Full text of Monthly Labor Review : November 1938, Vol. 47, No. 5
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MONTHLY
LABOR
REVIEW
NOVEMBER 1938, VOL. 47, NO. 5
KALAMAZOO PUBLIC LIBRARY
HUGH S. LIANNA, Editor
CONTENT
s
DEC 6 1938
........—
Cover:
Mount Baker in Washington.
Paere
Special articles:
Changes in family expenditures in the post-war period_____________
Patterns of agricultural labor migration within California___________
Cooperative productive enterprises in the United States___________
967
980
991
Industrial relations:
Collective agreements of the United Shoe Workers_________________
French High Court of Arbitration for industrial disputes__________
1001
1008
Social security:
Australian National Health and Pensions Insurance Act, 1938______
Sickness benefits of mutual-aid societies in Argentina______________
1012
1014
Employment and unemployment:
Administration of partial unemployment insurance in New York____
War emergency employment in China____________________________
1018
1019
Women in industry:
Wages and hours of women in Kansas, 1937______________________
1021
Industrial and labor conditions:
Marriage loans to stimulate German farming_________ _____ _______
Control of wages in Germany____________________________________
1024
1026
Industrial diseases:
Industrial diseases in British factories, 1937_______________________
1027
Labor laws:
Legislative sessions in 1939______________________________________
1030
Workmen’s compensation:
Meeting of the Industrial Accident Commissions, 1938_____________
102770—38------1
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1032
l
Contents
II
Labor organizations:
Convention of American Federation of Labor, 1938_______________
Page
1034
Industrial disputes:
Trend of strikes________________________________________________
Analysis of strikes in July 1938__________________________________
Railroad Emergency Board recommends against wage reduction___
Activities of United States Conciliation Service, September 1938____
1039
1040
1049
1053
Wages and hours of labor:
Earnings and hours in private shipyards and navy yards___________
Hourly earnings in furniture manufacturing, October 1937_________
Union scales of wages and hours in the building trades, June 1, 1938-_
Incomes of doctors, dentists, lawyers, and accountants, 1936_______
Salaries of office workers in New York City, June 1938_____________
Argentina— Wages and hours in certain industries, 1935-38________
Belgium— Wages in March 1938_________________________________
British Columbia— Wages and hours in industry, 1937_____________
Italy— Hours of work in industry, 1935-38________________________
Palestine— Wages and hours in March 1938____ _____ _____________
Puerto Rico—Wages and working conditions in tobacco stripping___
Scandinavian countries— Wages and hours, 1937-38________________
Switzerland—-Wages, 1937_____________________________ _________
1055
1074
1093
1113
1115
1116
m g
1122
1123
1126
1130
1133
H44
Immigration:
Immigration into the Philippines, 1937___________________________
1146
Labor turn-over:
Labor turn-over in manufacturing establishments, August 1938_____
1147
Employment offices:
Operations of United States Employment Service, September 1938___
1151
Trend of employment and pay rolls:
Summary of reports for September 1938:
Total nonagricultural employment___________________________ 4157
Industrial and business employment_________________________ 1158
Public employment________________________________________
J46Q
Detailed data for industrial and business employment, August 1938-_ _ 1163
Unemployment in foreign countries in the summer of 1938_________ 1182
Building operations:
Summary of building construction in principal cities, September 1938-
il8 7
Retail prices:
Food prices in September 1938_________________________________
Electricity prices, September 1938________________________________
Gas prices, September 1938_______________________________
Retail prices of food in Manila, June 1938________________________
1193
H99
1201
1203
Wholesale prices:
Wholesale prices in September 1938______________________________
Recent publications of labor interests____ _______________
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1204
12n
This Issue in Brief
Changing Consumption Habits.
Marked changes in consumption
habits of the American people since
the World War are indicated by a
comparison of the results of the survey
of the incomes and expenditures of
wage earners and clerical workers in
the United States recently completed
by the Bureau of Labor Statistics with
the results of the similar survey made
in 1917-19. Of particular interest is
the improvement in the average family
diet, resulting in part from lower allyear-round prices in the case of fresh
fruits and vegetables and in part from
a far more widespread knowledge of
food values. Page 967.
Labor Migration in California.
The fruit, vegetable, and cotton
crops of California depend upon migra
tory labor concentrated for the most
part in short seasonal peaks. The
extent of this type of labor is not
known with accuracy, but for 33
counties in 1935 the variation in
demand for seasonal laborers has been
estimated at from 46,500 in January
to 198,000 in September. As a result
of this situation, there are large intra
state movements of workers, with very
serious social consequences. Page 980.
Cooperative Productive Enterprises.
Workers’ productive associations are
engaged in various kinds of business,
such as manufacturing of shoes and
other clothing, canning, coal mining,
lumbering, and printing and publish
ing. These business enterprises are
owned and operated by the workers
themselves. At the end of June 1937,
27 associations had over 3,300 mem
bers and gave employment to 2,167
members and 282 nonmembers. A
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
total business of nearly $3,000,000 was
done in 1936 and aggregate net earn
ings amounted to nearly $70,000.
About $540,000 in wages was paid by
the 12 associations reporting on this
point. Page 991.
United Shoe Workers’ Agreements.
The United Shoe Workers of Amer
ica, organized less than 2 years ago,
now has 20 signed agreements with
149 firms in the shoe manufacturing
industry. In all these agreements the
union is recognized as the sole bar
gaining agent of the employees en
gaged in the actual production of shoes.
All except two provide for the closed
union shop. The check-off method of
collecting dues is in effect in 20 of the
149 companies. Shoe workers almost
universally are on a piece-work basis
and minimum pay is specified in only
a few agreements. The 40-hour, 5day week is most prevalent but toler
ances which allow seasonal operation
on a 5-day, 45-hour week basis for 8
weeks in any 6-month period are pro
vided for in nearly all the agreements.
Page 1001.
Earnings in Furniture Manufacturing.
According to a survey made by the
Bureau of Labor Statistics, average
hourly earnings in October 1937 were
48.0 cents in wood household furni
ture, 44.4 cents in wood and 66.9 cents
in metal office furniture, and 56.3 cents
in public-seating furniture establish
ments. The weighted average for the
industry as a whole was 49.0 cents.
This survey was limited to the four
branches of the industry that operate
primarily on a mass-production basis.
Page 1074.
in
IV
This Issue in Brief
Union Scales in Building Trades.
The average union hourly wage rate
was $1,356 on June 1, 1938, for all the
building trades in the 72 cities covered
in a survey by the Bureau of Labor
Statistics. Increases in wage rates
were reported for 56.8 percent of the
union members for whom comparable
data for 1937 were available. About
69 percent of all the members covered
were on a 40-hour-week basis, 26 per
cent had a workweek of less than 40
hours, and only 5 percent had a week
of over 40 hours. Page 1093.
French Arbitration Court.
The High Court of Arbitration in
France, which was established to
accelerate the conciliation and arbi
tration machinery, has rendered sever
al hundred judgments since its first
sitting in May 1938. These early
decisions are of importance since they
outline the principles on which future
decisions will be based. An account
of the reasons for creating a separate
court and of its organization and
functions concludes with the citation
of a decision involving the question of
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
the sliding wage scale— one of the
questions which has caused the most
controversy in connection with the
law on conciliation and arbitration.
Page 1008.
Industrial Diseases in Great Britain.
The British Factories Act of 1937
is expected to bring about an im
provement in preventive measures for
the care of the health of industrial
workers. The provisions of this act,
however, were not effective during the
period covered by the 1937 report on
industrial diseases by the senior medi
cal inspector of factories. The number
of cases of lead poisoning was lower
than in any year since reporting
became compulsory; but there was an
increase in the number of cases of
poisoning from mercury, arsenic, and
aniline over those reported in 1936,
and of chrome ulceration and epitheliomatous ulceration due to pitch, tar,
and oil. The inhalation of fumes and
gases was responsible, also, for a con
siderable increase in number of both
cases and deaths. Page 1027.
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
FOR NOVEMBER 1938
CHANGES IN FAMILY EXPENDITURES IN THE
POST-WAR PERIOD
By F aith M. W illiams , of the Bureau of Labor Statistics
IN THE period since the World War, technological advances in
agriculture, in engineering, and in production methods, which had
been developing over a long period, combined to place at the disposal
of wage earners and clerical workers in the United States a wide array
of consumers’ goods which had not been available to them before.
Some of these goods were actually new; for example, canned tomato
juice, rayon fabrics, and certain types of electrical equipment. More
of them had been in the markets before, but at prices-higher than
moderate-income families could pay.
New developments in agricultural production and in transcon
tinental refrigerator cars began to bring oranges and grapefruit,
lettuce and spinach to urban markets the year round at prices con
siderably lower than those prevailing before the war. Motor-cai
production entered a new phase. Passenger automobiles had been
produced commercially since the nineties, but the cost of a car was
for a long time far out of the reach of the average American family.
In 1908, less expensive models were introduced, and in 1922 the whole
sale price of a currently acceptable touring car was $298, f. o. b.
Detroit. Substantially the same car would have cost $525 at whole
sale at the end of the war and $850 in 1908 when it was first intro
duced. It had little in common with the automobiles which are
purchased new today, but it met the needs of American families in
the 1920’s.
Silk stockings had been a luxury to women in the moderate-income
group before the war period. In most stores the only kind of silk hose
sold was a very heavy service-weight stocking, with a mercerized top,
double-sole lisle foot, with a silk “boot” only 20 inches high. They
cost $2 a pair at retail. In the period after the war the much more
attractive sheer and semiservice hose, with silk feet and a 25-inch
“boot,” began to appear in all the stores, at a lower price, and silk
stockings for everyday became the rule even for women in moderateincome families.
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967
968
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
Electric power, which had been available to few in the wage-earner
and clerical groups before 1918, has declined in price over the period,
and dwellings wired for electric lights and small electrical appliances
have come within the range of the purchasing power of the average
employed worker.
At the end of the war period the results of extensive researches into
the physiological needs of the human body reached the stage where
they could be popularized, and Americans for the first time became
aware of minerals and vitamins in foods and their importance in human
nutrition. War-time restrictions were relaxed and a nation which had
learned to count its calories went on to attempt an understanding of
other factors affecting diet. This new information, together with
lower food prices in general and the lower prices of certain nutri
tionally valuable foods in particular, and also the greater availability
of fruits and vegetables all the year round, combined to produce
striking changes in American food expenditure.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ study of the money disbursements
of wage earners and clerical workers in 1934-36 provides figures on
expenditure patterns at the present time, with which similar data
secured in 1917-19 may be compared.1 The earlier study included
only families containing a father, a mother, and one or more children,
and a special tabulation has been made to provide comparable data
from the investigation just completed, which covered families of all
types. In order to measure changes in expenditure patterns which
have occurred in the interval since the World War, figures on the
expenditures of families with incomes from $1,200 to $1,500 in the two
periods have been placed in parallel columns in table 1.
1
The families studied in 1934-36 were carefully selected to represent a cross-section of the families of em
ployed white wage earners and lower-salaried clerical workers in the cities covered. All the families included
had one or more workers who worked a minimum of 1,008 hours in at least 36 weeks during the year. The
figure 1,008 was adopted as a minimum of hours per year from the consideration that it is equivalent to 36
weeks each with 3J4 days of 8 hours per day. An exception was made in the case of families in which the
chief earner was employed in an industry distinctly seasonal. Such families were included if the chief earner
had employment for 3 J-S eight-hour days in each of 30 weeks. Since the data were being obtained primarily
for the purpose of providing a basis for indexes of living costs, it was important that they should not reflect
the distorted spending of families whose incomes had been abnormally low or irregular. On that account
no data were mcluded from families whose incomes were under $500 a year or from families who received
relief during the year.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
969
Family Expenditures in Post-War Period
T a b l e 1.— Average Expenditures in 1 Year, 1917—19 and 1934—
36
Families 1 of White Wage Earners and Lower-Salaried Clerical Workers With Annual
Incomes from $1,200 to $1,500
Average actual expenditures
City and item
Baltimore:
Clothing..........
............
. _ _ _____
_ _
Birmingham:
Boston:
Buffalo:
Cincinnati:
Cleveland:
Columbus:
Dallas:
Denver:
Detroit:
All other item s___~ * _____________________________
See footnotes at end of table.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1934-36 3
1917-19 2
Amount
Percent
Amount
Percent
$1,310
547
187
270
62
245
100.0
41.8
14.2
20.6
4.7
18.7
$1, 354
490
131
333
57
343
100.0
36.2
9.7
24.6
4.2
25.3
1,222
476
182
227
74
264
100.0
38.9
14.9
18.6
6.0
21.6
1,345
436
141
291
62
415
100.0
32.4
10.5
21.6
4.6
30.9
1,296
579
196
254
41
224
100.0
44.6
15.2
19.6
3.2
17.2
1,410
561
126
428
36
259
100.0
39.8
8.9
30.4
2.6
18.3
1,291
479
223
283
63
244
100.0
37.1
17.3
21.9
4.9
18.9
1,362
497
139
363
41
322
100.0
36.5
10.2
26.7
3.0
23.6
1, 241
504
195
222
66
254
1C0.0
40.6
15.7
17.8
5.3
20.5
1,368
505
137
319
67
340
100.0
36.9
10.0
23.4
4.9
24.8
1,339
503
201
291
66
277
100.0
37.5
15.0
21.8
5.0
20.7
1,435
509
146
343
67
370
100.0
35.4
10.2
23.8
4.7
25.9
1,293
491
202
262
78
260
100.0
38.0
15.6
20.3
6.0
20.1
1,290
447
130
329
48
336
100.0
34.6
10.1
25.6
3.7
26.0
1,316
552
197
226
68
274
100.0
41.9
15.0
17.2
5.1
20.8
1,369
443
146
283
109
388
100.0
32.3
10.7
20.7
8.0
28.3
1,312
502
211
240
72
286
100.0
38.2
16.0
18.3
5.5
21.8
1,343
463
124
338
51
367
100.0
34.5
9.3
25.2
3.8
27.2
1,333
484
216
314
79
237
100.0
36.3
16.2
23.7
5.9
17.8
1,411
499
149
342
69
352
100.0
35.4
10.6
24.2
4.9
24.9
970
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
T able 1.—Average Expenditures in 1 Year, 1917-19 and 1934-36—Continued
Families1 of White Wage Earners and Lower-Salaried Clerical Workers With Annual
Incomes from $1,200 to $1,500—Continued
Average actual expenditures
City and item
Grand Rapids:
All items______ __________ ___
Food____________ ____ ____
C lo th in g ...______ ________
H ousing*_________________
Furnishings and equipment.
All other items____________
Houston:
All items_____________________
Food_____________________
Clothing___________ ______
Housing *_________________
Furnishings and equipment.
All other item s___ ____ ___
Indianapolis:
All item s_____ ______ _________
Food_______ _____________
C lo th in g ...______________
Housing*_________________
Furnishings and equipment
All other item s____________
Jacksonville:
All item s_______ ____ _________
Food_____________________
C lothing_________________
Housing 4________ _______
Furnishings and equipment.
All other items____________
Kansas City:
All item s_____________________
Food_____________________
Clothing_________________
Housing *_________________
Furnishings and equipment.
All other items______ _____
Los Angeles:
All items_______________ _____
Food_______ ______ _______
Clothing...... .............................
Housing 4_________________
Furnishings and equipment.
All other items____________
Louisville:
All items_______ ____ _________
Food____........................... .......
Clothing____.,........................
Housing*_____ ____ _______
Furnishings and equipment.
All other item s.................. .
Manchester:
All items.........................................
Food............................ ..............
Clothing.......................... .........
H ousing1________ _____ _
Furnishings and equipment.
All other items____________
Memphis:
All items...........................................
Food..........................................
C lo th in g ..................................
H ousing1........ ....................
Furnishings and equipment.
All other items____________
Milwaukee:
All item s__________ __________
Food........................ ..................
Clothing...... .............. ..............
H ousing1. . . _____________
Furnishings and equipment.
All other items____________
See footnotes at end of table.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1917-19 *
1934-36*
Amount
Percent
Amount
$1, 298
487
190
303
53
265
100.0
37.5
14:6
23.4
4.0
20.4
$1,363
478
178
265
38
404
100.0
35.1
13.0
19.4
2.8
29.7
1,313
539
182
226
64
303
100.0
41.0
13.9
17.3
4.8
23.1
1,410
432
142
245
103
488
100.0
30.7
10.1
17.4
7.3
34.5
1,272
487
190
245
71
276
100.0
38.3
15.0
19.3
5.6
21.7
1,423
469
143
305
69
437
100.0
33.0
10.1
21.4
4.9
30.6
1,307
474
231
238
74
290
100.0
36.3
17.7
18.2
5.7
22.2
1,353
450
128
267
36
472
100.0
33.2
9.5
19.7
2.7
34.9
1.298
514
197
253
61
273
100.0
39.6
15.2
19.4
4.7
21.1
1,394
474
138
294
74
414
100.0
34.1
9.9
21.2
5.3
29.5
1,270
463
181
222
57
345
100.0
36.5
14.3
17.6
4.5
27.2
1,362
441
143
273
60
445
100.0
32.4
10.5
20.1
4.4
32.6
1, 268
503
191
217
66
291
100.0
39.7
15.1
17.1
5.2
23.0
1,321
525
154
273
64
305
100.0
39.7
11.6
20.6
4.8
23.3
1,281
552
183
250
55
241
100.0
43.1
14.3
19.5
4.3
18.8
1,352
501
125
360
25
341
100.0
37.2
9.2
26.7
1.8
25.1
1,301
487
210
247
64
293
100.0
37.4
16.1
19.0
5.0
22.6
1,413
416
156
306
95
440
100.0
29.5
11.1
21.7
6.7
31.0
1,278
505
217
253
42
261 1
100.0
39.5
17.0
19.8
3.3
20.4
1,421
513
138
389
47
334
100.0
36.1
9.7
27.4
3.3
23.5
Percent
971
Family Expenditures in Post-War Period
T able 1.—Average Expenditures in 1 Year, 1917-19 and 1934-36—Continued
Families1 of White Wage Earners and Lower-Salaried Clerical Workers With Annual
Incomes from $1,200 to $1,500—Continued
Average actual expenditures
City and item
Minneapolis:
All items...................... ....................
Food................ ........................
Clothing...................................
Housing 4.............................. .
Furnishings and equipment.
All other items........................
Mobile:
All item s...........................................
Food...........................................
Clothing....................................
Housing 4------ -----------------Furnishings and equipment.
All other ite m s............ : ........
N ew Orleans:
All item s..........................................
Food...........................................
Clothing................................
H ousing4............................... .
Furnishings and equipment.
All other items..................... ...
N ew York:
All items...........................................
Food------------ --------- --------C loth in g ..................................
Housing4 ..............................
Furnishings and equipment.
All other item s.........................
Norfolk:
All item s.........................................
Food.........................................
Clothing................... ...............
Housing 4________________
Furnishings and equipment.
All other items......................
Philadelphia:
All ite m s ........................................
Food..........................................
Clothing__________ _______
Housing 4.......... ......................
Furnishings and equipment.
All other items........................
Pittsburgh:
All items______ _______ _____ _
F ood .........................................
Clothing........ ....................... .
H ousing4............ ....................
Furnishings and equipment.
All other items........................
Portland, Maine:
All items..........................................
Food..........................................
Clothing.............................. i —
Housing 4..................................
Furnishings and equipment.
All other item s____________
Richmond:
All items...........................................
Food..........................................
Clothing...................................
Housing 4..................................
Furnishings and equipment.
All other items...... .................
Sacramento:
All item s..........................................
Food_____ ______ ____ ____
C lothing...................................
Housing 4..................................
Furnishings and equipment.
All other items........................
See footnotes at end of table.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1934-36 *
1917-19 J
Amount
Percent
Amount
$1,304
480
204
315
57
246
100.0
$1, 390
471
118
358
74
369
100.0
1,315
513
238
100.0
1,397
436
176
268
97
420
100.0
1,329
480
139
317
35
358
100.0
1,476
594
133
431
35
283
100.0
1,392
515
145
337
100.0
210
58
295
36.8
15.6
24.1
4.3
18.9
39.0
18.1
16.0
4.4
22.5
1,275
539
190
219
46
281
100.0
1, 344
585
100.0
200
266
50
228
42.3
14.9
17.2
3.6
22.0
43.5
14.9
19.8
3.7
17.0
1,349
514
262
242
106
225
100.0
1,306
533
195
261
58
263
100.0
1,285
535
228
227
60
235
100.0
1,282
533
197
257
53
242
100.0
1,310
515
100.0
202
216
67
310
1, 299
454
219
275
70
281
38.1
19.4
18.0
7.8
16.7
40.8
14.9
20.0
4.4
20.1
41.6
17.7
17.8
4.7
18.3
41.6
15.4
20.1
4.1
18.8
39.3
15.4
16.5
5.1
23.7
100.0
34.9
16.9
21.2
5.4
21.7
Percent
33.9
8.5
25.9
5.3
26.4
31.2
12.6
19.2
6.9
30.1
36.1
10.5
23.8
2.6
27.0
40.3
9.1
29.2
2.4
19.0
37.0
10.4
24.1
86
6.2
309
22.3
1,429
529
131
385
53
331
100.0
1,395
510
146
330
67
342
100.0
1,354
516
135
351
59
293
100.0
1,364
444
138
349
60
373
100.0
1,334
478
124
314
58
360
100.0
37.0
9.2
26.9
3.7
23.2
36.6
10.5
23.7
4.8
24.4
38.1
9.9
25.9
4.4
21.7
32.5
10.1
25.6
4.4
27.4
35.8
9.3
23.6
4.4
26.9
972
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
T a b l e 1.— Average Expenditures in 1 Year, 1917-19 and 1934-36— Continued
Families 1 of White Wage Earners and Lower-Salaried Clerical Workers With Annual
incomes from $1,200 to $1,500— Continued
Average actual expenditures
City and item
St. Louis:
All items__________________
Food__________________
Clothing_______________
Housing 4_________ _____
Furnishings and equipment.
All other items..________
Salt Lake City:
Ail items__________________
Food__________________
Clothing_______________
Housing 4______________
Furnishings and equipment.
AU other items__________
Sah Francisco:
All items__________ ________
Food_____________ ' ___
Clothing_______________
Housing 4______________
Furnishings and equipment.
All other items__________
Scranton:
All items_______ ___ _______
Food_________________
Clothing_______________
Housing 4______________
Furnishings and equipment.
All other items__________
Seattle:
All items__________________
Food__________________
Clothing....____________
Housing 4______________
Furnishings and equipment.
All other items__________
1917-19 2
1934-36 3
Amount
Percent
Amount
$1, 251
497
176
243
62
274
100.0
39.7
14.0
19.4
4.9
21.9
$1,332
509
114
287
55
367
100.0
38.2
8.6
21.6
4.1
27.5
1, 334
453
217
275
S3
306
100.0
34.0
16.3
20.5
6.2
22.9
1,347
462
145
315
61
364
100.0
34.3
10.8
23.4
4.5
27.0
3,292
514
204
262
48
264
100.0
39.8
15.8
20.3
3.7
20.5
1,357
502
133
315
27
380
100.0
37.0
9.8
2.3.2
2.0
28.0
1, 267
549
231
199
60
227
100.0
43.3
18.3
15.8
4.8
18.0
1,375
512
160
379
55
269
100.0
37.2
11.6
27.7
4.0
19.5
1, 355
496
198
287
67
303
100.0
36.6
14.6
21.5
4.9
22.4
1, 347
480
128
295
32
412
100.0
35.7
9.5
21.9
2.4
30.5
Percent
1
^a^ er’ mother, and child under 16, with or without other persons.
2 Schedule years ending—
July 31, 1918: Baltimore.
Aug. 31, 1918: Columbus, N ew York, Pittsburgh, Scranton.
Sept. 30, 1918: Buffalo, San Francisco, Seattle.
Oct. 31, 1918: Boston, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Detroit, Los Angeles, Philadelphia.
N ov. 30, 1918: Denver, Manchester, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Norfolk, Portland.
Dec. 31,1918: Birmingham, Grand Rapids, Houston, Indianapolis, Louisville, Richmond, Sacramento.
Jan. 31, 1919: Kansas City, Memphis, Mobile, N ew Orleans, St. Louis.
Feb. 28,1919: Dallas, Jacksonville, Salt Lake City
3 Schedules years ending—
Aug. 31, 1934: Manchester.
S c r a n to n 34'” Birmingham>Columt>us, Memphis, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Richmond,
1935: Boston, Denver, Detroit, Grand Rapids, Los Angeles, Mobile, Sacramento, Salt Lake
City, Seattle.
M ay 31, 1935: N ew York, San Francisco.
Aug. 31, 1935: Jacksonville.
Baltimore, Buffalo, Cincinnati, Dallas, Houston, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Louisville,
Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Norfolk, Portland, St. Louis.
M ay 31, 1936: Cleveland.
4 Including fuel, light, and refrigeration.
The changes in spending habits which have occurred since the end
of the war in each of these 35 cities are very similar. The average
amounts spent for clothing were lower in each city in 1934-36. Ex
penditures for housing (including fuel, light, and refrigeration) and for
miscellaneous items were uniformly higher, except for housing expendi
tures in Grand Rapids. In 24 out of the 35 cities average expenditures
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Family Expenditures in Post-War Period
973
for food were lower. In the 11 cities where average food expenditures
were higher in the later period, the difference in no case amounted to
more than 5 percent. Expenditures for furniture and furnishings
varied over a wider range. They were higher in the later period in 12
cities and lower in 23.
In analyzing these figures it is important to keep in mind the nature
of the price realinements which have occurred in the interval between
these two studies. The purchasing power of the worker’s dollar was
on the average slightly higher in 1934-36 than in 1917-19, and the
degree and the direction of the change were different from one city to
another. In every city, however, price relationships had changed
greatly. Food prices were consistently lower. In each of the 27
cities covered in both investigations for which cost-of-living indexes
are available, the cost of the foods purchased by the wage-earner and
clerical groups in 1917-19 was from 16 to 38 percent lower at the time
of the new study. Clothing prices were also lower in 26 of the 27
cities by from 5 to 31 percent. The difference in the level of rents
varied considerably from city to city. In about one-third of the
cities, rents were higher at the time of the second study. Differences
between the prices of the types of fuel and light used by families in
this group were also far from uniform. In 22 of the 27 cities, average
fuel and light costs were higher in the period covered by the 1934-36
investigation than in the period of the earlier survey; in 5 cities they
were lower. The level of costs for furnishings and equipment was in
general lower in the later period, and those for miscellaneous items
higher in every city.2
In order to eliminate the effect of price differences as such from the
comparison of expenditure patterns, the Bureau of Labor Statistics’
indexes of the cost of food, clothing, rent, fuel and light, and miscel
laneous items have been applied to the average expenditures of the
families studied in 1917-19 in the cities for which these indexes are
available. The resulting figures, which appear in table 2, represent
an estimate of what the goods actually purchased in 1917-19 would
have cost if they had been purchased in 1934-36. A comparison of
these figures with the expenditure patterns actually found in 1934-36
shows that all the families studied in the later period were spending
more (and frequently a good deal more) than enough to buy the foods
purchased in 1917-19. The tabulation of the specific foods purchased
in 1934-36 by families comparable to those studied in 1917-19 has
not been completed. Figures are available, however, which show a
larger per capita consumption of milk, oranges, lettuce, spinach, and
canned tomatoes in 1934-36 than in 1917-19 in every one of these 27
cities. Tomato juice and grapefruit are also consumed in relatively
* For the purpose of these comparisons the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ indexes of the cost of goods pur
chased by wage earners and clerical workers have been averaged in such a way as to represent average costs
at the periods covered by the two studies in each city.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
974
large amounts by the families studied in 1934-36, and they were so
little used by families in these occupational groups in 1917-19 that
they were not even included on the detailed schedule used in the earlier
study. The nutritional value of the foods just listed is very great,
and their increased purchase indicates that the food consumption of
employed workers at the present time is much nearer the diets recom
mended by nutrition specialists than were the diets of families at
approximately the same general economic level in 1917-19.
T a b l e 2 . —Actual
Expenditures in 1 Year 1934—36, Compared With the Cost in 1934—36
of Goods Purchased in 1 Year 1917-19
Families of White Wage Earners and Lower-Salaried Clerical Workers With Annual
Incomes from $1,200 to $1,500
City and item
Baltimore:
Birmingham:
Boston:
Buffalo:
Cincinnati:
Furnishings and equipment__________________ ______
Cleveland:
All other item s__ 1. .*_______________________ ______
Denver:
All item s_____________________ _______________________
Detroit:
All other items___' _________ - ______ ___________
> Including fuel, light, and refrigeration.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Estimated average
cost in 1934-36 of
goods purchased
in 1917-19
Average actual ex
penditures, 1934-36
Amount
Percent
Amount
$1,338
454
163
317
62
342
100.0
33.9
12.2
23.7
4.6
25.6
$1,354
490
131
333
57
343
100.0
36.2
9.7
24.6
4.2
25.3
952
294
134
177
57
290
100.0
30.9
14.1
18.5
6.0
30.5
1,345
436
141
291
62
415
100.0
32.4
10.5
21.6
4.6
30.9
1, 220
420
180
297
40
282
100.0
34.5
14.7
24.3
3.3
23.2
1,410
561
126
428
36
259
100.0
39.8
8.9
30.4
2.6
18.3
1,249
374
174
326
67
308
100.0
30.0
13.9
26.0
5.4
24.7
1,362
497
139
363
41
322
100.0
36.5
10.2
26.7
3.0
23.6
1,205
412
139
254
62
338
100.0
34.2
11.6
21.0
5.1
28.1
1,368
505
137
319
67
340
100.0
36.9
10.2
23.4
4.9
24.8
1,337
392
170
318
64
393
100.0
29.3
12.7
23.8
4.8
29.4
1,435
509
146
343
67
370
100.0
35.4
10.2
23.8
4.7
25.9
1,180
367
156
236
66
355
100.0
31.1
13.2
20.1
5.6
30.0
1,343
463
124
338
51
367
100.0
34.5
9.3
25.2
3.8
27.2
1,154
349
176
257
69
303
100.0
30.2
15.3
22.3
6.0
26.2
1,411
499
149
342
69
352
100.0
35.4
10.6
24.2
4.9
24.9
Percent
975
Family Expenditures in Post-War Period
T a b l e 2 . —Actual
Expenditures in 1 Year 1934-36, Compared With the Cost in 1934-36
of Goods Purchased in 1 Year 1917-19—Continued
Families of White Wage Earners and Lower-Salaried Clerical Workers With Annual
Incomes from $1,200 to $1,500—Continued
City and item
Estimated average
cost in 1934-36 of
goods purchased
in 1917-19
Average actual ex
penditures, 1934-36
Amount
Percent
Amount
$1,147
392
142
199
66
349
100.0
34.2
12.4
17.3
5.7
30.4
$1,410
432
142
245
103
488
100.0
30.7
10.1
17.4
7.3
34.5
1,134
360
134
229
63
348
100.0
31.8
11.8
20.2
5.5
30.7
1,423
469
143
305
69
437
100.0
33.0
10.1
21.4
4.9
30.6
1,097
322
169
202
65
339
100.0
29.4
15.4
18; 4
5.9
30.9
1,353
450
128
267
36
472
100.0
33.2
9.5
19.7
2.7
34.9
1,110
379
136
223
45
327
100.0
34.2
12.2
20.2
4.0
29.4
1,394
474
138
294
74
414
100.0
34.1
9.9
21.2
5.3
29.5
1,222
344
156
200
55
468
100.0
28.1
12.8
16.3
4.5
38.3
1,362
441
143
273
60
445
100.0
32.4
10.5
20.1
4.4
32.6
1,119
310
160
242
55
352
100.0
27.7
14.3
21.7
4.9
31.4
1,413
416
156
308
95
440
100.0
29.5
11.1
21.7
6.7
31.0
1,215
403
148
320
52
292
100.0
33.2
12.2
26.2
4.3
24.1
1,390
471
118
358
74
369
100.0
33.9
8.5
25.9
5.3
26.4
1,108
326
188
185
53
356
100.0
29.4
16.9
16.7
4.8
32.2
1,397
436
176
268
97
420
100.0
31.2
12.6
19.2
6.9
30.1
1,136
363
138
237
41
357
100.0
32.0
12.1
20.8
3.7
31.4
1,329
480
139
317
35
358
100.0
36.1
10.5
23.8
2.6
27.0
1,366
470
181
351
46
318
100. 0
34.4
13.2
25.7
3.4
23.3 1
1,476
594
133
431
35
283
100.0
40.3
9.1
29.2
2.4
19.0
Houston:
Clothing___________________ ________ _____________
Indianapolis:
Jacksonville:
Kansas City:
Los Angeles:
Memphis:
Minneapolis:
Mobile:
N ew Orleans:
New York:
All other items_____*...........................................................
1 Including fuel, light, and refrigeration.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Percent
976
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
T a b l e 2 . —Actual Expenditures in 1 Year 1934-36, Compared With the Cost in 1934-36
of Goods Purchased in 1 Year 1917—19—Continued
Families of White Wage Earners and Lower-Salaried Clerical Workers With Annual
Incomes from $1,200 to $1,500— Continued
City and item
Norfolk:
All ite m s -................. —............ .
Food__________ ________
Clothing________ ____ ____
Housing 1------------------------Furnishings and equipment.
All other item s____________
Philadelphia:
All item s...........................................
Food_____________________
Clothing_________________
Housing 1_________________
Furnishings and equipment.
All other item s____________
Pittsburgh:
All item s------------------------------Food-------------------------------Clothing_________________
Housing 1------------------------Furnishings and equipment.
All other item s____________
Portland, Maine:
All items------- -----------------------Food_____ ----------------------Clothing— ---------------------Housing 1________________
Furnishings and equipment
All other item s-----------------Richmond:
All item s___________ _________
Food------- -----------------------Clothing—------ ----------------Housing i ________________
Furnishings and equipment
All other item s__________ _
St. Louis:
All items...............— ................ —.
Food_____________________
Clothing_________________
Housing 1__________ ______
Furnishings and equipment
All other item s____________
San Francisco:
All item s________________ ____
Food—_______ ___________
C lo th in g .,.---------- -----------Housing 1_________________
Furnishings and equipment.
All other item s____________
Scranton:
All ite m s..................... ...................
Food_______ ______ _______
Clothing____ _____________
Housing L —______________
Furnishings and equipment.
All other items____________
Seattle:
All item s________ _____ ^______
F o o d ...__________________
C lo th in g ..._________ _____
Housing i ________________
Furnishings and equipment.
All other item s____________
1 Including fuel, light, and refrigeration.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Estimated average
cost in 1934-36 of
goods purchased
in 1917-19
Average actual ex
penditures, 1934-36
Amount
Percent
Amount
$ 1, 221
100.0
351
244
230
20.0
$1,392
515
145
337
101
295
28.7
18.8
8.3
24.2
86
Percent
100.0
37.0
10.4
24.1
6.2
309
22.3
1,429
529
131
385
53
331
100.0
1,395
510
146
330
67
342
100.0
1,354
516
135
351
59
293
100.0
1.364
444
138
349
60
373
JOO.O
32.5
100.0
1,239
391
155
290
51
353
100.0
1,188
377
179
263
53
316
100.0
1,217
403
177
266
59
311
100.0
1.173
329
158
225
67
394
100.0
1,155
388
124
244
57
342
100.0
5.0
29.6
1,332
509
114
287
55
367
1,291
432
205
267
48
340
100.0
33.4
15.9
20.7
3.7
26.3
1, 357
502
133
315
27
380
100.0
37.0
9.8
23.2
2.0
28.0
1,253
404
208
253
63
325
100.0
32.3
16.6
20.2
5.0
25.9
1, 375
512
160
379
55
269
100.0
37.2
11.6
27.7
4.0
19.5
1,304
362
188
274
74
404
100.0
27.8
14.5
21.0
5.7
31.0
1,347
480
128
295
32
412
100.0
35.7
9.5
21.9
2.4
30.5
31.5
12.5
23.4
4.1
28.5
31.8
15.0
22.1
4.5
26.6
33.1
14.6
21.9
4.8
25.6
28.0
13.5
19.2
5.7
33.6
33.6
10.7
21.1
37.0
9.2
26.9
3.7
23.2
36.6
10.5
23.7
4.8
24.4
38.1
9.9
25.9
4.4
21.7
10.1
25.6
4.4
27.4
38.2
8.6
21.6
4.1
27.5
Family Expenditures in Post-War Period
977
A comparison of housing expenditures in 1934-36 with those esti
mated as required to provide the type of housing secured by the group
studied at the end of the war period again shows generally higher
expenditures at the later period. When expenditures for housing as
such are combined with those for fuel, light, and refrigeration, the
total in all of the 27 cities is found to be higher than that required to
purchase the housing paid for in 1917-19. Data secured on housing
facilities show a larger proportion of the families as having electric
lighting and modern plumbing. Apparently, the housing standards
of employed workers in the United States in the income ranges covered
have been raised.
Expenditures for miscellaneous items were in general higher m
1934-36 than they would have been if the expenditure patterns of
1917-19 had been maintained. In two-thirds of these cities a higher
expenditure was found for this group of items, which includes trans
portation, travel, recreation, education, cosmetics, haircuts, and other
goods and services affecting personal appearance. It would seem that
an important change in attitudes toward consumption expenditures
had occurred among moderate-income urban families in the interval
between these two investigations. Concern over the personal ap
pearance of the family in public has been reoriented, and the barber
and hairdresser now receive considerably more attention than m
1917—19. Nowadays when the family has had a successful year, it is
quite as apt to think of the automobile as a symbol of success as to
turn to new clothes or new furniture for the parlor. At the end of
the war period, motor cars were owned so seldom by wage earners and
clerical workers that the schedule used in the Bureau of Labor Sta
tistics’ investigation of family expenditures classified automobiles with
motorcycles and bicycles. Fifteen percent of the families covered
reported some expenditures for either one or another of these three
types of vehicles. Among families of similar composition studied m
1934-36, approximately 50 percent owned automobiles.
Among the families studied in 1934-36, expenditures for clothing
were almost uniformly lower than might have been expected on the
basis of the 1917-19 figures. In only four cities were the 1934-36
expenditures larger than would have been required to buy the equiva
lent of the 1917-19 costumes. Apparently American moderate-in
come families are actually wearing less than at the end of the war
period. The relationship of expenditures for furnishings and equip
ment in 1934-36 to the amount required to buy the equivalent of the
1917-19 purchases varies considerably. In 12 cities, the 1934-36
expenditure was higher, in 13 cities lower, and in 2 cities the expendi
tures were identical.
.
A summary of actual money expenditures by families m the $1 ¿00
to $1,500 income bracket in the two periods shows that in almost
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
978
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
every city average total expenditures for goods and services were
higher in 1934-36 than in 1917-19. These generally larger expendi
tures by families with approximately the same money incomes were
met by the families studied at the later period in a variety of ways.
In some cities, the group as a whole finished the year with net savings,
but in 33 of the 35 cities the balance sheet of the families covered in
this income group in 1934-36 showed a less favorable situation than
that of the similar families covered in 1917-19. In the earlier investi
gation the families studied at this income level in only one city (New
York) showed a net deficit for the group. In the recent investigation,
families of the same composition and income in 16 out of 35 cities
showed a net deficit, and in all but 2 of the 19 cities where net savings
were recorded in the 1934-36 investigation, the average amount
saved was smaller than that shown by the group studied earlier.
T a b l e 3 . —Average
Net Change in Assets and Liabilities in 1 Year
Families of White Wage Earners and Lower-Salaried Clerical Workers With Annual
Incomes from $1,200 to $1,500
Families from which data were obtained for—
1917-19
1934-36
City
Percent
having a
surplus
Baltimore_____
Birmingham___
Boston............... .
Buffalo........... .
Cincinnati_____
Cleveland_____
Columbus..........
Dallas................
Denver................
D etroit......... .......
Grand R apids...
Houston_______
Indianapolis___
Jacksonville___
Kansas C ity ___
Los Angeles____
Louisville...........
Manchester____
M em phis______
Milwaukee____
Minneapolis___
Mobile_________
New Orleans___
N ew York_____
Norfolk________
Philadelphia___
Pittsburgh_____
Portland, Maine.
Richmond_____
Sacramento____
St. Louis_______
Salt Lake C ity ...
San Francisco__
Scranton...........
Seattle_________
78
81
62
72
70
70
73
81
70
74
74
71
87
61
65
77
76
76
69
77
68
68
74
58
65
72
70
76
64
67
71
52
68
85
62
Average
surplus (+ )
or deficit
(-)1
+$37
+127
+31
+58
+71
+28
+52
+23
+36
+47
+48
+51
+92
+38
+43
+78
+68
+59
+35
+54
+46
+49
+41
-4
+25
+26
+57
+51
+19
+49
+66
+2
+58
+65
+7
Percent
having a
surplus
Average
surplus (+ )
or deficit
(-)»
65
54
56
60
58
42
73
45
58
53
48
61
41
70
43
56
72
71
52
55
54
54
47
41
50
53
47
29
39
56
64
53
56
54
69
+$17
+2
-3 3
-6
+4
-6 9
+68
-3 8
-8
-4 4
+6
+9
-7 8
+ 10
-2 5
+4
+53
+5
-4 2
-6 1
-2 3
-3 9
-4 3
-101
-4 1
-6 6
-2 4
+18
+3
+32
+16
-2 1
+20
-2 3
+41
» Computed by finding the difference between the aggregate surplus and the aggregate deficit of all fami
lies in the specified income group in each city and dividing that difference by the number of families.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Family Expenditures in Post-War Period
979
In considering these differences, it is important to remember the
difference in the national situation at the time the two investigations
were made. Much of the data obtained in the 1917-19 investigation
applies to years ending between June 30 and November 1, 1918, a
time when Government loans were being floated in small denomina
tions, and subscriptions to them by moderate-income families were
made at considerable sacrifice. Amounts paid on such subscriptions
by families covered in the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ study would,
of course, appear as savings in calculating changes in assets and
liabilities.
The investigation in 1934-36 was made just after a period of exten
sive unemployment and reduction in earnings, in which most low and
moderate-income families, even if they had not suffered acutely from
unemployment themselves, had postponed, insofar as possible, all
expenditures which were not immediately necessary. By 1934 and
more particularly by 1935, anxiety with reference to the future was
somewhat relieved, especially in the case of the group of families
covered by this investigation, since families without relatively steady
employment and families having been on relief at any time prior to the
interview by the field agent were excluded from the study. It was
natural, therefore, to find them buying with a certain amount of opti
mism to make up for the enforced economies of the past, drawing on
savings where possible, and where savings were not available, on credit.
There seems, however, to be another reason for the differences in
the expenditures of families with the same incomes. There is much
that indicates that families of wage earners and clerical workers
actually have higher standards of living than similar workers at the
end of the war period. Their diets more nearly approach the recom
mendation of specialists in human nutrition; they have homes with
better lighting; many of them are able to travel more because they
have automobiles. The change in the ideas of these workers as to
how they ought to live has resulted in fundamental changes in their
expenditure patterns. Insofar as the analyses already made make it
possible to compare the goods and services purchased by comparable
families, it would appear that the change has resulted in a level of
living which may actually be called higher than that found at the
end of the war. The fact that in almost half of the cities for which
the figures are available, the entire group studied at this income level
showed a net deficit for the year is a warning signal that this improve
ment in consumption cannot be generally maintained unless higher
incomes can be earned to pay for it.
102770—38-
2
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
PATTERNS OF AGRICULTURAL LAHOR MIGRATION
WITHIN CALIFORNIA1
By P aul S. T aylor and E dward J. R owell 2
THE fruit, vegetable, and cotton crops of California depend upon
migratory labor. Their hand-labor requirements are heavy, and these
are concentrated in short seasonal peaks. On family farms, the need
for outside laborers may be concentrated into one or two periods of a
week or two when perhaps 25 or even 100 laborers are employed. On
large-scale farms, a few year-round laborers are sufficient to tend the
crops except for brief seasonal peaks when several hundred migrants
are required. The peak season in some localities which specialize in
deciduous fruit is very short, lasting only 2 or 3 weeks. One of the
longest peaks is the cotton harvest, which lasts from October through
December, with occasional days of employment thereafter. There
fore, the length of crop-ripening periods, the tendency of localities to
specialize in one or two crops, and the large-scale operations which
characterize California’s highly commercialized agriculture, all com
bine to pioduce dependence on a highly mobile labor class which shifts
from one part of the State to another, “following the crops.”
Extent of Migratory Labor
The numbers of migratory agricultural workers in California remain
to be measured. Adams places the demand for “efficient seasonal
workers” at 48,000 in March and 145,000 in September.3 The Cali
fornia State Relief Administration estimated “agricultural laborers
required” in 33 counties in 1935 at 46,500 in January and 198,000 in
September. In October 1935 an estimated peak of 49,500 laborers
“not resident in county where employed” were required.4 But these
estimates of labor demand do not take into account the inefficiency
of individual workers, the extreme inefficiency of labor distribution, and
the existence of a surplus labor supply.
In 1927 the California Department of Education enumerated
approximately 37,000 children “who declared that they were migratory
and definitely stated that they and their parents had no permanent
place of residence.” Undoubtedly, the parents of most of these
children engaged in agriculture. No school census of more recent
is study is part of researches supported by the Farm Security Administration and the Social Security
oard. Previous articles based upon these studies were given in the February 1936 (p. 312) December
1936 (p. 1355), and March 1937 (p. 537) issues of the M onthly Labor Review.
2 Professor Taylor, cf the University of California, is consultant to the Social Security Board, and Dr
Rowell is regional labor adviser of the Farm Security Administration,
a Proceedings of the Western Farm Economic Association, 1937, pp. 66-78: Farm Labor, by R L Adams
" California State Relief Administration. Division of Research and Surveys. Survey of Agricultural
Labor Requirements in California, 1935. December 1935.
980
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Labor Migration Within California
981
date is available, but it is unlikely that the number ol migrants has
diminished since 1927; on the contrary, probably it has increased.
Since January 1938 the Farm Security Administration has made
relief grants to approximately 19,500 destitute farm laborers in Cali
fornia, practically without exception heads of migratory families, none
of whom had been in California more than 12 months. From these
limited data and from observation, therefore, there would appear to
be no ground at present for lowering the prevailing estimate of 150,000
men, women, and children who at some time during the year leave
their residence, if any, in order to work in the crops. On the other
hand, the measured influx into the State in the 2% years of almost a
quarter of a million migrants, principally from agricultural areas and
with former agricultural experience, seems to warrant an increase in
the estimates. Unquestionably, the uncertain basis of the estimates
should be stressed, and the urgent desirability of a new school census
which will enumerate children of agricultural migrants and so provide
an index of the total agricultural migrant population, should be
emphasized.
Shifting Labor Peaks
The peak seasonal labor requirements of different areas occur at
different times. Thus in southern California they occur in February
and March and again in September and October. In the San Joaquin
Valley they occur in August, September, and October. In the
Sacramento Valley they occur in May and June. In the valleys of the
central coast they occur variously from May to October. Within each
of these major areas the labor peaks of particular localities arrive at
different dates. The ■result is a continual movement by laborers’
families in the endeavor to dovetail brief periods of employment. A
recent study has reported that one-fourth of a group of 136 migrant
families traveled more than 1,000 miles between jobs in California
agriculture within a year.5
Routes of Migration
The diversity of routes followed by the migrants is almost infinite,
for the agricultural labor market is highly disorganized and laborers
move about from crop to crop according to their own information as to
the location of probable employment. Furthermore, their choice of
routes is affected by differences in their earning capacity in different
crops, which depend partly upon skill and experience and partly upon
whether the men are accompanied by women and children who can
obtain employment in some crop operations but not in others. Be
sides, they are influenced by the satisfactory or unsatisfactory char
acter of their experience working for particular employers the preceding
* California State Relief Administration. Agricultural Migratory Laborers in the San Joaquin Valley
December 1937. (Mimeographed.)
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
982
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
year, by expectations of good and poor crops, and by the location, if
any, which they regard as their base of operations.
Some routes may be suggested to illustrate the surges of migration.
Of course the actual variations of individual migrations approximating
these patterns are numberless. A well-filled year might include
picking peas in Imperial Valley in February and March, at Nipomo on
the central coast in April, and in Alameda County or Yolo County in
May; picking apricots in Contra Costa County in June, and in Santa
Clara County in July; picking grapes in Fresno County in August and
September, and peas in October; picking peas in Imperial Valley in
November and December, and awaiting the maturity of the next pea
crop in February. Some migrants find alternative spring employ
ment in the citrus belt of Tulare County. For other migrants the
year’s work goes somewhat as follows: Pea picking in Imperial Valley
m February and March, potato picking or cotton chopping in Kern
County in May and June, apricot picking in Kings County in July,
grape picking in Fresno County in August, and cotton picking for the
rest of the year in Kern County.
Filipino migrants, comprising young, single men with hardly an
exception, commonly work back and forth between lettuce crops in
the Salinas and Imperial Valleys and the grape harvest in Fresno
County, or between the sugar-beet crop in the Salinas or Sacramento
Valleys, the asparagus crop in the Stockton Delta, and the grape
harvest in the San Joaquin Valley. Filipinos practically never pick
cotton.
Mexican migrants, who move typically in family groups, frequently
dovetail work in lettuce and cantaloupes in Imperial Valley with
peach and apricot picking near Hollister or in the Santa Clara Valley,
and grape picking near Fresno. Cotton picking in the San Joaquin
Valley or walnut picking in Ventura County also appear in the routes
as alternative employments in the fall.
Three routes actually followed by particular migrant families in
1934 may be set down as examples:
Mexican fa m ily — Salt River Valley, Arizona, for lettuce, January-March;
Imperial Valley, tying carrots, March-June; Conejos, picking apricots, June;
Tulare County, picking peaches, July-August; Fresno County, picking plums,
August; Tulare County, picking cotton, September-November; Salt River Valley,’
for lettuce, November-March.
Washington family. Cazadero, for independent trapping, January-March;
Yuba City, thinning peaches, March-May; Sonoma County, picking cherries,
May-June; King City, picking apricots, June; Sonoma County, picking apples’,
June-July; Exeter, peach dry yard, July-December.
Oklahoma fam ily.— Wasco and Buttonwillow, picking cotton, planting and pick
ing potatoes, January-August; Selma, picking peaches, August; Shatter, picking
cotton, September-December; Wasco, picking cotton, December.
Except for work near Selma, in Fresno County, the year’s migration
of the Oklahoma family was entirely within Kern County.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Labor Migration Within California
983
State-Wide Migration Patterns
Emphasis upon variety of routes should not obscure the existence of
fairly well-defined patterns of migration. In order to show the com
mon patterns of full migration, actual routes followed by 50 Mexican
and 50 American white families, respectively, are charted on the
accompanying maps. The width of the lines is proportioned to the
times the route was traveled by these families during the year com
mencing June 1934. The following notation clarifies the charts:
Beginning with the truck crops in Imperial Valley in January, the Mexicans
leave as early as March for Nipomo peas or as late as June for Hemet apricots.
Some linger in the citrus belt of southern California or the truck gardens of Los
Angeles County. Guasti, the large vineyard in San Bernardino County, provides
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
984
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
some with summer work. Seasonal work of various sorts can be found during
much of the year, though most of it is done by those of more permanent residence
who migrate very little. Around Santa Paula, Ventura, and Conejos, work in the
walnut groves is added to possibilities of citrus and truck crop labor. Most of
the Mexicans find their summer and fall work in the San Joaquin Valley south
from Fresno. Thinning fruit, chopping cotton, and harvesting fruit and cotton
provide sufficient work to keep them in the area. It is notable that the Mexican
migration runs from the great Mexican center of Brawley to Fresno, in contrast
to the more scattered points of origin of the American whites.
The American whites, starting from diverse areas in Imperial Valley, move out
earlier than the Mexicans and go as far north as Marysville for the peach harvest.
Then they move south again for grapes and cotton. Of the 50 American schedules,
not one gave Brawley or Los Angeles as a stopping place. The heavier lines in
northern California are caused by a great deal of movement back and forth in
that part of the State. It is not infrequent, for example, that two trips are made
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Labor Migration Within California
985
to the Marysville area, one for thinning peaches, and a second for the harvest;
between times, Brentwood offers opportunity to pick apricots. Though the
selection was made on the basis of State-wide migration, the fact that a few of the
American white families did not include southern California in their migration
also adds to the width of the lines in the north.
The marked difference in degree of northward migration beyond
Fresno shown by these sample groups of two nationalities is repre
sentative of the difference characterizing the entire Mexican and
American white migratory labor populations. The fact that these
maps show intrastate migration only, however, should not obscure the
existence of fairly heavy seasonal labor migration between California
and Arizona to the southeast, Oregon and Washington to the north,
and even Idaho on the east, where sugar beets and pea fields have been
drawing increasing numbers of California migrants in recent years.
Although labor peaks are occurring continuously in different areas
within the State, the employment of particular families is generally
extremely discontinuous. Distances to be traveled, difficulties in
connecting promptly with job opportunities, competition for jobs,
weather and price fluctuations, and the unevenness and short duration
of labor peaks all operate to prevent attainment of steady employ
ment by the migrants.
Migration Within Imperial Valley
Imperial Valley, in southeastern California, is one of the principal
areas of agricultural production dependent on migratory labor. Its
labor population moves about restlessly within the valley, and in
large numbers flows in and out of the valley according to the seasonal
demand, elsewhere. This extreme development of labor mobility,
coupled with opportunity to use a statistical index better than usually
is available, led to selection of Imperial County for special analysis.
Most of the field labor in intensive crops in Imperial Valley is
performed by Mexicans.6 Also, the Mexicans move about largely in
family groups. The segregation of school enrollment data into
Mexican and non-Mexican children, therefore, permits use of Mexican
enrollment statistics as a monthly index of the presence or absence of
field laborers in the school district.7
8 For background of agricultural labor in Imperial Valley see Paul S. Taylor: Mexican Labor in the
United States—Imperial Valley (Univ. Calif. Pub. Econ. VI, N o. 1, 1928).
i See Taylor, op. cit., for map of school districts and for discussion of the validity of enrollment statistics
as an index of total Mexican population. The use of Filipino field laborers, who are without children, and
of American white families from the Southwest has increased markedly since 1936. But data for years
between 1929 and 1935 are used in the present article, when enrollment statistics probably furnish better
indices of the m obility of field labor than subsequently.
A few districts in Imperial County, with small enrollment, lie outside the valley, viz, Andrade, Bard,
Glamis, Ogilby, Winterhaven. The only appreciable groups of Mexicans in the valley whose occupation
is not that of field labor live in the cities of Calexico, E l Centro, and Brawley, but even there, especially El
Centro and Brawley, the field laborers predominate heavily.
The fortunate existence in Imperial County of data more satisfactory than elsewhere in California is to be
credited to the keen understanding and initiative of Harry A. Skinner, former deputy superintendent of
schools.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
986
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
For convenience in analyzing mobility, table 1 has been constructed
to show monthly fluctuation of enrollment of Mexican children in
1929-30, 1932-33, and 1934-35. Schools have been grouped on the
basis of when peak enrollment occurred, whether in fall, winter, or
spring, or whether enrollment was relatively stable. The accompany
ing graph shows fluctuations in the year 1929-30 when they were
maximum.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
987
Labor Migration Within California
T able 1.—Fluctuations in Enrollment of Mexican Children in Elementary Schools of
Imperial County, California, by Months, in Selected Years 1
Group I,2 fall
peak
Year and month
1929-30:
October_____ __________
November_________ . . .
December_____________
January_______________
February________ ____
M arch.. _____________
April______ _____ . . .
M ay__________________
June__________ . . . . . .
1932-33:
October____ __________
November_____________
December_____________
January_______________
February_____ ________
March______________ .
April. ________________
M ay_______ _______ ___
June__ _____ __________
1934-35:
October____ _ _______
November______ __ _ _
Decem ber.____________
January______ ______
February_____________
March________________
A pril.___________ _____
M ay____________ _ . . .
June_____________ ____
Group II,2 winter
peak
Group III,2
spring peak
Group IV,2 stable
enrollment
Percent Percent Percent Percent Percent Percent Percent Percent
of
of
of
of
of
of
of
of
annual
annual
annual
annual
total
total
total
total
average monthly
average monthly
average monthly
average m onthly
Mexican
Mexican
Mexican enroll Mexican enroll
enroll
enroll
enroll enroll enroll enroll
ment
ment
ment
ment
ment
ment
ment
ment
109.5
125.9
108.2
100.0
103.4
103.4
102.0
89.8
58.5
27.9
29.6
25.6
25.0
24.8
24.3
24.1
22.1
16.8
71.2
85.8
102.8
123.4
132.2
123.0
102.0
85.8
73.7
36.1
39.0
40.0
43.8
44.2
42.4
39.7
35.8
32.3
60.4
73.5
87.6
99.2
115.0
116.0
118.3
113.1
117 5
18.7
21.3
23.4
24.5
26.0
26.2
26.8
26.3
27.2
87.2
94.3
100.1
103.1
104.7
104.7
102.9
104.8
98.0
51.6
52.5
53.6
53.7
53.2
52.6
52.2
53.1
52.8
106.3
115.6
115.6
112.0
105.1
98.2
96.4
93.4
88.3
48.5
50.3
49.0
47.9
46.1
44.6
44.6
43.3
41.8
75.8
91.9
98.5
107.3
118.9
115.3
105.6
97.9
84.5
31.2
34.8
34.8
35.2
37.4
37.0
35.5
35.8
31.8
76.6
75.4
93.3
93.9
102.5
108.6
112.6
117.1
101.5
35.0
33.8
37.1
36.5
39.0
40.3
41.1
42.2
37.5
94.2
100.1
101.8
92.7
98.1
106.5
105.6
103.2
97.8
46.5
47.7
47.0
42.6
44.4
48.2
48.4
48.5
47.4
82.6
94.6
108.7
105.4
101.1
105.4
105.4
97.8
98.9
32.3
33.6
36.9
37.5
35.9
37.7
38.8
35.6
36.8
73.1
82.6
100.0
107.7
121.8
123.9
97.3
102.0
91.0
20.7
22.4
25.0
25.9
27.2
26.9
23.3
24.9
23.1
66.8
82.9
93.8
106.3
109.1
108.4
114.0
113.1
105.5
35.6
40.0
42.7
44.7
44.8
44.5
46.2
45.9
50.1
90.4
95.8
100.3
102.7
103.9
102.1
101.3
102.1
101.1
51.0
52.0
52.7
52.7
52.4
53.0
51.6
52.0
51.9
'
1 Data are from records of Imperial County supervisor of school attendance.
* The numerical annual average enrollments of Mexican children in elementary schools of Imperial Coun
ty, by groups, were as follows: 1929-30— Group I, 147, Group II, 1,692, Group III, 739, Group IV, 998; 193233—Group I, 334, Group II, 2,073, Group III, 475, Group IV, 1,209; and 1934-35— Group I, 92, Group II,
547, Group III, 2,144, Group IV, 1,225. If the maximum enrollment of Mexicans occurred in the first 3
months, schools were classified in Group I; if in the second 3 months, they were placed in Group II; if in the
last 3 months, in Group III. In rare cases equal peak enrollments occurred in 2 seasons; then the greater
enrollment in all 3 months of the season combined determined classification of the school. If the range
between maximum and minimum enrollments of Mexicans was not greater than one-third the average
Mexican enrollment for the year, the enrollment was regarded as “stable” and the school classified in Group
IV. This limit was well above the range of fluctuation in enrollment of “non-Mexican” children in all
elementary schools; the latter exhibited a range of only 22 percent above and below the average in 1929-30
and 1934-35, and only 15.2 percent in 1932-33. Resultant classification of schools:
Group I:
1929-30, Alamo, Bard, Eastside, Meloland, Rose, Sunset Springs.
1932-33, Heber, Highline, Jasper, Laguna, Magitolia, Meloland, North End, Rose.
1934-35, Glamis, Rose, Ogilby, North End, Verde.
Group II:
1929-30, Acacia, Brawley, Calipatria, Eucalyptus, Heber, Highline, Holtville, Lantana, Magnolia,
Mesquite Lake, Mulberry, Niland, North End, Silsbee, Verde.
1932-33, Alamitos, Brawley, Calipatria, Eastside, El Centro, Eucalyptus, Holtville, Lantana, McCabe,
Mulberry, Niland, Palmetto, Silsbee.
1934-35, Laguna, E l Centro, Calipatria, Elm, Eucalyptus, Silsbee, Palmetto, Niland, Westside.
Group III:
1929-30, Alamitos, Dixieland, E l Centro, Glamis, Imperial, Mount Signal, Seeley, Trifolium, West
moreland, Westside.
1932-33, Acacia, Alamo, Dixieland, Mount Signal, Ogilby, Seeley, Trifolium, Westmoreland, Westside.
1934-35, Lantana, Heber, Seeley, Sunset Springs, Alamo, Brawley, Eastside, Mount Signal, Mulberry,
Westmoreland, Holtville, Imperial, Magnolia, Meloland, Trifolium.
Group IV :
1929-30, Andrade, Calexico, Central, Colorado, Elm, Jasper, Laguna, McCabe, Ogilby, Winterhaven.
1932-33, Andrade, Bard, Calexico, Colorado, Elm (equal peaks in fall and spring), Glamis, Imperial,
M esquite, Sunset Springs, Verde, Winterhaven.
1934-35, Highline, Jasper, McCabe, Mesquite, Winterhaven, Dixieland, Calexico, Alamitos, Bard,
Andrade, Acacia, Colorado.
Italicized districts for 1932-33 and 1934-35 were in the same group in 1929-30; others were not.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
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Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
F A L L S E A SO N A L P E A K
The extreme variability which characterizes the movement of the
laborers is clearly shown in the statistics. Fluctuations occur with
great irregularity as well as with great intensity. For example, the av
erage number of Mexican children enrolled in schools with fall peak rose
from 147 in 1929-30 to 334 in 1932-33, and fell as low as 92 in 1934-35.
The proportion of Mexican children to all children in these schools rose
from 24.6 percent in 1929-30 to 46.3 percent in 1932-33, but fell only
to 37.9 percent in 1934-35. The greatest range of fluctuation occurred
m 1929-30, when enrollment varied from as high as 125.9 percent of
the annual average in November to as low as 58.5 percent in June.
Peak enrollment was 185, or 215 percent of the 86 children enrolled
in the slack month.
W IN T E R SE A S O N A L P E A K
The numbei of Mexican children enrolled in schools with peak in
the winter rose from an average of 1,692 in 1929-30 to 2,073 in 1932-33,
but fell to 547 in 1934-35, principally because Brawley shifted to the
spring peak group in the latter year. Besides, the lettuce harvest,
which occurs in winter months, fell from 12,608 carlots in 1929 to
6,356 m 1935. The proportion of Mexican children to all children in
these schools fell from 39.6 percent to 24.5 percent. The greatest
range of fluctuation occurred in 1929—
30, when enrollment varied from
71.2 percent of the annual average to 132.2 percent. Enrollment rose
from a low point of 1,204 in October to a peak of 2,237 in February or
186 percent of the low.
S P R IN G SE A S O N A L P E A K
The number of Mexican children in schools with spring peak enroll
ment fell from an average of 868 in 1929-30 to 475 in 1932-33, but
rose to 2,144 in 1934-35, mainly because of the inclusion of Brawley
m
group for the first time in the latter year. The proportion of
Mexican to all children enrolled in these schools rose from 24.8 percent
in 1929-30 to 44 percent in 1934-35. In the latter year, ’the peak
enrollment in April was 2,445, or 171 percent of the low enrollment of
1,432 in October.
The principal cause of spring peak enrollment in outlying districts
such as Westmoreland and Mount Signal is the cantaloup harvest.
But carlot shipments of cantaloupes from the valley fell from 14,378
in 1929 to 8,776 in 1932, and to 6,055 in 1935.8 It was not the canta
loup harvest, therefore, but rather the decline in migration from
Brawley out of the valley for spring work elsewhere that held spring
enrollment at a high figure in 1934-35. This decline in spring emigraReports of Imperial County Horticultural Commissioner.
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Labor Migration Within California
989
tion was the result of a complex of causes in which low wages, reduced
work opportunity because of growing labor surplus, and relief policies
giving preference to residents played a part.
The schools with stable enrollment had an average number of
Mexican children in 1929-30 of 998, who comprised 52.8 percent of all
children enrolled in these schools. The stable Mexican population
depends on agricultural employment sufficiently spread through the
year, or on small businesses and town occupations. In 1934-35 the
Mexican enrollment had risen to 1,225, and stood at 52.2 percent of
the total. The greatest range of fluctuation occurred in 1929-30,
when enrollment varied from 87.2 percent of the annual average in
October and 104.8 percent in May. In that year the peak enrollment
of 1,046 in May was only 120 percent of the low enrollment of 870 in
October.
IR R E G U L A R M O B IL IT Y
If the mobility recorded in these tables was regular, year after year,
the educational and social problems which they entail would be much
simpler than they are. But the fluctuations are irregular in the ex
treme. In 1932-33 there were 21 school districts in which peak en
rollment occurred during the same season (or in which enrollment was
stable) as in 1929-30, but 20 districts recorded a different seasonal
peak than 3 years earlier. In 1934-35 only 19 districts were in the
same seasonal group as in 1932-33, and 22 were not. And in 1934-35
only 15 districts were in the same seasonal group as they had been
barely 5 years earlier, while 26 districts were not. The important
district of Heber, which lies midway between El Centro and Calexico,
recorded peak enrollment in winter in 1929-30, in the fall in 1932-33,
and in the spring in 1934-35.
C O M PA R A TIV E M O B IL IT Y OF M E X IC A N S A N D N O N -M E X IC A N S
Comparison of the fluctuations of enrollment of Mexican and nonMexican children 9is made in table 2. Mexican enrollment increased
from 36.7 to 41.3 percent of the total in 5 years. It also became more
stable. The range of fluctuation diminished, and enrollment was
more constant throughout the year. The main reasons for this have
been indicated: Decline in the two main seasonal crops, lowered at
traction of seasonal work outside the valley, relief policies which
emphasize stable residence. In addition, more production of mixed
vegetable crops and alfalfa, with Mexicans increasingly employed in
alfalfa, reduced the seasonality of employment in the valley.
Non-Mexicans were much more stable than Mexicans both in 192930 and in 1934-35. In 1929-30, when the range of fluctuation of nonMexican children was greatest, the peak of 6,650 in March was only
8 Only a very small percentage are colored.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Monthly Labor Review—-November 1938
990
25 percent above the low enrollment of 5,299 in October. The
range of fluctuation of non-Mexicans was less in 1934-35 than 5 years
earlier, but nevertheless showed a much sharper drop in the final
month of June of 1935 than in 1930. Probably the seasonal exodus
northward of white American pea pickers, who were becoming numer
ous by 1935, accounts for the drop from 103.1 percent of annual
average enrollment in May to 93.1 percent in June, while Mexican
enrollment fell only from 107.9 percent to 102 percent in the same
month.
T a b l e 2 . — Comparison of Fluctuations in Enrollment of Mexican and Non-Mexican
Children in A ll Elementary Schools of Imperial County, Calif., 1929—30 and 1934-35 1
Month
Average.................
December______
February_______
March_________
M ay___________
Mexicans
Non-Mexicans
All children
Percent of Percent of
Percent of Percent of
Percent of
monthly
monthly
annual
annual
annual
N um
N um average
enrollment
enrollment N um average
average
ber,
ber,
ber,
19291929192930 1929- 1934- 1929- 193430
1929- 1934- 30 1929- 1934- 1929- 193435
35
30
35
30
35
30
35
30
30
9,737 100.0 100.0 6,161 100.0 100.0
7,980
8,690
9,596
10. 268
10,916
10, 786
10,196
9, 794
9,410
82.0
89.2
98.6
105.5
112.1
110.8
104.7
100.6
96.6
86.2
92.5
98.0
103.4
106.7
106.9
105.5
105.1
96.8
5,299
5,569
6,052
6,271
6,632
6,650
6,419
6,329
6,231
86.0
90.4
98.2
101.8
107.6
107.9
104.2
102.7
101.1
93.8
96.4
98.6
102.0
105.1
105.8
104.0
103.1
93.1
63.3
58.7 3,576 100.0 100.0
66.4
64.1
63.1
61.1
60.8
61.7
63.0
64.6
66.2
63.9
61.1
59.1
57.9
57.8
58.0
57.8
57.6
56.4
2,681
3,121
3,544
3,997
4, 284
4,136
3,777
3,465
3,179
75.0
87.3
99.1
111.8
119.8
115.7
105.6
96.9
88.9
75.3
87.1
97.0
105.4
109.1
108.6
107.7
107.9
102.0
36.7
41.3
33.6
35.9
36.9
38.9
39.2
38.3
37.0
35.4
33.8
36.1
38.9
40.9
42.1
42.2
42.0
42.2
42.4
43.6
i Data are from records of Imperial County Supervisor of School Attendance.
M O B IL IT Y A N D E D U C A T IO N A L PR O B L E M S
Because of this extreme and highly irregular mobility, educational
authorities are faced with the problem of providing facilities for
children ranging from as low as 86 percent of the annual average in
October to 107 percent in March. They must provide for children
from homes with foreign mother-tongue whose enrollment ranges
from 75 percent of the annual average in October to 109 percent in
February, and comprises 36 percent of total enrollment in the county
in October and nearly 44 percent in June. Enrollments in particular
districts exhibit even greater fluctuations than all schools in the Valley
together, during the same year, and these fluctuations recur irregularly
from year to year, making advance provision difficult.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
COOPERATIVE PRODUCTIVE ENTERPRISES IN THE
UNITED STATES
Summary
WORKERS’ productive associations, i. e., business enterprises owned
and operated by the workers themselves, have not been numerous in
the United States. There were 39 such associations in 1925, 20 in
1929, 18 in 1933, and 24 in 1936. In June 1937 there were, according
to information received by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 27 associa
tions.1 A total membership of 3,333 was reported at the end of June
1937, 2,167 being employed in the business. There were, in addition,
282 nonmember employees. Approximately $540,000 was paid in
wages in 1936 by the associations which reported on this point.
With share capital of $853,000 and net worth of almost $1,100,000,
these societies did a business in 1936 amounting to nearly $3,000,000,
or an average of about $160,000 per society. There were aggregate
net earnings of nearly $70,000, or an average of $5,200 per association.
A division of net earnings among the members was made by only
a few associations in 1936, some associations having been organized
only a comparatively short time, some having sustained net losses,
and others having placed their net earnings in the reserve. Over
$20,000 was divided among the members of 3 associations, or an
average of $6,800 per association.
Various types of industry are carried on by workers’ productive
associations. The industries represented in the Bureau’s study were
cigar making, the manufacture of clothing (including shoes), shingles
and lumber, canning and processing of food and fish, fisheries, print
ing and publishing, coal mining, sheet-metal works, sign painting,
laundries, and handicraft production.
Workers have undertaken productive enterprises from various
motives. Unemployment in their own industry has been a frequent
reason. In a number of cases they have become unemployed because
of the failure or the transfer to another locality of the plant in which
they were employed, and in others because of an unsuccessful strike
in which they were engaged. In some instances workers have been
assisted by their trade-union in starting a cooperative productive
business.
Unemployed miners have formed societies to take over and work
mines that had closed because they had proved unprofitable. Sign
painters, when the firm by which they were employed went out of
business, formed a cooperative to take up the business and carry it
1 The data presented herein were obtained in the Bureau’s general survey of cooperative associations.
Articles on various types of consumers’ cooperatives have appeared in earlier issues of the M onthly Labor
Review.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
991
992
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
on. Other unemployed workers have associated themselves for the
production and marketing of various lands of handicraft articles.
Indians have been aided by the Government in forming associations
for this purpose and for carrying on fisheries and fish canning and
processing. A society for the manufacture of frozen fish and other
products was formed by a group of fishermen and farmers as an outlet
for their fish and farm products.
An association was organized by farmers to operate a lumber mill
because it was impractical to move the logs from their small stands of
timber to a commercial mill. A shoe factory, which had operated
for 19 years, was started by a small group of shoe workers who origi
nally combined to build homes for themselves and later discarded the
idea in favor of a cooperative shoe factory.
The success of workers’ productive associations depends upon
several factors, but in many cases the nature of the business entered
upon militates against a continuing success. A cigar-makers’ society,
although in existence for 18 years, had had a constantly decreasing
business, which might be due to the increasing competition of ma
chine-made cigarettes and cigars. Societies formed by unemployed
miners to operate mines which had already proved unprofitable find
many of the difficulties the former owners had. Though these soci
eties are not, as a rule, able to make profits above wages, they have
provided work for their members. In one case, however, the workers
in 3 years paid off all their indebtedness and at the time of the study
owned the coal rights on over 3,000 acres of land, estimated as being
sufficient to keep their association going for another 80 years. Al
though no cash dividends had been paid, the value of the shares, it
was reported, had increased from $50 to $157.50 each. The members
averaged 3% days’ work per week under their own management, as
compared with 1% to 2 days’ work under the previous ownership.
Lack of adequate capital is common among workers’ productive
enterprises and may mean the difference between success and failure
in bad times. Other handicaps of associations of this type may be
business inexperience and lack of knowledge of salesmanship and of
market conditions. A few societies, however, have developed a high
degree of business management. One society, which was started in
1919 by a few shoe workers, weathered the depression (although with
deficits in some years), and had net earnings in 1935 and 1936; in
the latter year it paid a 10-percent dividend. It did a business of
approximately a million dollars in 1936, in an industry which is highly
competitive and subject to the fluctuations of fashion.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Cooperative Productive Enterprises
993
General Characteristics of Cooperative Workshops
A comparison of the structure of the societies reporting in the pres
ent survey discloses that they vary in certain respects from the
“ideal” workers’ productive association. In the “ideal” workers’ pro
ductive association the workers in the business contribute all the
capital, and through their representatives manage and operate the
business. These owner-workers are paid regular wages, and any
profits of the business are divided among them according to one of
several plans.
The membership of a workers’ productive society tends to be more
circumscribed than that of a consumers’ cooperative society. In the
latter, an increase in membership expands the business, and in gen
eral reduces the overhead, thus increasing the savings which accrue
to the individual members. In the workers’ productive association,
on the contrary, additional worker-members increase the number to
share in the profits but do not necessarily enlarge the amount of
business transacted. The fact that the workers depend on the busi
ness for their livelihood tends to restriction of membership—as ad
ditional members are considered as reducing the profits of the others—
and may even result in closing the membership rolls altogether.2 If
the business is successful, additional workers may be taken on as
employees rather than as members, thus restricting the number who
will share in the profits.
The nature of the business or work conducted by the association
may also act as a limitation on the membership, especially if the work
requires particular skill or if the business is highly specialized.
Few of the associations reporting in the Bureau’s survey con
formed to the “ideal” association in every particular. Some had
been promoted by trade-unions and therefore had more of the char
acteristics of trade-union or joint-stock enterprises than of coopera
tive workshops, and only trade-unionists were accepted as members.
One or two societies were more nearly profit-sharing organizations
than cooperative societies, as the workers, although sharing in the
profits, owned only part of the capital stock. One such society had
used part of the profits of the business to buy the common stock
of the association; at the time of the survey it held collectively 63
percent of the common stock.
In general the broad outlook and cooperative idealism which are
features of the consumers’ cooperative movement are not a common
characteristic of workers’ productive societies.
* One association reporting in the present study stated that no new members were being accepted.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
994
Geographical and Industrial Distribution
Of the 27 workers’ productive associations in the United States in
June 1937, according to information received by the Bureau of Labor
Statistics, detailed reports of operations in 1936 were received from
22 societies. In 1933, the year of the last previous survey by the
Bureau, there were 18 societies. Both the geographical distribution
and the industrial distribution of the societies in 1937 differed from
those in 1933. A number of societies had been organized since the
previous survey, and some of the older societies were not represented
in 1937. ' The newer societies were not in all cases in the same States
and industries as the societies which had dropped out.
The number of workers’ productive societies in the different States
and industries in 1933 and June 1937, and the number reporting
operations in 1936, are shown in table 1.
T able 1.—Distribution of Workers' Productive Associations, by States and Type of
Association
Number in
existence
Number in
existence
State
Number
reporting
D e
cem June for 1936
ber 1937
1933
18
3
21
Minnesota_________
i
1
i
1
i
i
Tennessee__________
6
West Virginia______
Wisconsin.....................
1
Industry
Number
reporting
D e
cem June for 1936
ber 1937
1933
27
22
18
27
22
2
1
3
1
1
3
2
1
3
2
1
2
Fish canning and processing plants.
1
3
1
1
1
1
Food factories........ .......................
1
3
1
1
6
11
1
3
1
1
5
11
1
3
1
1
2
1
3
1
1
2
1
1
1
3
1
1
1
3
1
2
1
1
1
1
3
1
1
3
1
2
1
1
1
3
2
1
Printing and p u b lis h in g ..._____
Shingle m ills ......................................
Sign painting establishments_____
4
2
1 Also carries on a cannery business.
Year of Organization
•While the majority of the workers’ productive associations in exist
ence in 1937 had been organized since 1931, one association began
operations as early as 1897. Nine associations were organized in the
two decades from 1910 to 1929. Of the newer associations, five started
in 1932, one each in 1934 and 1935, seven in 1936, and two in 1937.
The age of these associations therefore ranged from a few months to
40 years, the javerage age of those in existence at the end of 1936
being approximately 8 years.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Cooperative Productive Enterprises
,
995
,
Membership Employment and Wages
Membership in workers’ productive associations is frequently
limited in certain ways. The most common restriction is that only
the employees or workers may be members. Five of the associations
reporting on this point had this restriction, and three of these had an
additional requirement. In one the workers were required to be
members of their craft union, and in another they must be licensed
workers and residents of the locality. In the third society the by-laws
required that the membership must not be less than 16 unless author
ized by a majority of all stock issued. In three societies the members
must be Indians of a certain tribe, and in one society they must be
farmers. The by-laws of one society limited the membership to pro
ducing farmers, fishermen, woodsmen, and employees of the society.
Seven associations reported that they had no limitations on member
ship, but in one of these the members were nearly all producers. One
small association had closed its membership and would accept no new
members.
The membership of the individual societies and the number of
member and nonmember employees at the end of June 1937, as well as
the year of organization, are shown in table 2.
T a b l e 2 . — Year of Organization, Members (Shareholders), and Employees of Workers’
Productive Associations, June 1937
Members
(sharehold
ers)
Society
Year
of organiN um
zaber
tion N um work
ber ing in
busi
ness
T otal___ _____ ______
Society N o. 1________
Society N o. 2. ______
Society N o. 3___ ____
Society No. 4________
Society No. 5_.
___
S ocietyN o .fi___ ____
Society N o. 7________
Society No. 8________
Society No. 9________
Society N o. 10_______
Society No. 11_______
Society No. 12_______
Society N o. 13_______
1924
1936
1937
1910
1928
1919
1936
1936
1932
1929
1936
1936
1936
Members
(sharehold
ers)
Nonmem
ber
em
ploy
ees
Society
NonYear
mem
of orber
ganiN um em
zaber
tion N um work ploy
ees
ber ing in
busi
ness
3,333
2,167
282
1934
8
8
0
3
8
98
1 78
112
594
105
163
241
112
500
33
119
3
6
98
78
112
130
105
163
241
112
500
33
72
4
1
1932
Society N o. 17_______ 1920
Society No. 18_ _____ 1928
1897
1937
1935
1916
1932
1918
1932
1936
7
74
42
219
1 170
30
13
l 22
50
116
400
7
10
42
1
170
30
12
22
23
38
60
52
10
14
22
2
127
40
0
9
0
* Employee members; total membership not reported.
In 13 societies all the members were employed in the business and in
another all but one were so employed. Eleven societies employed
nonmembers as well as members, and in three of these there were
approximately as many nonmember as member employees. Four
102770— 38—
3
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
996
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
societies reported they had no nonmember employees, and the other
11 did not report on this point. The number of nonmember employees
in the societies which reported having such employees ranged from
1 to 127 per society.
In the coal mines, the sheet-metal works, the fishery, the laundry,
and the handicraft associations, all the members were employed in
the business; in the shingle mill all but one were employed; and in the
printing and publishing plants all but two were employed. The shoe
factories had the largest number of nonmember employees.
Table 3 shows the number of members in the societies in the various
industries, and also the number of member and nonmember employees.
I a b l e 3.
Members (Shareholders) and Employees of Workers' Productive Associations,
by K ind of Business
Members
(shareholders)
Kind of business
N umber
of societies
Number
T otal________
Cigar factories___
Clothing factories........
Coal m ines..
Fish canning and processing plants
Fisheries_______
Handicraft production .
Laundries____ .
Printing and publishing
Sheet-metal w orks..
Shingle m ills.. _.
Shoe factories___
Sign painting_______
2
Number
employed
in business
ber em
ployees
2,167
1
74
1
1
565
112
2 78
3 fi
41
1
42
50
1
10
280
210
112
78
764
42
23
190
282
61
2
40
22
10
2
4
14
127
1 association which reported 100 employee members; total number not stated
Employee members; total number not reported.
sw ieu.
4A^socannerySS°Clatl011S which reP°rted total of 38 employee members; total number not stated.
Wages. Over $500,000 was paid in wages in 1936 by the 12 societies
which reported on this point. The average annual earnings per em
ployee in the different industries in 1936 ranged from $340 to $1,406,
the general average being $902. How much part-time work was
included in the employment for which these wages were paid was not
lepoited. The fact that a 10-hour week was reported in one instance
and a 3^-day week in another suggests that the low average earnings
may be due in some measure to part-time or seasonal employment,
especially of nonmember workers.
Twelve societies reported that they paid union wages or more,
and five that they did not pay the union scale. The other societies
did not report on this point.
The total and average wages paid in 1936 by workers’ productive
societies in the different kinds of business are shown in table 4. The
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
997
Cooperative Productive Enterprises
highest total wages were paid by a food factory and a shoe factory,
and the highest average wages by the food factory, a sheet-metal
works, and a shingle mill.
T able 4 . — Total and Average Wages Paid by Workers' Productive Associations, 1936
Wages paid, 1936
Kind of business
Number of
employees
Total
Average per
employee
T otal_______________________ ____ __________________
597
$538, 237
$902
-- - . . Cigar factories-.- ______ . . . . ---------Clothing factories------------------- ------------------ ---------Fish canning and processing-. ------- ------------ .
_ .
Food factories______________________________________
Handicraft production—
—
.- . .
-- ---- Printing and publishing-------------- ------------------ - . . .
. -------------- - - - --Sheet-m etalworks________
Shingle mills------- ---------- ------ --------- ----------- - Shoe factories---------------------------- - - ----------- -----------
10
119
44
100
32
2
7
20
257
3,398
65,862
19,631
140,646
25,091
515
8,225
27,962
246, 907
340
553
446
1,406
784
258
1,175
1,075
961
Hours oj labor.—The majority of the reporting associations had a
5-day working week. In 5 societies this 5-day week consisted of 40
hours, and in 3 associations of 35, 36, and 45 hours, respectively.
The 6-day week prevailed in 6 associations, the hours being 36, 42,
44, 44 or 48 according to the season, and 48, respectively.
Capitalization and Business
Share capital to the amount of $853,000 had been paid in by the
members of 14 associations by the end of 1936. The value of the
individual shares ranged from $5 to $1,000. Three associations had
originally been self-help organizations, financed initially by Federal
loans or grants. Another had a membership fee of $1. One coal
mine association had no cash share capital; its members each acquired
a share of stock by 15 days’ work.
The number of shares a member might hold was limited, in three
associations, to 3, 20, and 50 shares, respectively. In one organiza
tion employee members were required to have 10 shares, and associate
members from 1 to 9. Another association specified in its bylaws
that no one member should be permitted to own more shares than
another. The net profits of one association were used to purchase
the common stock of the organization at a stipulated price per share;
this was held collectively by the workers in a trust fund. The
dividends on this stock were also used to buy more stock. In this
way 63 percent of the stock had been acquired, according to the
latest report. In another society the earnings of the members, who
worked part time at other work, were not withdrawn but had been
used to build up capital.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
998
The net worth (capital stock, surplus, and reserves) of 16 associa
tions in 1936 was over a million dollars.
The aggregate business done by 18 of these associations in 1936
amounted to almost $3,000,000, an average of about $160,000 per
association. About 94 percent of the total business was at whole
sale and 6 percent was at retail.
Table 5 shows the capitalization, net worth (paid-in capital, sur
plus, surplus reserves, and undivided earnings), and total and average
business of the societies, classified according to kind of business.
T a b l e 5 . — Capitalization and Business of Workers' Productive Associations in 1936
N um
ber of
societies
report
ing
Kind of business
Total. . ___________ ___________ __________
22
Cigar factories_______________________________
Clothing factories___ . . . .
. . -------------Fish canning and processing plants------------------
1
2
3
1
1
5
1
1
3
1
1
2
Food factories_______________________________
Handicraft production________________________
Printing and p u b lish in g_____________________
Sheet-metal w o rk s________________ . ---------Shoe factories________________________________
1 14 societies.
2 16 societies.
3 18 societies.
< N ot reported.
Paid-in
share
capital
N et worth
Amount
of busi
ness
Average
business
per
society
i $853,293 2$1,078,341 >$2,876,040
$159,780
6,973
229,521
673,320
42, 704
869,024
42,767
(4)
«
15,468
27, 244
(4)
* 969,019
6,973
114,761
224,440
42, 704
869,024
8,553
4,313
75, 769
9 165,906
(4)
27, 493
359,450
402,449
9 5,998
(<)
2,060
4,295
3,000
34,258
155,245
301,165
9 7,799
2,457
2,900
9 4,219
5,539
7 17,833
385,152
! 1 society.
9 2 societies.
5,156
27,244
969,019
7 Deficit.
The aggregate business done by these associations increased each
year from 1934 to 1936. The trend varied, however, in the different
types of business. In the clothing, fish canning and processing, food,
sheet-metal, and handicraft-production groups business increased
each year, but the cigar-factory business decreased slightly. In
1935 the business of the fishery, printing and publishing, and shoefactory associations was not so good as in 1934, but improved in 1936.
Aggregate net losses were shown by the reporting associations in
1934, but in 1935 and 1936 aggregate net earnings were reported, there
being, however, a slight decline in the latter year. Two fish canning
and processing plants had the greatest aggregate yearly increase in
earnings from 1934 to 1936—from $832 to $3,866 to $11,796. The
other fish canning and processing plant reported a net loss of slightly
over $18,000; it also reported that it was holding for a favorable
market processed fish valued at nearly $37,000. One of the clothing
factories had net losses each year of the period, but these decreased
from over $8,000 in 1934 to less than $100 in 1936. A fishery asso
ciation had net losses in 1935 and 1936, and a shingle mill had losses
in 1934 and 1936.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
999
Cooperative Productive Enterprises
The amount of business done by tlie associations each year, 1934
to 1936, and the net earnings or losses each year are presented in
table 6.
T able 6. — Trend of Business and Net Earnings of Workers' Productive Associations,
1934 to 1936
Kind of business
T o ta l-.................................... - .........—
Cigar factories— ..............................
Clothing factories.......... .......................
Fish canning and processing plan ts..
Fisheries-.-........ ....................................
Food factories__________ __________
Handicraft production------------------Printing and publishing----------------Sheet-metal works________________
Shingle mills........ ..................................
Shoe factories..........................................
N um
ber of
socie
ties
re
port
ing
N et earnings
Business done
1934
1935
1936
1934
1935
1936
19 1 $2,475, 561 2 $2,606,986 3 $2,876,040 4 $35,254 » $68,933 3 $67.796
1
2
3
1
1
5
3
1
1
1
8,353
« 107,945
8 455,201
60,687
656,601
« 13, 500
8 2, 742
7,934
(13)
1,162, 598
7,055
8 112,962
8 669,298
42, 217
832, 782
» 26,546
8 2,699
11,251
( 13)
902,176
6,973
229, 521
673,320
42, 704
869,024
42,767
15,468
27,244
1 8,131
«832
4,267
8, 572
( 12 )
2,499
1« 1,839
969,019 i" 41,454
( 13)
^87
1 2,09Î
8 3,866 • 11,796
io 199 io 1,092
3,023
14,022
1,693
»422
( 12)
9, 265
4,661
9,197 io 9,279
39,055 52,477
1 12 societies.
* 13 societies.
* 18 societies.
« N et loss, 10 societies.
* 12 societies.
6 1 society.
» N et loss, 1 society.
* 2 societies; 1 other society had net loss of $18,314, but had processed fish valued at $36,815 held for favorable
market.
i° N et loss.
» 3 societies.
is 2 societies reported no earnings,
u N ot reported.
In addition to the wages earned by the member or shareholder
employees in a workers’ productive association, they are entitled to a
share of the net earnings of the business. It was the practice in
most of the reporting associations to distribute earnings on the basis
of the number of shares held. In one case stock was given the worker
instead of cash, and in another the earnings were used to buy the com
mon stock of the association for the workers collectively. One asso
ciation treated the net earnings as working reserve. Three of the
associations in the fisheries and fish canning and processing business
divided the net earnings among the fishermen according to the fish
delivered by each, and one divided the net profits equally between the
shareholders and the fishermen, the latter receiving their share on the
basis of the fish delivered by each. A shoe-factory association di
vided any surplus remaining, after paying 3% percent on preferred
stock and on purchases by common-stock holders, between the workers
(according to wages) and the retailers (according to sales). A handi
craft association distributed the net earnings to the workers on the
basis of wages.
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In 1936, however, only four associations divided any profits among
their members. One association paid 10 percent on shares, amount
ing to $9,170; another paid $40 in stock to the workers and 6 percent
on preferred stock; and a third paid dividends of 3% percent on pre
ferred stock and on purchases by common-stock holders, amounting
to $148. A fish-processing association distributed $11,078 equally
between stockholders and fishermen.
Developments Since 1925
Comparative data for 1925, 1929, 1933, and 1936 are presented in
table 7.
T a b l e 7.-—Development of Workers' Productive Societies, 1925 to 1936
Item
1925
Total number of s o c ie tie s___
Number of societies reporting___ _.
Members (shareholders) :
Number_________ _ _____
Number employed_________
Nonmember employees________
Share capital:
A m ount____ ______________
Average per s o c ie ty ... _____
_____
Business:
A m ount____
_____
Average per society______ . . . _____
Net earnings:
A m oun t.____ ________
Average per society____ . . .
Bonuses to members:
Amount_______________
Average per society______
___ ________
114 societies.
218 societies.
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*
1929
1933
1936
39
21
20
11
18
8
24
22
2,438
465
807
1, 405
421
236
1,181
447
650
3,065
1,899
230
$1,025, 509
51,275
$808, 230
73,475
$1, 234,704
154,338
t $853,293
60, 950
4, 573, 329
238, 596
3,847,666
349,788
3, 629,470
483, 684
2 2,876,040
159; 780
229,458
16,390
153, 370
30,674
2 86, 938
3 17,388
* 67, 796
5, 215
109,470
27,368
48, 635
9, 727
Net loss.
13 societies.
s
3 societies.
