NYA 171,000—or
874.000 and 373,000 fewer persons, respectively, than a year ago.
Employment on Federally financed construction and shipbuilding
and repair projects decreased 3,900 from mid-December 1942 to
mid-January 1943 as the result of seasonal declines on nonresidential
building construction and reclamation projects and the completion of
certain airport construction projects. Partially offsetting these
declines were additions on housing, river, harbor, and flood control
projects, and ship construction and repair. The employment increase
on all Federally financed construction and shipbuilding projects since
January 1942 was 1,194,000. Contrary to prior practice, the construc
tion employment figures which appear in table 2 include employment
on ship repairs as well as that on new ship construction.
For the regular Federal services, data for the legislative, judicial,
and force-account employees are reported to the Bureau of Labor
Statistics by the respective offices; for the executive-service employees,
data are reported through the Civil Service Commission. The
Bureau of Labor Statistics receives monthly reports on employment
and pay rolls for the various construction projects financed wholly
or partially by Federal funds directly from the contractors and sub
contractors, and for the NYA, WPA, and CCC programs from the
respective agencies.
A summary of employment and pay-roll data for the regular
Federal services, for construction projects financed wholly or partially
from Federal funds, and for other Federal programs is given in table 2.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
620
Monthly Labor Review—March 1943
T a b l e 2 . — Employment and P ay Rolls in Regular Federal Services and on Projects
Financed Wholly or Partially From Federal Funds
[Subject to revision]
Em ploym ent
P ay rolls
Service or program
Jan u ary
1943 2
Decem
ber 1942
Jan u ary
1942
J anuary
1943 2
December
1942
Jan u ary
1942
Federal services:
Executive 1_________________ 2,916,104 2, 913, 874 1, 742, 980 $544, 878, 304 $481, 875, 821 $265, 401, 399
Ju d icial... -----------------------2, 397
2, 636
2, 584
708, 351
710, 948
667, 221
6, 212
Legislative_________________
6, 354
6,406
1, 420, 289
1, 434, 978
1, 380, 152
Construction projects:
Financed from regular Federal ap p ro p riatio n s3__ ____ 2, 228, 200 2, 238, 411 1,147, 593 462, 616, 300 475, 713, 777 203, 873, 426
W ar___________________ 2, 143, 200 2,151, 368 1, 044, 028 447, 352, 800 460, 083, 081 188, 708, 474
O ther. _______ . . . . .
85,000
87,043
103, 565
15, 263, 500
15, 630, 696
15,164, 952
Public housing 4____________
76, 500
74, 469
58, 770
11, 727, 900
11, 447, 239
8, 027, 001
W ar public w orks___
.
11,100
2, 299
11, 734
1, 514, 200
1, 600, 601
344, 505
Financed by R F C 3_________ 102,900
98,031
15, 626
20, 385, 500
19, 420, 549
3,129, 694
W ar___________________
102,000
96, 944
13, 877
20, 218, 700
19, 239, 232
2, 845, 794
O ther____________ . . . _.
900
1,087
1, 749
166, 800
181, 317
283,900
O ther programs:
N ational Y outh A dm inistration 8____________ ______
170,973
167, 533
544, 327
3,122,165
3, 014, 572
7, 661, 217
Student work program __
90,862
306, 843
86, 280
671,165
722, 465
1,847,803
W ar production training
program 7_______ ____
80, 111
81, 253
237, 484
2, 451, 000
2, 292,107
5, 813,414
W ork Projects A dm inistration p rojects______________ 288, 652
336, 934 1, 023, 703
18, 590, 172
22, 971, 789
62, 740, 558
106, 562
325, 055
W a r___________________
19, 697, 972
(*)
(8)
(8)
O ther_______ . . . . _
230, 372
698,648
43,042, 586
(8)
(8)
(8)
C ivilian Conservation Corps...
511
943
139, 464
84, 880
143, 586
6, 864, 646
1 Includes force-account employees and employees in U nited States navy yards also included under con
struction projects, and supervisory and technical employees included under N Y A, W PA , and CCO.
2 D a ta p artially estim ated.
3 Includes ship construction and repair in private shipyards and U nited States nav y yards. D a ta in
previously published series excluded em ploym ent on ship repair.
4 Includes all Federal housing projects, including those formerly under the U nited States H ousing A u
thority.
1 Includes employees and pay roll of the R F C M ortgage Co.
8 Beginning Ju ly 1942 the N ational Y outh A dm inistration was considered a training program for w ar
work, rather th a n a work-relief program. Value of m aintenance is included in the pay-roll d ata for J a n u
ary 1942 b u t excluded from D ecember 1942 and Jan u a ry 1943.
7 Called the out-of-school work program prior to Ju ly 1942.
8 Break-down no t available.
DETAILED REPORTS FOR INDUSTRIAL AND
BUSINESS EMPLOYMENT, DECEMBER 1942
E s tim a te s o f N o n a g r ic u ltu r a l E m p lo y m e n t
ESTIMATES of civil employees in nonagricultural establishments
by major groups are given in table 1. With the exception of the
trade and finance-service-miscellaneous groups, they are not com
parable with estimates published in the September 1942 or earlier
issues of the Monthly Labor Review. Revisions for the years 1929
to 1939 are contemplated, and comparable figures for the months
from January 1939 to July 1942 are given in the October 1942 issue
of the Montidy Labor Review.
The estimates are based on reports of employers to the U. S.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, on data made available by the Bureau
of Employment Security of the Social Security Board and the Bureau
of Old-Age and Survivors Insurance, and on information supplied
by other Government agencies, such as the Interstate Commerce
Commission, Civil Service Commission, and the Bureau of the
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
621
Trend of Employment and Unemployment
Census. They do not include military personnel, emergency em
ployment (such as WPA, NY A, and CCC), proprietors or selfemployed persons, unpaid family workers, and domestics.
Estimates of employees in nonagricultural establishments by
States are given each month in the Bureau of Labor Statistics’
mimeographed release on employment and pay rolls.
T a b l e 1.— Estimates of Employment in Nonagricultural Establishments, by Industry
D ivisions1
[In thousands!
In d u stry division
Decem
ber 1942
(prelim
inary)
Change,
Change,
N ovem Decem Decem
N ovem ber to D e b e r 1941 ber 1941
to Decem
ber 1942 cember
ber 1942
1942
T otal 2_________________________________________
38,956
38, 533
+423
36, 088
+2, 868
7VTarmfanturing
__
__
____
M illing
- _____
________ -C ontract construction and Federal force-account
p.onstruct ion
__________________ T ransportation and piiblio u t i lit ie s ______ _______
T rade
_
__ __
_____ __________ ____
15, 669
887
15, 434
894
+235
—7
13, 566
976
+2,103
-8 9
1, 726
3,497
7,112
4, 281
1,896
3, 520
6, 771
4,295
-170
-2 3
+341
-1 4
1,880
3, 344
7,511
4, 227
-154
+ 153
-3 9 9
+54
5,784
5, 723
+61
4, 584
+1, 200
Federal/ State, and local governm ent (civil em
ployees).------------- --------------------------------------------
1 Com parable series Jan u a ry 1939 to Ju ly 1942 in October 1942 M onthly Labor Review.
2 E stim ates exclude proprietors of unincorporated businesses,.self-employed persons, domestics employed
in private homes, unpaid fam ily workers, public emergency employees (W PA , N Y A , and COG), and
personnel in the arm ed forces.
Industrial and Business Employment
Monthly reports on employment and pay rolls are available for
152 manufacturing industries and for 16 nonmanufacturing industries,
including private building construction, water transportation, and
class I steam railroads. The reports for the first 2 of these groups
manufacturing and nonmanufacturing—are based on sample surveys
by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The figures on water transpor
tation are based on estimates prepared by the Maritime Com
mission, and those on class I steam railroads are compiled by the
Interstate Commerce Commission.
The employment, pay-roll, hours, and earnings figures for manu
facturing, mining, laundries, and dyeing and cleaning cover wage
earners only, but the figures for public utilities, brokerage, insur
ance, and hotels relate to all employees except corporation officers
and executives, while for trade they relate to all employees except
corporation officers, executives, and other employees whose duties
are mainly supervisory. For crude-petroleum production they
cover wage earners and clerical field force. The coverage of the
reporting samples for the various nonmanufacturing industries
ranges from approximately 25 percent for wholesale and retail trade,
dyeing and cleaning, and' insurance, to approximately 80 percent for
public utilities and 90 percent for mining.
The general manufacturing indexes are computed from reports
supplied by representative establishments in 152 manufacturing
industries surveyed. These reports cover more than 65 percent of
the total wage earners in all manufacturing industries of the country
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
622
Monthly Labor Review—March 1943
and about 80 percent of the wage earners in the 152 industries
covered.
Data for both manufacturing and norunanufacturing industries
are based on reports of the number of employees and the amount of
Pay rolls for the pay period ending nearest the 15th of the month.
The average weekly earnings for individual industries shown in
table 3 are computed by dividing the weekly pay rolls in the report
ing establishments by the total number of full- and part-time em
ployees reported. As not all reporting establishments supply infor
mation on man-hours, the average hours worked per week and average
hourly earnings shown in that table are necessarily based on data
furnished by a slightly smaller number of reporting firms. Because
of variation in the size and composition of the reporting sample, the
average hours per week, average hourly earnings, and average weekly
earnings shown may not be strictly comparable from month to month.
The sample, however, is believed to be sufficiently adequate in vir
tually all instances to indicate the general movement of earnings and
hours over the period shown. The average weekly hours and hourly
earnings for the manufacturing groups are weighted arithmetic means
of the averages for the individual industries, estimated employment
being used as weights for weekly hours and estimated aggregate hours
as weights for hourly earnings. The average weekly earnings for
these groups are now computed by multiplying the average weekly
hours by the corresponding average hourly earnings and are not
comparable with figures published in the November 1942 or earlier
issues of the Monthly Labor Review, which were computed by divid
ing total weekly pay roll by total employment without any formal
weighting of figures for the component industries.
EMPLOYMENT AND PAY-ROLL INDEXES, AVERAGE HOURS, AND EARNINGS
Employment and pay-roll indexes, as well as average hours worked
per week, average hourly earnings, and average weekly earnings for
October, November, and December 1942, where available, are pre
sented in tables 2 and 3.
In table 4 indexes of employment and pay rolls are given for all
manufacturing industries combined, for the durable- and nondurablegoods groups of manufacturing industries, and for each of 13 nonmanufacturing industries, by months, from December 1941 to Decem
ber 1942, inclusive. The chart on page 623 indicates the trend of
factory employment and pay rolls from January 1919 to Decem
ber 1942.
The revised manufacturing indexes and aggregates in tables 2 and 4
are not comparable with the indexes published in the November 1942
or earlier issues of the Monthly Labor Review, as a result of changes
in definitions, a change in the index base period, and adjustments in
levels. Revised figures for the major manufacturing groups are
available in mimeographed form by months from January 1939 through
October 1942 and for individual manufacturing industries from Janu
ary 1939 through August 1942.
The figures relating to all manufacturing industries combined, to
the durable- and nondurable-goods divisions, and to the major in
dustry groups, have been adjusted to conform to levels indicated by
final 1941 and preliminary data for the second quarter of 1942 released
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Tremi of Employment and Unemployment
623
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1
624
Monthly Lahor Review—March 1943
by the Bureau of Employment Security of the Federal Security
Agency. The Bureau of Employment Security data referred to are
(a) employment totals reported by employers under State unem
ployment-compensation programs and (b) estimates of the number
oi employees not reported under the programs of some of these
States, which do not cover small establishments. The latter esti
mates were obtained from tabulations prepared by the Bureau of Old
Age and Survivors Insurance, which obtains reports from all em
ployers regardless of size of establishment.
Data relating to individual manufacturing industries have been
adjusted from 1937 to date to conform to levels of the 1939 Census of
Manufactures. Not all industries in each Census group are repre
sented m the tables since minor industries are not canvassed by the
Bureau, and others cannot be shown because of their close relation
ship to the war program. Furthermore, no attempt has been made to
allocate among the separate industries the adjustment to unemploy
ment-compensation data. Hence, the estimates for individual industues within a group will not in general add to the total estimate for
that group.
T a b l e 2 . — Employment
'Ï
and P ay Rolls in Specified Months 1
Ï
S
i ï r
based ° n 19?9 average as 100. For th e individual industries they have been
adjusted to the 1939 C ensus of M anufactures and for the groups to final 1941 and prelim inarv second
aM co n r e q u e s tr6S ° f ^ BUr6aU ° f E m Ploym ent Security. C om parable series for earlier m onths avaib
M ANUFACTURING
In d u stry
All m anufacturing
___
D urable goods________________________
N ondurable goods
E sti
Indexes 2 ofmated
num ber
of em
E m ploym ent
P ay rolls
ployees,
I
Decernber
Dec. Nov. Oct. Dec. Nov. Oct.
1942 1 1942 1942 1942 1942 1942 1942
( Thou■
sands)
13, 482 164.6 161. 9 160. 7 287. 7 280.4 270.9
7, 781 215.5 210.4 206.7 391. 2 382.8 366.2
5, 701 124.4 123.8 124. 5 186.5 180.3 177.7
Durable goods
Iron and steel and th eir products _
B last furnaces, steel works, and rolling m ills 3
Steel castings A ______ ___
Cast-iron pipe and fittings ____
T in cans and other tinw are
Wrire draw n from purchased rods
Wirework_
C u tlery and edge tools . . . .
Tools (except edge tools, machine tools, files, and
saws) . ..............
H ardw are. _ ______ _
Plum bers’ supplies . . . ___. . .
Stoves, oil burners, and heating equipm ent, n. e. c.
Steam and hot-w ater heating apparatus and steam
fittings. ----------- ._ _ .
Stam ped and enam eled ware and galvanizing
Fabricated stru ctu ral and ornam ental m etalw ork
M etal doors, sash, frames, m olding, and trim
Bolts, n uts, washers, and rivets
Forgings, iron and steel. . . __________
W rought pipes, welded and heavy riveted
Screw-machine products and wood screws . .
Steel barrels, kegs, and drum s ______
Electrical m achinery
M achinery, except electrical.
. ..
M achinery and machine-shop products
T ra c to rs3. _____ . . _
A gricultural m achinery, excluding tractors 3
See footnotes at end of table.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1,676 169.0 165. 7
520 134.0 133.4
273.0
20 121. 6 121.9
28 89.0 90.5
35 159.3 156.0
164.9 278.7 270.1
135.5 204.7 204.1
452. 8 445.8
121.7 202.7 205.7
98.8
127.9
154.0 238.0 227.3
185.8 178.4
21 137.2 133.9 131.3 263.6 252.4
264.1
200.7
434. 7
204.0
139. 4
221.3
172.5
242.3
27 176.8 173.6 173.4 317.3 307.2
l i o . O 215.1 210.8
140.2 132. 7
52 112.8 110.1 106.9 179. 4 170.1
303.4
209.9
126.1
167.2
57
77 138. 9
192.0
11 142.5
27 187.5
39 252. 3
22 266.4
49 286.6
7 112.4
307. 5
227. 2
317.5
215.9
305.4
431.2
431.1
489. 7
180.7
68
135.7
190.4
140.1
184.7
246. 6
255.4
285.7
110.6
ZOO. 1
134.9
189. 6
138.2
181.4
243.6
239. 5
283.1
114.1
ó'zo. y
247.4
324.0
241.4
305. 1
476. 1
480.5
516.0
193.8
oiy. «5
231.4
313.9
227.1
295.0
442.3
460.7
506.6
183.9
649 250.3 243.0 235.3 415.5 402.8 382.7
1,190
465
49
31
225.1
230.0
155.6
109.8
221.0
226.0
150.8
106.2
217.3
222.0
148.9
115.2
392.9
394.6
223.1
181.1
381.5
381.9
211.9
171.6
371.5
371. 5
212. 6
186.9
625
Trend of Employment and Unemployment
T able 2.— Employment and Pay Rolls in Specified Months 1—Continued
M A N U FA C TU R IN G —Continued
E s ti
m a te d
num ber
of em
ployees.
