Full text of Monthly Labor Review : May 1954, Vol. 77, No. 5
The full text on this page is automatically extracted from the file linked above and may contain errors and inconsistencies.
iviontmy
bor
Review
MAY
195 4 VOL.
77
NO.
Strike-Control Provisions in Union Constitutions
A nalysis o f Work Stoppages During 1953
The Shortage o f Creative Manpower
British Industrial Injuries Insurance System
Trends in Commodity Prices and Service Rates
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
J am es P. M itchell , Secretary
BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS
E w an C laque,
Commissioner
A r y n e s s J oy W i c k e n s ,
B.
H erm an
J.
B
yer,
Deputy Commissioner
Assistant Commissioner
F it z g e r a l d ,
Assistant Commissioner
C h arles D . Stew art,
Assistant Commissioner
H enry
D
a v id
J.
S a po ss,
Special Assistant to the Commissioner
D orothy S. B rady, Chief, Division of Prices and Cost of Living
H. M . D outy, Chief, Division of Wages and Industrial Relations
L eon Greenberg , Acting Chief, Division of Productivity and Technological Developments
R ichard F. J ones, Chief, Division of Administrative Services
W alter G. K eim , Chief, Division of Field Service
P aul R. K erschbaum, Chief, Office of Program Planning
L awrence R. K lein , Chief, Office of Publications
H. E . R iley, Chief, Division of Construction Statistics
Oscar W eigert , Chief, Division of Foreign Labor Conditions
F aith M . W illiams, Chief, Office of Labor Economics
Seymour L. W olfbein , Chief, Division of Manpower and Employment Statistics
Regional Offices and Directors
M ID-ATLANTIC REGION
R obert R. B ehlow
Room 1000
341 Ninth Avenue
New York 1, N. Y.
NEW ENGLAND REGION
E dward T. O’D onnell (Acting)
18 Oliver Street
Boston 10, Mass.
Connecticut,
M aine
Massachusetts
SOUTHERN REGION
B runswick A. B agdon
Room 664
50 Seventh Street N E .
Atlanta 5, Ga.
Alabama
Arkansas
Florida
Georgia
Louisiana
M ississippi
North Carolina
Oklahoma
South Carolina
Tennessee
Texas
Virginia
New Hampshire
Rhode Island
Vermont
Delaware
Maryland
New Jersey
N O R TH C E N T R A L IS E GION
Adolph O. B erger
Tenth Floor
105 West Adams Street
Chicago 3, 111.
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Michigan
Minnesota
Missouri
Nebraska
North Dakota
Ohio
South Dakota
West Virginia
Wisconsin
New York
Pennsylvania
District of Columbia
W E STE R N REGION
M ax D. K ossoris
Room 1074
870 Market Street
San Francisco 2, Calif.
Arizona
California
Colorado
Idaho
Montana
Nevada
New Mexico
Oregon
Utah
Washington
Wyoming
The Monthly Labor Review is for sale by the Superintendent of Documents, TJ. S. Government Printing Office. Washington 25, D. C.
Subscription price per year—56.25 domestic; $7.75 foreign. Price 55 cents a copy.
The p rin tin g of th is pu blication has been approved by th e Director of t h e Bureau o f th e B udget (October 22, 1953~).
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Monthly Labor Review
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
.
BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS
Lawrence R. K lein , Editor
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
JUH 1 1954
CONTENTS
PUBLIC LIBRARY
Special Articles
497
501
507
511
516
Strike-Control Provisions in Union Constitutions
Analysis of Work Stoppages During 1953
The Shortage of Creative Manpower
The British Industrial Injuries Insurance System
Trend Contrasts in Commodity Prices and Service Rates
Summaries of Studies and Reports
522
526
531
536
540
545
Wage Trends in Power Laundries, 1945 to 1953
Engineering Personnel Employed in Metalworking Industries
Paid Rest-Period Provisions in Union Agreements, 1952-53
Earnings in Miscellaneous Textile Industries, October 1953
Injury Rates in the Canning and Preserving Industry, 1952
Injury Rates in Manufacturing, Fourth Quarter 1953
Technical Note
552 Relationships Between Productivity Measures
Departments
hi
548
558
562
564
569
576
The Labor Month in Review
Foreign Labor Briefs
Significant Decisions in Labor Cases
Chronology of Recent Labor Events
Developments in Industrial Relations
Book Reviews and Notes
Current Labor Statistics
May 1954 . Vol. 77 • No. 5
In the June Issue of the Review —
Arbitration in Bethlehem Steel
In an entirely new kind of study the Bureau of Labor Statistics has reviewed
and analyzed the decisions in somewhere close to 1,000 grievance arbitration
cases between Bethlehem and the United Steelworkers of America. The
article in the June issue is based on one of the chapters of that study and is
concerned with grievances arising over the imposition of discipline in various
circumstances.
Workmen's Compensation in Ontario
A descriptive review of the operation of this often referred to and frequently
debated system by the two students in the field of disability insurance who
wrote the article in this issue on British experience. These two articles
supplement the workmen’s compensation series carried in the Review last
year.
Employee Attitudes and Output
Based on in-the-plant studies by the University of Michigan Institute for
Social Research, this article examines the relationship between the factors
affecting the attitudes of workers and the output of individuals and depart
ments. The essay will later this summer appear as a chapter in a Harper
& Brothers volume entitled “Manpower in the United States.”
In A d d itio n —
Other articles and summaries of studies including Earnings in the Machinery
Industry and The Austrian Wage-Price Agreements.
A s in Every Issue—
The regular Departments: The Labor Month in Review, Significant Deci
sions in Labor Cases, Chronology of Recent Labor Events, Developments in
Industrial Relations, Book Reviews and Notes, and 50 pages of Current
Labor Statistics.
Orders for annual subscriptions or single copies should be made through
Superintendent of Documents, Washington 25, D. C.
$6.25 per year
¡1
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
55 cents per single copy
The Labor Month
in Review
and unemployment declined
in an expected and seasonal manner in April. The
quarter-of-a-m illion drop in unem ploym ent
brought the total down to 3.5 million, but the
number out of work 15 weeks or longer showed
practically no change from March and constituted
nearly a third of the total, more than double the
proportion in April 1953. The improvement was
largely in construction, agriculture, and retail
trade. Employment in manufacturing industries
was down by a quarter of a million from March and
1.3 million under April 1953, mostly in durable
goods. The factory workweek was 2 hours below
a year ago, the equivalent of $3.60 at the April
1954 average hourly rate.
It was perhaps the negative side of this picture
plus the persistence of unfavorable conditions in
particular segments of the economy which prompt
ed direct appeals to Government by major labor
organizations.
The United Mine Workers of America, on May
8, called for a program of tax relief, improved un
employment compensation, public works, currency
readjustments, credit expansion, and protection
from foreign competition. The CIO Textile
Workers, at its biennial convention a week earlier,
also called for a program of Government aid to
relieve depressed conditions in the textile industry.
The TWUA asked for a statutory 35-hour week
with 40 hours’ pay, stockpiling of military fabrics,
reduced raw wool import duties but a 45-percent
duty on imported fabrics, and special measures to
retrain displaced textile workers and to locate new
industrial plants in areas of surplus labor supply.
In a much publicized luncheon meeting, the presi
dents of the independent United Mine Workers,
the AFL Teamsters, and the CIO Steelworkers
agreed to jointly seek Government action on var
ious forms of economic assistance. There was no
statement that substantially affirmed or denied the
speculation over a merger of the steel and coal
E mployment rose
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
unions. On May 11, the CIO, with an admonition
“not to be lulled by any slight seasonal improve
ment,” held a full employment conference in
Washington. Congressional and administration
speakers addressed the delegates, who adopted
recommendations similar to those listed above.
C ontract negotiations during April and May
were obviously affected by the general economic
uncertainty and by the special problems afflicting
particular industries. In textiles the situation for
the unions was one of resistance to wage cuts. A
number of companies in the woolen and worsted
industry extended existing agreements for a brief
period pending settlement of the strike by the
CIO Textile Workers Union at the American
Woolen Co. over a proposed 21%-cent average
hourly wage cut. The strike began April 26.
The Botany Mills and the TWUA concluded a new
2-year agreement which reduced the cost-of-living
allowance but increased hospital benefits. One
week after the signing, the company exercised a
wage reopening clause and asked for a 16K-cent
wage cut. The issue is expected to go to arbitra
tion.
Local 12 of the CIO Auto Workers and the
Kaiser-Willys firm in mid-April agreed to convert
their method of wage payment from piecework to
a flat hourly rate. The change was at first widely
termed a wage cut but the union vigorously denied
this interpretation. All parties agreed that the
move would make the company more competitive
with other segments of the industry.
Negotiations between the Steelworkers and the
basic steel industry began on May 18 with U. S.
Steel, with the union committed to seek wage and
fringe benefit increases of unspecified values and
a guaranteed annual wage. The contract expires
at the end of June.
Although its major contracts do not come up
for review until next spring, the CIO Auto Workers
union revealed the “guaranteed employment plan”
it will then seek. In brief, for any 52-week period
it would provide each worker who had seniority
either 40 hours of work per week or pay in lieu of
work. The employer liability would be reduced
by the amount of unemployment insurance paid a
worker, who must register with the State employ
ment service for available “suitable” employment
(to be defined later). The employer’s liability
and trust fund payments would vary with the
in
IV
kinds of layoffs imposed. Administration would
be joint, with an impartial umpire.
The United States Chamber of Commerce, tak
ing cognizance of the several plans already in or
intended for negotiation, has suggested that em
ployers devote “serious study” to means of stabi
lizing worker income and employment and that
State legislatures examine the need for more ade
quate unemployment insurance benefits. The
Chamber also advocated a closer check on unem
ployment insurance eligibility qualifications and
consideration of several possible plans employers
could institute for advancing layoff security.
Two N orth A merican A viation locals of the
auto union, which sustained a long strike last
fall, are undergoing aggressive organizational
efforts of interest. The Port Columbus, Ohio,
local plant has been placed under an administra
torship by the international union’s executive
board to strengthen it against a possible represen
tation election for which a petition was filed with
the National Labor Relations Board during the
strike. The Los Angeles local is conducting a
rather unique membership drive and contest.
The regular $5 initiation fee is waived. The grand
prize for the member bringing in the most new
members is a choice between a 1954 automobile or
an all-expense air tour to Hawaii for 2, with 2
weeks’ pay, new luggage for 2, and new summer
clothing for both travelers.
again took up
the matter of the proposed no-raiding agreement
in May. Such an agreement is almost axiomatically a prerequisite to organic unity of the two
organizations. But a key affiliate of each group
is dislinclined to sign—the AFL Teamsters and
the CIO Steelworkers.
Within the AFL a major jurisdictional dispute—
between the Teamsters and Railway Clerks over
railway express employees—underscored the im
portance of the AFL Executive Council meeting
called in Chicago for mid-May. (The agenda
included consideration of a 1953 convention direc
tive to review the Federation’s constitution.) The
Clerks have asked for a National Mediation Board
B oth major labor federations
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
MONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W , MAY 1954
election on a nationwide, winner-take-all basis.
The Teamsters want the Federation to settle the
dispute without an election.
T he afl auto workers u n io n was without a
president following the resignation on May 8 of
Lester Washburn over the refusal of the union’s
executive board to support him in a drive to oust
racketeering locals and to rid “the union of those
elements that have brought it disgrace and dis
respect.” Washburn, a member of the original
executive board of the CIO Auto Workers before
a factional fight established the AFL rival group
15 years ago, had expelled 5 New York locals.
He also had expelled convict John Dioguardi from
membership. Anthony Doria, secretary-treasurer
of the union, led the opposition to the expulsions.
Charles J. MacGowan, 67-year-old president of
the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers
and Blacksmiths, in a voluntary and peaceful
shift of leadership, announced his resignation,
effective July 1. William A. Calvin, assistant to
MacGowan, succeeds him.
The Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America
(CIO) in May began its 40th year, possessor of
nearly 400,000 members, two banks, housing proj
ects, medical centers, and a long record of stable
employer relations. The National Child Labor
Committee passed the half-century mark on
April 21. This organization spearheaded many
of the early legislative drives to take children of
school age out of employment and to correct many
of the almost forgotten abuses attendant to the
employment of minors.
F urther developm ents in the inter-union
struggle for control of longshoremen on the New
York docks waited on results of a new representa
tion election ordered by the NLRB for May 26.
Results of a previous balloting between the AFL
and independent unions had been invalidated by
the Board because of threats of violence during
the voting. Early in April the Supreme Court
of the United States upheld the constitutionality
of two major provisions of the Bi-State Water
front Commission Compact between New York
and New Jersey to control racketeering in hiring
and other aspects of employment on the docks.
Strike-Control
Provisions in
Union Constitutions*
international union constitutions contain
provisions governing the call of strikes by their
affiliated local unions. These measures are essen
tially of two types: (a) those requiring a strike
vote by local union members before calling a strike;
and (b) those requiring prior approval of a pro
posed local union strike by the national union
officers.
A strike-vote requirement is found also in a few
collective bargaining agreements.1 Such agree
ment clauses tend to differ from union constitu
tion strike-vote provisions by defining more broad
ly or more precisely the group of employees eligible
to participate in the strike vote or by providing
for management participation, jointly with the
union, in supervising the balloting and counting
of votes. Commonly, strike-control provisions
in collective bargaining agreements consist of
either an unqualified ban on work stoppages dur
ing the term of the contract or a restriction other
than absolute prohibition in the form of indicating
the exceptions or outlining the specific conditions
under which strikes (and lockouts) are permissible.2
The Labor-Management Relations (Taft-Hartley) Act of 1947, as amended, makes provision for
a vote to determine whether employees wish to
accept the final offer of settlement made by their
employer in the case of “ national emergency”
strikes. (Sec. 209 (b).) For other types of dis
putes, the Director of the Federal Mediation and
Conciliation Service is to “ seek to induce the
parties voluntarily to seek other means of settling
the dispute without resort to strike . . . in
cluding submission to the employees in the bar
gaining unit of the employer’s last offer of settle
ment for approval or rejection in a secret ballot.”
(Sec. 203 (c).)
M ost
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
The Railway Labor Act, which covers railroad
and airline employees, includes a variety of pro
visions designed to forestall strikes, including,
where necessary, Presidential emergency boards,
but contains no provision for a strike ballot.
However, a strike-vote provision was found in
about one-half of the railroad and airline union
constitutions analyzed.
During World War II, the War Labor Disputes
(Smith-Connally) Act required that the Govern
ment be notified 30 days in advance of strikes
“ which threaten seriously to interrupt war pro
duction” and provided for a secret ballot of the
workers, conducted by the National Labor Rela
tions Board, “ on the question whether they will
permit any such interruption of war production.”
(Sec. 8 (a) (3).)
Laws requiring strike votes are currently in
effect in 5 States (Florida, Michigan, Minnesota,
Utah, and Wisconsin). In cases arising under the
laws of Michigan and Minnesota, the courts have
ruled them to be inapplicable to interstate
commerce.
Union Constitution Provisions
In early 1954, the Bureau of Labor Statistics
analyzed the constitutions of 133 national and
international unions. Constitutions or bylaws of
local unions were not covered in the study.3 Of
the internationals, 78 required a local union strike
vote and 97 required approval by the interna
tional office before a local could call a strike
♦Prepared in the Bureau’s Division of Wages and Industrial Relations.
This report supplements an earlier tabulation submitted by the Department
of Labor in response to a request of the Senate Committee on Labor and
Public Welfare. T hat tabulation was published in Hearings, 83d Cong., 2d
sess., on Proposed Revisions of the Labor-Management Relations Act of 1947,
Part 6 (p. 3006). Additional union constitutions, including those of railroad,
airline, and government unions, were analyzed for this report.
1 For a discussion of whether an employer may insist on a contract clause
requiring a strike vote, see N LRB Case No. 8-CA-570, Allis-Chalmers M an
ufacturing Co. and Office Employees International Union, Local 19 (AFL),
November 1, 1952.
In this case, the NLRB trial examiner sustained the contention of the
union that the company’s insistence on acceptance of a strike vote clause in
negotiations amounted to interference in internal union affairs. The exam
iner’s recommendations stated that such a clause did not relate to wages or
working conditions and was therefore not a m atter on which a party has the
duty to bargain under the Taft-Hartley Act. This issue is currently under
court review.
2 See Work Stoppage Provisions in Union Agreements, M onthly Labor
Review, March 1952 (p. 272).
2 Most of the national and international union constitutions studied were
dated 1951-52 or later. (Hereafter these unions are called internationals.)
No information is available on strike-vote requirements in local union
constitutions where the internationals did not have such requirements.
497
498
M ONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W , MAY 1954
T able 1.— Provisions for strike vote or control in
international union constitutions 1
Number of—
Constitutional provision
Percent of—
Members
Unions (in thou Unions Members
sands)
Total constitutions covered________
133
15,066
100.0
100.0
Neither local strike vote nor international approval required_______
25
1,115
18.8
7.4
108
13,951
81.2
92.6
67
11
8,631
622
50.4
8.3
57.3
4.1
30
4,698
22.5
31.2
Local union strike vote—
Not required_____ . . _______
Required__ _ _ ___ _ _____
Before and during strike___
Before strike only_. _ ___
Timing not specified___ .
55
78
16
58
4
5,813
9,253
3,083
5,921
249
41.4
58.6
12.0
43.6
3.0
38.6
61.4
20.5
39.3
1.6
International union approval—
Not required_____ . __ _______
Required______
___________
Unqualified approval2.. . . .
Approval for strike benefits
and/or support________ .
36
97
80
1,737
13,329
8,946
27.1
72.9
60.2
11.5
88.5
59.4
17
4,383
12.7
29.1
Local strike vote and/or interna
tional union strike approval required_________ ____
Both local strike vote and international approval required.. .
Only local strike vote required. .
Only international strike approval required_________ ____
1 Excludes unions whose members are employed primarily in government
service.
2 Includes a number of unions which also impose limitations on benefits
or support if strike is undertaken without international office approval.
(table 1). The 133 unions covered by the
study—62 AFL, 30 CIO, and 41 independent
or unafliliated—have a combined membership of
about 15 million workers, or somewhat over 90
percent of all workers estimated to be members
of American trade unions, exclusive of unions
composed primarily of government employees.4
Slightly more than four-fifths of all constitutions
examined, covering nearly 14 million union
members, provided either for a local strike vote,
international union approval for a local strike,
or both. One out of every two constitutions
analyzed included both types of strike-approval
requirements.
workers, required a poll of local union members
for strike action (table 1). The proportion of
constitutions with local strike-vote requirements
was approximately the same among AFL, CIO,
and unaffiliated or independent unions.
In all cases where timing was specified, voting
was to precede the strike call, e. g.:
N o [local] strik e shall be ordered in violation of any
c o n tra c t betw een a n y local union a n d a n y em ployer. No
strik e shall be ordered w ith o u t a tw o -th ird s m a jo rity by
secret b allo t of th e m em bers.
Sixteen unions, with a membership of 3 million,
not only required a strike vote before a strike
could occur, but also provided that union mem
bers indicate by ballot whether they wished either
to continue or to end a strike in progress.
About 2 out of every 3 constitutions requiring
a vote specified the method of voting (table 2).
A secret ballot, at either a regular or special local
union meeting, was expressly required in 31 of the
49 constitutions which referred to the method of
voting.
Generally, the voting privilege was extended to
local union members in “ good standing,” although
in some cases it was restricted to those who had
been members for at least 6 months. Usually,
only members who would be directly involved in
a strike were permitted to vote, although 3 unions
referred to the voting unit in terms of both
“ members and nonmembers.” One union which
provided for conducting the strike vote at a mem
bership meeting also specified that ballots must
be furnished to members who were unable to
attend the meeting.
T able 2.— Method and size of strike vote prescribed in
international union constitutions
Strike-vote specifications
Strike-Vote Provisions
A total of 78 constitutions, nearly 60 percent of
those examined, covering about 9.3 million
4
The 133 unions include 21 primarily confined to the railroad and airline
industry but exclude unions organizing government workers primarily.
The constitutions of 20 such unions were analyzed separately and the results
are given later in this report. Altogether, the data included in this report
cover 153 of the approximately 215 national and international unions known
to the Bureau. See Directory of Labor Unions in the United States, 1953
(BLS Bulletin 1127, p. 1).
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Total requiring local strike v o t e .- _________ . . . ...
Method of local vote:
By “ballot” L .
_ __
By secret ballot__. . . . . __ . _ _______ _ . .
By referendum .___ . . .. ._
_ ____
No specification _____________ _ ._ . ____ ___
Size of voting majority required:
More than half.. . . _ ___________ ______
Three-fifths__ _ . _ ____ .. ._ ____ _______ _
________. . ___________ ___ ___
65 percent
Two-thirds_________________________________
Three-fourths_______________ _____
. _
No specification . . . . . . . .
. . . .
* Constitutions did not specify “secret” or otherwise.
Unions
Members
78
9,253,000
4
31
14
29
240.000
5.539.000
784.000
2.690.000
19
1
1
33
11
13
2.279.000
1,000
15,000
4.989.000
1.348.000
621.000
499
ST R IK E-C O N TR O L PR O V ISIO N S IN UNION C O N STITU TIO N S
Voting Majority Requirement
A two-thirds majority was required in about
half of the 65 international union constitutions
which specified the size of the vote necessary for
strike action (table 2). A simple majority vote
was specified in 19 constitutions.
In many instances, it was not clear whether
approval was required by the majority of the
entire local membership, of those directly affected,
or of those present at the meeting where the
balloting was conducted. In cases where a refer
endum was to be held, presumably a majority of
at least the voting membership was necessary.
Constitutions which defined the majority unit
most commonly specified those present at the
strike-call meeting or those voting at such a meet
ing; some specified those “ present and voting.”
Other definitions found in individual constitu
tions included: the “local” ; the “ members” ; the
“membership affected” ; the “ membership inter
ested” ; and the “ affected members voting.”
In scattered instances, a minimum voting par
ticipation was stipulated. One constitution, for
example, stated that at least one-fourth of the
local must be present and voting; another, at
least 50 percent.
Prior Sanction by International Union
A common prerequisite to strike action by the
local union is formal approval by the international
union office. Ninety-seven of the one hundred
and thirty-three constitutions analyzed, covering
over 13.3 million members, called for such ap
proval either before a local strike could be called,
or before international union financial support,
including strike benefits or other assistance, would
be extended (table 1). Most frequently, the
authority to grant strike approval was vested in
the international union president, the general ex
ecutive board, or a similar union body.
The more stringent requirement that locals
either secure international approval to strike or
be subject to disciplinary action, including sus
pension or expulsion, was found in the constitu
tions of 80 unions with nearly 9 million members.
Examples are the following unqualified provisions:
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
N o strik e shall be called w ith o u t th e a p p ro v al of th e
In te rn a tio n a l P resid en t.
*
*
*
N e ith e r th e In te rn a tio n a l U nion n o r a n y of its Local
U nions or su b o rd in ate bodies, th e ir officers or agents, shall
have th e pow er or a u th o rity to call, encourage, authorize,
ra tify , or engage in a n y strik es o r concerted refusal in th e
course of th e ir em p lo y m en t to use, m an u factu re, process,
o r otherw ise h andle or w ork on a n y goods, m aterials or
com m odities, o r to p erform a n y services, except as ex
pressly au th o rized or ratified in w riting b y th e In te r
n a tio n al P resid en t.
In a few instances, the broad grants of disciplinary
authority to the international union’s executive
office were supplemented by provisions for specific
disciplinary action against locals which violated
strike-approval requirements.
Contrasted with the unqualified constitutional
proviso for strike approval was the requirement
in 17 of the 97 constitutions which made financial
support, including strike benefits or other inter
national union assistance, contingent upon sanction
from the national office. Typicai clauses read as
follows :
A ny local union enterin g in to a strik e before th e griev
ance h as been su b m itte d to th e N atio n al P resid en t an d
E xecutive B oard for consideration, or a fte r th e grievance
has been considered insufficient cause to strike, . . . shall
n o t be su stain ed or receive a n y su p p o rt from th e o rgani
zation.
*
*
*
T he strik e expense of a n y S u b o rd in ate Lodge, or a n y
n u m b er of S ubordinate Lodges w ithin a n y D istric t, shall
be borne a n d p aid by th e In te rn a tio n a l B ro th erh o o d to
th e e x te n t of th e D efense F u n d s a t its com m and. Such
financial assistance, how ever, shall be ren d ered to Sub
o rd in ate Lodges only w hen a strik e shall h av e been ordered
a n d a p p ro v ed by th e E xecutive Council, a n d th e n only to
such m em bers who shall h av e signed th e strik e roll.
In many instances, regardless of the type of
provision found, an international union officer,
usually the national union president or his desig
nated representative, is called upon to attempt to
settle disputed issues between the local union and
the employer with whom it bargains.
Other International Powers Over Local Strikes
The international union office was authorized
to call or to end local union strikes in 31 of the 133
international union constitutions studied. In 3,
500
international officers were given authority to call;
in 27, to terminate a local union strike or terminate
support or financial assistance; and in 1, to call
and end a strike. Constitutions granting inter
national officers the authority to end strikes or
withdraw support also required local unions to
conduct a prestrike vote or to obtain international
union sanction. In these cases, the international
could either direct the local union to call off the
strike or withdraw its approval and end financial
or other assistance. In the latter example, the
local union could continue the strike, despite loss
of the international union’s support. The follow
ing provision illustrates the authority given the
international union both to terminate a strike and
to withdraw support:
W herever th e In te rn a tio n a l E xecutive B oard decides
t h a t it is unw ise to longer continue a n existing strik e, it
will ord er all m em bers of Local U nions who h av e ceased
w ork in connection th e re w ith to resum e w ork a n d th e re
upon an d th e re a fte r all assistance from th e In te rn a tio n a l
U nion shall cease.
The combined membership of the 4 unions
vesting authority in the national office to initiate
a strike was 123,000; only 1 had more than 50,000
members. In contrast, international officers pos
sessed strike-termination powers in unions with a
total of nearly 7)i million members.
Government Employees
Strikes by Federal employees are prohibited by
the Taft-Hartley Act, Section 305, which provides:
“It shall be unlawful for any individual employed
by the United States or any agency thereof includ
ing wholly owned Government corporations to
participate in any strike. Any individual em
ployed by the United States or by any such agency
who strikes shall be discharged immediately from
his employment, and shall forfeit his civil-service
status, if any, and shall not be eligible for reem
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
M ONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W , MAY 1954
ployment for 3 years by the United States or any
such agency.”
Work stoppages to obtain objectives were not
advocated in any of the 20 government-employee
union constitutions surveyed. These unions cov
ered 750,000 union members. Approximately
525,000 were Federal employees; the remainder
were employees of State, city, and local govern
ment agencies. Of the 20 constitutions, 11 which
covered 430,000 union members specifically banned
strikes; all but 3 of the 11 unions included Federal
employees primarily. The 9 other constitutions
contained no reference to strikes. Most of the
constitutions which prohibited strikes incorporated
sections dealing with union objectives and methods
of attaining them, as illustrated in the following
clause:
T h e objects of th is F ed eratio n shall be to ad v an ce th e
social a n d econom ic w elfare a n d ed u catio n of th e em ployees
of th e U n ited S tates a n d to aid in th e perfection of system s
th a t will m ake for g re a te r efficiency in th e various services
of th e U n ited S tates.
T he m eth o d s for a tta in in g these objects shall be by
p e titio n to Congress, by creatin g a n d fostering public
sen tim e n t favorable to proposed reform s, b y cooperation
w ith G o v ern m en t officials a n d em ployees, b y legislation
a n d o th e r law ful m eans: Provided, th a t u n d e r no circum
stances shall th is F e d eratio n engage in or su p p o rt strikes
ag a in st th e U n ited S ta te s G overnm ent.
One union, not included in the group of 20 be
cause it organized industrial workers as well as
some Government workers, authorized the na
tional president to sanction local strikes but pro
hibited strikes “under any circumstances” by
members employed in Federal agencies.
Two of the five unions included in the study
which covered non-Federal government employees
advocated the use of “lawful” and “legitimate”
means to achieve their objectives. These unions
would, of course, be subject to existing State and
local legislation which might ban strike action.
Analysis of
Work Stoppages
During 1953
A n n J. H e r lih y an d D a n ie l P .W il l is , J r .*
in 1953 was lower than in most
postwar years when measured in terms of total
idleness, but relatively high as measured by the
number of stoppages. The number of work stop
pages that began in 1953—5,0911—was exceeded
only in 1952, when 5,117 were recorded. Approxi
mately 2,400,000 workers were directly involved in
disputes which started in 1953—400,000 lower
than the postwar average. All stoppages in effect
during the year resulted in 28,300,000 man-days of
idleness—lower than in any year since World War
II except 1951. Idleness in 1953 amounted to onequarter of 1 percent of total time worked, a reduc
tion of more than one-half compared with the
previous year. (See table 1.)
Stoppages ending in 1953 lasted an average of
20.3 calendar days, compared with 19.6 days in
1952. Idleness for the average worker involved in
a stoppage, however, was somewhat less (11.8
working days), than in the previous year (16.7
days).
Work stoppages in 1953 reflected economic and
other factors. Prices were relatively stable de
spite the termination of economic controls in Feb
ruary, and new production records were attained
in many industries. Reconversion problems
which had attended the end of hostilities in
World War II did not recur after the cessation of
Korean hostilities. However, inflationary pres
sures eased and there was some uncertainty over
the economic outlook, especially in the latter
months of the year. Union demands and settle
ments were also influenced by increasing competi
tion among manufacturers of many products; few
large strikes of long duration occurred in manuS trik e activity
296080— 54------ 2
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
facturing industries. Most of the prolonged large
stoppages were in the construction industry, which
experienced the highest level of activity, in terms
of dollar expenditures and physical volume, record
ed in the 39 years for which data are available.
Peaceful bargaining in the steel and automobile
industries and the absence of a major stoppage
in the bituminous-coal industry were generally
characteristic of industrial relations. The steel
companies and the United Steelworkers (CIO)
in June 1953 agreed on an immediate wage increase
of 8.5 cents an hour and the elimination of geo
graphic wage differentials by mid-1954. Major
automobile manufacturers and the United Auto
mobile Workers (CIO) reached agreement on
upward wage adjustments and liberalized pension
plans after a reopening of their 5-year contracts,
which continue until 1955. With the decline in
coal production, the United Mine Workers (Ind.)
deferred reopening of their contracts.
Greater stress was placed upon “free bargain
ing” to settle disputes, even in defense industries.
Early in the year the Government did not inter
cede, except to offer mediation, in the 63-day strike
at the Evendale, Ohio, jet aircraft engine plant of
General Electric Co., or, later in the year, in the
54-day stoppage involving North American Avi
ation, Inc.
The emergency provisions of the Labor-Man
agement Relations (Taft-Hartley) Act were in
voked by President Eisenhower only once during
1953—in the strike involving about 30,000 long
shoremen in ports from Maine to Virginia. The
strike followed failure of the International Long
shoremen’s Association (Ind.) and the New York
Shipping Association to agree on a contract to
replace the one that expired on September 30. It
was closely related to rivalry between this union,
which had been expelled from the American Fed
eration of Labor on September 22, and the new
ILA chartered by the AFL. The Presidential
*Of the Bureau’s Division of Wages and Industrial Relations.
i
This is the total number of verified strikes in 1953. It does not include 23
small disputes in which the Bureau was unable to secure information from the
parties that an actual work stoppage occurred.
All known work stoppages arising out of labor-management disputes in
volving 6 or more workers and continuing a full day or shift or longer are
included in this report. Figures on “workers invoved” and “man-days idle”
cover all workers made idle for one shift or longer in establishments directly
involved in these stoppages. They do not measure the indirect or secondary
effects on other establishments or industries whose employees are made idle
as a result of material or service shortages.
A forthcoming bulletin will contain more complete data on stoppages
during 1953.
501
502
MONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W , MAY 1954
board of inquiry on the strike reported in Decem
ber that “ the two most sensitive points in this
dispute are those relating to hiring practices
[which, earlier in the year, had been made subject
to regulation under New York and New Jersey
legislation designed to deal with waterfront cor
ruption] and union representation.” The long
shoremen returned to work on October 6 after
issuance of a court restraining order. The stop
page was not resumed at the end of the 80-day
Taft-Hartley injunction, although a new con
tract had not been signed by that time. The
results of the National Labor Relations Board
representation election held in December were
challenged by the AFL and were still in doubt at
the year’s end.2
No work stoppages of serious proportions de
veloped in the railroad industry during the year,
2
held.
On April 1, 1954, the Board set aside the election and ordered a new one
T a b l e 1.—
Work
stoppages
Year
although several emergency boards were created
in 1953 by Executive order under the provisions
of the Railway Labor Act. One of these dis
putes, however, received widespread attention;
it involved a wage dispute between the Brother
hood of Railway Clerks (AFL) and the Railway
Express Agency in Pittsburgh, Pa., Detroit, Mich.,
and Milwaukee, Wis. The stoppage lasted 95
days in Pittsburgh and for shorter periods in the
other 2 cities, and union employees of the com
pany in over 20 additional cities voted to take
strike action before the union called off the strike
after a Presidential emergency board was estab
lished on December 16.
Efforts by union leaders to curb unauthorized
strike action and interunion disputes were evident
in the year’s developments. Except for the
longshore dispute, the general level of stoppages
resulting from inter- or intra-union conflicts was
slightly below the 2 preceding years.
Work stoppages in the United States, 1927 to 1953 1
Workers
involved 3
Work
stoppages
Man-days
idle
Percent
Aver
of esti
age
Per
Num cent of Num mated
Per
dura
work worker
ber
N um tion
ber
ing
total (thou
ber
(thou
in
(calen sands)
em
time
dar
ployed 4 sands) of all volved
work
days)2
ers 5
Year
Percent
of esti
Aver
Per
age
Per
Num cent of Num mated
work worker
dura
ber
ber
Num
ing
total
tion
in
(thou
(thou
ber
time volved
em
(calen sands)
ployed 4 sands) of all
dar
work
days) 2
ers 5
1927.
1928.
1929.
1930.
1931.
1932.
1933.
707
604
921
637
810
841
1,695
26.5
27.6
22.6
22.3
18.8
19.6
16.9
330
314
289
183
342
324
1,170
1.4
1.3
1.2
.8
1.6
1.8
6.3
26,200
12, 600
5,350
3,320
6,890
10, 500
16,900
0.37
.17
.07
.05
.11
.23
.36
79.5
40.2
18.5
18.1
20.2
32.4
14.4
1941__________
1942__________
1943__________
1944__________
1945__________
1946__________
1947__________
4,288
2,968
3,752
4,956
4,750
4, 985
3,693
18.3
11.7
5.0
5.6
9.9
24.2
25.6
2, 360
840
1,980
2,120
3,470
4, 600
2,170
1934.
1935.
1936.
1937.
1938.
1939.
1940.
1,856
2,014
2,172
4, 740
2, 772
2, 613
2,508
19.5
23.8
23.3
20.3
23.6
23.4
20.9
1,470
1,120
789
1,860
688
1,170
577
7.2
5.2
3.1
7.2
2.8
4.7
2.3
19, 600
15,500
13, 900
28,400
9,150
17,800
6,700
.38
.29
.21
.43
.15
.28
.10
13.4
13.8
17.6
15.3
13.3
15.2
11.6
1948__________
1949__________
1950 3_________
1951__________
1952__________
1953 7_________
3,419
3,606
4,843
4, 737
5,117
5,091
21.8
22.5
19.2
17.4
19.6
20.3
1,960
3,030
2,410
2, 220
3,540
2,400
1 Available information for earlier periods is contained in BBS Bulletin
No. 1016, Handbook of Labor Statistics, Table E-2.
2 Figures are simple averages; each stoppage is given equal weight regardless
of its size.
3 Workers are counted more than once in these figures if they were involved
in more than one stoppage during the year. Thus, in 1949, 365,000 to 400,000
coal miners were out on 3 distinct occasions, accounting for 1,150,000 of the
total of 3,030,000 workers.
4 “ Total employed workers” for 1927-1950 refers to all workers except those
in occupations and professions in which there is little if any union organiza
tion or in which stoppages rarely if ever occur. In most industries, it includes
all wage and salary workers except those in executive, managerial, or high
supervisory positions, or those performing professional work the nature of
which makes union organization or group action unlikely. It excludes all
self-employed, domestic workers, workers on farms employing fewer than 6
persons, all Federal and State government employees, and officials, both
elected and appointed, in loca! governments.
In 1951, the concept of “total employed workers” was changed to coincide
with the Bureau’s figures for nonagricultural employment, excluding Govern
ment but including workers in all occupational groups. Tests show that
the percentage of total idleness computed on the basis of these new figures
usually differs from that computed on the old basis by less than one-tenth
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Man-days
idle
Workers
involved 3
8.4 23,000
2.8
4,180
6.9 13, 500
8, 720
7.0
12.2 38,000
14.5 116,000
6.5 34, 600
5.5
9.0
6.9
5.5
8.8
5.6
34,100
50,500
38,800
22, 900
59,100
28,300
0.32
.05
.15
.09
.47
1.43
.41
9.8
5.0
6.8
4.1
11.0
25.2
15.9
.37
.59
.44
.23
.57
.26
17.4
16.7
16.1
10.3
16.7
11.8
of a point while the percentage of workers idle differs by about 0.5 or 0.6 of a
point. For example, the percentage of workers idle during 1950 computed
on the same base as the figures for earlier years is 6.9 and the percent of idle
ness is 0.44 compared with 6.3 and 0.4, respectively, computed on the new
base.
5 For each year, “estimated working time” was computed for purposes of
this table by multiplying the average number of employed workers (see
footnote 4) by the number of days worked by most employees. This number
excludes Saturdays when customarily not worked, Sundays, and established
holidays.
6 Beginning in mid-1950, a new source of strike “leads” was added through
a cooperative arrangement with the Bureau of Employment Security of the
U. S. Department of Labor by which local offices of State employment se
curity agencies supply monthly reports of work stoppages coming to their
attention. It is estimated that this increased the number of strikes reported
in 1950 by perhaps 5 percent and in 1951 and 1952 by approximately 10 percent.
However, since most of the added stoppages were small, they increased the
number of workers involved and man-days of idleness by less than 2 percent
in 1950 and by less than 3 percent in 1951 and 1952. Tests of the effect of this
added source of information have not been made since 1952.
7 The total of 5,091 strikes does not include 23 disputes involving relatively
small numbers of workers for which the Bureau was unable to secure infor
mation from the parties that an actual work stoppage occurred.
508
WORK STOPPAGES DURING 1953
The AFL established a special committee to
devise machinery for the more effective settlement
of jurisdictional disputes among its affiliates, and
the CIO reported that its procedure for settling
jurisdictional problems was functioning success
fully. Late in 1953, the AFL and CIO ratified
a “no-raiding” pact applying to international
unions which voluntarily agree to be bound by it.
In several instances international union leader
ship took action to curb unauthorized or “wildcat”
work stoppages. Notable among these was the
action of the officials of the Bridge, -Structural,
and Ornamental Iron Workers (AFL) in expelling
for life the business agent of a local union which
carried on an unauthorized 29-day strike at a
Joppa, 111., power plant being constructed to
supply power for Atomic Energy Commission
facilities. In the same action, six other members
of the local were expelled from the union for
periods ranging from 7 to 10 years.3
A 62-day strike involving truck drivers em
ployed by building materials dealers in New York
City was terminated in early September after the
international president of the Teamsters Union
(AFL) intervened in the dispute. Although this
stoppage involved less than 3,000 truck drivers, it
indirectly idled about 100,000 construction work
ers in the New York metropolitan area and halted
work on many projects.
Major Issues Involved
About three-fourths of the year’s idleness was
caused by disputes over wages and/or other
monetary matters (table 2).4 Among the major
stoppages in this classification were 10 in the con
struction industry; 2 in the communications in
dustry (at New Jersey Bell and Southwestern
Bell Telephone Co.); the 54-day strike at North
American Aviation, Inc.; the 11-day stoppage
that suspended publication of 6 major New York
City newspapers; and a strike at American Can
Co. and Continental Can Co., which began in
December and continued until early January 1954.
Disputes over other working conditions, such
as job security, shop conditions and policies and
8
The stoppage was terminated on October 13 after a restraining order was
issued by a Federal court.
i Monetary issues combined with union security accounted for another 4
percent of the man-days idle—less than in other postwar years. In 1952,
stoppages over these combined issues accounted for nearly half of all mandays because they included the nationwide steel strike.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
workloads, accounted for over a fifth of the year’s
stoppages and more than a fourth of the number
of workers idle. A notable example was the strike
by members of the United Hatters, Cap and Milli
nery Workers (AFL) in support of their demand
for renewal of a contract clause prohibiting further
diversion of work from Norwalk, Conn., plants of
the Hat Corporation of America to other areas.
T able 2.— Major issues involved in work stoppages, 1953
Work stoppages beginning
in 1953
Major issues
All issues________________
Man-days idle
during 1953 (all
stoppages)
Workers
involved
PerNum cent
Per
Per
ber
of
total N um ber cent Number cent
of
of
total
total
5,091 100.0 2,400,000 100.0 28, 300,000 100.0
Wages, hours, and fringe
benefits1------- -- --- -- 2,825
55.5 1,460,000
60.8 21,800, 000
77.1
35.3
.5
836,000
9,250
34.8 14, 500,000
133,000
.4
51.5
.5
1.7
78,200
3.3 1, 060,000
3.7
5.4
177,000
7.4 2, 540,000
9.0
.9
11.6
52,600
307,000
234,000
2.2
12.8 3,280,000
.8
11.6
202
4.0
45,200
1.9 1,250,000
4.4
119
2.3
12, 000
.5
317,000
1.1
26
.5
17,100
.7
505,000
1.8
57
1.1
16,100
.7
424,000
1.5
543
10.7
117,000
4.9
935,000
3.3
361
7.1
30, 500
1.3
520,000
1.8
38
89
10
45
.7
1.7
.2
.9
6, 500
16, 700
920
62, 500
.3
.7
(2)
2.6
90,100
195,000
10,800
120,000
.3
.7
(2)
.4
Other working conditions---- 1,135
22.3
638,000
26.6 3, 560,000
12.6
9.9
235,000
9.8 1,730,000
6.1
10.6
1.5
.3
326,000
53,500
23,600
13.6 1,300,000
493,000
2.2
35,800
1.0
4.6
1.7
.1
275
1,798
Wage i n c r e a s e ---23
Wage decrease___ ___
Wage increase, hour de
89
crease------------ - Wage increase, pension
and/or social insurance
277
benefits___ -- Pension and/or social in
48
surance benefits ---590
Other_________- Union organization, wages,
hours, and fringe benefits L
Recognition, wages and/
or hours __
------Strengthening bargain
ing position, wages
and/or hours________
Closed or union shop,
wages and/or hours---Union organization____ --Recognition—
Strengthening bargain
ing position
--------Closed or union shop---Discrimination.. . . . .
Other________________
Job security.. ---- - -Shop conditions and
policies____ ___
Workload — -------Other 3___ -- --- - --Interunion or intraunion
matters— ---- - - -
502
540
77
16
2.4
5.4
130,000
5.4
684,000
Sym pathy..
---- -Union rivalry or fac
tionalism <__
Jurisdiction__ _____ -Union regulations
Other____ ____ - --
64
1.3
19,700
.8
107,000
.4
49
158
2
1
1.0
3.1
.1
(?)
50,800
56,600
900
1,500
2.1
2.4
(2)
.1
234,000
327,000
11,000
4,500
.8
1.2
(2)
(2)
Not reported------- ------------
111
2.2
13,200
.6
45,900
.2
1 “Fringe benefits” has been added to the title only for purposes of clarifi
cation. There has been no change from previous years in definition or con
tent of these groups.
2 Less than 0.1 percent.
s This group includes protest strikes against action, or lack of action, by
Government agencies.
<This group includes the 5-day strike involving 30,000 longshoremen on
the East Coast in October (see p. 501).
504
The strike began in July and was still in effect at
the end of the year.
Union security issues were dominant in about a
tenth of the strikes in 1953, accounting for less
than 5 percent of the workers involved and total
idleness. Most of the stoppages in this group in
volved attempts to gain union recognition and
initial contracts from their employers. Out
standing among these were the lengthy strike
involving employees of Calcasieu Paper Co. and
Southern Industries, Inc., in Elizabeth, La.,
which began in September 1952, and the 28-day
stoppage of Louisiana sugarcane field workers.
Both of these stoppages failed to gain union recog
nition. The paper strike Avas accompanied by
violence, including dynamiting.
Stoppages of 10,000 or More Workers
Typically, about one stoppage out of 200 in
volves 10,000 or more workers. This ratio was
approximated again in 1953 with 28 such large
stoppages recorded. (See table 3.) Most of
these were relatively short, however, and none
was industrywide in scope. The 650,000 workers
involved and the 7,270,000 man-days of idleness
in these stoppages made up only a fourth of the
year’s totals. These large stoppages accounted
for a smaller proportion of strike idleness in 1953
than in all other postwar years except 1951. In
1952, primarily because of the steel strike, the 35
large stoppages accounted for almost two-thirds
(62.6 percent) of total idleness.
Ten of the large stoppages in 1953 were in the
construction industry, which is essentially local
in its operations. Three of these strikes, relatively
brief in their duration, did, however, affect projects
of the Atomic Energy Commission. The auto
mobile industry experienced 4 stoppages of 10,000
or more workers; steel, 3; rubber and telephones,
2 each; aircraft, shipping, food products, apparel,
dairies, newspapers, and containers, 1 each.
Stoppages of construction workers in northern
California and employees of North American Avi
ation were the largest in terms of idleness. Eleven
of the major stoppages lasted less than a week;
another 5 were concluded in less than 2 weeks; 4
were in effect at least 2 weeks but less than a
month; and 7 continued more than a month. The
longest involved employees of the New Jersey Bell
Telephone Co., North American Aviation, Inc.,
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW, MAY 1954
T able 3.— Work stoppages involving 10,000 or more workers,
selected periods
Stoppages involving 10,000 or more workers
Period
1935-39 average__
1947-49 average. . .
1945___________
1946___________
1947___________
1948___________
1949___________
1950___________
1951___________
1952 _________
1953___________
Num
ber
Percent
of total
for
period
11
18
42
31
15
20
18
22
19
35
28
0.4
.5
.9
.6
.4
.6
.5
.5
.4
.7
.5
Workers in
volved 1
Man-days idle
Num
ber
(thou
sands)
Percent
of total
for
period
Num
ber
(thou
sands)
365
1, 270
1, 350
2, 920
1, 030
870
1, 920
738
457
1,690
650
32.4
53.4
38.9
63.6
47.5
44.5
63.2
30.7
20.6
47.8
27.1
5,290
23, 800
19,300
66, 400
17, 700
18. 900
34, 900
21, 700
5,680
36,900
7,270
Percent
of total
for
period
31.2
59.9
50.7
57.2
51.2
55.3
69.0
56.0
24.8
62.6
25.7
1 See footnote 3, table 1.
and construction workers in 5 areas-—northern
California and the metropolitan areas of Phila
delphia, Detroit, Kansas City, and Indianapolis.
One major stoppage which began December 2 con
tinued into January 1954. This dispute involved
30,000 employees of two major producers of paper
and metal containers. Wages or related benefits
were the major issues in most large strikes, as in
a majority of all stoppages.
Industries Affected
Construction was the only industry in which
idleness exceeded 1 percent of total time worked
during 1953. The 8,000,000 man-days idle in this
industry was nearly triple the next largest total
for an industry group. About half of this idleness
resulted from the 10 stoppages involving 10,000 or
more workers. This industry also experienced a
record number of stoppages-—-1,039, as compared
with the previous peak of 794, reached in 1952.
(See table 4.)
More than 2,000,000 man-days idle were re
corded in each of 3 other industry groups-—ma
chinery (except electrical); transportation equip
ment; and transportation, communication, and
other public utilities.
In contrast to 1952, when idleness in each of 13
industry groups exceeded 1,000,000 man-days, only
9 recorded such idleness for 1953. In addition to
the 4 industry groups mentioned above, idleness of
more than 1,000,000 man-days occurred in fabri
cated metal products; electrical machinery, equip
ment, and supplies; food and kindred products;
and trade.
505
WORK STOPPAGES DURING 1953
T able 4.— Work stoppages by industry group, 1953
Stoppages be
ginning in 1953
Industry group
All industries_____________________
M
a n u f a c t u r in g
__________ ________
Prim ary metal industries_________ - Fabricated metal products (except ord
nance machinery, and transportation
equipment)____ _______ ____
Ordnance and accessories____ - - -_
Electrical machinery, equipment, and
supplies_______________________
Machinery (except electrical)________
Transportation equipment-- - - - - - Lumber and wood products (except
furniture) ________________________ ________
Furniture and fixtures___________________
Stone, clay, and glass products _________
Textile mill products-.. - ______ __ Apparel and other finished products
made from fabrics and similar materials ------- ---------------------------------------------Leather and leather products________
Food and kindred products_______ Tobacco manufactures______________
Paper and allied products,. - ----------Printing, publishing, and allied industries__________________________ __
Chemicals and allied products_______
Products of petroleum and coal______
Rubber products_______________ - - Professional, scientific, and controlling
instruments; photographic and optical goods; watches and clocks____
Miscellaneous manufacturing industries___________________________
N ONM A NUFAC TUR ING______________
Agriculture, forestry, and fishing _______
M ining _____________________________________
Construction ---------- -------------------------Trade____________________________
Finance, insurance, and real estate _____
Transportation, communication, and
other public utilities ______ __ ________
Services— personal, business, and other,
Govemment—administration, protection, and sanitation 5___ - ------------ --
Man-days idle
dining 1953 (all
stoppages)
Percent
of esti
mated
Num Work
work
ers
in
Number
ber volved i
ingtime
of all
work
ers 2
5,091 2,400,000 28,300,000
0.26
32,612 1,320,000 15,600,000
.36
312
202,000 1, 510,000
.45
291
23
102,000 1,690,000
164,000
21,400
.57
.32
137
286
179
76,600 1,620,000
126,000 2,150,000
300,000 2, 730,000
.53
.50
.55
Stoppages by States
More than a million man-days of idleness were
recorded in each of 9 industrialized States, as
compared with 15 in 1952. The largest amount
was the 3,070,000 man-days in New York, followed
T able 5.— Work stoppages by State, 1953
W o r k s to p p a g e s b e g in n in g
in 1953
125
134
128
88
193
48
213
4
45
44
107
19
102
19,800
25,100
19,400
26,600
.26
.28
.23
.19
512,000
269,000
316,000
593,000
.09
.10
.30
.08
.16
296,000
35,600
11,900
99,100
98,400 1,210,000
20,800
480
15,400
222,000
21,300
36, 500
2,610
141,000
.12
.43
.16
.71
245,000
825,000
105,000
493,000
41
11,400
246,000
.29
105
21,000
280,000
.22
3 2,479 1,090,000 12,700,000
.19
14
460
1,039
408
13
113,000
8,140
156,000 846,000
574,000 8,000,000
71,200 1,050,000
950
21,600
0)
372
145
256,000 2,380,000
202,000
14,400
(*)
53,400
(<)
30
6,280
0)
.40
1.22
.04
.22
Idleness in the mining industry was lower than
in any year since 1942. The 850,000 man-days
of idleness was about a fifth of the 1952 total, and
the 460 stoppages compared with 650 in 1952.
Other industries which had fewer disputes in
1953 than in 1952 included ordnance and acces
sories ; machinery (except electrical); transporta
tion equipment; lumber and wood products;
stone, clay and glass products; textile mill prod
ucts; apparel and other finished products; leather
and leather products; paper and allied products;
M a n -d a y s id le
d u r in g 1953 (all
s to p p a g e s)
W o rk er s in v o lv e d i
S ta te
1 S ee fo o tn o te 3, ta b le 1.
2 S ee fo o tn o te s 4 a n d 5, ta b le 1.
3 T h is figu re is le ss th a n th e s u m o f th e fig u res b e lo w b e c a u se a fe w s to p p a g e s
e x te n d in g in t o tw o or m o r e in d u s t r y g ro u p s h a v e b e e n c o u n te d in th is c o lu m n
in eac h in d u s t r y grou p a ffecte d ; w o r k e r s in v o lv e d a n d m a n -d a y s id le w e r e
d iv id e d a m o n g th e r e s p e c tiv e g ro u p s.
4 N o t a v a ila b le .
! S to p p a g e s in v o lv i n g m u n ic ip a lly o p e r a te d u t ilit ie s a re in c lu d e d u n d e r
“ T r a n s p o r ta tio n , c o m m u n ic a tio n , a n d o th e r p u b lic u t ili t ie s .”
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
rubber products; and transportation, communica
tion, and other public utilities.
N um
b er
N um b er
P ercen t
o f to ta l
f o r U .S .
N um ber
P ercen t
o f to ta l
f o r U .S .
1 0 0 .0 2 8 ,3 0 0 ,0 0 0
100 .0
2 5,091
2 ,4 0 0 ,0 0 0
A la b a m a __________________
A r iz o n a ____________________
A r k a n s a s _______ _________
C a lifo r n ia ______________ __
C o lo r a d o .. ____________ .
C o n n e c tic u t_____________ _
110
13
42
269
34
86
3 6 ,200
2 ,1 3 0
11,700
210,000
6, 550
2 8 ,800
1 .5
.1
.5
8 .8
.3
1 .2
289,000
43, 500
132,000
2 ,9 6 0 ,0 0 0
6 9 ,0 0 0
526,000
1 .0
.2
.5
1 0 .5
.2
1 .9
D e la w a r e ________ ________
D is t r ic t o f C o lu m b ia ______
F lo r id a ________ _____ ______
G e o r g ia __________ _________
I d a h o ______________ ______
I lli n o i s _________ . _______
12
16
75
54
13
316
8 ,4 6 0
4, 510
2 4 ,4 0 0
13, 400
3 ,4 3 0
9 8 ,200
.4
.2
1 .0
.6
.1
4 .1
3 1 6,000
2 3 ,9 0 0
217,000
120,000
20,900
1 ,4 3 0 ,0 0 0
1 .1
.1
.8
.4
.1
5 .0
I n d ia n a _____________
I o w a _______________________
K a n s a s ____________________
K e n t u c k y _______________
L o u is ia n a _________
M a in e .............................. . . . .
191
60
31
163
70
16
139,000
21,200
15,400
8 5 ,300
2 3 ,0 0 0
5 ,0 9 0
5 .8
.9
.6
3 .6
1 .0
.2
1 ,5 4 0 ,0 0 0
387,000
3 2 3,000
422,000
286, 000
2 8 ,600
5 .5
1 .4
1.1
1 .5
1 .0
.1
M a r y la n d __________ ____
M a s s a c h u s e t t s _________ __
M ic h ig a n _____ ____________
M in n e s o t a _________________
M is s is s ip p i________________
M is s o u r i___________________
45
176
331
70
20
140
19,400
4 6 ,100
297,000
1 6 ,0 0 0
2, 490
61,300
.8
1 .9
12 .4
.7
.1
2 .6
191,000
618,000
2 ,4 5 0 ,0 0 0
272, 000
4 8 ,100
1, 220,000
.7
2 .2
8 .7
1 .0
.2
4 .3
M o n t a n a __________________
N e b r a s k a --------------------------N e v a d a . . . . . ---------- -------N e w H a m p s h ir e __________
N e w J e r s e y -----------------------N e w M e x ic o ----------------------
10
17
17
16
263
20
3, 710
4 ,6 8 0
3, 610
2,1 1 0
80, 600
5,8 7 0
.2
.2
.2
.1
3 .4
.2
9 8 ,0 0 0
87, 400
2 9 ,700
21,800
1, 280,000
41,700
.3
.3
.1
.1
4 .5
.1
N e w Y o r k _________________
N o r t h C a r o lin a ____________
N o r t h D a k o t a _____________
O h io _______________________
O k la h o m a _________________
O r eg o n ------------ -----------------
585
25
10
518
53
49
2 08,000
1 0 ,100
930
218,000
18, 400
1 0 ,200
8 .7
.4
(3)
9 .1
.8
.4
3 ,0 7 0 ,0 0 0
196,000
1 3 ,300
2 ,3 9 0 ,0 0 0
255,000
129,000
P e n n s ly v a n ia --------------------R h o d e I s la n d _____________
S o u th C a r o lin a ____________
S o u th D a k o t a _____________
T e n n e s s e e _________________
T e x a s _____________________
632
37
21
3
125
89
3 18,000
11, 200
25, 400
500
65, 500
58,100
1 3 .2
2 ,9 9 0 ,0 0 0
134,000
114,000
18,900
605,000
668,000
1 0 .6
1.1
(3)
2 .7
2 .4
U t a h _________________ . . .
V e r m o n t __________ ________
V ir g in ia ________________ . .
W a s h in g to n ----- -------W e s t V ir g in ia _____________
W is c o n s in ___ ________ _____
W y o m in g _______________ _
39
8
65
66
165
100
16
2 3 ,400
2,0 5 0
24, 900
4 6 ,000
49, 500
3 0 ,3 0 0
1,7 4 0
1 .0
.1
1 .0
1 .9
2 .1
1 .3
.1
246,000
5 5 ,000
157,000
581,000
347. 000
771,000
21, 400
.9
.2
.6
2 .1
1 .2
2 .7
.1
A ll S t a t e s ___________ - . . .
.5
1 0 .8
.7
(3)
8 .5
.9
.5
.5
.4
.1
2 .1
2 .4
1 S ee fo o tn o te 3, ta b le 1.
2 T h e s u m o f th e fig u res in t h is c o lu m n e x c e e d s 5,091 b eca u se th e sto p p a g e s
e x te n d in g a cross S ta te lin e s h a v e b e e n c o u n te d in ea c h S ta te a ffe c te d , b u t t h e
w o r k e r s in v o lv e d a n d m a n -d a y s id le w e r e d iv id e d a m o n g th e S ta te s .
3 L e s s th a n 0.1 p e r c e n t.
506
by 2,990,000 in Pennsylvania, 2,960,000 in Cali
fornia, 2,450,000 in Michigan, and 2,390,000 in
Ohio. All of these figures represent significant
decreases from 1952. In fact, the largest decline
occurred in Pennsylvania where the 1953 total
was about 75 percent under the 11,800,000 mandays of idleness recorded for 1952. The second
largest decrease was for Ohio, where the trend
is also influenced by developments in steel and
coal, and which had 7,260,000 man-days of idle
ness in 1952, compared with 2,390,000 in 1953.
(See table 5.)
Pennsylvania again recorded the largest num
ber of stoppages, 632, compared with 692 in 1952.
There were 585 stoppages in New York compared
with 600 in 1952, and 518 in Ohio compared with
444 in 1952. In 10 other States more than 100
but fewer than 325 stoppages were recorded. In
all States except South Dakota and Vermont 10
or more stoppages were recorded; in these there
were 3 and 8, respectively.
Unions Involved
Affiliates of the AFL were involved in more than
half (56 percent) of the strikes, accounting for
about 44 percent of the workers involved and 52
percent of the man-days of idleness of which about
half occurred in the construction industry. CIO
affiliates accounted for a quarter of the strikes.
These involved 38 percent of all workers and 34
percent of the year’s idleness. Unaffiliated unions
accounted for about 15 percent of the strikes and
13 percent of the workers affected, but only 8 per
cent of the idleness. (See table 6.)
Trends During the Year
The occurrence of strikes during 1953 generally
followed seasonal trends of other postwar years,
reaching highest levels in the second and third
quarters. Strike idleness was also at its peak in
these two quarters. The 28 stoppages involving
the most workers were rather evenly distributed
throughout the year, although the largest number
(10) began in the second quarter; 7 occurred in the
first 3 months, 5 in the third quarter, and 6 in the
last 3 months.
The second quarter of the year was the highest
in all three measures of strike activity—strikes,
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW, MAY 1954
workers involved, and man-days of idleness. It
accounted for a third of the year’s stoppages and
two-fifths of the year’s idleness. The number of
strikes and workers involved reached lowest levels
in the fourth quarter, but man-days idle in this
period exceeded idleness in the first quarter. Each
of the large stoppages in the first quarter lasted a
week or less; several large strikes in the final quar
ter of the year continued more than 2 weeks, and
one lasted nearly 8 weeks. Long strikes involving
fewer than 10,000 workers during this period in
cluded the Railway Express stoppage referred to
earlier, and a strike of employees of Pittsburgh
department and furniture stores and package
delivery services which began in November and
continued into 1954.
T
a b l e
6 .—
Work stoppages by affiliation of unions involved,
1953
Stoppages beginning in 1953
Affiliation
T otal.---------
- -
PerNum cent
ber totalof
5,091
American Federation of
Labor 2 - - - - ------- 2,861
Congress of Industrial Organizatlons .................. 1,312
786
Unaffiliated unions- --Single firm unions _ 20
Different affiliations:
Rival unions 3______
37
Cooperating unions 4__
18
No union involved _ 46
Not reported . 11
Workers in
volved 1
Man-days idle
during 1953
(all stoppages)
Per
Per
Number cent of Number cent of
total
total
100.0 2,400,000
100.0 28, 300,000
100.0
56.2 1,060,000
44.2 14,600,000
51.6
25.8
15.4
.4
901,000
320,000
7,940
37.5 9, 700,000
13.3 2,210,000
.3
42,800
34.3
7.8
.2
.7
.4
.9
.2
40,500
65,400
5, 560
910
1.7
204, 000
2.7 1, 510,000
.2
19, 400
3,980
(5)
.7
5.3
.1
(5)
1 See footnote 3, table 1.
2 All stoppages in 1953 involving the United Brotherhood of Carpenters
and Joiners of America are included in this category, although this union
withdrew from the AFL from August 12 to September 8.
3 Disputes between unions of different affiliations—unions which recognize
no established jurisdictional lines between them and their rivals in the same
field.
<The stoppage involving North American Aviation, Inc., is in this group.
I t involved about 32,000 workers. Approximately 200 of these workers were
represented by the United Welders of America (Ind.); the rest were repre
sented by the United Automobile Workers (CIO).
5 Less than 0.1 percent.
Strikes beginning during the month rose from
341 in January to a peak of 596 in May, then de
creased each month to the year’s low of 145 in
December. Idleness, however, was lowest in
February (1,100,000 man-days), increased to a
peak of 4,530,000 man-days in June, then declined
to 1,700,000 in September and remained close to
this level for the rest of the year. A large portion
of the June idleness can be traced to stoppages in
the construction trades.
The Shortage of Creative Manpower
A Program To Meet the Urgent Need
for Engineering, Scientific,
and Managerial Personnel
J.
D ouglas B r o w n *
E ditor ’s N ote .— This article is the first of two
chapter reprints from 11Manpower in the United
States: Problems and Policies ,” scheduled for
publication this year by Harper & Brothers.
The volume is a collection of 16 essays by different
authors and constitutes the annual publication of
the Industrial Relations Research Association.
The second article will be on “Increasing Utiliza
tion Through Better Management of Human
R e s o u r c e s b y Rensis Likert and Stanley E.
Seashore.
As
in the development of mass produc
tion, the United States must also pioneer in the
solution of the ever changing problems which mass
production creates. Among these are problems of
pricing, distribution, finance, advertising, creation
of replacement demand, avoidance of saturation
of markets, and the rapid obsolescence of produc
tive equipment. The steady advancement of
engineering design, of standardization of parts,
and of production and assembly techniques has
been assumed to be an inevitable inheritance of
Yankee mechanical ingenuity rather than a prob
lem. We have lived on that inheritance for
several generations, but with the arrival of the
scientific age new complexities have arisen in
keeping mass production effective. These com
plexities have been sharply accentuated by the
vast application of science to war.
The new problem is that of adjusting our man
power resources to the pattern of demand required
by the mass production of a rapidly changing
stream of complex goods. We have come to the
a
p io n e e r
painful realization that mass production of such
goods places pressure upon our manpower resources
not so much at the rank-and-file level of fabrica
tors, assemblers, and distributors but, most of all,
upon the far scarcer manpower which creates the
ideas, designs, processes, and equipment which
in turn makes thousandfold duplication desirable
and possible. So long as mass-produced goods
were relatively simple, like flour, cloth, washing
machines, or even passenger cars, the balance of
creative design to plant engineering was not too
demanding upon the former. However, with the
urgent need for faster planes, atomic weapons,
electronic controls, and high-capacity metals and
fuels, the shift of demand to the creative side of
the balance in mass production has been sharp
and drastic.
The functions performed in modern mass
production can be divided roughly into four major
stages in the development of the production of a
new and complex item.
I. The creation of ideas. This may be a new
mathematical formula which explains the con
version of mass into energy, a chemical discovery
of new compounds or processes, a physical prin
ciple, the further understanding of the behavior
of matter, or imaginative application of new
materials or structural forms to known needs.
II. The engineering implementation of new ideas.
Such implementation selects and applies new ideas
and fits them into known technology or invents
new technology which can apply them. The
process of implementation overlaps at one end the
creative work of the scientist. At the other, it
* D e a n of t h e F a c u l t y , P r in c e to n U n iv e r s it y .
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
507
508
reaches the borders of day-to-day understanding
of plant operations. It includes the vast area of
design, materials, structures, pilot-plant testing,
tool design, layout, and operational standards.
III. The initial organization of the human,
MONTHLY LABOR R EV IE W , MAY 1954
production staff. Rather the Government, under
the pressure of competitive armaments, demands,
and can afford to demand, more rapid improve
ments in existing items as well as new types of
items requiring sustained activity at all stages
financial, and technological factors for efficient
in the mass-production cycle.
production. Here the essential idea becomes an
2. Rapid obsolescence has become the essence
economic realty by the combination of all the
of sound military technology. Rather than stock
complex of complementary agents necessary to its
ing vast supplies of aging equipment, national
efficient and profitable production. The creative
security now puts a premium on the constant re
elements at this step require a wide range of talents
placement of limited quantities of one prototype
in human organization, motivation, control, judg
in planes, tanks, ships, rockets, and electronic
devices by radically improved modes. This
ment, and insight.
IV. The maintenance of efficient repetitive produc
places a far greater pressure on the creative stages
tion at a desired volume. It is at this point that
of the mass-production cycle, relative to stage IV,
mass production “pays out.” Because of the
than occurs in normal times.
spectacular results of American plants producing
3. In times of peace, there has been a tendency
thousands and millions of standard items at
for the pressure upon the creative stages of the
mass-production cycle to vary with the general
relatively low cost, this stage of the mass-produc
business cycle. Pressure has developed when an
tion cycle has received great popular acclaim. It
involves a high level of administrative arts, but it
anticipated high potential of consumer demand
and purchasing power is accompanied by a period
is the end and not the beginning of a creative
of vigorous competition for sales. In such a period,
process.
manufacturers seek new or improved items to
In analyzing the needs in human resources
assure themselves their share of available markets.
required in the mass-production cycle, it is obvious
The United States is apparently in such a stage at
but far too little emphasized in the American
present. Consumers are spending billions on new
mind that it is steps I to III which require the
highest talents available. Further, the American
gadgets at the same time that the Government
seeks new types of armament. Both are putting
industrialist, as well as the American public, has
pressure on the limited resources of American
assumed too easily that the talent required in steps
I to III would be available whenever needed and
science, engineering, and management to satisfy
their urge for the new and the better.
to the amount required to meet the demands for
4. The human resources required in the first
new products forthcoming at stage IV. This
three stages of the mass-production cycle are the
misapprehension of automaticity in the supply of
most difficult to expand. Scientists, it is almost
high talent is now giving our manpower planners a
correct to say, are born, not made. Their educa
severe case of “jitters.”
Why has the United States been caught short
tion must continue many years past the common
high-school level. Engineers of the creative type
in its supply of the creative type of manpower so
needed in mass production? Several reasons may
require graduate training and thorough practical
experience. Designers, technicians, and toolbe suggested.
1.
Whereas in more normal times demand for makers must have a high level of capacity and
mass-produced items is determined by the millions
years of experience to be trusted with creative
work. The talent for executive management
of consumers of end products and, for new items,
which can plan and organize new plants and ven
is subject to some extent to the manufacturer’s
tures develops largely through experience. At no
desire for orderly and gradual change, in time of
war or preparation for war the Government be
time can the supply be suddenly enlarged. In
all these areas we are largely limited by the scarcity
comes the heavy demander of new and complex
of native talent as well as the time required to
items in mass production. No longer is the manu
cultivate that talent.
facturer able to regulate through advertising or
5. At a time of great pressure upon these scarce
pricing the demand for radically changed designs
human resources, our most effective institutions
or to limit change to the capacity of his routine
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
T H E SH ORTAGE O F C R E A TIV E M ANPOW ER
for screening and developing such talent are
seriously restricted by financial limitations. Uni
versities and engineering schools are hard pressed
to maintain their scientific and engineering facul
ties in the face of inflation and severe competition
from industry. The cost of adequate laboratories
and up-to-date equipment has risen sharply. The
living cost of students has risen far faster than
fellowship funds available to meet them. In
many institutions a rapid expansion of the produc
tion of trained men can be attained only at the
expense of quality. But it is the highly qualified
graduate that is needed for the creative stages of
mass production.
6. It is unfortunate but true that scarcity in any
resource stimulates a tendency for hoarding.
With adequate funds and a likelihood of continued
prosperity, there is a temptation for the strongly
established industrial firm to build reserves of
talent against possible future needs. At the same
time that industry has criticized the Armed Forces
for wasting trained talent by overdemand and
misassignment, some corporations have used the
excuse of training requirements and necessary pro
tection against enlarged future needs to hold
graduate engineers in positions not requiring their
level of education or experience.
7. It will never be possible to estimate accu
rately the number of creative scientists and engi
neers who were lost from the flow of trainees
because of the interruptions and diversion of
careers arising from World War II. Experience
in organized military activity may contribute
greatly to maturing a man’s capacity in dealing
with his fellows. It does not, however, offer an
effective substitute for the exact, integrated, and
continuous training afforded by a scientific or
engineering program in a university or by inten
sive specialization in creative effort in industry.
Interruption in the development of a scientist or
research engineer, as with a medical doctor, ap
pears to be costly in terms of quality and quantity
of the end product. Too many men fail to return
to their previous training programs or lose the
momentum which carries them to the higher levels
of attainment.
These appear to be some of the reasons for the
imbalance of demand and supply of the creative
types of specialized manpower needed in the sup
port of mass-production industries at the present
time. These questions are relevant: How long
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
509
will this shortage continue, and, if likely to con
tinue, what remedial steps should be taken?
It is anyone’s guess as to how long the United
States will be faced with the threat of sporadic
local outbreaks or a worldwide atomic-age war.
The plain fact is that we are now faced by such
a prospect and any lulls in military preparation or
activity must be considered temporary respites.
If our economy must be geared to the constant
improvement of a vast military technology plus
the rapid proliferation of approved prototypes
should large-scale war occur, it is difficult to avoid
the assumption that the creative stages of the
mass-production cycle will remain under unusual
pressure. Any increased acceleration of tech
nological change, such as occurred following the
Korean outbreak, will sharply increase this pres
sure. On the other hand, a decreased acceleration,
especially if reinforced by a general business
recession, would reduce the pressure drastically.
It will be dangerous to misinterpret such a release
of pressure as indicative of a new norm. We have
already made that mistake once—in the immediate
postwar period.
Since the only safe course is to assume a longcontinued though variable pressure on the man
power resources needed in the creative stages of
the mass-production cycle, it is important that
steps be taken to compensate that pressure by
adequate supplies. We are, however, dealing
with human resources of high talent and keen
sensitivity to motivation; with long spans of
education and experience; and with a growing
public apathy toward any differential treatment
of individuals of high potential attainment. Public
policy to enhance and conserve our supply of
creative talent must, therefore, be imaginative,
farsighted, and understandable. Several elements
of that policy may be suggested.
1.
The Government of the United States should
assume clear-cut leadership in educating the
American public concerning the vital need for a
sustained flow of manpower into the creative
fields. Such a flow is a brutally evident necessity
in an economy of hot war or cold war. We
learned in 1865 that economic strength was the
essential basis of military victory. We relearned
it in 1918 and 1945. We must keep that lesson
before us when we are tempted to satisfy the
political urge of treating all manpower alike when
certain categories of manpower are far more
510
effective in the logistical support of combat than
in combat itself. We are facing an opponent
which disregards sentimental considerations of
“equity” and assigns men to tasks on a coldly
rational basis. It is training great numbers of
men in science and engineering.
2. For this reason, the degree of selectivity
already attained in the assignment of men to
military service as opposed to uninterrupted edu
cation or training should be sustained and en
hanced. If there is discrimination according to
economic status, this should be remedied by assist
ing qualified individuals to finance their continued
education rather than by interrupting the educa
tion of all.
3. To obtain the precious cream of creative
talent, a far greater volume of whole milk must be
processed through our education system. Talent
occurs in all groups and areas of our population.
Far more is lost through lack of encouragement and
resources than we can afford. Even the United
States cannot support free education for all at all
levels. For this reason the selective process in
education must be sharpened, not to exclude indi
viduals at the lower levels but to assure inclusion
of all qualified persons at the higher levels.
4. High talent requires and warrants a superior
quality of education. To a discouraging degree
American education has swung toward an em
phasis upon the education of the average student.
The contrary emphasis in Great Britain and
continental Europe has produced results which are
obvious to anyone acquainted with the progress of
creative science and engineering in the last 50
years. It is not necessary for us to curtail the edu
cation of the average, but far greater support, both
financial and political, must be given to the highest
quality of advanced education. We have spent
far more money on the education of those who
enjoy the results of mass production than on the
education of those who make it possible. We have
failed to realize that, of all commodities, talent is
the least susceptible to mass production.
5. Until the educational and research programs
of the United States have become fully geared to
the production of the creative talent we need, we
should encourage in every way possible the trans
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
MONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W , MAY 1954
fusion of our supply with that of the best of Free
Europe. We have much to gain from the continued
exchange of scientists and engineers between
countries. The trading of production “know
how” for creative ideas is a profitable one for us,
quite apart from rich cultural advantages to both
parties to the exchange. The free nations can well
afford to pool all their assets. It would be both
arrogant and dangerous for us in the United States
at this time to assume smugly that we can depend
upon our own creative resources. If we had done
so a generation ago, the atomic bomb might have
first exploded over New York.
6.
The problem of assuring the availability of
adequate resources of creative manpower for
effective military strength is too critical for casual
treatment. It has already been proposed that the
Government establish a National Scientific Per
sonnel Board.1 Such a board should have the duty
to watch over all steps taken to maintain our flows
of those types of scientific and engineering person
nel which are required for national defense and
which cannot be quickly developed in time of
emergency. The board should advise the Govern
ment on the proper use of such manpower as
between supporting industry and services, on the
one hand, and the military services, on the other.
It should likewise advise those agencies which are
concerned with the training and placement of
scientific and engineering personnel. If deemed
necessary, it could cooperate in the development
of a Scientific and Engineering Reserve Corps to
organize more effectively that segment of spe
cialized manpower that should be a mobile reserve
in time of emergency.
The problem of assuring creative support for the
accelerated improvement of military technology
and logistics will be with us for a long time to come.
We remain amateurs in the attack upon this
problem. We must become truly professional—•
creative—thinkers, if we are to obtain solutions
before it is too late. No one, the author included,
needs to apologize if early efforts appear in
adequate.
'R eport of the Scientific Manpower Advisory Committee (“Thomas Com
mittee”), January 12,1951, Washington, National Security Resources Board.
The British
Industrial Injuries
Insurance System
H erm an M . Som ers*
and
A n n e R . Som ers
E ditor ’s N ote .— In December 1953, the Monthly
Labor Review completed a series of eight articles
on various aspects of workmen's compensation.
The series dealt exclusively with situations in the
United States. The present article is the first of
two which describe the systems in two foreign
countries. The second will be devoted to the Ontario
system. Both articles are adapted from the
authors' forthcoming book entitled, “The Theory
and Practice of Workmen's Compensation,"
scheduled for publication in September 1954 by
John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
for industrial injuries in Great
Britain is based primarily on the National Insur
ance (Industrial Injuries) Act of 1946, effective
in 1948. This method represents a significant
departure from the older workmen’s compensation
system—a break with precedent as great as that
involved in the original abandonment of the com
mon law and employers’ liability systems in
favor of workmen’s compensation (1897). Ex
clusive employer liability, secured by private
insurance, and enforced chiefly by legal action,
has been replaced by a compulsory State insurance
system, financed by contributions from employers,
C ompensation
*Of Haverford College.
1
William Beveridge, Social Insurance and Allied Services (Cmd. 6406),
New York, Macmillan, 1942 (par. 79). Tor summary of Beveridge Report,
see M onthly Labor Review, February 1943 (pp. 273-276). For an appraisal
of these criticisms in terms of American experience by an authority on cas
ualty insurance, see The Beveridge Report and Workmen’s Compensation,
by Ralph H. Blanchard, in International Association of Industrial Accident
Boards and Commissions, Proceedings, 1943 (Bureau of Labor Standards
Bull. 68, follows p. 10).
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
workers, and the State. This system is adminis
tered by the Ministry of National Insurance
which is also responsible for other social insurance
programs.
Shortcomings of Previous System
The forces which led to overhauling the British
program of compensation for industrial injuries
were, in good part, the same as those which
prompted adoption of the whole revised social
security system. Following the ordeals and up
heavals of World War II, the British people
determined to secure for themselves a more com
prehensive, efficient, and equitable system than
the old patchwork of separate, sometimes con
flicting programs, which had been pieced together
under pressure of numerous emergencies over the
previous half-century.
In addition, there were a number of specific
indictments leveled against the workmen’s com
pensation system as it had developed from 1897
to 1945. Dissatisfaction with its operations led,
in 1938, to appointment of a Royal Commission
on Workmen’s Compensation. War conditions
and employer noncooperation forced suspension
of its activities in 1940, but the following year,
the Beveridge Committee, appointed to survey
all existing social insurance programs, including
workmen’s compensation, took over where the
Royal Commission left off. Lord Beveridge’s
Report, published in 1942, advocated abolition
of the separate workmen’s compensation scheme
based on the legal liability of the individual
employer.
Among the major shortcomings of the earlier
system pointed out by Sir William,1 the following
are especially significant:
The system “rests in the last resort upon the
threat or practice of litigation: a misfortune which
is often not in any sense the fault of the employer
and which he could not have prevented, is treated
by methods applicable to fault.” The hope of
the fathers of the 1897 law that it would provide
an “inexpensive . . . simple, immediate and
effective” method of settling such disputes as might
arise was completely frustrated. On the contrary,
workmen’s compensation became a highly conten
tious and specialized branch of the law, so prolific
511
512
in litigation that it developed its own set of law
reports which, by 1950, had grown to 47 volumes.2
“No machinery is provided for assisting the
employee in presenting his claim. . . . He
feels often, rightly or wrongly, that he is being sub
jected to improper pressure. . . . ”
“No complete security is afforded for the pay
ment of compensation.” Except in the mining
industry, insurance was not compulsory nor were
self-insurers subject to financial requirements.
“The system fails to secure maintenance of nec
essary income.” The original benefit formula,
providing a maximum of 50 percent of previous
earnings with a £1 weekly limit was amended so
often (notably in 1923, 1940, and 1943) to liberal
ize one or another element in the formula and to
add dependents’ allowances that the final result
was full of anomalies, a patchwork compromise
between the principle of basing compensation upon
previous earnings and that of basing it upon need.
There was no compensation for injury as such,
only for the loss of earning capacity. Most serious
of all was the prevalence and great abuse of the
provision for lump-sum settlements. In death
cases, all settlements were on this basis.
“The costs of administration are higher . . .
than they need be or than they are in compulsory
social insurance.” By “costs of administration,”
Sir William meant the expenses of insurance car
riers which, he reported, varied from 7 percent
for some of the mutai indemnity associations in
coal mining, to 45 percent for companies in the
Accident Office Association (equivalent to U. S.
stock companies). Administrative costs of mutual
companies, he found, averaged about 20 percent of
premiums. “Even this figure is substantially
higher than the administrative costs of any form
of compulsory State insurance.” 3 In addition to
the costs of insurance, Beveridge found the costs of
2 National Insurance (Industrial Injuries), by Douglas Potter and D. H.
Stansfeld, London, Butterworth, 1950 (pp. 7-8). This comprehensive vol
ume contains the annotated texts of both National Insurance (Industrial
Injuries) Acts, 1946 and 1948, as well as the texts of all major administrative
regulations.
3 Potter and Stansfeld pointed out, as did Beveridge, that “these high costs
do not reflect on the efficiency of the insurance companies, but on the system
with which they had to deal.” (Ibid, p. 7.)
4 “Money, time and professional skill have for nearly half a century been
squandered in a scandalously wasteful manner in settling these claims. The
fundamental reason is that, instead of a claim for compensation being deter
mined on grounds of public interest, it is opposed and obstructed at every
stage by the adverse interest of the employer and his insurance company.”
(William A. Robson, in Justice and Administrative Law, London, 1 9 4 7 , pp.
196-197.)
3 Beveridge, in William A. Robson, Social Security, London, Allen &
Unwin, 1948 (pp. 420-421),
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
M ONTHLY LABOR R EV IE W , MAY 1954
settlement through litigation “needlessly expensive
as compared with procedure for determining claims
by administrative authority.” 4
“The inclusion of certain industrial diseases . . .
makes the fixing of liability on individual employ
ers particularly inappropriate.”
The system “has contributed little or nothing
to . . . restoration of the injured employee to the
greatest possible degree of production and earnings
as soon as possible.”
The Beveridge Proposals
To overcome these defects, Beveridge recom
mended supersession of the separate workmen’s
compensation scheme and inclusion of provisions
for industrial accident and disease benefits within
the unified social insurance program. But he
added two special provisos, both compromises with
strict social insurance principles, designed to
preserve the best of the accumulated workmen’s
compensation experience and tradition. One dealt
with benefits, the other with allocation of costs.
He described the compromise with regard to
benefits, as follows:5
T he re p o rt recognized th a t in a schem e based upon
subsistence needs th e p resu m p tio n w as in fav o r of tre a tin g
all equal needs equally ; a w orkm an disabled by a n accident
w ould have th e sam e needs, w h eth er th e accident occurred
in a facto ry or ju s t outside it. On th e o th e r h an d , th e
re p o rt concluded th a t th e re were good reasons for ad o p tin g
a c o n trary view, a t least in reg ard to those who suffered
lastin g in cap a city or d e a th th ro u g h in d u stria l accident.
T he stro n g est of th ese reasons for d ifferentiation w as th a t
th e risk for in d u stria l in ju ry varies greatly from one in
d u stry to a n o th e r; since th e dangerous industries, n o ta b ly
coal m ining, building, shipping, are im p o rta n t in d u s
tries to w hich a d e q u a te supplies of m en m u st be a ttra c te d ,
it was fair to com pensate for th e ad d itio n al risk by m ak in g
specially favorable provision for in d u stria l in ju ry .
M oved on th e one h a n d by th e desire to tr e a t all
needs equally, a n d on th e o th e r h an d by th e a rg u m e n t
for m aking special provision for in d u stria l in ju ry , th e
re p o rt proposed a com prom ise w hich w ould h av e m ade
th e benefit for all te m p o ra ry injuries th e sam e as for
sickness a n d unem p lo y m en t, b u t for a n y lastin g in ju ry
w ould h av e pro v id ed a pension on a m ore generous
scale a n d related to th e wages w hich h ad been lost. T his
w ould have m e a n t th a t in 90 p ercen t of all cases of accident
th ere w ould h av e been no need to determ ine w h eth er th e
accid en t w as due to in d u stria l in ju ry or n o t, a n d no need
to inquire as to th e wages form erly earned. T he 10
p ercen t of cases in w hich such d eterm in atio n s w ould
becom e necessary w ould be those of g re a te st im p o rtan ce
to th e w orkm an.
B R IT IS H IN D U S T R IA L IN JU R IE S IN SURA NCE SYSTEM
With regard to allocation of costs, the report
proposed another basic compromise between
merit rating and a flat contribution rate.6
“About two-thirds was to be met by social in
surance contributions from employers, employees,
and the State, raised equally from all industries
and individuals; about one-third was to be raised
by a levy on employers in industries specified as
hazardous. In each of these industries, moreover,
there was to be a statutory association of employ
ers and workpeople specially concerned with
safety, and having the power of distributing by a
system of merit rating among individual employers
the total levy for which the industry was responsi
ble. The object was, in every dangerous indus
try, to enlist the financial interest of employers,
individually and collectively, in pushing safety
methods to the utmost.”
The Coalition Government’s White Paper,
containing its Proposals for an Industrial Injury
Insurance Scheme,7 accepted Beveridge’s recom
mendation that provision for industrial injuries
be included in a unified social insurance program
with tripartite contributions. It rejected his pro
posal to establish a uniform benefit rate for all
temporary disabilities, whatever their cause, and
also the levy on dangerous industries with its
modified merit rating. It made an entirely new
departure in proposing that industrial injury
benefits, in addition to being higher than for any
other form of disability, should not depend in any
way upon lost earnings. For total disability,
the White Paper proposed a flat rate of 35 shillings
a week for a single man or woman, rising to 40
shillings after 13 weeks. For anything less than
total disability, the benefit should be a proportion
of this amount, determined by the actual physical
injury irrespective of its effect on earnings, the
same method used in assessing compensation for
war casualties.8
Major Provisions of 1946 Act
The Labor Government followed substantially
the White Paper proposals but with an even
greater differentiation between industrial injury
benefits and those due to other misfortunes.
Industrial injuries were dealt with in one National
Insurance (Industrial Injuries) Act which became
effective just a month (July 1948) before the other
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
513
National Insurance Act dealing with Sickness,
Unemployment, Old Age, etc. Both systems are
under the Ministry of National Insurance, but
with separate insurance funds and separate ad
visory committees. All elements of the industrial
injury benefit formulas are more generous than
those for other benefits. The major provisions of
the Industrial Injuries Act follow:
Coverage. Present coverage is much broader than
under the old compensation system. Virtually all
civilian employees in Great Britain, including farm
workers, are insured. Eight minor categories of
“exempted employment” include public employees
already provided for, family employees, and
certain types of casual labor.
Both traumatic accidents and occupational
diseases are covered. The schedule of prescribed
occupational diseases is contained in an adminis
trative regulation, but the Ministry can add
additional diseases. The requirement that the
injury must arise “out of and in the course of
the employment” was retained. The act specifies,
however, that an accident arising “in the course
of” an insured person’s employment shall be
deemed, in the absence of evidence to the contrary,
also to have arisen “out of” that employment.
Benefits. There are three major benefit categories:
1. Injury benefits are payable for not more than
26 weeks at a flat rate of 55 shillings a week,
somewhat less if the beneficiary is under 18.
2. Disablement benefits may be either a dis
ablement pension or a disablement gratuity. A
disablement pension is payable where the injured
worker continues to be disabled after 26 weeks or
where, after he is able to resume work, he still
retains a substantial (20 percent or more) impair6 Both labor and employers disagreed among themselves on the question.
The Trades Union Congress supported merit rating as did most employers,
while the powerful Mineworkers’ Federation and the employers’ Shipping
Federation opposed it. (Social Insurance and Allied Services, par. 93-94.)
1
Social Insurance, Part II (Cmd. 6551), London, H. M. Stationery Office,
1944.
s Beveridge called the recommendation for a purely physical assessment
of disability “the most original contribution in either of the Coalition White
Papers.” Although aware of its difficulties, he appears to have been per
suaded of its essential soundness at least for prolonged disability. “ To
make the rate of compensation vary inversely with actual earnings is a kind
of means test, with all the discouraging effects on the individual that are
inherent in every means test.” The new proposal meant that the sooner
the worker “could get over his physical loss—whether of a finger or a hand
or a limb—and earn, the better for him; he could keep his compensation
undiminished and enjoy his earnings.” (Beveridge, in Robson, Social
Security, p. 423.)
514
MONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W , MAY 1954
ment. The weekly rate varies from 9 to 55 shil
lings (less if under 18). A gratuity is payable
where the injury causes a minor disablement
amounting to less than 20 percent and is settled on
the basis of a lump sum (which may be paid in
installments) not to exceed £150. Principles for
assessing disability and a basic schedule relating
various common impairments to percentage dis
abilities are contained in an administrative
regulation.
3.
Death benefits, in the form of lifetime pen
sions, are payable to the widow unless she remar
ries (in which case she gets a lump-sum marriage
gratuity) at the rate of 20 to 30 shillings a week,
depending on her age, health, and number of
dependents.
In addition to these basic benefits, supple
mentary benefits are payable as follows: (1) un
employability, 20 shillings a week for adults;
(2) special hardship, maximum of 20 shillings a
week for adults; 9 (3) constant attendant, maxi
mum of 20 shillings a week for adults (except in
unusually severe cases); (4) hospital treatment;
(5) child dependents, a single supplement of 7 shil
lings 6 pence weekly; 10 (6) adult dependents,
16 shillings a week; and (7) a worker entitled to a
disablement benefit (i. e., one still disabled at the
8 The special hardship supplement was designed primarily to correct the
occasional inequities involved in the purely physical assessment of disability.
Thus, the loss of a finger to a violinist would entitle him to an additional sup
plement as compared to a worker whose similar loss would not require him
to give up his regular occupation.
10 The act makes no provision for additional children since these are already
provided for by the Family Allowance Act of 1945.
11 Harold J. Finch, M. P., formerly compensation secretary for the South
Wales Miners’ Federation, Memo for the authors, M ay 1, 1953. Mr. Finch
provides an example of the effect of supplementation on the total benefit: A
worker, totally disabled over 26 weeks and married with one child, may
receive:
L
s.
d.
Disablement benefit____ _____ . . . ____ ________ 2
15
0
Sickness benefit___
. . . . . . . . . . . . . _____________ 1
12
6
Addition for wife _____ . . . _ _____________ 1
1
6
Addition for child. ______ _ . _____________ 0
10
6
Total benefit ____ _________ _____________ 5
19
6
I f h e is n o t e n t it le d to s ic k n e s s b e n e fits b e c a u s e o f in s u ffic ie n t c r e d its, h e c a n
s t ill r e c e iv e a n u n e m p lo y a b ility a llo w a n c e b u t w it h n o a d d itio n for d e p e n d
e n ts . I f t h is w o rk er is b e d r id d e n , h e c a n a lso o b ta in t h e c o n s ta n t a tte n d a n t
a llo w a n c e .
12 Dean Arthur Larson claims that, contrary to the belief in some quarters,
lack of judicial review has resulted in a narrowing of claimants’ rights
and tightening of compensation rules. He also points out that, since
rulings of each of the dozen or so medical review boards are unreviewable,
“you can theoretically get a dozen different doctrines standing side by side
with no way of resolving the disagreement. This is quite serious, as long as
there are many everyday medical questions on which the doctors sharply
disagree.” (Letter to authors, Dec. 2,1953.) See also his M yth of Adminis
trative Generosity, A Lesson from British Experience, in American Bar
Association Journal, March 1954.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
end of 26 weeks) and incapable of work is also
entitled to sickness benefits of 32 shillings 6 pence
a week, plus additions for wife and children, pro
vided he is a qualified contributor to the general
insurance fund.
With regard to the importance of these various
supplementary benefits, a British expert com
mented: “It is these additional benefits for those
who have been disabled for some time, i. e., after
the injury benefit period of 26 weeks—that give
a measure of security to the injured.” 11
Lump-sum settlements are abolished altogether
except in case of marriage and disablement gratu
ities. All medical costs are paid through the
National Health Service.
Employers and workers pay equal
and flat weekly contributions as follows: 5d. for
men over 18 years of age, and 3d. for those under
18; 4d. for women over 18 and 2}£d. for those
under 18. In addition, the Treasury pays into
the Industrial Injuries Fund an amount equal to
one-fifth of the aggregate amount of the contri
butions paid by employers and workers.
Financing.
Claims are initially processed at
a local office of the Ministry of National Insurance.
Appeals from the local insurance officer’s decision
may be made to a local appeal tribunal, thence to
a newly created officer known as the Industrial
Injuries Commissioner, appointed by the Queen.
His ruling is final.12 Specified “ special questions,”
e. g., those dealing with children which involve
the Family Allowances Act, may be appealed
directly to the Minister; and “ disablement ques
tions,” e. g., assessment of degree of disability,
are determined by special medical boards and
medical appeal tribunals.
Administration.
The act also provides
that employers and workers in any industry may
voluntarily agree on a scheme to supplement
benefits. The only industry which has done so
to date is coal mining.
The National Coal Board and the National
Union of Mineworkers have agreed to contribute
to a fund—4d. per week by each workman and
4d. per week by the NCB in respect of each per
son employed. Out of this fund, workers are
paid an additional £ l per week for the first 26
weeks of disability and a third of the disablement
Supplementary Schemes.
515
B R IT IS H IN D U ST R IA L IN JU R IE S IN SURA NCE SYSTEM
pension thereafter. There are also additional
benefits for widows.
Rehabilitation
Under the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act
of 1944, primary responsibility for vocational re
habilitation of disabled workers, as of disabled
military personnel and all others eligible for re
habilitation, was assigned to the Ministry of
Labor and National Service. This act also im
posed an obligation on employers of 20 or more
to employ specified quotas of the disabled.
The Industrial Injuries Act enabled the Minis
ter of National Insurance to make special arrange
ments with the Minister of Labor for vocational
rehabilitation of injured workers, including pay
ment of maintenance allowances. It further
authorized him to require workers either to under
take rehabilitation wherever appropriate or to
forfeit their cash benefits.
case law, especially in the House of Lords has
been as much in favor of the workman as the case
law of the early nineteenth century was against
him.” 14 But 3 years later, another Englishman
suggested that a reaction had set in: “Public
opinion always appears to be in favor of the
underdog and while in the last century the work
man occupied this position, today, with increased
social legislation and with strong trade unions, the
employer is often more deserving of sympathy.
The courts had shown the way towards an inter
pretation of the law more favorable to workmen;
now they are to be found leading the retreat.
. . . It appears then that fears which have been
expressed that social insurance legislation would
unduly weight the scales in the employees’ favor,
have been groundless. Our flexible common law
system has restored the balance between an
‘injured’s law’ and an 'injurer’s law’ without undue
difficulty.” 15
Prevention: Industrial Safety and Health
Additional Remedy Under Employers’ Liability
The British compensation system has always
differed from the American system in that work
men’s compensation was never considered the
worker’s exclusive remedy if employer negligence
was indicated. Before 1948, the injured worker or
his survivors had to elect between compensation
and the alternative remedy of a damage suit
against the employer. Since the Law Reform
(Personal Injuries) Act of 1948, the right to suit
has become an additional, rather than an alterna
tive, remedy.13 The worker obtains his normal
compensation benefits in any event, whether his
suit is upheld or fails. If he wins, the law provides
that in assessing damages the court shall take into
account, against any actual or probable loss of
earnings, one-half the value of rights to industrial
injury or sickness benefits for 5 years. The value
of medical care available under the National
Health Service Act is disregarded. No deduction
applies where the action is brought by survivors
under the Fatal Accidents Acts. Furthermore,
the common law doctrine of common employment
(fellow servant) is repealed. Contributory negli
gence had been abolished under the Law Reform
(Contributory Negligence) Act of 1945.
Summarizing the trend of British law in the
forties, one English legal authority said: “Modern
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
The Industrial Injuries Act empowers the
Minister of National Insurance to promote
research into the causes of, as well as methods of
preventing, accidents and industrial diseases.
Promulgation and enforcement of safety and
health codes and rules are the responsibility of the
Ministry of Labor under authority of the Factory
and Coal Mines Acts.
In case of proved violation, employers are
subject to fine. Also, as noted above, in case
of accident, they may be sued for negligence
over and above their liability for workmen’s
compensation.16
is Several years of study preceded adoption of this act. Lord Beveridge
briefly examined the possible provisions that could be made for dealing with
the problem of alternative remedies (Social Insurance and Allied Services,
pars. 81, 98, 258-264) hut made no recommendations. A special committee,
headed by Sir Walter Monckton, considered the relation of workmen’s
compensation to alternative remedies and made two Interim Reports (Cmds.
6580 and 6642) in 1945 as a result of which contributory negligence was abol
ished in the Law Reform Act of 1945. Its final report (Cmd. 6860) in 1946
became the basis for the Law Reform Act of 1948. For an appraisal of the
act in conjunction with workmen’s compensation developments, see W. F.
Frank, Employers’ Liability in Great Britain, in Law and Contemporary
Problems, Duke University School of Law, Summer 1953 (pp. 320-349).
14John H. Munkman, Employer’s Liability at Common Law, London,
Butterworth, 1950, quoted in 11NACCA Law Journal, M ay 1953 (p. 314).
15 W. F. Frank, in Law and Contemporary Problems, Summer 1953, pp.
348-349 (documentation omitted).
16 For historical survey of British industrial safety and health provisions
and practices, see Fifty Years of Progress in British Factories, in Labor and
Industry in Britain, London, September 1953, pp. 111-140 (reprinted from
Annual Report of the Chief Inspector of Factories, 1953).
Trend Contrasts
in Commodity Prices
and Service Rates
D o r is P . R o t h w e l l *
P rices of commodities and fees for services paid
by consumers generally exhibit markedly different
behavior. In the last 3 years, commodity prices
have fluctuated over a narrow range, whereas
service rates have risen steadily. Historically
also, these groups have shown different trends.
As a rule, services have not shared in major
deflations to the same extent as commodities,
nor have they risen as rapidly during periods of
inflation. The contrasts in behavior follow a
fairly clear-cut pattern. Characteristically, serv
ice rates change slowly and lag behind general
trends in prices of commodities. Usually, service
prices do not exhibit the short-run fluctuations
typical of many commodities, especially those of
a highly competitive nature, and those where the
source of supply has been interrupted.
Factors in Differential Price Movements
Although retail trade, with its many separate
establishments, is generally considered highly
competitive, many commodities are centrally
manufactured, nationally advertised, or distrib
uted to retailers for sale at uniform prices.
Others, manufactured by smaller and less cen
tralized firms, nevertheless call upon common
sources for raw materials. As a result, cost
changes in production or distribution processes
quickly affect retail price movements for many
commodities.
On the other hand, rates for many services,
such as railroad fares and utilities, are regulated
by public bodies, and therefore cannot move
freely in response to changes in costs. Further,
516
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
price regulation for such items is on a completely
local basis. Thus, the New York subway fare
was raised from 10 cents to 15 cents in July 1953,
and transportation fare increases were not granted
until later in the year in other cities. Among
many service trades also—-beauty and barber
shops, shoe repairers, auto repair shops, cleaning
and dyeing establishments, furniture repair shops,
and the like—-establishments are small, competi
tion and price determinations are usually purely
local, and services rendered are not of uniform
quality. Nor do all such establishments typically
change their prices simultaneously; a rise in service
charges in a particular beauty shop, for example,
frequently follows a period of gradual cutting of
corners on services rendered and costs of doing
business. Similarly, rent increases vary con
siderably by city, depending upon control status.
Other service charges, such as physicians’ fees or
rates for domestic service, tend to be fixed by
tradition. These likewise respond slowly to cost
changes and other economic factors, and, being
charges for services rendered by individuals, are
not subject to simultaneous price change. For
example, an individual physician tends to main
tain his standard fees over a long period of time
and to raise them when he finds that the margin
between his income and the cost of carrying on
his profession has become too narrow. Finally,
price-lining, so typical of apparel commodities, is
also characteristic of many services.
None of the numerous historical studies of price
behavior relate precisely to the subject of this
article, although many indirectly support the
general observations made. Thus, the Govern
ment’s National Resources Committee, in “ Struc
ture of the American Economy,” 1 classifies mar
kets with respect to price determination into two
types, flexible price or “ free,” and inflexible or
“ administered,” referring particularly to industrial
commodity markets. The Committee describes
these as the two main processes and points up
striking contrasts in their price behavior, such as
in the depression of the 1930’s. By inference,
some of the conclusions of this study are valid for
purposes of the present analysis, since the com
modities and services groups likewise display
* Of the Bureau’s Division of Prices and Cost of Living.
1 P art I.—Basic Characteristics, A Report Prepared by the Industrial
Section Under the Direction of Gardiner C. Means, Washington, 1939.
517
COMMODITY P R IC E S AND SERV IC E R A TES
opposing tendencies in comparable periods. In
the earlier study, all government-operated services
to consumers, e. g., postal services and water
supply, as well as locally operated utilities, e. g.,
electricity, gas, telephone, local transportation,
and railroads, are included in the group of admin
istered prices. The report refers to the existence
of many other types of markets and mentions fees
for services as fixed by custom. In this field of
administered prices, competition, if present, is
much more likely to be manifest in subtle changes
in quality than in outright price changes, whereas
in “ free” markets, notably food, adjustments are
made through price change. The former phe
nomenon is also observed for some commodities
during periods of price control.
Classification of Commodities and Services
Records of the Bureau of Labor Statistics on
retail prices of items included in the Consumer
Price Index are used for the present analysis of
relative price movements of commodities and
services. The separation of commodities and
services presents some difficulties of classification,
and the Bureau’s published series of retail price
indexes2 for such special groupings have had
slightly different coverage at different times.
Rents, though more like services than commodi
ties, are considered separately,3 since they have at
times exhibited distinctive price movements in
response to their regulatory history, and at others
have tended to move much the same as other
services. For this analysis, commodities include
principally tangible goods which carry an actual
price tag and which are displayed at a place of
sale. Services include utilities, all items other
than tangible commodities, and items for which
the seller’s labor is a primary factor in the total
2 I n d e x e s for c o m m o d ity a n d se r v ic e g ro u p s, 1935-50, a n d in d e x e s for in d i
v id u a l ite m s , 1935-52, p u b lis h e d q u a r te r ly in B u r e a u o f L a b o r S ta tis tic s
re p o r ts e n t it le d “ In d e x e s of R e ta il P r ic e s of A p p a r e l, H o u se fu r n is h in g s, a n d
S e r v ic e s a n d M is c e lla n e o u s G o o d s to M o d e r a te -In c o m e F a m ilie s in L a rg e
C itie s of th e U n it e d S ta te s .”
3 S e e also T h e E ffe c ts o f D e c o n tr o l A c tio n s o n R e s id e n tia l R e n ts , M o n t h ly
L a b o r R e v ie w , F e b r u a r y 1954 (p. 134).
< Commodities include food, apparel, solid fuels and fuel oil, ice, house
furnishings, radio and television sets, prescriptions and drugs, toilet goods,
automobiles, tires, gasoline and motor oil, tobacco products, paper products,
toys and sporting goods, and alcoholic beverages.
Services include gas and electricity, dry cleaning and laundry, shoe repairs,
telephone, public transportation, medical services, group hospitalization,
beauty and barber shop services, domestic service, auto repairs, auto insur
ance and registration, water rent, postage, movie admissions, newspapers,
and television repairs.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
price.4 Many items naturally have both com
modity and service elements; auto repair service,
for example, includes the cost of parts.
Price Changes, 1951-53
Wholesale prices reached their peak in early
1951 and have declined fairly steadily since that
time. Retail prices, on the other hand, edged
up throughout 1951 and were generally stable in
1952 and 1953. While the CPI reached an alltime high of 115.4 (1947-49 = 100) in October
1953, it was then only 2 percent above its January
1952 level and had declined slightly by the end of
1953. The slight rise in retail prices in 1952 and
1953 was due in large part to the persistent ad
vances in charges for rent and services, almost
uninterrupted since early 1940. (See chart.)
Currently, these items represent roughly 25 per
cent of the expenditure weights for the Consumer
Price Index. Rents, at alltime highs in the last
few months, were up 10 percent from the end of
1951 and services had risen 9 percent. On the
other hand, retail commodity prices as a group
were very nearly stable during this period, having
declined 2 percent from the peak in December
1951. This stability of commodity prices reflects
in part temporary Federal controls over prices in
1951 and 1952 and in part equilibrium of market
forces.
During 1952, charges for service items increased
by an average of 5 percent; almost without
exception, individual items moved up in a con
tinuing response to the longtime upward trend.
In contrast, prices for some individual commodities
moved up, while others went down.
Among the services, motion-picture admissions,
gas and electricity rates, and charges for auto
repairs rose, on the average, 1 to 3 percent in 1952;
rents, laundry, telephone, domestic service, and
physicians’ and hospital services advanced 4 to 5
percent; and local transit fares, newspapers, and
men’s haircuts went up about 8 percent, while
auto insurance rates jumped about 20 percent.
Among the commodity groups, on the other
hand, food, apparel, and housefurnishings de
clined, on the average, 1 to 2 percent during
1952, although a number of individual commodities
increased in price. The general decreases reflected
market weakness, largely an excess of supply in
relation to demand for certain commodities.
518
M ONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W , MAY 1954
Price Trends for Commodities, Services, and Rent, 1 9 3 5 -5 3
INDEX
IN DEX
225
225
CONSUMER PRECE INDEX
Special Groupings
1935-39 =100
200
200
«75
150
COMMODITIES
100
100
■¿— A. 1
— I I ■■■■*I I
1935 '36
I -, 11 I
u5 7
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT O F LABO R
SUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
I
I
'38
* Estimated.