5 20,396
6, 799
Industrial Relations
COLLECTIVE AGREEMENTS OF THE UNITED SHOE
WORKERS 1
THE United Shoe Workers of America was formed on March 16, 1937,
as a result of the merger of two existing independent shoe workers’
unions—The United Shoe and Leather Workers’ Union and The Shoe
Workers’ Protective Association. The new union immediately joined
the Committee for Industrial Organization and began an organization
drive which brought its membership from 16,000 to the present total
of more than 50,000.
Union organization in the shoe industry is particularly difficult
because of the ease with which shoe plants can move from one locality
to another. Although a considerable number of the large mass-pro
duction factories have remained on their same site through many years,
a large portion of shoe manufacturing is done in small plants, many of
them operated by independent employers with little investment at
stake. Since most of the shoe machinery is on a rental basis, these
small employers are able to set up a plant in one locality for a season
or two and then move to another locality. Likewise, large concerns
can establish branch factories with very little additional capital out
lay. The opening of new or branch factories has been aided in many
cases by the offering of tax exemption, free plant facilities, and even
bonuses by local communities. Thus a union may be successful in
organizing a shoe center, only to find that a considerable part of the
industry has moved to some other point.
The United Shoe Workers now has signed agreements with three
branches of the shoe industry—component parts manufacture
(lasts, leather, findings), shoe manufacture, and repair shops. Among
these, many are standard agreements signed by groups of employers
in certain localities. The following is an analysis of the 20 agreements
which the union has with shoe manufacturers. They cover 149 firms,
employing approximately 22,000 workers.
Duration and Renewal of Agreements
Approximately half of the agreements studied continue for 1 year,
with definite termination dates and provisions for negotiation of a new
i Prepared in the Bureau’s Industrial Relations Division.
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contract for the following year. The remaining agreements continue
from year to year, being automatically renewed unless notice is given
by either party prior to the annual expiration date. Three agreements
require a 30-day notice of such intention to change, two require 60
days, one requires 90 days, and two others require only “written
notice.” The provisons of two agreements may be modified any time
the change is mutually agreed upon, the new provisions becoming
effective on approval by both parties.
It is agreed in six cases that the agreement shall be terminated only
by a bona fide liquidation of the firm, not by a mere change of name
or location of the plant.
Union Status and Conditions of Employment
In all of the agreements analyzed, the union is recognized as the sole
bargaining agent of the employees of the factory engaged in the actual
production of shoes. Clerical and supervisory help are usually exclud
ed from coverage by the agreements, while several present detailed
lists excluding watchmen, mechanics engaged in construction and
repair work on machines, salesmen, shipping clerks, and porters.
Two-thirds of the agreements contain pledges against discrimination
by the employer against any employee for union activity. In addi
tion, all the agreements except two provide for the closed union
shop. The check-off method of collecting dues is in effect in 20 of
the companies.
In the closed-shop agreements the employer agrees to secure addi
tions to his staff through the union. The union is given 48 hours, in
most cases, to furnish competent help; otherwise the employer may
go into the open market to hire new employees. Such employees,
however, must agree to join the union within a specified period—from
1 to 3 weeks—or as soon as becoming “permanent.” In one agree
ment the union agrees to accept or reject an application for member
ship within 2 weeks; also, that a member may be suspended for non
payment of dues but not expelled from the union until 30 days after
suspension. Several agreements require the union to admit present
employees of the firm to membership without prejudice. One agree
ment reads: “Present employees shall not be required to become mem
bers of the union until such time as the union can show that 90 percent
of such present employees are members of the union in good standing.”
Subject to these exceptions, most agreements require the employer
to discharge within 48 hours workers not in good standing with the
union.
In every case the union is given the right to appoint shop stewards
among the employees in each department, or, as in four agreements,
to appoint a shop committee of employees for the purpose of col
lecting dues, inspecting membership cards, and insuring equal dis
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tribution of work. Only one agreement specifies that such activity
shall be carried on outside of working hours, but one other requires it
“whenever possible.”
Most of the agreements expressly grant access to the plant or fac
tory for any duly authorized officer of the union for the purpose of
adjusting complaints and other necessary matters. One agreement
representing 24 signatory firms also allows access to the plant for a
union official after working hours to check on overtime.
A large majority of the agreements provide that the union may re
fuse to work on material coming from an employer against whom a
strike has been called, or who lets out home work, or (less frequently)
from a factory not in contractual relationship with the United Shoe
Workers. A large number prohibit home work or the sending out of
work by the employer with whom the contract is made, except where
lack of factory facilities make it necessary, and then only with the
permission of the union.
Wage Rates
Shoe workers almost universally are on a piece-work basis. Sched
ules of wages, either piece or time rates, are not found as an integral or
supplemental part of these agreements. In its initial organizing
campaign in 1937 the United Shoe Workers secured blanket 15-percent
wage increases in the majority of the 149 firms covered by these agree
ments. Most of the present 1938 agreements provide that existing
wage scales are to be continued during the life of the agreement.
Exceptions are noted in a few agreements where, reflecting business
conditions, agreements call for a restoration of an existing wage reduc
tion, agree to a reduction of existing rates or, as in one agreement,
stipulate that a 5-percent increase in both time and piece rates shall
be made.
Minimum pay is specified in only a few agreements. In one with
plants which manufacture low-priced shoes the rate is fixed at $12 for
40 hours of work, or not less than 30 cents an hour. In another agree
ment the minimum hourly rate for inexperienced workmen is 32%
cents per hour for the first 6 weeks, and after that 37% cents per hour,
while in another, 30 cents is the rate for the first 6 weeks and 35 cents
thereafter.
Three agreements provide for an equal division of piece work
among employees of a department, “so that easier and more profitable
work is fairly divided.” In two agreements the union agrees to
cooperate in order to facilitate this division of work.
Methods of determining piece rates are outlined in most of the
agreements. Over half provide that timing for the setting of piece
rates shall be on work done in the factory by the employees. The
worker chosen for timing shall be satisfactory to both sides, or the
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employer may time his choice and the union its choice and the piece
price determined by the average of the two. Any disagreement on
piece rates shall be referred to arbitration, which shall be binding on
both sides. In two agreementsjpiece^rates which are insufficient to
enable a worker of average efficiency to earn at least 30 cents an hour
shall be increased to that amount. Thirty firms in New York City
stipulate in their agreement that rates are fixed and standardized by
agreement with the National Association of Slipper Manufacturers.
In another the employer agrees that time-and-a-half the fixed rate shall
be paid on samples and on 1-, 2-, and 3-pair lots.
Provision is sometimes made for temporary transfer of an operator
from one job to another which is paid at a different rate. If the new
rate is higher than the operator’s former rate, he shall be paid the new
rate. If, however, the new rate is lower, two agreements provide that
he shall be paid the lower rate, while in one agreement the operator
receives a rate not less than the average on his regular job.
Regular weekly pay days are specified in most of the agreements.
Five agreements stipulate that the union may reopen the wage ques
tion for further negotiations if there is a “substantial” increase in the
Department of Labor’s cost-of-living index, or if the manufacturer
increases the selling price of his product “sufficient to justify increasing
the wage rate.”
Hours of Work
Most workers under these agreements work a 40-liour, 5-day week,
with a daily maximum of 8 hours, but tolerances which allow seasonal
operation on a 5-day, 45-hour week, basis for 8 weeks in any 6-montli
period are provided in nearly all the agreements. Only one agree
ment calls for a regular 9-liour day, 5 days a week. Over one-half
prohibit Saturday and Sunday work under any circumstances.
,
,
Overtime Holiday and Other P ay Provisions
Wide variation is found in the overtime provisions of United Shoe
Workers’ agreements. A majority of the firms have signed agreements
which prohibit overtime except in an emergency, and then not in
excess of 1 additional hour per day for 5 days a week. In 6 agree
ments the union must agree to the existence of the emergency, and
grant peimission foi overtime. Time and one-half is the overtime
rate fixed in 10 agreements, while 2 fix the rate at time and one-third.
Two agreements prohibit the granting of time off in order to offset
overtime worked.
Holidays granted in all the agreements on file are Decoration Day,
Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.
In addition all agreements except one grant New Year’s Day, six
agreements include Washington’s Birthday among the holidays, two
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include Patriots’ Day, three grant one-half day oil' on Election Day,
three give Columbus Day, and four Armistice Day as added holidays.
Four agreements covering 91 firms stipulate that there shall be no
discrimination against anyone taking May 1 off. One agreement states
that time lost on account of holidays shall not be made up. To those
who wish to take part in town meetings, one agreement grants time
off for this purpose on Town Meeting Day. One agreement leaves to
a vote of the employees the question of working or not working on
specified holidays. In one agreement, one-lialf day is allowed to
attend the funeral of an employee, the company reserving the right to
make up such lost time, when and if the nature of the business may
require, on the same regular daily wage basis.
Vacations with pay are not granted in these agreements, with one
exception. One firm’s agreement provides for vacations with pay
based on length of service as follows: For 1 year’s service, 2 days’
vacation; for 2 years’ service, 3 days; for 3 years’ service, 4 days;
and for 4 years’ service, 5 days. In one agreement, however, the firm
agrees to pay each employee having 1 year’s service a bonus of $12.50,
10 days before Christmas, in lieu of a vacation.
In one agreement the company agrees, whenever possible, to avoid
having employees report for work unless there is at least 3 hours’
work. Two other agreements provide that if an employee is without
work during his regular working hours, and he has given notice of
such fact to his foreman, he shall receive the regular day rate for all
time he is compelled to wait.
A detailed profit-sharing system is provided for in one agreement.
An amount equal to the total of all the employees’ average weekly
wages plus 25 percent of the company’s- earnings, after a 6-percent
dividend has been paid on the book value of the capital stock, is
distributed to all employees who have been on the rolls of the
company during the whole of the previous fiscal year.2
It is the traditional practice in the shoe industry to charge employees
for damaged shoes. In some cases a worker is charged for a damage
on a preceding operation if he does not show the damage to his foreman
before he begins his work. In a third of the agreements such damages
shall not be charged to the employee without union investigation and
approval.
Discharge and Lay-Off
Workers engaged for a period exceeding 2 weeks become permanent
members of the working force, according to most of the agreements.
In four agreements the length of the temporary period is 6 months.
The majority of the agreements provide that, during slack seasons,
the work is to be divided among the permanent employees in each
2 See M onthly Labor Review, September 1938 (p. 588), for a more detailed description of this plain
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department. In five agreements such division is to be based on
earnings, with no discrimination either as to quality or quantity.
No lay-offs without the consent of the union will be made by 22 firms
signing one agreement, and in another the employer agrees to give
the shop committee notice of intended lay-offs.
Only five agreements specify that lay-offs are to be made according
to seniority. In these, the employer agrees that in all cases of pro
motion and increase or decrease of forces the employees’ length of
continuous service, ability, and physical fitness are to be considered,
and where the second two are relatively equal, the length of continuous
service shall govern. Three of these agreements provide that senior
ity lists shall be available for inspection by the union, that seniority
rights are not lost in a department because of temporary transfer to
another department, and that seniority is lost only by an employee
quitting, being discharged for cause, or failing to return to work after
a lay-off within 5 days of notice to return.
No employee shall be discharged except for good reason, and any
discharge may be taken up through the regular grievance procedure,
including arbitration, according to a large number of agreements.
Specific causes for discharge, such as drunkenness, repeated tardiness,
or poor workmanship, are outlined in three agreements. Many
provide that if it should be established, through either grievance pro
cedure or arbitration, that an employee has been unjustly discharged,
he shall be restored to his position and compensated for all time lost!
Settlement of Grievances and Disputes
Chief reliance in the settlement of disputes is placed upon the shop
steward and the shop committee. Matters subject to grievance
adjustment, listed in many agreements, include change in methods of
production, work loads, changes from one operation to another, fixing
of new piece rates, or a substantial change in the lines of the employer,
in addition to disputes arising from interpretation of the agreement.
Representatives of the union take complaints first to the foreman and
then to higher officials of the company. An outside representative of
the union is called into the negotiations if necessary. If an agreement
is not reached, the employer and the union agree to submit the case
to arbitration.
Many agreements contain individual variations and elaborations of
the grievance procedure. In two, regular meetings between the
grievance committee and the general manager of the plant are pro
vided. Members of the grievance committee have the right to visit
departments other than their own on regular business of the grievance
committee, in two agreements. Members of the committee must take
time off without pay for grievance work in one agreement, unless
called in by the firm.
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Some form of arbitration is provided in every United Shoe Worker’s
agreement. Typically, these establish a committee of one or two
representatives of each party to the agreement, this committee to
choose an impartial chairman. In the event of inability to agree on a
chairman, some agreements specify how he is to be chosen. Five
enlist State labor boards or State boards of arbitration, while three
agreements signed by 76 firms call upon the American Arbitration
Association to select the impartial chairman. In two instances the
impartial chairman is named. In two agreements, signed by 18 firms,
the parties agree that the arbitration award may be enforced by court
action in law or equity.
Almost all agreements provide that the decision of the arbitrators
shall be binding on both parties. A time limit is placed on the
arbitrators in several agreements. In one the arbitration must be
concluded and findings made within 1 week after termination of the
hearing and within 2 weeks after the commencement of the hearing.
One agreement specifies that the decision is retroactive to the incep
tion of the complaint. Forty-six firms have agreed that the subject of
the 40-hour week or the closed shop may not be taken to arbitration,
nor may the “no strike” clause be arbitrated in another agreement.
During the procedure outlined above for the settlement of griev
ances, the union agrees that there will be no strike or stoppage and the
employer agrees that there will be no lock-out. A few agreements
further specify that there will be no strike or lock-out during the term
of the agreement. In many agreements the union undertakes to
enforce the “no strike” provision, presumably by disciplining mem
bers for violations and by ordering the employees back to work.
In one agreement the union is excused from the “no cessation of
work” clause if the cost of living, based on the Department of Labor
index, rises more than 5 points before the termination of the agree
ment. This means that the union regains its strike weapon in bargain
ing for higher wages if living costs go up rapidly.
Miscellaneous Provisions
Among the miscellaneous provisions of the United Shoe Workers’
agreements may be found the following:
Two New York agreements, signed by 18 firms, specify that no
person under the age of 16 years shall be employed.
The employer agrees not to move his plant during the life of the
agreement. This provision is found in 5 agreements covering 53
firms.
Five agreements contain provisions relating to safety and welfare.
The employer agrees to provide safe places to work, to abide by State
factory laws and other State and Federal laws, and to maintain
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sanitary conditions in his factory. In one agreement the employees
also agree not to violate any municipal ordinance, or State or Federal
laws while on the employer’s premises.
With 18 firms the union has agreed not to give more favorable
terms to any other employer with whom the union has contractual
relations.
w w ##.
FRENCH HIGH COURT OF ARBITRATION FOR
INDUSTRIAL DISPUTES 1
THE entrance of collective industrial relations into the domain of
law is probably one of the most important and far-reaching develop
ments of French social evolution in recent months. Industrial
associations, suppressed in the name of individualism by the French
Revolution, had gradually, throughout the nineteenth century, won
the right to existence and gained a growing influence in the social as
well as the economic field. Trade-unions and cartels became an
important force in the nation without the growth of any jurisprudence
to control the relations of these organizations with one another.
Up to the end of the World War, the only law in collective relations
of labor and capital was that of might.
From 1919 onward, certain legislation on collective labor agree
ments, and a few attempts by the Government to enlist organizations
of labor and capital in the interest of social stability, marked the
beginning of juridical relations between industrial groups. After the
strike manifestations of June 1936, legislators wished to control
these relations by law and to discipline the new relations between
the organizations which economic evolution had developed, the regular
functioning of which was indispensable to the life of the nation.
Such was a predominant object of the social laws of recent months,
which constitute the beginning of an entirely new jurisprudence whose
outlines are only now beginning to emerge from the first experiments.
In addition to laws such as those which institute paid vacations and
the 40-hour week, there are also found in the recent legislation laws
which can be called statutory, because they establish a statute for
collective industrial relations.2 These are the laws on collective agree
ments and on arbitration.
The first juridical relations between industrial groups are contrac
tual, and the law of June 24, 1936, on collective agreements proposed,
on the one hand, to facilitate the conclusion of such agreements, and
on the other, to encourage the development, through contracts, of an
industrial statute which should be both obligatory and adapted to the
needs of every branch of economic activity.
1 Report by Benjamin M . Hulley, American consul, Paris, dated August 29, 1938.
* See M onthly Labor Review, July 1936 (p. 76) and June 1938 (p. 1352).
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The object of the law of December 31, 1936, was to replace violence,
strikes, and lock-outs by the equitable decision of an impartial and
informed arbiter. On the whole, the institution it created rendered
service. The arbiters, chosen from high State officials, did in general
introduce more stability and equity into collective relations between
employers and employees. Nevertheless, certain decisions gave .rise
to serious criticisms. Differences of view, moreover, were apparent
among the arbitral decisions rendered by different individuals, all of
whom were of equal authority.
Compulsory arbitration, perfected gradually by experience, proved
to be a useful instrument by which to meet a crisis and to find a
settlement for conflicts which, from their frequency and violence, were
a danger to the nation. Collective industrial relations were no longer
sufficient to elaborate this new social jurisprudence, which was being
created as circumstances required and accordingly developed lrom
empirical solutions. It was felt that the authority of a sole and sov
ereign jurisdiction, charged with developing a coherent jurisprudence,
was needed to found peaceful and prosperous relations on solid jurid
ical principles, instead of the system of establishing equilibrium from
day to day between social forces. For some time it was asked whether
one of the two highest courts, the Supreme Administrative Court
(<Conseil d’fitat) or the Highest Court of Appeal (Cour de Cassation)
might be used to fill this role. Although the law of December 31,
1936, provided that arbitral awards were without appeal, it neverthe
less did not exclude recourse to appeals, and several such appeals weie
made both to the High Court of Appeals and to the Supreme Court.
The court of appeals declared that it had no jurisdiction; before the
Supreme Court made a pronouncement, the law of March 4, 1938,
attempted to solve the problem by creating a special jurisdiction, the
High Court of Arbitration.
This new jurisdiction is sovereign, on a par with the Supreme Court
and the High Court of Appeals. In the authority given the arbitra
tion court, the legislator has tried to emphasize the importance of the
double duty imposed on it, namely, to create a jurisdiction offering to
the interested parties every guaranty of an independent and compe
tent tribunal, which will establish a real jurisprudence of collective
industrial relations, and to entrust this jurisdiction with complete
sovereignty, in order that the new social jurisprudence, which it will
develop may have all the autonomy necessary to satisfy efficiently the
demands upon it. The mission of the High Court of Arbitration is, in
short, to create a genuine social jurisprudence.
Organization and junctions oj the court.—The High Court of Arbi
tration, created by the law of March 4, 1938, was organized by the
decree of April 3, 1938. It is presided over by the vice president of
the Conseil d’Etat; it includes also two justices from the Conseil
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d/Etat, two high officials from the judiciary, two high officials on
active service or retired, and, for certain exceptional cases, two rep
resentatives of owners and labor, chosen from the members of the
National Economic Council.
Parties in interest find in the court a rapid and economical procedure,
since appeals, simply filed with the secretary of the court or the clerk
of the civil court, are exempted from stamp and registration fees.
The statement of a case may be prepared by a member of the court,
a “maitre des requêtes,” or an “auditeur” in the Supreme Court!
Both parties are heard, and the statements of each are communicated
to the other for study before the hearing.
Access to this new court may be had by all labor unions, syndicates
of employers, or individual employers who are affected by an arbitral
award. Although all arbitral awards made under authority of the
law of March 4, 1938, may be appealed to the High Court within
3 days after notification of judgment, they may not be appealed except
for reasons of law—namely, incompetence, excess of power, or viola
tion of laws. The High Court of Arbitration is a court of appeals.
It judges awards and principles, but it does not take the place of an
arbiter to settle disputes. When it reverses an award, it appoints a
new arbiter to prepare a new award. The arbiter is sovereign in
determining the facts and weighing the equities and circumstances.
The court cannot be appealed to for the whole issue, except on appeal
brought by the Ministry of Labor on the advice of the National Eco
nomic Council, when an award appears contrary to equity and danger
ous to social peace. The Ministry of Labor also has and uses the right
to make an appeal concurrently with the parties in the interest of law.
The first decisions of the court— The High Court of Arbitration held
its first sitting at the Palais-Royal on May 9, 1938. Since then it has
sat regularly twice a week and has rendered several hundred judgments.
The problems coming to the court for decision include the field of
application of the new conciliation and arbitration procedure, defini
tion of a collective dispute, the powers of arbiters, and the powers
and scope of the court itself. Its first decisions are of particular
importance as they outline the principles which will form the founda
tion of future decisions. In defining these principles the court has
endeavored to judge equitably and practically, giving consideration
to human needs as well as to economic circumstances. It has rec
ognized the importance of elasticity in social matters, and has acted
to preserve this quality on several occasions.
No attempt will be made here to analyze the details of its decisions,
except the one discussed below. The first group of 111 decisions was
transmitted with a report dated August 8, 1938, entitled “Decisions
of the High Court of Arbitration.”
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Interpretation oj the sliding wage scale.—The section of the arbitra
tion law of March 4, 1938, which occasioned the most bitter contro
versy in Parliament was article 10, which provides a sliding wage scale.
Under its terms, in case of a 5-percent variation in the official cost-ofliving index, the arbiter will alter the wage scale proportionately,
unless proof is submitted that such adjustment is incompatible with
the economic situation of the local, regional, or national branch of
economic activity concerned.
In decision No. 284 (bis) of August 1, 1938, the High Court of Arbi
tration adopted the following reasoning relative to the interpretation
of this article:
Considering on one hand that it appears from the parliamentary discussions
prior to the passage of the law of March 4, 1938, that by the provisions of article
10, paragraph 3, the legislative body intended to make obligatory only the adjust
ment of wages or parts of wages corresponding to the vital minimum, that is, to
the minimum necessary to assure a living to the wage earner; that it is the function
of the arbiter to determine finally the amount of this vital minimum, which may
moreover correspond to the basic wage, on condition that there be a reasoned and
separate consideration of each professional category involved; considering on the
other hand that, from the wording of paragraphs 3 and 4 of article 10 of the law
of March 4, 1938, it follows that the increase of the vital minimum thus defined,
in the proportion corresponding to variation of the cost-of-living index, consti
tutes the maximum wage increase which the arbiter may grant in applying article
10; that this increase may be diminished or even may not be granted when proof
is submitted that it is incompatible with the economic situation of the interested
branch of activity.
For these reasons the court annulled an arbitral award which
granted a uniform wage increase without having taken into consider
ation the vital minimum wage necessary to each category of employees.
102770—38-
4
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Social Security
AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL H EA LTH AND PENSIONS
INSURANCE ACT, 1938 1
A LAM enacted in Australia, July 5, 1938, provides for a coordinated
system of health insurance and old-age pensions for the Common
wealth. The insurance system will come into active operation in
January 1939. It is estimated that approximately 1,850,000 persons
will be enrolled in the system, and that not less than 3,600,000 men,
women, and children, or more than half the population, will be
affected by its benefits. In addition to the coverage provided by the
act, the Commonwealth Government has announced that it is intended
to provide some financial assistance toward the cost of medical treat
ment of the wives and families of insured persons, and that a supple
mentary scheme of insurance for self-employed persons (small farmers,
shopkeepers, etc.), who are not covered by the law, will be submitted
to Parliament.
The law provides for compulsory insurance of all persons between
the age of 14 and the ages when they will be eligible to receive the oldage pension (60 for women and 65 for men) who work for an employer,
and whose earnings do not exceed £7 per week. This wage limit does
not apply to manual workers, whose wage rates may be higher than
this amount, but who as a rule do not earn higher rates continuously
throughout the year. Exemptions under the act are very limited,
and affect principally employees of the various governments—State
and Commonwealth—who are guaranteed equivalent benefits.
Casual workers may not be excluded as long as there is any degree of
regularity in their employment.
Voluntaiy insurance is provided for persons who receive salary
increases which take them out of the range of compulsory insurance,
and women who marry and cease to be employed may become special
voluntary contributors for old-age pensions if they have been in
insurable employment for at least 4 years, and have paid 156 weekly
contributions.
Contributions are divided equally between employees and employers,
with supplementary payments to be made to the fund from the Commonwealth treasury. J he payments by the Government will be
1 From report by Thomas R. Wilson, American consul general at Sydney, dated July 21, 1938; Australia
National Insurance Commission, National Insurance: A Summary of the Principles of the Australian
National Health and Pensions Insurance Act, 1938, Canberra, 1938.
1012
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Social Security
1013
£100 000 per year for the administration of health insurance, 10s. per
insured person per year to be applied to health benefits for persons over
16 years of age, and a fixed sum to be applied toward the cost oi pen
sions. The combined weekly contribution by employers and employees
is 3s. for employed males, of which Is. 3d. is allotted to the healthinsurance fund. The corresponding rate for females is 2s. of which Is.
2d. is paid for health insurance. For juvenile contributors (between
the ages of 14 and 16), the rate is 8d., all of which is paid for health in
surance. The law provides that the contributions are to increase by
3d. per week in 5 years’ time, for both employers and employees, and
by another 3d, for males only, in another 5 years. Tim rate of con
tribution for health insurance by voluntary contributors is Is. 3d. lor
males, if medical benefit is included, and lid . without medical bene
fit •for females the corresponding rates are Is. 2d. and lOd. Voluntary
contributors pay the entire contribution. The contributions under
the compulsory system are payable by the employer, who deducts the
employee’s share from his wages. A system of cards and stamps will
The health benefits consist of sickness and medical benefit and dis
ablement benefit. The sickness or cash benefit will be payable after
26 weeks of contribution, and will be granted from the filt i c ay o
sickness, for a period of 26 weeks. Cash benefits will amount to 20s.
per week for adult males and 15s. for adult females. Married minors
will receive the same benefits as adults, other minors 15s. (males)
and 12s. 6d. (females)— or if not fully qualified workers, 12s. and 10s,
respectively—while the payment for young workers up to age 16 is
5s per week. If an insured person becomes ill again after going
back to work and within 12 months of recovery from the first illness,
the cash benefit will be paid from the first day of incapacity, whether
or not his sickness is due to the same cause as before. Disablement
benefit will be payable after the payment of 104 weekly contributions
It will amount to 15s. per week for men and 12s. 6d. for women, and
may continue to pension age.
There is no waiting period for medical benefit, which will include
treatment by qualified insurance doctors and the provision of medi
cines. Insured persons will have complete freedom of choice among
insurance doctors, and doctors will have the right to reject patients—
provided, however, that insurance doctors, by arrangement among
themselves, undertake to provide necessary treatment for any insure
person. All qualified medical practitioners and all registered pharma
ceutical chemists will be free to participate in the system.
In order to assist insured persons to retain their insurance rights
in the event of sickness or unemployment, the law provides for tree
insurance periods.” An insured person will not be charged with ar
rears in contributions for weeks in which cash benefits are receive ,
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1014
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
and an insured woman will not be charged with arrears for 2 weeks
before and 4 weeks after confinement. Also, to prevent an unem
ployed person from losing his qualifications for benefit because of
arrears in contributions, the free insurance period will maintain his
right to benefit for at least 18 months from the time that his card is
called in by his approved society. He will be entitled to medical
benefit during this period, and if he is sick or employed at the end of
the period it may be extended to the last day of June or December,
whichever date next follows the day on which he ceased to be in
capable of work or ceased to be employed. A new free insurance
period may be built up if sufficient employment is had during the
first free insurance period.
The insurance system is to be carried on through “approved
societies.” Membership in such a society is required of insured
persons, who have the right to select the group to which they will
belong. The principal societies will be the already existing friendly
societies and those set up by the trade-unions, and it is expected that
others will be formed, either for particular districts or occupations, or
because of some community of interest not necessarily occupational
or geographical. Such a society, in order to receive approval, must
not be carried on for profit, and it must have at least 2,000 members.
The general supervision of the system will be carried out by the
National Insurance Commission and there will be a special board of
trustees which will have the responsibility of investing the funds and
holding the securities. A medical-benefit council will be set up,
representing doctors, pharmacists, and contributors, which will have
general charge of these benefits, and each State will have a medicalbenefit committee, on which doctors and pharmacists will be repre
sented, which will deal with complaints and other matters of local
importance.
W
W
W
SICKNESS B E N E F IT S OF M UTUAL-AID SO CIETIES IN
A R G EN TIN A
THE movement to provide sickness benefits by means of mutual-aid
societies has developed into a social force of considerable magnitude
in Argentina. Such societies known to exist in the Republic recently
numbered 884, and the reported membership of 319 of the societies was
359,950. Detailed statistical data returned by 127 societies covering
their last full year of operation showed an average membership of 1,154,
of whom an average of 540 persons (46.8 percent) had received sick
ness benefits during that year. The average annual cost of such bene
fits was 14.77 pesos per member or 31.55 pesos per member receiving
such benefits. These and other facts are shown in the report of an
investigation of mutual-aid societies by the Social Research Section
(Museo Social) of the Social Institute of the National University of the
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Social Security
1015
Littoral (Institute Social de la Universidad del Litoral)} In the investi
gation information was received of 884 mutual-aid societies throughout
the country, of which 777 (88 percent) were in the Provinces of Buenos
Aires, Santa Fe, Cordoba, and Entre Rios, and the Federal District;
but in each Province except Catamarca, and in 5 of the 10 Territories,
at least one society was reported.
Only 325 societies reported in sufficient detail for analysis of their
operations; of these, 296 (91 percent) were located in the abovenamed centers. The oldest societies reported were two of Spanish
nationality organized in 1857; the year of greatest organizing activity
was 1907, in which 11 societies were formed. In 221 societies (68
percent) the basis of membership qualification was nationality; in the
larger societies, such as the Spanish ones, the units were regional
rather than national in scope. As membership in the 104 Argentine
societies was not based on nationality, these societies were of a more
cosmopolitan character. Societies of Italian nationality numbered
106 (almost 33 percent of those reporting), and Spanish societies 78
(24 percent). Among the remaining 37 societies, the French, Swiss,
Jewish, Yugoslav, and Syro-Libanese nationalities were represented
by from 4 to 12 societies each, while the Danish, German, Portuguese,
Hungarian, Belgian, and Rumanian nationalities had one each.
For 319 societies, a total membership of 359,950 was reported by
nationality. While among these there was a greater number of Italian
societies (104) than of either Argentine or Spanish societies (100 and 78,
respectively), the total membership in the Argentine and in the
Spanish societies (159,530 and 141,217, respectively) considerably
exceeded that in the Italian societies (47,695).
A distribution of membership by size of societies, as shown in the
accompanying table, reveals the fact that although 42.63 percent of the
societies had less than 200 members each, or an aggregate of only 4.10
percent of the total membership, 60.85 percent of the members
belonged to 3.76 percent of the societies—those having more than
5,000 members each.
Percentage Distribution of Argentine Mutual-Aid Societies and Members, by Size of
Societies
Size of societies
Number of
of
societies re Number
members
porting
Percent of total
Societies
Members
All societies. . _________ . ____ . . . __________________
319
359,950
100.00
100.00
Less than 200 members_____________________ ________
201 to 500 members___________ _____________________
501 to 1,000 members_______________________ ________
1,001 to 5,000 members.._____________ ____ ______ ____
5,001 members and o v e r ..._________________________
136
93
48
30
12
14,758
30,757
32,402
63,001
219, 032
42.63
29.15
15.04
9. 42
3. 76
4.10
8.54
9.00
17.51
60. 85
i Contribución al estudio del movimiento mutualista en ia República Argentina, by Carlos A. Niklison.
Santa Fe, Argentina, Instituto Social de la Universidad Nacional del Litoral, 1938.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1016
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
Requirements for membership included good health, certified by
the society’s physician, an honorable occupation, good conduct, and
a record free from conviction for an infamous crime. In addition,
persons might be admitted to membership only within certain age
limits. In the societies reporting on this question the minimum age
varied from 5 to 18 years, and the maximum age from 40 to 60 years.
Single women were excluded from membership in many societies, and
even married woman members (with full right to enjoyment of bene
fits) were subject to certain special restrictions.
Ordinarily, a period of waiting, commonly 3 months, must intervene
before a new member received benefits, but after that he was entitled
t° full benefits. In addition to the sickness benefits, which were the
special object of the investigation, some societies provided survivors’
benefits in the form of life insurance or cash payment equal at least
to the contributions paid in by the member, or invalidity and old-age
pensions, or both.
Sickness benefits were not paid to members suffering from industrial
accidents or occupational diseases, as these persons were protected by
the workmen’s compensation law, nor were they paid to members
who had been attended by quacks, whose illness had been brought
on by excessive use of alcoholic beverages, or who had been injured
in fights. Some societies provided in their bylaws for the suspension
of all social benefits should an epidemic exhaust the resources of the
society. Sickness benefits were furnished either in cash or in kind_
in cash, enabling the member to choose his own physician, etc., and
in kind, through medical, hospital, and other services (provided by
the society in the case of the larger societies, or secured by contract
with hospitals, etc., in the case of the smaller ones). Some societies
provided care for persons suffering from all kinds of ailments, while
others limited the benefits to those suffering from only one type of
disease, such as tuberculosis, etc.
Cash benefits for the member who had proved his illness and his
inability to work varied from 1 to 3 pesos per day, according to the
resources of the society, in addition to the benefits in kind to which
he was entitled by the bylaws of the society. The time during which
cash benefits were paid in a chronic illness varied from 1 month to
10 years. In those societies paying cash benefits for the longer periods,
the payment was frequently reduced to 100 pesos per year; but for
shorter periods it varied from 0.50 peso to 3 pesos per day. For oldage or invalidity benefits, a certain period of membership in a society
was necessary—in some cases 20 or more years—after which a member
might receive not over 15 pesos per month for the rest of his life.
W hen cash benefits were paid to the dependents of deceased members,
they varied, in the societies studied, from 20 to 200 pesos; in some
societies they were paid in needy cases only.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Social Security
1017
During the last reported year of operation a total expenditure for
services of 4,503,826.79 pesos was reported by 259 societies, with
318 313 members—an average of 14.15 pesos per member.
In societies with less than 200 members, 31.19 percent of the mem
bers were helped during the year, while in those with over 5,000
members, 50.04 percent were aided. Moreover, these societies
showed significant differences in average amounts expended during
the year per member assisted. In societies with less than 200 members
the average amount expended per member assisted amounted to 50 00
pesos while for those societies with more than 5,000 members, the
average was only 24.12 pesos. Since in general the larger societies
furnished more extensive services, their financial advantage appeared
in the fact that they rendered aid at a lower cost than did the sma er
societies.
i
The average cost per member of services rendered by the 127 mutualaid societies was 14.77 pesos per annum. Reports showed that the
monthly contributions of active members, which constituted the
largest single source of income, varied from 1 to 2.50 pesos, but m
order to help pay for the medical services, some societies charged a
small fee, 0.20 to 0.30 peso, for each medical service or consultation.
The total capital of 308 societies reporting on this item amounted to
36 835 633.02 pesos—an average of 111.47 pesos per member. How
ever the smaller societies had a considerably larger capital per mem
ber ’ Some societies showed figures entirely out of proportion to the
average, since one society with 42 members declared a capital of
44,384.56 pesos.
, . . ,
,
Two important efforts have been made to establish legal protection
and direction for mutual-aid societies. The first attempt was made
in 1913 and the second attempt was made in 1914 and repeated m
1935 but none of these proposals was adopted.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Employment and Unemployment
A D M IN ISTR A TIO N OF PA RTIA L U N EM PLO Y M EN T
IN SURANCE IN NEW YORK
DEFINING partial unemployment as “partial loss of employment
in a normally full-time jo b /’ the New York State Committee on
Partial Unemployment, appointed under section 527 of the State
labor law, makes the following statement in its interim report/ as a
result of its investigations thus far made:
(1) Partial unemployment is, even in normal times, as widespread as short
term total unemployment, and occasions losses in wages comparable in magni
tude with losses caused by total unemployment;
(2) The administration of partial-unemployment insurance is a much more
complicated undertaking than the administration of insurance against total
unemployment; and
(3) The cost of even a modest plan of partial-unemployment insurance would
amount to more than the New York unemployment insurance fund as at present
constituted could carry over a period of good and bad years.
In view of the technical and administrative difficulties involved in
the problem under discussion, the committee makes no recommenda
tions for a specific plan for partial-unemployment insurance, but
recommends that its study of the subject cover at least another year.
It seems within reason to hold, the committee declares, that par
tially unemployed workers should have some compensation for losses
for which they are not responsible. However, further knowledge and
analysis will be requisite before a definite scheme to compensate for
such losses may with confidence be submitted to the State legislature.
“It would ill serve the people of this State if a hastily devised system
of partial-unemployment insurance were now foisted upon them, to
the accompaniment of administrative friction and the possible ex
haustion of the fund through the payment of partial-unemployment
benefits, resulting in inability to provide for total-unemployment
benefits at a time of the greatest need.”
Social insurance calls for a wide knowledge of the many details of
administration. After the first year’s experience with the payment
of the usual benefits for full-time or total unemployment, it will be
1 N ew York. Department of Labor. D ivision of Placement and Unemployment Insurance.
Report on Partial Unemployment. Albany, 1938.
1018
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Interim
Employment and Unemployment
1019
less difficult to estimate with accuracy the supporting power of the
fund and to envisage the requisite techniques of administration for
a sound approach to the coverage of partial unemployment.
Not to provide for partial-unemployment benefits until the first
attack on the problem of administration is over will be in accordance
with the spirit of unemployment-compensation legislation in the
various States, in which exclusions of various types have been re
sorted to so that in the beginning the administrative task might be
reasonably restricted.
The committee proposes in its interim document to prepare in the
coming year a more complete report on partial unemployment and
partial-unemployment benefits, which will include:
(1) Definitive estimates of the cost of partial-unemployment insurance;
(2) The possibilities of devising a practical and equitable plan for partialunemployment insurance;
(3) Proposals concerning the ways and means of meeting the cost.
Recommendation is made, therefore, that the section of the labor
law which provided for a study of partial unemployment be amended
to postpone the transmittal date of the committee’s final report to
February 1, 1939.
WAR EM ER G EN C Y EM PLO Y M EN T IN CHINA
REFUGEES from the area of hostilities in China, who are in the
camps set up by the Central Relief Commission, the International
Relief Committee, and other agencies, are being afforded facilities for
manufacturing miscellaneous goods of different kinds and are being
given training for suitable employment, according to a communica
tion to the International Labor Office.1 In certain of the more im
portant camps, the Labor Project Committee has formed classes,
particularly for women, in basket making, toy making, shoemaking,
tailoring, and embroidery. In Shanghai the Salvation Army is pro
viding foreign refugees with lodging, board, and placement oppor
tunities.
Regulations of the Executive Yuan provide that refugees may bo
called upon during the existing emergency to perform labor service
in the construction of military roads, railways, hydraulic and defense
projects, in military transportation, land reclamation, etc. Enrollees
in these activities will be permitted to bring their families with them,
will be paid at a rate not below the minimum for the locality, and
will be provided with the requisite training and equipment, expendi
tures for the latter being eventually taken out of wages. Land rec
lamation schemes have been adopted by the Central Government,
1 International Labor Office.
377-378.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Industrial and Labor Information, Geneva, September 26, 1938, pp.
1020
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
and various measures for training and placement of school and college
teachers and students have been undertaken by the Chinese Ministry
of Education and the Canton municipal officials. Moreover, the
Kwangtung Provincial Government, besides adopting a land-recla
mation scheme, has undertaken a plan for the settlement of some
200,000 jobless fishermen on the land after a period of training, at
an expenditure of 2,000,000 dollars.2 Furthermore, the district gov
ernment of Lungchu, Kwangtung, has decided on a road-repair project
which is expected to provide jobs for not less than 10,000 persons on
a wage basis of half a dollar per day per worker.
2 Yuan dollar in July 1938=18.20 cents.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
JFomen in Industry
WAGES AND HOURS OF W OM EN IN KANSAS, 1937
AT THE end of 1937, full-time average weekly wages of woman workers
in Kansas, other than those in supervisory positions, ranged from $5.93
for ushers in the amusement industry to $21.50 for sales employees in
telephone exchanges. Women in supervisory positions received wages
ranging from $15.30 in the amusement industry to $46.67 in whole
sale establishments. The average workweek of women in the various
occupations ranged from 26 to 54 hours for ushers in the amusement
industry and supervisory employees in wholesale establishments,
respectively. Data as to wages and hours of women employed in the
industries, trades, and services of the State, here summarized, were
taken from the report of a survey made in November and December
1937, under direction of the women’s division of the State depart
ment of labor.1 The data obtained covered over 17,000 full-time
woman workers and were representative of each industry.
Approximately one-half of the 17,000 women were paid from $9 to
$15.99 for a full week’s work. Only 18 percent of the women were
paid $20 or morè per week. Table 1 shows the number of women in
the different industries at the various wage levels.
T a b l e 1 .— Classified Weekly Wages of Women in Kansas, 1937
Number of women employed a full week in—
Weekly wage
Cler
ical
Manu
Laun Beauty Tele
Trade factur Hotels Restau
rants
dries parlors phone
ing
Theaaters
Total
Total___________
4, 776
3,712
1,985
765
1,310
1,281
444
2, 599
170
17,042
$4.99 and under__
$5 to $5.99_______
$6 to $6.99_______
$7 to $7.99_______
$8 to $8.99_______
$9 to $9.99_______
$10 to $10.99_____
$11 to $11.99_____
$12 to $12.99______
$13 to $13.99______
$14 to $14.99_____
$15 to $15.99______
$16 to $16.99_____
$17 to $17.99_____
$18 to $18.99_____
$19 to $19.99______
$20 to $24.99______
$25 and over__- _
15
18
43
39
36
98
129
104
229
330
276
441
349
349
361
197
958
804
22
28
42
67
118
308
405
350
663
436
287
358
121
91
106
51
158
101
15
30
39
97
63
102
154
108
173
112
106
169
121
68
113
124
291
100
27
32
38
87
105
134
75
60
46
49
19
21
20
11
7
2
17
15
50
56
103
140
192
157
220
107
103
60
25
19
20
17
11
3
18
9
51
59
108
118
186
190
211
103
67
45
45
36
12
13
22
3
9
3
19
18
12
20
20
27
67
21
46
16
18
42
18
11
15
4
36
34
57
31
35
66
55
53
138
103
186
162
171
211
218
250
208
131
400
124
33
19
11
35
15
4
10
5
23
2
2
7
1
2
0
0
0
1
289
291
431
669
790
1,073
1,409
961
1,536
1,212
949
1,304
880
812
843
515
1,887
1,191
1 Kansas. Department of Labor and Industry. W omen’s Division. Report of Wages and Hours of
Women and Minors in Industry, November 1 , 1937, to January 1 , 1938. Topeka, 1938.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1021
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
1022
Wages and hours of women in the different industries varied accord
ing to the size of the town. The average wages for all industries were
highest in the largest towns (25,000 population and over) and lowest
in the small towns of under 2,500. The lowest average wages in the
different industries ($6.70) were paid in the amusement industry in
towns of under 2,500, and the highest ($20.33) in telephone exchanges
in towns of 25,000 and over. The shortest and the longest average
workweeks reported in the various industries were in towns of 2,500
to 5,000—24 hours in the amusement industry and 51 hours in restau
rants, respectively. Table 2 presents data on hours and wages of
women by industry and by size of towns.
T a b l e 2 . —Hours and Wages of Women in Kansas, by Size of Towns
Towns 25,000
and over
Towns under
2,500
Towns 2,500
to 5,000
Towns 5,000
to 10,000
Towns 10,000
to 25,000
Industry
Hours Wages Hours Wages Hours Wages Hours Wages Hours Wages
Average, all in d u stries... 43.00
Trade
employment,
wholesale and retail___
Manufacturing and me
chanical em ploym ent-.
Public housekeeping____
Restaurant employm ent.
Laundry, dry cleaning...
Beautv parlors.________
Telephone exchanges.___
Amusements________ _.
Clerical employm ent____
46.15
39. 59
44.43
44.62
42.03
45. 21
39.97
33.24
42.75
$16.33
44.39
$21.47
$19.84
44.31
45.22
$19.40
45.16
$18.12
14.28
48.57
12.53
47. 46
11.60
50.92
11.75
50.44
10.39
16.75
11.68
10. 75
10. 38
14.54
20. 33
10.14
19. 96
41.14
45. 47
43.56
42.90
45.80
41.21
30.64
43.45
12. 21
9. 83
10.16
9.91
12.45
16.78
8.71
18.86
41.65
49.47
49.93
47. 67
47.51
41.63
32.93
43.71
12.06
11.35
9. 67
8.73
14.98
15.15
9.10
19. 77
37. 73
47.32
51.37
36.09
50.50
43.95
24. 33
45.28
9.96
10. 55
9.36
7.40
12. 77
14.15
7.88
16.80
41.33
46. 81
50.11
47.94
10.44
11.10
7.61
8.94
44.27
28.14
44.60
11.26
6.70
15.30
The average hours per week and the average weekly and hourly
wages of the different classes of employees in the various industries
are set forth in table 3.
T a b l e 3 . —Average Weekly Hours and Wages of Women in Kansas, 1937, by Industry
and Class of Employees
Industry and class of employees
N um N um Average
ber of ber of
hours Average Average
rate per
firms
worked weekly
hour
report employ
ees
per week wages
ing
Trade, wholesale and retail
577
74
3,638
42.96
46.52
$27.64
12.90
Cents
64.3
27.7
77
16
1,012
49.34
46.23
33.26
12.60
67.4
27.3
159
47
23
754
742
50.95
48.48
48.11
26.90
14.46
10.95
52.8
29.8
22.8
267
34
1,045
48.14
47.88
25.49
13.33
52.9
27.8
27
1
85
54.00
42.36
46.67
14.65
86.5
34.6
All establishments:
Department stores :
Specialty stores:
Miscellaneous retail:
Wholesale establishments:
Op*eratives"......................................................... ........................
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Women in Industry
1023
T a b l e 3 . —Average Weekly Hours and Wages of Women in Kansas, 1937, by Industry
and Class of Employees— Continued
Industry and class of employees
Manufacturing and mechanical
All establishments:
Supervisory employees.................................,
Operatives......................................................
Packing houses: Operatives_______________
Creameries: Operatives___________________
Garment factories:
Supervisory em ployees................................
O peratives............................. .......................
Candy factories: Operatives...............................
Food manufacturing: Operatives......................
Baking: O peratives............................................
Printing:
Supervisory em ployees................................
O peratives.....................................................
Miscellaneous manufacturing:
Supervisory employees.................................
Operatives_________________ _________
N um N um
ber of ber of Average Average Average
hours
firms
worked weekly rate per
report employ
hour
per week wages
ees
ing
236
69
Public housekeeping
A ll establishments:
Supervisory employees........ . .................................................
M a id s.............................................................................. - .........
General (bellhops, janitors, desk clerks, check clerks). . .
All establishments:
Restaurants
C ooks...........................................................................................
Waitresses-.................................................................................
General (cleaners, dish washers, unskilled kitchen help,
etc.)...........................................................................................
32
1,953
41.12
39.71
$26.00
14.73
Cents
63.2
37.1
379
63
37.90
45.58
11.31
11.58
29.9
25.4
14
358
41
61
81
41.42
40.60
43.36
40.68
43.11
22.19
12.23
10.94
12.76
12.11
53.6
30.1
25.2
31.4
28.1
5
278
43.80
42.50
23.48
18.51
53.6
43.6
13
692
39.00
39.07
31.09
17.27
79.7
44.2
79
295
391
48.08
44.44
46.06
19.14
9.04
10.86
39.8
20.3
23.6
154
1,010
49.81
46.22
14.16
9.83
28.4
21.3
146
48.17
9.85
20.4
All establishments:
Laundries
Supervisory employees............ ...............................................
Skilled employees............ ................................... ................. .
General em p lo y ees..................................................................
16
130
991
45.69
44.49
40.14
16.89
11.92
8.62
37.0
26.8
21.5
All establishments:
Dry cleaning
Skilled employees_______________ ____________ ______
General employees...................................................................
50
125
47.18
44.44
18.23
11.42
38.6
25.7
All establishments:
Beauty parlors
Supervisory employees............................................... ..........
Operatives_____________________ ___________ _______
436
8
47.62
46.11
31.30
13.47
65.7
29.2
Telephone exchanges
All establishments:
Supervisory employees____________
Operators............................. ....................
Sales employees............ .........................
Clerical employees.................................
258
2,128
40
173
42. 56
42.12
40.00
40.37
22.56
14.69
21.50
18.55
53.0
34.9
53.8
45.9
All establishments:
Amusements
Supervisory employees.........................
Cashiers....................................................
Ushers.......................................................
Other em p lo y ees..................................
10
106
38
16
42.80
31.57
25.95
28.81
15.30
9.77
5.93
7.21
35.7
30.9
22.9
25.0
1,494
53
4,723
44.69
43.19
35.38
19.08
79.2
44.2
10
229
669
44.95
43.08
39.26
20.40
87.3
47.4
.593
17
1,353
47.65
45.99
34.56
17.64
72.5
38.4
11
331
1,448
42.34
42.45
34.60
18.62
81.7
43.9
341
15
1,253
42.87
41.11
34.28
20.47
80.0
49.8
Clerical employments
All establishments:
Supervisory employees
Other employees...........
Financial agencies:
Supervisory employees
Other employees_____
Trade establishments:
Supervisory em ployees..
Other employees_______
Manufacturing plants:
Supervisory em ployees..
Other em p lo y ees............
Other clerical employments:
Supervisory employees..
Other em p lo y ees.......... .
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Industrial and Labor Conditions
M ARRIA G E LOANS TO STIM ULA TE GERM AN
FA R M IN G
A NEW development in the eugenic policy of the present German
Government is contained in a recent decree which came into force
on July 1 , 1938. This decree extends and enlarges the “marriage
loan” principle which has been applied in Germany since 1933. Not
only does it more than double the amount of money which may be
advanced to a young couple engaged in agricultural pursuits, but it
makes it possible for the repayment of the loan to be deferred and
eventually canceled altogether if the family remains on the land.1
This decree involves several new departures: The decree was
issued by the Commissioner of the Four-Year Plan, whereas previous
eugenic measures were issued by the Minister of Finance. It also
serves as a further example of the increasingly wide interpretation
which the Commissioner places on his powers “to take all measures
necessary to fulfill his task” of organizing the whole life of Germans
on a basis of maximum economic self-sufficiency. It appears that
now even eugenic measures, which were originally instituted with
totally different aims in view, are to be directed toward preventing
departure from the land and thus insuring a certain degree of inde
pendence of foreign sources of agricultural production.
The purpose of the marriage loans when they were first introduced
on June 1, 1933, was twofold—to relieve unemployment by taking
young women out of industry, and to increase the birth rate. The
original law provided for loans without interest, up to 1,000 marks,2
to young couples who married, provided the wife had been in employ
ment and was thus vacating a job for someone else. The loan was in
the form of coupons for the purchase of furniture and household
appliances and was repayable at the rate of 1 percent monthly, but 25
percent of the original sum was canceled for every child born of the
mairiage. After the unemployment problem had disappeared and
there was actually a shortage of labor in many industries, the pro
vision i elating to the employment of the wife was relaxed during
1936 and finally abandoned in an amendment issued on November 3,
1Reichs6esetzblatt, 1938, I, p. 377, and report of A. Dana Hodgdon, United States consul at Berlin, Ger
many, July 28, 1938.
2 M ark=30.5 cents, United States currency, in 1933 and 40.2 cents in April 1938.
1024
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Industrial and Labor Conditions
1025
1937, but the repayment rate was raised to 3 percent monthly in case
the wife remained in employment. The new decree, on the other
hand, actually places a premium on the wife’s remaining in agricultural
employment by doubling the amount of the “furnishings loan” and
the rate of its cancelation. Thus its primary purpose is no longer to
relieve unemployment and sanctify the home but to mitigate the
shortage of agricultural labor, and even the provision regarding
children is vitiated by the fact that the entire loan can be canceled
whether or not there are children from the marriage.
The new decree may be briefly summarized as follows: Marriage
loans may be granted to farmers, farm hands, foresters, or rural
craftsmen who have been engaged continuously in agriculture during
the past 5 years. These loans need not be repaid until after a lapse of
10 years, and may then be canceled altogether, if the family has
remained on the land during this period. In addition, couples who
were married after June 30, 1938, either or both of whom have been
engaged in farming, without interruption, for the last 5 years, may
receive a “furnishings loan.” Such a loan is limited to 800 marks if
both husband and wife work on the land or 400 marks if only the
husband is a worker. It is paid in cash instead of coupons, may be
used for any purpose, and is repayable only after 10 years and then
only if the family has left the land. Besides these loans, faim laborers
and rural craftsmen who marry or who have married since the end of
1933 may receive an unconditional “furnishings grant amounting
to 400 marks, if both husband and wife have been working on the land
for 5 years or 200 marks if only one of them has worked; a further
similar grant may be made for each subsequent 5 years of work on
the land. The “furnishings loans” are applicable only in case of
German citizens “of German or kindred blood” and possessing civil
rights; but citizens of Danzig residing in Germany are, for puiposes
of the decree, to be regarded as German citizens.
The sum of 50,000,000 marks is to be appropriated annually for the
special fund which was set up under the original law, thus biinging
the total sum available for all eugenic purposes up to 250,000,000
marks annually.
The provision relating to the postponement of repayment and
cancelation of marriage loans had already been in force under an
administrative order of the Minister of Finance dated March 28,
1938, but it is clear that the decree under review goes much farther
in that it creates a supplementary “furnishings loan” and a “furnish
ings grant.” It has been officially stated that a young farm worker
who marries can now immediately receive a maximum of 1,800 marks
as a virtual gift from the State, and a further 400 marks at the end
of each 5-year period.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1026
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
CONTROL OF WAGES IN GERM ANY
A DEGREE of June 25, 1938, entitled the ‘‘Decree Regarding the
Fixing of Wages,” gives to labor trustees in Germany dictatorial
powers with regard to the determining of labor conditions in individual
factories.1 Formerly the labor trustees fixed wages and working
conditions only for a whole group of factories belonging to one branch
of an industry. The new decree empowers them to order a single
factory or plant to raise or lower wages or otherwise change working
conditions. In fact, henceforth an employer owning a factory or plant
may not change labor conditions or wages without first informing the
labor trustee and securing his approval. This decree is said to be
necessary because of the increasing shortage of labor, which has
caused many factories to raise wages as an attraction for workers.
1 Report of A. Dana Hodgdon, United States consul, Berlin, July 30, 1938.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Industrial Diseases
IN D U STR IA L DISEASES IN B R IT ISH FACTORIES, 1937
AN IMPROVEMENT in preventive measures for the care of the
health of industrial workers, which may be expected from the applica
tion of the British Factories Act of 1937, is discussed in the report 1of
the senior medical inspector of factories for the year 1937. One of
the most important provisions of the act, which became effective
July 1, 1938, is said to be the provision which empowers the Govern
ment to require reasonable arrangements to be made for medical
supervision when there is reason to believe that cases of illness are
due to the nature of the work or where there may be risk to health
from the introduction of new processes or substances. The new act
also provides for greater care in the placement of young workers and
in their medical supervision.
The number of cases of lead poisoning reported during the year was
lower than in any year since notification of the disease came into force,
but there was an increase in the number of cases of poisoning from
mercury, arsenic, and aniline over those reported in 1936 and in cases
of epitheliomatous ulceration due to pitch, tar, and oil, and of chrome
ulceration. The number of cases of anthrax was smaller in 1937 than
in 1936, but there were four deaths as compared with one in the
previous year. There were four cases of toxic jaundice with one death
reported, no similar cases having been reported since 1920. Two of
these cases (one fatal) were due to skin absorption in the manufacture
of T. N. T. and occurred after only 5 to 6 weeks’ employment. The
number of cases of poisoning or disease reported to the department for
certain years from 1910 to 1937 are shown in table 1.
1
Great Britain. Home Department. Annual Report of the Chief Inspector of Factories and Workshops
for the Year 1937. London, 1938. (Cmd. 5802.)
1027
102770—38------5
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Monthly Lahor Review—November 1938
1028
T a b l e 1. —Number of Cases of Poisoning and of Industrial Disease Among Factory
Workers in Great Britain for Specified Years, 1910 to 1937
Disease
<
Lead poisoning:
1937
1936
1935
1930
1920
141
19
163
13
168
17
265
32
289
44
505
38
1
3
5
10
1
1
1
1
1
3
7
10
7
1
9
24
1
1
1
Mercury poisoning:
7
Arsenic poisoning:
8
1
Aniline poisoning:
Chronic benzene poisoning:
Toxic jaundice:
6
4
1
Anthrax:
Epitheliomatous ulceration:
1910
23
4
30
1
20
3
43
6
48
11
183
31
101
142
27
84
171
38
67
194
36
95
45
1
126
51
9
Inhalation of fumes and gases was responsible for 196 cases with
20 deaths in 1937, as compared with 153 cases and 12 deaths in the
preceding year. The reported cases do not represent the actual
extent of this hazard, as cases are generally not reported to the
department, even though fairly severe, unless the aftereffects are
such as to keep the workman away from work for 3 days. The
agents reponsible for most of the increase were carbon monoxide,
carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide, chlorine, nitrous fumes, ammonia,
and benzol.
Deaths from silicosis and asbestosis have been investigated since
1929. During 1937 there were 74 deaths from silicosis, 65 from
silicosis with tuberculosis, 9 from asbestosis, and 4 from asbestosis
with tuberculosis. Table 2 shows for the period from 1929 to 1937
the number of deaths from silicosis and asbestosis alone or complicated
with tuberculosis, the aversge age at death, and the duration of
employment.
T a b l e 2 . —Number of Deaths from"Silicosis and Asbestosis in Great Britain, Average
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Age at Death, and Duration of Employment, 1929 to 1937
Disease
Number
of
deaths
449
518
68
38
Average
age at
death
56.2
52.2
43.5
38.2
Duration of employment
(years)
Longest
Shortest
62.0
67.0
36.0
29.0
1.7
.7
1.5
.8
Average
35.0
31.1
13.4
9.4
Industrial Diseases
1029
The largest number of fatal cases occurred in the pottery industry,
in which there were 217 deaths from silicosis and 207 from silicosis
combined with tuberculosis. The sandstone industry was next in
importance, with 108 deaths from silicosis and 117 from silicosis
with tuberculosis, followed by metal grinding, sandblasting, manu
facturing of scouring powder, and a miscellaneous group of industries.
Reporting of cases of skin diseases is not required, but the number
of cases of dermatitis voluntarily reported (1,985) was the largest
yet recorded. This disease stands second in the number of cases for
which compensation has been paid. Among the principal causative
agents were alkalies, oil, friction and heat, various chemicals, degreas
ing agents, dyes, sugar, turpentine and substitutes, paraffin, chrome,
acids, dough, and coal tar and derivatives.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Labor Laws
LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS IN 1939
IN 1939 regular legislative sessions will be held in all States except four
(Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Virginia). The majority of
the States hold biennial sessions and meet in odd-numbered years.
Fi\e States meet annually.1 One State (Alabama) meets every fourth
year. The legislatures of Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the Philip
pine Islands will also assemble in 1939. The Seventy-sixth Congress
will begin its deliberations on January 3, 1939.
Most of the State legislatures convene in January. The Florida
legislature, however, assembles on Tuesday after the first Monday in
April. In Georgia, the law fixes the second Monday in January for
the purpose of organizing the respective legislative bodies, but the
regular session is deferred until the second Monday after July 4th,
unless a prior date is designated by the legislature.
In all of the States, with the exception of Nebraska, laws are enacted
by a 2-house legislature, called a bicameral system. A recent change
in the Constitution of Nebraska provided for a 1-house (unicameral)
system. This, however, is not a new plan in the United States.
In several States such a system was adopted many years ago, but later
was changed to a 2-house plan. Such a change was made in Vermont
as early as 1836. Georgia and Pennsylvania also adopted this system,
but later abolished it in favor of the dual system. In several other
States, either through a direct vote of the electorate or by the vote of
their chosen representatives, or in constitutional conventions, attempts
to establish a 1-house legislature have been frustrated. As recently as
1937, a proposed constitutional amendment to establish a 1-house
legislature was defeated by a small margin in the Idaho House of
Representatives, and in Washington such a proposal passed the house
of representatives, but failed in the senate.
The upper branch of a State legislature is usually referred to as the
senate and, like the Senate of the United States, is composed of a
smaller number of members. The lower house is known by different
teims, such as legislature, general assembly, legislative assembly, or,
as in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, general court.
1 Massachusetts, New Jersey, N ew York, Rhode Island, and South Carolina.
1030
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1031
Labor Laws
The terms of the legislative sessions to be held in 1939 are limited in
18 States, the period ranging from 40 days in Wyoming to 5 months in
Connecticut. In 26 States there is no limit as to the length of th e .
session, but in a few of these States the members of the legislature are
not paid after the session has extended beyond a specified period.
The following table shows the States which will meet in regular
legislative session in 1939, as well as the date of convening, and the
length of the session wherever fixed by law.
Date Set by Law for Convening of State Legislatures
State
Time of assembly fixed by law
Date of
conven
ing 1939
session
Jan. 10
Jan. 9
__ do.
Jan. 2
Monday after first day in January.--- ------— --Jan. 4
___do_
Wednesday after first Monday in January_________
Jan. 3
Tuesday after first Monday in A p ril.. ----------- ------ Apr. 4
Second Monday in January, for organization; regular Jan. 93
July 1 7 4
session, second Monday after July 4.
T j .u .
First Monday after January 1 . . . ___ . .
-- --- Jan. 2
Wednesday after first Monday in January---------------- Jan. 4
Thursday after first Monday in January------------------ Jan. 5
Second M onday in January. ______ . . .
. . . -------- Jan. 9
Second Tuesday in January ._
______
- --------- Jan. 10
Jan. 4
1» »i'
j
_._do___do__
__.do__
Tuesday after first Monday in January-------------- -- Man. 3
Man. 4
Jan. 2
Jan. 3
Jan. 16
Jan. 4
Jan. 10
__do_
Jan. 4
WAhnpsiiay a f t e r first Mondav in January____ _ . . . -__do_
Tuesday after first Monday in January.. --------------- Jan. 3
Jan. 2
Jan. 3
Tuesday after first Monday in January----- ---------Second M onday in January_________________
___ Jan. 9
Jan. 3
_ -do
Jan. 10
Tuesday after first Monday in January________ ___ Jan. 3
Jan. 2
Jan. 10
Jan. 9
Wednesday after first M onday in January---------------- Jan. 4
Jan. 9
Jan. 11
__do
Jan. 10
Jan.
3
January
3
annually---------------------------------—
--------------United States Congress...
Length of
session
50 days.
No limit.
60 days.1
No lim it.2
Do.
5 months.
No limit.
60 days.
Do.
No limit.
Do.
61 days.
No limit.
Do.
Do.
90 days.
No limit.
Do.
90 days.
No limit.
60 days.
No limit.
60 days.
No limit.
Do.
60 days.
No limit.
Do.
60 days.
No limit.
Do.
Do.
Do.
60 days.
No limit.
60 days.
No limit.
Do.
60 days.
No lim it.
60 days.
D o.1
No limit.
40 days.
No limit.
1 The session may be extended by a two-thirds vote of each house.
n
2 Regular sessions continue for 30 days, after which a recess of not less than 30 days must be taken. On
the reassembling of the legislature, no bill may be introduced without the consent of three-fourths of th e
members, and not more than 2 bills may be introduced by 1 member.
3 Organization meeting.
4 Regular session.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Workmen s Compensation
M E E T IN G OF T H E IN D U STRIA L A C CID EN T
COMMISSIONS, 1938
THE International Association of Industrial Accident Boards and
Commissions observed the twenty-fifth anniversary of its establish
ment at a convention held at Charleston, W. Va., September 26-29,
last. From a small band of pioneer administrators who met at the
first convention of this organization in Lansing, Mich., about a quarter
of a century ago to discuss their mutual workmen’s compensation
problems, the association has grown in proportion to the adoption of
workmen’s compensation laws in the various States of the Union.
More than 200 persons attended the meeting, representing delegates
from 7 Provinces of Canada, 31 States of the United States, and
the Federal Government. The Territory of Puerto Rico was also
represented.
Since West Virginia is an exclusive State-fund jurisdiction, this
subject received special attention. The viewpoints of the employer,
labor, and the insurance carriers as to whether a State fund was
desirable were presented by the respective groups—the viewpoint of
the employer by Chester W. Wright, Niagara Falls, N. Y.; that of
labor by Will T. Blake, commissioner, Industrial Commission of
Ohio; and that of insurance carriers by William P. Cavanaugh.
Ralph M. Hartman, secretary, West Virginia Workmen’s Compen
sation Department, in a prepared address, showed how the State
fund operated in that State.
The subject of legal fees in awards for compensation was presented
by Dr. Eugene B. Patton of the New York Department of Labor,
and the subject of accident causes was also considered at some length,
Austin L. Staley, deputy secretary, Pennsylvania Department of
Labor and Industry, outlining the Pennsylvania experience. Safety
and rehabilitation were also discussed. Harry Guilbert, director,
Bureau of Safety and Compensation of The Pullman Co., Chicago,’
gave an address on the effectiveness of State safety conferences. The
subject of rehabilitation was discussed by John A. Kratz, of the
United States Office of Education. He especially urged coopera
tion between workmen’s compensation and rehabilitation agencies.
An innovation of this year’s meeting of the association was the panel
1032
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Workmen’s Compensation
1033
discussion which took place following the presentation of all of the
articles assigned for discussion.
On the last day of the convention the problem of the older worker
was considered in relation to workmen’s compensation. Ambrose B.
Kelly, American Mutual Alliance, Chicago, presenting the viewpoint
of the insurance carriers, contended that the general attitude of the
carriers was not that of promoting age discrimination in the matter
of workmen’s compensation. The problem of the independent con
tractor was outlined at this session by H. A. Nelson of the Wisconsin
Industrial Commission. An interesting and lively discussion took
place on the subject of compulsory coverage under the workmen’s
compensation laws. In the presentation of this subject Donald D.
Garcelon, chairman, Maine Industrial Accident Commission, dis
cussed compulsory and universal workmen’s compensation coverage.
J. D. Williams, chairman, Industrial Commission of Minnesota,
outlined the reasons why his State changed from an elective to a
compulsory workmen’s compensation system. Samuel B. Horovitz,
attorney, Massachusetts State Federation of Labor, pointed out that
the fear of unconstitutionality of such compulsory acts could no
longer be considered, because of the large number of court decisions
that have upheld compulsory workmen’s compensation laws. Mr.
Horovitz said on this point that “the mountain of decisions upholding
compulsory acts is too high for penetration by the weak voice crying
‘unconstitutional,’ ‘without due process of law,’ ‘breach of the right
to contract,’ ‘violation of the right to a jury trial.’ ” 1
The following officers were elected for 1938—39: President, Voyta
Wrabetz, chairman, Wisconsin Industrial Commission; vice president,
W. H. Nickels, Jr., chairman, Virginia Industrial Commission;
secretarj^-treasurer, Verne A. Zimmer, director, Division of Labor
Standards, United States Department of Labor; executive committee,
George A Krogstad, Michigan; Albert G. Mathews, West Virginia;
C. K. Newcombe, Manitoba; Frank O’Brien, Kansas; W. L. Robison,
Idaho; and Mrs. Emma S. Tousant, Massachusetts. The 1939
meeting of the association will be held in Milwaukee, Wis., in Septem
ber 1939.
The complete proceedings of the twenty-fifth annual convention
will be published in bulletin form by the United States Department
of Labor. This bulletin will contain, in addition to a verbatim record
of the discussions, the reports of the regular committees.
i Copies of the paper on the constitutionality of compulsory workmen’s compensation acts may be ob
tained from the office of Samuel B. Horovitz, 15 Ashburton Street, Boston, Mass.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Labor Organizations
C O N V EN TIO N OF A M ER IC A N FE D E R A T IO N
OF LABOR, 1938
PERHAPS tlie outstanding problem before the fifty-eighth con
vention of the American Federation of Labor which met in Houston,
Tex., October 3-13, was the question of peace in the labor movement.
The problem was forcibly called to the attention of the delegates on
the second day of the convention by President Roosevelt’s message
to William Green, president of the A. F. of L., which in part read
as follows:
Because for more than a quarter of a century I have had so many associations
and friendships with officers of the A. F. of L. and the international unions which
it represents, I venture to express the hope that the convention will leave open
every possible door of access to peace and progress in the affairs of organized
labor in the United States. If leaders of organized labor can make and keep
the peace between various opinions and factions within the labor group itself,
it will vastly increase the prestige of labor with the country and prevent thé
reaction which otherwise is bound to injure the workers themselves.
Three days later, in commenting on the report by the legal counsel
of the Federation on the status of labor legislation in the United
States and particularly on the decisions of the National Labor Rela
tions Board, Daniel J. Tobin, president of the International Brother
hood of Teamsters, Chauffeurs, Stablemen, and Helpers of America,
made a strong plea in favor of peace in the labor movement. His
contention was that the division in the ranks of labor had become so
serious that no legislation enacted in Washington “could straighten
out the difficulties until labor is cemented into one body.” He urged
the delegates of the convention to give specific instructions to the
forthcoming executive council to take definite steps for the purpose
of bringing about a unified labor movement in the United States.
The same question was debated again on the next day when the
committee on resolutions, reporting on the A. F. of L.—C. I. O. situ
ation, recommended that “the convention authorize the executive
council to continue to carry on the battle and at the same time stand
ready to respond to any genuine appeal for peace or any honorable
and sincere opportunity to reunite the labor movement.” Edward
Flore, president of the Hotel and Restaurant Employees Interna
tional Alliance and Bartenders International League of America, and
President Tobin of the Teamsters’ Union urged the A. F. of L. to
1034
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Labor Organizations
1035
take the necessary steps to resume the negotiation for peace with the
C. I. O. in the attempt to arrive at a solution of the conflict between
the two organizations. Although the report of the resolutions com
mittee was finally adopted without a dissenting vote, it was under
stood from the discussion which preceded the vote that the executive
council would hold itself in readiness for any opportunity leading in
the direction of peace. This position of the A. F. of L. was also
affirmed by President Green in his speech of acceptance as president
of the Federation for the fifteenth consecutive term. He said:
I promise you that I shall make every contribution that lies within my power
towards the promotion of peace in the labor movement; I shall do what I can to
heal the wounds and close the breach and unite the force of labor * * * I
will do what I can to serve in every way to establish here in America a solid invinci
ble movement unassailable and unafraid.
National Labor Relations Board
The attitude of the American Federation of Labor to the National
Labor Relations Act and to the decisions of the National Labor Rela
tions Board is to a large extent directly associated with its bitter con
flict with the C. I. O. In its annual report, the executive council of
the A. F. of L. charged the members of the Labor Relations Board
with flagrant bias and prejudice with the intent to undermine and
destroy the A. F. of L. unions. Specifically, the Labor Relations
Board was charged with misinterpreting the intent of Congress in de
termining what shall constitute an appropriate unit for the purpose
of collective bargaining, and of rendering aid directly and through
decisions to the C. I. O. in its effort to destroy A. F. of L. unions.
The convention unanimously approved the report of the executive
council and instructed the council to draft amendments to the National
Labor Relations Act to meet the following demands:
1. The unit rule must be changed to conform to that which is in the Railway
Labor Act so that it will be obligatory on the Board to grant a craft or class the
right to select its bargaining representative by majority vote.
2. The power of the Board to invalidate contracts must be definitely curtailed.
3. Every known interested party should be served with due process and be
afforded an opportunity to appear in any case. No contractual rights should be
passed upon without every party to the contract being served with process and
given the right to appear in the case.
4. Intervention by interested parties should be made a matter of right and not
a matter of discretion.
5. Definite qualifications should be set forth in respect to examiners. Some
are wholly incompetent and unfit to serve in that capacity. In fact, affidavits of
prejudice should be permitted to be filed against them where an examiner is con
sidered unfair.
6. Clarification respecting power over the issuance of subpenas is necessary
and liberalizing of the rule in that respect should be provided.
7. The secrecy of files must be lifted to the extent that all persons may have an
opportunity to examine a record which contains material on which decisions are
made. The idea of keeping information and material in a secret file and then
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1036
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
utilizing it in connection with other evidence as a basis for the decisions smacks
or star-chamber proceedings.
8. Elections shall be conducted within 30 days from filing of a petition therefor
9. All cases shall be decided within 45 days after the close of the taking of
testimony.
&
The convention also recommended consideration of the desirability
of (1) granting jurisdiction to appellate courts “to review the facts as
well as the law, to determine whether the decision conforms to the
weight and credibility of the evidence,” and (2) of separating “the
administrative functions from the judicial functions of the Board,
lodging the judicial functions in a tribunal wholly independent from
the National Labor Relations Board.”
Resolutions Pertaining to Work of U. S. Department of Labor
. The work of the Conciliation Service was referred to on several occa
sions in most commendatory terms. Delegate Van Horn, of the
Cigar Makers Union, stated that were it not for the help of this divi
sion of the Department of Labor, the Cigar Makers Union would not
have had any organization in Tampa, Fla., nor would it be able to go
very far m organizing the mechanized cigar factories. The convention
also adopted a resolution commending the service of the Conciliation
Service under the direction of the late Hugh Kerwin and extending
the fullest cooperation of the A. F. of L. to the present director.
The convention approved the objections of the executive council to
section 14 of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 pertaining to the
special rates of wages to be determined by the Administrator for ap
prentices and handicapped workers. T he. delegates were satisfied
that Administrator Andrews would handle this section of the law with
judgment and understanding, but considered it dangerous to the
policies of the A. F. of. L. and therefore recommended that the execu
tive council prepare amendments to be submitted to the Congress for
the purpose of making necessary changes in the provision.
It unanimously adopted the report of the executive council per
taining to the administration of the Walsh-Healey Act and recom
mended that the act “be further amended so that all contracts en
tered into by Governmental agencies for marine vessels or large
floating objects should come under the wage provisions of the law.”
The convention adopted a resolution urging cooperation with the
Federal Committee on Apprenticeship in the establishment of national
trade-apprenticeship standards.^ It urged State federations of labor
to press for State apprenticeship legislation supported by adequate
appropriations.
Other Important Decisions
The American Federation of Labor pledged its unqualified support
to the railroad workers in their struggle against the 15-percent wage
reduction demanded by the railroads.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Labor Organizations
1037
It voted to seat the delegates from the International Typographical
Union in spite of the fact that, first by a referendum and again at its
regular convention, the Typographical Union had declined to recognize
the right of the American Federation of Labor to tax its membership
and had refused to pay the special 1-cent per capita monthly assess
ment adopted by the 1937 convention of the A. F. of L. In the course
of the debate, it was made clear that the seating of the I. T. U. dele
gation did not constitute a precedent and did not absolve the Typo
graphical Union from its obligations to the A. F. of L. The delegates
of the I. T. U. accepted the conditions and promised not to ask to be
seated at the next convention unless in the meantime their organiza
tion changed its attitude and paid up in full its debts to the A. F. of L.
The special 1-cent per capita monthly assessment on the member
ship to continue the organization work of the A. F. of L. and its
struggle against the C. I. O. was renewed for another year. The con
vention instructed the executive council to make a Nation-wide study
of the effects of public works programs on unemployment conditions
in the United States. It urged the trade-union movement to keep
itself free from political commitments or alliances with any particular
party. However, the delegates refused to accept the report of the
resolutions committee calling for a halt on the reform policies of the
administration and unanimously referred the report to the executive
council for further study.
San Francisco, Calif., was selected as the convention city for 1939.
Growth of American Federation of Labor
The total paid-up membership of all national and international or
ganizations and local and federal unions affiliated with the A. F. of L.
increased from 2,860,933 on August 31, 1937, to 3,623,087 on August
31, 1938. This was an increase of 762,154 members. With the ex
ception of the two years 1920 and 1921, when the membership of the
A. F. of L. was 4,078,740 and 3,906,528, respectively, the 1938 paid-up
membership of the A. F. of L. was the largest in the history of the
Federation.
The largest increases in paid-up membership during the 1937-38
fiscal year were reported by the following national and international
unions:
1938 membership
Teamsters and chauffeurs________________ 309, 200
Hotel and restaurant employees___________ 175, 900
Machinists______________________________ 190, 100
Hod carriers and common laborers_______
147, 700
Bakery and confectionery workers__________ 62, 100
Retail clerks______________________________ 46, 700
Building-service em p loyees.................... ........ 65,800
Meatcutters and butchers_________________
52, 100
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Increase from
1937
98,300
68,800
52,100
48,100
29,600
28,200
23,800
22,100
1038
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
Increases in membership of between 10,000 and 20,000 were also
reported by the following unions: Actors and artists; boilermakers
and iron shipbuilders; bridge and structural-iron workers; cleaning
and dye-house workers; flint-glass workers; laundry workers; main
tenance of way employees; painters; and pulp, sulphite, and papermill employees.
The membership of the directly affiliated local and federal unions
advanced from 192,500 to 231,400.
Duiing the fiscal year the charters of the following unions were
revoked: United Mine Workers of America; International Union of
Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers; Federation of Flat Glass Workers
of America; Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America; Amalga
mated Association of Iron, Steel, and Tin Workers; United Textile
Workers of America; International Union United Automobile Workers
of America; United Rubber Workers of America; Oil Field Gas
Well, and Refinery Workers of America. The charter of the Journey
man Tailors’ Union of America was canceled and the charters of the
I avmg Cutters’ Union of the United States and Canada and of the
Quarry Workers of the International Union of North America were
withdrawn.
New charters were issued to the following national and international
unions: National Association of Post Office and Railway Mail
jaborers; The National Association of Special Delivery MessengersInternational Spinners Union; and the International Union Pro
gressive Mine Workers of America.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Industrial Disputes
TR E N D OF STRIK ES
PRELIMINARY estimates indicate a reduction in number of strikes
in September 1938 as compared with August but an increase in the
number of workers involved and man-days of idleness. Strikes were
fewer by about 17 percent but the number of workers involved was
more than double the number in August, and the number of man-days
idle was greater by 42 percent.
Trend of Strikes, 1933 to September 1938 1
Workers involved in
strikes
Number of strikes
Year and month
1933
1934
1935
1936
1937
Con
tinued
from
preced
ing
month
_______
. ____ -
Begin
ning in
month
or year
In prog
ress
during
month
Ended
in
month
In ef
fect at
end of
month
In progress
during
month
1,168,272
1,466, 695
1,117, 213
788,648
1,860, 621
1,695
1.856
2,014
2,172
4,740
______
- ---
Beginning
in month
or year
Man-days
idle during
month or
year
16,872,128
19,591' 949
15, 456,337
13,901,956
.28, m , 857
1937
January___ ______
February... .... March_________ -A p r il.------ ----------M ay ---------- ------ June____ _______
July--------------------August___________
September____
October_____ _ . . .
November__ _ . . .
December________
100
139
146
250
273
330
358
297
295
263
205
202
171
211
614
535
604
610
472
449
361
320
262
131
271
350
760
785
877
940
830
746
650
583
467
333
132
204
510
512
547
582
533
451
393
378
265
213
139
146
250
273
330
358
297
295
263
205
202
120
108, 621
99,335
290,324
221,572
325,499
281,478
143, 678
143,033
88,967
67,242
68,929
21,943
214,268
226,329
358,155
394,178
445,170
474,954
353,682
238,828
160,241
127,109
118, 632
60,518
2, 720,281
1,491.268
3,288,979
3,377,223
2,982,735
4,998,408
3,007, 819
2,270, 380
1,449,948
1,181,914
981,697
674, 205
120
116
120
152
155
153
125
125
140
151
170
236
236
252
179
164
230
190
271
286
356
388
407
332
289
355
330
155
166
204
233
254
207
164
215
200
116
120
152
155
153
125
125
140
130
34,865
52.138
54,108
78,084
87,464
50,112
45.071
45,000
105,000
55,386
76,250
102, 658
109, 520
126,987
97,103
76,599
70,000
140,000
470,138
502,323
780, 296
802, 710
1,173,549
807. 872
665,832
810, 000
1,150,000
1938
January........ ............
February_________
March____________
April---- --------------M ay_____________
June_____________
July______________
A u gu st1--------------September »_______
i Strikes involving fewer than 6 workers or lasting less than 1 day are not included in this table nor in the
following tables. Notices or leads regarding strikes are obtained by the Bureau from more than 650 daily
papers, labor papers, and trade journals, as well as from all Government labor boards. Letters are written
to representatives of parties in the disputes asking for detailed and authentic information. Since answers
to some of these letters have not yet been received, the figures given for the late months are not final. This
is particularly true with regard to figures for the last 2 months, and these should be considered as prelimi
nary estimates. ,
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1039
1040
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
The large increases in number of workers involved and man-days
of idleness were due principally to several rather large strikes, such as
the trucking strike m New York City and New Jersey, the department
store workers m San Francisco, the trucking strike in Midwestern
Nebraska companies), and the stoppage at plants
ot the Nash-Kelvmator Corporation in Racine, Kenosha, and Mil
waukee, Wis. None of these disputes were settled bv the end of the
month. Two rather short strikes within the month," which involved
large numbers of workers, were the 4-day stoppage at the Briggs
Manufacturing Co. in Detroit, Mich., and the 4-day strike of cotton
pickers principally in the State of Arkansas.
As compared with September a year ago, there were only 53 percent
as many strikes m September 1938, 18 percent more workers involved
but only 80 percent as many man-days idle.
The figures given in the preceding table for August and September
938 are preliminary estimates, based on newspaper reports and other
information available as this goes to press. An analysis of strikes in
each of these months, based on detailed and verified information
will appear m subsequent issues of the Monthly Labor Review
#######«
ANALYSIS OF STRIKES IN JULY 1938 1
STRIKE activity in July 1938 showed a continuation of the decline
v 1C was evident in June after the peak, as compared with earlier
months of 1938, was reached in May. The Bureau has obtained
detailed information on 164 strikes which began in Julv, involving
45 000 workers and, together with 125 strikes which continued into
duty from preceding months, causing 666,000 man-days of idleness.
. ibere were no extremely large strikes during July and only one
involving as many as 5,000 workers. This was a strike of anthracite
miners employed by the Philadelphia & Reading Coal & Iron Co. in
wnrW y T ma' . Tbe dls.Pute was over the question of equalizing
working time m all collieries of the company. The men demanded
e simultaneous operation of all collieries whenever there was work
o be done and objected to the operation of some mines while others
e e idle Although they returned to work when the company
under protest arranged schedules so that all mines should be in oper
ation at the same time, no definite settlement of the question had
been worked out by the end of the month.
in ? { 3 e ' I t ,str^ s beginning in July, there were'24 in the textile
dustnes, 22 m building and construction, 21 in retail and wholesale
trade, 15 in the food industries, and 15 in transportation and com-
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
<S“ foo,nole t0 preMdtog ,able-)
1041
Industrial Disputes
munication. The industry groups with the most workers involved
in new strikes during the month were coal mining (10,462), textiles
(8,664), trade (3,966), and the food industries (3,459). The largest
numbers of man-days of idleness because of strikes were in coal
mining (83,000), machinery manufacturing (80,000), textiles (77,000),
building and construction (74,000), and trade (46,000). In coal
mining the principal disputes were the one referred to above, involving
employees of the Philadelphia & Reading Coal & Iron Co., and a
strike of Susquehanna Collieries Co. employees at Nanticoke and
Glen Lyon, Pa., which was still in progress at the end of July. In
the machinery manufacturing group there was the Philco strike in
Philadelphia which began in May and had not been settled by the
end of July. In textiles the largest strike was in cotton-goods plants
of the Proximity Manufacturing Co. and the Revolution Cotton
Mills at Greensboro, N. C. This was a short strike over the question
of a wage decrease, and was settled the sixth day of the strike, when
the amount of the wage cut for some employees was reduced. The
dispute which occasioned the greatest loss of time in the building
and construction industry was the strike from June 30 to July 19 on
the 1939 World’s Fair project in New York. In trade the largest
dispute was that involving warehousemen at San Francisco, Calif.
It began July 12 and was still in progress at the end of the month.
T able
1.— Strikes in July 1938, by Industry
Beginning in
July
Industry-
In progress dur
ing July
Manday*
idle
during
N u m Workers N um Workers
July
ber involved ber involved
All industries............................. ...............................- ........................
164
45,071
76,599
665,832
Iron and steel and their products, not including machinery---Bolts, nuts, washers, and rivets......................................... .
Cutlery (not including silver and plated cutlery) and edge
tools................................... - ................................................. —
Structural and ornamental metal work.......... __...................
Tin cans and other tinware.......................... ................ - ..........
Tools (not including edge tools, machine tools, files, and
saws)................................................................. ..........................
Wire and wire p ro d u cts................................................. ..........
O th e r .......... ................................................................................ .
6
1,834
87
3, 230
87
40, 482
1,131
044
644
1,103
1,108
12,880
5,513
17,308
89
14
185
2,868
Machinery, not including transportation equipment
Agricultural implements.........................................
Foundry and machine-shop products.................
Machine tools.......... .............. ................. ...............
Radios and phonographs........................................
O th e r ........................................ ...............................
4
1
1
1
1,306
600
373
252
"I
81
3
6,271
600
1,388
252
2,304
1,727
80,483
600
20,428
504
37,224
21, 727
Transportation equipment...................
Automobiles, bodies, and parts—
O th er ....................... .......................
2
1
1
724
280
444
4
3
1
1,184
720
444
9,460
9,016
444
Nonferrous metals and their products----------------Lighting equipment...........................................
Silverware and plated ware__________ ____ _
Smelting and refining—copper, lead, and zinc.
Stamped and enameled ware...............................
3
1
650
57
6
946
57
1
1
193'
400
10,972
855
1,720
6,397
2,000
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1
1
1
289
1,000
13
1
1
6
2
1
1
2
1
86
403
400
712
70
1042
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
T a b l e 1.— Strikes in July 1938, by Industry—Continued
Beginning in
July
In progress dur
ing July
Industry
N um Workers N um Workers
ber involved ber involved
Lumber and allied products___ . . _ ___ . __ ______ .
Furniture____________ _____ _________________________
Mill work and planing________ ___ ____
________
Sawmills and logging camps_____________ ____________
Other___ _____ ________ _ ._
. ______ __________
6
1
3
2
1,957
255
1,444
258
Brick, tile, and terra cotta____________________________
Marble, granite, slate, and other products______________
Mandays
idle
during
July
14
1
4
4
5
4, 582
255
2, 309
801
1, 217
44, 718
4.080
7,956
13, 231
19,451
4
2
1
1
485
259
51
175
9 294
6, 584
510
2, 200
.
Textiles and their products____ _____ ________
Fabrics:
Carpets and rugs_____________________ .
______
Cotton goods_________ ______ ____________________
Cotton small w a r e s .__________________ . _ . __
Silk and rayon goods______ _________
________
__________________
Woolen and worsted goods.
Other ___________________ ____ _____ ____ _______
Wearing apparel:
Clothing, men’s . . . ____________ _________ . . . _____
Clothing, women’s _____________ . . _ . . . ______
Hats, caps, and m illinery... . ________________ __
Hosiery . . . _____________________________ _
Knit goods_____________ ____________ ___________
Other____________________ _____ _ _ _____________
24
8, 664
34
10,483
76, 614
1
3
2
5
2
1
277
5,240
167
889
878
47
1
4
2
5
2
3
277
5,740
167
889
878
504
277
28, 369
1,670
6, 326
3, 497
8,807
5
375
1
1
2
1
47
515
211
18
2
7
2
2
2
2
57
446
157
539
211
618
261
3,206
2,247
9,390
510
12,054
Leather and its manufactures. . . . . . . . . . .
_ __ _ _
Boots and shoes____________
. . .
________ _ ____
Leather. _______ ________ _ . . . . . . . . __________ . . .
Other leather goods_________
. . . _ _____ . .
7
6
1
3,109
3, 045
64
11
7
2
2
3, 661
3, 345
283
33
27, 376
24,415
2,163
798
Food and kindred products______ ____
Baking___ ___________________ ___________ _ _____
Canning and preserving...
_ _ _____ __ ____
Flour and grain mills_____ __________
______
Icecream_______________________ _. __________ _. __
Slaughtering and meat packing____ . . . __________ ___
Sugar refining, cane _______
_ _______ _______ _
Other ________________________ _______ ____________
15
6
o
3,459
758
151
i
2
2
2
50
1,040
1,412
48
24
8
2
2
1
4
3
4
6,014
816
151
167
50
1,083
3, 621
126
37, 447
4,853
607
1, 506
600
7,814
21,108
959
1
1
640
640
9, 600
9, 600
Paper and printing..................
_
.
Boxes, paper __________ ._ . ______ _ ______ ____
Printing and publishing:
Book and job____________ _________ ___ _______
Newspapers and periodicais___ _ . . _____ ______
Other_______ ______ _____________ _ _______
2
250
9
2
1, 327
838
17,025
13,168
2
250
4
2
1
269
203
17
1,380
2, 375
102
Chemicals and allied products_______ ______ ______ . .
Druggists’ preparations________________ _______ ______
Paint and varnishes_______
........
Petroleum refining ______________ _ _ __ ______ _
Other ___________ __ __ _____________ . . . . _____
4
2
1
199
126
9
1
64
7
2
2
2
1
542
126
51
301
64
7, 892
612
876
6,020
384
Rubber products____. . . .
__ _ .
_____
Rubber tires and inner tubes____ . . . _____ ___________
Other rubber g o o d s..._______________________________ _
3
288
3
288
4
1
3
352
64
288
5,013
960
4,053
Miscellaneous manufacturing. . _
.
....
Electric light, power, and manufactured gas____________
Broom and brush. . ___________ ____ ___ _____ . . . _
Furriers and fur factories.. _______ ____________________
Other. _____________________________________________
7
1
458
9
85
364
1,604
6
750
91
754
14, 875
36
2
4
13
1
1
3
8
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
8, 250
L 297
5,292
1043
Industrial Disputes
T able 1.— Strikes in Ju ly 1938, by Industry— Continued
Beginning in
July
In progress dur
ing July
Mandays
idle
during
N um Workers N um Workers
July
ber involved ber involved
Industry
Extraction of minerals. __
__ .
Coal mining, anthracite____ __________________________
3
3
10,462
10, 462
6
4
1
1
11,104
10,618
465
21
82, 803
73, 251
9, 300
252
Transportation and c o m m u n i c a t i o n . __
_
_
Water transportation_________________________________
Motortruck transportation... ____ _ _ _
...
Motorfcus transportation__________ ______ __________
Taxicabs and miscellaneous______________ _______ . . . .
Telephone and telegraph____ _ ___
. .. _______ .
15
5
3
1
5
1
1,444
561
56
18
772
37
21
7
6
2
5
1
2, 580
851
'886
34
772
37
23,951
2,199
12,010
490
9,104
148
Wholesale_________________________________ ____ _____
Retail_______________________________________________
21
6
15
3, 966
2, 587
1,379
39
11
28
6, 227
2, 767
3,460
45,713
7, 991
37,722
Domestic and personal service.. . . . .
.
. . .
.. ..
Hotels, restaurants, and boarding houses___________ . . .