D ecem
ber
1942 i
In d u s tr y
M a c h in e ry , except electrical— C o n tin u e d .
T e x tile m a c h in e ry _ ___________ _____ .____________
P u m p s a n d p u m p in g e q u ip m e n t_________________
T y p e w rite rs _______________________ - - - ______
C ash registers, a d d in g a n d c a lc u la tin g m a c h in e s ___
W a sh in g m a ch in es, w ringers, a n d d riers, d om estic ..
Sew ing m a ch in es, d om estic a n d in d u s tria l__________
R efrigerators an d refrigeration e q u ip m e n t__________
T ra n s p o rta tio n e q u ip m e n t, except a u to m o b ile s_________
M o torcycles, bicycles, a n d p a r t s . _________________
A u to m o b ile s_________ _ . . . . . . .
. . .
____________
( Thou
sands)
29
09
11
33
11
11
46
In d ex es 3 of—
P a y ro lls
E m p lo y m e n t
D ec.
1942
N ov.
1942
O ct.
1942
Dec.
1942
N ov.
1942
O ct.
1942
133.7
285.1
66. 8
165. 7
144. 6
142.4
131. 2
133.7
284.7
68.3
159.9
141.6
140.6
123.4
131.2
231.2
73.3
151.8
137.8
135. 5
115.4
231.6
582.7
119. 6
296.8
226.5
269. 6
205. 1
219.0
556. 3
120.4
279. 5
217.4
264.3
190.8
222. 6
531. 3
130. 9
260. 1
213. 3
259. 8
176. 1
1,998 1258.8 1202. 8 1156.5 2342. 1 2275. 9 2116.3
9 131.7 129.8 131.7 234.7 219.9 216.2
615 152.9 147.1
173.5
146.4
127.8
115.8
93. 2
105.0
154.3
142.3 255.6 261.4 235.1
171.2
143.1
127.4
113.2
92.9
103.8
149.5
301.2
232.8
231. 5
182.9
152. 3
188. 8
268.2
N o n ferrous m e tals a n d th e ir p ro d u c ts __________________
P rim a ry sm eltin g a n d refining 4 __ _ ______ . . .
C locks a n d w a tc h e s ..
.
. - - - - - - ______
J ew elry (precious m etals) a n d jew elers’ fin d in g s____
S ilv erw are a n d p la te d w are . . _ .
_ . ____
L ig h tin g e q u ip m e n t_______________________________
_ ____________
S h eet-m etal w o rk ___ ____ _
405
42
26
17
11
22
30
176. 5
150. 5
126.5
115.8
94.6
107.3
158.1
L u m b e r a n d tim b e r basic p ro d u c ts _____________________
Saw m ills
P la n in g a n d ply w o o d m ills ________
515
283
86
365
16
170
32
12
12
23
368
82
12
29
59
45
5
122.5 125.1 127.2 181.9
98.2 100. 6 102.5 144.5
119.0 120.5 121.4 177.2
111.3 110. 5 112.3 170. 5
86.8 86.7 85.4 127. 2
106. 7 105.8 108.3 163. 9
127.4 125. 2 126. 5 205. 6
97. 5 95.7 95.2 144.6
103.0 104.1 107. 1 168.9
105.3 105. 9 105.0 162.5
125.5 125.3 125. 2 181.3
118.0 117.3 117.0 166.1
119. 9 117.9 116. 6 167. 2
120.8 123. 4 124. 0 156. 1
104. 1 105. 9 108.7 149. 7
137. 2 138. 1 137.3 188.2
95.7 94.2 93.3 148.6
F u r n itu re a n d finished lu m b e r p ro d u cts ____ - - _____
M attresse s a n d b e d s p rin g s .. . . ________________ F u r n itu r e . _ .
_
___ ______
W o oden boxes, o th e r th a n cigar
_ _______ ______
C ask ets a n d o th e r m o rtic ia n s’ goods________________
W ood p re se rv in g ______ ___________________________
W ood, tu rn e d a n d sh ap ed -- _________________ ____
S tone, clay, a n d glass p r o d u c ts ________________________
G lass _____________________________________________
G lass p ro d u c ts m a d e from p u rc h a se d g la s s _________
C em ent
_
______
B rick, tile, a n d te rra c o tta _______________________
P o tte ry a n d re la te d p ro d u c ts ____ _
_ _ ____ .
G y p s u m ___ _ __ __
_ _______________________
W a llb o a rd a n d p la ste r (except gy p su m ) a n d m in eral
______ ________ ________
w o o l____ ___ ___
Lime_„
.- _ _ __
_ . . . _______ _ ______
M a rb le , g ran ite, slate, a n d o th e r p ro d u c ts.. ______
A b rasiv e w heels. _
_
.
_____________
A sbestos p ro d u c ts _________________________________
Nondurable goods
T ex tiles a n d finished te x tile p ro d u c ts ___________________
T extile-m ill p ro d u cts a n d o th e r fiber m a n u fa c tu re s..
C o tto n m a n u factu re s, except sm all wares
C o tto n sm all w a re s ..
...
.
-_
Silk a n d ray o n g o o d s ___ _ ___________ _______
W oolen a n d w o rsted m a n u factu re s, except
dyeing a n d fin ish in g _________________________
H o s ie ry .. _____________________________________
K n itte d c l o th _____
____
K n itte d o u te rw ea r a n d k n itte d gloves__________
K n itte d u n d e rw e a r _ ______ ______
_ ______
D y ein g a n d finishing textiles, in c lu d in g w oolen
a n d w o rste d _________________________________
C arp e ts a n d rugs, w ool________________________
H a ts, fur-felt_ _______ . . __ ________ _____
J u te goods (except felts)________________________
C ordage a n d tw in e .
_ _ _
______ _ _ ___
A p p arel a n d o th e r finished textile p ro d u c ts _____ _
M e n ’s clothing, n. e. c ____ ______
___________
S h irts, collars, a n d n ig h tw e a r. _______________
U n d e rw e a r a n d n e c k w e a r. - __________________
W o rk s h irts . — . . . . .
- _______ ____
W o m e n ’s clo th in g ______________________________
C orsets a n d allied g a rm e n ts . __________________
S e e f o o t n o t e s a t e n d o f ta b le .
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
134. 3
107.1
73.7
238.0
135. 8
212.0
160.3
88.3
423. 3
237.8
292.2
227. 5
231. 5
170.2
145.8
182.3
251.2
282.7
215.0
228.3
160.4
142.8
164.6
238.9
188. 7 198.2
152.8 163.0
173.9 174.8
165.0 168.2
118.8 116.6
158.2 164. 5
199.3 197.4
140.6 130. 4
169.8 171. 5
160.6 157.1
179.2 178.9
161.1 163. 8
163.4 157.3
169.3 167.3
151.9 154.7
187.8 183.8
144.9 144.8
208. 2
165. 9
87.9
382.6
228. 1
201.7
164. 0
90.8
365.3
226. 1
11
10
13
21
22
140.7
105.3
70. 6
275.6
137.1
139.6
104. 6
72.9
254. 8
135.9
2,173
1,287
510
18
99
112.4
112. 5
128.9
132. 5
82.7
112.0 112. 7 169. 6 165.9 166.3
111.7 111. 5 180.8 175.4 173.0
127.7 127. 7 217.7 212.8 210. 6
133.7 134.7 222. 3 219.3 227. 5
82.7 83.2 133.7 131.3 130.8
177
124
12
32
45
118.5
78.1
109.6
112.2
117.4
118. 1
78. 1
107. C
109.8
115. 8
118.7
77.9
107.3
107.5
116.1
207.9
106. 5
167.7
175.3
184.0
201.0
104.6
157.6
164.4
179.2
198.2
103. 2
152.9
158. 6
177. 0
72
24
If
4
16
886
236
65
13
11
247
18
108.7
93. C
68.4
114.2
135.7
112.2
107.8
92.2
79.2
138.1
91. 1
93.7
106. 5
91. 5
65.6
112.4
133. 9
112.3
107. 6
93.3
83.2
137.6
91.4
94.0
104. 7
90.8
61.3
109.3
131.7
114.5
111. C
93.8
85.8
139. 6
92.
93.1
166.3
145.1
109.3
196.6
221.9
154.0
145. 7
144.4
123.1
226.0
124.0
130. 3
157.9
138.6
97.9
193. 0
206.9
152.7
144.7
142.8
123. 2
222.0
123.1
133.6
153.1
137.7
83. 0
182.2
202. 2
157. 0
148.4
141.9
125.4
222. 2
127. 1
128.7
626
Monthly Labor Review—March 1943
T able
2.— Employment and P ay Rolls in Specified M onths1— Continued
M ANUFACTURING— Continued
In d u s try
N ondurable goods— C o n tin u e d
T extiles a n d finished te x tile p ro d u c ts —C o n tin u e d .
A p p a re l a n d o th e r fin ish ed te x tile p ro d u c ts —C on.
M illin e ry _ _
H an d k erch iefs _____ _ __ _ _ __ _______ __
C u rta in s , d rap eries, a n d b e d s p re a d s ____________
H o u se fu rn ish in g s, o th e r th a n c u rta in s , e tc ______
T e x tile b ag s________ ____ __ _ . ____ .
L e a th e r a n d le a th e r p ro d u c ts ..
L e a th e r___________
B oot an d shoe c u t sto ck a n d fin d in g s_______________
B oots a n d s h o e s . ___
L e a th e r gloves a n d m itte n s ______ _ __ „.
T ru n k s a n d s u itc a s e s _____________________
F o o d a n d k in d re d p r o d u c ts ..
S lau g h terin g a n d m e a t p ac k in g ______________
B u t t e r ___________ _
C o ndensed a n d e v a p o ra te d m i l k . . _
Ice c re a m . . . . .. . _
F lo u r. __ .
F eed s, p re p a re d .
C ereal p re p a ra tio n s . .
B a k in g . _ .
S ugar refining, c a n e . . . .
_
S ugar, b e e t___ . . . _
C o nfectionery.
B everages, nonalcoholic 3____
M a lt liq u o rs 3
C a n n in g a n d p re se rv in g __ . .
T obacco m a n u fa c tu re s __
C ig a rettes 3__
C igars 3_____ .
C hew ing a n d sm o k in g tobacco a n d sn u ff
E s ti
m a te d
num ber
of e m
ployees,
D ecem
ber
1942 i
In d ex es 2 of—
E m p lo y m e n t
D ec.
1942
N ov.
1942
Oct..
1942
P a y ro lls
D ec.
1942
( Thou
sands)
18 72. (
71.1
85.5 75.7
3 81.2 87.1
87.0 115.8
18 108.
104.8 99.5 163.4
16 152. 7 152. ( 151.3 239. 2
17 139.6 134. 5 129.2 203.4
N ov.
1942
O ct.
1942
75.7
135.3
156.0
232.8
188. 1
103.3
131.2
149. 5
229. 0
181.7
364
5(
It
201
11
16
104.9
105.5
99.0
93.5
144. 3
186.9
104.7
103.8
99. 1
93.4
140.8
199.6
103.0
102.4
96.4
91.3
144.6
201.8
159.5
157. 5
141.3
144. 5
208.8
256.4
153.4
152.7
138.0
137.4
196.5
275. 5
149.2
145.8
133.7
134.5
199.4
260.6
1,021
187
21
12
11
27
22
10
264
12
23
64
24
41
116
119.5
155. 0
114.8
120.5
91. 1
108. 1
139.9
131. 9
114.4
87.9
218.8
128. 6
113.5
113.2
86.6
121.5
145.8
120.2
126.0
95. 5
104.9
136. 0
130.4
114. 1
87.6
253.4
130.3
113.9
115.5
103.9
128.6
144.6
120.0
134.7
102. 1
104. 5
133.6
131.7
114.7
81.4
239.2
129.5
116.6
120.1
146.4
165.7
213.6
154.6
161.8
111.3
155.3
214.2
189.9
149.3
113.0
301.7
184.9
127.9
136.3
139.2
160. 5
181.3
161.7
167.7
118.1
148.4
204. 2
186. 0
144.0
109.7
380.7
182.4
127.8
137.4
163.9
164.4
176.8
159. 0
180. 3
123.6
149.6
195.3
183.0
143. 5
95. 1
293.8
178.0
133. 3
143.5
228. 7
99 106 3 106 8 L06 4 159.7
36 129.9 129. 2 126. 0 182.1
49 95. 5 96.7 98. 0 148. 1
9 94.7 94. 4 93.5 135.4
157.4 153.7
178.6 171. 8
146.2 145. 2
135.3 129.8
P a p e r a n d allied p ro d u cts
P aper and p u lp .. . _ _
P a p e r goods_____ .
E n v e lo p e s _____
P a p e r b a g s _________
P a p e r boxes___
309
151
48
10
12
79
113.1
109. 5
119.9
109.6
105. 9
107.4
168.3
163.6
172.2
156. 3
160.9
162.0
163.5
161.1
164.7
146.5
156.1
154. 3
158.9
158. 9
156. 0
138.1
151.4
146.9
P rin tin g , p u b lish in g , a n d allied in d u stries
N ew sp a p ers a n d periodicals
B ook an d job
L ith o g ra p h in g _
B o o k b in d in g ____
342 104.2 103.1 100. 9
118 99.5 98.5 98. 1
134 106.3 105.4 101.8
25 96.5 94.0 92.0
28 108.5 106.2 103.2
126.8
113.4
133.7
118.6
162.8
122. 4
111.3
127. 5
114.1
154.1
116. 3
109. 4
119. 2
103.4
139.9
C h em icals an d allied p ro d u cts
P a in ts , v arn ish e s, a n d colors
D ru g s, m edicines, a n d insecticides
P erfu m e s a n d cosm etics
Soaps „ _
R a y o n a n d allied p r o d u c t s ... .
C hem icals . .
C om pressed a n d liq u ified gases
C o tto n se ed oil
F ertiliz ers.
708
29
42
10
14
51
112
6
22
21
245.7
103.4
152.3
99.8
101. 5
105. 8
161.1
160.2
143. 2
109.4
240.3
102.8
148.9
101.4
101.7
105.1
159.6
158.4
150. 7
104.4
233.4
102.6
141.5
101.0
103.1
106.9
158.9
160. 7
154.0
102. 6
382.9
138. 9
197.3
130.1
135.4
148. 5
242.2
236.9
234.9
173.3
365.3
134. 9
189.9
128.9
133.9
141.2
•m e
229.8
243.1
164.2
351.4
130. 9
183. 7
125.6
134.3
144. 7
230. 6
231. 2
246.4
164. 1
P ro d u c ts of p e tro le u m a n d coal
P e tro le u m re fin in g . . .
C oke a n d b y p ro d u c ts .. . .
P a v in g m a te ria ls ________
R oofing m a te ria ls ______ .
124
78
26
2
11
117.4
107.1
119.2
63.2
132.5
117.8
107.0
120.1
77.3
132.1
119.3 165.1 165.4 160. 8
108.4 151.5 150.9 145. 7
122.8 161.3 162.9 160. 4
82.3 95.0 123. 2 131.6
128.8 204.8| 204.8 201.9
R u b b e r p r o d u c ts ... ___
R u b b e r tires a n d in n e r tu b e s .
R u b b e r boots a n d shoes. . . .
