Full text of Monthly Labor Review : March 1949, Vol. 68, No. 3

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APR 15 1949

Monthly Labor Review

>11121 !P

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR » BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS

L a w r en c e R . K l e in , Chief, Office of Publicatione.


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CONTENTS
Special Articles
273
278
284

Readjustments in Consumer-Goods Industries
Great Britain: Employment Policies and Production
Selected Excerpts from “The Gift of Freedom”

Summaries of Studies and Reports
289
290
294
300
301
303
307
309
312
313

Work Injuries in 1948: Preliminary Estimates
The Economic Reports of the President and the CEA
Obligations and Rights under Collective Bargaining
Practical Uses of Trade-Union Records
Hosiery Manufacture: Earnings in October 1948
Wage Chronology No. 4: Bituminous-Coal Mines, 1933-48
Footwear Manufacture: Earnings in October 1948
Local City Truck Driving: Union Scales, July 1, 1948
First Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service Report
Labor-Management Disputes in February 1949

Technical Note
315 Measuring Intercity Differences in Living Costs

Departments
III
322
328
330
336

The Labor Month in Review
Recent Decisions of Interest to Labor
Chronology of Recent Labor Events
Publications of Labor Interest
Current Labor Statistics (list of tables)

March 1949 ® Voi. 68

No. 3

This Issue in Brief. . .

in 1949 two types of adjustments in the
trends of employment and production in certain
industries became discernible. R eadjustments
in C onsumer -G oods I ndustries (p. 273) traces
the trends in employment, man-hours, length
of workweek, and turn-over which reflect
the changed patterns. These factors indicated
that a downward readjustment had begun long
before nonfarm employment reached its all-time
high late in 1948. The first industries to thus
react were in the “luxury” class: entertainment,
furs, jewelry, and liquors; but the readjustments
(in the form of decreased employment or lowered
prices, or both), were not great and did not affect
the economy in general. A stronger effect
accompanied the 1947 return to prewar seasonal
patterns in such industries as textiles, apparel,
shoes, radios, furniture, and rubber tires. By
early 1949 there was a contraseasonal decline of
about 850,000 workers in manufacturing em­
ployment, concentrated largely in consumer-goods
industries, between September and January.
The reports of lay-offs, short workweeks, shut­
downs, and price reductions covered such con­
sumer durables as washing machines, heating
equipment, and refrigerators, in addition to
textiles and apparel.
Another type of employment problem is describ­
ed in G reat B ritain : E mployment P olicies
and P roduction (p. 278). Contrary to expecta­
tion, reconversion unemployment, even while a
4-million-person demobilization program was
in process, never reached serious proportions.
The problem as it then affected the British econ­
omy became one of shifting and expanding the
labor force and increasing its output. Special­
ized (and knotty) problems emerged: e. g.,
provision of housing, manning the mines, adding
shifts to industries critical to the export program.
Ultimately (late 1947) it became necessary to
reinstate certain controls. As expedients, 171,000
displaced persons were recruited from Europe
and an intensive campaign was carried on to

E arly

ii


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induce women to enter the labor market. The
labor force having about reached its potential,
efforts are now concentrated on methods to in­
crease productivity through more efficient proces­
ses, work methods, and work habits.
So far as economic policy for the United States
is concerned, three recent pronouncements are
worthy of note. T he E conomic R eports of the
P resident and the CEA (p. 290) is a summary
of the annual reports to the Congress required
by the Employment Act of 1946 and of the Presi­
dent’s State of the Union Message. A portion
of the Council of Economic Advisers’ report
discusses the general noninterference policy of
the Government in arriving at the labor contract.
This expression of national policy in labormanagement relations leads to questions as to
prerogatives of the parties to labor-management
negotiations. O bligations and R ights U nder
C ollective B argaining (p. 294) takes up the
specific problems of management functions and
union rights and responsibilities. It is based on
an analysis of more than 15,000 collective agree­
ments. Many traditional “prerogatives” of man­
agement are now subject to collective bargaining
and their scope, at any one time, depends upon
the degree of mutual confidence held by union
and management. Items found in agreements
frequently define and delimit management’s right
with respect to transfers, promotions, discipline,
schedules, removal of establishment, subcon­
tract.
An exceedingly complex contract analysis is
found in W age C hronology N o. 4: B itumi­
nous C oal M in es , 1933-48 (p. 303), covering
complicated changes in wage rates, the introduc­
tion of pay for travel time, holiday and vacation
pay, and health and welfare benefits. Contract
analysis can be practiced most easily by tradeunions themselves. This is one of the P ractical
U ses of T rade -U nion R ecords (p. 300), a
summary of a paper presented at the 1948 meet­
ing of the American Statistical Association. At
least equally important, in the viewpoint of the
author, however, is the examination of union
records for membership distribution (geographi­
cally and industrially) and characteristics, dues
collection patterns, and the growth, standing,
and turn-over of membership. Financial records
are useful in making comparative per capita cost
studies for various items of expenditure.

The Labor Month
in Review

L essening of business activity from postwar
peaks, a trend which has been observable in indi­
vidual industries for a number of months, appeared
to become more widespread during February 1949.
This tendency, combined with seasonal contraction
in some industries, caused a significant decrease in
nonagricultural employment between early Jan­
uary and early February. At the same time un­
employment increased by over a half million to
more than 3 million. Total employment, how­
ever, was as high as it was a year ago, and most of
the basic heavy industries continued to operate
near peak rates.
The net result of wholesale-price movements
during the month was relatively minor. A sharp
drop in farm and food prices in the early part of
February was recovered by the month’s end. Con­
sumers’ food prices were also lower. As a result of
recent declines in consumers’ prices, downward
wage adjustments were made necessary for em­
ployees of a few companies, notably General
Motors, whose union contracts tie wage rates to
changes in the consumers’ price index. In a num­
ber of otdier cases, wage increases were negotiated
during February. No strikes of national import­
ance occurred during the month.

Unemployment at Postwar High
Unemployment increased by 550,000 from early
January to early February, bringing the number
of jobless to about 3.2 million, according to the
Census Bureau’s monthly report. The number of
persons without jobs is now somewhat larger than
at any time since early 1942, but still low in rela­
tion to total employment. The unemployed in
early February were 5.3 percent of the civilian
labor force, compared with 4.4 percent a year ago
12.9 percent in February 1941. The rise in
unemployment appeared, on the basis of weekly
Unemployment Compensation claims reports, to
be losing momentum by the end of the month.
Part of the unemployment increase was due to
bad weather and other seasonal factors, with con­

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struction, lumbering, and transportation particu­
larly affected. In the latter two industries, lay­
offs were probably more than seasonal. In indus­
tries such as textiles, coal mining, furniture, appli­
ances, and paper, curtailed production as a result
of declining demand also caused lay-offs. There is
undoubtedly a general easing of the demand for
goods after more than 3 years of high production,
but for the immediate future the normal spring
expansion in outdoor industries will tend to reduce
the number of unemployed.
Total employment dropped somewhat between
January and February, but was still about the
level of a year ago. A further decline in factory
employment, a trend since last September, was an
important factor in the drop of nearly half a million
nonagricultural workers. This was partially offset
by a rise of a quarter million on farms. Nonfarm
employment, at 50.2 million, was about 200,000
below last year’s figure, but considerably above
any previous February.
Price Changes Small
While prices for individual commodities fluctu­
ated considerably during the month, the level of
the Bureau’s wholesale-price index at the end of
February was practically unchanged from the
beginning of the month. Prices of farm products
were 1 percent higher and foods, about 1.5 percent,
but prices of commodities other than farm and
food products on the average were almost 1 percent
lower. Textile prices declined 1 percent. Fuel
and lighting materials and products in the miscel­
laneous category were down a little more than 1
percent. Building materials were fractionally
higher, but for the first time in many months
metals and metal products declined slightly.
The sharp break in the prices of farm commodi­
ties in the early part of February 1948 was repeated
on a smaller scale in the same period this year.
Prices of some important farm products fell well
below support levels at times. By the end of the
month, however, the general levels of farm and
food prices were somewhat higher than they were
at the end of January.
The Bureau’s consumers’ price index decreased
0.3 percent between December 15 and January 15,
marking the fourth consecutive month of decline.
At 170.9 percent of the 1935-39 average, the index
was 1.2 percent higher than a year ago and 28.2
percent above the June 1946 level. In contrast
to the preceding 3 months, lower prices for apparel
m

IV

THE LABOR MONTH IN REVIEW

and housefurnishings, rather than lower food
prices, were chiefly responsible for the average
decrease from mid-December to mid-January.
Apparel and housefurnishings prices dropped
1.9 and 1.1 percent, respectively, over the month.
January sales accounted for lower prices for most
apparel items, particularly men’s overcoats and
topcoats, business shirts, shorts, and pajamas;
women’s coats, wool and rayon street dresses, and
nylon hose; children’s apparel; and cotton and
rayon yard goods. January sales were also
reflected in the lower index for houseufnrishings.
Reduced prices were reported for sheets, curtains,
all items of furniture, and electric washing
machines and refrigerators. Many articles
featured in January sales were of standard
quality, available in an adequate assortment, on
which sale prices were in effect long enough to be
accessible to consumers generally.
Prices of foods averaged only 0.1 percent lower.
The crop losses resulting from freezing weather in
the winter fruit and vegetable areas caused a rise
of nearly 9 percent in prices of fresh produce,
offsetting substantial declines in prices of meats,
eggs, and fats.
Rents rose an average of 0.2 percent, increases
being reported in all cities surveyed.
Preliminary reports for February indicate
further declines in food prices, particularly
meats, enough to cause another decline in the
over-all index.
Wage Changes
The economic setting of wage negotiations is
more varied than a year ago. In the textile
industry, union wage demands which were sub­
mitted to arbitration were turned down on the
basis of the economic outlook in the industry.
Wage raises were negotiated recently in many
industries, particularly in public utilities, paper,
printing, metalworking, and air transportation.
In the mass-production industries, including
electrical equipment, rubber, steel, and automo­
biles, the unions announced that they would seek
wage increases and other benefits. Certain em­
ployers in these industries, as in similar circum­
stances last year, indicated that these demands
would not be granted.
The wages and salaries of about 340,000 em­
ployees of the General Motors Corp. were reduced
for the 3-month period beginning in March.
This action was the result of the agreements

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between the corporation and the United Auto
Workers (CIO) and the United Electrical Workers
(CIO) to make quarterly wage changes on the basis
of changes in the Bureau of Labor Statistics con­
sumers’ price index. About 270,000 production
workers will receive 2 cents an hour less, and 68,000
salary workers will receive a total of $10 less dur­
ing the 3-month period. This is still 1 cent
above the rate effective in May 1948, when the
contract was signed. Additional union contracts
with automatic escalator clauses have recently
affected workers in a few other companies,
including 25,000 employees of the International
Shoe Co., where wage adjustments are based
upon relatively small changes in the consumers’
price index.
Weekly earnings of factory workers declined
slightly from December to January to an average
of $54.77, as a result of a shortening of the average
workweek. The loss in pay due to the decline
in hours more than offset the small increase in
hourly earnings.
The workweek in manufacturing, which aver­
aged 39.6 hours in January 1949, against 40.0
hours in December 1948, was shorter than in any
month since January 1941. Most of the decline
took place in the nondurable goods industries in
which average weekly hours dropped to 38.6.
In this group of industries, the shortest workweek
since the end of the war was reported for textiles,
apparel, food, tobacco, and paper. The average
workweek in the durable goods industries also
declined slightly in January to 40.5 hours, 0.4
hour below the January 1948 level. This decline
occurred despite a substantial rise in hours
worked in automobile assembly plants.
Industrial Relations
Time lost due to work stoppages resulting from
industrial disputes during February does not
appear to have been significantly different than the
800,000 man-days reported for the previous month.
The only strikes which attracted attention during
the month were local in character.
About 11,000 operating employees of the Phila­
delphia Transportation Co., which runs the city’s
public transportation system, went on strike on
February 11. The union originally asked for a
wage increase of 25 cents an hour; the company’s
offer was 2 cents. After tying up Philadelphia’s
transportation for about 10 days, the dispute was
settled with an increase of 8 cents an hour.

Readjustments in Consumer-Goods Industries
Declines in Employment, Man-Hours, and Workweek
and Rise in Lay-Off Rates, Have Affected
Textiles, Apparel, Shoes, and Selected Consumers’ Durables
Sydney N etreba 1

the completion of reconversion early in
1946 and with purchasing power and accumulated
backlogs of demand at unprecedented levels, pro­
duction and employment in nonagricultural in­
dustries began a general rise which continued until
the end of 1948. Nonfarm employment reached
an all-time high of 46.1 million in December, with
manufacturing attaining a postwar high of 16.7
million somewhat earlier. Despite this over-all
trend, the rapidly increasing volume of consumer
goods and services started a movement toward
certain “readjustments,” which first became
evident in 1947. Among the first industries to
feel the impact of declining demand were those
dealing in luxury items, such as entertainment,
furs, jewelry, and liquors. Readjustments in
these activities, which took the form of decreased
employment or lowered prices, or both, were
relatively small and had no visible effect on the
general economic situation.
The second type of adjustment to changes in
postwar demand in 1947 took the form of a
reappearance in several consumer-goods industries
of prewar seasonal patterns in production and
employment. Textiles, apparel, shoes, radios,
furniture, and rubber tires showed declines in
employment and weekly hours during the spring
and early summer months and a sharp pick-up in
the fall and winter. By the end of 1947, it was

W ith

evident that the radio manufacturing and rubbertire industries were readjusted to somewhat lower
levels of demand by employment reduction.
The textile, apparel, shoe, and furniture indus­
tries, however, had resumed their upward trend,
reaching new employment peaks in February and
March 1948. These were followed by spring and
summer seasonal decreases, which affected the
shoe industry with particular severity. The
expected upturn appeared in August, but proved
to be short-lived. Reversing the usual seasonal
pattern, employment in cotton, woolen and
worsted textiles, and shoe manufacturing turned
downward in September and declined further in
October and November. These employment de­
clines were accompanied by even sharper reduc­
tions in the length of the workweek.
Probably the most important employment
development in late 1948 was the contraseasonal
decline in manufacturing employment during the
last quarter. Between September and December,
these industries dropped about 450,000 workers,
in contrast to an increase of 100,000 during the
same period of 1947. In January 1949, employ­
ment declined by another 400,000, bringing the
total well below the level a year ago. This reduc­
tion was largely concentrated in consumer-goods
industries, as readjustments spread from soft
goods to a number of consumer durables. Between

1 Of the Bureau’s Branch of Employment Statistics.


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273

274

CONSUMER-GOODS INDUSTRIES

October and January there were increasing reports
of lay-offs, part-time work, plant shut-downs, and
price reductions, in plants producing washing
machines, refrigerators, furniture, radios and
phonographs, stoves, oil burners, and heating
equipment, in addition to the textile and apparel
items indicated previously.
Sales data prepared by the United States De­
partment of Commerce reveal that trends in
factory employment have corresponded to fluctu­
ations in current demand. For example, retail
stores selling household appliances and radios
reported consistent increases in sales volume
throughout 1946 and 1947, and substantial de­
creases in the latter part of 1948. Similar trends
were shown for retail-furniture and housefurnishing
stores; these outlets reported minor advances
through the first three quarters of 1948, but sig­
nificant reductions in sales for the final quarter of
the year.
Trade reports further indicate that sales resist­
ance to major appliance and furniture items
resulted in increased retail inventories and con­
sequent “promotional” clearances in a number of
important cities. Refrigerators, vacuum cleaners,
washing machines, gas ranges, automatic irons,
radios, furniture, and passenger-car tires were
among the items most frequently featured in these
clearances. Slackening of orders and caution with
respect to forward buying have, of course, in­
fluenced the curtailment of manufacturing opera­
tions in these lines.
Selected Nondurable Goods Industries
The Nation’s basic cotton-textile industry em­
ployed a record number of 529,400 production
workers in March 1948. Preliminary data for
January 1949 indicate further continuance of an
employment level below the 1948 spring peak and
more than 28,000 below January 1948. Thus, the
industry was unable to rally from the seasonally
reduced level of the summer. Average weekly
hours for mid-January 1949 showed a drop of
more than 4 hours compared to the workweek a
year before, and aggregate man-hours were about
17 percent below the March 1948 peak. Reduc­
tions of over 11 percent in length of workweek had
more effect on curtailed operations in cotton
textiles than did employment decreases (7.5 per­
cent) over the period.

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MONTHLY LABOR

Labor turn-over rates also reflected the indus­
try’s recent decline. Hiring reached a postwar
low in December 1948, while lay-offs rose sharply
from March to a postwar high of 17 per 1,000 in
December. Workweek comparisons by month,
August 1948 to December 1948, for northern and
southern cotton-textile establishments are shown
below:
A v e r a g e w e e k ly h o u rs

1948: A u g u st.. _
September ___
October _
N ovem ber________
D ecem ber___ __

N o r th

S o u th

37.
37.
35.
35.
36.

37. 6
36. 9
37. 3
37. 4
3 7 .7

9
8
0
2
6

Compared to the South, textile mills in
North (i. e., New England) showed greater declines
in average weekly hours; Massachusetts and Rhode
Island were particularly affected. Differences
between North and South were especially marked
from September to October. The average work­
week for the North dropped sharply by midOctober, but in the South there was a slight
increase. Because of the greater number of
southern workers who did not receive pay for the
Labor Day holiday, the September average for the
South was influenced to a greater extent by that
holiday than the average for the North.
Trends in woolen and worsted manufacturing
followed closely the cotton textile trend. The
postwar peak of December 1946 was followed by
decreases in aggregate man-hours in the spring
and summer months of 1947. The upward move­
ment was resumed, however, and by February
1948 man-hours were only 2.4 percent below the
postwar peak. A summer drop occurred, however,
which, unlike that of 1947, was followed by a
contraseasonal decline that continued to January
1949. Man-hours in mid-January were about 20
percent below the postwar peak and almost 18
percent below January 1948, reductions signifi­
cantly larger than those in cotton textiles.
Average weekly hours in woolen and worsted
mills, which dropped to 39.1 in mid-December
1948, had rallied from the mid-October low but
were still substantially below the level of the
postwar peak employment months.
Employment in woolen and worsted mills in
January 1949 was 32,000 below the record post­
war month, according to preliminary data, and
about 28,000 below January 1948, reflecting a
more severe down-turn than that in cotton textiles.

REVIEW , MARCH 1949

CONSUMER-GOODS INDUSTRIES

Hiring reached a postwar low in December 1948,
while lay-offs rose to 30 per 1,000 compared with
4 per 1,000 in December 1946.
In the boot and shoe industry, the postwar
record of production-worker employment was
achieved in February 1948. However, as in cot­
ton and in woolen and worsted textiles, the in­
dustry failed to recover in the fall from the sea­
sonal down-turn of the spring and early summer.
In January 1949, employment was 8 percent below
the postwar peak. The 13-percent drop in total
man-hours from the peak employment month re­
sulted from almost equal decreases in employment
and in the length of the workweek.
W e ekly M a n -H o u rs
SelectedfNondurable G o o d s Industries

275

In the rubber tire and tube industry, the end
of World War II made it possible to turn imme­
diately to output for civilian use. By November
1946, production-worker employment reached an
all-time high of 118,000. Gradual subsequent de­
clines reduced employment 30,000 by mid-January
1949. Aggregate weekly man-hours fell by 32
percent over the 2-year period, resulting largely
from the substantial drop in employment. Cut­
backs in the average workweek, however, also
developed. By the beginning of 1949, average
weekly hours were almost 3 hours below the level
at the employment peak.
Labor turn-over data further reflect the nature
of the readjustment in this industry. The acces­
sion rate declined to 8 per 1,000 employees in
December 1948, compared with 32 per 1,000 in
November 1946. Similarly, the lay-off rate, at a
low in November 1946, advanced to 17 per 1,000
in December 1948. Quits, or voluntary separa­
tions, declined markedly, from 25 to 11 per 1,000,
over the period.
The physical volume of tire and tube produc­
tion, according to information published by the
United States Department of Commerce, corre­
sponds closely in movement with the employment
changes. In part, the decline in total output has
resulted from a sharp reduction in exports since the
first half of 1947. Still more important has been
the substantial decrease in production for replace­
ment. Shipments of original equipment to auto­
mobile-manufacturing plants have, of course, ad­
vanced with the increased output of new vehicles,
but shipments to tire and tube dealers, which had
increased substantially in the immediate post­
war period to meet the large wartime backlog,
have since declined sharply.
Selected Durable Goods Industries

The hiring rate in the shoe industry in December
1948, which was only slightly above February,
showed definite improvement over October and
November. Reports indicated that the industry
was preparing to reemploy workers as a result of
new orders for the spring season. Some upturn
in employment developed in December 1948 and
January 1949. Lay-offs in December dropped
slightly from October and November, but were
nevertheless higher than the February rate of 5 per
1, 000 .

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In the refrigerator and refrigeration-equipment
industry, postwar production-worker employment
continued to advance until June 1948, when it was
almost double the level at the war’s end. Postwar
demand for refrigerators has been particularly in­
sistent, not only because of the wartime backlog,
but also because of the record volume of new con­
struction. Employment declines in the third, and
especially, in the fourth quarter of 1948, reversed
the previous expansion. Reflecting this reduc­
tion, total man-hours declined about 16 percent

276

CONSUMER-GOODS INDUSTRIES

between June 1948 and January 1949; and weekly
hours were also lowered.
In the radio and phonograph industry, which
includes the manufacture of television sets, it is not
readily possible to distinguish employment trends
in individual products in the BLS data for the in­
dustry as a whole. Production information shows
the rapid strides made in output of television units
during the postwar period, with 1948 indicating
sustained record levels in that branch. Output of
radio sets, on the other hand, has turned down­
ward rather sharply from the 1947 peak. It ap­
pears, therefore, that the advance in television has
operated to limit the over-all employment decline
in the radio industry since December 1946. Re­
ports for a number of States, principally the more
important television centers—New York and
Pennsylvania—indicate that the rise of this branch
has more than offset declining activity in the radio
branches.
Nationally, however, the radio and phonograph
industry reduced production-worker employment
about 14 percent between December 1946 and
December 1948. A further reduction reported
in January 1949 was largely seasonal in nature.
Average weekly hours have changed but slightly
over the 2 years. The hiring rate fell from 51 per
1,000 in 1946 to 42 per 1,000 in December 1948.
The lay-off rate did not change substantially;
quits, however, declined significantly—from 33 to
22 per 1,000.
Production worker employment in the laundryequipment industry—including driers, ironers,
washing machines, and wringers, for household
use—has decreased, from the postwar peak in
February 1948 to December 1948, about 28 per­
cent, or by almost 5,000 workers. Reports of lay­
offs in several important establishments in the in­
dustry have stressed the need to adjust production
to declining sales volume. Average weekly hours
also dropped substantially—particularly in midDecember 1948. At the end of the year the aver­
age workweek was about 4 hours less than the
level reported at the employment peak.
In the furniture industry, wartime restrictions
resulted in lowered employment levels from 1942
to 1945. It was possible in 1946, however, to ex­
pand employment rapidly to a point above the
1941 peak, owing to the increased availability of
labor and materials. Employment expanded fur­
ther in 1947, reaching a postwar peak in February

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MONTHLY LABOR

W e ekly M a n -H o u rs
Selected Durable G ood s Industries

MILLIONS

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS

1948. After the seasonal reduction in the spring
and summer months, some increase developed in
the latter part of 1948, but the levels remained
below the postwar peak. In January 1949, ag­
gregate weekly man-hours were about 14 percent
below February 1948, as a result of an 8-percent
decline in employment and a reduction of more
than 2 hours in the average workweek.
Lay-offs in furniture-manufacturing lines in­
creased in the more recent months, reflecting the
declines in activity. In December 1948, the lay­
off rate had increased to 35 per 1,000 employees—
compared to a rate of 7 per 1,000 in February.
The accession rate was substantially reduced over
the period, changing from 58 to 23 per 1,000.
Production of cooking stoves reached a postwar
peak in the first quarter of 1948. Seasonal de­
clines followed as in preceding years, but, unlike
the trends in other postwar years, the recovery in
the fall months was not sufficient to reach the
earlier levels. Shipments of oil burners and heat­
ing equipment also declined somewhat below pre­
vious peaks.
Indicating a slackening pace in new orders, the
hiring rate for the industry as a whole dropped
from 62 per 1,000 in November 1947 to 13 per
1,000 in December 1948, while the lay-off rate ad­
vanced sharply over the same period. By January
1949, production-worker employment had, conse­
quently, been reduced by 30,000 from the Novem­
ber 1947 peak. Establishments in this industry
also reported a significant decrease in the average

REVIEW , MARCH 1949

277

C0N 8Ü M ER -000D 8 INDUSTRIES

workweek. Aggregate weekly man-hours, largely
reflecting employment cut-backs, decreased by

about one-third from November 1947 to the first
part of 1949.

Employment, average weekly hours, total weekly man-hours, and labor turn-over rates for selected industries

Item

Cotton manufactures:
Employm ent, production worker______ _____________ ____ _ .
Average weekly hours. _______________ _______
Total weekly man-hours (in thousands)_____________ .
Labor turn-over:3
Accessions (per 100 employees)________________
Lay-offs (per 100 employees)_____________________
Woolen and worsted manufactures:
Employment, production w orker________ _____ ______
Average weekly hours______________________ ________ • .
Total weekly man-hours (in thousands). . . __________
Labor turn-over:
Accessions (per 100 employees)____ _________
Lay-offs (per 100 employees)_____ ___________________
Boots and shoes:
Employment, production worker________ ________ .
Average weekly hours________ ____ __________ .
Total weekly man-hours (in thousands)______________
Labor turn-over:
Accessions (per 100 employees)__________________
Lay-offs (per 100 employees)______________________________
Rubber tires and inner tubes:
Employment, production w orker...____________ ____________ .
Average weekly hours______________________________ .
Total weekly man-hours (in thousands)_________________ _____
Labor turn-over:
Accessions (per 100 employees)___________ ____ ___________
Lay-offs (per 100 employees)______________________________
Refrigerators and refrigeration equipment:
Employment, production worker_____________________________
Average weekly hours__________ ____________________ _______
Total weekly man-hours (in thousands)_______________________
Labor turn-over:
Accessions (per 100 employees)__________________________
Lay-offs (per 100 employees)________________________ _
Radios and phonographs:
Employment, production worker__________________ ____ _ . _
Average weekly hours_________________________________
Total weekly man-hours (in thousands).. _______ ___________
Labor turn-over:
Accessions (per 100 employees)____________________ .
Lay-offs (per 100 employees)______________________________
Washing machines, wringers, and driers, domestic:
Employment, production worker_____________________________
Average weekly hours______________ _______ _____ __________
Total weekly man-hours (in thousands)____ ___________________
Labor turn-over:
Accessions (per 100 employees)............ ..........................................
Lay-offs (per 100 employees)______________________________
Furniture:
Employment, production worker______ _______________________
Average weekly hours. . . _______________________________ _ .
Total weekly man-hours (in thousands).______________________
Labor turn-over: <
Accessions (per 100 employees)_______________________ ____
Lay-ofEs (per 100 em ployees).................... ............... .....................
Stoves, oil burners, and heating equipment:
Employment, production worker......... ..................... ...........................
Average weekly hours________________________ _______ ________
Total weekly man-hours (in thousands)________ _____ ____ ____
Labor turn-over:
Accessions (per 100 employees)___________________________
Lay-offs (per 100 employees).___ ______ __________________

Postwar
peak employment
month 1

824906—49

2

August

September

October

1949
November D ecem ber2 January3

529,400
40.7
21,550

521, 500
37.7
19, 660

516,900
37.1
19,180

511,400
36.9
18, 920

508,900
37.0
18,830

507, 500
37.5
19,030

494, 900
36.3
17, 960

4.8
.8

4.7
.8

4.4
.8

3.8
1.4

3.2
.9

2.5
1.7

2.9
1.8

181, 700
41.3
7,450

169,800
39.6
6, 720

165,800
38.8
6,430

159,600
37.6
6,000

158, 200
38.1
6,030

157,400
39.1
6,154

149,100
39.1
5,830

3.2
.4

3.2
2.2

3.0
2.2

2.5
5.1

3.5
2.8

2.3
3.0

2.1
4.6

257,800
38.8
10,000

244,800
37.4
9,160

241,000
36.8
8,870

238,500
35.6
8,490

229,100
34.4
7,880

232,100
36.6
8,490

237,200
36.9
8,750

4.0
.5

5.1
.8

4.4
.5

3.3
1.0

3.3
1.2

4.1
.9

4.2
.7

118,000
39.0
4,600

91, 500
39.5
3,610

91,400
37.7
3,440

90,000
37.2
3,350

91,200
36.2
3,300

89,600
35.6
3,190

88, 400
35.4
3,130

3.2
.2

2.0
.3

1.9
.5

1.5
1.1

1.2
1.3

.8
1.7

1.4
1.3

84,800
40.5
3,430

82,300
39.2
3,220

81,700
39.5
3,220

81,000
40.6
3,280

79,500
40.0
3,180

79,300
40.0
3,170

76, 300
39.3
2, 990

0
(5)

(s)
0

0
(6)

0
(5)

0
(0

0
0

0
0

111, 600
40.9
4,560

86, 900
39.3
3,420

89,700
39.6
3,550

93,100
39.5
3,680

95,900
40.4
3,870

97, 200
40.3
3,920

93, 500
39.3
3,670

5.1
1.4

6.3
1.6

7.6
.6

6.2
1.5

6.0
1.1

4.2
1.7

5.3
3.1

16,500
41.8
690

15, 600
41.2
640

15,700
39.5
620

15,700
41.5
650

15,500
40.7
630

12, 500
35.1
440

10, 200
37.6
385

(!)
0

0
0

(5)
0

(s)
0

0
0

0
0

0
0

266,200
41.9
11,150

249, 700
40.7
10,160

252, 500
40.7
10, 280

255,600
41.5
10,600

256,500
40.9
10,490

254,100
41.1
10,440

242,100
39.5
9,560

5.8
.7

8.0
.6

7.4
.9

6.2
1.0

4.6
2.2

2.3
3.5

4.0
5.5

96,200
40.1
3,860

88, 500
40.5
3,580

92,000
39.5
3,630

93,300
40.9
3,810

87, 600
39.0
3,410

76,400
39.2
2,990

64, 000
37.4
2,390

6.2
1.5

7.5
.7

7.6

4.7
2.0

3.2
5.1

1.3
11.6

3.1
7.5

1 The postwar peak employment month for each industry was: Cotton
manufactures, March 1948; woolen and worsted manufactures, December 1946;
boots and shoes, February 1948; rubber tires and inner tubes, November 1946;
refrigerators and refrigeration equipment, June 1948; radios and phonographs,
December 1946; washing machines, wringers, and driers, domestic, February
1948; furniture, February 1948; stoves, oil burners, and heating equipment,
November 1947.


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1948

1.0

3 Preliminary.
s Includes cotton smallwares industry.
4 Includes mattresses and bedsprings.
8 N ot available.

Great Britain:
Employment Policies
and Production
Jean A. Flexner and Ann S. R itter 1

civil engineering, in public utilities, in distribu­
tion, in consumers’ services. Fewer men were at
work in the coal mines. The total employed in
manufacturing had risen slightly, but of this total
only 6 percent were engaged in manufacturing for
export (compared to 15 percent in 1939) and 56
percent were engaged in manufacturing supplies
for the armed forces. The manufacturing indus­
tries which showed an increase were metals and
engineering and chemicals; building materials,
textiles, clothing, and food, drink, and tobacco
had declined.
T able 1.— Great Britain: Labor force distribution 1
[In thousands]
Total number

during the later stages of the
war was designed to prevent unemployment dur­
ing reconversion, to restore prosperity to the de­
pressed areas, and to maintain full employment in
the future; actually, employment remained at
a high level throughout. It became apparent
during 1947 from the fuel crisis of February and
the sterling convertibility crisis of midsummer,
that existing resources, including manpower,
were not sufficient to perform all the necessary
tasks. Consequently, policies were revised, em­
phasis shifted, and new programs devised. Some
employment controls which had been relaxed were
re-instituted; capital investment was reduced;
and the development programs for depressed areas
were slowed down.
B ritish

planning

Mid-1945 Manpower Problem
In mid-1945, the total labor force (21,649,000)2
was at an all-time peak, equal to 45 percent of the
population (47,791,000). The civilian labor force
was considerably below the strength of mid-1939
(see table 1); almost one-fourth were in the armed
forces; and 23 percent were engaged in supplying
the armed forces. Less than 1 percent were un­
employed, compared to 6 percent in 1939.
In mid-1945 British patterns of civilian employ­
ment showed the distortions caused by a war
economy. (See table 2.) Compared to mid-1939,
there was a great increase in employment in agri­
culture, and a pronounced decline in building and
1 Of the Office of Foreign Labor Conditions.
2 Labor force includes all those at work, or available for and seeking work,
or in the armed forces except indoor private domestics. Civilian labor force
excludes the armed forces.

278


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Item

Mid1939

Mid1945

End1947

Oct.
1948

19, 750
14,656
5,094

21, 649
14,881
6,768

20, 430
14, 666
5,764

20,361
14, 575
5,786

Armed forces.. _. _ _____________
480
Insured unemployed 2_______ _ ______ 1, 270
Forces released, not yet employed__ . . .
Civilian labor force (at work)3 *_________ 18,000
M en_____
_________ _____ . . .
13,163
Women__________________________
4,837

5,090
103
40
16, 416
10,133
6,283

1,119
300
123
18, 888
13, 253
5,635

797
322
33
19, 209
13, 543
5,666

Total labor force________ ____________
M en________________ ____________
Women__________________________

Percentage distribution
Total labor force.__ ____________ . .
M e n _____________________ . . .
W o m en _____ . ._ ______
___

100
74
26

Armed forces_________________________
___
Insured unemployed 2 ________
Forces released, not yet employed______
Civilian labor force (at work)3 <
____
M en____________
_____ . . . ___
W o m en _______ ________________

2
6

100
69
31
24
76
47
29

100
72
28

6
2

(3 ) 4
(3)4

92
67
25

100
72
28

(3)4

4
2
( 3) 4

92
65
27

94
66

28

1 Figures relate to males aged 14 and under 65 years, and females aged 14
and under 60 years. Two women employed part-time are counted as one
worker.
2 The figures for mid-1939, mid-1945, and end-1947 relate only to persons
insured under the Unemployment Insurance Acts. The figures for October
1948 represent the estimated total numbers of unemployed persons on the
registers of the employment offices except registered disabled persons who
require employment under sheltered conditions.
3 Including Fire Service, Police, and Civil Defense.
* Less than 1 percent.
Source: M inistry of Labor Gazette, London, December 1948 (p. 418).

The British Government, in its 1944 White
Paper on Employment Policy,3 foresaw the need
for continuing controls—during the reconversion
period—over prices, rationing, investment, and
to some extent over the allocation of raw materials
and labor, “in order to direct the efforts of indus­
try towards the right tasks in the right order.”
However, “under favorable external conditions”
the statement continued, “it may not be very
long before production becomes adequate to meet
3
Cmd. 6527. Presented by the Minister of Reconstruction to Parliament,
M ay 1944.

BRITISH EMPLOYMENT AND PRODUCTION

the various calls upon it. When that happens,
the first aim of employment policy—the main­
tenance of an adequate level of expenditure on
goods and services—will no longer be realized au­
tomatically, as a byproduct of the war effort or
of reconstruction, but will call for the application
of a policy deliberately directed to that end.”
During reconversion, the Government concen­
trated upon ‘‘checking the development of local­
ized unemployment;” removing obstacles to labor
mobility and providing facilities for training and
retraining.
The Distribution of Industry Act in 1945 carried
further the prewar policy of diversifying the
economy of the depressed areas. This law pro­
vided that a district which showed a persistently
high volume and rate of unemployment could be
scheduled as a development area, and could obtain
Government assistance in diversifying its indus­
tries in order to utilize available skilled labor.

279

persons were out of work because of the fuel and
power crisis in February; however, not all of these
registered at the employment offices. The un­
employment data include wholly unemployed and
temporarily stopped who register at unemployment
offices, but not persons seeking a change of job
or the disabled who require special types of em­
ployment. After June 1948, the uninsured as
well as the insured are included.
A verage Number of Registered Unem ployed
Great Britain

T able 2.— Great Britain: Employment by industry, mid-

1939, mid-19J+5, end-194-7, and October 19^8
[In thousands]

Industry

Per­
Mid- Mid- End- Oct. cent
1939 1945 1947 1948 change
1939-48

Total civilian labor force (at work) _____ 18,000 16,416 18, 888 19, 209

+7

Manufacturing industries__________
Metals and engineering____________
Chemicals, etc___ _ _____________
Building materials, etc_____________
Textiles _____
. . . _____________
Clothing, e t c ________ . _________
Pood, drink, and to b a c c o .--______
Other manufactures________________
Basic industries________________ _____
Coal: Total manpower i ________
Wage earners on colliery books.
Other mining and quarrying_____ _
Agriculture______________
. . ___
Fishing____
_ __________
Transport and shipping________ ___
Public utilities.
___________ Building and civil engineering__________
Public service________ ______________
Distribution____ _____________________
Consumers’ services:
Hotels and catering; entertainments
and sport_____ _____________ __
Other services_____________________

6,815
2,267
266
567
798
1,005
654
1,258
3, 298
773
(735)
100
910
40
1,233
242
1,310
1,465
2,887

844
618
834
980 1,286 1,287

+3
-9

Manufacturing industries______________
For export___ _____________ ______
For armed forces______
_________
For home market______ ___________

6, 815 6, 820 7,251 7,342
410 1, 942 2,030
2 990
1, 270 3,830
350
4,555 2,580 4,959 }ö, 312

+8
+105

817
1,408

6,820
3,336
423
403
498
652
518
990
3,288
738
(711)
61
1,025
16
1, 252
196
722
2,030
1,958

7,251
2,876
336
590
652
831
623
1,343
3,629
758
(718)
73
1,055
35
1,438
270
1, 364
2,173
2,351

7,342
2,907
343
587
687
836
642
1,340
3,724
764
(724)
74
1,102
35
1,471
278
1,376
2,238
2,398

+8
+28
+29
+4
-1 4
-1 7
-2
+13
-1
(-D
-2 6
+21
-1 2
+19
+15
+53
-1 7

1 Total manpower includes administrative and clerical staff.
1 Estimated.
Source: M inistry of Labor Gazette, London, December 1948.

Even while 4 million persons were being de­
mobilized and other millions shifted out of war
employment, the unemployed did not reach
400,000 in the postwar years (see chart). The
only exception was in 1947 when about a million

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Employment Levels and Policies, 1945-47
A marked increase in output of fuel and power,
a redistribution of manpower, and as great an
addition as practicable to the total labor force were
needed at the war’s end to rebuild plants and
houses, to restore exports, and finally to fill a great
backlog of demand in the home market. For a
year and a half, it was assumed that labor would be
absorbed and redistributed automatically in ac­
cordance with the needs of the economy, and that
the Government should remove wartime restric­
tions on changing jobs, watch for unemploy-

280

BRITISH EMPLOYMENT AND PRODUCTION

ment, and retrain those coming out of the armed
forces. During 1945 and 1946, employment con­
trols were lifted except in agriculture and coal
mining. Housing and other large-scale investment
programs were stimulated, both in the nationalized
industries and in private industries.
In February 1947, the Government published its
first estimate of how postwar national resources
should be allocated to meet national needs. The
Economic Survey for 1947 (February) stated:
“The central fact of 1947 is that we have not
enough resources to do all that we want to do.
We have barely enough to do all that we m u s t do.”
Primary objectives were to expand the nation’s
labor force, to increase its output, and to insure
the placement of labor in the most useful jobs;
difficulties in securing reallocation of labor with­
out wartime powers of direction and with existing
shortages of accommodations were foreseen by
the Government.
Nevertheless, 1947 production and export tar­
gets required a net increase in civilian labor force
of 278,000 persons. The chief need was to bring
the work force up to strength in coal mining, agri­
culture, and textile manufacture and also to
provide for some increase in every major group
except public service (in which a decrease of 80,000
was planned). Although an additional 178,000
workers seemed to be in prospect from demobiliza­
tion, it was recognized that special efforts would
be necessary to attract the extra 100,000. These
the Government proposed to recuit from women
hitherto outside the labor force, and from abroad.
During the year, an intensive campaign was
begun to keep women in industry, or to bring
them back, if necessary, as part-time workers.
The Factories Act was relaxed to permit late
shifts in textile mills.
Teams of Ministry of Labor officials visited the
displaced persons’ camps on the Continent to
recruit suitable volunteers.
Employment Levels and Policies, 1947-48
By autumn, the Government realized that its
1947 survey had been over-optimistic. The fuel
crisis in February, the sterling convertibility
crisis in the summer of 1947, and the failure of
exports to reach the target for mid-1947 all com­
bined to cause a revision of plans.
Two wartime employment controls were rein­

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MONTHLY LABOR

troduced: the Control of Engagement Order in
October 1947, and the Registration for Employ­
ment Order in December 1947.4 These orders
together channeled all hiring through the public
employment offices (or approved agencies); re­
stored the Government’s authority to direct
workers to take essential employment; and re­
quired those engaged in certain nonessential work
or not gainfully employed to register for work.
Immediate improvement occurred in placements in
industries given first preference by the employ­
ment service, but the net increase in employment
during a year’s time (October 1947-October 1948)
was 5 percent. The registration order brought
few useful new recruits into the labor market.
Only 29 persons were directed to jobs; 338 coal
miners and 129 agricultural workers were directed
to remain in their industries, under pre-existing
regulations. Chief reliance was placed on per­
suading applicants to take essential, rather than
nonessential jobs. The obstacles proved to be the
relatively unattractive working conditions in
textiles, the hazards and insecurity long attached
to coal mining, the monotony, poor housing, and
other disadvantages of agricultural life.5
Late in 1947, the capital investment program
was revised downward because of labor and mate­
rials shortages; however, the cuts in the housing
program announced in December 1947 were not
fully carried out, and the program was resumed
in 1948.
The pressure to attain a high level of production
and the difficulties encountered by the capital
investment program raised some doubts during
1948 concerning the economic feasibility of the
Development Area Plan. Against the long-run
social advantages of new planned towns, indus­
trial diversification, and redistribution of industry,
the West Midlands Plan urges the short-run
advantage and lower cost of expanding existing
cities and industrial facilities. The consultants
on the West Midlands Plan point to the pool of
labor accustomed to factory work, the concen­
tration of managerial talent, and of service and
4 See M onthly Labor Review, November 1947, (pp. 568-9), and. December
1947 (pp. 683-4).
5 Coal miners have greatly improved their wage rates over prewar, and the
National Coal Board is extending welfare facilities as fast as is consistent with
other urgent demands of the economy. Preference is being given in new
housing for coal miners and agricultural workers. The textile industry
group has led 16 industry groups in the percentage increase in earnings
between October 1938 and April 1948. Earnings of women in textiles are
now above the all-industry average.

REVIEW , MARCH 1949

BRITISH EMPLOYMENT AND PRODUCTION

transport facilities in this area. The Government,
while adhering to its general plan, has proceeded
cautiously in the matter of scheduling for develop­
ment additional areas which have requested such
action.8
T a ble 3.— Great Britain: Production and manpower, for

specified industries, end-1947 and end-1948
Production
Industry

Coal:
Total (million t o n s ).-................
Deep mined (million tons)___
Open cast (million tons)............
Production index 1___________
Textiles, cotton:
Cotton yarn (million lb s.)____
Production index—all textiles 1
Steel:
Ingots (million tons)...................
Production index i.................... .
Shipbuilding:
Total (gross tons)____________
Tankers (gross tons)_________
Production index 1___________

End of
1947

End of 1948

Actual

Target

196.5
186.3

211.0

10.2

11.0

Actual

208.4
196.7
11.7
2 116

200.0

101

740
116

900

890
3 129

12.7

14.0

15.0

102

122

<950,000
120, 000

<1, 200,000

175, 000

135

200,000

146
Manpower

CoaL..................
Textiles, cotton.
Steel_____ ____
Shipbuilding. __

718, 000 750, 000
262, 600 325, 000
199, 200 _______
214, 700 _______

726, 000
2 282, 700
2 204, 700
2 215,000

i 1946 = 100.
8 October.
3 September.
< The 1947 target had been 1,250,000.
Sources: Great Britain, Economic Survey 1947, Cmd. 7344 and Economic
Survey 1948, Cmd. 7368; M onthly Digest of Statistics, Central Statistical
Office, London, Dec. 1948; various issues of the N ew York Times, the London
Times, and D aily News Record.

A substantial decline (323,000) was expected in
the total labor force during 1948, owing to the
exodus of women and to the raising of school
leaving age to 15 years. However the Economic
Survey for 1948 projected some increase (133,000)
in the civilian labor force because of further cuts
in the armed forces. This survey set manpower
targets for only three industries—coal, agriculture,
and textiles. As special measures to aid redis­
tribution and recruitment, the Government planned
to concentrate a large part of its 1948 house­
building in mining and agricultural areas.
8 W ithin the last 3 years, the development areas greatly improved their
employment position compared to prewar and to the country as a whole.
M any Government munitions plants in these areas were turned over to
private industry and by June 1948, 443 new factory buildings had been com­
pleted. Although 100,000 insured people in these areas were out of work in
June 1948, the number employed in the development areas was estimated at
250,000 more than in 1939. Some 105,000 of the new jobs were attributed to
industrial developments introduced by Government plan.


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281

Situation in Late 1948
Great Britain’s civilian labor force at work
reached a peak of 19.2 million in October 1948,
and exceeded the Economic Survey forecast by
340,000. The industry distribution of the em­
ployed labor force did not quite conform to the
budgets of the Economic Survey—some industries
having more, others less, than anticipated. Coal
and textiles in particular had not met their man­
power targets.
For this reason, the coal and cotton yarn indus­
tries did not quite meet their 1948 production
goals. The deficits amounted to 1.2 percent in
each. (See table 3.) In spite of the deficiency in
coal output, coal exports were resumed and the
steel industry exceeded its target for 1948. In
shipbuilding, the building of tanker tonnage ex­
ceeded the 1948 target. The October 1948 index
of total output for the British economy was 27
percent above the 1946 average.
Exports had in December 1948 reached 148
percent of 1938 volume instead of 160 percent,
as had been planned. The current 4-year plan
contemplates exports at 150 percent of the 1938
volume in 1952-53.
Possibilities for Expanded Production
In mid-1948, Great Britain’s labor force was
20.3 million, or 42 percent of the total population.
Compared with mid-1939, the percentage of total
population gainfully employed had dropped
slightly; the percentage of men gainfully employed
had dropped rather significantly, from 66 to 62
percent. Changes in population and percent in
labor force are shown in the following tabulation:
N u m b e r (in th o u s a n d s)

T otal population __
M a le .. _
. . . __
Female _
Labor force.
Male
Female .
Percent of total population in
labor force:
T o ta l. _
____
M a le .. _
__
F em ale. _
__

M id -1 9 3 9

M id -1 9 4 8

46,
22,
24,
19,
14,
5,

48,
23,
25,
20,
14,
5,

467
332
135
750
656
094

43
66
21

671
593
078
293
565
728

42
62
23

Source: M onthly Digest of Statistics, Central Statistical Office, London,
December 1948.

Because of the stabilization of the British popu­
lation, the gradual aging of the population, and

282

BRITISH EMPLOYMENT AND PRODUCTION

the long-range decline in the birth rate, the native
labor force is not expected to increase but rather
to decline. However, several forecasts have
already proved wrong. An expected fall in total
population prior to 1948 did not take place, and
now seems remote; the 1947 birth rate was higher
than in any other year since 1921. Labor force
totals in 1947 and 1948 also exceeded forecasts.
The effect of migration on population is, at the
moment, unpredictable. After 1946, out-migra­
tion exceeded immigration (excluding EVW’s, etc.)
and thereby reversed a 15-year trend. The
Government reserves the right to check too
great a flow of certain types of skilled workers,
but has agreed to encourage and facilitate migra­
tion to the British Commonwealth countries.
Shortages of shipping and housing in the Dominions
have hindered migration; nevertheless, in 2 years
(1946-48) about 150,000 emigrated to the Domin­
ions. This outward movement has been offset by
the introduction of approximately 171,000 foreign
workers up to December 1948. (These workers
are included in labor force stattiiscs.)
About 78,000 of the foreign workers are Euro­
pean Volunteer Workers (volunteers from dis­
placed persons’ camps); 69,000 were members of the
Polish Kesettlement Corps; 1,6000 are German,
and 8,000 are Ukrainian ex-prisoners of war who
voluntarily remained to work in agriculture on 1year contracts instead of being repatriated with
other prisoners of war prior to July 1, 1948.
Over 29,000 of the EVW’s, all men, have been
placed in agriculture. Nearly 11,000 men are in
the coal mines; over 10,000 women are working in
the textile industry; a large number of both men
and women (including some German and Austrian
women) entered domest service.
Poles have been placed in coal mining (about
8,000), agriculture (8,000), building and civil en­
gineering (15,000), and about 39,000 in a variety
of industrial employments. About 20,000 Poles
have not yet been placed.
EVW’s receive the same rates of pay, rations,
clothing coupons, and social insurance rights as
British workers, and are subject to the same taxes
and contributions for social insurance. They
must, however, take only employment approved
by the Ministry of Labor, and their stay is subject
to good behavior. Certain training programs have
been organized.
Prior to the recruiting and placement of foreign

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MONTHLY LABOR

workers from the Continent, the Ministry of
Labor reached agreement with the unions and
organizations of employers, governing the intro­
duction of such workers into particular industries.
Some agreements stipulated that in case of unem­
ployment the foreign workers shall be released first.
Because it is evident that the British labor force
has almost reached its upper limit and because it
has proved nearly impossible to move workers from
nonessential to essential employment, attention is
therefore shifting to the potential increase in out­
put obtainable from a rise in productivity, through
mechanization and re-equipment, more regular
attendance of workers, and improvements in the
organization of work.
H o u r s a n d A b s e n te e is m . Average weekly hours of
work in April 1948 (the latest date for which
information is available) were slightly lower than
in October 1938, and considerably below wartime
averages as the result of shorter hours schedules
in a number of industries after hostilities ceased.7
The shortened weekly work schedules after mid1945 were offset in some industries having critical
labor shortages, by agreements to work overtime,
e. g., in the coal and textile industries. However,
in general, these two industries have not been able
to maintain the longer hours.
By agreement of October 1947 most of the coal
miners agreed to work at least some Saturdays or
an extra half hour a day. The number of shifts
actually worked per wage earner on colliery books
has, however, averaged less than 5. The rate of
absenteeism in coal mines during 1948 was 11.55
percent for all workers and 14.13 percent for
workers at the coal face. While these percentages
show some improvement ovrer the situation prior
to May 1947 (when the 5-day week was intro­
duced), the favorable record of the second half of
1947 has not been maintained.
The cotton spinning mills, after trying a 9K-hour
day (47%-hour week) reverted to the 9-hour day
and 45-hour week, because the women workers
could not manage longer hours and family respon­
sibilities. The weaving mills rejected overtime
work, by a ballot taken in April 1948. Thus, it
would appear that it is not feasible to increase out­
put under current conditions, by lengthening hours.
7 Whereas men in 16 industry groups averaged 47.7 hours a week in October
1938 and 52.9 in July 1943, in April 1948 they averaged 46.5. Women averaged
4 hours less a week both in 1938 and 1948, and 7 hours less than men in 1943.

REVIEW , MARCH 1949

BRITISH EMPLOYMENT AND PRODUCTION

P r o d u c tiv ity . A more practical approach is to
increase output per worker by making changes in
equipment and methods of work.8 The publica­
tion of production indexes for the first time has
made possible an estimate of the trend in national
productivity and the series will provide a basis
for the measurement of any future improvements.
Economists at Cambridge University tentatively
calculated that average output per worker de­
creased about 5 percent between 1935 and 1947.
During 1948 this loss was made up, according to
estimates given by Sir Stafford Cripps in January
1949. Average weekly tonnage of coal produced
per man-shift worked in November 1948 (1.15
tons) was slightly above the 1938 annual level
(1.14 tons). For the year 1948, it was 1.11 tons.
An increase in over-all productivity of 2.5 percent
a year is assumed as necessary to the achievement
of the 4-year plan submitted to OEEC. Sir
Stafford Cripps stressed the fact that to achieve
even this increase will require continued vigor.
8 See also British Labor under the Labor Government, Part II, in M onthly
Labor Review for October 1948 (p. 366) and reprint Serial No. R-1930.


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A joint Anglo-American Production Council
was established in September 1948 to study pro­
duction problems in Great Britain. The Council
recommended measures to assist in increasing
productivity, including: (1) plant visits and ex­
change of production techniques among plants in
the United Kingdom and the United States; (2)
a joint committee to study particular industries
and determine whether the productivity rate is
increasing or declining; and (3) a joint committee
to reconcile differences of opinion with respect to
levels of productivity in the two countries.
The Trades Union Congress had reached agree­
ment at the Margate Congress in September 1948
on the need for improving productivity and is
discussing with its member unions specific pro­
posals for raising it. The General Council has
asked the unions to study such problems as
uneconomic and wasteful use of labor, restrictive
labor practices, and joint production commit­
tees, and to cooperate more actively in training
programs.

Selected Excerpts
From “The Gift
Of Freedom ” 1

E ditorial N ote.

T he G ift o f F re e d o m is a 1 5 0 -

p a g e s tu d y o f the so c ia l a n d ec o n o m ic s ta tu s o f
A m e r ic a n w a g e e a rn e rs.
W h ile its m a in p u r p o s e is
to a c q u a in t w o r k e rs i n oth er c o u n trie s w ith e s s e n tia l
f a c t s re la tin g to the w e ll-b e in g o f th e ir A m e r ic a n
c o u n te rp a r ts, so m u ch u s e fu l a n d in te r e s tin g m a te ­
r ia l— h ith erto sc a tte re d i n sco res o f d o c u m e n ts— h a s
been b rou gh t together betw een its covers th a t i t i s i n ­
v a lu a b le f o r d o m e stic u se a s w e ll.
T h e G ift o f F re e ­
d o m i s m u ch m o re th a n a ro u tin e m a r s h a llin g o f
f a c t s — i t i s a n ex tre m e ly lite ra te e x p o s itio n o f s o c ia l
a n d eco n o m ic h is to r y .
T o illu s tr a te th is la tte r q u a lity , p o r tio n s o f the
I n tr o d u c tio n a n d the f i n a l c h a p te r e n t i t l e d , 11T h e W a y
o f F r e e d o m ,’ ’ a re h ere re p ro d u c e d .
T h e I n tr o d u c tio n
e x e m p lifie s the g en era l ton e o f the book a n d d efin es its
sco p e a n d p u r p o s e .
T h e c o n c lu d in g c h a p te r p o in ts
o u t the g e n e r a l la n d m a r k s i n the h is to r y o f c iv il lib e r­
tie s , b u t the e x c erp ts re p ro d u c e d h ere a re co n ce rn ed
p r i m a r i l y w ith the a p p lic a tio n o f c iv il rig h ts a n d
d u tie s to w a g e e a r n e rs a n d w ith the p a r t p la y e d b y
w o r k e rs i n the m a in te n a n c e a n d e x te n sio n o f rig h ts
a n d d u tie s .
T h e G ift o f F re e d o m m a y be p u r c h a s e d f r o m the
S u p e r in te n d e n t o f D o c u m e n ts , W a sh in g to n 2 5 , D . C .,
a t 5 5 cen ts a c o p y , a f te r m i d - A p r i l .

Walt Whitman, the great American poet of
democracy, better than any other person has
proclaimed the conscience, character, quality,
and destiny of the American worker.
In the labor of engines and trades and the labor of fields
I find the developments,
And find the eternal meanings.
1
B y Lawrence R. Klein and W itt Bowden, members of the Bureau’s staff.
The authors are listed in the order in which their respective contributions
appear in the accompanying excerpts. Major authorship*for the volume
as a whole was Mr. Bowden’s.

284

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In the neuter statistical concept economists
drably term “labor force”, he saw the protoplasm
of democracy and pondered the skills, tempera­
ment, and aspirations of men, seeking the dynamic
principle which made America great.
He envisioned America, some 70 years ago, as
an inheritor and protector of world liberty. This
responsibility he regarded as both fearsome and
sacred, to be accepted in the spirit of humility.
This gift of freedom American democracy held
only in trust.
The bailment on the gift of freedom has run
out, and we in America, by precept to be sure,
but no less by other means as well, must make
good on our obligation. What objective tests can
measure our ability to do so: Have wage earners
prospered in a manner commensurate with the
productive capacity of the American economy?
Is the system flexible enough to permit workers
full freedom of movement, choice, conscience, and
opportunity? Has the lot of the worker in terms
of status and influence progressively improved?
Affirmative or negative answers to these ques­
tions can be made by the reader on the basis of
the factual information this pamphlet contains.
An affirmative answer need not imply more than
that it is possible for the American wage earner
to enjoy certain political rights, to attain certain
economic desires, and to secure certain social
tenets. A negative answer means that such
achievements are impossible within the American
system and that the gift of freedom has been
dissipated.
The pamphlet discusses those factors which most
basically influence and describe the economic and
social welfare of American workers. They can be
conveniently and fairly accurately grouped under
six main headings:
1. The Work Force. America is a Nation of work­
ing people, with as many as 60 million at work out
of a total population of 145 million How sus­
tained is this employment, how extensive is un­
employment, how mobile is the labor force, how
is it distributed industrially and occupationally?
2. Productive Capacity. Here then is a labor force,
now regularly at work most of the time. How pro­
ductive is it and the industrial machine at which
it works? Does the national output actually pro­
vide adequate levels of consumption among all
classes?

EXCERPTS FROM “TEE GIFT OF FREEDOM'

3. Purchasing Power and Living Standards. What
wages are paid to American workers and what is
the wage structure of American industry? What
is the trend of wage differentials between occupa­
tions and industries and between various sections
of the country? What is the purchasing power
of wages? What can the typical worker buy in
units of labor time? For what commodities and
services is family income expended? And finally,
in what quantity and quality and in what variety
can the low-income and salaried worker in America
buy food, clothing, housing, equipment, services,
and pleasures, and still live within his income?
4. Social Security. To the wage earner, “typical
standards” mean little if he cannot be gainfully
employed and thus maintain the standards. How
are the American worker and his dependents pro­
tected against loss of income due to unemploy­
ment, work injury, illness, old age, or death? On
the job, are the health and safety of the worker
safeguarded? Is the employment of women and
young people properly safeguarded? What is the
national policy in regard to employment security
and full employment?
5. Labor Organization. Trade-unions are the guar­
antors if not the progenitors of most worker
security. They are effective only to the extent
they are free. How extensively are American
wage earners organized? What kinds of unions
have they established? Are they Government or
employer controlled? Are they restricted to the
point of ineffectiveness? Are they militant or
passive? Are they politically conscious and do
they have political influence? Are they powerful
and astute enough to cope with labor’s problems
in large-scale industry?
6. Civil Rights. Basic personal and political liber­
ties are guaranteed to the individual by the Federal
Constitution and by the constitutions of the 48
States. What are these liberties—of speech,
thought, religion; of press, assembly, and political
action; a free and secret ballot; freedom from
unreasonable search and seizure, arrest, and
prosecution? What progress is being made,
where there is a breach between ideals and practice,
to make these liberties effective in reality?
Can a democracy protect itself against anti­

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285

democratic enemies without destroying the basis
of its freedom for all?
Let there be no false claims here. It is not an
economic and social system alone which guaran­
tees prosperity and security—least of all in
America. In America we are thrice blessed with
vast natural resources and abundant food supplies,
the largest and most efficient industrial plant in
the world, and a large, a varied, and adaptable
work force.
To Whitman, viewing the seeming failure of
nineteenth century democratic movements in
certain other countries, only America offered the
political and spiritual climate in which land,
resources, vigor, and skills could bring democracy
to full fruition. Candor calls for acknowledg­
ment of flaws in the operation of the American
system. Serious problems of inequality exist.
Now and then blunders are committed which jar
the sense of justice. But in America we strive
and progress; our mistakes impede but do not
halt our progress or change our direction.
In America today there is the combination of
circumstances—free labor, free unions, social
consciousness and social conscience, sacred regard
for individual human dignity, and economic
capacity—necessary to virile democratic leader­
ship and reconstruction. Americans—and es­
pecially American labor—want to exercise that
leadership and assistance, not as a largesse but
in the spirit of comradeship. We want to share
our material treasure, certainly; but we want to
share our common political treasures even more,
those free institutions of free men which are im­
bedded in the very marrow of any democratic
social structure. That indeed is the gift of freedom.
*
*
*
*
*
Labor Unions as Champions of Civil Liberties.
Americans of earlier generations thought of liberty
mainly in terms of individualism. Governmental
functions were few and largely defensive. The
most important evolution affecting civil liberties
has centered around an enlargement of the positive
uses of government and an effort to achieve a more
effective linking of rights and responsibilities.
These changes have accompanied the growth of
cities and of large-scale industry and the increasing
interdependence of groups. Wage earners and
their unions have played an increasingly vital part
in the maintenance and extension of civil rights

286

EXCERPTS FROM “THE GIFT OF FREEDOM'

and especially in the adaption of traditional
liberties to changing industrial conditions.
The influence of organized labor in the preserva­
tion and extension of civil liberties goes back to our
early history. Unions in the early nineteenth
century demanded, for example, the abolition of
property qualifications for voting; and the aban­
donment of these qualifications gave the right to
vote to virtually all workingmen except slaves,
who were later emancipated. Early laws and court
decisions viewed as favoring employers and prop­
erty owners led to concerted efforts by unions as
well as other groups to bring about a change of
emphasis from property rights to personal rights.
Among the achievements of this movement were
several reforms in addition to manhood suffrage.
These included universal free education, main­
tained by taxes on property; the right of workers
to file liens on property to secure payment of
wages; abolition of imprisonment for debt; and
exemption of wages and workers’ tools from court
action for payment of a wage earner’s debt. The
importance of these and related reforms was
emphasized by an outstanding student of labor
history (Prof. John R. Commons), who stated that
by the middle of the nineteenth century there came
into existence in the United States a “new juris­
prudence by which, for the first time in the modern
world, manhood suffrage created personal rights
superior to property rights.”
During the middle decades of the nineteenth
century, the labor movement was comparatively
ineffective. Unions were weakened by the eco­
nomic depression of the forties and were diverted
from ordinary trade-union activities by other
interests.
After the Civil War such changes as the rapid
building of railroads, the growth of large-scale
industries, the rise of cities, and the increase in
the number of immigrants gave a new impetus
to labor organizations and at the same time con­
fronted workers with new problems Nation-wide in
scope. Out of these conditions various national
unions emerged. These were eventually united
in the American Federation of Labor. The first
national convention of the Federation of Trades
and Labor Unions (the origin of the American
Federation of Labor) in 1881 pledged the unions
to various principles and measures such as com­
pulsory education, abolition of convict “ contract”

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MONTHLY LABOR

labor, and the repeal of conspiracy laws which
limited the activities of unions.
Repeatedly, in union resolutions and in actions
related to specific situations, labor organizations
have given vigorous support to virtually the whole
range of civil rights and liberties. Typically, the
unions have taken the lead in advocating changes
later adopted, such as the secret ballot, woman
suffrage, the right to strike, and the freeing of
unions from early laws against conspiracy. Fol­
lowing is an incomplete list of such measures that
have been vigorously and in large part effectively
advocated by unions:
Universal free compulsory education.
Freedom of speech.
Freedom of assem bly.
Freedom of the press.
Freedom of moving-picture theaters.
Freedom of radio broadcasting.
Freedom of teachers; no censorship of school books.
Free tex t books in public schools.
Secret ballot.
Extension of the right to vote to women.
Election of the President and of United States Sena­
tors by popular vote.
N om ination of party candidates for office in primaries
by popular vote.
R egulation of expenditures by political parties.
Legal holidays on election days.
Opportunity for direct legislation through the initia­
tiv e and referendum.
R ight of asylum for political refugees.
Nondiscrimination as to creed, color, sex, nationality,
or politics.
Freedom from compulsory labor.
R ight to strike.
Measures to lim it police interference in labor disputes.
Federal protection against local violation of legal and
constitutional rights.
Lim itation by law of court injunctions and restraining
orders in labor disputes.
Freedom of workers to organize and control their
unions.
Collective bargaining and the application of demo­
cratic principles to industry.

Freedom of Association for Workers. The main­
tenance of civil liberty was viewed in our early
history as mainly a process of imposing limita­
tions on the actions of government against indi­
viduals. Wage earners, however, were confronted
early in their history by the problem of inter­
ference with their liberties by other individuals,
particularly by their employers. The unrestrict­
ed right to hire and discharge workers was long

REVIEW, MARCH 1949

EXCERPTS FROM “THE GIFT OF FREEDOM’

claimed and often asserted by employers. How
could employers be prevented from discharging
(or refusing to hire) a worker because of union
membership, for example, or because of the ex­
pression of views opposed to those of an employer?
In meeting the problem of preventing an em­
ployer from violating the civil rights of workers,
unions have depended on two main types of
measures. One of these has been resort to
governmental action for the protection of work­
ers; the other has consisted of limitations on the
actions of employers by provisions of collective
agreement.
A highly important defense against interference
with the political activities of workers has been
the secret ballot. Unions, by the exercise of their
political rights, were able by degrees to throw off
various restraints on their activities. Legal pro­
tection was obtained for a wide variety of union
activities by curbs on the application to unions of
laws against conspiracies, monopolies, and com­
binations in restraint of trade. Various laws
afforded positive defenses against interference by
employers. The Norris-LaGuardia Act of 1932,
for example, outlawed interference by employers
with the freedom of workers to join unions, choose
their own representatives, and bargain collectively
as to the terms and conditions of employment.
The act in particular restricted employers in the
use of Federal court injunctions, restraining orders,
and the police in labor disputes, and denied to
employers the right to enforce in the courts any
employment contract that interfered with the
right to join a union. Later laws, especially the
National Labor Relations Act of 1935, not only
set forth the general principles of freedom of action
by workers but also provide explicit penalties,
such as reemployment and back pay for any
worker discharged because of union membership
or activity. Thus, job tenure is legally inde­
pendent of the views and activities of workers as
members of unions. Another important legal re­
striction on the power of employers over the
tenure of jobs was included in the Selective Train­
ing and Service Act of 1940, which required em­
ployers to reemploy men called into military
service.
The possibility of interference by employers
with the civil liberties of their employees has been
greatly reduced by the direct action of unions in
collective agreements. These agreements between

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287

unions and employers commonly include provisions
to the effect that a worker shall not be discharged
without cause shown or without a hearing; and the
agreements usually provide for union-management
grievance committees. Workers also are pro­
tected against arbitrary discharge by the usual
provisions of union agreements for the union shop
and maintenance of union membership.
The group basis of maintaining the individual
rights of workers is reinforced by decisions of the
United States Supreme Court. The Court
declared in 1936, for example, that Congress is
justified in protecting employees in their funda­
mental right to organize, choose their own repre­
sentatives, and engage in collective bargaining or
other activities without restriction or coercion by
their employers. The basis of the right, it was
stated, is the relative weakness of the individual
employee; his inability individually to resist
arbitrary and unfair treatment; and his depend­
ence on his union for equality in dealing with his
employer.
Personal Rights and the General Welfare. The
adaptation of individual liberties to the conditions
of large-scale industry and modern group relations
has gone far beyond the imposing of limitations
on the economic power of employing groups over
their employees and the safeguarding of the rights
of free association by workers. It has been recog­
nized that the functions of government in securing
the “ blessings of liberty” under the Constitution
can be carried out effectively only in connection
with the exercise of extensive functions for pro­
moting “ the general welfare.” These public
“ welfare” functions, never absent from the inter­
pretation of the Constitution, have assumed new
forms and increasing importance.
These functions are exemplified by recent
Federal and State laws and by court decisions and
administrative activities giving effect to legislative
policies. All political parties have pledged them­
selves in varying degrees to an extension of these
policies. Moreover, the people of the United
States have given tangible expression to their
desire for international cooperation consistent
alike with political liberty and social welfare.
They have pledged adherence to the principles of
free unionism, free choice of governments, and
equality of rights of nations as well as individuals.
They have supported international collaboration

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EXCERPTS FROM “THE GIFT OF FREEDOM’

through the United Nations and its agencies such
as the International Labor Organization. They
have shared their resources through such public
instrumentalities as lend-lease and the Economic
Cooperation Administration and such unofficial
agencies as CARE, Inc.
In keeping with the generally accepted principle
of freedom of thought, inquiry, and expression,
views differ as to economic policies and the most
desirable type of economic organization. Early
in our history we inherited and widely accepted
the views associated with Adam Smith’s “ system
of natural liberty.” That “ system” opposed the
restrictions of guilds and the powers of corporate
monopolies as well as the “ interference” of govern­
ments in economic life. The “ system” assumed
that the general welfare and the interest of workers
and employers, producers, and consumers, would
all best be served by automatic adjustments
brought about by the free competition of all in
the market place.
The increasing imperfections of private enter­
prise, competitive markets, and automatic adjust­
ments brought about a change in prevailing con­
ceptions of liberalism. The early ideas were no
longer viewed as “ natural laws.” Private enter­
prise was required to defend itself on rational and
social grounds, submit to numerous controls, and
yield in part to public enterprise. The existing
organization of economic life is not, however, so
closely associated with the government that oppo­
sition to the economic system is treason to the
state. Government is an over-all agency for
reconciling differences of views and interests as
reflected in the free interchange of thought,
inquiry, and expression and in the free association
of individuals in groups.
Unions, throughout their history, and their
members as individuals, have freely voiced their
views in support of a broadening interpretation of
the functions of government beyond the protective
role of maintaining civil rights and liberties. They
were in the forefront of efforts to adopt such varied
public measures as workmen’s compensation for
industrial injuries; safety laws and inspection of


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Workers have thus played a vital role in the
evolution of freedom or liberalism in the United
States. They have helped to maintain and extend
the traditional liberties of the individual; they
have effectively championed free unionism and
voluntary group action; and they have been in the
forefront of the movement which has rapidly ex­
panded the positive uses of government. But
workers have insisted that decisions regarding the
economic as well as other functions of government
must emerge from free discussions and criticisms
and that the decisions when made must be gener­
ally accepted. Policies, when adopted, remain
subject to change, however, by the same process of
free discussion, criticism, and popular action,
based on the widest possible voluntary participa­
tion in the process of social adjustment. Because
of differences of opinion, needed changes may be
slow or incomplete; but ultimate adaptations by
prevailing agreement are more soundly based than
changes by arbitrary authority, acting either di­
rectly or through the control of opinions. Such
an authority can give no valid assurance either
of devotion to the general welfare or of wisdom
or of permanence.
The methods of freedom and the institutions of
free men vary from country to country; freedom,
in essence, is a way of life. Workers in the United
States have inherited that way of life; they have
defended it and have enriched and improved it.
Their status as workers and citizens affords them
ample reason for cherishing their heritage.

Summaries of Studies and Reports

Work Injuries in 1948:
Preliminary Estimates
in 8 years, the number of
disabling work injuries fell below 2 million, ac­
cording to preliminary information for 1948.
This improvement is encouraging, particularly in
view of greater employment in almost every in­
dustry group during the year.
The volume of disabling work injuries in 1948
was estimated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics
at about 1,960,000. This is almost 5 percent under
the 1947 total of 2,059,000 injuries. The absence
of any major disaster and the decrease in injury
rates of manufacturing, mining, railroads, and a
number of other industries account for this favor­
able showing.
The number of fatalities decreased by about 3
percent, from 17,000 to 16,500. This was not as
marked an improvement as shown in the case of
the less serious types of injuries. Permanentpartial impairments decreased 7 percent, and
temporary-total disabilities, 4.7 percent. The
latter group included the large bulk of all injuries,
numbering 1,858,000. These injuries resulted in
an inability to work for at least 1 full day after
the day of injury, but involved no permanent ill
effects. In contrast, the 83,700 permanent-partial
disabilities involved the loss of some member of
the body or the impairment of the use of some
body part which would disable the workers to
some extent for the remainder of their lives.
Permanent-total disabilities numbered approxi­
mately 1,800, unchanged from the previous year.
Actual time lost during the year because of work
injuries which occurred in 1948 is estimated at
about 41,000,000 man-days, or the equivalent of a
year’s full-time employment of approximately
135,000 workers. This, however, represents only
a part of the total production losses accruing
from these injuries. If additional allowance is
F or the first time


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made for the future effects of the deaths and
permanent physical impairments included in the
1948 total, the economic time loss chargeable to
these injuries would amount to about 219,000,000
man-days—an equivalent of a year’s employment
of about 730,000 workers.
Percent Decrease in Disablins W ork Injuries

1947 to 1948
A ll
Disabilities

Fatalities

PermanentPartial

Tem poraryTotal

UNITEO ST A T ES DEPARTMENT OF LABO R
BUREAU OF LABOR ST A T IST IC S

Construction was the only industry group to
show a major increase in work injuries during
1948. This was due to a considerable increase in
employment in this field as well as to an increase
in the injury rate. Greater increase in total in­
juries than in employment is a phenomenon often
associated with an expanding activity, particularly
when the expansion has about reached the limit
of the supply of skilled workmen.
There was a slight increase in the total number
of agricultural work injuries, associated with a
289

MONTHLY LABOR

WORK INJURIES IN 1948

290

a considerable upward revision in present and
immediately past estimates may be necessary.
The mining group showed an encouraging im­
provement in its safety record. All this improve­
ment was in coal mining. The number of fatalities
in bituminous mines in 1948 was the fourth lowest
on record and in anthracite mines was the second
lowest on record. The 1948 fatality rates (number
of fatalities per million tons mined) for both an­
thracite and bituminous-coal mining were the

slight increase in the number of hired hands and
a decrease in the number of family workers. The
number of fatalities increased 2.3 percent. These
and past estimates of work injuries in agriculture
have been based only on fragmentary data.
Sample studies of injuries in agriculture are now
being conducted by the Bureau of Agricultural
Economics, and, when completed, will give a
much sounder basis upon which to estimate these
work injuries. Preliminary reports indicate that

Estimated number of disabling injuries during 194-8, by industry group
[Preliminary]
All disabilities

Permanent-total
disabilities

Fatalities

Permanent-partial
disabilities

Temporary-total
disabilities

Industry group
To em­
ployees

To em­
ployees

To em­
ployees

All groups 3___________________________

1,960,000

1,536,100

16,500

12,000

1,800

1,400

83, 700

65,500

1,858,000

1,457,200

Agriculture 3__________________________
Mining and quarrying * ________________
Construction *________________________
Manufacturing 3 ______________________
Public utilities________________________
Trade 8----- --------------------------------------Railroads8. . _______ _______________
Miscellaneous transportation 8------- . . .
Services, government, and miscellaneous
industries 8__________________________

300,000
87,200
173,100
469,200
27,400
347.300
62,900
132,600

72,100
82,600
121,900
461.500
27,400
277,800
62,900
110.500

4.400
1.400
2.500
2,600
400
1.500
700
800

1,100
1.300
1,900
2,500
400
1.300
700
700

400
200
300
200

100
200
200
200
100
300
100

15,200
3,700
4,800
23, 700
600
8.400
4.400
6,300

3,600
3, 500
3.400
23,400
600
6,700
4.400
5,200

280,000
81,900
165,500
442, 700
26,400
337.300
57, 500
125,400

67,300
77,600
116.400
435.400
26,400
269, 700
57,500
104,500

360.300

319,400

2,200

2,100

200

16,600

14,700

341.300

302.400

Total i

1 Differences between total number of injuries and injuries to employees
represents injuries to self-employed and unpaid family workers.
2 Does not include domestic servants.
* Based on fragmentary data.
* Based largely on U. S. Bureau of M ines data.

lowest in a statistical record extending back to
1910. The nonfatal rate in bituminous-coal min­
ing was the lowest in a statistical history starting
in 1930. Other types of mining showed slight
increases in the number of injuries during 1948.
Although there were no disasters as serious as
the Centralia mine explosion of 1947, still 6 dis­
asters which resulted in the death of a total of
49 men were recorded.
In manufacturing industries, preliminary re­
ports indicate a substantial improvement in the
injury-frequency rate; although employment in­
creased slightly, total injuries decreased about
13 percent.
In interstate railroads, a decline in injury rates,
coupled with a slight decrease in employment,
resulted in a net decrease of about 12.5 percent in
total injuries.
In utilities, trade, and the service, government,
and miscellaneous group, improved safety records
resulted in decreases in the total number of in­
juries, even though there was some increase in

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To em­
ployees

To em­
ployees

Total i

Total i

(0

100
300
100
200

(7)

Total i

Total ‘

5 Based on small sample studies.
» Based on comprehensive survey.
Less than 50.
8 Based largely on Interstate Commerce Commission data.

i

employment. The miscellaneous transportation
group showed a slightly greater decrease in injuries
than occurred in employment.
Information now available indicates consider­
able improvement in industrial safety during 1948
in most lines of activity except construction. The
record still leaves much to be desired, however.
The loss of 730,000 man-years of productive effort
is a tremendous cost to society.

The Economic Reports
of the President and the CEA
S ources of the Nation’s economic strength and
means whereby the American competitive eco­
nomic system can be kept sound were stressed in
three Government documents that were issued in
late 1948 and early 1949. These documents are
the annual economic reports of the President and

REVIEW , MARCH 1949

ECONOMIC REPORTS

of the Council of Economic Advisers and the
President’s annual message to Congress on the
State of the Union.
Report of Council of Economic Advisers 1
The third annual report of the Council of Eco­
nomic Advisers, submitted to President Truman
on December 26, 1948, is largely a discussion of
“ the environment within which the Council oper­
ates.” It is a general statement of the economic
philosophy which guides the Council in determin­
ing the policies that it recommends under the
duties assigned to the Council by the Employment
Act of 1946.2
“ C o m p e titiv e ” E n te r p r is e . “ American
sentiment,” the report states, “ has always been
firm in support of a system of free enterprise and
in opposition to a planned economy. Yet our
political history is replete with accounts of policies
adopted by Government for the very purpose of
influencing the economy and of restricting or con­
ditioning the choice of a course of private action.”
The history of United States policy justifies an
interpretation of the phrase “ freedom of enter­
prise” broad enough to permit the Council to pro­
pose comprehensive programs of taxation, mone­
tary and credit control, public-works construction,
regional development, and social welfare.
In defining competitive enterprise, the report
continues: “ The American definition of a competi­
tive economic system, as drawn from our national
policies, is unique. It falls far short of the theo­
retical standard, but calls for competition far
beyond the requirements of the economic system
of any other country.”
“ The assumption in classical [economic! doctrine
that the productive resources of capital and labor
were so fluid that they flowed readily into any
profit-making opening was supported by ob­
servable facts. But it is not true today of a large
part of American industry, where mass-production
methods have led to the creation of great units
which alone can exploit the new technology. The
requirements of capital and of organization of
forces to initiate a new enterprise present a seri­
ous obstacle to the appearance of new competitors
in many of our most important industries. These
“ F ree” an d

• Third Annual Report to the President by the Council of Economic
Advisers. Washington, December 1948.
1 For a summary of the act, see M onthly Labor Review, April 1946 (p. 586).


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291

requirements also affect existing firms, and there
has been a steady movement in the direction of
increasing size as smaller units are merged into
larger ones.” The Council believes the better
solution for the “ administered price problem” can
come from voluntary action on the part of industry
rather than in legislation.
The section on
determining the labor contract emphasizes that
“ one limitation upon the character of policies pro­
posed by the Council, clearly imposed by the Em­
ployment Act, is that the fixing of the terms of the
labor contract shall in general be left to the vol­
untary action of management and labor. In the
light of our legislative and industrial history the
phrase ‘free competitive enterprise’ cannot be in­
terpreted otherwise. Except in national emer­
gency, it is settled national policy that employers
and adult workers shall be permitted to make
their own agreements about wages and other fea­
tures of the labor contract, aside from legislation
directed against substandard wages and working
conditions.”
“ Labor and management have both been firm
in their opposition to any plan to have the terms
of the labor contract fixed by some official author­
ity when the collective-bargaining process has
collapsed * * * disputes generally affecting
the economy remain a perennial threat to the
attainment of economic stabilization and maxi­
mum production which is the objective of the
Employment Act. * * *
“ Settlement by government does not avoid
but rather intensifies the need for adequate stand ­
ards as to what precise decisions will be fair to
both parties, acceptable to the public, and con­
sistent with the needs of the whole economy.
These standards include a wage structure in rela­
tion to prices that will maintain the producing
power of industry and the buying power of labor
in sound proportion. In the absence of such
standards, no forced settlement could be desirable
and therefore could not last. If such standards
can be developed and win adherents, the prospects
for voluntary settlement will become so bright
that the need for compulsion would be rare in­
deed. * * *
“ If an attempt is made to make further progress
toward the goal of better economic adjustments
by organizing a labor-management conference
D e te r m in in g the L a b o r C o n tra c t.

292

ECONOMIC REPORTS

rather than by establishing such a commission as
the President proposed in his State of the Union
message in January 1947, preparatory work would
be as necessary as in the case of international con­
ferences. The area within which there is some
real chance of agreement should be ascertained by
extensive preliminary inquiry, and an agenda
should be prepared and agreed upon through
which fruitful subjects might be carried to a con­
clusion and the conference not led into disagree­
ments upon points not yet within the area of
possible agreement.”
O th er P r o b le m s i n F ix in g P o lic y . “ A great nation
has many objectives, and social and political pro­
grams to which the popular voice has assigned
supreme importance cannot be set aside in order
to simplify the making of purely economic policies.
The task is rather to devise those economic
policies which will be effective and at the same
time to permit other programs to move for­
ward. * * *
“ It is not to be expected that abstract theory
can produce any rule which determines this
stabilizing relationship among wages, prices, and
profits or between any two of them. But it is not
too much to hope that, through empirical obser­
vation, reenforced by economic analysis and judg­
ment, it will be possible to make progress in ascer­
taining the respective movements which will con­
tribute toward improved stability. * * *
“ Early experience under the Employment Act
of 1946 has brought into sharp focus the practical
difficulties which lie between the initiation of a
national economic policy and the adoption of that
policy by the Congress. Our American democ­
racy will yield only slowly to the need for the
deliberate formulation and integration of national
policies in the interest of sustained prosperity.”

The Economic Report of the President
The third annual economic report of the Presi­
dent, submitted to Congress, on January 7, 1949,
under the requirement of the Employment Act of
1946,3 points to the economic advances made dur­
ing 1948. It cautions, however, that many adjust­
ments in price and income relations are necessary
as the economy moves out of a period of wars The Economic Report of the President to the Congress, January 7, 1949,
together with a report, The Annual Economic Review, January 1949, by
the Council of Economic Advisers. Washington 1949.


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MONTHLY LABOR

created demands. The report is based on an anal­
ysis of the operation of the economy during 1948
made by the Council of Economic Advisers, and
printed together with the President’s Economic
Report.
The past year has tested
the strength of the country’s economy, the Presi­
dent said. In early 1948, the sharp break in grain
prices “ spread concern throughout the economy.
* * * But this break did not set off a train of
consequences similar to those which, following
World War I, had turned the boom into a de­
flation.”
“ Affirmative national policies and greater cau­
tion in the business community combined with
other developments to make the economy more
shock-resistant.” Farm price supports guaran­
teed that the collapse of agricultural prices would
not impoverish the farmer nor bring about a chain
reaction of price breaks in other markets. The
financial and banking structure, the Chief Execu­
tive said, is stronger than in the early 1920’s, and
working groups have greater income and savings.
Social security has added to the feeling of stability.
“ While the prosperity of the postwar years has
been great, it has rested in considerable part on
somewhat temporary factors which were the
aftermath of war. In 1949 we are entering a
period of harder tests.”
Employment in 1948 ranged between 57 and 62
million workers and averaged more than 59 million.
Production was between 3 and 4 percent higher
than in 1947. Prices ceased the broad upward
movement which had continued since the removal
of price controls. Wages increased during 1948,
although disparity was considerable in the in­
creases granted to different workers. Work
stoppages were about at the same level as in 1947.
Profits in 1948 surpassed all records and kept
rising through the year. Money and credit con­
tinued to increase, but at a lower rate than in 1947.
Consumer income increased, but price increases
meant no change in real income for consumers.
Investments were generally higher than in 1947,
but the export surplus of goods and services was
lower than in 1947. Government fiscal trans­
actions were a strong anti-inflationary factor in
the early part of 1948, but lost a substantial part
of their effect during the year.

S itu a tio n D u r in g 1 9 4 8 .

REVIEW , MARCH 1949

ECONOMIC REPORTS

G u id es to E c o n o m ic P o lic y . Six guides to economic
policy were outlined by the President. “We should
remember that the goal we seek is the greatest
prosperity for the whole country and not the
special gain of any particular group. * * *
Maximum employment for 1949 means that nearly
1 million additional job opportunities should be
provided for the growing labor force. * * *
“We should think and work with a reasonably
long look ahead, not keeping our eyes just on the
problems of the moment. * * * We must
pursue affirmative programs for housing and
health, for education, and resource develop­
ment. * * *
“In order to have a yardstick for appraising
strength and weakness in our economy and the
adequacy of Government programs, we need con­
crete objectives for economic growth, and par­
ticularly standards for a better balance between
production and consumption, income and invest­
ment, and prices, profits, and wages which will be
conducive to sustained economic progress. * * *
“We are dedicated to the principle that eco­
nomic stability and economic justice are compat­
ible ends. * * *
“We must fulfill the requirements of our
essential programs—national defense, interna­
tional reconstruction, and domestic improvements
and welfare—even if doing so may require the
temporary exercise of temporary controls in our
economy. * * *
“The vigorous commitment by the Government
to an anti-inflation policy should not obscure the
fact that the Government is equally committed
to an antidepression policy.”
L e g is la tiv e R e c o m m e n d a tio n s .
Recommendations
for legislative action were also made in the report.
The President elaborated on his antiinflation
program as outlined in his State of the Union
Message (which is also reviewed in the present
summary). In addition, he recommended legisla­
tion to increase Government revenue from tax­
ation by 4 billion dollars a year.
He recommended that benefits under the
Federal old-age and survivors insurance program
should be substantially increased, that the min­
imum wage (under the Fair Labor Standards Act)
should be increased to at least 75 cents an hour,
and that public assistance for relief should be


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293

Finally, he stated: “We should press forward
at once with some programs of high priority
needed now to conserve and increase the strength
of our Nation.” Programs dealing with natural
resources, agriculture, international economic re­
lations, housing, urban redevelopment, education,
health, and old-age, disability, and unemploy­
ment insurance were suggested.
Presidential Message to Congress4
On January 5, 1949, President Truman delivered
his message on the state of the Union before a
joint session of Congress. He referred to the
state of the Union as good and said that during
the last 16 years “the American people have been
creating a society which offers new opportunities
for every man to enjoy his share of the good things
of life. * * * But great as our progress has
been, we still have a long way to go.”
Of the first importance is the need “to protect
our economy against the evils of ‘boom and
bust’.” The President again asked that his anti­
inflation program be enacted, requesting legisla­
tion for the following purposes:
(1) To continue present consumer credit con­
trol and to increase the power to limit bank
credit.
(2) To provide authority to regulate commodity
market speculation.
(3) To continue export control authority.
(4) To continue transport priorities and alloca­
tion powers.
(5) To authorize priorities and allocation powers
for key materials in short supply.
(6) To extend and strengthen rent controls.
(7) To provide “stand-by” authority to impose
price ceilings on “scarce commodities which basic­
ally affect essential industrial production or the
cost of living and to limit unjustified wage in­
creases which would force a break in this ceiling.”
The President’s recommendations for labor
legislation called for the repeal of the Labor
Management Relations (Taft-Hartley) Act of
1947 and the re-enactment of the National Labor
Relations (Wagner) Act. “However,” said the
President, “certain improvements which I recom­
mended to the Congress 2 years ago, are needed.
Jurisdictional strikes and unjustifiable secondary
^Message of the President to Congress on the State of the Union, White
House release, January 5, 1949.