Laundries____________________________
. . _______
Dyeing, cleaning, and pressing________________________
7
4
2
1
628
44
560
24
14
8
3
3
2,038
801
1,180
57
10, 553
6,282
3,440
831
2
2
56
56
3
3
63
63
259
259
22
15
1, 869
1,032
35
21
7, 092
5,294
73, 682
55, 754
Recreation and amusement____ _________ . . .
_______
Buildings, exclusive of P. W. A __
. . . _______
All other construction (bridges, docks, etc., and P . W. A.
buildings)_________________________________________
Agriculture and fish in g..
Agriculture______________________
.. _
. . ______________
W. P. A., relief, and resettlement projects__ . . . _
Other nonmanufacturing industries______ .
. . . . ...
7
837
14
1,798
17,928
4
4
584
584
5
4
1
2, 784
584
2, 200
9,512
2, 262
7, 250
5
3
2, 773
391
7
5
2,863
547
18,436
9, 672
Slightly more than half of the strikes beginning in July were in four
States, namely, New York (34), Pennsylvania (25), California (16),
and New Jersey (11). Pennsylvania had more workers involved, by
far, than any other State. The two anthracite strikes referred to
previously accounted in a large measure for the 12,700 workers
involved in Pennsylvania. Other States having large numbers of
workers involved in the July strikes were California (5,300), North
Carolina (5,000), New York (4,200), and Wisconsin (3,300). About
52 percent of the idleness because of strikes in July was in Pennsyl
vania, New York, and California.
Two of the 164 strikes beginning in July extended across State lines.
Both of these strikes involved workers in Cincinnati, Ohio, and
Covington, Ky. One was a strike of workers in ornamental-iron
plants and the other a sympathy strike of construction workers.
102770— 38-
6
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1044
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
T a b l e 2. —Strikes
in July 1938, by States
Beginning in July
In progress during
July
State
Man-days
idle during
July
N um
ber
Workers
involved
N um
ber
All States_____ _______ _______ _________________
164
45,071
289
76,599
665,832
A la b a m a ...___________________ _______ ________
Arizona__________________ ___________________
California_____________________________________
Colorado____________ ____ ____ ________ ________
Connecticut. ______________ _________________
3
1
16
1
2
3
7
3
5
1
1
1
1
295
65
5,256
75
364
255
1, 581
'431
253
10
100
535
388
81
326
415
6
1
28
2
2
5
15
8
6
1
1
1,059
65
9,967
125
364
283
2,726
li 199
1,853
10
100
1, 335
’ 388
381
561
1, 668
1,232
1,163
223
94
2,944
11,895
4,982
4,021
103
1,089
18,417
879
175
230
241
271
272
109
4,463
1,712
20,577
130
63, 611
485
451
4,943
25,228
17,154
21, 682
40
100
19,225
1,164
4,151
5,989
17,125
5,232
15,499
4,417
1, 390
15,092
133,564
14,946
39,856
1,807
5,474
149,435
6,284
2, 200
4,262
3,767
4,480
5,190
2,834
31,711
16, 337
Illinois___ __________________ ______ _ _______
Indiana_____________________________ ____ _____
Towa..................... ............ . . . _______ ___________
K ansas.________ _______________ 1______________
K entucky___________ . _____________ _______
Louisiana______________ _______ ______ _________
M aine_________________ ______________________
M aryland... _________________________________
M assachusetts_______ _________________ ____ ___
Michigan_____________________________________
Minnesota______ ______________________________
Missouri___ _______________________________ . . .
Montana______________________________________
Nebraska________________________ ____________
N ew Jersey____________ . . . __________________
N ew Y ork ... ______ _____________________ ____
North Carolina____ _____________ _____ ______
O hio.______ __________________________________
Oklahoma____________________________________
Oregon__________ _____________________________
Pennsylvania_________________ ________________
Rhode Island__________ ______ ______ __________
South C arolina................. ......................... .....................
Tennessee___________ __________ ______________
Texas____ _________ . ________________________
Virginia_______________________________________
Washington_________ ____________________ ____
West V ir g in ia .......................................... .....................
Wisconsin_______ ______ ________ ________
Interstate____________________________ _______
2
4
4
5
1
1
11
34
1
7
1
4
25
2
2
1,086
193
48
1,977
4,176
4,982
3,612
23
439
12, 660
679
4
1
1
80
109
255
12
7
3,296
1,014
2
2
1
3
7
8
3
7
2
2
15
60
1
15
2
5
43
3
1
3
6
2
4
1
12
6
Workers
involved
The average number of workers involved in the strikes beginning in
July was 275. Nearly 60 percent of the 164 strikes involved fewer
than 100 workers each, 30 percent involved from 100 to 500 workers
each, and in about 10 percent of the strikes 500 or more workers were
involved in each. Only the anthracite strike, referred to previously,
involved as many as 5,000 workers.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1045
Industrial Disputes
T a b l e 3 . —Strikes
Beginning in July 1938, Classified by Number of Workers
Involved
Number of strikes in which the number of
workers involved was—
Industry group
All industries
Total
164
100
500
1,000 5.000
6 and 20 and and
and
and
and
under under under
under
under
under
20
100
500
1,000
5,000 10.000
41
56
49
Manufacturing
Iron and steel and their products, not including
machinery------ --------------------------------------- --------Machinery, not including transportation equipment..
Transportation equipment.................................................
Nonferrous metals and their p r o d u c ts....____ ______
Lumber and allied products...............—.........................
Textiles and their products____ ____ ______ ________
Leather and its manufactures.------ --------- ------ ------Food and kindred products_______________ ________
Paper and printing..............................................................
Chemicals and allied products..........................................
Rubber products..................................................................
Miscellaneous manufactures__________________ ____
Nonmanufacturing
Extraction of minerals...................... ...........
Transportation and communication...........
Trade................. ....................................... ........
Domestic and personal service......................
Professional service............................. ............
Building and construction....... .....................
Agriculture and fishing..................................
W. P. A., relief, and resettlement projects
Other nonmanufacturing industries_____
Thirty-six percent of the strikes beginning in July were called
primarily over wage-and-hour issues and the same proportion was
called principally over union-organization matters. The wage-andhour strikes were larger on the average than the union-organization
strikes—the first group including 48 percent and the latter group only
25 percent of the total workers involved. Thirty-one percent of the
workers involved were striking in protest against wage reductions.
In 28 percent of the strikes, involving a similar proportion of the
total workers, the disputed issues were miscellaneous matters includ
ing union rivalry, sympathy, jurisdiction, and various grievances such
as increased work load, work-equalization questions, delayed pay,
change in classification of work, and vacations with pay.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1046
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
T a b l e 4 . — Major Issues Involved in Strikes Beginning in July 1938
Strikes
Major issues
Percent of
total
Number
164
59
26
23
7
1
2
59
7
8
1
13
23
5
2
46
6
7
4
29
All issues___________________________ __________
Wages and hours . --------------- -- -----------------Wage increase---- ---------- ------------- - - . . .
Wage decrease---------- ------ ------------------------ . . .
Wage increase, hour decrease_______________ . . .
Wage decrease, hour increase________ ______ _____
----------------- ------------- Hour decrease---------------Union organization______ . . Recognition- ---- ------ -- ---------- -- Recognition and wages. - -------------. . -.
Recognition and hours___________________ ______
Recognition, wages, and hours. __ . --------------- _
Closed shop------------------ ---------------------- -------Discrimination . . . . . -------------- - - - ------ -----Other.
. . - . . ------ . . . ------- -----------Miscellaneous_______________ - - ------------- --------Sym pathy________________________ ____________
Rival unions or factions------- ---------- ------------------Jurisdiction____
_ - . ------------------ ------ -- . . .
Other..
. ____ . ------------------------ --------------
Workers involved
Number
100.0
36.0
15.9
14.0
4.3
.6
1.2
36.0
4.3
4.9
.6
8.0
14.0
3.0
1.2
28.0
3.7
4.3
2.4
17.6
Percent of
total
45,071
21,454
6,971
13, 947
374
10
152
11,171
1,723
1,024
165
1,694
3,835
216
2,514
12, 446
1,031
745
110
10, 560
100.0
47.6
15.5
31.0
.8
0)
.3
24.8
3.8
2.3
.4
3.8
8.4
.5
5.6
27.6
2.3
1.7
.2
23.4
i Less than Ho of 1 percent.
Bureau records show that 164 of the 289 strikes in progress during
July were terminated by the end of the month. About one-third of
the strikes lasted less than a week, 43 percent of them lasted from a
week to a month, and 24 percent lasted for a full month or more—8
strikes in the latter group having been in progress for 3 months or
more. Only one of these long strikes involved a large number of
workers—a strike of nearly 800 employees of the River Raisin Paper
Co., at Monroe, Mich., which started early in April because of a wage
reduction. The company signed a union agreement on July 20, the
union agreeing to accept the reduction.
T a b l e 5.-—Duration of Strikes Ending in July 1938
Number of strikes with duration of—
Industry group
Total
164
Manufacturing
Iron and steel and their products, not includ
ing machinery________________________ .
Machinery, not including transportation
equipment_________________ ____
_ ...
Transportation equipment________________
Nonferrous metals and their products______
Lumber and allied products_____ _.
... .
Stone, clay, and glass products. ______ ____
Textiles and their products____ __________
Leather and its manufactures________. . . . . .
Food and kindred products_____ .
...
Paper and printing_____ ________ .
___
Chemicals and allied products__________ . . .
Miscellaneous manufacturing
___________
Nonmanufacturing
Extraction of minerals_____________________
Transportation and communication ________
Trade.. ____________ . ..............................
Domestic and personal service____________
Professional service_____________ . . .
____
Building and construction______________ .
Agriculture and fishing________ __________
W. P. A., relief, and resettlement projects.. .
Other nonmanufacturing industries............ .
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
2 and
3
Less 1 week H and 1 and
less
less
months
than 1 and less less
than
H
than
1
than
2
than
3
or
1 week
month month months months more
55
5
41
1
1
1
29
21
1
3
1
1
10
3
2
1
7
1
19
7
15
6
2
8
1
1
3
8
3
5
1
i
2
6
2
4
2
i
2
2
2
i
i
2
i
4
16
20
7
2
26
4
7
2
1
6
7
2
1
7
3
5
1
1
6
2
4
1
1
1
1
i
2
7
2
1
2
4
i
1
7
i
2
1
i
i
i
5
1
Industrial Disputes
1047
Government conciliators and labor boards assisted in working out
settlements for nearly 60 percent of the workers involved in the strikes
ending in July. Thirty-nine percent of the strikes were settled with
the assistance of these agencies, while about 37 percent of the strikes,
including 33 percent of the workers, were settled directly between
the companies and union officials.
Twenty-one percent of the strikes, including less than 8 percent of
the total workers, were terminated without formal settlements. In
most of these cases the employees went back to work without a settle
ment of the disputed issues or they lost their jobs entirely when the
employers replaced them with new workers, moved, or went out of
business.
T a b l e 6 . —Methods of Negotiating Settlements of Strikes Ending in July 1938
Strikes
Workers involved
Negotiations toward settlements carried on by—
Number
Percent of
total
Number
Percent of
total
- ------- ------------------------------ -----------------
164
100.0
48,409
Employers and workers d ir e c tly ___ - --------- _ _ .
Employers and representatives of organized workers
directly---------- --------------------------- -----------------------Government conciliators or labor boards. _______ _ .
Private conciliators or arbitrators---------------------Terminated without formal s e t tle m e n t..._____ _
3
1.8
133
.3
60
64
2
35
36.6
39.1
1.2
21.3
15, 723
28,529
357
3, 667
32.5
58.9
.7
7.6
T otal.
100.0
Of the 164 strikes ending in July, 28 percent resulted in substantial
gains to the workers, 40 percent in partial gains or compromises, and
26 percent brought little or no gains to the workers. Of the 48,409
workers involved, 19 percent obtained substantially all that was
demanded, 61 percent obtained compromise settlements, and 16
percent gained little or nothing.
T a b l e 7. —Results of Strikes Ending in July, 1938
Strikes
Results
Number
Workers involved
Percent of
total
Number
Percent of
total
T otal___ ______ ___________________________ ______ -,
164
100.0
48,409
100.0
Substantial gains to workers_________ ____________
Partial gains or compromises________________________
Little or no gains to workers________________________
Jurisdiction, rival union, or faction settlements...............
46
65
43
10
28.0
39.7
26.2
6.1
9,140
29, 763
7,801
1,705
18.9
61.5
16.1
3.5
A larger proportion of the strikes over wages and hours were success
ful from the workers’ point of view than of the strikes over union-organ
ization matters. Of the wage-and-hour strikes, 35 percent were
successful, 41 percent were compromised, and 24 percent lost. Of the
strikes over union-organization matters, 26 percent were successful,
44 percent were compromised, and 30 percent lost.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1048
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
In terms of workers involved, however, the union-organization
strikes appear to have been the more successful. Only 14 percent of
the workers involved in wage-and-hour strikes won their demands, 59
percent obtained compromises, and 27 percent gained little or nothing.
This 27 percent of unsuccessful wage-and-hour strikers was about
evenly divided between workers failing to get demanded increases
and those failing in their attempt to prevent wage decreases. In the
union-organization strikes, 31 percent of the workers won their de
mands, 57 percent obtained compromises, and 12 percent lost.
T able 8.—Results of Strikes Ending in July 1938, in Relation to Major Issues
Involved
Strikes resulting in—
Major issues
Total
Substantial
gains to
workers
Partial
gains or
compro
mises
Jurisdic
tion, rival
Little or
no gains to union, or
workers
faction set
tlements
Number of strikes
All is su e s ............................ ................................
Miscellaneous........................................ ................
164
46
65
.43
54
26
17
10
1
74
10
8
2
20
26
4
4
36
3
6
4
23
19
11
4
4
22
8
8
5
1
33
5
2
1
10
13
1
1
10
13
7
5
1
10
8
19
3
2
1
6
4
2
1
8
3
10
22
2
4
4
9
1
2
8
10
6
4
5
Number of workers involved
All issues.................................................................
Closed sh o p .__ I . . . ......................................
O th er........... ..... ..............................................
Miscellaneous.........................................................
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
48,409
9,140
29,763
7,801
18,209
3’ 951
12,701
1, 547
10
18,673
2,901
l' 678
206
2,205
10,394
177
112
11, 527
249
1,305
'400
9,573
2,586
838
1,483
'265
10, 652
' 628
8, 751
1,263
10
10,631
2,692
1,114
' 165
1,592
5^038
23
7
8,480
4,971
2,485
2,467
19
8,480
661
5,873
'649
228
41
501
4,240
' 140
74
681
249
432
1,705
2,169
560
336
112
1,116
14
31
661
1,705
1,305
400
Industrial Disputes
1049
RAILROAD EM ER G EN C Y BOARD RECO M M EN D S
AGAINST WAGE R ED U C TIO N
THE Emergency Board appointed September 27, 1938, under sec
tion 10 of the Railway Labor Act, recommended on October 29 that
the railway companies rescind their wage reduction orders, which had
brought on the emergency.1 It has been estimated that the proposed
reduction of 15 percent would have totaled about $250,000,000 a
year. The Board made its recommendation after a series of public
hearings and a thorough study of the situation as presented by both
the carriers and their employees. The members of the Board were
Walter P. Stacy, chief justice of the Supreme Court of North Carolina,
chairman, James M. Landis, dean of the Harvard Law School, and
Harry A. Millis, retiring chairman of the department of economics at
the University of Chicago.
On November 4 the railroads withdrew their orders for the wage
reduction. The antecedent developments were summarized by the
Board as follows:
.
On May 12, 1938, the carriers involved served on certam of their
employees formal notices in writing of their intention to reduce
rates of pay 15 percent on July 1, 1938. After preliminary negotia
tions it was agreed that the matter should be handled on a national
basis. Efforts at settlement were unavailing. Mediation was there
upon invoked and followed without adjusting the dispute. Conse
quently, as required by the Railway Labor Act, the National Media
tion Board requested the parties to submit the controversy to arbi
tration The carriers signified their willingness to arbitrate. The
employees declined. On August 31, 1938, the National Mediation
Board formally notified the parties of the termination of its services.
This automatically stayed the original notices for an additional 30
days The carriers then notified their respective employees that the
notices would be put into effect on October 1, 1938. Strike votes
were taken and, on September 26, the employees announced their
intention to call a Nation-wide strike unless the wage-reduction pro
posals of the carriers were withdrawn. On the following day the
National Mediation Board notified the President that, in its judgment,
the unadjusted dispute between the parties threatened substantially
to interrupt interstate commerce to a degree such as to deprive the
country of essential transportation service. The President thereupon
created an Emergency Board, under section 10 of the Railway Labor
Act, to investigate and report respecting the dispute.
The Board in its report summarized earlier wage controversies and
movements and analyzed briefly the problems of the country s rail
road system. The report also summarized the carriers’ case as it was
i Emergency Board appointed September 27, 1938, under section 10 of the Railway Labor Act. Report;In
re Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway and other class I railroads and certain of their employees. Was ineton, 1938.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1050
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
presented to the Board and, in a similar manner, the employees’
defense. In its presentation of its findings and recommendations, the
Board stated that the issue before it concerned the specific proposal
to reduce wages horizontally by 15 percent and that this wage pro
posal was the problem before the Board. Since this issue, however,
had been precipitated primarily by the financial needs of the carriers,
it was necessary to give some consideration to the railway problem as
a whole. One of the financial problems considered was the continuing
decline in operating revenue. To that permanent situation, the Board
asserted, the carriers will need to adjust themselves by means more
heroic than wage reductions. The means suggested relate to the
processes of reorganization, which should be carried out with a recog
nition of the futility of attempting to preserve values that already
have been long dead.
Conclusions of the Board
The Board in arriving at its recommendation stated that the con
siderations most relevant to the issue concerned three factors: {a)
The trends in wages and earnings of railway labor and of labor in
other industries; (b) current rates of pay of railway employees and of
other comparable workers; and (c) the current wage situation, par
ticularly as affecting the movement of wage rates among workers
generally. In concluding the presentation of its findings and recom
mendation, the Board stated:
Examination of the data above detailed leads us consequently to
the conclusion that the level of wages of railway labor is not high when
compared with wage levels in other industries. Nor do wage trends
show that railway wages have advanced proportionately greater than
wages in other industries. Instead they seem to show a slight lag,
though, on the other hand, they show greater resistance to decline
than wages in other industries. Furthermore, no justification arises
for a wage reduction from the current wage situation in other indus
tries. There, no general movement to reduce wages has made its
appearance. These considerations lead us to the conclusion that the
earners proposal can derive no sustenance from the contention that
railway wages as a whole are too high.
“We have thus far dealt with the problem from the standpoint that
the carriers’ inability to pay is characterized by a short-term aspect.
To date it is so. The employees emphasize the fact that an upturn
m the volume of business has already taken place. While carloadings
are still below 1937 levels^ there is hope that within a reasonable
peiiod further substantial increases in carloadings will take place.
Furthermore, because of the rate increases granted last March by the
Interstate Commerce Commission, a volume of tonnage some 8.8
percent less will bring operating revenues into parity with 1937.
These factors, together with recognized differences in the depth of
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Industrial Disputes
1051
business decline, distinguish the situation in 1938 from that which
prevailed in 1932. Naturally, we cannot rest our conclusion merely
upon a prevalent but possibly unwarranted optimism. It may,
indeed, eventuate that operating revenues will fail to return within a
reasonable period to 1937 levels or thereabouts. Furthermore, it
may well be that the hoped for relief from the development of a
national transportation policy and other similar measures will not be
forthcoming. Then the inability of the roads to pay would turn
from a short-time to a long-time aspect, and avenues of relief through
wage reductions would have to be explored. The 30-day clause of
the existing agreements would provide this opportunity.
“But if the occasion should arise for the carriers at such time to
pursue that course, it would be well for them to consider certain
observations that the Board believes it wise to express. The first of
these is that wage reduction upon a horizontal national scale, as that
proposed in this case, possesses distinct drawbacks. We have already
commented upon the failure of such a proposal to distribute the benefit
of such savings as might be effected to the needier roads. Moreover,
if the needs of the roads as they exist relate specifically to such factors
as maintenance expenditures, the purchase of equipment, the pay
ment of accrued interest in order to reestablish credit, no savings
achieved by such a proposal are in any sense earmarked for these ends.
That savings would in all likelihood be devoted in large measure to
such purposes may be admitted, but wise statesmanship on the part
of railroad management should look to making such applications
certain. Some better administrative mechanism could seemingly be
devised to avoid these drawbacks that attend a proposal merely to
reduce wages upon a national scale.
“A further defect attends such a proposal. Its incidence would fall
alike upon all classes of labor from operating service to maintenance
of way employees and extra gang men. Better paid and less well
paid would fare alike. A different principle of wage reduction has
normally been deemed more equitable, i. e., reductions that have regard
to the ability of the varyingly paid groups of railway labor to take the
shock of decreased pay. The Lane commission in 1918, in recom
mending wage increases, followed such a principle. The Railroad
Labor Board in 1921 in Decision No. 147 applied it in its wage reduc
tions. That difficulties inhere in its application are apparent, but the
difficulties do not appear to have been insurmountable.
“In this connection the Board thinks it right to observe that the
suggestion that has been entertained by some of suspending for a
period of time, more or less dependent upon the volume of traffic,
the wage increases granted in 1937 would introduce a somewhat
inequitable element, assuming for the purpose of illustration that a
reduction of about that percentage should be made. This flows
from the fact that differentials in wage rates among the various
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1052
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
groupS of railway employees exist. That the differentials prior to
1937 operated too favorably in behalf of the more highly paid em
ployees seems tacitly to have been admitted at that time, for the
increases benefited percentagewise the lower-paid groups of employees
more than those m the higher brackets. Consequently, to suspend
these increases would be to operate according to the analogy of
regressive rather than progressive taxation—making the burdens fall
with undue weight upon those least able to meet them. True a
temporary suspension of these increases would not permanently
affect either the wage structure or the differentials that now charac
terize it. But temporary suspension would, nevertheless, bring into
operation the regressive feature remarked upon above.
“Consideration of savings in labor costs could also focus upon
certain problems that should engage the attention of management
and men more openly than has hitherto been the case. These flow
from regulations prevalent in the operating service that call for pay
not commensurate with the amount of additional benefit rendered.
0mr f - the^e regu^a^ ons<have been relaxed or dropped, but a frank
candid mquiry as to their equitable nature could well be made the
obligation of both management and men.
“Finally, the Board would observe that hardly more important
problems face management today than the handling of their relation
ships with labor. Their solution along fundamentally sound and
equitable lines demands the best effort and the best talent that
management and men can give. The testimony in this case with
regard to the pursuit of penetrating and thoughtful inquiry by the
highest executive officials in the railroads prior to concluding to press
the present proposal for wage reductions, has not been impressive,
th e burden of sustaining a proposal to increase or decrease wages
naturally rests upon those who initiate it. Indeed, were we to
analogize the function of this Board in reviewing the administrative
etermmation of management to reduce wages by the present proposal
to review by a court over the judgment of an administrative tribunal
we would be compelled to conclude that those procedures, which
should be pursued m order to assure that the basis for the fashioning
of policy has been thoroughly explored, appear to be wanting in
this instance. If this analogy were valid, we would for those reasons
be justified m reversing the conclusion of the carriers and remand
the case for redetermination in the light of more thorough exploration
But we do not press this analogy. We advert to it only to illustrate
that important and persuasive determinations, such as must underlie
decisions to reduce or increase wages, should call into play the wisest
and most responsible officials from management and men.
We conclude that no horizontal reduction upon a national scale
of the wages of railway labor should be pressed by the carriers at this
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Industrial Disputes
1053
A C TIV ITIES OF U N IT E D STATES CO NCILIA TIO N
SERV ICE, SE PTE M B E R 1938
IN SEPTEMBER the United States Conciliation Service disposed
of 272 situations involving 105,582 workers. The services of this
agency were requested by employees, employers, and other interested
parties.
There were 138 strikes, threatened strikes, lockouts, and contro
versies, involving 82,818 workers. The remaining 134 situations,
involving 22,764 workers, were services rendered such as requests for
information, adjustments of complaints, conferences regarding labor
conditions, etc.
Activities of the Service were utilized by employees and employers
in 36 States and the District of Columbia (table 1).
The facilities of the Service were used in 23 major industrial fields,
such as automobile, building trades, foods, iron and steel, textiles, etc.
(table 2).
T able 1.—Situations Disposed of by U. S. Conciliation Service, by States,
September 1938
Disputes
State
United States______________________
Alabama______________________ _______
Arizona_____ ___________________ _____
California.............. ............................ ..............
District of C olum bia..________ _________
Massachusetts_______ ____ ___ _ . . . . . .
Ohio____ __________
________ _________
Tennessee________________ _____ _____
Utah_________________________ ____ _
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
N um
ber
Other situations
Workers
involved
N um
ber
Workers
involved
138
82,818
134
22,764
2
83
7
1
2
3
5
2
2
1
4
4
8
2
6
5
1,820
350
65
2, 725
' 202
241
262
35
8,143
3,157
2', 610
15,200
2,421
3,124
5
1
12
2
17
1
13
4
5
1
17
2
136
1
1, 421
'304
3
11
1
742
3,577
'203
2
7
1
2
4
1
2
12
2
2,601
1
6
270
375
2
16
12
2,599
1
31
2
500
25,034
1,200
8
5
2
1
1,875
1,051
1, 500
5
1
10
3
4
8
2
1
3
7
1
10
522
2,052
10,916
251
250
3
592
6
1
3,929
165
1
2
3
1
1
1
1
2
2,752
1
1
250
Total
N um
ber
272
7
1
19
3
19
4
18
6
2
1
4
6
15
3
8
9
1
5
23
1
1
22
3
5.
39
4
1
11
12
2
2
2
9
2
1
1
Workers
involved
105,582
88
1
1,837
352
201
2, 726
l| 623
’ 545
262
35
8,143
3 ,159
5, 211
15, 201
2,427
3; 394
375
744
3,593
203
1
2,609
' 522
2,552
35,950
1,451
250
1,878
1,643
I", 500
6
2
6,681
166
1
250
1054
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
T a b l e 2 . —Situations
Disposed of by U. S. Conciliation Service, by Industries,
September 1938
Disputes
Total
Other situations
Industry
N um
ber
138
Automobile______________
. _______
Communications___________ _____ . . . .
Domestic and personal___ ____ - ___ .
_ . _____
F oo d ,. _____1 . .. _ . . .
Leather___
Lumber:
_____
M ining. . . .
-
. . .
.
Nonferrous metals___
________
.
_ .
. . _____________
Textile:
Trade____
. . . _________________
Utilities_____
Unclassified___
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
_
.... ... ... _
Workers
involved
82,818
9
14
4
8
19
9
3
16, 792
11,636
13, 207
1,499
7,795
3; 787
948
1
7
4
4
1
1
5
1
1
1
9
95
2,595
3,122
l' 450
' 325
15
5,379
616
1
200
1, 256
5
9
6
11
1
5
3,002
1, 715
1,131
4,986
5
1, 261
N um
ber
Workers
involved
N um
ber
Workers
involved
134
22, 764
272
105, 582
1
1
14
1
3
. 12
15
250
117
111
24
1
1
9
28
5
11
31
13
4
1
16, 792
11, 651
13,457
1,616
7,906
3,811
949
1
9
7
8
4
3
1
2,312
2,908
13
4
3
2
7
1
2
2
1, 279
1
2
2
15
11
12
5
4
5
3
8
2
11
96
4,907
6,030
1,463
'329
18
5, 379
' 618
1,280
201
1, 258
5
11
3
9
5
3, 253
3
14
26
12,445
10
20
9
20
1
31
3,007
4,968
1,134
5,000
5
13,706
4
1
Wages and Hours o f Labor
EA R N IN G S AND HOURS IN PRIV A TE SHIPYARDS
AND NAVY Y A R D S1
A COMPARISON is here presented of earnings and hours between
private shipyards and United States navy yards, individual data for
which were published respectively in the September and October 1938
issues of the Monthly Labor Review. Data for the two Pacific coast
navy yards, as well as for certain employees such as masters and those
working on estimating and planning, included in the original report,
have been omitted here in order to achieve comparability between the
two kinds of yards as to geographical location and occupational set-up.
For all employees combined, average hourly earnings in August
1936, the time of the original survey, were 90.0 cents in navy yards
and 77.8 cents in private shipyards. Since that time, however, in
creases in hourly earnings have been granted to employees in private
shipyards. Based on monthly reports of employment and pay rolls
to the Bureau, the average for the entire shipbuilding industry 2
years later, i. e., August 1938, was 83.6 cents. On the basis of this
figure, it is estimated that the average for the 8 large private ship
yards included in this comparison was about 85 cents in August 1938,
thus making a difference of approximately 5 cents in hourly earnings
between private shipyards and navy yards.
Average weekly hours of all employees in August 1936 were 39.5
in navy yards and 36.4 in private shipyards. This lower average in
private shipyards was due primarily to the fact that when the N. R. A.
was abolished these yards still had a number of uncompleted contracts
containing the 36-hour maximum provided for by the shipbuilding
code. The navy yards, on the other hand, were not affected by this
provision. Since navy yards had higher average hourly earnings as
well as longer weekly hours than private shipyards, their average
weekly earnings in August 1936 were also higher, the averages being
$35.59 for navy yards and $28.34 for private yards. Weekly earnings
in private shipyards rose to a high of $32.79 in December 1937 and
then receded to $29.99 in August 1938, according to the monthly
reports of employment and pay rolls received by the Bureau for the
entire shipbuilding industry.
i Prepared by J. Perlman, 0 . R. Mann, D . L. Helm, and J. T. O’Brien of the Bureau’s Division of Wages,
Hours, and Working Conditions.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1055
1056
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
In addition to both higher hourly and weekly earnings in navy
yards as compared with private shipyards, the employees in the former
also enjoyed, on the whole, certain advantages over those in the latter,
in connection with holidays, vacations, sick leave, and pensions.
These benefits have been provided at different times by Congress and
apply not only to navy-yard workers but also to all Government
employees. Private shipyards do excel, however, in provision of in
surance plans, mostly group life. No such plans exist in navy yards.
Comparability of Data
Before making any detailed comparisons between private ship
yards and navy yards, it is necessary to discuss the comparability of
the data.
From the standpoint of product, the two branches of the industry
are fairly comparable. The navy yards are engaged exclusively in
the construction and repair of naval vessels. On the other hand, the
private shipyards were limited to the building of naval ships, prac
tically all the repair work on the latter being confined to navy yards.
Furthermore, the private shipyards are also engaged to some extent
in the construction and repair of commercial vessels. However, the
amount of new construction in naval vessels was so preponderant in
both kinds of yards in August 1936 that the relatively small amount
of other work 2 would not affect the comparison.
Similarly, it is possible to achieve geographical comparability in
the data by omitting from the navy figures the two Pacific coast
yards, thus making the comparison on the basis of the Atlantic coast
yards only for both branches of the industry. Moreover, this geo
graphical comparison is further validated by the close parallelism in
the geographical location between the two kinds of yards along the
Atlantic coast.
With respect to all occupations combined, comparability between
the private and navy yards may be further brought about by omitting
from the navy data the group classified as inspecting and estimating
employees, and also the occupation of masters among the supervisory
employees. These relatively small groups of workers, although they
are closely connected with the construction of vessels, were not
included in scheduling the private yards.
While it is relatively easy to achieve comparability between the two
branches of the industry on the basis of totals, great care must be
exercised in making comparisons covering groups of employees
classified according to skill and occupation.
As regards the groups classified according to skill, an analysis of the
occupations included in each case indicates a fairly close comparability
>It should also be noted that fundamentally there is not much difference as regards construction and
repair work between private and naval vessels.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1057
Wages and Hours of Labor
between private and navy yards for drafting, supervisory (outside of
masters), skilled, and apprentice employees. However, the two
branches of the industry do not agree as to the line to be drawn
between semiskilled and unskilled employees. This is due to the fact
that the private shipyards employ a large number of handy men, whose
duties fall between those of journeymen and helpers. These handy
men are classified as semiskilled, while the helpers are considered
unskilled. In the navy yards, on the other hand, there is no classifi
cation of handy men, practically all of their work being performed by
helpers, who are classified as semiskilled employees, the unskilled
workers being limited to the laborers. In view of this overlapping
between the semiskilled and unskilled groups, it is necessary to com
bine the two in making any comparisons between private and navy
yards.
The occupational groups that may be used in making comparisons
between the two branches of the industry, therefore, are drafting
employees, supervisory employees (exclusive of masters), skilled
workers, semiskilled and unskilled workers, and apprentices (see
table 1).
1.—Average Hourly Earnings and Weekly Hours and Earnings in Shipbuilding
Industry on Atlantic Coast, by Type of Shipyard and Occupational Groups, August
T able
1936
Number of em Average hourly- Average weekly Average weekly
ployees
earnings
earnings
hours
Occupational group
N avy Private
avy Private
avy
ship N
ship N
yards yards
yards yards
yards
Private N avy Private
ship
ship
yards yards yards
23,230
27,887
$0. 900
$0. 778
39.5
36.4
$35. 59
$28. 34
Drafting employees_______________
1,057
Supervisory employees s___________
725
Skilled workers___________________ 13, 770
Semiskilled and unskilled workers-.. 7,232
Apprentices-..........................................
446
1,162
1,401
12,294
11,967
1, 063
1.240
1. 328
1.000
.644
.465
1.137
1.105
.887
.611
.495
39.1
39.9
39.7
39.3
39.7
39.6
38.9
36.2
36.2
35.5
48. 42
53. 04
39. 65
25. 29
18. 47
45. 07
42.95
32.11
22.10
17. 55
All employees 1_____________ _____
1 Exclusive of inspecting and estimating employees and masters or equivalent groups.
J Exclusive of masters or equivalent groups.
While a given occupational group in each branch of the industry has
on the whole the same range of occupations, there is considerable
variation as to the boundary lines between the individual occupations
within that occupational group. As a result, any comparisons for an
individual occupation between private and navy yards may be made
only in those instances where the duties are strictly comparable.
This necessarily reduces the number of such comparisons. In order
to broaden the detailed occupational comparison, however, it is pos
sible to construct certain wide occupational classes, which are more
nearly comparable between the two branches of the industry. The
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1058
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
various individual occupations for which comparisons are possible
between private and navy yards are presented in table 2.
T a b l e 2 . —Average Hourly Earnings and Weekly Hours and Earnings in Shipbuilding
Industry on Atlantic Coast, by Type of Shipyard and Occupational Classes, August
1936
Number of
employees
Average hourly Average weekly Average weekly
earnings
hours
earnings
Occupational class
•
N avy Private
avy Private
avy Private
avy Private
ship
ship N
ship N
ship N
yards yards
yards yards
yards yards
yards yards
Drafting employees:
Engineers—
Drafting (chargemen)__________
71
Associate, drafting (checkers)___
163
Engineering draftsmen.. _________
727
Engineering draftsmen, junior and
tracer.. ______________ _______
96
Skilled workers:
Blacksmiths . . . ------------------111
Boilermakers_____________________
299
241
Coppersmiths____________________
970
Electricians- _________________ . . .
276
Joiners.. . . . ------------- ------------142
Loftsmen___________________ _____
Machinists________________ ______ 3,903
Molders and coremakers______ ____
260
Painters_______ _________________
415
Patternmakers_________
. ------138
P ip e fitter s.-.____________________
409
Riveters_____ _____________ . . .
72
816
Sheet-metal workers. _ ----------------Shipfitters— _______ __________ _
811
Shipwrights (carpenters). ________
371
Tool and die makers and sinkers___
197
Welders, electric__________________
945
Welders, gas______________________
139
Semiskilled and unskilled workers:
Holders-on.. . _____ _____ . .
75
Laborers_________________________ 1,649
Apprentices:
First class (fourth year) _ . . . ____
42
Second class (third year)._ ____. . .
20
Third class (second year)______ . . .
224
160
Fourth class (first year)___________
89 $2 077
88 1.617
849 1.143
$1. 695
1.408
1.133
39.1
39.0
39.1
40.1 $81.31
40.4 63.10
39.5 44. 63
$68.00
56. 88
44. 77
136
.713
.616
39.0
39.5
27.82
24. 32
81
134
178
901
292
134
2,919
116
669
137
639
203
951
1,053
450
69
1,080
63
.989
1.011
1.057
1.067
1.020
1.089
1.013
1.134
.990
1.200
1.063
1.015
1.063
1.005
1.027
1.097
1.006
.992
.90,8
.924
1.018
.887
.870
.982
.889
.997
.820
1.029
.870
.957
.886
.879
.860
.910
.947
.929
39.9
39.7
39.6
39.9
39.9
39. 7
39.8
39.4
39.4
39.9
39.6
38.5
39.6
39.5
39.2
39.7
39.4
39.5
37.2
36.2
35.0
36.5
36.8
37.3
36.7
37.8
35.4
36.3
36.4
34.3
35.8
35.6
37.4
36.2
34.9
36.8
39. 40
40.08
41.87
42. 56
40. 73
43.26
40. 34
44. 68
38. 96
47. 93
42.08
39.06
42.10
39. 66
40.24
43. 53
39. 67
39 22
33. 73
33.49
35. 64
32.37
32.05
36. 68
32. 64
37. 65
28.98
37. 34
31. 65
32. 80
31.74
31.28
32.13
32. 97
33.03
34.23
220
1,471
.749
.596
.738
.484
37.3
39.6
33.5
35.0
27. 94
23. 58
24.74
16.91
121
184
366
392
.720
.600
.480
.360
.690
.566
.490
.404
39.7
40.0
39.7
39.7
35.9
36.0
35.3
35.2
28.58
24.00
19.06
14. 29
24. 77
20. 38
17.32
14.21
Average Hourly Earnings
The average hourly earnings of all employees on the Atlantic coast
in August 1936 amounted to 90.0 cents for navy yards, as compared
with 77.8 cents for private shipyards. This means that there was a
difference of 12.2 cents in favor of navy yards. The extent of the
difference at the present time cannot be ascertained exactly, but it
may be estimated at about 5 cents. There have been increases in
private yards, while navy-yard rates have remained unchanged since
August 1936.
The extent to which this variance is reflected in the respective dis
tributions may be seen in table 3. The number of employees earning
under 60 cents an hour was one-twelfth (8.3 percent) in navy yards,
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1059
Wages and Hours of Labor
as against more than one-fifth (22.7 percent) in private shipyards.
One-third (34.1 percent) of the navy-yard workers received less than
75 cents, but in private shipyards this number constituted nearly
one-half (47.7 percent) of the total labor force. While one-half (50.8
percent) of the employees in navy yards were paid under 95 cents,
as many as four-fifths (81.3 percent) earned below that figure in private
shipyards. Lastly, although one-fourth (26.8 percent) of the navyyard workers received $1.05 and over, there were one-tenth (9.8
percent) in that classification in private shipyards.
T a b l e 3 .— Cumulative Percentage Distribution of Employees According to Average Hourly
Earnings in Shipbuilding Industry oti Atlantic Coast, by Type of Shipyard and Occu
pational Groups, August 1936
All em
ployees 1
Average hourly
earnings
Less than 55 cents...
Less than 60 cents__
Less than 65 cents__
Less than 70 cents...
Less than 75 cents__
Less than 80 cents__
Less than 85 cents__
Less than 90 cents__
Less than 95 cents__
Less than 100 cents
Less than 105 cents...
Less than 110 cents...
Less than 115 cents.
Less than 120 cents
Less than 125 cents
Less than 130 cents _
Less than 140 cents .
Drafting Supervisory
employees employees 2
Pri
Navy vate Navy
yards ship yards
yards
0.1
1. 0
1. 5
3.8
4.5
8.3
16.6
27.5
34.1
37.3
39.2
41.6
50.8
64.7
73.2
84.6
92.0
94.0
94.8
96.7
97.8
Less than 200 cents.. 99! 9
3.9
7.5
100.0
0
Semiskilled
and unskilled Apprentices
workers
Pri
Pri
Pri
Pri
Pri
vate Navy vate Navy vate Navy vate Navy vate
ship yards ship yards ship yards ship yards ship
yards
yards
yards
yards
yards
0. 2
0. 2
1. 5
16.2
22.7
32.6
39.6
47.7
54.2
62.0
74.5
81.3
86.3
90.2
92.8
94.8
95.9
97.0
97.9
98.7
QQ 9,
QQ fi
Skilled
workers
1.1
1.5
2.1
3.6
4.6
7.4
8.5
10.8
0.8
.9
8.4
12.5
12.9
23.7
24.5
35.4
36.2
36.9
43.9
45.2
46.4
67.2
70.3
7fi fi
«7 n
92 fi
14.4
18.8
23.1
26.2
29.9
38.4
43.8
48.3
54.8
62.0
69.4
79.9
87 0
92 1
97 2
97.4
2.6
99.9 100.0
.1
0.1
.7
.7
.8
1.0
4.7
5.2
5.9
7.6
10.8
12.6
19.2
44.6
73.0
84. 7
95.9
98 8
(3)
0.4
0
1.1
0.1
.2
1.4
1.8
2.1
3.4
2.4
6.5
3.6
9.5
5.6
9.9 12.6
17.5 27.9
30.8 50.4
43.5 64.7
56.5 83.7
69.0 95.5
75.5 98.6
79.7 99.6
88.0 99.8
91.7 99.9
94. 6 100.0
96. 4 4 100.0
98. 0 4100.0
0.3
.9
2.7
6.8
9.1
21.2
47.3
79.2
95.7
99.2
99.7
99.9
100.0
4 100.0
0.2
2.1
5.9
12.4
30.6
0
0.4
44.3
1.3
65.7
78.3
4.6
89.1
11.9
21.1
93.9
96.9
35.3
98.9
60.8
99.5
74.5
99.8
83.8
99.9
90.2 ___
93.9 ___ 100.0
___
4
100.0
96.6
97.9 ___ 4100.0
99.0 _____ 4100.0
99.6 _____ 4100.0
99.9
100.0
35.9
35.9
86.1
86.1
86.1
90.6
90.6
100.0
___
___
___
___
4.6
15.1
34.2
55.5
75.6
84.9
90.4
93.2
97.1
98.3
99. 4
99.7
99.9
100.0
—
-----—
—
____ —
____ —
99.5
.5
1 Exclusive of inspecting and estimating employees and masters or equivalent groups.
2 Exclusive of masters or equivalent groups.
3 Less than Mo of 1 percent.
4 Simple percentage added is less than Mo of 1 percent.
The present wage level of per diem employees in navy yards may
be traced back to 1929, at which time the then existing wage struc
ture, which had evolved over a long period of years, was frozen to
prevent any reductions in hourly rates. However, since that time
general increases in rates per hour took place on two different occa
sions, due to reductions in weekly hours with the old basic weekly
rates being maintained. The first of these increases occurred in
March 1931, when the hours per week were shortened from 48 to 44.
The second increase took place in March 1934, at which time these
102770—38------7
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1060
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
hours were further reduced to 40. Thus, the total decrease in hours
with basic weekly rates remaining constant has resulted in a 20percent gam m hourly rates for per diem workers. Similar increases
were granted to salaried employees on September 1, 1935, due to
changes resulting from reclassification under the provisions of the
Brookhart Salary Act of July 3, 1930.
The recent trend in wages of private shipyards may be seen by an
examination of the monthly figures of average hourly earnings based
on the Bureau’s monthly reports on employment and pay rolls for the
shipbuilding industry. These figures are presented for the years
1932 to 1938 in table 4. It should be remembered, however, that
these data cover the entire industry as defined by the Census of Manuactures, and consequently are not strictly comparable with the
figures tor the narrower coverage used in the present survey.
Due primarily to wage reductions during the depression, the average
earnings per hour in the entire shipbuilding industry declined in
general throughout 1932 and the first half of 1933. The lowest point
was reached m June and July 1933, at which time the average stood
at 54.9 cents. The N. R. A. code for the shipbuilding industry was
approved on July 26, 1933, and as a result the average increased to
64.2 cents m September. Further upward readjustments in wages
con mued until about September 1934, when the average was 75.2
C^ ts °r ab- t 10 percent above the level prevailing at the beginning
0 t 9*2' * rom that time to August 1936 the average remained fairly
stable, fluctuating within a relatively narrow range, from 73.3 to
77.4 cents. In August 1936, the average was 75.9 cents, which was
a gam of 21 cents, or 38.3 percent, as compared with July 1933, but
a gam of only 8.8 cents as compared with the beginning of 1932.' In
other words, although private shipyards had granted important wage
increases prior to August 1936, the average hourly earnings for navy
yards in that month were still about 15 percent higher than those in
private yards.
Private shipyards continued their wage increases after August 1936
i t is impossible to determine exactly to what extent the gap between
the wages of navy and private shipyards has been closed, but the
evidence at hand indicates that the difference in hourly earnings
between the two lands of yards has become much smaller.
3 See M onthly Labor Review, September 1938 (p. 502).
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Wages and Hours of Labor
T a b l e 4 . —Average Hourly Earnings and Weekly Hours and Earnings in Entire Private
Shipbuilding Industry, by Months, 1932 to 1937 1
[Based on monthly reports of employment and pay rolls obtained by D ivision of Employment Statistics,
Bureau of Labor Statistics]
Year and month
Average Average
weekly
hourly
earnings2 hours 8
Average
weekly
earnings3
1932
$0 671
fi79
.641
.654
.650
.621
.585
. 606
.621
.625
.631
.606
35. 7
35.8
34.7
37.9
34.3
33.3
38.4
32.0
31.7
32.0
29.7
33. 4
$25.86
25.20
24.23
25.68
23.33
23.11
24.35
21.60
21.95
22.66
21.04
22.62
594
613
579
. 556
.552
. 549
.549
616
.642
.653
.665
.646
29. 8
29. 5
30. 5
32.1
33.1
31.7
33.4
30.3
30.5
31.1
29.6
31.3
20. 64
20.85
19.98
20.15
20.39
20.09
20.58
20.62
21.24
21.43
21.56
21.41
December________
696
694
693
.690
. 731
. 723
.746
. 739
.752
.748
.740
.756
30.1
30.4
31.0
31.3
32.3
31.5
31.6
31.3
30.5
30.9
30.4
30.5
21.79
21.59
22.10
21.84
24.07
22.71
23. 53
23.16
23.16
23.07
22.32
23. 33
April____ ________
.750
740
. 752
.739
31.8
31.6
32.1
32.2
23.81
23.60
24. 50
23.89
July
September----------October_____ ____
N ovem b er.............
19S3
Tnly
September_______
October__________
1934
M av
T il TIP
.Tnly
September...... .........
October__________
Year and month
1935
M ay__________ . . .
June_____________
July...........................
A ugust__________
September_______
October__________
November_______
December_______
Average Average
weekly
hourly
earnings2 hours2
Average
weekly
earnings3
$0. 750
.742
.733
.739
.756
.759
.767
.774
33.1
32.4
32.6
32.8
32.9
33.5
32.9
34.3
$24.88
24.35
24.13
24.64
24.98
25.58
25. 54
26.84
.762
.758
.745
.749
.753
.754
.760
.759
.765
.773
.772
.794
34. 5
34.9
35.9
36.2
36.6
36.7
35.9
35.4
34.8
36.0
35.7
35.0
26. 55
26.46
27.00
27. 59
27.93
27. 65
27.56
27.06
26.84
27.80
27.68
28.02
.782
.783
.790
.816
.810
.803
.816
.817
.832
.830
.838
.838
35.9
35.5
38.1
37.9
37.5
37.6
36.9
38.2
35.8
37.3
36.9
37.0
28.40
27.53
30.34
31.17
30.77
30.75
30.42
31.44
30.34
31.54
31.02
32.79
. 850
.843
.832
.842
.827
.833
.831
.836
37.9
36.2
37.1
36.4
37.0
37.3
37.0
35.9
31. 21
31.15
31.22
31. 57
30.92
31.61
30.90
29.99
1936
January_________
February________
March_____ ____
April____________
M ay_____________
June______
--July_____________
August__________
September_______
O ctober..................
November______
December________
1937
January__________
February________
March___________
April____________
M ay_____________
June_____________
July_____________
A u g u st... . . . ..
September------. . .
October__________
November_______
December________
1938
January__________
February________
March_____ _____
April.................... .
M ay_____________
June_____________
July_____________
August__________
i The figures are based on identical establishments for 2 consecutive months, there having been a gradual
increase in the coverage throughout the period.
s The average hourly earnings and average weekly hours are computed from data supplied by a smaller
number of establishments, due to the fact that all reporting firms did not furnish man-hours.
3 The average weekly earnings are computed from figures furnished by all reporting establishments.
The average hourly earnings for the entire industry, as defined by
the census, advanced from 75.9 cents in August 1936 to 83.6 cents
in August 1938, based on the sample reporting monthly to the Bureau.
The average earnings per hour for the eight private shipyards covered
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1062
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
in this survey is now probably close to 85 cents,4 which would seem
to indicate that hourly earnings in private yards are not over 5 cents
lower than in navy yards.
Although private shipyards still lagged behind navy yards in average
hourly earnings in August 1938, the earnings in private shipyards (83.6
cents per hour) compared very favorably with similar figures in other
industries, as obtained by the Bureau in connection with its reports
on employment and pay rolls. As regards the manufacturing indus
tries making durable goods, the average hourly earnings in shipbuild
ing were exceeded only by automobiles (92.4 cents). Likewise, among
the remaining industries, only a few exceeded shipbuilding in average
earnings per hour, these being petroleum refining (98.6 cents), news
papers and periodicals (97.1 cents), rubber tires and inner tubes (94.1
cents), anthracite coal (90.8 cents), bituminous coal (88.8 cents), and
beverages (85.2 cents).
As to the data obtained in this survey, the occupational variances
in navy over private yards in August 1936 appear significant. By
far the largest difference found between navy and private yards was
for supervisory employees. The respective averages amounted to
$1,328 and $1,105 an hour, making a difference of 22.3 cents in favor
of navy yards. In this connection, it should be mentioned that the
private shipyards had considerably more supervisors than navy yards.
Comparing the percentage distributions of supervisory workers in
private and navy yards (see table 3), it will be seen that only 1 percent
of the employees in navy yards earned under 90 cents an hour, as
against one-tenth (9.9 percent) in private shipyards. Whereas only
one-eighth (12.6 percent) of the navy-yard workers were paid less
than $1.20, there were three-quarters (75.5 percent) in private ship
yards under that limit. On the other hand, more than one-half (55.4
percent) of those in navy yards received $1.30 and over, but in private
shipyards the corresponding proportion was only one-eighth (12.0
percent) of the total labor force.
Among skilled employees, who constitute by far the most important
group numerically, the difference in favor of navy over private yards
was 11.4 cents, the respective average hourly earnings amounting to
$1.00 and 88.6 cents. This difference varied among the individual
occupations shown in table 2, the range being from 3.9 cents for copper
smiths to 19.3 cents for pipefitters. In fact, of the 18 occupations,
only 1 had a difference of less than 5 cents, 5 had one of 5 and under
4 Based on the m onthly reports of employment and pay rolls to the Bureau, the average for the entire
shipbuilding industry, as defined by the census, was 75.9 cents in August 1936. This may be compared with
77.8 cents for the 8 yards covered in this survey, which is about 2 cents higher than the figure for the entire
shipbuilding industry. The difference may be accounted for by the fact that the small shipyards pay, on
the whole, somewhat lower wages than the large yards included in the survey, which would tend to reduce
the average for the entire industry. In accordance w ith this, assuming that the occupational distribution
due to employment changes has not affected the average, it may be estimated that the August 1938 figure
for the 8 large yards is about 85 cents, or somewhat higher than the 83.6-cent average reported for the entire
shipbuilding industry!
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Wages and Hours of Labor
1063
10 cents, 4 had one of 10 and under 15 cents, and 8 had one of 15 cents
and over. For the largest occupation numerically (machinists), the
difference amounted to 12.4 cents.
A comparison of the respective distributions for skilled employees
(see table 3) shows that, while one-eighth (12.6 percent) of the workers
in navy yards received under 90 cents an hour, there were three-fifths
(60.8 percent) earning under that amount in private shipyards. On
the other hand, although somewhat more than one-third (35.3 percent)
of the navy-yard employees were paid $1.05 and over, one-tenth (9.8
percent) of those in private shipyards were found in that classification.
The difference between navy and private shipyards for draftsmen
was not much less than for skilled employees. Navy draftsmen as a
group averaged $1.24 an hour, while those in private shipyards had
an average of $1,137, or a difference of 10.3 cents. It should be noted,
however, that the variance was considerably larger for higher-paid
employees in this group, amounting to 38.2 cents for drafting engineers
(chargemen) and 20.9 cents for associate drafting engineers (checkers).
It was only 1 cent for engineering draftsmen, who constituted the
majority of the workers in the group, but it amounted to 9.7 cents for
the lowest-paid junior and tracer engineering draftsmen. (See
table 2.)
These differences for the lowest- and highest-paid employees are
confirmed by the distributions for draftsmen. (See table 3.) Thus,
none in navy yards earned under 60 cents an hour, which may be
compared with 4.6 percent in private shipyards. Similarly, while 1
percent (0.9) in navy yards received under 70 cents, there were 8.5
percent paid less than that in private shipyards. Finally, although
24.5 percent of navy-yard workers earned $1.50 and over, there were
only 13.0 percent found in that classification in private shipyards.
The difference in hourly earnings of semiskilled and unskilled
workers in navy and private yards amounted to only 3.3 cents, the
respective average earnings being 64.4 and 61.1 cents. The increases
since 1936 probably have been sufficient to eliminate a difference of
this size. There are, however, two individual occupations for which
comparisons may be made which indicate wide differences within
this group. Thus, for the semiskilled occupation of holders-on the dif
ference was 1.1 cents, as compared with 11.2 cents for the unskilled
laborers.
According to the distributions for semiskilled and unskilled workers
in table 3, the proportion earning under 60 cents an hour was con
siderably greater in private yards than in navy yards, being respec
tively 44.3 and 21.2 percent. On the other hand, the number re
ceiving 60 and less than 70 cents was relatively much smaller in
private yards than in navy yards, so that approximately the same
percentage (78.3 in private yards and 79.2 in navy yards) were paid
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1064
Monthly Labor Review—-November 1938
under 70 cents. A larger proportion of employees were also found
in the class of 70 and less than 75 cents in navy yards than in private
yards, but the proportion of workers earning 75 cents and over was
less in navy yards (4.3 percent) than in private yards (10.9 percent).
The apprentices as a group averaged more per hour in private
than in navy yards, the respective averages being 49.5 and 46.5
cents, or a difference of 3 cents. Private shipyards, it may be noted,
paid on the average 4.4 cents and 1.0 cent an hour more to first- and
second-year apprentices, respectively. Navy yards paid on the
average about 3 cents an hour more to third- and fourth-year ap
prentices, as shown in table 2.
When comparing the respective distributions for apprentices (see
table 3), it should be kept in mind that in navy yards all apprentices
in a given year of training receive the same rate not only within each
yard but also from one yard to another. In private yards, on the
other hand, the rates varied considerably within each year of ap
prenticeship in a given yard as well as from one yard to another.
As a result, while the navy-yard apprentices were concentrated in
four wage classes, those in private yards were spread out over a
greater number of wage classes. It should also be noted that the
spread in average hourly earnings for all apprentices was greater in
private yards than in navy yards, there being a number of apprentices
in private yards who earned less than 36 cents and more than 72
cents, which figures represented the range in navy yards.
Along with the above wage differences, it is also essential to con
sider the percentage of the total workers in each occupational group
in both navy and private yards. These figures are as follows:
Navy
Occupational group:
(p5 )
Drafting employees_______ ____________________________ 4.6
Supervisory employees____________________ _______ _____ 3. 1
Skilled workers_______________________________
Semiskilled and unskilled workers_______________________ 31. 1
Apprentices..________________________________
Private
B
'
4 2
5. q
59.3 44.1
42.9
1.9
Thus, the proportion of drafting employees was practically the same
in both kinds of yards. Private shipyards had relatively more
supervisory workers than navy yards. This is probably due to the
fact that private shipyards had relatively fewer skilled and more
semiskilled and unskilled employees, so that a larger proportion of
supervisory employees was necessary to carry on the work. Lastly,
the proportion of apprentices in private shipyards was twice as
great as in navy yards.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1065
Wages and Hours of Labor
Weekly Hours
At the time of the survey in August 1936 the average weekly hours
of all employees were 39.5 in navy yards and 36.4 in private ship
yards, or a difference of 3.1 hours between the two kinds of yards.
A distribution of all employees according to weekly hours in both
branches of the industry appears in table. 5. It should be noted
that those working under 36 hours were mostly persons who on
account of absenteeism did not put in a full week at the time of the
survey. It appears, however, that whereas this group formed only
2.7 percent in navy yards, it amounted to 14.7 percent in private
shipyards. The disparity may be explained by the fact that navyyard employees are allowed annual and sick leave with pay, so that
naturally a smaller proportion of them would be reported here as
working part time5than in private shipyards. There were 92.3 percent
working exactly 40 hours in navy yards, while but 16.6 percent were
found to be working this number of hours in private shipyards. The
modal concentrations appear in the class of 36 and under 40 hours
for private shipyards and in the class of exactly 40 hours for navy
yards. The fact is also of interest that, while not a single person
worked in excess of 40 hours in navy yards, there were 10.7 percent
in that classification in private shipyards.
T a b l e 5 . — Simple Percentage Distribution of Employees According to Weekly Hours in
Shipbuilding Industry on Atlantic Coast, by Type of Shipyard and Occupational Groups,
August 1936
All em
ployees 1
Drafting
employees
Supervisory
employees *
Skilled
workers
Semiskilled
and un
skilled
workers
Appren
tices
Weekly hours
Pri
N avy vate N avy
yards ship yards
yards
Under 32 h o u r s .................
32 and under 36 hours........
40 hours________________
Over 40 and under 44
1.5
1.2
5. 0
92.3
8.5
6.2
58.0
16.6
3.0
4. 7
2 7
.3
94.6
5.4
Pri
vate N avy
ship yards
yards
1.8
2.8
17.4
60.8
.2
16. 2
.7
.1
0.3
.4
99.3
Pri
vate N avy
ship yards
yards
2.1
3.5
35.7
43.5
3.5
7.5
3. 7
.5
1.2
1.0
.7
97.1
Pri
vate N avy
ship yards
yards
7.9
6.1
65.0
11.8
2.4
2.0
.7
94.9
Pri
vate N avy
ship yards
yards
Pri
vate
ship
yards
1.1
.5
.4
98.0
8.1
8.7
68.4
12.4
10.5
6.8
56.4
14.4
2.4
4.2
2.3
.3
4.0
4.1
3.3
.5
1.1
.9
.4
1 Exclusive of estimating and inspecting employees and masters or equivalent groups.
2 Exclusive of masters or equivalent groups.
• In order to avoid distorting the figures on average hourly earnings, the navy-yard employees on annual
and sick leave during the pay-roll period covered were reported as working the number of hours for which
they were paid. Thus, if the actual hours worked had been taken for navy-yard employees, the average
would have been lower and the average hourly earrings for time at work would have been correspondingly
higher.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1066
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
Drafting employees constituted the only group averaging slightly
longer hours a week in private yards than navy yards, the respective
averages being 39.6 and 39.1. This was due partly to the fact that,
whereas in navy yards the prevailing hours were 39 a week, they
amounted to 40 hours in private shipyards. In navy yards only 5.4
percent of these employees had a workweek of 40 hours. In private
yards, on the other hand, in view of the fact that these employees
were exempted from the 36-hour maximum provision in the N. It. A.
contracts, three-fifths (60.8 percent) worked exactly 40 hours. It is
also due to this fact that 17.2 percent worked over 40 hours in private
shipyards, there being not a single employee in that classification in
the navy yards.
Supervisory employees averaged 39.9 hours in navy yards and 38.9
hours a week in private shipyards. Nearly all (99.3 percent) of the
navy-yard employees worked exactly 40 hours a week, as compared with
43.5 percent working exactly 40 hours in private yards. This accounts
for the fact that the average weekly hours were longer in navy yards
than in private shipyards. On the other hand, whereas not a single
employee in navy yards worked over 40 hours, there were as many as
15.2 percent in that classification in private shipyards. Most of the
supervisory employees in private shipyards were not affected by the
36-hour maximum provision in the N. R. A. contracts.
The average weekly hours in navy and private shipyards were,
respectively, 39.7 and 36.2 for skilled workers, 39.3 and 36.2 for semi
skilled and unskilled workers, and 39.7 and 35.5 for apprentices, the
respective differences amounting to 3.5, 3.1, and 4.2 hours. In navy
yards, nearly all of these employees worked exactly 40 hours a week.
In view of the 36-hour maximum provision in the N. R. A. contracts,
however, the vast majority of these workers in private shipyards had
average weekly hours of less than 40. The modal concentration for
private yards was in the class of 36.0 and under 40.0 hours, the per
centages being 65.0 for skilled workers, 56.4 for semiskilled and un
skilled workers, and 68.4 for apprentices. The proportion in private
shipyards working 40 hours and over was 21.0 for skilled, 26.3 for
semiskilled and unskilled, and 14.8 percent for apprentices. Most of
these employees were evidently working on other than naval construc
tion, thus exempting them from the provision in the N. R. A. con
tracts. Not a single employee in navy yards worked over 40 hours a
week, but the number in that classification in private shipyards was
9.2 percent for skilled workers, 11.9 percent for semiskilled and
unskilled workers, and 2.4 percent for apprentices.
Each of the selected occupations of the skilled workers, semiskilled
and unskilled workers, and apprentices, for which figures are shown
in table 2, reported higher average weekly hours in navy yards as
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Usages and Hours of Labor
1067
compared with private shipyards. The differences ranged from 1.6
to 4.6 hours.
While the above data describe the differences in weekly hours be
tween private and navy yards in August 1936, they have been subject
to considerable variation during the past few years.
It will be remembered that reductions in weekly hours in navy yards
took place on two separate occasions, one being from 48 to 44 in
March 1931 and another from 44 to 40 in March 1934. The provisions
on hours in the N. R. A. code for the shipbuilding industry did not
apply to navy yards.
In response to a request from President Hoover, for the purpose of
spreading employment, some of the major private shipyards volun
tarily limited the hours of work to 40 a week in 1932. Due to labor
turn-over, absenteeism, and shortage of work, the aveiage per em
ployee on the pay roll was about 35 hours in the first half of 1932, but
it dropped below 30 in the first quarter of 1933 (see table 4).
The later changes in hours affecting private shipyards are closely
tied up with the history of the N. R. A. The code for the shipbuilding
industry was approved on July 26, 1933. In case of construction and
repair of merchant vessels, it provided that “no employee on an liouily
rate may work in excess of an average of 36 hours per week, based
upon a 6 months’ period,” with a further stipulation that no one was
to work more than 40 hours during any 1 week. On the other hand,
as regards shipbuilding for the United States Government, the code
stipulated that no employee on an hourly rate could work more than
32 hours a week. However, the 32-hour week proved impracticable,
and on April 2, 1934, the code was modified to provide a maximum
36-liour week for all employees on an hourly rate engaged in the
construction of both private and Government vessels. As regards
ship repairing, however, the original provision was retained, namely
that no employee on an hourly rate was to work more than 36 hours a
week averaged over 6 months, nor more than 40 hours during any 1
week. Average hours per employee on the pay roll fluctuated between
30 and 32 from the late summer of 1933 to the spring of 1935. The
change in the code does not appear to have affected this average.
The code for the shipbuilding industry was abolished by the
Schechter decision of the United States Supreme Court, but this did
not affect the uncompleted contracts entered into during the N. R. A.,
which provided for a 36-hour maximum workweek. In view of the
fact that it takes from 12 to 48 months to complete various kinds of
naval vessels, a number of these contracts were still in force at the
time of the survey in August 1936. However, as all of the vessels
have since been completed, these contracts no longer prevail. Further
more, since the abolition of the code, the 40-hour week has been allowed
by the Navy in letting new contracts, so that at the present time both
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1068
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
private and navy yards are operating primarily on the basis of the
40-hour week. The average hours per employee on the pay roll for
the shipbuilding industry, as defined by the census, rose to about
36 in 1936 and to 37 in 1937 and 1938. In August 1936, reports to
the Division of Employment and Pay Rolls of the Bureau of Labor
Statistics show 35.4 hours per week, whereas in this survey of private
yards engaged in construction the average was 36.4.
The main differences between navy yards and private yards in
August 1936, other than the 36-hour restriction which has since become
ineffective, appear to have been the extremely high proportion of
workers in navy yards who worked exactly the normal scheduled
hours. The navy yards had no scheduled overtime, and they had
sick and annual leave to cover normal absenteeism. There is no means
of telling from the data in hand whether navy yards had a smaller
labor turn-over than private yards, resulting in a short workweek for
both the individual leaving and the individual hired in the week, nor
whether they had greater regularity of employment from day to day.
The private yards also had a considerable amount of time in excess
of 40 hours; the navy yards, none. In private shipyards, 17.2 percent
of the drafting employees, 15.2 percent of the supervisory employees,
9.2 percent of the skilled workers, and 11.9 percent of the semiskilled
and unskilled workers worked over 40 hours.
Weekly Earnings
When this survey was made in August 1936 the average weekly
earnings of all employees amounted to $35.59 in navy yards and
$28.34 in private shipyards. This means a difference of $7.25 in
favor of navy as against private yards, which is due to higher average
hourly earnings as well as longer weekly hours in the former as com
pared with the latter.
According to the distributions in table 6, only 5.1 percent of the
workers in navy yards earned less than $20 a week, as against nearly
one-fifth (18.6 percent) in private shipyards. Whereas one-third
(34.9 percent) of navy-yard employees were paid under $30 a week,
three-fifths (59.2 percent) were found in that classification in private
shipyards. Two-thirds (65.3 percent) of the workers in navy yards
received less than $40 a week, but nine-tenths (89.8 percent) of them
earned under that figure in private shipyards.
Due to the fact that weekly hours of drafting employees were prac
tically the same in both branches of the industry, the difference in
average weekly earnings reflect almost entirely those in average hourly
earnings, bor the group as a whole, the average earnings per week
amounted to $48.42 in navy yards, as compared with $45.07 in
private shipyards. There was very little difference in average weekly
earnings of the medium-paid engineering draftsmen between navy
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Wages and Hours of Labor
1069
and private yards, and the lowest-paid junior and tracer engineering
draftsmen averaged only $3.50 more in navy as against private yards.
The associate drafting engineers (checkers) received $6.22 more in
navy yards than in private yards, but the variance for the highest-paid
drafting engineers (chargemen) amounted to $13.31 in navy yards
over private yards.
As in the case of average hourly earnings, the differences in the dis
tributions according to average weekly earnings (see table 6) between
navy and private shipyards were largely confined to the lowest- and
highest-paid employees. Thus, whereas less than 1 percent (0.8) of
navy drafting employees earned under $25 per week, there were 8.3
percent paid less than that figure in private shipyards. About 25
percent of the drafting employees in navy yards, but only 13 percent
in private shipyards, earned $60 and over.
T able 6. —Cumulative Percentage Distribution of Employees According to Weekly
Earnings in Shipbuilding Industry on Atlantic Coast, by Type of Shipyard and
Occupational Groups, August 1936
Drafting
All
employees 1 employees
Supervisory
em ployees2
Skilled
workers
Semiskilled
and
unskilled
workers
Appren
tices
Weekly earnings
Less than
Less than
Less than
Less than
Less than
Less than
Less than
$10________
$15________
$20_........ —$25_______
$30________
$35_______
$40......... .
Pri
N avy vate N avy
yards ship yards
yards
Pri
vate N avy
ship yards
yards
Pri
vate N avy
ship yards
yards
Pri
vate N avy
ship yards
yards
0.5
1.8
5.1
15.2
34.9
41.6
65.3
90. 8
95. 8
98. 4
99. 6
4
0.1
.8
2.8
8.3
12.6
22.0
32.4
46.7
65.1
86.9
96.0
4.0
0.1
0.3
.4
.4
.6
.6
2.4
1.1
4.7
5.0
15.6
12.7
51.4
38.0
93.6
64.7
99.6
79.7
93.6 100.0
97. 4 3100.0
2.6
1.0
2.0
3.2
8.3
33.7
70.2
90.7
96.9
99.2
99.9
100.0
(‘)
1.8
5.6
18.6
38.2
59.2
78.6
89.8
94. 6
97. 2
99.1
99. 7
.3
0.8
8. 5
23.7
35.4
43. 9
66. 9
75. 8
92. 5
7. 5
0.7
1.0
5.5
10.3
19.6
84.8
98.9
1.1
' 1.0
2.7
9.9
41.0
95.8
99.8
100.0
Pri
vate N avy
ship yards
yards
2.7
0.4
8.3 36.5
32.9 86.1
71.2 90.8
92.7 100.0
98.2
99.5
99.9
100.0
3100.0
Pri
vate
ship
yards
3.0
28.9
76.0
92.6
99.1
99.9
100.0
1 Exclusive of inspecting and estimating employees and masters or equivalent groups.
2 Exclusive of masters or equivalent groups.
* Simple percentage added is less than Mo of 1 percent.
*
Less than Mo of 1 percent.
The supervisory employees as a group averaged only 1 hour longer
in weekly hours in navy yards as compared with private yards, which
means that the differences in weekly earnings in favor of the former
as against the latter was relatively somewhat larger than that found in
connection with average hourly earnings. The difference in average
weekly earnings between navy and private yards amounted to $10.09,
the respective averages being $53.04 and $42.95.
As one may see from the two distributions in table 6, only 1.0 per
cent of the supervisory employees in navy yards earned less than $35
a week, which may be compared with 15.6 percent in private shipyards.
There were 5.5 percent of navy-yard workers who received under $40,
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1070
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
but more than one-third (38.0 percent) earned less than that figure
in piivate shipyards. Lastly, one-fifth (19.6 percent) received under
$50 in navy yards, but four-fifths (79.7 percent) received below that
amount in private shipyards.
The average earnings per week of skilled workers were $39.65 in
navy yards and $32.11 in private shipyards. This difference of $7.54
is i elatively higher than in the case of average hourly earnings, owing
to the fact that employees in navy yards worked 3%hours longer on the
average per week than those in private shipyards.
Every one of the skilled occupations for which comparable data are
available (see table 2) showed higher average weekly earnings in
navy yards as compared with private shipyards. The differences
ranged from $4.99 for gas welders to $10.59 for patternmakers.
Looking at the distributions for skilled workers in table 6, it will be
seen that, while 4.7 percent of the navy-yard employees earned under
$30 a week, this group amounted to one-third (33.7 percent) of the
total in private shipyards. Similarly, one-eighth (12.7 percent) of
the workers were paid less than $35 in navy yards, as compared with
seven-tenths (70.2 percent) in private shipyards. Lastly, one-half
(51.4 percent) of the navy-yard employees received under $40, but in
private shipyards as many as nine-tenths (90.7 percent) were found
in that classification.
It will be remembered that in case of average hourly earnings for
semiskilled and unskilled workers, there was only a small difference
m favor of navy yards as compared with private shipyards. However,
the difference in average earnings per week was relatively much
larger, owing to the fact that navy-yard employees averaged about
3 hours more per week than those in private shipyards. This variant
amounted to $3.19, the respective averages being $25.29 and $22.10.
For the semiskilled occupation of holders-on, the difference in
average earnings per week was $3.20, but it amounted to as much as
$6.67 for the relatively important occupation of laborers (see table 2).
. Comparing the distributions for semiskilled and unskilled workers
m table 6, it appears that, whereas only one-tenth (9.9 percent) of
the navy-yard workers earned less than $20, one-third (32.9 percent)
of the employees in private shipyards were found under that limit.
Furthermore, two-fifths (41.0 percent) of the workers in navy yards
received less than $25, which may be compared with seven-tenths
(71.2 percent) in private shipyards.
The apprentices as a group averaged 92 cents more a week in navy
yards than in piivate shipyards, the two averages amounting respec
tively to $18.47 and $17.55. This difference was due entirely to
longer hours in navy yards than in private shipyards, as the difference
m average hourly earnings favored the latter over the former.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Wages and Hours of Labor
1071
Each class of apprentices earned more per week on the average in
navy yards than in private shipyards. According to the distributions
in table 6, however, the weekly earnings favored the navy yards as
against the private shipyards only for the very lowest- and highestpaid apprentices. Thus, while less than one-half of 1 percent earned
under $10 per week in navy yards, this group amounted to 3.0 percent
in private shipyards. Likewise, there were 9.2 percent paid $25 and
over in navy yards, which may be compared with 7.4 percent in
private shipyards, although a few employees in the latter earned more
than the maximum paid in the former.
It should be noted that there have been no changes in basic weekly
rates of navy-yard employees since 1929. Thus, the reductions in
weekly hours in March 1931 and 1934 were made at the same weekly
basic earnings, which increased the hourly earnings in the various
occupations. On the other hand, the weekly earnings of employees
in private shipyards have been affected in recent years, not only by
changes in wage rates, but also by changes in weekly hours. This
may be seen from the data in table 4, which presents the average
weekly earnings based on the monthly reports of employment and
pay rolls compiled by the Bureau of Labor Statistics for the entire
industry as defined by the Census of Manufactures.
According to table 4, the average earnings per week for all private
shipyards declined in general throughout 1932 and the first quarter
of 1933. The lowest point was reached in March of that year, when
the figure stood at $19.98. On the whole, the average weekly earnings
increased after that month, the figure being $29.99 in August 1938.
However, the figure for August 1938 is still considerably less than
that for navy yards.
Although the average earnings per week in private shipyards were
still below those in navy yards in August 1938, the average in private
shipyards was considerably higher than that in most othei industries,
if comparisons are made with similar figures based on the reports of
employment and pay rolls. The industries with higher average weekly
earnings than shipbuilding in that month were as follow: Newspapers
and periodicals ($36.25); petroleum refining ($35.25); beverages
($34.51); crude-petroleum producing ($34.11); electric light and power
and manufactured gas ($33 .54 ); electric-railroad and motorbus opera
tion and maintenance ($32.73); automobiles ($32.03); explosives
($31.26); chemicals ($30.39); and telephone and telegraph ($30.25).
Welfare Activities
In addition to both higher hourly and weekly earnings m navy
yards as compared with private yards, the employees in the former also
enjoyed, on the whole, certain advantages over those m the latter m
connection with holidays, vacations, sick leave, and pension benefits.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1072
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
I t is customary in private shipyards, as in all other industries, to pay
salaried employees for holidays falling within the regular workweek.
However, the hourly-rate employees were paid only when work was
performed on such holidays, the rate of pay amounting to double
time. This applied to every one of the seven shipyards reporting
on the subject.
In navy yards, on the other hand, all workers, whether salaried or
per diem, receive full payment for certain holidays. As regards per
diem employees, including those working in navy yards, an act of
Congress passed in 1885 provided for full payment on New Year’s
Day, Washington’s Birthday (February 22), Fourth of July, Thanks
giving Day, and Christmas (December 25). At the present time,
if any per diem employees in navy yards perform work on holidays,'
they are paid double time when such holiday occurs within the regular
tour of duty and 2%times if it occurs outside the regular tour of duty.
Of the seven private shipyards that reported annual vacations with
pay, only two granted such vacations to hourly paid employees, the
benefit m each instance being restricted to those with 5 or more years’
service. All of the private shipyards, however, gave their salaried
employees (including draftsmen on an hourly basis) vacations with
pay. The length of vacation varied with the length of service, and
m most cases 1 day per year was allowed for each month of service,
with a maximum of 2 weeks. By the end of 1937, five private ship
yards were allowing their wage earners vacations with pay. This
amounted, in general, to 1 week after 5 years’ continuous service.
In navy yards, paid vacations have been granted since 1901, when
Congress passed an act providing for 15 days’ annual leave with pay
to all civilian employees. This vacation has been increased to 26
days a year, being earned at the rate of 2% days a month. Moreover,
the annual leave may be accumulated up to a maximum of 60 days.6
None of the private shipyards granted sick leave with pay to any
of the hourly paid workers, except for such drafting employees as
worked on an hourly basis. Each of the seven yards, however, that
reported on this subject granted sick leave to their salaried employees.
In most instances, at least 6 months’ service with the company was
the prerequisite, and the amount of leave granted usually depended
upon the individual case. It should also be remembered that all
States wherein the private shipyards are located have workmen’s
compensation laws covering accidents.
Tf catio° (a s f® U as the sick leave) may be taken at any time that the employee can be spared,
will be remembered that in compiling the data on weekly hours (and weekly earnings) for the pay-roll
period of August 1936, the navy-yard employees on annual and sick leave during that periodwere reported
not he i f
0« T ’ >Ce the3: Werepaidf0r that tim e' (Seefootnote 5>P ^ e 1065.) Such employees would
the nav rolT
h ^ " T ?
(OT SÌCk le&Ve ab° ve tbe maximllm>’ ^ »Edition to that taken during
ite r O t
covered having already used up part of their annual allowances at that time. How
ever, Past experience has shown that while an individual may take a fractional part of a day or even a few
th e v m fT l
^ Ì r0Uf ? Ut the year’ by far the great majority allow
they may take several weeks’ or a month’s vacation at a time.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
leave to accumulate so that
Wages and Hours of Labor
1073
The employees in navy yards, as well as in all other Government
departments, are granted 15 days’ sick leave a year with pay. This
leave may be accumulated up to 90 days, and in meritorious cases it
may even be used in advance.
Only three private shipyards reported retirement plans for their
employees. In each case, the cost of the pension was borne solely
by the company. The retirement age was 65 years, and the employee
had to be with the company for 25 years prior to retirement. The
annuities granted varied with the annual earnings of the individual.
On the other hand, the navy yards, as well as all governmental
departments, have a very complete retirement system. Thus, every
civil-service employee, whether salaried or per diem, has 3% percent
deducted from his earnings at the end of each pay-roll period. This
amount is placed in a retirement fund, which is matched dollar for
dollar by the Government. In the case of mechanical service, the
compulsory retirement age is 62 years, except that foremen and masters
must retire at 65 years. However, these employees may retire volun
tarily after 30 years’ service, if they have reached the ages of 60 and
63 years, respectively. The maximum annuities are $1,200, but
before drawing such an amount one must earn an average of $1,600
per year for any 5 consecutive years. When an employee is separated
from the service before reaching the retirement age, the deductions
are returned to him plus 4 percent interest compounded annually.
Salaried employees may retire voluntarily at the age of 68, after 30
years’ service, but they are compelled to retire at the age of 70 years.
The only exceptions to the compulsory-retirement ages are employees
particularly expert in their line of work who cannot be readily re
placed, but even in these rare instances joint approval must be
received from the Secretary of the Navy and the Civil Service Com
mission, which must be further approved by the President of the
United States, in which cases two 2-year extensions over the maximum
age would be the most allowed.
In other kinds of insurance, however, private shipyards excel navy
yards. Thus, six of eight private shipyards reported insurance
systems for the benefit of their personnel, both salaried employees
and hourly workers. This was usually in the form of group life and
accident insurance, with contributions toward the premium cost
made jointly by employees and the company. The insurance for the
various individuals varied in most instances with earning capacity.
No such insurance plans exist in navy yards.
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HOURLY EARNINGS IN FURNITURE MANUFACTUR
ING OCTOBER 1937 1
Summary
THE AVERAGE hourly earnings of the 33,199 wage earners in the
298 wood household furniture establishments covered in the survey by
the Bureau of Labor Statistics were 48.0 cents in October 1937. Of
these workers, 3.8 percent earned less than 25 cents an hour, 9.5
percent less than 30 cents, and 36.7 percent less than 40 cents. On
the other hand, less than one-tenth (8.5 percent) received as much as
77.5 cents and only 2.2 percent as much as $1.00.
The 2,976 wage earners in the 31 wood office furniture plants
scheduled were paid an average of 44.4 cents an hour. Nearly twofifths (38.6 percent) received under 40 cents, while 6.0 percent averaged
less than 30 cents and 2.1 percent less than 25 cents an hour. Only
6.9 percent of the workers had earnings of 67.5 cents or more per hour.
Average hourly earnings were highest in metal office furniture, the
4,135 workers covered in this branch of the industry earning an
average of 66.9 cents an hour. Less than 1 percent of these wage
earners received under 40 cents an hour. All but 9.1 percent averaged
47.5 cents or over, and approximately one-sixth (16.9 percent) 82.5
cents and over.
The 3,118 workers in the 25 public seating plants covered had the
second highest earnings per hour, 56.3 cents. Although one-fifth
(20.6 percent) of these workers received less than 40 cents an hour,
there were only 3.9 percent with earnings of less than 30 cents and
0.5 percent with earnings of less than 25 cents. On the other hand,
14.6 percent earned 77.5 cents and over.
For all workers in the furniture manufacturing industry as covered
here, average hourly earnings were 49.0 cents. Of these, 3.4 percent
received less than 25 cents, 8.7 percent less than 30 cents, and onethird (34.4 percent) less than 40 cents. One-sixth of the workers
(16.9 percent) earned 67.5 cents or more, but only 4.9 percent as much
as 87.5 cents and over.
Scope and Method of Survey
PR O D U C T C O V E R A G E
While for many purposes the furniture manufacturing industry
may be treated as a whole, any analysis of the wage structure must
take into account the heterogeneous nature of the products.
\ Prepared by J. Perlman, V. S. Baril, and H. O. Rogers, assisted by A. C. Lakenan, of the Bureau’s
Division of Wages, Hours, and Working Conditions.
1074
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Wages and Hours of Labor
1075
The products covered by this survey were limited to wood household
furniture, both wood and metal office furniture, including shelving
and lockers, and public seating. In selecting these products the
Bureau attempted to confine the survey to the branches of the
industry that were operating primarily on a mass-production basis.
There were excluded, therefore, such products as store and lunchroom
furniture, and fixtures and furniture for professional use and lor
laboratories, hospitals, barber shops, beauty parlors, etc., most o
which are made on a custom order rather than quantity basis
In covering wood household furniture, the survey also excluded a
few of the highly specialized products of lesser importance, such as
porch, camp, and juvenile furniture. The combined value of these
products amounted to only $7,675,358 in 1935, or slightly over 2.5
percent of the total value of wood household furniture. Included
in the survey were living-room and library, bedroom, dining-room,
kitchen, hall, and miscellaneous furniture, the value of which amounted
to $292,960,995.
.
.
,
In dealing with the wood household furniture products covered
here however, it is customary to separate them into four groups,
namely case goods, upholstered furniture, novelties, and kitchen
furniture. Case goods include primarily bedroom and dining-room
sets, as well as library and certain articles of living-room furniture.
Upholstered furniture embraces primarily overstuffed pieces used m
the living room and other parts of the house. Novelties include a
large variety of specialties, such as small tables, chairs, and other
odds and ends of household furniture. Kitchen furniture is limited
to cabinets, tables, chairs, and other items found m the modern
kitchen. As a rule, upholstered and kitchen furniture are specialized
fields so that each constitutes a fairly distinct part of wood liouseho c
furniture. On the other hand, it is difficult to draw a clear-cut line
between case goods and novelties, as both types are often made m
the same plant. However, in view of the d i f f e r e n t problems en
countered in the making of the two types of products, it was decided
to keep them separate in the survey, which means that mixed estab
lishments had to be classified according to their principal product.
Most of the competition among plants is confined to those within
each of these four groups, namely case goods, upholstered, novelty,
and kitchen furniture.
.
.
,
. ,
The survey excluded any household furniture made of metal, as
well as of the relatively unimportant materials of fiber, rattan, ree ,
and willow, for the following reasons: There is considerable competi
tion between metal and wood household furniture, but having excluded
porch and camp furniture from the wood household group, any com
parison between metal and wood products would have to be confined
109.770—38------8
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1076
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
to living-room and library, bedroom, kitchen, and miscellaneous
furniture. These products in metal are not only varied, but they
also account for a relatively small part of the total value of products,
and therefore, a break-down according to the four groups indicated
under wood household furniture would provide a very thin coverage
for metal.
In view of the fact that office furniture is an important branch of
the industry, it was included in this survey. Moreover, there exists
some very keen competition between wood and metal, each product
being produced in substantial quantities. Among the products
covered here were chairs, desks and tables, filing cabinets and cases,
and other office furniture. Since shelving and lockers are used to a
considerable extent in offices, these products were also included as
part of the office-furniture branch.
Lastly, the survey covered public seating, which includes furniture
for public buildings, such as schools, theaters, assembly halls, libraries,
etc., and seats for public conveyances. This is a distinct branch of
the furniture industry. Moreover, although plants in the other
branches of the industry are potential competitors of those in public
seating, most of the competition takes place between the establish
ments of this branch proper. Since the same plants may use wood
and fiber, as well as metal, in making public seating, no separate
account was taken of these materials.
CHARACTERISTICS OF SAMPLE
Altogether the survey included 373 establishments employing 43,428
wage earners. The survey was made on a sample basis, but the size
of the sample varied from one branch of the industry to another. In
selecting the sample for each branch, great care was exercised to
make it fully representative of the branch. Among the factors
considered were product (within a given branch), geographical
distribution (both within a given State, as well as between States),
size of community, corporate affiliation, size of establishments, etc.
The sample for wood household furniture covers 33,199 wage earners,
which represents roughly about 25 percent of the industry branch in
terms of employees. In view of the fact that this branch is the largest
in the industry, it was felt that a 25-percent coverage was sufficient
for the purpose.
Classified according to their principal products, 129 establishments
with 16,175 wage earners made case goods, 99 plants with 8,333 workers
made upholstered furniture, 49 establishments with 6,716 wage earners
made novelties, and 21 plants with 1,975 workers made kitchen
furniture. Thus, nearly one-lialf (48.7 percent) of the total employees
were m the case-goods group, one-fourth (25.1 percent) in the uphol
stered-furniture group, one-fifth (20.2 percent) in the novelties group
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Wages and Hours of Labor
1077
and the remainder (6.0 percent) in the kitchen group. These propor
tions in the sample correspond roughly to the importance of each of
these divisions within the wood household branch of the industry
covered here.
As regards office furniture, the survey covered 50 plants and 7,111
wage earners. Of these, 31 establishments with 2,976 workers manu
factured wood products and 19 plants with 4,135 employees made
metal goods. In selecting the establishments, every effort was made
to obtain the same proportion of wood and metal furniture as is found
in this branch of the industry. The coverage here is approximately
one-half of the total, a larger sample being required in view of the
smallness of the branch.
Due to the very small size of public seating, the survey attempted
to cover all plants engaged in this branch of the industry. A total of
25 plants and 3,118 workers were covered.
The wages and hours data covered, for the most part, a pay-roll
period during the month of October 1937. Since the real decline in
employment and pay rolls began with November 1937, a period in
October presents a complete cross-section of the occupational structure
of the industry.
In classifying the data on a geographical basis, the Bureau adopted
the regional set-up established by the furniture-manufacturing
industry’s code under the National Recovery Administration. The
code divided the country into two broad regions, which correspond in
a way to the North and South, and for convenience these regions
will be referred to as such in this report. The southern region in
cluded the States of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky,
Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina,
Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and the southern part of Missouri.1 In
the northern region were included all other States as well as the northern
part of Missouri.
Average Hourly Earnings
WOOD HOUSEHOLD FU R NITURE
Data for Branch as a Whole
The 33,199 wage earners employed in the 298 establishments cov
ered in the wood household branch of the furniture industry averaged
48.0 cents an hour in October 1937 (see table 1). This average, of
course, merely indicates the central tendency for the entire group,
and one must examine the hourly earnings in greater detail in order
to obtain a more complete picture of the wage structure.
i This included the part of Missouri south and west of an air line from Thayer in Oregon County to
Buffalo in Dallas County and thence directly west to the Kansas State line.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1078
T able
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
1.—Average Hourly Earnings in Wood Household Furniture Branch, by Product,
Skill, and Region, October 1937
Total
workers
Product and region
All products________
N orth__________
South___________
Case goods............. .......
N orth__________
South___________
Upholstered furniture.
N orth__________
South___________
N ovelty furniture___
N orth__________
South___________
Kitchen furniture____
N o r th ...................
South___________
Skilled
workers
Semiskilled
workers
N um
ber of
Aver
Aver
plants N um age
N um age
N um
hourly
hourly
ber
ber
ber
earn
earn
ings
ings
Unskilled
workers
Aver
age
hourly N um
earn ber
ings
298 33,199 $0. 480 12, 398 $0. 569 14, 740 $0. 456
231 23, 226
.534 9,113
. 621 10, 295
.508
67 9, 973
.357 3,285
.432 4,445
.339
129 16,175
.442 5,826
.518 7,191
.422
88 9, 237
.513 3, 654
.578 4,046
.494
41 6, 938
.347 2,172
.419 3,145
.330
99 8, 333
.565 3,886
.681 3, 349
.505
83 6, 218
.627 3,037
.742 2,481
.556
16 2,115
.398
£49
.478
868
.371
49 6,716
.489 2,064
.550 3,257
,491
43 6,199
. 503 1, 899
.564 3, 027
.505
6
517
.334
165
.392
230
.326
21 1, 975
.431
622
.488
943
.427
17 1, 572
.447
523
. 502
741
.442
4
403
.361
99
.413
202
.365
Aver
age
hourly
earn
ings
6, 061
3,818
2,243
$0. 355
. 399
.281
3,158
1, 537
1, 621
1,098
700
398
1,395
1,273
122
410
308
102
339
. 402
. 280
364
. 393
. 287
. 392
. 405
. 272
351
. 366
.300
There was considerable variation in the hourly earnings of indi
viduals (see table 2). Even if the relatively few employees with
extremely low or high earnings were omitted, the range was from 17.5
cents to $1.20, within which were found 98.9 percent of the total labor
force. Moreover, there was no very pronounced concentration in any
of the classes between these limits, although three-fourths received
between 30.0 and 67.5 cents. In terms of 5-cent intervals, the largest
or modal class, namely 37.5 and under 42.5 cents, had only 14.0
percent of the workers.
Nearly 4 percent of the workers earned less than 25 cents an hour,
and as many as one-tenth (9.5 percent) were paid under 30 cents.
Furthermore, more than one-third (36.7 percent) received less than
40 cents, and two-thirds (66.5 percent) earned under 52.5 cents. On
the other hand, less than one-tenth (8.5 percent) were paid 77.5 cents
and over, and only 2.2 percent received as much as $1.00 and more.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Wages and Hours of Labor
1079
T a b l e 2 . —Distribution
of Workers According to Average Hourly Earnings in Wood
Household Furniture Branch, by Skill, October 1937
Total workers
Average hourly earnings
Cu
Sim mula
ple
Num per
tive N um
ber cent per
ber
age cent
age
33,199 100.0
Under 12.5 cents____________ ______ _
12.5 and under 17.5 c e n ts ___
_ .
17.5 and under 22.5 cents__________ ____
22.5 and under 25.0 cents_____ . - _ ____
25.0 and under 27.5 cents_____________ __
27.5 and under 30.0 cents_______________
30.0 and under 32.5 cents_______________
32.5 and under 35.0 cents------- - _ _____
35.0 and under 37.5 cents----------------------37.5 and under 40.0 cents______ - _
40.0 and under 42.5 cents_______________
42.5 and under 47.5 cents_______________
47.5 and under 52.5 cents______________ _
52.5 and under 57.5 cents__________ _____
57.5 and under 62.5 cents_______________
62.5 and under 67.5 cents_____ _______
67.5 and under 72.5 cents_______________
72.5 and under 77.5 cents . . - ____________
77.5 and under 82.5 cents_______________
82.5 and under 87.5 cents_______________
87.5 and under 92.5 cents.___________
92.5 and under 100.0 cents______________
100.0 and under 110.0 cents_____________
110.0 and under 120.0 cents. . .