R u b b e r goods, o th e r ___
180
80
22
70
149.0
148.0
145.3
134.7
143.8
141.9
140.4
130.9
139.9
136.7
136.1
129. 0
228.6
219.7
237.8
208.6
213.3
204.0
221.9
196. 4
201. 9
190. 0
208. 8
191.3
M iscellaneous in d u s trie s ____
P h o to g ra p h ic a p p a ra tu s ___ . .
P ian o s, organs, a n d p a rts _______ _
G am es, toys, a n d d o lls. . . .
B u tto n s __________ .
381
26
9
15
131
155.9
150.8
112. 4
79.3
114.51
151. 7
147.8,
100.0
80. 0:
109. 9 !
150.7
144.5
91.4
75.5
111.9
261.8
229. 6
197. 6
133.9
182.3
247.6
222.5
166.8
128. 9
174.31
236.3
209. 4
151.5
119.8
172.9
See footnotes at end of table.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
116.4
109. 6
127.4
116.4
109.7
113.6
114. 7
109.3
124. 2
113.3
106.8
110.7
627
Trend of Employment and Unemployment
T a b l e 2. — Employment and P ay Rolls in Specified Months 1~ C on tin u ed
N O N M ANUFACTURING
[Indexes are based on 12-month average, 1929=100]
In d u stry
Coal m ining:
A nthracite 56___________________________________
B itum inous 8___________________________________
M etalliferous m ining 8_______________________________
Q uarrying and nonm etallic m ining___________________
Crude-petroleum production 9_______________________
Public utilities:
Telephone and telegraph 10----------------------------------Electric light and power 10_______________________
Street railw ays and busses 1011----------------------------Trade:
W holesale 12-------- ------ --------------------------------------Food products 18------------------------------------------------Groceries and food specialties 13___________________
Dry goods and a p p a re l13________________________
M achinery equipm ent and supplies 13------------------F arm products 13________________________________
Petroleum and petroleum products 13 (includes bulk
ta n k stations)_________________________________
A utom otive 13__________________________________
R etail i»____________________________________________
Food w_________________________ _____________
General merchandising 10________________________
A p p a re l10______________________________________
F u rn itu re and housefurnishings 10------------------------A utom otive 10__________________________________
L um ber and building m aterials 10________
Hotels (year-round) 514___________________
Laundries 5_______ ; ---------------------------Dyeing and cleaning 5________________
Brokerage 13___________________________
Insurance 13_________________________ ____________ i
B uilding construction 13----------------W ater transportation 15______________________________
Class I steam railroads 16.......................- .............-
Indexes2 of—
Estim ated
num ber
P ay rolls
E m ploym ent
of em
ployees,
Decem
Dec. Nov. Oct. Dec. Nov. Oct.
ber
1942 i
1942 1942 1942 1942 1942 1942
V)
(7)
(7)
(7)
(7)
45.8
88.5
79.1
46.9
54.6
46.2
89.3
79. 1
48.6
55.0
46.2 50.3 49.2 48.3
90.6 128.1 123. 9 124.8
77.7 104. 0 104. 1 99.8
50.0 61.8 66.8 68.9
55. 5 65. 1 63.6 64.1
(7)
(7)
(7)
92.7
80. 5
77.0
93.1
81. 3
75.9
93.3 128.2 129. 0 128.4
82.7 109. 9 109.4 111. 2
75.9 101. 3 97.8 95.3
(7) '
(7)
(7)
(7)
(7)
(7)
88.8 89.3 90.0 95.4 96.3
- . 9 - 2 . 0 + .8
-.6
- 1 .5
+ .9
- .6
+ .3
- . 3 - 1 .1
- . 1 - 2 .5 + 1.7
- .2
- 1 .6
+ .9 —.6 —. 7 - . 6 + 2 .6
- 5 .1 -1 1 .9 +21.2 - 2 . 0 -1 1 .2
94.6
+ •8
+ 3 .6
+ 2 .2
+ 1.4
+14. 9
(7)
(7)
(7)
(7)
(7)
(7)
(7)
(7)
(7)
(7)
(7)
(7)
(7)
(7)
(7)
(7)
(7)
+ .1
+ 1-1
106.2
113.9
165.5
109.7
61. 3
51.8
66.7
95.0
113. 3
115. 7
+ .9
-.8
- 7 .6
80.9
129. 4
-1 .2
- .3
94. 6
114.5
121. 1
96. 5
58. 9
51. 3
69. 3
95. 6
115.9
124. 8
- 1 .3
- 1 .2
- 1 .4
74. 6
129.5
- .8
+ 2.3
96.4
119.5
121.6
98.7
63.6
57.8
82.2
103. 2
118.9
112.5
+ 2.0
+ .4
-.9
+ 7.3
(7)
- .8
-1 .0
96.8
113.9
131. 8
97.9
58. 9
51.2
67. 5
95. 4
114. 2
119.7
- 1 .0
- 1 .3
-4 . 5
80. 8
129.1
0
+• 2
107. 2
120. 8
163. 2
112.9
67. 9
59.2
78.8
107. 0
120.1
104.8
+ 5 .0
+• 8
- 6 .8
0
(7)
+ 3 .8
+■ 4
99.2
119.9
130.8
101.8
64.3
59.3
80.8
103. 9
118. 5
107. 9
+ .2
+ .4
- 3 .6
+10. 7
(7)
1 D a ta for m a n u fa c tu rin g , m in in g , la u n d ries, an d dy ein g a n d cleaning cover w age ea rn e rs o nly; for cru d ep e tro le u m p ro d u c tio n th e y cover w age ea rn e rs a n d clerical field force; for p u b lic u tilitie s , bro k erag e, in
su ran ce a n d hotels th e y re la te to all em ployees except co rp o ratio n officers a n d executives; a n d for tra d e , to
all em ployees except co rp o ratio n officers, executives, a n d s tric tly s u p erv iso ry personnel.^
2 T h e indexes for th e m a n u fa c tu rin g in d u s trie s are c o m p u te d from aggregates of a t least 3 sig n ifican t figures.
In fo rm a tio n concerning th e follow ing w a r in d u s trie s is n o t p u b lish e d b u t m a y be o b ta in e d b y a u th o riz e d
agencies u p o n req u est: A ircraft engines; aircraft a n d p a rts, excluding engines; alloying, rolling, a n d d raw in g
of n o n ferrous m e ta ls, except a lu m in u m ; a lu m in u m m a n u fa c tu re rs; a m m u n itio n ; cars, electric a n d stea m railro ad ; co m m u n ic atio n e q u ip m e n t; electrical e q u ip m e n t, o th e r; radios; en g in es a n d tu rb in e s ; explosives
a n d safety fuses; fire extin g u ish ers; firearm s; firew orks; locom otives; m achin e-to o l accessories; m a ch in e tools;
o p tical in s tru m e n ts a n d o p h th a lm ic goods; professional a n d scientific in s tru m e n ts ; a n d s h ip b u ild in g .
3 T h e follow ing p airs of in d u s trie s w ere carried as single in d u s trie s in th e m im eo g ra p h ed re p o rts for A u g u st
1942 a n d p rio r m o n th s: “ b la st furnaces, steel w orks, a n d rolling m ills” a n d “ stee l ca stin g s” as “ b la s t fu rn aces,
steel w o rks, a n d rolling m ills” ; “ electrical e q u ip m e n t” a n d “ co m m u n ic atio n e q u ip m e n t” as “ electrical
m a c h in e ry , a p p a ra tu s , a n d su p p lie s” ; “ ag ric u ltu ra l m a c h in e ry ” arid “ tra c to rs ” as “ a g ric u ltu ra l im p le m e n ts
(in c lu d in g tra c to rs )” ; “ nonalcoholic beverages” a n d “ m a lt liq u o rs ” as “ bev erag es” ; a n d “ c ig a re tte s ” an d
“ cigars” as “ cigars a n d cig arettes” .
4 R ev isions in indexes are as follows: Smelting and refining.—A p ril to S ep te m b er, in c lu siv e, e m p lo y m e n t
indexes to 128.1; 127.9; 130.4; 134.0; 136.0; a n d 139.3. A p ril to S ep te m b er, in clu siv e, p ay -ro ll indexes to 170.1;
174.7; 183.0; 189.9; 193.5; a n d 202.8.
5 In d exes a d ju ste d to 1935 C ensus. C o m p a rab le series back to J a n u a ry 1929 p re s e n te d in J a n u a r y 1938 is
su e of “ E m p lo y m e n t a n d P a y R olls” p a m p h le t.
« See ta b le 7 of O ctober 1940 “ E m p lo y m e n t a n d P a y R o lls” for revised figures for a n th ra c ite m in in g ,F e b
ru a r y 1940 to S e p te m b e r 1940, inclusive.
7 N o t av ailab le.
. .
8 See ta b le 7 of F e b ru a ry 1941 p a m p h le t for revised figures for m etallifero u s a n d b itu m in o u s-co a l m in in g
from J a n u a ry 1938 to J a n u a ry 1941, inclusive.
9 D oes n o t in c lu d e w ell-drilling or rig-building.
i» R e ta il-tra d e indexes a d ju ste d to 1935 C ensus a n d p u b lic -u tility indexes to 1937 C en su s. N o t c o m p a r
able to indexes p u b lish e d in p a m p h le ts p rio r to J a n u a ry 1940 or in M o n th ly L a b o r R ev iew p rio r to A p ril
1940, w ith b u t one exception, re ta il fu rn itu re , w h ich h as been revised since p u b lic a tio n of J u ly 1940 p a m p h le t,
b ac k to J a n u a r y 1936. C o m p a rab le series for earlier m o n th s av a ilab le u p o n req u est.
11 C overs stree t-railw a y s a n d tro lle y a n d m o to rb u s o p eratio n s of su b sid ia ry , affiliated, a n d successor
com p an ies; form erly “ electric-railroad a n d m o to rb u s o p eratio n a n d m a in te n a n c e .”
12 In d exes a d ju ste d to 1933 C ensus. C o m p a rab le series in N o v e m b e r 1934 a n d su b se q u e n t issues of “ E m
p lo y m e n t a n d P a y R o lls.”
is Indexes of em ploym ent and pay rolls not available; percent of change from preceding m onth substituted.
14 C ash p a y m e n ts only; a d d itio n a l v alu e of b o ard , room , a n d tip s c a n n o t be c o m p u ted .
15 B ased on estim ates p re p a re d b y th e U n ite d S ta te s M a ritim e C om m issio n covering e m p lo y m e n t on
s te a m a n d m o to r m e rc h a n t vessels of 1,000 gross to n s or o v er in deep-sea tra d e s o n ly . P ay -ro ll in d ex es
n o t av ailab le. P e rc e n t of change from preceding m o n th s u b s titu te d .
16 P re lim in a ry ; source—I n te rs ta te C om m erce C om m ission.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
628
Monthly Labor Review—March 1943
T a b l e 3 .— H o u r s a n d E a r n in g s in S p e c ifie d M o n th s
MANUFACTURING
A verage w eekly
earnings 1
A verage w eek ly
h o u rs 1
A verage h o u rly
earn in g s 1
In d u s try
All m a n u fa c tu rin g 2___________
D u ra b le goods 2.
N o n d u ra b le goods 2 _____
N ov.
1942
O ct.
1942
D ec.
1942
N ov.
1942
O ct.
1942
D ec.
1942
> C'a
oS
Dec.
1942
O ct.
1942
44.4
46.2
42.1
44.0
46.1
41.3
Cents Cents Cents
43.6 90.7 90.5 89.3
45.8 100. 4 100.5 99. 0
40.8 76.2 75.6 75.1
44.62 44.20 43. 45
45.3
44.8
44.3
45. 49
46. 05
36. 05
35.16
43.13
41. 27
43. 93
45.45
36. 24
33. 09
41.25
39. 44
41.6
46. 1
44. 6
44.0
47.2
48.1
42.0
46.2
44.8
41.6
47.0
47.5
40.9 108. 8 IOS. 1 107.3
45.7 99.9 99.5 99.4
44.2 80.5 81. 2 81.7
41.9 80.3 79.7 79.3
46. 1 91.6 90.5 89.6
46. 6 86.1 85. 6 85.3
43. 31 42. 74 42. 33
39. 48 39.18 38.40
40. 75 40.00 39. 57
48.5
47.6
45.8
48.0
47.2
45. 5
48 1
46. 5
45.2
39.53 38.43 38.88
45.4
44.4
45. 20 45.19 44.70
47.8
47.8
$40. 27 $39. 78 $38.89
46. 38 46. 27 45.31
32. 08 31.25 30.66
Durable goods
Ir o n a n d steel a n d th e ir p ro d u c ts 2__ ___
B la st furnaces, steel w orks, a n d rolling
m ills A ________ ______
Steel castings A
______ _ ._
C ast-iro n p ip e a n d fittin g s
T in cans a n d o th e r tin w a re ____
W ¡rew o rk _____________
C u tle ry a n d edge tools _______
Tools (except edge tools, m a ch in e tools,
flies, a n d saw s) _ ___ . _
H a rd w a re 4 __ _ ____
P lu m b e rs ’ s u p p lie s _______ .
S toves, oil b u rn e rs, a n d h e a tin g e q u ip
.
m e n t_______
S tea m a n d h o t-w a te r h e a tin g a p p a ra tu s
a n d stea m fittin g s ___
S ta m p e d a n d en a m ele d w are a n d g a lv a n
izing _ _
F a b ric a te d s tru c tu ra l a n d o rn a m e n ta l
m e ta lw o rk __ .
B o lts, n u ts , w ashers, a n d riv e ts
F orgings, iro n a n d s te e l_____
F irea rm s
42. 36 40. 57 40. 04
46.7
45.3
45. 1
46. 51
41. 51
56.90
57. 33
45. 44
40. 76
54. 09
56. 70
46. 43
42. 97
53.09
55.81
47.9
44.3
49.2
49.9
46. 8
44.0
47.9
49. 2
47.6 97.6 97.6 97.6
46. 0 93.6 92. 5 93. 5
48. 1 114.7 112.4 110. 5
49. 0 115.0 115.3 113.9
E le c tric a l m a c h in e ry 2___
E le c tric a l e q u ip m e n t A . _
R adios a n d p h o n o g rap h s ___
C o m m u n ic a tio n e q u ip m e n t A
44. 37
46. 56
38. 90
40. 42
44. 24
46. 38
38. 53
40. 57
43. 73
45. 25
38. 25
40. 62
47.0
47.5
46. 1
45.8
47.0
47.2
46.2
46. 6
46.7
46.9
46.1
46.3
94.4
97.7
84.4
88.0
94.2
97.6
83.0
86.9
93.6
96.6
83.0
87.9
M a c h in e ry , except e le c tric a l2
M a c h in e ry a n d m a ch in e-sh o p p ro d u c ts 4
E n g in es a n d tu rb in e s excluding aircraft
engines *
A g ric u ltu ra l m a c h in e ry , excluding tra c
to rs 3__________
T ra c to rs 2 3 _
M a c h in e to o ls__________
T e x tile m a c h in e ry
T y p e w rite rs . _ _______
C ash registers, ad d in g , an d calculating
m a ch in es . . . .
50. 25 49. 64 49. 34
49. 28 48. 65 48. 30
49.7
49.4
49. 5
49. 0
49. 5 101.1
49.0 99.1
100. 3
98.6
99. 7
98. 3
55. 21 55. 90 55. 36
49.5
49.8
50. 1 112. 0 112. 5 111.3
43.79
48. 37
53. 73
44. 43
43. 04
43.6
45.4
53.0
50.4
49.3
43. 1
44.6
52.8
48.3
48. 1
43.7 100. 1 99.0 98.0
45.0 106. 6 106.3 107. 0
52.5 101.3 100. 7 99.8
50.3 88.4 87.4 87.4
49.1 87.3 88.0 87.4
A u to m o b iles 2 _
T ra n s p o rta tio n e q u ip m e n t, except a u to m o
biles 2
L o co m o tiv es__________
C ars, electric- a n d stea m -railro ad
A ircraft an d p a rts, excluding aircraft e n
gines. _ _______ ______
A ircraft engines *____ . . . .