294

COLLECTIVE BARGAINING OBLIGATIONS AND RIGHTS

boycotts should be prohibited. The use of eco­
nomic force to decide issues arising out of inter­
pretation of existing contracts should be prevented.
Without endangering our democratic freedoms,
means should be provided for setting up machin­
ery for preventing strikes in vital industries which
affect the public interest.
“The Department of Labor should be rebuilt
and strengthened, and those units properly be­
longing within that department should be placed
in it. * * *
“The health of our economy and its maintenance
at high levels further require that the minimum
wage fixed by law should be raised to at least 75
cents an hour.”
The message contained recommendations on a
great variety of other subjects, including fiscal
policy, anti-trust legislation, agriculture, public
works and natural resources, social security and
public health, education, housing, civil rights, and
foreign policy.

Obligations and Rights
Under Collective Bargaining
T ypical contract clauses on the rights and
obligations of the parties to collective agreements
are included in one of the Bureau of Labor Statis­
tics bulletin series on Collective Bargaining Pro­
visions.1 They are presented in chapters dealing
respectively with management functions and
union rights, activities, and responsibilities. In
the selection of such clauses, the Bureau utilized
a file of over 15,000 agreements, and made its
choices in order to provide a handbook of sample
clauses that would reflect the results of recent
negotiations.

Management Functions
Many of the traditional “ prerogatives” of
management to direct and operate business have
come to be regarded as subject to collective
bargaining between unions and management.
Management functions at any particular time,
1 Bulletin No. 908. For a summary of two other chapters from this bulletin,
see M onthly Labor Review for November 1948 (p. 487). Individual chapters
are released as they are completed.


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MONTHLY LABOR

therefore, appear to depend upon the degree of
joint confidence and the fields recognized as within
the scope of collective bargaining by union and
management. Adoption of the collective-bar­
gaining agreement in a sense constitutes a curb
on management’s authority; for example, not to
discriminate against union members, to pay cer­
tain wages, and to subject certain management
decisions and actions to review by a grievance pro­
cedure. Limitations are also placed on the au­
thority of management in the field of industrial
relations by various laws and regulations, such as
the Labor Management Relations Act of 1947 and
the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938.
Spokesmen for management at the President’s
National Labor-Management Conference in No­
vember 1945 classified management functions in
two groups: absolute functions of management
which are not subject to collective bargaining; and
prerogatives exercised in situations in which initial
management decisions may be reviewed through
the grievance procedure. A third area of respon­
sibility involves matters affecting the fundamental
nature of the contract relationship and is conse­
quently subject to collective bargaining before final
decisions are made.
Some employers believe that a clear demarcation
of collective bargaining and management rights
is necessary. For this reason, they favor the inclu­
sion in agreements of statements on the powers
reserved to management. Because an agreement
restricts management prerogatives, they deem
it essential to specify those matters which are
not limited by agreement and which are neces­
sarily and essentially reserved for management’s
exclusive authority. In the opinion of these em­
ployers, such express statements tend to reduce
the area of possible conflict and protect manage­
ment’s rights in the disposition of grievances over
disputable issues and in arbitration on matters
not specifically covered by agreement. Other
employers fear that the specific enumeration of
management rights may be interpreted as limiting
management to those rights enumerated in the
agreement.
Labor members of the National Labor-Manage­
ment Conference opposed any listing of manage­
ment functions on the ground that this would tend
to cause a rigidity in industrial relations matters
subject to collective bargaining. The labor mem­
bers also pointed out that with the growth of

REVIEW , MARCH 1949

COLLECTIVE BARGAINING OBLIGATIONS AND RIGHTS

mutual understanding, a responsibility of one of
the parties could well become the joint responsi­
bility of both parties.
Among management-prerogative clauses in
agreements, some are detailed and list the specific
rights reserved to management; others state
broadly that management reserves to itself all
rights, powers, and authority not expressly modi­
fied or abrogated in the agreement, without speci­
fying these rights. In those agreements that
explicitly state management rights, two broad
categories are usually included: (1) decisions deal­
ing with the tangible aspects of the business—such
as the determination of the number and location
of plants, the type of products to be made,
technological methods and processes, materials,
finance and price policies, business practices, etc.
and (2) decisions in the field of employer-em­
ployee relationship—such as the direction of the
working forces, hiring, transfer, promotion, sus­
pension, or discharge for cause, lay-off for lack
of work; and maintenance of discipline; etc.
In analyzing management prerogatives, clauses
on this subject must be considered in conjunction
with other provisions in the same agreement
which may affirm or modify management’s stip­
ulated discretionary powers. Frequently, clauses
governing management’s rights are dispersed
throughout the contract: the extent of discretion­
ary powers is stated with respect to specific actions
and situations, such as transfers, promotions,
demotions, discipline, plant rules, schedule of
production; a general listing of management rights
is not included.
A typical clause follows which sets forth in
very general terms the rights reserved for manage­
ment.
Company Reserves “Customary and Usual Rights,
Powers, Functions, and Authority of Management”
Except as Abridged or Modified by Agreement.
It is understood and agreed th at the Company has
all the customary and usual rights, powers, functions
and authority of m anagem ent.
Any of the rights, powers, functions or authority
which the Company had prior to the signing of this
agreement, or any agreement with the Union, in­
cluding those in respect of rates of pay, hours of
em ploym ent or conditions of work, are retained by the
Company, except as those rights, powers, functions
or authority are specifically abridged or modified by
this agreement or by any supplement to this agree­
m ent arrived at through the process of collective
bargaining.

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295

Some clauses very definitely limit managerial
authority. This is done by a statement that all
or part of the management rights listed in the
agreement are subject to grievance procedure;
by a requirement of consultation with the union
in some way; or by a specific exclusion of certain
matters, such as wages, hours, and working con­
ditions, from management’s authority and a pro­
vision that they are subject to change only through
collective bargaining.
Exercise of Management’s Listed Rights Subject to Col­
lective Bargaining and Grievance Procedure, but not
Arbitration.
It is agreed th at the Company has the right of
management, except as expressly lim ited and modified
in this agreement. This includes among other things
the right to plan, direct, control, increase and discon­
tinue operations; to change machinery ard typ es of
operations; to add or reduce shifts, and to select per­
sons to be hired and promoted. Any complaint as to
any action under this section m ay be made the subject
of collective bargaining and grievance procedure up
to but not including arbitration.

The enumeration of rights reserved to and re­
tained by management is sometimes qualified by
the statement that the exercise of such rights
is subject to other provisions of the agreement.
Such a proviso is usually implied even if not
actually stated. As previously indicated, no defin­
itive statement of management’s rights can be
made without checking the entire agreement for
clauses which might restrict the rights enumer­
ated.
Several “management rights” clauses state that
the authority granted shall not be used for the
purposes of discrimination because of union mem­
bership or activity. In effect, such limitations
merely restate the ban on union discrimination
contained in the National Labor Relations Act
as amended by the Labor Management Kelations
Act of 1947.
Employers, who are concerned that the listing
of topics regarded as management prerogatives
jeopardizes any rights not listed, frequently guard
against inadvertent omissions. This is accom­
plished by the inclusion of statements to the effect
that the listing of specific rights is not all-inclusive
nor does it exclude other rights not listed.
Management Actions not to Conflict With Agreement
nor Discriminate Against Union Members. Enumera­
tion of Rights not to Exclude Others not Listed.

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COLLECTIVE BARGAINING OBLIGATIONS AND RIGHTS

The M anagement of the works and the direction of
the working forces, including the right to hire, sus­
pend or discharge for proper cause, or transfer, and
the right to relieve em ployees from duty because of
lack of work, or for other legitim ate reasons, is vested
exclusively in the Company provided th at this will
not be used for purposes of discrimination against
any member of the Union nor will it be used contrary
to any other provision of this Agreement. It is further
understood and agreed th at the foregoing statem ent
of M anagement functions shall not be deemed in any
w ay to exclude other M anagement functions not
specifically enumerated.

In running the business, directing the working
force, and maintaining shop discipline, manage­
ment customarily adopts rules and regulations
and lists penalties for failure to observe them. In
turn, agreements specifically or tacitly permit
management to establish reasonable and necessary
plant rules. They rarely give a complete outline
of working rules but frequently incorporate them
by reference and affirm the company’s right to
adopt, revise, and enforce such rules. The agree­
ment may also state management’s right to dis­
cipline employees for infractions.
Quite commonly, the only contract reference is
a statement that employees shall be properly
informed of company rules, either by posting the
regulations or distributing copies to all employees.
A proviso is often made that the exercise of the
right to issue and enforce rules must not conflict
with the terms of the agreement; or that the rules
shall be applied without discrimination. In a
number of agreements, the union is granted a
voice in promulgating or in changing such rules;
it may also be permitted to challenge a rule or its
application through the grievance procedure.
Management Right to Issue and Enforce Rules Subject
to Union Appeal. Rules in Force Pending Adjustment
or Arbitration.
The promulgation and enforcement of rules and
regulations not inconsistent with the provisions of this
Agreement are vested in the Employer, provided th at
if the Union deems any such rule or regulation to be
inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement it
shall so notify the Employer, and the Employer shall,
within twenty-four (24) hours of notice to such effect
either withdraw the rule or regulation or subm it it to
settlem ent by the adjustm ent procedure provided for
under Article * * * of Section * * * of
this Agreement [Arbitration], but the rule or regula­
tion shall remain and [is] enforceable pending such
settlem ent.


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MONTHLY LABOR

The employer is held responsible for notifying
employees of the customs, practices, and rules
governing employment conditions in the plant.
Commonly, rules and regulations (and revisions)
must be posted, but under some agreements each
employee must be furnished with a copy. In
some instances, the rules and the union contract
are distributed to employees at the same time,
or in a single document.
Disclipinary action, including discharge for
violation of the rules or misconduct, is regularly
recognized in agreements as a management func­
tion, provided no rights guaranteed in the agree­
ment are abridged thereby. Sometimes, the spe­
cific penalty or range of penalties for violation of
each rule is also listed. In other instances, the
company is authorized to apply appropriate pen­
alties, without listing them in detail. The right
to appeal the company’s disclipinary action through
the grievance procedure is explicitly stated in some
agreements; it is implicit in most others.
Disclipinary Action for Rules Violation Subject to
Grievance Procedure.
W ritten rules governing the conduct of em ployees
are hereto attached as Exhibit “B .” A copy of such
rules will be posted on the bulletin boards in the plant
or distributed to the employees. All em ployees are
required to observe said rules, but the Union reserves
the right to utilize the grievance procedure with ref­
erence to any disclipinary action of the Em ployer for
violation of such rules.

Unions sometimes charge employers with at­
tempting to evade the terms of their agreements
by moving their plants to nonunion areas. There­
fore, some agreements restrict removal of the plant
from its existing location. In others, this right
is reaffirmed, but provision is made for certain
safeguards on employment status and seniority of
present employees if the plant is moved. Other
types of restrictions include a ban on removal
beyond a single fare transportation zone or beyond
a specified distance from the existing location.
Under some agreements, removal of the plant is
allowed only with union consent, or if payment is
made for the costs of transfer or moving expenses
or for added travel expenses. A limit is some­
times placed on the amount of the difference be­
tween the old and new fares which the employer
will pay or on the time during which he will make
up such difference.

REVIEW , MARCH 1949

CO LLECTIVE B A R G A IN IN G

No Move Beyond Metropolitan Area Limits.
The firm agrees not to have its establishment
beyond the lim it of the metropolitan area during the
life of this agreement.

Employees Given Opportunity to Retain Present Job
or, if Unavailable, to Transfer to Another Job for Which
Qualified.
The Em ployer agrees that during the life of this
agreement it will not m ove its plant outside the limits
of the C ity of
* * * in order to avoid dealing
w ith the Union. If the plant is m oved, the employees
then employed by the Employer will be given the
opportunity to continue their em ploym ent in their
occupational classification, if it is available, or to
apply for transfer to another job for which they are
qualified, by virtue of past experience with the Em ­
ployer, to perform.

Management considers contracting work out to
be an exercise of its right to determine the means
and method of production. Unions seek to regu­
late or restrict the practice of subcontracting
because it is a potential threat to their job oppor­
tunities and working standards.
Few of the agreements which limit contractingout and subcontracting completely prohibit sub­
contracting. Some specify that the employer has
the sole right to contract work out; others require
prior union approval. More often, such work is
permitted under certain conditions: if employees
of the company are fully supplied with work; if it
is more economical or expedient to contract out;
if the shop is not properly equipped to do the work.
Some agreements provide that work contracted
out must be done under specified conditions;
for example, the contractor must conform with
the terms of the agreement; the work must be sent
to a shop having an agreement with the union or
another union not affiliated with i t ; the wage rates
provided for in the agreement must be paid.
Another limitation forbids the employer to sub­
contract with a firm on strike.
Some agreements also prohibit contracting
within the shop or so-called “time contracts”
under which workers bid for or are assigned work as
contractors instead of receiving fixed hourly or
piece-rate earnings. A ban on home work is also
written into some agreements.
Company Retains Right to Subcontract.
The Company shall have the right to subcontract
work as the demands of its business require.

Restrictions on Subcontracting: All Employees Must
be on Full Time and None Laid Off; Subcontractor
Must be Covered by Agreement.

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O B L IG A TIO N S A N D

R IG H T S

297

The Em ployer shall not subcontract any work to
any shop not operating under the Union agreement,
nor shall any work be subcontracted or performed in
a subcontract shop while any of the em ployees of the
principal shop are employed less than full tim e or
are laid off.

Union Rights, Activities, and Responsibilities
Under collective-bargaining agreements, unions
and their officers and members generally are
authorized to engage in certain activities on the
employer’s premises. They are granted access to
certain facilities and records of the employer to the
extent necessary or useful to the proper exercise
of the union’s function as bargaining repre­
sentative.
Both the National Labor Relations Board and
the courts have recognized the union’s right to
carry on certain activities on the employer’s prop­
erty. To safeguard management’s property rights
and to maintain discipline, some restrictions on or
regulations of the kind and extent of activities per­
mitted are generally agreed upon in collective bar­
gaining. Mutual pledges by employers not to
discriminate against workers for union membership
or activity, and by unions not to intimidate or
coerce employees in persuading them to join their
ranks, are usually linked in the same clause. In
essence, such clauses restate the statutory restric­
tions imposed on the parties by the Labor Man­
agement Relations Act.
A number of agreements contain clauses which
forbid employer or union discrimination because
of race, creed, or color, in addition to union mem­
bership activity. Some of them reiterate obliga­
tions imposed by several State fair employment
acts.
Unions generally try to obtain as much latitude
as possible for their members to distribute litera­
ture, to solicit new members, and to collect dues
(if there is no check-off system) in the plant during
working hours, provided work is not interfered
with. However, some union agreements prohibit
all union activity, other than the handling of
grievances, in the plant on company time. Others
state merely that no union activity shall take place
during working hours, and this presumably leaves
employees free to participate in union activity on
their own time on the employer’s premises. Some
distinguish between union organizational activity
and casual conversation on union matters. In

298

COLLECTIVE BARGAINING OBLIGATIONS AND RIGHTS

certain cases, union activity is specifically auth­
orized on the employer’s property during the em­
ployee’s free time—a type of activity permitted
under National Labor Relations Board rulings.
Other agreements prohibit or restrict union solici­
tation and dues collection on company time but
permit such activity on company property. Often
agreements contain only a general prohibition of
any union activity on company premises which
interferes with production.
In some plants, the union is allowed office space
for keeping books and records, and, in others, the
union may hold elections for officers on company
property.
Related clauses deal with the right of employees
to wear such union insignia as badges and dues
buttons, at work. This right may be expressly
set forth; under some agreements, however, the
employer’s permission must be obtained. Com­
pany rules forbid the wearing of union insignia in
some establishments.
Listing of Union Activities Permitted at Specified Times.
The Company will not interfere with the right of
em ployees to join the Union or engage in Union
activities and the Union agrees that its representatives
and members will not carry on such activities on Com­
pany tim e or during working hours on Company
property or in such manner as to interfere with the
efficient operation of the plant. It is, however, per­
missible to collect Union dues and solicit Union
membership before and after working hours or during
the dinner period and distribute literature after
working hours in the vicinity of the tim e clocks on
Company property.

Often allowance is made by agreements for
visits to the plant or office by union representa­
tives who are not employees of the company.
Notably in the building trades, union representa­
tives generally can walk in and out of a property
under construction, at will. In plants closed to
the public, visits by outside union officials may
be permitted only under certain conditions and on
specific occasions. Generally, the purpose is to
avoid interference with production and to insure
that only authorized persons have access to the
firm’s plants and operations.
Requirements may consist of giving notice to
the employer or of securing a special pass. The
union representative may have to request specific
authorization for each visit and perhaps be
accompanied by an employer representative.
Some agreements allow the union representative

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MONTHLY LABOR

to confer with any employee in a private office.
In large mass-production establishments, a shop
steward or committee system may be established
in order to process grievances and to maintain
contact with individual employees. This does
not necessarily exclude outside union officials
from entry to investigate grievances or to assist
the local union in its discussions with management.
In some agreements, the timing of the visits is
either not restricted or it is stated merely that
visits may come at reasonable times and are not
to interfere with production; others limit the
number or length of visits. The number of
representatives who may be in the plant at one
time may be restricted. Where a hazard exists,
the agreement may require adequate insurance
coverage by the union in order to protect the
company against any loss by or injury to the
union representative.
Plant visits by union representatives are
normally limited to purposes relating to the agree­
ment or grievances arising in connection with it.
Conferences and interference with employees
during working hours are not generally per­
mitted. Some agreements state the purposes of
plant visits in general terms. Others state that
visits are permissible to check compliance with the
agreement, to investigate working and sanitary
conditions, to study new operations and projects,
etc.
Visits to be Prearranged and Limited to Department in
Which Grievances are Involved. M ay be Accompanied
by Company Representative.
The International President of the union or his
representatives shall have access to the com pany’s
* * * plants in order to contact foremen, em ploy­
ees or members of the Joint Grievance C om m ittee on
matters pertaining to any grievance arising under
this contract. Such visits to the plants m ust be
pre-arranged with the Director of Industrial Rela­
tions or some other representatives designated by
the company for such purpose, so as to avoid inter­
ference with the operations in any departm ent. The
company m ay designate someone to accom pany these
representatives on such visits. The company,
through plant officials, will provide plant passes in
such manner th at no such representative of the
International U nion shall be inconvenienced when
he wishes to make such a visit, provided arrange­
m ents have been previously made w ith the Director
of Industrial R elations. Such visits shall be confined
to departm ents in which grievances are involved,
and shall not extend to departm ents not covered by
this agreement, or to experimental research, testing

REVIEW , MARCH 1949

CO LLE C TIV E B A R G A IN IN G O B LIG A TIO N S AN D R IG H T S

and other departm ents where confidential information
is contained.

Many agreements require the employer to make
available to the union its records of wage rates,
changes in rates, current and new job descriptions,
time-keeping records, and other instructions and
data relating to hours, wages, or working condi­
tions. In a few industries, the union is accorded
the right to examine the employer’s books to deter­
mine compliance with contract terms as to rates or
earnings of the employees, etc. If a bonus or profitsharing system is established by the agreement,
the union may be authorized to inspect the
financial records of the employer. Other types of
information made available to the union include
lists of new and discharged employees; information
concerning lay-offs, recalls, transfers, demotions,
and suspensions; copies of papers showing leaves
of absence granted by the company; apprentice­
ship records, etc.
Entries in an employee’s personnel file are some­
times open to inspection by the employee or his
union representative and, in some cases, are sub­
ject to appeal through the grievance-arbitration
procedure.
All Books and Records Showing Pay Rolls, Labor Cost,
and Production Available to Union on Request.
Upon the request of the Union, the members of the
Association shall exhibit for examination all books and
records showing pay rolls, labor cost and production
for the purpose of ascertaining whether the provisions
of this agreement are fully complied with. Such ex­
amination shall be made during reasonable business
hours. Failure to comply with this request shall be
deemed a violation of this agreement.

In plants with large numbers of widely scattered
workers, the bulletin board may be the union’s
only means of communicating with its members.
Union agreements reflect widespread adoption of
the privilege of unions either to use company
bulletin boards or to use special bulletin boards
provided by the company for the union’s exclusive
use. Some agreements prescribe the number and
location of the bulletin boards; others stipulate
that they shall be “conveniently” or “conspicu­
ously” located; and still others specify that both
parties shall agree on their location.
Some clauses provide that only notices officially


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299

approved by the union or by a designated union
official may be posted. Posting is subject to prior
company approval in some agreements, although
others make no reference to such approval. In
some cases, notices are posted directly by the
union; in others, they must be given to a desig­
nated company official for posting.
The nature of the material which can be posted
is often restricted to noncontroversial subjects,
such as notices of union elections, meetings, and
social affairs. Often a description of the types of
notice specifically permitted or prohibited is in­
cluded in the agreements. Penalties may be pro­
vided for improper use of the boards.
Listing of Types of Notices Permitted.
The Union shall have the right to m ake reasonable
use of the bulletin boards for posting notices, but shall
be restricted to the following notices:
(a) N otices of meetings of the Union.
(b) N otices of its elections.
(c) N otices of its appointm ents to offices and the
results of its elections.
(d) N otices of its social, educational or recreational
affairs.

Numerous agreements contain employer pledges
not to interfere with an employee’s legal rights to
join the union and not to discriminate against bim
because of union membership or activity, and
union pledges not to discriminate against a non­
union worker and not to intimidate or coerce him
into joining or remaining in the union. Mutual
pledges may be included not to take part in any
public demonstrations or give out any publicity
which would be harmful to peaceful industrial
relations.
Mutual Noncoercion, No Discrimination Clause.
The individual em ployee shall be the sole judge of
whether or not to become a member of the Union.
N either the em ployer nor the Union will in any
way interfere with, discriminate against or coerce
any em ployee because he is or is not a member of the
Union.

When one or both parties agree not to discrim­
inate against any employee because of race, creed,
or color, or religious or political beliefs, such
pledges are usually extended to persons seeking
employment as well as to those actually on the
pay roll.

300

TRADE-UNION RECORDS

Practical Uses
of Trade-Union Records
as statistical sources were dis­
cussed in a paper presented at the American
Statistical Association meeting at Cleveland in
December 1948.1 This paper had the twofold
advantage of covering a field about which little is
known outside the individual trade-unions them­
selves and of showing the varied uses to which the
findings of a particular union—the International
Association of Machinists—have been put. The
speaker looked “at the union records from the
inside/’ in order to explain to his audience the
scope of the IAM statistics dealing with union
membership, collective agreements, and union
finances. He added that examination of union
election records had disclosed interesting facts also,
and that if a session of the ASA’s annual meeting
were devoted to union statistics, much could
probably be learned about numerous other tradeunion activities.
U n io n r e c o r d s

Census Methods and Tools
According to the speaker, the labor statistician
is free to conduct a small-scale census. In per­
forming his work he must utilize all appropriate
statistical devices and common sense. The extent
to which source material is used depends upon the
union statistician himself, but he should be
equipped with the necessary tools. The IAM’s
census rests upon a foundation of punched cards 2
just as the United States Census does.
In each local, the financial secretary collects
facts and sends his reports to the national union
office. IAM has roughly 1,800 locals and about
that many reports reach headquarters each month.
Naturally, with such a volume of schedules, the
marginally punched card has proved a suitable
device for quick processing of records.
Union Uses of Records
In 1947, the IAM from these cards was able to
analyze its membership by type of industry for
the first time. The officers’ report to the twenty1 B y Albert S. Epstein, statistician, International Association of M achin­
ists.
2 Mr, Epstein described the IAM agreement analysis card in the M onthly
Labor Review for July 1947 (p. 75).


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MONTHLY LABOR

second convention of the IAM shows that in the
automotive repair industry, for example, member­
ship grew by 38.2 percent from January 1946
through February 1948 compared with an 11.3percent advance in the union’s total membership.
Likewise, an elementary investigation was made
to relate the union’s strength to the industrial
standing of the same community. It showed
that eight States accounted for almost two-thirds
of the IAM members in continental United States.
However, this concentration of membership was
only partially accounted for by the industrial rank
of the States. From figures for two States, it
was also found that the predominance of IAM
membership in one State as compared with
another is not connected with the level of general
union organization.
IAM punched cards were sorted, in another
test, to determine whether a seasonal factor
affects good standing membership. None was
disclosed. But a distinct seasonal variation in
dues payments was revealed in one local studied,
from a high payment in January, followed by
rises and falls, to a low in December when
Christmas shopping has prior claim over other
payments. The speaker also learned from his
investigation that the IAM had 4 percent of the
trade-union membership recently as against 1.8
percent of the total in the depth of the depression
during the 1930’s.
In the analysis of its 11,000 collective agree­
ments, which are received at the rate of 500 a
month, IAM found punched cards convenient
for coding purposes. Since members of the
union make articles as diverse as airplanes and
zippers, systematic means obviously were required
merely to classify the agreements by industry.
In doing this, the Standard Industrial Classifica­
tion Manual prepared by the Federal Government
was valuable.
Agreement information is constantly used by
the IAM. A tabulation of wage rates and other
provisions of current agreements is published
monthly in the union’s Research Bulletin.
Monthly, quarterly, and annual summaries are
prepared of important provisions and characteris­
tics of the agreements.
Academic interest alone is not a valid reason
for such activities. The data obtained must
serve as a guide to the officers of the union in deter­
mining its current operations and future plans.

REVIEW , MARCH 1949

EARNINGS—HOSIERY MANUFACTURE

Valuable information for administrative pur­
poses is contained in the published reports of tradeunions. The author analyzed the financial state­
ment of eight unions to find out what they spent
for a particular item compared with the expendi­
ture by IAM. He discovered that the IAM spent
4 to 10 times as much as any other union for this
particular service. IAM’s outlay represented
17 percent of total expenditures and was greater
on a proportionate basis than for any other union.
It may not be necessary to make inter-union
comparisons of expenditures. Sometimes, it is
sufficient to reduce expenditures to a per capita
basis, by city, district, State, or vice presidential
territory. One such study for an important item
revealed a range from $4.17 to $10.14 per capita
and a per capita average of $5.04 for the United
States and Canada. Such “cost-accounting” has
an obvious value.
Uses of Records by Others
Some of the collective agreement information
compiled by IAM on its punched cards was used
by UNESCO. The labor advisory group to the
American delegation of UNESCO needed data on
equal pay for women. IAM obtained a list of
agreements having such provisions, giving the
industry group, location, union security number
under IAM jurisdiction, and stating whether the
agreement was signed jointly with any other
union.
The most elaborate study of IAM agreements
was made by the union for the benefit of the non­
operating railroad unions which were seeking
changes in pay, hours, and working conditions.
All firms were listed which paid time and a half
for hours worked in excess of 40 a week.

Hosiery Manufacture:
Earnings in October 19481
O ccupational earnings levels in the fullfashioned and seamless hosiery industries, pre­
sented separately in this report, differed substan­
tially in October 1948.
The manufacturing processes used in producing
full-fashioned hosiery are more complicated than
824906—19---- 3

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301

those in seamless hosiery. Use of similar job
terms in the two industries (as in the accompany­
ing tables) does not imply identical or equal
job requirements. In the major production areas
studied, full-fashioned hosiery mills on the average
were larger, measured by employment, than seam­
less hosiery mills. The full-fashioned hosiery in­
dustry is also more highly unionized, although
comparatively few of the southern mills had agree­
ments with a labor union in October 1948, the
date of the Bureau’s study.2
Women account for three-fifths of the labor force
in the full-fashioned hosiery industry and for an
even larger proportion in seamless-hosiery pro­
duction. Nearly all the knitters in full-fashioned
hosiery mills are men, whereas in this work in
seamless-hosiery mills, women predominate. The
highly automatic types of knitting equipment em­
ployed in seamless-hosiery manufacture, however,
require a proportionately greater number of
adjusters and fixers than is needed in full-fash­
ioned hosiery mills. Except for this job group,
in which time rates are typical, a majority of the
workers in the occupations for which earnings data
are here presented are paid on a piece-work basis.
Nearly all establishments studied reported that
a 40-hour workweek was scheduled in October
1948. Formal provisions for granting paid vaca­
tion leave to mill and office workers had been estab­
lished by 74 of 81 full-fashioned hosiery establish­
ments, 36 of 52 men’s seamless-hosiery mills, and
8 of 21 plants manufacturing children’s hosiery.
Vacation plans typically provided 1 week with
pay to employees with a year of service. A sub­
stantial number of employers, however, provided
2 weeks of paid vacation leave to office workers.
Paid holidays, generally 5 in number, were pro­
vided for mill and office workers by a great
majority of the full-fashioned hosiery plants in
Philadelphia and Reading. Very few of the other
establishments studied provided paid holidays to
mill workers, but a majority (except in the men’s
hosiery industry in Statesville-Hickory, N. C.
and the children’s hosiery industry in Winston1 Prepared by Toivo P. Kanninen of the Bureau’s Division of Wage
Analysis. Data were collected by field representatives under the direction
of the Bureau’s regional wage analysts. Greater detail on wages and wage
practices for each area included in the study is available on request.
2 The number of production areas studied, and estimated employment in
the areas in October 1948, were: full-fashioned hosiery, 5 areas, 30,000 workers;
men’s seamless hosiery, 3 areas, 11,300 workers; and children’s seamless
hosiery, 2 areas, 3,000 workers. Mills employing less than 21 workers were
excluded from the study.

302

E A R N IN G S — H O S IE R Y M A N U F A C T U R E

Salem-High Point) provided 2 or more paid holi­
days to office employees.
Full-Fashioned Hosiery
Average hourly earnings of men knitters (using
single-unit equipment and legger machines fitted
with backrack attachments) varied considerably
by area, gauge of hosiery, and number of sections
in the machine. Knitters producing 45-gauge
hosiery (24 sections or less) averaged from $1.61
in Statesville-Hickory, N. C., to $2.42 in Reading,
Pa. In contrast, knitters making 51-gauge ho­
siery (26 or more sections) earned from $1.97
in Statesville-Hickory to $2.75 in Philadelphia.
1.— S tr a ig h t-tim e average h o u rly e a r n in g s 1 i n selected
o c cu p a tio n s i n fu ll-fa s h io n e d h o sie ry in d u s tr y , i n selected
a re a s, O ctober 1 9 4 8

T able

Occupation and sex

StatesBurlingvilleChar­ Phila­
tondel­ Read­ HickGreens- lotte, phia,
ing,
ory,
N .C .
Pa.
boro,
Pa.
N . C.
N . C.

P l a n t occupations, m e n

Adjusters and fixers, knitting ma­
chines (4 years’ or more experience)_____ - - -------------------Boarders, machine______________
Knitters, single-unit or backrack:
Below 45-gauge, 24 sections or
less ____________________
45-gauge, 24 sections or less___
45-gauge, 26 or more sections.,51-gauge, 24 sections or less__
51-gauge, 26 or more sections...
Preboardefs____________________

$2 . 0 0 $2.05
1.35 1.38

$1.77 $1.90
1.77 1.75

$1.84

2.25
2.42
(2)
2.49
(2)
1.59

1.36
1.61
1.65
1.77
1.97
1.26

(2)
.99
1.17

1 .1 0

1.29
1.30
1.40
(2)
1.39

1.07

(2)
1.71
1.84
1.90

1.95
1.95
2.08
1.79

1.76
2.07
(2)

2 .1 1

2 .1 2

1.37

1.37

2.75
1.57

1.23

1 .2 1

2 .1 2

1 .1 1

MONTHLY LABOR

$1.77 and $1.90 an hour, respectively, in Phila­
delphia and Reading; however, in the three North
Carolina areas, earnings ranged from $1.84 in
Statesville-Hickory to $2.05 in Charlotte. Earn­
ings of men boarders (machine) averaged $1.77
in Philadelphia and $1.75 in Reading, but in
North Carolina ranged from $1.11 to $1.35. Thus,
although workers in Philadelphia in these two
jobs had similar earnings, and in Reading differed
by only 15 cents, average earnings of adjusters
and fixers in each of the southern areas exceed­
ed those of boarders by 65 cents or more.
Seamers (major women’s job in the industry)
earned 98 cents in Statesville-Hickory, $1.14 in
Burlington-Greensboro, $1.25 in Charlotte, $1.37
and $1.39, respectively, in Philadelphia and Read­
ing. Inter-area differences in earnings were gen­
erally smaller in other women’s jobs. Hand
menders, for example, earned from $1.10 in States­
ville-Hickory to $1.33 in Charlotte. Hosiery in­
spectors averaged 93 cents in Statesville-Hickory
and from $1.05 to $1.17 among the other areas.
Folders, the lowest-paid mill group studied, earned
95 cents in Charlotte and Statesville-Hickory, 99
cents in Reading, $1.11 and $1.13, respectively, in
Burlington-Greensboro and Philadelphia. As in
the case of men’s jobs (other than adjusters and
fixers), Reading and Philadelphia mills generally
had the highest earnings and the StatesvilleHickory area the lowest in nearly all jobs.

P l a n t occupations, w o m e n

Boarders, machine_____________
Folders----- ------------------------------Inspectors, hosiery______________
Loopers, toe only (1 year’s experience or more) . --------------------Menders, h a n d ---------- ----------Pairers.. ------- -- ------------- -----Preboarders--------- ------------Seamers____________ __________

1 .1 1

.95

1 .6 6

1.13
1.05

1.09

1 .1 0

1.24

1.18
1.33
1.05
1.16
1.25

1.34
1.31

1.03
1.04
1.08

1 .0 2

1 .1 1

.96
1.28
1.14

1 .2 2

1.55
1.37

.95
.93
1 .1 0

.98
(2)

.98

Office o c c u p a t i o n s , w o m e n

Clerks, pay roll------ ------------------Clerk-typists----------------------------Stenographers, general__________

1 .0 0

.87
1.05

.90
1.09

1.13
.78
(2)

(3)
(2)
(2)

i Exclusive of premium pay for overtime and night work,
i Insufficient data to justify presentation of an average.

Within an area, Philadelphia showed the greatest
variation in earnings among the knitting classifi­
cations: knitters making 51-gauge hosiery (26 or
more sections) averaged 99 cents an hour more
than those producing below 45-gauge hosiery (24
sections or less).
Knitting machine adjusters and fixers averaged


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Seamless Hosiery
Women knitters operating automatic machines
averaged 83 cents an hour in October 1948 in
men’s seamless hosiery mills in Reading, Pa., and
the Statesville-Hickory area of North Carolina.
For other women in this job, averages were 98
cents in men’s hosiery mills in Winston-SalemHigh Point, N. C., 86 cents in children’s hosiery
mills in the same area, and 91 cents in children’s
hosiery mills in Chattanooga. Transfer knitters’
earnings ranged from 72 cents in Statesville-Hick­
ory to 92 cents in Chattanooga. Women loopers
(the largest job group in the industry) had average
earnings ranging from 85 cents to 97 cents. For
menders (the lowest-paid job studied) the range
was from 64 to 81 cents an hour.
Men knitting-machine adjusters and fixers

W A G E C H R O N O L O G Y If. B I T U M I N O U S C O A L

REVIEW , MARCH 1949

earned $1.21 in Chattanooga, $1.26 in Reading,
and $1.34 in Statesville-Hickory; in the WinstonSalem-High Point area, they averaged $1.40 in
children’s hosiery mills and $1.51 in the men’s
hosiery division. Men knitters, automatic ma­
chines, averaged from 5 to 9 cents an hour more
than did women on similar work in the same area.
T a ble 2.— S tr a ig h t-tim e average h o u rly e a r n in g s ,l selected
o c c u p a tio n s i n se a m le ss h o sie ry in d u s t r y ,
h o sie ry a n d w age a rea , O ctober 1 9 4 8

ty p e

of

Children’s
hosiery

M en’s hosiery

Occupation and sex

by

WinstonChat­
Read­ States­
Salemta­
villeing, Hickory, High nooga,
Pa.
Point, Tenn.
N. c .
N. c .

WinstonSalemHigh
Point,
N . C.

P l a n t occupations, m e n

Adjusters and fixers, knitting
machines (4 years’ or more
$1.26
experience) __
------- -----1.03
Boarders, hand----- ---------.8 8
Knitters, automatic___________

$1.34
.90
.90

$1.51
1.14
1.07

$1 . 2 1
.99
(2)

$1.40

.77
.74
.69
.83
(2)
.72

.98
.94
.89
.98

.85
.92
(2)
.91
.84
.92

.78
.81
.82

1 .0 2

.94

P l a n t occupations, w o m e n

Boarders, hand___________ ____
Folders and boxers-. ----------- Inspectors, hosiery____________
Knitters, automatic___________
Knitters, string----------------------Knitters, transfer------------ -----Loopers, toe only (1 year’s experience or more)------ -- --------Menders, hand_______________
Pairers------------------------- ------

0)

.82
.75
.83
(2)
.8 6

1 .0 0

(2)

.96
.79
.77

.85
.64
.71

.97
.72
.90

(2)
(2)
(2)

.93
.77
.90

1 .0 1

.8 6

(2)
.8 6

.8 8

.95

.81
.87

.6 8

.79

Office o c c u p a t i o n s , w o m e n

Clerks, pay roll______________
Clerk-typists-------- -------------Stenographers, general------------

.93
.98

.91
.81
1.34

(2)
(2)
(2)

1 Exclusive of premium pay for overtime and night work.
2 Insufficient data to justify presentation of an average.

Occupational earnings in production of men’s
seamless hosiery were highest in the WinstonSalem-High Point area and lowest, except in two
men’s jobs, in the Statesville-Hickor^ area. In
the children’s hosiery division, earnings for nearly
all the women’s jobs were higher in Chattanooga
than in Winston-Salem-High Point, but for men
adjusters and fixers and for hand boarders, the
reverse was true. Wages in men’s hosiery mills
exceeded those in the production of children’s
hosiery in the Winston-Salem-High Point area;
in 7 of 10 jobs providing a comparison, the wage
advantage in favor of men’s hosiery workers
amounted to 11 or more cents an hour.


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303

Wage Chronology No. 4:
Bituminous-Coal Mines, 1933-48 1
T h e national wage agreement between the
United Mine Workers of America (Ind.) and
associations representing the operators in the
bituminous-coal industry, expiring on June 30,
1949, is an outgrowth of the Appalachian agree­
ments, the first of which was concluded in 1933.
This wage chronology covers the period since 1933
and traces the changes in basic wages, work sched­
ules, and related wage practices affecting the major
groups of workers in the Appalachian area, as
provided by the master agreements. The data
presented do not take account of variations in
provisions of agreements negotiated in the various
districts.
Since this chronology begins with the 1933
agreement, the provisions reported under that
date do not necessarily indicate changes in prior
conditions of employment. Changes in wages and
related conditions have been the outcome of
collective bargaining between the operators and
the union, except for the November 1943 and
May 1946 agreements. In these two months,
prolonged disputes between the union and the
operators and resulting work stoppages necessi­
tated seizure and operation of the mines by the
United States Government and, consequently, the
agreements were made between the Government
and the UMW.
During the period under consideration, changes
in the number of hours worked per day and the
number of days worked per week, and the intro­
duction of portal-to-portal pay, were significant
factors affecting miners’ income. The formalized
schedule of mine operation incorporated in the
master agreements permitted the tabulation of
these changes in this chronology, and made possi­
ble the computation of full-time daily and weekly
earnings and straight-time hourly earnings for
selected groups of workers paid on a time basis
(table 4).
1
Prepared in the Bureau of Labor Statistics by Willis O. Quant under the
direction of Joseph W. Bloch. For purpose and scope of wage chronology
series, see M onthly Labor Review, December 1948. Reprints of chronologies
are available upon request.

304

W A G E C H R O N O L O G Y k: B IT U M IN O U S C O A L

T able

MONTHLY LABOR

1.— C han ges i n b a sic w ages a n d h ou rs i n b itu m in o u s-c o a l m in es in the A p p a la c h ia n area, 1 9 3 3 - 4 8
O U TSIDE D A Y W OR K ER S i
Normal schedule of work

Effective date

2

Total

Work

Application, exceptions, and other related matters

Amount of wage change

D aily hours paid for—
Days per
week

Lunch

Oct. 2, 1933.
Apr. 1, 1934.

5
5

8

8

0

7

7

0

Oct. 1, 1935.

5

7

7

50 cents per day in­
crease.
_ _ do---------------------This increase applied to all the Appalachian area except the South 3
$ 1 per day increase___
0
and to all occupations except slate pickers. An increase of $1.40 a
day was provided for the South to eliminate a 40-cent North-South
differential. Rates for slate pickers were increased by 75 cents per
day in the North and by $1.15 in the South.
6 -day week authorized by supplemental agreement. W eekly earnings
0
were increased by added workday paid for at premium rates (see
overtime provisions).
An increase of 85 cents a day for slate pickers only was ordered by
0
National War Labor Board directive order of June 18, 1943.
D aily and weekly earnings were increased by lengthened workday, the
0
added V y i hours being paid for at premium rates (see overtime pro­
visions) .
Flat
amount added to previous 8 Ji-hour pay to adjust differentials
$1.07
per
day
increase—
Ji
between earnings of outside and inside workers.
Vi $1.85 per day increase.. Flat amount added to previous 8 M-hour pay.
$1 . 2 0 per 7^-hour day Previous 8 V i hour pay plus $1.20 established as rates for new 7M-hour day.
Y
increase.
Vi $ 1 per day increase----- Flat amount added to previous 7^-hour pay.

Apr. 1, 1937.
Apr. 1,1941.

5
5

7
7

7
7

J a n .1943___

5-6

7

7

40 cents per 7-hour day
increase.

Previous 8 -hour pay plus increase established as new rates for 7-hour day.
The increase of 40 cents was applied to all the Appalachian area except
northern W est Virginia, where an increase of 64 cents a day was pro­
vided to eliminate a 24-cent differential between northern W est Vir­
ginia and the northern Appalachian area.

0

0

Apr. 1, 1943..

5-6

7

7

N ov. 3,1943.

5-6

8M

m

Apr. 1, 1945..

5-6

8M

8

M ay 22, 1946.
July 1, 1947..

5-6
5-6

m
TÄ

8

6M

July 1, 1948..

5-6

7V i

&Vi

IN S ID E D A Y W OR K ER S
Normal schedule of work
Effective date

D ays
per
week

2

D aily hours paid for
Total

5
5

8

8

0

0

7

7

0

0

Oct. 1, 1935.

5

7

7

0

0

Apr. 1,1937.
Apr. 1, 1941.

5
5

7
7

7

0

0

7

0

5-6

7

7

0

Apr. 1, 1943.

5-6

7

7

0

N ov. 3,1943.

5-6

8

Apr. 1, 1945..

5-6

9

8

M ay 22, 1946.
July 1, 1947-

5-6
5-6

9
8

8%

July 1, 1948-

5-6

8

7Vi

3^

Amount of wage
change

Application, exceptions, and other related matters

40 cents per 7-hour day
increase.

Previous 8 -hour pay plus increase established as new rates for 7-hour
day. The increase of 40 cents was applied to all the Appalachian
area except northern West Virginia, where an increase of 64 cents was
provided to eliminate a 24-cent differential between northern West
Virginia and the northern Appalachian area.

Travel Lunch

Work

Oct. 2, 1933.
Apr. 1, 1934.

Jan. 1943

8

m

H

50 cents per day increase.
do. . . . _________
$ 1 per day increase----- This increase applied to all the Appalachian area except the South 3 and
0
to all occupations except greasers, trappers, flaggers, and switch
throwers. An increase of $1.40 per day was provided for the South
to eliminate a 40-cent North-South differential. Rates for the 4 spec­
ified occupations were increased by 75 cents in the North and by
$1.15 in the South.
6 -day week authorized by supplemental agreement.
Weekly earnings
0
were increased by added workday paid for at premium rates. (See
overtime provisions.)
Increase of 85 cents per day for greasers, trappers, flaggers, and switch
0
throwers only ordered by National War Labor Board directive order
of June 18,1943. Board also ruled that it would permit an additional
increase of 76 cents to these workers if agreed upon in district negoti­
ations.
D aily and weekly earnings increased by lengthened workday, by pay­
0
ment for travel time, and by payment of premium rates for produc­
tive and travel time after 40 elapsed hours during workweek. (See
overtime and travel-time provisions.)
D aily and weekly earnings increased by payment of premium rates for
Vi
all hours in excess of 7 per day and 35 per week (see overtime provi­
sions) and by paid lunch periods.
Flat
amount added to previous 9-hour pay.
$1.85 per day increase..
Y
Vi $1 . 2 0 per 8 -hour day Previous 9-hour pay plus $1.20 established as rates for new 8 -hour day.
increase.
Flat amount added to previous 8 -hour pay.
$ 1 per day increase___
Y

1 Data pertain to bit sharpeners, car droppers, trimmers, car repairmen,
dumpers, sand dryers, car cleaners, slate pickers, and other able-bodied labor,
and do not necessarily cover other outside workers paid on a day basis. The
tabulation does not take into account variations provided by district agree­
ments.
2 The schedule of mine operation provided in master agreements does not
represent a guarantee of the stipulated hours or days of work.
3 Includes mines in Maryland, Virginia, southern and upper Potomac


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4

district of W est Virginia, eastern Kentucky, and northern Tennessee.
4 Data pertain to motormen, rock drillers, drivers, brakemen, spraggers,
trackmen, wiremen, bonders, timbermen, bottom cagers, coal drillers, snap­
pers, trackmen helpers, wiremen helpers, greasers, trappers, flaggers, switch
throwers, and other inside labor not classified. Mobile loading equipment
operators covered by changes after 1941. The tabulation does not take into
account variations provided by district agreements.

REVIEW , MARCH 1949
T able

305

W A G E C H R O N O LO G Y 4: B IT U M IN O U S C O A L

1.— C h a n g es in b asic w ages a n d h ou rs in b itu m in o u s-c o a l m in e s i n the A p p a la c h ia n area, 1 9 3 8 - 4 8 — Continued
IN S ID E T O N N A G E A N D PIE C E -R A T E W O R K E R S *
Normal schedule of work

Amount of wage change for—

2

D aily hours paid for—
Effective date Days
per
Pick mining
week Total Work Trav­ Lunch
el
Oct. 2 , 1933___
Apr. 1, 1934___

5
5

8

8

0

7

7

0

0
0

Oct. 1, 1935-

5

7

7

0

0

Apr. 1, 1937___
Apr. 1, 1941___

5
5

7
7

7
7

0

0

0

0

Jan. 1943..........

5-6

7

7

0

0

N ov. 3, 1943— .

5-6

& Â

8

Apr. 1, 1945___

5-6

9

8

%

cents per 8 cents per 1 cent per 9 percent into n in to n in to n in crease.
crease.
crease.
crease.
9 cents per ____do_.......... ____do_.......... 1 0 percent
to n in increase.
crease.
__
___do______ ___do______ ____do_____ ____do
___do_____ 15 percent
1 2 cents per
1 1 cents per
to n in to n in increase.
crease.
crease.

0

M

M ay 22,1946—

5-6

9

8 %

$1.85 D e r dav increase.

5-6

8

V A

$1.20 Der dav increase

July 1,1948.

5-6

V A

Application, exceptions, and other related
matters

10

July 1,1947___

8

Dead-work;
yardage

Cutting
(short-wall)

Machine
loading

¿4

$1

^

^

per day in c r e a s e ...........

--

6

-day week authorized by supplemental
agreement.

Weekly earnings were increased by added
workday paid for at premium rates (see
overtime provisions).
D aily and weekly earnings increased by
lengthened workday, by payment for
travel time, and by payment of premium
rates for productive and travel time after
40 elapsed hours during workweek (see
overtime and travel-time provisions).
D aily and weekly earnings increased by ad­
dition of
of day’s tonnage or piece-rate
earnings, to compensate for daily overtime
and travel time (see overtime and travel­
time provisions).
Plat amount added to 9-hour pay as previous­
ly computed.
___ Flat amount added to day’s pay as previously
computed. This increase, plus previous
$1.85 daily increase, made a total of $3.05
added to daily tonnage or piece-rate earn­
ings plus ti of such daily tonnage or
piece-rate earnings.
Flat amount added to day’s pay as previously
computed, making a total of $4.05 added to
daily tonnage or piece-rate earnings plus
A
of such daily tonnage or piece-rate
earnings. ____________________________

s Data pertain only to types of work indicated, and also do not take into account variations provided by district agreements.

T a b le 2.- -C h an ges i n p a y p r o v is io n s f o r overtim e a n d travel tim e in b itu m in o u s-co a l m in es, A p p a la c h ia n area, 1 9 3 3 - 4 8
O V ER TIM E PA Y

2

Outside day workers

Inside day workers

N o provision for overtime premium
pay.
Time and one-half for hours in excess
of 7 per day and 35 per week.
No change............................... ..................

N o provision for overtime premium pay______

N ov. 3, 1943

Time and one-half for hours in excess
of 7 per day and 35 per week at
straight time rates. Double time
for seventh consecutive day.

Apr. 1, 1945.

N o change .

Time and one-half for productive time after 40
hours (productive and travel time combined)
within first 5 days of workweek and for all
productive time on sixth day worked. Time
and one-half for travel time after 40 elapsed
hours during workweek. Double time for
seventh consecutive day.
Time and one-half for eighth hour of 9-hour day
and $1.50 to all workers for ninth hour. Time
and one-half after 35 hours (portal-to-portal)
worked at straight-time rates within week.
Double time for seventh consecutive day.

M ay

Added: time and one-half for work on
sixth consecutive day.
Time and one-half for hours in excess
of 7M per day and 364i per week and
for sixth consecutive day. Double
time for seventh consecutive day.

Effective date
Oct. 2, 1933Apr. 1, 1937.
Jan. 1943 2__

22

, 1946.

July 1, 1947..

Oct. 2, 1933..
N ov. 3, 1943.
Apr. 1, 1945 A

Time and one-half for hours in excess of 7 per day
and 35 per week (at the face).
No change____ __________________________ ___

Added: time and one-half for work on sixth con­
secutive day.
Time and one-half for hours in excess of 8 per day
and 40 per week (portal-to-portal) and for
sixth consecutive day. Double time for
seventh consecutive day.___________________
PA Y FOR T R A V E L T IM E

Travel time not paid for
______
_______
45 minutes of travel time per day, paid for at twothirds of regular rate. Subject to overtime
provisions.
_ __do__ ____ ______________________ Travel time considered as working time and paid
for accordingly. Subject to overtime pro­
visions.
N o travel time __________
___do_____________________________

1
A pplies only to workers having standard schedule of hours reported in
table 1.
2 Pyramiding of overtime pay not required under the provisions.
3
Supplemental agreement authorizing 6 -day week was carried over by
subsequent agreements. The 6 -day week was optional.


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Inside tonnage and piecerate workers
N o provision for overtime premium pay.
Do.
Time and one-half for work performed after 35
hours per week (at face).
Time and one-half (applied to average produc­
tive earnings and special travel rate, sepa­
rately) for hours in excess of 40 per week (pro­
ductive and travel time combined). Double
tim e for seventh consecutive day.
Gross daily earnings increased by one-ninth to
compensate for travel time and for overtime
after 7 hours. Time and one-half after 35
hours (portal-to-portal) worked at straighttime rates within week. Double time for
seventh consecutive day.
Added: time and one-half for work on sixth
consecutive day.
Time and one-half for hours in excess of 8 per
day and 40 per week (portal-to-portal) and
for sixth consecutive day. Double time for
seventh consecutive day. ________________

Travel time not paid for.
45 minutes of travel time per day, paid for at
two-thirds of hourly earnings. Subject to
overtime provisions.
Travel time considered as working time and
paid for by increasing daily production earn­
ings (including overtime premium pay on
sixth day) by one-ninth.__________________

4
Retroactive claims for portal-to-portal pay were adjusted by payment of
$40 to each eligible worker employed from Apr. 1, to June 20,¡1943, and a pro
rata amount for less than continuous employment during this period.

306

W A G E C H R O N O L O G Y 4: B IT U M IN O U S C O A L

MONTHLY LABOR

T able 3.— C h an ges in re la te d w age p ra c tic e s in b itu m in o u s-c o a l m in es, in the A p p a la c h ia n area , 1 9 8 3 - 4 8
SH IFT P R E M IU M PA Y
Effective date

Provision

Application, exceptions, and other related matters

Oct. 2,1933________ ____ _ No provision for shift premiums . . ______________ ______
Apr. 1, 1945______________ Second shift, 4 cents an hour; third shift, 6 cents an hour________

For each hour employed, portal-to-portal.

H O L ID A Y PA Y
Oct. 2, 1933______________

No provisions for work on holidays______ _______ ______________

Jan. 1943________________

Time and one-half for work on specified holidays________________

Holidays to be observed are those recognized in district
agreements.
Do.

P A ID VACA TIO N S
Oct. 2, 1933..____________ N o provision for paid vacations__ _______ _____ ______ _____ _
Apr. 1,1941______________ Employees with 1 year or more of service—-10 consecutive calendar
days. Vacation pay, $20.
Apr. 1,1943_____________

Vacation pay increased to $50. __________ __________________

Apr. 1,1945______________ Vacation pay increased to $75__________ _________________
M ay 1946____ _ . . ___ Vacation pay increased to $ 1 0 0 _______ _______ _.

Annual mid-year vacation period, during which coal produc­
tion ceases. N o vacation pay for employees w ith less than
a year’s service. (The 1941 vacation period was curtailed to
5 days, that for 1942 to 3 days, with full vacation pay.)
1943 and 1944 vacations suspended, but full vacation payment
made.
1945 vacation suspended, but full vacation payment made.
For employees with 1 year’s service between specified dates.
Those entering or leaving employment during qualifying
period paid prorated amounts.

R E P O R T IN G A L LOW ANCE
Oct. 2, 1933______________

D ay workers going into mine in morning receive minimum of 2hours’ pay.

W ORK TOOLS, E Q U IP M E N T , A N D SU P PL IE S
Oct. 2, 1933______________
Apr. 1,1943______________ Necessary tools, blacksmithing, and safety equipment and devices,
including electric cap lamps and carbide lamps, to be furnished
by operators, except when operator elects to pay worker 6 cents
per day for furnishing own carbide lamp and carbide.

Matters affecting cost of explosives, blacksmithing, and
electric cap lamps referred to district conferences.
Provision was contained in directive order of National War
Labor Board dated June 18, 1943, and appeared in N ov. 3,
1943, contract for first time. Matters affecting cost of
explosives referred to district conferences.

H E A L T H A N D W E L F A R E B E N E F IT S
Oct. 2, 1933______________ No provision for health and welfare benefits
June 1, 1946______________ A welfare and retirement fund was established to provide benefit
payments to miners and their dependents or survivors in case of
sickness, disability, death, or retirement, and for other related
purposes. Financed through contributions by operators of 5
cents for each ton of coal produced for use or sale.
A medical and hospital fund was established to be used for medi­
cal, hospital, and related purposes. Financed by wage deduc­
tions then being made.
The 2 funds were to be used to complement each other___
July 1, 1947............................. Operators’ contributions to welfare and retirement fund increased
to 1 0 cents per ton of coal produced for use or sale.
Medical and hospital fund was combined with welfare and
retirement fund.
July 1,1948______________ Operators’ contributions to welfare and retirement fund increased
to 2 0 cents per ton of coal produced for use or sale.


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REVIEW , MARCH 1949

3 07

E A R N IN G S — F O O T W E A R M A N U F A C T U R E

T able 4.— F u ll-tim e d a ily a n d w e ek ly e a rn in g s a n d stra ig h t-tim e h o u rly e a rn in g s 1 f o r selected o c cu p a tio n s in bitu m in o u scoal m in es, A p p a la c h ia n a re a ,2 1 9 8 3 - 4 8
Effective date
Occupational group

N ov. 3, Apr. 1, M ay 22, July 1, July 1,
1943
1945
1946
1947
1948

Oct. 2 , Apr. 1,
1934
1933

Oct. 1, Apr. 1, Apr. 1,
1941
1935
1937

$4.76

$5.16

$5. 6 6

$6.16

$7.16

$7.16

$8.69

23.80

25.80

28.30

30.80

35.80

35.80
46.54
1.023

45.34
58.35
.993

Jan.
1943

Inside d a y workers

Motormen, rock drillers, and rubber-tired shuttle car operators:
Full-time daily e a r n i n g s ------ -----------------------------------Full-time weekly earnings:
5day w eek ....................................................... —6day week
. _ ____________________
Straight-time hourly earnings.. ----------------------------------Drivers, brakemen, spraggers, trackmen, wiremen, bonders,
timbermen, bottom cagers, coal drillers and snappers:
Full-time daily earnings_______________________________
Full-time weekly earnings:
5day w eek______________________________
6day week
___________________
Straight-time hourly earnings. -----------------------------------Pumpers, trackmen helpers, wiremen helpers, timbermen
helpers, and other inside labor not classified:
Full-time daily earnings_______________________________
Full-time weekly earnings:
5day w eek______________________________
6day week
___________________
Straight-time hourly earnings ------------------------------- . . .
Loading machine operators and cutting and shearing machine
operators and helpers: 3
Full-time daily earnings__________________ ____ ________
Full-time weekly earnings:
5day w eek_______ _________________ - .........
6day week
____________________
Straight-time hourly earnings----------------------------------------

.595

.737

.809

.880

1.023

$10.19

$12.04

50.95
64.72
1.019

60.20
76.47
1.204

$13.24
6 6 .2 0

86.06
1.655

$14.24
71.20
92. 56
1.780

4.60

5.00

5.50

6 .0 0

7.00

7.00

8.50

1 0 .0 0

11.85

13.05

14.05

23.00

25.00

27.50

30.00

35.00

35.00
45.50

50.00
63.50

1 .0 0

1 .0 0

44.31
57.06
.971

59.25
75.25
1.185

65.25
84.83
1.631

70.25
91.33
1.756

.575

.714

.785

.857

1 .0 0

4.36

4.76

5.26

5.76

6.76

6.76

8 .2 1

9.71

11.56

12.76

13.76

21.80

23.80

26.30

28.80

33.80

33.80
43.94
.966

42.79
55.12
.938

48.55
61.64
.971

57.80
73.39
1.156

63.80
82.94
1.595

68.80
89.44
1.720

15.48

.545

.680

.751

.823

.966

5.80

6 .2 0

6.90

7.60

9.00

9.00

10.93

12.43

14.28

29.00

31.00

34.50

38.00

45.00

45.00
58.50
1.286

56.98
73.37
1.249

62.15
79.08
1.243

77.40
71.40
90.83 100.62
1.935
1.428

.725

.8 8 6

.986

1.086

1.286

16.48
82.40
107.12
2.060

Outside da y workers

B it sharpeners, car droppers, trimmers, car repairmen and
dumpers:
Full-time daily earnings___________________ _____ ______ 3.84
Full-time weekly earnings:
5day w eek______________________________ 19.20
6day week
____ _________________
.480
Straight-time hourly earnings-------- ----------- ---------------Sand dryers, car cleaners, and other able bodied labor:
Full-time daily earnings................................................................ 3.60
Full-time weekly earnings:
5day w eek... ...................... ................................ - 18.00
_ _______________________
6day week _
.450
Straight-time hourly earnings------------------------- --------------

4.24

4.74

5.24

6.24

6.24

7.91

8.98

10.83

12.03

13.03

2 1 .2 0

23.70

26.20

31.20

31.20
40.56
.891

39.55
50.58
.891

44.90
57. 41

54.15
69.25

60.15
78.20
1.659

65.15
84. 70
1.797

.606

.677

.749

.891

1 .0 1 2

4.00

4. 50

5.00

6 .0 0

6 .0 0

7.61

8 .6 8

2 0 .0 0

22.50

25.00

30.00

30.00
39.00
.857

38.05
48.66
.857

43.40
55.50
.978

.571

.643

.714

.857

1 .2 2 0

10.53

11.73

12.73

52.65
67.33
1.186

58.65
76.25
1.618

63.65
18. 75
2.756

i Full-time daily and weekly earnings reflect gross pay for normal hours in
effect at the time (table 1 ) including straight-time and premium pay for
scheduled overtime hours. Straight-time hourly earnings exclude premium
pay for overtime. Shift premium pay is excluded from all figures as well as
miners’ expenses for tools, explos ives, etc. Full-time daily earnings reflect
week-day pay (Monday through Friday) except for period between N ov. 3,
1943, and Apr. 1, 1945, when premium rates were paid for part of work on
fifth day. Full-time weekly earnings for 6 -day week are shown only for
period following formal agreement authorizing 6 -day week (optional). These

pay scales were computed on basis of national agreements and do not take
account of district variations.
2 Regional differentials are not shown for years in effect.
West Virginia
differential was eliminated by 1934 wage agreement and Southern differential
ended with 1941 contract.
3 Wage increases for mobile loading equipment operators exceeded those
for other inside day workers during period Oct. 2, 1933, through Apr. 1,1941.
Thereafter, same changes affected all inside day workers for whom data are
shown.
Ls*,,.
i_.

Footwear Manufacture:
Earnings in October 19481

hourly averages of men in other production jobs,
also typically paid on a piece-rate basis, ranged
as follows: Side lasters (machine), $1.63 in Worces­
ter to $2.05 in Haverhill, Mass.; bed-machine
operators, $1.55 in Auburn-Lewiston to $1.84 in
Haverhill; and treers, $1.30 in Worcester to $1.66
in Haverhill. Earnings of fancy stitchers, the
major women’s job studied, ranged from $1.06
in Worcester to $1.38 in Boston. Earnings of
floor girls, paid hourly rates, ranged from 85 cents
in Boston to 94 cents in Lynn and Worcester.
The highest job averages in New England were
generally found in Boston or Haverhill; Worcester
and, to a lesser extent, Auburn-Lewiston had the
lowest earnings.

I n women ’s cement- process shoe manufacture ,

average hourly earnings of men cutters (machine)
in New England in October 1948 ranged from
$1.42 in the Auburn-Lewiston area of Maine to
$1.72 in Boston. Among six New England areas,
i Prepared by Toivo P. Kanninen of the Bureau’s D ivision of Wage Anal­
ysis. Data were collected by field representatives under the direction of
the Bureau’s regional wage analysts. Greater detail on wages and wage
practices for each wage area included in the study is available upon request.
T he study covered the manufacture of selected types of footwear in 13
major production areas. Approximately 65,000 workers were employed in
October 1948 in the industry divisions covered. Establishments employing
2 1 workers were excluded from the


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308

E A R N IN G S — F O O T W E A R M A N U F A C T U R E

S tr a ig h t-tim e average h o u rly e a rn in g s

i n selected

o c cu p a tio n s in fo o tw e a r
October 1 9 4 8

MONTHLY LABOR

e sta b lish m e n ts, b y

pro cess

W omen’s cement process shoes

a n d w age a re a

7 Ovjw ujcai

Chil-

welt shoes

w elt
shoes

J.rxt XJ.

N ew England
Occupation and sex
AubumHaver­ Lynn,
Lewis- Boston, hill,
Mass. Mass. Mass.
ton,
Maine

South­
eastern Wor­
New
cester,
Hamp­ Mass.
shire

N ew
York
City 2

M is­
souri,
except
St.
Louis

St.
Los
Louis, Angeles,
Wor­
M o.
Calif. Brock­
ton,
cester,
Mass. Mass.

Illinois

South­
eastern
Penn­
syl­
vania 3

P l a n t occupations: M e n

Assemblers for pullover, machine__
Bed-machine operators____________
Cutters, vamp and whole shoe, hand_
Cutters, vamp and whole shoe, ma­
chine_________________ ____ ____
Edge trimmers, machine__________
Floor boys___________ ____________
Goodyear stitchers................................
Mechanics, maintenance........... ..........
Side lasters, machine______ _______
Sole attachers, cement____ ____ ____
Treers___________________________
Wood-heel-seat fitters, hand_______
Wood-heel-seat fitters, machine____
P l a n t occupations:

$1.64
1. 65
(4)

$1.89
1. 59
1.78

$1.83
1.84
(4)

$1.80
1.70
1.67

$1.54
1.69
(4)

$1.41
1.58
(4)

(4)
$2. 39
2.36

$1.19
1.35
1.34

$1.56
1.60
1.59

(4)
(4)
$1.75

$1.71
1.48
1.52

$1.42
1.46
(4)

$1.60
1.69
1.85

$0.99
1.14
.91

1.42
1.64
(4)

1.72

1.63
1.95

.78

1.50
1.67
.79

1.49
1.55
.92

2.09
2.67
1.07

1.39
1. 39
.85

(4)
1.65

.8 8

1.54
1.80
(4)

.8 6

1.94
1.98
.94

1.69
1.81
(4)

1.57
1.62
(4)

1.67
1.89
(4)

1 .1 2

2 .0 0

1.50
1.72
1.53
1.42
1.36
1.33

1.54
1.63
1.46
1.30
(4)
1.51

1.60
2.49
2.27
1.96
2. 04
2 . 61

1.24
1.34
1.19
1. 29
1.25
1.06

1.31
1.57
1.41
1.53
1.54
1. 51

1.87
(4)
1.73
(4)
(4)
(4)

1.50
1.48

1.51
1.63

1.31
1.61

1.43
(4)
(4)

1.53
(4)
(4)

(4)
(4)
(4)

1.03
1.09
.84
.95
(4)
(4)

1 .1 1
.8 6

1.60
2. 05
1.63

1.31
.71

(4)
1.99
1.55
1.64
1.36
(4)

(4)
1.70

1.63
1.69
1.76
1.57
1.69
(4)

1.38
.85
1.68
(4)

1.25
.90
1.38
1.09

1.25
.94
1.24
(4)

1 .2 0

. 88
1.30
(4)

1.06
.94
1.16
1.17

(4)
X4)
2. 09
1.76

.89
.78
.92
1.21

1 .1 2

.91
1.17
.97

1.74

1 .1 2

.89
1.07
1.16

1 .0 1

1.64
1.74

.89
1.08
1.35

1.04
1.22

1.23
.83
1.32
1.28

.94
.74
.96
.90

.70
(4)
.80

.84
.74
.89

.82
.72
.83

.81
.77
.83

.80
.74
.82

.76
(4)
.85

1.02
.99
1.18

.84
.77
.86

.87
.82
.97

1.16
.93
1.11

.77
.67
.85

.82
.77
.89

.93
.88
1.06

.90
.83
.86

1 .6 8

1.79
1. 42
1.37
(4)
1.41

1 .6 6

W o m e n

Fancy stitchers.
Floor girls..........
Top stitch ers...
Yampers______
Office o c c u p a t i o n s :

Clerks, pay-roll______
Clerk-typists________
Stenographers, general.

1 .2 2

W o m e n

1 Excludes premium pay for overtime and night work.
2 Study limited to establishments primarily engaged in producing women’s
street shoes.

Among other women’s shoe centers, St. Louis
pay levels fell within the New England range,
earnings in Missouri (except St. Louis) were gen­
erally below the lowest New England areas aver­
ages, and job averages for Los Angeles generally
matched earnings for similar shop work in Boston
and Haverhill. Earnings in New York City,
where the study was limited to women’s street
shoes, were the highest recorded for any of the
production jobs. Men edge trimmers (machine),
for example, averaged $1.39 in Missouri (except
St. Louis), $1.65 in St. Louis, $1.98 in Los Angeles,
and $2.67 in New York; area averages in New
England ranged from $1.55 in Worcester to $2
in Boston.
In men’s Goodyear welt shoe manufacture,
vamp and whole shoe cutters (machine) averaged
$1.57 in Worcester, $1.67 in Illinois, and $1.69 in
Brockton, Mass.; but men Goodyear stitchers
averaged $1.55 in Worcester, $1.61 in Brockton,
and $1.73 in Illinois. Among the women’s jobs
studied, vampers were the highest paid, ranging
from $1.22 in Worcester to $1.35 in Brockton;
floor girls had a low average of 83 cents in Illinois

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3
4

Berks, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon, and Schuylkill Counties.
Insufficient data to justify presentation of an average.

and a high of 89 cents in Brockton. The Wor­
cester area had the lowest earnings in 8 of the 11
plant jobs for which averages could be presented
for each of the three centers.
An important segment of the children’s welt
shoe industry is located in southeastern Pennsyl­
vania. The generally lower pay level in this area
is reflected by the hourly averages of 71 cents for
floor boys and $1.12 for men cutters. Edge trim­
mers were the highest paid men workers covered,
averaging $1.31 an hour. In women’s jobs, earn­
ings ranged from 74 cents for floor girls to 96 cents
for top stitchers. Hourly earnings in this area
averaged 20 cents or more below those in women’s
cement-process shoe plants in Missouri (except
St. Louis), the second lowest pay area studied, in
a majority of the plant jobs for which comparable
figures were available.
Office jobs showed smaller differences in earn­
ings from area to area than did plant jobs. Clerktypists averaged from 67 cents in Brockton to 99
cents in New York, and general stenographers
from 80 cents in Auburn-Lewiston to $1.18 in
New York. In contrast to the earnings relation-

REVIEW, MARCH 1949

ship reported for plant jobs, office pay levels in
southeastern Pennsylvania were above those in
New England.
Related Wage Practices
A 40-hour workweek was scheduled by 180 of
the 183 establishments studied in the 13 areas.
Paid holidays were granted to plant workers by
129 of the 139 establishments producing women’s
cement-process shoes, by 13 of 33 men’s Goodyear
welt shoe plants, and by only 1 of the 11 children’s
welt shoe plants surveyed. The most common
practice in New York and among the New England
shoe centers provided 6 paid holidays; 8 of 10
plants in Los Angeles and half of those in St.
Louis paid for 3 holidays. Nearly all establish­
ments granted paid holidays to office employees
and the number of paid holidays received by this
group generally exceeded the number granted to
plant workers in the same establishments.
Vacations with pay were granted to plant
workers with a year of service by nearly all estab­
lishments. With few exceptions, eligible shop
workers received 1 week of paid vacation leave.
All or a majority of the women’s shoe plants in
New York, Missouri (except St. Louis), St. Louis,
Los Angeles, and of the men’s shoe plants in Brock­
ton and Illinois, provided a 2-week paid vacation
to plant workers with 5 years of service. Office
workers with a year of service received 1 week
with pay in two-thirds of the establishments
and 2 weeks in the remainder. Of 181 establish­
ments employing office workers, 108 provided 2
weeks with pay after 5 years of service.

Local City Truck Driving:
Union Scales, July 1, 19481
O rganized motortruck drivers and their helpers
received an average increase of 9 percent in basic
hourly rates between July 1, 1947, and July 1,
1948, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics
i Prepared by Annette Simi of the Bureau’s Wage Analysis Division.
Additional data, including a listing of union scales by commodity classifica­
tion and type of truck, by city, will be presented in a forthcoming bulletin.
8 2 4 9 0 6

—49-

-4


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309

L O C A L C IT Y T R U C K D R IV IN G

annual survey.2 The over-all increase represented
an 11-cent-an-hour gain for both drivers and
helpers studied, bringing the respective levels of
minimum hourly pay to $1.43 and $1.18.3 The
July 1, 1948, index of hourly rates stood at 175.1
of the base-year (June 1, 1939) average.4
Although union wage scales advanced 75 per­
cent between June 1, 1939, and July 1, 1948,
two-thirds of the increase occurred since VJ-day.
In June 1939, agreements providing minimum
scales of $1 or more an hour applied to only 14
percent of the drivers, whereas in 1945 such rates
were received by about half of these workers. By
July 1, 1948, two-thirds of the drivers were covered
by contracts specifying minimum hourly scales of
at least $1.35.
1 . — In d ex es o f b a sic h o u rly w age ra tes a n d m a x im u m
stra ig h t-tim e w o rkw eeks f o r u n io n m oto rtru ck d riv e rs a n d
h elpers, 1 9 3 6 - 4 8

T able

[June 1 , 1939=100]
Drivers and
helpers

Drivers

Helpers

Year

1936: M ay 15__________
1937: M ay 15__________
1938: June 1_________
1939: June 1_________
1940: June 1 ___________
1941: June 1___________
1942: July 1____ _______
1943: July
1944: July
1945: July
1946: July
1947: July
1948: July
1

1___________
1____ _____
1_______ _ _
1___________
1 ___ _
1___________

Wage
rates

Hours

Wage
rates

88.5
94.4
97.8

1 0 1 .8

100.9
100.9

i 1)

1 0 0 .0
1 0 2 .0

106.1
113.6
119.8
1 2 2 .6

125.2
139.3
160.8
175.1

1 0 0 .0

Hours

Wage
rates

Hours

( ')

0)

( ')

94.5
97.9

1 0 0 .8

1 0 0 .0
1 0 2 .1

1 0 0 .0

1 0 0 .8

94.2
97.5

1 0 0 .0
1 0 2 .0

1 0 1 .2
1 0 1 .2
1 0 0 .0

99.1
98.5
98.8

105.9
113.1

99.2
98.5
98.6

107.0
116.4

1 0 0 .0

98.6
98.5
98.3
96.3
94.0
93.2

119.2
121.9
124.5
138.4
159.9
173.9

98.4
98.3
98.1
96.1
93.6
92.9

123.0
126.8
129.8
145.5
166.8
184.3

99.8
99.8
99.7
97.5
95.8
94.5

98.7
98.1

Information not computed separately in 1936.

In 1939, minimum hourly rates for three-fourths
of the helpers varied from 50 to 80 cents; in 1945,
however, two-thirds of the helpers received basic
2 Information is based on effective union scales as of July 1, 1948, covering
235,394 motortruck drivers and 34,682 helpers engaged in local city trucking
in 77 cities. Data were primarily obtained from regional representatives of
the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Chauffeurs, Warehousemen,
and Helpers of America (A F L ); in some cities they were secured from local
union officials by Bureau field repressentatives. Over-the-road drivers and
local city drivers paid on a mileage or commission basis were excluded from
the study.
Union scales are defined as the minimum wage rates or maximum schedule
of hours agreed upon through collective bargaining by employers and tradeunions. Rates in excess of the agreed minimum which may be paid to
union members because of long service, special qualifications, or other reasons
are not included.
2 Averages are based on all rates reported for the current year; individual
rates are weighted by the number of union members working at the rate.
They are not an exact measure for time-to-time comparisons because of change
in the classifications studied and in union membership.
4
In the index series designed to show wage-rate trends over a period of
years, year-to-year changes in union scales are based on comparable quota­
tions for each trade weighted by the membership for the current year.

310

MONTHLY LABOR

L O C A L C IT Y T R U C K D R IV IN G

rates of 70 to 95 cents. On July 1, 1948, the
majority of helpers had scales ranging from $1.15
to $1.35; and about 12 percent were employed at
rates under 95 cents an hour.
Straight-time weekly hours for union motor­
truck drivers and helpers dropped approximately
1 percent, between July 1, 1947, and July 1, 1948,
as shown by the index. The tendency toward a
shorter workweek has been fairly constant since
1937—the first year for which comparable data
are available. On July 1, 1948, over two-thirds
of the union drivers and helpers studied were
covered by agreements stipulating a 40-hour
straight-time workweek. Relatively few contracts
(affecting less than 5 percent of the total member­
ship) specified work schedules in excess of 48 hours
at straight-time pay. In contrast, workweeks of
48 hours or more before premium rates became
effective applied to over half the drivers and
helpers in July 1945, and to two-thirds in June
1940.
H ourly W age Rates and W e e kly Hours: Motortruck
Drivers and Helpers

Wage-Rate Changes, 1947-1948
During the year July 1, 1947, to July 1, 1948
more than three-fourths of the drivers received
wage advances resulting from contract negotia­
tions. Basic wage rates of well over half of the
drivers (56 percent) included in the study were
increased from 5 to 15 percent. Agreements
covering over 50 percent of the drivers specified
minimum scales of at least $1.45 an hour on
July 1, 1948, whereas on July 1, 1947, only 3 out
of 10 drivers had such scales.
T able 2.— W a g e-ra te ch an ges i n u n io n scales f o r local c ity
tru c k in g , J u l y 1, 1 9 4 7 , to J u l y 1, 1 9 4 8
Percent of—
Change in hourly rates
Drivers
and helpers
No change________ ______________
Increases: T otal______ ___ __ ........ .
Less than 5 percent.__ _ . . . . . .
5 and under 10 percent__ ____
10 and under 15 percent_________
15 and under 20 percent_______ _
20 and under 25 percent __ _
25 and under 30 percent___ .... _
30 and under 35 p ercen t________
35 and under 40 p ercen t___ _
40 and under 45 percent.. . .
45 and under 50 percent___ ____
50 percent and over_____________

Drivers

23.0
77.0
3.4
26.5
28.9
10.7
4.8
1.9

24.0
76.0
3.3
25.9
29.8
4.6
1.9
.4
.1

.1
.1

15.6
84.4
3.9
31.3
23.6
15.3
5.9

1 0 .0

.6

(i)
0 )

Helpers

0
0
0

)
)
)

2 .0
2 .0

.2
*
0

)

.2

JUNE I, 1939 = IOO
1

B U R E A U OF L A B O R

S T A T IS T IC S


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Less than 0.05 of 1 percent.

Approximately 85 percent of the truck drivers'
helpers received wage increases during the 1-year
period: for well over half of these helpers the in­
creases varied from 5 to 15 percent, and for more
than a fifth, from 15 to 25 percent. On July 1,
1948, the majority of the helpers were working
under agreements providing minimum hourly
scales of $1.25 or more. In the preceding year,
such rates applied to only one-fifth of these
workers.
Because of variations in size and type of trucks
and commodities handled, there is a wide range of
rates within a city; classifications of drivers and
drivers’ helpers also differ considerably from one
city to another. These factors account partly for
the relative wage-level position of a particular
city; other factors are city size and geographical
location.
On July 1, 1948, average hourly rates for drivers
ranged from 95 cents in New Orleans to $1.74 in
Oakland (Calif.). The next three top ranking

REVIEW , MARCH 1949

L O C A L C IT Y T R U C K D R IV IN G

cities were also located onrthe West Coast—San
Francisco ($1.72), Seattle ($1.67), and Los Angeles
($1.60). In nine other cities, the wage levels also
exceeded the general national average ($1.43).
Only seven cities—six in the South and one in
New England—had average hourly scales of less
than $1.
Increases in wage levels for drivers between
July 1, 1947, and July 1, 1948, ranged from 3
cents in Syracuse (N. Y.) and New Orleans to 24
cents in Phoenix. Cincinnati was the only other
city which showed a gain of more than 20 cents.
Wage advances of 10 cents or more an hour were

311

negotiated during the year in 54 of the 77 cities
included in the study.
Average hourly rates for helpers on July 1, 1948,
varied from 63 cents in Charleston (S. C.) to $1.64
in Oakland. Spokane, San Francisco, and Seattle
were the only other cities in which average rates
exceeded $1.50 an hour. In 26 cities, wage levels
were higher than the general average of $1.18 for
all cities.
Between July 1, 1947, and July 1, 1948, average
rates for helpers advanced from 1 cent in Syracuse
to 22 cents in Spokane; in 49 cities, wage scales
increased at least 10 cents an hour.

T a ble 3.— A vera g e h o u rly w age ra tes o f u n io n m otortru ck d riv e r s / b y c ity , J u l y 1, 191^8, a n d in c re a se s over p re v io u s y e a r

City

Oakland, Calif_____
San Francisco, Calif.
Seattle, Wash______
Los Angeles, C alif...
N ew York, N . Y ___
Newark, N . J______
Spokane, W ash____
Phoenix, Ariz______
Chicago, 111________
Detroit, M ich______
Portland, Oreg_____
Butte, M ont_______
Cleveland, Ohio____
A v e r a g e all cities ____
South Bend, Ind.......
Toledo, Ohio_______
Pittsburgh, P a_____
St. Louis, M o______
Charleston, W. Va__.
Boston, M ass______
Duluth, M inn_____
Peoria, 111__________
Milwaukee, W is____
Buflalo, N . Y ______
Scranton, Pa_______
Philadelphia, Pa___
Dayton, Ohio______
Minneapolis, M in n ..
Rochester, N . Y ____
Cincinnati, Ohio___
Youngstown, O hio...
Wichita, Kans_____
Columbus, Ohio____
Indianapolis, Ind___
N ew Haven, C onn...
Kansas City, M o___
Mobile, Ala________
Grand Rapids, Mich.

Average
hourly
rate,
July 1,
1948 2

Increase from
July 1, 1947 2
Per­
cent

$1.739
1.719

8.4
9.7

1 .6 6 8

1 0 .1

1.600
1.571
1.539
1.526
1.512
1.490
1.478
1.463
1.462
1.461

8.3
7.8
8.5
6.5
19.2
4.8

1.431

1.411
1.408
1.388
1.385
1.372
1.370
1.365
1.353
1.352
1.347
1.347
1.313
1.310
1.305
1.303
1.295
1.292
1.291
1.271
1.269
1.267
1.266
1.261
1.259

Cents
per
hour
13
15
15
12
11
12

9
24
7

8 .8
1 0 .0

12

7.8

11

1 0 .6
8.7

14

14.0

13
11

15.3
10.4

17
15
9
13
14
18
13

6 .6
1 2 .2

15

1 2 .2

6.7
10.7
1 1 .8

8.5
5.9
4.8
14.4
9.6
11.3
2 2 .0

13.5
14.3
13.6
9.9
4.5
13.6
11.7
12.5

8
11

7
6

17
11

13
23
15
16
15
11

5
15
13
14

1 Does not include drivers paid on a commission or mileage basis.
2 Based on all rates reported for July 1 , 1948; individual rates weighted by
number of union members working at each rate.

Wage-Rate Increases after July 1, 1948 5
Available information, though limited, indi­
cates that numerous increases have become effec­
tive since July 1, 1948. For example, between
this date and December 31, 1948, wage increases
5
As partial information only is available on wage changes since July 1,
1948, no attem pt has been made to estimate their effect on rate levels in this
report.


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City

Erie, Pa___________ _____
St. Paul, M inn__________
Manchester, N . H _______
Louisville, K y ___________
Providence, R. I_________
Washington, D . C_______
Omaha, Nebr____________
Syracuse, N . Y . .................
Des Moines, Iowa................
Rock Island (111.) district 4
Springfield, M ass________
Salt Lake City, U tah_____
Denver, Colo____________
Baltimore, M d __________
Worcester, M ass_________
Knoxville, Term_________
Houston, Tex____________
M iami, F la ._____________
Dallas, Tex________ _____
E l Paso, Tex.......................
Reading, P a_____________
Birmingham, Ala________
San Antonio, Tex________
Oklahoma City, Okla____
Atlanta, Ga_____________
Norfolk, Va______________
Little Rock, A rk ..........
York, P a________________
Memphis, Term_________
Jackson, M iss_____ ____ _
Jacksonville, Fla..... ..........
Portland, M aine_________
Savannah, Ga_________ _
Chattanooga, T enn______
Charleston, S. C _________
Richmond, Va___________
Charlotte, N . C__________
N ew Orleans, L a_________

Average
hourly
rate,
July 1,
1948 2

$1.258
1.251
1. 243
1.239
1.239
1.231
1.219
1.219
1.216
1.208
1.205
1.204
1.195
1.192
1.184
1.169
1.153
1.135
1.131
1.128
1.128
1 .1 1 0

1.109
1.092
1.077
1. 056
1.055
1.052
1.047
1.024
1 .0 1 2

.994
.993
.988
.979
.978
.974
.952

Increase from
July 1, 1947 2
Per­
cent
1 2 .2

4.9
14.1
13.2
7.1
1 0 .8
1 1 .0
2 .8

12.5
9.5
5.3
1 0 .0

8.4
7.1
6.3
6.7
12.3
8.5
13.0
7.6
8 .2

Cents
per
hour
14
6

15
14
8
12
12

3
14
10
6
11

9
8

7
7
13
9
13
8

9

9.8
12.9
14.5
17.5
7.6
8.7

13
14
16
7

2 1 .0

18

11.3
16.1

10

8
11

14

1 1 .0
1 2 .2

10
11

10.5
12.7
13.8

11
12

9

6 .8

6

16.0
3.6

14
3

2 Based on comparable rates reported for July 1, 1947, and July 1, 1948;
1948 membership used as the weighting factor for both years.
4
Includes Rock Island and Moline, 111., and Davenport, Iowa.

ranging from 10 to 22)( cents an hour were
negotiated for approximately 18,000 truck drivers
and helpers in New York City. Contract re­
newals in Newark and Milwaukee advanced the
basic hourly rates of 4,500 motortruck workers
by 15 cents. Wage scales of 3,000 drivers and
helpers employed by Baltimore trucking com­
panies were raised 14 cents an hour. Increases

312

F E D E R A L M E D IA T IO N A N D

of 13 cents became effective since July 1, 1948,
for members of some local unions in Buffalo, Phil­
adelphia, and Washington, D. C. Wage increases
from 7 to 22% cents were reported for several
other cities.

First Federal Mediation and
Conciliation Service Report1
a u g u s t 1 9 4 7 , the Federal Mediation and Con­
ciliation Service superseded the former Con­
ciliation Service of the United States Department
of Labor. As explained in its first annual report,
the purpose for which the assistance of this
agency is to be employed, under the Labor
Management Relations Act of 1947, is “to prevent
or minimize interruption of the free flow of [inter­
state] commerce growing out of labor disputes.”
Most of the effort of the Service is expended in
mediation of disputes which do not develop into
strikes or lock-outs and in improving the rela­
tionships of those who represent labor and man­
agement.
Although the provisions of the LMRA con­
cerning national emergencies impose no special
statutory duties upon the Service, it renders
assistance in such situations by furnishing in­
formation when called upon. Such assistance
has been provided to the President, to boards
of inquiry, and to the Attorney General.2
In connection with assistance in national
emergencies, the Service made some observations
concerning use of injunctive orders. Experience
during the year indicated that in some instances
the order did much toward achievement of a
peaceful settlement; in others, a similar statement
could not be made. The final report of the board
of inquiry in the maritime dispute involving the
Pacific Coast longshoremen’s union asserted that
employers and unions regarded the injunction
period as a “warming up” rather than a “cooling

In

1 First Annual Report of the Director of the Federal Mediation and Con­
ciliation Service for the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 1948. Washington, 1949.
For the Director’s statement on policies and procedures, see MonthlyLabor Review, November 1947 (p. 564).
2 A brief summarization of the national emergency disputes which occurred
during the year—i. e., the meat packing, atomic energy, bituminous coal,
telephone, maritime, and longshoremen’s disputes—is given on pp. 41-54
of the report.