_ __ . . .
120.0 and under 140.0 cents________ _____
Skilled
workers
21
121
579
521
1,189
709
3,037
2,093
2,348
1,562
3,072
3,655
3,218
2,217
2,094
1,796
1,200
985
664
626
463
331
317
196
117
68
.1
0.1
.4
.5
1.7
2.2
1.6
3.8
7.4
3.6
2.1
9.5
9.1 18.6
6.3 24.9
7.1 32.0
4.7 36.7
9.3 46.0
10.9 56.9
9.6 66.5
6.7 73.2
6.3 79.5
5.4 84.9
3.6 88.5
3.0 91.5
2.0 93.5
1.9 95.4
1.4 96.8
1.0 97.8
1.0 98.8
.6 99.4
.4 99.8
.2 100.0
Semiskilled
workers
Unskilled
workers
Sim
Sim
Sim
ple
um ple N um ple
per Nber
per
per
cent
cent ber cent
age
age
age
12,398 100.0 14,740 100. 0
6,061
100 0
.1
.3
1.3
1.4
3.3
2.3
10.1
7.6
8.1
5.1
9 6
12.2
10.2
6.7
6.1
5.2
3.2
2.5
1.5
1.5
.8
.5
.3
.1
(0
(0
13
69
364
290
604
293
1,047
543
487
296
658
517
364
151
165
128
24
30
4
7
5
2
.2
i.i
6.0
4.8
10.0
4.8
17.3
9.0
8.0
4.9
10.9
8.5
6.0
2.5
2.7
2.1
.4
.5
.1
.1
.1
(0
5
23
26
92
77
514
428
667
509
997
1,353
1,359
1,076
1,025
898
697
590
441
403
339
257
267
178
110
67
(0
.2
.2
.7
.6
4.1
3.5
5.4
4.1
8.0
10.9
11.0
8.7
8.3
7.2
5.6
4.8
3.6
3.3
2.7
2.1
2.2
1.4
.9
.5
8
47
192
205
493
339
1,476
1,122
1,194
757
1,417
1,785
1,495
990
904
770
479
365
219
216
119
72
50
18
7
1
1 Less than Ho of 1 percent.
To some extent, the wide differences in hourly earnings may be
accounted for by variation in skill. Despite the fact that wood house
hold furniture is largely the result of quantity production, more than
one-third (37.3 percent) of the employees were in occupations classi
fied as skilled by the industry. However, the degree to which massproduction methods are carried on in this branch is evidenced by the
fact that semiskilled workers constituted the principal group, or 44.4
percent. The proportion of unskilled employees was only 18.3 percent.
The average hourly earnings were 56.9 cents for skilled, 45.6 cents
for semiskilled, and 35.5 cents for unskilled workers. The skilled
workers averaged 11.3 cents more than the semiskilled, who in turn
received on an average 10.1 cents more than the unskilled. The
total spread between skilled and unskilled employees therefore
amounted to 21.4 cents.
The proportion of workers earning under 25 cents an hour was only
0.4 percent for skilled and 3.1 percent for semiskilled, as against 12.1
percent for unskilled. If 30 cents is taken as the upper limit, the
percentages are respectively 1.7, 8.7, and 26.9. Moreover, the pro
portion receiving less than 40 cents amounted to 18.8 percent for
skilled, 39.6 percent for semiskilled, and 66.1 percent for unskilled
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1080
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
workers. In contrast, as many as 21.5 percent of the skilled employees
were paid 72.5 cents and over, as compared with 7.2 percent of the
semiskilled and only 0.8 percent of the unskilled.
The variation in skill alone does not account entirely for the differ
ences in hourly earnings. These differences may also be explained to
a large extent by regional differences in earnings (see table 3). A
considerable proportion of the industry is located in the Southern
States In wood household furniture, of the 298 establishments
covered, 67 were in the southern and 231 in the northern region
In terms of wage earners, the representation of the South was even
£ 5 ? ' thJ l f tual figure beinS 9>973> or 30-0 percent, as against
Zô,ZZb, or 70.0 percent, m the northern area.
l ’A ELE
3.-—Percentage Distribution of Workers According to Average Hourly Earnings
m Wood Household Furniture Branch, by Region and Skill, October 1937
North
Average hourly earnings
Under 12.5 cents................
12.5 and under 17.5 cents'.
17.5 and under 22.5 cen ts..
22.5 and under 25.0 cents
25.0 and under 27.5 cents..
27.5 and under 30.0 cents.
30.0 and under 32.5 cents.
32.5 and under 35.0 cents
35.0 and under 37.5 cents...
37.5 and under 40.0 cen ts...
40.0 and under 42.5 cents..
42.5 and under 47.5 cents..
47.5 and under 52.5 cents..
52.5 and under 57.5 cents..
57.5 and under 62.5 cents.
62.5 and under 67.5 cents__
67.5 and under 72.5 cen ts...
72.5 and under 77.5 cents__
77.5 and under 82.5 cents..
82.5 and under 87.5 cents.
87.5 and under 92.5 cen ts...
92.5 and under 100.0 cents..
100.0 and under 110.0 cents
110.0 and under 120.0 cents
120.0 and under 140.0 cents..
140.0 cents and over...........
South
U n
Total Skilled Semi
Un
Total Skilled Semi
workers workers skilled skilled workers workers
skilled skilled
workers workers
workers workers
0)0.2
.6
.4
1.9
1.2
3.5
3.3
5.2
4.4
10.4
12.7
11.6
8.4
8.3
7.3
4.9
4.1
2.8
2.6
0)
0)
0)0.3
.3
1.3
1.4
2.6
2.7
6.8
10.5
11.0
9.5
9.6
8.9
7.0
6.2
0.1
.5
.4
1.5
1.2
3.1
3.6
5.9
4.8
11.3
14.7
13.1
9.1
8.5
7.4
4.5
3.5
2.1
2.1
1.1
(00.7
2.3
1.2
6.4
3.3
10.1
6.8
9.5
7.2
16.7
13.0
9.4
3.9
4.3
3.4
.6
.8
.1
.2
0.2
.9
4.3
4.3
7.6
4.4
22.2
13.3
11.4
5.5
6.5
6.9
5.2
2.7
1.8
1.0
.7
.3
.3
0.1
.6
.7
2.0
1.6
12.1
9.1
12.9
7.9
11.4
11.9
11.2
6.4
4.6
2.8
1.8
.9
.7
.5
.4
0.2
.9
3.1
3.6
7.5
4.9
26.2
16.9
13.1
5.9
5.7
6.3
3.3
1.2
.6
0.5
1.9
12.3
10.9
16.0
7.4
29.6
12.6
5.6
1.0
1.1
.8
.2
.1
.2
.3
.5
.3
4.6
4.3
3.6
2.7
2.9
1.9
1.2
.7
Total...............
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
Number of workers.
100.0
23, 226
9,113
10,295
3,818
9,973
3,285
4,445
2,243
1.9
1.4
1.3
.8
.7
.5
.1
(0
.2
.1
.1
.1
0)
«
.2
.1
(0
.2
.1
.1
?!
0)
(>)
_0_
1 Less than Ho of l'percent.
In the North, the average earnings for all employees were 53.4
cents an hour. All but 2.8 percent earned between 25 cents and $1.10.
The largest total concentration within the above spread in the north
ern region was from 35.0 to 72.5 cents, which included nearly three-
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Wages and Hours of Labor
1081
fourths (73.2 percent) of the labor force. On the basis of 5-cent
intervals, the largest single class, with 14.8 percent of the total, was
37.5 and under 42.5 cents.
.
In the southern region, the average hourly earnings of all workers
were 35.7 cents. The spread here in the hourly earnings of individuals
was much narrower than in the North, 97.1 percent being paid be
tween 17.5 and 67.5 cents. Furthermore, the largest total concentra
tion within these limits in the South, covering 83.0 percent of the total,
was between 25.0 and 52.5 cents. The modal 5-cent interval is 27.5
and less than 32.5 cents, which contained more than one-fourth (26.6
percent) of all employees.
The difference in average earnings per hour for all wage earners be
tween the northern and the southern areas was 17.7 cents. While
only 1.2 percent of the northern workers received under 25 cents an
hour, there were as many as 9.7 percent receiving under that amount
in the southern region. Using 30 cents as the upper limit, the re
spective percentages were 4.3 and 21.7. Moreover, the proportion
earning less than 40 cents was 20.7 percent in the North, as against
74.1 percent in the South. In the higher limits 36.2 percent received
57.5 cents and over in the northern area, as compared with only 4.6
percent in the southern territory.
.
Differences in manufacturing conditions may also explain in part
the regional differences in average hourly earnings. Thus, in the
South, factories located near the lumber supply often use rough
lumber of varying grades, lengths, and widths, the processing of
which involves much handling and machining. On the other hand,
many northern factories, located at some distance from then
lumber supply, purchase dimension stock which has already been cut
to shape, thereby eliminating several of the low-skilled processing op
erations found in many southern mills. This is clearly reflected m the
skill composition of the labor force in each region. There were
substantially more skilled (39.2 as against 32.9 percent) but fewer
unskilled (16.4 compared to 22.5 percent) workers m the North than
in the South. In both regions, the relative number of semiskilled
workers was about the same (44.4 percent in the North and 44.6
percent in the South).
Differences by Product
As previously stated, wood household products may be classified
into four groups, namely case goods, upholstered furniture, novelties,
and kitchen furniture. Differences in average hourly earnings exist
among these groups, but they are due to a considerable degree to t e
varying distribution of the labor force as to skill and region.
ence,
it is necessary to survey the wage structure separately for each group
before the differences in average hourly earnings among products can
be interpreted.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1082
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
T a b l e 4 .— Percentage
Distribution of Workers According to Average Hourly Earnings
in Wood Household Furniture Branch, by Product, October 1937
Average hourly earnings
Case
goods
Uphol
stered
furni
ture
(0
(0
0. 5
2.4
2.2
4.3
2.6
12.0
8.3
8.4
5.4
8.4
10. 7
9.1
6.0
5.8
5. 6
2.7
2.1
.9
.8
.6
.4
.4
.2
.1
.1
0.3
1.5
1.1
2.8
1.5
5.9
4.1
5.2
3.3
6.3
8. 7
9.4
6.7
6.5
6.3
5.4
4.8
4.0
3.7
3.3
2.7
2.8
1.8
1.2
.7
N ovelty
furni
ture
Kitchen
furni
ture
0.1
.8
.8
2.9
1.5
5.0
3.7
6.3
4.4
14.5
13.9
10.9
8.0
7.9
4.7
3.9
3.3
2.4
2.8
1.2
.5
.3
.2
(0
0)
(>)
0.9
.5
.6
1.4
3.4
3.3
12.6
8.1
6.9
5. 5
11. 5
12.8
11.0
7.7
4.4
2.6
2.6
1.7
.9
.3
.5
.4
.2
.1
.1
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
16,175
8, 333
6,716
1,975
1 Less than Ho of 1 percent.
Upholstered furniture— The highest average hourly earnings in
October 1937, namely 56.5 cents, are shown for the 8,333 wage earners
in the 99 upholstered-furniture plants. The range of individual
earnings upon which this average is based was considerable, with 99.0
percent of the workers receiving from 17.5 cents to $1.40. (See table
4.) Moreover, the distribution does not reveal any pronounced con
centration. There were 2.9 percent paid less than 25 cents and 7.2
percent under 30 cents. Over one-fourth (25.7 percent) of the total
earned less than 40 cents. On the other hand, well over one-third
(36.7 percent) received at least 62.5 cents, nearly one-sixth (16.2
percent) at least 82.5 cents, and 6.5 percent $1.00 and over.
One reason for upholstered furniture having the highest average is
that, unlike other wood household groups, its workers are predomi
nantly skilled. Of the total number covered, 46.6 percent were
skilled, 40.2 percent semiskilled, and only 13.2 percent unskilled.
This clearly indicates that the manufacture of upholstered furniture
does not lend itself as readily to mass production as do other wood
household products. For instance, the difficult operation of uphol
stering must be performed by hand. Skilled employees averaged 68.1
cents an hour, semiskilled workers 50.5 cents, and unskilled workers
35.4 cents. There was therefore a difference of 17.6 cents between the
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Wages and Hours of Labor
1083
averages of skilled and semiskilled workers, with a further difference of
15.1 cents between the averages of the latter and unskilled employees.
Another reason for the high average in upholstered furniture is
that to a large extent it is manufactured in the North. In terms of
plants covered, 83 were in the northern and 16 in the southern area,
the respective percentages for wage earners being 74.6 and 25.4. The
hourly earnings were much higher in the North, where workers aver
aged 62.7 cents, or 22.9 cents above the southern average of 39.8 cents.
Some of the regional variations in hourly earnings for upholstered
furniture is due to differences in the skill composition of the labor
force. In the North, 48.8 percent of the employees were skilled, 39.9
percent semiskilled, and only 11.3 percent unskilled. In the South,
however, semiskilled were slightly more numerous than skilled workers
(41.1 against 40.1 percent), with the unskilled accounting for 18.8
percent of the total.
Novelty furniture .—The highest average next to that for upholstered
furniture was 48.9 cents an hour for the 6,716 workers in the 49
establishments making novelty furniture. All but 2.7 percent of the
individual employees here averaged between 22.5 and 87.5 cents.
(See table 4.) Only 4.6 percent received less than 25 cents and 11.1
percent less than 30 cents. Two-fifths (40.0 percent) of the total
were paid under 40 cents. By contrast, nearly one-fifth (19.3 per
cent) earned 57.5 cents and more, and 5.0 percent received at least
77.5 cents.
Novelty-furniture products are, as a rule, comparatively simple in
construction, and for that reason mass-production methods can be
employed here to advantage. This is clearly indicated by the skill
set-up of the labor force. Not far from one-half (48.5 percent) of all
novelty workers were semiskilled, whereas only 30.7 percent were
skilled and 20.8 percent unskilled.
The chief reason for workers in the novelty-furniture division as a
whole averaging 4.7 cents more per hour than workers in the casegoods division is that the southern representation in the noveltyfurniture industry is very small. Only 6 of the 49 plants in the sample
and 517 of the 6,716 wage earners were found in the South. Northern
workers in novelty furniture averaged 50.3 cents an hour, or 16.9
cents more than the southern average of 33.4 cents.
Case goods.—Although the largest of the 4 groups, the 16,175 wage
earners in the 129 case-goods establishments had next to the lowest
average hourly earnings—44.1 cents. Exactly 96.0 percent earned
between 17.5 and 77.5 cents an hour, as shown by table 4. It will
also be seen that 5.1 percent of the workers averaged under 25.0
cents, 12.0 percent under 30.0 cents, and as many as 46.1 percent
under 40.0 cents. On the other hand, only 8.3 percent received
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1084
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
as much as 67.5 cents, and only 3.5 percent were paid as much as
77.5 cents.
As indicated by the skill distribution of the employees, case goods
are also largely the result of mass production, although relatively a
somewhat greater proportion of skilled labor is required in their manu
facture than in novelty furniture. Of the total number of workers
m case goods, 44.5 percent were semiskilled and only 36.0 percent
skilled. Unskilled wage earners accounted for one-fifth (19.5 percent)
of the labor force.
Among the four product groups in wood household furniture, the
southern representation was greatest in case goods. Of the total
plants covered, 41 were located in the southern and 88 in the northern
area. In terms of employees, the proportion in the South was even
greater, namely 42.9 percent, which may be compared with 57.1 per
cent in the North. This fact, coupled with the low average for this
region (34.7 cents as against 51.3 cent in the North), accounts largely
for the relatively low hourly earnings for the division as a whole.
That there were relatively more skilled workers in case goods in the
North than m the South (39.6 against 31.3 percent), but fewer semi
skilled (43.8 as compared to 45.3 percent) and unskilled (16.6 as
against 23.4 percent) wage earners, accounts for the fact that the
difference m hourly earnings for the division as a whole between the
North and the South is greater than the difference for any one of the
skill-groups. Case goods showed substantial differences in favor of
northern over southern workers in the hourly earnings of each group
according to skill. In the North, skilled workers averaged 57.8 cents
an hour, semiskilled 49.4 cents, and unskilled 40.2 cents. This com
pares with 41.9, 33.0, and 28.0 cents, respectively, for southern em
ployees. Hence, the differences amounted to 15.9 cents for skilled
16.4 cents for semiskilled, and 12.2 cents for unskilled wage earners’.
Kitchen furniture—-The kitchen-furniture group is not only the
smallest in size, but it also has the lowest average hourly earnings of
the four divisions in wood household furniture. The 1,975 wage earners
m the 21 kitchen-furniture establishments averaged 43.1 cents an
hour. All but 4.5 percent of these workers received between 22.5
and 77.5 cents. There were 3.4 percent paid less than 25 cents, 10.1
percent under 30 cents, and as many as 43.2 percent less than 40 cents.
In the higher limits, 13.8 percent earned 57.5 cents and over, but
only 2.5 percent were paid as much as 77.5 cents and more ’(See
table 4.)
The proportion of workers in the various skill groups in kitchen
furniture is about the same as that found in novelty furniture. Among
employees in kitchen furniture there was 31.5 percent skilled 47 7
percent semiskilled, and 20.8 percent unskilled.
The manufacture of kitchen furniture is largely concentrated in the
North, but the proportion of this division in the South was somewhat
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Wages and Hours of Labor
1085
greater than in novelty furniture. Of the total coverage in kitchen
furniture, 17 plants with 1,572 wage earners were in the northern and
only 4 establishments with 403 workers in the southern area. The
average hourly earnings were 44.7 cents in the North and 36.1 cents
in the South.
Even after the influence of varying proportions of skilled workers
and regional location of factories has been eliminated (see table 4),
the upholstered-furniture group pays higher wages than the other
groups. The skilled workers in upholstered furniture in the North
averaged about 17 cents more than those in case goods and novelty
furniture, and 24 cents more than those in kitchen furniture. In the
South the difference amounts to between 6 and 8 cents. Among the
semiskilled workers there is some difference in earnings in the various
branches, amounting to between 4 and 6 cents for novelty furniture
and case goods, and 11 cents for kitchen furniture in favor of uphol
stery workers. But in the case of unskilled workers it is significant
that the averages show no important differences as between the various
products in the wood household furniture branch.
WOOD OFFICE FURNITURE
The average hourly earnings of the 2,976 wage earners employed in
the 31 wood office furniture establishments covered in this survey were
44.4 cents in October 1937. (See table 5.) Only 2.1 percent were
paid less than 25 cents and 6.0 percent under 30 cents an hour. (See
table 6.) Approximately one-third (32.6 percent) earned 30 and
under 40 cents, so that 38.6 percent received below 40 cents. How
ever, the largest concentration was between 40 and 52.5 cents, the
relative number found between these limits also being 38.6 percent.
Somewhat more than one-fifth (22.8 percent) were paid 52.5 cents
and over, but only 6.9 percent earned as much as 67.5 cents and over.
The relatively low earnings found on the whole in wood office
furniture are surprising, in view of the fairly large propoition of skilled
workers in this division. Of the total employees, 40.1 percent were
skilled, 40.9 percent, semiskilled, and 19.0 percent unskilled. More
over, nearly all of the plants included were in the northern area. In
fact/ only 3 establishments, with 450 employees, were covered m the
southern region.
.
As in other divisions of the furniture industry, the dispersion of
hourly earnings in wood office furniture is explained in part by the
diversity found among the different skill-groups. Compared with an
average of 50.6 cents for skilled employees, the hourly earnings of
semiskilled averaged 42.3 cents, and the average for unskilled was
35.6 cents. Hence, the extreme spread was 15.0 cents, the difference
between skilled and semiskilled (8.3 cents) being somewhat higher
than that between semiskilled and unskilled workers (6.7 cents).
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1086
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
T a b l e 5 . —Average Hourly Earnings in Wood Office Furniture Division, by Region and
Skill, October 1937
Total workers
Region
Semiskilled
workers
Skilled workers
Unskilled
workers
Average
Average
Average
Average
Number hourly Number hourly Number hourly Number hourly
earnings
earnings
earnings
earnings
United States. ___________
2,976
$0.444
1,193
$0. 506
1,217
$0.423
566
$0. 356
North____________________
South_____________ _______
2,526
450
.467
.322
1, 054
139
.525
.368
1,010
207
.447
.315
462
104
.375
.275
T able 6.—Percentage Distribution of Workers According to Average Hourly Earnings
in Wood Office Furniture Division, by Skill, October 1937
Average hourly earnings
T otal______________________ ____ ______ ____________ _______ _
Semi
U n
Total Skilled skilled
skilled
workers workers workers
workers
1.4
.7
2.7
1.2
10.3
6.2
7.9
8.2
13.8
14.4
10.4
6.4
5.7
3.8
2.4
1.6
1.1
.7
.4
.3
.4
100.0
2,976
0.1
.6
.4
4.7
2.4
4.8
6.6
11.7
17.6
14.5
9.4
8. 5
5.7
4.1
2.7
2.3
1.4
.9
.8
.8
100.0
1,193
1.2
.7
2.3
1.3
12.3
7.2
9.2
9.2
14.8
14.3
9. 5
5.7
4.8
3. 1
1.8
1.4
.6
.4
.1
.1
100.0
1,217
4.6
2.3
7.8
2.7
18.0
12.2
11.5
9.5
15.5
7.6
3.5
1.8
1.9
1.1
100.0
566
Comparing the three distributions, it will be noted that hardly
any wage earners (0.1 percent) were paid under 25 cents an hour among
skilled workers, as against 1.9 percent for semiskilled and 6.9 percent
for unskilled workers. The number receiving less than 30 cents
amounted to 1.1 percent for skilled, 5.5 percent for semiskilled, and
17.4 percent for unskilled employees. If 40 cents is taken as the
upper limit, the percentages are 19.6 for skilled, 43.4 for semiskilled,
and 68.6 for unskilled workers. On the other hand, 36.6 percent of
the skilled earned 52.5 cents and over, as compared with 18.0 percent
for semiskilled and only 4.8 percent for unskilled employees.
Regional differences also contributed to the dispersion of hourly
earnings. For all employees, the average was 46.7 cents for northern
and 32.2 cents for southern plants, which is a spread of 14.5 cents.
It should be remembered, however, that only 3 of the 31 wood office
plants and 450 of the 2,976 wage earners were in the South. Although
small, the southern sample is representative of this branch of the
industry in this region.
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Wages and Hours of Labor
In addition to broad regional differences, there is variation in aver
age hourly earnings among the several States. All three southern
plants were located in North Carolina, but in the northern area the
plants covered a number of States. Of the States with three or more
establishments, the individual plant averages were 34.0, 35.6, 38.7,
and 48.8 cents in Pennsylvania, 38.1, 38.2, 39.1, 43.3, and 44.0 cents
in Indiana, 40.7, 43.2, 46.3, 50.2, and 73.9 cents in Michigan, 45.4,
46.5, 49.6, and 53.5 cents in Illinois, and 47.9, 58.4, and 61.7 cents in
Ohio. On the whole, therefore, it appears that hourly earnings in
Pennsylvania and Indiana were lower than those in Michigan, Illinois,
and Ohio, but it must be remembered that there is considerable over
lapping in the averages among these States.
METAL OFFICE FU R NITURE
For all wage earners in the metal office division of the furniture
industry, hourly earnings averaged 66.9 cents in October 1937.
Probably the most noteworthy feature of the distribution of individual
earnings in table 7 is the relatively few employees found in the lowerwage classes. Only 0.7 percent averaged less than 40 cents an hour,
and all except 9.1 percent received 47.5 cents and over. Another
distinguishing characteristic of the distribution is the absence of a
pronounced concentration in any single class. Instead, nearly threefourths (74.0 percent) are distributed in fairly uniform proportions
over the 35-cent range from 47.5 to 82.5 cents. Approximately onesixth (16.9 percent), however, received 82.5 cents and over, with less
than 1 percent paid $1.10 and over.
T a b l e 7. — Distribution of Workers According to Average Hourly Earnings in Metal
Office Furniture Division, by Skill, October 1937
workTotal workers Skilled
* ers
Average hourly earnings
i Less than Mo of 1 percent.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Sim
ple
N um per
ber
cent
age
Semiskilled
workers
Unskilled
workers
Sim
Sim
Sim
ple N u m ple
N um ple
N um per
per
per
ber
ber
ber
cent
cent
cent
age
age
age
4,135
100.0
1,376
100.0
2,031
100.0
728
100.0
27
100
248
460
462
474
486
450
400
335
235
197
152
81
17
11
0.7
2.4
6.0
11.1
11.1
11.4
11. 7
10.9
9.7
8.1
5.7
4.8
3.7
2.0
.4
.3
1
15
46
64
83
117
136
163
172
167
114
94
105
72
16
11
0.1
1.1
3.3
4.7
6.0
8.5
9.9
11.8
12.6
12.1
8.3
6.8
7.6
5.2
1.2
.8
14
44
132
220
275
268
273
242
189
127
99
93
46
8
1
0.7
2.2
6.5
10.8
13.5
13.2
13.4
11.9
9.3
6.3
4.9
4.6
2.3
.4
0
12
41
70
176
104
89
77
45
39
41
22
10
1
1
1.6
5.7
9.6
24.2
14.3
12.2
10.6
6.2
5.4
5.6
3.0
1.4
.1
.1
1088
Monthly Labor Review—■November 1938
These relatively high earnings may be explained partly by the fact
that all of the 19 metal office furniture plants covered were located in
the northern territory. On the other hand, the earnings are relatively
high in spite of the fact that the semiskilled workers are the dominat
ing group in this division. Of the 4,135 employees, 49.1 percent were
semiskilled, as compared with 33.3 percent skilled and only 17.6 per
cent unskilled workers. (See table 8.)
The average hourly earnings varied considerably among the different
skill-groups. The figures were 75.1 cents for skilled, 64.5 cents for
semiskilled, and 57.8 cents for unskilled workers. The extreme spread,
therefore, was 17.3 cents, of which 10.6 cents was the difference between
skilled and semiskilled and 6.7 cents that between semiskilled and
unskilled.
A comparison of the three distributions indicates that very few
workers in each skill-group averaged less than 40 cents an hour.
The proportion paid under 47.5 cents was 4.5 percent for skilled, 9.4
percent for semiskilled, and 16.9 percent for unskilled employees.
In contrast, the proportion paid 82.5 cents and over was 29.9 percent
for skilled, which may be compared with 12.2 percent for semiskilled
and only 4.6 percent for unskilled workers.
T able 8. —Average Hourly Earnings, Weekly Hours, and Weekly Earnings in Metal
Office Furniture Division, by Skill, October 1937
Number
of em
ployees
Average
hourly
earnings
Total workers____________ ______ ____
4,135
$0. 669
40.2
$26. 90
Skilled workers__________________
Semiskilled workers______________
Unskilled workers___ ________
1,376
2,031
728
.751
.645
.578
40.8
39.9
39.9
30. 66
25. 73
23.03
Skill
Average
weekly
hours
Average
weekly
earnings
PUBLIC SEATING
The average earnings per hour of the 3,118 wage earners employed
in the 25 plants making public seating amounted to 56.3 cents in
October 1937. (See table 9.) The outstanding feature of the indi
vidual earnings is the wide range thereof. (See table 10.) Omitting
the lowest and highest earning classes, the average hourly earnings
of almost 99 percent of the employees covered a spread from 25 cents
to $1.10, with none of the intervals between these extremes accounting
for more than a relatively small fragment of the total. Such massing
as does occur, in terms of 5-cent class intervals, appears in the 45-cent
range from 32.5 to 77.5 cents, within which are found more than threefourths (77.2 percent) of the labor force. Relatively few workers
are found in the lowest earnings classes, only 0.5 percent receiving
less than 25 cents and 3.9 percent under 30 cents. However, as
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Wages and Hours of Labor
1089
many as one-fifth (20.6 percent) were paid less than 40 cents.
other hand, 14.6 percent earned 77.5 cents and over.
T a b l e 9 . —Average
On the
Hourly Earnings in Public Seating Furniture Division, by Region
and Skill, October 1937
Skilled workers
Total workers
Semiskilled work Unskilled workers
ers
Region
Number
Average
Average
Average
Average
hourly Number hourly Number hourly Number hourly
earnings
earnings
earnings
earnings
United States_____________
3,118
$0. 563
1,035
$0. 644
1,597
$0. 552
486
$0. 428
N orth__________ _ ______
South_______ _____________
2,806
312
.593
.342
940
95
.675
.399
1,452
145
.579
.336
414
72
.458
.272
T a b l e 10. —Distribution
of Workers According to Average Hourly Earnings in Public
Seating Furniture Division, by Skill, October 1937
Total
workers
Average hourly earnings
Semiskilled
workers
Unskilled
workers
Simple
Simple
Simple
Simple
N um per N um per N um per N um per
ber
ber
cent
ber
cent
ber
cent
cent
age
age
age
age
T otal................ .......................... ........................... 3,118
Under 25.0 cents_____ _____ ______________
25.0 and under 27.5 cents.......... ............. .............
27.5 and under 30.0 cents___ ________ ____
30.0 and under 32.5 cents______ ___________
32.5 and under 35.0 cents________ _____1 ...
35.0 and under 37.5 cents__________________
37.5 and under 40.0 cents________ ____ _____
40.0 and under 42.5 cents__________________
42.5 and under 47.5 cents__________________
47.5 and under 52.5 cents______________: ___
52.6 and under 57.5 cents______ ___________
57.5 and under 62.5 cents__________________
62.5 and under 67.5 cents__________________
67.5 and under 72.5 cents.................................. .
72.5 and under 77.5 cents.....................................
77.5 and under 82.5 cents__________________
82.5 and under 87.5 cents_________________ _
87.5 and under 92.5 cents__________________
92.5 and under 100.0 cents....... - .............. ...........
100.0 and under 110.0 cents________________
110.0 cents and over______________________
Skilled
workers
17
56
50
129
100
180
113
165
245
284
268
307
262
239
246
135
87
82
89
45
19
100.0
.5
1.8
1.6
4.1
3.2
5.8
3.6
5.3
7. 9
9. 1
8.6
9.7
8.4
7.7
7.9
4.3
2.8
2.6
2.9
1.4
.6
1,035
4
1
17
28
52
18
50
64
70
72
93
80
73
93
77
59
65
69
31
19
100.0
.4
.1
1.6
2.7
5.0
1.7
4.8
6.2
6.8
7.0
9.0
7.7
7.1
9.0
7.4
5.7
6.3
6.7
3.0
1.8
1,597
100.0
486
100.0
4
13
17
66
67
96
69
80
100
153
156
192
152
158
144
54
26
16
20
14
.3
.8
1.1
4.1
4.2
6.0
4.3
5.0
6.3
9.6
9.8
11.9
9.5
9.9
9.0
3.4
1.6
1.0
1.3
.9
13
39
32
46
5
32
26
35
81
61
40
22
30
8
9
4
2
1
2. 7
8.0
6.6
9.5
1.0
6.6
5.3
7.2
16.7
12.6
8.2
4.5
6.2
1.6
1.9
.8
.4
.2
Of the total number of public-seating establishments, only three
were located in the South, and these employed 10 percent of all wage
earners. Another noteworthy feature of this division is the relatively
large number of semiskilled employees, who constituted 51.2 percent of
the total labor force, as compared with 33.2 percent skilled workers
and only 15.6 percent unskilled workers.
The wide dispersion in hourly earnings is partly explained by the
different wage levels among the three skill groups. Skilled employees
averaged 64.4 cents, as against 55.2 cents for semiskilled and 42.8
cents for unskilled workers. This makes for a total spread of 21.6
cents, with the difference between skilled and semiskilled workers
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1090
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
(9.2 cents) somewhat less than the one between semiskilled and un
skilled workers (12.4 cents).
No skilled workers earned less than 25 cents an hour, and only 0.3
percent of semiskilled workers and 2.7 percent of unskilled employees
were found under that limit. The great majority of skilled wage
earners (88.5 percent) received more than 40 cents, while all except
0.5 percent averaged more than 30 cents. Earnings of less than 40
cents, however, were reported for somewhat more than one-fifth
(20.8 percent) of the semiskilled and almost two-fifths (39.7 percent)
of the unskilled group. Moreover, although the hourly earnings of
all except a very few of the semiskilled employees (2.2 percent)
were above 30 cents, 17.3 percent of the unskilled workers were found
below that limit. Conversely, the skilled group is relatively well
represented in the upper limits, but very Tew semiskilled or unskilled
employees are found in the higher wage brackets. Compared with
not far from a third (30.9 percent) of the skilled group earning 77.5
cents and over, earnings of this amount are shown for only 8.2 percent
of semiskilled and 1.4 percent of unskilled workers.
Although the southern representation in the coverage is relatively
small, it gives some indication of existing sharp regional differences.
For all employees, the average earnings per hour were 59.3 cents in
the northern and 34.2 in the southern territory, which is a spread of
25.1 cents. Substantial differences in favor of northern over southern
plants are also found in connection with each skill group. There
are too few cases to present a detailed frequency distribution by skill
group in the South, but it may be noted that among unskilled workers
9.8 percent received less than 25.0 cents, 59.2 percent less than 30.0
cents, and all received less than 40.0 cents.
In the Northern States with three or more establishments, there is
much greater difference between plant averages in a single State
than there is between the averages for the various States. Thus,
the highest-wage plant in Michigan averaged 38.5 cents more than
the lowest-wage plant in that State. The spread was 33.5 cents in
Indiana, 31.0 cents in Illinois, and 14.7 cents in Wisconsin. The
relatively wide range in the averages for each State, coupled with the
fact that there is considerable overlapping in the averages among
the several States, indicates that, on the whole, geographical location
appears to have little influence on hourly earnings within the north
ern region.
D A T A FO R F U R N IT U R E IN D U S T R Y A S A W H O L E
It is also possible to show data for all divisions of the furniture
manufacturing industry covered in this survey, namely wood house
hold furniture, wood and metal office furniture, and public seating.
In selecting the sample, the coverage included one-fourth of the
wood household, one-half of the wood and metal office furniture,
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1091
Wages and Hours of Labor
and all of the public seating divisions. As a result, in preparing
tabulations for the furniture industry as a whole, the figures for wood
household were given a weight of 4, for wood office a weight of 2,
for metal office a weight of 2, and for public seating furniture a weight
of 1. These weights are, of course, approximations, and the resulting
tabulations must be looked upon as estimates.
For all wage earners, the average earnings per hour in the furniture
industry as a whole were 49.0 cents in October 1937. Only 3.4
percent were paid less than 25 cents an hour, and 8.7 percent earned
under 30 cents (see table 11). The number receiving below 40 cents
was about one-third of the total (34.4 percent). One-sixth of the
workers (16.9 percent) were paid 67.5 cents and over, and 4.9 percent
earned as much as 87.5 cents and over.
T able 11.—Percentage Distribution of Workers According to Average Hourly Earn
ings in Furniture Industry as a Whole, by Region and Skill, October 1937
Average hourly earnings
(cents)
South
North
United States
Semi- Un
Un
Semi- Un
Skill
Skill Semiskill skill Total ed skill skill Total ed skill skill
Total Skill
ed
ed
ed
work
ed
ed
work
ed
work work ed
work work work ers work work work
work work ers
ers
ers
ers
ers
ers
ers
ers
ers
ers
ers
0.1
Under 12.5-----------------.3
12.5 and under 17.5---------1.6
17.5 and under 22.5............
22.5 and under 25.0---------- 1.4
25.0 and under 27.5............. 3.3
27.5 and under 30.0---------- 2.0
30.0 and under 32.5............. 8.5
32.5 and under 35.0---------- 5.9
35.0 and under 37.5............. 6.7
37.5 and under 40.0---------- 4.6
8.9
40.0 and under 42.5--------42.5 and under 47.5---------- 10.7
47.5 and under 52.5---------- 9.7
52.5 and under 57.5---------- 7.0
6.6
57.5 and under 62.5.........
62.5 and under 67.5............. 5.8
67.5 and under 72.5............. 4.1
72.5 and under 77.5............. 3.4
77.5 and under 82.5---------- 2.4
82.5 and under 87.5---------- 2.1
87.5 and under 92.5---------- 1.6
1.2
92.5 and under 100.0... —
1.0
100.0 and under 110.0.........
110.0 and over...................... 1.1
(■)
0.2
.2
.7
.6
3.9
3.2
5.1
4.0
7.8
10.7
10.7
8.5
8.3
7.3
5.9
5.1
4.0
3.5
2.9
2.4
2.3
2.7
0.1
.3
1.2
1.3
3.0
2.1
9.4
7.1
7.6
5.0
9.2
11.6
10.1
7.2
6.7
5.7
3.9
3.0
1.8
1.6
1.0
.6
.3
.2
0.2
1.0
5.5
4.4
9.3
4.5
16.2
8.5
7.8
4.8
10.7
8.7
7.0
3.2
3.2
2.6
.7
.8
.4
.3
.2
0)
(>)
(0
0.1
.6
.4
1.6
1.1
3.2
3.1
5.0
4.3
9.9
12.2
11.5
8.6
8.5
7.6
5.3
4.5
3.1
2.8
2.1
1.6
1.4
1.5
(0
(>)
0)
0.3
.3
1.1
1.3
2.5
2.8
6.6
10.4
10.7
9.3
9.5
8.8
7.2
6.5
5.0
4.4
3.7
3.1
3.0
3.5
(>)
0.1
.5
.4
1.4
1.0
2.8
3.3
5.6
4.7
10.6
13.7
12.8
9.4
9.0
7.8
5.2
4.1
2.5
2.2
1.4
.8
.5
.2
(>)
0.6
2.2
1.1
5.6
3.0
9.4
6.5
9.0
6.8
15.6
12.7
10.5
4.8
4.9
3.9
1.1
1.1
.6
.4
.2
(0
(>)
0.2
.8
4.3
4.3
7.7
4.4
22.9
13.5
11.3
5.3
6.5
6.8
5.1
2.6
1.7
1.0
.7
.3
.2
.2
.1
.1
(0
(0
0.1
.6
.7
2.0
1.6
12.6
9.2
13.1
7.7
11.4
11.8
11.1
6.3
4.6
2.7
1.7
.9
.7
.4
.4
.2
.1
.1
0.2
.9
3.0
3.6
7.5
5.0
26.9
16.9
13.0
5.8
5.6
6.1
3.2
1.2
.5
.2
.3
.1
(>)
(0
0)
0.5
1.9
12.1
10.8
16.5
7.5
29.8
12.3
5.4
1.0
1.1
.8
.2
.1
0)
100.0 100.0 100.0
T o t a l....................... 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
100.0
i Less than Ho of 1 percent.
The average hourly earnings were 57.7 cents for skilled, 46.8 cents
for semiskilled, and 36.8 cents for unskilled workers. _ (See table 12.)
This makes for a total spread of 20.9 cents, approximately one-half
of which is the difference between skilled and semiskilled and the
other half that between semiskilled and unskilled employees.
The difference in average hourly earnings of all wage earners
between the northern and southern regions was 18.5 cents, the re102770— 38------ 9
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1092
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
spective averages being 54.2 and 35.7 cents. Most of the relatively
low-paid workers are in the southern territory. This may be seen
from the fact that the proportion earning under 25 cents an hour
was 1.1 percent in the North and 9.6 percent in the South. The
respective percentages paid less than 30 cents were 3.8 and 21.7,
while below 40 cents they amounted respectively to 19.4 and 74.7!
Conversely, the number earning 67.5 cents and over was 22.3 percent
in the northern area, as against 1.6 percent in the southern region.
T able 12 —Average Hourly Earnings for the Furniture Industry as a Whole, by Region
and Skill, October 1937
Region
United States...........
North____
South________
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
___
Semi
skilled Unskilled
workers workers
Total
workers
Skilled
workers
$0.490
$0.577
$0.468
$0. 368
.542
.357
.626
.430
.518
.338
.412
.281
UNION SCALES OF WAGES AND HOURS IN THE
BUILDING TRADES, JUNE 1, 1938 1
Summary
THE AVERAGE union hourly wage rate was $1.356 for all the
building trades in the 72 cities covered in a survey by the Bureau of
Labor Statistics on June 1, 1938. The average for the journeyman
trades was $1.465 and for helpers and laborers combined, $0.851.
Increases in wage rates were reported for 56.8 percent of the union
members for whom comparable data for 1937 were available. These
increases raised the index for all building trades 8.9 percent above
that for 1937, to an all-time high of 106.7 (1929=100). The wagerate index for the combined journeyman trades advanced to 106.1 and
that for the helper and laborer trades to 111.7, both being new highs.
Weekly hours for all trades averaged 38.4 in 1938, the lowest yet
recorded. Journeymen averaged 38.1 hours and helpers and laborers,
39.9. About 69 percent of all the members covered were on a 40hour-week basis, 26 percent had a workweek of less than 40 hours,
and only 5 percent had a week of over 40 hours.
Scope and Method of Study
Union scales of wages and hours in the building trades have been
collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics each year since 1907.
The early studies included 139 cities. The coverage was gradually
extended and, in the period Jrom 1934 to 1937, 70 cities were included
in the annual surveys. Two additional cities, Jackson, Miss., and
Phoenix, Ariz., have been added for the current survey. The 72
cities covered in 1938 were located in 40 States and the District of
Columbia.2
i prepared by Frank S. M cElroy of the Bureau’s Industrial Relations Division.
Montana: Butte.
•Alabama: Birmingham.
Nebraska: Omaha.
Arizona: Phoenix.
N ew Hampshire: Manchester.
Arkansas: Little Rock.
N ew Jersey: Newark.
California: Los Angeles, San Francisco.
N ew York: Buffalo, N ew York City, Rochester.
Colorado: Denver.
N orth Carolina: Charlotte.
Connecticut: N ew Haven.
Ohio: Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton,
District of Columbia.
Toledo, Youngstown.
Florida: Jacksonville.
Oklahoma: Oklahoma City.
Georgia: Atlanta.
Oregon: Portland.
Illinois: Chicago, Moline, Peoria, Rock Island.
Pennsylvania: Erie, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh,
Indiana: Indianapolis, South Bend.
Reading, Scranton, York.
Iowa: Davenport, Des Moines.
Rhode Island: Providence.
Kansas: Wichita.
South Carolina: Charleston.
Kentucky: Louisville.
Tennessee: Memphis, Nashville.
Louisiana: N ew Orleans.
Texas: Dallas, E l Paso, Houston, San Antonio.
Maine: Portland.
Utah: Salt Lake City.
Maryland: Baltimore.
Virginia: Norfolk, Richmond.
Massachusetts: Boston, Springfield, Worcester.
Washington: Seattle, Spokane.
Michigan: Detroit, Grand Rapids.
West Virginia: Charleston.
Minnesota: Duluth, Minneapolis, St. Paul.
Wisconsin: Madison, Milwaukee.
Mississippi: Jackson.
Missouri: Kansas City, St. Louis.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1093
1094
CHART
I.
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
U . S . B U R E A U OF L A B O R
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
UNION WAGE RATES AND HOURS IN BUILDING TRADES
ST A TIS TIC S
Wages and Hours of Labor
1095
The date of the survey has been changed from May 15, as in pre
vious years, to June 1. This change was made in view of the fact
that a very considerable number of unions customarily negotiate
their agreements as of June 1 each year. The period included in the
computations of changes in scales of wages and hours for the present
study, therefore, extends from May 15, 1937, to June 1, 1938, or
slightly over a year. Under these circumstances the reports from
unions which negotiated 1-year agreements between May 15 and
June 1, 1937, will cover two wage and hour settlements instead of
one, as would normally be the case. However, since there were only
a few such instances, the report may safely be treated as comparable
with those covering an exact yearly period.
As far as possible, the scales collected were those actually in force
on June 1. The collection of the data was made by agents of the
Bureau who personally visited some responsible official of each union
included in the study. Each scale was verified by the union official
interviewed, and was further checked by comparison with the written
agreements when copies were available. Interviews were held with
1,442 union representatives and 2,499 quotations were received. The
union membership covered by the scales of wages and hours in these
72 cities was approximately 440,000.
Union rates and •prevailing rates.—It should be remembered that the
rates quoted are for union members and for jobs worked on a unioncontract basis. Union strength varies in the different cities and
trades. Where practically all the workers of a particular trade belong
to the local union, the union rate quoted is equivalent to the prevail
ing rate in the community. If only a few of the craftsmen belong to
the union, the union rate may not be the actual prevailing rate. No
attempt has been made in this study to discover what proportions
of all the workers in each occupation, in each city, are members of
their respective unions.
Averages.—The averages for each trade given in this report are
weighted according to the number of members in the various local
unions. Thus the averages reflect not only the specific scales pro
vided for in union agreements but also the number of persons pre
sumably benefiting from these scales.
Index numbers.—In the series of index numbers, the percentage
change from year to year is based on aggregates computed from
identical unions that reported for both years. The membership
weights in both of the aggregates used in each year-to-year comparison
are those reported for the second year. The index for each year is
computed by multiplying the index for the preceding year by the
ratio of the aggregates so obtained. The index numbers were revised
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
1096
on this basis in 1936 in order to eliminate the influence of changes in
union membership which obscure the real changes in wages and hours.3
ALTERATIONS IN CRAFTS COVERED
Paperhangers have been included in the study for the first time
this year. Data for this craft were obtained not only as of June 1,
1938, but also for May 15, 1937. It was thus possible to include
them in the tabulations of changes in rates and hours between 1937
and 1938.
Rodmen have been treated as a separate trade in the 1938 study.
Previously the data for this occupation had been combined with
those for structural-iron workers and were listed separately only
when the rodmen’s scales differed from those of the general iron
workers. Inasmuch as the data for recomputation of the structuraliron workers’ index numbers for previous years to exclude the rodmen
are not available, these series are being continued on the combined
basis for the sake of comparability. The percentage changes in
average union wage rates and weekly hours over the preceding year,
however, are shown separately for each occupation in the text.
,
Trend of Union Wage Rates and Hours 1907 to 1938
The index of union hourly wage rates for the building trades ad
vanced to 106.7 on June 1, 1938, an increase of 8.9 percent over last
year. This^ index is the highest ever recorded, the previous high
point being 104.5 in 1931. The decline after 1931 brought the index
down to 86.8 in 1933, from which low point it has registered an accel
erated rise in each successive year. The complete series of annual
index numbers from 1907 to 1938 is shown in table 1.
An analysis of the rate increases, reported during the period from
May 15, 1937, to June 1, 1938, indicates that the recent upward
movement of union wage rates achieved its greatest momentum
during the summer of 1937. Over half of all the rate increases
reported in the period covered by this survey became effective during
the 4 months between June 1 and October 1, 1937. In Chicago,
Newark, and New York City, where the large union memberships
exert a strong influence upon the movement of the general index,
over 65 percent of the increases occurred in those months. Only
about 10 percent of the increases in wage scales reported for these
three cities became effective during the spring of 1938.
There was a higher percentage increase in the index of wage rates
for the helper and laborer trades than in that for journeymen—10 per
cent as compared with 8.8 percent. The index for the unskilled and
* The method of revision is described in U . S, Bureau of Labor Statistics Bull. N o. 626: Union Scales of
Wages and Hours in the Building Trades, M ay 16, 1936.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Wages and Hours of Labor
1097
semiskilled trades increased 11.7 percent above the base year (1929),
and the journeyman index rose 6.1 percent. Each of these represents
the highest point ever reached.
The index of union hours per week for all building trades decreased
1.7 percent between 1937 and 1938. It now stands at its lowest
level, 88.7.
The decrease in scales of hours for the journeyman trades was 1.8
percent as compared with 1.5 percent for the helpers and laborers.
The 1938 indexes are 88.4 and 89.9, respectively.
T able 1.—Indexes of Union Hourly Wage Rates and Weekly Hours in All Building
Trades, 1907 to 1938
Index numbers (1929=100)
All building trades
Year
Wage rate
Hours
Helpers and laborers
Journeymen
Wage rate
Hours
Wage rate
Hours
1907________________ ____________
1908__________ ___________________
1909..___________________________
1910_________ ___________ _____ _
1911___ _________________________
31.5
33.5
35.1
36.5
37.1
110.0
108.3
106.8
105.5
105.1
31.7
33.8
35.5
37.0
37.6
109.3
107.7
106.4
105.2
104.8
30.7
32.1
33.2
34.3
34.5
113.1
110.8
108.5
106.6
106.4
1912................................................... .......
1913.............. ........................ ..................
1914_____________________________
1915_____ ______ __________ _____ _
1916.._____ _____________________
37.9
38.8
39.6
39.9
41.2
104.8
104.6
104.2
104.1
103.7
38.5
39.4
40.3
40.6
42.0
104.5
104.2
103.9
103.8
103.4
34.8
35.8
36.2
36.5
37.7
106.1
106.1
105.5
105.4
105.1
1917_____________________________
1918.______ _____________________
1919_____________________________
1920_____ ______________ _________
1921__________________________ _
43.8
48.6
55.7
75.2
76.6
103.5
102.9
102.4
101.9
101.8
44.3
49.0
56.0
74.9
76.3
103.2
102.6
102.2
101.7
101.6
41.4
48.0
55.5
80.5
81.3
104.7
104.3
103.3
102.7
102.7
1922_____________________________
1923_____________________________
1924_____________________________
1925...................... ....................................
1926_________ ___________ _______ _
71.8
79.4
85.7
89.0
94.8
101.8
101.9
101.9
101.9
101.7
71.9
79.2
85.6
88.8
94.7
101.7
101.8
101.8
101.8
101.6
74.0
78.5
84.9
87.7
95.6
102.4
102.6
102.6
102.4
102.2
1927_______ _____________________
1928_____________________________
1929___________________________ _
1930_____________________________
1931__________ ______ ____________
98.1
98.7
100.0
104.2
104.5
101.5
100.9
100.0
97.2
96.0
97.9
98.7
100.0
104.1
104.5
101.4
100.7
100.0
97.1
95.8
97.3
98.3
100.0
105.1
104.5
102.2
102.1
100.0
97.8
97.0
1932________________________ ____
1933........... ...............................................
1934_____________________________
1935_____________________________
1936...
1937_____ ______________________
1938___________ __________________
89.3
86.8
87.4
88.4
91.6
98.0
106.7
94.3
94.0
90.5
89.8
89.8
90.2
88.7
89.3
86.9
87.4
88.4
91.3
97.6
106.1
94.1
93.8
90.3
89.6
89.6
90.0
88.4
89.2
85.2
87.7
88.2
93.4
101.5
111.7
94.8
94.4
91.4
90.8
91.0
91.3
89.9
,
Average Union Wage Rates 1938
The average union rate per hour for all building trades in the 72
cities studied on June 1, 1938, was $1,356. Rates ranged from 40
cents to $2.50. The rates for the combined journeyman trades ranged
from 55 cents to $2.50, with more than half the membership having
rates of $1.50 and higher. Nearly 30 percent had scales between
$1.20 and $1.40. Almost 5 percent had rates of $2 or more an hour.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1098
Monthly Lahor Review—November 1938
On the other hand, less than 2 percent were working under agree
ments providing rates of under $1 an hour. (See table 2.)
Sixteen journeyman trades reported scales of $1.50 or higher for
over half their members. The bricklayers, lathers, marble setters,
and plasterers each had a median rate of $1.60 or higher. Each of
the journeyman trades had more than half its members with scales
of $1.20 or more per hour, and all but four of the crafts had a majority
of their members at rates of $1.30 or more. Rates of $2 or more per
hour were in effect for 28 percent of the plasterers, 21 percent of the
electricians, 17 percent of the steam and sprinkler fitters, 15 percent
of the engineers, 13 percent of the plumbers and gas fitters, and over
5 percent of the lathers, sheet-metal workers, and structural-iron
workers.
Although the proportion of the membership reported at these top
scales was very substantial in some of these trades, the number of
cities in which they occurred was relatively small. Scales of $2 or
more per hour were reported only in Butte, Chicago, Cleveland,
Newark, New York, Pittsburgh, St. Louis, San Francisco, and Wash
ington, D. C. The highest effective journeyman rate reported was
$2.50 per hour for bucket-hoist operators in New York City.
The composition roofers had the greatest spread of any trade
between their lowest and highest rates, the highest being $2 for
working foremen in Chicago and the lowest 60 cents for general roofers
in Louisville.
The glaziers, machinists, composition roofers, and stonecutters
were the only journeyman trades having as many as 5 percent of their
members at rates of less than $1. The lowest rate reported for
skilled crafts was 55 cents an hour for painters in Charleston, S. C.
Rates for the helper and laborer trades ranged from 40 cents to
$1.517, the lowest (40 cents) being for building laborers in Atlanta,
Birmingham, Dallas, Jackson (Miss.), Jacksonville, and Nashville,
and for hod carriers in Jacksonville; the highest ($1.517) being for
plasterers’ laborers in New York City. One-third of the helpers and
laborers had hourly rates of $1 or more, with 58.3 percent having
rates of 80 cents or higher.
A majority of the elevator constructors’ helpers, marble setters’
helpers, plasterers’ laborers, and steam and sprinkler fitters’ helpers
had scales of $1 or more an hour. The building laborers, whose
membership outranks all of the other unskilled and semiskilled trades
combined, had rates of 75 cents an hour and higher for over half
their membership. The steam and sprinkler fitters’ helpers had 40.2
percent of their members on scales between $1.50 and $1.60. Plaster
ers’ laborers reported 24.3 percent of their members as receiving $1.40
or better, while 37.4 percent of the marble setters’ helpers were shown
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1099
Wages and Hours of Labor
AVERAGE UNION WAGE RATES IN
BUILDING TRADES ACCORDING TO
SIZE OF CITY AND REGION
JUNE I, 1938
J OU RNE Y ME N
1 .4 0
1.20
LOO
.8 0
250.000
UNDER
500.000
S I Z E OF C I T I E S
a v e r a g e
h o u r l y
RATES
L20
H E L P E R S AND L A B O R E R S
S outh
N o r t h a Pa c if ic
LOO -
LO O
.8 0
.6 0
.4 0
.20
.20
—
.0
/ MILLION
U.S. B u r e a u o f La b o r S ta tistics
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
250,000
UNDER
500,000
S I Z E OF C I T I E S
100,000
UNDER
250,000
1100
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
at scales of $1.30 to $1.40. These highest scales were found in Butte,
Newark, New York City, and San Francisco.
T a b l e 2 . —Distribution of Union Members in the Building Trades, by Hourly Wage
Rates, June 1, 1938
Trade
Percentage of union journeymen whose rates (in cents) per hour
were—
A ver
age
rate
100 110 120 130 140 150 160 170 180 190
per Un and and and and and and and and and and 200
hour der un un un un un un un un un un and
100 der der der der der der der der der der over
110 120 130 140 150 160 170 180 190 200
Journeymen.................... .............. $1,465
Asbestos workers..........................
Boilermakers.................................
Bricklayers.................................
Carpenters...... ................ ............
Cement finishers_____________
Electricians, inside wiremen__
Elevator constructors_________
Engineers, portable and hoist
ing................................................
Glaziers............... ........................
Granite cu tters............................
Lathers_____ _____ __________
M achinists...............................
Marble setters...............................
Mosaic and terrazzo w orkers...
Painters.................... ...........
Paperhangers................................
Plasterers...... ..........................
Plumbers and gas fitters___ _
Rodmen_________________
Roofers, composition................
Roofers, slate and tile..............
Sheet-metal workers____ ____
Sign pain ters..............................
Steam and sprinkler fitters____
Stonecutters....................
Stonemasons._______ _________
Structural-iron workers............
Tile layers_______________
Trade
Helpers and laborers 2........
Building laborers_____
Elevator constructors’ helpers..
Hod carriers (masons’ tenders).
Marble setters’ helpers_____
Plasterers’ laborers_____
Steam and sprinkler fitters’
helpers .................
Tile layers’ helpers...............
1.3
1.450 ........
1.624
1.648
1.398
.7
1.440
1.544 " Ï .2
1.527
4.0
8.5 17.9 11.9
1.4 3.2 17.6 37.5
.1
8.1 10.4
3.2 5.6
.6
6.3 10.1 26.1 11.8
1.9 3.8 36.6 10.8
2.7 9.2 14.0 13.3
.6 2.4 10.0 12.0
1.566 1.3 3.5
1.388 5.2 10.8
1.239
29.3
1. 590 1.2
.6
1.407 9.9 3.5
1.563
.3
1.422
2.4
1.364 "2.6 4.2
1.334 2.0 9.1
1.688
.3
1.515
.2
.8
1.465
.1 2.6
1.283 13.5 10.4
1.430 4.6 3.0
1.407 1.6 3.6
1. 564
.2 6.3
1.577
.1 2.5
1.362 9.7 7.8
1.564
.7
1.597
.2
1.505
.6
2.6 18.3 13.0 14.0
1.5
4.4
4.5
.6
9.5
8.1
32.0
26.6
11.1
9.4
11.9
30.9
9.9
8.3
13.5
12.3
10.7
11.6
7.9
5.3 7.3 12.1 3.4
21.0 15.2 9.8 2.3
11.3 7.1 45.3 3.7
.2 5.9 6.6 3.9
.4 28.5 3.1
7.3 17.2 1.0
1.2 36.9 17.6 1.5
16.4 18.7 10.3 (0
11.8 34.8 10.8
.1 6.2 5.1
9.4 11.7 14.0 6.4
8.7 25.7 10.7
.6
8.4 25.5 11.6 2.3
8.7 19.1 15.3 3.2
8.3 21.4 28.1
.7
5.8 13.3 8.3 4.1
2.8 9.4 13.2 4.4
3.4 33.1 3.9 6.3
20.4 5.6 7.8
7.5 16.4 1.2
18.7 14.3 2.9
26.6
7.2
.8
24.6
9.7
13.0
12.4
27.3
3.0
27.4
23.3
13.5
5.4
13.0
10.0
14.3
19.7
12.0
23.8
29.3
19.1
8.0
5.4
15.4
40.6
58.6
7.8
20.3
28.5
13.1
2.2
2.6
12.2
10.9
2.5
5.3
5.7
15.0
8.4
11.0
44.4
2.3
1.3
4.9
11.2
5.7
8.8
32.3
22.7 25.2
l.i
17.2
.....
20.7 ‘ "ï.'4
13.3 1.2
21.0
22.8 3.9
9.4
3.3 4.8 15.0
13.1 15.4
2.5
35.7
5.9
4.3
2.6
20.2 ... ... ...
.2
18.2
.8
____
18.2
33.2
9.2
13.3 "'8.9
23.8
:: :::
26.3 "7."§
24.8
.1
8.4
11.9 " 6 .5 14.9
14.8
13.8
28.8
13.8
2.3
1.5
""i.l
17.4
.3
5.8
Percentage of union helpers and laborers w hose rates (in cents)
per hour were—
Average
rate
60
65
70
75
80
85
90
95 100 110
per Un- and and and and and and and and and and 120
hour der un- un- un- un- un- un- un- un- un- un- and
60 der der der der der der der der der der over
65
70
75
80
85
90
95 100 110 120
$0.851 12.1
8.7
5.1
.771 17.7
1.116
.895 2.5
1.059 1.9
1.115 1. 5
8.5
7.2 11.0
.3
2.2 9.1
1.0 1.5
2.1
1.102
1.019
6.3
2.5
10 4
1.8
7
1 .3
8.7
24
7.1
8.9 10.2
4.5
1.3 16.0 10.5
6.9
7.4 10.1 12.9 3.5
16 5 5 2
.6 1.4 4.8 3.4 10.4 27.6 13.5 38.0
8.4 14.0 8.8 3.5 5.2 18.3 18.3 3 4
6.4 4.8 4.3 11.3 12.6 12.3 6. 5 37 4
2.9 1.2 1.6 8.0 1.2 17.1 32.0 29.9
QQ
.9 16 ! 0
1.1
9.2 13.1
7.5
4.6 10.1 34.4
1 Less than Ho of 1 percent.
8 Includes also plumbers’ laborers and composition roofers’ helpers, not shown separately because of the
small number of quotations obtained for these trades.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Wages and Hours of Labor '
1101
,
Union Hours 1938
Forty hours was predominantly specified as the maximum work
week for the building trades in the cities studied. Over 69 percent
of all the union members were reported as working on a 40-hour basis.
Sixteen percent had a 35-hour scale and 9.5 percent a 30-hour scale.
Only 5.1 percent were allowed over 40 hours a week without overtime.
(See table 3.)
The journeyman trades reported 70 percent of their members on
a 40-hour week, 18.3 percent on a 35-hour week, and 9.9 percent on
a 30-hour week. Three of the journeyman trades reported a majority
of their members as working less than 40 hours. These were the
granite cutters, who had a 35-hour scale for 51.5 percent of their
members; the painters, with 35.8 percent on 35-hour scales, and 18.1
percent on 30-hour scales; and the plasterers, who had 30-hour scales
for 41.8 percent of their members and 32- and 35-hour scales for 8.1
percent.
The electricians, lathers, and paperhangers each reported 30-hour
scales for over 20 percent of their members. A weekly limit of 35
hours was established for over 30 percent of the boilermakers, glaziers,
painters, and sign painters, and for over 20 percent of the bricklayers,
cement finishers, mosaic and terrazzo workers, and stonemasons.
The portable and hoisting engineers and the two roofing crafts
were the only trades in which as many as 1 percent of the members
were permitted to work 48 hours. The majority of the 48-hour scales
in the engineering group applied only to heavy construction, such as
dams and highways. A 44-hour week was in effect for 13.3 percent
of the machinists, 6.3 percent of the sign painters, 5.2 percent of the
elevator constructors (mostly on maintenance), and 3.6 percent of the
composition roofers. None of the other journeyman crafts had any
significant percentage of their members working more than 40 hours
per week.
In the helper and laborers’ group 64.8 percent of the members had
40-hour scales, 22.2 percent were permitted to work more than 40
hours a week, and 13 percent were limited to less than 40. Less than
3 percent had scales of over 44 hours a week.
Elevator constructors’ helpers, marble setters’ helpers, and tile
layers’ helpers were almost universally working 40 hours a week.
None of these trades permitted over 44 hours for any of their members.
The building laborers had proportionately more members on scales
of over 40 hours than any other trade. They were the only trade
in their group having any agreements which provided a maximum
of over 45 hours a week. Steam and sprinkler fitters’ helpers, with
40.3 percent of their members working a 30-hour week, had the
shortest average workweek of the helper and laborer trades.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1102
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
T a b l e 3 . — Distribution of Union Members in Each Building Trade, b y Weekly Hours,
June 1, 1938
Trade
Average
hours
per
week
Percentage of union members whose hours per week
were—
30
32
35
40
44
45
0.3
All building trades........................
38.4
9.5
0.3
16.0
69.1
4.4
Journeymen....... .
Asbestos workers-...........................
Boilermakers-..................................
Bricklayers............. - ........................
Carpenters................................ .......
Cement finishers______________
Electricians, inside wiremen........
Elevator constructors_____ ____
Engineers, portable and hoisting.
Glaziers.............................................
Granite cutters...............................
Lathers..................................... .........
Machinists.......................................
Marble setters..................................
Mosaic and terrazzo workers___
Painters.............................................
Paperhangers......... .....................
Plasterers-.........................................
Plumbers and gas fitters_______
Rodmen........................................ . .
Roofers, composition.............. .......
Roofers, slate and tile....................
Sheet-metal workers......................
Sign painters_______ _____ ____
Steam and sprinkler fitters_____
Stonecutters— ................................
Stonemasons....................................
Structural-iron workers.................
Tile layers..........................................
38.1
39.0
38.2
38.5
38.9
38.7
37.5
40.1
40.1
38.4
37.4
37.1
40.3
39.9
38.9
36.4
36.5
35.3
37.9
39.8
39.5
39.6
38.9
38.2
37.6
39.5
38.4
39.1
39.8
9.9
8.4
2.0
1.7
2.1
1.3
24.5
1.2
4.1
' 1.1
.4
70.0
88.4
65.5
70.3
78.4
70.2
72.4
93.2
83.6
64.8
48.0
66. 4
82.4
97.6
76.2
45.8
57.5
48.7
74.2
97.0
80.8
86.7
80.3
55.1
71.0
88. 4
71.1
85.3
97.0
1.1
1.4
3.8
1.2
18.3
3.2
32.4
27.4
18.4
26.0
1.9
.4
2.9
31.3
51.5
8.5
4.3
1.4
21.4
35.8
12.6
2.8
5.8
.8
i 13.7
10.1
17.2
37.0
5.7
10.2
27.3
10.3
1.2
Helpers and laborers2___
Building laborers....................... ........
Elevator constructors’ helpers..........
Hod carriers (masons’ tenders).........
Marble setters’ helpers.......................
Plasterers’ laborers..................... ........
Steam and sprinkler fitters’ helpers.
Tile layers’ helpers..............................
39.9
40.9
40.1
39.9
39.9
36.0
35.7
39.4
7.4
.8
.9
3.5
.9
39.8
40.3
5.1
5.6
5.8
.1
10.8
.7
2.0
5.8
1.1
64.8
63.2
95.2
66.4
98.4
55.5
52.7
93.8
24.7
.5
1.2
18.1
29.3
41.8
15.8
1.7
.9
.8
2.1
1.6
19.3
5.3
3.0
3.0
1.9
1.2
0.4
.3
.1
.6
1.1
2 0
.9
5.2
1. 8
2. 8
.5
.2
13. 3
.5
1.2
.3
.6
1.4
1.2
.5
3.6
1.4
.4
6.3
1.0
1. 4
.2
.6
.6
20.0
27.4
3.8
16.9
48
5
3
7.6
10
1.0
1.5
1.8
s.7
2 1.0
2.2
3. 2
.8
1 Includes Ho of 1 percent having a 36.9-hour scale, amounting to less than Mo of 1 percent in the iournevman totals.
2 Includes also plumbers’ laborers and composition roofers’ helpers, not shown separately because of the
small number of quotations obtained for these trades.
. 3 Mo of I percent of the building laborers and Ho of 1 percent of the hod carriers had 49-hour scales, amount
ing to Mo of 1 percent of the group totals.
Overtime Rates
Double time was specified as the initial overtime rate in agreements
covering 63.6 percent of the total building trades membership in the
cities surveyed. Time and one-half was reported for 35.4 percent of
the membership. A small number of reports showed time and onethird or specific monetary rates which were not multiples of the regular
rates. In 34 instances no provision was made in the agreements forany penalty rate for overtime. Four other agreements prohibited
overtime work entirely. (See table 4.)
Nearly 72 percent of the journeymen had agreements calling for
double pay for excess hours and 27.4 percent had scales of time and
one-half. Double time was specified most frequently in 18 of these
trades and applied to a majority of the members in 21 trades.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Wages and Hours of Labor
1103
Time and one-half predominated as the initial overtime rate among
the helpers and laborers, being specified for 72.5 percent of the mem
bership covered. Double time was reported as the overtime rate for
25 percent of the members. The high percentage of the combined
helpers and laborers shown at the time and one-half rate was due to
the influence of the building laborers, who had this rate for 87.5 per
cent of their membership. Only two other helper trades reported a
majority of their members at the time and one-half rate. Each of the
other helper and laborer trades had double time as the overtime rate
for a majority of their members.
T a b l e 4 . —Overtime Rates
Provided in Building-Trades Union Agreements, June 1, 1938
Percentage of union members
having initial overtime rates
of—
Number of quotations showing
initial overtime rates of—
Trade
Time Dou Other
and
ble pen
alty
one- time
scales
half
Over
time
pro
hib
ited
No
pen
alty
rate
spec
ified
Time Dou Other
pen
and
ble
alty
one- time
scales
half
Over
time
pro
hib
ited
No
pen
alty
rate
spec
ified
All building trades..................................... 1,113 1,329
19
4
34
35.4
63.6
0.2
0.1
0.7
846 1,131
22
30
4
29
21
55
62
34
41
27
34
48
21
86
inn
hr
42
18
17
20
63
14
9
17
31
32
31
23
19
70
9
42
18
54
23
51
3
60
43
18
11
29
46
16
13
49
64
28
21
40
41
23
70
26
39
17
4
27
27.4 71.9
20.7 79.3
2.9 97.1
9.0 90.6
17.2 82.7
53.6 45.9
38.6 60.8
8.9 91.1
28.1 71.9
45.0 49.0
26.7 73.3
2.8 93.1
7.7 92.3
25.5 74.3
49.7 50.3
55.9 43.0
86.9 11.3
8.3 91.7
10.0 89.6
3.3 96.7
58.0 37.8
53.6 38.4
16.4 83.6
49.8 49.4
35.3 64.5
41.3 53.2
19.0 68.4
1.1 98.9
40.7 59.3
.3
.1
.3
Journeymen........................
Glaziers.......................... .................. .............
Painters____________________________
Composition roofers’ helpers....................
i Less than Ho of 1 percent.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
2fi7
73
14
u
48
29
33
15
198
10
5
71
20
13
24
U
35
8
1
1
1
2
1
3
1
1
4
1
2
2
1
2
1
2
3
1
2
2
1
2
1
2
2
1
2
4
3
7
3
2
1
1
72.5
87.5
70.6
2.5
80.1
32.9
38.2
16.6
10.1
46.6
25.0
9.0
20.3
97.5
19.1
67.1
60.6
83.4
89.9
53.4
.4
.1
.5
.4
.2
1.3
4.6
.1
4.1
.2
.5
.9
.4
.2
.9
.4
.6
.4
3.6
7.6
.2
4.0
.1
(‘)
6.0
.6
.2
1.5
12.5
2.5
3.5
3.1
.8
1.2
1104
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
Changes in Union Scales Between 1937 and 1938 4
Increases in wage rates were reported in 895, or almost 39 percent,
of the 1938 quotations which were comparable with 1937 (see table 5).
Only 15 quotations—less than 1 percent—were lower than the com
parable quotations for 1937, while 1,383, or 60 percent, remained
unchanged. The unions reporting increases, however, comprised
those with the larger memberships, for 56.8 percent of the total mem
bers covered had higher wage scales on June 1, 1938, than on May
15, 1937. Only 0.1 percent of the total membership had decreased
scales, while rates for 43.1 percent continued at the 1937 level.
The proportion of increases among the helper and laborer trades
(47.5 percent) considerably exceeded that of the journeyman group
(37.1 percent). The helpers and laborers likewise exceeded the jour
neymen in the proportion of members affected by rate increases, 60.5
percent as compared with 56.0 percent.
The elevator constructors and elevator constructors’ helpers led all
the other trades in proportionate number of increases, having rate
increases in 84.3 and 83.3 percent, respectively, of their comparable
quotations. The only other trades for which as many as 50 percent of
the quotations showed increases were asbestos workers, boilermakers,
rodmen, and composition roofers. Sign painters, with 6 increases
among 64 comparable quotations, had the smallest proportionate
number of increases. No craft had more than two quotations showing
wage-rate decreases.
Since the number of members covered by particular quotations
may vary from a handful to several thousand, the proportion of union
members affected by the changes varied considerably from the pro
portion of changes in quotations. Thus, wage-rate increases affected
83.9 percent of the elevator constructors’ membership in the cities
covered and over 75 percent of the members in the boilermakers and
marble setters’ trades. At least half the membership in each of 18
other journeyman trades were affected by increases. In the helper
and laborer group the elevator constructors’ helpers had 89.5 percent
of their members affected by rate increases. Plumbers’ laborers and
4 Certain anomalies enter into a comparison of average rates between 2 years when such averages reflect
not only the actual rates provided for in the agreements but the number of union members for that year in
each local union covered by the reported rates. B y and large, it would be expected that a general increase
in actual rates would be accompanied by a corresponding increase in the average rate paid to union mem
bers, but if union membership increases most (or decreases least) in the lower-paid crafts or in areas with
less-than-average rates, the change in the average of the rates paid to all union members m ay not increase
correspondingly or may even show a decrease. Conversely, the average rate may increase in spite oi a
downward swing in actual rates, if union membership declines sufficiently in the lower-paid crafts or in
areas where lower-than-average rates are paid.
Because the averages do not accurately reflect changes from year to year, no table comparing 1937 and 1938
averages is included in this report. For the trend of actual union rates, the table of indexes (table 1), which
is so computed as to eliminate the effect of fluctuating memberships at various rates, should be consulted.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Wages and Hours of Labor
1105
steam and sprinkler fitters’ helpers, with 83.1 and 78.3 percent of their
memberships having rate increases, were second and third in this
group. Every one of the helper and laborer trades had more than 50
percent of its members reported as receiving rate increases.
The 15 quotations, which showed decreases in wage rates, were
distributed among 10 journeyman and 3 helper and laborer trades. In
none of these crafts did the decreases affect as much as 2 percent of
the membership.
T a b l e 5 . —Number
of Changes in Union Wage-Rate Quotations, and Percent of Members
Affected, June 1, 1938, Compared With May 15, 1937
Trade
N um Number of quotations
showing—
ber of
quota
tions
com
No
D e
parable In
with
crease crease change
1937
Percent of union
members affected
In
crease
D e
crease
No
change
All building trades.................................................
2,293
895
15
1,383
56.8
0.1
43.1
Journeymen----------------------
1,872
51
31
75
93
68
82
102
190
55
35
74
23
61
51
85
40
71
72
61
52
35
59
64
87
58
66
69
62
695
35
17
20
32
20
35
86
49
16
13
26
8
20
19
18
6
24
34
31
26
13
24
6
34
15
20
29
19
12
1,165
16
14
54
60
47
46
16
140
37
20
48
15
41
32
66
33
47
38
30
26
22
35
58
53
43
45
40
43
56.0
72.9
75.6
57.1
56.5
56. 5
69.8
83.9
28.3
58.1
65.7
62.9
52.3
76.6
60.2
46.3
16.0
.1
43.9
27.1
24.4
42.8
43.3
43.3
30.1
16.1
71.6
41.6
33.0
37.1
47.7
23.4
39.8
53.5
83.9
33.6
27.6
42.7
32.7
50.5
37.0
94.1
26.5
54.7
59.3
44.1
30.5
421
72
18
78
63
37
51
19
44
39
200
31
8
65
21
14
20
8
15
18
3
218
41
10
13
42
22
30
11
29
20
60.5
56.3
59.8
89.5
53.7
66.6
67.6
83.1
78.3
70.9
Bricklayers.............. ............ .............. ....................
Carpentters------------------------- ---------------------Cement finishers____________________ _____
Electricians, inside wiremen----------------------Engineers, portable and hoisting---------- -------Glaziers. ----------------------------------------------Granite cutters-----------------------------------------
P ainters.--------- --------------------------------------Paperhangers....... ...................................................
Stonemasons------------------ ------ ----- -------------
Helpers and laborers-----------------
Marble setters’ helpers------------------------------Plasterers’ laborers-----------------------------------Tile layers’ helpers.................................................
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
72.4
57.3
67.3
49.5
63.0
5.9
73.5
45.3
40.6
55.9
69.5
.1
.2
.2
.1
.1
.3
1.3
.2
.1
.1
.1
.8
.6
.5
39.4
43.7
40.2
10.5
46.3
32.6
31.8
16.9
21.7
28.6
The wage-rate increases reported ranged from a few small adjust
ments to advances of 66 percent in the hourly scales of bucket-hoist
operators and the laborers working with alteration plumbers and
alteration steamfitters in New York City. Over two-thirds of the
increases amounted to 10 percent or more. These quotations covered
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1106
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
three-fourths of all the union members who received rate increases.
The distribution of the increases and of the members who benefited
from the increases is shown in table 6.
The most frequently occurring percentage increases among the
journeyman trades were those ranging between 10 and 15 percent, and
included 256 quotations, or slightly more than one-third of all the
journeyman increases. These quotations, however, applied to less
than one-third of the journeymen who received increases. Somewhat
less than one-third of the journeymen’s increases (224) amounted to 15
percent or more. Although smaller in number, these increases affected
26.2 percent of the total journeyman membership for whom there were
comparable quotations, and nearly 47 percent of the members who
received increases.
At least half of the increases recorded for each journeyman trade,
except granite cutters, amounted to 10 percent or better. Bricklayers,
cement finishers, mosaic and terrazzo workers, stonemasons, and
tile layers all reported the majority of their increases as being 15
percent or greater.
The machinists and granite cutters were the only journeyman
trades in which over half the members who received increases had their
wage scales raised by less than 10 percent. For the bricklayers,
cement finishers, electricians, mosaic and terrazzo workers, painters,
composition roofers, sign painters, stonemasons, and tile layers the
range of increases was 15 percent or higher for over half the members
affected by increases.
Among the helper and laborer trades there were 72 increases of less
than 10 percent, 51 of 10 to 15 percent, and 77 of 15 percent and over.
Over 45 percent of the members who had rate increases had their scales
raised at least 15 percent.
The hod carriers had the greatest proportion of increases in the
range of 15 percent upward among the helper and laborer trades.
The plumbers’ laborers, however, reported a greater proportion of their
membership as receiving increases of this amount. Every trade in this
group except the building laborers reported over half their membership
having any increases as being raised at least 10 percent.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Wages and Hours of Labor
1107
T a b l e 6 . —Number
of Increases in Union Wage-Rate Quotations and Percent of Members
Affected, by Percent of Increase, June 1, 1938, Compared With May 15, 1937
Number of quotations showing
increases of—
10
and
un
der
15
per
cent
15
and
un
der
20
per
cent
81
30 14.2 16.2
8.8
61
2
18 11.9 17.9 9.5
2 15.8 42.1 4.8
1 24.0 14.3 32.6
4.3 19.3 4.6
.9
1 17.8 13.9
15.7 13.3 4.4
1 10.4 24.5 32.5
21.5 32.5
2 13.7 11.8 1.4
2 19.4 30.6 6.3
56.7 9.0
1 7.2 27.5 4.2
1 38.9 1.1
21.4 51.3 2.0
2.8 11.9 8.4
1.8 14.2 23.3
.9 10.8
1 12.6 25.7 6.2
1 16.6 24.5 5.8
.4
1 8.1 23.2
1 19.9 11.9 14.4
7.8 20.9 18.8
4.7 38.1 3.0
.9 1.6
15.8 32.6 1.8
.8 23.1 5.2
2
1 1.4 9.4 4.7
17.1 12.1 14.8
15.8 9.8 39.2
Less
than
10
per
cent
10
and
un
der
15
per
cent
15
and
un
der
20
per
cent
20
and
un
der
25
per
cent
25
and
un
der
30
per
cent
All building trades...................................
287
307
102
88
Journeymen--------------Asbestos workers........ .............................
215 256
20
8
5
8
5
5
12
10
6
4
7
18
32
33
23
18
4
7
8
5
8
7
2
3
6
10
1
5
8
7
1
4
5
8
13
9
12
6
10
7
4
6
5
15
2
3
11
12
2
6
c
5
1C
8
3
6
76
1
2
3
2
3
5
13
3
3
69
2
1
4
2
2
1
8
2
3
5
1
3
5
2
3
1
2
5
2
1
4
4
6
3
1
1
5
1
i
2
5
2
2
5
5
4
26
2
19
6
Trade
Carpenters--------- --------- ----------------Electricians, inside wiremen------------Engineers, portable and h o istin g-----Lathers...... .................................................
Plasterers..................... - ............ .............
Plumbers and gas fitters-----------------R o d m e n ...------- ---------------------------Roofers, composition_______________
Stonecutters___ ___________ _______ Stonemasons............................................
72
10
51
• 3
28
23
1
1
5
1
30
per
cent
and
over
3
5
5
3
3
...
Tile layers’ helpers......... ................ .......
Percentage of total members
affected by increases of—
5
1
1
3
3
2
5
2
1
1
4
2
5
1
20
S
Less
than
10
per
cent
12 25.7
1 32.2
17.9
21. C
10.
11
25.
7.
3.C
_ 16.
20
and
un
der
25
per
cent
25
and
un
der
30
per
cent
30
per
cent
and
over
5.3 10.0
2.3
10.4
1.1
1.4
6.1
2.0
4.9
3.0
2.7
4.5
6.2
1. 5
1.0
25.4
.9
5.6
.9
26.7
7.0
4.3
1.9
7.1
2.5
16.0
2.0
1.1
24.4
17.4
21.6
1.1
.3
-.3
.4
1.0
1.8
17.2
4.5
1.0
10.4
5.9
2.2
1.2 18.9
9.4 9.0
.1
23.0
.2
4.9
16.1
3.4
3.6 19.7
.6 12.4
3.6 20.9
2.C 9. t
4.0
.7
3.2
.6
7.4 5.1 7.5 7.8 7.0
.7
.6 9.6 8.0
5.2
_
41.9 _
2.5
26. C 7.6 32.4
3. 16.5 3.6 17.6 1.8
l.C 3.!
51.
6.
8.4 2.4 7.6 17.0
60.7
4.
10. ...
.4 49.2
25. __
2.1
9.4 42.
Decreases in scales of hours between 1937 and 1938 were reported
in 118 quotations and increases in 25, while no change was indicated
in 1,767 quotations. The increases affected only 1.8 percent of all
the members; the decreases affected 13.0 percent. A slightly larger
proportion of the journeymen had hour changes than of the helpers
and laborers. Proportionately, the increases in hour scales affected
over twice as many helpers and laborers as they did journeymen.
The decreases, on the other hand, affected in proportion about a third
more journeymen than helpers and laborers.
None of the trades had any very substantial proportion of their
membership affected by hour increases—7.4 percent of the glaziers
being the highest recorded. The granite cutters reported decreased
102770—38------ 10
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1108
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
hours for 53.2 percent of their members and boilermakers, plumbers
and gas fitters, plumbers’ laborers, and steam and sprinkler fitters’
helpers each showed decreases for over 30 percent of their members.
Three of the journeyman trades and three of the helper and laborer
trades had no changes in hour scales for any of their members.
T a b l e 7 . —Number
of Changes in Union Hour Quotations, and Percent of Members
Affected, June 1, 1938, Compared With May 15, 1937
N um Number of quotations
showing—
ber of
quota
tions
compa
rable
In
De
No
with
crease crease change
1937
Trade
Percent of union mem
bers affected
In
crease
118
2,150
1.8
Journeymen___ —
1,872
15
90
Asbestos workers......._..............._ —
51
3
Boilermakers................................ —
31
Bricklayers................................... ---------------75
2
Carpenters-................................... .....................
93
3
Cement finishers.......................... .....................
68
4
Electricians, inside wiremen___ ---------------82
5
Elevator constructors................... —
...................... ......................
11
Engineers, portable and hoisting. ..........................
190
8
Glaziers_______________ ______ .....................
55
6
Granite cutters______________ _
35
5
Lathers______________ _____ ..........................
74
3
Machinists.................................... ------- -----------23
Marble setters........ ...... ................ ........ ............
61
.....
Mosaic and terrazzo workers....... ..................................51
Painters............... ........................ ....
85
4
Paperbangers........ ........................ ------------------------- 40
2
Plasterers.............. ........................ ........- ..........
71
3
Plumbers and gas fitters......... . ..........................
72
7
Rodmen........................................ ......................
61
Roofers, composition.................... ..........................
52
Roofers, slate and tile_________ ..........................
35
Sheet-metal workers______ ____ ------------------------- 59
Sign painters.................................. ................................. 64
Steam and sprinkler fitters.......... ................................. 87
Stonecutters___________ _____
58
Stonemasons....... .......................... .....................
66
Structural-iron workers................ ........- ...........
69
Tile layers............. ........................ — .............
62
1,767
48
30
73
1.4
2,293
25
. . .
All building trades......... ............. ....................
1
1
Helpers and laborers—
421
10
Building laborers....... ....................... - ...................
72 5
Composition roofers’ helpers_____ ........... .........
18
Elevator constructors’ helpers....... ............... —
78
1
Hod carriers (masons’ tenders)___................................. 63
2
Marble setters’ helpers...................
..............
37
Plasterers’ laborers..........................
51
2
Plumbers’ laborers.......................... ................................. 19
Steam and sprinkler fitters’ helper S........................
44
Tile layers’ helpers......... ..................------------------------ 39
28
6
10
4
4
2
2
88
64
76
10290
182
47
30
71
7.4
66
65
61
50
34
57
60
82
56
62
5.6
.1
5.5
No
change
13.0
85.2
13.5
7.2
31.2
26.0
15.6
25.1
85.1
92.8
2.8
7.9
2.1
22.1
53.2
7.1
4.5
22
61
49
76
37
D e
crease
20.3"
4.6
4.8
19.6
32.4
68.8
74.0
84.0
74.9
97.0
91.7
97.9
70.5
46.8
92.9
95.5
100.0
79.7
89.8
95.1
74.9
67.6
100.0
(')
"Ï3.7"
9.4
16.3
8.0
22.7
9.2
26.8
9.0
86.3
90.6
83.7
92.0
77.3
90.8
73.2
91.0
100.0
383
61
18
67
57
37
45
17
42
39
3.6
4.7
10.3
6.3
.6
3.6
6.3
12.3
1.8
18.1
31.6
41.6
86.1
88.9
100.0
93.1
84.1
100.0
80.1
68.4
58 4
100.0
1 Less than Ho of 1 percent.
Regional Differences in Wage Rates
There is no city in the South with a population of over 500,000.
Consequently, any comparison between the regions of average wage
rates in cities of comparable size must be confined to population
groups 3, 4, and 5. (See table 8.) Cities are grouped according to
population as follows: Group 1, cities of over 1,000,000 population;
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1109
Wages and Hours of Labor
group 2, 500,000 to 1,000,000; group 3, 250,000 to 500,000; group 4,
100,000 to 250,000; and group 5, 40,000 to 100,000.
The averages for the combined building trades in the North and
Pacific cities varied directly with the population group. In the South,
however, the average of cities in group 3 was 6.9 cents lower than that
of group 4, and 2.3 cents lower than that of group 5. The only excep
tion in the averages for the journeyman crafts was a slightly higher
average (1.3 cents) in the North and Pacific region for group 3 than
for group 2. All of the group 5 averages for the combined helpers and
laborers were higher than the comparable averages for group 4, and
the average for southern cities in*’group 4 was higher than for those in
group 3.
In general, the averages for the separate trades varied directly with
the city population groups. Most of the exceptions in the North and
Pacific cities were between groups 2 and 3. Seventeen of the journey
man trades and five of the helper and laborer trades had higher aver
ages for group 3 than for group 2 cities. The averages of five journey
man trades and of two helper trades were higher for cities in group 5
than in group 4. One of the helper trades had a higher average for
cities in group 2 than in group 1.
T
able
8 . —Average
Union Hourly Wage Rates in the\Buildingw
¿Trades, by Region and
Population Group, June 1, 1938
Cities in population group i—
13
5
4
3
21
Trade
North North
and
Pacific Pacific
All
North
and South
Pacific
All
North
and South
Pacific
All
North
and South
Pacific
All building trades................ $1.501 $1.311 $1.214 $1. 291 $0.965 $1.127 $1.151 $1.034 $1.065 $1.123 $0.988
1. 590 1.400 1.366 1.413 1.188 1.228 1.255 1.128 1.154 1.195 1.093
Journeymen.............
(3)
1.572 1.425 1.396 1.446 1.264 1.262 1.284 1.224 1.323 (3)
Asbestos workers..................
1. 277 (3)
(3)
1.759 1.466 1.501 1. 538 1.298 1.375 1.378 (3)
Boilermakers-..........- ............
1.765 1.573 1.548 1.593 1.423 1.469 1.477 1.449 1.370 1.359 1.400
Brioklayers-..........................
1.124
1.084
1.027
1.014
1.164
1.203
1.091
1.362
1.308
1.348
1.546
Carpenters..............................
1. 564 1.380 1.335 1.368 1.194 1.282 1.279 1.298 1. 290 1.403 1. 228
Cement finishers_________
Electricians, inside wire1.155 .953
men........ ............................... 1.678 1.470 1.439 1.471 1.331 1.240 1.281 1.121 1.088 1.289
1.099
1.609 1.511 1.500 1.548 1.337 1.296 1. 333 1.200 1.226
Elevator constructors.........
Engineers, portable and
1.224
1.206
1.214
1.123
1.361
1.328
1.212
1.556
1.518
1.574
1.685
hoisting................................
1. 642 1.317 1.173 1. 234 .963 1.069 1.130 .837 1.003 1.048 .946
Glaziers............ .....................
1.109
1.109
1
091
1.091
(3)
Granite cutters........ ............ .
1.703 1.568 1.443 l! 476 1.336 1.347 1.365 1. 275 1.241 1.297 1.120
Lathers-------------------- -----1 259 1 375 1.239
M achinists______________
Marble setters..............
-• 1.650 1.415 1.500 l! 533 X. 337 1.398 1.432 1.315 1.369 1. 268 1.423
Mosaic and terrazzo work
1.586 1.339 1.369 1.388 1.294 1.318 1.375 1.190 1. 273 1.295 1.250
ers-------- ------ --------------1. 462 1.294 1.207 1.271 .948 1.049 1.086 .899 .977 1.044 .863
Painters...................... - .........
.994 .930
1.454 1.319 1.145 1.177 .982 1.088 1.113 .978 .977
Paperhangers------------------1.618 1.567 1.633 1.386 1.413 1.438 1.352 1.342 1.356 1.328
1.807
Plasterers----------------------1.284
1.122
1.215
1.300
1. 614 1.477 1.440 1.452 1.398 1.30S 1.311
Plumbers and gas fitters-.
1. 569 1.478 1.351 1.424 1.118 1. 281 1.311 1.115 1.170 1.298 1.097
Rodmen......... ...................... .979
1.025
1.010
.805
1.449 1.245 1.212 1.231 .895 1. OOC 1.017
Roofers, com position.........
1.036
1.623 1.463 1.335 1.341 1. 20S 1.175 1.227 .800 1.036
Roofers, slate and tile.........
1.099
1.000
1.585 1.344 1.324 1.364 1.168 1.251 1.261 1.209 1.048
Sheet-metal workers...........
1.767 1.558 1.350 1.361 1.324 1.158 1.193 1 1.0861 1.245 1 1.284 (3)
Sign painters..........................
See footnotes at end of table.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1110
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
T a b l e 8 .—Average
Union Hourly Wage Rates in the Building Trades, by Region and
Population Group, June 1, 1938—Continued
Cities in population group i12
Trade
2»
North North
and
and
Pacific Pacific
Steam and sprinkler fitters.
Stonecutters-....................
Stonemasons........................
Structural-iron workers.__
Tile layers............................ .
Helpers and Laborers * ...
Building laborers_________
Elevator constructors’ help
ers____________________
Hod carriers (m a so n s ’
tenders)......... .......................
Marble setters’ helpers___
Plasterers’ laborers_______
Steam and sprinkler fitters’
helpers..................................