S h ip b u ild in g a n d b o a t b u ild in g _________
See footnotes at end of table.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
45. 57
46.00
36.48
33.12
42. 45
40.33
42. 66
47. 46
53. 18
42. 39
42.31
42.85
48. 16
52. 32
43. 90
42. 88
98.5
98.4
97.9
89.2
82.9
88.6
89.0
83. 0
87.9
44.7
87.9
87.1
87.1
47.6
94.2
94.7
94.0
90. 7
89.6
88.8
88.1
82.6
87.5
54. 30 52.99 51.96
49.0
48.2
47.7 112.3 110.8 109.8
54.69 54. 65 52. 97
45.5
45.5
45.2 120,2 120.2 117. 2
54. 02 55. 49 53. 34
61. 35 59.17 56.49
48. 89 42. 35 47. 75
47.3
50. 2
44. 5
47. 7
48.6
40.7
47.1 114.2 116.3 113.2
48.4 122.6 119.6 116.6
43.9 109.9 104.2 108. 7
46. 68 46. 53 45. 75
58. 49 58. 89 60.18
58. 09 60. 67 57. 54
47.2
47. 7
47. 7
46.8
47.5
48. 0
46.3 100. 3 99.7 99. I
48.9 122. 6 123.9 123.0
47.6 122. 0 126. 4 120.8
629
Trend of Employment and Unemployment
T able 3. — Hours and Earnings in Specified Months—Continued
M ANUFACTURING—Continued
A verage w eekly
earnings 1
A verage w eek ly
h o u rs 1
A verage hourly
earn in g s 1
In d u s try
D ec.
1942
N ov.
1942
O ct.
1942
D ec.
1942
N ov.
1942
O ct.
1942
Durable goods—C ontinued
D ec.
1942
N ov.
1942
O ct.
1942
Cents Cents Cents
97.6 95.9 95.6
96.3 95.8 93.8
N onferrous m etals and their products 2-------P rim ary smelting and refining s 8-----------Alloying; and rolling and draw ing (of nonferrous m etals except alum inum ) 2 *-----Clocks and w atches 6___________________
Jew elry (precious metals) and jewelers’
findings 46__________________________
Silverware and p lated w are-------------- —
Lighting e q u ip m en t___________________
A lum inum m anufactures_______________
$44. 70 $44.15 $43.43
41.12 41.39 40.01
45.8
42.9
46.0
43.2
45.4
42.6
49. 35 48.03 49.26
37. 46 37.26 36.85
46.3
45.5
45.7
45.7
56.7 106.7 105.2 105.5
45.6 82.7 81.6 80. Í
36.69
40. 38
40. 74
46.16
47.1
47.2
45.5
46.1
45.8
46.3
44.7
47.2
45.3 86.1
46. 5 89.6
44.2 93.5
45.8 102.3
82.6
88.6
94.3
98.7
80.8
86.8
92.2
100.!
L um ber and tim ber basic p ro d u cts-------------Sawmills_____________________________
Planing and plywood mills *____________
28.03 28.58 29.52
26. 37 27. 43 28. 69
33.23 32. 25 32. 23
41.4
40.1
45. 4
41.7
40.9
44.3
42.5
42.0
44.3
67.7
65.7
73.3
68.5
67.0
73.1
69.4
68.4
72.!
F u rniture and finished lum ber products 2----F u rn itu re _____________________________
30.02 29. 34 29.33
30.86 30. 05 30.50
43.7
44.0
42.8
43. 1
42.8
43.3
68.7
70.6
68.5
70.3
68.
70.7
Stone, clay, and glass products 2-----------------Glass________________________________
C em ent______________________________
Brick, tile, and terra cotta 6_____________
P o ttery and related pro du cts___________
M arble, granite, slate, and other products__
Asbestos p ro d u c ts-------- ----------------------
33.94
35. 59
34.29
29. 26
31.08
33. 49
41.80
33.52
35. 40
35.91
28.99
30.29
32.98
40.10
41.9
40. 6
40.6
40. 2
40.3
40.3
47.4
41.4
39.7
42.4
39.7
39.9
39.5
46.3
41.3
39.9
41.7
39.8
39.4
40.3
46.0
81.0
87.8
84.6
72.4
77.6
80.8
88.2
81.0
87.8
86.0
73.2
77.0
80.0
87.3
81.2
88.
86.
72.
77.4
80. (
87.2
25. 71 25. 27 25.15
39.8
39.2
39.0
64.6
64.4
64.4
26.73
24. 04
31. 15
25.88
26.17
23. 62
30. 56
25. 46
25. 84
23. 39
31.46
25.31
41.5
41.4
44.5
41.7
40.8
41.0
43.6
41. 1
40.4
40.6
44.4
40.9
64.4
57.8
70.3
61.9
64.2
57.7
70.4
61.9
63.
57. (
71.
61.
32. 62
25.21
30. 43
25. 74
23. 39
31.53
24.57
29. 04
24.52
23. 06
31.13
24. 15
28. 30
24. 16
22. 76
41.4
39.1
44. 3
40.4
41.1
40.2
38. 1
42.9
40.0
40.5
39.7
38.2
41.6
39.3
40.0
78.9
64.4
69.2
61.9
56.2
78.9
64.5
68.5
61.5
56.2
78.3
64.3
68.2
61. (
56. (
31.60 30. 47 30. 32
35.71 34. 67 34. 69
36. 55 34. 26 31. 10
44.9
43.0
40.6
43.5
42.2
38.5
43.1
42.2
36.2
71.0
83.0
91.4
71.0
82. 5
90.0
70.
82.
86.
41.30
42. 61
45.17
46. 84
38.46
41.12
44.61
46. 59
33. 53
34. 73
36. 51
29. 26
30. 77
32. 33
40. 44
Nondurable goods
Textiles and apparel and other finished prod
ucts 2___________________________________
Textile-mill products and other fiber m anu
factures 2----------------------------------------------C otton m anufactures, except small w ares..
C otton small w ares_______________ ____ Silk and rayon goods___________________
Woolen and worsted m anufactures, except
dyeing and finishing_________________
H osiery_______________________________
K n itted cloth_________________________
K n itted outerw ear and k n itted gloves----K n itted underw ear____________________
D yeing and finishing textiles, including
woolen and w orsted__________________
C arpets and rugs, wool_________________
H ats, fur-felt________________ _________
A pparel and other finished textile products 2_.
M en ’s clothing________________________
Shirts, collars, and nightw ear 4__________
Underw ear and neckwear 4_____________
W om en’s clothing____________________
Corsets and allied garm ents------------------M illinery------ ------ -------------------------------
24.27
25.70
21. 36
21. 25
27. 60
24.29
25. 36
24.17
25. 56
20. 65
19. 93
28.17
23.96
29. 38
37.4
36.6
38.6
38.1
37.4
40.2
30.5
37.0
36.5
38.1
35.7
36.8
40.2
29.6
37.1
36.5
37.6
35.8
37.1
39.8
32.3
64.9
70.7
55.8
55.1
65.1
60.9
73.5
64.8
70.5
55.0
56. 0
65.1
61.5
75.5
65.
70.2
54.
55.
66.3
60.4
76.4
Leather and leather p ro d u c ts2--------------------L eather_______________________________
Boots and shoes_______________________
28.98 27. 79 27. 58
36. 62 36. 03 34.89
27.52 25.97 26. 03
40.3
42.8
39.6
39.0
42.2
37.9
38.9
41. 5
38.1
71.9
85.7
69.2
71.3
85. 5
68.3
70.
84.2
68.:
Food and kindred products 2_______________
Slaughtering and m eat packing-------------B u tte r ..---------------------------------------------Ice cream .-----------------------------------------F lou r_________________________________
B aking______________________________
Sugar refining, cane____________________
Sugar, b eet____________________________
Confectionery_________________________
Beverages, nonalcoholic3--------------M alt liquors 8_________________________
C anning and preserving-----------------------
33. 30
38.46
29. 71
33.63
36.25
33. 46
30. 74
34. 39
26.49
28. 63
41.99
25. 65
31.84
34. 52
29.70
34. 07
35. 92
32. 32
30.00
37. 67
25.80
28. 52
41. 57
25.18
43.7
45.9
47. 2
45. 8
47.7
44. 1
41.0
46.7
42.8
42.3
41.6
38.2
42.4
42.0
47.7
46. 5
46.7
43.2
40.5
51.8
41.9
41.9
40.8
37.5
74.4
41.6 76.2 75.1
41.4 83.9 82.3 82.
47.3 62.6 61.7 6 1 .'
46.0 71.7 71.5 70.!
47.5 77.0 77.1 76.
75.4 74.6 74.
43.1
36.5 74.9 74. 1 76.
42.2 74.2 72.8 73.1
41.4 61.9 61.7 61.4
42.8 69.9 70.6 70 .'
40.8 101.3 102. 2 102.
37.6 68.7 68.5 67 .'
See footnotes at end of table.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
23.97
25. 66
20.90
20.21
27.48
24.67
25.71
30.97
34.02
29. 25
33. 34
36. 36
31.90
28.01
30. 90
25. 30
29.05
41.69
24. 93
630
Monthly Labor Review—March 1943
T a b l e 3.— Hours and Earnings in Specified Months—Continued
MANUFACTURING— Continued
A verage w eekly
earnings 1
A verage w eek ly
h o u rs i
A verage h o u rly
earn in g s 1
In d u s try
D ec.
1942
N ov.
1942
O ct.
1942
$24.82
28. 83
21. 74
25.28
$24. 32
28.46
21.34
24. 38
41.2
42. 1
40.8
40.2
40.6
41.2
40.2
40.3
40.4
41.3
40. 1
38.9
61.3
69.5
54.9
62.2
P a p e r a n d allie d p ro d u c ts ____________________
P a p e r a n d p u lp _______________
. _
P a p e r boxes________ _______ ____
34. 57 34. 01 33. 46
37.83 37.18 36. 59
31.06 30. 53 29.89
44.9
45.7
44.5
44.0
44.8
43.6
43.4
44.2
42.8
77.0
82.9
69.9
P rin tin g , p u b lish in g , a n d a llie d in d u stries
N ew sp a p ers a n d perio d icals . . . _______
B ook a n d jo b .
____
___ __
39. 49 38. 56 37. 51
43. 36 42.88 42. 29
37. 64 36.48 35. 32
40.3
36.8
42.2
39.5
36. 5
41.1
38.5 98.0 97. 6 97.3
36.1 115.5 115.3 114.6
40.1 89.8 88.6 88.6
37. 74
36. 79
30.84
37.14
32. 96
43.38
45. 09
38.92
31.87
21.68
23.10
44. 5
43. 3
42.4
42.2
40.7
43.4
46. 5
46.6
42.6
52.3
39.1
43.9
42.6
41.7
41.9
39.4
43.0
46.3
45.6
43.3
52. 5
38.6
43.6 87. 6 86.7 86. 6
41.8 89. 5 89.0 88. 3
41.7 72. 7 73.1 74. 2
41.1 90.1 89. 7 90.3
39. 5 84.0 82.9 83.4
42. 6 103. 6 102.9 101.9
46.0 99. 7 99.1 98.2
45.0 87.0 85.3 86.4
41.7 78.8 76. 3 76.4
53.0 42.0 41. 3 40. 7
39.2 57.8 58.3 58.9
P ro d u c ts of p e tro le u m an d coal _____ . _
P e tro le u m refining . . . . . . _____
45. 75 45. 61 43.80
49.11 48.80 46. 56
41.9
41.9
41.8
41.6
40.5 109.2 109.3 108.1
40.1 117.6 117.4 116.0
R u b b e r p r o d u c t s 2_______ . . . . .
. ..
R u b b e r tire s a n d in n e r tu b e s . _______ . .
R u b b e r boots a n d shoes
___________ __
R u b b e r goods, o th e r __________________ . . .
42.89
49.70
36.99
36. 98
40. 39
46. 55
34. 65
35.07
44.4
44.0
45.4
44.5
43.4
42.8
44.3
43.9
42. 7 96.6 95. 5 94. 7
41.8 113.1 112. 5 111. 5
43.7 81. 5 80. 5 79. 2
43.3 82.5 81.3 81.4
M iscellan eo u s in d u s tr i e s ..._______________
P rofessional a n d scientific in s tru m e n ts
a n d fire c o n t r o l ... ______ _______
38. 52 37. 34 36. 23
46.3
45.3
44.8
83.2
82.9
81.1
49. 65 49. 65 48.17
51.5
50.7
50.6
96.5
98.0
95.2
$34. 36
36. 56
40.11
34.01
42.26
35.9
35.7
44.1
43.8
40.5
35.7
34.4
44.4
45. 6
38.7
Cents Cents Cents
35.1 100. 3 99.3 98.4
34.2 108.5 107.3 107.0
44.0 93.3 92.8 91.3
45.7 75.7 75.0 74.4
39.8 105.7 106.6 103.9
33.84 33.90 33:67
41.94 41.14 40. 85
43.34 42. 05 40.98
40.7
40.8
49.9
40.7
39.8
49.0
40.6 83.5 83.5 83.3
40. 5 102.3 102.7 100.4
47.9 85.6 84.7 84.0
37.04
22.87
27.32
19. 56
23. 83
33.50
34.14
32. 33
41.8
40.9
41.0
38.3
37.3
44.3
47.9
42.6
41.7
40.7
40.9
36.9
36.6
44.6
48.3
42.7
41.7
40.9
40.9
37.3
36.7
44.2
47.8
43.4
D ec.
1942
N ov.
1942
O ct.
1942
D ec.
1942
N ov.
1942
O ct.
1942
Nondurable goods— C o n tin u e d
Tobacco m a n u fa c tu re s 2______________________ $25.26
C ig a re tte s 8__________
.. . _ _
29. 25
C ig a rs 8___
..
_____ _ .
22. 27
C h ew in g a n d sm o k in g tobacco a n d sn u ff. _ 25. 21
C h em icals a n d allie d p ro d u c ts 2 .
38.98
P a in ts , v arn ish e s, a n d c o lo rs._________ . . . 38. 71
D ru g s, m edicines, a n d insecticides 4 ___
30. 75
S o a p s .. . . . ___ _
___ _
38. 05
R a y o n a n d a llie d p r o d u c ts .___________
34.18
C h em ica ls___ . . . . .
44.85
E xp lo siv es a n d safety fuses 4____________
46. 34
A m m u n itio n _________________ . . . . . . _. 40. 72
_____
F ire w o rk s . ._
. . .
33. 57
C o tto n se ed oil 8_._
. _ _____
22. 20
F e rtiliz e rs . _____ _ ________
22. 59
38.10
37.84
30.27
37. 54
32. 68
44.22
45.91
38. 89
33.02
21. 83
22. 51
41.48
48.14
35. 70
35. 51
Cents Cents
61.1
60.2
70.0 68.9
54.3 53. 5
62.7 62. 7
77.2
83.1
70.3
77.1
82.8
70.2
N O N M A N U F A C T U R IN G
N onm anufacturing :
Coal mining:
A nthracite ' ___ ____________________
B itum inous_______________________
M etalliferous m in in g ___________________
Q uarrying and nonm etal lie m in in g______
C rude-petroleum p ro d u ctio n ..__________
Public u tilitie s :8
Telephone and telegraph_______ ____
Electric light and pow er____________
Street railw ays and busses__________
Trade:
Wholesale 8________________________
R e ta il8___________________________
Food__________________________
General m erchandising__________
A pparel_______________________
F u rn itu re and housefurnishings..
A utom otive____________________
L um ber and building m a te ria ls.. .
See footnotes at end of table.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
$36.14
38. 25
41.13
32.99
42. 62
$35. 05
36. 71
41.16
34.14
42.12
37.41
23. 20
27. 09
19.43
24.12
33. 48
34.53
32.98
36.52
23. 36
26. 75
19.75
23.74
33. 06
33. 46
33. 09
88.4
60.9
63.1
50.1
64.4
78.3
70.9
78.9
89.3
62.5
63.5
52.0
65.9
77.9
71.6
79.8
87.9
62.3
63.0
52.0
64.8
77.6
70.5
78.5
631
Trend of Employment and Unemployment
T able
3.— Hours and Earnings in Specified Months-—Continued
N O N M A N U FA C TU R IN G —Continued
A verage w eekly
earn in g s 1
A verage w eek ly
h o u rs 1
A verage h o u rly
earn in g s 1
I n d u s try
D ec.
1942
N ov.
1942
O ct.
1942
$18.69
21.86
25. 48
43.15
38.91
45. 90
$18. 60
21.57
25.23
43.06
38. 26
45. 36
D ec.
1942
N ov.
1942
O ct.
1942
D ec.
1942
N ov.
1942
O ct.
1942
Cents Cents Cents
H o te ls ( y e a r-ro u n d )8__________________ _____ $19.14
22. 40
D y ein g an d c le a n in g .------------------------------------- 25. 22
B rokerage 88-------------------------------------------------- 44.96
In su ra n c e 8__________________________________ 39. 52
B u ild in g c o n s tru c tio n .^ _-------------------------------- 46. 07
44.8
44.0
43.3
(10)
(10)
38.0
44.4
43.3
43.1
(10)
(10)
38.0
45.0 42.2 41.3 40.6
43.3 51.3 51.0 50.2
43. 5 60.1 60.8 60.1
(10)
(10)
(10)
(10)
(10)
(10)
(10) ' (10)
37.9 123.0 120.9 119.8
1
T h e se figures are b ased on rep o rts from cooperating e s ta b lis h m e n ts co v ering b o th full- a n d p a rt-tim e
em ployees w ho w o rk ed d u rin g a n y p a r t of one p a y period en d in g n ea re st th e 15th of th e m o n th . As n o t all
rep o rtin g firm s fu rn ish m a n -h o u r d a ta , average ho u rs a n d average h o u rly earn in g s are based on a sm aller
sam p le th a n are w eekly earnings. W eekly earnings for m a n u fa c tu rin g g ro u p s are n o w w eig h ted , a n d are
therefore n o t co m p arab le w ith th e u n w eig h ted series p u b lish e d in th e N o v e m b e r 1942 a n d ea rlier issues of
th e M o n th ly L a b o r R eview .
.
,
. .. , .
i
D a ta for groups a n d sep arate in d u s trie s n o t c o m p arab le w ith p re v io u sly p u b lish e d figures as in d icated
below . C o m p a rab le averages for earlier m o n th s av a ilab le on req u est.
A ll manufacturing group: A verage h o u rly earnings.
Durable group: A verage h o u rly earn in g s.
Nondurable group: A verage ho u rs a n d average h o u rly earnings.
Iron and steel group: A verage ho u rs a n d average h o u rly earnings.
Electrical machinery group: A verage h o u rs a n d average h o u rly earnin g s.
Machinery group: A verage h o u rs an d average h o u rly earnings.
Transportation group: A verage h o u rly earnings.
Automobile group: A verage ho u rs a n d average h o u rly earnings.
Nonferrous group: A verage h o u rs an d average h o u rly earnings.
Furniture group: A verage h o u rly earnings.
Stone group: A verage h o u rs a n d average h o u rly earnings.
Textile and apparel group: A verage h o u rs a n d average h o u rly earnin g s.
Textile-mill products group: A verage h o u rly earnings.
Apparel group: A verage ho u rs an d average h o u rly earnings.
Leather group: A verage h o u rly earnings.
Food group: A verage ho u rs a n d average h o u rly earnings.
Tobacco group: A verage h o u rly earnings.
Chemicals group: A verage ho u rs a n d average h o u rly earnings.
Rubber group: A verage h o u rly earnings.
Tractors: A verage h o u rly earnings.
Alloying: W e ek ly earn in g s, ho u rs a n d h o u rly earnings.
3 T h e follow ing p airs of in d u s trie s w ere carried as single in d u s trie s in th e m im eo g ra p h ed rep o rts for A u g u st
1942 an d p rio r m o n th s: “ b la st furnaces, steel w orks, an d rolling m ills” a n d “ steel castin g s as b la st furnaces,
steel w orks, a n d rolling m ills ” ; “ electrical e q u ip m e n t” a n d “ co m m u n ic atio n e q u ip m e n t as electrical
m a c h in e ry , a p p a ra tu s , an d su p p lie s” ; “ a g ric u ltu ra l m a c h in e ry ” and “ tra c to rs ” as “ ag ric u ltu ra l im p lem en ts
(in c lu d in g tra c to rs )” ; “ nonalcoholic bev erag es” a n d “ m a lt liq u o rs ” as “ b ev erag es ; a n d cig arettes an d
“ cigars” as “ cigars a n d cig arettes” .
. ,
,
.
, „ ...
4 N ew series agrees w ith S ta n d a rd In d u s tria l C lassification defin itio n .
.
.
, . ..
5 I n d u s tr y d efin itio n s ch a n g ed slig h tly to conform to S ta n d a rd In d u s tr ia l C lassification; n o t stric tly
c o m p arab le w ith p rev io u sly p u b lish e d series.
. j . * j c. «•
,,
»„„-i \ r c „
0 R evisions in th e following in d u strie s h av e been m a d e as in d icated : Smelting and\ refining.— .A p ril M a y ,
J u n e . J u ly , A ugust, a n d S ep te m b er average w eekly ea rn in g s to $35.38; $36.39, $37.39, $37.75, $37.99, a n d
$38.75. M a y , J u n e , A ugust, a n d S ep te m b er average h o u rs to 40.8; 41.2; 41.3; a n d 41.8. A p ril, M a y , J u n e ,
J u ly , A ugust, a n d S ep te m b er average h o u rly earnings to 87.9; 89.0; 90.1; 91.2; 91.5; an d 92.6 cen ts. Jewelry.
J u ly a n d S ep te m b er average ho u rs to 42.5 an d 44.8. J u ly , A u g u st, an d S e p te m b e r average h o u rly earn in g s
to 76.1, 76.1, an d 79.9 cents. Cottonseed o il— S ep te m b er average ho u rs to 48.7 a n d S ep te m b er average h o u rly
ea? S e t t a b l e 7 of O ctober 1940 “ E m p lo y m e n t a n d P a y R o lls” for revised figures for a n th ra c ite m in in g ,
F e b ru a ry 1940 to S ep te m b er 1940 inclusive.
, „ 00
s N o t co m p arab le w ith figures p u b lish e d in E m p lo y m e n t a n d P a y R olls p a m p h le t p rio r to J a n u a r y 1938,
as th e y exclude co rp o ratio n officers, executives, a n d o th e r em ployees w hose d u tie s are m a in ly su p erv iso ry .
» See note 18 in ta b le 9 in th e J u ly 1941 issue of “ E m p lo y m e n t a n d P a y R olls for rev ised average w eek ly
earn in g s in th e brokerage in d u s try , J a n u a ry 1939 to J a n u a ry 1941.
N o t av a ilab le.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
I able 4.
Indexes of Employment and P ay Rolls in Selected M anufacturing 1 andNonmanufacturing 2 Industries, December 1941 to
December 1942
EM PLO Y M EN T
I n d u s tr y
A ver
age
F e b ru
M arch
a ry
A p ril
M ay
June
J u ly
A u g u st S ep tem
b er
O cto N o v e m D ecen
b er
b er
b er
132.1
153. 8
115. 0
141.1
168. 5
119. 5
139.8
169.1
116.8
142.3
172.3
118.6
144.3
175.8
119.4
146.3
180.0
119.8
148.0
184. 1
119.6
149.9
188.9
119.2
153.4
193.9
121.4
157.1
199.2
123.9
159.6
202. 5
125.9
160.7
206. 7
124.5
161.9
210.4
123.8
164
215.
124.
49.7
86.2
77. 6
49.8
61. 0
86. 3
92. 7
69. 3
94. 0
98. 0
95. 0
108. 5
115.1
49.1
95. 5
80. 2
50. 9
61.1
90.0
93. 1
70. 6
96.3
113.0
95. 3
108. 4
113.3
49.0
95.1
80.7
46.8
61.3
90.4
92.0
70. 4
94. 9
95.4
94. 2
108.8
109.8
48.8
94.5
81.0
46.7
60. 6
90.3
90.5
70.7
94.3
94.0
94. 1
107.6
109.5
48.4
93.7
81.9
47.7
59.7
90.5
89.6
71. 2
93.9
94.4
93. 5
107.9
113.8
47.8
93.5
81.9
50.3
58.8
91.2
88.9
72.1
92.7
94.3
95.2
110.3
121.3
48. 2
92.9
82. 2
51.7
58. 1
91.7
88.0
72.9
91.2
94.0
96.1
113.7
127.6
45. 5
92.7
81.8
51. 9
57. 5
92.5
87.7
74.0
90.4
92.8
95.5
114.8
130.1
46.8
93.0
81. 5
51.6
57.1
93. 5
86.9
74.8
89.7
90.3
94.4
119.1
126.9
46.7
92.3
80.3
51. 5
56.7
93.8
85.9
75.0
90. 2
89.4
93.4
117.4
123.7
46.6
91.6
78.6
50.7
55.9
93.6
84.2
75.7
89.4
91.7
93.9
116.4
123.0
46. 2
90.6
77. 7
50.0
55. 5
93.3
82.7
75.9
90.0
94.6
95.6
115.9
124.8
46. 2
89.3
79.1
48.6
55.0
93.1
81.3
75.9
89.3
96.8
95. 4
114.2
119.7
88.
79.
46.
54.
92.
80.
77.
88.
106.
95.
113.
115.
Nonmanufacturing
A nthracite m ining 3__________________
Bituminous-coal m ining 3_____________
M etalliferous m ining 6________________
Q uarrying and nonm etallic m ining____
Crude-petroleum production__________
Telephone and telegraph 7____________
Electric light and power 7_____________
Street railw ays and busses 78_________
Wholesale tra d e ..____________________
R etail trade 7________________________
Y ear-round hotels 5__________________
Laundries 5__________________________
D yeing and cleaning 3________________
See footnotes a t en d of ta b le.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Monthly Labor Review—March 1943
Manufacturing
All industries_______________________
Durable, goods 3__________________
N ondurable goods 4______________
D ecem J a n u
b er
a ry
PAY ROLLS
1941
1942
I n d u s try
A v er
age
M anufacturing
A ll in d u s trie s __________ _________________________________
D u ra b le goods 3 _ _ ________________ _ . __________
N o n d u ra b le goods 4 _ _ _ _ __________
__ _______
D ecem J a n u
ber
ary
F e b ru
M arch
ary
A p ril
M ay
Ju n e
J u ly
A u g u st
S ep tem
ber
O cto
b er
N o v e m D ecem
b er
b er
167.5
202.3
133. 5
195. 1
242. 0
149.3
200.7
255. 9
146.8
208.2
265.8
151.9
215.1
276.3
155.4
221.4
287. 2
157.0
228.7
300. 0
159.0
234. 5
312. 1
158. 7
242. 7
323. 9
163.3
254. 8
342.0
169.5
261.8
352.4
173.3
270.9
366.2
177. 7
280.4
382.8
180.3
287. 7
391. 2
186.5
41. 4
99. 6
81. 9
51.8
60. 5
112. 7
111. 2
75.4
87. 1
93.4
88.5
99.3
90. 4
35.9
119. 9
93. 7
55. 8
64.6
122.9
115. 2
80.0
92.8
107.8
93. 3
102.6
88.6
39. 4
117. 1
94. 3
48.9
64.8
120.9
114. 6
80.5
91.8
94.6
91.5
103. 8
86. 5
49. 6
118. 2
98. 4
52.0
64.8
120.9
113.7
83. 7
93. 7
93.9
92. 6
102.5
85.6
50.9
116.7
99.1
54.4
62.6
121.8
113. 5
84.7
93.9
93.7
91.6
104.3
92.7
44.7
118.3
99.1
58.1
63.2
122.2
113. 5
84.4
92.2
93.6
93.5
108. 6
105.7
51. 5
122. 1
100.8
63.0
62.0
125. 0
113. 6
86.8
91.7
94.0
95.4
113.8
113. 1
56. 0
140.3
102.0
65. 1
62.9
125. 3
113.6
89.4
91.0
93. 4
96. 6
115. 2
117. 7
45. 9
112.7
99.3
65.9
62. 4
126.0
113.4
91.0
91.3
91.8
96.5
117.8
109.2
48.2
118.6
102.1
67.4
62. 4
127.4
112.8
93.8
91. 7
91.4
96.6
116.8
106.4
50.2
122.2
99. 1
67.5
64.9
130. 5
112. 5
93.6
92. 3
93. 1
98. 5
117. 3
107.9
48.3
124.8
99.8
68.9
64. 1
128. 4
111. 2
95. 3
94.6
96. 4
103.2
118.9
112. 5
49. 2123.9
104. 1
66.8
63.6
129.0
109.4
97.8
96. 3
99.2
103.9
118. 5
107.9
50.3
128. 1
104. 4
61.8
65.1
128. 2
109. 9
101.3
95.4
107.2
107.0
120.1
104.8
Nonm anufacturing
A n th ra c ite m in in g A . _
_. _ __________________
B itu m in o u s-co a l m in in g s_________________________________
M etalliferous m in in g «____________________________________
Q u arry in g a n d n o n m e ta llic m in in g . ______ ___ __________
C ru d e -p e tro le u m p ro d u c tio n _ ___________________________
T elep h o n e a n d te leg rap h 7________________________________
E le c tric lig h t an d po w er 7_________________________________
S tree t ra ilw a y s an d busses 78_____________________________
W holesale tr a d e __________________________________________
R e ta il tra d e 7-_- . . _____________________________________
Y ear-round h o te ls 5______________________________ ________
L a u n d r ie s 5.
_ _ _ _____ _______ _ ___________
D y ein g a n d cleaning 5___ _ ____ _ __ _ _ _____________
1 1939 av erage= 100—a d ju ste d to final 1941 an d p re lim in a ry second q u a rte r 1942 d a ta
su p p lie d b y B u re a u of E m p lo y m e n t S ecu rity . N o t c o m p arab le w ith p rev io u sly p u b
lished indexes.
2 1929 a v e ra g e =100. C o m p a rab le indexes for w holesale tra d e , q u a rry in g , m e ta l m in in g ,
a n d cru d e-p e tro le u m p ro d u c tio n are in N o v em b e r 1934 a n d s u b se q u e n t issues of “ E m
p lo y m e n t a n d P a y R olls” or in F e b ru a ry 1935 a n d s u b se q u e n t issues of M o n th ly L a b o r
R eview . F o r o th e r n o n m a n u fa c tu rin g indexes see notes 5, 6, a n d 7.