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C O N C IL IA T IO N R E P O R T

MONTHLY LABOR

off” period. The Service concluded from the
year’s experience that provision for an 80-day
period of continued operations under injunctive
order of a court tends to delay rather than facili­
tate settlement of a dispute, since the parties are
likely to relax their efforts to reach a settlement
and to “wait for the next deadline date * * *
to spur them to renewed efforts.” The public
also, during the period, “appears to be lulled into
a sense of false security.” Such a condition pre­
vents the awareness of a threat to the common
welfare which “would produce a climate of public
opinion favorable to settlement.” Judgment was
reserved as to the desirability of a shorter in­
junctive period or one of indefinite duration.
Operations of the Service
In the fiscal year ended June 30, 1948, the
Service received 17,401 dispute notices, involving
53,385 establishments, and made 71 percent of its
assignments on the basis of these notices.3 “This
procedure,” the report states, “provides a method,
without the Service having to rely upon an in­
vitation of one or both parties to the dispute
or casual newspaper accounts, for bringing to the
attention of the Service labor disputes which it
might bear a responsibility to mediate.” It also
provides “knowledge of a disagreement suffi­
ciently in advance of the expiration of the contract
to permit the Service to carry on its mediation
and conciliation functions most effectively. * * *
the notice provisions have permitted the Service
to assume its proper obligations in an orderly
fashion.”
Of 12,208 cases closed by the Service from
September 1947 to June 1948, it declined to take
jurisdiction in 2,904. In 63 percent of the latter,
either interstate commerce was not affected or the «
degree to which it was affected was not substantial;
in 20 percent, the degree was minor and a State
or other mediation agency was available in the
region. Other instances in which jurisdiction
was not assumed included situations in which
grievances were involved that should be settled
by means provided in the contract, and cases in
3
Under section 8 (d) of the LM R A , a party to a collective agreement in
an industry affecting commerce, which desires to terminate or modify an
existing contract, shall give advance notice of 60 days to the other party.
Further, within 30 days after written notice has been served upon the other
party to the contract, notice shall be given to the Federal Mediation and
Conciliation Service and also to any State or Territorial Conciliation agency
within the region.

REVIEW , MARCH 1949

L A B O R -M A N A G E M E N T D I S P U T E S

which a union was not recognized as the bargaining
agent.
The part which a commissioner of the Service
takes in settlement of a dispute may be active;
it may consist only of consultation; or it may be
merely of a stand-by nature. Dispute cases that
were closed during the period from September
1947 through June 1948, in which the Service had
assumed jurisdiction, are classified below accord­
ing to degree of participation by that agency in
s e t t le m e n t .
N um ber of
c a s e s c lo s e d

P ercen t

T otal_____ __

8 ,1 7 3

100. 0

A ctive part tak en ______
Consultation only __ .
Stand-by _ _ _ _

4 ,8 7 9
673
2,621

59. 7
8. 2
32. 1

Wage-issue cases, which made up almost 85
percent of all disputes handled by the Federal
Mediation and Conciliation Service in the year
reviewed, concerned 87 percent of the workers
involved in all cases handled. The union-security
issue appeared in only 19 percent. The recogni­
tion, grievance, and jurisdiction category had 10
percent of all cases handled, but nearly threefourths of these were dealt with during the first
part of the fiscal year; after Service policy on
these matters was announced, only a third as
many of these cases were taken up.
Work stoppages were involved in only 18 per­
cent of the active cases closed by the Service in
the fiscal year 1948. It was stated that of all
the threatened work-stoppage situations in which
the Service interceded, only 29.8 percent developed
into actual work stoppages.
L a s t O ffer B a llo ts . The Service, under section
203 (c) of the LMRA, “ shall seek to induce the
parties,” before they resort to coercion, to seek
other means of settlement “ including submission
to the employees in the bargaining unit of the
employer’s last offer of settlement for approval or
rejection in a secret ballot.”
The report states that “ perhaps no provision
of the law has been more misunderstood by both
unions and employers, and, in the early days of
administration of the act, even by commissioners
of the Service.” As a result, “ bona fide ballots
on the employer’s last offer” were in many in­
stances reported when the ballots actually were
taken on ratifications of agreements reached by

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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

313

unions and employers. Regulations and pro­
cedures were issued during the year, which it was
hoped would provide accurate statistics as to
actual operation of this section of the law. Rea­
sons are set forth, however, to indicate that
“ indiscriminately proposing a secret ballot in
every dispute situation serves no useful purpose,
but may on the contrary destroy the usefulness of
the secret ballot in those few situations in which
it may be successfully utilized to avert a work
stoppage.”
Federal-State Cooperation
Progress was made in bringing about better
relations between Federal and State mediation
and conciliation agencies, despite many problems
involved. A detailed written agreement was
reached with the State of New York, and either
written or oral agreements with other States were
consummated. The success of such an agreement
for cooperation “ depends largely on mutual con­
fidence and the real desire to make it work.”

Labor-Management Disputes
in February 1949
for the transportation tie-up in Phila­
delphia, no work stoppage involving as many as
10,000 workers occurred in February 1949. A
moderate number of smaller disputes developed,
but in the aggregate work stoppages continued
at a rather low level for the country as a whole.
The transit strike of 11,000 workers in Philadel­
phia was further complicated by a strike of about
3,800 taxicab drivers during part of the same
period. San Francisco also had a taxi strike
which continued throughout the month.
A threatened strike of Hudson & Manhattan
Railroad employees—power plant workers, guards,
and clerks, members of Utility Workers’ Union
(CIO)—was averted on February 3, only to be
followed a week later by a 4-day strike of station
agents and maintenance men, members of the
Transport Workers Union (CIO). Early in Feb­
ruary representatives of the Nation’s railroads
and negotiators for the 16 nonoperating railroad
unions requested the further services of the 3-man

E xcept

314

L A B O R -M A N A G E M E N T

Presidential Emergency Board to mediate their
wage increase and 40-hour week case. No settle­
ment had been reached, however, by the month’s
end.
At the U. S. Rubber Co. plant in Detroit a
strike of several hundred United Rubber, Cork,
Linoleum and Plastic Workers of America (CIO)
reportedly kept about 6,000 other employees idle
for 2 or 3 days in a dispute over distribution of
work hours each week. Nearly 2,000 newspaper
employees in Portland, Or eg., were idle for about
3 weeks in February and early March in a dispute
over new contract terms for members of the Print­
ing Pressmen and Assistants’ Union (AFL).
Part of the prolonged strike of Midwest typo­
graphical workers came to an end January 30,
when a settlement was effected with the Ham­
mond, Indiana, Times. The new agreement pro­
vided for a wage increase of $12.50 per week.
The strike which has been in effect since Novem­
ber 1947 continued against Chicago newspapers.
Employees of the American Woolen Co., with
mills in New England, New York, and Kentucky,
and cotton textile workers in Fall River and New
Bedford, Mass., were denied wage increases by
arbitration awards early in February. In each
case the Textile Workers Union (CIO) had de­
manded an increase of 10 cents an hour.
Philadelphia Transportation Stoppages
Public transportation in the city of Philadelphia
was practically at a standstill during stoppages of
transit company employees and taxicab drivers in
mid-February. About 11,000 operating and main­
tenance employees of the Philadelphia Transpor­
tation Co. were idle February 11 to 19, primarily
in a dispute over wages. The taxicab strike
lasted from February 15 to 17 and affected ap­
proximately 3,800 workers.
In the transit dispute union negotiators, headed
by Michael J. Quill, international president of the
Transport Workers’ Union (CIO) demanded an
increase of 20 cents an hour while the company


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

DISPUTES

countered with an offer of 3 cents just before the
strike. Other union demands included “ swing
pay,” sick leave, and improvements in working
conditions.
Negotiations for a new contract had been
carried on since early in January with the aid of the
State Mediation Service. The Federal Mediation
and Conciliation Service intervened on the first
day of the walk-out. A week before the expiration
of the old contract, union members approved a “ no
contract, no work” resolution which gave the local
union authority to call a strike effective at 12:01
a. m., February 11.
Railroads serving suburban areas arranged
emergency schedules while many offices and in­
dustrial plants organized fleets of trucks, buses,
and private cars to transport their employees.
Taxicabs were available as usual the first few
days of the strike until the unauthorized walk-out
of cab drivers occurred on February 15. The
drivers and mechanics of the Yellow Cab Co.,
members of the AFL Taxicab Drivers’ Union
affiliated with the International Brotherhood of
Teamsters, were idle until February 18. They
returned to work that day, upon orders of their
union president, pending further negotiations with
the company on the disputed wage issues.
On the night of February 19, the transport
union and company officials agreed on a 1-year
contract providing for a wage increase of 8 cents
an hour. In addition, the contract provided for
fringe benefits which included a sick-leave plan,
an allowance for uniforms, and establishment of
a guaranteed workweek with no lay-offs. Most
rank-and-file members of the union accepted the
settlement terms the next day at the second of
two mass meetings. A group of union members,
however, opposed the settlement and adopted a
resolution denouncing the leadership because of
the union negotiators’ failure to eliminate the
“ split shift.”
Operations of the transit system were resumed
late on February 20 and by the next day normal
service was being provided.

Technical Note

Measuring Intercity Differences
in Living Costs1
T he need for providing an adequate tool for
measuring, on a continuing basis, place-to-place
variations in living costs of moderate-income
families was brought out sharply when the Bureau
of Labor Statistics developed the City Worker’s
Family Budget.2 With the extensive wartime
shifting of workers to centers of war production,
the importance of the problem, particularly for
purposes of wage determination, resulted in the
Congressional directive to the Bureau to determine
the relative differences in living costs among cities
and the amount of money needed by the average
worker in overalls to live in these cities.
The City Worker’s Family Budget consists of a
comprehensive list of items in specified quantities 3
which describes a “modest but adequate” level of
living for a family of four persons. In the calcula­
tion of the budget costs, quantity weights were
varied from city to city only with respect to
differences in the climatic requirements for cloth­
ing and housing. A comparison of the budget
costs for individual cities, therefore, gives a satis­
factory measure of intercity differences in the cost
of equivalent goods, rents, and services.
Repricing and recalculating the budget in
detail at regular intervals is prohibitively costly
and the detailed recomputation is too time
consuming for practical purposes.
To meet these twin problems of cost and time,
the intercity index formula described in this article
has been developed.4
1Prepared by Bernard Mandel of the Bureau’s Prices and Cost of Living
Division.
s See M onthly Labor Review, February 1948. (Reprinted in BLS Bul­
letin No. 927.)
s The items and quantities for each category of goods and services were
determined at the point of maximum income elasticity on the consumption
scale, or with reference to scientific standards. See BLS Bulletin No. 927,
Workers’ Budgets in the United States.
< A manual describing the details for computing intercity indexes by this
formula will be available upon request.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

Development of Intercity Index Formula
Prior to the publication of the City Worker’s
Family Budget, the Bureau calculated and pub­
lished an intercity index of differences in the cost
of equivalent goods, rents, and services in 33 large
cities, based on March 1945 prices of 180 goods
and services.5 The items and quantity weights
used in this index were based on family expendi­
tures in 1941 obtained by the Bureau in its survey
of Family Spending and Saving in Wartime.
The development of a shorter list of items and
appropriate weights on which reliable intercity
indexes could be based went forward concurrently
with the development of the City Worker’s Family
Budget. This work resulted in the selection of the
list of goods and services included in the intercity
index formula.
S e le c tio n o f I te m s . In selecting items for the short
list, price relationships among the large cities were
analyzed to determine the price of what single
item or few items in a category would best reflect
the difference in the level of prices for this category
as between two cities. Further, the analysis
endeavored to show whether the relative difference
in the price of the item selected would approxi­
mate the relative difference in the average price
for the total group.
The most direct approach to a solution of this
problem seemed to be offered through correlation
analysis of prices among the cities. The use of
this procedure rests on the assumption that,
among categories of commodities which are homo­
geneous with respect to use and physical character­
istics, the same price-determining factors are in
* Relative Differences in the Cost of Equivalent Goods, Rents, and Services
in 33 Large Cities, March 1945, Bureau of Labor Statistics, mimeographed
release, June 1, 1946. This was the first intercity index published by the
Bureau subsequent to the discontinuance in June 1943 of the series released
between 1939 and 1943 and entitled “ Estimated Intercity Differences in Cost
of Living.” This older series was based on the estimated cost of the “mainte­
nance budget” as defined and priced by the Works Progress Administration
in 1935.

315

316

M E A S U R IN G IN T E R C IT Y L IV IN G C O S T S

operation. Thus, the economic forces which tend
to cause the price of milk to be higher in City A
than in City B may be expected to operate in a
like manner to establish prices for all dairy prod­
ucts at a higher level in City A. Hence, the first
step taken in the selection of items for the formula
was to ascertain the degree of association in city
prices of pairs of items within a category (e. g.,
price of white bread with price of wheat cereal,
pork chops with sliced bacon, inexpensive men’s
overalls with men’s workshirts, etc.); this pro­
cedure used price data from 10 to 34 cities and
was repeated, using prices for varying dates, in
order to determine whether there was stability in
the price relationships over time. In order to de­
crease the volume of clerical work involved, scatter
diagrams instead of correlation coefficients were
used for most of the groups to determine the degree
of association between items. The items within
groups were then classified in accordance with the
degree of correlation in their prices. From among
those items which correlated at least to a fair
degree with each other, that item was selected
which was most important in terms of total ex­
penditure for the group. Other items were se­
lected if they were important in the total expendi­
ture for the group or if the variance in their prices
between cities was significant.
The relatively simple case offered by the corre­
lation analysis of items entering into the cost of
transportation for automobile owners will illus­
trate this procedure. Prices of gasoline and motor
oil were found to be fairly well correlated with
each other but not with other items in the group;
all automobile repair items correlated fairly well
with each other but not with gasoline, motor oil,
etc. Gasoline and brake relining were therefore
two items selected for the transportation group
since, among the items with which they showed
fair correlation, they were most important in
terms of expenditures. Very little correlation was
found between insurance fees, automobile regis­
tration fees, and operator’s permit renewal fees,
but each of these items either represents an im­
portant part of transportation expenditure or re­
flects significant intercity price differences; each
of these items was therefore included in the index.
To test the selection of items for each category,
prices of the selected items for each city were
weighted by fixed quantities derived from the ex­
penditure studies, and, for the same cities, the

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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

MONTHLY LABOR

sums of these weighted prices were correlated with
the sums of weighted prices for the full list of
items in the group. If a high degree of correla­
tion between these sums was not apparent, the
price correlations were reexamined and other com­
binations of items were tried. This procedure
resulted in the selection of 57 representative items;
the prices of these items, when properly weighted
together, would satisfactorily measure the differ­
ences in average price level between cities.
b e tw e e n B u d g e t a n d F o r m u l a .
The
next step was to obtain quantity weights with
which to combine price relatives of the selected
items. For this purpose, the budget quantities
of the City Worker’s Family Budget were adopted.
These quantities describe a defined level of living
for city workers’ families and were the basis for
the Bureau’s most recent comparison of inter­
city differences in price levels.
In relating the formula weights to the City
Worker’s Family Budget quantities, a pattern of
imputation was followed which allocated the
budget cost of all the budget items in a group to
those few items within the group selected for the for­
mula. It was found that the relationship between
the budget cost for the short list of selected items
within a group of goods and services and the budget
cost for the full list of budget items in the same
category could be expressed as a simple linear
function of the form Y = a - \ - b X , in which Y repre­
sents the budget cost of the full list of items, X the
budget cost of the selected items, and the con­
stants a and b are the regression coefficients deter­
mined by the linear relationship. These constants
were computed on the basis of the variations in the
two sets of costs at March 1946 prices in the 34
cities for which the budget was calculated.
While stress must be laid on the fact that th e
R e la tio n s h ip

p r e s e n t f o r m u l a d o e s n o t f u r n i s h d o lla r e s tim a t e s o f

the relation­
ship between the budget cost aggregates as esti­
mated by the formula and the actual budget cost
aggregates can be used as a measure of the
reliability of the formula procedure for estimating
intercity differences. The variations, or scatters,
of actual March 1946 costs for 34 individual cities
around these straight lines of average relationships,
as measured by standard errors of estimate and the
coefficients of correlation between the actual and
estimated budget aggregates, are listed in table 1
th e C i t y W o r k e r ’s F a m i l y B u d g e t c o s ts ,

REVIEW , MARCH 1949

for groups of items for which regression equations
were calculated. No regression equation was com­
puted for the group comprising rent, heating fuels,
utilities, and refrigeration, since the full budget
quantities are used in the formula for these items.
T able 1. R e la tio n s h ip betw een e stim a te d a n d a c tu a l budget
a ggregates f o r 3 4 c itie s

Item

Food:
Cereals and bakery p r o d u cts____
M eats, fats, and oils_________
Dairy products, eggs, and oleomargarine____
Fresh fruits and vegetables____________
Canned and dried fruits and vegetables.
Beverages, sugar, sweets, miscellaneous______
Clothing:
H eavy_____ _____________
L ight________ ___________
Other___________________
Transportation:
Automobile owners:
Cities of population 50,000 to under
1,900,000__________________
Cities of population over 1,900,000 .
Nonautomobile owners:
Cities of population 50,000 to under
1,900,000______________________
Cities of population over 1,900,000
M edical and personal care commodities
Household operation and personal services
Reading, recreation, and tobacco______ _____
Housefurnishings_______________

Standard
error of
estimate
Percent

Coefficient
of corre­
lation
“ r”

2
1
1
3
2
2

0.80
.89
.99
.72
.54
.51

3
4
2

.87

84

The average straight-line rela­
tionship between the budget cost of items selected
for the formula in a particular category of goods
and services and the budget aggregate cost of all
items in the same category resulted in the regres­
sion coefficients shown in table 2. This relation­
ship, as has been indicated before, is of the form
Y = a - \ - b X , in which X is the cost of the selected
items and Y is the cost of the full list of items.
The coefficient a is the F-intercept and depends
on the magnitude of the cost aggregates; the
coefficient b is the slope of the regression line.
Aggregates are in cents per week for the food
subgroups and in dollars per year for all other
components.
F o r m u la W e ig h ts.

T able 2.— R e g re ssio n coefficients, in te r c ity in d e x fo r m u la

(W

Regression coefficients
Item
i
0.2
12
5
4
5
1
2

.98
1.00
.78
.97
.96
.91
.99
.77

In general, the range of error is small; for the
most important components, the standard error of
estimate is 1 to 3 percent. However, these
errors of estimate point up limitations of the
formula in its present development which preclude
its use as a reliable measure of intercity price
differences for the individual groups. In the for­
mula procedure for estimating relative intercity
price differences in the over-all cost of equivalent
goods and services, these errors of estimate tend to
balance out in the summations.
As a summary measure, the simple coefficients of
correlation show a good degree of association (an
“r ” of from 0.62 to 1.00) between the budget
aggregate estimated by the formula and the actual
budget aggregate. But it must be noted that these
summary measures cover a range of association
between the two aggregates: for one city the
formula estimate for a particular classification is
as much as 18 percent below the actual budget
aggregate, and for another city and another classi­
fication as much as 10 percent above. In general,
however, these “r ’s” describe the relatively good
association of the aggregates in terms of March
1946 prices.

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317

M E A S U R IN G IN T E R C IT Y L IV IN G C O ST S

a

Food:
Cereals and bakery products__________
Meats, fats, and oils_________
Dairy products, eggs, and oleomargarine__ _
Fresh fruits and vegetables_______
Canned and dried fruits and vegetables____
Beverages, sugar, sweets, miscellaneous. ____
Clothing:
H e a v y .____ ______________
L ight________________________ .
Other________________________
Transportation:
Cities of population between 50,000 and under
1,900,000:
Automobile owners. _________
Nonautomobile owners___________
Cities of population of 1,900,000 or more:
Automobile owners _________
Nonautomobile owners_______ ____
Medical care and personal care commodities.
Household operation and personal services
Recreation, reading, and tobacco___ _
Housefurnishings______ _________ .

b

30. 987
23.625
34.861
49.858
75.225
77.969

1.448
1.234
1.069
1.135
3.182
1.270

45.491
48. 973
71.250

1.345
1.184
4.077

41.909
11.016

1.001
.986

58.437
—5.681
55.196
26.081
1.364
50.831

.895
1.294
2.214
2.384
1.397
2.050

In effect, each regression equation combines the
quantity weights for a category of goods and
services in the City Worker’s Family Budget which
are allocated to the item selected for the formula
to represent that category. In order to reduce
the number of operations required for calculating
the intercity index by formula to a point where
prices can be applied to a single weight factor, it
was necessary to examine in detail the equation
Y=a+bX .

This equation can be written in the form
in which g is the budget quantity and
of the selected item. Combining the
factors of the term bqp to isolate the price factor
results in the equation Y = a + ( b q ) p in which (bq ),
the product of the budget quantity and the slopfe
coefficient of the regression equation, is the formula
Y=a+bqp
p the price

M E A S U R IN G IN T E R C IT Y L IV IN G C O STS

318

weight factor for the selected item, and a is an
adjusting constant to be added to the aggregate
of the weighted prices.
For some classifications of foods (e. g., low-cost
meats, medium-cost meats, and high-cost meats)
the price to be used in the formula is an estimated
average price for the classification, obtained from
a regression equation expressing the relationship
between the price of the item selected to represent
the classification (e. g., beef liver) and the average
price of all items in the classification (e. g., lowcost meats).
This relationship can be expressed in the form
p ' — c - \ - k p in which p ' is the estimated average
price for the classification and p the price of the
item selected for the formula. The constants c
and k are the usual regression coefficients obtained
by simple linear correlation.6
Thus, for foods, substituting the expression for the
estimated price p ' in the basic regression equation,
Y — a f i- (b g ) p , results in Y — a - f - b q p ' — a - f - b q i c f i - k p ) .
Combining the factors of the term b q i c + k p ) to
isolate the price factor results in the equation
Y = a - \ - b q c + ( b q k ) p in which (b q k ), the product of
the budget quantity and the slope coefficients of
the regression equations, is the formula weight
factor of the selected food items, and a + b q c is a
T able 3.— R e g re ssio n eq u a tio n c o n sta n ts, fo o d c la ssific a tio n s

Composite classification

Selected item

Regression
equation
constants
c

Soda crackers___ - —
Beef liver . — .
Beef steak, top round.
Medium-cost meats----------- —
‘P'ijrh-nnst m fiats
____ Lamb chops___ . . . .
Fresh milk. . _ ____
Fluid mi Ur prod n fits
Oranges . . _______
Citrus fruit fresh
Green vegetables, fresh, low-cost— C abbage... . . . ------Apples
..
__
Other fruits frfi.sh
Tomatoes and tomato products, Tomatoes, ca n n ed ---canned.
Citrus fruit, canned ----------------- Grapefruit juice, canned.
All other bakery products

-------

k

6.94
7. 75
7.73
3. 38
- .2 1
2. 08
3.29
1.21
2.37

0. 69
.50
.61
.86
.49
.16
.84
.93
.67

5.02

.43

e The use of a regression equation to obtain a single average price for a
composite classification of related items is a technique extensively employed
as part of the calculation of weighted totals in the budget’s food groups. In
the detailed budget calculations, multiple correlation analysis was applied in
many instances whereby the prices of two or more related items were used
to obtain the average price for the composite classification. In applying the
regression equation technique to the formula procedure to obtain prices,
simple correlation analysis of the price of only one item against the average
price of the related food group was used. However, the basic data used in
the formula procedure to obtain the regression coefl&cients of the pricing
equation were the same as those used in the budget.


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MONTHLY LABOR

constant to be added to the aggregate of the
weighted price.7
In table 3 are listed the regression equation
constants for estimating the average price for
composite food classifications.
C lim a tic A d ju s tm e n t.
One of the important
factors influencing intercity differences in the cost
of living is climate. The incidence of this factor
is most obvious in the purchase of clothing and of
fuel for house heating. The formula procedure,
like the budget calculation, attempts to adjust the
cost of these two components for climatic differ­
ences between cities. Data for these adjustments
were obtained from the Bureau’s expenditure
studies of 1934—36 and 1941.
The average cost of clothing grouped as “heavy”
and “fight” items varies from the warmer to the
colder regions of the United States. These cost
variations were expressed as ratios of the United
States average cost of heavy and light clothing.
Two straight-line regression equations were fitted
to the ratios of cost variation in terms of the cor­
relation between the cost ratios of “ heavy” and
“ fight” clothing items and the normal number of
annual degree days8; the number of annual degree
days in the United States was used as a base from
which variation in clothing costs due to climatic
conditions was measured. In effect, these adjust­
ments raise the cost aggregate of light clothing in
warmer cities and decrease it in colder cities; the
adjustment of the cost aggregate for heavy cloth­
ing is in the opposite direction, lowering it in the
warmer cities and raising it in the colder cities.
However, since the climatic adjustment factors are
developed and applied separately for each clothing
group they are not necessarily compensating.
A factor for determining the quantities of fuel
for residential heating was developed by correlat7 The form Y = a + b q p ' assumes that only one composite classification of
foods is dealt with. Actually, two or three composite classifications make up
a particular food group; for example, low-cost meats, medium-cost meats,
and high-cost meats are the three composite classifications which make up
the food group “meats, fats, and oils.” For the group “meats, fats, and oils,”
one regression equation of the basic form Y = a - { - b X was computed. Each
composite classification making up this food group has its own quantity
weight and estimated average price. Hence, the full notation for this situa­
tion would be as follows: Y = a + b ( q i P i ' + q i p i ' + q } P } ' ) where the subscripts
indicate the separate composite classifications making up a particular food
group.
8 Annual degree days are the annual sum of the deviation below 65° in the
daily mean temperature as published by the United States Weather Bureau.
The normal number of annual degree days is the average of the number
of annual degree days over a period of years.

REVIEW , MARCH 1949

M E A S U R IN G IN T E R C IT Y L IV IN G C O S T S

ing the average quantities of fuel (measured in
British thermal units) required to heat 5-room
dwellings in various cities with the logarithms of
corresponding degree days for each city.9
Time to Time Adjustment of Equations
The various regression equations described
above are the basis for estimating March 1946
cost aggregates for groups of goods and services in
individual cities, using a short list of items.
The formula weights and adjusting constants
developed from the regression equations based on
March 1946 prices can be used directly to obtain
intercity indexes for this date. The result of this
calculation for 10 cities and the corresponding
indexes from the budget are shown in table 4.
T able 4.— I n te r c ity in d ex es, c a lcu la ted b y fo r m u la , com ­
p a re d w ith cost o f goods a n d services, c ity w o rk er's f a m il y
budget in d ex es, M a r c h 1 9 4 6 p ric es
[Washington, D . C.=100]
Indexes: T otal cost of
goods an I services
City

Atlanta___________________________ . .
Indianapolis______________ __________________
________ _ Kansas C ity- - _______ Minneapolis__________________________________
N ew Orleans________________ ______________
Philadelphia- _________________ _____________
Portland, Oreg. -_ ____________ _ __________
San Francisco_________________________________
S e a ttle..- _________ _________________
Washington, D . C ____________ . .
. . . _____

Formula
procedure

City work­
ers’ family
budget

92
90
90
94

91
90

90
92
94
98
100

90
93
95
98
100

88

88
94
88

The closeness between the March 1946 inter­
city indexes obtained from the formula procedure
and from the budget was an initial indication of
the validity of the regression equation technique
for developing a formula for measuring relative
price differences between cities. The next step
was to test the stability over time of the relation­
ships between the formula and the budget as
8 The equations for clothing are Y = 0.576+.000086Y for the “heavy”
classification and Y = 1.212—0.000043V for the “light” classification. B y
substituting a range of annual degree days from lowest to highest for the X
of the equations, it is possible to obtain a corresponding range of adjustment
ratios (the Y of the equation) representing deviations from the United States
average taken as 1.000. The equation for fuel is Y = — 384.323+128.156 X
in which X is the logarithm of degree days and Y is the British thermal
units requirement (in millions of British thermal units). B y substituting in
the equation the logarithm of the normal number of annual degree days
ranging from the lowest to the highest, it is possible to compute the corre­
sponding range of British thermal units required. Tables of climatic adjust­
ment factors for clothing and quantities of fuel required for a range of annual
degree days have been developed from these equations.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

319

expressed by the various regression coefficients
obtained for groups of goods and services. The
second date for which the budget is available,
June 1947, offered an appropriate bench mark for
this check.
The nature of this test is best described
graphically. The accompanying diagrams illus­
trate the problem of adjusting the formula
procedure for change over time as well as the
approximate solution described below.
Scatter diagrams were plotted to show both
the March 1946 and the June 1947 cost relation­
ships in 10 cities between the selected items in the
formula for a group of goods and services and the
full list of items in the related group. For each
group the straight line of average relationship
described by the regression equations (the co­
efficients of which were based on March 1946
prices) was drawn through the March 1946
scatter. It was found that this line, when
extended, generally fell significantly below the
area of the June 1947 scatter. The slope of the
line, however, closely approximated the slope of a
line fitted to the June 1947 data.
On the basis of this test and other tests of the
stability of price relationships among cities over
time,10it was concluded that the level of the linear
regression equation was an acceptable estimate
only when costs (or prices) were about the same
magnitude as those on which the regression was
calculated. An adjustment for changes in average
prices over time was indicated. It was found that
a simple but satisfactory adjustment could be ef­
fected by applying to the a term of each equation
the relative change in average prices for the group or
subgroup of items to which the equation relates.
Relative changes from March 1946 to June 1947
in the Bureau’s consumers’ price index for appro­
priate groups or subgroups were used for this time
adjustment.11
10 The Bureau is conducting analyses of the stability of measures of price
relationships derived from expenditure studies with particular reference to
food classifications. Such research may indicate the need as described above
for some similar adjustment of the regression equations for estimating aver­
age prices of composite food classifications. As subsequent research provides
a basis for improving the regression constants and adjustments used in the
formula, all such measures will be revised.
11 In order to simplify the calculations in the food group, the adjustment
factor represented by the change in the consumers’ price index for “all foods”
was applied to the sum of the “a” constants for the food subgroups (cereals
and bakery products; meats, fats, and oils; fresh fruits and vegetables; etc.).
Since the consumers’ price index for all foods is a weighted average of the
subgroups, the adjustment in terms of all foods does not differ significantly
from an adjustment applied separately to the subgroups.

320

M E A S U R IN G IN T E R C IT Y L IV IN G C O ST S

The diagrams illustrate how the regression line
is moved into the June 1947 area of scatter as a
result of this adjustment of the a regression
coefficient by the change in the consumers’ price
index.
Test of Intercity Index Formula
To test the use of the formula for measuring
intercity differences in living costs, indexes for
20 cities using June 1947 prices were computed by
the formula procedure. These are shown in
table 5, with the corresponding intercity indexes
from the City Worker’s Family Budget. The
Bureau plans to reprice and calculate the cost of
T able 5.— I n te r c ity in d e x es, to ta l cost o f goods a n d services,
in te r c ity in d e x fo r m u la a n d c ity w o rk e r’s f a m i l y budget,
J u n e 1 9 4 7 p ric es
[Washington, D . C. = 100]
Indexes: Total cost of
goods and services
City

Intercity
index
formula

City
Workers
Fam ily
Budget

Atlanta_____________________________________ Baltimore _ _____________ _______ ____ _____
Birmingham_________________________ _______
Boston ____________________ ________________
C h icag o ______________________________________
D e n v e r ______________________________________
Houston______________________________________

93
94
93
95
96
93
88

92
95
93
96
95
92
88

Indianapolis__________________________________
Jacksonville______ __________ _________ ___ Kansas C ity _____________________ ___________
M em phis_____________________________________
N ew Orleans
____________________
N ew Y o r k __ _ _ _ ___________ _____________
Philadelphia__________________________________

89
92
89
94
88
96
92

90
91
88
94
88
97
92

Pittsburgh____________________________________
Portland, O r e g _______________________________
San Francisco.. ______________________________
Scranton______________________________________
Seattle________________________________________
Washington, D . C _____________________________

95
91
93
92
98
100

96
92
95
92
98
100


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

MONTHLY LABOR

the city worker’s family budget for selected cities
when funds are available. At that time the
formula will be further tested against the budget
costs at a third point in time.
City Worker’s Family Budget and Formula
The statistical relationship between the budget,
with its more than 435 commodities, and the
formula, with its 57 commodities, is established
by means of simple linear correlation. While the
concepts of the formula are essentially the same
as those of the budget, the scope of its applica­
bility is strictly limited. In its present develop­
ment, the formula measures only re la tiv e intercity
differences in the average o ve r-a ll cost of equiva­
lent goods, rents, and services. In the estimating
process dollar totals are calculated for groups
and subgroups of items and for all items com­
bined, but these values are only used to obtain
the indexes; they are not valid estimates of the
current dollar value of the city worker’s family
budget. Nor are the dollar totals for the com­
ponent groups of goods and services valid figures
on which to base intercity index comparisons of
price levels for particular groups of items. The
formula procedures are based on a calculation of
separate totals for the various component groups,
because correlation studies have shown that inter­
city differences in prices of many items within
these groups are related; hence, the over-all inter­
city percentage differences can be estimated more
accurately by computing separate group totals.
Positive and negative errors of estimate in the
group and subgroup totals tend to cancel in the
summation process.

REVIEW , MARCH 1949

M E A S U R IN G IN T E R C IT Y L IV IN G C O ST S

321

Scatter Diagrams and Regression Lines/ Inter-city Index Formula, 10 Cities

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS

i Regression equations are of the form Y = a 0+ b o X where X is the cost (price times quantity) of the selected items of the formula and Y is the estimated
cost of a full list of items. The coefficients “ao” and “b„” are based on March 1946 prices. Adjustment of the “ao” coefficient for change over time by the CPI
is indicated by “a0I.”


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

Recent Decisions
of Interest to Labor1

make the investigation concerning wages and
hours of the employees, but that the production
of records concerning interstate purchase, sale,
and transportation of goods was probably not
necessary in the instant case since the employer
had admitted coverage. If after examining wage
and hour records, the Administrator needed addi­
tional information, he could then petition, the
court said, for a further order.
Labor Relations

Wages and Hours2
o f R ecords.
In a decision3 affecting
enforcement of the Fair Labor Standards Act, the
Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit considered
the extent of the investigative powers of the Wage
and Hour Administrator. The Supreme Court
of the United States previously had upheld 4the
constitutionality of the provisions granting such
powers.
The Administrator had asked for the production
of records showing wages of employees, hours
they worked, names of the employer’s customers
and the types of work done for each, and the
source and destination of goods brought from or
sent to places outside the State in which the plant
was located. When the employer did not comply
with the subpena, the Administrator made appli­
cation to the district court to enforce it. The
employer then admitted that all his employees
were engaged in commerce and the production of
goods therefor, but denied that the records sought
were material or relevant, and alleged that their
production would he unduly burdensome. The
district court dismissed the application for enforce­
ment of the subpena.
Reversing the district court, the court of appeals
held that the Administrator was authorized to
P r o d u c tio n

1 Prepared in the Office of the Solicitor, U. S. Department of Labor. The
cases covered in this article represent a selection of the significant decisions
believed to be of special interest. N o attempt has been made to reflect all
recent judicial and administrative developments in the field of labor law or
to indicate the effect of particular decisions in jurisdictions in which contrary
results may be reached, based upon local statutory provisions, the exist­
ence of local precedents, or a different approach by the courts to the issue
presented.
1 This section is intended merely as a digest of some recent decisions involv­
ing the Pair Labor Standards Act and the Portal-to-Portal Act. It is not to
be construed and may not be relied upon as interpretation of these acts by
the Administrator of the Wage and Hour Division or any agency of the
Department of Labor.
3 M c C o m b v. H u n s a k e r T r u c k i n g C o n t r a c t o r (IT. S. C. C. A. (5th), Decem­
ber 14, 1948).
* O k l a h o m a P r e s s P u b . C o . v. W a l l i n g (327 U. S. 186).

322


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

P r o h ib itio n

of

U n io n

S e c u r ity

A g r e e m e n ts

C on­

In some recent decisions, the Supreme
Court of the United States held that a State could
constitutionally outlaw union-security agreements.
In one opinion 5 the Court affirmed decisions of
the North Carolina6 and Nebraska7 supreme
courts, respectively, upholding a statute of the
former and an amendment to the State constitu­
tion of the latter. Both the statute and the con­
stitutional amendment prohibited the entering
into or the enforcement of contracts which made
either membership or nonmembership in a labor
union a condition of securing or retaining employ­
ment. The North Carolina statute had been
challenged in criminal proceedings against an
employer and labor-union agents for making a
union-security agreement; the Nebraska consti­
tutional amendment had been attacked in an
action by a union to compel an employer to fire
nonunion employees.
The grounds of attack were that the statutes
were a denial of freedom of speech, assembly, and
petition, impaired the obligation of contracts,
denied unions equal protection of the laws, and
denied both unions and employers due process of
law. The Court, in rejecting all these arguments,
held that there was no denial of the right of free
speech and assembly. The right of employees to
assemble to discuss working conditions did not
include a right to drive from employment non­
union workers not joining in the assembly. The
unions, the Court pointed out, were claiming that
nonunion workers did not have a constitutional
right to work. The argument that the laws im­
paired the obligation of contracts was dismissed
with the comment that its lack of merit “is now
s titu tio n a l.

v. N o r t h w e s t e r n I r o n & M e t a l C o . ;
(IT. S. Supreme Ct., January 3, 1949).
e See M onthly Labor Review, March 1948 (p. 311).
7 See M onthly Labor Review, M ay 1948 (p. 540).
s L in c o ln F e d e ra l L a b o r U n io n

V . S ta te o f N o r th C a r o lin a

W h ita k e r

323

D E C IS IO N S OF IN T E R E S T TO L A B O R

too clearly established to require discussion.”
The Court held that these statutes did not deny
to unions equal protection of the laws. While it
might be true that the statutes weakened the
bargaining power of unions against employers,
they also prohibited “ yellow-dog” contracts—
those which would make nonmembership in a
union or membership in a company union a
condition of employment. The Court ruled that
the State laws were not a denial of due process of
law. The argument that they interfered with
liberty of employers and unions to make con­
tracts was held to be based on a line of reasoning
no longer accepted by the Court. Cases adopt­
ing such reasoning had, in a past period, upheld
“ yellow-dog” contracts and struck down laws
fixing maximum hours and minimum wages.
The Court stated that it is the present rule that
States have power to limit the right of contract
in the interest of the public welfare.
In a second opinion8 the Court upheld an
Arizona State constitutional amendment for­
bidding employers to discriminate in employment
on account of nonmembership in a union. An
Arizona statute Dreviously enacted had provided
that “ yellow-dog” contracts were not enforceable,
but did not contain provisions for enforcement
through damage suits or injunctions as did the
anti-union-security statute. The Court held
that even if the same sanctions did not exist for
enforcement of the “ anti-yellow-dog” statute, such
provisions in the anti-closed-shop statute were
not a denial of equal protection of the laws. The
relative need of different groups for protection
was held to be a matter for legislative judgment.
Justice Murphy dissented.
Justice Frankfurter, concurring in all three de­
cisions, pointed out that the trend of constitu­
tional doctrine had shifted (from its former em­
phasis on preconceived economic ideas) to judicial
deference to legislative judgment in regulating,
for the benefit of the community, powerful eco­
nomic forces, which now included labor unions.
Previous decisions protecting individuals from
certain activities of labor unions were held not to
have prevented the growth of organized labor.
Justice Rutledge concurred in the opinions of
the Court, with the important reservation that
8 A m e r i c a n F e d e r a t i o n o f L a b o r v. A m e r i c a n S a s h & D o o r C o . (U. S. Su­
preme Ct., Jan. 3, 1949). For Arizona supreme court decision, see M onthly
Labor Reriaw, April 1948 (p. 420).


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

he did not pass upon the right of a State to
prohibit union workers from refusing to work with
nonunion workers.
V e r s u s F e d e ra l J u r is d ic tio n .
The United
States Supreme Court held 9 that a State employ­
ment relations board did not have power to
certify a union as collective bargaining representa­
tive for employees of a company engaged in inter­
state commerce and subject to the jurisdiction
of the NLRB, even though the NLRB had not
previously ruled on the representation question.
The Telephone Guild filed and then withdrew a
petition with the NLRB for certification as rep­
resentative of plant and traffic employees of a
telephone company. The guild then filed a rep­
resentation petition with the Wisconsin Employ­
ment Relations Board, which held an election
and certified the guild as bargaining representative.
The company and the International Brotherhood
of Electrical Workers (AFL) who had entered
into a collective bargaining agreement in behalf
of these employees, asked the Wisconsin courts
to set the State board certification aside. The
circuit court, relying on a Supreme Court deci­
sion,10 issued such an order, but the State supreme
court reversed it.
The United States Supreme Court, in reversing
the decision of the State supreme court, held that
the NLRB had exclusive jurisdiction over the
question of certification of bargaining representa­
tive. The Court pointed out that the NLRB
was granted by Federal law, and had asserted
jurisdiction over labor relations in the telephone
industry. The fact that the NLRB had not
asserted jurisdiction over representation proceed­
ings in this instance was held immaterial.
Both State and Federal statutes covered the
same relationships and provided different stand­
ards. Thus, the Wisconsin statute provided that
employees of a single craft may elect to be a
separate bargaining unit while the Federal act
leaves some discretion as to the relation of the
unit to the NLRB. Even if there was no collision
of formal orders of the boards, the Court stated,
there might be a conflict in administrative prac­
tice which would create equal uncertainty and
be equally destructive of peaceful industrial reS ta te s

8L a C r o s s e T e l e p h o n e C o r p . v. W i s c o n s i n
(U. S. Supreme Ct., January 17, 1949).
B e t h l e h e m Ste e l C o . v . N e t c

Employment

Y o r k L a b o r Relations B o a r d

Relations

Board

(330 U. S. 767).

324

DECISIONS OF INTEREST TO LABOR

lations. Section 10 (a) of the amended National
Labor Relations Act was held not to give juris­
diction to the State board, since no formal agree­
ment for cession of jurisdiction had ever been
made between it and the NLRB.
The guild’s contention that the certification
order of the State board was not a “final judgment”
and therefore not subject to review was dismissed
by the court, since the certification created new
legal relationships in effect compelling the com­
pany to bargain with the union. The fact that
the certification itself did not constitute a formal
command did not prevent it from being final.
I n te r f e r e n c e — S o l i c i t i n g S t r i k e r s T o R e t u r n to W o r k .

The NLRB ruled11 that an employer’s direct
solicitation of individual strikers on the picket
line to return to work, although unaccompanied
by threats or promises, constituted interference.
The Board pointed out that here the employees
had duly designated a collective bargaining rep­
resentative. The employer was obligated to
deal with that representative, and not with em­
ployees individually in derogation of the repre­
sentative, except in case of a strike in breach of
contract. One member dissented on the ground
that the employer had at no time refused to bar­
gain with the union and that the solicitation of
individual strikers would not be considered an
attempt to bypass the union.
A circuit court of appeals, re­
versing a decision by the NLRB, held12 that an
employer did not discriminate against economic
strikers by failing to rehire them when there were
vacancies. The NLRB had ruled that the em­
ployer was guilty of discrimination, on the ground
that the strikers had, through their agent, made
an unconditional application for reinstatement.
The Board held the application was a continuing
one, in view of the strikers’ appearance outside
the plant every day for 3 weeks thereafter. The
court held that the application was not a continu­
ing one and was not so considered by either
employer or strikers. The strikers’ appearance
outside the plant was for organizing purposes,
and, it was pointed out, they were not there
during the whole day. There were no vacancies

D is c r im in a tio n .

11 I n r e S a
1948).
12 S a x v. N

m ’l B i n g h a m ’s S o n M f g .

L R B

Co.

at the time of the mass application. The strikers
had been replaced and were not entitled to rein­
statement. The court said that the employer
could not be expected to search for strikers every
time a vacancy occurred.
Two recent decisions of the NLRB
consider the definition of supervisory employees,
whose union activities are not protected by the
amended National Labor Relations Act.
The Board ruled 13 that control operators of an
electric public-utility company were not super­
visors. They possessed no authority, except in
rare instances, to “hire, transfer, suspend, lay-off,
recall, promote, discharge, assign, reward, or
discipline other employees.” However, they did
direct some work of other employees outside the
control room. The Board noted that the defini­
tion of supervisors in section 2 (11) of the act
included any individual with “responsibility to
direct” other employees, and stated that in some
circumstances this power alone made one a super­
visor. Persons with responsibility to direct were
held to be in a twilight zone between those above
the grade of lead man, straw bosses, and other
minor supervisory employees, and those not pos­
sessing any of the other specific authorities
enumerated in the act. Whether persons in this
narrow area were supervisors depended upon the
number of employees to be supervised, the oppor­
tunity for exercise of independent judgment, and
other factors which might arise. The Board
noted that in this case the control operators (who
were themselves closely supervised by shift operat­
ing engineers) exercised almost no powers over
the status of rank-and-file employees.
(2) The NLRB, in considering the status of cer­
tain classes of newspaper employees, pointed out14
that exercise of discretion does not necessarily
make one a supervisor. Editorial writers were
held not to be supervisors. Although they ex­
pressed management policy on certain topics, they
were guided by a body of doctrine which, “though
more nebulous than the blueprint which guides
a skilled craftsman, nonetheless exists as a restric­
tion on the exercise of their full discretion.”
Membership in the union was held not to impair
their loyalty.

S u p e r v is o r s .

(80 N L R B No. 244, December 31,

(U. S. O. C. A. (7th) December 15, 1948).


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

MONTHLY LABOR

is I n
ii I n

re O h i o P o w e r
re A .

Co.

S. A b e l l Co .

(80 N L R B No. 205, December 17,1948).
(80 N L R B No. 16, January 11, 1949).

REVIEW , MARCH 1949

Assistant city editors, assistant sports editors,
telegraph editors, and chiefs of copy desks were
all held to be supervisors. In this case the assist­
ant city and sports editors were in charge of their
departments at certain times, had power to accept
or reject stories, and were consulted in grant of
promotions and other personnel decisions. Tele­
graph editors determined the size of headlines and
the length of front-page stories. Copy-desk chiefs
instructed subordinates in regard to leads.
Make-up editors were held not to be supervisors,
although they could shorten stories, since they
exercised authority only when instructions from
editorial and news departments conflicted with
mechanical space limitations. Field correspond­
ents assigned to work outside the city had more
responsible positions, but were still held to be
essentially reporters. They were not supervisors,
nor were assistant chiefs of the art and photo­
graphic departments, the racing editor, dramatic
critics, and heads of the financial departments, al­
though all exercised some discretion.
Before an inter­
national or national union can participate in a
representation, the NLRB held,15 all of its locals
which have employees in the bargaining unit
must have complied with the filing and nonCommunist affidavit provisions of the amended
National Labor Relations Act. The case in­
volved a 31-State unit of insurance agents. With
one member dissenting, the Board ruled that the
compliance of each local was required even though
it did not participate in collective bargaining.

N o n - C o m m u n is t A ffid a v its .

V o tin g R ig h ts o f E c o n o m ic S tr ik e r s . The NLRB
ruling that permanently replaced economic strik­
ers could not vote in a representation election
was extended 16 to include a situation in which
the strike occurred after an election had been
directed and after the eligibility date set for
voters. The Board held that the act made no
distinction between such a case and one in which
the strike occurred before direction of an election.
It pointed out instances in which employees were
prevented from voting because of their resignation
or dicharge after the eligibility date. The fact
that the employer was increasing personnel, and
n I n re P r u d e n t i a l I n s u r a n c e C o . o f A m e r i c a (81 N L R B N o. —, January
—, 1949).
i®I n re R o w e - J o r d a n F u r n i t u r e C o r p . (81 N L R B No. —, January —, 1949).


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325

DECISIONS OF INTEREST TO LABOR

later actually rehired the strikers, was held not to
preclude the permanent replacement of these
strikers. The replacements were held to be per­
manent, although not told that they were replacing
the strikers, because the employer told them they
were permanent.
Veteran’s Reemployment
Two recent decisions of a circuit
court of appeals deal with the right of a reinstated
veteran to promotion under the reemployment
statutes.
(1) The court held 17 that a reinstated veteran
had not established his right to promotion from
the position of roundhouse laborer to that of
roundhouse hostler. The collective-bargaining
contract provided that ability, merit, fitness, and
seniority were to be considered in making promo­
tions. When ability, merit, and fitness were suffi­
cient (in the judgment of management), seniority
was to govern. A district court had dismissed the
veteran’s action on the ground that he had failed
to meet the burden of proof that he had a legal
right to the promotion.
The court of appeals held that the findings of
fact by the district court were supported by ample
evidence, which the veteran had not overcome.
The employer, in deciding that the veteran lacked
the ability, merit, and fitness needed for promo­
tion, was held to have acted in good faith and
not capriciously and arbitrarily.
(2) The court of appeals considered 18 the li­
ability of a union in connection with an employer’s
claim that the union compelled the employer to
demote a veteran illegally.
The veteran had sued the employer in the dis­
trict court for damages because of a demotion,
occurring within a year after reinstatement, from
a position to which the veteran had been pro­
moted after his return from military service. The
district court awarded damages to the veteran
against the employer, and, at the employer’s re­
quest, held the union liable to the employer,
because, through grievance procedures, it had
compelled the employer to demote the veteran.
The union appealed.
The court of appeals, reversing the district
court, held that the union was not liable to the

P r o m o tio n .

17 R o s e v. T e x a s & N e w O r l e a n s R . R .
16, 1948).
78 O i l W o r k e r s I n t e r n a t i o n a l U n i o n v.

Co.

(U. S. C. C. A. (5th), December

Sinclair R e f i n i n g C o .

326

DECISIONS OF INTEREST TO LABOR

employer, because the veteran’s rights had not
been violated by his demotion. The court pointed
out that under a collective-bargaining agreement
between the union and the employer, promotions
were based on departmental seniority. The vet­
eran had worked longer in the plant than a non­
veteran whom he replaced when he was promoted,
but he had less seniority in the department. His
demotion, therefore, and the conduct inducing it,
did not violate the reemployment statutes.
An additional reason for the decision was that
the position to which the veteran was promoted
was two steps above the one he left. Without
deciding whether a veteran, on reinstatement, had
a right to a promotion he might have claimed if
he had not been in military service, the court said
that the reemployment statutes did not give the
veteran a right to a promotion he would not have
received if he had remained on the job.
P r o m o tio n — S e n io r ity

A f f e c te d

by

V e t e r a n ’s

A b­

The Court of Appeals for the Seventh Cir­
cuit considered 19 the extent to which conditions
controlling the right to promotion and fixing the
date of promotion according to seniority are modi­
fied by the fact that the veteran is absent in the
service.
The veteran had been a telegrapher before enter­
ing the service. Under a contract between his
employer and the union, vacancies in the position
of dispatcher were customarily filled from teleg­
raphers according to their seniority, provided they
had the necessary ability, as determined by an
examination. In practice, notice of vacancy was
given the senior telegrapher, who then might bid
on the position. If he did so, and could pass the
examination, he was given the job. The contract
further provided that seniority as dispatcher dated
from time of passing the required examination.
During the veteran’s absence, a number of va­
cancies as dispatcher were filled, some of them by
telegraphers who had less seniority than the vet­
eran. Subsequently, while still in military service,
he was notified of and bid on a dispatcher vacancy.
He returned to employment as a telegrapher but
promptly passed an examination and filled the
vacancy. However, he claimed that his seniority
as dispatcher should be retroactive to the date
when the first vacancy in such a position was filled
sen ce.

19
1948).

Morris

v.

Chesapeake &


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

Ohio

Co.

(IJ. S. C. C. A. (7th), December 14,

MONTHLY LABOR

by a telegrapher junior to him. The district court
decided that he was entitled as a matter of law
to the promotion and to the retroactive seniority
he claimed, but not to pay at the higher level
retroactive to the date of his reinstatement. Since
only the employer took an appeal, the question
of pay was not considered.
In the court of appeals, the employer contended
that the veteran had not met the conditions for
promotion to the vacancy occurring during his
absence in the service. Therefore, it was urged,
he was not entitled to the earlier seniority date.
The court of appeals adopted the lower court
opinion as its own and affirmed the judgment.
The telegrapher, said the court, had the right as
an attribute of his position to bid for an adver­
tised dispatcher’s position. His military service
excused him, in law, from having to bid for the
vacancies which had been filled, during his ab­
sence, by men junior to him on the telegrapher’s
roster. Having passed the examination after his
return, he was entitled to promotion. Once quali­
fied for the job, his seniority was retroactive to the
date when the first vacancy as dispatcher was
filled by a telegrapher with less seniority.
The court distinguished another decision 20 of a
cirucit court of appeals, which denied a veteran’s
retroactive seniority in promotion from electrician
helper to electrician, since in that case there was
no custom or requirement that vacancies in the
position of electricians must be filled by electrician
helpers.
Decisions of State Courts
C o lo r a d o — A l l - U n i o n C o n tr a c t I s s u e .
The Colo­
rado Supreme Court held 21 that a secondary boy­
cott engaged in by a union for the purpose of
compelling an employer, the owner of a butcher
shop, to make a closed-shop contract was not a
“labor dispute” within the meaning of the anti­
injunction provisions of the Colorado Labor Peace
Act. Less than a year before the union’s demand
for a closed shop and its boycott, a majority of the
employees of that employer had voted against be­
ing represented by the union in an NLRB election.
If the employer had made a closed-shop contract
with the union, he would have been guilty of an
20 R a u l i n s v. M e m p h i s U n i o n S t a t i o n C o . (168 F. (2d) 466 (U. S. C. C. A.
(6th)).
21 A m a l g a m a t e d M e a t C u t t e r s & B u t c h e r W o r k m e n o f N o r t h A m e r i c a , L o c a l
N o . 6 4 , A F L v. G r e e n (Colo. Supreme Ct., December 6, 1948).

REVIEW , MARCH 1949

DECISIONS OF INTEREST TO LABOR

unfair labor practice under the Federal act. The
fact that the employer’s cancellation of a lease
was one cause for terminating the business of the
lessee, a competitor, whose employees belonged to
the union, was held immaterial. The competi­
tor’s agreement with the union, by its own terms,
became void upon the termination of his business.
Section 2 (7) of the Colorado Labor Peace Act
provided that the refusal of an employer to grant
an all-union agreement did not constitute a “labor
dispute” subject to the act’s restrictions on in­
junctions. The court, in an earlier case,22 had
held this section constitutional.
M ic h ig a n — A c tio n A g a in s t U n io n f o r L o s s o f J o b .

A State court held 23 that an employee could
bring an action against a union for damages and an
injunction for interference with his employment
because of his wrongful expulsion from member­
ship. The union had a maintenance-of-member­
ship contract with the employer, which provided
that all employees, as a condition of employment,
must maintain union membership in good stand­
ing. The union constitution and bylaws provided
for presentation of written charges against an
employee, a trial, and appeal within 30 days of the
union’s decision. In its defense against the
employee’s action, the union asserted that he was
no longer a member in good standing, but failed
to state that charges had been made in writing.
I t contended that a court had no jurisdiction to
interfere in a dispute between a voluntary asso­
ciation and its member until all his remedies under
22 D e n v e r M i l k P r o d u c e r * v .
Colo. 389, 183 P. (2d) 529).
23 H o w l a n d v. L o c a l U n i o n ,
1948).


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

International B r o t h e r h o o d

U A W

of T e a m s t e r s

327

its constitution and bylaws had been exhausted.
The member claimed that the union had failed to
abide by its own rules and that resort to the reme­
dies it mentioned was futile.
The lower court dismissed the case without an
opinion. But the supreme court reversed the
decision and sent the case back for trial, on the
ground that, if proved to be true, the member’s
allegations justified the grant of the relief re­
quested.
W is c o n s in — C o m p u ls o r y A r b itr a tio n in P u b lic U til­
D is p u te s .
A Wisconsin circuit court held
constitutional24 a State law providing for com­
pulsory arbitration of labor disputes in public
utilities. The law provides that if collective
bargaining between an employer and employees
in a public utility reaches an impasse, a conciliator
may be appointed by the State labor board to
assist in settling the dispute. If the conciliator
is unable to effect a settlement, an arbitrator shall
be appointed, whose decision shall be binding.
Strikes and lock-outs in public utilities are pro­
hibited under penalty.
The court, in contrast with the decision of
another circuit court25 of the same State, held
that the statute was lawful under the State police
power; that it did not impose involuntary servi­
tude upon the workers or deny them the equal
protection of the laws; that it was not an unlawful
delegation of either legislative or judicial power
or an invasion of the executive power; and that
it did not contravene the Taft-Hartley Act.
ity

(116

(Mich. Supreme Ct., December 17,

24 U n i t e d G a s W o r k e r s v. W i s c o n s i n E m p l o y m e n t R e l a t i o n s
Ct. Milwaukee Co., December 14, 1948).
See M onthly Labor Keview, M ay 1948 (p. 541).

25

Board

(Wis. Cir.

January 17
S
C
of the U nited States, in the cases
of La Crosse Telephone Corp. v. Wisconsin Employment

T

Chronology of
Recent Labor Events

January 12, 1949

h e

h e

N

a t i o n a l

L

a b o r

R

e l a t i o n s

B

o a r d

,

in the case of

Super-Cold Southwest Co. and Retail, Wholesale and Depart­
ment Store Union (CIO), held th at five employees who
disobeyed an order to work overtim e were discharged for
cause, and not unlawfully. The overtime work order was
not issued to interfere w ith the union m eeting which the
men attended but to avoid operational losses the following
day. The employer had readily excused those men who
asked to be excused. (Source: Labor Relations Reporter,
vol. 23, Summary, p. 5, and L R R M , p. 1305.)

January 13
T
W
S
C o. and the independent union of its
em ployees signed an agreement which provides retirement
pay of at least $100 a m onth for eligible employees par­
ticipating in the N ational Steel retirement annuity plan,
and smaller pensions for other eligible employees, retro­
active to January 1, 1949. (Source: Iron Age, Jan. 20,
1949, p. 108.)
h e

e i r t o n

t e e l

January 15
A
D
V. B
, in the case of textile
manufacturers in Fall River and N ew Bedford, Mass.,
and the T extile Workers Union of America (C IO ), denied
a wage increase. He held th at the grant of such an in­
crease m ight “ open the door to the possibility of serious
unem ploym ent and loss of income to both employees and
companies.” The risk of such losses, he held to be more
serious than the risk th at the em ployees would forego an
increased standard of living. (Source: Labor Relations
Reporter, vol. 23 LRR, p. 191.)
On February 2, a wage increase was also denied in the
arbitration between the American Woolen Co. and the
T extile Workers Union of America (C IO ). Raym ond F.
O’Connell, arbitrator, ruled th at conditions did not justify
the 10-cent-an-hour increase and $1.15 minimum hourly
wage rate sought by woolen and worsted workers. (Source:
N ew York Times, Feb. 3, 1949.)
On February 7, the T extile Workers Union of America
(CIO) dropped demands for a 10-cent-an-hour wage in­
crease for woolen and worsted goods workers. (Source:
N ew York Times, Feb. 8, 1949.)
r b i t r a t o r

o u g l a s

328

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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

r o w

n

e

o u r t

Relations Board et al.; International Brotherhood of Elec­
trical Workers, Local B—953, AFL, v. Same, held th at the
Wisconsin Em ploym ent Relations Board does not have
jurisdiction in a representation proceeding involving the
employees of a telephone company which is engaged in
interstate commerce. The Court’s ruling was made even
though the N L R B had not as yet undertaken to determine
the collective bargaining unit and bargaining agent of these
employees. (Source: Labor R elations Reporter, Extra
Edition Bulletin, vol. 23, No. 23, Jan. 17, 1949.)
T
C
I
O
announced
th at members of the Oil Workers International Union in
California had accepted the offer of the Union Oil Co. and
returned to work. This settlem ent was th e last in a 4month work stoppage among major oil companies in the
State (for discussion, see M LR, Dec. 1948, p. 629). (Source:
CIO N ews, Jan. 17, 1949, p. 8.)
h e

T

u p r e m

o n g r e s s

o f

n d u s t r i a l

r g a n i z a t i o n s

January 19
CIO, the British Trades U nion Congress, and the
D utch Federation of Labor formally withdrew from the
World Federation of Trades Unions at the Paris m eeting
of the organization’s executive com m ittee. (Source: New
York Times, Jan. 20, 1949, and CIO News Jan. 24, 1949,
p. 10; for earlier action, see chron. item for M ay 5, 1948,
MLR, June 1948.)
T

h e

T
NLRB,
Associated Shoe Industries of
Southeastern Massachusetts Inc. et al., held th at the appro­
h e

i n

t h e

c a s e

o f

priate unit for a representation election does not include
em ployees of independent shoe manufacturers who have
regularly adopted contracts negotiated between the region’s
Shoe Manufacturers’ Association and a union, but have
not participated or attem pted to participate in negotia­
tions. (Source: U. S. Law Week, vol. 17 LW, p. 2338,
and N L R B release W -70, Jan. 26, 1949, p. 3.)
NLRB
recommended th at John L.
Lewis and th e U nited M ine Workers of America (Ind.)
should cease to give effect to the union-shop provision of
the current contract w ith 18 captive coal m ines (see Chron.
item for June 25, 1948, M LR, Aug. 1948). H e held that
the union shop requirement of their 1948 contract is illegal
because it was not authorized by a majority of the em­
ployees through a Governm ent-conducted election under
the Labor M anagement Relations Act of 1947. (Source:
N L R B release R -152, Jan. 19, 1949.)
A

n

t r i a l

e x a m

i n e r

T
N LR B ,
E. I. duPont de Nemours & Co.
and United Gas, Coke, and Chemical Workers of America
(CIO), held th at the petitioning union’s failure to protest
execution of contract with a rival union during the 6
m onths’ interval between the execution of contract and
the election of a bargaining agent barred an attack on the
election.
(Source: Labor Relations Reporter, ' vol. 23,
L M R Reference Guide, p. 4, and L R R M , p. 1316.)
h e

i n

t h e

c a s e

o f

CHRONOLOGY OF LABOR EVENTS

January 28

T
N LR B,
American Optical Co. and Optical
and Instrument Workers Organizing Committee {CIO),
h e

T
N LR B ,
Safeway Stores, Inc. [Pueblo,
Colo.] and Retail Clerks Union, Local No.
held th a t
the provision of the N ational Labor Relations Act which
perm its union-shop agreements under certain conditions
takes precedence over a State law which does not prohibit
but only regulates union-shop agreements. (Source: Labor
R elations Reporter, vol. 23 LR R M , p. 1337.)
h e

i n

t h e

c a s e

o p

Amalgam ated Clothing Workers of
America (CIO) announced their decision not to ask for a
fourth-round wage increase owing to the current economic
situation. Slackened demand for m en’s apparel and
reduced food costs were cited. (Source: W ashington Star,
Jan. 28, 1949.)
O

f f i c i a l s

o f

C
of the International Typographical
U nion (AFL) voted to accept the contract offered by the
H am m ond (Ind.) Times, which granted a $12.50 weekly
wage increase. The contract was drawn, an official of the
paper stated, within the terms of a Federal D istrict Court
injunction (see Chron. item s for Mar. 29, 1948, MLR,
M ay 1948 and Oct. 14, 1948, M LR, Dec. 1948) ordering
the union to cease its insistence on a closed shop. (Source:
Labor, Feb. 5, 1949.)
h e

h i c a g o

l o c a l

January 31
T
S
C
of the U nited States ruled in the
case of Clyde Wilkerson v. Wilson McCarthy and Henry
Swan; it held th at evidence of railroad em ployee’s injury
while crossing a wheel pit via a slippery plank was suffi­
cient to warrant submission of Federal Em ployer’s Lia­
bility A ct case to a jury to determine the issue of railroad’s
negligence and em ployee’s contributory negligence.
(Source: U. S. Law Week, vol. 17 LW, pp. 4159 and 4175.)
h e

u p r e m

e

o u r t

received an opinion from
the A ttorney General of the U nited States, asserting th at
failure of the Adm inistration’s labor-management relations
bill to provide for injunctions against national emergency
strikes does not mean that the President is w ithout power
to obtain such injunctions. (Source: Labor Relations
Reporter, vol. 23, LRR, p. 217.)
T

h e

S

e n a t e

L

i n

t h e

c a s e

barred its facilities to the union. The Board held th at the
petitioner was an organizing com m ittee of the CIO whose
officers have not complied with the affidavit and filing re­
quirements of the LM RA of 1947 (see Chron. item for
Oct. 7, 1947, M LR Jan. 1948).
(Source: Labor Rela­
tions Reporter, vol. 23 LR R M , p. 1351.)

February 2

t h e

January 30
T

329

a b o r

C

T
P
’
in the dispute
between the non-operating railroad unions and the rail­
roads was asked to re-enter negotiations (see Chron. item
for Dec. 17, 1948; M LR, Feb. 1949). T he dispute, which
concerns wages and hours, affects 1 m illion workers and
has been in progress for 10 months. (Source: Labor,
Feb. 5, 1949.)
h e

r e s i d e n t

s

f a c t

f i n d i n g

b o a r d

February 7
The second conference on unfinished business in social
legislation m et in W ashington, D. C., and was addressed
by the Secretary of Labor. (Source: W ashington Star,
Feb. 7, 1949.)

February 8
A U nited States D istrict Court judge, in the case of
Upholsterers’ International Union of North America v.
Leather craft Furniture Co., held th at a union requirement
th at an em ployee m ust be a union member in order to
receive benefits from a social security fund to which an
employer is obligated to make contributions does not
violate Section 302 (c) of the L M RA of 1947. Section
302 (c) specifies a fund established for the benefit of “the
em ployees of the em ployer.” (Source: U. S. Law Week,
vol. 17 LW, p. 2374.)

February 10

o m m i t t e e


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

T
N LR B ,
Daniel Hamm Drayage Co.,
Inc., announced th at a trial examiner had recommended
h e

i n

t h e

c a s e

o f

th at the em ployer should be required to reimburse seven
men for any loss of wages th ey suffered because th ey were
refused em ploym ent under an illegal closed-shop agree­
ment. (Source: N L R B release R -157, Feb. 10, 1949.)

Publications
of Labor Interest

Summary information concerning the General Cooper­
ative Association of Jewish Labor in Israel (H evrat
Ovdim, Ltd.), and the various bodies which are auxiliary or
supplementary to it.

The Seventeenth Congress of the International Cooperative
Alliance. {In Review of International Cooperation,
London, September-October 1948, pp. 185-236.)
Extended account of proceedings of the congress, which
was held in Prague, Czechoslovakia, September 27-30,
1948.
(See also article in M onthly Labor Review,
December 1948, pp. 600-602.)

Year Book of Agricultural Cooperation, 1947.

Arbitration and Mediation
Compulsory Arbitration of Labor Disputes. B y James A.
Sprunk. {In Michigan Law Review, Ann Arbor,
December 1948, pp. 242-254. $1.)
Reviews briefly State laws providing for compulsory
arbitration of labor disputes, and court decisions in volv­
ing constitutionality of such legislation.

Fourteenth Annual Report of the National Mediation
Board, Including the Report of the National Railroad
Adjustment Board, for the Fiscal Year Ended June SO,
1918. Washington, 1948. 112 pp. 40 cents, Super­

Edited by
Horace Plunkett Foundation. Cambridge, England,
W. Heifer & Sons, Ltd., 1948. 342 pp., bibliography.
15s.
Consists principally of a collection of articles, by various
authors, each dealing with agricultural cooperation in a
specific country. One paper, however, covers cooperative
organization among fishermen in 11 countries, and another
lists laws concerning agricultural cooperation passed by
many nations in the period 1940-42.

Cooperatives in the Petroleum Industry.

Cooperative Movement

B y Ludwig von
Mises and others. N ew York, Petroleum Industry
Research Foundation, 1947. In 4 parts, variously
paged.
W ritten from the viewpoint of private business, on the
thesis that cooperatives “cannot maintain them selves by
their own efforts,” that they cannot “stand the competition
of private business w ithout Government favoritism ,” and
th at they are given unfair advantages in the m atter of
taxation.

Cooperation in Canada, 1947—Sixteenth Annual Summary.

Costs and Standards of Living

intendent of D ocum ents, W ashington,

Mediation and Arbitration under the New York State Board
of Mediation in 194-7. N ew York, State D epartm ent
of Labor, Division of Research and Statistics, 1948.
44 pp.; processed. (Publication No. B -12.)

Ottawa, D epartm ent of Agriculture, Marketing
Service, 1948. 10 pp.; processed.
Statistics of number, membership, volume of business,
and geographical distribution of cooperative associations,
1947, with comparative figures for earlier years.

The Cooperative Movement in Labor Britain.

How to Live Within Your Income.

By J. K. Lasser and
Sylvia F. Porter. N ew York, Simon & Schuster,
1948. 120 pp., forms. $1.

Working Women’s Budgets in Twelve States: Cost-of-Living
Reports Prepared Chiefly for the Use of MinimumWage Administrations. W ashington, U. S. D epart­

Edited by
N . Barou. London, Victor Gollancz, Ltd., 1948.
143 pp. 7s. 6d.
Essays on various aspects of the cooperative m ovem ent,
with “conclusions” by the editor. Subjects include
retail distributive cooperatives; the Labor Government
and cooperative price, dividend, and financial policy;
prospects for agricultural cooperation; workers’ pro­
ductive cooperatives; and labor relations in the cooper­
ative m ovem ent. One paper deals with m ethods used to
bring cooperation to the “deserts” in which the coopera­
tive m ovem ent, for one reason or another, has not
developed.

Living and Office Operating Costs in Colombia. W ashington,

The Cooperative Movement in Israel.

Education and Training

Tel-A viv, General
Cooperative Association of Jewish Labor in EretzIsrael, 1948. 12 pp. In English, French, Russian.

E d i t o r ’ s N o t e .— Correspondence regarding the publications to which
reference is made in this list should be addressed to the respective publishing
agencies mentioned. Where data on prices were readily available, they have
been shown with the title entries.

330

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m ent of Labor, W omen’s Bureau, 1948. 33 pp.
(Bull. No. 226.) 15 cents, Superintendent of D ocu­
ments, W ashington.

U. S. Departm ent of Commerce, Office of International
Trade, 1948. 9 pp. (International Reference Service,
Vol. V, No. 84.) 5 cents, Superintendent of D ocu­
ments, Washington.
A similar report for Ecuador was also issued recently.

Handbook of Adult Education in the United States.

Edited
by Mary L. Ely. Compiled under auspices of Insti­
tute of Adult Education with cooperation of American
Association for Adult Education. N ew York, Colum­
bia U niversity, Institute of Adult Education, 1948.
555 pp., bibliography. $5.

PUBLICATIONS OF LABOR INTEREST
Principles and Practices of Vocational Education.

By
Arthur B. M ays. N ew York, McGraw-Hill Book
Co., Inc., 1948. 303 pp., bibliographies. $3.50.
Training Problems in the Far East. B y Marguerite Thibert. Geneva, International Labor Office, 1948.
160 pp. (Studies and Reports, N ew Series, No. 11.)
$1. D istributed in U nited States by Washington
Branch of ILO.
R eport on a first-hand survey made by the author for the
International Labor Organization and the U nited Nations
Econom ic Commission for Asia and the Far East.

Vocational Training of Adults in the United Kingdom.
Geneva, International Labor Office, 1948. 88 pp.,
bibliography, plans, illus. (Vocational Training
Monograph No. 1.) 50 cents. D istributed in United
States by W ashington Branch of ILO.
First in a series of national monographs undertaken by
the ILO for the purpose of making available to govern­
ments, employers, and workers information on the experi­
ence of different countries in organizing vocational training
and retraining programs. This monograph deals pri­
marily with government sponsored training schemes.
Special attention is given in an appendix to methods of
training for coal mining.

Industrial Accidents; Workmen’s Compensation
Proceedings of the President1s Conference on Industrial
Safety, Washington, D. C., September 27-29, 194-8.
Washington, [U. S. Departm ent of Labor, Bureau of
Labor Standards], 1949. 93 pp., illus. (Bull. No.
103.) Limited free distribution.
Contains addresses and technical com m ittee planning
reports and recommendations of a groundwork conference
held in preparation for an enlarged conference scheduled
for March 23-25, 1949. The bulletin also outlines the
scope and organization of the various com m ittees.

Accident Prevention in Brick, Pipe, and Tile Manufacture.
London, M inistry of Labor and N ational Service,
Factory D epartm ent, 1948. 95 pp., illus. (Safety
Pam phlet No. 17.) 2s. net, H. M. Stationery Office,
London.

Review of Fatal Injuries in the Petroleum Industry for 1947.
W ashington, American Petroleum Institute, Depart­
m ent of Safety, 1948. 19 pp.
Shows incidence and rate of fatalities and permanent
total disabilities, and also accident causes.

Barème Indicatif d’Invalidité pour les Accidentés du Travail.
Paris, Fédération Nationale des Organismes de
Sécurité Sociale, 1948. 53 pp.
Gives tables of invalidity rates used in workmen’s
com pensation for industrial injuries and occupational
diseases, under French legislation in effect as of March
1948.

Industrial Home Work
Industrial Home Work.

{In International Labor Review,
Geneva, December 1948, pp. 735-751. 50 cents.
Distributed in U nited States by W ashington Branch
of ILO.)


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

331

Report on an inquiry by the ILO into the status
of industrial home work in various countries, dealing
briefly with its extent, system s under which it is carried
on, minimum wage controls, regulation of hours, social
insurance, holidays with pay, and other matters.

El Trabajo Industrial a Domicilio en el Distrito Federal.
México, D. F., Universidad Nacional Autonom a de
México, Instituto de Investigaciones Económicas,
1946. 77 pp.
Study of industrial home work in the Federal D istrict of
Mexico, with developm ents in the U nited States as back­
ground.

Industrial Hygiene
Maximum Allowable Concentration Limits of Harmful Sub­
stances. {In N ew Jersey Industrial Safety Guide,
State D epartm ent of Labor, Division of Engineering
and Safety, [Trenton?], January 1948, pp. 1-4.)
Rules and regulations (effective December 15, 1947)
establishing revised standards of permissible daily atm os­
pheric content of specific toxic chemicals and radiant
energy in places of industrial em ploym ent in N ew Jersey,

Carbon Tetrachloride Poisoning. B y Gordon A. Abbott
and M ilton J. Miller. {In Public H ealth Reports,
Federal Security Agency, Public H ealth Service,
W ashington, December 10, 1948, pp. 1619-1624. 10
cents, Superintendent of Docum ents, W ashington.)
Report on 10 cases, 8 of them merchant seamen who had
been exposed to the poison in their duties aboard ship.
According to the study, m ost of these casualties, four
of which were fatal, could have been avoided by propel
ventilation.

Paints, Lacquers, and Finishes.

B y W. B. Harris. {In
M onthly Review, D ivision of Industrial H ygiene &
Safety Standards, New York State D epartm ent of
Labor, N ew York, N ovem ber 1948, pp. 41-44, bib­
liography.)
Indicates the toxicity of specific materials, outlines
health and fire hazards in their manufacture and applica­
tion, and suggests control measures.

Memorandum on the Use of Radium in Industry with Par­
ticular Reference to Luminising with Radioactive Ma­
terial. London, M inistry of Labor and N ational
Service, 1947. 6 pp. 2d. net, H. M. Stationery Office,
London.
Outlines the nature, properties, and hazards of radium,
methods of detection, tolerance dose, and necessary pre­
cautions in its use.

Observations on Cardiovascular Patients in Industry. B y
Paul H. Kuhn, M .D . {In Industrial Medicine, Chi­
cago, December 1948, pp. 461-467, bibliography,
charts. 75 cents.)
Brief account of 6 years’ experience (1942-47) in a
small plant.

Report of the Departmental Committee on Industrial Dis­
eases. London, M inistry of N ational Insurance, 1948.
15 pp. (Cmd. 7557.) 4d. net, H.
Office, London.

M. Stationery

332

PUBLICATIONS OF LABOR INTEREST

The report establishes principles which should govern
selection of diseases for insurance under the British
N ational Insurance (Industrial Injuries) Act.

MONTHLY LABOR

Industrial Relations

D ivision of Research and Statistics, 1948. 31 pp.;
processed.
Contracts for drug, dry goods, m en’s hat and haber­
dashery, and shoe stores have been covered in other reports
already published in this series.

American Labor and the Government.

New Principles Governing Industrial Relations and Labor
Protection in Sweden. B y Gunnar Huffman. (In

B y Glenn W.
Miller. N ew York, Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1948. 638
pp., bibliography. $7.35.

This three-part study of labor controls is organized as
follows: Part I deals with labor problems which led to
pre-World War I controls; Part II covers existing labor
legislation and the developm ent of new control measures
in the between-wars period; Part III surveys the effects
of World War II and the postwar period on labor controls,
especially w ith respect to labor-management relations.

Human Relations in an Expanding Economy: A study of
the Manufacturing Departments in the Endicott Plant
of the International Business Machines Corporation.
B y F. L. W. Richardson, Jr., and Charles R. Walker.
N ew Haven, Conn., Yale U niversity, Labor and
M anagement Center, 1948. 95 pp., diagrams.
The study describes the im pact of technological and
other changes upon human relations, and discusses the
methods adopted to deal with problems which resulted.
According to the authors, a firm which undergoes a
period of expansion tends to increase centralization of
responsibility, increase the levels of authority within the
plant, m ultiply staff functions, and divide jobs so th at
they call for a greater degree of specialization. Generally,
these factors result in deterioration of human relations in
the plant. However, the Endicott plant surveyed, by
adopting measures designed to minimize these tendencies,
was able to improve or maintain satisfactory human re­
lations during the period under consideration (1940-47).

Manual of Industrial Relations.

D eep River, Conn.,
N ational Foremen’s Institute, Inc., 1948. 191 pp.,
loose-leaf. $7.50.

Collective Bargaining Provisions: Union Rights, Activities,
and Responsibilities. W ashington, U. S. Bureau of
Labor Statistics, 1948. 32 pp.; processed. Free.
Other recent reports in this series deal with provisions
concerning, respectively, managem ent prerogatives; safety,
health, and sanitation; and seniority.

Employee Benefit Plans and Collective Bargaining.

N ew
York, American M anagement Association, 1948.
27 pp. (Personnel Series, No. 123.) 50 cents.
Contains tw o papers which analyze the im plications for
managem ent of compulsory bargaining on benefits, as a
result of the N ational Labor Relations Board ruling in
the Inland Steel case.

The Right to Work.

B y Cecil B. D eM ille. San Francisco,
California Personnel M anagement Association, 1948.
12 p p .; processed. ( M anagement Report No. 29.) $1.

Union Contracts in Retail Trade, New York City, 1948:
Food Stores. N ew York, State D epartm ent of Labor,


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Industrial Safety Survey, International Labor Office,
Geneva, July-Septem ber 1948, pp. 81-86, chart.
50 cents. Distributed in U nited States by Washing­
ton Branch of ILO.)

Labor and Social Legislation
Labor Law: A Concise Explanation of the Rights and Duties
of Employees and Employers Under State and Federal
Laws. B y Victor S. Axelroad. N ew York, Oceana
Publications, 1948.
N o. 7.) $1.

90 pp.

(Legal Almanac Series,

Kentucky Labor Laws * * * Complete With Amend­
ments and Annotations to M ay 1, 1948. Frankfort,
Departm ent of Industrial Relations, 1948.

Rhode Island Labor Laws.
Labor, December 1948.

29 pp.

Providence, D epartm ent of
261 pp.

Working Under the Wage-Hour Law.

B y W illiam B.
McComb. San Francisco, California Personnel Man­
agem ent Association, 1948. 17 pp.; processed.
(M anagem ent Report No. 27.) $1.
Address by the administrator of the Federal wage and
hour laws, tracing their background, their value, and the
effects of Supreme Court decisions on their administration,
with suggestions for im provem ent in the basic provisions.
The discussion which followed the address is also given.

Code of Labor and Industrial Laws of the Province of Quebec
and Federal Laws, [Canada], with Rules and Regulations
Concerning Their Application. Compiled and consoli­
dated by Gus. Francq. M ontreal, M ercantile Print­
ing, Ltd., 1948. 487 pp. In English and French.

A Statement of the Laws of Ecuador in Matters Affecting
Business in its Various Aspects and Activities. Wash­
ington, Inter-American D evelopm ent Commission,
1948. 142 pp.; processed. $4.
Includes a summary of labor and social legislation.

Labor Management Relations Act, 1947
The New Congress and the Taft-Hartley Law.

An N BC
radio discussion by Charles Gregory, Gerard D . Reilly,
Gerhard Van Arkel. Chicago, U niversity of Chicago,
1948. 33 pp. (Round Table, No. 556.)
Expressions of diversified opinion as to what legislative
decisions Congress should make in connection with the
terms of the Taft-H artley Act.

The Taft-Hartley Act and Union Political Contributions and
Expenditures. B y Joseph E. Kallenbach. (In M in­
nesota Law Review, Minneapolis, December 1948,
pp. 1-26. $1.)

333

PUBLICATIONS OF LABOR INTEREST

REVIEW , MARCH 1949

Labor Organizations

Personnel Management

B y Clyde E.
Dankert. N ew York, Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1948. 521
pp. $6.35.

C o n te m p o r a ry U n io n is m in the U n ite d S ta te s .

P erso n n el M a n a g em e n t — P r in c ip le s , P ra c tic e s, a n d P o in t o f
V iew .
B y W alter D. Scott, Robert C. Clothier,

William R. Spriegel.
N ew York, M cGraw-Hill
Book Co., Inc., 1949. 648 pp., bibliography, charts,
forms, illus. 4th ed. $4.50.

The course of present-day American unionism is traced
in relation to its historical roots. Its characteristics are
discussed in terms of structure, principles, membership,
administration, leadership, collective bargaining, attitudes
toward wages, hours, seniority, etc., and policies anent
strikes and political action.

T he P erso n n el I n te rv ie w . B y Richard Stephen Uhrbrock.
{ I n Personnel Psychology, Vol. 1, No. 3, W ashington,

N a tio n a l P a tte r n s o f U n io n B eh a vio r. B y Adolf Sturmthal.
{ I n Journal of Political Economy, Chicago, December

S electin g the N e w E m p lo y e e : T ech n iqu es o f E m p lo y m e n t
P ro ced u re. B y Paul W. Boynton. N ew York, Har­

1948, pp. 515-526.

Autumn 1948,
reprinted.)

per & Bros., 1949.

$1.50.)

A demonstration of the thesis that a theory of tradeunion behavior as it is found in various countries cannot
be built upon deductive logic or the assumptions of tradi­
tional economic theory, but m ust take into consideration
national characteristics and behavior patterns.

S ta ff

U n io n a s a M o n o p o ly . B y Charles E. Lindblom.
{ I n Quarterly Journal of Economics, Cambridge,

S ta te

The

Mass., Novem ber 1948, pp. 671-697.

$1.25.)

T he F ir e m e n ’s a n d P a tr o lm e n ’s U n io n s i n the C ity o f N e w
Y o rk : A C ase S tu d y i n P u b lic E m p lo y e e U n io n s. B y

Emma Schweppe. N ew York, K ing’s Crown Press,
1948. 395 pp., bibliography. $4.50.
F o r ty -F ifth D ire c to r y o f L a b o r O r g a n iza tio n s i n M a s s a ­
ch u setts, 1 9 4-7-48 { W ith S ta tis tic s o f M e m b e rsh ip ,
1 9 4 5 -4 7 ).
[Boston], D epartm ent of Labor and Indus­

tries, 1948.

119 pp.

(Labor Bull. No. 193.)

L a b o r U n io n s in C a n a d a — H o w T h ey W o rk a n d W h a t T h ey
S eek .
B y A. Andras. Ottawa, Woodsworth House

Publishers, 1948. 86 pp. 50 cents.
Popular presentation of trade-union developm ent,
structure, etc., in Canada, by the assistant research
director of the Canadian Congress of Labour.
B y Robert J. Alex­
ander. London, Fabian Society, 1947. 24 pp. (Re­
search Series, No. 122.) Is. 6d.

L a b o r M o vem en ts in L a tin A m e r ic a .

Traces progress of the labor m ovem ents from mutual
assistance societies to trade-unions. A short history of
the several continental federations is also given.

pp.

273-302,

bibliography;

also

136 pp. $2.

D evelo p m en t— the S u p e r v is o r ’s J o b .
W ashington,
Federal Security Agency, D ivision of Personnel
M anagement, 1948. 40 pp. (Training Manual No. 6.)

Population
C en su ses: A n A n n o ta te d B ib lio g r a p h y o f C en su ses
o f P o p u la tio n T a k en A fte r the Y e a r 1 7 9 0 b y S ta te s
a n d T errito rie s o f the U n ite d S ta tes. B y Henry J.

Dubester. W ashington, U. S. D epartm ent of Com­
merce, Bureau of the Census, and U. S. Library of
Congress, Reference Departm ent, 1948.
73 pp.
20 cents, Superintendent of Docum ents, W ashington.
[P o p u la tio n ] C en su s o f the C o m m o n w ea lth o f A u s tr a lia ,
1 9 4 7 — S u m m a r y f o r the A u s tr a lia n C a p ita l T e r rito r y .

By Roland Wilson. Canberra, Commonwealth Gov­
ernment Printer, 1948. 10 pp. (Census Bull. No. 3.)
Is. 2d.
P o p u la tio n P o lic y i n G reat B r ita in . London, P E P
(Political and Economic Planning), 1948. 227 pp.,
charts. 15s.
Covers population trends as well as the need for a
demographic policy, basic principles of such a policy,
and measures required to carry it out, including housing,
education, health services, and taxation.
T he P o stw a r P o p u la tio n o f the S o v ie t U n io n . B y N . S.
Timasheff. { I n American Journal of Sociology, Chi­
cago, September 1948, pp. 148-155. $1.25.)
Discusses various estim ates of the postwar population
of the Soviet Union and presents a new estim ate.

Prices
Migrants; Migratory Labor
D is p la c e d

P erso n s— A

Selected

B ib lio g ra p h y ,

1 9 3 9 -4 7 .

Compiled by Felicia Fuss. N ew York, Russell Sage
Foundation, Library, 1948. 12 pp. 20 cents.
{ I n Inter­
national Labor Review, Geneva, August 1948, pp.
187-198. 50 cents. D istributed in United States
by W ashington Branch of ILO.)

R e h a b ilita tio n o f D is p la c e d P e r so n s i n I n d ia .

S elected R eferen ces on the L a b o r I m p o r ta tio n P ro g ra m
B etw een M ex ico a n d the U n ite d S ta tes. B y Robert C.

Jones.
5 pp.

W ashington, Pan American Union,

824906—49---- 5

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B y Robert A. Sayre. N ew
York, N ational Industrial Conference Board, Inc.,
1948. 86 pp., charts.
The tables in this report indicate the changes in con­
sumers’ prices recorded by the N ational Industrial Con­
ference Board from 1914 to June 1948. The text discus­
sion includes a description of the methods used in con­
structing the Board’s consumers’ price indexes. These
indexes, formerly called “cost of living” indexes, are based
on “quoted retail prices for consumers’ goods and services
purchased by moderate-income fam ilies.”
C o n su m e rs’ P ric e s, 1 9 1 4 ~ 4 8 .

1948.

W ashington, U. S.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1949. 58 pp. (Bull.