Tile layers’ helpers________
3
All
4
North
and South
Pacific
$1. 740 $1.441 $1.434 $1. 446 $1.360
1.405 1. 327 1. 343 1.359 1.021
1.645 1.483 1.515 1.561 1. 340
1.698 1.516 1.590 1.650 1.362
1.573 1.430 1.449 1.478 1.333
.989
.918
.847
.781
All
and South
Pacific
$1. 283 $1. 290
1.193 1.193
1.485 1.501
1.409 1.431
1.314 1.331
All
North
and South
Pacific
$1. 255 $1.259 $1.309 $1.152
1.208
1.208
1.422 1.317 1.343 1.233
1.250 1.314 1.358 1.212
1.266 1.329 1. 300 1.350
.726
.644
.828
.744
1.190
1.064 1.083
1.129
.950
.937
.944
1.201
1.273
.948
.929
1.071
.880
.896
.999
.949
.938
1.045
.659
( 3)1
.688
.787
.849
.842
1. 014
1.297
1.087
.877
.909
.894
.910
.933
.925
.657
(3)
.697
.751
.695
.826
.733 .757
.523 1.292
(3)
.523
.494
.717
.678
.753
.713
.535
.475
.735
.644
.983
.853
.826
.849
.931
.611
.807
.661
.606
.863
.875
.844
.705
1.240
.604 1.005
.774
(3)
.758
.663
(3)
(3)
(3)
(3)
gro^4^?OoloOOUt^e2M^OO‘>andegrou^’5^4^00?toHoo’TOOU^ 2’ 50° ’000101’000’000; gr° UP 3’ 250’000t0 S00’000;
2 No city in South of this size.
’
a g S fid b
e ^
tradeS W6re r6CeiVed fr°m °nIy 1 d ty in eaeh of these classifications; therefore, no aver-
s m a i num berof quotations
t C e trad“ r° ° ferS’ heIperS’ DOt Sh°Wn S6parately because of the
For the journeyman trades the differences in the regional averages
were 22.5 cents in group 3; 12.7 cents in group 4; and 10.2 cents in
group 5. The differences between the regional averages for the com
bined helpers and laborers were greater relatively in all three population
groups, and greater absolutely in groups 4 and 5 than the differences
between the journeyman averages for the same population groups.
In group 3 the helpers and laborers of the northern and Pacific cities
averaged 30.5 cents an hour higher than in the southern cities; in
group 4, 21.8 cents; and in group 5, 14.6 cents.
Differences of 30 cents or more an hour between the averages for
northern and Pacific and southern cities in group 3 occurred for the
engineers (34.4), machinists (42.2), painters (32.3), rodmen (30.6),
composition roofers (33.6), and stonecutters (33. 8) among the jour
neyman trades. Slate and tile roofers in group 4 cities had the highest
regional difference (42.7 cents) in any journeyman classification.
Plasterers’ laborers had a regional difference of 35.7 cents an hour
in the averages for cities in group 3 and 32.7 cents in group 4, while
tile-layers helpers had 30.3 cents an hour difference in group 4.
Building laborers and hod carriers each had differences of over 20
cents an hour in their regional averages for cities in both groups 3
and 4.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Wages and Hours of Labor
lili
In the southern region five journeyman trades and one helper trade
had higher averages for cities in group 4 than in group 3. The
majority of the exceptions to direct variation in the South, however,
were in the group 5 averages. Eight of the journeyman averages
and two of the helper averages were higher than the corresponding
group 4 averages.
Much of the variation between the averages among the different
city population groups is attributable to the combination of generally
high or low rates with proportionately large membership in particular
cities. Thus the influence of Newark, N. J., and Washington, D. C.,
tended to raise the general averages for all cities in group 3 and the
relatively high rates in Butte, Mont., and Charleston, W. Va., helped
to raise the general averages for cities in group 5. Likewise, New
Orleans, with generally lower-than-average rates and a relatively
large membership among southern cities, tended to bring down the
group 3 average for cities in the South. Phoenix, Ariz., which topped
all sou-thern cities of comparable size both in average rate and member
ship, had a strong influence in raising the group 5 averages for the
South.
Average rates for comparable size cities were uniformly higher in
the North and Pacific than in the South. In the group 3 cities the
difference in average rates for all building trades combined was 32.6
cents an hour; in group 4 cities it was 11.7 cents an hour; and in group
5 it was 13.5 cents an hour.
AVERAGE RATES IN EACH CITY
Averages of the combined journeyman rates and of the combined
helper and laborer rates in each city, according to city population,
are presented in table 9. The averages used were weighted according
to the number of members in each local union covered by the reported
rates. Thus the averages reflect not only the specific rates provided
for in union agreements but also the number of persons presumably
benefiting from these rates.5 Not all the trades had effective union
scales in all the cities. This was especially true among the helper
and laborer trades. Average rates of helpers and laborers are shown
only for those cities in which there were effective scales for a consider
able number of building laborers and at least one other helper trade.
There was a direct variation in the averages of journeyman rates
for all cities in each population group. Cities in group 1 averaged 19
cents higher than cities in group 2. The cities in the latter group
averaged 3.4 cents above cities in group 3, which in turn averaged
1
While a comparison of average rates between cities where averages include the influence of the member
ship factor may be somewhat misleading where membership is unusually large or small in comparison to
the same trade in other cities, a weighted average of this kind is obviously more realistic than a simple
average of specific rates. In the latter case a wage rate in a trade including half a dozen members would be
given the same importance as a trade including several hundred members.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1112
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
13.8 cents above cities in group 4. Group 4 cities averaged 7.4 cents
above those in group 5. The relatively small difference between the
averages for groups 2 and 3 is due largely to the relatively high averages
for Newark and Washington.
The highest city average was $1,740 for New York City. Newark,
where a considerable number of trades have scales identical with those
in New York, was second with $1,692, and Chicago was third with
$1,654. Washington, D. C., Pittsburgh, and St. Louis all had aver
ages for the journeyman trades ranging above $1.50 per hour. Butte
had the seventh highest city average ($1,487).
The averages of the combined helper and laborer trades varied
directly with each population group of cities, except with the smallest
group; cities in group 5 had an average of $0,735, which exceeded
the averages of both groups 3 and 4. This was due to the relatively
high average for Butte, whose average was exceeded only by New
York City and Newark.
Union organization varies considerably more in the helper and
laborer trades than among the journeymen. In many of the smaller
cities no union scales were reported for the more unskilled occupa
tions, which tended to raise the averages higher than they would be
if rates for all building laborers and helpers were included. Like
wise, since no city averages are indicated in the absence of union rates
for at least one helper trade and a substantial number of laborers, a
number of cities are missing entirely from groups 4 and 5. The list
of remaining cities in table 9 thereby tends to include only cities which
have relatively higher rates for their least skilled trades.
T able
9.—Average Union Hourly Wage Rates in the Building Trades, by Cities and
Population Groups,1 June 1, 1938
City and population group
Average
hourly
rate
J o u rn e y m e n
Population group 1:
N ew York, N . Y ..........................
Chicago. Ill..................................
Average for group 1..................... .
Detroit, M ich...............................
Philadelphia, P a.......................
Los Angeles, Calif.__________
Population group 2:
Pittsburgh. P a............................ .
St. Louis, M o...... ......................
Cleveland, Ohio...........................
Boston, M ass................................
Average for group 2.......................
Buffalo, N . Y __________ _____
San Francisco. Calif__________
Baltimore. M d..............................
Milwaukee, W is_____________
Population group 3:
Newark, N . J __________ _____
Washington, D . C .......................
Cincinnati, Ohio...........................
Kansas City, M o.......... ..............
Toledo, Ohio..................................
Denver, Colo................................
City and population group
Average
hourly
rate
J o u rn e y m e n —Continued
$1. 740
1. 654
1.590
1,354
1.296
1.186
1.541
1. 533
1.431
1.413
i.m
1.357
1.307
1.295
1. 217
1.692
1.5S9
1.440
1.410
1.408
1.405
Population group 3—Continued.
Average for group S...............................
Indianapolis, Ind..................................
Seattle. W a s h ...................... ................
Minneapolis. M inn_____ __________
Rochester, N . Y ............................. .......
St. Paul, M inn.....................................
Louisville, K y .......................................
Houston, T ex................................ .........
Columbus, Ohio....................................
Birmingham, A la__________ ______
Portland, Oreg.......................................
Memphis, Tenn_______ ____ ______
Providence, R . I ..................................
Dallas, T ex............................................
Atlanta, Ga...... ......................................
N ew Orleans, La....................................
Population group 4:
Dayton, Ohio........................... ............
Peoria, 111.............................................. .
Youngstown, Ohio______ _________
Spokane, W ash.....................................
Springfield, M ass...................................
Scranton, Pa...........................................
$ 1 . S66
1.356
1.329
1.310
1.297
1.287
1.272
1.269
1.264
1.251
1.209
1.196
1.195
1.187
1.112
1.048
1.423
1.362
1.336
1.326
1.317
1.266
1 Group 1 includes cities of over 1,000,000 population; group 2,500,000 to 1,000,000; group 3,250.000 to 500 000group 4, 100,000 to 250,000; and group 5, 40,000 to 100,000.
'
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Wages and Hours of Labor
1113
T a b l e 9 . —Average Union Hourly Wage Rates in the Building Trades, by Cities and
Population Groups, June 1, 1938— Continued
City and population group
Average
hourly
rate
Journeymen—Continued
$1.260
1.256
1.234
1.228
Average for group 4...................
1.SS8
Average for group 5 . . ...............
Portland, M aine...................
Jackson, Miss.........................
Manchester, N. H . . . ............
Charlotte, N. C......................
Little Rock, Ark....................
Charleston, S. C.....................
York, P a ________________
1.224
1.211
1.209
1.202
1. 201
1.184
1.156
1.135
1.133
1.127
1.121
1.086
1.037
1.030
1.012
1.487
1.229
1.182
1.162
1.154
1.137
1.133
1.085
1.048
.997
.902
.867
Helpers and laborers
Population group 1:
New York, N. Y ___ _____
Chicago, 111......... ...................
Average for group 1...................
Detroit, Mich___ _________
Los Angeles, Calif..................
Philadelphia, Pa.....................
Population group 2:
St. Louis, Mo..........................
Cleveland, Ohio......................
Boston, Mass..........................
San Francisco, Calif...............
Pittsburgh, P a .......................
Milwaukee, Wis__________
Average
hourly
rate
Helpers and laborers—Continued
Population group 4—Continued.
Des Moines, Iowa.................
Rock Island (111.) district A..
New Haven, Conn................
South Bend, Ind__________
El Paso, Tex...........................
Erie, Pa..................................
Worcester, M ass.................. .
Oklahoma City, O kla...___
San Antonio, Tex...................
Reading, Pa............. ,............ .
Salt Lake City, Utah........... .
Duluth, Minn.... ...................
Nashville, Tenn--------- ------ Grand Rapids, Mich.............
Omaha, Nebr__________ ....
Richmond, Va........................
Wichita, Kans.........................
Jacksonville, F la ...................
Norfolk, Va.............................
Population group 5:
Butte, Mont...........................
Charleston, W. Va.................
Phoenix, Ariz..........................
Madison, Wis.........................
City and population group
1.119
1.025
.989
.764
.752
.685
Average for group Z . . ...............
Buffalo, N. Y ..........................
Baltimore, Md........................
.934
.915
.908
.908
.888
.882
.847
.662
.596
Population group 3:
Newark, N . J . . . .................
Seattle, W a sh .....................
Kansas City, M o...............,
Minneapolis, M inn..........
Cincinnati, Ohio.................
St Paul, M inn....................
Toledo, Ohio................. .......
Portland, Oreg.....................
Washington, D . C ..............
Denver, Colo.......................
Indianapolis, Ind................
Average for group 8_______
Providence, R. I ..................
Rochester, N . Y - . ...............
Columbus, O h io ................
Memphis, T e n n ................
Houston, Tex.......................
New Orleans, L a ................
Louisville, K y .....................
Birmingham, A la...............
Dallas, Tex........................... .
Atlanta, Ga.......................... .
Population group 4:
Springfield, M ass.................
Spokane, W ash.....................
Peoria, 111.............................. .
South Bend, Ind_____-.___
Worcester, M ass...................
N ew Haven, Conn_______
Des Moines, Iowa............... .
Salt Lake City, U tah..........
Reading, P a_____________
Youngstown, Ohio...............
Scranton, Pa..........................
Average for group 4............ .
Dayton, Ohio....................... .
E l Paso. Tex......................
Rock Island (111.) district2.
Duluth, M inn___________
Oklahoma City, Okla____
Grand Rapids, M ich...........
San Antonio, T ex.................
Nashville. T e n n ............ .
Jacksonville, Fla_________
Population group 5:
Butte. M o n t.........................
Phoenix, Ariz........................
Average for group 5...............
Madison, W is........................
Manchester, N . H _______
Portland, M aine...................
Jackson, M iss____________
$1.087
.994
.897
.894
.843
.808
.795
.781
.780
.773
.743
.675
.662
.640
.636
.568
.533
.522
.491
.491
.470
.953
.928
.829
.782
.777
.765
.737
.737
.736
.730
.726
. 717
.703
.695
.672
.622
.558
.532
.529
.493
.426
1.042
.789
.755
.692
.674
.619
.466
s Includes Davenport, Iowa, and M oline, 111.
IN CO M ES OF DOCTORS, D E N T IST S, LAW YERS, AND
ACCOUNTANTS, 1936
OF 41 million gainfully employed persons in 1936, approximately
one-third of a million, or 0.8 percent, were independent practitioners
in the medical, dental, legal, and accounting professions. The total
net income of these 4 groups was about 1.5 billion dollars, which con
stituted 2.4 percent of the total national income paid out.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1114
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
The estimated average net income of these practitioners in 1936 was
$4,468, as compared with an average estimated income of $2,333 for
salaried employees in manufacturing, mining, construction, and selected
transportation industries, and a per capita income of $1,244 for em
ployees in all industries. Surveys by the United States Bureau of
Foreign and Domestic Commerce in 1937 (except for dentists in 1935)
show that the average net incomes of independent professional prac
titioners in the above-mentioned fields for specified years, were as
follows.1
T able 1.—Net Income of Independent Professional Practitioners, 1929-36
Average net income
Profession
1929
Medical (all practitioners)____
Medical (general practitioners)
Medical (specialists)_________
Legal—.......................................
Accounting (C. P. A .)_______
Accounting (non-C. P. A .)___
D entistry__ _____ __________
1930
1931
1932
1933
1934
1935
$5, 298 $4, 687 $4, 065 $3,148 $2, 909 $3, 310 $3, 629
4, 701 4, 084 3, 603 2,790 2,615 2, 964 3, 231
8,314 7,734 6, 402 4, 964 4, 397 5,112 5,636
26, 601
4,088 3,786 3, 692 3,885
(>)
(0
25, 561
3,273
0)
(')
(0
(0
0)
5,749
4, 012 4,291
(')
(>)
(0
(>)
3, 303
2,226 2,463
(>)
0)
0)
(>)
2,778 2,495 2,780
(0
0)
0)
(0
1936
$4,143
3, 673
6, 521
4, 320
3,725
4, 626
2,910
(>)
Percentages of 1929
Medical (all practitioners)........
Medical (general practitioners)
Medical (sp ecialists)............ .
L egal.._________ ___________
Accounting (C. P. A .)...............
Accounting (non-C. P. A .)___
D entistry___________________
100
100
100
2100
3100
100
100
0)
88.5
86.9
93.0
0)
(*)
0)
(')
(*)
76.7
76.6
77.0
(■)
(0
0)
(>)
(>)
59.4
59.3
59.7
61.9
(>)
(>)
(>)
0)
54.9
55.6
52.9
57.4
58.9
(B
0)
(')
62.5
62.8
61.5
55.9
0)
69.8
67.4
0)
68.568.7
67.8
58.9
(■)
74.6
74.6
0)
78.2
78.1
78.4
65.4
67.0
80.5
88.1
0)
Number of practitioners in sample
Medical (all practitioners)____
Medical (general practitioners)
Medical (specialists)..................
Legal_______ ____ ________ ___
Accounting (C. P. A .)________
Accounting (non-C. P. A .)........
D entistry............ .............. ...........
753
593
160
2557
3706
695
45
(0 .
752
592
160
(>)
0)
0)
(>)
0)
791
850
622
669
169
181
4 685.8
0)
0)
(>)
(')
0)
(«)
(>)
1,007
0)
912
724
188
734
944
(1)
0)
1, C07,
1,053
835
218
777
0)
896
57
1,007
1,048
828
220
787
0)
916
57
0)
1,057
834
223
4 784.5
1,157
961
61
(')
1 Information not obtained for these years.
2 Averages based on the questions asked by the Department of Commerce.
3 Averages obtained from supplementary questions included for the American Bar Association.
4 .tractions indicate part-of-year participation in legal firms.
A continuous and precipitate decline in the average net income
from 1929 to 1932 with a second but less acute reduction from 1932
to 1933 was obvious in each sample of the professions under review.
In 1936 the average net income of reporting independent practitioners
in the medical profession ranged from $925 after 1 year of experience
to $3,693 after 7 years of experience, and for reporting independent
practitioners in the legal profession for corresponding years of experi
ence from $1,059 to $2,375, as shown in table 2.
i
See Survey of Current Business, U. S. Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce, Washington, D. C„
April 1938, pp. 12-16: Income of Independent Professional Practitioners.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1115
Wages and Hours of Labor
T a b l e 2 . —Net
Income and Percentage Distribution of Medical and Legal Independent
Practitioners, by Years of Experience, 1936
Legal
Medical
Years of experience
Persons in
sample
N um
ber
Per
cent
1,378
100.0
16
49
79
50
45
45
30
65
249
302
278
323
- 142
17
2
Over 52 years................................... - .....................................
1.1
3.6
5.7
3.6
3.3
3.3
2.2
4.7
18.1
21.9
20.2
23.4
10.3
1.2
.2
Persons in
sample
Aver
age
net in
come
N um
ber
Per
cent
1,090
100.0
3cT
53
48
59
60
54
42
83
263
326
207
139
53
13
6
$925
1,839
2,747
3,060
3,558
3,622
3,693
1,614
3,229
4,930
4,983
3,717
2,525
1,600
678
Aver
age
net in
come
2T
$1,059
1,121
1,630
1,779
2,047
2,176
2,375
1,099
1,990
3,629
4,893
4,964
4,016
2,591
1,248
4.9
4.4
5.4
5.5
4.9
3.9
7.6
24.1
29.9
19.0
12.7
4.9
1.2
.6
SALARIES OF OFFICE WORKERS IN NEW YORK CITY,
JUNE 1938
WEEKLY salaries of office workers in New York City averaged $31.12
in a pay period falling in May or June 1938, according to a survey
made by the industrial bureau of the Merchants’ Association of New
York, covering 316 employers and 44,334 workers. The highest
average salary for any occupation was $55.27 for accountants, and the
lowest average, $21.92 for file clerks. Some accountants, however,
received as little as $20 and as much as $147.50, while the range for
file clerks was from $11 to $60. The lowest rate for any occupation,
$10, was found in a miscellaneous office group, and the highest,
$230.77, in the group of chief and supervisory clerks. The low, high,
and average salaries for the different occupation groups are shown m
the table below.
Weekly Salaries of Office Workers in New York City, May-June 1938
Occupation
Number Number
of emof comployees
panies
reporting covered
Weekly salaries
Low
High
Average
All occupations............... ......................... ...........................
316
44,334
$10.00
$230.77
$31.12
953
499
848
1, 316
396
6,617
2,870
515
1,172
2,464
3,339
1,794
22, 551
20.00
17.50
15.00
13.85
12.00
14.00
12.00
15.00
13.00
14.00
15.00
11.00
10.00
147.50
138.50
82.50
92.31
109.61
96.15
55.00
38.08
61.25
70.00
230.77
60.00
175.00
55.27
51.65
Other office occupations---------------------------------------
190
90
181
227
89
297
204
80
280
193
253
217
283
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
30.32
34.94
30.37
22.83
25.15
23.65
24.53
52.07
21.92
29.95
1116
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
WAGES AND HOURS IN C ER TA IN IN D U ST R IES IN
A R G EN TIN A , 1935-38
IN EIGHT selected Argentine industries, the total number of hours
worked per month varies from 145.84 for linotypists and printers to
168.49 in the metallurgical industry. In the same industries in
creases in hourly and monthly wages from 1935 to 1938 varied from
4.4 percent for skilled workers paid by the month in metallurgy to
48.0 percent for linotypists. Figures released by the National Labor
Bureau (Departamento Nacional del Trabajo) for the “C. G. T.,”
official publication of the National Labor Confederation {Conjederadòn General del Trabajo) of Argentina, for September 2, 1938, together
with averages and percentages derived from these figures are shown
in the table following.
Monthly and Hourly Images and Hours per Month in Specified Argentine Industries,
1935 to 1938, by Class of Workers
[Average exchange rate of peso in 1935-38=33 cents]
Skilled workers
Industry
Hours
per
month
1935
1936
1937
Percentage in
crease, 1935-38
Unskilled workers
1938
1935
1936
1937
1938
Un
Skilled skilled
work work
ers
ers
W age» p e r m o n th (in pesos)
Construction.
Confection...
Graphic arts i,
Linotypists 2.
Printers2.......
Wood.............
Metallurgy...
Textiles *___
153. 72 107.60
153.87 105.40
167.84 144.50
145.84 182.30
145.84 158.97
160.98 132.00
168.49 154.60
161. 60 92.30
122.95
107.10
157.80
231.89
167.72
145.00
157.40
97.60
130.67
123.30
189.60
269.80
198.34
145.00
161. 40
109.30
144.60
123.30
189. 60
269.80
198.34
145.00
161.40
109. 30
73.45
86.40 86.40 96.00
85.60 104.00 105. 70 105.70
80.00 80.00 88.46 88.46
63.70 63.70 80.80 80.80
34.4
17.0
31.2
48.0
24.8
9.9
4.4
18.4
30 7
23.5
10. 6
26.8
W ages p e r h o u r (in pesos)
Construction_____
Confection_______
Graphic arts 1____
Linotypists 2...........
Printers2______
wood...................;
Metallurgy.............
Textiles3. .............. .
0.70
.685
.89
1.25
1.09
.82
.918
.571
0.80
.696
.94
1.57
1.15
.90
.934
.604
0.85
.802
1.13
1.85
1.36
.90
.958
.676
1 Skilled workers have an 8-hour day.
2 Linotypists and printers have a 6-hour day.
* Average of cotton and wool.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
0.94
.802
1.13
1.85
1.36
.90
.958
.676
0.47
0.562 0.562 0.625
.56
.62
.63
.63
.475
.425
.475
.425
.525
.500
.525
.500
34.3
17.1
27.0
48.0
24.8
9.8
4.5
18.4
33.0
12.5
10.5
17.6
Wages and Hours of Labor
1117
The lowest wages in any of these industries in 1935 and 1938 are
found in the textile industry, where unskilled workers received 0.425
peso per hour in 1935, but 0.50 peso in 1938, an increase of 18.4 per
cent; their increase in monthly wages was even greater, from 63.70 to
80.80 pesos during the same period, or 26.8 percent. The highest
wages paid in 1935 and also in 1938 are for linotypists, increasing
from 1.25 to 1.85 pesos per hour and from 182.30 to 269.80 pesos per
month, an increase in each instance of 48 percent. The construction
industry is the only one presented here which shows an increase in
both hourly and monthly wages in each of the 3 years after 1935.
In the remaining seven industries increases occurred in the years 1936
and 1937, the latter rates continuing to prevail in 1938.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
WAGES IN BELG IU M , M ARCH 1938 1
IN GENERAL, the 48-hour week is still in effect for Belgian labor,
but the 40-hour week was established by the law of July 9, 1936, for
port workers and workers in the metal industries, mines, and certain
chemical industries. The law also provided that the King, upon the
proposal of the Cabinet, could progressively reduce the hours of work
to 40 per week for workers engaged in industries or branches of in
dustries where the work is carried on under unhealthful, dangerous,
or difficult conditions, after consultation with the joint commissions
of employers and employees or the employers’ or workers’ organiza
tions in the different industries.
Six days’ vacation with pay were granted by the law of July 8, 1936,
to employees after 1 year’s service with the same employer in indus
trial and commercial enterprises; mines and quarries; building; public
works; public utilities; shipbuilding; warehousing and loading at
ports, stations, etc.; land, air, and water transportation within the
country; theaters, hotels, restaurants, etc.; hospitals and insane
asylums; public services; and maritime fish in g . The law when
passed applied only to establishments employing at least 10 persons,
but it was provided that it might be extended by royal decree to estab
lishments or enterprises employing at least 5 persons.
Family allowances are paid in accordance with the law of August 4,
1930, revised by the royal decree of March 30, 1936. The allowances
are paid for dependent children of employed workers up to the age
of 18, and indefinitely for children who are physically or mentally
deficient. The minimum family allowances in effect in April 1938
were as follows:
Daily
allowance
(francs)
First child----------------------------------------------------------------------- 0 gg
Second child-------------------------------------------------------------------- i . 40
Third child---------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. 25
Fourth child__________________________ _________________ 3. 50
Fifth and each succeeding child___________________________ 4. 95
. Monthly
allowance
(francs)
20. 60
35.00
58.00
98. 00
124. 00
If during the course of a month the number of days worked totals
at least 23, the daily allowance is replaced by the monthly allowance.
The above rates vary with each 50-point change in the cost-of-living
index.
Deductions from wages for compulsory insurance against old age
and premature death amount to 1.5 percent for manual workers, 3
percent for salaried employees, and 4.5 percent for miners.
1 Report from William H. Beach, American consul, Antwerp, Belgium, dated April 26, 1938.
1118
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1119
Wages and Hours of Labor
The wages paid in mines, building construction, stevedoring, various
manufacturing industries, and to domestic servants, as of March 31,
1938, are shown in the following table.
Wages in Specified Industries and Trades in Belgium, Mar. 31, 1938
[Average exchange rate of franc in March 1938=3.38 cents]
Industry and occupation
Wage rate (in
francs)
Per day
53.00
48.50
36.40
44.60
Building construction
Cement workers and bricklayers----Carpenters and concrete-foundation
Zinc workers................................ ...........
Dock workers, port of Antw erp
Stevedores (week days):
Extra day shift (5-8:30 p. m .) - . .
Afternoon shift________ _______
N ight shift___________________
Stevedores (Sunday and holidays):
Extra day shift (5-8:30 p. m.) —
Night shift (Sunday-M onday)..
Drivers (week days ):3
Night.shift....................................- J
-See footn o tes a t end o f table.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Wage rate (in
francs)
Dock workers, port of A ntw erp—Con.
Coal mining
Underground and surface w orkers...
Industry and occupation
Per hour
(>)
7.25
3 6.00
4.00-4. 50
3 6.00
4.50-4.75
6. 50
2 5.70
4.70-4.75
2 5.60
2 6.95
>5.70
2 6.00
2 6.60
6.25-6. 50
6. 50
5.20-5.50
6.90
7.00
24.50
2 5.60
2 4.10
2 5. 70
2 6.25
3. 50-4.00
5.75
7.30
«6.00
8.50
6.80
7.30
6.50
4.75
5.00
5.75
6.00
Per 7-hour
shift
72.00
54.00
77.00
82.00
108.00
128.00
63.00
134. 75
143.50
134.75
Per week
387.00
2 377.00
Per shift
96.00
Drivers (Sunday and holidays):
D ay shift............ .....................
Evening shift (5-8:30 p. m .).
Morning shift..........................
Afternoon shift........................
N ight shift.............................. .
Watchmen, 8 hours___________
Watchmen, 12 hours................... .
Per shift
110.50
55.25
119.25
128.00
119.25
45.00
67.00
Glass industry
Casting hall and furnace hall:
Batch-house foremen__________
Furnace-hall m en...........................
Rough-glass cutters.......................
Electric shop:
Electricians________________
Central station........ ........................
Pot house:
Foremen...........................................
Pot m a k ers....................................
Mill operators.................................
Batch mixers...................................
Machine shop:
Foremen_____________________
Fitters---------- -----------------------Millwrights and blacksmiths---Cranemen....... ................ ................
Pipe fitters................. - ....................
Grinding and polishing shop:
Layers...............................................
Plaster mixers and strippers-----Strippers’ helpers, boys................
Grinder forem en-...........................
Grinder-machine operators..........
Grinders’ helpers, boys................
Polisher foremen.............................
Machine operators____________
Transfer-car operators...................
Crane operators_______________
Electric-hoist operators.................
Plaster-house operators.................
Emery-room operators......... .......
Emery-room operators’ helpers..
Rouge-room operators..................
Rouge-room operators’ helpers. _
Machinists.......................................
Warehouse:
Foremen_____________________
Glass examiners..............................
Glass washers..................................
Cranemen-......................................
Cutters..............................................
Bookers.............................................
Reexaminer foremen.....................
Repolishing-machine operators..
Stock foremen..............................—
Stockmen____________________
Unskilled laborers_____________
Girls..................................................
Packing room:
Foremen....................... - ..................
Packers----------- ------ --------------Cranemen-......................................
Auxiliary departments:
Carpenter-shop bosses___ _____
Per day
41.00-47.75
42.30-51.95
42.30
51.45
59.50
55.50
51.45
39. 55
38.70
53.20
50.00
49.25
40. 35
51.70
42.80-49.40
41.00
32.10
49.40
42.40
31.50
49.40
42.45
38.10
42.10
41.05
41.65
54.60
42.00.
54.60
> 42.00
45. 65
52.75
46.25
38. 55
42. 35
54.95
40. 55
60.00
42.30
59.20
46.25
33.95
17. 55
54.60
40.70
42. 35
49.60
1120
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
Wages in Specified Industries and Trades in Belgium, Mar. 31, 1938—Continued
Industry and occupation
Wage rate (in
francs)
O lass in d u s tr y —Continued
Auxiliary departments—Con.
Carpenters and box makers____
Bricklayers and tinners...............
Painters......................................
Engineers....................................
Firemen.................... ...................
Laborers and storeroom men___
Gate watchmen...___ _______
Per hour
2. 67
4. 91
5.14
5. 59
6. 00
6.49
6.45
5.80-7.11
5.92
M e ta l in d u stries
Mechanical construction:
Machine-tools operatives:
Boring-machine hands.........
Cutting-press operators____
Metal stampers.....................
Drill operators.......................
Milling-machine men...........
Tool makers....................... „
Slotting-machine operators..
Rectifiers..............................
Planing-machine men_____
Tapping-machine operators Lathe hands.................. ........
Hand workers:
Fitters, m echanics..............
Adjusters, automobiles........
Fitters, assemblers................
Firem en...............................
Firemen, engineers...............
Metal engravers....................
Art smiths..............................
Smiths....................................
Smiths’ helpers....................
Laborers........... ...................
Blacksmiths.........................
Tool and die makers............
Foundry:
Chippers, trimmers.....................
Founders_____________ _____
Laborers........................................
Grinders........................................
Iron molders.................................
Bench molders.............................
Core makers.................................
Body-building department:
Smiths...........................................
Plate makers..............................
Filers.............................................
Sheet-iron workers.......................
Boiler shops, structural steel:
Fitters...........................................
Insulators-....................................
Smiths, iron and copper..............
Sawyer cutters-out___________
Ironsmiths....... ............................
Stampers and filers......................
Laborers........................................
Assemblers....................................
R iveters......................................
Autogenous welders.....................
Arc welders...................................
Sheet-iron workers and wire
drawers___________________
Wire-lattice makers_____ _____
Tube-mill workers.......................
See footnotes a t end of table.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Wage rate (in
francs)
M etal industries—C ontinued
Per day
45.20
48.20
42. 65
48.10
41.40
38.40
32.00
C em en t in d u s tr y
Bag makers, female...........................
Laborers........................... ...... ...........
Truck couplers, bag transporters,
greasers______________________
Machine operators, grinders, pump
e r s ...___ ___________ ________
Chief mixers............................ ...........
Masons_________________ _____ _
Excavating-equipment operators___
Skilled workers ....................... ...........
Truck drivers........................ .............
Industry and occupation
6.45-7. 75
6.25-7.45
5. 30-6. 25
5. 55-6.25
6.60-7.75
6. 65-7.80
6.30-7.45
6. 65-7.45
6.25-7.45
5. 70-6. 65
6. 60-7. 60
6.40-7.05
6.45-8. 35
6.00-6.80
5. 55-6.80
6.15-7. 45
6.80
6.80-7. 75
6. 25-6.85
5! 35-5. 70
4.60-5.20
6. 45-7.90
>7.50
5.45-6.25
6.25-6.90
4.65-5. 55
5.70-6.45
6.60-7. 75
6.45-7. 20
6.45-7.45
6. 80-7. 75
6. 70-7. 90
5. 35-6. 55
6. 25-8.40
5.30-5.95
6.00-6.90
6. 30-6.95
5.05-6.05
5. 55-6.95
5. 35-6.05
4. 65-5. 55
5. 60-6.95
5. 60-6. 70
6.40
7.45-8. 70
6. 25-6. 95
5.60-6.05
5.70-6.95
Enameling and tin-plate mills:
Bakers, enam el........................ .
Cutters-out and stampers______
Enamelers........................................
Tinsmiths_______ _____ _______
Galvanizers___ _____ __________
Laborers_____________________
Enamel workers, female_______
Pressers._____________________
Auto-radiator makers............ .......
Metal boxes:
Cutters-out, male_____________
Embossers, female____________
Folders and solderers, female___
Stove works, locksmiths, electricity:
Metal-safe makers.................. .......
Stove m a k er s..__________ ____
Cock and faucet makers...............
Locksmiths, fitters____________
Coil winders, electric, and electrical engineers............................
Coil winders and other female
labor_____________ ______ ___
Electrical fitters:
Skilled..................... ..................
Unskilled_________________
Helpers.....................................
Apprentices.........................
Radio assemblers.........................
Heating-apparatus plants:
Fitters, skilled solderers...............
Laborers, skilled....................... .
Laborers, unskilled___________
Helpers, over 21 years of age___
Bronze industries:
Hot-water-heater m'akers______
Bronze chasers and metal decorators.......... ..................................
Chippers, trimmers.....................
Copper smelters______________
Copper filers and copperfoundry laborers .....................
Bronze fitters, copper molders,
and polishers............. .................
Embossers___________________
Lathe hands and valve grinders.
Per hour
5. 55-6. 25
5.35-6.25
5.70-6.25
6.35-6.95
6.25
4.65-5. 55
3. 30-3.60
5. 35-6.25
6.25-6.95
5.35-6. 25
3.45-3.85
3.45-3.85
6.05-6.95
5.35-6.25
5. 35-6.45
5. 20-6. 25
2 5.85
2 3.10
2 5.85
2 4.10
3. 35-4.10
2 1.70
2 4. 35
6. 40
5.90
4.90
4.40
4 6.61
4 6.61
4 4.40-5.30
4 6.61
4 4.40-5. 30
4 6. 61
4 6.82
4 6.61
Textile industry
Sorters, female.......................................
Washers, m a le ..................................
Combers, female...........................
Dressers, female............................ .......
Spinners, m a le .................................
Piecers, carding, male.........................
Carders, male.............................. ...........
Twisters, female.............. ....... ..............
Warpers, male......................... ..............
Weavers, m ale......... .............................
Cleaners, female............. .......................
Finishers, m ale._______ __________
Finishers, female_________________
Weavers, cotton, male..........................
Weavers, wool, male______________
Dyers, male..................................... .......
4.16
4.16
3.98
3.68-4.10
5.65-6.89
4.75
5.53
4. 22-5.75
6.47
5.82
4.69
4.46
3.98
* 230.00
2 280.00
4.47
Clothing industries
Fur dressers, male.................................
Fur sewers, female...............................
Vest makers, female..............................
Machine sewers, female...................
Ladies’ tailors, male..............................
M en’s tailors, male................................
Dressmakers, female______ ________
8.80
4.00-4. 50
3.25
3.00
5.50-6.00
5.25
4.50
Food industries
Males:
Biscuit makers...............................
Biscuit makers’ assistants______
5.00-6.25
4.00-4.50
Wages and Hours of Labor
1121
Wages in Specified Industries and Trades in Belgium, Mar. 31, 1938—Continued
Industry and occupation
Wage rate (in
francs)
Bakers’ helpers.............
Pastry bakers...............
Pastry bakers’ helpers.
Bread carriers.................................
Sugar-factory laborers...................
Flour-mill laborers..................... .
Brewers, beer..................................
Butchers......................................... .
Females:
Candy dippers...............................
Candy packers...............................
Biscuit-factory workers and
packers........................................
Sugar-factory workers and pack
ers................................................. .
Bottle washers.............................. .
Chicory-factory packers...............
Leather-goods factories:
6.25 Qluers, pasters................................
Fancy-leather stitchers, female. .
Saddle, trunk, and travelingbag makers...................................
Tanneries:
»4.50
Skin dyers and bleachers
(gloves).........................................
4. 25-4.75
Skin finishers..................................
6.30
Tanners, skilled..............................
Laborers, skilled.............................
Per week
190.00225.00 Laborers...........................................
250.00- 300.00
Book and paper industry
190.00225.00
Per hour
3. 67-4. 23
4.23-5. 31
Book printing:
Stitchers and hinders, fem ale...
Apprentices......................................
Stitchers and cardboard mount
ers, male........................................
Cardboard mounters, female___
Lithographers, male......................
Typographers, male.......................
Layers-on, male..............................
Layers-on, female...........................
Ofl-set printers, male.....................
Binders and trimmers, male........
Transfer-lithographers, m a le ....
Handy men, 16-20 years of a g e ...
Paper mills:
Winders, calenderers, and flnishers................................
Cutters..................... . . .
Dryers............................
Laborers, male_______
Per week
189.30
99.20-159.70
Per hour
5.50» 4.50
5.50- 6.50
Per hour
5.75-6.30
4.35-4.95
4.95
5.25-5.60
5. 50-6.70
3.30- 4.00
2. 50-3.25
2. 50-3.00
3.20-3.55
2. 75-3.00
3.30- 3.88
Wood and furniture industries
Frame assemblers, plate-glass bevelers, chair makers, wheelwrights,
and cabinetmakers______ _____ _
Cabinetmakers’ helpers.......................
Mattress makers...................................
Carpenters and upholsterers..............
Carpenters’ helpers..............................
Modelers, wood__________ _______
Mortisers and parquetry layers____
Painters...................................................
Furniture polishers..............................
Sawyers, cutters-out..........................
Planers and wood turners...................
Wood carvers.........................................
Paperhangers and coopers..................
Shapers...................................................
Apprentices........................................... .
» 6.60
4.00-
»6.00
*6. 60
4.008.68
» 6.60
»6.20
» 6. 60
» 6.85
» 6.60
» 7.20
»
6.00
3 7.45
> 1.25
Hide and leather industry
Shoe factories:
Assemblers, h a n d ........................ .
Assemblers, machine................... .
Cutters and broachers.................
Leather stretchers........................ .
Markers.......................................... .
Machine stitchers..........................
Polishers......................................... .
Heel makers.................................. .
Assemblers, hand, and packers,
female.......................................... .
Pouncers and grinders, varnishers, female....................................
5. 58-6.68
6.78-7.88
5. 58-7.18
5.93- 7.18
5. 58-6.43
5.935.93- 7.93
5. 58-6.93
3.92-4.05
3.92-4.30
5. 50
6.01-7.11
7.00
6.00-6. 50
5. 25-6. 75
4. 50-5.00
4. 00-4. 50
326. 75
189. 30
333. 75
329.75
250. 70
189. 30
196.30
326. 75
333.75
79. 70-141. 20
Per hour
4. 75-5.30
4.30-4.80
4.004.00- 4.30
Tobacco industry
Cigarette makers, female..
Cigar
5.
50 makers, male.............
Tobacco cutters, male........
Cigarette packers, female..
Laborers__________ _____
Laborers, female..................
3.10-3. 50
3. 50-6.00
5. 25
3. 25-3.50
5.00
3.06-3. 50
Hotel industry »
Silverware stewards______
Cashiers, female...................
Clerks, male............ ............
Cooks, male..........................
Kitchen maids.....................
Charwomen..........................
Ovenmen_____ _________
Dishwashers, male_______
Glass washers, male........ ...
Waiters..................................
Pantry girls..........................
Domestic service
7.18
Cooks, female........ .............
Servants................................
Charwomen, with board___
Charwomen, without board.
Chambermaids___________
Maids of all work....................
12,000 francs per month.
* Minimum rate.
* A bonus of 5 francs is paid for the morning shift and 10 francs for the afternoon shift.
* Plus 3 percent of the total monthly salary, payable the last Saturday of each month.
* Per week.
»¡Rates include meals.
7 Per 'month.
8 N ot includingltips.
» Per hour.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Wage rate (in
francs)
Hide and leather industry—Con.
Food industries—Continued
Males—C ontinued.
Chocolate makers...........................
Chocolate makers’ assistants___
Confectionery makers.............—
Confectionery makers’ assist
ants...............................................
Laborers, biscuit, chocolate, con
fectionery.....................................
Bakers, bench.................................
Industry and occupation
Per day
25-30
» 500-600
25
*375
20-25
20-25
25-30
25-30
30-35
8 5. 60-10
30
» 500-700
3 400-500
25
» 3-4
3 300-500
3 300-400
4.30
1122
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
WAGES AND HOURS IN IN D U STR Y IN B R IT ISH
COLUMBIA, 1937
IN 1937 the average weekly wage for adult male industrial employees
in British Columbia was $26.64—an increase of 28 cents (1.1 percent)
as compared with the weekly wage reported for 1936, but $2.56 (8.8
percent) below that for 1929, according to the annual report of the
department of labor of that Province for the year 1937.
The average wage of adult males in the week of greatest employ
ment ordinarily means a full week’s wage. In 1937 these wages ranged
from $15.50 in the cigar and tobacco industry to $33.69 in printing
and publishing and $34.60 in jewelry manufacturing.
The number of adult male workers receiving under $19 per week
in 1937 was 13,732, as compared with 17,078 in 1936. Many indus
tries, however, were employing substantial numbers of men in 1937
at less than $19, food products reporting 28.64 percent of 10,058 adult
males in that wage group; contracting, 14.04 percent of 11,805 men;
and the lumber industry, 8.99 percent of 27,906 men. Only 1.62
percent of the 8,898 men engaged in metal mining, however, were
reported as receiving such low wages.
The average weekly working hours for all industrial employees
covered in 1937 were 47.25, as compared with 47.63 in the preceding
year and 48.25 in 1929.1
Of 102,235 employees reported by employers, 89.31 percent worked
less than 48 hours per week in 1937, 4.57 percent from 48 to 54 hours
per week, and 6.12 percent, over 54 hours per week. In five indus
tries—coast shipping, food-products manufacture, metal mining, oil
refining, and smelting—the average weekly hours in 1929 were over
51, reaching almost 54 in metal mining. In 1937 in only two industries
were the average weekly hours 50 or more—metal mining, in which
50.25 hours were reported, and logging railways, 50.91 hours.
The following table gives average weekly wages of adult males for
the week of greatest employment, and average weekly hours of work,
by industries, in British Columbia for 1929, 1936, and 1937:
1 Figures for 1929 from British Columbia, Department of Labor, Annual Report for the Fiscal Year Ended
Dec. 31, 1932, Victoria, 1933. (See M onthly Labor Review, November 1937, p. 1230.)
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1123
Wages and Hours of Labor
Average Weekly Wages and Hours of Work in British Columbia, 1929, 1936, and 1937
Average full week's
wage
Average weekly
hours
Industry
1929 i
19291
1937
1936
$26.18 $25.00 $27.70
22.31 22.28 28.04
15.50 17.75 26. 58
27.46 28.75 30.18
31.99 31.61 32.84
25.61 24.13 30. 57
24.58 23.76 24.61
23.85 23.16 26. 56
22.97 22.74 26. 68
22.25 21.29 26.74
34. 60 34.39 36. 61
22.89 22.25 23.16
21.23 20.48 29.03
26.81 24.83 26.54
44.60
45.15
42.73
47.91
46.93
44.11
46.70
49.05
44.39
45.61
44. 30
45.20
45.33
44.98
44.44
43.45
48.03
48.58
44.57
43.83
50. 54
44.79
44.92
44.43
44.74
45.61
46.77
46.96
44.40
48.03
51.05
45.16
46.04
51.01
44.87
45. 53
44.24
46.62
46. 70
48.49
50.91
45.77
48.45
48.23
46.65
50.25
45.46
46.70
44.16
44. 37
47.95
43.85
47.92
45.36
46.72
48. 66
50. 70
45.07
48.45
48.50
47. 28
49.89
45.36
47.29
43.87
44.54
47.85
43.75
47.90
45.29
46.05
47.31
48. 61
47.63
49.14
49.12
47.86
53.96
45.87
51.61
45.00
45.44
48.35
44.15
52.72
44. 61
47.03
1937
30.34
24. 77
27.92
23.08
33.69
26.75
27.88
25.08
27.20
21.97
1936
29.10
24.41
26.21
21.44
32.72
24.24
26.38
24.54
27. 50
20.32
35.24
29.50
30. 50
25.58
40.81
27.87
30.25
33.09
30.70
25.49
1 1929 figures from British Columbia, Department of Labor, Annual Report for the Year Ended Dec. 31,
1932, Victoria, 1933.
HOURS OF W ORK IN ITA LIA N IN D U STRY , 1935-38 1
FOLLOWING adoption of the principle of the 40-hour workweek in
Italian industry (which was embodied in a collective labor contract
of^October 11, 1934) as an unemployment-relief measure, an increase
of*20 percent between May 1935 and May 1938 was recorded in the
total number of workers employed in 8,142 establishments, reporting
for 28 industries. The greatest gain (45 percent) was in the number
of workers employed between 40 and 45 hours per week/ though
gains of 3 and 13 percent, respectively, were found in the number
working less than 40 hours and the number working more than 48
hours per week.
i Italy, Ministero delle Corporazioni, Sindacato e Corporazione (Rome), November 1934, pp. 750-753;
Istituto Nazionale Fascista Infortuni, Rome, Rassegna della Previdenza Sociale (Rome), October 1937, pp.
65-68; Istituto Centrale di Statistica, Bollettino Mensile di Statistica, Supplemento ordinario alla Gazzetta
Ufficiale (Rome), August 21, 1935, p. 640, and July 21, 1938, p. 591. For a graphic presentation of some
aspects of thè change, see L ’Organizzazione Industriale (Confederazione Fascista degli Industriali, Rome),
July 29, 1938, p. 1.
102770—38------ 11
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1124
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
The measure, introduced for an experimental period, was made a
part of the national legislation by a royal decree law of May 29, 1937.
Its provisions do not apply to home industries, agriculture and for
estry, shipping and fishing, intermittent work, and public services.
Exceptions may be authorized by the Ministry of Corporations for
certain classes of enterprises in specified regions, or for individual
undertakings, when a sufficient number of qualified workers is not
available, or when other conditions make impossible the application
of the 40-hour week. Overtime, with pay at specified rates, is allowed
when the work to be done cannot be performed through the employ
ment of additional workers.
The figures in the tables which follow are for the weeks May 20-25,
1935, and May 16-21, 1938. Table 1 shows for these periods the total
number of workers employed by 8,142 establishments in 28 industries,
with number and percentage distribution of the workers by hours
worked per week.
T able 1.—Number and Percent of Workers in 8,142 Establishments of 28 Italian Indus
tries, May 1935 and May 1938, Working Classified Hours Per Week
M ay 1935
Hours per week
M ay 1938
Percent
of in
crease,
M ay
Per
to
cent of 1935
M ay
total
1938
Number of
workers
Per
cent of
total
Number of
workers
Total_________________ _____ _
954,186
100.0
1,146, 748
100.0
20
Under 40 h o u r s ____________ ________
40 and under 45 hours.................
45 to 48 hours____ _______ _____
Over 48 hours____________
266,559
391,836
225, 462
70, 329
27.9
41.1
23.6
7.4
275, 215
580, 784
211,269
79,480
24.0
50.7
18.4
6.9
3
48
»6
13
1 Decrease.
From the table it will be seen that in May 1938, 74.7 percent of
the workers were employed less than 45 hours per week, as compared
with 69.0 percent 3 years before. During the period the proportion
of persons employed 45 hours per week and over fell from 31 percent
to 25.3 percent.
Table 2 shows for each of 28 industries, the number of establish
ments reporting, the total number of workers employed in May 1935
and in May 1938, the average number of workers per establishment
in May 1938, the percentage of increase in number of workers between
the two dates, and the percentage distribution of workers, by hours
worked, in corresponding weeks in May 1935 and May 1938.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1125
Wages and Hours of Labor
T a b l e 2 . —Percent of
Workers Employed in 8,142 Establishments in 28 Italian Industries,
by Industry and Classified Weekly Hours, May 1935 and May 1938
Number of
establishments
reporting
Industry
Wool
____
__________________
M ay 1935
M ay 1938
Average
number of
workers
per estab
lishment,
M ay 1938
45,351
18,534
22,477
23,028
175,893
83, 808
20,681
12,991
20,704
17,238
9, 761
61,601
21,471
19,721
8,435
17,719
31,118
59, 990
123,399
23,397
21,156
5,575
12,368
25,173
24,877
15, 260
15, 081
17,379
36, 575
15, 283
27,133
31,103
201,886
88,074
25,381
13,443
24, 515
17, 219
8,892
72,631
25,336
31,095
11,253
18,341
46. 485
105,849
160,800
27,984
24,847
7,396
12,228
26, 715
30,959
17, 418
20,176
17,731
54
65
149
1,003
194
176
120
306
118
87
95
886
85
2,392
152
306
242
273
100
736
469
79
46
58
139
134
179
28
Total workers
employed
676
236
182
31
1,043
600
212
44
208
199
94
82
298
13
74
60
192
388
1, 600
38
53
94
268
457
222
130
113
635
Percent of
increase in
number of
workers,
M ay 1935
to M ay
1938
i 19
i 18
21
35
15
5
23
3
18
10
i9
18
18
58
33
4
49
76
30
20
17
33
i1
6
24
14
34
2
Percent working—
Less than 40
hours
Industry
Wool
____________
1 Decrease.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
40 and less
than 45 hours 45 to 48 hours
More than
48 hours
M ay
1935
M ay
1938
M ay
1935
M ay
1938
M ay
1935
M ay
1938
M ay
1935
19.4
24.6
31.2
28.9
38.9
46.0
34.5
38.9
44.7
34.2
70.0
16.4
17.5
4.2
8.2
15.4
11.6
9.1
20.0
6.6
13.5
25.2
35.3
48.8
24.4
27.4
28.5
54.2
10.8
37.9
38.4
17.1
30.2
41.3
40.5
45.6
31.6
27.8
56.2
16.3
18.1
12.6
8.4
14.2
14.0
11.0
17.1
9.4
16.8
20.1
44.0
46.9
31.9
16.2
18.6
35.4
38.4
51.8
41.5
56.0
47.3
32.7
46.4
31.1
31.9
37.6
21.9
48.8
37.4
19.9
31.8
42.0
37.7
23.3
38.9
50.7
53.6
62.9
45.7
31.3
56.8
63.4
49.6
33.4
85.9
53.3
45.5
65.5
44.7
32.6
47.3
33.9
48.9
48.6
28.4
59.8
61.3
67.1
63.0
52.0
41.6
45.8
56.1
35.4
42.8
64.0
47.4
43.9
56.1
74.2
64.7
54.0
39.3
23.3
25.2
12.8
12.2
19.2
14.1
28.5
19.9
22.5
5.7
27.8
34.0
58.4
50.0
26.5
33.0
46.2
27.4
14.7
25.9
7.6
15.4
15.8
16.6
8.3
20.0
10.1
3.0
8.7
14.7
13.9
21.0
20.4
9.2
17.5
14.6
12.5
8.2
19.4
15.0
14.9
11.8
23.8
28.0
25.4
20.0
26.9
34.5
12.7
7.3
7.6
9.7
7.1
14.8
8.4
2.9
.3
2.1
2.3
1.6
2.1
5.0
1.5
3.5
5.7
2.4
7.0
11.1
17.5
10.0
16.1
17.7
21.4
13.7
28.0
7.0
4.3
3.6
4.1
2.2
.9
1.9
2.3
M ay
1938
0.3
.1
1. 4
3.5
4. 1
5.7
3.0
3.0
4.9
11. 1
7.2
4.5
5.6
5.4
16.8
10.0
16.4
17.8
6.8
28.3
5.9
3.2
1.3
1.6
2.3
2.5
1.9
2.2
1126
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
In the five industries (cotton, various mechanical shops, specialized
mechanical shops, wool, iron), which together reported 5 5 percent of
all the workers covered by this survey of hours in 1938, an average
loss since 1935 of 2.9 percent was shown for persons working less than
40 hours per week; but for total number in these industries working
less than 45 hours per week, the average gain was 6.7 percent. When
to these five are added the seven other industries reporting on more
than 27,000 workers each in 1938 (electrical shops, silk treating,
rayon, automobiles, paper, shipyards, silk weaving), the average
loss in number of workers employed less than 40 hours per week
is reduced to 0.5 percent, and the average gain in number of all
workers employed up to 45 hours per week is 11.5 percent, not
withstanding the fact that in the cotton industry, for which 201,886
workers were reported in May 1938, the loss in total number of persons
employed less than 45 hours per week amounts to 11.3 percent, and
in shipyards, with 27,984 workers, to 12.5 percent.
Twelve of the 28 industries report an increase during the 3-year
period of 20 percent or more in number of workers, the greatest
relative increase being 76 percent in specialized mechanical shops.
In descending order of increase, the other industries are automobiles,
electrical shops, rayon, glass, automobile-body works, perphosphate,
various mechanical shops, paper, flax and hemp, silk weaving, and
shipyards. For these 12 industries the 3-year period from May 1935
to May 1938 reveals an average gain of 0.6 percent in number of
persons employed less than 40 hours per week, and of 11.8 percent in
the total number of workers employed less than 45 hours per week,
with a corresponding decrease in percentage of those persons working
45 hours or more per week; and only in shipyards, with a loss of 12.5
percent in number of persons working less than 45 hours, does the
loss in this respect amount to more than 4 percent.
WAGES AND HOURS IN PALESTINE IN MARCH 1938
THE prevailing wage rates in agriculture and in manufacturing and
construction industries in Palestine in March 1938 were higher for
Jewish labor than for Arab labor.1 In the orange industry during the
picking season in the spring of 1938 the prevailing daily wages ranged
from 50-60 mils 2 for Arab women carrying baskets to 400-1,200 mils
for Jewish male chief packers. The rates paid Arab and Jewish
agricultural labor shown in table 1 are from statistics compiled from
data furnished by officers of the District Administration and Depart
ment of Agriculture and Fisheries, and by farmers’ organizations and
1 Data are from Palestine, Office of Statistics, Half-Yearly Wage Rates Statistics Bulletins, No. 4, 1937,
and N o. 5, 1938, Jerusalem, December 1937 and July 1938.
2 Average exchange rate of £ P . (1,000 mils) in March 1938=$4.98.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1127
Wages and Hours of Labor
labor unions. The rates for Jewish labor are based on an 8-hour
day. The usual daily hours of Arab agricultural laborers on grain
land are 10 to 12; on citrus plantations, 8 to 10.
T a b l e 1. —Prevailing
Daily Wage Rates in Agricultural Occupations in Palestine(
Spring of 1938
[Average exchange rate of mil in March 1938=about Vi cent]
Jewish labor
Arab labor
Occupation
Men
M ils
200-300
200
200-300
Plowing:
General laborers:
C itrus belt ______
Orange industry:2
_______________________ ______
Porterage:
'
Orange packing:
Women
Men
Women
M ils
M ils
80-120
80-120
100-120
M ils
1 200-300
180-200
175
100
100-120
150-200
150-200
100-150
250-350
200-250
125-275
50-60
100-200
200-250
120-200
120-150
150-225
200-300
50-60
50
50-60
300-600
200-400
400-1,200
300-500
1 On grain land £ P . 3 per month with board and lodging.
2 Rates paid during orange-picking season, recorded in March 1938.
Table 2 gives average daily wages in Palestine for Jewish and Arab
labor in manufacturing and construction industries at the end of
March 1938, and 6 months previous to that date. The figures are
based on employers’ returns. In March 1938 the average daily
wage rate for Jewish hand compositors was 436 mils, and for Arabs
in the same occupation, 252 mils. At the same time the rate for
Jewish male tile workers, skilled and unskilled, was 398 mils, and
for Arabs 178 mils.
T a b l e 2 . —Average
Daily Wage Rates in Manufacturing and Construction in Palestine,
September 30, 1937, and March 31, 1938 1
[Average exchange rate of mil in September 1937 and in March 1938=about Vi cent]
Arab labor
Jewish labor
Industry and occupation
Building materials: Tile makers, skilled and unskilled, male—
Metal-working:
Printing and stationery:
Septem
ber 1937
March
1938
Septem
ber 1937
March
1938
M ils
416
371
M ils
398
365
M ils
206
272
M ils
178
272
379
396
365
405
333
396
310
396
718
435
427
360
262
664
436
393
370
245
244
252
Bookbinders’ female.................................................................. —i T he figures contained in this table were extracted from returns by individual employers in the form of
frequency tables w ith a class interval of 50 mils. It is, therefore, not improbable that in some cases the true
average rates are slightly higher or slightly lower than shown in the table. These deviations cannot, how
ever, exceed 25 mils.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
1128
T a b l e 2 . —Average
Daily Wage Rates in Manufacturing and Construction in Palestine
September 30, 1937, and March 31, 1938—Continued
Jewish labor
Arab labor
Industry and occupation
Cardboard-box and paper-bag makers, m ale...
Cardboard-box and paper-bag makers, female.
Soap and oil:
Soap factory workers, male.......................—
Soap factory workers, female.......................
Textiles:
Weavers, cotton, m ale........................ .........
Weavers, cotton, female............................ .
Knitters, wool and underwear, male_____
Knitters, hosiery, male..................................
Winders, female_______________________
Finishers, sewers, repairers, female........... .
Clothing manufacture: Shirt makers, female—
Shoe manufacture:
Cutters................................ ............................
Stitchers________ _______ _____ ________
Shoemakers, hand____ ________________
Shoe-factory assistants, female................ 1..
Tobacco and cigarettes:
Leaf sorters, male...........................................
Leaf sorters, female..... ...................................
Cigarette packers and labelers, male_____
Cigarette packers and labelers, female____
Food industries: Bakers___ _______ ____ ____
Construction:
Masons................................................... ...........
Stone dressers............... ..................................
Steel benders.------------------------------ ------Shutters_________________________ ____
Plasterers____________________ _______ _
Painters.............................................................
Floor tilers..................................... .............
Unskilled laborers....................... .................
September 1937
March
1938
M ils
M ils
192
192
421
238
450
241
314
225
438
468
229
232
228
330
225
389
466
226
233
226
483
456
395
197
495
423
415
204
191
193
218
500
226
484
624
537
519
510
545
480
556
351
572
554
497
544
529
417
552
336
Septem
ber 1937
March
1938
M ils
125
M ils
114
165
182
79
150
118
73
138
250
236
473
310
304
312
341
342
375
471
303
320
301
352
308
383
In table 3 union wage rates in certain occupations in manufacturing
industries in March 1938 are presented for Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and
Haifa. The rates are for an 8-hour day. The figures were furnished
the Palestine Office of Statistics by the General Federation of Jewish
Labor in that country.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Wages and Hours of Labor
T a b l e 3 . — Union
1129
Daily Wage Rates in Manufacturing and Construction in Jerusalem,
Tel Aviv, and Haifa, in March 1938
[Average exchange rate of mil in March 1938=about H cent]
Union wage rates in—
Industry and occupation
Jerusalem Tel Aviv
Stone quarries and building materials manufacture:
Quarrymen:
Silicate-brick makers_______
. . . _____________ _________ _
Mosaic workers:
Molders___
- ........ ............... - - _____ - - - - _______
Polishers, finishers, male____
_
_
............
_____
_ __ __________ _
Polishers^ finishers^ female___ _ __
Woodworking:
Building carpenters:
First class_______________
_____ ____ . . . ____ _ ___ _______
Fourth class____________________________ _____ __________ __
Cabinet makers:
Metalworking:
Blacksmiths, forgers:
Turners:
First class.....................
M ils
600
525
450
300
350
400
300-350
M ils
400-500
400-500
400-500
330-400
400-500
400-500
450-500
300-450
400-500
300-350
250-300
550-600
450
300-330
500
450
350
200-250
350-400
300-350
250-300
700
500-600
350-400
500
450
350
200-250
350-450
400
300
250
700
500-600
350-400
250-400
350-400
350-400
600
450
250-300
600-700
500
650
500
400
225-275
600-750
500-550
400-450
300-400
300-400
390-480
300-600
150-500
150-250
350-500
350-500
500
400
_
____
_____
_ _
M ils
Haifa
________
200-300
Soap and oil:
Clothing manufacture:
Leather working:
400-500
300-500
Food industries:
300-350
180-250
400-450
200
330
200
350-450
220
Hours of Labor in Specified Industries
Prevailing and actual hours of labor in Palestine in manufacture
and construction, as indicated in employers’ reports for September
1937, are shown in table 4. Prevailing working hours in Arab indus
tries were not available. In Jewish industries the usual working day
is 8 hours; in some cases where both Jewish and Arab labor is em
ployed, and in a number of small undertakings, the working day is
longer. In certain other cases in which mixed labor is used, however,
both Jews and Arabs have an 8-hour day;
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1130
T a b l e 4 . —Daily
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
Hours of Work in Manufacture and Construction in Palestine, End of
September 1937
Jewish labor
Industry
Actual
hours
Stone quarries_______________________________________
Building materials_________________________________
Woodworking___________
____ _ .
M etal works_________ __________ ____________
___
_____________
_____________
Printing and stationery____
Textiles___________________ ____
Tobacco and cigarettes________
___ _____________
Bakeries__________ _______
Oil and soap________________ _ _______
Shoe manufacture_______________________________
Clothing manufacture______ _ _____________ _ _
Building___________________ _ __________
8-9
8
8-9
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
8-9
Prevail
ing hours
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
Arab
labor
(actual
hours)
8 -1 n
8-9
8-10
8-10
8-9
10
8
8-10
9-10
8-10
WAGES AND W O RK IN G COND ITIO N S IN TOBACCO
S T R IP P IN G IN PU ERTO RICO
THE Puerto Rican tobacco-stripping industry, with its 70 to 90
stemmeries, is one of the largest women-employing enterprises on the
island, as from 16,000 to 20,000 wage earners—most of them female
tobacco strippers—are reported on the combined staffs of these under
takings. Ordinarily, a county has only one stemmery, and because
of this circumstance workers have to walk miles to and from the
shops, since they cannot afford the costs of transportation.
A survey made by the Puerto Rico Department of Labor in the
year ending in June 1938,1 covered 57 selected tobacco stemmeries,
which employed 15,400 persons, including 13,600 adult women. Of
these women, 11,700 (86 percent) worked as tobacco strippers. The
average actual weekly hours worked by these strippers were approxi
mately 31K, their average hourly wage 12.6 cents, and their actual
weekly earnings $3.97. The labor force of the stemmeries covered
included 145 children over 16 and under 18 years of age—65 boys
working as dryers and stripped-tobacco stowers, and 80 girls, as shakers,
dryers, and stripped-tobacco stowers. Both boys and girls worked a
full-time week (48 hours), the boys averaging $3.94 per week and the
girls $3.96.
Before the revival of the 1919 minimum-wage law and the signing
of a collective agreement in the tobacco-stripping industry, both in
1 Puerto Rico, Department of Labor, Puerto Rico Labor News, July-August 1938, p. 123: Tobacco
Stripping in Puerto Rico.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1131
Wages and Hours of Labor
June 1937, the average actual weekly earnings were considerably
below those reported for 1937-38, shown in the following table:
T able
1.— Wages and Hours in Tobacco-Stripping Industry in Puerto Rico, 1937 38
Average hours per
week
Occupation
All occupations— ..................... - ........................................
of
workers
Average actual
earnings
Actually Percent
Per hour Per week
age of
worked full time
15,434
34.1
71.5
$0.126
$4.30
22
17
12
144
20
21
923
777
105
1
25
55
44
207
63
30
49
58
5
11
2
11,902
469
44
127
40
11
61
189
48.0
17.5
48.0
43.0
48.0
48.0
43.0
45.0
48.0
48.0
51.0
46.0
43.0
45.6
42.0
44.0
46.3
37.0
41.6
45.0
48.0
31.3
44.3
44.0
43.4
48.0
25.6
46.0
41.0
100.0
36.5
97.6
90.0
100.0
98.4
89.5
93.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
95.0
90.0
95.0
88.0
91.6
96.5
76.6
86.6
93.5
100.0
65.6
92.4
91.0
90.4
99.0
53.4
96.0
85.0
.19
.12
.12
.12
. 125
. 125
. 12
.125
.23
.125
.14
.13
.135
.13
.10
.12
.125
.10
.13
.124
.203
.126
.11
.12
.12
.18
.125
.12
.125
9.36
2.11
5. 71
5. 32
6.00
5.99
5.02
5. 60
10.86
6.00
7.00
5.91
5.83
6. 00
4.14
5.12
5.79
3. 60
5.40
5. 58
9.75
3.95
4.94
5. 29
5.10
8.64
3.20
5.69
5.12
The fact that the busy season for tobacco stemming lasts only 3 or
4 months must be taken into consideration in considering the above
earnings.
Under Act No. 117 of 1936, any employer who furnishes tobacco to
workers, to be stripped, stored, sweated, dried, sorted or packed at
home, is liable to prosecution and to a fine of from $100 to $500 or
imprisonment for 1 to 6 months. After the passage of this legislation,
home work declined substantially, and the number of stemmeries
almost doubled.
During the year ending June 30, 1938, the Puerto Rico Department
of Labor instituted 15 prosecutions against violators of the act re
ferred to, but only one conviction resulted, a fine of $100 being
imposed in the case. An appeal was taken to the district court but
the decision of the municipal justice was upheld.
The inspection force and the attorneys of the Department of Labor are unable
to obtain and introduce in court the necessary evidence to incriminate the trans
gressors because the majority of the woman workers caught stripping, storing,
drying, sweating, or packing tobacco at their homes refused to disclose the name
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1132
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
of their employer, or maintain that they are the owners of the tobacco. In
court they frequently favor the employer in their testimonies. This connivance
of the workers with their employers makes it quite difficult, if not impossible, for
the labor authorities to enforce with full success the tobacco-stripping-at-the»
home law.
The very serious problem of overpopulation and unemployment in
Puerto Rico has a great deal to do with this home-work evil. It is a
safe assumption, the Puerto Rico Department of Labor reports, that
the average ratio of applicants for jobs to available employment op
portunities is 100 to 1.
The inspection force of the department of labor reports that tobacco
is being stripped in a considerable number of homes in the tobaccoproducing sections. Work is distributed from 9 to 10 p. m. and
collected from 2 to 6 a. m. Tobacco areas are far from the towns and
workers rarely allow inspectors from the department to search their
homes, and often, the tobacco is hidden somewhere outside the house.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
WAGES AND HOURS IN T H E SCANDINAVIAN
CO UN TRIES, 1937-38 1
Denmark
THE 8-hour working day and 48-hour working week are almost uni
versal in Denmark’s industries and trades. This does not apply,
however, to agriculture and shipping. Minimum wage rates for piece
or time work are stipulated in the trade agreements, on the basis of
which rates actual earnings are calculated. As these minimum rates
vary by industry, occupation, localities, age, and sex, only average
earnings can be quoted.
Overtime work was prohibited by the law of May 7, 1937, with
certain exceptions, defined in the law, in which cases the method of
payment is as follows: For the first hour, 25 percent above the regular
rate; for the second hour, 30 to 33% percent; for the third hour, 50
percent; and for the fourth hour, 70 to 80 percent. For Sundays and
holidays the overtime rate is 50 percent above the regular rate until
noon, and 100 percent thereafter.
There are no special wage taxes in Denmark, other than the regular
income tax. Whge earners do not contribute to accident insurance
nor to old-age-pension insurance, the costs of these two classes of
social insurance being paid by the employers and the State. Com
pulsory contribution for sick-benefit insurance, however, is provided
for by law. The State supervises the sick-benefit societies, and to a
certain extent supports them. All adults in Denmark pay a yearly
fee of 2.50 2 kroner to these societies, and all persons in a certain
income classification (which embraces almost all wage earners) are
active beneficiaries and pay monthly fees, varying, for heads of
families, from 3 to 7 kroner a month. Under the law of March 31,
1937, a worker pays from 7.20 to 8.40 kroner annually for insurance
against invalidity resulting from sickness.
1 This review is based upon data contained in the reports of E. Gjessing, American vice consul at Copen
hagen, June 15, 1938; Arne B. MfSrch, clerk of the American consulate general at Oslo, June 4, 1938; and
Hallet Johnson, American consul general at Stockholm, April 29, 1938.
2 Average exchange rate of krone in April 1938= 22.2 cents; 0re=l/lOO krone.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1133
1134
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
INDUSTRIAL WORKERS
All Danish industrial workers are organized, and a wage worker must
pay not only the ordinary trade-union fees, but also regular contribu
tions to the unemployment-insurance funds of his trade, which are
administered by the trade-unions under State supervision. The
contribution of the State to the unemployment funds is in proportion
to the average yearly earnings of the members of the trade-union
administering the fund.
The average yearly earnings per worker in Danish industries are as
follows: 1929, 2,571 kroner; 1934-35, 2,271 kroner; 1935-36, 2,260
kroner; 1936-37, 2,389 kroner. These figures must be considered in
connection with the yearly percentage of unemployment, the retailprice index, and the value of the Danish krone. The indexes and the
percentage of unemployment are as follows:
1929_________
1930____________
1931__________
1932_______
1933__________
1934_______
1935_________
1936_________
1937_______
1938______
Retail price index Percent o]
(1914=100)
unemploymen
Qi
7
iy , o
0)
1 N ot available:
Workers were paid in gold kroner in 1929 and 1930, but after Sep
tember 30, 1931, in paper kroner. After that date the krone fell in
value, until in 1935 it was about 48.2 percent of its gold value, and
has remained at that point since 1935. Simultaneously with this
devaluation, however, world prices dropped greatly and followed the
decrease in the gold value of the krone. The paper krone, therefore,
had the same purchasing power in 1936 that the gold krone had in
1929. Since then the purchasing power has dropped with the rise of
the price-index figure. Workers do not obtain so much for their
money now as they did in 1929, and their average earnings in 1936-37
were smaller than in 1929. Figures for 1937-38 are not yet available
but average earnings for that year are expected to show a considerable
increase, though not to reach the level of 1929.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1135
Wages and Hours of Labor
Average annual earnings in the various industries, for the fiscal
year 1936-37 are shown in table 1:
T a b l e 1 . —Average
Annual Earnings of Industrial Workers in Denmark, 1936-37
Occupation
Bakers and confectioners--------------- ----Basket makers__________________ ____
Boiler and engine tenders............ - ............
Bookbinders and paper-goods makers—
Brass workers____________________ ___
Brewery workers...........................................
Brush makers________ ______ - ................
Butchers and slaughterhouse workers----Carpenters—...................................................
Carriage makers______________ _______
Carvers and decorators_______________
Ceramic workers_____________________
Clerks and office workers..........................
Cooks................................................... - .........
Coopers...........................................................
Coppersmiths--------------------- ------ ------Cork cutters------ -----------------------------Dairy workers---------- -----------------------Domestics......... .............................................
Electricians_____________ ______ ______
F ire m e n ........................................................
Gardeners......... ................................ ............
Gilders__________ ______ _____ _______ Glass workers_______ ________ ______ _
Glaziers—........................................ ..............
Glove makers.............................. —...........—
Gold-, silver-, and electro-plate workers..
Harness makers and upholsterers---------Hat makers-------- --------- --------- ---------Joiners.............................................................
Annual
earnings
Kroner
2,362
2,185
2,959
2,251
3,110
2,807
2, 226
2,488
2.605
3,415
2,352
2,790
2,010
2, 555
2,710
3,982
2,405
2,121
1,020
3,216
2,035
2,154
2,113
3,826
2,780
2.606
2,673
3,156
2 ,102
2,981
Annual
earnings
Occupation
Kroner
1,970
3,370
2,923
3, 268
2,722
1,913
2,967
2,764
3,032
3, 308
3,304
3,242
1,851
1,909
3,116
2,488
2,179
2,639
1,778
2,099
3,706
1,572
3,588
2,207
3,171
2,595
2,449
2,148
3,236
2,459
Laborers, com m on...............................
Leather workers....... ............................
Masons___________ - ...........................
M etal workers.............. ... .....................
M illers....................................................
Musicians............................................. —
Painters...................................................
Paper makers..................................... —
Pavement workers...........................
Plasterers................................ - ............
Printers..—.............................................
Riggers and sailmakers------- ---------Rope makers.-----------------------------Seamen______________ ___ ____ ___
Ship carpenters.............................. —
Ship cooks.* .. .. . ------ -------------------Shoemakers-______________
Stone workers............. ..........................
Sugar and chocolate factory workers.
T ailors....................... ...................’........
Technical workers, m a le ................. .
Technical workers, female------------Telephone workers.................... ..........
Textile workers------ ------- ------------Tinsmiths----------------------------------Tobacco workers_________________
Turners________________ _________
W aiters.------- ---------- ------ ----------Watchmakers________ ____ ______
Wood makers____________________
Wages are generally lower in the provincial towns than in Copen
hagen, Under the various labor agreements entered into in April
1938, nearly all rates for both piece and time work were increased, the
1936 rates by 7 percent and the 1937 rates by 6 percent. In trades in
which average hourly earnings were less than 1 krone per hour, in
creases were around 10 percent, whereas in trades in which hourly
earnings averaged more than 2 kroner per hour, increases amounted to
only 5 percent. Average hourly earnings of organized labor in the
various Danish industries in Copenhagen and in other urban districts
in 1936 and 1937 are shown in table 2.
T a b l e 2 . —Average
Hourly Earnings of Industrial Workers in Denmark, 1936 and 1937
Provinces
Copenhagen
Industry and kind of workers
Food industries:
Chocolate factories:
Canning factories:
Slaughterhouses:
Female workers.........................- ..............................................
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1936
1937
1936
1937
tyre
151
tyre
152
tyre
124
tyre
143
119
75
142
121
76
135
117
65
139
119
66
118
88
123
94
107
68
109
70
151
83
153
85
125
1136
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
T a b l e 2 . —Average Hourly Earnings of Industrial Workers in Denmark, 1936 and 1937—
Continued
Copenhagen
Provinces
Industry and kind of workers
Food industries—Continued.
Margarine factories:
Unskilled workers . .. ____
Female workers___
Flour mills:
Skilled workers. ___
_ _____ _
Unskilled workers_______________
Sugar mills:
Unskilled workers
____ _______ __ _
Female workers________________ _
Tobacco industries:
Cigar factories:
Skilled workers, male
. ____
Unskilled workers, male____ ________ . . .
Skilled workers, female___________ . . . _____
Unskilled workers, female. . . ____ ___
Cigarette factories:
Unskilled workers, male
_ _
Unskilled workers, female_____ ____ _ .
Smoking-tobacco factories:
Unskilled workers, male
_______________
Unskilled workers! female_____ ______________
Textile industries:
Upholsterers:
Journeymen______________
Female workers.. _______________
Rope makers:
Journeymen______ ____ _____ __
Unskilled workers_____ ____ _____. _
Female workers________ _______
Sail makers................... _
Textile factories:
Male workers. __________
Female workers.. _______________
Clothing industry:
Hatters:
Male workers____________ _
Female workers___ ____ _
Shoemakers, factory:
Male workers____ ___________
Female workers___________ . . . _
Tailors, journeyman:
Custom_____
_____
Ready-to-wear_________________
Seamstresses______ ____
Cutters.................................
Building trades:
Tinsmiths_____________
Road and cement workers____ . . .
Painters....................
Masons_______________
Hod carriers.......................
Stucco workers...................
Mosaic workers______
Carpenters_____
Woodworking:
Carvers_________________
Coopers. ...........................
Cabinetmakers......................
Machine joiners ................. .
Upholsterers and paper hangers . .
Unskilled woodworkers..........
Leather industry:
Tanneries:
Journeymen..... ...........
Unskilled workers...
Female workers........
Leatherworking:
Skilled workers________
Female workers________
Stone, clay and glass industries:
Cement works: Laborers_____
Glass cutters___________
Glass makers___ _____
Glass workers, unskilled.........
Gravel and flint works: Laborers
Lime and tile factories:
Laborers___________ .
Female w orkers..............
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1936
1937
1936
1937
Íhe
137
83
<¡)re
137
83
Qre
132
82
<¡)rt
141
132
144
133
124
113
127
116
146
87
150
89
125
63
129
65
152
129
128
115
155
131
131
119
148
120
136
119
149
123
140
123
209
124
215
128
150
92
155
96
184
122
186
123
138
96
137
95
159
79
156
82
181
82
168
83
158
140
78
183
164
153
82
192
120
106
66
128
125
110
67
129
136
93
134
94
122
82
123
83
189
96
190
183
93
184
91
159
93
158
93
118
72
120
155
158
79
188
157
158
79
189
143
141
73
134
184
174
196
248
195
200
167
215
192
180
134
125
247
196
199
170
214
130
146
163
160
155
172
121
163
157
175
124
141
106
178
171
99
178
172
145
172
83
170
84
161
180
181
132
155
131
135
140
133
82
174
141
144
152
152
112
117
115
71
73
1137
Wages and Hours of Labor
T a b l e 2 . —Average Hourly Earnings of Industrial Workers in Denmark, 1936 and 1937—
Continued
Provinces
Copenhagen
Industry and kind of workers
Stone, clay, and glass industries—Continued.
Ceramic industry:
Metal industry:
Gold- and silver-smiths and electroplaters:
Chemical and related industries:
D ye and lacquer factories:
Rubber factories:
Chemical works:
Oil refineries:
Soap factories:
Match factories:
Paper industries:
Paper factories:
Paper goods:
Paper-box factories:
Printing and bookbinding:
Bookbinders:
Printing establishments:
Transportation:
Miscellaneous:
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1936
1937
1936
1937
0re
173
135
100
<J)re
178
136
103
<J)re
134
120
77
0re
192
167
174
191
171
178
143
144
151
147
145
155
154
124
77
149
171
189
172
179
167
160
159
128
81
152
173
193
177
179
172
163
132
116
62
134
144
171
138
149
139
141
138
122
66
139
150
174
141
155
144
144
140
127
79
113
118
122
126
120
70
146
122
73
148
119
79
137
124
80
136
147
79
214
154
81
228
155
88
160
156
91
162
120
70
122
73
111
68
114
74
134
79
140
138
80
145
140
144
138
94
150
90
109
68
113
70
149
89
150
90
129
89
132
94
121
86
124
90
127
85
131
89
118
76
124
82
123
91
131
92
129
84
132
85
176
97
179
98
136
76
137
77
172
188
132
87
175
193
136
90
159
151
122
72
162
157
124
73
168
120
160
133
166
123
163
139
167
115
160
106
174
118
169
110
114
87
73
166
147
91
113
89
75
166
150
90
65
67
148
79
149
87
1138
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
AGRICULTURAL
WORKERS
The majority of the Danish agricultural workers are not organized,
there being only about 30,000 organized agricultural workers. The
wages paid to agricultural workers in Denmark are, therefore, more
subject to fluctuation than in the case of industrial workers, who are
strongly organized. The workers engaged in agricultural processing
industries, however, are nearly all organized. They belong to inde
pendent organizations, neither employers nor wage earners being
affiliated with the organizations in the urban districts.
Wage rates for agricultural workers dropped heavily during the
depression, but in the last few years they have risen, owing to an exodus
of farm laborers to urban districts and a consequent scarcity of labor
in rural districts, and also to the pressure of demands by organized
workers. According to officials of the Danish Agricultural Council,
wage rates in 1938 are approximately 10 percent higher than those of
1935-36, the last year for which figures are available.
Wage rates of agricultural workers in 1934-35 and 1935-36 are
shown in table 3.
T a b l e 3 . — Wage Rates of Agricultural Workers in Denmark, 1934^35 and 1935-36
Occupation
Foremen___________
Stable foremen......... .
Laborers, male:
Under 17 years...
17 to 21 years___
21 years and over.
Laborers, female:
Under 18 years...
Over 18 years___
Season
Per season with
board and lodging
1934-35
1935-36
Apr. 1 to Oct. 31..
N ov. 1 to Mar. 31.
Apr. 1 to Oct. 31..
N ov. 1 to Mar. 31.
Kroner
429
249
428
330
Kroner
465
275
459
361
Apr. 1 to Oct. 31..
N ov. 1 to Mar. 31.
Apr. 1 to Oct. 31..
N ov. 1 to Mar. 31.
Apr. 1 to Oct. 31..
N ov. 1 to Mar. 31.
219
136
328
188
387
220
247
153
360
211
422
250
Apr. 1 to Oct. 31..
N ov. 1 to Mar. 31.
Apr. 1 to Oct. 31..
N ov. 1 to Mar. 31.
187
156
200
171
231
196
251
212
Per day with board
Laborers engaged for fixed period.
D ay laborers.
Summer.
Harvest.
W in terSummer.
Harvest.
W in ter-
3.24
3. 76
2. 65
3.93
4.36
3.09
3.67
4.28
3.08
4.27
4.81
3.47
Per day without
board
D ay laborers.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Summer.
Harvest.
W inter..
4.82
5.51
4.17
5.33
6. 09
4.66
1139
Wages and Hours of Labor
In Danish dairies, skilled workers receive an average of 175 kroner
per month, with board and lodging. The rates are regulated in some
cases according to the price of butter and higher wages are paid per
sons skilled in cheese making.
Norway
Family allowances and payments in kind do not exist in Norway.
Certain large paper mills, power plants, and other industries, however,
furnish their employees living quarters at nominal rates. Under the
present laws there are no special wage taxes, but all workers are
subject to the general income tax.
Compulsory insurance against sickness exists in all branches of in
dustry and is applicable to all workers and employees with an income
not exceeding 6,000 kroner per annum. Under the present regulation
the employees pay 60 percent of the contribution, the employer 10
percent, the municipality 10 percent, and the Federal Government
20 percent. The workers’ share of the contribution is usually paid
through deductions from their wages.
There is also compulsory accident insurance, the full contribution to
which is paid by the employer. This contribution amounts to from
0.2 percent to 15.0 percent of the insured’s wages.
During the first half of 1938 wage increases were established by
arbitration awards for three classes of Norwegian workers road
workers, transport workers, and farm laborers. The road workers
gained an increase of from 8 to 10 percent, and 14 days’ vacation
with pay. Their usual workweek is 48 hours. Fifty percent addi
tional is paid for^overtime and 100 percent for holidays. The new
hourly wage rates are as follows:
T able 4. —Hourly Wage Rates of Road Workers in Norway, Under 1938 Agreement,
by Locality
[Average exchange rate of krone in April 1938=25 cents]
Occupation
Akershus,
ostfold,
Vestfold
S0r- and
NordTr0ndelag
Kroner
1.10
1.17
1.22
1.40
Kroner
1.01
1.07
1.12
1.35
Other dis
tricts
Kroner
0.98
1.04
1.09
1.32
Transport workers’ wages in northern Norway were increased by
the arbitration award from 1.06 kroner to 1.20 kroner (13.2 percent).
Wages in southern Norway had been increased in the fall of 1937
from 1.11 kroner to 1.30 kroner (17.2 percent). Overtime rates were
increased from 25 percent to 35 percent additional for night work
102770— 38------ 12
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1140
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
up to January 1939 and 70 percent thereafter. For holiday work,
the additional rate will be 50 percent, as before, until January 1939
and 100 percent thereafter. Twelve days’ vacation are provided for
all workers who work at least 500 hours in a period from May 15 of
one year to May 15 of the following year, with pay equal to 4 percent
of their earnings in such period.
Summer wages of day farm laborers were increased 25 percent and
the weekly hours reduced from 57 to 55 by the 1938 arbitration award.
Average wage rates in certain specified trades in Norway in the
autumn of 1937 were as follows:
Kroner
per hour
Carpenters_____________________________________________
Bricklayers_______________________ ..___________________
Building laborers, etc___________________________________
Painters_______________________________________________
Cement workers________________________________________
Paper and pulp industry 1_______________________________
Metal industry:
Skilled workers 1___________________________________
Laborers 1_________________________________________
Mining: Underground and surface workers 1______________
Municipal day laborers (Oslo):
Paving work__ ____________________________________
Street cleaning_____________________________________
Park department and cemeteries:
Male workers__________________________________
Female workers________________________________
Water and sewage department______________________
Department of sanitation___________________________
Electrical works___________________________
Gas works:
Inside workers_________________________________
Laborers, diggers, etc___________________________
Harbor department_________________________________
Stone crushing_____________________________________
1. 59
1. 68
1. 56
1. 62
1. 53
1. 46
1. 63
1. 31
1. 32
1. 56
1. 44
1.
.
1.
1.
1.
44
99
44
63
44
1. 56
1. 44
1. 44
1. 44
Per day
Laundry workers, female________________________________ 6.00
Export industries 1______________________________________ 11. 79
Home industries 1_______________________________________ 12. 46
Trade l__-______________________________________________ 15. 57
Per week
Bakers________________________________________________
Shoemakers____________________________________________
Tailors________________________________________________
Teamsters______________________________________________
Truck drivers_________
i Average earnings, including overtime, third quarter 1937.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
72.
59.
67.
70.
74.
00
00
00
00
00
1141
Wages and Hours of Labor
Hourly earnings of construction workers in 1936 were as follows:
Construction workers:
Railroads:
Skilled workers________________________________
Laborers, piece work-----------------------------------------Laborers, day work------------------------------------------Telegraph service: Day workers-------------------------------Highways: 1
Piece workers__________________________________
Day workers___________________________________
Harbors:
Laborers paid by month------------------------------------Laborers paid by hour---------------------------------------
Kroner
1-49
1. 58
1. 26
1- 13
L 07
• 94
L 23
.8 6
1 Data are for fiscal year 1936-37.
In June 1937, seamen on Norwegian vessels in foreign trad e3
were paid the following average wage rates:
Kroner
per month
First m ates__________________________________________ 375. 00
Second mates________________________________________ 290. 00
Third m ates_________________________________________ 227. 00
Boatswains__________________________________________ 177. 00
Carpenters___________________________________________ 177. 00
Seamen:
Able seamen-------------------------------------------------------- 160. 00
Ordinary seamen-------------------------------------------------91. 00
Seamen, apprentice---------------------------------------------59. 00
Deck boys_______________________________________
40. 00
Stewards____________________________________________
269. 00
Cooks_______________________________________________ 193. 00
Engineers:
First engineers___________________________________ 435. 00
Second engineers---------------331.00
Third engineers ----------------------------------294.00
Donkeymen__________________________________________ 178. 00
Firemen_____________________________________________
166. 00
Coal trimmers________________________________________
95. 00
Average daily earnings of Norwegian agricultural workers in
1937-38, by sex, are presented below:
Agricultural workers, temporary, with board and lodging:
Farm laborers:
Plowing and sowing season— ----------------------------Mowing season--------------------------------------Harvest season--------------------------------------------------Other seasons, summer-------------------------Other seasons, winter------------------------------------------
MateJ
{Kroner)
3.54
4. 04
3. 65
3. 34
2. 92
Femaies
(Kroner)
2.21
2. 46
2. 38
2. 11
1. 89
European trade principally, but in a few instances special wages for the trans-Atlantic trade are included.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1342
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
Agricultural workers, temporary, with board and lodging— Con.
Males
Ditch diggers:
(Kroner)
Summer________________________________________
4. 05
Winter_____________ _____________
3. 55
Forest workers:
Summer________________________________________
4. 13
Winter_________________________________________
3. 80
Stone masons:
Summer________________________________________
5.23
Winter_________________________________________
4. 69
Carpenters:
5. 48
Summer________________________________________
5. 48
Winter_________________________________________
4. 95
Agricultural workers, temporary, without board and lodging:
Farm laborers:
Plowing and sowing season______________________
4. 97
Mowing season_________________________________
5. 41
Harvest season__________________________________
5. 08
Other seasons, summer__________________________
4. 78
Other seasons, winter____________________________
4. 33
Ditch diggers:
Summer________________________________________
5. 51
Winter_________________________________________
4. 94
Forest workers:
Summer________________________________________
5. 83
Winter_______________________ ;_________________
5. 51
Stone masons:
Summer________________________________________
6. 77
Winter_________________________________________
6.22
Carpenters:
Summer________________________________________
7.04
Winter_________________________________________
6. 51
Agricultural workers, permanent, with board and lodging:
Farm hands:
Full year__________________________ ____________ 540. 00
Summer half year_______________________________ 305. 00
Winter half year________________________________ 240. 00
Stock tenders:
Full year_______________________________________ 700. 00
Summer half year_______________________________ 358. 00
Winter half year________________________________ 348. 00
Females
(Kroner)
_____
_____
___
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
3.
3.
3.
3.
2.
27
50
45
18
93
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_ _ _ _ _ _
______
_____
356. 00
194. 00
167. 00
475. 00
247. 00
239. 00
Sweden
In Sweden, the average length of the working week is 48 hours.
Indexes of wages and cost of living in 1934, 1935, and 1936, based on
1913, were as follows:
Wages per hour___ _
_ ___________
Wages per d a y ___
__
___
Wages per year_
Cost of living.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1934
1935
1936
_. 273
— 228
__ 221
278
235
226
280
235
232
154
156
158
1143
Wages and Hours of Labor
198i
Real wages per hour. _
Real wages per day—
Real wages per year. _.
________________________ 177
________________ 148
_________________ 144
1935
1936
178
151*
145
177
149
147
Table 4 presents minimum wage rates per hour, per day, and per
year, in the various industries or trades in Sweden in 1936.
T
able
4 . —Hourly,
Daily, and Yearly Wage Rates in Various Trades and Industries in
Sweden, 1936
[Average exchange rate of krona in 1936=25.6 cents]
Wage rates
Industry or trade
Per hour
Kronor
1.24
.82
Female workers.................................................................................................
1.15
.70
1.26
.77
1.25
.77
1. 34
.92
1.17
.81
1.38
.83
.96
.69
1.10
.71
1.58
.85
1. 51
.87
1. 78
.83
1.35
.84
1.12
.79
1. 64
.95
Female workers....................................................................................................
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
.94
.66
Per day
Per year
Kronor
Kronor
9.32
2,678
10. 02
2,882
6. 53
1,897
11.43
3,099
8.70
2,462
16.42
4,135
9.04
2,613
8.47
2,439
9.26
2,671
5. 62
1,622
9. 57
2,754
10.20
2,938
6.14
1,774
10.19
2.868
9.44
2,731
10.11
2,937
6.14
I! 775
9.31
2,730
10.94
3,213
7. 38
2,162
8.14
2,382
9. 40
2,759
6.45
1,887
8.84
2,493
10.88
3,076
6.52
1,824
8.45
2, 372
6. 97
1,881
7.34
2,057
7.72
2,172
5.50
1, 552
8.42
7.24
2,013
2,672
9.65
2,390
8. 41
2,577
9.06
5.48
1,544
11.43
3,334
13.00
3,793
6.99
2,030
10.84
3,154
12.41
3,610
7.09
2,506
13.44
3,953
14.50
4,264
6.77
1,991
9.24
2,687
10.87
3,184
1,900
6.62
2,580
8.61
2,730
9.05
1,773
6.15
8.69
2,299
12.96
3,576
7.49
1,945
6.99
1,737
7.70
2,235
1,530
5.28
1144
T
able
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
4 . —Hourly,
Daily, and Yearly Wage Rates in Various Trades and Industries in
Sweden, 1936—Continued
Wage rates
Industry or trade
>
Tailoring and sewing— _________ ________________________ ______
Male workers________________________________
Female workers____ _ ____________________
Shoe manufacture___ ____ ____________________ . _ .