COMMODITY PRICES AND SE R V IC E RATES
Among the items which rose in price were new cars,
coal and fuel oil, gasoline, tobacco, dairy products,
canned and dried fruits and vegetables, chickens,
and sugar and sweets. For new cars, the increase
was due largely to higher service (“handling”)
charges.
Price trends in 1953 were not unlike those in the
previous year; rent and services continued their
persistent rise and commodity prices fluctuated.
The end of Federal rent control on July 31 brought
only a slight quickening in the rate of advance for
rents. Rents were up 5 percent; services, 4
percent; and commodities as a group registered a
decrease of about 1 percent.
Almost without exception, charges for service
items increased in price over the year. Those
which rose more than 8 percent in price included
postage, streetcar and bus fares, movies, television
repairs, and dental extractions. Prices increased
between 5 and 8 percent for auto repairs, beauty
parlor services, physicians’ office visits, and hos
pital rates, and from 3 to 5 percent for domestic
service, telephone services, dental fillings, and
group hospitalization.
In the commodity field, food and housefurnishings prices declined 1.3 percent and 0.1 percent,
respectively, in 1953. The apparel index rose
very slightly (0.2 percent) over the year.
Foods for which prices fell included beef and
veal, which dropped nearly 20 percent; fresh
vegetables, over 16 percent; lamb and poultry,
more than 8 percent; and fish, butter, and milk,
1 to 3 percent. Other commodities for which
price decreases of more than 5 percent were re
ported included used cars, sheets and cotton rugs,
women’s rayon blouses, diapers, penicillin, and
toys.
Pork prices were up over 16 percent; lard, over
50 percent; coffee, cola drinks, and hydrogenated
shortening, more than 5 percent. Prices also rose
for such items as vacuum cleaners, gasoline and
motor oil, cigarettes, beer, women’s rayon suits,
women’s and girls’ cotton dresses, and home
permanent waves.
Historical Price Comparisons
Viewed in historical perspective, the recent be
havior of prices of the commodity and services
groups is not unusual. During World War I,
the level of consumer prices approximately dou
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
519
bled, reaching a peak in mid-1920 and dropping
sharply to early 1922. BLS records of retail
prices for years prior to 1935 have not been sum
marized in such a way as to permit comparisons
of commodities and services on the same basis as
those already presented. However, they do show
that the postwar decline was mainly in food,
clothing, and housefurnishings. Rent and the
“miscellaneous” component of the CPI, which
included the bulk of the service items, did not
share in the immediate postwar slump.
In the severe depression of the early 1930’s,
the miscellaneous group in the CPI maintained a
remarkable stability in the face of sharp declines
in prices of strictly commodity groups and in
rents, which had had a wartime rise much greater
than other service items. Similarly, the contrast
between “the violent drop in prices of marketdominated commodities” between 1929 and 1932
and “the very small drop or no drop at all for the
bulk of prices which are subject to extensive ad
ministrative control” was pointed out by the
National Resources Committee in its study of the
period. The Committee also noted that this
resulted in a serious distortion of price relation
ships.5
A study by the University of Vermont and
State Agricultural College also provides an inter
esting analogy for the War of 1812 and World
War I, although for a different group of items.6 A
sharp price increase (about 30 percent) in prices
paid by Vermont farmers for commodities between
1811 and 1814 was followed by a long and steep
decline of 67 percent to 1852. During those 40
years, rates for services—which included physi
cians’ fees, sawing lumber, taxes, tapping shoes,
horseshoeing, farm fire insurance rates, and rail
road fares—-remained almost steady and did not
share in the deflationary movement of the period.
During World War I, Vermont prices both of com
modities and services moved up abruptly, with
commodities leading slightly, but services con
tinued to rise to 1940, whereas commodities
dropped sharply and nearly to prewar levels.
Since 1935, BLS data show that the trend of
prices for commodities has been upward, but there
have been significant short-run fluctuations. Serv-
s Ibid. (p. 149).
«Bulletin No. 507, Prices Paid by Vermont Farmers for Goods and
Services and Received by Them for Farm Products, 1/90-1940.
520
ice rates, in contrast, have moved up steadily, and
for a good part of this period their movement has
been paralleled by rent.
During the years 1935-37, prices continued
their mild recovery from depression levels. A
noticeable rise is evident both for commodities and
rents, but prices of services, less affected by the
depression, were relatively stable. Referring to
group indexes, food, clothing, and housefurnishings shared in the general recovery, whereas the
miscellaneous index rose only slightly. Again,
this is analogous to the differential behavior of
“market-dominated” and “administration-domi
nated” prices from 1932 to 1937, which eliminated
“much of the distortion” of the depression period
previously referred to.
The moderate price recession in late 1937, 1938,
and early 1939 was most apparent for commodities.
Commodity prices dropped about 9 percent, on
the average, as prices for individual items, almost
without exception, moved downward. Both rents
and services, however, remained at about the 1937
levels. Among the services, prices increased for
certain items, including hospital rates, physicians’
fees, newspapers, gas rates, auto insurance, local
transit fares, and railroad fares. Certain other
services—for example, movies and beauty and
barber shop services—-were affected by the reces
sion but not as much as commodities.
Commodity prices shot up sharply from the
outset of World War II until early 1943, when the
“hold-the-line” order 7 brought commodities, par
ticularly food, under stricter price controls.
Although services increased in 1941 and 1942 at a
faster rate than before, the rise was less than for
commodities, due in part to the existence of
Federal or local controls. Rents had been brought
under Federal control even before commodities,
and were held at early 1942 levels throughout the
war. Among the major groups of the index, it
was food, apparel, and housefurnishings, which
led the wartime rise, with the miscellaneous group
of commodities and services following more slowly
and somewhat later.
Following World War II, there was no sharp
deflationary movement, either for commodities
or services, such as occurred after World War I.
The end of price controls in June 1946 brought
another precipitous rise in prices of commodities
7 Executive order 9328, April 8, 1943.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
M ONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W , MAY 1954
but had little effect on the average rate of advance
for services, a number of which remained under
control of Federal or local agencies. Thus, gas,
electricity, telephone, and railroad fares were
scarcely affected, whereas apparel and house
furnishings jumped 12 percent or more in 6 months.
A general increase, authorized in June 1947 under
the Housing and Rent Act of 1947, brought a
sudden rise for rents—the first since the begin
ning of the war—after which rents continued to
advance at about the same rate as services.
Commodity prices continued up until September
1948.
In the period from the postwar peak in com
modity prices (September 1948) to the pre-Korea
low (March 1950), commodity prices decreased
over 7 percent, but on the average services and
rents continued up at about the same rate as
before. (See chart.)
Percent change in retail prices1
Period
Sept.
Dec.
Dec.
Sept.
1948-M ar. 1950______
1951-D ec. 1952____
1951-D ec. 1953___
1948-D ec. 1953.
Commod
ities
-7 .
-1 .
-1 .
4.
3
0
8
5
Services,
excluding
rent
4.
4.
9.
24.
6
9
0
2
Rent
5.
4.
10.
25.
9
4
3
3
1 The figures are based on changes in prices of items included in the Con
sumer Price Index for the sample of cities priced in March, June, September,
and December. Prior to December 1952, items were combined with average
34-city weights of the adjusted index; after December 1952, with average 46city weights. For classification of items, see footnote 4, p. 517.
For rents particularly, the rise reflected local
conditions, as one city after another was de
controlled, beginning in 1949, and as more and
more new housing exempt from control was offered
at higher rentals in given areas. Food prices
were down 8.6 percent on the average; apparel,
7.9 percent; housefurnishings, 6.5 percent; and
many commodities in the miscellaneous group also
decreased. Individual commodities or groups of
commodities naturally decreased more than the
general averages, while others actually increased.
Prices of bedsheets, for example, dropped nearly
15 percent; laundry soap, over 20 percent; nylon
hose, 13 percent; and toilet goods, 8 percent. New
cars rose in price, as did prescriptions and drugs
and tobacco products. In contrast to the vari
ations in commodities, almost all service items
advanced, although by different amounts. Even
railroad fares, local transportation, and telephone
service, virtually unaffected by the end of OPA
521
COMMODITY P R IC E S AND SER V IC E R A TES
controls, were granted considerable increases by
the regulatory authorities.
The outbreak of hostilities in Korea in June 1950
brought another upsurge in commodity prices
which lasted until early 1951, but the average rate
of advance for services and rents was not appre
ciably affected.
This contrast between the price history of com
modities and services goes far to explain the great
disparity between the December 1953 and the
pre-World War II price relationships for com
modity groups in the Consumer Price Index.
Prices of groups which are predominantly com
modities—food, apparel, solid fuels and fuel oil,
and housefurnishings—were at least twice as high
as in 1939, but many of these items recently have
been leveling off or declining. Transportation,
personal care, and reading and recreation, which
contain both commodity and service items, were
70 to 90 percent above prewar levels and generally
are continuing up. Medical care and household
operation, which are chiefly services, were roughly
70 percent higher. At the end of 1953, rent was
less than 50 percent higher but still rising.
Gas and electricity rates, almost uniquely among
the service items, have remained comparatively
unchanged for a long period, being more
closely and more continuously regulated. The
combined index for gas and electricity in December
1953 was 7 percent higher than the average for the
years 1947-49 and less than 2 percent above preWorld War II. Average rates for electricity
actually went down in the late 1930’s and through
out World War II; gas rates also declined during
the latter period. At the same time, utilities were
able to realize reasonable returns on investment.
This enviable record was made possible by a tre
mendous expansion in output and the consequent
reduction in unit costs of distribution.
Before and during the war, natural gas was re
placing manufactured gas as the chief type used
by residential consumers. Accompanying this
development, average rates for natural gas de
creased more than those for manufactured gas or
declined when manufactured gas rates rose. In
addition, there has been a great increase in resi
dential gas consumption, particularly for space
heating in the last few years. Currently, gas rates
are about 15 percent above their low point in late
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1946 and about 10 percent above the average for
the years 1947-49.
In the case of electricity, the amount generated
by publicly owned facilities increased from less
than 7 percent of the total in 1936, when rates
started down, to almost 20 percent in 1950.8
Residential consumption of electricity has in
creased tenfold since 1920 and fivefold since 1932,
and the average expenditure per residential
customer has risen from $33.70 in 1932 to $59.85
in 1952.9 Residential rates currently are up
about 5 percent from their low point in mid-1947,
but they are very much lower than in the 1920’s.
Reflecting increased consumption per customer
and lower rates for higher consumption, the
average cost per kilowatt-hour dropped to a low
of 2.76 cents in 1952, compared with 3.09 cents
in 1947 and 7.45 cents in 1920.
Outlook for 1954
Retail prices turned down moderately after
October 1953 and this trend was continuing into
the early months of 1954. A relatively stable or
slightly declining price level is generally expected
for the near future. If past experience is repeated,
such declines as occur are likely to be largely in
commodities, and it is not unreasonable to antici
pate a continuation of slowly rising charges for
rents and various services even in the face of de
clining commodity prices. Only if the general price
level should fall more steeply or for a longer period
than expected, would we anticipate any inter
ruption of the long and persistent rise in service
rates. Similarly, the service components of the
gross national product have been relatively in
sensitive to general business trends. A number
of services, as well as rent, are contractual and
therefore lag considerably behind changes in gen
eral levels of activity. Others, such as medical
care, public transportation, and personal services,
have become virtual necessities, and demand for
them is not likely to be affected greatly by a
decline in the level of activity of the order indi
cated by preliminary estimates of gross national
product for the first quarter 1954.
8 Electrical World, New York, Annual Statistical Issue, Jan. 29, 1951.
(Data cited were supplied by Edison Electric Institute.)
8 Ibid, and subsequent issues.
Summaries of Studies and Reports
Wage Trends in
Power Laundries, 1945 to 1953
i g h t - t i m e h o u r l y e a r n i n g s of power laun
dry workers in a group of large cities were 60
percent higher on the average in mid-1953 than
in July 1945.1 This average increase is based on
data for a group of plant occupations in 27 areas
employing an estimated two-fifths of all power
laundry workers. The increase in straight-time
average hourly earnings of laundry workers was
below the 76-percent rise in average hourly earn
ings (excluding premium overtime pay and inter
industry shifts in employment) for factory wage
earners during the same period.
Over the entire period, 1945 to 1953, the annual
rise in straight-time hourly earnings of laundry
workers averaged 6.1 percent. As in industry
generally, the rate of increase during the first 3
years was distinctly greater than during the last
5. Between 1945 and 1948, the pay of laundry
workers rose by 9.5 percent a year in contrast to
an annual rate of 4.1 percent between 1948 and
1953. Increases to factory workers averaged 7.4
percent a year between 1945 and 1953, with
average annual increases of 11.1 and 5.2 percent
for the 3- and 5-year periods, respectively. One
factor that may have contributed to the slower
rate of pay increases for laundry workers is that
laundry employment has not kept pace with the
upward trend in most industries, or with popula
tion growth in recent years. This lag is apparently
traceable at least in part to the development of
“ laundromats” and the greater use of modern
home laundry equipment.2
Stra
Variations by Community
The increase in earnings of laundry workers
between 1945 and 1953 varied widely among cities.
Differences in wage levels and wage trends among
areas appear to be rooted in the local character
522
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
of the market for laundry service and the highly
localized nature of its labor supply. Among the
factors that vary among areas are extent and type
of collective bargaining, statutory minimum wage
rates, wage levels in other industries, and the
number of unskilled women workers seeking
employment.
In a majority of the cities studied, bargaining
in the industry is conducted chiefly through
associations of laundry employers; in a few
Northern cities, bargaining is on an individualcompany basis. Laundry workers in the Southern
and Border cities, except Birmingham, are, for
the most part, unorganized. The principal union
functioning in the industry is the Laundry
Workers’ International Union (AFL). The Amal
gamated Clothing Workers (CIO) has some agree
ments in the industry, principally in New York
City.
Laundry workers’ pay tends to be highest in
the high-wage sections of the country. However,
the labor force in the industry is probably less
mobile among labor markets than that in many
other industries; even in areas where earnings
in most industries are relatively high, the presence
of a large supply of unskilled women workers
may depress laundry wage levels or retard increases
in pay.
Because of the high proportion of unskilled
women workers and the relatively low wages
1 General wage changes, merit increases in pay, and any variations in in
centive earnings are reflected in these postwar adjustments. The informa
tion also includes the effect on earnings of any shifts in employment among
laundries within a city and changes in the ratio of time and incentive workers
on the same job. It excludes the effect on year-to-year changes of any altera
tion in occupational composition (e. g., in the relative proportion of washers
and fiatwork ironers), and of shifts in employment among cities. The basic
hourly earnings data on which the indexes presented here are based exclude
premium payments for overtime and late-shift work.
2 An article published in Starchroom Laundry Journal, New York City,
October 1953 (p. 9) stated that since 1947 the potential working population
had increased by GH million, but laundries had added less than 2 million
customers. The American Institute of Laundering, Joliet, 111., in its Special
Report No. 205, stated that in 1949, 39 percent of all urban families used com
mercial laundries, while in 1953, the proportion had fallen to 35 percent. The
proportion sending out all laundry (except lingerie, hose, and similar items)
fell from 10 to 7 percent. Laundry industry publications also mention
technological changes in the industry.
W AGE T R E N D S IN PO W ER L A U N D R IE S
prevailing in the industry,3 as compared with
other industries, statutory minimum wage rates
are likely, in some periods, to have more effect
on wages in this than in most other industries.
The effects of changes in statutory minimum
wage rates on laundries are also more localized
than in manufacturing and some nonmanufac
turing industries. The direct effects of the Fair
Labor Standards Act are limited to communities
in which a high proportion of laundry service
crosses State lines. Most laundry workers who
are covered by minimum-wage legislation are
affected by State rather than Federal legislation,
and minimum rates vary among those States that
have any minimum-wage orders in effect for the
industry. More than half the areas studied were
in States which have minimum-wage orders for
women laundry workers and most of these minima
were increased between 1945 and 1953. In all
cases except in California, New York, and the
District of Columbia, the minima in effect in mid1953 were below the 75-cent rate established under
the Fair Labor Standards Act in January 1950,
for employees engaged in interstate commerce.
In most areas in recent years, such factors as
degree of unionization, earnings in other industries
within an area, and the upward trend of wages
generally appear to have affected wages in power
laundries to a greater extent than changes in
statutory minimum wages.4
3 In 1945, average hourly earnings of women flatwork finishers varied
among communities studied from 25 cents in Birmingham to 65 cents in San
Francisco. In 1953, the averages ranged from 41 cents in Atlanta to $1.10 in
San Francisco.
4 In New York State, a minimum wage of 57H cents was set in October 1947
for women laundry workers in cities of over 10,000 population. About 14
percent of those studied in Buffalo in June 1947 were receiving less than that
amount and were thus directly affected by the new minimum; in New York
City, virtually none were affected. The 1953 change to 75 cents an hour
apparently affected none of those studied in Buffalo or in New York City.
The New Jersey State minimum was raised from 33 to 50 cents in October
1946. Of the women studied in Newark, in the period prior to this change,
about 15 percent were earning less than 50 cents.
Relatively few women workers studied in Milwaukee were affected by the
February 1947 revision of the State minimum from 22H to 45 cents; in 1945,
only about 4 percent were earning less than the latter amount.
In California, a 65-cent minimum was set in June 1947; 2 years earlier, in
July 1945, four-fifths of the women laundry workers studied in Los Angeles,
and more than a third in San Francisco, were paid less than this amount.
The 1952 revision of the California rate to 75 cents appeared, however, to
have little if any direct effect on women workers studied in the two areas.
Portland, Oreg., laundry workers were apparently not directly affected
by either the 50-cent minimum set in February 1947 or the 60-cent rate fixed
in August 1950.
In the District of Columbia, presumably only a small proportion of women
laundry workers were affected by the 50-cent minimum set in July 1946.
However, 5 months prior to the 75-cent minimum effective on August 22,
1951, about a fifth were earning less than this new minimum.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
523
The increase in earnings of power laundry work
ers between 1945 and 1953 ranged, among the
cities studied, from less than 40 to more than 90
percent, although in about three-fifths of these
cities it was between 55 and 70 percent (see table).
The rise in Minneapolis was the largest registered,
with the rise in St. Louis next; the smallest increase
was reported in Cleveland. This variation in
amounts of increase in laundry pay—from less
than 40 to more than 90 percent—was concen
trated within the group of midwestern cities. In
1945, laundry workers’ earnings in Cleveland
were the highest for the cities surveyed in the
region. By contrast, earnings in Minneapolis and
St. Louis were below the earnings in most of the
other cities. From 1945 to 1953, however,
earnings advanced 94.0 in Minneapolis, and 90.4
percent in St. Louis as compared with a rise of
36.5 percent in Cleveland. By 1953, the abso
lute level of earnings in Cleveland continued to
be somewhat above the level in St. Louis, but
had fallen below the Minneapolis level.
In Minneapolis, where the industry is widely
organized, a series of negotiated adjustments
during the postwar period increased wages sub
stantially over the relatively low rates which
prevailed in 1945. The majority of workers in
St. Louis laundries were not covered by a labormanagement contract until December 1945, when
a 6-year agreement was negotiated. The initial
contract provided a definite wage scale and,
between early 1945 and 1947, straight-time
average hourly earnings went up 7 cents. A 10cent-an-hour increase in December 1947 was
followed by subsequent adjustments which, over
the period 1945-53, resulted in a proportionate
increase in earnings almost as large as in Min
neapolis. Adjustments for laundry workers in
Cleveland, who were not as extensively covered by
the terms of a labor-management contract,
varied from year to year. They were markedly
below those effected in other cities immediately
after the war’s end and again in 1948-49. Since
1951, however, the increases in Cleveland have
averaged slightly above those for all cities com
bined.
Most of the communities surveyed in the Middle
Atlantic States showed percentage increases in
laundry wage rates that were above the average
for the country as a whole. For New York City
524
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW, MAY 1954
laundries, the increase, measured in percentage
terms, was slightly below the national average
but laundry wage levels in this city ranked rela
tively high both in 1945 and in 1953.
Levels of pay in West Coast laundries were
high compared with other areas in 1945 and post
war percentage increases in pay in these cities were
as high as, or higher than, the average for all
cities studied. Consequently, their relative posi
tions compared with most other cities were
maintained or improved during this period.5
Southeastern and Southwestern cities not only
had low pay levels at the beginning of the period,
but the percentage increase in pay in each of these
areas lagged behind the national average increase.6
5 By 1953, virtually all women laundry workers studied in West Coast areas
were earning at least 90 cents an hour. In Los Angeles, only about 6 percent
of all men and women laundry workers studied earned 80 but less than 90
cents an hour, and in Portland, Oreg., and San Francisco, 98 percent of the
workers studied earned at least $1.05 an hour. These and similar data for
the other areas studied are from the Bureau’s occupational wage survey
bulletins.
6 More than nine-tenths of the women workers studied in Southeastern
cities as a group earned less than 75 cents an hour in 1953. In Memphis and
Birmingham, almost three-fourths were paid less than 55 cents. In Dallas
and Houston, almost three-fourths of the women were paid less than 65 cents
an hour.
In Atlanta and Baltimore, the lag behind the national increase was slight.
Differences by Occupation and Sex
Because the great majority of laundry workers
are women, the 63-percent increase in their
average earnings closely paralleled the average
change for all such workers studied from 1945 to
1953. The gain for men’s occupations in power
laundries averaged 52 percent. Their cents-perhour increase, however, was greater than for wom-
Indexes and 'percent changes in straight-time average hourly earnings in power laundries in selected areas and occupations,
Ju ly 1945 to A pril-A vgust 1953 3
Indexes (1947-49=100)
Item
July
1945
July
1947
July
1948
June
1949
AprilJune
1951
Percent change from 2 —
June
1952
July
June
June April- 1952
April- 1945 to July
July
July
to
to June AprilAu April- 1945 to 1947 to 1948 to 1949
1951 to
July
Au
gust
July
June AprilAu
June
June
gust
1953
1948
1949
1947
gust
1951
1952
1953
1953
Area
All areas combined___ ______ ____
76.8
94.6
100.8
104.7
114.5
118.2
122.9
60.1
23.1
6 .6
3.9
9.4
3.2
4.0
A tla n ta ________________________
Baltimore___ _ --- ____________
Birmingham__ _ ______________
B oston-.. _ . ___ ____ . . . .
Buffalo___
_ - _______ _ Chicago____
______________ _
Cincinnati-__________ --Cleveland . _ -- - - - - - - D a lla s___
_______________
D en v er______ - - - - - - - - - Detroit.
___ __ __________
Houston_______ . _________
72.9
77.3
75.3
77.6
77.5
75.3
78.4
89.3
81.5
77.2
72.7
75.7
81.5
87.7
81.7
70.5
75.9
76.1
81.0
69.4
77.8
78.9
77.9
71.8
70.2
71.1
76.0
74.9
74.1
71.0
82.2
96.6
97.1
93.7
91.6
94.9
94.8
88.7
94.1
97.1
95.9
98.1
94.2
90.5
95.4
99.7
91.7
96.4
94.4
91.5
94.1
94.5
96.6
91.1
91.4
95.0
94.7
95.5
86.5
93.7
96.5
96.8
100.2
100.8
103.2
1 1 1.6
115.9
103.4
103.5
103.0
104.9
104.9
104.9
108.4
103.5
108.9
115. 7
109.9
114.1
120.9
115.4
116.8
109.7
109.9
114.6
108.6
108.2
118.8
114.0
118.3
109.2
59.0
58.0
49.1
63.5
67.9
55.7
62.2
36.5
46.9
70.2
58.5
56.4
(3)
(3)
(3)
32.5
25.5
24.4
18.0
22.5
25.9
13.3
5.4
19.1
24.2
35.0
24.5
3.8
3.9
10.4
13.0
5.5
5.7
15.9
8.9
4.0
4.3
3.9
3.0
1.3
- .4
1.3
4.8
4.6
5.3
5.5
13.3
2.5
2.4
3.8
3.1
79.6
75.6
75.9
I n d ia n a p o lis __________________________
J a c k s o n v ille - ____________________ _
K a n s a s C i t y ___________________ .
L o s A n g e le s _____________________ - - L o u i s v i l l e _____________________ - -_
M e m p h is ________________ ___________
M ilw a u k e e __________________ _____ M in n e a p o lis __________________________
N e w a r k -J e r s e y C i t y .
-----N e w Y o r k C i t y _________ __ _ __ _
P h ila d e lp h ia -C a m d e n _ -_ - - - - - P it t s b u r g h _________________
_ __
P o r tla n d , O reg
P r o v id e n c e ___ _____ __
-R ic h m o n d ____
S t. L o u i s .- _________ ________ S a n F r a n c is c o ______________ - - . . .
S e a t t le ____
. _
_
_ ______
W a s h in g to n , D. C ____ - - - ________
100.1
100.3
102.9
102.4
100.9
1 0 0.0
101.9
101.7
104.0
99.9
100.3
103.6
102.1
1 02.0
104.2
100.0
104.1
105.5
104.7
100.0
101.0 102.6 111.6
99.9
105.8
114.1
102.2 106.3 121.6
104.7
118.5
112.1
124.9
118.0
113.0
120.4
117.0
116.4
125.4
112.1
109.6
117.8
111.7
126.9
113.7
113.8
113.8
128.1
122.5
117.3
100.1
106.9
103.8
105.7
105.8
108.3
103.0
105.1
103.0
107.4
107.6
104.0
103.1
113.3
112.4
116.1
118.6
119.7
113.8
115.2
105.4
118.1
108.3
109.5
119.4
120.1
95.9
99.5
104.5
110.3
94.3
94.3
100.9
101.0
104.8
104.7
115.7
115.3
99.0
101.7
97.7
103.1
100.3
102.0
100.2
101.5
106.1
98.7
99.5
122.0
1 2 2.2
1 1 2.2
126.9
130.2
117.3
127.1
121.9
119.7
131.4
115.2
118.3
(3)
(3)
(3)
117.0
122.9
117.9
134.9
134.7
121.0
66.0
62.0
54.9
66.6
94.0
55.6
56.4
65.9
78.9
70.1
11.0
8.8
22.0
8.0
14.9
4.7
.6
30.1
27.1
24.0
13.0
35.6
21.5
22.5
16.9
27.2
35.4
33.2
25.7
15.5
26.5
35.9
17.8
22.7
5.3
3.2
3.3
13.0
4.7
5.8
11.7
5.2
7.7
1.2
1.0
1 .0
4.2
-1 .9
2.3
1.5
4.8
-.2
1.0
1.6
6.0
4.0
8.0
2.0
8.1
2.6
8.0
6.8
8.9
15.2
10.0
7.8
6 .0
7.8
1 0 .0
8 .6
4.0
12.6
2 .0
9.4
-2 .3
- 2.1
3.1
6.7
5.9
9.4
3.2
1.3
-.8
8.9
18.2
4.3
8.7
7.9
14.5
-2 .0
7.3
4.1
8.3
9.9
4.3
5.1
- .4
2.9
6.0
2.1
- .3
5.3
8.1
.1
1 .6
10.3
3.8
5.6
4.2
2.9
4.8
2 .8
7.9
(3)
(3)
(3)
3.0
8.0
3.6
5.4
10.0
3.2
1.1
118.1
123.2
114.0
116.7
123.3
129.3
128.4
119.3
119.4
134.0
114.4
115.0
142.6
118.9
(3)
122.9
46.9
90.4
60.5
(3)
49.5
114.7
118.2
48.6
20.6
3.8
5.0
5.5
4.0
3.1
120.0
119.1
123.6
123.9
63.6
63.2
24.8
24.2
7.0
7.1
3.9
3.7
10.3
10.1
3.8
3.3
3.0
4.0
112.0 111.6
68.0
13.2
9.8
7.4
5.9
6.2
12.1
.9
4.9
1.5
10.5
10.5
9.6
2.3
9.0
4.6
3.1
.7
5.3
15.8
1.2
10.0
.2
1.3
6.3
13.5
5.7
5.0
.6
9.5
4.3
4.7
2.3
- .4
6.5
4.0
(3)
2.4
Occupation
W a sh e r s, m a c h in e (m e n ) ___________
F in is h e r s , m a c h in e , fla tw o r k (w orne n ) _________________________
All w o m e n ’s o c c u p a tio n s c o m b in e d .
1 Metropolitan areas, as defined by the Bureau of the Budget, were studied,
with the following exceptions:
Chicago (Cook Co. only);
New York City (Bronx, Kings, New York, Queens, and Richmond
Cos., N. Y.);
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Newark-Jersey City, although part of the New York Metropolitan Area,
was studied separately; and
Philadelphia, Pa.-Camden, N. J. (Philadelphia and Delaware Cos., Pa.
and Camden Co., N. J.).
2 Unless otherwise indicated, all are increases.
2 This area was not surveyed in 1953.
525
WAGE TRENDS IN POWER LAUNDRIES
en laundry workers. Straight-time hourly earn
ings of men in the jobs studied in which substantial
numbers of men were employed averaged about
30 cents more than earnings of women in the jobs
in which they were employed.
Women operators of ilatwork finishing machines
comprised the largest occupational group surveyed.
Earnings of these workers, some of whom are paid
on an incentive basis, rose more than 30 cents an
hour, or 63.6 percent, between 1945 and 1953.
Average hourly earnings of men washing-machine
operators, the highest-paid job studied, advanced
by slightly more than 40 cents, or 48.6 percent.
Pay of men extractor operators, who earned less
than machine washers, increased about 32 cents,
or 46.6 percent.
Scope and Method
Data for the indexes presented in this article
were obtained from the Bureau’s occupational
wage surveys. These surveys were made by
visits of the Bureau’s field agents to a representa
tive group of power laundries in each area studied.
Only laundries with 21 or more employees (8 or
more in 1945 and 1947) were covered.
The indexes are based on earnings of occupa
tional groups accounting for about two-fifths of
all plant workers (excluding driver salesmen) in
power laundries in the cities studied. The groups
included in all periods were men extractor opera
tors, machine washers, and firemen (stationary
boiler); women retail receiving clerks, machine
ilatwork finishers, machine shirt pressers, and bun
dle wrappers. Women markers were added in
1949 and identifiers in 1951. The addition of
these two occupations had no appreciable effect
on the continuity of the series.
Data for the periods from 1945 to 1952 are based
on all 31 cities listed in the table; for 1952 to
1953, they were based on 27 cities, since 4 com
munities were not surveyed in 1953. Except for
New York, the indexes refer to earnings changes
within metropolitan areas,7rather than to earnings
changes within city limits.
As indicated earlier, the indexes presented here
reflect, in addition to general wage changes,
merit increases in pay, any variation in incentive
earnings, the effect of any shifts in employment
7 See footnote 1 on table.
2 9 6 0 8 0 -5 4 -
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
among laundries within a city, and changes in
the ratio of time and incentive workers on the
same job. However, the effects of year-to-year
changes of any alteration in occupational compo
sition and of shifts in employment among cities
are excluded.
Over longer periods, the effects of shifts in
occupational composition or in relative employ
ment among cities were minimized by the chain
method of index construction. For each year in
a pair covered by consecutive wage surveys
(1945-47, 1947-48, etc.), the straight-time hourly
earnings for each occupation within a city were
weighted by the number employed in that occu
pation in the latter of the two years, to obtain an
overall city average for the year. First, the per
centage change between the resulting city aver
ages for 1945 and 1947 was expressed as a relative
(or index) with 1945 as one hundred. Then the
percentage relationship between the city averages
for the next pair of years—1947-48—was com
puted in a similar fashion and the index for the
earlier of these two years (1947) was multiplied
by this percentage relationship. These indexes
based on 1945 were converted to a 1947-49 base
by dividing by the average of the indexes for
1947, 1948, and 1949.
The same techniques were used in computing
the index for all cities combined. Average hourly
earnings for all occupations in each city, computed
in the manner just described, were weighted by
the total laundry employment in the city in the
latter year for each 2-year period, to obtain
overall averages for the entire group of cities.
These methods completely exclude the effect of
shifts in employment among occupations and
areas from the computation of the change in
earnings from one year to the next. However,
since the employment weights differ for each pair
of years, the weight of the percent change for
any occupation or area may vary from period to
period. Thus, if the ratio of ilatwork finishers to
extractor operators increased from 1947 to 1948,
the increase in earnings of ilatwork finishers
would have greater weight in computing the
overall increase in earnings from 1947 to 1948
than from 1945 to 1947.
— R uth
W. B e n n y
D ivision of W ages a n d In d u s tria l R elatio n s
526
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW, MAY 1954
Engineering Personnel Employed in
Metalworking Industries1
and other scientists
during the current mobilization period have
focused attention on the need for more adequate
information on employment in these professions.
At present, the decennial Census of Population is
the only source of comprehensive statistics on em
ployment by occupation.
The need for current estimates of employment
in these key occupations prompted the Bureau of
Labor Statistics to attempt the collection of such
information by mail questionnaires addressed to
employers—a method which has long been used in
preparing the Bureau’s monthly employment
estimates for different industries. Opportunity
for this pilot study was provided by a schedule
which had been sent quarterly during 1951 and
1952 to employers in metalworking industries, to
obtain manpower information needed for defense
planning. In October 1952, a question was added
to the schedule inquiring as to the numbers of
“professional engineers” employed. In addition,
to determine the extent to which industry was
utilizing less highly trained workers to supplement
their professional engineering staffs, questions
were added on the employment of “engineering
aids” and “draftsmen.” 2
This article presents employment estimates for
engineering personnel in selected metalworking
industries, based on this pilot survey.3 Four
S
h o r t a g e s
o f
e n g in e e r s
1 P r ep a red in t h e B u r e a u ’s D iv is io n o f M a n p o w e r a n d E m p lo y m e n t
S ta tis tic s .
2 T h e fo llo w in g d e fin itio n s w e r e u se d in c o m p ilin g th e da ta :
P r o fessio n a l en gin eers: I n d iv id u a ls e m p lo y e d in en g in e e r in g w o r k a t a
le v e l t h a t re q u ir es a k n o w le d g e o f th e en g in e e r in g , p h y s ic a l, a n d m a th e m a ti
ca l scie n c e s e q u iv a le n t a t le a st to t h a t a cq u ire d th r o u g h c o m p le tio n o f a 4 -year
p rofession al e n g in e e r in g co u rse. T r a in e e e n g in ee rs a n d all m a n a g eria l, su p e r
v is o r y , te c h n ic a l sa les, an d o th e r p erso n n e l w h o s e w o rk re q u ir es th e te c h n ic a l
k n o w le d g e an d s k ill d escrib e d a b o v e are in c lu d e d in th e d e fin itio n . H o w
e v e r , p e r so n n e l en g a g ed in n o n te c h n ic a l w o r k n o t r e q u ir in g a k n o w le d g e of
e n g in ee rin g p r in c ip le s are n o t in c lu d e d , e v e n th o u g h t h e y p o ssess an en g in e e r
in g d egree.
E n g in e e r in g aids: S em ip ro fe ssio n a l e n g in e e r in g a ssista n ts e x c e p t d r a ftsm e n ,
w h o a ssist p rofession al en g in ee rs. S u c h a ssista n ts m u s t h a v e a k n o w le d g e o f
th e e n g in e e r in g , p h y s ic a l, a n d m a th e m a tic a l s c ie n c e s e q u iv a le n t to t h a t
a cq u ire d th r o u g h c o m p le tio n o f 2 y e a r s o f p o st-h ig h -sc h o o l tr a in in g in a te c h
n ic a l in s t it u t e or ju n io r colleg e, or o th e r fo rm a l tr a in in g .
D r a fts m e n : I n d iv id u a ls w o r k in g as d r a fts m e n a t all le v e ls o f re sp o n s ib ility
b e lo w t h e p rofession al.
’ See also Metalworking Employment in Small and Large Firms, M onthly
Labor Review, April 1954 (p. 412), and forthcoming Summary Volume:
Employment in Metalworking Industries, by Size of Firm, July 1, 1951J u ly 1, 1953.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
major industry groups were covered by the sta
tistics—fabricated metal products; machinery
(except electrical); electrical machinery; and
transportation equipment (except motor vehicles
and motor-vehicle equipment). Motor-vehicle
manufacturers were also included in the survey
mailing list, but the response was not sufficient
to yield statistically reliable estimates for that
industry. The concluding section of this article
briefly discusses the scope and method of the
survey, the reliability of the estimates of engineer
ing employment arrived at, and the problems and
potentialities of this method of obtaining employ
ment estimates for selected occupations.
Employment of Engineers
In October 1952, approximately
103,800 engineers were employed in the metal
working industries covered by the study. This
number is believed to represent about one-fifth of
all professional engineers in the United States,
although no satisfactory overall estimate of total
engineering employment is available.
Nearly three-fifths of the engineers in the indus
try groups surveyed were employed in three of
the component industries. The largest number,
27,800, were in the aircraft industry; the com
munication equipment industry came second, with
19,500 engineers; and the electrical generating,
transmission, distribution, and industrial appa
ratus industry was third, with about 10,000.
Other industries with relatively large numbers of
engineers (somewhat fewer than 5,000 each) were
fabricated structural metal products, general in
dustrial machinery, and metalworking machinery.
(See table 1.)
The ratio of engineers to total employment
varied greatly among industries. It ranged from
a low of 4 engineers per 1,000 employees in the tin
can and other tinware industry, to 39 per 1,000 in
communication equipment, and to 41 per 1,000
in aircraft. Other industries averaging 25 or
more engineers per 1,000 employees were electric
lamps, electrical generating and related apparatus,
and office and store machines. In addition to tin
cans and other tinware, industries that averaged
less than 8 engineers per 1,000 were miscellaneous
transportation equipment, cutlery and hardware,
and fabricated wire products. For the most part,
B y Industry.
527
ENGINEERING PERSONNEL IN METALWORKING
the industries that use relatively few engineers
appear to he those manufacturing mainly stand
ardized products which change but little in design
from year to year. The factors responsible for
the high employment of engineers in the aircraft
and electrical machinery industries undoubtedly
include the complexity of the products and tech
nology of these industries and their extremely
large research and development programs.4
More than three-fifths
of the engineers in the surveyed industries were
in establishments with a total employment of
1,000 or more. The concentration of engineers in
large plants was marked in the transportation
equipment industries, where 85 percent of the
engineers worked in establishments with 1,000 or
more employees. It was also high in the electrical
machinery industries, in which 66 percent of the
engineers worked in plants in this largest size
B y Size of Establishment.
« See Scientific Research and Development in American Industry—A Study
of Manpower and Costs. Bureau of Labor Statistics Bulletin No. 1148,
prepared in cooperation with the U. S. Department of Defense, 1953 (p. 22).
‘ Ibid. (p. 7).
T a b l e 1 .— Estimated
group. However, in the machinery (except elec
trical) industries, less than half of the engineers,
and in fabricated metal products less than a
fourth, worked for the largest establishments.
(See table 2.)
In all the surveyed metalworking industries
taken together, the average ratio of engineers to
total employment was considerably greater in
large than in small establishments. Plants with
a work force of 1,000 or more averaged 29 engineers
per 1,000 employees, compared with averages of
18 or less per 1,000 for establishments in the
smaller size categories. This overall finding is
largely a reflection of the situation in the aircraft
and electrical machinery industries. As previously
noted, these industries employ large numbers of
engineers in connection with their research pro
grams, and there is a marked concentration of
research activities in large companies.5 No con
sistent relationship was found between size of
establishment and the ratio of engineers to total
employment in the individual industries which
comprised the machinery (except electrical) group
and fabricated metal products group.
number of engineers, engineering aids, and draftsmen employed in selected metalworking industries,
October 1952
Industry and industry group
Number
Draftsmen
Engineering aids
Engineers
Average
per l,0f
employee
Number
Average
per 100
engineers
Number
Average
per 100
engineers
103, 790
22
57, 460
55
67,350
65
Fabricated metal products-------------------------- --------------------------------- ----------Tin cans and other tinware. ________ _________________ _____________
Cutlery, handtools, and hardware----------- ----------- ------------ --------------Heating apparatus__________________________________________________
Fabricated structural metal products__________________
...
Metal stamping, coating, and engraving______________ . . . . -----------Lighting fixtures___________________________________ - ------------Fabricated wire products.. ----------- ----------------------------------------Miscellaneous fabricated metal products.. . -------------------- -----------------
11,220
240
1,010
1,390
4, 790
1,860
480
340
1,110
10
4
7
9
18
9
10
5
8
7,670
160
760
1,330
2, 790
1,250
300
330
750
68
67
75
96
58
67
63
97
68
13,110
80
740
1,210
8, 330
1,450
310
260
730
117
33
73
87
174
78
65
76
66
Machinery (except electrical)------------------- . ------------------------ . . ..
Engines and turbines_______ . . _ ------------------------ -------------------------Agricultural machinery and tractors _______________ - -----------------------Construction and mining machinery...
. ----------------- - .. --------------Metalworking machinery. . . ---------------- _ -------------------------- -----------Special-industry machinery. ------------------------ . . --------------------------------General industrial machinery---- ------ ------------------------ . . ---- --------------Office and store machines.
___
-------------------------- ----------------Service-industry and household machinery----- -----------------------------Miscellaneous machinery parts_______________________________________
28,150
1,450
2,460
2, 290
4, 630
3,430
4,750
3,000
3,020
3,120
18
17
16
18
17
18
21
27
16
13
18,020
680
1,440
1,110
3, 040
2,650
3,180
1, 580
2,260
2,080
64
47
59
48
66
77
67
53
75
67
24,340
1,650
1,110
2,030
4,740
3,650
4,980
1,210
2,530
2,440
86
114
45
89
102
106
105
40
84
78
Electrical machinery . . . . . . -------- .
--------------- - -- ---- ---------Electrical generating, transmission, distribution, and industrial apparatus---Electrical ap p lian ces.--------------------------------------------- ------Insulated wire and cable__________________________ . . ---------------------Electrical equipment for vehicles----- ------ -- ------------ . . . . . . . . --------- Electric lamps---- ----------- --------------------------------------- ------- -- ----------Communication equipm ent.. . . .. . -------------- . . . . --------- ----------Miscellaneous electrical equipment____ . . . ------------ . . . ------- --------------
33,940
10,080
780
260
1,910
680
19, 500
730
30
27
13
8
24
29
39
15
15,900
4,850
310
250
1,240
180
8,650
420
47
48
40
96
65
26
44
58
16,070
8,100
280
90
990
80
6, 270
260
47
80
36
35
52
12
32
36
Transportation equipment (except motor vehicles and motor-vehicle equipm ent)..
Aircraft and parts------ ------------------------------------------------------------Ship and boat building and repairing__________________ . . . . -----------Railroad equipm ent_________________________________________________
Miscellaneous transportation equipment------------------------------- . ---------
30,480
27,810
1,310
1,260
100
33
41
8
17
7
15,870
13,630
1,350
820
70
52
49
103
65
70
13,830
10, 410
2,370
1,000
50
45
37
181
79
50
Selected metalworking industries: Total__________________________________
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
528
Engineering Aids and Draftsmen
In addition to 103,800 professional engineers,
the engineering staffs of the metalworking indus
tries represented in the study included 57,500
engineering aids and 67,400 draftsmen in October
1952. Thus, for every 100 engineers there were,
on the average, 120 supporting technicians—55
aids and 65 draftsmen.
The wide variation in extent of utilization of
technicians in different industries is shown in table
1. Ship and boat building and repairing was the
industry with the highest ratio of technicians to
engineers—an average of 103 engineering aids and
181 draftsmen per 100 professional engineers.
Most industries in the fabricated metal products
and machinery (except electrical) groups also
employed relatively large numbers of technicians.
The industries which employed the fewest, relative
to the number of engineers on the payroll, were
electric lamps, communication equipment, elec
trical generating and related apparatus, aircraft,
and electrical appliances.
When the establishments were classified by
size, further variations in the ratio of technicians
to engineers were found. In all the surveyed
industries combined, large plants (with 1,000 or
more employees) had an average of 48 engineering
aids and 50 draftsmen per 100 engineers, far
below the average ratios for smaller establishments
(table 2). The statistics for different industries,
however, do not show a consistent pattern of
relationship between plant size and the extent of
utilization of supporting personnel.
An industry-by-industry comparison of the
ratio of technicians to engineers with that of
engineers to total employment also yields varying
results. The 6 industries which employed the most
engineers relative to their total work force (air
craft, 4 of the electrical machinery industries, and
office and store machines) were all comparatively
small employers of technicians. On the other hand,
there were some industries which employed rela
tively large numbers of technicians as well as of
engineers, and still others which had relatively few
employees of either type. Among the factors
responsible for these differences were undoubtedly
the diversity of the industries’ products and proc
esses and the varying size of their research pro
grams. There were probably many other contrib-
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW, MAY 1954
T able 2.— Estimated number of engineers, engineering aids,
and draftsmen employed in selected metalworking indus
tries, by size of establishment, October 1952
Engineering
aids
Engineers
Industry group and size
of establishm ent1
Num
ber
Selected metalworking industries: Total. ___
1-99 employees __
100-499 employees _ .
500-999 employees_____
1,000 or more employees.
103, 790
11, 360
17, 840
11, 180
63, 410
Fabricated metal products_______________
1-99 employees
____
100-499 employees . . _
500-999 employees ___
1,000 or more employees.
11, 220
3,180
3, 520
1,820
2, 700
Draftsmen
Aver
Aver
Aver
age
age
age
per
Num
per
Num
per
1,000
ber
100
ber
100
em
engi
engi
ploy
neers
neers
ees
22 57, 460
15 7, 840
16 11, 770
18 7, 290
29 30, 560
55 67,350
69 9,950
66 16, 810
65 8,620
48 31, 970
65
88
94
77
50
10
11
9
10
12
7,670
2, 110
2, 580
1, 360
1,620
68 13, 110
66 3, 450
73 4, 630
75 2,110
60 2,920
117
108
132
116
108
Machinery (except electrical)
28, 150
1-99 employees .
4,810
100-499 employees. ___ 7, 060
500-999 employees. ___ 4,010
1,000 or more employees. 12, 270
18 18, 020
17 3, 080
17 4, 830
17 2,660
18 7,450
64 24, 340
64 4, 320
68 8, 070
66 3,820
61 8,130
86
90
114
95
66
Electrical machinery . . . 33, 940
1-99 employees. . . ._
2,480
100-499 employees ___ 5,430
500-999 employees
3, 520
1,000 or more employees. 22, 510
30 15, 900
19 1, 960
20 3,550
23 1, 940
40 8,450
47 16, 070
79 1,890
65 2, 970
55 1, 660
38 9,550
47
76
55
47
42
Transportation e q u ip
ment (except motor
vehicles and motorvehicle equipment). . . 30, 480
1-99 employees..
890
100-499 employees . . .
1,830
500-999 employees
1,830
1,000 or more employees. 25, 930
33 15, 870
22
690
23
810
28 1, 330
35 13, 040
52 13, 830
78
290
44 1, 140
73 1,030
50 11, 370
45
33
62
56
44
1 Size of establishment is based upon total plant employment.
uting factors-—-such as variations in staffing pat
terns and hiring practices and local differences in
the supply-and-demand situation in professional
engineering and technician occupations.
Collection and Estimating Procedures
The survey represents a new procedure for the
collection of occupational data. Therefore, the
methods of arriving at the estimates, the reliabil
ity of these estimates, and the potentialities of the
new procedure are discussed below.
Since the survey which yielded these data on
engineering employment had, as its primary pur
pose, the collection of manpower information for
use by defense agencies, its coverage was deter
mined by these agencies’ needs. For this reason,
coverage was limited to selected metal-using in
dustries—primarily the fabricated metal products,
machinery (except electrical), electrical ma
chinery, and transportation-equipment industry
ENGINEERING PERSONNEL IN METALWORKING
groups. Defense-agency specifications were also
responsible for the decision to include in the mail
ing list all establishments in the covered indus
tries having 100 or more employees and, in a few
industries with a high rate of metal consumption,
all those having 50 or more employees. A few
smaller establishments were included for special
reasons.
The total number of establishments on the mail
ing list was 7,590. Of these, approximately 7,200
responded, but many replies either failed to supply
any usable information or arrived too late for in
clusion in the survey. Another group (453) did
not furnish information on engineering employ
ment, although they supplied data on one or more
other items covered by the schedule. Neverthe
less, 5,645 establishments, or 74 percent of the total
number on the mailing list, supplied usable infor
mation on engineering employment. This was
considered a good response rate, especially in view
of the fact that the schedule called for other items
of information, some difficult to supply.
Despite this high overall response rate, in one
industry, motor vehicles, the nonresponse was so
great as to preclude the development of estimates.
For this reason, the motor-vehicle industry has
been excluded from the estimates of engineering
employment presented in this article.
Altogether, the establishments that reported
engineering personnel in industries covered by the
tabulations had a total employment of 2,736,570.
Table 3 shows the number of employees on the pay
rolls of the reporting establishments in each in
dustry and the proportion these employees repre
sented of total employment in the given industry
in October 1952.
In deriving overall estimates of engineering
employment from the figures supplied by the
respondents, the first step was to classify the
returns by detailed industry and four size groups
(1-99 employees, 100-499 employees, 500-999
employees, and 1,000 or more employees). For
each of these industry-size groups, totals were
obtained on employment of engineers and total
employment in October 1952, for all companies
reporting both items of information. These
6 S e e B u r e a u o f L a b o r S ta tis tic s fo r th c o m in g S u m m a r y V o lu m e : E m
p lo y m e n t in M e ta lw o r k in g I n d u s tr ie s b y S ize o f F ir m , J u ly 1, 1 9 5 1 -J u ly 1,
1953.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
529
aggregates were derived primarily from data
supplied by plants reporting both these items on
their schedules for that month. However, in
order to obtain more inclusive data for certain
industry-size cells, the October 1952 returns
were supplemented by estimates for some plants
derived from a July 1951 survey of engineering
employment. Ratios of engineering employment
to total employment were then computed for each
industry-size group, and these were multiplied by
estimates of total employees for the given groups
prepared by the Bureau.6 The resulting estimates
of engineering employment for industry-size groups
were then summed, to yield the estimates pre
sented in the first column of tables 1 and 2 in this
article.
The procedure used in estimating employment
of engineering aids and draftsmen involved, first,
the computation of ratios of “ aids to engineers”
T able 3.— Number of employees in metalworking plants
reporting engineering personnel and percent of total
employment in the industry, October 1952
Employees in reporting
establishments
Industry and industry group
Selected metalworking industries: Total
Percent of
total em
Number 1 ployment
in the
industry
2, 737,000
58
Fabricated metal products
Tin cans and other tinware.
Cutlery, handtools, and hardware_______
Heating apparatus______
Fabricated structural metal products
Metal stamping, coating, and engraving___ .
Lighting fixtures____ ..
Fabricated wire products______
Miscellaneous fabricated metal products_____
566, 000
45, 000
83,000
94, 000
125,000
99,000
14,000
37, 000
69, 000
52
77
55
61
48
47
30
55
50
Machinery (except electrical)___ ..
___
Engines and turbines___
Agricultural machinery and tractors
Construction and mining machinery. _
Metalworking machinery__ _____ . _
Special-industry machinery. ______
General industrial machinery. ____
Office and store machines ._ . . . _
Service-industry and household machinery___
Miscellaneous machinery parts.. ________
921, 000
63, 000
111, OOO
84,000
134, 000
115,000
136, 000
80, 000
99, 000
99, 000
57
73
71
64
48
62
60
72
51
41
Electrical machinery______________
Electrical generating, transmission, distribu
tion, and industrial apparatus.
_______
Electrical appliances_____ _____ . . . . ..
Insulated wire and cable_____ ____ _ _ ..
Electrical equipment for vehicles____ __
Electric lamps________ . _________ _
Communication equipment_____ . . . . . . .
Miscellaneous electrical equipment__ _ . .
672, 000
60
255, 000
37, 000
13, 000
22, 000
18, 000
297, 000
30, 000
69
61
40
27
77
59
60
Transportation equipment (except motor vehicles
and motor-vehicle equipment)_______ . .
Aircraft and parts. ______
______ .
Ship and boat building and repairing__ ._ _
Railroad equipment___ _ __________
Miscellaneous transportation equipment. _. .
578, 000
398, 000
115,000
58, 000
7,000
62
58
74
77
49
1 Figures are rounded to the nearest 1,000.
530
and “ draftsmen to engineers” for the reporting
establishments in each industry-size group. These
ratios were then multiplied by the estimates of
engineering employment, already derived by the
methods outlined in the preceding paragraph, and
summed to provide the statistics presented in
columns 3 and 5 of tables 1 and 2.
In considering the sampling error which may
be involved in these estimates, it is important to
bear in mind that the establishments canvassed in
the survey were not chosen by random methods
and that sampling theory is, therefore, not directly
applicable to the assessment of survey results.
With this important qualification, an estimate
was made of the sampling error that might have
arisen from this survey if it had had a probability
design. This somewhat unusual practice was
adopted in the light of the following considerations.
The sample design used by the Bureau in esti
mating total employment for size classes7 is a
stratified probability sample. With the exception
of establishments in the smallest size group (1-99
employees), the design is identical with that used
in the survey of engineering employment. The
identical part of the two sampling designs covers
approximately 6,000 of the 9,000 establishments
and 97 percent of the total employment in the
probability sample. Actual response, however,
was considerably better in the survey of total
employment than in that of engineering per
sonnel. The overlap of the two samples in terms of
number of employees in the reporting establish
ments was 60 percent. The overall employment
survey furnished reliable estimates of variance of
the total employment figures, while the same
design, adjusted for size of sample but not for
possible bias of nonresponse, was used in calcu
lating the sampling error of the ratio of engineers
to employment.
For a typical individual industry, there is a
67-percent probability that the sampling error is
less than 8 percent. For the estimate for all
metalworking industries combined, there is a
67-percent probability that the sampling error is
less than
percent and a 95-percent probability
that it is less than 5 percent. The potential
errors indicated are those that might arise from
sampling as contrasted with a complete survey
i Ibid.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW, MAY 1954
and do not include other possible sources of
inadequacy such as reporting errors and the bias
of nonresponse.
In planning the study, it was recognized that
precisely comparable figures on engineering em
ployment would be difficult to obtain from the
various reporting establishments, in view of the
known divergencies among companies in job titles
and occupational organization. Unfortunately,
resources did not permit a field check on com
panies’ interpretations of the occupational defini
tions supplied on the questionnaire. That differ
ences in personnel classification could have a great
effect on the employment estimates is indicated by
a comparison of the results of the October 1952
survey with figures on engineering employment
derived from a July 1951 questionnaire.
The earlier schedule, which was one of the same
series utilized in October 1952, carried a question
on employment of engineers only and made no
mention of engineering aids or draftsmen. Though
an identical definition of the occupation of en
gineer was given on the two schedules, many
establishments reported fewer engineers in 1952
than in 1951, despite a rise in their total work
force—strongly suggesting that some personnel
were included in the 1951 figures on engineers who,
in the later survey, were reported as engineering
aids or draftsmen. This supposition was con
firmed by correspondence with a few establish
ments and, therefore, it was decided not to publish
any comparative figures from the earlier survey.
Although by no means conclusive, this expe
rience suggests that more accurate information on
employment by occupation can be obtained when
data are requested for a group of associated
occupations than when the request is limited to
one isolated field of work. It also underlines the
importance of providing for followup visits to a
sample of respondents in a future survey of this
type.
Further experimentation and testing is obvi
ously required before the use of mail schedules ad
dressed to employers can be regarded as a fully
tested and perfected method of obtaining data for
estimates of employment by occupation. In
general, however, the experience with the Octo
ber 1952 survey suggests that this technique can
be an effective and economical means of obtaining
data for such estimates.
PAID REST PERIODS—AGREEMENT PROVISIONS
Paid Rest-Period Provisions
in Union Agreements, 1952-53
P
during regular working hours
were provided by nearly one-fourth (417) of a
total of 1,842 collective bargaining agreements
analyzed in a recent Bureau of Labor Statistics
study. About 6.3 million workers were covered
by the agreements analyzed; the agreements with
paid rest-period provisions covered approximately
1.6 million workers, but many agreements limited
the practice to specific categories within the
bargaining unit.1
The benefits derived from granting paid rest
periods to workers gained recognition during
World War I. Many employers found that a
rest period, breaking the monotony of repetitive
operations, counteracted production-line fatigue
and actually resulted in a higher volume and
quality of total daily output and in reducing
spoilage. Experience with paid rest-period pro
visions, during World War I and subsequently,
led to their wider adoption. In recent years, paid
rest periods have increasingly become a subject
for collective bargaining.
Several factors contribute to the formalization
of rest periods—primarily the psychological and
physical demands of modern industry upon
workers and the requirements of plant operation
or discipline. Unrelieved fatigue, whether physical
or mental, may adversely affect safety and the
quality and quantity of output. From the psycho
logical standpoint, monotony and routine tend
to dull alertness; for physical health, a “break”
from work is required by employees engaged in
heavy manual labor and by those whose work
pace is determined by the machine. The health
and safety factors are also important in other
kinds of jobs, for example, in the case of painters
working in closed spaces where fresh air is
not available.
The choice between allowing workers to take a
rest period when and as long as they require it
and formally setting aside a fixed period for that
purpose depends largely upon requirements of
plant operation or discipline in preventing abuses.
Adoption of formal provisions often permits more
efficient scheduling of plant operations, particu
a id
r e s t
p e r io d s
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
581
larly where constant attendance at machines
and work stations is required. The need for
formalizing the practice tends to grow correspond
ingly with increased size of establishment. The
incorporation of a rest-period provision into a
collective bargaining agreement is an act of
formalization that also places some responsibility
upon union officials to prevent abuses. Moreover,
the development of provisions outlining the
duration, scheduling, and other conditions of such
time allowances tends to minimize disputes over
these working conditions.
Even in plants covered by collective bargaining
contracts, absence of a specific paid rest-period
provision does not necessarily mean that this
practice is not observed. Often, company policy
permits rest pauses, but these practices may not
be written into the agreement. Often, too, the
nature of the work permits intermittent breaks for
rest and relief—“ coffee breaks,” timeout, smoking
breaks, “ spellout”—either on a formal or in
formal basis.
Actually, rest or relief periods without loss of
pay are more common in American industry than
is indicated by the Bureau’s findings based on
analysis of union contracts. The Bureau’s study,
for example, did not include “ personal allowance”
or “relief” time generally provided under wageincentive systems in determining time or produc
tion standards. Many of the agreements which
provided for rest periods specifically indicated,
with respect to piece-rate or incentive workers,
that time allowances for this purpose were included
in calculating time standards or incentive rates.
Women must be given a rest period under the
laws or minimum-wage orders effective in 8
States—Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada,
Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. Most
of these provide for a 10-minute rest period within
a half-day’s work.2
1 The agreements in the study, current as of August 1952 or later, were
selected from the Bureau’s current file of union contracts on the basis of
industry, union, and regional representation. Agreements for the airline and
railroad industries (except for the Railway Express Agency) are not collected
by the Bureau and therefore are not included. No agreement negotiated in
the fall of 1953 or later was included in this study.
For seasonal industries, the number of workers covered generally includes
short-term workers employed at the peak of the season, in addition to regular,
year-round employees.
This survey does not include rest periods occurring or provided during
nonregular or overtime hours.
* Summary of State Labor Laws for Women, 1953. Publication D-66.
Women’s Bureau, U. S. Department of Labor (processed, July 1, 1953, p. 3).
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW, MAY 1954
532
T a ble 1 .— Proportion of collective bargaining agreements
1,842
6,268.4
22.6
25.4
1,345
4,169. 0
24.4
24.8
The prevalence of rest-period provisions in com
munications could be attributed to the large pro
portion of women employed and the service re
quirements of that industry.
Between 30 and 50 percent of the agreements in
six other industry groups—all in manufacturing—
provided paid rest periods: furniture and finished
wood products; chemicals and allied products;
rubber products; fabricated metal products; elec
trical machinery; and the miscellaneous group.
131
15
133
321.8
28.3
183.7
52.7
20.0
7.5
72.1
8.5
4.4
Types of Employees Covered
61
32
390.7
16.1
4.9
21.9
.3
25.2
42
56
52
73
25
19
32
53
97
110
160
75
105
63.3
88.2
47.2
84.1
64. 2
127.9
48.2
98.5
551.8
176.1
334.1
350.7
1,110.9
47.6
21.4
1.9
32.9
8.0
31.6
21.9
22.6
12.4
34.5
16.9
32.0
26.7
20.3
32.8
.8
34.5
2.7
21.2
7.9
26.3
31.7
39.1
22.6
18.7
22.6
26
48
44.5
38.7
23.1
35.4
11.0
34.7
497
2,099.4
17.9
26.6
36
104
64
57
95
22
65
47
7
512.9
301.0
521.6
145.6
127.1
98.1
119.1
252.0
22.0
2.8
9.6
56.3
1.8
14.7
27.3
27.7
6.4
containing paid rest-period provisions,
covered, 1952-58 ,1 by industry group
Agreements
studied
Industry group
All industries-.
M
____________________
Food and kindred p ro d u c ts.--------Tobacco--------------- --- --.
_ -Textile-mill products.. -------- -- - Apparel and other finished textile
products-------- ------- -- --Lumber and timber basic products...
Furniture and finished wood prod
ucts-------------- - - ----------Paper and allied products__________
Printing and publishing --------------Chemicals and allied products__. . .
Petroleum and coal products
..
Rubber products-----------------Leather and leather products______
Stone, clay, and glass products_____
Primary metal industries--------------Fabricated metal products. .
---Machinery (except electrical). . . . . _
Electrical m a c h i n e r y . . . .
Transportation equipment. . . .
Professional and scientific instru
ments
. . . . ___
Miscellaneous manufacturing____ .
N
o n m a n u f a c t u r in g
workers
Percent with paid
rest-period pro
visions 2
Workers
covered Agree Workers
Number (in
thou ments covered *
sands)
----------------
a n u f a c t u r in g
and
_____________
Mining, crude petroleum, and n at
ural gas production..- _ _
. ..
Transportation 6_. _
_
_ _
Communications
Utilities: electric and gas. -_Wholesale and retail trade
. -_ .
Hotels and restaurants__
Services.. . ----- _ ----------------------Construction____________________
Miscellaneous nonmanufaeturing___
(9
7.0
69.5
2.4
19.3
78.0
42.9
7.1
1 See footnote 1 to text.
2 For number of agreements with paid rest-period provisions, and number of
workers covered by those agreements, see table 5.
s Includes total number of workers in bargaining units covered by the
agreements providing paid rest periods. Many contracts, however, restrict
these provisions to women, particular occupational groups, specific workers
or departments, etc.
4 Less than 0.1 percent.
8 Excludes railroads (except for Railway Express Agency) and airline
industries.
Although the 417 agreements with paid rest
periods covered about 1.6 million workers, not all
benefited by such allowances. A total of 371 of
these agreements indicated the extent to which
paid rest periods were to be given to all employees,
to women only, or to employees in certain jobs or
occupations only. Of these 371, a fourth re
stricted rest periods to women only or to employ
ees in specific occupations or departments (table
2). Eleven percent of the agreements did not
specifically define the employees covered by the
clause; most of these stated only that present
practices regarding rest periods would be con
tinued during the term of the contract.
The specific occupations granted rest periods
generally were on continuous operations requiring
relief workers to tend machines or work stations,
“highly fatiguing/’ or “continuous repetitive”
jobs, painting in closed spaces, etc. Illustrative
clauses follow:
T able 2.— Paid rest-period provisions in collective bargain
ing agreements, 1952-53, by type of workers covered
Prevalence of Paid Rest Periods, by Industry
In a comparison by industry group, manu
facturing industries accounted for almost fourfifths of the 417 agreements with paid rest periods.
Nearly a fourth of the manufacturing agreements
studied, and slightly less than a fifth of the non
manufacturing agreements, contained such pro
visions (table 1).
Paid rest periods were provided in more than
half of the agreements in the food and kindred
products and communications industries. Meat
packing agreements accounted for the preponder
ance of such clauses in the food industry group.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Number of—
Types of workers covered
Percent of—
Workers Agree
Agree (in
thou ments
ments sands)1
Work
ers 1
Total with paid rest-period provi
sions ___
_____ _________
417
1,589.8
. 100. 0
100.0
Type of workers indicated ________
371
1,212.9
89.0
76.3
All employees in bargaining
unit
______________
Women only
_____ -.
Specific occupations or depart
ments. _
_______________
278
53
866.2
189.5
66.7
12.7
54.5
11.9
40
157.2
9.6
9.9
Type of workers not indicated . ___
46
376.9
11.0
23.7
Present practices continued____
Other provisions______ ___ ___
33
13
297.4
79.5
7.9
3.1
18.7
5.0
1 Total number of workers covered by£agreements providing paid rest
periods.
533
PAID REST PERIODS—AGREEMENT PROVISIONS
There shall be two 10-minute rest periods per turn on
machine- and conveyor-paced operations, one on each
half-turn.
*
*
*
Number of—
*
The principle of rest periods for all female employees
will be recognized by the Company on all continuous,
repetitive-type jobs.
Under several laundry agreements, rest periods
were granted during the summer months only.
Duration, Number, and Timing of Rest Periods
The total time allowance for rest periods was
from 20 to 30 minutes per day or full shift in
slightly over 60 percent of the 417 agreements
with such provisions (table 3). This pattern was
equally prevalent in manufacturing and nonmanu
facturing industries.
Almost one-fifth of the agreements which con
tained references to rest periods gave no details
as to the length of the period. A few varied the
length of the rest period for different classifica
tions of workers, or specified the duration of such
periods, but in amounts which did not fall into
common patterns.
T able 3.— Total time allowance for paid rest periods per
workday in collective bargaining agreements, 1952-58
Number of—
Total time allowance 1
Agree
ments
Percent of—
Work
ers (in Agree
thou
ments
sands)2
Work
ers 2
100.0
Total with paid rest-period provisions.
417
1, 589.8
100.0
Less than 10 minutes ____ ___
10 minutes____
___
______
More than 10, but less than 15 min
utes__________________________
15 to less than 20 minutes_________
20 minutes_________ . . . - ----- -More than 20, but less than 30 min
utes . . . ------------ -----------------30 m inutes.. . . . . ---------------------Over 30 minutes ------------------------Varies by occupation----------- -- . . .
Other 4______________ _____ - --
1
37
.1
67.8
.2
8.9
2
25
156
1.5
30.3
377.2
.5
6.0
37.4
.1
1.9
23.7
19
80
3
13
81
58.4
379.5
15.3
142.2
517.5
4.6
19.2
.7
3.1
19.4
3.7
23.9
1.0
8.9
32.5
0
4.3
1 Indicates the total time allowance granted for rest periods during the
workday or full shift.
2 Total num ber of workers covered by agreements providing paid rest
periods.
s Less than 0.1 percent.
4 Includes agreements which specify the number of paid rest periods, but
do not indicate the time allowance; agreements which merely state that
present practices will be continued; that rest periods will be granted in ac
cordance with the law or that reasonable or equitable rest periods will be
granted; and agreements which refer to rest periods but give no details.
296080— 54-
4
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
workday provided in collective bargaining agreements,
1952-53
*
The Company shall continue its present practice of
granting two 10-minute rest periods during a regular
8-hour shift on highly fatiguing operations.
*
T able 4.— Number and frequency of paid rest periods per
Number and frequency of rest periods
Workers
(in thou
sands) i
Agree
ments
Total with paid rest-period provisions----------------
417
1,589.8
Agreements specifying number of rest periods------
337
1,108.4
One rest period_____________________ -........
1st half-shift_______ _____ _____ ____
2d half-shift...
-----------------------------Timing not indicated. . . . . . --------- -Two rest periods-------------------------------------1st and 2d half-shifts. ________________
Timing not indicated_________________
Rest periods after specified number of hours
worked. ________________ ____ -...........
After every hour_____________________
After every 2 hours-------------------------- —
After every 2\i hours__________________
After every 3 hours------------------- --------
49
28
4
17
280
230
50
89.7
37.0
13.9
38.8
978.1
809.6
168.5
8
2
4
1
1
40.6
9.5
9.6
18.0
3.5
Agreements not specifying number of rest periods K
80
481.4
1 Total number of workers covered by agreements providing paid rest
periods.
.
2 Includes agreements which vary the number of rest periods for different
classifications or according to work schedules; those which specify total time al
lowance but not frequency; and agreements which merely state that present
practices will be continued or refer to rest periods but give no details.
The most prevalent practice was to provide two
rest periods per full shift. Over four-fifths of the
agreements which specified the number of rest
periods contained such a provision. About fourfifths of the 280 clauses specifying 2 rest periods
made explicit provision for scheduling a rest
period in each half-shift. The others mentioned
two periods but did not indicate their timing
(table 4).
Occasionally, rest periods were to be provided
at set intervals: every hour, or, in some cases,
every 2, 2J$, or 3 hours, as in the following clause:
The practice of giving 5-minute rest periods out of every
2 hours shall continue wherever this is in effect in the
plant at the present time.
Usually, the morning and afternoon rest periods
were of equal length. In some cases, however,
they were of unequal length, the shorter rest
period occurring in the afternoon in nearly all
such instances.
Employees working not more than 8 hours a day shall
have a 15-minute rest period in the morning and a 10minute rest period in the afternoon . . .
In cases where only one formal rest period was
granted, over half of the agreements scheduled it
for the first half-shift; a few specified the second
work period; and the others failed to indicate the
timing.
534
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW, MAY 1954
Ten-minute rest periods were most common,
appearing in 55 percent of the agreements speci
fying the length of the rest period (329). Such
periods were specified in about 1 out of every 2
manufacturing agreements providing paid rest
periods, and 1 out of every 6 nonmanufacturing
agreements (table 5). The proportions were re
versed with respect to 15-minute rest periods
for nonmanufacturing and manufacturing. The
transportation and communications industries,
particularly, made use of 15-minute rest periods.
the rest-period time was to be set by the company,
although some agreements provided for scheduling
by joint decision of company and union. A few
listed the specific time of the rest periods.
A number of agreements included provisions
apparently designed to schedule the rest periods
so as to break up the workday at relatively equal
intervals. Some, for example, specified that rest
periods were to be scheduled as nearly as possible
midway in the half-shift. Others required that
these time breaks occur not later than from 2){
to 3K hours after start of the work period, or not
earlier than from three-quarters of an hour to 2%
hours after the start. A few provided for stag
gering of rest periods, in order to prevent disrup
tion of production or overburdening of cafeteria
facilities. Illustrative provisions follow:
Rest Period Scheduling
Scheduling of rest periods was discussed in
about half of the agreements. Most commonly,
T a ble 5.
Duration and number of paid rest periods provided in collective bargaining agreements, 1952—53 , by industry group
Distribution of agreements and workers according to rest-period provision
Number with
paid rest-period
provisions
Industry group
All industries___________
M anufacturing________
Food and kindred products Tobacco___ _____
Textile-mill products.
Apparel and other finished textile
products____ _____
Lumber and timber basic prod
ucts_________
Furniture and finished wood
____
. products.
Paper and allied products.
Printing and publishing__
Chemicals and allied products__
Petroleum and coal products___
Leather and leather products .
Stone, clay, and glass products...
Primary metal industries...
Fabricated metal products
Machinery (except electrical)___
Electrical machinery.
Transportation equipment
Professional and scientific instru
ments_____
Miscellaneous manufacturing
N ONM ANUFACTUBING
Mining, crude petroleum, and
natural gas production . .
Transportation 1 . . .
Communications___
Utilities: electric and gas..
Wholesale and retail trade
Hotels and restaurants
Services . . .
Construction.. . . .
Miscellaneous nonmanufacturing.
5 minutes each
minutes each
15 minutes each
Other
1 rest period
2 rest periods
1 rest period
2 rest periods
1 rest period
2 rest periods
WorkAgree ers (in
ments thou
W ork
W ork
W ork
W ork
W ork
W ork
W ork
sands) 1 Agree ers (in Agree ers (in Agree ers (in Agree ers (in Agree ers (in Agree ers (in Agree ers (in
ments thou ments thou ments thou ments thou ments thou ments thou ments thou
sands)
sands)
sands)
sands)
sands)
sands)
sands)
417 1, 589.8
1
0 .6
10
30.2
27
37.3
R3
373.8
17
23.3
79
373.7
130
750.9
328 1,032.1
1
^6
10
30.2
25
25.9
139
343.6
14
10.6
39
123.9
100
497.3
3
2.4
28
128.4
1
.9
14
19.2
2u
83.4
1
1.3
5
4.0
Z
1.1
69
3
10
3
7
20
12
1
24
2
6
7
12
12
38
27
24
28
232.1
2.4
4.0
1
^8
4
5
3.9
6
3.9
13.9
.2
11
13.8
2
.7
2
2
2
1
1 .0
2 .0
12.9
28.9
.4
29.0
1
14
6
18
3
.6
1
1
.7
1
1 .8
27.1
3.8
25.9
175.1
68 9
75.6
65.4
251.0
89
1
10
2 .8
1
4.9
13.4
36
4
1.4
17
6
1
8 .1
1
1
2
-3
1 .2
2
25.3
1
.3
2
2
2
4
1.4
1 2
10.9
2
3
2 .1
2 .0
10
13.3
1
.9
4
9.7
3
9
5
7
23.0
1.9
21.9
170.6
19.2
41.7
11.5
102.3
2
2
1
2 .1
2
17
9
16
9
3
13.5
2
4
5
52.7
75.8
32.0
18.5
11
1 2 .8
2
36.7
h
557.7
9
11.4
14
30.2
•4
l
.4
2
1
3.5
5
10.8
11.0
2.5
1
2
1.4
1.3
1 .1
1 .0
12.7
7.5
40
6
28
1
fy
1
1
1 2.0
g
«
1
1
1 .0
.6
30
253.6
3.0
129.8
1 .8
7
l
/
1 .6
6
1.4
1 .6
6 .8
1
1
3.1
7
8 .6
1
0
2
12
21.1
1.1
1 .8
J5
2.5
362.7
3.5
24.6
76.5
51.1
17.8
3
3.2
9
4.0
1
1
1 Includes total number of workers in bargaining units covered by the agree
ments providing paid rest periods.
1 Includes 55 agreements which refer to rest periods, but with insufficient
or no details, and 33 which merely state that present practices will be con
tinued. In the remaining 42 agreement s the length of each rest period varies
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
10
249.8 "
16.5
229.4
5
19.7
10.3
1
as between morning and afternoon; or the length of each rest period is other
than 5, 10, or 15 minutes; or the length of the rest period varies for different
job classifications or categories of workers; etc.
3 E x c lu d e s ra ilro a d s (e x c e p t for R a ilw a y E x p r e s s A g e n c y ) a n d a ir lin e i n
d u s tr ie s .
535
PAID REST PERIODS—AGREEMENT PROVISIONS
All em ployees coming u n d er th is A greem ent shall be
given a 10-m inute re st a n d sm oking period during th e first
half an d second half of each shift. E ach period to be
ta k e n a t a tim e agreed u pon b y th e C om pany a n d th e
G rievance C om m ittee.
*
*
*
Such rest periods m ay be staggered so as to cause a m in
im um interference w ith th e o perations of th e p la n t, b u t no
em ployee shall be required to ta k e such re st period earlier
th a n 1% hours afte r th e s ta r t of th e sh ift or la te r th a n 1
h our before th e lunch period.
Relatively few agreements required that employ
ees work a specified number of continuous hours—
varying from 1% to 4 hours per half-shift or from
5 to 8 hours per shift—in order to qualify for the
rest-period allowances. For example:
(a) A rest period of 10 m in u tes shall be allow ed in th e
forenoon providing th e em ployee is req u ired to w ork 3%
hours or longer before th e lunch period.
(b) A rest period of 10 m in u tes shall be allowed in th e
afternoon providing th e em ployee is req u ired to w ork 3%
hours or longer a fte r th e lunch period.
W hen em ployees are req u ired to w ork hours less th a n
those sta te d above no spellout o r re st period shall be
g ranted.
Rest-Period Regulations
Rules designed to secure compliance with the
time limits set for rest periods, or to maintain
order and discipline so as to minimize interrup
tions to production, or general statements caution
ing against abuse, were prescribed in about threefourths of the agreements with paid rest-period
provisions.
To insure against employees overstaying their
rest period, some agreements required them to
return to their workplaces within the time set.
Signals designating the start and end of the rest
period were occasionally mentioned. Other agree
ments, without referring to such mechanical de
tails, included statements that rest-period priv
ileges were not to be abused. If abuses were
shown, rest periods could be discontinued, accord
ing to some contracts; in some, however, only if
the abuse continued after the union had been
apprised of the abuse or of possible cancellation
of the rest period. Specific reference to discipline
for exceeding the time limits or for violating other
rest-period conditions was included in a few agree
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
ments. Pay deductions for exceeding the desig
nated time allowance were specified in two agree
ments—in one case amounting to slightly more, and
in the other, slightly less, than the amount of pay
for the length of the rest period. The instructions
were in these words:
These re st periods m ay be d iscontinued a t a n y tim e th e
em ployees m ay abuse th e privilege, b u t before discon
tin u in g them , th e C om pany will consult w ith th e U nion.
*
*
*
E m ployees shall be given a 10-m inute rest p eriod each
d ay com m encing a t 9:30 a. m., ending a t 9:40 a. m.
E m ployees will sta y on th e ir jobs u n til a signal is sounded
announcing th e beginning of th e period. D u rin g such
re st period th e em ployees shall be free to leave th e ir
w orkplace, sm oke in th e areas desig n ated in th e p la n t
rules, a n d e a t th e ir lunch. A signal shall be sounded 2
m in u tes p rio r to th e ex p iratio n of th e period a n d em
ployees shall be a t th e ir places of w ork w hen th e final
signal is sounded. T h e provisions for a re st p eriod as
herein se t o u t are agreed to b y th e C om pany upo n th e
u n d erstan d in g th a t th e em ployees assum e responsibility
for re tu rn to th e ir places of w ork b y th e exp iratio n of th e
specified re st period, a n d if such privilege is ab u sed b y th e
em ployees to such e x te n t t h a t th e sam e can n o t be en
forced b y in d iv id u al discipline th e C om pany will call th e
m a tte r to th e a tte n tio n of th e U nion, a n d if such abuses
continue a fte r th e U nion has received such notice th e
C om pany m ay discontinue re s t periods.
To prevent undue crowding, confusion, or inter
ference with other employees, or to avoid fire
hazards, the following types of conditions often
were specified: specific smoking or eating areas
were designated; employees were required to
remain on the premises, in their department, or
on their floor (in one instance, this was limited to
custodial employees); workers were barred from
entering any department where other employees
were at work; or a general restriction on unduly
congregating or holding meetings was included.
Two agreements required that employees refrain
from interfering with or discouraging any em
ployee who wished to work during the rest period.
Several others provided that exceptions to the
formal rest-period practices could be made by
mutual agreement in individual cases.
•— A braham W e iss and R ose T heodore
D ivision of W ages an d In d u s tria l R elatio n
536
M ONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W , MAY 1954
Earnings in Miscellaneous
Textile Industries, October 1953
straight-time hourly earnings of pro
duction and related workers in a group of eight
miscellaneous textile industries ranged from $1.10
to $1.60 in October 1953, according to a study
conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.1
The industries differ considerably in terms of
product, equipment, and other characteristics.
Variations in labor-force skill composition account
in part for differences in the level of earnings
among the industries. Similarly, differences in
levels of earnings for men and women reflect, at
least in part, the fact that women tend to be
employed in the less skilled or arduous occupations.
Average hourly earnings for all production
workers, for men, and for women are given below
for each of the industries studied:
A verage
Average hourly earnings of—
A ll workers
F e lt goods
Lace goods_____
_ __
Paddings and upholstery filling.
Processed w aste
__ ____ __
____
C oated fabrics
L inen goods ____
J u te goods _
C ordage an d tw ine _ _ _
$1.
1.
1.
1.
1.
1.
1.
1.
55
56
42
10
60
26
32
28
M en
$1.
1.
1.
1.
1.
1.
1.
1.
60
93
45
21
63
39
37
37
Women
$1.
1.
1.
.
1.
1.
1.
1.
27
16
34
91
30
19
22
13
To make the study more useful, each industry is
discussed separately because of the marked differ
ences in the wage structures and in most industry
characteristics. Percent distributions of produc
tion workers by average straight-time hourly
earnings for certain regions are given in the accom
panying table for each industry studied.
Felt Goods
Establishments in the felt goods industry manu
facture primarily insulating and automotive felts,
under-rug mats, and other felt goods (except
woven felt, felt hats, and haircloth) from wool,
hair, and jute, by means of heat, moisture, and
pressure or by the needle-loom process. Threefourths of the workers in this industry were em
ployed in the New England and Middle West
regions. The majority of plants producing felt
goods each employed fewer than 100 workers.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
The value of the goods shipped by the industry in
1951 amounted to $105 million.2
Straight-time hourly earnings of production
workers averaged $1.55 in October 1953. Indi
vidual earnings for 25 percent of the workers
ranged from $1.25 to $1.50; an additional 40
percent earned from $1.50 to $1.75. About 5
percent received $2 or more an hour and less than
1 percent earned below $1. Men accounted for
85 percent of the plant labor force and averaged
$1.60 an hour.
Regional earnings varied only 1 or 2 cents from
the national average. New England and the
Middle West, the two leading regions in the
production of felt goods, recorded averages of
$1.56 and $1.54, respectively.
Lace Goods
The lace goods industry includes establishments
primarily engaged in the manufacture of Leavers
lace, bobbinet, Nottingham lace (curtain nets,
curtains, bedspreads, table covers), and Barmen
lace. The bulk of the production in the industry
is Leavers lace, so called after the designer of a
weaving machine by that name.
Lace is a decorative, openwork fabric formed
by looping, interlacing, braiding, or twisting
threads or various fibers and is considered one
of the highest forms of textile artistry and skill.
The industry in the United States is compara
tively new and was slow in developing due to
difficulties encountered in obtaining Leavers lace
machines from England. Output of Leavers lace
was relatively insignificant until 1909, when there
were only about 100 Leavers machines in this
country. By 1953, however, over 800 machines
were in operation. The industry did an annual
1Data for the study were collected by mail questionnaire and were limited
to earnings of production and related workers, which for purposes of this
study are defined as follows: “Includes working foremen and all nonsupervisory workers (including lead men and trainees) engaged in fabricating,
processing, assembling, inspection, receiving, storage, handling, packing,
warehousing, shipping, maintenance, repair, janitorial, watchman services,
products development, auxiliary production for plant’s own use (e. g., power
plant), and record-keeping and other services closely associated with the
above production operations.”
The group of industries studied, which are generally characterized by small
plants in terms of employment, employed approximately 49,000 workers.
They are located, for the most part, in metropolitan areas each having a
population of 100,000 or more. Establishments employing 10 or more workers
were included in the study. The wage data presented exclude premium pay
for overtime and night work but include incentive earnings. More detailed
information on the study is available in BLS Report No. 56.
1 U. S. Department of Commerce, 1951 Annual Survey of Manufactures.
EA R N IN G S IN M ISCELLA N EO U S T E X T IL E IN D U S T R IE S
business of approximately $30 million in 1950.3
Today there is little, if any, handmade lace pro
duced commercially in the United States.
The manufacture of lace goods provides em
ployment to about 8,000 workers in the United
States and is concentrated almost entirely in the
New England and the Middle Atlantic States, each
region accounting for half of the total employ
ment. Small-size plants (less than 100 workers)
are predominant in this industry. The work
force was about equally divided between men and
women.
Hourly earnings of aH production workers in
the lace goods industry averaged $1.56 in October
1953. Partly because of the large number of
highly skilled weavers—typically a man’s job—
men averaged 77 cents an hour more than women,
$1.93 compared with $1.16.
Almost 60 percent of the men had earnings of
at least $1.50; half of them earned $2.50 or more
an hour. Women’s earnings were concentrated
between $1 and $1.25, 45 percent receiving earn
ings within this range. Slightly more than a
fourth of the women earned less than $1 an hour,
in contrast to only 7 percent of the men.
Earnings in the New England lace industry
averaged $1.61, compared with $1.53 in the
Middle Atlantic States. The regional positions
of men’s and women’s earnings, however, did not
conform to this relationship. Men in New Eng
land averaged 28 cents more than men in the
Middle Atlantic States ($2.09 compared with
$1.81); but women in New England averaged 9
cents less than their counterparts in the Middle
Atlantic region ($1.12 as against $1.21).
Paddings and Upholstery Filling
The production of paddings and upholstery
filling includes establishments primarily engaged in
manufacturing batting, padding, wadding, and
upholstery filling from curled hair, cotton, moss,
hemp tow, flax tow, kapok, and related materials.
Forty percent of the approximately 6,000 workers
in this industry were employed in the Middle
West; the Far West and Middle Atlantic regions
each accounted for 20 percent and the South for
10 percent. Men outnumbered women in the
industry’s labor force by 3 to 1. Although there
3
Leavers lace handbook of the American Leavers Lace Industry, July
1948.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
537
are a number of plants employing from 250 to
1,000 workers, the average plant in the industry,
as studied, had about 90 workers.
Production workers in the padding and uphol
stery filling industry averaged $1.42 an hour in
October 1953. The $1.45 average for men was 11
cents higher than that for women ($1.34). Earn
ings of about the same proportions of men and
women fell within the 25-cent ranges of $1.25 to
$1.50 and $1.50 to $1.75—35 and 25 percent,
respectively. Slightly less than 10 percent of all
production workers earned under $1 an hour and
only 3 percent received $2 or more.
Earnings in the Middle West averaged $1.48 an
hour. This was 9 cents below the Far West
average, but 7 and 48 cents higher than the re
spective averages for the Middle Atlantic States
and the South. Regional earnings of men exceed
ed those of women by amounts varying from 12 to
23 cents an hour.
Processed Waste
The study of the processed waste industry in
cluded establishments primarily engaged in proc
essing textile-mill waste for spinning and other
uses, and in recovering cotton, wool, rayon, silk,
and other fibers from clippings and rags. Since
waste-processing plants obtain a substantial pro
portion of their raw materials from the spinning
and weaving divisions of the textile industry, many
of the establishments are located in or near textile
centers in the South, the Middle Atlantic States,
and New England. The Middle West is also an
important region, accounting for about a fifth of
the industry’s total employment. The typical
waste-processing plant is comparatively small;
about three-fourths of the plants studied each
employed fewer than 50 workers. Three of every
5 workers in the industry were men.
Earnings of production workers in the processing
of waste textiles averaged $1.10 an hour in October
1953—the lowest level of earnings of the eight
industries studied. Men’s earnings exceeded the
average for all workers by 11 cents, but women’s
earnings fell short of this level by 19 cents—a
total difference of 30 cents.
A substantial proportion of the workers in this
industry—70 percent of the women and nearly 25
percent of the men—earned less than $1 an hour.
Earnings of $1.50 or more were received by about
M ONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W , MAY 1954
538
Production workers in the coated fabrics indus
try earned $1.60 an hour in October 1953—the
highest average among the group of industries
studied. This industry also reported the greatest
proportion of men—92 percent—in its plant labor
force. Their earnings averaged $1.63 an hour.
Individual earnings for nearly 30 percent of the
workers (men and women combined) ranged from
$1.25 to $1.50 an hour; 55 percent earned from
$1.50 to $2. Only 1 percent were paid less than $1
an hour.
The Middle West reported the highest regional
earnings—an average of $1.71 an hour. Averages
in the other leading regions were $1.61 in the Mid
dle Atlantic States and $1.42 in New England.
10 percent of the men and less than 1 percent of
the women.
Kegional earnings averaged highest in New
England ($1.19) and lowest in tbe South (91 cents).
The level of earnings in the Middle Atlantic region
approximated that of New England; the average
for the Middle West matched the national average
of $1.10. Average earnings of women ranged
from 81 cents in the South to 98 cents in the
Middle Atlantic region.
Coated Fabrics
Establishments in this industry manufacture
primarily artificial leather, oilcloth, and other
coated and impregnated fabrics. Virtually all of
its employment was concentrated in three
regions—42 percent in the Middle West, 35 per
cent in the Middle Atlantic States, and 22 percent
in New England. The value of products shipped
by this industry in 1951 was $278 million.4
Linen Goods
The linen goods industry includes establish
ments primarily engaged in manufacturing flax
* Dept, of Commerce, op. cit. (p. 3).
Percent distribution of 'production workers in miscellaneous textile industries, by average straight-time hourly earnings,1
United States and specified regions, October 195S
Paddings and upholstery filling
Felt goods
Average hourly earnings
(in cents)
Middle Middle Far
United New
West
S tates2 Eng
land Atlantic West
(Z)
80 an*ì lincipr
90 and under Qfi
95 and under 100
100and under iofi>
105 and nndpr 110
110 and under 115
ond
l11
iu d
ii u nndpr
u n u o f 19,0-------------------—
120 and lindpr 125
___
125 and under 130_________
130 and under 135_________
135 and. under 140_________
140 and under 145-----------145 and under 150.- -------150 and under 155------------155 and nndpr ifio
160 and under 165 . . . --165 and nndpr 170
170 and under 175________
175 and under 180_________
18^ and nndpr
0.1
(3)
6.7
.8
1. 5
12
.8
4.5
3.2
4.0
4.7
9.5
11.7
10.3
10.0
6.1
3.7
6.4
35
2.9
iqo
1.8
15
1.28
iyu d ii ci m i civi lo u —------------------j_yO d iin Lincivi ¿uu------------------------
200 and. nnd^r 205
ZUO d ii ci lincivi a iu - - ----------- - —
z iu d ii ci lincivi ¿ i d . ----------
.8
4
2
5
1
6
Z I O a lili uncivi
-----------------------ZZ U
------------------------------
dHCl LillCiVl
Zou
dnci
uncivi x jo o ------— -------------
240 and under 245-----------------------245 and under 250-----------------------250 and over ----------------- -----------------T otal -------------------------------------Number of workers_______
Average hourly earnings----
7.1
14.7
20.2
12. 4
7.3
6.2
4.6
4.8
2. 9
2.3
1. 4
.9
.3
.2
.3
.7
.2
0.4
1.3
1.2
1.0
1.7
2.3
1.0
12.1
4.9
14.7
3.4
4.8
7.9
1.0
2.7
10.7
4.8
6.5
4.2
3.4
2.3
2.3
4.2
1.3
1.0
.4
. 2
.3
.1
.4
.1
13.1
1.0
2.2
1.6
.8
4.4
2.7
1.7
3.0
4.5
7.9
9.1
14.2
5.4
3.0
8.3
4.3
3.6
2.1
1.0
1.1
.9
.9
.3
.2
1.0
1.0
0.5
.3
.3
1.8
2.3
4.6
6.6
6.2
22.5
6.4
20.9
8.9
2.8
2.6
2.6
.3
.8
.8
4.4
.5
1.3
1.8
.5
.3
.9
5.5
2.4
1.7
1.4
4.8
4.9
10.1
7.8
7.4
5.3
6.1
4.2
4.3
5.0
5.9
6.1
1.8
5.8
1.8
.7
.4
.8
5
.3
.
0.9
1.5
1.0
.2
.5
10.9
6.8
6.9
12.5
17.5
9.6
6.9
4.3
2.1
1.9
1.5
6.7
1.4
1. 5
1.8
.7
.1
1.2
.1
3.7
4.9
8.6
6.9
46.6
7.8
3.1
2.7
3.0
2.1
3.3
1.8
.6
1.5
.3
.7
.1
.9
.7
.6
.3
. 1
.3
.9
1.8
2.6
1.5
4.3
1.8
14.5
8.3
4.6
2.6
8.8
5.5
5.9
5.2
8.9
7.1
2.0
10.8
.6
.9
.2
.4
.2
.2
.2
Middle South
United New
S tates2 Eng
land Atlantic
12.5
5.3
4.2
3.0
5.3
5.8
4.2
3.2
3.4
4.7
3.1
20.7
9.0
12.0
(3)
0.7
(3)
. 1
. 1
. 1
Middle Far
West
West
6.0
11.2
10.5
5.6
3.0
9.3
2.5
4.1
4.7
11.2
8.9
7.9
3.1
3.8
6.0
.5
1.6
1.6
1.5
.7
.3
.2
.2
1.0
. 1
12.5
5.3
4.4
4.2
7.7
4.3
2.4
1.2
1.2
.6
.9
.7
2.1
1.7
1.4
11.6
5.9
6.9
5.3
6.3
10.0
10.8
3.0
4.3
4.8
19.6
2.0
1.2
.8
.8
3.2
1.5
1.7
4.5
6.7
9.7
5.6
6.0
1.2
1.0
.4
.6
.8
.6
.5
.2
.4
.1
1.9
.4
.3
.4
.3
.7
.3
.5
.5
.3
.3
(3)
(3)
.2
.1
.1
.1
.1
.1
.1
.2
.2
.1
.1
.1
.1
.1
.1
.2
37.1
12.7
15.6
9.1
6.7
3.1
3.4
2.7
1.4
.2
1.4
.5
.6
.4
.3
.7
.2
.6
.5
.3
.3
.2
.1
.1
1,259
$1. 56
526
$1. 57
1, 829
$1.54
390
$1.56
6,067
$1.42
1,171
$1.41
669
$1.00
2,604
$1.48
1,180
$1. 57
6,065
$1.10
1,126
$1.19
1,894
$1.18
5.4
4.3
16.8
2.0
5.7
3.9
12.0
17.1
11.0
4.3
7.0
1.2
1.3
.9
.9
.7
.2
1.3
.3
.8
.2
.1
. 1
.5
.6
.1
.2
.2
.3
.2
.1
. 1
. 1
4,004
$1. 55
Middle
West
.4
.1
.2
.2
.1
.3
(3)
.4
.4
.4
.3
.5
.3
.3
.3
.3
.4
.5
1.0
100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
(3 )
See footnotes at end of table.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
0.1
1
.2
1.4
1.0
.6
1.1
.9
2.1
2.8
1.8
United Middle South
S tates2 Atlantic
Processed waste
1,628
$0.91
.3
. 1
.9
100.0
1,271
$1.10
E A R N IN G S IN M ISCELLA N EO U S T E X T IL E IN D U S T R IE S
539
Jute Goods
yarn and thread, and fabrics of linen and linen and
cotton mixtures. A substantial proportion of the
linen goods sold in the United States is imported.
The domestic industry, as studied, employed
1,100 workers, three-fourths of whom were con
centrated in a few large plants that had from 250
to 500 workers each. The industry is primarily
located in the regions comprising the eastern half
of the country. In contrast with the other
industries surveyed, women outnumbered men in
the labor force by a ratio of almost 2 to 1.
Production workers in the linen goods industry
averaged $1.26 an hour in October 1953. Women
earned $1.19 an hour, compared with $1.39 for
men. Nearly 60 percent of the women received
earnings between $1 and $1.25, and about 25 per
cent between $1.25 and $1.50 an hour; the respec
tive proportions of men with earnings in these
intervals were approximately 30 and 40 percent.
Ten percent of the women and 1 percent of the
men earned less than $1 an hour.
Establishments in this industry are primarily
engaged in manufacturing jute yarn and jute goods
such as fabrics, bagging, and webbing. The in
dustry consists primarily of a few large plants,
located principally in the Middle Atlantic States
and in the South. The production worker em
ployment was slightly under 4,000, of whom 70
percent were men.
Earnings of production workers in the jute goods
industry averaged $1.32 an hour in October 1953.
Men averaged $1.37 an hour compared with $1.22
for women. A third of the men and two-thirds
of the women earned between $1 and $1.50.
Another third of the men and a tenth of the women
had earnings ranging from $1.50 to $1.75.
Average earnings in the Middle Atlantic region
were higher than in the South. The differences
amounted to 39 cents an hour for all production
workers, 46 cents for men, and 26 cents for women.
Percent distribution of production workers in miscellaneous textile industries, by average straight-time hourly earnings,1
United States and specified regions, October 1958— C o n tin u ed
Lace goods
Average hourly earnings
(in cents)
Under 75._ ..........................
75 and under 80____ ____.
80 and under 85______ . . .
85 and under 90_________
90 and under 95 _________
95 and under 100. -------- .
100 and under 105______ _
105 and under 110... . .
110 and under 115. ..............
115 and under 120. - - - - - 120 and under 125_________
125 and under 130_________
130 and under 135______ -135 and under 140
140 and under 145_________
145 and under 150_________
150 and under 155_________
155 and under 160-- - - . . .
160 and under 165_________
165 and under 170_________
170 and under 175_________
175 and under 180_________
180 and under 185_________
185 and under 190- - -- 190 and under 195________
195 and under 200________
200 and under 205 ________
205 and under 210- - - -_210 and under 215---- --------215 and under 220-- -- --- 220 and under 225________
225 and under 230_________
230 and under 235_________
235 and under 240_________
240 and under 245________
245 and under 250________
250 and over_______ _ _ -_
Jute goods
Cordage and twine
Middle
United New Middle
United New
United United Middle South United New Middle
Atlan States2
Eng Atlan Middle
Atlan South
States2 Eng
West States States2 Atlan
States2 Eng
land
tic
land
tic
tic
land
tic
0.1
.8
1.5
3.7
5.4
4.9
5.9
7.0
6.1
5.3
4.9
3.3
4.0
2.7
1.7
2.4
1.5
1.2
1.4
1.3
1.0
1.0
1.1
.9
.9
1.0
1.0
.6
.4
.3
.6
.7
.4
1.2
.4
15.3
0.1
.8
1.9
3.1
5.7
5.6
8.4
7.7
7.6
4.9
5.2
5.4
2.5
2.6
2.9
.9
2.0
1.2
.9
.8
.7
.8
.6
.8
.7
.7
.9
.5
.6
.4
.4
.7
.9
.3
.6
.4
19.8
0.1
.8
.9
4.4
5.1
4.4
7.7
3.9
5.7
7.2
5.5
4.5
4.2
5.5
2.6
2.6
2.6
1.8
1.5
1.9
1.7
1.2
1.4
1. 5
1.1
1.2
1.1
1.6
.7
.5
.3
.6
.5
.5
1.9
.5
10.8
Total______________
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
m
Num ber of workers_______
Average hourly earnings___
6,970
$1.56
3,362
$1.61
3,430
$1.53
5,859
$1.60
1,270
$1.42
2,025
$1.61
8 .1
0.1
.1
.2
.3
.6
1.5
.9
1 .4
1 .9
1 .7
5 .2
4 .0
4 .5
6 .7
7 .5
1 0 .5
5 .3
8.8
4.4
3.7
4.5
7.4
4.1
3.6
2.3
1.7
1. 1
1.2
1.2
.9
.8
.5
.5
.2
.1
.6
1 E x c lu d e s p r e m iu m p a y for o v e r tim e a n d la te -sh ift w o r k .
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Linen
goods
Coated fabrics
0.1
.2
.2
.6
1.2
0.3
.2
.7
2 .6
.9
5 .0
2 .5
3 .0
9 .8
9 .8
1 1 .0
5 .8
1 1 .8
2 .6
2 .6
5 .4
.1
.7
.5
2 .2
2 .0
3.3
3 .3
7 .2
12.6
5 .0
7 .8
6 .1
5 .8
5 .5
5 .3
2. 7
4 .6
3 .1
5 .2
1 1 .9
1 0.1
9.4
8 .9
4 .9
7 .2
5.1
6 .9
4 .2
2 .0
1 .6
2 .0
1 .3
.4
1 0 .3
11 .1
11 0
24
09
16
g
2 8
5 .5
3
8
7 .8
8 3
1 0 .8
5 .8
4 .3
4 .6
3 .6
4 .0
6 .2
8 .2
11.0
9.2
5.7
5 .8
4 .2
4 .2
3 .5
3 .3
2 .8
3 .6
13.4
14.1
7.8
3.4
8.9
3.0
2.5
2.7
1.2
.9
.3
.6
X0
1 .6
0.8
¿ 3
7 .5
5.1
3 .8
6 .3
5 .3
5 .4
5.2
5.0
3 .2
3 .3
7 .4
5 .3
3 .6
5 .7
2 .2
1 .8
8.2
6.2
10.3
6.4
4.8
5.0
5.7
3.3
3.0
11.6
7.3
4.9
7.3
1.8
2.2
2 .8
2 .0
2 .9
3 .2
4 .7
3 .4
2 .6
1.4
1.6
1.1
.8
1.3
1.0
1.3
.5
7 .5
7 .7
6 .7
7.0
1 0.4
7 .6
4 .6
4 .6
2 .9
3 .0
2 .2
2 .0
1 .7
2 .3
28
6. 7
1 .5
1 .8
1 .7
7 .1
3.6
2 .2
.2
.2
.2
.9
1 .0
.4
1.3
1.5
.3
.2
.2
.2
.6
.4
.3
.6
.3
.1
.8
.2
.4
.3
.3
.4
.2
2 .4
.1
.2
_2
.3
_4
.2
.2
.1
.3
^3
.1
.1
.1
. 2.
.1
.1
.2
.1
.3
.4
.2
100.0
1 0 0.0
m
3,763
$1.32
1,888
$1 . 4 5
1,3 3 3
1.4
.4
.3
.6
.3
.2
( 3)
.2
3 .3
67
4 1
1 fi
18
10 7
44
17.6
13.0
7.5
6.0
3.5
2.0
2.6
1.7
2.4
1.3
.9
.7
1.0
6
13.9
2.8
.6
.6
.2
¿2,
.4
.3
.4
2 .8
2. 5
.9
.5
.2
2. 3
0.2
.1
.5
o
12
2. 4
1. 5
.1
1 .3
11
J.
.2
JL
(3 )
.1
.8
.9
.4
.2
.9
.8
8.6
10.0
7.5
5.1
5.3
3.5
4.6
2.4
2.2
1.6
1.3
.8
JL
( 3)
100.0
m
2, 448
$1.71
1,043
$1.26
o
2 in c lu d e s d a ta for re g io n s n o t s h o w n s e p a r a te ly .
o
$1.06
.7
.6
_4
.2
.1
0
(s')
.1
( 3)
(3)
1
.1
.1
(3 )
.2
.4
1 .5
1.1
(3 )
.1
.1
( 3)
100.0
10 0 .0
10 0 .0
1 0 0.0
9,295
$1.28
1,882
$1.29
3, 518
$1.36
2,894
$1.16
8 L e s s th a n 0.05 p e r c e n t.
M ONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W , MAY 1954
540
Nearly two-thirds of the workers in the South
earned less than $1 an hour; earnings below this
level were not reported for any of the workers in
the Middle Atlantic States.
Injury Rates in the Canning
and Preserving Industry, 1952
1952, workmen in the canning and pre
serving industry experienced 25.4 disabling in
juries per million hours worked,1nearly 80 percent
more than manufacturing workers generally. In
addition, each injured worker in the industry
lost, on an average, 56 days of work because of
his injury.
Injury rates for the canning and preserving in
dustry have been compiled by the Bureau of
Labor Statistics since 1936. The industry rates
have been consistently unfavorable in comparison
with the average for all manufacturing industries,
although they have, in general, shown the same
trend. However, the year-to-year changes in the
canning and preserving rate have been, usually,
more precipitous. A comparsion of the two rates
follows:
D u r in g
Cordage and Twine
Rope, cable, cordage, twine, and related goods,
manufactured from hemp, jute, cotton, paper,
flax, and other fibers are the primary products
manufactured by establishments in the cordage
and twine industry. Comprised of separate hard
and soft fiber divisions, this industry utilizes
different kinds of special equipment in the manu
facturing processes because of the distinctive
physical properties of the fibers used. However,
the data available for the Bureau’s study did not
permit separate presentation. In October 1953,
the industry employed about 9,000 workers of
whom 60 percent were men. The largest concen
trations are in the Middle Atlantic States and in
the South; there is also a smaller, but significant
segment, in New England. Cordage and twine
shipped by the industry in 1951 was valued at
$235 million.5 Of this amount, $121 million was
for hard fiber; $79 million, for cotton; and $35
million, for cordage and twine produced from
other types of soft fibers.
Hourly earnings of production workers in the
cordage and twine industry averaged $1.28 in
October 1953. The average for men was $1.37
and for women, $1.13. Almost 45 percent of the
men and 20 percent of the women had earnings
ranging between $1.25 and $1.50. About equal
proportions of men (25 percent) fell in two broad
earnings intervals—$1 to $1.25, and $1.50 or
more. More than half of the women earned be
tween $1 and $1.25. Slightly over 20 percent of
the women and 5 percent of the men earned less
than $1 an hour.
Average earnings of $1.36 in the Middle Atlantic
region, where about 40 percent of the workers
were employed, were 7 and 20 cents an hour higher
than the respective averages in New England and
in the South. Regional differences in the hourly
earnings of men and women varied sharply—15
cents an hour in the South, 25 cents in the Middle
Atlantic States, and 34 cents in New England.
— J a m e s P. C o r k e r y
D ivision of W ages a n d In d u s tria l R elatio n s
«Ibid.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Canning and preserving
A ll m anufa c tu r in g
r a te
1936__________
1937__________
1938__________
1939__________
1940__________
1941__________
1942__________
1943__________
1944__________
1945__________
1946__________
1947__________
1948__________
1949__________
1950__________
1951__________
1952__________
__________
_________
__________
__________
__________
__________
__________
__________
__________
__________
__________
__________
________
__________
__________
_________
17. 1
16. 8
15. 1
14. 9
15. 3
18. 1
19. 9
20. 0
18. 4
18. 6
19. 9
18 .8
17. 2
14. 5
14. 7
15. 5
14. 3
R a te
24.