R e ta il P ric e s o f F ood, 194 6 a n d 1 9 4 7 .

334

PUBLICATIONS OF LABOR INTEREST

MONTHLY LABOR

N o. 938.) 15 cents, Superintendent of D ocum ents,
Washington.

The Czechoslovak insurance system is also described in
an article in the August 1948 International Labor R eview .

W ashington,
U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1948. 8 pp. (Serial
No. R. 1934; reprinted, with additional data, from
M onthly Labor Review, July 1948.) Free.

By P. J. Keady. ( I n
Bulletin of the International Social Security Associa­
tion, Vol. I, N o. 4, Montreal, December 1948, pp. 2 -7 ;
processed.)
The Act, passed by the D ail on November 10, 1948, deals
with the following services administered by the D epart­
m ent of Social Welfare: H ealth insurance, unem ploym ent
insurance and assistance, widows’ and orphans’ contribu­
tory and noncontributory pensions, and pensions for the
aged and the blind.

G a s a n d E le c tr ic ity : P r ic e C h an ges i n 19 4 7 .

M a n u fa c tu r e r s ’ A v era g e P r ic e s , 1 9 2 6 - 4 8 : M e ta l B e d s, B e d s p r in g s , M a ttre sse s, D u a l S le e p in g E q u ip m e n t. Wash­

ington, U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1949.
pp.; processed. Free.

9

B y Irving B.
Kravis and Ann S. Ritter. W ashington, U. S. Bu­
reau of Labor Statistics, 1948. 10 pp. (Serial No.
R. 1943; reprinted from M onthly Labor Review,
N ovem ber 1948.) Free.

W o r ld P r ic e s , 1 9 4 8 C o m p a re d w ith 1 9 3 9 .

Social Security
C o m p ila tio n o f the [F ederal] S o c ia l S e c u r ity L a w s, In c lu d in g
the S o c ia l S e c u r ity A c t, a s A m e n d e d , a n d R e la te d
E n a c tm e n ts T h rou gh J u l y 1, 1 9 4 8 .
W ashington,

Federal Security Agency, Social Security Administra­
tion, 1948. 114 pp. 25 cents, Superintendent of
Documents, Washington.
F ed era l G r a n ts -in -A id in H ea lth , E d u c a tio n , S o c ia l S ecu ­
r i t y — S elected R eferen ces, 1 9 3 8 - 4 8 . Compiled by Ruth

Bray. Washington, Federal Security Agency, Library,
1948. 19 pp.; processed.
O u tlin e o f F ed era l R e tire m en t S y s te m s . B y Thurza J. Bran­

non. Washington, Federal Security Agency, Social
Security Administration, Bureau of Research and
Statistics, 1948. 145 pp.; processed. (Bureau Report
N o. 15.)
Summarizes the provisions of 22 individual federally
operated system s (including those covering veterans) pro­
viding retirement, disability, and survivors’ benefits.

T h e N e w S o c ia l W elfa re A c t o f E ire .

V o lu n ta r y a c tio n : A R e p o rt on M eth o d s o f S o c ia l A d v a n c e.

B y Sir W illiam Beveridge. London, Allen & Unwin,
1948. 420 pp.
A digest of th is report will appear in th e April 1949
issue of the M onthly Labor Review . 16s. net.

Wages and Hours of Labor
W a g e C h ron ology S e rie s. W ashington, U. S.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1949. 3 pp. (Serial No.
R. 1944; reprinted from M onthly Labor Review,
December 1948.) Free.
Wage Chronology No. 1 (also published in December
1948 M onthly Labor Review, and reprinted as Serial No.
R. 1945) shows major changes in wage rates and related
wage practices put into effect by American W oolen Co.
since February 1, 1939. The second chronology (in
January 1949 Review, and reprinted as Serial No. R. 1946)
deals with the northern cotton textile industry, 1943-48.
T he N e w

U n io n W a g e S ca les o f L o ca l T r a n s it O p e ra tin g E m p lo y e e s ,
O ctober 1, 1 9 4 8 , a n d O ctober 1, 1 9 4 7 , by C ity a n d
C la ssifica tio n . W ashington, U. S. Bureau of Labor

Statistics, 1949.

D epartm ent of Labor and Industrial Relations,
Bureau of Research and Statistics, 1948. 13 pp.,
charts; processed. (Bull. No. 25.)

50 cents.)

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Economics and Problems of Labor.

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and income, hours of labor, history and developm ent of
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With this number, the ILO resumes publication of the
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Die Amtstätigkeit Der Arbeitsinspektorate im Jahre 1947.
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Indian Labor Problems.

Edited by A. N . Agarwala.
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Facts and Figures about Economic and Social Conditions
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Census and Statistics, 1948. 107 pp.
Includes data on unemployment, average daily wages,
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Current Labor Statistics
A.—Employment and Pay Rolls
338 Table A -l: Estimated total labor force classified by employment status, hours
worked, and sex
339 Table A-2: Estimated number of wage and salary workers in nonagricultural es­
tablishments, by industry division
339 Table A-3: Estimated number of wage and salary workers in manufacturing indus­
tries, by major industry group
340 Table A-4 : Estimated number of wage and salary workers in nonagricultural
establishments for selected States.
341 Table A-5: Estimated number of wage and salary workers in manufacturing indus­
tries, by State
342 Table A-6: Estimated number of production workers in manufacturing industries
345 Table A-7: Indexes of production-worker employment in manufacturing industries
347 Table A-8: Indexes of production-worker weekly pay rolls in manufacturing
industries
350 Table A-9: Estimated number of employees in selected nonmanufacturing
industries
351 Table A-10: Indexes of employment in selected nonmanufacturing industries
351 Table A -ll: Indexes of weekly pay rolls in selected nonmanufacturing industries
352 Table A -12: Federal civilian employment by branch and agency group
353 Table A-13: Federal civilian pay rolls by branch and agency group
354 Table A -14: Civilian Government employment and pay rolls in Washington,
D. C., by branch and agency group
355 Table A-15: Personnel and pay in military branch of Federal Government
B. —Labor Turn-Over
355 Table B -l: Monthly labor turn-over rates (per 100 employees) in manufacturing
industries, by class of turn-over
356 Table B-2: Monthly labor turn-over rates (per 100 employees) in selected
groups and industries
C. —Earnings and Hours
358 Table C -l: Hours and gross earnings in manufacturing and nonmanufacturing
industries
369 Table C-2: Hours and gross earnings of production workers in manufacturing in­
dustries for selected States and areas.
371 Table C-3: Estimated average hourly earnings, gross and exclusive of overtime, of
production workers in manufacturing industries
372 Table C-4: Gross average weekly earnings of production workers in selected in­
dustries, in current and 1939 dollars
372 Table C-5: Gross and net spendable average weekly earnings of production
workers in manufacturing industries, in current and 1939 dollars
373 Table C-6: Average earnings and hours on private construction projects, by type
of firm
336

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337

CURRENT LABOR STATISTICS

D .—Prices and Cost of Living
375 Table D -l: Consumers’ price index for moderate-income families in large cities, by
group of commodities
Consumers’
price index for moderate-income families, by city, for
Table
D-2:
376
selected periods
377 Table D-3: Consumers’ price index for moderate-income families, by city and
group of commodities
378 Table D-4: Indexes of retail prices of foods, by group, for selected periods
379 Table D-5: Indexes of retail prices of foods, by city
380 Table D-6: Average retail prices and indexes of selected foods
381 Table D-7: Indexes of wholesale prices, by group of commodities, for selected
periods
383 Table D-8: Indexes of wholesale prices, by group and subgroup of commodities
E.— Work Stoppages
383 Table E -l: Work stoppages resulting from labor-management disputes
F.— Building and Construction
383 Table F -l: Expenditures for new construction
384 Table F-2: Value of contracts awarded and force-account work started on federally
financed new construction, by type of construction
385 Table F-3: Urban building authorized, by principal class of construction and by
type of building
386 Table F-4: New nonresidential building authorized in all urban places, by general
type and by geographic division
387 Table F-5: Number and construction cost of new permanent nonfarm dwelling units
started, by urban or rural location, and by source of funds

N o t e . — Earlier

figures in many of the series appearing in the following tables are shown in the Handbook of
Labor Statistics, 1947 Edition (BLS Bulletin 916). The Handbook also contains descriptions of the
techniques used in compiling these data and information on the coverage of the different series. For
convenience in referring to the historical statistics, the tables in this issue of the M onthly Labor Review
are keyed to tables in the Handbook.

M LR
table

H andbook
table

A - l __________ _________
A - 2 __________ _________
A - 3 __________ _________
A - 4 __________ _________
A - 5 __________ _________
A - 6 __________ _________
A - 7 __________ _________
A - 8 _________ _________
A - 9 _________ _________
A - 1 0 ________ _________

A -1 2
A -l
A -3
0)
A -2
A -4
(2)
A -5
A -6
(2)

i New or revised series; not ii


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M LR
table

A - l l __________________
A - 1 2 __________________
A - 1 3 __________________
A - 1 4 __________________
A - 1 5 __________________
B - l __________ _________
B - 2 __________ _________
C - l __________ _________
C - 2 __________ _________
C - 3 __________ _________
in Handbook.

H andbook
table

A -6
A -8
0)
A -7
A -9
B -l
B -2
C -l
C)
C -2

M L R
ta b le

H andbook
ta b le

C -4 ____________
(9
C -5 _________________ C -10
C -6 _________________
C -l
D - l _________________
D -l
D - 2 _________________
D -2
D - 3 _________________
D -2
D - 4 _________________
D -4
D -5 _ _ ............ - D -2 and D -3
D - 6 _________________
D -4
D -7 _ _ .................
D -5
¡Not included in 1947

H andbook
ta b le

M L R
ta b le

D - 8 ________ ________
E - l ________ ________
F - l ________ ________
F - 2 ________ ________
F - 3 ________ ________
F -4__ _____ ________
F - 5 ________ ________

of Handbook.

D -6
E -3
H -l
H -2
H -4
(2)
1-3

338

A: EMPLOYMENT AND PAY ROLLS

MONTHLY LABOR

A : Employment and Pay Rolls
T able A -l: Estimated Total Labor Force Classified by Employment Status, Hours Worked, and Sex
Estimated number of persons 14 years of age and over 1 (in thousands)
Labor force

1949
Jan.

1948
Dec.

N ov.2

Oct.

Sept.2

Aug.

July 2

June

M ay

Apr.

Mar.

Feb.

Jan.

Total, both sexes
Total labor forceJ. . . __________________

61, 546

62,828

63,138

63,166

63, 578

64, 511

65,135

64, 740

61,660

61,760

61,006

61,004

60,455

Civilian labor force-......................................
Unemployment......................................
Employm ent................. .........................
Nonagrieultural...............................
Worked 35 hours or more___
Worked 15-34 hours_______
Worked 1-14 hours *_______
With a Job but not at work «.
Agricultural.....................................
Worked 35 hours or more___
Worked 15-34 hours________
Worked 1-14 hours 4________
With a Job but not at work «.

60,078
2, 664
57,414
50,651
41, 314
5, 533
1,899
1,907
6, 763
4,299
1, 725
392
345

61,375
1,941
59,434
52,059
43,425
5,303
1,844
1,488
7,375
5,235
1,680
265
196

61, 724
1,831
59,893
51,932
40,036
8,469
1,877
1, 549
7,961
5, 485
1, 997
279
201

61,775
1,642
60,134
51, 506
42, 451
5,747
1,726
1,583
8, 627
6, 811
1,455
223
140

62, 212
1,899
60,312
51,590
30,372
17,149
1,596
2,472
8,723
6,705
1,636
218
165

63,186
1,941
61, 245
52,801
42,305
4,811
1,447
4,239
8, 444
6,122
1,669
249
405

63,842
2,227
61,615
52,452
32,404
12,147
1,394
6, 508
9,163
7,011
1,767
203
184

63,479
2,184
61,296
51,899
43, 240
4,910
1,403
2,348
9,396
7, 390
1,669
182
154

60,422
1,761
58, 660
50,800
42, 726
4,886
1,637
1,550
7,861
5,936
1, 513
201
211

60, 524
2,193
58,330
50, 883
42,179
4, 902
1,776
2,027
7,448
5,670
1,336
187
255

59,769
2,440
57,329
60,482
42, 576
4,467
1,684
1,753
6, 847
4,754
1,397
265
431

59, 778
2,639
67,139
50,368
40,977
5; 255
1,798
2 ,338
6i 771
3,844
lj 759
386
782

59, 214
2 ,065
57i 149
50,089
42’ 242
4 ,614
l ’ 513
l ’ 721
7 ,060
4,729
il 765
250
315

Males
Total labor force3............................. .............

44,614

45,012

45,182

45, 229

45,453

46, 525

46, 715

46,039

44,519

44, 589

44,228

44, 236

44,071

Civilian labor force____ ______ ________
U nem ploym ent____ ______ ________
Employm ent— ......................................
Nonagrieultural..............................
Worked 35 hours or more___
Worked 15-34 hours_______
Worked 1-14 hours 4_______
W ith a job but not at work 3
Agricultural.....................................
Worked 35 hours or more___
Worked 15-34 hours...............
Worked 1-14 hours 4_______
With a job but not at work «.

43,161
2,011
41,150
35,193
29, 888
3,075
879
1,352
5, 957
4,102
1,261
275
318

43,573
1,411
42,162
35,991
31,469
2,678
763
1,082
6,171
4,813
1,046
143
170

43, 782
1,231
42, 551
36,079
29, 442
4, 719
808
1,110
6,472
5,007
1,120
163
182

43,851
1,088
42, 763
36,016
31,081
3,092
711
1,132
6,747
6, 772
738
124
114

44,101
1,251
42,850
35, 960
23,115
10,577
646
1,622
6,890
5,858
743
138
151

45, 215
1,326
43,889
36,836
31,226
2, 599
563
2,448
7,053
5, 663
882
179
330

45,437
1,448
43, 989
36,633
24,344
7, 766
563
3,962
7,356
6,152
903
145
157

44, 794
1, 375
43,420
36,162
31.700
2,535
597
1,332
7, 257
6, 310
707
111
129

43,298
1,239
42,058
35, 386
31,006
2,565
709
1,105
6,673
5, 525
862
136
150

43,369
1,567
41,801
35,362
30, 575
2,625
787
1,465
6,450
5,321
816
124
189

43,009
1,765
41, 244
35,063
30, 649
2 ,390
729
1,294
6,181
4, 548
1,035
211
387

43,026
1,889
4i; 137
35,046
29,592
2,800
899
1,755
6,091
3,698
1,375
330
688

42, 846
l ’ 574
41; 273
35; 018
30, 719
2, 414
'610
1,275
6,264
4, 505
l ’ 255
' 202
292

Females
Total labor force3...........................................

16,932

17,816

17, 956

17,937

18,125

17,986

18,420

18, 701

17,141

17,171

16, 777

16,768

16,384

Civilian labor force____ ______ ________
Unemployment......................................
E m p lo y m en t-........................................
Nonagrieultural................................
Worked 35 hours or more____
Worked 15-34 hours________
Worked 1-14 hours 4.................
With a job but not at work «_
Agricultural____ ____ __________
Worked 35 hours or more____
Worked 15-34 hours________
Worked 1-14 hours 4________
With a job but not at work

16,917
653
16,264
15,458
11,426
2, 458
1,020
555
806
197
464
117
27

17,802
530
17,272
16,068
11,956
2,625
1,081
406
1,204
422
634
122
26

17, 942
600
17, 342
15,853
10, 594
3, 750
1,069
439
1,489
478
877
116
19

17,924
554
17, 371
15, 490
11,370
2,655
1, 015
451
1,880
1, 039
717
99
26

18,111
648
17,462
15,630
7,257
6, 572
950
850
1,833
847
893
80
14

17,971
615
17,356
15,965
11,079
2,212
884
1,791
1,391
459
787
70
75

18,405
779
17,626
15,819
8,060
4,381
831
2, 546
1,807
869
864
58
27

18,685
809
17,876
15, 737
11, 540
2, 375
806
1,016
2,139
1,080
962
71
25

17,124
522
16,602
15, 414
11,720
2,321
928
445
1,188
411
651
66
61

17,165
626
16, 529
15, 531
11,604
2,377
989
662
998
349
520
63
66

16,760
675
16,085
15,419
11,927
2,077
955
459
666
206
362
54
44

16,752
750
16,002
15,322
11,385
2,455
899
583
680
146
384
56
94

16,368
491
15,876
15,071
11,523
2,200
903
446
806
224
510
48
23

-------

v

'U H O VXVXXJ u UJVXJ XXi a j

1 0 1 5 c J.XI t a o c û

where the quantities shown are relatively small. Therefore, the smaller
estimates should be used with caution. All data exclude persons in institu­
tions. Because of rounding, the individual figures do not necessarily add to
group totals.
2 Census survey week contains legal holiday.
3 Total labor force consists of the civilian labor force and the armed forces.

4 Excludes persons engaged only in incidental unpaid family work (less than
15 hours); these persons are classified as not in the labor force.
6 Includes persons who had a job or business, but who did not work during
the census week because of illness, bad weather, vacation, labor dispute, or
because of temporary lay-off with definite instructions to return to work
withm 30 days of lay-off. Does not include unpaid family workers.
Source: U . S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census.

N o t e . Explanatory notes outlining briefly the concepts, methodology, size of the reporting sample, and
sources used in preparing data presented in tables A -2 through A -15 are contained in the Bureau’s m onthly mimeo­
graphed release, “Em ploym ent and Pay Rolls— Detailed R eport,” which is available upon req u est


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REVIEW , MARCH 1949

339

A: EMPLOYMENT AND PAY ROLLS

T able A-2: Estimated Number of Wage and Salary Workers in Nonagricultural Establishments, by

Industry Division 1
{In thousands]

Industry division
Jan.

Dec.

N ov.

Oct.

Sept.

Aug.

June

July

M ay

Apr.

Mar.

Feb.

Jan.

1943

1939

Total estimated employm ent.......................... 44,329 46,087 45,735 45,877 45,889 45,478 45,098 45,009 44,616 44,299 44,600 44, 279 44,603 42,042

30, 287

M anufacturing_____________ ___________.
M ining.......... .......... ........................... ................
Anthracite__________________________
Bituminous coal____________________
M etal ____________________________
Quarrying and nonm etallic.....................
Crude petroleum and natural gas production 3________________ ____ ____
Contract construction 3______ ______ ____
Transportation and public utilities_______
Transportation_______________ _____ _
Communication. _. ____________ ____
Other public utilities................ ................
T rade............................... ............... ....................
Finance_______________________ _________
Service.......................... ....................................
Government____________________________
Federal____________ ______ ____ ____ _
State and local........ ...............................

10,078
845
89
388
103
76

15, 880 16, 278 16, 455 16, 597 16,697 16,441 16,172 16,115 15,892 15,950 16, 269 16,183 16,267 17,381
924
924
952
935
817
914
922
939
938
941
922
950
917
948
82
82
82
82
82
81
81
82
82
82
83
81
81
83
426
423
309
419
419
421
422
426
395
415
422
437
423
426
102
104
102
100
99
103
103
101
101
103
100
99
100
126
86
97
95
93
90
95
96
98
98
97
87
89
93
90
241
237
240
1,906 2,078 2,162
3,978 4,067 4,066
2, 729 2,810 2,809
734
740
740
515
517
517
9,625 10, 380 10,036
1,709 1,723 1,720
4,546 4, 628 4,644
5, 761 5, 994 5,714
1,876 2,156 1,856
3,885 3, 838 3,858

238
2,206
4,091
2,836
740
515
9,889
1,723
4,641
5,789
1,875
3,914

242
2,239
4,092
2,832
741
619
9, 733
1,732
4,647
5,801
1,873
3,928

246
2,253
4,139
2,869
747
523
9,660
1,761
4,622
5,650
1,855
3,795

246
2,219
4,136
2,873
745
518
9, 646
1,754
4,645
5, 604
1,837
3,767

241
2,173
4,105
2,860
734
511
9,670
1,726
4,663
5,607
1,804
3,803

234
2,052
4,042
2,809
731
502
9,617
1, 716
4,738
5,624
1, 788
3,836

230
1,933
3, 974
2,744
731
499
9, 576
1,704
4,768
5, 577
1,771
3,806

231
1,805
4,032
2,808
728
496
9,598
1,697
4, 729
5,546
1,758
3,788

230
1,731
4,019
2,802
723
494
9, 520
1,690
4,730
5,492
1,746
3, 746

230
1,871
4,020
2,809
719
492
9,622
1,680
4, 723
5,498
1,743
3,755

181
1,567
3,619
2,746
488
385
7,322
1,401
3,786
6,049
2,875
3,174

189
1,150
2, 912
2,080
391
441
6,705
1,382
3,228
3,987
898
3,089

forces are excluded. These estimates have been adjusted to levels indicated
by Federal Security Agency data through 1946 and have been carried forward
from 1946 bench-mark levels, thereby providing consistent series. Data for
the three most recent months are subject to revision.
3 Includes well drilling and rig building.
3 These figures cover all employees of private firms whose major activity is
construction. They are not directly comparable with the construction em­
ployment estimates presented in table 2, p. 1111, of the June 1947 issue of this
publication, which include self-employed persons, working proprietors, and
force-account workers and other employees of nonconstruction firms or public
bodies who engage in construction work, as well as all employees of con­
struction firms. An article presenting this other construction employment
series appeared in the August 1947 issue of this publication, and will appear
quarterly thereafter.

1 Data are based upon reports submitted by cooperating establishments
and therefore differ from employment information obtained by household
interviews, such as the M onthly Report on the Labor Force. The Bureau
of Labor Statistics estimates of employment in nonagricultural establish­
ments differ from those on the M onthly Report on the Labor Force (table
A -l) in several important respects. The Bureau of Labor Statistics data
cover all full- and part-time wage and salary workers in private nonagricul­
tural establishments who worked or received pay during the pay period end­
ing nearest the 15th of the month, in Federal establishments during the pay
period ending just before the first of the month, and in State and local govern­
ment during the pay period ending on or just before the last of the month.
Persons who worked in more than one establishment during the reporting
period would be counted more than once. Proprietors, self-employed per­
sons, domestic servants, unpaid family workers, and personnel of the armed

T able A-3: Estimated Number of Wage and Salary Workers in Manufacturing Industries, by Major

Industry Group 1
[In thousands]
Annual
average

1948

1949
Major industry group
Jan.

Dec.

N ov.

Oct.

Sept.

Aug.

July

June

M ay

Apr.

Mar.

Feb.

Jan.

1943

All manufacturing______________ ________ 15,880 16, 278 16,455 16,597 16,697 16,441 16,172 16,115 15,892 15, 950 16, 269 16,183 16, 267 17,381
Durable goods ________ ____ ________ 8,006 8, 228 8, 299 8,318 8,294 8,188 8,165 8,122 8,114 8,164 8,258 8,167 8,256 10, 297
7,874 8,050 8,156 8,279 8,403 8, 253 8,007 7,993 7,778 7,786 8,011 8,016 8,011 7,084
Nondurable goods_ _______ ______ _
Iron and steel and their products.............. 1,894
714
Electrical machinery____________________
Machinery, except electrical. ___________ 1,537
Transportation equipment, except automo579
biles. _. ________________________ _____
972
Autom obiles.. _____ __________________
454
Nonferrous metals and their products_____
803
Lumber and timber basic products_______
Furniture and finished lumber products.. .
528
525
Stone, clay, and glass products___________
Textile-mill products and other fiber manufactures.. ______ ___________________ 1,322
Apparel and other finished textile products. 1,309
410
Leather and leather products................... .
Food__ _____ __________________________ 1,719
96
Tobacco manufactures___________ ____ _
Paper and allied products_______________
481
Printing, publishing, and allied industries..
728
Chemicals and allied products___________
783
Products of petroleum and coal__________
236
241
Rubber products_______ ________________
Miscellaneous industries_________ _______
549

10,078
4,357
5,720

1,936
730
1,561

1,952
735
1,563

1,955
731
1,569

1,945
725
1,569

1, 928
716
1,564

1, 897
714
1,571

1,904
726
1,577

1,894
727
1, 568

1, 897
742
1,562

1, 929
756
1,587

1,920
763
1, 591

1,925
767
1,583

2,034
914
1, 585

1,171
355
690

585
985
468
875
549
539

588
973
474
908
562
544

583
982
473
918
562
545

572
985
469
930
558
541

542
953
465
930
552
538

561
984
457
912
542
527

562
918
469
881
550
535

565
964
467
851
548
530

589
979
475
833
561
526

589
985
482
827
576
527

589
914
478
813
581
518

598
989
478
816
580
520

2,951
845
525
589
429
422

193
466
283
465
385
349

1,357
1,324
409
1,787
100
491
738
788
240
246
570

1,368
1,338
408
1,840
103
493
734
790
242
249
591

1,371
1,353
421
1,931
103
491
735
789
240
248
597

1,384
1,348
425
2,069
101
487
725
785
245
246
588

1,397
1,329
429
1, 957
99
479
720
775
246
245
577

1,364
1, 235
421
1,903
96
476
716
751
247
240
558

1, 418
1,263
419
1,786
98
477
719
762
245
243
563

1,416
1,247
404
1,610
97
476
718
759
242
243
566

1,425
1,268
418
1,562
99
476
718
767
238
246
569

1,435
1,334
442
1,655
100
480
722
773
238
253
579

1,428
1,333
448
1,658
101
479
724
773
237
257
578

1,413
1,311
445
1,688
101
482
726
774
238
259
574

1,330
1,080
378
1,418
103
389
549
873
170
231
563

1,235
894
383
1,192
105
320
561
421
147
150
311

3 Estimates include all full- and part-time production and nonproduction
workers in manufacturing industries who worked or received pay during the
pay period ending nearest the 15th of the month. These estimates have been
adjusted to levels indicated by Federal Security Agency data through 1946


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

1939

and have been carried forward from 1946 bench-mark levels, thereby provid ing consistent series. Data for the three most recent months are subject to
revision,

340

A: EMPLOYMENT AND PAY ROLLS

MONTHLY LABOR

T able A-4: Estimated Number of Wage and Salary Workers in Nonagricultural Establishments for

Selected States 1
[In thousands]
1948

1947

Region and State
Dec.
New England:
Maine............. ..........
V erm ont3___ _______
Massachusetts______________
Rhode I sla n d ________ .
Connecticut_____.
Middle Atlantic:
New York_________________ _
New Jersey_________ .
Pennsylvania______________
East North Central:
Indiana______________ .
Illinois ____________
Wisconsin_________ ____
West North Central:
Minnesota___
M issouri..._____________
South Atlantic:
M aryland____________________
Georgia___ .,________ ____ _____
East South Central:
Tennessee________________ ____
West South Central:
Texas._____ _____________ _
Mountain:
M ontana_____________________
I d a h o ......................................
N ew Mexico________ .
Arizona_____ _____ _______ .
U tah______________ ______
Nevada 3. . . ........ .........................
Pacific:
Washington............ ................ .......
California.......................................

N ov.

Oct.

Sept.

Aug.

June

M ay

Apr.

Mar.

Feb.

Jan.

Dec.

262
94
1,755
287
780

263
94
1,727
288
775

269
94
1,732
288
776

275
95
1,735
288
771

280
96
1,726
285
761

276
95
1,714
286
762

270
96
1,731
287
766

259
95
1,720
287
768

253
94
1,701
288
773

261
94
1,711
290
773

261
94
1,706
289
766

264
94
1,711
289
770

270
97
1,773
298
792

301
91
1,734

5, 551
1, 585
3, 704

5, 502
1,584
3, 671

5, 513
1,594
3,668

5,500
1,604
3,660

5, 461
1, 599
3,627

5,405
1, 589
3, 586

5,416
1,592
3,609

5,385
1,676
3, 579

5,380
1,568
3, 522

5,400
1.563
3,584

6,375
1, 553
3,546

5,397
l' 561
3, 566

5, 575
1,604
3,662

5, 268
1,782
3,480

1,226
3, 256
1,006

1,215
3,230
1,000

1,220
3,228
1,003

1,237
3,218
1,018

1,203
3,195
1,007

1,205
3,185
1,016

1,207
3,174
993

1,197
3,126
977

1,183
3,110
973

1,194
3,144
974

1,180
3,151
'972

1,186
3,172
'971

1,221
3,225
996

1,191
2,957
885

809
1,158

813
1,144

813
1,153

825
*1,144

823
*1,141

813
*1,140

803
*1,139

782
*1,126

767
*1,120

762
*1,120

764
*1,114

773
*1,125

795
*1,156

566
1.081

724
754

723
751

719
753

720
‘ 749

717
*747

708
*736

707
*742

698
*739

6S6
*738

685
*740

676
*731

682
*737

698
*752

756
733

313

799

750

748

752

756

754

743

743

740

733

734

721

720

722

669

1, 798

1,777

1,768

1,758

1,746

1,740

*1, 725

1,702

*1,693

1,670

1,664

*1,677

1,715

1,644

142
131
129
159
183
47

142
132
129
156
186
48

143
134
129
156
191
48

143
132
129
154
195
49

142
122
128
153
189
50

141
121
127
*155
189
50

139
118
125
*156
184
49

136
117
123
*156
180
48

136
115
120
*156
171
48

133
115
119
*155
173
47

133
115
117
*155
171
47

134
118
118
*155
173
48

138
125
*156
181
49

117
101
95
142
«187
55

672
3,113

676
3,085

685
3,122

688
3,160

677
3,146

674
3,109

655
3,077

641
3,046

659
3,024

653
3,029

649
3,024

651
3,037

668
3,122

726
3,065

1 Revised data in all except the first three columns are identified by an
asterisk for the first month’s publication of such data. Comparable series,
January 1943 to date, are available upon request to U. S. Department of
Labor or cooperating State agency. See table A-5 for addresses of cooperat­
ing State agencies.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

July

Annual
aver­
age
1943

121

3 Does not include contract construction.
3 Average for 1943 may not be strictly comparable with current data.

REVIEW , MARCH 1949

A:

341

EMPLOYMENT A N D PAY ROLLS

T able A-5: Estimated Number of Wage and Salary Workers in Manufacturing Industries, by S ta te1
[In thousands]
1948

1947

Annual
1943 «

Region and State

New England:
Maine 3_______________________
New Hampshire______________
V erm ont3____________________
M assachusetts— ______________
Rhode Island............................ .......
Connecticut3_________________
M iddle Atlantic:
N ew York____ _______ ________
N ew Jersey___________________
Pennsylvania____ ___________
East North Central:
Ohio....................................................
Indiana____ _______
_____
Illinois ....................... ......................
Michigan. ___________________
Wisconsin 3_. ______ _______
West North Central:
M innesota3__________________
Iowa 3 ................... —.......................
M issouri3.. . . . _____
_ ...
North Dakota_________________
South D akota.. ______________
Nebraska_____________ ______
Kansas 3______________________
South Atlantic:
Delaware ______ . ________
Maryland
. . _______ . . . .
District of Columbia__________
Virginia.. _ _________________
West Virginia_________ _____
North Carolina________________
South Carolina_______ ________
Georgia3. ______ ___________ .
Florida 3 ................... ...............
East South Central:
Kentucky ______ _____________
_____ ____
T ennessee3.. .
A labam a3 ______ __________
Mississippi ._ . _____________
West South Central:
Arkansas * . . __________________
Louisiana 3 _. _______________
Oklahoma3-.. . . _____________
T exas... . .
_ . ________
Mountain:
M ontana_____________________
Idaho3
.....................
W yom ing______ ____________
Colorado.
_________________
N ew Mexico 3 . ____ _ . . . . .
Arizona3. . _ j . _____ _
Utah3 . .
______ _____ _ .
N evad a 3__ _ . ______________
PacificWashington___________________
Oregon_______________________
California____________________

Dec.

N ov.

Oct.

Sept.

Aug.

July

June

M ay

Apr.

Mar.

Feb.

Jan.

Dec.

109.3
79.2
36.2
715. 7
139.5
392.4

I ll 2
80.4
36.6
722 8
142.1
396 5

113.7
82.1
36.7
727.9
142.8
397.0

117.9
82.1
37.3
731.3
144.7
397.1

120.2
83.6
37.9
725.6
144.1
392.1

116.5
82.1
37.1
710.0
144.8
393.3

115.2
82.7
37.8
726.1
146.5
396.5

108. 2
81.6
37.7
723. 4
147.0
401.1

106.7
82.6
38.0
729.7
149.9
406.4

115.2
84.4
38.7
745.7
153.6
412.5

116.5
85.6
38.8
745.9
154. 5
412.1

116.9
85.8
39.1
747.3
153. 5
413.2

118.5
85.3
40.0
757.2
1.54.6
417.8

144.4
77.0
41.3
835.6
169.4
504.2

1,839.1 1, 870. 8 1,884.1 1, 888. 5 1,869. 6 1,816.5 1,831.7 1, 829. 0 1, 850.4 1,902.6 1, 906.4 1,905. 8 1,924.6
724.1 ' 740.3
747.8
741.8
740.7
764.0
750.4 ' 743.9
732.8
746.0
753.7
757.3
757.8
1. 498. 9 1,504.0 1, 508.1 1, 508.1 1, 498. 0 1,481.2 1,495.4 1,489.4 1, 497. 5 1, 514.3 1, 513.1 1, 515. 6 1, 527.3

2,115. 7
951.1
1, 579. 3

1,210.6 1, 224.6 1, 226. 5 1. 231.8 1, 224. 5 1, 216.4 1, 228. 2 1,221.3 1,230. 7 1,244.0 1, 243. 9 1, 246.0 1,250. 9
541.9
551. 6
544.1
559. 0
553. 4
556.3
540.0
545.5
542.9
569.4
542.7
552.8
545.8
1, 234. 5 1. 242. 7 1,243.3 1, 243. 8 1, 231.0 1, 227. 4 1,228. 7 1, 203.5 1,198. 0 1, 253. 5 1, 267. 0 1,271.0 1,273.6
962.7
998.5 1, 002. 7 1, 010. 9
988.5
987.8
996.8
970.7 1, 019.6 1, 024.2
993.4 1,002. 0 1, 004.9
445.9
447.9
429.7
434.2
426.5
431.8
434.5
420.0
433.9
426.3
432.5
436.1
430. 7

1,363.3
633.1
1.263.7
1.181.8
442.8

197.5
155.7
345.5
6.6
12.0
42.9
87.8

200. 8
153.8
347.2
6.9
12.2
44.1
87.8

201.9
153.8
349.8
7.0
11.9
43.6
88.3

210.2
153.9
347.3
6.8
11. 6
42.4
87.5

210.0
153.0
349. 1
6.9
11.7
43.1
87.6

206.6
152.1
345.7
7.0
11.8
43.6
87.6

203.3
149.8
343.9
7.1
11.9
43.0
87.6

190.9
135.1
339.3
6.7
11.3
36.1
80.7

188.7
133.8
339.9
6.4
11.3
34.9
75.4

198.0
153.7
346.6
6.3
11.0
42.4
79.8

199.0
154.7
349.2
6.4
11.1
43.0
79.8

200.0
155.5
350.3
6.6
11.2
43.8
81.6

202.0
*1,56. 2
351. 7
6.7
11.3
46.3
83.1

215.1
161.7
412.9
5.6
10.3
60.8
144.2

44.9
227.7
17.1
211.3
132.3
367.3
193.0
271.8
99.7

45.3
233.0
17.0
215.5
132.7
369.3
193.6
277.7
97.3

46.3
235.3
16.9
218. 4
134.1
370.8
193.8
280.0
90.7

48.9
242.4
17.0
217.7
132.9
375.4
194.3
*279. 8
89.9

48.2
239.2
16.7
214.5
133.7
378.9
196.9
*280.3
88.2

46.6
232.8
17.2
211.5
133.3
362.9
195.8
*273. 7
88.0

46.6
229.4
17.1
211.1
133.9
381.7
200.5
*276.3
90.0

45. 8
228.5
17.2
210.8
132. 4
381.4
199.3
*275.1
93.2

46.6
228.2
17.4
212.8
131.9
382.6
199.3
*276. 6
96.5

46. 5
228.9
17.1
213.7
130 9
385.8
200. 5
*281.1
99.4

45.9
228.5
16.8
213.5
130.3
380.4
196.9
*280.1
98.9

45.7
226.9
17.3
213.6
132.4
382.7
198.3
*281. 3
100.3

46.1
229.6
17. 5
215.1
132.5
380.8
198.9
*280.0
97.8

55.2
348.8
15.6
231.9
132.2
399.9
191.8
302.9
136.0

126.8
245.1
224.8
86.6

128.6
250. 5
228. 7
87.0

129.2
256.3
229.1
87.2

128.1
256.3
227.1
87.4

127.4
258.9
228.3
90.6

126.8
255.6
228.9
91.3

127.0
255.7
227.4
89.5

125.9
258.0
227.2
88.1

128.2
257.7
226.5
88.6

129.5
259.9
230.9
90.0

129.4
256.1
230.2
90.5

129.5
255.4
232.7
95.5

130. 4
254.7
230.9
95.7

131.7
255.9
258. 5
95.1

77.1
150.9
66. 7
350.8

79.0
152. 6
67.4
358.0

80.2
153.6
67.9
352.8

79.5
*155. 7
67.2
351.4

79.6
*155.6
66.9
353.6

78.8
*150. 0
66.7
352.9

79.0
*148.7
68.9
354.8

77.4
*147.9
65.2
341.7

74.9
*148. 3
65.5
338.7

73.0
*145. 9
62.6
337.0

69.8
*142. 6
62.6
340.1

71.9
*150.4
64.0
342.7

76.1
*150. 9
64.7
346.6

76.7
166.1
99.7
424.8

18.1
20.9
6.4
55.9
9. 9
15. 2
28.2
3. 3

18. 6
23.4
7.2
59.2
10.1
15.1
30.9
3.4

18.8
26.0
7.4
60.2
10.1
14.8
31. 6
3.4

18.1
24.8
6.8
58.3
10.4
*13.8
32.8
3.5

18.0
20.1
6.8
56.9
10.5
*15.1
29.1
3.6

18.1
20.6
6.8
56.5
10.4
*15.8
29.4
3.4

17.7
18.8
6.8
56.3
10.0
*15.4
26.7
3.4

17.1
18.1
6.5
53.3
9.3
*15.2
25.2
3.3

17.1
16.7
6.3
54.0
8.8
*14.9
23.3
3.3

17.2
16.9
6.2
55.5
8.2
*14.7
24.4
3.3

17.3
17. 6
6. 1
55.1
8.2
14.6
24.1
3.3

17.7
18. 2
6.1
57.2
8.3
14.7
25.1
3.3

18. 5
19.5
7.0
61.0
8.6
14.7
26.9
3.3

15.7
15.9
5.1
67.5
7.9
19.4
33.5
7.9

176.9
109.9
725.1

186.0
113.3
737.1

191.6
118.8
768.0

190.5
121.5
801.7

183.1
121.2
771.6

179.9
117.3
741.3

163.4
112.8
713.0

152. 4
110.7
696.3

175.3
110.2
695. 8

173.7
110.2
700.4

173.0
109.2
703. 5

173.0
109.8
705.0

174.6
111.4
715.1

285.6
192.1
1,165. 5

i Revised data in all except the first three columns are identified by an
asterisk for the first month’s publication of such data. Comparable series,
January 1943 to date are available upon request to U. S. Department of Labor
or cooperating State Agency listed below.
1 Average for 1943 may not be strictly comparable with current data for
those States now based on Standard Industrial Classification.
3 Series based on Standard Industrial Classification.
C o o p e r a tin g S ta te A g e n c ie s :

Alabama—Department of Industrial Relations, Montgomery 5.
Arizona—Unemployment Compensation Division, Employment Secu­
rity Commission, Phoenix.
Arkansas—Employment Security Division, Department of Labor,
Little Rock.
California—Division of Labor Statistics and Research, Department of
Industrial Relations, San Francisco 3.
Connecticut—Employment Security Division, Department of Labor and
Factory Inspection, Hartford 15.
Delaware—Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, Philadelphia 1, Pa.
Florida—Unemployment Compensation Division, Industrial Commis­
sion, Tallahassee.
Georgia—Employment Security Agency, Department of Labor, Atlanta
3.
Idaho—Employm ent Security Agency, Industrial Accident Board,
Boise.
Illinois—Department of Labor, Chicago 1.
Indiana—Employment Security Division, Indianapolis 4.
Iowa—Employment Security Commission, Des Moines 8.
Kansas—State Labor Department, Topeka.
Kentucky—Department of Economic Security, Frankfort.
Louisiana—Division of Employment Security, Department of Labor,
Baton Rouge 4.
Maine—Unemployment Compensation Commission, Augusta.
Maryland—Department of Employment Security, Baltimore 2.

824906-49-

6


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

Massachusetts—Division of Statistics, Department of Labor and In
dustries, Boston 10.
Michigan—Department of Labor and Industry, Lansing 13.
Minnesota—Division of Employment and Security, Department of So­
cial Security, St. Paul 1.
Missouri—Division of Employment Security, Department of Labor and
Industrial Relations, Jefferson City.
Montana—Unemployment Compensation Commission, Helena.
Nebraska—Division of Placement and Unemployment Insurance, D e­
partment of Labor, Lincoln 1.
Nevada—Employment Security Department, Carson City.
New Hampshire—Unemployment Compensation Division, Bureau of
Labor, Concord.
New Jersey—Department of Labor, Trenton 8.
New Mexico—Employment Security Commission, Albuquerque.
New York—Division of Placement and Unemployment Insurance, D e­
partment of Labor, New York 17.
North Carolina—Department of Labor, Raleigh.
Oklahoma—Employment Security Commission, Oklahoma City 2.
Pennsylvania—Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, Philadelphia 1
(manufacturing); Bureau of Research and Information, Department
of Labor and Industry, Harrisburg (nonmanufacturing).
Rhode Island—Division of Census and Information, Department of
Labor, Providence 2.
Tennessee—Department of Employment Security, Nashville 3.
Texas—Bureau of Business Research, University of Texas, Austin 12.
Utah—Department of Employment Security, Industrial Commission,
Salt Lake City 13.
Vermont—Unemployment Compensation Commission, Montpelier.
Virginia—Division of Research and Statistics, Department of Labor and
Industry, Richmond 21.
Washington—Employment Security Department, Olympia.
Wisconsin—Statistical Department, Industrial Commission, Madison 3.
Wyoming—Employment Security Commission, Casper.

342

A: EMPLOYMENT AND PAY ROLLS
T able

MONTHLY LABOR

A-6: Estimated Number of Production Workers in Manufacturing Industries 1
[In thousands]
1949

Annual
average

1948

Industry group and industry
Jan.

Oct.

N ov.

Dec.

Sept.

Aug.

July

June

M ay

Apr.

Mar.

Feb.

Jan.

1943

All manufacturing........ .................................... 12,673 13,055 13,233 13,375 13, 488 13, 245 12,987 12, 959 12, 738 12, 791 13,131 13,066 13,150 14,560
Durable goods___________ _____ _____
6,525 6,735 6,807 6, 822 6,803 6, 709 6,681 6,662 6,642 6, 683 6,791 6, 711 6,795 8, 727
Nondurable goods___________________ 6,148 6, 320 6, 426 6,553 6,685 6, 536 6,306 6, 297 6,096 6,108 6,340 6,355 6, 355 5,834

1939
8,192
3,611
4,581

D u r a b l e goods

Iron and steel and their products >. _____
Blast furnaces, steel works, and rolling
mills_________ . . . . ___________
Qray-iron and semisteel castings______
Malleable-iron castings______________
Steel castings. . ___ _______________
Cast-iron pipe and fittings___________
T in cans and other tinw are.. _ ______
Wire drawn from purchased rods_____
Wirework . . . ___________________
Cutlery and edge tools_______________
Tools (except edge tools, machine tools,
files, and saw s). __________________
Hardware . _____________________
Plumbers’ supplies__ . ___________
Stoves, oil burners, and heating equipment, not elsewhere classified ______
Steam and hot-water heating apparatus
and steam fittings ___________ .
Stamped and enameled ware and galvanizing_ _ ______________________
Fabricated structural and ornamental
metalwork________________________
M etal doors, sash, frames, molding,
and t r im ____ __________________
Bolts, nuts, washers, and rivets______
Forgings, iron and s t e e l ____ ______
Wrought pipe, welded and heavyriveted
Screw-machine products and wood
screws
Steel barrels, kegs, and drums .
Firearms ___ _ ______________ ____

1,597 1,638

Electrical m achinery2 ______ __________
Electrical equipment ______________
Radios and phonographs
Communication equipment__________

536

Machinery, except electrical2____________
Machinery and machine-shop products.
Engines and turbines______________ .
Tractors.
Agricultural machinery, excluding
tractors
. . . . . . . __ .
Machine t o o ls ._____ ______________
Machine-tool accessories__ ___ _
Textile machinery____ _ .
Pumps and pumping equipment .
Typewriters __________ _______
Cash registers; adding, and calculating
machines .
. ...
Washing machines, wringers, and
driers, domestic
Sewing machines, domestic and indu strial.......... .......
Refrigerators and refrigeration equipm ent____________ __________

1,179

Transportation equipment, except automobiles________ _______ ______________
Locomotives___. . . _______________ _
Cars, electric- and steam-railroad..
Aircraft and parts, excluding aircraft
engines _______
Aircraft e n g in es_________ ________
Shipbuilding and boatbuilding___ .
Motorcycles, bicycles, and parts__

444

1,657

1, 654

1,648

1,631

1,601

1,610

1,600

1,634

1,603

1,628

1,634

1,761

991

542.8
113.1
39.0
74.9
30.0
46.4
28.8
42.2
24.3

538.2
115.5
38.6
75.1
29.9
47.0
28.7
42.1
25. 0

535.0
115.8
38.5
75.0
29.3
48.7
29.1
42.1
24.3

535.1
114.9
38.6
74.7
29.4
50.1
28.6
42.8
23.9

535.8
112.3
37.4
73.1
29.5
49.1
28.4
42.4
22.5

526.5
110.4
36.1
71.8
28.9
47.3
28.0
41.8
21.8

523.0
114.6
37.9
73.3
28.9
44. 7
28.7
40.2
22.1

517.7
112.9
37.3
72.1
28.4
42.8
29.4
41.1
23.1

511.8
116.6
37.2
72.3
27.6
42.1
30.1
41.9
23. 7

516.1
119.9
37.9
73.0
28.3
44.5
30.6
43.4
24.0

508.5
120.5
37.8
72.3
28.0
45. 7
30.9
42.5
24. 6

508.8
120. 4
37.9
71.3
28. 7
47.4
31.4
43. 5
24.7

516. 7
88.4
28. 8
90.1
18.0
32. 4
36.0
32. 8
21.8

24.4
54.2
42.4

24. 5
54.1
42.6

24.6
53.8
42.4

24.7
53.5
41.3

24.6
53.0
40.4

24.6
52.2
38.8

25.1
52. 7
40.3

25.2
54.6
39.3

25.5
55.9
39.4

25. 7
57.2
40.2

25.8
56.9
40. 0

25.9
56.0
40.0

27.8
45.3
25.0

388. 4
62.2
19^2
32.1
17.6
31 8
22.0
30 4
15.4
tiP
15. 3
35. 7
26.2

76. 4

87. 6

93.3

92.0

88.5

81.8

83.0

83.7

81.9

87.5

91.0

93.1

60. 4

49.2

65.3

66.1

66.6

65.3

63.9

60. 0

63. 8

64.0

63.0

66.0

66.5

65. 9

64. 4

32.3

113.5

117. 6

116. 5

114.3

114.9

116.0

116.9

116.8

118.1

120.1

121.2

121. 6

97.0

59 2

65.6

65. 8

66.3

65.0

64.2

62.5

62.8

63.2

63.8

63.9

63.4

63. 7

71. 0

35.5

10.9
28.7
38.4

11.3
28. 4
38. 2

11.2
28.3
37.4

11.0
28.1
36.9

10.9
27.9
35.3

10. 4
28.1
35.1

10.4
28.5
34.9

10. 2
28.6
35.1

10.1
28.9
36. 7

10. 5
28.9
37.5

10.2
28. 7
37.6

10. 8
28. 7
37. 8

12. 8
31.6
43.6

7. 7
15. 2
16. 4

19. 5

19 7

19.9

19. 8

19. 7

19. 8

20.1

18.8

18. 8

19 2

19.1

19.8

28 4

35.3
7.9
22.4

35 5
7. 8
22. 4

35. 5
7.9
22.1

35. 0
8.0
21. 7

35.1
8.1
21.4

35. 2
7.9
21. 5

35.9
7.9
21 4

36. 4
7.6
21. 2

36. 8
7. 7
21. 0

36. 8
7.9
20. 8

36.6
8.1
20. 4

36 1
8 4
20 0

53. 8
8. 5
71. 7

552
363.4
97. 2
91.5

557
367 9
95 9
93. 5

553
367.1
93.1
92.4

548
368. 6
89 7
89.7

538
363.9
86.9
87.5

535
362. 3
85 9
87. 0

547
367. 7
89 0
90. 3

548
368. 3
90 0
90.0

563
376. 0
93 4
93.9

577
382.9
97 6
96.5

584
387. 7
99 2
97. 2

588
389 7
100 3
98 2

741
497. 5
124 1
119. 3

259
182. 7
44 0
32 5

1,202 1,204 1,209 1,208 1,202 1,209 1,217 1,207 1,202 1,232 1,237 1,231 1,293
506.0 505.6 506.7 509.0 502.2 505.9 511.8 507.9 514.4 518.6 521.3 518.5 586.0
52.6
52. 5
52.1
52.4
54.4
50.5
51.5
52.1
53. 5
53.9
54.7
79. 5
54. 6
61.6
59.8
59.2
60.9
60.0
60.4
56.3
61.9
61.4
52. 4
61.1
44.8
62.2

529
207.6
18.7
31.3

8.9
n
6 5
5. 3

18

77.1
47.3
54. 4
41.6
69.4
18.4

76 2
47. 5
54 5
41 6
69.1
18.9

75.9
47.6
54. 7
41.6
68.9
20.6

72.8
48.0
55.3
41.8
69.1
21.0

72.6
47.8
55.1
41.8
67.9
22.1

74.9
46.8
51. 8
41. 4
68 5
22.9

76.3
47.0
55. 4
42 0
70.0
23.7

75. 2
47. 5
55. 4
41.6
71.6
23.8

76.2
47.7
55. 5
4L 4
72 2
24.1

75.9
49.2
55.9
4L 1
73. 7
24.9

74. 6
50. 4
56 3
40. 8
75. 4
25.1

72 3
50. 4
56 4
40 7
75 5
25.8

45.1
109.7
105. 4
28. 5
92 8
12.0

28. 5
36.6
25. 8
21. 9
24 9
16.2

43.8

44.1

44.2

44.9

44.6

45.2

45.8

45.6

46.3

46.1

45.9

45.3

34.8

19.7

12. 5

15.5

15.7

15.7

15.6

15.7

16.4

16.0

16.2

16.3

16.5

16.2

13.3

7.5

15.0

14.9

14.8

14.6

14.3

14.0

14.0

13.9

13.8

13.7

13.5

13.4

10.7

7.8

79.3

79.5

81.0

81. 7

82.3

84.3

84.8

82.5

79.7

81.0

81.6

82.6

54.4

35.2

451
26.5
56.1

453
26. 5
55.9

449
26.6
64. 5

439
26. 5
54. 5

414
17.2
54.6

430
26.4
54. 5

434
26. 3
55.0

438
26. 4
53.9

462
26. 6
53.9

465
26.6
54.4

464
26 5
54.0

472 2, 508
26 3
34.1
60.5
55.9

159
6. 5
24.5

150. 5
28.5
92.7
12.0

149
28
94
13

145.3
27. 5
97.3
13. 8

138. 5
26.7
97. 5
13.3

133. 5
21.6
99. 5
11.6

130 3
25. 6
103. 4
10 8

127 6
25. 9
108 9
12 4

125 1
25.1
116.1
12. 9

137
24
122
14

136
24
125
14

135
24
127
14

134
25
132
14

8
0
5
6

2
8
5
4

1
6
8
8

3
9
7
6

7 794.
3 233. 5
9 1.225.2
5
10. 0

39.7
8 9
69.2
7.0

Automobiles.......................... .............................

776

782

777

782

788

763

787

739

767

772

784

720

789

714

402

Nonferrous metals and their products 2___
Smelting and refining, primary, of
nonferrous metals______ . .
Alloying; and rolling and drawing of
nonferrous metals, except aluminum.
Clocks and watches________ ______ _
Jewelry (precious metals) and jewelers’
findings_________________________
Silverware and plated w a r e ...................

385

398

404

403

399

395

388

399

398

406

413

409

409

449

229

See footnotes at end of table.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

41.2

41.4

41.2

40.2

41.4

41.9

42 0

41.4

41.0

40.8

40.2

39.9

56.4

27.6

54.7
27. C

54.5
28. S

54.6
28. 8

54.3
28.6

52.9
27.5

51.9
25.9

52.6
28.3

52.6
28.3

53.7
28.5

54.6
28.8

53.1
28.6

53.6
28.6

75.8
25.2

38.8
20.3

26.8
27.7

27. 5
28.3

27. 5
28.1

27.1
27.7

26.3
27.4

25.8
26.5

96 3
27.4

26 4
27.2

27 1
27.5

27 6
27.5

27 5
27.1

27 3
26.8

20 5
15.1

14. 4
12 1

REVIEW , MARCH 1949

A: EMPLOYMENT AND PAY ROLLS

343

T able A-6: Estimated Number of Production Workers in Manufacturing Industries1—Continued
[In thousands]
1949

Annual
average

1948

Industry group and industry
Jan.
Durable

Dec.

N ov.

Oct.

Sept.

Aug.

July

June

M ay

Apr.

Mar.

Feb.

Jan.

1943

1939

poods—Continued

Nonferrous metals and their products2—Con.
Lighting equipment....... ...........................
Alum inum manufactures_____________
Sheet-metal work, not elsewhere classi­
fied..............................................................

30.9
40.6

31.8
40.9

31.9
40.1

32.2
38.5

31.6
39.5

30.2
39.3

30. £
42.

30.4
42.7

31.
44.

33.1
45.2

37. £

33.9
45.2

33.6
45.3

28.2
79.4

20.5
23.5

36.6

37.1

37.3

37.0

37.3

36.8

36.4

36.7

38.3

38.4

38.8

37.9

18.7

Lumber and timber basic products2______
Sawmills and logging camps__________
Planing and plywood m ills.__................

720

788
635.2
152.9

821
667.2
154.1

831
678.2
152.8

843
691.4
152.1

844
692.1
152.5

829
681.1
148.3

799
654.5
145.8

772
627.7
144.0

754
749
611. C 606.9
142.7 142.3

736
594.1
141.1

738
597.7
140.8

535
435.8
99.2

420
313.7
79.1

Furniture and finished lumber products 2. .
Mattresses and bedsprings___________
Furniture.................................................
Wooden boxes, other than cigar.............
Caskets and other morticians’ goods__
Wood preserving__ ____ ____________
Wood, turned and shaped..... ..................

440

462
33.4
254.1
34.8
18.8
16.8
33.4

470
35.7
256.5
35.4
19.5
17.0
33.9

470
37.1
255.6
34.9
19.2
17.1
34.5

466
36.8
252.5
34.4
19.5
17.5
34.3

461
35.2
249.7
34.6
19.4
17.7
34.6

452
33.2
244.4
35.6
18.9
17.2
33.6

459
33.4
248.Ì
35.6
19.4
16. £
35.4

458
33. ¿
249.6
34.8
19. £
16.5
34.3

470
34.9
256.2
36.0
20.Î
16.2
35.0

485
37.0
263.7
37.0
20. £
16.7
35.7

490
38.6
266.2
37.6
20.7
16.7
35.1

489
38.7
265.1
37.8
21.0
17.6
34.3

366
21.7
200.0
35.4
14.2
12.4
26.4

328
20.5
177.9
28. 3
13.9
12.6
24.6

Stone, clay, and glass products 2. ..................
Glass and glassware..................................
Glass products made from purchased
glass_______________ ______________
C em en t...................... ................... ............
Brick, tile, and terra cotta_______ ____
Pottery and related products..... .............
G y p su m .......... ...........................................
Wallboard, plaster (except gypsum),
and mineral wool................ ....................
Lim e___________ ______ ____________
Marble, granite, slate, and other prod­
u c ts ............................................................
A brasives.....................................................
Asbestos products..... .................................

448

462
118.8

467
121.8

468
123.2

464
122.9

461
119.7

450
114.9

458
120.5

454
121.5

451
121.8

452 ■
121.7

443
118.8

445
121.0

360
99.8

294
71.4

14.7
37.0
83.1
61.6
7.5

14.7
37.2
83.5
61.5
7.8

14.4
36.9
83.5
61.0
7.9

13.9
36.2
83.6
60.3
7.8

13.9
36.9
83.4
60.0
7.8

14.3
37. C
81.9
57.0
7.8

14.2
36.5
82.1
59. C
7.6

14.1
36.0
79.6
58.5
7.5

14.2
35.5
77.9
57.9
7.5

14.4
35.3
77.3
58.9
7.6

14.3
35.2
75.3
57.8
7.6

14.4
35.2
78.0
57.4
7.5

11.3
27.1
52.5
45.0
4.5

10.0
24.4
58.0
33.8
4.9

14.8
10.7

14.9
10.7

14.8
10.7

14.7
10.8

14.7
10.8

14.7
10.8

14.5
10.7

14.5
11.0

14.5
11.1

14.3
10.9

14.4
10.7

14.5
10.7

11.1
9.3

8.1
9.5

19.2
20.7
25.1

19.0
20.5
25.6

19.0
20.6
25.7

18.9
20.5
24.9

19.0
20.7
25.1

18.7
21.1
24.1

18.5
20.5
25.0

18.1
20.1
25.1

17.9
20.1
25.2

18.4
20.1
25.3

17.9
19.7
25.1

18.0
15.8
25.1

12.5
23.4
22.0

18.5
7.7
15.9

—

N o n d u r a b l e goods

Textile-mill products and other fiber man­
ufactures 2. ............ ............................... ......... 1,200 1,236 1,245 1,249 1,261 1,274 1,243 1,295 1,293 1,301 1,312 1,306 1,292 1,237
Cotton manufactures, except smallwares..................... .....................................
507.5 508.9 511.4 516.9 521.5 509.9 527.7 524.7 526.4 529.4 525.3 523.6 526.3
Cotton smallwares___________________
13.1
13.4
13.3
13.4
13.5
13.4
14.4
14.9
14.0
14.9
14.6
14.6
17.8
Silk and rayon goods___________ _____
120.8 122.0 122.4 122.1 121.5 116.5 121.2 120.3 120.1 120.0 119.2 115.5 104.1
Woolen and worsted manufactures, ex­
cept dyeing and finishing__________
156.5 158.2 159.6 165.8 169.8 167.5 173.8 173.2 175.0 178.3 179.5 177.4 174.1
Hosiery.........................................................
140.5 142.3 141.7 141.7 143.7 135.3 145.6 147.0 149.7 151.9 150.8 149.5 125.9
Knitted cloth_______________________
11.2
11.5
11.3
11.1
11.2
11.1
11.2
11.5
11.7
11.8
11.7
11.6
12.6
33.2
Knitted outerwear and knitted gloves..
33.9
32.8
31.8
31.7
30.3
33.1
33.8
33.4
33.9
34.0
32.9
34.8
Knitted underwear__________________
43.6
46.1
47.9
49.1
50.1
50.2
54.1
51.8
53.5
52.3
53.8
52.8
44.9
Dyeing and finishing textiles, includ­
ing woolen and w orsted.......................
92.5
91.9
91.5
91.1
93.1
95.1
95.5
91.7
91.0
94.2
95.0
94.4
80.2
Carpets and rugs, wool______________
40.7
40.7
40.8
40.7
40.0
40.0
40.0
39.4
39.7
39.4
39.0
38.4
24.5
Hats, fur-felt................................................ .
11.7
12.0
11.5
12.5
13.3
13.7
12.3
13.4
12.9
12.7
13.7
13.7
11.0
Jute goods, except felts..............................
4.3
4.3
4.1
4.0
4.3
4.3
4.3
4.1
4.2
4.3
4.2
4.2
4.0
Cordage and twine__________________
14.9
15.1
14.9
15.3
15.4
15.8
16.2
16.4
16.7
17.1
17.2
18.3
16.8
Apparel and other finished textile prod­
ucts________ ______ _____________ _____
1,129 1,145 1,159 1,175 1,173 1,157 1,070 1,095 1,082 1,103 1,165 1,166 1,147
M en’s clothing, not elsewhere classified.
303.2 307.8 319.2 320.4 318.9 296.5 314.4 309.8 310.0 314.5 311.3 308.1
Shirts, collars, and nightwear________
73.7
77.7
78.1
77.4
76.9
75.8
80.0
80.9
82.0
82.2
82.0
81.6
Underwear and neckwear, men’s_____
19.1
19.5
18.1
18.9
17.9
16.7
18.2
18.4
18.7
18.7
19.0
18.1
Work shirts................................... ................
18.1
18.9
18.8
18.2
18.5
18.6
18.6
18.2
17.9
17.5
16.8
15.8
Women’s clothing, not elsewhere classi­
fied_____________________ _________
485.3 488.3 488.8 490.3 478.8 437.0 435.4 427.6 440.0 481.7 485.3 476.2
Corsets and allied garments__________
19.3
19.2
19.3
19.0
18.6
17.3
18.1
19.9
20.1
18.5
19.2
19.7
M illin e r y ..............
.
23.8
22.1
27.9
25.8
24.8
24.8
22.2
20.0
20.5
26.4
23.6
27.6
H andkerchiefs...........................................
5.5
5.5
5.3
4.9
5.0
4.0
4.9
5.1
5.1
4.9
5.0
5.0
Curtains, draperies, and bedspreads__ .
25.6
27.4
27.9
27.1
25.1
26.4
28.6
26.4
33.8
27.7
30.6
31.6
Housefumishings, other than curtains,
e t c ..................
.
32.2
33.2
32.2
31.4
30.4
28.1
30.4
29.2
27.9
27.7
30.0
29.0
Textile bags................................................. ..
30.3
29.8
29.6
29.2
28.9
28.1
27.8
27.1
26.8
26.8
27.3
28.2

1,144
418.4
14.1
126.6
157.7
168.0
11.5
29.7
40.7
70.6
27.0
15.4
3.8
12.8

958
265.9
67.2
16.3
18.5

790
229.6
74.0
17.0
14.1

345.3
16.5
23.3
5.7
25.2

286.2
18.8
25.5
5.1
17.8

24.0
19.6

11.2
12.6

340
46.5
19.2
205.6
15.4
13.7

347
50.0
20.0
230.9
10.0
8.3

Food 2___..................... ...................................... 1,182 1,253 1,306 1,400 1,537 1,418 1,364 1,257 1,091 1,047 1,149 1,159 1,191 1,056
Slaughtering and meat packing............ . .
218.2 205.3 197.7 195.2 196.8 201.3 199.6 124.5 104.0 193.6 199.9 209.7 174.0
Butter...... .......................................................
35.0
34.6
35.5
36.6
38.2
39.6
40.5
36.9
34.3
39.2
32.0
32.6
33.2
Condensed and evaporated m ilk...............
18.7
19.5
20.3
21.9
21.1
22.6
18.4
23.0
21.6
20.5
19.3
18.8
19.9
Ice c r e a m ..._________________________
23.9
24.3
26.2
29.6
31.8
32.8
24.4
31.6
29.2
27.1
23.6
23.6
23.0
F lour.................................................... ...........
41.5
41.7
40.1
41.5
42.3
42.7
41.4
39.9
40.3
40.7
41.8
32.9
40.1
Feeds, prepared_____ _______________ _
28.9
28.9
29.2
27.4
29.3
29.5
29.3
27.9
28.7
26.6
26.3
29.3
25.0
See footnotes at end of table.

855
135.0
20.1
10.9
17.6
27.8
17.3

Leather and leather products 2.......... .........
Leather_______
.
Boot and shoe cut stock and findings___
Boots and shoes.......................
.
Leather gloves and m ittens___________ .
Trunks and suitcases..................................


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

365

______

364
47.3
17.0
232.7
10.6
12.8

363
46.4
17.0
229.5
12.4
14.2

376
47.7
17.6
238.5
12.8
14.6

379
48.0
17.9
241.0
13.0
14.3

383
47.7
18.1
244.8
13.2
13.8

375
47.2
17.7
239.5
12.8
13.3

373
47.9
17.8
236.6
12.9
13.3

359
47.5
17.3
225.5
12.4
13.2

372
47.6
17.7
235.9
12.2
13.3

396
49.2
18.9
254.1
12.5
13.9

402
50.3
19.5
257.8
12.5
14.0

399
50.2
19.7
256.2
12.2
13.3

MONTHLY LABOR

A: EMPLOYMENT AND PAY ROLLS

344

T able A-6: Estimated Number of Production Workers in Manufacturing Industries ^ C on tin u ed
[In thousands]

In d u str y g rou p and

A n n u al
average

1948

1949
in d u s tr y
D ec.

Jan.

N o v .

O ct.

S e p t.

A ug.

J u ly

M ar.

Jan.

F eb .

1943

June

M a y

A pr.

1939

1 3 .0
2 4 7 .8
2 2 .1

1 2 .8
2 4 2 .2

1 2 .2

1 2 .1

1 2 .4

1 2 .1

1 1 .4

8 .4

2 3 9 .5

2 3 8 .7
2 4 .2

2 3 6 .4
2 2 .2

1 9 0 .4

2 0 .8

2 4 1 .7
2 3 .5

2 1 1 .3

2 1 .4

1 6 .7

1 5 .9

N o n d u r a b le goods— C o n t i n u e d
F o o d 1— C o n t i n u e d
C e r e a l p r e p a r a t i o n s _____________________________
" R a k in g
_ _______________________

1 3 .8

1 3 .9

5 1 .0
2 5 .3
9 .1

2 5 0 .0

2 5 .0
1 0 .6
8 1 .1
4 6 .6

7 1 .6
4 9 .6

6 3 .0
5 0 .3

6 4 .5
4 6 .2

6 .6
6 2 .1

5 .7
6 7 .1

7 2 .5

7 7 .3

8 2 .0

1 0 .1
5 9 .5

1 1 .6
5 5 .7

4 3 .0

4 3 .4

4 0 .5

3 8 .4

37.4
75.2
142.2

32.2
54.3
188.5

23.8
40.5
150.3

87
33.6
45.8

91
33.9
47.5

93
27.4
55.8

1 3 .1

1 3 .2

__

2 5 8 .0
2 2 .4

_ __________________________
_ _ ________________________

1 0 .8
8 2 .4

2 5 5 .7
2 2 .4
2 5 .2

S u g a r r e f i n i n g , e ,a n e
Sugar, b eet
C o n fe c tio n e r y

1 3 .2
2 5 3 .2

1 2 .5
2 5 1 .7
2 4 .2

__

B e v e r a g e s , n o n a l c o h o l i c ............. ................. ...........

Malt liquors
______________
Canning and preserving
___
83

Tobacco manufactures 1........................ ...........
_________________
Cigarettes
Cigars
___________________
Tobacco (chewing and smoking) and
snnfF
_______ ___ ____

2 5 .0
8 8 .9

2 5 .8
7 .5

7 .3

5 .9

6 .8

1 1 .1

3 9 .5

8 9 .8
4 0 .4

77.9
163.1

80.7
195.2

81.3
289.1

86.0
444.4

87.8
326.2

88.2
274.3

83.1
186.9

73.6
153.2

77.3
140.7

74.8
135.5

36.1
74.1
136.8

87
34.1
45.2

90
35.1
47.2

90
35.1
46.5

88
34.9
44.9

86
34.5
44.1

83
33.6
41.7

85
33.3
43.6

84
33.1
43.7

86
33.2
45.2

87
33.2
46.2

88
33.5
46.2

7.8

7.8

7.9

7.8

7.8

7.6

7.7

7.6

7.7

7.8

7.9

7.9

9.3

10.1

Paper and allied products 1______________
Paper and pulp
Paper goods, other _________________
"Envelopes
______________
Paper bags
_ _ ________
Paper boxes
_ __________________

391 401
207.0
63.5
13.2
16.8
99.9

403
206.6
63.6
13.2
17.0
101.5

401
206.0
63.5
12.9
17.8
99.8

398
206.7
62.7
12.6
17.8
97.0

394
206.7
61.8
12.3
17.7
94.8

388
205.8
60.5
12.3
17.4
90.9

390
204.2
61.7
12.5
17.5
92.8

389
204.7
61.5
12.7
17.6
91.4

389
203.7
61.4
12.7
18.0
92.7

393
203.8
62.0
12.7
18.2
95.2

392
203.0
61.9
12. 5
18.0
96.5

395
203.0
62.6
12.4
18.1
97.7

324
160.3
50.2
10.2
13.1
89.6

265
137. 8
37.7
8.7
11.1
69.3

Printing, publishing, and allied industries
"Newspapers and periodicals
Printing book and job
Rithoeraphing
_______
Rookbinding

436 443
152.3
188.7
31.3
34.5

442
151.0
187.8
31.4
35.1

442
150.7
188.8
31.4
34.9

436
149.4
185.4
31.1
34.4

432
147.7
183.1
31.2
34.8

430
146.8
183.0
31.2
33.3

433
146.9
184.4
31.1
35.1

432
146.4
184.2
30.9
35.1

432
145.0
183.2
31.3
35.9

435
144.8
185.4
31.4
37.2

438
144.1
187.7
31.8
37.4

439
143. 6
189.7
32.0
37.6

331
113.0
138.7
25.9
29.4

328
118.7
127.6
26.3
25.8

Chemicals and allied products 1__________
Paints varnishes, and colors
"Drugs medicines, and insecticides
Perfumes aod cosmetics
Roap
____________
Rayon and allied products ___ ______
Chemicals, not elsewhere classified____
"Explosives and safety fuses
Compressed and liquefied gases..............
Ammunition, small-arms
Ei reworks
Cottonseed oil. __ _ _ ______________
Fertilizers
_______________________

594 597
47.6
64.4
12.3
26.5
64.8
211.2
27.4
... 9.5
7.2
2.4
25.7
28.7

599
48.1
64.8
12.9
26.5
63.9
210.7
27.4
9.5
7.4
2.6
27.2
28.7

600
48.7
64.4
12.8
27.2
63.9
210.0
27.7
9.9
7.4
2.6
27.3
28.8

597
48.6
64.2
12.5
27.0
63.7
210.9
27.6
9.8
7.5
2.8
23.4
28.7

586
49.7
63.9
12.4
25.1
64.9
211.2
27.8
10.1
7.5
2.7
14.3
26.8

567
49.1
63.4
10.8
24.0
64.4
202.0
27.4
10.0
7.7
2.2
12.5
25.5

574
49.1
63.6
10.9
23.7
64.3
207.6
26.7
10.1
7.8
2.5
12.7
27.2

572
48.7
63.6
11.0
21.7
63.4
204.8
25.7
10.0
7.8
2.6
13.6
32.3

580
48.0
64.2
11.2
21.8
63.5
207.2
25.6
10.0
7.8
2.4
15.2
36.7

587
48.6
65.2
11.6
24.9
63.7
205.4
25.8
9.9
7.8
2.4
17.6
38.1

588
49.3
65.6
12.1
25.4
63.7
205.5
25.5
9.8
7.8
2.6
19.5
35.4

588
48.6
65.7
12.0
25.5
63.2
206.7
25.3
9.9
7.7
2.5
21.7
33.3

734
38.2
56.0
14.1
17.9
54.0
144. 5
112.0
7.8
154.1
28.2
20.4
27.5

288
28.3
27.5
10.4
15.3
48.3
69.9
7.3
4.0
4.3
1.2
15.3
18.8

Products of petroleum and coal *___ ______
Petroleum refining
Coke and bvproducts
Paving m aterials___________________
Roofing materials _ _ ______________

162 165
113.3
32.3
2.7
15.2

167
113.7
32.2
2.8
17.2

162
107.6
32.1
2.9
18.1

168
114.0
32.4
2.9
18.0

170
115.9
32.4
2.8
17.8

170
117.0
31.8
2.7
17.4

170
116.6
31.7
2.6
17.7

167
114.7
31.1
2.4
17.3

164
113.6
29.7
2.3
17.4

165
113.5
30.7
1.8
17.4

163
112.1
30.3
1.8
17.6

164
112.4
30.5
2.0
18.0

125
83.1
25.5
2.1
13.1

106
73.2
21.7
2.5
8.1

Rubber products 2 _______ __________
Rubber tires and inner tu b e s ________
Rubber boots and shoes______________
Rubber goods, other
______________

191 196
89.6
23.5
82.6

199
91.2
23.2
84.5

198
90.0
22.9
84.7

197
91.4
22.5
82.9

195
91.5
22.0
80.8

191
90.9
20.7
79.2

195
91.9
21.8
81.7

195
91.4
21.7
81.7

198
92.6
22.1
84.0

204
96.4
22.6
85.7

208
98.9
22.8
86.5

210
100.6
22.5
86.8

194
90.1
23.8
79.9

121
54.2
14.8
51.9

Miscellaneous industries 1__
__________
Instruments (professional and scientific), and fire-control equipment___
Photographic apparatus _ _ _____ ____
Optical instruments and ophthalmic
goods_____________ _____________
Pianos, organs, and parts___________
Games, toys, and d o lls _____________
Buttons
____________________
Fire extinguishers....................................

41f 433

453

451

441

425

430

432

436

447

445

443

445

244

—

460

29.9
39.7

30.0
39.7

29.5
39.7

29.0
39.7

28.1
39.7

28.0
39.0

27.7
38.3

27.5
37.8

27.6
38.4

27.7
38.8

27.7
39.0

27.7
38.9

86.7
35.5

11.3
17.7

26.3
13.3
37.8
13.2
2.8

26.0
13.5
46.6
13.1
2.9

26.4
13.9
49.4
13.1
2.9

26.1
13.5
48.1
13.0
2.8

26.0
13.3
45.3
13.0
2.7

23.9
12.3
42.4
12.5
2.8

25.6
13.5
41.1
12.9
2.8

26.7
13.7
40.2
12.8
2.7

27.0
13.3
40.3
13.1
2.7

27.2
14.8
38.5
13.8
2.6

27.4
15.7
36.3
13.4
2.5

27.8
16.8
33.5
13.3
2.6

33.3
12.2
19.1
13.1
9.3

11.9
7.8
19.1
11.2
1.0

1 Data are based upon reports from cooperating establishments covering
both full- and part-time production and related workers who worked or
received pay during the pay period ending nearest the 15th of the month.
Major industry groups have been adjusted to levels indicated by Federal
Security Agency data through 1946 and have been carried forward from 1946
bench-mark levels, thereby providing consistent series. Data shown for the
three most recent months are subject to revision without notation. Revised
figures in any column other than the first three are identified by an asterisk
for the first month’s publication of such data.
J Estimates for the individual industries comprising the major industry
groups have been adjusted to levels indicated by Federal Security Agency


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

data through 1946 and have been carried forward from 1946 bench-mark
levels, thereby providing consistent series. Comparable data from January
1939 are available upon request to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Such
requests should specify the series desired.
More recently adjusted data for the individual industries comprising the
major industry groups listed below supersede data shown in publications
dated prior to:
M a jo r in d u s tr y g ro u p

Iron and steel and their products.................
Stone, clay, and glass products___________

M im e o g r a p h e d
re le a s e

Dec. 1948
Dec. 1948

M o n th ly L a b o r
R e v ie w

Jan. 1949
Jan. 1949

REVIEW, MARCH 1949

345

A: EMPLOYMENT AND PAY ROLLS

T able A-7: Indexes of Production-Worker Employment in Manufacturing Industries 1
[1939 average=100]
A n­
nual
aver­
age

1948

1949
Industry group and industry

June

M ay

Apr.

Mar.

Feb.

Jan.

1943

158.2
184.5
137.5

155. 5
183.9
133.1

156.1
185.1
133.3

160.3
188.1
138.4

159.5
185.8
138.7

160.5
188.2
138.7

177.7
241.7
127.4

161.4
135.5
177.4
188.0
224.1
164.5
148.8
127.5
137.6
141.2

162.4
134.6
184.2
197.0
228.8
164.5
140.8
130.7
132.4
143.6

161.4
133.3
181.4
194.2
224.9
161.6
134.9
134.0
135.2
149.9

161. 7
131.8
187.3
193.6
225.5
157.0
132.4
137.1
137.9
153.8

164.8
132.9
192.7
197.0
227.7
160.8
140.0
139.4
142.9
155.9

164.2
130.9
193.7
196.7
225.5
159.1
143.8
140.5
139.9
159.4

164.9
131.0
193.6
197.2
222.3
162.9
149.1
142.7
143.0
160.3

177.6
133.0
142.1
149.6
281.1
102.5

160.6
148.8
154.0

160.8
146.4
147.8

163.9
147.9
153.7

164.7
153.2
149.8

166.7
156.8
150.3

167.9
160.5
153.2

168.8
159. 7
152.6

169.2
157.2
152.5

181.5
127.1
95.3

Dec.

Nov.

Oct.

Sept.

Aug.

154.7 159.4
180.7 186.5
134.2 138.0

161.5
188.5
140.3

163.3
188.9
143.0

164.6
188.4
145.9

161.7
185.8
142.7

Iron and steel and their products »..............................
Blast furnaces, steel works, and rolling m ills.-.
Gray-iron and semisteel castings..........................
Malleable-iron castings...........................................
Steel castings..............................................................
Cast-iron pipe and fittings......................................
Tin cans and other tinware........ ..........................Wire drawn from purchased rods............ ............
Wire work----------------- ------------- ------------------Cutlery and edge tools........................ ....... ..........
Tools (except edge tools, machine tools, files,
and saws)...................................- ..........................
Hardware.......................... - .............. - .............. .......
Plumbers’ supplies..................................................
Stoves, oil burners, and heating equipment,
not elsewhere classified-----------------------------Steam and hot-water heating apparatus and
steam fittings........................................................
Stamped and enameled ware and galvanizing..
Fabricated structural and ornamental metal­
work.......... ..............................................................
Metal doors, sash, frames, molding, and trim ..
Bolts, nuts, washers, and rivets___ __________
Forgings, iron and steel--------------- ------------Wrought pipe, welded and heavy-riveted------Screw-machine products and wood screws.........
Steel barrels, kegs, and drums...............................
F irearm s.................................... ..............................

161.1 165.2
139.7
181.7
203.1
233.6
170.3
145.9
131.0
138.8
157.8

166.8
138. 5
185.6

166.2
137.7
184.7

234.2
169.9
148.0
130.6
138.4
162.1

167.1
137.7
186.1
200.3
234.1
166.3
153.2
132.5
138.4
157.7

233.1
167.0
157.7
130.3
140.8
154.9

164.5
137.9
180.5
194.6
228.1
167.8
154.4
129.1
139.6
146.0

160.3
151.8
162.4

160.8
150.9
161.7

161.6
150.0
157. 2

Electrical machinery *.................
Electrical equipm ent-..........
Radios and phonographs.. .
Communication equipment.

Jan.
All manufacturing.........................................
Durable g oods................. ......................
Nondurable goods..................................
Durable

July

goods

159.3
152.0
161.5

200.8

200.8

102.0

163.8
108.0
141.3

155.3

178.3

189.8

187.2

180.1

166.4

168.8

170.4

166.7

178.1

185.2

189.4

122.9

202.3
191.9

204.7
198.8

206.4
196.9

202.3
193.1

198.1
194.2

185.9
196.1

197.5
197.6

198.2
197.4

195.0
199.6

204. 5
203.0

206.1
204.9

204.2
205.5

199.4
163.9

184.7
141.4
188.4
234.2
219.2
196.1
121.7
421.3

185.3
145.7
186.3
233.2
220.7
196.8
120.3
421.3

186.7
144.1
185.6
228.1
223.6
196. 8

183.0
142.1
184.6
225.1

180.8
141.2
183.1
215.6

176.0
134.2
184.5
214.5

178.0
131.4
187.8
214.2

179.8
130.6
189.8
223.9

221.1

222.1

414.9

195.3
122.4
403.0

211.0
202.1

210.8

194.5
125.9
401.0

117.7
397.9

204.4
119.5
395.1

178.4
131.2
188.2
229.5
214.6
203.2
125.5
383.9

179.2
139.3
188.4
231.0
222.5

194.3
124.2
406.4

179.9
135.4
190.0
228.8
215. 6
203.9
121.9
390.0

200.0

222.2

176.9
133.7
187.3
213.3
225.1
199.1
121.7
402.6

130.3
375.4

164.9
207.4
266.3
318.5
298.5
131. 8
1346. 4

206.9 213.1
199.0

213.4

211.5
201.8

217.4
205.8

203.8
276.2

206.6
198.3
195.3
268.1

211.6
201.6

211.7
284.7

207.7
199.2
197.6
269.5

211.1

201.0

204.6
277.3

212.2

281.9

215.1
201.4
218.1
288.0

289.3

222.9
209.6
221.9
297.4

225.4
212.3
225.5
299.3

227.0
213.3
228.0
302.4

285.9
272.4
282.0
367.5

Machinery, except electrical J—..................- ................
Machinery and machine-shop products..............
Engines and turbines...............................................
Tractors----------- ------------ .............. .......................
Agricultural machinery, excluding tractors.......
Machine to o ls....................................... ....................
Machine-tool accessories------- ----------------------Textile machinery___________ ______________
Pumps and pumping equipment..........................
Typewriters........... ....................... ...........................
Cash registers; adding and calculating machines
Washing machines, wringers, and driers,
domestic...................... ............ ................ ..............
Sewing machines, domestic and industrial-----Refrigerators and refrigeration equipment.........

227.5
243.7
281.9
197.0
270.1
129.3

227.9
243.5
281.2
194.6
267.1
129.7

210.6

211.1

190.0
278.9
113.2
222. 5

189.7
277.6
116.6
224.1

228.7
244.0
279.1
191.2
266.1
130.0
211.9
190.1
276.8
126.8
224.8

228.7
245. 1
270.8
189.4
255.2
131.2
214.0
190.7
278.0
129.8
228.1

227.4
241.9
276.3
192.0
254.5
130.5
213.5
191.0
273.1
136.5
226.7

228.8
243.7
281.0
195.2
262.6
127.9
200.7
188.9
275. 5
141.0
229.8

230.4
246.5
279.5
193.0
267.4
128.4
214. 5
191.6
281.4
145.9
232.9

228.5
244.6
286.7
180.1
263.7
129.7
214.4
189.8
288.0
147.0
231.8

227.4
247.7
289.1
143.4
267.0
130.4
214.8
189.2
290.2
148.7
235.2

233.1
249.8
293.3
198.8
266.1
134.5
216.6
187.6
296.2
153.5
234.2

234.0
251.1
291.6
197.9
261.6
137.6
218.0
186.2
303.1
154.9
233.4

233.0
249.7
292.9
196.4
253.5
137.6
218.6
185.8
303.4
158.8
230.2

244.7
282.2
426.4
167.5
158.1
299.5
408.1
130.1
372.9
73.8
177.0

167.3
191.4
225.6

207.3
189.8
226.0

210.6

210.3
186.4
232.3

208.7
182.4
234.1

209.9
178.8
239.9

220.0

214.6
177.2
234.6

217.0
175.9
226.7

218.4
174.8
230.4

221.1

178.6
241.3

216.8
171.0
234.9

178.8
136.6
154.9

Transportation equipment, except automobiles----Locomotives-------- -------------------------- -----------Cars, electric- and steam-railroad_________
Aircraft and parts, excluding aircraft engines...
Aircraft engines.................... .....................................
Shipbuilding and boatbuilding........................... .
Motorcycles, bicycles, and parts..........................

280.0 284.4
410.1
228.6
379.3
320.9
133.9
171.6

285.7
409.6
227.8
377.4
315.0
136.5
194.6

282.9
410.7

276.3
409.0

260.8
265.6
2 22.8

366.2
309.0
140.5
197.4

349.2
300.1
140.8
190.3

336.4
243.2
143.7
165.8

273.7
406. 5
224.4
321.5
290.8
157.2
177.5

276.0
407.7
219.6
315.3
282.4
167.6
185.2

290.9
410.5
219.7
346.0
278.4
176.8
206.0

292.6
409.1

222.2

270.6
407.4
222.3
328. 5
287.4
149.3
154.4

292.7
411.3

222.1

297.3
406.7
228.0
339.5
284.0
191.9
207.6

1580.1
526.8
246.5
2003. 5
2625. 7
1769.4
143.7

Automobiles.

193.0 194.4

193.0

194.4

195.9

189.7

195. 5

183.6

190.5

177.5

Nonferrous metals and their products s............ .........
Smelting and refining, primary, of nonferrous
metals...................... ...............................................
Alloying; and rolling and drawing of nonferrous
metals, except alum inum................... ...........
Clocks and w atches................. ................. ............
Jewelry (precious metals) and jewelers’ findings
Silverware and plated ware....................................
Lighting equipment.................................................
Aluminum manufactures.......................................
Sheet-metal work, not elsewhere classified.........

168.0 173.6

176.1

176.0

173.9

172.4

169.2

173.9

173.7

149.1

150.0

149.1

145.5

150.0

151.7

151.8

149.8

141.0
133.1
185.3
228.3
151.0
172. 5
195.2

140.4
139.0
190.3
233.5
155.2
173.6
197.9

140.7
141.9
190.6
231.5
155.6
170.5
199.0

140.0
141.1
187.7
228.5
157.3
163.5
197.2

136.2
135.3
182.3
226.2
154.1
167.9
198.7

133. 7
127.8
178.4
218.3
147.6
166.7
196.1

135. 5
139.5
182.1
225.5
150.8
179.5
193.9

135.6
139.2
182.6
224.2
148.4
181.5
195. 5

Lumber and timber basic products J........ — .............
Sawmills and logging camps...................................
Planing and plywood mills....................................

171.3 187.5
202. 5
193.3

195.4 197. 7
212.7 216.2
194.9 I 193.2

200 . 6

200 . 8

197.3
217.2
187. 5 I

See footnotes 1 and 2, table A-6.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

221.0

122.1

188.6
230.4

220. 4 220. 7
192.3 I 192.8

201.3
202.3
278.2

221.8

172.5
232.2

220.2

200.1

342.9
276.9
181.6
211.7

341.1
280.1
184.4
209.4

191.9

195.0

178.9

196.0

176.9

180.0

178.5

178.4

196.0

148.4

147.8

145.4

144.5

204.3

138.3
140.7
187.6
226.8
152.7
187.7
199.9

140.6
141.9
191.0
226.5
161.7
192.1
204.4

136.9
141.1
190.4
223.1
165.4
192.0
204.9

138.2
140.8
189.3
164.1
192.2
207.0

195.2
124.2
141.8
124.5
137.8
337.4
201.9

190.0 183.6 179.4 178.3
208.7 200.1 194.8 193.5
184.2 I 182.0 I 180.4 I 179.9

175.0
189.4
178.4

175.6
190.6
178.0

127.3
139.0
125.4

221.0

346

A: EM PLOYMENT AND P A Y

ROLLS

MONTHLY LABOR

T able A-7: Indexes of Production-Worker Employment in Manufacturing Industries1—Continued
[1939 average= 100]

1949

An­
nual
aver­
age

1948

Industry group and industry
Jan.