Male workers_________ _______ _______
Female workers____ _________ ____________
Chemical-technical industry_____________________________________
Male workers..................... ................... ....................
Female workers________________________________
Private building industry___________________
Government building industry__________ _____ ______ .
Male workers ................. ............... ............
Female workers___________ ______ __________ . .
Municipal public works, _________________________
Power, lighting, and waterworks_______________________
Street railways'— ...................................................................
Hauling, moving, and carting_____ ________ __________
Per hour
Per day
Per year
Kronor
Kronor
6. 29
10.18
5. 91
6.91
8.81
5.57
8.38
9.97
5. 98
12.54
10.13
10.45
7.74
12.84
12.19
14.87
10.15
Kronor
1,793
2,943
1,684
1,893
2,401
1,535
2,424
2,856
1,627
1.26
.75
1.20
.77
1.23
.75
1. 30
.97
2,893
2.998
2,104
3,552
3,330
3.999
3,027
WAGES IN SW ITZERLAND, 1937
THE REDUCTION in the average earnings of Swiss workers which
was continuous from 1932 to 1936 was checked in 1937, and even a
slight increase for some workers was registered, according to the annual
report1 of wages in certain industries made by the Federal Bureau of
Industry, Arts and Trades, and Labor. These wage statistics are
secured from workers injured in industrial accidents. The reports for
1937 covered 63,429 workers injured in industrial accidents, of whom
50,140 reported hourly earnings and 13,289 daily earnings. No
average is computed for the different classes in an industry unless at
least 50 reports are received for the particular class. The wages re
ported do not relate to a particular date or pay period, but are reported
for workers injured at any time throughout the year. Therefore, the
increases which took place in the second quarter of 1937, affecting
about one-third of the workers covered in the quarterly studies of
industrial conditions, are only partially reflected in the figures.
Although the average earnings of certain classes of adult workers had
increased by 1 to 2 percent from 1936 to 1937, the cost-of-living index
had increased in the same period from 130.4 to 136.7, or 4.8 percent.
The largest wage increases were in the four principal cities—Zurich,
Bern, Basel, and Geneva.
The following table shows the average daily and hourly earnings
reported for the different classes of workers in the various industries in
1937.
:La Vie Economique, Berne, June 1938, pp. 327-329, 352-355.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1145
Wages and Hours of Labor
Average Daily and Hourly Earnings of Workers in Specified Industries in Switzerland in
1937
[Average exchange rate of Swiss franc in 1937=22.94 cents]
Industry
Foremen
and
master
work
men
Skilled
and
semi
skilled
workers
U n
skilled
workers
Young
Women persons
18 years under 18
of age
of
and older years
age
Average daily earnings (in francs)
Average, all occupations_____ ____________ _______
16.32
11.90
9.69
Worn! "
___ _________
Textiles________________________________________
17.08
17.23
15.06
14.06
10.24
12.23
9.07
10.86
10.36
11.24
9.13
11.27
7.30
7.86
Ì7.40
15.95
19.10
12.55
15.52
13.44
13.97
11.07
12.91
14.98
17.15
9.62
9.26
6.24
3.91
3.73
6.21
5.75
3.45
8.58
9.39
9.95
11.76
9. 65
11.41
11.96
15.02
7.24
7.32
6.11
5.68
7.88
Average hourly earningrB (in fra n c 8)
Average, all occupations................... .................................
1.54
1.32
1.05
0.69
0.50
Metals and machines------- ----- ------------- --- --- ---
1.62
1.60
1.49
1.33
1.40
1.23
1.04
1.34
1.25
1.12
1.25
1.82
1.43
1.43
1.08
1.05
.93
.93
.93
1.02
.69
.48
.70
.44
.46
.53
.55
.47
.42
W o o d „ l_______ _______________________________
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1.30
1.47
1.77
1.21
.95
1.01
1.17
1.27
1.26
1.17
1.20
1.22
1.41
.95
.87
.62
.68
.75
.71
.63
.71
.72
.68
.65
.60
.48
Immigration
IM M IG R A T IO N IN TO T H E P H IL IP P IN E S , 1937
DURING the year 1937 arrivals in the Philippines outnumbered
those during the preceding year, as a result chiefly of the increased
immigration of Chinese because of troubled conditions in their own
country. Of 10,620 immigrant aliens coming to the islands in the
year under review, 5,170 were Chinese and 4,170 were Japanese.
The English immigrant aliens ranked next, numbering 279, while
the Spanish, Germans, and Russians constituted respectively, 163,
123, and 100 of the immigrant group, as reported in the table fol
lowing.1
Aliens Coming to and Departing from the Philippines, 1937
Arrived
Race or nationality
Immigrants
Departed
Nonimmigrants
Emigrants
Nonemigrants
Fe Total
Fe Total
Fe
Total Males males
Males males
Males males
Total Males Fe
males
Total.............................. 10, 620 7,232 3,388 19,416 16, 371 3,045 3,955 3,166
Chinese_____________ 5.170 3,367 1,803 15, 072 13,401 1,671 1,828 1,636
D utch and F lem ish ...
69
50
19
103
71
32
1
1
East Indians________
73
57
16
131
22
109
44
50
English_____________
279
182
97
821
493
328
63
37
French______ _______
52
22
30
66
39
27
11
5
Germans.____ ______
123
72
51
239
163
76
10
7
Irish_______________
16
13
3
1
1
Italians...... ....................
39
35
4
48
37
11
Japanese____________ 4.170 3, 057 1,113 2,019 1, 513
506 1,935 1,403
Portuguese_________
39
16
23
43
23
20
Russians____________
100
39
61
122
38
84
Scandinavians______
11
6
5
9
7
2
S co tch .........................
8
6
2
1
1
Spanish_____________
163
85
78
290
180
35
19
Syrians_____________
2
2
Turkish____________
19
17
2
9
8
l
Other peoples_______
287
198
89
442
287
155
22
14
no
1 Philippines. Department of Labor.
1146
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Labor Bulletin, Manila, June 1938.
789 11,910 9,839
192
6
26
6
3
532
16
8
7,686 6,985
107
85
146
117
1,058
707
182
98
295
208
21
18
42
57
1,401 1,021
74
28
55
15
1
310
1
2
514
1
184
1
2
327
2,071
701
22
29
351
84
87
3
15
380
46
40
126
187
Labor Turn-Over
LABOR TURN-OVER IN M AN U FACTURIN G ESTAB
LISH M EN TS, AUGUST 1938
THE accession rate in manufacturing establishments for August
1938 was 5.29 per 100 employees on the pay roll, the highest rate
since January 1935, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’
monthly survey of labor turn-over in manufacturing industries.
In August 1937 the accession rate was 3.36 and in July 1938, 4.81.
A slight increase was shown in the quit and discharge rates for
August as compared with July. Both rates were approximately
one-half as high as for August 1937. The number of lay-offs de
creased from 3.13 per 100 employees in July to 2.33 in August, and
the total separation rate from 3.81 to 3.08 per 100 employees. Both
rates were lower than a year ago.
Of the 23 industries for which separate rates are published, 17 had
lower lay-off rates than in July and 14 had lower lay-off rates than a
year ago. The August accession rate was above that for July in 13
industries. Compared with a year ago 17 industries showed higher
accession rates.
A ll Manufacturing
The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ survey of labor turn-over covers
more than 5,000 representative manufacturing establishments,
which in August employed more than 2,130,000 workers. The rates
represent the number of changes in personnel per 100 employees on
the pay rolls during the month.
The rates shown in table 1 are compiled from reports received from
representative plants in 144 industries. In the 23 industries for
which separate rates are shown (see table 2) reports were received
from representative plants employing approximately 25 percent of
the workers in each industry.
Table 1 shows the total separation rate classified into quit, dis
charge, and lay-off rates and the accession rate for each month of
1937 and for the first 8 months in 1938 for manufacturing as a whole.
The average monthly rates for 1937 are also presented.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1147
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1149
Labor Turn-Over
T
able
1.—Monthly Labor Turn-Over Rates (per 100 Employees) in Representative
Factories in 144 Industries
Class of rate and
year
Jan.
Quit:
0.52
1937__________ 1.27
Discharge:
1938 _______ - .11
.21
1937 - ______
Lay-off:
5.45
1937 _________ 1.90
Total separation:
6.08
1937__________ 3.38
Accession:
3.78
1937.................... 4.60
M ay June July Aug.
Feb. Mar. Apr.
0.61
1.43
0.49
1.19
1.38
Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec.
Aver
age
1.37
1.89
0.59
1.25
0.65
1.23
1.59
1.05
0.72
0.60
1.25
.09
.21
.10
.19
.19
.19
.16
.14
.20
.11
.22
.24
.23
.21
.11
.19
3.79
1.44
1.53
L 48
a 82
L 79
a 69
1.94
3.13
2.06
2.33
2.57
2.84
4.45
5.99
7.77
2.98
3.08
3.99
4.62
5. 69
6.87
8.51
4.43
5.29
3.36
3.78
2.84
1.79
2.12
3. 55
4. 39
2.85
3.20
3.09
3. 37
4.02
3.81
3.52
3.13
4.71
4.74
4.04
3.56
3.69
4.81
3.36
l Including temporary, indeterminate, and permanent lay-offs.
Twenty-Three Industries
Detailed turn-over rates for 23 selected manufacturing industries
are listed in table 2, which gives the number of quits, discharges, and
lay-offs, total separations, and total accessions per 100 employees in
reporting firms in August and July 1938 and August 1937.
T
able
2 . —Monthly
Turn-Over Rates (per 100 Employees) in Specified Industries
Class of rates
July
1938
Aug.
1938
Aug.
1937
Automobiles and
bodies
0. 30
.03
17.82
18.15
3.92
Quit__________________ ••.................... 0.34
.05
Discharge-------------------- ------ --------9.97
Lay-off............ ................................... —
10.
36
Total separation........ - ------ ------------Accession.................................................. 20. 50
1.01
. 14
21.01
22.16
3.46
July
1938
Aug.
1938
Automobile parts
0.44
.09
3.79
4.32
18. 20
0. 32
.08
8.78
9.18
4.31
Brick, tile, and terra
cotta
Quit......................................... - ................
Discharge........................ - -----------------Lay-off---------------------------------------Total separation........ - ................ - .........
Accession..................... ............................
0.58
. 11
4. 37
5.06
6. 47
0.46
.12
4.05
4. 63
7. 34
1.41
.26
5.00
6.67
5.47
Cotton manufactur
ing
Quit........ ....................................................
Discharge— ...........................................
Lay-off............................................- .........
Total separation.....................................
Accession...................................................
1.13
.17
3.04
4.34
5.88
1.13
.19
1. 78
3.10
6.17
1.45
.24
2.17
3.86
3.01
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
0.62
.22
1. 72
2.56
6.07
0.46
.20
2.23
2.89
6.28
1. 20
.27
6.80
8.27
5. 61
0.36
.10
5.78
6.24.
3.10
0.37
.05
2.07
2.49
3.42
1.10
0.17
1.03
2. 30
3.99
Electrical machinery
0.
.07
1. 34
1. 94
3.41
0.48 53
.03
1.67
2.18
2.00
1.41
.32
2.23
3.96
6.93
0.43
.07
1.49
1.99
4.28
0.42
.05
1.87
2.34
3.28
Aug.
1938
July
1938
Aug.
1937
Boots and shoes
0.
. 16
1. 02
2.16
3.59
0.82 98 1.13
.21
.12
1. 55
1. 06
2.89
2. 00
2.33
6.66
Cigars and cigarettes
Cement
1.02
1.16
.63
1.81
2.85
1.15
.14
.55
1.84
5. 75
1.29
. 11
.79
2.19
2.88
1. 64
.12
1.06
2.82
4.93
Foundries and ma
chine shops
0.35
.08
2. 38
2.81
3. 61
0.35
.09
3.42
3.86
2. 29
1.12
.25
1.51
2.88
3.11
Iron and steel
Hardware
Furniture
Quit...............................- .................. .........
Discharge..................................................
Lay-off.......................................... - ...........
Total separation.....................................
Accession............................................. —
Aug.
1937
1.35
.19
1.68
3.22
1.45
0.35
.04
1.06
1.45
2.16
0.
.03
1. 67
2.02
1.98
1.1732
.10
.84
2.11
2.52
1150
T
able
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
2.
Monthly Turn-Over Rates (per 100 Employees) in Specified Industries—
Continued
Class of rates
Aug.
1938
July
1938
Aug.
1937
Knit goods
Quit.....................
Discharge...........
Lay-off.......... ......
Total separation.
Accession...........
0.83
. 11
1. 72
2.66
4. 36
0.64
.09
2.83
3. 56
4.43
0.92
.12
1.10
2.14
1. 80
Aug.
1938
July
1938
Aug.
1937
M en’s clothing
0.76
.06
1.50
2.32
6.81
0. 92
.05
2.96
3.93
14.33
1.05
.07
2.81
3.93
3.23
Aug.
1938
July
1938
Aug.
1937
Petroleum refining
0.45
.07
1.76
2.26
2. 52
0. 55
.04
.56
1.15
2.07
0. 75
.08
2.58
3. 41
2.78
Printing and publishing
Book and job
Quit__________
Discharge............
Lay-off________
Total separation.
Accession______
0.58
. 12
2.73
3. 43
4. 72
0. 35
.17
3.38
3.90
4.41.
0.89
. 18
3.86
4.93
4. 62
Rayon
Quit...... ..............
Discharge...........
Lay-off________
Total separation
Accession______
1.06
. 12
.60
1.78
6. 57
0.48
.16
2. 34
2.98
6.98
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
0. 62
.14
6. 00
6.76
6. 35
0.42
.13
5. 59
6.14
7. 77
0.33
.06
1.56
1.95
2. 89
0.33
.04
2. 63
3.00
1.06
0.66
.14
1. 56
2.36
2. 54
1.11
.08
2.22.
3.41
5. 36
Rubber tires
0.94
.20
.30
1.44
2.86
Slaughtering and
meat packing
Quit...... ..............
Discharge........... .
Lay-off.......... ......
Total separation.
Accession______
graphs
Newspapers
0.85
.15
5.84
6.84
6. 84
0.45
.05
1. 52
2.02
6.25
0.36
.05
7.43
7.84
3.45
0. 66
.05
2. 02
2.73
1.12
Woolen and worsted
goods
0.93
.09
3.83
4.85
7. 38
0.64
.12
1.16
1. 92
15.98
0. 77
.09
5. 59
6.45
5.74
0. 55
. 12
.99
1.66
7.77
3.40
. 59
2. 68
6.67
6.51
Sawmills
1.55
.22
3. 70
5.47
7. 94
1.66
.18
3.01
4. 85
9.30
3.15
.35
2.47
5.97
4. 96
Employment Offices
OPERATIONS OF U N IT E D STATES EM PLO Y M EN T
SERVICE, SE PTEM B ER 1938
CONTINUED general gains in employment conditions throughout
the country were shown in United States Employment Service operat
ing results for September. Placements reached the highest point
since last October and the number of applications in the active file
declined for the first time since last fall.
Public employment offices throughout the country made 278,105
placements in September. This is a gain of 13.7 percent in daily
rate of placements from August, the previous high month for the
calendar year. Normally the placement peak is reached in May.
The great bulk of the jobs filled in September were with private
employers, 202,792 being reported, a gain of 16 percent in the daily
rate over August. This total is 15.4 percent less than the number
reported in September 1937 but is 20.8 percent higher than the volume
in September 1936. Successively greater improvement in private
placements has been evident in recent months, the margin below the
activities of the same period one year earlier being less this month
(September) than in any month since last November. The improve
ment in job opportunities was general, gains being reported in 38
States.
Men were placed in 116,396V)f the private jobs and women in
86,396. Private jobs of regular duration numbered 96,748, while
106,044 were of a temporary nature.
In addition to placements with private employers 75,313 jobs were
filled in public employment.
A slight increase in the daily rate of applications for work filed with
employment offices occurred during September, although, due to the
lesser number of working days, the aggregate total for the month was
slightly lower than the August volume. A total of 1,067,220 appli
cants were registered, 519,609 being new applicants and 547,611
representing applicants renewing previous registrations. The daily
rate of new applications was 9.1 percent less than in August, while
the daily rate of renewals was 17.9 percent higher.
At the month end 7,968,668 persons were actively seeking jobs
through the Employment Service. This is a drop of 1.9 percent from
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1151
1152
,
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
the number reported at the end of August, the first decline which has
been reported since last October. Applications of men numbered
6,289,328 and those of women 1,679,340.
During September 9,282,820 personal visits were received at the
1,609 employment offices and 1,838 itinerant points served by the
United States Employment Service.
Veterans were placed in 12,412 jobs during September, 7,391 with
private employers and 5,021 in public employment. Placements with
private employers were 13.5 percent higher in daily rate than in
August. Applications were received from 42,489 veterans during the
month and at the month end 415,120 veterans were actively registered
as seeking work.
T
able
1 . —Summary
of Operations of United States Employment Service, September
1938
Percent of change from—
A ctivity
Number
August
19381
Total applications__________________ ____ __________
N ew applications____ __________________________
Renewals______________________________________
Total placements__________________________________
Private________________________________________
Public___________________________________ .
Active file (end of month)_________ ______ __________
1, 067,220
519, 609
547,611
278,105
202, 792
75,313
7, 968, 668
September September
1937
1936
+ 3 .0
- 9 .1
+17.9
+13.7
+16.0
+ 7 .7
-1 .9
+78.4
+86.3
+71.5
-1 9 .6
-1 5 .4
-2 9 .3
+71.9
+40.3
+46.0
+35.2
-3 6 .0
+20.8
-7 1 .8
+16.5
1 Adjusted for number of working days in month, 25 in August and 23 in September.
T
able
2 . —Summary
of Veterans' Activities, September 1938
Percent of change from—
Activity
Number
August
1938»
Total application__________ ________________ ______
N ew 'applications____ _____ ____ __________ _____
Renewals___ ________________________________
Total placements__________ ______ ______ ______
Private_________________________ _______
Public___ _____________ _________
Active file (end of m onth)__________________________
42,489
15,288
27,201
12,412
7,391
5,021
415,120
September September
1937
1936
-3 .7
-1 5 .0
+ 4 .0
+ 6 .9
+13.5
-1 .5
-2 .4
1 Adjusted for number of working days in month, 25 in August and 23 in September.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
+47.3
+74.7
+35.3
-3 3 .5
-3 0 .9
-3 7 .0
+69.5
+ 3 .2
+ 8.3
+• 6
-3 6 .6
- 7 .0
-7 5 .7
+10.1
1153
Employment Offices
T
able
3 . —Operations
of United States Employment Service, September 1938
TOTAL
Applications
Placements *
New
Private
Division and
State
Per
Field
cent
visits
Regular Pub
of
Total N um
(over 1 lic
ber change
from month)
Au
gust 1
United S tates.. 278,105 202,792
New E ngland.. 13,316 10,269
2,179 1,216
N . H ______ 1,982 1,626
1,185
830
v t ________
2,839 2,366
1,230 1,021
R. I ______
C onn... . . . 3,901 3. 210
Middle Atlantic. 29,113 24, 747
N . Y ______ 13,314 12,835
4,726 4,252
N . J______
Pa________ 11,073 7,660
East North Centrai_____ . . . 45,634 37,396
9,153 7,161
Ohio..........
Ind............... 6,819 6,430
Ill________ 14,131 12,346
M ich_____ 8,353 6,682
W is_______ 7,178 4,777
W e s t N o r th
Central_____ 30,020 19,156
6,239 4,769
M inn_____
7,615 4, 630
Iowa..........
M o_______
3,575 2,921
N. D ak____ 3,824 3,186
864
1,883
S. D ak____
Nebr______ 3,888 1,474
2,996 1,312
Kans_____
South Atlantic. 38,439 23,671
1,824 1,468
D el........— .
3,027 2, 206
M d_______
D . C ______ 2,702 2,629
V a________ 6,931 3,783
3,979 2,712
W. Va____
N . C ______ 10,491 7,437
2,867 1,096
S. C______
5,600 2,340
Qa..........
0
1,018
Fla.............
East South
Central_____ 19,604 9,931
K y _______
2,205 1,048
5,227 3,110
Tenn_____
5,194 3,179
Ala_______
6,978 2, 594
M iss............
West South
Central___ .. 51,036 39,692
Ark_______ 3,887 2, 628
La________ 4, 005 3,133
O kla........... 4,238 3,126
Tex............ . 38, 906 30, 805
M ountain_____ 21,328 14,970
3,375 1, 933
M ont_____
Idaho.......... 2,753 1,832
818
W y o ........... 1, 799
C o lo ..____ 5,731 4,689
3,057 2,599
N. M ex___
2,140 1,521
Ariz____
989
U tah........... 1,554
589
919
N ev ______
Pacific________ 28,721 22, 644
W ash.......... 2,472 1,984
4,761 3,397
Oreg______
Calif............ 21,488 17,263
152
243
Alaska.........—
164
651
H aw aii.......... .
+16
+43
-1 2
+46
+54
+69
+61
+50
+19
+30
+2
+13
+28
+23
+18
+24
+109
0
-8
+5
+27
+24
-5 9
+25
+35
+46
0
+48
+29
-1
+25
-1 5
-7
-1 3
Total
Active
Per
file.
cent Sept. 30,
of
1938
N um change
ber
from
Au
gust 1
96,748 75,313 144,706 1,067,220 519,609
65,430 37,095
5,439 3,047 6,171
8,522 3,090
963 1,486
945
6,269 1,788
724
356 1,062
3,590 1,261
355
297
367
29,767 21,467
473 1,411
1, 304
4,800 2,809
572
474
209
12,482 6,680
691 1,343
1,625
12,577 4,366 12,976 194,501 95,809
94,408 37, 213
479 2,252
5, 636
474 3,767
28,321 12,256
1,638
71,772 46,340
5,303 3,413 6,957
- 9 7,968,668 9,282,820
+14 672,516 831,639
32,920
68,288
+3
+23
34,527
44,041
14,975
18,163
+13
+43 370,126 462,572
-4 5
74,145 103,891
-3
142,635 137,872
- 5 2,187.905 2,599,780
+15 599,559 1,607,167
81,064
+10 241,966
-2 0 1,346.380 911,549
-2 6 1,807,300 1, 795,165
-1 1 473,851 191,004
-4 2 244,113 493,444
-2 1 329, 780 154,475
-3 0 618,205 753,434
+ 1 141,351 202,808
8, 238 28,684
1,992 10,421
389 4,172
1,785 6,838
1, 671 4,617
2,401 2,636
231,982
50,062
33,089
39,050
77,990
31,791
108,680
20,397
20,668
16,378
39.108
12,129
7,591 10,864 19,303
2,312 1,470 8,000
1,699 2,985 3,116
654 2,735
1,409
638
915
736
887
387 1,019
573 2,414 2,282
475 1,684 1,368
14,815 14,768 13,321
356
301
1,020
821 1,427
1,026
73
249
1,206
2,868 3,148 2,049
1,876 1, 267 2,402
4,920 3,054 2,207
698 1,771 1,389
1,201 3,260 3,072
225
0 1,018
86,559
19,274
17,116
19,777
6,752
4,087
8,381
11,172
152,987
3,378
17,547
8. 465
20,970
24,968
31, 520
18, 748
20,754
6, 637
40,054
9,482
7, 760
10, 515
2,411
1, 644
3,309
4,933
78,475
1,037
7,261
4,520
10,193
8,035
19,078
12,335
11,047
4,969
-7
+20
-9
-1 9
-4 6
+41
-8
+11
+3
-1 1
0
+8
-5
-3
-F8
+19
-4
-1 5
670,227
202,480
95,399
205,965
26, 544
37,828
40,102
61,909
911,660
13,864
70,071
54,498
63,834
199,072
150,835
111,641
143,197
104,648
543,609
220.316
168,442
57,096
23,968
14,458
31,897
27,432
998,698
12,449
155,237
73,933
121,869
191,766
292.387
88,124
44,217
18,716
67,015 35,741
12,793 5,349
13.749 8, 367
19,370 9,910
21,103 12,115
-2 3
-2 7
-1
-1 8
-3 4
529, 678
122,127
157,790
169,874
79,887
525,102
27, 702
241,068
152, 504
103,828
-2
+33
-1 2
-9
-2
+4
+12
+31
+2
+12
-1
-4
-2 2
-2 3
-2
-4
+3
-3
+9
+13
476, 585
67,404
125,191
36,982
247,008
196,946
34,595
16,041
5.830
48,881
34,885
30,821
22, 228
3, 665
509,244
130,085
87,057
292,102
836
5, 771
833,429
23,978
129,699
53,047
626, 705
243, 577
33,572
47,178
14,524
46,370
24,896
34,470
34,040
8,527
905,854
72.271
116,972
716,611
2,151
3,816
20,686
3,555
3,855
5,484
5,128
2,664
+30
+37
+42
0
+70
6,897
•'427
2,042
2, 562
1,866
9,673
1,157
2,117
2,015
4,384
5,965
544
2,304
1,955
1,162
+28
+20
+54
+123
+21
+9
-7
+27
+27
-1 1
+142
+19
-2 7
+9
+12
+22
+13
+11
-1 6
-1 5
12,206
798
2,049
660
8,699
6,450
1,136
610
552
1,331
1,177
1,048
249
347
9, 991
751
2,137
7,103
31
65
11,344
1,259
872
1,112
8,101
6,358
1,442
921
981
1,042
45S
619
565
330
6,077
488
1.361
4, 225
91
487
33,931
2,019
1,890
1,813
28,209
10,080
2,340
2,172
40C
1,847
1,501
582
681
557
14,055
2,109
1,849
10,097
131
89
111,049
9,853
16,380
13,372
71,444
47,006
4,987
8,878
2,759
11,810
5, M5
4,828
6,373
1,926
109,574
20, 546
9, 936
79,092
375
742
56,999
4,981
9,156
5,815
37,047
18,331
1,737
3,545
964
4.410
2,583
2,424
2,079
589
47,592
5,436
5, 706
36,450
179
654
i Adjusted for number of working days in months, 25 in August and 23 in September.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Per
sonal
visits
1]54
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
T able 3.— O p e r a tio n s o f U n ite d S ta te s E m p lo y m e n t S e rv ic e , S e p te m b e r 1 9 3 8 —Continued
MEN
Placements
Applications
Private
Division and State
Total
Percent
Public
Regular
of
Num change
(over
1
ber
from month)
August1
United States__________ 190, 619 116,396
New England__________
Maine_____________
New Hampshire_____
Vermont___________
Massachusetts______
Rhode Island_______
Connecticut___ ____
Middle Atlantic.......... .
New York_________
New Jersey_________
Pennsylvania_______
East North Central........
Ohio____________ .
Indiana________ ___
Illinois...................... .
Michigan....................
Wisconsin___ ______
West North Central_____
Minnesota_________
Iowa______________
Missouri_________ .
North Dakota______
South Dakota_______
Nebraska__________
Kansas_____ _______
South Atlantic...................
Delaware....................
Maryland__________
District of Columbia..
Virginia___________
West Virginia. ____
North Carolina______
South Carolina______
Georgia_________
Florida............ .........
East South Central______
Kentucky__________
Tennessee. ________
Alabama. ___
Mississippi_________
West South Central ____
Arkansas__________
Louisiana______ ___
Oklahoma_______
Texas.................. .........
Mountain ............... .........
Montana___________
Idaho_____________
Wyoming........ ....... ...
Colorado...... ....... .......
New Mexico________
Arizona__ ___ _____
Utah______________
Nevada____________
Pacific.............. ......... .......
Washington _______
Oregon____________
California__________
Alaska................................
H aw aii..................... ........
9,108
1,553
1, 585
915
1,759
822
2,474
15,566
6,408
1,638
7,520
26,004
4,981
2,918
7,872
5,734
4,499
21,995
3,813
5,701
2,118
3,134
1,523
3,257
2,449
25,834
826
2,087
1,060
5,189
2,754
5,889
2,466
4,598
965
15,484
1,563
3,685
4,156
6,080
38,709
3,029
2,650
2,967
30,063
17,331
3,076
2,127
1,626
4,560
2,461
1,607
1,149
725
19,791
1,685
3,895
14,211
219
578
New
6,084
593
1, 230
561
1,290
620
1,790
11,281
5,954
1,168
4,159
18,041
3,007
2,538
6,157
? 4,078
2,261
11,293
2,365
2,748
1,467
2, 519
532
890
772
11, 240
473
1,267
995
2,051
1,497
2,873
729
1,355
+17
+86
+0
+76
+143
+104
+244
+90
+14
+25
-19
+14
+36
+24
+30
+24
+146
+1
-22
-11
+36
+32
-65
+17
+39
+57
+8
+18
+50
+44
+19
+13
-11
0
-37
5,880
410
1,579
2,188
1,703
27, 464
1,787
1,798
1,863
22,016
11,050
1,660
+30
+13
+76
-3
+67
+30
+28
+70
+246
+22
+8
-8
1,220
+27
+38
2,011
+171
652
3,528
994
586
399
13,837
1,232
2, 540
10,065
130
96
-11
+8
-38
+2
+17
+19
+8
+20
-23
-26
Total
Percent
of
Num change
ber
from
Augusti
47, 427 74, 223 781,724 357,372
2,671 3,024 43,990 22,801
960 6, 468 2,026
412
355 4,247 1,039
455
186
354 2,798
867
628
469 19,569 13,324
202 2,948 1,485
243
684 7,960 4,060
747
6,049 4,285 137,486 63,653
454 65,507 23,637
2,497
1» 541 * 470 20,031 8,426
3,011 3,361 51,948 31,590
9,215 7,963 167, 947 76,144
1,243 1,974 36,719 14,271
1,254
380 21,579 13,437
2,386 1,715 27,414 10,809
3,238 1,656 58,817 29,140
1,094 2,238 23,418 8,487
3,256 10,702 64,070 27,223
1,021 1,448 13,435 6,456
767 2,953 12,725 5,228
524
651 13,646 6,833
400
615 5, 508 1,697
991 3,163 1,063
175
215 2,367 6,457 2,190
154 1,677 9,136 3,756
6,166 14,594 115,614 56,148
334
353 2,082
645
820 13,280 5,030
530
403
65 4,894 2,602
1,466 3,138 15,927 7,285
1,084 1,257 20,261 5,733
1,485 3,016 21,934 12,667
421 1,737 15,695 10,069
443 3,243 16,338 8,412
o
965 5 203
3,996 9,604 51,735 25,739
117 1,153 9,560 3,557
996 2,106 9,797 5,765
1,751 1,968 14,641 6,754
1,132 4,377 17,737 9,663
6,383 11,245 83,416 40,180
367 1,242 8,269 4,084
1,110 852 11,795 6,048
127 1,104 10,802 4,404
4,779 8,047 52,550 25,644
4,230 6,281 37, 759 13,095
961 1,416 4,295 1,254
227
907 7,551 2,803
464
974 2,353
744
672 1,032 8,786 2,862
789
450 4,423 1,867
766
613 3, 765 1,819
112 563 5,010 1,311
239
326 1,576
435
5,405 5,954 78,804 31,744
288
453 15,793 3,817
1,477 1,355 7,599 4,063
3,640 4,146 55,412 23,864
22
89
336
153
34
482
567
492
1Adjusted for number of working'dayspn months, 25 in August and 23 in September.
2Partially estimated.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Active
file,
Sept.
30,1938
-13 6,289,328
478,993
26,054
25,394
+13
14,308
+9
+40 266,085
47,236
-47
99,916
-4
-11 1,678,754
+10 417,720
192,159
+9
-26 1,068,875
-30 1,505,168
-12 406,188
194,534
-47
267,434
-22 521,207
-34
115,805
-4
538,646
-14
+24 158,538
76,587
-12 169,712
-28
20,748
-57
30,369
+45
32,515
-17
+10 50,177
+1 709,272
+1 10,178
-1 55,573
36,019
+5
48,374
-9
-8 171,918
+6 107,931
+22 88,716
112,266
-4
7« 2Q7
429,511
-28
99,013
-36
-11 125,123
137,603
-27
67,772
-33
381,166
-5
57,357
+33
-20 100,948
32,106
-15
-4
190,755
+0 164,992
+10 29,443
14,335
+31
0 4,710
+14
38,783
-2 29,016
-10 26,700
-34
18,843
-30
3,162
-6 396,920
+4
111,510
+1 69,135
-9
216,275
«766
+6
5,140
+4
+12
+2
1155
Employment Offices
T a b l e 3.— Operations of United States Employment Service, September 1938— Continued
WOMEN
Applications
Placements
Private
Division and State
Total
Number
United States------------------- 87,486
New England-----------------Maine............ ..................
New Hampshire.............
Vermont_____________
Massachusetts------ -----Rhode Island_________
Connecticut---------------Middle Atlantic....................
New York..........-...........
New Jersey.....................
Pennsylvania------------ East North Central...............
O h io.............. -........ ......
Indiana_______ ______
Illinois..............................
Michigan.........................
Wisconsin—,.......... -........
West North Central---------Minnesota_________ --Iowa------------ -----------Missouri------ ------ -........
North Dakota................
South Dakota.................
Nebraska.............. ......
K ansas...-------- ---------South Atlantic----------------Delaware_____________
Maryland...........-...........
District of Columbia----Virginia....... -..................
West Virginia.............. —
North Carolina...............
South Carolina.........
Georgia.............................
Florida...................... ......
East South Central— .........
Kentucky................. ......
Tennessee........................
Alabama..........................
Mississippi--------- ------West South Central..............
Arkansas------------------Louisiana— ...................
Oklahoma.......................
T exas............................Mountain...............................
Montana.........................
Idaho...............................
Wyoming........... -...........
Colorado-------------------New Mexico..........- ........
Arizona...........................
Utah................................
Nevada— ......................
Pacific.............................. —
Washington-...................
Oregon...........................California....................... .
Alaska...................................
Hawaii-............................... -
4,208
' 626
397
270
1,080
408
1,427
13, 547
6,906
3; 088
3, 553
19, 630
4,172
3,901
6,259
2,619
2,679
8, 025
2', 426
1,914
457
' 690
360
631
547
12, 605
'998
940
1,642
lj 742
l', 225
4' 602
401
1,002
53
4,120
' 642
1, 542
1 038
898
12,327
' 858
1,355
1,271
8,843
3,997
299
626
173
1,171
596
533
405
194
8,930
787
866
7,277
24
73
Active
file,
Sept. 30,
1938
Percent
of
Number change
from
August1
New
Percent
Regular
of
change (over 1
month)
from
August1
Total
285,496
162,237
86,396
+14
49,321
4,185
'623
396
269
1,076
' 401
1,420
13, 466
6| 881
3i 084
3, 501
19,355
4,154
3,892
6,189
2, 604
2, 516
7,863
2,404
l', 882
454
' 667
332
584
540
12,431
995
939
1,634
L 732
l! 215
4, 564
367
985
0
4,051
' 638
1,531
' 991
891
12, 228
' 841
1, 335
1,263
8| 789
3, 920
'273
612
166
1,161
'588
527
403
190
8,807
' 752
857
7,198
22
68
+7
-2 1
-4
-1 3
+41
-1 2
+19
+23
+36
+13
+11
+21
+22
+11
+24
+69
-1
+23
+27
+16
+18
+24
+39
+31
+33
-6
+68
+4
+19
-2 8
+32
-2 6
+4
+82
14,294
21,440
2.768
1,064
2,054
533
749
2,022
269
394
792
181
8,143
10,198
676
1,324
1,852
231
2, 620
4,522
878
32,156
57, 015
6, 528
13, 576
3,139
28,901
3,830
8, 290
1,097
14,750
19,824
2, 292
32, 536
64,035
11,471
6,126
2,312
13,343
7,231
11, 510
2,601
5,569
3,098
11, 636
9,968
19,173
1, 890
3,642
8,373
1, 570
12,831
22,489
4,335
3,026
5,839
1,291
2,532
932
4, 391
3, 682
6,131
885
714
1,244
336
581
924
212
1,119
1,924
358
1,177
321
2,036
22,327
8,649
37,373
392
1,296
686
2,231
4,267
496
1,918
3, 571
803
2,908
5,043
1, 402
2,302
792
4, 707
6,411
9, 586
3,435
2, 266
3, 053
277
2,635
4,416
758
1,264
1,434
0
10,002
15, 280
2,901
1, 792
3,233
310
2,602
3,952
1,046
3,156
4, 729
811
2,452
3,366
734
16,819
27,633
5,823
897
1.584
431
3,108
939
4, 585
1,411
2, 570
533
11,403
18,894
3, 920
5,236
9,247
2,220
483
692
175
742
1,327
383
220
406
88
1,548
3, 024
659
716
1,022
388
605
1,063
282
768
1, 363
137
154
350
108
15,848
30, 770
4,586
1, 619
4, 753
463
1, 643
2, 337
660
12, 586
23,680
3,463
26
39
9
162
175
31
+30
+58
+19
+7
+74
+22
+6
+37
+46
+19
+13
+1
+26
-1
-1 0
+76
+50
-4
+27
+4
+27
+32
-0
+69
+10
Adjusted for number of working days in months, 25 in August and 23 in September,
iP artially estimated.
i
102770— 38—
13
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
+2
1,679,340
+16
+4
+41
+23
+49
-4 3
-2
+8
+24
+14
-4
-1 6
-9
-3 0
-1 8
-1 3
+15
193,523
6,866
9,133
3,855
104,041
26,909
42,719
509,151
181,839
49,807
277,505
302,132
67, 663
49, 579
62,346
96,998
25, 546
131, 581
43,942
18,812
36, 253
5,796
+ 10
+12
-1
+6
+43
+33
+18
+15
+9
-2 5
+1
+12
+6
+8
+ 12
+8
+37
-1 3
-5
-0
+36
+ 12
-3 8
+5
+36
+8
+16
+2
+13
+16
+32
+ 10
+8
+2
+20
+17
+3
+7
-1 7
+7
+11
+37
+56
7,459
7,587
11, 732
202, 388
3, 686
14,498
18, 479
15,460
27,154
42,904
22,925
30,931
26,351
100,167
23,114
32, 667
32,271
12,115
95,419
10,047
24, 243
4,876
56,253
31, 954
6,152
1, 706
1,120
10,098
5, 869
4,121
3,385
503
112,324
18, 575
17,922
75,827
s 70
631
1156
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
T a b l e 4 . —Operations of United States Employment Service, September 1938
VETERANS
Placements
Applications
Private
New
Regula
Division and State
Total
United States_________
New England_________
Maine____________
New Hampshire-.......
Vermont__________
Massachusetts______
Rhode Island.........
Connecticut_______
Middle Atlantic_______
New York___ ___ _
New Jersey________
Pennsylvania______
East North Central_____
Ohio_____________
Indiana___________
Illinois___________
Michigan................ .
Wisconsin_________
West North Central____
Minnesota_________
Iowa_____ _______
Missouri__________
North Dakota............
South D akota...........
Nebraska.......... ..........
Kansas....... ...............
South Atlantic_________
Delaware.......... .........
M aryland....... .........
District of Columbia...
Virginia___________
West Virginia_______
North Carolina.. . . __
South Carolina______
Georgia____________
Florida_______ ____
East South Central_____
Kentucky.................
Tennessee__________
Alabama____ _____ _
Mississippi_________
West South Central_____
Arkansas___________
Louisiana______
Oklahoma__________
Texas_____________^
Mountain_____________
Montana___________
Idaho_____________
W yoming...............
Colorado-__________
New Mexico.......... .......
Arizona_______
Utah_______ ___
Nevada____________
Pacific______________
Washington ............ .....
Oregon............ .............
California......................
Alaska______ _____ ____
Hawaii_________ ____
Percen t
of
Public
N um change
ber
from
(Over
1
Au
gust 1 month
12, 412
7,391
+13
602 “ 399
+92
83
-3 1
27
104
73
+49
29
15
+67
110
77
+108
73
62
+417
203
+134
145
810
583
+12
303
267
+10
124
96
+7
383
220
+17
1,801
1,122
+13
382
213
+1
179
138
0
589
445
+15
279
179
+60
372
147
+1
1,745
954
-1
296
206
+34
648
372
+7
169
117
+21
115
85
-5 9
111
34
-1 5
205
68
+39
201
72
+3
1,421
667
+24
48
30
+67
143
83
+11
102
91
+69
337
143
+70
188
81
-7
230
126
+34
134
38
-5
185
75
-1 4
54
0
. 761
318
+51
147
45
+41
229
109
+137
227
103
+16
158
61
+42
2,136
1,449
+12
160
83
+24
164
106
+147
201
141
+88
1,611
1,119
0
1,242
691
+7
284
156
+30
123
235
106
30
+ i
258
-2 1
188
64
46
+44
113
62
-1 4
106
36
-1 2
76
50
+61
1, 849
1,192
+6
152
102
-1 4
292
164
-1
1,405
926
+10
14
8
+100
31
8
Total
Percen t 30,1938
of
N um change
ber
from
Au
g u s t1
42,489
15, 288
2,533
5,021
22
27
5
34
16
47
253
68
31
154
457
74
67
123
125
68
212
64
68
33
17
10
11
9
285
12
37
27
76
47
50
20
16
0
192
7
61
88
36
369
19
63
13
274
243
79
25
16
35
22
42
5
19
367
28
77
262
3
1
’356
56
83
31
289
62
14
130
43
33
1.025
656
11
223
86
58
433
180
227
5.025
2,257
36
1,470
532
28
1,006
316
2,549
163
1,409
9,531
679
3,283
2,407
169
763
41
1,205
616
144
1,594
533
2,672
100
875
1,653
225
496
4,092
791
1,322
90
988
367
276
873
238
52
894
382
30
190
40
77
155
30
394
137
115
129
598
150
754
5, 546
2,028
18
129
32
60
722
200
11
458
215
194
809
251
1,063
107
219
104
891
369
96
530
268
110
629
245
54
315
229
443
2,312
845
102
627
111
120
549
262
124
708
260
97
428
212
687
4,205
1,571
77
399
150
58
556
208
60
617
234
492
2,633
979
551
2,724
722
128
333
72
112
532
157
76
172
49
70
598
158
18
335
82
51
290
130
70
337
56
26
127
18
657
6,557
2,126
50
1,426
210
128
505
191
479
4,626
1,725
6
26
11
23
15
13
‘ Partially estimated“ ° f working da? s in months, 25 in August and 23 in September.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Active
file,
-1 5 415,120
+5
35,747
-1 1
1,914
1,923
+11
802
+48
21,998
+15
-1 6
2,929
-1 4
6,181
-1 4
92,339
+24
20,896
+3
11,759
-2 5
59,684
-3 0 109,524
-1 1
31,530
-4 0
13,983
-2 2
20,974
-4 6
33,723
-4
9,314
-2 0
43,960
+34
13,436
-3 1
5,940
-3 8
14,973
-5 0
1,242
+20
2,213
-1 8
2,207
-1 7
3,949
+6
40,636
+23
816
-7
3, 548
3,655
+19
-4
2,668
-3
8,749
+19
4,400
4,034
+15
+6
5,868
6,898
+1
-2 9
24.217
-4 6
6,873
-1 1
7,964
-1 0
7,180
-4 8
2,200
-9
21,153
+46
3,510
-2 7
5, 246
-1 3
2,470
-9
9,927
+4
11, 628
-6
2.217
+22
979
374
+11
+17
2,762
-8
1.819
1.820
+1
-1 4
1,407
-3 6
250
-1 2
35,469
+13
9,985
5,233
+11
-1 6
20, 251
+38
J 59
-2 4
388
Trend o f Employment and Pay Rolls
SUMMARY OF R EPO RTS FOR SE PTE M B E R 1938
Total Nonagricultural Employment
THERE was a marked increase in employment in September with
approximately 475,000 more people employed than in August in all
nonagricultural occupations, exclusive of Works Progress Administra
tion and other Federal emergency projects. The total gain since
June was about 650,000. These figures do not take account of casual
workers, including approximately 113,000 cannery employees, who
are not part of the normal labor supply, but are drawn into industry
during the packing season.
A greater than seasonal gain of about 245,000 wage earners was
estimated for manufacturing industries in September, including
17,000 hired by canneries. Factory wage disbursements were greater,
by $8,100,000 per week, in September than in August.
Retail stores showed a larger than seasonal gain of 197,000 employ
ees, wholesale firms increased their forces by nearly 13,000, anthracite
and bituminous-coal mine operators hired 28,000 additional wage
earners, nearly 5,000 workers were reemployed in metal mines, and
smaller numbers of employees were added by telephone and telegraph
companies, electric-railroad lines, hotels, insurance firms, and dyeing
and cleaning firms. Steam railroads increased their forces for the
fourth consecutive month.
The improvement in the employment picture was evidenced by the
fact that reporting firms in 41 States and the District of Columbia
showed more workers engaged in manufacturing and nonmanufac
turing industries in September than in August. Among the impor
tant industrial States showing gains were Michigan, Indiana, New
York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Massachusetts, Illinois, and New Jersey.
Employment in September on work programs of the Federal
Government increased on construction projects financed by P. W. A.
funds, on the low-cost housing projects of the U. S. Housing Authority,
on construction projects financed by regular Federal appropriations,
on Federal projects under The Works Program, and on projects oper
ated by the Works Progress Administration. Decreases in employ
ment were reported on construction jobs financed by the Recon
struction Finance Corporation, work projects of the National Youth
Administration, and for the Civilian Conservation Corps. In the
regular services of the Federal Government increases occurred in the
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1157
1158
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
judicial and legislative services and decreases in the executive and
military services.
Industrial and Business Employment
Employment gains in September occurred in 73 of the 87 manufac
turing industries surveyed by the Bureau of Labor Statistics and in
10 of the 16 nonmanufacturing industries covered. Pay-roll increases
were shown by 71 of the manufacturing and 8 of the nonmanufac
turing industries.
For all manufacturing industries combined the employment expan
sion was 3.6 percent and the pay-roll gain 5.5 percent as compared
with usual August-September seasonal gains of 1.2 percent and 1.0
percent, respectively. The durable-goods group of industries showed
a rise of 5.0 percent in the employment level. Activity in automobile
plants, preparatory to the introduction of new models, was reflected
in a 35.2-percent employment gain. Hardware and machine-tool
firms showed employment gains of 10.3 percent and 6.6 percent,
respectively, and steel mills added 1.2 percent to their forces. Other
durable-goods industries of major importance which showed gains in
September were electrical machinery, furniture, shipbuilding, saw
mills, millwork, and foundries and machine shops.
Employment in the nondurable-goods group increased by 2.6 per
cent. The usual large seasonal employment gains were reported in
the canning, cottonseed-oil, beet-sugar, confectionery, fertilizers, and
millinery industries. There were also substantial additions to the
personnel in clothing, silk and rayon goods, knit goods, and cottongoods factories.
Retail stores reported 6.3 percent more employees on their rolls.
This increase was larger than seasonal and was shared by such impor
tant lines of trade as apparel, general merchandising, furniture,
lumbei and building materials, and food. Wholesale trade showed a
seasonal employment gain of 0.9 percent affecting most lines of trade.
The largest increases were reported by dealers in farm products,
assemblers and country buyers, and firms selling metals, dry goods
and apparel, paper goods, and plumbing and heating supplies.
Anthracite mines increased their forces by 23.4 percent from the
exceptionally low level of the previous month, and bituminous-coal
mines had 4.2 percent more men on their rolls. Metal mines reported
the second employment gain (8.6 percent) since September 1937 in
response to increased demand and rising prices.
A preliminary report of the Interstate Commerce Commission indi
cated a gain of 2.4 percent, or 22,068, in the number of employees on
class I railroads. The total number on their paj7" rolls in September
was 961,868. Corresponding pay-roll figures for September were not
available when this report was prepared. For August thev amounted
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1159
Trend of Employment and Pay Rolls
to $148,793,156 as against $142,721,392 for July, an increase of 4.3
percent.
Hours and earnings.—The average hours worked per week by factory
wage earners was 36.9 in September, a gain of 1.7 percent since August.
The corresponding average hourly earnings were 63.2 cents or 0.1
percent higher in September than in August, while average weekly
earnings stood at $23.32, a gain of 1.8 percent since August.
Of the 14 nonmanufacturing industries for which man-hour data
are available, 4 showed gains in average hours worked per week and 8
showed increases in average hourly earnings. Average weekly earn
ings were higher for 6 of the 16 nonmanufacturing industries surveyed.
Prior to January 1938 the wording of the definition on the schedules
for public utilities, wholesale and retail trade, hotels, and brokerage
and insurance firms called for the inclusion of higher-salaried employees
such as corporation officers, executives, and others whose duties are
mainly supervisory. These employees have, for the most park always
been excluded from employment reports for other industries, and
beginning with January it was requested that they be omitted also for
the industries named above. For this reason the average hours worked
per week, average hourly earnings, and average weekly earnings for
these industries are not comparable with the figures appearing in
issues of this pamphlet dated earlier than January 1938.
Employment and pay-roll indexes and average weekly earnings in
September 1938 for all manufacturing industries combined, for selected
nonmanufacturing industries, and for class I railroads, with percentage
changes over the month and year intervals except in the few mdustnes
for which data are not available, are presented in table 1.
T
1.— Employment, P ay Rolls, and Earnings in A ll Manufacturing Industries
Combined and in Nonmanufacturing Industries, September 1938 (Preliminary Figures)
able
Industry
All manufacturing industries
and
(1923-25
= 100)
88.8
53.8
Au
gust
1938
Sep
tem
ber
1937
+ 3 .6 -1 8 .5
+ 2.4 -1 5 .1
(1929=
100)
46.4 +23.4 -2 0 .2
83.5 + 4 .2 -1 6 .1
55.8 + 8 .6 -3 3 .6
Coal mining:
Quarrying
Percentage
change from—
Index,
Septem
ber 1938
nonmetallic
Crude-petroleum producing—
See footnotes at end of table.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
44.5
71.7
Average weekly
earnings
Pay rolls
Employment
1 -1 8 .6
- 8 .3
- 1 .0
Percentage
Percentage
change from— Aver change from—
age in
Index,
Sep
Septem
Sep
Sep tem
Au
Au
ber 1938
tem
ber
tem
gust
gust
ber
1938
ber
1938
1938
1937
1937
(1923-25
= 100)
81.0
(4)
(1929 =
100)
29.4 +46.8 -14.1
71.9 +11.9 -2 0 .9
46.7 + 7 .0 —43. 2
38.2
66.4
+ 1 .8
«
- 4 .8
0)
20.64 +19.0
23.03 + 7.4
26.58 - 1 .5
+ 7 .6
- 2 .5
+ .3
- 6 .3
+ 5 .5 -2 2 .4 2$23. 32
0)
<‘)
0)
- 2 .6
-2 3 .8
—6. S
21.62
33.56
1160
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
T a b l e 1 — Employment, P ay Rolls, and Earnings in A ll Manufacturing Industries
Combined and in Nonmanufacturing Industries, September 1938 (Preliminary Figures) —Continued
Employment
Percentage
change from—
Industry
Index,
Septem
ber 1938
Public utilities:
Telephone and telegraph...
Electric light and power
and manufactured gas___
E le c tric -ra ilro a d and
motor-bus operation and
maintenance___________
Trade:
Wholesale_______________
Retail___________________
General merchandising.
Other than general
merchandising______
Hotels (year-round) 8 ?_______
Laundries 5_________________
D yeing and cleaning s________
Brokerage_________________
Insurance___________________
Building construction________
Au
gust
1938
Average weekly
earnings
Pay rolls
Sep
tem
ber
1937
Percentage
Percentage
change from— Aver change from-—
age in
Index,
Sep
Septem
Sep tem
Sep
ber 1938
Au
Au
tem
ber
tem
gust
gust
ber
1938
ber
1938
1938
1937
1937
(1989=
100)
74.8
+0.1
- 6 .2
(1929=
100)
92.6
~j~l. 4
+ 0.3 6$31.05
+1.3
+ 6.9
92.5
-.2
- 6 .2
98.4
- .6
- 5 .4 8 33. 30
-. 4
+ .9
69.6
+ .2
- 5 .6
68.6
-1 . 2
- 4 .1 8 31. 54
- 1 .4
+ 1 .6
- 5 .0 *
- 6 .3
-5 .1
74.2
+ .6
69.7 + 4.4
87.1 +10. 6
- 5 .2 8 29. 22
- 6 .3 8 20. 82
- 5 .7 8 17. 56
-.2
- 1 .8
- 2 .9
-. 2
0
- .6
- 1 .3
+ .1
- 1 .0
+ 7.3
-.1
- 1 .5
-. 1
+. 1
- .3
+ 1 .6
- .2
- 7 .7
—4. 5
- 2 .1
88.4
+• 9
85.0 + 6 .3
98.4 +13. 9
81.5
91.8
96.5
107.7
(4)
(4)
(4)
+4.1
- 6 .6
+ 1 .6 -4 .1
- 1 .1
- 7 .3
+ 2 .6 - 4 .5
- 1 .5 -1 3 .2
+ .6 + 2 .8
- . 4 -3 1 .4
66.1 + 2.8 - 6 .5
78.8 + 1.8 - 4 .4
81.4 - 2 .0
- 5 .8
81.7 +10.0 - 4 .7
- 1 .6 -1 9 .9
(4>
-.8
(4)
- 1 .8
- . 5 -3 2 .8
«
8 23. 70
8 14. 62
17.11
20.83
8 34. 82
8 35.10
29. 68
in teb le f on^ T 177 adjusted to 1935 Census of Manufactures. Indexes for earlier months and years given
2 Does not include railroad repair shops.
2 Preliminary; source—Interstate Commerce Commission.
4 N ot available.
is s u e t u h l pamphleL°Em3ployment a n d ^ R o í l s ^ 3 * * * t0 JanUary 1929 presented in Jar^ r y 1938
8Average weekly earnings not strictly comparable with figures published in issues of the M onthlv T »w
2 Cash payments only; the additional value of board, room, and tips c a ™ b fc o m p u te d
Public Employment
There was an increase of 10,000 during the month ending September
l 5.m the number working on P. W. A. projects, resulting from marked
gams in employment on both Federal and non-Federal projects
financed from P. W. A. A. 1938 funds. Of the 119,000 at work in
September 19,000 were working on Federal and non-Federal projects
financed from N. I. R. A. funds, 81,000 on non-Federal projects
financed from E. R. A. A. 1935, 1936, and 1937 funds, and 19,000
on Federal and non-Federal projects financed with P. W. A. A. 1938
funds. Monthly pay-roll disbursements on P. W. A. projects
amounted to $9,980,000.
For the first time data on employment and pay rolls for low-cost
housing projects of the U. S. Housing Authority are shown. During
the month ending September 15, oyer 400 men were working on new
construction and demolition; pay rolls were $72,000. These figures
pertain only to new projects under the U. S. Housing Authority and
not to those formerly under the Public Works Administration.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Trend of Employment and Pay Rolls
1161
On construction projects financed from regular Federal appropria
tions employment continued to increase during the month ending
September 15, primarily as the result of an expansion in road work
and river, harbor, and flood control projects. The only types of
projects for which decreases in the number working were reported
were electrification projects other than those under the Rural Electri
fication Administration, locks and dams, naval vessels, and miscella
neous projects. In September 264,000 men were at work on all types
of projects financed from regular Federal appropriations, a gain of
11.000 during the month and of 41,000 from September 1937. Pay
roll disbursements of $27,503,000 were $3,025,000 more than in the
preceding month.
During the month ending September 15 nearly 3,000 men were at
work on construction projects financed by the Reconstruction Finance
Corporation, slightly less than the number working during the
preceding period. Pay rolls of $395,000 were also less for the month.
An important increase in employment occurred on projects oper
ated by the Works Progress Administration, on which 3,120,000
were working in September and for which pay rolls amounted to
$164,907,000. On Federal projects under The Works Program for
which reports represent activity in the month ending September 15,
118.000 were working, a small increase from August. Inasmuch as
the employees worked a larger number of hours, pay rolls amounted
to $6,020,000 or $226,000 more than in August. Employment on
work projects of the National Youth Administration decreased. Data
on employment and pay rolls for Student Aid in September will not
be available until next month.
In the regular services of the Federal Government increases in the
number working occurred in the judicial and legislative services and
small decreases occurred in the executive and military services. Of
the 870,000 employees in the executive service in September, 118,000
were working in the District of Columbia and 752,000 outside the
District. Force-account employees (workers who are on the Federal
pay roll and are engaged on construction projects) were 10 percent of
the total number of employees in the executive service. Increases in
employment in September occurred in the Post Office Department, the
Department of the Interior, and in the administrative offices of the
P. W. A. Among those departments reporting marked decreases were
the War Department and the Department of Agriculture.
Due to the end of an enlistment period the number of workers in
the Civilian Conservation Corps decreased 17,000 in September. Of
the 317,000 in camps in September, 279,000 were enrollees, 5,000 re
serve officers, 300 nurses, 1,600 educational advisers, and 31,000 super
visory and technical employees. Pay-roll disbursements to all groups
of workers totaled $14,467,000 for the month.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1162
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
More than 8,000 workers were added to the pay rolls of Statefinanced road projects during the month ending September 15. This
increase brought the total to 205,000, a gain of 12,000 from September
1937. The number working on new road construction in September
was 32,000 and on maintenance 173,000. For both types of road work
pay-roll disbursements were $13,951,000, a gain of $468,000 from
August.
A summary of Federal employment and pay-roll disbursements for
August and September is given in table 2.
T able 2.
Summary of Federal Employment and P ay Rolls, September 1938 1
(Preliminary Figures)
Employment
Class
Septem
ber
August
Federal services:
Executive *....................... .............
870,031 3 872,521
Judicial...............................................
2,170
2,075
Legislative..........................................
5,390
5,299
M ilitary________ _____ ________
339,127
341,325
Construction projects:
Financed by p. w . A.<_________
118,886
108,926
U . S. H. A. low-cost housing........
436
275
Financed by R. F. C.8............ ........
2,829
2,959
Financed by regular Federal
appropriations...... .........................
263,721
252,599
Federal projects under The Works
Program .-.............................................
117,518
117,459
Projects operated by W. P. À _______ 3,120,399 3,063,758
Natioaal Youth Administration:
Work projects_________________
220,756
221,307
Student A id.......................................
3 1, 780
(8)
Civilian Conservation Corps................ 317,252
334, 257
Pay rolls
Percentage
change
- 0 .3
+ 4 .6
+ 1 .7
-.6
September
August
$131,865,390 3 $132, 221,162
544,404
563,538
1,235,210
1,228,571
27,346,929
26,887,384
Percentage
change
- 0 .3
- 3 .4
+ .5
+ 1 .7
+9.1
+58.5
-4 .4
9,979, 680
71,947
395,189
9,262,059
23,742
424, 674
+ 7 .7
+203.0
- 6 .9
+ 4 .4
27, 503, 233
24,478,120
+12.4
+• 1
+ 1 .8
6,020,021
164,906,987
5,793,779
162,381,189
+ 3 .9
+ 1 .6
-.2
3,927,491
(«)
14,467,301
3,888,640
3 5,696
14,945,948
-3 .2
- 5 .1
+ .1
‘ Includes data on projects financed wholly or partially from Federal funds.
extentCnfdiTsfn7fi6p ^ i U^L and ®uPervisory.and technical employees shown under other classifications to the
01$u’" - 770, o r
S e p t,m b e ' “ d
m'“ 7
3 Revised.
fnii?AtoH°Pnhuf w , ^ ; A-pr^ects financed from Emergency Relief Appropriation Acts of 1935,1936, and 1937
funds and Public Works Administration Appropriation Act of 1938 funds are included. These data are not
wageearners In d S7°32^S3on0n ? ^ n ii ^ ^ A deS 80*-’860 wa?e ea™evrf. and, $7,068,139 pay roll for September; 87,543
E l « ! ! U ’??7J39° Pay r?P.for August, covering Public Works Administration projects financed
ncy Re ®f Appropriation Acts of 1935, 1936, and 1937 funds. Includes 18,984 wage earners
pa*y
September; 3,455 and $225,539 pay roll for August, covering Public Works AdAct of 193811 pro;|ects flnanced irom funds provided by the Public Works Administration Appropriation
employees and pay-roll disbursements of $20,152 for September and 197 employees and
^ D a t a rmt'avallabl1^8
^or A uguston projects financed by the R FC Mortgage Co.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Trend of Employment and Pay Rolls
1163
DETAILED DATA FOR AUGUST 1938
A MONTHLY report on employment and pay rolls is published as
a separate pamphlet by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This gives
detailed data regarding employment, pay rolls, working hours, and
earnings for the current month for industrial and business establish
ments and for the various forms of public employment. This pam
phlet is distributed free upon request. Its principal contents for the
month of August, insofar as industrial and business employment is
concerned, are reproduced in this section of the Monthly Labor
Review.
Industrial and Business Employment
Monthly reports on employment and pay rolls are available for the
following groups: 87 manufacturing industries; 16 nonmanufacturing
industries, including private building construction; and class I steam
railroads. The reports for the first two of these groups—manufactur
ing and nonmanufacturing—are based on sample surveys by the
Bureau of Labor Statistics, and in virtually all industries the samples
are large enough to be entirely representative. The figures on class I
steam railroads are compiled by the Interstate Commerce Commission
and are presented in the foregoing summary.
EMPLOYMENT, PAY ROLLS, HOURS, AND EARNINGS
The indexes of employment and pay rolls as well as average hours
worked per week, average hourly earnings, and average weekly earn
ings in manufacturing and nonmanufacturing industries in August
1938 are shown in table 1. Percentage changes from July 1938 and
August 1937 are also given.
For the manufacturing industries, two series of indexes are shown.
One series (the new series) has been adjusted to the 1935 Census of
Manufactures and the other is a continuation of the previously pub
lished indexes which have been adjusted only to the 1933 Census of
Manufactures. Electric and steam railroad repair shops have been
excluded from the new series in keeping with the 1937 Census of
Manufactures. This eliminates the duplication that has resulted
heretofore, as steam railroad repair shop figures have always been
included in the summaries released by the Interstate Commerce
Commission. The percentage changes over the month and year
intervals relate to the new series of indexes.
The average hours worked per week, average hourly earnings, and
average weekly earnings for all manufacturing industries combined
now relate to 87 industries, instead of 89 as heretofore, because of the
exclusion of railroad repair shops. This exclusion also affects the
averages for the durable-goods group because these industries were
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1164
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
classified in that group. The average hours and hourly earnings for
the 87 manufacturing industries combined, and for the manufacturing
groups are weighted on the basis of estimated employment for the
separate industries. As these estimates have been affected by the
revision of the indexes, it follows that the weighted averages for
August differ from the averages that would result if the former esti
mates of employment were used as weights. Revised averages for
earlier months will be computed and made available in the near
future.
The indexes and averages for the iron and steel group and the nonferrous metal products group have been affected by the transfer of the
stamped and enameled ware industry from the latter group to the
former group. The indexes, hours, and hourly earnings for the knit
goods industry have been affected by the fact that they are now
weighted on the basis of four subdivisions (hosiery, knitted outerwear,
knitted underwear, and knitted cloth) for which separate figures are
now given. Tractor manufacturing establishments have been trans
ferred from the engine-turbine-water-wheel-windmill industry to the
agricultural implements industry, thereby affecting the figures for both
industries.
The revised series of employment and pay-roll indexes, as well as
average hours worked per week, average hourly earnings, and average
weekly earnings for June, July, and August 1938, where available, are
presented in table 2. The June and July averages, where given, may
differ in some instances from those previously published, not only
because of the foregoing, but also because of revisions necessitated by
the inclusion of late reports and other causes
The average weekly earnings shown in tables 1 and 2 are computed
by dividing the total weekly pay rolls in the reporting establishments
by the total number of full- and part-time employees reported. As all
reporting establishments do not supply man-hour data, average hours
worked per week and average hourly earnings are necessarily based on
data supplied by a smaller number of reporting firms. The size and
composition of the reporting sample varies slightly from month to
month and therefore the average hours per week, average hourly earn
ings, and average weekly earnings shown in tables 1 and 2 are not
strictly comparable from month to month, even after revisions. The
sample, however, is believed to be sufficiently adequate in virtually all
instances to indicate the general movements of earnings and hours over
the period shown. The changes from the preceding month, expressed
as percentages, are based on identical lists of firms for the 2 months,
but the changes from August 1937 are computed from chain indexes
based on the month-to-month percentage changes.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
T a b l e 1.— Employment, P ay Rolls, Hours, and Earnings in Manufacturing and Nonmanufacturing Industries, August 1938
MANUFACTURING
[Indexes are based on 3-year average, 1923-25=100. New series adjusted to 1935 Census of Manufactures and not comparable to indexes published in earlier issues of Review (except
t
for August figures in October issue) which included railroad repair shops. Comparable series available upon request]
Employment
Indexes,
August 1938
Percentage
change from—
Indexes,
August 1938
Percentage
change from—
Average hours
worked per
week i
Average hourly
earnings 1
Percentage
change from—
August
1938
Per
Per
centage
centage
August change August change
1938
1938
from
from
August
July
July
1937
1938
1938
Old
series
New
series
July
1938
August Old
1937
series
New
series
July
1938
August
1937
AlTmanufacturing industries______ ______ _______
79.6
85.7
+ 4 .6
-2 1 .4
72.6
78.8
+ 8 .8
-2 9 .0
$22. 84
+ 3 .9
- 9 .7
36.3
+ 4 .3
62.9
-0 .8
Durable goods______________ ______ ________
N ondurable goods__________ ____ - . _______
65.4
94.8
71.8
99.0
+ 2.1
+ 6 .6
-3 2 .9
-1 0 .9
59.8
88.8
63.5
91.6
+ 8 .4
+ 8 .9
-4 2 .5
-1 3 .3
24. 87
21.25
+ 6 .0
+ 2 .2
-1 4 .4
- 2 .7
35.4
36.9
+ 6 .6
+ 2 .7
70.2
57.8
-.3
-.8
74.8
80.5
59.5
56.9
79.4
84.0
78.2
63.0
+ 3.5
+ 2 .0
+ 1 .3
+ 2 .2
-3 1 .4
-3 3 .7
-3 1 .5
-1 5 .8
63.4
66.1
56.4
43.0
65.3
65.3
65.9
53.6
+13.8
+15.0
+12.7
+ 2 .0
-4 6 .7
-5 3 .4
-4 4 .2
-1 9 .5
24.12
24.70
21.63
20.19
+ 9 .9
+12.7
+11.3
-.1
-2 2 .3
-2 9 .9
-1 8 .3
-4 .2
32.4
29.6
31.0
34.1
+ 9 .2
+12.0
+ 11.2
-. 1
75.3
83.5
69.8
58.7
69.8
42.1
57.1
81.1
98.0
74.5
41.5
60.6
73.1
114.1
+16.7
+ 7 .7
+ 7 .3
+• 7
+ 8 .6
-2 1 .6
-4 1 .1
-3 6 .4
-1 3 .4
-3 1 .0
57.4
33.5
58.4
57.8
93.5
60.9
34.5
57.6
58.0
109.9
+16.9
+19.4
+19.4
+ 4 .2
+19.5
-3 2 .5
-4 9 .7
-4 3 .7
-2 4 .9
-3 5 .2
20.63
24.48
23.06
22.52
23.13
+11.0
+11.2
+ 3 .4
+10.0
-1 3 .9
-1 4 .6
-1 1 .5
-1 2 .8
- 6 .8
34.5
33.0
35.2
34.1
37.0
+ 2 .6
+12.0
+10.9
+ 3 .3
+ 9 .3
61.0
74.1
65.7
66.0
62.7
- 2 .2
-.9
+ .5
+ .2
+ 1 .6
60.4
79.3
57.7
101.6
69.0
76.0
59.8
99.5
+ 2 .7
+11.4
+ 1 .3
+ 8 .9
-2 0 .9
-2 9 .6
-2 9 .2
-1 6 .8
50.4
64.7
55.3
109.6
55.5
61.5
51.2
107.0
+ 7 .8
+18.1
+ 4 .8
+13.3
-2 9 .6
-3 3 .3
-3 4 .7
-1 7 .8
24.27
23. 95
26.94
23.40
+ 4 .9
+ 6.1
+ 3 .5
+ 4.1
-1 0 .9
- 5 .2
- 7 .9
- 1 .4
35.2
36.0
36.9
39.2
+ 5 .6
+ 4 .7
+ 3 .1
+ 2 .8
69.2
66.6
73.1
59.7
+.P
+ 1 .3
72.1
95.2
71.9
106.2
+ 3 .2
- 3 .1
-2 8 .2
-4 3 .4
67.4
85.7
63.0
99.8
+ 9 .3
+ 9 .0
-3 6 .8
-4 5 .1
21.64
22. 64
+ 6 .0
+12.5
-1 2 .0
- 5 .1
35.2
34.0
+ 7 .3
+10.7
61.3
66.7
- 1 .0
+ 1 .6
July
1938
C e n ts
D u r a b le g oods
See footnotes a t end of table.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
-.1
+ (2)
+ .2
-.3
-.2
1165
Iron"and steel and their products, not including
machinery_____________________ ____________
Blast furnaces, steel works, and rolling m ills..
Bolts, nuts, washers, and rivets........ .................
Cast-iron pipe_____________________________
Cutlery (not including silver and plated
cutlery) and edge tools.......... ............ ...............
Forgings, iron and steel......................... ................
Hardware-------------------------------------------------Plumbers’ supplies_________________________
Stamped and enameled ware--------------- -------Steam and hot-water heating apparatus and
steam fittings__________ _________________
Stoves ___________________________________
Structural and ornamental metalwork...............
Tin cans and other tinware_________________
Tools (not including edge tools, machine
tools, files, and sa w s)... _________________
Wirework................. .................................................
Trend of Employment and Pay Rolls
Industry
Average weekly
earnings 1
Pay rolls
1.—E m p lo y m e n t,
P a y R o lls , H o u r s , a n d E a r n in g s in M a n u f a c tu r in g a n d N o n m a n u fa c tu r in g I n d u s tr ie s , A u g u s t 1 9 3 8 —Continued
1166
T able
MANUFACTURING—Continued
Employm ent
Indexes,
August 1938
Old
series
New
series
84.0
89.3
Percentage
change from—
Indexes,
August 1938
August
1937
Old
series
New
series
84.1
99.3
+ 1 .4
-1 .0
-3 5 .3
-4 2 .9
76.1
95.3
120.4
74.0
135.0
74.0
-1 .7
+ 1 .5
-1 2 .0
-3 8 .9
93.6
75.6
100.7
100.5
60.0
115.0
51.1
667.0
48.5
26.9
21.9
84.4
.82.3
96.7
85.1
82.7
77.1
107.1
88.9
57.9
117.7
51.3
758.7
48.4
23.9
18.0
89.1
83.0
128.5
89.0
+• 7
+ 1 .8
-3 .2
+ 8 .9
+ 7 .0
+ 1 .9
-7 .6
-4 .5
-8 .8
+ 5 .0
-1 0 .9
-7 .0
+ 4 .9
4"5. 3
+ 3 .3
89.6
84.7
63.5
66. 7
66.9
77.7
86.7
67.9
57.5
63.1
+5. 6
+ 9 .4
+ 8 .1
+13.4
-.5
Average hourly
earnings i
Percentage
change from—
Percentage
change from—
August
1938
July
1938
Average hours
worked per
week i
July
1938
Per
Per
centage
centage
August change August change
from
1938
1938
from
August
July
July
1937
1938
1938
July
1938
August
1937
76.0
94.8
+ 4 .4
- 3 .4
-4 4 .2
-5 1 .9
$25.03
26. 29
+ 3 .0
-2 .5
-1 3 .7
(3)
34.6
34.4
+ 3 .3
-.5
Cents
72.0
76.7
- 0 .5
-1 .6
115.8
68.4
120.5
67.7
- 2 .1
+ 5 .6
-1 8 .8
-4 6 .1
28.82
25.28
-.4
+ 4.1
- 7 .3
-1 1 .7
35.7
34.2
-.2
+ 4 .7
81.6
73.8
-.2
-.5
-2 2 .7
-3 2 .9
-3 4 .8
-5 0 .6
-3 0 .3
-2 4 .7
-5 4 .0
-1 8 .9
-5 9 .3
-6 3 .0
-6 5 .3
-1 7 .6
-2 5 .1
-2 7 .0
-2 7 .1
88.8
67.0
84.8
79.1
51.2
83.8
49.5
611.5
45.5
28.1
13.2
95.2
72.9
97.6
77.4
90.4
67.0
97.4
75.5
50.6
97.9
49.1
712.8
46.1
21.8
13.1
90.0
74.1
125.8
83.4
+ 4 .7
+ 5 .1
+ 3 .4
+ 4 .2
+10.9
+ 7 .0
-3 .5
-3 .2
- 2 .4
+ 7 .9
-1 5 .0
- 9 .9
+10.6
+12.8
+ 7.1
-2 4 .8
-4 3 .6
-4 7 .1
-5 5 .0
-4 3 .3
-3 8 .5
-5 5 .8
-1 6 .5
-6 0 .4
-6 7 .8
-7 5 .0
-2 0 .8
-3 2 .0
-3 0 .8
-3 3 .7
28.13
24. 77
25.86
21.20
22.78
19.97
30. 94
29.10
32.03
25.15
23.37
29.99
24.14
24.89
25.63
+ 4 .0
+ 3.3
+ 6 .7
- 4 .3
+ 3 .6
+ 5 .0
+ 4 .4
+ 1.4
+ 7.1
+ 2 .7
- 4 .7
-3 .1
+ 5 .4
+ 3 .6
(3)
-1 6 .9
-1 8 .7
-8 .8
-1 7 .0
-2 2 .9
-3 .9
-.8
-3 .4
-1 3 .2
-2 8 .0
-2 .9
-9 .2
-5 .2
-8 .9
35.9
34.8
35.4
35.7
33.9
31.0
35.3
39.8
34.8
34.7
31.1
35.9
36.2
36.9
35.9
+ 3 .9
+ 3 .4
+ 6 .3
-1 .8
+ 2 .2
+ 5 .9
+ 4 .4
+ 1 .2
+ 6 .9
+ 4 .6
-3 .1
-2 .9
+ 5 .7
+ 8 .2
+ 3 .4
78.7
70.9
73.2
59.5
67.3
64.3
88.3
74.1
92.4
72.6
75.2
83.6
68.6
67.5
71.5
+ .2
-.2
+ .4
-2 .6
+ 1 .5
-.8
-. 1
+ .3
+ .2
-2 .2
- 1 .6
+ .4
-.2
-1 .0
+ .1
-2 8 .1
-1 1 .7
-3 0 .4
-1 2 .5
-2 7 .4
74.0
62.3
57.1
56.5
58.4
70.3
70.1
57.8
48.5
57.9
+17.9
+14.5
+16.6
+27.3
+ 1 .9
-3 9 .0
-1 5 .6
-3 4 .0
-2 0 .9
-3 6 .8
19.11
22.70
23.83
23.13
25.72
+11.7
+ 4 .7
+ 7 .9
+12.3
+ 2 .4
- 1 6 .2
-4 .9
-6 .0
-1 0 .9
-1 3 .1
33.0
38.6
35.0
35.9
37.6
+11.8
+ 6 .4
+ 7 .8
+12.6
+ 1 .5
57.8
57.7
68.1
64.6
68.4
-.1
-1 .3
-. 1
+ .2
+ .9
Durable pood*—Continued
lachinery, not including transportation equip
ment------------------------------------------------ ----------Agricultural implements (including tractors).Cash registers, adding machines, and calcu
lating machines....................................................
Electrical machinery, apparatus, and supplies.
Engines, turbines, water wheels, and wind
m ills..________ ___ ____ _________________
Foundry and machine-shop products________
Machine tools________ ____________________
Radios and phonographs................... .................
Textile machinery and parts________________
Typewriters and parts_____________________
ransportation equipment____ __________________
Aircraft_________ _____________________ ___
Automobiles_____ ______ ___________________
Cars, electric- and steam-railroad____________
Locomotives_______________ _______________
Shipbuilding........ ..................... ...............................
'onferrous metals and their products______ _____
Aluminum manufactures.......................................
Brass, bronze, and copper products.......... .........
Clocks and watches and time-recording de
vices___ ________________________________
Jew elry...... ..............................................................
Lighting equipment........... ........................ ...........
Silverware and plated w are.---------- ------------, Smelting and refining—copper, lead, and zinc.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
Industry
Average weekly
earnings 1
P ay rolls
Lumber and allied products---------- -------------------Furniture_________________________________
Lumber:
Mill work--------- ----------------------------------Saw m ills.......... ............. - .............. - ................
Stone, clay, and glass products__________________
Brick, tile, and terra cotta............................. .......
Cement___________________________________
Class..... ..................................................- ..................
Marble, granite, slate, and other products........
Pottery............................................................ ..........
58.1
+ 19.3
-2 3 .7
+21.8
-2 5 .2
21.02
62.5
48.2
42.2
51.5
33.6
66.1
78.5
31.0
52.0
45.6
50.2
+ 9 .6
+20.9
37.2
65.4
78.6
32.0
58.7
+ 5 .2
-.9
+13.6
- 4 .5
+10.5
-1 4 .3
-2 4 .9
-2 7 .5
-2 8 .6
-1 4 .2
-3 5 .2
-2 3 .5
-1 9 .7
22. 79
20.90
22.77
19.56
26.06
23.95
24. 37
20.40
77.1
74.0
55.5
75.7
74.7
87.4
73.3
107.2
(5)
(»)
«
(s)
50.6
59.5
79.8
74.6
103.1
76.4
90.4
37.6
90.1
73.3
70.5
85.3
121.1
128.4
258.1
75.0
216.7
68.6
77.6
80.4
95.7
64.4
71.0
80.0
73.3
53.6
68.4
64.9
87.5
87.2
111.8
154.4
65.2
57.7
126.1
50.2
62.1
90.5
74.6
128.1
85.8
109.5
59.6
93.4
76.9
75.1
77.5
131.1
139.8
322.0
94.4
203.8
69.3
78.9
80.3
104.8
67.7
80.1
+20.1
-16,0
16.84
16.50
21.01
13. 67
17.09
20.69
25.21
17.87
19. 38
16.89
14.12
18.91
16.22
19. 21
17. 70
18.45
20. 23
15. 27
13.46
21.98
12.17
19.76
18.85
24.15
23.17
25.33
34. 51
22.84
14.67
18.03
26.53
28. 92
27.93
23.33
23.90
57.3
69.2
64.0
76.0
+ 5 .4
+ 6.8
-2 1 .7
-2 2 .4
54.6
58.8
48.0
43.5
57.5
41.1
65.1
78.7
37.2
67.6
52.8
52.4
66.3
49.9
69.9
78.7
43.3
72.3
+ 3.8
+ 5.3
+ 2 .6
+ 2 .2
-.7
+ 5 .3
- 1 .6
+ 3.9
-1 6 .0
-2 2 .3
-1 9 .9
-2 0 .8
-7 .5
-2 8 .1
-1 6 .9
-1 0 .7
89.9
95.1
85.2
83.9
68.1
65.0
86.5
81.3
79.2
71.8
101.8
101.6
79.5
88.1
104.5 < 109. 3
138.3
(')
74.4
(•)
68.4
(*)
150.3
(«)
61.3
61.3
71.7
75.1
101.6
116.3
96.2
104.3
133.0
165.9
83.6
94.7
115.4
127.2
68.2
48.7
110.6
117.3
92.6
92.6
94.6
78.9
77.0
125.4
138.3
132.5
144.5
219.5
260.0
90.4
110.2
251.2
243.9
69.2
71.6
75.5
78.1
84.4
93.0
85.4
94.2
64.6
74.7
90.1
75.7
+ 9 .8
+ 6.0
+ 8.4
+ 4 .0
+ 6 .0
+ 5.0
+10.4
+ 4 .5
+ 4.0
+ 7 .5
+ 2.6
+ 9 .5
+11.4
+ 9.7
+17.6
+16.1
+23.2
+ 1 .6
+ 5 .5
+36.8
-1 2 .4
-1 3 .8
-3 1 .9
-1 5 .5
-1 7 .8
- 7 .1
-1 0 .1
- 9 .5
- 4 .7
-1 3 .7
-1 9 .8
-2 1 .3
-2 3 .6
-8 .4
- 9 .7
-1 3 .3
- 9 .0
- 5 .1
- 9 .5
- 7 .3
- 3 .0
- 8 .1
- 6 . 3„
-1 6 .1
- 6 .4
- 2 .1
- 5 .2
- 3 .5
-1 6 .2
- 5 .5
- 2 .5
- 5 .9
- 1 .7
- 6 .4
- 1 .8
56.5
+6.4
20.43
+13.2
- 2 .5
+14.1
- 4 .1
40.5
39.3
+10.9
+14.7
52.3
52.2
+ 2 .4
-.3
+5.5
+ 2 .4
-3 .5
-9 .5
-8 .0
-7 .8
- 9 .1
-6 .7
-1 0 .0
41.8
40.9
35.9
38.3
37.8
33.6
35.7
34.4
+ 5 .9
+10.3
+ 3 .4
+ 3.1
-.2
+ 6 .6
-1 .9
+ 6.3
54.6
51.9
63.4
51.1
69.0
71.2
67.7
62.9
-.1
+ 4 .5
+ .3
+. 3
-(« )
+ 1 .2
-2 . 1
-. 1
- 4 .1
-4 .4
-1 1 .9
-9 .2
- .1
+ .3
- 6 .1
-.3
- ( 2)
-4 .3
-3 .5
+ 1 .3
+ .8
- 5 .1
-3 .8
- 6 .3
-1 .2
-1 .2
-2 .3
+ 1 .2
- 7 .8
-4 .5
-4 .7
34.7
36.1
34.0
35.6
36.7
38.3
35.3
< 35.9
35.7
37.1
34.1
40.4
36.7
36.4
32.5
31.2
32.9
33.3
33.8
34.3
33.9
38.4
38.4
38.7
39.7
41.6
40.8
48.1
35.1
37.0
44.7
48.3
40.6
36.2
38.8
+ 6 .4
+ 6 .3
+11.4
+ 5 .1
+ 2.7
+ 7 .7
+ 4 .8
+ 9 .0
+11.2
+ 4.1
+ 5 .5
+ 4.1
+ 9 .0
+ 3 .0
+ 7 .6
+ 9 .5
+ 5 .3
+ 4 .5
+ 5 .0
+11.0
+10.5
48.9
46.4
61.9
38.3
46.6
53.7
73.1
* 51.5
55.5
44.6
41.6
47.0
43.8
52.9
53.1
59.0
54.8
46.0
36.0
62.3
36.4
51.6
49.3
62.7
58.6
61.5
85.2
47.3
42.9
49.0
58.9
59.8
68.9
64.6
61.6
+ 1 .5
-.9
-.5
- 2 .0
-.2
-1 .2
+ 3 .0
+ .1
+ .3
+1.1
- 1 .2
- 1 .2
- 1 .8
-1 .0
+ 4 .5
+ 1 .0
+14.8
+3.6
+2.9
-.3
+ 7 .9
-2 .9
+ 6 .4
Nondurable goods
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
+9.1
+ 3 .7
+ 3 .5
+ 4.3
+ 7.5
-.4
+ .1
- .6
+40.7
+ 6.1
+ .2
- 1 .7
- .5
+40.3
+2.4
+10.8
+12.0
+ 7 .6
+2.0
- 2 .1
-.3
- 1 .5
+29.7
+10.0
-.6
-.4
-2 .8
+27.5
—1. 5
-1 7 .5
-3 8 .1
-2 2 .9
-1 7 .7
-6 .8
-1 5 .3
- 9 .8
- 4 .6
-1 7 .6
-2 2 .6
-2 0 .3
-2 3 .0
-1 3 .1
-1 3 .1
-1 8 .7
- 9 .7
- 6 .3
-1 2 .9
-8 .9
-1 1 .2
-1 2 .2
-1 0 .3
-1 7 .8
- 7 .3
- 3 .0
- 6 .1
- 3 .3
-2 6 .1
- 8 .7
- 3 .1
- 4 .8
- 1 .0
-1 2 .3
-1 3 .1
+ 9 .4
+ 5 .3
+10.8
+ 3 .2
+4.0+ 6 .4
+ 5 .5
+ 8 .9
+10.6
+ 6 .9
+ 3 .7
+ 3 .3
+ 6 .7
+ 1 .9
+16.6
+12.1
+20.8
+ 2 .3
+10.4
+19.7
+10.1
+6.8
+ 8 .3
+ 3 .1
- 5 .1
- 1 .7
-.4
-.9
-7 .8
+ 3 .7
-.9
+ 1 .3
- 2 .3
- 9 .1
- 3 .7
-2 .2
-
1.0
-.9
-.9
+ .6
-1 6 .0
-3 .5
-.7
+ 1 .5
+ .7
-4 .8
-1 1 .1
+6.6
+ 7 .2
+ 3 .6
- 3 .3
- 1 .5
-.6
-.5
- 6 .8
+ 5 .4
- 1 .6
+ .8
- 2 .5
- 1 .2
- 6 .8
+8.8
- 1 .5
+ 3 .0
+ 3 .2
- 1 .4
+ .3
+ .4
-.3
-2 .2
+ ( 2)
+ .3
- .4
+ (2)
- 1 .4
+ .7
+ .9
+ .3
- 9 .9
+ 2.9
1167
See footnotes at end of table.
88.8
+11.6
+20.1
+ 7 .4
+10.3
+11.7
+16.4
+13.8
+15.1
+14.9
+ 6 .5
+13.1
+18.8
+11.8
+37.1
+30.1
+49.0
+ 4 .0
+16.5
+63.6
+20.1
Trend of Employment and Pay Rolls
Textiles and their products_____ ______ __________
Fabrics---------------- ------ - ................ .....................
Carpets and rugs.______ _______________
Cotton goods......................................................
Cotton small wares..... ............................... .
Dyeing and finishing textiles...... ..................
Hats, fur-felt........ ..................^....................
K nit goods_________ ____ ______________
Hosiery....................................................... Knitted outerwear.......... ...................... —
Knitted underwear_________________
Knitted cloth______________________
Silk and rayon g o o d s...------ ------------------Woolen and worsted goods---------------------Wearing apparel_____________ _____________
Clothing, men’s.................................................
Clothing, women’s.......................................... Corsets and allied garments...........................
M en’s furnishings____________ ____ _____
M illin e r y ...................................................... —
Shirts and collars— ............................... .......
Leather and its manufactures----------------------------Boots and shoes-----------------------------------------L eather......................................................................
Food and kindred products................... — ............
Baking........................................................................
Beverages...................................................................
B u tt e r ...................... ...............................................
Canning and preserving.........................................
Confectionery.....................................- ...................
Flour..........................................................................
Ice cream_____________ _____ — ------------- Slaughtering and meat packing............................
Sugar, beet----- ----------------------------------------Sugar refining, cane— ------ --------- ---------------
1.—E m p lo y m e n t , P a y
R o lls , H o u r s , a n d E a r n in g s in M a n u f a c tu r in g a n d N o n m a n u fa c tu r in g I n d u s tr ie s , A u g u s t 1 9 3 8 —Continued
1168
T able
M A N U F A C T U R I N G —Continued
Employment
Industry
Percentage
change from—
Indexes,
August 1938
Percentage
change from—
Average hours
worked per
week 1
Average hourly
earnings 1
Percentage
change from—
August
1938
Per
Per
centage
centage
August change August change
from
1938
1938
from
August
July
July
1937
1938
1938
Old
series
New
series
July
1938
August
1937
Old
series
New
series
July
1938
August
1937
60.0
55.1
60.5
97.9
91.1
105.4
64.4
60.5
64.9
102.7
94.8
102.8
+ 4 .7
+ 1.1
+ 5 .3
+ 1.2
+ 2 .6
+ 1 .2
- 2 .9
- 1 .0
-3 .2
-7 .8
-1 1 .2
-1 1 .5
54.8
64.7
53.6
93.3
92.4
103.4
59.1
66.8
58.1
98.0
97.3
101.9
+ 3.5
- 2 .9
+ 4.7
+ 2 .2
+ 4 .6
+ 5.2
- 4 .8
- 2 .3
- 5 .0
- 8 .8
-1 0 .0
-1 6 .5
$16.81
17.28
16. 71
27.48
20.90
24.26
- 1 .1
- 3 .9
-.6
+ 1 .0
+ 2 .0
+ 3 .9
- 2 .0
- 1 .3
- 1 .2
- 1 .1
+1.1
- 5 .6
36.7
34.3
37.0
37.7
38.9
39.4
- 1 .2
- 3 .2
-1 .0
+ 2 .0
+ 3 .3
+ 4.1
Cents
46.2
50.7
45.6
76.0
54.2
61.7
+ 0 .4
-.8
+ .6
-.8
- 1 .0
-.2
90.0
100.1
99.0
102.5
+ 1 .3
+ .3
- 7 .2
- 2 .9
82.3
96.8
86.2
101.1
+ 1 .3
- ( 2)
- 8 .1
- 2 .6
29.01
36.25
+ ( J)
-.4
- 1 .1
+ .3
37.1
36.1
+ .7
+ .6
79.3
97.1
- 1 .1
-.6
106.8
118.3
104.0
108.3
56.7
104.5
86.7
62.0
114.3
314.8
97.9
72.2
52.2
62.4
109.4
108.1
121.9
104.8
110.3
68.4
108.3
81.9
68.7
110.6
293.9
90.7
72.5
54.1
60.6
113.2
+ 3 .0
+• 1
+ 3 .8
+2.3
+15.3
+ 1.1
+ 1.7
+ 7 .4
-.2
+ 8 .6
+ 3.5
+ 5 .5
+27.8
-.1
+ 6 .2
-1 4 .2
- 7 .7
-1 5 .9
-2 1 .0
+ 6 .0
-6 .6
-9 .4
-1 5 .5
-1 3 .9
-2 2 .0
- 3 .6
-2 5 .5
-3 0 .4
-2 8 .8
-1 9 .0
119.1
137.0
113.5
120.1
51.0
118.3
96.2
66.0
113.7
308.1
113.7
69.0
44.9
61.6
106.9
116.9
138.1
110.3
121.0
57.0
116.8
93.1
64.8
111.2
289.0
91.2
69.5
50.9
60.6
107.7
+ 5.2
+ 2.1
+ 6 .4
+ 5 .7
+11.4
+ 4.9
+ 4.2
+ 2 .8
-1 5 .4
- 8 .9
-1 7 .7
-2 3 .1
+ 9.6
- 4 .8
-1 0 .7
-1 7 .0
-1 6 .3
-2 3 .1
-3 .0
-2 8 .5
-3 6 .9
-3 1 .0
-2 0 .3
29.04
35.25
26.17
30.39
12.83
24. 52
31.26
17.46
27.39
24.16
28.64
25.39
21.54
28.73
22.34
+ 2.2
+ 2 .0
+ 2 .4
+ 3.3
- 3 .4
+ 3 .8
+ 2.4
- 4 .3
+ .4
+ 6 .6
+ 1 .2
+ 2 .8
+ 8.5
+ 1.1
+ 6 .8
- 1 .5
- 1 .4
- 2 .2
- 2 .6
+ 2 .0
+ 2.9
-.8
- 1 .5
- 2 .4
- 1 .5
+ .6
- 4 .0
- 9 .3
- 2 .8
-1 .6
38.1
36.0
39.0
38.8
46.8
39.3
38.6
37.2
39.2
37.8
39.0
33.9
35.8
30.3
37.7
+ 3 .2
+ 2 .4
+ 3 .5
+3. 8
- 2 .7
+ 4 .8
+ 5 .3
- 1 .9
+ 1.1
+ 7.5
+ 1.3
+ 5 .0
+ 7 .5
+ 1 .6
+ 6 .9
76.3
98.6
67.2
78.5
26.8
58.9
80.9
47.0
70.0
63.9
73.5
76.0
60.2
94.1
59.7
-1 .3
-.3
-1 .4
-.4
-.4
-3 .2
-2 .7
- 2 .4
-.7
-.8
-. 1
-1 .8
+ .9
-.9
-.5
July
1938
Nondurable goods—Continued
Tobacco manufactures...... .................................. ...........
Chewing and smoking tobacco and snuff____
Cigars and cigarettes........ .............. .............. .........
Paper and printing_______________ ____ _________
Boxes, paper................................................... ...........
Paper and pulp.......................................................
Printing and publishing:
Book and j o b ...................................................
Newspapers and periodicals...........................
Chemicals and allied products, and petroleum
refining_____________________________________
Petroleum refining..................................................
Other than petroleum refining..............................
Chemicals________ _____________________
Cottonseed—oil, cake, and meal_________
Druggists’ preparations...................................
Explosives...........................................................
Fertilizers........................ ..................................
Paints and varnishes___________ ________
Rayon and allied products______________
Soap__________________________________
Rubber products._______ _______ _______________
Rubber boots and shoes__________ __________
Rubber tires and inner tubes_______________
Rubber goods, other....... ........................................
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
+15.8
+ 4 .7
+ 8 .4
+38.6
+ 1 .0
+13.4
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
Indexes,
August 1938
Average weekly
earnings 1
Pay rolls
NONMANUFACTURING
[Indexes are based on 12-month average, 1029=100]
Employment
Industry
37.6
80.1
51.4
44.6
72.4
Percentage
change from—
Percentage
change from—
July
1938
July
1938
August
1937
20.0
64.2
43.7
39.2
66.8
- 0 .8
+13.2
+14.8
+6.1
+ .1
-3 2 .2
-2 5 .6
-4 7 .4
-2 6 .3
- 5 .6
$17.35
21.38
26. 62
22.17
34.11
-1 5 .7
+ 2.1
+ 3 .6
+ 1 .1
+ .1
Index,
August
1938
August
1937
-2 4 .3
-1 7 .7
-3 8 .4
-1 8 .9
- 8 .6
July
1938
August
1937
+17.5
+10.8
+10.9
+ 4 .9
+ ( 8)
-1 0 .5
-9 .6
-1 4 .7
- 9 .1
+ 3 .3
Percentage
change from—
Percentage
change from—
Percentage
change from—
August
1938
Average hourly
earnings 1
August
1938
18.6
23.6
39.5
41.2
40.5
July
1938
August
1937
+28.9
+10.5
+ 9 .4
+ 4 .0
+ 1.3
-1 5 .3
-1 1 .5
- 9 .4
- 9 .2
+ 2 .7
August
1938
July
1938
August
1937
Cents
90.8
88.8
67.7
53.7
82.9
-2 .6
+ .2
+ 1 .5
+ .8
- 1 .6
- 1 .1
-1 .0
- 5 .4
-. 1
-. 1
+ 4 .7
74.8
- .2
- 6 .3
91.3
+ .5
- .9
30. 25
+ .7
+ 5 .8
38.6
+ .5
-.1
81.3
- (*)
92.7
+ .4
- 5 .8
98.9
+ .7
- 3 .6
33. 54
+ .2
+ 2.3
40.4
+ 2.4
+ 1 .7
83.4
- 1 .7
+ .7
69.5
- .9
- 5 .4
69.5
+ .7
-5 .0
32. 73
+ 1 .7
+ .4
45.3
+ 1 .8
-4 .5
71.4
+ .1
+ 5 .4
87.6
80.0
86.4
78.3
90.4
97.5
105.0
0
(5)
0
+ 1 .0
- 1 .4
- 1 .7
- 1 .3
- .3
- .3
- 3 .3
+ 1 .0
+ «
+ 2 .6
- 4 .5
- 7 .2
- 7 .9
-7 .0
-4 .2
-6 .8
- 4 .8
-1 3 .7
+ 2 .0
-3 1 .6
73.7
66.8
78.8
■64.3
77.4
83.1
74.3
0
0
0
+ .2
- 2 .0
- 2 .1
- 1 .9
+ 0
+ .2
- 4 .2
+ .4
- 2 .5
+ 3.6
- 6 .7
- 7 .6
- 8 .1
- 7 .4
- 3 .9
- 5 .6
- 8 .7
-2 0 .7
- 3 .3
-3 4 .0
29.35
21.38
18.12
23.98
14.64
17. 36
19.47
34.71
35. 70
29.69
-.8
-.6
-.3
- .6
+ .3
+ .5
-1 .0
- .5
- 2 .5
+ .9
- 2 .3
-.5
+ 0
-.5
+ .3
+ 1.3
-4 .0
-8 .2
-5 .2
- 3 .5
42.3
42.7
38.7
43.8
47.1
42.5
42.0
0
0
32.9
+ 1 .0
+ .2
-. 1
+ .2
+ .6
+ .5
+ .2
0
0
- .4
-2 .3
- 1 .3
+1.1
-1 .9
- 2 .8
- 2 .6
- 4 .1
0
0
-6 .0
70.0
54.5
49.6
56.0
30.7
41.1
46.8
0
0
90.3
- 1 .5
-.8
-.1
- 1 .0
- .4
-.3
-1 .6
0
0
+ 1 .3
-.9
+ 2 .4
- .9
+ 3 .1
+ 1 .5
+ 4.1
+ 1.1
0
0
+ 1 .9
* Weighted.
(
6 N ot available.
6 Indexes adjusted to 1935 census. Comparable series back to January 1929 presented in
January 1938 issue of the pamphlet, Employm ent and Pay Rolls.
7 Average weekly earnings, hourly earnings, and hours not strictly comparable with
figures published in pamphlets prior to January 1938 as they now exclude corporation
officers, executives, and other employees whose duties are m ainly supervisory.
8 Cash payments only; the additional value of board, room, and tips cannot be com
puted.
1169
• Average weekly earnings are computed from figures furnished by all reporting estab
lishments. Average hours and average hourly earnings are computed from data supplied
by a smaller number of establishments as all reporting firms do not furnish man-hours.
The figures are not strictly comparable from month to month because of changes in the
size and composition of the reporting sample. Hours and earnings for all manufacturing
industries combined now relate to 87 industries instead of 89 as heretofore because of
exclusion of railroad repair shops. Figures for durable-goods groups are also affected. See
text in section headed “ Employment, pay rolls, hours, and earnings.”
» Less than Ho of 1 percent.
8 N ot yet computed.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Average hours worked
per week 1
Trend of Employment and Pay Rolls
Coal mining:
Anthracite 6-------- -------------------------------------Bituminous ».......................................................
Metalliferous mining..................................................
Quarrying and nonmetallic mining...........................
Crude-petroleum producing.........................................
Public utilities:
Telephone and telegraph 7........................ ...........
Electric light and power and manufactured
gas 7---------------------- -------------------- -----------Electric-railroad and motorbus operation and
maintenance7........................................................
Trade:
Wholesale 7_______________________________
R e ta il7_________________________ ________ —
General merchandising 7........................... .
Other than general merchandising7............ .
Hotels (year-round)6 7 8— ................... —.............. .
Laundries 6_ . ................... ...............................................
Dyeing and cleaning 6....................................................
Brokerage 7......................................................................
Insurance 7------------ ----------------------------------------Building construction............................................. .......
Index,
August
1938
Average weekly
earnings 1
Pay rolls
1170
T a b l e 2 . —Employment, P ay Rolls, Hours, and Earnings in Manufacturing and Nonmanufacturing Industries
MANUFACTURING
[Indexes are based on 3-year average, 1923-25=100, and are adjusted to 1935 Census of Manufactures. Not comparable to indexes published in earlier issues of Review (except for Aug
ust figures in October issue). Comparable series available upon request]
Employment index
Average weekly
earnings 1
Pay-roll index
Average hours worked
per week 1
Average hourly
earnings *
Industry
July
1938
June
1938
August
1938
July
1938
June
1938
August
1938
July
1938
June
1938
August
1938
July
1938
June
1938
August
1938
July
1938
June
1938
Cents
(2)
All manufacturing industries............... ............ .........-
85.7
81.9
81.6
76.8
70.6
70.8
$22. 84
$22.04
(2)
36.3
34.7
(2)
Cents
62.9
Cents
63.5
Durable goods___ ____________ _______ _____
Nondurable g o o d s..................................................
71.8
99.0
70.3
92.9
72.4
90.3
63.5
91.6
58.6
84.1
61.7
80.9
24. 87
21.25
23.50
20.83
m
$20. 52
35.4
36.9
33.2
35.9
(2)
(2)
70.2
57.8
70.4
58.3
(2)
(2)
79.4
84.0
78.2
63.0
76.7
82.4
77.2
61.7
77.8
82.3
77.3
63.5
65.3
65.3
65.9
53.6
57.4
56.8
58.5
52.5
59.1
58.1
61.1
51.1
24.12
24. 70
21.63
20.19
21.91
21. 43
19. 37
20. 24
(2)
22.21
20.16
19.11
32.4
29.6
31.0
34.1
29.7
25.8
27.3
34.1
(2)
26.5
28.3
32.7
75.3
83.5
69.8
58.7
75.3
83.6
70.9
59.0
(2)
84.1
71.1
57.6
74.5
41.5
60.6
73.1
114.1
63.9
38.5
56.5
72.5
105.1
75.4
40.2
61.3
72.5
112.5
60.9
34.5
57.6
58.0
109.9
52.1
28.9
48.3
55.7
92.0
61.5
29.3
52.4
57.6
99.7
20.63
24.48
23.06
22. 52
23.13
20. 59
22.06
20.77
21.83
21.14
20. 51
21.36
20. 77
22. 55
21. 35
34.5
33.0
35.2
34.1
37.0
33.6
29.5
31.8
32.9
34.0
33.6
28.9
31.8
34.1
33.8
61.0
74.1
65.7
66.0
62.7
62.5
74.8
65.2
66.2
61.8
62.8
73.8
65.3
66.0
62.7
69.0
76.0
59.8
99.5
67.1
68.2
59.1
91.4
64.9
71.4
58.3
88.9
55.5
61.5
51.2
107.0
51.5
52.0
48.8
94.4
51.0
55.4
46.7
92.6
24. 27
23.95
26.94
23.40
23.18
22. 51
25.95
22.29
23. 79
22.95
25.26
22. 54
35.2
36.0
36.9
39.2
32.9
34.4
35.8
37.8
34.1
34.9
34.7
37.7
69.2
66.6
73.1
59.7
70.3
66.1
72.5
59.0
69.8
66.4
72.8
59.8
71.9
106. 2
84.1
99.3
69.7
109.6
82.9
100.2
73.0
115.5
86.1
125.2
63.0
99.8
76.0
94.8
57.6
91.6
72.8
98.2
60.9
99.8
76.4
124.1
21.64
22. 64
25.03
26.29
20. 40
19. 87
24. 34
3 27.13
20. 71
20. 59
24. 68
3 27. 36
35.2
34.0
34.6
34.4
32.8
30.6
33.5
3 34.6
33.4
31.3
(2)
3 35.1
61.3
66.7
72.0
76.7
61.6
65. 1
72.4
» 78.4
61.7
65.8
(2)
»78.1
135.0
74.0
137.5
73.0
137.3
75.3
120. 5
67.7
123.1
64.1
121.4
66.6
28.82
25. 28
27.93
24. 33
28. 56
24.49
35.7
34.2
35.0
32.7
35.2
32.7
81.6
73.8
80.7
74.2
81.8
74.7
82.7
82.2
85.5
90.4
86.3
89.4
28.13
3 27.14
3 26. 98
35.9
> 34.7
3 34.6
78.7
3 78.5
» 78.3
Durable goods
Iron and steel and their products, not including
machinery ............. ............................... ....................
Blast furnaces, steel works, and rolling mills__
Bolts, nuts, washers, and rivets........................Cast-iron pipe_____________________________
Cutlery (not including silver and plated cut
lery) and edge t o o ls ..........................................
Forgings, iron and steel..................... ................. .
Hardware______________________ __________
Plumbers’ su p p lies.................................................
Stamped and enameled ware________________
Steam and hot-water heating apparatus and
steam fittings____________ ____ ____ ____ _
Stoves______ _________________ ____________
Structural and ornamental metalwork..............
Tin cans and other tinware______________ . .
Tools (not including edge tools, machine tools,
files, and saws)________ __________________
Wire work_____ ___________________________
Machinery, not including transportation equipment.
Agricultural implements (including tractors)..
Cash registers, adding machines, and calculat
ing machines ........ ........................ ......................
Electrical machinery, apparatus, and supplies.
Engines, turbines, water wheels, and wind
m ills_____________________ ___ ___________
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
August
1938
75.8
110.6
102770— 38-
81.6
54.2
115.5
55.5
794.6
53 1
22.8
20.2
95.8
79.1
122.0
86.1
73.6
79.2
62.8
50.8
63.5
60.7
71.2
50.9
49.8
64.6
48.8
70.3
74 7
44.0
69.5
77.4
115.8
81.6
54.2
115 0
62.4
813.6
61.5
25.3
25.1
98.2
79.8
121.5
85.7
75.2
77.6
63.7
58.4
64.5
60.7
70.8
49.7
50.1
65.8
48.3
68.1
79.3
43.7
73.0
67.0
97.4
75.5
50.6
97.9
49.1
712.8
46. 1
21.8
13. 1
90.0
74.1
125.8
83.4
70.3
70.1
57.8
48.5
57.9
58.1
62.5
63.7
94.2
72.4
45.7
91.5
50.9
736.5
47.2
20.2
15.5
99.9
67.0
111.5
77.9
59.6
61.2
49.6
38.1
56.8
48.7
51.3
65.7
99.0
71.6
47.2
93.7
57.4
764.3
54.4
24.0
19.6
104.7
66.3
109.4
72.5
59.6
60.4
50.6
44.6
60.4
51.2
52.4
See footnotes at end of table.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
84.6
77.2
80.4
48.0
62.8
68.1
76.0
78.2
81.3
68.3
71.8
67.7
98.0
97.0
101.8
61.3
79.8
88.1
4
103.
4104.6
♦ 109. 3
132.5
133.0
138.3
68.6
69.2
74.4
65.7
66.6
68.4
134.7
137.2
150.3
53.
55.0
61.3
61.0
68.4
75.1
99.7
98.9
116.3
78.
89.8
104.3
148.
134.6
165.9
97.
93.2
94.7
95.1
85.2
86.6
21.20
22.78
19.97
30.94
29. 10
32.03
25. 15
23.37
29.99
24.14
24.89
25.63
19.11
22.70
23.83
23.13
25.72
21.02
20.43
23.95
24.26
22.11
22.25
19. 02
29. 54
28.78
29. 72
24. 42
24. 51
31.34
22.93
23.07
24.74
16.58
21.49
21.22
20. 55
25.09
18.64
17.80
20.85
26.14
19. 52
18.42
34.8
35.4
35.7
33.9
31.0
35.3
39.8
34.8
34.7
31.1
35.9
36.2
36.9
35.9
33.0
38.6
35.0
35.9
37.6
40.5
39.3
33.6
33.3
36.3
33.3
29.3
33.8
39.4
32.0
33.0
32.1
38.8
34.3
33.3
34.7
29.0
36.2
31.2
31.7
37.1
36.5
34.2
33.9
33.4
36.9
34.0
30.0
(2)
39.7
32.0
35.0
32.7
37.3
(2)
33.4
32.6
29.3
35.2
32.1
32.6
38.4
(2)
35.0
70.9
73.2
59.5
67.3
64.3
88.3
74.1
92.4
72.6
75.2
83.6
66.6
67.5
71.5
57.8
57.7
68.1
64.6
68.4
52.3
52.2
71.0
72.8
61.0
67.0
65.0
88.3
74.0
93.0
74.1
76.4
80.4
68.8
68.1
71.4
57.0
58.6
68.1
64.7
67.7
51.1
52.2
39.6
37.0
34.7
37.0
37.8
31.9
36.4
32.5
39.0
38.6
(2)
37.7
38.9
33.4
37.1
34.0
54.6
51.9
63.4
51.1
69.0
71.2
67.7
62.9
55.0
50.2
63.3
51.1
69.0
70.7
68.8
62.3
32.6
33.9
29.3
34.0
35.6
35.7
34.3
32.9
32.2
35.4
32. 4
38.3
33.7
35.4
30.2
28.3
31.3
31. 6
(2)
(2)
30.1
31.3
34.7
34.5
29.6
(2)
33.3
34.4
32.0
33.7
33.5
33.7
(2)
26.2
30.2
31.7
48.9
46.4
61.9
38.3
46.6
53.7
73.1
« 51.5
55.5
44.6
41.6
47.0
43.8
52.9
53.1
59.0
54.8
46.0
48.2
46.8
63.9
39.2
47.3
54.6
70.1
51.5
55.3
43.9
41.6
47.5
44.4
53.4
50.8
58.2
52.1
46.5
24. 30
24.31
22.07
23.00
19. 56
29.64
29.11
29. 60
26.14
25.08
31.61
( 2)
22. 75
23.14
16.85
21.82
22.10
45.6
50.2
56.5
37.2
65.4
78.6
32.0
58.7
41.6
41.6
53.1
35.4
66.0
69.1
33.5
53.1
40.3
45.4
56.4
36.0
65. 1
77.6
33.8
61.0
22.79
20.90
22.77
19. 56
26.06
23.95
24.37
20.40
21.76
18.29
21.90
18.83
26.13
22. 55
24.93
19.14
21.36
19. 76
22.77
19.43
26.62
23.48
25.19
20.93
41.8
40.9
35.9
38.3
37.8
33.6
35.7
34.4
80.0
73.3
53.6
68.4
64.9
87.5
87.2
66.6
62.4
61.2
35.5
58.5
59.9
16.84
16.50
15.67
15.72
18.69
13.29
16.57
19.60
23.85
16.41
17.51
15.65
13.58
17.47
15.17
18.85
15. 50
16. 37
17.14
14.77
15.03
15.29
19.29
12.82
16.82
18.97
20.05
16.68
18.07
16.17
13. 38
15.92
15.04
18.02
14. 31
14.09
16. 25
14.91
34.7
36.1
34.0
35.6
36.7
38.3
35.3
‘ 35.9
35.7
37.1
34.1
40.4
36.7
36.4
32.5
31.2
32.9
33.3
Nondurable goods
Textiles and their products...................................—
Fabrics....................................................................
Carpets and rugs...........................................
Cotton goods.........- .......................................
Cotton small wares....... ...............................
Dyeing and finishing textiles.....................
Hats, fur-felt...................... - ..........................
KnitVoods.......................................................
Hosiery.......... - ........................................
Knitted outerwear................................
Knitted underwear................................
Knitted cloth..........................................
Silk and rayon goods...... - . .........................
Woolen and worsted goods.........................
Wearing apparel..................................................
Clothing, men’s . ...........- ..........................
Clothing, women’s .......................................
Corsets and allied garments-----------------
24. 77
25.86
4 111. 8
154.4
65.2
57.7
126.1
50.2
62.1
90.5
74.6
128.1
85.8
65.7
44.7
63.7
58.8
78.3
74.9
4 98.2
134.2
56.7
54.2
111.4
42.2
55.5
66.0
57.4
86.0
82.5
76.8
48.5
4 99.9
138.8
57.9
52.7
99. 5
40.8
47.4
62.
43.
89.
85.
21.01
13.67
17.09
20.69
25. 21
17.87
19. 38
16.89
14.12
18.91
16.22
19. 21
17.70
18. 45
20.23
15. 27
71.4
72.7
59.9
67.9
65.1
(2)
73.8
92.7
74.6
76.8
83.3
(*68.2
)
70.9
58.6
60.9
68.8
63.4
68.2
( 2)
53.1
54.9
52.7
(251.8
) 0
68.4
70.5
67.8
63.6
(2)
(264.2
)
41.1
48.4
54.7
72.0
(255.7
) „
46.0
41.7
48.1
44.2
53.7
(254.8
)
49.3
46.5
Trend of Employment and Pay Rolls
77.1
107.1
88.9
57.9
117.7
Typewriters and parts........................................
51.3
Transportation equipment---------------------------------- 758.7
A ircraft......................................................................
48.4
Automobiles----------------- ------- ----------- -----23.9
Cars, electric- and steam-railroad........................
18.0
Locomotives------------------------------------------89.1
Shipbuilding...........................- - - - - .........................
83.0
Nonferrous metals and their products......................
128.5
Aluminum manufactures.......-----...................
89.0
Brass, bronze, and copper products— --— .—
77.7
Clocks and watches and time-recording devices.
86.7
Jewelry................. .........................................
67.9
Lighting equipm ent.--------------------■
57.5
Silverware and plated w a r e ...- —------ ----63.1
Smelting and refining—copper, lead, and zinc —
64.0
Lumber and allied products------------------------76.0
Furniture----------------------- -------------------Lumber:
52.8
M illwork------ ---------- ---------------------52.4
Sawmills......................................................
66.3
Stone, clay, and glass products...........................
49.9
Brick, tile, and terra cotta............................ 69.9
C e m e n t...------- --------------------------- ------ 78.7
43
Marble",'granite,''slate',''and other products.
72.3
Pottery................................................................
Foundry and machine-shop products................
Machine tools----------- ------------------------- -------Radios and phonographs........................................
Textile machinery and parts.................................
1172
T able 2.—Employment, Pay Rolls, Hours, and Earnings in Manufacturing and Nonmanufacturing Industries—Continued
M A N U F A C T U R IN G — Continued
[Indexes are based on 3-year average, 1923-25=100, and are adjusted to 1935 Census of Manufactures. N ot comparable to indexes published in earlier issues of pamphlet.
series available upon request]
Employment index
Average weekly
earnings 1
Pay-roll index
Average hours worked
per week '
Comparable
Average hourly
earnings 1
Industry
June
1938
August
1938
127.2
68.2
117.3
92.6
94.6
77.0
138.3
144.5
260.0
110.2
251.2
71.6
78.1
93.0
94.2
74.7
90.1
64.4
60.5
64.9
102.7
94.8
102.8
120.5
49.9
107.5
89.3
91.4
73.9
128.6
145,0
259.6
110.9
178.6
67.5
77.9
94.6
94.7
53.2
88.1
61.5
59.8
61.7
101.5
92.4
101.6
123.8
109.5
59.6
60.0
113.4
93.4
76.9
81.8
82.5
75.1
77.5
72.2
119.4
131.1
144.2
139.8
251.9
322.0
94.4
110.1
113.9
203.8
69.7
69.3
75.3
78.9
91.6
80.3
93.5
104.8
47.4
67.7
90.5 ' 80.1
64.8
59.1
60.6
66.8
65.3
58.1
101.9
98.0
92.2
97.3
101.9
101.9
99.0
102.5
96.6
97.7
102.1 1 104.7
July
1938
June
1938
August
1938
July
1938
June
1938
August
1938
July
1938
June
1938
August
1938
July
1938
June
1938
Nondurable goods—Continued
Textiles and their products----- Continued.
Wearing apparel—Continued.
M en’s furnishings______________ ____ ___
M illinery.............................................................
Shirts and collars............................................leather and its manufactures___________ ________
Boots and shoes........................................................
Leather.............................. ........................................
Food and kindred products_____________________
Baking........................................................................
B everages.......................................................... .......
B u tte r ..................... .................................................
Canning and preserving.......................... ..............
Confectionery..........................................................
Flour.......................................................... ...............
Ice cream..................................................................
Slaughtering and meat packing.......................
Sugar, beet................................................. ..............
Sugar refining, cane............................................. .
Tobacco manufactures................. ............ .....................
Chewing and smoking tobacco and snuff_____
Cigars and cigarettes............................................. .
Paper and printing..........................................................
Boxes, paper.............................................................
Paper and pulp.......... ..............................................
Printing and publishing:
Book and job ...................................................
Newspapers and periodicals......................
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
86.2
101.1
94.0
36.4
77.8
69.4
67.0
72.1
128.5
142.8
322.8
95.9
157.2
63.1
79.4
80.5
107.9
53.1
81.3
57.1
68.8
55.6
95.9
93.0
96.9
100.8
44.5
83.1
57.5
52.8
69.2
121.7
141.9
305.7
94.5
100.7
67.9
75.6
77.5
104.7
51.5
81.4
59.4
70.4
58.0
96.0
90.9
94.9
$13. 46
21.98
12.17
19. 76
18.85
24.15
23.17
25.33
34.51
22.84
14.67
18.03
26. 53
28.92
27.93
23.33
23.90
16.81
17.28
16. 71
27.48
20.90
24.26
$12.18
18.41
11.14
18. 56
17.48
23. 44
24. 53
25. 79
34.73
23.01
16.06
17.47
27.06
28.74
28. 63
25.99
24.82
17.18
18.07
16.96
27.10
20. 42
23.37
$12. 74
18. 35
11. 22
16.30
14. 71
23.11
24.98
25. 76
33.51
23.18
15.98
18.21
26.66
28.42
28.19
27.89
24.22
16.91
18.62
16. 57
27.04
19.89
22.89
33.8
34.3
33.9
38.4
38.4
38.7
39.7
41.6
40.8
48.1
35.1
37.0
44.7
48.3
40.6
36.2
38.8
36.7
34.3
37.0
37.7
38.9
39.4
32.0
30.9
30.9
36.0
35.8
37.4
41.0
42.3
41.2
47.9
38.2
35.4
45.4
48.4
41.6
36.3
41.7
37.2
35.5
37.4
37.0
37.6
37.8
34.3
28.4
30.8
(2)
30.4
36.8
(2)
42.3
40.3
48.1
34.9
37.4
44.5
47.6
40.7
40.8
39.7
(2)
36.6
37.0
(2)
36.7
36.7
Cents
36.0
62.3
36.4
51.6
49.3
62.7
58.6
61.5
85.2
47.3
42.9
49.0
58.9
59.8
68.9
64.6
61.6
46.2
50.7
45.6
76.0
54.2
61.7
Cents
35.1
60.7
37.4
51.5
49.2
62.8
59.9
61.2
85.1
47.6
42.9
49.6
59.3
59.2
69.1
73.5
59.9
46.0
51.1
45.4
76.7
54.7
61.9
Cents
35.1
63.0
37.8
(2)
48.6
63.0
(2)
61.3
84.1
48.0
46.7
49.0
59.6
60.1
69.0
70.8
61.0
(2)
50.9
45.1
(2)
55.3
62.5
85.0
101.1
84.0
104.3
29.01
36. 25
28.96
36. 39
29.02
36.81
37.1
36.1
36.9
35.9
36.5
35.8
79.3
97.1
80.0
97.8
80.6
99.4
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
July
1938
August
1938
Chemicals and allied products, and petroleum
refining.................................................... ............. .
Petroleum refining.......... .......................... ...........
Other than petroleum refining........................... .
Chemicals____________________________
Cottonseed—oil, cake, and meal................. .
Druggists ’ preparations................................ .
Explosives_______________ ____ - ...........
Fertilizers........... ............................. .................
Paihts and varnishes________ __________
Rayon and allied products............................
Soap...................................................................
Rubber products___ __________ _____________
105.0
121.8
101.0
107.8
59.3
107.1
80.5
64.0
110.8
270.5
87.6
68.7
42.3
60.7
106.6
105.2
121. 1
101.4
109.7
57.8
107.6
80.2
69.0
113.0
265.4
85.0
70.6
53.9
60.4
106.3
116.9
138.1
110.3
121.0
57.0
116.8
93.1
64.8
111.2
289.0
91.2
69.5
50.9
60.6
107.7
111.1
135.3
103.7
114.5
51.2
111.3
89.4
63.1
111.0
249.5
87.1
64.1
36.7
60.0
95.0
112.8
137.8
105.1
118.1
48.0
114.4
86.4
65.0
115.6
242.1
85.9
63.5
45.2
57.5
93.4
29.04
35.25
26.17
30.39
12.83
24. 52
31.26
17.46
27.39
24.16
28.64
25.39
21.54
28.73
22.34
28.48
34.60
25.54
29.40
13.31
23. 65
30. 63
18. 55
27.38
22. 68
28.32
24.84
20.15
28.43
20.81
28.80
35. 26
25. 63
29. 90
12.87
24.03
29.30
17.33
27.79
22.42
28.81
23.75
19.18
27.35
20.49
38.1
36.0
39.0
38.8
46.8
39.3
38.6
37.2
39.2
37.8
39.0
33.9
35.8
30.3
37. 7
36.9
35.2
37.7
37.3
48.3
37.5
36.8
38.0
38.8
35.1
38.6
32.3
34.3
30.0
35.3
(2)
36.3
(2)
37.7
48.3
37.7
36.4
38.0
39.9
34.6
38.8
(2)
32.1
28.7
34.5
76.3
98.6
67.2
78.5
26.8
58.9
80.9
47.0
70.0
63.9
73.5
76.0
60.2
94.1
59.7
77.3
98.8
68.2
78.7
26.7
61.8
83.2
48.7
70.7
64.5
73.6
77.4
58.7
94.5
59.9
(2)
97.8
(2)
79.3
26.1
60.0
81.5
45.8
69.7
64.8
74.5
(2)
59.8
94.5
59.7
28. 94
18. 92
25. 65
21.61
34.23
18.6
23.6
39.5
41.2
40.5
14.4
21.3
36.1
39.2
39.8
30.6
21.0
37.9
40.4
40.2
90.8
88.8
67.7
53.7
82.9
91.6
88.3
66. 7
54.2
84. 2
93. 2
87. 9
67.9
53.5
83. 6
NONMANUFACTURING
[Indexes are based on 12-month average, 1929=100]
Coal mining:
Public utilities:
Electric light and power and manufactured
Electric-railroad and motorbus operation and
Trade:
Other than general merchandising6............
37.6
80.1
51.4
44.6
72.4
44.6
78.5
49.7
44.1
72.3
56.0
80.2
56.0
43.6
72.8
20.0
64.2
43.7
39.2
66.8
20.2
56.8
38.0
37.0
66.7
49.7
57.0
46.1
37.3
67.6
17.35
21.38
26.62
22.17
34.11
14.76
19.16
24.01
21.38
33.94
74.8
74.9
74.8
91.3
90.9
90.9
30. 25
30.19
31.08
38. 6
38.4
38.4
81.3
82. 7
85. 5
92.7
92.3
92.2
98.9
98.3
98.6
33.54
33.40
33.55
40.4
39.4
40.3
83.4
84.9
83. 6
69.5
70.1
70.4
69.5
69.0
69.7
32.73
32.19
32.37
45.3
44. 5
45.0
71.4
71.3
70.9
87.6
80.0
86.4
78.3
86.8
81.1
87.9
79.3
87.2
83.6
91.9
81.4
73.7
66.8
78.8
64.3
73.6
68.1
80.4
65.6
73.8
69.5
84.3
66.4
29.35
21.38
18.12
23.98
29. 71
21.72
18.33
24.41
29.83
21.46
18. 22
24.11
42.3
42.7
38.7
43.8
42.1
42.6
39.0
43.6
42.5
42.7
39.3
43.7
69.9
54.6
49. 8
56.0
70. 6
55.9
49.8
57.7
70.7
55.0
49.4
56.6
Trend of Employment and Pay Rolls
Rubber boots and shoes—.....................................
Rubber tires and inner tubes— ................. ........
Rubber goods, other__________________ ____ _
108.1
121.9
104.8
110.3
68.4
108.3
81.9
68.7
110.6
293.9
90.7
72.5
54.1
60.6
113.2
See footnotes at end of table.
1173
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
T a b l e 2.
Employment, P ay Rolls, Hours, and Earnings in Manufacturing and Nonmanufacturing Industries-C on tin u ed
N O N M A N U F A C T U R IN G —C o n tin u ed
Emp loyment index
Pay-roll index
Industry
August
1938
July
1938
June
1938
August
1938
July
1938
June
1938
August
1938
July
1938
June
1938
August
1938
90.4
97.5
105.0
+1. 0
+ 0 °)
+ 2 .6
90.7
97.8
108.6
+ 2.4
+. 6
+ 1.3
92.2
96.6
110.8
- 1 .3
+ .3
+ .2
77.4
83.1
74.3
+ .4
-2 .5
+ 3 .6
77.4
83.0
77.5
+ 3.1
+ 1 .0
+ 1 .8
79.6
81.8
83.3
-1 .2
+ 1.1
+ 1.1
$14.64
17.36
19. 47
34. 71
35.70
29.69
$14.65
17.24
19.85
34.53
36.63
29.52
$14.95
17.20
20.93
34.06
36.64
29.43
47.1
42.5
42.0
0
(0
32.9
fairly eam i^ ar^ om p u t^ from ^ atesu M d ?^
o'v.il flIlla ler nurn*?er of establishments as all reporting firms do not furnish man-hours
DOf ?ír,etIy comparable from month to month because of changes in size
tbe rep°rtlns sample. Hours and earnings for all manufacturing in° ow relate to 87 industries instead of 89 as heretofore becluseof exclusion
section^eaded^'Vm^nvTnou1
?1^68
f°rrolls,
durable-goods
are”also aflected. See text in
section neaded Employment,
pay
hours, andgroups
earnings
8 Not yet computed.
* Revised.
4 Weighted.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Average hours worked
per week 1
July
1938
46.7
42.3
42.0
0
0
33.0
Average hourly
earnings 1
June
1938
August
1938
July
1938
June
1938
46.8
42.4
43.3
(0
0
32.6
Cents
30.7
41.1
46.8
0
0
90.3
Cents
31.2
41.1
47.6
0
0
89.5
Cents
31. 4
41. 0
48. 6
0
0
90.4
inVanuaXryS i f e u e o f t M s pubhcatiom“ 15^ 1516 SerieS ba°k t0 January 1929 presented
earnfnss, hourly earnings, and hours not strictly comparable with
o P o lish e d in pamphlets prior to January 1938 as they now exclude corporation
® N o t available68’ ^ ° ther emP]oyees whose duties are mainly supervisory.
puted.Sh payments only: the additional value of board, room, and tips cannot be comp r e S ¿ g eSm o L r Su t e S d “ d P*Y ^
15 Less than Ho of 1 percent.
DOt availabIe-’ Percentage changes from
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
Hotels (year-round) * *«_
Laundries »........................
Dyeing and cleaning 5__
Brokerage« » ..............
Insurance•»__.................
Building construction
Average weekly
earnings 1
Trend of Employment and Pay Rolls
1175
IN D E X E S OF EMPLOYMENT AND PAY ROLLS
General indexes of factory employment and pay rolls, adjusted to
the 1935 Census of Manufactures, are given in table 3 for the months
January 1919 to August 1938. They supersede the previously pub
lished series, which were adjusted only to 1933 census totals. The
accompanying chart indicates the trend of factory employment and
pay rolls from January 1919 to August 1938 as shown by the adjusted
indexes and by the former series of indexes.
Indexes of employment and pay rolls are given in table 4 for all
manufacturing industries combined, for the durable- and nondurablegoods groups of manufacturing industries, and for 13 nonmanufactur
ing industries, including 2 subgroups under retail trade, by months,
from August 1937 to August 1938, inclusive.
The indexes of factory employment and pay rolls are computed
from returns supplied by representative manufacturing establishments
in 87 manufacturing industries and relate to wage earners only.
Formerly 89 manufacturing industries were covered in the Bureau’s
monthly survey, but two of these—electric and steam railroad repair
shops—are now excluded. The base used in computing the indexes
is the 3-year average 1923-25 as 100. In August 1938 reports were
received from 24,864 manufacturing establishments employing 3,820,031 workers, whose weekly earnings were $87,257,748. The em
ployment reports received from these establishments cover more than
55 percent of the total wage earners in all manufacturing industries
of the country and more than 65 percent of the wage earners in the
87 industries included in the monthly survey of the Bureau of Labor
Statistics.
The indexes for the nonmanufacturing industries are based on the
12-month average for 1929 as 100. Figures for mining, laundries,
dyeing and cleaning, and building construction cover wage earners
only, but the figures for public utilities, trade, hotels, brokerage, and
insurance relate to all employees, except corporation officers, execu
tives, and other employees whose duties are mainly supervisory. For
crude-petroleum producing they cover wage earners and clerical field
force.
Data for both manufacturing and nonmanufacturing industries are
based on reports of the number of employees and amount of pay rolls
for the pay period ending nearest the 15th of the month.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1176
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1177
Trend of Employment and Pay Rolls
T
able
3 . —General
Indexes of Factory Employment and Pay Rolls By Months, January
1919 to August 1938
[1923-1925=100]
Employment
Year
Jan.
Feb. Mar. Apr.
May June July Aug. Sept.
ver
Oct. N ov. Dec. Aage
1919._____________ 104.5 101.2 101.7 101.9 102.6 103.9 106.6 109.3 111.3 110.9 112.1 113.9 106.7
1920________ _____ 114.3 113.3 115.6 114.0 111.1 110.1 107.5 107.4 106.1 102.1 95.6 88.0 107.1
1921............................ 79.5 81.7 82.9 82.3 82.0 81.2 79.7 81.1 83.0 83.7 83.7 82.7 82.0
1922______________ 82.4 84.5 85.8 85.7 87.9 89.6 90.5 93.1 95.1 96.6 98.0 99.1 90.7
1923............................. 100.2 102.4 104.6 105.1 105.2 105.7 104.6 104.8 105.3 104.0 102.8 101.1 103.8
1924______________ 100.1 101.7 101.9 100.1 96.8 93.8
1925. ............... ........... 96.6 98.3 99.2 99.1 98.6 98.4
1926______________ 101.0 102.0 102.5 101.8 100.8 100.8
1927______________ 98.6 100.2 100.9 100.3 99.6 99.7
95.3 97.2 98.2 97.8 97.8 98.5
1928............................
90.6 92.0 94.2 95.0 94.5 96.1 96.4
98.3 100.0 101.9 102.6 102.2 101.8 99.8
99.7 101.8 104.0 103.6 101.6 100.3 101.7
98.6 99.9 101.2 100.2 98.0 96.5 99.5
98.4 101.1 103.3 103.5 102.6 102.1 99.7
1929.................... — . 101.7 104.1 105.4 106.7 106.5 106.8 107.3 109.2 110.3 109.0 104.6 100.7 106.0
1930______________ 98.2 98.3 97.9 97.3 95.6 93.6 90.4 89.7 90.7 88.7 85.4 82.9 92.4
1931______________ 80.1 80.8 81.2 81.2 80.6 78.8 77.7 77.9 78.3 75.5 72.7 72.0 78.1
1932...........................
70.0 71.2 70.1 67.8 65.2 63.2 61.0 62.7 66.1 67.2 66.3 65.1 66.3
1933............................. 63.3 64.7 62.3 63.9 66.8 71.6 76.2 81.3 85.0 84.6 81.2 79.5 73.4
1934-............... ........... 78.8 83.7 87.2 88.8 89.0 87.8 86.3 87.4 83.5 85.9 84.3 85.6 85.7
1935________ ____ _ 86.6 89.6 91.1 91.3 90.0 88.3 88.9 91.7 93.8 95.2 94.5 94.0 91.3
92.1 92.2 93.4 94.7 95.4 95.9 97.1 99.9 101.9 103.2 103.3 104.4 97.8
1936________ _____
1937.......................... 102.7 105.3 107.7 108.8 108.9 107.5 108.0 109.1 109.0 107.2 101.1 94.5 105.8
87.8
88.2 87.7 85.7 83.4 81.6 81.9 85.7
1938................... .........
Pay rolls
1919._____________ 93.8 89.3 90.0 89.2 90.1 92.7 95.6 101.7 106.3 103.6 107.8
1920______________ 119.1 117.4 125.4 122.3 123.0 124.4 120.0 120.6 118.9 114.4 105.0
1921_______ _____ _ 80.6 80.1 81.0 78.8 77.4 75.6 71.6 73.6 73.3 71.9 70.9
1922______________ 69.6 72.5 74.4 73.6 77.0 80.0 80.2 84.1 87.0 .88.7 92.2
1923_______ _____ - 93.9 t 97.8 102.6 103.8 107.3 107.2 102.9 103.1 103.8 105.9 103.9
r.
i M
M
»
t
1924______________ 98.9 104.5 104.5 102.0 97.6 } 91.9 85.3 89.1 92.4 94.6 93.1
1925______________ 96.0 101.0 102.8 100.4 101.4 f9 9 .2 97.5 100.1 99.4 105.3 105.1
1926______________ 101.6 105.7 107.2 104.9 103.5 103.7 99.4 103.8 105.1 108.0 104.3
1927______________ 98.6 104.8 106.6 105.0 104.8 103.2 99.1 102.5 102.1 102.7 98.9
1928-........................... 96.6 102.0 103.5 101.3 102.3 102.7 100.2 104.6 106.2 109.5 106.2
1929______________ 103.8
1930______________ 96.5
1931_________ ____
70.3
1932........................... 54. C
1933-........................... 40.3
1934_______ ____
1935............................
1936........ ..............—
1937
..............
1938
56.1
67.5
76.7
94.4
75.0
115.4 98.0
95.5 117.2
72.7 75.6
94.5 81.2
102.7 102.9
97.6
105.5
103.6
100.0
106.9
96.0
101.1
104.2
102.4
103.5
110.8 113.0 114.1 114.3 112.7 108.6 113.5 114.4 113.7 104.9 101.2 110.4
99.6 99.7 98.5 96.1 92.9 85.0 83.8 84.8 82.9 77.3 75.4 89.4
74.4 75. S 74.7 73.6 69.9 6 6 . 6 66.4 63.8 61.8 58.3 57.8 67.8
55.4 53.6 49.6 46.8 43.7 40.4 41.4 44.0 45.8 43.6 42.4 46.7
41.4 38.3 40.4 44.4 49.1 52.7 58.6 61.3 61.1 57.3 56.5 50.1
62.9 67.2 69.6 69.7 67.4 62.8 65.1 60.8 64.0
72.6 74.3 74.4 71.7 69.9 69.1 74.0 76.7 79.4
76.6 80.3 82.3 83. £ 84.1 83.4 87.1 86.9 92.5
99.7 105.5 109.3 109.7 107.0 104.6 108.2 104.4 104.5
76.9 77.1 74.6 72.9 70.8 70.6 76.8
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
62.5
78.6
94. C
92.9
66.2 64.5
80.4 74.1
98.8 85.6
84.2 102.0
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
1178
T a b l e 4 . —Indexes
of Employment and Pay Rolls in Selected Manufacturing 1 and Non
manufacturing 2 Industries, August 1937 to August 1938, Inclusive
Employment
Industry
1938
1937
Avg. Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. ,Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May June July Aug.
1937
Manufacturing
All industries........................ 105.8 109.1 109.0 107.2 101.1 94.5 87.8 88.2 87.7 85.7 83.4 81.6 81.9 85.7
Durable goods 3 ------- 104. 0 107.0 106.3 106.6 100.8 91.7 81.7 80.1 79.3 77.0 75.0 72.4 70.3 71.8
Nondurable goods 4__ 107.6 111.1 111.5 107.8 101.4 97.2 93.7 95.9 95.8 94.0 91.5 90.3 92.9 99. U
Nonmanufacluring
Anthracite m ining._______
Bituminous-coal m in in g ...
Metalliferous mining_____
Quarrying and nonmetallic
m in in g .._____________
Crude-petroleum produc-
60.2 49.7 58.1 61.5 60.9 61.4 59.6 60.0 59.3 57.0 52.8 56.0 44.6 37.6
99.3 97.4 99.4 102.4 101.4 99.4 96.9 95.5 93.2 85.8 82.2 80.2 78.5 80. 1
76.8 83.4 84.1 82.9 75.4 70.4 67.4 63.6 62.3 61.6 58.8 56.0 49.7 51.4
51.4 54.9 54.7 53.3 49.9 43.9 38.2 37.8 38.9 41.7 43.7 43.6 44.1 44.6
76.5 79.3 78.2 77.5 77.2 76.5 75.3 74.2 73.6 73.8 73.2 72.8 72.3 72.4
Telephone and telegraph.. 77.8 79.8 79.8 79.6 78.9 78.0 77.8 75.7 74.9 74.8 75.0 74.8 74.9 74.8
Electric light and power,
and manufactured g a s ... 95.6 98.3 98.6 98.5 97.3 96.1 93.8 92.6 92.0 91.8 91.7 92.2 92.3 92.7
Electric-railroad and motorbus operation and
maintenance 4_________ 73.1 73.4 73.7 73.4 73.2 72.8 72.3 71.2 70.8 71.1 70.6 70.4 70.1 69.5
Wholesale trade_________
Retail trade...... ................ .
General merchandising-----------------------Other than general
merchandising...........
92.0 91.8 93.0 94.0 93.5 93.3 91.0 90.4 89.1 88.5 87.3 87.2 86.8 87.6
89.8 86.2 90.7 92.1 91.7 100.4 84.1 82.4 83.0 88.2 83.8 83.6 81.1 80.0
104.3 93.8 103.7 108.1 109.8 145.9 91.5 88.8 90.5 101.0 92.4 91.9 87.9 86.4
85.9 84.2 87.3 87.9 86.9 88.5 82.1 80.7 81.0 84.9 81.5 81.4 79.3 78.3
Year-round hotels_______ 94.9 94.3 95.7 96.9 96.6 94.9 94.3 94.5 93.4 93.5 93.7 92.2 90.7 90.4
Laundries............................ 100.6 104.7 104.1 99.9 97.8 97.0 96.8 95.7 94.8 95.4 96.2 96.6 97.8 97.5
Dyeing and cleaning........... 107.5 110.3 112.8 110.5 103.5 99.2 96.8 95.6 98.5 111.8 109.9 110.8 108.6 105. 0
«
Pay rolls
Manufacturing
All industries........................ 102.0 108.2 104.4 104.5 92.9 84.2 75.0 76.9 77.1 74.6 72.9 70.8 70.6 76.8
Durable goods 3 _____ 103.5 110.5 105.8 108.2 94.8 81.0 67.1 67.2 67.4 65.6 64.2 61.7 58.6 63.5
Nondurable goods 4__ 100.4 105.7 102.9 100.3 90.8 87.7 84.0 87.8 87.9 84.7 82.6 80.9 84.1 91.6
Nonmanufacturing
Anthracite mining...............
Bituminous-coal m in ing...
Metalliferous mining_____
Quarrying and nonmetallie mining____________
Crude-petroleum producing........................................
46.9 29.6 34.2 55.4 49.0 51.3 46.5 46.1 47.3 39.0 38.3 49.7 20.2 20. 1
88.5 86.3 90.9 100.7 91.1 95.1 70.4 74.0 68.4 56.3 55.3 57.0 56.8 64.2
74.0 83.0 82.2 81.7 71.6 65.1 59.1 55.8 58.3 53.3 51.2 46.1 38.0 43.7
45.4 53.2 50.1 49.3 41.7 33.4 27.7 28.6 30.2 33.9 38.3 37.3 37.0 39.2
68.2 70.8 71.2 69.9 70.2 69.8 68.2 69.6 68.0 68.0 66.7 67.6 66.7 66.8
i 3-year average, 1923-25=100—adjusted to 1935 Census of Manufactures.
3 12-month average for 1929=100. Comparable indexes are in February 1935 and subsequent issues of
M onthly Labor Review, except for anthracite and bituminous-coal mining, year-round hotels, laundries,
and dyeing and cleaning. Indexes for these industries from January 1929 forward have been adjusted to
the 1935 census and are presented in the January 1938 and subsequent issues of Employment and Pay Rolls.
3 Includes: Iron and steel; machinery; transportation equipment; railroad repair shops; nonferrous
metals; lumber and allied products; and stone, clay, and glass products.
4 Includes: Textiles and their products, leather and its manufactures, food and kindred products, tobacco
manufactures, paper and printing, chemicals and allied products, products of petroleum and coal, rubber
products, and a number of miscellaneous industries not included in other groups.
* N ot including electric-railroad car building and repairing.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1179
Trend of Employment and Pay Rolls
T able 4. —Indexes of Employment and Pay Rolls in Selected Manufacturing and Non
manufacturing Industries, August 1937 to August 1938, Inclusive—Continued
P a y rolls
1937
Industry
1938
Avg. Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. M ay June July Aug.
1937
Nonmanufaduring—Con.
Telephone and telegraph.. 89.6 92.1 92.3 94.9 91.4 94.7 93.7 89.9 92.6 91.6 91.3 90.9 90.9 91.3
Electric light and power,
and manufactured g a s ... 99.6 102.6 104.0 105.3 103.8 102.4 98.9 98.5 98.6 97.6 97.4 9S.6 98.3 98.9
Electric-railroad and motorbus operation and
m aintenance8.................... 70.6 73.1 71.6 71.4 71.8 71.9 70.6 70.2 69.9 70.0 71.2 69.7 69.0 69.5
Wholesale trade...................
Retail trade................... —
General merchandising----------------------Other than general
merchandising_____
76.6 79.0 78.3 79.3 78.3 77.8 75.4 75.3 74.7 74.6 75.1 73.8 73.6 73.7
73.1 72.3 74.4 75.9 75.3 80.6 70.1 68.4 68.6 72.2 70.0 69.5 68.1 66.8
92.5 85.7 92.4 96.2 97.1 123.3 84.6 81.5 82.2 89.4 84.4 84.3 80.4 78.8
69.1 69.5 70.7 71.7 70.8 71.8 67.1 65.7 65.8 68.6 67.0 66.4 65.6 64.3
Year-round hotels________ 80.6 80.5 82.4 84.1 84.3 82.6 81.6 83.6 80.9 80.5 80.5 79.6 77.4 77.4
Laundries.______________ 83.0 88.0 86.4 83.4 81.1 81.1 80.1 79.1 78.6 80.6 80.9 81.8 83.0 83.1
Dyeing and cleaning........... 77.6 81.3 85.7 83.6 73.7 68.6 65.5 65.2 68.2 87.2 80.7 83.3 77.5 74.3
* N ot including electric-railroad car building and repairing.
TREND OF INDUSTRIAL AND B U SIN E SS EMPLOYMENT, BY STATES
A comparison of employment and pay rolls, by States and geo
graphic divisions, in July and August 1938, is shown in table 5 for all
groups combined, and for all manufacturing industries combined,
based on data supplied by reporting establishments. The percentage
changes shown, unless otherwise noted, are unweighted—that is, the
industries included in the manufacturing group and in the grand
total have not been weighted according to their relative importance.
The totals for all manufacturing industries combined include figures
for miscellaneous manufacturing industries in addition to the 87
manufacturing industries presented in table 1. The totals for all
groups combined include all manufacturing industries, each of the non
manufacturing industries presented in table 1 (except building con
struction), and seasonal hotels.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1180
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
T a b l e 5 . —Comparison
of Employment and Pay Rolls in Identical Establishments in
July and August 1938, by Geographic Divisions and by States
[Figures in italics are not compiled by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, but are taken from reports issued
by cooperating State organizations]
Total—all groups
Manufacturing
Per
Geographic division N um Number cent Amount
and State
ber of on pay
age of pay roll
estab
roll
change (1 week)
lish August from
August
ments
1938
July
1938
1938
Per
cent
age
change
from
July
1938
822, 921
57,461
Dollars
+ 4.8 18,449, 039
+ 4 .6 1, 111, 450
+ 5 .9
+ 5 .6
3,627
303
557, 580
46,065
42, 341
17,207
440,815
79, 720
185,377
+ 7 .4
855, 911
+4.C
370,247
+ 5 .5 10,227,987
- . 1 1,643, 533
+ 4 .8 4,239,911
+ 8 .8
+ 4 .5
+ 6.1
212
152
1,799
415
746
33,672 + 9.1
670, 838 +11.0
10,054 +7.1
210,217 +8. 9
256,151 + 10.8 5,565,147 +13.0
61, 977
+ .5 1,190, 782 + 1.3
149,661 + 6.4 3,257, 618 +10.1
Middle Atlantic___ 32, 308 1, 940,254
New York___
20,288 884,814
N ew Jersey___
4,066 331,790
Pennsylvania.. 7,954 723, 650
+ 1 .9
+ 2 .2
+ 3 .3
+ 1 .0
49, 585, 791
24,397,177
8, 303,250
16,885,364
+ 4 .3
+ 3 .0 2 2,445
+ 3 .6
(4)
+ 6 .5 2,314
East North Central.. 25,619 1, 808, 778
Ohio_________
7,526 501,245
Indiana.............. 2,924 222,713
Illin ois............ 5 6,649 635,327
Michigan_____ 4,101 320,086
Wisconsin____ 6 1 419 229,407
st-1.1
+ 2 .2
+ 3 .9
+ 1 .7
- 1 .7
- 1.3
46,146, 762
12,366,748
5,210,984
13, 769,895
9,231, 531
5,567,604
+ 4 .9 8, 643 1,285, 601 + 1 .0
+ 7 .5 2, 531 362,817 + 3 .0
+7.1 1,068 172,813 + 5.1
+ 3 .7 2,444 355,077 + 2 .8
+ 4 .0 1,045 238,072 -4 - 9
+ 1 .7 11,555 156,822 4 - 6 .8
New England_____ 13,815
M aine________
867
New
Hampshire_____ .
681
Vermont______
495
M assachusetts. i 8,089
Rhode Island. .
1,213
Connecticut___ 2,470
West North Central. 12, 691
Minnesota____ 8 737
I o w a ________
2,084
Missouri _____
2,993
NorthDakota...
625
South Dakota..
472
Nebraska_____
1,386
Kansas_______ 9 2,394
443, 912 + 1.5
123,285 + 1 .8
63,111 + 3.3
161,075 + 1 .6
5,483 + 1 .8
8,109
-.1
28,819
+■ 1
54, 030 1« - 8 . 0
South Atlantic_____ 11,441
Delaware. . __
257
Maryland____
1,608
District of Columbia_____
1,142
Virginia... ___ 2,150
West Virginia.. 1, 271
North Carolina
1, 620
South Carolina.
760
Georgia______
1, 521
Florida. _____ 1,112
809,254
15,473
124, 859
+ 3 .0 15,419, 904
+ 9 .4
323,265
+ .S 2,900,649
36,086
109,916
133, 575
172, 663
66, 690
109, 673
40,319
- 2 .3
+3.1
+ 3 .9
+ 5 .3
+ 1 .8
+ 3.3
+ 1 .8
Eas South Central..
Kentucky____
T ennessee____
Alabama_____
Mississippi___
279, 850
79,355
99, 205
82,323
18, 967
+ 3 .9
+ 1 .8
+ 5 .4
+ 4 .7
+ 1 .0
4, 663
1,424
1, 471
1,155
613
West South Central. 5, 939 226, 772
Arkansas_____ >1,115
30,839
Louisiana____ 1,080
55,331
Oklahoma . . .
1,453
43, 776
Texas________
2,2911 96, 826
See fo o tn o te s a t end o f table.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
+ 7 .3
10, 772, 817 + 2 .2
3,208,332 + 2 .8
1,476, 952 + 5 .9
3,823, 651 + 1 .6
133, 952 + 2 .2
209,334
-. 1
655,249
1,265,347 4 - 1 .3
Per
Per
N um Number cent Amount cent
ber of on pay
age of pay rol
age
estab
roll
change (1 week) change
lish August from August
from
ments
1938
July
1938
July
1938
1938
4OI, 738
Dollars
+ 7.8 11,750, 947 +10.3
+ 6.2
856, 345 + 7.5
+ 5 .8 10,635,632
+ 7.8
439, 798 4 + 8 .8 9, 878,917 4 + 9.2
32, 701,107 +5. 8
8,925,249 +10.3
4,094, 644 + 9.1
8,935,365 + 5 .8
6,986,116 + 1.4
3, 759,733 4 - 1 .3
2, 628
620
425
863
52
36
157
475
212,088
49,4OI
34,975
89, 508
692
2,417
10,011
25,084
+ 5 .2
+ 3 .2
+ 2 .8
2, 994
85
647
543,961 + 4.4 9,473, 620 + 7.6
11,309 +13.5
230,427 + 4.1
86,617 4 +2.1 1,949,562 4 + 5.5
965,049
2,113,970
3,125,868
2,607, 622
960, 725
1,681,412
741,344
- 1 .8
+ 6.1
+ 9 .0
+ 8 .9
+ 4.3
+ 2 .9
+ 1.5
39
472
266
678
207
396
204
3,140 - 1 .4 ' 105,526 - 1 .2
74,012 + 4.2 1,403i 802 + 7.0
48,780 +10.8 1,129; 539 + 1 7 .1
156,222 + 4.5 2,342,067 + 9.4
58,891 + 1.9 ' 819; 759 + 5.4
84,000 + 4.4 1,151, 661 + 4.3
20,990 + 4.8
341, 277 + 4.6
5,098,492
1,615, 202
1,772,955
1,416, 024
294, 311
+ 8 .4
+ 8 .9
+ 9 .7
+ 7 .5
+ 2 .6
1,067
284
380
302
101
167, 839
31, 075
70,995
53,804
11,965
+ 5.4 2, 874, 530 + 9.5
596,294 + 7.7
+4.1
+ 6.8 1, 245; 398 + 12.9
+ 5.3
863,365 + 6.9
+ 1 .9
169; 473 + 6.0
+ .7 5,116,519
+ .9
+ 2 .3
'542,720 + 3 .8
+ 1 .7 1,109,196 + 1 .2
- . 4 1,089, 660
+ . 1 2,374,943 + (12)
1,383
306
244
149
109, 434
18,775
30,144
11, 702
48,813
+ .8 2, 379, 871 + 1.4
+ 2 .3
310,134 ■+3.5
+ 1.3
579, 603 + 2.3
-.2
275, 977 +2.1
+ .1 1,214,157
+ •4
684
+ 3.3 5,114, 537 + 4.5
+4-3 1,253,661 + 5 .0
+ 6.4
843,023 +10.4
+ 3 .0 2, 045,082 +4.1
+ 1
+ .7
18,835
57', 939 —6. 3
+. 1
+ 2 .0
245,657 + 1.6
-.6
660,340
+ .1
1181
Trend of Employment and Pay Rolls
T a b l e 5 . —Comparison
of Employment and Pay Rolls in Identical Establishments in
July and August 1938, by Geographic Divisions and by States— Continued
Manufacturing
Total—all groups
Per
Per
Per
Per
Geographic division N um Number cent Amount cent N um Number cent Amount cent
ber of on pay
age of pay roll age
ber of on pay
age of pay roll age
and State
change (1 week) change
roll
roll
change (1 week) change estab
estab
from
lish August from August
from lish August from August
July
July
1938
1938
ments
1938
July
1938
July ments
1938
1938
1938
1938
4, 381
645
545
341
1,315
293
452
613
177
124,185
14, 610
10, 703
8,853
43, 294
6,807
13, 270
23,452
3,196
Dollars
+ 1 .9 3,083, 925 + 6 .7
424, 273 +11. 0
+ 4 .5
- 2 .4
273,274 + 1 .2
+ 2 .2
244, 634 + 9 .9
+1.1 1,036, 639 + 3 .5
144,083 + 4 .0
+ .4
+ .3
357,720 +11.6
+ 5 .2
508, 798 + 9.3
94, 504 + 6 .0
+ .9
582
78
63
42
200
31
43
108
17
Pacific__________
10,490
Washington___ 2,876
Oregon_______
1,417
California......... >3 6,197
466, 520
90,159
51,112
325,2^9
+ 5.1 13, 043, 508 + 7 .0
2,392,114 + 8.1
+ 4.9 1, 344,444 +11.0
+ 6 .5 9,306,950 + 6 .2
2,639
551
302
1,786
Mountain_________
Montana_____
Idaho_______
Wyoming_____
Colorado_____
New M exico.._
Arizona______
Utah_________
N evada______
38,953 + 0 .3
4,548 + 8 .0
3, 587 - 7 .1
1,836 + 5 .7
14, 581 + L 7
1,018 - 4 .4
2,900 +10.1
9,783 - 5 .2
700
+ .9
Dollars
944, 832 + 4 .6
122,555 +20.9
93,463 - 2 .4
59,046 + 8 .5
369, 238 + 4 .6
18, 754 - 1 .3
72, 932 +18.3
189,284 - 5 .4
19,560 + 6 .8
250,405 +10.2 6,654, 948
+ .9 1, 271, 702
48, 607
783, 590
30, 072 + 8.1
171,726 +13.5 4,599,656
+14.2
+15.5
+21.1
+12.7
1 Includes banks and trust companies, construction, municipal, agricultural, and office employment,
amusement and recreation, professional services, and trucking and handling.
2 Includes laundering and cleaning, and water, light and power.
3 Includes laundries.
4 Weighted percentage change.
5 Includes automobile and miscellaneous services, restaurants, and building and contracting.
6 Includes construction but not public works.
7 Does not include logging.
8 Includes banks, real estate, pipe-line transportation, trucking and transfer, railroads (other than repair
shops), motor transportation (other than operation and maintenance), water transportation, hospitals
(clinics), personal, business, mechanical repair, and miscellaneous services, and building construction.
8 Includes financial institutions, miscellaneous services, and restaurants.
70 Weighted percentage change including hired farm labor.
11 Includes automobile dealers and garages, and sand, gravel and building stone.
72 Less than Mo of 1 percent.
13 Includes banks, insurance, and office employment.
INDUSTRIAL AND BU SIN E SS EMPLOYMENT IN PRINCIPAL METRO
POLITAN AREAS
A comparison of employment and pay rolls in July and August
1938 is made in table 6 for 13 metropolitan areas which had a popu
lation of 500,000 or over in 1930. Cities within these areas, but hav
ing a population of 100,000 or over, are not included, as data concern
ing them are tabulated separately and are available on request.
Footnotes to the table indicate which cities are excluded. The
figures represent reports from cooperating establishments and cover
both full- and part-time workers in the manufacturing and non
manufacturing industries presented in table 1 with the exception of
building construction, and include also miscellaneous industries.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
1182
T ab le 6 . — Comparison of Employment and P ay Rolls in Identical Establishments in
July and August 1938, by Principal Metropolitan Areas
Metropolitan area
Number of Number on Percentage
change
pay roll,
establish
from
ments
August
July
Amount of
pay roll
(1 week)
August
Percentage
change
from
July
New York l.....................................................
Chicago 2............................................... ..........
Philadelphia 3__._________ ___________
Detroit______________________________
Los Angeles 4________ ________________
14,414
4,527
2,091
1,769
3,003
572,538
411,901
182,834
179,140
146, 261
+ 2 .9
+ .7
+ 1 .7
-1 .7
+ .1
$15,408,800
11,289,913
4,895,106
5,775,403
4, 239,781
+ 3 .0
+ 2 .5
+ 2.3
+ 3 .4
+ .4
C levelan d .-.__________ ______________
St. Louis...... ...................................................
Baltimore____________________________
Boston 3_____________________ ____
Pittsburgh. ____ ____ ______________ _
1,753
1,547
1,186
1,578
1,144
11,805
119,305
95, 540
103, 619
156, 248
+ 2 .2
+ 1 .2
+ 1 .2
+ 2 .8
+ 1 .4
2,836, 351
2,909,611
2,208,140
2, 822,142
3,845,406
+ 6 .6
+ 2 .5
+2. 9
+ 2 .9
+10.1
San Francisco 6 _________
_______
B uffalo...
_____________ ______ _____
Milwaukee________ ____ ____ ______ _
1, 712
875
1,168
83,865
64,035
90,756
+ 2.1
+ .7
- 1 .3
2. 502,010
1, 776, 304
2,411, 900
+ 5 .0
+ 4 .5
+ 1 .9
1 Does not include Elizabeth, Jersey City, Newark, or Paterson, N . J., nor Yonkers, N . Y .
2 Does not include Gary, Ind.
* Figures relate to city of Boston only.
3 Does not include Camden, N . J.
6Does not include Oakland, Calif.
4 Does not include Long Beach, Calif.
MW###
U N EM PLO Y M EN T IN FO REIGN CO UN TRIES IN T H E
SUM M ER OF 1938
IN MANY countries the volume of unemployment in the third
quarter of 1938 was higher than in the corresponding period of 1937,
following a tendency that was apparent in the second quarter of the
year. This situation is reflected in statistics covering trade-union
experience, unemployed registered with public exchanges, and com
pulsorily insured workers.
In France and Great Britain the available figures show that unem
ployment was heavier in September 1938 than in September 1937.
However, the number of unemployed on the live register in Germany
and Poland decreased sharply during the same period. A comparison
of the returns between August and September 1938 shows an increase
in unemployment for all of these countries except Germany.
Comparing conditions between August 1937 and 1938 the returns
for Canada, Denmark, and Sweden indicate that more persons were
out of work in 1938. In contrast, an improvement is reported for
the Netherlands.
The table following gives statistics of unemployment in foreign
countries as officially reported, by years from 1932 to 1937, and by
months beginning with August 1937 and including the latest month for
which figures are available. Beyond comparisons of the figures in a
single series for different periods, it is not possible to use the official
unemployment statistics to measure volume of unemployment in a
single country or to compare conditions in one country with those in
another, owing to the fact that the coverage is not always complete.
For example, only insured persons may be reported in some instances,
or certain classes, such as agricultural labor, may be excluded.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1183
Trend of Employment and Pay Rolls
Statement of Unemployment in Foreign Couhtries
Year and date (end of month)
1932..............- ...............................
1933________ ______________
1934
______ _________
1935................... ..........................
1936___
________________
1937_______________________
Number
Percent
120,454
104,035
86,865
71,823
53,992
41,823
29.4
25.1
20.5
15.6
12.2
9.3
42,145
9.3
37, 558
8.2
37, 111
8.0
39,824
8.6
of benefit
1937
1938
Year and date (ond of month)
1037
__
___
1937
1938
February.
i Revised series.
* Preliminary figure.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Wholly unem
ployed
Partially unem
ployed
Number
Percent
Number
309,969
328,844
287, 528
261,768
259,185
231,313
161,468
168, 033
182,855
165,469
122,256
104, 785
19.0
17.0
19.0
17.9
13.4
11.5
175, 259
170, 023
166, 229
118,754
91,451
89,281
20.7
17.2
17.2
12.8
10.0
9.8
178,081
176,308
188, 262
224,166
268,784 •
88, 825
90,574
91,993
115, 564
136,298
9.8
9.9
10.1
12.7
14.9
89,606
84,282
81,504
110,176
147, 510
9.9
9.3
8.9
12.1
16.1
146,678
141, 499
131,007
121,734
121, 763
115,382
114,555
16.0
15.3
14.2
13.1
13.1
12.3
12.1
178, 668
164,444
136,510
136,141
171,217
158. 064
152,286
19.4
17.8
14.8
14.7
18.4
16.8
16.1
302, 263
300, 294
263, 000
' 280,000
i 246,000
i 190 000
1 92,000
Danzig,
Free
City of
Czechoslovakia
Percent Number
of trade- of unem
unionists ployed
on live
unemregister
ployed
1932
________________
1933
______ ____________
1934 _____________________
1935
_______________
1936 _ ___________________
Unemployment-insurance societies
Compul
sory insur
ance, num
ber of un
employed
Trade-unionists
unemployed
Canada
Belgium
Austria
Australia
Percent
Denmark
Trade-union insur
Trade-union unem
ance funds—un
ployment funds—
employed in re Number
unemployed
of unem
ceipt of benefit
ployed
registered
Number Percent
Number
Percent
22.0
22.3
18.2
15.4
13.3
10.7
554,059
738,267
676,994
686,269
622,687
408,949
184,555
247, 613
245,953
235,623
208, 539
151,167
13.5
16.9
17.4
15.9
13.1
8.8
33,244
31,408
20,326
17,983
13, 553
8,009
99, 508
97,417
81,756
76,195
78,669
95,103
31.7
28.8
22.2
19.8
19.3
21.9
7.6
7.7
8.9
11.2
13.0
233,318
230,692
237,737
333,455
459,142
108,063
106,496
107,782
132,364
177,972
6.2
6.1
6.1
7.5
10.0
2,984
2,910
3,800
5,028
9,714
65,853
72,387
84, 684
103,878
153,384
15.1
16.5
19.2
23.5
34.6
12.4
13.7
12.8
13.1
13.2
13.5
14.0
11.6
519,002
511,288
434,506
360,849
284, 785
224,170
184,118
2 164,998
222,050
220,138
204,132
173,487
145, 692
121,827
107,596
12.4
12.3
11.4
9.7
8.4
6.8
6.0
10,223
8,580
4,722
3,157
2,022
1,544
1,139
1,048
130,288
124,228
99,076
90,983
78,541
75,227
» 77,911
2 74,475
29.2
27.7
22.1
20.3
17.5
16.7
17.3
16.2
1
1184
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
Statement of Unemployment in Foreign Countries—Continued
Estonia
Year and date (end of month)
Finland
Number un
employed re Number of
maining on unemployed
registered
live register
France
Germany
Great Britain
Number of
unemployed
in receipt of
benefit
Number of
unemployed
registered
Number of
persons reg
istered with
employment
exchanges
1932_____________ _____ _______
1933_________________________
1934____________________
1935_____________________
1936______________________
1937______________ _____ ______
7,121
8,210
2, 970
1,779
1,276
1,158
17,581
17,139
10,011
7,163
4,796
3,763
273,412
276,033
345,033
426,931
432,120
350,458
5,579,858
4,733,014
2,718,309
3 2,151,039
3 1,592,630
3 912, 312
2,757,000
2,520,616
2,159,231
2,036,422
1, 754,975
1937
A u g u s t____________ __________
September____________________
October_________________ ____
November________________
December____________________
470
473
788
1.473
1,726
2,794
3,450
3,705
3,924
3,770
311,315
305,341
319,223
332,850
365,452
509,257
469,053
501,847
572,621
994, 784
1,358,621
i 1,339,204
1,390,249
1.499,203
1, 665,407
1938
January______________________
February_____________ ______
March______________________
April_____________________
M ay____ ____ ______ ______
June_________________ _____
July--------------------------------------August_______________________
September____________________
.2,255
1,798
1,805
1,302
872
684
519
522
1,007
4, 579
4,544
3,635
3,462
2,963
2,414
2,186
2,747
403,813
412, 386
398,254
393,054
380, 826
362,899
344, 517
338,383
338,409
1,051,745
946,431
507,649
422,530
338,355
292,240
218,328
178, 762
155, 933
1.827,607
1, 810,421
1,748,981
1,747,761
1,778,805
1,802.912
1,773,116
1,759, 242
1,798, 618
Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Hungary
Compulsory insurance
Y ear and date (end of
month)
W holly unemployed
Number
Temporary stop
pages
Percent
Number
Percent
Trade-unionists
Employ
unemployed
ment ex
changes,
applica
tions for
work
Christian Social
(Buda
Demo
pest)
cratic
1932.
1933.
1934.
1935.
1936
1937.
2,272,590
2,110,090
1,801,913
1,714,844
1,497,587
1,277,928
17.6
16.4
13.9
13.2
11.3
9.4
573,805
456,678
368,906
312,958
251,379
204,020
4.5
3.5
2.9
2.3
1.9
1.5
66,235
60,595
52,157
52,048
52,114
48, 359
1,026
1,085
996
967
800
945
29,772
26, 716
22,291
18,315
15,637
14,279
1937
A ugust..................
September_____
October________
November______
December______
1,148,487
1,138,731
1,215,000
1,284,386
1,338,850
8. 6
8.5
8.9
9.4
9.8
208,941
194,997
179,856
222,204
326,026
1.6
1.5
1.3
1.6
2.4
45,904
44,946
45,187
36,968
46,132
843
864
896
1,116
12,584
12.895
12.896
13,840
16,163
1938
January________
February..............
March.................
April........... ..........
M ay___________
June___________
July_______ ____
August.................
September............
1,466,354
1,466,887
1,425,596
1,394,315
1,375,768
1,351,865
1,338,509
1,333,082
1,387,087
10.7
10.7
10.4
351.483
340, 630
338.483
365,599
404,303
477,617
480,569
447,161
419,695
2.6
2.5
2.5
2.7
3.0
3.5
3.5
3.3
3.1
49,832
50,442
50,850
47,423
46,445
45,415
45,454
1,270
19,108
18,142
17,486
18,476
18,767
19,191
19,134
1 N ew series.
3 Includes the Saar.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
10.2
10.0
9.9
9.8
9.7
10.1
1,211
1,211
1,150
1,061
1,022
1,214
1,205
1185
Trend of Employment and Pay Rolls
Statement of Unemployment in Foreign Countries—Continued
Year and date (end of
month)
Irish Free
State
Japan
Latvia
Netherlands
Compul
sory in
surancenumber
unem
ployed
Official estimates,
unemployed
Number
unem
ployed
remaining
on live
register
Unemployment insur
ance societies—unem
ployed
Number
Percent
Number
Percent
1932________________________
1933________________________
1934________ ______ — ............
1935________________________
1936_______________________
1937________________________
62,817
72,255
103,671
4 119, 498
99,834
82,425
485,681
408, 710
372,941
356,044
338,365
295,443
6.8
5.6
5.0
4.6
4.3
3.7
14,587
8,156
4,972
4,825
3,851
3,014
153,500
163,000
160,400
173,673
168,668
137,700
29.5
31.0
32.1
36.3
36.2
29.2
1937
August ___________________
September_________________
October__ ______ __________
November____ ____ ______
December__________________
65, 670
68,928
68,809
94,414
97,855
277,258
275,938
281,215
270,418
270, 592
3.5
3.5
3.4
3.4
3.4
1,093
1,075
1,077
2,304
3,968
124,610
124,012
126,621
138,118
155,959
26.3
26.1
26.6
28.9
32.4
105,449
104,829
102, 515
100,076
97,571
71,959
68,320
70,552
70.411
271,874
265,845
3.4
3.3
4,123
4, 071
3,622
2, 611
1,313
1,148
887
605
166,288
156,575
142,578
133,106
128,016
112,118
119,624
2118, 540
34.5
31.2
29.2
27.0
26.0
25.1
24.5
24.2
1938
January____________________
February__________________
July
N ew Zea
land
Year and date (end of month)
Number
unem
ployed
registered
by employ
ment ex
changes 5
Poland
Rumania
Number
unem
ployed
remaining
on live
register
Number
unem
ployed
registered
with em
ployment
offices
Number
unem
ployed
remaining
on live
register
Norway
Trade-unionists (10
unions) unemployed
Number
Percent
1932____ ___________________
1933_______________ _____ _
1934_______________________
1935_______________________
1936___________________ ____
1937____ ______ __________
51,549
46,971
39, 235
38,234
36,890
14,790
16, 588
15,963
14,783
13,267
16,532
30.8
33.4
30.7
25.3
18.8
20.0
32,705
35, 591
35,121
36,103
32, 643
28, 520
255,582
249, 660
342,166
381,935
367,327
375,088
38,899
29.060
16,871
13,852
13, 549
10, 851
1937
August____ ________________
September___________ ______
October_________ __________
November______________ . . .
December _________________
27,323
25,053
i 14,682
11, 276
8,367
13,221
14, 503
16,286
18, 827
22,687
15.6
17.0
19.1
22.0
26.6
20,045
25, 431
29,063
32, 239
33,906
261,386
252, 719
263,615
329,474
463,175
5,878
6,083
6,343
8,341
12,135
8,056
7,241
6,695
7,215
8,314
8, 721
6,823
3,929
2,154
24, 746
24,321
22,916
21, 256
17,853
16,197
14,843
28.9
28.2
26.5
24.5
20.5
18.5
16.9
33,046
35,311
34,104
29,850
25, 693
22,938
20,144
21,068
26,105
546,947
547,983
493, 000
393, 291
304,336
296, 322
276,759
211,076
213,781
12, 096
11,927
10, 907
7, 957
1938
January __________________
February...... ..............................
March___________ ____ _____
April______________________
1 N ew series.
2 Preliminary figure.
4 Incomplete figures.
6 New series from 1933 on.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1186
M on th ly
Labor Review—November 1938
Statement of Unemployment in Foreign Countries—Continued
Year and date (end of month)
Sweden
Switzerland
Trade-unionists
unemployed
Unemployment funds
W holly unem
ployed
Number
Percent
Number
22.8
1932___________ ____ _________
1933_________________________
1934.________________________
1935___________________ ____ _
1936_________________________
1937_________________________
89,922
97', 316
80,216
81,385
71, 552
67,351
23. 7
18.9
16.1
13.6
1937
August ___________________
September__________________
October______ . . . . . _______
November__ ______________
December___________________
40,953
43,474
52,870
69, 533
109, 621
7.1
7.5
9.0
11.7
18.5
34,800
36,404
40, 000
50,000
71, 613
1938
January______ ______ ________
February __________________
March______________________
April ____________
______
M ay____________________ . . . .
June_____ _______________ _
July...................................... ..........
August................................... .........
92,909
89, 614
84,474
71,812
56, 281
57,285
49, 093
50,461
15.4
14.5
13.7
77,900
75,900
52, 007
42,100
37,900
34, 005
32,700
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
9.1
9.3
8.0
8.1
Partially unem
ployed
Number
9.1
10.8
9.8
11.8
13. 2
10. 0
11.6
11.6
Percent
6.7
6.8
7.6
9.5
13.4
14.0
13.6
9.6
7.5
6.8
6.3
5.8
Yugo
slavia
Number
of unem
ployed
regis
tered
Percent
12. 2
8. 5
6.1
14, 751
15,997
15, 547
15 752
19 425
21, 650
5. 9
5.3
2.5
10,900
11,194
13,000
16, 200
18,877
2.4
3.0
3.5
2.0
2.1
10,845
12, 250
13,719
18,494
29,988
20,900
23, 400
25,074
24,200
24, 900
25,580
24,800
4.0
4.4
4.7
4.6
4.7
4.7
4.6
44,234
42,145
36,413
29,184
18,023
14,828
13, 049
10,973
Building Operations
SUMMARY OF B U IL D IN G CO NSTRU CTIO N IN
P R IN C IP A L C IT IE S, SE PT E M B E R 1938 1
CONTRARY to the usual seasonal trend the value of permits issued in
September was slightly higher (0.6 percent) than during August, due
entirely to an increase of 7.2 percent in the value of new nonresidential
construction. Permit valuations for new residential buildings declined
1.0 percent and the value of permits issued for additions, alterations,
and repairs decreased 5.3 percent from August. These data are based
on reports received by the Bureau of Labor Statistics from 2,169
identical cities.
Compared with September 1937 there was a gain of 55.1 percent in
the value of permits issued for new residential building in September
1938 and of 5.7 percent in new nonresidential construction. Permit
valuations for additions, alterations, and repairs were 19.0 percent
below the level of a year ago. The permit valuation of all classes of
building construction increased 20.6 percent from September 1937.
Data for September 1937 and September 1938 are based on reports of
building activity received from 1,622 identical cities.
Comparison of September 1938 with August 1938
A summary of building construction in 2,169 identical cities in
August and September 1938 is given in table 1.
T a b l e 1. — S u m
m ary
of Building Construction for Which Permits Were Issued in
Identical Cities, August and September 1 9 3 8
Number of buildings
Class of construction
2 ,1 6 9
Permit valuation
Per
centage
change
Per
centage
change
September
. 1938
August
1938
64,173
-2 .0
$159, 482,172
$158,564,073
+ 0 .6
15,963
11,563
36, 647
-6 .5
+ 2 .7
-1 .4
86, 293,102
47,575,340
25,613,730
87,135,092
44,378, 849
27,050,132
-1 .0
+ 7 .2
-5 .3
Septem
ber 1938
August
1938
All construction______ __________
62,916
Additions, alterations, and repairs-----
14,927
11,871
36,118
» More detailed information by geographic divisions and individual cities is given in a separate pamphlet
entitled “ Building Construction, September 1938,” copies of which will be furnished upon request.
1187
102770—38------ 15
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1188
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
A summary of permit valuations of housekeeping dwellings and the
number of families provided for in new dwellings in 2,169 identical
cities having a population of 1,000 and over, is shown in table 2 for
September compared with August 1938.
T a b l e 2 . —Permit
Valuation of Housekeeping Dwellings and Number of Families
Provided for in 2,169 Identical Cities, August and September 1938
Permit valuation of housekeeping
dwellings
Number of families provided
for in new dwellings
Type of dwelling
Per
centage Septem
change ber 1938
September
1938
August
1938
All types__________
$85,058, 918
$86,108,936
-1 .2
1-family_________
2-family 1_______
M ultifamily 2_____
53,829,744
2, 748, 447
28.480, 727
59,731,127
3,487, 019
22,890, 790
-9 .9
-2 1 .2
+24.4
August
1938
Per
centage
change
23,479
23, 218
+1.1
14, 055
1,005
8,419
14,889
1,297
7,032
- 5 .6
-2 2 .5
+19.7
1 Includes 1- and 2-family dwellings with stores.
2 Includes multifamily dwellings with stores.
Comparison of September 1938 with September 1937
Table 3 presents a summary of the number of buildings and value of
permits issued in 1,622 identical cities in September 1938 compared
with the corresponding month of 1937.
T a b l e 3 . —Summary
of Building Construction for Which Permits Were Issued in 1,622
Identical Cities, September 1937 and September 1938
Number of buildings
Class of construction
Septem
ber 1938
Per
Septem centage
ber 1937
change
Permit valuation
September
1938
September
1937
Per
centage
change
All construction______
61, 604
61, 552
+ 0 .1
$156,338,114
$129, 594,161
+20.6
New residential... ______________
New nonresidential___
Additions,^alterations, andjepairs___
14,441
11, 523
35, 640
10,990
12, 647
37,915
+31.4
- 8 .9
- 6 .0
84,809, 766
46,371, 265
25,157,083
54, 664, 571
43,853,281
31,076, 309
+55.1
+ 5 .7
-1 9 .0
Table 4 shows a comparison of the value of permits issued for
housekeeping dwellings and the number of families provided for in
new dwellings in 1,622 identical cities with a population of 2,500 and
over in September 1938 with the corresponding month of the pre
ceding year.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1189
Building Operations
T a b l e 4 . —Permit
Valuation of Housekeeping Dwellings and Number of Families
Provided for in 1,622 Identical Cities, September 1937 and September 1938
Permit valuation of housekeeping
dwellings
Type of dwelling
1-family_________________________
Multifamily 2____________________
Number of families provided
for in new dwellings
Septem Percent
age
ber 1937 change
Percent Septem
age
change ber 1938
September
1938
September
1937
$83,590,365
$53,034,137
+57.6
22,987
13,459
+70.8
52,407,391
2,710,247
28,472, 727
42,349,075
2,836,486
7,848, 576
+23.8
- 4 .5
+262.8
13, 584
988
8,415
10,138
1,095
2, 226
+34.0
-9 .8
+278.0
1 Includes 1- and 2-family dwellings with stores.
2 Includes multifamily dwellings with stores.
,
Analysis by Size of City September 1938
Table 5 shows the value of permits issued for building construction
in September 1938 compared with August 1938 and September 1937,
by size of city and by class of construction.
T a b l e 5. —Permit
Valuation of Building Construction, by Size of City, September 1938
Total construction
Size of city
Number
of cities
Total, all reporting cities_____
500.000 and over______________
100.000 and under 500,000______
50.000 and under 100,000______
25.000 and under 50,000____ . .
10.000 and under 25,000____ -5.000 and under 10,000________
2,500 and under 5,000 ----1.000 and under 2,500--------------
Percentage
change from—
Permit
valuation,
September
1938
Sep
August tember
1938
1937
2,169
$159,482,172
14
78
95
157
437
366
475
547
61,881,416
28,687,223
15,284,714
13,507,705
21,774,438
8,568, 892
6,633,726
3,144,058
1 Based on 1,622 reporting cities.
Sep
August tember
1938
1937
$86,293,102
- 1 .0
1 +55.1
39,344,834
13,098, 735
7,411,624
5,550,484
10,681,813
5,408, 535
3,313, 741
1,483,336
+10.7
-1 4 .7
+ 7 .9
-2 0 .3
- 0 .1
- 9 .7
-1 2 .2
-2 3 .7
+120.5
+26.5
+61.6
+ 6 .0
+23.0
+ 6.4
+15.2
Additions, alterations, and
repairs
Population
Percentage
(census
change from—
Permit
of 1930)
valuation,
September
Sep
August tember
1938
1938
1937
1 + 5 .7
$25, 613, 730
- 5 .3
1—19.0
59,860,867
- 4 .5
- 3 .8
13,914,095
+ 3 .8
10,039,187 +16.0
3,954,037 -4 4 .3 -3 8 .1
5,546,982 +47.8 +34.5
8,180, 273 +57.3 +84.2
1,980,292 -2 4 .6 -4 6 .5
2,756,399 +104.6 +160.3
1,204,075
+ 7 .1
8,622,487
5, 549,301
3,919,053
2,410,239
2,912,352
1,180,065
563,586
456, 647
+ 4 .2
-1 6 .6
+29.3
-2 1 .6
-2 3 .4
- 7 .7
- 1 5 .6
+70.9
-1 8 .6
-2 4 .8
-1 8 .1
-1 4 .0
-2 0 .6
-4 .5
- 7 .3
21,449,853
14, 764,899
6,316,614
5,512,398
6,678,574
2,576,587
1,691, 524
870,418
Total, all reporting cities--------- $47, 575,340
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Percentage
change from—
+44.2
+ 4 .7
- 3 .0
+11.0
+29.7
-1 4 .5
+46.0
Percentage
change from—
Permit
valuation,
September
Sep
August tember
1938
1938
1937
500.000 and over______________
100.000 and under 500,000______
50.000 and under 100,000---------25.000 and under 50,000_______
10.000 and under 25,000--............
5.000 and under 10,000-----------2,500 and under 5,000------ -------1.000 and under 2,500...............
Permit
valuation,
September
1938
+ 0 .6 1+20. 6
+ 6 .0
-6 .4
-1 0 .1
- 2 .1
+10.5
-1 3 .4
+14.6
- 5 .7
N ew nonresidential
buildings
Size of city
N ew residential buildings
+ 7 .2
1190
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
The permit valuation of housekeeping dwellings in the 2,169
identical cities reporting for August and September 1938, together
with the number of family-dwelling units provided in new dwellings,
by size of city, is given in table 6.
T a b l e 6 . —Permit
Valuation of Housekeeping Dwellings and Number of Families
Provided for in 2,169 Identical Cities, by Size of City, August and September 1938
Permit valuation of house
keeping dwellings
Size of city
Septem
ber 1938
August
1938
Total, all reporting cities. $85,058, 918 $86,108,936
500,000 and over___ ____ 39,114,834 35,452,746
100,000 and under 500,000. 12,978,675 14,997, 262
50,000 and under 100,000.. 7,334,624 6, 794, 483
25,000 and under 50,000. _ 5, 520,484 6, 820,071
10,000 and under 25,000... 10, 283,072 10,640, 599
5,000 and under 10,000... 5, 044,935 5,739, 220
2,500 and under 5,000___
3, 313, 741 3, 723,306
1,000 and under 2,500___
1,468, 553 1,941, 249
Number of families provided for in—
All types
Per
cent
age
Sep
change tem Au
ber gust
1938 1938
1-family
dwellings
2-family
dw ellings1
M ulti
family
dwellings2
Sep
Sep
Sep
tem Au tem Au tem Au
gust ber gust
ber gust
ber
1938 1938 1938 1938 1938 1938
- 1 .2 23,479 23, 218 14,055 14,889 1,005 1,297 8, 419 7,032
+10.3
-1 3 .5
+ 7 .9
-1 9 .1
- 3 .4
-1 2 .1
-1 1 .0
-2 4 .4
10,545
3, 577
1,904
1,590
3,042
1,351
978
492
9, 324
4,108
1,835
1,851
2,978
1,509
1,044
569
3,446
2,920
1,271
1,283
2,641
1,136
887
471
3,612
3,061
1,395
1,542
2,546
1,258
983
492
288
250
142
66
112
65
65
17
320 6,811 5,392
335 407 ' 712
177 491 263
110 241 199
189 289 243
78 150 173
44
26
17
44
4
33
1 Includes 1- and 2-family dwellings with stores.
2 Includes multifamily dwellings with stores.
Construction During First 9 Months, 1937 and 1938
Cumulative totals for the first 9 months of 1938 compared with the
same months of the preceding year are shown in table 7. The data
are based on reports received from cities having a population of 2,500
and over.
T a b l e 7. —Permit
Valuation of Building Construction, First 9 Months of 1937 and of
1938, by Class of Construction
Permit valuation of building construction,
first 9 months of—
Class of construction
All construction..
N ew residential___________
New nonresidential____
Additions, alterations, and repairs
Percentage
change
1938
1937
$1, 252, 727,185
$1,271, 843,844
-1 .5
632, 702, 665
383,027, 514
236,997, 006
584,661,155
397,549,142
289,633,547
+ 8 .2
-3 .7
-1 8 .2
Table 8 presents the permit valuation of housekeeping dwellings
and number of family-dwelling units provided in cities with a popu
lation of 2,500 and over for the first 9 months of 1937 and 1938.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1191
Building Operations
T a b l e 8 . —Permit
Valuation of Housekeeping Dwellings and Number of Families Pro
tided for in New Dwellings, First 9 Months of 1937 and of 1938, by Type of Dwelling
Permit valuation of housekeeping
dwellings
Type of dwelling
First 9 months of—
1937
Percentage
change
$575,791,403
Number of families pro
vided for
First 9 months of—
Per
centage
change
1938
1937
+ 8 .7
171,842
143, 120
+20.1
424,249,417
- 4 .7
404,230,440
1fam ily. ..... ...................... ......................
......................
......................
-1 .5
24,697,601
25,083,074
2fa m ily 1. . ..........................
126,458,912 +55.6
Multifamily 2____________ __________ 196,749,657
101,913
9,274
60, 655
96,710
8,946
37,464
+ 5.4
+ 3 .7
+61.9
1938
All types. ________________________ $625, 677,698
>Includes 1- and 2-family dwellings with stores.
2 Includes multifamily dwellings with stores.
The information on building permits issued during August and
September 1938 is based on reports received by the Bureau of Labor
Statistics from 2,169 identical cities having a population of 1,000 and
over. The data for September 1937 and 1938 are based on reports
from 1,622 identical cities with a population of 2,500 and over.
The information is collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics from
local building officials, except in the States of Illinois, Massachusetts,
New Jersey, New York, North Carobna, and Pennsylvania, where
the State departments of labor collect and forward the information
to the Bureau. The permit valuations shown in this report are
estimates made by prospective builders on applying for permits to
build. No land costs are included. Only building projects within
the corporate limits of the cities enumerated are included in the
Bureau’s tabulation. In addition to permits issued for private and
municipal building construction, the statistics include the value of
contracts for Federal and State buildings in the cities covered by the
report. Data concerning public buildings are collected by the Bureau
from the various Federal and State agencies having the power to
award contracts for building construction. In September 1938 the
value of these public buildings amounted to $17,068,000; in August
4938, to $10,598,000; and in September 1937, to $12,407,000.
Construction from Public Funds
The value of contracts awarded and force-account work started
during September 1938, August 1938, and September 1937 on con
struction projects financed from various Federal funds is shown in
table 9.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1192
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
T a b l e 9 . — Value
of Contracts Awarded and Force-Account Work Started on Projects
Financed from Federal Funds, August and September 1938 and September 1937 1
Value of contracts awarded and force-account
work started
Federal agency
September 1938
Total__________________
Public Works Administration:
Federal___________________
Non-Federal:
N . I. R. A ______________
E. R. A. A _______________________
Federal projects under The Works Program
Regular Federal appropriations_____________
August 1938 2 September 19372
$172,368,347
$205, 031, 668
5,074, 234
32,274, 570
715, 508
814,805
65,258,015
2, 176,376
99, 044,917
1,049,993
43, 984,364
4,045,964
123,676, 777
2,978,408
11,980,118
9, 747,825
47,937,907
$73,359, 766
1 Preliminary, subject to revision.
2 Revised.
The value of public-building and highway construction awards
financed wholly from appropriations from State funds, as reported by
the various State governments for September 1938, August 1938, and
September 1937 is shown in table 10.
T a b l e 10.
Value of Public-Building and Highway-Construction Awards Financed
Wholly From State Funds
Value of contracts
Type of project
Public building______________ _
Highway construction___________________
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
September 1938
August 1938
September 1937
$1, 780, 545
9,717,212
$1,288,105
6,820,383
$2, 332,117
10, 453,119
Retail Prices
SUM MARY OF FOOD, E L E C T R IC IT Y ,
AND GAS PR IC E S
FOOD costs for September averaged 0.4 percent higher than for
August due to advances for fresh pork and veal and eggs and to local
increases in the price of fresh milk. The most significant change during
the month was a marked decrease in the price of bread. *
Residential rates for electricity were reduced in four cities between
June and September. In two of these cities this reduction benefited
the small consumer. A decrease in the heating value of gas manu
factured by one company resulted in a slight increase in price.
*######*
FOOD PR IC E S IN SE PT E M B E R 1938
FOOD costs increased 0.4 percent between August and September,
the result of higher costs for pork and veal, seasonal increases in the
price of eggs, and a sharp advance in the price of fresh milk in three
cities. Marked decreases in the prices of flour and bread together
with slightly lower costs for other commodity groups tended to offset
these increases.
The food cost index for September was 78.7 percent of the monthly
average of the 1923—
25 period. It was 8.3 percent lower than in
September 1937 when the index was 85.8. This decrease was shared
by all commodity groups except eggs. Compared with September
1932 when the index was 66.7, food costs have advanced 18.0 percent.
Food costs for September were, however, 27.1 percent lower than in
the corresponding month of 1929 when the index was 108.0.
Details by Commodity Groups
The cost of cereals and bakery products declined 3.0 percent be
tween August and September. The index for this group was 7.2
percent lower than for the corresponding period of last year and
reached the lowest level since the spring of 1934. The price of flour,
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
11 9 3
1194
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
which has tended downward for a year, declined 4.3 percent and was
19.2 percent lower than in September 1937. The most important
price change for the group was a decrease of 4.2 percent in the price
of white bread. Lower prices were reported from 20 cities, with con
centration in the eastern cities. In other cities, the price was un
changed. Whole wheat and rye bread declined about 3.5 percent
each. With the exception of a decrease of 1.7 percent for corn
flakes, other price changes for items in this group were unimportant.
The group index was 88.2 as compared with 95.1 for September 1937,
a decline of 7.2 percent.
Meats showed an increase of 0.2 percent, resulting from higher
costs for veal and fresh pork. Veal cutlets were 1.9 percent higher;
pork chops rose 7.2 percent; and loin roast increased 8.1 percent.
Price changes for cured pork items were unimportant. Other meats
moved downward. Beef decreased 0.9 percent. Chuck roast and
round steak averaged about 1.5 percent lower than last month.
Minor changes were reported for the other beef items. Lamb de
creased 1.4 percent. Changes were greatest for lamb chuck and rib
chops which declined about 3 percent each. Roasting chickens were
down 1.5 percent and canned salmon decreased 1.8 percent. Over the
period of a year meats have declined 11.8 percent, a greater change
than is recorded for any other group except fats and oils.
An increase of 1.5 percent in the cost of dairy products resulted
primarily from marked increases in the price of fresh milk in New
York City, Buffalo, and Atlanta. The average price of butter showed
little change, with minor increases and decreases offsetting each
other. Butter was 19.2 percent lower than 1 year ago. Cheese
decreased 1.4 percent.
The seasonal increase in the cost of eggs amounted to 13.3 percent
during the month with the price of eggs 4.1 percent higher than in
September 1937. Increases in all regions were markedly greater than
for the same period in 1937, with the exception of the cities in the
Mountain and Pacific areas.
The recent decline in the cost of fruits and vegetables was retarded,
with a decrease of 0.1 percent reported for the month. Prices of all
of the green vegetables increased. The greatest advance was 30.8
percent, for green beans. Potatoes declined 2.0 percent, onions 7.0
percent, and sweetpotatoes 22.9 percent. The price of apples
showed little change. Lemons decreased 2.1 percent, while bananas
rose 1.9 percent and oranges advanced 2.5 percent. The steady de
cline in the cost of canned goods continued with a decrease of 1.4 per
cent. Prices were lower throughout the canned foods group with the
greatest reductions reported, for peaches and peas. A decline of 1.4
percent in the price of navy beans was the largest change for the dried
items.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1195
Retail Prices
The cost of beverages and chocolate showed practically no change.
Coffee continued its decline with a decrease of 0.5 percent.
Fats and oils declined 0.6 percent, moving with the price of lard
which decreased 0.9 percent. The index for this group was 13.7 per
cent lower than 1 year ago. An advance of 1.0 percent was shown
for shortenings sold in cartons. Shortenings sold in other containers
rose 3.4 percent. With the exception of peanut butter, which showed
an increase of 1.7 percent, other items showed little change.
The cost of sugar and sweets decreased 1.0 percent. The index for
this group was 6.4 percent lower than in September 1937. The price
of sugar continued its trend downward declining 1.5 percent between
August and September. Prices of other items in the group averaged
slightly lower.
Indexes of retail food costs for September and August 1938, together
with indexes for September 1937, 1932, and 1929 are shown in table 1.
The accompanying chart shows the trend in the cost of all foods and
of each major commodity group for the period from January 1929 to
September 1938, inclusive.
T able
1.—Indexes of Retail Food Costs in 51 Large Cities Combined,1 by Commodity
Groups, September and August 1938, and September, 1937, 1932, and 1929
[1923-25=100] .
1938
1937
1932
1929
Sept. 13 » Aug. 16
Sept. 14
Sept. 15
Sept. 15
78.7
78.4
85.8
66.7
108.0
88.2
98.2
77.2
82.2
54.9
52. 7
76.3
59.5
' 66.4
67.7
62.3
91.0
98.0
76.1
72.5
»55.0
»52.7
77.4
59.6
66.5
68.1
62.9
95.1
111.4
83.9
79.0
59.2
56.3
82.0
72.2
70.4
78.4
66.5
74.3
75.8
65.4
62.4
52.8
51.3
69.2
54.4
74.6
51.3
58.2
98.6
124.7
103.0
108.9
107.6
108.6
96.3
107.1
110.2
93.4
75.9
Commodity group
All foods............................................................................... -
1 Aggregate costs of 42 foods in each city prior to Jan. 1, 1935, and of 84 foods since that date, weighted to
represent total purchases, have been combined with the use of population weights.
» Preliminary.
* Revised.
Prices of each of the 84 foods for 51 cities are combined with the use
of both consumption and population weights. Quantity weights for
each food include the average family consumption in each city, not
only of the food priced, but for groups of foods which are related in
kind and which seem to follow the same price trend. These weights
are based on the cost of living study of 1917-19. Population weights
are averages of the population in 1920 and 1930 for each city, including
adjacent metropolitan areas and cities of over 50,000 in the same
region.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1196
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
Retail Cost
of
Food
ig 2 j- 2 5 = io o
140
140
120
120
1
l Foods
IO O
IOO
Dairy Products ^
80
40
ip___
60
80
60
9s
40
140
120
too
80
60
4 0
United States B ureau of Labor Statistics
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1197
Retail Prices
Prices of 53 of the 84 foods included in the index were lower in
September than in August, 29 were higher, and 2 showed no change.
Prices of 77 items were lower than in September 1937 and 7 were
higher.
Average prices of each of the 84 foods for 51 cities combined are
shown in table 2 for September and August 1938, and September
1937.
T a b l e 2 . —Average
Retail Prices of 84 Foods in 51 Large Cities Combined, September
and August 1938 and September 1937
[* Indicates the foods included in indexes prior to Jan. 1,1935]
1937
1938
Article
Sept. 13 «
Cereals and bakery products:
Cereals:
♦Flour, wheat_______
—
♦Macaroni ....................................
♦Wheat c erea l............................♦Corn flakes.............................. .
♦Corn meal........... ........................
Hominy grits..............................
♦Rice......... ....................................
♦Rolled oats..................................
Bakery products:
♦Bread, w hite..............................
Bread, whole-wheat.................. ■
Bread, rye...................................
Cake______________________
Soda crackers....... .............. ........
Meats:
Beef:
♦Sirloin steak................................
♦Round steak................ - .............
♦Rib roast......................................
♦Chuck roast...............................
♦Plate.............................................
Liver.............................................
Veal:
Cutlets........ ...............................
Pork:
♦Chops— ......................................
Loin roast........- ...........- ............
♦Bacon, sliced..............................
Bacon, strip................................
♦Ham, sliced.......... - ....................
Ham, whole...............................
Salt pork...... ............ - ................
Lamb:
Breast...........................................
Chuck__________ —- ----- ----♦Leg.........................................
Rib chops........................ - .........
Poultry:
♦Roasting chickens.....................
Fish:
Salmon, pin k...................................
♦Salmon, red................- ....................
Dairy products:
♦ B u t t e r ......---- ——......................
♦Cheese____ - ........................... ........
Cream..............-.................... ..........
M ilk, fresh (delivered and store).
♦Milk, fresh (delivered)..................
M ilk, fresh (store)------- ----------♦Milk, evaporated— .......................
♦Eggs................. - .......... ■
—
----- —
i Preliminary.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Aug. 16
Sept. 14
Cents
............. pound—
............— do----,28-oz. package—
,.8-oz. package—
............. pound—
24-oz. package—
............. pound-............. ..d o -----
Cents
3.8
14.8
24.4
7.3
4.7
8.7
7.7
7.2
Cents
3.9
14.8
24.4
7.4
4.7
8.7
7.7
7.2
................. do----..................do----..................do----..........
do----................. do-----
8.4
9.4
9.7
25.1
16.1
8.7
9.7
8.9
9.8
10.0
10.0
25.2
16.2
25.2
17.6
............do----........... do___
............do----............do----............do----............do-----
40.4
37.6
30.5
23.7
15.8
25.9
40.7
38.2
30.6
24.0
15.7
26.1
48.5
44.1
37.0
28.6
18.9
25.5
............ do___
43.4
42.6
45.7
............do—
............do___
______do___
_____ do___
............do----„ — do----..........-do—
36.8
30.0
37.2
31.4
48.5
30.1
20.7
34.3
27.8
37.4
31.5
48.4
30.3
20.7
41.2
35.1
44.9
37.9
53.0
33.2
26.7
______do—-.
............do----______do___
........ ..d o ___
12.5
21.4
28.1
35.9
12.5
27.9
37.0
15.2
24.9
31.7
41.2
............do-----
32.1
32.6
36.5
—16-oz. can—
..........-do-----
12.9
24.3
13.1
25.0
13.6
26.4
_____ pound—
.......... —do—
—— Vi p in t..........quart-______ do----............. do----14)i-oz. can—
— . . . dozen—
32.8
25.4
14.4
32.8
25.8
14.4
11.9
12.3
40.7
29.0
14.7
12.5
12.7
11.9
7.6
40.7
12.2
12.6
11.5
7.0
41.9
22.1
11.1
7.0
4.8
15.4
24.6
7.8
5.5
9.8
8.4
7.5
1198
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
T able 2. —Average Retail Prices of 84 Foods in 51 Large Cities Combined, September
and August 1938 and September 1937—Continued
1938
1937
Article
Fruits and vegetables:
Fresh:
Apples---------- --------- --------------•Bananas____ _________ _______ ________ ____ do___
Lemons_______ ______ ___ .. ...
•Oranges___________ _______ ___
Beans, green__ ___ ____________
•Cabbage.............. ......................... .
Carrots.................................... ......... ___________ bunch..
Celery...............................................
Lettuce______ _______________ ______ _____ .head..
•Onions_____ _____________ ____ _____ ____ .pound..
•Potatoes______________________ .......................... do___
Spinach______________________
_____________do___
Canned:
Peaches............. ......................... ...... ________ no. 2K can..
Pears...... ................. .................. ...... _________ ___do___
Pineapple.......... ...................... ........
Asparagus......... .............................. _________ no. 2 can..
Beans, green_____ ___ _____ ___ ......................... do___
•Beans with pork___________ ___
•Corn........ ............................... .........
•Peas.............. ................. .................. .......................... do___
•Tomatoes...... .................................... ......................... do___
Tomato soup___ ___ ___________ _______ lOH-oz- can..
Dried:
Peaches_______ ____ __________ ______ _____ pound•Prunes............................................. _____ _____ __do___
•Raisins............................................. ........... 15-oz. package—
Black-eyed peas............. ................... ..................... .pound..
Lima beans_______ ___________ .................... ___do___
•Navy beans_________ ______ ........ .............do____
Beverages and chocolate:
..... .................... do__
•Tea___ ____ ___________________ _________ H pound.
Cocoa......................................................
Chocolate...................... ...................... ........ ...8-oz. package..
Fats and oils:
•Lard___ ________________________ .................... .pound—
Shortening, other than lard:
In cartons----------- ----------- ------In other containers_____________ ..... ................. _.do___
Salad oil.______ ______________ _ _____________ pint..
Mayonnaise.............. ......... .................... ..................... - V i pint..
•Oleomargarine....................................... .......................pound..
Peanut butter____________________ ..........................do___
Sugar and sweets:
•Sugar...... .................................... ........... ____ ___ ____ do___
Corn sirup______________________
Molasses................................................ _________18-oz. can..
Strawberry preserves______________ ____________pound..
Sept. 13
Aug. 16
Sept. 14
C e n ts
C e n ts
C e n ts
1.8
8.6
3.6
1.9
8.4
4.8
4.6
6.3
36.1
45.6
8.9
3.1
5.2
8.4
9.7
3.8
1.9
9.4
4. 1
17.7
18.5
21.3
21.8
4.6
6.1
25.7
30.0
9.2
2.9
5. 1
7.4
8.4
3.4
3.7
21.1
21.7
28.6
11.0
7.3
11.4
14.7
4.6
5.9
26.3
29.2
7.1
2.8
4.6
7.1
8.0
21.8
29.1
11.2
7.4
11.6
19.6
23.2
29.7
11.8
8.1
12.8
8.8
7.5
15.3
8.9
7.4
14.9
9.3
9.9
7.8
9.3
6.4
15.0
9.2
9.9
7.9
9.3
6.5
17.0
10.7
10.3
9.6
11.5
9.3
22.8
17.8
8.6
22.9
17.8
26.0
18.2
16.1
16.1
16.5
12.9
13.0
17.1
13.3
20.2
24.6
17.3
16.9
18.4
13.2
19.6
24.7
17.4
17.0
18.1
15.1
21.5
25.2
17.5
18.4
19.6
25.1
14.0
13.6
21.4
» 5.2
14.0
13.7
21.5
5.7
14.6
14.5
22 1
8.6
16.0
9. 1
8. 0
10.2
1 Quotations for 1938 are for sales in units of 10 pounds each.
Prior to November 1937, prices were quoted
on sales in units of various sizes. The change to a common unit, 10 pounds, resulted in a reduction of Ho of
1cent per pound at the time of revision.
Details by Regions and Cities
The advance in food costs of 0.4 percent between August and
September was the combined result of increased costs in 24 cities
and decreased costs in 24 other cities. For 3 cities no change was
recorded. Increases were more marked in cities in the Central areas.
Decreases were more frequent in cities east of the Alleghenies. The
greatest relative increases were reported from the widely separated
cities of Buffalo of 1.8 percent, Springfield (111.), 1.7 percent, and
St. Paul, 1.6 percent. In each of these cities, prices of fresh fruits and
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1199
Retail Prices
vegetables advanced sharply. In Buffalo, the price of fresh milk rose
2 cents a quart, and cream also advanced. Eggs increased 22.1 per
cent in Springfield. St. Paul reported higher prices for both coffee
and tea, contrary to the general movement for these items. Two
other widely separated cities, Manchester and Butte, showed the
largest decrease, 2.7 percent. Marked declines in prices of fresh fruits
and vegetables were reported in both cities and the advance for eggs
was less than average.
T able 3. — Indexes of the Average Retail Cost of A ll Foods, by Regions and Cities
September and August 1938, and September 1937
[1923-25=100]
Region and city
Sept.
13 »
Aug.
16
Sept.
14
---
78.7
78.4
85.8
New England.................
Boston___________
Bridgeport............ .
Fall River-----------Manchester..............
New H aven..........
Portland, Maine----Providence— .......--
77.5
76.2
81.2
79.3
79.2
80.4
78.1
76.9
78,0
76.2
82.7
80.7
81.4
81.6
79.0
77.8
85.6
84.0
90.9
87.5
Middle Atlantic . . . ----Buffalo.. ------------Newark....................
New Y o rk ----- -----Philadelphia..........—
Pittsburgh................
Rochester.-----------Scranton...................
79. 7
75.8
81.5
81.2
80.2
78.8
76.0
73.0
* 79.3
74.5
81.8
*80.2
80.6
78.3
77.6
73.4
86.7
82.7
88.7
87.6
East North Central_____
Chicago---------------Cincinnati----- ------Columbus, Ohio----Detroit......................
Indianapolis______
Milwaukee_______
Peoria___________
Springfield, 111-------
79.1
80.1
79.6
80.5
76.4
77.3
78.1
81.2
79.4
77.1
78.2
79.0
79.2
79.4
76.1
76.4
78.2
80.4
78.5
75.9
86.4
87.6
87.2
84.9
83.5
86.4
84.7
89.9
84.9
83.2
West North Central ___
Kansas City---------Minneapolis.. ........
Omaha.. ________
80. 5
79.9
82.3
73.5
79.8
79.1
81.1
73.6
87.2
87.0
United States— .
86.0
89.7
85.4
84.7
88.2
84.9
84.5
81.2
88.0
82.6
1937
1938
1937
1938
Region and city
Sept.
13*
Aug.
16
Sept.
14
West North Central—Con.
St. Louis........... ......
St. Paul....................
83.9
78.8
83.4
77.6
90.1
83.3
South Atlantic_____ .
Atlanta..-------------Baltimore.... ............
Charleston, S. C.......
Jacksonville_______
Norfolk__________
Richmond----------Savannah____ ...
Washington, D. C ...
77.7
71.7
83.8
79.2
77.5
75.6
71.9
77.6
80.7
77.3
71.6
82.9
79.3
77.7
75.7
. 71.3
77.8
79.7
84.8
82.4
88.8
85.8
81.6
83.5
80.5
85.2
87.6
East South Central_____
Birmingham...........
Louisville------------Memphis_________
Mobile. _________
72.6
68.5
80.7
75.1
74.5
72.8
69.0
80.3
'75.0
75.6
81.3
78.2
89.1
81.2
80.9
West South Central.. ...
Dallas___________
Houston..----- ------Little Rock_______
New Orleans______
77.6
74.3
77.5
73.0
83.5
77.8
74.7
77.4
72.5
83.9
83.3
81.5
82.6
81.0
87.3
Mountain----- ------------Butte........... ...........
Denver__________
Salt Lake City____
79.7
77.0
81.9
76.5
80.1
79.1
82.4
76.2
87.3
83.0
89.7
84.3
Pacific___ . ------ -----Los Angeles_______
Portland, Oreg____
San Francisco_____
Seattle.......................
76.5
71.2
78.2
82.0
77.7
*76.4
71.4
* 79.4
81.1
77.9
82.6
78.8
85.6
85.8
84.2
i Aggregate costs of 42 foods in each city prior to Jan. 1, 1935, and of 84 foods since that date, weighted to
represent total purchases, have been combined for regions and for the United States with the use of popula
tion weights.
* Preliminary.
* Revised.
ELECTRICITY PRICES, SEPTEM BER 1938
RESIDENTIAL rates for electricity are secured quarterly from 51
cities. These rates are used for computing average prices and typical
bills in each city for the quantities of electricity which most nearly
approximate the consumption requirements for the usual domestic
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1200
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
services for a five-room house, including living room, dining room,
kitchen, and two bedrooms. The blocks of consumption which have
been selected as representative of average conditions throughout the
country are 25 and 40 kilowatt-hours for the use of electricity for
lighting and small appliances alone; 100 kilowatt-hours for lighting,
small appliances, and a refrigerator; and 250 kilowatt-hours for the
addition of an electric range to the preceding equipment.
The December report shows prices effective for that month in each
city, together with a record of all changes which occurred during
the preceding 12 months. Reports for March, June, and September
show only the changes which occurred during the preceding quarter.
Technical specifications which are used as the basis for the applica
tion of the rate schedules are:
Floor area (1,000 square feet).
Connected load:
w atts
Lighting and appliances____________________________
700
Refrigeration______________________________________
300
Cooking----------------------------------------------------------------- 6,000
Measured demand:
Lighting and appliances. __________________________
600
Refrigeration______________________________________
100
Cooking------------------------------------------------------------------- 2,300
Outlets: Fourteen 50-watt.
Active room count: In accordance with schedule of rates.
Price Changes Between June and September 1938
Residential rates for electricity were reduced between June and
September 1938 in the following four cities, one of which is located
in the Middle Atlantic area, one in the East North Central area, and
two in the West South Central area: Rochester, Milwaukee, Dallas,
and New Orleans.
Decreases were effective for the use of 25 and 40 kilowatt-hours in
only two of the cities, Dallas and New Orleans. The greater reduc
tion in both Dallas and New Orleans was received by customers
using a maximum of 40 kilowatt-hours. This reduction amounted
to 12.6 percent for Dallas and 21.1 percent for New Orleans.
Customers using 100 kilowatt-hours received reductions in all four
cities. These decreases were greater in Dallas and New Orleans than
in Rochester and Milwaukee. The amount of decrease ranged from
3.3 percent in Rochester to 12.7 percent in New Orleans.
The cost of 250 kilowatt-hours showed a slight increase of 0.3 percent
for Rochester and a decline in the other three cities, with Dallas and
New Orleans again showing larger decreases. These decreases varied
fiom 2.0 percent in Milwaukee to 17.1 percent in New Orleans.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Retail Prices
1201
The slight decrease for each of the four services for a company in
New York City serving the Boroughs of Bronx, Brooklyn, Man
hattan, and Queens reflected an adjustment under the fuel clause
for a decline in the price of fuel.
Changes in net monthly bills and average prices of electricity
between June and September 1938 are shown in table 4 for five cities.
T able 4.—Changes in Retail Prices of Electricity Between June 15 and Sept. 15, 1938—
Monthly Bill, Price per Kilowatt-Hour, and Percentage Change
N et monthly price per kilowatthour
N et monthly bill
Region, city, and date
25 kilo 40 kilo
wattwatthours
Type hours
of
owner Light Light
ship 1
ing
ing
and
and
small
small
appli appli
ances
ances
Middle Atlantic:
New York:
Company 1 :3 3
June 15, 1938........
Sept. 15, 1938 L Percentage
change3______
Rochester:
June 15, 1938_______
Sept. 15, 1938...............
Percentage change 3_.
East North Central:
Milwaukee:
June 15, 1938.............
Sept. 15, 1938...............
Percentage change 3~
West South Central:
Dallas:
June 15, 1938...............
Sept. 15, 1938...............
Percentage change 3_.
New Orleans:
June 15, 1938.......................
Sept. 15, 1938......................
Percentage change 3_____
$2. 49
$2.48
100 kilo- 250 kilo 25 kilo 40 kilo 100 kilo 250 kilo
wattwattwattwattwattwatthours hours hours hours hours hours
Light Light
ing,
ing,
appli appli
ances,
ances, refrig
and
refrig erator,
and
erator range
$4.88
$4.86
$8. 29
$8.24
Light
ing
and
small
appli
ances
Light
ing
and
small
appli
ances
Cents
Cents
6.8
6.8
6.2
6.2
Light Light
ing,
ing,
appli appli
ances, ances,
refrig
and
refrig erator,
and
erator
range
Cents
4.9
4.9
Cents
3.3
3.3
P
P
$1. 71
$1. 71
- 0 .4
-
P
P
$1.59
$1.59
$2.26
$2. 26
$4. 56
$4.41
- 3 .3
$7.81
6.3
5.7
4.6
3.1
$7.83
6.3
5.7
4.4
3.1
+ 0 .3 ..............................................................
P
P
$1.41
$1.41
$1.90
$1.90
$3.48
$3. 35
- 3 .6
$6.35
$6.23
$4.30
$3.91
- 9 .1
$8.10
4.8
4.8
4.3
3.2
$7.51
4.2
4.2
3.9
3.0
- 7 .3 ..............................................................
$5. 50
$4.80
-1 2 .7
$10.25
7.5
7.1
5.5
4.1
$8.50
6.3
5.6
4.8
3.4
-1 7 .1 ..............................................................
•0.3
$1.19
$1.06
P
P
-
P
P
-
10.8
$1.90
$1. 66
-
12.6
$2.85
$2. 25
$1.88
$1.58
-1 6 .0
0.3
-
21.1
-
0.6
5.7
5.7
4.8
4.8
3.5
3.4
2.5
2.5
2.0 ..........................................................................................
i Type of ownership is indicated as follows: P, private utility.
3 Serving Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens.
3 Prices include a 3-percent sales tax.
4 Prices include an adjustment for a decrease in the cost of fuel.
3 N et monthly bills are computed to mills for purposes of comparison.
GAS PRICES, SEPTEMBER 1939
RESIDENTIAL rates for gas are secured quarterly from 50 cities.
These rates are used in computing average prices and typical bills for
each city for quantities of gas which approximate the average resi
dential consumption requirements for each of four combinations of
services.
The December report shows prices effective for that month in each
city together with a record of all changes which occurred during the
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1202
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
preceding 12 months. Keports for March, June, and September show
only the changes which occurred during the preceding quarter.
In order to put the rate quotations upon a comparable basis it is
necessary to convert the normal consumption requirements used for
computing monthly bills into an equivalent heating value expressed
in therms (1 therm= 100,000 B. t. u.). This procedure is necessary
because of the wide range in the heating value of a cubic foot of gas
between different cities. The equipment and blocks of consumption
which have been selected as representative of average conditions
throughout the country are based upon the requirements of a fiveroom house, including living room, dining room, kitchen, and two
bedrooms.
These specifications are:
Range and manual-type water heater________________ _ 19. 6
Range and automatic-storage or instantaneous type water
heater________ _________________
*jq g
Range, automatic-storage or instantaneous type water
heater, and refrigerator____________________________ 40. 6
Price Changes Between June and September 1938
The only change reported in the cost of gas for domestic use between
June and September 1938 was for one company in Pittsburgh. A
slight increase in the net monthly bills and prices per therm was due
to a decrease in the heating value of the gas from 1130 to 1113 B. t. u.
There was no change in the net monthly bill for the 10.6 therm serv
ice representing the use of gas for a range alone for this Pittsburgh
company, since in both June and September 1938 the charge was the
minimum bill of $1. The net monthly bills for September 1938 for
the use of gas for major appliances in addition to a range and the
percentage increases since June 1938 were as follows for the indicated
services and blocks of consumption:
Consumption
Service
Therms
Range and manual-type water heater
Range and automatic water heater . .
Range, automatic water heater, and refrigerator
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
19.6
30.6
40.6
Cubic feet
1.760
2.760
3,650
N et bill, Percentage
increase
September
since June
1938
1938
$1.06
1.65
2.19
1.7
1.5
i-7
1203
Retail Prices
R ET A IL PR IC ES OF FOOD IN M ANILA, JU N E 1938
MARKED changes were reported in retail prices of ordinary food in
the markets of Manila for June 1938, as compared with the same month
in the preceding year.
According to a compilation of daily quotations by the Philippine
Bureau of Commerce, the prices of 18 out of 38 commodities showed
increases, 16 showed decreases, and the remaining 4 showed no
change. In June 1938 the price of rice—the chief food of the people—
was unusually high, the prices of the brands quoted in the table below
being 22 and 25 percent, above those of June 1937. In the Provinces
the price situation is declared to be more alarming.1
Retail Prices of Foodstuffs in Manila June 1937 and 1938
[Peso= about SO cents in U . S. currency.]
Prices in June—
Unit
Commodity
1937
1938
ltice:
Coflee:
Mung beans:
Fish and other sea products:
Ganta
........
____do_______
Pesos
0.33
.30
Pesos
0.27
.24
+22.22
+25.00
____do__...........
____d o ..............
____do_______
1.25
1.00
.93
1.30
1.06
.93
-3 .8 5
-5 .6 6
____do............. ____do_______
.30
.36
.29
.30
+3.45
+20.00
i ........ - ............ .
i . . . ...................
Kilo 2 . . . - ........
.27
.30
.59
.23
.34
.45
+17.39
-11.76
+31.11
.52
.49
.58
.55
-10.34
-10.91
1.........................
1........ ................
1........ ................
.78
.74
.47
.71
.73
.47
+9.86
+1.37
Kilo_________
____do_______
.24
-16.67
i ____________
i __________ K ilo ............—
____d o . . .........100.....................
.20
.21
.19
.14
.14
.12
.09
.36
.15
.11
.13
.11
.11
.72
+26.67
+27.27
+7.69
+9.09
-18.18
-50.00
1 0 0 ............. .
100....................
100................. 100__________
1.........................
1____________
.79
.53
.42
.40
.02
.12
.80
.58
.47
.46
.05
.15
-1 .2 5
-8 .6 2
-10.64
-13.04
-60.00
-20.00
Ordinary can..
.28
.28
100__________
100....................
3.04
2.85
2. 55
2.30
+19.21
+23.91
100__________
100_________
Kilo___ ____
3.89
3.69
.08
.13
.10
.09
3.40
3.15
.13
.17
.05
.08
+14.41
+17.14
-38.46
-23.53
+100.00
+12.50
Meat:
Fowls:
Vegetables:
Fruits:
Bananas:
Miscellaneous:
Eggs:
Hen’s:
D uck’s:
Vinegar................- ................................................................
i Ganta=2.72 quarts.
G a n t a _____
L iter3 bottle.
2 Kilo=2.2046 pounds.
3 Liter=0.908 dry quarts.
» Philippines. Department of Labor. Labor Bulletin, Manila, July 1938, pp. 17-18.
102770— 38------- 16
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Percent
of in
crease or
decrease
Wholesale Prices
W HOLESALE PR IC E S IN SE PT E M B E R 1938
SHARP advances in wholesale market prices of farm products and
foods during September largely accounted for an increase of 0.3 per
cent in the all-commodity index of 813 price series. The advance
partially offset the August decline and placed the index at 78.3 per
cent of the 1926 average, the level at which it stood in June. Although
considerable activity has been evidenced in commodity prices this
year, the range of movement in the all-commodity index since Janu
ary has been only slightly more than 3 percent and during the last 6
months the variation has been less than 1 percent. The September
index was 10.4 percent below the level for September a year ago.
The indexes for 5 of the 10 major group classifications advanced
during September. Foods rose 2.1 percent; farm products, 1.2 per
cent; and hides and leather products, metals and metal products, and
building materials, 0.1 percent. Chemicals and drugs declined 0.5
percent; fuel and lighting materials, 0.3 percent; and textile products
and housefurnishing goods, 0.2 percent. The miscellaneous com
modities group remained unchanged at the August level.
From September 1937 to September 1938, farm products prices
declined 20.7 percent; foods, 15.3 percent; hides and leather products,
14.5 percent; textile products, 12.6 percent; building materials, 7.0
percent; miscellaneous commodities, 6.0 percent; housefurnishing
goods, 5.4 percent; chemicals and drugs, 5.0 percent; and metals and
metal products, 1.6 percent.
Average wholesale prices of raw materials rose 0.8 percent but were
14.7 percent lower than they were a year ago. The index for the
semimanufactured commodities group advanced 0.4 percent, but was
12.4 percent lower than in September 1937. The index for the large
group of finished products remained unchanged at 81.8, but was
down 8.2 percent from a year ago.
Wholesale prices of nonagricultural commodities, as measured by
the index for “All commodities other than farm products,” advanced
0.1 percent. The group index, 80.4, was 8.2 percent lower than for
September 1937.
According to the index for “All commodities other than farm
products and foods,” industrial commodities prices declined 0.1 per1204
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1205
Wholesale Prices
cent during September. The index, 81.3, was 5.4 percent lower than
for the corresponding month of last year.
A comparison of the September level of wholesale prices with
August 1938 and September 1937 is shown in table 1.
T able
1.— Comparison of Index Numbers for September 1938 With August 1938 and
September 1937
[1926 = 100]
Commodity group
All commodities-------------------------------------------------
Ali commodities other than farm products and foods..
Change
from a
year
ago
Change
from a
month
ago
Septem
ber
1937
78.1
Percent
+ 0 .3
87.4
Percent
-1 0 .4
68.1
74.5
92.0
65.8
76.6
67.3
73.0
91.9
65.9
76.8
• + 1 .2
+ 2 .1
+ .1
-.2
-.3
85.9
88.0
107.6
75.3
78.7
—20. 7
—15. 3
—14. 5
-1 2 . 6
—2.7
95.5
89.5
77.3
86.2
72.4
95.4
89.4
77.7
86.4
72.4
+ .1
+ .1
-.5
-.2
.0
97.1
96.2
81.4
91.1
77.0
- 1 .6
-7 .0
—5. 0
—5.4
-6 .0
72.0
74.7
81.8
80.4
81.3
71.4
74.4
81.8
80.3
81.4
+ .8
+ .4
.0
+ .1
-. 1
84.4
85.3
89.1
87.6
85.9
-1 4 .7
—12.4
- 8 .2
—8.2
-5 .4
Septem
ber
1938
August
1938
78.3
The number of changes within each group which influenced the
movement of the all-commodity index in September is shown in
table 2.
T
able
2 . —Number
of Commodities Changing in Price from August to September 1938
Commodity group
Increases
Decreases
No change
133
171
509
28
32
7
12
7
35
48
5
26
9
4
42
29
76
8
19
14
3
3
8
14
6
9
4
15
113
66
77
54
40
Wholesale Price Level in September 1938
Wholesale market prices of farm products rose 1.2 percent in
September following the sharp drop registered during August. The
advance was caused largely by increases of 0.5 percent in the livestock
and poultry subgroup and 2.2 percent in “Other farm products.”
Quotations were higher for barley, oats, rye, heavy hogs, good to
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1206
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
choice steers, calves, ewes, live poultry, eggs, hops, fresh milk (New
York), and onions. The subgroup of grains dropped 0.7 percent to
the lowest point reached in the past 5 years, because of weakening
prices for corn and wheat. Prices were lower also for lambs, wethers,
cotton, apples, lemons, peanuts, seeds, dried beans, and sweet pota
toes. The September farm products index, 68.1, was 20.7 percent
lower than a year ago.
The foods group advanced 2.1 percent during the month to the
highest level since January. Dairy products rose 5.8 percent and
meats advanced 1.5 percent. Among the individual food items which
averaged higher were butter, fresh milk, oatmeal, corn meal, dressed
poultry, cocoa beans, raw and granulated sugar, and vinegar. The
fruit and vegetable subgroup declined 3.1 percent and cereal products
dropped 1.2 percent. Quotations were lower for dried peaches and
prunes, bananas, canned peas, mutton, lard, tallow, soda crackers,
macaroni, and vegetable oils. The food group index, 74.5, was 15.3
percent lower than a year ago.
Minor increases in prices for hides, skins, and leather caused the
hides and leather products group index to rise 0.1 percent. Average
wholesale prices for luggage declined and shoe prices were steady.
Continued decreases in prices for cotton goods, including print
cloth, tire fabric, and cotton yarns, together with lower prices for
cotton twine caused the index for the textile products group to decline
0.2 percent. Raw silk, thrown silk yarns, and silk hosiery prices were
higher. Woolen and worsted goods remained steady.
The index for the fuel and lighting materials group declined 0.3
percent because of lower prices for Pennsylvania crude petroleum,
gasoline, and kerosene. Average wholesale prices of coal and Penn
sylvania fuel oil advanced and coke was steady.
The building materials and metals and metal products groups
indexes advanced 0.1 percent during the month. Higher prices for
nonferrous metals were responsible for the rise in the metals and metal
products group index. The farm machinery and plumbing and heat
ing subgroups declined fractionally. Iron and steel prices were firm.
Advancing prices for face brick, and poplar, oak, and yellow pine
lumber caused the building materials group index to advance. The
paint and paint materials subgroup declined because of lower prices
for turpentine and China wood oil. No changes were reported in
prices of cement and structural steel.
Weakening prices for aqua ammonia, naphthalene flakes, palm oils,
tankage, and mixed fertilizers brought about a decline of 0.5 percent
in the chemical and drug group index.
The index for the housefurnishing goods group declined 0.2 percent
to the lowest level reached since December 1936 because of lower
prices for carpets and wooden furniture.
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Wholesale Prices
1207
Average wholesale prices of cattle feed rose 0.9 percent during
September. Pennsylvania neutral oil prices advanced sharply.
Paper and pulp and crude rubber declined 0.6 percent.
Index numbers for the groups and subgroups of commodities for
August and September 1938 and September 1937 are shown in table 3.
T ab le 3. —Index
Numbers of Wholesale Prices, by Groups and Subgroups of
Commodities
[1926=100]
Group and subgroup
Sep
tem
ber
1938
Au
gust
1938
Sep
tem
ber
1937
All commodities----------------
78.3
78.1
87.4
Farm products.......................
Grains........ ................ .......
Livestock and pou ltry..
Other farm products-----
68.1
53.0
81.0
64.0
67.3
53.4
80.6
62.6
85.9
91.9
106.7
71.2
Foods__________ ______
Dairy products................
Cereal products...............
Fruits and vegetables.. .
M e a ts ..------ -------------Other foods...... ................
74.5
72.8
76.1
55.5
87.3
69.5
73.0
68.8
77.0
57.3
86.0
66.5
88.0
84.8
86.1
64.0
113.4
75.5
Hides and leather products. 92.0
Shoes........ ................ ......... 100.8
Hides and skins_______
75.7
Leather---------------------82.4
Other leather products.. 96.9
91.9
100.8
75.6
82.1
97.0
107.6
107.5
120.7
98.9
103.3
65.8
81.6
64.1
59.9
29.5
65.9
81.7
64.4
59.8
29.2
75.3
89.7
76.8
66.5
32.4
76.3
65.0
76.3
65.2
92.4
70.0
Fuel and lighting materials. 76.6
Anthracite____________ 79.1
Bituminous coal______
98.4
Coke_________________ 104.2
Electricity.......................
(>)
Gas__________________
(0
Petroleum products___
56.4
76.8
77.9
98.1
104.2
0)
88.1
56.7
78.7
78.7
99.2
105.0
80.5
84.0
62.2
95.5
95.4
97.1
95.5
96.9
97.3
95.5
97.0
97.3
94.2
96.1
99.8
Textile products___________
Clothing______________
Cotton goods_________
Hosiery and underwear.
Silk and rayon________
Woolen and worsted
goods_______________
Other textile produ cts..
Metals and metal products..
Agricultural
implements______________
Farm machinery___
Iron and steel..................
Sep
tem
ber
1938
Au
gust
1938
96.2
73.5
78.5
96.1
72.9
79.2
91.2
92.6
80.6
Building materials_____. . .
89.5
Brick and tile_________ 90.9
Cement___ _________
95.5
Lumber______________
90.4
Paint and paint ma
terials____ __________ 80.4
Plumbing and heating.. 78.5
Structural steel_______ 107.3
Other building ma
terials______________
91.3
89.4
90.6
95.5
90.2
96.2
95.0
95.5
99.0
80.5
79.2
107.3
84.6
80.6
114.9
Group and subgroup
Metals—Continued.
Motor vehicles 1_______
Nonferrous metals_____
Plumbing and heating-.
Sep
tem
ber
1937
91.3
100.8
Chemicals and drugs....... .
Chemicals____________
Drugs and pharma
ceuticals____________
Fertilizer materials____
Mixed fertilizers_______
77.3
81.0
77.7
81.4
81.4
85.7
74.8
67.2
73.4
74.8
67.3
74.2
78.3
71.8
74.8
Housefurnishing goods..........
Furnishings........... ...........
Furniture........... .............
86.2
90.2
82.1
86.4
90.5
82.2
91.1
94.9
87.1
Miscellaneous_____________
Automobile tires and
tubes.......... ............ .......
Cattle feed.................... .
Paper and pulp............. .
Kubber, crude________
Other miscellaneous___
72.4
72.4
77.0
57.4
67.6
81.9
33.3
81.1
57.4
67.0
82.4
33.5
80.9
56.4
81.2
93.4
38.4
85. 1
72.0
74.7
81.8
71.4
74.4
81.8
84.4
85.3
89. 1
80.4
80.3
87.6
81.3
81.4
85.9
Semimanufactured articles..
Finished products_____ . .
All commodities other than
farm products_______ . . .
All commodities other than
farm products and foods...
i Data not available.
8 Preliminary revision.
,
Index Numbers by Commodity Groups 1926 to September 1938
Index numbers of wholesale prices by commodity groups for selected
years from 1926 to 1937, inclusive, and by months from September
1937 to September 1938, inclusive, are shown in table 4.
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1208
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
T a b l e 4 . —Index
Numbers of Wholesale Prices, by Groups of Commodities
[1926=100]
Year and month
Hides Tex
Farm
and
tile
prod Foods leather prod
ucts
prod ucts
ucts
By years:
1926____________ 100 0
1 9 2 9 ...-------------- 104.9
48.2
1932____________
1933------ ------------ 51.4
1936..................— - 80.9
1937....................... - 86.4
By months:
1937:
September___ 85.9
October_____ 80.4
November___ 75.7
December___ 72.8
1938:
January......... 71.6
February____ 69.8
March______
70.3
April_______
68.4
M ay________ 67.5
June________ 68.7
July------------- 69.4
August______ 67.3
68.1
September__
Chem HouseMisFuel Metals
furand Build
celicals nishing
and metal
light prod mate and
laneing
ing
rials drugs goods
ous
ucts
All
com
mod
ities
100.0
99.9
61.0
60.5
82.1
85.5
100 0
109.1
72.9
80.9
95.4
104.6
100.0
90.4
54.9
64.8
71.5
76.3
100.0
83.0
70.3
66.3
76.2
77.6
100.0
100.5
80.2
79.8
87.0
95.7
100.0
95.4
71.4
77.0
86.7
95.2
100.0
94.2
73.5
72.6
80.4
83.9
100.0
94.3
75.1
75.8
81.7
89.7
100.0
82.6
64.4
62.5
70.5
77.8
100.0
95.3
64.8
65.9
80.8
86.3
88.0
85.5
83.1
79.8
107.6
106.7
101.4
97.7
75.3
73.5
71.2
70.1
78.7
78.5
78.2
78.4
97.1
96.4
96.8
96.3
96.2
95.4
93.7
92.5
81.4
81.2
80.2
79.5
91.1
91.0
90.4
89.7
77.0
76.2
75.4
75.0
87.4
85.4
83.3
81.7
76.3
73.5
73.5
72.3
72.1
73.1
74.3
73.0
74.5
96.7
94.7
93.6
92.1
91.3
90.1
91.5
91.9
92.0
69.7
68.6
68.2
67.2
66.1
65.5
66.1
65.9
65.8
78.3
78.5
77.7
76.8
76.2
76.4
76.8
76.8
76.6
96.6
96.0
96.0
96.3
96.7
96.1
95.2
95.4
95.5
91.8
91.1
91.5
91.2
90.4
89.7
89.2
89.4
89.5
79.6
79.1
78.7
77.5
76.8
76.3
77.7
77.7
77.3
88.3
88.0
87.7
87.3
87.2
87.1
86.4
86.4
86.2
75.2
74.8
74.4
73.4
73.1
72.9
72.7
72.4
72.4
80.9
79.8
79.7
78.7
78.1
78.3
78.8
78.1
78.3
The price trend for specified years and months since 1926 is shown
in table 5 for the following groups of commodities: Raw materials,
semimanufactured articles, finished products, commodities other
than farm products, and commodities other than farm products and
foods. The list of commodities included under the classifications
“Raw materials,” “Semimanufactured articles,” and “Finished prod
ucts” was given in the December 1937 issue of the Wholesale Price
pamphlet.
T a b l e 5 . —Index
Numbers of Wholesale Prices, by Special Groups of Commodities
[1926 = 100]
SemiRaw manYear and month mate ufacrials tured
arti
cles
B y years:
1926_____ _____
1929__________
1932__________
1933____ ____
1936 ________
1937 _______
B y months:
1937:
September___
October_____
November___
December___
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All
com
mod
Fin ities
ished other
prod than
ucts farm
prod
ucts
All
com
mod
ities
other
than
farm
prod
ucts
and
foods
100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
97.5 93.9 94.5 93.3 91.6
55.1 59.3 70.3 68.3 70.2
56.5 65.4 70.5 69.0 71.2
79.9 75.9 82.0 80.7 79.6
84.8 85.3 87.2 86.2 85.3
84.4
80.7
77.2
75.4
85.3
82.5
79.8
77.7
89.1
88.1
86.7
85.3
87.6
86.4
84.8
83.5
85.9
85.1
84.3
83.6
Year and month
B y months:
1938:
January_____
February____
M arch..........
April_______
M a y ................
June________
July------------August--------September___
SemiRaw- manmate ufacrials tured
arti
cles
74.9
73.6
73.2
71.3
70.7
71.4
72.3
71.4
72.0
76.9
76.1
75.6
75.3
75.4
74.1
74.3
74.4
74.7
All
com
mod
Fin ities
ished other
prod than
ucts farm
prod
ucts
84.3
83.3
83.4
82.7
82.1
82.2
82.5
81.8
81.8
82.8
81.9
81.6
80.8
80.3
80.3
80.8
80.3
80.4
All
com
mod
ities
other
than
farm
prod
ucts
and
foods
83.5
83.0
82.6
82.0
81.6
81.3
81.4
81.4
81.3
Wholesale Prices
1209
Weekly Fluctuations
Weekly variations in the major commodity classifications during
August and September are shown by the index numbers in table 6.
The percentage changes from week to week during September are
given in table 7.
T a b l e 6 .— Weekly
Index Numbers of Wholesale Prices, by Commodity Groups, August
and September 1938
[1926 = 100]
Commodity group
Sept. Sept. Sept. Sept. Aug. Aug. Aug. Aug.
24,
27,
,
,
13,
,
17,
3,
1938 1938 1938 1938 1938 1938 1938 1938
10
20
6
All commodities............- .........- ............................. - ..........
78.4
78.3
77.9
77.8
77.8
77.4
77.9
78.4
Farm products_____________ - ---------- ------------------Foods______________ ______ _____ _______________ Hides and leather products----------------------------------Textile products-------------------------------------------------Fuel and lighting materials___________ _____ ______
68.9
75.0
92.3
65.3
77.5
68.8
74.8
92.4
65.3
77.6
67.7
73.7
92.8
65.3
77.1
67.1
73.0
92.5
65.4
77.2
67.3
73.0
92.4
65.3
77.6
65.9
72.0
92.5
65.3
77.6
67.0
72.2
92.5
65.5
78.0
68.7
73.5
92.2
65.5
77.7
Metals and metal products----------------------------------Building materials. ---------- -------------------- -----------Chemicals and drugs............................... .........................
Housefurnishing goods. _ ------ --------- ---------- --------Miscellaneous___________________________________
95.6
89.4
77.1
87.8
72.3
95.5
89.6
77.1
87.8
72.1
95.4
89.5
77.1
87.8
72.2
95.4
89.4
77.1
87.8
72.3
95.4
89.3
77.1
87.8
72.3
95.5
89.3
77.1
87.8
72.1
95.5
89.3
77.2
87.8
72.3
95.5
89.3
77.4
87.9
72.3
Raw materials_________________________________
Semimanufactured articles----------------------------------Finished products______________________ _________
All commodities other than farm products_________
All commodities other than farm products and foods.
72.2
74.7
82.2
80.5
81.6
72.1
74.3
82.3
80.5
81.6
71.4
74.5
81.9
80.2
81.5
71.0
74.4
81.9
80.2
81.5
71.2
74.1
81.9
80.2
81.6
70.3
74.1
81.7
80.0
81.6
71.1
74.3
82.0
80.3
81.8
72.0
74.4
82.4
80.6
81.7
T a b l e 7 . — Weekly
Changes (Percentage) During September 1938, by Groups of
Commodities
Percentage change from—
Commodity group
Aug. 27
to
Sept. 24
Sept. 17
to
Sept. 24
Sept. 10
to
Sept. 17
Sept, 3
to
Sept. 10
All commodities._________________________ _____ _
+ 0 .8
+ 0 .1
+ 0 .5
+ 0 .1
Farm products................... ................ ................................
Foods........................................................ .............................
Hides and leather products.............................................
Textile products....................................... .............. ............
Fuel and lighting materials-----------------------------------
+ 2 .4
+ 2 .7
-. 1
+.1
+ 1 .6
+ 1 .5
-.4
+ .9
+ 1 .0
+ .3
Metals and metal products............ ..................................
Building m aterials.......................... .................. ................
Chemicals and drugs................................................. .........
Housefurnishing goods.......................................................
M iscellaneous_____ ____ _____ _____ ______________
Raw materials__________ ____ ______ _____________
Semimanufactured articles........... ............... ....................
Finished products........ ................................................... .
All commodities other than farm p ro d u cts.................
All commodities other than farm products and foods..
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.0
-. 1
+.2
+.1
.0
.0
.0
+ 1 .4
+.8
+ .4
+ .4
.0
+ .3
-. 1
.0
-.1
+.1
-.2
.0
.0
+ .3
+.1
+ .5
-.1
.0
.0
.0
+.6
+.1
+.1
.0
.0
-. 1
+ 1 .0
- .3
+ .5
+ .4
+.1
-.2
-. 1
.0
+.1
.0
.0
-.1
+.6
+.1
.0
.0
.0
Aug. 27
to
Sept. 3
0.0
-.3
.0
+.2
“K 1
-.5
.0
.0
.0
.0
+ •1
-.3
+ .4
.0
.0
-. 1
1210
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
Wholesale Prices and Index Numbers of Individual Commodities
Since July 1935 the table showing prices and index numbers of
individual commodities included in the composite index has been
issued in mimeographed form and is available upon request. As a
permanent record the prices and index numbers of individual commodi
ties, together with the code numbers, are published semiannually in
the June and December issues of the Wholesale Price pamphlet.
Estimated Value in Exchange and Relative Importance of
Commodities
A mimeographed statement giving the estimated value in exchange
and the relative importance of the individual items included in the
Bureau of Labor Statistics’ weighted index of wholesale commodity
prices in the year 1937 and similar data by groups and subgroups of
commodities for each year, 1926 through 1937, is available upon
request.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Recent Publications o f Labor Interest
OCTOBER 1938
Agriculture
Seasonal labor requirements for California crops. By R. L. Adams. Berkeley,
University of California, 1938. 28 pp., map, charts. (Agricultural Experi
ment Station Bulletin 623; Paper 74, Giannini Foundation of Agricultural
Economics.)
The problems of agricultural labor in Yugoslavia. By D. Yeremitch. (In Inter
national Labor Review, Geneva, August 1938, pp. 219-225.)
One of the reports prepared for the first session of the Permanent Agricultural
Committee of the International Labor Office.
Child Labor and Child Welfare
City wage earners and their children. By Isador Lubin. (In The Child, U. S.
Children’s Bureau, Washington, August 1938, pp. 27-30.)
Child labor in Wisconsin, 1925-1937. Madison, Industrial Commission of Wis
consin, 1938. 34 pp., map, charts; mimeographed.
Civilian Conservation Corps
Standards of eligibility and selection for junior enrollees of Civilian Conservation
Corps. Washington, U. S. Department of Labor, Office of the Secretary,
1938. 36 pp., map.
Cooperative Movement
Consumers' cooperation in the United States, 1920 to 1936. By Florence E. Parker.
Washington, U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1938. 17 pp. (Serial No.
R. 793, reprint from August 1938 Monthly Labor Review.)
Farmers' purchasing associations in Wisconsin. By Rudolph K. Froker and
Joseph G. Knapp. Washington, U. S. Farm Credit Administration (in
cooperation with Wisconsin Agricultural Experiment Station), 1937. 118 pp.,
maps, charts, illus. (Bulletin No. 20.)
A detailed examination of cooperative purchasing by farmers in Wisconsin,
including financial, membership, and business policies of the associations, with
comparative standards for measuring operating efficiency. Contains detailed
accounts of the structure, methods, and operations of large-scale (wholesale)
purchasing organizations.
Statistique des sociétés coopératives [Bulgaria], 1936. Sofia, Direction Générale de
la Statistique, 1938. 128 pp.
Statistics of the various types of cooperatives, for 1936 and previous years.
Printed in Bulgarian and French.
Cooperative societies [Great Britain]—statistical summaries, 1927-37. London,
Registry of Friendly Societies, 1938. 5 pp.
The data relate to associations (retail, wholesale, and productive associations)
formed under the Industrial and Provident Societies Acts, 1893-1928, most of
which are cooperatives.
1211
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1212
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
The inoo helPLthose • • •
1938.
180 pp.
By Bertram B. Fowler.
New York, Vanguard Press,
A stirring description of the ways in which the formerly poverty-stricken fisher
men and other people of Nova Scotia have improved their economic condition
through the organization of credit unions, marketing associations, processing
plants, housing associations, and other cooperative self-help measures.
Yearbook of agricultural cooperation, 1938. Edited by Horace Plunkett Foundanon. London, P. S. King & Son, Ltd., 1938. 564 pp., bibliography.
Besides reports on agricultural cooperatives in individual countries of the
world, contains special articles on a number of general subjects, including a review
ol agricultural cooperation in 1937; cooperation and the nutrition of colonial
peoples; and cooperation and rural hygiene.
Economic and Social Problems
Modern competition and, business policy. By H. S. Dennison and J. K. Galbraith.
New York, Oxford University Press, 1938. 120 pp.
The authors (a manufacturer and an economist) see no possible hope of elimi
nating rigidities in our economic system to the extent of “reinstating a selfregulative mechanism. ’ They hold that a regulated system is necessary and that
we shall never learn how to regulate well except by doing it.” Specific proposals
relate particularly to minimum standards of wages and hours and to certain
changes in the structure of corporations.
The
°f socialist Planning. By G. D. H. Cole. London, Hogarth Press,
1938. 80 pp.
’
Written for consideration by the planning section of the New Fabian Research
-Bureau, modified by committee discussions, and designed to aid in clarifying the
aims and promoting the program of the Labor party in Great Britain.
The public corporation in Great Britain. By Lincoln Gordon. New York
Oxford University Press, 1938. 351 pp.
Studies of the Port of London Authority, Central Electricity Board, the British
Broadcasting Corporation, and the London Passenger Transport Board, with a
preliminary discussion of the evolution of the public corporation and a concluding
chapter on its nature and scope. The author recognizes the possibilities of the
public corporation m the socializing of economic life, but he is concerned not with
a possible future economy but only with public corporations as they actually
exist, m an economy that is primarily a private capitalism. He holds'that thenrecord is “a highly encouraging one.”
The class conflict in Italy. By Karl Walter. London, P. S. King & Son, Ltd.,
1938. 137 pp.
Describes the experience of the working class in Italy since the formation of
tne modern nation, the organization and functioning of trade-unions, and social
and cultural welfare movements initiated by the trade-unions.. There is a
chapter on cooperation and the working class which describes the productive and
consumers cooperatives in relation to each other and to the Fascist Government.
People at bay: The Jewish problem in East-Central Europe. By Oscar I. Janowsky.
New York, Oxford University Press, 1938. 193 pp.
An attempt to bring about a better understanding of the situation. The
m alefactor of the problem is held to be the -‘break-down of the traditional econ
omy m the countries covered in the study.
New horizons for the family.
1938.
772 pp.
By Una Bernard Sait.
New York, Macmillan Co.,
There is a chapter on “Social change and the family” and another on “The
family and economics, ’ Many subjects of labor interest, including child labor
and woman workers, are discussed in various sections of the volume.
Three iron mining towns: A study in cultural change. By Paul H. Landis Ann
Arbor, Mich., Edwards Bros., Inc., 1938. 148 pp.
A sociological study of the frontier, in which the community life of three mining
towns is subjected to scrutiny. The author points out that few industries that
establish community life are shorter-lived than mining.
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Recent Publications of Labor Interest
1213
Education and Guidance
To 'promote the cause of education— Office of Education. Washington, U. S. Office
of Education, 1938. 80 pp., charts, illus. (Bulletin, 1938, Miscellaneous
No. 2.)
Pictorial presentation of the activities of the United States Office of Education,
showing what it is, how it works, its functional services, and some recent develop
ments and resulting needed services.
Education in the southern mountains. By W. H. Gaumnitz. Washington,
U. S. Office of Education, 1938. 51 pp., map, illus. (Bulletin, 1937, No. 26.)
Includes a brief account of social and economic conditions in the region covered,
and some data on average farm income and teachers’ salaries.
Guidance service in 200 secondary schools. By M. L. Altstetter. (In Occupations—
The Vocational Guidance Magazine, New York, March 1938, pp. 513-520.)
The problem of vocational guidance. By Herman Schneider. New York, Fred
erick A. Stokes Co., 1938. 108 pp.
In-service training of Federal employees. By Earl Brooks. Chicago, Civil Service
Assembly of the United States and Canada, 1938. 74 pp., illus.
Describes comprehensively the in-service training programs of the United
States Government, draws conclusions regarding the legitimate purposes of such
training, and suggests organization principles and improvements in techniques
for the further progress of this Federal undertaking.
Training for the public-service occupations. By Jerry R. Hawke. Washington,
U. S. Office of Education, 1938. 82 pp., illus. (Vocational Education
Bulletin No. 192.)
Reviews the accomplishments to date along the lines of training for publicservice occupations; sets up a procedure which experience has shown may be
effectively followed in the planning and development of training programs; and
indicates how to secure the aid of Federal, State, and local trade and industrial
education agencies in the organization of vocational-training programs in the
field covered by the bulletin.
Occupational experiences for handicapped adolescents in day schools. By Elise H.
Martens. Washington, U. S. Office of Education, 1938. 61 pp., illus.;
bibliography. (Bulletin, 1937, No. 30.)
This analysis of present practices in a group of cities which provide occupational
experience for handicapped adolescents was made in the hope of establishing a
basis for the improvement and greater development of the program.
Annual report of Massachusetts Department of Education, for year ending November
SO, 1937— Part I. Boston, 1938. 137 pp.
Gives data on vocational education, education of the handicapped and of adult
aliens, safety education, employment of minors, teachers’ placement and retire
ment, and other subjects.
Problems of adult education in India. By A. Yusuf Ali. (In World Association
for Adult Education Bulletin, London, February 1938, pp. 1-10.)
Employment and Unemployment
Final report on total and partial unemployment, 1937. Washington, U. S. Census
of Partial Employment, Unemployment, and Occupations, 1938. 4 vols.
Volume 1 gives a summary for the United States, a section for geographic divi
sions, and one for each of the States, arranged alphabetically, from Alabama to
Indiana; volume 2 presents data by States, Iowa to New York; volume 3 covers
the remaining States, North Carolina to Wyoming, and the Territories Alaska
and Hawaii; volume 4 contains the results of the enumerative check census.
Unemployment in 1937-38 as reflected in U. S. Employment Service. Washington,
U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1938. 9 pp. (Serial No. R. 808, reprint
from October 1938 Monthly Labor Review.)
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1214
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
Interim report on partial unemployment submitted to Industrial Commissioner, New
York, by Committee on Partial Unemployment. Albany, Department of
Labor, Division of Placement and Unemployment Insurance, 1938. xii, 153
pp.; bibliography. (Placement and Unemployment Insurance series, Special
Bulletin No. 2.)
Conclusions and a recommendation from this report are published in this issue
of the Monthly Labor Review.
The psychological effects of unemployment. By Philip Eisenberg and Paul F.
Lazarsfeld. (In Psychological Bulletin, Princeton, N. J., June 1938, pp.
358-390, bibliography; also reprinted.)
Discusses the effects of unemployment upon personality, upon socio-political
attitudes, and upon children and youth.
Employment opportunities in oil industry in Texas. Austin, National Youth
Administration in Texas, 1938. 84 pp.; mimeographed. (Industrial Studv
No. 1.)
While the rates of pay and local practices here reported are for the State of
Texas, the principal data concerning the character of employment and the work
to be done in the industry covered are applicable throughout the United States.
A guide to employment for boys and girls in Greater London. London, Ministry of
Labor, London Regional Advisory Council for Juvenile Employment, 1938.
279 pp.
Governmental Agencies
Activities of Federal emergency agencies, 1933-38. Washington, U. S. National
Emergency Council, September 1938. 87 pp.
Organization and functions of Department of Labor and Industry, Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania. Harrisburg, 1938. 63 pp.
The work of each of the divisions of the department is summarized and an
organization chart is given.
Group Insurance
Group insurance— contractual liability. By H. Walter Forster and E. H. Mathews.
New York, American Management Association, 1938. 32 pp. (Insurance
Series No. 30.)
This pamphlet on group insurance shows the growth of this type of insurance
since 1911 when it was introduced, the change from noncontributory systems to
the present preponderance of contributory plans, and the extension of the groupinsurance principle to cover accidental death and dismemberment, accidents and
sickness, and hospitalization.
Health and Industrial Hygiene
Health and unemployment—some studies of their relationships. By Leonard C.
Marsh and others. Montreal, Oxford University Press (for McGill Univer
sity), 1938. xxv, 243 pp., charts.
A survey of the physical well-being of the unemployed, based on studies of the
effect of depression on the development of social-welfare organizations.
Illness among employed and unemployed workers. Washington, U. S. Public
Health Service, National Institute of Health, 1938. 13 pp., charts. (Pre
liminary Reports, National Health Survev, Sickness and Medical Care Series,
Bulletin No. 7.)
The study showed that proportionately more of the unemployed workers were
disabled by illness than of those having jobs. The highest illness rates were
found among workers in the most advanced age groups, in the low-income classes,
and among unskilled laborers.
Occupational study, 1937. New York, Actuarial Society of America and Associa
tion of Life Insurance Medical Directors, 1938. 95 pp.
Sequel to the Joint Occupation Study (1928), dealing principally with mortality
rates in the earlier report which were considered inconclusive largely because of
insufficient data, and such additional classes as were of special interest because
of recent technological changes or because they were considered borderline in
character. The data cover the policy issues of the years 1925 to 1935, carried to
the anniversaries in 1936.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Recent Publications of Labor Interest
1215
Buy health— we protect your health. Chicago, Bakery and Confectionery Workers’
International Union of America, 1938. 16 pp.
Outlines the work of the union, since its organization in 1886, in promoting the
health of the workers through examinations and medical care and the health of
consumers through establishment of sanitary shops and good working conditions.
Medical care in public assistance program of Pennsylvania—report and recommenda
tions of a special advisory committee. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Committee
on Public Assistance and Relief, [1937?]. 64 pp.
Report of Committee on Medical Care, American Public Welfare Association, annual
meeting, Seattle, Wash., June 30, 1938. Chicago, American Public Welfare
Association, 1938. 48 pp.
Analyzes the problems that face welfare officials and others in connection with
the provision of medical care.
The Chilean preventive medicine act. By Eduardo Cruz Coke L. (In Inter
national Labor Review, Geneva, August 1938, pp. 161-189; chart.)
Nineteenth annual report of M inistry of Health, Great Britain, 1937-38. London,
1938. 318 pp. (Cmd. 5801.)
Reviews the progress made during the year in relation to the fields of public
health, including medical and welfare services, food and drugs, and sanitation and
other services; public assistance; housing and town planning; and national health
insurance and pensions. A separate section deals with the work of the Welsh
Board of Health.
A study of asbestosis in the asbestos textile industry. Washington, U. S. Public
Health Service, National Institute of Health, 1938. 126 pp., illus.; bibli
ography. (Public Health Bulletin No. 241.)
The study covered 3 asbestos textile plants in which 541 men and women were
given medical examinations. A total of 73 cases of asbestosis were found, 24 of
which were classified as doubtful cases. As only three cases (all of which were
diagnosed as doubtful or borderline) were found where there was exposure to less
than 5 million particles of dust per cubic foot, it was concluded that if the dust
concentration were kept below this number, new cases of asbestosis would prob
ably not appear.
Health hazards in the dry cleaning industry: A preliminary report of a survey of
dry cleaning establishments in the Detroit metropolitan area. By William H.
Cary and John M. Hepler. (In American Journal of Public Health and the
Nation’s Health, Albany, N. Y., September 1938, pp. 1029-41.)
Deals with the types of equipment and kinds of solvents used in the area studied,
number of employees, existing and potential health hazards, control measures
used, and the medical or first-aid requirements needed or provided.
Methods for detection and determination of caibon monoxide. By L. B. Berger and
H. H. Schrenk. Washington, U. S. Bureau of Mines, 1938. 30 pp., illus.
(Technical Paper 582.)
Hazards incidental to industrial uses of nitrocellulose lacquers. By William J.
Burke and Leonard J. Goldwater. (In Industrial Bulletin, New York De
partment of Labor, Albany, July 1938, pp. 314-316.)
The article shows the toxic effects, so far as known, of the different constituents
of lacquers, and also discusses the industrial control of both fire and health hazards.
National Silicosis Conference: Final report of Committee on Prevention of Silicosis
Through Medical Control. Washington, U. S. Division of Labor Standards,
1938.
(Bulletin No. 21—in 4 parts; various paging.)
Housing
Labor and the housing problem. By Catherine Bauer. (In Labor Information
Bulletin, U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, August 1938, pp. 6-8; charts.)
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1216
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
Income
National income in 1987 largest since 1929. By Robert R. Nathan. (In Survey
of Current Business, U. S. Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce,
Washington, June 1938, pp. 11-17, charts; also reprinted.)
A summary of income statistics, continuing the studies made by the Bureau
of Foreign and Domestic Commerce, covering the peiiod from 1929 to 1932 and
each succeeding year. Total compensation of all employees, which, as computed
in this study, includes all salaries as well ai wages, work-relief wages and salaries,
and other labor income, is estimated at 90.7 percent of the 1929 total figure of
compensation of employees, while the total income paid out in 1937 was 88.3
percent of the 1929 total. However, in those industries where wages can be
separated from total income during the period covered, wages in 1937 were only
82.1 percent of wages in 1929.
Industrial Accidents and Safety
Causes and prevention of accidents in construction industry, 1936. By Max D.
Kossoris and Swen Kjaer. Washington, U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics,
1938. 12 pp. (Serial No. R. 801, reprint from August 1938 Monthly
Labor Review.)
Fatal and nonfatal electrical accidents in coal mines. By L. C. Ilsley. Washington,
U. S. Bureau of Mines, 1938. 7 pp.; mimeographed. (Information Circu
lar 7011.)
Brief study of principal causes of such accidents and methods of prevention.
Anuario de estadística minera, 1933. Mexico, Secretaría de Economía Nacional,
Departamento de Minas, 1938. 342 pp.
Includes data on accidents occurring in mining and metallurgical enterprises
in Mexico in 1933, by municipalities, showing cause and degree of severity.
Accidentes y enfermedades del trabajo. By Antonio Luna Arroyo. Mexico,
Mario Sainz (for the author), 1938. 32 pp., charts, folders.
Statistics are presented for industrial and other occupational accidents in
Mexico in the years 1933, 1934, 1935, and 1936, classified by industry and by
cause. For 1936, degree of permanence of the injury, part of the body affected,
degree of disability, and compensation paid, are also shown.
Advanced mine rescue training course of Bureau" of Mines. By J. J. Forbes.
Washington, U. S. Bureau of Mines, 1938. 10 pp.; mimeographed. (Infor
mation Circular 7010.)
Starting young workers safely in industry: A description of practical methods of
safety training. London, National Safety First Association, Inc., 1938.
47 pp. (Special accident prevention pamphlet.)
Industrial Relations
First annual report of New York State Board of Mediation, July 1, 1988. New
York, 1938. 8 pp.; mimeographed.
The administration of an N. R. A. code—a case study of the men’s clothing^ industry.
By Robert H. Connery. Chicago, Public Administration Service, 1938.
xxiii, 211 pp. (Social Science Research Council, Committee on Public
Administration, Studies in Administration, Vol. IV.)
Management and collective bargaining. By H. S. Gilbertson. (In Harvard Busi
ness Review, Boston, Vol. XVI, No. 4, 1938, pp. 385-399.)
The seniority principle in employment relations. Princeton, N. J., Princeton
University, Industrial Relations Section, 1938. 31 pp.; mimeographed.
(Report No. 53.)
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Recent Publications of Labor Interest
1217
Violations of free speech and rights of labor. Hearings, November 18, 1937, before
a subcommittee of Committee on Education and Labor, United States
Senate, 75th Congress, 2d session, on S. Res. 266 (74th Congress). Parts
15-A to 15-D (pp. 5173-7243). Washington, 1938.
Part 15 is composed of exhibits supplementary to hearings held by the com
mittee in 1936 and 1937 (pts. 1-14) and is divided into the following four sections:
Part 15-A, Railway Audit & Inspection Co., National Corporation Service,
National Metal Trades Association, and the William J. Burns International
Detective Agency, Inc.; part 15-B, Corporations Auxiliary Co. and Pinkerton’s
National Detective Agency, Inc.; part 15-C, the Tennessee Coal, Iron & Rail
road Co., the American Bridge Co., Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., and Harlan
County, Ky.; and part 15-D, the Chicago Memorial Day Incident and Industrial
Munitioning (Federal Laboratories, Inc., the Lake Erie Chemical Co., and the
Man ville Manufacturing Corporation).
Labor relations in republican Germany: An experiment in industrial democracy,
1918-1983. By Nathan Reich. New York, Oxford University Press, 1938.
293 pp.
Owing to the growing prominence of industrial relations in modern times, this
study is presented in the belief that the Weimar experiment was of more than
historical interest. The book shows the status of labor under the republican
government and the degree of effectiveness in collective bargaining, in labor
disputes, in the shop, and in litigation. The transition to the National Socialist
State is briefly traced.
Les occupations d’usines en Italie et en France, 1920-1936. By Henri Prouteau.
Paris, Librairie Technique et Économique, 1938. 243 pp.
Reviews the origin, causes, and methods of sit-down strikes in Italy during
1920, and the movement and its causes in France in 1936.
Industrial relations in the Netherlands. Washington, U. S. Bureau of Labor
Statistics, 1938. 9 pp. (Serial No. R. 800, reprint from August 1938
Monthly Labor Review.)
Regulation of wages and hours in New Zealand. Washington, U. S. Bureau of
Labor Statistics, 1938. 7 pp. (Serial No. R. 799, reprint from August 1938
Monthly Labor Review.)
International Labor Conference
Results of International Labor Conference, June 1938. By John S. Gambs. Wash
ington, U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1938. 8 pp. (Serial No. R. 797,
reprint from August 1938 Monthly Labor Review.)
Labor and Social Legislation
Amending the Wagner-Peyser Act. Report (to accompany S. 3516) submitted by
Mr. Thomas of Utah, Committee on Education and Labor, U. S. Senate,
75th Congress, 3d session, 1938. Washington, 1938. 4 pp. (Senate
Report No. 1763.)
Labor laws in action. By John B. Andrews. New York and London, Harper &
Bros., 1938. xviii, 243 pp.
This book by the secretary of the American Association for Labor Legislation
shows what has been and is being done in the United States to enforce laws for
protection of workers, describes enforcement procedure and machinery, gives
information about official publications, and discusses American and British factory
inspection.
II lavoro nelle constituzioni contemporanee. By Ferruccio Pergolesi. (In -Le
Assicurazioni Sociali, Istituto Nazionale Fascista della Previdenza Sociale,
Rome, May-June 1938, pp. 351-367.)
A fully-documented summary of labor provisions in the constitutions under
which the nations of today are governed.
L’application des nouvelles lois sociales. By Philippe Fargeaud. Paris, Comité
de Prévoyance et d’Action Sociales, 1938. 193 pp.
Critical review of effects of social laws passed in France in 1936 by the Popular
Front Government.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1218
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
La 'pratique des nouvelles lois sociales: Lois et decrets—jurisprudence. By Henri
Delmont. Paris, Librairie du Recueil Sirey, 1938. 186 pp.
Texts of French laws, decrees, and circulars on vacations with pay, the 40-hour
week, collective agreements, and conciliation and arbitration are given, and legal
decisions on questions arising under each of these laws are cited. The author
gives his conclusions on the effects of the laws.
Arbitrage et surarbitrage dans les conflicts collectifs du travail. By Paul Augier.
Paris, Librairie du Recueil Sirey, 1938. 236 pp.
Doctorate thesis on arbitration legislation adopted in France during 1936.
Labor Law Administration
Labor inspection in New Zealand, 1980-1987.
Geneva, July 1938, pp. 83-95.)
(In International Labor Review,
Labor Organization
The white collar workers organize. By Louis Gordon. New York, United Office
and Professional Workers of America, Educational Department, [1938]. 23
pp.
Les syndicats professionnels en U. S. S. R. By Michel Rolnikas. Paris, Librairie
Technique et Économique, 1937. 157 pp.
A monograph on labor unions in the Soviet Union, including a short review of
their history since 1905, their legal status since the decree of June 23, 1933, the
sphere of their jurisdiction and activities in production, regulation of wage pay
ment, labor protection, and welfare work.
M aritime and Longshore Labor
Maritime labor in the United States. By Elmo Paul Hohman. (In International
Labor Review, Geneva, August 1938, pp. 190-218; September 1938, pp.
376-403.)
Ratification of international maritime conventions by the United States. Washing
ton, U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1938. 4 pp. (Serial No. R. 798,
reprint from August 1938 Monthly Labor Review.)
The waterfront labor problem— a study in decasualization and unemployment insur
ance. By Edward E. Swanstrom. New York, Fordham University Press,
1938. 186 pp.
Summarizes existing documentary material available on the longshore situation
in the port of New York. The author also did considerable research work on
the more recent developments, with particular emphasis on the broad social
effects of the casual-employment conditions in the industry.
Migratory Labor
California’s migratory labor problem. By W. V. Allen. (In Employment Service
News, U. S. Employment Service, Washington, September 1938, pp. 9—11.)
Refugee labor migration to California, 1987. By Paul S. Taylor and Edward J.
Rowell. Washington, U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1938. 11 pp., map.
(Serial No. R. 794, reprint from August 1938 Monthly Labor Review )
A placement service for migratory farm workers. By W. Frank Persons. (In
Employment Service News, U. S. Employment Service, Washington, August
1938, pp: 8, 9.)
M ining Industry
Annuaire du Comité Central des Houillères de France et de la Chambre Syndicale
Française des Mines Métalliques. Paris, 1938. Various paging.
Annual report of Central Committee of Coal Operators in France, including
statistics of wages and number of workers in coal and lignite mines in 1936 and of
mineral production in France and the colonies from 1933 to 1937.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Recent Publications of Labor Interest
1219
Sixteenth annual report of Miners’ Welfare Committee [Great Britain], 1987. Lon- don, 1938. 128 pp., illus.
Recreation, social welfare, health, and education of miners are covered.
Forty-eighth annual report of Transvaal Chamber of Mines, 1937. Johannesburg,
1938. 176 pp.
Contains information on trade-union matters, labor legislation, and working
conditions of mine employees.
Annual report of Government Mining Engineer, Union of South Africa, for year
ended December 81, 1937. Pretoria, 1938. Various paging.
Data on employment, wages, and accidents are included, also a summary for
the year of the incidence of silicosis in the gold mines of the country and an
account of preventive measures. Statistics are given of the number of cases of
silicosis, of tuberculosis with silicosis, and of tuberculosis alone, reported by years
from 1917-18 to 1936-37 among European miners, and from 1926-27 to 1936-37
among native laborers.
Negro in IndustrySelected list' of references on Negro labor. Washington, U. S. Bureau of Labor
Statistics, July 1938. 5 pp.; mimeographed. (Supplement to bibliography
on Negro labor issued in 1937.)
The Negro as a subject of university research in 1937. By Ellis O. Knox. (In
Journal of Negro Education, Washington, D. C., April 1938, pp. 172-179.)
Nutrition
New technical efforts toward a better nutrition. Geneva, League of Nations, Sec
retariat, 1938. 36 pp.
Reviews the work of the League of Nations and the International Labor Office
toward promoting^ better knowledge of nutritional needs and the application of
present knowledge to the special problems of each country and locality.
Bulletin of Committee against Malnutrition, No. 26. London, 1938. 12 pp.
The lack of provision for child maintenance which results from the wage system
that remunerates the individual without regard to his responsibilities is discussed
from the standpoint of the extensive malnutrition among a large proportion of the
child population in Great Britain and other countries. Payment of family allow
ances as a measure to improve nutrition is advocated.
Food consumption of children at National Child Research Center [Washington,
D. C.]. By Helen Nebeker Hann and Hazel K. Stiebeling. Washington,
U. S. Department of Agriculture, 1938. 33 pp. (Circular No. 481.)
Results of quantitative studies of food consumed by children enrolled at
National Child Research Center, Washington, D. C., made during the period
1931-36 in order to obtain data on food-consumption habits and nutritive value
of diets of healthy young children.
Instituto de Alimentación Científica del Pueblo [Uruguay], Montevideo, Ministerio
de Instrucción Pública y Previsión Social, 1938. 61 pp., illus.
Account of operation of the Government-directed people’s restaurants in
Uruguay, and of the work of the Government in disseminating information on
proper nutrition. The restaurants serve scientifically planned meals to indi
viduals and families at low cost, special attention being given to the meals served
to children.
Occupations
Index to vocations: A subject index to 1,950 careers. Compiled by Willodeen Price
and Zelma E. Ticen. New York, H. W. Wilson Co., 1938. 122 pp. Second
revised and enlarged- edition.
Job descriptions for job foundries. Washington, U. S. Employment Service, Divi
sion of Standards and Research, 1938. xlvii, 366 pp., diagrams, illus.
An appraisal and abstract of available literature on the occupation of the general
houseworker. New York, National Occupational Conference, 1938. 12 pp.
One of a series, covering a wide range of occupations, being published by the
National Occupational Conference.
102770—38------ 17
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1220
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
List of organizations doing occupational research or having done so since 1932. A
survey made for Research Section of National Vocational Guidance Asso
ciation by Mary Schauffler. Cleveland, Western Reserve University, Flora
S t.n n p
M Q f h û r l ' / w l 1 /-»rc r\
o o
o r
,
J 1
Stone
Mather
College, February m1938.
25 pp.;_ mimeographed.
Personnel Management
Public personnel problems from the standpoint of the operating officer. By Lewis
Meriam. Washington, Brookings Institution, 1938. 440 pp. (Institute
tor Government Research Studies in Administration, No. 35.)
Incentives and contentment— a study made in a British factory. By Patricia Hall
and H. W. Locke. London, Isaac Pitman & Sons, Ltd., 1938. 190 pp
An evaluation of the factors that make for a contented working force based
upon a survey of a cocoa factory operated by B. Seebohm Rowntree.
Prison Labor
1938 Monthly Labor Review.)
Production and Production Costs
World production and prices, 1937-38. Geneva, League of Nations, Economic
Intelligence Service, 1938. 137 pp., charts.
There is an attempt in chapter II, on the basis of data that is admittedly
an<^ imperfectly comparable, to estimate the changes from 1929 to
] 937 m the average man-hour output of industrial workers.
Rapport général du Comité d’Enquête sur la Production. (In Journal Officiel de la
République, Paris, December 16, 1937, pp. 13728-13744: December 18 1937
annexe, pp. 1203-1224; January 14, 1938, annexe, pp. 63-73.)
•Tu16 Vommi,ttee
Incluiry on French Production was appointed in accordance
with a decree-law of August 25, 1937, to study the actual conditions of the French
economy and to propose measures to improve production and in a general manner
the situation of agriculture, commerce, and industry. The report covers the
situation in the principal industries and presents the conclusions of the committee.
The cost principle in minimum price regulation. By Herbert F. Taggart Ann
Arbor, University of Michigan, 1938. 182 pp. (Michigan Business Studies,
Vol. VIII, No. 3.)
A study of the elements of cost of production, including direct labor and over
head labor, with discussions of the applications of cost formulas in price regulation.
I he author describes the difficulties arising from the frequent failure to distinguish
between cost in general or to the marginal producer and cost to the individual
member of industry. He also recognizes the problems of cost determination and
or price regulation resulting from imperfect competition.
Retail Trade
Small-scale retailing: A statistical analysis of unpublished data from Census of
American Business. By William H. Meserole. Washington, U. S. Bureau of
I oreign and Domestic Commerce, 1938. 48 pp., charts. (Domestic Com
merce Series, No. 100.)
Based on a special tabulation of the statistics of small stores for the year 1933.
there is a section on “employees a,nd proprietors,” with discussions of employ
ment as related to volume of sales, productivity of workers, and average annual
wages. Comparisons of labor in small stores and large stores are described as
aiiticult and likely to be misleading because of such circumstances as part-time
or incidental employment, especially in smaller stores.
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Recent Publications of Labor Interest
1221
Sickness Insurance and Benefits
Contribución al estudio del movimiento mutualista en la República Argentina. By
Carlos A. Niklison. Santa Fe, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Instituto
Social, Sección Museo, 1938. 45 pp., charts. (Publicación No. 2.)
Report of a recent investigation into the? nature of mutual-aid societies in
Argentina, and of the sickness benefits provided by such organizations. Reviewed
in this issue of the Monthly Labor Review.
For public health—medical treatment in social insurance in Czechoslovakia. Prague,
Head Office of Health Insurance Societies, [1937?]. 157 pp., illus. (In
Czech, English, French, German.) '
General review of the public health insurance system in Czechoslovakia, includ
ing a historical sketch of its operation, statistical data on mortality and diseases,
and pictures of the institutions for medical treatment.
Workers’ compulsory sickness insurance in Czechoslovakia, 1926-37. (In Inter
national Labor Review, Geneva, August 1938, pp. 242-253.)
(
Social Security General
)
Labor’s risks and social insurance. By Harry A. Millis and Royal E. Montgomery.
New York, McGraw-Hill Book Co., Inc., 1938. 453 pp.
This volume, the second of a 3-volume series on “The economics of labor,”
deals with the problems of unemployment, industrial accidents and occupational
diseases, sickness and nonindustrial accidents among wage earners, compulsory
health insurance abroad, and the industrially old worker. The compulsory healthinsurance movement in the United States is discussed and a plan for such a system
is proposed.
Three years’ progress toward social security. By Arthur J. Altmeyer. (In Social
Security Bulletin, U. S. Social Security Board, Washington, August 1938,
pp. 1-7.)
National insurance: A summary of the principles of the Australian National Health
and Pensions Insurance Act, 1938. Canberra, National Insurance Com
mission, 1938. 43 pp.
Reviewed in this issue.
Wetenschappelijke balans van de vrijwillige gudendomsverzekering (fonds B) op
31 December 1936. Amsterdam, Rijksverzekeringsbank, [1938?]. 61 pp.
Annual report of the voluntary old-age and invalidity insurance system in the
Netherlands up to December 1, 1936.
Technological Changes
Practical measures to alleviate immediate social effects of dismissals. (In Inter
national Labor Review, Geneva, September 1938, pp. 404-411).
Conclusions reached at third session, in May 1938, by Advisory Committee on
Management set up in 1936 by Governing Body of International Labor Office to
consider the social effects of certain forms of “rationalization.” The Committee
regarded dismissals of staff the effects most urgently requiring consideration.
The mechanization of office work. (In International Labor Review, Geneva,
September 1938, pp. 411-415.)
Another subject on the agenda of the Advisory Committee on Management of
the International Labor Office was the use of office machinery and its influence on
working conditions in offices. This article presents the conclusions of the Com
mittee in this connection.
A list of references on technocracy. Compiled by Florence S. Heilman. Washing
ton, U. S. Library of Congress, Division of Bibliography, March 30, 1938.
17 pp.; typewritten. (Supplement to typewritten list of Jan. 20, 1933.)
Tennessee Valley Authority
An indexed bibliography of the Tennessee Valley Authority (supplement, JanuaryJune 1938). Compiled by Harry C. Bauer. Washington, U. S. Tennessee
Valley Authority, Technical Library, 1938. 19 pp.; mimeographed.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1222
Tke
Monthly Labor Review—November 1938
C taren cT !l Z Ï % M h0ri$ ~ £ nf ional. experiment in regionalism. By
272 pp , bMfography®
Wafihl^ ‘<>". Am™ a n University Press, 19387
Unemployment Insurance
and its effect
onunemployment compensation. By James
A d m i S S o n m S “' !n “ ™rdh U“ 7em ty .Graduate School of B u s ta S
The Q uestion whnthpr+v,08° P? ' ’ chai ’tol (Buslness Research Studies, No. 21.)
the
P&y the comP ^ a tio n offered by
“ s s à 2 ~ “ 1s& sjn sssr A »
L aS¡ 2 , ®
^ lot e contr.e le chômage et les jeunes travailleurs.
ss$
By Jos Rae-
Vacations with P ay
Smfth“0 w r h i l t ™ ,’0f r i S iS dUSt' y ’ / f 7u ? y Frances JoMS and Dorothy
No T? 7QRa^o • +°?’
? ’ Bureau of Tabor Statistics, 1938. 6 pp
(Serial
No. R. 796, reprint from August 1938 Monthly Labor Review.)
P C
Le, congtspayês en France. By A. Loreh. Paris, Marcel Rivière & Cie., 1938.
pay'
° f the P™?tiCe °f granting « ca tio n s with
193S-
featires of*:E L u n d Îàn T b oT alh ^ d u stry*" 0118 countries and discusses peculiar
Wages and Hours
Ear‘Labor01Sta«sTicsiBm s ’fe<il f tate nf l V
19M M o n X t a t a R ev iew ^ ' '
N° '
Washington, U. S. Bureau of
8° 9' rep rh lt ,r ° m ° Ctober
Baker'
N
e w Y o r k ’
McGraw'
The author makes use of information collected by the Federal Tradp Pom
Imports
a SS
f I He
f e Nstates
i
Commiss^n,
d l f l t to
l T nresent,
n annu“the
;
fQ
P+„ oafnc o w
porations.
his purpose
as beingL chiefly
facts ° n corporate practices and policies, but in a concluding cU pter he raises
V hB fraCtS- He explains t L Claries a c S l l y
desirahhitv n L f ° f «omPef*tion for executive ability, but suggests the
smaller cash p f y m S ? XeCUtlVe S& aneS m° re largely 0n a Professional basis- with
JUomen in Industry
ReV°r} q° l W(^ esT and hours of women and minors in industry , Kansas, November 1
w f L ? / D aS
!'n / i 9 3 r '3 9 Tp0pPeka’
^
^
Data from this report are given in this issue of the Monthly Labor Review.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Recent Publications of Labor Interest
1223
Women in Kentucky industries, 1987. Washington, U. S. Women s Bureau, 1938.
38 pp. (Bulletin No. 162.)
_ u -d •
Summary data from this report were published in the Monthly Labor Review
for August 1938.
Report to Wage Board for Hotels and Other Lodging Establishments on employment
of women and minors in lodging establishments in Pennsylvania. ^ Harrisburg,
Department of Labor and Industry, Bureau of Hours and Minimum Wages,
1938. 88 pp., mimeographed.
Women in business (basic information sources). Compiled by Florence A. Arm
strong and Frances C. Porcher. Washington, U. S. Bureau of Foreign and
Domestic Commerce, Marketing Research Division, March 1938. 12 pp.,
mimeographed.
Youth Problems
The National Youth Administration. By Palmer 0 . Johnson and Oswald L.
Harvey. Washington, U. S. Advisory Committee on Education, 1938.
120 pp. (Staff Study Number 13.)
,
Describes the N. Y. A. organization and programs and evaluates to some extent
the accomplishments of that agency.
General Reports
Annual report of Commission of Labor and Industry (Labor Department) of Kansas,
for year ending December 81, 1937. Topeka, 1938. 77 pp., charts.
In this review of activities of the Kansas Labor Department, data are given
on employment, unemployment, pay rolls, retail prices of food, industrial acci
dents, factory and mine inspection, and work of the women s division. A directory
of labor organizations in the State is included.
Annual report of Department of Labor, British Columbia, for year ended December
81, 1987. Victoria, 1938. 101 pp., charts.
<
. ,
Summarizes activities of the labor department in connection with industrial
relations, labor disputes and conciliation, factory inspection, employment, un
employment relief, and apprenticeship, and gives a résume of labor legislation.
D ata on wages and hours from the report are published in this issue of the Monthly
Labor Review.
The Canada year book, 1938. The official statistical annual of the resources,
history, institutions, and social and economic conditions of the Dominion.
Ottawa, Dominion Bureau of Statistics, 1938. xli, 1141 pp., maps, lllus.
The many topics taken up in this compilation include wages and hours ol
labor, employment and unemployment, unemployment relief, industrial disputes,
industrial accidents and compensation therefor, labor organizations, old-age
pensions, prices and cost of living, cooperative societies, and building construc
tion. The latest statistics presented on these su b le ts are for 193b or 193/.
Annuaire statistique de la République Tchécoslovaque. Prague, 1 Office de Statis
tique, 1938. Various paging.
,. . , .
, ,
This general statistical yearbook for Czechoslovakia includes data on prices
•and cost of living, employment, unemployment relief, wages, strikes and lock
outs, collective agreements, work of employment offices, housing, labor organiza
tions, production, and cooperatives. Some of the information on these topics is
ior 1937 but most of it is for 1936 or earlier years.
.Output, employment, and wages in United Kingdom, 1924, 1930, 1935. By G. L.
Schwartz and E. C. Rhodes. London, London & Cambridge Economic
Service, 1938. 35 pp. (Special Memorandum No. 47.)
There is an introductory analysis, by Prof. A. L. Bowley, of the census data
for 1924, 1930, and 1935 on output, employment, wages, and labor productivity,
covering all factory trades combined and mines and quarries combined, in is
is followed by summaries of the same data for the separate branches of production
covered by the censuses. These summaries include figures of labor productivity
in terms of “net output” and of average w e e k ly earnings, normal weekly hours,
and weekly hours actually worked. A final section gives index numbers of pro
duction in 1930 and 1935.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
U. S . GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1938
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
@FedFRASER