3 In c lu d e s th e follow ing groups: Iro n a n d steel a n d th e ir p ro d u cts; m a c h in e ry except
electrical; tra n s p o rta tio n e q u ip m e n t except au tom obiles; n o n ferro u s m e tals a n d th e ir
p ro d u cts; lu m b e r a n d tim b e r basic p ro d u cts; sto n e, clay , a n d glass p ro d u c ts; electrical
m a c h in e ry ; a u to m o b iles; a n d fu rn itu re a n d finished lu m b e r p ro d u c ts.
4 In c lu d e s th e follow ing groups: T ex tiles a n d finished te x tile p ro d u c ts; le a th e r an d
le a th e r p ro d u c ts; food a n d k in d re d p ro d u c ts; tobacco m a n u factu re s; p a p e r a n d allied
p ro d u c ts: ch e m ica ls a n d allied p ro d u cts; p ro d u cts of p etro leu m an d coal; r u b b e r p ro d u cts;
textile-m ill p ro d u c ts an d o th e r fiber m a n u factu re s; ap p a re l a n d o th e r fin ish ed te x tile
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p ro d u cts; p rin tin g , p u b lish in g , a n d allied in d u strie s; a n d a n u m b e r of m isc ellan eo u s
in d u s trie s n o t in c lu d e d in o th e r groups.
s In d ex es h a v e b een a d ju ste d to th e 1935 C en su s. C o m p a ra b le series from J a n u a r y 1929
fo rw ard are p re se n te d in J a n u a r y 1938 a n d s u b se q u e n t issues of “ E m p lo y m e n t a n d P a y
R o lls.” See also ta b le 7 of O ctober 1940 “ E m p lo y m e n t a n d P a y R o lls” for rev ise d figures
for a n th ra c ite m in in g , F e b r u a r y to S e p te m b e r 1940.
« See ta b le of F e b r u a r y 1941 “ E m p lo y m e n t a n d P a y R o lls” for r ev ise d in d ex es, J a n u a r y
1938 to J a n u a r y 1941.
7 R e ta il-tra d e indexes ad ju ste d to 1935 C en su s a n d p u b lic -u tility indexes to 1937 C en su s.
N o t co m p arab le w ith indexes p u b lish e d in “ E m p lo y m e n t a n d P a y R o lls” p rio r to
J a n u a r y 1940 or in M o n th ly L a b o r R ev iew p rio r to A p ril 1940. C o m p a ra b le series, J a n u
a ry 1929 to A p ril 1942, av a ilab le in m im eo g ra p h ed form .
8 C overs s tre e t railw ay s a n d tro lley a n d m o to rb u s o p eratio n s of s u b sid ia ry , affiliated ,
an d successor co m p an ies.
co
CO
634
Monthly Labor Review— March 1943
EMPLOYMENT AND UNEMPLOYMENT IN JANUARY
1943
UNEMPLOYMENT declined by 100,000 persons from December
1942 to January 1943, reaching a new low of 1,400,000, according
to the Bureau of the Census Monthly Report on the Labor Force.
At the same time, employment decreased by 900,000 persons,
and the civilian labor force declined by 1,000,000.
T able
1.— Estimated Civilian Labor Force, by Employment Status and by Sex, A pril
1940 to January 1943
[Source: U. S. D epartm ent of Commerce, Bureau of the Census]
E stim ated num ber (millions of persons)
M onth
Labor force
T otal
Male
Em ployed
Female
Total
Male
Unemployed 1
Female
Total
Male
Female
1940
A pril_____ ____ _ ___ _
M ay _____________________
•Tune. ______ _____________
■Tuly_____________________
A ug u st-. ________________
Septem ber_______________
October__________________
N ovem ber - - - - - - D ecem ber________________
53.9
54.7
56. 2
56.9
56.6
54.9
54. 4
53.7
53.4
40.6
41.3
42.3
43. 1
42.9
41.5
41.3
41.1
40.9
13.3
13.4
13.9
13.8
13.7
13.4
13.1
12.6
12.5
45.1
46.3
47.6
47.6
47.7
47.9
47.0
46.3
46.3
34. 1
35.3
36. 4
36.8
36.9
36.7
36.2
35.8
35. 7
11.0
11.0
11.2
10.8
10.8
11. 2
10.8
10.5
10.6
8.8
8.4
8.6
9.3
8.9
7.0
7.4
7.4
7.1
6.5
6.0
5.9
6.3
6.0
4.8
5. 1
5.3
5.2
2.3
2.4
2.7
3.0
2.9
2. 2
2.3
2. 1
1.9
1941
J a n u a ry __________________
F e b ru a ry ________________
M arch. _________________
A pril_____________ . _ ___
M a y ____________________
June-- ____ - - - - -J u ly _____________________
A u g u st____________- _____
Septem ber_______________
October__ ______________
N ovem ber________________
D ecem ber________________
53.0
52. 9
52. 7
53. 5
54. 2
56.2
56.6
56. 4
54.8
54. 1
54. 1
54.0
40.7
40.6
40.4
40.9
40.9
42.3
42.6
42.4
41. 0
40.4
40.3
40.2
12.3
12.3
12.3
12.6
13. 3
13.9
14.0
14. 0
13.8
13.7
13.8
13.8
45.3
45.7
45.8
46.8
48.5
50.2
50. 9
51. 0
50.3
50.2
50.2
50.2
35.1
35.4
35. 4
36. 2
37.0
38. 3
38.9
38.8
38.0
37.9
37. 7
37.6
10.2
10.3
10. 4
10.6
11. 5
11.9
12.0
12. 2
12. 3
12. 3
12.5
12.6
7.7
7.2
6.9
6.7
5. 7
6.0
5.7
5.4
4.5
3.9
3.9
3.8
5.6
5.2
5.0
4.7
3.9
4.0
3.7
3.6
3.0
2.5
2.6
2.6
2. 1
2.0
1.9
2.0
1.8
2.0
2.0
1.8
1.5
1.4
1.3
1.2
1942
J a n u a r y ______ - - - - - F eb ru ary _____________ _ _
M arch___________________
April ______, __
- .....-.
M'ay___ ________ _________
June_____________________
J u ly _____________________
A ugust__________________
September- - - ___ - - October,
__
_
N ovem ber
_ ___
D ecember
- __ - .
53.2
53.4
54.5
53.7
54. 2
56.1
56.8
56. 2
54. 1
54. 0
54. 5
53.4
40.0
40.0
40.0
39.8
40.0
41. 1
41.6
41.1
39.2
39.0
38.5
37.9
13.2
13.4
14.5
13.9
14.2
15.0
15.2
15. 1
14. 9
15.0
16.0
15.5
48.9
49.4
50.9
50. 7
51.6
53.3
54.0
54.0
52.4
52.4
52.8
51.9
37.0
37.2
37. 6
37.8
38.4
39. 4
39.9
39.7
38.2
38. 1
37.5
37.0
11.9
12. 2
13.3
12.9
13.2
13.9
14. 1
14.3
14.2
14.3
15.3
14.9
4.3
4.0
3.6
3.0
2.6
2.8
2.8
2.2
1.7
1.6
1.7
1.5
3.0
2.8
2.4
2.0
1.6
1.7
1.7
1.4
1.0
.9
1.0
.9
1.3
1.2
1.2
1.0
1.0
1. 1
1. 1
.8
.7
.7
.7
.6
194S
Janu ary _- - -
52.4
37.1
15.3
51.0
36.3
14.7
1.4
.8
.6
' Includes persons on public emergency projects.
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635
Trend of Employment and Unemployment
In January 1943, the civilian labor force stood at 52,400,000—the
lowest level recorded since the inception of the current series of laborforce estimates in 1940. This was the result of the withdrawal of
large numbers of men from civilian life to enter the armed forces.
The drain on the male labor supply has been offset to a large extent—
but not entirely—by increases in the number of women and older
persons in the labor force. A decline of 2,900,000 men in the civilian
labor force over the past year has been accompanied by an increase
of 2,100,000 women (table 1). Over the same period, the number of
workers 55 years of age or over rose by 900,000, whereas the number
under 55 years decreased by 1,700,000.
T a b l e 2 . — Estimated Civilian Labor Force, Employment, and Unemployment, by Age
Groups, in Specified M onths1
[Source: U. S. D epartm ent of Commerce, Bureau of the Census]
Labor-m arket status and age
January
1943
Decernber 1942
January
1942
Decernber 1941
January
1941
Decernber 1940
E stim ated num ber (millions of persons)
L abor force________
14 to 24 years___
25 to 54 years___
55 years and over.
E m plo y ed_________
14 to 24 years___
25 to 54 years___
55 years and over.
U nem ployed_______
14 to 24 years___
25 to 54 years___
55 years and over.
52.4
10.5
33. 1
-
8.8
10
51.0
. .1
32.4
8.5
1.4
.4
.7
.3
53. 4
53.2
33. 5
8.9
51.9
10.5
32.8
34. 1
7. 9
48.9
9.9
31.9
7. 1
4.3
1.3
11.0
8.6
1.5
.5
.7
.3
11.2
2.2
.8
54.0
11. 7
34. 3
8.0
10.6
50. 2
32. 4
7.2
3.8
1.1
1.9
.8
53.0
11.7
33.6
7. 7
45.3
8.9
29.8
53.4
11.9
33.7
7.8
46.3
9.5
30.0
3.8
7. 1
2. 4
3.7
6.6
7.7
2.8
1. 1
6.8
1.0
U nem ploym ent rate 2 (percent) 3
All age groups________
14 to 24 years___
25 to 54 years_____
55 years and over.
2.8
4. 2
2.0
3.8
2.8
2.0
3.8
4.4
8
.1
11. 7
6.5
9.6
7.0
9. 7
5.7
8.7
14.5
23.6
11.4
14.2
13.3
20.7
10.8
13.2
Percentage distribution of unem ployed 3
All age groups______
14 to 24 years___
25 to 54 years___
55 years and over.
100.0
30.8
45.7
23.5
100.0
28. 2
45.7
26.1
100.0
30.6
51.8
17.6
100.0
29.8
51.9
18.3
100.0
35.8
49.9
14.3
100.0
34.6
50.9
14.5
1 All d ata exclude persons in institutions. Persons on public emergency work projects are included w ith
the unem ployed.
2 Unem ployed as a percent of labor force in each age group.
3 Percentages com puted from unrounded num bers.
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Recent Publications o f Labor lute rest
M ARCH 1943
A b s e n te e is m
Absenteeism. (In L ab o r M ark et, U. S. W ar M anpow er Com m ission, B ureau of
P rogram P lan n in g a n d Review , W ashington, N o v em b er-D ecem b er 1942,
pp. 18-27.)
D iscusses reasons for ab senteeism in w ar p la n ts, a n d m ethods of control.
Problem of absenteeism in relation to war -production. B y D u an e E vans.
W ash
ington, U. S. B ureau of L abor S tatistics, 1943. 9 pp. (Serial No. R 1507,
re p rin t from Ja n u a ry 1943 M o n th ly L abor Review .) Free.
The problem, of absenteeism [Great Britain]. London, M in istry of L ab o r and
N atio n al Service, 1942. 8 pp.
C o n s u m e r P r o b le m s
Changes in consumer buying practices resulting from tire and gas rationing. By
P. D. Converse. U rb an a, 111., U n iv ersity of Illinois, B ureau of Econom ic
a n d Business R esearch, 1943. 8 pp. (U niversity of Illinois B ull., Vol.
40, No. 20.)
T he survey was m ade in one p rim a ry tra d in g cen te r (C ham p aig n -U rb an a),
tw o secondary tra d in g centers, a n d five villages, in Illinois, in form ation being
o b tain ed from a to ta l of 538 fam ilies.
The consumer goes to war: A guide to victory on the home front. B y Caroline F.
W are. N ew Y ork, F u n k & W agnalls Co., 1942. 300 pp. $2.
C ontains explanatio n s of th e ratio n in g p rogram , difficulties of price control,
a n d o th er m a tte rs of in te re st to consum ers, as well as descriptions of th e policies
of various n a tio n al organizations, ty p es of defense council organizations, and
sources, of consum er inform ation.
C o o p e r a tiv e M o v e m e n t
Bibliographical review of literature on cooperative housing. [Boston], E d w ard A.
Filene Good Will F u n d , Inc., 1942. 267 pp. ; processed. (Studies of th e
C ooperative P ro ject sponsored by U. S. B ureau of L abor S tatistic s a n d U. S.
Wmrk P rojects A dm in istratio n , series E, C ooperative housing, Voi. I.)
C ontains a b stra c ts of available lite ra tu re on cooperative housing in th e U nited
S tates a n d foreign countries. P hases covered are cooperative housing proper,
building a n d loan associations, a n d housing co partn ersh ip associations. A
general sum m ary of developm ents in th e field of cooperative housing is given
a t th e beginning of th e volum e; excerpts from th is su m m ary were given in th e
Ja n u a ry 1943 M onth ly L abor R eview (p. 93).
E ditor ’s N ote .—Correspondence regarding the publications to which reference is m ade in this lis t
should be addressed to the respective publishing agencies mentioned. W here d ata on prices were readily
available, th ey have been shown w ith the title entries. T he am ounts do not include postage, and also th e y
are subject to change.
636
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Recent Publications of Labor Interest
637
The geographical distribution of the principal categories of cooperatives. By G.
F au q u e t. (In A nnals of Collective E conom y, G eneva, Ja n u a ry -A p ril
1942, pp. 79-94.)
Gives d a ta on th e developm ent of th e various branches of th e cooperative
m ovem ent th ro u g h o u t th e world.
Legislative history of cooperatives under the income tax [United States]. By Tessim
Zorach. (In B ulletin of N atio n al T ax A ssociation, L ancaster, P a., D ecem
ber, 1942, pp. 92-97. 25 cents. Also rep rin ted .)
Review of agricultural cooperation in Venezuela. By M anuel C ardozo. W ash
ington, Pan A m erican U nion, D ivision of A g ricu ltu ral C ooperation, 1942.
18 p p .; m im eographed. (Series on cooperatives, No. 19.)
As th e title indicates, m ost of th is re p o rt is dev o ted to ag ricu ltu ral coopera
tiv es; how ever, descriptions are given of several a g ricu ltu ral a n d lab o r banks,
a n d an appendix gives in form ation on various ty p es of cooperatives, including
credit, consum ers’, a n d stu d e n t cooperatives.
D i s m i s s a l C o m p e n s a tio n
Dismissal compensation. N ew Y ork, N atio n al In d u stria l C onference B oard,
Inc., 1943. 32 pp. (Studies in personnel policy, No. 50.)
T he stu d y was m ade to determ ine w h a t effect th e w ar a n d th e S ta te u n em
ploym ent-com pensatio n laws have h ad on dism issal-com pensation plans._ Very
few of th e plans h ad been given up a n d th e satisfactio n of em ployers w ith dis
m issal com pensation is said to be ev id en t from th e e x te n t to w hich th is a c tiv ity
has been retain ed an d even expanded during th e p a st decade.
E c o n o m i c a n d S o c i a l P r o b le m s
Economic fluctuations in the United States: A systematic analysis of long-run trends
and business cycles, 1866-191 J. By E dw in Frickey. C am bridge, H a rv a rd
U niversity Press, 1942. 375 pp., ch arts. (H a rv a rd econom ic studies, Vol.
L X X III.) $5.
T he a u th o r develops m ethods of break in g down tim e series for analyzing th e
several kinds of fluctu atio n s described as secular, cyclical, seasonal, a n d irregular.
H e analyzes a large n u m b er of tim e series, including em ploym ent, im m igration,
prices, a n d production.
Refugee settlement in the Dominican Republic. W ashington, B rookings In s titu
tion, 1942. 410 pp., m aps, ch arts, illus. $4.