Dec.

N ov.

Oct.

Sept.

Aug.

July

June

M ay

Apr.

Mar.

Feb.

Jan.

1943

134.1

140.7
162.9
142.8
122.9
135.0
134.0
136.1

143.1
173.9
144.2
124.8
140.1
135.5
138.0

143.3
180.9
143.6
123.3
138.4
136.0
140.4

142.0
179.5
141.9
121.5
140.1
137.9
139.7

140.5
171.7
140.3
122.3
139.6
141.0
140.9

137.8
161.9
137.4
125.6
135.6
137.1
136.7

139.8
163.0
139.4
125.6
139.7
133.6
144.0

139.7
162.6
140.3
122.8
142.8
131.1
139.5

143.4
170.4
144.0
127.2
145.8
128.7
142.6

147.8
180.3
148.2
130.5
150.2
132.7
145.5

149.2
188.5
149.6
132.6
148.9
133.1
142. 7

149.1
188.8
149.0
133.6
150.7
139.8
139.8

111. 7
105.9
112.4
125.0
102. 4
98. 7
107.4

Stone, clay, and glass products2 ........ ....................... 152.5 157.4
Glass and glassware.______ ___________________ ____ 166.5
Glass products made from purchased glass..................... 147.0
Cement____ _____ _______ ________________________ 152.1
Brick, tile, and terra cotta..................... .............................. 143.1
Pottery and related products.............................................. 182.0
Gypsum________________ ____________ ___ ________ 151,5
Wallboard, plaster (except gypsum), and m in­
eral wool_______ ________________________________ 181.9
L im e........ ............................................................................... 112.7
Marble, granite, slate, and other products...................... 103.9
Abrasives............................................................................... 267.8
157.9
Asbestos products_________ _____ _______________

158.9
170.6
147.3
153.0
143.9
181.7
157.6

159.4
172.6
143.8
151.5
143.9
180.4
160.7

158.2
172.3
139.1
148.5
144.0
178.3
158.5

157.0
167.8
138.5
151.7
143.7
177.3
157.1

153.2
161.0
143.0
151.8
141.0
168.6
157.4

156.0
168.9
142.0
150.0
141.4
174.5
154.4

154.7
170.3
140.7
147.7
137.1
173.1
152. 5

153.7
170.7
142.1
145.9
134.3
171.2
152.8

153.9
170.6
143.5
144.8
133.1
174.2
154.5

150.9
166.5
142.4
144.6
129.8
170. 7
153.8

151.6
169.5
143.7
144.4
134.4
169.7
152.5

122.5
139.9
113.1
111. 5
90. 5
132. 9
91.2

183.6
112.6
102.6
264.6
161.0

182.6
113.4
102.9
265.7
161.7

181.7
114.1
102.1
264.6
157.0

180.8
114.3
102.5
267.4
157.9

180.6
114.6
101.0
272.7
151.7

178.5
113.3
99.6
265.0
157.5

179.0
116.1
97.8
260.2
157.9

178.7
116.9
96.6
260.4
158.3

176.2
115.0
99.3
260.5
159.0

177.2
112.7
96.5
254.1
158.0

178.9
112.8
97.5
204.6
158.0

137.2
98. 7
67.4
302.2
138.2

108.0
121.3
93.2
95. 4

108.9
121.6
94.2
96.4

109.2
122.2
95.1
96.7

110.3
123.6
95.4
96.5

111.4
124.7
96.2
95.9

108.7
121.9
95.3
92.0

113.2
126.1
99.4
95.8

113.0
125.4
102.3
95.0

113.7
125.8
103.6
94.9

114.7
126.6
105.8
94.8

114.2
125.6
105.8
94.1

113.0
125.2
103.8
91.2

108. 2
125.8
126.6
82.2

Durable

goods—Continued

Furniture and finished lumber products a_
Mattresses and bedsprings—...............
Furniture........... ......................................
Wooden boxes, other than cigar_____
Caskets and other morticians’ goods..
Wood preserving......................................
Wood, turned and shaped.....................

N o n d u r a b l e goods

Textile-mill products and other fiber manufac­
tu res2_________ _______________________ _____ 104.9
Cotton manufactures, except smallwares......... ..............
Cotton smallwares.................................................................
Silk and rayon goods........... ................................................
Woolen and worsted manufactures, except dye­
ing and finishing................................... ....................... . . . .
Hosiery............................... .....................................................
Knitted cloth________________ ___ _________________
Knitted outerwear and knitted gloves................ .............
Knitted underwear_______________________________
D yeing and finishing textiles, including woolen
and worsted_______ _____ ________ _______ _______
Carpets and rugs, w o o l.......................................................
Hats, fur-felt................ ............................. ..................... .........
Jute goods, except felts......................................................
Cordage and tw in e.................................................................

99.3
83.6
97.2
111.8
107.1

100.4
84.7
99.3
114.2
113.3

101.2
84.4
98.0
110.2
117. 7

105.2
84.3
95.9
107.1
120.6

107.7
85.5
97.5
106.6
123.0

106.3
80. 5
96.7
101.8
123.2

110.3
86.7
96.8
111. 5
127.1

109.9
87.5
99.4
113.8
128.3

111.0
89.1
101.9
112.3
132.0

113.1
90.4
101.4
114.4
132.8

113.9
89. 7
101.8
114.0
131.4

112.5
89.0
100.4
110.6
129.7

110.4
74.9
109.4
117.2
110.4

130.9
150.7
75.8
113. 5
116.7

130.1
150.7
78.4
114.3
117.8

129.5
150.9
74.6
107.1
116.8

129.0
150.6
81.4
104.5
119.5

129.8
148.1
86.7
114.3
120.7

128.8
148.0
80.1
112.6
124.0

131.9
148.1
87.0
114.2
127.0

133.3
146.8
84.2
112.0
128.7

134.4
145. 7
82.7
112.8
130.9

134.7
145. 7
89.3
109.3
134.1

135.3
144.1
89.0
110.3
134.7

133.7
142.1
89.1
105.1
131.6

113.6
90.8
71.3
110.6
143.4

Apparel and other finished textile products___
M en’s clothing, not elsewhere classified___
Shirts, collars, and nigh tw ear..._________
Underwear and neckwear, men’s ...............
Work shirts.................................. ......................
Women’s clothing, not elsewhere classified.
Corsets and allied garments...........................
M illinery................................................. ...........
Handkerchiefs.___________ ____ _________
Curtains, draperies, and bedspreads............
Housefumishings, other than curtains, etc.
Textile hags.........................................................

143.0

145.0
132.1
99. 7
112.4
128.4
169.5
102.7
93.1
107.8
144.3
288.4
240.6

146.9
134.1
105.1
114.8
133.2
170.6
102.5
86.7
108.2
152.4
297.5
236.1

148.8
139.0
105.6
111.3
133.5
170.8
103.0
100.9
104.4
154.1
288.7
234.9

148.6
139.5
104.7
107.0
129.1
171.3
101.5
97.0
98.8
157.3
281.0
231.7

146.5
138.9
104.0
105,5
132.0
167.3
99.0
97.3
96.2
161.1
272.3
229.2

135.6
129.1
102.5
98.5
131.3
152.7
92.4
87.0
77.7
141.6
251.4
222.9

138,6
136.9
108.2
107.4
131.8
152.1
96.5
78.2
96.6
148.5
249.9
214.8

137.1
134.9
109.4
108.3
129.2
149.4
98.8
80.4
99.2
148.8
248.2
212.8

139.8
135.0
110.9
110.1
126.4
153.7
102.4
92.3
99.8
156.0
259.8
212.4

147.5
137.0
111.2
112.0
123.8
168.3
106.1
108.3
99.6
172.1
272.0
216.9

147.7
135.5
110.8
110.3
119.0
169.5
107.0
109.2
97.9
190.5
261.5
220.2

145.3
134.2
110.4
106.6
112.0
166.4
104.9
103.4
95.7
178.0
268.6
223.7

121.4
115.8
90.9
96.3
131.3
120.6
88.1
91.5
113.1
141.9
214.9
155.7

Leather and leather products 2..................................... 105.0
Leather.................................................................... ...........
Boot and shoe cut stock and findings...............................
Boots and shoes........... ..................... ............................ ......
Leather gloves and m ittens............................... ...... ..........
Trunks and su itca ses............. ......................................... .

104.8
94.6
85.1
100.8
106.0
153. 5

104.5
92.8
85.1
99.4
124.1
170.8

108.3
95.4
88.1
103.3
128.2
175.2

109.3
96.0
89.8
104.4
129.9
171.8

110.4
95.3
90.7
106.0
132.1
166.0

108.1
94.3
88.6
103.7
127.8
159.6

107.4
95.7
88.9
102. 5
128.8
159.3

103.3
94.9
86.9
97.7
123.9
158.6

107.1
95.1
88.7
102.2
121.9
160.1

114.1
98.4
94.7
110.1
125.4
166.4

115.8
100.4
97.8
111.7
124.9
168.6

114.9
100.3
98.8
111.0
121.9
159.3

98.1
92.9
96.0
89.0
153.7
161.2

F ood ».......................................... ...................................... 138.3
Slaughtering and meat packing.................... ................... .
Butter_______ _______________ ________ ____________
Condensed and evaporated m ilk.................... ...................
Ice cream...................... ............... .................. .
___
Flour............... .........................................................................
Feeds, prepared_______ ____ ____ _________________ _
Cereal preparations.................................................. .............
Baking...... ................................................................. .............
Sugar refining, cane.................. ............ ...............................
Sugar, beet...... ...................................................................... .
Confectionery.......................................................................
Beverages, nonalcoholic____ _____ ________________
M alt liquors....... ...................... ............................................
Canning and preserving.......... ....................... .....................

146.6
161. 5
174.0
172.1
135.7
149.4
167.6
149.8
132.2
152.7
93.0
147.9
165.7
192.5
108.5

152.9
152.0
172.1
179.6
137.8
150.2
167.3
156.8
134.3
141.4
217.0
161.2
169.7
199.5
129.9

163.8
146.4
176.2
186.3
148.6
144.5
169.1
158.0
135.5
141.0
215.2
159.5
180.5
200.9
192.3

179.9
144.5
181.7
194.3
167.9
149.4
170.0
157.6
133.0
157.4
91.0
145.6
195.4
212.6
295.7

166.0
145.7
189.8
201.4
180.7
152.2
170.8
165.6
131.8
159.1
78.0
128.5
207.9
217.0
217.0

159.7
149.1
196.8
207.4
186.3
153.7
169.7
165.7
131.3
162.4
65.0
113.0
210.9
218.0
182.5

147.1
147.8
201.2
211.2
179.1
149.0
166.5
155.2
130.2
139.1
63.0
115.8
194.0
205.5
124.3

127.7
92.2
194.5
198.3
166.0
143.6
161.5
152.6
127.2
134.5
57.2
111.4
182.0
181.9
101.9

122.6
77.0
183.3
188.3
153.9
144.3
153.9
146.4
125.8
131.3
49.3
120.5
170.1
191.2
93.6

134.5
143.3
170.5
177.2
138.5
145.2
152.0
144.7
126.9
148.1
50.6
130.2
161.2
184.9
90.1

135.6
148.0
158.8
172.5
133.8
146.7
158.7
147.8
125.4
152.7
58.7
138.8
151.3
183.1
91.0

139.3
155.3
162.0
169.3
133.7
150.5
169.4
145.0
124.2
139.9
95.3
147.1
157.0
185.9
94.6

123.5
128.9
165.2
182.6
130.7
118.5
145.0
136.0
111.0
105.1
86.8
106.7
135.1
134.1
125.4

Tobacco manufactures2______________ __________
Cigarettes....................................................................
Cigars............................ .................. ...........................
Tobacco (chewing and smoking) and snuff___

93.3
124.2
80.9
78.0

96.5
127.9
84.5
77.2

95.9
128.2
83.2
78.6

93.9
127.3
80.5
77.7

92.5
125.8
78.9
77.2

88.8
122.4
74.7
75.6

90.6
121.2
78.1
76.1

90.5
120.7
78.3
75.9

92.4
121.1
81.0
77.0

93.4
121.1
82.7
77.3

93.9
122.1
82.8
78.3

93.6
122.6
82.1
78.9

97.2
123.8
85.0
92.5

See footnotes 1 and 2, table A -6.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

89.3

REVIEW , MARCH 1949

347

A: EMPLOYMENT AND PAY ROLLS

T able A-7: Indexes of Production-Worker Employment in Manufacturing Industries 1—Continued
[1939 average=100]
An­
nual
aver­
age

1948

1949
Industry group and industry
Jan.

Dec.

Nov.

Oct.

Sept.

Aug.

July

June

M ay

Apr.

Mar.

Feb.

Jan.

1943

147.6

151.1
150.2
168.2
151.0
151.0
144.0

151.7
150.0
168.6
151.2
152.8
146.3

151.0
149.5
168.4
148.0
160.1
144.0

149.8
150.0
166.1
145.2
159.9
139.9

148.6
150.0
163.9
141.4
159.2
136.7

146.1
149.4
160.2
140.9
156.3
131.0

146.9
148.2
163.6
144.0
157.8
133.9

146.5
148.5
163.0
145. 8
158.5
131.8

146.8
147.8
162.6
145.6
162.3
133.7

148.0
147.9
164.2
145.7
164.1
137.3

147.8
147.3
164.1
143.9
162.0
139.1

148.7
147.4
165.9
142.0
163.2
140.8

122.2
116.3
133.1
116.9
118.0
129.3

Printing, publishing, and allied industries a. ............ 132.9
Newspapers and periodicals
Printing; book and job
Ta'th ogr ap h in g
Bookbinding
_
____________________ _

135.2
128.3
147.8
119.3
133.8

134.7
127.2
147.1
119.7
136.0

134.8
127.0
147.9
119.7
135.3

133.0
125.9
145.3
118.5
133.7

131.8
124.4
143.5
118.9
134.8

131.1
123.7
143.4
118.9
129.1

132.3
123.8
144.5
118.3
136.3

132.0
123.3
144.3
117.6
136.2

131.8
122.2
143.5
119.0
139.2

132.8
122.0
145.3
119.5
144.5

133.5
121.4
147.1
121.2
145.1

134.0
121.0
148.6
121.7
145.9

100.8
95.2
108.7
98.5
114.1

Chemicals and allied products 2 ________________
Paints, varnishes, and colors
"Drugs medicines, and insecticides
Perfumes and cosmetics
Soap
Rayon and allied products
Chemicals, not elsewhere classified
Explosives and safety fuses
Compressed and liquefied gases
Ammunition, small-arms _
Fireworks _
_ ________________________
Cottonseed oil
Fertilizers _
___________ - _____________

206.1

207.0
168.2
233.9
118.0
173.5
Ì34.0
302.1
375. 2
239.6
167.7
208.0
168.3
152.1

207.8
170.2
235.4
124.1
173.9
132.3
301.4
375.4
239.2
171.5
220.6
178.0
152.4

208.1
172.1
234.1
122.7
178.4
132.3
300.3
379.3
247.9
173.7
227.4
179.0
152.9

207.1
172.0
233.2
119.7
177.2
131.8
301.6
379.2
247.0
174.2
243.3
153.3
152.3

203.3
175.7
232.1
119.0
164.7
134.3
302.1
380.7
253.1
173.9
231.8
93.8
142.2

196.6
173.6
230.2
104.1
157.6
133.2
288.9
376.1
252.1
180.2
190.2
82.0
135.6

199.2
173.6
231.1
105.0
155.4
133.0
296.9
365.7
254.2
181.5
212.2
83.0
144.4

198.4
172.1
231.1
105.2
142.2
131.2
292.9
351.9
250.9
181.6
219.7
89.1
171.4

201.4
169.8
233.3
107.6
142.9
131.4
296.3
350.7
252.4
182.5
210.1
99.5
194.7

203.6
171.9
236.9
111.2
163.1
131.8
293.8
354.1
250.1
182.8
203.9
115.0
202.3

204.2
174.5
238.3
116.2
166.3
131.8
293.9
349.9
246.2
182.2
221.8
127.7
188.1

204.1
171.8
238.5
115. 4
167.0
130.8
295.6
347.5
249.9
178.7
213.4
142.1
176.9

254.5
135.1
203.6
135.8
117.1
111.7
206.7
1536.9
197.3
3595.4
2426.5
133.4
146.2

Products of petroleum and coal5 _ ____________
Petroleum refining
Coke and byproducts
Paving materials
Roofing materials

153.0

155.4
154.8
148.7
108.8
187.5

157.7
155.3
148.2
113.6
212.8

152.7
146.9
147.8
117.2
223.3

159.1
155.7
149.2
118.0
222.7

160.3
158.3
149.3
113.5
219.4

160. 7
159.8
146.7
108.8
215.5

160.3
159.2
145.9
107.1
218.2

157.3
156.7
143.2
97.1
213.2

154.9
155.2
136.8
92.7
214.6

155.4
155.0
141.4
75.3
215.3

153.9
153.1
139.6
73.2
217.5

155.0
153.5
140.6
83.2
222.7

117.6
113.4
117.4
87.0
161.2

Rubber products * ___________________________
Rubber tires and inner tubes
Rubber boots and shoes__________________ -Rubber goods, other. _ ____________________

157.8

161.8
165.3
158.0
159.2

164.5
168.2
156.2
162.9

163.5
165.9
154.0
163.4

162.8
168.6
151.2
159.9

160.9
168.7
148.3
155.8

157.7
167.6
139.4
152.7

161.6
169.4
146.9
157.5

161.1
168.5
146.4
157.5

163.8
170.7
149.0
161.9

168.9
177.7
152.4
165.3

172.0
182.4
153.8
166.9

173.5
185.5
151.5
167.4

160.3
166.1
160.5
154.1

Miscellaneous industries * _____ ___________ 169.4
Instruments (professional and scientific), and
fire-control eq u ip m en t___________________
Photographic apparatus
_________________
Optical instruments and ophthalmic goods----- ............
Pianos, organs, and p a r ts ._________________
Games, toys, and dolls______________________
Buttons
_____________________________
Fire extinguishers - _ _____________________

177.0

184.9

187.8

184.2

180.1

173.9

175.7

176.6

178.4

182.6

181.9

180.9

181.7

261.0
224.5
221.8
178.2
258.7
117.0
281.8

256.7
224.4
219.7
173.6
251.7
116.1
271.3

248.8
224.5
218.3
170.4
236.9
116.2
269.1

247.4
220.9
201.0
157.3
221.8
111.2
271.8

244.5
216.6
215.6
173.7
214.8
114.8
270.6

242.8
214.1
224.1
175.2
210.3
114.2
260.9

244.1
217.1
226.9
170.5
210.7
116.3
266.8

244.6
219.8
229.1
189. 7
201.2
122.6
258.6

245.2
220.9
230.0
201.5
189.9
119.4
249.3

245.3
220.4
233.6
215.2
175.0
118.7
253.5

766.4
200.9
280.3
156.2
99.7
116.6
913.1

N o n d u r a b l e goods—

Continued

Paper and allied products J___________________ Paper and pulp
Paper goods, other
"Envelopes
Paper bags
Paper boxfts

264.0
224.3
221.5
170.8
198.0
117.8
272.6

265.0
224.6
218.7
173.7
243.9
116.6
281.0

See footnotes 1 and 2, table A-6.

T able A-8: Indexes of Production-Worker Weekly Pay Rolls in Manufacturing Industries 1
[1939 average=100]
An­
nual
aver­
age

1948

1949
Industry group and industry
Jan.

Dec.

N ov.

Oct.

Sept.

Aug.

July

June

M ay

Apr.

Mar.

Feb.

Jan.

1943

All manufacturing_____________________________ 363.2
412.8
Durable goods____________________________
Nondurable g o o d s _________________________ 314.7

377.8
430.9
326.0

379.0
429.9
329.3

382.9
435.7
331.2

382.2
423.7
341.6

374.7
418.8
331.6

360.0
403.0
318.0

359.0
401.3
317.6

346.7
390.8
303.6

347.1
393.4
301.9

358.4
402.0
315.7

354.1
393.1
316.0

358.7
403.1
315.3

334.4
469.5
202.3

371.4
306.1
424.1
520.8
525.2
471.2
340.3
274.0
334.7
394.3

373.6
304.7
429.4
505.7
528.0
470.9
334.7
271.3
331.6
405.8

376.0
305.0
436.1
512.2
523.2
445.7
351.6
276.2
333.2
392.1

365.0
300.3
433.3
493.1
504.4
437.1
391.7
263.8
322.5
374.9

360.5
295.8
417.1
478.8
498.6
432.7
364.9
262.5
326.6
359.3

336.9
269.9
398.2
448.8
464.3
414.3
353.2
242.8
315.1
335.7

340.5
268.4
421.5
468.1
494.7
422.0
310.8
243.3
295.7
343.6

334.4
265.4
394.3
460.3
478.5
401.4
286.1
249.8
298.2
357.8

329.6
253.0
415.6
453.0
477.3
370.0
274.9
255.3
302.0
364.6

340.8
260.9
444.0
469.7
481.0
397.5
289.8
269.1
316.4
370.6

337.6
257.5
436.7
467.6
465.6
392.5
302.4
268.7
309.0
377.2

341.9
261.2
438.2
480.1
465.3
394.4
320.0
271.6
320.5
381.9

311.4
222.3
261.1
278.9
493.5
177.2
161.6
255.3
202.6
279.5

D u r a b l e goods

iron and steel and their products 3
356.7
Blast furnaces, steel works, and rolling mills ,
Grav-iron and semisteel castings
Malleable-iron castings
Steel castings______________________________
Cast-iron pipe and fittings ________________
Tin cans and other tinware
"Wire drawn from purchased rods __________
W irework
______________________________
Cutlery and edee tools.............................................
See footnotes 1 and 2, table A-6.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

348

MONTHLY LABOR

A: EM PLOYMENT AND PAY ROLLS

T able A-8: Indexes of Production-Worker Weekly Pay Rolls in Manufacturing Industries1—Con.
[1939 average=100]

1949

An­
nual
aver­
age

1948

Industry group and industry
Jan.
D u r a b l e goods—

Dec.

Nov.

Oct.

Sept.

Aug.

July

June

M ay

Apr.

Mar.

Feb.

Jan.

372.5
370.8
378.3

373.8
367.4
376.9

376.3
363.1
381.9

366.3
349.2
338.7

373.4
347.1
338.7

358.7
325.0
316.7

370.8
340.9
329.0

366.6
343.9
324.0

372.4
362.4
322.2

378.4
373.9
329.0

379.0
372.1
320.3

381.0
371.0
321.8

350.4

400.0

448.4

426.7

416.9

371.0

379.2

371.4

363.8

388.2

407.6

416.5

210.9

454.6
481.0

466. 5
491.9

474.3
482.6

447.6
453.7

436.4
467.9

414.7
452.0

431.4
462.9

427.6
464.1

414.7
463.2

438.5
470.6

447.5
471.0

424.9
479.9

360.6
307.0

406.8
340.2
445.1
548.5
497.2
447.5
348.1
1,005.6

406.2
342.7
433.6
544.8
515.8
445.2
328.8
1,018.0

409.4
340.1
428.0
533.6
505.1
453.0
329.8
998. 7

371.9
340.4
415.5
513.4
487.1
433.1
306.9
963.1

384.5
328.5
424.6
475.8
495.4
429.4
338.0
927.8

346.7
287.5
401.0
449.6
473.0
426.8
301.4
952.7

363.7
309.1
412.8
454.1
467.3
436.9
313.3
945.9

364.2
288.6
408.2
443.7
443.1
445.4
302.6
915.6

358.7
283.9
416.7
467.6
437.7
452.0
298.1
906.0

361.5
292.2
422.4
487.5
455.3
456.5
302.0
911.3

353.0
276.9
406.0
496.2
443.2
452.1
300.5
872.2

357.5
296.7
393.1
502.4
457.2
446.1
333.7
846.7

364.3
292.6
382.0
507.9
610.9
560.4
247.0
2934. 8

1943

Continued

Iron and steel and their products »—Continued
Tools (except edge tools, machine tools, files,
and saws) _ ..............................................................
Hardware....................................................................
Plumbers’ supplies____ _______________ _____
Stoves, oil burners, and heating equipment, not
elsewhere classified_____________ _______ --.
Steam and hot-water heating apparatus and
steam fittings____________________________
Stamped and enameled ware and galvanizing. _.
Fabricated structural and ornamental metal­
work_______________ ____________________
M etal doors, sash, frames, molding, and tr im .. .
Bolts, nuts, washers, and rivets_____ ________
Forgings, iron and steel_____ _______________
Wrought pipe, welded and heavy-riveted.........
Screw-machine products and wood screws____
Steel barrels, kegs, and drums...... .....................
Firearms.............. .................. ......................... ..........

334.1
245.8
161.7

Electrical machinery »................
Electrical equipment______
Radios and phonographs__
Communication equipment.

454.3

474.6
444.1
551.4
561.3

479.2
447.8
539.7
587.6

474.4
445.4
509.1
591.6

465.4
442.2
489.4
567.3

454.8
434.7
468.9
550.6

436.3
418.3
456.9
513.4

440.0
419.2
458.6
534.8

431.6
410.3
451.4
530.0

444.3
420.5
468.5
551.2

459.1
432.2
488.4
578.6

465.1
436.7
495.6
593.7

471.0
443.4
507.3
586.4

488.0
475.6
505.0
538.2

Machinery, except electrical>_................. ................. .
Machinery and machine-shop products........ .
Engines and turbines................................... ..........
Tractors....................................... ..............................
Agricultural machinery, excluding tractors........
Machine tools....................... ...................................
Machine-tool accessories.....................................
Textile machinery........ ............................................
Pumps and pumping equipment.....................
Typewriters..............................................................
Cash registers; adding, and calculating ma­
chines___________________________________
Washing machines, wringers, and driers,
domestic________________________________
Sewing machines, domestic and industrial____
Refrigerators and refrigeration equipment____

473.7

491.6
532.6
639.3
369.6
613.7
248.0
395.7
461.4
632.9
265.7

486.9
527.3
620.1
358.4
592.4
248.1
387.1
452.0
625.5
271.1

491.7
531.5
622.1
364.1
597.9
250.3
391.8
453.2
620.1
255.0

484.0
523.2
581.9
360.5
577.1
248.3
391.0
458.9
615.0
286.8

482.3
520.0
594.5
369.1
559.3
246.8
400.8
454.3
605.0
298.0

473.6
507.9
585.4
369.2
574.2
239.0
361.6
438.6
605.0
319.2

480.7
519.6
601.4
355.5
595.4
242.9
383.5
459.1
616.5
325.2

466.4
509.3
617.6
285. 4
571.2
240.7
389.9
444.8
630. 7
325.0

463.8
511.9
611.7
248.9
571.9
240.2
392.6
441.3
630.2
336.8

475.2
514.7
632.3
353.8
576. 8
249.2
388.9
443.2
638.0
347.5

471.9
513.7
622.1
351.9
550.5
254.4
398.0
420.9
647.5
357.6

473.8
513.0
625.5
354.3
534.9
250.1
398.6
417.9
642.2
366.1

443.7
501.8
849.4
256.7
298.6
503.9
671.1
230.1
761.8
143.8

494.2

487.9

481.3

492.3

489.2

507.0

505.9

489.4

504.7

499.9

489.0

491.9

341.6

316.6
504.1
490.0

470.0
501.9
486.2

484.2
491.6
508.7

460.6
478.8
493.3

469.3
460.4
491.4

439.2
432.3
486.0

480.9
439.5
508.9

454.2
428.0
472.3

465.3
399.9
450.4

454.0
414.5
454. 7

470.4
404.0
433. 7

464.3
397.9
479.2

301.5
282.3
264.5

Transportation equipment, except automobiles___ 608.5 635.5 611.8
Locomotives._____ ___________ ______ _____ _
1,024.4 942.5
Cars, electric- and steam-railroad____________
565.9 535.4
Aircraft and parts, excluding aircraft engines...
839.0 830.7
Aircraft engines_______________ ____________
618.9 601.3
Shipbuilding and boatbuilding............................
288.6 262.4
Motorcycles, bicycles, and parts_____________
353.7 468.2

613.3
909.4
526.6
794.9
599.7
291.2
474.3

581.8
948.4
477.3
746.1
570.0
283.1
424.5

547.7
599.4
516.9
698.4
453.7
290.6
374.2

552.4
907.3
467.9
661.1
533.1
304.5
301.8

561.2
913.7
492.5
649.2
517.5
321.7
345.7

566.4
916.4
478.5
634.2
493.5
345.7
370.5

601.4
928.1
483.8
695.2
481.0
373.6
418.2

600.4
908.6
490.3
675.9
473.9
383.7
426.6

593.3
869.2
479.5
667.3
469.4
385.4
420.6

611.2
883.0
500.6
657.4
482.9
416.7
414.5

3080.3
1107.3
457.9
3496.3
4528.7
3594.7
253.6

Automobiles.

455.3

455.6

436.5

451.3

425.9

419.1

423.3

385.7

362.6

386.2

396.5

357.6

408.7

321.2

Nonferrous metals and their products 2..................... 372.2
Smelting and refining, primary, of nonferrous
metals___________________________________
Alloying; and rolling and drawing of nonfer­
rous metals, except aluminum......................... .
Clocks and watches_________ ____ __________
Jewelry (precious metals) and jewelers’ findings
Silverware and plated ware...................................
Lighting eq u ip m en t-.-.............................. ............
Aluminum manufactures__________ _________
Sheet-metal work, not elsewhere classified.........

390.2

391.9

394.2

386.3

379.3

360.6

368.2

362.5

368.3

377.1

372.9

372.7

354.5

342.1

340.0

344.6

342.4

345.7

338.6

329.7

321.6

314.1

307.2

303.7

303.1

353.9

309.8
331.6
402.3
545.2
335.4
357.5
455.1

298.2
348.1
407.3
572.0
343.1
360. 2
452.3

308.0
353.0
397.0
565.0
340.0
355.7
467.4

307.0
348.6
383.8
555.4
345.6
325.8
443.9

298.5
334.9
365.9
519.4
328.2
332.9
454.5

284.3
304.5
345.7
481.8
317.0
316.8
434.1

278.3
332.2
372.5
527.4
305.9
338.5
438.1

268.9
327.4
362.4
522.4
293.3
347.0
430.2

271.7
336.8
377.7
529.4
308.3
356.8
434.8

283. 5
339.1
391.8
543.3
328.4
362.0
450.6

273.2
333.4
396.2
525.6
333.7
366.8
447.1

273.4
326.2
383.4
520.5
337.8
371.3
454.4

353.4
238.4
240.4
591.6
357.6

Lumber and timber basic products 2.
Sawmills and logging camps........
Planing and plywood m ills.........

421.0

468.8
505.7
488.7

499.7
549.7
486.4

519.2
575.3
491.9

523.3
584.4
478.6

538.8
604.6
485.4

502.9
563.3
455.3

488.5
543.3
456.1

461.1
496.8
445.1

433.4
471.0
435.4

427.6
466.4
424.7

417.2
452.4
422.2

413.5
450.3
417.1

215.1
238.3
197.8

Furniture and finished lumber products 2.
Mattresses and bedsprings....................
Furniture___________ ____ ________
Wooden boxes, other than cigar_____
Caskets and other morticians’ goods..
Wood preserving____________ ______
Wood, turned and shaped-...................

317.9

345.4
351.3
354.4
315.2
282.4
368.4
331.1

349.2
371.2
356.7
318.6
287.8
378.3
328.3

354.9
414.3
358.1
325.0
284.9
383.3
338.7

344.5
411.5
344.2
315.7
289.7
379.3
323.8

337.3
385.5
334.8
327.3
289.0
382.8
332.1

320.4
354.1
317.5
318.6
273.4
378.0
313.9

326.0
347.9
325.7
325.7
283.4
358.1
322.8

325.6
340.2
328.6
301.1
289.2
351.5
325.1

333.0
359.5
336.3
304.8
300.3
334.2
331.8

349.2
387.9
353.4
320.5
315.7
331.6
339.0

350.2
410.9
356.0
311.8
310.5
311.6
327.9

352.2
414.0
355.4
324.4
314.4
352.3
318.0

183.9
165.7
185.3
215.8
159.3
181.9
175.5

Stone, day, and glass products 2..........................
Glass and glassware.___________________
Glass products made from purchased glass.
Cement................ ...............................................
Brick, tile, and terra cotta._____________
Pottery and related products.____ ______

349.5

366.9
385.3
350.7
312.2
355.5
404.1

366.9
384.0
344.6
315.2
356.5
407.5

372.1
395.8
329.0
316.1
362.4
399.8

361.2
383.2
310.9
310.4
353.5
374.0

358.9
369.3
309.3
322.5
358.6
383.4

334.2
327.9
293.4
319.2
335.7
345.2

347.1
360.5
308.5
314.0
338.1
364.2

343.4
364.4
304.6
305.0
328.6
359.8

337.9
367.1
299.1
288.2
312.9
357.0

336.6
370.0
307.8
278.5
304.1
361.2

321.4
350.9
307.0
273.9
285.4
345.2

322.9
354.3
312.1
275.7
303.6
345.4

189.1
208.3
165.9
156.5
135.8
191.9

See footnotes 1 and 2, table A-6.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

211.8
212.8

REVIEW, MARCH 1949

A: EMPLOYMENT AND P A Y ROLLS

349

T able A-8: Indexes of Production-Worker Weekly Pay Rolls in Manufacturing Industries

Con.

[1939 average=100]

1949

An­
nual
aver­
age

1948

Industry group and industry
Jan.
D u r a b l e goods

Dec.

Nov.

Oct.

Sept.

378.5

387.7

397.1

493.0
313.0
204. 2
593.7
390.6

495.7
322.3
190.9
583.3
398.4

493.8
326.9
196.8
594.6
414.5

291.9
3b'Z. 7
224. 2
293. 4

291.9
348.9
222.1
299.1

Aug.

July

386.5

380.1

491.8
323.8
194.2
588.5
402.7

484.7
324.5
195.6
576.3
395.6

291.2
350.0
222.5
299.4

295.5
354.9
228.7
301.3

June

M ay

Apr.

353.2

352.7

349.7

491.6
309.9
184.9
571.6
377.5

475.7
311.9
185.9
578.8
385.4

465.0
314.7
183.2
565.0
380.0

298.2
357.4
227.3
295.2

285.4
342.0
226.5
276.9

304.6
365.9
238.0
292.2

Mar.

Feb.

Jan.

343.7

328.3

320.1

325.2

151.7

467.9
314.5
176.6
546.6
378.5

448.7
301.5
179.3
560.2
376.2

431.7
280.3
169.5
526.0
370.6

429.9
286.0
173.5
417.4
370.4

223.8
171.6
90.8
480.2
254.6

303.8
369.7
238.3
289.0

307.1
374.7
243.0
287.6

315.6
385.1
249.1
288.0

310.6
377.0
249.3
282.2

303.0
378.7
243.8
271.5

178.9
215. 9
214.6
138.6

1943

—Continued

Stone, clay, and glass products ^ C o n tin u ed
Gypsum__________ ______ __________________
Wallboard, plaster (except gypsum), and min­
eral wool_____________________ _______ ___
L im e .................................................... .....................
Marble, granite, slate, and other products.........
Abrasives.............. ................................. ...................
Asbestos p r o d u cts..._________ _____________
N o n d u r a b l e goods

Textile-mill products and other fiber manufactures8 276.7
Cotton manufactures, except smallwares...........
Cotton smallwares.................................................
Silk and rayon goods......................... .....................
Woolen and worsted manufactures, except dye­
ing and finishing...............................................
Hosiery........................................................................
Knitted cloth._______ _________________ ____
Knitted outerwear and knitted gloves................
Knitted underwear.________________________
D yeing and finishing textiles, including wool­
en and worsted_____________ _____________
Carpets and rugs, wool.................................. .........
Hats, fur-felt______________________________
Jute goods, except felts.............. ........................... .
Cordage and tw ine.............. ................................. .

270.9
201.8
227.0
264.6
256.1

268.8
210.3
232.9
272.7
273. 6

265.7
208.8
228.7
249.8
291.2

286.1
201.1
219.7
250.5
297.3

297.8
202.8
228.4
244.1
313.2

295.5
184.2
224.4
228.2
305.2

311.5
199.8
223.2
260.8
324.9

307.9
197.6
223.1
266.4
326.5

308.6
203.5
237.1
261.2
344.5

322.1
212.6
243.3
268.8
348.1

321.1
204.8
242.6
269.1
334.4

292.0
202.9
236.5
251.9
329.6

199.5
109.6
174.7
192.7
183.3

327.7
389.8
175.3
283.6
288.6

316.8
393. 5
163.1
285.9
291.5

311.6
393.2
162.9
266.8
284.7

310.7
387.5
180.9
248.4
283.7

309.2
381.5
200.3
282.2
286.4

299.8
368.4
171.8
273.0
288.2

320.6
371.8
197.4
277.5
306.5

321.7
358.1
184.6
272.2
303.4

328.7
348.8
176.4
275.9
311.4

332.1
352.6
197.5
264.2
330.4

334.6
346.0
202.2
265.7
337.6

326.8
340.5
195.8
250.1
330.6

174.9
145.2
121.5
196.4
240.3

Apparel and other finished textile products........ .
327.2
M en’s clothing, not elsewhere classified.......... .
Shirts, collars, and nightw ear..................... .........
Underwear and neckwear, men’s .........................
Work shirts_______________________ ________
Women’s clothing, not elsewhere classified____
Corsets and allied garments........................ ...........
M illinery....................................................................
Handkerchiefs............................................................
Curtains, draperies, and bedspreads......... .........
Housefurnishings, other than curtains, etc........
Textile bags........ .............. .......................................

327.4
293.0
233.4
322.2
319.6
369.8
231.9
167.5
295.1
343.5
705.9
572.1

335.4
297.5
258.8
335.6
339. 5
379.8
235.8
138.8
303.2
372.2
727.7
553.3

325.0 348.1
302.4 324.7
256.0 254.0
309.9 301.3
352.4 341.4
351.0 390.2
233.1 225. 3
193.1 201.5
289.3 259.4
375.4 *379. 9
698.6 634.9
556.3 549.5

342.3
324.0
247.1
294.1
340.0
380.3
217.0
197.0
241.0
382.1
633.4
521.9

303.6
294.1
246.6
269.6
326.4
326.6
201.1
165.3
181.3
317.6
573.0
498.3

303.6
312.9
258.5
289.1
333.9
310.7
210.8
132.0
231.0
330.8
587.3
471.1

297.9
311.5
266.8
296.7
325.8
299.3
213.0
127.9
239.1
334. 8
544.2
464.8

306.5
317.1
274.6
297.0
316.1
307.1
229.1
171.3
251.5
348.5
584.6
446.4

343.2
324.8
279.7
313.7
305.6
376.4
241.6
212.5
259.4
397.0
609. 2
449.3

345.2
316.4
272.0
300.0
284.6
387.1
237.7
236.0
243.4
431.4
572.9
461.7

337.0
313.4
273.0
292.0
247.5
374.8
234. 5
204.4
222.5
419.1
597.8
481.1

185.2
174.9
143.6
166.5
220.4
184.4
137.1
123.3
184.0
230.2
370.3
233.0

Leather and leather products 8..................................... 235.0
Leather________________ _____ ______ _______
Boot and shoe cut stock and findings........... .
Boots and shoes________________ ________ ___
Leather gloves and m ittens......... ........................
Trunks and suitcases..............................................

234.3
210.9
178.1
227.4
209.9
339.8

223.3
202.0
166.5
211.3
259.4
410.5

236.8
206.3
175.3
227.6
266.8
401.4

245.1
206.5
185.2
238.7
274.5
393.3

248.3
207.3
189.5
242.9
285.4
376.2

236.5
203.6
178.6
230.6
267.4
339.5

233.4
205.2
179.9
225.3
273.6
339.5

215.4
201.1
169.6
202.8
256.9
339.8

227.1
197.9
173.4
219.5
241.3
347.2

251.7
206.4
187.9
249.7
252.8
364.1

262.5
216.4
198.6
261.0
252.2
366.9

258.7
214.8
201.4
258.3
245.3
321.6

154.2
140.6
142.2
142.0
239.4
240.3

Food 8............... ................................................................. 312.8
Slaughtering and meat packing................ ...........
Butter__________________ __________________
Condensed and evaporated m ilk ....................... .
Ice cream_________ _____ _____ _______ _____ _
Flour............................................................... .............
Feeds, prepared.___ _______________ ________
Cereal preparations............. ...................................
Baking.......................... ................... ........................
Sugar refining, cane............... ..................................
Sugar, b e e t ..._______ ____ _______ __________
Confe ct ionery_____________ ______ __________
Beverages, nonalcoholic_______ _____ _______ _
M alt liquors________________________ _______
Canning and preserving.................................... HI

333.5
365. 6
382. 6
407.4
270.4
346. 6
396.0
326.8
279. 5
318.4
194.2
347. 0
284. 7
359. 5
280.0

340.7
336. 2
379.0
424.4
273.9
351. 9
405.9
342.3
280. 8
285.3
528. 9
388.7
287.1
377.4
313. 7

358.2
305.4
384.7
435.6
291.2
355. 2
405.8
341. 6
286.6
286.4
455.8
376.4
298.6
371.8
537.1

389.8
303.5
397.8
473.7
333.5
360.7
415.4
326.0
282.6
348.2
207.7
345.7
340.9
417.2
835.0

351.3
296.0
418.5
492.5
348.4
368.6
405.0
349.5
273.5
369.5
161.1
296.2
349.0
419.6
525.4

352.2
318.8
432.6
509.9
365.8
368.3
400.0
377.5
273.5
378. 5
138.6
255.4
387.1
435.7
469.2

328.3
329.2
429.8
520.3
341. 5
339.9
391.7
353.7
270.8
295.0
130.6
261.8
342.6
389.9
314.8

281.3
226.4
407.2
477.9
311.3
314.6
367.4
333.6
259.2
274.4
117.0
235. 5
311.6
332.8
260.4

267.4
192.5
381.0
438.1
286.4
304.7
337.1
313.0
250.7
275.8
100.6
265.2
289.9
350.3
240.8

285.8
295.8
348.2
403.0
261.3
292.2
329.6
297.8
249.8
298.5
103.2
283.4
270.7
324.4
227.0

288.5
280.6
332.7
388.1
250.9
318.2
314.7
322.2
257.2
278.8
132.2
302.6
254.3
320.7
239.9

296.6
323.0
330.3
369.8
248.0
326.0
379.0
307.8
243.2
261.2
195. 9
323.8
265.6
319.9
239.3

180.9
188.6
231.0
268.5
170.6
182.9
230.0
223.3
153.0
152.8
119.6
157.6
163.2
180. 5
216.0

Tobacco manufactures 8. _ ........................... ................. 200.5
Cigarettes.................................................................. .
Cigars____________ ______ ___ ____ __________
Tobacco (chewing and smoking) and snuff.......

217.9
269. 2
192.1
178.5

223.5
264. 4
207.4
173.1

224.3
279.0
197.2
180.7

214.8
268.1
187.4
176.1

218.3
288.3
180.9
173.3

205.5
270.0
171.1
164.1

205.8
263.1
175.8
166.7

201.3
253.1
175.1
161.8

205.7
254.3
182.7
161.6

204.6
246.5
186.6
159.6

195.7
219.2
189.4
162.2

210.5
259.6
188.2
161.2

151.0
172.0
141.0
132.3

Paper and allied products 1........ ................................... 342.6
Paper and p u lp ........................................................
Paper goods, other...................... ........................... .
E nvelopes.___________ ____________________
Paper bags................ .............. ........................ .........
Paper boxes...................................... .........................

356.5
357.9
394.7
315. 6
362. 5
335. 3

362.2
364.7
392.8
318.4
362.4
344. 5

357.4
359.1
381. 2
307.0
391.4
342.1

355.0
362.9
372.3
298.3
390.2
328.0

352.1
363.6
365.1
290.0
392.7
318.6

341.7
357.7
355.3
272.9
380.0
294.9

337.8
347.7
358.4
284.0
364.4
304.8

331.1
343.2
355.0
283.3
355.4
290.4

325. 7
333.3
350.7
282.1
365.3
292.5

330.8
335. 6
354.2
283.7
373. 7
305.4

328.9
333.8
352.9
282.8
357. 8
307.1

328.0
330. 3
355.1
278.0
368.1
309.1

184.8
181.6
193.2
165.7
183.4
189.6

Printing, publishing, and allied industries 8............. 268.8
Newspapers and periodicals____________ ____
Printing; book and job...........................................
L ithographing.............................. ............................
B ookbin ding............................................. ..............

280.6 275.4
258.9 253.3
316. 0 307.9
233. 3 234. 5
310.6 1 315.1

273.6
252.2
305.4
235.5
309.7

273.6
253.6
304.8
233.1
307.8

264.8
240.6
297.6
231.8
310.2

260.1
235.5
296.0
223.5
291.8

264.9
238.1
299.3
230.3
310.0

262.2
236.5
296.7
224.1
302.9

259.5
234.6
291.0
221.4
304.0

258.5 254.7
229.2 224.6
292.5 290.9
227.2 219.0
313.4 1 307.7

255.3
218.9
295.9
224.0
315.3

124.7
111.7
137.3
124.9
174.8

See footnotes 1 and 2, table A-6.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

350

MONTHLY LABOR

A: EMPLOYMENT AND PAY BOLLS

T able A-8: Indexes of Production-Worker Weekly Pay Rolls in Manufacturing Industries1—Con.
[1939 average=100]
An­
nual
aver­
age

1948

1949
Industry group and industry
Dec.

N ov.

Oct.

Sept.

Aug.

July

June

M ay

Apr.

Mar.

Feb.

Jan.

Chemicals and allied products 2— ------ --------------- 459.1
Paints, varnishes, and colors________________
Drugs, medicines, and insecticides___________
Perfumes and cosmetics. __________________
Soap
. ____ ___ ________________________
Rayon and allied products__________________
Chemicals, not elsewhere classified -_________
Explosives and safety fuses__________________
Compressed and liquefied gases_____________
Ammunition, small-arms __________________
Fireworks
_____________________________
Cottonseed o i l ____________________________
Fertilizers
_______________ ______________

462.3
325.5
511.9
249.0
404.1
305.3
639.7
746.9
483.8
395.2
541.4
539.9
427.5

461.9
329.9
512.4
261.9
405.3
300.1
637.5
749.1
491.0
403.7
544.2
555.4
415.3

460.1
338.4
506.9
252.2
412.2
296.7
628.6
763.8
488.5
409.4
552.7
559.8
430.8

462.5
339.3
491.1
243.0
400.7
297.5
641.6
796.0
513.9
411.2
621.0
459.3
436.1

450.6
345.1
485.3
237.4
365.7
302.7
629.1
798.3
512.0
403.1
630.2
261.7
408.9

432.7
343.0
480.6
204.3
344.3
289.6
600.4
760.2
518.2
420.8
507.0
230.1
396.7

434.9
335.6
486.7
213.7
343.1
280.2
613.6
737.6
505.4
411.2
572.5
228.3
414.5

422.5
329.9
481. 5
209.7
322.9
275.1
589.6
683.8
491.7
404.1
594.9
245.9
470.4

422.1
315.9
479.9
215.1
321.8
274.6
591.1
648.3
483.7
398.8
572.5
270.2
530.1

425.1
319.1
487.6
222.0
359.0
271.9
584.3
675.2
473.6
396.8
625.8
316.4
540.2

425.6
324.4
489.2
231.2
376.4
270.2
584.8
678.2
475.5
388.7
610.2
338.0
482.2

422.5
426.7
318.6
197.2
490.7
286.3
230.9
180.6
379.3
174.5
168.2
268.6
336.9
586.8
669.2 2,361.8
465.0
325.3
380.5 6,734. 4
591.6 5,963.9
397.4
230.4
475.2
272.2

Products of petroleum and coal 2------------------------- 349.6
Petroleum refining_________________________
Coke and byproducts_______________________
Paving materials ________________________
Roofing m aterials_________________________

346.4
338.2
353.3
259.6
412.8

354.9
343.9
346.7
253.3
517.5

344.8
324.7
349.5
276.3
577.7

345.6
326.1
353.2
279.1
558.3

358.2
345.5
350.8
264.3
548.7

353.4
344.9
329.5
248.1
531.9

342.2
330.8
330.1
235.0
523.3

335.8
326.2
320.6
222.8
508.5

316.7
310.9
287.3
206.5
495.6

320.0
306.6
314.6
173.1
502.7

315.4
302.1
312.3
160.6
500.7

318.1
303.9
309.8
168.2
508.3

184.3
176.7
183.4
144.8
267.2

Rubber products A . ----------------------------------- 320.6
Rubber tires and inner tubes________________
Rubber boots and shoes ___________________
Rubber goods, other._ ________________ ____

332.7
299.6
388.2
370.0

341.9
312.9
377.2
378.7

345.5
318.2
369.0
383.0

344.9
326.2
355.9
370.8

347.2
341.0
344.1
356.3

329.7
329.8
321.7
331.9

330.2
322.0
329.7
343.7

318.9
305.7
328.1
337.7

312.8
286.4
333.9
347.1

320.6
292.4
347.0
356.2

337.2
315.4
345.0
366.2

354.9
344.4
342.8
368.3

263.9
265.7
268.8
255.8

Miscellaneous industries A
--------------------------- 384.2
Instruments (professional and scientific), and
fire-control eq u ip m en t___________________
Photographic ap p a ra tu s__ _________________
Optical instruments and ophthalmic goods----Pianos, organs, and parts___________________
Games, toys, and dolls______________________
Buttons
____________________________
Fire extinguishers. ------------------------------------

405.0

420.8

422.6

411.8

397.4

375.0

386.7

384.2

382.6

394.0

393.9

388.2

322.7

573.6
456.4
455.7
381.2
470.8
285.9
635.1

571.9
456.7
447.8
389.5
633.2
273.6
638.1

555.5
450.2
451.9
387.6
651.1
275.4
616.9

530.1
450.5
444.4
369.1
613.5
271.9
606.1

505.9
444.1
439.6
361.7
566.8
275.3
566.7

487.2
443.8
393.1
327.9
521.2
254.0
573.0

491.0
438.8
421.6
362.7
510.6
271.7
595.6

492.6
409.7
426.7
367.8
496.7
269.4
563.4

494.2
416.2
438.1
357.9
487.6
269.4
575.5

489.3
422.3
444.8
396.0
463.7
284.3
541.0

487.1
424.2
446.3
421.1
450.1
285.5
523.2

507.5 1,356.9
418.1 ' 311. 5
452.3
439.0
455.5
295.1
399.7
169.7
204.1
275.7
546.8 1, 629. 2

Jan.
N o n d u r a b l e goods—

1943

Continued

* Revised.

See footnotes 1 and 2, table A-6.

T able A-9: Estimated Number of Employees in Selected Nonmanufacturing Industries 1
[In thousands]
1949

Annual
average

1948

Industry group and industry
Jan.

Dec.

N ov.

Oct.

Sept.

Aug.

July

June

M ay

Apr.

Mar.

Feb.

Jan.

1943

M ining:2 8
Coal:
76.4
77.2
77.0
77.5
77.7
76.2
77.4
76.9
77.4
76.6
76.2
78.4
77.0
76.6
A nthracite.. ------------------- .
403
405
397
404
401
405
404
408
407
296
401
419
408
378
Bituminous------- -------------------------89.4
88.4
91.4
91.4
89.5
90.4
88.7
92.0
91.7
92.8
91.7
90.2
89.7 112.7
M etal_______ ______ ____ ____ ______
32.1
33.4
33.7
33.7
33.7
32.7
32.5
31.5
31.0
31.8
32.3
32.8
30.9
35.3
Iron----------------------------------------26.9
24.2
24.5
23.9
27.0
26.9
26.5
26.7
26.5
26.8
27.0
26.9
26.6
33.3
Copper________________ _____ _
16.6
16.2
16.4
16.3
16.3
16.3
15.7
16.9
16.9
16.2
13.0
12.0
15.0
21.6
Lead and z in c ---- --------- -----------8.7
8.8
8.2
8.2
8.4
8.3
8.1
8.5
8.7
8.6
7.7
8.6
8.1
8.1
Gold and silver_________________
7.9
7.9
7.7
7.9
8.2
8.0
8.0
7.9
7.7
7.7
7.8
14.8
7.9
7.9
Miscellaneous. . .
-------------77.5
83.4
85.3
85.1
80.0
79.9
87.1
83.9
76.8
80.9
Quarrying and nonmetallic--------------86.6
87.8
87.8
86.8
Crude petroleum and natural gas pro­
duction 4_________________________ 129.5 129.6 130.4 129.9 133.2 137.1 136.6 133.5 128.7 127.2 127.1 127.1 126.4 103.2
Transportation and public utilities:
1,345 1,350
1,307 1,329
1,318 1,355
1,356 1,361 1,352 1,321 1,258 1,316 1,311
Class I steam railways 5_____________ 1,256
245
249
249
249
250
227
243
244
246
248
248
246
249
249
Street railways and b u sses6_________
627
623
620
402
642
642
642
647
644
633
630
630
638
643
Telephone. . . . . . . ----------------------36.9
46.9
34.2
34.5
35.1
36.3
36.9
36.8
36.6
33.3
33.9
34.7
36.0
36.1
Telegraph7-------------------------274
273
271
269
268
211
281
282
282
281
284
283
279
286
Electric light and power____________
Service:
344
375
377
377
375
377
378
372
375
373
369
379
366
370
fci ¿H otels (year-round)------------------------232
231
230
235
252
221
224
229
232
233
239
238
233
225
Power laundries 2---------- ------------- .
93.4
92.5
88.9
89.4
89.7
94.7
90.0
86.8
78.0
84.5
86.3
87.5
88.7
92.6
Cleaning and dy ein g 2-------------------i Unless otherwise noted, data include all employees. Data for the three
most recent months are subject to revision without notation. Revised
figures for earlier months are identified by an asterisk for the first month’s
publication of such data.
* Includes production and related workers only.
» Estimates have been adjusted to levels indicated by Federal Security
Agency data through 1946 and have been carried forward from 1946 bench­
mark levels, thereby providing consistent series.
< Does not include well drilling or rig building.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

1939

83.6
372
92.6
21.1
25.0
16.3
26.0
4.2
68.5
114.4
988
194
318
37.6
244
323
196
58.2

5
Includes all employees at middle of month. Excludes employees of
switching and terminal companies. Class I steam railroads include those
with over $1,000,000 annual revenue. Source: Interstate Commerce Com­
mission.
8 Includes private and municipal street-railway companies and affiliated,
subsidiary, or successor trolley-bus and motor-bus companies.
7
Includes all land-line employees except those compensated on a commis­
sion basis. Excludes general and divisional headquarters personnel, trainees
in school, and messengers.

REVIEW , MARCH 1949
T able

A: EMPLOYMENT AND PA Y ROLLS

351

A-10: Indexes of Employment in Selected Nonmanufacturing Industries1
[1939 average=100}
1949

1948

Jan.

Dec.

Nov.

Oct.

Sept.

Aug.

July

June

M ay

Apr.

Mar.

Feb.

Jan.

Annu­
al aver­
age,
1943

92.3
107. 8
96. 6
150. 5
96.7
103. 5
33. S
188. 0
113. 2
113. 2

92.0
109.0
97.6
152. 7
98. 2
103.6
33.1
194. 7
121.8
113.2

92.1
108.3
95.8
152.1
95.6
101.9
31.6
188.4
124.6
114.0

91.7
108.8
99.3
155.4
107.9
99.8
30.9
188.6
126.5
113.5

92.7
109.7
96. 5
158.2
107.7
79.8
31.4
188.9
128.3
116.4

92.9
109.7
95.5
159.6
106.0
74.0
31.1
190.0
128.2
119.8

91.1
101.8
99.1
159.5
106.6
92.2
32.2
191.3
127.3
119.4

92.6
109.6
100.2
159.6
106.9
99.7
31.9
188.6
126.8
116.7

91.4
108.9
98.7
155.0
106.0
100.6
31.3
182.9
124.2
112.5

91.9
79.7
99.0
153.7
107.2
100.4
32.5
182.8
122.5
111.2

92.6
108.0
98. 7
149.4
107.9
100.2
33.3
189.1
116.8

91.6
106.8
97.4
146.8
108.2
99.9
33.4
187.0
112.2

111.1

111.1

93 1
108.7
96. 9
146. 5
107.5
96.2
33.1
183 0
116 7
110.5

93 7
112 6
121 7
167 4
133 2
132 7
2Q 7
352 n
118 2
9o! 2

127.2
125. 4
200. 8
88. 6
115. 2

132.3
125. 9
202.2
90.0
115.6

134.6
126.2
202.1
90.7
115.5

136.2
126.9
201.9
91.6
115.1

136.7
127.9
202.3
92.3
116.2

137.3
128.1
203.7
93.3
117.1

137.9
127.2
202.8
95.7
115.8

136.9
128.3
199.4
96.0
114.1

133.8
128.5
198.4
96.3
112.3

127.3
128.3
198.3
97.9
111.7

133.3
128.7
197.4
98.2
110.9

132.7
128.6
196.2
97.8
110.3

133.4
129.2
195.0
97.2
109.8

137 2
117 0
126. 7
124 7
86.3

115.9
111.7
111. 6
126. 0
110. 9
91.1
108.9
117. 6

117.8
129.0
114. 6
177.1
135.0
97.6
113. 7
123.9

118.3
119.4
113.8
146.4
122.8
93.8
111.7
126.6

118.1
116.0
113.8
135.3
119.4
92.2
110.0
127.8

117.1
113.4
112.0
127.2
113.9
91.6
110.1
128.0

117.0
111.2
112.3
120.8
105.1
90.1
129.6

116.2
112.0
113.8
121.3
108.0
90.5
109.8
128.2

115.3
113.6
115.5
124.8
115.4
91.2
108.4
126.3

114.5
113.1
116.3
123.7
135.2
91.9
107.0
123.7

114.8
112.8
116.1
123.4
114.6
91.6
107.1
121.9

115.3
113.8
116.7
124.5
116.8
91.9
105.8
119.4

116.1
111.8
113.9
122.9
108 2
91.0
105.7
118.8

116.3
114 4
114.4
129.4
111.5
93. 6
106. 5
122.5

95 9
99 9
106 2
116 9
110 1
67 7
63 0
91.5

113.4
113.1
145.3

114.6
114.4
148.4

115.3
114.8
150.5

116.2
116.7
153.7

115.7
118.4
152.5

114.6
119.0
154.3

116.2
122.1
159.2

117.6
121.5
162.9

117.0
119.0
160.6

116.9
118.3
159.0

116.4
117.7
154.8

116.8
117.6
149.3

117.2
120.1
152.8

106 6
128. 7
134.0

Industry group and industry

M in in g:8 8
Coal:
Anthracite- ......................................................
Bituminous........................................ ..............
M etal__ _______________________ __________
Iron__________ ______ ____________ ____
Copper................................................................
Lead and z in c ............. .................................
Gold and silver________________________
M iscellaneous____________ ____ _______
Quarrying and nonmetallic_________________
Crude petroleum and natural gas production 1
Transportation and public utilities:
Class I steam railroads •___ ____ ____________
Street railways and busses .................. IZZII!
Telephone............................................. ....................
Telegraph 7................... ........................................... .
Electric light and power................................ ........
Trade:8
Wholesale_______________________ ________
B e ta iL -......... .........................
I’
Food_______________________ ____ ______
General merchandise__________________ ”
Apparel______ ____ - ______ _____ ________
Furniture and housefurnishings__________
Automotive_________________ __________
Lumber and building materials....................
Service:
Hotels (year-round)................ ................ ................
Power laundries ..................................................
Cleaning and dyeing 3................ ............................
1 See footnote
1 See footnote 2,
8 See footnote 3,
* See footnote 4,

1, table A-9.
table A-9.
table A-9.
table A-9.

T able

111.1

5 See footnote 5, table A-9.
8 See footnote 6, table A-9.
7 See footnote 7, tabie A - 9 .
8 Data include all nonsupervisory employees and working supervisors.

A-1.1: Indexes of Weekly Pay Polls in Selected Nonmanufacturing Industries
[1939 average=100]
1949

1948

Jan.

Dec.

Nov.

Oct.

Sept.

Aug.

July

June

M ay

Apr.

Mar.

Feb.

Jan.

Annu­
al aver­
age,
1943

238.6
353.0
222.8
354.4
241.2
278.0
60.6
412.3
288.1
245.1

224.6
353.3
225.9
358.0
245.4
277.8
61.1
438.1
321.2
235.7

216.0
343.1
216.8
355.0
232.2
265.4
56.6
401.4
329.5
235.3

260.4
358.5
224.9
371.6
255.6
252.7
56.4
405.0
345.2
230.7

247.3
355.1
211.2
361.0
247.6
199.2
54.1
406.7
342.4
235.6

260.3
365.8
210.4
355.8
254.8
189.1
56.1
387.5
348.5
251.0

193.3
293.0
202.2
331.5
242.4
193.2
57.1
383.0
329. 7
240.8

246.0
344.2
208.2
345.0
232.9
238.1
54.2
360.7
329.1
227.1

246.2
344.3
206.1
336.3
232.6
238.9
54.6
352.5
312.5
223.4

195.4
167.4
201.7
319.7
232.6
235.8
55.2
343.1
295.4
213.4

255.9
342.0
201.3
313.8
234.8
232.8
56.7
349.2
272.7
208.3

232.8
320.0
201.7
310.3
241.7
235.0
58.4
347.4
262.0
219.9

242.4
350.5
198.9
302.7
238.0
228.1
56.4
348.4
272.8
215.5

146.1
203.3
184.9
257.9
214.6
226.7
37.2
560.7
199.6
128.0

<*)
231.3
337.2
210.9
206.8

(»)
233.4
339.7
212.6
206.4

(*)
231.2
349.7
215.3
205.8

235.7
338.8
217.4
204.5

239.7
335.4
220.4
204.3

240.7
331.7
225.5
204.9

232.2
336.1
233.2
202.8

231.2
327.1
228.5
196.4

228.1
326.1
231.1
192.1

227.1
317.7
224.8
188.6

232.6
314.7
213.0
184.4

234.7
316.3
212.6
188.2

230.1
315.8
209.5
187.9

155.7
144.9
159.3
109.2

222.7
222.6
232.4
248.3
211.9
186.8
216.5
239.8

224.4
250.4
234.8
334.8
254.7
201.0
224.7
251.0

224.2
228.4
229.6
270.3
226.5
182.5
219.0
254.7

222.5
223.5
227.4
252.7
222.2
184.3
215.6
261.3

220.8
219.4
226.0
238.3
210.8
179.9
217.0
258.3

220.6
218.1
229.0
231.8
195.5
178.5
219.6
264.6

215.3
218.6
232.9
233.6
202.1
176.7
213.4
257.3

211.8
218.3
231.9
236.5
214.3
179.6
209.6
252.8

211.8
213.8
227.0
229.2
211.8
180.3
205.3
242.6

211.0
211.1
225.5
225.8
209.2
175.6
204.7
234.9

210.8
210.4
226.1
225.5
208.8
173.7
197.5
228.6

214.9
208.4
212.5
221.4
194.3
177.8
196.8
227.6

211.7
209.4
219.4
233.0
198.8
174.5
193.9
228.0

127.0
120.6
129.2
135.9
133.9
86.5
84.7
120.7

235.6
228.5
284.3

237.9
227.7
291.3

237.9
226.9
289.3

238.7
227.6
300.0

235.3
232.9
296.8

233.7
228.1
287.2

234.4
240.6
308.0

236.3
238.3
324.8

234.6
232.3
312.4

233.4
231.5
308.0

229.0
227.5
291.2

233.2
225.4
271.9

230.4
232.9
285.6

138.7
167.0
185.4

Industry group and industry

M in in g:8 8
Coal:
Anthracite________________ _____ _______
Bitum inous. ______ ____
M etal______________________
Iron__________________ _
Copper...... ...................................
Lead and zinc_________ .
Gold and silver________ . .
Miscellaneous_____________
Quarrying and nonmetallic_____
Crude petroleum and natural gas production8
Transportation and public utilities:
Class I steam railroads - ..........
Street railways and busses •..... ........................
Telephone_______________
Telegraph 7________________
Electric light and power............................
T rad e:8
Wholesale...... .................. . .
B étail____ _________
Food___________ ____
General merchandise____ ___________
Apparel_______________
Furniture and housefurnishings...................
A u tom o tiv e________
Lumber and building materials .
Service:
Hotels (year-round) ». „
Power laundries 8 _______
Cleaning and dy ein g 8..........................................
1 See footnote 1,
3 See footnote 2,
8 See footnote 3,
8 See footnote 4,
* N ot available.

table A-9.
table A-9.
table A-9.
table A-9.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

(*)

«

00

(«)

(•)

(«)

00

00

(*)

(»)

(•)

8 See footnote 6, table A-9.
7 See footnote 7, table A-9.
8 See footnote 8, table A-10.
8 M oney payments only; additional value of board, room, uniforms, and
tips, not included.

352

MONTHLY LABOR

A: EMPLOYMENT AND PA Y ROLLS

T able A-12: Federal Civilian Employment by Branch and Agency Group 1
Executive *
Year and month

All branches
Total

Defense
agencies4

Post Office
Department •

All other
agencies

Legislative

Judicial

Government
corporations *

Total (including areas outside continental United States)
1939........... ............... .........
1943................... ................

968, 596
3,183,235

935, 493
3,138,838

207,979
2,304, 752

319,474
364,092

408,040
469, 994

5,373
6,171

2,260
2,636

25,470
35, 590

1948: January-------------February________
M arch.__________
April____________
M a y ..........................
June------------------July. ----------------August.....................
September_______
October... ______
November_______
D ecem ber.. ..........

1,983,182
1,986,946
1,996,306
2,010,189
2,025, 801
2,038,194
2,065, 672
2,073, 728
2,083, 630
2,076,035
2,078, 661
2, 375,099

1,943, 466
1,947,317
1,956, 507
1,970, 562
1,986,188
1,998, 797
2,026,086
2,034, 538
2,044,087
2,036,951
2,039, 218
2,335, 762

890, 719
895,850
897, 917
903,814
909.885
916,864
919, 784
924,555
933,214
931,918
934, 509
937,178

430, 310
427, 480
431,691
438, 824
442,661
442, 588
452, 932
455, 549
457,003
458,414
459,685
754,128

622,437
623, 987
626, 899
627,924
633, 642
639,345
653,370
654,434
653,870
646, 619
645.024
644,456

7,046
7,101
7,217
7,186
7,257
7,308
7, 305
7,341
7,377
7,355
7,443
7,343

3, 461
3,470
3, 462
3,461
3,468
3,459
3, 477
3, 495
3, 485
3, 500
3,537
3,512

29,209
29,058
29,120
28,980
28,888
28,630
28, 804
28,354
28,681
28,229
28,463
28,329

1949: J an u ary_________

2,089, 428

2,050,202

933, 670

475, 832

640, 700

7,414

3,538

28, 274

Continental United States
1939___________________
1943___________________

926, 659
2, 913, 534

897, 602
2,875,928

179, 381
2,057,696

318, 802
363, 297

399,419
454, 935

5, 373
6,171

2,180
2,646

21,504
28,889

1948: January____ _____
February________
March___________
April____________
M a y . —.............
June_____________
J u ly .. __________
August......................
Septem ber______
October ________
November_______
December________

1,760,689
1, 760,914
1,770,672
1,781,238
1,795, 611
1,808,240
1,839, 560
1, 854,250
1,868, 606
1,868,871
1,876,482
2,176,352

1,728,265
1, 728,482
1,738,043
1, 748,658
1, 763,092
1, 775,838
1,806,926
1,821,574
1,836,008
1,836,310
1,843,888
2,144,013

704,251
705,792
708,934
710,991
717,072
724,683
732,217
742, 925
756, 500
762,682
770, 286
777,474

428, 783
425,998
430,116
437,242
441,076
440,977
451,339
453,926
455,372
456, 708
457,972
751, 256

595,231
596,692
598,993
600,425
604, 944
610,178
623,370
624, 723
624,136
616,920
615,630
615,283

7,046
7,101
7,217
7,186
7,257
7,308
7, 305
7,341
7,377
7, 355
7, 443
7,343

3,388
3,396
3,388
3,387
3,394
3, 388
3, 406
3,424
3,409
3.426
3, 462
3,437

21,990
21, 935
22, 024
22,007
21, 868
21,706
21, 923
21,911
21,812
21, 780
21,689
21, 712

1949: January__________

1,896,032

1,863, 569

777,679

474,096

611, 794

7, 414

3,463

21, 586

• Employment represents an average for the year or is as of the first of the
month. Data for the legislative and judicial branches and for all Govern­
m ent corporations except the Panama E . K. Co. are reported directly to the
Bureau of Labor Statistics. Data for the executive branch and for the Pana­
ma R. R . Co. are reported through the Civil Service Commission but differ
from those published by the Civil Service Commission in the following
respects: (1) Exclude seamen and trainees who are hired and paid by private
steamship companies having contracts with the Maritime Commission,
included by Civil Service Commission starting January 1947; (2) exclude
substitute rural mail carriers, included by the Civil Service Commission since
September 1945; (3) include in December the additional postal employment
necessitated by the Christmas season, excluded from published Civil Service
Commission figures starting 1942; (4) include an upward adjustment to Post
Office Department employment prior to December 1943 to convert temporary
substitute employees from a full-time equivalent to a name-count basis,
the latter being the basis on which data for subsequent months have been
reported; (5) the Panama R. R. Co. is shown under Government corpora­
tions here, but is included under the executive branch by the Civil Service
Commission; (6) employment published by the Civil Service Commission
as of the last day of the month is presented here as of the first day of the next
month.
Data for Central Intelligence Agency are excluded.
1 From 1939 through June 1943, employment was reported for all areas
m onthly and employment within continental United States was secured by
deducting the number of persons outside the continental area, which was


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

estimated from actual reports as of January 1939 and 1940 and of July 1941
and 1943. From July 1943, through December 1946, employment within
continental United States was reported monthly and the number of persons
outside the country (estimated from quarterly reports) was added to secure
employment in all areas. Beginning January 1947, employment is reported
monthly both inside and outside continental United States.
3 Data for current months cover the following corporations: Federal Reserve
banks, mixed ownership banks of the Farm Credit Administration, and
the Panama R. R. Co. Data for earlier years include at various times the
following additional corporations: Inland Waterways Corporation, Spruce
Production Corporation, and certain employees of the Federal Deposit
Insurance Corporation and of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency,
Treasury Department. Corporations not included in this column are under
the executive branch.
4 Covers the National Military Establishment, Maritime Commission,
National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, The Panama Canal, and
until their abolition or amalgamation with a peacetime agency, the agencies
created specifically to meet war and reconversion emergencies.
s For ways in which data differ from published figures of the Civil Service
Commission, see footnote 1. Employment figures include fourth-class post­
masters in all months. Prior to July 1945, clerks at third-class post offices
were hired on a contract basis and therefore, because of being private em ­
ployees, are excluded here. They are included beginning July 1946, how­
ever, when they were placed on the regular Federal pay roll by congressional
action.

REVIEW , MARCH 1949

353

A: EM PLOYM ENT AND P A Y ROLLS

T able A -1 3 : Federal Civilian Pay Rolls by Branch and Agency Group 1
[In thousands]
E xecutive2
Year and month

All branches
Total

Defense
agencies4

Post Office
D epartm ent8

All other
agencies

Legislative

Judicial

Government
corporations3

Total (including areas outside continental United States)
1939............... .....................
1944:5........ ..........................

$1,757,292
8, 301, 111

$1, 692, 824
8, 206, 411

$357, 628
6,178,387

$586,347
864, 947

$748, 849
1,163,077

$14,767
18,127

$6,691
9,274

$43,010
67,299

1948: January.................. .
February................
M arch .....................
April____________
M ay...... ....................
June_____________
July_____________
August___________
September_______
October. _______
November_______
December _______

483, 071
445,134
498, 325
477, 620
474, 725
505,345
528, 437
543, 421
547.818
533,834
550, 308
624,693

473, 466
435, 894
488, 676
468,100
465, 356
495, 792
518, 639
533, 523
537, 969
523,860
540,393
614, 566

211, 495
191,372
218, 706
204, 606
205, 912
225, 440
223, 968
229,236
232, 975
225,675
235, 507
245,159

100,395
98,054
102,124
100,894
100, 925
102, 653
121,677
122, 320
121,90S
124,095
125,130
178,899

161, 576
146, 468
167, 846
162,600
158, 519
167,699
172, 994
181,967
183,086
174,090
179, 756
190, 508

2,442
2,414
2,499
2,482
2,469
2,536
2,600
2, 695
2,694
2,656
2,682
2,722

1, 346
1,199
1,343
1,322
1,207
1, 279
1, 301
1,390
1,453
1,454
1,419
1,468

5,817
5, 627
5, 807
5, 716
5,693
5,738
5, 897
5, 813
5,702
5, 864
5,814
5,937

1949: January__________

532, 091

522, 281

224,999

124,266

173,016

2,657

1,352

5,801

Continental United States
1944 6 ..................................

$7, 628,017

$7, 540,825

$5, 553,166

$862, 271

$1,125,388

$18,127

$8,878

$60,187

1948: January....................
February_________
M arch.__________
A p r il.....................
M ay........ ..................
June...........................
J u ly .......... .............
A u g u s t...................
September_______
October .................
November_______
December____ . . .

443, 259
408,614
456,878
439, 691
434.657
461, 406
487,057
501, 794
506,281
491, 288
509,069
581, 480

434,366
399, 975
447, 901
430, 845
426,011
452,529
478,016
492, 593
497,084
482,045
499.801
572,012

179,395
161, 996
185, 284
174, 409
174,209
189, 974
191, 686
197, 058
200, 912
192, 530
203, 323
211, 614

100,052
97, 703
101, 765
100, 543
100, 570
102, 306
121, 263
121,906
121, 479
123, 633
124, 667
178,151

154,919
140, 276
160, 852
155,893
151,232
160, 249
165,067
173, 629
174, 693
165, 882
171,811
182, 247

2,442
2, 414
2,499
2, 482
2,469
2, 536
2,600
2, 695
2, 094
2,656
2,682
2,722

1,309
1,165
1,305
1, 287
1,174
1,242
1, 263
1.351
1,414
1,413
1,379
1,428

5,142
5,060
5,173
5,077
5,003
5,099
5,178
5,155
5,089
5,174
5,207
5,318

1949: January__

493,368

484,180

195,082

123,815

165, 283

2,657

1,314

5,217

_____

i Data are from a series revised June 1947 to adjust pay rolls, which from
July 1945 until December 1946 were reported for pay periods end in? during the
m onth, to cover the entire calendar month. Data for the executive branch
and for the Panama R. R. Co. are reported through the Civil Service Com­
mission. Data for the legislative and judicial branches and for all Govern­
m ent corporations except the Panama R. R. Co. are reported directly to
the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Data for Central Intelligence Agency are
excluded.
1 From 1939 through M ay 1943, pay rolls were reported for all areas monthly.
Beginning June 1943, some agencies reported pay rolls for all areas and some
reported pay rolls for the continental area only. Pay rolls for areas outside
continental United States from June 1943 through November 1946 (except
for the National Military Establishment for which these data were reported
m onthly during most of this period) were secured by multiplying employ­
m ent in these areas (see footnote 2, table A-12, for derivation of the employ­


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

ment) by the average pay per person in March 1944, as revealed in a survey
as of that date, adjusted for the salary increases given in July 1945 and July
1946. Beginning December 1946 pay rolls for areas outside the country are
reported monthly by most agencies.
* See footnote 3, table A-12.
* See footnote 4, table A-12.
1 Beginning July 1945, pay is included of clerks at third-class post offices
who previously were hired on a contract basis and therefore were private
employees and of fourth-class postmasters who previously were recompensed
by the retention of a part of the postal receipts. Both these groups were
placed on a regular salary basis in July 1945 by congressional action.
* Data are shown for 1944, instead of 1943 as in the other Federal tables,
because pay rolls for employment in areas outside continental United States
are not available prior to June 1943.

354

MONTHLY LABOR

A: EMPLOYMENT AND PAY ROLLS

T able

A-14: Civilian Government Employment and Pay Rolls in Washington, D. C., by Branch and
Agency Group 1
Federal

Year and month

District of
Total
Columbia
government government

Executive
Total
All agencies

Defense
agencies >

Post Office
Depart­
ment*

All other
agencies

Legislative

Judicial

E m ploym en t4
1939........... .............................................
1943-..........................................

143, 648
300,914

13,978
15,874

129, 570
285, 040

123, 773
278,363

18,761
144,319

5,099
8,273

99,913
125, 771

5,373
6,171

424
506

1948: January ......................................
February___ _____ _________
March............ .................. ...........
April— ................... ....................
M a y ______________________
June.............................................
July---------------------------------August................... ......................
September_________________
October___________________
November_________________
December________ _________

221,794
224, 517
226, 256
*227,627
*228,877
229, 526
233, 308
234,253
235,063
234, 544
236,478
241,444

18, 448
18, 625
18,668
*18, 626
*18, 682
18,848
19, 294
18,882
18,853
18, 564
19,065
18, 764

203,348
205,892
207, 588
209,001
210,195
210, 678
214,014
215,371
216, 210
215,980
217, 413
222,680

195, 714
198, 201
199, 784
201, 227
202,350
202, 782
206,110
207,438
208, 245
208,036
209,373
214,740

65,065
65,543
66, 050
66,635
67,212
67,592
69, 056
70, 217
70,771
70, 666
71,084
72,219

7,258
7,235
7, 412
7,396
7,380
7,387
7, 499
7,486
7,551
7,589
7,702
10,800

123,391
125, 423
126,322
127,196
127,758
127,803
129, 555
129,735
129,923
129, 781
130, 587
131, 721

7,046
Í, 101
7, 217
7,186
7,257
7,308
7,305
7, 341
7,377
7,355
7,443
7,343

586
590
587
588
588
588
599
592
588
589
597
597

1949: January___________________

237,468

18,862

218, 606

210,589

71,202

7,623

131, 764

7,414

603

Pay rolls (in thousands)
1939............. ...........................................
1943______ ____ _____ ______

$305, 741
737,792

$25,226
32,884

$280, 515
704,908

$264, 541
685, 510

$37,825
352, 007

$12, 524
20,070

$214,192
313, 433

$14, 765
17, 785

$1,209
1, 613

1948: January—.......... .........................
February—.................................
M arch................... .................
April........... ...............................
M a y_____________ ______ _
June............ ............ ............... .
July______________________
August___________ _____ ___
September___________ ____
October.................... .................
November_________________
December_________________

63, 295
57, 991
65,336
62,987
63,492
66, 658
67,208
71, 251
73, 551
70, 755
73, 221
78,846

4,499
4,281
4,518
4,495
4,422
4,561
3, 461
3,480
4, 607
4,450
4, 526
4,741

58, 796
53, 710
60, 818
58,492
59,070
62,097
63, 747
67, 771
68, 944
66, 305
68, 695
74,105

56,141
51,099
58,104
55, 799
56,400
59,350
60,931
64, 848
66, 020
63,421
65, 782
71,139

16, 656
15, 910
17,900
16, 324
18,045
19. 250
20,235
21,114
22,141
20, 908
21,656
22, 526

2, 776
2,165
2, 340
2, 277
2, 234
2, 300
2, 651
2, 695
2.722
2,684
2, 750
3, 704

36,709
33, 024
37,864
37,198
36,121
37,800
38,045
41,039
41,157
39,829
41,376
44,909

2, 442
2, 414
2, 499
2, 482
2, 469
2, 536
2,600
2,695
2,694
2, 656
2, 682
2, 722

213
197
215
211
201
211
216
228
230
228
231
244

1949: January_____________ ______

71,989

4,636

67,353

64, 470

20,614

2,741

41,115

2,657

226

1 Data for the legislative and judicial branches and District of Columbia
Government are reported to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Data for the
executive branch are reported through the Civil Service Commission but
differ from those published by the Civil Service Commission in the following
respects: (1) Include in December the temporary additional postal employ­
m ent necessitated by the Christmas season, excluded from published Civil
Service Commission figures starting 1942; (2) include an upward adjustment
to Post Office Department employment prior to December 1943 to convert
temporary substitute employees from a full-time equivalent to a namecount basis, the latter being the basis on which data for subsequent months
have been reported; (3) exclude persons working without compensation or
for $1 a year or month, included by the Civil Service Commission from
June through November 1943; (4) employment published by the Civil
Service Commission as of the last day of the month is presented here as of
the first day of the next month.
Beginning January 1942, data for the executive branch cover, in addition to
the area inside the District of Columbia, the adjacent sections of Maryland
and Virginia which are defined by the Bureau of the Census as in the metro­


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politan area. Data for Central Intelligence Agency are excluded.
1 Covers the National Military Establishment, Maritime Commission,
National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, The Panama Canal, and
until their abolition or amalgamation with a peacetime agency, the agencies
created specifically to meet war and reconversion emergencies.
* For ways in which data differ from published figures of the Civil Service
Commission, see footnote 1.
‘ Yearly figures represent averages. M onthly figures represent (1) the
number of regular employees in pay status on the first day of the month plus
the number of intermittent employees who were paid during the preceding
month for the executive branch, (2) the number of employees on the pay roll
with pay during the pay period ending just before the first of the month
for the legislative and judicial branches, and (3) the number of employees on
the pay roll with pay during the pay period ending on or just before the last
of the month for the District of Columbia Government.
‘ Revised.

REVIEW , MARCH 1949

B : L A B O R T U R N -O V E R

355

T able A-15: Personnel and Pay in Military Branch of Federal Government1
[In thousands]
Personnel (average for year or as of first of month) >

Type of pay

Year and month
Total

Army and
Air Forces3

Marine
Corps

N avy

Coast
Guard

Total

Fam ily al­ Leave pay­
Pay rolls * Musteringout pay 3 lowances 3
ments 7

1939_________________________
1943___________________ ____ _

345
8,944

192
6,733

124
1, 744

19
311

10
156

$331, 523
11,181 j 079

$331,523
10,148Î 745

1948: January________________
February_______________
March___ ____________
April__________________
M ay______________ ____
June_______ __________
July---------------------- -----August_________________
September_____________
October ........................ _
November______________
December______________

1,422
1,419
1,423
1,417
1,420
1,439
1,463
1,514
1, 548
1,585
1,610
1,628

898
905
909
906
917
930
940
978
1,010
1,042
1,057
1,072

421
414
413
412
403
407
420
430
432
438
446
449

83
80
80
79
80
82
84
86
86
84
85
85

20
20
20
20
20
20
20
21
21
21
21
22

300, 241
281,423
285, Oil
285,210
278,967
277,368
276, 590
278, 234
292,040
294,843
298, 971
294,042

250, 954
240,493
242, 969
247,452
242,292
243, 239
246, 422
244, 547
251, 398
259,175
264,137
260,046

13,465
11,838
13,051
9, 751
9. 057
5, 756
2, 516
3,955
9,292
5, 818
5,733
5,201

23,454
23. 567
24,997
25,414
25, 736
26,476
26,353
27,756
28,115
28. 253
28. 534
28,605

12,369
5,526
3,995
2, 593
1,882
1,898
1,299
1,976
3,235
1,598
567
190

1949: January________________

1,644

1,089

447

86

22

299, 582

265,618

5,012

28,709

243

1 Except for Army personnel for 1939 which is from the Annual Report of
the Secretary of War, all data are from reports submitted to the Bureau of
Labor Statistics by the various military branches. Because of rounding,
totals will not necessarily add to the sum of the items shown.
* Includes personnel on active duty, the missing, those in the hands of the
enemy, and those on terminal leave through October 1, 1947, when lump-sum
terminal-leave payments at time of discharge were started.
1 Prior to March 1944, data include persons on induction furlough. Prior
to June 1942 and after April 1945, Philippine Scouts are included.
* P ay ro lls are for personnel on active duty; they include payment of per­
sonnel w hile on terminal leave through September 1947. For officers this
applies to all prior periods and for enlisted personnel back to October 1, 1946
only. Beginning October 1, 1947, they include lump-sum terminal-leave
paym ents made at time of discharge. Coast Guard pay rolls for all periods
and Army pay rolls through April 1947 represent actual expenditures. Other

$1 032,334

data represent estimated obligations based on an average monthly personnel
count. Pay rolls for the N avy and Coast Guard include cash payments for
clothing-allowance balances in January, April, July, and October.
1 Represents actual expenditures.
• Represents Government’s contribution. The men’s share is included in
the pay rolls.
7 Leave payments were authorized by Public Law 704 of the 79th Congress
and were continued by Public Law 254 of the 80th Congress to enlisted per­
sonnel discharged prior to September 1, 1946, for accrued and unused leave,
and to officers and enlisted personnel then on active duty for leave accrued
in excess of 60 days. Value of bonds (representing face value, to which in­
terest is added when bonds are cashed) and cash payments are included.
Lump-sum payments for terminal leave, which were authorized by Public
Law 350 of the 80th Congress, and which were started in October 1947, are
excluded here and included under pay rolls.