28.
27.
26.
30.
30.
33.
25.
28.
27.
30.
27.
21.
20.
22.
25.
25.
5
5
3
5
0
0
0
3
9
2
7
3
1
8
8
6
4
I n d e x (a ll
m a n u fa c tu ri n g —100)
143
170
181
178
196
162
166
127
157
146
154
145
123
143
155
165
178
Other manufacturers of food products generally
had favorable injury-frequency rates but adverse
severity records compared with canners and pre
servers in 1952. Only 2 of the 13 industries—beet
sugar and bottled soft drinks—in the food products
1
The frequency rate for canning and preserving plants within the conti
nental United States and which is comparable to the published all-manufac
turing rate. For this special survey, 65 canning and preserving plants from
the Territories of Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico were included. The in
jury frequency rate for the combined group of plants was slightly better,
23.5. Similarly, there were small differences in the average number of days
lost and the severity rate based on the two surveys, e. g., 56 vs. 57 days lost
per injury.
541
IN JU R Y R A T E S IN CANNING AND P R E S E R V IN G
group had injury-frequency rates greater than that
for canning and preserving. However, the average
number of days lost in the food products group
was about 20 percent greater than in the industry.
The frequency rate represents 1 disabling in
jury for every 22 workers in the canning and pre
serving industry. It is estimated that 10,100
workers in the industry suffered disabling injuries
during 1952. Approximately 20 of these workmen
died as the result of their injuries and 310 others
were permanently disabled by the loss of, or loss of
use of, some body part or function. The other
9,770 suffered no permanent ill effects.
Actual time lost during 1952 because of these
injuries was nearly 152,000 man-days and ac
counted for a wage loss of approximately $1,125,000
on the basis of average earnings of production
workers in the industry ($51.88 per week).2 But
time lost during 1952 does not adequately measure
the total loss resulting from those injuries. If
allowance is made for future losses—i. e., earnings
which fatally injured workers would have received
and reduced earning ability for many of the per
manently injured workers—the total economic
time-loss resulting from 1952 injuries would exceed
575,000 man-days. The total wage loss, based on
1952 earnings, would be about $4,250,000. In
part, this loss is financed through workmen’s com
pensation payments by employers. But these
payments are seldom equivalent to full wages.
The injured workers and their dependents must,
therefore, bear a considerable portion of the loss
themselves.
Medical and hospital expenses, as well as many
indirect losses, add to the costs of industrial acci
dents. Among the indirect costs are such items as
damage to materials and equipment; the cost of
training replacement workers; time lost by em
ployees who offer assistance at the time of the
accident; and supervisory time spent caring for
the injured, investigating the accident, and reor
ganizing operations after the accident. Indirect
costs are seldom recorded, but one study indicates
that for manufacturing generally the indirect costs
of injury-producing accidents average about 4
times the combined amounts of workmen’s com
pensation, hospital, and medical payments.3 On
2
See p. 592 of this issue. Production workers accounted for nearly 90 percent
of the industry’s employees in 1952.
s Industrial Accident Prevention, by H. W. Heinrich, New York, McGraw
Hill Book Co., Third Edition, 1950.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Work-Injury Frequency Rates in the Canning and
Preserving Industry Classified by Size of Plant
this assumption, the estimated indirect cost of
injury-producing accidents in the canning and pre
serving industry during 1952 amounted to nearly
$12,000,000 and the total cost including medical
expenses amounted to nearly $17,000,000.
Industry Characteristics
The canning and preserving industry includes
all plants engaged primarily in the preservation
of fruits, vegetables, and seafoods by canning;
curing, such as smoking or salting; dehydrating
or drying; freezing; and pickling. Most of these
plants limit their activities to one type of process
ing and, in many instances, to one product.
Plants of the latter type operate only during the
harvest season for the specified crop; plants with
diversified products, however, may operate
throughout the entire year. Nearly all sections
of the country have a few plants within the in
dustry, but it is heavily concentrated in foodproducing areas. Plants range in size from a few
employees to several thousands.
These characteristics directly influence the
level of injury rates within individual plants, but
their effect is not readily discernible from in
dustrywide figures which are available from the
Bureau’s annual injury surveys. Therefore, the
Bureau substantially expanded and revised its
regular survey of industrial injuries in the canning
542
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW, MAY 1954
and preserving industry for the year 1952. Par
ticipating plants were requested to report their
injury experience by operating departments as
well as in the customary summary form. De
tailed reports were received from 1,802 canning
and preserving plants, more than 3 times the
number included in recent annual surveys. The
cooperating plants employed nearly 133,000 work
ers, approximately 61 percent of the industry’s
average employment during 1952. These data
were then classified into various subgroups to
show the differences in injury experience prevail
ing within the industry.
23.1, was nearly identical with the industry
average. The medium-sized plants, 20 to 249
employees, had a combined injury-frequencv
rate of 28.4.
The better-than-average injury-frequency rate
achieved by the small plants appears to be attrib
utable to the presence of the owner or manager
during plant operations. Under his immediate
supervision, hazardous working conditions and
unsafe actions can be corrected as they develop.
As operations increase, however, the owner or
manager must devote more of his time to admin
istrative work. As a result, much of the direct
supervision of operations must be delegated to
others—i. e., foremen or supervisors. Unfortu
nately, these supervisors rarely have any training
in safety and seldom realize the effects of accidents
on production. Consequently, injuries increase
as attention to safety decreases.
The better-than-average injury-frequency rate
in the larger plants results from special attention
to safety, which is made possible by the high
level of production. The safety programs may
include special training for foremen and super
visors, the formation of safety committees, and,
in the very large plants, by the employment of
full-time safety directors. In addition, large
plants find it economical to equip and maintain
first-aid rooms. While these first-aid rooms do
not, in themselves, prevent accidents, they may
indirectly reduce the number of disabling injuries
through adequate first-aid treatment.
Size of Plant Comparisons
In this survey, as in studies of other industries,
injuries were most frequent in the medium-sized
plants and small and large plants had better-thanaverage frequency rates. A plant-size analysis
of the canning and preserving industry indicates
that there are 4 general levels of injury-frequency
rates—2 below industry average, 1 approximately
average, and 1 considerably above average. The
best group average, 10.1 disabling injuries per
million employee-hours worked, was achieved by
plants employing more than 2,500 employees
during their operating season. Plants employing
less than 20 workmen had the second lowest
average frequency rate, 20.6. For plants with
average operating-employments ranging from
250 to 2,499, the average injury-frequency rate,
T a ble 1.— Work-injury rates in the canning and preserving industry, classified by division, 1952
Frequency rates 1
Division
Number of Number of
establish employees
ments
Total
Deaths
Average nuinber of days
lost or cha rged per—
Permanent- Temporarypartial dis total dis
abilities
abilities
Disabling Temporarytotal dis
injury
ability
22.8
57
15
1.4
.4
.3
32.7
30.0
24.6
46
53
70
39
58
18
62
17
16
15
16
15
1.5
.9
1.4
15
1.1
1,802
132, 517
23.5
187
50
163
10,662
3,186
10,062
2,863
88,976
1,513
13, 531
33.2
30.5
25.8
23.3
22.9
(9
1.2
.7
.8
18.9
(9
.5
101
974
59
244
i The injury-frequency rate is the average number of disabling workinjuries for each million employee-hours worked. A disabling work-injury
is an injury arising out of and in the course of employment which results in
death, or any degree of permanent impairment, or makes the injured worker
unable to perform a regularly established job, open and available to him,
throughout the hours corresponding to his regular shift on any one or more
days (including Sundays, days off, and plant shut downs) after the day of
injury.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
21.8
0.1
.2
Severity
rate 2
0.7
Total s___________________________________
Canned seafood____________ ______ ________
Dried and dehydrated fruits and vegetables___
Frozen fruits, vegetables, and seafoods________
Preserves, jams, and jellies_________________
•Canned fruits, vegetables, and soups_________
Cured fish_________________________ ______
Pickled fruits and vegetables................................
(9
Severity
22.6
22.1
21 8
18.4
1.6
1.8
2The severity rate is the average number of days lost or charged for each
thousand employee-hours worked. The standard time-loss ratings for
fatalities and permanent disabilities are given in Method of Compiling
Industrial Injury Rates, approved by the American Standards Association,
1945.
s Totals include figures not shown separately because of insufficient
information.
4Less than 0.05i
543
INJURY RATES IN CANNING AND PRESERVING
Large plants also have other advantages.
Generally, activities are more specialized and
workmen may become particularly adept at a
limited number of operations. In addition, serv
ice personnel may be employed to maintain equip
ment in good working order and to provide clean
working areas.
Group averages, however, tend to conceal wide
variations in injury-frequency rates. Actually,
50 percent of the reporting plants had injury-free
years. Most of these were small or operated only
part of the year, but employees in one plant
worked more than 700,000 hours during the year
without an injury. Another plant reported
550,000 employee-hours worked without an injury.
In addition, 3 plants, each with more than a
million hours worked, achieved injury-frequency
rates of less than 5. One of these, with a fre
quency-rate of 4.6, reported more than 12,000,000
hours, and another achieved a rate of less than 2.
At the other extreme, 23 plants had rates over
250, and 77 others had rates in excess of 100. At
this adverse end of the scale, 12 percent of the
plants employing less than 7 percent of the work
men, experienced 29 percent of the disabling
injuries and 21 percent of the total lost time.
Division Comparisons
Average injury-frequency rates for the 7 major
divisions of the industry ranged from 18.9 for
plants pickling fruits and vegetables to 33.2 for
plants canning seafood (table 1). Only one other
group—plants drying or dehydrating fruits and
vegetables, with an average frequency rate of
30.5—had a rate which varied more than 10
percent from the industry average.
Cooperating plants in 4 of the divisions reported
some fatalities, and all but one division reported
some permanent disabilities. The frequency of
fatalities, however, was very low, averaging less
than 1 per 20 million hours worked in the industry.
Permanent disabilities were most frequent in
freezing plants, 1.2 per million hours. As a result,
T able 2.— Work-injury rates in the canning and preserving industry, classified by departments, 1952
Severity
Frequency rates 1
Departments
T o ta l3------------------- ----------- ------ -----------------Production departments: Total 3. -------------------Receiving----------------------------------------------Vining_________________________________
Soaking and washing-------------------------------Scaling and eviscerating__________________
Com husking and cutting-------------------------Peeling and coring..---------------------------Miscellaneous cutting and trim m ing................
Sorting and grading--------- ---------------- ------ Juice extracting__________________________
Cooking.------- ----------- ------- -------------------Pilling------------- —-........——----------- -----Sealing.......- ........— ........-------- -----------------Processing (can goods)-----------------------------Cooling--------------------- ---------------------------Freezing________________ _______________
Warehousing and shipping departments: T o ta l3„
Warehousing-------------- ----------- ---------------Labeling----- ----------- -----------------------------Casing.......... —----------------------------------Service and maintenance departments: T o ta l3—
Office---------------------------------------------------Laboratory-------------------------- ------------ ----Maintenance____________________________
Cleaning (janitors)----------------------------------P lant protection (watchm en).-------------------Can making and supply----------------------------
Number of Employee
hours
units re
worked
porting (thousands)
41,802
260,400
6,423
914
45
362
101,002
102
46
377
701
138
651
867
634
533
310
54
2,776
755
695
561
714
3,220
1,054
204
745
47
7,821
807
1,488
1,977
831
10,939
1
U, 808
1,236
6,385
16,725
2,043
11,216
1,043
1,393
30,104
9,981
8,009
3,996
6,690
34,370
12,890
1 Ml
11,315
2 522
l 53Q
1,762
i The injury-frequency rate is the average num ber of disabling work-in
juries for each million employee-hours worked. A disabling work-injury is
an injury arising out of and in the course of employment which results in
death, or any degree of permanent impairment, or makes the injured worker
unable to perform a regularly established job, open and available to him,
throughout the hours corresponding to his regular shift on any one or more
days (including Sundays, days off, and plant shut-downs) after the day of
injury.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Tempo
rary-total
disabilities
(s)
0.7
22.8
(8)
.8
1.2
Death
Total
23.5
26.5
44.8
33.5
21.5
31.4
40.9
15.2
.1
21.1
25.9
34.8
20.5
18.1
35.8
32.6
38.1
28.9
38.8
17.2
26.5
29.9
17.5
2.4
13. 6
34.5
22. 4
97
17.0 —
Average number of days
lost or charged per—
Perma
nent-par
tial dis
abilities
2.5
.7
.5
3.6
.4
.7
.2
.8
1.7
.7
1.5
1.1
1.0
.1
.3
.1
.4
1.4
.7
1.0
.2
.5
.7
.8
.1
.6
1.6
.6
2.8
25.7
43.5
31.0
20.8
30.9
37.3
14.8
26.1
20.4
25.1
32.9
19.8
16.6
34.7
31.6
36.7
28.1
37.8
17.0
26.0
28.9
16.6
2.3
13.0
32.5
21.8
9.7
14.2
Severity
rate 2
Disabling
injury
Tempo
rary-total
disability
57
15
1.4
49
59
41
16
60
37
65
15
13
2.6
10
67
37
74
27
95
36
32
48
55
43
19
45
97
109
67
21
143
36
37
102
20
6
22
12
14
10
18
14
14
14
15
16
11
8
14
14
13
11
17
20
29
7
18
25
37
32
1.3
1.4
.3
1.9
1.5
1.0
.2
1.4
1.0
2.6
.6
1.7
1.3
1.1
1.8
1.6
1.7
.3
1.2
2.9
1.9
.2
.3
4.9
.8
.4
1.7
2 The severity rate is the average number of days lost or charged for each
thousand employee-hours worked. The standard time-loss ratings for
fatalities and permanent disabilities are given in Method of Compiling In
dustrial Injury Rates, approved by the American Standards Association,
1945
3Totals include figures not shown separately because ofinsufficient information.
i Number of establishments reporting.
8Less than 0.05.
544
the most unfavorable severity averages among
the industry’s divisions were reported for those
plants—70 days lost time per injury and 1.8 days
lost per thousand hours worked. In contrast,
none of the 60 disabling injuries reported by plants
smoking, salting, and drying fish produced serious
disability. Consequently, their severity records
were the best achieved, 18 days lost per injury
and 0.3 days lost per thousand hours worked.
Nearly two-thirds of the industry’s employees
work in plants which can fruits, vegetables, or
soups. Due to this weighting, the industry rates
were very close to the division’s averages: 22.9
disabling injuries per million hours worked, 58
days lost per injury, and 1.4 days lost per thousand
hours worked.
Departmental Comparisons
Because of differences in internal organization,
many plants were unable to furnish injury data
according to a standardized pattern of depart
ments. In addition, variations of operations
within the different divisions of the industry
made departmental reporting difficult. More
than two-thirds of the plants, however, reported
their injury experience in some departmental de
tail. The departments were classified, for anal
ysis, into 3 major groupings: Production depart
ments, warehousing and shipping departments,
and service and maintenance departments.
Production departments. Employees in these de
partments accounted for approximately 60 per
cent of the total hours worked in plants which
supplied departmental injury data. However,
that group of workers reported 63 percent of the
disabling injuries. Their injury-frequency rate,
26.5, was, therefore, higher than the average for
all workers within the industry (table 2).
Within the group, however, there was consider
able variation in rates. For the 15 separate pro
duction departments for which injury rates were
computed, frequency rates ranged from 15.2 for
peeling and coring departments to 44.8 for receiv
ing departments. In addition to the receiving
departments, one other department, corn husking
and cutting, had an injury-frequency rate (40.9)
greater than 40. Two departments had rates
between 35 and 40 and 4 had rates between 30 and
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
MONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W , MAY 1954
35. Besides peeling and coring, only 1 department
had a frequency rate below 20—sealing, 18.1.
Two departments reported some fatal work
injuries and all but one of the 15 groups reported
some permanent disabilities. In 4 departments—
cooking, corn husking and cutting, vining, and
sealing—permanent disabilities occurred at the
high rate of 1.5 or more per million hours worked.
Only 1 group of production departments—mis
cellaneous cutting and trimming—reported no
serious disabilities. As a result, the average time
lost per disabling injury in those departments was
very low, 10 days.
Warehousing and shipping departments.
This
group of departments had the most adverse injuryfrequency rate of the 3 major groups of depart
ments, 28.9. There was, however, considerable
variation in rates for specific departments: Ware
housing, 38.8, shipping, 29.9, casing, 26.5, and
labeling, 17.2.
Only 1 of these departments reported any
fatalities, but some employees in all of them ex
perienced permanent disabilities. However, the
incidence of permanent injuries for the combined
group was no greater than the average for the
industry. Consequently, severity records for the
warehousing and shipping departments were near
industry averages.
Because of
the high proportion of relatively nonhazardous
office work in this group of departments, injuries
were less frequent than in other major groups of
departments, 17.5 disabling injuries per million
hours worked. The favorable rate was attained,
however, by the lower incidence of nonserious
temporary disabilities, the incidence of serious dis
abilities being greater than in the industry gen
erally. As a result, the average loss per disabling
injury was very high, 109 days.
Within the group, maintenance employees had
the worst injury records in respect to both fre
quency and severity. Janitors and cleaners had
the second highest injury frequency within the
group, but their injuries included relatively few
serious disabilities.
Service and maintenance departments.
— G e o r g e K . M cC o r m a c k
Bra n c h of In d u s tria l H azards
545
IN JU R Y R A T E S IN M A NU FACTURIN G
Injury Rates in Manufacturing,
Fourth Quarter 1953
T h e a l l - m a n u f a c t u r i n g injury-frequency rate 1
of 12.1 for the fourth quarter of 1953, according
to preliminary reports compiled by the Bureau of
Labor Statistics, was the lowest quarterly average
on record. It was 13 percent lower than the rate
for the preceding quarter and 10 percent below
that for the fourth quarter of 1952.
This decrease during the fourth quarter of 1953,
while largely seasonal, was somewhat greater than
usual. During the past 10 years, third-quarter to
fourth-quarter declines in average injury rates
have varied from 1 to 14 percent. The average
decrease has been 10 percent.
The movement of monthly rates during the
fourth quarter of 1953 followed the typical pat
tern fairly closely, although the decline in rates
was somewhat greater than in most previous years.
The October rate of 13.3 was the same as that for
September, although the rates in 7 of the past 10
years have shown slight increases between these
2 months. November showed a drop of 11 per
cent, compared with a usual decrease of 8 percent,
and December recorded a further 7-percent decline
to reach a record low monthly rate of 11.0.
With the exception of March, the 1953 monthly
rates for all manufacturing have been below those
for 1952. On the basis of these preliminary data,
it is anticipated that the 1953 average, when
finally determined, will be about 13.7. If it is
established at this level, it will be the lowest yearly
average on record.
The fourth-quarter decline was quite general
among the various manufacturing industries. Of
the 129 industry classifications for which quarterly
injury rates were available, 82 showed decreases
of 1 full frequency-rate point or more, 19 of which
i
The injury-frequency rate is the average number of disabling work in
juries for each million employee-hours worked. A disabling work injury is
any injury occurring in the course of and arising out of employment, which
(a) results in death or any degree of permanent physical impairment, or
(b) makes the injured worker unable to perform the duties of any regularly
established job, which is open and available to him, throughout the hours
corresponding to his regular shift, on any one or more days after the day of
injury (including Sundays, days off, or plant shutdowns). The term “in
jury ” includes occupational diseases.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
had decreases amounting to 5 points or more;
only 9 industries recorded increases; and the
remaining 38 showed little change.
Many of the decreases between the third and
the fourth quarter were seasonal. However, in
a comparison of annual averages for 1953 with
those of 1952, 49 out of a total of 132 industries
showed a significant improvement in their injury
records, 25 had higher rates, and 58 recorded
little change. The principal year-to-year improve
ments were shown in the lumber group and in
primary metals, machinery, and instruments
industries.
Injury-Frequency Rates in Manufacturing, 1 9 5 1 -5 3
Rate
20
10
-
5-
The in ju ry -fre q u e n c y rate is the
num ber of d isa b lin g w o rk i njuries
p er m illio n hours w o rk e d .
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS
In the logging industry, injuries per million
man-hours dropped from 92.1 in 1952 to 81.3
in 1953, in integrated saw and planing mills,
from 47.2 to 38.7. Four other industries in this
group showed decreases of 1 to 5 points. Five
out of nine industries in the primary metals
group, 9 out of 15 in machinery manufacturing,
546
M ONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W , MAY 1954
and 4 out of 6 in the instruments group showed
significant decreases in injury rates between 1952
and 1953.
Rates of less than 5 injuries per million man
hours were recorded by the synthetic fibers,
synthetic rubber, miscellaneous communication
equipment, explosives, rubber footwear, aircraft,
radio tubes, electric lamps (bulbs), electrical
equipment for vehicles, and tires and inner tubes
industries.
Injury-freauency rates for selected manufacturing industries, fourth quarter 1953
Fourth quarter 1953
Industry
Total manufacturing __________________________ _____ _____ ______________
Food and kindred products:
Meat products_______ _______________________________________________
Dairy products_________________________________ _________ __________
Canning and preserving___ _________ _____________________________ . . .
Grain-mill products_________________________ ________________________
Bakery products___________________________ _____ ___________________
Cane sugar..___ __________________________ ________ ______ _____ _____
Confectionery and related products_______________ ___________ _________
Bottled soft d r i n k s ..___ ________________________________ ______
__
M alt and malt liquors _____ _____ __________ _______ ___ _____________
Distilled liquors.. _____________ . . _________________________ _______
Miscellaneous food products_________ _____ ____________________________
Textile-mill products:
Cotton yarn and textiles... __________________________________________
Rayon, other synthetic, and silk textiles______________ ____ ______________
Woolen and worsted textiles. _________ _____ _____________ ___________
K nit goods---- -- ------------ ------ ----------------- - --------------------- --------------Dyeing and finishing textiles____ __________ _________________________
Miscellaneous textile goods__________ ____ _____________________________
Apparel and other finished textile products:
Clothing, men’s and boys’_____________________________________________
Clothing, women’s and children’s . _______ ________ ___________________ .
Miscellaneous fabricated textile products________________________ _______
Lumber and wood products (except furniture):
Logging----------------------------------- ------- ------------------------------------- ----------Planing m ills... _____________ ______________________________________
Sawmills... _____________
_________________ _________________ ____
Sawmills and planing mills, in teg rated _______________________ _____ ____
Millwork and structural wood products______ __________________________
Plywood m ills_____ _______ ________________ _____________________ _.
Wooden containers___________ _ _____ _ _______ _________ __________
Miscellaneous wood products_________ ______________________ ______ _
Furniture and fixtures:
Household furniture, nonmetal_______________ . . . _________ __________
Mattresses and bedsprings... . _______________________________________
Office furniture_________________________ ___________ _____ ___________
Public-building and professional fu rn itu re__________________ ___________
Partitions and fixtures____________ _____ _________________________ ____
Paper and allied products:
Pulp, paper, and paperboard mills________ __________ _ ______________
Paperboard containers and boxes______ _____________________________ .
Miscellaneous paper and allied products.................................................................
Printing, publishing, and allied industries:
Newspapers and periodicals . . . _____________________________ _________
Miscellaneous printing and publishing__________________________________
Chemicals and allied products:
Industrial inorganic chemicals __ _ . . . ___________ __________________
Plastics, except synthetic ru b b e r... ___________ ______ ______ __________
Synthetic rubber _. _______ . . . _____________________________________
Synthetic fibers.. _______________________________________ ___________
Explosives____________________ ___________________________________
Miscellaneous industrial organic chemicals________ ______________________
Drugs and medicines_________________________________________________
Soap and related products_____________________________________________
Paints, pigments, and related products..___ ______ ____________ _____ . . .
Fertilizers__________________________________________ _______ ________
Vegetable and animal oils and fats___________________ _________________
Compressed and liquefied gases________________________________________
Miscellaneous chemicals and allied products__ _____ _____________________
Rubber products:
Tires and inner tubes ___________________________ _______ ____________
Rubber footwear_____________________________________________________
Miscellaneous rubber products___ _ _______________ ____________ _____
Leather and leather products:
Leather tanning and finishing____________ ___________________ _______
Boot and shoe cut stock and findings____ _____________________________
Footwear (except rubber)_____________________________________________
Miscellaneous leather products.. . . . ___________________________________
Stone, clay, and glass products:
Glass and glass products_________________ ___________________________
Structural clay products_____________________________ ______ _ _______
Pottery and related products____________________ __________ _________
Concrete, gypsum, and mineral wool___.
. . ______ ______ _____ ___
Miscellaneous nonmetallic mineral products_____________ . _ _ . . . _ _____
S e e f o o t n o t e s a t e n d o f t a b le .
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
October
Novem
ber
Decem
ber
13.3
11.8
11.0
19.8
(>)
23.1
19.3
16.2
22.4
16.7
0)
15.4
(9
19.2
15.8
16.6
17.5
9.0
(9
17.6
(9
19.8
20.2
«
17.0
8.1
6.2
14.6
4.8
16.5
16.4
7.9
6.6
14.2
5.2
12.6
11.2
6.2
Fourth
quarter
Fourth
quarter
1952
Annual average
1953
1952
12.1
13.4
13.7
14.3
17.9
15.0
21.5
18.7
16.4
17.5
11.7
26.0
19.0
5.3
18.0
20.8
16.7
21.5
22.7
16.7
17.3
13.7
25.2
18.4
7.3
16.0
20.3
17.5
26.2
18.0
18.5
19.1
13.8
28.8
21.2
18.0
17.0
25.4
19.1
16.0
19.4
13.5
30.0
21.9
8.5
15.8
6.2
11.0
2.9
12.0
7.9
6.4
13.4
4.4
13.7
14.4
9.0
9.0
14.7
5.7
14.4
17.3
9.0
7.0
16.7
5.3
15.3
16.7
16.9
5.8
15.0
17.3
6.8
18.8
(9
21.6
20.8
16.6
12.5
8.9
(9
19.1
(9
17.1
7.6
15.5
22.0
6.6
8.9
8.2
(9
10.3
(9
13.6
6.3
5.7
10.9
6.8
6.1
9.9
7.6
7.3
12.4
7.8
6.4
13.6
27.1
34.3
31.7
22.2
83.3
(9
(9
34.8
19.1
19.6
28.6
22.7
71.3
(9
(9
32.4
17.8
27.6
31.9
25.1
76.9
(9
46.6
35.5
19.8
24.9
31.7
26.7
88.7
(9
54.0
43.5
27.2
31.8
30.5
31.7
81.3
33.6
53.7
38.7
25.0
27.9
34.2
29.5
92.1
38.4
55.3
47.2
25.8
31.3
34.4
34.1
24.2
19.8
27.3
0)
0)
18.5
22.7
16.5
(9
(9
22.8
22.8
21.7
22.4
17.6
11.3
21.0
21.8
18.9
24.2
19.6
15.7
20.6
14.5
18.9
19.6
10.7
13.6
15.7
12.4
16.5
15.4
13.2
17.4
13.0
13.1
18.5
16.4
14.4
17.0
14.8
11.4
8.8
11.3
10.7
9.3
9.3
9.2
9.1
5.6
5.4
7.3
6.9
5.8
5.4
8.0
.9
1.9
4.9
1.4
4.1
3.2
5.8
5.9
(>)
8.9
75.3
(')
038.7
)
14.2
19.3
16.9
(>)
9.6
12.1
16.3
13.5
(9
5.8
5.2
(0
0)
(9
4.6
9.5
4.1
10.0
(>)
25.1
(>)
(9
9.4
5.5
7.4
(9
(9
(9
6.3
7.8
9.6
11.3
(9
23.6
(9
(9
18.8
(9
(9
(9
7.4
5.5
3.5
(9
(9
(9
3.9
7.0
8.9
5.5
(9
28.0
(9
(9
4.1
2.5
9.8
6.2
3.5
10.8
2.9
3.0
9.8
29.1
(9
7.5
(9
17.9
(9
18.6
(9
7.2
(9
9.8
29.3
15.4
(9
15.7
(9
6.8
9.6
30.0
18.0
(9
12.0
10.9
33.7
10.8
(9
14.3
20.6
2.2
8.1
7.5
8.9
14.1
25.5
10.1
17.4
4.4
2.9
10.1
22.1
(9
7.2
13.8
10.1
30.9
14.8
19.5
14.1
18.3
2.8
2.8
1.1
19.6
18.9
22.9
20.2
5.4
3.3
1.6
7.5
10.9
13.7
17.3
26.9
12.9
17.6
8.7
10.7
18.3
25.7
3.4
7.0
8.7
9.4
11.7
19.8
22.5
18.8
17.9
4.3
3.9
12.7
4.9
3.3
11.8
12.8
25.3
(9
27.3
20.7
8.2
15.6
26.0
23.1
9.3
12.7
32.4
15.7
26.6
18.3
11.3
36.4
14.1
27.1
19.8
35.3
15.7
25.4
17.1
6.8
8.0
12.0
11.1
8.2
8.0
11.8
5.6
3.8
11.0
547
IN JU R Y R A T E S IN M A NU FACTURIN G
Injury-frequency rates for selected manufacturing industries, fourth quarter 1953—Continued
Fourth quarter 1953
Industry
Prim ary metal industries:
Blast furnaces and steel mills___ . .
Gray-iron and malleable foundries—
Steel foundries____ _ ____
Nonferrous rolling, drawing, and alloying______ . _
Nonferrous foundries____________
Iron and steel forgings______ .
Wire drawing . . .
______
Welded and heavy-riveted pipe___
Cold-finished steel__ . . .
Fabricated metal products:
Tin cans and other tinware___
Cutlery and edge tools__________
Hand tools, files, and saws_________
Hardware___ _____ _
Sanitary ware and plumbers’ supplies___
Oil burners, heating and cooking apparatus____ _
Structural steel and ornamental metal work
Boiler-shop products_____ _
Sheet-metal w ork.___________
Stamped and pressed metal products____
Metal coating and engraving___ _ _
Fabricated wire products_____
Metal barrels, drums, kegs, and pails
Steel springs. . . .
Bolts, nuts, washers, and rivets.
Screw-machine products__
Fabricated metal products, not elsewhere classified.
Machinery (except electrical):
Engines and turbines____________ .
Agricultural machinery and tractors________________
Construction and mining machinery
Metalworking machinery___ _
Food-products machinery___ _
Textile machinery____
Miscellaneous special-industry machinery
Pumps and compressors_________ _ .
Elevators, escalators, and conveyors______ _______
Mechanical power-transmission equipment (except ball and roller bearings)...
_______
Miscellaneous general industrial machinery_______ _____ . . . . .
Commercial and household machinery
Valves and fittin g s... _______ .
Ball and roller bearings_____ ____
Machine shops, general______________________
Electrical machinery:
Electrical industrial apparatus__ . . . ______ _
Electrical appliances_____________
Insulated wire and cable_______ _
Electrical equipment for vehicles . . .
Electric lamps (bulbs)___ _______
Radios and related products____ . .
Radio tubes____ _ ____
Miscellaneous communication equipment
Batteries___ _
____ _
Electrical products, not elsewhere classified______
Transportation equipment:
Motor vehicles, bodies, and trailers_____________________________ . .
Motor-vehicle parts and accessories_______ ________________ _____ _ .
Aircraft____. . . . ________ ______________ . . .
___ _
Aircraft parts . ........................... . . _______ ____. . . . .
Ship building and repairing________________________________
____
Boat building and repairing- . .. __________ . . . . . . ____. . .
Railroad equipment________ ______________________________ . . .
Instrum ents and related products:
Scientific instrum ents... _________ ___________________ ______________
Mechanical measuring and controlling instruments ..................... ................
Optical instrum ents and lenses______ __________________ . _________ .
Medical instrum ents and supplies___________________ _______ _______ .
Photographic equipment and supplies___________________________________
Watches and clocks.. . . _______ ___________ . . . . ________ ________
Miscellaneous manufacturing industries:
Paving and roofing m aterials.. _____________________________________
Jewelry, silverware, and plated w are._______ ___________________________
Fabricated plastics products. _________ __________________________
Miscellaneous manufacturing- _____________________ . . . __________ _
Ordnance and accessories___________ ____________________________ .
1 I n s u ffic ie n t d a ta t o w a r r a n t p r e s e n ta tio n o f a v er a g e.
N ote.—T h e m o n t h ly a n d q u a r te r ly in ju r y -fr e q u e n c y r a tes p r e s e n te d in
t h is ta b le w e r e d e r iv e d fro m a s a m p le o f a b o u t 12,500 e s ta b lis h m e n ts , c o v e r
in g a p p r o x im a te ly o n e -th ir d of th e e n m lo y e e s en g a g e d in m a n u fa c tu r in g .
T h e y w e r e a d ju s te d to b e c o m p a r a b le w it h t h e fin a l a n n u a l a v er a g e for 1952,
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Fourth
quarter
1952
Annual average
October
Novem
ber
Decem
ber
Fourth
quarter
5.8
27.1
5.5
24.3
13.8
13.9
21.5
18.7
9.2
9.3
18.0
4.8
21.9
14.8
13.7
18.3
14.1
12.9
5.4
24.5
16.7
13.0
19.9
19.5
10.4
9.8
15.2
12.5
25.6
23.0
8.8
11.0
10.8
9.2
17.1
22.3
8.9
10.7
10.8
12.0
10.0
19.4
20.1
10.9
16.7
21.7
10.4
15.0
20.9
21.0
11.6
19.8
25.3
9.1
9.0
13.9
12.2
10.6
21.8
11.8
16.4
20.8
19.4
32.2
24.6
13.2
(0
18.2
(>)
11.4
11.3
13.2
15.7
9.4
10.4
16.3
11.0
25.6
10.3
17.1
13.3
12.3
11.7
14.4
9.3
15.3
9.9
14.3
8.5
8.4
16.6
3.4
5.8
6.5
3.4
2.2
12.8
«
5.4
8.2
12.8
17.5
18.8
25.1
25.7
14.9
(>)
15.2
(>)
18.3
8.9
12.2
13.3
8.7
9.1
14.1
9.4
23.6
12.9
15.0
14.0
14.5
9.4
12.6
6.9
15.0
8.0
13.7
7.2
8.7
8.9
2.7
3.3
5.7
3.4
3.0
11.9
(0
13.7
8.8
15.1
7.9
13.6
18.9
16.4
22.0
15.8
11.6
(>)
17.3
(>)
13.7
12.1
10.8
13.2
7.2
10.1
10.1
16.4
24.1
6.9
12.8
13.5
14.5
10.0
12.5
7.3
9.2
8.6
11.8
8.0
5.0
5.9
(■)
5.9
8.3
8.5
6.9
6.9
0)7.7
4.9
3.7
0)
019.0
)
0)
(')
18.7
16.0
4.8
22.1
13.2
22.0
16.9
8.4
14.4
10.8
12.1
9.6
10.7
18.4
10.1
24.5
10.0
5.4
7.1
(!)
(')
12.0
11.7
5.3
13.3
21.4
23.8
15.8
22.2
26.0
24.6
15.1
29.2
20.3
11.2
19.9
15.2
16.8
13.5
9.0
12.6
12.0
20.8
12.6
19.8
11.8
8.1
4.5
5.6
3.1
2.3
7.8
7.9
15.8
4.7
5.2
6.4
4.4
2.5
8.4
8.7
14.2
4.2
3.9
6.3
3.6
7.3
9.5
9.5
7.9
8.3
5.0
6.9
3.2
5.9
15.1
31.4
8.3
0 7.6
12.1
16.5
16.7
17.2
17.5
16.8
5.8
29.5
20.2
16.6
16.7
16.1
11.3
15.6
8.7
14.6
10.3
14.7
15.0
13.6
13.7
10.4
13.2
7.9
13.1
8.9
13.3
4.3
5.9
4.0
4.6
21.1
12.2
8.4
9.9
15.6
11.1
5.6
11.7
(>)
7.9
11.4
16.6
20.3
21.3
25.8
27.1
14.5
29.5
16.2
13.7
14.1
8.4
2.8
10.9
11.9
15.8
11.3
11.8
2.8
1.6
6.6
3.3
5.5
13.8
0)7.4
19.7
9.5
14.4
19.2
18.2
26.6
7.7
9.3
2.3
4.3
4.4
2.5
0)
5.3
3.4
6.5
19.6
0)9.3
15.3
7.1
11.1
6.1
20.2
31.2
1953
5.2
5.8
4.8
7.0
6.3
6.5
10.8
6.1
16.6
14.4
5.8
16.7
15.3
10.5
14.6
12.1
4.7
8.0
2.8
11.8
5.2
7.9
3.4
1952
6.5
33.0
24.7
13.7
23.5
24.8
11.7
14.1
11.6
11.2
15.6
18.4
10.8
21.0
14.8
23.6
27.2
27.6
13.8
29.5
17.1
13.9
20.8
14.5
15.2
12.0
10.0
12.8
22.0
13.8
17.9
13.0
18.6
17.6
16.3
13.2
16.8
8.6
11.8
17.2
17.0
8.1
7.3
16.2
4.7
3.9
6.5
4.5
3.2
12.0
8.4
5.2
8.4
3.7
6.7
21.4
40.0
9.1
3.5
7.2
20.4
«
8.3
19.7
34.4
5.6
5.8
5.0
11. 5
5.7
6.2
6.8
7.3
6.1
8.0
10.0
7.5
7.7
7.5
4.9
15.1
11.7
7.7
17.4
15.4
6.4
13.1
6.9
16.1
13.3
6.4
6.0
10.0
12.6
6.5
6.2
8.6
7.3
5.2
7.3
w h ic h w e r e b a se d o n a m o r e c o m p r e h e n s iv e s u r v e y c o v e r in g a p p r o x im a te ly 60
p e r c e n t o f a ll e m p lo y e e s e n g a g e d in m a n u fa c tu r in g . A ll r a te s s h o w n a re p r e
lim in a r y a n d a re su b je c t t o r e v is io n w h e n 1953 fin a l a n n u a l a v e r a g e s b ec o m e
a v a ila b le . S ee M o n t h ly L a b o r R e v ie w , F e b r u a r y 1954 (p . 173), for co m p a r
a b le q u a r te r ly r a te s for 1952 a n d th e fir st 9 m o n th s of 1953.
Foreign Labor Briefs*
A New Labor Court Law
for Western Germany1
A com prehensive system of labor courts for the
West German Republic was established by a
Federal act of September 3, 1953. The law
provides for a network of courts of original
jurisdiction (125 initially), State Labor Courts of
Appeal, and a supreme Federal Labor Court, all
functioning independently from the general West
German court system. Their jurisdiction is
concerned with specific legal issues arising out of
disputes over existing collective agreements or
individual employment contracts, for example,
controversies between the parties to collective
contracts about alleged violations of the agree
ments, and disputes about wage claims of indi
vidual workers. In addition, the courts have
jurisdiction over issues arising in connection with
the establishment or operation of works councils
required by the West German legislation on
employee representation within the plant. They
also decide whether trade unions or management
associations satisfy the statutory conditions for
being parties to collective agreements.
The institution of labor courts has a long
history in Germany. Their popularity among
German labor made it necessary for the Nazi
regime to continue the labor courts system
established by the Weimar Republic, and the
German States reestablished them in 1946 as soon
as the Allied Control Council granted the necessary
authority.2
The labor court system provides expertly staffed
tribunals and simpler, speedier, and less expensive
judicial procedures than those of the ordinary
courts. Main characteristics of the scheme are:
548
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1. In the labor courts of original jurisdiction and
the appeals courts, the majority of the judges are
laymen, who are selected in equal numbers from
nominees of employers’ associations and of trade
unions. On the supreme labor court, lay judges,
nominated by national trade union centers and
management associations, are in the minority.
2. The presiding judges in the lower courts,
usually jurists, are required to have extensive
knowledge and experience in labor matters. They
are appointed after consultation with a committee
including representatives of the important unions
and employers’ ’associations. The same is true for
the majority of the judges in the supreme court.
3. In the labor courts of original jurisdiction,
the parties may present their own cases or may be
represented by officials of trade unions or em
ployers’ associations. Attorneys-at-law are ad
mitted only in exceptional cases; in such cases, an
indigent party may be assigned an attorney by the
court.
4. Requirements for preparation of written
briefs are minimized. The period between peti
tion and trial may not be more than 2 days.
5. Court costs are fixed by the law at only small
fractions of those for general lawsuits. No fee is
required if the suit is settled informally by the
court.
Parties to collective agreements may provide for
arbitration of disputes arising in connection with
the contracts and thus exclude them from the
jurisdiction of the labor courts. But, in the case
of individual employment relationships, the court’s
jurisdiction may be limited by an agreement to
arbitrate only for special categories of workers
listed in the law, such as actors, entertainers, and
seamen. This restriction of arbitration agree
ments is a new feature of the German labor courts
law, which is officially attributed, in part, to the
fact that the past operations of many arbitration
boards have been much slower than those of the
labor courts.
*Prepared in the Bureau’s Division of Foreign Labor Conditions.
1Based upon Bundesarbeitsblatt, September 1953.
2 See Monthly Labor Review, December 1950 (p. 668).
549
F O R E IG N LABOR B R IE F S
Manpower for Agriculture
in Israel3
A d o u b l i n g of the agricultural population and a
threefold increase in the irrigated area within the
next 7 years are the overall targets of the agri
cultural plan made public by the Israeli Agricul
tural Advisory Council. The majority of the
additional farming units are to be included within
the framework of the immigrant settlement
movement.
In the light of recent experience, difficulties may
be expected in reaching the target for expansion
of the agricultural population. Despite virtually
free housing and land and large grants of equip
ment and livestock by the settlement authorities,
many new immigrant settlers prefer to hire them
selves out on road building, forestation, and sim
ilar types of work, to save enough money to move
into large urban centers. A census of 181 new
settlements in the spring of 1953 revealed that
farm work was totally neglected on 2,353, or 19
percent, of the 12,110 farming units surveyed,
while only a small part of the soil was cultivated
on many others. This neglect is primarily due to
the social and occupational background of the
new settlers, the majority of whom had been en
gaged, in their countries of origin, as small-scale
merchants or artisans. Moreover, recent immi
grants characteristically have lacked the pioneer
ing spirit which had inspired farm development in
the pre-State era.
The authorities have continued to follow estab
lished settlement patterns which, being based on
the assumption that large numbers of new immi
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
grants can be attracted to small-scale farming
under individual ownership, have gotten out of
line with the changed human material and socio
economic reality of the country. Even the com
paratively few immigrants who have been induced
to settle on the land have in many cases proved
both unwilling and incapable of shouldering the
responsibility which independent farming entails,
in addition to the physical and social hardship of
agricultural life in outlying areas. Only the
emergence of unemployment in the towns 4 has
prevented the drift from rural to urban areas from
assuming even more disturbing proportions.
A plan for the establishment of farms based on
hired labor, according to the Israel Economist, was
proposed by Dr. A. G. Black (head of the United
Nations Food and Agriculture Organization dele
gation in Israel) in a report to the Government.
The implementation of such a plan would relieve
the new immigrant of the burden of individual
responsibility and at the same time provide him
with a steady income. It would also facilitate
the concentration of farm workers in larger popu
lation centers where the amenities of urban life
could more easily be made accessible. Moreover,
the organization of administrative farms extend
ing over larger tracts of land would allow for
greater utilization of mechanized equipment and
would particularly lend itself to the cultivation of
field and industrial crops which are presently on
the list of agricultural priorities. Finally, an
opportunity would be afforded for the progressive
training of new settlers.
3Summary of Aspects of Agricultural Planning (in the Israel Economist,
Jerusalem, December 1953, p. 255 ff.)
4See Israel: Unemployment Under the New Economic Program (in Notes
on Labor Abroad, April 1953, p. 26).
550
Wage and Price
Developments in Mexico
point to a rise in the general level
of real earnings of Mexican workers in 1953. This
was particularly true after midyear, when the ef
fect of Government efforts to reduce the cost of
living began to be apparent in lower food prices.
The approximately 900 collective labor agree
ments negotiated during the year provided in
creases in wage rates averaging about 12 percent;
most of these ranged between 10 and 15 percent—
the pattern set by the Government in settling dis
putes. These 2-year contracts covered most of
Mexico’s major industries, notably mining, tex
tiles, construction, petroleum, and sugar.5
The quarter million employees of the Federal
Government were granted salary increases, effec
tive January 1, 1953, which averaged 10 percent.
These workers received another 10 percent in
crease on January 1, 1954.
Late in the year, hundreds of tripartite munic
ipal commissions throughout the country began
to establish legal minimum wage rates to be in
force during 1954 and 1955, under the highly de
centralized procedure provided in the Constitu
tion. Mexico’s largest and most influential labor
organization, the Confederation of Mexican Work
ers (CTM), sponsored a large general congress on
minimum wages in October, which recommended a
countrywide minimum daily wage of 12 pesos.
However, late in December the Minimum Wage
Commission for the Federal District, an important
industrial area, established rates of 8 pesos daily
for urban workers and 6 pesos for rural workers,
replacing minimums of 6.70 and 5 pesos, respec
tively. For the country as a whole, preliminary
indications are that minimum rates were increased
by about 18 percent, with the great majority of
increases ranging from 10 to 25 percent. While
it is estimated that less than 30 percent of the
A l l indications
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
MONTHLY LABO R R E V IE W , MAY 1954
industrial workers will be directly affected by the
new minimums, the increases are widely expected
to have an elevating effect on the general wage
structure.
Incomplete statistical data on real wages in
manufacturing industries indicate that the 1953
rise was the first since 1949. During 1950, real
wages fell to a level about 8 percent above the
1948 level, fell further in 1951, and in 1952
reached a point somewhat below the 1948 level.
The 1953 gain brought the level back up to ap
proximately that of 1948. However, for the
period 1939 to 1952—a time of rapid economic
development and vigorous prosperity in Mexico—
real wages of workers in the manufacturing sector
fell between 10 and 20 percent.
During 1953, the new administration concen
trated on efforts to check inflation and to lower
prices, largely through encouragement of increased
food production, ceilings on food prices, and whole
sale price supports for corn and beans—staples in
the Mexican diet. Cost of living declined for the
first time in a decade of rapidly rising prices.
The official cost-of-living index for a wage
earner’s family in Mexico City in December 1953
was down 4.7 percent from the December 1952
figure as a result of lower food prices. The food
component of the index (weighted 76 percent of
all components) decreased 6.5 percent, while
clothing remained fairly stable, and household
articles (charcoal, laundry soap, and candles)
increased by 2.6 percent.6
Signs of a slight but general economic downturn
became apparent by the end of 1953. The Gov
ernment took a wide variety of measures to bolster
falling consumer demand, notably an increased
public works budget.
5In the nationalized petroleum industry, as in 1951, no general wage in
crease was granted. However, augmented “fringe benefits” included im
provements in medical care, education, housing, credit facilities, vacations,
and a 50-percent wage bonus for dangerous or unhealthy work. These gains
were estimated by the Mexican Department of Labor to be equivalent to
a 17.9-percent wage increase.
6Rent and other items are not covered.
FO R E IG N LABOR B R IE F S
Effects of the Philippine
Industrial Peace Act7
T h e t r a d e u n i o n m o v e m e n t and collective bar
gaining procedures in the Philippines have been
strengthened as a result of the Industrial Peace
Act which became effective in June 1953.8 Among
the more significant provisions of the Act (which
is considered to be a Magna Carta of Labor) are
those dealing with requirements for legal recog
nition of unions, union certification elections,
establishment of a 30-day waiting period prior to
strikes, the functions of the Court of Industrial
Relations, and governmental conciliation and
mediation agencies.
From June 17 to December 31, 1953, the total
number of unions registered with the Secretary of
Labor grew from 836 to 1,092. This growth indi
cates that the new provisions are having the
desired effect of making the achievement of legal
status readily possible for any trade union that
does not have subversive leadership and that
meets certain specified standards with regard to
union administration. Prior to the Industrial
Peace Act, the Secretary of Labor was able to
grant, withhold, or cancel the registration for any
given union at his own discretion, which led to
charges of abuse.
From the time the law went into effect to the
end of the year, the Court of Industrial Relations
(CIR) ordered the Department of Labor to hold
13 union certification elections. Of these, 12 have
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
551
been conducted, with unions winning 8, no union
being selected in 1, and 3 held to be indecisive
pending CIR decisions as to challenged ballots.
Of the total of 10,568 workers covered by the 12
elections, about 7,100 cast valid votes (exclusive of
challenged ballots); of these, approximately 6,800
were cast in favor of unions, and about 300 were
for “no union,” according to Department of Labor
figures.
From mid-June to mid-December, the Depart
ment of Labor’s Conciliation Service reported
receipt of 78 notices of intent to strike from trade
unions under the 30-day cooling off provisions of
the Industrial Peace Act. Thus, the formal
strike notice appears to have been used as almost
an automatic device to signal intent to bargain.
The Court of Industrial Relations took its first
action on an unfair labor case in March 1954.
The delay was reported to be caused by the pre
siding judge’s dissatisfaction with the Court’s
rules of procedure under the pertinent sections of
the Industrial Peace Act.
Union organizing and bargaining activity has
continued to increase, particularly since the advent
of the new national administration. According to
official Department of Labor Conciliation Service
reports, in the period June 17-December 17, the
Service assisted disputing parties in reaching
collective bargaining agreements in 25 instances,
while labor and management reached agreements
independently in 16 additional disputes.
7Based primarily on U. S. Foreign Service Report No. 747, of January 11,
1954, from Manila.
8For a summary of this act, see Notes on Labor Abroad, August 1953.
Technical Note
Relationships Between
Productivity Measures*
m e a s u r e r e l a t i n g p r o d u c t i o n (output) in
specified units to one factor of input is a produc
tivity measure. Specialized examples of useful
productivity measures are such ratios as bushels
of wheat per acre of land (or per ton of fertilizer),
tons of steel per ton of iron ore or per ton of coal
consumed, value added by manufacture per kilo
watt-hour of electric energy consumed, and pro
duction of lumber per man-hour worked or paid
for. All are measures of productivity in the
broad sense.
One such measure is output per man-hour. The
Bureau of Labor Statistics has generally focused
attention on this and related productivity meas
ures—output per worker or per employee. Man
hour output, or its inverse, man-hours per unit of
production, has more general significance and
application than many other productivity meas
ures because (1) labor is a resource common to
all industries; (2) output per man-hour provides
a measure which relates physical production to
the economy’s human resources; and (3) increases
in man-hour output provide a means of improving
living standards without impinging on any one
economic group. The Bureau adheres to the
following definition of output per man-hour:
A ny
O u tp u t p er m an -h o u r refers to pro d u ctio n , in physical
units, per m an -h o u r of work. I t is a m easure of th e re
lationship betw een th e volum e of goods p roduced a n d one
facto r of in p u t— lab o r tim e. T he indexes do n o t m easure
th e specific co n trib u tio n of lab o r or of cap ital or of
a n y o th er facto r of pro d u ctio n . C hanges in th e ra tio
betw een o u tp u t an d m an -h o u rs of w ork show th e jo in t
effect of a large n u m b er of sep arate, th o u g h in terre la te d ,
influences such as technical im provem ents, th e ra te of
operations, th e relativ e c o n trib u tio n s to p ro d u ctio n of
p la n ts a t different levels of efficiency, th e flow of m a te
rials an d com ponents, as well as th e skill a n d effort of th e
w ork force, th e efficiency of m an ag e m en t, a n d th e s ta tu s
of lab o r relations.
552
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Closer examination of this particular definition
of physical output per man-hour reveals that even
this more restrictive term encompasses a number
of possible concepts and measures. Development
and presentation of a wide variety of measures is
a goal of the BLS program, although it may not
be reached for several years. It is the purpose
of this article to examine these. No one measure
of output per man-hour is more nearly correct or
intrinsically “better” than any other. Various
productivity measures have validity, each for its
own special purpose. Taken together, all the
measures constitute a family of related data, and
additional analytical value can be obtained by
comparing trends of one series with those of
others.
Productivity measures can be constructed for a
single commodity or product. Data for a number
of products can be combined in a number of ways
to attain industry measures, and the industry
measures can be combined for groups of industries
or for all manufacturing, mining, or the economy
as a whole. So loxig as the discussion is restricted
to a single product, the definition of output per
man-hour constitutes no real problem, but when
product information is combined to derive trends
for industries, for industry groups, or for the
economy as a whole, the question of weighting
arises.
When the purpose of productivity measurement
is to derive a relationship between physical output
and man-hours, the question arises as to proper
choice of weights for combining product indexes
into industry measures, and industry measures
into series for industry groups and for manufac
turing as a whole. In the opinion of the BLS,
man-hour weights are most appropriate for this
particular measurement purpose, because such a
weighting system results in a measure which is a
weighted average of indexes of physical productiv*By Allan D. Searle of the BureauVDivision of Productivity and Tech
nological Developments.
R E L A T IO N S H IP S B E T W E E N PR O D U C T IV IT Y M EA SURES
ity for the separate products.1 Problems of
sampling enter into the construction of these and
the other series, and the actual measures them
selves must be used with the question of sampling
error in mind. For the sake of simplicity in de
veloping the concepts, however, the sampling
problem is not here discussed.
Product Measures
Fixed Establishment Man-Hour Weights. In pre
paring an index showing changes in unit man
hours (or output per man-hour) for a product, it is
possible to collect from each plant in an industry
data on production and man-hours required to
produce the product. Establishment figures on
man-hours per unit can then be combined to an
industrywide total for the product by means of
fixed weights—i. e., each plant in the industry
would be assigned a relative importance in terms
of man-hours devoted to the product and would
retain this importance in the index throughout
the period under study. An index of this type can
be expressed as follows:
X ) ( l i/l o ) l0qo
where—
l i = u n i t m an-hours for th e p ro d u c t in th e p la n t, y ear “ i” .
l0= u n i t m an-hours for th e p ro d u c t in th e p la n t, y ear “ o” .
q Q= p ro d u c tio n of th e p ro d u c t in th e p la n t, y ear “ o” .
An index of unit man-hours constructed in such a
manner is afected only by changes in physical
productivity arising from causes within the plant,
and is unaffected by changes in relative importance
of plants with high or low output per man-hour.
The published direct report series of the Bureau of
Labor Statistics are of the fixed-establishmentweight type.
i The BLS has attempted to employ man-hour weights in the construction
of its productivity series wherever these are obtainable. Where such weights
cannot be obtained for individual products, weighting of items in the produc
tion index is done with unit labor costs, unit value added by manufacture, or
unit values, in descending order of preference. When any of the latter are
used as weights, they are considered to be substitutes for unit man-hour
weights, and an eflort is made to check their validity from this standpoint.
Industry indexes are combined using man-hour weights to form indexes for
industry groups. For an extended discussion of weights, see Production,
Employment and Productivity in 59 Manufacturing Industries, Part I,
National Research Project, Works Progress Administration (p. 11).
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
553
Changing Establishm ent M an-Hour Weights.
Another measure of unit man-hours for a product
is one in which each establishment is weighted
with its relative current (rather than fixed) im
portance. Such an index can be constructed by
adding the man-hours spent on the manufacture
of a product in all plants and dividing the result by
the total output of the product in all plants. If,
as is likely, the relative importance of the plants in
total industry output varies from year to year,
this index of unit man-hours will measure not only
changes in productivity from causes arising within
the plant but also from changes in the relative out
put of plants at different levels of efficiency. The
index of unit man-hours can be expressed as
follows:
SMiEioqo
where—
S q i/ X) q0
b —u n it m an-hours for th e p ro d u ct, y ear “i ” .
l0= u n it m an-hours for th e p ro d u ct, y ear “ o” .
qi = p ro d u ctio n of th e p ro d u ct, y ear “i” .
q 0—p ro d u ctio n of th e p ro d u ct, y ear “o” .
The Bureau’s general productivity measure
ment reports on industrial productivity are de
veloped from industrywide data from secondary
sources on total production of the product and
total man-hours of production workers. As a
result of the inherent nature of the data them
selves, these measures are of the changing-establishment-weight type.
Fixed v. Changing Establishment Weights. A
product index prepared with fixed establishment
weights may move in general accord with a
changing-weights index, but it is by no means
necessary that this be so. In fact, it is in periods
of dynamic industrial change that agreement is
least likely and, for this reason, a comparison of
both sets of indexes can be most meaningful.
A hypothetical situation may serve to illustrate
the different results which each weighting system
can yield. Assume that in two successive years
the man-hours per unit of product remain constant
in two plants, I and II, but that the relative
amounts of production in the two plants change.
Under these conditions, an index based on fixed
M ONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W , MAY 1954
554
establishment weights would not change from one
year to the next, while one based on changing
establishment weights would change (table 1).
It can be seen that the changing-weight industry
index of unit man-hours decreases as a larger and
larger share of total production comes from the
more efficient plant I (index C). Indeed, the
unit man-hour index decreased 6.6 percent be
tween year 1 and year 2 solely as a result of this,
without any change in productivity in either
plant. In year 3, unit man-hours of plant I and
T a ble
plant I I increased 50 percent and 25 percent, re
spectively (indexes A and B), but the movement
to the more efficient plant I continued, and the
interplant shift more than offset the intraplant
factors so that unit man-hours for the industry
decreased 6 percent (from an average of 0.171 to
0.160 man-hours per unit) between years 2 and 3
(index C). The BLS indexes of productivity de
veloped from secondary sources, like this index,
describe movements in productivity arising from
both intra- and inter-plant factors.
1.— Indexes of unit man-hours for a product
[Y ear 1 = 100]
Y ear
Ite m
P la n t
1
2
3
Individual Establishment Indexes
I
P ro d u c tio n — n u m b er of u n its
T o ta l m an -h o u rs
M an -h o u rs p er unit__
_ _
Indexes— u n it m an -h o u rs (A)
F o rm u la— u n it m an-hours
P ro d u c tio n — n u m b er of u n its
T o ta l m an -h o u rs __
_
_
M an-hours p er u n it. _
_
Indexes— u n it m an -h o u rs (B) _ _
F o rm u la— u n it m an -h o u rs
II
100
10
. 10
100. 0
500
100
. 20
100. 0
_
—
------
1000
100
. 10
100. 0
lido
2500
500
. 20
100. 0
b/lo
900
135
. 15
150. 0
100
25
. 25
125. 0
Indexes— Establishment Data Combined with Changing Weights
T o tal: I an d I I
P ro d u c tio n — n u m b er of u n its
T o ta l m an-hours
M an -h o u rs p er u n it
Indexes— u n it m an -h o u rs (C )____
F o rm u la— u n it m an -h o u rs
3500
600
. 171
93. 4
600
110
. 183
100. 0
_ _
_____
1000
160
. 160
87. 4
S b q i /S l0q 0
Sq; / S q 0
—
Indexes—Establishment Data Combined with Fixed Weights
U n it m an-hours
W eights
Ite m
Y ear 3
Y ear 1 or 2
Y ear 1— M an -h o u rs___
U n it m an -h o u rs (D )_____
loo. o x i o + i o o . o x i o o _
Form ula— u n it m an-hours.
N ote: li = U n it m an -h o u rs for th e p ro d u c t in th e p la n t, y ear “i” .
l0= U n it m an-hours for th e p ro d u c t in th e p la n t, y ear “o”.
q; = P ro d u c tio n of th e p ro d u c t in th e p la n t, y ear “i” .
q 0—P ro d u ctio n of th e p ro d u c t in th e p la n t, y ear “o”.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
100 0
1 5 0 .0 X 1 0 + 1 2 5 .0 X 1 0 0
1<V7 „
no
127- d
2 (ljd o )l0qo
S loq 0
R E L A T IO N S H IP S B E T W E E N PR O D U C T IV IT Y M EA SURES
By assigning fixed weights to the plant data,
the effect of interplant shifts is eliminated. The
index number for year 2 is 100.0 because produc
tivity did not change in either plant; in year 3,
when both plants experienced a rise in unit man
hours, the unit man-hour index rose to 127.3
(index D) solely on this account. A comparison
of this index with that of 87.4 (index C), based
on changing weights, provides an indication of
the effect of the changing importance of plants in
the industry, i. e., if unit man-hours had remained
constant, the shift in production alone would
have brought about a 40-percent decrease in unit
man-hours.
industry Measures
Trends in unit man-hours for an industry can
be measured in a number of ways. The following
index shows changes in man-hours per unit for a
fixed composite of goods. The product data on
unit man-hour requirements are weighted with
base-year quantities of the various items produced.
S L iQo
Unit man-hours index =
------X j L0Q0
i
where—
Li = m an-hours p er u n it, given y ear
L 0= m a n -h o u rs p er u n it, base y ear
Qi = p ro d u c tio n , given y ear
Q 0= p ro d u c tio n , base y ear
n —n u m b er of p ro d u cts
This index shows the change in man-hours needed
to reproduce the actual output of the base year.
Another possible measure involves the combi
nation of product data by means of current year
production weights:
Unit man-hours index =
S L i Q,
------2D U0Q,
1 See Measurement of Unit Man-Hour Requirements, by George E, Sadler
and Allan D. Searle, M onthly Labor Review, February 1950.
3The 1947 Census of Manufactures contains the following definition of
value added by manufacture:
“Value added by manufacture is calculated by subtracting the cost of
materials, supplies, and containers, fuel, purchased electric energy, and
contract work from the total value of shipments. In that it approximates
the value created in the process of manufacture, value added provides the
most satisfactory measure of the relative economic importance of given
industries available in the Census of Manufactures.”
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
555
This expression shows the change, between the
base year and the current year, in the man-hours
needed to reproduce the actual output of the
current year.
Both these measures are equivalent to weighted
averages of the individual product indexes of unit
man-hours. They are also equivalent to measures
which can be derived from dividing industrywide
man-hours indexes by appropriately weighted
indexes of production.2
Measures for Groups of Industries
When man-hour weights are
used to construct industry-group measures the
indexes reflect changes in physical productivity
which arise (1) from factors operating within
individual establishments, and (2) from changing
proportions of output coming from establishments
with higher or lower efficiency in the use of man
hours.
Man-Hour Weights.
Value-Added Weights. A productivity index con
structed by combining physical production data
for an industry with value-added weights must be
interpreted differently from an index prepared
with man-hour weights.3 Weighting with values
added yields a measure which is affected by the
changes in the relative importance of the in
dustries as well as by changes within the various
plants and within individual industries in physical
productivity. Thus, such an index would record
as a productivity increase a trend toward industries
of high value added per man-hour worked (for
example, an increase in importance of the fabricat
ing industries) even if productivity measured in
terms of physical output per man-hour had not
changed in any industry included in the index.
If values added of the base year are used as
weights, the unit man-hours index is:
¿ L 0Q0 S V;Q"
1
where—
Lj = m an-hours p er u n it, given y ear
L 0 = m a n -h o u rs p er u n it, base y ear
Qi —pro d u ctio n , given year
Q o = p ro d u ctio n , base year
V0= value ad d ed p e r u n it, base y ear
556
Substitution of Vt for V0 results in an index in
which current year weights are used. A compar
ison of this index with one constructed with man
hour weights would provide insight into the effect
of certain interindustry shifts.
A pro
ductivity measure which can be prepared from
data on gross national product originating in
a major sector of the economy, such as manufac
turing, would utilize production data, not in
physical units, but in terms of value added in
constant prices. This measure shows the net
effect of productivity changes arising from factors
originating (1) within the plant, (2) from changing
relative contributions to total output of plants at
different levels of efficiency within each industry,
(3) from certain interindustry shifts, and (4) from
changing proportions of inputs of materials, sup
plies, containers, fuels, purchased electric energy,
and contract work. This fourth factor distin
guishes this type of measure from that previously
described prepared with value-added weights.
This last factor influences the measure because
changes in materials consumed per unit of output
affect the value-added data. Thus, a more efficient
use of coal by the steel industry results in a decrease
in coal cost per ton of steel and, consequently, in
an increase in value added per man-hour in the
steel industry. A productivity change would be
recorded by this net product type of measure even
with no change in physical output per man-hour
in any industry and no change in relative impor
tance of all the industries.
Since the net output productivity measure is
based on a concept of work done or value added in
which the consumption of intermediate products
is eliminated, net output indexes can be aggregated
to industry group and division levels without the
duplication of output found in value weighted
gross output measures.
The productivity measure—man-hours per unit
of net output—can be expressed in a number of
ways. The production measure can be expressed
in terms of base-year prices or current prices.
Gross National Product jper M an-Hour.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
M ONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W , MAY 1954
If current-year prices are chosen, the index of
unit man-hours is:
X Liqi
X ( X q iP i-jS QrPi)
_ i __________ i_____\ j __________ 1_______
S
•
S
/ N
M
L
\
X L0q0 x ( X q0pi—X QoPi)
i
i Vi
i
/
where—
S = n u m b er of in d u stries
N = n u m b er of p ro d u cts p roduced in an in d u stry
M = n u m b er of in p u ts used in a n in d u stry
q = n u m b er of u n its of o u tp u t
p = p r ic e of u n it of o u tp u t
Q = n u m b er of u n its of in p u t
P = price of u n it of in p u t
L = u n it m an-hours
Substitution of p0 for Pi and P0 for P t converts
the above formula into a form in which all quan
tities are valued at base-year prices.
Both forms of unit man-hour index based on
the net output approach (base year or current
prices) involve expression of production in con
stant prices in the comparison years. It is im
portant to note, however, that the cost per unit oj
output of materials and other inputs can change for
two reasons: (1) When prices change, and (2)
when the physical quantity of material used per
unit of production changes. Holding prices con
stant eliminates the first factor but properly allows
the second to influence the net output index of
productivity. As a result, savings in inputs per
unit of output are recorded as productivity in
creases.
Value of a Variety of Measures
The construction of productivity measures based
on various weighting systems permits analysis of
productivity from a variety of viewpoints and
for a number of purposes. Indexes can be con
structed for establishments, products, industries,
or for industry as a whole, measuring productivity
in terms of physical output per man-hour or with
interindustry shifts taken into account by means
of weights other than man-hours. In each of
these series, fixed or changing weights may be
557
r e l a t io n s h ip s b e t w e e n p r o d u c t iv it y m e a s u r e s
employed. Measures based on gross national
product in constant prices per man-hour represent
still other areas of study. Table 2 compares, in
summary form, several of the possible measures
and indicates some appropriate applications to
economic and statistical problems.
T able 2.— Comparison of indexes of output per man-hour by factors influencing trend and by use
T ype of index
A. In d u s try indexes based on phy sical p ro
du ctio n d a ta com bined w ith fixed e sta b
lish m en t m an -h o u r a n d p ro d u c t w eights.
B. In d u s try indexes based on p hysical p ro
duction d a ta com bined w ith changing
estab lish m en t m an-h o u r a n d p ro d u c t
w eights.
C. Indexes for in d u stry groups— in d u stry in
dexes (as in B) com bined w ith m an -h o u r
w eights to form group or to ta l index.
D . Indexes for in d u stry groups— in d u stry
indexes based on physical p ro d u ctio n
d a ta , com bined w ith v alue-added w eights
to form group or to ta l index.
E. Indexes for in d u stry groups or divisions—
based on d a ta on gross p ro d u c t origi
n a tin g in the group or division, in con
s ta n t prices, p er m an-hour.
296080— 54-
-5
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
F acto rs w hich influence tre n d
Includes only influences in
te rn a l to th e estab lish
m e n t— in te rp la n t shifts an d
in te rp ro d u c t sh ifts elim i
n ated .
Includes, in ad d itio n to above,
effect of in te rp la n t a n d
in te rp ro d u c t shifts.
Sam e as B— In te rin d u s try
sh ifts elim inated.
Sam e as B, plus effect of in te r
in d u stry shifts.
Includes, in ad d itio n to above,
effect of changing p ro p o r
tio n of m aterials in p u t from
o th e r industries.
P ra c tic a l app licatio n s
M an ag em en t: C om parison of own p la n ts
w ith in d u stry tre n d . F a c to rs b eyond
co n tro l of engineer elim inated.
M anpow er problem s: E m p lo y m e n t ex
p ecte d a t given levels of p ro d u ctio n .
E conom ic analysis.
Sam e as above. A p p ro p riate econom ic
series for com parison w ould be those
w hich are unaffected b y changes
arising from changing im p o rtan ce of
industries.
Sam e as above b u t com parable eco
nom ic series w ould be those w hich
are affected by changes arising from
sh ift of w orkers betw een industries.
B ro ad est econom ic analysis. E conom ic
h e a lth a n d well-being of econom y.
C om parable econom ic series are those
affected b y in te rin d u stry shifts.
Significant Decisions
in Labor Cases'
Wages and Hours 2
Watchmen Guarding Premises Against Fire. A
United States court of appeals held 3 that watch
men employed to watch for fires that would en
danger buildings in which goods were produced
for interstate commerce were subject to the Fair
Labor Standards Act. The watchmen were em
ployed by a realty company (which leased the
land on which the buildings were situated to vari
ous tenants), their duties consisting solely of
looking for fires and turning in alarms when fires
were discovered.
The court, noting that the facts in this case
closely paralleled those in Walton v. Southern
Package Corp.,4 found that these employees’ ac
tivities served to safeguard the buildings and thus
to keep them available for use in producing goods
for interstate commerce. Citing Kirschbaum v.
Walling,5 the court pointed out that it is the rela
tionship of the service rendered by the employee
in respect to the production of goods, rather than
the relation of the employer’s business to such
production, which is controlling.
A
United States court of appeals held 6 that printingplant employees of a religious corporation engaged
in the production of pamphlets, leaflets, and other
printed material, nearly all of a religious character,
for out-of-State shipment, were entitled to the
minimum-wage and overtime benefits of the FLSA.
The court found that, during the 2-year period
September 1950 to September 1952, the corpora
tion made sales to interstate customers totaling
over $200,000.
Denying that the act, as applied to such em
ployees, was an unconstitutional restriction on
freedom of religion, the court pointed out that a
corporation organized for religious purposes may
still come within coverage of the act by engaging
Religious Corporation's Sales Outside State.
558
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
in “ trade, commerce, transportation or communi
cation among the several States.” The court
cited Mabee v. White Plains Publishing Co.,7
which held that employees of a newspaper com
pany that sent only one-half of 1 percent of its
newspapers outside the State were covered by the
act.
Night Watchman on Road Construction Project. A
United States district court held8 that a night
watchman on a road construction project was not
engaged in commerce or in the production of goods
for commerce within the meaning of the FLSA.
During the period of his employment, his employer
was engaged in the original construction of an en
tirely new expressway, which had never been used
by interstate traffic, and in laying new pavement
and putting in new sidewalks, gutter bottoms, and
curbs on city streets which were to be used as
“feeders” for the new expressway, but which were
not dedicated to commerce during the work in
question.
The court, citing Overstreet v. North Shore Corp.,9
noted that persons engaged in maintenance and
repair of interstate instrumentalities are within
FLSA coverage. But those engaged in original
construction of facilities which have not yet
become instrumentalities of commerce are not so
covered, the court pointed out, citing Raymond v.
Chicago, Milwaukee <&St. Paul Ry. Co.10
Prevailing Wage
Davis-Bacon Act Interpretation. The Supreme
Court of the United States found 11 that a Govern1Prepared in the U. S. Department of Labor, Office of the Solicitor.
The cases covered in this article represent a selection of the significant
decisions believed to be of special interest. No attem pt 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 existence of local precedents, or a different approach by the courts to the
issue presented.
2This section is intended merely as a digest of some recent decisions involv
ing the Fair Labor Standards Act and the Portal-to-Portal Act. It is not to
be construed and may not be relied upon as interpretation of these acts by
the Administrator of the Wage and Hour Division or any agency of the
Department of Labor.
3Mitchell v. Famous Realty, Inc. (C. A. 2, Mar. 19, 1954).
* 320 U. S. 540.
3316 U. S. 517.
4Mitchell v. Pilgrim Holiness Church Corp. (C. A. 7, Feb. 23,1954).
2327 U. S. 178.
8Van Klareren v. Killian-House Co (D. C. W. D. Tex., Feb. 23, 1954).
8318 U. S. 125.
1» 243 U. S. 43.
11United States v. Binghamton Construction Co., Inc. (U. S. Sup. Ct.,
Mar. 8, 1954).
S IG N IF IC A N T D E C ISIO N S IN LABOR CASES
ment construction contractor is not entitled to
recover the difference between the minimum wage
rates determined by the Secretary of Labor as
prevailing minimum rates in the area and the rates
which the contractor was required to pay in order
to obtain workmen.
A schedule of rates predetermined by the Sec
retary pursuant to the Davis-Bacon Act was in
cluded in contract specifications furnished to the
contractor by the Government contracting agency.
This schedule, dated January 31, 1941, set a mini
mum hourly wage rate of $1.00 for carpenters and
50 cents for laborers. In the performance of the
contract, the contractor paid workers in these
classifications $1,125 and 62^ cents an hour,
respectively, in order to attract workers, and then
demanded an adjustment of compensation on
the theory that the schedule of rates in the speci
fications was an affirmative representation as to
the prevailing rates in the area.
The Court, citing United States v. Morley Con
struction Co.12 pointed out that the law was en
acted, not to benefit contractors, but rather to
protect employees from substandard earnings.
Neither the contract nor the specifications referred
to “prevailing rates/’ the Court said. The con
tract referred only to “wage rates not less than
those stated in the specifications/’ and the speci
fications referred only to “minimum wage rates
applicable in the locality.” Further, the Court
noted, the Davis-Bacon Act does not authorize
any assurance that the specified minimums will in
fact be the prevailing rates.
Labor Relations
Retransfer of Employee Not Required. A United
States court of appeals modified 13 a National
Labor Relations Board ruling in an unfair-laborpractice case involving the allegedly discrimina
tory transfer of an employee.
Shortly after a union won a bargaining election,
an employee who had actively campaigned for the
union was transferred from his job to another simi
lar position with the same pay and hours of work
but several miles from his former location. Up1298 F. 2d 781; certiorari denied, 305 U. S. 661.
18 N L R B v. Southeastern Pipe Line Co. (C. A. 5, Feb. 23, 1954).
» N L R B v. Bretz Fuel Co. (C. A. 4, Feb. 16, 1954).
18In re Darid S. Pearl and Ephraim Werner d. b. a. National Torch Tip Co.
(107 NLRB 269, Feb. 24, 1954).
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
559
holding the trial examiner’s findings, the NLRB
ruled that this transfer was due to the employee’s
union activities and in violation of section 8 (a) (3)
of the Labor Management Relations Act, and
ordered the employee retransferred to his former
position.
The court found, however, that the evidence
showed such a reinstatement would work an
undue hardship on the employer company. The
transfer had resulted in increased efficiency and
a saving to the company, which had abolished
the former position. To order a retransfer, the
court said, would be a usurpation of management’s
inherent prerogative to operate its business more
efficiently by reducing expenses.
Unauthorized Strike Not Concerted Activity. A
United States court of appeals held,14 in denying
an NLRB petition for enforcement of an order,
that an unauthorized strike which was designed
to put a State legislature under pressure to enact
a bill desired by the union was not concerted
activity protected by the act. The company had
barred an employee from its property, after he
had ceased his duties to lead the unauthorized
work stoppage, and the Board ruled that he
should be reinstated.
The court found that the strike, picketing, and
work stoppage were not authorized by the union
and had nothing to do with working conditions
or relations between employer and employees.
The stoppage occurred, the court said, to permit
protest by the employees against passage of the
legislation concerned, and the workers had no
grievance against the company.
Probationary Employees Eligible To Vote in Repre
sentation Election. The NLRB, overruling prior
decisions inconsistent with this holding, ruled 15
that probationary employees may participate in
representation elections. Although 80 percent of
such employees fail to complete the 90-day trial
period, the Board ruled, they receive and hold
their employment in contemplation of permanent
tenure, and their working conditions and employ
ment interests are like those of regular employees.
In this instance, the probationary employees con
stituted over a third of the employer’s work force,
doing the same work as regular employees and
being accorded the same general working condi
tions.
560
In ordering an election, the Board also ruled
that employees doing production work and only
occasionally supervising new employees were to
be included in the production and maintenance
unit, but that an employee who spent 50 percent
of his time in training and directing employees
was to be excluded.
Craft Severance Policy Reexamined. The NLRB
ruled16 that, while its present practice of denying
craft severance on an industrywide basis in basic
steel, aluminum, lumber, and wet milling indus
tries would be continued, it would not be extended
to other industries. In a case involving electri
cians, operating engineers, and mechanics, an
employer was seeking to have the “National Tube”
doctrine17 extended to include chemical manu
facturing by interdependent plant operations in
a continuous-flow process, contending that it
involved the same type of integration as that in
the basic steel industry.
The Board recognized that it would be unwise
to upset a bargaining practice firmly established
in certain industries, but it declined to extend
this doctrine. It ruled that, hereafter, the practice
of denying craft severance on the “integration of
operations’’ theory will not be followed. Instead,
the Board stated, a craft group will be appropriate
for severance purpose when “a true craft group
is sought” and when the union seeking to represent
it “traditionally represents that craft.” The
requirement that the unit to be severed constitute
a “true craft group” will be rigidly enforced, the
Board noted, and care will be exercised in admin
istration of the new rule. Such a “true craft
group” was defined as “a distinct and homogeneous
group of skilled journeymen-craftsmen, working
as such, together with their apprentices and/or
helpers.” To be a “journeyman-craftsman,” the
Board ruled, a worker must have the kind and
degree of skill normally acquired only by a sub
stantial period of apprenticeship or comparable
training.
In addition, the Board ruled, all craftsmen of
the same type in any plant must be included in
this unit except those in traditional departmental
units. Employees working in association with the
craft but not in the craft’s “direct line of progresIn re American Potash & Chemical Corp. (107 NLRB 290, Mar. 1, 1954).
if In re National Tube Co. (76 NLRB 1199, Apr. 7, 1948). ^
is in re Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Co. (107 NLRB 301,’Mar. 12,1954).
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
MONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W , MAY 1954
sion” will be excluded. All craftsmen in the unit
must be practitioners of the same allied craft and
primarily engaged in the performance of tasks
requiring the exercise of their craft skills.
Board member Murdock, concurring in part
and dissenting in part, noted that the majority
rule ignored the basic principle underlying craft
severance—that the community of interest among
members of a skilled craft outweighs that among
employees in general. Member Peterson also
dissented in part, holding that the ruling would
be an open invitation to a revival of raiding
practices and jurisdictional wars to the detriment
of industrial peace.
“Hit-and-Run ” Strike Not Protected. The NLRB
ruled 18 that employees of a telephone company
who joined in a hit-and-run strike lost the protec
tion afforded by the LMRA for concerted activi
ties. The ruling referred to a multiplicity of work
stoppages called by a traffic employees’ union as a
result of a labor dispute, “to harass the company
into a state of confusion.” Many employees in
the company’s more than 200 offices walked off
the job on different days, returning to duty in some
cases for a day or two and then walking out again.
Picket lines, when they appeared, were respected
by members of a union of toll workers, with the
result that the company was unable to maintain
service.
The trial examiner had found that the striking
union’s activities were protected concerted activi
ties within the meaning of the act. The Board,
however, reversed this finding, holding it to have
been the union’s intention to bring about a
condition that would be neither strike nor work,
a method by its inherent nature outside the scope
of protected activity.
It was beyond belief, the Board noted, to regard
the toll workers as ignorant of the methods of the
striking traffic workers. These tollmen, there
fore, had likewise removed themselves from LMRA
protection, the Board ruled, and the company did
not violate the act by its failure to reinstate them
immediately.
One tollman went on strike for 1 day in protest
against the layoff of two fellow tollmen when they
had returned to work after a 1-day strike. The
Board held that he had thereby made common
cause with the strikers and that his layoff was not
discriminatory.
S IG N IF IC A N T D E C ISIO N S IN LABOR CASES
Board member Murdock, who regarded the
question as to the work stoppage a close one,
dissented, affirming the trial examiner’s finding
that the company, by laying off the tollmen,
violated the act.
Veterans Reemployment
Seniority— Temporary Carman Who Became Me
chanic. A court of appeals, affirming a district
court, found19no discrimination, and therefore no
violation of reemployment statutes, in a collective
bargaining agreement which was made long after a
veteran’s reinstatement, and which affected his
seniority.
By a supplemental agreement of March 1, 1949,
all temporary carmen who had completed 1,160
days of carman mechanic’s work, and who elected
to be allowed carman-mechanic seniority, were
given a March 1, 1949, seniority date, but ranked
on the roster in the order in which they completed
the 1,160 days.
The veteran had been promoted before his
induction, to the equivalent of temporary carman
and was reinstated in that classification. In his
absence, the adjustment of seniority for temporary
carmen was postponed for future settlement. The
uncontested facts were that, but for military
service, the veteran would have finished his 1,160
days on June 1, 1946. He actually completed the
work on January 10, 1949, after his restoration and
before the adjustment agreement of March 1, 1949.
Four nonveterans completed their required work
after June 1, 1946, but before January 10, 1949.
The veteran brought action under the reemploy
ment statutes to place his name ahead of these
nonveterans, but his claim was dismissed.
The rationale of the court of appeals was that
the supplemental agreement of March 1, 1949, if
not invalid because of discrimination, created the
escalator upon which the veteran must rise to
seniority. No discrimination was found because,
the court said, the veteran was treated like other
workmen in his “ class or working group” and was
dealt with on a parity with nonveterans. Putting
him ahead of them would, in the court’s opinion,
give him a kind of superseniority not contem
plated by the statutes.
According to the rulings by the court of appeals,
this action arose under the Selective Training and
Service Act of 1940 (the veteran’s military service
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
561
began in 1943), the reemployment section of which
act survived its general repeal. The provisions as
to restoration in section 8 (c) of the 1940 act and
those in section 9 (c) (1) of the 1948 act (now
known as the Universal Military Training and
Service Act) are identical. Section 9 (c) (2) of the
latter declares it to be the sense of the Congress
that the returning veteran shall be so restored as
to give him the status he would have enjoyed if he
“ had continued in such employment continu
ously.” This is a restatement of the escalator
principle. It declares the meaning not only of
section 9 (c) (1) of the 1948 act but also of section
8 (c) of the 1940 act. The identity of language
shows that no change in the law was intended.
The language of section 9 (c) (1) of the 1948
act (and therefore of 8 (c) of the 1940 act) in
providing not only for restoration without loss of
seniority, but also that the veteran shall be con
sidered as having been on furlough or leave of
absence, conflicts with this declaration of the
sense of Congress. Furlough and leave of absence
are different from continuous employment. The
legislative history is indecisive.
Being unable to reconcile these conflicts, the
court ruled that the congressional intent as ex
pressed in the actual words of the 1948 statute
must be held paramount to the express congres
sional interpretation of the statute, even when the
latter appears in an immediately following clause.
Unemployment Compensation
Existence oj Available Labor Market. A ruling by
the Supreme Court of Idaho held 20 that a claim
ant’s moving to a smaller city where he had every
reason to believe that few jobs existed and
prospects of work were extremely limited, rendered
him ineligible for benefits under the Idaho employ
ment security law. The court found the claimant
was able and willing to work and was seeking
work, but was not able and ready and willing to
accept—and was not seeking—suitable work at a
point where an available labor market existed.
Claimant chose to detach himself from the Boise
area and whatever job opportunities might occur
there, it was stated, and moved to another locality
where labor opportunities, as far as he was con
cerned, were nonexistent.
19Diehl v. Lehigh Valley R. R. Co. (O. A. 3, Mar. 3,1954).
20In re Sapp (Sup. Ct. of Idaho, Feb. 10, 1954).
Chronology of
Recent Labor Events
m erce. I t also held th a t th e unions w ere n o t p ro tected
b y th e C lay to n A ct ag ain st prosecution for violation of
th e S herm an Act. T h e cases were United States v. (1)
March 1, 1954
T he Suprem e C o u rt of th e U n ited S tates, reversing an
aw ard for dam ages by th e U n ited S tates C o u rt of Claims,
ruled, in th e case of United States v. Binghamton Construc
tion Co., Inc., th a t th e schedule of “ m inim um wage rates
included in a G overn m en t co n stru ctio n co n tra c t, as re
q uired by th e D avis-B acon A ct,” was n o t “ a rep resen ta
tio n or w a rra n ty as to th e prevailing wage rates in the
c o n tra c t a re a ,” b u t only a s ta te m e n t of th e m in im u m s to
be observed. (See also p. 558 of th is issue.)
T h e N atio n al L ab o r R elations B oard ru led th a t it w ould
n o t extend its practice of denying craft severance on an
ind u stry w id e basis b eyond th e 4 in d u stries to which th e
B oard h ad applied th e N a tio n a l T u b e d octrine (see C hron.
item for A pr. 9, 1948, M L R , M ay 1948) a n d w here p la n t
wide bargaining prevails. In ste a d , it ruled th a t “ a craft
group . . . em ployed in a n in d u stry w hich involves
highly in teg rated pro d u ctio n processes an d in w hich th e
prevailing p a tte rn of barg ain in g is in d u stria l in charac
te r ” m ay be severed if a tru e craft u n it is desired, a n d if,
“ in addition, th e union seeking to rep resen t it is one w hich
trad itio n ally represen ts th a t c ra ft.” Sim ilarly, a d e p a rt
m en tal group w hich has acq u ired tra d itio n a l tra d e s or oc
cupations m ay also be severed. T h e consolidated case
involved American Potash & Chemical Corp., T ro n a,
Calif., an d International Union of Operating Engineers,
Local 501 . . . {AFL ) a n d International Brotherhood of
Electrical Workers, Local 477 {AFL) a n d International
Association of Machinists {AFL) a n d International Chem
ical Workers Union {AFL). (See also p. 560 of th is issue.)
March 4
T h e N L R B regional d irecto r in N ew Y ork o b tain ed a
F ed eral court order, on a secondary b o y c o tt charge, to
re stra in th e in dep en d e n t In te rn a tio n a l L ongshorem en’s
A ssociation in th e P o rt of N ew Y ork a rea a n d 8 locals
from strik in g or otherw ise in terfe rin g w ith th e loading
a n d unloading of tru c k s o p erated b y th e A F L -T e a m ste rs
in retaliatio n for th e la tte r ’s su p p o rt of A F L -IL A p ick et
ing for stew ard recognition a t one pier.
On M arch 5, th e in d e p e n d e n t-IL A , in defiance of th e
foregoing in ju n ctio n , began a “ w ild cat” w alk o u t w hich
crippled P o rt operations a n d continued du rin g th e m o n th
in spite of a civil a n d crim inal co n tem p t c itatio n ag ain st
th e union, 8 locals, a n d officials of 3 locals.
On M arch 24, th e New Y ork D istric t C ouncil of th e
in d e p e n d e n t-IL A gave official san ctio n to th e 19-day tieu p an d form ally in stru c te d tu g b o a t crews to respect
pick et lines set up b y th e dock strikers. On M arch 30,
these crews re tu rn e d to w ork u n d er a F ed eral court order
ob tain ed by th e N L R B on a secondary b o y c o tt charge.
(See also p. 564 of th is issue.)
March 8
T h e Suprem e C o u rt of th e U n ited S ta te s overruled th e
low er c o u rt’s dism issal of tw o cases of a n titru s t prosecu
tio n , holding th a t th e com bined actio n of a union a n d a
tra d e association in b arrin g local co m petition resu lted in
a n unreasonable re s tra in t of m aterials in in te rsta te com
562
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Employing Plasterers’ Association of Chicago, Journeymen
Plasterers’ Protective and Benevolent Society, Local No. 5
[AFL], et al.; a n d (2) Employing Lathers Association of
Chicago and Vicinity, Local No. 74 of International Union
of Wood, Wire & Metal Lathers of Chicago [AFL], et al.
March 10
T h e U n ited S tates a n d Mexico concluded a new agree
m e n t (which will ru n u n til D ecem ber 31, 1955) governing
th e re c ru itm e n t a n d p ro tectio n of tem p o ra ry M exican
farm lab o r for w ork in th e U n ited S tates; on M arch 16,
P resid en t E isenhow er ap p ro v ed an a m en d m en t to th e
A gricultural A ct of 1949 (see C hron. item s for Ju ly 12,
1951, M L R , Aug. 1951, a n d Aug. 8, 1953, M L R , Oct. 1953)
p e rm ittin g th e U n ited S tates G overn m en t to place an d
p ro te c t such w orkers in th e absence of a tre a ty .
R e pr e se n t a t iv e s of 6 m a jo r N ew Y ork C ity new spapers
a n d th e P h o to -E n g ra v e rs’ U nion (AFL) signed a form al
c o n tra c t accepting th e recom m endations of a fact-finding
b o ard for no changes in wages a n d th e w orkw eek beyond
those in co rp o rated in a strik e se ttle m e n t (see C hron. item
for D ec. 8, 1953, M L R , Feb. 1954).
March 11
T he N L R B ruled, in a supp lem en tal decision in th e case
of Morganton Full Fashioned Hosiery Co., Huffman Full
Fashioned Hosiery Mills, Inc., M organton, N. C., an d
Thomas Edward Parks (P etitio n er), a n d United Textile
Workers of America, Local Union No. 161 {AFL), th a t th e
em ployer h ad n o t interfered w ith a decertification election,
w hich th e union lost, by furnishing th e p e titio n e r w ith a
m ailing list of em ployees to w hich he se n t th ree a n tiu n io n
le tte rs p rio r to th e election, or by refusing to disavow
sta te m e n ts m ade in th e letters, as req u ested by th e union.
March 12
J. E rn est W il k in s , C hicago a tto rn e y , w as confirm ed by
th e Senate to be A ssistan t S ecretary of L abor, in charge of
In te rn a tio n a l L ab o r Affairs. H e succeeded Spencer
M iller, Jr., resigned. (See C hron. item for Ju ly 10, 1953,
M L R , Sept. 1953.)
T h e N L R B , in th e case of Pacific Telephone and Telegraph
Co., San Francisco, Calif., an d Order of Repeatermen and
Toll Test-boardmen {Ind.), held th a t a “ h it-a n d -ru n ”
CHRONOLOGY OF LABOR EVENTS
(in te rm itte n t) strike tactic used b y th e C lO -C om m unications W orkers against th e com pany in 1951 was n o t a
p ro te c te d concerted activ ity , a n d th a t therefore th e ac
tiv ity of O R T T m em bers in respecting th e CW A p ick et
lines w as n o t p ro tected . (See also p. 560, th is issue.)
March 15
M em bers of th e In surance A gents’ In te rn a tio n a l Union
(A FL) ratified (during th e w eek of M arch 15) a 2-year
c o n tra c t n eg o tiated w ith th e P ru d e n tia l Life Insurance
Co. (on F eb ru ary 28). T h e ag reem en t provides for a
m inim um an n u al com pensation g u a ra n ty of 65 percent of
th e average earnings per ag en t for th e preceding calendar
y ear an d o th er im provem ents. (See also p. 566 of th is
issue.)
T he F ederal C ourt of A ppeals a t R ichm ond, Va., reversed
an N L R B decision in th e case of Mount Hope Finishing
Co., et al. v. N LRB (see C hron. item for Ju ly 30, 1953,
M L R , Sept. 1953), holding th a t th e com pany m oved its
tex tile p la n t South because of longstanding u n fav o rab le
econom ic conditions, a n d n o t for th e purpose of ru nning
aw ay from th e union.
563
p a c t (see C hron. item for N ov. 17, 1953, M L R , Ja n . 1954),
vo ted to ta k e no fu rth e r action to w ard h aving th e C IO
in d iv id u al unions sign th e ag reem ent u n til ad d itio n a l A F L
unions accepted it. (See also p. 568 of th is issue.)
March 25
T he N atio n al M ediation B oard anno u n ced th a t th e B ro th
erhood of Locom otive E ngineers (Ind.) an d th e m ajo r
railroads agreed to su b m it to final a n d binding a rb itra tio n
th e ir d isp u te over th e u n io n ’s d em and for a 30-percent
wage increase to restore “ skill differentials.”
March 26
T he Federal W age a n d H o u r A d m in istrato r ap p ro v ed ,
u n d er th e F a ir L ab o r S tan d ard s A ct, a new m inim um
wage ra te of 50 cents an h o u r (form erly 40 cents) for
em ployees in th e hosiery in d u stry in P u e rto Rico, effec
tiv e M ay 3, 1954.
T h e N L R B , reversing p a st decisions, ruled th a t tru c k drivers who “ divide th e ir tim e betw een ag ric u ltu ra l a n d
n o n ag ricu ltu ral em p lo y m en t” are ag ricu ltu ral laborers
w ithin th e m eaning of th e T a ft-H a rtle y A ct “ to th e e x te n t
th a t th e y spend a su b sta n tia l p a rt of th e ir tim e in an
ag ricu ltu ral fu n ctio n ,” a n d are therefore to be excluded
from a b argaining u n it. T he case w as Clinton Foods, Inc.,
F rostproof, F la., a n d International Brotherhood of Team
T h e F ederal C ourt of A ppeals a t R ichm ond, V a., reversed
th e low er co u rt in th e case of United Mine Workers of
America v. Patton (see C hron. item for Sept. 3, 1953,
M L R , N ov. 1953), holding th a t th e T a ft-H a rtle y A ct does
n o t au th o rize p u n itiv e dam age aw ards for violations of
th e secondary b o y co tt ban.
sters, Chauffeurs, Warehousemen & Helpers of America
{AFL), Local No. 79.
March 16
March 28
D a n ie l W . T racy resigned as p resid en t of th e In te r
n a tio n a l B rotherhood of E lectrical W orkers (AFL) because
of ill h ealth , effective A pril 15. T ra c y was m ade p resid en t
em eritu s of th e IB E W by th e executive council, w hich
n am ed as his successor J. S co tt M ilne, p resen t secretary treasu rer, who in tu rn will be succeeded by Joseph D.
K eenan, secretary -treasu re r of th e B uilding a n d Con
stru c tio n T rad es D e p a rtm e n t (A FL).
T h e G overnor of N ew Y ork ap p ro v ed an a c t conferring
a u th o rity on th e S ta te su p e rin te n d e n t of insurance to
exam ine th e records of union w elfare tr u s t funds a n d
requiring th e tru stees of such funds to keep a d eq u ate
books. T he m easure followed an in v estig atio n of w elfare
funds b y th e S ta te insurance d e p a rtm e n t in connection
w ith th e m u rd e r of th e p resid en t of Local 3 2 -E of th e
B uilding Service E m ployees U nion (AFL) a n d a re la te d
in q u iry in to harness racing operatio n s in N ew Y ork S ta te .
March 17
T h e e x e c u t iv e board of th e B akery a n d C onfectionery
W orkers (A FL) ap p ro v ed a n ationw ide pension program
fo r its 160,000 m em bers, sim ilar to th e F ed eral old age a n d
su rvivors insurance system . P lan s include a basic ac
tu a r ia l stu d y , a sta n d a rd ra te of em ployer contributions,
u niform eligibility req u irem en ts to p ro te c t pension rig h ts
of w orkers who tran sfer to a n o th e r em ployer covered by
th e fund, a n d benefits based on earnings.
March 19
T h e G overnor of South C arolina ap p ro v ed an a c t w hich
b an s all form s of union secu rity b u t p erm its th e checkoff.
T h e S ta te becam e th e 16th to a d o p t a “ rig h t-to -w o rk ” law.
March 22
T h e C IO executive board, notin g th a t v irtu a lly every C IO
affiliate h ad agreed to ra tify th e A F L -C IO “ n o -raiding”
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
March 29
T h e N L R B revealed th a t th e v ote in a rep resen tatio n
election a t th e A naconda C opper C o.’s m ines a t B u tte a n d
A naconda, M ont., was 4,099 fo r retain in g th e in d ep en d e n t
M ine, Mill & S m elter W orkers U nion (see C hron. item for
Dec. 29, 1953, M L R , F eb. 1954) as b argaining agent,
ag ain st 2,185 for th e U n ited Steel W orkers (C IO ).
March 31
T he F ed eral D istric t C o u rt in th e D istric t of C olum bia
refused to enjoin th e N L R B in th e case of International
Union of Mine, Mill & Smelter Workers [Ind.] v. Farmer
a n d upheld th e B o ard ’s o rd er of F e b ru a ry 4, 1954, for
a n a d m in istrativ e inv estig atio n of th e u n io n ’s com pliance
s ta tu s grow ing o u t of charges th a t th e u n io n ’s secretary tre a su re r h ad a d m itte d th e falsity of his n o n -C om m unist
affidavits a n d th a t th e m em bership w as aw are thereof.
Developments in
Industrial Relations'
the first quarter of 1954 there were con
siderably fewer work stoppages than in the same
quarter of 1953. Estimated idleness was about
one-fifth less than a year ago. Only two strikes
of 10,000 or more workers occurred during this
period in 1954—both during March. One of these
resulted from the continuing fight of dockworkers
for control of the New York waterfront. The
other involved engineers at the Sperry Gyroscope
Co. Other developments in March included
moderate wage adjustments for some workers, the
extension without change of a group of textile
contracts, and continued activity in the area of
health, insurance, and pension programs.
D urin g
Strike Settlements and Negotiations
Labor unrest in the Port of
New York erupted again in early March causing
idleness of most of the port’s longshoremen for the
first time since early October. A dispute in
February at a Moore-McCormack Line pier in
volved refusal by members of the ILA-Ind. to
work on the pier while an ILA-AFL steward was
employed there, and protest picketing by members
of the ILA-AFL after the Line dismissed the AFL
shop steward. Members of the Teamsters (AFL)
refused to cross the picket line. In retaliation,
the ILA-Ind. declared a boycott of all truck
freight handled by the Teamsters’ local at any
piers. This led to establishment of Teamsters’
picket lines at all such docks.
The National Labor Relations Board, on March
4, obtained a temporary Federal court restraining
order, under the secondary boycott provisions of
the Taft-Hartley Act, directing the ILA-Ind. and
8 of its locals in New York and New Jersey, to
avoid strikes or other actions which would inter
fere with the loading or unloading of trucks at the
piers. Members of the independent ILA stopped
New York Docks.
564
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
work on March 5 in defiance of the court order.
Officials of the union insisted that the stoppage
was a “ spontaneous” demonstration by members
who believed that the AFL Teamsters and Long
shoremen also should have been enjoined. The
New York Shipping Association, representing 170
stevedoring companies in the port, also took the
position that the restraining order should have
included the AFL unions. However, as the
stoppage continued, the NLRB petitioned the
court for contempt action against the independent
ILA, 3 officials of its local unions, and 8 locals.
The Army, on March 16, began hiring dockworkers under civil service rules to load troop
and cargo ships at its strikebound bases in the port.
Several thousand members of the ILA-AFL, as
sured of police protection, reported for work at
other piers. However, the stoppage remained
virtually portwide most of the month, with occa
sional physical clashes occurring between AFLILA men and pickets of the old dock union.
Endorsement of the work stoppage by ILA-Ind.
officials, including the union’s president, on March
24, and the threat that the strike might spread to
other East Coast ports, brought NLRB warnings
of further legal action. The Mayor of New York
appealed for immediate action by President Eisen
hower to end the strike.
The New York Shipping Association, on March
25, offered a 10-cent hourly package increase,
retroactive to October 1, 1953, to all longshoremen
who returned to their jobs by March 31. This
offer did not result in any widespread back-to-work
movement and members of the tug division of the
independent ILA began respecting picket lines the
day after the offer was made. The tugboat em
ployees resumed work on March 30, after a tem
porary restraining order was issued by a Federal
court judge.
Meanwhile, Secretary of Labor Mitchell, Gov
ernor Dewey, and other government officials
issued a joint statement that the Federal and
State Governments would coordinate efforts to end
the strike, which was called “primarily a criminal
conspiracy.” The New York Harbor Waterfront
Commission also issued an interim report on the
strike, criticizing some of the steamship and steve1Prepared in thelBnreau’s Division of Wages and Industrial Relations.
565
D EV ELO PM EN TS IN IN D U S T R IA L R ELA TIO N S
doring firms for their refusal to accept other than
former employees on their piers.
The December 1953 representation election
among longshoremen on New York docks was
set aside by the NLRB, on April 1, in ordering a
new election. The Board indicated that if the
ILA-Ind. did not cease “conduct designed to
thwart or abuse the processes of the Board,” it
would be left off the ballot. The Board ordered
that the new election should be held no later than
30 days from the date the Board “determines that
the circumstances permit the free choice of a bar
gaining representative.” The New York State
Supreme Court, on April 2, also ordered the union
to call off the strike. The president of the inde
pendent ILA, on April 2, instructed the long
shoremen to return to their jobs, but the union
and some of its officers still faced a series of court
actions and grand jury investigations.
Several shipping lines and major manufacturers
announced their intention of moving to other ports
because of the unrest on the New York docks.
Members of the ILA (Ind.) in other harbors
threatened to blockade ships diverted from New
York. Leaders of the New York tieup were re
ported seeking to enlist the support of Baltimore
longshoremen in the blockade. In Philadelphia,
6,000 longshoremen took a 24-hour “holiday” on
March 17, reportedly on orders from the old ILA
to register their backing for the New York strikers.
Local unions in Tampa and Jacksonville, Fla.,
and Galveston, Tex., left the old ILA early in
March and requested charters in the AFL affiliate.
Charters were issued for 9 locals in these areas and
the AFL reported that shortly after this action 8
additional southern locals had applied for char
ters. On March 30, representatives of 103 of the
127 locals in the South Atlantic and Gulf Coast
district, with a membership of 17,000 of the
approximately 19,000 dockworkers in the district,
voted to reject affiliation with the AFL.
Work at the Sperry Gyroscope
Co. plant in Great Neck, N. Y., was affected by a
13-day strike of about 2,000 engineers represented
by the Engineers and Scientists of America (Ind.).
Sperry Gyroscope.
1 This dispute revolves around the company’s rejection of the demand of
the United Hatters, Cap and Millinery Workers (AFL) for a job security
clause in their contract prohibiting further diversion of work from the com
pany’s Norwalk plants. See Monthly Labor Review, November 1953 (p.
1218) and March 1954 (p. 306).
2 9 6 0 8 0 -5 4 -
-6
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
About 10,000 employees represented by other
unions observed the engineers’ picket lines during
the first week of the stoppage. The dispute was
settled on March 14, with a new 2-year contract,
which provides for a 6.3-percent “ package,” con
sisting of a 2.5-percent general wage increase,
inequity adjustments, and fringe benefits, includ
ing an improved pension plan. The new contract
drops the cost-of-living escalator clause, but
incorporates the previous allowance in the base.
The prolonged stoppage involving
employees of the Hat Corp. of America in Nor
walk, Conn., continued into its ninth month.2 A
superior court judge in Bridgeport, Conn., on
March 16, rejected a plea by the union to stay an
injunction and damage action brought by the
company against the strikers, on the grounds that
it was necessary to hear evidence concerning the
legality of the job security clause. As a result
of the decision, the case will be assigned for a
hearing after an answer has been filed by the
union and eight of its officers.
Hat Workers.
The Internation
al Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union (AFL) and
5 New York City dress associations reached agree
ment March 15 on the first contract covering
shipping clerks in the industry. The agreement
provides recognition of the union, a general wage
increase of $3 a week for 4,000 workers, an em
ployer-financed health and welfare fund, and
vacation and holiday benefits. The contract was
an outgrowth of a 1-day strike staged by the
union on January 12.
Dress Industry Shipping Clerks.
Textiles. The American Woolen Co. and the Tex
tile Workers Union (CIO) agreed to a 30-day ex
tension of their contract due to expire on March
15, 1954. Union reports indicated that extensions
had also been negotiated with approximately 100
other woolen and worsted companies whose con
tracts have the same expiration date. Approxi
mately one-third of these were reported to have
agreed to the full year’s extension sought by the
union.
Among the textile contracts renewed without
change in basic wage rates was one with the
Forstman Woolen Co., covering 3,100 workers at
Passaic and Garfield, N. J. The new agreement
provides for liberalized hospitalization benefits,
566
and is for a 2-year period, with wage reopenings.
It also provides that the union will cooperate in
improving job efficiency. During negotiations the
company withdrew its demand for a wage reduc
tion and the union agreed to forego the next 2cents-an-hour increase in the cost-of-living allow
ance if it becomes due. The union also agreed to
eliminate a paid lunch period for certain workers
at the Passaic plant.
On March 28, textile workers in the woolen and
worsted and dyeing industry in Woonsocket, K. I.,
represented by an independent union, voted over
whelmingly against acceptance of management
proposals for a 15-percent reduction in wages and
modification of fringe benefits affecting approxi
mately 4,200 workers in 17 firms. Similarly,
employees of the Wyandotte Worsted Co. at
Waterville, Maine, and Pittsfield, Mass., voted
to reject a company proposal to reduce wage rates
by 17 cents an hour; contracts with the Textile
Workers (CIO) expired April 1.
The American Federation of Hosiery Workers
(AFL) also rejected a 23-percent wage reduction
which was requested by the Apex Hosiery Co.r
one of the largest firms in its field. The company
had indicated that continued operation of the
Philadelphia and Spring City, Pa., plants de
pended on the outcome of current negotiations
with the union.