P a rt 2 of th is book contains info rm atio n on in d u stria l d istrib u tio n of th e p o p u
lation of th e D om inican R epublic a n d on housing, incom e, sta n d a rd s of living,
an d ag ricu ltu ral a n d in d u stria l wages. T here are some com parisons of wages of
ag ricu ltu ral lab o r w ith those p aid in o th er tro p ical countries. P a rt 1 is on
economics of refugee settle m e n t a n d p a rt 3 deals p a rtic u la rly w ith th e problem s
of th e Sosua refugee colony.
English social history: A survey of six centuries, Chaucer to Queen Victoria. By
G. M. T revelyan. London, N ew Y ork, etc., L ongm ans, G reen & Co., 1942.
628 pp., m aps. $4.50.
T he w riter sta te s th a t social histo ry m ig h t be defined n egatively as th e h isto ry
of a people w ith politics left ou t. I t is im possible to leave politics o u t, b u t th is
book stresses th e social.
Government and industry, their future relations. B y Sam uel C o u rtau ld . London,
M acm illan & Co., L td ., 1942. 32 pp. 6d.
N otes re p rin te d from th e Econom ic Jo u rn a l (R oyal Econom ic Society, L ondon),
presenting th e a u th o r’s views as to how b est to m eet th e in ev itab ly changed condi
tions th a t will exist in G reat B ritain a fte r th e w ar. H e foresees continued G overn
m en t control a n d a g reater sharing by lab o r in m an ag em en t policy a n d th e rew ards
of in d u stry .
Social and industrial problems of Shanghai. B y E leanor M. H inder. N ew T o rk ,
In s titu te of Pacific R elations, In te rn a tio n a l S ecretariat, 1942. 74 pp., m ap ;
processed. 50 cents.
T he stu d y w as com pleted sh o rtly before th e Jap an ese o ccupation of th e In te r
n atio n al S ettlem en t a t S hanghai. ‘ I t deals w ith in d u stria l conditions, em ploy
ment. relations, lab o r organization, housing, food a n d n u tritio n , education of
skilled w orkers, and child pro tectio n .
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638
Monthly Labor Review—March 1943
E d u c a tio n and, T r a in in g
Adult education in wartime.
(In A du lt E d u catio n Jo u rn al, N ew Y ork, Ja n u a ry
1943, pp. 2-43.)
Deals with the effect of the war on adult-education programs in different
localities throughout the United States.
School for Americans: An essay in adult education. B y Jo h n W. Powell. N ew
Y ork, A m erican A ssociation for A d u lt E d u catio n , i942. 212 p p .; processed.
D escription of an experim ent in principle an d practice, in a d u lt education,
carried o u t in San Francisco.
Apprentice training in construction.
W ashington, C ham ber of Com m erce of th e
U n ited S tates, C o n stru ctio n a n d Civic D evelopm ent D e p a rtm e n t, 1943.
8 pp.
Army without uniform: The story of the War Department’s civilian training pro
gram. W ashington, U. S. W ar D e p a rtm e n t, [1942], 31 pp., illus.
T he p am p h let describes different branches of civilian service in th e w ar e sta b
lishm ent an d tells how a n d w here to a p p ly for W ar D e p a rtm e n t work.
Mexican trade trainees in U. S. “earn as they learn.” B y E llio tt S. H anson. (In
Foreign Com m erce W eekly, U. S. D e p a rtm e n t of Com m erce, W ashington,
Ja n u a ry 30, 1943, p p 10, 35, illus. 10 cents, S u p erin ten d en t of D ocum ents,
W ashington.)
A ccount of th e In ter-A m erican T rad e Scholarship P ro g ram to provide te c h
nical train in g in th e U n ited S tates, in in d u strial, ag ricu ltu ral, com m ercial, a n d
o th er fields, for qualified young m en from L a tin A m erican countries.
Training programs in the Federal service.
mission, D ivision of T raining, 1942.
W ashington, U. S. Civil Service Com
78 pp., ch arts, illus.
Visual aids in industrial training.
N ew Y ork, N atio n al In d u stria l Conference
B oard, Inc., 1943. 60 pp., illus. (Studies in personnel policy, No. 49.)
A stu d y p rim arily of th e use of films to su p p lem en t an in d u stria l train in g
program for th e quick tra in in g of w orkers in w artim e. T he su rv ey covered 239
com panies engaged in w ar pro d u ctio n , of w hich 148 were found to be using visual
aids in th e ir train in g , including different ty p e s of films a n d glass slides.
F o o d a n d N u tr itio n
Democracy means all of us: How communities can organize to study and meet
community needs with special suggestions for developing nutrition programs
in war time. W ashington, U. S. Office of D efense H e a lth and W elfare
Services, N u tritio n D ivision, 1942.
30 pp., bibliography.
The food front.
W ashington, U. S. Office of D efense H e a lth a n d W elfare Serv
ices, 1942. 52 pp.
A series of 11 lectures, delivered in th e U. S. D e p a rtm e n t of A griculture A udi
torium , M arch 11 to A pril 15, 1942, dealing w ith food a n d n u tritio n .
Industrial nutrition issue, Manufacturers’ News.
Chicago, A ugust 1942, pp. 1-36
et seq., illus. 20 cents.
T he various articles deal w ith th e value of good n u tritio n for p roduction,
b e tte r p la n t cafeterias, th e im p o rtan ce of v itam in s for w ar w orkers, a n d h ealth for-victory clubs organized in in d u stria l p lan ts.
Nutrition and food supply: the war and after.
E d ite d by Jo h n D. Black. P h ila
delphia, A m erican A cadem y of P o litical a n d Social Science, Ja n u a ry 1943.
279 pp. (The A nnals, Vol. 225.) P aper, $2; cloth, $2.50.
T he articles are classified u n d er science a n d n u tritio n , food supplies and
public policy, consum ption a n d d istrib u tio n , a n d p ro d u ctio n a n d processing.
Nutritional programs for industrial employees.
P rin ceto n , N . J., P rin ceto n
U niversity, In d u stria l R elations Section, 1942. 8 pp. (In d u stria l rela
tions digests, X III.) 20 cents.
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Recent Publications of Labor Interest
H a n d ic a p p e d W o rk ers
Manpower shortage relieved by use of afflicted workers.
N ew Y ork, N atio n al
A ssociation of M anu factu rers, 1942. 4 pp. (S upplem ent to N A M In d u s
tria l R elations B ulletin, No. 45, D ecem ber 1942.)
S um m ary of d a ta o b tain ed in a su rv ey m ade by th e N a tio n a l A ssociation of
M anufacturers to learn w h at w ar p la n ts are doing to m ake use of physically
h andicapped persons a n d to restore p resen t or p rospective w orkers to h ealth .
T he d a ta cover 35 rep resen tativ e p la n ts w hich have a d o p te d policies along th is
line. Suggested jobs for h andicapped w orkers are listed.
Service for the handicapped, New York State— placement activities, year ended
December 31, 1941. A lbany, U n ited S tates E m p lo y m en t Service for New
Y ork, [1942], 24 p p .; m im eographed.
S tatistics by occupation group, in d u stry , a n d ty p e of disability, of place
m ents of handicapped persons in em ploym ent in N ew Y ork S ta te , th ro u g h th e
efforts of regular an d special interview ers of th e E m p lo y m en t Service.
H e a lth a n d I n d u s t r i a l H y g i e n e
Health hazards in the fur industry.
B y H a rry H eim ann. (In Jo u rn a l of In d u s
tria l H ygiene an d Toxicology, B altim ore, M d., D ecem ber 1942, pp. 322-331.
75 cents.)
M edical results of a stu d y by th e D ivision of In d u stria l H ygiene, N ew Y ork
S ta te D ep artm en t of L abor.
Industrial eyesight in war—in peace. By C harles P. T olm an. (In In d u stria l
S afety Survey, In te rn a tio n a l L abor Office, M ontreal, O ctober-D ecem ber
1942, pp. 121-131, ch art, illus. 50 cents.)
T he w riter sum m arizes results of a survey, by th e N a tio n a l Society for th e
P revention of Blindness, of eyesight-conservation p ractices by 50 p lan ts, m an y
of th em fro n t-ran k concerns. The retu rn s, he sta te s, “ show a serious lack of
a tte n tio n to conservation of eyesight in in d u stry in c o n tra st to practices w ith
regard to general sa fe ty .” V arious m easures for p ro te c tin g w orkers’ eyesight
are suggested.
The medical department in war industries. P rinceton, N . J., P rin ceto n U niversity,
In d u s tria l R elations Section, 1942. 8 pp. (In d u stria l relatio n s digests,
X IV .) 20 cents.
Medical services in industry: A selected, annotated bibliography with particular
reference to health programs in war industries. P rinceton, N . J., P rin ceto n
U niversity, In d u stria l R elations Section, D ecem ber 1942.
graphed. (B ibliographical series No. 71.) 10 cents.
11 p p .; m im eo
Occupational medicine and hygiene; its role in Britain in wartime.
B y E. R. A.
M erew ether, M. D . (In A m erican Jo u rn a l of P ublic H ealth , N ew Y ork,
J a n u a ry 1943, pp. 1—14. 50 cents.)
An account of th e facto ry m edical-inspection service in G reat B ritain as it has
functioned during th e w ar a n d of some of th e special problem s w hich have h ad
to be dealt w ith, such as th e b lackout, effects of enem y action, overw ork a n d o ver
stra in am ong th e w orkers, a n d em ergency first-aid arran g em en ts.
H o u s in g
Housing provided in 138 defense areas.
W ashington, U. S. B ureau of L abor
S tatistics, 1943. 10 pp. (Serial No. R. 1504, re p rin t from D ecem ber 1942
M o n th ly L abor Review .) Free.
Annual report of Alley Dwelling Authority for District of Columbia, for fiscal year
ended June 30, 1942. W ashington, [1942?]. 45 p p .; m im eographed.
R eview s th e changes in functions of th e A u th o rity owing to th e w ar, th a t is, a
sh ift from slum reclam atio n to housing for w ar w orkers.
Rehousing the low-income families of Boston: A review of activities of the Boston
Housing Authority, 1936-1940. Boston, B oston H ousing A u th o rity , [1941].
95 pp., m ap, plans, illus.
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Monthly Labor Review—March 1943
Report of State Commissioner of Housing to Governor and Legislature of State of
New York. A lbany, 1943. 29 pp., illus. (L egislative do cu m en t, 1943,
No. 25.)
D iscusses progress of N ew Y ork S ta te ’s housing p rogram a n d existing a n d fu tu re
problem s.
In co m e
Outlay and income in the United States, 1921-1938.
By H arold B arger. New
Y ork, N atio n a l B ureau of Econom ic R esearch, 1942. xxvii, 391 pp., ch arts.
(Conference on research in n a tio n a l incom e and w ealth, studies in incom e
an d w ealth, Vol. 4.) $2.50.
T his volum e brings to g e th e r th e estim ates of n a tio n a l incom e, com m odity flow,
an d cap ital form atio n m ade b y th e N a tio n a l B ureau of Econom ic R esearch, a n d
adds estim ates of th e value of consum ers’ services. T he a u th o r also m akes use
of th e m aterials available for estim atin g o u tlay a n d incom e on a q u a rte rly basis
for th e entire period covered. S ep arate figures for wages are n o t given, b u t u n d er
sh o rt-term incom e, w hich includes salaries a n d also th e n e t incom e of farm ers
an d of professional a n d business m en n o t o p eratin g on a corporate basis in th e
service industries, th e a u th o r gives q u a rte rly figures b o th w ith a n d w ith o u t a d ju s t
m en t for seasonal variatio n .
Minnesota incomes, 1938-39: A report on distribution of family and individual
incomes. B y M innesota Incom e S tudy. St. P aul, M in n eso ta R esources
Comm ission, 1942. 4 vols.; m aps.
A field survey su p p lem en ted b y u n em ploym ent-com pensation d a ta a n d in d i
vidual incom e-tax d a ta . T he first volum e gives general d a ta from th e field
survey, w ith tab les show ing incom e d istrib u tio n by incom e levels up to $10,000
and over, for th e S ta te a n d various subdivisions, a n d for various groups, including
wage earners. Volumes 2 a n d 3 give detailed d a ta from th e field su rv ey a n d from
th e su p p lem en tary sources. T he fo u rth volum e is dev o ted to M inneapolis and
St. P aul. T he preface refers briefly to earlier F ed eral a n d S ta te incom e studies
of a sim ilar n atu re.
I n d u s tr ia l A c c id e n ts a n d A c c id e n t P r e v e n tio n
Metal- and nonmetal-mine accidents in the United States during calendar year 1940
(excluding coal mines). B y W. W. A dam s a n d M. E. K olhos. W ashington,
U. S. B ureau of M ines, 1942. 51 pp.
te n d e n t of D ocum ents, W ashington.
(Bull. No. 450.)
10 cents, S uperin
Bibliography on electrical safety, 1930-1941.
E lectrical Engineers, 1942.
14 pp.
N ew Y ork, A m erican In s titu te of
50 cents.
Life-saving measures for merchant seamen in time of war.
M ontreal, In te rn a tio n a l
L abor Office, 1942. 59 pp. (Studies a n d rep o rts, Series P, No. 4.) 35 cents.
T he rep o rt contain s th e resolutions on safety m easures for seam en a d o p ted by
th e Jo in t M aritim e C om m ission a t its L ondon session in Ju n e 1942, a n d a sum
m ary sta te m e n t of life-saving m easures, p rep ared by th e In te rn a tio n a l L abor
Office.
Manual for instructors of advanced course in industrial accident prevention.
Y ork, N ew Y ork U niv ersity , C enter for S afety E d u catio n , 1942.
m im eographed.
New
74 pp .;
Report of 1943 convention and annual general meeting of Industrial Accident Pre
vention Associations, held in Toronto, April 20 and 21, 1942. T oronto,
In d u s tria l A ccident P rev en tio n A ssociations, 1942.
116 pp.
Safety measures: A selected list of recent references on accident prevention in its
various aspects. C om piled by Anne L. B aden. W ashington, L ib rary of
Congress, D ivision of B ibliography, S eptem ber 1942.
56 p p .; m im eographed.
I n d u s tr y R e p o r ts
Labor aspects of the Chicago milk industry.
S tatistics, 1942. 53 pp., c h arts.
of D ocum ents, W ashington.
W ashington, U. S. B ureau of L abor
(Bull. No. 715.) 10 cents, S u p erin ten d en t
Labor situation in western logging camps and sawmills.
of L abor S tatistics, 1943. 9 pp. (Serial No.
D ecem ber 1942 M o n th ly L ab o r Review .) Free.
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R. 1500, re p rin t from
Recent Publications of Labor Interest
641
The maritime industry—Federal regulation in establishing labor and safety standards.
By Rudolf Walter Wissmann. New York, Cornell Maritime Press, 1942.
386 pp., bibliography. $5.
The purpose of the study was to show to what extent certain types of Federal
labor and navigation laws have been found necessary to promote not only the
welfare of maritime workers and the development of the American merchant
marine, but also the public interest involved therein. The first chapter discusses
the peculiarities of seamen’s employment and describes briefly the history and
general characteristics of legislation for seamen. Other chapters deal with re
cruitment of personnel, training facilities, collective bargaining, seamen’s organi
zations, right to strike, settlement of labor disputes, regulation of seamen’s working
and living conditions at sea and in port, provisions looking toward safety of life
and property at sea, and inspection and enforcement of labor standards.
Transportation and national policy. Washington, U. S. National Resources
Planning Board, 1942. 513 pp., maps, charts. $1.25.
A comprehensive study of transportation problems. The final section of 29
pages is devoted to labor. Policy recommendations include a proposal for a
national transport agency, a program of expansion and improvement for main
taining employment after the war, and the extension of arrangements for
maintaining relations between employers and employees “far beyond the normal
limits of bargaining to embrace systematic cooperation between men and manage
ment ’ in the various transport agencies. It is stated that long-range considerations
call for a better balance among the several transport agencies in collective
bargaining arrangements, labor standards, and labor legislation.
The study is summarized in a pamphlet issued by the National Resources
Planning Board under the title “The future of transportation.” in the series of
pamphlets on post-war planning.
L a b o r D e p a r tm e n ts
Labor's voice in the cabinet: A history of the Department of Labor from its origin to
1921. By John Lombardi, New York. Columbia University Press, 1942.
370 pp., bibliography. (Studies in history, economics, and public law, No.
496.) $3.50.
The author reviews the almost 50 years of effort by organized labor to have
established within the Federal Government a Department of Labor with cabinet
status. The major part of the volume is devoted to an informative description of
the development of the functions of the Department under the first Secretary of
Labor, William B. Wilson, and the role of the Department during World War I
and up to March 4, 1921.
Organization and functions of the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry.
Harrisburg, Department of Labor and Industry, 1942. 37 pp. (Bull.
No. 50.)
Outline of functions and work of Ministry of Labor and National Service [Great
Britain]. By Ernest Bevin. London, [Ministry of Labor and National
Service?], 1942. 12 pp.
Address by the Minister of Labor and National Service to the London Countv
Council.
L a b o r O r g a n iz a tio n s a n d T h e ir A c tiv itie s
Brief history of International Glove Workers Union of America. By Agnes Nestor.
[Chicago], International Glove Workers Union of America, Research De
partment, [1942?]. 31 pp., illus.
Daily proceedings of fifth constitutional convention of Congress of Industrial Or
ganizations, November 9-13, Boston, Mass. Washington, Congress of
Industrial Organizations, [1943?]. 420 pp.
A short account of the proceedings of this convention was published in the
December 1942 Monthly Labor Review (page 1219).
Report of proceedings of 62d annual convention of American Federation of Labor,
held at Toronto, Ontario, Canada, October 5-14, 1943. Washington, American
Federation of Labor, [1942?]. xxxvi, 737 pp.
A short account of the proceedings at the convention was published in the
November 1942 Monthly Labor Review (p. 1000), together with statistics of
membership of affiliated organizations in 1941 and 1942.
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Monthly Labor Review—March 1943
Los sindicatos en Colombia. By Alvaro Pineda de Castro. (In Anales de Econo
mía y Estadística, Contraloría General de la República, Bogotá, Septem
ber 20, 1942, pp. 75-78.)
Deals with the development of workers' associations and their affiliates in
Colombia. Statistics presented show number of associations, membership, and
capital, by geographical division, for the year 1938; and total number of associa
tions, total membership, and total capital at the end of 1941. Between 1938 and
1941, the number of associations increased from 520 to 727, membership from
82,893 to 95,449, and capital from 266,166.38 pesos to 1,128,162 pesos.
The institution of a tripartite labor organization in India. (In International
Labor Review, Montreal, January 1943, pp. 1-21. 60 cents.)
Account of the fourth labor conference (first tripartite conference), New Delhi,
August 1942, at which the new organization was constituted, with a brief sketch
of the general background and of India's relations with the International Labor
Organization. The Indian organization is modeled on the International Labor
Organization, and is composed of representatives of the governments of the Indian
Provinces and States, of employers, and of workers.
M anpow er
Is there enough manpowerf By Harold W. Metz. Washington, Brookings
Institution, 1942. 25 pp. (Pamphlet No. 45.) 25 cents.
A study of the sources of additional manpower and the amount of labor needed
under certain assumptions regarding the size of the armed forces and their uses
at the fighting fronts. It is stated that information in these fields is urgently
needed as a basis for making significant decisions regarding the recruiting and
allocation of manpower and the adoption of appropriate measures to give effect
to the decisions.
Recruiting applicants for the public service. Chicago, Civil Service Assembly
of the United States and Canada, 1942. xvi, 200 pp. $3.
Where can we get war workers? By Sanford Griffith. New A ork, Public Affairs
Committee, Inc., 1942. 32 pp., charts. 10 cents.
Results of a manpower survey in Baltimore, which was chosen for the survey
because of the variety and complexity of its war production problems and also
because it was the first city in which the Federal Government tried out the
effectiveness of its voluntary manpower efforts.
Manpower allocation in Germany. By Herbert Block. (In Harvard Business
Review, Vol. X X I, No. 2, New York, winter 1943, pp. 259-268. $1.25.)
An article on “ Manpower control in Germany" by the same author was pub
lished in the January 1943 Monthly Lftbor Review (pp. 10-21) and reprinted
in Bureau of Labor Statistics Serial No. R. 1508.
Manpower-control policies in Great Britain. Washington, U. S. Bureau of Labor
Statistics, 1943. 8 pp. (Serial No. R. 1501, reprint from December 1942
Monthly Labor Review.) Free.
£
M ig r a tio n
Differentials in internal migration. By Albert Hoyt Hobbs. Philadelphia,
the author, University of Pennsylvania, 1942. 122 pp., bibliography. $2.
Describes the problem of migration as it affected a town in the anthracite
region of Pennsylvania in which mining was practically the only industry and
where the industry had been declining for a number of years.
Migratory beet workers in Michigan. By J. F. Thaden. East Lansing, Michigan
State College, Agricultural Experiment Station, [1942], 47 pp., maps, illus.
Describes the nature of beet-field work and the sources and characteristics of
7,400 Mexican migrants into Michigan and Ohio beet fields in 1941. Information
is also given on housing facilities and on minimum-wage rates and earnings of
beet workers in Michigan.
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Recent Publications of Labor Interest
643
Negro internal migration. By Lyonel C. Florant. (In American Sociological
Review, Menasha, Wis., December 1942, pp. 782-791. $1.)
Discusses Negro migration both as a mass movement and as an individual
experience, and the changes in Negro migration. Considering such aspects as
distance, direction, fluctuations in gross rates of movement, relation of individual
moves to subsequent distribution of population, and measurable characteristics
of migrants, it seems apparent that the movements of Negroes have not been
random but have followed a pattern. The individual experiences underlying
the pattern are related to greater opportunities, directions and distances of moves,
improved transportation, and other factors.
O c c u p a tio n s
Broad occupational distribution of wage or salary workers in each industry, for the
United States, March 1940. Washington, U. S. Bureau of the Census, 1942.
19 pp.; processed. (Sixteenth census of the United States, 1940, series
P-14, No. 6.)
Careers in labor relations. By Florence Peterson. Chicago, Science Research
Associates, 1943. 49 pp., bibliography, illus. (American job series, Occu
pational monograph No. 32.) 60 cents.
A brief description of the various kinds of labor-relations activities and the
qualifications and requirements for handling labor-relations jobs. Prepared for
vocational-school and college students.
Careers in the making: Readings in modern biography as studies in vocational
guidance. Edited by Iona Robertson Logie. New York and London,
Harper & Bros., 1942. 243 pp., bibliography. $1.40.
O ld -A g e P e n s io n s
The jumble of public retirement systems. By Marguerite L. Pizer. (In George
Washington Law Review, Washington, December 1942, pp. 57-71. $1.)
Reviews the growth of independent public retirement systems in the United
States and discusses particularly the variations in coverage, contribution rates,
benefits, etc., as well as the desirability and practicability of unifying and expand
ing the systems to attain universal coverage.
Pension systems for State and local government employees. Washington, U. S.
Bureau of the Census, 1942. 5 pp., charts. (State and local government
special study No. 17.)
Preliminary report on the results of a questionnaire study by the Bureau of the
Census. It shows that nearly three thousand State and local governments
operate public-employee pension systems.
Consolidated annual report of Comptroller of City of New York for fiscal year 1941—
1942. New York, 1942. 482 pp.
Statistics include receipts and disbursements for all the city’s retirement systems
for which the comptroller is custodian—the New York City employees’, teachers’,
and board of education retirement systems, and the police and fire department
pension funds.
Sixteenth annual report of Board of Trustees of Employees’ Retirement System of
Territory of Hawaii, June 30, 1941. Honolulu, 1942. 66 pp. (Publication
No. 13.)
The report for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1941, covers the operation of the
annuity savings fund, the annuity reserve fund, the pension reserve fund, and the
pension accumulation fund.
P i ic e a n d F o o d C o n tr o l
Facing the price problem. Washington, U. S. Office of Price Administration,
Division of Research, 1942. 50 pp., charts; multilithed.
Description of the circumstances which made necessary the adoption of a general
price ceiling, an analysis of the dangers of inflation, and a discussion of the position
of various economic groups, particularly of wage earners and farmers, in the price
control and anti-inflation program.
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Monthly Labor Review—March 1943
Permanent price control policy. Compiled by Julia E. Johnsen. New York, H. W.
Wilson Co., 1942. 113 pp., bibliography. (Reference Shelf, Vol. 15, No. 9.)
$1.25.
This number in the series supplements Volume 15, No. 4, on “Federal price
control,” and emphasizes the question of price control as a policy of continuing
interest, as distinguished from the temporary policy embodied in the Emergency
Price Control Act. Selections included are from various sources and are designed
to present the major considerations that should be taken into account in the
formulation of an intelligent policy in the field of price control beyond the period
provided for in the Emergency Price Control Act. A summary of that act is
reprinted from the March 1942 number of the Monthly Labor Review.
Price freezing under [United States] Office of Price Administration. By Victor
Abramson. (In American Economic Review, Menasha, Wis., December
1942, pp. 760-774.
$1.25.)
Rent control in 19J+3. By James Simsarian. (In National Municipal Review,
New York, January 1943, pp. 17-20, 25. 50 cents.)
Outlines rent-control procedure of the Office of Price Administration under the
Emergency Price Control Act and gives some figures showing extent of regulation.
Food rationing in Great Britain. By Kendrick Lee. Washington, Editorial
Research Reports, 1013 Thirteenth Street NW., 1943. 19 pp. (Vol. 1,
1943, No. 1.) $1.
Describes the British food-rationing system and discusses the probable appli
cation of similar methods for a wide variety of foods in the United States.
W o m e n in I n d u s tr y
Equal pay for the woman worker. By Geneva Seybold. (In Conference Board
Management Record, National Industrial Conference Board, Inc., New York,
January 1943, pp. 1-6.)
Shows how the principle of equal ppy for equal work has been applied by indi
vidual companies with reference to readjustment of jobs, entrance wage rates, and
differential wage rates; the influence of the National War Labor Board’s decisions
and its stabilization order; and the attitude of women already employed toward
changing over to jobs formerly filled by men.
Manpower in the plastics industry. (In Modern Plastics, Easton, Pa., January
1943, pp. 61-65 et seq., illus. 50 cents.)
Describes the recruiting, training, and working conditions needed for the em
ployment of women, and the kinds of jobs being done successfully by women
in the plastics industry.
With women at work, the factory changes. By Elinore M. Herrick. (In New York
Times Magazine, New York, January 24, 1943, pp. 4, 34.)
Outlines the problems involved in the employment of women in war industries
and how they were met in one shipyard. The conclusion was reached that many
changes made to comply with requirements of labor laws and to safeguard the
health of woman workers are also having an effect on the working conditions of
male workers and will remain in effect after the war.
The women graduates of a collegiate school of business. By Ann Brewington and
Evelyn Van Emden Berg. Chicago, University of Chicago, School of
Business, 1942. 99 pp. (Studies in business administration, Vol. XII,
No. 2.) $1.
The study is based on data obtained by questionnaiie from 245 women. In
formation is given on careers chosen, work experience, salaries, unemployment,
and other matters.
Womanpower: The key to the manpower problem. (In Employment Security
Review, U. S. Bureau of Employment Security, Washington, Decem
ber 1942, pp. 1-28. 10 cents, Superintendent of Documents, Washington.)
The problems involved in the employment of women are considered in articles
dealing With the need for women, methods of recruitment, training, foreign
experience, and possible programs of action. Actual illustrations of how ob
stacles in recruiting and training women were met in some localities are also given.
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Recent Publications of Labor Interest
645
Utilization of female help in aircraft plants in Great Britain. By R. W. Hambrook.
Washington, Aeronautical Chamber of Commerce of America, 1942. 17
pp.; mimeographed. (Information bull. No. 1.)
While the three articles brought together in this information bulletin emphasize
the aircraft industry, the writer discusses general employment and training of
women in industry in England, and lists types of work which they are doing.
The third paper, on aviation training of women in England and the United States,
lists Federally-aided and private aviation courses for women in the United States.
General Reports
Directory of Connecticut manufacturing and mechanical establishments, 1942.
Hartford, Department of Labor and Factory Inspection, [1942?]. 94 pp.
The plants are listed alphabetically by city and town, and the products or
services of each are shown. In addition to the directory, the bulletin includes a
table giving the number of plants, total employees, and male and female employees
separately, in 1939 and 1942, with the increase or decrease (number and percent)
during that period, in the State as a whole, in each county, and in individual
cities and towns. For the State as a whole, the number of plants increased
19.7 percent, and the total number of employees, 72.5 percent.
Proceedings of National Conference of Social Work: Selected papers, 69th annual
conference, New Orleans, La., M ay 10-16, 1942. New York, Columbia
University Press, 1942. 670 pp. $5.
The papers presented in this volume are classified according to subject. The
first part deals with the effect of war on social work, and the second, dealing with
basic social, economic, and industrial problems, contains articles on economic
conditions in the South, migration and the alien, unemployment and industrial
relations, health, children in need, the Negro, etc.
Study of health, social, and economic conditions in health area 20, East Harlem
Health District, New York City. New York, East Harlem District Health
Committee, 1942. 39 pp., maps, charts; mimeographed. 50 cents.
University debaters’ annual: Constructive and rebuttal speeches delivered in debates
of American colleges and universities during college year 1941—1942. Edited
by Edith M. Phelps. New York, H. W. Wilson Co., 1942. 459 pp. $2.25.
Federal incorporation of labor unions, compulsory saving, and post-war re
construction are among the subjects covered in the volume. Each chapter is
accompanied by a bibliography.
Investigaciones sociales, 1941 [Argentina]. Buenos Aires, Departamento Na
cional del Trabajo, 1942. 121 pp., charts; processed. (Series A, Síntesis
Anual, No. 6.)
Statistical report for the Argentine Republic including, for 1941 and certain
earlier years, data on cost of living; average hourly wages in Buenos Aires, by
industry, sex of worker, and occupation; explanation of method of computing
basic wage for purposes of workmen’s accident compensation, in agriculture,
cattle raising, fishing, and forestry, with tables of rates by region, industry, and
occupation; employment in Buenos Aires, by industries; labor organizations;
strikes; industrial accidents (1939); sanctions imposed for noncompliance with
social and labor legislation; and critical discussion of the statistics.
Statistical yearbook of Quebec, 1941. Quebec, Bureau of Statistics, 1942. xxxiii,
461 pp.
Covers vital statistics and economic matters in the Province of Quebec, Canada,
including data on manufacturing, labor disputes, employment-office activities,
industrial accidents, prices and cost of living, agricultural wages, agricultural
cooperative associations, and cooperative people’s banks, in 1940 and earlier
years.
Soviet-Russian economics: I, The limits of the planning system; II, The economy
of the Kolkhozy and Kolkhoz-members’ homesteads at end of second five-year
plan; III, Statistical and economic notes. By S. N. Prokopovicz. (In Annals
of Collective Economy, Geneva, January-April 1942, pp. 34-78.)
Part II, dealing with the collective farms in Soviet Russia, includesjiata on
working conditions of the participants, statistics of production, etc.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
U. S. G O V E R N M E N T P R I N T I N G O F F I C E : 1943
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
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