B: Labor Turn-Over
T able B - l: Monthly Labor Turn-Over Rates (Per 100 Employees) in Manufacturing Industries,
by Class of Turn-Over 1
Class of turn-over and year
Total accession:
1948_________ ____ ______________________
1947___________________________________ .
1946__________________________________
1943___________________ _______ ___________
1939 3____________________________ . . . .
Total separation:
1948______________________________________
1947______________________________________
1946______________________________________
1943______________________________________
1939 3______ ______ ______________________
Q u it:4
1948______________________________________
1947______________________________________
1946______________________________________
1943______________________________________
19393_________________________________
Discharge:
1948_____________________________________
1947______________________________________
1946_________________________________ ____
1943______________________________________
1939 3 . _____________________________
Lay-off:3
1948_______________________________ _____
1947______________________________________
1946______________________________________
1943______________________________________
1939 3_____________________________________
Miscellaneous, including m ilitary:4
1948______________________________________
1947_________________________________ _____
1946_______ ________________ _____________ _
1943___________ _____ ____________________

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

M ay

June

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

4.6
6.0
8.5
8.3
4.1

3.9
5.0
6.8
7.9
3.1

4.0
5.1
7.1
8.3
3.3

4.0
5.1
6.7
7.4
2.9

4.1
4.8
6.1
7.2
3.3

5.7
5.5
6.7
8.4
3.9

4.7
4.9
7.4
7.8
4.2

5.0
5.3
7.0
7.6
5.1

5.1
5.9
7.1
7.7
6.2

4.5
5.5
6.8
7.2
5.9

3.9
4.8
5.7
6.6
4.1

3 2.6
3.6
4.3
5.2
2.8

4.3
4.9
6.8
7.1
3.2

4.2
4.5
6.3
7.1
2.6

4.5
4.9
6.6
7.7
3.1

4.7
5.2
6.3
7.5
3.5

4.3
5.4
6.3
6.7
3.5

4.5
4.7
5.7
7.1
3.3

4.4
4.6
5.8
7.6
3.3

5.1
5.3
6.6
8.3
3.0

5.4
5.9
6.9
8.1
2.8

4.5
5.0
6.3
7.0
2.9

4.1
4.0
4.9
6.4
3.0

3 4.3
3.7
4.5
6.6
3.5

2.6
3.5
4.3
4. 5
.9

2.5
3.2
3.9
4.7
.6

2.8
3.5
4.2
5.4
.8

3.0
3.7
4.3
5.4
.8

2.8
3.5
4.2
4.8
.7

2.9
3.1
4.0
5.2
.7

2.9
3.1
4.6
5.6
.7

3.4
4.0
5.3
6.3
.8

3.9
4.5
5.3
6.3
1.1

2.8
3.6
4.7
5.2
.9

2.2
2.7
3.7
4.5
.8

3 1.7
2.3
3.0
4.4
.7

.4
.4
.5
.5
.1

.4
.4
.5
.5
.1

.4
.4
.4
.6
.1

.4
.4
.4
.5
.1

.3
.4
.4
.6
.1

.4
.4
.3
.6
.1

.4
.4
.4
.7
.1

.4
.4
.4
.7
.1

.4
.4
.4
.6
.1

.4
.4
.4
.6
.2

.4
.4
.4
.6
.2

2 .3
.4
.4
.6
.1

1.2
.9
1.8
.7
2.2

1.2
.8
1.7
.5
1.9

1.2
.9
1.8
.5
2.2

1.2
1.0
1.4
.6
2.6

1.1
1.4
1.5
.5
2.7

1.1
1.1
1.2
.5
2.5

1.0
1.0
.6
.5
2.5

1.2
.8
.7
.5
2.1

1.0
.9
1.0
.5
1.6

1.2
.9
1.0
.5
1.8

1.4
.8
.7
.7
2.0

3 2.2
.9
1.0
1.0
2.7

.1
.1
.2
1.4

.1
.1
.2
1.4

.1
.1
.2
1.2

.1

.1
.1

.2
.8

.1
.1
.2
.8

.1
.1
.2
.8

.1

.2
1.0

.1
.1
.2
.8

.1

.1

.1
.1
.2
.7

.1
.1
.1
.6

3 .1
.1
.1
.6

1 Month-to-month changes in total employment in manufacturing indus­
tries as indicated by labor turn-over rates are not precisely comparable to
those shown by the Bureau’s employment and pay-roll reports, as the former
are based on data for the entire month, while the latter, for the most part,
refer to a 1-week period ending nearest the 15th of the month. The turn­
over sample is not so extensive as that of the employment and pay­
roll survey—proportionately fewer small plants are included; printing and
publishing, and certain seasonal industries, such as canning and preserving,


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

July

.2
.7

are not covered. Plants on strike are also excluded. See Note, table B-2.
2 Preliminary figures.
3 Prior to 1943, rates relate to wage earners only.
4 Prior to September 1940, miscellaneous separations were included with
quits.
3 Including temporary, indeterminate (of more than 7 days’ duration), and
permanent lay-offs.

356

MONTHLY LABOR

B : L A B O R T U R N -O V E R

T able

B-2: Monthly Labor Turn-Over Rates (Per 100 Employees) in Selected Groups and
Industries 1
Separation
Total accession

Dec.
1948 2

Nov.
1948

Dec.
1948 »

Nov.
1948

Dec.
1948 2

2.8

2.5

3.9
4.0

4.3
4.4

4.1
4.2

1.8

2.2
1.9
2.6

4.0
2.4
6.7

3.2
2.7
1.7
3.9

3.2
2.7
4.1
4.9
3.5
2.3
3.5
3.1
3.9

4.3
2.3

3.4
2.4
5.5
5.2
4.3

1.6
2.2
2.6
1.8

1.4
2.5

2.4
4.3
3.2

2.3
4.6
17.1

2.3
3.2

3.9
3.6
3.6

3.1

1.9

4.0

N ov.
1948

Miscellaneous,
including
military

Lay-off

Discharge

Quit

Total

Industry group and industry

Dec.
1948»

Nov.
1948

Dec.
1948»

0.3
.3

0.4
.3

2.3

N ov.
1948

Dec.
1948»

N ov.
1948

M A N U F A C T U R IN G
Durable goods........
Nondurable goods.

1.7

2.2

2.3

2.1

1.4
1.5

0.1
.1

0.1
.1

D u r a b l e goods

Iron and steel and their products-------- --------- - ...........
Blast furnaces, steel works, and rolling m ills..........
Gray-iron castings.. .......... .........................................
Malleable-iron castings......... ............................. ..........
Steel castings.............. ....................................................
Cast-iron pipe and fittin g s .......................................
Tin cans and other tinware...................................... .
Wire products------------------------------ -----------------Cutlery and edge tools------- ----------------------------Tools (except edge tools, machine tools, files, and
saw s).-................................. ........ .................. .......
Hardware---- -------------------------------------------------Stoves, oil burners and heating equipment--------Steam and hot-water heating apparatus and steam
fittin g s.................................................... <--------------Stamped and enameled ware and galvanizing----Fabricated structural-metal products......................
Bolts, nuts, washers, and rivets...........................—
Forgings, iron and ste el..............- .................. ...........

1.6
1.2

2.2
2.2
1.8

2.2

Electrical machinery------- --------------------- -------Electrical equipment for industrial use------Radios, radio equipment, and phonographs.
Communication equipment, except radios...

1.3
4.3

1.2
2.0
2.5
2.6
1.8

Machinery, except electrical...............................................
Engines and turbines_____________ __________
Agricultural machinery and tractors.........................
Machine tools____________________________ ____
Machine tool accessories----------------------------------Metalworking machinery and equipment, not
elsewhere classified----- -------- ------------------------General industrial machinery, except pumps------Pumps and pumping equipment----------------------

2.4

2.6

6.8
6.0

2.2
2.6
2.8
7.4

1.7

1.4
1.7

8.0

1.0
1.2
1.2
2.0
1.8

6.1
2.6
2.9

3.1
5.1
2.9
3.1
3.1

2.0
1.6
1.3
1.2

2.7
3.9

6.9

3.1
3.6

1.7

4.0

3.2

6.0

4.3
3.7

4.1

2.9
4.4
3.7
1.9
3.3

3.3
4.4

3.1
3.4
3.2
2.4
3.5

1.3

1.1
1.4
1.1
1.6
1.9
.8

3.0
1.7

1.3

2.0
2.8

3.5
3.6

2.2
2.8

1.5
.9

2.2
1.4

1.1
1.7
1.1
.9

2.0
1.8
2.8
3.2
2.4
1.7

2.6
1.7
1.4

1.4
2.5
2.4

2.0
2.6
1.6
1.7
2.1
1.6
1.1
2.4
1.6
1.6
1.4
2.1

.2
.1
.2

1.9

.3
.3

11.0

12.7

Autom obiles.---------- --------------------- Motor vehicles, bodies, and trailers.
Motor-vehicle parts and accessories.

3.5
3.9
2.4

5.0
5.7
3.4

4.4
4.6
3.7

4.5
4.5
4.2

2.4

Nonferrous metals and their products.................
Primary smelting and refining, except aluminum
and magnesium................................- ..........
Rolling and drawing of copper alloys...........
Lighting equipment------ -----------------------Nonferrous-metal foundries, except aluminum
and magnesium............................ - ............ .

2.1
1.6
2.0
2.0
2.6

3.1

4.1

3.5

1.3

1.7
1.7

2.0

1.9

.9

Lumber and timber basic products.
Sawmills..... .................. .................
Planing and plywood mills-----Furniture and finished lumber products.....................
Furniture, including mattresses and bedsprings.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

.2

.3

.2
.3
.2

2.1
1.2
2.0
2.6
2.9
2.0
1.8
1.0

1

.3

.5
.4
.3

1.4
1.7

5.7
3.3

See footnotes at end of table.

.6
.4
.1
.3
.1

.4

6.3
3.4
1.3
15.0

Stone, clay, and glass products—
Glass and glass products.........
Cement.......................................
Brick, tile, and terra cotta---Pottery and related products.

.3
.3

.3
.5
.4

.3

6.4
5.5
3.3

1.5

.6

1.3
1.4

5.5
3.6
3.0
11.7

2.8

.2
.2

.7
.3

.3
.4
.4

2.3
3.1

1.9

.2

.3
.3
.4

2.8
2.6

1.8

.2

.4
.3

.5

2.7

Transportation equipment, except automobiles............
Aircraft.--------------- ---------------------------------------Aircraft parts, including engines........................... .
Shipbuilding and repairs............. ............................... .

.5
.5

.2
.2

2.3
3.2
2.7

2.6

.5
.3

.3

.2
.6

.4

1.6
2.2
1.9

.3

.2
.6

1.2

.2

1.8

.3
3.7
3.5

2.1
.6
3.8
1.2
2.4

.5
1.9

2.1

1.3
.9

.7
1.5

2.0
1.6
2.9
.5

.5
.9
.9
3.4
.9
.3
10.3

1.1

.3

4.3

.2
.7

.3
.3

12.3

.4
.4
.3

.5
.5
.4

1.2
1.8

.3

.4

2.4

.3

.2

1.1
.2
1.4

.5
4.8

4.4

4.1

4.7

1.5

2.6

.3

.6

2.1

2.7
2.3

5.2
4.6
3.4

5.3
4.9
3.2

6.1

2.6

1.8

2.4
1.4

3.7
3.4
2.4

.2
.2
.2

.3
.3

3.7

2.4
2.3
1.5

2.3
2.3

4.6
4.6

6.0

5.7
5.9

2.0
2.1

2.9
3.0

.4
.4

2.1
2.5
1.6
2.8

3.5
3.9
3.0
3.7
4.5

4.0

3.4
3.6
2.9
3.8
3.4

1.5
1.3

2.3 I

.3

.2

.4
.3
.4
.7
.4

1.2

1.3

.2

.5
.3
.3

.9
1.7

.3

.3

.2
.6
.6

1.2

.6

.2

2.0
1.7
1.6 2.1
2.3
2.5
1.8 1 2.5

1.5
.5

1.4
.9

.3

6.1

.9

1.1

.3
.4
.3

1.9

2.7
3.2
3.0

1.1
.8
1.6

2.3

.7

6.3

.8
1.1
.6

2.0

.2

3.1

5.9

.8

4.5
3.5
1.3
.9
1.5

1.7
5.8

1.0

.2

4.0
.5

2.2

14.9

2.8

.8

1.3
1.3

1.3
.5
5.1

.9

.4

2.1

.9

.2
2.0

3.5
3.7

2.0

4.4
.4
.5

.8

.8
.9

1.8
2.3
1.0

2.1
2.2
.9
1.4
.3
.5
.4

.2
.3
.2
.2
.1
.1
.1
.2
.1

.1
.]

.1
.1
.1
(3)
.1

(3)

.1
.1
.1
.2
.1
.1
.1
.1
.2
.2
.1
.1
.1
.2
.2
.1
.1
.1
.2
.1
.1
.1
.1
.2
.2
.1
.1
.2
.2

(3)

.2
.1
(3)
.1
.1
.1
.2
.2
.2
.1
.1

.1

.]

.

(3)

(3)
.2

REVIEW , MARCH 1949
T able

B :

L A B O R

357

T U R N -O V E R

B-2: Monthly Labor Turn-Over Rates (Per 100 Employees) in Selected Groups and
Industries 1—Continued
Separation
Total accession

Industry group and industry

Total

Dec.
1948 2

Quit

Discharge

Miscellaneous,
including
military

Lay-off

Nov.
1948

Dec.
1948 3

N ov.
1948

Dec.
19483

N ov.
1948

Dec.
1948 2

N ov.
1948

Dec.
1948»

N ov.
1948

Dec.
1948 2

3.2
3.2
3.8
3.5
2.7
4.2
2.4

3.7
4.0
3.3
4. 4
2.4
4.7
6.0

3.6
3.7
3.5
4.4
2.6
4.4
6.6

1.6
2.0
1.4
.9
1.4
1.6
1.7

2.0
2.4
2.1
1.3
2.0
2.6
2.4

0.2
.2
.2
.2
.2

0.3
.3
.3
.2
.2
.1
.3

1.8
1.7
1.6
3.1
.8
3.1
4.1

1.2
.9
1.1
2.8
.4
1.7
3.9

0.1
.1
.1
.2

1948

MANUFACTURING—Continued
N o n d u r a b l e goods

Textile-mill products—....................
Cotton____ ___________ IIIIIIII.. . . .
Silk and rayon goods_ _ _ _ _ IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
Woolen and worsted, except dyeing and finishing
Hosiery, full-fashioned........
Hosiery, seamless.........................” ”
Knitted underwear___________ IIIIIIIIIII
Dyeing and finishing textiles, including woolen
and worsted................
Apparel and other finished textile products______
Men’s and boys’ suits, coats, and overcoats___
Men’s and boys’ furnishings, work clothing, and
allied garments______
Leather and leather products.
Leather___________
Boots and shoes...........I
Food and kindred products.
Meat products...........
Grain-mill products__
Tobacco manufactures.

Paper and allied products.
Paper and pulp____
Paper boxes______
Chemicals and allied products________
Paints, varnishes, and colors_____ II
Rayon and allied products..... ........ .
Industrial chemicals, except explosives.
Products of petroleum and coal......... .....
Petroleumrefining.____ _______
Rubber products_____ ___
Rubber tires and inner tubes.IIIIIIIIII
Rubber footwear and related products.
Miscellaneous rubber industries.........
Miscellaneous industries.... ..................
NONMANUFACTURING
Metal mining_____
Iron-ore..............
Copper-ore....... .
Lead- and zinc-ore.
Coal mining:
Anthracite.........
Bituminous ........
Public utilities:
Telephone...........
Telegraph_____

2.1
2.6
1.7
2.3
1.5
1.6

1.0
1.0

(9

.2

2.2

2.1

2.0

.7

.9

.4

.3

.9

.7

2.9
3.3

3.7
3.0

5.6
4. 8

5.1
5. 4

2.4
1.9

3.1
2.1

.2
.1

.2
.1

3.0
2.8

1.8
3.2

(9
(9

(9
(9

1.7

3.3

7.5

4.4

2.8

3.7

.2

.1

4.5

.6

(9

(9

3.9
1.8
4.2

3.1
1.9
3.3

3.4
2.2
3.5

3.7
2.4
4.0

2.1
1.0
2.3

2.3
1.2
2.5

.2
.1
.2

.2
.2
.2

1.0
1.0
.9

1.1
.9
1.2

.1
.1
.1

.1
.1
.1

4.8
6.2
2.2

7.8
11.2
3.3

7.1
7.0
2.6

6.5
6.3
3.6

2.1
2.3
1.6

3.1
3.2
2.5

.6
.8
.5

.7
.9
.5

4.2
3.7
.4

2.5
1.9
.4

.2
.2
.1

.2
.3
.2

2.1

3.1

5.2

4.5

1.8

2.8

.3

.5

3.1

1.1

1.4
1.2
2.0

2.5
1.9
4.2

2.4
2.0
3.6

2.8
2.3
4.4

1.3
1.0
1.9

1.7
1.4
2.7

.2
.2
.3

.3
.3
.5

.8
.7
1.3

.7
.5
1.1

.1
.i
.1

.1
.1
.1

1.0
1.0
.7
1.0

1.5
1.8
.9
1.7

1.7
1.6
1.2
1.7

1.7
2.3
1.3
1.9

.7
.9
.6
.7

.8
1.1
.7
.9

.2
.2
.2
.2

.2
.3
.1
.3

.7
.4
.3
.7

.6
.8
.4
.6

.1
.1
.1
.1

.1
.1
.1
.1

.6
.6

.7
.5

1.0
.7

1.5
1.0

.4
.3

.6
.5

.2
.1

.4
.2

.6
.3

.2
.2

.1
.1

1.6

2.9
1.7

1.0

2.5
1.2
4.2
4.0

4.0
3.2
5.8
4.2

3.1
2.6
3.5
4.1

1.4
1.0
2.5
1.3

1.8
1.1
2.8
2.6

.2 .
.1
.3
.3

.2
.1
.2
.5

2.3
2.0
2.8
2.5

1.0
1.3
.4
.9

.1
.1
.2
.1

.1
.1
.1
.1

1.9

2.3

2.8

3.4

1.1

1.7

.1

.2

1.5

1.4

.1

.1

4.3
1.7
6.5
4.1

4.9
1.6
6.8
6.4

3.9
2.7
4.9
3.4

4.2
2.9
5.2
3.9

2.8
1.2
4.0
2.7

2.9
1.1
4.2
3.0

.3
.1
.2
.5

.3
.1
.3
.7

.6
1.1
.5
.1

.8
1.4
.5
.1

.2
.3
.2
.1

.2
.3
.2
.1

1.4
2.2

1.5
2.9

1.7
2.4

1.8
2.9

1.1
1.9

1.2
2.3

.1
.1

.1

.2
.2

.3
.4

.3
.2

.3
.1

(9
(9

1.8
1.1

(9
(9

um w u auuai v i trto manuiuccurmg nrms reporting labor turn-over mformation nave been assigned industry codes on the basis of current products.
M ost plants in the employment and pay-roll sample, comprising those which
were in operation in 1939, are classified according to their major activity at
tnat time, regardless of any subsequent change in major products. Labor
turn-over data, beginning in January 1943, refer to wage and salary workers.

1.7
2.2

(9
(9

1.4
1.2

(9
(9

(9
(9

(9

.1
.1

(9
(9

.1
.8

.1

(9

(9
(9

.1

.1

.1
.1

Employment information for wage and salary workers is available for major
manufacturing industry groups (table A-3); for individual industries these
data refer to production workers only (table A-6).
2 Preliminary figures.
3 Less than 0.05.
3 N ot available.

N ote : Explanatory notes outlining the concepts, sources, size of the reporting sample, and method­
ology used in preparing the data presented in tables B - l and B -2 are contained in the Bureau’s
m onthly mimeographed release, “ Labor Turn-Over,” which is available upon request.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

(9
(9
(9

0.1
.1

(9
.1
(9
(9
(9

358

C: E A R N IN G S

A N D

MONTHLY LABOR

H O U R S

C: Earnings and Hours
T able

C -l: Hours and Gross Earnings in Manufacturing and Nonmanufacturing Industries1
M A N U F A C T U R IN G
Iron and steel and their proclucts
All manufacturing

Durable goods

Nondurable goods
Total: Iron and steel
and their products

Year and month
Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn­ hours
ings

Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. Avg.
earn­ earn­ wkly.
ings
ings hours

Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. wkly.
earn­ earn­ hours
ings
ings

1939: Average_____ $23. 86
1941: January.......... 26. 64

37.7 $0.633 $26. 50
39.0
.683 30.48

1947: December____ 52.69

41.2

1.278

56.48

41.7

1.354

1948: January_____
February___
M arch_______
April________
M a y________
June________
J u ly .................
August_____
September___
October........ ..
N ovem ber___
December____

40.5
40.2
40.4
40.1
39.9
40.2
39.8
40.1
39.8
40.0
39.8
40.0

1.285
1.287
1.289
1.292
1.301
1.316
1.332
1.349
1.362
1.366
1.371
1.376

55.46
54.77
55.25
54.96
54.81
56.13
56.21
58.19
57.95
59.41
58. 71
59.40

40.9
40.5
40.9
40.5
40.1
40.5
40.0
40.7
40.0
40.9
40.4
40.8

1.355
1.352
1.352
1.357
1.366
1.385
1.407
1.431
1.448
1.452
1.454
1.457

52.07
51.75
52.07
51.79
51.86
52. 85
52. 95
54.05
54.19
54.65
54.57
55.10

38.0 $0.698 $21.78
.749 22.75
40.7

Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly.
earn­ earn­ wkly.
ings
ings hours

Blast furnaces, steel
works, and rolling
mills

Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. Avg.
earn­ earn­ wkly.
ings
ings hours

Gray-iron and semi­
steel castings

Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. Avg.
earn­ earn­ wkly.
ings
ings hours

Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings

37.4 $0. 582 $27.52
.610 31.07
37.3

37.2 $0.739 $29.88
40.4
.769 33.60

35.3 $0.845 $25.93
.869 30.45
38.7

37.1
41.2

$0.699
.739

48.72

40.8

1.196

58.13

41.2

1.412

60.01

39.5

1,519

58.16

42.5

1.368

48.45
48. 56
48.66
48.33
48. 65
49.37
49.49
49. 79
50.37
49.70
50.19
50.51

40.0
39.9
39.9
39.6
39.6
39.8
39.5
39.5
39.6
39.1
39.2
39.3

1.210
1.217
1.220
1.220
1.230
1.242
1.252
1.262
1.272
1.271
1.282
1.286

57.43
56. 99
57.28
56.49
57.39
57. 70
57. 71
60. 52
60.69
62.17
61.74
61.91

40.6
40.4
40.6
39.9
40.3
40.3
39.6
40.3
39.7
40.8
40.5
40.5

1.414
1.409
1.412
1.416
1.423
1.431
1.457
1.501
1.528
1.525
1.525
1.528

60.58
59.74
59.26
58.37
60.54
59. 54
60.37
65.10
66.02
67.02
66.20
65.73

39.5
39.5
39.4
38.6
39.9
39.3
38.7
39.6
39.3
40.4
40.0
39.8

1.533
1.513
1.510
1.513
1.515
1.515
1.559
1.642
1.679
1.657
1.656
1.656

57.31
57.24
58.47
56.39
55.15
57.85
56.66
58. 26
59.44
59.27
58.45
58.88

41.6
41.2
41.8
40.2
39.3
40.7
39.8
40.3
40.2
40.2
39.8
40.0

1.379
1.390
1.401
1.404
1.403
1.422
1.426
1.447
1.480
1.475
1.472
1.472

Iron and steel and their products—Continue
Malleable-iron
castings
1939: Average-.......... $24.16
1941: January______ 28.42

Steel castings

Cast-iron pipe and
fittings

Tin cans and other
tinware

Cutlery and edge
tools

Wirework

36.0 $0. 671 $27.97
40.2
.707 32.27

36.9 $0. 759 $21.33
41.4
.780 25.42

36.4 $0.581 $23.61
40.5
.626 25.31

38.8 $0.611 $25.96
39.8
.639 28.27

38.1 $0.683 $23.11
.712 25.90
39.7

39.1
40.5

$0.601
.652

1947: December____ 59.18

41.8

1.414

60.05

41.6

1.443

50.98

42.2

1.206

53.92

42.5

1.265

57.83

42.6

1.356

50.26

42.0

1.197

1948: January______
February.........
M arch..............
April________
M a y ..................
June_________
July_________
A ugust—........ .
September___
October______
N ovem ber___
December____

41.5
40.8
40.8
39.8
40.4
40.1
39.9
40.2
39.4
40.6
39.9
40.1

1.420
1.405
1.414
1. 424
1.415
1.430
1.441
1.470
1.505
1.517
1.527
1.532

59.48
58. 52
59.88
60.13
60. 49
61.60
58.71
61.79
61. 27
63.36
63.92
63.79

41.1
40.5
41.3
41.2
41.3
41.7
40.0
41.4
39.8
41.0
41.3
41.2

1.446
1.445
1.450
1. 458
1.463
1.479
1.467
1.492
1.539
1. 544
1.547
1.547

49.67
50.42
50. 21
48. 52
51.07
52. 74
51.94
52.84
53.93
55. 08
56. 97
57.06

40.4
40.3
40.1
38.5
40.2
40.9
40.5
40.6
41.1
41. 7
42.9
42.9

1.225
1. 250
1.248
1.258
1.271
1.288
1.281
1.302
1.309
1.319
1.326
1.330

51.45
50. 44
49. 76
49. 65
50.98
53.04
56.99
57.04
60.03
55.46
54.51
56.23

40.7
40.1
39.8
39.8
40.2
41.0
42.0
41.6
42.8
40.3
40.1
41.3

1. 263
1. 263
1. 251
1. 250
1.273
1.295
1.362
1.368
1. 401
1.378
1.363
1.363

56. 3 (
55. 47
55. 70
54.96
55.11
55.82
57.36
58.11
56.91
59.74
59.47
60.05

41.8
41.1
41.0
40.4
40.5
40.6
40.0
40.3
39.2
40.8
40.5
40.5

1.347
1.349
1.355
1.360
1.367
1.373
1.422
1.443
1.451
1.463
1.468
1.481

49. 91
50.09
50.20
49.90
50.22
50.36
50.03
51.77
51.25
52.49
52.89
52.31

41.8
41.6
41.5
41.4
41.2
41.4
40.5
41.6
41.3
42.0
41.7
41.4

1.192
1.193
1.207
1.205
1. 217
1.216
1.235
1.245
1.240
1.248
1.267
1.270

59.03
57. 44
57.79
56. 77
57.21
57.46
57.37
59. 44
59. 24
61.58
60.71
61.49

Iron and steel and their products—Continued
Tools (except edge
tools,
machine
tools, files, and
saws)
1939: Average____ $24.49
1941: January............ 29.49
\r

1947:

►

December__

Hardware

39.7 $0.618 $23.13
.662 25.24
44.7

Plumbers’ supplies

Stoves, oil burners,
and heating equip­
ment, not else­
where classified

Steam
and hotwater heating ap­
paratus and steam
fittings

Stamped and enam­
eled ware and gal­
vanizing

38.9 $0. 593 $25.80
.621 27.13
40.9

38.2 $0.676 $25.25
39.0
.696 26.07

38.1 $0.666 $26.19
38.7
.678 30.98

37.6 $0.697 $23.92
.732 26.32
42.5

38.1
39.4

$0.627
.665

54. 44

43.0

1.266

52.55

42.2

1.245

57.00

41.6

1.370

56.22

42.0

1.339

58.66

42.2

1.389

54. 72

41.5

1.320

54.24
54.02
54.68
54.15
54.01
54. 96
54.11
August......... 56.53
September___ 55.09
October______ 56.80
N ovem ber___ 56.54
December........ 56.80

42.6
42.3
42.6
41.9
41.6
42.1
41.2
42.2
40.6
41.6
41.2
41.5

1.273
1.278
1.287
1.293
1.299
1.308
1.314
1.342
1.356
1.366
1.373
1.368

53. 29
52. 79
52.63
52.05
50.84
52.22
50. 27
52.62
52.62
54.30
54.61
55.04

42.4
42.3
42.0
41.6
40.4
40.6
38.8
40.3
39.5
40.8
40.9
41.2

1.256
1.249
1.252
1.251
1.253
1.285
1.295
1.306
1.331
1.331
1.334
1.336

55.61
55.26
56. 54
56. 27
56.93
56. 51
56. 48
58.12
56.78
62.31
61.27
62. 01

40.8
40.4
41.2
40.6
41.0
40.4
40.2
40.7
38.7
41.4
40.9
41.3

1.365
1.367
1.374
1.386
1.388
1.401
1.405
1.429
1. 466
1.506
1.499
1.501

54.24
54. 59
54.12
54.34
54.18
55.95
55. 26
57.04
56. 24
58.12
55.02
55.29

40.3
40.2
40.1
39.9
39.7
40.2
39.7
40.5
39.5
40.9
39.0
39.2

1.345
1.358
1.352
1.363
1.366
1.392
1.392
1.411
1.424
1.423
1.410
1.412

54.87
57.07
56.53
56.13
56.90
57.68
59.42
58.18
58.39
60.66
60.17
59.34

40.3
41.3
40.9
40.7
40.7
40.7
41.0
40.3
40.3
41.0
40.6
40.3

1.363
1.383
1.380
1.378
1.396
1.418
1.448
1. 444
1. 450
1.479
1.482
1.478

53.65
52. 42
52.78
52.93
53. 75
53. 54
52.62
54.80
53.37
55.97
56.33
57.14

40.7
40.0
40.3
40.1
40.3
40.2
38.6
39.8
38.4
39.9
40.1
40.4

1.319
1.311
1.311
1.321
1.332
1.330
1.363
1.378
1.397
1.403
1.403
1.414

1948: January..........
February....... .
M arch_______
A p r il...............
M a y .......... .......
June..................
J u ly ..................

See footnotes at end of table.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

REVIEW , MARCH 1949

G: E A R N IN G S

A N D

H O U R S

359

T able C 1: Hours and Gross Earnings in Manufacturing and Nonmanufacturing Industries 1—Con.
MANUFACTURING—Continued
Iron and steel and their products—Continued

Year and month

1939: Average1941: January.
1947: December__
1948: January...... .
February__
March.........
April....... .
May...........
June______
July............
August-......
September__
October____
November__
December__

Fabricated struc­ Metal doors, sash,
- machine
tural and orna­
nuts, washers, Forgings, iron and Screw
barrels, kegs,
es, molding, Bolts,and
products andwood Steeland
mental metal fram
rivets
steel
drums
and trim
work
screws
Avg. Avg. Avg. Avg. Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
hrly. wkly.
hrly.
earn­ hours earn­ earn­ wkly.
earn­
ings
ings ings hours ings

Avg. Avg. Avg. Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
hrly. wkly.
earn­ hours earn­ earn­ wkly.
ings
ings ings hours

$27. 95
31.01
58.81
55.76
55.31
56.15
55. 77
57.16
57. 84
55. 39
59. 92
57. 25
61.83
61.74
61.79

$26. 04
29. 58
57. 79
55.68
57. 38
59.20
58.44
57. 88
58. 76
57. 37
60. 97
59.43
60.87
61.41
62. 77

38.5
41.8
42.7
41.1
40.9
41.1
40.8
41.2
41.2
39.4
41.1
39.2
42.3
41.9
42.2

$0. 727
.743
1.378
1. 356
1.353
1.371
1.365
1.388
1.395
1.398
1.447
1.448
1.462
1.472
1.465

$58.97
56.49
55.88
67. 36
57. 97
58.55
61.49
56.45
61.80
63. 75
62. 98
62.29
64.31

43.5
42.0
41.7
41.1
41. 2
41.0
42. 7
39. 4
42.2
42. 7
42.4
42.2
43. 2

$1. 354
1.346
1.342
1.385
1.392
1.412
1.439
1.435
1.465
1.489
1.478
1.476
1.477

Iron and steel and
their products—
Continued
Firearms
1939: Average__
1941: January__
1947: December1948: January__
February...
March......
April..... .
May____
June........
July.........
August__
September..
October__
November..
December..

$27. 28
35. 09
60.01
59.88
60.80
62.33
61.16
61.42
63.10
63.06
61. /3
63.23
64.47
64.44
63.76

41.3
48. 6
42.0
41.8
42.1
42.7
41.8
41.9
42.1
42. 4
42.1
42.3
42.3
42. 2
41. 4

$0.660
.722
1.429
1.434
1. 446
1.460
1.463
1.466
1.489
1. 489
1.468
1.493
1. 523
1.528
1. 541

37.7
41.9
42.5
40.6
42.0
43.1
42.5
42.2
42.3
41.5
42.3
40.8
41.5
42.0
42.6

$0. 690
.706
1.359
1.369
1. 364
1. 372
1.375
1.371
1.386
1.383
1.440
1.454
1.464
1.458
1.472

$29. 45
36.75
67.20
65. 74
65. 51
64. 42
63.10
62.64
64. 74
63.44
66. 59
68.82
70. 63
70. 54
71.27

38.4
45.0
42.2
41.6
41.4
40.8
40.0
40.0
40.7
40.0
40.4
40.6
41.4
41.1
41.4

Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings
$0. 767
.818
1.591
1.581
1.583
1.579
1. 577
1. 566
1.580
1.585
1.647
1.695
1.708
1.716
1.708

Avg. Avg. Avg. Avg. Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
hrly. wkly.
hrly.
earn­ hours earn­ earn­ wkly.
earn­
ings
ings ings hours ings

$56. 77
56. 54
56. 62
56.99
56.30
56.06
55. 65
55.85
56.52
56.77
58. 61
57.42
57.89

43.0
42.7
42.8
42.9
42.4
42.1
41.9
41.2
41.2
41.0
41.8
41.2
41.7

$1. 319
1.324
1.324
1.327
1.327
1. 331
1.328
1. 355
1.366
1. 386
1.400
1.394
1.397

$27. 09
31.84
55. 34
54.82
54. 50
54.41
53.86
53.70
54.86
55. 46
57.49
57.72
58.17
58.29
58.31

38.6
42.4
41.1
40.5
40.4
40.3
39.9
39.6
40.0
39.4
40.0
40.0
40.2
40.3
40.3

$0. 702
.751
1. 346
1.352
1.348
1.350
1.350
1.357
1.372
1.407
1.439
1.443
1.448
1.446
1.446

and phono­
Electrical equipment Radiosgraphs
$27. 95
33.18
56.99
56. 77
56.11
56.23
55.70
55.41
56.67
57.24
59.18
59. 37
60.04
60.18
60.41

38.7
43.4
41.2
40.8
40.6
40.5
40.2
39.9
40.3
39.5
40.0
40.0
40.3
40.3
40.5

$0. 722
.765
1.384
1.391
1.382
1.388
1.387
1.390
1.408
1.449
1.478
1.486
1.492
1.493
1.492

$22. 34
24.08
48. 59
47.56
47.00
47.00
47.01
46.97
48.10
49.45
50. 21
50.66
50.74
52.09
52.49

38.5
38.2
40.4
39.6
39.2
39.2
39.1
38.8
39.1
39.7
39.3
39.6
39.5
40.4
40.3

42.5
41.0
38.2
39.5
39.2
40.4
40.5
38.6
39.9
36.5
39. 7
40.1
41.2

$1. 344
1 356
1. 343
1.344
1. 361
1. 369
1. 369
1. 381
1.462
1.468
1. 477
1.479
1.506

Machinery, except
electrical

Electrical machinery
Total: Electrical
machinery

$57.08
55. 31
51.35
53.16
53.49
55. 31
55. 41
53.24
58. 39
53.74
58,59
59'. 33
62. 07

$0. 581
.632
1.203
1.202
1.200
1.199
1.201
1. 211
1.229
1.247
1.279
1.278
1.285
1.288
1.301

Communication
equipment
$28. 74
32.47
56.15
54.64
55.83
54.78
53.49
53.59
54.06
53.82
57.56
57.80
58. 21
57.15
55. 74

38.3
41.4
41.7
40.5
41.1
40. 5
39.6
39.3
39.7
38.8
40.3
40.6
40.6
40.1
39.6

$0. 751
.784
1. 348
1.351
1.359
1.355
1.353
1.364
1.366
1.387
1.429
1.426
1.435
1.426
1.413

Total: Machinery,
except electrical
$29.27
34. 36
59.67
59.13
58.65
59.12
59.30
59.33
60.50
59.83
61.45
61.31
62. 25
61.92
62. 67

39.3
44.0
42.2
41.8
41.4
41.6
41.4
41. 2
41.4
40.6
41.0
40.6
41.0
40.7
41.1

$0. 746
.781
1.413
1.415
1 417
1. 421
1 431
1. 441
1.461
1 473
1.498
1. 510
1. 518
1.520
1.524

Machinery, except electrical—Continued
Machinery and ma­ Engines and turbines
chine-shop products
1939: Average...
1941: January...
1947: December.....
1948: January__
February..
March___
April........
May........
June____
July.........
August.....
September..
October__
November..
December...

$28.76
34.00
59.22
58.33
58.11
58.29
58. 57
59.05
59.51
58.81
60.73
60.42
61. 76
61.46
62.11

39.4
43. 7
42.7
42.0
41.8
41.8
41.6
41.6
41.6
40.7
41.3
40. 7
41.3
41.0
41.5

See footnotes at end of table.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

$0. 730
.777
1.391
1.389
1.392
1.395
1.408
1.418
1.432
1.444
1.470
1.486
1.495
1.499
1.499

$28.67
36. 50
61.14
62.79
62.66
63.31
62.47
63.46
63.59
61.53
63.78
63.66
66.10
65.27
66.96

37.4
44.1
40.5
41.3
41.6
41.6
41.0
41.2
40.2
38.8
40.0
39.4
40.6
40.1
41.1

$0. 767
.827
1.519
1.529
1.527
1.525
1. 530
1.543
1. 581
1.588
1. 599
1.621
1.634
1.629
1.632

Tractors
$32.13
36.03
60.24
60.10
59.40
59.43
60.08
54.12
61.83
63.30
64. 33
63.70
63.76
61.67
62.84

38.3
41.5
41.3
41.1
40.6
40.6
39.4
35.5
40.8
41.1
40.5
40.4
40.4
39.3
40.0

$0.839
.868
1.459
1.462
1.464
1. 464
1. 526
1.526
1. 516
1. 541
1.586
1.578
1.578
1.569
1.572

Agricultural ma­
chinery, excluding
tractors
$26.46
29.92
57.85
57.84
57.80
59. 55
58.87
59.44
61.31
60.22
60.37
62.20
61.45
60. 59
62.18

37.0
39.5
40.6
40.4
40.4
41.0
40.5
40.7
41.1
40.0
39.7
40.5
40.0
39.6
40.1

$0. 716
.757
1.424
1.433
1.432
1.451
1.455
1.461
1.493
1.504
1. 529
1.537
1.534
1.531
1.552

Machine tools
$32.25
40.15
61.34
59.64
60.54
60.58
60.29
60.63
61.75
61.09
61.85
62.11
63.31
62.84
62.75

42.9
50.4
43.1
42.0
42.3
42.3
42.0
42.0
42.0
41.6
41.6
41.6
41.8
41.5
41.6

$0. 752
.797
1.424
1.420
1.432
1.433
1.437
1.443
1.469
1.469
1.486
1.492
1.514
1.513
1.508

Machine-tool acces­
sories
$31. 78
37.90
63.47
63.58
63. 59
62.30
63.50
63.19
62.23
62. 71
65.17
63. 43
64.40
63.87
65.21

40.9
50.0
42.4
42.2
42.2
41.8
42.0
41.8
41.4
41.3
41*4
40.6
41.0
40.8
41.7

$0.777
.758
1.497
1. 508
1. 508
1.491
1. 513
1. 514
1.504
1.518
1.574
1.564
1.570
1.566
1.572

360

C: E A R N IN G S

A N D

MONTHLY LABOR

H O U R S

Table C - l: Hours and Gross Earnings in Manufacturing and Nonmanufacturing Industries1—Con.
MANUFACTURING—Continued
Machinery, except electrical—Continued

Textile machinery

ear and month

Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn­ hours
ings
Average
January

$26.19
__ _ 30.13

Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings

Typewriters

Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn­ hours
ings

39.8 $0.660 $23.98
44.6
.677 26.40

Cash registers; add­
ing, and calculat­
ing machines

Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. Avg.
earn­ earn­ wkly.
ings
ings hours

37.3 $0.643 $30.38
39.1
.675 34.78

Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings

Washing machines,
wringers, and dri­
ers, domestic
Avg.
wkly.
earn­
ings

Avg.
wkly.
hours

Sewing m a ch in es,
domestic and in­
dustrial

Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly.
earn­ earn­ wkly.
ings
ings hours

Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn­ hours
ings

Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings

37.2 $0.821
41.4
.846

December____ 58.66

43.1

1.358

55.89

42.9

1.301

65.67

42.9

1.537 $60.42

43.7 $1,384 $63.21

59.21
59. 50
61.40
61.01
61.28
62.53
60.61
62.21
62.86
62.26
62.24
63. 58

43.1
42.8
43.7
43.5
43.3
43.3
42.1
42.3
42.4
42.1
41.8
42.3

1.374
1.390
1.406
1.403
1.417
1.443
1.440
1.470
1.483
1.480
1.490
1.498

55.59
55.68
54.62
54.63
53.31
53. 75
54.62
52.78
53.31
48.51
56.11
56.63

42.6
42.4
42.0
42.0
41.2
41.2
41.5
40.6
40.5
36.9
40.9
41.3

1.305
1.312
1.301
1.301
1.294
1.305
1.317
1.300
1.316
1.316
1.371
1.372

65.39
64.11
65.30
65.62
64. 55
66.43
67.45
66.00
66.04
65. 51
66.63
67.99

42.4
41.6
42.2
42.1
41.5
41.5
41.5
40.8
40.4
40.0
40.8
40.9

1.557
1.554
1.561
1.573
1.570
1.614
1.639
1.628
1.646
1.646
1.644
1.673

42.6
41.8
41.2
42.1
41.3
41.8
39.5
41.2
39.5
41.5
40.7
35.1

January..........
February____
M arch............ .
April............
M a y________
June..................
July_________
August______
September___
October______
November___
December____

Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings

Refrigerators and re­
frigeration equip­
ment

58.28
57. 69
56.38
58.15
57.39
59. 29
57.05
61.27
59.32
62.13
61.04
51.12

1.369
1.382
1.370
1.383
1.390
1.417
1.445
1.486
1.500
1.498
1.499
1.458

62. 74
63.14
63.90
61.01
64.89
65.99
65.19
68.04
69.17
70. 20
71.30
71.02

42.9 $1. 472 $57.05

41.2

$1,384

42.4
42.8
43.0
42.3
41.8
42.5
41.5
43.1
43.1
43.7
44.0
44.0

41.6
38.1
39.9
40.2
40.5
40.5
38.6
39.2
39.5
40.6
40.0
40.0

1.386
1.378
1.392
1.391
1.402
1.467
1.482
1.514
1.522
1.540
1.526
1.541

1.476
1.476
1.483
1.434
1.551
1.553
1.571
1.578
1.604
1.608
1.618
1.608

57.62
52.55
55.51
55.99
56.72
59.47
57.22
59.40
60.07
62.60
61.02
61.60

Transportation equipment, except automobiles
Total: Transporta­
tion equipment,
except automobiles

Locomotives

Cars, electric- and
steam-railroad

Aircraft and parts,
excluding aircraft
engines

44.1 $0.835 $31.91
47.2
.892 37.69

38.0
42.0

36.7 $0. 771 $26. 71
.814 29. 57
42.8

1947: December____ 59.79

40.8

1.465

63.63

40.7

1.565

59.84

41.4

1.447

57.12

40.6

1.406

60.39

41.2

1.465

61.74

40.5

1.525

1948: January............
February____
M arch..............
A pril................
M a y..................
June..................
J u ly .................
August...........
September___
October.......... .
November___
December........

40.3
39.6
40.3
40.5
40.0
39.8
39.2
39.7
39.0
39.8
39.3
40.6

1.479
1.482
1.472
1.478
1.481
1.489
1.503
1.527
1.556
1.575
1.579
1.588

62.34
61.01
63.46
64.96
64.57
64.58
64.00
64.76
66. 52
63. 74
66.29
71.90

40.1
39.2
40.2
40.5
40.1
39.7
38.4
38.7
39.7
38.3
39.0
40.5

1.553
1.555
1.579
1.604
1.610
1.626
1.665
1.674
1.677
1.663
1.698
1.774

58.51
58. 02
58.90
58.70
58.07
58. 46
56.19
61.81
57. 21
63.16
62.74
66.03

40.7
40.2
40.9
40.9
40.2
39.9
38.3
40.5
37.4
40.8
40.2
42.0

1.439
1.442
1.439
1.437
1.446
1.467
1. 466
1.526
1.531
1.548
1.562
1.571

55.53
56.13
56. 71
57.75
57. 74
57.99
57.89
59.68
61.38
62. 45
63.30
63.61

39.4
39.9
40.1
40.6
40.4
40.4
40.0
40.5
40.7
40.6
40.9
41.1

1.408
1.406
1.414
1.421
1.428
1.436
1.449
1.475
1.507
1.537
1.548
1.550

59.30
58. 29
59. 53
60. 33
61.02
62.14
64.79
65.11
66. 26
67.73
66.61
67.30

40.6
40.1
40.6
40.5
40.9
40.6
40.6
41.1
41.2
41.7
41.2
41.7

1.461
1.452
1.467
1.491
1.494
1.532
1.594
1.583
1.609
1.623
1.617
1.616

64.05
61.54
62.07
62.04
60.40
59. 76
59.49
58. 87
58. 62
60. 52
56.16
63.21

40.9
38.9
40.3
40.2
39.4
39.2
38.8
37.7
36.6
37. 5
35.0
39.1

1. 567
1.582
1.539
1.541
1.531
1.525
1.534
1.568
1.604
1.616
1.606
1.617

59. 56
58.67
59. 40
59.89
59.30
59. 27
58.95
60. 53
60.74
62. 70
61.98
64. 56

T r a n s p o r t a tio n
equipment, except
automobiles-—Con.

$0.835
.893

Nonferrous metals and their products
Automobiles

Motorcycles, bicycles,
and parts
$32.91
37. 69

1939: Average............
1941: January...........

41.5 $0. 745 $36. 58
44.7
.776 42.16

Shipbuilding and
boatbuilding

38.9 $0. 785 $28.33
43.1
.828 34.79

1939: Average............ $30.51
1941: January.......... 35.69

36.0 $0. 741 $30.34
38.5
.768 34.13

Aircraft engines

T otal
metals and their
products

ÜÜ1CJILUg cl-LiLi ICiiii”
ing, primary, of
nonferrous metals

Alloying; and rolling
and drawing nonferrous metals, ex­
cep t alum inum

Clocks and watches

35.4 $0.929 $26. 74
38.9
.969 30. 47

38.9 $0.687 $26.67
41.4
.736 29. 21

38.2 $0.699 $28. 77
38.7
.755 35.96

39.6 $0. 729 $22. 27
.818 23. 90
44.0

37.9
38.9

$0.587
.614

1947: December____ $58.96

42.3 $1.393

64.64

41.4

1.563

55. 53

41.8

1.327

55.44

41.2

1.346

57.26

40.5

1.412

48.69

41.9

1.164

1948: January______
February____
M arch..........
A pril................
M a y .................
June..................
J u ly ..................
A u gu st............
September___
October............
November___
December____

40.3
39.8
40.4
40.3
39.4
37.5
37.6
41.6
41.1
42.9
43.6
38.8

60. 96
59.00
59. 81
59.14
54. 44
61.30
63. 48
64. 67
62. 74
67.29
65.46
68.09

39.6
38.1
38.9
38.6
35.2
37. 7
38.5
38.9
37.4
39.9
38.8
40.3

1.538
1.548
1.539
1.533
1.548
1.624
1.649
1.664
1.676
1.689
1.688
1.691

55.06
55.07
55. 23
54. 87
54.96
55.91
56. 34
57.97
58. 73
59.25
58.76
59.36

41.2
41.2
41.1
40.9
40.6
40.8
40.1
40.7
40.8
41.2
40.8
41.2

1.336
1.338
1.344
1.343
1.355
1.369
1.404
1.424
1.438
1.440
1.440
1.442

55. 85
55. 58
55.31
56.49
57. 33
57.96
59. 75
61.74
63. 39
62.01
60.78
61.20

41.1
41.0
40.5
41.1
41.5
41.3
41.2
41.4
41.6
41.4
40.6
41.0

1.360
1.357
1.366
1.375
1.380
1.403
1.449
1.493
1.522
1.497
1.498
1.502

57.30
57. 73
58. 25
56. 84
57. 42
59.35
61. 61
63. 37
63.36
63.20
61.33
63.34

40.4
40.6
40.8
40.0
40.1
41.2
40.8
41.0
40.8
40.8
39.8
41.0

1.418
1.422
1.429
1.422
1.431
1.440
1.511
1.547
1.552
1.549
1.541
1.546

47. 63
48. 59
49.15
49.09
48. 27
48.89
48.96
50. 80
50. 76
51.11
51.47
51.22

40.2
41.0
41.1
40.8
40.1
40.1
39.8
40.7
40.3
40. 4
40.3
40.4

1.185
1.186
1.196
1.205
1.205
1.219
1.230
1.249
1.259
1.266
1.277
1.269

55. 33
55.65
55. 88
56.36
55. 54
54.07
54.28
62. 67
61.79
66. 51
66.68
57.12

See footnotes at end of table.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

1.373
1.400
1.384
1.398
1.410
1.442
1.445
1. 508
1.503
1. 551
1.529
1.472

REVIEW, MARCH 1949
T able

C: E A R N IN G S

A N D

361

H O U R S

C -l: Hours and Gross Earnings in Manufacturing and Nonmanufacturing Industries 1—Con.
MANUFACTURING—Continued
Nonferrous metals and their products—Continued

Year and month

Jewelry
(precious
metals) and jewel­
ers’ findings
Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn­ hours
ings

Silverware and plated Lighting equipment
ware

Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. Avg.
earn­ earn­ wkly.
ings
ings hours

Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. Avg.
earn­ earn­ wkly.
ings
ings hours

40.7 $0.643 $25. 73
41.4
.666 28.19

39.4 $0.660 $26.03
39.1
.664 27.37

1947: December____ 55.53

44.4

1.254

63.80

47.2

1.353

54.11

40.5

1.336

1948: January_____
February____
M arch..............
April________
M ay..................
June..................
July_________
August______
September___
October______
November___
December____

41.9
42.6
42.2
41.2
39.8
40.9
39.8
40.3
40.3
40.8
41. 5
41.7

1.237
1.249
1.237
1.246
1.271
1.274
1.240
1.267
1.290
1.296
1.310
1.330

62. 54
62. 52
63.81
62.09
62.00
62. 24
58.55
60. 79
64.35
64.67
64. 78
63.14

46.3
46.1
46.5
45.7
45.5
45.5
43.7
44.6
46.2
46.0
46.0
45.0

1.354
1.356
1.374
1.360
1.363
1.367
1.340
1.365
1.392
1.407
1. 409
1.401

53.92
52.86
53.22
52.90
51.75
53.19
56.31
55.88
57.64
57.13
57. 79
58.07

39.8
39.3
39.2
38.8
37.7
37.5
38.6
38.4
39.4
39.3
39. 5
39.6

1.356
1.345
1.359
1.364
1.373
1.419
1.460
1.454
1.463
1.453
1. 458
1.464

Lumber and timber
basic products—Con.
Planing and
plywood mills
1939: Average_____ $22.17
1941: January______ 22. 51

Aluminum manu­
factures

Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly.
earn­ earn­ wkly.
ings
ings hours

1939: Average_____ $26.36
1941: January........... 26.43

51.69
52.98
52.17
51.31
50.59
52.10
49.30
51.07
51.86
52.74
54.35
55.45

Lumber and timber basic products

37.1 $0.693 $27.49
39.3
.717 32.85

Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. Avg.
earn­ earn­ wkly.
ings
ings hours

Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly.
earn­ earn­ wkly.
ings hours
ings

52.86

40.1

1.320

45.65

43.2

1.056

44.20

42.8

1.032

53.35
52. 75
52.05
52.53
52.83
52.13
52.79
55.16
55.41
58.04
57. 73
57. 56

40.2
39.6
39.4
39.7
39.7
39.1
37.3
38.9
38.7
40.2
40.1
40.1

1.329
1.330
1.322
1.323
1.332
1.333
1.414
1.419
1.432
1.444
1.440
1.434

44.49
45.01
45.32
45.59
47.39
48.43
48,14
50.64
49. 22
49.60
48. 34
47.24

42.4
41.7
42.3
42.1
42.5
42.8
41.9
43.1
41.8
42.5
41.6
41.5

1.050
1.080
1.071
1.083
1.115
1.131
1.149
1.175
1.178
1.167
1.162
1.140

42.94
43.41
43.86
43.99
45.06
47.37
47.29
49. 90
48.31
48. 45
47. 14
45. 54

42.0
41.1
42,0
41.6
41.3
42.6
41.7
42.9
41.6
42.2
41.3
41.0

1.023
1.055
1.046
1.057
1.095
1.113
1.133
1.162
1.162
1.148
1.141
1.111

41.1 $0.540 $19.95
.554 20.90
40.5

Caskets and other
morticians’ goods

Furniture

38.5 $0. 518 $20.51
38.7
.540 21.42

38.4
38.4

Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings

39.0 $0,489 $18. 29
.521 19.59
38.9

Wood preserving

38.9 $0.530
.552
39.0

Total: Stone, clay,
and glass products
$23.94
25.02

44.8

1.151

47.72

42.7

1.117

49.10

42.9

1.145 $49.01

1948: January_____
February____
M arch______
April________
M ay ............—.
June________
July_________
August______
September___
October.-........
November___
December____

43.9
43.8
43.8
44.0
43.9
43.8
42.7
43.9
42.8
43.9
43.0
43.3

1.152
1.171
1.166
1.181
1.197
1.213
1.220
1.231
1.247
1.246
1.246
1.254

47.02
46.68
47.08
46.34
46.39
46.54
46.30
47.68
48.16
49.20
48.41
48. 76

41.9
41.4
41.8
41.0
40.8
40.7
40.3
41.0
40.8
41.5
40. 7
41.1

1.122
1.127
1.126
1.131
1.136
1.145
1.149
1.163
1.181
1.184
1.188
1.187

48. 54
48.38
48.58
47.64
47.60
47. 57
46.95
48.47
49.25
50.56
50. 17
50.42

42.2
41.9
42.1
41.1
40.8
40.6
40.0
40.7
40.7
41.5
40.9
41.1

1.151
1.155
1.156
1.161
1.167
1.174
1.176
1.189
1.211
1.217
1.226
1.227

48.52
48.85
49. 21
48.23
47.48
47.61
47.37
48.56
48.54
48.20
48.39
49.44

$0,476
.510

Stone, clay, and
glass products

Furniture and finished lumber products
Total:
Furniture
and finished lum­
ber products

Sawmills and
logging camps

39.3 $0.699 $19.06
.782 20.27
42.0

1947: December____ 51.61
50.67
51.31
51.06
51.94
52.53
52.61
51.91
53.88
53.27
54.47
53. 41
54.09

Total: Lumber and
timber basic products

37.6
37.4

$0.637
.669

42.2 $1.157 $40.50

39.8 $1,017

51.00

41.0

1.245

41.8
41.8
42.3
41.3
40.7
40.6
40.0
40.6
40.5
40.4
39.9
41.0

39.2
35.8
38.6
39.8
40.3
40.4
41.1
40.9
40.7
41.7
41.2
40.3

50.10
49.98
51.41
51.77
52.30
52.45
51.50
54.07
53.98
55,11
54.29
54.85

40.0
39.8
40.8
40.7
40.7
40.6
39.4
40.9
40.2
41.0
40. 1
40.6

1.253
1.255
1.260
1.271
1.286
1.292
1.307
1.322
1.344
1.345
1.353
1.352

1.157
1.155
1.156
1.167
1.165
1.172
1.177
1.195
1.194
1.189
1.209
1.203

39. 71
36.95
39.59
41.09
42.29
42.45
43.51
42. 77
43.45
44.54
43.99
42.93

1.014
1.031
1.026
1.033
1.050
1.050
1.059
1.046
1.068
1.069
1.069
1.074

Stone, clay, and glass products—Continued
Glass products made
Glass and glassware from
purchased glass 2
1939: Average_____ $25.32
1941: January_____ 28.02

35.2 $0. 721
36.3
.772

Brick, tile, and
terra cotta

Cement
$26.67
26.82

38.2 $0.699 $20.55
37.9
.709 21.74

Pottery and
related products

37.8 $0. 543 $22.74
36.9
.587 22.92

Gypsum

37.2 $0.625
36.4
.635

1947: December____ 53.07

39.5

1.344 $46.16

42.3 $1.092

51.94

42.0

1.237

47.46

41.2

1.146

48. 55

39.2

1.238 $56.53

45.6

$1. 241

1948: January_____
February____
M arch_______
April________
M ay________
June________
July_________
A ugust______
September___
October______
November___
December____

38.0
38.8
40.0
39.9
39.3
39.2
37.0
39.5
39.0
40.0
38.4
39.4

1.383
1.368
1.362
1.355
1.360
1.361
1.376
1.393
1.428
1.427
1. 448
1.453

41.1
40.0
40.5
39.6
40.4
40.3
37.4
40.6
40.3
41.4
41.2
42.1

51.21
51.07
51.72
53.27
55.85
56.38
56.61
57.35
56.48
56.26
55. 42
55.27

41.4
41.7
42.0
42.0
42.6
42.7
42.1
42.7
41.4
41.7
41.2
41.5

1.237
1.226
1.231
1.269
1.311
1.321
1.346
1.344
1.365
1.348
1.346
1.333

46.74
45.52
47. 54
48.39
49.75
49.66
49.52
52.05
51.25
52.48
51.75
51.92

40.5
38.9
40.5
40.6
41.1
40.8
40.2
41.4
40.3
41.0
40.4
40.6

1.150
1.163
1.166
1.186
1.206
1.210
1.227
1.254
1.265
1.270
1. 274
1.271

47.32
46.98
48.17
48. 45
48.09
48.42
47.30
49.96
48.31
51.33
52.06
51.34

38.2
38.5
39.4
39.2
38.7
38.6
37.6
39.3
37.7
39.4
39. 2
38.9

1.234
1.230
1.233
1.249
1.263
1.272
1.293
1.294
1.305
1.325
1.334
1.326

45.3
44.4
45.0
46.8
47.2
46.2
44.2
47.1
46.4
47.2
47.0
47.9

1.234
1.229
1.237
1.261
1.275
1.298
1.332
1.347
1.378
1.372
1.375
1.370

52.49
53.00
54. 42
54.12
53.44
53.32
50.90
54.88
55.57
57.00
55. 58
57.18

See footnotes at end of table.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

44.48
44.18
43.96
43.16
45.53
45.75
43.32
47.14
47.18
48.35
49.46
50.42

1.083
1.105
1.085
1.089
1.131
1.136
1.158
1.161
1.172
1.168
1.199
1.199

55.94
54.58
55. 71
58.98
60.17
59.91
58.86
63.44
63.95
64.81
64.60
65.61

362

G: E A R N IN G S

A N D

MONTHLY LABOR

H O U R S

T able C - l: Hours and Gross Earnings in Manufacturing and Nonmanufacturing Industries1—Cor
M A N U F A C T U R IN G —Continued
Textile-mill products and other fiber
manufactures

Stone, clay, and glass products—Continued

Marble, granite, slate,
and other products

Lime
Year and month
Avg.
wkly.
earn­
ings

Avg.
wkly.
hours

Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings

$26.18
24.29

1939: Average____
1941: January_____
1947: December........ $50.48
1948: January_____
February____
M arch_______
April________
M a y ________
June..................
July_________
August______
September___
October_____
November___
December.........

Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn­
ings hours

49.10
47.86
50. 58
52.08
52.41
53.32
52.46
54.78
54.75
55.45
55.24
53.89

Abrasives

Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly.
earn­ earn­ w kly.
ings hours
ings

Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly.
earn­ earn­ wkly.
ings
ings hours
$24.43
27.26

36.9 $0. 714
34.6
.708

46.4 $1,085

48. 68

41.9

1.160 $60. 68

44.2
43.7
45.8
46.3
46.1
45.9
44.4
45.8
45.0
45.8
45.4
44.5

46.89
46.23
47. 57
47.97
49. 44
49. 21
48. 27
50. 32
50.05
50.34
48.76
51.80

40.6
40.4
40.9
40.9
41.3
40.9
39.8
41.1
40.9
41.2
39.3
41.6

1.153
1.146
1.162
1.160
1.193
1.198
1.209
1.219
1.221
1.220
1.238
1.246

1.094
1.091
1.102
1.127
1.136
1.153
1.169
1.192
1.217
1.203
1.213
1.203

Asbestos products

59.07
58.38
60. 62
59.02
61.04
61.39
58.53
60.17
62.09
62.30
61.37
61.73

Total: Textile-mill
products and other Cotton manufactures,
except smallwares
fiber manufactures

Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. Avg.
earn­ earn­ wkly.
ings
ings hours

39.0 $0.627 $16.84
41.3
.660 18.01

Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. wkly.
earn­ earn­
ings
ings hours

36.6 $0.460 $14.26
36.9
. 488 15.60

36.7
37.2

Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings
$0,389
.419

44.0 $1.380

53.85

41.8

1.289

45.15

41.0

1.100

43.64

41.1

1.061

44.4
42.6
42.6
41.5
41.9
42.2
41.3
41.5
42.0
41.8
41.4
41.3

53.98
54.04
54. 49
55.11
55.45
56.17
57.18
57. 52
58.81
58.85
56.55
56. 53

41.4
40.9
41.3
41.2
41.3
41.7
41.7
41.4
42.0
41.6
40.5
40.7

1.305
1.322
1.318
1.338
1.340
1.348
1.373
1.391
1.400
1.415
1.404
1.394

45.19
45. 79
46.32
45.46
45. 22
45. 29
44.15
45.07
45.12
44.94
45.17
45.48

40.5
40.2
40.6
39.9
39.6
39.5
38.6
38.5
38.0
37.9
38.0
38.3

1.115
1.139
1.140
1.138
1.142
1.147
1.145
1.170
1.188
1.187
1.190
1.188

43.81
43.43
43.98
43.08
42. 64
42.00
40.63
41.61
41.69
41.60
41.60
42. 21

40.7
40.1
40.7
40.1
39.6
39.1
38.0
37.7
37.1
36.9
37.0
37.5

1.077
1.083
1.081
1.076
1.078
1.075
1.070
1.106
1.125
1.127
1.125
1.126

1.331
1.372
1.424
1.423
1.457
1.456
1.423
1.449
1.479
1.492
1.482
1.494

Textile-mill products and other fiber manufactures—Continued

Cotton smallwares

1939: Average_____ $18. 22
1941: January............ 19. 74

Silk and rayon
goods

39.0 $0. 474 $15.78
39.3
.503 16.53

Woolen and worsted
manufactures, ex­
cept dyeing and
finishing

36.5 $0.429 $19.21
.461 21. 78
35.7

Hosiery

36.4 $0. 528 $18.98
37.9
.576 18.51

Knitted cloth

35.6 $0. 536 $18.15
33.8
.550 19.90

Knitted outerwear
and knitted gloves

38.4 $0.468 $17.14
37.9
.503 17. 65

37.0
35.8

$0.461
.489

1947: December____ 42.35

40.5

1.045

46.48

42.3

1.100

49.12

41.2

1.192

42.95

39.1

1.098

44.18

41.9

1.045

38.02

38.5

.978

1948: January______
February____
March_______
April________
M ay_________
June_________
July........ ...........
August______
September___
October______
November___
December____

40.3
40.4
40.2
39.6
39.3
39.8
39.3
38.9
39.0
38.0
38.3
39.4

1.071
1.072
1.080
1. 087
1.089
1.106
1.107
1.115
1.130
1.129
1.130
1.122

47. 55
47.92
48. 53
48. 31
48. 38
48. 47
47.69
48.85
49. 62
49.13
49.26
48. 81

41.9
41.8
42.2
41.8
41.8
41.8
41.6
41.3
41.2
41.1
41.1
40.8

1.137
1.147
1.151
1.156
1.157
1.159
1.147
1.182
1.206
1.195
1.200
1.197

48. 79
52. 82
53. 49
52. 33
52. 61
53.10
52. 31
52.13
51.19
49. 37
50.25
51.61

40.8
40.8
40.7
39.9
40.1
40.3
39.5
39.6
38.8
37.6
38.1
38.9

1.195
1.303
1. 313
1.311
1.314
1.320
1. 327
1.317
1.323
1. 315
1.320
1.319

41. 76
41.72
42.80
41. 61
41.14
42.01
41.52
42. 98
43. 38
45.11
45.26
43.77

37.9
37.6
38.6
37.4
36.7
36.6
36.1
36.8
36.2
37.5
37.4
36.5

1.103
1.108
1.108
1.112
1.120
1.146
1.148
1.167
1.200
1.204
1.209
1.198

44.65
45. 23
45.84
44. 39
42.79
43.94
44. 21
44.70
43. 72
44. 61
44.82
44.66

42.1
41.9
41.9
41.4
39.7
40.7
40.5
40.8
39.1
39.1
39.3
39.2

1.062
1.079
1.094
1.072
1.078
1.079
1.091
1.097
1.117
1.141
1.141
1.140

37. 94
39.18
39.08
38.73
39.00
38. 84
37.28
37. 89
38.91
37.78
39.85
39.37

37.7
38.7
38.6
38.4
38.5
38.3
37.2
37.3
37.7
36.6
38.2
38.0

.992
1.001
1.004
1.007
1.012
1.004
.987
1.000
1.016
1.021
1.029
1.021

43.15
43. 23
43. 31
43.03
42. 72
43.98
43.48
43. 40
44.09
42.87
43.19
44.12

Textile-mill products and other fiber manufactures—Continued

K nitted underwear

1939: Average______ $15. 05
1941: January______ 16.06

Dyeing and finish­
ing textiles, in­
cluding
woolen
and worsted

36.9 $0. 410 $20. 82
.446 21.65
36.0

Carpets and rugs,
wool

38.6 $0. 535 $23. 25
39.3
.551 25.18

Hats, fur-felt

36.1 $0. 644 $22. 73
37.3
.675 27.12

32.2 $0. 707
36.2
.755

Jute goods, except
felts

1947: December____

38.17

40.2

.951

50.25

42.7

1.175

54. 91

42.2

1.306

51.52

39.1

1.321 $38. 21

1948: January______
February.........
March_______
April. - ..............
M ay___ ____ _
June_________
July_________
A ugust______
September____
October............
N ovem ber___
December.........

37. 77
37. 76
38.89
38. 72
37.88
38.09
36. 98
38.05
36.80
37.00
36.19
35.99

39.4
38.9
39.5
39.1
38.3
38.4
37.3
37.3
35.8
36.0
35.3
34.8

.959
.969
.981
.988
.987
.994
.990
1.016
1.023
1.023
1.025
1.027

51.04
51.80
51.85
51.44
50. 67
51.05
48.76
49. 86
50. 47
50.54
50.98
52.36

42.3
42.2
42.3
41.8
41.3
41.5
39.9
40.1
39.9
39.7
39.9
41.2

1.204
1.227
1.227
1.229
1.226
1.229
1.221
1.241
1.264
1.271
1.274
1.269

55. 23
55. 35
55.79
55.18
56.22
57. 86
57. 42
59. 36
59. 30
60. 08
60.27
59. 56

41.9
42.0
42.1
41.4
41.8
42.0
40.7
41.3
41.3
41.1
41.0
40.6

1.322
1.319
1.327
1. 336
1.348
1.380
1.412
1.439
1.438
1. 464
1.471
1.467

50.17
51.79
50. 36
48. 58
49. 94
51.72
49. 52
52. 52
50. 54
49. 78
47.59
53.07

37.8
38.7
37.2
35.3
36.7
37.7
37.1
37.3
35.7
35.5
33.6
37.4

1.328
1.328
1.348
1.379
1.364
1.375
1.338
1.411
1.414
1.397
1.400
1.406

See footnotes at end of table.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

41. 75
42.28
42.44
42. 93
42.69
42. 65
42.58
43. 37
41.77
43. 77
43.91
43.89

Cordage and twine

41.2 $0. 927 $44.13

41.3

$1,068

1.024
1. 053
1. 060
1.057
1.064
1.060
1.048
1.056
1.036
1.059
1.062
1.066

41.3
40.8
40.6
39.1
38.5
39.0
37.7
38.0
37.4
38.4
38.3
38.4

1.081
1.091
1.079
1.079
1.084
1.094
1.088
1.101
1.120
1.119
1.136
1.139

40.8
40.1
40.0
40.6
40.1
40.2
40.6
41.1
40.3
41.3
41.4
41.2

44. 63
44. 44
43. 65
42. 21
41. 82
42.68
41.08
41.82
41.85
42. 90
43.54
43. 79

BVIEW, MARCH 1949

G: E A R N I N G S A N D H O U R S

363

*.BLE C - l: Hours and Gross Earnings in Manufacturing and Nonmanufacturing Industries 1—Con.
MANUFACTURING—Continued
Apparel and other finished textile products

Year and month

Total: Apparel and
other finished tex­
tile products

M en’s clothing, not
elsewhere classi­
fied

Avg.
Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn­
hours
ings

Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn­ hours
ings

Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings

Shirts, collars, and
nightwear

Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. Avg.
earn­ earn­ wkly.
ings
ings hours

U n d erw ea r and
neckwear, m en’s

Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. Avg.
earn­ earn­ wkly.
ings
ings hours

Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings

Women’s clothing,
not elsewhere clas­
sified

Work shirts

Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn­ hours
ings

Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. Avg.
earn­ earn­ wkly.
ings
ings hours

Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings

39: Average_____
41: January_____

$18.17
18.76

947: December___

39.00

37.1

1.052

43.11

37.7

1.136

35.12

38.1

.918

35. 56

37.3

.953

24.32

34.1

.712

46.76

36.2

1.270

48: January..........
40.00
February........ 40. 23
M arch............
40.09
April................. 37. 61
M a y ............... . 37. 24
June.................. 37. 61
J u ly ................. 38. 74
A ugust______ 40. 27
September___ 40.38
October______ 37. 77
November____ 39. 43
December____ 39.00

36.6
36. 7
36. 7
36. 2
35. 8
35. 6
35.8
36.4
36.1
34.8
35. 9
35. 4

1.094
1.098
1.092
1.040
1.040
1. 055
1.081
1.106
1.117
1.087
1.098
1.100

44.11
44. 05
44.73
44.31
43.50
43.19
43.03
43.98
43.81
41.07
41.78
41.95

37.1
37.1
37.4
37.3
36.8
36.4
36.8
36.8
36.7
35.0
35.4
35.3

1.178
1.176
1.188
1.173
1.171
1.169
1.160
1.180
1.178
1.160
1.167
1.180

34.45
34.20
35.02
34.39
33.83
33.00
33.14
32.88
33.59
33.44
34.04
32.26

36.9
36.8
37.4
36.9
36.3
35.5
36.2
35.7
35.9
35.9
36.1
34.2

.929
.928
.934
.928
.927
.925
.924
.921
.933
.931
.942
.944

35.03
34.78
35. 77
34.35
34.80
34.00
34.54
35.31
35. 74
35. 29
37.03
36.33

36.4
35.5
36.3
36.0
36.8
35.6
36.0
36.5
36.0
35.9
37.1
36.6

.957
.974
.984
.954
.946
.950
.950
.968
.993
.982
.998
.991

23.73
25.69
26.50
26.85
27.22
27.21
26. 67
27. 70
28.41
28.34
27.38
26. 72

32.7
35.6
36.9
36.8
36.5
37.1
36.9
37.4
37.4
37.6
36.4
34.6

.725
.721
.718
.730
.744
.732
.735
.739
.759
.751
.749
.767

48. 52
49.09
48.10
43.20
43.27
43.94
46.09
49. 06
49.15
44.39
48.05
47.34

36.0
36.1
36.1
35.1
35.1
35. 0
34.9
36.0
35.6
33. 5
35.7
35.1

1.327
1.334
1.310
1. 201
1.206
1. 239
1.304
1.339
1.352
1.302
1.321
1.317

34.6 $0. 527 $19.32
33. 5
. 560 20. 40

33.2 $0.581 $13. 75
33.4
.607 14. 22

34.6 $0.398 $14.18
33.0
.431 14.85

35.4 $0,401 $11. 03
33.6
.442 12.33

35.8 $0,309 $19. 20
33.6
.367 19.47

33.9
33.2

$0. 519
.553

Apparel and other finished textile products—Continued
Corsets and allied
garments
1939: Average____
1941: January____

$17.15
17.24

Millinery

37.5 $0. 456 $22.19
35.6
.482 22.31

Handkerchiefs

Curtains, draperies,
and bedspreads

H ou sefu rn ish in gs,
other than cur­
tains, etc.

Textile bags

33.8 $0.636
30.5
.648

1947: December__

36.89

39.0

.948

46.03

35.0

1.256 $32. 55

37.0 $0. 881 $31.28

1948: January.......
F ebruary...
March_____
A p r il..........
M ay______
June..............
J u ly ............
August____
Septem ber..
October........
N ovem ber...
December__

37.37
37.07
38.14
37.39
35.85
36.58
36.10
36. 51
37. 07
37.66
38. 31
37.70

38.0
37.9
38.5
37.8
35.8
36.2
36.0
36.6
37.1
37.0
37.7
37.3

.985
.979
.993
.991
1.003
1.013
1.003
.999
1.002
1.019
1.016
1.012

53.14
57.84
52.77
49.95
42.82
45.29
50. 99
54.26
55.64
51.37
42.97
48. 46

37.3
39.3
36.9
36.0
31.5
32.7
34.8
36.7
36.5
34.0
30.4
34.4

1.365
1.415
1. 394
1.353
1.333
1.352
1.414
1.449
1.467
1.467
1.381
1.380

34.4
36.4
37.1
36.1
34.8
34.3
33.8
35.7
37.2
38.7
38.0
37.7

30.46
32. 66
34.21
33. 09
31.66
31.40
30. 62
32.79
34.34
36.24
36.70
35. 69

.884 31.44
.897 30.69
.922 31. 40
.917 30.17
.909 30.41
.917 30. 50
.907 30.33
.920 31.97
.924 *32. 54
.937 32.86
.965 32. 93
.946 32.11

37.1 $0. 843 $41.34
36.8
35.9
35.4
33.1
32.9
33.6
34.6
35.8
*35.8
36.0
36.6
35.2

.856
.854
.882
.891
.912
.898
.892
.898
.922
.920
.909
.920

38.54
36.83
38.29
38.46
37.52
40.19
39.01
39.72
38.65
41.33
41.78
42.00

40.5 $1. 012 $37.60

39.5

$0,953

38.2
37.7
38.1
38.2
37.2
39.1
38.2
38.6
36.7
39.4
39.8
39.6

38.9
38.0
37.1
37.2
38.4
38. 3
38.9
39.2
39.7
40. 2
39.8
40.3

. 956
. 952
.964
.977
.987
.995
1. 001
1.012
1. 042
1. 030
1.029
1.033

.999
.965
1.000
1.001
.998
1.019
1.010
1.014
1.032
1. 036
1.038
1.045

37.20
36.23
35.80
36.35
37.94
38.10
38.93
39.68
41.34
41.42
40. 98
41.99

Leather and leather products
Total: Leather and
leather products
1939: Average_____ $19.13
1941: Jan u a ry ____ 20.66

Boot and shoe cut
stock and findings

Leather

36.2 $0.528 $24. 43
37.3
.554 25.27

38.7 $0.634
38.3
.662

Boots and shoes
$17. 83
19.58

Leather gloves and
mittens

Trunks and suit­
cases

35.7 $0.503
37.0
.530

1947: December___

42.67

39.1

1.092

53.65

41.3

1.300 $41.36

39.3 $1.063

40.87

38.7

1.056 $33.91

36.3 $0. 931 $45. 53

40.9

$1.109

1948: January_____
February.........
March______
April ______
M ay ________
June...... ...........
Ju ly ------------August- ........
September___
October_____
N ovem ber___
December____

42. 63
42.99
41.87
40.34
39.65
41.38
41.64
42.80
42.65
41.56
40.79
42. 59

39.0
39.0
37.8
36.2
35.5
37.0
37.4
37.9
37.3
36.3
35.5
37.2

1.095
1.102
1.106
1.116
1.118
1.118
1.114
1.128
1.143
1.145
1. 149
1.146

53. 06
53.38
51.91
51.59
52.38
53.11
53.39
53.70
53.13
53.52
53. 82
55.39

40.8
40.5
39.4
39.1
39.4
39.5
39.5
39.8
38.9
39.1
39.1
40.1

1.299
1.317
1.315
1.318
1.330
1.345
1.351
1.356
1.367
1.368
1.377
1.381

38.9
38.4
37.6
36.5
36.3
37.4
37.4
38.8
38.1
36.2
35.6
37.6

41.09
41.35
40.21
38.09
36.79
39. 00
39.41
40.65
40.61
39.15
37.91
40.18

38.8
38.8
37.5
35.3
34.3
36.4
37.0
37.4
36.8
35.6
34.4
36.6

1.059
1.065
1.071
1.080
1.074
1.074
1.069
1.087
1.104
1.102
1.103
1.099

35.7
36.0
36.0
35.4
35.2
35.8
35.8
36.3
35.6
35.1
34.9
34.4

38. 4
40.6
40.6
40.1
39.6
39.0
38.8
40.6
40. 7
40.0
41. 6
38.6

1.105
1.129
1.135
1.130
1.137
1.150
1.152
1.168
1.175
1.193
1. 201
1.192

See footnotes at end of table.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

41.36
41.23
40. 55
39.90
39.72
41.24
41.09
42.62
42.00
40.46
39. 73
42.51

1.075
1.080
1.086
1.107
1.105
1.108
1.104
1.105
1.117
1.125
1.134
1.137

33.75
33.67
33.82
33.18
34.77
35.78
35.01
35.79
35.41
34.72
34. 74
33.15

. 947
.941
.940
.938
.991
.999
.988
1. 005
1.002
.995
1. 004
.962

42. 33
45.61
45.83
45.35
45.06
44.86
44.42
47.19
47.65
47.61
49.47
45. 56

T

MONTHLY LABOK

C: EARNINGS AND HOURS

364
able

C -l: Hours and Gross Earnings in Manufacturing and Nonmanufacturing I n d u s t r i e s C o n .
M A N U F A C T U R I N G — C o n tin u e d

Food
Total: Food

Slaughtering and
meat packing

Condensed and
evaporated milk

Butter

Flour

Ice cream

Year and month
Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn­
ings hours

Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. wkly.
earn­ earn­ hours
ings
ings

Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. wkly.
earn­ earn­ hours
ings
ings

1939: Average............ $24.43
1941: January_____ 24.69

40.3 $0. 607 $27.85
.633 26.84
39.0

40.6 $0.686 $22.60
.681 22. 84
39.3

1947: December____ 50.93

43.3

47.7

1948: January_____
February,.......
M arch_______
April ...............
M a y...............
June_________
July-------------August______
September___
October............
November___
December____

49. 44
49.18
49.36
50.95
51.26
52.09
51.77
49. 74
51.76
51.47
51.86
52. 88

1.175

42.0
41.6
41.6
42.4
42.5
42.8
42.6
41.0
42.6
41.8
41. 5
41.8

1.177
1.181
1.187
1.201
1.207
1.217
1.215
1.214
1.216
1.232
1.250
1.264

61. 57

44.8
40.7
43.6
48.1
46.7
44.1
42.9
41.2
42.3
41.9
43.1
44.5

57.12
51. 88
56.62
68. 51
67.66
61.24
58. 75
55. 71
57.64
57.38
61.07
62.63

1.291
1.275
1.277
1.301
1.425
1.424
1.383
1.368
1.351
1.361
1.367
1.416
1.404

46.98
45.92
47.28
45.92
47.16
47. 52
48.42
49. 66
49.82
49. 58
49.43
49. 86
49.77

Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. wkly.
earn­ earn­ hours
ings
ings

Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. wkly.
earn­ earn­ hours
ings
ings
$29. 24
29.41

46.7 $0.484
44.6
.509
1.004 $49.32

46.5
45.9
46.3
45.8
45.6
45.9
46.3
46.9
46.6
45.8
45.8
46.0
45.9

.995
1.011
1.011
1.032
1.033
1.043
1.063
1.067
1.081
1.079
1.084
1.083

50.20
51.68
52. 28
53.51
55.36
56.66
56.42
56.07
55.99
53.71
54. 29
54.18

Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. wkly.
earn­ earn­
ings
ings hours

Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings

46.2 $0.626 $25.80
.653 25. 27
44.2

42.3
41.0

$0.605
.608

45.9 $1.074

49.87

44.8

1.073

56.45

47.6

1.187

1.103
1.125
1.126
1.147
1.165
1.168
1.186
1.174
1.191
1.183
1.182
1.193

50.50
51.12
51.44
50.86
51.11
52. 22
53.58
52.81
54.46
53.92
54. 80
54.66

45.3
45.0
45.4
45.3
45.0
45.8
46.2
44.7
45.3
44.5
44.7
45.3

1.079
1.093
1.095
1.087
1.086
1.103
1.125
1.147
1.173
1.163
1.176
1.163

54.43
54. 56
50. 99
53.07
55.12
57.48
60.05
61.14
60.77
62.03
59.18
58.58

46.4
45.9
43.7
45.3
46.1
47.8
48.4
48.1
46.3
47.9
45.7
45.2

1.175
1.189
1.167
1.173
1.196
1.204
1.241
1.271
1.315
1.297
1. 295
1.297

45.5
45.9
46.4
46.7
47.5
48.5
47.6
47.7
47.0
45.4
45.9
45.6

Food—Continued

$25. 70
26.46

1939: Average..........
1941: January_____
1947: December____ $54.13
1948: January..........February.........
M arch_______
April—..............
M a y ............
Jun e-................
July...................
August.............
September___
October............
November___
December____

54.10
55.58
52.46
54.50
55.64
58.00
57.92
53. 66
52. 61
54.96
55.53
55.49

Sugar refining,
cane

Baking

Cereal preparations

41.7 $0 621 $23.91
.644 22.73
41.1

Sugar, beet

42.9 $0. 585 $18.64
.630 19.19
36.5

37.6 $0. 636 $24.68
.650 24.03
35.0

38.1 $0. 492 $24. 21
.511 25.28
37.6

43.6
42.0

$0.556
.602

47.43

42.3

1.119

48.24

41.2

1.171

53. 87

46.1

1.168

42. 96

41.5

1.035

45.22

43.7

1.032

1.335
1.369
1.356
1.370
1.377
1.398
1.391
1.368
1.391
1.395
1. 413
1. 435

47.03
49.30
47.38
48.00
49.09
50.03
50.01
49. 77
51.11
50.89
50. 41
50.88

41.6
43.6
41.9
42.1
42.7
42.9
42.7
42.5
42.8
42.4
41.9
42.0

1.131.
1.132
1.131
1.138
1.148
1.165
1.168
1.169
1.191
1.197

45. 66
44.66
49.30
52.57
51.08
53.14
57.73
57. 52
54. 79
51.04
50. 69
51.17

38.0
37.9
41.0
43.2
41.9
44.0
45.9
45.6
43.7
41.5
41.9
39.8

1.201

50.45
55.30
50.11
50.19
50.27
50.71
51.94
50.73
56. 21
52.12
60.20
51.58

39.0
42.4
38.7
38.4
37.5
38.9
39.4
38.2
41.3
42.5
47.9
38.2

1.293 40.82
1.305 40.45
1.296 40.48
1.302 40.83
1.339 39.21
1.303 42.15
1.321 *41. 83
1.326 *42.98
1.362 44.20
1.226 43.93
1. 257 44. 67
1.349 43.52

39.6
38.9
39.1
38.6
37.5
39.5
39.3
40.2
40.7
40.7
41.4
40.6

1.034
1.045
1.050
1.060
1.036
1.069
1.078
1.088
1.087
1.077
1.081
1.074

45.05
44.99
44.93
45.46
45.75
47.20
49.39
45.18
47.05
44.45
45.48
46.18

43.0
42.9
43.0
43.7
43.9
45.0
46.1
42.5
43.8
41.8
42.6
42.9

1.055
1.048
1.044
1.041
1.041
1.052
1.076
1.059
1.073
1.061
1.069
1.080

40.5
40.6
38.7
39.8
40.4
41.5
41.7
39.2
37.8
39.4
39.3
38.7

Malt liquors

$35.01
34.57

Beverages, non­
alcoholic

40.8 $1,328

1.202

1.210

1.177
1.202

1.217
1.220

1.207
1.258
1.261
1.254
1.229
1.210

1.275

Tobacco manufactures

Food—Continued

1939: Average___
1941: January___

Confectionery

Canning and pre­
serving

38.3 $0.916 $16.77
36.4
.952 16. 67

Total: Tobacco
manufactures

37.0 $0.464 $16.84
33.0
.510 17.89

35.4 $0.476 $20.88
.501 22.38
35.7

Tobacco (chewing
and smoking) and
snuff

Cigars

Cigarettes

37.2 $0. 561 $14. 59
37.3
.600 15.13

34.7 $0.419 $17.53
.432 18.60
35.0

34.1
34.9

$0. 514
.537

1947: December........ 63. 54

42.1

1.511

41.14

37.7

1.093

39.16

39.9

.983

45. 45

40.6

1.119

34.24

39.3

.868

37.16

39.1

.950

61.03
62. 25
62. 57
65.24
65.31
67. 74
71.35
69.14
70.27
66.11
67. 45
67.14

40.4
40.9
41.2
42.5
42.5
42.9
44.1
42.9
43.4
41.1
41.1
41.5

1.510
1.520
1.516
1.532
1.537
1. 578
1. 610
1.612
1.618
1.606
1.639
1.613

41.10
42.73
40. 77
41.63
41.35
41.16
41.78
39.50
46.01
45. 32
39.02
42.02

37.3
38.4
36.5
37.0
36.8
38.0
39.0
36.1
41.4
39.5
35.4
36.3

1.102
1.118
1.120
1.130
1.125
1.090
1.083
1.105
1.121
1.153
1.107
1.162

37.97
35. 04
36.52
37.19
37.12
37.86
38.51
39.26
37.97
38.78
38.37
38.79

38.6
36.2
37.7
38.2
37.7
37.8
38.0
39.0
38.0
38.9
37.8
38.1

.984
.968
.968
.973
.984
1.003
1.014
1.008
1.000
.998
1.016
1.018

44.74
37.93
42. 99
44.35
44.32
45. 84
46.59
48.39
44. 47
45.95
43. 61
45.74

39.4
33.9
38.2
39.6
38.9
39.1
39.8
41.5
38.4
40.0
36.6
37.9

1.135
1.120
1.124
1.119
1.139
1.172
1.171
1.167
1.159
1.149
1.193
1.207

32.64
32.59
32.12
32.13
31.80
31.73
32. 24
32.29
32.84
33.43
34.63
33.58

38.1
37.9
37.5
37.4
36.9
36.8
36.7
37.1
37.6
38.0
38.8
38.1

.860
.857
.852
.857
.858
.863
.877
.867
.870
.876
.889
.879

35.38
35.89
35.78
36.32
36.91
37.93
37.59
38. 81
39.11
39, 63
38. 62
39.31

37.1
37.2
36.9
37.1
37.3
37.6
37.1
38.4
38.2
39.2
37.5
39.2

.955
.965
.971
.979
.991
1.009
1.015
1.012
1.023
1.011*
1.031
1.003

1948: January___
February—
March.........
A pril..........
M ay............
June............
J u ly .............
August____
September .
October___
N ovem ber..
December. _
See

fo o tn o te s a t en d


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

o f ta b le .