A irc ra ft. Wages and fringe benefits were liberal
ized for about 16,000 employees of United Aircraft
Corp. Agreements with the United Auto Workers
(CIO) provided 5-cent-an-hour general wage in
creases, discontinuance of the escalator clause with
the existing 19-cent cost-of-living allowance in
corporated into base rates, a seventh paid holiday,
improved vacations, insurance and other benefits
for 8,500 production workers at Dallas and 2,700
employees of the Sikorsky Division in Bridgeport,
Conn. Similar changes were announced later in
the month for 4,700 salaried employees at the
company’s Chance Vought Division in Dallas.
New York newspaper
Photo-Engravers voted March 7 to accept a $3.75
weekly package increase offered by the publishers
of 6 major New York City newspapers, which the
engravers had rejected in November before their
11-day strike.3 The vote authorized union leaders
to accept the recommendations of a factfinding
P r in tin g a n d P u b lish in g .
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
M ONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W , MAY 1954
panel that the engravers should not receive more
than this package.
On March 21, the typographers also voted ac
ceptance of the factfinders’ recommendations.
The weekly “package” included a $3 raise, retro
active to December 8, an additional paid holiday,
and a 30-cent-a-week increase in company percapita contributions to a welfare fund. About
3,000 printers employed by the newspapers were
affected.
An earlier arbitration award provided increases
averaging $3.75 a week for 1,600 editorial, commer
cial, and building maintenance employees of the
New York Times Co., represented by the News
paper Guild (CIO). These increases, which ranged
from $2.50 to $4.50 a week, were influenced by the
$3.75 “package” settlement offered the printingtrades unions following the November work stop
page.
Late in February, after 7 weeks
of negotiations, the Prudential Life Insurance Co.
and the AFL Insurance Agents International
Union agreed to a new 2-year contract. The agree
ment, which covered 14,600 agents in 33 eastern
States and the District of Columbia, guarantees
to agents minimum compensation amounting to 65
percent of the average annual earnings of all the
company’s agents. Differences between the actual
annual earnings of individual agents and the mini
mum guarantee are payable at the beginning of the
succeeding year. Other contract terms include
changed commission provisions for certain types of
insurance, and liberalized vacation and life insur
ance plans for the agents.
In su ra n ce A g en ts.
The Bakery and Confectionery Work
ers’ International Union (AFL) signed a new
nationwide contract covering 17,000 workers with
the National Biscuit Co., on March 1, calling for
wage increases of 6.25 cents an hour for men and
5.25 cents for women. In addition, the company
agreed to discontinue by January 1 , 1955, insur
ance provided under its present employees’ bene
fit plan, and to take out insurance in the employee
health and welfare plan sponsored by the union.
The latter plan, effective in May 1953, is re
ported to cover approximately 100,000 members.
B a k eries.
* See Monthly Labor Review, January 1954 (p. 66) and February 1954
(p. 192).
567
D EV ELO PM EN TS IN IN D U S T R IA L R ELA TIO N S
The general executive board of the union, en
couraged by its experience with the health and
welfare plan, approved a proposal for a 1-year
actuarial study, prior to the establishment of a
single national retirement fund for its 160,000
members. A standard schedule of employer con
tributions is to be sought in all union contracts;
pension benefits would be based on a worker’s
earnings. The pension plan would operate under
the supervision of 3 trustees chosen by the bakery
industry and 3 by the union. Uniform eligibility
rules would be adopted for all workers so that a
baker could, for example, transfer from a job in
New York to one in California without forfeiting
his pension protection.
Pensions in Small Detroit Firms. The United
Auto Workers (CIO) and 6 small firms employing
600 persons established a pension plan for small,
diversified industries in Detroit. The new pro
gram differs from that which has been in effect
in the area since 1950 for employees of more than
70 firms affiliated with the Automotive Tool and
Die Manufacturers Association, in that it is not
limited to a single industry. It is similar to a
program set up by the UAW in Toledo in 1950,
which now covers approximately 2,000 employees
of more than 25 firms in various industries.
The new Detroit plan permits the transfer of
pension credits among participating employers.
Employees who quit or are discharged from a
shop have up to 18 months to find work in another
covered shop without losing accumulated credits;
if they are laid off, they are protected against loss
of credits for 3 years. Employees with 20 years
of accumulated service credits retain their rights
even if they leave the group of participating em
ployers permanently.
Pension benefits will amount to $1.75 monthly
for each year of service up to a maximum of
$52.50 a month, exclusive of social security pay
ments. When added to maximum social security
benefits, the plan will provide a $137 monthly
pension for those retiring at age 65 after 30 years’
service. The plan is financed by employer pay
ments of 8 cents an hour and is administered by
a joint labor-management board.
*See M onthly Labor Review, January 1951 (p. 11).
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Other Developments
Federal Employees. The Committee on Retire
ment Policy for Federal Personnel, created pursu
ant to Public Law 555 (82d Cong.), submitted a
partial report to the Senate, on January 22, 1954.
Further findings and the Committee’s recom
mendations are in preparation. Meantime, hear
ings were continued on proposed legislation dealing
with pay and other working conditions of Federal
employees. Beginning in February and continu
ing into April, the House Committee on Post
Office and Civil Service heard proposals of the
Post Office administration for a reclassification of
salaries of the postal field service. Representa
tives of postal employee unions testified at length.
Most of the union representatives opposed the
reclassification plan and urged, instead, a general
salary increase and further study of the job and
pay structure of the postal field service. The
Senate Post Office and Civil Service Committee
considered legislation dealing with allowances for
uniforms, incentive award systems, overtime
pay, and other fringe benefits for Government
employees.
Communist Unions. Membership in unions ousted
by the CIO in 1949 and 1950 4 continued to
dwindle. This was reflected in the struggle of
the largest of these unions, the United Electrical
Workers (UE), to retain control of its largest
local (301), representing 20,000 production workers
at General Electric Co.’s Schenectady, N. Y., plant.
Early in March, local officers circulated a petition
among the employees in the Schenectady plant
favoring secession from the UE (Ind.) and affilia
tion with the CIO International Union of Electri
cal Workers (IUE). Local union members re
portedly endorsed the action overwhelmingly, and
the local promptly received a new charter from
IUE.
National officers of the UE thereupon notified
the local officers that they were “no longer
authorized to represent UE local 301” and wired
General Electric not to remit dues until new local
officers were named by the national organization.
Local officers countered by notifying the company
that such dues were “the property of the workers.”
National officials then obtained a Federal court
568
order, tying up the local’s funds and property,
which in effect temporarily stalled the secession
move. Meanwhile local union officials conferred
with the regional office of the NLRB regarding
an early representation election among local 301’s
members and continued preparations for eventual
affiliation with IUE.
On the other hand, members of the Butte
Miners Union No. 1, the oldest local of miners
in the West, and the Anaconda Mill and Smeltermen’s local in Montana, voted in favor of con
tinued affiliation with the Mine, Mill & Smelter
Workers (Ind.), one of the unions ousted from
the CIO as being Communist-dominated. Earlier
in the year, these two local unions, representing
7,900 employees of Anaconda Copper Co., were
chartered by the United Steelworkers of America
(CIO), following a vote for such affiliation at
special membership meetings. In the NLRB
election on March 22, these employees voted
nearly 2 to 1 in favor of keeping the Mine, Mill &
Smelter Workers Union as their bargaining agent.
“No-Raiding” Pact. The executive board of the
International Ladies’ Garment Workers (AFL)
and the executive council of the International
Association of Machinists (AFL) early in March
authorized their respective presidents to sign the
AFL-CIO “no-raiding” agreement,5 making a
total of 47 AFL affiliates that have indicated a
willingness to sign. Both organizations also
endorsed the AFL’s plan for settling internal
jurisdictional disputes.6 Later in the month, the
executive board of the CIO announced that it
would defer final approval of the “no-raiding”
agreement until more AFL unions agreed to go
along with the pact.
Early in March, in an NLRB decision
involving the Trona, Calif., plant of the American
Potash and Chemical Corp.7 two new rules
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW, MAY 1954
governing the granting of separate representation
in collective bargaining emerged: (1) The Board
indicated it will permit craft groups to be sepa
rated from larger bargaining units “where a true
craft group is sought and where in addition, the
union . . . is one which traditionally represents
that craft.” (2) The Board will also grant sepa
rate representation to “certain departmental
groups which by tradition and practice have
acquired craft-like characteristics.” At the same
time, the Board excluded from this rule four in
dustries—basic steel, aluminum, logging, and wet
milling—in which it found the doctrine of the
National Tube case (76 NLRB 1199) continued to
be applicable.
In another case, involving the Pacific Telephone
and Telegraph Co., and the independent Order of
Repeatermen and Toll Testboardmen, the board
found that the “hit-and-run” strike, as reflected
by a series of brief sporadic stoppages at scattered
locations in the 1951 telephone dispute involving
the company and the Communications Workers
of America (CIO), was “a form of economic
warfare beyond the pale of proper strike activi
ties.” The case arose when members of the inde
pendent union respected the CWA picket lines,
but returned to work when the pickets were
withdrawn. In a number of cases, the company
delayed a day or so in providing work for the
tollmen. The independent union then charged
the company with conducting an illegal lockout
that infringed on rights guaranteed by the TaftHartley Act. An NLRB examiner upheld this
contention and ordered the company to pay back
wages to the workers involved. The Board,
however, overruled the examiner and dismissed
the case.
NLRB.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
• S ee M o n t h ly L a b o r R e v ie w , N o v e m b e r 1953 (p . 1165).
8 S ee M o n t h ly L a b o r R e v ie w , A p r il 1954 (p . 440).
T S ee M o n t h ly L a b o r R e v ie w , D e c e m b e r 1953 (p . 1325)
Book Reviews
and Notes
Special Reviews
By Darrell Huff.
New York, W. W. Norton & Co., Inc., 1954.
142 pp. $2.95.
Design fo r Decision. By Irwin D. J. Bross. New
York, Macmillan Co., 1953. 276 pp., bibliog
raphy, diagrams. $4.25.
These books are reviewed together because both
are concerned with presenting statistical methods
to the layman. However, they differ markedly
as to level of sophistication.
How to Lie with Statistics covers, to a limited
extent, the elements of statistics usually found in
an elementary statistics textbook. Design for
Decision aims, in nontechnical language, to cover
the entire field of modern statistical theory.
Mr. Huff, in How to Lie with Statistics, does not
actually try to fulfill the verb of the title, but
rather attempts to teach the layman the funda
mental concepts of statistics, with illustrations of
what are poor or misleading statistics. These il
lustrations of misuses of statistics appear to be
good motivation devices. The use of good charts
and excellent pictures enables him to present suc
cinctly the important concepts used in statistics.
Discussions are directed at such things as a biased
sample, and use of the mean, median, or mode.
The explanation of sample error is particularly
good. There are a few conceptual errors in the
book, the most glaring of which is referring
to “quota sampling” as “stratified random
sampling.”
Design fo r Decision is a considerably more
sophisticated presentation. It covers such sub
jects as the fundamental notions of probability,
the history of methods used in reaching decisions,
and concepts of a decision maker. Further, it
treats data collection, model building, sampling,
How to Lie with Statistics.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
statistical inference, and a number of other
statistical techniques.
The book will not teach the reader how to make
sound decisions, but rather will give him an appre
ciation of what statistical theory can contribute
to decision making. The book is in a sense similar
to a work on music appreciation, which will enable
a person to better appreciate music but will not
make him either a composer or a professional
instrumentalist. Similarly, the reader of Design
for Decision will gain an appreciation of what
statistical methodology can do but he will not
acquire the facility for executing the many com
plicated statistical techniques. These remarks
are not intended to diminish the value of the book.
It is an excellent treatise on modern statistical
theory. By reading it, one who is concerned in
any way with data production, data use, or statis
tical methodology will acquire an increased appre
ciation for what modern statistical methodology
can do for him.
The following quotation from Mr. Bross’ book
is suggestive of his well-balanced treatment of the
subject: “There is another very grave danger in
the use of models. After a scientist plays for a
long time with a given model he may become
attached to it, just as a child may become, in the
course of time, very attached to a doll (which is
also a model). A child may become so devoted
to the doll that she insists that her doll is a real
baby, and some scientists become so devoted to
their model (especially if it is a brain child) that
they will insist that this model is the real world.”
The author would have been much more effec
tive in Design for Decision if his basic illustration
in decision making, used throughout the book, had
been more realistic. The choice of this simple and
somewhat unreal example was motivated by the
desire to omit the complex mathematics usually
encountered in real problems. This reviewer be
lieves that a more realistic example could have
been used without introducing difficult mathe
matics.
In contrast with the heaviness of most books on
statistics, these two will be found very pleasant
reading. They are very well written and are
recommended for those interested in the applica
tion of statistics.
■
— S a m u e l W e is s
B u reau of L ab o r S ta tistic s
569
570
M ONTHLY LABO R R E V IE W , MAY 1954
B a rg a in in g on P ro d u c tiv ity — A M a n a g em en t G uide.
By Fred Rudge. Washington, Bureau of
National Affairs, Inc., 1953. 146 pp., bibliog
raphy, charts. $5.75.
This study of the productivity concept as it has
been and might be used in collective bargaining is,
in effect, a plea to management to come to grips
with the concept at the plant level. Mr. Rudge
presents a brief résumé of productivity measure
ment techniques and development, and of the
growing discussion of productivity as an active
wage determinant. All this is done to prepare the
employer against the day when the productivity
issue might be raised at the bargaining table.
First prepare productivity indexes for your own
plant, the author recommends, then he suggests
ways of doing this for the single-product and the
multi-product plants. A careful study of these
indexes, and of the plant’s wage trends for a similar
time period, will permit a more meaningful discus
sion of productivity when necessary. If the
subject is never brought into bargaining talks, the
effort spent in assembling indexes is far from
wasted. The plant-level research may be most re
vealing to the individual company, especially inso
far as it isolates factors which mitigate against
efficient production.
This management guide also reviews and com
ments upon the major instances in which pro
ductivity has played a role in collective bargaining,
including the railroad case before the Wage
Stabilization Board, early in 1953, concerning
annual improvement (productivity) increases.
—K. G. V a n A u k e n , J r.
B u re a u of L a b o r S ta tistic s
U n ity a n d D iv e rsity in E u ro p ea n L a b o r: A n In tro
du ction to C on tem porary L abor M ovem en ts. By
Adolf Sturmthal. Glencoe, 111., Free Press,
1953. 237 pp., bibliography. $3.75.
There has been a growing need for well-docu
mented interpretation of the philosophies and
objectives of European labor as distinguished from
the unique development of the American tradeunion movement. Dr. Sturmthal’s book is a
serious attempt to fill this need and to inspire
further more detailed analysis. He systematically
shows the permanent marks which feudalism and
absolutism have left upon the forming of the
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
cultural and social structure of European society.
From his wealth of background information and
rich personal experience, he rewards the reader
with a host of basic historical events which have
led to splits in European labor. In evaluating
recent events, he stops at 1951.
The book is not a complete, logical unit. As the
author explains, it is, rather, a compilation of
lectures on related subjects in the field of inter
national labor. By covering such a wide area in a
rather spotty way, he does not convincingly show
the need, as seemingly intended, for using the tools
of all social sciences in studying the problem of the
international behavior of organized labor. The
reader would have benefited, for instance, from
a more comprehensive analysis of the patterns
without limiting the concept to mere feudalistic
influences.
— A r n o l d L. S t e i n b a c h
Office of In te rn a tio n a l L ab o r Affairs
W o rld P o p u la tio n
O utlook. By
a n d P ro d u ctio n — T ren d s a n d
W. S. Woytinsky and E. S.
Woytinsky. New York, Twentieth Century
Fund, 1953. lxxii, 1268 pp., bibliography,
charts, maps. $12.
The encyclopedic nature of this volume will
make it a historical monument to the painstaking
and indefatigable research job of the authors.
They recognize the almost complete lack of statis
tical information in a large number of countries;
they emphasize the lack of comparability in the
data that do exist; and deplore the unreliability of
information originating behind the Iron Curtain.
However, they have succeeded in putting together
a plausibly realistic picture of the world, its natural
and human resources, and its industrial develop
ments and their potentiality for the future. The
major stress is placed on the march of science and
technology and the tremendous technological
changes of recent decades. The authors point to
these changes as omens of even greater and more
revolutionary changes to come.
Although the stupendous job of collecting
data on, and describing, measuring, and explaining
the progress of, the world’s mechanical civilization
fully justifies the decision of the authors to abstain
from “appraising,” the need for appraising has
become more urgent with the publication of this
571
BOOK R E V IE W S AND N OTES
document. What does the revolution in the
applied sciences mean to us as human beings?
The authors have not raised this question and
perhaps never intended to raise it. Nevertheless,
it and a host of other questions emerge from their
book. As statistical economists, they have given
us a realistic view of the forces behind our recurring
technological revolutions, but have declined to
draw conclusions. The field is wide open for the
sociologist and others specializing in human and
social behavior to fill the gap.
— B oris S tern
B u reau of L abor S tatistics
Arbitration
Cases on Arbitration Law.
By W esley A. Sturges. A lbany,
N. Y., M atth ew B ender & Co., Inc., 1953. 912 pp. $9.
Grievance Arbitration in the Federal Courts. B y A rchibald
Cox. (In H a rv a rd L aw Review , C am bridge, M ass.,
F eb ru ary 1954, pp. 591-607.
Education and Training
Employe Training Handbook: A Guide for Training by
Operating Management. B y Bleick von Bleicken.
N ew Y ork an d Chicago, C o nover-M ast P ublications,
Inc., 1953. 300 pp., bibliography, form s, illus.
$5.50.
National Standards for Carpentry Apprenticeship.
W ash
ington, U. S. D e p a rtm e n t of L abor, B ureau of A p
p renticeship, 1954. 31 pp. Free.
Techniques of Successful Foremanship: A Guide to Effective
Foremanship Training. By E ugene E . Jennings.
M adison, U niv ersity of W isconsin, School of Com
merce, B ureau of B usiness R esearch a n d Service, 1953.
41 pp. (W isconsin Com m erce S tudies, Vol. I, N o. 5.)
$1.15.
Training the Semi-Skilled Employee. B y D el P eterson.
(In In d u stria l R elations N ew sletter, U n iv ersity of
D enver, D e p a rtm e n t of P ersonnel a n d In d u stria l
R elations, D enver, Colo., W in ter 1954, pp. 1-13.)
Guaranteed Wage
$1.)
A B C’s of Guaranteed Wages.
Guides for Labor Arbitration.
P h ilad elp h ia, U niversity of
P en n sy lv an ia Press (for L ab o r R elations Council of
W h arto n School of F in an ce a n d C om m erce), 1953.
15 pp.
Labor Arbitration and the Law in Utah. B y Sanford H .
K adish. (In U tah L aw Review , S alt L ake C ity,
F a ll 1953, pp. 403-420; also rep rin te d .)
A general discussion of th e su b ject as well as of its p a r
tic u la r ap p licatio n in U tah .
Cooperative Movement
Consumer Cooperatives in the United States— Recent De
velopments. B y Je a n A. Flexner. W ashington, U. S.
D e p a rtm e n t of L abor, B ureau of L abor S tatistics,
1954. 31 p p .; processed. (Bull. 1158.) 30 cents,
S u p erin ten d en t of D ocum ents, W ashington.
What Every Cooperator Should Know: A Guide to Cooperative
Housing. N ew Y ork, U n ited H ousing F o u n d atio n ,
[1953]. 32 pp., bibliography, illus.
25 cents.
The Strength of the I. C. A. [International Cooperative Alli
ance] and Its Affiliates. B y A. W ossner. (In Review
of In te rn a tio n a l C ooperation,
1953, pp. 295-300.)
L ondon,
D ecem ber
Brugsforeningerne, 1952.
[Copenhagen?], Fsellesforeningen
B rugsforeninger, [1953?].
47 pp.,
for D an m ark s
charts.
R ep o rt of D anish F e d eratio n of C onsum ers Societies
for 1952. A ccom panying th e re p o rt is a se p arate explana
to ry p am p h let in E nglish.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
B y A lfred G. L arke. (In
D u n ’s Review a n d M odern In d u s try , Chicago, M arch
1954, pp. 39-41, bibliography.)
An Introduction to Guaranteed Wages.
D e tro it L ab o r T rends, 1954.
p o rt X IV .) $2.25.
D e tro it, M ich.,
12 pp. (Special R e
The Guaranteed Annual Wage.
B y W illiam H ab er. (In
M ichigan B usiness R eview , U n iv ersity of M ichigan,
School of Business A dm inistration, A nn A rbor, J a n u
ary 1954, pp. 26-32.)
D iscusses som e econom ic aspects, w ith p a rtic u la r a tte n
tio n to th e relationship betw een g u ara n te e d w ages an d
u n em ploym ent insurance.
The Guaranteed Annual Wage and Its Implications to a
Free Economy. N ew Y ork, N atio n al A ssociation of
M an u factu rers, E m ployee R elations D ivision, 1954.
43 pp., bibliography. 50 cents to m em bers, $1 to
nonm em bers, of A ssociation.
P resen ts N a tio n a l A ssociation of M an u fa c tu re rs’ views
of increasing union dem ands, pro a n d con arg u m en ts, an d
econom ic im plications of g u ara n te e d w ork or wages.
Guaranteed Annual Wage Payments and Related Employer
Payments Under State Unemployment Insurance
Systems. W ashington, U. S. D e p a rtm e n t of L abor,
B ureau of E m p lo y m en t S ecurity,
processed. Free.
Guaranteed
1953.
14 p p .;
Annual Wage— A Modified System. By
E m ile B ouvier, S. J. M o n treal, In d u stria l an d L ab o r
R elations P ublicatio n s, 1954. 52 p p ., b ibliography.
50 cents.
572
M ONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W , MAY 1954
Handicapped
A Guide for the Placement of the Physically Handicapped
(5th Edition): Part II, Ordnance and Ordnance Stores
Positions (Pertaining to the Procurement, Manufacture,
Repair, Testing, Storage, and Issue of Ammunition and
M ilitary Equipment). W ashington, U. S. C ivil Serv
ice Com m ission, 1953. 536 pp. (P am p h let 14-2.)
$1.25, S u p erin te n d e n t of D ocu m en ts, W ashington.
Proceedings of the Third A F P H National Conference on
Placement of Severely Handicapped, [Washington],
March 23-25, 1953. W ashington, A m erican F ed era
tio n of th e P hysically H an d icap p ed , 1953.
Tuberculosis Control in Industry. B y H aro ld A. V onachen,
M .D ., a n d o th ers.
(In In d u s tria l M edicine a n d
Surgery, Chicago, J a n u a ry 1954, pp. 9-12, illus.
75 cents.)
A sh o rt a c co u n t of one co m p an y ’s experience.
204 pp.
$ 2.
Industrial Relations
A Survey of Sheltered Workshops Operated by Jewish Voca
tional Service Agencies. N ew Y ork, Jew ish O ccupa
tio n a l Council, 1954.
In d u s tria l H ygiene A ssociation Q uarterly , Chicago,
D ecem ber 1953, pp. 235-263, ch arts. 75 cents.)
N oise levels, as th e y affect w orkers, were m easured in 40
p la n ts of selected in d u stries, including th e m etalw orking
in d u stries as h av in g th e m ost severe noise problem s.
A second article in th e sam e jo u rn al, b y F . G. T yzzer,
deals w ith general principles of reducing in d u stria l noise.
31 p p .
$1.
The Rehabilitation of Industrial Hand and Arm Disabilities.
N ew Y ork, In s titu te for th e C rippled a n d D isabled,
[1953]. 47 pp., illus. $1.
A series of pap ers p resen ted a t th e second a n n u a l con
ference an d d em o n stratio n for com pensation insurers a n d
physicians sponsored by th e In s titu te for th e C rippled a n d
D isabled, A pril 28, 1953.
Industrial Hygiene
Collective Bargaining and Decentralization in the RubberTire Industry. B y Irv in Sobel. (In Jo u rn a l of
P o litical E conom y,
12-25. $1.50.)
Chicago,
F e b ru a ry
Employer Associations Engaged in Collective Bargaining
in New York State— A Directory. N ew Y ork, S ta te
D e p a rtm e n t of L abor, D ivision of R esearch a n d
S tatistics, 1953. 81 p p .; processed.
(P u b lication
B -71.)
The Future of Collective Bargaining in an Age of Inflation.
B y T heodore L e v itt.
(In L ab o r Law Jo u rn al,
Chicago, J a n u a ry 1954, pp. 7-27.
Chromate Hazards in Industry. B y E d m u n d N . W alsh,
M .D . (In Jo u rn a l of th e A m erican M edical Asso
ciation, Chicago, D ecem ber 5, 1953, pp. 1305-1308.
45 cents.)
Radiation Hazards. T ren to n , N ew Jersey D e p a rtm e n t of
H ealth , B ureau on A dult a n d In d u s tria l H ea lth ,
[1953?]. 8 pp., bibliography. (In d u stria l H e a lth
B ull., Vol. 4, No. 10.)
Safe and Sane Uses of Atomic Energy. (In In d u stria l
B ulletin, S ta te D e p a rtm e n t of L ab o r, N ew Y ork,
Ja n u a ry 1954, pp. 3 -7, illus.)
Brief account of som e in d u stria l uses of atom ic energy
a n d of a “m odel safety p ro g ra m ” a t a N ew Y ork electronics
p lan t.
Industrial Noise.
B y N oel S. Sym ons a n d oth ers. (In
F acto ry M anagem ent a n d M aintenance, N ew Y ork,
D ecem ber 1953, pp. 113-136, diagram s, illus.; also
rep rin te d by M cG raw -H ill P u blishing Co. as P la n t
O peration L ibrary N o. 148.)
Sym posium of six articles dealing, respectively, w ith
legal problem s (connected w ith com pensation for hearing
loss), noise deafness, noise m easu rem en t, noise sta n d a rd s,
hearing tests, an d noise a b a te m e n t.
A Noise Survey of Manufacturing Industries. B y H en ry B.
K arp lu s an d George L. B onvallet. (In A m erican
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1954, pp.
$1.)
Holiday Provisions in Union Agreements in 1952—53.
By
A b rah am W eiss a n d D en a G. W olk. W ashington,
U. S. D e p a rtm e n t of L abor, B u reau of L ab o r S ta tis
tics, 1954. 6 p p ., ch a rt. (Serial R . 2130; rep rin te d
from M o n th ly L ab o r Review , F e b ru a ry 1954.)
F ree.
Provisions of Teamsters’ Union Contracts in Effect in
December 1952 in New York City. N ew Y ork, S ta te
D e p a rtm e n t of L abor, D ivision of R esearch a n d
S tatistics, 1954. 47 p p .; processed. (Special L ab o r
N ew s M em o ran d u m 46.)
Labor Unions and National Politics in Italian Industrial
Plants. B y M aurice F. N eufeld. Ith a c a , N . Y.,
Cornell U n iversity, In s titu te of In te rn a tio n a l In d u s
tria l a n d L ab o r R elations, 1954. 146 pp. (Cornell
In te rn a tio n a l In d u stria l a n d L ab o r R elatio n s R ep o rts,
1.) $ 2 .
H isto rical description of shop grievance com m ittees and
th e ir relativ e ineffectiveness because of th e extrem e
M arx ist views perv ad in g th e Ita lia n trad e-u n io n m ove
m en t. T he a u th o r concludes th a t “ so long as an over
w helm ing n u m b er of Ita lia n w orkers rem ain w edded to an
em b itte re d M arx ist outlook upo n life, th e y will give th e ir
allegiance to th e C om m unist C G IL [Italian G eneral Con
federation of Labor] a n d th e purposes of grievance com
m ittees will rem ain unfulfilled.”
BOOK R E V IE W S AND N O TES
573
Labor Organizations
Union Security.
B y O rm e W. Phelps. Los Angeles,
U niversity of C alifornia, In s titu te of In d u stria l R ela
tions, 1953. 57 pp ., bibliography. 25 cents.
Directory of Labor Unions [in New Mexico], Listed by Local
Office Area, January 15, 1954. [A lbuquerque], S ta te
E m p lo y m en t Service, 1954.
24 p p .; processed.
p atio n al M edicine, Chicago, Ja n u a ry 1954, pp.
23-28. $1.)
D escribes th e p sy ch iatric activ ities of th e St. Louis
L ab o r H e a lth In s titu te .
Proceedings of 13th Annual Convention, Canadian Congress
of Labor, Montreal, September 14~18, 1953. O ttaw a,
of
L abor,
[1954].
126
p p .;
Fifty-Ninth Annual Report of Irish Trade Union Congress,
. . . 1952-53, and Report of Proceedings of FiftyNinth Annual Meeting, Held in Sligo, July 22-24,
1953. D ublin, Irish T rad e U nion Congress, 1953.
180 pp.
Third World Congress of International Confederation of Free
Trade Unions, Stockholm, July 4~11, 1953: General
Secretary's Report on the Activity of the Confederation
Since July 1951 and Financial Reports for the Period
April 1, 1951-December 31, 1952. Brussels, In te r
n atio n al C onfederation of Free T ra d e U nions, [1953?].
182 pp., illus.
Medical Care and Sickness Insurance
Government A id for Health Plans.
W ashington (1205 19th
R esearch R eports, 1954.
N o. 7.) $1.
B y H elen B. Shaffer.
S tre e t N W .), E d ito rial
18 pp. (Vol. I, 1954,
Principles of Payment for Hospital Care Recommended by
the Council on Prepayment Plans and Hospital Reim
bursement of the American Hospital Association.
Chicago, A m erican H o sp ital A ssociation, 1953. 17
p p .; processed.
Role of the State Public Assistance Agency in Medical
Care— A Series of Reports: I, General Aspects of Medi
cal Assistance; II, Pooled Funds for Medical Care.
Chicago, A m erican P ublic W elfare A ssociation, 1953.
8 p p .; 7 pp. 20 cents each.
Group Disability Insurance Plans. B y Lois E . Forde.
{In M anagem ent R ecord, N a tio n a l In d u stria l Con
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1954, p p .
Retail Health and Life Insurance Plans. B y H azel Je a n
W aldrop. {In Stores, th e M agazine of R etailin g ,
N ew Y ork, N ovem ber 1953, p p . 44-47, 59.)
Occupations
Participation of a Labor Union in the Study of Problems of
Psychiatry in Industry. B y Louis L. T ureen, M .D .
{In A .M .A . A rchives of In d u stria l H ygiene an d Occu
C anadian C ongress
supplem ent, 103 pp.
ference B oard, In c ., N ew Y ork, M arch
90-93, 113-116.)
A nalysis of th e plan s of 51 com panies.
Career, the Annual Guide to Business Opportunities, 1954.
N ew Y ork, C areer P u b licatio n s, In c., 1954.
ch arts, m aps, illus. $2.
198 pp.,
Career Planning for High School Students.
B y W illiam J.
R eilly. N ew Y ork, H a rp e r & B ro th ers, 1953. 110
pp. $2.
Directory of Professional Opportunities. B y R o b e rt Shosteck. W ashington, B ’n ai B ’r ith V ocational Service
B ureau, 1954. 81 pp. 75 cents.
C om pilation of p ractitio n e r-p o p u la tio n ra tio s in selected
professional a n d re la te d o ccupations in a b o u t 200 m ajo r
A m erican cities an d m etro p o litan areas.
Professional Opportunities in Mathematics.
Buffalo, N . Y.,
[Prof. H . M. G ehm an, M ath e m a tic a l A ssociation of
A m erica, U n iv ersity of Buffalo], 1954. 24 pp.,
bibliography. 2d ed. 25 cents.
Orthoptic Technician.
P eapack, N . J., P ersonnel Services,
In c., 1953. 6 p p . (O ccupational A b stra c t 165.)
50 cents.
O th er recen t leaflets in th is series, n o t previously listed
in th e M o n th ly L ab o r R eview , cover th e following occu
p a tio n s: P ath o lo g ist, m edical record lib rarian , forester,
pu rch asin g ag en t, a n d d e p a rtm e n t store salesclerk.
Social Origins and Occupational Career Patterns.
By
R ein h ard Bendix, Seym our M. L ipset, F. T heodore
M alm . {In In d u s tria l a n d L ab o r R elatio n s R eview ,
Ith a c a , N . Y ., J a n u a ry 1954, p p . 246-261. $1.50.)
Pensions
Guide to Pension and Profit Sharing Plans.
B y R o b e rt S.
H olzm an; ed ited by Saul B. A ckerm an. M o u n t
V ernon, N . Y., F arn sw o rth P ublishing Co., Inc.,
1953. 64 pp. $1.50.
T he guide deals alm ost entirely w ith pension plans.
I t consists of questions a n d answ ers, p rim arily for em
ployers, w ith em phasis on ta x a d v an ta g es o b tain ab le from
th e plans.
Private Pension Plans.
{In M onth ly Review of C red it a n d
Business C onditions, F ed eral R eserve B ank of New
Y ork, N ew Y ork C ity, D ecem ber 1953, pp. 185-188.)
D iscusses ra te an d am o u n t of grow th, in v estm en t p ra c
tices of a d m in istrato rs, a n d prospects for fu tu re grow th of
M ONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W , MAY 1954
574
p riv a te pension plans, as well as th e ir effects on o th er
savings an d spending.
Wages, Salaries, and Hours of Labor
Clerical Salary Survey, [September 1953].
The Problem of Retirement in Industry: Fifth Annual
Labor-Management Conference, Rutgers University,
May 12, 1958. N ew B runsw ick, N . J., R utg ers
U niversity, In s titu te of M anag em en t a n d
R elations, [1953?]. 79 p p .; processed. $2.
L abor
New Y ork,
N atio n al In d u stria l Conference B oard, Inc., 1954.
46 pp., ch a rt. (Studies in L ab o r S tatistics, 10.)
Earnings of First-Line Supervisors.
of N atio n al Affairs, Inc., 1954.
Policies F o ru m S urvey 22.) $1.
W ashington, B ureau
17 pp. (Personnel
Survey of Pension Funds in the Houston Area.
B y P atric k
J. N icholson. H o u sto n , Texas, U n iversity of H ous
to n , College of B usiness A dm in istratio n , B ureau of
B usiness an d E conom ic R esearch, 1953. 22 pp.
(H ouston Studies in Business a n d E conom ics, I n
d u strial R elations Series, 2.) $1.
Retail Pension and Profit-Sharing Plans. B y H azel Je a n
W aldrop. (In Stores, th e M agazine of R etailing,
N ew Y ork, O ctober 1953, p p . 16-20, 58.)
Value of Benefits Under Railroad Retirement Act.
(In
M onthly Review, U. S. R ailro ad R etire m e n t B oard,
Chicago, D ecem ber 1953, p p . 224-229, 231.)
Union Wages and Hours: Building Trades, July 1, 1953.
B y Jo h n F. Laciskey. W ashington, U. S. D e p a rt
m e n t of L abor, B u reau of L ab o r S tatistics, 1954.
34 pp. (Bull. 1152.) 30 cents, S u p erin ten d en t of
D ocum ents, W ashington.
In ad d itio n to th e above, th e B ureau h as published
b u lletins on union wages as of Ju ly 1, 1953, covering local
tra n s it op eratin g em ployees, m o to rtru c k drivers a n d
helpers, a n d th e p rin tin g tra d e s (B ulletins 1153, 1154, a n d
1155, respectively).
Wage Changes Negotiated in Major California Union Agree
ments, 1953. San Francisco, D e p a rtm e n t of In d u s
tria l R elations, D ivision of L ab o r S tatistics a n d R e
search, 1954. 16 p p .; processed.
Personnel Management
Essentials of Effective Personnel Administration— Case
Studies of Successful Company Experience. N ew
Une Révolution Économique: La Belgique Pays à Hauts
Salaires. B y le B aron Snoy e t d ’O ppuers. Brussels,
Y ork, A m erican M an ag em en t A ssociation, 1953. 51
pp. (Personnel Series, 154.) $1 to m em bers, $1.25
to nonm em bers, of A ssociation.
Société d ’É conom ie P o litiq u e de Belgique, Ja n u a ry
1954. 34 pp. (C om ptes R endus, 223.)
A review of Belgian w age policies since W orld W ar II
a n d a n e v alu a tio n of th e ir effects upon th e B elgian econom y.
Guide to Personnel Activities of Professional and Technical
Associations. B y D o ro th y W. O tten . Chicago,
C ivil Service Assem bly, 1953. 55 pp., bibliographies.
(Personnel R ep o rt Series, 534.) $1.50 to m em bers,
$2 to nonm em bers, of Assem bly.
B rings to g eth er for th e first tim e, according to th e
forew ord, a “ w orking source of in form ation a b o u t th e ty p es
of assistance available to public personnel agencies from
professional an d technical associations in a wide v a rie ty
of personnel op eratio n s.”
Personnel Practices in Industry.
B y W illiam R . Spriegel
a n d A lfred G. D ale. A ustin, U n iv ersity of Texas,
B ureau of Business R esearch, 1954. 67 pp., ch arts.
(Personnel S tu d y 8.) $1.50.
Stock Ownership Plans for Employees.
Y ork Stock Exchange, 1953.
N ew Y ork, New
85 pp.
Worker Attitude on Incentives. By Alfred G. L arke.
(In D u n ’s Review a n d M odern In d u stry , N ew Y ork,
D ecem ber 1953, pp. 61-63, c h a rts; aiso rep rin te d .;
S um m ary d a ta from a survey am ong 2,500 pro d u ctio n
em ployees of a large m etal fab ricatin g corporation, m ade
by th e U niversity of M ichigan’s S urvey R esearch C en ter
in its “ hu m an relations p ro g ram .”
Worker Values in Job Evaluation: Impact of Job Evaluation
on Worker Attitudes. B y L eonard R . Sayles. (In
Personnel, N ew Y ork, Ja n u a ry 1954, pp. 266-274.
$ 1.)
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Wage Rates, Salaries, and Hours of Labor in Canada,
October 1952. O tta w a , D e p a rtm e n t of L abor, 1953.
174 pp., ch a rt.
(A nnual R e p o rt 35.)
25 cents.
Women in industry
The Outlook for Women as Medical X-Ray Technicians.
B y M ildred S. B arb er. W ashington, U. S. D e p a rt
m en t of L abor, W om en’s B ureau, 1954. 53 pp.,
b ibliography, illus. (Bull. 203-8; M edical Services
Series.) 25 cents, S u p erin ten d en t of D ocum ents,
W ashington.
State Hour Laws for Women.
W ashington, U. S. D e p a rt
m e n t of L abor, W om en’s B ureau, 1953. 114 pp.
(Bull. 250.) 40 cents, S u p erin ten d en t of D ocum ents,
W ashington.
Toward Better Working Conditions for Women: Methods
and Policies of the National Women’s Trade Union
League of America. By M ary E lizab eth Pidgeon.
W ashington, U. S. D e p a rtm e n t of L abor, W om en’s
B ureau, 1953. 71 pp., bibliography, illus. (Bull.
252.) 25 cents, S u p erin ten d en t of D ocum ents, W ash
ington.
Women in the [Canadian] Labor Force. (In L ab o r G azette,
D e p a rtm e n t of L abor, O ttaw a,
372-390, c h arts. 25 cents.)
M arch
1954, pp.
575
BOOK R E V IE W S AND NOTES
The Statistical Outlook on Japanese Women Workers, 1952.
[Tokyo], M inistry of L abor, W om en’s an d M inors’
B ureau, 1953. 14 p p ., c h a rt; processed.
Workmen’s Compensation
Workmen’s Compensation in the United States.
W ashing
to n , U. S. D e p a rtm e n t of L abor, B u reau of L abor
S tatistics, 1954. 45 pp. (Bull. 1149.) 30 cents,
S u p erin ten d en t of D ocum ents, W ashington.
T h e eight ch ap te rs of th e bulletin, dealing w ith various
asp ects of w orkm en’s com pensation, ap p eared originally
as articles in th e M onthly L ab o r R eview during 1953.
Report of [California] Senate Interim Committee on Work
men’s Compensation Benefits. S acram ento, 1953.
P a r t I, 263 p p .; P a r t II , 23 pp.
Findings on a n um ber of problem s arising u n d er th e
S ta te w orkm en’s com pensation law a n d its a d m in istratio n
a re contained in P a r t I; recom m endations are p resen ted in
P a r t I I . A dditional repo rts, th e com m ittee states, are to
follow.
How Can We Improve the [Illinois] Workmen’s Compensa
tion Law and Its Administration? B y R euben G.
Söderström .
C ham paign, U niv ersity of Illinois,
In s titu te of L abor a n d In d u s tria l R elations, 1954.
20 p p .; processed. (L ecture Series, 10.)
Includes consideration of 1953 am en d m en ts to th e law .
The Nevada Industrial Insurance Act and Nevada Occupa
tional Diseases Act, Effective July 1, 1958. C arson
C ity, N ev ad a In d u stria l Com m ission, 1953.
American Labor and the American Spirit: Unions, LaborManagement Relations, and Productivity. B y W itt
Bowden. W ashington, U. S. D e p a rtm e n t of L abor,
B ureau of L ab o r S tatistics, 1954. 66 pp., bibliog
rap h y , ch arts. (Bull. 1145.) 40 cents, S u p erin ten d
e n t of D ocum ents, W ashington.
Shows th e developm ent of th e lab o r m o v em en t in th e
U n ited S tates in term s of historical a n d philosophical
influences.
Economic Planning Under Free Enterprise.
B y H en ry
G rayson. W ashington, P ublic Affairs Press, 1954.
134 pp. $2.
D eals p a rtic u la rly w ith th e U nited S tates, C anada,
G reat B ritain , a n d Sweden, w ith a n overall c h a p te r on
th e O. E. E . C. countries.
Films for Labor.
W ashington, A m erican F e d eratio n of
L abor, W orkers E d u catio n B ureau, 1954. 44 pp.,
illus. 25 cents.
Proceedings of Sixth Annual Conference of Council of Profit
Sharing Industries, November 12-18, 1953, Boston,
Mass. A kron, Ohio, C ouncil of P rofit Sharing In d u s
tries, 1954. xxix, 233 pp.
S ubjects considered a t th e v arious sessions were: W hy
profit sharing? how to m a in ta in em ployee in te re st; w h a t
th e em ployee has to say a b o u t pro fit sharing; p e rtin e n t laws
a n d reg u latio n s; a n d in v e stm e n t of profitsh arin g tr u s t
funds.
90 pp.
Forces That Spiral Workmen’s Compensation Costs, [New
York State]. B y Joseph S. K eiper. N ew Y ork, Com
m erce a n d In d u s try A ssociation of N ew Y ork, Inc.,
1953. 110 pp., charts. $1.50.
Report of the Committee of Consultants on Occupational Loss
of Hearing. A lbany, N ew Y ork S ta te W orkm en’s
C om pensation B oard, 1953. 17 pp.
C ontains answ ers to questions pro p o u n d ed to its com
m itte e of co n su ltan ts by th e N ew Y ork S ta te W orkm en’s
C om pensation B oard in its qu est for sta n d a rd s for use in
considering hearing-loss com pensation claims, to g eth er
w ith a b ackground sta te m e n t by th e B oard chairm an.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Miscellaneous
Puerto Rican Population of New York City: 1, Demographic
and Labor Force Characteristics; 2, Vital Statistics;
3, Social and Welfare Statistics. E d ite d by A. J.
Jaffe. N ew Y ork, C olum bia U niversity, B ureau of
A pplied Social R esearch, 1954. 61 p p .; processed.
P ap ers delivered before N ew Y ork A rea C h a p te r of
A m erican S ta tistic a l A ssociation, O ctober 21, 1953.
Economic Situation [in Japan] During 1953.
(In S urvey of
E conom ic C onditions in Ja p a n , M o n th ly C ircu lar of
M itsubishi E conom ic R esearch In s titu te , T okyo,
Ja n u a ry 1954; 56 pp.)
A section on lab o r includes d a ta on em ploym ent, w ages,
incom es, expenditures, a n d lab o r p ro d u c tiv ity .
Current Labor Statistics
A.—Employment and Payrolls
578 Table A—1: Estimated total labor force classified by employment status, hours
579 Table A-2:
583 Table A-3:
586 Table A-4:
586 Table
Table
Table
587 Table
A-5:
A-6:
A-7:
A-8:
worked, and sex
Employees in nonagricultural establishments, by industry division
and group
Production workers in mining and manufacturing industries
Indexes of production-worker employment and weekly payrolls in
manufacturing industries
Federal civilian employment by branch and agency group
Employees in nonagricultural establishments for selected States 1
Employees in manufacturing industries, by State 1
Insured unemployment under State unemployment insurance pro
grams, by geographic division and State
B.— Labor Turnover
588 Table B -l:
589 Table B-2:
Monthly labor turnover rates (per 100 employees) in manufacturing
industries, by class of turnover
Monthly labor turnover rates (per 100 employees) in selected groups
and industries
C.—Earnings and Hours
591
Table C -l:
Hours and gross earnings of production workers or nonsupervisory
employees
607 Table C-2:
Gross average weekly earnings of production workers in selected
industries, in current and 1947-49 dollars
Gross and net spendable average weekly earnings of production
workers in manufacturing industries, in current and 1947-49 dollars
Average hourly earnings, gross and excluding overtime, of produc
tion workers in manufacturing industries
Hours and gross earnings of production workers in manufacturing
industries for selected States and areas 1
607 Table C—3:
608 Table C-4:
Table C—5
1 T his tab le is included in th e M arch, Ju n e, S eptem ber, and D ecem ber issues of th e Review .
N o te .— Beginning w ith th e M ay 1953 issue, d a ta shown in tab les A -2, A -3, A -4, A -5, C - l , C -2 , C -3 , and C -4
have been revised because of a d ju s tm e n t to more recen t benchm ark levels. T hese d a ta c a n n o t be used w ith
those appearing in previous issues of th e M onthly L abor Review . C o m parable d a ta for earlier years are avail
able upon req u est to th e B ureau of L abor S tatistics.
576
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
C U R R EN T LABOR ST A T IS T IC S
577
D.—Prices and Cost of Living
609 Table D -l:
610
610
611
612
Table
Table
Table
Table
D-2
D-3
D-4
D-5
613
614
615
616
Table
Table
Table
Table
D-6
D-7
D-8
D-9
Consumer Price Index—United States average, all items and com
modity groups
Consumer Price Index—United States average, food and its subgroups
Consumer Price Index—United States average, all items and food
Consumer Price Index—All items indexes for selected dates, by city
Consumer Price Index—All items and commodity groups, except
food, by city
Consumer Price Index—Food and its subgroups, by city
Average retail prices of selected foods
Indexes of wholesale prices, by group and subgroup of commodities
Special wholesale price indexes
E. —Work Stoppages
617 Table E -l:
Work stoppages resulting from labor-management disputes
F. —Building and Construction
618 Table F -l:
619 Table F-2:
620 Table F-3:
621
Table F-4:
622
Table F-5:
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Expenditures for new construction
Value of contracts awarded and force-account work started on fed
erally financed new construction, by type of construction
Urban building authorized, by principal class of construction and by
type of building
New nonresidential building authorized in all urban places, by general
type and by geographic division
Number and construction cost of new permanent nonfarm dwelling
units started, by urban or rural location, and by source of funds
M ONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W , MAY 1954
578
A: Employment and Payrolls
Table A -l: Estimated total labor force classified by employment status, hours worked, and sex
[In thousands]
E s tim a te d n u m b e r o f p erso n s 14 y e a r s o f a g e a n d o v er 1
1953
1954 2
L ab or force s t a t u s
M ar.
Feb.
Jan.
D ec.
N o v .3
S e p t .3
O ct.
A ug.
J u ly
June
M ay
A pr.
M ar.
T o t a l, b o th sexes
67.218
67,139
66, 291
66,106
66, 874
66, 954
67,127
68, 238
68, 258
68,290
66,497
66, 338
66,679
C iv ilia n lab or force— ................................................... 63,825
3, 725
U n e m p l o y m e n t - ....................................................
1,301
U n e m p lo y e d 4 w e e k s or le s s __________
932
U n e m p lo y e d 5-10 w e e k s ____ _________
484
U n e m p lo y e d 11-14 w e e k s -------------------741
U n e m p lo y e d 15-26 w e e k s ....... ...................
267
U n e m p lo y e d o v er 26 w e e k s ----------------E m p lo y m e n t ---------------------------------------------- 60,100
N o n a g r ic u ltu r a l_______________________ 54, 225
W ork ed 35 h o u r s or m o r e ________ 44, 291
5,804
W ork ed 15-34 h o u r s ______________
2,364
W o rk ed 1-14 h o urs A ____________
1,765
W ith a job b u t n o t a t w o rk 8------5,875
A g r ic u ltu r a l--------------------- ------------------4,294
W o rk ed 35 h o u r s or m o r e .—............
1,100
W ork ed 15-34 h o u r s . . . .............. ........
304
W o rk ed 1-14 h o u r s 8— .............. ........
178
W ith a job b u t n o t a t w o rk 8_____
63, 725
3, 671
1, 434
1,198
408
470
160
60, 055
54, 351
42, 825
7,216
2,265
2,0 1 3
5, 704
3, 844
1,283
301
272
62, 840
3, 087
(4)
(4)
(4)
(4)
(4)
59, 753
54, 469
(4)
(4)
(4)
(4)
5,284
(4)
(4)
(4)
(4)
62, 614
1,850
1,093
444
125
124
64
60, 764
55,326
46, 889
5,139
1,811
1,487
5, 438
3, 900
1,123
232
184
63,353
1,428
886
294
96
96
55
61,925
55, 274
42, 847
8,9 7 2
1,873
1,582
6,651
5,0 9 2
1,274
180
105
63, 404
1, 162
727
236
72
82
46
62, 242
55. 083
46, 957
4,9 0 6
1, 711
1, 509
7,159
5, 713
1, 175
185
86
63, 552
1,246
817
234
58
81
56
62,306
55, 044
32, 767
18,114
1.543
2, 620
7, 262
5, 772
1,261
154
76
64, 648
1,240
724
278
88
88
62
63,408
56,134
45, 598
4,4 8 2
1,260
4,794
7, 274
5,512
1,4 4 2
190
130
64,668
1, 548
924
368
104
78
74
63,120
55, 492
43,196
5,054
1. 224
6,018
7,628
5,898
1,436
186
108
64, 734
1,562
1,042
212
96
124
88
63,172
55, 246
46, 304
4,924
1, 468
2, 550
7,926
6,334
1,346
178
68
62,964
1,306
656
326
116
150
58
61,658
55, 268
45. 988
5,608
1,926
1,746
6,390
4,346
1, 578
230
236
62, 810
1, 582
818
376
146
166
76
61, 228
55,158
45, 478
5,660
2,074
1,946
6,070
4, 334
1,320
194
222
63,134
1, 674
812
394
188
184
96
61,460
55, 740
46, 030
5, 712
2,326
1. 672
5,720
3 ,822
1, 324
250
324
48. 599
48,803
48,372
47,333
47,379
47,390
44, 862
1,024
43, 838
37, 626
33,166
2, 258
634
1,568
6, 212
5, 458
568
122
64
43,848
898
42. 950
37,470
32, 582
2,822
854
1,212
5, 480
4,134
960
184
202
43, 898
1, 104
42, 794
37, 498
32, 382
2, 918
904
1,294
5,296
4,130
846
140
180
43,892
1, 108
42, 784
37, 758
32. 686
3, 048
934
1,090
5, 026
3,610
946
188
282
T o ta l lab or f o r c e ---------- ----------------- -----------------
M a le s
T o ta l lab or fo rce____________________ _________ C iv ilia n lab or f o r c e .._______ ___________________
U n e m p lo y m e n t ____________ ______________
E m p lo y m e n t ---------------------------------------------N o n a g r ic u lt u r a l.____ _________________
W ork ed 35 h o u r s or m o r e ......... ........
W o rk ed 15-34 hours _____________
W o rk ed 1-14 h o u r s 8______________
W ith a job b u t n o t a t w o rk 8_____
A g ricu ltu ral .................. ................................
W o rk ed 35 h ours or m o r e _________
W o rk ed 15-34 h o u r s ......................... ..
W o r k e d 1-14 h ours
____ _______
W ith a jo b b u t n o t a t w o rk 8_____
47,408
44,057
2,552
41,504
36,337
31,219
2,944
1,040
1,134
5,167
4,052
687
261
167
47, 539
44,167
2, 542
41, 625
36, 592
30, 399
3,8 2 9
1,053
1, 309
5,033
3,6 3 3
884
273
243
(4)
(4)
(4)
(4)
(4)
(4)
(4)
(4)
(4)
(4)
(4)
(4)
(4)
(4)
47,013
43, 565
1.337
42. 228
37,335
32,897
2, 672
718
1, 048
4,893
3, 724
815
186
168
47,184
43, 709
927
42, 782
37, 283
30,470
4,9 1 0
788
1,115
5, 499
4, 549
727
120
103
47,129
43, 626
736
42, 889
37, 241
33, 319
2, 283
648
991
5,649
4,8 4 8
595
127
78
47,446
43,917
768
43,149
37,370
24,173
10,968
560
1,669
5, 779
4,891
707
109
71
45, 056
814
44, 242
38, 204
32, 680
2,112
514
2,898
6, 038
5,052
726
150
110
45,260
1,024
44,236
38,042
31, 248
2,6 6 0
470
3,6 6 4
6,
194
5,350
620
130
94
Females
T o ta l lab or f o r c e . . ------------ ------------------------------
19,810
19, 600
C iv ilia n la b o r f o r c e ........................................................
U n e m p lo y m e n t ___________________________
E m p lo y m e n t ---------------------------------------------N o n a g r ic u ltu r a l_________ _____________
W ork ed 35 h o u r s or m o r e . . . ............
W o rk ed 15-34 h o u r s .............................
W o rk ed 1-14 h ours 5______________
W ith a job b u t n o t a t w o rk 8_ _ . .
A g r ic u ltu r a l .....................................................
W ork ed 35 h o u r s or m o r e ________
W o r k e d 15-34 h o u r s ______________
W o r k e d 1-14 h ours 8_______ ______
W ith a job b u t n o t a t w o rk 8_____
19,768
1,173
18, 596
17.888
13, 072
2,860
1,324
631
708
242
413
43
11
19, 558
1,128
18. 430
17, 759
12, 426
3, 417
1,212
704
671
211
399
28
29
(4)
19,094
19,690
19,825
19, 681
19,639
19, 455
19,918
19,164
18, 959
19,289
(4)
19,050
513
18, 536
17,991
13, 992
2. 468
1,093
439
545
175
308
46
16
19,645
501
19.143
17, 991
12,377
4,062
1,085
467
1,152
544
547
60
19, 778
425
19, 353
17, 842
13, 638
2,624
1, 063
518
1, 510
865
580
58
19,635
478
19,157
17, 674
8, 594
7,146
983
951
1,484
880
554
45
19, 592
426
19,166
17,930
12,918
2,3 7 0
746
1,896
1,236
460
716
40
20
19, 408
524
18,884
17, 450
11,948
2,394
754
2,354
1,434
548
816
56
14
19, 872
538
19, 334
17, 620
13.138
2, 666
834
982
1,714
876
778
56
19,116
408
18, 708
17, 798
13, 406
2,786
1,072
534
910
212
618
46
34
18, 912
478
18, 434
17,660
13, 096
2, 742
1,170
652
774
204
474
54
42
19, 242
566
18, 676
17, 982
13, 344
2, 664
1, 392
582
694
212
378
62
42
(4)
(4)
(4)
(4)
(4)
(4)
(4)
(4)
(4)
(4)
(4)
(4)
1 Estimates are subject to sampling variation which may be large in cases
where the quantities shown are relatively small. Therefore, the smaller
estimates should be used with caution. All data exclude persons in institu
tions Because of rounding, the individual figures do not necessarily add to
group totals.
* Data beginning January 1954 are based upon a new Census sample in
230 areas and are not entirely comparable with earlier data. In addition,
the introduction during 1953 of materials from the 1950 Census into the
estimating procedures produced certain discontinuities in the data. Revised
figures are expected to be available at a later date.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
2
7
5
4
8 Census survey week contained legal holiday.
4 Not available.
8 Excludes persons engaged only in incidental unpaid
family work (less than
15 hours); these persons are classified as not in the labor force.
8 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 layofl with definite instructions to return to work
within 30 days of layofl. Does not include unpaid family workers.
Source: U. 8 . Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census.
579
A : EM PLOY M ENT AND PA YROLLS
T able A-2: Employees in nonagricultural establishments, by industry division and group 1
[In thousands]
1954
Annual
average
1953
Industry group and Industry
Mar.
Feb.
Jan.
Total employees.............. ............................. 47, 288 47, 422 47, 721
Mining ____________________ _______
M etal_____________________________
Iron______ _______ _______________
Copper. . _________________ _____
Lead and zinc.________ ___________
Anthracite_________________________
Bituminous-coal.......................................
760
95.9
249.2
Crude-petroleum and natural-gas production__________________________
Nonmetallic mining and quarrying_____
Contract construction_________________
Nonbuilding construction_____________
Highway and street_____ _______
Other nonbuilding construction.........
97.0
2,282
Building construction................. ...............
General contractors________________ _____
Special-trade contractors_______ . . .
Plumbing and heating_______ . . .
Painting and decorating__________
Electrical w ork.. .. ___ .. ______
Other special-trade contractors____
777
97.1
36.4
28.2
15.5
792
98.5
37. 7
28.3
15.4
Dec.
Nov.
Oct.
Sept.
Aug.
July
49,703 49,340 49,66." 49,695 49, 40E 49. 21
June
May
April
Mar.
1952
1951
49,416 49, 058 48,86C 48, 68.' 47, 993 47,202
80S
99.5
39. ]
28.4
14.9
816
99.4
39.2
28.2
15.0
8i;
99.
39.
27.
15.2
82C
99.
40. f
27.
15.3
831
99.7
4o.;
27. É
15. 8
823
100.2
40.
27.
16.
835
101.0
40. ;
27.8
17.0
831
99.9
39.6
27.2
17.3
835
99.7
38.6
27.5
17.9
846
100
38.0
27. 7
18 4
872
96.4
33. 3
25. 9
20 8
48.5
280.6
49.0
285.5
48.7
283.7
50.2
291.1
50.2
291.1
48.6
290.1
53.6
299.2
55.6
300.4
51.2
309.6
57. 4
318.4
63 4
333.8
69 1
372.0
276 0
269 3
913
100.2
37 7
25 7
20 4
44.7
266.3
46.4
274.4
272.5
276.4
278.8
278.1
276.1
279. c
283.1
279.7
276. S
271. ‘
272.1
270 i
96.2
96.5
101.6
103.6
105.3
106.1
106.2
104.8
104.7
103.6
102.3
99.2
102.3
102.0
2,521
465
192.0
273.1
2,674
524
230.6
292.9
2,772
567
260.7
305. 9
2,751
570
264.4
305.9
2,715
574
269.4
304. 5
2,662
546
253. 4
292. 1
2,608
530
241.8
287.8
2,509
499
219. 4
280.0
2,416
456
186.8
269.6
2,301
410
155. 2
255. 0
2, 572
501
207. 9
298. 8
2, 588
493
201.0
289 0
2,248 2,247
395
392
151.9 146.8
242. 7 245.6
1,853
1, 855 2,056
771.0
774.5
882.4
2,150
936.2
2,205
974.2
2,181
968.3
2,141
971.8
2,116
952.2
2,078
925.6
2,010
888.4
1,960
861.6
1, 891
823.2
2, 071
919.6
2 0Q8
950.2
1, 081.6 1,080.0 1,173. 2 1,213.8 1. 230. 6 1, 213 0 1,168. 9 1,163.3 1,152.9 1,121. 8 1, 098. 8 1,068.1 1,151. 3 1,147 3
' 283.0 ' 287. 6 300.9 305. 2 306. 7 298. 8 294.6 288.1 283.3 278.1 ' 278.1 277 5 286 8 286 9
121. 9 123. 4 142.3 152.6 159.1 160 1 165. 3 160. 6 153. 9 148. 2 140. 9 133.3 156 5 155 7
154. 4 158. 7 160. 4 161. 7 162.4 160 1 157. 2 154. 5 150. 6 149.2 148. 2 147. 2 151 8 139 5
522.3 510.3 569.6 594.3 602. 4 594 0 551. 8 560.1 565.1 546.3 531. 6 510.1 557^ 8 565* 3
Manufacturing_______________________ 15,873 16,034 16.158 16,488 16,706 17,017 17,221 17,258 17,069 17,162 17,040 17,077 17,135 16,209 16,082
Durable goods s______ . . . . . . . . 9. 137 9,287 9,402 9, 584 9,705 9,879 9, 955 10,006 10.007 10,121 10,096 10,117 10,103 9,262 9, 071
Nondurable goods *__ ___ _____ 6,736 6,747 6,756 6,904 7,001 7,138 7,266 7,252 7,062 7,041 6,944 6,960 7,032 6,946 7,011
Ordnance and accessories...........................
161.7
175.4
188.9
196.4
201.0
204.6
205.1
205.7
210.8
206.6
203.0
195.6
190. 5
166.4
77.0
Food and kindred products..................... . 1,413.4 1, 413. 2 1,431.0 1,490. 6 1, 557.4 1.631.0 1, 728. 2 1, 697. 4 1, 618. 0 1, 527. 3 1,470. 6 1,441.7 1, 436. 5 1, 538. 5 1, 544. 1
Meat products____________________
300. 9 308.4 318.1 323.6 313.6 306 2 304.1 302. 7 299.7 295. 5 294.6 299 2 809 8 306 1
Dairy products........................................
115.8 114.9 116.7 119.1 121.8 127.7 132.9 135. 3 134.2 127.6 122.1 118.2 123. 4 125.2
Canning and preserving............... .......... _____
138.6 145.6 162.8 195.8 261.3 372.2 346. 5 274. 1 194.5 174.5 162. 0 150. 3 217.1 230.3
Grain-mill products__________ _____
122. 9 122. 5 122.2 123.1 126 2 127 5 127 3 126.9 127.3 122 6 121.1 122 9 124 8 191 2
Bakery products___________________
284.0 282.8 285.8 289.8 291.8 290 3 289. 9 290. 7 289.7 285.8 283. 2 284 2 284 6 981 9
Sugar____ ___ _ . _______ . ____
27.8
30. 2 44.1
52.6
51 0 33 0 30.1
30. 2 28. 5 27. 5
27. 2 27 8 33 4 84 9
Confectionery and related products___
90.2
79.1
81.1
83.6
93 0 93.1
75. 5 78.1
89. 6 83. 2
75. 7
84 0 86 2 87 9
Beverages________________________
205. 9 208.9 214.6 220. 5 227.8 235. 9 239. 4 237.8 231.4 224. 2 217.1 213. 6 220JS 217 6
Miscellaneous food products_________
136.2 134.1 136.1 139.9 144.4 145. 8 144. 0 144.8 143.9 137.8 135.3 136 3 138. 5 139 5
Tobacco manufactures_______________
Cigarettes____ _______________ _____
Cigars________ __________________
Tobacco and snufl. . . ______________
Tobacco stemming and redrying_____
94.1
100.9
31.9
41.4
8.8
18.8
107.5
31.8
40.4
8.7
26.6
114.8
32.0
41.8
8.9
32.1
111.8
32.0
42.8
9. 2
27.8
119.5
31. 6
42.4
8.9
36.6
122.4
31. 6
41.6
8.8
40.4
115.2
31. 4
41. 0
8. 6
34. 2
93.5
30.6
40.0
8.5
14.4
93.4
31.4
41. 4
8.9
11. 7
93.6
31. 6
41. 3
8. 9
11.8
94.0
31. 6
41.2
8. 9
12.3
96.4
31. 4
42. 0
9.0
14 0
107.0
30 4
41. 8
92
26 5
104
29
40
9
25
4
0
9
4
1
Textile-mill products.................. ............... 1,094.9 1,099.4 1,100.0 1,132.7 1,151.2 , 1173.6 1,194. 6 1, 200.3 1,192.1 1, 220.1 1,214.4 1, 216. 7 1, 231. 8 1,201.7 1 , 2 7 2 . 7
Scouring and combing plants________
5.1
5. 2
5.8
5. 7
7. 2
6 8
6.3
69
7. 0
6. 7
6.6
6. 5
64
7.1
Yarn and thread mills _______ ______
131.2 133. 7 139.2 141.4 144.8 150.3 153.2 150.9 154.9 153. 3 153.6 156 6 154. 2 165! 2
Broad-woven fabric mills___________
473.5 475.4 486.8 495.6 503.8 512. 5 515. 0 519.3 526. 6 523.8 523.3 528.2 527. 9 576 1
34. 2 34.7
Narrow fabrics and smallwares_______
34. 2 35. 4 33. 2 34 7
32.7
32.7
33.7
35.1
35. 0 34. 8 34.5
35. 0
Knitting mills . . . . . . . . _________
228.6 225.0 233.8 239.9 246.5 251.6 253. 4 248.5 254.7 254. 0 254 4 257.0 244. 5 244^6
Dyeing and finishing textiles___ _____
92.1
89.5
92.9
89.8
91,8
94. 0 93. 7 92. 2 94.0
95.8
94. 2 94 5
93.9
97.0
52.5
52.4
53.6
54.4
Carpets, rugs, other floor coverings___
53.3
52.7
56. 7 56 5
55. 4 54.1
58.3
58. 5 54. 5 59 6
Hats (except cloth and millinery)“ ___
17.2
17.4
17.0
16.8
17.5
17.8
18.1
17. 2 19 2
16.9
18. 6
17.1
17. 4
17 7
Miscellaneous textile goods__________
70.5
71.8
69.0
69.3
72.8
72.0
73.0
73.3
73. 4 69.6
71. 6 69.0
72. 6
73.5
Apparel and other finished textile products__
1,204.0 1,194.9 1.174.4 l, 198.1 1,198.8 l, 216. 9 1, 212.2 1, 235. 7 1. 178. 6 1, 200.1 1,187. 2 L, 212. 3 l, 266.1 l, 190. 8 1,187.1
M en’s and boys’ suits and coats______
138.4 137.2 138.4 139.4 141. 7 142. 7 142. 5 131.0 140.7 138. 6 137.8 139. 8 132.5 142. 2
M en’s and boys’ furnishings and work
clothing________________________
292.0 288.2 296.1 305.4 311.1 312.0 313. 4 299.1 311.0 310.8 311.1 310.9 286.1 283. 4
Women’s outerwear______________ .
388.1 377. 7 376.2 357.4 357.4 356. 0 376. 1 354. 9 349. 7 338. 4 359.1 396. 8 371. 7 366. 5
Women’s, children’s undergarments . . .
105.0 102.8 105.1 109.4 110.6 108.3 107. 6 105.9 108. 5 110. 9 113.1 113.5 106. 4 101.5
Millinery__________ _____________ _
23.2
22.2
25.1
20.6
22. 7 20.4
17.4
21. 6 27.2
23.2
18.6
21.6
22. 6
17. 9
64.4
64. 7 64.6
65.0
Children’s outerwear_______________
66.6
64.2
62.5
67.8
63.8
67.3
65. 2
67. 5 64 9 61 4
8.2
10.1
10.6
9. 4
9.6
10. 5
11.7
12.0
7.2
Fur goods__________ _ _________
7.8
8. 7 12.0
9.8
13. 6
61.4
Miscellaneous apparel and accessories..
58.1
63.8
65.8
65. 9 63.1
64.5
65.3
65,4
57.0
66.0
64.6
65.1
68. 7
Other fabricated textile products_____
113.8 115.9 125.8 131.7 134.0 131.4 129.7 127.51 128.5 131.0 133.3 136.3 129.0 127.3
See footnotes at end of table.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
580
M ONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W , MAY 1954
T able A-2: Employees in nonagricultural establishments, by industry division and group 1—Continued
|I n th o u sa n d s!
1
Annual
average
1953
1954
Industry group and Industry
Mar.
Mannfaetnring—Continued
Lumber and wood products (except
furniture)
_
_______ __ 679.5
Logging camps and contractors.............
Sawmills and planing mills_________
Millwork, plywood, and prefabricated
structural wood products__________
________
Wooden containers
Miscellaneous wood products................ —
Furniture and fixtures................ . ........... Household furniture
Office, public-building, and professional fiirnitnrft
Partitions, shelving, lockers, and fixturas
_________
Screens, blinds, and miscellaneous
furniture and fixtures,................... .
Paper and allied products____________
Pulp, paper, and paperboard mills-----Paperboard containers and boxes
Other paper and allied products______
Printing, publishing, and allied industries.
Newspapers
______
Periodicals .
_________ _____
Poo 1rs
________
Commeroial printing
"Lithographing
Greeting c a r d s ____ ______________
Bookbinding and related Industries---Miscellaneous publishing and printing
services
_______
339.4
—
530.8
_________
789.1
_________
_________
734.2
Chemicals and allied products_________
Industrial organic chemicals______ _
_________
Soap, cleaning and polishing preparations
___________________
Miscellaneous chemicals____________
—
Feb.
Jan.
Dec.
Nov.
Oct.
Sept.
Aug.
July
June
May
Apr.
Mar.
1952
1951
687.6
65.5
402.7
681.9
57.5
403.7
716 9
69.0
420.6
755.5 773.0
83.7 84.9
439.5 450.8
781.0
86.1
456.6
792.1
89.2
462.5
786.6
85.5
460.2
800.1
89.6
465.7
782.2
83.7
456.3
769. 7
75.7
450.4
757.1
72.6
441.2
782. 0
84.0
457.8
834 4
101. 4
477.4
109.0
55.4
55.0
109.8
55.5
55.4
113.3
56 9
57.1
116.6 119.8
57.6 58.7
58.1 58.8
IIP. 6
59.1
59.6
119.9
60 2
60.3
120.1
61. 2
59.6
123.1
61 8
59.9
121.3
61 5
59.4
122 7
61 0
59.9
120.9
61. 2
61.2
118.9
61. 0
60.4
126. 4
65 8
63.4
344.5
241.0
347.8
241.7
355.8
248.7
363.4 367.5
256.5 259.6
370.3
261.3
370.1
261.6
369.9
261.4
371.6
264.2
376. 5 383.0
269. 4 275.5
387.1
279.8
361.0
257.1
361. 3
257.1
37.5
37.9
38.4
38.3
38.6
39.3
39.5
39.2
39.0
39.6
40.0
40.1
39.9
40.7
35.6
36.9
36.8
36.8
37.5
36.8
37.0
37.1
36.7
36.3
36.3
35.9
34.1
34.4
30.4
31.3
31.9
31.8
31.8
32.9
32.0
32.2
31.7
31.2
31.2
31.3
29.9
29.1
530.5
264.7
140.3
125.5
530.7
264.4
141.6
124.7
535.3
266.9
143.9
124.5
539.2
266.1
148.9
124.2
541. 8
266.7
149.1
126.0
543.9
267.8
147.8
128.3
541.5
266.9
146. 5
128.1
533.4
265.4
141.2
126.8
535.9
264.9
143.8
127.2
528. 5
261.4
140 9
126.2
527.7
260.7
141. 3
125.7
527.3
261.6
140.8
124.9
505. 6
257. 1
129. 6
119.0
511. B
258. 7
131.9
121.0
788.1
294.9
69.2
47.2
194.6
55.9
17.3
44.3
790.2
294.9
68.9
47.2
197.3
55.7
17.2
44.2
801.6
299.4
70.1
47.5
199.4
57.3
19.1
45.1
798. 5 797.5
297.6 296.8
69.9 68.5
47.7 48.7
196.5 196.9
57.9 56.9
20.3 20.2
45.4 46.6
789.6
294. 8
67.0
48.4
195.3
56.2
19.6
46.0
778.6
292.9
65.1
47.5
192.0
54.7
19.3
45.5
775.5
292.3
65.0
46.9
192.7
53.3
18.9
45.0
779.7
293.8
65.0
46.9
194.3
54.1
18.9
44.9
775 1
292. 5
65.3
46. 6
193 2
53. 6
17.6
44.5
774.3
291.5
65.4
46.8
193.8
53.3
17.2
44.3
774.3
290.5
66.3
47 4
194.0
53.2
17. 5
43.9
762.9
286.8
64.1
45.2
192.8
52.9
18.2
42.9
755.5
282.2
61.1
45.1
193.4
53. 5
18. 6
42.7
64.7
64.8
63.7
738.0
84.0
259.6
94.9
742.1
84.7
266.0
95.1
744.5
85.1
269.6
91.5
49.6
74.0
7.8
37.6
42.0
88.5
49.4
74.2
7.8
32.7
43.7
88.5
49.3
74.8
7.8
30.9
45.5
90.0
254.1
204.9
256.3
205.9
49.2
50.4
62.9
62.3
61.6
61.4
61.8
61.8
62.0
61.5
59.9
59.0
751.9 756.5
85.1 85.1
272.7 275.2
94.0 93.7
759.1
85.4
279.3
94.0
755.0
85.7
282.1
93.2
751.7
86.0
280.3
92.8
753.2
84.7
278.1
94.6
754. 7
84.0
274.4
94.2
762.7
83.4
272.2
95.0
761.3
83.0
270.6
95.3
741.7
81.9
259.0
98.4
742.8
81.5
259.3
95.6
49.9
75.2
7.8
32.2
46.2
91.2
49.7
75. 6
7.6
32.7
43.6
91.2
49.4
76.3
7.5
31.2
37.9
91.7
49.3
76.6
7.5
30.3
36.4
92.5
49.7
75.6
7.4
33.0
37.3
92.8
49.9
75.4
7.6
38.6
38.2
92.4
50.5
75.5
7.9
45.8
39.9
92.5
50.5
75.0
7.8
44.4
42.6
92.1
49.8
73.1
7.9
35.8
44.2
91.7
51.6
73.6
8.3
35.8
46.8
90.3
258.8 261.5
206.7 208.3
264.0
209.9
266.4
211.7
266.3
211.4
264.3
209.4
261.0
206.8
260. 3
207.0
259.0
206.3
253.9
202.1
252.7
198.6
63.2
49.3
75.1
7.8
30.5
46.6
90.8
Products of petroleum and coal...... .........
Petroleum refining
___ _____
Coke and other petroleum and coal
products
252.3
253.4
204.3
53.2
54.1
54.7
54.9
54.9
54.2
53.3
52.7
51.8
54.1
Rubber p ro d u cts___________________
Tire« aod inner tubes
Rubber footwear......................................
Other rubber products
248.2
251.4
107. £
25.9
117.6
254.0 257.7
108. C 108.4
27.0
28.3
119.0 121.0
259.5 265.0
109.5 112.1
29.2 29.6
120.8 123.3
270.3
115.3
29.7
125.3
271.0
115.7
29.3
126.0
269.5
116.1
28.1
125.3
276.3
118.1
29.1
129.1
276.3
118.7
28.9
128.7
276.6
118.2
29.4
129.0
276.4
117.5
29.8
129.1
262.3
116.1
28.3
117.9
263.3
111.2
29.2
123.0
Leather and leather products_________
Leather* tanned curried, and finished
industrial leather belting and packing
Boot and shoe cut stock and findings
Footwear (except, rubber)
Luggage
______________
Handbags and small leather goods
Gloves and miscellaneous leather goods.
375.1
376.9
44. Í
4.8
18.0
250.;
15.2
30.2
14.]
371.5 372.7
44.2
44. a
5. C
5.0
17.7
17.5
247.8 244.8
14.9
16.9
28.6
28.9
13.;
15.3
373.7 374.7
44.7 46.0
5.2
5.1
16.7 16.2
240.0 238.1
18.7 19.2
30.8 30.7
17.7 19.3
381. 5
46.6
5.1
16.3
245.4
18.8
29.6
19.7
390.8
47.0
5.3
17.5
253. 2
18.6
29.7
19.5
383.8
46.8
5.3
17.7
248.8
18.3
28.2
18.7
390.2
47.6
5.4
18.0
254.5
19.2
26.7
18.8
382.4
46.9
5.7
16.9
249.2
19.2
26.1
18.4
393.3
46.8
5.8
18.1
255.4
19.1
29.7
18.4
402. 5
47.4
5.7
18.8
261.7
18.4
32.2
18.3
381.9
46.5
5.1
17.5
246.7
17.8
29.0
19.4
376.9
48.0
5.6
16.8
241.0
15.9
29.4
20.3
Stone, clay, and glass products_________
Flat glass
________ _________
Class and glassware, nressed or blown
Glass products made of purchased glass.
Cement, hydraulic ______________
Structural clay products.........................
Pottery and related products_________
Concrete, gypsum, and plaster products.
Cnt.-stone and stone products._____
Miscellaneous nonmetallic mineral
products________________________
S ee footnotes at end of table.
508.0
506.9
33.8
96.8
14.8
39.8
71.8
52.:
95.7
18. ‘
507.4 527.8
34. < 35.6
96.2 101.6
15.:
15.6
40.3
41.0
72.8
76.1
50.2
52.:
95.; 100.8
18.2
18.8
538.8 544.7
35.5 35.5
104.6 104.8
15.8 16.4
41.4 41.2
77.6 78.5
53.7 54.8
104.1 105.8
18.9 18.8
547.7
35.8
104.8
16.4
41.7
78.5
54.4
107.7
18.8
546.6
35.4
103.1
16.6
41.9
79.4
53.:
108.6
18.8
538.9 547.7
35.1
34.9
100. < 105.4
16.3
16.9
41.8
40.9
80. C 80.3
48.
54.Í
108.: 105.8
18. ‘
18. £
543.0 544.1
35.0
35.3
104.2 104.3
17.0
17.7
41.0
40.6
78.0
77.5
55. :
56.:
104.7 104.1
17. £
18.3
541.2
35.4
103.6
17.5
40.6
76.9
57. (
101.6
18.3
527.9 551.2
32.6
33.2
96.2
98.0
16.2
16.7
39.9
40.6
80. £ 85.2
57.2
63.0
100.7 101. B
17. £ 18.9
88.9
89.6
89. £
90. C
90.3
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
49.1
—
___
83.7
84.4
86. C
52.1
87.2
90.3
90.7
90.1
86. £
94.2
581
A : EM PLOY M ENT AND PA YROLLS
T able A-2: Employees in nonagricultural establishments, by industry division and group 1—Continued
[In thousands]
Annual
average
1953
1954
Industry group and Industry
Mar.
Feb.
Jan.
Dec.
Nov.
Oct.
Sept.
Aug.
July
June
May
Apr.
Mar.
1952
1951
Manufacturing—Continued
Primary metal industries_____________ 1,185.1 1, 209.0 1, 232. 7 1,258.3 1,276.0 1,300.7 1,316.9 1,330.1 1,336.9 1,346.0 1,338.4 1,343. 9 1, 343. 6 1, 227. 4 1,313.0
Blast furnaces, steel works, and rolling
mills___________________________
603.1 614.2 626.6 637.7 650.3 654.0 666.8 665.1 662.1 655.9 656.6 656. 5 570.7 643.5
Iron and steel foundries_____________
216.3 219.2 222.7 224.0 230.1 236.9 237.1 243.1 248.7 250.5 253.2 253.2 253.0 266.2
Primary smelting and refining of non51.2
50.6
52.2
51.5
60.3
52.5
52.4
51.5
ferrous m etals__ _ ___
________
50.4
50.2
50.3
50.7
52.5
52.8
Secondary smelting and refining of non13.2
12.9
12.7
12.3
12.8
12.9
12.5
12.4
12.2
12.4
12.6
11.5
11.8
12.0
ferrous m e ta ls......................................
Rolling, drawing, and alloying of non123.4
110.8
123.1
122.0
111.3
ferrous metals ___________________
111.8 115.6 118.4 119.6 122.0 121.7 122.3 121.5 123.8
98.2
89.8
87.0
96.6
94.9
97.2
95.3
93.1
87.9
82.3
89.7
90.7
92.9
Nonferrous foundries________ _____
84.8
Miscellaneous primary metal industries- ........... 133.6 136.9 140.4 142.1 143.7 146. 5 145.9 146.5 149.5 148.6 149.4 149.8 139.8 142.2
Fabricated metal products (except ordnance, machinery, and transportation equipment)............. ...................... 1,057.3 1, 076.2 1, 088. 9 1,092.8 1,120.8 1,142.0 1,156.3 1,160. 5 1,151.7 1,168.0 1,162.3 1,160. 6 1,159.3 1,045. 6 1,059.7
56.6
56.9
58.1
59.7
57 8
64.3
57.0
33.9
56.2
59.3
61.3
63.1
Tin cans and other tinware___ ____
53. 5 54.4
Cutlery, handtools, and hardware___
152.9 151.4 152.7 150.9 152.6 155.4 159.5 159.1 164.6 165.3 164. 0 164.9 149.8 162.8
Heating apparatus (except eleetric) and
133.5 134. 2 140.4 145.4 150.9 151. 5 152.1 151.3 153.4 153. 7 155.0 154.1 142.8 144.1
____ - ___
plumbers' supplies
Fabricated structural metal products ..
272.2 273.8 279.8 281.9 283.6 285. 2 283.6 278.8 279.7 274.6 272.2 272.7 253.8 241.2
222.9 228.6 231.5 229.5 234.4 236.0 235.4 236.6 242.1 241.8 241.4 240.8 196.7 202.0
Metal stamping, coating, and engraving
48.2
45.6
50.1
50.8
50.3
48.2
50.1
49.4
50. 9
46.2
48.2
49.4
Lighting fixtures
47.1
48.7
66.1
72.4
73.2
63.9
71.2
72.9
71.5
73.7
70.2
65.4
69.5
70.5
71.2
Fabricated wire products_____ ______
62.8
Miscellaneous fabricated metal prod132.2 134.0 136.8 138.2 142.3 144. 5 144.3 143.7 146.0 145.9 146.4 145. 9 136.5 137.1
ucts____________________________
Machinery (except electrical)__________ 1, 565. 2 1,581.0 1, 589.1 1,597. 2 1, 599. 6 1,614.6 1,626.3 1,635.3 1,665.7 1,698. 4 1, 702. 0 1, 714.3 1, 727.8 1,642. 4 1,601 3
81.2
96. 5 88.9
95.5
95. 6 95.9
91.2
94.5
84.9
86.2
88.8
Engines and turbines____ ____ _ ___
90.7
91. 5 90.6
150.3 145.3 143.5 142.2 151.0 162.4 171.5 179.3 184.5 187.1 190.6 195.8 185.1 198.4
Agricultural machinery and tractors__
Construction and mining machinery__
120.6 121.3 121.8 122.8 124.3 127.4 129.7 131.0 133.5 130.9 131.1 134.2 132.2 120.5
Metalworking machinery____ ____
274.6 278.7 279.0 281.3 283.0 284.2 281.1 281.6 285.8 285.6 285.2 285.4 280.3 262.4
Special-industry machinery (except
180.4 181.8 183.5 183.5 184.0 183.7 185.6 186.8 191.0 190.3 190.9 191.9 190.9 196.0
metalworking machinery)...................
227.6 230.6 234.0 234.7 235.3 233.5 234.0 236.4 236.9 234.2 234.4 234. 5 230.7 224.4
General industrial machinery___ _____
110.4 111.2 112.4 112.0 112.8 111.6 110.3 111.4 112.0 112.4 112.6 112.3 109.8 106.3
Office and store machines and devices...
Service-industry and household ma197.2 195.4 194.2 193.2 193.6 192.0 194.0 202.0 213.3 219.4 224. 7 227.5 186.5 182.2
chines
________
235.0 238.6 240.0 239.2 239.4 240.0 238.5 242.7 245.9 246.5 248.9 249.7 238.0 229.8
Miscellaneous machinery parts_______
Electrical machinery.. _ __________. . . 1,086.2 1,100.9 1,119.1 1,148.4 1,176.7 1,196.1 1.203.7 1,195.4 1,179.3 1,194.8 1, 202.0 1, 206. 5 1,204.0 1,068.4 1,005. 4
Electrical generating, transmission, dis370.0 376.5 382.3 383.0 386.9 388. 6 389.5 391.7 393.7 393.6 393.0 390.5 364.8 354.9
tribution, and industrial apparatus__
56.2
59.5
70.9
69.3
69.8
70.5
69.9
66.2
71.3
71.2
70.3
67.6
70.0
71.1
Electrical appliances_______________
35. 5 31.5
29.2
34.5
35.4
35.6
35.5
29.8
32.6
33.7
34.2
34.3
30. 7 32.0
Insulated wire and cable__ ________
79.2
90.
5
86.8
90.9
78.6
91.0
91.0
84.6
84.9
85.0
83.3
83.8
87.3
88.2
Electrical equipment for vehicles . . .
25.2
26.3
27.5
27.3
31.0
28.2
27.2
28.3
28.4
27.4
26.9
27.6
28.0
28.0
Electric lamps __ ______________
479.1 488.0 504.8 528.0 541.3 544.9 538.4 519.4 529.2 537.2 542.8 546.0 464.9 405.8
Communication equipment ________
46.6
47.4
45.9
46.5
48.9
46.4
47.0
49.7
47.3
44.9
44.5
48.7
49.5
48.0
Miscellaneous electrioal products_____
Transportation equipment____________ 1,774.2 1,802.3 1,844. 7 1,864.9 1,829.6 1,885. 2 1,898.8 1,931.4 1,944.1 1,950.8 1. 955, 8 1, 969. 9 1,965. 7 1,674. 9 1, 510.3
821.4 851.4 886.1 865.9 897.2 904. 0 943.8 965.5 969.4 982.3 993.1 983.2 793.5 844- 5
Automobiles
762.6 771.2 753.9 734.9 755.6 758. 2 749.7 740.9 733.6 728.4 727.3 735.0 641.6 463.6
Aircraft and parts
______________
460.7 467.2 449.6 434.7 455.9 457. 7 453.1 447.6 444.5 445.6 446.9 449.2 413.9 313.3
Aircraft
90.8
165.9 166.8 168.9 169.1 171.3 170.4 168.2 167.9 165.9 161.3 159.2 165.6 134.7
Aircraft engines and parts_________
16.5
16.4
14.0
10.8
16.3
16.4
16.6
16.5
16.5
16.5
16.3
16.5
16.3
16.7
Aircraft propellers and parts____ _
79.1
48.8
119.7 120.7 118.8 114.6 111.9 113.4 112.1 109.1 106.8 105.1 104.7 103.7
Other aircraft parts and equipment
140.7 141.5 141.9 144.3 144.5 148.1 148.5 151.6 153.9 153.0 157.1 155.1 151.0 116.0
Ship- and boatbuilding and repairing
116.0 117.3 118.9 120.4 120.7 124.0 123.6 125.6 127.1 126.1 130. 5 129.7 131.2 101.6
Shipbuilding and repairing________
25.4
14.4
24.9
26.8
26.9
19.8
23.9
23.8
23.0
24.1
26.6
24.7
24.2
26.0
Boatbuilding and repairing________
79.2
80.0
78. 6
75.8
73.7
72.2
73.9
75.3
68.2
71.5
74.4
72.3
71.0
79.0
Railroad equipment
__ _______
13.2
14.1
13.9
ia. 5 13.4
12.9
12.6
10.8
14.0
13.0
14.1
9.4
9.6
13.8
Other transportation equipment____
Instruments and related products______ 307.7 322.4 327.4 331.0 332.7 330.9 332.6 331.8 333.2 335.4 333.3 333.2 332.5 310.2 292.2
Laboratory, scientific, and engineering
53.5
48.9
39.1
54.0
54.1
54.2
51.8
53.6
54.3
53.6
52.9
53.6
54.0
54.4
instrum ents...................... ..................
Mechanical measuring and controlling
81.9
74.1
71.8
81.4
82.6
81.9
80.3
79.1
79.9
80.6
81.8
78.7
79.1
81.1
instruments_____________________
12.4
12.4
12.5
12.2
12.3
11.6
12.1
12.3
12.0
12.3
12.4
12.0
11.9
12.1
Optical instruments and lenses______
Surgical, medical, and dental instru40.9
39.6
41.2
41.1
40.0
39.2
39.6
40.2
40.7
41.1
39.3
37.6
38.5
40.8
ments
28.4
29.2
28.1
29.0
28.9
27.8
28.1
28.5
28.3
28.7
29.0
28.4
28.5
27.9
Ophthalmic g o o d s.._____ __________
62.1
69.4
68.3
66.1
71.2
71.1
71.2
71.8
68.9
71.1
71.3
68.5
70.0
71.2
Photographic apparatus____
41.0
46.3
37.7
45.8
47.5
46.8
46.8
47.0
46.7
46.8
42.8
44.6 45.8
45.6
Watches and clocks .
______
Miscellaneous manufacturing industries..
Jewelry, silverware, and plated ware..
Musical instruments and parts_______
Toys and sporting goods ______ ____
Pens, pencils, and other office supplies..
Costume jewelry, buttons, notions___
"Fabricated plastic products
Other manufacturing industries______
See footnotes at end of table.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
472.3
—
480.6
57.8
17.7
72.1
33.0
68.6
70.9
160.5
473.8
57.5
17.8
69.6
32.3
65.5
72.5
158.6
494. 5
58.4
18.1
76.6
33.2
67.8
74.2
166.2
511.1
59.6
17.9
86.5
33.7
70.9
76.1
166.4
519.2
58.9
18.0
93.1
33.3
71.9
77.3
166.7
515.8
57.6
18.2
92.7
32.9
71.3
77.6
165.5
506.7
55.6
18.0
90.8
32.4
71.7
76.7
161.5
490.2
52.8
17.7
87.4
31.9
68.3
74.6
157.5
501.5
54.9
18.0
88.1
32.3
68.1
75.5
164.6
497.2
54.2
18.0
87.1
32.1
66.4
75.1
164.3
495.9
54.6
18.1
84.3
32.0
67.2
75.1
164.6
494.1
55.0
18.3
81.3
31.7
69.3
74.1
164.4
456.0
50.5
16.3
75.4
31.5
62.1
66.9
153.4
465.4
54. 7
16.6
74.0
31.9
63.9
67.2
157.0
582
M ONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W , MAY 1954
T able A-2: Employees in nonagricultural establishments, by industry division and group 1—Continued
[In thousands]
Annual
average
1953
1954
Industry group and Industry
Mar.
Feb.
Jan.
Dec.
Oct.
Nov.
Sept.
Aug.
July
June
M ay
Apr.
Mar.
1952
1951
T r a n sp o r ta tio n a n d p u b lic u t i l i t i e s - . . ............
T r a n s p o r ta tio n _______ ____________________
I n te r s ta te r a ilr o a d s_____________________
C la ss I ra ilr o a d s..................... .......................
L oca l r a ilw a y s an d b u s lin e s ........................
T r u c k in g an d w a r e h o u sin g ____________
O th e r tr a n s p o r ta tio n an d s e r v ic e s _____
B u s lin e s , e x c ep t lo c a l_________________
A ir tr a n sp o r ta tio n (c o m m o n ca r rier ).
C o m m u n ic a tio n ............... .............................. ........
T e le p h o n e ..........................................................
T e le g r a p h ............... .........................................
O th er p u b lic u t ili t ie s ...........................................
G as an d e lectric u t ilit ie s ................................
E le c tr ic lig h t an d p o w e r u t ili t ie s ____
G as u t ilit ie s ___________________ _______
E lectric light and gas u tilities co m b in ed . .
L o c a l u tilitie s , n o t else w h e r e c la ss ifie d ..
4,050 4,103 4,137 4,240 4,273 4,310 4,323 4.337 4,340 4,315 4,279 4,244 4,235 4,220 4,166
2, 740 2, 791 2, 824 2, 922 2, 953 2. 989 2, 999 3. 001 2,999 2,990 2.966 2,949 2,928 2, 941 2, 921
1, 250. 2 1,272.5 1,328.6 1,354.0 1, 382. 6 1,393. 7 1. 407. 2 1,409.6 1,399. 9 1,387.0 1,376.0 1,360.5 1,399.8 1,449.3
1,086.1 1,107.6 1,155.1 1,188.0 1, 214.6 1,224.3 1,236.7 1, 238.8 1,229 2 1,217.5 1,204 9 1,188. 5 1, 226. 2 1, 275. 9
128.2 128.9 129.5 129.9 130.4 128.4 129 1 130.6 131.0 130.7 130. 7 131.3 134. 2 139 0
728.3 734.0 765.3 768.1 773.1 767.6 753.8 748.4 749.3 745.5 743.0 743.9 714.6 675.6
683.8 688.6 698.8 701.1 703.3 708.8 710.8 710.7 709.5 703.1 698 9 691.9 692.1 656.9
51.2
51.7
49.2
50.8
52.2
53.1
53.2
53.0
53.5 . 52.9
52.1
51. 4 52.4
51.9
102.3 103.7 104.6 104.7 104. 7 104.8 105. 1 104.9 104.6 102.0 101.1 100 8 95.6
85.2
752
742
741
746
717
740
746
747
748
759
750
742
690
747
731
695.1 695.2 697.9 699.1 699.5 697.5 703.7 709.5 700.1 697.3 682.3 693.5 672.7 638.9
45.2
47.2
47.1
47.6
48.9
50.1
46,6
47 7 47.7
48.3
48.9
47. 9 48.6
48.1
572
584
570
571
571
573
578
582
565
563
573
575
566
555
564
548.6 549.4 550. 4 551.2 550. 8 555.1 560. 9 558.8 552.2 544.3 542.1 543. 0 541.2 533.3
246.8 247.2 247.2 249.5 251. 6 250.8 248.2 245.0 244.7 244.3 243.5 240.4
(t)
(t)
(t)
128.1 128.8 128.7 129.6 131. 5 130.8 128.9 126.3 124.8 126. 5 126.4 123.8
(t)
(t)
(t)
175. 5 175. 2 174.9 176.0 177.8 177.2 175.1 173.0 172.6 172.2 171.3 169.1
(!)
(t)
(t)
22.0
22.0
22.0
22.5
22.4
21.5
21.9
22.1
23.0
22.9
21.9
22.1
22.0
21.7
W h o le s a le an d r e ta il tr a d e _________________
W h o le s a le tr a d e ___ __________ _____________
R e ta il t r a d e ............ ........ .............................. ...........
G en eral m e r c h a n d ise s to r e s........ .................
F ood an d liq u o r s to r e s .................. .................
A u to m o tiv e an d acc esso ries d ea le rs___
A p p a r e l an d acc essories s to r e s ...________
O th er re ta il t r a d e ............................. .................
10,252 10,250 10,365 11,310 10,772 10,611 10,464 10,334 10, 355 10,415 10,34S 10,314 10,284 10,251 10,013
2,737 2, 745 2, 752 2,789 2,790 2, 768 2, 736 2,733 2,736 2, 729 2, 712 2,713 2, 730 2, 721 2.655
7, 515 7, 505 7,613 8, 521 7, 982 7, 843 7. 728 7, 601 7,619 7, 686 7,636 7, 601 7. 554 7.530 7,359
1,341.6 1,326.8 1,388.0 1, 986.0 1,602.2 1, 495. 5 1,421.0 1, 356. 4 1,350.3 1, 402.3 1, 406. 2 1,396.6 1,396.4 1, 453 2 1,429.3
1,423. 9 1,425.1 1, 418.2 1,446. 3 1,432.2 1,421.7,1,401.5 1, 390. 8 1,400.8 1,405.7 1,399.3 1,398.2 1,389. 2 1,353.8 1,307 6
841.5 845.1 854.1 869.2 858.3 854. 2 849.1 851.4 845.6 839.2 829.2 820.0 812.9 779.5 763. 7
561. 0 554. 0 576.3 711.8 621.4 608.4 586.1 542.1 551.9 594.7 594.8 593. 2 585. 7 584.0 575.4
3,346. 7 3, 353. 6 3,376.1 3, 507.5 3,467.5 3, 463.2 3, 470. 4 3, 459. 9 3,470.3 3,444.3 3,406. 4 3, 392. 7 3,369.9 3,359.1 3, 282.4
F in a n c e , in s u r a n c e , a n d real e s t a t e 1_______
B a n k s an d tr u st c o m p a n ie s 4_____________
S e c u r ity d ea le rs an d e x c h a n g e s ___________
I n su r a n c e carriers an d a g e n t s .........................
O th e r fin a n c e a g e n c ie s a n d real e s t a t e ___
2,071
2,060
521.2
62.3
771.1
704.9
2,052
516.1
62. 0
767.1
706.4
2,064
515.8
62.3
768.9
716.8
2,056
513. 7
62. 6
763.9
716.1
2,055
512. 0
62 8
761.5
718 9
2,054
511.8
63. 2
755.8
723.3
2,076
518. 9
64. 5
760. 6
731. 5
2,075
519.3
65 2
757.5
732 9
2,046
506.8
64. 9
744.6
729.5
2,025
499.1
65 2
737.2
723.1
2,014
499.0
65 0
735.5
714. 4
1,993
496. 7
64 9
732.3
699.1
1,957 1,861
480.0 431.0
64. 5 63 7
707.2 671.4
704. 8 694.7
S e r v ic e a n d m is c e lla n e o u s .....................................
H o te ls an d lo d g in g p la c e s ..................................
P e r so n a l services:
L a u n d r ie s ........................ ........ ..............................
C le a n in g a n d d y e in g p la n t s .........................
M o tio n p ic tu r e s ......................................................
5,251
5,225
445.5
5,224
438.1
5,272
439.6
5,303
441.2
5,336
451.0
5,393
485.7
5,409
538.1
5,413
537.8
5,397
495.9
5,357
469.9
5,307
463.8
5,225
456.0
5,280
476.9
5,207
476.5
339.6
178.8
225.9
341. 8
179.7
226.4
343.7
182.2
225.1
345.1
184.6
228.2
346.3
184.5
230.4
346.3
180.2
234.0
350.5
176.1
234.3
354.7
180.4
233.8
354.1
186.8
233.8
348.6
184.2
232.1
343.5
180.7
234.4
340.4
175.0
232.0
342.7
172.7
236.2
342.7
166.8
244.4
G o v e r n m e n t 4............................... ................................
F e d e r a l4____ ____________________ _____ ____
S ta te a n d loc a l •.....................................................
6,749 6,725 6,746 6,999 6,740 6,749 6,663 6,449 6,478 6,638 6,669 6,653 6,666 6,633 6,373
2, 156 2,164 2,173 2, 470 2,191 2,195 2, 220 2, 248 2, 271 2,285 2, 282 2, 3Ó4 2,324 2, 403 2, 261
4, 593 4, 561 4, 573 4,529 4,549 4,554 4,443 4, 201 4,207 4,353 4,387 4,349 4,342 4,230 4,112
1 The Bureau of Labor Statistics series of employment in nonagricultural
establishments are based upon reports submitted by cooperating firms. These
reports cover all full- and part-time employees in private nonagricultural
establishments who worked during, or received pay for, any part of the pay
period ending nearest the 15th of the month. Because of this, persons who
worked in more than 1 establishment during the reporting period will be
counted more than once. In Federal establishments the data generally refer
to persons who worked on, or received pay for, the last day of the month; in
State and local government, to persons who received pay for any part of the
pay period ending on, or immediately prior to, the last day of the month.
Proprietors, self-employed persons, unpaid family workers, and domestic
servants are excluded. These employment series have been adjusted to first
quarter 1951 benchmark levels indicated by data from government social
insurance programs. Revised data in all except the first 4 columns will be
Identified by asterisks the first month they are published.
These data differ in several respects from the nonagricultural employment
data shown in the Monthly Report on the Labor Force (table A-l, civilian
labor force), which are obtained by household interviews. This M RLF
series relates to the calendar week which contains the 8th day of the month.
It includes all persons with a Job whether at work or not, proprietors, selfemployed persons, unpaid family workers, and domestic servants.
1 Durable goods include: ordnance and accessories; lumber and wood
products (except furniture); furniture and fixtures; stone, clay, and glass
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
products; primary metal industries; fabricated metal products (except ord
nance, machinery, and transportation equipment); machinery (except elec
trical); electrical machinery; transportation equipment; instruments and
related products; and miscellaneous manufacturing industries.
1 Nondurable goods include: food and kindred products; tobacco manu
factures; textile-mill products; apparel and other finished textile products;
paper and allied products; printing, publishing, and allied industries; chem
icals and allied products; products of petroleum and coal; rubber products;
and leather and leather products.
4 Beginning with January 1952, the data for Federal employment are not
strictly comparable with those for prior years, primarily as a result of changes
in definition. The following changes were made starting with that moDth:
(1) data refer to the last day of the month rather than the first of the month;
(2) employment of the Federal Reserve Banks and of the mixed-ownership
banks of the Farm Credit Administration were transferred from the Federal
total to the “ Banks and Trust Companies” group of the "Finance, Insur
ance, and Real Estate” Division; (3) fourth-class postmasters, formerly ex
cluded as nominal employees, are now included in the Federal total.
• State and local government data exclude, as nominal employees, paid
volunteer firemen and elected officials of small local units.
■[Computation of these data has been discontinued.
See N ote on p. 570.
583
A : EM PLOY M ENT AND PA YROLLS
Table A-3 : Production workers in mining and manufacturing industries1
[I n th o u sa n d s]
Annual
average
1953
1954
Industry group and industry
Mar.
Feb.
Jan.
Dec.
Nov.
Oct.
Sept.
Aug.
July
June
May
Apr.
Mar.
1952
1951
Mining:
Metal
_____________________
Iron
_________________________
Copper
_____________________
Load and zinc* ___________________
84.0
31.8
24.3
13.2
84.9
33.0
24.3
13.0
86.2
34.5
24.4
12.5
85.9
34.6
24.1
12.5
85.8
34.8
23.8
12.7
86.0
35.3
23.7
12.8
86.0
35.5
23.6
13.2
86.7
35.5
23.7
13.5
87.4
35. 4
23.8
14.4
86.6
34.9
23.4
14.8
86.2
34.0
23. 5
15.3
86.7
33. 5
23.6
15. 8
83.8
29.1
22. 3
18.1
88.4
33.8
22. 4
17.8
Anthracite ________________________
Ritu mi nous-coal __________________
41.3
245.3
42.8
254.1
45.0
259.8
45.1
264.4
45.0
261.6
46.5
269.5
46.5
269.0
45.4
2"«. 0
50.3
277.1
51.6
277.9
47.8
286.7
53.5
295.8
59.5
309.9
65.0
348.0
Crude-petroleum and natural-gas produc
tion:
Petroleum and natural-gas production
(except contract services)--------------
125.6
125.
126.1
126.4
127.9
131.0
134.1
133.7
131.9
127.2
127.7
126.5
127.9
124.8
85.0
88.6
89.2
82.2
Nonnietalh’c mining and q u a rry in g ____
M anufacturing______________________
Durable goods > _ _____________
Nondurable goods 8______________
Ordnance and accessories_____________
991.5
Tobacco m anufactures.............................
Cigarettes
_____________________
Cigars __________________________
Tobacco and snuff _ ______________
Tobacco stemming and redrying........ .
86.3
Apparel and other finished textile prodMp.n’s and boys* suits and coats_____
M en’s and boys’ furnishings and work
clothing
__________________
Women’s outerwear____________ __
Women's children*s undergarments
Millinery ______________________
Children's outerwear. ________ ____
Fur goods _______________
Miscellaneous apparel and accessories..
Other fabricated textile products_____
Lumber and wood products (except furniture)_________________________
Logging camps and contractors.......... .
Sawmills and planing mills________ .
Millwork, plywood, and prefabricated
structural wood products__________
Wooden containers _ ___________
Miscellaneous wood products________
Furniture and fixtures ______________
Household fu rn itu re ________ -- -Office, public-building, and professional furniture .. . . __________ ___
Partitions, shelving, lockers, and fixtil res
__ . _________
Screens, blinds, and miscellaneous fur
niture and fixtures....................... ......
S ee fo o tn o te s a t e n d of ta b le .
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
87.1
89.1
90.5
91.9
92.0
91.2
90.8
89.0
88.2
12,541 12,683 12,793 13,107 13,317 13,627 13,832 13,851 13,666 13,787 13,699 13,758 13,831 13,044 13,135
7, 238 7,375 7,477 7,651 7, 767 7,941 8, 016 8,054 8. 056 8,190 8,179 8, 215 8, 211 7, 481 7, 459
5,303 5,308 5,316 5,456 5, 550 5, 686 5,816 5,797 5, 610 5, 597 5,520 5, 543 5, 620 5, 564 5,676
61. i
121.2 132.1 144.1 149.8 153.0 157.5 158.6 158.6 162.1 158.3 155.9 150.2 146.5 125.7
Food and kindred products.......................
Meat products____________________
Dairy product*5 ___________________
Canning and preserving. _________
Grain-mill products ______________
Rakery pro d u cts__________________
Sugar
______________ ______
Confectionery and related products___
_____________________
Beverages
Miscellaneous food products_________
Textile-mill products___________ _____
Semiring and combing plants_______
Yarn and thread mills______________
Broad-woven fabric mills___________
Narrow fabrics and smallwares___.........
Knitting m ills._ ___ - __________
Dyeing and finishing textiles..... ...........
Carpets, mgs, other floor coverings__
TTat.s (except, cloth and millinerv)____
Miscellaneous textile goo ds_________
82.3
991.9 1,010. 5 1,067.5 1,131.3 1,201.9 1, 296. 6 1, 264.1 1,184.0 1,096.6 1,050. 6 1,026.5 1,024 8 1,127.1 1,142. 4
242.9
234.6 242.6 253.0 258.2 249.1 241.7 240.1 239.5 237.0 233.2 232.7 237.7 215.6
87.3
79 7 85.1
87.1
83.1
93.5
94.2
92.5
87.6
77.2
82.1
79.0
70.3
77.0
113.2 120.3 136.0 168.3 232.1 342.1 316.2 243.7 165.4 145.9 133.9 122.7 188.8 201.6
94.0
91.6
89.3
89.3
87.7
93.9
93.4
93.3
93.7
89.1
89.6
92.7
89.7
89.7
173.7 174.0 177.4 181.2 183.0 182.5 182.3 183.9 184.0 181.0 178.5 179.7 181. 9 181.4
29.3
28.0
22.2
22.7
23.2
22 3
24.7
24.8
27.5
44.1
37.9
45.7
22.5
24.7
71. 6 73 0
62.0
65. 5 70.2
68.9
61.3
64.0
75.3
78.8
75.6
78.4
66.8
69.0
117.7 119.7 124.5 130.3 135.1 140.2 143.0 139.2 131.8 131.7 127.2 125. 4 132.2 133.8
99. 8 101. 6
97.4
98.2
95.6
96.8 100.6 104.9 106.0 103.0 104.1 103.8
94.2
96.7
97.9
95.7
87.3
85.0
85.2
85.3
85.0
107.0
114.0
106.2
111.0
99.0
103.0
92.3
27.5
26.3
28.2
28.5
28.5
28.5
27.7
28.5
28.7
28.6
28.8
28.9
28.9
28.8
39.6
38.7
39.1
39.8
39.2
39.3
38.1
39.0
39.6
39.9
40.4
40.9
38.5
39.6
7.9
8.1
7.7
7.6
7.6
7.2
7.6
7.4
7.5
7.6
7.6
7.4
7.7
7.5
22.9
22.6
11.6
10.0
12.3
9.7
32.1
9.6
38.2
34.4
24.2
29.9
25.5
16.4
8 1,175.8
999.8 1,003.1 1.003.6 1,035.9 1,054.0 1,076.0 1,097.1 1,102.0 1,093.8 1,121.6 1,116.7 1,119.2 1,134.3 1,105.
5.9
6.3
6.4
6.1
6.0
6.2
6.5
6.6
6.4
5.8
5.3
5.1
4.7
4.6
154. 2
143.6
144.4
146.0
142.
7
140.2
142.9
143.0
140.0
134.
5
129.2
131.2
123.8
121.0
545.8
498.
7
445.7 447.7 458.8 467.0 475.2 484.0 486.0 490.2 497.1 494.4 493.8 498.8
31. 4 29. 5 31.2
31.1
30.2
31.0
30.8
30.5
31.0
30.8
28.6
29.5
30.1
28.4
—
206.6 202.5 211.4 217.4 223.9 228.9 230.6 226.3 232.3 232.2 232.9 235.4 223.2 223.8
83. 4 83.8
85.8
84.7
82.9
82.9
82.7
81.0
81.9
82.8
81.1
81.3
79.2
78.7
46.2
51.0
50.1
47.9
49.7
47.7
45.3
43.9
46.6
44.9
45.7
44.5
43.5
43.6
15, 3
15.8
17.4
16.9
15.5
16. C 16.3
15.7
15.2
15.7
15.1
15.0
15.7
15.5
60.0
63.8
63.4
63.2
62.5
63.3
59.1
61.7
62.2
62.5
60.4
61.5
59.1
58.9
1,065.9
1, 079. 4 1,070. 2 1,049. 5 1,070. 7 1,071.4 1,089.6 1,086. 7 1,108. 5 1, 053. 2 1,072.2 1,060.8 1,086. 0 1,138. 5 1,066.9
124.0 122.9 124.3 125.2 127.9 129.1 128.8 117.8 126.9 124.9 123.9 125.8 119.3 128.8
269.6 265.6 272.6 281.9 287.7 289.5 291.0 276.8 287.6 288.2 289.4 288.6 265.1 263.4
347.3 337.3 335.0 316.3 316.8 315.6 334.7 314.0 308.8 297.9 317.8 355.5 331. 2 326.4
96.3
95.5
94.1
99.0 101.2 101. 5 95. 0 91.1
96.3
98.6
93.2
97.4
91.0
93.3
19.9
20.6
24.5
19.2
15.1
15.5
20.3
18.1
19.2
19.7
18.2
16.2
20.8
22.9
59.1
56.1
61.4
57.9
61.8
59.1
61.
C
59.
1
58.6
58.4
58.6
58.5
56.7
60.8
9. 4
10.7
6. 5
9.6
5.1
8.2
9.4
7.5
7.4
7.2
7.9
8.3
6.0
5.7
57.8
61.0
57.3
58.0
58.0
58.6
55.8
57.3
58.7
58.
t
56.9
50.2
54.6
51.0
97.1 106.4 112.5 114.6 112.1 110.4 108.1 108.8 111.4 113.5 116.7 109. 5 108.5
95.0
612.3
285.5
620.6
59.6
370.5
615.7
52.0
372.4
649.5
63.3
388.4
687.8
77.8
407.1
705.3
79.3
418.5
712.6
80.6
423.4
722.3
83.4
428.5
717.8
80.4
425.8
730.9
83.8
431.9
712.5
77.9
422.3
700.5
70.3
416.4
688.0
66.9
407.5
713.3
78. 5
423.8
766.8
95.8
444.4
90.8
51.3
48.4
91.5
51.3
48.5
94.7
52.8
50.3
98.0
53.5
51.4
101.0
54.4
52.1
101.0
54.8
52. i
101.3
55.7
53.4
101.8
56.8
53.0
104.4
57.4
53.4
102.4
57.1
52.8
104.0
56.7
53.1
102.4
56. 8
54. 4
100.8
56. 4
63.9
108.4
61.1
57.1
290.1
207.9
293.2
208.5
301.4
215.8
308.4
223.4
312.3
226.1
315.3
228.1
315.0
228.2
314.5
228.0
317.4
231.5
322.1
236.5
328.5
242.3
332.7
247.0
309.1
225.5
310.6
226.0
30.6
31.0
31.3
31.1
31.6
32.3
32.5
32.0
32.0
32.6
33.1
33.1
33.0
33.8
28.6
28.8
28.8
28.8
28.2
28.1
27.7
26.6
27.0
26.3
25.5
25.71 25.4
24.8
25.0
24. S
23.9
23.8
27.4
24.2
28.8,
28.9
24.9 1 25.4
28.6
25.3
29.3
25.3
584
MONTHLY LABOR R EV IE W , MAY 1954
Table A-3: Production workers in mining and manufacturing industries1—Continued
[In thousands}
1954
Annual
average
1953
Industry group and industry
Mar.
M a n u fa c tu r in g — C o n tin u e d
P a p e r an d a llie d p r o d u c ts ............................... .
P u lp , p a p e r, an d p ap e rb o a rd m ills ____
P a p e r b o a r d c o n ta in e r s a n d b o x e s ........... .
O th e r p ap e r a n d a llie d p r o d u c ts ...............
P r in tin g , p u b lis h in g , a n d a llie d in d u s
t r i e s - . , ................................................................
N e w sp a p e r s ......................................................... .
P e r io d ic a ls ..............................................................
B o o k s ______________ _____________________
C o m m e r c ia l p r in tin g ______________ _____
L ith o g r a p h in g __________________________
G r e e tin g c a r d s .....................................................
B o o k b in d in g a n d r e la te d in d u s tr ie s ___
M isc e lla n e o u s p u b lis h in g a n d p r in tin g
s e r v ic e s ........................... ....................................
C h e m ic a ls a n d a llie d p r o d u c ts .......................
I n d u s tr ia l in o rg a n ic c h e m i c a l s . . ..............
I n d u s tr ia l o rgan ic c h e m ic a ls ___________
D r a g s an d m e d ic in e s ___________________
S o a p , c le a n in g a n d p o lis h in g p rep a ra
t i o n s . . .................................................. ..............
P a in t s , p ig m e n ts , a n d fille r s ........ ..............
G u m a n d w o o d c h e m ie a ls ............................
F e r tiliz e r s ............................................................. ..
V e g e ta b le a n d a n im a l o-ils a n d f a t s _____
M is c e lla n e o u s c h e m ic a ls ............................
Feb.
Jan.
Dec.
442.4
441.1
224.8
115.5
100.8
441.7
224.5
116.6
100.6
446.4
226.6
118.8
101.0
449.7
225. £
123.5
100.3
451. 7
226.4
123.6
101.7
453.5
228.2
121.9
103.4
450.3
226.6
120.2
103.5
442.0
224.8
115. C
102.2
445.6
225.2
117.8
102.6
439.7
222.2
115.6
101.9
439.5
221.8
116.3
101.4
499.8
498.5
143. £
28.6
28.2
158.2
42.7
12.7
34.4
501.5
144.5
28.5
28.0
160.8
42.4
12.4
34.5
512.1
150.0
28.4
27.9
162.9
43.9
14.3
35.2
510.0
148.8
28.5
28.0
159. £
44.7
15.4
35.5
513.1
149.6
28.7
28.5
160.7
44.2
15.6
36.9
509.2 498.6
149.2 146.4
27.7
28.8
27.7
28.6
159. C 155. 9
42.2
43.4
15.0
15.2
36.0
36.5
496.0
145.8
27.7
27.1
157.0
40.9
14.5
35.4
501.6
147.8
27.8
27.5
158.9
41.9
14.3
35.4
498.7 497.9
147. 7 146.3
28.3
28.4
27.2
27.5
157.6 158.3
41.5
41.3
13.2
12.7
35.1
34.9
49.8
50.4
49.5
49.2
48.9
48.5
47.7
47.6
48.0
48.1
48.5
48.4
47.5
47.5
495.5
497.7
59.8
177.3
59.5
499.9
60.6
182. 4
59.3
500. 6
60. 7
185.1
55.8
508.1
60 6
187.4
59.4
512.8
60.8
189.6
58.6
515.1
60.7
193. 3
58.6
510.6
60.9
196.2
57.1
508.3
61.3
195.0
56.7
513.1
60.1
195.0
58.8
516.9
59.8
192.3
58.9
525.8
59.7
190.9
59.4
525. 9
59.4
190.4
59.8
515.5
58.8
185.5
62.5
529.5
59.5
192.0
62.7
30.7
46.1
6.7
29.9
30.5
57.2
30.4
46.3
6.7
24.9
32.0
57.3
30.0
46.7
6.7
23.3
33.4
58.9
30.2
46.7
6.7
22.9
34.3
59.9
30.7
47.0
6.6
24.6
34.4
60.5
30.8
47.6
6.5
25.0
32.6
60.0
30.5
48.3
6.4
23. 5
27.1
60.6
30.4
48.9
6.4
22.6
25.5
61.5
31.1
48.4
6.3
25.2
26.3
61.9
31.5
47.9
6. 5
30.8
27.3
61.9
32.1
47.9
6.7
37.9
29.2
62.0
32.1
47.5
6.7
36.6
31.8
61.6
31.6
46.6
6.9
28.3
32.7
62.5
33 4
47. 5
73
28 7
36 2
62.1
178.3
138.9
181.1
140.6
184.3
142.0
185.8
142.5
188.3
144.0
190.9
146.0
190.4
145.4
189.7
144.5
187.6
143.1
187.6
144.1
186.4
143.6
182.6
140.5
188 2
143.3
_________
—
Nov.
Oct.
Sept.
Aug.
July
June
May
Apr.
1952
1951
439.3
222.6
116.2
100.5
422.5
219. 4
107.4
95.8
434.3
223.4
111.7
99.2
499.2
146.1
29.1
27.8
158.7
41.4
13.1
34.6
494.2
144.4
28.7
27.1
158.1
40.9
13.8
33.9
493. 9
142 9
28 6
27.3
158.5
41.7
14.1
33.4
Mar.
P r o d u o ts o f p e tr o le u m a n d c o a l__________
P e tr o le u m r e fin in g ............................................
C o k e a n d o th e r p e tr o le u m a n d c o a l
p r o d u c t s ......................................................... ..
177.4
178.1
138.9
39.2
39.4
40.5
42.3
43.3
44.3
44.9
45.0
45.2
44.5
43.5
42.8
42.0
44.9
R u b b e r p r o d u c ts ....................................................
T ir e s an d in n e r t u b e s ___________________
R u b b e r f o o t w e a r ..._____________________
O th e r ru b b e r p r o d u c ts __________________
194.2
197.3
82.8
20.4
94.1
199.3
82.6
21.5
95.2
202.3
82.9
22.9
96.5
203.8
83.7
23.7
96.4
209.2
86.6
24.0
98.6
214.2
89.6
24.1
100.5
214.4
89.6
23.6
101.2
213.2
90.1
22.5
100.6
220.3
92.4
23.5
104.4
220.2
92.7
23.3
104.2
220.5
92.2
23.8
104.5
220.5
91.6
24.2
104.7
208.2
90.8
22.9
94.6
212.0
87.4
23.9
100.7
336.3
337.6
39.8
3.7
16.1
226.3
12.9
27.0
11.8
332.2
39.7
3.9
15.8
223.5
12.7
25.5
11.1
332.9
39.7
4.0
15.6
220.3
14.5
25.8
13.0
334.2
40.1
4.1
14.8
216.0
16.3
27.7
15.2
335.0
41.3
4.2
14.4
213.8
16.8
27.7
16.8
341.3
41.9
4.1
14.4
220.9
16.3
26.6
17.1
350.5
42.3
4.3
15.6
228.1
16.3
26.6
17.3
344.0
42.0
4.3
15.8
224.4
16.0
25.1
16.4
350.9
42.9
4.5
16.1
230.5
16.8
23.6
16.5
343.5 354.5
42.2
42.2
4.9
4.7
15.0
16.2
225. 7 231.7
16.8
16.8
23.0
26.6
16.1
16.1
363.3
42.8
4.8
16.9
237.7
16.0
29.1
16.0
343.1
41.8
4.3
15.6
223.2
15.5
25.8
16.8
338 7
43.3
48
15 0
218 4
13 8
26 0
17.5
425.5
425.2
30.0
82.8
12.9
33.3
63.3
46.1
426.3
31.1
82.2
13.1
33.8
64.6
44.2
445.5
31.9
87.6
13.6
34.4
67.9
46.3
456.4
31.8
90.6
13.7
34.9
69.5
47.4
462.7
31.7
91.1
14.3
34.7
70.4
48.7
465.3
31.9
90.6
14.3
35.2
70.5
48.2
463.4
31.5
89.3
14.5
35.3
71.1
47.1
456.2
31.1
86.6
14.2
35.2
71.8
42.5
465.4
31.0
91.6
14.7
34.4
72.1
48.3
460.6
31.2
90.5
14.8
34.5
69.8
48.9
459.2
31.5
89.9
15.3
34.1
68.6
50.8
448.4
28.9
83.1
13.9
33.8
72.7
51.1
475.1
29 7
85 3
14 5
34 7
77.5
56.9
_________
—
L e a th e r a n d le a th e r p r o d u c ts _____ _______
L ea th er : ta n n e d , cu rried , a n d f in is h e d .
I n d u s tr ia l le a th e r b e ltin g a n d p a c k in g ..
B o o t an d sh o e c u t s to c k a n d f in d in g s ...
F o o tw e a r (e x c e p t r u b b e r )..............................
L u g g a g e ............ .................... ..............................
H a n d b a g s an d sm a ll le a th e r g o o d s ..........
G lo v e s a n d m is c e lla n e o u s le a th e r g o o d s.
S to n e , c la y , a n d gla ss p r o d u c ts ......................
F la t g la s s ____________ ___________ _______
G la ss an d g la ssw a r e, p ressed or b lo w n .
G la ss p r o d u c ts m a d e o f p u r c h a se d g la s s .
C e m e n t, h y d r a u lic ............................................
S tr u c tu r a l c la y p r o d u c ts _______ ________
P o t t e r y a n d re la ted p r o d u c ts __________
C o n c r e te , g y p s u m , a n d p la s te r p ro d
u c t s ____ ______ _______________________ _
C u t-s to n e a n d s to n e p r o d u c ts __________
M isc e lla n e o u s n o n m e ta llic p r o d u c ts ___
P r im a r y m e ta l in d u s t r i e s ...................... ...........
B la s t fu rn a ces, ste e lw o r k s, a n d ro llin g
m il ls ................. ..................... ............................
Iron an d steel fo u n d r ie s ________________
P r im a r y s m e ltin g a n d re fin in g o f n o n ferrous m e t a l s . ................ ........ ................. ..
S e c o n d a r y s m e ltin g a n d r e fin in g o f n o n ferrous m e ta ls _________________________
R o llin g , d r a w in g , a n d a llo y in g o f n o n ferrous m e ta ls ...............................................
N o n fe rro u s fo u n d r ie s____ _______________
M isc e lla n e o u s p rim a r y m e ta l in d u s
t r ie s ..................................................................... .
F a b r ic a te d m e ta l p r o d u c ts (e x c e p t ord
n ance,
m a c h in e r y ,
and
tra n s
p o r ta tio n e q u ip m e n t ) ............... .................
T in c a n s a n d o th e r t in w a r e ........ .................
C u tle r y , h a n d to o ls, an d h a r d w a r e _____
H e a tin g a p p a r a tu s (e x c e p t ele c tr ic ) a n d
p lu m b e r s ’ s u p p lie s .............................. ........
F a b r ic a te d str u c tu r a l m e ta l p r o d u c ts.
M e ta l s t a m p in g , c o a tin g , a n d en g ra v -
Lighting fixtures.......... ..........................
Fabricated wire products____ ______
Miscellaneous fabricated metal prod
ucts........................................................
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
_________
462.3
31.5
90.7
15.5
34.2
69.1
50.1
77.4
77.4
82.1
85.5
87.5
87.4
89.2
89.8
89.5
86.1
85.4
83.0
82.3
84 7
16.2
16.0
16.6
16.6
16.7
16.2
16.3
16.8
16.6
15.6
16.2
16.2
15.3
16 6
63.2
63.9
65.1
66.4
67.6
69.1
69.6
68.6
68.2
69.2 69.6
69.8
67.3
.......
75.1
990.7 1,013. 7 1,035.1 1,061.1 1,075. 7 1,099.4 1,117.1 1,127.9 1,133. 7 1,143.1 1,137.9 1,143.5 1,144.8 1,039.7 1,132.1
512.2 522.2 534.0 542.2 554.9 560.8 572.4 570.5 567.2 561.8 562.4 663.6 486. 5 560.2
188.2 190.6 194.4 195.8 201.9 208.0 207.8 213.6 219.5 221.1 224.1 224.2 223.4 237.1
41.7
41.5
42.2
41.6
43.0
43.4
43.6
43.7
43.1
44.0
42.4
42.2
42.0
42.3
8.3
8.6
9.0
9.0
9.3
9.2
9.3
9.3
9.5
9.6
9.6
9.5
9.2
10.2
846.9
—
88.9
66.9
92.8
69.1
95.6
72.5
96.8
74.3
98.9
75.0
98.7
77.1
98.8
77.5
97.9
79.4
100.5
80.6
100.8
79.5
100.4
82.0
99.4
82.9
90.1
74.9
90 8
72.8
107.5
110.3
114.0
115.4
116.4
119.3
118.5
119.3
122.4
122.0
122.6
123.0
113.7
118.9
865.7
46.5
125.5
877.2
47.3
123.6
878.5
27.0
124.8
907.3
49.0
122.9
928.6
52.2
124.7
943.6
55.9
127.5
946.2
57.0
131.7
937.6
54.0
130.9
956.3
52.7
136.4
951.7
50.9
137.4
952.3
50.3
136.5
952.3
50.1
137.4
850.1
49.7
123.2
874.3
50.8
136.7
103. 5
207.1
104.3
208.7
110.0
214.5
115.0
217.1
120.5
218.8
120.9
220.8
121.5
218.4
120.2
214.2
123.3
216.1
123.3
211.5
124.6
210.0
123.7
210.7
113.8
196.0
116.3
188.1
186.4
37.2
51.9
191.4
38.0
54.4
193.4
39.0
58.2
191.5
39.1
59.4
196.7
39.6
58.9
198.4
40.5
59.9
197.6
41.3
59.7
199.4
40.6
60.0
204.8
41.1
60.9
204.8
41.3
61.6
204.9
41.9
62.5
204.9
41.9
62.1
164.2
36.9
53.3
172 5
39 8
65.8
107.6
109.5
111.6
113.3
117.2
119.7
119.0
118.3
121.0
120.9
121.6
121.5
113.1
114.3
A : EM PLOY M ENT AND PA YROLLS
585
Table A-3: Production workers in mining and manufacturing industries 1—Continued
[In thousands]
1954
Annual
average
1953
Industry group and industry
Mar.
M a n u fa c tu r in g — C o n tin u e d
M a c h in e r y (e x c e p t e le c tr ic a l).........................
E n g in e s and tu r b in e s .................................. ..
A g r ic u ltu r a l m a c h in e r y a n d t r a c t o r s - ..
C o n s tr u c tio n an d m in in g m a c h in e r y —
M e ta lw o r k in g m a c h in e r y .............................
S p e c ia l-in d u s tr y m a c h in e r y (ex ce p t
m e ta lw o r k in g m a c h in e r y ) .......................
G en eral in d u str ia l m a c h in e r y __________
O ffice a n d sto re m a c h in e s a n d d e v ic e s ..
S e r v ic e -in d u str y a n d h o u s e h o ld m a
c h in e s ....................................................................
M is c e lla n e o u s m a c h in e r y p a r ts________
E le c tr ic a l m a c h i n e r y .........................................
E le c tr ic a l g e n e r a tin g , tr a n sm issio n ,
d is tr ib u tio n , a n d in d u str ia l a p p a r a
t u s ...........................................................................
E le c tr ic a l a p p lia n c e s ____________________
I n s u la te d w ire a n d c a b le ................................
E le c tr ic a l e q u ip m e n t for v e h ic le s ______
E le c tr ic la m p s __________________________
C o m m u n ic a tio n e q u ip m e n t ........................
M isc e lla n e o u s e lectrica l p r o d u c t s ............
T r a n s p o r ta tio n e q u ip m e n t ................................
A u to m o b ile s ..........................................................
A ircraft a n d p a r ts______________________
A ir c r a ft____ ____________ ______________
A ircraft e n g in es a n d p a r ts ____________
A ircraft p rop ellers an d p a r ts .............. ..
O th e r aircraft p arts an d e q u ip m e n t . .
S h ip - a n d b o a tb u ild in g a n d r e p a ir in g ..
S h ip b u ild in g an d r e p a ir in g __________
B o a tb u ild in g a n d re p a ir in g .....................
R a ilr o a d e q u ip m e n t .........................................
O th e r tr a n sp o r ta tio n e q u ip m e n t ..............
I n s tr u m e n ts a n d r e la ted p r o d u c t s ...............
L a b o ra to ry , sc ie n tific , an d en g in ee rin g
in s tr u m e n ts ....................................................
M e c h a n ic a l m ea su rin g a n d co n tr o llin g
in s tr u m e n ts .......................................................
O p tic a l in s tr u m e n ts a n d le n s e s ................
S u r g ica l, m e d ic a l, a n d d e n ta l in s tr u
m e n t s ..................................................................
O p h th a lm ic g o o d s ______ ________________
P h o to g r a p h ic a p p a r a tu s ................................
W a tc h e s a n d c lo c k s ...........................................
M isc e lla n e o u s m a n u fa c tu r in g in d u s tr ie s ..
J e w e lr y , s ilv e r w a r e , an d p la te d w a re—
M u s ic a l in s tr u m e n ts a n d p a r ts..................
T o y s a n d sp o r tin g g o o d s ................................
P e n s , p e n c ils, an d o th e r office s u p p lie s
C o stu m e Jew elry, b u tto n s , n o tio n s ____
F a b r ic a te d p la stic p r o d u c t s ........................
O th er m a n u fa c tu r in g in d u str ie s _______
Feb.
Jan.
Dec.
Oct.
Sept.
Aug.
July
June
M ay
Apr.
Mar.
1952
1951
1,173. 6 1,187. 5 1,193.3 1,202.4 1,204. 5 1, 218.9 1,228.4 1, 235.0 1, 264.2 1,300.0 1, 306.6 1,320. 5 1, 334. 6 1, 262. 5 1,245 1
60.7
61.6
64.2
66.2
65.7
66.4
65.2
70.2
70.9
70.5
68.8
71.7
65.9
60 8
109.7 104.5 102.4 101.0 109.4 119.7 127.6 135.4 140.5 143.0 146.5 151.6 140.9 154 6
88.5
88.8
89.1
91.4
89.8
94.0
96.1
97.4
99.9
97.8
98.0 100.9 100.3
90 6
214.3 218.2 219.6 221.6 223.1 224.3 221.1 221.6 227.1 227.3 227.6 228.1 224.4 20» 6
802.2
_________
__________
131.6
156.9
88.3
132.1
160.1
88.9
134.3
163.2
90.2
134.0
164.0
90.1
134.1
164.7
91.0
134.0
163.0
89.9
135.2
163.8
88.9
136.6
165.7
89.9
140.6
167.2
90.7
140.0
166.0
91.5
141.1
166. 5
91.7
142.1
167.0
91.5
142.6
164.3
90.0
150.1
163.2
88.8
152.3
185.2
150.3
188.8
149.0
190.4
147.8
190.5
148.2
190.8
146.2
190.9
148.1
189.0
155.7
193.1
166.4
197.4
172.4
198.1
177.9
200.3
180.1
201.6
144.3
189.9
142.6
184.7
815.9
828.7
855.9
884.9
904.8
912.9
905.0
891.5
910.6
919.1
926.0
924.7
806.9
768.6
263.4
54.7
24.1
68.1
24.2
347.4
34.0
268.4
56.2
24.9
68.4
24.6
352.6
33.6
273.6
58.2
26.3
68.9
24.9
368.4
35.6
273.5
59.3
26.8
69.1
25.0
393.5
37.7
278.1 280.8
59 1 59.3
27.9
28.3
69.0
71.2
24.8
24.5
407.3 410.3
38.6
38.5
280.9
58.2
28.7
70.6
24.1
404.6
37.9
283.4 287.5
69.2
58.6
28.4
29.5
75.3
72.3
24. 1 24.0
387.8 398.8
36.3
36.9
287.8
59.0
29.5
75.8
23.8
407.3
35.9
287.3
58.4
29.6
76.1
23.6
414.8
36.2
285.1
57.9
29.6
75.5
23.1
418.3
35.2
264.3
45.7
26.2
63.5
21.7
349.5
36.1
261.8
47.7
24.0
64.3
27.1
307.1
36.8
1,374. 7 1, 400.0 1, 441.1 1,460.1 1,423.1 1.479.1 1,492. 7 1,521.4 1, 533. 4 1,548.3 1, 556.1 1, 575. 9 1, 573.6 1, 320. 6 1, 219.8
666.2 695.6 726.2 703.2 732.3 737.7 775.1 796.0 803.4 816.1 830.7 820.6 647.1 707.9
551. 7 559.5 545.2 527.6 551.0 555.4 545.3 537 0 534.8 632.3 532.8 542.3 469. 5 341. 9
330.7 337.3 321.9 307.8 330.5 334.6 328 1 322.3 321.8 324.8 327.2 330.2 302.8 232.3
118.1 118.2 120.1 119.7 122.5 121.5 119.6 118.9 118.3 114.5 112.6 119.1
95.9
63.7
11.8
12.0
12.2
12.1
12.1
12.2
11.8
12.1
12.0
12.1
12.2
12.3
7.6
10.0
91.1
92.0
85.9
91.0
88.0
87. 1 85.8
82.6
83.8
80.9
80.8
80.7
38.3
60.8
122.7 123.8 124.5 126.6 126.6 130. 1 130.4 133.6 135.5 134.8 139.0 136.8 133.2 100.9
_________
100.8 102.4 104.2 105.5 105.7 109.0 108.4 110.4 111.6 110.7 115.1 114.0 115.4
88.2
21.4
21.9
20.3
21.1
20.9
21.1
22.0
23.9
23.2
24.1
23.9
22.8
12.8
17.8
52.0
54.7
55.5
54.7
57.3
58.6
62.9
55.1
57.6
61.4
62.1
62.7
68 5
59.8
7.4
7.5
11.9
8.7
11.0
11.9
11.7
12.0
11.7
11.5
11.3
11.2
10.9
10.6
220.6 231.2 235.7 239.9 242.1 240.8 241.4 239.3 241.2 245.1 243.6 244.3 244.4 227.6 216.7
_________
—
385.2
32.4
33.0
33.4
33.8
33.7
33.5
31.1
33.5
33.8
33.6
34.1
34.3
32.0
25.8
55.8
9.3
55.9
9.3
57.4
9.1
57.8
9.5
56.8
9.5
56.8
9.7
57.6
9.6
57.7
9.6
59.6
9.7
59.3
9.7
59.2
9.7
59.6
9.7
53.1
9.9
62 5
10 0
26.3
22.7
48.4
36.3
27.2
22.9
49.3
38.1
27.8
23.2
49.6
39.4
28.2
22.8
49.6
40.4
28.4
22.2
49.5
40.7
28.9
22.6
49.4
40.5
29.1
22.5
49.9
39.5
29.1
22.3
49.7
39.3
29.5
22.8
48.8
40.9
29.4
23.1
48.1
40.4
29.4
23.4
48.0
40.5
29.4
23.6
47.9
39.9
28.6
22.7
46.4
35.0
29.2
23 7
43 6
31.9
393.2
47.2
15.2
59.9
24.7
57.5
58.4
130.3
386.5
46.7
15.4
57.4
24.4
54.6
60.0
128.0
406.4
47.9
15.6
64.5
25.2
56.3
61.5
135.4
423.6
49.1
15.6
74.5
25.7
59.2
63.4
136.1
431.6
48.5
15.7
80.8
25.3
60.4
64.4
136.5
428.0
47.1
15.9
80.2
25.0
59.9
64.5
135.4
419.8
45.2
15.7
78.8
24.4
60.4
63.8
131.5
403.3
42.8
15.3
74.9
23.9
57.1
61.8
127.5
414.9
44.7
15.6
75.7
24.4
57.2
63.0
134.3
412.5
44.1
15.6
75.5
24.3
55.5
63.1
134.4
411.2
44.4
15.7
73.0
24.2
56.3
63.1
134. 5
409.9
44.6
15.9
69.8
23.9
58.3
62.4
135.0
376.7
41.1
13.8
64.8
24.0
51.6
55.8
125.6
388 3
44 7
14 1
64 5
24 8
53.7
57.0
129.5
* See footnote 1, table A-2. Production and related workers include
working foremen and all nonsupervisory workers (including leadmen and
trainees) engaged in fabricating, processing, assembling, Inspection, receiving,
storage, handling, packing, warehousing, shipping, maintenance, janitorial,
watchman services, products development, auxiliary production for plant’s
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Nov.
own use (e. g., powerplant), and record-keeping and other services closely
associated with the above production operations.
>See footnote 2, table A-2.
1 See footnote 3, table A-2.
See N ote on p. 576.
MONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W , MAY 1954
586
T able A-4 : Indexes of production-worker employment and weekly payrolls in manufacturing industries 1
[1947-49-100]
E m p lo y
m ent
P e r io d
1939;
1940:
1941:
1942:
1943:
1944:
1945:
1946:
1947:
1948:
A v e r a g e .................................
A v e r a g e .................................
A v e r a g e ........ ........................
A v e r a g e .......... ......................
A v e r a g e ................................
A v e r a g e .................................
A v e r a g e .................................
A v e r a g e ________________
A v e r a g e .......... .....................
A v e r a g e . . . - ...................—
6 6 .2
7 1 .2
8 7 .9
103.9
121.4
118.1
104.0
9 7 .9
103.4
102.8
W e e k ly
p a y r o ll
29 .9
3 4 .0
49 .3
7 2 .2
9 9 .0
102.8
8 7 .8
8 1 .2
9 7 .7
105.1
E m p lo y
m ent
P e r io d
W e e k ly
p a y r o ll
A v e r a g e ...... ..........................
A v e r a g e .................................
A v e r a g e .................................
A v e r a g e .................................
9 3 .8
9 9 .6
106.2
105.5
9 7 .2
111.7
129.6
135.3
1953: M a r c h ....................................
A p r il.......................................
M a y .......................................
J u n e . ......................................
111.8
111.2
110.8
111.5
151.9
150.0
149.9
150.8
1949:
1950:
1951:
1952:
E m p lo y
m ent
P e rio d
W e e k ly
p a y r o ll
1953: J u ly ................................... —
A u g u s t — ......................... ..
S e p te m b e r ......................... ..
O c to b e r ................................N o v e m b e r ............................
D e c e m b e r ______________
110.5
112.0
111.8
110.2
107.7
106.0
148.9
151.6
150.9
149.3
145.6
144.0
1954: J a n u a r y .................................
F e b r u a r y ______________
M a r c h ...................................
103.4
102.5
101.4
138.6
137.3
i See footnote 1, tables A-2 and À-3.
See N ote on p. 576.
T able A -5 : Federal civilian employment by branch and agency group
[In thousands]
Execu tive i
Year and month
All branches
Total
Post Office
Department*
Department
of Defense
Legislative
Judicial
Other agencies
Continental United States *
2,403
2,376.7
1,199.2
521.7
655.8
22.6
3.9
1953: F eb ru ary ________________ ____March . . ___________________
April
__________ ____________
_______________________
May
June
__________ ____
Julv__________________________
August ______________________
September____________________
October ________ ____________
November_____________________
December_______ ______________
2,343
2,324
2.304
2,282
2. 285
2,271
2,248
2,220
2,195
2,191
2,470
2,316.4
2, 297.3
2, 278. 0
2,256.1
2, 258.8
2,244 5
2, 221.6
2, 194.6
2,169. 0
2,165. 7
2,444.2
1,197. 7
1,181.0
1,160. 6
1,140.4
1,138. 1
1,128.2
1,113.0
1, 094. 4
1,076. 5
1, 069.0
1,063.5
486.0
486.0
486.0
486.0
486. 0
488.2
484.6
487.0
487.5
493.9
782.4
632.7
630.3
631.4
629.7
634. 7
628.1
624.0
613.2
605. 0
602.8
598.3
22.5
22. 5
22. 5
22.3
22.3
22.2
22.2
21.9
21.8
21. 7
21.7
3.8
3.8
39
3.9
3. 9
39
3.9
3.8
3.9
3.9
3.9
1954: January.............. ................. .............
February______________________
2,173
2,164
2,147.4
2,138.6
1,058.0
1,048.4
494.0
491.8
595.4
598.4
21.7
21.7
3.9
3.9
1952: Average______________________
Washington, D. O.5
1952: Average_______________________
257.4
235.9
92.8
8.7
134.4
20.8
0.7
20.6
20. 7
20.6
20.4
20 4
20.3
20.3
20. 1
20. 0
19. 9
19.9
.7
.7
.7
7
.7
.7
.7
.7
.7
.8
.8
19.9
19.9
.8
.8
1953: February.___ _________________
March__ ____ ___________ ____
April____ _____________________
M ay. ________________________
June ________________________
Julv_________ _______ - ................
August__________________ _____
September______ _____ ________
October. ____________________
November......... ...............................
December_____________________
251.6
249.4
246 9
242.7
242.2
238.3
235.2
232.7
229.9
229.0
232.5
230.3
228.0
224 6
221.6
221. 1
217.3
214.2
211.9
209.2
208.3
211.8
93.4
92.8
91.6
90.2
90. 1
89.6
88.9
89.6
88.9
f 8. 6
88.2
8.1
8.1
8.1
8.1
8.1
8.0
7.9
7.8
7.9
7.8
12.1
Í28.8
127.1
124 9
123.3
122.9
119.7
117.4
114.5
112. 4
111.9
111.5
1954: January...................... .............. ........
F ebruary................ ........................
227.2
226.4
206.5
205.7
87.8
87.1
7.8
7.8
110.9
110.8
i Includes all executive agencies (except Central Intelligence Agency) and
Government corporations. Civilian employment in navy yards, arsenals,
hospitals, and on force-account construction is also Included.
» Includes the 48 States and the District of Columbia.
* Includes all Federal civilian employment in Washington Standard M et
ropolitan Area (District of Columbia and adjacent Maryland and Virginia
counties).
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
•Post Office Department employment was not available beginning with
February 1953; and the January figure was used through June. Beginning
with July 1953, actual data are reported.
See N ote onp. 576|
A : EM PLO Y M EN T AND PA YROLLS
587
Table A-8: Insured unemployment under State unemployment insurance programs,1 by geographic
division and State
[In th o u sa n d s]
1954
1953
1952
Geographic division and State
Feb.
Jan.
Dec.
Nov.
Continental United States..... ......... . 2,169.3 2, 033. 8 1, 508. 9 1,115.1
New England......................................
M a in e ............ .............................
New Hampshire....... ................ .
Vermont ..... .............................. .
Massachusetts........................... .
Rhode Island..... ................ .........
Connecticut_________________
161.2
14.4
9.4
3.6
78.3
27.2
28.3
153.8
14.9
Middle Atlantic..................................
New Y o rk ............................... .
New Jersey.____ ____________
Pennsylvania_________ ______
575.6
264.5
89.0
East North Central..........................
O h io ............. ........ ................... .
Indiana.......... ...............................
Illinois.......................... ................
Michigan............................ .........
Wisconsin___________________
Oct.
Sept.
Aug.
July
June
May
April
840.0
779.4
816.1
861.1
832.7
889.0
960.6 1,014 5 1,083.6 1,284.1
64.0
4.9
5.5
66.6
61.9
6.3
74.6
9.9
7.6
91.6
3.8
75.7
24.5
24.7
118.7
13.5
9.3
2.7
60.3
17.3
15.6
430.1
209.9
65.8
154.4
331.3
168.9
50.0
112.4
246 2
222.1
563.9
265.1
91.0
207.8
37 2
88.9
251.2
127.2
38.3
85.7
472.3
109.3
65.8
126.9
127.8
42.5
426.1
99.0
60.4
117.8
107.0
41.9
318.1
72.2
40.7
83.3
35.7
233.2
50.2
28.4
60.4
69.4
24.8
179.3
33 7
20 9
52.0
56.0
16.7
West North Central.........................
Minnesota................................. .
Iowa ..................... ........... .........
Missouri____________________
North D akota.______________
South D ak o ta.............................
Nebraska___________________
Kansas____________________
127.8
35.3
17.1
42.0
5.4
3.3
8.9
15.8
119.7
33.5
16.2
40.2
4.2
2.7
7.6
15.3
81.9
19.8
56.0
9.8
39
10.1
6 .2
South Atlantic__________ _______
Delaware ............ .....................
M aryland............................. ........
District of C olum bia......... ........
Virginia ......................... ...........
West Virginia.............. ...............
North Carolina_____ ______ _
South Carolina................... .........
Georgia_____________________
Florida....... ....................... ...........
221.5
4.6
27.5
7.5
22.4
36.3
54.1
213.6
4.0
24.8
6.3
East 8 outh Central............. ..............
Kentucky________ _________
Tennessee_____ _____________
Alabama _____ _____________
Mississippi___ ______________
151.5
45.3
56.3
28.9
West South Central______________
Arkansas____________________
Louisiana___________________
Oklahom a..____ ___________
Texas..... ...................... .............
107.9
M ountain.. __________________
M ontana___________________
Id a h o ________ ___________
Wyoming ________________
C o lo ra d o ..._______________
New Mexico........................
Arizona_____________ ______
Utah ___________________ _
Nevada___ ____________ ____
60.0
8.4
51.6
6.9
1 1.8
1 1.0
2 .2
Pacific________ _________ ______
Washington________________
Oregon ______________ _____
California ______ __________
2 1.1
33.7
14.3
2 1.0
2 2.1
25.0
18.8
42.0
3.7
9.2
6.5
6.5
1 0.2
2 1.6
32.5
54.6
22.4
34.0
13.4
8 6.2
1.5
459
13.6
11.7
28.8
1 1 .0
8.1
1 .2
1.1
34.5
9.3
31.4
10.0
8 .8
8 .6
11.1
8
6 .2
2 1 .6
.2
.2
1.1
6 .2
113.9
2.4
1 2 .6
3.4
10.3
15.4
28.9
12.6
1.1
6 .2
1 .0
1 1
283.8
153.6
45.9
84.3
275.0
156.6
40.2
78.2
289. 1
163 4
45.6
80.2
313.5
164.3
48.6
152.4
25.2
14.7
43.3
52.4
16.8
155.8
23.0
14.6
49.7
53.1
16.4
140.2
23.6
14.8
53.7
30.6
17.5
130.0
29. 4
14 4
54 5
22.7
9.0
124.8
26.6
121.2
57 0
20 9
8.5
24.5
11.5
55.8
19.9
9.6
32.3
5.8
3.7
16.4
31.1
6.7
4.0
14.2
38.1
7.6
4.3
19.0
.3
39.0
42.6
12 3
46
18 2
.9
.4
53.6
19 8
58
17 2
2. 3
.9
.2
.2
1 .0
.2
.2
.9
4.9
5.0
1 .2
8 .2
2 .6
12.3
22 4
10. 3
12. 7
15.2
8.4
12.4
21.3
9.3
11.9
16.4
69. 7
19. 3
10 1 .8
.8
9.7
2.4
10. 7
14.2
20.9
11.0
1 2 .8
.2
1.1
8 .0
4.0
2 0.1
.5
.2
1 .2
1 1.8
1 .8
44
5.0
112.5
.9
10.7
2.5
13 7
16.6
24. 5
12.3
14 3
17.0
105.2
.9
10.3
2.4
14.8
15.3
25.8
103. 5
.9
101.0
1 .0
12.6
60.9
17.0
6 6.2
19 6
21 6
1 2.2
2 .6
11.3
15.3
27 3
10 1
1 0.6
13.8
13.6
9.7
77.4
23.0
28.8
16.5
9.1
21.2
52.5
14.9
19.3
6 .8
1 2.2
6.1
8.2
8 .6
57.5
17.3
18.4
13.9
7.9
94.1
19.8
64.8
13.1
13.9
12.4
25.4
47.2
9.2
9.4
9.3
19.3
38 5
7. 3
7. 8
70
16. 4
37.3
5.7
45.1
7.5
46.2
7.6
44.2
7.2
8 .8
6 .0
1 1 .2
8 2
1 1.8
16.8
18.2
1 2.2
9 1
17.3
9.2
16.0
48.0
8 9
12 9
9. 5
19.7
33.9
3.2
7.9
19.5
1.3
3.8
.4
3.1
12 8
1 1.0
12.7
.7
1.3
12. 7
1 2.8
15
.2
1 .8
.2
1 .8
7.8
5.7
1.1
3.9
8.7
3.3
291.5
63.4
42.3
185.8
271.3
66.1
43.9
161.3
209.9
49.4
36.2
124.3
6 .0
.7
1.5
.2
1. 8
2. 4
3. 4
1. 7
2 .8
3.8
2.7
1 .6
1 1
144.9
34.9
23.8
96.6
86.2
22 2
13 0
61.4
.6
1 .2
.2
1.5
2 .0
3.3
1.5
.7
85.0
16.9
9.6
58.5
Souecb:
58.7
17.0
19.3
14.2
2 1.2
14. 1
1 .0
1. 4
2.3
3.8
1.9
3.5
1 .8
.8
2.1
.8
90.0
15. 6
10 0 .0
10 1
64.3
2 .6
5.0
103.2
30.9
36.9
21.3
14.1
19.3
1 00.6
5.6
139.7
40.3
52.6
26.9
19.9
17.0
35.1
8.1
6 .0
1 6
257. 0
132. 2
39. 1
85.7
1 1.2
6 .8
17.0
11.3
2 2.2
76. 3
7.2
1. 4
39. 4
11.7
8.3
38 0
91.7
12 4
79.6
11.6
32.7
9.3
6.4
1 .6
8 .6
27
5.8
5.8
34.7
9.7
9.5
93.8
8 0
i A v e r a g e o f w e e k ly d a ta a d ju ste d for s p lit w e e k s in th e m o n th . For a
te c h n ic a l d e sc r ip tio n o f th is series, see th e A pril 1950 M o n th ly La nor R e v ie w
(p. 382). F ig u r e s m a y n o t ad d to e x a c t c o lu m n to ta ls b eca u se of r o u n d in g .
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1 .0
4.3
.4
1.9
5.3
7.2
36.8
10.7
120 1
.8
6 6 .1
1 1.8
5.0
4.4
4.6
5.2
2.5
10.0
10.1
8 .8
32.9
2.4
1.4
4.3
148.2
3.0
16.5
4.4
14.3
20.5
36.6
15.9
25.2
73.1
7.4
8.4
14.0
9.6
76.4
1 1.8
1. 4
1.5
.3
1. 6
1. 7
3.2
2.3
.8
107. 1
12.5
8.9
85.7
15. 4
9.6
1
2 .2
2 2
.5
2 0
1. 8
32
2. 4
.8
125 1
17. 5
11.6
96.0
Mar.
3.0
7.5
16 6
28. 2
10.3
13. 5
8.4
69. 3
20. 2
23 0
16.0
10.1
51 0
1 0.8
13. 2
10 2
16.8
21.1
3. 9
40
.7
2 .8
2 2
3.3
3.1
1.1
150. 4
26.0
16.6
107.8
Feb.
Feb.
39 3
12 9
8.4
81. 4
8 9
54
1.9
42.6
13. 4
9.3
113.1
92
70
2 3
61 0
18.6
15.0
301. 4
157.8
43 7
99 9
310. 9
165. 5
45.1
100.3
373. 2
209. 6
54. 7
108.9
122.3
26. 9
12 9
45. 1
24 4
13.0
138.3
30. 6
15.2
60. 9
27.0
14.6
226.1
47.8
23. 8
63.3
73. 7
17.5
68.9
26.1
74.3
26.5
8.9
20. 2
44
76 1
26 7
8 9
24 3
3.7
1Q
5 1
5.5
8 0
18. 6
42
19
47
6. 4
104.1
13
10 6
3 5
9.3
17 6
28. 3
10 8
14. 0
8.7
71 3
2 2
5. 9
7.2
105.6
1 6
12. 1
36
9.4
17 3
27 0
10. 6
14 8
9.2
106 8
17
11 6
30
9.3
15. 7
28 4
12 9
15 3
9.6
7Q 1
16 9
11. 5
75 0
19. 6
26 0
17 1
12.3
58. 2
12 9
15 6
11 9
17.8
61 2
14 5
16 7
12. 8
17.2
63 3
15 5
21 5
29. 1
6 3
6. 1
14
32
2. 7
36
44
1. 4
33.5
6 9
31.9
3. 6
53
1.7
3.2
5. 8
182. 7
34. 4
24. 2
124 1
203. 4
43 6
31 2
128.7
214.0
38. 4
27.6
148.0
20 0
22.P
8 1
17
3 4
2 8
19 7
31. 4
15.1
12.9
11 2
15.1
6 8
73
1 5
27
2 6
2 .0
U . S . D e p a r tm e n t o f L a b o r , B u r e a u of E m p lo y m e n t S e c u r ity ,
M ONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W , MAY 1954
588
B : Labor Turnover
Table B - l: Monthly labor turnover rates (per 100 employees) in manufacturing industries, by
class of turnover 1
C lass o f tu r n o v e r a n d y ea r
T o ta l s e p a ra tio n : t
1954
1863
___________ ______ - .............1962
_________ _________________
1951
..........................................................
I960
.............................................................
1949
..........................................................
1948
...........................................................
1947
.....................................................
1946
........................................................
1939
.............................................................
Jan.
F eb.
M ar.
A pr.
M ay
June
J u ly
A ug.
S e p t.
N ov.
O ct.
D ec.
4 .3
3 .8
4 .0
4 .1
3 .1
4 .6
4 .3
4 .9
6 .8
3 .2
* 3 .6
3 .6
3 .9
3 .8
3 .0
4.1
4 .7
4 .5
6 .3
2 .6
4 .1
3 .7
4.1
2 .9
4 .8
4 .5
4 .9
6 .6
3 .1
4 .3
4.1
4 .6
2 .8
4 .8
4 .7
5 .2
6 .3
3 .5
4 .4
3 .9
4 .8
3 .1
5 .2
4 .3
5 .4
6 .3
3 .5
4 .2
3 .9
4 .3
3 .0
4 .3
4 .5
4 .7
5 .7
3 .3
4 .3
5 .0
4 .4
2 .9
3 .8
4 .4
4 .6
5 .8
3 .3
4 .8
4 .6
5.3
4 .2
4 .0
5.1
5 .3
6 .6
3 .0
5 .2
4 .9
5.1
4 .9
4 .2
5 .4
5 .9
6 .9
2 .8
4 .5
4 .2
4 .7
4 .3
4.1
4 .5
5 .0
6 .3
2 .9
4 .2
3 .5
4 .3
3 .8
4 .0
4. 1
4 .0
4 .9
3 .0
4 .0
3 .5
3 .5
3 .0
3 .2
4 .3
3 .7
4 .5
3 .5
..........................................................
.............................................................
.........................................................
.............................................................
.................................. - ......................
...........................................................
1 .1
2 .1
1 .9
2 .1
1 .1
1 .7
2 .6
3 .5
4 .3
.9
* 1 .0
2 .2
1 .9
2.1
1 .0
1 .4
2. 6
3 .2
3 .9
.6
2 .5
2 .0
2 .5
1 .2
1 .6
2 .8
3 .5
4 .2
.8
2 .7
2 .2
2 .7
1.3
1 .7
3 .0
3 .7
4 .3
.8
2 .7
2 .2
2 .8
1.6
1 .6
2 .8
3 .5
4 .2
.7
2 .6
2 .2
2 .5
1.7
1. 5
2 .9
3 .1
4 .0
.7
2 .5
2 .2
2 .4
1 .8
1. 4
2 .9
3 .1
4 .6
.7
2 .9
3 .0
3 .1
2 .9
1 .8
3 .4
4 .0
5 .3
.8
3 .1
3 .5
3 .1
3 .4
2.1
3 .9
4 .5
5 .3
1.1
2 .1
2 .8
2 .5
2 .7
1. 5
2 .8
3 .6
4 .7
.9
1 .5
2. 1
1 .9
2 .1
1.2
2 .2
2 .7
3 .7
.8
1.1
1.7
1 .4
1 .7
.9
1 .7
2 .3
3 .0
.7
D isc h a r g e
1954
1953
.................... ..................... ...............
1952
......................... ............................ —
1961
________ _________ _________
I960
.............. .........................................
1949
......................... ...................................
1948
.............. .........................................
1947
..........................................................
1946
.............................................................
1939
........................................................
.2
.3
.3
.3
.2
.3
.4
.4
.5
.1
*.2
.4
.3
.3
.2
.3
.4
.4
.5
.1
.4
.3
.3
.2
.3
.4
.4
.4
.1
.4
.3
.4
.2
.2
.4
.4
.4
.1
.4
.3
.4
.3
2
.3
4
.4
.1
.4
.3
.4
.3
.2
.4
.4
.3
.1
.4
.3
.3
.3
.2
.4
.4
.4
.1
.4
.3
.4
.4
.3
.4
.4
.4
.1
.4
.4
.3
.4
.2
.4
.4
.4
.1
.4
.4
.4
.4
.2
.4
.4
.4
.2
.3
.4
.3
.3
.2
.4
.4
.4
.2
.2
.3
.3
.3
.2
.3
.4
.4
.1
2 .8
.9
1 .4
1 .0
1 .7
2 .5
1 .2
.9
1 .8
2 .2
* 2 .3
.8
1 .3
.8
1 .7
2 .3
1 .7
.8
1 .7
1 .9
.8
1 .1
.8
1 .4
2 .8
1 .2
.9
1 .8
2 .2
.9
1 .3
1 .0
1 .2
2 .8
1 .2
1 .0
1 .4
2 .6
1 .0
1.1
1 .2
1.1
3 .3
1.1
1.4
1 .5
2 .7
.9
1 .1
1 .0
.9
2 .5
1.1
1.1
1 .2
2 .5
1.1
2 .2
1 .3
.6
2.1
1 .0
1 .3
1 .0
1 .4
.6
1 .8
1 .2
.8
.7
2.1
1 .5
.7
1 .3
.7
1 .8
1 .0
.9
1 .0
1 .6
1 .8
.7
1 .4
.8
2 .3
1 .2
.9
1 .0
1 .8
2 .3
.7
1 .7
1.1
2 .5
1 .4
.8
.7
2 .0
2 .5
1 .1
1. 5
1 .3
2 .0
2 .2
.9
1 .0
2 .7
.3
.4
.4
.7
».1
.4
.4
.6
.3
.3
.5
.3
.3
.5
.3
.3
.4
.3
.3
.4
.1
.1
.3
.3
.4
.4
.2
.3
.3
.3
.1
.1
.1
.3
.3
.4
.3
.1
.1
.3
.3
.4
.4
.1
.1
.1
.2
.1
.2
.1
.1
.1
.1
4 .0
5 .6
4 .3
5 .7
4.1
5.1
5 .9
7.1
3 .3
5 .2
4 .4
5 .2
3 .7
4. 5
5 .5
6 .8
5 .9
2 .7
4 .0
3 .9
4 .0
3 .3
3 .9
4 .8
5 .7
4.1
Q u it:
1954
1953
1952
1951
I960
1949
i94§
1947
1946
1939*
............................................................
......................................................
L a y o ff:
1953 ................ ................................................
1952
..............................- ............................
1951
......................................................
1950
............................................................
1949 ............- ................................................
1948 ...............................................................
1947 . . . . . .....................................................
1946
........................................ ...................
1939
______________ ___________ M isc e lla n e o u s in c lu d in g m ilita r y :
1954
1953
1952
............- ..............................................
1951
......................... ..............................
1950 ............................................. - ............
1949
1948
1947
1946
......................................... —
.............. ................................
...................................... - ...............
_____________ ______ - ........-
Total accession:
1954
_ _ _____________
1953
.......................................... ..........
1952
...........................................................
1951
.............................................................
1950 .............. ................................................
1949
___________ _____ ______ _____
1948
......................................................
1947
..........................................................
1946
..........- .....................................
1939
............................. ..........................
.1
.1
.1
.1
.1
.1
.1
.1
.1
.1
.1
.1
.1
.1
.2
.2
.2
.1
.1
.2
2 .8
4 .4
4 .4
5 .2
3 .6
3 .2
4 .6
6 .0
8 .5
4.1
* 2 .6
4 .2
3 .9
4 .5
3 .2
2 .9
3 .9
5 .0
« 8
3 .1
4 .4
3 .9
4 .6
3 .6
3 0
4 .0
5.1
7 1
3 .3
4.3
3 .7
4. 5
3 .5
2 .9
4 .0
5.1
6 .7
2 .9
1 Month-to-month changes in total employment in manufacturing indus
tries as indicated by labor turnover rates are not comparable with the changes
shown by the Bureau’s employment and payroll reports, for the following
reasons:
(1) Accessions and separations are computed for the entire calendar month;
the employment and payroll reports, for the most part, refer to a 1-week pay
period ending nearest the 15th of the month.
(2) The turnover sample is not so large as that of the employment and
payroll sample and includes proportionately fewer small plants; certain
industries are not covered. The major industries excluded are: printing,
publishing, and allied industries; canning and preserving fruits, vegetables,
and seafoods; women’s, misses’, and children’s outerwear; and fertilizers.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
i.e
.6
2. 5
.1
.1
.1
.2
.2
.2
.3
.3
.4
.3
.1
.1
.1
.2
4 .1
3 .9
4. 5
4 .4
3 .5
4.1
4 .8
6 .1
5 .1
4 .9
4 .9
4 .8
4 .4
5 .7
5 .5
6. 7
3 .9
4 .1
4 .4
4 .2
4 .7
3 .5
4 .7
4 .9
7.4
4 .2
4 .3
5 .9
4 .5
6 .6
4 .4
6 .0
5 .3
7 .0
5.1
.1
3.3
.3
.3
.4
.2
.1
6.2
.1
.1
.1
.1
.1
2 .1
3 .3
3 .0
3 0
3 .2
2 .7
3 .6
4 .3
2.8
(3)
Plants are not included in the turnover computations in months when
work stoppages are in progress; the influence of such stoppage is reflected,
however, in the employment and payroll figures. Prior to 1943, rates relate
to production workers only.
1 Preliminary.
• Prior to 1940, miscellaneous separations were Included with quits.
tBeginning with data for October 1952, components may not add to total
because of rounding.
N o t e : In fo rm atio n on concepts, m ethodology, etc., is
given in a technical n o te on M easu rem en t of L abor T u rn
over, which appeared in the M ay 1953 M onthly Labor Review.
B : LABO R TURNOVER
589
Table B-2: Monthly labor turnover rates (per 100 employees) in selected groups and industries 1
Separation
Total
Quit
Feb.
1954
Manufadurint
All manufacturing.......................... .............
Durable goods >.....................................
Nondurable goods *...............................
Ordnance and accessories...........................
Food and kindred products........................
Meat products___________________
Grain-mill products..... ........................
Bakery products....................................
Beverages:
Malt liquors...................................
Tobacco manufactures.................................
Cigarettes.............................................
Cigars.....................................................
Tobacco and snuff________________
Textile-mill products..................................
Yarn and thread m ills..........................
Broad-woven fabric mills___________
Cotton, silk, synthetic fiber...........
Woolen and worsted___________
Knitting mills...... ..................................
Full-fashioned h osiery.................
Seamless hosiery......... ................. .
Knit underwear..............................
Dyeing and finishing textiles..............
Carpets, rugs, other floor coverings__
Apparel and other finished textile prod
ucts........................... ................................
Men’s and boys’ suits and coats_____
Men’s and boys’ furnishings and work
clothing...............................................
Lumber and wood products (except fur
niture)--------------------------- ------ --------Logging camps and contractors.........
Sawmills and planing mills. ................
Millwork, plywood, and prefabricated
structural wood products_________
Furniture and fixtures.................................
Household furniture.............................
Other furniture and fixtures________
Paper and allied products_____________
Pulp, paper, and paperboard mills___
Paperboard containers and boxes____
Chemicals and allied products__________
Industrial inorganic chemicals............
Industrial organic chemicals________
Synthetic fibers_______________
Drugs and medicines______________
Paints, pigments, and fillers________
Products of petroleum and coal..................
Petroleum refining................................
Rubber products_____________________
Tires and inner tu b es...___________
Rubber footwear______ _____ ______
Other rubber products_____________
Leather and leather products___________
Leather............................... ....................
Footwear (except rubber)__________
Stone, clay, and glass products..................
Glass and glass products......................
Cement, hydraulic.____ ___________
Structural clay products___________
Pottery and related products_______
Primary metal industries............................
Blast furnaces, steelworks, and rolling
m ills....................................................
Iron and steel foundries____________
Gray-iron foundries____________
Malleable-iron foundries________
Steel foundries...............................
Primary smelting and refining of nonferrous metals:
Primary smelting and refining of
copper, lead, and xinc________
Rolling, drawing, and alloying of nonferrous metals:
Rolling, drawing, and alloying of
copper------- -------- ---------------Nonferrous foundries........ ............. ......
Other primary metal industries:
Iron and steel forgings__________
See footnotes at end of table.
2 9 0 0 S 0 — 54-
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Jan.
1954
Feb.
1954
Jan.
1954
Feb.
1954
Jan.
1954
Feb.
1954
Total accession
Mise., Incl.
military
Layoff
Discharge
Industry group and industry
Jan.
1954
Feb.
1954
Jan.
1954
Feb.
1954
Jan.
1954
3.6
4.0
2.9
4.3
4.7
3.6
1.0
.9
1.1
1.1
1.0
1.3
0.2
.2
.2
0.2
.2
.2
2.3
2.7
1.4
2.8
3.2
2.0
0.1
.2
.1
0.3
.3
.3
2.6
2.6
2.5
2.8
2.8
2.8
8.4
3.4
5.1
2.8
2.4
4.7
4.3
5.5
2.3
3.0
.9
1.0
.9
1.1
1.1
1.1
1.1
.8
1.1
1.6
.3
.2
.2
.4
.3
.3
.3
.2
.4
.3
7.1
2.0
3.7
1.1
.8
3.2
2.7
4.2
.6
.9
.1
.1
.2
.2
.1
.2
.2
.3
.1
.2
2.1
2.7
3.1
2.2
2.4
1.6
4.2
4.9
2.6
3.0
1.6
2.3
2.0
2.7
1.7
3.4
3.4
3.3
3.2
4.7
3.2
2.4
3.2
2.8
2.0
2.3
2.9
3.5
1.7
5.3
1.7
4.5
5.9
4.1
3.7
8.1
4.4
2.6
5.4
5.3
3.2
2.6
.3
1.1
.8
1.4
.4
1.1
1.0
1.2
1.2
.7
1.2
1.1
1.1
1.4
.5
.8
.3
1.5
1.0
2.0
.9
1.3
1.5
1.3
1.3
.7
1.5
1.7
1.5
1.4
1.2
.9
.1
.2
.2
.1
.1
.2
.1
.2
.2
.1
.1
.2
.1
.1
.1
.1
.1
.2
.1
.2
.1
.2
.2
.2
.2
.1
.1
.1
.1
.1
.2
.1
1.2
1.0
.8
1.2
.7
2.0
2.2
1.8
1.6
3.5
1.8
1.1
1.8
1.3
1.1
1.1
2.4
1.7
.5
3.1
.1
2.7
4.1
2.3
1.9
6.9
2.7
.6
3.6
3.7
1.7
1.1
.1
.1
.1
.1
.4
.1
.1
.2
.2
.4
.1
.1
.2
.1
.3
.1
.1
.1
.1
.7
.3
.1
.3
.3
.3
.1
.1
.1
.1
.1
.5
2.4
3.1
1.5
4.7
1.9
2.8
2.8
2.6
2.2
7.4
3.1
2.2
3.0
3.2
2.5
1.8
5.5
4.0
2.3
5.9
1.4
2.4
2.1
2.3
2.2
3.2
2.4
2.4
2.1
1.6
1.7
2.9
3.5
2.1
4.5
3.2
2.3
1.4
2.4
2.1
.1
.1
.2
.2
1.1
.5
1.8
.8
.1
.1
.1
.2
3.5
2.1
4.1
2.4
4.2
5.7
2.6
2.7
.1
.1
1.5
2.8
.1
.1
3.6
4.9
3.6
10.2
2.5
5.1
11.5
4.2
.9
1.3
.8
1.1
1.3
1.1
.2
.1
.2
.3
.3
.1
2.4
8.5
1.4
3.5
9.7
2.9
.2
.3
.1
.3
.2
.2
5.2
16.8
3.6
3.8
6.6
3.7
2.9
4.0
3.6
5.2
1.8
1.1
3.2
2.0
2.1
2.3
3.2
1.0
2.1
.8
.7
3.5
2.0
7.1
4.1
3.0
3.4
3.6
3.9
3.1
2.8
1.8
4.2
2.1
2.4
2.4
2.7
1.6
1.7
1.5
1.2
3.5
2.8
6.5
3.5
3.1
.8
1.4
1.3
1.5
.7
.5
1.0
.7
.9
.3
.2
.6
.6
.3
.2
.8
.6
1.4
.9
1.9
1.0
1.4
1.5
1.3
1.0
.7
1.5
.7
1.0
.4
.3
1.0
.1
.3
.4
.3
.2
.1
.2
.2
.3
.1
.2
.3
.4
.2
.2
.1
.4
.1
.3
.1
2.1
1.7
1.8
1.4
1.3
.7
2.0
1.1
1.0
1.7
2.2
.4
.6
.8
7
2.4
2.0
4.7
2.2
.1
.1
.2
.1
.1
.2
.2
.1
.1
.1
.2
.1
.1
.3
.2
.1
.2
.1
.1
.2
.2
.3
.2
.3
.3
.3
.2
.1
.2
.2
.2
.3
.2
.2
.2
.2
.2
.2
2.8
3.1
3.5
2.0
1.8
1.1
1.5
1.6
1.3
1.1
2.2
1.9
1.3
1.2
.4
2.0
1.8
1.3
2.3
2.9
3.4
3.7
3.0
2.0
1.4
1.8
1.2
1.6
.6
.5
1.4
1.5
.5
.3
2.5
2.3
1.2
3.1
3 .3
3 .0
2 .7
3 .2
.7
2 .1
3 .8
5 .0
1 .3
2 .8
1 .5
3 .4
4 .6
1 .4
4 .3
2 .1
2 .9
2 .2
2 .9
2 .9
2 .6
2 .9
«
.1
.3
.1
.1
.2
.2
1.9
2.2
1.7
3.3
.8
.3
1.7
1.1
.8
1.7
2.7
.2
1.0
.2
.3
2.3
1.2
5.5
2.7
.8
2 .0
.3
.2
.3
.2
.1
.3
.8
2 .3
.5
.9
1 .5
.8
.2
.2
.2
.2
.2
.2
3 .0
1.0
3 .4
3 .7
2 .5
3 .9
.6
.5
.5
1 .0
.7
.7
.6
.6
1 .0
.9
.1
.1
.2
.2
.1
.1
.1
.2
.2
.2
2 .9
4 .2
.3
1 .5
.6
2 .4
3 .7
.3
2 .9
.8
.1
.3
.3
.1
.1
.2
.3
.2
.1
.2
1 .8
2 .1
.7
2 .4
1 .7
1 .7
1 .9
.7
2 .0
2 .2
3 .5
.6
.7
.1
.1
1 .9
2 .5
.2
.3
1 .8
1 .6
2 .8
3 .8
2 .7
3 .5
5 .0
.6
.7
.7
.9
.6
.7
.9
1 .0
1 .4
.7
.1
.2
.2
.2
.3
.2
1 .2
1 .7
1 .7
1 .1
2 .0
1 .9
2 .5
1 .4
1 .6
4 .0
.3
.2
.2
.2
.2
.2
.2
.2
.2
.2
1 .7
2 .7
2 .5
3 .5
2 .6
1 .4
2 .6
2 .7
5 .3
1 .4
1 .5
2 .5
.3
.0
.1
.9
1 .6
.2
.2
.6
.6
4 .4
6 .2
2 .5
6 .7
.3
.7
.4
1.1
.1
.2
.1
.3
3 .9
5 .0
1 .7
5 .1
.1
.3
.4
.3
1 .1
2 .5
.8
2 .5
3 .7
5 .0
.8
.9
.2
.1
2 .6
3 .7
.1
.4
1 .0
1. 4
(«)
.7
.3
.2
.8
.5
1.4
.9
1.8
.1
.3
«
(4)
«
(«)
.1
«
.1
.1
.3
.2
.2
«
W
590
MONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W , MAY 1954
T able
B-2: Monthly labor turnover rates (per 100 employees) in selected groups and industries1—
Continued
Separation
Total
Industry group and industry
Feb.
1954
M a n u fa c tu r in g —Continued
Fabricated metal products (except ord
nance, machinery, and transportation
equipment)_________________ _____
Cutlery, handtools, and hardware.......
Cutlery and edge tools_________
Handtools---------------- ------ ------Hardware__ ________________
Heating apparatus (except electric)
and plumbers’ supplies__________
Sanitary ware and plumbers’
supplies.—____ _____________
Oil burners, nonelectric heating
and cooking apparatus, not else
where classified_______ ____
Fabricated structural metal products—
Metal stamping, coating, and en
graving------------- ----------- - .............
Machinery (except electrical).....................
Engines and tu rb in es........... ...............
Agricultural machinery and tractors-.
Construction and mining m achinery..
Metalworking machinery---------------Machine tools__________ ____
Metalworking machinery (except
machine tools). .............. ...........
Machine-tool accessories-----------Special-industry machinery (except
metalworking machinery)........ . —
General industrial machinery..............
Office and store machines and devices.
Service-industry and household ma
chines-------------------------- ----------Miscellaneous machinery parts........
Electrical machinery--------------------------Electrical generating, transmission,
distribution, and industrial appa
ratus ----- ----------- ----------------Communication equipment -------- —
Radios, phonographs, television
sets, and equipment------- -----Telephone, telegraph, and related
equipment--------------------- ---Electrical appliances, lamps, and
miscellaneous products..--------------Transportation equipment—......................
Automobiles______ _____ ___ _____
Aircraft and parts------------------- ---A ircraft_____________________
Aircraft engines and parts__ ____
Aircraft propellers and p arts____
Other aircraft parts and equip
ment _______________________
Ship- and boatbuilding and repairing..
Railroad equipm ent_______________
Locomotives and parts--------- . . .
Railroad and streetcars_________
Other transportation equipm ent.....
instruments and related products_______
Photographic apparatus____________
Watches and clocks... ------- ----- -Professional and scientific instruments.
Miscellaneous manufacturing industries...
Jewelry, silverware, and plated ware..
Discharge
Quit
Jan.
1954
Feb.
1954
Jan.
1954
Jan.
1954
Feb.
1954
Feb.
1954
Total accession
Mise., incl.
military
Layoff
Jan.
1954
Jan.
1954
Feb.
1954
Jan.
1954
Feb.
1984
.1
.2
0.2
.3
.1
.2
.5
2.9
2.0
1.8
1.1
2.3
3.6
2.3
1.8
2.5
2.4
3.4
.1
.1
3.1
5.8
2.7
.1
.1
2.3
7.3
5.4
1.4
4.0
2.3
.2
.1
.2
.3
3.7
2.4
4.5
2.4
4.6
3.2
2.6
3.0
3.4
6.2
4.3
2.5
3.5
5.3
0.9
.9
.6
.7
1.0
1.1
1.2
.7
.9
1.5
0.2
.2
.3
.2
.2
0.3
.3
.2
.3
.2
3.2
1.9
1.7
2.1
1.9
4.6
2.5
1.4
2.0
3.1
5.4
5.0
1.2
1.2
.3
.3
3.7
2.9
4.0
.7
.9
.2
.3
1.9
7.6
2.7
5.9
3.7
1 .6
.8
1.4
.9
.4
.3
.4
.3
0.2
.2
0)
6.5
10.1
.9
1 .0
.3
.2
5.1
8 .6
.2
.3
3.6
5.2
3.1
1.5
3.4
2.7
4.0
4.6
3.2
3.3
2.4
2.9
3.2
2.9
.8
.6
1.9
2.4
1.3
1.7
1.9
.3
2 .1
2 .0
.1
.2
2.4
4.0
1.9
1.3
.9
2.3
4.7
1.7
1.4
.6
.2
.1
.1
.2
.2
.2
.2
.1
.9
.9
.7
.2
.2
.2
.2
.2
.2
1.9
.9
.7
.7
.8
.6
.6
2 .6
2.5
4.9
.9
.9
1 .2
1 .2
.2
.3
.3
.2
1.3
2.4
3.5
.2
.2
.2
.1
1.4
2.3
1 .8
2 .0
.9
.7
.9
.9
.3
.3
1.5
3.3
3.1
3.6
2.4
.8
.2
.2
.2
.2
1 .8
2 .0
1 .6
2 .2
1.1
.1
.1
.2
.3
.4
.9
2.4
1.5
1.7
2 .0
3.7
2.4
3.8
4.0
3.3
4.0
.9
.9
.3
2.5
.4
.2
2 .0
.2
.2
1.1
1 .2
.2
.2
1.5
2.3
.3
.8
.2
.2
2 .2
.6
2.3
.3
.3
2 .1
4.3
2.7
4.7
.6
1.5
.8
1 .6
.1
.2
.1
.2
2.4
1 .6
2 .6
.2
.2
4.4
5.8
1.4
1 .6
.2
.3
2.5
3.6
.3
3.7
2.7
2 .8
(0
6.3
5.3
6 .8
2.7
2.7
2.3
(0
3.1
(5)
(0
(0
6 .8
1 .6
3.1
(0
3.9
1.5
1.0
(e)
.2
5.9
1.1
1 .2
.2
6 .8
1.0
.6
1 .2
1 .2
1.1
1.1
.8
.3
9.9
3.0
3.0
2.5
3.2
3.4
9.9
7.1
5.7
8 .1
2.3
2.7
1 .2
4.1
3.2
3.8
3.2
5.6
3.3
2.7
3.4
2 .8
(5)
(0
1 .0
(0
(0
(5)
1.5
.6
1.1
2 .1
.9
.4
.3
.2
( 5)
.3
.2
4
.4
.5
.3
(5 )
(5 )
(5)
1 .2
.4
.2
.2
1.3
1.4
1.1
1.0
.2
.1
.3
.3
.3
M
.4
.1
.1
.5
(4)
1
.8
.8
1 .1
1 2
.8
.1
.1
.2
1 .6
1.9
1.7
2
.2
.3
.3
1.7
.3
3.1
1.5
.3
2.4
.3
.4
.1
.2
.6
.1
(0
.5
.7
1. 5
(4)
(5 )
.1
.6
2 .0
1 .6
2 .8
3.6
1.1
(0
.8
(5)
4.7
3.8
5.8
4.1
5.1
8.4
1 .2
1.1
1 .2
1 .2
Ob
1 .6
(«)
.9
1.9
(5)
4.2
.8
1 .6
.1
.5
.1
.2
.3
(5)
.1
(5)
(5)
(!)
.6
.2
.3
1.3
3.3
1.5
2.4
.3
3.8
3.0
.2
.3
.4
.5
.2
.2
.2
.1
.1
.2
.8
1.3
.5
.3
1 .6
2.1
3.0
.3
.4
1 .2
.1
.1
1.1
2 .0
.3
.3
.3
li
(5)
2 .1
2.3
1.4
2.5
1.9
(5)
2. 4
1.7
.5
2.3
1.0
3.1
1.5
2.5
.2
.2
.2
.2
.2
.2
1 .8
7.1
5.1
3.9
5.9
(0
.1
.1
.2
1 .8
(<)
.7
.3
.2
.2
.1
.3
.3
.2
.2
1 .2
2 .1
1.4
(0
2 .6
2 .8
2.7
2.4
1.9
3.8
4.1
2.4
2.3
2.5
1.4
2 .0
1 .6
(0
2 .0
(0
(0
(0
2.9
9.8
3.2
1 .2
4.7
1.9
1.3
(0
1.2
1.3
3.4
2.5
4.8
2.9
1.3
.9
1.5
1.4
5.1
2.9
N o n m a n u fa c tu r in g
Metal mining------------- ------- --------------Iron mining...........................................
Copper mining..................... ................
Lead and 7,ine m ining..........................
Anthracite m ining.................... ..................
Bituminous-coal mining_____ _________
Communication:
Telephone----------------------------------T eleg rap h "........... ....................... ........
1 .2
4.1
2 .8
3.7
2 .2
1 .8
.8
.8
1.5
5.1
4.9
3.6
.4
.7
1 .0
(0
(s)
1.4
2.3
(0
(0
1 S ee fo o tn o te 1, ta b le B - l . C u r ren t m o n th d a ta su b je c t to r e v is io n w it h o u t
n o ta tio n ; r e v is e d figu res for ea rlier m o n th s w ill b e in d ic a te d b y fo o tn o te s.
3 S ee fo o tn o te 2. ta b le A -2 .
* S ee fo o tn o te 3, ta b le A -2 . P r in tin g , p u b lis h in g , a n d a llie d in d u str ie s
are e x c lu d e d .
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
.5
.1
.6
(4)
(4)
1 .1
(0
.9
(*/
.1
.1
.1
(4)
1 .1
.8
.2
.4
.3
.3
.1
.9
4.2
3.7
.3
.2
2.3
.7
2.7
.7
1.3
2.6
.1
.2
.8
.5
.4
.3
(0
(o
.4
.2
1 .1
(8)
(0
.1
.2
(0
(0
3.3
.9
3.2
.8
1 .1
1.1
1 .2
.6
4 L ess th a n 0.05.
* D a t a are n o t a v a ila b le .
• D a t a r e la te to d o m e s tic e m p lo y e e s e x c e p t m e ssen g ers a n d th o se env
p lo y e e s c o m p e n s a te d e n tir e ly o n a c o m m iss io n b a sis.
591
C : E A R N IN G S AND H O U RS
C: Earnings and Hours
T able C -l: Hours and gross earnings of production workers or nonsupervisory employees 1
M in in g
C oal
M e ta l
Iron
T o ta l: M e ta l
B it u m in o u s
A n th r a c ite
L ea d a n d z in c
C o p p er
Y ea r a n d m o n th
1951:
1952:
1953:
1954:
A v e r a g e .............
A v e r a g e ..............
F e b r u a r y ...........
M a r c h . . ..........
A p r il....................
M a y ---------------J u n e __________
J u ly ----------------A u g u s t -----------S e p te m b e r -----O c to b e r ----------N o v e m b e r ____
D e c e m b e r ____
J a n u a r y ..............
F e b r u a r y _____
A vg.
w k ly .
ear n
in g s
A vg.
w k ly .
hours
$74. 56
81.65
84.08
84.48
84.67
86.29
86.96
8 8 . 82
92.40
94.16
90. 29
90.51
92.40
92.00
85.90
43.6
43.9
42.9
43.1
43.2
43.8
43.7
42.7
44.0
44.0
43.2
43.1
44.0
43.6
41.9
A vg.
w k ly .
earn
in g s
A vg.
w k ly .
hours
$1.71 $72. 6 8
80. 34
1 .8 6
1.96 83.42
1.96 84. 03
1.96 84.84
1.97 8 8 . 74
1.99 90. 67
2.08 95.82
98. 99
2 .10
2.14 98. 75
2.09 93.04
93.44
2 .10
92.62
2 .10
2.11
90.45
2.05 85.39
42.5
43.9
41.5
41.6
42.0
43.5
43.8
42.4
43.8
43.5
42.1
41.9
42.1
41.3
39.9
A vg.
h r ly .
ea r n
in g s
A vg.
w k ly .
ea rn
in g s
A vg.
w k ly .
h ours
$1.71 $78. 54
1.83 85.73
88.14
2.0 1
87. 95
2 .0 2
88.53
2.02
2.04 88.98
2. 07 87.81
8 6 .33
2 . 26
2 . 26
93.32
2.27 97.39
95.27
2 .21
2.23 95.63
97. 97
2 .20
2.19 99.22
90.23
2.14
46.2
45.6
45.2
45.1
45.4
45.4
44.8
43.6
46.2
46.6
46.7
46.2
47.1
46.8
43.8
A vg.
h r ly .
earn
in g s
A vg.
w k ly .
earn
in g s
A vg.
w k ly .
hours
$1.70 $76.11
1 .8 8
81.60
1.95 80.64
1.95 81.13
1.95 79. 57
1.96 79.00
1.96 79. 61
1.98 79. 52
2 .02
79.90
2.09 81.56
2.04 79.15
2.07 77.99
2.08 84.08
84.32
2 .12
2.06 75.95
43.0
42.5
42.0
42.7
42.1
41.8
41.9
41.2
41.4
41.4
40.8
40.2
42.9
42.8
40.4
A vg.
h r ly .
earn
in g s
C r u d e -p e tr o le u m
an d n a tu r a l - gas
p r o d u c tio n
1951:
1952:
1953:
1954:
A v e r a g e .............
A v e r a g e ..............
F e b r u a r y _____
M a r c h .............. ..
A p r il....................
M a y .....................
J u n e ...................
J u ly ----------------A u g u s t ...............
S e p te m b e r -----O c to b e r . ------N o v e m b e r ____
D e c e m b e r ------J a n u a r y .............
F ebruary
$79. 76
85.90
88.29
8 8 . 73
88.13
88.99
87.02
92. 74
93. 83
92.39
90.27
94.39
90. 45
92.80
90. 85
A vg.
w k ly .
hours
$1.77 $6 6 . 6 6
1.92 71.19
1.92 8 6 . 75
1. 90 65. 70
1.89 61.99
1.89 77.19
1.90 91.63
1.93 83.89
1.93 61.49
1.97 70.40
1.94 73.41
1.94 63.49
1.96 64.71
1.97 70.93
76.15
1.88
30.3
31.5
34.7
26.6
25.3
31.0
36.8
34.1
25.2
28.5
29.6
25.6
26.2
28.6
30.1
A vg.
w k ly .
ea r n
in g s
A vg.
w k ly .
hours
$2 . 2 0 $77. 79
2.26 78.32
2.50 81.42
2. 47 81.76
2. 45 79.61
2.49 84.97
2. 49 91.25
2.46 84. 97
2. 44 92.88
2.47 86.15
2.48 89. 78
2.48 81.17
2.47 82.25
2.48 82.34
2. 53 78.47
35.2
34.2
32.7
33.1
32.1
34.4
36.5
34.4
37.3
34.6
36.2
32.6
33.3
33.2
31.9
A vg.
h r ly .
ea r n
in g s
A vg.
h r ly .
ea r n
in g s
$2 . 2 1
2.29
2.49
2. 47
2.48
2. 47
2.50
2.47
2. 49
2.49
2. 48
2. 49
2. 47
2.48
2.46
C o n tr a c t c o n str u c tio n
M in in g — C o n tin u e d
P e tr o le u m a n d n a t u
ral-gas p r o d u c tio n
(e x c e p t
c o n tra ct
s erv ices)
A vg.
w k ly .
earn
in g s
A vg.
h r ly .
ea rn
in g s
N o n b u ild in g c o n str u c tio n
N o n m e ta lllc m in in g
a n d q u a r ry in g
T o ta l: C o n tr a c t c o n
s tr u c tio n
T o ta l: N o n b u ild in g
co n str u c tio n
40.9 $1.95 $67.05
2.09 71.10
41.1
2.18 70.85
40.5
40. 7 2.18 72. 77
2.16 74.37
40.8
2.16 75.94
41.2
2.17 76. 78
40.1
41.4
2. 24 77.63
2. 25 79. 41
41.7
2. 27 79.20
40.7
2. 24 80.33
40.3
2.28 76.99
41.4
2. 25 76.12
40.2
2.28 70.93
40.7
40.2
2.26 73.96
45.0
45.0
43.2
44.1
44.8
45.2
45.7
45.4
45.9
45.0
45.9
44.5
44.0
41.0
43.0
$1.49 $81. 49
1.58 87.85
1.64 89.01
1. 65 88.67
89.15
1.66
90.58
1.68
92. 25
1.68
1.71 91.82
1.73 94.18
1.76 90. 77
1.75 96.11
1.73 93. 00
1.73 92.37
1.73 87.12
1.72 92.12
37.9
38.7
37.4
37.1
37.3
37.9
38.6
38.1
38.6
36.9
38.6
37.2
36.8
34.3
36.7
40.8
$2.15 $80. 78
41.1
2.27 8 6 . 72
38.9
2.38 85.19
38.3
2. 39 84. 26
39.0
2.39 85.02
40.0
2.39 87.20
41.9
2. 39 91.34
41.7
2.41 92.16
42.5
2. 44 96.05
39.9
2.46 90.97
42.2
2. 49 97.48
39.4
2. 50 90.62
39.1
2. 51 89. 93
36.0
2. 54 83.88
39.6
2. 51 90.68
Building construction
H ig h w a y a n d street
$1. 98 $74. 62
2 .11
80.26
2.19 77.22
2 . 20
75. 42
2.18 77.62
2.18 81.61
2.18 8 8 . 1 0
8 8 .37
2 .21
92. 42
2 . 26
2.28 87.97
2.31 94. 61
2.30 86.67
2. 30 81.87
2. 33 71.69
2. 29 80. 58
41.0
41.8
39.2
37.9
39.4
40.4
43.4
42.9
43.8
41.3
43.8
40.5
38.8
34.3
39.5
O th e r n o n b u ild in g
c o n str u c tio n
$1.82 $85.26
1.92 91.35
1.97 90.02
1.99 89. 55
1.97 90.02
91.71
2 .02
2. 03 94.19
2.06 95. 65
2 .11
98.95
2.13 93. 27
2.16 99.80
2.14 94.18
95.50
2 .11
2.09 91.02
2.04 96.87
40.6
40.6
38.8
38.6
38.8
39.7
40.6
40.7
41.4
38. 7
40.9
38.6
39.3
37.0
39.7
$2 . 1 0
2.25
2.32
2. 32
2.32
2.31
2.32
2.35
2. 39
2.41
2.44
2. 44
2. 43
2.46
2.44
S p e c ia l-tr a d e co n tra cto r s
T o ta l: B u ild in g c o n
s tr u c tio n
1951:
1952:
1953:
1954:
37.2 $2.19
A v e r a g e .............. $81.47
2.31
38.1
A v e r a g e .............. 8 8 . 0 1
2.42
37.1
89.78
F e b r u a r y ..........
2. 44
36.8
M a r c h ________ 89. 79
36.9
2.44
A p r il__________ 90.04
2. 44
37.3
M a y __________ 91.01
2. 44
37.7
91.99
J u n e __________
2.47
37.1
J u ly ---------------- 91.64
2. 49
37.6
93.
62
A u g u s t________
2.52
36.1
S e p te m b e r ____ 90.97
2. 54
37.7
95.
76
O c to b e r . _____
2. 55
36.7
N o v e m b e r ____ 93.59
2. 57
36.3
93.29
D e c e m b e r ____
2.58
33.9
J a n u a r y _______ 87.46
2.
57
92.78
36.1
F e b r u a r y _____
O th er sp e cia l-tra d e
c o n tr a c to r s J
G en era l co n tra cto r s
$75.03
82.78
86.71
85.79
86.71
87.40
8 8 . 55
87.14
89.68
86.03
90. 58
8 8 .45
87.85
82.13
8 8 .45
37.0 $2 . 26 $78.05
2.39 81. 55
37.0
2.50 79.36
34.9
35. 1 2. 51 81. 50
2.51 81.00
35.1
88.10
2. 51 8 6 . 50
36.0
90.36
2.52 89.00
36.5
91.98
2. 54 89. 8 6
36.4
92.46
2. 55 89.56
93. 84 36.8
2.59 90.72
92. 20 35.6
2.61 91.43
95. 79 36.7
2.61 90.65
35.9
93.70
2. 63 82. 27
34.6
91.00
2.65
31.4
83.21
(t)
1954:
2.62
34.1
89.34
(t)
See footnotes at end of table.
‘2 96080— 54------ 8
1951:
1952:
1953:
A v e r a g e ............
A v e r a g e ---------F e b r u a r y .........
M a r c h _______
A p r il_________
M a y ...................
J u n e ...................
J u ly ....................
A u g u s t .............
S e p te m b e r —
O c to b e r ______
N o v e m b e r ...
D e c e m b e r ___
J a n u a r y . ----F e b r u a r y -------
$83.62
8 8 . 43
87.25
8 8 . 10
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
36.6
38. 5
38.2
37.3
37.7
38.0
38.5
37.4
38.0
36.3
37.9
36.7
36.3
33.8
36.4
$2.05
2.15
2.27
2.30
2.30
2.30
2.30
2.33
2. 36
2.37
2.39
2. 41
2. 42
2.43
2.43
$87. 32
91.99
92.20
92.82
92.57
94. 21
94.98
95.20
96.98
95.04
99. 75
97.62
97.19
91.46
95.23
$2.23
2.35
2.48
2. 50
2.50
2.50
2.50
2. 51
2.53
2. 57
2. 59
2. 59
2.62
(t)
(t)
$89. 69
90. 05
95. 24
95. 99
96. 57
97.15
96.19
96.72
99. 47
95. 78
99. 62
95. 52
97. 65
(t)
ft)
P lu m b in g a n d h e a t
in g
37.8 $2. 31 $91.34
2. 44 94. 92
37.7
2.54 95.00
36.3
36. 4 2. 55 96.39
2. 55 96. 39
36.3
2.56 97. 41
36.8
37.1
2.56 97.67
2. 58 97.01
36.9
37.3
2.60 98.68
2.64 96. 42
36.0
2 . 6 6 101. 78
37.5
2 . 6 6 101.08
36.7
36.4
2.67 102.94
2.69 99.96
34.0
2 . 6 6 101.35
35.8
Plastering and lathing
Masonry
35.0
34.7
32.0
32.6
32.4
34.6
35.6
35.8
35.4
35.3
35.3
35.0
31.4
(t)
(t)
T o ta l: S p e c ia l-tr a d e
co n tra cto r s
34.9
33.6
33.3
33.1
33.3
33.5
33.4
33.7
34.3
32.8
34.0
32.6
33.1
(t)
(t)
39.2 $2.33 $78. 76
2.44 82.72
38.9
2.50 82.96
38.0
38. 1 2. 53 84.18
2. 53 84.28
38.1
38.2
2. 55 85.61
2. 55 87. 75
38.3
2.58 8 8 .35
37.6
2. 59 89.06
38.1
2.62 88.32
36.8
2.63 91.85
38.7
8 8 . 41
2 .66
38.0
88.67
2 . 66
38.7
82.36
2 .6 8
37.3
87. 72
2 .66
38.1
Carpentry
$2. 57 $73.24
2 . 68
75.90
79. 12
2 .8 6
2.90 78.30
2.90 . 76.05
2.90 77.70
82. 44
2.88
2.87 82.70
2. 90 78. 40
2.92 82.60
2 93 84. 61
2.93 82.71
2. 95 77.41
(t)
(t)
(t) 1 r+i
P a in t in g a n d d e c o
r a tin g
35.9 $2.04
2 .12
35.8
34.7
2.28
2. 25
34.8
2. 25
33.8
2 . 22
35.0
2.29
36.0
2.31
35.8
2. 24
35.0
2.34
35.3
35. 7 2.37
2.37
34.9
2. 36
32.8
(t)
(t)
ft)
(+)
35.8
35.2
34.0
34.5
34.4
34.8
35.1
35.2
35.2
34.5
35.6
34.4
34.5
31.8
34.0
$2 . 2 0 $102.26 40.1
2.35 110. 30 40. 7
2.44 109.97 39.7
2. 44 1 1 0 . 21 39. 5
2. 45 109.09 39.1
2. 46 109.98 39.0
2. 50 1 1 0 . 21 39.5
2. 51 109.48 39.1
2.53 112. 29 39.4
2. 56 108.46 37.4
2. 58 117. 49 40.1
2. 57 114.17 39.1
2. 57 116.11 39.9
2. 59 111.07 38.3
2.58 111.25 38.9
Roofing and sheetmetal work
$70. 95
76.53
74.14
75. 94
76.05
79. 74
82.58
83.31
84.13
82.24
85. 84
82.93
79. 46
(t)
ft)
36.2
36.1
33.1
33.9
33.8
35.6
36.7
36.7
36.9
35.6
37.0
35.9
34.4
tt)
(t)
Ele<3trical w ork
$2.55
2.71
2. 77
2. 79
2. 79
2.82
2. 79
2.80
2.85
2.90
2.93
2. 92
2. 91
2.90
2 .8 6
Excavation and foun
dation work
$1.96 $81. 93
85.81
2.12
2. 24 83.25
2. 24 83. 78
2.25 82. 73
2.24 85.36
2. 25 89.82
2. 27 92. 75
2.28 92. 52
2.31 92.50
2.32 98.17
2.31 93.48
2.31 88.94
(t)
(t)
(t)
(t)
39.2
40.1
37.5
37.4
37.1
38.8
40.1
40.5
40.4
39.7
40.4
38.0
36.3
(t)
(t)
$2.09
2.14
2.22
2. 24
2.23
2 .20
2.24
2.29
2.29
2.33
2. 43
2.46
2. 45
(t)
(t)
592
M ONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W , MAY 1954
T able C -l: Hours and gross earnings of production workers or nonsupervisory employees 1—Continued
Manufacturing
Total: Manu
facturing
Year and month
Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn hours
ings
1951: Average_____ $64. 71
1952: Average_____ 67. 97
1963: February____ 71.17
March______
71.93
April............... 71. 40
M ay________ 71.63
June________ 71.63
July................
71.33
August....... .
71.69
September___ 71.42
October_____
71.73
November___ 71.60
December....... 71.96
1954: January_____ 70.92
February____ 70.88
40.7
40.7
40.9
41.1
40.8
40.7
40.7
40.3
40.5
39.9
40.3
40.0
40.2
39.4
39.6
Food and kin dred products
Durable goods >
Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. Avg.
earn earn wkly.
ings
ings hours
$1.59 $69.47
1. 67 73.04
1.74 77.15
1. 75 77. 52
1. 75 77.38
1.76 77.19
1.76 77. 42
1. 77 76.70
1.77 77. 27
1.79 77.14
1.78 77.49
1.79 76.73
1.79 77. 52
1.80 76. 59
1.79 76. 38
41.6
41.5
41.7
41.9
41.6
41.5
41.4
40.8
41.1
40.6
41.0
40.6
40.8
40.1
40.2
Nondurable goods *
Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly.
earn earn wkly.
ings
ings hours
$1.67 $58. 46
1.76 60.98
1.85 62.88
1.85 63. 60
1 .86
62.81
1 .8 6
63.20
1.87 63. 52
1 .88
63.76
1 .8 8
63.76
1.90 63.57
1.89 63. 50
1.89 63.73
1.90 64.45
1.91 63.53
1.90 63.63
39.5
39.6
39.8
40.0
39.5
39.5
39.7
39.6
39.6
39.0
39.2
39.1
39.3
38.5
38.8
Total: Ordnance
and accessories
Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. Avg.
earn earn wkly.
ings
ings hours
$1.48 $74.12
1.54 77.22
1.58 77.38
1. 59 77. 46
1.59 76.52
1.60 78.25
1.60 78.88
1 . 61
77. 87
1.61 78.12
1.63 79.13
1.62 78. 94
1.63 76.21
1.64 78.94
1.65 77. 60
1.64 78.00
43.6
42.9
41.6
41.2
40.7
41.4
41.3
41.2
40.9
41.0
40.9
39.9
40.9
40.0
40.0
Total: Food and
kindred products
Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly.
earn earn wkly.
ings
ings hours
$1.70 $59.92
1.80 63.23
1 .8 6
64. 71
1.88
65.28
1 .88
64.64
1.89 66.17
1.91 67.14
1. 89 6 6 . 8 8
1.91 65.83
1.93 67.20
1.93 67. 23
1.91 68.31
1.93 68.15
1. 94 68.71
1.95 67. 64
41.9
41.6
40.7
40.8
40.4
41.1
41.7
41.8
41.4
42.0
41.5
41.4
41.3
40.9
40.5
Meat products *
Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. Avg.
earn earn wkly.
ings
ings hours
$1.43 $65. 78
1. 52 70. 30
1.59 70.00
1.60 71.33
1.60 70.62
1.61 71.86
1.61 74.29
1.60 72. 85
1.59 72.67
1.60 76.18
1.62 77.89
1.65 82. 51
1.65 76. 54
1 .68
76.78
1.67 72. 65
41.9
41.6
40.0
40.3
39.9
40.6
41.5
40.7
40.6
41.4
42.1
43.2
41.6
41.5
39.7
Avg.
hrly.
earn
ings
$1. 57
1.69
1.75
1.77
1. 77
1.77
1.79
1.79
1.79
1.84
1.85
1.91
1.84
1.85
1.83
Food and kindred products—Continued
Meatpacking,
wholesale
1951: Average_____ $6 8 . 30
1952: Average_____ 73.39
1953: February____ 72. 40
March.........
73. 71
April............... 73.02
M ay................ 74.15
June________ 76.63
July............. .
75. 52
A u g u st.......... 75.33
September___ 80.06
O ctober____
82. 2 2
November___ 87.20
December___ 80.03
1954: Jan u ary ......... 80.60
February____ 75.41
41.9 $1.63 $65. 78
41.7
1.76 69. 72
40.0
1.81 70.00
40. 5
1.82 71.23
1.83 71.05
39.9
1.84 73.01
40.3
41.2
1 .8 6
74.56
40.6
74.55
1.86
1 .86
40.5
74.03
41.7
1.92 74. 46
42.6
1.93 73.51
43.6
2 .0 0
76.68
41.9
1.91 74.34
42.2
1.91 73.98
39.9
1.89 72.36
Seafood, canned and
cured
1951: Average_____ $44. 40
1952: Average_____ 45. 57
1953: February____ 46. 96
March______
41.44
April..... ......... 46.04
M ay________ 40.23
June________ 43. 33
July........... .
56. 92
A u g u st.......... 50.38
September___ 41.04
O c to b e r.___
42.03
November___ 40.17
December___ 47.17
1954: January........... 50.33
February____ 41.58
29.8
31.0
30.1
28.0
29. 7
27.0
30.3
35.8
32.5
28.5
29.6
26.6
29.3
30.5
27.0
41.7
41.7
41.0
41.2
41.2
41.4
42.1
41.9
41.5
41.7
41.3
41.2
41.3
40.9
40.9
See footnotes at end of table.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
41.9
42.0
40.7
40.7
40. 6
42.2
43.1
42.6
42.3
41.6
41.3
42.6
41.3
41.1
40.2
$1.57
1. 66
1.72
1. 75
1. 75
1.73
1.73
1. 75
1.75
1.79
1. 78
1.80
1.80
1.80
1.80
Canned fruits, vege
tables, and soups
$1.49 $53. 09
1.47 54.12
1.56 56. 56
1.48 56. 52
1. 55 53.86
1.49 55. 8 6
1.43 54.10
1.59 54.78
1.55 55.35
1.44 56.97
1.42 57.13
1.51 52.80
1.61 55.16
1.65 57.57
1.54 57.48
Bread and other
bakery products
1951: Average_____ $59.63
1952: Average_____ 63.38
1953: February........ 64.37
M arch______
64.68
April..... ......... 64. 6 8
M ay..............
65.41
June________ 6 6 . 94
July................. 67.46
A ugust........... 66.82
September___ 6 8 .39
October......... . 67.32
November___ 67. 57
December....... 68.15
1954: Ja n u ary ......... 67.49
February____ 67.08
Sausages and
casings
41.8
41.0
40.4
39.8
38.2
39.9
39.2
41.5
41.0
42.2
41.7
39.4
39.4
39.7
39.1
Dairy products *
$60. 83
63.80
67.61
65. 97
66.10
67.32
6 8 . 39
69. 73
6 8 . 51
69.84
6 8 . 26
67.94
68.73
69.39
69. 87
41.4
41.3
41.9
43.3
41.1
41.0
40.9
40.4
40.9
42.2
41.2
40.1
39.7
40.4
40.8
$1.37 $63.02
1.45 6 6 . 27
1.54 6 8 . 55
1.52 6 8 . 55
1. 53 69.77
1.53 69. 92
1.53 72. 05
1. 56 72. 22
1.55 69. 92
1.58 72.23
1.58 6 8 . 25
1.58 6 8 . 25
1.58 69.00
70.84
1 . 61
1.61 70.36
Grain-mill productsJ
$1.27 $65.85
1.32 69.15
1.40 6 8 . 21
1.42 69. 60
1. 41 69. 39
1.40 71.60
1.38 72. 32
1.32 72.74
1.35 72.37
1.35 73.80
1.37 73.26
1.34 71.61
1.40 72.38
1.45 73.81
1.47 72.38
Biscuits, crackers,
and pretzels
$1.43 $53.41
1.62 56.17
1.57 58.66
1.57 60.19
1.57 57. 54
1.58 58.63
1.59 58.49
1 . 61
58.18
1.61 59.31
1.64 61.61
1.63 59. 74
1.64 58. 55
1.65 58.36
1.65 60.20
1.64 60.79
44.4
44.0
43.9
43.4
43.2
44.0
44.7
44.7
44.2
44.2
43.2
43.0
43.5
43.1
43.4
$1.29 $60.15
1.36 64.41
1.40 67.32
1.39 74.63
1.40 70. 21
1.43 70.55
1.43 72.58
1.44 73.79
1.45 69.70
1.46 73.85
1.45 65.57
1.46 74. 21
1.47 74.41
1.49 73.44
1.49 71.17
45.1
44.9
42.9
43.5
43.1
44.2
45.2
44.9
44.4
45.0
44.4
43.4
43.6
44.2
43.6
46.0
45.7
45.7
45.4
45.9
46.0
47.4
47.2
46.0
46.6
44.9
44.9
45.1
45.7
45.1
45.5
45.1
43.3
43.8
42.4
44.0
44.4
45.2
45.2
45.4
45.9
45.0
44.4
45.3
44.3
$63.14
6 6 . 58
69.03
79. 57
74.64
75.12
78.37
79.56
73.50
80. 6 6
72. 58
72.90
75.06
73.78
71.78
41.0
41.1
39.9
44.7
41. 7
42.2
43.3
44.2
42.0
43.6
40.1
40.5
41.7
40.1
38.8
$1.54
1.62
1.73
1.78
1.79
1.78
1.81
1.80
1.75
1.85
1.81
1.80
1.80
1.84
1.85'
44.6
43.6
42.7
42 7
42.2
43.5
43.7
43.9
43.3
43.8
42.3
42.0
43.2
41.7
42.5
46.1
46.0
43.3
44.2
44.8
45.4
47.0
45.9
45.1
45.8
44.8
43.8
44.7
45.0
44.2
66 .1 2
67.37
67.83
68.02
69.89
62.78
77.12
77.24
78.85
75. 36
41.1
42.0
39.0
38.6
38.9
38.0
39.4
39.9
38.0
40.4
41.3
48.5
47.1
44.8
42.1
40.0
39.3
38.0
37.6
36.6
37.6
38.1
40.4
40.1
41.3
40.1
37.0
37.9
37.7
37.0
$1.27
1.32
1.40
1.41
1. 41
1.39
1.35
1.34
1.35
1.34
1.36
1.35
1.41
1.46
1.46
Bakery products1
$1.40 $58. 24
1.47 61.67
1.51 63.04
1.53 63. 65
1. 54 63. 45
1.54 64.02
1.51 65. 36
1. 52 65.73
1.54 65.41
1.55 6 6 . 8 8
1.55 65. 67
1.57 65.60
1.57 66.42
1.58 6 6 . 1 0
1.57 65.85
41.6
41.6
41.2
41.6
41.2
41.3
41.9
41.6
41.4
41.8
41.3
41.0
41.0
40.8
40.9
$1.40
1.48
1.53
1.53
1. 54
1.55
1.56
1.58
1.58
1.60
1.59
1.60
1.62
1.62
1.61
Confectionery and
related products 1
Beet sugar
$61.24
65.94
69.42
68.71
66.91
Canning and
preserving 1
$1.40 $50. 80
1.47 51.88
1.55 53.20
1. 55 53. 02
1. 55 51. 61
1.56 52. 26
1.57 51.44
1 . 61
54.14
1.59 54.14
1.64 55. 34
1.65 54. 54
1.64 49.95
1.65 53.44
1.67 55.04
54.02
1 .68
Prepared feeds
$1.48 $64. 64
1.59 67.62
1.65 65.38
1. 65 67.63
1 .66
6 8 . 99
1.67 69.92
1 .68
70. 97
1.70 69.77
1.72 69. 45
1.76 70.99
1.76 69.44
1.76 6 8 . 77
1.74 70.18
1.76 71.10
1.73 69.39
Cane-sugar refining
$1.46
1.53
1.65
1. 70
1.70
1.70
1.72
1. 72
1.70
1.75
1.55
1.53
1.56
1.72
1.741
Ice cream and ices
$1.37 $62. 44
1.45 64.09
1.50 66.19
1.51 66.19
1. 52 65. 41
1.52 67.86
1.52 68.61
1.53 70. 6 8
1.52 6 8 . 85
1.55 71.83
1.52 69.80
1.52 6 8 . 8 8
1.53 71.28
1.55 69.64
1.56 71.40
Flour and other
grain-mill products
$1.46 $67.34
1.54 71.71
1.59 71.45
1.60 72. 27
1.61 70. 38
1.62 73.48
1.60 74. 59
1.62 76.84
1.63 77.74
1.64 79.90
1.65 80. 78
1.65 79.20
1 .66
77. 26
1.67 79.73
1.6 6
76.64
Sugar *
41.2
42.1
40.8
43.9
41.3
41.5
42.2
42.9
41.0
42.2
42.3
48.5
47.7
42.7
40.9
Condensed and
evaporated milk
$1.49
1.57
1.78
1.78
1.72
1. 74
1.71
1.70
1.79
1.73
1.52
1.59
1.64
1.76
1.791
$49. 97
52. 27
52 54
52. 6 6
51.46
54.25
54.35
53.10
54.37
55.18
55.06
53. 45
54.94
54.60
55.16
40.3
39.9
39.5
39.3
38.4
39.6
39.1
38.2
39.4
39.7
39.9
39.3
40.1
39.0
39.4
$1.24
1. 31
1.33
1.34
1.34
1.37
1.39
1.39
1.38
1.39
1. 38
1.36
1.37
1.40
1.40
593
C: E A R N IN G S AND HOURS
T able C -l: Hours and gross earnings of production workers or nonsupervisory employees 1—Continued
Manufacturing—Continued
Food and kindred products—Continued
Distilled, rectified, and
blended liquors
Malt liquors
Bottled soft drink«
Beverages i
Confectionery
Year and month
Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn hours
ings
Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. wkly.
earn earn hours
ings
ings
Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly.
earn earn wkly.
ings
ings hours
41.7 $1.64 $53.19
40.3 $1 . 2 0 $6 8 .39
1951: Average.......... $48.36
1.71 55.73
41.6
39.9
1.27 71.14
1952: Average........... 50.67
40.4
1.77 57.12
1.28 71.51
39.3
1953: February........ 50.30
1.79 58.23
40.2
1.30 71.96
39.1
50.83
M arch........
40.6
1.30 73. 49
1.81 57. 40
38.2
49. 6 6
April..........—
1.84
60.20
41.6
39.1
1.33 76.54
52.00
M ay..............
1.87 63.05
38.9
1.34 79. 6 6
42.6
June________ 52.13
1.87 64. 08
1.34 80. 60
43.1
Ju ly ................. 50. 65 37.8
41.9
1.89 61.35
1.33 79.19
39.2
August--------- 52.14
1.94 63. 94
41.7
1.35 80.90
September----- 53. 46 39.6
1.90 60.03
40.7
1.33 77.33
39.8
October_____ 52.93
1.89 59. 8 6
1.32 75.41
39.9
39.2
November___ 51.74
1 .8 8
40.1
60.01
40.2
1.33 75.39
December___ 53.47
39.3
1.91 58. 51
1.35 75.06
39.0
1954: January-------- 52.65
39.9
1.91 59. 57
39.3
1. 35 76.21
February____ 53. 06
Food and kindred products—Continued
C orn « im p , tu g a r ,
oil, a n d starch
Tobacco stemming
and redrying
1951: Average........... $38.02
1952: Average....... ... 38.91
1953: February____ 37.80
43.96
March______
April........ ...... 42.34
M ay________ 42.83
June................ 42.13
July —............. 41.65
August............ 39.19
September___ 38.02
38. 42
October_____
November___ 36.90
December___
40.87
37.63
1954: January. . . .
February____ 3S.50
39.2
39.3
35.0
38.9
36.5
36.3
35.7
35.6
38.8
39.6
39.2
36.9
39.3
35.5
35.0
Broad-woven fabric
mills »
1951: Average........... $51.74
1952: Average.......... 51.9S
1953: February........ 54.27
53. 6 C
M arch_____
April............... 53.20
M ay________ 53.73
June________ 53. 47
July................. 52. 93
August............ 52.14
September___ 50. 7£
50.94
October_____
November___ 51.21
51.34
December___
1954: January.------- 49.1?
February____ 49. 6 i
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
$43.51
44.93
45.39
47.63
47. 62
46.99
46.99
47.87
47. 46
46. 92
48.07
47.49
49.00
45. 97
46. 44
Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly.
earn earn wkly.
ings hours
ings
40.2
41.1 $1.92 $68.74
39.6
2 .00
70.88
41.1
2.06 69. 93 37.8
40.0
37.3
69.01
39.5
2 .1 0
71.24
38.3
40.5
2 .11
38.2
41.7
2.15 70.67
39.2
2. 24 72. 91
42.4
38.2
43.7
2. 23 71.05
72. 94 38.8
2 . 22
42.2
38.6
41.6
2.30 72. 95
2. 25 72. 52 39.2
40.5
38.6
2 . 26
71.80
39.4
2. 24 70.12
37.7
40.2
38.4
39.2
2.25 73.34
74. 31
38.5
2 . 26
39.7
Tobacco manufactures
$1.71 $57.11
1.79 59. 78
1.85 61.54
1.85 61.27
1 .86
61. 39
1.85 61.86
61.86
1.86
1.86
63. 57
1 .88
63. 57
1.89 65. 48
1.85 64.11
65.57
1 .86
64.53
1 .86
1.91 6 6 . 2 0
1.93 64.90
39.4 $1.38 $39.10
39.2
1.44 40.13
37.5
1. 46 41.51
38.8
1.47 41.66
1.49 41. 25
38.5
42.83
1.50
35.7
1.50 42.22
36.3
41.22
1.51
39.0
1.54 42.60
40.7
1.54 44.05
39.4
40.7
1.56 44.23
1.56 44.35
39.0
1.56 43.66
41.0
37.2
1.57 40. 57
1.57 41.95
35.2
42.3
42.1
41.3
41.4
41.2
41.8
41.8
42.1
42.1
42.8
41.9
42.3
41.9
41.9
41.6
Avg.
hrly.
earn
ings
$1.35
1.42
1.49
1. 48
1.49
1.48
1.48
1.51
1.51
1.53
1.53
1.55
1.54
1.58
1.56
Tobacco and snufl
Cigars
Cigarettes
38.5 $1.13 $54.37
1.17 56.45
38.4
36.9
1.23 54. 75
37.8
1.26 57.04
37.2
1.28 57. 37
37.0
1.27 53.55
1.27 54.45
37.0
37.4
1.28 58. 89
1 .22
62. 6 8
38.9
60.68
39.1
1 .2 0
63.49
39.4
1 .22
1.24
60. 84
38.3
39.2
1.25 63.96
36.2
1.27 58.40
1.29 55.26
36.0
Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly.
earn earn wkly.
ings hours
ings
37.6 $1.04 $45.99
37.5
1.07 47.87
49.48
1.11
37.4
47. 8 8
1.12
37.2
1.13 49. 48
36.5
37.9
1.13 50. 52
1.12
51.03
37.7
50.63
1 .12
36.8
1.13 52. 25
37.7
1.15 53.98
38.3
1.14 52. 85
38.8
1.14 50.69
38.9
1.14 51.34
38.3
1.13 50.18
35.9
1.14 51.29
36.8
37.7
37.4
37.2
36.0
37.2
37.7
37.8
37.5
38.7
39.4
38.3
37.0
37.2
30.1
36.9
$1.22
1.28
1.33
1.33
1.33
1.34
1.35
1.35
1.35
1.37
1.38
1.37
1.38
1.39
1.39
Textile-mill products
38.8
39.1
40.1
40.0
39.3
39.4
39.5
39.1
39.0
37.7
38.2
38.2
38.4
37.4
38.0
Scouring and comb
ing plants
Yarn
and thread
mills 1
T bread m ills
Y a r n m ills
38.6 $1.24 $48.13
$1.33 $57.82
39.6 $1.46 $47. 8 6
1. 27 49.15
38.7
40.0
1.57 49.15
1.36 62.80
39.2
1.28 50.13
40.4
1.56 50.18
1.37 63.02
1.28 50.18
40.2
1.59 50.30
39.3
1.37 63.92
1. 27 48. 51
38.8
1.58 48. 77 38.4
1.37 61.30
1.27 48.90
38.7
40.6
1.58 49.15
1.37 64.15
39.1
1.27 49.53
41.1
1. 59 49. 6 6
1.36 65. 35
38.7
1.27 49.15
41.6
1.59 49.15
1.36 66.14
1.27 48. 26
39.7
1. 59 48. 51 38.2
1.36 63.12
1.28 46.70
46.85
36.6
1 .66
38.7
1.37 64.24
36.8
1.25 45. 75
33.9
1.60 46.00
1.37 54.24
1.25 45.38
36.6
45.75
1 .66
1.37 52.46
31.6
1.24 44. 76
36.5
38.4
1.57 45.26
1.37 60.29
35.3
1.25 43.25
37.2
1.58 44.13
1.36 58.78
35.8
1.25 43. 77
38.2
1.59 44. 75
1.36 60.74
Textile-mill products—Continued
38.5
38.7
39.2
39.2
38.2
38.5
39.0
38.7
38.0
36.2
36.6
36.3
36.1
34.6
35.3
$1.25 $48. 64
1.27 49.79
1.28 52. 78
1 . 28
53. 56
1. 27 50. 29
1.27 50.65
1.27 50.42
1.27 49. 39
1.27 49.40
1.29 48.26
1.25 45.97
1.25 47.23
1.24 47.00
1.25 46. 61
1.24 46.48
C otton , silk , syn th etic fiber
W oolen a n d w o rsted
United States
39.2 $1.32 $50. 70
1.34 49. 79
38.8
1.35 52.26
40.2
40. C 1.34 52.13
1.34 51.48
39.7
1.34 52.00
40.1
1.34 51.21
39.9
1.34 50. 70
39.5
50. 57
1.35
39.2
1.34 49.14
37.9
1.35 49. 54
38.3
49.92
1.33
38.5
49.67
1.33
38.
1.31 47.87
37.5
48.38
1.31
37.9
S ee fo o tn o te s a t e n d o f ta b le .
46.2 $1 . 2 1
1.30
46.0
1.35
44.6
1.35
44.8
1.35
44.9
1.35
46.1
1.36
45.7
1.38
47.1
47.5
1.38
47.4
1.44
1. 42
45.5
1.43
45.6
1.41
46.1
1.42
45.8
1.41
45.5
Total: Textile-mill
products
$0.97 $51.60
.99 53.18
1.08 54.94
1.13 54.80
1.16 53.84
1.18 53.98
1.18 53. 72
1.17 53.18
53. 04
1 .01
.96 51.65
.98 52.33
52.33
1 .00
1.04 52.61
1.00
50.86
51.68
1.10
43.6 $1 . 2 2 $78.91
43.2
1.29 82.20
42.0
1.36 82. 40
42. 5 1.37 82.95
41.9
1.37 85.46
1.40 89. 6 6
43.0
1.42 94.98
44.4
44.5
1. 44 97. 45
42.9
1.43 93.68
43.2
1.48 95. 6 8
41.4
1.45 91.13
1.46 89.04
41.0
41.1
1.46 90.05
39.8
1.47 8 8 . 2 0
40.8
1.46 89.72
Total: Tobacco man
ufactures
M a n u fa c tu r e d ice
44.2 $1 . 6 6 $55.90
1951: Average-------- $73.37
1.77 59. 80
43.5
1952: Average_____ 77.00
1.83 60. 21
42.5
1953: February........ 77. 78
1.81 60. 48
42.4
76. 74
M arch______
60. 62
42.4
1.86
April..... .......... 78. 8 6
1.85 62.24
42.6
M ay________ 78.81
1.89 62.15
43.2
June________ 81.65
65.00
43.5
1 .88
81.78
July________
1.90 65. 55
August______ 80. 56 42.4
6 8 . 26
2 .0 0
44.5
September___ 89.00
1.99 64.61
8 6 . 57
43.5
October_____
65. 21
2 .00
42.9
November___ 85.80
1.96 65.00
42.1
December___ 82.52
41.6
1.97 65.04
1954: January_____ 81.95
1.94 64.16
41.7
February........ 80. 90
Tobacco manufac
tures—Continued
Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly.
earn earn wkly.
ings
ings hours
Miscel aneous food
pr oducts *
39.3
38.6
40.2
40.1
39.6
40.0
39.7
39.3
39.2
37.8
38.4
38.7
38.5
37.4
37.8
$1 . 2 2 $53. 54
55. 25
1 . 22
1.3C 57. 92
1.3C 57.23
1.3C 56.12
1.3C 56.40
56. 54
1.22
1.22
55. 8 6
1.22
56.26
1.3C 55.41
54. 67
1.22
54.81
1.22
1.22
54.99
1.28 53.86
1.28 _____
$1.26
1.29
1.30
1.30
1. 27
1.26
1.27
1.26
1.27
1.26
1.27
1.28
1.26
1.27
1.27
N a r r o w fa b ric s and
South
North
33.8
38.1
40.6
40.3
39.8
40.0
40.1
39.9
39.9
39.3
38.5
38.6
39.0
38.2
38.6
38.6
40.6
41.2
39.6
40.2
39.7
39.2
38.9
38.3
36.2
36.9
37.3
36.7
36.6
$1.38 $49.25
48. 76
1 .45
1.43 50.93
1.42 50. 93
1.41 50.17
1.41 50.80
1.41 49.90
1.4C 49. 27
1.41 49.14
1.41 47.50
1.42 48. 38
1.42 48.76
1.41 48.38
1.41 46. 5C
39.4
38.7
40.1
40.1
39.5
40.0
39.6
39.1
39.0
37.4
38.4
38.7
38.4
37.2
$1.25 $57.87
62.56
1.20
1.27 63.43
1.27 61.93
1.27 62.56
1.27 63.34
1.26 63.90
1.26 64.06
1.26 61.23
1.27 59.75
1.26 58. 97
1.26 57. 8 8
1.26 60.84
1.25 59.14
59. 36
39.1
40.1
40.4
39.7
40.1
40.6
40.7
40.8
39.5
38.3
37.
37.1
39.0
38.4
38.
$1.48 $51.48
1.56 54.14
1.57 54. 95
1.56 55. 22
1.56 55.08
1.56 55. 20
1.57 55. 75
1.57 53. 96
1.55 53. 54
1.56 53.84
1.56 53. 82
1.56 53.54
1. 56 54.51
1.54 54. 21
1.53 54.39
39.6
40.1
40.7
40.6
40.5
40.0
40.4
39.1
38.8
39.3
39.0
38.8
39.5
39.0
39.7
$1.30
1.35
1.36
1.36
1.36
1.38
1.38
1 38
1.38
1.37
1.38
1.38
1.38
1.39
1.37
594
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW, MAY 1954
Table C -l: Hours and gross earnings of production workers or nonsupervisory employees 1—Continued
Manufacturing—Continued
Textile-mill products—Continued
Full-fashioned hosiery
Seamless hosiery
Knitting m ills 1
Year and month
United States
Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn hours
ings
1951: Average........... $47.10
1952: Average........... 49.02
1953: February........ 50.05
M arch______
50.31
April_______
48.49
M ay.............. - 48.36
June...... ........ - 48. 38
47. 62
July________
A u g u st.......... 48.63
September___ 46.80
O ctober......... 49.26
November___ 48. 73
December....... 48.60
1954: January_____ 47.78
February____ 48. 97
Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. Avg.
earn earn wkly.
ings
ings hours
36.8
38.3
38.5
38.7
37.3
37.2
37.5
37.2
37.7
36.0
37.6
37.2
37.1
36.2
37.1
$1.28 $56. 94
1.28 57. 61
1.30 59.44
1.30 59.36
1.30 56. 46
1.30 55. 75
1.29 54.66
1.28 54. 6 6
1.29 55. 72
1.30 53.00
1.31 57.23
1.31 57. 75
1.31 57.98
1.32 55.95
1.32 58.14
36.5
37.9
38.6
38.8
36.9
36.2
36.2
36.2
36.9
35.1
37.9
38.5
38.4
37.3
38.5
North
South
Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. Avg.
earn earn wkly.
ings hours
ings
Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. Avg.
earn earn wkly.
ings
ings hours
$1. 56 $58.16
1. 52 57.00
1.54 58. 45
1.53 58.60
1.53 56. 61
1.54 56.46
1.51 55.78
1.51 55. 72
1. 51 55.42
1.51 53.70
1.51 57.45
1.50 59.04
1. 51 59.89
1.50 56.78
1.51
35.9
37.5
38.2
38.3
37.0
36.9
36.7
36.9
36.7
35.8
38.3
39.1
39.4
37.6
$1.62 $55. 80
1. 52 58.06
1.53 59.91
1.53 60.13
1.53 56. 30
1.53 54.82
1.52 53.91
1.51 53. 40
1 . 51
56.02
1.50 52.44
1.50 56.63
1. 51 56. 85
1.52 56.63
1. 51 55. 65
37.2
38.2
38.9
39.3
36.8
35.6
35.7
35.6
37.1
34.5
37.5
37.9
37.5
37.1
United States
Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. Avg.
earn earn wkly.
ings hours
ings
$1.50 $37.17
1.52 40.39
1.54 41. 25
1.53 41. 25
1.53 39. 63
1.54 39.60
1.51 40.07
1.50 39. 79
1.51 39.85
1.52 38.37
1.51 40. 26
1.50 39.93
1.51 40.26
1.50 39.18
40.54
35.4
37.4
37.5
37.5
35.7
36.0
37.1
36.5
36.9
35.2
36.6
36.3
36.6
35.3
36.2
North
Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. Avg.
earn earn wkly.
ings
ings hours
$1.05 $41.20
1.08 43. 62
1.10
44.81
1 .10
45. 28
1.11
45.16
1.10
44.81
1.08 45.05
1.09 44.01
1.08 44.11
1.09 42.69
1 .10
43.19
1 .10
41.07
1 .10
41.18
1.11
40.80
37.8
38.6
38.3
38.7
38.6
38.3
38.5
37.3
37.7
36.8
36.6
35.1
35.5
34.0
Avg.
hrly.
earn
ings
$1.09
1.13
1.17
1.17
1.17
1.17
1.17
1.18
1.17
1.16
1.18
1.17
1.16
1 .2 0
1 .12
Seamless hosiery—
Continued
K nit outerwear
K nit underwear
South
1951: Average_____ $36.09
1952: Average........... 39.33
1953: February____ 40.28
M arch.........
40.18
April.
___
38.15
M ay.............. . 38.23
June________ 38.90
July------ ------ 38. 84
August........... 38.90
September___ 37.24
October_____ 39. 53
November___ 39.89
December___ 40.11
1954: January____
39.05
February____
34.7
37.1
37.3
37.2
35.0
35.4
36.7
36.3
36.7
34.8
36.6
36.6
36.8
35.5
$1. 04 $47. 23
1.06 49.14
1.08 49.79
1.08 50. 57
1.09 50. 44
1.08 50.70
1.06 51.19
1.07 50. 25
1.06 52.65
1.07 49.28
1.08 53.68
1.09 52.30
1.09 51.10
49.21
1 .1 0
50.87
38.4
39.0
38.3
38.9
38.5
38.7
38.2
37.5
39.0
36.5
38.9
37.9
37.3
35.4
36.6
$1.23 $42. 78
1.26 45. 55
1.30 47.19
1. 30 46.80
3.31 45. 72
1.31 45.96
1.34 45. 22
1.34 44.96
1.35 44.96
1.35 45.01
1.38 44.65
1.38 42.23
1.37 42.33
1.39 42.33
1.39 43.08
37.2
38.6
39.0
39.0
38.1
38.3
38.0
38.1
38.1
37.2
36.9
34.9
34.7
34.7
35.6
Dyeing and finishing Dyeing and finishing
textiles !
textiles (except wool)
$1.15 $56. 77
1.18 62.58
1 .21
64.90
1 .20
63.12
1 .20
62.10
1 .20
60. 79
1.19 63. 72
1.18 60. 64
1.18 60.05
1.21
57.96
1.21
59.40
1.21
61.56
1 .22
61.86
1 .22
59.49
1.21
62.02
39.7
42.0
42.7
41.8
41.4
40.8
42.2
40.7
40.3
38.9
39.6
40.5
40.7
39.4
40.8
$1. 43 $56.23
1.49 62.16
1.52 64.33
1. 51 62.40
1.50 61. 54
1.49 60.24
1.51 63.15
1. 49 60.09
1.49 59.79
1.49 57.87
1.50 59.15
1. 52 61.46
1. 52 61. 76
1.51 59. 40
1.52 61.91
Wool carpels, rugs, and Hats (except cloth and Miscellaneous textile Felt goods (except woven
carpet yarn
millinery)
goods 1
felts and hats)
1951: Average......... $60.10
1952: Average........... 65. 74
1953: February........ 74.52
M arch. ___
72.86
April. ___ _ 70. 53
M ay________ 6 6 .39
J u n e .......... .
6 6 . 91
July________
66.39
August_____
67.64
September___ 6 6 . 43
October_____ 67.34
November___ 65.91
December___
68.38
1954: January_____ 6 6 . 95
February____ 66.61
37.8
39.6
42.1
41.4
40.3
38.6
38.9
38.6
39.1
38.4
38.7
38.1
39.3
38.7
38.5
$1.59 $49. 87
1 .66
53.20
1.77 57. 87
1. 76 57.13
1.75 51.80
1.72 55.65
1.72 57.83
1.72 51.80
1.73 60.68
1.73 56.24
1.74 55.87
1.73 54. 77
1.74 56.70
1.73 54. 53
1.73 54.36
36.4
37.2
39.1
38. 6
35.0
37.1
38.3
35.0
38.9
37.0
37.0
35.8
37.3
36.6
36.0
$1.37 $57.11
1.43 60.09
1.48 61.65
1.48 62.67
1.48 62.73
1.50 61.86
1. 51 62. 47
1.48 62. 58
1.56 62.68
1.52 62. 31
1.51 62.62
1.53 62.31
1. 52 62. 99
1.49 61.75
1.51 61.45
40.5
40.6
41.1
41.5
41.0
40.7
41.1
40.9
40.7
40.2
40.4
40.2
40.9
40.1
39.9
$1.41 $6 6 . 24
1. 48 67.70
1.50 71.38
1.51 71. 49
1.63 71.48
1.52 72.14
1.52 70.86
1.53 69.19
1.54 6 8 .34
1.55 71.62
1.55 71.81
1. 55 72.10
1.54 70. 76
1.54 67.94
1.54 67.25
Textile-mill products—Continued
Processed waste and
recovered fibers
1951: Average........... $49.49
1952: Average........... 51.24
1953: February____ 51.72
March______
51.84
April_______
51.97
M ay________ 52.83
Ju n e................ 51.91
July................. 50.88
August______ 51.73
September___ 50. 51
October........ . 51.24
November___ 50.87
December___
50.58
1954: January_____ 50.82
February____ 48.96
42.3
42.7
43.1
43.2
42.6
43.3
42.9
42.4
42.4
41.4
42.0
41.7
41.8
42.0
40.8
See footnotes at end of table.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Artificial leather, oil
cloth, and other
coated fabrics
$1.17 $69. 71
1 .20
75.58
1 .20
77.09
1.20
82. 26
1 . 22
81.81
1.22
77.51
81.45
1 . 21
80.64
1 .20
1 .22
80. 36
1 .22
80.63
1.22
78. 62
1 .22
81.07
1. 21
83.81
1 .21
76.68
1 .2 0
78. 92
43.3
44.2
43.8
45.7
45.2
43.3
45.0
44.8
44.4
44.3
43.2
44.3
45.8
42.6
43.6
Lace goods
$1.60 $52. 97
1 .68
57. 22
1. 72 60. 21
1.69 61. 46
1.71 62. 49
1.73 62.24
1.72 63. 43
1.70 62.37
1.70 62.81
1.73 62. 95
1.76 63.24
1.75 61. 8 8
1. 73 61. 92
1.72 57.24
1.72 59.68
37.3
38.4
39.1
39.4
39.3
38.9
39.4
38.5
38.3
39.1
38.8
38.2
38.7
36.0
37.3
$1. 42 $63. 44
1.48 68.23
1.51 75. 25
1. 50 72.83
1. 49 71.45
1.48 68.46
1.50 6 8 . 74
1. 48 69.20
1.48 69.89
1.48 68.85
1.49 69.37
1. 51 68.16
1. 51 69. 72
1.50 6 8 . 6 8
1. 51 70. 00
39.9
41.1
43.0
42.1
41.3
39.8
40.2
40.0
40.4
39.8
40.1
39.4
40.3
39.7
40.0
$1. 59
1.66
1. 75
1.73
1.73
1.72
1.71
1. 73
1.73
1.73
1.73
1. 73
1.73
1.73
1.75
Paddings and uphol
stery filling
$1.42 $58.15
1.49 64.17
1. 54 64.43
1. 56 64.43
1.59 65.16
1.60 64.84
1.61 63.24
1.62 65.94
1.64 65.93
1.61 63.86
1.63 6 6 . 58
1.62 64.64
1.60 6 6 . 0 2
1.59 69. 55
1.60 65.34
40.1
41.4
41.3
41.3
41.5
41.3
40.8
42.0
40.7
38.7
41.1
39.9
40.5
41.9
39.6
$1.45
1. 55
1.56
1.56
1.57
1.57
1.55
1. 57
1.62
1.65
1.62
1 . 62
1.63
1 .66
1.65
Apparel and other finished textile products
Cordage and twine
$1.61 $52. 26
1. 71 53.06
1.76 54.14
1.80 54.14
1.81 53.19
1.79 52.92
1.81 53.99
1.80 53. 72
1.81 53.99
1.82 53.19
1.82 52.90
1.83 52.25
1.83 53. 33
1.80 52. 25
1.81 53.18
41.4
40.3
41.5
42.3
41.8
41.7
41.2
40.7
40.2
41.4
40.8
41.2
40.9
39.5
39.1
39.6
42.0
42.6
41.6
41.3
40.7
42.1
40.6
40.4
39.1
39.7
40.7
40.9
39.6
41.0
Carpets, rugs, other
floor coverings 1
40.2
39.6
40.1
40.1
39.4
39.2
39.7
39.5
39.7
39.4
38.9
38.7
39.5
38.7
39.1
Total: Apparel and Men’s and boys’ suits Men’s and boys’ fur
other finished tex
nishings and work
and coats
tile products
clothing >
$1.30 $46.31
1.34 47.45
1.35 49. 98
1.35 49. 76
1.35 47. 73
1.35 47.09
1.36 48.05
1.36 48. 24
1.36 49.78
1.35 46.98
1.36 49.10
1. 35 48.06
1.35 48. 82
1.35 47.68
1.36 49.46
35.9
36. 5
37.3
37.7
37.0
36.5
36.4
36.0
36.6
34.8
36.1
35.6
35.9
34.8
36.1
$1.29 $52.63
1.30 52.15
1.34 57.30
1. 32 59.13
1.29 56.78
1.29 56.93
1.32 58.67
1.34 57.41
1.36 60. 59
1.35 57. 35
1.36 58.64
1.35 57. 48
1.36 58.19
1.37 55.84
1.37 57.80
35.8
35.0
37.7
38.9
37.6
37.7
36.9
36.8
37.4
35.4
36.2
35.7
36.6
34.9
35.9
$1.47 $38.16
1.49 40. 50
1.52 41.31
1.52 41.86
1.51 41.58
1.51 41.03
1. 59 41. 51
1.56 40. 96
1.62 41.78
1.62 40.68
1.62 41.84
1.61 40.81
1.59 40.70
1.60 39. 56
1.61 41.15
36.0
37.5
37.9
38. 4
37.8
37.3
37.4
36.9
37.3
36.0
36.7
35.8
35.7
34.4
36.1
$1.06
1.08
1.09
1.09
1. 10
1.1 0
1.1 1
1.1 1
1 .12
1.13
1.14
1.14
1.14
1.15
1.14
C : E A R N IN G S AND H OU RS
595
Table C -l : Hours and gross earnings of production workers or nonsupervisory employees 1—Continued
Manufacturing—Continued
Apparel and other finished textile products—Continued
Year and month
Shirts, coliars, and
nightwear
Avg. Avg.
wkly wkly
earn hours
ings
1951: Average......... $38.0
1952: Average.........
39.9
1953: February___
40.8
M arch_____
41.3
April............... 41.41
M ay________ 40.6<
June________ 41.71
July................. 41. K
August______ 41.5.
September___ 41. 7i
October_____
42.91
November___ 42. 71
December___
41.2" !
1954: January_____ 39.4f
February____ 41. 50 !
35.
37.
37.
38.
38.
37.
37.1
36.
37.1
36.
37. "
37.
36.Ì
34.
36.4
Separate trousers
Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly Avg.
earn earn wkly
ings
ings hours
$1.0 $40.3 2
1.0
42.8
1.0
44.9
1.0
46.1 )
1.0
45.7
1.0< 44.9i
1. L 46.1(
l.K 43.6(
1.1: 44.8(
1. F 43.3:
1. 14 44.41
1.1
43.0"
1.14 44.04
1. If 44. If
1.14 46.24 I
Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly Avg.
earn earn wkly
ings
ings hours
36.
37.
38.
39.
39.
38.
38.
37.
37.1
35.
36.
35.
36. |
36. !
37. !
$1.1
1.1
1.1
1.1
1.1
1.1'
1.2
1.1?
1.21
1.21
1.25
1.25
1.25
1.25
1.25
Women’s suits, coats, Women’s and chil
and skirts
dren’s undergarments
1951: Average_____ $63.83
1952: Average_____ 64.94
1953: February____ 71.15
M arch ,........... 63. 77
April—............
54. 65
M ay................ 55.02
June...... .......... 62. 51
July-............... 68.34
August______ 68. 74
September___ 60. 50
October.- . . . 62.69
November___ 60.96
December___ 65.86
1954: January_____ 66.80
February____ 67.60
32.9
33 .3
35.4
32.7
29. 7
29.9
32.9
34.0
34.2
30.4
31.5
31.1
33.6
33.4
33.8
$1.94 $41.22
1.95 43.62
2.01 44.63
1.95 44.86
1.84 44.39
1.84 44.04
1.90 44. 04
2.01 41.54
2. 01 43. 79
1.99 43.08
1.99 45.13
1.96 44. 77
1.96 44.04
2.00 42.33
2.00 43.68
36.8
37.6
37.5
37.7
37.3
36.7
36.7
35.5
36.8
36.2
37.3
37.0
36.4
34.7
36.1
Work shirts
$1.12
1.16
1.19
1.19
1.19
1.20
1.20
1.17
1.19
1.19
1.21
1.21
1.21
1.22
1. 21
$33.21
35.1
34.7
35.2
34.9
34.6?
34. 7f
34.25
35. 24
34.3
32.85
31.5?
33. 5f
31.35
34. 73 i
Women’s outerwear
35.
37.
$0.9.
.9
.9“
.9
.9'
.95 '
.9
.95
.95
.91
.95
.91
.94
.96
.97
37.
38.
38.
37.
38.5
37.5
38. C
36.
35.3
33. e
35.7
32.7
35.8
36.8
37.2
37.5
37.7
37.1
36.4
36.7
35.4
36.7
36.3
37.5
37.1
36.3
34.9
36.5
$1.08
1.10
1.12
1.12
1.12
1.12
1.13
1.11
1. 12
1.13
1.15
1.15
1.14
1.14
1.13
$51.1
52.3
55.6
54.4
51. 8'
50.3^
50. 6(
52. 5t
54. 75
49.2f
51.85
50. 76
53.61
52.44
54.26
34.
35.
36.
36.
36.
35.5
34.'
34.
35.5
$1.4 $50. &
1.4? 51.4
1 . 5;
53.3
1.5C 54.7
1. 44 55.7?
1.43 52. 6(
1.4f 49. If
1.52 48. 7f
1.55 53. 4f
32.4
1.52 49.5 ;
34.1
1.52 52.05
34.3
1.48 51.15
35.5
1.51 52.8C
34.5
1. 52 50.96
35.7 1 1.52 52. 54
Corsets and allied
garments
$43. 79
47.24
48.88
49. 52
49. 39
48. 73
47.71
44.50
47. 97
46.57
48.47
48.21
48.18
45.89
47.08
36.8
38.1
37.6
37.8
37.7
37.2
36.7
35.6
36.9
36.1
37.0
36.8
36.5
34.5
35.4
35.
35.
35.
36.
36.'
35.;
33.
34.1
35.4
32.8
34. C
34.1
35.2
34.2
35.5
$1.4 $38.0
1.4
39.9
1.4 ? 40.3
1. 5( 41.6
1.55 40.4,
1.4$ 39.7l
1. 4. 39. 5i
1. 4;
38.4,
1.51 38.31
1.51 37.3"
1 . 55 39.4f
1.50 39.53
1.50 40. 77
1. 49 38.20
1.48 40.37 1
Millinery
$1.19 $57.60
1.24 58.60
1.30 67.77
1.31 66.66
1. 31 51.79
1.31 44. 40
1.30 50.05
1.25 58. 55
1.30 64. 51
1.29 58.14
1.31 59.20
1.31 51.48
1.32 58.08
1.33 59.29
1.33 65.63
36.0
36.4
40.1
40. 4
34.3
30.0
32.5
35.7
38.4
34.2
36.1
33.0
36.3
36.6
39.3
1951: Average_____ $42. 44
1952: Average........... 43.15
1953: February.. . . . 44.13
March______
44. 72
April_______
44. 01
M ay_____ _
43.54
June________ 44. 27
July________
43.07
August______ 45. 25
September___ 44.41
October_____
46.13
November___ 44.77
December___ 44.41
1954: Jannarv
42.83
February____ 43. 551
36.9
37.2
37.4
37.9
37.3
36.9
37.2
36.5
37.4
36.4
37.5
36.4
36.7
35.4
36.6
$1.15
1.16
1.18
1.18
1. 18
1.18
1.19
1.18
1.21
1.22
1.23
1.23
1.21
1.21
1.19i
Logging camps and
contractors
1951: Average_____
1952: Average...........
1963: February........
M arch...........
April...............
M ay________
June________
July________
August____ September___
O ctober.........
November___
December___
1954: Ja n u a ry ____
February___ |
$71. 53
77.68
77.74
77.18
79. 78
80.55
84.46
83.84
78.17
81.97
77. 79
75.85
71.81
72.74
75.66
39.3
41.1
40.7
40.2
39.3
39.1
40.8
40.5
38.7
39.6
38.7
38.5
37.4
38.9
39.0
S e e f o o t n o t e s a t e n d o f t a b le .
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
$44.49
46.46
47.63
48.64
47.75
47.38
48.13
47.37
47.88
46. 86
49.67
48.50
47. 21
45.92
47.09
37.7
38.4
37.8
38.3
37.6
37.6
37.6
37.3
37.7
36.9
38.5
37.6
36.6
35.6
36.5
40.5
40.8
40.6
40.4
40.7
40.5
41.2
40.4
41.1
40.4
41.1
40.1
40.4
39.3
40.7
Textile bags
$1.60
1.61
1.69
1.65
1. 51
1.48
1.54
1.64
1.68
1.70
1.64
1.56
1.60
1.62
1.67
Canvas products
$1.18 $39.89
36.6 $1.09 $44.93
38.4 $1.17 $47.12
1. 21 42.67
38.1
1.12 47.60
38.7
1.23 49.88
1.26 42.90
37.3
1.15 48.01
37.8
1.27 51.22
1.27 43.82
38.1
1.15 48.13
37.6
1.28 49. 67
1.27 42. 80 36.9
1.16 47.88
37.7
1.27 50.70
1.26 41.61
36.5
1.14 49.66
38.2
1.30 52.26
1.28 41.15
36.1
1.14 49.13
37.5
1. 31 53. 32
1.27 40.18
36.2
1.11 49.52
37.8
1.31 52.66
1.27 42. 56 38.0
1.12 50.30
38.4
1.31 50.30
1.27 41. 92
37.1
1.13 49. 78 38.0
1.31 49.27
1.29 43.28
38.3
1.13 52.27
39.3
1.33 51.22
1.29 42.41
37.2
1.14 50.14
1.33 49.37
37.7
1.29 40. 71 35.4
1.15 51.32
1.34 50. 41
38.3
1.29 39.56
34.1
1.16 50.41
1.33 50.01
37.9
1.29 41.06
35.7
1.15 48.01
36.1
1.33 50. 27
Lumber and wood products (except furniture)—Continued
Sawmills and planing
milis *
$1.82 $59.13
1.89 63.24
1.91 63.34
1.92 63. 43
2.03 64. 71
2.06 65.61
2.07 67.16
2.07 65. 85
2.02 67.40
2.07 67.06
2.01 67.40
1.97 65.36
1.92 64. 24
1.87 62.49
1.94 64.31
Curtains, draperies,
and other housefurnishings
39.6
39.9
38.8
38. 5
39.0
40.2
40.7
40.2
38.4
37.9
38.8
37.4
37.9
37.6
37.8
Sawmills and planing mills, general
United States
$1.46 $59.54
1.55 63.65
1.56 63. 99
1. 57 64.08
1.59 65.37
1.62 66.42
1.63 67. 98
1.63 66.66
1.64 68.23
1.66 67.87
1.64 68.23
1.63 66.17
1.59 65.04
1.59 63.11
1.58 64.71
40.5
40.8
40.5
40.3
40.6
40.5
41.2
40.4
41.1
40.4
41.1
40.1
40.4
39.2
40.7
$1.47
1. 56
1.58
1. 59
1.61
1.64
1.65
1.65
1.66
1.68
1.66
1.65
1.61
1.61
1.59
South
$41.36
43.03
42.84
42.53
43. 76
43.16
43. 76
43. 98
44.30
44.08
45.24
43.99
43.89
42.02
42.2
42.6
42.0
41.7
42.9
41.9
42.9
42.7
42.6
42.8
43.5
42.3
42.2
40.4
West
$0.98 $76.04
1.01 81.51
1.02 82.26
1.02 82. 47
1.02 82. 64
1.03 84.24
1.02 85.46
1.03 83.11
1.04 86.33
1.03 85.14
1.04 85.06
1.04 82.94
1.04 83.28
1.04 79. 50
38.6
39.0
38.8
38.9
38.8
39.0
39.2
38.3
39.6
38.7
39.2
38.4
39.1
37.5
36.
37.
37.
38.
37.?
36.?
36.
35.
35.?
34.0
36.5
36.0
37.4
35.1
36.7
Avg.
hrly.
earn
ings
«
$1.03
1.06
1.07
1.08
1.07
1.08
1.08
1.08
1.07
1.08
1.09
1.08
1.09
1.09
1.10
Children’s outerwear
Apparel and other finished textile products—Continued
Miscellaneous ipparel Other fabricated tex
and accesso ries
tile products 5
Household apparel
Avg. Avg.
Avg. Avg.
Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly Avg. hrly. wkly Avg.
hrly. wkly
earn earn wkly earn earn wkly earn earn wkly
hours
ings
ings
ings
ings hours ings
ings hours
Underwear and night
wear, except corsets
$39.74
40.92
42.00
42. 22
41. 55
40. 77
41.47
39.29
41.10
41.02
43.13
42.67
41.38
39.79
41.25
Women’s dresses
$1.19
1.25
1.32
1.29
1.30
1.30
1.31
1.31
1.31
1.30
1.32
1.32
1.33
1.33
1.33
$41.38
36.3 $1.14
43. 52 37.2
1.17
45.50
37.6
1.21
44.51
37.4
1.19
42. 46 36.6
1.16
43.17
36.9
1.17
45. 26 37.1
1.22
45.51
37.0
1.23
45. 50 36.4
1.25
42.46
33.7
1.26
44.76
36.1
1.24
44.27
35.7
1.24
44.98
35.7
1.26
45.59
35.9
1.27
47.25
37.5
1. 26
Lumber and wood
products
(except
furniture)
Total: Lumber and
wood products (ex
cept furniture)
$59. 98
63.45
63.96
64. 21
65.19
66.10
67.48
66. 34
66.67
66.33
67.08
64.96
64.08
62.25
63. 99
40.8
41.2
41.0
40.9
41.0
40.8
41.4
40.7
40.9
40.2
40.9
40.1
40.3
39.4
40.5
$1.47
1.54
1.56
1. 57
1.59
1.62
1.63
1.63
1.63
1.65
1.64
1.62
1.59
1. 58
1.58
Millwork, plywood,
and prefabricated
structural wood
products s
$1.97 $64.02
2.09 66.94
2.12 69.21
2.12 69.63
2 . 13 69.63
2 . 16 69.89
2 . 18 69. 89
2.17 68.31
2.18 68.15
2.20 66.47
2.17 69.55
2.16 68. 54
2.13 69.22
2.12 68.28
70.04
42.4
42.1
42.2
42.2
42.2
42.1
42.1
41.4
41.3
39.8
41.4
40.8
41.2
40.4
41.2
$1.51
1.59
1.64
1.65
1.65
1.66
1.66
1.65
1.65
1.67
1.68
1.68
1.68
1.69
1.70
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW, MAY 1954
596
Table C -l: Hours and gross earnings of production workers or nonsupervisory employees 1—Continued
Manufacturing—Continued
Furniture and fixtures
Lumber and wood products (except furniture)—Continued
Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. Avg.
earn earn wkly.
ings hours
ings
Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn hours
ings
1951: Average.......... $61.89
1952: Average........... 65.83
1953: February........ 68.36
March______
68. 36
A pril......... .
68. 79
M ay________ 68.88
June________ 69.86
68. 72
July________
August______ 68. 55
September___ 67.23
October_____
69.72
November___ 67.98
December___
68.89
1954: January........ . 67.80
February____ 68.80
Wooden containers 1
Plywood
Millwork
Year and month
42.1 $1. 47 $68.10
42.2
1.56 70.62
42.2
1.62 73. 65
42.2
1.62 73.68
42.2
1.63 73. 25
1.64 73.18
42.0
1.64 72.16
42.6
1.64 69.89
41.9
1.64 69.05
41.8
40.5
1.66 67.60
42.0
1.66 69.29
41.2
1.65 69. 43
71.48
41.5
1.66
40.6
1.67 72.83
41.2
1.67 74.38 1
Household furniture 1
Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly.
earn earn wkly.
ings
ings hours
Wooden boxes, other
than cigar
40.8
41.5
41.5
41.6
41.0
40.7
40.7
39.6
40.8
40.2
40.9
40.4
40.2
39.2
39.8
42.2 $1.17 $51.24
41.4 $1.18 $49. 37
43.1 $1.58 $48.85
1. 21 53.63
1. 22 50. 82 42.0
41.3
42.8
1. 65 50.39
42.6
1.22 54. 60
1.23 51.97
44.1
1.67 51.41
41.8
42.9
1.24 54.89
1.24 53.20
41.9
43.6
1.69 51.96
1.25 55.15
1.25 53. 38 42.7
43.6
1.68 52. 25 41.8
42.4
1.24 55.44
1.24 52. 58
41.6
43.3
1.69 51.58
42.0
1.24 55.99
41. 5 1.25 52.08
1.69 51.88
42.7
1.25 55.06
41.0
1.26 51.25
40.7
1.68 51.28
41.6
40.4
1.24 55. 59
1.26 50.10
40.3
41.1
1.68 50.78
39.2
1.25 55.35
1.26 49.00
39.3
40.0
1.69 49.52
40.2
1.25 56.43
1.27 50.25
40.3
1.69 51.18
41.0
1.22 54. 54
39.8
1.24 48.56
40.6
1.71 49. 72 40.1
40.2
1.22 55.34
40.4
1.24 49.04
1. 71 50.10
41.8
1.22 53.07
38.9
1.23 47.46
42.1
1.73 47. 72 ! 38.8
1.22 54. 67
39.1
42.5
1.75 48. 71 ! 39.6 ' 1.23 47.70
Furniture and fixtures—Continued
Wood household fur
niture (except up
holstered)
Wood household fur
niture, upholstered
41.3 $1. 23 $58.11
$1.35 $50.80
1.28 64.58
41.7
1. 42 53.38
1.32 66.08
41.7
1.47 55.04
1.34 66.98
1.48 56.28
42.0
41.3
1.35 6 6 . 26
1.49 55. 76
1.34 64.48
41.6
1.48 55. 74
1.34 64. 55
41.5
1.48 55.61
40.9
1.33 61.56
1.47 54.40
41.4
1.35 63.84
1.48 55.89
1.35 65. 36
54.41
40.3
1.49
41.2
1.36 07.24
1.50 56.03
40.7
1.36 6 6 . 58
1. 51 55. 35
1.35 68.80
40.5
1. 51 54. 6 8
1.34
60.10
53.60
40.0
1.49
1.34 63. 57
40.4
1.49 54.14
Furniture and fixtures—Continued
M etal office furniture
1951: Average_____ $69.14
1952: Average_____ 72.80
1953- February___
75. 58
M arch______ 76. 59
76.59
April_______
M ay________ 74.59
June ______
75.03
July________
72.71
August.. ---- 6 8 . 81
September..
79.15
October___
77.93
November----- 77.71
December___
78.09
1954: January.------- 77.11
February__ -. 76. 55
Partitions, shelving,
lockers, and fixtures
41 9 $1.65 $69. 06
41.6
1.75 71.17
1.83 73.03
41.3
1.85 73.16
41.4
41.4
1.85 73. 51
40.1
1 .8 6
73.03
41.0
1.83 73.03
1.85 70. 56
39.3
1.83 74.93
37.6
42.1
73.71
1 .88
1.91 75.81
40.8
40.9
1.90 76.26
41.1
1.90 74.93
40.8
1.89 75.14
1.891 75.33
40.5
Mattresses and bedsprings
41.6 $1 . 6 6
1. 74
40.9
1.79
40.8
1.78
41.1
1.78
41.3
1.79
40.8
1.79
40.8
39.2
1.80
41.4
1.81
1.82
40.5
41.2
1.81
41.0
1.86
40.5
1. 85
40.4
1 .8 6
1.86
40.5
39.8
41.4
41.3
41.6
40.9
39.8
39.6
38.0
39.9
40.1
41.0
40.6
41.2
37.1
39.0
$1.46 $60. 45
1.56 64.87
1.60 68.39
1.61 67. 23
1.62 6 6 .33
1.62 64.12
1.63 66.07
1.62 64. 6 8
1.60 67. 40
1.63 6 6 . 90
1.64 65.51
1.64 63. 69
1.67 63. 25
1.62 64.08
1.63 65.90
Screens, blinds, and
miscellaneous fur
niture and fixtures
$53. 43
57.69
60.90
61.59
63.34
62.46
63. 33
61.42
61.27
61.84
63.15
63. 57
64.90
62.47
62. 73
41.1 $1. 30
41.5
1.39
1.45
42.0
41.9
1.47
1. 48
42.8
42.2
1.48
1.49
42.5
41.5
1.48
41.4
1.48
1.49
41.5
42.1
1.5C
42.1
1. 51
1.52
42.7
40.3
1.55
1.53
41.0
$65. 51
68.91
71.81
72. 31
71.81
72. 24
72. 41
73.44
73. 61
74. 30
73.96
73. 36
73.62
72. 07
72. 07
1951: Average____
1952: Average____
1953: February......
M a rch ..........
April_______
M ay_______
Ju n e ..............
.Tnlv
August_____
Septem ber...
October____
November__
December___
1954: January. . . .
February.......
$59.92
64.18
66.41
67. 94
66.68
67. 58
67. 73
66.91
6 8 . 75
6 8 .4P
69. 23
6 8 . 0C
66.08
65.12
64. 9C
41.9
42.5
42.3
43.0
42.2
42.5
42.6
42.1
42.7
42.0
43.0
42.5
41.3
40.2
40.1
S ee fo o tn o te s a t e n d o f ta b le .
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
$1.43
1. 51
1.5"
1.58
1.58
1.5S
1. 5E
1 . 5£
1.61
1.63
1.61
1.6C
1. 601
1.62
1.62!
Fiber cans, tubes,
and drums
$64.84
65. 44
71.32
72.50
71.57
69.80
69. 5
71.72
73.02
73.85
71.14
70.24
72.08
69. 6 C
69. 56
41.3 $1.57
1.60
40.9
1.69
42.2
1.71
42. ‘
42.1
1. 70
1.69
41.3
1.6 8
41.
41. 7
1.72
1.71
42.7
42.2
1.75
41.6
1.7:
1.71
40.6
42.'
1. 70
39.1
1.78
39.3
1. 771
42.0 $1.22 $57. 27
41.9
1.28 60. 59
1.30 62. 67
42.0
41.9
1.31 63. 65
42.1
1.31 63.19
42.0
1.32 62. 58
42.1
1.33 62. 73
41.4
1.33 60.89
1.33 62. 58
41.8
1.35 62.78
41.0
1.35 64.12
41.8
1.34 63. 49
40.7
1.34 63. 74
41.3
39.9
1.33 61. 78
1.34 62. 56
40.8
$1. 52 $71.04
73.68
1 . 61
1.67 77. 26
1.67 77. 44
1.67 77.62
1 .68
77. 44
1.68
78.68
1.70 80.10
1.70 79.92
1.74 80.85
1.72 79. 72
1. 71 80.08
1. 72 80.08
1.72 78. 55
1.72 78.37
44.4 $1.60
1.69
43.6
43.9
1.76
1.76
44.0
44.1
1.76
44.0
1.76
44.2
1.78
44.5
1.80
44. 4 1.80
1.85
43.7
1.82
43.8
44.0
1 . 82
1.82
44.0
43.4
1.81
43.3
1.81
$1.39
1. 46
1.51
1. 53
1. 53
1.53
1.53
1.53
1.53
1.55
1.56
1.56
1.57
1.56
1.56
Wood office furniture
43.2 $1.54 $62. 34
42.2
1 . 62
60. 8 6
62.10
1.68
41.8
1.70 62. 51
42.0
1.70 61.95
42.0
1.70 61.95
41.5
1.69 60.70
41.9
1.71 59. 28
40.5
1.70 62. 73
41.0
1.73 61.05
42.0
1.74 61.51
41.6
41.5
1. 73 60.89
1. 74 61. 8 6 !
42.0
1.73 59.60 !
41.1
1.72 59. 55¡
40.8
allied products
Pulp, paper, and
paperboard mills
41.2
41.5
41.5
41.6
41.3
40.9
41.0
39.8
40.9
40.5
41.1
40.7
40.6
39.6
40.1
43.9 $1.42
41. 4 1. 47
41.4
1.50
41.4
1.51
1. 50
41.3
1. 50
41.3
40.2
1.51
1.52
39.0
1. 53
41.0
1. 63
39.9
40.2
1.53
39. 8
1. 53
1. 52
40.7
1.49
40.0
39.7
1.50
Paperboard con
tainers and boxes *
$60.19
64. 45
66.83
6 8 . 37
67.10
67.84
68.00
67.36
69.17
6 8 .88
69. 50
68.26
6 6 . 65
65.36
65.20
41.8 $1.44
42.4
1.52
1.58
42.3
1.59
43.0
1. 59
42.2
42.4
1.60
1.60
42.5
42.1
1.60
42. 7 1.62
1.64
42.0
1.62
42.9
42.4
1 . 61
41.4
1.61
1.63
40.1
1.63
40.0
Printing, publishing, and allied industries
Other paper and
allied products
$59. 77
62.40
64.9(
65. 68
65. 31
65.31
64.58
65.31
65. 47
65.57
65.8Í
65.19
66.72 :
65. 51
65.28 !
43.1
42.8
43.0
43.3
43.0
43.0
43.1
43.2
43.3
42.7
43.0
42.9
42.8
41.9
41.9
Total: Furniture
and fixtures
Avg. Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. wkly. hrly.
earn earn hours earn
ings
ings
ings
Office, public-build
ing, and profes
sional furniture *
40.3 $1.50 $6 6 . 53
1. 59 68.36
40.8
1 .6 6
70.22
41.2
40. 5 1 . 6 6 71.40
40.2
1.65 71.40
1.04 70. 55
39.1
1 .66
70.81
39.8
39.2
1.65 69. 26
1.66
69. 70
40.6
72. 6 6
40.3
1 .66
1.65 72.38
39.7
1.65 71.80
38.6
73. 08
1.66
38.1
1 .66
71.10
38.6
1.66
70.18
39.7
Paper and
Total: Paper and
allied products
Paper and allied products—Continued
Paperboard boxes
Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly.
earn earn wkly.
ings hours
ings
Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly.
earn earn wkly.
ings
ings hours
1
1951: Average_____ $55.08
1952: Average-------- 58.93
1953- February__
61 01
61.57
M arch_____
April_______
61.09
60.24
M ay_____
Ju n e________ 60. 24
Julv.......... ...... 58. 21
August______ 60.38
September___ 59.90
October___ . 61.35
November___ 61.00
December.- . 60.70
1954: January
58. 41
February........ 59.30
Miscellaneous wood
products
41.8
41.6
41.6
42.1
41.6
41.6
41.1
41.6
41.7
41.5
41.'
41. (
41.7
40.7
40.8
$1.43
1. 50
1. 56
1. 56
1.57
1.57
1.56
1. 57
1.57
1.58
1.5!
1.5£
1.6C
1.611
1.601
T o ta l: P r i n t i n g ,
p u b lish in g , an d
allied industries
$77. 21
81. 48
83. 76
85. 2'
85.1Í
85.80
85. 36
84. 92
85. 97
86.91
86.7
86.52
8 8 . 82
8 6 . 4C
86.18
38.8
38.8
38.6
39.1
38.1
39. (
38.8
38.6
38.8
38.8
38.8
38.8
39.2
38.4
38.2
Newspapers
$1.99 $83. 45
87.12
2 .10
2.17 87.82
2.18 89. 28
2 . 1!
91. 3fi
2. 2( 92. 85
2. 2C 92. 35
2.2C 90.3C
2. 21 90. 3C
2.24 93. 02
2. 22 92.98
92. 5'
2 . 28
2.2C 96. 8 "
2.2 90. 0'
2.2 , 91.44
Periodicals
36.6 $2.28 $79. 20
36.3
2. 4C 83. 60
35.7
2. 4P 86.80
2. 48 87.64
36.0
36.4
2.51 83. 92
2. 52 83. 71
36.7
2.58 82.68
36.5
36. C 2. 51 85. 84
2. 51 92. 62
36.
36.2
2.5' 96.28
2. 56 89.47
36.8
2. 5, 8 6 . 24
36.8
2 . 5(
86.32
37.4
2. 58 89. 87
35.
36.0
2. 5' 90. 5(
39.8 $1.99
40.0
2.09
2-17
40.0
2.18
40.
39.4
2.13
2.13
39.3
39.
2 .12
4U. ¿1 2.13
40.8
2.27
41. £ 2.32
2. 22
40.2
39.2
2 .2 0
39.
2.18
2.23
40.2
4 0 .4 !
2 .2 4
C: EARNINGS AND HOURS
597
Table C 1 : Hours and gross earnings of production workers or nonsupervisory employees 1—Continued
Manufacturing—Continued
Printing, publishing, and allied industries—Continued
Year and month
Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn hours
ings
1951: Average.......... $67.32
1952: Average-......... 71.24
1953: February........ 71.92
M arch______ 74. 77
April..... .......... 74.03
M ay...... ......... 74. 99
June........... .
73.45
July................. 72.35
August______ 74. 96
September___ 74.80
October. ___ 73.82
November___ 73.68
December___ 74.84
1954: January_____ 74.49
February____ 74.11
39.6
39.8
39.3
40.2
39.8
40.1
39.7
38.9
40.3
40.0
39.9
39.4
39.6
39.0
38.8
Q
o
B
H
Books
îercial printing
Lithographing
Greeting cards
Bookbinding and re
lated industries
Miscellaneous pub
lishing and printing
services
Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly.
earn earn wkly.
ings
ings hours
Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly.
earn earn wkly.
ings
ings hours
Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly.
earn earn wkly.
ings
ings hours
Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly.
earn earn wkly.
ings
ings hours
Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly.
earn earn wkly.
ings
ings hours
$1.70 $75. 20
1.79 80.00
1.83 82.19
1 .86
83.84
1.86
84. 02
1.87 83.81
1.85 84.00
1 .86
83.60
1 .86
83. 81
1.87 84.80
1.85 85.63
1. 87 85. 41
1.89 8 6 . 67
1.91 85. 79
1.91 84.32
$1 . 8 8 $75.79
1.99 81.61
2.06 84. 44
2. 07 84.24
2.09 85.06
2.09 85.07
2.10
85.46
2.09 87.34
2.09 86.30
2 .12
8 6 . 71
2.13 85.26
2.13 84. 65
2.14 85.44
2.15 83.07
2.14 84. 53
$1.89 $43.47
2.03 45.84
2.09 46. 62
2.08 48. 51
2.09 48.63
2.08 48.50
2.11
46. 75
2 .1 2
45.23
2 .11
47.00
2 .1 2
47. 21
2 .1 0
50.95
2.09 51.34
2 .1 2
52. 22
2.13 51.61
2.14 52.92
$1.15 $62. 24
1.20
62.33
1.26 65.11
1.27 65. 76
1.29 65. 74
1.29 66.63
1.26 66.70
1.26 65.86
1.26 6 6 . 70
1.29 65.69
1.32 6 6 . 70
1.33 67.49
1.36 6 8 . 51
1.38 67.16
1.40 67. 47
$1.56 $91.42
1.59 98.25
1.64 103.36
1. 64 106. 37
1 .66
102. 56
1.67 101.39
1 . 6 8 102.83
1 . 6 8 103. 23
1 . 6 8 105. 73
1 . 6 8 106.65
1 . 6 8 105.86
1.70 105. 20
1.73 106. 6 6
1.74 104.41
1. 73 1 0 2 . 6 8
40.0
40.2
39.9
40.5
40.2
40.1
40.0
40.0
40.1
40.0
40.2
40.1
40.5
39.9
39.4
40.1
40.2
40.4
40.5
40.7
40.9
40.5
41.2
40.9
40.9
40.6
40.5
40.3
39.0
39.5
37.8
38.2
37.0
38.2
37.7
37.6
37.1
35.9
37.3
36.6
38.6
38.6
38.4
37.4
37.8
39.9
39.2
39.7
40.1
39.6
39.9
39.7
39.2
39.7
39.1
39.7
39.7
39.6
38.6
39.0
38.9
39.3
39.6
40.6
39.6
39.3
39.4
39.4
39.6
39.5
39.5
39.4
39.8
39.4
38.6
Avg.
hrly.
earn
ings
$2.35
2.50
2.61
2 . 62
2. 59
2.58
2.61
2 . 62
2. 67
2.70
2 .68
2.67
2 .68
2.65
2 .66
Chemicals and allied products
Total: Chemicals and Industrial inorganic
allied products
chemicals 1
1951: Average_____
1952: Average_____
1953: February........
M arch______
April_______
M ay________
June________
July------------August______
September___
October____
November___
December___
1954: January_____
February........
$67.81
70.45
73.10
73.87
74.29
75.12
75.35
76.78
75.85
77.61
75.81
76. 59
77.19
76.45
76.63
41.6
41.2
41.3
41.5
41.5
41.5
41.4
41.5
41.0
41.5
41.2
41.4
41.5
41.1
41.2
$1.63 $74. 8 8
1.71 77.08
1.77 80.36
1.78 80. 56
1.79 81. 56
1.81 81.77
1.82 84.00
1.85 83.21
1.85 83.23
1.87 85.90
1.84 83.23
1.85 84.05
1 .86
85.28
1 .86
84.87
1 .86
84.66
S y n th e tic fibers
1951: Average_____
1952: Average..........
1953: February____
M arch______
April_______
M ay................
June...... ........ .
July_________
August....... .....
September___
October_____
November___
December___
1954: January_____
February____
$62.65
6 6 .47
66.69
68.85
68.68
69.37
69. 77
71.38
70. 62
75. 20
6 8 . 71
69. 24
71.56
71.60
69.42
39.4
39.8
39.0
39.8
39.7
40.1
40.1
40.1
39.9
40.0
38.6
38.9
40.2
40.0
39.0
1951: Average_____ $67.72
1952: Average_____ 70.47
1953: February____ 73. 57
M arch______ 74. 76
A p ril_______ 75. 54
M ay________ 77.65
Ju n e________ 74. 76
July------------- 74.70
August______ 73. 75
September___ 73.98
October_____ 75.17
November___ 75.53
December___ 75.58
1954: January_____ 75.26
February____ 75.26
41.8
41.7
41.8
42.0
42.2
42.9
42.0
41.5
41.2
41.1
41.3
41.5
41.3
40.9
40.9
S e e f o o t n o t e s a t e n d o f ta b le .
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
$1 . 80 $74.93
1 .88
76. 52
1.96 79. 71
1. 96 79. 90
1.97 81.32
1.98 80. 75
2.00
87.60
2 . 01
84.64
2.04 83.03
2.09 84.86
2.05 81.81
2.05 82.62
2.06 83. 64
2.07 83.23
2.07 82.22
40.1
39.6
38.8
39.5
30.4
39.5
38.7
39.8
39.8
40.5
39.4
40.3
40.3
40.3
40.6
$1.69 $62.47
1.77 63.44
1.83 6 8 .39
1.86
68.06
1 .88
6 8 . 23
1.87 68.06
1.90 6 6 . 90
1.91 68.28
1.91 68.38
1.92 70.04
1.93 71.55
1.92 71.97
1.93 72.66
1.93 72.28
1.94 72. 63
Gum and wood
chemicals
$1.62 $56.55
1.69 59.36
1.76 61.09
1.78 61.80
1.79 61. 65
1.81 64.22
1.78 64.02
1.80 66.50
1.79 65.14
1.80 69. 21
1.82 64.83
1.82 65.10
1.83 64. 48
1.84 64.58
1.84 65.52
42.2
42.1
41 0
41.2
41.1
41.7
41.3
42.9
42.3
42.2
42.1
42.0
41.6
41.4
42.0
41.4
40.7
41.3
41.4
41.7
41.2
43.8
41.9
40.9
40.8
40.5
40.9
40.8
41.0
40.5
Industrial organic
chemicals 1
$1.81 $71.98
1 .8 8
75.11
1.93 77.38
1.93 79.15
1.95 79.76
1.96 79.73
2.00
80.36
2.02
81. 59
2.03 80. 79
2.08 84.05
2 .02
80.60
2 .02
81.20
2.05 81.81
2.03 81.41
2. 03 81.61
40.9
40.6
40.3
40.8
40.9
41.1
41.0
41.0
40.6
40.8
40.1
40.4
40.7
40.5
40.4
$1.34 $52.33
1.41 56.23
1.49 57. 24
1.50 59. 00
1 . 50
60.69
1.54 60.63
1.55 59.08
1. 55 59. 92
1.54 58. 79
1.64 60.90
1.54 57.95
1. 55 57. 54
1.55 60.62
1. 56 59.35
1.56 59.08
41.1
39.9
41.2
41.0
41.1
41.0
40.3
40.4
40.7
41.2
41.6
41.6
42.0
41.3
41.5
Fertilizers
42.2
42.6
42.4
43.7
44.3
42.7
41.9
42.2
41.4
42.0
41.1
41.1
42.1
41.5
42.2
$1.52 $70.89
1.59 73.93
1 .6 8
78. 35
1 .66
78.81
1. 66
77.68
1 .6 6
76.89
1 .6 6
77.08
1.69 76.70
1 .68
79. 27
1.70 79. 6 8
1.72 79.54
1. 73 79.90
1. 73 79.32
1.75 79.93
1.75 78.96
41.7
41.3
41.9
41.7
41.1
40.9
41.0
40.8
41.5
41.5
41.0
41.4
41.1
41.2
40.7
46.0
45.9
45.4
45.2
44.3
44.2
44 .4
44.2
43.4
46.8
47.7
47.9
47.4
46.6
45.8
42.0
41.7
42.7
42.7
42.9
43.0
43.0
42.4
42.6
42.4
41.8
42.0
42.1
41.7
42.1
41.5
41.4
41.6
41.4
41.0
40.6
40.7
40.5
41.1
41.4
41.1
41.4
41.2
40.6
41.4
41.0
40.3
40.8
40.5
41.0
41.2
40.9
40.7
40.5
40.4
40.0
40.1
40.6
40.5
40.5
$1.91
1.99
2 .10
2 .1 2
2 . 11
2 .1 2
2 .12
2.16
2.18
2.24
2.17
2.19
2.18
2.18
2 .2 0
Paints, pigments, and
fillers 1
$1 . 8 6 $6 8 .55
1.96 71.38
2.05 74.64
2 . 08
75. 42
2.08 76.02
2.07 78.32
2.06 76.20
2.06 76.31
2 .10
74.98
2 .1 1
76.41
2.13 76.54
76.54
2.12
2.13 76.59
2 .12
76.26
2.13 76.67
Vegetable oils
$1.29 $55.22
1.34 57.07
1.36 56. 75
1.39 58.11
1.43 58. 21
1.49 59.62
1.52 62. 35
1. 52 61.92
1.52 60.35
1.40 59.72
1.37 61.00
1.39 62.10
1.41 62.82
1.42 61.36
1.46 61.31
S y n th e tic rubber
$1.73 $78.31
1.83 80. 2 0
1.90 85.68
1.91 85.86
1.91 8 6 . 51
1.94 87. 34
1.95 8 6 . 71
1.95 87.91
1.97 8 8 . 29
2 . 00
90.50
1.97 86.80
1. 99 87. 82
1.97 8 8 . 51
1.95 88.29
1.96 89.10
S o a p a n d glycerin
$1.70 $77.19
1.79 81.14
1.87 85. 28
1.89 8 6 . 1 1
1.89 85.28
1 .88
84.04
1.88
83.84
83. 43
1 .88
1.91 8 6 . 31
1.92 87.35
1.94 87.54
1.93 87. 77
1.93 87. 76
1.94 86.07
1.94 88.18
Vegetable and animal
oils and fats 1
$1.24 $59.34
1.32 61.51
1.35 61.74
1.35 62.83
1.37 63.35
1.42 65.86
1.41 67.49
1.42 67.18
1.42 65.97
1.45 65. 52
1.41 65.35
1.40 66. 58
1.44 6 6 . 83
1.43 66.17
1.40 66.87
P la s tic s , except s y n
thetic rubber
$1.76 $72.66
1.85 76.31
1.92 81.13
1.94 81. 56
1.95 81.94
1.94 83.42
1.96 83. 85
1.99 82.68
1.99 83.92
2.08 84.80
2 .01
82.35
83. 58
2.01
2.01
82.94
2 . 01
81.32
2 . 02
82.52
Soap, cleaning and
Drugs and medicines polishing
preparations1
E x p lo sives
$1.59 $67. 77
1.67 70.09
1.71 71.00
1.73 73. 47
1.73 74.07
1.73 73.87
1.74 73.53
1. 78 76.02
1.77 76.02
1.88
77. 76
1.78 76.04
1. 78 77.38
1. 78 77.78
1.79 77.78
1.78 78.76
P a in ts , varnishes, la c
quers, an d en a m els
41.6
41.0
41.0
41.1
41.4
41.3
42.0
41.4
40.8
41.1
40.6
41.0
41.4
41.0
40.9
A lk a lie s a n d chlorine
41.8
41.5
41.7
41.9
42.0
42.8
42.1
41.7
41.2
41.3
41.6
41.6
41.4
41.0
41.0
$1.64
1.72
1.79
1.80
1.81
1.83
1.81
1.83
1.82
1.85
1.84
1.84
1.85
1 .8 6
1.87
A n im a l o ils a n d fa ts
46.4 $1.19 $68.40
46.4
1.23 70.34
45.4
1.25 73.39
45.4
1.28 73.02
44. 1 1.32 73.02
43.2
1.38 75.41
43.3
1.44 75.28
42.7
1. 45 73.92
42.2
1.43 74.13
47.4
1.26 76.32
48.8
1.25 75.48
48.9
1.27 76. 44
48.7
1.29 75. 26
47.2
1.30 76. 39
46.1
1.33 77.12
45.0
44.8
45.3
44.8
44.8
45.7
45.9
46.2
45.2
45.7
45.2
45.5
44.8
45.2
45.1
$1.52
1.57
1.62
1.63
1.63
1.65
1.64
1.60
1.64
1.67
1.67
1. 68
1 .6 8
1.69
1.71
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW, MAY 1954
598
Table C -l: Hours and gross earnings of production workers or nonsupervisory employees 1—Continued
Manufacturing—Continued
Products of petroleum and coal
Chemicals and allied products—Continued
Miscellaneous
chemicals >
Year and month
1951: Average_____
1952: Average____
1953: February____
M arch.. ___
April ______
M ay_______
June________
July________
A ugust_____
September___
October____
November___
D ecem ber__
1954: January. . ..
February------
Essential oils,
perfumes, cosmetics
Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn hours
ings
Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkiy.
earn earn wkly.
ings
ings hours
$63. 50
65.35
$1.53 $51. 74
1.59 54.49
55.54
1 .68
1 .6 8
57.18
1.69 56.83
1.69 56.92
1.70 57.37
1.71 56.17
1.71 57.30
1.73 58. 26
1.74 60. 74
1.74 69.44
1.75 60.13
1. 76 59. 44
1.76 61.54
6 8 .88
69. 38
6 8 . 95
68.95
69.70
69.60
69. 77
70. 76
71.17
70.99
71.05
70. 75
71.46
41.5
41.1
41.0
41.3
40.8
40.8
41.0
40.7
40.8
40.9
40.9
40.8
40.6
40.2
40.6
Total: Rubber
products
1951: Average..........
1952: Average____
1953: February. ..
M arch. ____
April ______
M ay________
June_______
J u l y . _______
August ____
Septem ber...
October_____
November. .
December__
1954: January. . ..
February____
$6 8 . 61
74.48
79.30
80.29
79.32
78.18
78. 55
78.98
76.81
74. 8 8
75.07
75.65
75. 6 6
74.69
75.46
1951: Average_____
1952: Average____
1953: February____
March______
April...............
M ay________
June________
Ju ly ... ____
A u g u st_____
September___
October_____
November___
December.. . .
1954: January. . . .
February____
$64. 50
64.12
70.09
71.94
6 8 . 22
67.39
64. 8 8
63.68
6 8 . 72
67. 90
66.50
6 6 . 02
70.39
69.22
66.07
43.0
41.1
43.0
43.6
41.6
41.6
40.3
39.8
41.9
41.4
40.8
40.5
41.9
41.2
39.8
$63.91
66.17
69. 29
70.21
70. 28
70.86
70. 69
70. 58
71.51
71. 10
72.10
71.46
71.63
69.87
70. 70
41.5
41.1
41.0
41.3
41.1
41.2
41.1
40.8
41.1
40.4
41.2
40.6
40.7
39.7
40.4
See footnotes at end of table.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
38.9 $1.33
39.2
1.39
38.3
1.45
38.9
1.47
38.4
1.48
1.49
38.2
1. 49
38.5
1.49
37.7
38.2
1.50
1. 49
39.1
39.7
1.53
1.53
39.5
39.3
1.53
38.1
1. 56
39.2
1. 57
Rubber
$72. 42
73. 92
80.65
79. 95
79.38
78. 73
79. 38
81.18
81.75
83. 57
81.02
80.67
80.10
81.67
80.67
products
$1. .50 $46. 25
1.56 49. 40
1.63 51.22
1.65 51.35
1.64 50. 29
1.62 49.37
1.61 51. 74
1.60 50. 95
1.64 50. 67
1.64 47. 22
1.63 47.44
1.63 48.33
51. 72
1 .68
1.68
50.65
1.66
51.05
$1. 54 $83.85
1.61 86.05
1.69 98.18
1.70 98. 47
1.71 97. 63
1.72 101.52
1. 72 95. 65
1.73 96.46
1.74 94. 64
1. 76 91.72
1.75 95. 75
1.76 97. 77
1.76 98. 42
1.76 99. 31
1.75 1 0 0 . 1 2
Coke and other pe
troleum and coal
Products
Total: Products of
petroleum and coal
Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly.
earn earn wkly.
ings
ings hours
42.6 $1.70 $80. 98
42.0
1.76 84.85
87.45
42.9
1 .88
1.89 87. 89
42.3
1.89 88.29
42.0
42.1
1.87 89.60
1.89 8 8 .94
42.0
1.91 92.32
42.5
1.91 92.06
42.8
1.93 94.12
43.3
1.92 91.80
42.2
1.93 92.62
41.8
41.5
1.93 91.98
1.94 91. 53
42.1
41.8
1.93 91. 30
Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly.
earn earn wkly.
ings hours
ings
40.9 $1.98
40.6
2.09
40.3
2.17
40.5
2.17
2.18
40.5
2.18
41.1
2.18
40.8
41.4
2.23
2. 24
41.1
2. 29
41.1
40.8
2. 25
2. 27
40.8
2.26
40.7
2 . 26
40.5
40.4
2.26
Other rubber
products
$84. 6 6
8 8 . 44
91.03
91.71
91.88
92. 57
91.94
96.00
95, 00
97.68
94. 71
96.46
96.05
95. 58
94.87
37.6
38.9
39.4
39.2
38.1
37.4
38.9
38.6
38.1
35.5
35.4
35.8
38.6
37.8
38.1
Flat glass
Footwear (except
rubber)
$1.23 $44. 28
1.27 48.26
1.30 51.61
1.31 52.00
1.32 49.10
1.32 48. 81
1.33 49. 90
1.32 49.65
1.33 49.24
1. 33 45. 41
1.34 45.67
1.35 45.80
1.34 49.10
1.34 49. 37
1.34 50. 67
40.9 $2.05 $59. 20
40.4
2.13 62.09
41.6
2. 36 66.23
2.35 67.80
41.9
2.33 67. 89
41.9
2.40 6 8 . 46
42.3
2. 35 68.40
40.7
40.7
2.37 67. 08
2.36 6 8 . 46
40.1
38. 7 2. 37 69. 17
40.4
2.37 69.08
2.42 70.13
40.4
40.5
2. 43 69. 34
2. 44 68.64
40.7
2.43 69. 92
41.2
40.0
39.8
39.9
40.6
39.7
39.8
40.0
39.0
39.8
39.3
39.7
39.4
39.4
39.0
39.5
Glass containers
$1. 48 $60. 55
1. 56 63 1 2
üö. 63
1.66
1.67 69.05
1.71 70.58
1.72 71.46
1. 71 71. 23
1.72 67.73
1.72 71.15
1.76 6 8 . 89
1.74 70.80
1.78 72.09
1.76 72. 50
1.76 70. 35
1.77 72. 54
40. 1
39.7
39.9
41.1
40.1
40.6
40.7
38.7
40.2
38.7
40.0
40. 5
40.5
39. 3
40.3
41.8
40.7 $2.08 $69. 39
41.9
73.74
2.20
40.2
41.1
40.1
2.27 75.62
40.7
40.4
2. 27 75.30
41.1
2 . 28
76.45
40.3
42.5
2.28 79.48
40.6
2. 27 78. 58 41.8
40.5
42.2
2.33 80.60
41.2
42.8
2.34 82.60
40.6
2. 40 83. 07 42.6
40.7
42.4
2.35 81.83
40.3
41.0
2.37 78.72
40.7
40. 5
2.36 77.36
40.7
2.36 77. 57 40.4
40.5
41.0
2.36 78.31
40.2
Leather and leather products
36.9
38.4
39.4
39.3
37.8
37.4
38.2
38.1
37.8
35.5
36.0
36.1
37.7
37.6
38.2
37.9 $1.15
38.2
1 . IS
1.23
39.1
1 .2 2
39.6
1. 22
37.6
1.21
36.4
1. 22
38.0
1 .22
37.7
1.23
38.6
1.23
36.3
1.25
38.7
1.25
39.3
1.24
38.9
1.25
37.1
39.4
1.25
Pressed and blown
glass
$1. 51 $57. 46
1. 59 60. 89
1.67 65. 27
1 .68
6 6 . 40
1. 76 64.68
1.76 64. 57
1. 75 64.91
1.75 65. 80
1.77 64.85
1.78 69.20
1.77 66.81
1.78 6 8 . 0 0
1.79 65. 53
1.79 66.61
1.80 6 6 . 39
39.9
39.8
39.8
40.0
39.2
38.9
39.1
39.4
39.3
40.0
39.3
38.2
38.1
38.5
38.6
Avg.
hrly.
earn
ings
$1 . 6 6
1.76
1.84
1.85
1 .86
1.87
1.88
1. 91
1.93
1.95
1. 93
1.92
1.91
1. 92
1.91
Leather: tanned,
curried, and finished
$1.27 $60. 61
1.32 64. 48
1.35 67.70
1.37 67.03
1.37 67.60
1.38 69.19
1.37 69. 26
1.36 68.46
1.37 69.03
1.38 67. 8 6
1.38 67.99
1.38 68.38
1.38 69.43
1.38 6 8 . 6 8
1.38 6 8 . 51
Handbags and small
leather goods
Luggage
39.5 $1. 36 $43. 59
36.0 $1. 23 $53. 72
1.40 45.08
40.6
1. 27 56.84
38.0
1.44 48.09
39.0
39.4
1.31 56.16
48.31
1.46
40.6
39.1
1.33 59.28
1. 44 45. 87
37.2
1.32 58. 75
40.8
1.44
44.04
40.0
36.7
1.33 57.60
1.47 46. 36
37.8
1.32 55. 57 37.8
45.99
1.45
1.31 56.26
38.8
37.9
1.44 47.48
1.32 55.73
38.7
37.3
34.4
1.32 58. 65 39.1
1. 50 44.65
39.4
1.51 48.38
1.32 59.49
34.6
1.48 49.13
1.32 58. 02 39.2
34.7
35.6
1.50 48.24
1.32 53.40
37.2
35.4
37.4
1.32 53.10
1.50 46. 38
1.49 1 49.25
1.33 51.70
34.7
38.1
Stone, clay, aDd glass products
Glass and glassware,
pressed or blown 1
Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly.
earn earn wkly.
ings hours
ings
Total Leather and
leather products
41.3 $1. 53 $46. 8 6
41.0 $1. 41 $63.19
39.6 $1.97 $57. 81
41.1
1.62 50.69
40.4
1. 54 06. 58
62. 2 2
40.4
2 .12
1.70 53.19
41.8
41.2
1.64 71.06
2. 25 67.57
40.8
1.72 53.84
41.7
1.64 71.72
2. 25 67. 57 41.2
41.7
41.4
1. 72 51.79
41.1
1.65 71.21
2. 25 67.82
40.7
1.73 51.61
41.0
1.63 70.93
37.0
40.4
2.26 60.31
41.2
1.73 52. 33
71. 28
1 .66
2. 23 68.06
41.0
40.0
1.74 51.82
40.6
41.1
1.67 70.64
2. 25 68.64
40.2
40.4
1.74 51.79
1.63 70.30
2. 24 65. 53 40.2
39.1
1.75 48.99
69. 65 39.8
64. 24 39.9
1 . 61
2 . 21
37.8
40.4
1.75 49. 6 8
1.62 70.70
38.8
62.86
2 . 20
37.8
1.75 49.82
1.63 70. 53 40.3
39.0
38.5
2 . 21
63.57
40. 7 1.78 52.03
1.64 72.45
65.44
39.9
2 .21
37.3
1.64 70.62
39.9
1.77 51.89
38.4
37. 5 2 . 2 1 62.98
1.76 52. 72
1.65 70.58
40.1
39.9
65.84
37.8
2 . 21
Leather and leather products—Continued
Boot and shoe cut
stock and findings
Total: Stone, clay,
and giass products
1951: Average..........
1952: Average.........
1953: February___
M arch...........
A pril.............
M ay_______
June...............
July...............
August______
September___
October.........
November__
December.......
1954: January....... .
February____
Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly.
earn earn wkly.
ings hours
ings
tubes
40.6 $1.69 $78. 01
1.83 85.65
40.7
1.92 91.80
41.3
41.6
1.93 93.83
41.1
1.93 91.58
1.94 91.30
40.3
1.93 89. 20
40.7
1.95 90.45
40.5
39.8
1.93 87. 58
1.92 83. 54
39.0
1.92 83.16
39.1
1.92 85.09
39.4
39.2
1.93 82.43
1.93 82.88
38.7
1.93 83. 54
39.1
Industrial leather
belting and packing
Compressed and
liquified oases
39.1
39.8
40.3
39.9
40.0
40.7
40. 5
39 8
39.9
39.0
39.3
39.3
39.9
39. 7
39.6
$1.55
1.62
1.68
1.68
1.69
1. 70
1. 71
1.72
1.73
1. 74
1. 73
1.74
1.74
1.73
1. 73
Gloves and miscellaneous leather goods
$42.67
44.15
44.28
44.03
44.77
43.92
44.17
42.83
44.17
42.94
44.53
44.41
44. 53
43.54
44.14
37.1
37.1
36.9
37.0
37.0
36.3
36. 5
35.4
36.5
35.2
36. 5
36.4
36. ó
35.4
35. 6
$1.15
1.19
1 .20
1.19
1. 21
1 .21
1.2 1
1.2 1
1.2 1
1.22
1 .2 2
1.22
1 .22
1.23
1.24
Glass products made
of purchased glass
$1.44 $53.19
1. 53 56.30
1.64 60.20
1 .66
61.17
1.65 59. 57
59.18
1 .66
1. 66
58. 75
1.67 57.28
1.65 59. 71
1.73 58.90
1.70 60. 74
1.78 60.98
1 72 61.24
1.73 58.35
1.72 61.05
40.6
40.8
42.1
41.9
40.8
41.1
40.8
39. 5
40.9
39.8
41.6
41.2
41.1
38.9
40.7
$1.31
1.38
1 ,43
1.46
1.46
1.44
1.44
1.45
1.46
1.48
1.46
1.48
1.49
1.50
1. 50
O:
599
EARNINGS AND H O U RS
Table C -l: Hours and gross earnings of production workers or nonsupervisory employees l—Continued
Manufacturing—C ontinued
Stone, clay, and glass products—Continued
Cement, hydraulic
Year and month
Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn hours
ings
1951: Average........... $65. 21
1952: Average........... 67. 72
1953: February........ 70. 55
71.40
M arch______
April------------ 71.23
M ay......... ...... 72.38
June________ 73.99
July------------- 76. 26
August—......... 75.18
September----- 77.75
74. 82
October_____
November----- 72. 75
73. 46
December___
1954: January-------- 73.51
F e b ru ary ----- 73. 87
41.8
41.8
41.5
42.0
41.9
41.6
41.8
41.9
42.0
41.8
41.8
41.1
41.5
41.3
41.5
Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly.
earn earn wkly.
ings hours
ings
$1.56
1.62
1.70
1. 70
1.70
1.74
1.77
1.82
1.79
1.86
1.79
1.77
1. 77
1.78
1.78
Pottery and
related products
1951: Average.......... $57.91
1952: Average.......... 61.15
1953: February........ 63.96
March . . . ---- 64.35
April............... 62. 87
M ay................ 61.92
Ju n e ............... 61.09
July— ........... 60. 76
August______ 60.06
September----- 60.23
63.20
October_____
November___ 62.04
61.46
December___
1954: January-------- 59.79
February........ 61.62
Structural clay
products »
38.1 $1.52
1.58
38.7
1.64
39.0
1.65
39.0
1.65
38.1
1.66
37.3
1.66
36.8
1.66
36.6
1.65
36.4
1.65
36.5
1.65
38.3
1.65
37.6
1.67
36.8
35.8
1.67
36.9
1.67
$60.03
60.09
61.05
62. 37
63. 09
63.24
64. 74
65.41
65.83
65.37
66. 56
65.92
65.03
62.81
64.15
Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly.
earn earn wkly.
ings hours
ings
41.4 $1.45
1.48
40.6
39.9
1.53
40. 5 1.54
40. 7 1.55
1.55
40.8
1.56
41.5
41.4
1.58
1.59
41.4
1.61
40.6
1.60
41.6
41.2
1.60
1. 59
40.9
1.59
39.5
1.58
40.6
Concrete, gypsum,
and plaster prod
ucts J
$68.25
70.65
70.79
70.63
72.32
71.88
73.54
73.37
75. 71
74.21
76.37
73.35
73. 25
70.31
72.58
45.2 $1.51
1.57
45.0
1.62
43.7
1.62
43.6
1.64
44.1
1.63
44.1
1.66
44.3
1.66
44.2
1.69
44.8
1.71
43.4
1.72
44.4
43.4
1.69
1.68
43.6
1.67
42.1
43.2
1.68
Moor and
wall tile
Brick and
hoUow tüe
$57.92
58. 51
57.13
59. 50
60. 92
60.35
62.64
62.35
63. 36
62.60
64.96
64.22
63. 77
59.13
61.77
42.9
42.4
41.4
42.2
42.6
42.2
43.2
43.0
43.1
42.3
43.6
43.1
42.8
40.5
42.6
Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly.
earn earn wkly.
ings hours
ings
$1.35
1.38
1.38
1.41
1. 43
1.43
1.45
1.45
1.47
1.48
1.49
1.49
1. 49
1.46
1. 45
Concrete products
$67.50
70.22
69. 64
69.64
71.16
71.16
72.82
71.72
74. 70
71.81
74.93
71.28
71.94
68.30
70. 47
45.0 $1.50
1.55
45.3
1.59
43.8
1.59
43.8
1.61
44.2
1.61
44.2
1.64
44.4
1.63
44.0
1.66
45.0
1.67
43.0
1.68
44.6
43.2
1. 65
1.65
43.6
1.63
41.9
1.62
43.5
1951: Average........... $69.44
1952: Average-......... 71.57
1953: February........ 72.91
M arch---------- 75.08
April------------ 76.72
M ay................ 78.04
June________ 77.43
July................. 77.51
August............ 76.80
September----- 77.41
October.......... 78.14
November___ 77.01
76. 41
December___
1954: January-------- 75.0'
February------ 75.81
43.4
42.6
41.9
42.9
43.1
43.6
43.5
43.3
42.2
42.3
42."
42.1
42.
40.
41.
Nonclay refractories
$1.60 $66.78
1.68 65.70
1.74 74.65
1.75 71.20
1. 78 72.36
1.79 71.00
1.78 68.35
1.79 70.72
1.82 72.0C
1.83 7 3 . ie
1.83 70.6E
1.83 67.9"
1.82 73.0C
1.84 71.64
1.84 69.2(
Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. wkly.
earn earn aours
ings
ings
$1.51
1.57
1.64
1.65
1.66
1.67
1.67
1.67
1.67
1.69
1.71
1.69
1. 66
1.68
1.67
40.1 $1.45 $63.76
1.53 61.60
39.2
1.56 64.43
38.9
1.59 65. 32
39. 5
1. 59 64.26
40.3
1.61 65.28
40.3
1.61 66.13
41.0
1.62 68.20
41.3
1.63 69.63
40.5
1.64 69.17
39.6
1.64 69.09
40.8
1.66 67. 28
40.5
1.63 67. 79
39.6
1.60 67.11
39.5
1.61 67.11
40.1
Miscellaneous nonmetallic mineral
products5
Cut-stone and
stone products
41.5 $1.42
1.46
41.1
1. 52
40.9
1.53
40.7
1.53
41.1
1.56
41.6
1.55
41.4
1.55
41.3
1.55
42.3
1.55
41.1
1.54
42.6
1. 54
41.6
1. 55
42.8
1.54
39.8
1.55
41.0
$58.93
60.01
62.17
62.27
62.88
64.90
64.17
64.02
65. 57
63.71
65.60
64.06
66.34
61.29
63.55
$58.15
59.98
60.68
62.81
64.08
64.88
66.01
66.91
66.02
64.94
66.91
67.23
64. 55
63.20
64. 56
Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. wkly.
earn earn hours
ings
ings
$68.46
69.83
73.62
74.29
74.57
75.30
73.67
73.35
74.34
74.74
74.15
72. 86
74.56
72. 68
73.08
42.0 $1.63
1.72
40.6
40.9
1.80
1.79
41.5
1. 81
41.2
1.81
41.6
1.81
40.7
1.82
40.3
1.84
40.4
1.85
40.4
1.84
40.3
1. 84
39.6
1.85
40.3
1.84
39.5
1.85
39.5
Avg.
hrly.
earn
ings
40.1 $1.59
1.60
38.5
37.9
1.70
1.71
38.2
1.70
37.8
38.4
1.70
38.9
1.70
1.79
38.1
1.79
38.9
1.83
37.8
1.79
38.6
1.78
37.8
1.77
38.3
1.78
37.7
1.78
37.7
Abrasive products
$72.28
73.45
80.54
82.88
81. 51
82. 52
79. 59
78.01
79. 20
76.04
77.62
78. 41
79. 20
76. 44
77.42
41.3 $1.75
1.85
39.7
1.95
41.3
1.95
42.5
1.95
41.8
1.96
42.1
1.97
40.4
1.97
39.6
1.99
39.8
1.97
38.6
1.98
39.2
1.99
39.4
1.98
40.0
1.96
39.0
1.95
39.7
Primary metal industries
Stone, clay, and glass products—Con.
Asbestos products
39.9
39.9
39.9
40.2
40.0
40.0
40.7
41.1
40.7
40.4
40.8
40.8
40.3
39.5
39.0
$60.25
62. 64
65.44
66.33
66.40
66.80
67.97
68.64
67. 97
68.28
69. 77
68.95
66.90
66.36
65.13
Clay refractories
Sewer pipe
Total: Primary
metal industries
38.6 $1.73 $75.12
1.81 77.33
36.3
1.98 83.21
37.7
1.94 84.23
36.7
1.94 83.22
37.3
1.94 83.84
36.6
1.92 84.87
35.6
1.97 85.07
35.9
2. 0C 85.28
36.0
2.01 85.68
36.4
1.95 " 83.82
35.
1.9' 82. 78
34.
2.0( 82. 78
36.
1.9( 81. 74
36.
34. £ 2.o: 79.31
41.5 $1.81
1.90
40.7
2. 01
41.4
2. 02
41.7
2. 02
41.2
2.03
41.3
41.4
2.05
40.9
2.08
41. C 2. 08
2.13
40.2
2.08
40. £
2.08
39.5
2. 08
39.8
2.08
39. £
2.0C
38.
Blast furnaces, steel
works, and rolling
mills *
$77.30
79.60
85.89
85.89
84.63
86.72
87.53
89. 76
90. 20
90.8C
88.04
86.3£
85.4C
84.8C
81. Of
40.9
40.0
40.9
40.9
40.3
41.1
40.9
40.8
41.0
40.0
40.2
39.6
39.2
38.
37."
Blast furnaces, steel
works, and rolling
mills, except electro
metallurgical prod
ucts
$1.89 $77. 30
1.99 79.60
2.10 85.89
2.10 85.89
2.10 84.63
2.11 86.72
2.14 87. 53
2.20 89. 76
2. 20 90.20
2.27 90. 8C
2. IE 88.04
2. IS 86.3£
2. 1Í 85.4C
2. n 84. 8C
2.1. 81.0C
ElectrometalliITQical
producti
40.9 $1.89 $74. 46
1.99 76.04
40.0
2.10 80. 51
40.9
2.10 79.30
40.9
40.3
2.10 79.10
2.11 79.95
41.1
2.14 79. 95
40.9
2. 20 83.82
40.8
2.20 81.79
41.0
40. C 2.27 85.7C
2. IE 77.62
40.
2.18 78. 9E
39.
2.18 78. 4C
39.
2.18 77.41
38.
2.1, 78.0C
37."
41.6
41.1
41.5
41.3
41.2
41.0
41.0
41.7
41.1
41.
39.
40. £
40.
39.
40.
$1.79
1.85
1.94
1.92
1.92
1.95
1.95
2.01
1.99
2.06
1.96
1.96
1.96
1.94
1.95
Primary metal Industries—Continued
Iron and steel
foundries J
1951: Average------1952: Average____
1953: February.......
M arch_____
April—...........
M ay...............
June_______ .
July............... _
August_____
September— .
October____ .
November__ _
December___ .
1954: January------- .
February___ -
$71.6
72.22
76.6 3
78.9 6
78.40
77.27
78.44
77.33
76.5 5
75.0 5
74.2 8
73.9 0
75.4 3
74. 0
72. £ 8
42. 4 $1.6 1 $70.0
69.8
40. 8 1.7
41. 2 1.8 6 73.4 9
8
76.4 9
0
1.8
42.
41. 7 1.8 8 77.1 0
8
75.8 1
1
1.8
41.
1.89 76.78
41. 5
0
75.89
7
1.9
40.
40. 5 1.8 9 74.70
0
73.84
5
1.9
39.
39. 3 1.8 9 74.0 3
9
73.4 7
1
1.8
39.
1.9 0 74.4 0
39. 7
1
73.3 1
9
1.9
38.
1. 9 71.4 2
38. 4
See footnotes at end ol table.
296080— 54------ 9
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Oray-iron foundries
Malleable-iron
foundries
$1.6 5 $72.0"
42.
1.7 3 70.5
40.
40. 6 1.8 80.7
41. 8 1.8 3 81.6
41. 9 1.8 4 79.6
41. 2 1.84 79.2
41. 5 1.8 5 79.5 2
1.86 78.0 9
40. 8
40. 6 1.8 4 75.6 0
1.8 6 73.1 4
39. 7
39. 8 1.8 6 73.90
39. 5 1.8 6 71.63
40. 0
1.8 6 73.3 4
39. 1 1.8 8 72.7 7
1.5 6 69.9 2
38. 4
Steel foundries
$1.7 «$75.8
41.
1.8
77. 7(
39.
81.2
1.9
42.
82.2
1.9
42.
80.9
1.9
41.
41. 7 1.913 79.5
41. 2 1.9 3 81.9 5
41. 1 1.9 0 79.1 9
40. 0 1.8 9 80.4 0
1.89 78.80
38. 7
39. 1 1.89 75.83
1.89 76.63
37. 9
1.90 78.80
38. 6
38. 1 1.9 1 76.4 3
1.9 0 77.6 2
36. 8
Primary smelting
and refining of
nonferrous metals
43J $1.7 $69.9
75.4
1.8
42.
79.6
1.9
41.
79.6
1.9
42.
1.9 5 79.4
41.
1.9 S 79.4 5
40.
41. 3 1.9 7 80.1 0
1.9 7 80.3 4
40.
40. 1 1.9 9 81.1 6
39. 4 2.00 84.67
38. 3 1.9 8 82.39
1.98 83.1 8
38. 7
39. 6 1.99 82.5 1
1.9 8 82.9 8
38. 6
1.9 8 79.9 8
39. 2
$1 . 6
41.
1 .8
41.
1.9
41.
1.9
41.
41. 5 1.9
41. S 1.9 1
41. 5 1.9 3
1.9 5
41. 2
1.9 7
41. 2
41. 3 2.0 5
1.99
41. 4
1.99
41. 8
41. 9
1.9 7
1.9 9
41. 7
1.9 7
40. 6
Primary smel ting and
refining of coppert
lead, and zi nc
$69.3!
75.0
79.1
79.1 5
78.3 5
78.3 5
79.6 1
79.8 1
80.8 7
84.20
81.48
82.4 5
81.60
82.4 9
78.3 1
$1 . 6 8
41.
1.80
41.
1.88
42.
1 .88
42.
41. 9 1.87
41. 9 1.87
41. 9 1.90
1.91
41. 8
41. 9 1.93
2 .00
42. 1
1.94
42. 0
42. 5 1.94
42. 5 1.92
1.95
42. 3
1.91
41. 0
600
T able
MONTHLY LABOR R EV IE W , MAY 1954
C -l: Hours and gross earnings of production workers or nonsupervisory employees *—Continued
Manufacturing—Continued
Primary metal industries—Continued
Year and month
Prim ary reftrling of
aluminu m
Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn hours
ings
1951: Average_____ $70.97
1952: Average_____ 76.08
1953: February____ 80.98
M arch. ........... 79.38
April_______
80.59
M ay________ 80. 57
June________ 80.79
July------------- 80.00
August______ 80.99
September___ 85. 32
October_____ 83.01
November___ 85.06
December....... 84. 25
1954: January____
84.66
February........ 82.80
41.5
41.8
40.9
40.5
40.7
40.9
40.6
40.0
39.7
39.5
40.1
40.7
40.9
40.9
40.0
Secondary srinelting
and reflning of
nonferrous metals
Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. Avg.
earn earn wkly.
ings
ings hours
$1.71 $64.94
1.82 68.15
1.98 72. 91
1.96 74.62
1.98 74.03
1.97 74. 69
1.99 73.22
2.00
71.69
2. 04 73. 51
2.16 73.80
2.07 73. 51
2.09 72. 92
2.06 75. 36
2.07 73.62
2.07 73.21
Rolling,
drawing,
and alloying of Rolling, drawing, and Rolling, drawing, and Nonferrous foundries
alloying of copper
alloying of aluminum
nonferrous metals 1
Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. Avg.
earn earn wkly.
ings
ings hours
41.1
41.3
41.9
42.4
42.3
42.2
41.6
40.5
41.3
41.0
41.3
41.2
42.1
40.9
40.9
$1.58 $6 8 . 78
1.65 74.88
1.74 82. 75
1.76 83. 57
1.75 83.38
1. 77 83. 42
1.76 85. 26
1. 77 82.29
1. 78 83.16
1.80 83. 22
1.78 82.17
1.77 80. 38
1.79 80.78
1.80 78.21
1.79 78.01
40.7
41.6
43.1
43.3
43.2
43.0
43.5
42.2
42.0
41.2
41.5
40.8
40.8
39.7
39.6
Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. Avg.
earn earn wkly.
ings
ings hours
$1.69 $70. 76
1.80 76. 49
1.92 85.50
1.93 86.09
1.93 87.32
1.94 89. 20
1.96 90.25
1.95 8 6 .37
1.98 8 6 . 2 0
2 .02
83. 64
1.98 81.99
1.97 81.39
1.98 81.20
1.97 77.21
1.97 75.83
40.9
41.8
43.4
43.7
44.1
44.6
44.9
43.4
43.1
41.2
41.2
40.9
40.6
38.8
38.3
Prim ary metal industries—Continued
Mis cel laneous primar g metal industries i
1951: Average_____ $80. 65
1952: Average_____ 82.15
1953: February........ 89.03
M arch______
90.09
April................ 88.41
M ay................ 8 6 . 74
Ju n e ............... 8 6 . 94
July................. 85.89
August............ 87.34
September___ 8 6 . 46
October_____
87.12
November___ 85.63
December___
86.05
1954: January____
83.95
February____ 83. 56
42.9
41.7
42.6
42.9
42.3
41.5
41.6
40.9
41.2
40.4
40.9
40.2
40.4
39.6
39.6
Iron and steel
forgings
$1 . 8 8 $84. 87
1.97 86.09
2.09 93.96
2 .10
94.61
2.09 92.65
2.09 90.92
2.09 89.44
2 .1 0
88.99
2.12
90. 27
2.14 8 8 . 6 6
2.13 89.95
2.13 90.13
2.13 90. 35
2 .12
88.40
2 .11
86.72
Cutle ry, han J tools,
ant hardw are *
43.3
42.2
43.3
43.2
42.5
41.9
41.6
41.2
41.6
40.3
40.7
40.6
40.7
40.0
39.6
Cutlery and edge
tools
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
$71. 49
74. 87
79.24
79.79
79. 61
79.85
80. 46
79.00
81.60
80.48
83.03
81.87
83.23
80. 26
79.68
Handtools
$69. 70
69.38
74.58
75.78
75.54
75. 00
75.96
74.34
73. 08
73. 62
73.49
74.03
74.07
73. 57
74.74
42.5
41.3
41.9
42.1
42.2
41.9
42.2
41.3
40.6
40.9
40.6
40.9
40.7
40.2
40.4
Welded and heavyriveted pipe
Total: Fabricated
metal
products
(except ordnance,
machinery, and
tra n s p o rta tio n
equipment)
Structural steel and
ornamental metal
work
42.3 $1.69 $71.49
42.3
1.77 75.05
42.6
1.86 79.18
42.9
1.86 79.92
42.8
1.86 79. 55
42.7
1.87 80. 35
42.8
1.88 81.97
41.8
1.89 79. 71
42.5
1. 92 82. 32
41.7
1.93 80.26
42.8
1.94 84. 39
42.2
1.94 83.23
42.9
1.94 85.17|
41.8j 1.92 82.18
41. 51 1.92 80.98'
42.3
42.4
42.8
43.2
43.0
43.2
43.6
42.4
43.1
41.8
43.5
42.9
43.9
42.8
42.4
41.3
41.1
42.6
42.5
42.7
42. 7
42.4
41.0
40.5
40.2
40.2
40.8
41.4
40.6
40.3
$1.61 $68. 71
1.72 70.99
1.81 71.80
1.81 74. 21
1.82 74. 21
1.83 74.48
1.84 73.31
1.83 72.98
1.82 72.98
1.81 72.80
1.82 71. 76
1.82 74. 56
1. 86 72.31
1.88 71.80
1.88 73.10
Metal doors, sash,
frames? molding,
and trim
$1.69 $71. 57
1.77 74.23
1.85 77.49
1.85 80.56
1.85 78. 58
1.86 79. 34
1.88 81.13
1.88 78. 44
1.91 77. 71
1. 92 76. 95
1.94 76. 67
1.94 76. 52
1. 94 79. 61
1. 92 75. 39
1. 91 74. 67'
41.7
41.6
42.2
42.4
42.2
42.1
42.0
41.3
41.4
40.7
41.3
41.0
41.5
40.6
40.7
Avg.
hrly.
earn
ings
40.9
40.8
38.6
41.0
41.0
40.7
40.5
40.1
40.1
40.0
39.0
40.3
39.3
38.6
39.3
Tin cans and other
tinware
$1.65 $6 6 .49
1.74 69. 72
1.82 73.39
1.83 73 21
1.83 73.80
1.83 74 16
1.84 75. 24
1.85 78.32
1.85 79. 30
1. 86
78. 02
1.87 74.89
1.87 75.70
1.88
77.93
1.89 77.79
1.89 79. 54!
Heating apparatus
(except electric)
and
plumbers’
supplies *
Hardware
$1.64 $66. 49
1.68 70.69
1.78 77.11
1.80 76.93
1.79 77. 71
1.79 78.14
1.80 78.02
1.80 75.03
1.80 73. 71
1.80 72. 76
1.81 73.16
1.81 74.26
1.82 77.00
1.83 76. 33
1.85 75.76
Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. Avg,
earn earn wkly.
ings
ings hours
$1.73 $64.22
39.4 $1.63 $73. 74
41.9 $1.76
1.83 69. 95 40.2
1.74 77.79
41.6
1.87
1.97 78.68
42.3
1.86
82.10
42.1
1.95
1.97 79. 29 42.4
1.87 82. 71
42.2
1.96
1.98 77.42
41.4
1.87 80. 56
41.1
1.96
2 .00
74.59
40.1
1 .86
80. 34
41.2
1.95
2 .01
77.27
41.1
1. 88
80. 97
41.1
1.97
1.99 75.60
40.0
1.89 80. 59 40.7
1.98
2 .00
77. 03 39.5
1.95 79.38
40.5
1.96
2. 03 80. 80
40.2
2 .01
80.60
40.5
1.99
1.99 80.16
40.9
1.96 81.60
40.8
2.00
1.99 76.82
39.6
1.94 80.00
40.0
2 .00
2 .00
77. 79 40.1
1.94 81.61
40.6
2 .01
1.99 77. 99
40.2
1.94 80. 40 40.0
2 .0 1
1.98 78.57
40.5
1.94 80.60
40 1 9 m
Fabricated metal products (except ordnance,
machinery, and transportation equipment)
$1.96 $80.41
43.0 $1.87 $75. 07 40.8 $1.84 $6 8 . 81
2.04 80.54
41.3
1.95 81.14
41.4
1.96 72.38
2.17 84.87
41.4
2.05 86.73
42.1
2.06 76. 80
2.19 8 6 . 93 42.2
2.06 87. 36
42.0
2.08 77. 59
2.18 8 6 . 1 1
41.8
2.06 85.91
41.5
2. 07 77.23
2.17 85. 49
41.5
2 . 06
82. 0 1
40.4
2.03 77.04
2.15 86.73
41.9
2. 07 81.59
39.8
2.05 77.28
2.16 84.45
40.6
2.08 82.18
39.7
2.07 76.41
2.17 85. 27 40.8
2. 09 83. 39 39.9
2.09 76. 59
2 . 20
83.79
39.9
2 .1 0
82. 56 39.5
2.09 75.70
2 . 21
39.9
82.19
2.06 85. 67 40.6
2 .11
77.23
2. 22
81.12
39.0
2.08 84.42
40.2
2 .1 0
76.67
2 . 22
82.78
39.8
2.08 85. 84 40.3
2.13 78.02
2 .2 1
81.14
39.2
2.07 83. 37 39.7
2 .1 0
76. 73j
2.191 82. 37 39.6
2.08 81. 95 39.4
2.08 76. 921
Fabricated metal products—Continued
1951: Average........... $66.30
41.7 $1.59 $60. 74 41.6 $1.46
1952: Average_____ 69. 05 41.1
1.68 63. 55 41.0 1.55
1953: February____ 74.69
42.2
1.77 66.49
41.3
1.61
M arch______
74.69
42.2
1.77 66.40
41.5
1.60
April_______
74.87
42.3
1.77 66.65
41.4
1.61
M ay________ 75.12
42.2
1.78 66.08
1.60
41.3
June________ 75.36
42.1
1.79 65.92
41.2
1.60
July________
73.39
41.0
1.79 65.29
40.3
1
. 62
August______ 72. 45 40.7
1.78 67. 48
41.4
1.63
September___ 72. 27 40.6
1. 78 68. 89 41.5
1
.66
O cto b er.___
72. 67 40.6
1.79 69.22
41.7
1.66
November___ 73.39
41.0
1.79 69. 39 41.8
1
.66
December___
74.39
41.1
1.81 67. 89 40.9
1.66
1954: January_____ 73.16
40.2
1.82 64.12
39.1
1.64
February____ 73. 75 40.3
1.83 65.84
39.9
1. 65
Oil burners, nonelec
trie heating and
cook ng apparatus, Fabricated structural
metal products 1
not üsewhere classifi.ee
1951: Average_____ $66.18
40.6 $1.63
1952: Average___
69.87
41.1
1.70
1953: February........ 73.16
41.1
1.78
M arch______
73.34
41.2
1.78
April............... 73. 21 40.9
1.79
M a y ...
72.27
40.6
1.78
June____
72.32
40.4
1.79
July------------- 72.50
40.5
1.79
August____
72.14
40.3
1.79
September___ 71.31
39.4
1.81
October.......... 73. 71
40.5
1.82
November___ 71.13
39.3
1.81
December....... 72.80
40.0
1.82
1954: January_____
70. 46! 38.5
1.83
February____ | 72.10' 39.4
1.83
¡see ro o tn o tes a t end of table.
Wire drawing
Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. Avg.
earn earn wkly.
ings
ings hours
$1.61
1 .68
1.79
1.79
1.80
1.80
1.80
1.83
1.84
1. 84
1.84
1 .86
1 .8 6
1.94
1. 94
Sanitary ware and
plumbers’ supplies
$1.68 $75.24
1.74 73.60
1.86 74.69
1.81 76. 73
1.81 76.76
1.83 77.38
1.81 76.19
1.82 74. 26
1.82 74.09
1.82 74. 67
1. 84 72. 58
1.85 76.43
1.84 76.04
1.86 74. 69
1.86 74.88
Boiler-shop products
41.3
41.5
41.0
40.9
41.0
41.2
41.8
42.8
43.1
42.4
40.7
40.7
41.9
40.1
41.01
41.8
40.0
38.9
40.6
40.4
40.3
40.1
39.5
39.2
39.3
37.8
39.6
39.4
38.9
an n
$1.80
1.84
1.92
1.89
1.90
1.92
1.90
1.88
1.89
1.90
1.92
1.93
1.93
1.92
Sheet-metal work
42.1 $1.70 $71.90
42.8 $1.68 $70. 39 41.9 $1.68
41.7
1.78 74.80
42.5
1.76 75.18
42.0
41.0
1. 89 79.79
42.9
1.86 79.29 42.4 1.79
1.87
42.4
1.90 79. 55
43.0
1.85 79.10
42.3
1.87
41.8
1
.8
8
80.35
43.2
1
.86
80.33
42.5
1.89
42.2
1.88 79.85 42. 7 1.87 79. 99 42. 1 1.90
42.7
1.90 80.09
42.6
1.88 78.81 41.7 1.89
41.5
1.89 80. 98 42.4
1.91 75.79
40.1
1.89
40.9
1.90 82. 22 42.6
1.93 80. 03 41.9
1.91
40.5
1.90 80. 48
41.7
1.93 82. 71
42.2
1.96
41.0
1.87 82.88
42.5
1.95 83. 46 42.8
1.95
40.7
1.88 81.48 42.0
1.94 80.90
41.7
1.94
41.9
1.90 82.60
42.8
1.93 80. 93 41. 5 1.95
40. l! 1.881 80. 87 41.9
1.93 77. 95
40.6
1.92
39.31 1. 90 ' 81.06
42.0
1.93 77. 59 40.2
1 93
--------------------------------------- --------- -------------------—
601
C : E A R N IN G S AND H O U RS
T able C -l: Hours and gross earnings of production workers or nonsupervisory employees ^Continued
M a n u fa c tu r in g — C o n tin u e d
Fabricated metal products (except ordnance, machinery, and transportation equipment)—Continued
Y e a r a n d m o n th
Metal stamping, coat
ing, and engraving *
Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn hours
ings
V itreous-enam eled
p ro d u c ts
Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. wkly.
earn earn hours
ings
ings
S ta m p e d and pressed
m eta l p ro d u cts
Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly, wkly.
earn earn hours
ings
ings
Lighting fixtures
Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. wkly.
earn earn hours
ings
ings
Avg.
hrly.
earn
ings
Fabricated wire
products
Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn hours
ings
Miscel aneous fabricatedm etalpro ducts *
Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkiy. wkly.
earn earn hours
ings
ings
Avg.
hrly.
earn
ings
43.7
40.9 $1.59 $72.11
40.4 $1.60 $65.03
37.8 $1.40 $70. 58 40.8 $1.73 $64.64
40.7 $1.68 $52.92
1951: Average........... $58. 38
42.7
1.67 73.02
40.9
1.70 68. 30
40.0
1.85 68.00
41.8
1. 44 77.33
1.79 53. 86 37.4
41.5
1952: Average........... 74.29
43.7
79.10
1.76
41.6
1.81 73. 22
41.6
1.92 75.12
42.8
1.51 82.18
1.87 58. 89 39.0
42.3
1953: February------ 79.10
44.2
80.
44
1.77
41.6
73.
63
1.78
41.8
74.40
1.93
42.7
1.51 82. 41
39.4
1.88 59.49
42.3
M arch_______ 79.52
44.1
1.76 80. 70
41.2
1.76 72. 61
40.4
1.92 71.10
42.8
1.61 82.18
37.8
1.87 57.08
42.4
A pril-............. 79. 29
44.1
80.70
1.
76
41.0
72.16
1.
77
40.1
70.98
1.93
42.4
1.51 81.83
38.1
1.88 57.53
42.1
M ay................. 79.15
43.7
79.97
1.
76
41.0
1. 77 72.16
40.1
1. 94 70.98
1. 52 81. 67 42.1
1.88 58. 22 38.3
41.8
June................ 78. 58
42.5
1.81 77.78
39.9
1.79 72.22
39.9
1.97 71.42
41.7
1.54 82.15
41.2
1.91 63.45
41.3
July................. 78.88
1.79 77. 59 42.4
40.7
72.85
1.76
39.0
68.64
1.96
41.3
1.54
80.95
38.7
59.60
1.90
40.9
August______ 77. 71
41.4
76.18
1.80
39.9
71.82
39.4
1.77
69.
74
40.4
1.97
1.57 79. 59
36.4
1. 91 57.15
40.2
September___ 76.78
41.5
1.82 76. 78
40.6
1.81 73.89
1.98 73. 67 40.7
41.3
1.54 81.77
38.2
1.92 58.83
41.1
October........... 78.91
41.5
1.81 76.78
40.4
1.80 73.12
40.5
1.96 72.90
41.0
1.56 80.36
1.91 59. 59 38.2
40.9
November___ 78.12
41.9
77.52
1.81
39.4
1.83 71.31
1.98 75. 58 41.3
41.4
1.57 81.97
38.6
1. 93 60.60
41.4
79.90
December___
40.6
74.70
1.83
39.9
73.02
1.81
40.1
72.
58
2.02'
41.4
1.62 83.63
38.2
1.97 61.88
41.2
1954: January.......... 81.16
41.0
75.44
1.82
39.8
1.78 72.44
39.7
2.01! 70.67
41.3
1.60 83.01
38.6
1.95 61.76
February____ 70 Qfi 41.0
Machinery (except electrical)
Fabricated metal products (except ordnance, machinery, and transportation equipment)
Continued
M e ta l s h ip p in g barrels,
d r u m s, kegs, a n d p a ils
Average.......... $71.91
Average........... 79. 61
February........ 80.10
80.10
Mareh______
82.06
April ............
M ay................ 84. 44
June................ 83.61
July................. 82. 52
August........... 83. 95
September___ 82.42
October........... 83. 43
November___ 82.21
83.84
December___
1954: January-------- 81.41
February____ 81 fil
1951 :
1952 :
1953 :
42.3
43.5
41.5
41.5
42.3
43.3
43.1
42.1
42.4
40.8
41.3
40.7
41.1
40.3
40 2
$1.70 $73. 43
1.83 74.26
1.93 85. 65
1.93 85.89
1.94 84.28
1.95 84. 71
1.94 83.69
1.96 82.12
1.98 79.93
2.02 79. 40
2.02 81.61
2.02 81.81
2.04 84.22
2.02 81.40
2.03 79.00
S te a m en gin es, tu r
bin es, a n d w a ter
w h eels
1951: Average......... $83. 27
89. 02
1952: Average....... .
1953: February........ 96.78
March............. 86.90
86. 90
A pril_______
98.08
M ay________
87.94
June............. .
83.98
July________
99. 39
August_____
96. 30
September__
October_____ _ 97.58
November___. 94.24
December___- 99.72
97.02
1954: January------February____ 07 75
42.7
42.8
43.4
40.8
40.8
43.4
40.9
38.0
43.4
42.8
42.8
41.7
42.8
42.0 !
42. 51
1951: Average........ _ $75.04
1952: Average......... . 76.64
1953: February----- . 79.IE
March........ . 81.46
80. 51
A pril......... .
M ay ............... - 80.7E
June_______ . 80.22
July............... _ 77.9(
76. It
August_____
September. . . . 76.5f
October........ . 76.78
November__ . 77. If
December---- . 78. r
1954: January____ _ 77.5'
78.3($1
February-----
44.4
43.3
42.1
43.1
42.
42..'
42.
41.
40.
40.
40.
40. 1
40. V
40.1i\
40. il
See footnotes at end of table,
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
$1.69
1. 77
1.88
1.89
1.89
1.9C
1.91
1.91
1.9C
1. 91
1.91 ,
1.9;!i
1.9Íli
1.9,I
1.9
42.2
40.8
43.7
43.6
43.0
43.0
42.7
41.9
41.2
40.1
40.6
40.7
41.9
40.7
40.1
$1.74
1.82
1.96
1.97
1.96
1.97
1.96
1.96
1.94
1. 98
2.01
2.01
2.01
2.00
1.97
D ie sel a n d other in
tern a l com b u stio n
engines, not else
w here classified
$1. 95 $78. 26
2.08 80. 37
2.23 81. 36
2.13 82. 57
2. 13 82.39
2.26 81. 59
2.15 83.63
2.21 83.43
2.29 80.00
2.25 82.01
2. 28 83.64
2. 26 82.62
2.33 84. 87
2.31 82.42
2.30 82.62 !
C o n s t r u c ti o n
and
m in in g m ach in ery,
except fo r oilfields
B o lts, n u ts , w ashers,
and rivets
Steel sp rin g s
43.0
42.3
41.3
41.7
41.4
41.0
41.4
41.3
39.8
40.2
40.8
40.3
41.2
40.6
40.5
$77.29
79.48
80.97
82. 4C
79.79
80. 6f
82.18
80.27
80.0C
74.8f
81.0Í
81.9C1
83.3ÍSI
84.7'ri
85. FP
45.2
44.4
43.3
43. e
42.9
42.9
42.8
42.
41.9
39.4
41.8
41.8
42. r
42.
43.
43.4 $1.76
1. 86
42.8
1.94
42.8
1.95
43.1
1.95
42.8
1.95
42.5
1.95
42.2
1.96
41.7
1.96
41.8
1. 98
41.6
1.99
42.0
1.99
41.6
2.00
41.9
2.00
41.2
2.00
41.2
43.8 $1.69 $74. 75 45.3 $1. 65
$74. 02
1.72
1.73 76. 37 44.4
42.1
72.83
45.4
1.81
1.82 82.17
43.5
79.17
1.83
46.0
84.18
1.84
44.4
81.70
1.83
45.9
1.84 84 00
43.9
80. 78
1.83
45.5
1.85 83. 27
81. 77 44.2
1.85
1. 85 83. 25 45.0
43.8
81.03
1.83
43.7
1.85 79.97
42.3
78.26
1.82
43.4
1.86 78.99
42.1
78.31
1.83
42.5
41.4
1.86 77.78
77.00
1.84
42.6
1.86 78.38
76. 63 41.2
1.84
42.8
1.85 78. 75
75. 85 41.0
1.84
1.86 78. 75 42.8
41.5
77.19
1.83
41.4
1.85 75.76
40.0
74.00
1.83
41.5
1.86 75.95
40.5
75.33
Machinery (except electrical)—Continued
$76. 38
79.61
83.03
84. 05
83. 46
82.88
82.29
81.73
81. 93
82.37
83.58
82. 78
83.80
82.40
82.40
Agricultural machin
ery and tractors*
A g r ic u ltu r a l m ach inery
(ex c e p t tra c to rs)
$1.82 $73. 26
1.90 75.41
1.97 78, 59
1.98 78. 78
1.99 79.18
1.99 77.41
2.02 76.81
2.02 75. 85
2.01 77.01
2.04 75.66
2. 05 75. 46
2.05 ; 7 5 .46
2.06 ! 76.64
2.03 77.03
2.04 78.01
O ilfield m ach inery
and tools
Total: Machinery
(except electrical)
S crew -m a ch in e
p ro d u c ts
40.7
39.9
40.3
40.4
40.4
39.9
39.8
39.3
39.9
39.2
39.3
39.3
39.3
39.5
39.6
$1.80 $75. 67
1.89 77.02
1.95 80.80
1.95 80.60
1.96 80. 20
1.94 79.20
1.93 78.80
1.93 77.22
1.93 79.20
1.93 77.81
1.92 77. 81
1.92 79.00
1.95 79. 79
1.95 80.19
1.97 79.78
Metalworking
machinery *
$1.71 $85. 74
1.79 91.87
1.87 96. 67
1.89 98. 23
l.Sf 97. 6C
1.88 97.44
1.91 94.89
93.18
1.9
94. 5
1.9
1.9( 96. 3C
1.9'! 98.04
1.9 5' 95.6f
1.9 (I 96.7.
1.9 )j 94.6(
1.9 ?l 94.6(
T ra cto rs
40.9
39.7
40.0
39.9
39.9
39.6
39.6
39.0
40.0
39.1
39.1
39.5
39.5
39.7
39.3
$1.85 $70.88
1.94 73. 97
2.02 76. 73
2.02 77.11
2.01 78.12
2.00 75. 58
1.99 74. 61
1.98 74.45
1.98 74. 64
1.99 73. 70
1.99 73.28
2.00 72.52
2.02 73.70
2.02 74.47
2.03 76.02
M a c h in e tools
46.6 $1.84 $84. 85
1.98 89.96
46.4
2.07 94. 74
46.7
47. C 2.09 96.02
2. 09 96.08
16.
2. If 95.27
46.4
2.09 93. 43
45.4
2.08 91. IE
44.8
2.11 91. 5E
45.
2.14 95.68
45.
2.1,>j 96.5(
45.
2.14P' 95.11
44.
45. )| 2.1,>! 96.18
44. 1 2.1 5| 93.61
44. )l 2.1 )l 93.6
47.4
47.1
46.9
47.3
47.1
46.7
45.5
44.
45.1
46.
46.;
45.,
45.8
44.1
44.
40.5
40.2
40.6
40.8
40.9
40.2
39.9
39.6
39.7
39.2
39.4
39.2
39.2
39.4
39.8
$1.79 $82.26
1.91 86.14
2.02 90. 45
2.03 90. 65
2. 04 91.76
2.04 90.34
2.04 90. Of
2.0C 89. 9C
2.0C ! 89.76
2.08li 86.9C
2.0<) 87.9;
2.0f) 86.9;
2.1()| 87.9,
2.1() 85.2
2.0 3 86.3
45.2
45.1
45.0
45.1
45.2
44.5
44.6
44.?
44.
42.6
43.1
42.
42.
41.
42.
Engines aiid
turbines
$79.12
82.26
84. 23
83. 42
83. 43
84.66
84.67
83.64
84.04
85.06
86. 52
85. 26
87. 98
85.48
85. 89
43.0 $1.84
1.94
42.4
2 .0 2
41.7
2.01
41.5
2.02
41.3
2.04
41.5
2.05
41.3
2.06
40.6
2.07
40.6
2.09
40.7
2.10
41.2
2.10
40.6
2.12
41.5
2.09
40.9
2.10
40.9
Construction and
mining machinery *
$1. 75 $75.82
1.84 77. 61
1.89 79. 71
1.89 81.65
1.91 80.28
1.88 80. 51
1.87 80.60
1.88 78.47
1.88 77.52
1.88 76. 21
1.86 78.14
1.85 78.55
1.88 79.54
1.89 79.76
1.91 80.54 1
M e ta l w o r k in g m a
c h in ery (except m a
chine tools')
$1.65
1. 71
1.81
1.82
1.83
1.83
1.83
1.83
1.83
1.84
1.85
1.85
1.85
1.84
1.84
44.6
43.6
42.4
43.2
42.7
42.6
42.2
41.3
40.8
39.9
40.7
40.7
41.0
40.9
41.3
$1.70
1.78
1.88
1.89
1.88
1.89
1.91
1.90
1.90
1. 91
1.92
1.93
1.94
1.95
1.95
M a ch in e-to o l
accessories
$1.82 $87. 98
1.91 95. 53
2.01 100.78
2.01 102. 56
2.03 101. 27
2.03 101. 99
2.02 97.61
2.0C 96.3C
2.01 99.21
2.01 100.3C
2.0'i! 103.71
2.0. >! 100.11
2.0,)| IOI.4 2.0'i 99.2C
2.0 5I 98.7<
46.8 $1.88
2.05
46.6
2.13
47.3
2.15
47.7
2.15
47.1
47. C 2.17
2.15
45.4
2.14
45.
2.19
45.2
2.21
45.
46. C 2.24
45. C 2.21
2.23
45.,
2.22
44.'
2.23
44.C
602
M ONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W , MAY 1954
Table C -l: Hours and gross earnings of production workers or nonsupervisory employees 1—Continued
Manufacturing—Continued
Machinery (except electrical)—Continued
Year and month
Special-industry ma
ch inery (except
metalworking ma
chinery)1
Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn hours
ings
1951: Average.......... $74. 73
1952: Average......... 77.40
1953: February........ 81.78
M arch______ 82.16
April_______
81.84
M ay________
81.65
June________
81.27
July................. 80.37
August______ 79. 76
September___ 80.26
October_____ 81.22
November___ 81. 48
December___
83. 23
1954: January_____ 80.51
February____ 81.48
Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. wkly.
earn earn hours
ings
ings
43.7
43.0
43.5
43.7
43.3
43.2
43.0
42.3
42.2
41.8
42.3
42.0
42.9
41.5
42.0
$1.71 $74. 56
1.80 77.96
1.88 79. 71
1.88 82. 08
1.89 79. 61
1.89 83.28
1.89 81.51
1.90 82. 75
1.89 82.32
1. 92 81. 25
1.92 81.45
1. 94 81.09
1. 94 83.89
1.94 84.15
1.94 85.14
Pum ps, air a n d
ccm p re sso rs
1951: Average_____ $76. 88
1952: Average_____ 78.66
1953: February____ 81.22
M arch______ 83. 47
A p ril_______ 82.70
M ay..... .........
82. 56
Ju n e................ 82.37
J u ly ................ 80. 83
A u g u s t- ___
80.87
September___ 84.91
October.......... 83.30
November___ 81.51
December___
80.90
1954: J a n u a ry ____ 80.56
February____ 80.34
44.7
43.7
43.2
43.7
43.3
43.0
42.9
42.1
41.9
43.1
42.5
41.8
41.7
41.1
41.2
gas
41.9
40.9
40.5
40.5
40. 5
40.1
40.4
39.9
40.0
40.3
40.4
40.2
40.4
39.9
39.8
1951: Average_____ $79. 42
1952: Average... .
76. 73
1953: February____ 76. 57
March. . . .
77.38
April............... 78. 01
M ay ...
76. 62
June______
77. 01
July________
77. 99
August............ 75.83
September___ 77.20
October_____
77.02
November___ 78.61
December....... 78.80
1954: January. . .
77.60
February____ 79.40
43.4
40.6
40.3
40.3
39.8
39. 7
39.9
40.2
39.7
40.0
39.7
39.7
39.6
38.8
39.7
See footnotes at end of table.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
$1.83
1.89
1.90
1.92
1.96
1.93
1.93
1.94
1.91
1.93
1.94
1.98
1.99
2.00
2.00
$1.73 $68. 79
1.83 68.54
1.88 73.60
1.90 73.08
1.90 72.38
1.91 72.80
1.90 72.45
1.92 69. 60
1.91 70.47
1.93 69.34
1.93 71.98
1.94 71.15
1.96 73.63
1.98 70.09
1.98 71.86
43.7
42.9
43.1
44.1
43.7
44.0
43.8
44.0
42.3
42.7
42.8
43.1
42.9
41.5
41.1
41.5
40.9
40.4
40.3
40.4
39.9
40.2
40.1
39.5
39.8
40.1
40.1
40.3
40.0
39.9
$1.90
2.00
2.04
2. 05
2. 05
2.04
2.08
2.07
2.07
2.06
2.09
2.10
2.12
2.11
2.12
R efrigerators a n d airc o n d itio n in g u n its
$69. 65
76.04
81.29
83. 50
82.12
79. 73
78.96
80.16
77.42
76.83
79.40
77.03
78. 41
79. 40
78.41
39.8
41.1
41.9
42.6
41.9
41.1
40.7
40.9
39.7
39.4
40.1
39.1
39.6
39.9
39.6
$1.75
1.85
1.94
1.96
1. 96
1.94
1.94
1.96
1.95
1.95
1.98
1.97
1.98
1.99
1.98
42.2
40.8
42.3
42.0
41.6
41.6
41.4
40.0
40.5
39.4
40.9
40.2
41.6
39.6
40.6
$1.63 $80.07
1.68 82.08
1.74 82.70
1.74 83. 62
1.74 84. 22
1.75 83.22
1.75 82.84
1.74 81.97
1. 74 81.03
1.76 82.03
1.76 82.40
1.77 81.65
1.77 86.98
1.77 83.03
1.77 84.17
42.9
42,8
42.5
43.0
42.7
43.0
43.3
42.7
43.2
41.6
42.4
41.3
41.6
40.8
40.7
42.6
41.0
40.4
40.2
39.9
39.9
40.2
40.1
40.3
40.3
41.1
40.3
40.3
39.4
39.6
43.2
42.1
41.9
42.3
42.1
41.3
41.5
40.3
41.6
41.3
41.4
41.1
41.5
40.5
40.3
$1.70 $82.09
1.80 87.36
1.85 94. 55
1.85 96. 06
1.88 95.64
1.87 94.13
1.87 92.00
1.88 93.93
1.85 91.15
1.89 93.09
1.89 94.83
1.89 97.46
1.92 97. 24
1.90 89.24
1.90 92. 44
45.1
43.2
42.7
43.7
43.2
43.5
42.0
42.6
41.8
42.6
42.9
42.3
41.3
38.1
40.0
$1.60 $70. 64
1.68 75.81
1.73 80.26
1.73 81. 45
1. 74 80. 51
1. 73 78. 53
1.76 77.95
1.77 79.15
1.77 77. 20
1.80 76.82
1.80 79.18
1.80 77.03
1.81 78.01
1.81 77. 62
1.81 77.81
$1.72
1.79
1.87
1.88
1.88
1.88
1.89
1.89
1.90
1.92
1.92
1.94
1.95
1.94
1.94
40.6
41.2
41.8
42.2
41.5
40.9
40.6
40.8
40.0
39.6
40.4
39.5
39.8
39.6
39.7
F abricated p ip e ,
fittin g s , a n d valves
$71. 81
73.39
75.89
77. 23
77.83
76. 70
77.08
73.13
78. 69
79. 52
80.10
80. 73
81.54
78. 78
78.20
43.0
41.7
40.8
41.3
41.4
40.8
41.0
38.9
41.2
41.2
41.5
41.4
41.6
40.4
40.1
43.9
43.9
44.6
45.1
44.9
44.4
43.6
44.1
43.2
43.5
43.3
44.3
44.0
41.7
42.6
$1.87 $77.08
1.99 79.24
2.12 82. 51
2.13 84. 53
2.13 83. 76
2.12 83. 76
2.11 83.38
2.13 82.60
2.11 82.45
2.14 83.69
2.19 83. 92
2.20 83.33
2. 21 83.95
2.14 81.16
2.17 81.14
44.7
43.1
44.0
44. 4
44.0
44.0
43.4
43.4
43.4
42.9
42.3
42.3
42.5
41.7
41.4
$1. 77
1.86
1.97
1.97
1. 96
1.96
1.96
1.97
1.97
1.98
2.00
2.01
2.02
2.01
1.99
D o m estic la u n d ry
eq u ip m e n t
$1.74 $69. 32
1.84 75.07
1.92 83. 42
1.93 80. 06
1. 94 76.24
1.92 77.78
1. 92 77.41
1.94 74.88
1.93 75.64
1.94 77. 42
1.96 81. 77
1.95 78.20
1.96 77.03
1.96 73. 91
1.96 77.42
40.3
40.8
43.0
41.7
39.5
40.3
39.9
38.6
39.6
39.3
41.3
39.9
39.3
38.1
39.7
43.4
41.2
41.9
42.2
42.0
40.7
40.9
40.5
41.3
40.4
39.7
39.4
40.3
39.5
39.4
44.3
43.3
43.2
43.8
43.4
43.4
43.2
42.8
42.5
42.7
42.6
42.3
42.4
41.2
41.4
Avg.
hrly.
earn
ings
$1.74
1.83
1.91
1.93
1. 93
1.93
1.93
1.93
1.94
1.96
1.97
1.97
1.98
1.97
1.96
M e c h a n ic a l s to k e r s
a n d in d u stria l f u r
naces a n d ovens
$72. 58
76. 97
79.34
82.32
80.46
81. 13
81.02
77. 46
80.70
80.93
84.35
81.76
83.36
82. 98
83.13
43.2
43.0
42.2
43.1
42.8
42. 7
42.2
41.2
41.6
41.5
42.6
41.5
42.1
41.7
42.2
$1.68
1.79
1.88
1.91
1.88
1.90
1.92
1.88
1.94
1.95
1.98
1.97
1.98
1.99
1.97
C o m m ercia l la u n d r y ,
d r y - c l e a n in g , a n d
p re ssin g m achines
$1.72 $75.37
1.84 76. 65
1.94 76. 43
1.92 75. 47
1. 93 75.72
1.93 75. 18
1.94 76. 44
1.94 76. 74
1.91 76.80
1.97 75.03
1.98 78. 57
1.96 76.91
1.96 77. 75
1.94 73. 93
1.95 76. 26
B a ll a n d roller
bearings
$1.67 $76.82
1.76 74.57
1.86 79.19
1.87 80.18
1. 88 79. 38
1.88 76. 52
1.88 78.12
1.88 76. 95
1.91 78.06
1.93 77. 57
1.93 76.22
1.95 76.04
1.96 78. 59
1.95 77.42
1. 95 76.04
General industrial
machinery 1
Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. Avg.
earn earn wkly.
ings
ings hours
M e c h a n ic a l p o w e r tra n sm issio n e q u ip
m en t
$1.78 $79.12
1.88 80.17
1.93 86.68
1.95 87. 47
1. 95 86. 24
1.95 86. 24
1.97 85.06
1.96 85. 50
1.97 85. 50
1.95 84.94
1.97 84.60
1.99 85.02
1.95 85.85
1.92 83.82
1.93 82. 39
Service-industry and
household machines1
Miscellaneous ma
chinery p arts1
$74.30
75. 36
78.35
79. 52
79.15
77. 64
78. 44
76.17
79.04
79.30
79. 49
79. 73
80. 93
78.57
78.18
47.1
45.6
44.7
45.2
44.8
44.
44.3
43.6
43.8
43.4
43.6
43.2
45.3
43.7
44.3
P r in tin g -tra d e s m a
chinery a n d e q u ip
m en t
Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. wkly.
earn earn hours
ings
ings
In d u s tria l tru ck s,
tra cto rs, etc.
$1.67 $80. 28
1.74 81.22
1.77 82. 41
1.77 85. 22
1. 78 84.24
1.78 84.83
1.79 82. 74
1.77 83.50
1.82 82.35
1.86 83.07
1.84 84.51
1.84 84.18
1. 84 80. 54
1.84 73.15
1.81 77. 20
T y p e w r ite r s
$68.16
68. 88
69. 89
69. 55
69. 43
69. 03
70. 75
70.98
71.33
72.54
73.98
72.54
72. 94
71.31
71.68
P a p e r -in d u s tr ie s
m ach inery
Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly.
earn earn wkly.
ings
ings hours
B lo w e rs, exhaust a n d
v en tila tin g f a n s
$1.77 $71. 64
1.86 74.47
1.92 75.23
1.94 76.11
1. 95 76.01
1.94 76. 54
1.94 77. 51
1.94 75.58
1.94 78.62
1.95 77.38
1.97 78. 02
1.99 75.99
2.00 76.54
1.97 75.07
1.98 73. 67
C o m p u tin g m achines
a n d cash registers
$1.75 $78. 85
1.84 81.80
1.88 82. 42
1.89 82. 62
1.90 82. 82
1.89 81.40
1.92 83. 62
1.93 83.01
1.92 81. 77
1.93 81.99
1.94 83. 81
1.95 84.21
1.97 85. 44
1.96 84. 40
1.97 84.59
S e w in g m ach ines
43.1
42.6
42.4
43.2
41.9
43.6
42.9
43.1
43.1
42.1
42.2
41.8
42.8
42.5
43.0
Textile m ach inery
Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. Avg.
earn earn wkly.
ings
ings hours
C on veyors a n d convey
ing e q u ip m e n t
$1.72 $77. 35
1.80 79.79
1.88 82. 75
1. 91 85. 55
1. 91 85.22
1.92 85. 36
1.92 84. 97
1.92 85. 36
1.93 82.06
1.97 83.27
1.96 84.32
1.95 85. 77
1. 94 85.80
1.96 81.76
1.95 81.38
Office and store ma
chines and devices1
1951: Average......... $73.33
1952: Average_____ 75.26
1953: February____ 76.14
M arch______
76. 55
A p ril-............
76. 95
M a y ........... .
75. 79
Ju n e ................ 77.57
July................. 77.01
August_____
76.80
September___ 77.78
October........... 78.38
November___ 78.39
December___
79. 59
1954: January
78.20
February____ 78.41
F o o d -p ro d u cts
m ach inery
44.6
43.8
42.7
42. 4
42.3
42.0
42.0
42.4
42.2
41.0
42.7
41.8
41.8
40.4
41.0
$1.69
1.75
1.79
1.78
1.79
1.79
1.82
1.81
1.82
1.83
1.84
1.84
1.86
1.83
1.86
M a c h in e sh ops (Job
a n d r e p a ir)
$1.77 $74. 30
1.81 78. 55
1.89 80. 29
1.90 80.91
1.89 80. 78
1.88 79. 48
1.91 80.09
1.90 78. 77
1.89 79. 95
1.92 80.41
1.92 81.98
1.93 81.22
1.95 82. 22
1.96 79.68
1.93 79.30
43.2
43.4
43.4
43.5
43.2
42.5
42.6
41.9
42.3
42.1
42.7
42.3
42.6
41.5
41.3
$1.72
1.81
1. 85
1. 84
1. 87
1.87
1.88
1. 88
1. 89
1.91
1.92
1.92
1. 93
1.92
1.92
C : EA R N IN G S AND H O U RS
60S
T able C 1: Hours and gross earnings of production workers or nonsupervisory employees1—Continued
Manufacturing—Continued
Electrical machinery
Year and month
Total: Electrical
machinery
Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn hours
ings
1951: Average.......... $64.8¿
1952: Average.......... 68. 6'
1953: February........ 71.2i
M arch............. 72. 21
April................ 71. 8€
M ay............
70. 9Í
June................ 71. 4C
July________
70. 5$
August............ 71.63
September___ 71. 6S
October......... . 71.51
November___ 71.96
December....... 72. 3G
1954: January_____ 70.74
February____ 72.00
Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. Avg.
earn earn wkly.
ings
ings hours
4i.;
41.
41.5
41.
41.3
40.
40.
40.1
40.7
40.5
40.4
40.2
40.2
39.3
40.0
$1. 5' $70.3
1.6' 73. 9£
1. 73 76. 91
1.74 77. 8£
1. 74 77. 7C
1. 74 76. 5£
1.75 77.19
1.76 76. 3C
1.76 77.27
1.77 77.90
1.77 77.11
1.79 77. 30
1.80 77.90
1.80 76.00
1.80 76.76
P o w e r a n d d istrib u
tion tran sfo rm ers
1951: Average_____
1952: Average_____
1953: February........
M arch.............
April................
M ay_______
June................
July________
August.......... .
September___
October_____
November___
December___
1954: January_____
February____
$68.95
72.04
75.48
77. 42
76.63
77. 46
76. 45
75. 58
75.98
76.59
76.00
76. 81
76. 63
75.85
77. 22
40.8
40.7
40 .8
41.4
41 .2
41 .2
41.1
4 0 .2
4 0 .2
40 .1
4 0 .0
3 9 .8
39 .5
39 .1
3 9 .6
40.7
39.0
41.6
41.3
41.3
40.9
39.7
39.1
39.7
40.6
40.5
40.4
39.9
39.1
39.5
$1. 43
1.51
1.62
1.61
1. 61
1.61
1. 59
1.58
1.60
1.64
1.64
1.63
1.64
1.64!
1.65
42.
$1.6'
41.8
1. 77
41.8
1.84
42.1
1.85
42. C 1. 85
41.4
1.85
41.5
1.86
40.8
1.87
41.1
1.88
41.0
1.90
40.8
1.89
40.9
1.89
41.0
1.90
40.0
1.90
40.4
1.90
42.5
42. 2
42.0
42.3
42.4
41.8
41.6
41. 5
41.8
42.0
41.5
41.6
41.8
40.6
40.8
$1. 63
1. 71
1. 77
1.78
1. 79
1. 79
1. 79
1.81
1.83
1.84
1.83
1.84
1.84
1.85
1.85
Communication
equipm ents
$60. 27
64. 21
65. 77
66.67
66.18
65.53
66.66
65.34
67.73
67.06
66.97
67. 26
67. 49
65.96
68.06
41.0
40.9
40.6
40.9
40.6
40.2
40.4
39.6
40.8
40.4
40.1
39.8
39.7
38.8
39.8
W irin g devices and
s u p p lie s
Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly.
earn earn wkly.
ings
ings hours
S w it c h g e a r , s w i tc h
board, a n d in d u s
tria l controls
$1.69 $69. 28
1. 77
72.16
74.34
1.85
75.29
1.87
1 .8 6
75.90
1.88
74.82
1.86
74. 46
1.8 8
75.12
1 .8 9
76. 49
1.91
77. 28
1.90
75. 95
1.93
76. 54
1.94
76.91
1.94
75.11
1.95
75. 48
Electric lamps
1951: Average_____ $58. 20
1952: Average_____ 58.89
1953: February........ 67.39
M arch______
66. 49
April_______
66.49
M ay_______
65.85
June................ 63.12
July------------- 61.78
August______ 63. 52
September___ 66. 58
October._____ 66. 42
November___ 65. 85
December___
65.44
1954: January........ . 64.12
February____ 65.18
Electrical generat
ing, transmission,
distribution, and
industrial appara
tus J
$1.47
1. 57
1. 62
1.63
1.63
1.63
1.65
1.65
1.66
1.66
1.67
1.69
1.70
1. 70!
1.711
$63. If
64. 7$
67. 4C
67.96
68. 72
68.06
67. 89
67.37
68.78
68.91
69.32
68.74
69.60
67. 20
67.55
42.
41.
41.1
41.4
41.4
41.
40.2
40.1
40.7
40.3
40.3
40.2
40.7
39.3
39.5
Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly.
earn earn wkly.
ings
ings hours
$1. 5( $69.4;
1. 58 75. 5f
1.64 78.91
1.64 78. 96
1.66 78.58
1. 66 77.98
1.66 77.83
1.68 78. 44
1.69 77.11
1.71 79. 27
1. 72 76.70
1. 71 75.58
1.71 77.11
1.71 75.39
1.71 76. 70
E lectrica l w eldin g
a p p a r a tu s
$84.18
91.28
87.84
89.04
86. 28
84.80
83.78
84. 82
86. 25
86.09
83.36
81. 77
81.38
78. 21
77. 61
45.5
46.1
43.7
44.3
42.6
42.4
42.1
42.2
42.7
42.2
42.1
41.3
41.1
39.7
39.8
40.5
40.6
40.2
40.4
40.0
39.6
39.9
39.2
40.1
39.7
39.9
39.9
39.9
38.7
39.9
$1. 44
1. 53
1.59
1.59
1. 60
1.60
1.62
1.62
1.63
1.63
1.64
1.66
1.68
1.68
1.68
40.
41. ;
42.5
42. C
41.8
41.
41.4
41.5
40.8
41.5
40.8
40.2
40.8
40.1
40.8
39.6
40.4
41.4
41.8
41.4
40.9
40.0
40.3
39.8
40.0
40.7
40.5
39.9
39.2
39.8
$ 1 .7
1.8;
1.87
1.88
1.88
1.87
1.88
1.89
1.89
1.91
1.88
1.88
1.89
1.88
1.88
$1. 70
1.79
1.89
1.88
1.88
1.88
1.87
1.87
1.90
1.92
1.93
1.92
1.91
1.91
1.91
R u d io tubes
$55. 06
57. 49
62.51
63.69
62. 67
62. 21
62.73
62.22
64.06
63. 65
60.37
58.19
59.19
59. 72
61.78
41.4
40.2
41.4
41.9
41.5
41.2
41.0
40.4
41.6
40.8
39.2
37.3
37.7
37.8
39.1
$1.33
1.43
1.51
1.52
1.51
1.51
1.53
1.54
1.54
1.56
1.54
1. 56j
1.57
1.58!
1.581
Elect rical machinery—Continued
Storage batteries
P r im a r y batteries
(d ry a n d w et)
1951: Average......... $66.17
40. 1 $1.65 $53. 99
1952: Average_____
73.16
41.1
1.78 56. 66
1953: February____ 73.35
40.3
1.82 58.40
M arch............. 74.30
40.6
1.83 58.69
April................ 75. 81
41.2
1.84 58. 80
M a y .......... ..
75. 62
41.1
1.84 60. 38
Ju n e..............
78. 54
42.0
1.87 58. 40
July................. 79. 76 42.2
1.89 57.17
August______ 79.80
42.0
1.90 60.05
September___ 79.32
41. 1 1.93 58.86
October_____
76.73
40.6
1.89 59.95
November___ 76. 95 40.5
1.90 GO. 19
December___
75.83
39.7
1.91 60. 74
1954: January_____ 76. 22 39.7
1.92 59.13
February____ 76.80
40.0
1.92 60.80
See footnotes at end of table.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
39.7
39.9
40.0
40.2
40.0
40.8
40.0
39.7
40.3
39. 5
39.7
39.6
39.7
38.9
40. 0
$1.36
1.42
1. 46
1.46
1.47
1.48
1.46
1.44
1.49
1.49
1.51
1.52
1.53
1.52!
1.52!
,
$69. 4*
71. 45
74.11
74.11
72. 7
72. 2"
72. 92
72.90
73.03
74.16
75. 76
73. 89
74.66
71.92
73.16
M o to r s , g e n e r a t o r s ,,
a n d m otor-generator
sets
Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly.
earn earn wkly.
ings
ings hours
42.
41.
41.
41.4
41.
40. e
41.2
40.5
40.8
41.2
41.4
40.6
40.8
3 9 .3
4 0 .2
$1. 6;
1.71
1. 7fl
1.79
1. 77
1.78
1. 77
1 .8 0
1 .7 9
1.80
1.83
1.82
1.83
1.83
1 .8 2
$75. 36
80. 2'
84. 4C
85. 2C
85. 0C
82.7$
84. 42
82. 62
83.22
84.25
82.62
84.05
84.67
82.6 2
83.64
I n s u la te d w ire a n d
c a b le
$64.87
72. 11
73. 70
73.78
73. 53
73.87
72. 93
70.86
69.14
71.51
70. 69
69.60
69. 77
67. 20
68.63
42.4
43.7
43.1
43.4
43.0
43. 2
42.4
41.2
40.2
40.4
41.1
40.7
40.8
39.3
39.9
42.
42.
42.2
42.6
42.
41. f
42. C
40.9
41.2
40.9
40.5
41.2
41.3
4 0 .5
4 0 .8
Avg.
hrly.
earn
ings
$1.7 9
1.91
2 .0 0
2.00
2 .0 0
1.99
2. 01
2. 02
2 .0 2
2. 06
2. 04
2.0 4
2.0 5
2 .0 4
2. 05
E le c tr ic a l e q u ip m e n t
for v e h ic le s
$1.53 $69.08
1.65 72.98
1.71 79.15
1.70 77. 93
1. 71 78.96
1.71 77.19
1. 72 77.90
1.72 75.20
1.72 75.20
1.77 74. 28
1.72 75.43
1.71 76.00
1.71 74. 84
1.71 75.06
1.72 74.86
40.4 $1.71
40. 1 1.82
42.1
1.88
41.9
1.86
42.0
1.88
41.5
1.86
41.0
1.90
40.0
1.88
40.0
1.88
39.3
1.89
39.7
1.90
40.0
1.90
39.6
1.89
39.3
1.91
39.4
1.90
Teleph one, telegraph,
a n d related e q u ip
m en t
Miscellaneous electri
cal products 1
$77. 33
82.03
82.26
82.88
82.29
82. 71
82.91
77. 59
83. 66
83.42
83. 69
82. 71
81.12
77. 78
79.98
$60. 60
65.93
67.03
67.03
67.30
67. 47
68. 04
67.70
68. 95
68.06
68. 51
68.00
68.11
68.03
68.90
43.2
43.4
42.4
42.5
42.2
42.2
42.3
40.2
42.9
43.0
42.7
42.2
41.6
40.3
40.6
$1.79
1.89
1. 94
1.95
1.95
1.96
1.96
1.93
1.95
1.94
1.96
1.96
1.95
1.93
1.97
40.4
40.7
39.9
39.9
40.3
40.4
40.6
40.3
40.8
39.8
40.3
40.0
39.6
39.1
39.6
$1.50
1.62
1.68
1.68
1.67
1.67
1.68
1.68
1.69
1.71
1.70
1.70
1.72
1.74
1.74
Transportation equipment
X - r a y a n d non-radio
electronic tubes
$74. 58
72.93
73.39
72.14
71.78
69. 77
67.73
68.11
71.56
73.49
75.14
73.63
74. 74
74. 64
76.95
E le c trica l in d ica tin g ,
m e a s u r in g an d
r e c o r d in g i n s t r u
m en ts
Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly.
earn earn wkly.
ings
ings hours
Electrical appliances
$1.85 $67. 32
1.98 72.32
2. 01 78. 25
2.01 78.58
2.03 77.83
2.00 76.89
1.99 74.80
2.01 75. 36
2.02 75. 62
2.04 76.80
1.98 78.55
1.98 77. 76
1.98 76.21
1.97 74.87
1.95 76.02
R a d io s, p h o n ographs,
television sets, and
e q u ip m e n t
$58. 32
62.12
63.92
64.24
64.00
63.36
64.64
63. 50
65.36
64. 71
65. 44
66.23
67.03
65.02
67.03
C arbon a n d g raphite
p ro d u c ts (electrica l )
45.2
42.9
41. 0
40.3
40.1
40. 1
38.7
38.7
40.2
40.6
40.4
39.8
40.4
39.7
40.5
$1.65
1. 70
1.79
1.79
1. 79
1.74
1.75
1.76
1.78
1.81
1.86
1.85
1.85
1.88
1.90'
Total: Transporta
tion equipment
$75.67
81.56
85.69
85. 49
85.70
84. 67
85. 70
84.86
85. 70
84.23
85. 89
84. 84
85. 88
85.86
84.80
40.9
41.4
41.8
41.7
41.6
41.3
41.2
40.8
41.2
40.3
40.9
40.4
40.7
40.5
40.0
Automobiles J
$1.85 $75. 45
1.97 83.03
2.05 87.99
2.05 88.20
2. 06 88.83
2. 05 87.15
2.08 89.23
2.08 87. 91
2.08 88.58
2.09 86.58
2.10 88.13
2.10: 87.02
2.11] 87.42
2.12 89. 79
2.12! 85.06
39.5 $1.91
40.5
2.05
41.7
2.11
41.8
2.11
41.9
2.12
41. 5 2.10
41.5
2.15
40.7
2.16
41.2
2.15
39.9
2. 17
40.8
2.16!
40.1
2.17
40.1
2.18
41.0
2.19
39. 2! 2. m
M o to r vehicles, bodies,
p a r ts , a n d accessories
$76.04
83.84
89.03
89. 25
89. 67
88.19
90.06
88.32
89.21
87.38
89.16
87.82
88.22
90.42
85.85
39.4
40.5
41.8
41.9
41.9
41.6
41.5
40.7
41.3
39.9
40.9
40.1
40.1
41.1
39.2
$1.93
2. 07
2.13
2.13
2.14
2.12
2.17
2.17
2.16
2.19
2.18
2.19
2.20
2.20
2.19
M ONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W , MAY 1954
604
Table C—1: Hours and gross earnings of production workers or nonsupervisory employees1 Continued
M a n u fa c tu r in g — C o n tin u e d
T r a n s p o r ta tio n e q u ip m e n t— C o n tin u e d
T r u c k a n d bus bodies
Y ea r a n d m o n th
A vg.
w k ly .
ear n
in g s
A vg.
w k ly .
hours
1951: A v e r a e e ---------- $66. 50
70.18
1962: A v e r a g e ..............
73.03
1953: F e b r u a r y ...........
75.21
M a r c h . . ............
74.85
A p r il....................
72.94
M a y __________
72.18
J u n e . . .............. 73.12
J u ly ___________
75.48
A u g u s t —............
74.85
S e p te m b e r -----73.89
O c to b e r ..............
74.70
N o v e m b e r -----78. 77
D e c e m b e r ____
75. 58
1954: J a n u a r y _______
nn
F e b r u a r y ..........
40 .8
40 .8
4 0 .8
41.1
4 0 .9
4 0 .3
40.1
4 0 .4
4 1 .7
4 0 .9
4 0 .6
4 0 .6
4 1 .9
4 0 .2
3S. 8
A vg.
h r ly .
ea r n
in g s
43.7
4 3 .2
4 3 .7
4 3 .8
4 3 .2
4 2 .5
42 3
4 2 .4
4 2 .4
42.1
4 2 .6
4 2 .3
42 .9
4 1 .7
4 1 .2
A vg.
w k ly .
ea rn
in g s
A vg.
w k ly .
hours
$1.63 $65.19
70.76
1.72
72.90
1 .7 9
72.72
1.8 3
74.98
1 .8 3
73.93
1.81
73.16
1.80
71.74
1.81
73.84
1.81
71.98
1.83
74.80
1 .8 2
75.95
1 .8 4
75.79
1 .8 8
72.74
1 .8 8
1.83
73.87
Other aircraft parts
and equipment
$78.66
1951: A v e r a g e --------81.22
1952: A v e r a g e .............
85. 65
1953: F e b r u a r y ...........
86. 29
M a r c h . . ............
85.10
A p r il...............
83.3 0
M a y . ...................
83. 75
J u n e __________
84.3 8
J u ly ----------------84.8 0
A u g u s t ..............
85. 04
S e p te m b e r -----86.0 5
O c to b e r _______
85. 45
N o v e m b e r ____
87. 95
D e c e m b e r ------85.0 7
1954: J a n u a r y ..............
S3 64
F e b r u a r y _____
T ra ile rs (tru ck a n d
a u to m o b ile)
4 1 .0
40 .9
4 0 .5
40 .4
4 1 .2
4 0 .4
40 .2
3 9 .2
3 9 .7
3 8 .7
4 0 .0
4 0 .4
40.1
3 8 .9
3 9 .5
A vg.
h r ly .
earn
in g s
3 9 .9
4 0 .2
3 8 .3
3 9 .2
3 9 .7
3 9 .7
39 .5
3 9 .5
3 9 .5
38 .1
3 8 .6
3 7 .9
3 9 .6
38.1
3 9 .2
A vg.
w k ly .
hours
$1.59 $78. 40
81.70
1.73
85.14
1 .8 0
84.18
1.8 0
1 .8 2
83.1 6
82. 57
1.8 3
81.99
1 .8 2
82 .5 9
1.83
83. 60
1 .8 6
83.21
1.8 6
84.03
1 .8 7
84.03
1 .8 8
85.2 7
1 .8 9
8 3 .2 3
1.87
85. 08
1.8 7
S h ip - a n d b o a tb u ild
in g a n d re p a ir in g »
$1.8 0 $69.83
75.17
1.88
76.60
1.9 6
78. 79
1.97
80.19
1.9 7
8 0 .1 9
1.9 6
79. 40
1.9 8
80. 57
1.99
80.9 8
2 .0 0
78. 49
2 .0 2
79.90
2 .0 2
78.45
2 .0 2
82.3 7
2 .0 5
7 8 .4 9
2 .0 4
81.1 4
2 .0 3
A vg.
w k ly .
ea r n
in g s
4 3 .8
4 3 .0
43 .0
42 .3
42 .0
4 1 .7
4 1 .2
4 1 .5
4 1 .8
41 .4
4 1 .6
4 1 .6
4 1 .8
4 0 .6
4 1 .1
A vg.
h r ly .
earn
in g s
A vg.
w k ly .
earn
in g s
3 9 .9
4 0 .2
38.1
3 9 .0
3 9 .4
3 9 .3
39 .2
3 9 .3
3 9 .3
3 8 .2
3 8 .4
3 7 .7
3 9 .4
3 7 .8
39 .1
1951: A v e r a g e ______ $70. 40
74.00
1952: A v e r a g e ______
80.40
1953: F e b r u a r y ...........
M a r c h ------------78. 41
78. 21
A p r il....................
79.00
M a y _______ __
78.01
J u n e __________
78.00
J u ly ----------------75.60
A u g u s t —............
79.34
S e p te m b e r ____
82.16
O c to b e r _______
N o v e m b e r -----79. 49
81.97
D e c e m b e r ------81.54
1954: J a n u a r y .. —
81.72
F e b r u a r y ..........
4 0 .0
40 0
4 0 .4
39 .6
3 9 .5
3 9 .9
3 9 .4
3 9 .0
3 7 .8
3 8 .7
3 9 .5
3 8 .4
3 9 .6
3 9 .2
.39 1
$1.76
1 .8 5
1 .9 9
1.9 8
1.9 8
1.98
1.98
2.0 0
2.0 0
2 .0 5
2.0 8
2.07
2.07
2.0 8
2.09
O th er tr a n s p o r ta tio n
e q u ip m e n t
$68. 53
73.02
72.04
72. 39
72. 22
75.17
75.17
70.31
76.5 9
76.9 6
77.04
70.86
69.34
68.7 8
71.86
4 2 .3
42 .7
4 0 .7
4 0 .9
4 0 .8
41 .3
4 1 .3
3 9 .5
4 1 .4
4 1 .6
4 1 .2
3 8 .3
38.1
3 8 .0
3 9 .7
4 3 .3
4 2 .6
4 2 .3
41 .5
41 .5
41.1
4 0 .7
4 0 .9
4 1 .4
4 0 .7
41 .1
41.1
41.1
40 .1
4 1 .1
A vg.
h r ly .
ea r n
in g s
40.1
3 9 .9
3 9 .6
40.4
4 1 .3
41 .3
4 0 .7
4 0 .3
4 0 .3
3 7 .7
3 9 .4
3 8 .7
4 0 .9
3 9 .4
3 9 .7
1951: A v e r a g e ...........
1952: A v e r a g e --------1953: F e b r u a r y ..........
M a r c h _______
A p r il.................
M a y _________
J u n e _________
J u l y __________
A u g u s t ...........
S e p t e m b e r ...
O c to b e r ______
N o v e m b e r ___
D e c e m b e r ----1954: J a n u a r y ............
F e b r u a r y .........
$60.81
6 4 .6Í
66.31
67 .7
66. 9Í
66 .2
66 .7
67 .6
6 6 .9<
6 6 .9
6 7 .0
65 .8
66.8.
6 6 .0
6 6 .9
41.
41.1
41.
41.
41.
41.
4 i.:
41.
41.1
40. i
40.!
40.
40.
40.
40.
See footnotes at end of table.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
$ 1 .4
1 .5
1 .6
1 .6
1 .6
1 .6
1 .6
1 .6
1 .6
1 .6
1 .6
1 .6
1 .6
1 .6
1 .6
$55.4!
56. 6C
57.8!
58. IS
58. If
58.4'
58. 6'
57. 6'
56.5!
58. 4(
5 9 .6f
60. 2'
60.0'
5 8 .7(
5 8 .7(
40.
39. f
40.
4 0 .'
4 0 .'
40.;
40.:
39.
39.
40.
40.
40.
40.
39.
39.
A vg.
h r ly .
ea r n
in g s
45.4
4 3 .9
4 4 .3
43 .7
4 2 .7
4 2 .9
4 2 .0
4 2 .7
4 2 .6
4 2 .7
4 2 .5
4 2 .2
4 2 .7
4 1 .3
41.1
40 .9
4 0 .7
4 0 .6
4 0 .5
4 0 .2
3 9 .5
4 0 .0
3 8 .8
3 8 .6
39 .1
3 9 .5
3 8 .8
3 9 .6
3 9 .2
4 0 .0
A ir c r a f t p ro p e lle rs
a n d p a r ts
A vg.
w k ly .
earn
in g s
A vg.
w k ly .
hours
$1.89 $89. 17
92.2 5
1.98
91.08
2 .0 2
83. 82
2.01
83. 84
2 .0 0
83. 43
2 .0 0
84. 67
2.0 2
84. 66
2 .0 3
2 .0 4
85. 70
85.4 9
2 .0 5
84.67
2 .0 6
85. 28
2.0 6
85.08
2 .0 6
78.28
2 .0 5
83.84
2.0 8
A vg.
h r ly .
earn
in gs
4 6 .2
45.0
44 .0
41 .7
4 1 .3
4 1 .3
41.1
4 1 .5
4 1 .6
41 .7
4 1 .3
4 1 .4
4 1 .3
3 8 .0
4 0 .7
$1.93
2 .0 5
2.07
2.01
2.03
2.02
2.06
2.04
2 .0 6
2.05
2. 05
2.06
2.06
2 .0 6
2 .0 6
Locomotives and
parts
$1.87 $81.12
81.14
1.91
79. 56
1.9 7
84. 46
2. 01
85. 07
2.0 3
2. 02 80. 55
85. 06
2.0 3
78.1 6
2.01
81.9 7
2 .0 3
82. 58
2.0 7
81.1 6
2. 07
81.5 4
2 .0 8
84. 35
2 .1 0
82.8 9
2 .1 0
86.
72
2 .1 0
41.6
4L 4
4 0 .8
41 .4
40 .9
39.1
4 0 .7
38. 5
3 9 .6
3 9 .5
3 9 .4
3 9 .2
3 9 .6
39 .1
4 1 .1
$1.95
1 95
1.95
2.04
2.08
2.06
2.09
2.03
2.07
2.09
2 .0 6
2.08
2.13
2 .1 2
2.11
I n s tr u m e n ts a n d re la te d p r o d u c ts
T o ta l: I n s tr u m e n ts
a n d r e la ted p r o d u c ts
$1 .6 2 $68. 20
72.07
1.71
73.39
1.77
73. 74
1 .7 7
72.10
1.77
73.22
1.82
73. 87
1.8 2
71. 86
1 .7 8
72.98
1.8 5
74.16
1.85
74. 52
1 .8 7
74. 75
1.85
74. 75
1.82
72.22
1.81
73.53
1.81
O p h th a lm ic g o o d s
A vg.
w k ly .
hours
R a ilr o a d e q u ip m e n t »
$1.52 $76. 48
77. 74
L 66
1.7 2
79. 98
81.41
1.72
81.61
1.74
79. 79
1.7 5
81.20
1.73
77. 99
1.76
78.36
1 .7 6
80.94
1.80
81.77
1 .8 0
80.70
1 .8 0
83.1 6
1 .8 0
8 2 .3 2
1 .7 9
8 4 .0 0
1 .7 7
42.1
4 1 .9
4 1 .7
4 1 .9
4 1 .2
41 .6
4 1 .5
4 0 .6
4 1 .0
4 1 .2
4 1 .4
4 1 .3
4 1 .3
3 9 .9
4 0 .4
L a b o r a to r y ,
s c ie n
tific , a n d e n g in e e r
in g in s tr u m e n ts
$1.62 $86. 85
93 11
1.7 2
1. 76 92. 82
92.19
1 .7 6
80.57
1.75
89.87
1 .7 6
1 .7 8
90. 09
82. 40
1.77
8 8 .6 2
1 .7 8
91.3 8
1.80
1.8 0
89. 04
89. 25
1.81
88.83
1.81
80.5 0
1.81
1.82
81.9 7
4 5 .0
4 5 .2
4 4 .2
4 3 .9
3 9 .3
4 3 .0
42 .9
40 .0
4 2 .4
4 2 .9
4 2 .2
4 2 .3
42.1
3 8 .7
3 9 .6
P h o to g r a p h ic
a p p a r a tu s
$ 1 .3€ $73. OS
76. r .
1.4;
1.41 : 74.5!
76.11
1 .4 '
76. 4S
1.41
1 .4 .
76. 5!
76. 3(
1.4f
7 5 .3(
1. it
1 .4 ' ; 7 7 .6Í
78. 2S
1.41
79. O'
1 .4 '
80. &
1.45
80.8 .
1.4f
81. If
1 . 4f
8 2 .3<
1.45
42.
4 1 .'
40.1
4 0 .'
4 0 .!
4 0 .'
40.
40.
41.1
41.
4L '
42.1
42.1
4 1 .:
4L '
42 .4
42.4
4 2 .0
4 1 .9
4 1 .6
4 1 .3
41.4
4 0 .2
4 0 .4
4 0 .8
41 .3
4 0 .9
41 .0
3 9 .8
4 0 .7
O p tic i il in stru m e n ts
a n d lens« s
$1.62 $72. 07
76 50
1.69
80.29
1.7 7
1.7 7
80.11
81. 47
1.78
81.22
1.7 8
79.98
1.80
78. 26
1. 79
78. 44
1.8 0
77.04
1.83
1.84
76. 73
76. 45
1 .8 4
1.85
78. 35
75.11
1.83
1.84
76.31
42.9
42. 5
43.4
43.3
4 3 .8
4 3 .9
4 3 .0
42 .3
4 2 .4
42.1
4 1 .7
41.1
41 .9
4 0 .6
41 .7
$
1.68
1 .8 0
1.85
1.85
1.86
1.85
1.86
1.85
1 .8 5
1.83
1.84
1 .8 6
1.87
1.85
1.83
M is c e lla n e o u s m a n jfa c tu r in g in d u str ie s
W a tc h e s a n d clo ck s
$1.71 $59. 5"
60. 51
1 .8 '
66.11
1 .8 !
67.1C
1 .8 66.
7S
1 .8 '
67. 2!
1.8S
67.
7S
1 .8 '
1 .8 ' ; 66. 9S
6 7 .6 .
1 .8 !
1.9! : 66. 9!
6 8 .3
1 .9
67. 2'
. :
67. 4‘
1 .9 .
6 4 .6Í
1 .9
64. 5.
1 .9 '
19
M e c h a n ic a l m e a s u r
in g a n d c o n tr o llin g
in s tr u m e n ts
$1.93 $68. 69
71.66
2. 06
74. 34
2.1 0
74.16
2.1 0
74. 05
2. 05
73. 51
2.0 9
74. 52
2.10
71.96
2. 06
72. 72
2.09
74. 66
2.13
75. 99
2.11
75.26
2.11
75.85
2.11
72.83
2.08
74.89
2.07
I n s tr u m e n ts a n d r e la te d p r o d u c ts — C o n tin u e d
S u r g ic a l, m e d ic a l,
a n d d e n ta l in s tr u
m e n ts
A vg.
w k ly .
earn
in g s
$1.75 $85.81
1.8 7
86. 92
89. 49
1 .9 6
87.84
1 .9 8
85. 40
1.98
85.8 0
1.9 7
84.84
1 .9 7
1.97
86.6 8
8 6 .9 0
1 .9 9
1.9 9
87. 54
87. 55
2 .0 1
86.93
2.01
87.9 6
2.0 3
8
4 .6 7
2.0 5
85.4 9
2 .0 7
Boatbuilding and
repairing
$1.79 $60.95
66.23
1.91
68.11
2.0 5
69.49
2.0 7
71.86
2 .0 8
72.28
2. 08
70.41
2.0 7
70.93
2 .1 0
70. 93
2.11
67.86
2.11
70. 92
2 .1 2
6 9 .6 6
2.1 3
73. 62
2.1 3
70. 53
2 .1 2
70.27
2 .1 4
T r a n s p o r ta tio n e q u ip m e n t— C o n tin u e d
Railroad and streetcars
A vg.
w k ly .
hours
$1.79 $75. 78
79.66
1 .9 0
82.91
1 .9 8
82.1 7
1 .9 9
82.17
1.98
80.9 7
1 .9 8
80.1 8
1.99
80. 57
1.99
82.3 9
2 .0 0
80.9 9
2.01
82. 61
2 .0 2
82.61
2 .0 2
83.43
2.0 4
82. 21
2.0 5
85.0 8
2 .0 7
Shipbuilding and
repairing
$1.75 $71.42
7 6 .7S
1.8 7
78.11
2 .0 0
80. 73
2.01
2. 02 81.95
81.74
2 .0 2
81.14
2.01
82. 53
2.0 4
82.9 2
2 .0 5
80. 60
2 .0 6
81.41
2. 07
80.30
2 .0 7
83.9 2
2 .0 8
80.1 4
2 .0 6
8 3 .6 7
2 .0 7
A ir c r a f t en g in es a n d
p a r ts
A ir c r a f t
A irc ra ft a n d p a rts >
40.
40
41.
42.
42.
42.
42.1
4L !
41.
41.1
4 1 .'
41.
40.«
3 9 .'
3 9 .!
T o ta l M isc e l a n eo u s
m a t ìu fa ctu r in g ind u s tries
$1.4! $57 .6 '
61.5!
1 .5
64. l ì
1.5!
1 .5 : 64. 71
64. 41
1.5'
64. 21
1 .6(
63.8!
1 .6
62. 3;
1 .6
63. 74
1 .6 .
63 .3 !
1.6Í
6 5 .1 '
1 .6
65. li
1 .6
65.5;
1 .6
63.4;
1 .6
64.1!
1 .6
40.
4L !
41.1
4L
41.
4 0 .!
4 0 .!
39.
40.
40.
4L !
4 0 .'
4 0 .'
39.
40.1
J e w e lr y , s ilv e rw a re,
a n d p la te d w are 1
$1.41 ! $61.3!
65. 9'
1 .5 !
6 8 .4f
1 .5 !
69 2f
1. 5!
68. 5!
1. 5!
68.2!
1. 5'
67. 3!
1.5!
1 .5 ' ' 65. 2C
6 7 .5t
1 .5 '
68. 8f
1.5S
7 1 .7
1 .5 '
1.6!
72.3
7 1 .9f
1 .6
66.
5f
1 .6
6 7 .9 '
1 .6(
41.7
4 2 .;
42.
43.
4 2 .!
42.1
42.1
40.
4L '
42. C
43.
4 3 .;
43.1
40.
4L'
$1.47
1.56
1.60
1.60 ;
1. 61
1.62
1.60
1.60
1 .6 2
1.64
1.66 !
1.67
1.67
1.64
1.63
C : EA R N IN G S AND H O U RS
TA B LE
605
C -l: Hours and gross earnings of production workers or nonsupervisory employees1—Continued
M a n u fa e tu r in g — C on tln u e d
Miscellaneous manufacturing Industries—Continued
Y e a r a n d m o n th
J e w e lry a n d fin d in g s
Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn hours
ings
- $58.38
.. 63.33
.. 65.91
66.1(
64. 41
.. 63.91
J u n e ......... .. 63.35
July______ . 6 0 .7C
August___ _ 62.73
September..
63. 71
October___ - 68.37
November..
68. 05
December.. - 68.53
January___
63. 65
February...
65. 41
41.7
42. 5
42.8
43.2
42.1
41.5
41.7
40.2
41.0
41.1
43.0
42.8
43.1
40.8
42.2
1951: A v e r a g e ___
1952: A v e r a g e ___
1953: F e b r u a r y ...
M a r c h _____
A p r il..............
M a y _______
1954:
S ilv e rw a re a n d p la te d
w a re
Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly.
earn earn wkly.
ings
ings hours
$1.40 $65. 73
1.49 70.98
1.54 73. 44
1.53 75.69
1.53 76.13
1.54 76.03
1.52 74.73
1.51 73. 50
1.53 75. 50
1. 55 77. 43
1.59 78.04
1.59 80. 00
1.59 77.83
1.56 71.33
1.55 73. 03
Musical instruments
and parts
Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly.
earn earn wkly.
ings
ings hours
Toys and sporting
goods s
Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. Avg.
earn earn wkly.
ings
ings hours
41.6 $1.58 $83. 65 40.8
42.0
1.6£ 68.64
41.1
42.7
1.72 72. 21
41.5
43.5
1.74 72. 72
41.8
43.5
1.75 72.28
41.3
43.2
1.76 70.88
40.5
42.7
1.75 70. 35
40.2
42.0
1.75 68.78
39.3
42.9
1.76 70. 58 40.1
43.5
1.78 70. 84 39.8
43.6
1.79 72.80
40.9
44.2
1.81 73. 51
41.3
43.0
1.81 73.51
41.3
40.3
1.77 70. 75
40.2
40.8
1.79 70.93
40.3
Manufacturing—Continued
$1.56 $53. 60
1.67 58. 73
1.74 61.00
1.74 62.06
1.75 61.05
1.75 60. 90
1.75 60.60
1. 75 58. 20
1.76 59. 75
1.78 60.34
1. 78 62.12
1.78 62.93
1.78 61.69
1.76 60.22
1.76 60. 76
Avg. A v g .
hrly. w kly. A v g .
earn ea r n w k ly .
hours
ings
in g s
39.7
40.5
40.4
41.1
40.7
40.6
40. 4
38.8
40.1
39. 7
40.6
40.6
39.8
38.6
39.2
$1.35
1.45
1.51
1.51
1.50
1. 50
1.50
1.50
1.49
1. 52
1.53
1.55
1.55
1.56
1. 55
1951:
1952:
1953:
1954:
Average___ .
Average___ .
February__ .
M a r c h ....... .
A p r il................ .
M ay______ .
June............ _
July______ .
August____
September... _
October___
Novem ber..
December. _.
January___
February__
$54.91
57.26
57.57
58.29
59.02
59.13
59.86
57.38
58. 58
58.80
60. 56
60. 79
61.12
59. 30
62. 21
41.6
40.9
39.7
40.2
40.7
40.5
41.0
39.3
40.4
40.0
41.2
40.8
41.3
39.8
41.2
Costume jewelry,
buttons, notions
$1.32 $53. 73
1.40 55.74
1.45 60.01
1.45 61.01
1.45 61.01
1.46 60.38
1. 46 59. 83
1. 46 55.39
1.45 58.11
1. 47 58. 61
1.47 58.07
1.49 57. 57
1.48 58. 36
1.49 57. 42
1.51 57. 67
40.1
40.1
41.1
41.5
41.5
40.8
40.7
38.2
39.8
39.6
39.5
38.9
39. 7
38.8
39.5
Fabricated plastic
products
$1.34 $60. 59
1.39 64. 79
1.46 69. 21
1.47 69.28
1.47 68.79
1.48 68.88
1.47 67.16
1.45 66.91
1.46 67.07
1. 48 66.91
1.47 68. 06
1.48 67.73
1.47 68.31
1.48 66.23
1.46 67.30
41.5
41.8
42.2
42.5
42.2
42.0
41.2
41.3
41.4
40.8
41.5
41.3
41.4
39.9
40.3
$53. 72
58.84
60.04
61.81
61.56
61.41
60.70
57.45
60.30
61. 51
63. 55
64.8 4
61.70
59.63
61.78
3 9 .5
4 0 .3
3 9 .5
40 .4
4 0 .5
4 0 .4
4 0 .2
3 8 .3
4 0 .2
4 0 .2
4 1 .0
41 .3
3 9 .3
3 7 .5
3 9 .1
Other manufacturing
industries
1951:
1952:
1953:
1954:
Average__
Average__
February........
M arch___
A pril..........
M ay________
June...........
July______
August______
September...
October.......
November___
December...
January___
February__
$58. 26
61.22
63. 58
63.03
6 3 .20
64. 63
65.13
64. 35
64.24
68. 16
39.1
38 .5
3 8 .3
38 .2
3 8 .3
38. 7
3 9 .0
39 .0
3 8 .7
3 9 .4
3 8 .6
3 8 .8
3 8 .5
3 8 .2
3 8 .0
66.01
67.90
65. 84
65.70
65.74
$1.49
1 .5 9
1.66
$1.46 $59.18
1.55 62. 02
1.64 63. 90
1.63 64.37
1.63 64.62
1.64 64. 24
1.63 64. 71
1.62 64. 24
1.62 65.21
1. 64 63. 92
1.64 66.34
1.64 65.53
1.65 66.50
1.66 65.46
1.67 66.00
1 .6 5
1.65
1 .6 7
1.67
1.65
1.66
1.73
1. 71
1 .7 5
1. 71
1 .7 2
1.7 3
S w itc h b o a r d o p e r a t
in g e m p lo y e e s '
$49.39
51.43
53. 07
52.20
52.2 0
54.68
54.09
54. 38
53. 57
59. 75
55. 72
57.88
53. 58
54.30
54.36
$81.32
86.51
89. 25
88.83
89.6 7
90. 95
93. 53
90. 95
91.15
93. 94
93.26
95.87
95.44
91.94
92. 99
$1.31
1 .3 9
1 .4 5
1.43
1.43
1. 47
1.45
1.45
1.44
1. 56
1.51
1.56
1.4 8
1.50
1.51
41.1
40.8
40.7
41.0
40.9
40.4
40.7
39.9
40.5
39.7
40.7
40.2
40.3
39.2
40.0
$1.44
1.52
1.57
1.57
1.58
1.59
1.59
1.61
1.61
1. 61
1.63
1.63
1.65
1.67
1.65
4 2 .8
4 2 .2
41 9
41 .9
42.1
4 2 .5
43 .3
42 .3
4 2 .2
42. 7
4 2 .2
4 2 .8
4 2 .8
4 1 .6
4 1 .7
$1.90
2. 05
2.1 3
2.1 2
2.1 3
2. 14
2 .1 6
2. 15
2.1 6
2.20
2. 21
2.2 4
2.2 3
2. 21
2.2 3
$68. 24
72. 48
73. 46
73.63
73.63
75. 90
75.60
74. 76
74. 76
77. 46
74. 05
73.34
73.16
72.80
73.69
4 4 .6
4 3 .4
41. 5
4 1 .6
4 1 .6
4 2 .4
42 .0
4 2 .0
4 2 .0
42. 1
4 1 .6
4 1 .2
41.1
4 0 .9
4 1 .4
$1.53
1 .6 7
1 .7 7
1 .7 7
1.7 7
1 .7 9
1.8 0
1.78
1.78
1.84
1.7 8
1 .7 8
1 .7 8
1.78
1.78
1954:
Average_____
Average_____
February____
M arch______
April________
M ay________
June......... ......
July.................
A ugust............
September.......
O ctober.........
November___
December___
January..........
February........
$68. 97
71.80
74. 21
74. 21
75.44
75. 26
74. 85
76.63
76.86
78.02
78 21
79.00
77.79
(t)
4 1 .8
4 1 .5
41 .0
41 0
4 1 .0
40 .9
40.9
41.2
41.1
4 1 .5
4 1 .6
4 1 .8
4 1 .6
(t)
See footnotes at end of table.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
(t)
$72. 49
75. 89
78.85
79. 49
80.32
80. 93
82.1 5
82. 76
82.98
84. 22
83.40
85.04
83. 82
(t)
4 1 .9
4 1 .7
4 1 .5
41.4
41.4
4 1 .5
41.7
41.8
41 .7
4 1 .9
4 1 .7
42.1
4 1 .7
(t)
3 9 .8
4 0 .9
4 1 .6
4 2 .0
4 1 .1
4 0 .9
4 0 .7
39
3 9 .9
3 8 .7
4 0 .0
3 9 .5
4 0 .4
3 9 .9
3 9 .4
$1.34
1 .4 4
1 .4 9
1 .4 9
1 .4 8
1.48
1 .4 8
1.49
1.4 8
1.5 0
1.5 0
1.51
1 .5 2
1 .5 2
1.51
L o ca l r a ilw a y s a n d
b u s lin e s «
$70.93
74.30
76.9 5
75.30
76.82
74. 43
77. 75
78.31
75. 36
76. 33
77.30
76.04
76.78
75.08
4 1 .0
4 0 .6
40 .5
4 0 .7
41 .3
3 9 .8
41 .8
42.1
4 0 .3
4 0 .6
4 0 .9
3 9 .4
4 0 .2
3 8 .7
$1.7 3
1 .8 3
1 .9 0
1.8 5
1.
1 .8 7
1.86
1.86
1.87
1.
1 .8 9
1. 93
1.91
1.9 4
$72.23
76. 56
75 .8 2
75.99
76.78
78.08
78.3 7
77.9 2
77.40
78.13
77. 53
77.18
77.43
78. 59
77.70
4 6 .3
46 .4
4 5 .4
4 5 .5
4 5 .7
4 6 .2
46.1
4 5 .3
4 5 .0
4 4 .9
4 4 .3
44.1
4 4 .5
4 4 .4
4 3 .9
$1.5 6
1 .6 5
1 .6 7
1 .6 7
1.68
1 .6 9
1 .7 0
1 .7 2
1.7 2
1.74
1 .7 5
1.75
1.74
1.7 7
1.7 7
$71.65
75.12
77. 46
77.87
78. 50
79.52
80. 22
81.32
81.34
82. 76
82.1 7
82.9 8
8 2 .3 7
81.7 7
80. 97
4 1 .9
4 1 .5
4 1 .2
41 .2
4 1 .1
41 .2
4 1 .5
4 1 .7
4 1 .5
4 1 .8
4 1 .5
4 1 .7
4 1 .6
4 1 .3
41.1
E le c tr ic lig h t a n d
p o w e r u tilitie s
$1.71 $72.91
1.81
76.18
1.88 78.50
1.8 9
78.91
1.91
79.13
1 .9 3
8 0 .1 5
1.9 3
81.54
1.95
82.3 5
1.9 6
82.5 9
1.98
84 .0 2
1 .9 8
83.01
1.9 9
8 3 .4 3
1 .9 8
8 3 .4 2
1 .9 8
(t)
1 .9 7
ft)
4 1 .9
4 1 .4
41.1
41.1
4 1 .0
41.1
4 1 .6
4 1 .8
4 1 .5
4 1 .8
41 .3
4 1 .3
4 1 .5
(t)
(t)
$1.74
1.84
1.91
1.92
1.93
1.95
1.96
1.97
1.99
2.01
2.01
2.02
2.01
(t)
(t)
R e ta il tra d e
E le c tr ic lig h t a n d gas
u tilitie s c o m b in e d
$1.65
1.7 3
1.81
1.81
1.84
1.84
1.8 3
1.86
1.87
1.88
1.8 8
1.89
1 .8 7
A vg.
h r ly .
ea r n
in g s
W h o le s a le a n d r e ta il tra d e
O th er p u b lic u tilit ie s — C o n tin u e d
1951:
1952:
1953:
A vg.
w k ly .
hours
$1 .3 6 $53.33
1 .4 6
58.90
1 .5 2
61.98
1.5 3
62.5 8
1. 52 60.8 3
1.5 2
60. 53
1.51
60 .2 4
1.50
59.00
1.50
59.05
1.53
58. 05
1.5 5
60. 00
1.5 7
59.6 5
1.5 7
61.41
1.5 9
60.65
1.58
5 9 .4 9
T o ta l: G a s a n d e le c
tric u tilitie s
T e le g r a p h *
T r a n s p o r ta tio n a n d p u b lic u t ilit ie s —
C o n tin u e d
G a s u t ilit ie s
A vg.
w k ly .
earn
in g s
O th er p u b lic u tilitie s
L in e
c o n str u c tio n ,
in s ta lla tio n ,
an d
m a in te n a n c e e m
p lo y e e s 8
3 7 .7
3 7 .0
3 6 .6
36 .5
3 6 .5
3 7 .2
37 .3
37. 5
3 7 .2
3 8 .3
3 6 .9
37.1
3 6 .2
3 6 .2
3 6 .0
A vg.
h r ly .
ea rn
in g s
Class I railroads i
Communication
Telephone
S p o r tin g a n d a th letic
goods
Transportation and public utilities
Miscellaneous manufacturing industries—Continued
Pens, pencils, and
otner office supplies
G a m es, to ys, d o lls, a n d
ch ild ren ’s vehicles
$1.73
1 .8 2
1 .9 0
1.92
1.94
1.95
1.97
1.98
1.99
2.01
2 .0 0
2 .0 2
2.01
(t)
W h o le s a le tra d e
$64.31
67.80
69.66
69.89
70.12
70. 93
71.10
72.09
71.91
72.32
72. 67
72.50
72.85
72. 76
72. 54
4 0 .7
4 0 .6
4 0 .5
40 .4
4 0 .3
40 .3
40.4
40 .5
4 0 .4
4 0 .4
40. 6
4 0 .5
4 0 .7
4 0 .2
40 .3
R e ta il tra d e (e x c e p t
e a tin g a n d d r in k
in g p la ce s)
$1.58 $50. 65
1 .6 7
52. 67
1 .7 2
53. 70
1 .7 3
53.70
1.74
53.96
1. 76 54. 21
1.7 6
55.16
1.78
56. 26
1.7 8
56.12
1.79
55.52
1.7 9
55.24
1.79
54. 95
1.79
54. 49
1.81
55.77
1.80
55. 52
4 0 .2
3 9 .9
3 9 .2
39 .2
39.1
3 9 .0
3 9 .4
3 9 .9
3 9 .8
39. 1
3 8 .9
3 8 .7
3 9 .2
3 9 .0
39.1
$1.26
1 .3 2
1 .3 7
1 .3 7
1.38
1.39
1.40
1.41
1.41
1.42
1.4 2
1.4 2
1.39
1.43
1.4 2
G en era l m e r c h a n d ise D e p a r tm e n t sto res and
general
m ail-order
sto res s
houses
$37.75
38. 41
38.17
37.82
37.93
38.52
39. 65
40. 54
39. 74
38. 98
38. 75
38. 64
39.93
40.14
39. 55
3 6 .3
3 5 .9
3 4 .7
34 .7
3 4 .8
3 4 .7
3 5 .4
3 6 .2
3 5 .8
3 4 .8
3 4 .6
3 4 .5
3 6 .3
3 4 .9
3 5 .0
$1.04
1.0 7
1.1 0
1.0 9
1 .0 9
1.11
1 .1 2
1.12
1.11
1.12
1.1 2
1 .1 2
1.1 0
1.15
1.1 3
$44.23
44. 77
43.77
43.67
43.79
44.38
45.59
45.86
45.11
45.09
44.9 6
44.60
47.13
45.31
44.50
3 7 .8
3 7 .0
3 5 .3
3 5 .5
3 5 .6
3 5 .5
3 5 .9
36 .4
3 5 .8
3 5 .5
3 5 .4
3 5 .4
3 7 .7
35 .4
3 5 .6
$1.17
1.21
1.24
1.2 3
1.2 3
1.2 5
1 .2 7
1.26
1 .2 6
1. 27
1.2 7
1.2 6
1.2 5
1.2 8
1.2 5
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW, MAY 1954
606
T able C -l: Hours and gross earnings of production workers or nonsupervisory employees1—Continued
Wholesale and retail trade—Continued
Other retail trade
Retail trade—Continued
Year and month
Food and liquor stores
Avg.
wkly.
earn
ings
Avg.
wkly.
hours
$54.54
1951: Average...................
56.52
1952: Average..................
57. 48
1953: February.................
57. 57
M arch.................. —
57. 81
April.......................
57. 66
M ay........................
June...... ....................... 58. 95
60.25
July................. - ..........
60. 25
August-----------------60. 37
September..................
58. 98
October....... ...............
59.37
November...... ...........
59. 44
December...................
59. 75
1954: Ja n u ary ...------------59.06
February---------------
40.1
39.8
39.1
38.9
38.8
38.7
39.3
39.9
39.9
39.2
38.3
38.3
38.6
38.3
38.1
Lumber and hardwaresupply stores
Furniture and appli
ance stores
Apparel and accessories
stores
Automotive and acces
sories dealers
Avg.
hrly.
earn
ings
Avg.
wkly.
earn
ings
Avg.
wkly.
hours
Avg.
hrly.
earn
ings
Avg.
wkly.
earn
ings
Avg.
wkly.
hours
Avg.
hrly.
earn
ings
Avg.
wkly.
earn
ings
$1.36
1.42
1.47
1.48
1.49
1.49
1.50
1.51
1.51
1. 54
1.54
1.55
1.54
1.56
1.55
$66.28
69.61
71.55
72. 90
74. 09
74.70
74.98
74.98
74. 48
73.10
74.48
74.32
72.37
71.16
71.93
45.4
45.2
45.0
45.0
44.9
45.0
44.9
44.9
44.6
44.3
44.6
44.5
44.4
44.2
44.4
$1.46
1.54
1.59
1.62
1.65
1.66
1.67
1.67
1.67
1.65
1.67
1.67
1.63
1.61
1.62
$42.24
43.68
43.65
43.30
43.75
44. 58
45.09
45.61
45.25
44.80
45.41
45.63
46.90
46.11
46.15
36.1
35.8
35.2
35.2
35.0
35.1
35.5
36.2
36.2
35.0
35.2
35.1
35.8
35.2
35.5
$1.17
1.22
1.24
1.23
1.25
1.27
1.27
1.26
1.25
1.28
1.29
1.30
1.31
1.31
1.30
$59.48
61.06
60. 06
60.48
60.90
61.03
61.89
62.31
62.16
62.31
63.15
62.97
66.07
63.00
61.90
Avg.
wkly.
hours
Avg.
hrly.
earn
ings
Avg.
wkly.
earn
ings
Avg.
wkly.
hours
$1.38
1.43
1.43
1. 44
1.45
1.46
1.47
1.48
1.48
1.48
1.50
1.51
1.54
1.50
1.46
$58.86
61.19
61.92
62. 49
62.78
64.37
64.67
65.10
65.97
65. 79
66. 99
66.22
65.79
64.14
65.06
43.6
43.4
42.7
42.8
43.0
43.2
43.4
43.4
43.4
43.0
43.5
43.0
43.0
42.2
42.8
43.1
42.7
42.0
42.0
42.0
41.8
42.1
42.1
42.0
42. 1
42.1
41.7
42.9
42.0
42.4
Personal services
Avg.
wkly.
earnings
1951: Average......................
1952: Average......................
1953: February....................
March____________
April...........................
M ay............................
June................... ........
July........................... .
August---------- ------ September------------October..................
November________
December-------------1954: January......................
February....................
$50.32
52.50
54. 61
54. 40
54. 47
54.65
54. 28
54. 90
55. 00
55.03
55. 36
55.33
55.68
56.51
56. 51
Avg.
wkly.
earnings
$83. 68
81.07
83. 21
86. 01
86. 78
84.48
82. 55
81.72
79. 72
80.00
80.68
81.73
84.19
86.83
86.94
Insurance
carriers
Avg.
wkly.
earnings
Hotels, year-round 11
Cleaning and dyeing
plants
Laundries
Avg.
wkly.
earn
ings
Avg.
hrly.
earn
ings
Avg.
wkly.
hours
$61.31 $35.42
37.06
63.38
37.65
66.23
66.32
37. 47
66. 55 37.83
66. 52 37.89
67. 20 38.22
68. 73 38.40
68. 07 38. 49
39. 06
67.30
67.63
39.76
68. 54 39. 67
39.81
68.43
68.74
39. 71
40.09
68.77
i Data are based upon reports from cooperating establishments covering
both full- and part-time employees who worked during, or received pay for,
any part of the pay period ending nearest the 15th of the month. For min
ing, manufacturing, laundries, and cleaning and dyeing plants, data refer
to production and related workers only. For the remaining Industries, unless
otherwise noted, data relate to nonsupervisory employees and working super
visors. Data for the three current months are subject to revision without no
tation; revised figures for earlier months will be identified by asterisks the
first month they are published.
« Italicized titles which follow are components of this industry.
» See footnote 2, table A-2.
♦ See footnote 3, table A-2.
« Figures for class I railroads (excluding switching and terminal companies)
are based upon monthly data summarized In the M-300 report by the Inter
state Commerce Commission and relate to all employees who received pay
during the month, except executives, officials, and staff assistants (ICC
Group I).
« Beginning with January 1953, data include only privately operated estab
lishments. Averages for earlier years include both privately operated and
Government operated establishments. Data for 1953 shown in prior issues
of the Monthly Labor Review were on the old basis, and are superseded by
these data.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
$1.35
1.41
1.45
1. 46
1.46
1.49
1.49
1.50
1. 52
1. 53
1. 54
1.54
1.53
1.52
1.52
Service and miscellaneous
Finance, insurance, and real estate10
Banks and Security
trust com dealers and
exchanges
panies
Avg.
hrly.
earn
ings
43.2
42.6
42.3
42.1
42.5
42.1
42.0
42.2
42.3
42.0
42.3
42.2
41.9
41.8
42.2
Avg.
wkly.
earn
ings
$0. 82 $37.81
.87
38.63
.89
38.88
39.38
.89
.89
39. 58
.90
40.67
.91
40.08
.91
39.30
.91
39.10
39. 80
.93
.94
39.70
.94
40.00
.95
40.60
.95
39. 70
.95
40.00
Avg.
wkly.
hours
41.1
41.1
40.5
40.6
40.8
41.5
40.9
40.1
39.9
40.2
40.1
40.0
40.6
39.7
40.0
Avg.
hrly.
earn
ings
Avg.
wkly.
earn
ings
$0.92 $43.99
.94
45.10
.96
43.73
.97
45. 02
45.36
.97
.98
48.19
.98
47.08
44.69
.98
44. 35
.98
.99
46. 40
46. 92
.99
45.98
1.00
1.00
46.68
1.00
45.08
1.00
45.16
Avg.
wkly.
hours
41.5
41.0
39.4
40. 2
40.5
41.9
41.3
39.2
38.9
40.0
40.1
39.3
39.9
38.2
38.6
Avg.
hrly.
earn
ings
$1.06
1.10
1.11
1.12
1.12
1.15
1.14
1.14
1.14
1.16
1.17
1.17
1.17
1.18
1.17
Motionpicture pro
duction and
distribu
tion i°
Avg.
wkly.
earnings
$83.95
90. 49
90.76
90. 98
89. 64
84. 51
91.46
90.98
91.13
85. 79
89. 69
92.35
95.15
92.12
94.36
7 Data relate to employees in such occupations in the telephone industry
as switchboard operators, service assistants, operating-room instructors, and
pay-station attendants. During 1952 such employees made up 47 percent of
the total number of nonsupervisory employees In telephone establishments
reporting hours and earnings data.
*D ata relate to employees in such occupations in the telephone Industry as
central office craftsmen; installation and exchange repair craftsmen; line,
cable, and conduit craftsmen; and laborers. During 1952 such employees
made up 23 percent of the total number of nonsupervisory employees in
telephone establishments reporting hours and earrings data.
' Beginning with 1952, data relate to domestic employees, except messen
gers, and those compensated entirely on a commission basis and are not strictly
comparable with figures shown for 1951.
10 Data on average weekly hours and average hourly earnings are not avail
able.
u Money payments only; additional value of board, room, uniforms, and
tips, not Included.
tComputation of these data has been discontinued.
See N ote on p. 576;
607
C: EARNINGS AND HOURS
T able C -2 : Gross average w eek ly earnings of production workers in selected industries, in current and
1947-49 dollars 1
coal
Manufacturing Bituminous
mining
coal
Manufacturing Bituminous
mining
Laundries
Year and month
Current 1947-49 Current 1947-49 Current 1947-49
dollars dollars dollars dollars dollars dollars
Current 1947-49 Current 1947-49 Current 1947-49
dollars dollars dollars dollars dollars dollars
1939:
1941:
1946:
1948:
1949:
1950:
1951:
1952:
Laundries
Year and month
Average-------------- $23. 86
Average-------------- 29.58
43. 82
Average_________
54.14
Average_________
54.92
Average-------------Average.................. 59.33
Average................. . 64. 71
Average-------------- 67.97
$40.17
47.03
52.54
52. 67
53. 95
57. 71
58.30
59.89
$23.88
30.86
58.03
72.12
63.28
70.35
77.79
78.32
$40.20
49.06
69. 58
70.16
62.16
68. 43
70. 08
69.00
$17.64
18.69
30.20
34.23
34. 98
35. 47
37.81
38.63
$29.70
29. 71
36.21
33.30
34.36
34.50
34.06
34.04
|
i These series indicate changes in the level of average weekly earnings prior
to and after adjustment for changes in purchasing power as determined
from the Bureau’s Consumer Price Index, the years 1947-49 having been
selected for the base period,
1953: February................ $71.17 $62. 76 $81. 42 $71. 80 $38. 88
39.38
71.97
81.76
63.32
71.93
M arch__________
39.58
70.02
79. 61
62.80
April____ _______ 71.40
40.67
74.54
84. 97
62.83
71.63
M ay______ ____
40.28
79.69
62. 56
91.25
71.63
June..................... .
39.30
74.08
84. 97
62.19
July,.------- ---------- 71.33
80. 77 39.10
92. 88
62. 34
71.69
August--------------74. 78 39.80
86.15
September_______ 71. 42 62.00
39.70
77.80
89. 78
62.16
October................... 71.73
70. 58 40.00
62. 26 81.17
November.............- 71.60
40.60
82. 25
71.58
62.63
71.96
December_______
$34.29
34.67
34.81
35.68
35.18
34. 26
34.00
34. 55
34.40
34.78
35.34
39.70
40.00
34. 46
34.78
1954: January A ---------February 2............ -
70.92
70.88
61.56
61.63
82.34
78.47
71.48
68. 23
» Preliminary.
See N ote on p. 576.
T able C-3: Gross and net spendable average weekly earnings of production workers in manufacturing
industries, in current and 1947-49 dollars 1
Gross average
weekly earn
ings
Period
Net spendable average weekly
earnings
W orker with
no dependents
W orker with 3
dependents
Gross average
weekly earn
ings
Period
50.3
89.7
85.8
81.8
$25. 41
39. 40
37.80
37.30
$42.14
51.77
48. 77
46. 74
$26.37
45.17
43. 57
42. 78
$43. 73
59. 36
56. 22
53. 61
23.86
25.20
29.58
36.65
43.14
46. 08
44.39
43. 82
49.97
54.14
54.92
59.33
64. 71
67.97
45.1
47.6
55.9
69.2
81.5
87.0
83.8
82.8
94.4
102.2
103.7
112.0
122.2
128. 4
23.58
24.69
28.05
31.77
36.01
38.29
36.97
37. 72
42.76
47.43
48.09
51.09
54. 04
55.66
39. 70
41.22
44. 59
45. 58
48. 66
50.92
48.08
45.23
44. 77
46.14
47.24
49.70
48.68
49. 04
23.62
24. 95
29.28
36.28
41.39
44.06
42. 74
43.20
48. 24
53.17
53.83
57.21
61.28
63.62
39. 76
41. 65
46. 55
52.05
Ó6. Ö3
58. 59
55. 58
51.80
50. 51
51.72
52.88
55.65
55.21
56.05
1939: Average...................
1940: Average..................
1941: Average-------------1942: Average................. .
1943: Average-------------1944: Average..... .............
1945: Average_________
1946: Average-------------1947: Average...................
1948: Average..... ............
1949: Average............ ......
1950: Average...................
1951: Average...................
1952: Average................. .
i Net spendable average weekly earnings are obtained by deducting from
gross average weekly earnings, social security and income taxes for which the
specified type of worker is liable. The amount of income tax liability depends, of course, on the number of dependents supported by the worker as
well as on the level of his gross income. Net spendable earnings have, there
fore, been computed for 2 types of income-receivers: (1) A worker with no
dependents; (2) a worker with 3 dependents. See footnote 1, table C-2.
The computation of net spendable earnings for both the worker with no
dependents and the worker with 3 dependents are based upon the gross aver-
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
W orker with
no dependents
Worker with 3
dependents
Cur 1947-49 Cur 1947-49
Index
Amount (1947-49 rent dollars rent dollars
dollars
= 100) dollars
Cur 1947-49 Cur 1947-49
Index
Amount (1947-49 rent dollars rent
dollars dollars
= 100) dollars
1941: January------ ------- $26. 64
1945: January................... 47. 60
45. 45
July____________
43.31
1946: Ju n e______ ____
Net spendable average weekly
earnings
February.......... ...... $71.17
71.93
March__________
71.40
A pril___________
71.63
M a y ___________
71.63
June____________
July___ ________ 71.33
71.69
August--------------September_______ 71. 42
71.73
October_________
November_______ 71.60
71.96
December---- -------
134.4
135.8
134.8
135.3
135.3
134. 7
135.4
134.9
135.5
135.2
135.9
$58.13
58. 72
58.31
58. 49
58. 49
58.26
58.54
58.33
58.57
58.47
58.75
70. 92
70.88
133.9
133.9
58. 80
58.77
January 2-----------F ebruary2 --------
$51.26 $66.16
66.77
51.69
66.34
51.28
66.53
51.31
66. 53
51.08
66. 29
50.79
66. 58
50.90
66. 36
50. 63
50. 75 66.61
66.50
50.84
51.13
66.79
$58.34
58. 78
58.35
58. 36
58.10
57.79
57.90
57. 60
57.72
57.83
58.13
66.00
65.97
57.29
57.37
51.04
51.10
age weekly earnings for all production workers in manufacturing Industries
without direct regard to marital status and family composition. The pri
mary value of the spendable series is that of measuring relative change? in
disposable earnings for 2 types of income-receivers.
J Preliminary.
See N ote on p. 576.
608
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW, MAY 1954
T able C-4: Average hourly earnings, gross and excluding overtime, of production workers in
manufacturing industries 1
Manufacturing
Nondurable
goods
Excliiding
over time
Period
Gross
amount
1941: Average____
1942: Average___ _
1943: Average____
1944: Average____
1945: Average____
1946: Average____
1947: Average____
1948: Average........
1949: Average___
1950: Average____
1951: Average____
1952: Average____
Durable
goods
$0. 729
.853
.961
1.019
1.023
1.086
1.237
1.350
1.401
1.465
1.59
1.67
Ex
clud
Gross ing
Gross
Index
over
Amount (1947-49
time
= 100)
$0. 702
.805
.894
.947
». 963
1.051
1.198
1.310
1.367
1.415
1.53
1.61
54.5
62.5
69.4
73.5
»74.8
81.6
93.0
101.7
106.1
109.9
118.8
125.0
$0.808 $0.770 $0. 640
.947
.881
.723
1.059
.976
.803
1.117 1.029
.861
1.111 »1.042
.904
1.156 1.122 1.015
1.292 1.250 1.171
1.410 1.366 1.278
1.469 1.434 1.325
1.537 1.480 1.378
1.67
1.60
1.48
1.76
1.69
1.54
Durable
goods
Excluding
overtime
Ex
clud
ing
over
time
Period
$0. 625
.698
.763
.814
». 858
.981
1.133
1.241
1.292
1.337
1.43
1.49
1953: February__
March_____
April______
M ay.............
June...... ......
July..............
August____
September...
October____
November...
D ecember...
$1.74
1. 75
1.75
1.76
1.76
1. 77
1. 77
1.79
1.78
1.79
1.79
$1.68
1. 68
1.69
1.69
1.70
1.71
1.71
1. 73
1.73
1.73
1.74
1954: Jan u ary »___
February»...
1.80
1.79
1.75
1.74
1 Overtime is defined as work in excess of 40 hours per week and paid for
at time and one-half. The computation of average hourly earnings excluding
overtime makes no allowance for special rates of pay for work done on
holidays.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Manufacturing
Gross
amount
Nondurable
goods
Gross
Ex
clud
ing
Gross
over
time
130.4
130.4
131.2
131.2
132.0
132.8
132.8
134.3
134. 3
134.3
135.1
$1.85
1. 85
1.86
1.86
1.87
1.88
1.88
1.90
1.89
1.89
1.90
$1.77
1. 77
1.78
1.79
1.80
1.81
1.81
1. 84
1.83
1.83
1.84
$1.58
1.59
1.59
1.60
1.60
1.61
1.61
1. 63
1.62
1.63
1.64
$1.54
1.54
1.55
1.55
1.55
1. 56
1.56
1.58
1. 58
1.59
1.59
135.9
135.1
1.91
1.90
1.85
1.84
1.65
1.64
1.61
1.60
Index
Amount (1947-49
= 100)
Ex
clud
ing
over
time
111-month average; August 1945 excluded because of V-J Holiday period.
* Preliminary.
See N ote on p. 576.
609
D: PRICES AND COST OF LIVING
D: Prices and Cost of Living
T able D - l: Consumer Price Index ^ U n ite d States average, all items and commodity groups
11947-49=100]
Housing *
Year and month
1947:
1948:
1949:
1950:
1951:
1952:
1953:
Average----------Average...........
Average.............
Average............. .
Average----------Average----------Average-----------
All
items
98.5
102.8
101.8
102.8
111.0
113.5
114.4
Total
food J
95.9
104.1
100.0
101.2
112.6
114.6
112.8
Apparel
T otal8
97.1
103. 5
99.4
98.1
106.9
105.8
104.8
95.0
101.7
103.3
106.1
112.4
114.6
117.7
Rent
94.4
100.7
105.0
108.8
113.1
117.9
124.1
1950: January----------February---------M arch.............
April------ ------M ay__________
June__________
J u ly .- ------------August-----------September_____
O ctober----------November-------December---------
100.6
100.4
100.7
100.8
101.3
101.8
102.9
103.7
104.4
105.0
105.5
106.9
97.0
96. 5
97.3
97.7
98.9
100.5
103.1
103.9
104.0
104.3
104.4
107.1
96.7
96.7
96.8
96.7
96. 5
96. 6
96.4
97.1
99. 2
100.9
101.6
102.2
104.4
104.6
104.6
104.7
104.7
104.9
105. 3
106.1
107.1
108.1
108.8
109.4
107.5
107.7
107.8
108.1
108.5
108.7
109.1
109.3
109.5
109.6
1951: January----------February--------M arch________
April--------------M ay___ ______
June__________
July__________
August-----------September...........
October----- -----N o v e m b e r..---December...........
108.6
109.9
110.3
110.4
110.9
110.8
110.9
110.9
111.6
112.1
112.8
113.1
109.9
111.9
112.0
111.7
112.6
112.3
112.7
112.4
112. 5
113.5
114.6
115.0
103.8
105.6
106.2
106. 4
106.6
106.6
106.3
106.4
109.3
109.2
108. 5
108.1
110.4
110.6
111.2
111. 7
111.9
112.2
112.3
112.6
112.6
112.9
113.2
113.7
113.9
110.0
110.4
111.3
111.9
112.2
112.5
112.7
113.1
113.6
114.2
114.8
115.4
115.6
.Tannarv_______
February......... .
M arch_________
April____ _____
M av__________
June____ _____
July__________
August-----------September...........
October-----------November........ .
December_____
113.1
112.4
112.4
112.9
113.0
113.4
114.1
114.3
114.1
114.2
114.3
114.1
115.0
112.6
112.7
113.9
114.3
114.6
116.3
116.6
115.4
115.0
115.0
113.8
107.0
106.8
106. 4
106.0
105.8
105. 6
105.3
105.1
105.8
105.6
105.2
105.1
113.9
114.0
114.0
114.0
114.0
114.0
114.4
114.6
114.8
115.2
115.7
116.4
116.0
116.4
116.7
116.9
117.4
1953: Jan u ary .............
February______
M arch________
April_________
M ay.................
June.....................
Ju ly__________
August --------September_____
October______
November-------December--------
113. 9
113.4
113.6
113. 7
114.0
114.5
114.7
115.0
115.2
115. 4
115.0
114.9
113.1
111. 5
111.7
111.5
112.1
113.7
113.8
114.1
113.8
113.6
112.0
112.3
104.6
104. 6
104. 7
104. 6
104.7
104.6
104. 4
104.3
105.3
105.5
105.5
105.3
116.4
116.6
116.8
117.0
117.1
117.4
117.8
118.0
118.4
118.7
118.9
118.9
121.1
1954: January---------February_____
March________
115.2
115.0
114.8
113.1
112.6
112.1
104.9
104. 7
104.3
118.8
118.9
119.0
117.6
117.9
118.2
118.3
118.8
119.5
120.7
121.5
121.7
122.1
123.0
123.3
123.8
125.1
Other
Trans Medical Personal Reading
goods
and
porta
and
recrea
care
care
House- House
Gas and Solid
tion
services
4
tion
hold
op
furnish
electric uels and
eration
ings
fuel oil
ity
97.6
100.0
102.5
102.7
103.1
104.5
106.6
97.2
103.2
99.6
100.3
111.2
108.5
107.9
97.2
102.6
100.1
101.2
109.0
111.8
115.3
90.6
100.9
108.5
111.3
118.4
126.2
129.7
94.9
100.9
104.1
106.0
97.6
101.3
117.2
121.3
111.8
105.0
105.0
105.1
105.1
105.3
105.4
105.6
106.0
107.0
107.1
107.4
108.0
99.4
99.2
99.1
99.1
99.0
99.2
99.5
102.5
102.8
102.8
102.9
102.8
102.7
102.8
102.7
10?. S
102.7
102.7
102.7
109.9
109.6
109.9
109.7
106.8
107.6
108.1
109.8
111.6
113.4
114.3
114.8
97.4
97.6
97.7
97.7
97.5
97.4
98.1
99.7
102.4
104.7
106.0
107.1
99.4
99.4
99.5
99.4
96.7
99.6
99.9
101.2
102.3
103.6
104.4
105.6
110.2
103.1
103.1
103.1
102.8
103.2
103.0
103.1
m 2
103.2
103 3
103.3
103.4
115.1
116.4
116.7
116.7
115.2
115.4
115.9
116.2
116.6
117.1
117.4
117.6
109.3
110.5
107.2
108.1
108.4
108.3
108.7
108.7
109.1
109.0
108.8
109.6
110.4
111. 1
114.7
115.8
116.9
117.2
117.6
117.5
117.8
118.7
119.7
120.5
111.1
111.6
112.1
112.0
112.0
111.1
111.3
110.9
111.1
110.8
110.1
109.9
111.2
112.4
112.7
112.6
112.9
114.1
122.1
122.2
110.5
112.8
100.8
101.3
103.3
106.1
107.4
108.5
108.9
109.9
110.3
110.7
109.8
111.2
110.4
110.6
110.7
110.7
111.0
111.0
110.8
110.8
110.6
111.8
110.0
110.0
112.6
113.1
114.3
110.6
111.1
95.5
100.4
104.1
103.4
106.5
107.0
108.0
96.1
100.5
103.4
105.2
109.7
115.4
118.2
104.3
104.6
104.4
104.0
103.8
102. 5
101.7
101.9
102.7
103.0
103.6
104.1
103.9
103.9
103.9
103.8
103.9
103.7
104.1
106.3
106.8
107.1
107.4
107.9
105.6
106.4
107.0
107.3
107.3
106.5
106.6
106.4
105. 8
105.9
106.3
106. 5
108.4
108.7
108.9
109.0
109.2
109.1
109.1
109.1
109.6
109.6
112.4
107.2
106.6
106.3
106.2
106.2
106.8
107. 0
107.0
107.3
107.6
107.4
108.0
113.2
114.4
114.8
115.2
115.8
115.7
116.0
115.9
115 9
115.8
115.8
115.9
115.9
115.8
117.6
117.9
118.0
118.2
118 3
118.4
118.5
119.7
120.3
114.7
114.3
115.7
115.9
116.1
117.8
118.0
118.1
118.8
118.9
118.9
119.3
129.3
129.1
129.3
129.4
129. 4
129.4
129.7
130.6
130.7
130.7
130.1
128.9
119.4
119.3
119.5
112.4
112.5
112.4
112.5
122.6
122.8
123.3
123.6
112.7
112.9
113.2
113.4
113.6
107.8
107. 5
107.7
107.9
108.0
107.8
107.4
107.6
107.8
108.6
108.9
108.9
130.5
129.4
129.0
123.7
124.1
124.4
113.7
113.9
114.1
108.7
108.0
108.2
123.3
123.3
124.4
123.6
121.8
121.8
123. 7
123.9
124.6
125.7
125.9
125.3
107.7
108.0
108.0
107.8
107.6
108.0
108.1
107.4
108.1
108.1
108.3
108.1
113.4
113.5
114.0
114.3
114.7
115.4
115. 7
115.8
116.0
116.6
116.9
117.0
125.7
126.2
125.8
107.2
107.2
107.2
117.2
117.3
117.5
105.9
106.1
106.5
106.5
106. 6
106.4
106.4
106.9
106.9
107.0
107.3
107.2
107. 7
111.1
101.1
101.1
111.0
111.1
111.0
107.6
107.6
108.1
107.9
108.0
108.2
110.2
110.0
109.4
108.7
108.3
1°TFot aUhistorySandSdescripStion of the index, see The Consumer
’
In the February 1953 Monthly Labor Review; the pamphlet. The Consumer
Price Index—A Short Description of the Index as Revised, 1953; The Interim
Adjustment of Consumers’ Price Index, in the April 1951 Monthly
Review; Interim Adjustment of Consumers’ Price Index, Builetm 1039,
109.8
109.6
122.8
117.7
117.6
117.7
117.3
115.6
115.8
118.6
119.0
119.6
121.1
121.6
123.2
107.1
107.5
107.6
110.0
110.9
110.8
111.0
111.0
111.2
111.2
111.8
111.9
112.1
112.8
113.3
113.4
103.5
103.8
103. 8
103.9
104.1
104.3
104.2
105.0
105.0
105.0
105.4
105.6
i A major revision was incorporated In the consumer trice
January 1953. The revised index, based on 46 cities, has been linked to the
previously published “interim adjusted” indexes for 34 cities and rebased on
1947-49=100 to form a continuous series. For the conX®nle? ce. c/ ,us^ si the
“ All-items” indexes are also shown on the 1935-39=100 base m table D 3.
The revised Consumer Price Index measures the average change m prices
of goods and services purchased by urban wage-earner and salaried-clerical
worker families. Data for 46 large, medium, and small cities are combined
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
88.8
104.4
106.8
110.5
116.4
118.7
123.9
123.7
124.4
124.8
125.1
126.3
126.8
127.0
127.7
128.4
128.9
128.9
120.2
120.7
121.1
121. 5
121.8
111.3
111.6
111.7
111.9
112.1
112.1
112.3
112.4
112.5
112.8
112. 6
112.6
112.8
120.2
120.3
120.2
120.1
ana me ionowmg repui is. uuHauinuo x *
committee of the House Committee on Education and Labor (1951), and
Report of the President’s Committee on the Cost of Living (1945).
Mimeographed tables are available upon request showing indexes for the
United States and 20 individual cities regularly surveyed by the Bureau
for “ Ail items” and 8 major components from 1947 to date. Indexes are also
available from 1913 for “All items,” food, apparel, and rent, for all large cities
comhined, and from varying dates for individual cities.
i Includes “Food away from home” (restaurant meals and other food
bought and eaten away from home); prior to January 1953, prices for this
category were estimated to move like prices for ‘ Food at home but, since
that date, have been measured by prices of restaurant meals.
*Includes “ Other shelter.”
. . . . . .
„
4Includes tobacco, alcoholic beverages, and miscellaneous services
(such as legal services, banking fees, and burial services).
610
M ONTHLY LABOR R EV IE W , MAY 1954
Table D-2: Consumer Price Index1—United States average, food and its subgroups
[1947-49=100]
Food at home
Food at home
Year and month
Total
food a
Total
food
at
home
1947: Avg_____
1948: Avg_____
1949: Avg_____
1950: Avg...........
1951: A vg..........
1952: Avg...........
1953: Avg_____
1950: Jan______
Feb______
M ar_____
Apr______
M ay_____
June_____
July_____
Aug.........
Sept...........
Oct______
Nov_____
Dec______
1951: Jan______
Feb______
M ar.........
Apr.......... .
M ay........
June_____
July_____
Aug...........
S e p t . . ___
Oct______
95.9
104.1
100.0
101.2
112.6
114.6
112.8
97.0
96.5
97.3
97.7
98.9
100.5
103.1
103.9
104.0
104.3
104. 4
107.1
109.9
111.9
112.0
111.7
112.6
112.3
112.7
112.4
112.5
113.5
95.9
104.1
100.0
101 2
112 6
114.6
112.5
97.0
96.6
97.3
97.7
98.9
100.5
103.1
103.9
104.0
104.3
104.4
107.1
109.9
111.9
112.0
111. 7
112.6
112.3
112.7
112.4
112. 5
113.5
Cereals Meats, Dairy
and
poul prod
bakery try,
and ucts
prod
fish
ucts
94.0
103.4
102.7
104.5
114.0
116.8
119.1
102. 2
102.3
102.3
102.4
102.7
102.7
103.8
106.2
107.0
107.2
107.4
107.5
112.2
113.2
113.4
113.9
113.9
114.0
114.3
114.2
114.6
114.6
93.5
106.1
100.5
104.9
117.2
116.2
109.9
94.4
95.6
98.7
99.5
103.4
106.1
110.1
112.2
112.4
109.0
107. 7
109.1
113.5
116.3
117.2
117.3
117.4
116.9
117.6
118.4
118.6
119.1
96.7
106.3
96.9
95.9
107.0
111.5
109.6
95.6
95.3
94.7
93.3
92.6
92.3
93.8
95.7
97.0
99.6
100.1
100.7
105.2
106.1
106.2
106.0
105.7
105.9
106.5
106.9
107.2
107.9
Fruits
and
vege
tables
Other
foods *
97.6
100.5
101.9
97.6
106.7
117.2
113.5
100.3
97.6
95.5
97.4
99.0
102.5
103.6
94.7
91.1
92.9
95.8
99.9
104.8
109.8
106.3
105.2
108.5
107.7
107.0
102.3
100.4
103.2
100.1
102. 5
97.5
101.2
114.6
109.3
112.2
95.1
93.5
95.5
95.1
93.5
94.1
97.7
105.3
107.7
110.4
109. 2
117.0
111.2
110.3
112.7
112.4
113.6
113.8
114.8
116.5
118.4
118.9
Cereals Meats,
poul
and
bakery
try,
and
prod
fish
ucts
Year and month
Total
food *
Total
food
at
home
1951: Nov......... .
Dec........ —
1952: Jan............
Feb______
M ar_____
Apr______
M ay_____
June_____
July_____
Aug...........
Sept_____
O ct...........
Nov..........
Dec...........
1953: Jan______
Feb______
M ar......... .
Apr_____
M ay..........
June..........
July_____
Aug-------Sept_____
O ct........ .
Nov......... .
D ec......... .
114.6
115.0
115.0
112.6
112.7
113.9
114.3
114.6
116.3
116.6
115.4
115.0
115.0
113.8
113.1
111.6
111.7
111.5
112.1
113. 7
113.8
114.1
113.8
113.6
112.0
112.3
114.6
115.0
115.0
112.6
112.7
113.9
114.3
114.6
116.3
116.6
115.4
115.0
115.0
113.8
112.9
111. 1
111.3
111. 1
111.7
113.7
113.8
114.1
113.5
113.3
111.4
111.7
115.1
115.2
115.3
115.5
115.7
115.6
117.2
116.9
117.6
117.5
117.4
117.5
117.5
117.7
117.7
117.6
117.7
118.0
118.4
118.9
119. 1
119.5
120.3
120.4
120.6
120.9
1954: Jan______
Feb_____
M ar_____
113.1
112.6
112. 1
112.6
112.0
111.4
121.2
121.3
121.2
1 See footnote 1 to table D -l. Indexes for 18 food subgroups (1936-39=
100) from 1923 to December 1962 were published in the March 1953 Monthly
Labor Review and in previous issues.
Dairy
prod
ucts
Fruits
and
vege
tables
Other
foods *
117.7
116.3
117.1
116.7
115.2
114.8
114. 5
116.5
116.4
119.4
119.2
116.9
114.3
113.0
110.9
107.7
107.4
106.8
109.2
111.3
112.0
114.1
113.5
111.1
107.0
107.8
109.2
110.7
112.0
112.7
112.0
110.4
109.3
108.9
110.2
111.0
112.5
113.2
113.3
112.7
111.6
110.7
110.3
109.0
107. 8
107.5
108.3
109.1
109.6
110.1
110.5
110.3
109.6
115.8
118.2
109.5
113.7
121.1
124.3
122.4
124.0
118.7
111.5
111.3
115.9
115.8
116.7
115.9
115.5
115.0
115.2
121.7
118.2
112.7
106.6
107.7
107.4
109.2
118.5
114.5
109.1
105.8
104.4
105.0
104.4
105.2
111.5
113.1
113.7
115.1
114.3
110.6
109.7
107.3
109.1
110.4
110.3
110.9
112.3
114.4
116.7
117.4
114.8
113.5
110.2
109.7
109.5
109.7
109.0
108.0
110.8
108.0
107.8
113.5
114.0
112.3
* See footnote 2 to table D -l.
>Includes eggs, fats and oils, sugar and sweets, beverages (nonalcoholic)
and other miscellaneous foods.
Table D-3: Consumer Price Index1—United States average, all items and food
1947-49=100
Year
1913: Average_____
1914: Average_____
1915: Average........ 1916: Average_____
1917: Average_____
1918: Average_____
1919: Average_____
1920: Average_____
1921: Average_____
1922: Average_____
1923: Average......... 1924: Average_____
1925: Average_____
1926: Average...........
1927: Average_____
1928: Average......... 1929: Average..........
1930: Average......... .
1931: Average_____
1932: Average_____
1933: Average......... _
1934: Average..........
1935: Average-------1936: Average_____
1937: Average_____
1938: Average_____
1939: Average_____
1940: Average_____
1941: Average_____
1942: Average_____
1943: Average_____
All
items
Total
food1
42.3
42.9
43.4
46.6
54.8
64.3
74.0
85.7
76.4
71.6
72.9
73.1
75.0
75.6
74.2
73.3
73.3
71.4
65.0
58.4
55.3
57.2
58.7
59.3
61.4
60.3
59.4
59.9
62.9
69.7
74.0
39.6
40.5
40.0
45.0
57.9
66.5
74.2
83.6
63.5
59.4
61.4
60.8
65.8
68.0
65. 5
64.8
65.6
62.4
51.4
42.8
41.6
46.4
49.7
50.1
52.1
48.4
47. 1
47.8
52.2
61.3
68.3
See footnote 1 to table D-l.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1947-49=100
1935-39=100
Year and month
All items
70.7
71.8
72.5
77.9
91.6
107.5
123.8
143.3
127. 7
119.7
121.9
122.2
125.4
126.4
124.0
122.6
122.5
119.4
108.7
97.6
92.4
95.7
98.1
99.1
102.7
100.8
99.4
100.2
105.2
116.6
123.7
1944: Average_____
1945: Average....... —
1946: Average..........
1947: Average...........
1948: Average_____
1949: Average...........
1950: Average.........
1951: Average...........
1952: Average_____
1953: Average_____
1950: January...........
February____
March______
April................
May_............. .
June........ ........
July________
August.......... .
September.——
October_____
November___
December___
1951: January_____
February........
March______
April—............
M ay________
June................
July------------August............
September___
All
items
75.2
76.9
83.4
95.5
102. 8
101.8
102.8
111.0
113.5
114.4
100.6
100.4
100.7
100.8
101.3
101.8
102.9
103.7
104.4
105.0
105. 5
106.9
108.6
109.9
110.3
110.4
110.9
110.8
110.9
110.9
111.6
Total
foodJ
67.4
68.9
79.0
95.9
104.1
100.0
101.2
112.6
114.6
112.8
97.0
96. 5
97.3
97.7
98.9
100. 5
103.1
103.9
104.0
104. 3
104.4
107.1
109.9
111.9
112.0
111.7
112. 6
112.3
112.7
112.4
112. 5
1935-39=100
1947-49=100
Year and month
All items
125.7
128.6
139.5
159.6
171.9
170.2
171.9
185.6
189.8
191.3
168.2
167.9
168.4
168. 5
169. 3
170.2
172.0
173.4
174.6
175.6
176.4
178.8
181.5
183.8
184.5
184. 6
185. 4
185.2
185. 5
185. 6
186.6
1951: October...........
November___
December___
1952: January_____
February____
March-........
April________
M ay________
June........ ........
July..... .........
August............
September___
October...........
November___
December___
1953: January....... .
F ebruary... .
March______
April_______
M ay................
Ju n e ............ .
Ju ly ................
August........
September___
October_____
November___
December___
1954: January_____
February____
M arch______
All
items
112.1
112.8
113.1
113.1
112.4
112. 4
112.9
113.0
113.4
114.1
114.3
114.1
114.2
114.3
114.1
113.9
113.4
113.6
113.7
114.0
114.5
111.7
115.0
115.2
115.4
115.0
114.9
115. 2
115.0
114.8
* See footnote 2 to table D-l
Total
food*
113.5
114.6
115.0
115. 0
112.6
112.7
113.9
114.3
114.6
116.3
116.6
115.4
115.0
115.0
113.8
113.1
111.5
111.7
111. 5
112.1
113. 7
113.8
114.1
113.8
113.6
112.0
112.3
113.1
112.6
112.1
1935-39 = 100
All items
187.4
188.6
189.1
189.1
187.9
188.0
188.7
189.0
189.6
190.8
191. 1
190.8
190.9
191. 1
190.7
190. 4
189.6
189.9
190.1
190.6
191.4
191.8
192.3
192.6
102.9
192.3
192.1
192.6
192.3
191.9
D : P R IC E S AND COST O F LIV IN G
611
T able D -4: Consumer Price Index 1—All items indexes for selected dates, by city
1947-49=100
1935-39=100
City
Mar.
1954
Feb.
1954
Jan.
1954
Dec.
1953
Nov.
1953
Oct.
1953
United States average 1..... ...........
114.8
115.0
115.2
114.9
115.0
Atlanta, Ga_______________
Baltimore, M d....... ......... ......
Boston, Mass...... ........... .
Chicago, 111.......... ......... ......
Cincinnati, Ohio..........................
117.0
114.8
0
116.7
114.2
0
0
0
116.7
0
0
0
112.7
116.7
0
117.1
114.5
0
116.4
114.6
Cleveland, Ohio..................
0
Detroit, M ich.........................
116.5
Houston, Tex............................
0
Kansas City, M o.....................
0
Los Angeles, Calif.......................... 116.2
115.2
116.4
116.9
0
116.6
0
117.0
0
115.0
116.8
0
116.4
0
0
115.8
0
116.6
113.0
115.3
114.4
115.4
0
113.0
115.0
0
0
Minneapolis, M inn.............
New York, N. Y______ ____
Philadelphia, P a_________
Pittsburgh P a .______ _______
Portland, Oreg______________
0
112.4
114.9
0
0
115.2
0
0
St. Louis, M o______ ________
San Francisco, Calif...................
Scranton, P a ........ .....................
Seattle, W ash_______________
Washington, D. O ......................
116.9
116.5
0
0
0
0
0
113.2
116.2
114.1
112.8
0
0
0
0
0
116.9
116.9
0
0
0
Sept.
1953
Aug.
1953
July
1953
June
1953
May
1953
Apr.
1953
115.4
115.2
115.0
114.7
114.5
114.0
113.7
0
0
116.4
0
0
0
113.8
117.1
0
117.6
115.0
0
116.6
115.3
117.1
115.1
IT
115.5
116.7
117.3
0
116.1
0
117.2
0
115.7
116.3
0
116.9
0
0
116.2
115.1
116.9
116.8
116.6
113.3
115.3
114.7
116.1
0
113.2
115.2
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
117.1
116.9
0
0
0
0
112.9
114.7
0
0
0
0
113.4
116.4
114.3
1 See fo o tn o te 1 to ta b le D - l . In d e x e s are b a se d o n tlm e -to -tim e c h a n g e s
In t h e c o st o f g o o d s a n d ser v ic e s p u r c h a se d b y u r b a n w a g e-ea rn er a n d clerical
w o rk er fa m ilie s. T h e y d o n o t in d ic a te w h e th e r it c o sts m o re to liv e in o n e
c i t y t h a n in a n o th e r.
1 A v e r a g e o f 46 c itie s b e g in n in g J a n u a r y 1963. S ee fo o tn o te 1 to ta b le D - l .
• P r io r t o J a n u a r y 1953, in d e x e s w ere c o m p u te d m o n t h ly for 9 o f th e se citie s
a n d o n c e e v e r y 3 m o n th s for th e re m a in in g 11 c itie s o n a ro ta tin g c y c le .
B e g in n in g in J a n u a r y 1953, in d e x e s are c o m p u te d m o n t h ly for 5 c itie s an d
o n c e e v e r y 3 m o n th s for th e 15 re m a in in g c itie s o n a r o ta tin g c y c le .
‘ A ll " old series” in d e x e s d is c o n tin u e d a s o f J u n e 1953. L a st “ o ld series”
in d e x e s (1935-39= 100) for th e 14 c itie s n o t in c lu d e d in th e re v ise d in d e x a n d
fo r c itie s n o t s u r v e y e d in J u n e are as fo llo w s:
J u n e 1953
B ir m in g h a m , A la ..........................1 9 6 .6 I M o b ile , A la ......................................... 185.6
J a c k s o n v ille , F l a ............................19 8 .2
P o r tla n d , M a in e ................. .............181.9
Memphis, Term...................... 190.8
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
0
0
0
0
116.3
(«)
0
0
113.1
115.7
0
0
115.3
114.5
0
114.6
0
115.8
116.9
0
115.3
115.8
116.6
0
0
115.4
113.7
115.8
116.8
0
115.3
0
112.7
114.9
0
0
115.6
112.1
114.7
113.8
115.5
0
112.0
114.6
0
0
111.4
113.8
0
0
0
113.2
116.8
114.2
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
115.8
116.1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
112.0
116.2
113.5
0
0
111.7
114.2
0
0
Mar.
1953
June
1950
113.6
101.8
116.7
114.2
0
113.8
112.6
0
0
101.6
102.8
102.8
101.2
0
115.2
0
114.3
115.6
115.2
0
0
115.4
102.8
103.8
0
101.3
115.1
0
111.2
114.1
102.1
100.9
101.6
101.1
111.1
113.7
112.8
115.4
0
0
0
0
(*)
0
0
114.7
115.5
0
0
0
0
101.1
100.9
0
0
0
Revised Old
series series
Mar. Ju n e 4
1954
1953
191.9
190.9
198.4
197.3
0
198.7
197.7
194.6
180.6
195.7
195.0
192.3
0
196.7
0
0
194.2
0
200.4
193.4
0
188.7
0
186.0
191.2
0
0
0
185.4
190.5
194.6
0
195.1
192.9
199.1
0
0
199.1
0
0
0
0
M a y 1953
C le v e la n d , O h io .
M ilw a u k e e , W is .
N e w O rlea n s, La.
N o r fo lk , V a _____
192.8
196.9
190.1
191.3
B u ffa lo , N . Y ..........
D e n v e r , C o lo ...........
I n d ia n a p o lis, I n d ..
K a n sa s C it y , M o ..
M a n c h e s te r , N . H .
187.3
189.1
192.5
181.8
184.7
S c r a n to n , P a .........._
S e a ttle , W a s h ____
W a s h in g to n , D . C
185.3
195.4
185.5
A p r i l 1953
M in n e a p o lis , M in n
P o r tla n d , O reg _____
R ic h m o n d , V a ..........
S a v a n n a h , G a ............
188.0
198.9
181.5
197.7
M ONTHLY LABO R R E V IE W , MAY 1954
612
Table D -5: Consumer Price Index1—All items and commodity groups, except food, by city
[1947-49=* 100]
Personal care
Apparel
All items
City and cycle of pricing
United States average------------------Monthly:
Chicago, 111__________________
Detroit, Mich . ------------ Los Angeles, Calif____________
New York, N. Y _____________
Philadelphia, P a ____________
Mar., June, Sept., and Dec.:
Atlanta, Ga------------- -----------Baltimore, M d ----------------------Cincinnati, Ohio _ --------------St. Louis, M o ..
---------------San Francisco, C a lif .------ - -
Feb., May, Aug., and Nov.:
Cleveland, O h io ---- ------Houston, Tex_____ ___. . . Scranton, P a________________
Seattle, Wash . ------- ----------Washington, D. C------------------
Jan., Apr., July, and Oct.:
Boston, Mass_______________
Kansas City, Mo-------------------Minneapolis, M in n ... -----------Pittsburgh, P a _________ _____
Portland, Oreg_______________
Reading and
recreation
Transportation
Medical care
Other goods
and services
Mar.
1963
Mar.
1953
Mar.
1954
Mar.
1953
Mar.
1954
Mar.
1953
Mar.
1954
Mar.
1953
Mar.
1954
Mar.
1953
Mar.
1954
104.3
104.7
114.1
112.4
124.4
119.5
129.0
129.3
108.2
107.7
120.1
117.5
113.8
115.2
115.4
111.2
114.1
108.2
102.8
104.3
104.5
105.8
106.3
102.9
104.0
105.5
105.1
114.7
120.0
117.9
108.6
118.0
114.5
119.1
118.0
1Q5.9
116.4
122.8
122.3
121.3
123.2
123.7
116.8
116.8
118.3
120.7
120.0
132. 7
121.2
127.7
134.6
137.4
134.0
125.6
127.4
127.4
132.8
107.9
111.8
102.0
105.8
110.8
109.2
110.9
104.5
106.9
112.3
118.9
124.9
115.2
121.1
122.7
111.2
122.8
113.6
118.0
122.0
117.0
114.8
114.2
116.9
116.5
116.7
114.2
112.6
114.7
115.5
111.2
102.4
103.1
104.5
103.5
111.1
102.8
104.7
104.4
105.3
116.6
108.6
110.2
114.6
113.0
115.4
105.7
108.8
110.0
113.0
120.8
133.3
124.6
134.6
123.2
117.9
132.1
121.2
132.4
120.0
127.3
138.2
128.2
136.2
143.4
130.5
138.0
130.7
137.2
143.1
112.0
113.7
99.8
99.4
105.7
110.4
119.0
99.4
100.7
104.3
118.2
123.3
118.1
115.7
116.3
116.8
118.2
113.6
115.4
114.6
Feb.
1954
Feb.
1953
Feb.
1954
Feb.
1953
Feb.
1954
Feb.
1953
Feb.
1954
Feb.
1953
Feb.
1954
Feb.
1953
Feb.
1954
Feb.
1953
Feb.
1954
Feb.
1953 4
115.2
116.9
113.2
116.2
114.1
112.5
116.1
112.2
114.6
113.0
104.7
106.5
106.4
106.0
103.4
104.7
107.4
106.4
107.1
103.3
115.0
120.3
113.0
111.3
112.4
113.7
119.4
112.1
111.3
111.6
129.2
119.2
119.6
129.5
117.1
119.5
117.2
114.1
123.5
116.6
123.1
125.5
128.4
132.9
128.1
123.0
126.7
129.9
129.9
127.1
117.3
112.0
117.7
111.0
110.5
114.5
112.0
118.2
107.8
110.6
119.8
119.6
116.3
127.2
127.2
Jan.
1954
Jan.
1953
Jan.
1954
Jan.
1953
Jan.
1954
Jan.
1953
Jan.
1954
Jan.
1953
Jan.
1954
Jan.
1953
Jan.
1954
Jan.
1953
Jan.
1954
112.7
115.0
116.6
114.4
115.4
112.1
114.3
114.4
112.6
114.6
100.6
104.7
106.1
104.4
105.4
102.8
106.1
105.3
103.4
104.3
112.6
116.3
116.7
113.3
111. 7
110.4
114.9
117.3
105.5
111.8
124.5
120.1
138.8
121.2
121.0
123.3
119.1
125.1
116.8
117.5
135.5
125.9
121.9
139.4
125.8
134.2
130.6
120.7
139.4
126.3
107.3
116.8
115.7
99.7
117.1
106.4
109.4
113.7
98.4
116.1
118.0
117.6
125.3
120.5
119.4
Mar.
1954
Mar.
1954
Mar.
1953
114.8
113.6
116.7
116.5
116.2
112.4
114.9
114.5
116.9
114.2
123.9
122.1
Jan.
1953
115.1
115.5
121.2
117.0
114.4
Mar.
1954
United States average------------------Monthly:
Chicago, 111
Detroit, Mich
___
Los Angeles, Calif _________
New York, N. Y __ _____
Philadelphia, P a_______ -Mar., June, Sept., and Dec.:
Atlanta, Ga
- __
___
Baltimore, Md
Cincinnati, Ohio -- ____ _____
St. Louis, Mo
San Francisco, Calif _
116.8
128.0
125.1
122.2
124.3
115.3
113.6
119.3
118.6
122.5
113.0
113.0
138.9
(3)
(3)
(3)
(3)
124.1
113.8
116.7
119.1
118.0
123.3
113.8
112.9
114.6
116.1
130.5
123.7
(3)
(3)
(3)
119.1
123.6
116.4
118.3
117.7
1954
Jan., Apr., July, and Oct.:
Boston, Mass
. ____
Kansas City, Mo . . _______
Minneapolis, Minn ________
Pittsburgh, P a. ___________
Portland“ Öreg---- --------------i See footnote 1 to table D -l.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Mar.
1954
119.0
Feb.
1954
Feb., May, Aug., and Nov.:
Cleveland, Ohio _______ ___
Houston, Tex.. ______ _____
Scranton, Pa
.
___
Seattle, Wash .
_ ________
Washington, D. C . ___
Mar.
1953
117.6
119.0
119.7
116.4
118.8
Feb.
1953
115.8
122.0
115.3
117.5
116.3
Jan.
1953
114.8
116.4
115.9
113.7
118.1
Feb.
1954
138.8
138.3
(3)
134.8
(3)
Jan.
1954
120.2
(3)
136.5
(3)
128.5
Solid fuels and
fuel oil
Gas and
electricity
Rent
Total housing
Mar.
1953
Mar.
1954
Mar.
1954
Mar.
1953
Mar.
1953
Housefurnishings
Mar.
1954
Mar.
1953
House
opera
Mar.
1954
0*.tr
oo
Housing
Mar.
1953
107.6
106.5
125.8
124.4
107.2
108.0
117.5
114.0
123.5
(3)
(3)
(3)
(3)
106.2
110.4
109.5
108.7
102.3
100.0
109.8
108.7
108.0
101.8
124.5
119.4
(3)
130.5
124.0
122.0
117.4
C3)
130.2
125.4
108.9
110.5
108.9
107.4
109.3
108.0
110.6
111. i
109.1
111.3
121.5
110.4
108.3
119.4
113. 9
117.6
106.2
106.7
118.6
111. 1
128.0
120.2
(3)
(3)
(3)
112.0
97.5
115.4
103.8
130.1
109.2
97.8
112.5
95.8
130.1
119.5
126.9
127.2
135.1
(3)
119.5
126.7
122.6
127.4
(3)
112.0
100.9
102.9
106.7
106.9
112.0
103.2
103.9
108.7
109.2
128.2
109. 7
121. 5
119.0
109.6
125.9
109.1
111. 8
116.5
108.3
Feb.
1954
Feb.
1953
Feb.
1953
Feb.
1954
121.7
Feb.
1953
124.6
136.9
(3)
128.2
(3)
Jan.
1953
116.4
(3)
120.5
(3)
126.8
Feb.
1954
106.8
106. 5
112.2
88.5
118.1
Jan.
1954
108.8
103.0
110.0
116.7
105.2
2 See tables D-2, D-3, D-6, and D-7, for food.
Feb.
1953
Feb.
1954
102.7
106.5
111.9
98.2
114.9
124.3
(3)
139.9
127.3
133.3
120.0
(3)
138.6
113.7
132.2
104.0
102.2
102.3
106.1
108.2
104.7
103.7
103.0
108.0
109.1
111.4
129.0
107.6
111. 5
114. 7
Jan.
1953
Jan.
1954
Jan.
1953
Jan.
1954
Jan.
1953
Jan.
1954
105.5
102.6
106.3
113.7
118.6
124.5
113.2
114.8
123.2
127.3
124.7
113.2
113.7
120.3
111.6
2 Not available.
106.4
107.7
106.7
105.6
107.5
106.4
106.2
105.7
106.2
109.2
112.2
120.9
115.4
119.9
113.1
Feb.
1953
107.6
118.2
105.1
108.8
113.1
Jan.
1953
107.6
118.2
112.0
116.3
110.8
D : P R IC E S AND COST O F L IV IN G
613
Table D-6: Consumer Price Index1—Food and its subgroups, by city
[1947-49=100]
Food at home
Total food3
Total food at home
City
Mar.
1954
Feb.
1954
Mar.
1953
Mar.
1954
Feb.
1954
Cereals and bakery products
Mar.
1953
Mar.
1954
Mar.
1953
Feb.
1954
Meats poultry, and fish
Mar.
1954
Feb.
1954
Mar.
1953
United States average3........__
112.1
112.6
111.7
111.4
112.0
111.3
121.2
121.3
117.7
109.5
109.7
107.4
Atlanta, G a _ _____________
Baltimore, M d____________
Boston, Mass............................
Chicago, 111
Cincinnati, Ohio___________
112.2
113.6
109.3
110. 7
114.1
112.5
113.6
109.5
111.2
114.9
112.3
111.7
109.6
109. 7
112.7
111.2
112.7
107.9
109. 7
113.7
112.0
113.0
108.1
110.0
114.5
112.0
111.2
109.1
109.3
112.3
116.0
121.6
119.1
117.0
118.4
115.8
121.1
119.1
117. 3
121.1
115. 3
116. 5
116.9
113.0
117.5
116.5
112.2
105.5
105. 1
114.7
117.0
112.4
104.9
104.9
114.1
112.8
108.3
103.4
101.9
109.0
Cleveland, Ohio.................
Detroit, M ic h ...___ _______
Houston, Tex__________
Kansas City, M o . . . ___
Los Angeles, Calif__________
110.3
114.7
112.7
108.4
113.4
110.5
114.7
112.9
108.3
114.3
108.8
113.8
111.9
109.5
113.2
109.4
113.7
111.7
107.8
112.1
109.7
113.6
112.0
107.8
113.1
108.4
113.4
111.4
108.9
112.8
118.6
117.8
118.3
120.4
122.6
118.4
118.0
118.5
120.4
122.7
114.3
115.6
114.6
117.0
117.3
105.6
108.7
108.3
106.6
110.4
106.6
108.6
107.9
105.2
111.0
103.9
105.9
105.4
105.3
110.4
Minneapolis, M in n ...
New York, N. Y___________
Philadelphia, P a_______
Pittsburgh, P a____ ____
Portland, Öreg____________
112.4
109.9
113. 7
113.2
112.7
112.8
110.6
114.5
113.4
113.5
112.6
110.5
113.5
112.3
112.5
112.1
109.3
112.6
112.8
112.6
112.6
110.4
113.7
113.0
113.6
112.2
109.9
113.1
112.0
112.4
124.9
125.1
120.6
121.7
116.2
124.8
125.7
121.5
121.6
116.9
119.2
121.6
118.0
119.5
113.7
104.3
107.6
110.5
105.5
113.5
103.0
108.8
112.0
105.2
115.3
103.3
106.9
108.9
103.5
113.5
St. Louis, Mo__________
San Francisco, Calif . .
Scranton, P a....................
Seattle, Wash______
Washington, D. C_____
114.9
113.2
111.2
112.2
110.3
115.2
113.4
112.5
112.1
110.9
112.4
112.6
111.3
111.7
110.0
113.3
112.3
110.7
112.0
109.5
114.2
112.9
112.2
111.9
110.3
112.0
112.1
111.0
111.4
109.5
116.5
127.4
119.4
122.2
118.4
117.0
127.4
119.2
122.0
118.1
113.0
122.8
115.8
118.6
112.1
110.4
109.4
109.4
110.2
104.4
111.2
109.2
109.5
110.1
105.2
107.9
108.8
106.6
106.1
104.3
Food at home—Continued
Dairy products
City
Other foods at home4
Fruits and vegetables
Mar. 1954
Feb. 1954
Mar. 1953
Mar. 1954
Feb. 1954
Mar. 1953
Mar. 1954
Feb. 1954
Mar. 1953
United States average3_________________
108.0
109.0
110.3
107.8
108.0
115.5
112.3
114.0
109.1
Atlanta, Ga_ .............................................
Baltimore, M d__________________ .
Boston, Mass________ ________________
Chicago, 111... _____________________ ..
Cincinnati, Ohio_________
109.5
111.9
108.5
107.1
111. 4
109.8
112.1
109.9
108.1
111.5
114.9
112.5
109.1
109.1
110.0
105.5
107.5
101.0
105.8
104.7
105.8
107.4
101.0
105.9
107.3
117.5
114.3
113.8
114.4
114.2
105.7
111.0
105.8
119.0
118.1
107.8
112.1
106.6
119.3
119.1
103.1
107.4
105.2
115.5
114.4
Cleveland, Ohio
Detroit, M ic h ........... ........ . . . ___________
Houston, Tex. __________ ____________
Kansas City, Mo_____________ ________
Los Angeles, C a lif ..____ _______________
104.8
108.1
110.0
101.2
105.3
105.0
108.6
110.7
104.4
105.4
105.9
111.2
113.4
106.9
112.9
103.3
116.3
110.7
102 9
112.8
102.0
114.3
110.9
101.2
112.8
109.7
124.1
118.6
111.7
113.0
116.2
114.8
112.7
108.6
111.1
117.0
115.6
113.5
109.3
114.5
110.7
110.5
109.6
106.6
111.1
Minneapolis, M inn_________ __________
New York, N. Y_._.______ ____________
Philadelphia, P a_______________________
Pittsburgh, P a________________________
Portland, Oreg________________________
104.7
106.4
110.8
112.1
109.1
106.6
107.8
111.1
112.4
109.1
109.2
105.1
114.1
113.0
110.4
117.3
100.8
108.7
107.2
110.0
118.4
101.2
109.9
107.2
111.4
121.9
112.2
117.5
114.8
114.1
118.2
112.1
112.3
122.3
113.6
120.0
113.4
113.0
123.6
114.4
116.1
109.3
108.9
116.2
110.7
St. Louis, Mo_____ ___________________
San Francisco, Calif_______ _________ . . .
Scranton, P a______________ ___________
Seattle, Wash
_____________________
Washington, D. C................ .......................
101.6
106.8
109.4
105.7
113.8
103.5
107.1
112.7
105.9
114.1
107.2
111. 9
111.1
109.8
113.7
115.3
116.0
102.5
113.0
104.1
115. 5
116.3
105.6
113.9
104.4
118.5
115.8
113.4
120.5
112.5
121.9
108.4
111.3
110.9
109.9
123.1
110.6
112.8
110.1
111.6
115.3
107.1
109.0
107.1
107,3
1 See footnote 1 to table D -l. Indexes for 56 cities for total food (193539=100 or June 1940=100) were published in the March 1953 Monthly Labor
Review and in previous issues. See table D-7 for U. S. average prices for 48
cities combined.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1 See footnote 2 to table D -l.
3 Average of 46 cities beginning January 1953. See footnote 1 to table D -l.
4See footnote 3 to table D-2.
M ONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W , MAY 1954
614
Table D-7: Average retail prices of selected foods
Commodity
Feb.
1954
Mar.
1953
Cents
53.5
27.6
12.5
19.8
18.5
21.9
17.0
27.2
23.3
Cents
52.2
28.2
12.6
19.4
18.3
21.7
16.2
25.8
23.3
88.9
52.3
70.1
41.0
113.9
88.6
52.3
69.1
47.4
116.5
85.7
88.0
72.2
70.7
84.8
88.2
72.3
70.5
78.2
69.9
67.3
70.2
56.1
51.4
56.1
50.6
58.5
48.7
43. 9
54.5
44.3
54.2
48.0
60.2
43.6
50.0
51.3
39.2
43.5
49.9
51.6
38.9
44.5
49.5
53.0
37.7
21.9
23.3
29.7
78.4
58.9
14.3
22.3
23.3
29.8
79.1
59.5
14.3
22.4
23.5
30.2
79.3
60.4
15.0
36.9
17.0
19.4
24.5
37.2
18.5
19.2
24.4
37.6
18.3
22.8
24.3
15.1
16.7
46.1
18.3
9.9
14.7
16.7
46.5
18.7
9.6
15.4
16.8
46.4
Mar.
1954
Cents
Cereals and bakery products:
53.6
Flour, wheat____ _______________5 pounds..
27.7
Biscuit mix__ ___________
20ounces..
12.5
Cornm eali..............................- ........... .pound..
19.7
Rice__________ _____________ ______ do----18.5
Rolled oats.........................................20 ounces..
21.8
Cornflakes 2........... ............................ 12 ounces..
17.0
Bread_______________________ _ .pound..
27.1
Soda crackers____ _________-........ ...... do----23.3
Vanilla cookies 1____________ ____ 7 ounces..
Meats, poultry, and fish:
Beef and veal:
88.4
51.0
Chuck ro ast..-----------------------------do—
69.6
Rib roast_______________________d o ...
40.9
112.1
ork:
Pork chops, center cut____________ do—
Bacon, sliced------------------------------ do—
Ham, whole..___ _____ _______ .-do—
Lamb, leg ........... ......................................do—
Other meats:
Luncheon meat, canned--------- 12 ounces..
Poultry:
Frying chickens:
Ready-to-cook4----------- ----------d o ...
Fish:
Ocean perch fillet, frozen 1-------------d o ...
Salmon, pink____ ________ 16-ounce can..
Dairy products:
Milk, fresh (grocery)......... ..................... quart.
Milk, fresh (delivered)7............................ do—
Ice cream-------------------- ------------------- pint.
M ilk, evaporated................. . . 14J4-ounce can.
All fru its and vegetables:
Frozen fruits and vegetables:
Strawberries__________
-12 ounces.
Orange juice concentrate-----------6 ounces.
Peas, green 10________________10 ounces.
Fresh fruits and vegetables:
Bananas............. ................................-do.
Oranges, size 200--------- ------ ------- dozen.
Lemons______________ _____ __pound .
Mar.
1954
Feb.
1954
Mar.
1953
Cents Cents Cents
Fresh fruits and vegetables—Continued
Peaches*____________ _______ _ . pound.
Strawberries*---- ------ ---------------- ..pint.
Grapes, seedless*...........................pound.
Watermelons*..................................—do
89.3
68.1
64.5
Potatoes..... ................................15 pounds
18.3
12.9
13.1
Sweetpotatoes....... ......................-- - pound
6.2 13.0
5.9
Onions.................................... ........... do--10.7
12.1
11.8
Carrots----- ------- ----------------- ------ do .
15.1
14.1
13.3
Lettuce ......... - .................. - .............. head _
12.5
14.1
13.6
Celery___ ____________________pound.
7.1
7.4
6.8
-d°—
Cabbage__________________
30.7
29.5
T om atoes..............................
d o30.6
...
23.6
25.5
26.6
Beans, green-------------------- ------ . ..d o ...
Canned fruits and vegetables:
32.9
34.4
33.4
Orange juice____ _________ 46-ounce can..
34.0
32.9
33.1
Peaches_______ ____ _____ -No.
can..
38.4
38.8
38.7
Pineapple------------------------------- do------40.1
41.1
41.1
Fruit cocktail---- ------ ---------------do------19.1
18.8
18.6
Corn, cream style_________ No. 303 can—
21.3
21.3
21.3
Peas, green...................................... do-------18.0
17.3
17.3
Tomatoes 2______ _____ _____No. 2 can__
9.8
Baby foods______________ 4^-5 ounces..
Dried fruits and vegetables:
28.8
29.7
29.8
Prunes_______________________pound..
16.5
17.2
17.3
Navy beans-------- ------- —...............-do—
Other foods at home:
Partially prepared foods:
14.3
14.3
14.3
Vegetable soup----------------- 11-ounce can..
14.3
14.4
14.3
Beans with pork__________16-ounce can..
Condiments and sauces:
29.9
29.9
30.1
Gherkins, sweet-------- ------- . J Y ounces..
22.4
22.2
22.3
Catsup, tomato.— —...............14 ounces..
Beverages, nonalcoholic:
86.7
99.4
105.2
Coflee_______ ____— ....................pound.
32.2
33.2
33.2
Tea_______________________________Yipound.
29.6
30.9
30.9
Cola drink_________carton of 6, 6-ounce.
Fats and oils:
33.8
34.6
34.5
Shortening, hydrogenated........... .pound.
29.2
29.9
29.7
Margarine, colored 8--------------------- d o ...
16.2
25.4
25.6
L ard_________ ____-------- ----------do
34.2
35.8
35.8
Salad dressing----------------------------- pm t.
48.9
49.2
49.2
Peanut butter.............. -........... ...... pound.
Sugar and sweets:
52.4
52.6
52.6
Sugar__________________
-5pounds.
23.5
23.6
Corn syrup-----------------24ounces.23.6
24.1
25.1
25.0
Grape jelly................................. .12 ounces.
4.5
4.5
4.5
Chocolate bar-------------------------1 ounce.
64.8
65.6
57.9
Eggs, fresh________________________ dozen.
Miscellaneous foods:
8.6 8.6
Gelatin, flavored.....................3-4 ounces.
9.9
141 cities.
* 42 cities.
2 38 cities.
6 36 cities.
212 cities.
7 45 cities.
4 34 cities.
* 40 cities.
« 44 cities beginning July 1953, 43 cities December 1952 through June 1953.
42(Specification changed from 12 ounces to 10 ounces, effective February 1954.
•Priced only in season.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Commodity
N ote .—The United States average retail food prices appearing in table
D-7 are based on prices collected monthly in 46 cities for use in the calculation
of the food component of the revised. Consumer Price Index. Average retail
food prices for each of 20 large cities are published monthly and are available
upon request. Prices for the 26 medium-size and small cities are not published
on an individual city basis.
615
D : P R IC E S AND COST O F L IV IN G
T able
D -8: Indexes of wholesale prices, by group and subgroup of commodities 1
[1947-49-100]
Commodity group
1954 !
Feb.
1954
Jan.
1954
Dec.
1953
Nov.
1953
Oct.
1953
Sept.
1953
Aug.
1953
July
1953
June
1953
May
1953
Apr.
1953
Mar.
1953
June
19.50
All commodities-........................................................
110.6
110.5
110.9
110.1 109.8
110.2
111.0
110.6
110.9
109.5
109.8
109.4
110.0
100.
Farm products............................................................
Fresh and dried produce.....................................
Livestock and poultry___________________
Plant and animal fibers__________________
Fluid milk
_ ___________________
Eggs........ ..............................................................
Hay and seeds............ .................... - -------------Other farm products---------------------------------
98.5
89.6
93.0
92.4
105.9
94.4
80.1
93.4
181.2
*97.7
89.7
91.6
91.3
106.5
*95.0
89.6
91.6
168.0
97.8
91.2
91.3
91.8
104.2
97.5
92.7
90.5
161.0
94.4
89.8
90.6
83.9
103.2
99.5
97.2
89.7
148.1
93.7
94.2
89.3
78.4
103.5
101.9
111.6
88.0
145.9
95.3
94.2
87.9
82.0
103.2
100.7
126.3
84.3
146.2
98.1
96.0
88.3
90.6
103.6
99.0
122.5
81.1
149.3
96.4
98.0
86.5
88.1
103.9
97.6
113.8
85.1
144.3
97.9
94.7
85.4
95.9
105.0
96.4
106.2
85.5
140.7
95.4
109.9
84.2
86.8
104.0
93.1
106.5
89.8
136.7
97.8
105.4
93.4
91.7
104.3
93. 0
98.7
93.7
135. 4
97.3
106.9
93.8
87. 5
103. 4
96. 7
102.5
95. 3
137.1
99.8
105. 8
94.7
91.7
104.6
100. 5
100.6
97. 5
142. 5
94.5
89.8
89.6
99.8
107.3
81.6
70.6
87.6
122.4
Cereal and bakery products------------ ----------Meats, poultry, fish.............................................
Dairy products and ice cream_____________
Canned, frozen, fruits and vegetables________
Sugar and confectionery....................................Packaged beverage materials____ _________
Animal fats and oils_____________ - - ____
Crude vegetable oils______________________
Refined v getable oils. *___________________
Vegetable"oil end products--------- ---------------Other processed foods----- --------------- - .............
105.3 104.8
112.6 112.7
92.8
92.9
106.2 107.4
103. 0 *103.0
112.6 110.2
209.1 191.4
95.1
94.7
65.2
67.9
69.8
73.1
81.4
83.0
106.5 108.9
106.2
112.4
96.4
109.4
103.8
110.1
182.1
93.5
64.0
72.7
83.8
111.5
104.3
112.2
89.7
111.3
103.9
108.9
171.6
92.7
66.3
74.2
84.4
113.9
103.8
112.6
86.2
113.9
104.7
108.7
171.0
85.6
71.2
75.5
84.2
110.2
104.7
112.0
88.9
112.7
104.9
110.2
169.8
94.0
70.1
73.3
80.3
117.1
106.6
110.8
97.4
111.3
104.7
110.1
169.8
106.8
65.7
68.8
80.5
116.8
104.8
108.4
93.6
110.7
104.7
110.5
169.8
82.2
62.9
70.9
83.4
116.7
105.5
108.5
97.0
110.0
105.0
109.8
169.8
72.4
63.1
78.0
84.0
117.3
103.3
107.9
91.6
107.7
103.7
109.8
164.6
60.9
68.4
79.8
84.6
120.2
104.3
109.0
93.8
107.9
104.0
109.6
164.6
64.2
70.5
79.8
8b. 5
121.5
103.2
109.2
89.2
108. 5
104.4
109. 7
168.1
60. 4
75. 4
79.8
85.0
120.5
104.1
108.9
91.2
109.7
105.1
109. 6
168. 9
60. 2
75.6
79.8
84.3
120.9
96.8
96.5
102.4
90.0
98.0
94. 7
136.9
63.9
67.9
67. 4
79. 2
106.6
All commodities other than farm and foods---------
114.3
114.4
114.6
114.6 114.5
114.6
114.7
114.9
114.8
113.9
113.6
113.2
113.4
102.2
Textile products and apparel---------------------------Cotton products__________ _______
___
Wool products---------------- -----------------------Synthetic textiles.............................................. Silk products........................................................
A pparel...............................................................
Other textile products................ -.................. —
95.1 *95.3
88.5 *88.8
109.3 109.0
85.4
84.9
135.1 *135.8
98.7 *98.8
80.6 *83.1
96.1
90.4
111.0
85.4
142.1
99.1
82.7
95.8 96.2
90.9 91.6
112.1 111.5
85.5 85.2
139.3 136.5
97.9 98.7
82.4 83.5
96.5
92.4
111.6
85.9
135. 8
98.7
82.7
96.9
93.7
111.2
86.7
134.7
98.5
82.9
97.5
94.1
111.8
86.7
134.7
99.3
86.5
97.5
94.1
111.7
87.5
134.7
99.3
85.3
97.4
93.4
111.6
87.5
134.7
99.4
85.5
97.6
93.3
112.0
87.4
133.0
99.9
83.8
97.4
92.9
111.3
88.0
131.6
99.9
82. 5
97.5
93.1
111.9
87.9
141. 4
99.6
82.8
93.3
90.0
105.3
91.3
88.8
92.7
96.3
Hides, skins, and leather products_____________
Hides and skins _______________________
94.6
55.5
86.3
111.9
98.0
*94.9
55.4
87.4
111.9
*98.0
95.3
56.8
88.1
111.9
98.1
95.6 97.1
57.7 64.3
88.7 90.4
111.8 111.8
98.2 98.8
97.1
64.4
90.4
111.7
99.1
99.7
74.2
94.5
111.8
99.1
99.9
74.6
95.0
111.8
99. 5
100.0
73.4
96.1
111.7
99.7
101.0
76.3
98.0
111.7
100.3
10G.4
74.8
97.3
111.5
100.0
97.9
66. 4
92.7
111.5
99.3
98.1
64. 8
93. 5
112.1
99.0
99.1
94. 3
98.2
102.7
95.2
109.0
107.9
132.5
113.5
101.3
111.5
*110. 5
*110.9
132.5
*113. 5
*101.3
113.5
110.8
111.9
132.5
111.8
100.7
114.2
111.1
112.5
132.5
109.6
100.7
114.9
111.2
112.5
132.5
106.3
99.6
116.3
111.2
112. 5
132. 5
106 6
98.5
116.6
110.9
112.3
131.8
106.0
98.0
116.5
111.0
111.7
131.8
105.7
99.1
116.5
111.1
111.8
131.8
106.1
98.5
116.8
108.3
111.2
131.8
108.2
98.5
111.1
107.1
110.8
131.8
108.2
97.4
109.4
107.4
111.2
131.8
109.5
98.0
109.3
108.4
114.4
131.8
109.5
100.7
109.0
102.4
104.8
115.6
94.8
101.3
103.1
Chemicals and allied products_________________
Industrial chemicals______________________
Prepared p a in t.. . .............- ............. ..................Paint materials______ ___________________
Drugs, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics..... ...............
Fats and oils, inedible___ - ______ ___ __ Mixed fertilizer
_____________________
Fertilizer materials ------ --------- ----------- —
Other chemicals and products --------------- -
107.4 *107. 5
117.9 *118.4
112.8 112.8
95.2
95.2
93.9 *93.9
63.5
60.5
110.0 110.0
114.0 114.0
108.1 *106.8
107.2
118.4
112.8
96.5
93.9
61.2
114.0
105.3
107.1
118.6
112.7
96.6
93.8
58.6
111.4
113.9
105.2
107.2
119.2
112.7
97.7
93.5
58.0
111.5
112.9
105.0»
106.7
119.5
112.1
98.0
93.5
53.3
111.7
112.9
103.4
106.3
120.2
110.7
98.5
96.0
93.5
93.5
51. 1 46.9
112. C 111.2
113.0 113.8
103.3 102.9
106.2
120.2
110.7
95.3
93.6
46.7
110.6
113.8
102.8
105.6
119.2
110.8
95.0
93.1
46.6
110.7
110.6
102.6
105. 5
118.0
110.8
95.1
93.1
49.9
110.7
112.9
103.0
105. 5
117.0
110. 5
95.4
93.0
55.9
110.7
113.2
103.1
104.2
113. 9
110. 5
95.4
91. 6
59.0
110. 7
112. 8
102.9
92.1
96 3
98.0
86.8
91.3
48.8
101.2
98. 5
91.1
Rubber and products............................................... -
124.9
113.8
130.3
123.5
124.6
112.9
130.3
123.3
124.8
113.4
130.3
123.7
124.8
114.5
130.1
123.2
124.3
112.0
130.1
123.2
124.2
111.3
130.1
123.2
124.0
120.1
126.4
123.0
123. 5
120.0
125.1
123.2
124.6
121.1
126.4
124.1
125.0
122.7
126.3
124.5
125.4
124.2
126.3
124.7
124.8
122.3
126.3
124.2
125.7
126.6
126.3
124.3
109. 5
129.0
106.1
103.6
116.6 *116.8
115.6 115.5
131.1 131.1
102.9 105.0
117.0
115. S
131.1
103.5
117.4
116.4
131.3
103.9
117.3
116.3
131.2
103.1
118.1
117.2
131.2
104.7
119.2
118.2
131. 4
106.8
120.4
119.2
131.7
112.4
121.1
120.2
131.6
112.7
121.5
120.7
132.0
112.4
121.8
121.0
132.0
112.4
122.2
121.5
132.0
112.0
121.7
120.9
131.9
112.0
112.4
113. 5
110.9
101.7
"Footwear
_ ____________________
Other leather products------------------------------Fuel, power, and lighting materials_____________
Poke
____________________
Electricity...................- ........................................
Petroleum and products-----------------------------
Tire casings and tubes___________________
Other rubber products----------------------- -........
Lumber and wood products___________________
Plywood________________________________
111.1
106. 7
120.0
111.0
Pulp, paper, and allied products_______________
Woodpiilp.............................................................
Wastepaper...........................................................
Paper...................................... ........... - ................
Paperboard_____________________________
Converted paper and paperboard__________
Building paper and board...................................
116.6
109.7
84.1
126.8
124.6
112.3
127.9
117.1
109.7
85.7
126.8
125.1
113.2
127.9
117.0
109.7
79.1
126.8
125.5
113.2
127.9
117.1
109.7
79.1
126. S
125. i
113.4
123.0
117.3
109.7
90.8
126.8
126.0
113.4
123.0
117.5
109.7
112.9
126.6
126.2
113.2
123.0
116.9
108.8
109.6
126.5
126.0
112.3
123.0
116.2
108.8
98.5
125. S
123.6
112.1
123.0
115.8
108.8
85. C
125.1
123.7
112.1
123.0
115.8
108.8
85.0
124.7
123.2
112.4
123.0
115.4
108.8
85.0
124.9
123.1
111. 4
123.0
115.3
108. 8
88.3
124.9
123.1
111.4
118.2
115.1
108. 8
83.8
124. 9
123.4
111. 1
118. 2
95.9
90. 6
79.0
103.3
97.2
93. 2
106.3
Metals and metal products___________________
Tron and s te e l
___________________________
Nonferrous m e ta ls_______________________
Metal containers
_ _ ___________________
126.3 126.2
130.6 131.0
121.3 119.8
130.0 130.0
138.0 *137.9
118.2 118.2
114.4 *114.8
116.8 116.8
126.3 126.5
127.2
132.0
121.5
130. C
137.5
118.2
115.3
117.6
127.2
127.5
132.8
122.1
128.7
137.2
118.2
115.5
117.3
127.2
127.9
133.6
122.3
128.7
137.2
118.2
115.8
117.5
127.2
127.9
133.4
122.1
128.7
137.2
118.2
115.8
117.7
127.2
128.5 129.4
134.6 136.2
122. S 124.5
128.6 128.6
136.9 135.6
118.7 118.7
115.8 115.6
117.9 117.8
127.0 126.3
129.3
135.7
126.4
128.6
134.7
116.4
115.1
117.5
125.4
126.9
130.9
127.6
126.6
134. 5
113.5
114.6
114.4
124.1
125.7
128.9
126.6
126.6
133.2
113.8
114. 4
113.6
124.0
125.0
127. 7
128.2
126.5
127.9
113.8
113.8
113.6
122.8
125.5
127. 7
131. 5
125. 3
126. 2
114.3
113.9
113. 6
122 2
108.8
113.1
luí. 8
109. 0
111.1
103.2
102.0
100.1
113. 2
Plumbing equipment................- .........................
Heating equipm ent..-------------------------------- -----Structural metal products_________________
Nonstructural metal products______________
See footnotes at end of table.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
616
M ONTHLY LABO R R E V IE W , MAY 1954
Table D-8: Indexes of wholesale prices, by group and subgroup of commodities 1—Continued
[1947-49=100]
Mar. Feb.
1954 2 1954
Commodity group
Jan.
1954
Dec.
1953
Nov.
1953
Oct.
1953
Sept.
1953
Aug.
1953
July
1953
June
1953
May
1953
Apr.
1953
Mar.
1953
June
1950
Machinery and motive products______________
Agricultural machinery and equipment..........
Construction machinery and equipm ent.......
Metalworking machinery and equipm ent........
General purpose machinery and equipment__
Miscellaneous m achinery-.__ ________
Electrical machinery and equipment___
Motor vehicles______________________
124.6
123.0
131.5
133.0
128.4
125.0
126.8
118.9
*124.5
*123.0
*131. 5
133.0
128.2
*124.9
126.8
118.9
124.4
122.7
131.2
132.8
128.2
124.7
126.8
118.9
124.3
122.5
131.1
132.8
128.6
124.5
126.8
118.5
124.2
122.5
131.1
132.8
128. 5
124.4
126.6
118.5
124.1
122.4
131.0
132.7
128. 2
124.1
126. 5
118.5
124.0
122.3
130.9
132.8
127.9
124.2
126.2
118.6
123.7
122.3
130. 5
131.9
126.9
123.9
125. 6
118.6
123.4
122.7
130.8
131.8
125.8
123.3
124.8
118.6
122.9
122.6
129.4
131.3
124.9
122.4
124.2
118.6
122.4
122.4
129.1
130.1
123.8
122.0
122.6
118.6
122.0
122.3
128.6
129.8
123.6
120.6
121.3
118.9
121.8
122.2
127.1
129.1
122.1
120.3
119.9
120.0
106.3
108.3
108.1
108.8
107.0
105.0
Furniture and other household durables.
Household fu rn itu re..........................
Commercial furniture____________
Floor covering.....................................
Household appliances....... ................
R adios.________________________
Television sets. ............ ...... ................
Other household durable goods____
115.2
114.2
126.2
122.5
109.6
96.1
73.5
128.1
115.0
114.1
126.2
124.8
109.1
94.3
74.0
127.7
114.9
114. I
126.2
125.0
109.0
94.3
74.2
127. 6
114.8
114.2
125.8
125.2
109.0
94.8
74.2
126.8
114.9
114.2
125.8
125.2
109.1
94.8
74.2
126.9
114.8
113.8
125.8
125.3
108.9
95.0
74.0
126.9
114. 7
113.8
125.8
125.2
108.8
95.0
74.3
126.7
114.3
114.1
125.7
124.8
108.1
95.4
75.0
125.5
114.1
114.0
124.3
125.0
108.1
94.9
74.9
125.4
113.9
113.8
123.2
124.2
108.0
94.9
74.9
125.4
113.1
113. 6
123.2
124.1
107.9
95.5
74.9
121.8
103.1
Nonmetallic minerals—structural....... .
Flat glass................... ........................
Concrete ingredients_____________
Concrete products_______________
Structural clay products...............
Gypsum products_______________
Prepared asphalt roofing__________
Other nonmetallic m inerals..............
115.1 115.1
113.9 *113.9
126.2 126.2
122.6 *122.3
109.6 109.7
95.7
96.1
73.8 *73.8
128. 2 128.1
m
121.0 121.0
124.7 124.7
119. 8 *119.8
11/. 4 117.6
132.0 131.9
122.1 122.1
109.9 109.9
119.8 119.8
120.9
124.7
119.9
117.2
131.9
122.1
109.9
119.8
120.8
124.7
119. 6
117.2
132.1
122.1
109.9
118.9
120.8
124.7
119.4
117.4
132.1
122.1
109.9
118.9
120.7
124.7
119.4
117.4
132.0
122.1
109.9
118.0
120. 7
124.7
119.3
117.4
132.0
122. 1
109 8
117.8
119.6
124.7
118.6
116.1
131.4
122.1
105.8
117.8
119.4
124.7
118.4
115.6
131.1
122.1
105.8
117.3
118.1
122.9
118.2
115.5
125.1
122.1
106.2
116.4
117.2
116.4
117.9
115.5
124.7
122.1
106.0
115.3
116.9
116.4
117.6
114.2
124.6
122.1
106.0
115.3
115.1
116.4
113.8
112.8
124.3
118.3
106.0
115.3
105.4
105.6
105.7
104.5
110.5
102.3
98.9
105.7
Tobacco manufactures and bottled beverages4___
Cigarettes4.........................................................
Cigars4_______
*'
Other tobacco products4_______________
Alcoholic beverages4____________________ ”
Nonalcoholic beverages_____________ ____
118.0
124.0
103. 5
120. 7
114.6
125.1
118.0
124.0
103.5
120.7
114.6
125.1
118.2
124.0
103.5
120.7
115.0
125.1
118.1
124.0
103.5
120.7
114.9
125.1
118.1
121.0
103.5
120.7
114.9
125.1
118.1
124.0
103.5
120.7
114.9
125.1
116.2
124.0
103.5
120.7
111.2
125.1
115.6
124.0
103.5
120.7
110.0
125.1
115.6
124.0
103.5
120.7
110.0
125.1
114.9
124.0
102.9
120.7
110.0
120.6
114.8
124.0
102.9
121.5
110.0
119.9
114.8
124.0
102.9
121.5
110.0
119.8
114. 8
124.0
102.9
122.4
110.0
119.8
101.4
Miscellaneous_______________________________
Toys, sporting goods, small arms________
Manufactured animal feeds________________
Notions and accessories__________________
Jewelry, watches, photo equipment______ II"’
Other miscellaneous______________
104.9 102.8
113.0 *113.0
101.1
97.2
93. 5 93.5
102.0 *102.0
121.2 120.4
101.1
113.1
94.0
93.5
102.1
119.8
100.1
113.2
92.2
93.5
101.9
119.7
93.2
114.0
78.7
93. 5
101.9
119. 5
94.4
114.1
81.0
93.5
101.9
119.5
94.7
114.0
81.6
93.5
102.0
119.3
96.4
114.0
85.0
93.5
101.8
119.6
95.3
114.1
82.7
93.2
101.8
119.8
95.8
114.0
83.7
93.2
101.8
119.9
99.7
114.3
91.1
93.2
101.9
120.3
98.5
113.7
88.7
93.2
101.8
121.1
101. 7
112.9
95.0
94.3
101.8
121.0
96.9
104.8
93.7
88.7
96.6
105.4
_ 1
wuujcauit! in
muex u»ai-4y=iuu) is tne official index for
January 1952 and subsequent months. The official index for December 1951
and previous dates is the former index (1926=100). The revised index has
been computed back to January 1947 for purposes of comparison and analysis.
Prices are collected from manufacturers and other producers. In some cases
they are secured from trade publications or from other Government agencies
which collect price quotations in the course of their regular work. For a more
detailed description of the index, see A Description of the Revised Wholesale
Serial No R 2067n th 7 Lab°r Eevlew’ F eb m ary 1952 (p. 180), or reprint
102.1
106.7
101.8
106.2
109.1
100.1
(8)
(*)
106.8
102.8
100.6
103.3
100.9
100.8
J Preliminary.
1 Not available.
4 Figures shown In this series are the official Indexes. Beginning with Jan
uary 1953 the method of calculating excise taxes and discounts was changed
and official indexes for earlier dates are not strictly comparable with these.
For analytical purposes indexes prior to 1953 have been recalculated for com
parability and are available on request.
* Revised.
Table D-9: Special wholesale price indexes1
[1947-49=100]
1954
1953
Commodity group
M a r.2 Feb.
All foods_______ _____
All fish..........................
.............. .
Special metals and metal products
Metalworking machinery_____________________
Machinery and equipment .
Total tractors__________
Steel mill products.............
Building m aterials.....................
Soaps____ . . .
Synthetic detergents_______
Refined petroleum products_____ _____________
East coast petroleum__
Mid-continent petroleum
Gulf coast petroleum ... .
Pacific coast petroleum____
Pulp, paper and products, exel. bldg, paper
1 See footnote 1, table D-8.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
103.0 103.1
107.4 107.2
124.6 124.6
140.1 140.1
127.7 *127.6
124.9 *124. 9
141.9 *142.0
119.3 119.2
97.0 *94.8
93.4
91.0
109.7 112.2
108.7 109.9
106.3 107.7
110.0 116.0
118.8 118.8
116.3 116.9
Jan.
Dec.
104.5
114.0
125.3
139.7
127.4
124.5
142.4
119.6
91.1
91.0
112.9
109.4
109.9
116.2
118.8
116.8
103.1
109.4
125.4
139. 7
127.5
124.1
142.4
119.6
90.5
91.0
113.8
112.0
109.6
117.8
118.8
116.9
Nov.
103.6
106.1
125.7
139.7
127.4
124.1
142.4
119.5
90.0
91.0
115.5
114.1
110. 2
121.3
118.8
117.1
s Preliminary.
Oct.
105.1
111.3
125.7
139.6
127.2
124.1
142.5
120.0
86.5
91.0
115.8
113.5
110.1
122.8
118.8
117.4
Sept.
106.8
104.9
126.2
139.7
127.1
124.1
142.6
120.4
86.2
91.0
115.6
113.8
109.6
122.8
118.8
116.7
1950
Aug.
July
104.8
107.8
126.8
139.1
126.5
123.7
142.7
120.8
85.8
91.0
115.6
113.8
109.6
122.8
118.8
116.1
104.9
102.5
126.8
138.8
126.0
124.3
142.7
121.3
85.8
90.8
116.1
113.8
109.7
124.1
118.8
115.6
* Revised.
June
103.8
100.9
125.0
138.7
125.3
123.8
137.1
120.5
85.5
90.8
109.1
107.3
100.0
116.8
118.8
115.6
May
104.1
106.5
124.1
138.2
124.4
123.8
134.4
120.2
87.1
90.8
109.1
107.8
99.6
116.8
118.8
115.2
Apr.
103.4
98.9
123.6
137.6
123.7
123.6
(31.1
119.9
87.2
90.8
108.9
109.3
99.6
115.2
118.8
115.2
Mar.
104.0
102.8
124.2
136.6
122.8
122.8
131.1
119.2
86.7
91.8
108.6
108.5
99.6
114.6
118.8
115.0
June
95.0
92.4
108.3
109.8
106.1
107.5
114.9
107.5
80.9
82.9
102.1
98.1
101. 8
109.7
94.1
95.6
617
E: WORK STOPPAGES
E: Work Stoppages
T able E - l: Work stoppages resulting from labor-management disputes 1
Workers involved in stoppages
Number of stoppages
Man-days idle during m onth
or year
M onth and year
Beginning in
month or year
In effect during month
Beginning in
month or year
In effect during month
1.130.000
2.380.000
3.470.000
4, 600, 000
2,170, 000
1,960. 000
3.030.000
2, 410, 000
2.220.000
3, 540,000
2, 400,000
Number
16.900.000
39, 700,000
38,000, 000
116, 000, 000
34, 600, 000
34.100.000
50, 500,000
38.800.000
22.900.000
59.100.000
28.300.000
0.27
.46
.47
1.43
.41
.37
.59
.44
.23
.57
.26
.14
.29
.42
.48
.39
.32
.19
.17
.18
1 952
... .........
1 9 5 3 — .........................
2,862
3,573
4,750
4,985
3,693
3,419
3,606
4,843
4,737
5,117
5,091
M arch...... .
April...........
M ay...........
June...........
July______
August___
September.
October---November..
December...
457
560
596
567
534
484
420
379
281
145
639
798
869
875
841
763
721
658
502
354
196,000
312, 000
313,000
258, 000
293,000
238, 000
119,000
175, 000
100,000
76,300
237,000
413,000
406.000
448,000
491,000
393,000
211,000
240, 000
175, 000
173,000
1,260, 000
2.690.000
3, 770,000
4, 530,000
3.880.000
2.880.000
1, 700,000
1, 650,000
1,570,000
1, 880,000
January 2—
February 2.
March 2—
250
200
225
400
350
375
80,000
50.000
100,000
150,000
100,000
150,000
1, 000,000
1 9 3 5 -3 9 ( a v e r a g e ) 1 9 4 7 -4 9 ( a v e r a g e ) .
1 9 4 5 ...............................
1 9 4 6 — ............. ...........
1947
............
1948
1949
.............
.............
1950— . .....................
1951
............
1953:
1954:
xAll known work stoppages, arising out of labor-management disputes,
Involving six or more workers and continuing as long as a full day or shift
are included in reports of the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Figures on “ work
ers involved” and “ man-days idle” cover all workers made idle for one or
more shifts in establishments directly involved in a stoppage. They do not
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Percent of esti
mated work
ing time
750,000
1,300, 000
.20
.12
.09
.14
measure the indirect or secondary enects on otner esiaunsmnems or mumtries whose employees are made idle as a result of material or service shortages.
2 Preliminary.
618
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW, MAY 1954
F: Building and Construction
T able F - l: Expenditures for new construction 1
[Value of work put in place)
Expenditures fin millions)
Type of construction
1954
A p r.7 M ar.3 Feb.
1953
Jan.
Dec.
Nov.
Oct.
Sept.
Aug.
July
June
May
Apr.
1953
1952
Total
Total
Total new construction *.......... .................._ $2, 795 $2, 555 $2,317 $2,428 $2,661 $2, 988 $3. 211 $3, 295 $3,317 $3, 282 $3,209 $2, 947 $2, 758 $34,843'$32,638
Private construction__________________ 1,897 1, 780 1, 638 1,717 Î, 908 2,052 2,129 2,177 2,202 2,194 2,160 1,991 1,872 23, 615 21,812
Residential building (nonfarm)______
956
870
830
766
952 1,024 1,066 1,088 1,113 1,126 1,123 1,012
964 11,905 11,100
New dwelling units______ ______
840
775
740
680
850
905
940
960
980
990
990
885
850 10, 530 9,870
Additions and alterations.. _____
92
73
67
64
94
78
101
103
110
112
105
110
94 1,108
1,045
Nonhousekeeping«_____
24
22
23
22
24
25
25
25
23
24
22
23
20
185
267
Nonresidential building (nonfarm) ».
465
469
486
476
505
511
523
507
493
490
449
477
427 5,676
5,014
Industrial_____________ _
169
173
179
177
176
177
177
177
174
176
184
192 2, 226
190
2,320
Commercial______ ___ _________
152
154
164
158
182
192
179
176
169
166
152
128
114 1,791
1,137
Warehouses, office, and loft
buildings_____ __________
69
70
75
73
79
79
75
71
66
60
52
56
50
515
737
Stores, restaurants, and garages.
83
84
89
85
103
104
113
105
103
106
96
64 1,054
76
622
Other nonresidential building____
144
142
141
143
147
154
155
154
150
131
141
148
121 1,659
1,
557
Religious._______ _________
40
43
41
40
45
46
45
46
43
41
35
38
33
474
399
Educational................. ......
39
38
39
38
39
41
41
40
38
36
32
34
31
351
425
Social and recreational__ .
16
16
16
16
17
16
17
15
15
14
13
14
11
125
163
Hospital and institutional7___
27
26
26
27
26
26
26
27
27
26
27
26
26
316
394
Miscellaneous__________
22
19
21
20
20
24
26
27
27
30
25
29
20
288
281
Farm construction____ _____ ____
106
96
87
89
88
100
119
144
158
155
148
138
120 1,475
1,610
Public utilities_______________
362
338
300
307
354
396
423
428
427
410
399
380
352 4, 439
4,003
Railroad_________________
40
33
30
27
44
45
49
44
44
43
41
40
40
480
438
Telephone and telegraph_____ .
50
45
50
46
47
50
55
54
54
53
52
52
48
570
600
Other public utilities. ______
272
255
231
228
263
319
301
330
329
314
306
288
264 3,359
2,995
All other private 8______________
8
7
7
7
9
9
10
10
11
13
12
13
9
85
120
Public construction__________________
898
679
775
711
753
936 1, 082 1,118 1,115 1,088 1,049
956
886 11, 228 10, 826
Residential building8__ ... ___
32
34
34
35
39
42
46
46
44
46
50
49
50
654
554
Nonresidential building (other than
military or naval facilities)______
383
341
371
339
336
355
372
376
371
373
380
371
370 4,317
4,119
Industrial____________ ___
145
126
143
130
123
142
131
148
152
155
159
165
159 1,758
1,667
Educational_____ ________
166
161
155
156
155
158
160
155
150
147
142
140
139
1,619
1,
742
Hospital and institutional.. ..
29
21
26
23
21
24
24
25
26
28
32
33
34
473
347
Other nonresidential_______ ..
43
41
35
34
42
37
46
43
48
43
41
39
38
360
470
Military facilities 18_ ._________
71
64
62
76
92
101
105
116
119
119
115
120
113
1,388
1,323
Highways____ ___________
250
125
160
115
145
280
390
400
405
375
330
260
200 3,150
2, 860
Sewer and water________ ______
71
62
67
61
63
69
67
73
71
67
63
61
60
761
692
Miscellaneous public service enter
prises 11________ ___________
15
14
12
13
21
18
13
23
19
19
15
17
14
196
193
Conservation and development___
62
53
51
45
56
63
72
68
75
79
75
80
72
822
854
All other public » ________ _____
14
12
9
10
9
11
10
12
11
10
9
9
8
66
105
1 Joint estimates of the Bureau of Labor Statistics. U. 8. Department of
Labor, and the Business and Defense Services Administration, U. S. Depart
ment of Commerce. 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 building authorized (tables F-3 and F-4) and
the data on value of contract awards reported in table F-2.
* Preliminary.
3 Revised.
* Includes major additions and alterations.
3 Includes hotels, dormitories, and tourist courts and cabins.
«Expenditures by privately owned public utilities for nonresidential
building are included under “ Public utilities.”
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
7 Includes Federal contributions toward construction of private nonprofit
hospital facilities under the National Hospital Program.
8 Covers privately owned sewer and water facilities, roads and bridges, and
miscellaneous nonbuilding items such as parks and playgrounds.
' Includes nonhousekeeping public residential construction as well as
housekeeping units.
18 Covers all construction, building as well as nonbuilding (except for
production facilities, which are included in public industrial building).
» Covers primarily publicly owned airports, electric light and power
systems, and local transit facilities.
'« Covers public construction not elsewhere classified such as parks,
playgrounds, and memorials.
F: BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION
619
T able F-2: Value of contracts awarded and force-account work started on federally
new construction, by type of construction 1
financed
Value (in thousands)
Type of construction
1954
Feb8
1953»
Jan.3
Dec.8
Nov.
Oct.
Sept.
Aug.
July
June
May
Apr.
Mar.
Feb.
Total new construction4. $104, 999 $150, 654 $157,112 $151, 912 $318,397 $166,946 $212,413 $176,726 $352, 393 $261,092 $355,132 $235,796 $198,606
Airfields 8 ......... ............
Building_____________
Residential............. .
Nonresidential______
Educational7_____
Hospital and insti
tutional............. ..
Administrative and
general8 ..............
Other nonresidential
building______
Airfield buildings •„
Industrial 10 _ . . .
Troop housing__
Warehouses. .......
Miscellaneous 14...
Conservation and de
v elopm ent..............
Reclamation________
River, harbor, and
flood control............
Highways___________
Electrification................
A n o th e r18 ................ .
19,118
IS,153
377
17,776
2,084
11, 497
75, 427
104
75,323
8, 796
2,670
29,001
79
28,922
5,651
5,589
1,273
2,402
7,427
9, 721
9,691
1,766
2,019
1,873
1,085
14,432
2, 512
8,337
1,382
3, 093
1,394
511
1,957
63, 235
12,382
40,889
2,334
2, 538
5,092
18,996
1,076
14,995
372
518
2,035
27,983 136,358
1,774
199
19,631 128, 400
1,002
1,176
992
2,758
4, 584
3,825
3,048
810
3, 976
1,339
10,220
7,701
7,737
3,673
26, 772
1,716
2,238
47, 552
13,413
3,715
2,637
50, 401
3, 585
5, 768
2,519
92,047
20,130
3,044
4,064
88,176
1,226
4, 771
25,056
66,407
47, 237
9,124
3,309
634 8, 554
46,693 168, 223 48,337
68 (“)
394
46, 625 168, 223 47,943
10,130
7, 712 11,051
1952 8
Total
Total
$2,823,869 $4, 730,311
12,651 10,274
4,773 21,246
48,007 132,074 112,102 217,155
3,412
620
3,025
(«)
48,007 128,662 111,482 214,130
16, 319 18,429 20,150 18,794
16,637
4,401
140 QÇn
106,331
76,083 129,168 1, 225, 226 2, 590| 961
580
4,807
15j 239
23, 296
75,503 124,361 1,209,987 2, 573 665
18,238 14,340
172,243
130,949
6,856
10, 280
18,490
23,790
6,097
10,119
7,949
131,578
211, 877
2,135
1,719
4,506
4,462
4,220
1,978
1,785
45, 638
43,195
24,689
4,027
11,196
823
3,437
5,206
36,600
2,630
22,011
3,077
160
8,722
19,689
1,008
12, 940
2,284
880
2, 577
87,237
17,659
36,004
9,483
8,382
15, 709
63,080 185,019
10, 584 12,032
33,849 147,136
4, 567
6, 739
5,262
4,962
8,818 14,150
45,168 100,287
2,360
8,301
16, 673 85j 091
15,049
1,612
2,977
1,110
8,109
4,173
860, 528 2 187 644
RQ 371
70 047
602 583 1 305* 481
285’ 602
60 046
40 105
2 7 6 ’4 5 5
87, 747
2 .3 9 ! 4 3 5
9, 770
1,844
14,663
11,086
11, 564
4,060
31,396
4,540
14,179
9,419
10,665
3,083
40,302
5, 577
203,091
63,604
7,504 26,856
4, 760
94, 792 122,202 110, 664
5,293 40,069 11,815
4,419 16,378
7, 559
7,582
92,771
2,981
10, 314
34,725
90,692
4,743
7,339
7,926
3,577
97,543 105, 629
557 10, 695
2,185
4, 722
1 Excludes classified military projects, but includes projects for the Atomic
Energy Commission. Data for Federal-aid programs cover amounts con
tributed by both owner and the Federal Government. Force-account work
is done not through a contractor, but directly bv a Government agency, using
a separate work force to perform nonmaintenance construction on the agency’s
own properties.
8 Beginning with data for January 1953, awards of less than $25,000 in value
are excluded; during 1951-52 the total value of such awards represented less
than 1 percent of the total.
8Preliminary.
4 Includes major additions and alterations.
8 Excludes hangars and other buildings, which are included under “ Other
nonresidential” building construction.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
11,305
65, 399
30
65,369
19,778
1953» I
4,379
444
287 498
92,’ 916
3,935
139 487
194 582
47,092 1,050’ 116 1 005 808
8, 709 156 759
51ft 962
4,857
82,346
183^ 091
8 Less than $25,000.
7 Includes projects under the Federal School Construction Program, which
provides aid for areas affected by Federal Government activities
8 Includes armories, offices, and customhouses,
8 Includes all buildings on civilian airports and military airfields and air
bases with the exception of barracks and other troop housing, which are in
cluded under “Troop housing.”
10 Covers all industrial plants under Federal Government ownership in
cluding those which are privately operated.
11 Includes types of buildings not elsewhere classified.
12 Includes sewer and water projects, railroad construction, and other type
of projects not elsewhere classified.
MONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W , MAY 1954
620
T able F-3: Urban building authorized, by principal class of construction and by type of building 1
Number of new dwelling units—House
keeping only
Valuation (In thousands)
Privately financed
New residential building
New nonresi
Nondential
Publicly house- building
Privately financed dwelling units
financed
ing 1
dwell
ing
2-fam
Multi1-family
Total
ily • family * units
Total all
classes 5
1942............................
1946-..........................
1947...........................
1948...............
1949...............
1950..........—
1951
...............
1952
...............
1953«-........................
1952: January____
February----M arch_____
April-............
M ay_______
June...... .......
July—............
August..........
September-..
October____
November_____
December—
1953: January---February—
March-----April-------M ay_____
June...........
July............
August.......
September,
October---N ovember—
December_
1954: Jan u ary 7. . .
February«..
9
8
9
9
3
1
2
3
4
8
6
0
$77,283 $296,933 $22,910 $1, 510,
181, 531 355, 587 43, 369 1, 458,
42, 249 29,831 1, 713,
372, 586
496, 215 139, 334 38,034 2, 367,
747,160 285,627 39, 785 2, 410,
798, 612 327, 553 84, 504 3,156.
391, 097 587, 476 37,875 2,815,
382,789 460.375 51.713 2,637.
450,967 284,592 93, 111 3,330,
Total
$278, 472 184, 892
771,023 430,195
892, 404 502,312
516,179
575, 286
798, 499
534,
605
1,097, Oil
563. 211
536,998
P ub
licly fi
1-fam 2-fam Multifam nanced
ily«
ily
ily «
138, 908
358,151
393, 606
392, 532
413, 543
624,377
435, 219
457.389
425,686
$598, 570
2,114,833
2, 885,374
3, 422, 927
3, 724, 924
5, 819, 360
4.380,137
4. 647,0D
4,645,521
$478, 658
1, 830,260
2, 361, 752
2, 745, 219
2, 845,399
4, 850, 763
3,817, 697
4. 050. 435
3,993,42.1
$42, 629
103, 042
151,036
181, 493
132, 365
178, 985
171,343
213, 790
201,133
267,068
345,392
408, 661
465, 793
443, 519
411, 226
420,336
401, 450
438, 618
450,175
319,189
275, 596
230,354
300,957
353,504
409,064
388, 013
368,060
369,052
347, 555
384, 202
388, 207
276, 724
233,846
16,287
17,276
18,807
20, 425
20, 737
17, 489
17, 301
19,001
20,719
17, 479
14, 498
13.770
20, 426
27,160
36, 341
35,404
34, 769
25, 678
33,983
34. 894
33, 697
44, 489
27,967
27,981
28,684
26,089
80,957
75,698
62,057
63, 696
22, 654
12,119
15, 947
15, 680
21,822
35,172
1,432
I,
4,570
3,257
6, 729
3, 605
2,395
6,781
7,247
4,243
7,451
3,370
159,148
160,632
555
197, 739
219, 5S1
211,040
291, 571
252,128
232,974
233, 568
246,654
217,087
214,990
34,426 27,902
43,237 35, 003
50,026 40, 204
56,325 45, 964
63.352 43, 672
48,909 41,107
50, 636 41, 842
48, 768 39,110
52, 528 42, 767
52, 785 42, 655
38, 314 30, 854
33,905 26,309
278,931
331,971
482,342
501,327
454.976
447,820
410,770
392,541
378,975
386,155
302,858
271,361
263,564
321,628
233,070
281, 720
417, 691
438, 360
395,168
385,891
352,921
338, 663
323,11C
332,596
263,782
227,110
210,176
276, 854
13,369
16,345
19, 861
20,964
20, 095
16, 970
17,967
14, 682
14, 79C
18,644
13,518
12,192
9,274
10, 992
32,492
33,906
44, 790
42,003
39, 713
44, 959
39,882
39,196
41,075
34, 915
25.558
32,059
44,114
33, 782
32,280
33,111
80,979
26,005
23,150
19, 976
5, 210
9,730
28.001
2,066
12, 705
5,146
16,817
9,876
5,153
3,101
6, 693
7,077
6, 235
4, 677
II,
13,109
15, 425
5.986
7,697
6,823
8.117
5,223
195,643
213,028
268, 016
362,123
311, 049
288, 053
332,
135523
278.386
260,908
282,237
262,917
248.324
238, 295
218,825
34, 914 26,833
39,95c 31,047
56, 068 44, 647
57, 225 46,071
52, 739 42, 477
51, 721 41,351
46, 697 37,015
44,528 35, 686
42, 899 33,625
43,148 34, 53z
34,363 27,83!
32,074 24,165
31,855 23,185
37,784 29, 705
i Building for which building permits were issued and Federal contracts
awarded in all urban places, including an estimate of building undertaken
in some smaller urban places that do not issue permits.
The data cover federally and nonfederally financed building construction
combined. Estimates of non-Federal (private and State and local govern
ment) urban building construction are based primarily on building-permit
reports received from places containing about 85 percent of the urban popula
tion of the country; estimates of federally financed projects are compiled from
notifications of construction contracts awarded, which are obtained from
other Federal agencies. Data from building permits are not adjusted to allow
for lapsed permits or for lag between permit issuance and the start of construc
tion. Thus, the estimates do not represent construction actually started
during the month.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Addi
tions,
altera
tions,
and
repairs
Housekeeping
Period
3
3
7
4
1
8
15, 747 30,237
24,326 47, 718
33, 423 75, 283
36. 306 87,341
26, 431 135, 312
33. 310 140, 812
29, 895 69, 491
37 454 68.368
32, 548 78,764
95, 946
98, 310
5,833
15,114
32,194
38, 953
66, 640
53 626
32,737
2,892
3,019
3, 471
3, 566
3, 650
3,080
2,938
3,289
3, 588
3,055
2,521
2,485
3, 632
5, 215
6,351
6, 795
6,130
4, 722
5, 856
6,369
6,173
7,075
4,939
5,111
3,419
3,047
10,094
9,235
6,736
7,008
2,484
1,663
1,701
1,624
2, 475
4,141
2,347
2,815
3.342
3, 521
3,294
2, 635
2, 906
2, 24f
2,39!
2,674
2,128
2,028
1,489
1,882
5,734
6,091
8,079
7, 627
6,968
7, 735
6, 776
6,596
6,875
5, 940
4,396
5,881
7,181
6,197
3,973
3,869
9. 268
3,918
2, 457
2,282
571
1,046
3,249
238
1,557
734
1,830
1,132
Urban is defined according to the 1940 Census, and includes all incorporated
places of 2,500 inhabitants or more in 1940 and a small number of places,
usually minor civil divisions, classified as urban under special rule.
R u m s of components do not always equal totals exactly because of rounding.
« 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.
s Covers hotels, dormitories, tourist cabins, and other nonhousekeeping
residential buildings.
8 Preliminary.
7 Revised.
621
F : B U IL D IN G AND CONSTRUCTION
T able F-4: New nonresidential building authorized in all urban places,1 by general type and by
geographic division3
Valuation (In thousands)
Geographic division and
type of new nonresi
dential building
1953
1954
Feb.3
Jan.4
Dec.
Nov.
Oct.
Sept.
Aug.
July
June
May
Apr.
Mar.
Feb
1953 3
1952
Total
Total
All types____________ $218,825 $238,295 $248, 324 $262, 917 $282, 237 $260, 908 $278,386 $332,523 $288,053 $311,049 $362,123 $268,016 $213,028 $3, 303, 469 $2, 637,037
4, 958
192, 857
165, 928
5,974
8,237 17, 350 20,166 18,912 15, 378 11, 952 16,233 17, 486 21,323 22, 552 14, 538
New England_____
508,043
440, 529
36,921 45,993 62, 445 36.391 45,840 40, 252 44.733 40,125 46,485 47, 769 50,012 40, 731 29, 334
Middle A tlantic-..
786, 544
597, 588
East North Central- 49,008 55, 354 41,019 58, 297 67, 670 56, 482 74, 963 102, 275 68,768 76,925 92,818 49, 537 57,025
271, 263
215, 776
West North Central- 15,712 15, 751 21,058 16, 520 23,865 26, 308 23, 548 30,470 18, 584 32,934 25,074 19, 846 18,280
441, 683
276, 783
South Atlantic ----- 34,024 28,374 25,172 41,241 36, 375 27,366 40, 810 44, 496 35,810 36,831 52,476 22, 261 36,083
9,150
113,191
7.737
6, 212 10,954 10,870 10,086
8, 558 10,164
6, 575 11,631 10,891
8,703
8,181
120,165
East South Central368, 642
274,142
West South Central. 25.326 31, 003 24, 746 37, 410 24, 642 28, 570 22, 425 28,101 41,131 28, 552 50,546 28,222 22,049
141, 752
17,
562
12,836
8,
978
8,838
8, 510 15, 421
101, 699
6.810
5, 288 11,124
9, 961 17, 762 10,749 11,082
M ountain________
506,494
444, 429
Pacific----- ----------- 36,348 40, 114 37, 674 37,842 45,470 40. 261 39,908 44,503 38,877 49,058 39, 452 69,154 28,170
429, 709 351, 520
20,318 37,362 36, 890 39, 378 34, 217 21,027 41,198 39, 523 37, 982 46,826 48,178 32,097 23,252
industrial buildings1—
1,284
2,559
25, 231
1,982
683
1,066
1,704
6,858
2, 553 2, 237 1,904
603
511
28,097
1,291
New England_____
84, 380
6, 983
3,725
9,010
9,962
7,133
2,112 14,089 11,893
60, 949
8, 321
5, 556
4, 729 6, 213 7,335
Middle A tlan tic...
5,051
138, 556
4,036
9, 718 6, 307 21,156 18,399 12,380 20, 762 10, 228 7,787
111, 839
9, 037 8, 227 14,083
East North Central.
2,369
2,316
1,629
30, 457
6, 257
1,875
1,225
1,246
2,244
3, 536 3,090
24,305
2,486
2, 147 3,055
West North Central.
1,752
41, 631
3,689 12,340
1,577
1,435
2,199
4,362
1,339
2, 255 1,357
3, 774
25, 237
1, 436
2,341
South Atlantic-----924
16, 511
577
441
662
447 3, 771
2,431
1,232
2, 408
707
16, 084
218
897
1,359
East South Central.
14, 410
856
762
1,987
381
1,713
1,208
610 2,033
801
1,026
17,192
1,407
1,013
2,258
West South Central.
709
668
4, 476
9, 989
484
492
277
625
209
531
933
271
5, 9&3
583
356
M ountain________
5, 954 8,178
68, 645
4, 572
4, 926 3,528
4.177
8, 774 9,107
61, 834
4,805
7,311
5, 269
5,562 5, 587
Pacific......................
686,346
Commercial buildings •. 75,804 66,141 74, 210 87, 594 98, 279 94, 446 91, 247 112,910 96,137 101,017 124,887 84,822 62,400 1,093,687
5,180
3,454
49,192
1,374
4,154
3,122
2,832
4, 420 7,481
28, 766
2,895
4, 935
2,206
3, 649 3,487
New England_____
181,303
9, 739
121,120
Middle Atlantic___ 10,136 10. 959 17, 202 11, 784 17, 510 17, 476 13,096 16,260 16,237 21, 798 17, 639 14, 338
14,
945
35,344
226,
201
12,915
144,107
East North Central. 13,216 10, 606 16. 642 14,955 17, 434 22,023 20,176 26,805 16,182 17,706
84, 282
5,278
4,193
6,808 10,296 12,813
3,944
3, 504 4, 028 4,953 11,056
56, 056
7, 928
8,056 6,699
West North Central.
166, 734
9,629 11, 734 18,096 14,889
87,085
8,977 21,162 22, 294 12,903 14,316 11, 493 9,166 11, 234
South Atlantic____ 19,955
2,951
2,885
33,055
2,782
2,017
3, 405
26, 015
4,790
1, 836 2, 106 1,452
1,807
3, 514
3,083 3,666
East South Central.
138, 262
7, 444 14,272
9,291
91. 774
9, 520 9, 386
10, Oil 14, 449
5,715 12, 671 20, 558 10, 736 13, 493 13,347
West South Central
3,186
54,133
4, 204 10,471
3,307
3,031
3,096
2, 574 8,080
30,392
1, 718 2. 908 3, 431
3,149 5,095
M o u n ta in _______
160, 525 101,032
8,606
7. 761 11, 234 8, 692 14,497 20, 366 12.126 13,162 15, 934 13,906 14, 759 13, 201 16,499
Pacific......... ............
Community buildings T_ 72,996 102, 500 101, 501 93,908 106, 237 100, 331 100, 476 136, 250 102, 894 119,215 123, 702 114, 991 80,144 1, 268, 043 1,101,141
9,282
4,397
80, 420
1,561
8,881
6,649
78, 221
2, 020 4,703 11, 389 6, 705 10, 644 7,172
4, 541 8,911
New England_____
188, 091
193,155
Middle Atlantic . . . 13,646 18, 341 26. 212 11, 686 15, 432 13, 247 23, 349 9,949 12,890 14, 607 19, 593 16,169 14, 509
272,
363
19,144
27,351
227,139
14, 396
East North Central. 15,398 28, 902 12, 372 17,824 23, 664 17, 844 20, 252 46,284 26,956 25, 579
115,333
3, 867 9, 195 3, 891
5,164 11, 921
7,136 17, 728 6,626 10,319
103,712
7, 234
9, 515
9, 697 18, 026
West North Central.
167, 647
7,711 12,403 16, 576 13, 758
115, 572
7,122 12, 929
8, 913 15, 814 13,360 15,572 24, 538 7,181 15, 302
South Atlantic-----3,575
4,977
46, 632
2, 961
2,742
2,487
3,860
4, 500 2,258
5,886
1,177
5, 621
57,008
4, 406 1,469
East South Central
150, 304
8, 758 15, 499 12,920 14, 414 10,292
117, 264
9,815 12, 214 10, 368 19,927 11,010 10, 331 11,011
9,063
West South Central.
7, 515
56,164
5,385
3, 800 4,718
34,827
1,454
1,886
6,318
3, 613 4,028
621
3, 371
4. 877 9,246
M ountain.................
191, 090
174, 243
9, 290
15,130 17,171 14, 975 15,116 15,859 17,067 13, 432 17, 792 10,518 17,871 13,605 34,997
Pacific___________
119, 502 152, 537
7,05!
9, 715 3,952
8, 334
4, 824
7,087 4,384 13,700 13,824 13, 476 6,003 22, 739
Public buildings8. ......... 29, 228
149
6, 723
1,294
916
798
231
13, 951
55
20
42C
67
C
0
711
X, SIC
New England . . ..
10, 993
609
61
1,585
1,213
6,145
19, 434
552
127
lie
125
285
381
256
8,198
Middle A tlan tic....
1,133
39,
286
462
5,467
5,
743
1,050
15,
656
731
666
1,269
312
4,155
17, 488
448
East North Central. 11,737
51
7,053
1,502
332
509
79C
739 1,05(1
467
606
452
4,246
773
1, 032
285
West North Central.
13,102
189
287
1,197
16,
547
1,168
4,114
192
1,348
417
482
354
1,227
611
1,812
South Atlantic-----480
2,329
419
639
72
175
10, 841
27
44
1,905
1, 662
C
55
0
105
East South Central.
9,412
648
2,608
360
136
454
212
14
335
642
176
7,348
1,39!
3,
373
339
West South Central.
3,845
0
419
320
82
96
5
14,480
801
906
506
975
C
82
307
M ountain________
3,302
26, 759
753
622
1,762
1,788
801
1,254
3, 484
79C 2,850
50,035
4,050
1,718
1,912
Pacific......... .............
Public works and utility
193, 608
7,787 31, 547 11,482 12,758
135, 525
7,561 10, 559 15,051 23,180 15, 284 13,666 11, 668 14,140 12,113
buildings • _________
1,716
379
19, 227
1, 697
2,860
6.296
453
1,089
536
3,632
155
1,600
143
567
136
New England_____
1,586
345
21,292
709
1,065
474
23, 540
3,04c
5,335
1,112
345
4,015
1,553
1,301
1,298
Middle A tlan tic....
42, 462
1,700
4, 611
605 7,383
33, 612
1, 522
6, 491
1,509
5, 675 2, 565
4, 184
3,904
2,860
462
East North Central
15, 936
376
1,840
351
21
57c
614
1,174
7,618
4,21c
3, 878
1,265
418
1,363
643
West North Central
1,767
3,858
29, 286
2,541
67c
2,043
2,078
181
12, 736
5,86?
1,602
2,097
551
1,156
1,117
South Atlantic____
848
24
180
5,878
287
889
3, 720
76 2, 39'
123
28
1,010
(
65C
0
East South Central.
662
812
29, 299
777 15, 505
1,262
65'
19, 991
53c
89(
649
1, 25!
3,724
1,76C
1, J8!
West South Central.
120
4,282
128
20
4'
462
19(
36'
951
7'
3,365
4!
305
361
1,576
Mountain________
25,945
2,954
2,708
713
1,258
1,35'
2,012
1, 176
24,648
5, 37(
1, 706
1,88(
m
811
480
Pacific____ ______
225, 921
209, 968
Allother buildings ___ 12,918 14, 67' 10, 957 14,905 19,886 21,61' 26, 707 25,316 25, 226 22,380 20,334 18,620 11, 736
12, 064
1,372
537
292
1,631
10, 599
572
1,12!
1,19!
1,297
1,40]
607
96'
1,425
320
New England____
21,984
2,097
1,625
760
1,937
22,331
1,42!
1,975
1,987
2,766
2, 352
2, 295
1,531
1,707
1, 909
Middle Altantic___
4,829
2,564
67, 677
6,806
6, 770
65, 234
3,89'
8, 468,612
8,077
1,762
7, 02'
7, 296
6,034
1, 793
East North Central
1,453
18, 202
1,465
651
2,758
1,99!
1,635
19,839
64!
1,41!
2,10'
1,901
1,609
767
871
West North Central.
2,206
1,300
23,282
1,38'
1,277
1,478
19,605
1,828
2,367
5, 565
1,49!
93Î
1, 76!
1,620
1,277
South Atlantic____
778
38E
8, 787
671
383
1,349
6,497
167
68!
485
59!
1, 061
1,872
614
289
East South Central.
2, 540
2,417
2,182
26, 955
2,33!
2,046
20, 573
1,33'
1,79!
2,45'
4,096
3, 218
2,046
1,50'
1, 538
West South Central
13, 33!
1,307
523
2, 221
1,158
12, 651
1,02
1,767
58!
977
1, 216
1,34(
705
791
458
M ountain...............
3,470
33, 63C
2,985
3,093
3,213
3,077
32,638
2,067
2,560
2,665
3,004
3,535
3, 791
2,156
1, 925
Pacific......................
i 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.
* For scope and source of urban estimates, see table F-3, footnote 1.
3Preliminary.
4 Revised.
1 Includes factories, navy yards, army ordnance plants, bakeries, ice plants,
Industrial warehouses, and other buildings at the site oi these and similar
production plants.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
• Includes amusement and recreation buildings, stores and other mercantile
buildings, commercial garages, gasoline and service stations, etc.
f Includes churches, hospitals, and other institutional buildings, schools,
libraries, etc.
» Includes Federal, State, county, and municipal buildings, such as
courthouses, city halls, Are and police stations, jails, prisons, arsenals,
armories, army barracks, etc.
• Includes railroad, bus and airport buildings,roundhouses,radiostations,
gas and electric plants, public comfort stations, etc.
i° Includes private garages, sheds, stables and barns, and other buildings
not elsewhere classified.
M ONTHLY LABOR R E V IE W , MAY 1954
622
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
Publicly financed
Privately financed
All units
Estimated construction cost
(in thousands) s
Period
Urban
Rural
non
farm
Total
non
farm
937,000
185,000
93 000
48.000
619, 500
271, 800
138| 700
45.600
662, 500
266,800
845, 600
369.200
913, 500
406, 700
436, 300 988 800
568.200 1, 352, 200
496, 000 1 020,100
517, 400 1 068 500
l] 070,400
(8)
752,000
45,000
369] 500
93, 200
395, 700
476, 400
510,000
556,600
785] 600
531,300
554,600
(*)
185, 000
48,000
250,000
45,500
266,800
369,200
403,500
432, 200
566, 600
488, 800
513,900
(8)
0
0
86,600 64, 800
3,000
3,100
8,000
8,000
3, 400 3,400
18,100 14, 900
36,300 32, 200
43,800 42,200
71, 200 64,000
58, 500 55,000
35, 600
(8)
248, 900
82,200
76, 500
90, 200
280, 200
92, 300
97, 600
90] 300
270, 400
86,800
88. 300
95,300
220, 600
88, 900
72 200
59] 500
137,200
46, 400
43,200
47,600
148. 500
48, 300
52,300
47,900
135, 700
42,300
45,100
48, 300
109, 900
43, 400
36, 200
30, 300
226,800
6l] 400
74, 300
91 100
294, 900
97] 000
101. 000
96 900
297, 700
1 0 1 ] 100
97, 400
99, 200
249,100
99, 200
82.300
67,600
Urban
Rural
non
farm
937.000
93.000
706,100
141, 800
670, 500
849.000
931,600
1, 025,100
1,396, 000
1,091,300
l, 127,000
1,106,000
752,000
45.000
434, 300
96.200
403, 700
479.800
524,900
588, 800
827, 800
595, 300
609,600
1951: First q u arter....
January.........
February----M arch--------Second quarter.
A priL............
M ay...............
June-----------Third quarter...
J u ly ..............
August...........
September—
Fourth quarter.
October____
November__
December----
260.300
85, 900
80,600
93.800
329, 700
96,200
147.800
49.600
47.000
51.200
192, 000
51.900
55.400
84, 700
141, 200
45.900
45.900
49, 400
114, 300
44, 400
38, 500
31.400
112,500
36,300
33.600
42.600
137, 700
44, 300
45.600
47.800
134, 800
44.600
43.200
47, 000
1952: First quarter-..........
January.................
February...............
M arch............. ......
8econd quarter____
246, 500
64.900
77, 700
103, 900
319, 300
106, 200
109.600
103, 500
302, 500
102.600
99, 100
100,800
258, 700
137, 400
36.100
42.800
58,500
175.800
59.000
60, 700
56, 100
156, 000
52, 400
50. 800
52.800
140, 400
53.800
109,100
28.800
34,900
45, 400
Total
non
farm
192)5
1933»
1941 ‘
1944 »
194619471948
1949
1950«
19511952
1953 '
April .......................
M ay...... ................
June.......................
Third quarter--------
J u ly ......................—
August..................
September........ .
Fourth quarter------October.......... ......
Novem ber._____
December_______
101.000
132,500
276.000
90.500
89.100
96, 400
225.300
90,000
74, 500
60.800
101.100
86,100
(8)
40,600
1953: First quarter....
January.........
February.......
March............
Second quarter..
April______
M ay— .........
June.......... .
Third quarter..
July...............
August-------Septem ber...
Fourth quarter 1
October_____
November__
December 7__
257.100
72.100
79.200
105,800
324, 300
111,400
108,300
104,600
285, 000
96, 700
93.200
95.100
239, 600
90.100
81, 500
140.600
38.400
43.100
59.100
165.900
57.400
65, 200
53,300
141, 600
48.100
46.400
47.100
1954: First quarter
January 7_.
February 7.
March 7__
236, 000
66,000
73.000
97.000
45.600
36,000
29,400
46.000
71.500
68, 000
111.000
( 8)
(8)
( 8)
(8)
43.100
38.800
( 8)
(8)
(8)
Total
non
farm
Publicly
financed
Privately
financed
Ü4, 475,000
285, 446
2,826,192
496, 054
3, 769, 767
5,643,436
7, 203,119
7. 702, 971
11, 788, 595
9, 800, 892
10. 208, 983
10,514,147
U, 475, U00
285, 446
2, 530, 765
483, 231
3, 713, 776
5, 617, 425
7,028, 980
7, 374, 269
11, 418, 371
9,186,123
9, 706,276
10,207,735
0
0
$295,427
12,823
65,991
26,011
174,139
328, 702
370, 224
614, 769
502, 707
306,412
111, 700 11,400 10,600
35,800
3, 700 3,200
4. 100 3,800
33,300
3,600
3,600
42,600
131, 700 49, 500 43, 500
3,600
3,900
44.000
3,100
3,400
45,300
42,400 42,200 36,800
5,500
5,600
134, 700
3,600
44, 500 3,700
800
800
43,200
1,100
1,100
47,000
4,400
4,700
110, 700
1,000
1,100
45,500
2,300
2,300
36,000
1, 100
1,300
29. 200
800 2, 293,974 2,191, 489
721,014
755,600
500
681,607
716, 629
300
788, 868
821,
745
(')
6,000 2, 964,810 2, 549, 238
828,339
866,652
300
895, 309
922, 661
300
825, 590
1,175,
497
5,400
100 2, 527,033 2, 472,196
791, 783
827,173
100
795, 624
804,317
0
884,
789
895,
543
(*)
300 2, 015, 075 1, 973. 200
796, 682
806, 955
100
650, 660
672, 078
(«)
525, 858
200
536,042
102, 485
34, 686
35, 022
32, 877
415, 672
38,313
27,352
349,907
54, 837
35, 390
8,693
10, 754
41,875
10, 273
21, 418
10,184
119,100
32, 800
39,700
46, 600
152, 700
50, 400
52] 400
49, 900
151,600
50, 900
49, 400
51,300
131, 200
52, 100
42,300
36,800
107, 700 19,700 18,300
3, 500 3, 300
28,600
3, 400 3,100
34,600
44,500 12,800 11,900
142, 200 24,400 23,100
8,600
9,200
46,600
8, 300
8,600
48,600
6,200
6,600
47, 000
4, 400
4,800
146,100
1, 500
1, 500
50, 200
1, 400
1, 700
48. 000
1,500
1,600
47, 900
9, 200
117,900
9,600
1, 700
1,900
47,100
40, 000 3, 800 3,700
3,800
3,900
30,800
1,400 2,167,659 2,006, 918
537,697
566,665
200
654, 631
682, 895
300
814, 590
918,099
900
1,300 2,920,186 2, 705,653
874. 524
949,001
600
926,803
300 1,006, 552
904, 326
964, 633
400
400 2, 761,316 2, 718,369
931, 214
945, 587
(»)
882,446
895,675
300
904, 709
920,054
100
400 2,359,822 2, 275,336
910, 701
928,677
200
751, 664
785, 969
100
612,971
645,176
100
160,741
28,968
28, 264
103, 509
214, 533
74, 477
79, 749
60,307
42,947
14, 373
13. 229
15, 345
84, 486
17,976
34,305
32, 205
238,100
68 200
73, 800
96,100
315,000
107, 400
105,600
102,000
280, 700
96, 400
92] 200
9 2 ] 100
236,600
90 000
79,900
66,’ 700
123,800
35, 400
38,600
49. 800
158,000
54,100
52, 500
51, 400
137, 300
47,800
45, 400
44,100
(8)
43,000
37,200
(8)
114,300
32,800
35, 200
46, 300
157, 000
53,300
53,100
50, 600
143, 400
48.600
46,800
48,000
(8)
47,000
42, 700
(8)
2,346, 213
641, 703
720, 234
984, 276
3,083, 256
1,057,899
1,027, 221
998,136
2, 777, 607
941,943
911,681
923, 983
2,307,071
883,455
777,072
646, 544
2,183, 710
610, 344
674, 399
898, 967
3,000,120
1,022,836
1,001,693
975, 591
2, 739, 268
938,871
902,501
897. 896
2, 284,637
882,838
764, 774
637,025
162, 603
31, 359
46,836
85. 309
83,136
35,063
25, 528
22, 545
¿8, 339
3,072
9,180
26, 087
22,434
617
12, 298
9, 519
64,700
71,800
95] 800
(8)
(8)
(8)
(8)
(8)
(8)
613, 425
691,202
(8)
601,162
680,405
(8)
12,263
10, 797
(8)
i The estimates shown here do not include temporary units, conversions,
dormitory accommodations, trailers, or military barracks. They do include
prefabricated housing units.
,
,., . . .
These estimates are based on building-permit records, which, beginning
with 1945, have been adjusted for lapsed permits and for lag between permit
Issuance and start of construction. They are based also on reports of Federal
construction contract awards and beginning in 1946 on field surveys in uonpermit-issuing places. The data in this table refer to nonfarm dwelling units
started, and not to urban dwelling units authorized, as shown in table F-3.
All of these estimates contain some error. For example, if the estimate
of nonfarm starts is 50,000, the chances are about 19 out of 20 that an actual
enumeration would produce a figure between 48,000 and 52,000.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Rural
nonfarm
Total
Urban
0
0
19,000 16,800
3,000
3, 900
4,500
5,400
9, 300
9,700
7, 900
9, 300
3,300
4,000
2, 700
2, 700
1,900
2,600
4, 300
4, 300
300
300
1,000 1,000
3, 000 3, 000
3,000
(8)
100
100
1,600
1,600
1, 300
(8)
3,700
1,300
1,200
1,200
(8)
(81
(8)
0
0
21,800
100
0
0
3,200
4,100
1,600
7,200
3. 500
(8)
2,200
900
900
400
1, 400
700
(»)
700
(')
(»)
(»)
(«)
(8)
(»)
(8)
(8)
(8)
(8)
(8)
*Private construction costs are based on permit valuation, adjusted for
understatement, of costs shown on permit applications. Public construc
tion costs are based on contract values or estimated construction costs for
individual projects.
* Depression, low year.
‘ Recovery peak year prior to wartime limitations.
i Last full year under wartime control.
‘ Housing peak year,
7Preliminary.
• Not available.
# Less than 50 units.
U S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE; 1954
@FedFRASER