C: EARNINGS AND HOURS

REVIEW , MARCH 1949
T

able

365

C -l: Hours and Gross Earnings in Manufacturing and Nonmanufacturing Industries1—Con.
M A N U F A C T U R IN G —Continued
Printing, publishing,
and allied industries

Paper and allied products

Year and month

Total: Paper and
allied products
Avg. Avg.
w kly. ■wkly.
earn­ hours
ings

Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings

Paper and pulp

Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn­ hours
ings

Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings

Envelopes

Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn­ hours
ings

Paper bags

Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings

Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn­ hours
ings

Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings

Paper boxes

Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn­ hours
ings

1939: A v e r a g e ..___ $23.72
1941: January_____ 25.16

40.1 $0. 592 $24.92
.629 27.02
40.0

1947: December____ 53.69

43.8

1.226

5S.21

44.9

1.295 $47.35

42.2 $1,122 $45.29

40.7 $1.113

49.44

1948: January_____
February____
M arch_______
April________
M’a y .......... .......
June_________
July----- -------August______
September___
October______
November___
December____

43.1
43.1
43.1
42.7
42.8
42.8
42.5
43.1
42.7
42.9
42.9
42.5

1.235
1.245
1.249
1.250
1.269
1.292
1.317
1.320
1.334
1.328
1.336
1.330

57.75
58.41
58.50
58.02
59.47
60.40
61.49
62.32
62.21
61.77
62. 50
61.25

44.4
44.5
44.5
44.1
44.6
44.1
43.9
44.4
43.8
43.8
44.0
43.4

1.301
1.310
1.313
1.313
1.334
1.368
1.400
1.402
1.419
1.409
1.419
1.408

41.4
41.3
41.1
40.8
40.8
41.3
40.6
41.5
41.5
41.4
42. 0
41.6

40.8
39.5
40.7
40.5
39.8
40.8
41.6
41.3
41.0
41.0
39.6
39.8

48.35
48.75
49.14
48.32
48.64
50.48
49.87
51.75
52.05
52. 79
52. 23
51.58

53.20
53. 01
53.82
53.36
54.28
55.34
55. 97
56. 94
56. 98
56.95
57.35
56.57

40.3 $0.620
.662
40.8

$21.78
22.26

46. 50
46.68
46.30
46. 26
46.34
47.02
45.87
49.02
49.10
49.56
50. 34
49. 97

1.139
1.146
1.144
1.149
1.150
1.158
1.148
1.194
1.203
1.213
1.212
1.211

45.23
44.34
45.69
45.14
44.93
46.29
48.61
49.32
48.69
48.78
47.14
48. 02

Printing, publishing, and allied industries—Continued
Newspapers and
periodicals
1939: Average1941: January-

$37.58
38.15

Printing; book and
job

36.1 $1,004 $30.30
35.4 1.052 31.64

1.112
1.120
1.121
1.113
1.126
1.130
1.167
1.193
1.192
1.192
1.194
1.194

Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings

Total: Printing, pub­
lishing, and allied
industries
Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn­ hours
ings

Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings

40.2 $0.547 $32.42
38.8
.576 33.49

37.4
37.8

43.3

1.144

63.37

40.4

1.568

42.0
41.9
41.8
41.0
40.7
41.6
40.7
42.0
41.9
42.6
42.2
41.9

1.155
1.167
1.177
1.180
1.199
1.216
1. 229
1.234
1. 245
1.243
1. 239
1.234

62. 41
62.72
63.97
64.62
65.06
65. 48
65.08
65. 96
67.39
66.48
66. 97
68.03

39.5
39.1
39.5
39.2
39.1
39.1
38.9
39.2
39.4
38.9
39.1
39.5

1.579
1.604
1.621
1.646
1.663
1.676
1.675
1.683
1.712
1.709
1. 712
1.720

$0.866
.886

Chemicals and allied products

Lithographing

38.3 $0.804
39.6
.810

Total: Chemicals
and allied products
$25.59
27.53

Paints, varnishes,
and colors

39.5 $0.649 $28.48
.690 29.86
39.9

Drugs, medicines,
and insecticides

40.5 $0.704 $24.16
40.3
.741 24.68

39.7
39.3

$0. 592
.610

1947: December____ 71.45

39.1

1.791

60.22

41.1

1.479 $62.91

42.3 $1,486

53.73

41.5

1.293

55.11

42.0

1.314

47.90

40.4

1.185

1948: January..
February.
M arch__
April___
M ay____
June.........
July____
August—
September___
October- —
November
December____

37.8
38.3
38.4
38.5
38.4
38.0
37.8
38.4
38.9
38.5
38.3
38.6

1.797
1.812
1.843
1.870
1.877
1.896
1.894
1.908
I. 954
1.942
1.956
1.970

60.23
60.13
60.96
61.26
61.92
62. 25
62.06
62.32
63.02
61.96
62. 79
64.18

40.7
39.8
40.3
39.9
39.8
39. 7
39.7
39.8
39.8
39.1
39.6
40.3

1.493
1.528
1.528
1. 551
1.570
1.579
1.576
1.578
1.595
1. 597
1. 598
1.605

40.4
39.8
40.3
39.5
39. 5
40.0
38.6
39.8
39.9
40.4
40.5
40.6

54. 31
54.12
54.15
54.38
55. 24
56.64
57.21
57.69
58.20
57. 60
57.84
58.06

41.4
41.1
41.2
41.0
41.0
41.4
41.1
41.0
41.3
41.4
41. 4
41.4

1.311
1.315
1.315
1.327
1.347
1.369
1.390
1.407
1.410
1.390
1. 398
1.402

55.34
55. 73
55. 71
55. 54
57.22
57.84
59.24
59.03
59. 34
59.10
58. 22
58.18

42.0
41.8
41.7
41.5
42.2
42.4
42.9
42.2
42.2
42.1
41.3
40.9

1.321
1.334
1.338
1.344
1.358
1.365
1.385
1.399
1.410
1. 407
1.411
1.422

48.31
48. 42
48. 44
48.36
48.91
49. 56
49.21
49. 48
49. 75
50.98
51. 24
51.76

40.4
40.2
40.2
39.8
39.4
39.5
39.0
39.1
39.7
40.0
40.1
40.6

1.196
1.206
1.205
1.216
1.241
1.257
1.260
1.266
1.255
1.276
1.279
1.271

68.96
70.36
71.32
72. 79
73.04
73. 26
72.39
73. 69
76. 80
75. 47
76.04
77.05

61.03
60.04
62.92
61.78
63. 24
64.60
62.45
64. 55
65. 38
65. 71
65.34
65.23

1.511
1.509
1.560
1.565
1. 601
1.616
1.618
1.621
1.638
1. 627
1. 612
1.607

Chemicals and allied products—Continued
Rayon and allied
products

Soap
1939: Average___
1941: January___

$28.11
29.58

39.8 $0. 707 $24.52
.740 27.26
40.0

Chemicals, not else­ Explosives and safety
where classified
fuses

37.9 $0.646 $31.30
39.2
.696 33.10

40.0 $0. 784 $29.99
.822 31.56
40.3

Ammunition, smallarm s2

38.8 $0. 773 $22.68
37.8
.835 24.05

Cottonseed oil

39.0 $0.612 $13. 70
38.6
.623 15.55

44.3
44.6

$0.302
.338

1947: December____ 65.01

44.7

1.456

49. 73

39.2

1.268

60.07

41.2

1.457

57.36

40.0

1.433

53. 85

43.3

1.243

38.68

52.9

.731

1948: January___
February...
M arch____
April_____
M a y ...........
June______
J u ly ...........
August____
September.
Oetober___
N ovem ber.
D ecem ber..

44.1
43.8
42.8
42.1
42.1
41.5
41.0
41.6
42.3
42.9
42.3
42.3

1.466
1.475
1. 407
1.528
1.543
1.521
1.523
1.525
1.532
1.543
1.579
1.575

50.36
50. 33
50. 68
51.29
51.46
51.72
53. 38
55.32
55.31
54.99
55. 55
55. 79

39.2
39.3
39.5
39.8
39.7
39.8
40.1
39.8
39.5
39.2
39. 5
39.5

1.284
1.280
1.284
1.287
1. 296
1.298
1.330
1.391
1. 400
1.402
1. 406
1. 413

60.80
60.82
60. 84
60.97
61.48
63.17
63. 49
63. 80
65. 27
64.02
64. 65
64. 72

41.2
41.1
41.0
41.1
41.2
41.9
41.3
41.1
40.9
41.0
41.1
41.1

1.477
1.479
1.483
1.484
1.403
1. 509
1.539
1. 552
1. 596
1.563
1.574
1.574

58.85
59.20
58. 24
56. 47
59.34
61.58
61.65
63.93
64. 01
61.26
60. 71
60. 58

40.8
41.2
40.5
39.6
40.6
41.9
41.8
41.8
41.9
40.8
40.3
40.3

1.441
1.438
1.437
1.427
1.462
1. 471
1.473
1.529
1.527
1. 501
1. 508
1.502

48.09
48.19
49.04
49. 37
50. 28
51.48
53. 05
52. 64
53. 61
53. 55
53. 46
53. 53

40.5
40.6
40.7
40.8
41.3
41.2
41.2
41.0
41.5
41.7
41.4
41.5

1.188
1.187
1.204
1.209
1.218
1.257
1.294
1.285
1.291
1.283
1. 291
1.290

38. 86
36. 59
37. 95
37. 50
38. 07
37.94
38. 77
38. 59
41.64
43. 69
43. 56
44. 56

52.2
48.8
50.3
49.4
49.0
48.0
47.6
49.0
52.3
55.3
55.5
55.7

.746
.750
.755
.759
.778
.791
.816
.787
.796
.790
.785
.800

64.69
64. 54
62.83
64. 29
64. 99
63. 09
62. 44
63.49
64.76
66. 24
66.79
66.72

S e e fo o tn o te s a t en d

o f ta b le .

824906—49-----7

https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

T

MONTHLY LABOR

C: EARNINGS AND HOURS

366
able

C -l: Hours and Gross Earnings in Manufacturing and Nonmanufacturing Industries1—Con.
M A N U F A C T U R IN G —Continued
Chemicals and allied
products—Con.
"Total: Products of
petroleum and coal

Fertilizers
Year and month
Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn­ hours
ings
$14. 71
14.89
1947: December------ 36. 56
1Q4K- Jnrm arv_____
February____
M a r c h ______
April________
M ay _______
June ________
July
_____
August ____
September___
O ctober_____
November___
December____

37. 23
34.96
36. 25
36.49
37. 40
39.34
40.82
40.32
40.37
39.37
37. 86
38. 69

Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. wkly.
earn­ earn­ hours
ings
ings

35.8 $0. 412 $32.62
.429 32.46
34.8
40.7
41.5
39.7
41.6
41.5
41.4
41.2
42.1
40. 7
40.4
39.9
38.4
39.5

Rubber products

Products of petroleum and coal

.897
.897
.881
.871
.880
.904
.954
.970
.990
1.001
.988
.985
.980

63.21
64. 47
64. 58
64.62
64. 45
67.16
67.18
69. 45
70. 71
68.72
71.48
71. 31
70.52

Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. wkly.
earn­ earn­ hours
ings
ings

36.5 $0.894 $34.97
887 34. 46
36.6
40.8
40.7
40.8
40.6
40.3
41.2
40.7
40.8
41.2
39.3
41.1
40.4
40.5

1. 551
1. 586
1. 581
1.593
1.600
1.631
1.650
1.703
1. 716
1.748
1. 738
1. 763
1.740

Coke and by­
products

Petroleum refining

66.32
67. 54
67.64
67. 77
68. 50
71.14
70. 96
74.01
75.13
72. 09
76.14
76.35
75.03

Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. wkly.
earn­ earn­ hours
ings
ings

Roofing materials

Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. wkly.
earn­ earn­ hours
ings
ings

$27.84
30.38

39.8
40.0
40.1
40.2
40.9
40.2
40.4
41.0
38.5
40.8
40.3
40.6

1.647 $54.37
1.699
1.689
1.692
1.704
1.740
1.763
1.832
1.832
1. 873
1. 868
1. 894
1.854

56.70
57.06
56. 74
53. 54
57.01
57.84
57. 44
59. 97
60.59
60. 51
60.03
60.96

39.7 $1,371 $60.60
40.4
40.9
40.3
38.4
40.2
40.3
39.8
39.9
39.1
39.9
39. 5
40.0

1.404
1.395
1.408
1.395
1.419
1.437
1. 443
1. 503
1. 551
1. 517
1.521
1.530

Rubber boot s and
shoes

58.35
58.67
59.51
58. 84
60. 66
61.09
62.78
63. 58
63. 67
65.69
61. 76
57.12

Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings

36.9
39.0

$0.754
.779

45.5 $1.331

59. 47

40.9

1.454

1.314
1.332
1.342
1.338
1. 352
1.367
1.390
1.415
1.431
1.440
1.428
1.394

57.33
54.70
53.24
53.39
55. 45
57.14
58.37
60. 47
59. 31
59.19
58. 27
57.75

39.7
38.5
37.8
37.8
39.0
39.7
39.7
40.3
39.4
39.3
38.6
38.5

1.444
1.421
1. 408
1.412
1.424
1.439
1.472
1. 500
1. 504
1. 507
1. 508
1.501

44.4
44.1
44.3
44.0
44.9
44.7
45.2
44.9
44.5
45.6
43.3
41.0

Miscellaneous industries

Rubber products—-Continued

Rubber tires and
inner tubes

Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. wkly.
earn­ earn­ hours
ings
ings

36.1 $0. 974
35.7
.970
40.3

Total: Rubber prod­
ucts

Rubber goods , other

37.5 $0.607 $23.34
.639 24 97
41.9

Total: Miscellaneous
industries

38.9 $0. 605 $24.48
.639 25.35
39. 4

Instruments (professional and scien­
tific), and fire-control equipment

39.2 $0. 624
.645 $35. 33
39.3

Pianos, organs, and
parts

19391 Average-------1941. January--------- 36. 67

37.7

.975

$22.80
26. 76

1947: December____ 65. 74

39. 5

1.658

54. 72

44.5

1.231

52.93

41.8

1.261

50.21

41.2

1.219

57.99

40.8

1.391 $56. 25

42.9

$1.326

62. 72
58.22
55.54
56. 54
61.15
63.96
66.30
68.29
65. 27
64.82
62. 79
61.10

38.2
36.0
34.8
35.3
37.4
38.8
39.3
39.5
37.7
37.2
36.2
35.6

1.646
1.613
1.599
1.603
1.636
1. 651
1.684
1.730
1.732
1. 734
1.735
1.721

51.08
50. 65
51.42
50. 59
50. 61
50. 69
52.12
52. 53
53. 38
53.86
54. 29
55.23

42.1
41.7
42.2
41.7
41.7
41.7
42.3
41.5
41.6
42.2
41.6
42.4

1.214
1.214
1.219
1.214
1.214
1.215
1. 231
1.266
1.283
1.278
1.305
1.303

51.79
51.33
50. 60
50.16
50.34
51.15
51.07
53.70
54. 35
55.08
54. 61
54.64

41.1
40.8
40.4
39.9
40.0
40.2
39.4
40.9
40.8
40.8
40.5
40.5

1.260
1.258
1.251
1. 256
1.260
1.272
1.296
1.312
1.333
1.350
1.347
1.349

49.60
50.11
49. 84
49. 60
50.19
50. 92
50.02
51. 24
51.63
51.86
52. 47
52.75

40.4
40.8
40.6
40.4
40.3
40.3
39.4
40.3
40.3
40.6
40.8
40.5

1.227
1.230
1.229
1.228
1. 244
1.262
1.269
1. 271
1.280
1.279
1.287
1.303

59.59
57. 20
57. 54
58.16
58.35
57. 73
56.68
58.44
59.26
60.90
61. 75
62.18

41.2
40.0
40.1
40. 5
40.2
39.7
39.7
40.0
40.1
40.4
40.9
40.7

1.419
1.388
1.407
1. 413
1.430
1.434
1.448
1. 458
1.472
1.487
1.491
1.506

40.4
40.0
40.3
40.8
40.8
40.9
40.9
40.7
39.9
40.3
40.8
40.4

1.311
1.305
1.288
1.286
1.286
1.280
1. 283
1. 293
1.322
1.339
1.365
1.375

1948: .Tanuarv_____
February____
M arch_______
April_______
M ay - _____
June________
July_________
August______
September___
O cto b er_____
November___
December____

45.7 $0. 773

52. 52
51.88
51.82
52.34
52.36
52.11
52.07
52.42
52. 54
53. 73
55. 41
55.26

N O N M A N U F A C T U R IN G
Mining
M etal

Coal
Anthracite 3
1939: A v e ra g e .____ $25.67
1941: January_____ 25.13

B itum inous8

27.7 $0.923 $23.88
.925 26.00
27.0

27.1 $0.886 $28.93
.885 30.63
29.7

40.9 $0.708 $26.36
41.0
.747 29.26

Le ad and zinc

Copper

Iron

Total: Metal

35.7 $0. 738 $28.08
.750 30.93
39.0

41.9 $0. 679 $26.39
.749 28.61
41.8

38.7
38.2

$0.683
.749

1947: December........ 67.42

38.4

1. 756

75.22

41.2

1.826

58.11

42.7

1.360

54.26

40.3

1.346

62.39

45.5

1.370

60.83

43.3

1.406

68. 79
65. 78
71.59
55.05
69.89
68.91
55.11
72. 77
69.35
73. 74
60. 90
63.39

39.0
36.2
40.3
32.1
39.4
39.4
31.7
38.3
36.6
38.7
33.4
34.0

1. 764
1.817
1. 776
1.708
1. 774
1.749
1.736
1.901
1.897
1.904
1.824
1.862

75.78
70. 54
74.84
49. 53
74.08
73.87
67.62
78.10
75. 51
76. 40
73.52
75.06

40.9
38.7
40.6
27.0
40.3
39.9
34.2
39.4
37.9
38.6
37.1
38.1

1. 847
1.826
1.842
1.821
1.841
1.850
1.936
1.967
1.970
1.959
1.951
1.955

58.23
58.79
57. 90
57.84
59. 26
58.79
58.00
62.49
62.07
64.18
64.19
65.70

42.5
42.9
42.4
42.1
42.8
42.4
40.6
42.9
41.4
42.7
42.3
43.2

1.371
1.370
1.366
1.373
1. 384
1.386
1.427
1.455
1.501
1.502
1.518
1.522

54.99
56.40
56.04
55.48
57.91
57.41
55.30
59. 21
60. 77
63. 56
62. 02
62.45

40.5
41.4
41.3
40.7
42.1
41.5
40.3
41.6
40.4
42.2
41.2
41.6

1.356
1.361
1.357
1.364
1.377
1.383
1.371
1.424
1. 504
1.506
1.506
1.502

62.21
62. 84
61.25
61.04
61.73
61.33
63.99
67. 62
64. 67
66.62
68. 26
70. 27

45.2
45.8
44.7
44.6
45.0
44.5
43.6
45.1
42.8
44.6
44.8
45.9

1.377
1.373
1.371
1.369
1.373
1.378
1.468
1.498
1.513
1.494
1. 524
1.533

59. 88
59.16
59.04
59. 58
60. 27
60. 42
53.11
64. 95
63.26
64.19
66.04
67.77

42.0
41.9
41.6
41.7
41.8
41.7
35.3
42.9
41.4
41. 5
42.3
43.3

1.425
1.412
1.415
1.430
1.442
1.449
1.505
1. 515
1. 529
1.544
1.560
1.569

1948- January_____
February__
M a r c h _____
April________
M ay________
June________
July_________
August______
September. . .
October ____
November___
December____

See footnotes at end of table.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

REVIEW , MARCH 1949
T able

367

C: E A R N I N G S A N D H O U R S

C -l: Hours and Gross Earnings in Manufacturing and Nonmanufacturing Industries1—Con.
NONMANUFACTURING—Continued
Public utilities

Mining—Continued

Year and month

Quarrying and
nonmetallic
Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn­ hours
ings

Crude petroleum and
natural gas production

Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. Avg.
earn­ earn­ wkly.
ings hours
ings

Street railways
and busses 4

Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. Avg.
earn­ earn­ wkly.
ings hours
ings

Telephone5

Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. Avg.
earn­ earn­ wkly.
ings
ings hours

45.9 $0. 714 $31.94
45. 3 .731 32.52

Telegraph 8

Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. Avg.
earn­ earn­ wkly.
ings
ings hours

Electric light
and power

Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. Avg.
earn­ earn­ wkly.
ings
ings hours

39.1 $0. 822
. 824
39.7

Average_____ $21. 61
January
22. 06

39.2 $0. 550 $34.09
38.2
576 33.99

38.3 $0. 873 $33.13
37. 7 .885 33.63

December___

62. 39

44.4

1.176

60. 90

39.5

1.543

60.11

46.8

1.288

47. 83

39.0

1.229 $55.14

43.9 $1. 257

January-........
February____
March______
April________
M ay________
June________
July________
August______
September___
October ----November___
December___

60.92
50. 39
51.04
52. 83
54.73
55. 38
55. 83
58. 72
57. 82
59. 08
57. 22
57.12

42.7
42.1
42.9
43.7
44.4
45.0
44.1
45.9
45.0
45.8
44.3
44.1

1.187
1.199
1.190
1.206
1.226
1'. 228
1.266
1.281
1.284
1.288
1.291
1.290

64. 53
65. 77
63. 44
63. 96
65.88
64. 88
67.17
69. 59
67. 58
67. 67
68.80
69.12

39.9
40.4
39.7
40.0
40.2
39.5
40.1
41.3
39.6
39.7
39.6
40.0

1.627
1.638
1.605
1. 599
1.646
1.636
1.676
1.682
1.711
1. 716
1. 734
1.730

60. 73
62.15
61.36
60.10
60. 32
61.21
62.01
62. 68
62. 29
63. 40
62. 51
63.26

46.3
47.7
47.3
46.6
46.8
46.8
47.0
47.5
46.3
46.4
46.1
46.4

1.299
1.295
1.295
1.293
1.302
1.315
1.328
1.327
1.355
1. 380
1.384
1.393

48. 20
47. 82
47. 31
47. 56
48.82
48. 67
49.19
48.35
49. 21
49. 81
51. 37
49. 95

38.9
38.7
38.7
38.8
39.4
39. 5
39.8
39.4
39.4
39.5
39.4
38.7

1.241
1.238
1.223
1.225
1.240
1.232
1. 237
1. 229
1.250
1.263
1.305
1.290

44.4
44.5
44.4
44.1
45.0
45.1
45.8
45.6
44.8
44.5
44. 5
44.2

39.6
39.4

$0. 869
.903

59. 01

42.2

1.414

59. 87
59.60
58. 27
59.10
59. 83
60. 41
61.46
61.46
61.75
62. 38
62.57
62.72

42.4
42.2
41.6
41.8
41.7
41.8
41.8
42.1
41.6
41. 6
41.8
41.9

1.426
1.428
1.408
1.427
1.444
1.455
1.483
1.472
1.490
1.509
1.510
1.509

$34. 38
35.49
55. 81
56.26
56.19
59.45
62.12
61.63
63.10
62.59
61.83
61. 46
61. 44
61.20

1.257
1. 265
1.267
1.349
1.381
1.367
1. 379
1.373
1.379
1. 380
1.381
1.385

Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings

Trade
Retail
W holesale
Total: Retail

Food

General merchandise

1939: Average_____ $29. 85
1941: January.......... 30. 59

41.7 $0. 715 $21.17
.756 21.53
40.6

43.0 $0. 536 $23. 37
.549 23. 78
42.9

1947: December....... 54. 97

41.6

1. 300

37. 36

39.7

1. 016

44.74

39.9

1.079

41.0
41.1
40.9
41.0
41.2
41. 1
41.2
41.3
41.2
41.0
41. 2
41.4

1.309
1. 343
1.334
1.346
1. 363
1.353
1. 365
1.379
1.378
1.381
1.383
1.384

37. 62
38. 33
38. 89
39. 27
39. 84
40. 52
41.19
41.19
40. 48
40. 32
39.67
40.27

39.8
40.0
39.8
39.8
39.9
40.3
40.8
41.0
40.2
39.7
39.5
40.2

1. 044
1.050
1.044
1. 055
1.064
1.070
1.077
1.080
1.086
1.080
1. 084
1.072

45. 46
46. 33
46.14
46. 66
47. 08
48. 52
49. 44
49. 35
48. 86
48.15
48.58
49.47

39.9
39.7
40.0
39.6
39.6
40.6
41.0
41.1
40.3
39.8
39.4
39.9

1.108
1.119
1.123
1.150
1.148
1.159
1.162
1.160
1.177
1.172
1.186
1.191

1948: January_____
February____
M arch. ___
April_______
M ay________
Ju n e.. _____
Ju ly ......... ......
August______
September___
October....... .
November___
December____

54. 36
55. 87
55. 17
55. 84
56. 61
56. 00
56. 54
57. 51
57. 67
57. 54
57. 60
57.88

S e e fo o tn o te s a t en d

o f ta b le .


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

Furniture and housefurnishings

Apparel

38.8 $0. 454 $21. 23
.466 21.89
38.8

38.8 $0. 543 $28. 62
39.0
.560 27. 96

44.5
43.9

$0. 660
.666

31.87

36.0

.853

38.18

37.2

1.024

53. 79

43.2

1.288

32.09
32.09
32.28
33.17
34. 04
35. 04
35. 30
35. 03
34. 20
34.10
33. 77
34.58

35.9
35.7
35.3
35.3
35.2
35.8
36.5
36.5
36.5
35. 9
35. 7
37.3

.889
.883
.878
.895
.907
.915
.915
.914
.903
.902
.907
.894

37. 68
37. 94
37. 50
38. 23
38. 54
39. 33
39. 48
39.17
38. 96
39.43
39.08
39.68

36.9
37.3
36.2
36.6
36.5
36.9
37.2
37.1
36.8
36.3
36.2
37.1

1.007
1.002
1.025
1.030
1.040
1.049
1.045
1.043
1.050
1.063
1.060
1.058

50. 62
53.05
51.30
50. 24
50. 96
50. 86
51. 31
51.33
50. 87
51.79
51.65
54. 65

42.3
43.9
43.7
43.5
43.4
43.4
43.3
43.7
43.2
42.9
43.0
43.8

1. 254
1.253
1.242
1.261
1.281
1.281
1.284
1.280
1.290
1,297
1.306
1.320

43.9 $0. 525 $17. 80
43.6
.537 18. 22

368

MONTHLY LABOR

C: E A R N I N G S A N D H O U R S

T able

C -l: Hours and Gross Earnings in Manufacturing and Nonmanufacturing Industries1—Con.
N O N M A N U F A C T U R IN G —Continued
Service

Finance 7

Trade—C ontinued
Retail—Continued
Year and month

Automotive
Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn­ hours
ings

1939: Average______ ______ $27.07
1941: January------------------- 28.26

Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings

Lumber and build­
ing materials
Avg.
wkly.
earn­
ings

47.6 $0. 571 $26. 22
.606 26.16
46.8

Avg.
wkly.
hours

Bro­
ker­
age

Insur­ Hotels 1 (year-round)
ance

Avg. Avg. Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. w kly. wkly.
earn­ earn­ earn­ earn­ wkly.
ings
ings
ings hours
ings

42.7 $0. 619 $36.63 $36.32 $15.25
.634 38.25 37. 52 15.65
41.7

Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings

Power laundries

Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn­
ings hours

Cleaning and dyeing

Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly.
earn­ earn­ wkly.
ings
ings hours

46.6 $0.324 $17.69
45.9
.338 18.37

42.7 $0. 417 $19.96
42.9
.429 19.92

Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings

41.8
41.9

$0. 490
.488

1947: December_____ _____

52. 71

45. 5

1.168

49.03

42.7

1.143

62.85

53.92

30.89

44.1

.693

33.88

42.6

.797

37.70

41.5

.921

1948: January____________
February___________
March_________ ____
A pril, _____________
M ay________________
June________________
July-----------------------A ugust. ___________
September__________
October_______ _____
November__________
December___________

51.66
53.03
52.98
54. 53
54. 49
54.65
55.03
56.04
55.87
55.53
55.99
55.92

44.4
45.0
44.6
45.5
45.5
45. 5
45.1
45.6
45.3
45.4
45.4
46.0

1.179
1.186
1.202
1.216
1.220
1.221
1.237
1.251
1.247
1.241
1. 245
1.232

48.19
49. 56
49. 24
49. 64
50.32
51.08
51.31
52. 51
52.00
52.68
51.92
52.85

41.8
42.1
42.5
42.6
42.8
43.2
42.8
43.4
42.4
42.7
42.0
42.5

1.154
1.174
1.170
1.175
1.193
1.202
1. 216
1.220
1.231
1.233
1. 235
1.230

62. 35
63.37
62.60
65. 76
71.15
69.35
68.12
65. 42
63. 59
66.27
64. 71
67.03

55.09
56.63
55. 51
54. 94
56.22
54. 75
55. 22
55.09
54.35
53. 97
54. 45
54.66

30. 55
31.19
30.96
31. 59
31.70
31.88
32.04
32.34
32. 21
32.45
32. 52
33.02

43.9
44.6
44.0
44.2
44.2
44.1
44.0
44.9
43.9
44.2
44.1
44.1

.695
.695
.695
.700
.707
.711
.714
.709
.725
.726
.734
.739

33.99
33.54
33. 74
34.29
34. 22
34.36
34. 55
33.70
34. 56
34.16
34. 71
34.72

42.3
41.9
42.0
42.2
41.8
41.8
42.2
41.1
41.8
41.3
41. 6
41.7

.807
.802
.805
.810
.817
.823
.820
.822
.828
.829
.838
.838

37.64
36. 55
37.96
39.18
39.13
40.14
39.02
37. 55
39.36
39. 42
39.01
39.97

41.4
40.5
41.5
42.1
42.0
42.4
41.7
39.8
41.1
41.0
40.8
41.4

.924
.923
.924
.933
.936
.947
.942
.951
.963
.970
.958
.963

1 These figures are based on reports from cooperating establishments cov­
ering both full- and part-time employees who worked or received pay during
the pay period ending nearest the 15th of the month. As not all reporting
firms supply man-hour data, the average weekly hours and average hourly
earnings for individual industries are based on a slightly smaller sample
than are average weekly earnings.
For manufacturing, mining, power laundries, and cleaning and dyeing
industries, the data relate to production and related workers only. For the
remaining industries, unless otherwise noted, the data relate to all nonsupervisory employees and working supervisors. Data for 1939 and January
1941, for some industries, are not strictly comparable with the periods cur­
rently presented. All series, by month, are available upon request to the
Bureau of Labor Statistics. Such requests should specify the series desired.
Data for the two current months are subject to revision without notation.
Revised figures for earlier months are identified by an asterisk for the first
month’s publication of such data.
* N ew series beginning with month and year shown below; not comparable
with data shown for earlier periods:
G l a s s p r o d u c t s m a d e f r o m p u r c h a s e d g l a s s .—M ay 1948; comparable
April data are $44.36 and $1,121.
A m m u n i t i o n , s m a l l - a r m s — J u n e 1948; comparable M ay data are
$1,232.
* April 1948 data reflect work stoppages.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

i
Data include private and municipal street-railway companies and affil­
iated, subsidiary, or successor trolley-bus and motor-bus companies.
s Prior to April 1945 the averages of hours and earnings related to all em­
ployees except executives; beginning with April 1945 these averages reflect
mainly the hours and earnings of employees subject to the Fair Labor Stand­
ards Act. At the same time the reporting sample was expanded to include
a greater number of employees of “long lines.” The April 1945 data are
$40.72, 42.9 hours, and $0,952 on the old basis, and $37.50, 40.6 hours, and
$0,926 on the new basis.
6 Data relate to all land-line employees except those compensated on a com­
mission basis. Excludes general and divisional headquarters personnel,
trainees in school, and messengers.
7 Data on average weekly hours and average hourly earnings are not avail­
able.
8 M oney payments only; additional value of board, room ,uniforms, and
tips, not included.
* Revised.
N o t e : Explanatory notes outlining briefly the concepts,
methodology, size of the reporting sample, and sources
used in preparing the data presented in tables C -l
through C-5 are contained in the Bureau’s monthly
mimeographed release, “ Hours and Earnings—Industry
Report,” which is available upon request.

REVIEW, MARCH 1949
T

able

369

C: E A R N I N G S A N D H O U R S

C-2: Hours and Gross Earnings of Production Workers in Manufacturing Industries for
Selected States and Areas1
Connecticut

Delaware

State

State

Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. wkly.
earn­ earn­ hours
ings
ings

Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. wkly.
earn­ earn­ hours
ings
ings

Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings

$46. 84

40.6

$1.153

46.79
46.36
47.11
47.49
46.51
47.37
47.75
46.62
46.62
48.24
49.02
50.96

40.0
39.5
40.0
40.4
39.9
40.0
39.6
40.1
41.6
40.2
39.3
40.0

1.171
1.172
1.177
1.177
1.165
1.184
1.207
1.161
1.122
1.200
1.248
1.273

California

Arizona
State

State

Avg.
w kly. wAvg.
kly.
earn­ hours
ings

Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. wkly.
earn­ earn­ hours
ings
ings

Los Angeles

San Francisco Bay

Year and month

1947: December........ $55.94

43.0 $1,301 $58.51

1948: January............
February.........
M arch_______
A pril________
M ay________
June_________
Ju ly_________
A ugust______
September___
October______
N ovem ber___
December.........

43.3
42.3
42.0
42.8
42.7
41.5
41.0
41. 4
41.7
41.9
41.3
40.3

55. 77
54.48
54.98
56.71
57. 43
55.11
55.51
55.97
57.63
57.49
57.12
55.86

1.288
1.288
1. 309
1.325
1.345
1.328
1.354
1.352
1.382
1.372
1.383
1.386

57.84
58.20
57.51
57.54
59.04
59.62
59.78
60.52
60.38
61.70
60.57
61.33

39.5 $1,482 $58.02
38.7
39.1
38.6
38.5
38.9
38.9
38.8
38.9
38.8
39.6
38.4
38.7

W ilmington

55.07
54.50
55. 43
55. 68
M ay ________ 55.27
June________ 55.99
July-------------- 57.14
August______ 58.15
September___ 57.03
58. 78
October___
November___ 58. 35
December____ 61.07

42.3

57.06
57.58
56.98
57.14
56. 77
58. 06
57. 92
59.26
60.01
60. 43
60.05
60.60

41.5
41.6
41.2
40.9
40.3
41.0
40.5
40.9
41.0
41.0
40.6
41.0

1.318
1.331
1.343
1. 345
1.361
1.384
1.419
1.424
1.422
1.429
1.442
1.466

57. 64
58.21
58.11
58.08
59.03
58.69
59.28
60. 94
59.84
60.60
60.92
61.16

Avg.
wkly.
hours

39.7 $1.461 $61.96

39.7 $1,561

39.1
39.4
39.2
39.1
39.3
38.9
39.0
39.6
38.6
39.1
39.1
39.0

38.7
38.7
37.6
37.8
38.7
38.5
38.6
38.2
38.4
38.7
37.6
38.7

1.476
1.476
1.482
1.486
1.500
1.507
1.522
1.538
1. 552
1. 550
1.560
1.567

60.72
60. 07
58.16
58.56
60. 62
61.10
61.94
61.20
61.08
64.20
62.02
63.94

Chicago City

State

41.8 $1,310 $58.02
40.8
40.7
41.1
41.1
40.9
40.7
40.6
40.7
40.5
41.1
40.4
41.6

1.494
1.488
1.491
1.495
1.516
1.531
1.542
1.555
1.558
1.559
1.579
1.586

Avg. Avg.
hrly. w kly.
earn­ earn­
ings
ings

Illinois

Delaware—Continued

$55.11

Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly.
kly.
earn­ earn­ w
ings hours
ings

1.570 $54.08
1.551 54.54
1.547 54. 94
1.548 54.21
1.566 53.52
1.589 54.51
1.603 54.86
1.601 56.02
1.593 56.33
1.657 56. 64
1.648 56.78
1.651 57.04

1947: December........ $52.88
1948: January_____
February____
M arch_______
April________
M ay________
J u n e......... .......
July-------------A u g u st_____
September___
October,..........
November___
December____

51.92
51.74
51.58
52.22
53.19
52.46
53. 78
53.07
53.70
54.87
55.79
56.14

Massachusetts

Michigan

State

State

State

$1.37 $60.28
1.37
1.38
1.38
1.40
1.41
1.41
1.43
1.45
1.46
1.47
1.48
1.48

Duluth

42.3 $1. 250 $51.18
41.6
41.1
41.0
40.8
41.3
40.7
41.4
40.7
41.0
41.0
41.5
41.5

See footnote at end of table.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

1.248
1.259
1.258
1.280
1.288
1.289
1.299
1.303
1.311
1.338
1.349
1.353

51.19
53.45
52.07
51.48
52. 25
52. 59
57.43
58.98
54.78
57.14
56.04
57.11

59.08
59.47
58.60
58.85
58.79
59.76
59.70
61.51
62.03
62.06
61.78
62.30

40.7
41.1
40.7
41.1
41.3
41.2
40.9
41.2

$1.44 $55.53
1.45 57.19
1.47 57.51
1.50 58.37
1.50 57.75
1.51 59.93
1.51 59. 95
1.51 60.58

40.1 $1,386
40.6 1.407
40.2 1.431
40.6 1.436
40.5 1.427
40.9 1.466
40.8 1.470
40.9 1.480

1.283
1.288
1.289
1.287
1.303
1.318
1.384
1.401
1.401
1.404
1.401
1.417

51.13
51.29
50.52
50.94
51.67
53.42
53.99
54.81
53.38
54.18
54.54
54.81

41.5 $1,240 $55.26
41.0
40.8
40.0
40.3
40.4
40.5
40.5
41.0
39.6
40.1
40.4
40.6

1. 247
1.257
1.263
1.264
1.279
1.319
1.333
1.337
1.348
1.351
1.350
1.350

$50.73
51.43
51.39
51.07
51.28
51.76
51.44
52.29
52.41
50.74
50.87
52.13

53.30
53.67
52.48
53.03
52. 54
52.32
54.89
56.03
55.35
55.50
55.73
55.23

1.275
1.287
1.277
1.284
1.294
1.308
1.339
1.360
1.360
1.367
1.366
1.367

—

42.1

$1,496

60.63
59.02
59.68
59.04
56.75
60.81
62.57
63.44
63.32
64.86
64.40
64.81

40.8
39.7
40.1
39.7
38.9
39.7
39.9
40.1
39.4
40.4
39.7
40.3

1.488
1.489
1.488
1.489
1.500
1.539
1.586
1.584
1.610
1.608
1.636
1.611

N ew York

State

State

43.0 $1. 285 $56.38
41.8
41.7
41.1
41.3
40.6
40.0
41.0
41.2
40.7
40.6
40.8
40.4

.......

$62.91

N ew Jersey
St. Paul

Minneapolis

40.3 $1,270 $51.46
39.9
41.6
40.4
40.0
40.1
39.9
41.5
42.1
39.1
40.7
40.0
40.3

$1.29
1. 30
1. 31
1.28
1.31
1.33
1.34
1.36
1.37
1.38
1.38
1.39

Indiana

Minnesota
State

41.9
41.9
41.9
41.4
40.9
41.1
40.8
41.2
41.0
41.1
41.2
41.1

57.15
56.71
56.71
56.29
56.49
57.38
57.73
58.57
59.25
59.01
59.03
59.97

41.6 $1,355 $56.85

40.4

$1.41

56.97
56.87
56.88
55.49
55.94
56.97
57.75
58.36
59.39
57.47
59. 42
59.73

40.1
39.7
39.8
39.3
39.2
39.5
39.5
39.4
39.6
38.4
39.5
39.6

1.42
1.43
1.43
1.41
1.43
1.44
1.46
1.48
1.50
1.50
1.51
1.51

41.6
41.2
41.1
40.8
40.7
40.9
40.7
40.8
40.9
40.6
40.5
40.9

1.374
1.377
1.379
1.380
1.387
1.403
1.419
1.435
1.448
1.452
1.457
1.465

370
T able

MONTHLY LABOR

C: E A R N I N G S A N D H O U R S

C-2: Hours and Gross Earnings of Production Workers in Manufacturing Industries for
Selected States and Areas1—Continued
N ew York—Continued
Albany-Schenectady-Troy

Year and month

Avg.
wkly.
earn­
ings

Avg.
wkly.
hours

1947: December____ $56.16

40.9

1948: January...........
February____
M arch_______
April................
M a y________
June_________
July_________
August______
September___
October______
November___
December____

40.3
39.6
40.2
39.9
39.7
39.8
39.1
40.0
40.6
39.7
41. 7
41.8

55. 37
54.40
56. 52
56.39
56. 65
57. 21
57.88
60. 55
62.12
59.79
63. 65
64.87

Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings

Buffalo
Avg.
Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn­
hours
ings

$1.38 $57.65
1.38
1.38
1.41
1.42
1.43
1.44
1.49
1.52
1.53
1.51
1.53
1.56

56.72
57.15
56.99
56. 56
57. 59
58. 32
59. 34
60.70
61.61
61.71
61.71
62.17

41.3
40.6
40.6
40.5
40.0
40.2
40.2
40.5
40. 7
40.5
40.5
40.6
40.7

N ew York City

Rochester

Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly.
earn­ earn­ wkly.
ings
ings hours

Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings

$1.40 $61.01

$1.57 $54.65

1.40
1.41
1.41
1.41
1.43
1.45
1.47
1.49
1.52
1.53
1.52
1.53

39.0

61.55
61.65
60. 53
58.19
59.09
CO. 09
61.61
62.39
63. 22
58.86
62.59
62.63

38.8
38.4
38.3
37.7
37.6
37.8
37.9
37.9
37.9
35. 6
37.7
37.9

1.60
1.62
1.60
1.55
1.57
1.59
1.64
1.66
1.68
1.66
1.67
1.66

Oklahoma

Avg.
wkiy. Avg.
earn­ wkly.
ings hours

55.11
55.10
55.34
55. 41
55.14
57.19
57.67
57. 32
58. 37
57.88
58. 56
58.25

40.5

Syracuse

State

Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. Avg.
earn­ earn­ wkly.
ings
ings hours

Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. wkly.
earn­ earn­ hours
ings
ings

Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings

$1.35 $56.14

$1.32 $41.64

40.6

$1,026

39.7
37.6
40.0
39.4
38.9
38.4
37.8
38.1
37.7
38.4
38.0
38.1

1.029
1.031
1.032
1.028
1.031
1.036
1.037
1.059
1.082
1.084
1. 090
1.093

1.37
1.37
1.38
1.39
1.39
1.43
1.43
1.44
1.45
1.46
1.46
1.47

40.3
40.1
40.1
39.9
39.6
39.8
40.5
39.6
40.2
39.7
40.0
39.6

55.69
55.05
55. 37
55.70
54.65
56.39
55. 26
56. 39
57. 83
56.78
56.42
55. 87

42.8
42.3
41.9
42.1
42.1
41.3
42.2
40.8
41.1
41.8
41.0
40 7
39.9

1.32
1.32
1.32
1.33
1.33
1.34
1.36
1.38
1.40
1.39
1.38
1.40

40. 86
38. 79
41.30
40. 54
40.12
39.80
39.20
40. 36
40.75
41.58
41.40
41.58

Pennsylvania

State

AllentownBethlehem

State

1947: December____

$49. 77

1948: January______
February____
March_______
April________
M a y . . ............
J u n e ................
July....... ...........
August______
September___
October______
November___
December____

49. 69
49.50
49. 91
49.63
50.32
50.38
50.20
52.20
52.73
53. 38
53. 24
53.62

$53.15
53.03
55.30
55.70
54. 74
54.15
55.46

North Carolina

42.5 $1. 250
41.5 1. 277
42.7 1.296
42.2 1.320
42.6 1.286
41.7 1.297
42.3 1.310

40.4 $1.232 $51. 71
40.0
39.9
40.0
39.6
39.9
39.8
39.2
39.5
39.5
39.9
39.7
39.8

1.243
1.242
1. 246
1. 252
1.260
1.267
1.282
1.320
1. 335
1.339
1.342
1.346

51.92
51. 58
51.10
49.25
52.65
51.15
51.78
52. 88
54. 06
54. 65
53.77
54.97

Pittsburgh

Philadelphia

39.9 $1. 302 $55.25

41.3 $1.330 $57.96

39.8
39.7
39.5
37.8
38.8
38.8
38.4
38.5
38.8
39.5
38.8
39.1

40.6
40.4
41.3
40.3
40.1
40.1
39.9
40.0
40.1
39.9
40.2
40.2

1.320
1.306
1.299
1.303
1.340
1.349
1.372
1.392
1.407
1. 386
1.392
1.410

54. 78
54. 78
54. 91
55. 22
55.19
55.44
55. 60
56.88
57. 37
57.42
57. 78
57.43

1.338
1.339
1.310
1.355
1.356
1.364
1.374
1.404
1.415
1.422
1.438
1.428

56.97
56.84
57. 96
57. 55
58.54
58.55
58. 07
62.34
62.32
63. 46
62. 51
62.17

Reading-Lebanon

40.0 $1. 401 $51. 85

40.6

$1. 280

1. 421
1. 425
1.421
1.437
1.433
1. 455
1.490
1. 566
1.586
1. 575
1.578
1.559

40.4
40.5
40.5
40/2
40.6
40.7
39.5
39. 7
39.4
40.1
40.4
39.7

1.301
1.306
1.304
1.307
1.305
1.317
1.324
1.362
1. 393
1.388
1.396
1.392

39.1
39.0
39. 9
39.5
40.3
39.7
39.0
39.9
39.2
40. 3
39.6
39.8

52.63
52.34
52.31
51.98
52. 25
53.43
51.71
53.74
54. 26
55. 39
56.23
55.01

Pennsylvania—Con.

Rhode Island

Tennessee

Texas

Utah

Wisconsin

York-Adams

State

State

State

State

State

1947: December____ $44. 70

41.8 $1. 092

1948: January..........
February____
M arch_______
April................
M ay________
J u n e ............ .
July_________
A ugust............
September___
October______
November___
December____

40.8
41.0
41.3
41.0
41.8
41.9
41.2
41.4
40.5
42.0
41.3
40.8

43. 67
44. 89
45.49
44. 72
46. 49
46. 34
46. 26
46. 76
45. 49
47.33
46. 87
47. 72

See footnote at end of table.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

1.091 $48.12
1.107 50. 22
1.115 50.36
1.113 49. 82
1.132 49.60
1.132 49. 82
1.147 49.52
1.150 47. 85
1.136 48.37
1.146 44. 87
1.156 47. 57
1.191 49.18

$41. 72
40.8 $1,180
41.2 1.218
41.3 1. 220
40.7 1. 225
40.4 1.228
40.1 1. 241
39. 9 1.242
39.0 1.228
39.0 1.242
36.1 1. 244
37.9 1. 254
39.2 1. 254

41.43
41. 55
41.86
41. 67
41. 67
42. 03
43.13
43.09
42. 85
43.63
43.80
44.13

41.6 $1. 003
40.7
40.7
40.8
40.3
40.3
40.3
40. 5
40.5
39.9
40.4
40.0
40.3

1.018
1.021
1.026
1.034
1.034
1.043 $52. 71
1.065 51. 54
1. 064 53.39
1.074 53. 98
1.080 55. 09
1.095 52.67
1.095 52. 75

43.6 $1. 209
42.7 1.207
43.3 1.233
42.5 1. 270
43.9 1. 255
42.1 1. 251
42.5 1.243

$53. 69

43.3

52. 78
51. 97
52. 50
50. 05
53.04
53. 99
51.73
53. 28
53. 45
53.73
56.99
56. 56

40.6
40.6
40.7
39.1
40.8
40.9
40.1
41.3
40.8
39.8
41.3
40.4

$1.24 $55. 74

43.1

$1. 293

55.05
54.63
55. 56
55.11
55.73
56. 69
54.96
56. 46
55. 74
58.04
58.16
58.15

42.3
41.9
42.3
42.0
42.0
42.1
41.6
41.9
41.5
42.0
41.9
41.7

1.303
1.303
1.313
1. 314
1.326
1. 347
1.320
1. 346
1.342
1. 383
1.388
1.396

1.30
1. 28
1. 29
1. 28
1.30
1.32
1.29
1.29
1.31
1.35
1.38
1.40

REVIEW , MARCH 1949
T

able

371

G: E A R N I N O S A N D H O U R S

C-2: Hours and Gross Earnings of Production Workers in Manufacturing Industries for
Selected States and Areas1—Continued
W isconsin—Continued
Kenosha city

LaCrosse city

Madison city

Milwaukee county

Racine city

Year and month
Avg.
wkly.
earn­
ings
1947: December_____ ____
1948: January...... ....................
February_________
March_______
April___ _________
M ay____________
June................................
J u ly ................................
August______________
September__________
October____________
November. _______
December________ _

Avg.
wkly.
hours

Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings

Avg.
wkly.
earn­
ings

Avg.
wkly.
hours

Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings

Avg.
wkly.
earn­
ings

$59.05

41.0

$1. 441

$52. 55

41.8

$1. 256

60.41
54.11
60. 41
57.12
58.38
63.01
67.31
61.38
61.79
61.73
60. 72
61.22

41.6
37.5
41.4
39.6
40.1
41.1
40.3
39.5
40.0
39.7
39.2
39. 3

1.453
1.444
1.460
1.443
1.455
1.532
1.671
1. 552
1. 545
1. 554
1.548
1.558

52. 30
49.35
50.17
49. 60
49.60
49. 74
50.13
53. 35
54.32
52.61
53.92
55.24

41.4
40.0
40.3
39.7
39.7
39.5
39.6
39.2
39. 7
38.7
39. 4
40.1

1.263
1. 233
1.246
1. 250
1. 251
1. 259
1.267
1.362
1.369
1.361
1.369
1.378

i State and area hours and gross earnings are prepared by various cooperat­
ing State agencies. Owing to differences in methodology the data may not
he strictly comparable among the States or with the national averages.
Variations in earnings among the States and areas reflect, to some extent,
differences with respect to industrial composition. Revised data for all

T

able

Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings

Avg.
wkly.
earn­
ings

Avg.
wkly.
hours

Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings

Avg.
wkly.
earn­
ings

$54.41

42.4

$1. 281

$59.84

42.5

$1. 408

$61.98

42.6

$1.456

49.85
50.11
50.97
55. 54
59. 10
58.12
54.70
54.15
52. 59
54. 55
56. 27
57.98

39.6
38.7
39. 5
41.4
42.9
42.0
39.7
39.5
38.5
40.1
41.2
40.9

1. 253
1. 290
1.289
1.343
1.377
1.385
1.377
1.372
1.365
1.362
1.364
1.416

58.76
58.20
59. 09
58. 77
58.82
60.20
60. 92
61.44
61.81
63. 09
62. 69
62.54

41.6
41.3
41.7
41.4
41.0
41.2
41.1
41.3
40.8
41.5
41.3
41.2

1.411
1.411
1.418
1.419
1.434
1.461
1.481
1.489
1.515
1. 521
1. 516
1.516

61.48
60.27
61.44
60. 58
61.97
63. 32
63. 46
65. 35
65.15
65. 28
65. 78
64.83

42.0
41. 5
41.8
41.2
41.7
42.4
42.0
42.1
41.6
41. 4
41. 5
40.9

1.465
1. 451
1.469
1.470
1.485
1.493
1.509
1. 553
1.568
1. 575
1. 585
1.586

Avg.
wkly.
hours

Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings

except the two most recent months are identified by an asterisk for the first
month’s publication of such data. A number of States also make available
more detailed industry data, as well as information for earlier periods, which
may be secured directly upon request to the appropriate State agency as
listed in footnote X, table A-5.

C-3: Estimated Average Hourly Earnings, Gross and Exclusive of Overtime, of Production
Workers in Manufacturing Industries 1
All manufacturing

fear and month

January 1941_____
January 1945_____
July 1945_________
June 1946.................
1941:
1942:
1943:
1944:
1945:
1946:
1947:

Avg.
wkly.
hours

Average____
Average____
Average____
Average____
Average____
Average____
Average____

Durable goods

Nondurable goods

Gross

Exclud­
ing
over­
time

Gross

Exclud­
ing
over­
time

Gross

$0.683
1.046
1.033
1.084

$0. 664
.970
.969
1.053

$0. 749
1.144
1.127
1.165

$0. 722
1.053
1.052
1.134

$0.610
.891
.902
1.003

$0.601
.840
.854
.972

.729
.853
.961
1.019
1.023
1. 084
1.221

.702
.805
.894
.947
k 963
1.049
1.182

.808
.947
1.059
1.117
1. I ll
1 .15o
1.292

.770
.881
.976
1.029
2 1.042
1.122
1.250

.640
.723
.803
.861
.904
1.012
1.145

.625
.698
.763
.814
2.858
.978
1.109

Exclud­
ing over­
time

1 Overtime is defined as work in excess of 40 hours a week and paid for at
tim e and one-half. The method of estimating average hourly earnings exclu­
sive of overtime makes no allowance for special rates of pay for work done on
holidays.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

All manufacturing
Year and month

Durable goods

Nondurable goods

Gross

Exclud­
ing
over­
time

Gross

Exclud­
ing
over
time

Gross

1947: December___

$1.278

$1. 228

$1.354

$1.299

$1.196

$1.152

1948: January___
February___
March______
April____ ...
M ay_______
June_______
July________
August_____
September__
O ctob er____
N ovem ber3. .
December 3.._

1.285
1.287
1.289
1.292
1.301
1.316
1.332
1.349
1.362
1.366
1.371
1.376

1.243
1.247
1.248
1.253
1.262
1. 275
1. 295
1.309
1.323
1.323
1. 332
1.333

1.355
1.352
1.352
1.357
1.366
1.385
1.407
1.431
1.448
1. 452
1.454
1.457

1.308
1.309
1.300
1.314
1.324
1.341
1.369
1.385
1.408
1.403
1.409
1.408

1.210
1. 217
1.220
1. 220
1. 230
1.242
1. 252
1.262
1. 272
1. 271
1.282
1.286

1.173
1.181
1.183
1.184
1.194
1.204
1.216
1.228
1.235
1.236
1.248
1.251

Exclud­
ing
over­
time

2 Eleven-month average only; August 1945 excluded because of VJ-day
holiday period.
3 Preliminary.

372

MONTHLY LABOR

C: E A R N IN G S A N D H O U R S

T able

C-4: Gross Average Weekly Earnings of Production Workers in Selected Industries, in Current
and 1939 Dollars 1
All manufacturing Bituminous-coal
mining

1930:
1940:
1941:
1942:
1943:

A vfiragfl
A v ers ge
A verage
A verage
A ve r a g e

1944:
1945:
1946:
1947:

Average____
Average
A verage..___

Electric light and
power 2

Year and month

Year and month

January 1941_____
January 1945_____
July 1945
June 1946________

All manufacturing Bituminous-coal
mining

Electric light and
power 2

Current
dollars

1939
dollars

Current
dollars

1939
dollars

Current
dollars

1939
dollars

$26. 64
47. 50
45.45
43.31

$26.27
37.15
34.91
32.30

$26.00
54.11
50.66
64.44

$25.64
42.32
38. 92
48.05

$35. 49
48.90
50.34
52.07

$35.00
38.24
38.67
38.83

23.86

23.86
25.00
27.95
31.27
34.69
36.50
34.36
31. 21
30.75

23. 88
24.71
30.86
35.02
41.62
51.27
52. 25
58.03
66.86

23. 88
24. 51
29.16
29.88
33.47
40. 61
40.45
41.41
41.75

34.38
35.10
36. 54
39.60
44.16
48.04
50.05
52.04
57.12

34.38
34.82
34.53
33.79
35.51
38.05
38.75
37.13
35.66

A v e r a g e _____

25. 20
29 58
36.65
43.14
46.08
44.39
43.74
49.25

1 These series indicate changes in the level of weekly earnings prior to and
after adjustment for changes in purchasing power as determined from the
Bureau’s consumers’ price index, the year 1939 having been selected for the
base period. Estimates of World War II and postwar understatement by
the consumers’ price index were not included. See M onthly Labor Review,
March 1947, p. 498. (See also footnote 1, table D -l.)

T a ble C -5 :

1939
dollars

Current
dollars

1939
dollars

Current
dollars

1947: December___

$52.69

$31.36

$75.22

$44. 77

$59.01

$35.12

1948: January____
February___
March.......... .
April______
M ay_______
June_______
Ju ly., . . .
August____
September.
October_____
November L_
December 4. .

52.07
51. 75
52.07
51.79
51.86
52. 85
52.95
54.05
54.19
54.65
54.57
55.10

30. 66
30. 71
31.01
30.41
30.23
30.60
30.30
30. 79
30.87
31.29
31. 50
31.95

75. 78
70.54
74.84
« 49.53
74.08
73.87
67.62
78.10
75. 51
76. 40
73.52
75.06

44. 62
41.86
44. 57
2 29.08
43.19
42.76
38. 70
44.49
43.01
43. 75
42. 44
43. 53

59.87
59.60
58. 27
59.10
59.83
60.41
61.46
61.46
61.75
62. 38
62. 57
62.72

35.26
35.37
34.70
34.70
34.88
34.97
35.17
35.01
35.17
35. 72
36.12
36. 37

2 Data relate to all nonsupervisory employees and working supervisors.
2 April data reflect work stoppages.
4 Preliminary.

Gross and Net Spendable Average Weekly Earnings o f Production Workers in.
Manufacturing Industries, in Current and 1939 Dollars 1
N et spendable average weekly
earnings

N et spendable average weekly
earnings
Year and month

Cross
average
weekly
earn­
ings

Worker with no
dependents

Worker with
three dependents

1939
dollars

Current
dollars

$25.06
30.81
29.04
27.81

$26.37
45.17
43. 57
42. 78

$26.00
35.33
33.47
31.90

23. 58
24.49
26.51
27.11
28. 97
30.32
28. 61
26.87
26.33

23. 62
24. 95
29. 28
36. 28
41.39
44.06
42. 74
43.13
47.65

23. 62
24. 75
27.67
30.96
33.30
34.89
33.08
30.78
29. 75

$26.64
47.50
43.31

$25.41
39. 40
37. 80
37.30

1939: Average______________
1940: Average______________
1941: Average__
____ _
1942: Average ___________
1943: Average ____________
1944: A verage___ , ___ __
1945: A v era g e_____________
1946: Average,
_ _ _ _,
1947: Average _ __________

23.86
25. 20
29. 58
36.65
43.14
46.08
44.39
43.74
49.25

23. 58
24.69
28.05
31. 77
36.01
38.29
36.97
37.65
42.17

Year and month

Gross
average
weekly
earn­
ings

1939
dollars

Current
dollars
January 1941 ____
_____
January 1945_____ _______
July 1945 ________________
June 1946 __ ___ - , _______

1 N et spendable average weekly earnings are obtained by deducting from
gross weekly earnings, social security and income taxes for which the specified
type of worker is liable. The amount of income tax liability depends, of
course, on the number of dependents supported by the worker as well as on
the level of his gross income. N et spendable earnings have, therefore, been
computed for two types of income-receivers: (1) A worker with no dependents:
(2) A worker with three dependents.
The computations of net spendable earnings for both the factory worker
with no dependents and the factory worker with three dependents are based


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

1939
dollars

Current
dollars

Worker w ith no
dependents

Worker with
three dependents

1939
Current
dollars dollars

Current
dollars

1939
dollars

1947: December____________

$52. 69

$44.98

$26. 77

$50.46

$30.03

1948: January______________
February............ ............
March_________ ____
April________________
M a y ... _____________
June_________________
July_________________
August________ ______
September___________
October______________
Novem ber2__________
D ecem ber2___________

52. 07
51.75
52. 07
51.79
51.86
52.85
52.95
54.05
54.19
54.65
54.57
55.10

45.69
45.42
45. 69
45. 45
45. 51
46.35
46. 48
47.35
47.47
47.86
47. 79
48. 24

26.91
26.95
27.21
26. 68
26.53
26. 83
26.60
26.97
27.04
27.40
27. 59
27.98

51.43
51.16
51.43
51.19
51. 25
52. 08
52. 22
53.09
53. 21
53.60
53.53
53.98

30.29
30.36
30.63
30.05
29. 88
30.15
29.88
30.24
30.31
30.69
30.90
31.30

upon the estimates of gross average weekly earnings for all production work­
ers in manufacturing industries without direct regard to marital status and
family composition. The primary value of the spendable series is that
of measuring relative changes in disposable earnings for twro types of incomereceivers. That series does not, therefore, reflect actual differences in levels
of earnings for workers of varying age, occupation, skill, family composition,
etc.
2 Preliminary.

REVIEW, MARCH 1949

373

C: E A R N IN G S AN D H O U RS

Table C-6: Average Earnings and Hours on Private Construction Projects, by Type of Firm 1
Building construction
All types, private
construction projects

Special building trades
Total building

General contractors

Year and month

All trades 8
Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn­
ings 8 hours

1940: Average____
1941: January____

(9
(9

(‘)

(9

Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings

(9
(9

Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn­
ings • hours
$31.70
32.18

Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings

Avg.
wkly.
earn­
ings 8

Avg.
wkly.
hours

33.1 $0. 958 «$30.56
.986 8 30.10
32.6

Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings

Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn­ hours
ings 8

8 33.3 8$0.918 $33.11
«32.7
8 .946 33. 42

Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings

Plumbing and heat­
ing
Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn­ hours
ings 8

32.7 $1,012 $32.87
32.6 1.025 34.16

Painting and deco­
rating

Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. Avg.
earn­ earn­ wkly.
ings ings 8 hours

34.6 $0.949 $33.05
.955 31.49
35.8

32.5
29.7

Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings
$1,016
1.062

1947: D ecem ber... $66.47

38.0 $1. 748

67.31

37.9

1. 774

62.86

37.1

1.695

72.64

38.9

1.865

76.61

40.6

1.887

65.33

36.0

1.812

1948: January____
February__
March..........
April............
M ay_______
June ..............
July ______
A ugust.........
Septem ber...
October........
November
December 7._

37.3
37.0
37.4
37.5
37.5
38.5
38.4
38.4
38.1
37.9
37.0
38.0

1.762
1. 788
1.786
1.795
1.812
1.835
1.865
1.876
1.894
1.894
1.906
1.926

66.28
66. 31
66. 89
67.31
68.13
70.49
71.38
71.89
72. 06
71.69
70.73
73.44

37.2
36.7
37.1
37.0
37.1
37.9
37.8
37.8
37.5
37.4
36.7
37.8

1. 781
1.806
1. 805
1.818
1.835
1.858
1.890
1.901
1.919
1.919
1.929
1.945

62.05
62. 70
63. 28
63.62
64.74
67.00
67. GO
68.47
68. 56
68.10
67. 25
70. 47

36.4
36.3
36.7
36.5
36.5
37.4
37.2
37.4
37.0
36.8
36.0
37.4

1.707
1.727
1.724
1. 745
1.772
1. 789
1.826
1.833
1.853
1. 852
1. 867
1.884

71.43
70.99
71.47
72. 08
72. 67
75.14
75.88
76. 57
76. 67
76.33
75.25
77.41

38.2
37.3
37.5
37.7
37.9
38.6
38.5
38.5
38.2
38.1
37.5
38.2

1.868
1.899
1.905
1.909
1.916
1.948
1.972
1.991
2.005
2.005
2.009
2.025

75.79
74.17
74.01
74.64
75.55
79.03
78. 89
79.81
78. 97
77.97
76.44
81.74

40.7
39.1
39.0
38.9
39.1
40.0
39.2
39.1
38.7
38.5
38.0
40.3

1.862
1.895
1.897
1.919
1.933
1.976
2.014
2.041
2.042
2.020

65.79
65.03
66. 80
68. 29
69. 76
70.27
71.20
71.27
71. 67
70. 72
69. 92
71.73

35.7
34.7
35.7
36.3
36.6
36.4
36.8
36.5
36.6
35 7
34.9
35.7

1.840
1.872
1.870
1. 880
1.906
1.930
1. 934
1.951
1.959
1.980
2. 001
2. Oil

65.73
66.17
66.73
67. 25
67.90
70.57
71.53
71.99
72.12
71. 71
70. 46
73.18

2.010
2.026

Building construction—Continued
Special building trades—Continued
Year and month

Electrical work

Plastering and
lathing

Masonry

Carpentry

Roofing and sheet
metal

Excavation and
foundation

Avg. Avg. Avg. Avg. Avg. Avg. Avg. Avg. Avg. Avg. Avg. Avg. Avg.
Avg. Avg. Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
hourly w kly.
hourly wkly. wkly. hourly w kly. w kly. hourly w kly. wAvg.
wkly. w kly. hourly
kly. hourly
earn­ hours earn­ earn­ wkly.
earn­
earn­
earn­
earn­
earn­
earn­
earn­
earn­
earn­
ings 8
ings ings 8 hours ings ings 8 hours ings ings 8 hours ings ings * hours ings ings * hours ings
1940: A vera g e____ $41.18
1941: January_____ 43.18

34.5 $1.196 $29.47
36.5 1.184 25. 66

29.8 $0.988 $36. 60
25.3 1.012 35.36

28.5 $1. 286 $31.23
27. 5. 1.287 30.40

33.0 $0. 947 $28.07
31.2
.974 27. 60

31.8 $0. 883 $26. 53
30.3
.910 23.86

30.9
29.1

$0. 859
.820

1947: December____ 81. 20

40.6

2.000

66. 69

36.3

1.836

76. 63

36.5

2.100

64. 94

37.8

1.718

60. 64

37.1

1.634

63.33

37.8

1.676

1948: January______
February____
March_______
April________
M ay..................
June________
Julv. ______
August______
September___
October______
November 8__
December 7___

40.6
40. 0
40.6
39.7
39. 7
39.8
40.3
40.3
39.7
4 0.0
39.4
40.5

2.012
2. 052
2.064
2.061
2.051
2.075
2.090
2.126
2.159
2.191
2. 203
2. 207

61. 51
59. 50
61.38
64. 61
66. 91
71.21
74.78
73.83
73. 97
73. 74
72. 96
71.12

33.0
31.6
32. 6
34.3
34.8
36.2
37.8
37.0
36.9
36.6
36.1
35.2

1.862
1.881
1.883
1.885
1.923
1.967
1.977
1.994
2.005
2. 015
2. 022
2.019

75. 84
74. 81
75.10
76.61
79.22
83.54
83.12
82.07
84.29
82. 28
77.66
81.52

36.7
35.9
36.0
36.6
37.1
38.2
37.4
36.8
37.3
36.6
34.7
35.6

2.069
2. 087
2.087
2.094
2.137
2.185
2. 223
2.231
2. 258
2. 250
2.238
2. 291

63.94
61.60
62.93
68. 41
69. 55
70.64
70.28
70.65
70. £0
69. 77
68.99
68. 59

36. 5
35.2
35.4
38.0
38.8
39.4
39.2
39.3
38.4
37.6
37.2
36.9

1.750
1.752
1.778
1. 799
1.795
1.794
1.795
1.800
1.837
1. 854
1.855
1.856

56.54
55.38
55. 86
58. 33
59.89
63.15
64. 42
65.36
66. 27
65.15
65.17
64.80

34.5
33.7
34.4
35.3
35.9
36.8
37.1
37.7
37.8
37.3
37.2
36.4

1.638
1.643
1. 622
1.652
1.669
1.717
1. 736
1. 734
1. 753
1. 749
1.751
1.778

63. 79
«4.37
61. 57
63.40
65. 72
68.45
66.63
69.11
69. 77
68.37
68.61
66.43

37. 7
37.3
36. 4
37.9
39.3
40.4
38.6
39.5
39. 5
38.8
38.4
37.6

1.690
1. 725
1.689
1. 672
1.671
1.695
1.724
1.749
1.768
1.760
1.789
1.767

81.62
82.10
83. 75
81.76
81.44
82.60
84.31
85.63
85.69
87. 62
86. 72
89.47

See footnotes at end of table.


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374

MONTHLY LABOR

C: E A R N IN G S A N D H O U R S

T able C-6: Average Earnings and Hours on Private Construction Projects, by Type of Firm 1—Con.
Nonbuilding construction
Total nonbuilding

Year and month

1940: Average_______________
1941: January..............................

Avg.
wkly.
earnings8

Avg.
wkly.
hours

(4)
0)

(4)
(4)

Highway and street

Avg.
Avg.
wkly.
hourly
earnings earnings8
(4)
(‘)

Avg.
wkly.
hours

(4)
(4)

Avg.
Avg.
wkly.
hourly
earnings earnings8

(4)
(4)

(4)
(4)

Other

Heavy construction

(4)
(4)

Avg.
wkly.
hours
(4)
(4)

Avg.
Avg.
wkly.
hourly
earnings earnings8
(4)
(4)

(4)
(4)

Avg.
wkly.
hours

Avg.
hourly
earnings

(4)
(4)

(4)
(4)

1947: December_____________

$62.83

38.4

$1.638

$60.21

38.4

$1. 570

$65. 24

38.4

$1,697

$58.35

38.2

$1,528

1948: January_______________
February____ _____ ___
March...................... .........
A p ril................. ................
M ay.................. ..................
June______________ ___
July_______________ _
August________________
September........................
October_______________
N ovem ber6. _____. . .
December 7 ___________

63.28
65.42
65. 85
66.92
66. 72
70. 93
72. 27
72. 26
72. 42
71. 82
69.25
72.02

37.8
38.5
38.9
39.6
39.1
40.9
41.2
40.9
40.7
40.3
38.4
39.0

1.676
1. 700
1.692
1.691
1.706
1.735
1.756
1. 768
1.779
1. 780
1.803
1.847

61.25
60, 96
60. 71
61. 63
63.09
67.53
69. 73
68.85
69. 22
68.63
63.27
66.18

37.9
37.4
37.7
38.5
38.8
40.8
42.2
41.6
41.3
40.2
37.6
38.5

1.618
1. 629
1.609
1.601
1.627
1.656
1.652
1.657
1.676
1. 707
1.684
1.720

65.57
68.78
68.79
69. 53
69.30
74.06
74, 42
75.06
74.90
73.85
72. 05
74.50

37.6
38.6
39.3
39.9
39.4
41.5
41.0
40.6
40.4
40.0
38.3
38.8

1.745
1.781
1.750
1.743
1.760
1.785
1.814
1.847
1.854
1.846
1.881
1.920

58.14
61.24
62.89
65.08
63.86
66.61
69.23
69.02
69. 88
70.23
67. 58
70. 23

38.1
39.0
38.9
39.8
38.8
39.5
40.6
40.7
40.9
41.2
39.4
39.9

1.524
1.570
1.615
1.637
1.647
1.685
1.705
1.694
1.708
1.704
1.717
1.760

1 Covers all contract construction firms reporting to the Bureau during the
months shown (over 14,000), but not necessarily identical establishments.
The data include all employees of these construction firms working at the
site of privately financed projects (skilled, semiskilled, unskilled, superin­
tendents, time clerks, etc.). Employees of these firms engaged on publicly
financed projects and oil-site work are excluded.
8 Includes types not shown separately.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

8 Hourly earnings, when multiplied by weekly hours of work, may not
exactly equal weekly earnings because of rounding.
4 N ot available prior to February 1946.
8 Includes general contracting as well as general building maintenance, and
other special building data.
8 Revised.
7 Preliminary.

REVIEW, MARCEE 1949

375

D : P R IC E S A N D COST OF L IV IN G

D : Prices and Cost of Living
T a b l e D - l : Consumers’ Price Index 1 for Moderate-Income Families in Large Cities, by Group
Commodities

of

[1935-39=100]
Fuel, electricity, and refrigeration *
Year and month

All items

Food

Apparel

Rent
Total

1913: A verage............... .
1914: July_______________

Gas and
electricity

Other
fuels

Ice

Housefurnishings

Miscella­
neous

70.7
71.7

79.9
81.7

69.3
69.8

92.2
92.2

61.9
62.3

(2)
(2)

(2)
(2)

(2)
(2)

59.1
60.8

50 9
52.0

118.0
149. 4
122.5
97.6

149.6
185.0
132.5
86.5

147.9
209.7
115. 3
90.8

97.1
119.1
141.4
116.9

90.4
104.8
112.5
103.4

(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)

(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)

(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)

121.2
169.7
111.7
85.4

83.1
100 7
104 fi
101.7

1939: A verage_____________
August 15______________
1940: Average............................
1941: Average____________
January 1 .. . ______
December 15________

99. 4
98.6
100.2
105.2
100.8
110.5

95.2
93.5
96.6
105.5
97.6
113.1

100.5
100.3
101.7
106.3
101.2
114.8

104.3
104.3
104.6
106.2
105.0
108.2

99.0
97.5
99.7
102.2
100.8
104.1

98.9
99.0
98.0
97.1
97.5
96.7

99.1
95.2
101.9
108.3
105.4
113.1

100.2
100.0
100.4
104.1
100.3
105.1

101.3
100.6
100.5
107.3
100.2
116.8

100.7
100 4
101.1
104. 0
101.8
107.7

1942:
1943:
1944:
1945:

116.5
123.6
125.5
128.4
129.3

123.9
138.0
136.1
139.1
140.9

124.2
129.7
138.8
145.9
146.4

108.5
108.0
108.2
108.3
(3)

105. 4
107.7
109.8
110.3
111.4

96.7
96.1
95.8
95.0
95.2

115.1
120.7
126.0
128.3
131.0

110.0
114.2
115.8
115.9
115.8

122.2
125.6
136. 4
145.8
146.0

110 9
115.8
121. 3
124.1
124.5

1946: A vera g e................
..
June 15_________ . .
November 1 5 ___

139.3
133.3
152.2

159.6
145.6
187.7

160.2
157.2
171.0

108.6
108.5
(3)

112.4
110.5
114.8

92.4
92.1
91.8

136.9
133.0
142.6

115.9
115.1
117.9

159.2
156.1
171.0

128 8
127 9
132.5

1947: Average_________
December 15...... ...........

159.2
167.0

193.8
206.9

185.8
191.2

111.2
115.4

121.1
127.8

92.0
92.6

156.1
171.1

125.9
129.8

184. 4
191.4

139. Q
144.4

1948: Average_______
January 15________
February 15____________
March 1 5 ________
April 15______
M ay 15________________
June 15__________
July 15_________________
August 15____________
September 15________
October 15 ______ _
November 15____
December 15_____

171.2
168.8
167.5
166. 9
169.3
170.5
171.7
173.7
174.5
174.5
173.6
172. 2
171.4

210.2
209.7
204.7
202.3
207.9
210.9
214.1
216.8
216.6
215.2
211.5
207.5
205.0

198.0
192.1
195.1
196.3
196.4
197.5
196.9
197.1
199.7
201.0
201.6
201.4
200.4

117.4
115.9
116.0
116.3
116.3
116.7
117.0
117.3
117.7
118.5
118.7
118.8
119.5

133.9
129.5
130.0
130.3
130.7
131.8
132.6
134.8
136.8
137.3
137.8
137.9
137.8

94.3
93.1
93.2
93.8
93.9
94.1
94.2
94.4
94.5
94.6
95.4
95.4
95.3

183.4
174.6
175.4
175.5
176.1
178.5
180. 6
185.0
190.1
191.0
191.4
191.6
191.3

135.2
131.2
132.2
132.2
133.2
133.7
134.2
136.5
137.3
137.6
137.9
138.0
138.4

195.8
192.3
193.0
194.9
194.7
193.6
194.8
195.9
196. 3
198.1
198.8
198. 7
198.6

149 9
146 4
146. 4
146.2
147.8
147.5
147. 5
150.8
152. 4
152.7
153.7
153.9
154.0

1949: January 15___________

170.9

204.8

196.5

119.7

138.2

95.5

191.8

139.0

196.5

154.1

1918:
1920:
1929:
1932:

December____ _
June________
Average________
Average________

Average______
Average................................
A verage.................
Average........................ .
August 15______________

1 The “ Consumers’ price index for moderate-income families'in large cities,”
formerly known as the “Cost of living index” measures average changes in
retail prices of selected goods, rents, and services weighted by quantities
bought in 1934-36 by families of wage earners and moderate-income workers
in large cities whose incomes averaged $1,524 in 1934-36.
Bureau of Labor Statistics Bulletin 699, Changes in Cost of Living in Large
Cities in the United States, 1913-41, contains a detailed description of methods
used in constructing this index. Additional information on the consumers’
price index is given in a compilation of reports published by the Office of
Economic Stabilization, Report of the President’s Committee on the Cost
of Living.
Mimeographed tables are available upon request showing indexes for each


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

of the cities regularly surveyed by the Bureau and for each of the major
groups of living essentials. Indexes for all large cities combined are available
since 1913. The beginning date for series of indexes for individual cities
varies from city to city but indexes are available for most of the 34 cities since
World War I.
2 Data not available.
3 Rents not surveyed this month.
. *The group index formerly entitled “Fuel, electricity, and ice” is now de­
signated “ Fuel, electricity, and refrigeration” . Indexes are comparable with
those previously published for “ Fuel, electricity, and ice.” The subgroup
“ Other fuels and ice” has been discontinued; separate indexes are presented
for “ Other fuels” and “Ice.”

MONTHLY LABOR

D : P R IC E S A N D COST OF L IV IN G

376

Table D-2: Consumers’ Price Index for Moderate-Income Families, by City,1 for Selected Periods
[1935-39=100]

City

Jan. 15, Dec. 15 N ov. 15 Oct. 15, Sept. 15, Aug. 15, July 15, June 15, M ay 15, Apr. 15, M ar.15, Feb. 15, Jan. 15, June 15, Aug. 15,
1946
1948
1939
1948
1948
1948
1948
1948
1948
1948
1948
1948
1949
1948
1948

A verage........... .......................

170.9

171.4

172.2

173.6

174.5

174.5

173.7

171.7

170.5

169.3

166.9

167.5

168.8

133.3

98.6

Atlanta, Ga__ _____ ______
Baltimore, M d...................... .
Birmingham, A la ................
Boston, M ass_____________
Buffalo, N . Y _____________
Chicago, 111.. ____________
Cincinnati, O hio....................
Cleveland, Ohio_____ ____ _
Denver, Colo_____________
Detroit, M ich_____________
Houston, Tex--------------------

(2)
(2)
173.7
163.9
169.8
174.9
172.0
(2)
171.0
171.6
172.6

(2)
174.0
174.8
164.7
(2)
175.4
172.2
(2)
(2)
172.8
173.8

173.7
(2)
175.0
166.7
(2)
175.9
173.8
176.8
(2)
173.1
173.9

(2)
(2)
176.9
167.8
172.7
178.1
175.5
(2)
171.0
174.6
174.7

(2)
179.2
178.6
169.0
(2)
179.4
176.3
(2)
(2)
175. 4
175.4

176.2
(2)
179.3
168.7
(2)
178.8
175.7
179.3
(2)
176.1
175. 2

(2)
(2)
177.0
168.6
173.1
178.6
175.9
(2)
172.5
175. 9
173.7

(2)
176.1
174.7
166.1
(2)
176.2
173.5
0)
(!)
174. 5
172. 5

170.8
(2)
173.7
164.1
(*)
174.9
172.3
173.7
(2)
173.2
171.5

(*)
(!)
172.7
163.6
167.2
172.1
170.8
(2)
168.5
171.8
171.4

(>)
170.9
172.0
160.8
(2)
169.0
169.3
(*)
0)
168.7
170.0

169.2
(!)
172.8
161.3
(s)
168.8
170.1
171.6
0)
169.0
170.4

(*)
(>)
174.4
163.1
167.4
171.5
171.2
(s)
167.0
170.6
170.8

133.8
135.6
136.5
127.9
132.6
130.9
132.2
135.7
131.7
136.4
130.5

98.0
98.7
98.5
97.1
98.5
98.7
97.3
100.0
98.6
98.6
100.7

Indianapolis, Ind_________
Jacksonville, Fla__________
Kansas City, M o _________
Los Angeles, Calif_________
Manchester, N . H ________
Memphis, T en n_____ _____
Milwaukee. W is__________
Minneapolis, M in n .............
Mobile, Ala____ _____ ____
N ew Orleans, L a . ________
N ew York, N . Y __________

173.6
(2)
165.1
172.7
172.3
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
169.2

(2)
176.2
(2)
172.7
(2)
174.3
(2)
170. 8
173.5
(2)
169.2

(2)
(2)
(2)
172.2
(2)
(2)
171.2
(2)
(2)
176.6
171.0

178.0
(2)
167. 5
171.8
176.5
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
171.7

(2)
179.1
(2)
171.0
(2)
177.1
(2)
173.8
177.3
(2)
173.3

(2)
(2)
(2)
171.0
(2)
(2)
174.5
(2)
(2)
179.8
173.3

176. 5
(2)
166.3
170.3
178.1
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
172.6

O)
178.3
0)
168.8
O)
174.7
(2)
171.4
173. 5
(2)
169.1

(>)
(s)
(«)
169.1
(2)
(>)
171.1
(>)
(!)
176.5
167.5

172.5
(«)
163.3
169.3
172.0
(2)
(*)
(s)
(!)
(2)
167.0

(*)
172.8
(s)
167.4
(>)
172.4
(*)
167.7
169.9
(!)
164.3

(>)
(2)
(2)
168.1
(>)
(s)
166.9
(*)
(’)
177.1
166.4

172.3
(*)
162.4
167. 6
172.5
(!)
(2)
(>)
(*)
(!)
167.1

131.9
138.4
129.4
136.1
134.7
134.5
131.2
129.4
132.9
138.0
135.8

98.0
98.5
98.6
100.5
97.8
97.8
97.0
99.7
98.6
99.7
99.0

Norfolk, Va_______________
Philadelphia, P a__________
Pittsburgh, P a____________
Portland, M aine...... ...............
Portland, Oreg........................
Richmond, Va____________
St. Louis, M o_____________
San Francisco, Calif_______
Savannah, Ga____________
Scranton, P a....... ....................
Seattle, W ash... _________
Washington, D . C .................

(2)
170.4
174.6
(2)
178.6
166.5
(2)
(2)
176.7
(2)
(2)
(2)

(2)
170.6
174.9
167.1
(2)
(2)
171.1
176.7
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)

174.0
171.7
175.9
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
169.4
174.3
167.1

(2)
174.1
177.1
(2)
180.1
170.0
(2)
(2)
178.4
(2)

(2)
174.8
178.3
170.7
(2)
(2)
175.0
177.1
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)

176.2
174.8
178.3
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
174.7
176.2
169.2

(2)
172.9
177.8
(2)
180.3
168.9
(2)
(2)
180.2
(2)
(2)
(2)

(«)
172.1
175.7
167.4
(2)
O)
172.1
174.2
(a)
(J)
(2)
f2)

171.9
170.4
173.5
(>)
(")
(2)
(’)
(’>
(2)
170.2
174.3
166.7

0)
169.3
171.9
(>)
175.8
163.4

(»)
165.5
170.1
162.7
0)
(3)
167.8
171.4
(»)
(2)
(2)
(2)

170.1
166.6
170.1
(!)
(»)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
166.5
170.7
163.2

(«)
168.4
172.3
(*)
174.4
165.1
(*)
(2)
175.6
(2)
(*)
(")

135.2
132.6
134.7
128.7
140.3
128.2
131.2
137.8
140.6
132.2
137.0
133.8

97.8
97.8
98.4
97.1
100.1
98.0
98.1
99.3
99.3
96.0
100.3
98.6

m

(2)

i The indexes are based on time-to-time changes in the cost of goods and
services purchased by moderate-income families in large cities. They do not
indicate whether it costs more to live in one city than in another.
1Through June 1947, consumers' price indexes were computed monthly for


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

(')

(»)
177.6
(2)
(*)
(s)

21 cities and in March, June, September, and December for 13 additional
cities; beginning July 1947 indexes were computed monthly for 10 cities and
once every 3 months for 24 additional cities according to a staggered schedule.

D: PRICES AND COST OF LIVING

REVIEW, MARCH 1949
T able

377

D -3: Consumers’ Price Index for Moderate-Income Families, by City and Group of
Commodities 1
[1935-39=100]
Fuel, electricity, and refrigeration
Food

Apparel

Rent

H ousefumish ings

City

Total

Miscellaneous

Gas and electricity

Jan. 15, Dec. 15, Jan. 15, Dec. 15, Jan. 15, Dec. 15, Jan. 15, Dec. 15, Jan. 15, Dec. 15, Jan. 15, Dec. 15, Jan. 15, Dec. 15,
1949
1949
1948
1948
1949
1948
1949
1948
1949
1949
1949
1948
1948
1948
A verage..........................

204.8

205.0

Atlanta, Ga__________
Baltimore, Md ______
Birmingham, A la____
Boston, M a ss............. .
Buffalo, N . Y ________
Chicago, 111_________
Cincinnati, Ohio..........
Cleveland, Ohio______
Denver, Colo________
Detroit, M ich...............
Houston, T ex ................

202.1
213.5
202.0
194.1
197.9
207.3
205.5
212.8
209.6
197.3
215.7

203.3
214.6
204.8
194.2
200.0
208.2
205.2
213.0
211.0
198.7
218.1

0
0)
206.2
185.6
197.7
199.6
193.4
193.9
192.7
207.2

198.3
211.0

Indianapolis, Ind..........
Jacksonville, F la_____
Kansas City, M o_____
Los Angeles, Calif____
Manchester, N . H ____
Memphis, Tenn______
Milwaukee, W is_____
Minneapolis, M inn___
Mobile, A la__________
N ew Orleans, L a_____
New York, N. Y _____

200.9

204.8

187.6

0

2 1 0 .6
1 9 4 .6

2 0 9 .9

0
1 8 7 .4

Norfolk, V a__________
Philadelphia, P a _____
Pittsburgh, P a_______
Portland, M aine_____
Portland, Oreg_______
Richmond, V a_______
St. Louis, Mo_____
San Francisco, C a lif...
Savannah,G a_______
Scranton, P a _________
Seattle, Wash .......... .
Washington, D . C ____

2 1 5 .5

1 9 4 .7
2 1 4 .9

2 0 1 .8
2 1 7 .1
2 0 6 .5
1 9 5 .3

2 0 3 .6
2 1 7 .9
2 0 5 .0

214.5
213.2
205.3

211.8
216.1
204.3

208.7
200.4
208.0
194.3
224.2
200.3
212.4
223. 2
215.3
201.6
214.4
202.4

209.8
199.3
208.0
195.0
223.5
201.5
212.2
221.1
216.0
201.1
211.8
201.8

1 9 5 .6

196.5

0)

1 9 2 .0
1 8 4 .6
0)
0

200.4
(0

198.3
207.4
192.1
0
202.4
196.1
(0
0)

1 9 8 .1
0
1 9 4 .8
0)
2 1 0 .5

119.7
0
0
(2)

119.5
( 2)

116.5
( 2)

( 2)

115.2

( 2)

138.3
115.1
(2)
(2)
0
0

124.0
(2)
(2)
(2)
124.2
127.4

( 2)

129.7
( 2)
1 2 4 .2
( 2)
1 1 3 .3
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)

0
1 2 7 .7
0

137.8

95.5

95.3

196.5

198.6

154.1

154.0

151.2
148.3
135.6
154.8
140.2
131.4
145. 7
145.1
112.1
150.4
99.4

83.3
122.0
79.6
117.3
96.0
83.5
101.9
105.6
69.2
87.1
81.5

83.3
122.0
79.6
116.9
96.0
83.5
101.9
105.6
69.2
S7.1
81.5

0
0
191.5
187.7
195.3
184.7
193.7
0
214.8
202.2
198.5

0
201.9
193.0
193.0
0
186.0
193. 5
0
0
206. 7
198.5

0
0
150.0
146. 5
158.8
155.6
154.1
0
152.5
166. 5
153.3

0
149.4
150.0
146.1
0
155.0
154.5
0
0
166.7
153.4

157.4

155.2

160.3

1 4 6 .8
1 2 8 .5

1 4 6 .8
1 2 9 .0
9 4 .0

0
0

0
1 2 9 .5

9 4 .0
1 5 6 .9
1 3 5 .0

0

86.6

86.6

1 0 0 .2

1 0 0 .2

6 7 .0

6 6 .5

1 5 6 .9
1 3 5 .0

8 9 .3
9 9 .2
7 7 .0

8 9 .3
9 9 .3
7 7 .0
1 0 4 .5

0
1 2 9 .8

1 4 5 .8
1 4 2 .6

1 4 5 .8
1 4 2 .8

1 0 4 .5
7 8 .9

0)
0)
196.4

203.5
(*)
200.7

(2)
(2)
107.8

125.9

129.8
113.4
134.2

129.8
113. 4
133.3

83.9
75.1
101.6

84.0
75.1
100. 8

0

0
195.5

(2)
(2)
120.1
(2)
125.8
114.5

0
0

149.9
144.1
140. 3
153.9
130.6
142.5
135.7
82.8
156.9
144.7
127.2
137.5

149.9
142.6
139. 7
154.0
130. 6
142.4
135.7
82.8
153.4
144.7
126.4
137.5

102.6
103.0
103.3
108.6
95.6
95.6
88.4
72.7
108.0
91.8
93.2
98.6

102.6
103.0
103.3
108. 5
95.6
95.6
88.4
72.7
101. 5
91.8
91.5
98.6

0

190.7
230.7
0

194.9
196.7
0

0)
192.9
0)
0

(0

(0
2 0 4 .2

234.1
200.2
0
0

201.4
196.0
(0

0)
(!)

0

(2)
(2)
118.2
(2)
(2)

0
0

0

113.3
0
0

119.7
115.9

(2)

i Prices of apparel, housefumishings, and miscellaneous goods and services
are obtained monthly in 10 cities and once every 3 months in 24 additional
cities according to a staggered schedule.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

138.2
151.2
148.4
135.6
154.9
140.2
131.4
146.4
145.1
112.1
150.5
99.4

0
0
0

0

7 8 .9

189.2

0

0
1 8 6 .9

190. 7

1 8 9 .3

1 8 9 .0

2 0 1 .2

0
1 8 2 .6

0
0)
0

0)
0

185.9
(0

196.8
201.7
0

187.3
207.1

d)

0

191.7
178.2
0

187.4
0)

201.7
205.4
193.4

(')
0

0

175.4
169.6

0

0
0

0

205.1
0
(0

0
0

0
1 5 4 .2
1 5 4 .3
1 4 8 .4
0
0
0
0

0

1 5 9 .6
1 5 4 .1

0
1 4 1 .5
0

159.5
145.3

0

159.7
0

152.4
148.4
0

156. 5
144.0

159.6
(i)
152.6
148.5
152.0
0

0

145.3
164.2

0)
0

155.4

0

(0

0

0
(>)

0
0)

1 Rents are surveyed every 3 months in 34 large cities according to a staggered schedule,

MONTHLY LABOR

D: PRICES AND COST OF LIT INC

378
T able

D -4: Indexes of Retail Prices of Foods,1 by Group, for Selected Periods
11935-39=100]

Year and month

Cere­ Meats,
als
poul­
All
and
try,
foods bakery and
Total
prod­ fish
ucts

Fruits and vegetables

Meats
Beef
and
veal

Pork

Eggs

Lamb

Dairy
prod­
ucts

Chick­ Fish
ens

Sugar
B ever­ Fats
and
and
ages
oils sweets

Total

Fresh

Can­
ned

Dried

136.1
141.7
143.8
82.3
91.0
90.7
93.8

169.5
210.8
169.0
103.5
94.5
92.4
96.5

173.6
226.2
173.5
105.9
95.1
92.8
97.3

124.8
122.9
124.3
91.1
92.3
91.6
92.4

175.4
152.4
171.0
91.2
93.3
90.3
100.6

131.5
170. 4
164.8
112.6
95.5
94.9
92.5

126.2
145.0
127.2
71.1
87.7
84.5
82.2

175.4
120.0
114.3
89.6
100.6
95.6
96.8

1923:
1926:
1929:
1932:
1939:

A verage_____
Average_____
Average_____
A verage_____
Average-------August---------1940: Average_____

124.0
137.4
132.5
86.5
95.2
93.5
96.6

105.5
115.7
107.6
82.6
94.5
93.4
96.8

101.2
117.8
127.1
79.3
96.6
95.7
95.8

96.6
95.4
94.4

101.1
99.6
102.8

88.9
88.0
81.1

99.5
98.8
99.7

93.8
94.6
94.8

101.0
99.6
110.6

129.4
127.4
131.0
84.9
95.9
93.1
101.4

1941: Average_____
December-----1942: Average_____
1943: Average_____
1944: Average--------1945: Average......... .
August—..........

105.5
113.1
123.9
138.0
136.1
139.1
140.9

97.9
102.5
105.1
107.6
108.4
109.0
109.1

107.5
111.1
126.0
133.8
129.9
131.2
131.8

106.5
109.7
122.5
124.2
117.9
118.0
118.1

110.8
114.4
123.6
124. 7
118.7
118.4
118.5

100.1
103.2
120.4
119.9
112.2
112.6
112.6

106.6
108.1.
124.1
136. 9
134.5
136.0
136.4

102.1
100.5
122.6
146.1
151.0
154.4
157.3

124.5
138.9
163.0
206.5
207.6
217.1
217.8

112.0
120. 5
125.4
134.6
133.6
133.9
133.4

112.2
138.1
136.5
161.9
153.9
164.4
171.4

103.2
110.5
130.8
168.8
168.2
177.1
183.5

104.2
111.0
132.8
178.0
177.2
188.2
196.2

97.9
106.3
121.6
130.6
129.5
130.2
130.3

106.7
118.3
136.3
158.9
164. 5
168.2
168.6

101.5
114.1
122.1
124.8
124.3
124.7
124.7

94.0
108.5
119.6
126.1
123.3
124.0
124.0

106.4
114.4
126.6
127.1
126.5
126.5
126.6

1946: Average_____ 159.6
J u n e ... . . . — 145.6
November___ 187.7

125.0
122.1
140.6

161.3
134.0
203.6

150.8
120.4
197.9

150.5
121.2
191.0

148.2
114.3
207.1

163.9
139.0
205.4

174.0
162.8
188.9

2.36.2
219.7
265.0

165.1
147.8
198.5

168.8
147.1
201.6

182.4
183.5
184.5

190.7
196.7
182.3

140.8
127.5
167.7

190.4
172.5
251.6

139.6
125. 4
167.8

152.1
126.4
244.4

143.9
136.2
170.5

1947: Average............ 193.8

155.4

217.1

214.7

213.6

215.9

220.1

183.2

271.4

186.2

200.8

199.4

201.5

166.2

263.5

186.8

197.5

180.0

210.2
209.7
204.7
202.3
207.9
210.9
214.1
216. 8
216.6
215. 2
211. 5
207.5
205.0

170.9
172.7
171.8
171.0
171.0
171.1
171.2
171.0
170.8
170.7
170.0
169.9
170.2

246.5
237.6
224.8
224. 7
233.8
244.2
255.1
261.8
267.0
265.3
256.1
246.7
241.3

243.9
233.4
218.0
218.2
229.5
242.0
255.2
263.0
269.3
265.9
254.3
243.1
235.4

258. 5
239. 7
228.2
228.5
241.2
255.8
273.9
280.9
286.2
280.8
269. 8
262.4
255.1

222.5
225. 9
202.2
204.3
212.3
219.1
223. 5
233.8
246.1
247.9
233.9
214.4
206.2

246.8
231.5
223.4
216.8
232.6
253. 5
271. 2
275.0
266.6
256.6
249.4
246. 5
238.6

203.2
200.0
196. 4
194.7
198.4
202.1
207.6
209.3
207.8
209.4
204.0
200. 5
208.0

312.8
310.9
315.0
313. 6
307.2
305.0
299.3
301.6
304.4
314.9
325. 9
328.1
328.1

204.8
205.7
204.4
201.1
205.8
204.8
205. 9
209.0
211.0
208.7
203.0
199.5
199.2

208.7
213.6
189.2
186.3
184.7
184.9
194.2
204.3
220.2
226.6
239.0
244.3
217.3

205.2
208.3
213.0
206. 9
217.4
218.0
214.9
213.4
199.6
195.8
193. 5
189.4
192.3

212.4
215. 7
222.0
214.2
228.4
229.4
225.2
223.2
204.8
199.6
197. 3
192.4
196.2

158.0
168.0
157.7
157.7
156.4
156.4
157. 4
157.7
157. 8
159.0
158.9
159. 4
159.4

246.8
266. 8
256.0
253. 9
252.1
250.0
248.0
248.0
249.2
249.1
238.1
230.6
229.8

205.0
201.9
204.0
204. 4
204.4
204.6
205.1
205.2
205.3
205. 6
205. 9
206.4
207.8

195.5
209.3
194.2
191.7
191.4
196.6
200.5
200.8
197.8
196.8
193.0
189.4
184.4

174.0
183. 4
176.8
174.4
173.6
173.0
170.6
170.9
172.3
173.2
173.1
173.3
173.0

1949: January______ 204.8

170.5

235.9

228.2

244.5

203.1

234.4

208.9

331.7

196.0

209.6

205.2

213.3

159.2

228.4

208.7

174.7

173.4

1948: Average--------Jan u a ry _____
February____
M arch_______
April________
M a y ________
June........ .........
July......... ........
A ugust______
September___
October______
November___
December___

1 The Bureau of Labor Statistics retail food prices are obtained monthly
during the first three days of the week containing the fifteenth of the month,
through voluntary reports from chain and independent retail food dealers.
Articles included are selected to represent food sales to moderate-income
families.
¿ T h e indexes, based on the retail prices of 50 foods, are computed by the
fixed-base-weighted-aggregate method, using weights representing (1) rela­
tive importance of chain and independent store sales, in computing city aver­
age prices; (2) food purchases by families of wage earners and moderate-


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

income workers, in computing city indexes; and (3) population weights, in
combining city aggregates in order to derive average prices and indexes for all
cities combined.
Indexes of retail food prices in 56 large cities combined, by commodity
groups, for the years 1923 through 1947 (1935-39=100), may be found in Bulletin
No. 938, “ Retail Prices of Food—1946 and 1947,” Bureau of Labor Statistics.
U. S. Department of Labor, table 3, p. 42. Mimeographed tables of the same
data, by months, January 1935 to date, are available upon request.

REVIEW, MARCH 1949

D : P R IC E S A N D COST OF LIV IN G
T

able

379

D-5: Indexes of Retail Prices of Foods, by City
[1935-39=100]

City

Jan.
1949

Dec.
1948

N ov.
1948

Oct.
1948

Sept.
1948

Aug.
1948

July
1948

June
1948

May
1948

Apr.
1948

Mar.
1948

Feb.
1948

Jan.
1948

June
1946

Aug.
1939

United States_____________

204.8

205.0

207.5

211.5

215.2

216.6

216.8

214.1

210.9

207.9

202.3

204.7

209.7

145.6

93.5

Atlanta, Qa_______________
Baltimore, M d ____________
Birmingham, Ala...................
Boston, M ass_____________
Bridgeport, Conn............... .

202.1
213. 5
202. 0
194.1
200.0

203.3
214.6
204.8
194.2
201.0

205.9
218.7
205.4
199.2
205.9

208.3
224.5
210.8
202.6
209.3

214.2
228.7
216.3
207.2
212.7

215.7
228.9
219.3
208.8
214.6

212.4
227.7
218.0
210.2
214.4

209.9
225.3
212.7
204.1
210.3

207.9
221.6
209.6
199.2
207.5

204. 7
217.8
207.5
198.2
201.4

201.1
212.3
207.2
192.2
195.6

205.6
214.5
211.1
195.0
197.5

211.9
220. 2
218.0
200.3
204. 5

141.0
152.4
147.7
138.0
139.1

02J5

Buffalo, NT. Y .........................
B utte, M o n t...___________
Cedar Rapids, Iowa ’______
Charleston, S. O.....................
Chicago, 111...____________

197.9
205. 0
211. 5
196.9
207.3

200.0
205.7
211.8
197.1
208.2

201.6
209.3
214.4
198.9
211.9

206.4
214.9
218.0
204.9
218.0

210.1
214. 5
220.2
207.7
221.4

213.0
215.1
222.2
208.0
223.6

212.9
216.6
224.4
211.4
224.7

211.6
214.7
224.3
208.1
221.3

207.9
207.4
219.7
206.7
218.4

200.2
201.3
217.0
204.8
212.2

196.6
200.5
208.2
199.1
204.3

196.7
202.1
208. 9
200.2
204.8

202.1
204.8
214. 6
206.6
213.2

140.2
139.7
148.2
140.8
142.8

95 1
92.3

Cincinnati, Ohio__________
Cleveland, Ohio__________
Columbus, Ohio.....................
Dallas, T ex_______________
Denver, C o lo ._____ _______

205.5
212.8
188.6
207.1
209. 6

205.2
213.0
189. 4
208.2
211.0

209.4
217.0
193.1
212.7
207.7

214.4
220. 9
197.2
214.7
208.3

218.0
225.6
200.8
217.3
210.5

218.1
229.0
202.2
215.2
213.1

220.4
226.2
201.9
213.3
217.0

216.3
223.7
199.2
210. 8
216.5

213.5
218.0
195.3
210.5
213.3

210.1
213.0
193.1
206.7
208.5

206.1
209. 3
190.8
203. 0
202.3

209.0
212.5
192.6
205.7
203.4

213.0
217.6
196.7
210.3
208.6

141.4
149.3
136.4
142. 4
145.3

90
93
88
91
92

4
6
1
7
7

Detroit, M ich_____
Fall River, M ass........... .........
Houston, T ex.....................
Indianapolis, Ind.................
Jackson, M iss.1___________

197.3
199.8
215.7
200.9
209.5

198.7
200.4
218.1
204.8
213.8

199.9
202.5
217.6
206. 8
212.7

204.4
209.1
220.8
211.8
218.6

207.6
211.6
223.7
216.0
220. 7

210.1
213. 5
223.8
217.1
220. 6

213.2
214.1
222.1
212.6
290 ft

211.3
211.3
220.0
211.5
210 7

208.0
207 2
218.1
208. 0
21ft 0

203.9
201.2
219.3
205. 7
21ft 3

197.7
197.2
216.0
203.8
214 fi

199.4
198.4
218.1
204.2

205.1
202.6
221. 5
208.2

145.4
138.1
144.0
141.5

90
95
97
90

6
4
8
7

Jacksonville, F la ....................
Kansas City, M o...................
Knoxville, TennA.. ______
Little Rock, Ark.....................
Los Anceles, Calif_________

210.6
194.6
230.0
199.8
215.5

209.9
194.7
233.9
201.6
214.9

212.6
198. 5
233.9
202.4
213.7

217.5
201.1
236.7
206,5
213.1

219.3
204.4
241.6
212.0
212.1

220.7
205. 4
244.6
212.4
212.7

222.8
204.4
241.7
213. 4
213.1

222.9
204.4
238.4
210.0
212.1

217.3
202.2
236.2
209. 2
212.6

214.7
197.9
233.9
206. 4
213. 9

208.1
193.0
230.0
203. 8
208.9

212.2
192.5
239.6
206.1
210.9

216.2
199.4
244.3
211.4
212.2

150.8
134.8
165.6
139.1
154.8

95 8
91 5

Louisville, K y ____________
Manchester, NT. H ..................
Memphis, T enn__________
Milwaukee, W is__________
Minneapolis, M inn_______

193.9
201.8
217.1
206.5
195.3

196.6
203.6
217.9
205.0
195.6

198.9
204.8
219.0
207.5
197.8

201.7
210.4
223.7
211.2
202.2

207.2
215. 5
227.8
216.3
206.0

207.4
217.8
227.1
218.8
209.2

206.8
218.4
229.8
218.3
208.2

203.8
213.0
226.7
215.3
206.2

201.6
208 9
223.2
213.7
206.0

198.2
204 9
222.2
210.9
203.0

193.9
202.0
219.9
204.6
198.1

198.0
203.2
224.5
203.4
197.2

200.1
208.8
230.7
206.4
202.6

135.6
144.4
153.6
144.3
137.5

92.1
94.9
89.7
91 1
95.0

Mobile, Ala______________
Newark, N . J................... .......
New Haven, Conn______
New Orleans, La 2..................
New York, N . Y ...................

214.5
200.1
195.1
213.2
205.3

211.8
201.2
194.5
216.1
204.3

211.3
203.9
199.6
218.0
208.7

213.8
205. 8
203.5
220.5
211.5

222.1
211.1
205.3
227.7
216.2

222.7
212.6
205.6
228.5
216.9

222.5
212.8
208.3
233.2
217.9

219.8
209.9
205. 4
227.3
213. 9

217. 0
204. 7
201.2
223.0
210.0

216.3
203.0
197.7
228. 7
208.6

212.2
196.4
193.0
224. 3
201.2

215.5
200.3
195.8
225.6
206.7

219.6
201.4
201.5
226.4
209. 7

149.8
147.9
140.4
157.6
149.2

95. 5
95.6
93 7
97.6
95.8

Norfolk, V a_________
Omaha, Nebr______ _____
Peoria, 111_____ ____
Philadelphia, P a ____ ____
Pittsburgh, P a____ _____

208.7
198.0
215.7
200.4
208.0

209.8
203.1
216.8
199.3
208.0

211.8
205. 6
218.0
202.0
211.0

217.1
210.2
222.1
208. 4
215.1

220.2
210.3
230.3
212.0
219. 5

220. 5
211.1
230.8
212. 5
220.9

216.9
208.6
224.9
210.9
222.3

214.4
210.1
227.3
209.4
219.6

213 3
207.2
223.8
205. 0
213.7

210. 5
202. 5
217.0
202.8
209.8

206 0
197.7
205.8
196.3
204.8

210.2
197.7
208. 9
199.3
205.4

216.5
204.2
219.5
205. 6
212.8

146.0
139.5
151.3
143. 5
147.1

93.6
92.3
93.4
93.0
92.5

Portland, M a in e............
Portland, Oreg________
Providence, R. I ______
Richmond, V a_______
Rochester, N . Y ..........

194.3
224.2
210.1
200.3
195. 5

195.0
223.5
209.2
201.5
196.5

198.0
222.9
211. 7
203.6
196.7

204.1
227.7
218.4
209.7
200.7

207.0
231.4
223.8
214.1
207. 3

209.8
234.1
227.2
211.7
209.7

209.7
233.7
224.9
209.4
211.2

204.1
228.2
222.0
205.3
208.8

199.4
229.5
217.9
203.4
205.1

197.0
223.2
213.1
200. 6
200.8

192.4
220.4
205.5
197.6
196.7

193.5
219.2
210.5
201.3
196.9

199.6
223.0
215.0
209.1
202.1

138.4
158.4
144.9
138.4
142.5

95.9
96.1
93.7
92.2
92.3

St. Louis, M o...........
St. Paul, M inn____
Salt Lake City, U ta h ..
San Francisco, C a lif..
Savannah, G a _ .........

212.4
192.9
211.8
223.2
215.3

212.2
192.1
209.8
221.1
216.0

213.1
194.8
208.8
219.5
215.0

217.4
199.7
211,2
223.0
219.2

223.0
203.1
214.7
224.2
222.4

225.3
204.5
216.0
224.3
223.3

224.2
204.7
217.1
223.2
228.3

222.0
203. 7
215.8
221.6
224. 5

218.2
203. 5
216.8
223.4
223.3

213.6
200. 5
212.9
219.5
221.4

210.9
195. 3
207.3
215.3
213.6

212.8
194.0
207.9
215.4
219.6

217.2
198.6
211.3
218.9
222.9

147.4
137.3
151.7
155.5
158.5

93.8
94.3
94.6
93.8
96.7

Scranton, Pa____
Seattle, W a sh ...........
Springfield, 111.........................
Washington, D . C ..........
IV ichita, K ans1____
Winston-Salem. N . C.L

201.6
214.4
214. 0
202. 4
219.0
203.7

201.1
211.8
214.4
201.8
220.4
206.6

202.8
213.4
215.2
203.5
222. 2
206.1

209.2
217.5
219. 5
209. 2
220.0
212.7

213.2
221.0
226.4
212.9
223.0
215.6

217.3
221.9
227.0
214.9
224.7
215.8

218.2
223.4
224.9
215.1
220 7
212.9

216.1
220.3
224.4
215.4
220 4
209.6

212.2
221.4
219.3
209.7
225. 3
208.4

208.9
215.5
212.6
205.1
220. 3
206.0

201.8
212.5
209.1
198.9
215 Q
202.7

203.2
214.7
211.4
202.0

213.1
218.4
217.9
209.5

144.0
151.6
150.1
145.5

92.1
94. 5
94.1
94.1

207.9

214! 5

145.3

LTune 1940=100.
2 Estimated index based on balf the usual sample of reports. Remaining


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

reports lost in the mails.
prices for N ew Orleans.

94 7

90 7
93 5
93.2
94 5
94J

94 Ö
94.6

Index for Feb. 15, will reflect the correct level of food

MONTHLY LABOR

D : P R IC E S A N D COST OF L IV IN G

380

Table D-6: Average Retail Prices and Indexes of Selected Foods
Indexes 1935-39=100
Commodity

Cereals and bakery products:
Cereals:
Flour, w h e a t ._____ . .. 5 pounds..
Com flakes________ ...1 1 ounces..
Corn meal______ _ . __ pou nd..
R ic e 1
________ ______ do___
Rolled oats *...... ......... ...2 0 ounces..
Bakery products:
Bread, w hite_______ _____pound..
______do____
M eats, poultry, and fish:
Meats:
Beef:
Round steak___ ............. do___
Rib roast______ ..............do___
Chuck roast____ ..............do___
Hamburger *___ ..............do—
Veal:
Cutlets________ ............_do___
Pork:
Chops_________ ______ do___
Bacon, sliced___ ............do____
Ham, whole____ ............. do___
Salt pork_______ _______do___
Lamb:
Lee
________ do___
Poultry: Roasting chickens-------do----jbisii:
Fish (fresh, frozen) 5________do___
Salmon, pink s_____ 16-ounce ca n ..
Dairy products:
Butter________________ _____pound..
. _____do___
Cheese____________
M ilk, fresh (delivered). . ______quart..
M ilk, fresh (erocerv)___ .............d o___
Milk' cvaDorated____ 14U-ounce can-.
Eggs: Eggs, fTesh.................... ............dozen..
Fruits and vegetables:
Fresh fruits:
Apples____________ _____pound..
Bananas___________ ______ do___
Oranges, size 200___ ______dozen..
Fresh vegetables:
Beans, green_______ _____pound..
Cabbage___________ ______ do___
Carrots____________ _____bunch..
Lettuce___________ ______ head..
Onions____________ ____pound..
Potatoes__________ ...1 5 pounds—
Spinach.. ------------- ..........pound..
Sweetpotatoes______ ............. do___
Canned fruits:
Peaches.......... ............. -N o. 2H can ..
Pineapple_________ ............d o ___
Canned vegetables:
C o r n ..____ ________ —..No, 2 can ..
Peas______________ _______do___
Tomatoes.............. . ............-do___
Dried fruits: Prunes___ _____pound..
Dried vegetables: N avy beans....do___
Beverages: Coflee_________ ..............do___
Fats and oils:
T.nrd
. _ „ _
__ do__
Hydrogenated veg. shortening L .d o ___
Salad dressing_________ _______ p in t..
Margarine____________ _____ pound —
Sugar and sweets:
Rnpar
...
..do
* July 1947=100.
* Index not computed.
* February 1943=100.
* Not priced in earlier period.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

age
price
Jan.
1949

Jan.
1949

Dec.
1948

Nov.
1948

Oct.
1948

Sept.
1948

Aug.
1948

July
1948

June
1948

M ay
1948

Apr.
1948

Mar.
1948

Feb.
1948

Jan.
1948

48.3
16.8
9.7
19.1
17.1

187.0
177.4
189.0
107.2
155.5

185.7
177.8
194.9
107.6
155.8

184.0
177.6
199.5
109.4
155.2

184.2
177.2
210. 5
112.1
155.5

184.9
177.1
214.0
121.1
155.6

185.7
177.1
215.2
121.5
155.4

186.9
176.8
215.5
120.6
155.2

188.4
177.2
213.7
119.6
155.0

189.4
175. 7
215.7
118.6
154.8

189.6
175.8
216.4
118.4
154.8

192.4
173.3
216.6
118.1
153.5

197.3
172.8
219.9
118.4
153. 4

210.9
172.9
219.9
117.3
153.6

m

13.9
45.2

163.2
195.6

163.0
194.9

162.8
194.1

162.7
193.0

163.1
192.4

163.1
191.7

163.1
192.1

163. 5
190.3

163. 5
188.8

163.2
189.2

163.1
187.9

163.1
187.7

162.3
183.7

93.2
(‘)

83.9
69.6
57.8
54.4

248.3
241.7
257.7
175.9

261.1
253.1
276.8
181.7

269.3
262.0
291.5
184.6

277.3
267.2
301.1
193.7

292.5
277.6
315.0
199.2

299.5
283.1
322.2
202.5

294.4
276.6
315.5
199.3

287.6
266.7
309.6
194.7

267.3
249.9
283.4
178. 6

250.7
238.2
263.3
166.3

234.0
227.0
249. 6
158.0

231.4
227.9
250. 6
157.3

248.4
242.3
263.1
159.7

102.7
97.4
97.1
(‘)

99.2

248.7

248.7

248.4

253.6

258.5

259.6

256.1

252. 5

245.6

234.9

226.8

228.0

230.0

101.1

67.0
72.4
65.4
40.0

203.4
190.0
222. 5
191.6

204. 6
195.8
233.3
211.6

219.7
200.7
227.2
200.1

254.1
207.0
239.4
200.2

278.6
207.2
253.3
196.1

276.5
206.3
251.1
194.1

252.7
204.5
244.2
196.0

238.1
201.9
231.2
196.6

233.5
199.1
223.7
203.5

223.2
191. 3
220.9
209.9

212.1
185.7
213.6
214. 7

200.1
194.7
212.0
238.2

219.4
227.7
234.8
259.6

90.8
80.9
92.7
69.0

67.6
63.0

238.1
208.9

242.4
208.0

250.4
200.5

253.4
204.0

260.7
209.4

270.8
207.8

279.4
209.3

275.6
207.6

257. 6
202.1

236.3
198. 4

220.3
194.7

226.9
196.4

235. 2
200.0

95.7
94 6

(6)
61.4

272.4
468.3

268.5
466.0

268.1
467.0

270.2
452.6

264.0
429. 2

254.4
417.1

253.9
408.1

251.8
405.2

261.3
399. 7

264.9
397.1

274.4
394.1

276.3
393.7

270.5
394.9

98.8
97.4

75.0
63.9
22.0
20.9
14.6
72.5

205.9
245.8
179.9
185.7
204.6
209.6

207.6
246.8
184. 5
189.4
208.0
217.3

205.7
246. 6
185.3
191. 4
210.0
244.3

212.7
259. 0
186.0
191.1
216.9
239. 0

232. 7
264.1
185.4
189.4
220.8
226.6

245.6
268.6
182.0
187.8
218.3
220.2

252.0
262.1
177.1
182.1
212.8
204.3

249.8
254.6
174.0
179.3
210.9
194.2

254.2
248.1
171.5
177.3
202.1
184.9

255.4
241.5
174.3
179.0
197.2
184.7

237.4
243. 7
174.6
179. 5
197.1
186.3

248.4
247.9
174.3
179.7
195.8
189.2

258.1
242.2
173.3
178. 5
189.6
213.6

84.0
92.3
97.1
96 3
93. 9
90.7

13.4
16.2
47.6

255.7
267.7
168.4

241.5
269.3
153.7

229.1
270.6
151.0

220.7
269.9
192.1

216.7
269.3
187.2

225.1
270.7
183.3

265.3
269.3
169.2

269.2
261.7
155.1

229.1
257. 8
149.2

208.2
256.3
142.9

205. 6
265.3
145.1

208.6
257. 4
135.9

219.2
257.9
133. 5

81.6
97.3
66 8

25.5
6.2
10.7
15.3
6.4
81.0
14.5
11.0

234.6
163.7
199.9
185.9
155.7
225.5
202.3
211.4

173.3
142. 5
184.2
170. 8
156.9
208.3
163.2
198.1

224.9
133.7
184.3
158.9
154.6
199.1
155.1
181.9

155.1
139.7
191.6
163.0
147.8
202.4
161.2
181.1

172.0
136. 5
190.8
156.2
154.2
210.8
183.9
196.2

176.0
139. 2
183. 6
143.1
176.3
223.5
205.0
235.5

187.7
155.1
202.1
177.8
251.9
248.4
174.7
286.9

185.1
180.1
263. 2
164.1
262.4
263.5
145.0
273.4

229.1
202.3
310.1
200.7
291.0
261.7
158.4
225.2

229.5
250. 5
254.3
159.9
440.9
253.6
167.4
213.1

191.2
174.8
227. 8
138.0
386.2
247.0
171.5
208.3

257.2
191.5
261.3
153.5
364.8
246.9
221.5
207.2

199.9
222.9
246.3
201.0
285.6
234.4
191.4
196.4

61.7
103.2
84.9
97.6
86.8
91.9
118.4
115.7

32.6
39.3

169.0
180.4

168. 2
181.3

168.2
178.1

166.5
176.2

165.1
174.4

163.0
170.0

161.6
168. 5

160.8
168.1

160,8
166. 7

160.6
166.3

161.0
164.3

161.5
163.0

162.4
162.1

92.3
96.0

19.9
15.3
16.2
22.3
17.6
52.3

160.2
117.1
179.6
218.9
239.1
208.3

160. 4
117.2
180. 0
216. 6
246. 2
207.4

159.7
117.5
181.4
211.6
255. 7
206.0

160.2
116.7
181.3
209.1
278.2
205. 5

159.3
116.9
183.2
205.6
311.5
205.2

158.8
115.8
182.6
204.7
312.9
204.9

158.6
113.5
184.7
204.9
309. 7
204.8

158.2
112.8
134.8
204.3
310. 5
204. 7

157.9
112.3
183.0
206. 9
311.6
204.2

156.6
113.5
183.2
208.6
314.3
204.0

156.9
115.5
186.2
211.2
314.9
204.0

157.0
118.0
185.0
216.0
312.9
203.6

156.6
118.0
185.9
217.8
311.9
201.5

88.6
89.8
92.5
94.7
83.0
93.3

24.3
40.9
38.6
36.3

163. 2
197.2
159.3
199.0

181. 0
202.8
162.7
208. 6

191.4
204.9
163.7
213.4

196.1
205.6
165.7
220.4

198.5
207.3
168.6
229.8

197.3
209.6
168.3
235.3

198.1
220.3
168.4
240.1

198.5
218.2
167.1
242.0

198.2
211.4
164.4
232.6

194.1
207.1
159.8
223.9

191.9
214.4
159.0
224.0

196.0
217.6
158. 8
227.8

238.8
225.8
156.1
230. 5

65.2
93.9
(‘)
93.9

9.4

174.2

173.8

174.2

174.0

174.0

173.2

171.8

171.4

173.8

174.5

175.3

177.7

184.3

95.6

Cents

« 1938-39 = 100.
9

A v era g e p rice n o t c o m p u te d .

* Formerly published as shortening in other containers.

Aug.
1939

82.1
92.7
90.7
(’)

REVIEW , MARCH 1949

381

D : PR IC E S A N D COST OF LIV IN G

Table D-7: Indexes of Wholesale Prices,1 by Group of Commodities, for Selected Periods
[1926=100]

Tex­
tile
prod­
ucts

Fuel
and
light­
ing
mate­
rials

Metals
and
metal
prod­
ucts *

Building
mate­
rials

Chem­
icals Housefurand
nishallied
ing
prod­ goods
ucts

Mis.
cellaneous
com­
modi­
ties

All
Semi­ M anu­ com­
Raw
modi­
anufac­
mate­ nifacties
tured
rials
tured
prod­ except
farm
articles ucts * prod­
ucts *

All
com­
modi­
ties
except
farm
prod­
ucts
and
foods >

All
com­
modi­
ties J

Farm
prod­
ucts

Foods

Hides
and
leather
prod­
ucts

Average_____
July________
November___
M ay ________
Average..........

69.8
67.3
136.3
167.2
95.3

71.5
71.4
150.3
169.8
104.9

64.2
62.9
128.6
147.3
99.9

68.1
69.7
131.6
193.2
109.1

57.3
65.3
142.6
188.3
90.4

61.3
55.7
114.3
159.8
83.0

90.8
78.1
143.5
155.5
100.5

56.7
52.9
101.8
164.4
95.4

80.2
77.9
178.0
173.7
94.0

56.1
56.7
99.2
143.3
94.3

93.1
88.1
142.3
176.5
82.6

68 8
67.3
138.8
163.4
97.5

74.9
67.8
162.7
253.0
93.9

69.4
66.9
130.4
167.8
94.5

69.0
65.7
131.0
165.4
93.3

70.0
05 7
129.9
170.6
91.6

1932: Average_____
1939: Average_____
August______
1940: Average..........

64.8
77.1
76.0
78.6

48.2
65.3
61.0
67.7

61.0
70.4
67.2
71.3

72.9
95.6
92.7
100.8

54.9
69.7
67.8
73.8

70.3
73.1
72.6
71.7

80.2
94.4
93.2
95.8

71.4
90.5
89.6
94.8

73.9
76.0
74.2
77.0

75.1
86.3
85.6
88.5

64.4
74.8
73.3
77.3

56.1
70.2
66.5
71.9

59.3
77.0
74.5
79.1

70.3
80.4
79.1
81.6

68.3
79.5
77.9
80.8

70 2
81 3
8n i
83.0

1941: A verage.........
December___
1942: Average_____
1943: Average_____
1944: Average_____

87.3
93.6
98.8
103.1
104.0

82.4
94.7
105.9
122.6
123.3

82.7
90.5
09.6
106.6
104.9

108.3
114.8
117.7
117.5
116.7

84.8
91.8
96.9
97.4
98.4

76.2
78.4
78. 5
80.8
83.0

99.4
103.3
103.8
103.8
103.8

103.2
107.8
110.2
111.4
115.5

84.4
90.4
95.5
94.9
95.2

94.3
101.1
102.4
102.7
104.3

82.0
87.6
89.7
92.2
93.6

83.5
92.3
100.6
112.1
113.2

86.9
90.1
92.6
92.9
94.1

89.1
94.6
98.6
100.1
100.8

88.3
93.3
97.0
98.7
99.6

89 n
93 7
95 5
90 9
98'5

1945: Average_____
August.............

106.8
105.7

128.2
126.9

106.2
106.4

118.1
118.0

100.1
99.6

84.0
84.8

104.7
104.7

117.8
117.8

95.2
95.3

104.5
104.6

94.7
94.8

116.8
116.3

95.9
95.5

101.8
101.8

100.8
100.9

99 7
99.9

1946: Average..........
June..................
November.......

121.1
112.9
139.7

148.9
140.1
169.8

130.7
112.9
165.4

137.2
122.4
172.5

116.3
109.2
131.6

90.1
87.8
94.5

115.5
112.2
130.2

132.6
129.9
145.5

101.4
96.4
118.0

111.6
110.4
118.2

100.3
98.5
106.5

134.7
126.3
153.4

110.8
105.7
129.1

116.1
107.3
134.7

114.9
106.7
132.9

109 5
105.6
120.7

1947: Average_____

152.1

181.2

168.7

182.4

141.7

108.7

145.0

179.7

127.3

131.1

115.5

165.6

148.5

146.0

145.5

135.2

1948: Average_____
165.0
January_____
165.7
February____
160.9
March_______ 161.4
April................. 162.8
M ay.................
163.9
June________
166.2
July................... 168. 7
August....... ..
169.5
September___ 168.7
October...........
165.2
November___ «164.0
December___ « 162.3
1949: January_____ 160.6

188.3
199.2
185.3
186.0
186.7
189.1
196.0
195.2
191.0
189.9
183.5
180.8
177.3
172.5

179.1
179.9
172.4
173.8
176.7
177.4
181.4
188.3
189.5
186.9
178.2
174.3
170.2
165.8

188.8
200.3
192.8
185.4
186.1
188.4
187.7
189.2
188.4
187.5
185.5
186.2
185.3
184.8

148.6
148.4
148.9
149.8
150.3
150.2
149.6
149.4
148.9
147.9
146.9
« 147.5
« 146.7
146.0

134.1
130.0
130.8
130. 9
131.6
132.6
133.1
136.7
136.6
136.7
137.2
137.3
137.0
137.0

163.6
199.0
154.3
193.3
155.3
192.7
155.9
193.1
157.2
195.0
157.1
196.4
158.5
196.8
162.2
199.9
170.9
203.6
172.0
204.0
172.4
203.5
173.3 «203.0
173.8 « 202.1
175.9
202.2

135.1
138.8
134.6
136.1
136.2
134.7
135.8
134.4
132.0
133.3
134.8
« 133.9
« 130.6
125.7

144.5
141.3
141.8
142.0
142.3
142.6
143.2
144.5
145.4
146.6
147.5
148.2
148.4
148.2

120.5
123.6
120.1
120.8
121.8
121.5
121.5
120.3
119.7
119.9
119.0
119.2
118.5
117.3

178.4
156.6
183.9
156.8
174.9
155.2
174.7
152.9
175.5
154.1
177.6
153.8
182.6
154.5
155.9
184.3
182.0
159.6
181.0
158.8
177.0
158.4
175.2 « 161.0
172.1 « 160.8
169.3
160.3

159.4
159.6
157.8
158.2
154.5
155.3
155.8
155. 7
157.6
157.3
158.5
158.2
159.6
159.4
162.6
162.6
164.6
164. 6
163.9
163.8
160.2
161.0
158.7 « 160.1
157.5 « 158.8
156.3
157.8

150. 7
148.3
147.6
147.7
148.7
149.1
149 5
151 1
153 1
153 3
153 2

Year and month

1913:
1914:
1918:
1920:
1929:

1 BLS wholesale price data, for the most part, represent prices in primary
markets. They are prices charged by manufacturers or producers or are
prices prevailing on organized exchanges. The weekly index is calculated
from 1 -day-a-week price s; the monthly index from an average of these
prices. M onthly indexes for the last 2 months are preliminary.
The indexes currently are computed by the fixed base aggregate method,
with weights representing quantities produced for sale in 1929-31. (For a
detailed description of the method of calculation see “ Revised Method of
Calculation of the Bureau of Labor Statistics Wholesale Price Index,” in
the Journal of the American Statistical Association, December 1937.)
Mimeographed tables are available, upon request to the Bureau, giving
monthly indexes for major groups of commodities since 1890 and for subgroups
and economic groups since 1913. The weekly wholesale price indexes are

824906—49-

-8


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

c l 53 5

o 153 0
152.9

available in summary form since 1947 for all commodities; alFcommodities
less farm products and foods; farm products; foods; textile products; fuel and
lighting materials; metals and metal products; and building materials.
Weekly indexes are also available for the subgroups of grains, livestock,
meats, and hides and skins.
1 Includes current motor vehicle prices beginning with October 1946.
The
rate of production of motor vehicles in October 1946 exceeded the monthly
average rate of civilian production in 1941, and in accordance with the an­
nouncement made in September 1946, the Bureau introduced current prices
for motor vehicles in the October calculations. During the war, motor
vehicles were not produced for general civilian sale and the Bureau carried
April 1942 prices forward in each computation through September 1946.
« Corrected.

382

MONTHLY LABOR

D : P R IC E S A N D COST OF L IN IN G
T

able

D-8: Indexes of Wholesale Prices,1 by Group and Subgroup of Commodities
[1926=100]
1948

1949
Group and subgroup

Jan.

Dec.

N ov.

Oct.

Sept.

Aug.

July

June

M ay

Apr.

Mar.

Feb.

Jan.

1946

1939

June

Aug.

All commodities s. ..................

160.6

« 162.3

« 164.0

165.2

168.7

169.5

168.7

166.2

163.9

162.8

161.4

160.9

165.7

112.9

75.0

Farm products________ ___
Grains_______ ______
Livestock and poultry.Livestock_________
Other farm products___

172.6
167.7
194. 7 1
209.9
159.4

177.3
171.1
204.6
221.7
161.4

180.8
171.1
213.4
234.1
162.6

183.5
170.4
223.4
246.9
162.0

189.9
176.9
244.2
268.8
159.6

191.0 ~ 195.2
190.6
179.2
250.8
250.0
273.3
272.8
161.9
157.8

196.0
209.2
239.2
259.5
165.4

189.1
213.5
219.0
236.1
163.3

186.7
217.9
204.4
219.7
166.4

186.0
218.0
209.4
224.1
162.2

185.3

140.1
151.8
137.4
143.4
137.5

61.0
51. 5

225.5
159.9

199. 2
256.3
232.9
250. 9
162.4

Foods____________________
Dairy products________
Cereal products_______
Fruits aDd vegetables...
Meats, poultry, and fish.
M eats____________
Other foods.......... ............

165.8
163.6
148.0
145.3
214.2

170.2
» 171. 2
149.8
139.8
230.8
140.9

178.2
174.9
149.6
137.1
239.8
255.0
150.4

186.9
179.9
153.3
139.4
266.5
277.4
149.1

189.5
185.1
154.0
140.5
273. 7
279.6
146.9

188.3
182.9
154.5
151.2
263. 8
277.2
148.5

181.4
181.3
155.1
147.7
241.3
265.1
148.1

177.4
176.6
156.3
147.0
233.2
262.3
144.2

176.7
181.0
158.0
148.6
226.0
251.5
144.4

173.8
179.8
158.6
145.7
217.1
240.6
144.3

172.4
184.8
160.2
144. 5
206.2
230.7
146.7

179.9
183.9
170.1
140.7
222.3
248.0
155.0

112.9
127.3
101.7
136.1

134.4

174.3
170.7
105. 5
139.6
227.4
240.0
149.4

Hides and leather products..
Shoes________________
Hides and s k in s.............
Leather.. ____________
Other leather products..

184.8
187.8
198.7
185.4
145.4

185.3
188.0
197.2
186.5
148.6

186.2
188.1
206.0
183.8
148.6

185.5
189.7

187.5
190.0

188.4
189.4

2 0 2 .0

2 1 0 .6

2 1 2 .1

180.4
148.6

181.9
148.6

186.0
148.6

189.2
186.3
220.3
189.2
149.9

187.7
185.8
215.2
186.9
150.9

188.4
185.6
218.0
188.2
150.9

186.1
191.7
199.3
183.6
143.3

185.4
193.8
186.2
185.9
143.8

192.8
194.7
207.2
199.6
143.8

200.3
194.3
238.9
209.4
143.8

122.4
129. 5
121. 5
110.7
115. 2

Textile products....................
Clothing______________
Cotton goods...................
Hosiery and underwear.
Rayon________________
Silk............. .......................
Woolen and worsted___
Other textile products...

146.0
147.7
186.9
102.5
41.8
(4)
161.6
189.0

o 146. 7
148.8
189.2
° 103. 7
41.8
46.4
° 159.6
190.0

« 147. 5
° 149.1
191.7
■>104.0
41.8
46.4
o 159.6
190.5

146.9
148.8
195.0
104.6
41.8
46.4
150. 7
190.5

147.9
148.6
199.8
104.8
41.8
46.4
150.0
189.3

148.9
148.3
205.3
104.9
41.6
46.4
149.4
186.6

149.4
148.3
209.3
104,9
40.7
46.4
147.5
184.5

149.6
145.2
213.1
105.3
40.7
46.4
147.5
183.1

150.2
145. 8
217.8
105. 4
40.7
46.4
147.5
174.2

150.3
145.8
219.2
105.4
40.7
46.4
147.5
170.0

149.8
144.6
218.3
105.4
40.7
46.4
145.7
174.7

148.9
144.7
214.9
105.0
40.7
46.4
143.0
180.2

148.4
143.4
214.8
104.4
40.7
46. 4
141.9
181.2

109.2
120. 3
139.4
75.8
30. 2
(3)
112.7
112.3

67.8
81.6
65. 5
61.5
28. 5
44.3
75.5
63.7

Fuel and lighting materials..
Anthracite____________
Bituminous coal..............
Coke_________________
Electricity____________
Gas__________________
Petroleum and products.

137.0
137.7
195.6
220.5
(3)
(3)
121.3

137.0
136.4
194.9
219.0
(3)
91.0

137.3
136.4
195.1
219.0
67.3
92.6

137.2
136.4
195.1
218.7
66.5
90.9

136.7
136.5
195.1
217.5
66.3
90.7

136.6
136.0
194.6
217. 4
65.5
86.9

135.7
131.6
193.1
212.3
66.4
90.4

133.1
127.1
182.6
206.6
65.7
90.7

132.6
125.5
181.8
205.4
65.4
89.3

131.6
124.6
178.9
197.5

130.8
124.5
177.9
190.6

89.1

130.9
124.6
177.9
190.6
65.7
88.7

1 2 2 .0

1 2 2 .8

1 2 2 .8

1 2 2 .2

1 2 2 .1

1 2 2 .1

1 2 2 .1

1 2 2 .1

1 2 1 .8

1 2 1 .8

85.8
121.7

130.0
124. 2
176.8
190.6
66.4
84.5
120.7

87.8
106.1
132.8
133. 5
67.2
79.6
64.0

72.6
72.1
96.0
104.2
75.8
86.7
51.7

Metals and metal products A
Agricultural machinery
and equipment *......... ..
Farm machinery
Iron and steel_________
Motor vehicles«_______
Passenger cars •____
Trucks r__________
Nonferrous metals_____
Plumbing and heating..

175.9

173.8

173.3

172.4

172.0

170.9

162.2

158.5

157.1

157.2

155.9

155.3

154.3

1 1 2 .2

93.2

134.1
136.3
153.2
168.2
175.0
137.3
153.7
145.3

132.2
134.1
149.4
163.9
171.0
132.1
152.1
145.3

130.5
132.1
148.9
161.7
169.0
129.7
150.0
143.2

129.8
131.3
149.4
161.6
169.0
129.2
149.8
138.7

129.3
130.8
147.7
161.6
169.0
129.3
146.8
138.7

128.9
130.4
146.3
161.6
169.0
129.3
146.8
138.7

128.6
130.0
144.6
161.6
169.0
129.3
145.5
138.8

104.5
104. 9

93.5
94.7
95.1
92. 5
95. 6
77. 4
74.6
79.3

Building materials________
Brick and tile_________
Cement_______________
Lumber........................ .
Paint and paint materials
Prepared paint____
Paint materials____
Plumbing and heating..
Structural steel _____
Other building materials..
Chemicals and allied products.
Chemicals____________
Drug and pharmaceutical materials_______
Fertilizer materials____
Mixed fertilizers______
Oils and fa ts................ ~

2 2 0 .8

2 2 2 .8

6 6 .1

2 2 0 .0
2 1 0 .0

6 6 .6

1 1 0 .1

116.6
98.1

6 6 .0

(3)
60.1
67.2
67.9
71.9
58. 5
73.7
78.1
60.3
92.7
1 0 0 .8

77.2
84.0
97.1

» 143. 5
° 146.0
165.0
175.3
183.2
140.4
171.4
157.3

142.5
144.9
164. 5
175.3
183.2
140.3
167.0
157.3

140.5
142.8
164.0
175.0
182.9
140.2
166.4
157.0

135.6
137.7
163.1
174.1
181.9
139.7
165.9
153.9

« 2 0 2 . 1 ®203.0
160.4
160.5
162.4
133.5
133.7
134.0
«
310.
7
299.1 » 305. 5
161.6
161.5
166.3
142.9
142.9
151.3
185.2
184.8
185.8
157.3
157.3
156.9
178.8
178.8
178.8
175.6
176.9
179.1

203.5
160.1
133.7
314.5
160.4
142.9
182.5
157.3
178.8
174.8

204.0
158.9
133.3
317.1
160.2
142.9
182.2
157.0
178.8
174.8

203.6
158.6
133.2
319.5
158.1
142.9
177.6
153.9
178.8
173.4

199.9
157.9
132.2
318.1
157.9
142.9
177.3
145.3
159.6
167.1

196.8
153.3
128.8
313.2
158.7
142.9
179.1
145.3
153.3
163.5

196.4
152.8
128.2
312.9
158.4
143.1
178.2
143.2
153.3
163.1

195.0
152.5
127.5
309.2
158.6
143.1
178.5
138.7
155.8
162.2

193.1
151.6
127.4
303.8
156.7
143.1
174.7
138.7
155.8
161.8

192.7
151.1
127.2
303. 8
159.6
143.1
180.7
138.7
149.4
159.8

193.3
150.9
126.5
307.3
163.2
143.1
188. 4
138.8
143.0
157.9

176.0
108.6
99.3
120. 9
106.0
118.4

89.6
90.5
91.3
90.1
82.1
92. 9
71.8
79.3
107.3
89.5

130.6 « 133.9
« 122. 4
124.8

134.8
127.5

133.3
126.0

132.0
126.3

134.4
127.8

135.8
126.2

134.7
125.9

136.2
126.8

136.1
126.8

134.6
126.5

138.8
125.8

96.4
98.0

74.2
83.8

154.3
115.1

109.4
82.7
8 6 .6
1 0 2 .1

77.1
65. 5
73.1
40.6

144.0 o 143.9
146.5
146.5
165.4
169.1
175.6
176.8
184. 5
183.2
142.0
142.4
172.5
172.5
156.9
157.3
2 0 2 .2

125.7
1 2 1 .2

0

1 1 0 .1

135. 5
142. 8
104.3
99.2
106.0
129.9
121.3
1 0 2 .6

1 2 0 .1

108.7
146.1

108.3
« 179.4

151.9
119.5
107.9
« 195.1

152.6
117. 2
107. 9
192.9

152.7
116.2
107.8
188.6

153.3
114.9
105.9
180.3

153.6
115.0
104.4
193.2

153.7
113.9
103.2
212.7

153.3
115.0
103.2
205.0

153.8
115.2
103.1
212.3

154.4
114.9
103.1
211.4

201.5

154.4
115.7
102.4
236.7

Housefumishing goods_____
Furnishings___________
Furniture'......................

148.2
153.6
142.7

148.4
153.6
143.1

148.2
153.6
142.8

147.5
152.5
142.5

146.6
151.5
141.6

145.4
149.3
141.6

144.5
148.6
140.4

143.2
146.7
139.9

142.6
145.8
139.6

142.3
145.2
139.6

142.0
144.7
139.4

141.8
144.4
139.4

141.3
143.8
139.1

110.4
114. 5
108.5

85.6
90.0
81.1

Miscellaneous____________
Tires and tubes *______
Cattle feed____________
Paper and pulp_______
* Paperboard.............
Paper_____________
Wood pulp________
Rubber, crude________
Other miscellaneous___
Soap................................. -

117.3
65.5

118.5
66.2
217.1
169.5
161.7
158.4
233.6
38.9
129.5
153.7

119.2

119.0

119.7

120.3

1 2 0 .1

6 6 .2

6 6 .2

6 6 .2

201.7
170.9
165.6
158.4
238.9
46.4
132.1
158.2

198.4
169. 0
169.7
154.7
238.9
48.1
132.2
158.6

239.6
166.8
172.2
150.9
238.9
49.6
130.0
159.8

121.5
63.5
291.1
167.4
175.1
150.9
238.9
47.6
129.7
160.1

1 2 0 .8

6 6 .2

195.4
170.2
164.0
158.4
236.0
45.0
131.1
157.2

121.5
63.5
292.4
167.3
174.6
150.9
238.9
47.1
129.8
159.6

1 2 1 .8

6 6 .2

217.9
169.9
162.2
158.4
236.0
40.4
130.5
157.0

63.4
296.9
167.5
175.6
150.9
238.9
46.7
130.2
165.9

63.4
284.2
167.3
174.7
150.9
238.9
42.3
130.2
167.0

63.4
262.0
167.4
175.0
150.9
238.9
42.7
130.8
172.6

123.6
63.4
336.0
168.1
173.5
152.7
236.0
44.7
130.7
176.4

98.5
65.7
197.8
115.6
115. 6
107.3
154.1
46.2

73.3
59. 5
68.4
80.0

See footnote 1, table D-7.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

150.3

151.4

1 2 0 .8

1 2 0 .1

2 1 2 .0

168.3
159.0
158.4
227.3
39.5
128.1
149.6

8See footnote 2, table D-7.

119.9

8Not available.

4In process of revision.

1 0 2 .8

0Corrected.

1 0 1 .0

101.3

' Revised.

6 6 .2

83.9
69.6
34.9
81.3
78.9

REVIEW, MARCH 1949

383

E: W O R K STOPPAGES

E: Work Stoppages
Table E -l: Work Stoppages Resulting From Labor-Management Disputes 1
Number of stoppages

Workers involved in stoppages

Man-days idle during month
or year

M onth and year
Beginning
in month or
year
1935-39 (average)_____ ____ ________________ __________
1945________ "________________________________________
1946___________________________ _____ ________________
1947............................ - ............................. .........................................

2,862
4, 750
4,985
3,693

1948:3 January........ .................................. .............. .......................
February_____________________________________
March______________________________________ ___
April................................... ................................... ..............
M ay___________________ ___ _____ ____ _________
June___________ ___ ____________________________
July________ _______________ _____________ ______
August------- ------------------------------------------------------September........... ........................ ........................................
October______________ _______ . ______________
November______________________________________
D ecember 3_____________________________________
1949: Jan u a ry ...__________________________ __________

215
245
205
315
330
335
365
350
285
250
200
125
225

Beginning
in month or
year

In effect dur­
ing month

In effect dur­
ing month

1 All known work stoppages, arising out of labor-management disputes,
involving six or more workers and continuing as long as a full day or shift
are included in reports of the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Figures on “work­
ers involved" and “man-days idle” cover all workers made idle in establish­
ments directly involved in a stoppage. They do not measure the indirect

0

Tfi 900 000
38 000, 000
n o ’ 000 000
34 600,000

1,130,000
’ 470| 000
4' 600| 000
2,170,000

3

300
355
415
485
535
540
575
575
500
425
375
225
400

Percent of
estimated
working time

Number

76, 500

1 0 0 ,0 0 0

8 8 ,2 0 0

127, 000
550,000
621,000
347,000
245,000
312,000
250,000
275,000
200,000
190,000
100.000
110,000

493,000
174,000
166,000
165,000
220,000
150,000
160,000
110,000
90,000
40, 000
70,000

97

47
1 43
41

1,050,000
900,000
6,430,000
7,420,000
4,100, 000
2 , 2 0 0 ,0 0 0
2,750,000
2,100,000
2, 500,000
2,000,000
1,900, 000
600,000
800,000

.15
.14
.83
1 .0 1

.57
.28
.37
.26
.33
.26
.26
.08
.11

or secondary effects on other establishments or industries whose employees
are made idle as a result of material or service shortages.
! Revised estimates for some months but figures are not final. December
estimates particularly are based on incomplete data.

F: Building and Construction
Table F -l: Expenditures for New Construction 1
[Value of work put in place]
Expenditures (in millions)
Type of construction

1949
Feb.

1948

Jan.

Dec.

Nov.

Oct.

Sept.

Aug.

July

June

May

Apr.

Mar.

Feb.

1948

1947

Total

Total

Total new construction 3 _______________ $1,146 $1 , 261 $1,391 $1, 652 $1, 707 $1, 782 $1,799 $1, 715 $1,616 $1,461 $1, 311 $1,166 $1,009 $17,666 $13, 977
Private construction___________ _______
Residential building (nonfarm)______
Nonresidential building (nonfarm) 4__
In d u str ia l........ ................ ................
Commercial___________________
Warehouses, office and loft
buildings______ ____ _____
Stores, restaurants, and garages_____________________
Other nonresidential building___
R eligious______ ___ ________
Educational________________
Hospital and institutional___
Remaining types *.....................
Farm construction.................... ..............
Public utilities_____________ _____
R ailroad........................................ .
Telephone and telegraph........... .
Other public utilities...... .............. .
Public construction_______ __________
Residential building________ _______
Nonresidential building (other than
military or naval facilities).................
Industrial 0________ _____ ______
E ducational.______ ___________
Hospital and institutional..............
All other nonresidential..................
M ilitary and naval facilities.......... .......
H ig h w a y s................................. ..............
Sewer and w ater............ ............ ............
Miscellaneous public-service enterprises 7 .......................... .......................
Conservation and development.........
All other public 8.__................. ..............

889
425
278
105
84

974
490
292
110

1,080
550
312
114

1,178
600
330
115

89

100

33

36

51
89
25

53
93
26

21
11

32

1,332
685
334
113

1,354
695
332
111

112

1, 265
650
333
116
115

122

127

38

38

36

35

34

74
103
28
25

79

22

62
98
28
24

27
26

87
99
26
25

93
94
23
24

10

10

10

10

10

35

10

22
10

39
39
243
34
60
149
412
4

38
63
250
36
61
153
450
5

37
82
245
38
57
152
445
5

36
81
233
33
55
145
397
5

32
62
233
30
63
140
381
5

106

96

88
2

79
2

2

2

48
18

43
15
19

40
15

37
13
19
13
98
38

40

10

12

176
46

180
25
45

36
13
205
30
55

110

110

120

257
4

287
4

311
3

226
32
55
139
374
3

104

104

106

108

20

22

0

0

1

1

2

102
2

60
25
19
7
55
36

60
24

60
25

61
25

58
24

56
23

52

20

20
10

21

22

21

20

11

12

126
43

13

38

80
40

180
47

13
190
44

5
36

7
46

6

8

10

54

10

10

11

12

61
14

67
16

69
17

9
68

1 Joint estimates of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U. S. Department of
Labor, and the Office of Domestic Commerce, U. S. Department of Com­
merce. Estimated construction expenditures represent the monetary value
of the volume of work accomplished during the given period of time. These
figures should be differentiated from permit valuation data reported in the
tabulations for urban building authorized and the data on value of contract
awards reported in table F-2.
* Preliminary.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

102

2
22

1,318
680
324

1,235
635
305

1 ,1 2 0

110

110

111

125

116

97

1,024
525
264
116
87

29

28

25

23

22

22

354

216

96
89

88

72
69
16
17
30
26
50
208
26
60

64
61
14
16
9

66

62
56

22

21

20

37
198
25
63

14
158

122

110

341

287

6

904
966
239
244
116
367
500
2,536
350
676
1,510
4,035
61

619
594
118
164
107
205
450
2,052
318
510
1, 224
3,084
182

49

1 ,0 0 0

1

1

36

30
7

19
553
204
224
145
1,500
458

505
25
275
81
124
204
1,233
331

106
615
150

117
396
116

21

20
12

79
18
19
10

11

585
277

88

58
13
15
9

6

6

77

71

65

20

13
136
39

41
9
65
16

10

10

11

58
14

56
13

47
13

167
40

120

23
176
23
54
99
226
5

169
41

200

940
475
266

9
41
11

10

18

837 13, 631
400 6,980
265 3,615
125 1,391
84 1,258

12

15
9

21

48
89
172

11

12

11

57
33

41
25

9
36
9

28

6
6

10, 893
6 , 260
3,131
1,702
'835

Includes major additions and alterations.
Excludes nonresidential building by privately owned public utilities.
Includos social and recreational buildings, hotels, and miscellaneous
buildings not elsewhere classified.
6 Excludes expenditures to construct facilities used in atomic energy projects.
J Covers primarily publicly owned electric light and power systems and
local transit facilities.
8 Covers miscellaneous construction items such as airports, monuments,
memorials, etc.
8

4

5

F: BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION

384

MONTHLY LABOR

T able F-2: Value of Contracts Awarded and Force-Account Work Started on Federally Financed
New Construction, by Type of Construction 1
Value (In thousands)
Conservation and
development

Building
Nonresidential
Period

Total
new con­ Air­
ports *
struc­
tion s
Total

Resi­
den­
tial

Hospital and
institutional
Total

E du­
ca­
tional 4
Total

1936 ........ - ................
1939.............................
1942..............................
194.6........ .......................
1947...... .....................1948 . . . . . . . __________

$1,533,439
1,586,604
7, 775,497
1, 450,252
1, 294,069
1, 562, 909

1948: J a n u a ry ______
February...........
March________
April.................. .
M ay....................
J u n e..................
July........ ............
A ugust_______
September....... .
October.............
November __ . .
December 9___

105,737
155,428
145, 350
154,375
114, 040
134, 800
137,730
123,433
117,055
126, Oil
97,474
151,476

1949: January 19____

76, 851

$561,394
(r)
$4, 753 669,222
579,176 6,130.389
14, 859 549,656
24,645 276, 514
18,409 268,141

Total

$63,465 $497,929 (8)
(8)
(s)
(8)
(8)
(*) $189, 710
225,423
231,071 438,151
(8)
(8)
(8)
(8>
(8)
(»)
217, 795
549,472 5, 580,917 m
(*)
(8)
(8)
(8)
(8)
435,453 114, 203 (*)
300, 405
(8)
(!)
(8)
(*)
(*)
51,186 225,328 $47, 692 $101,831 $96,123 $5, 708 $31,159 $44,646 308, 029
8,260 259,881 1,363 197, 781 170,428 27,353 26,455 34, 282 465, 963

808
645
5,322
2, 521
1,199
2, 003
1,578
1,997
423
816
238
859

14,136
46,632
63,193
9, 867
24, 712
35, 989
9, 944
6,384
18, 793
26, 561
5,187
6,743

149
859
61
553
364
825
254
120
66
783
2,371
1,855

13, 987
45,773
63,132
9,314
24, 348
35,164
9,690
6, 264
18, 727
25, 778
2, 816
4,888

253
168
256
12
468
89
0
2
31
0
84
0

8,818
41, 762
59,131
5,606
20, 215
15,156
6, 691
4, 402
13, 364
21,952
544
140

(8)

28,017

87

27, 930

148

374

1 Excludes projects classified as “secret” by the military, and all construc­
tion for the Atomic Energy Commission. Data for Federal-aid programs
cover amounts contributed by both the owner and the Federal Government.
» Includes major additions and alterations.
* Excludes hangars and other buildings, which are included under “ Other
nonresidental” building construction.
4 Includes educational facilities under the Federal temporary reuse educa­
tional facilities program.
8 Includes post offices, armories, offices, and customs houses. Also


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

Vet­
erans' Other

Ad­
min­
istra- Other
non­
tion
resi­
and dential
gen­
eral »

215
8,603
205
41, 557
211
58, 920
5, 049
557
20,045
170
13, 739 1,417
1,493 5,198
872 3, 530
13,178
186
6,448 15, 504
429
115
95
45
277

1, 961 2,955
1,735 2,108
1,230 2, 515
1, 863 1,833
1, 861 1,804
9, 696 10, 223
1,185 1,814
887
973
2,190 3,142
1,547 2, 279
750 1,438
1, 550 3,198

97 24, 470

41, 585
57,361
21, 793
79, 782
10, 309
23, 628
41,546
21, 982
28, 479
37,080
35,387
67, 031

2,938 13,133

Rec­
lama­
tion

River,
har­
bor,
and
flood
control

$73, 797 $115, 913
115,612 109,811
150, 708 67,087
169,253 131,152
77,095 230, 934
147, 568 318,395

High­
ways

All
other’

$511,685 $270,650
355, 701 33i; 505
347, 988 500,149
535, 784 49,548
657,087 27, 794
767,822 42, 574

4,667
1,229
6,639
56,934
4,738
8,877
1,327
4, 269
2, 959
19, 488
13, 883
22, 558

36, 918
56,132
15,154
22, 848
5, 571
14, 751
40, 219
17, 713
25, 520
17, 592
21, 504
44, 473

47, 268
49,426
51, 561
58, 247
75, 648
68,486
78,428
91,305
65, 965
55, 741
51,662
74,085

1,940
1,364
3, 481
3, 958
2,172
4,694
6, 234
1, 765
3,395
5, 813
5,000
2,758

5,773

7,360

34,458

1,243

includes, in January 1949, one contract in amount of $23,810,000 for construc­
tion at site of United Nations headquarters in N ew York City, N . Y.
* Includes electrification projects, water-supply and sewage-disposal sys­
tems, forestry projects, railroad construction, and other types of projects not
elsewhere classified.
7 Included in “All other.”
* Unavailable.
9 Revised.
79 Preliminary,

385

F: BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION

REVIEW, MARCH 1949

T able F-3: Urban Building Authorized, by Principal Class of Construction and by Type of Building1
Number of new dwelling units—House­
keeping only

Valuation (in thousands)
New residential building

Privately financed
Period

Total all
classes 1

Housekeeping
Privately financed dwelling units

Addi­
tions,
altera­
tions,
and
repairs

Pub­
licly
fi­

Total

1-fam­
ily

2-fam- M ultiily * family *

2-fam­
ily «

Multifami­
ly *

$2, 707, 573 $598, 570 $478, 658
4, 743.414 2,114,833 1,830.260
5, 561, 754 2, 892,003 2,362, 600
6,944, 952 3,429, 891 2, 748,101

$42, 629
103,042
156, 751
184,093

$77,283 $296, 933 $22, 910 $1, 510,688 $278, 472 184,892
181, 531 355, 587 43, 369 1,458, 602 771,023 430,195
372, 646
35,177 29, 831 1, 712, 817 891, 926 503, 094
497, 697 138,372 38, 027 2,338, 684 999,978 516,454

138,908
358,151
393, 720
392, 861

15, 747
24,326
34,105
36, 646

Total

1942____ ____________
1946_________________
1947 6________________
1948 7 ________________

NonPublicly housefinanced keeping»
dwell­
ing
units

New
nonresi­
dential
building

1-family

30,237
47, 718
75, 269
86, 947

nanced

95,946
98, 310
5,100
15,075

1947: December______

479,967

227,675

179, 806

11,951

35,918

3,000

2,276

177,386

69,630

36,088

26,596

2,443

7,049

364

1948: January________
February_______
M arch. ______
April____ ______
M ay----------------June ...................„
July. ________
August____ ____
Septem ber_____
October 6 ______
N ovem ber«____
December

426, 531
414, 339
631, 621
714, 954
657, 480
699, 657
650,119
648, 261
587, 633
584, 813
473,476
424, 366

198,698
202,050
321, 562
411, 300
349, 949
365, 656
320, 797
349, 593
268, 561
258,042
213, 863
169, 927

150,879
146, 934
252, 778
317, 892
291, 208
301,598
264. 509
264, 588
228, 258
217, 539
178, 051
134, 945

11,501
8, 954
20,016
34. 372
17,895
16, 432
15,899
13, 568
14,157
11,833
9,142
10,043

36, 318
46,162
48, 768
59, 036
40, 846
47, 626
40, 389
71, 437
26,146
28, 670
26, 670
24, 939

6,616
9, 237
597
1,960
5,393
3,350
10,969
7,761
14, 595
13, 778
23, 913
28,024

3, 224
1,441
4,082
6, 166
2,729
4, 711
3,167
3,186
3,162
2,728
1,490
1,940

152,086
141,188
222, 565
196, 095
205, 619
219, 962
219, 598
193, 667
215,929
230,118
165,182
158, 859

65, 907
60, 423
82, 815
99, 433
93, 790
105, 978
95, 588
94, 054
85,386
80,147
69, 028
65, 616

32, 523
32,166
60,788
64,387
52,811
54,112
46, 573
46, 951
39,443
38, 451
32,314
25, 700

23, 704
22,180
37, 520
45,700
41, 423
42,106
36. 661
35, 894
31, 781
31,175
25, 600
19,196

2,280
1,863
4,092
6,997
3,769
3.327
2,971
2.328
2,837
2,393
1,729
1,995

6, 539
8,123
9,176
11, 690
7,619
8,679
6,941
8, 729
4, 825
4,883
4, 985
4,509

820
1,125
85
254
733
439
1,260
806
1,484
1,541
2,205
3, 097

1 Building for which building permits were issued and Federal contracts
awarded in all urban places, including an estimate of building undertaken in
some smaller urban places that do not issue permits.
The data cover federally and nonfederally financed building construction
combined. Estimates of nonfederal (private, and State and local govern­
ment) urban building construction are based primarily on building-permit
reports received from places containing about 85 percent of the urban popula­
tion of the country; estimates of federally financed projects are compiled from
notifications of construction contracts awarded, which are obtained from
other Federal agencies. Data from building permits are not adjusted to allow
for lapsed permits or for lag between permit issuance and the start of con­
struction. Thus, the estimates do not represent construction actually started
during the month.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

Urban, as defined by the Bureau of the Census, covers all incorporated
places of 2,500 population or more in 1940, and, by special rule, a small number
of unincorporated civil divisions.
! Covers additions, alterations, and repairs, as well as new residential and
nonresidential building.
» Includes units in 1-family and 2-family structures with stores.
* Includes units in multifamily structures with stores.
* Covers hotels, dormitories, tourist cabins, and other nonhousekeeping
residential buildings.
« Revised.
7 Preliminary.
Totals for 1948 include revisions which do not appear in
data shown for January through October. Revised monthly data will appear
in M onthly Labor Review for April.

386
T able

F: BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION

MONTHLY LABOR

F-4: New Nonresidential Building Authorized in All Urban Places,1 by General Type and by
Geographic D ivision2
Valuation (in thousands)

Geographic division and
type of new nonresi­
dential building

1948
D ec.4

N ov.«

Oct.

Sept.

Aug.

July

June

M ay

Apr.

Mar.

Feb.

Jan.

19473

1948 4

1947»

Dec.

Total

Total

All types— ..................... $158, 859 $165,182 $230,118 $215,929 $193,667 $219, 598 $219,962 $205,619 $196,095 $222, 565 $141,188 $152,086 $177, 386 $2, 338,684 $1, 712, 817
New England-------M iddle Atlantic___
East North Central.
West North Central.
South Atlantic------East South Central.
West South Central.
M ountain...................
Pacific____________
Industrial buildings 1—
New England-------M iddle Atlantic----East North Central.
West North Central.
South Atlantic____
East South Central.
W est South Central.
M ountain.................
P acific.......................
Commercial buildings 8_
New England------M iddle Atlantic___
East North Central.
W est North Central.
South Atlantic------East South Central.
W est South Central.
M ountain___ _____
Pacific______ ____ _
Community buildings
New England----- .
M iddle Atlantic___
E ast North Central.
West North Central.
South Atlantic___ .
East South Central.
West South Central.
M ountain.............
Pacific...... ..................
Public buildings 8...........
New England-------M iddle Atlantic___
East North Central.
West North Central.
South Atlantic____
East South Central.
W est South Central.
M ountain_________
Pacific__________ _
Public works and utility
buildings « ....................
New England...........
M iddle Atlantic___
East North Central.
West North Central.
South Atlantic____
East South Central
West South Central.
M ountain.................
Pacific_________ . .
All other buildings 19___
New England_____
M iddle Atlantic___
East North Central.
West North Central.
South Atlantic___
East South Central.
West South Central.
M ountain................
Pacific.........................

8,092
8,282 11,318
26,938 29,184 43,840
32, 203 32,256 53, 569
10, 447 10,462 22,623
16, 422 17,878 23,411
8,076
5,198 14,748
17, 273 25,678 16,476
4,139
3, 261
5,697
35, 269 32,979 38,436
19,965 20,387 33,632
1,445
1,483
2,569
5, 083
4,955
7,347
7,601
4,393
8,137
996
882
822
1, 454
2,010
6,972
843
458
1,506
244
786
1,431
380
69
413
1,919
2,959
6,827
54,107 66,848 84,895
2,692
3,918
2,453
6 720 13,002 15,091
11,498 11, 907 23,614
4,172
3,666 ■10, 263
8,126
9,261
8,789
2, 674
3,192
3,016
6,804 10,684
8,342
1,414
1,523
2,640
10, 007
9,695 10,687
64, 612 54,177 82,884
1, 651
1,741
4,404
12, 982
7,279 20,166
10, 414 11,143 16,034
4, 289
4,243
7,798
4,316
4,437
5,471
3,668
1,215
8,459
8, 42C 11. 206
3,531
1,197
2,113
756
17, 675 12,157 14,908
4,420
4,452
1,938
300
453
7
194
140
640
158
136
15
215
251
25
1,226
489
633
721
80
961
364
211
121
803
260
37
439
364
1,567
9,247
1, 584
1,028
1, 339
223
787
3
1, 044
131
3,108
6,508
420
931
1,193
552
513
167
397
214
2,121

11,854
371
262
2,148
620
893
36
2,241
148
5,135
9,973
766
1,154
2,529
800
788
217
550
505
2,669

11,952
455
1,423
2,274
2,327
779
534
2,241
66
1,853
12,303
984
1,565
3,495
1,388
767
272
810
428
2,594

9, 576 10,632
29, 725 32, 814
55, 257 49,368
14, 370 17,027
24,201 17,104
9,708
8, 649
25,387 14, 884
18, 290
8, 567
29, 415 34,722
21,172 27,068
914
546
7,243
3,087
9,423
9,511
756
1,958
1, 262
1,670
1,023
507
1, 799
980
120
367
3,198
3,876
93, 956 79,526
4,718
5, 688
10,913 12, 884
20, 923 15, 725
7,128
9,390
10, 954 10, 426
3,864
3,502
7,076
17, 793
4,965
2,183
12,610 12, 740
66,899 57,046
4,137
1,580
9,125
11, 588
11, 429 13,394
3,521
2, 589
3,869
7,832
2,409
3, 906
4,481
4, 595
2, 578
14,175
9, 205 13,532
5,155
6, 201
100
166
498
1,259
3,385
14
138
45
47
1,441
0
1,28C
260
782
73
877
654
337

15,340
30,752
57, 717
12,114
34, 905
6, 392
25,965
7,778
28,635
24, 387
3, 526
5,155
9, 217
713
1,180
452
1,836
65
2, 243
92,057
5,780
13,177
17,174
6, 575
13, 501
3,202
12, 324
4,192
16,132
67, 786
3,443
8, 658
21,303
2, 736
10, 567
2,294
9, 545
2,825
6,415
5, 629
55
337
3,700
36
913
0
286
68
234

20,512
32,431
55,231
13,671
24,933
8,682
20,319
4, 429
39, 754
32,832
2,365
4,938
15,602
2,039
2,159
1,465
1,023
248
2,993
82,407
7,307
13,508
17,903
4,647
10,361
3,232
8,120
2, 761
14,568
66,074
8,780
8,753
14,105
3,994
6, 508
2,591
8,835
566
11,942
14, 736
613
2,463
1,276
754
1,449
1,029
1, 467
475
5,210

10,142
50,897
37, 567
12,079
19, 745
7,798
24, 584
7,818
34,989
26,233
2,360
8,375
7,997
908
1,496
691
1,316
147
2,943
84,424
3,275
10, 550
14, 660
6,022
11, 923
3, 375
13,455
3,275
17,889
66, 775
3, 457
26, 082
10,354
2,528
2, 887
2, 931
7,999
3,907
6, 630
4,296
90
1,147
101
26
91
413
333
36
2,059

10,279
27,338
46,082
14, 985
22,840
6,176
21,805
6,240
41,350
26,899
971
7,518
9,262
3,081
1, 519
225
760
79
3, 484
83,852
3,401
11,5(16
15,198
5,692
13,498
3, 891
10,441
3,747
16,478
51,410
4,255
4,373
13, 954
2,665
4,761
1,243
7,369
1,299
11, 501
5, 508
121
669
475
1,500
648
209
203
341
1,352

8,956
55, 770
33, 614
16, 434
25, 267
9,902
21,558
8, 724
42,340
32, 910
1,806
6,823
9,513
1,728
4,469
1,088
2,409
383
4,691
82,366
2,547
12, 753
10,010
8, 286
9,118
3,245
10, 917
4,998
20, 492
78, 226
3, 477
32, 780
8,707
3,796
9,623
1,134
6,463
2, 778
9, 468
7, 055
455
488
849
124
394
3,374
496
61
814

5,236
20, 497
26, 458
16, 566
14, 562
3,928
27, 433
3,826
22,682
16,883
1,051
3, 699
3,859
1, 205
1,640
330
1,637
119
3,343
47,315
1, 257
5,411
7,891
2, 586
8,170
2,027
8,062
2,093
9,818
58, 666
1,465
10, 049
10, 989
11,998
3, 341
675
16, 591
608
2,950
5, 323
1, 250
112
568
77
349
417
566
259
1, 725

26, 689
9,305
21,268
8,813
18, 547
7,152
27,121
2, 761
30, 460
17, 453
803
2, 250
5, 477
971
1,927
466
1,641
380
3, 568
72, 617
12,431
5, 412
10,188
5,171
7,445
4,172
12, 036
1, 484
14, 278
34,404
6,944
666
2,623
787
7, 570
1, 757
11,007
409
3, 641
5, 577
2, 289
214
684
535
30
206
1,023
113
483

6,307
42,569
29,084
19, 008
21, 414
7, 345
17,928
4,067
29,669
33, 534
1,642
7,063
10,137
1, 781
3,851
1, 489
2, 666
181
4, 724
65, 621
1, 804
13,252
11,618
6,885
7,949
1,978
8, 705
1,651
11,879
50,004
938
20,629
4,336
7, 752
3, 628
3,257
4,313
1, 27C
3,881
4,556
502
219
90C
20C
92
15C
551
180
1, 762

146, 066
391, 784
503,173
170,345
262, 587
100, 297
270, 425
81, 899
412,108
300,028
19, 839
66, 589
100, 034
16, 058
27, 776
9,054
15, 864
2, 770
42, 044
927,005
55, 468
132, 963
177, 322
73, 600
121, 570
39,391
126, 056
35, 274
165, 361
762, 233
45, 440
152,364
146,405
51, 448
73,936
35,926
101,975
33,378
121,361
70, 633
5, 900
8,151
11,173
3, 974
7,712
8,936
6,113
3, 605
15, 069

109,977
272, 627
371, 948
132,163
200, 053
73, 009
193, 220
58,162
301, 658
322, 230
26,098
58,139
118, 667
19, 890
20, 549
13, 426
17, 519
2,852
45, 090
686, 282
32, 853
91,206
118,839
57, 240
106, 788
34, 680
91,54?
26, 855
126, 273
406, 920
25, 759
80,190
62, 542
34, 639
40,172
16,913
65,309
18,366
63,030
41, 049
3, 418
4,712
8 ,372
1,696
6,285
' 830
4, 579
2,416
8, 741

11,870
290
1,586
3, 584
3,103
389
864
414
334
1,306
13,002
741
1,478
3, 769
1,179
704
488
854
497
3, 292

17,846
1,736
1,923
3, 279
882
7,845
193
1,494
209
285
11,893
800
1,502
3,044
1,172
899
251
480
419
3,326

9,306
530
1,252
2,549
1,082
3,051
11
322
8
501
14,607
917
1,517
3, 797
1,155
1,405
353
552
371
4,540

10,167
119
3,045
1,094
1,055
2, 572
86
669
2
1, 525
13,724
841
1,698
3,361
1,540
776
302
812
451
3, 943

15,639
581
1,839
2,692
701
1, 556
315
2,099
238
5,618
12, 787
950
1,443
3,501
1,346
858
293
943
536
2,917

12, 715
309
1, 784
2,889
1, 762
592
702
688
155
3,834
9, 293
362
1,142
1, 646
738
1, 071
359
585
349
3,041

7,483
75
671
2,481
459
670
325
208
575
2,019
5,518
138
555
670
241
392
154
369
172
2, 827

16, 284
5,113
365
1,649
1,035
1,125
410
814
60
5, 723
5,751
109
398
647
314
450
141
600
325
2,767

16,942
1,092
576
1,211
1, 801
5, 347
307
1, 241
499
4, 866
6,729
329
830
982
587
547
164
447
286
2, 557

149,950
11, 438
16, 589
35, 809
13, 574
22, 203
3,750
12, 811
2,055
31, 721
128,835
7,981
15,128
32, 4.30
11, 691
9, 390
3, 240
7, 606
4, 817
36, 552

143, 824
15, 085
24, 968
35,972
8, 737
19, 046
4, 154
7, 647
3', 520
24, 695
112, 512
6, 764
13, 412
27, 556
9, 961
7, 213
3,006
6, 618
4,153
33! 829

15, 425
273
1,28C
9,801
325
1,946
270
579
139
812
12,276
955
1, 598
3,667
1, 265
766
243
658
549
2,575

1 Building for which permits were issued and Federal contracts awarded in
all urban places, including an estimate of building undertaken in some
smaller urban places that do not issue permits. Sums of components do not
always equal totals exactly because of rounding.
s For scope and source of urban estimates, see table F-3, footnote 1.
3 Revised.
4 Preliminary. Totals for 1948 include revisions which do not appear in
data shown for January through October. Revised monthly data will
appear in the M onthly Labor Review for April.
3 Includes factories, navy yards, army ordnance plants, bakeries, ice plants,
industrial warehouses, and other buildings at the site of these and similar
production plants.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

6 Includes amusement and recreation buildings, stores and other mercantile
buildings, commercial garages, gasoline and service stations, ete.
7 Includes churches, hospitals, and other institutional buildings, schools,
libraries, etc.
8 Includes Federal, State, county, and municipal buildings, such as post
offices, courthouses, city halls, fire and police stations, jails, prisons, arsenals,
armories, army barracks, etc.
9 Includes railroad, bus and airport buildings, roundhouses, radio stations,
gas and electric plants, public comfort stations, etc.
10 Includes private garages, sheds, stables and bams, and other buildings
not elsewhere classified.

REVIEW , MARCH 1949

F: BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION

387

T able F-5: Number and Construction Cost of New Permanent Nonfarm Dwelling Units Started, by
Urban or Rural Location, and by Source of Funds 1
Number of new dwelling units started
All units

Period

Privately financed

(in thousands)•
Publicly financed

Total
nonfarm

Urban

Rural
nonfarm

Total
nonfarm

Urban

1925 >__________________________
1933 4__________________________
1941 i __________________________
1944«__________________________
1946......................................................
1947..---------------------------------------

937,000
93,000
706,100
141, 800
670, 500
849,000

752,000
45,000
434, 300
96, 200
403, 700
479,800

185,000
48, 000
271,800
45,600
266,800
369, 200

937,000
93,000
619, 511
138,692
662, 473
845, 560

752,000
45,000
369,499
93, 216
395, 673
476,360

185,000
48,000
250,012
45, 476
266,800
369, 200

0
0
86, 589
3,108
8,027
3,440

0
0
64,801
2,984
8, 027
3,440

0
21, 788
124
0
0

285,446
2,825,895
495,054
3, 769, 767
5,642,798

$4, 475,000
285, 446
2, 530, 765
483, 231
3, 713, 776
5,617,425

0
0
$295,130
11,823
55, 991
25,373

1947: First quarter.............................
January.............................
February............................
M a rch ........... ............ .......

138,100
39, 300
42,800
56,000

81,000
24, 200
25,000
31,800

57,100
15,100
17,800
24,200'

137,016
38, 216
42,800
56,000

79, 916
23,116
25,000
31,800

57,100
15.100
17,800
24,200

1,084
1,084
0
0

1,084
1,084
0
0

0
0
0
0

808,263
223, 577
244,425
340,261

800, 592
215,906
244,425
340, 261

7,671
7,671
0
0

Second quarter____________
April__________________
M ay........................ ............
June.................................

217, 200
67,100
72,600
77,200

119.100
37,600
39,300
42,200

98,100
29, 500
33,600
35,000

217,000
67,100
72, 900
77,000

118,900
37,600
39,300
42,000

98,100
29, 500
33,600
35,000

200
0
0
200

200
0
0
200

0
0
0
0

1,361,677
418,451
462, 236
490,990

1,360,477
418,451
452, 236
489, 790

1,200

Third quarter____________ _
July__________ ________
A ugust________________
Septem ber.........................

261, 200
81,100
86,300
93,800

142, 200
44, 500
47,400
50,300

119,000
36,600
38,900
43, 500

260,733
81,100
86,108
93,525

141,733
44, 500
47,208
50,025

119,000
36,600
38, 900
43,500

467
0
192
275

467
0
192
275

0
0
0
0

1,774,150
539,333
589, 470
645,347

1, 770, 475
539, 333
587,742
643,400

3,675
0
1,728
1,947

Fourth quarter........................
October...............................
N ovem ber.........................
December...........................

232, 500
94,000
76, 700
58,800

137, 500
53, 200
48, 000
36,300

95,000
40, 800
31, 700
22, 500

230,811
93, 540
78,835
58,436

135,811
52,740
47,135
35, 936

95,000
40, 800
31, 700
22, 500

1,689
460
865
364

1,689
460
865
364

0
0
0
0

1,698, 708
678,687
584, 781
435, 290

1,685,881
675,197
578,324
432, 360

12,827
3,490
6, 407
2,930

-1948: First quarter.............................
January_______________
February............................
March.................................

177,300
52, 600
49, 600
75,100

101, 200
30, 400
28, 800
42,000

76,100
22, 200
20, 800
33,100

174,996
51, 776
48, 445
74, 775

99,052
29, 603
27, 774
41,675

75,944
22,173
20, 671
33,100

2,304
824
1,155
325

2,148
797
1, 026
325

156
27
129
0

1, 287, 460
372, 657
363, 421
551,382

1, 268, 661
365, 886
354, 218
548, 557

18, 799
6,771
9,203
2,825

Second quarter.........................
April_________________
M a y ..................................
June__________________

295. 700
98, 800
99, 400
97,500

165, 500
54,400
56, 700
54,400

130, 200
44, 400
42, 700
43.100

291,828
97,518
97, 902
96,408

163,812
54,156
55,693
53,963

128,016
43,362
42,209
42,445

3,872
1,282
1,498
1,092

1,688
244
1,007
437

2,184
1,038
491
655

2, 246, 248
729,713
753,661
762,874

2, 210,485
717,996
739, 605
752,884

35, 763
11,717
14,056
9,990

Third quarter 7____________
July---------------------------A ugust_______________
September 7___________

262, 000
93, 500
86, 300
82, 200

143, 250
51, 600
47,400
44,250

118, 750
41, 900
38,900
37,950

257, 549
92, 237
84, 863
80,449

139, 320
50, 357
46, 463
42, 500

118, 229
41, 880
38,400
37,949

4,451
1, 2631,437
1, 751

3,930
1,243
937
1,750

521
20
500
1

2,099,489
738, 232
716, 972
644,285

2,054, 651
726,333
701, 343
626, 975

44, 838
11,899
15,629
17,310

Fourth quarter 8___________
October 8______________
November 8____________
December 8____________

193,000
72, 000
65, 000
56, 000

(»)
(9)
P>

1, 512,407
564,117
509, 901
438,389

(9)
(9)
(9)

(9)
(9)
(9)

(»)
(9)
(»)

• The estimates shown here do not Include temporary units, conversions,
dormitory accommodations, trailers, or military barracks. They do include
prefabricated housing units.
These estimates are based on building-permit records, which, beginning
with 1946, have been adjusted for lapsed permits and for lag between permit
issuance and start of construction. They are based also on reports of Federal
construction contract awards and beginning in 1946, on field surveys in
nonpermit-issuing places. The data in this table refer to nonfarm dwelling
units started, and not to urban dwelling units authorized, as shown in table
F-3.
A ll of these estimates contain some error. In 1948, for example, if the
estimate of nonfarm starts is 60,000, the chances are about 19 out of 20 that
an actual enumeration would produce a figure between 47,600 and 52,400.
In 1946 and 1947, the range of error was approximately twice as large. The


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

(9)
(9)
(°)

Rural
Total
Rural
nonfarm nonfarm Urban nonfarm

0
0
(9)

(9)
(9)
(9)

0
0
0

Total

0 $4,475,000

(9)
(9)
(«)

Privately
financed

Publicly
financed

0

0
1,200

(9)
(9)
(9)

reduction was achieved by improvements in estimating and survey tech­
niques.
* Private construction costs are based on permit valuation, adjusted for
understatement of costs shown on permit applications. Public construction
costs are based on contract values or estimated construction cost3 for individ­
ual projects.
1 Housing peak year.
1 Depression, low year.
I Recovery peak year prior to wartime limitations.
II Last full year under wartime control.
7 Revised.
8 Preliminary.
•N o t available.

U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1949


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis