Full text of Monthly Labor Review : October 1949, Vol. 69, No. 4

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Monthly Labor Review

.

3 1949

U N IT E D STATES DEPARTM ENT OF LABOR • BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS

L a w r e n c e R. K l e in , Chief, Office of Publications


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CONTENTS
Special Articles
365 Community Approach to Wage Studies.
371 Benefit Plans in Agreements of AFL Tobacco Workers
377 Family Spending for Housing in Three Cities, 1947

Summaries of Studies and Reports
385
390
393
396
398
399
402
404
405
407

Work Injuries in the United States, 1948
Salaries of Office Workers: Washington, D. C., April 1949
Earnings in Communications Industries, 1947 and 1948
Wages in Selected Chemical Industries, April 1949
Woolen and W7orsted Textiles: Earnings in May 1949
Operations of Consumers’ Cooperatives in 1948
1949 Survey of Consumer Finances
Nonagricultural Employment, by Industry Division, 1919-48
Domestic Workers’ Wages and Hours, New York State, 1948
Labor-Management Disputes in September 1949

Technical Notes
410 Estimating National Housing Volume
417 Measurement of Labor Turn-Over

Departments
hi

422
428
430
438

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

October 1949 ® Voi. 69 • No. 4

This Issue in B rief. . .

an age of fact-finding boards and the media­
tion of labor disputes on the national, state, and
local levels, the need for wage-rate information in
a variety of forms grows more urgent each year.
C ommunity A pproach to W age S tudies (p. 365)
reports on the efforts of the Bureau of Labor
Statistics to provide wage rates of important oc­
cupations in representative industries on a com­
munity-wide basis. Pilot studies were conducted
this year in Trenton, N. J .; Portland, Maine;
Shreveport, La.; Grand Rapids, Mich.; Rockford,
111.; and Spokane, Wash. On review it is con­
cluded that the community approach, in addition
to being an economical operation, has a broad
usefulness.
A community study of a more limited nature is

In

S alaries

of

O ffice W orkers : W ashington ,

D. C., A pril 1949 (p. 390). In private industry,
hand bookkeepers, among women workers, aver­
aging $59.50 per week, were the highest paid; the
lowest, office girls, at $34. Averages for about
two-thirds of the jobs fell between $40 and $50
a week. Among men, general clerks received
about $55. Broadly speaking, the salaries and
hours of work of persons studied were close to
those paid and worked in Federal Government
service for similar jobs. Paid vacations, after a
year’s work, and paid holidays were the general
rule.
The community approach has its application to
income and expenditure studies also. F amily
S pending for H ousing in T hree C ities , 1947
(p. 377) continues the series of articles on family
spending by income class in Washington, D. C.,
Richmond, Va., and Manchester, N. H. Housing
costs, which averaged about 25 percent of family
spending in the three cities, include rent (or cur­
rent maintenance costs of home owners), lodging
away from home, fuel, light, refrigeration, house­
hold operation, and housefurnishings. Some of
the facts turned up should provoke fruitful study
for market researchers for public utilities and
ii


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household appliances. For example, two-thirds
of the Richmond families renting quarters must
furnish their own stoves as compared with only
10 percent in Washington. In these two cities,
at most income levels, home owners on the aver­
age spent less for current maintenance, utilities,
and refrigeration than renters for the same items.
Among housefurnishings and equipment items,
furniture took the highest proportion of expend­
itures except in Manchester, where kitchen equip­
ment led.
Shifting from the community to the country as
a whole in 1949 S urvey of C onsumer F inances
(p. 402), but still in a general way on the subject
of family income and spending, it is pointed out
that money income rose last year. The median
spending-unit income was up 10 percent over 1947.
There were about 1 million more holders of liquid
assets. About half the units with liquid assets
used some to buy an automobile or some other
durable goods item. The largest amounts of with­
drawals of savings were for investment or buying
cars or some other durable commodity.
One of the points made in the report of the
President’s Steel Industry Board was that health,
welfare, and pension plans as a collective bargain­
ing issue were not new. Indeed, more than 100
unions have secured such benefits for their mem­
bers. B enefit P lans in A greements of AFL
T obacco W orkers (p. 371) describes the plans
negotiated by one of the smaller unions. Pro­
grams are in effect with five tobacco manufactur­
ers, four of them major companies. Of the five
agreements, two provide retirement, three life in­
surance, two accident and sickness insurance, three
hospitalization, and three surgery and medical
care. From 3,000 to 19,000 workers are covered
by the various types of benefits.
W ork I njuries in T he U nited S tates , 1948
(p. 385) declined last year in both main branches.
Yet there was a greater proportion of fatalities
and permanent disabilities. This meant that the
average days lost per injured worker rose. In
manufacturing, the lost-time rate rose from 73
days in 1947 to 83 in 1948. Relatively large pro­
portions of fatalities and other serious injuries
were reported in cement mills, iron and steel, cold
finished steel, and concrete, among others. Aver­
age time lost per case because of temporary total
disabilities (the most common) remained at 16.

*

The Labor Month
in Review

the labor news during September
were the contract negotiations which ended in
strikes in the steel and coal industries and the
agreement on a pension plan for employees of the
Ford Motor Co. The struggle for control between
right- and left-wing elements in certain unions
reached a climax at conventions in September,
with the prospect that a splinter left-wing labor
federation may be formed.
General economic conditions again appeared
somewhat improved, with indications that unem­
ployment had declined more than seasonally and
that employment generally was being maintained.
Except for a month-end drop in the prices of farm
products and foods, there were no significant
changes in the average level of prices during the
month.

D ominating

Strike in Steel
Protracted contract negotiations between the
steel industry and the steelworkers’ union ended
in failure and on October 1 approximately 500,000
steelworkers went out on strike. The union had
accepted the recommendations of the President’s
fact-finding board for company-financed pension
and social-insurance plans with no wage increase
at this time and had agreed to continue negotia­
tions until September 25. While the companies
were willing to continue negotiations, they indi­
cated that they were unwilling to accept the
principle of social insurance and pensions without
contributions from employees.
Before the expiration of the September 25 dead­
line, President Truman again called for an exten­
sion of negotiations until October 1. The parties
continued to confer but remained deadlocked,
and the intervention of the Federal Mediation
and Conciliation Service was unable to bring
about agreement before the expiration of the last
strike deadline.
The contract dispute between the Ford Motor
Co. and the United Auto Workers was settled


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through the negotiation of a company-financed
pension plan. Signing of the agreement on
September 29 averted a strike which was sched­
uled to begin that day.
The contract calls for a pension plan, paid for
by the company, which together with socialsecurity benefits will pay $100 a month to em­
ployees aged 65 with 30 years’ service. Cost to
the company of the plan under present socialsecurity benefit standards is estimated to be 8%
cents an hour. (The company is now paying 1
cents an hour for a liability- and life-insurance
plan.) The company may be relieved of part
of the cost if Government social-security benefits
are increased. Other provisions of the pension
program cover benefits under varying conditions
of age and service. The plan becomes effective
on March 1, 1950, and may not be reopened for
negotiation before March 1, 1955.
The agreement otherwise continues present
wage scales to April 1, 1952, a total of 30 months,
subject to reopening by either party on economic
matters exclusive of pensions after January 1,
1951.
On September 19 the United Mine Workers
adopted a “no day workweek,” following a long
period during which the miners worked 3 days a
week. Negotiations had broken down after the
southern operators withheld the 20-cent-per-ton
royalty to the miners’ pension and welfare fund,
and United Mine Workers president John L.
Lewis, who is chairman of the fund trustee,
stopped pension and welfare payments to the
miners. Bargaining was resumed in early Octo­
ber, and on October 7 representatives of the
parties met in Washington with Cyrus Ching,
director of the Federal Mediation and Concilia­
tion Service, at his request, to attempt to arrive
at an agreement.
The Pension Issue
Union demands for private pensions arise in
part from the inadequacy of present old-age bene­
fits under the Federal social-security program.
The matter of more adequate benefits, dramatized
by the steel strike and the Ford settlement in
September, was taken up by Congress in early
October. The House of Representatives, by an
overwhelming vote on October 5, passed H. R.
6000 to expand the social-security program. The
bill extends old-age and survivors insurance covin

IY

THE LABOR MONTH IN REVIEW

erage to an additional 11,000,000 persons, includ­
ing 4,500,000 nonfarm self-employed. Benefits
to the 2,600,000 now receiving them would be in­
creased by an average of 70 percent. For the first
time the Federal Government would pay benefits
to workers for permanent and total disability.
Government versus private sponsorship of pen­
sion programs is now being widely discussed. The
Government, it is pointed out, is the only institu­
tion which may claim perpetual life, a condition
necessary for a secure pension program. Differ­
ences in the treatment of workers in a multitude
of private pension schemes, based on variations
in union bargaining strength, is viewed as in­
equitable. Complications in the transfer of work­
ers from one plan to another, and the inducements
or deterrents for workers to change jobs because
of attractive or unattractive pension plans, are
considered undesirable.
Both contributory and noncontributory plans
are in effect in existing private pension systems.
Many employers, including a number of large ones,
have established pension and welfare funds with­
out contributions from their employees. An ad­
vantage of such plans is that all workers in a plant
are covered, whereas the type of private plan which
requires employee contributions generally makes
membership optional. As a result, some workers
elect to forego coverage in order not to reduce
current take-home pay. It is also pointed out
that more insurance can be bought by employer
contributions than by an equal amount from the
employee, since the former may be deducted as
expenses for income tax computation.
Showdown in the CIO
The growing difference between right- and leftwing elements in a number of Congress of Indus­
trial Organization unions reached a climax at the
conventions of the National Maritime Union and
the United Electrical Workers during September.
Candidates of the left-wing group again won
offices in the electrical union. The convention
issued an “ultimatum” to the CIO to punish other
unions for “raiding” UE membership or face the
loss of per capita payments. In anticipation of
the withdrawal of the UE from the CIO, the rightwing group appointed a committee to attend the
CIO convention in Cleveland beginning October
31, and “to determine the best way to provide

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a CIO international union in the electrical industry
free from the domination of the Communist
Party.”
The anti-Communist forces at the convention
of the National Maritime Union maintained their
leadership of the union and amended the con­
stitution to bar all Communists who apply for
membership. The convention also adopted a
resolution to “root out” Communists now in the
union and upheld the expulsion of five alleged
Communists.
Unemployment Declines
Some reflection of the improved business situa­
tion appeared in the employment and unemploy­
ment trends as reported in the Monthly Report
on the Labor Force for September. Both em­
ployment and unemployment declined from August
to September as many summer workers returned
to school or left the job market. The decline of
half a million in total employment, to 59.4 million,
was considerably less than the seasonal drop a
year ago. Unemployment, however, which varied
little at this time a year ago, dropped from August
to September by about a third of a million to reach
the level of last spring, about 3.4 million.
The report indicates that a considerable part of
the reduction in unemployment occurred among
young persons of high-school and college age, but
there was some evidence also of a decrease among
adult workers. A continuing decline in initial
claims filed for unemployment compensation is
indicated by the weekly claims records of the
State employment security agencies in September.
Surveys by the United States Employment Service
also indicate a decline in unemployment and a
betterment of the employment situation in most
of the so-called “E ” areas—labor markets in which
there is a very substantial labor surplus.
Variations in average prices, both at wholesale
and at retail, were again small for the month as a
whole. There was a sharp drop in the wholesale
prices of farm products and foods toward the end
of the month as markets felt the effect of the large
crops of grain and the record peacetime supply of
hogs. The consumers’ price index changed only
slightly between July and August, increasing by
0.2 percent. This was mainly due to a rise in
food prices, principally meats and eggs, following
the usual seasonal trend.

Community Approach to Wage Studies'
A Commentary on Pilot Studies in Six Cities,
Pointing to the Flexibility, Utility,
and Operational Economy of the Technique

Wage Statistics and Policy Decisions

viduals. Knowledge of relative wage rates helps
to influence the occupational choices of individuals.
I n recent decades , the need for reliable wage
Private wage policy, as expressed through collec­
data has increased as the range of policy decisions
tive bargaining or in company personnel adminis­
requiring reasonably precise wage information has
tration, rests in some measure on knowledge of,
widened. The most general form of wage meas­
or assumptions with respect to, wages in particular
ure is the great aggregate; for example, wages (or
industries or labor markets. Regional differences
wages and salaries) as a component of national
in the level and structure of wage rates, to give
income. This aggregate, in turn, is built up from
another example, frequently influence decisions
smaller pay-roll aggregates relating to particular
with respect to plant location when, on balance,
industries or employments. The employment
alternative locations are feasible.
and pay-roll reporting program of the Bureau of
Structural changes in the organization of the
Labor Statistics provides an important body of
economy have increased the need for wage infor­
information in this area.
mation relevant to a variety of broad and narrow
The most specific wage measure is the hourly or
policy decisions. One of the most conspicuous of
weekly rate (or distribution of rates) for occupa­
these changes is the spread of collective bargain­
tions X, Y, and Z, in industry A, in communities
ing as a mechanism of wage determination, and
B, C, and D. Such statistics, when properly com­
the related development of more systematic wage
piled, throw light on the structure of wages in an
policies on the part of business firms. The more
industry and on variations in that structure among
positive role of government in the direction of
communities. Information for various industries
economic activity is of signal importance. An
can be combined into broader wage measures, such
obvious example is found in the establishment of
as wage-rate indexes.
minimum standards of wages (e. g., the Fair Labor
The more general wage measures are utilized
Standards Act) and, more generally, in concern
largely in the formation of broad (national)
with policies for maintaining high levels of out­
economic policy and in broad analyses of develop­
put and employment (e. g., Employment Act
mental tendencies in the economy. More specific
of 1946).
measures are used for a host of narrower policy
These considerations place in some perspective
decisions by individual firms, industries, or seg­
(1) the need for a variety of wage statistics to
ments of industries, by local and international
throw light on questions of varying order and
unions, by governmental agencies, and by indimagnitude relating to wages, and (2) the moderate
1 By H. M. Douty and Toivo P. Kanninen of the Bureau’s Division of expansion in recent years in the body of wage
Wage Statistics.
data of various kinds available for public use.


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365

366

COMMUNITY WAGE STUDIES

Occupational Wage Studies
During the spring of 1949, the Bureau of Labor
Statistics conducted pilot studies of occupational
wages and related wage practices on a community
basis in six cities in various parts of the country.
The cities are Portland, Maine; Trenton, N. J . ;
Shreveport, La.; Grand Rapids, Mich.; Rockford,
111.; and Spokane, Wash.2
This group of surveys was undertaken to obtain
some indication of the role that community studies
might play in the Bureau’s occupational wage pro­
gram, and to secure operating experience with this
type of wage collection. The Bureau’s experience
with locality studies of a limited nature had sug­
gested that a series of recurring community sur­
veys might contribute significantly to the creation
of a more comprehensive body of wage data.
To meet present needs, an occupational wage
program must provide data on a current and,
insofar as feasible, a community basis for the more
important categories of occupations in a broadly
representative group of industries and employ­
ments. Clearly, information cannot be main­
tained on a current basis for every occupation in
every industry and every community in the United
States. The problem is to devise a program which,
within reasonable limits, is sufficiently broad and
flexible to meet the major needs for occupational
wage data.
For many decades, the Bureau of Labor Sta­
tistics has conducted studies of wage rates 3 by
occupation and industry.4 These studies, in addi­
tion to their uses at the time of their appearance,
remain valuable for the light they throw on
changes in the level and structure of wages in par­
ticular industries, and for the data they yield for
broader studies of wage-rate movements.5 How­
ever, during the years up to World War II, except
in three periods (1907, 1919, and 1931-32) of ex­
tensive survey work, the number of industries
2 Detailed reports of these studies are available while the supply lasts.
2 Straight-time average hourly earnings, in the case of workers paid on an
incentive basis.
4 For a summary picture of the Bureau’s work in the field of occupational
wages, see Bureau of Labor Statistics Bulletins No. 604, History of Wages
in the United States from Colonial Times to 1928, with Supplement for
1929-33; No. 616, Handbook of Labor Statistics, 1936; No. 694, Handbook of
Labor Statistics, Vol. II, Wages and Wage Regulation, 1941.
6 An outstanding instance is the extensive use of Bureau wage studies by
Paul H. Douglas, in Real Wages in the United States. 1890-1926 (Boston,
Houghton Mifflin Co., 1930); for more recent examples, see Trends in Re­
gional Wage Differentials in Manufacturing, 1907-47, by Joseph W. Bloch,
M onthly Labor Review, April 1948; and Occupational Wage Differentials,
1907-47, by Harry Ober, M onthly Labor Review, August 1948.


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MONTHLY LABOR

studied was relatively small, attention was largely
centered on manufacturing,6 little information was
shown on a local labor market basis, and the lag
between data collection and publication was fre­
quently considerable.
During the war, the Bureau undertook a very
large program of occupational wage studies by
industry and local labor-market area for the use
of the National War Labor Board in its adminis­
tration of the wage stabilization policy.7 By the
end of 1944, much of the basic work for the Na­
tional War Labor Board had been completed.
Beginning in 1945, a comprehensive program of
wage studies on a national industry basis was
inaugurated.8 This program, which extended into
1947, differed from prewar programs of industry
wage studies not only in scope of industry coverage,
but also in the emphasis placed upon the publica­
tion of data for local areas. Typically, releases
were issued for all communities of 100,000 popula­
tion or more in which a given industry was suffi­
ciently represented to permit the publication of
separate data. Additional experience with local
area studies was thus gained, and the existence of
widespread demand for information on this basis
was confirmed.
In 1947, the occupational wage program was
substantially reorganized. The number of Nation­
wide industry studies was sharply reduced. A
program of annual “industry-locality” surveys was
developed, to maintain as broad an industry
coverage as possible and to retain the community
approach in the presentation of data. This pro­
gram involved the study once a year of wages in
a carefully selected list of key occupations in some
25 manufacturing and nonmanufacturing industries
in selected communities.
Studies of salaries in selected office clerical
occupations in an important group of large cities
were also undertaken.9 These studies represented
6 Some nonmanufacturing industries were regularly included in studies of
union rates.
1 Robert J. Myers and Harry Ober; Statistics for Wage Stabilization, in
Journal of the American Statistical Association, December 1943. See also
Activities of the Bureau of Labor Statistics in World War II (Historical
Reports of War Administration, Bureau of Labor Statistics, No. 1, 1947),
ch. V.
8 National and regional data were published in a series of mimeographed
bulletins. The first of a series of printed bulletins incorporating the basic
results of these surveys is Bureau of Labor Statistics Bulletin No. 952, Wage
Structure: Metalworking Industries. 1945.
* The results of the 1948 office clerical worker studies have been summarized
in Bureau of Labor Statistics Bulletin N o. 943, Salaries of Office Workers in
Selected Large Cities. Preliminary reports of the 1949 studies are now
available.

REVIEW, OCTOBER 1949

COMMUNITY WAGE STUDIES

a sharp departure in Bureau practice in that for
the first time occupational rates were studied on
a cross-industry rather than an individual industry
basis. Separate data for very broad industry
groups such as manufacturing and wholesale trade
were provided. Surveys of union rates in 5
industries in a large number of communities
were continued.
This program, which is currently in its third
year, has enabled the Bureau to maintain a
substantial body of occupational wage information
to meet the large number of requests for such
data.10 The use of a more inclusive community
approach, however, is important in the construc­
tion of a consistent and more comprehensive
body of occupational wage data.
The Community Approach
The information obtained in the Bureau's
present program has certain limitations. (1) For
those localities included within the scope of the
program, the data relate to various periods within
the year. For example, office workers may be
surveyed in April, power laundries in August, and
machinery manufacture in November. As a
result, no large body of data exists for any given
community relating to a single pay-roll period.
This disadvantage is overcome in a community
approach. (2) The community survey permits
the inclusion of information for industries that
may be peculiarly important in a given com­
munity but which fall outside the scope of the
present industry-locality program. An example is
pottery in Trenton. (3) The community approach
permits data to be shown for some important
types of occupations on a cross-industry basis,
and hence yields answers to such questions as:
What is the general level of rates in the community
for file clerks, maintenance carpenters, hand
truckers?
Although the Bureau’s existing wage data are
already employed extensively, a well-rounded com­
munity survey program would usually yield a
richer fund of information. Occupational wage
data obtained once a year for a representative
group of communities would have a variety of
uses, the more important of which would appear
to be:
10 More than 10,000 letters of request have been received for the results of the
1949 clerical surveys alone.


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367

(1) In connection with private wage determina­
tion by employers or through the collective­
bargaining process. Existing Bureau data are
already widely used for this purpose.
(2) In wage determinations by government
agencies (Federal, State, and local) for employees
whose remuneration is based on prevailing rates
for similar work in the locality.
(3) In the administration of unemployment
compensation, notably in cases involving suita­
bility of employment offers in which wages are
at issue.
(4) In the making of decisions (by employers)
with respect to plant location when the level of
wages is a factor, and, generally, in the analysis
of wage-cost differences.
(5) In the construction of wage-rate indexes
paralleling the consumers’ price index for large
cities, and of indexes showing the movement of
wage rates in broad occupational categories, e. g.,
office clerical workers, unskilled labor.
(6) In a wide range of analytical work relating
to community wage structures, occupational wage
differences, inter-area wage variations, and the like.
The Pilot Surveys: Trenton, N. J.
The basic characteristics of the pilot community
surveys conducted in the spring of 1949 are illus­
trated by the study of Trenton, N. J.
Trenton has a population of about 130,000 and
its manufacturing industries are highly diversified.
Nearly half of the 36,000 workers in manufactur­
ing are employed in metalworking establishments,
which include among their products automotive
equipment, bearings, electric lamps, hardware,
household equipment, radiators, steel springs, tur­
bines, wire, and wire rope. The pottery indus­
tries, for which the city is well known, provide
employment to about 4,600 workers, and produce
sanitary ware, general ware, and electrical porce­
lain. Nearly as important, from the standpoint
of employment, is the rubber-products industry,
engaged primarily in producing mechanical rubber
goods. Substantial numbers of workers are also
employed in the production of apparel, asbestos
products, cigars, plastics, and textiles.
The wage survey covered manufacturing and
the following nonmanufacturing industry groups:
Wholesale trade, retail trade, finance, insurance
and real estate, transportation, communication

COMMUNITY WAGE STUDIES

368

and. other public utilities, and certain service in­
dustries. Only establishments with more than 20
workers were included within the scope of the
study, except in automobile repair those with 5
or more workers were scheduled. An estimated
289 establishments, employing approximately 45,000 workers, met the size criteria. Data were
obtained from a sample of 180 establishments
which employed more than 39,000 workers. In
addition, union wage-rate data were secured for a
number of industries.
Field representatives of the Bureau obtained
wage- or salary-rate data for selected occupations
from employer pay-roll records. In all, 77 jobs
(53 men’s and 24 women’s) were studied; these
jobs accounted for one-fourth of the total employ­
ment in all industry groups combined. Selected
jobs in the following categories were surveyed on
a cross-industry basis: (1) office clerical; (2) plant
maintenance; (3) laboring. Data were also ob­
tained for selected occupations characteristic of
the following industries: Metalworking, pottery,
rubber products, department and clothing stores,
auto-repair shops, and power laundries.
Tables 1 and 2 contain summary information
for 53 of the selected occupations. Considerably
greater wage detail is available in the full report.11
11 Interquartile ranges are shown for all occupations. Separate information
by broad industry division is shown, where possible, for the occupations sur­
veyed on a cross-industry basis, and complete frequency distribution are
typically presented for these jobs.
T able

Even these summary tables, however, throw sub­
stantial light on the Trenton wage structure.
Thus, the bottom of the wage structure for male
workers usually can be represented by the occu­
pational group comprising janitors, porters, and
cleaners. The general level of rates for this occu­
pation group in March 1949 was $1.10 an hour
(table 1). The full report shows a marked differ­
ence in wage level for this group between manufac­
turing and nonmanufacturing industries ($1.17
as compared with $0.87). Skilled workers, as
represented by maintenance electricians and ma­
chinists, averaged $1.72 and $1.71, respectively
on a community basis, with other types of mainte­
nance labor at somewhat lower levels. The level
of rates for highly skilled processing jobs in par­
ticular industries (tool and die makers in metal­
working, casters in potteries, calendar operators
in rubber) ranged from $1.70 to $1.91. Average
rates for a group of other skilled and semiskilled
jobs ranged from about $1.40 to $1.60. In some
of these jobs, wage incentives were important in
determining the level of earnings.
Women employed as janitors, porters, and clean­
ers in Trenton averaged 86 cents an hour ($1.04
in manufacturing and 63 cents in nonmanufactur­
ing). In two power laundry jobs (see table 1),
women averaged 71 and 80 cents an hour. The
average level of wages for the important group
of women employed as finishers in potteries was

1.—Average hourly earnings,l selected plant occupations,2 Trenton, N. J M a r c h 194-9

Industry, occupation, and sex

All industries:
Carpenters, maintenance_____________
Electricians, maintenance.........................
Janitors, porters, and cleaners------------Janitors, porters, and cleaners (women)
Machinists, maintenance_________ —
Maintenance men, general utility-------Mechanics, maintenance_____ ____ —
Order fillers_________________________
Stock handlers and truckers, hand------Truck drivers................................. ............
Metalworking industries:
Assemblers:
Class B ............. ......................................
Class C ............................................ —
Class C (w o m en )...............................
Coremakers, hand—---------- ---------------Inspectors:
Class B ...............— ------ ---------------Class C_________ ______ ____ _____
Machinists, production__________ ____
Molders, floor—..........................................
Punch-press operators, class B „ ..............
Tool and die makers.... ...............................
Welders, hand, class A ...............................
1 Excludes premium pay for overtime and night work.


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MONTHLY LABOR

Number
of
workers

Average
hourly
earnings

116
203
630
157
358
124
134
315
1, 288
402

$1. 58
1.72
1.10
.86
1.71
1.46
1 60
1.28
1.22
1.22

362
284
854
22

1.57
1.42
1.23
1.60

118
118
25
29
252
253
41

1.51
1.33
1.40
1.53
1.46
1.91
1.58

Industry, occupation, and sex

Pottery products industries:
Casters_______________________ - .................................
Clay makers............................................. .........................
Die pressers.......... .......... ............................................... .
Finishers (women)......................... ...................................
Kiln firemen, tunnel kiln---------- ------ -----------------Kiln placers, tunnel kiln------------------------------------Mold makers, plaster_________________________
Rubber products industries:
Calendar operators....................................—....................
Calender operators’ helpers------------------ ------ -------Finishers, machine (women)..................................... —Millmen, mixing, 48" and 60" mills---------------------Pressmen, molded-goods------------------------------------Trimmers and finishers, hand. . ---------------------Auto repair shops:
Body-repairmen, metal-------------- ------------- ----------Mechanics, automotive, class A --------------------------Washers, automobile-----------------------------------------Power laundries:
Finishers, flatwork, machine (women)........................
Pressers, shirts, machine (women).......... ................. —

Number
of
workers

Average
hourly
earnings

712
73
109
301
119
103
84

$1.89
1.31
1.42
.91
1.51
1.67
1.60

37
64
66
101
232
49

1.70
1.42

32
103
27

1.42
1.38
.89

109
74

.71
.80

* Data relate to men workers except where otherwise indicated.

1.20

1.44
1.38
1.32

REVIEW, OCTOBER 1949

91 cents. Salary levels below the latter figure
were found for women clerical workers only in the
most routine occupations, as table 2 shows. In
two selected sales jobs for women, average hourly
earnings were 73 and 86 cents, respectively.
T a b l e 2. —Average weekly earnings 1 for women workers,

selected office and store occupations, Trenton, N. J.,
March 1949

Occupation

369

COMMUNITY WAGE STUDIES

N um ­
ber of
workers

Average earn­
ings *
Weekly Hourly

somewhat in industry coverage, were similar in
design and execution. Improvements undoubt­
edly can be made in these surveys. It seems
reasonable to conclude, however, that at least in
terms of the specific communities covered, this
type of study yields a body of information which,
in fullness and breadth, can be achieved in no
other way. Persons with some experience in the
use of wage data, and with some knowledge of
occupations, can largely complete, from these
studies, the anatomy of wages in the communities
covered.

A ll offices
Bookkeepers, hand_______________ ___________
Calculating-machine operators (Comptometer
typ e). . ______ . . . . . . . . ___________ _
Clerks:
Accounting _____________________________
File, Class B ____________________________
G e n e r a l__ ______________________________
Pay-roll__________________________________
Clerk-typists____________________ ___________
Stenographers, general________________________
Switchboard-operator-reeeptionists ___________
Typists:
Class A
__
__ ___
. . _____
Class B . . . _________ __________ _______

100

$50.00

$1.25

98

39.00

.98

179
50
108
173
299
395
84

39.50
30.50
45. 50
42.50
35.00
42.00
38.50

.99
.77
1.17
1.06
.89
1.06
.96

63
90

44.00
34.00

1.10
.88

50
91
39

29.50
35.00
28.50

.73
.86
.70

Department and clothing stores
Sales clerks, women’s accessories (hosiery, gloves,
handbags)_____________________ . _______
Sales clerks, women’s dresses, suits, and coats____
Tailors, alteration (women’s garments)_________
1 Excludes premium pay for overtime.

In addition to the wage-rate data obtained
from employer pay-roll records, union-scale in­
formation was secured for selected trades in
building construction, local transit, trucking,
printing, and baking.12 These data are summa­
rized in table 3, and help to round out the wage
information for Trenton.
In accordance with its usual procedure, the
Bureau also gathered information on an important
group of supplementary wage practices in the
Trenton survey. Data on shift differentials were
obtained for the metalworking, pottery, and
rubber industries. For office and plant workers
separately, information was secured on scheduled
weekly hours of work, paid vacations, formal provi­
sions for paid sick leave, paid holidays, payment
of nonproduction bonuses, and insurance and
pension plans.
This cursory examination of the Trenton survey
is intended only to indicate the general nature and
scope of the study. The pilot surveys in the other
5 communities, although necessarily differing
12 These are industries for which the Bureau has collected union-scale data
for many years.

854982 - 49 -

-2


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T able 3.— Union wage scales 1for selected trades in Trenton,

N. J., April 1, 1949

Classification

Bakeries
Machine shops:
Bakers, first h a n d ...
Bakers, second hand.
Handcraft shops:
Bakers, first h a n d ...
Bakers, second hand.
Packers..............................
Building construction
Bricklayers...............................................
Carpenters................................................
Electricians--------- -------------------------Painters............... ....... ...............................
Plasterers-.............-........................... .......
Plumbers______________ _____ _____
Building laborers----------- ------ --------Local transit operating employees
Busses:
First 3 m onths______________ _______
4-12 m on ths..............................- ..................
After 1 year..................................................

Wage ra te 1
per—
Hours
per
week
Hour Week

$77.00
56.00

40
40

80.00
62.00

40
40
40

$1,375
2.65
2. 50
2.75
2.00

2.65
2.50
1.60

1.36
1.40
1.43

40
40
40

1.40
1.25
1.15
1.06

45
45
45
45

Motortruck drivers and helpers
D ry freight (nonperishable goods):
Drivers, truck trailer, over 6 tons----Drivers, truck trailer, 1 to 6 tons-----Drivers, local city, all vehicles______
Helpers......... ..........................................
Produce (perishable goods) :
Drivers, over the road-------------------Drivers, within 15-mile radius of city.
Drivers, local city ..................... ............

56.80
48.50
48.50
43. 50

Construction materials and dump truck: Chauffeurs. 1.50
Oil products: Chauffeurs------------- --------- - .................... 1.25

40
40
40
40
40

Printing (book and job, newspaper)
Hand compositors............................................—
Linotype and monotype operators...............

2.20
2.20

37.5
37.5

i These scales represent the minimum wage rates agreed upon through
collective bargaining between employers and trade-unions.

Inter-Area Wage Comparisons
Inter-area wage comparisons are useful for
many purposes. One of the principal reasons for
the Bureau’s present program of industry-locality
studies (in which each industry is suveyed as of a
common pay-roll period) is the importance of

370

COMMUNITY WAGE STUDIES

place-to-place comparisons.^ One of the chief dis­
advantages of this program,^as pointed out earlier,
is that the individual surveys have to be spaced
throughout the year, and hence no substantial
body of data as of one period is available for any
single locality.
The community approach, which provides com­
prehensive information for several localities as
of a given period, furnishes a broad basis for
inter-area comparisons. For example, in table 4,
average rates for a few occupations—12 on a cross­
industry basis and 5 in the metalworking indus­
tries—are shown for both Trenton, N. J., and
Rockford, 111.
T a ble 4. —Average hourly earningsf selected occupations,

Trenton, N. J., and Rockford, III., spring 1949

Industry and occupation

Straight-time aver­
age hourly earnings
in—
Trenton, Rockford,
N . J.
111.

A ll industries
Men:
Carpenters, maintenance. . . . . . _________
Electricians, m ain tenance____
_______
Machinists, maintenance______
______
Janitors, porters, and cleaners__________ _______
Stock handlers and truckers, hand _ _ ______ _
Women:
Bookkeepers, hand_________ _________ ________
Clerks, accounting_________ _________ . ___
Clerks, file, class B ___ ________ ______ _ __ . . .
Clerks, general______________
_
__________
Clerks, pay-roll_____________________________ _
Clerk-typists__________________________________
Stenographers, general _______ ___________ . . .
Metalworking
Men:
Assemblers, class B ________ _____________ . . .
Coremakers, hand_______ _______ ______ _. . .
Inspectors, class B . _____. . . ___________ . . . .
Tool and die makers____ __________ ________
Welders, hand, class A __________ ____________

$1.58
1.72
1.71
1.10
1.22

$1.38
1.47
1.53
1.03
1.15

1.25
.99
.77
1.17
1.06
.89
1.06

1.25
.98
.80
1.05
.98
.91
1.06

1.57
1.60
1. 51
1.91
1.58

1.44
1.69
1.31
1.70
1.51

1 Excludes premium pay for overtime and night work.

The limited information in table 4 suggests that
there is no marked or consistent difference in the
level of rates for clerical workers, at least for
women. On the other hand, the general level of
rates for skilled maintenance work and for rela­
tively unskilled laboring jobs, to the extent that
the occupations in table 4 are representative of
these categories, would appear to be higher in
Trenton than in Rockford. The average level of
pay in the former city was also higher in four of
the five metalworking jobs included in the table.


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Any close analysis of wages in the two areas
would, of course, utilize additional data and would
take into account such factors as differences in
the industrial composition of the two communities
that may bear upon whatever differences in wage
level may exist. The only point intended here is
that community surveys, if made for reasonably
common pay-roll periods, provide the raw material
for extensive inter-area wage comparisons.
Community Surveys and Wage Program
A few tentative conclusions may be ventured on
the basis of experience thus far. (1) The com­
munity survey is a flexible instrument, in terms
of both industry and occupational coverage.
With adequate planning of sampling and tabula­
tion, the data can be broken down in any way that
makes sense statistically and that has valid use.
(2) The community survey provides the most con­
venient vehicle for assembling a representative
volume of occupational wage data as of one period
for a labor market area. (3) Place-to-place wage
comparisons either for occupations common to
many industries or for occupations peculiar to
particular industries need not be sacrificed, pro­
vided that surveys can be made at approximately
the same time in a representative group of com­
munities. (4) The community survey in terms of
cost per worker or establishment covered is an
economical operation.
Except in unusual situations, surveys at 1-year
intervals are sufficient to maintain the currency
of occupational wage data. It would appear,
tentatively, that annual surveys on a community
basis in a representative group of large and
medium-sized cities, properly timed, could form
the core of an occupational wage statistics program
of the broadest usefulness. Such studies would
provide a comprehensive body of data for those
industries and employments characteristically
found in urban areas. These studies would have
to be supplemented by surveys in major industries
that are largely located outside of urban areas or
which, for other reasons, require treatment on a
regional or nation-wide basis. Lumber, textiles,
cotton garments, and fertilizer are obvious
examples.

Benefit Plans in
Agreements of AFL
Tobacco Workers

of its membership.3 More workers were protected
by life insurance than any other type of benefit,
although the number provided with accident and
sickness benefits was almost as great. Retire­
ment programs rank third in terms of coverage.
Recent developments have increased the number
of workers entitled to hospital, surgical, and
medical care benefits.
Coverage by type of benefit1
[Figures not additive]

C ollectively bargained employee benefit pro­
grams are neither new nor confined to some of the
larger, more powerful national labor organiza­
tions. Many unions—over 100 in all—have
secured various health, welfare, and pension plans
in agreements with their employers.2 In some
instances these plans represent the first coverage
of workers; in others, company-sponsored plans
already in existence have been incorporated in the
labor management agreement.
Illustrative of the progress of the smaller labor
organizations in the field is the Tobacco Workers’
International Union (AFL). Its membership is
largely confined to a relatively few companies,
each of which conducts separate negotiations with
the union. Neither the union nor the various
tobacco manufacturers have sought to establish
industry bargaining or industry “ patterns.” Ne­
gotiations are conducted on a plant-by-plant or
multi-plant (but less than company-wide) basis,
and variations in contract terms are not un­
common.
The health and welfare programs which were
incorporated in agreements, largely since the end
of World War II, covered approximately 22,000
members of the AFL tobacco workers’ union by
late spring 1949 and represented nearly two-thirds
1 This article is based on a more detailed report prepared in the Bureau’s
Division of Industrial Relations by Evan K. Rowe and Thurza J. Brannon,
a copy of which is available on request. The report is part of a general longrange study of employee benefit plans conducted jointly by the Bureau of
Labor Statistics and the D ivision of Research and Statistics of the Social
Security Administration and the Division of Industrial Hygiene of the
U. S. Public Health Service, both of the Federal Security Agency.
2 See Benefit Plans under Collective Bargaining, in M onthly Labor
Review, September 1948.


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Life insurance________________________ 19, 000
Weekly accident and sickness__________ 16, 000
Hospitalization_______________________
9, 000
Surgical--------------------------------------------- 9, 000
Medical care in hospital_______________ 2, 900
Retirement__________________________ 12, 500
i Data not available for maternity benefits accorded women workers.

For the most part, the programs surveyed were
company-wide and, except for minor variations,
were uniform throughout all company plants.
However, since hospitalization and surgical-medi­
cal programs are local in character, these benefits
were found to vary from plant to plant within a
company program. In general, the substantial
degree of uniformity in various company programs
was the result of management policy to extend
the same type of benefit coverage to all its em­
ployees, wherever possible, and the coordination
of the union’s proposals through the participation
of a representative of the international union in
local negotiations.
Union-Financed Benefit Plans
Like many other unions, the Tobacco Workers’
International Union has for many years main­
tained union-financed benefit plans for its mem­
bers. A sick and death benefit program was
established in 1895, shortly after the union was
formed. Death benefits of $50 for each member
in continuous good standing for 1 year up to 10,
and of $125 for deceased workers with more than
10 years’ membership, are currently paid the
member’s family. The sick benefits were dropped
3 The Tobacco Workers’ International Union reported a membership of
35.000 in approximately 100 local unions. Of these locals, about 40 are
seasonal in character and an additional few are located in Canada. Between
7.000 and 8,000 of the union’s total membership are represented by these
locals, in which (according to union information) employee benefit plans, if
any existed, were not covered by collective bargaining agreements by late
pring of 1949.

371

BENEFIT PLANS OF TOBACCO WORKERS

372

T able

MONTHLY LABOR

1.— Types and amounts of specified benefits in agreements of the Tobacco
[All employee benefits

Weekly accident and
sickness

Retirement

Life insurance

American
Tobacco
Co., Inc.

Compulsory retirement at 65 after 12 years’
service, subject to deferral with company’s
approval. Earlier retirement permitted after
age 60 and 12 years’ service at reduced pen­
sion if payments commence upon retirement.
Pension formula based on employee’s earnings
and credited service (past and future) minus
50 percent of primary social security benefits.
Permanent disability pension after 12 years’
service determined by formula similar to re­
tirement for age. No deduction for social
security benefit until age 65.
On severance between ages 50-64, inclusive,
after 20 years’ service payments for life if
employment terminated without prejudice.
Payments computed to date of severance;
may begin at normal retirement age or as
many as 5 years earlier at reduced rate.
Employee may, prior to retirement, elect to pro­
vide survivor benefits.

Graduated at $500 inter­
vals of income and in­
surance from minimum
of $1,500 for those
earning
less
than
$1,500, to maximum of
$10,000 for those earn­
ing $9,500 or more.
If totally and permanent­
ly disabled prior to age
60, full amount paid
at death.
On retirement, insurance
paid for by company
is reduced to $1,000.

4 agreements covering 9
locals
provide
$10
weekly cash benefit and
1 agreement covering 1
local $8, for a maximum
of 10 weeks in any 12month period.
Benefit payments begin
with “second week” of
disability.
No payments for in­
capacity due to preg­
nancy.

Brown &
Williamson
Tobacco
Corp.

Compulsory retirement at 65, after 20 years’
service, subject to deferral with company’s
approval. Monthly pension of $100 for men,
$85 for women, including primary social
security benefits. Increased pensions possi­
ble if primary social security benefits are in­
creased above an amount provided under the
company’s formula.
After 10 years’ service employees becoming
totally disabled receive $50 monthly (men)
$42.50 (women).
Those totally disabled
after age 60 with 15 years’ service, $75 (men)
and $63.75 (women). Disability benefits in­
clude primary social security benefits.
Graduated at $500 inter­
vals of income and in­
surance from mini­
mum of $1,500 for
those earning less than
$1,500, up to $10,000;
for
those
earning
$10,000
or
more
amounts graduated at
$1,000 intervals up to
maximum
insurance
coverage of $20,000.
If totally and perma­
nently disabled prior
to age 60, full amount
paid at death.
On
retirement, insurance
paid for by company is
reduced to $1,000.

6 agreements covering 1
local each provide $8
weekly cash benefit
and 1 agreement cover­
ing 5 locals $10, for
maximum of 10 weeks
in any 12-month peri­
od.
Benefits begin with “sixth
day of absence from
work.”
No payments for disa­
bility resulting from
pregnancy
until
4
weeks after discharge
by doctor.

Company

Liggett &
Myers
Tobacco Co.,
Inc.


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REVIEW, OCTOBER 1949

BENEFIT PLANS OF TOBACCO WORKERS

373

Workers’ International Union (AFL), A-pril 19491
are employer financed]

Hospitalization

Surgical-medical

All agreements stipulate benefits under the local Blue
Cross Plan.
St. Louis Plan.— Semiprivate room for 60 days in each
contract year (plus additional 6 months at onethird off), plus specified auxiliary services, except
blood and plasma and diagnostic X-rays in excess
of $25 in any contract year.
Durham Plan.—Up to $6 daily for employees ($4 for
dependents) for 31 days per contract year for each
separate confinement, plus specified auxiliary serv­
ices, except blood and plasma. 10 days for mater­
nity, except in special cases. Allowance up to
specified amount during any one confinement for
X-rays (teeth excluded); for oxygen (not used dur­
ing operation); and for penicillin; for general anes­
thetist not employed by hospital.
Richmond Plan.— Semiprivate room for 30 days during
first year (35 days in subsequent years), with 10
days for maternity; plus specified auxiliary services,
except blood and plasma.
San Francisco Plan.— Ward service for 21 days a year
for each separate ailment (plus 180 days at half
cost), plus specified auxiliary services, except X-ray
services under specified conditions.
Maternity
benefits limited to $50 in any 12-month period.
Toledo Plan.— (Pinkerton Tobacco Co., subsidiary)—•
Ward service for 21 days during first year (31 days
in subsequent years), plus specified auxiliary serv­
ices, except anesthesia, X-ray, whole blood and
plasma, and oxygen.

St. Louis Plan (Surgical-Medical).— Cash payments to par­
ticipating physician for surgery and 21 days of nonsurgical
medical care in any member year. Benefits available only if
hospitalized (except childbirth). Surgical allowances based
on schedule up to $150 annual maximum for any one condi­
tion. Medical fees payable after 4 days’ hospital confine­
ment (retroactive to first day), at rate of $3 for one daily
visit plus $1 for each additional visit on same day.
Maximum annual benefit for combined surgical-medical serv­
ices for employee is $400; for employee and one dependent,
$900; for family $1,400 and for each unmarried child past
18, $400.
Durham Plan (Surgical).— Cash payments for physician’s
charges up to scheduled allowance by type of operation—
$150 maximum for employee, $112.50 for dependent. For
two operations during same confinement only fee for the
most costly is paid. Hospitalization not prerequisite to
payment of benefit.
Richmond Plan (Surgical).— Services provided by participating
doctors regardless of cost if annual income is less than $2,000
(single person), $2,500 (husband and wife), and $3,000
(family). Where incomes exceed these amounts or nonpar­
ticipating doctor’s service is used, allowance towards
doctor’s regular charge made according to fee schedule by
type of operation; patient responsible for charge exceeding
these amounts.
San Francisco Plan (Surgical).— Cash payment to hospitalized
patient according to schedule of surgical allowances ($225
maximum), irrespective of physician’s charge. For two or
more operations performed simultaneously or in immediate
succession, only allowance for the most costly is paid.
Patient responsible for charge exceeding these amounts.

See footnote at end of table.


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BENEFIT PLANS OF TOBACCO WORKERS

374

T able

MONTHLY LABOR

1.— Types and amounts of specified benefits in agreements of the Tobacco
[All employee benefits

Company

Retirement

Life insurance

Weekly accident and
sickness

Liggett &
Myers
Tobacco Co.,
Inc.— Con.
Philip
Morris &
Co., Ltd.,
Inc.

Graduated at $500 inter­
vals of income and in­
surance from minimum
of $1,500 for those
e a r n in g le ss than
$1,500, to maximum of
$10,000 for those earn­
ing $9,500 or more.
If totally and perma­
nently disabled prior
to age 60, full amount
paid at death. Full
amount of policy main­
tained if employee re­
tires between ages 5565; at age 65, amount
provided by company
is reduced to $1,000.

Scotten,
Dillon
Co.

several years ago for financial reasons. In turn,
however, the union has negotiated employerfinanced sickness and accident programs with two
large companies.
Programs Under Agreement
Programs under agreement with the AFL
tobacco workers are confined to five tobacco
manufacturers, including, however, four of the
major producers in the industry. Several other
tobacco companies, also under agreements with
the union, have provided various benefit plans for
their employees. These benefit programs are out­
side the collective bargaining agreement with the
union and therefore were not included in this
survey.4
Of those plans brought within the scope of the
collective bargaining agreement, the agreement

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itself generally contains only a brief statement
that certain benefits will be provided, or will be
put into effect, by the company. Only in a few
instances does the agreement outline the health
and welfare program in any great detail. The
agreements thus do not reflect fully the more or
less informal discussions and exploratory talks
between management and union representatives
on the adoption or expansion of existing benefit
programs. In several instances the parties indi­
cated that prolonged discussions and consultations
had preceded adoption of the plans. These pre­
liminary meetings to outline the union’s request
or the company’s proposal, the careful considera­
tion of these proposals, and the subsequent incor4
These companies include, among others, P. Lorillard Co., Bloch Bros.
Tobacco Co., and Larus & Bro. Co., Inc. In the case of another large tobacco
company, R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., no agreement is in effect with the
A FL Tobacco Workers’ Union.

REVIEW, OCTOBER 1949

BENEFIT PLANS OF TOBACCO WORKERS

375

Workers’ International Union (AFL), April 19/+9: -Continued
are employer financed]

Surgical-medical

Hospitalization

Toledo Plan (Pinkerton Tobacco Co., subsidiary) (Surgical).—
Cash benefits according to fee schedule (maximum $150)
for surgery performed in hospital, doctor’s office, or else­
where. Maximum of $150 for all operations during any one
continuous period of disability.
Louisville Plan.— Up to $5 daily for 31 days per ad­
mission (maternity, 10 days), plus specified auxil­
iary services except anesthesia, X-ray, physiother­
apy, pathological service and electrocardiograms,
blood or plasma, penicillin, streptomycin, and other
types of drugs.
Richmond Plan.— Semiprivate room for 30 days for
first year, 60 days for each different ailment after
the first year, (10 days for maternity), plus specified
auxiliary services, except blood or plasma. 180
days additional each year at 50 percent discount
in Blue Cross Hospitals only.

Louisville Plan (Surgical-Medical).— Cash benefits for surgery
in hospital (including maternity), doctor’s office, or home,
and nonsurgical medical care in hospital only, with specified
exclusions. Surgical benefits based on schedule up to $225
maximum; medical allowance, $3 visit for maximum of 2
visits a day during first 3 days; $3 per day from 4th through
21st; $10 per week from 22d through 111th day. $10 for
consultation fee. Patient responsible for charge exceeding
these amounts.
Richmond Plan (Surgical-Medical).— Surgery and medical
care for nonsurgical cases requiring more than 3 days’ hos­
pitalization (including maternity), provided regardless of
cost if annual income is less than $2,000 (single person)
$2,500 (husband and wife), or $3,000 (family). If income
exceeds these amounts or nonparticipating doctor’s service
is used, allowance toward doctor’s regular charge made
according to fee schedule by type of operation ($150 maxi­
mum). Schedule for in-hospital doctor fees: $5 for 1st
hospital visit, $3 for 2d and subsequent days, $20 per week
after 1st week, $10 for consultation fee. Doctor’s fees
retroactive to 1st day.

Detroit Plan.— Ward service for 120 days for each
continuous period of confinement or for successive
periods separated by less than 3 months, plus speci­
fied auxiliary services except X-ray and electro­
cardiographic services, blood and plasma, pros­
thetic and other appliances, and ambulance service.
If hospitalized primarily for tuberculosis or nervous
or mental conditions, benefit limited to 30 days
for each confinement (or successive periods separ­
ated by less than 6 months).

Detroit Plan (Surgical).— Surgery in hospital and emergency
surgery in doctor’s office, maternity, diagnostic X-rays not
exceeding $15 yearly and anaesthesia. Excludes pre- and
post-natal care, plastic surgery, sex sterilization, and certain
X-ray treatments. Doctors may charge above stipulated
fee schedule for services to unmarried employees whose
average annual income (based on 3 preceding years) is more
than $2,000, to married employees whose 3-year average
combined family income is more than $2,500 per year.

1 The information on types and amounts of benefits described in this table
was based on material and information available at the time of writing and
reflects plans in eflect as of Apr. 30, 1949. Changes have been made in some

of these plans since that date. These changes w ill be shown in the more
detailed report.

poration of benefit plans into the collective bar­
gaining agreement are indicative of the amicable
labor-management relations between this group of
companies and the union. These friendly rela­
tionships and proposals to negotiate on health and
welfare and pension matters preceded the recent
decisions of the courts and the National Labor
Relations Board requiring employers to bargain
with their employees on pension and insurance
programs if so requested.
The evolution of plans aud their subsequent
incorporation into the collective bargaining agree­
ments may be illustrated by several examples.
During the war, the union requested the Ameri­
can Tobacco Co. to institute a retirement plan.
In April 1949, the stockholders of the company

approved a company-wide, employer-financed
retirement program effective as of January 1, 1949.
The plan as established was to become “operative,
subject, in the case of any employee represented
by a recognized collective bargaining represent­
ative, to the negotiated consent of the company
and such representative.” Following acceptance
by the local unions the plan was made a part of
the contract negotiated with the company’s
Wilkes-Barre (Pa.) branch on April 22, 1949.
Other agreements negotiated prior to the adoption
of the retirement plan do not, as yet, contain any
such references.
Extensive discussions between company and
union representatives preceded the formulation of
the retirement program of Brown & Williamson


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376

BENEFIT PLANS OF TOBACCO WORKERS

Tobacco Corp. Following approval by stock­
holders of the company, the plan was submitted
to and approved by the local unions under a pro­
vision almost identical to the “negotiated consent”
proviso of the American Tobacco plan. The
retirement plan was then made a part of each of
the union’s contracts.
Under both plans, management reserves the
right to terminate the plan at any time in accord­
ance with certain provisions; however, the joint
discussions, the submission of the plan for local
union approval, and the contractual provisions
reflect the collective action involved in the develop­
ment of the programs.
The union’s agreements with Philip Morris &
Co. contain the following provision: “On January
1, 1949, revised and extended employee benefits
connected with group life insurance and group hos­
pital, medical-surgical insurance will be effected.
Announcement of all benefit programs with full
explanations, including the company’s retirement
plan in booklet form, will be distributed to each
employee as soon as possible.”
All benefits for workers provided under the
agreements negotiated by the tobacco workers
union are employer financed except for one plan
providing optional maternity coverage at the
employee’s expense. Where provisions were made
for including dependents under the various pro­
grams the individual worker was afforded the
opportunity, at his own expense, to include his
family through pay-roll deductions. All benefit
programs also provided for the administration of
the program by the company and/or the insuring
agency. Instances of union participation in the


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administration of programs were indicated in the
replies of some of the local unions, but no such
provisions were found in the written agreements
for these locals.
The benefits under the several programs under
agreement were all underwritten or provided
through one or more of the following: (1) com­
mercial insurance carrier; (2) nonprofit carrier
(such as a Blue Cross Plan) ; and (3) company
self-insured program.
Benefit Provisions
Table 2 lists, by company, the types of benefits
included in agreements of the tobacco workers
union as of late spring, 1949. It also indicates
similar noncontractual benefits provided by these
same companies. Variations in the type and
amount of some benefits occur from plant to plant
within a particular company (see table 1).
T a ble 2. — Employee benefits in agreements of the AFL

Tobacco Workers, by company
[“X ” indicates coverage under agreements; “—” indicates no benefit provided]

Company

American Tobacco Co.,
I n c _________ ______
Brown & Williamson
Tobacco C o r p --------Liggett & Meyers To­
bacco Co., Inc---------Philip Morris & Co.,
Ltd., Inc__________
Scotten, Dillon Co-------

W eekly Hospi­
Retire­ Life in­ accident taliza­ Surgery Medical
care
ment surance and
sickness tion

X

X

X

0)

(9

X

___

___

«

(')

—

(3)

X

X

2X

2X

2X

(>)

X

___

aX
aX

2X
2X

«X

0)

i Company-sponsored, company-financed program not under agreement
with the union.
.
x. .
a Dependents may also be covered at employee’s option and at his expense.
» Noncontributory for those employees whose annual wage or salary does
not exceed $3,000; those earning more than $3,000 contribute approximately
5 percent of that portion of each year’s monthly rate of salary in excess of
$250 per month.

Family Spending
for Housing in
Three Cities, 1947'

cost of housing averaged slightly more than
one-fourth of total family spending in 1947 in
Washington, D. C., Richmond, Va., and Man­
chester, N. H. The total spent for all items of
housing costs (including rent; current mainte­
nance costs of home owners;2 expenditures for
lodging away from home; fuel, light, and refriger­
ation; household operation; and housefurnishings)
generally represented a decreasing proportion of
total spending as income increased. Considerable
differences occurred, however, between the propor­
tions and total amounts spent at the various in­
come levels and for the many items which make
up total housing costs.
Washington families of 2 or more persons with
net incomes under $10,000 spent on the average
$1,189 (28 percent of total expenditures) for all
housing items, of which $729 (or 17 percent of
total expenditures) was spent for rent, current
maintenance costs of owners, expense for lodging
while away from home, and fuel, light, and refrig­
eration; $250 (6 percent) for household operations;
and $210 (5 percent) for housefurnishings. Com­
parable figures for Richmond were $934 (29 per­
cent) for all housing expenditures; $542 (17 per­
cent) for rent, home-owner costs, fuel, etc.; and
$196 (6 percent) each for household operations
and lor housefurnishings. In Manchester, fami­
lies with net incomes under $7,5.00 averaged $915
(27 percent) for total housing, $548 (16 percent)
for rent, home-owner costs, fuel, light, and refrig-

T he

1 Prepared by Helen M . Humes and Louise Chubb of the Bureau’s
D ivision of Prices and Cost of Living. For a summary of average annual
expenditures for major categories of consumption and a description of survey
procedures see Fam ily Income and Expenditures in 1947, M onthly Labor
Review, April 1949 (pp. 389, 434). Also available in reprint, B L S Serial No.
R . 1956.
1 Current maintenance costs for home owners include interest on mortgage,
taxes, insurance, and expense for repairs and replacements.


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eration; $135 (4 percent) for household operations,
and $232 (7 percent) for housefurnishings.
Tables 1,2, and 3 show, for each city, by income
group, the percentages of families who rented
homes throughout 1947, who were home owners for
the whole year, who occupied rooming quarters,
and whose tenure status changed during the year.3
The differences in average total housing expendi­
tures between cities and between income groups
within cities result, in part, from differences in
the proportions of owner and renter families and
from differences in the kinds of housing available
and the price levels of housing commodities.
For renter families, the number of items covered
by the rent vary widely; some rents include, in
addition to the cost of shelter, the cost of fuel,
light, refrigeration, services, and furnishings; oth­
ers cover shelter cost only.
These differences in items covered by the rent
are closely related to differences in the types of
rental dwellings, since rents of multifamily dwell­
ings frequently include the cost of facilities, while
rents for single-family units are more apt to be
for shelter only. The proportions of various types
of rental dwellings in the three cities in 1947 were
as follows:
Percent of all rented dwellings
Washington Richmond Manchester

Single family dwellings __
Multifamily dwellings:
Less than 5 units------5 or more u n it s .__ __

25

20

5

28
47

58
22

60
35

The percentages of renter families in these
cities who reported that their rent included the
cost of various facilities were as follows:
Facility included in rent

W ater... _. .
Heat . . .
. .
—
Electricity. _ . .
—
Gas__ __ . . — _.
Furniture .
—
Mechanical refrigerator.
Cooking stove. _____
Garage_____
._ —

Percent of renter families inWashington Richmond Manchester

88
57
39
37
21
58
90
16

100
22
7
6
7
10
13
7

49
29
14
3
4
25
34
3

In comparing expenditures between cities or
between income groups within a city for renter
J Detailed data on housing characteristics of the Washington, D . C., area
for April 1947 were published by the Bureau of the Census in its Current
Population Report on Housing, Series P-71, No. 1; additional information
on characteristics of family dwellings as of February 1948 was published in
Current Population Report P-60, No. 4. Similar data for the Richmond,
Va., area for September-October 1946 were released by the Bureau of Labor
Statistics in the report, Survey of World War II Veterans and D welling
Unit Vacancy and Occupancy in the Richmond Area, Virginia. The most
recent data of this type for Manchester, N . H ., was published in a Bureau
of Labor Statistics release for September 1944.

377

378

FAMILY SPENDING FOR HOUSING

families, the total expenditure for rent plus fuel,
light, and refrigeration provides the most valid
basis for comparison. It should be noted, how­
ever, that comparison of these totals does not
account for differences in expenditures which
occur because the costs of services and housefurnishings are included in rental prices of a few
dwellings.
Similarly, many factors are reflected in the
variations in current expenditures for housing
by home owners at different levels of income and
in different cities: variations in property values,
which affect interest payments on mortgages,
taxes, and insurance; differences in age and type
of dwelling, which have a significant effect on the
required amount of maintenance and repairs;
and variations in the extent and duration of
indebtedness on homes, as well as differences in
the price level of homes at the time when the
indebtedness was incurred.
Expenditures for cash purchases of homes,
payments on mortgage principal, and the cost of
additions or capital improvements were considered
as increases in family assets, and were not included
in expenditures for current maintenance as shown
in the tables. The survey did not include a
sufficient number of families who purchased homes
in 1947 to provide a reliable average purchase
price. However, a sizable proportion of homeowner families at each income level reported
payments on mortgage principal during 1947.
Mortgage payments of Washington families who
reported such payments averaged $319; Richmond
families averaged $246, and Manchester families
$255. The percentage of owner families at
specified income levels who made payments on
mortgages was as follows:
Percent of home owners making pay­
ments on mortgage principal
Washington Richmond Manchester

Income class

$2,000-$3,000_____
$3,000-$4,000_____
$4,000-$5,000_____
$5,000-$6,000_____
$6,000-$7,500_____
$7,500 and over

___
___
___
___
___
___

83
53
86
94
68
53

35
47
50
33

40
73
58
60

121

38

33 J

Rent; Owner Expense; and Fuel, etc.
In Washington and Richmond, at most income
levels, the average expenditure of home owners for
current maintenance, fuel, light, and refrigeration
was less than that of renters for the same items
(tables 1 and 2). In Manchester, however, owner

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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

MONTHLY LABOR

expenditures for these items were on the average
higher than expenditures of renter families (see
table 3). This is apparently accounted for in
part by the relatively low expenditures by renter
families in Manchester as compared with such
expenditures in the other two cities, and in part
by the large average expenditures for repairs and
replacements made during the year by Manchester
owner families.
Renter families in Manchester at all but the
lowest income level spent substantially less for
rent, fuel, light, and refrigeration than did renter
families in either of the other two cities; for
example, at the $3,000 to $4,000 income level,
Housing Expenditures of Renter and Owner Families.
1947
SELECTED INCOME LEVELS
$ 3 0 0 0 -4 0 0 0

W ASHINGTON °

200

400

600

$ 6 0 0 0 -7 5 0 0
4800

°

200

400

600

800

41000

Renters
Owners
RICHMOND
Renters
Owners
M A N C H ES TE R
Renters
Owners

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS

Washington families spent an average of $664,
Richmond families $584, and Manchester families
$494. In the Bureau’s City Worker’s Family
Budget study,4 it was found, as of June 1947, that
rent, fuel, light, and refrigeration for comparable 5room dwellings cost 26 percent less in Manchester,
and 13 percent less in Richmond, than in Washing­
ton, D. C.
Owner families with incomes under $7,500 had
repair and replacement expenditures ranging from
$155 to $341 in Manchester, as compared with
$97 to $226 in Washington, and $45 to $192 in
Richmond. Although the average amounts spent
for repairs varied widely, two-thirds or more of
the owner families at each income level in the
three cities reported some expenditure for repair
items during the year. Renter families also
reported some expenditure for repairs, but the
average amount of such expense was relatively
4 See Bureau of Labor Statistics Bulletin No. 927: Workers’ Budgets in the
United States.

REVIEW, OCTOBER 1949

small (less than $20 at most income levels). Aver­
age expenditures for interest on mortgages and
taxes were generally higher in Washington than
in the other two cities. A high proportion of home
owners in all three cities reported the purchase of a
home in recent years.
Expenditures for fuel were higher in Manchester,
because of the more rigorous climate, than in the
other two cities. The variations in average
amounts spent for fuel items by renter families
reflect the varying practices of including the cost
of such items in the rent for certain types of units
(e. g., apartment dwellings) and the relative im­
portance of different types of rental dwellings in
these cities. (See p. 377.)
White and Negro Families. Negro families in
Richmond, both renters and home owners, spent
substantially less for current housing (including
fuel, light, and refrigeration) than white families
at the same income level. At the $2,000 to $3,000
level 5 white families averaged $494 as compared
with an average of $351 for Negro families.
Expenditures by families in this income group
who rented all year and by families who were home
owners all year were as follows:
Home owners’ expenditure for—
Housing__________________
Fuel, light, refrigeration___
Renters’ expenditure for—
Housing_________________
Fuel, light, refrigeration___

$3,000-$3,000 net income
White families Negro families

$241. 61
208. 12

$120. 36
186. 76

401. 14
146. 54

200. 86
161. 60

The dwellings occupied by these families prob­
ably differed in quality, but the detailed descrip­
tive data required to evaluate such quality differ­
ences are not available from the study.6 Some
indication of the magnitude of such differences is
shown by the percentage of these families who
occupied dwellings which had complete bathroom
facilities—i. e., washbowl, flush toilet, and tub or
shower. In the $2,000-$3,000 income group, 86
percent of the dwellings occupied by the white
renter families had complete, private bathrooms;
only 27 percent of those occupied by Negro renter
families had private bathrooms. Only 14 percent
5 The $2,000 to $3,000 income group in Richmond and the $2,000 to $3,000
and $3,000 to $4,000 groups in Washington were the only groups which in­
cluded a sufficient number of sample families on which to base a comparison
of white and Negro housing expenditures by tenure.
6 See reference cited in footnote 3.


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379

FAMILY SPENDING FOR HOUSING

of white renter families reported that their dwell­
ings had no complete bathroom; 66 percent of the
Negro renter families reported lack of complete
bathroom facilities, and 7 percent reported sharing
of bathroom facilities. Among home owners, 88
percent of the dwellings occupied by white families
in this income group had a complete, private bath­
room, as compared with 50 percent of the dwellings
occupied by the Negro home owners.
The difference between housing expenditures by
white and Negro families was less marked in
Washington than in Richmond. At the $2,000 to
$3,000 income level, white families in Washington
spent an average of $567 as compared with $518
spent by Negro families. At the $3,000 to $4,000
level, white families spent $634 and Negro families
$685. Expenditures by families who rented all
year and families who were home owners all year
were as follows:
Home owners’ expenditure for—
Housing, _
__
________
Fuel, light, refrigeration-_ __
Renters’ expenditure for—
Housing__
__ _________
Fuel, light, refrigeration____
Home owners’ expenditure for—
Housing
_ _
_____
Fuel, light, refrigeration. _
Renters’ expenditure for—
Housing___ _____ __ _ _____
Fuel, light, refrigeration___

$2,000-$3,000 net income
White families Negro families

$388. 39
198. 82

$320. 53
230. 80

514. 41
118. 07

394. 98
114. 94

$3,000-$lf,000 net income
White families Negro families

$360. 71
205. 78

$542. 89
230. 79

610. 47
71. 24

449. 84
166. 54

Of the white renter families in the $2,000 to
$3,000 income group, 86 percent occupied dwellings
which had a complete private bathroom, and 14
percent occupied dwellings in which bathroom
facilities were shared. Among Negro renter fam­
ilies at this income level, 37 percent occupied
dwellings with private bath, 44 percent shared
bathroom facilities, and 19 percent reported that
their dwellings did not have complete bathroom
facilities. At the $3,000 to $4,000 income level,
92 percent of the white renter families and 90
percent of the white owner families occupied
dwellings with complete private bathrooms. At
this income level, only 56 percent of the Negro
renter families and 71 percent of the Negro owner
families reported that their dwellings had complete
private baths.

FAMILY SPENDING FOR HOUSING

380
Household Operation

MONTHLY LABOR

appeared, however, in percent of total consump­
tion expenditures devoted to housefurnishings.
The largest fraction of the housefurnishings dollar,
on the average, was spent for furniture items 7 in
Richmond and Washington, but in Manchester
it was kitchen equipment. The second largest
amount was spent for kitchen equipment by fami­
lies in Richmond and Washington, but in Man­
chester it was spent for furniture. Next in order of
importance in all three cities were expenditures
for household textiles, such as sheets, blankets,
mattresses, table linens, curtains; miscellaneous
items; and laundry equipment, including washing
and ironing machines, irons, ironing boards,
wash tubs.
Spending patterns for housefurnishings in 1947
differed between the three cities. At every income
level under $5,000, as well as in the $6,000 to
$7,500 bracket, families in Manchester spent
more for total furnishings and equipment than
families in either of the other cities. This was
evident both in average dollar expenditures and in
percent of total expenditures for current consump­
tion allocated to house furnishings. This situa­
tion may be due in part to more settled living

In contrast to expenditures for housing, fuel,
light, and refrigeration, expenditures for house­
hold operation (telephone, domestic help, laundry
services and supplies, moving expenses, etc.)
tend to increase in proportion as income increases.
This was true in all three cities in 1947.
Expenditures for household operation were
higher in Washington and Richmond than in
Manchester, at all but one income level. This
resulted primarily from the consistently higher
expenditures by families in Washington and
Richmond for hired household help and for
laundry services. Average expenditures for house­
hold operation in Washington ranged from $82
at the $1,000 to $2,000 income level to $828 for
families in the highest income group. In Rich­
mond, the range was from $88 at the lowest
income level to $739 at the highest. Manchester
families with net incomes of $1,000 to $2,000 spent
an average of $86, and families with incomes over
$7,500 an average of $288.
Housefurnishings and Equipment
The average amount spent for all housefurnish­
ings, with a few exceptions, increased with income
in these cities. Only a slight and irregular increase

7
“Furniture” includes such items as beds, dressers, chests, couches, cabi­
nets, desks, bookcases, tables, chairs, suites of furniture, etc. “ Kitchen
equipment” refers to refrigerators, stoves, pressure cookers, pots and pans,
toasters, canning equipment, etc.

1.— Washington, D. C.: Percentage distribution by tenure and average annual expenditure for housing, fuel, light,
refrigeration, household operation, and housefurnishings, families of two or more persons, by net income class,1 194-7

T able

Annual money income after personal taxes 1
Item

$1,000
to
$2,000

$2,000
to
$3,000

$3,000
to
$4,000

$4,000
to
$5,000

$5,000
to
$6,000

$6,000
to
$7,500

$7,500
to
$10,000

$10,000
and
over

Percentage distribution by tenure
All families: T otal-------------------- -------------------------------------- - --------Home owners 2________________________________ ________ _____
R enters1______________ ____________ . . --------- ------- ------ -- -Roomers-------------------------- ---------------------------- ------ - - --------Other 4________________________________________________________

100.0
18.8
62.5
12.5
6.2

100.0
25.0
62.5
6.2
6.3

100.0
30.9
61.9
3.6
3.6

100.0
36.8
55.3
2.6
5.3

100.0
35.4
62.5
0
2.1

100.0
48.7
46.2
2.6
2.5

100.0
55.0
30.0
0
15.0

100.0
50.0
50.0
0
0

$740. 06
434. 27
402. 51
74.23
144.07
169.19
15.02
0
31.76
875. 71
835. 67
4.80
35.24

$1,436. 51
1, 785.78
1, 406.30
254. 77
235.48
874. 32
41.73
0
379.48
1,087. 25
1,039. 25
20. 50
27. 50

Current housing: Average annual expenditure 5
All families: Total____________________________ - ---------------------- ----Home owners: 2 T otal______ ___ _________ __________________
Home expenses______ __________ ____ ___________ _________
Interest on mortgage______________ __________ ____Current taxes.._ _____ . ____________________________
Repairs and replacements__________ . . . . ____________
Insurance_________________________ . .
. . . ---- ---------Expense in connection with purchase or sale in 1947 6______
Other housing 7..........................................................................................
Renters: 2 Total_____________________ . . . . . . ._ ............................
Rent of home »__ _______________ ___
________ ______
Repairs on rented home_____________________________________
Other housing 7. . --------------------- --------------------------------------------

See footnotes at end of table.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

$249. 60
(*)
(*)
(*)
(*)
(*)
(*)
(*)
n
276.14
276.14
0
0

$409. 59
359.07
352. 22
150.12
95.13
96.70
10. 27
0
6.85
462.82
438.12
12.39
12.31

$520. 63
410. 07
402.68
107. 96
100.01
165.32
29.39
0
7.39
566. 94
553. 45
2. 73
10. 76

$591.00
529.19
518. 47
192. 64
125.12
161. 99
24.62
14.10
10. 72
635. 77
606. 56
6. 24
22.97

$724.30
587.88
539. 97
216.19
115. 72
143. 42
19. 54
45.10
47.91
796.19
754. 29
5.28
36.62

$733.00
601. 55
515. 97
135.32
135.17
226.12
19.36
0
85. 58
867.13
791. 76
11.84
63.53

REVIEW, OCTOBER 1949

381

FAMILY SPENDING FOR HOUSING

1.— Washington, D. C.: Percentage distribidion by tenure and average annual expenditure for housing, fuel, light,
refrigeration, household operation, and housefurnishings, families of two or more persons, by net income class,1 1947— Continued
T able

Annual money income after personal taxes 1
Item

$2,000
to
$3,000

$1,000
to
$2,000

$3,000
to
$4,000

$4,000
to
$5,000

$5,000
to
$6,000

$6,000
to
$7,500

$7,500
to
$10,000

$10,000
and
over

Fuel, light, and refrigeration: Average annual expenditure 5
All families: Total . . - __ __________ __________ ____ __________
CoaL
. . .
_______________ ___________
Coke and briquets . . . ______ ___________________________
Wood
.....
_ _
_________________
Fuel oil, kerosene, gasoline 9 . ______ ___________ ________
Ice
_______ _________________ ________________________
Electricity _____
. ___________________________________
Gas
____________________________________________________
Water______ __________ _______ . ____ __________________
Home owners: Total
_______________________ _
___________
Coal ____________________________________________________
Wood
. . . _______ - ______________________________
Fuel oil, kerosene, gasoline 9 _____ ____ ___
._
. . . _______
Ice
..
.
. . . _______ _______ ______________
Electricity ___ _ ________________________________________
Gas
. . . . _________________________________ ___________
Water. __________________________________________________
R enters:3 Total____________ _____ ___ ______ ___________________

$101.03
31.20
0
1.38
28.43
9.09
10.97
17.32
2.64
(*)
(*)
(*)
(*)
(*)
(*)
(*)
(*)
87.68

$128. 76
36.32
0
3. 50
19. 58
8.92
25. 82
30. 44
4.18
212.63
65.12
. 71
29.26
5.35
41.73
54.35
16.11
116. 71

$126.08
24.73
.22
.87
23. 53
5.16
24.48
42.78
4.31
212. 55
24.30
0
47.03
2.46
40.22
85.08
13.46
97.06

$133. 62
22. 75
0
1.89
33.74
1.26
34.18
32.56
7.24
237.90
30. 77
1.41
80.94
0
52.70
56. 57
15. 51
67. 81

$132.34
19. 00
0
1.47
34. 61
.85
33.19
35.79
7.43
242.35
29. 50
.85
80.87
0
54.66
58.26
18.21
62. 56

$184. 90
33.08
0
2.38
46.12
0
42.69
49. 30
11.33
247.46
46. 47
0
60. 64
0
54.72
69. 67
15.96
131.83

$219. 77
21.69
0
1.61
45.38
1.26
53.19
86. 57
10.07
264. 51
22.04
2.09
48.70
0
58.97
117.42
15. 29
119.93

$187. 30
0
0
1.38
40.54
0
66.81
69.60
8. 97
304. 83
0
2.75
81.08
0
112. 62
92.94
15.44
69.75

Household operation: Average annual expenditure 5
All families: Total
. ____ ___________ ________
. ___________
Telephone and telegrams__________ _____ _______ _ . __________
Wages to servants_________________________________ __________
Child care outside home___________________________ ___________
Laundry sent out__ _______
_ . . . __________ _______ ____ . . .
Laundry and cleaning supplies 10________________ _______________
Paper products 11
____________ . ___ ___ ___ _
______
Postage
.
__ _______________________ . _ . _____
M oving, express, freight________________________________________
Other 12____ __ ____________________________ ________ ______ _

$82.40
17.52
13.60
0
18.92
15.15
3.89
4.38
4.63
4.31

$132.86
29.84
2.26
11.01
40.26
27.45
9.71
5. 59
2.60
4.14

$164.91
41.85
14.82
12.19
34.86
32.31
13.42
6.12
2.42
6.92

$254.33
51.91
57.24
27.95
43.40
31.50
11.82
11.07
11.28
8.16

$293.97
66.97
52.46
5.21
75.23
36.74
15.14
10.90
15.01
16.31

$356.92
75.18
136.81
4.56
58.04
33.55
14.94
12.34
5.94
15.56

$523.84
82.78
171.74
21.24
94.35
49.92
21.61
24.07
45.36
12.77

$827. 83
71.50
518.29
26.00
77.62
38.12
27.20
24.12
17.13
27. 85

Housefurnishings and equipment: Average annual expenditure
All families: Total________________________________ ___________ ____
Kitchen equipm ent... . . . ______________________ ____________
Refrigerators, mechanical____________________________________
Cooking stoves__________________________________ _________
Cleaning equipment __ __________ ___ ________________ ________
Vacuum cleaners__ ___ ___________ ______________ ______
Laundry equipment____ . . . . _______________ . . ____ _______
Washing machines _____________ ____ ____________________
Ironing machines _________________________ ________________
Mechanical irons___________________ - ____________________
____ ________ __________ . . _ . . . _______ ___
Furniture
Floor coverings_______________ ______________ _______ ____ ____
Glass, china, silver. ___________ _________ . . _________ ____
Household textiles . _________________ - ______________________
Miscellaneous____________________________ ____________________
Sewing machines. . ____________________ _______ _______
Services . ________________________________________________
i Families are classified by total 1947 money income after payment of per­
sonal taxes (Federal and State income, poll, and personal property) and occu­
pational expenses.
1 Families of two or more persons owning home for entire period.
3 Families of two or more persons occupying house, flat, or apartment at
end of year, paying rent all year.
* Families of two or more persons changing tenure during year or renting
all year and receiving one or more months rent free or as pay.
3 Averages are based on all families in the class, whether or not they had an
expenditure for the item during the year. The totals for average expenditure
per family differ in some cases from the total expenditure for housing, fuel,
light, and refrigeration, household operation, and furnishings and equipment
previously published (Family Income and Expenditures in 1947, M onthly
Labor Review, April 1949, reprinted as Serial No. R. 1956). This is due in
part to rounding differences and, in part to the fact that a few respondents
failed to report the amount of expenditure for some or all of the items in the
category and the amounts had to be estimated from the averages for the
group. Averages are not shown for families with incomes under $1,000 be­


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

$31.46
1.95
0
0
.25
0
.66
0
0
.64
22. 69
1. 56
.39
1.43
1.63
0
.90

$75. 73
6.32
1.08
1.28
2. 88
1.87
9.96
7.30
0
2.07
18.69
3.27
1.19
15.78
14. 27
.45
3.37

$189. 35
22. 59
4.80
8. 91
7.04
4.82
23.24
21.12
0
.85
59. 02
13.15
8.20
31.25
16. 59
.99
8. 27

$155. 31
17. 21
5. 91
0
9.78
6.19
10.41
4. 40
3.24
2.24
36.53
6.43
9.77
32.04
25.12
0

8.02

$233. 93
26.46
12.12
2.45
15.08
12.47
15.80
13.07
0

2.64
62. 85
26.86
3.48
39.48
32.56
1.83
11.36

$345. 95
45.76
25.78
4.17
14. 91
12.43
34. 81
27. 77
2.89
3.03
77.47
19.63
11.49
58. 98
62.44
6.70
20.46

$469.31
81.26
46.46
27.41
17. 54
13.50
47. 88
42.31
3. 49
1.64
158.14
43.89
4.53
67.82
30.22
0

18.03

$519. 29
16.24
0
0
9.43
8.62
112.18
94.22
15. 62
1.12
137. 37
25.63
33.65
68.21
59.02
0

57.56

cause the number of families reporting was too small to yield reliable averages
• Includes only families who occupied an owned home continuously during
1947.
7 Includes lodging at school or college, while working away from home, and
while traveling (not business) or on vacation; and expense for owned or
rented vacation home.
8Average is based on contract rent including cost of facilities and services
as covered by the contract price.
9 Includes range oil.
10 Includes steel wool, disinfectants, floor wax, polishes, etc.
u Includes toilet paper, paper towels, napkins, spoons, cups, shelf-paper,
etc.
u Includes stationery, pencils, ink, furnace servicing, garbage disposal,
flowers for house, candles, matches, materials for vermin control, other opera­
tion costs.
13 Includes rent of freezer locker.
♦Number of cases in this class not sufficient for reliable averages.

382

FAMILY SPENDING FOR HOUSING

MONTHLY LABOR

T a ble 2. — Richmond, Va.: Percentage distribution by tenure and average annual expenditure for housing, fuel, light, re­

frigeration, household operation, and housefurnishings, families of two or more persons, by net income class,1 1947
Annual money income after personal taxes 1
Item

$1,000
to
$2,000

$2,000
to
$3,000

$3,000
to
$4,000

$4,000
to
$5,000

$5,000
to
$6,000

$6,000
to
$7,500

$7,500
to
$10,000

$10,000
and
over

Percentage distribution by tenure
All families: T otaL .. . . .
Home owners 2_________ _ ._
Renters 2___ _________
R oom ers_________ .
Other <__________ ______ _________

100.0
9.1
86.4
0
4.5

100.0
39.2
56.9
0
3.9

100.0
38.5
41.0
12.8
7.7

100.0
35.7
46.4
7.2
10.7

100.0
54.5
36.4
0
9.1

100.0
61.5
30.8
0
7.7

100.0
66.7
33.3
0
0

100.0
100.0
0
0
0

$470.12 $1, 232. 49
336. 25 1, 281.23
305.05 1, 031. 23
33.14
180. 63
138. 67
59.10
123.67
498. 25
9. 57
33.95
0
259.30
31.20
250.00
664.18
(*)
612. 38
(*)
20.00
(*)
31.80
(*)

$700.18
703.30
523.32
141.12
139. 20
193.00
50.00
0
179.98
(*)
(*)
(*)
C)

Current housing: Average annual expenditure 2
All families: T o ta l... _____________________
H om eow ners:2 T o t a l . . _______
Home expenses___________________
Interest on mortgage____ ____________
Current taxes________________ ______________
Repairs and replacements________ _ ________
Insurance____ ____________ .
Expense in connection with purchase or sale in 1947«____
Other housing 2_____ _________
R enters:2 Total____________
Rent of home 8__ . . . .
Repairs on rented h om e.. . . . . .
Other housing 2___________ __

.

$176.45
(*)
n
(*)
(*)
co
(*)
(*)
c)
168.92
168.04
.46
.42

$267.67
217.36
210.30
45. 07
59.80
88.82
13.16
3.45
7.06
297. 55
285. 79
9.81
1.95

$422.99
391. 24
318.44
81.05
66.34
149. 62
21.43
0
72.80
481. 77
463.47
10. 72
7.58

$419.71
221. 65
203. 51
69.08
78.31
45.20
10.92
0
18.14
534.33
516.50
15.58
2. 25

$469.43
405.05
402.62
48.80
146.40
191. 75
15. 67
0
2.43
589. 65
558.19
29.00
2.46

Fuel, light, and refrigeration: Average annual expenditure 5
All families: T o ta l... ___________________
Coal__________
Coke and briquets______
Wood________ ________
Fuel oil, kerosene, gasoline 2___________ .
Ice 22__________________
E le c t r ic ity ..._____ _______ ______
Gas_______ ______
Water. ___ _ . . .
Homeowners: T otal____________ . .
Coal_____________
Coke and briquets ._ . .
Wood . _____________
Fuel oil, kerosene, gasoline 9____ ______ . . . .
Ice 12__________
Electricity_________________ ___ _
Gas___________________
W a ter... _______________
Renters: T otal____________________

$144.32
66. 52
0
6.42
17. 86
12.10
22.23
13.46
5.73
(*)
(*)
(*)
C)
(*)
(*)
(*)

CO

(*)
139.25

$172.97
58. 46
2.16
3.40
27. 64
10.34
43.11
18.40
9.46
203.84
62.63
5. 50
2.35
31.67
8.36
60.05
19. 57
13.71
154. 32

$131.96
28.95
0
.36
19. 85
4. 97
40.31
30.44
7.08
201.51
43.90
0
.60
42.35
2.83
63.99
36. 72
11.12
102.13

$162.89
44. 71
0
2.10
23.18
2.32
50.76
30. 91
8.91
215. 58
57. 26
0
1.50
44.88
0
67.52
28.94
15.48
149. 21

$222. 56
25.18
0
0
85.27
3.41
67.36
29. 54
11.80
247. 54
23.29
0
0
96.15
0
77.17
36.16
14. 77
206.19

$219.07
16.48
0
0
79. 06
4.40
74.38
27.62
17.13
254.90
20. 01
0
0
98.04
0
81.95
33.12
21.78
131. 70

$264. 70
31.60
0
0
70. 27
0
57.33
88.50
17.00
317.35
29.90
0
0
102. 60
0
55.75
106. 75
22.35
159.40

$327. 88
0
0
0
162. 20
3.20
104.88
43.20
14.40
327. 88
0
0
0
162. 20
3.20
104.88
43.20
14.40

C)

Household operation: Average annual expenditure 8
All families: Total______ __________ _________ . .
Telephones and telegrams. _________________________
Wages to servants___ ____________________________ _
____________ __
Child care outside home________
Laundry sent out___________________ . .
Laundry and cleaning supplies 10. ____ . . . . .
Paper products 11_______ ______________
Postage_____ ______________. . . . . _______________
M oving, express, freight________________ _____________
Other 12_____________________________________

$88.41
15.35
.05
0
28. 41
23.78
11.73
4.00
2.50
2.59

All families: Total_____________ __ _________
Kitchen equipment____ _
_
Refrigerators, mechanical________ __________________________
Cooking stoves________ _ . . . _ _________________________
_ _ . . ________________ .
Cleaning e q u ip m e n t...________
Vacuum cleaners__ _ _. __________ __
Laundry equipment______________________________ _________
__________ _ . . .
Washing machines. ___ _ .
Ironing machines__________ _____________
Mechanical irons__________ __________________
Furniture. ____________________________________
Floor coverings.. _. ______ . __ ________
___
Glass, china, silver ________ . . . ____________ .
Household textiles_________ _ _ _ _ . ______ _____
Miscellaneous. _ _________ _____ _________ _____ __ _
Sewing machines___________ ____ ______________
Services. ________________________________

$66.31
23.73
10.86
9.54
1.24
0
8.11
4.73
0
2.63
10.74
1.72
1.27
13.59
4.75
0
1.16

$131. 42
34.73
13.53
0
32.09
30.02
11.71
4.03
.96
4.35

$190. 47
46.09
27.34
0
53. 58
26. 51
13.04
6.42
10. 87
6.62

$244.36
61.80
45.25
2.96
72. 51
33.10
13.95
6. 64
1. 44
6.71

$323.24
60.99
79.45
13.64
72.47
42.76
13. 89
17. 41
16.73
5.90

$312.92
73.33
81.45
0
67.33
34. 61
13.58
10.15
13.32
19.15

$535. 74
70.02
260. 83
5.17
101.00
42.24
15. 77
10.60
18.33
11.78

$739.38
83.00
453.00
0
12.60
68. 56
17.94
51. 90
0
52.38

Housefurnishings and equipment: Average annual expenditure 5

See footnotes to table 1.


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

$138.72
20.74
11.83
4. 48
3.30
1.57
13.55
12.03
0
1.03
45.20
5.48
2.35
23.73
19.94
0
4. 43

$156.20
23.35
10. 77
7. 92
6.69
5.49
24.23
21.00
1.31
1.01
39. 56
9. 43
2.90
21.26
21.71
.64
7.07

$250. 75
24.54
15.64
4.43
12. 75
10.01
21.48
14.16
5.36
1.32
86. 65
15.84
5.03
50. 82
20. 61
0
13.03

$418.26
72.43
26.36
24.46
12. 76
10.00
44.66
40.82
0
2.04
89.94
14.94
13. 25
76.50
71.92
32.63
21.86

$240.46
31. 50
14. 61
9. 61
13. 46
11.53
53.04
37.69
15. 35
0
53. 61
14. 73
9.49
24.12
11.79
0
28.72

$756. 72
33.98
0
0
1.30
0
59.23
59.08
0
0
340.85
58.00
1.33
151. 60
101. 76
24.17
8.67

$754. 75
69.10
0
0
27.16
9.99
18. 50
0
17.80
0
324.99
8.00
10.67
181.11
97.42
0
17.80

REVIEW, OCTOBER 1949

FAMILY SPENDING FOR HOUSING

383

T a ble 3. — Manchester, N. H.: Percentage distribution by tenure and average annual expenditure for housing, fuel, light,

refrigeration, household operation, and housefurnishings, families of two or more persons, by net income class 1 1947
Annual money income after personal taxes 1
Item
$1,000 to
$2,000

$2,000 to
$3,000

$3,000 to
$4,000

$4,000 to
$5,000

$5,000 to
$6,000

$6,000 to $7,500 and
over
$7,500

Percentage distribution by tenure
All families: TotalHome owners 2
Renters *_____
Roomers_____
Other 4_............

100.0
10.0
70.0
0
20.0

100.0
30.7
65.3
2.0
2.0

100.0
27.3
65.4
0
7.3

100.0
40.0
56.7
0
3.3

100.0
33.3
66.7
0
0

100.0
55.6
44.4
0
0

100.0
42.9
57.1
0
0

Current housing: Average annual expenditure 5
All families: T o ta l.....................................................................................
Home owners:2 Total__________ _________________________
Home expenses__________ ____________________________
Interest on mortgage____ _________________________
Current taxes______ ____ ________________ _________
Repairs and replacements........ ..........................................
Insurance_____ _______ ___________________________
Expense in connection with purchase or sale in 1947
Other housing 7.............................................................................
R enters:2 Total................................. .................................................
Rent of home 8_______________ _____ ____________
Repairs on rented hom e.__________________________
Other housing 7_____ ________________________________

$290. 64
(*)
(*)
(*)
(*)
(*)
(*)
(*)
(*)
258.43
238. 43
13. 82
6.18

$323. 72
476. 24
457.32
33.00
96.18
280. 78
47.36
0
18. 92
254. 94
245. 98
2. 87
6.09

$357. 63
350. 78
345.37
87.58
91.94
154.97
9.81
.40
5. 41
338.32
319. 67
12. 21
6.44

$399.30
471.76
429.31
62.27
105.00
252. 25
9.79
0
42.45
343.88
284.04
10.58
49.26

$396.33
625. 29
534. 79
101. 77
137.16
262. 92
32.94
0
90. 50
283. 55
247. 70
10.10
25. 75

$454.23
546. 68
501. 28
20.74
133.30
340. 72
6.52
0
45.40
338. 67
283. 50
32. 50
22.67

$489. 59
(*)
(*)
(*)

(*)
(*)
(»)
(*)
(*)
379.38
273. 50
5. 49
100.39

Fuel, light, and refrigeration: Average annual expenditure 5
A ll families: T o ta l................................
Coal............................................
Coke and briquets____ ____
W ood_________ _____ _____
Fuel oil, kerosene, gasoline 8_
Ice_______ _______ ________
E lectricity._____ __________
Gas____ ______ ___________
W ater.......... ...........................
Home owners: total_____ _____ _
Coal_____________ ________
Coke and briquets.................
W ood_____________________
Fuel oil, kerosene, gasoline e.
Ice___________ ____________
Electricity.................................
G a s......... ..................................
Water_______ ____ _______
Renters: 3 Total_______________

$169. 39
20.71
0
2.75
72.33
10. 88
32.65
28. 77
1.30
(*)
(*)
(*)
(*)
(*)
(*)
(*)

(*)
(*)
163.33

$183.03
14.78
3.49
6. 81
86.60
9. 43
39.19
19.40
3.04
262. 62
29.90
9. 27
7. 54
120.85
3.64
60.88
20.60
9. 94
154. 90

$187.98
26. 72
2.22
3. 65
82.54
4.16
45.28
20.81
2.60
259. 20
46.10
2.53
7.70
104. 88
3.24
61. 72
24.49
8. 54
155. 73

$221.41
26. 71
5.20
10.23
98.89
5.16
43.95
27.69
3.58
260.99
45.53
3. 50
5.83
114.23
6.08
49.09
28. 37
8.36
189. 59

$235.40
33.13
0
1.33
102.30
5.91
53.29
37.37
2.07
241. 57
51.40
0
.60
90. 46
2.60
61.55
28.76
6.20
232.32

$277. 28
60. 89
0

7. 89
125.41
8.67
44.83
24.97
4.62
330.07
67.60
0
10.20
160. 91
15.60
47.33
20.11
8.32
211.30

$236.96
35.64
0
.57
102. 09
3.69
64.94
25.99
4.04
(*)
(*)
(*)
(*)
(*)
(*)
(*)
(*)
(*)
189.61

Household operation: Average annual expenditure 8
All families: T o ta l...................... ..........
Telephone and telegrams_______
Wages to servants______________
Child care outside home.................
Laundry sent out______________
Laundry and cleaning supplies 10.
Paper products u..............................
Postage....... .............. ................... .
Moving, express, freight________
Other 12_.............................. ..............

$86.43
18. 70
2.90
3.75
10.68
17.42
7.70
5.86
15.95
3.47

$98.23
20.34
4.70
1.86
23.90
23. 97
9.71
7.21
.08
6. 46

$158. 97
31.35
34.73
14.56
19.71
29.63
12.65
7.11
2.91
6.32

$134. 71
25.78
20.67
.67
19.24
32.62
10.37
11.10
5.83
8.43

$223.17
37.46
18.00
38.20
55.03
36.85
17.46
8.53
.67
10.97

$167.38
28.44
13.00
0
41.67
46.14
15.54
9.41
4. 72
8.46

$292.52
43.66
113.35
0
59.16
43.13
13.51
6.73
0

12.98

Housefurnishings and equipment: Average annual expenditure *
All families: T o ta l.......................
Kitchen equipment________
Refrigerator, mechanical
Cooking stoves________
Cleaning equipm ent. ............
Vacuum cleaners______
Laundry equipm ent. ............
Washing machines_____
Ironing machines.........
Mechanical irons.............
Furniture.................... ............
Floor coverings..................... .
Glass, china, silver________
Household textiles................
Miscellaneous..........................
Sewing m achines.............
Services_______ ________ _
See footnotes to table 1.


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$113.92
50.75
12.38
36.05
2.24
1.38
22.87
20.51
0
2.12
7.71
4.02
2.36
8.41
8.15
0
7.41

$197.34
46.89
26. 88
7.65
9.52
8.07
26.15
23.21
0
2.27
34.11
14.94
3.34
36.77
18.13
5.10
7.49

$248.51
81.65
41.76
25.89
10.33
8.81
18.16
10.89
5.27
1.05
35.08
12.45
4.50
35.99
39.46
7.06
10.89

$257.12
53.74
35.28
3.67
10.26
9.20
28.00
25.25
0
2.00
49.36
25.32
7.72
46.85
26.85
.17
9.02

$318.41
78.22
38.87
18.80
13.70
10.77
23.80
10.20
6.63
5.03
25.21
14.67
22.56
71.33
51.01
3.07
17.91

$424.71
96.05
27. 56
36. 22
13.39
12.44
20.81
14. LI
0
5. 36
116. 33
40.16
6.37
74.22
48. 52
0
7.56

$253.95
73.09
63.57
0
21.31
19.57
53.45
51.22
0
2.00
8.64
1.05
3.08
55.09
16.95
0
21.29

384

FAMILY SPENDING FOR HOUSING

patterns in Manchester, and also in part to fewer
installment-credit facilities in Richmond for lower
income groups. Larger expenditures were usually
made in Manchester both for durable goods and
for other household goods. However, families
in that city did not consistently report larger
expenditures for furniture items.
Families in Washington, D. C., at most income
levels, spent the least on housefurnishings and
equipment, with smaller expenditures for refrig­
erators, cooking stoves, and sewing machines
than were made by Manchester and Richmond
families. This is accounted for by the fact that
a large proportion of rented dwelling units in
Washington aie equipped with refrigerators and
stoves—58 percent with refrigerators and 90 per­
cent with stoves, as compared with 25 and 34
percent in Richmond and 10 and 13 percent in
Manchester. Smaller purchases in Washington
of sewing machines and other large items of
equipment, as of housefurnishings generally, may
be related to the less stable nature of the Wash­
ington population.
A comparison of the 1947 data for these cities


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with data collected for 1945 in Birmingham
(Ala.), Indianapolis (Ind.), and Portland (Oreg.),8
shows the importance of increased purchases of
durable goods which returned to the market in
quantity in 1947. For example, at the $3,000 to
$4,000 income level, Manchester families in 1947
spent $101, or 41 percent of total housefurnishings
expenditures for heavy durable goods;9 Richmond
families spent $48, or 31 percent; and Washing­
ton families spent $41, or 22 percent. In 1945,
expenditures for heavy durables accounted for
only 7 percent of total housefurnishings expendi­
tures of families in this income group in Portland
(Oreg.), 5 percent each in Indianapolis and in
Birmingham. Installment debts incurred in con­
nection with these heavy purchases of durable
goods in Manchester, Richmond, and Washington,
were in part responsible for the net deficits re­
ported by many families in these cities in 1947.10
8 See Bureau of Labor Statistics Bulletin 956, Fam ily Income, Expendi­
ture, and Savings in 1945.
* Includes mechanical refrigerators, cooking stoves, vacuum cleaners, wash­
ing machines, ironing machines, electric irons, and sewing machines.
10 See M onthly Labor Review, April 1949 (p. 390).

Summaries of Studies and Reports

Work Injuries
in the United States, 1948 1
I njury - frequency rates 2 both in manufactur­
ing and in nonmanufacturing industries continued
to decline during 1948. A greater proportion of
fatalities and permanent disabilities, however,
resulted in an increase in average days lost per
case and a slight rise in severity rates.

Injury-Frequency Rates
Manufacturing. The weighted injury-frequency
rate for all manufacturing industries combined
dropped 8.5 percent, from an average of 18.8
disabling injuries per million man-hours worked
in 1947 to 17.2 in 1948. This was the lowest rate
recorded since 1940, when the average for manu­
facturing was 15.3. Among the 17 major groups
of manufacturing industries, 14 recorded decreases
of at least one full frequency-rate point; the other
3 had rates which differed by less than a point
from the 1947 level.
The lumber group as a whole showed the great­
est improvement, the injury-frequency rate de­
creasing from 66.0 to 58.6. Outstanding drops
in rates within the group were from 102.8 to 91.8
for logging, from 66.6 to 57.8 for sawmills, and
from 36.6 to 29.1 for structural millwork. Each
of the other industries in the group reported minor
decreases. Lumbering, however, still ranked as
one of the most hazardous industries. The injury
rate for logging was the highest recorded for any
industry surveyed, that for sawmills was the
1
B y Robert S. Barker of the Bureau’s Branch of Industrial Hazards. The
detailed tables on which this article is based w ill be presented in a forthcoming
bulletin.
* The injury-frequency rate is the average number of disabling work injuries
for each million employee-hours worked. A disabling work injury is an
injury arising out of and in the course of employment which results in death
or permanent impairment, or renders the injured person unable to work at a
regularly established job throughout the hours corresponding to his regular
shift on any day after the day of injury.


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second highest among individual manufacturing
industries, and that for the integrated saw and
planing mills (53.0) was the third highest. Plan­
ing mills, operated apart from sawmills, had a
rate of 40.7, veneer mills 36.2, and plywood mills
35.5 injuries per million man-hours worked.
These rates were well above the average for all
manufacturing.
Over two-thirds of the individual manufac­
turing industries showed significant decreases in
their injury-frequency rates from 1947 to 1948.
Of the 151 separate classifications, 16 recorded a
drop of 5 or more frequency-rate points, and 87
showed from 1 to 5 points decrease. Little
change was shown by 39, and only 9 recorded
increases in injury rates.
Major decreases in the injury-frequency rates
of individual manufacturing classifications (in
addition to the lumber group) were shown in the
relatively small fabricated pipe and fittings
industry from 29.4 to 18.5; office, store, and
restaurant fixtures, from 23.9 to 15.3; concrete,
gypsum, and plaster products, from 36.1 to 28.7;
ornamental metal work, from 27.8 to 20.6; and
heating equipment, not elsewhere classified, from
34.3 to 27.2.
The only industry to show an increase of more
than 5 points in the injury-frequency rate was the
small boatbuilding and repairing industry, which
had a rate of 48.2 in 1948, compared with 33.8 in
1947. This placed the industry fourth highest
among the individual manufacturing classifica­
tions.
Other industries reporting high injury-frequency
rates in 1948 were the manufacture of wooden
containers (42.6), iron foundries (39.7), beehive
coke ovens (38.2), cut stone and cut-stone prod­
ucts (38.0), and breweries (35.5).
The best safety record in manufacturing for the
year was again achieved by the synthetic-rubber
industry, which had a rate of only 1.7 work injuries
385

386

WORK INJURIES IN 19J,8

for each million man-hours. This was slightly
below the 1947 rate of 1.9. Other outstandingly
low injury-frequency rates were 3.0 in the electric
lamp (bulbs) industry, 4.3 in explosives, 4.5 in
women’s and children’s clothing, and 4.9 in air­
craft manufacturing.

MONTHLY LABOR

Nonmanufacturing.3 The transportation group
(excluding railroads and other interstate carriers)
recorded decreases in all but the small miscellane­
ous transportation industry. Stevedoring showed
1The construction industry will be discussed at length in a separate article.

Injury-Frequency Rates and Severity Averages, Major Manufacturing Groups, 1948

Average Days Lost per Disabling injury
I2 0

I0 0

80

6 0

4 0

Injury Frequency Rates

20

10

20

3 0

4 0

5 0

6 0

Lum ber

F u r n itu r e

S t o n e , C l a y a n d G la s s

Food P ro d u c ts

Ir o n a n d

S te e l

P a p e r P ro d u c ts
M a c h in e r y , e x c e p t
1 E le c tr ic
A ll M a n u f a c t u r in g

N o n fe rro u s

M e ta ls

T r a n s p o r t a t io n
E q u ip m e n t
M is c e lla n e o u s
M a n u fa c tu r in g
T e x t ile s

L e a th e r

R ubber

C h e m ic a ls
P r in t in g

and

P u b l is h i n g
E le c tr ic a l

M a c h in e r y

A p p a re l

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS

a decrease from 72.4 to 62.3 injuries per million
man-hours; local trucking and hauling, from 38.2
to 30.7; and warehousing and storage, from 33.5
to 26.6. Stevedoring, however, continued to
have one of the highest rates recorded (exceeded
only by the rates for logging and certain of the
mining industries). Other industries in this
group showed minor decreases. Data available
from the Interstate Commerce Commission also

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indicate an improved safety record among inter­
state railroads.
Six of the 10 trade classifications showed sig­
nificant decreases in injury-frequency rates; the
others showed little change. The average rate
for the group decreased from 16.4 in 1947 to 15.1
in 1948, but was still above the 1946 average rate
of 14.2. Wholesale and retail building supply
dealers had the highest rate in this group, 30.9.

REVIEW, OCTOBER 1949

WORK INJURIES IN 19J/8

Wholesale and retail dairy products recorded a
rate of 23.2.
For fire departments, the frequency rate in­
creased substantially from 24.8 in 1947 to 30.9
injuries per million man-hours in 1948. For police
departments, the rate remained relatively high at
28.2.
In the heat, light, and power group, the fre­
quency rate decreased slightly, from 18.1 to 17.1;
but in waterworks it increased from 21.0 to 25.1.
Neither personal services nor business services,
as a group, showed much change in injury rates.
Five of the eight classifications under personal
service recorded changes of less than one fre­
quency-rate point. Hotels showed a slight de­
crease. Eating and drinking places and medical
and other professional services recorded minor
increases. Real estate and miscellaneous repair
services in the business-service group reported
slight increases. Auto-repair shops continued the
downward trend in injury rates noted in 1947.
Outstandingly low injury-frequency rates among
nonmanufacturing industries were recorded by
radio broadcasting and television companies
(1.7), insurance (2.1), banks and other financial
agencies (2.2), and telephone companies (2.6).
Preliminary reports furnished by the Bureau of
Mines (U. S. Department of the Interior) indicate
an encouraging improvement in the safety records
of most branches of the mining industry; although
the injury-frequency rates for most mining activi­
ties remained relatively high, reflecting the hazard­
ous nature of this type of work. Important de­
creases were recorded among the metal-mining
industries: Gold-silver mining, from 108.4 in 1947
to 87.6 in 1948; gold placer mining, from 33.5 to
23.6; and miscellaneous metal mining, from 94.7
to 64.3. Frequency rates in lime quarries dropped
from 54.5 to 42.4; in granite, from 62.5 to 36.6; in
slate, from 53.9 to 40.5; and in sandstone, from
58.3 to 42.9. The marble-quarries rate increased
from 26.0 to 31.5. The rate in the important
bituminous-coal mining industry remained rela­
tively high—59.5 injuries per million man-hours
worked. The rate for anthracite mining dropped
from 83.4 to 82.2.
Iron ore-dressing mills and auxiliaries had the
lowest injury-frequency rate (13.2) among the
various mining industries. Cement quarries (15.9)
were the next lowest. All other industries in the

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387

mining group had rates higher than the average
for all manufacturing.
Injury Severity
Although the frequency of work injuries de­
creased, the relative proportion of fatalities and
permanent disabilities increased. As a result, the
average number of days lost per case in manufac­
turing rose from 73 in 1947 to 83 in 1948. The
manufacturing severity rate,4 which reflects both
number of injuries and average time lost, increased
slightly, from an average of 1.4 days for each
thousand man-hours worked in 1947 to 1.5 in 1948.
The proportion of deaths and permanent-total
disabilities 5 reported by manufacturing establish­
ments increased from 0.3 percent in 1947 to 0.4
percent in 1948. The percent of permanentpartial disabilities 5 increased from 4.4 in 1947 to
4.7 in 1948. This increase in the proportion of
serious cases was apparent throughout most indus­
tries. Of the 17 manufacturing-industry groups
for which data were available, 14 showed increases
in the proportion of the serious cases and a corre­
sponding decrease in the percent of temporary
disabilities.
Industries which reported relatively large per­
centages of fatalities and/or permanent-total dis­
abilities included cement mills (2.7 p ercen tfatalities only), iron and steel (2.3), byproduct
coke ovens (2.2—fatalities only), cold-finished
steel (1.5), concrete, gypsum, and plaster products
(1.5), petroleum refining (1.3—fatalities only),
aircraft manufacturing (1.2), industrial chemicals
(1.1) , and logging (1.1 percent). The percentage
of permanent-partial disabilities was high in the
manufacturing of hardware (11.1), envelopes
(11.1) , carpets, rugs, and other floor coverings
(10.4), and electrical appliances (9.9).
The increased severity average in manufactur­
ing 6 from 73 days in 1947 to 83 days in 1948
4 The severity rate is the average numher of days lost, because of disabling
work injuries, per 1,000 employee-hours worked. The computations of days
lost include standard time charges for fatalities and permanent disabilities,
as given in Method of Compiling Industrial Injury Rates, approved by the
American Standards Association, 1945.
6
A permanent-total disability is an injury, other than death, which per­
manently and totally incapacitates an employee from following any gainful
occupation. A permanent-partial disability consists of the complete loss in
one accident of any member or part of a member of the body, or any perma­
nent impairment of functions of the body or part thereof to any degree less
than permanent-total disability.
6 The severity average is the average number of days lost per case, including
the actual time lost because of temporary-total disabilities and the standard
time charges for deaths and permanent impairments.

388

WORK INJURIES IN 19^8

reflects the greater proportion of more serious
cases. Increases occurred not only in the percent
of fatalities and permanent impairments, but also
in the time charges for permanent-partial disabili­
ties which rose from an average of 863 days per
case in 1947 to 925 in 1948. This indicates an
increase in cases involving the loss of limbs or
other important body members, for which there
are greater time charges. The average time lost
because of temporary-total disabilities remained
the same as in 1947 (16 days per case).
The iron and steel industry had the highest
severity average, 244 days per case. In this
industry 8.7 percent of all cases reported were
permanent-partial impairments, and 2.3 percent
were fatalities or permanent-total disabilities.
The average time lost as a result of temporary-total
disabilities was 34 days per case, which was over
twice as high as the average for all manufacturing
combined. Other manufacturing industries with
high severity averages were cold-finished steel, 172
days per case; chemical products not elsewhere
classified, 165; concrete, gypsum, and plaster
products, 152; and industrial chemicals, 151.
The decrease in the frequency of work injuries
offset the increase in average days lost per case,
with the result that the severity rate for all manu­
facturing increased only slightly, from 1.4 days in
1947 to 1.5 days lost for each thousand employeehours in 1948. However, the combination of a
high frequency rate with long duration of time
lost per case resulted in high severity rates in the
following industries: Logging (10.1), sawmills (5.5),
plywood mills (4.8), integrated saw and planing
mills (4.7), breweries (4.4), concrete, gypsum, and
plaster products (4.2).
Among the nonmanufacturing classifications,
police and fire departments recorded substantial
decreases in their injury-severity rates. This was
due to decreases in the proportion of more serious
cases and resulting fewer days of disability. The
severity rate for waterworks increased, due to an
increase in both frequency of injuries and length
of disability. Stevedoring had the highest sever­
ity rate—13.0—which resulted from a high fre­
quency rate combined with an average of 209 days
lost per case. The proportion of permanent-partial
disabilities in this industry was relatively high.
The electric light and power industry had an
average of 142 days lost or charged for each dis­

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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

MONTHLY LABOR

ability owing to a relatively high proportion of
fatalities. However, low frequency rate resulted
in a severity rate of only 2.2.
Data on average days lost and the severity rates
for mining industries are not available. The pro­
portion of fatalities reported for this group, how­
ever, was relatively high. Of all cases reported,
3.7 percent in cement quarrying, 2.2 percent in
iron mining, and 2.0 percent in bituminous-coal
mining were fatalities. A considerable improve­
ment was shown, however, over 1947, when the
corresponding percentages were 4.6, 2.5, and 2.1.
An analysis of the permanent-partial disabilities
reported in manufacturing during 1948 indicates
that 77 percent of such cases involved the ampu­
tation or permanent impairment of a hand or one
or more fingers. Foot and toe cases accounted for
8 percent of the total; the loss of sight in one eye,
for 4 percent; the amputation or loss of use of an
arm, for 4 percent, and of a leg, for 3 percent;
and all other impairments, for 4 percent. The
proportion of hand and finger cases decreased 3
percentage points from 1947, and arm, leg, and
foot cases each increased 1 percentage point.
Impairments to hands and fingers were most
prevalent in the manufacture of metal furniture
(96 percent of all permanent partial cases in the
industry), stamped and pressed metal products
(91 percent), miscellaneous manufacturing, not
elsewhere classified (93 percent), and slaughtering
and meat packing (90 percent). Such cases ac­
counted for less than 50 percent of the total in
logging, stevedoring, and streetcar and bus opera­
tion. Logging reported a relatively high propor­
tion of leg, foot, and eye impairments. Foot and
toe cases were prevalent in stevedoring. Whole­
sale and retail distribution of dairy products had
large proportions of arm and leg impairments.
Other industries with a high percentage of arm
cases were breweries, glass, leather, sugar refining,
woolen and worsted textiles, and streetcar and
bus operation. Leg impairments also constituted
a large proportion of the permanent-partial disa­
bilities in sawmills, steam fittings and apparatus,
and structural clay products industries. Foot
and toe cases were important in the carpets, rugs,
and other floor coverings industry; dyeing and
finishing textiles; flour, feed, and grain-mill prod­
ucts; gas utilities; sugar refining; streetcar and
bus operation; and stevedoring. The loss of sight

REVIEW, OCTOBER 1949

WORK INJURIES IN 191,8

in one eye was a prevalent type of disability in the
fertilizer, iron foundry, glass, and logging indus­
tries.
Of the temporary-total disability cases reported
in manufacturing, 34.7 percent resulted in 3 or
less days of lost time, and 65.3 percent in 4 or
more days. This is approximately the same ratio
that was reported in 1947. The cases of longer
duration, however, accounted for 95.3 percent of
the total time lost on account of temporary
disabilities—a slightly higher ratio than that of
1947, indicating an increase in the average days
lost by cases of 4 or more days’ duration.
Among individual manufacturing industries, the

389

proportion of 1-, 2-, and 3-day cases varied from
18.9 percent of all temporary-total disabilities in
the iron and steel industry to 64.5 percent in the
professional and scientific instruments and sup­
plies industry. Other manufacturing industries
with high ratios of short-time disability cases
included elevators, escalators, and conveyors (49.0
percent), sheet-metal work (47.0 percent), slaugh­
tering and meat packing (46.6 percent), men’s
and boys’ clothing (46.1 percent), and stone, clay,
and glass products, not elsewhere classified (45.5
percent). Each of these industries had a relatively
low average of days lost due to temporary-total
disability, and, with the exception of sheet-metal

Injury frequency and severity rates and injuries by extent of disability, by major industry groups, 191,8
[All reporting establishments]

Industry group

All manufacturing: All industry groups____________
Apparel and other finished textile products_____
Chemicals and allied products_________________
Electrical machinery, equipment and supplies.. .
Food products___ ____________________________
Furniture and finished lumber p ro d u cts_______
Iron and steel and their products______________
Leather and leather products__________________
Lumber and timber basic products_____ ____ _
Machinery, except electric... ________________
Nonferrous metals and their products__________
Paper and allied produ cts_________ . . . ____ _
Printing and publishing ___________ _______
Rubber products_____________________________
Stone, clay and glass products______ __________
Textile and textile-mill products_______________
Transportation equipment_______ _____ _ . ._
Miscellaneous manufacturing__________________
N onmanufacturing :
Communication 43________ ______________ . _
Transportation46. . . _________________________
Heat, light and power 4_______ ____
______
W aterworks4. ._ . . . . ___. . . ________ _____
Personal services... . ________________________
Business services_____________________________
Educational services__________________________
Fire departments_________ _________________
Police departments___________________________
Trade______ ______ __________ ______ _________
M inin g:7
Coal mines__________________________________
M etal m ines____________________ . _________
Nonmetal m in e s .____________________________
Quarries____ . . . ______ _____________________
Ore dressing (mills and auxiliaries)___________ _

Number
of estab­ Average
lish­
number
of em­
ments
report­
ployees
ing

hours
worked
(thou­
sands)

Number
of disa­ Death
bling in­ and
juries perma­
nenttotal
disa­
bility

Per­
ma­
nent
partial
disa­
bility

Tem­
po­
rary
total
disa­
bility

Average days lost or
charged per case 1

Injury rates 1

Temporarytotal
disa­
bility

Fre­
quen­ Sever­
it y 1
cy

PerAll
madis­ mentabili­ partial
ties 3 disa­
bility

34, 407
2,123
2,114
1,085
4,187
2,302
4,705
749
1,784
3, 690
849
1,456
2,649
280
1,621
2, 579
904
1,307

8,649, 473
232,040
578,126
668,982
531, 788
240, 249
1, 518,672
172,884
158,263
1,148,351
218,491
321,998
217,823
224,100
255,306
697,614
1,024, 318
304,224

17,461,713
425, 569
1,185,698
1, 342,819
1, 094,841
493,351
3,067, 928
327,229
325, 089
2, 325, 279
459,201
691, 209
434,074
433,786
531,644
1,578,238
2,044, 669
624, 039

269,899
2,914
12,314
10,820
24, 769
13,258
56, 409
3,987
16,164
39,071
7,103
13,695
3,883
4, 541
11, 246
18,790
23, 437
7,103

0.4
.1
.8
.2
.3
.1
.7
.1
.7
.2
.3
.4
.2
.1
.5
.3
.4
.1

4.7
1.8
4.2
6.8
3.2
5.7
5.0
3.4
3.5
4.7
6.0
5.5
4.3
7.2
2.7
4.4
6.9
4.9

94.9
98.1
95.0
93.0
96.5
94.2
94.3
96.5
95.8
95.1
93.7
94.1
95.5
92.7
96.8
95.3
92.7
95.0

83
34
115
70
69
69
101
57
96
63
79
108
61
102
79
75
90
58

925
1,058
1,294
690
1,277
850
854
984
1,075
791
743
1,181
858
1.095
1,214
964
692
782

16
12
16
15
13
13
19
13
16
14
17
17
13
17
14
16
19
12

17.2
6.8
10.8
8.0
20.9
25. 7
19.5
11.2
58.6
17.5
14.9
19.4
9.2
11.1
22.1
11.7
12.3
12.3

1. 5
.2
1.8
.6
1. 5
1.8
1.9
.5
6.0
1. 2
1. 3
1.8
.6
1.0
1.9
.9
1.0
.9

555
1, 396
630
175
3, 565
3,048
201
216
147
10,051

579,928
217,105
362, 635
11,229
169,403
180,224
131, 491
30, 794
18, 532
366,209

1,097,876
535,316
760,282
22,292
364, 377
351,076
232, 724
99,167
44, 567
755,088

2,853
12, 796
13, 013
559
3, 730
1,540
1,938
3, 069
1,256
10, 380

.8
.5
1.3
.4
.3
.5
.1
.5
1.0
.3

.8
2.9
2.2
2.0
1.9
1.5
1.9
.6
.4
2.1

98.4
96.6
96.5
97.6
97.8
98.0
98.0
98.9
98.6
97.6

79
91
122
60
53
63
45
51
79
57

2,093
1,438
1,377
1,228
1, 297
1,215
1, 367
722
1,050
1,149

16
18
15
14
12
14
13
16
18
12

2.6
23.9
17.1
25.1
10.2
4.4
8. 3
30.9
28.2
15.1

.2
2.2
2.1
1. 5
.5
.3
.4
1.6
2.2
.9

(8)
(8)
(8)
(8)
(*)

485, 600
72,000
12, 200
53,800
16,110

867, 500
160,480
28, 350
115, 397
36,730

55.055
7,616
1,180
4,420
844

8 1.8
81.3
8 1.3
81.2
8 1.1

<8)
(8)
(8)
(8)
(8)

(8)
(8)
(8)
(8)
(8)

t8)
(8)
(8)
(8)
(8)

J)
Í8)
(8)
(8)
(8)

(8)
(s)
(8)
(8)
(8)

63.5
47.5
41.6
38.3
23.0

(8)
(8)
(8)
(8)
(8)

1 Based on reports which furnished details regarding the resulting dis­
abilities, constituting approximately 60 percent of the total sample.
3 The frequency rate is the average number of disabling injuries for each
million employee-hours worked. The severity rate is the average number
of days lost for each thousand employee-hours worked. The standard timeloss ratings for fatalities and permanent disabilities are given in Method
of Compiling Industrial Injury Rates, approved by the American Standards
Association, 1945. Injury rates for all-manufacturing, for each manufactur­
ing and mining group, and for the trade group have been computed from the
rates of individual industries by the application of weights based upon
estimates of total current employment in each industry; rates for other
industry groups are based on the unweighted totals of all reports received.
3 Each death or permanent total disability is charged with a time loss of
6,000 days in the computation of severity rates.
4 Primarily reported by company instead of by establishment.


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Percent of disabling
injuries resulting
in—i

3 Includes telephone, radio, and television only.
6 Does not include railroads and other interstate transportation.
7 Based on preliminary data compiled by the Bureau of Mines, U . S.
Department of the Interior.
8 N ot available.
8 Fatalities only.
N o t e .— Reports in this survey secured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics
include all employees—production and related workers; force-account con­
struction workers; administrative, supervisory, sales, technical, service, and
office personnel. Reports compiled by the Bureau of M ines, U. S. Depart­
ment of the Interior (see footnote 7) include men engaged in production,
development, maintenance, and repair work, and supervisory and technical
personnel at the operation; but exclude office personnel and employees in
stores or affiliated operations not directly connected with mining or refining.

390

SALARIES OF OFFICE WORKERS

work, they also had relatively low severity
averages.
Industries having a large proportion of tem­
porary-total cases involving 4 or more days of
disability were iron and steel (81.1 percent), log­
ging (78.1 percent), and aircraft manufacturing
(77.4 percent).
Nonmanufacturing industries reporting a high
percentage of short-duration disabilities were retail
apparel and accessories (53.7 percent), dry clean­
ing (50.0 percent), miscellaneous repair services
(49.6 percent), wholesale distribution (47.7 per­
cent), local trucking and hauling (45.5 percent),
and combination laundry and dry cleaning estab­
lishments (45.0 percent). Only 15 percent of the
temporary disability cases in stevedoring involved
3 or less days of disability; 85 percent involved 4
or more days.

Salaries of Office Workers:
Washington, D. C., April 1949 1
salaries of women office employees in
private industry in Washington varied from $34
for office girls to $59.50 for hand bookkeepers, in
April 1949.2 Average salaries of women in abou
two-thirds of the jobs studied fell between $40
and $50 a week, and for most of the individual
workers in these jobs they fell between $37.50
and $52.50. The numerically most important
job studied in Washington, where there are a rela­
tively high proportion of small offices, was that
of secretary; women in this job averaged $56.50
a week. (See table 2.) Other jobs having large
numbers of workers were general clerks, general

W eekly

1 Prepared in the Bureau’s Division of Wage Statistics by Paul E. War­
wick, Regional Wage Analyst of the N ew York Office.
This article is part of the 1949 series of studies by the IT. S. Labor Depart­
m ent’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, dealing with salaries and working condi­
tions of office workers in a group of large cities in all sections of the country.
Studies of office workers have been made in the following cities: Atlanta,
Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dallas, Hartford, Los Angeles,
Minneapolis-St. Paul, N ew Orleans, N ew York, Philadelphia, Portland
(Oreg.), Richmond, St. Louis, and Seattle. Information was collected by
visits of field representatives of the Bureau to 364 Washington establishments.
Further detail on salaries and working conditions and related wage prac­
tices in all of the cities studied will be available in forthcoming bulletins of
the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
2 Information refers to salaries for the normal workweek, excluding overtime
pay and nonproduetion bonuses but including any incentive earnings.


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MONTHLY LABOR

stenographers, and clerk-typists, with average
salaries of $47.50, $48.50, and $40, respectively.
Among the 9 jobs for which data on men workers
could be presented, average weekly salaries ranged
from $33.50 for office boys to $65 for hand book­
keepers. General clerks, the largest group of men
studied, averaged $55.50 weekly.
On an hourly basis, women worker’s averages
varied from 87 cents for office girls to $1.55 for
hand bookkeepers. Secretaries averaged $1.49.
Men hand bookkeepers averaged $1.71, general
clerks $1.37, and office boys 87 cents.
This salary information was obtained only for a
limited number of office clerical occupations, in
which a large proportion of the women workers
in Washington offices were employed. No at­
tempt was made to obtain complete coverage of
office workers. The survey did not include Gov­
ernment employees. However, comparisons with
available data on the salaries of F ederal employees
indicated, broadly, that the average earnings of
secretaries and stenographers in private industry
in Washington were close to those of Government
workers in similar jobs.
Six industry divisions were surveyed. The
highest pay scales in effect in private industry,
were found in transportation, communication,
and other public utilities. Next were the service
and manufacturing industries; however, relatively
few workers are employed in manufacturing in
Washington.
A 40-hour, 5-day week was the work schedule
most commonly reported for women. This was
also the schedule in effect for Federal employees.
Less than 10 percent of the private-office employ­
ees worked more than 5 days a week; only in
the wholesale trade and service industries were
5^-day schedules in effect in an appreciable
number of establishments. About a tenth of the
office workers in wholesale trade were scheduled
to work 5/( days, and a slightly larger number
were required to work some, but not all, Saturdays.
About 15 percent of the workers in the service
industries worked either a half day every Satur­
day or on some Saturdays during a month.
Weekly hours varied considerably more than
the number of days worked each week, and a sub­
stantial number of women worked less than 40
hours. Half were on schedules of between 35 and
40 hours, 18 percent on a schedule of 35 hours,

REVIEW, OCTOBER 1949

SALARIES OF OFFICE WORKERS

and 16 percent had a 37K-hour week. Only
4 percent worked over 40 hours (table 1).
In manufacturing, nearly all the women office
employees were on a 40-hour week, whereas in
transportation, communication, and other public
utilities, the typical workweek was 37K hours.
Some workers in three industry groups (wholesale
trade, retail trade, and services) were scheduled
to work more than 40 hours. These longer work­
weeks were most common in wholesale trade.
Distribution of women office workers inWashington,
D. C., by scheduled weekly hours, April 1949

T a b l e 1 .—

Percent of workers employed in offices in—

Weekly hours

Under 35________ .
35______________
Over 35 and under 37J4..
3 7 ^ _____________
Over 37Hi and under 40. 40_____________________
Over 40 and under 44___
44____________ . .
Over 44 and under 48___
48__________________
Over 48_________
___

Fi­
nance,
All
insur­
Whole­
M
an­
Re­
in­
sale
tail ance,
dus­ ufac­
and
tries turing trade trade real
es­
tate

0.1
18.0
3.5
16.2
13.2
45.0
1.6
1.8
.4
.2

1.6
96.3

Total____________ 100.0

100.0

2.1

7.4
9.6
8.4
.9
59.1
10.6
2.6
1.4

6.7
.5
87.1
4.5
.8
.4

21.9
7.0
14.5
22.6
33.8
.1

Trans­
porta­
tion,
com­
muni­ Serv­
cation,
ices
and
other
public
utili­
ties

48.3
16.4
29.1

0.3
30.2
3.1
9.9
13.3
37.3
2.3
2.8
.4
.4

100.0

100.0

6.2

.1

100.0 100.0 100.0

Related Wage Practices
Paid vacations after 1 year of service were
provided for virtually all office workers in Wash­
ington; three-fourths of the workers were entitled
to at least 2 weeks’ vacation after a year’s service.
The length of the vacation varied somewhat
among industry divisions. More than four-fifths
of the workers with a year’s service in manu­
facturing, the service industries, and finance,
insurance, and real estate and almost three-fourths
of those in wholesale trade received 2 weeks or
more, but in retail trade, and in transportation,
communication, and other public utilities, a
1-week vacation was most common. In the latter
industry divisions, vacations were typically in­
creased to 2 weeks after 2 years of employment.
A few employees in wholesale trade and in the
service industries worked in offices which had no
formal provision for paid vacations.
Holidays with pay were provided for almost all
Washington office workers. The comparatively

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391

few offices that did not grant paid holidays were
in retail trade; about a fifth of the retail trade
employees did not have such holidays. The most
typical provision was for 8 holidays a year, the
number given in the Federal service; almost
three-quarters of Washington office employees in
private industry were allowed this number.
About a tenth received 6 holidays annually, and
almost as many were entitled to 7. A few workers,
mostly in finance, insurance, and real estate, and
in the service industries, had 11 paid holidays a
year. In general, finance, insurance, and real
estate offices had the most liberal holiday pro­
visions.
Nonproduction bonuses were paid by establish­
ments employing about 2 out of every 5 Wash­
ington office workers. Generally, these were
paid at Christmas or the end of the year. Non­
production bonuses were most widespread in
retail trade and in finance, insurance, and real
estate; about three-fifths and two-thirds of the
workers, respectively, were employed by firms
reporting bonuses. Less than 1 out of 20 office
workers in manufacturing and in transportation,
communication, and other public utilities, re­
ceived a nonproduction bonus.
Paid sick leave was formally provided for by
establishments employing more than half of the
office workers. Service requirements for eli­
gibility varied, however. Approximately a fourth
of the workers became eligible for paid sick leave
after 6 months of service, almost half were eligible
after a year of service, and almost three-fifths after
2 years. In transportation, communication, and
public utilities, practically all employees were
covered by paid sick leave policies after 2 years
of service; retail trade ranked next. The most
typical amount of paid sick leave granted was
12 days after a year’s service.
Insurance or pension plans were effective in
offices having about three-fourths of the Washing­
ton office workers in private industry. Life
insurance was most common, almost three-fifths
of the workers being employed in offices which
had such plans. Retirement pensions ranked
next; half of the office workers were employed in
establishments having this type of provision. At
least four-fifths of the employees in each industry
group, except wholesale trade and the service
industries, worked in establishments with some
type of insurance or pension plan.

MONTHLY LABOR

SALARIES OF OFFICE WORKERS

392

T a ble 2. —Salaries 1 and weekly scheduled hours of work for selected office occupations in Washington, D. C., by industry

division, April 1949

Sox, occupation, and
industry division 2

Average—
EstiM e­
range
mated
dian 3 Salary
Week­
of middle
num­ Week­
weekly
Hour­
ly
50
percent
ber of
ly
sal­
sched­ ly
of workers
work­ sal­
uled rate aries
aries hours
ers

M en
Bookkeepers, hand 4--------Wholesale trade-----------Finance, insurance, and
real estate____________
Services-------- ------------Bookkeeping-machine op­
erators, class B — . -Clerks, accounting----------Manufacturing------------Wholesale tr a d e ----------Retail trade-------- --- Finance, insurance, and
real estate------------Transportation, commu­
nication, and other
public utilities------- -Services____
______Clerks, file, class B ----Clerks, general A -- ----Manufacturing . ------Wholesale trade--------- Retail trade--------- - - . Finance, insurance, and
real estate-----------------Services ..
_______
Clerks, order
. . . ------Wholesale trade________
Clerks, pay-roll---------------Clerk-typists4- . -----------Transportation, commu­
nication, and other
public utilities_______
Office boys 4. - --------------Manufacturing
. -_Finance, insurance, and
real estate----- ------ -- - _
Transportation, commu­
nication, and other
public utilities--------Services_______________

208 $65. 00
41 70.50

38.0 $1.71 $62. 00 $57-50-$75.00
40.0 1.76 74.00 57.50- 82.50

71
59

58.50
67.50

36.5
36.5

1. 60
1.85

57.50 52. 00- 62. 00
63. 50 57.50- 76. 00

51
292
57
37
52

39.50
49.00
49.50
48.50
47. 50

40.5
40.0
39.5
44.0
40.5

.98
1.23
1.25
1.10
1.17

36.50
47.00
50.00
46.00
47. 00

40

45.50

39.0

1.17

42. 00 39. 00- 48.50

35
71
39
348
37
70
36

56.00
47.50
36.50
55.50
52.00
60. 00
50.50

40.0
38.0
38.0
40.5
40.5
43.0
41.0

1.40
1.25
.96
1.37
1.28
1.40
1.23

56.00
45.00
34. 50
55. 00
47. 00
60. 00
48.00

48. 0040. 0034.5046. 0045. 0050. 0041. 00-

66.50
54. 00
40.00
60. 50
61.00
65. 00
58. 00

77
64
109
91
26
48

51.00
60. 00
50.00
50. 50
52. 00
47.00

37.5
40.5
40.5
41.0
41.5
39.5

1.36
1.48
1.23
1.23
1.25
1.19

46.00
56.00
44.00
44.00
53.50
49.50

40. 5046. 0041. 0041.0039.5044.50-

63.00
62.00
60.00
60.00
63. 00
50.50

30
307
57

46. 50
33.50
31.00

39.5
38.5
40.0

1.18
.87
.78

49.50 39. 50- 51. 50
33.50 31.00- 36. 00
31.00 29. 50- 31.00

53

34.00

38.0

.89

33. 50 31. 50- 35.50

28
146

34. 00
34. 50

37.5
38.5

.91
.90

31.50 31.00- 36. 00
35. 00 31. 50- 37. 00

36.5040.5045.0042.5037.50-

42.00
55. 00
55. 00
50. 50
57.50

Women
Billers, machine (billing
machine)4---------------Retail tr a d e ------Billers, machine (book­
keeping machine)------- Bookkeepers, hand 4 ---- -Finance, insurance, and
real estate-----------------Services. . _______ -Bookkeeping-machine op­
erators, class A 4- .
Finance, insurance, and
real estate-----------------Bookkeeping-machine op­
erators, class B 4------ -Retail trade----- -----------Finance, insurance, and
real estate_____ - . —.
Calculating-machine oper­
ators (Comptometer
type)4----------------------Wholesale trade-------- .Retail trade--------- . . - Calculating-machine oper­
ators (other than Comp­
tometer type)4-----------Retail trade----- --------Clerks, accounting 4 ___
Manufacturing______ . .
Wholesale trade________
Retail trade------------- _
Finance, insurance, and
real estate_____ ____
Services________ _______
Clerks, file, class A 4___ _
Finance, insurance, and
real estate___________
Services______ .

68
49

39. 50
38.00

40.0
39.5

.99
.96

40.00 33. 00- 43. 00
39.00 33. 50- 42. 00

71
414

46. 00
59. 50

39.0
38.5

1.18
1.55

47.00 42. 00- 50.00
57.50 52.00- 63.50

142
208

55. 50
61. 00

38.0
38.5

1.46
1.58

52. 50 50.00- 60. 00
57.50 52. 00- 68. 50

134

43. 50

38.0

1.14

40. 50 38. 50- 46. 00

114

41.50

37.5

1.11

40.50 38. 50- 45. 00

350
38

40.50
38. 00

39.5
40.5

1.03
.94

40.00 37.00- 43. 50
37. 50 33. 50- 41. 00

266

40. 00

39.5

1.01

39. 00 37. 00- 42. 00

216
26
119

45.50
47. 50
44. 00

39.5 1.15
39. C 1.22
40.0 1.10

45.00 41.00- 48.00
46. 0C 42.50- 50.00
45. 00 40. 00- 47.50

56
26
985
6(
62
178

41.00
41. Of
46. 50
47. 50
48. 0(
43. 5(

39.5
39.5
38.5
39.5
39.5
40.5

282
221
298

42. 00
50. 50
47. 00

38.0 1.11
38. C 1.33
39.0 1.21

41.50 37. 00- 45. 00
50. 5( 46. 00- 56.00
46.00 41. 00- 52. 00

76
184

43. 50
48. 5(

38.5
38.5

40.50 38. 50- 49.00
48. 0( 44. 50- 52. 00

1.04
1.04
1.21
1. 20
1.22
1.07

1.13
1.26

40.00
40.00
46. 00
48. 00
48.0(
43. 00

38.0037. 0040. 0040. 0040. 0037.50-

45. 50
43. 00
53. 00
53. 00
54. 50
49. 50

1 Excludes premium pay for overtime.
2 The study covered representative manufacturing and retail trade estab­
lishments (except limited-price variety stores), transportation (except rail­
roads), communication, heat, light, and power companies with over 100
workers; manufacturers’ sales branches and offices in wholesale trade, insur­
ance, real estate, legal services; such professional services as architectural,


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

Sex, occupation, and
industry division2

Women—Continued
Clerks, file, class B 4______
Retail trade-----------------Finance, insurance, and
real estate________ _ .
Services___ ___________
Clerks, general4___ _____
Manufacturing_________
Wholesale trade________
Retail trade--------- ----Finance, insurance, and
real estate___________
Services_______________
Clerks, order 4______ ____
M a n u fa c tu r in g ...___ _
Wholesale trade________
Retail trade__________ .
Clerks, pay-roll4--------- . .
Retail trade_____ . .
Finance, insurance, and
real estate_____ ____
T ran sp ortation , com ­
munication, and other
public utilities. . . _ . . .
Clerk-typists------------------Manufacturing_________
Wholesale trade________
Retail trade.____ ______
Finance, insurance, and
real estate-----------------T ran sp ortation , com ­
munication, and other
public utilities.. . . . .
Services______________
Office girls_______________
Secretaries________ ____
Manufacturing______ __
Wholesale trade_____ .
Retail trade____ ______
Finance, insurance, and
real estate— . _____
T ran sp ortation, com ­
munication, and other
public utilities______ .
Services--------------Stenographers, general____
Manufacturing_______
Wholesale trade________
Retail trade-----------------Finance, insurance, and
real estate-------...
T ran sp ortation , com ­
munication, and other
public utilities_______
Services_______________
Stenographers, technical 4__
Services___________ . . .
Switchboard operators 4—
Wholesale trade________
Retail trade-----------------Finance, insurance, and
real estate----------------T ran sp ortation, com ­
munication, and other
public utilities_______
Services_______________
Switchboard operator-re­
ceptionists 4_________
Wholesale trade____ _
Finance, insurance, and
real estate-------- ------Services----- . . . . . . .
Transcribing-machine op­
erators, general4.
Finance, insurance, and
real estate----------------Services___ ________ . . .
Typists, class A 4________
Finance, insurance, and
real estate--------- -------Services___ __________ .
Typists, class B 4 _ .
Finance, insurance, and
real estate-----------------Services----- ----------------

AverageEstimated
Week­
num­ Week­
Hour­
ly
ber of ly
sched­ ly
work­ sal­
uled
aries hours rate
ers
521 $37. 00
33 33.00

M e­ Salary range
dian 3 of middle
weekly 50
percent
sal­
of workers
aries

38.0 $0. 97 $36.00 $34. 00-$39. 00
.84 32.50 30. 00- 35. 00
39.5

218
163
2,238
100
194
323

35.00
38. 00
47. 50
52.00
47. 50
39. 00

38.0
38.0
39.0
40.0
40.0
40.5

.92
1.00
1.22
1. 30
1.19
.96

34. 50
37.00
46.00
50. 00
43.50
38.00

33. 5035.0040. 5042. 0040. 0035. 00-

37.00
40. 00
55. 00
62.00
55.00
42. 00

354
615
247
48
48
121
183
50

43. 50
51.50
38.00
40. 00
39. 00
35.00
47.50
43.50

37.5
39.0
39.0
40.0
39.0
40.0
39.0
40.0

1.16
1.32
.97
1.00
1.00
.88
1.22
1.09

42.50
50.00
36.50
39.50
35.50
33.00
45. 00
42.50

38. 0045. 5033.0037.5034.5032. 0040. 0037. 50-

46.50
56.50
43. 00
42. 00
43. 50
37. 00
53. 50
47. 50

53

43. 50

36.5

1.19

40. 50 37. 00- 49. 50

49
1,513
41
112
134

54.00
40.00
44.00
39.50
37.50

39.5
38.5
40.0
39.5
40.5

1.37
1. 04
1.10
1.00
.93

55. 00
38. 00
43. 50
40. 00
36.00

701

38.00

37.5

1.01

37. 00 34. 50- 40.00

69
456
70
3,988
72
209
110

47. 00
42.00
34. 00
56. 50
56.50
51.50
54. 50

39.5
38.0
39.0
38.0
39.5
39.0
40.5

1.19
1.11
.87
1.49
1.43
1.32
1.35

48.50
40. 50
33.50
55.00
55.00
52.00
52.50

492

54.00

38.5

1.40

52.00 46.00- 60.00

136
2,969
1,658
42
165
137

60. 50
57.00
48. 50
48. 00
48. 00
45.50

38.0
38.0
38.5
39.5
39.5
40.0

1.59
1.50
1.26
1.22
1.22
1.14

63. 00
56.50
48.00
48.00
46.00
45.00

380

45.50

38.0

1.20

45.00 40. 00- 49. 00

90
844
308
289
344
53
77

50.50
50. 00
51.50
51.50
41.50
41.00
38.00

39.0
38.5
38.5
38.5
40.0
39.5
40.5

1.29
1.30
1.34
1.34
1.04
1. 04
.94

51.00
49. 50
52. 00
52. 00
40. 00
40.00
37.50

108

37. 00

40.0

.93

38. 00 34.50- 40. 50

31
53

47. 50
50. 50

38.0 1.25
40. C 1. 26

49.50 44.50- 51.00
52.50 40. 00- 57.50

321
68

41.50
44.0C

39.0
39.5

1.06
1.11

40. 00 37.00- 46.00
40.00 39. 00- 50. 00

39
162

37.00
42.00

37.5
38.5

.99
1.09

37.00 35. 00- 40.50
41.50 36.50- 48.00

46.5035. 0039.5035. 0034. 50-

42.0036.5031.0049.5052.0046. 0048.00-

54.5050. 0044. 0044. 0045. 0040. 00-

47.0046. 0048. 0046. 0036. 0038.5035. 00-

61.00
43. 50
48.50
42. 00
40. 00

53.50
46.00
37.50
62.00
57.50
57.50
60.00

67. 50
62. 50
52. 00
52. 50
50. 00
48.50

55.00
54. 00
54.50
54.50
46. 00
42. 00
41.50

123

42.50

37.5

1.13

43. 00 37. 00- 47. 00

49
57
263

41.50
43.5C
44. 50

37.5 1.11
36. C 1.21
38.5 1.16

42.00 34.50- 47. 00
43.00 41.50- 46. 00
44.00 40. 50- 48. 00

69
98
444

43.50
46.5C
37. 00

37.0 1.18
39. C 1.19
38.5
.96

43. 00 41. 50- 46. 00
48.00 43.00- 49. 50
37. 00 34.50- 40.00

228
94

36. 50
38.00

38.5
38.5

.95
.99

35. 50 34. 50- 38. 00
38. 00 34. 50- 40.50

engineering, accounting, auditing, and bookkeeping firms; and nonprofit
membership organizations of all sizes; and establishments with 25 or more
workers in wholesale trade, finance, and the motion picture industry.
3 Value above and below which half of workers’ salaries fell.
4 Includes data for industry divisions not shown separately.

less than 75 cents and about 9 percent had earn­
ings of $2.00 or more. The general level of wages
in the industry undoubtedly was higher by the
summer of 1949, since a large number of com­
panies had reported general increases subsequent
to October 1948.
Switchboard operators were the largest single
occupational group. The 170,000 experienced
operators had earnings averaging $1.03 an hour, in
October 1948. Less than 3 percent had earnings
below 75 cents, and about 1 percent were paid
$1.40 or more.
Test-board men and repeater men averaged
$1.86; hourly earnings of about three-fourths of
these employees fell within a $1.60 to $2.25 range.
Exchange repairmen averaged $1.77. Three oc­
cupations—central office repairmen, cable splicers,

Earnings in Communications
Industries, 1948 and 1947 1
E mployees op class A interstate telephone car­
riers had hourly earnings averaging $1.25 in
October 1948. Fewer than 4 percent received
i Prepared by Kermit B. Mohn of the Bureau’s Division of Wage Statistics.
Data for this study were collected by the Federal Communications Com­
mission as part of its annual report. Under a newly created cooperative
arrangement, the Bureau of Labor Statistics has assumed the task of tabulat­
ing and publishing these materials. More detailed reports for the year 1948,
similar to those published by the FCC in previous years, are available upon
request.
The earnings shown in these reports were computed by dividing weekly
scheduled compensation by weekly scheduled hours. Thus, the figures
shown would include premium rates for regularly scheduled overtime, if any.
The employees covered by this article exclude officials and assistants, pro­
fessional and semiprofessional employees, sales employees, and business
office employees except the clerical groups.
T able

393

EARNINGS—COMMUNICATIONS IND USTRIES

REVIEW, OCTOBER 1949

1.— Class A interstate telephone carriers: Distribution of employees by hourly earnings and selected occupations,
October 1948 and 1947
All employees 1

Cable splicers

1948

1948

Cable splicers’
helpers

Central office
repairmen

Draftsmen

Exchange repairmen

Hourly earnings

T^ss tbiin fiOcents
fVWhl cents
65—
fi9 cents
70 74 cents
75-79 cents_________ ____ ___
80-89 cents . _______________
90-99 cents__________________
100-119 cents________________
120-139 cents________________
140-159 cents _ . ______ ____
160-179 c e n t s _______________
180-199 cents _______ _ ____ _

1947

0.3
.3
.7
2.1
3.9
12.2
14.7
25.2
15.0
7.1
5.0
4.9
4.5
1.8
2.3

0. 5
.4
.8
2.6
4.8
16.3
18.4
22.6
11.6
5.4
5.2
5.2
3.5

T otal_________________

100.0

100.0

100.0

Number of workers _______
Average hourly earnings_____

524, 793
$1.25

499,009
$1.18

10,147
$1.65

200 224 c e n ts
24Q c e n ts

1. 1

0.1

0.1
.2
.2
1.7
13.4
10.9
14.5
24.5
25.4
9.0

(2)
0.1
.2
1.0
11.5
17.0
11.4
18.3
23.4
14.0
3.1

1947

1948

(2)

1.6

Experienced switch­
board operators

1947

0.1
(2)

(2)
(2)

.1
1.1
3.8
16.0
30.2
35.6
10.7
2.0
.4

.4
1.5
10.6
20.7
43.6
18.0
4.1
1.0

60-04 c e n ts

65-69 cents_______ ________
70-74 cents _ _______________
75-79 c e n t s ________________
80-89 cents _________________
90-99 cents
- _______ ____
100-119 cents________________
120-139 cents________________
1^0-159 cents _______________
160-179 cents_____________ -1 RO 1QQ c e n ts
900 224 c e n ts

250 cents and over---------------T otal_________________
N u m b e r of workers. _ ______

Average hourly earnings-------

0.5
.5
.6
1.2
3.7
16.9
20.5
37.7
17.2
1.0
.2
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
100.0
170,156
$1.03

1947
0. 8
.7
.6
1.9
4.9
21.9
28.3
32.9
7.7
.3
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
100.0
165,461
$0. 97

-3


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

(2)
0.1
.3
2.2
5.0
13.0
11.8
10.1
11.5
18.8
17 5
9.3

(2)
(2)
(2)
0.3
.7
3.1
5.7
10.9
9.7
7.9
15.4
25.9
18.1
2.2
.1

0.2

.5
3.7
6.1
21.0
14.8
9.5
8.8
8.5
12.4
7.0
7.3

2.0
.2
.2
.2
.7
4.3
8.2
19.4
12.1
9.6
10.0
11.8
12.1
4.7
4.5

.2

0.1
(2)
.1
.2
.2
.6
1.1
5.1
9.2
10.9
14.1
29.0
28.3
1.1

1947

(2)
(2)

0.1
.2
1.1
1.6
6.1
7.3
6.7
21.2
35.3
20.4

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

8, 610
$1.61

9,291
$1.08

8,719
$1.02

23,317
$1.66

20,567
$1.63

589
$1.60

552
$1.51

9,462
$1. 77

8,628
$1.72

.4

Linemen

Laborers

1947

1948

1947

Mechanics, build­
ing and motor
vehicle service
1948

1947

P B X and station
installers
1948
0.1
(2)
(2)

3.9
.6
1.2
8.7
14.1
13.2
12.0
31.6
10.5
2.4
1.8

6.2
3.0
1.2
4.1
10.4
12.1
11.5
27.8
20.1
2.4
1.2

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

338
$0.98

20,687
$1.23

19,138
$1.18

2,162
$1.64

1,990
$1.58

19,073
$1.50

333
$0.96

1948

100.0

1 Excludes officials and managerial assistants, professional and semiprofessional employees, and business office and sales employees, except clerical.
8 5 4 9 8 2 — 49-

(2)
(2)

1947

(2)

(2)

1948

1948

1947

(!)
(2)

.1

Hourly earnings
1948

1948

(2)
0.1
.1

.7
1.4
7.1
12.5
36.1
16.1
8.6
7.7
7.2
2.3
.1
(2)

(2)
0.1
.4
1.3
2.2
10.7
19.1
30.8
12.0
6.0
11.0
6.2
.2

0.2
.1
.1
1.5
2.0
5.3
9.5
22.1
24.0
23.3
9.9
2.0
(2)

0.1
.1
.1
.3
1.3
2.3
6.6
12.2
21.4
34.0
16.6
4.8
.1

.1

.5
3.0
7.2
21.3
15.6
10.1
8.0
14.1
19.8
.2

1947
0.1
(2)
.1
.6
1.2
4.5
10.1
21.1
11.4
7.3
13.0
19.3
11.3
(2)

1948

1947
0.1

(2)
0.1
(2)
.1
.1
.7
1.2
3.3
4.3
6.4
17.3
27.2
30.1
9.2
(2)

.2
.4
.7
3.1
3.8
6.3
23.9
35. 6
24.1
1.7
f2)

100.0

100.0

100.0

18,845
$1.44

8,346
$1.86

7,568
$1.80

.1

* Less than 0.05 of 1 percent,

Test-board men and
repeater-men

(2)
(2)
.1

394

EARNINGS—COMMUNICATIONS IND USTRIES

and building and motor-vehicle service mechan­
ics—averaged from $1.64 to $1.66. Laborers, the
lowest-pay group studied, averaged 96 cents.
Five of the 11 occupations studied showed average
increases of 6 cents an hour in earnings during the
year October 1947 to October 1948, and 5 others
had increases ranging from 3 to 9 cents. Laborers
alone had a lower general level in 1948 than in
1947.
Western Union wire telegraph employees aver­
aged $1.14 an hour in October 1948.2 Almost a
1
Data for individual companies, identified by name, are customarily not
published or revealed by the Bureau. Howe /er, inasmuch as the annual
reports of the FCC are public records, the identification of individual firms
in this article does not constitute a violation of Bureau policy.

MONTHLY LABOR

fifth of these employees, comprising foot or bicycle
messengers, had earnings below 70 cents. The
over-all average for all workers, excluding foot and
bicycle messengers, was $1.23.
Experienced telegraph operators in the traffic
department, exclusive of Morse operators, aver­
aged $1.16, with more than 90 percent receiving
between $1.00 and $1.40. Similar workers in the
commercial department averaged $1.01; about 80
percent had earnings between $0.90 and $1.20.
The average pay for telephone operators was $1.09;
for Morse operators it was $1.29. Among the
selected occupations studied, the highest level of
wages was attained by subscribers’ equipment

T a ble 2. — Western Union Telegraph Co.: Distribution of wire-telegraph employees by hourly earnings and selected occupations,

October 1948 and 1947
Experienced telegraph operators
(exclusive of Morse operators)
All employees 1
Commercial
department
1948
Less than 60 cents___________
60-64 cents_________________
65-69 cents_________________
70-74 cents_________________
75-79 cents_________________
80-89 cents_________ ______
90-99 cents_________________
100-119 cents_______ . _____
120-139 cents________________
140-159 cents________________
160-179 cents_____
_______
180-199 cents________________
200-224 cents______ ________
225-249 cents_______________
250 cents and over ________
T otal. ______________
Number of workers_________
Average hourly earnings_____

Hourly earnings

1947

19.3
2.3
.4
5.8
11.3
19.3
22.2
9.0
6.0
2.5
1.0
.4
.5

T o ta l...........
Number of workers_____ _____
Average hourly earnings...........

1948

0.4
20.1
15.1
7.9
11.3
9.4
17.4
9.8
4.3
2.2
1.1
.5
.3
.2

Traffic
department

1947

1948

46.6
18.2
15.1
11.0
8.3
.7
.1

12.0
41.9
39.0
6.9
.2

0. 7
6.8
32.6
57.7
1.6
.6

1948

11.8
13.1
22.1
17. Ö
33.1
2.9
(2)

1947

4 4
3 .7

38.0
52.8
.9

1948

9. 2
6.3
11 fi
2.1
67.9
2.7
.2

1947

1947

03
3

0 2

4

.4
5.2

i. 6
24.3
66.4
5.5

29.7
48.2
16 0

.2

1948

3

1.0
4.4
32.2
39.9
9fi 0
1À

8.6
23.5
34.9
26.7

5
5

5

(2)

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100. 0

100.0

100.0

m o

100.0

m o

100.0

47,388
$0.95

3,604
$1.01

4,119
$0.81

5,017
$1.16

6, 560
$0. 92

432
$1.16

476
$1.00

1,533

1,623
$1.20

205
$1.43

187
$1.24

Messengers, foot and
bicycle

89.2
10.3
.5

1947

Messengers, motor
1948

97.3
2.7
10.8
21.1

53.5
14.5
.1

1948

19.2
25.0
36.5
10.7
8.4
.2

$1.40

Subscribers’ equipment
maintenance

Morse operators

1947

1947

1948

1947

0.1
1.0

7.6
70.3
21.2

5.9
47.5
41.6
3.8

.8

0.4
14.2
28.0
56.8
.4

Telephone operators
1948

1947

0.8

6.0

2.6

18.1
39.5
36.3

23.0
59.8
9.8
4.0

(’)

.1

28.1
16.2
18.5
17.3
19.7
.2
(2)

.2

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

9, 256
$0.67

9,798
$0. 65

1,301
$0.94

1,731
$0.87

1, 563
$1.29

1, 651
$1.13

542
$1.53

530
$1.23

2,795
$1.09

1 Excludes officials and managerial assistants, professional and semiprofessional employees, telegraph office superintendents and managers, and sales
employees.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

1947

Mechanics, build­
ing service

42,751
$1.14

1948
Less than 60 cents.
60-64 cents_______
65-69 cents____. . .
70-74 cents_______
75-79 c e n ts.___. ...
80-89 cents_______
90-99 cents_______
100-119 cents_____
120-139 cents_____
140-159 cents_____
160-179 cents_____
180-199 cents_____
200-224 cents. ____
225-249 cents. ____
250 cents and over.

Linemen and
cablemen

Laborers

Hourly earnings

2 Less than 0.05 of 1 percent,

3,007
$0.85

REVIEW; OCTOBER 1949

EARNINGS—COMMUNICATIONS INDUSTRIES

maintainers, who received, on the average, $1.53.
Linemen and cablemen averaged $1.40, and labor­
ers $1.16.
A comparison of the October 1948 levels of pay
for Western Union wire telegraph employees with
those published in the 1947 annual FCC report
indicates a substantial rise. For all workers com­

395

bined, the increase during the year averaged 19
cents, and for 8 of the 10 occupational groups, it
ranged from 16 to 30 cents. Although these
increases reflected wage adjustments finally de­
cided upon during the October 1947 to October
1948 period, several of the adjustments were retro­
active to earlier dates. While such retroactive

T a b l e 3 . —Principal radiotelegraph carriers: Distribution of employees 1 by hourly earnings and selected occupations, October

1948 and 1947

Hourly earnings

All
employees 2

1948
Less than 60 cents...........
60-64 cents.........................
65-69 cents_______ _____
70-74 cents..........................
75-79 cents_____ _______
80-89 cents____ _______
90-99 cents____________
100-119 cents....................
120-139 cents__________
140-159 cents......... ............
160-179 cents....................
180-199 cents......................
200-224 cents..... ................
225-249 cents__________
250 cents and over............

1947

0.2
7.9
5.1
1.5
4.8
14.9
19.4
17.0
9.7
8.3
6.2
3.2
1.8

3.9
.1
3.8
.3
4.7
2.8
8.5
14.0
20.7
13.6
8.5
10.2
5.6
1.6
1.7

T o ta l.,................. .

100.0

Number of workers____
Average hourly earnings.

4,154
$1.38

(3)

Marine
coastal
station
operators
1948

1947

Mechanicians
and
maintenance
technicians

Messengers,
foot and
bicycle

1948

1948

1947
0.3

.2
.9
.2

100.0

100.0

377
$1.45

533
$0.67

.8
2.9
15.6
29.2
19.1
11.9
13.3
6.9

4.7
32. 2
13.4
15.4
33.0
1.3

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

4, 642
$1.34

141
$1.80

149
$1.78

351
$1.41

1947

1948

Teletypemultiplex
operators

Radio
operators

1948

1947

1948

1947

27.9
25.7
2.1
33.4
7.4
2.4
.9
.2

0.9
12.5
1.1
10.8
16.5
28.6
12.8
9.4
6.8
.3
.3

0.7
9.2
24.9
13.5
17.0
24.1
10.6

1947

Radio
operating
technicians

60.1
38.6

0.3
8
1.8
69.8
20. 8
5.7
.8

0. 2
1.2
4.9
74.7
14. 6
4. 4

100.0

100.0

100.0

506
$1.63

384
$1.36

406
$1.28

0.2

0.3
3.4
17.5
20. 2
23.3
24.6
10.1
.6

0.3
9.6
25. 3
13.6
31.4
17.3
2.5

2.2
34.5
16.1
36.6
10.4

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

634
$0. 62

326
$1.80

324
$1.77

403
$1.73

26.1
17. 0
16. 2
38.1
2. 4

.2

1 Includes only those employees regularly employed within the conti­
nental United States.

2 Excludes officers and assistants; professional and semiprofessional em­
ployees; office or station superintendents and assistants; and sales employees.
3 Less than 0.05 of 1 percent.

adjustments were not reflected in earlier reports,
they should properly be credited to periods prior
to October 1947.
Radiotelegraph-carrier employees in the conti­
nental United States had average earnings of
$1.38. All radio operators in this industry re­
ceived at least $1.20 an hour, and more than 10
percent were paid $2.00 or more; the average was
$1.73. Teletype-multiplex operators averaged
$1.36, and radio operating technicians and marine
coastal station operators both had averages of
$1.80. The average earnings for mechanicians
and maintenance technicians was $1.41. Mes­
sengers, foot and bicycle, had the lowest wage
level, averaging 67 cents an hour.
The earnings shown for the radio-telegraph in­
dustry indicated a slight rise in the general level
since October 1947. All occupations studied,
except one, showed increases in average earnings,
varying in amount from 2 to 10 cents.
Cable operators of the principal ocean cable

T a ble 4 . —Principal ocean cable carriers: Distribution of


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

employees1 by hourly earnings and selected occupations,
October 1948 and 1947

Hourly earnings

Less than 60 cents____
60-64 cents______ ____
65-69 cents__________
70-74 cents__________
75-79 cents__________
80-89 cents_________
90-99 cents__________
100-119 cents_________
120-139 cents_________
140-159 cents_________
160-179 cents_________
180-199 cen ts.................
200-224 cents_________
225-249 cents_________
250 cents and over____

All em­
ployees 2
1948

1947

0.1
12.1
1.3
1.7
12.0
12.1
12.9
18.5
15.4
8.1
2.6
3.2

4.9
.5
.1
.1
7.4
1.7
2.9
16.0
14.1
10.9
17.1
14.0
7.5
1.4
1.4

Cable oper­ Messengers,
foot and
ators
bicycle

Teletypemultiplex
operators

1948

1948

1947

0.4
.4
7.2
3.0
14.0
66.9
8.1

1948

1947

95.8

34.9
3.1
1.0
.5
52.3

1.4
1.4
1.4

4.1
3.6
.5

1947

7.3
44.0
24.8
23.9

3.1
3.1
63.1
16.5
11.8
1.6
.8

T otal__________ 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

100.0

Number of workers__ 1,132 1,400
181
236
142
195
109
Average hourly earnings--------------- ------ $1.55 $1.45 $1.91 $1.86 $0. 78 $0.68 $1.40

$1.35

0.6
3.3
11.6
77.8
6.1
.6

127

1 Includes only those employees regularly employed within the continental
United States.
2 Excludes officers and assistants; professional and semiprofessional em­
ployees; office or station superintendents and assistants; and sales employees.

396

WAGES IN CHEMICAL INDUSTRIES

carriers averaged $1.91 in October 1948, an in­
crease of 5 cents since October 1947. Teletypemultiplex operators had a similar increase, raising
their level to $1.40. Foot and bicycle messengers
averaged 78 cents, none receiving less than 75
cents; the average for this occupation in October
1947 was 68 cents, with over a third receiving less
than 60 cents. Earnings for all employees as a
group averaged $1.55 in 1948 and $1.45 in 1947.

Wages in Selected
Chemical Industries, April 1949 1
T h e a v e r a g e c h e m i c a l - p l a n t w o r k e r had a
straight-time hourly rate of $1.51 in April 1949.
In the 10 branches of the industry studied by the
U. S. Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statis­
tics, over half of the workers had hourly rates
between $1.40 and $1.80. Less than 5 percent
made under $1.00 and 15 percent earned $1.80 or
more per hour.2
The level of rates by products varied widely.
The median rates for the 10 branches were:

Industrial inorganic chemicals---------------------- $1. 53
Intermediates, dyes, color lakes, and toners—
1. 50
Plastics materials and elastomers____________ 1. 48
Cleaning and polishing preparations-------------- 1. 14
Sulfonated oils and assistants----------------------- 1. 22
Bone black, carbon black, and lamp black----- 1. 60
Compressed and liquefied gases-------------------1. 38
Insecticides and fungicides--------------------------- 1. 15
Miscellaneous industrial organic chemicals 1—
1. 67
Other miscellaneous chemicals and chemical
products 1_______________________________ 1. 26
i See footnote 1 to following table for products excluded from survey.

Industrial inorganic chemical manufacturing,
among the 10 industry branches studied, had the
largest group of workers, over one-third of the
total. Thirty percent of these workers, averaging
$1.45 an hour, were employed in plants located in
1 Prepared by James F. Walker of the Bureau’s D ivision of Wage Statistics.
Information was received, by mail questionnaire, from 794 establishments.
Those having fewer than 8 plant workers were excluded.
J Hourly rates in this report are straight-time rates excluding premium
pay for overtime and night work.


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MONTHLY LABOR

the Middle Atlantic States.3 Another 35 percent
were in the Great Lakes region, where the average
pay was $1.55. The highest wage level ($1.62)
was found in the Southwest, where about 17 per­
cent of the group were employed.
The miscellaneous industrial organic chemicals
branch employed about 22 percent of all workers
studied. About a third and a fourth of these
workers, respectively, were in the Border and
Southwest States. Average rates were $1.75 in
the former region and $1.67 in the latter.
Manufacture of plastics materials and elastomers
(except synthetic rubber) accounted for 20 percent
of the workers. About 43 percent of these workers
were in the Middle Atlantic region, where the
average was $1.43.
The remaining segments of the industry had
varying minor proportions of the total group
employment. In the bone-, carbon-, and lamp­
black industry, employment was concentrated in
the Southwest, whereas in the compressed and
liquefied gas industry, it was widely distributed
among all 9 regions.
The highest regional wage level for all branches
combined ($1.62) was found in the Southwest,
and the lowest ($1.20), in the Southeast. The
Southwest had about 14 percent of the total in­
dustry employment, nearly all of the workers in
that region being in the three highest paid branches
of the industry. Fewer than 4 percent of these
employees made less than $1 on hour. The
Southeast States accounted for less than 3 percent
of the total employment; a fifth of the workers
there received under $1 an hour. In the com­
pressed and liquified gas industry, the Southwest
plants averaged $1.24, only 3 cents higher than
in the Southeast.
The Border States, with about 13 percent of
total employment, had the second highest regional
average, $1.61. Although this exceeded the
national over-all average, the wage levels in the 6
3
The regions used in this study include: New England—Connecticut,
Maine, Massachusetts, N ew Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont;
Middle Atlantic—N ew Jersey, N ew York, and Pennsylvania; Border States—
Delaware, District of Columbia, Kentucky, Maryland, Virginia, and West
Virginia; Southeast—Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina,
South Carolina, and Tennessee; Great Lakes—Illinois, Indiana, Michigan,
Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin; Middle West—Iowa, Kansas, Missouri,
Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota; Southwest—Arkansas, Louis­
iana, Oklahoma, and Texas; Mountain—Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana,
N ew Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming; Pacific—California, Nevada, Oregon,
and Washington.

REVIEW, OCTOBER 1949

WAGES IN CHEMICAL INDUSTRIES

branches found in the Border region were below
the corresponding national figures except in the
miscellaneous industrial organic chemicals division.
The Border average for that branch, which ac­
counted for about 60 percent of the region’s
Selected chemical establishments:

Average hourly earnings 3

Under 60.0 cents___
60.064.9 cents__
65.069.9 cents__
70.0- 74.9 cents..........
75.0- 79.9 cents_____
80.0- 84.9 cents_____
85.089.9 cents.... ......................
90.094.9 cents__
95.099.9 cents__
100.0104.9 cents_
105.0-109.9 cents___
110.0114.9 cents_
115.0- 119.9 cents___
120.0-124.9 cents___
125.0129.9 cents_
130.0-134.9 cents___
135.0139.9 cents_
140.0-149.9 cents........
150.0-159.9 cents____
160.0169.9 cents_
170.0-179.9 cents____
180.0 cents and over.
Total.
Number of workers.
M edian rate_______
— ------- , --------

i v

.•

employment, was 9 cents higher than the national
average.
The Middle Atlantic region was heavily repre­
sented in 8 of the 10 branches studied, accounting
for 40 percent of the total plant employment

Percentage distribution of all plant workers by straight-time average hourly earnings,
United States and regions,3 April 191+9
United
States
0.1
.1
.2
.4
.7
.5
.7
.6
.9
1.7
1. 5
2. 6
2.9
3.4
5. 4
5. 4
7. 4
13. 8
15. 2
11.7
10.0
14.9

New
England

Middle
Atlantic

Border
States

Southeast

0.1
.1
.1
1.3
.4
1. 2
.2
.9
.7
1.2
1.5
5.4
4.6
8.1
12.7
10.2
14.2
15.4
12.8
6.6
1.7
.6

0.1
.1
.1
.2
.3
.5
.8
.5
.7
1.5
1.4
2.9
3.2
4. 2
6.3
7.9
9.0
16.2
12. 8
9.7
12.0
9.6

(*)
m
0.7
.5
.5
.3
.7
.8
1.5
1.8
2.6
2.1
3.1
2.8
6.4
2.6
8.0
6.3
7.3
15.4
7.9
28.7

1.1
1.4
.4
1.6
1.1
1.6
2.5
3.1
7.2
8.7
7.4
7.4
6.4
5.0
7.3
5.1
6.4
10.3
6.0
7.3
1.3
1.4

Great
Lakes

Middle
West

Southwest

0.2
.1
.1
.3
.6
.3
.5
.3
.4
1.4
1.1
1.2
1.2
2.7
3.8
3.8
6.6
16.3
23.8
14.5
10.0
10.8

1.0
.3
.4
1.2
3.0
2.0
1.2
.8
.7
1.0
1.0
3.0
3.2
4.0
5.2
4.1
4.7
17.8
14.4
16.5
8.9
5.6

(4)
(4)
(4)
0.3
1.2
.4
.5
.7
.9
1.8
1. 2
3.0
4. 6
1.9
2.3
2.2
3.1
7.5
16.0
10.3
8.5
33.6

tain

Pacific

0.1
3.3
2. 9
1.2
.4
3.3
4.1
9.9
4. 9
4. 9
28.9
4.1
9.5
11.1
7. 4
2.9
1.2

.2
.4
.3
.2
.2
.6

.3
.7
.3

1.0

3.1
8.3
5.3
20.4
18.6
12.9
16.2
10.9

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

119,121
$1.51

4,235
$1.35

45, 419
$1.46

14, 631
$1. 61

2,979
$1.20

27, 903
$1.54

3, 210
$1.47

16,283
$1.62

243
$1.28

4, 218
$1.55

u iu u m , s y n ­

thetic rubber; synthetic fibers; explosives; drugs and medicines; soap and
glycerin; pamts, varnishes and allied paint products; gum and wood chem­
icals; fertilizers; vegetable and animal oils and fats; inks; essential oils; per­
fumes and cosmetics; glue and gelatin; salt.

covered by the study. Its average wage rate was
$1.46.
The Great Lakes region, measured by employ­
ment, was second in importance. The average
rate was $1.54, largely reflecting two relatively
high-paid segments of the industry, industrial
inorganic chemicals and plastics materials. Work­
ers in these two segments represented 80 percent
of total employment in that region.
None of the other regions had as much as 4
percent of the total employment.
Minimum Wage Rates
The minimum wage rates paid to plant workers
(excluding learners and apprentices) in the indi­
vidual plants ranged from 45 cents to $1.60. The


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

397

2 Excludes premium pay for overtime and night work.
3 For States included within each region, see footnote 4 in text.
4 Less than 0.05 of 1 percent.

median rate reported was $1.03, but about a third
of the establishments had minimum rates ranging
between $1 and $1.25, and a fourth reported mini­
mum rates of $1.25 or over. The variation in
minimum rates paid was a further indication of the
diversified nature of the industry. The range
reported was very wide in each region and also in
each branch. The Pacific Coast had the narrow­
est range, with nearly all plants reporting mini­
mum rates of $1 or over. Lower minimum rates
were generally reported in the New England and
Southeast States. In the bone-, carbon-, and
lamp-black branch of the industry, located almost
entirely in the Southwest, over half of the firms
had minimum rates between $1.50 and $1.60, but
there was no notable concentration in any other
branch.

398

Woolen and Worsted Textiles:
Earnings in May 19491
S traight- time average hourly earnings of
loom fixers exceeded $1.60 in each of the five
northern production areas studied in May 1949.2
These were the highest paid workers included in
the study of job earnings in woolen and worsted
mills conducted by the U. S. Labor Department’s
Bureau of Labor Statistics. On automatic equip­
ment used in weaving woolens, loom fixers aver­
aged $1.24 an hour in the Virginia-North Carolina
area. Men weavers tending automatic box looms
averaged $1.61 an horn in Rhode Island, $1.58 in
the Lawrence area of Massachusetts and in Phila­
delphia, $1.49 in Northern New England, and
$1.14 in Virginia-North Carolina. Weavers tend­
ing nonautomatic box looms had substantially
lower averages. Hand truckers, among the lowest
paid men workers in the industry, averaged $1.18
in Philadelphia, $1.10 to $1.14 among the New
England areas, and 89 cents in the southern area.
Women weavers generally averaged a few cents
less per hour than men workers tending similar
equipment in the same areas. Average hourly
earnings of frame spinners, the largest women’s
job group, ranged from $1.31 for workers on the
woolen system of production in Lawrence to
$1.08 for workers on the Bradford system in
Philadelphia; averages for spinners could not be
presented for Paterson, N. J., or Virginia-North
Carolina. Earnings of women office workers in
the Virginia-North Carolina segment of the
industry were comparable with northern pay
levels.
Incentive systems of wage payment are com­
mon in the industry. The proportion of workers
paid on an incentive basis varied, however, from
area to area. All or a majority of the workers in
1 Prepared by Toivo P. Kanninen of the Bureau’s Division of Wage
Statistics. Data for a limited number of occupations were collected by field
representatives under the direction of the Bureau’s regional wage analysts.
Greater detail on wages and wage practices for each area presented here is
available on request.
2 The study covered woolen and worsted mills in 6 areas that accounted,
as a group, for nearly 74,000 workers, or two-thirds of the employment in the
industry. Establishments with fewer than 21 workers were not studied.
The areas studied were Lawrence, Mass. (Collinsville, Haverhill, Lawrence,
Lowell, Methuen, North Andover, and North Billerica); Northern N ew
England (Maine, N ew Hampshire, and Vermont); Rhode Island; Paterson,
N . J. (Bergen and Passaic Counties); Philadelphia, Pa. (Philadelphia and
Delaware Counties, Pa., and Camden County, N . J.); and Virginia-North
Carolina


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

MONTHLY LABOR

WOOLEN AND WORSTED TEXTILES

the following jobs and areas included in the
accompanying table were on an incentive pay
basis: weavers in all areas; winders, except cone
winders in Rhode Island; frame spinners in
Lawrence and northern New England; mule
spinners, except in Rhode Island; doffers in Law­
rence; fuller tenders (woolen) in Virginia-North
Carolina; fuller tenders (worsted) in Lawrence;
loom fixers (automatic, woolen) in Philadelphia;
and loom fixers (automatic, worsted) in Lawrence
Straight-time average hourly earnings 1 for selected occupa­
tions in the woolen and worsted textile industry, in selected
areas, May 191+9
New England
Occupation and sex

Law­
rence,
Mass.

Virginia
Philaand
North­
lelphia, North
ern
Pa.
Caro­
New Rhode
lina
Eng­ Island
land

Plant Occupations
Men:
Card finishers:
$1.15
Bradford system ---------1.16
Woolen system________
Card strippers, woolen sys­
1.26
tem ____________________
Comber tenders, worsted
1.22
system ----------- ----------Dyeing-machine tenders:
1.17
Cloth, w o o le n ------------1.25
Cloth, worsted________
Fuller tenders:
1.19
Woolen _____________
1.33
Worsted-------- ------------Loom fixers, automatic:
1.71
Woolen 3 -----------1.80
Worsted 3_____________
1.52
Machinists, maintenance---Mechanics, maintenance---0
Spinners, mule, woolen sys­
1.63
tem
---- ------------------1.14
Truckers, hand----- ----------Weavers:
1.58
Box, automatic A __ ---Box, nonautomatic 3
0
1.60
Plain, automatic 3------Women:
Comber tenders, worsted
system ------ ----------------«
Doffers, frame, Bradford
1.13
s y s t e m ,---- --------------Spinners, frame:
1.19
Bradford system A
_
1.31
Woolen system 4_ . „
Weavers:
1.62
Box, automatic 3_______
1.50
Box, nonautomatic 3 . . .
Plain, automatic 3-------«
Winders:
Cone,
high
speed,
1.17
worsted_____
Filling, nonautomatic,
1.24
worsted------- ------------

0
$1.08

$1.11
1.36

$1.14
0

0
$0.95
.98

1.15

0

0

0

1.23

1.16

0

1.16
0

1.22
1. 27

1.26
0

0

1.15
0

1.25
1.33

1.23
1.48

1.07
0

1.61
1.61
1.41
1.32

1.70
1.74
1.53
1.51

1.67
1.71
1.54
1.51

0

1.49
1.10

1.48
1.14

0
1.18

1.11
.89

1.49
1.24
1.55

1.61
1.53
1.67

1.58
1.33
1.58

1.14
0
0

0

1.19

1.13

0

1.07

1.07

1.01

0

1.12
1.20

1.19
1.21

1.08
0

0
0

1.45
1.11
1.47

(?)
0
0

0
0
1.47

0
0
0

.84

1.24
1.30
1.13

1.06

1.17

0

0

0

1.20

0

0

1.09
1.05
1.03

1.10
1.09
1.25

1.18
1.05
1.14

Office Occupations
Women:
Clerks, pay-roll _ _______
Clerk-typists __ _ _ ______
Stenographers, g e n e ra l____

1.15
1.03
1.16

1.17
.98
1.23

1 Excludes premium pay for overtime and night work.
2 Insufficient data to justify presentation of an average.
* Excludes workers employed on Jacquard looms.
4 Excludes workers employed on American system.
N o t e .—Differences in operations among the mills in the Paterson area of
New Jersey limited the presentation of hourly earnings data to the following
jobs: M en dyeing-machine tenders (worsted cloth), $1.33; men loom fixers
(automatic, worsted), $1.90; and women pay-roll clerks, $1.24.

REVIEW, OCTOBER 1949

CONSUMERS’ COOPERATIVES

and Northern New England. In those few cases
where substantial numbers of time and incentive
workers were employed in the same job and area,
permitting a comparison of earnings by method
of wage payment, incentive workers held an
earnings advantage.
Comparisons of May 1949 occupational earnings
with those reported for April 1948 (the date of a
previous wage survey) indicated that job averages
had increased somewhat in Philadelphia and
Virginia-North Carolina but showed little change
in New England.
Weekly work schedules in woolen and worsted
mills in May 1949 were below those recorded in
the earlier study. Although a majority of the
mills in each area reported a 40-hour workweek
for first-shift workers, as in April 1948, 12 of 90
New England mills and 6 of 30 Philadelphia mills
reported work schedules of 32 hours or less. In
April 1948, none of the mills had schedules of less
than 40 hours and a few worked longer hours.
Employment in the industry had declined during
the 13-month period in each of the northern areas.3
Second shifts were operated by three-fourths of the
mills, however, and a third of the establishments
operated third shifts. The most common dif­
ferentials paid for work on extra shifts were 4
cents for the second shift and 7 cents for the third
shift.
Three-fifths or more of the workers in each of
the northern areas studied were employed in mills
that had contracts with labor unions in May 1949.
The proportion of union mills and the proportion
of workers employed in union mills in the Pennsyl­
vania and New Jersey areas were higher than in
the New England industry. Approximately a
fourth of the woolen and worsted workers in the
Virginia-North Carolina area were employed in
union mills.
Related Wage Practices
Vacations with pay were received by mill and
office workers in all except a few of the establish­
ments. Mill workers with a year of service
typically received 1 week with pay; many of the
New England mills reported that vacation pay
amounted to 2 percent (and in a few cases 3
3
Based on reports made monthly by employers, Bureau data show that,
for the industry as a whole, production-worker employment declined about
32 percent and average weekly hours declined by 9 percent between April 1948
and M ay 1949.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

399

percent) of the employee’s annual earnings.
Three-fifths of the establishments employing
office workers reported a policy of granting a 2week vacation to such workers after a year of
service. Vacation policies relating to office work­
ers were more liberal in New England than in
the other areas.
Paid holidays, generally 6 in number, were
provided mill workers by nearly all establish­
ments in Rhode Island and the Lawrence and
Paterson areas, and by a substantial majority of
the mills in northern New England and Phila­
delphia. Six of 13 mills in the southern area
provided paid holidays to mill workers, 3 of
which granted 5 or fewer holidays with pay.
Nearly all northern mills and most southern
mhls provided paid holidays to office workers.
Although 6 days were most commonly paid for in
each area, many New England mills provided 8
or more holidays, and 7 paid holidays were re­
ported by a group of Philadelphia mills.

Operations of
Consumers’ Cooperatives in 19481
C onsumers ’ cooperatives handling consumer
goods or providing consumer services reached new
peaks in 1948, both as to membership and volume
of business, in spite of an unusually large number
of dissolutions. For the first time, however, there
was a reduction in the total number of associa­
tions. The business of the retail associations
approached 1% billion dollars and that of the
local service cooperatives exceeded 29 millions.
Among the store associations the large increase
in business occurred notwithstanding the fact
that a larger proportion of the associations than
in the previous year (27.0 percent as compared
with 19.2 percent) had a decline in volume of goods
handled. Operating results were not entirely
satisfactory, but showed an improvement over
1947 (the worst year for a long time), with
only 20.8 percent of those reporting in 1948
operating at a loss compared with 28.5 percent in
1 Prepared by Florence E. Parker, of the Bureau’s Office of Program
Planning.

400

CONSUMERS’ COOPERATIVES

1947. Further, a greater proportion of the asso­
ciations with earnings had larger earnings in 1948
than in 1947.
Cooperative petroleum associations, as a group,
have been expanding at a consistently lower rate
than the stores; this continued to hold true in
1948 as regards membership, but their business in
that year grew much faster than that of the stores.
Operating results for 1948 were somewhat less
satisfactory than for the year before; 3.2 percent
had losses on the year's operations, the highest
proportion since 1941. Well over half of the
petroleum associations reporting earnings for both
1947 and 1948, however, had larger earnings in
the latter than in the former year.
For the stores, average earnings (for those with
earnings) were slightly higher than in 1947,
whereas for the oil associations they were lower;
losses for both types (for those with losses) were
somewhat lower than in 1947.
Over 4,800 retail cooperatives were affiliated
with the regional wholesales at the end of 1948,2
a gain of over 600. In turn, 24 of the regionals
were members of the nation-wide buying agency,
National Cooperatives, Inc.
The regional and district wholesales had a com­
bined distributive and service business of nearly
328 million dollars—an increase of more than 25
percent over 1947. Of 25 reporting, only 2 sus­
tained losses on the year’s operations and both of
these were associations dealing mainly in food.
Among the others, all but 6 had larger earnings
than in 1947.
Patronage refunds to member associations by
the regional wholesales rose from less than 12%
million dollars in 1947 to over 17K million dol­
lars in 1948.
Value of goods produced by central organiza­
tions set another record in 1948, reaching a total
of nearly 173 million dollars, nearly 35 percent
above that of 1947. Relatively more was pro­
duced by the productive federations in 1948 than
in 1947 (over two-fifths, as compared with slightly
over one-third) and relatively less by the regional
wholesales (about 56 and over 60 percent, re­
spectively) . Refined petroleum products held first
place among the goods produced, accounting for
2 It should be pointed out that this figure includes some duplication (where
local associations are members of more than one regional wholesale). Also,
many of these affiliated retail associations are purely farm-supply associations
handling producer goods only, and hence not covered in this Bureau’s figures.


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MONTHLY LABOR

two-fifths of the total and reflecting the increas­
ing preoccupation of the cooperative movement
with the problem of obtaining adequate supplies
in a tightening market. Although food products
exceeding 3% million dollars in value were manu­
factured by central cooperatives in 1948, this
group of goods is still insignificant in the total.
Services exceeding 3% million dollars were per­
formed for local associations by the service feder­
ations in 1948, as compared with 1% millions in
1947. The reporting associations returned over
$17,000 in patronage refunds on the year’s
business.
Leading Consumers’ Cooperatives
Among the nonfarm consumers’ cooperatives
reporting to the Bureau for 1948 were 15 associa­
tions having 3,000 or more members and 13 whose
business exceeded a million dollars. These are
listed in table 1.
T a b l e 1. —Leading consumers’ cooperative associations, 1948

Type and name of association

M em­ Amount
ber­
of
ship, business,
1948
1948

Distributive associations
Consumers Cooperative Society of Palo Alto, Calif____
Rochdale Cooperative, Washington, D . C_____ _____ ..
Cooperative Trading, Inc., Waukegan, 111____ ____ ___
Greenbelt Consumers Services, Greenbelt, M d________
Harvard Cooperative Society, Cambridge, M ass........ .
United Cooperative Society, Fitchburg, Mass_________
United Cooperative Society, Maynard, Mass...................
Cloquet Cooperative Society, Cloquet, M inn__________
Franklin Cooperative Creamery Association, Minneap­
olis, M in n .-------- --------------------------- ------ ---------------Princeton University Store, Princeton, N . J___________
Consumer-Farmer M ilk Cooperative, Long Island City,
N . Y . . . _______ __________________________________
The New Cooperative Co., Dillonvale, Ohio__________
University of Oregon, Cooperative Association, Eugene,
Oreg-------------------------------------------------------------------University Cooperative Society, Austin, T ex....................
Shipbuilders Cooperative, Newport News, V a ............

1,697 $1,189,828
3.630
680, 566
6, 509 2, 746,000
2,506 1,881, 510
26,380 3,400, 425
3,000 1,097, 220
2,644 1, 445,973
4,134 1,857, 461
3,409
10,000

6,337,686
1,092,074

6,679
2,151

2, 340, 040
2,117,304

3,200
16,500
3,718

489,648
807, 235
702, 903

8,616
6, 542
5,498
(2)

1,157, 002
615,409

Service associations
La Société Française de Benfaisance Mutuelle, San Fran­
cisco, Calif_______________________________________
Group Health Association, Washington, D . C_________
Beneficencia Asturiana, Tampa, F la_____________ ____
Consumers Cooperative Services, New York, N . Y .........

(0

2, 049,839

1 No data.
2 No data; members in 1947 totaled 8,291.

Operations of Local Associations
Membership of reporting associations averaged
850 for the store associations and 714 for the
petroleum associations; average volume of business
done was $434,569 and $298,073, respectively.
Net earnings for the store associations with

REVIEW, OCTOBER 1949

earnings averaged 4.2 percent on total business
done; losses for those which ended the year “in
the red” averaged 2.7 percent of sales. (The
corresponding figures for 1947 were 4.1 and 3.2
percent.) For the petroleum associations, earn­
ings averaged 6.7 percent and losses 2.2 percent
(7.9 and 2.5 percent, respectively, in 1947).
Information on patronage refunds made by
local associations (available for 363 associations)
totaled $4,264,164. Based on the total business
of these associations, refunds were at the rate of
2.6 percent for the stores, 5.0 percent for the
gasoline cooperatives, 1.8 percent for the “other
distributive,” and 3.7 percent for the service coop­
eratives. It should be noted that these refunds
include not only the earnings made in the opera­
tions of the local cooperatives, but also refunds
received by them on their purchases from the
wholesales. The latter are becoming an increas­
ingly important factor, and in many cases amount
to as much as or more than the local association
makes on its distributive business.
Reports from the housing associations, espe­
cially the older ones operating apartment buildings,
indicate that monthly “rentals” (supposed to
cover amortization, maintenance, and other ex­
penses) need to be reexamined in the light of
present-day costs. Some of these associations
appear to be sustaining losses year after year,
endangering the members’ equity and the asso­
ciations’ financial stability.
Dissolutions of consumers’ cooperatives con­
tinued to be so numerous in 1948 as to more than
offset the number of newly formed associations,
resulting in a net decline in total number.3
The figures in table 2 include not only con­
tinental United States but also Alaska and, for
the first time, Puerto Rico. No data were avail­
able for Hawaii.4
8 This situation is, of course, not peculiar to cooperatives. In all businesses,
a steadily increasing number of failures have occurred since the end of
the war.
4
The data for Alaska were obtained directly from the cooperatives there.
The information for Puerto Rico was furnished by the Office of the Inspector
of Cooperatives of Puerto Rico.
The table shows number of associations, not number of establishments
operated. M any cooperatives have one or more branches. Table does not
show the volume of business done in any particular line, as the associations
are classified according to main lines of business.

854982- 49-

4


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401

CONSUMERS’ COOPERATIVES

T able 2. — Estimated membership and business of con­

sumers’ cooperatives in 1948, by type of association

Type of association

Total
num ­
ber of
asso­
ciations

Number
of
members

Amount of
business

Local associations
2,354,000 $1, 229, 500, 000
3,880
Retail distributive___________________
828, 000, 000
1,356,000
Stores and buying clubs___________ 2,400
960,000
385, 000, 000
1,350
Petroleum associations________ . . .
16,560, 000
38,000
80
O ther1. . .
.
___- - - - - - - 395, 290
29,223,900
786
Service_____________________________
22, 000
6, 000, 000
180
Rooms and/or meals____________ 13,000
2 3,000,000
125
___________
Housing______ _
Medical and/or hospital care:
120, 000
2, 225, 000
60
On contract------ -------------------78,000
8,600, 000
70
Own facilities_______
___
B urial:3
435,000
29
25,500
Complete funeral___________ 3,900
590
2
Caskets only_________________
4,200
60,000
10
Burial on contract------- ----------7,100, 000
107,000
185
Cold storage 4----------------------- - .25,000
1, 800, 000
125
.
------ .
O ther8 ___
137,016,260
865 7 2,403,676
Electric light and power e____________
10,000, 000
675,000
Telephone (mutual & cooperative)-- -- 33,000
633, 783, 555
3,748,628
9, 329
Credit unions 8_ ___________ _____
Insurance associations.. . — ----------2,000 « 11,300,000 18 207, 500,000
Federations 11
Wholesales:
Interregional_______________ ____ Regional____ — - ---------------------D istrict______________ _________
Service.— ______ ______ _____ - -,
Productive__________________________
Electric light and power 13____________

2
26
20
19
16
10

77
4,846
298
1,685
302
77

12,265,635
13 320,340,390
12 7,337, 960
3, 276,500
83,739, 000
7,399,287

1 Such as consumers’ dairies, creameries, bakeries, fuel yards, lumber
yards, etc.
2 Gross income.
3 Local associations only; excludes federations (which are included w ith
federations) and funeral departments of store associations.
4 Excludes cold-storage departments of other types of associations.
8 Such as water supply, cleaning & dyeing, recreation, printing and pub­
lishing, nursery schools, etc.
' Data furnished by Rural Electrification Administration. B y error, the
figures given last year, for 1947, included all REA borrowers, cooperative
and non cooperative. The correct figures were 830 associations, 1,953,425
patrons, and $105,454,020 business.
7 Number of patrons.
8 Actual figures, not estimates; not including 29 credit unions in Puerto
Rico, none of which had yet had a full year’s operation.
# Number of policy holders.
10 Premium income.
11 Figures include an allowance for nonreporting associations.
12 Includes wholesale distributive, retail distributive, and service business.
13 Data furnished by Rural Electric Administration. Corresponding figures
for 1947 were 9 federations, 64 member associations and $4,355,379 business.

Trend of Development, 1941-48
Improved operating results in 1948 as compared
with 1947 are indicated in table 3. To some
extent this may have been due to the disappear­
ance of the failing associations which, having
been in dire straits for some time, finally went out
of business and therefore had no influence on the
year’s operating averages. A real improvement,
however, is indicated by the rise from 71.5 to
79.2 percent of the proportion having earnings—
which was considerably more than could be
accounted for by the absence of the failures.

402

SURVEY OF CONSUMER FINANCES

MONTHLY LABOR

T a ble 3.— Trend of operations of retail store and petroleum associations, 1942-48, and of local service associations, 1948
Store associations

Petroleum associations

Item
1948
Membership:
Percent of increase over preceding year_______
Percent reporting—
Increase over preceding year....................................
Decrease from preceding year................. ..........
Amount of business:
Percent of increase over preceding year____ _______
Percent reporting—
Increase over preceding year........ ...........................
Decrease from preceding y ear.............................
N et earnings:
Percent going from—
Gain to loss_________________________ _____
Loss to gain________________________________
Percent reporting—
Loss in current and preceding years___________
Increase in gain over preceding year___________
Decrease in gain from preceding year__________

1947

1946

1945

1943

1942

1948

1947

1946

1945

1944

1943

8.4

13.4

11.6

15.9

25.6

13.6

8.3

6.5

9.6

10.8

11.4

14.4

23.9

9.5

1.9

77.5
22.5

80.9
19.1

72.8
27.2

82.9
17.1

98.8
1.2

77.4
22.7

75.5
24.5

76.9
23.1

80.2
19.8

77.5
22.5

78.2
21.8

79.9
20.1

74.5
25.5

73.8
26.2

76.0
24.0

11.3

39.9

30.8

11.5

19.6

28.8

30.8

23.2

26.3

27.9

10.7

22.6

19.1

13.6

10.9

73.0
27.0

80.8
19.2

90.5
9.5

72.9
27.1

80.3
19.7

84.7
15.3

90.8
9.2

93.2
6.8

89.7
10.3

94.1
5.9

86.3
13.7

89.4
10.6

71.5
28.5

78.9
21.1

78.8
21. 2

9.0
3.3

19.4
3.7

5.8
9.1

4 2
10.7

6 4
4.2

5.3

fi 4
4.9

9Q
1.8

1.0

.9

.9

lÜ

1.2

15.8

11.8
37.0
38.9

9.1
30.8
37.0

3.3
62.5
19.2

8.4
49.4
27.2

2.0
62.3
25.1

1.9
51.7
34.3

2.2
69.5
17.9

.3
54.8
40.2

.5
55.3
40.8

88.0
11.1

.5
74.5
23.3

60.3
37.5

.4
64.7
31.7

13.7
27.4
30.5

1949 Survey of
Consumer Finances1
income in 1948 and ownership and use
of liquid assets were the third and fourth subjects
discussed in the report of the 1949 Survey of
Consumer Finances. Detailed statistical informa­
tion was presented. In general, the survey found
that the increases in consumer income and liquid
asset holdings from 1947 to 1948 were widely dis­
tributed throughout the population, and that the
patterns of distribution of income and liquid assets
among the spending units, ranked according to
money income, were not changed significantly in
either case.
As in the previous surveys for the Board of
Governors of the Federal Reserve System, sam­
ples of the entire population residing in private
households during the January-March survey
interview period were covered. The interview
unit was the consumer spending unit, defined as
all persons living in the same dwelling and related
by blood, marriage, or adoption, who pooled their
incomes for their major items of expense.

C onsumer

1
The fourth annual survey of consumer finances conducted for the Board
of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. Results of these surveys were
published in the June, July, and August issues of the Federal Reserve Bulletin
for the years 1946, 1947, and 1948, with an additional article in the issue for
September 1948. Parts I and II of the 1949 survey were summarized in the
M onthly Labor Review for August 1949 (p. 154).


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

1944

Service
associa­
tions,
1942
1948

fi ft

.8

78.9
20.3

Consumer Income in 1948
Consumers’ money income in 1948 increased
over 1947 by almost 15 billion dollars. The
resulting upward shift of spending units into
higher income groups was reflected in a substantial
increase in the amount of median income of con­
sumers. In 1948, the median spending-unit
income was somewhat above $2,800, more than 10
percent higher than the 1947 median of $2,500, and
nearly 25 percent above the 1946 figure of $2,300.
Generally speaking, characteristics relating to
age, education, and occupation of the spending
unit head, and to size and location of the spending
unit, are most marked for those with high and low
incomes. Units with money incomes of less than
$1,000 tended to be small, to be located in rural
areas, and to be headed by persons at least 55
years of age. In this income class, farm operators,
retired persons, and unskilled workers were most
frequently noted. In the income brackets above
$5,000, spending units were more frequently of
larger size and located in metropolitan areas. The
heads of the higher-income units were more likely
to be between the ages of 35 and 54, following a
profession, occupying a managerial position, or
self-employed.
Approximately half of all spending units
reported higher incomes in 1948 than in 1947.
Only about a fifth reported a decline from the

REVIEW, OCTOBER 1949

SURVEY OF CONSUMER FINANCES

previous year. As in the two previous surveys,
persons with professional and those with clerical
and sales occupations most frequently reported
income increases; about 60 percent of these had
higher incomes in 1948. Somewhat more than half
of the skilled and semiskilled workers and about
the same proportion of the unskilled workers
reported increases. Farm operators and the
managerial and self-employed groups had fewer
increases in income than the other groups. The
most frequent explanation for increased income in
1948 was a higher wage or salary scale on the same
job. Another important factor was transfer to a
better paying job.
Tabulation of the data by age groups indicated
that spending units headed by younger persons
most frequently received increases in income.
About two-thirds of the heads of spending units
who were under 35 years of age, and about half
of those between 35 and 54, received increases in
income; for those above 54, the frequency of in­
creases declined considerably.
Roughly 60 percent of all units having incomes
below $4,000 in 1947 received increases in income
in 1948. In the group with 1947 income above
$4,000, somewhat less than half the spending units
reported higher incomes in 1948, increases be­
coming less frequent as the income levels rose
higher.
There were only slight changes in the percent­
age distribution of income received by each tenth
of the spending units, when ranked by size of
income. The small changes which did occur from
1947 to 1948 favored the lower-income tenths of
the population.
Estimates made from the survey data indicate
that about two-thirds of all consumer units in­
curred Federal income tax liabilities in 1948.
Less than one-tenth of the spending units with
incomes under $1,000, but more than nine-tenths
of the units with $4,000 or more, incurred such
liabilities. For about 1 unit in 5, Federal income
tax amounted to 10 percent or more of income
before tax. There were progressively fewer tax
payers as tax rates became higher until only about
1 unit in 100 had a tax liability of 20 percent or
more of income before tax.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

403

Ownership of Liquid Assets 2
The total number of holders of some form of
liquid assets appeared to have increased by about
1 million in the past 3 years, although it was
probably about the same in 1948 as in 1947. An
estimated 36 million spending units out of a total
of about 50 million held United States Govern­
ment bonds or savings or checking accounts at
the beginning of 1949.
Somewhat more than a fourth of all spending
units had no liquid assets in early 1949, a fourth
had from $200 to $999, and about a third had $1,000
or more. For the spending units holding liquid
assets at the beginning of 1949, the median amount
held was approximately $790, about 5 percent
less than the year before but about 5 percent more
than in early 1946.
The share of total liquid assets held by each
tenth of the Nation’s spending units, when
ranked either by size of income or amount of their
liquid-asset holding, showed relatively little change
during 1948. The top 10 percent of all spending
units, ranked according to income, held 44 per­
cent of the liquid assets reported. This was about
5 million units holding roughly 55 billion dollars
of U. S. Government bonds and savings and
checking accounts. When ranked according to
liquid asset holdings, the top 10 percent of the
spending units held roughly two-thirds of all
liquid assets reported, about the same proportion
as the top tenth held a year earlier.
Over the 3-year period of the surveys, the
proportion of spending units that held any liquid
assets of the types covered declined gradually—
from 76 percent of all spending units in early 1946
to 71 percent at the beginning of 1949. The total
number of spending units has increased in the past
few years; the number having no liquid asset
holdings has increased at a somewhat faster rate
during the same period than the number of asset
holders. About 13 million spending units added
to their Government bonds, savings accounts, or
checking accounts during 1948; more than 16
’ Includes United States Government bonds, checking accounts, and
saving accounts in banks, post office, or savings and loan associations. Does
not include currency, cash values in life insurance policies, or investments
in securities other than Federal bonds.

404

million, or about one-third of all spending units,
reduced their holding during the year.
The most popular form of liquid assets held
was United States Government bonds; approxi­
mately 45 percent of all spending units had Gov­
ernment bonds, compared with 44 percent that
had some type of savings account and 39 percent
with checking accounts. However, during the
postwar period the proportion of bondholders
declined from about 6 in every 10 spending units
to 4% in every 10. Other types of liquid assets
were held in about the same proportions during
1948 as in the year before.
As in prior years the higher income groups had
greater proportions of spending units holding
liquid assets. In the group with incomes under
$1,500, about half of the units reported holding
liquid assets in early 1949. More than 9 in every
10 spending units with incomes above $4,500
reported some kind of liquid-asset holding.
Consumer holdings of liquid assets in the ag­
gregate changed little from 1948 to 1949, as with­
drawal and additions during the year frequently
offset each other. Roughly 3 million consumer
units either exhausted their liquid assets during
1948 or were newly formed spending units and
had not yet acquired liquid assets. At the same
time there were about an equal number of units
that became liquid-asset holders during the year.
Reasons given for withdrawal of liquid assets
were emergencies such as sickness in about half
the cases. Purchases of automobiles or some other
durable goods were as frequent. The largest
amounts of withdrawal were for investment or
for the purchase of automobiles or other durable
goods.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

MONTHLY LABOR

NONAGRICULTURAL EMPLOYMENT

Nonagricultural Employment,
by Industry Division, 1919-48
T h e results of a recently completed revision to
make available continuous data relating to non­
farm employment from the period beginning with
1919 are incorporated in the following chart and
table. In addition to the total number of em­
ployees in all nonagricultural establishments,
data are also presented for the major industry
divisions. Annual averages only are available
for the years 1919 to 1938. Monthly data begin­
ning with January 1939 may be obtained upon
request. To facilitate the long-term analysis
now made possible by these series, the Bureau of
Labor Statistics will provide detailed technical
explanations of the employment series in the
near future.

Employees in Nonagricultural Establishments

1919

1929

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS

1939

1949

REVIEW, OCTOBER 1949

DOMESTIC WORKERS’ WAGES

405

Employees in nonagricultural establishments, by industry division, 1919-48 1
[In thousands]

Year

Total

Mining

Contract
construc­
tion

Manufac­
turing

Transporta­
tion and
public
utilities

T rad e2

Finance

Service2

Govern­
ment

1919___________
1920________
1921...............
1922_____
1923_____ .

26,829
27,088
24,125
25, 569
28,128

1,124
1,230
953
920
1,203

1,021
848
1,012
1,185
1,229

10, 534
10, 534
8,132
8,986
10,155

3,711
3,998
3,459
3, 505
3,882

4,664
4,623
4,754
5,084
5,494

1,050
1,110
1,097
1,079
1,123

2,054
2,142
2,187
2 , 268
2; 431

1924______
1925_______
1926____ .
1927_________
1928 __________

27, 770
28, 505
29, 539
29,691
29,710

1,092
1,080
1,176
1,105
1,041

1,321
1,446
1,555
1,608
1,606

9, 523
9,786
9,997
9,839
9,786

3,806
3,824
3,940
3,891
3,822

5,626
5,810
6,033
6,165
6,137

1,163
1,166
1,235
1,295
1,360

2, 591
2, 755
2 , 871

2,962

2,723
2 , 802
2,848
2,917
2 , 996

1929_______
1930________
1931______
1932...................
1933__________

31,041
29,143
26,383
23,377
23,466

1,078
1,000
864
722
735

1,497
1,372
1, 214
970
809

10, 534
9,401
8,021
6, 797
7,258

3,907
3,675
3,243
2,804
2,659

6,401
6,064
5,531
4,907
4,999

1,431
1,398
1,333
1,270
1,225

3,127
3; 084
2 , 913
2; 682
2; 614

3,066
3,149
3^264
3^ 225
3; 167

1934________
1935________
1936_________
1937______
1938_______

25,699
26,792
28,802
30, 718
28,902

874
888
937
1,006
882

862
912
1,145
1,112
1,055

8,346
8,907
9, 653
10,606
9,253

2,736
2,771
2,956
3,114
2,840

5,552
5,692
6,076
6,543
6,453

1, 247
1,262
1,313
1,355
1,347

2,784
2,883
3,060
3’ 233
3¡ 196

3,298
3', 477
3,662
3,749
3,876

1939_________
1940___ ____
1 9 4 L -_____
1942______
1943....... ..........

30,287
32,031
36,164
39, 697
42,042

845
916
947
983
917

1,150
1,294
1, 790
2,170
1, 567

10,078
10,780
12,974
15,051
17,381

2,912
3,013
3,248
3,433
3,619

6,705
7,055
7,567
7,481
7,322

1,382
1,419
1,462
1,440
1,401

3,228
3; 362
3j 554
3j 708
3; 786

3,987
4,192
4,622
5,431
6,049

1944__________
1945______ __
1946__________
1947_____ .
1948 ...................

41,480
40,069
41,412
43,371
44, 201

883
826
852
943
981

1,094
1,132
1,661
1,982
2,165

17, 111
15,302
14, 461
15, 247
15,286

3, 798
3,872
4,023
4,122
4,151

7,399
7,685
8,815
9,196
9,491

1,374
1,394
1, 586
1,641
1,716

3,795
3 , 891
4 , 408
4, 786
4 , 799

6,026
5,967
5,607
5,454
5,613

2,516

2,671
2 , 603
2, 531
2 ,5 4 2
2 ,6 1 1

1 Annual averages only are available for the years 1919-38. M onthly data
beginning with January 1939 may be obtained upon request to the Bureau
of Labor Statistics.
2 Data for the trade and service divisions, beginning with January 1947, are

not comparable with data shown for earlier years because of the shift of the
automotive repair service industry from the trade to the service division. In
January 1947, this industry amounted to approximately 230,000 employees.

Domestic Workers’ Wages and
Hours, New York State, 1948 1

employment to supplement the family income,
women laid off from the needle trades, and
others who sought work when strike conditions
affected their husbands’ incomes.
The trend toward a greater supply of household
workers was accompanied by a decrease in
demand for their services. Employers, feeling
the pinch of high prices, were either dispensing
altogether with household help or hiring it for
shorter periods. Also, the large service staffs of
prewar days were becoming more rare. As an
employment-agency owner expressed it: “Butlers
and ladies’ maids are out of style * * *.
Most people want only one maid.” Moreover,
a demand by workers for steady and regular work
had helped to stabilize the market. Not only
those looking for full-time jobs, but also others
wanting 1, 2, or 3 days of work a week disliked
the prospect of changing jobs frequently.
In 1948, resident or “sleep-in” workers were
harder to obtain than nonresident or “sleep-out”
workers. The supply of domestics available for
resident jobs did not equal the increasing demand.

service engaged roughly 9 percent of
the employed women in New York State in March
1948, in contrast with 24 percent in 1910 and 15
percent in 1940. The shortage of domestic
workers, which was acute during World War II,
was found by the 1948 survey of the New York
State Labor Department to have eased with
regard to workers in the nonresident category,
since its previous survey in 1946. Additional
workers of various backgrounds had entered the
market during that period—housewives, who in
view of increasing prices, turned to domestic

D omestic

1
N ew York Department of Labor. Division of Research and Statistics,
Publication B-20, The Household Worker in N ew York State, 1948 (New
York, 1949); D ivision of Industrial Relations, Women in Industry and M ini­
mum Wage, Domestic Service Employment in N ew York State, 1946.
The 1948 study was based on information obtained from 14 State and 41
privately operated employment agencies, through analyses of help-wanted
advertisements in newspapers, and from interviews with household workers
seeking employment. The 1946 study used similar methods except that
interviews w ith those seeking work were not held.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

406

DOMESTIC WORKERS’ WAGES

Many workers had families of their own to whom
some time had to be devoted. Younger single
women objected to resident employment because
they wanted free time in the evenings. Those
who wanted resident jobs were often older women
with few family ties.
Full-Time Workers
New York City domestic workers in the de­
pression years of the thirties often received as
little as $1 for a “ full day” (hours not specified),
and 10 cents an hour for shorter periods, according
to the current study. Following the depression,
wages rose, until just prior to entry into World
War II, the standard hourly rate was 35 cents.
By the last year of the war, it had reached 70
cents. In the first postwar year, 1946, the most
usual rates in the New York metropolitan area
were 75 cents an hour for part-time and day
workers and $150 a month or $35 a week for full­
time domestics, both resident and nonresident.
In 1948, fewer employers offered monthly rates.
The weekly wage had become more prevalent,
but rates had changed little since 1946.
Wages offered full-time resident workers in
New York City and vicinity through newspaper
ads, in the spring of 1948, ranged from $11.50
to $50 a week, plus food and lodging. The
median weekly rate was $35—the same as 2 years
before. However, there were relatively fewer
offers of less than $35, and more offers of $35 and
over than in 1946. The few jobs for resident
workers which offered wages of over $40 a week
were for skilled workers, especially those with
special qualifications, such as French-speaking or
Scandinavian workers who could also care for
children, workers trained in infant care, and those
who could serve as governess-housekeepers or
housekeeper-cooks.
Of 183 women household workers interviewed
in New York City, only 24 had been employed on
resident jobs in 1948 and were able to furnish
recent wage data for such work. According to
their statements, weekly wages ranged from $20
to $45, the jobs paying over $35 being for special­
ized workers such as cooks, housekeepers, and
nursemaids.
Wages of nonresident workers in the New York
metropolitan area, the report points out, were

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MONTHLY LABOR

practically the same in 1948 as those of resident
workers.
Before the war, cash wages of sleep-in workers were
usually lower than those of nonresident workers, on
the theory that the former received additional com­
pensation in the form of lodging. During the war
years, however, as houseworkers could afford to exer­
cise greater selectivity among jobs offered, and in­
creasingly sought nonresident jobs, it became evident
that sleep-in arrangements were made at the insist­
ence, and in the interest, of the employer rather than
the worker who in many cases maintained her own
apartment for her family and for use in her free time.
As a result, there is practically no difference today in
the wages of resident and full-time nonresident
workers.

Wages offered resident workers in up-State
areas were much lower than those in the New
York metropolitan area, in both 1946 and 1948.
In the newspaper ads studied, there were no offers
higher than $35 in 1948, and the median weekly
wage specified was $20. Jobs offered through
employment offices averaged $20 a week (as in
1946), ranging up to $35 and falling as low as $8
to $12 for 60 hours’ work.
Daily hours of work in 1946, as reported by
employment agencies, were usually 12 for resident
workers and 10 for nonresident workers. In 1948,
estimates of working time of nonresident workers
obtained from employment agencies (most of them
in the New York City area), ranged from 8 to
13K hours daily, and averaged 10K hours for a
5^-day or a 6-day week. Of 48 such estimates,
11 reported a 12-hour day as most usual.
Somewhat shorter working schedules for nonresidential workers than those given by the
private agencies were reported by 47 domestic
workers interviewed in the New York City offices
of the State Employment Service. The average
workweek was 48 hours, most of the women work­
ing 5 or 5% days. In about 12 percent of the
advertisements studied, weekly hours specified for
nonresident workers ranged from 37K to 60.
Resident workers’ daily hours, according to the
12 employment agencies in the New York City
metropolitan area which gave estimates, ranged
from 9% to 14, and in some instances were re­
ported as “ unlimited.” The majority of these
agencies believed that a 12-hour day was most
usual and that nursemaids were often on 24hour duty. In interviews with 24 women ap-

REVIEW, OCTOBER 1949

LABOR-MANAGEMENT DISPUTES

plica.nts at employment agencies who had held
resident jobs in 1948, no daily hours of less than
11 were reported. A 13- to 14-hour day was most
usual; one report showed 18% hours’ work each
day.
Weekly hours of resident workers, estimated
by only 7 agencies in the New York City vicinity,
ranged from 66 to 82% hours. A like number of
up-State agencies reported that the length of the
workweek was from 40 to 65 hours.
The time-off arrangement most prevalent for
resident workers in New York City and vicinity
was stated to be 1% days each week. Up-State,
1 day a week was stated to be most usual. “ A
full day off, however, was reported as having a
different meaning for each employer. Some
workers were required to start their day off at
10 a. m. after breakfast had been served and
dishes washed, and others about 2 p. m., after
they had completed their luncheon duties.”

407

received carfare and one or two meals, depending
on the schedule.
The most frequent part-time arrangements
specified in help-wanted ads (mostly in the New
York metropolitan area) were 3 to 5 mornings a
week, 5 afternoons, or 3 full days a week. The
3-day-a-week jobs generally required 6 to 8
hours’ work a day. The part-time jobs calling
for 5 days a week usually required from 5 to 7
hours a day. A majority of the 34 part-time
workers interviewed had worked a 5-day or 6-day
week, but 25 of them had worked less than 30
hours a week; the most usual arrangement was
20 to 30 hours.
Employers were often asked by employment
agencies to guarantee a minimum number of
hours of work a day. The shortest period set by
any agency as a minimum was 3 hours.

Part-Time Workers2
Advertised wages for part-time workers in
1948 were usually on a weekly basis. Such wages
in New York City and vicinity averaged $18,
but ranged from $7.50 to $35 for a workweek
varying from 10 to 36 hours. Almost all the
advertisements which specified hourly rates offered
75 cents.
Daily wage quotations obtained in the 1948
survey from 8 employment agencies in Brooklyn
specified a rate of $6.50 for an 8-hour day; 14
agencies from other parts of metropolitan New
York specified a $7 daily rate. Hourly rates
reported by employment agencies ranged from
75 cents to $1.25, the most usual offer being $1.
(The 1946 survey had shown the most usual
rates to be $6 a day and 75 cents an hour.)
Reports from interviews with 34 women who
had been employed as part-time workers at some
time in 1948 revealed lower usual rates than those
reported by employment agencies. Hourly earn­
ings of these women ranged from 55 cents to
$1.15; nearly half received from 75 to 85 cents.
Up-State agencies reported hourly rates ranging
from 55 cents for a nursemaid to $1.25 for cooks,
with 75 cents the most frequently reported hourly
rate paid to general household workers. In ad­
dition to the cash wage, part-time workers usually
2 J obs

requiring less than 36 hours a week were classified as part-time.


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Labor-Management Disputes
in September 1949
D espite the report of the President’s Steel
Fact-Finding Board on September 10, labor-man­
agement negotiations continued to be inconclusive
as the month drew to a close. This situation was
due primarily to the fact that the steel negotia­
tions, with two postponements of strike deadlines,
had not yielded a settlement which might serve
as a guide to other mass-production industries.
The United Automobile Workers (CIO) and the
Ford Motor Co., with the arrival of the strike
deadline of September 29, reached an agreement
providing for company-financed pensions and
added medical and hospital services under a
jointly financed existing health insurance plan.
Other pending or deferred talks in electrical manu­
facturing, metal mining, meat packing, and rubber
awaited a definite “break” in the steel wage and
pension controversy.
Compared with August, strike idleness increased
substantially in September largely because of the
industry-wide stoppage in coal mining which be­
gan September 19. Other large stoppages in­
cluded a strike of Missouri Pacific Railroad
employees which began September 9 and involved
about 25,000 workers, and the strike of over 15,000

408

LABOR-MANAGEMENT DISPUTES

B. F. Goodrich employees which began August 27
and continued throughout September.
The prolonged strike of newspaper printers in
Chicago was terminated September 18 after con­
tinuing since November 1947.
Steel Developments
The Fact-Finding Board's report,1 submitted
to the President September 10, recommended
that social-insurance benefits at a cost of 4 cents
per hour and pension plans costing an average of
6 cents per hour per worker be established in the
steel industry at company expense. The Board
also recommended that the union withdraw its
demand for a wage rate increase of 12% cents per
hour. The union, United Steelworkers of Amer­
ica, accepted the recommendations as a basis for
settlement but leading steel companies agreed
to accept them only as a basis for further negotia­
tions. As more time was required for study of the
report and collective bargaining, the parties, at
the request of the President, agreed to extensions
of the existing truce, first from September 14 to 25,
and later to October 1.
Coal Miners Stop Work in Pension Dispute
After several months of work on a limited 3-day
a week schedule, the Nation’s organized coal
miners began a “no pension, no work” stoppage
on September 19. The stoppage involved approx­
imately 380,000 miners, members of the United
Mine Workers of America (Ind.), in the soft-coal
fields and about 70,000 in the anthracite fields
of eastern Pennsylvania. Union spokesmen attri­
buted the miners’refusal to work to the temporary
suspension of pension and other payments from
their welfare fund. This action was taken on
September 16 by the board of trustees of the
fund. Expenditures were substantially outstrip­
ping revenues, according to the trustees, partly
because a group of southern coal operators were
withholding the 20-cent-per-ton payments. These
operators took the position that, with the expira­
tion of their contract with the union on June 30,
they were not legally required to continue their
contributions to the fund. An interchange of
views between John L. Lewis, UMWA leader,
i An analysis of the Board’s report will appear in the M onthly Labor R e­
view for November 1949.


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MONTHLY LABOR

and a large southern operator failed to resolve the
controversy. As news of this suspension spread
through the coal fields, miners indicated their
intention not to return to the pits after the week­
end. At the month’s end, the stoppage was still
in effect as negotiations were resumed on a new
contract.
Missouri Pacific Railroad Stoppage
Approximately 5,200 employees of the Missouri
Pacific Railroad, members of four railroad operat­
ing brotherhoods (locomotive engineers, firemen
and enginemen, conductors, and trainmen) stopped
work September 9 in an eleven-State area. About
20,000 nonoperating employees of the company
were made idle as a result.
The issues in dispute involved an accumulation
of some 300 grievances arising from the inter­
pretation of certain rules and working conditions.
The unions’ claims against the company were said
to aggregate about $3,000,000.
A strike was originally authorized by the unions
for June 20 but was postponed as the National
Mediation Board sought to resolve the dispute.
When this effort proved unfruitful, a uew strike
date was set for July 11. The stoppage was again
postponed, however, when President Truman
appointed an emergency fact-finding board. This
board recommended that the issues be submitted
to the National Railroad Adjustment Board as
contemplated under procedures established by the
amended Railway Labor Act of 1934. Because of
the backlog of grievance cases before the Adjust­
ment Board, the unions did not accept this recom­
mendation and the strike became effective Septem­
ber 9. No settlement was reached by the end of
the month.
Chicago Printers End Strike
Agreement on a new contract was reached Sep­
tember 14 between the Chicago Newspaper Pub­
lishers Association representing five Chicago
newspapers and Local 16 of the Chicago Typo­
graphical Union (AFL), and was ratified by the
local union membership September 18.
This agreement terminated a strike which had
been in progress since November 24, 1947.2 Some
1,500 workers were affected, although many re2
For earlier discussions of the strike, see M onthly Labor Review, April
1948 (p. 413) and M onthly Labor Review, November 1948 (p. 518).

REVIEW, OCTOBER 1949

LABOR-MANAGEMENT DISPUTES

portedly had found employment elsewhere during
the strike. The dispute was primarily over the
security of the union as bargaining agent for
employees after the Labor-Management Relations
Act of 1947 made illegal the closed-shop arrange­
ment, existing for many years in the printing
industry. Publication of the papers continued
throughout the strike by use of varitype (type­
writers with interchangeable type plates) and
photo-engraving processes.
According to press reports the publishers con­
tinued, under the new contract, to recognize the


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

409

local union as the exclusive bargaining agent for
composing room employees although experienced
nonunion workers could be hired. The contract
also provided a wage increase of $10 per week,
priority rights of all employees to jobs they held
before the strike, and an agreement to restore a
number of provisions connected with the closed
shop, hiring methods, etc., in the event the TaftHartley Act is repealed by Congress. The con­
tract will expire July 15, 1951, but provides for
reopening of the wage question by either party
after July 15, 1950.

Technical Notes

E ditor ’s N ote .— This series of technical notes
serves the usefvl purpose of explaining the
methodology and limitations of all major statis­
tical series of the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Reprinted in booklet form from the Monthly
Labor Review, they should offer a convenient
compendium for all users of Bureau materials.
A standardized outline keyed by a generally
uniform system of subheadings is employed as
a reader-aid.

Estimating
National Housing Volume1
T he housing statistics series , prepared by the
U. S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor
Statistics, measures the number of new nonfarm
dwelling units started nationally each month. It
is used generally as an indicator of building activity
and related economic trends and by housing agen­
cies as a guide in national housing policy and State
and local administrative decisions. The statistics
are available on a monthly basis beginning in 1939
and on an annual basis from 1910.
Over the years, the chief source of information
about home-building activity has been the building
permit. The Bureau began collecting buildingpermit information in 1920, with reports from 207
large cities. Coverage has expanded annually,
but the most important strides were taken between
1933 and 1940.
The dwelling unit, the unit of measurement of
the volume of housing construction, is defined by
the Bureau of Labor Statistics 2 as a permanent
dwelling place containing permanent cooking facil­
ities, i. e., the minimum built-in facilities essential
to housekeeping. The dwelling-unit count repre­
sents the number of families planned for in the
1 Prepared by Dorothy K. Newman in the Bureau’s D ivision of Construc­
tion Statistics.

410


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

construction of new permanent-type houskeeping
dwellings and reflects the extent of new housing
activity. Prefabricated houses are included, if
permanent and made of new materials.
Temporary units and units without housekeep­
ing facilities and such dwellings as trailers, house­
boats, sheds, and shacks, are not included.
Excluded also are the temporary dwellings built
during the period of defense and World War II,
and the Federal temporary re-use units erected
during the Veterans’ Emergency Housing Program
of 1946-47.
Accommodations in transient hotels, dormito­
ries, and clubhouses are not counted in the dwellingunit figures. These are usually nonhousekeeping
quarters and the buildings containing them are
defined as “nonhouskeeping residential.”
Farm dwellings are likewise excluded from
coverage.
Restriction of coverage to new units automati­
cally excludes units provided by the remodeling of
existing residential structures or the conversion of
nonresidential buildings into housing. And since
the Bureau’s housing statistics are designed to
reflect the extent of new house-building activity,
and not necessarily all additions to the housing
inventory, living quarters provided for superin­
tendents in public buildings, warehouses, and
factories are excluded also. Construction of the
residence in these cases is quite incidental to the
nonresidential building. On the other hand, the
Bureau’s totals do include housekeeping dwelling
units in buildings that also contain stores. In such
cases the housing accommodations are at least
2 See Census of Housing, 1940, Part I, United States Summary (p. 2) for
Census definition of a dwelling unit. See also Housing and the Increase in
Population, Bureau of Labor Statistics Serial No. R. 1421 (pp. 14-16) for
differences between Bureau of Labor Statistics and Census definitions.
The Bureau of the Census studies families as a unit of population and
measures the number and kind of family accommodations, new and old,
regardless of structural permanency or the significance of the housing in the
volume of residential construction. The Bureau of Labor Statistics prepares
current housing statistics and, from the results of building-permit reports,
interviews with builders, and the like, measures the number of new perma­
nent dwelling units started in structures designed and built for residential
purposes.

NATIONAL HOUSING VOLUME

as important as the stores and usually account
for a major part of both the physical volume and
value of the construction job.
The new permanent nonfarm dwelling units
included in the Bureau of Labor Statistics series
are classified as urban or rural nonfarm; private or
public; in one-family, two-family, and multifamily
structures.
Urban units are those in urban areas, which,
according to Census definition, are all incorpo­
rated places which had 2,500 population or over
at the time of the latest census and, by special
rule, a small number of unincorporated civil divi­
sions essentially urban in character. Rural non­
farm units are defined as those in incorporated
places with less than 2,500 population, and all
units in unincorporated areas that are not among
those just mentioned nor are they farm homes.
Thus, urban housing is related to definite geo­
graphic areas, while rural nonfarm housing is
defined largely according to the intended use of
the dwelling units.
Dwelling units financed by Federal, State, or
local government funds are public units; all others
are private. The fact that private units are
financed by mortgages insured by the Federal
Housing Administration or the Veterans Admin­
istration does not mean that they are publicly
financed.
A one-family structure may be detached, semi­
detached, or one of a solid row. A semidetached
one-family structure has a common wall with
another structure containing a single dwelling
unit. Each unit in both semidetached and row
houses is counted as a separate structure, because
each has a separate entrance and separate heating
facilities and utility connections.
Two-family structures are those which are built
so that one unit is above the other or two units
on the same floor have a common entrance.
In the multifamily structure, heating facilities
and utilities are usually centrally controlled, and
a single entrance leads to the various apartments.
In apartments with individual entrances, the units
are defined as being in multifamily structures
because the heating, the plumbing, and, in some
cases, other facilities, such as electricity and gas,
may be controlled at a central location.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

411

Limitations of the Series
Statistics on the number of dwelling units started
do not measure the number completed in any
given month. Construction on units started
usually continues for several months before the
dwellings are ready for occupancy.
Furthermore, the Bureau’s totals of starts can­
not be added to the number of units standing as
shown in the Census of Housing (allowing for
demolitions and the number of units destroyed by
natural or other causes) to form an all-inclusive
housing inventory. The reasons are the limita­
tions placed upon coverage of the series, already
partially explained.
Methods and Sources of Survey
A questionnaire form (BLS 404) is mailed by
the Bureau 3 each month to the building-permit­
issuing officers in about 2,500 urban and 2,600
rural places throughout the country, including
over 500 counties and townships. Forms are sent
to practically all localities having building-permit
systems, and returns are received monthly from
about 9 in 10 of them.
Information is requested on this questionnaire
as to the number and value of the new dwelling
units for which permits were issued, as well as
certain details about nonresidential building.
The portion of BLS 404 relating to housing is re­
produced on p. 415. Forms are mailed on the
twenty-fourth of every month. Returns are suffi­
cient for estimating purposes by the fifteenth of
the following month. But editing and tabulating
of the data delay the actual preparation of the
estimate by about 2 weeks.
To obtain an early preliminary estimate, brief
telegraphic forms are mailed on the same day as
the questionnaire to a sample of the buildingpermit officials (about 550) who also report on the
longer form. On the telegraphic forms, they are
asked only the number of new family dwelling
3
W ith the exception that the Department of Labor or like agency in 8
States (Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, N ew York, N ew Jersey, North
Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas) send questionnaire forms directly to build­
ing inspectors in their State and then assemble and publish the State data.
Copies of the permit reports are sent to the Bureau of Labor Statistics in
Washington for use in preparing summaries and national estimates.

412

NATIONAL HOUSING VOLUME

units for which permits were issued during the
month. Returns, made by wire, are usually com­
plete by the eighth of the month following the
month of reference, and the preliminary estimate
is published about the fifteenth.
Field surveys conducted to supplement the
mailed questionnaire are limited to the nonpermit­
issuing parts of a sample of 96 rural counties.
Each of the 96 counties is visited once each quarter,
but at each visit the number of dwelling units
started in each of the 3 previous months is obtained.
The 96-county sample, thus, is divided into 3
groups of 32 counties each. One group is visited
in January, April, July, and October; another in
February, May, August, and November; and the
last, in March, June, September, and December.
Field investigators obtain leads to new homebuilding from local builders, utility companies,
building-supply companies, real-estate agents,
and a variety of other sources. The next step is
to secure information directly from builder or
owner as to the date construction was begun and
the number of units in the project. In addition,
each Bureau investigator inspects his territory in
order to complete the canvass of all new homebuilding begun in the three previous months.
The work of Bureau field agents is carefully
reviewed in the Bureau’s five regional offices, and
an on-the-spot check is made of the completeness
and accuracy of field investigations on the average
of once every 6 months.
Calculation Procedures
Two separate calculations are made covering
housing volume each month. These result in
the preliminary and revised figures issued by the
Bureau. Both estimates are based upon samples,
and, as explained below, the sample utilized in the
revised estimate is considerably broader than that
for the preliminary estimate.
The Preliminary Estimate. In the preparation of
the preliminary estimate, the telegraphic replies
used cover the number of new nonfarm dwelling
units started (1) in all of the 199 cities with 50,000
population or more in 1940; (2) in 45 rural non­
farm localities known to be active in homebuilding; and (3) in a sample of 256 cities of less
than 50,000 population chosen and stratified
according to geographic division, location within

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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

MONTHLY LABOR

or outside of a metropolitan area, and size.
Data are also included for a selection of 230 cities
which consistently submit their mail question­
naires to the Bureau before the eighth of the
month. The entire urban segment of reporting
places which supply information in time for the
preliminary estimate usually provides complete
coverage for the 412 cities of 25,000 population or
more, as well as for a representative sample of
smaller urban places.
To the telegraphic replies for 45 rural-nonfarm
localities are added all the questionnaire returns
from rural nonfarm places which have been
received in time for the compilation of the pre­
liminary housing estimate. The total usually
represents about 80 percent of the housing volume
in rural places issuing permits, but only about 50
percent of the places.
Utilizing the foregoing basic figures, the pri­
vately financed segment of the estimate is made
in three parts—(1) for urban places, (2) for rural
nonfarm places issuing building permits, and (3)
for rural nonfarm places without permit systems.
(1) To obtain the urban estimate, permit data
for the current month are grouped according to the
geographic division of the places reporting, the
location of reporting places within or outside a
metropolitan area, and their size. The percent
of change in the number of dwelling units reported
between the previous and the current month for
identical cities is applied in each estimating cell
(i. e., in this particular instance, data reported for
places of given size and given locations) to the
previous month’s estimate for all the cities repre­
sented by that cell. By this procedure a prelim­
inary estimate is obtained of the total number of
dwelling units for which building permits were
issued or work was about to begin in urban areas.
It is not an estimate of the amount of housing
actually started. An adjustment is then made to
translate building-permit volume into dwelling
units started.
Factors for this adjustment are based on
periodic field studies in sample localities in which
the Bureau investigates the elapsed time between
issuance of a building permit and the start of
construction, and the extent to which permits are
not used. Compared with 1945, studies show
that in 1948 the rate of lapsed permits has de­
clined from over 7 percent to only 1 percent of
the dwelling units reported on permits. It is

REVIEW, OCTOBER 1949

NATIONAL HOUSING VOLUME

413

estimated that in urban areas nearly 60 percent
The Revised Estimate. Revision of the preliminary
of the units are started in the month of permit
monthly estimate is usually made at the end of
issuance; and 94 percent by the end of the second
every quarter after results are available from the
month afterward. Adjustments are made each
Bureau’s field surveys in the nonpermit-issuing
month for such delays and lapses: an addition is
segments of 96 rural counties.
made for units left over from the estimated permit
In selecting the sample of 96 counties for survey,
volume for the previous month; subtractions are
the Bureau in 1947 eliminated 86 counties of the
made for the proportion to be started in later
country’s total of 3,103 from the list either because
months, and for those abandoned, or, as in a few
they were completely urban or were served entirely
cases, started before the permit was issued.
by building-permit systems. The nonpermit­
(2) The estimating method for the rural non­
issuing rural nonfarm universe was determined
farm permit-issuing group resembles that for
according to the number of rural nonfarm dwelling
urban places. However, the reported permit
units standing in 1940 in that part of each of the
data are stratified at this stage only by permit­
remaining counties where building permits are not
issuing jurisdiction, i. e., for incorporated places,
issued.
townships, and counties. For each classification,
The universe was stratified according to whether
a total is made of all of the dwelling units for
the counties were metropolitan or nonmetropoli­
which building-permit reports have been received,
tan,4 and whether more urban or more rural in
and the percent of change between the previous
character, as defined by the percentage of urban
and current month’s reports for identical localities
to total dwelling units standing in 1940. Thus
is applied to the previous month’s estimate.
classified, the metropolitan counties had 1.6
Separate treatment is given areas of significant
million or 40 percent of all rural nonfarm dwelling
housing volume that show trends widely variant
units standing in 1940 in nonpermit-issuing areas;
from the general trend. The sum of the data for
the nonmetropolitan counties had 4.8 million or
incorporated places, townships, and counties
60 percent of such units. A further division into
yields the estimated total number of dwelling
4 temperature zones was made on the basis
units for which permits were issued in ruralof winter temperature.5 These classifications re­
nonfarm permit-issuing places in the month. This
sulted altogether in 15 cells.
aggregate is then adjusted to reflect the number
In order to avoid selecting a sparsely populated
of dwelling units started, in accordance with the
county to represent an estimating cell having a
information for rural areas revealed in the Bu­
large number of dwelling units, an array was made
reau’s building-permit surveys. On the whole,
for each cell according to 1940 housing inventory.
these surveys show somewhat less lag in rural
The counties at the lowest end of the array,
than in urban places between permit issuance
representing 10 percent of the 1940 inventory,
and the start of construction.
were set aside.6 These small counties are, how­
(3)
The preliminary estimate covering the num­ ever, included in the cell totals in determining the
ber of new nonfarm dwelling units started in ruralestimating weights.
nonfarm places that do not issue permits is
Further classification of the universe was then
derived at this point by projecting the previous
made according to the extent of housing activity,
month’s figure, using the trend shown for the
as measured by the number of priority author­
rural-nonfarm permit-issuing places.
izations to secure building materials for housing
To the figure thus obtained for privately
4
For this purpose a county was metropolitan if any part was located within
financed housing the Bureau adds the number of
a metropolitan area as defined by the 1940 Census.
s The 48 States were classified into 4 zones based on the number of “ degree
publicly financed units started. Information on
days” (i. e., days with temperature below 65 degrees), in November, D e­
public housing is received directly from the
cember, January, and February, as reported by the IT. S. Weather Bureau.
Some States, such as N ew York, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Washington, and
sponsoring Federal, State, and local agencies.
Illinois were divided into 2 parts because of the wide range of winter tem­
The resultant total (public plus private) yields
perature.
6 Studies of variance in nonfarm units started in rural and small urban
the preliminary estimate of the number of new
counties covered by area housing surveys in 1946 and 1947 indicated that bias
nonfarm dwelling units started nationally for the
resulting from the elimination of small counties in selecting the sample would
be much less important than the error that might result from inclusion of
month.
one of the small counties.

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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

414

NATIONAL HOUSING VOLUME

that were issued in each county in April 1946
under the Veterans’ Emergency Housing Program.
In the southern temperature zone, this step in
stratification followed classification by race (white,
nonwhite) in the largely rural counties, but
classification was made by race and not according
to housing activity in the more urbanized counties.
By this stage, the universe had been classified
into 32 cells. Each of the 32 cells was further
divided into 3 subcells, in such a manner that each
subcell would represent as nearly as possible the
same number of 1940 dwelling units. Within
each cell, the counties were arrayed according to
the number of dwelling units standing in 1940.
The Tith county in each cell was selected by using
a table of random numbers.
The revised estimate, like the preliminary, is
prepared in three parts—for urban, rural nonfarm
permit-issuing, and rural nonfarm nonpermit­
issuing places.
The estimating procedure for the rural nonfarm
nonpermit-issuing places is to apply the weight
for each county to the reported number of dwelling
units for the month, and to total the weighted
figures. The weight for each county is the
relationship of the number of dwelling units
standing in 1940 in the rural nonfarm nonpermit­
issuing parts of the county, to the number of 1940
rural nonfarm dwelling units in the entire cell
represented by the county.
The urban and rural nonfarm permit-issuing
segments of the revised estimate are prepared
from virtually complete building permit returns.
In estimating for urban areas, stratification of
the expanded data is quite detailed, in comparison
with that done in the preliminary estimate.
The data for the revised estimate are classified
according to type of structure (i. e., in one-family,
two-family, or multifamily structures), and accord­
ing to the location of the places reporting, i. e.,
by geographic division, State, metropolitan or
nonmetropolitan district, and city size. This
classification process may yield as many as 11
cells in a State.
The volume of homebuilding during the month
is tabulated for each class of place, by type of
structure. The estimate by type of structure for
all urban areas is prepared by applying to the
volume of housing reported for each type of place,


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MONTHLY LABOR

the ratio between the total number of such places
in the cell and the number reporting that month.
The ratio of reporting to the actual number of
places is usually 1 for cities of 25,000 population
or over, because reports are received monthly from
virtually all of these. For places of 5,000 to 25,000
population the multiplying figure is seldom over 3,
and for places of 2,500 to 5,000 population, it is
seldom over 5.
Totals by type of structure are added to equal
the urban total for the country, unadjusted for
lag between building-permit issuance and the
start of construction, and for building permits
allowed to lapse. The urban total is adjusted as
described above (p. 413) to yield the estimate of
housing actually started.
In preparing the revised estimate for rural non­
farm permit-issuing places, returns from the
1,800 places usually reporting building-permit
volume are classified according to the kind of
reporting locality (city, township, or county) and
by location in or outside a metropolitan district,
by geographic division, and by size of place.
A total of 54 estimating cells results. For each
cell, the estimate is derived by multiplying the
number of dwelling units reported in the month,
by the ratio between the total number of rural non­
farm dwelling units standing in 1940 in all places
in the cell and the number of 1940 dwelling units
in the reporting places. Adjustment is, of course,
made to convert building-permit volume into
housing started.
After adding publicly financed units, the total
for the three parts of the estimate just described
yields the revised estimate of new permanent
nonfarm dwelling units started nationally for the
month.
Tests of Reliability
The sampling error in the revised estimate of
private nonfarm dwelling units started (the
public segment is based on actual enumerations)
amounts to 2 percent, using December 1948 data.
Thus, if the estimate were 50,000, the chances
are about 19 out of 20 that an actual enumeration
would produce a figure between 48,000 and 52,000.
Owing to the degree of completeness of the
information reported, the percent of error is least
for the urban segment of the estimate (1.0 per-

REVIEW, OCTOBER 1949

415

NATIONAL HOUSING VOLUME

U. S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

B . L. S. 4 0 4
(Rev. 10-1-48)

Budget Bureau No. 44-R049.9.
Approval expires Sept. 30, 1949.

BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS
W A S H IN G T O N 25, D . C.

FOR BLS OFFICE USE ONLY
Kardex
In

Tab.

Edit
Made

Ver.

Add
Made

Post
Ver.

Mach. Hand

Report permits issued
during month of —

(If ab ove m ailing ad dress is incorrect or zon e num ber om itted , p lease indicate change)

D e a r S i r : Please fill out this form and return it to the Commissioner of Labor Statistics, Washington 25, D. C., in
the enclosed envelope which requires no postage.
It will be observed that the number of buildings covered by permits is requested, but not the number of permits.
We shall appreciate your courtesy if you will give this matter your immediate attention.
Very truly yours,
E w a n C l a g t je , Commissioner of Labor Statistics.
(1) Privately owned
Classification

Number
of build­
ings

Estimated
cost
(omit cents)

Number
of dwell­
ing units

(2) Publicly owned
Number
of build­
ings

Estimated
cost
(omit cents)

Number
of dwell­
ing units

Code

NEW FAMILY DWELLING UNIT STRUCTURES
1.

Single-family structures. (May be detached,
semidetached, or one of a solid row. A semi­
detached single-family structure has a common
wall with another structure containing a single
dwelling unit. Each unit is counted as a sepa­
rate structure because each unit has a separate
entrance.). _____ __ ________
2. Two-family structures. (May have one unit over
the other or two units on the same floor with a
common entrance.)
2a. Single-family and two-family structures with a
store or shop therewith. (These should not be
included in the lines above.)
3. Three- and four-family structures having common
facilities such a, com.m.on entra,nee, heating, etc
3a. Three- and four-family structures having stores
and shops therewith. (These should not be in­
c lu d e d in l i n e 3 a .b o v e .)
4. Five or more family structures having common

01

02

02a
03

03a
04

4a. Five or more family structures having stores or
shops therewith. (These should not be in­
c lu d e d in lin e 4 above )


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

04a

416

NATIONAL HOUSING VOLUME

cent), slightly greater for the estimate covering
permit-issuing rural nonfarm places (1.58 percent),
and greatest for the estimate representing rural
nonfarm nonpermit-issuing places (9.47 percent).
Study of the revisions that were required in
the preliminary estimate for months prior to
March 1949 shows that adjustments have seldom
reached 10 percent, and for most months they have
been less than 4 percent. The revisions have
usually been upward. Recent substantial addi­
tions to the number of permit reports available for
the preliminary estimate will probably reduce
somewhat the difference between the preliminary
and revised figure, insofar as differences relate to
the permit-issuing segments of the estimate.
The magnitude of the revisions, however, re­
sults chiefly from the difference between the esti­
mate for rural nonfarm non-permit-issuing places
based on field survey data and the projected figure
used for the preliminary estimate.
As previously stated, in the preliminary figure,
housing activity in rural nonfarm places which do
not issue permits is carried forward on the basis of


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

MONTHLY LABOR

the trend shown by activity in the permit-issuing
rural nonfarm places. A figure prepared in this
way is reliable, of course, only because an estimate
based on field surveys is always within a span of 3
months, and provides a sound base for projection.
Even so, experience shows that although the trend
for rural nonfarm nonpermit-issuing places cor­
responds well with the trend in rural nonfarm
permit-issuing places during the spring, summer,
and early fall, these two trends are less alike in the
winter. The reason for this phenomenon is that
the non-permit-issuing group appears to be more
sensitive to seasonal influence, with home-building
activity falling off faster in the winter and picking
up more quickly in the spring.
Experience has been insufficient to adjust for
this condition because the estimating technique
described here has been in operation through only
two winters. However, after studying data cover­
ing the third winter, in 1949-50, satisfactory sea­
sonal adjustment factors undoubtedly can be pre­
pared and applied to the nonpermit rural nonfarm
segment for use in the preliminary estimates.

REVIEW, OCTOBER 1949

MEASUREMENT OF LABOR TURN-OVER

Measurement of
Labor Turn-Over1
A m e a s u r e of the gross movement of workers
into and out of employment status with individual
firms is provided in the U. S. Labor Department’s
Bureau of Labor Statistics monthly series on labor
turn-over. Transfers within the employment of
the same firm, as from one department or plant
to another, are not considered labor turn-over.
For analysis, personnel actions covered by this
series are broadly divided into accessions, or addi­
tions to employment, and separations, or termi­
nations of employment. Separations are further
classified according to type: Quits (or voluntary
separations); and discharges, lay-offs, and mis­
cellaneous separations (collectively called involun­
tary separations).
Accessions are all additions to the work force
whether of new employees or of former employees
after seven or more consecutive calendar days’
absence. Such absence may be either authorized
(such as after a lay-off) or unauthorized.
Quits are terminations initiated by employees
because of acceptance of jobs elsewhere, dissatis­
faction, return to school, marriage, maternity, ill
health, or voluntary retirement where no pensions
are provided by the different companies. Unau­
thorized absences of seven or more consecutive
calendar days also are considered quits.
Discharges are terminations of employment
initiated by management for such reasons as
employees’ incompetence, violation of rules, dis­
honesty, insubordination, laziness, habitual absen­
teeism, or inability to meet the organization’s
physical standards.
Lay-offs are terminations of employment lasting
seven or more calendar days which are initiated
by management without prejudice to the workers,
because of lack of orders, shortage of materials,
conversion of plant to new product, or introduc­
tion of improved machinery or processes. Suspen­
sions of employment for less than 7 days and
suspensions for inventory or vacation periods are
not considered lay-offs.
Miscellaneous separations are terminations for
other reasons, including permanent disability,
death, retirement on company pension, or en1
Prepared by Lucile C. Ursell of the Bureau’s Division of Employment
Statistics.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

417

trance into the armed forces. Prior to September
1940, miscellaneous separations were included with
quits.
Personnel actions during a calendar month are
converted to a rate per 100 employees. Separate
rates are computed for total accessions, total sepa­
rations, and for each of the component separation
items—quits, discharges, lay-offs, and miscella­
neous separations. A single labor turn-over rate
is not provided.2
The number of personnel actions and of persons
employed used in preparing labor turn-over rates
cover all employees—administrative, office, and
supervisory, as well as production workers—and
permanent and temporary,3 full- and part-time
employees on any type of pay roll (daily, weekly,
monthly, or other). The employment count refers
to the number of such persons who were on the
pay roll in the pay period ending nearest the 15th
of the month.
In 1949, the Bureau prepared labor turn-over
rates for 64 manufacturing industries, 19 major
manufacturing industry groups, the durable and
nondurable goods divisions, and for all manufac­
turing industries combined. In addition, rates
were prepared for 7 selected nonmanufacturing
industries, mainly in the mining and public utili­
ties groups. These together with the earliest date
for which the series are available, are shown in
table 1. Because of lack of facilities, publica­
tion of the data for men and women has not
been made since July 1947, but will be resumed in
January 1950.
Labor turn-over rates first were obtained in
response to a demand from large manufacturers
who were experiencing difficulty in maintaining a
stable work force after World War I. Conse­
quently, the subject was first studied in connec­
tion with the recruiting and handling of employees,
and the net or replacement ra te 4 was emphasized
as an index of management efficiency. Wide­
spread use of improved personnel methods, includ­
ing scientific aptitude and intelligence tests for
prospective employees, exit interviews, pension
2 Although the “replacement rate” or “net turn-over rate” was frequently
referred to in the early years when the Bureau issued the labor turn-over
series, it has not been published separately since November 1934. It is either
the total accession or total separation rate, whichever is lower, and therefore
is available from the published data for those who wish to follow it.
3 Since January 1946, employment on force-account construction has been
included for all industries except telegraph.
4 The net or replacement rate is either the total accession rate or total
separation rate, whichever is lower.

418

MEASUREMENT OF LABOR TURN-OVER

plans, and employment guarantees under specified
conditions in collective-bargaining agreements,
have reduced turn-over rates in recent years to
relatively low levels. Nevertheless, individual
employers still use the rates for their particular
industries as a yardstick of individual plant per­
formance. By this means, they determine when
a particular establishment’s rates are excessive
and therefore require special analysis and remedial
measures.
Annual labor turn-over rates, which are some­
times computed by totaling the 12 monthly rates
or by computing an equivalent annual rate from a
single month’s rate after making proper allowance
for the length of the month,5 are valuable in calcu­
lating the cost of labor turn-over. But annual
quit or separation rates computed in these ways
are extremely difficult to interpret. For example,
they often amount to over 50 percent and seem to
indicate that over half the work force changed jobs
during the course of the year; actually job chang­
ing probably is confined to a relatively small
segment of employees. For certain purposes a
more meaningful annual rate is the average of the
12 monthly rates.
Increasingly, labor turn-over rates are being
used in over-all economic analyses to indicate the
gross worker movements which underlie the net
changes reflected in the employment series. As
the two series are currently prepared, however
(with different-sized samples, different industry
coverage, definitions, etc.), the labor turn-over
rates indicate the nature of employment changes
only very roughly. In fact, a relatively high
proportion of large firms in the turn-over sample
may make the rates somewhat lower and more
stable than they would be if smaller firms had
greater representation. The reason is that large
firms tend to be more affected by employmentstabilizing influences—union agreements, facilities
for screening applicants more scientifically, widely
marketed products, and so on—than small enter­
prises. For this same reason, caution should be
used in applying the manufacturing turn-over
rates to interpret employment changes in the non­
manufacturing industries. In contrast to the man­
ufacturing division, many major nonmanufacturing
* In addition to the monthly rates, equivalent annual rates were published
from July 1929 through August 1931.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

MONTHLY LABOR

groups (e. g., trade and service industries) have
a large proportion of relatively small establish­
ments and experience marked seasonal fluc­
tuations.
Limitations of the Series
As indicated above, changes ia the Bureau’s
employment series cannot be measured precisely
by the labor turn-over data. The two series are
not geared into the same period; the samples are
not completely representative; the employment
and industry coverage are not the same; and
industry classifications are not identical.6
The turn-over sample covers far fewer establish­
ments than the employment sample. Therefore,
data are available for fewer individual industries
in the labor turn-over series than in the employ­
ment series. Moreover, the latter covers the
highly seasonal industries, as well as printing and
publishing, and reflects the influence of work
stoppages, which are eliminated entirely from
the former.
Before the Standard Industrial Classification
was adopted for both series, definitions of indi­
vidual manufacturing industries showed little com­
parability. Up to that time, the employment
series was based on the Census of Manufactures
industrial classification system and fixed product
classification of firms, whereas the labor turn-over
series used this system only until 1943. There­
after, the Social Security Administration’s indus­
trial classification system and current product
classification of firms were used for labor turn-over.
Since January 1943, as already stated, the labor
turn-over data have covered all employees.
Although total employment has been available
from the employment series for all manufacturing
and major industry groups since 1939, it became
available for individual industries only after the
adoption of the Standard Industrial Classification.
In both series, employment is for the week
ending nearest the 15th of the month, but the labor
turn-over items refer to the calendar month.
Consequently, labor turn-over measures changes
during a calendar month; the employment series
reflects those from mid-month to mid-month.
6
A technical note on the employment series w ill appear in the November
1949 M onthly Labor Review.

MEASUREMENT OF LABOR TURN-OVER

REVIEW, OCTOBER 1949

Survey Methods and Sources
Information is collected each month on a mail
questionnaire which is sent to individual establish­
ments. The questionnaire provides for reporting
the total number of employees and the number of
personnel actions occurring during the month,
classified by type. In order to complete the count
of employees entering and leaving the employment
of the establishment, the number of transfers to
and from other plants of the same firm is also re­
corded but they are not included in the tabulations.
Separate data for women are obtained for total
employment, total accessions, total separations,
and quits.
Bureau turn-over rates are based upon experi­
ence in a sample group of establishments. For the
most part, the sample of respondents represents
the largest establishments in each industry plus a
distribution of medium- and small-sized establish­
ments. The approximate coverage of the sample
for major groups is as follows:
Number of
establish­
ments in
sample

All manufacturing _
...
Durable goods
__ __
Nondurable goods__
Metal mining
_ _
Coal mining
Anthracite__
Bituminous _
_ _
Communication
Telephone _ _ _
—
Telegraph
--

Employment
Percent
of universe

In reporting
establishments

6,900
4,000
2,900
140

4, 500, 000
2, 900, 000
1, 600, 000
59, 000

32
39
24
61

50
300

38, 000
130, 000

46
30

516, 000
41. 000

90
63

0)
0)

1 Data not available.

To prevent fluctuations of employment in highly
seasonal industries from obscuring the turn-over
characteristics of other industries, such lines of
activity as fertilizer manufacturing in the chemical
group and canning and preserving in the food
group are excluded from the sample. Currently,
printing and publishing are also excluded. Other­
wise, all other manufacturing industries are
represented, although samples are too small to
permit separate publication of each.
Calculation of Turn-Over Rates
Monthly labor turn-over rates are computed for
individual industries by dividing the total number
of personnel actions of each kind (accessions,
quits, lay-offs, etc.) reported by the respondents in
the sample by the total employment reported by
these firms and multiplying the result by 100.

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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

419

For example, in the sample for industry A, the
total number of employees who worked during or
received pay for the week of June 12-18 was re­
ported as 25,498. During the period June 1-30,
in all the reporting firms in industry A, a total of
284 employees quit. From these figures, the quit
rate of 1.1 per 100 employees is computed as
follows:

Through 1949, the industry classification system
developed in 1942 by the Social Security Adminis­
tration continued in use. By January 1950, how­
ever, the Standard Industrial Classification being
adopted by Federal statistical agencies is to be
substituted in the labor turn-over series. Regard­
less of classification system, allocation of reporting
establishments to the various industries is based
upon major product or activity, as measured by
sales value in the preceding calendar year.
In computing labor turn-over rates for industry
groups after the change to the Standard Industrial
Classification in January 1950, the rates for indi­
vidual industries are to be weighted by total
employment in each industry. Under existing
procedures (1949), the labor turn-over rates for
industry groups are not weighted by employment
except when unusual circumstances (such as a
fire causing a complete shut-down) affect only one
or a few plants in an industry. Under both new
and existing classification systems, the rates for
all manufacturing and durable and nondurable
goods are obtained similarly, by weighting the
industry group rates by employment.
To avoid distortion of the rates, the figures for
individual plants are excluded from the computa­
tions for a given period if they are directly affected
by a work stoppage at any time during the period.
If a work stoppage is widespread and affects a
substantial number of the reporting firms in an
industry, rates for that industry are omitted.
General comparability of the sample is insured
from month to month by telegraphic follow-up of
any delinquent firms (particularly large ones which
would have considerable influence on the rates).
The publication of revised rates for the month
preceding the current month also assures com­
parability of the sample, as most delinquent reports
are received in time for inclusion in the revised
rates.

420

MEASUREMENT OF LABOR TURN-OVER
T able

MONTHLY LABOR

1.— Earliest date for which labor turn-over rates were published for industry groups and industries

Industry group and ind ustry1

Earliest date
published 2

M A N U F A C T U R IN G
All manufacturing industries______ ____
Durable g o o d s..____ ______________
Nondurable goods...................................

Do.
January 1930.3
January 1943.
Do.
Do.
January 1939.
January 1943.
Do.
Do.
September 1940.
January 1932.
September 1941.
October 1937.
September 1941.
September 1939.
January 1943.
Do.
Do.
Do.
July 1937.
January 1943.
Do.
Do.
Do.
1937.7
January 1943.
Do.
Do.
Do.
Do.
1937.7
January
1937.7
January
January
Do.
January
Do.

1943.
1943.
1930.
1943.

Do.
September 1941.
January 1943.
Do.
January 1930.3
September 1939.
January 1943.
April 1930.3

1
For a comparison of the industry titles used before and starting January
1943, see June 1943 M onthly Labor Review, p. 1210.
1
Dates refer to month of reference of the data. In most cases, the series
was first published in the monthly Labor Turn-over Report and the M onthly
Labor Review in which data for the specified month were published. In
cases where the series was prepared retroactively, a footnote indicates the
earliest published source.
3
Rates for 1930, revised to use arithmetic mean instead of median, were
first published in the July 1937 issue of the M onthly Labor Review, reprinted
as Serial No. R. 608.
< Published currently starting September 1945. Mimeographed summary
sheets show data monthly from January 1943.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

Earliest date
published2

M A N U F A C T U R IN G —Continued
January 1930.3
January 1943.4
Do.

Durable goods
Iron and steel and their products_____ ____ ____________
Blast furnaces, steel works, and rolling mills 5________
Gray-iron castings........................ ........................................
Malleable-iron castings_______________ ____ ________
Steel castings.................. ....................................................
Cast-iron pipe and fittings..................................................
Tin cans and other tinware..................................................
Wire products................................................... ......................
Cutlery and edge tools____ ____ _____ _______ _______
Tools (except edge tools, machine tools, files, and saws).
Hardware_________________ _______ ___ ____ _______
Stoves, oil burners, and heating equipm ent...................
Steam and hot-water heating apparatus and steam
fittings.
Stamped and enameled ware and galvanizing________
Fabricated structural-metal products.______ ________
Bolts, nuts, washers, and rivets_______ ____ ________
Forgings, iron and steel_________________ ______ ___
Electrical machinery__________ ______________ _________
Electrical equipment for industrial use_________ ____
Radios, radio equipment, and phonographs_____ ____
Communication equipment, except radios.......................
Machinery, except electrical........... .............................. ............
Engines and turbines______________________________
Agricultural machinery and tractors.................................
Machine tools 8_______________ __________________
Machine tool accessories 8...................................................
Metalworking machinery and equipment, not else­
where classified.
General industrial machinery, except pumps________
Pumps and pumping equipment________ _______ ___
Transportation equipment, except automobiles_____ ____
Aircraft______________________________ ___________
Aircraft parts, including engines......... ................ ..............
Shipbuilding and repairs___________________ _______
Automobiles___________________________ _____________
Motor vehicles, bodies, and trailers___ ______ _______
Motor-vehicle parts and accessories._____ ___________
Nonferrous metals and their products___________ _______
Primary smelting and refining, except aluminum and
magnesium.
Rolling and drawing of copper and copper alloys_____
Lighting equipment________________________ ____ _
Nonferrous metal foundries, except aluminum and
magnesium.
Lumber and timber basic products..______ ____________
Sawmills__________________________ ______________
Planing and plywood mills________________ ____ ___
Furniture and finished lumber products............. ....................
Furniture, including mattresses and bedsprings______

Industry group and ind ustry1

Durable goods—Continued
Stone, clay, and glass products________________________
Glass and glass products______ _ _ _ ___ __ _ _
Cement . . . . .1 __________________________________
Brick, tile, and terra cotta_________________________
Pottery and related products.. . ___________________
Nondurable goods
Textile-mill products..________ _______________________
Cotton.
_____________ _________________________
Silk and rayon goods______
_______ _____________
Woolen and worsted, except dyeing and finishing.........
Hosiery, full-fashioned__ _____________________ . .
Hosiery, seamless_________________________ ______
Knitted underwear___________ _ _. ______ ______
Dyeing and finishing textiles, including woolen and
worsted.
Apparel and other finished textile products___________ _
M en’s and boys’ suits, coats, and overcoats.
.. ...
M en’s and boys’ furnishings, work clothing, and allied
garments.
Leather and leather products____________ __________ .
Leather.
_____________________________________
Boots and shoes________________ _________________
Food and kindred products_________ _______ ______ _
Meat products . . . . . ________________ __________
Grain-mill products______________________________
Bakery products___________________________ . .
Tobacco manufactures__ _________________ _______
Paper and allied products . . . . . . . .
. _____. . . _
Paper and pulp____ . . .
.
_. ______ _ _
Paper boxes.. . . .
. . .
....
Chemicals and allied products. __________ ______ _ . .
Paints, varnishes, and colors._ . _________ _ _ _
Rayon and allied products______________
Industrial chemicals, except explosives..
Products of petroleum and coal . . . . . _ . .
Petroleum refining__________ ___ . . .
Rubber products..
____________ . . . _
Rubber tires and inner tubes___
. . __________
Rubber footwear and related products . __________
___________
Miscellaneous rubber industries _ _
Miscellaneous industries
____________ ______ _
...
N O N M A N U F A C T U R IN G
Metal m in in g ___. . .
_
_ ... ...........................
Iron-ore... . . . .
_____. . .
Copper-ore . . . _____ . . . . . .
Lead- and zinc-ore_______ . . . .
Coal mining:
Anthracite___________________ . . .
Bitum inous__________ ________ . _ . .
Communication:
Telephone_________ ___________________ _ _
Telegraph__________ ______________ _______________

January 1943.
December 1937.
April 1937.
April 1931.
January 1943.
January 1943.
January 1930.3
M ay 1938.
October 1936.
January 1943.
Do.
Do.
M ay 1939.
January 1943.
Do.
Do.
Do.
September 1941.
January 1930.3
January 1943.
January 1930.3
September 1941.
January 1949.
January 1943.
Do.
July 1938.
January 1941.
January 1943.
M ay 1938.
August 1936.
1940.7
January 1943.
M ay 1931.
January 1943.
January 1931.
December 1937.
January 1943.
Do.
March 1943.
April 1943.
March 1943.
Do.
February 1943.
January 1943.
June 1943.
M ay 1943.

5 Called iron and steel prior to M ay 1942.
8 Prior to January 1943 “machine-tool accessories” were included wit
“machine tools.”
7
Annual rates from specified year through 1941 were published in M ay
1942 M onthly Labor Review, reprinted as Serial N o. R. 1463. M onthly
rates were published currently starting December 1937 for machine tools,
from January 1939 for aircraft and shipbuilding, and from September 1940
for industrial chemicals, except explosives. Rates for industrial chemicals,
except explosives are available in mimeographed form from January 1939,
however.

REVIEW, OCTOBER 1949

MEASUREMENT OF LABOR TURN-OVER

Besides the regular series shown in table 1,
others were prepared from time to time, particu­
larly during World War II and the immediate
postwar period, in order to (a) highlight the labor
changes in war industries; (b) compare the rates
for men and women; (c) to measure military
T a b l e 2 .—Special

421

separations during the war; and (d ) to measure
the rate of absorption of veterans into manufac­
turing and mining employment after the war. A
list of these series and the periods for which they
are available are shown in the following table:

industries and groups for which labor turn-over rates were published during and immediately followina
World War I I

Group

All employees:
Selected war industries...........
D o_______________ ____ ____ ;
M unitions..... ......................................
Nonmunitions____ ____ _________
M unitions_____________________
N onmunitions__ _____ __________
M en and women:
M anufacturing. _______________
D o______________ _
D o .. ............... .........................
Selected war production industries.
D o .. _____________ __________
M unitions________________ _____
N onmunitions..... ...............................
M unitions__ ____ _______________
Nonmunitions_______ ____ ______
Veterans:5
Manufacturing_______ ____ _____
D o......................................
D o ....................... ....................
N onmanufacturing______________
Manufacturing______
D o_______ _____
D o .. .............................. ..............
D o_______ ________
____

Period 1
Coverage
Through

T otal______________ _______
Selected individual industries
T otal_____________ _____ ___
----- do....................................... .
___ do................................... ........
___ do.............................. .............

October 1944___
January 1942___
January 1943___
------ do_________
January 1945___
____do_________

December 1944..
June 1943______
December 1944..
------ do_________
December 1945..
____do_________

.do.
Durable and nondurable-goods divisions.
Industry groups............................................
Selected industry groups_______________
Selected individual industries...............
T otal____ _______ ___________________
........d o ...... ................................... ..................
____d o ..____________________________
........do________ ______ ____

March 1944.........
October 1945___
August 1945........
June 1943—.........
------do____ ____
January 1944___
----- do_________
August 1945____
----- do_________

July 1947______
------ do...................
------ do____ ____
August 1945____
____do_________
December 1944..

------do.....................................................................
Durable and nondurable-goods divisions__
Industry groups______ _______ ______ ____
Anthracite and bituminous-coal mining
T otal_____ _____ _______________________
Durable and nondurable-goods divisions'——
Industry groups..................................... ............
Individual industries_______ ____ ___

December 1945..
____do_________
------ d o ...............
------ do_________
........ do_________
------do_________
____do_________
July 1946______

June 1948.
------ do___
.do.
----- do_________
July 1946______
----- do...................
___ do_________
___ do_________

• Dates refer to month of reference of the data.
2 M L R = M onthly Labor Review; L T O R =M onthly Labor Turn-Over
xvcport.
3 Published in a special article, Labor Turn-Over in M unitions and Nonmunitions Industries, 1943 and 1944, in July 1945 issue of the M onthly Labor
Review; also reprinted as Serial No. R. 1757.
4 Data for November 1945 through November 1946 also were published in a
special article, Postwar Labor Turn-Over Among Women Factory Workers,


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Publication 2
From

M LR; LTOR.
M LR; LTOR.
MLR.*
MLR.3
M LR; LTOR.
M LR; LTOR.

M LR 4; LTOR.
M LR 4; LTOR.
M LR <; LTOR.
M LR; LTOR.
MLR; LTOR.
MLR.3
MLR.3
December 1945.. M LR; LTOR.
___ do_________ M LR; LTOR.
Special release.
Do.
Do.
Do.
MLR.»
MLR.»
MLR.«
MLR.«

in March 1947 issue of the M onthly Labor Review; also reprinted as Serial
No. R. 1880.
5 Total accession rates were not published. Separation rates were shown
as a total, and by quits and involuntary separations. Employment and
accessions of veterans were shown as percentages of the respective totals.
6 Published in a special article, Veterans Return to the N ation’s Factories,
m December 1946 issue of the M onthly Labor Review.

Recent Decisions
of Interest to Labor1

Wages and Hours2
Back Wages— Injunction Suit by Administrator.
The Federal Court of Appeals for the Second
Circuit held3 that in injunctive proceedings
brought by the Wage and Hour Administrator
under the Fair Labor Standards Act, the trial
court could grant an order compelling the employer
to pay his employees back wages due under the
act as overtime compensation.
The scope of section 17 of the act, providing for
injunctions against violations, the court held,
was not limited by section 16 (b), which grants
employees the right to bring individual suits for
compensation due under the act. Therefore the
traditional powers of an equity court after it has
acquired jurisdiction to grant full relief, including
reparation and restitution, were applicable.
The court also pointed to previous decisions
granting restitution when an employee had been
discriminatively discharged because he sued under
the a c t4 and when an employer was adjudged in
contempt of court.5 The decisions in these cases
were regarded as precedents for the holding in the
instant case.
The decree of restitution did not deprive the
employer of right to jury trial, nor was it invalid
on the ground that he would be subjected to a
1 Prepared in the U. S. Department of Labor, Office of the Solicitor. The
cases covered in this article represent a selection of the significant decisions
believed to be of special interest. N o attempt has been made to reflect all
recent judicial and administrative developments in the field of labor law or
to indicate the effect of particular decisions in jurisdictions in which contrary
results may be reached, based upon local statutory provisions, the exist­
ence of local precedents, or a different approach by the courts to the issue
presented.
2 This section is intended merely as a digest of some recent decisions involv­
ing the Fair Labor Standards Act and the Portal-to-Portal Act. It is not to
be construed and may not be relied upon as interpretation of these acts by
the Administrator of the Wage and Hour D ivision or any agency of the
Department of Labor.
3 McComb v. Frank Scerbo & Sons, Inc. (U. S. C. A. (2d), Aug. 18, 1949).
4 Walling v. O'Grady (146 F. (2d) 422, U. S. C. A. (2d)).
s McComb v. Jacksonville Paper Co., see M onthly Labor Review, April
1949 (p. 436).

422

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multiplicity of suits, the court said. It pointed
out that the administrator represented the public
interest, while an employee represented a private
interest, both of which were intended to be pro­
tected by the act. To disallow restitution in
injunctive proceedings would tend to nullify
enforcement.
Portal Act— Compensable Activities. In suing for
overtime compensation under the Fair Labor
Standards Act, certain employees alleged that a
contract between an employer and the Federal
Government provided that all employees would
be paid for the time during which they were
required to be on duty on the employer’s premises
or at their prescribed work places, and for the
time consumed in changing clothes and bathing
on the employer’s premises. The activities for
which the employees sued for overtime compen­
sation were walking to the place where they
checked in before work from the vehicle which
conveyed them to the employer’s premises, and
returning to their vehicles after work.
The trial court dismissed the employees’ suit
because the amended complaint containing the
allegation was filed too late.
The Federal court of appeals upheld the trial
court’s decision on its merits. It held 6 that the
activities for which compensation was claimed
were not compensable under an express provision of
the employment contract, and that the claim for
overtime compensation was therefore barred under
the Portal to Portal Act. These preliminary and
postliminary activities were not made compensa­
ble within the meaning of the act, the court
stated, merely by the fact that a contract
existed between the employer and the Federal
Government. It was not a contract between the
employer and the employees or for their benefit,
said the court, as far as the Portal Act was
concerned.
Homeworkers as “Employees.” A Federal court of
appeals held 7 that within the meaning of the Fair
Labor Standards Act, homeworkers who were
paid on a piecework basis for inserting drawstrings
in bags which were furnished by and ultimately re­
turned to an employer, were employees and not
independent contractors.
6 Adkins v. du Pont de Nemours & Co. (U. S. O. A. (10th) Aug. 8, 1949).
7 McComb v. Homeworkers’ Cooperative (U. S. O. A. (4th), Aug. 22, 1949).

DECISIONS OF INTEREST TO LABOR

The court reversed a district court decree dis­
missing a suit against the employer by the Wage
and Hour Administrator to enjoin violation of the
minimum-wage provisions of the act. The fact
that the homeworkers got their materials from
and returned them to a cooperative association,
which paid them, was held not to prevent them
from being employees. The cooperative, the
court pointed out, was merely an agent for the
employer, who furnished all the materials and
bought the bags when they were finished. It had
taken the place of the employer in dealing with the
employees. This change, which was made since
enactment of the FLSA, was held to be a device
to escape application of that act. The employer’s
intermediate step of creating a special corporation
to deal with homeworkers made the scheme more
transparent.
Workers who performed an unskilled operation
on materials furnished by others could not be
called independent contractors, the court held,
although they worked without supervision. There
was abundant evidence in the legislative history
of the act that homeworkers were to be covered.
A previous ruling by the Commissioner of
Internal Revenue that these homeworkers were
not employees was held not to bring the employer
within the “good faith” defense of section 9 of the
Portal Act. Violations occurred after, as well as
before, passage of the Portal Act, the court pointed
out, and section 9 was not applicable to violations
occurring after its passage. Further, good faith
was no defense to an injunction against future
violations.
Labor Relations
Supervisors. A Federal court of appeals consid­
ered8 the meaning of the words “authority
* * * responsibly to direct” as used in the
definition of “supervisors,” in section 2 (11) of the
National Labor Relations Act as amended by the
Labor Management Relations Act of 1947.
An employer who was charged with refusal to
bargain with “control operators” at a steam
electric generating plant, made his defense on the
ground that the control operators were supervisors
and so not protected by the amended NLRA.
The control operators were in charge of the oper­
8 Ohio Power Co. v. National Labor Relations Board (U. S. O. A. (6th), July
25, 1949).


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423

ation of the plant. Because of the plant’s highly
mechanized nature, a control operator was
assisted in the plant’s operation only by an
assistant control operator and an auxiliary equip­
ment operator, whose activities he directed. The
control operator had no authority to hire, fire, or
discipline these employees, but his recommenda­
tions were allegedly given great weight by the
plant superintendent.
The National Labor Relations Board held 9that,
while authority “responsibly to direct” other em­
ployees might by itself be sufficient to show super­
visory status, the term should not be literally
interpreted and did not apply to the control
operators, since they did not exercise their
authority except in emergencies.
The court, reversing the Board, rejected this
interpretation of the act. It stated that the
words “responsibly to direct” were unambiguous
and should be given their plain meaning. The
control operators definitely had authority re­
sponsibly to direct other employees. The fact
that this authority was exercised infrequently was
held to be irrelevant to the issue, as its exercise
required the use of independent judgment.
Representation and Elections. The NLRB held 10
that a contract containing an invalid union-secu­
rity clause not authorized by an election under
section 9 (e) of the amended NLRA was not a
bar to decertification proceedings, even though
the contract contained a separability clause. The
separability clause stated that if any clause was
illegal or involved an unfair labor practice by
virtue of any law, court decree, or the decision of
any governmental agency, the invalidation of that
part of the agreement should not invalidate the
rest of the agreement. The Board rejected the
union’s contention that this separability clause
showed that the parties did not intend the unionsecurity clause to be binding unless it was valid.
Any intention that the clause is to have only future
application, the Board stated, should be clearly
expressed. The fact that no action had been
taken pursuant to the union-security clause was
held immaterial.
In another case 11 with similar facts, the Board
reached the same result.
8 See M onthly Labor Review, March 1949 (p. 324).
10 In re A . & M . Woodcraft, Inc. (85 N L R B N o. 64, July 22,1949).
11 In re Evans M illing Co. (85 N L R B No. 71, July 27, 1949).

424

DECISIONS OF INTEREST TO LABOR

Free Speech. Two recent NLRB decisions con­
cern interpretation of the “free speech” provisions
of the amended NLRA which permit expression
of views that do not constitute a threat of force
or reprisal or a promise of benefit.
(1) An employer, 4 days prior to an election for
bargaining representative, sent all employees a
letter, asking them if they wanted to continue
steady work at good rates with substantial over­
time or accept the union and take the chance of
strikes, lost wages, and a contract which might
result in loss of overtime. The NLRB held 12that
this letter did not constitute a threat of loss of
overtime, but merely a prediction of possible con­
sequences if the union won the election. There­
fore the election was not invalidated.
(2) An employer’s statements that if his em­
ployees joined a union, he would discontinue efforts
to secure yarn in addition to that regularly
received from a manufacturer, and that he would
stop payment of customary Christmas and Easter
bonuses, were both held 13 to constitute threats of
reprisal not protected by section 8 (c).
“Concerted Activity.” A Federal court of appeals
reversed a ruling of the NLRB, and held 14that an
employer did not commit an unfair labor practice.
The charge was that the employer had discharged
an employee for circulating a petition among
fellow employees, which urged the firing of a
supervisor with whom he had a personal quarrel.
The supervisor had warned the employee to stop
certain alleged misconduct. This was found to
be the sole cause of the circulation of the petition,
which other employees had signed because they
had been asked to do so and because of the
supervisor’s general unpopularity.
The Board in a 3 to 2 decision ruled 15 that this
was concerted activity protected by the act and
that the motivation of personal pique on the part
of the employee was immaterial.
The court held that personal revenge was not
only the motive, but also the purpose for
circulating the petition. Therefore, it would not
be considered to be concerted activity “for mutual
aid or protection,” the only kind of concerted
activity protected by the act. This did not mean,
the court stated, that this instance of concerted
12 In re Cleveland Piastres, Inc. (85 N L R B No. 87, Aug. 2, 1949).
13 In re B & Z Hosiery Products Co. (85 N L R B No. 116, Aug. 1949).
14 Joanna Cotton M ills v. N L R B (U. S. C. A. (4th), Aug. 10, 1949).
15 See M onthly Labor Review, M ay 1949 (p. 556).


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MONTHLY LABOR

activity was not protected for the reason that it
was informal or because no union or collective
bargaining was involved. The petition, it was
held, did not represent a justified grievance, but
was the mere carrying forward of a defiant attitude
by a recalcitrant employee. For the act to pro­
tect this sort of activity, the court said, would be
an unwarranted interference with management.
Discrimination by Union— Back Pay. The NLRB
ruled 16that a union, as well as an employer, could
be made liable for back pay to a reinstated em­
ployee who had been laid off because he had failed
to pay union dues.
The employer laid the employee off after the
union’s secretary-treasurer had threatened not to
permit union men to work. As no union shop
agreement had been made valid by an election
pursuant to section 9 (e) of the amended NLRA,
the Board held the discharge to be discriminatory.
The Board stated that it had discretionary au­
thority to issue the back-pay order against the
union by virtue of the language of section 10 (c) of
the amended NLRA, which provides that when an
order directs reinstatement of an employee, back
pay may be required of the employer or labor
organization responsible for the discrimination
which he suffered. Congress, it was held, clearly
intended by the enactment of this provision to
extend the Board’s powers so as to provide a
remedy against union unfair labor practices. The
union and the employer were held to be jointly
and severally liable for back pay.
Secondary Boycotts. Two recent decisions con­
cerned the question of whether a boycott was pri­
mary or secondary. Secondary boycotts are pro­
hibited by section 8 (b) (4) (A) of the amended
NLRA.
(1) A local union of truck drivers had a dispute
with Sterling, a beer distributor, because the dis­
tributor’s driver employees were members of
another union. The distributor purchased all its
beer from Ruppert, a New York City company.
The beer was loaded on trucks at the New York
City brewery and taken to Massachusetts, where
it was sold. Whenever a Sterling truck appeared
at the brewery, members of the truck drivers’
union picketed the driveways which led to the
platform where the beer was loaded on the trucks.
16 In

re

H.

M . N ew m an

(85 N L R B No. 132, Aug. 18, 1949).

REVIEW, OCTOBER 1949

DECISIONS OF INTEREST TO LABOR

As a result, Ruppert’s employees refused to load
and unload Sterling trucks. The regional director
of the NLRB brought injunction proceedings
against the union for violation of the amended
NLRA.
The court granted 17 the injunction over the
union’s objection that the picketing was directed
only against Sterling, the “primary” employer
with whom it had a dispute. The court pointed
out that, whatever was the motive for the picket­
ing, the inescapable result was to induce the em­
ployees of Ruppert, the secondary employer, to
refuse to load and unload trucks of Sterling, the
primary employer. Picketing carried on at or
near the premises of an employer not a party to the
dispute was held to constitute a secondary boycott
prohibited by section 8 (b) (4) (A) of the act.
(2) The NLRB held18 that the picketing of an
employer’s premises was primary and not in viola­
tion of the act, although the portion of the prem­
ises picketed included a gate which had been made
for use by employees of a contractor engaged in
a construction job for the employer. The union
had no dispute with the contractor. Until the
strike occurred, the gate had been used solely by
the contractor’s employees and not by the plant
employees. The Board pointed out, however,
that if the gate had not been picketed, the plant
employees might have gone through it even
though they had previously used other gates.
The picketing, being on the employer’s premises,
was held to be primary, although one motive of the
pickets was to enlist the support of the contractor’s
employees. Section 8 (b) (4) (A) was not in­
tended to curb such primary picketing, the Board
said, though one motive for picketing was, as
usual, to encourage others to stay away from the
employer’s premises.
One member dissented on the grounds that the
picketing was clearly directed against the con­
tractor and that Congress had not intended to
make an exception to the application of the sec­
ondary-boycott provisions of the act merely be­
cause of the proximity of the employer’s premises.
n Douds v. International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Chauffeurs, Warehousemen & Helpers of America, Drivers Local Union No. 807 (A F L ) (U. S. D . C .,
S. D . N . Y ., July 13,1949).
18 In re United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (.CIO)
<85 N L R B No. 76, July 28,1949).

8 5 4 9 8 2 — 49-

-5


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425

Veterans’ Reemployment
Discharge for Cause. A district court held 19 that
the discharge of two veterans for failure to join a
union pursuant to a closed-shop contract was “for
cause” within the meaning of the veterans reem­
ployment statutes.
Before induction, one veteran had been a mem­
ber and the other a “permit man” of union A,
which then held a lawful closed-shop contract
with the employer. After military service, these
veterans were reinstated and resumed their former
status with union A. Within the following year,
union B was chosen as majority bargaining agent
and received a lawful closed-shop contract. The
veterans refused to change their union affiliation
and were discharged from their positions.
In ruling that the discharge was for cause, the
court stated that, since membership in union B
was available to the veterans, they had no legal
right to continued employment during the statu­
tory year after their reinstatement if they refused
to meet the valid condition of membership in that
union.
Retroactive Pay Increase During Absence. A dis­
trict court decided 20 that a reinstated veteran,
under an agreement reached during his absence in
military service, is entitled to receive a retroactive
pay increase for work done before his entry into
military service. The agreement terms limited
the increase to those who were in the employ of the
company on October 10, 1943, on which date the
veteran was in military service.
The employer contended that the retroactive
pay was not claimable as an “other benefit”
because it was retroactive and not prospective,
and because it did not derive from rules dealing
with employees on furlough that were in effect on
the veteran’s induction.
The district court did not consider the prospec­
tive or retroactive factors significant. The con­
trolling rule, the court said, is that the veteran is
not to be penalized on his return by reason of his
absence from the job. The provision here dealt
with pay for work actually done. In terms, it
w Jensen v. Baker, et al (U. S. D . C., S. D . Calif., June 22, 1949).
2®Flynn v. Ward Electric Co. (U. S. D . C., S. D . N . Y ., June 13, 1949).

426

DECISIONS OF INTEREST TO LABOR

benefited persons who were employees on the par­
ticular date. However, it would probably have
violated the statutes to provide by contract that
an employee in military service on October 10,
1943, was not an employee. An intentional dis­
crimination against reinstated veterans might be
void. The veteran’s claim was therefore held to
be sufficient to constitute a cause of action under
the reemployment statutes.
Pre-Induction Position Not Temporary. A vet­
eran did not, prior to his induction, hold a “tem­
porary” position within the meaning of the reem­
ployment statutes, and was therefore protected by
them, although he had worked under a “working
permit” issued by a union which had a closed-shop
contract with his employer. A district court so
held 21 in a suit by a veteran against an employer
for damages based on unlawful discharge within 1
year of his reinstatement.
Undisputed testimony showed that the “work­
ing permit” entitled the veteran to his position for
an indefinite period and until he was replaced by a
person holding a “union card,” i. e., a member.
It may be conceded, the court said, that as between
employee and union, the employee was a tem­
porary member. This, however, did not make
him then or at any time the occupant of a “tempo­
rary position” within the reemployment statutes.

Decisions of State Courts
Florida—Strikes; Majority Vote. The Supreme
Court of Florida, in two recent decisions, inter­
preted a State law prohibiting participation in a
strike except when such strike is authorized by
a majority vote of the employees affected.
(1) Union members picketing a laundry were on
the whole peaceful, but committed some acts of
violence. The lower court enjoined the picketing
and also issued a decree against “inviting, induc­
ing, signaling, or advertising a strike” unless a
majority vote of the plant’s employees had au­
thorized it.
The supreme court upheld22 the injunction
against the picketing because acts of violence had
occurred, but it dismissed the injunction against
“inducing” the strike. The statute prohibiting
participation in a strike was held not to include
inducing or signaling or advertising, which might
21 Coon v. Liebman Breweries, Inc. (U. S. D . C., N . J., 1949).
22 Moore v. City Dry Cleaners (Fla. Sup. Ct., July 26, 1949).


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MONTHLY LABOR

include newspaper or radio features. The court
pointed out that a decree which undertook to con­
dition anyone in the expression of his views, al­
though there might be a threat of libel, amounted
to censorship and was repugnant to the constitu­
tional guarantees of free speech.
(2) In another case23 (in which no violence was
involved), union members who were not employees
picketed a laundry without a majority vote of
employees having authorized a strike. The court
refused to grant an injunction against “inducing”
a strike, in this instance also.
New York— Union-Shop Contract under Wagner
Act. The New York Court of Appeals held24
that, under the Wagner Act (the original National
Labor Relations Act), a contract for a union shop
was presumed to be valid in the absence of a
contrary showing in proceedings before the Na­
tional Labor Relations Board.
A company engaged in the manufacture of suits
sent the cut fabrics to separate contractors, who
were to sew and complete the garments. In Feb­
ruary 1946, to settle a strike against one of the
contractors, the company and the contractor en­
tered into an agreement with a union (Joint Board
of Cloak, Suit, Skirt, and Reefer Makers), under
which they were to be bound by an industry-wide
agreement that included a union-shop clause.
The company also agreed to become members
of an employers’ association, and not to give any
work to contractors that were not in contractual
relationship with the union.
Subsequent to this agreement, the company
continued to deal with contractors who employed
men belonging to another union—Amalgamated
Clothing Workers—and opened up a new factory
employing Amalgamated members. The Joint
Board claimed damages for violation of the con­
tract, and moved for arbitration pursuant to its
provisions. The company claimed that the con­
tract was too vague and that its union-shop pro­
visions were illegal, since the company had a
previous collective-bargaining agreement.
The special term of the State supreme court
denied the company’s petition to stay the arbitra­
tion proceedings. Its decision was reversed by
the appellate division on the ground that the
23 Johnson v. M'hite Swan Laundry (Fla. Sup. Ct., Aug. 2, 1949).
24 Levinsohn Corp. v. Joint Board of Cloak, Suit, Skirt, and Reefer Makers
e t a l. (N . Y. Ct. of App., July 19, 1949).

REVIEW, OCTOBER 1949

DECISIONS OF INTEREST TO LABOR

union-shop contract was illegal, as the NLRB had
never determined that the union contracted with
was the exclusive bargaining agent chosen by a
majority of the employees in an appropriate unit.
(Section 8 (3) of the original NLRA permitted an
employer to enforce a union-shop agreement if the
union was the representative chosen by a majority
of employees in an appropriate bargaining unit.)
The court of appeals, reversing the appellate
division, held that the contract could not be pre­
sumed to be invalid merely because the NLRB
had never made a determination as to the appro­
priate bargaining unit. In such a case, most
union-shop agreements would have been illegal
under the Wagner Act, the court said, since in
most such cases the Board had never made any
determination one way or another concerning ap­
propriateness of the unit on which the union-shop
agreement was based.
The company’s claim that the Board would
obviously hold the contract invalid if called upon
to decide the issue was denied, since the evidence
presented did not conclusively show that the
Joint Board would not have a majority. The
court pointed out that Amalgamated worked on
men’s clothing; and that there was considerable
evidence that the contract with the Joint Board
referred to women’s suits, indicating a probability
that, if the Board determined a multi-employer
unit to be appropriate, the Joint Board would
have a majority of all the employees in the unit.
Oregon—“Labor Dispute .” The Supreme Court of
Oregon in a recent case considered the meaning
of the words “ labor dispute” as used in two State
laws affecting labor relations.


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427

An injunction against a labor union was secured
in a trial court by an employer who alleged that
a union violated a State law by picketing the
employer, although a majority of the employees
were not union members and had voted against
the strike. The State law provides that upon
petition of an employer, the employees, or a union
in a labor dispute, the State labor commissioner
shall hold an election among the employees on the
question of whether the labor dispute should be
continued or terminated. If a majority of the
employees voted against continuation of the labor
dispute, the dispute was to be terminated for at
least 1 year.
The supreme court reversed 25 the trial court’s
decision. It pointed out that the statute gave
the commissioner power to determine whether a
“ labor dispute shall be continued or terminated
between an employer and his * * * em­
ployees.” In this case, the court said, the dispute
was between the employer and the union, not
between the employer and his employees. When
the employer refused to grant the union’s demand
to be exclusive bargaining representative, it was
the union, (with only a minority of the employees)
which was at odds with the employer.
Another State law, which limited injunctions in
labor controversies, defined “ labor disputes” to
include disputes between an employer and a union,
regardless of whether the disputants stand in the
proximate relation of employer and employees.
Since there was obviously a labor dispute between
the employer and the union, the anti-injunction
law was held applicable to this case.
55 Baker Community Hotel Co. v. Hotel & Restaurant Employees & Bar­
tenders International Union, Local No. 161 (Oreg. Sup Ct., July 6, 1949).

August 18

Chronology of
Recent Labor Events

T he U n it e d S t a tes C ourt of A pp e a l s at New York, in
the case of McCornb v. Frank Scerbo & Sons, Inc., et al,
unanimously affirmed a lower court decision giving the
Administrator of the Wage and Hour Division (U. S.
Department of Labor) authority, under the Fair Labor
Standards Act, to collect employees’ back overtime pay in
connection with an injunction suit. The workers involved
had not sued in accordance with the act. (Source: Labor
Relations Reporter, Summary of Developments, vol. 24,
No. 35, and 9 WH Cases, p. 76, Aug. 29, 1949; for discus­
sion, see p. 422 of this issue.)
T he NLRB

August 12, 1949
A N a tio na l L abor R el a t io n s B oard trial examiner, in
a case involving the Denver Building and Construction
Trade Council (AFL), ruled that picketing by a trade-union
of a building site on which nonunion men were employed
by 2 (of 3) subcontractors was primary in nature and did
not violate the secondary boycott ban of the Labor
Management Relations Act of 1947. At the contractors’
request, the NLRB General Counsel had petitioned the
United States District Court in Denver for an injunction
against the picketing. (Source: NLRB release R—232,
Aug. 12, 1949.)

took ju r isd ic t io n in the case of Joe V.
Williams, Jr., doing business as W DXB Broadcasting
Station (Chattanooga, Tenn.) and Radio Workers’ Local
662, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
(AFL), and ordered a representation election of engineers
and operators. The operation of the station was held to
affect commerce within the LMRA of 1947, although it
is not affiliated with a national broadcasting system.
(Source: Labor Relations Reporter, 24 LRRM, p. 1469,
Aug. 29, 1949.)

Labor and Public Welfare to make a thorough study of
the entire field of labor-management relations and to
submit the final report not later than December 31, 1950.
(Source: Congressional Record, Aug. 15, 1949, vol. 95,
No. 148, p. 11637.)

T h e NLRB held both Local 456 of the AFL Teamsters
Union and H. Milton Newnnan, truck operator, Mt.
Vernon, N. Y., guilty of illegal discrimination in the lay-off
of Ernest Fritz, Jr. Reversing a trial examiner, the Board
ruled that the local and employer were jointly and severally
responsible for full back pay, under section 10 (c) of the
LMRA of 1947, but made no attempt to apportion the
amount of back pay that each owed. Fritz wras laid off
at the insistence of the union which charged him with
being in arrears in dues. The Board held, however, that
no valid union-shop agreement existed. (Source: Labor
Relations Reporter, 24 LRRM, p. 1463, Aug. 29, 1949;
for discussion, see p. 424 of this issue.)

August 16

August 22

August 15
T h e U n it e d S ta tes S e n a t e authorized its Committee on

vetoed the President’s
Reorganization Plan No. 1 (see Chron. item for June 20,
1949, MLR, Aug. 1949) for creating a Department of
Welfare, to include education, health, and social security
functions. (Source: Congressional Record, vol. 95, No.
149, Aug. 16, 1949, p. 11748.)
T he

U n ited

S ta tes

Se n a t e

August 17
T h e U n it e d S ta tes S e n a t e approved the President’s
Reorganization Plan No. 2 (see Chron. item for June 20,
1949, MLR, Aug. 1949) to transfer the Bureau of Employ­
ment Security, which includes the U. S. Employment
Service and the Unemployment Insurance Service, from
the Federal Security Agency to the U. S. Department of
Labor. (Source: Congressional Record, vol. 95, No. 150,
p. 11826.)
On August 19, the transfer became effective. (Source:
U. S. Dept, of Labor, Labor Press Service, Week of Aug.
22, 1949.)

428

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T he U n it e d S t a tes C ourt of A ppe a l s at Richmond, Va.,
in McComb v. Homeworkers’ Handicraft Cooperative, ruled
that homeworkers inserting draw strings in bags manu­
factured by certain companies and paid on a piece-work
basis were “employees” of such companies, under the Fair
Labor Standards Act, and not independent contractors
functioning through a cooperative. This ruling reversed
a lower court’s decision, and upheld the Administrator of
the Wage and Hour Division, U. S. Department of Labor.
(Source: Labor Relations Reporter, Summary of Develop­
ments, vol. 24, No. 35, p. 2, and 9 WH Cases, p. 99, Aug.
29, 1949; for discussion, see p. 422 of this issue.)

August 23
P h il ip M. K a is e r took the oath of office as Assistant

Secretary of Labor for International Labor Affairs.
(Source: U. S. Department of Labor release S50-249, week
of Aug. 29, 1949.) His nomination was confirmed by the
U. S. Senate on August 12. (Source: Congressional
Record, vol. 95, No. 147, Aug. 12, 1949, p. 11603.)

CHRONOLOGY OF LABOR EVENTS

August 24
T he NLRB, in th e case of Anchor Rug Mill, York, S. C.
and Textile Workers Union of America (CIO), upheld a
trial examiner’s findings that the employer had interfered
with employee’s self-organizational rights, and was guilty
of discriminatory discharge, in violation of the LMRA of
1947. The Board ordered the employer to stop such inter­
ference, and to reinstate four employees with back pay and
to give back pay to another. (Source: Labor Relations
Reporter, 24 LRRM, p. 1471, Aug. 29, 1949.)

August 29
T h e NLRB, in th e case of Flint Lumber Co. [Flint, Mich.]
and United Dairy and Bakery Workers, Local 383, affiliated
with Retail, Wholesale, and Department Store Union
(CIO), ruled that the revoking of an unlawful unionsecurity provision in a contract must be written and signed
by both parties to permit the agreement to operate as a
bar to a representation election requested by a rival union.
(Source: Labor Relations Reporter, Analysis, p. 73, and
24 LRRM, p. 1487, Sept. 5, 1949.)

August 30

429

picketing the three stores to compel them to cease doing
business with the delivery service, and (2) Local 191 had
encouraged truck drivers of one store to engage in an
unlawful sympathetic work stoppage on behalf of the
recognition boycott by Local 145. (Source: NLRB release
R-236, Sept. 4, 1949.)

September 4
A n NLRB tr ia l e x a m in e r ruled that the Los Angeles
Building and Construction Trades Council (AFL) and
Local 1607 of the AFL Carpenters’ Union had violated the
ban on jurisdictional strikes, under the LMRA of 1947
(see Chron. item of May 12, 1949, MLR July 1949). He
recommended that they and their agents be required to
stop inducing or encouraging employees of any employer
to engage in a strike or boycott to force Westinghouse
Electric Corp. “to assign particular work heretofore per­
formed by members of Machinists Local Lodge 1235 to
members of the Millwrights Local 1607.” (Source:
NLRB release R-237, Sept. 5, 1949.)

September 6

T he P r e sid e n t proclaim ed the week beginning October
2, 1949, as National Employ the Physically Handicapped
Week. (Source: Federal Register, vol. 14, No. 169,
Sept. 1, 1949.) The President’s Committee on NEPH
met in Washington, D. C. Secretary of Labor Tobin
welcomed the group. The President greeted the commit­
tee at the White House and presented cash prizes to five
high-school students, winners of an essay contest on help­
ing the handicapped get work. (Source: New York
Times, Aug. 31, 1949.)

T he NLRB, in th e case of Tide Water Associated Oil Co.,
Bayonne, N. J., and Employes’ Association, Inc. (Ind.).
ruled that an employer must bargain on the terms of pen­
sion plans under the LMRA of 1947, in “the absence of a
specific waiver of the union’s right to bargain.” It held
that a contract clause giving management “exclusive
functions” as to “the retiring of employees” and stipulating
that the agreement should not affect operation of any
welfare or benefit plan of the company, did not constitute
a waiver of the union’s right to demand such bargaining.
(Source: Labor Relations Reporter, 24 LRRM, p. 1518,
Sept. 12, 1949.)

September 2

September 7

NLRB a ppr o v ed a settlement in the so-called
Bercut-Richards case calling for the reinstatement of
1,326 members or supporters of the CIO Food, Tobacco,
and Agricultural Workers (who, the NLRB had charged,
were illegally discharged by California canneries in 1946)
and payment of back wages up to $205,000. The case
grew out of mass discharges following a closed-shop con­
tract signed by the companies and the AFL Teamsters’
Union while the question of representation between the
two unions was pending before the NLRB. (Source:
NLRB release R-235, Sept. 2, 1949.)

T he second in t e r n a t io n a l con g r ess of the InterAmerican Labor Confederation convened in Havana,
Cuba. All American Nations except Nicaragua, Hon­
duras, and the Dominican Republic were represented.
(Source: New York Times, Sept. 7, 1949.)

T he

September 3
T h e NLRB,

in t h e case of three department stores of
Bridgeport, Conn., and two locals of the AFL Teamsters’
Union, held that (1) Local 145 had violated the “recogni­
tion boycott” ban of the LMRA of 1947 (sec. 8 (b) (4) (B))
by endeavoring to gain recognition (although not certified
by NLRB as employee bargaining representative), by


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September 10
T he S t e e l F act -F in d in g B oard , appointed by President
Truman July 15, 1949 (see Chron. item, July 12, 1949,
MLR, Sept. 1949), submitted its report to the President,
urging the United Steelworkers of America (CIO) to
withdraw its fourth-round wage demands, and recom­
mended employer-paid social insurance and pension pro­
grams, amounting to 10 cents an hour. (Source: Report
to the President * * * on the Labor Dispute in the
Basic Steel Industry. * * * Washington, U. S. Goverment Printing Office, 1949.) The President immediately
requested an extension of the strike truce until September
25 to permit time to study the report. (Souree: New
York Times, Sept. 10, 1949.)

Publications
of Labor Interest

Special Reviews
The U. A. W. and Walter Reuther. By Irving Howe and
B. J. Widick. New York, Random House, 1949.
309 pp. $3.
The library of histories of the UAW has grown of late,
in quantity, anyway, and perhaps more than a mite in
quality too. There was Mr. Henry Kraus’ The Many
and the Few, of 1947, wh,ich can be regarded as a glance
at the 1936-37 Flint sit-down strikes through rose-colored,
hammer-and-sickle-shaped glasses. There was Mr. Clay­
ton Fountain’s Union Guy, of earlier this year, reviewed
in the May 1949 issue of the Monthly Labor Review
(p. 562), which presents what might be called the family
edition. And now Messrs. Howe and Widick, with the
polite critique of the loyal opposition.
The UAW is an important and interesting union with a
colorful past and an important future, and its history
deserves to be written with a good deal of detail and a good
bit of truth. The detail of the UAW’s history consists
of its fierce factional struggles, centered in attempts to
secure or prevent Communist Party control; of its vigorous
strikes, the full force of which has been felt by every
automobile company except Kaiser-Frazer; and of its
unusual leadership, tenure in which has been the equiva­
lent of a political aptitude test. The truth of its history
will always be obscured, distorted, and abused so long as the
details are given sectarian interpretation. (By this is not
meant such careless errors in fact as scholars might readily
discover in the book under review: e. g., consistent mis­
spelling of the name of Governor Murray D. Van Wagoner
of Michigan; insistence that labor turn-over figures for the
auto industry are unavailable; use of incorrect names of
people, publications, and organizations.)
Take the 1936-38 period. The real history of those days
is written in hundreds of leaflets, speeches, and caucus
pronunciamentos, scattered among the possessions of a
half-dozen faithful collectors. No author of UAW history
to date has bad the courage or the freedom or the ability
to make full use of them. And a pity it is, because those
were the years when the union made its first stand on the
outer economic front and on the inner political front, and
E d it o e ’s N o t e .—Correspondence regarding the publications to which
reference is made in this list should be addressed to the respective publishing
agencies mentioned. Where data on prices were readily available, they have
been shown with the title series.

430


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the story is about to become apocryphal. The written
record to remain ever fresh must be ever freshly rewritten.
The real value of the Howe-Widick book is not as history
or social philosophy. It rests mainly in two essays: one
a character sketch of Walter Reuther; the other a descrip­
tion of the shop steward system and day-to-day grievance
settlement.
Portraits of Walter Reuther usually either distastefully
apotheosize or crudely derogate. But Howe and Widick
give us a balanced picture. They view him as an “un­
finished personality,” regretting his lack of “a more rounded
intellectual-cultural existence” and accusing him of being
a “political machine.” They fear that he “has slipped into
the character mold of the American managerial type: the
personality of neutral efficiency,” and deplore the conflict
between “his own image of himself and his need to be a
popular leader; between his long-range passions and his
day-to-day compromises.” They confront Reuther with
the choice of “playing it safe,” and probably succeeding to
the leadership of the CIO, or “giving free reign [sic] to
great gifts for popular leadership,” with the possibility of
suffering temporary “isolation and rejection.” His career
is “a reflection of the experience of a generation of American
radicals and liberals whose work and thought betray an
irksome split between a commanding urge to power and a
weakened but still restive commitment to social vision.
Public understanding of the intricacies and importance
of the daily application of a collective agreement has
largely been lost because of the drama which frequently
precedes and attends the signing of an agreement. Shop
stewards and plant bargaining committee members are
the subalterns of the union officer class. They develop
the talents which make for the artistry of collective
bargaining. They form the direct link between manage­
ment and the rank and file. The authors hail the role of
the steward and deplore the departmentalizing tendency
of the UAW, which de-emphasizes and limits his functions.
This, they contend, weakens inner-union democracy
through creation of a large bureaucracy dependent directly
on the leadership rather than on the membership. To
survive, they feel, the UAW must retain both democracy
and militancy. They point out (with alarm) that “for
the first time in the union’s history, there is no significant
opposition to the leadership.” This lack “can only help
to entrench and calcify the present leadership.” L. R. K.
How to Do Business with the U. S. Government. By Oliver
Hoyem. New York, Oliver Durrell, Inc., 1949.
288 pp. $5.
This is a book primarily for American businessmen.
Its usefulness derives from its practicality concerning the
purchasing practices of the United States Government
and successful dealing with Government officials and
Congressmen in connection with business matters.
The first chapter describes the Federal Government as
“a live prospect” for almost any businessman and states
that “Uncle Sam is in the market for astronomical piles
of merchandise. He wants to buy everything from
teething rings to coffins.” The author goes on to examine
the persistent legend that government is hard to do busi-

PUBLICATIONS OF LABOR INTEREST
ness with and concludes that this is no more true of govern­
ment than it is of a big department store or of any other
organization dealing in large numbers of items in great
quantities.
The first and most important step for the person who
wants to do business with the Government is to find the
right “operational level.” The author warns that “there
is no such thing as an unimportant public official.” The
book is filled with specific suggestions on how to find the
particular administrative officer or technical expert with
whom one must deal in given situations. Much advice is
also given with respect to do’s and don’ts in dealing with
Government employees and Congressmen on business
matters.
The major part of the book is devoted to a presentation
of the programs and purchasing practices of individual
executive departments and agencies of the Government.
Information is also given concerning the Government as a
seller of surplus property. A chapter on “Facts for the
Asking” describes the information sources of the Govern­
ment which are of special interest to businessmen. A
chapter on the service departments describes the use
which may be made by business and industry of such
governmental organizations as the National Bureau of
Standards, the Patent Office, and the Weather Bureau.
—H. E. B.

Agriculture
Crops and Markets, 1949 Edition. Washington, U. S. De­
partment of Agriculture, Bureau of Agricultural Eco­
nomics, 1949. 133 pp. (Vol. 26.) 65 cents, Super­
intendent of Documents, Washington.
Second annual edition of Crops and Markets, formerly
a quarterly publication. The volume contains various
historical series as well as detailed data for 1948. Among
the items covered are farm employment and wage rates,
farm income, price spreads between farmers and consum­
ers, and prices received and paid by farmers.
Estimates of Agricultural Employment and Wage Rates.
By Thomas C. M. Robinson and Paul P. Wallrabenstein. (In Journal of Farm Economics, Menasha,
Wis., May 1949, pp. 233-252. $1.25.)
Description of procedures recently adopted by the
Bureau of Agricultural Economics for estimating farm
employment and farm wage rates. Background accounts
are given of the earlier procedures. Also, the Bureau of
Agricultural Economics’ concept of employment is com­
pared with the labor force concept applied by the Bureau
of the Census in its estimates of agricultural employment
published in its Monthly Report on the Labor Force.
Employment of Foreign Workers in United States Agricul­
ture. By Daniel Goott. (In Department of State
Bulletin, Washington, July 18, 1949, pp. 43-46. 20
cents, Superintendent of Documents, Washington.)
Review of experience with the foreign migratory labor
program since its inception in 1942.
Organized Movements of Seasonal Workers in Agriculture.
(In Labor Gazette, Department of Labor, Ottawa,
July 1949, pp. 834-841, map, chart. 10 cents.)
Report on movements of Canadian agricultural workers

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431

within Canada and to the United States, with some men­
tion of reciprocal movements of United States workers to
Canada.
Minimum Wage Fixing Machinery in Agriculture. Ge­
neva, International Labor Office, 1949. 85 pp. (Re­
port VII (1) prepared for 33d Session of International
Labor Conference, 1950.) 50 cents. Distributed in
United States by Washington Branch of ILO.

Cooperative Movement
Macedonia Cooperative Community, Clarkesville, Ga.■—Re­
port, 1948. Glen Gardner, N. J., Libertarian Press,
[1949]. 20 pp. 25 cents.
History of the community, with description of problems,
accomplishments, and financial situation.
Industrial Cooperatives and Village Industries in Bombay
Province A Bird’s Eye View of Work Done During
1946—48. By L. N. Renu. Bombay, Provincial In­
dustrial Cooperative Assn., Ltd., 1949. 47 pp. (In­
dustrial Cooperatives Library, C7.) Rs. 1/4.
Full Report of 1948 Congress of Queensland Cooperatives,
Held in Brisbane on August 10 and 11, 1948. Bris­
bane, Cooperative Union of Queensland, 1949. 204
pp., illus.
Fourth Annual Report of Department of Cooperation and
Cooperative Development of Province of Saskatchewan,
for 12 Months Ended March 31, 1948. Regina, 1949.
Variously paged, maps, charts, illus.
In addition to detailed statistics on operation of the
various types of cooperatives in the Province, the report
contains special chapters on credit unions (for year ended
December 31, 1947), extension services, women’s coopera­
tive activities, and research and trade services.
Staff Pensions in the Swedish Consumers’ Cooperative Move­
ment. By Sven D. Guldberg. (In Review of Inter­
national Cooperation, London, April-May 1949, pp.
98-107.)

Cost and Standards of Living
The Economic Theory of Cost of Living Index Numbers.
By Melville Jack Ulmer. New York, Columbia Uni­
versity Press, 1949. 106 pp., bibliography, diagrams.
(Studies in History, Economics, and Public Law No.
550.) $2.
Guiding Family Spending. Washington, U. S. Depart­
ment of Agriculture, Bureau of Human Nutrition and
Home Economics, 1949. 26 pp., bibliography. (De­
partment of Agriculture Miscellaneous Publication
No. 661.) 15 cents, Superintendent of Documents,
Washington.
Methods of Family Living Studies. Geneva, International
Labor Office, 1949. 63 pp. (Studies and Reports,
New Series, No. 17.) 40 cents. Distributed in
United States by Washington Branch of ILO.)
Report prepared for 7th International Conference of
Labor Statisticians, Geneva, September 1949.

432

PUBLICATIONS OF LABOR INTEREST

Family Income, Expenditures, and Savings in 1945— Bir­
mingham, Ala., Indianapolis, Ind., Portland, Oreg.
Washington, U. S. Department of Labor, Bureau of
Labor Statistics, 1949. 41 pp. (Bull. No. 956.)
25 cents, Superintendent of Documents, Washington.
Changes in the Cost of Living and the Distribution of Income
[in Great Britain] Since 1938. By Dudley Seers.
Oxford, Basil Blackwell, 1949. 84 pp., chart. 6s.
net.
Reprinted from issues of Oxford University Institute of
Statistics Bulletin.
Consumer Expenditures in India, 1931-32 to 1940-41. By
R. C. Desai. (In Journal of the Royal Statistical
Society, Series A (General), Vol. CXI, Part IV,
London, 1948, pp. 261-298; discussion, pp. 298-307.
15s.)

Economic and Social Problems
Guideposts in Time of Change: By John Maurice Clark.
Some Essentials for a Sound American Economy.
New York, Harper & Brothers, 1949. 210 pp. $3.
The author describes the “totalitarian threat” and
states that in meeting it we must put “our own house in
order.” We must learn to “question our inherited illusion
that a juxtaposition of undisciplined private purposes,
driving in all directions, can make up a society.” One of
the great questions confronting us is the possibility under
private enterprise of maintaining opportunity, security,
and jobs. In the discussion of that question and of the
making of the necessary “strategic decisions,” the volume
emphasizes the three “key factors” of spending, wages, and
prices. In a chapter on collective bargaining and wages,
collective bargaining with strong unions is described as
both inevitable and indispensable as “the worker’s alterna­
tive of serfdom.” The discussion of wages is an attempt
to strike a balance between wages as costs and wages as
income.

MONTHLY LABOR

Economic Stagnation in Italy? By Jacob J. Kaplan.
New Haven, Conn., Yale University, Institute of
International Studies, 1949. 30 pp.; processed.
(Memorandum No. 32.)
Economics in South Africa. By N. N. Franklin. Cape
Town, Oxford University Press, 1948. 253 pp.,
charts. 15s.
The writer evaluates the South African economy,
including its labor problems, and considers how it may be
made “more efficient, more equitable and more stable.”

Education and Training
Apprentice Training in Worker Education Methods, August
15-28, 1948, Hudson Shore Labor School, West Park,
N. Y. West Park, N. Y., Hudson Shore Labor School,
[1948?]. 20 pp.; processed.
Apprenticeship in Western New York State: A Study of the
Present Status of Apprentice Training Programs
and of Indentured Apprentices. By Edward B. Van
Dusen. Ithaca, Cornell University, New York State
School of Industrial and Labor Relations, 1949. 51
pp., bibliography. (Research Bull. No. 2.) 15 cents
outside of New York State.
How to Organize and Run Apprentice Systems. By Wil­
liam F. Patterson, director, Apprentice-Training
Service, U. S. Department of Labor. New York,
Funk & Wagnalls Co., 1948. 69 pp., bibliography.
(Reading Course in Executive Technique, Section IV,
Book 4.)
Modern Training Programs'—Basic Principles, by X. F.
Sutton, and On-The-Job-Training, by A. T. Garrett, are
two other training pamphlets in this series.
Out-of-School Vocational Guidance: The Organization,
Operation, and Development of Community Vocational
Guidance Service. By Roswell Ward. New York,
Harper & Brothers, 1949. 155 pp., bibliography,
forms. $2.50.
Vocational Training of Adults, Including Disabled Persons.
Geneva, International Labor Office, 1949. 216 pp.
(Report IX (1) prepared for 33d Session of Interna­
tional Labor Conference, 1950.) $1.25. Distributed
in United States by Washington Branch of ILO.

The Power of Freedom. By Max Ascoli. New York,
Farrar, Straus & Co., 1949. 173 pp. $2.75.
A central theme is the relation between freedom and
work— not merely the right to have a job but the right to
conditions of and compensation for labor that do not bar
the maintenance of other rights. The author describes
both Communism and economic liberalism (in the older
sense of laissez faire or a merely negative political policy) as
enemies of freedom in our complex and industrialized
society. He believes that the postwar programs and
agencies designed to enable the free peoples of the world to
take concerted and disciplined measures for the mainte­
nance of their freedoms give promise of a persuasive
influence over the peoples who are not free.

Employment of Physically Handicapped and Older Workers.
Washington, Chamber of Commerce of the United
States, Department of Manufacture, 1949. 27 pp.;
processed.
Summary of survey conducted jointly by the Chamber
of Commerce and the National Association of Manufac­
turers among member companies.

The Hidden Payroll: Non-Wage Labor Costs of Doing
Business. Washington, Chamber of Commerce of the
United States, Economic Research Department, 1949.
32 pp., bibliography, charts; processed. 50 cents.

New Hope for the Handicapped: The Rehabilitation of the
Disabled from Bed to Job. By Howard A. Rusk and
Eugene J. Taylor. New York, Harper & Brothers,
1949. 231 pp. $3.


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Handicapped Workers

REVIEW, OCTOBER 1949

PUBLICATIONS OF LABOR INTEREST

Rehabilitation of the Handicapped—a Bibliography, 194046. By Maya Rivière. New York (1790 Broadway),
National Council on Rehabilitation, 1949. 2 vols.,
998 pp. $10, Livingston Press, Livingston, N. Y.
This comprehensive bibliography incorporates litera­
ture on various phases of rehabilitation'—medical, social,
psychological, educational, economic, and vocational.
It also lists agencies that have published material on the
handicapped, films dealing with various aspects of rehabili­
tation, and sources of films.
Services for the Blind in Kansas. By Harry E. Hayes.
(In Public Welfare, Chicago, June-July 1949, pp.
126-129. 50 cents.)
The Development of a Vocational-Rehabilitation Program
for the Neuropsychiatric. By L. W. Rockower. (In
Mental Hygiene, New York, July 1949, pp. 386-400.
$1.25.)
Rehabilitation of the Tuberculous. By H. A. Pattison,
M.D. Livingston, N. Y., Livingston Press, 1949.
250 pp., bibliographies, diagrams, forms, illus. $3.75.
A third edition, which embodies advances of the past
decade in this branch of tuberculosis therapy. Cites
numerous case histories to illustrate points in text.

Industrial Hygiene
Health At Work: Transaction of 13th Annual Meeting,
Industrial Hygiene Foundation of America, Inc.,
November 18, 1948. Pittsburgh, Industrial Hygiene
Foundation, 1949. 118 pp., charts. (Transactions
Bull. No. 10.)
Covers various aspects of industrial hygiene, including
safety codes and code-making, atomic-radiation and
industrial-heat hazards, dust diseases and their compen­
sation, and industrial health legislation in 1948.
Industrial Hygiene and Toxicology, Voi. I. Edited by
Frank A. Patty. New York, Interscience Publishers,
Inc., 1948. 531 pp., diagrams, illus. $10.
Comprehensive presentation intended primarily for plant
personnel who safeguard industrial health. Eleven spe­
cialists contributed the individual chapters. Not only are
toxic and other major hazards of the work environment
analyzed as to their nature, effects, measurement, and
control, but consideration is given to personal and other
factors relevant to workers’ health and efficiency. Among
topics covered are entry and action of toxic materials,
fatigue, radiant energy, dust in relation to occupational
disease, visible marks of occupations and occupational
diseases, industrial-process ventilation, and the industrial
hygiene survey. The volume incorporates considerable
data on standards, techniques, and research, appraises
their present status, and indicates areas where further
experiment is needed. A final volume is to follow.
Industrial Workers —Health, Hygiene, Safety, Compensation.
Washington, Government Printing Office, Superin­
tendent of Documents, April 1949. 13 pp. (Price
List No. 78, 1st ed.)
List of U. S. Government publications for sale by Super­
intendent of Documents.
8 5 4 9 8 2 -4 9 -

-6


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433

Disposal of Fluorescent Lamps. (In National Safety News,
Chicago, August 1949, pp. 40, 42, 95, illus. Industrial
Data Sheet D-Gen. 36.)
Storage and Handling of Lubricants. By A. F. Brewer.
(In Safety Review, U. S. Navy Department, Office of
Industrial Relations, Washington, June 1949, pp. 4-9,
illus. 10 cents, Superintendent of Documents,
Washington.)

Industrial Relations
Can Labor and Management Work Together? By Osgood
Nichols and T. R. Carskadon. New York, Public
Affairs Committee, Inc., 1949. 32 pp., bibliography,
charts, illus. (Public Affairs Pamphlet No. 151.)
20 Cents.
Based on Partners in Production: A Basis for LaborManagement Understanding, published by Twentieth
Century Fund (see Monthly Labor Review, May 1949,
p. 539).
Foremen —Leaders or Drivers. By Sherman Rogers. Chi­
cago, Sherman Rogers Publications, 1948. 95 pp.
Multi-Employer Collective Bargaining. By Derek S.
Griffin. (In Public Affairs, Halifax, Nova Scotia,
Spring 1949, pp. 45-50. 30 cents.)
Ten Years of the Minnesota Labor Relations Act. By Jack
W. Stieber. Minneapolis, University of Minnesota,
Industrial Relations Center, 1949. 32 pp. (Bull.
No. 9.) $1.
Works Councils. By Jean De Givry. (In International
Labor Review, Geneva, June 1949, pp. 633-667.
50 cents. Distributed in United States by Washing­
ton Branch of ILO.)
The “works councils” discussed in the article are the
chief types of agencies set up in different countries “to
associate the workers with the responsibilities of manage­
ment.”
Industrial Relations, Journal of the Indian Institute of
Personnel Management, Vol. 1, No. 2. Calcutta,
March-April 1949. 57 pp. Rs. 1/8 per copy, Rs. 9
per year (post free).
Collective Bargaining in the Soviet Union. (In Harvard
Law Review, Cambridge, Mass., May 1949, pp.
1191-1207. $1.10.)
Discussion and analysis, based on Soviet sources, of the
history and present nature of collective bargaining in the
Soviet Union. How Soviet-type “collective contracts”
are formulated and enforced is described in detail.

Industry Reports
Pepperell’s Progress: History of a Cotton Textile Company,
1944-1945. By Evelyn H. Knowlton. Cambridge,
Harvard University Press, 1948. xxix, 511 pp., bibli­
ographical footnotes, illus. (Harvard Studies in
Business History, X III.) $5.
This addition to the Harvard Studies in Business History
follows in general the pattern of earlier studies in its em-

434

PUBLICATIONS OF LABOR INTEREST

phasis on business techniques. It describes the enlarge­
ment of the company’s operations as to both types of
products and extension of operations to the South to meet
the rising competition of the mills in that region. Labor
is viewed primarily in relation to the administration of the
company’s affairs but there is much information relating
to labor supply, the company’s labor policies, labor unions,
wages and hours, and living conditions of workers.
Report to the President of the United States on the Labor
Dispute in the Basic Steel Industry, Submitted Sep­
tember 10, 1949. By Steel Industry Board Appointed
by the President, July 15, 1949. Washington, U. S.
Government Printing Office, 1949. 83 pp. 30 cents.
Statement Before the Presidential Steel Board in the Matter of
United Steelworkers of America, CIO, and Various
Members of the Steel Industry, Including Certain
United States Steel Subsidiaries, New York, N. Y.,
August 22, 1949. By Enders M. Voorhees, chairman
of Finance Committee, United States Steel Corpora­
tion. [New York, United States Steel Corp.?], 1949.
69 pp., bibliography, charts.
The Steelworkers’ Case for Wages, Pensions, and Social
Insurance. As presented to President Truman’s
Steel Industry Board by Philip Murray, president,
United Steelworkers of America. Pittsburgh, United
Steelworkers of America, 1949. 29 pp.
National Maritime Board Year Book, 1949—Summary of
Agreements. London, National Maritime Board,
1949. 147 pp. 9d.
Standard rates of pay, conditions of employment, and
other determinations, as specified in agreements of the
British National Maritime Board, revised to May 9, 1949.
Seafarers’ Conditions in India and Pakistan. Report on a
Mission of Inquiry, October-November 1947, by
James L. Mowat. Geneva, International Labor
Office, 1949. 96 pp. (Studies and Reports, New
Series, No. 14.) 50 cents. Distributed in United
States by Washington Branch of ILO.
India’s Basic Industries. By P. J. Thomas. Calcutta,
etc., Orient Longmans, Ltd., 1948. 364 pp., maps,
charts. Rs. 16.

International Labor Conditions
The Contribution of the I. L. O. to Peace. By Edward
Phelan. (In International Labor Review, Geneva,
June 1949, pp. 607-632. 50 cents. Distributed in
United States by Washington Branch of ILO.)
Thirty-Second Session of the [International Labor] Confer­
ence. (In Industry and Labor, Geneva, August 1,
1949, pp. 100-175. 25 cents. Distributed in United
States by Washington Branch of ILO.)
An article on the conference was published in the Sep­
tember Monthly Labor Review (p. 272).
Problems in the Collection and Comparability of International
Labor Statistics. By Robert Morse Woodbury. (In
Milbank Memorial Fund Quarterly, New York, July
1949, pp. 314-323. 25 cents.)

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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

MONTHLY LABOR

World Labor Standards. Washington, U. S. Department
of Labor, Bureau of Labor Standards, 1949. 8 pp.,
diagrams. (Bull. No. 111.) 10 cents, Superintendent
of Documents, Washington.

Labor and Social Legislation
The Constitution and Socio-Economic Change. By Henry
Rottschaefer. Ann Arbor, University of Michigan
Law School, 1948. 253 pp. (Thomas M. Cooley
Lectures, First Series.) $3.50.
Five lectures delivered at University of Michigan, March
24-28, 1947. Considerable attention is given to Federal
and State regulation of labor conditions.
Discussion of Labor Laws and Their Administration, 1948:
Proceedings of 81st Convention of International Association of Governmental Labor Officials, Charleston,
W. Va., Aug. 11-18, 1948. Washington, U. S. De­
partment of Labor, Bureau of Labor Standards, 1949.
181pp. (Bull. No. 107.) 50 cents, Superintendent of
Documents, Washington.
Labor Law—Railway Labor A ct—Effect of Creation of
National Railroad Adjustment Board on Jurisdiction
of Courts. By Frank L. Adamson. (In Michigan
Law Review, Ann Arbor, May 1949, pp. 984-993. $1.)
Corso di Diritto del Lavoro. By Giuliano Mazzoni and
Aldo Grechi. Bologna, Cesare Zuffi, 1948. 507 pp.
Deals with the development and application of labor
and social legislation in Italy. The authors, members of
the faculties of law and economics, respectively, at the
University of Florence, prepared the volume as a university
textbook.
A Statement of the Laws of Venezuela in Matters Affecting
Business in its Various Aspects and Activities, [os of
November 15, 1948]. Washington, Pan American
Union, 1949. 170 pp.; processed. $10.
English translation of Spanish original by Luis Loreto
and Rene Lepervanche Parparcen, prepared under auspices
of Inter-American Development Commission.

Labor Organization
The Labor Movements in Australia and New Zealand. By
David L. Glickman. (In Social Research, New York,
June 1949, pp. 199-221. $1.)
Democracy in the Dominions— A Comparative Study in
Institutions. By Alexander Brady. Toronto, Ontario,
University of Toronto Press, 1948. 475 pp., bibliog­
raphy. $4.25.
Includes discussion of trade-unions in the four dominions
studied— Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South
Africa.
Colombia Tackles Dual Unionism. By J. A. C. Grant.
(In Inter-American Economic Affairs, Washington,
Spring 1949, pp. 3-11.)
The Trade Union Movement of Czechoslovakia. Prague,
Central Council of Trade Unions, [1948?]. 31 pp.,
map, charts, illus.

REVIEW, OCTOBER 1949

PUBLICATIONS OF LABOR INTEREST

British Trade Unions. By M. Turner-Samuels. London,
Sampson Low, Marston & Co., Ltd., 1949. 212 pp.,
diagram. 7s. 6d.
LO-Deleg asjonens Studiereise i De Forente Stater— Beretning. Oslo, Arbeidernes Faglige Landsorganisasjon,
1949. 87 pp., maps, charts, illus.
Report on the Norwegian trade-union delegation’s
visit to the United States in January 1949.

Occupations
Dictionary of Occupational Titles: Vol. 1, Definitions
of Titles. Prepared by Division of Occupational
Analysis, United States Employment Service. Wash­
ington, Federal Security Agency, Social Security
Administration, Bureau of Employment Security,
1949. 1,518 pp. 2d ed. $3.50, Superintendent
of Documents, Washington.
Employment Outlook in the Building Trades. Washington,
U. S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statis­
tics, 1949. 121 pp., charts. (Bull. No. 967.) 50 cents,
Superintendent of Documents, Washington.
Business As a Career. New York, New York University,
1949. 63 pp., illus. (Bulletin, Vol. XLIX, No. 6.)
Opportunities in Home Economics: An Annotated Bibli­
ography on Home Economics Careers. By Charlotte
Biester. Millbrae, Calif., National Press, 1948.
50 pp. $1.
Optometry— Professional, Economic, and Legal Aspects.
By H. W. Hofstetter. St. Louis, C. V. Mosby Co.,
1948. 412 pp., bibliographies, charts. $6.50.
Your Career in Printing— Facts About a Major Industry
and What it Offers You. New York, New York
Employing Printers Association, Inc., [1948?]. 24 pp.,
illus.

Older Workers and The Aged
Economics of Old Age. By Ewan Clague. Washington,
U. S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statis­
tics, 1949. 9 pp., charts; processed. Free.
Address by the Commissioner of Labor Statistics at
Institute on Problems of Old Age, University of Chicago,
August 11, 1949.
Living Through the Older Years: Proceedings of the Charles
A. Fisher Memorial Institute on Aging. Ann Arbor,
University of Michigan Press, 1949. 193 pp. $2.
The institute considered various problems and adjust­
ments of later maturity and old age.
Older People. By R. K. McNickle. Washington (1205
19th Street NW.), Editorial Research Reports, 1949.
17 pp. (Vol. II, 1949, No. 4.) $1.
National significance of the aging population, security
and care of elderly persons, and employment and occupa­
tional problems are discussed.


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435

The Social and Economic Problems of Employment of Older
Workers. By Ewan Clague. Washington, U. S.
Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics,
1949. 8 pp.; processed. Free.
Address by the Commissioner of Labor Statistics at
second annual Institute on Living in the Later Years,
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, July 21, 1949.

Personnel Management
A Guide to Good Labor Relations: Analysis of Personnel
Practices in the Cleveland Area. Cleveland, Asso­
ciated Industries of Cleveland, 1949. 18 pp., charts.
Office Management and Control. By George R. Terry.
Chicago, Richard D. Irwin, Inc., 1949. 808 pp.,
bibliography, diagrams, forms, illus. $6.
Part V (pp. 429-599) deals with personnel matters, in­
cluding selection and training, salary administration, job
analysis, unionization, safety, etc.
Orienting the New Worker. New York, Metropolitan Life
Insurance Co., Policyholders Service Bureau, Group
Insurance Division, 1949. 54 pp., forms, illus.;
processed.
Supervision in Business and Industry. By Robert D.
Loken and Earl P. Strong. New York, Funk &
Wagnalls Co. in association with Modern Industry
Magazine, 1949. 225 pp., forms, illus. $3.50.
Planning and Preparing the Employee Information Manual.
Chicago, Dartnell Corp., [1949]. In 2 parts, variously
pa.ged, forms, illus.; processed. (Report No. 585.)

Social Insurance and Employee Benefits
Employee Insurance Plans: Assisting Employees to Meet
Personal Responsibilities Through Group Insurance,
Pension Plans, etc. By W. Rulon Williamson. New
York, Funk & Wagnalls Co., 1948. 98 pp. (Reading
Course in Executive Technique, Section III, Book 5.)
Survey of Employee Benefit Plans, Chicago Metropolitan
Area. Chicago, Research Council for Economic
Security, 1949. 27 pp., form. (Publication No. 55.)
Similar surveys of employee benefit plans were made in
Cleveland, Detroit, Pittsburgh, St. Louis, and St. PaulMinneapolis.
A brief article by a member of the staff of the Research
Council for Economic Security, giving highlights of the
surveys, was published in the Personnel Journal for JulyAugust 1949.
Ninth Annual Report of Board of Trustees, Federal Old-Age
and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund, [Fiscal Year
Ended June 80, 1948]. Washington, 1949. 32 pp.,
charts. (Senate Doc. No. 41, 81st Cong., 1st Sess.)
10 cents, Superintendent of Documents, Washington.
What’s Ahead in Employee Health and Pension Planning.
(In Personnel Series, No. 126, American Management
Association, New York 1949, pp. 3-33.)

436

PUBLICATIONS OF LABOR INTEREST

MONTHLY LABOR

Seguros Sociales. By Severino Aznar. Madrid,
Instituto de Estudios Politicos, 1947. 476 pp. (Ecos
del Catolicismo Social de España, Vol. II.)
Presents a series of studies covering the development,
philosophy, and administration of social insurance in Spain,
particularly family allowances.

dustry break-downs. It also shows the percentage of man­
hours worked in piecework, by industry. A r6sum6 in
French and a French translation of the table of contents
are provided.

Social Welfare in Sweden. By Konrad Persson. (In
Social Security Bulletin, Federal Security Agency,
Social Security Administration, Washington, April
1949, pp. 16-18, 24. 20 cents, Superintendent of
Documents, Washington.)

Detailed Comparative Report Showing the Existing Disabili­
ties of Women in the Field of Educational and Profes­
sional Opportunities. [Lake Success, N. Y.], United
Nations, Economic and Social Council, 1949. 63 pp.;
processed.

Wages and Hours of Labor

Highways to Jobs for Women: How to Pick College Courses
for Your Career. By Josephine H. Gerth. New
York, Woman’s Press, 1948. 132 pp. $3.
Not only counsels as to selection of college courses in
preparation for a career, but classifies and describes jobs
from which the student may select the one best adapted
to her abilities and preferences.

Los

Clerical Salary Survey of Rates Paid, April 1949. New
York, National Industrial Conference Board, Inc.,
1949. 18 pp.; processed. (Studies in Labor Statis­
tics, No. 2.)
Pay Rates for Selected City Jobs, [January 1949]. (In
Municipal Year Book, International City Managers’
Association, New York, 1949, pp. 117-121. $10.)
Fire Department Statistics. Police Department Statistics.
(In Municipal Year Book, International City Man­
agers’ Association, New York, 1949, pp. 346-382,
397-427, charts. $10.)
The two articles listed include data for 1949 on salaries
and weekly hours of work of firemen and policemen in
cities of over 10,000 population. In the case of firemen,
data on vacations are also given.
Occupational Wage Survey, Grand Rapids, Mich., April
1949. Washington, U. S. Department of Labor,
Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1949. 34 pp., chart; proc­
essed. Free.
Other cities for which reports are already available
in this series of studies include Portland, Me., Rockford,
111., Shreveport, La., Spokane, Wash., and Trenton, N. J.
Wage Structure, Series 2: No. 71, Petroleum Refining, 1948;
No. 72, Canning, 1948; No. 73, Chemicals, 1949.
Washington, U. S. Department of Labor, Bureau of
Labor Statistics, 1949. Variously paged; processed.
Free.
Wage Differences. By N. Arnold Tolies. Ithaca, N. Y.,
Cornell University, New York State School of Indus­
trial and Labor Relations, 1949. 16 pp.; processed.
(B-190.)
Wages and Earnings, Various Occupations in Foreign
Countries, 1947 and 1948. Washington, U. S. Depart­
ment of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1949.
Free.
A series of multilithed tabulations for 11 countries:
Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Finland, France, Great Britain,
Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland.
Lonestatistisk Arsbok for Sverige, 1947. Stockholm,
Socialstyrelsen, 1949. 143 pp., charts.
This yearbook gives detailed statistics of wages in
Sweden in 1947, and shows trends since 1913, with in­


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Women in Industry

References on Equal Pay for Men and Women, Sex Differen­
tials, and Family Allowances. Washington, National
Education Association of the United States, Research
Division, September 1948. 8 pp.; processed.
Special Problems in the Supervision of Women. By Elinore
Morehouse Herrick. New York, Funk & Wagnalls
Co., 1948. 67 pp. (Reading Course in Executive
Technique, Section II, Book 3.)

Miscellaneous
Guide to Business History: Materials for the Study of
American Business History and Suggestions for Their
Use. By Henrietta M. Larson. Cambridge, Har­
vard University Press, 1948. 1,181 pp. (Harvard
Studies in Business History, XII.) $12.
Business is defined as “that part of economic activity
which has to do with the administration of the combina­
tion of labor, natural resources, and capital in the produc­
tion and exchange of goods or services with a view to
earning profits.” Profits are broadly defined so that pub­
lic as well as private business is included. The guide is
more than a bibliography. It contains introductory
essays, and briefer introductions to the various sections of
the topically arranged bibliographical references, most of
which are annotated. Numerous references to labor are
included.
Historical Statistics of the United States, 1789-1945. Wash­
ington, U. S. Department of Commerce, 1949.
363 pp. $2.50, Superintendent of Documents,
Washington.
The volume was prepared by the Bureau of the Census
with the cooperation of the Social Science Research
Council. The official series, other than those derived
from Bureau of the Census data, were supplied largely by
the agencies primarily concerned with the series. Various
unofficial series are also included. Among the 14 chapters
dealing with the major fields of statistics, those relating
more specifically to labor statistics are: Labor Force,

REVIEW, OCTOBER 1949

PUBLICATIONS OF LABOR INTEREST

Wages, and Working Conditions; Construction and
Housing; and Price Indexes. Appendix I gives monthly
and quarterly indicators of business conditions. Each
chapter is preceded by explanatory notes and references
to sources. Appendix II is a statement of basic premises
adopted for selection of data.
Labor in America. By Foster Rhea Dulles. New York,
Thomas Y. Crowell Co., 1949. 402 pp., bibliography.
(Growth of America Series.) $4.50.
Chronological history of labor in America from colonial
days to the Taft-Hartley Act.
The Statistical Agencies of the Federal Government. A
report to the [Hoover] Commission on Organization
of the Executive Branch of the Government. By
Frederick C. Mills and Clarence D. Long. New
York, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.,
1949. 201 pp. (Publication No. 50.) $2.
Americas, Vol. 1, No. 1. Washington, Pan American
Union, March 1949. 48 pp., illus.
Popular, profusely illustrated, monthly magazine on
various aspects of life in the Americas. Published in
three editions: English, $3 per year, 25 cents per single
copy; Portuguese and Spanish, each $2 per year and 20
cents per single copy.
Economic Survey of Asia and the Far East, 1948. Pre­
pared by Secretariat of Economic Commission for
Asia and the Far East. Lake Success, N. Y., United
Nations, Department of Economic Affairs, 1949.
289 pp. $2, International Documents Service, Co­
lumbia University Press.
Broad analysis covering characteristics of the Asian
economy, population trends, and salient changes, both
political and economic, since the war. A section on pro­
duction covers food and agriculture, industry and mining,
transport, and labor. Taking into account the scarcity
of reliable statistics, the section on labor is good. It covers
employment and distribution of the labor force, labor
supply and recruitment, labor productivity, conditions of


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437

work, and labor organization and legislation. The
balance of the study is concerned with monetary and
fiscal developments, inflation and price movements, and
international trade and balance of payments.
The Indian Labor Year Book, 1947-48. Delhi, Ministry
of Labour, Labor Bureau, 1949. 296 pp. Rs. 5/12,
Government of India Press, Simla.
Contains data on employment, wages and earnings, cost
and standards of living, labor administration, tradeunions, industrial health and safety, housing, education,
migration, and India’s relations with the ILO. New
features in this issue include a list of labor laws in force, a
selected bibliography of Indian Government publications
on labor, and a classified summary of important awards of
industrial tribunals.
Japan’s Economy in War and Reconstruction. By Jerome
B. Cohen. Minneapolis, University of Minnesota
Press, 1949. 545 pp., charts. $7.50.
Analyzes in considerable statistical detail Japan’s eco­
nomic development from 1937 to 1949. Issued under
auspices of International Secretariat of Institute of Pacific
Relations.
Survey of Postwar Social Development in the Netherlands.
The Hague, Social Information Service, 1949. 35 pp.,
loose-leaf.
In addition to information on social security provisions
in the Netherlands, the booklet contains data on wages,
industrial relations, trade-unionism, vocational training
and guidance, and the Foundation of Labor.
Soviet Labor Policy, 1945-49. By Harry Schwartz. (In
Annals of American Academy of Political and Social
Science, Vol. 263, Philadelphia, May 1949, pp. 73-84.
$1 to members, $2 to nonmembers of Academy.)
Industrial manpower and productivity are the major
subjects of this paper.
U. S. Labor’s Secret Agents Behind the Iron Curtain. {In
Magazine Digest, New York, August 1949, pp. 24-27.
25 cents.)

Current Labor Statistics
A.—Employment and Pay Rolls
440 Table A -l : Estimated total labor force classified by employment status, hours
worked, and sex
441 Table A-2: Employees in nonagricultural establishments, by industry division
and group
444 Table A-3: Production workers in mining and manufacturing industries
446 Table A-4: Indexes of production-worker employment and weekly pay rolls in
manufacturing industries
447 Table A-5: Federal civilian employment by branch and agency group
448 Table A-6: Federal civilian pay rolls by branch and agency groups
449 Table A-7 : Civilian Government employment and pay rolls in Washington, D. C.,
by branch and agency group
450 Table A-8: Personnel and pay in military branch of Federal Government
450 Table A-9: Employees in nonagricultural establishments for selected States
451 Table A-10: Employees in manufacturing industries, by State

.—Labor Turn-Over
452 Table B -l : Monthly labor turn-over rates (per 100 employees) in manufacturing
industries, by class of turn-over
Monthly
labor turn-over rates (per 100 employees) in selected groups
453 Table B-2:
and industries

».■—Earnings and Hours
455 Table C -l:
469 Table C-2:
470 Table C-3:
470 Table C-4:
471 Table C-5:
438


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

Hours and gross earnings of production workers or nonsupervisory
employees
Gross average weekly earnings of production workers in selected
industries, in current and 1939 dollars
Gross and net spendable average weekly earnings of production
workers in manufacturing industries, in current and 1939 dollars
Average hourly earnings, gross and exclusive of overtime, of produc­
tion workers in manufacturing industries
Hours and gross earnings of production workers in manufacturing
industries for selected States and areas

CURRENT LABOR STATISTICS

439

D.—Prices and Cost of Living
474 Table D -l:
475
476
477
478
479
480
481

Consumers’ price index for moderate-income families in large cities, by
group of commodities
Table D-2: Consumers’ price index for moderate-income families, by city, for
selected periods
Table D—3; Consumers’ price index for moderate-income families, by city and
group of commodities
Table D-4: Indexes of retail prices of foods, by group, for selected periods
Table D-5: Index of retail prices of foods, by city
Table D-6: Average retail prices and indexes of selected foods
Table D-7: Indexes of wholesale prices, by group of commodities, for selected
periods
Table D-8: Indexes of wholesale prices, by group and subgroup of commodities

E.—Work Stoppages
482 Table E -l:

Work stoppages resulting from labor-management disputes

F.—Building and Construction
482 Table F -l:
483 Table F-2:
484 Table F-3:
485

Table F-4:

486

Table F-5:

Expenditures for new construction
Value of contracts awarded and force-account work started on federally
financed new construction, by type of construction
Urban building authorized, by principal class of construction and by
type of building
New nonresidential building authorized in all urban places by general
type and by geographic division
Number and construction cost of new permanent nonfarm dwelling
units started, by urban or rural location, and by source of funds

N o te .— Earlier figures in many of the series appearing in the following tables are shown in the Handbook of

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

A - l _______
A -2 _______
A -3_______
A -4_______
A -5 _______
A -6 _______
A -7 _______
A -8_______

Handbook M L R
table
table
_______ A -12 B - l _______
-----------0 ) B -2 _______

----------------------_______
-----------_______
_______

( 9 C - l_______
(i) C -2_______
A-8 C -3_______
(9 C -4_______
A -7 C -5_______
A-9

1 N ot included in 1947 edition of Handbook.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

Handbook
table

M LR
table

M L R

table

_______
B - l D - l ____ __________
_______
B-2 D -2 ____ __________
----------(9 D -3 ____ __________
-----------(9 D -4 ____ __________
_______ C-10 D -5 ____
D -2 and
-----------(9 D -6 ____ __________
-----------(9 D -7 _____ ----------------

D -l
D -2
D -2
D -4
D -3
D -4
D -5

table

D-8_
E -l_
F -l_
F-2_
F-3_
F-4_
F-5_

Handbook
table

_
_
_
_
_

D -6
E -3
H -l
H -2
H -4

-

1-3

0)

MONTHLY LABOR

A : EMPLOYMENT AND PAY ROLLS

440

A: Employment and Pay Rolls.
T able

A -l: Estimated Total Labor Force Classified by Employment Status, Hours Worked, and Sex
Estimated number of persons 14 years of age and over 1 (in thousands)
1948

1949

Labor force
Aug.

July 2

June

M ay

Apr.

Mar.

Eeb.

Aug.

Dec.

N ov.2

Oct.

Sept.2

62, 828

63,138

63,166

63,578

64, 511

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

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

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

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

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

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

Jan.

Total, both sexes
Total labor force * . . . ------ ------------ --------Civilian laborforce................................... .
U nem ploym ent.......................................
Em ploym ent........... ..........................—
N onagricultural........ .....................
Worked 35 hours or more----Worked 15-34 hours-----------Worked 1-14 hours 4-----------W ith aj ob but not at work s.
A g r ic u ltu r a l.-----------------------Worked 35 hours or more----Worked 15-34 hours...............
Worked 1-14 hours4-----------W ith a job but not at work «.

65,105
63,637
3| 689
59', 947
5b 441
40', 407
5j 231
1,509
4, 294
8; 507
6', 724
1,290
' 264
228

65,278
63, 815
4,095
59, 720
50,073
27,686
14, 701
1,438
6,247
9', 647
7,326
1,871
'262
189

64,866
63,398
3, 778
59, 619
49,924
40, 924
5, 425
1,525
2,051
9, 696
7,400
1, 952
228
116

63,452
61,983
3,289
58, 694
49, 720
41,315
5,073
1,778
1, 554
8,974
7,159
1,474
211
130

62,327
60, 835
3,016
57, 819
49,999
40, 761
5,913
1,888
1,438
7, 820
5, 656
1,700
243
221

62, 305
60, 814
3,167
57, 647
50, 254
40, 761
5,964
1,944
1,585
7,393
4, 973
1,833
357
231

61,896
60, 388
3, 221
57,167
50,174
40,830
5,737
1,876
1,730
6,993
4,591
1,776
367
260

61,546

Males
Total labor force3..........................................
Civilian labor force....................................—
U nemploy m ent---------- -----------------E m ploym ent-------- ------ ----------------N ona gricultural ........ ..............—
Worked 35 hour sor more----Worked 15-34 h o u rs................
Worked 1-14 hours 4—.......... .
W ith a job but not at work 6.
Agricultural------- --------------------Worked 35 hours or more----Worked 15-34 hours-----------Worked 1-14 hours 4-----------W ith a job but not at work ».

46,613
45,163
2,519
42,644
35, 549
29, 277
3,080
593
2,599
7,095
6,019
705
161
209

46, 712
45,267
2,845
42,422
34,799
20,820
9, 604
651
3, 723
7, 623
6,356
916
185
168

46, 282
44, 832
2,598
42,233
34,796
29,889
3,004
629
1,274
7,438
6, 453
731
148
105

45,337
43,886
2,366
41, 521
34, 411
29,813
2,766
780
1,052
7,109
6,249
610
134
115

45,143

45,000

44, 721

44,614

45, 012

45,182

45, 229

45,453

46, 525

43,668
2,205
41,463
34, 714
29, 621
3, 237
825
1,032
6, 749
5,372
1,023
153
201

43, 525
2,433
41,092
34, 622
29,425
3,286
802
1,109
6,470
4,738
1,294
223
216

43, 229
2,417
40,812
34, 689
29,425
3,199
825
1, 239
6,123
4,344
1,263
270
246

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

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

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

43, 851
1,088
42, 763
36, 016
31, 081
3,092
711
1,132
6,747
5, 772
738
124
114

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

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

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

18, 492

18, 566

18, 584

18,115

17,184

17,305

17,175

16, 932

17, 816

17, 956

17, 937

18,125

17,986

Civilian labor force.................................... Unem ploym ent.......................................
Em ploym ent-............... - ............ ............
N onagricultural------- --------------Worked 35 hours or more----Worked 15-34 hours.................
Worked 1-14 hours4-----------W ith a job but not at work 3
Agricultural.....................................
Worked 35 hours or more___
Worked 15-34 hours...... ..........
Worked 1-14 hours 4-----------W ith a job but not at work s.

18,474
1,170
17,303
15,892
11,130
2,151
916
1,695
1,412
705
585
103
19

18, 548
1,250
17, 298
15,274
6,866
5,097
787
2,524
2,024
970
955
77
21

18, 566
1,180
17,386
15,128
11, 035
2,421
896
777
2,258
947
1,221
80
11

18,097
923
17,173
15,309
11, 502
2,307
998
502
1,865
910
864
77
15

17,167
811
16,356
15, 285
11,140
2,676
1,063
406
1,071
284
677
90
20

17,289
734
16, 555
15, 632
11,336
2,678
1,142
476
923
235
539
134
15

17,159
804
16,355
15,485
11,405
2,538
1, 051
491
870
247
513
97
14

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

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

REVIEW, OCTOBER 1949
T able

A : EMPLOYMENT AND PAY ROLLS

441

A-2: Employees in Nonagricultural Establishments, by Industry Division and Group.1
[In thousands]
1949

Annual
average

1948

Industry group and industry
Aug.
Total em ployees...............................................
Mining...................... ..........................................
M etal_______ ________________________
Iron._______________ ____ __________
Copper_____ ______________________
Lead and zinc........................ ................. .

June

M ay

Apr.

Mar.

Feb.

Jan.

Dec.

Nov.

Oct.

Sept.

Aug.

1948

1947

43,027 42,535 42, 792 42, 731 42,966 42,918 43,061 43,449 45,282 44,815 44,915 44,946 44,494 44,201 43,371
968
92.1

494
95.3
36.4
21.6
19.1
77.6

77.1

77.0

78.3

78.6

79.5

80.5

80.1

80.0

79.4

80.5

80.6

80.0

79.4

433.0

410.5

431.2

438.4

446.4

448.0

455.0

457.5

460.8

458.0

457.8

461.1

460.1

444.9

431.8
237.3

A nthracite....................................................
B ituminous-coal_____ _______________

July

Crude petroleum and natural gas pro­
duction........ ..............................................

970
100.8
36.8
22.3
22.0

974
101.4
36.5
22.8
22.4

984
103.1
36.5
23.2
23.5

981
102.0
35.2
23.5
23.6

986
101.1
35.2
22.5
23.5

991
98.2
35.1
20.0
23.5

1,002
98.5
35.2
20.3
23.5

999
97.2
35.2
19.9
23.2

1,000
99.4
35.7
22.8
22.5

1,007
96.3
36.5
22.8
18.4

1,006
95.2
36.8
22.6
17.1

981
98.5
35.5
22.3
21.7

943
96.8
33.1
22.5
22.9

265.7

263.1

260.1

258.8

257.4

258.3

260.0

263.7

263.0

261.6

264.9

266.4

257.5

Nonmetallic mining and quarrying..........

99.7

99.7

97.8

97.5

97.3

94.5

92.5

94.3

99.3

100.8

101.8

103.7

104.0

100.1

97.8

Contract construction.....................................

2,333

2,279

2,205

2,137

2,036

1,947

1,926

2,016

2,200

2,287

2,334

2,369

2,384

2,165

1,982

Manufacturing........................................... ........
Durable goods 3___________ ____
Nondurable goods 3______________
Ordnance and accessories............................

14,088 13, 755 13,885 13,877 14,177 14,475 14,649 14,782 15,174 15,368 15,514 15,617 15,400 15, 286 15,247
7, 305 7, 255 7,396 7,441 7, 656 7,819 7,923 8, 044 8,258 8, 352 8,393 8,360 8,271 8,315 8| 373
6,783 6,500 6,489 6,436 6, 521 6,656 6,726 6,738 6,916 7,016 7,121 7,257 7,129 6,970 6,874
25.3
26.1
27.3
27.9
28.0
28.2
23.4
27.9
28.2
28.1
27.9
27.9
24.0
28.1
26.9

Food and kindred p r o d u cts.....................
Meat products............................................
Dairy products.............. ...........................
Canning and preserving..........................
Grain-mill produ cts...............................
Bakery products______ _______ ______
Sugar________ _____ _______ ________
Confectionery and related products___
Beverages______________ __________
Miscellaneous food products..............

1,695 1, 582 1, 501 1,436 1, 410 1,406 1,414 1,439 1,513 1, 570 1,654 1,787 1,678 1,536 1,532
284.6 282.7 277.5 274.8 282.6 289.4 298.8 304.8 291.7 282.6 279.2 281.7 271.2 '275.
161.9 161.6 153.9 146.3 141.4 136.7 134.0 136.3 140.7 146.0 153.8 160.1 147.7 148.0
245.6 193.4 156.4 150.1 134.6 133.0 143.7 172.7 199.7 285.1 437.9 325.6 222.0 223.5
121.6 119.4 118.7 116.4 117.8 118.9 118.8 119.2 120.8 117.9 118.4 120.9 117.7 116.9
282.0 282.3 276.1 273.9 271.7 278.6 279.8 286.3 286.4 291.9 287.9 286.4 282.9 274.9
26.7
26.9
26.8
27.1
27.4
28.8
35.5
49.9
49.1
35.2
27.7
33.7
34.5
38.4
84.9
87.1
91.5
96.3 100.5 109.0 114.8 113.1 100.3
92.9
96.4 100.2
83.5
98.5
235.3 211.0 204.4 194.0 205.6 199.6 200.8 213. 2 224.1 223.7 229.3 228.4 218.6 211.9
139.7 138.5 135.5 136.2 132.5 134.2 133.9 136.3 141.7 145.0 144.9 144.6 141.3 144.1

Tobacco manufactures.......... .............. ........
Cigarettes.....................................................
Cigars_____________ ________________
Tobacco and snuff__________________
Tobacco stemming and redrying........ .
Textile-mill products__________________
Yarn and thread mills___ ____ _______
Broad-woven fabric m ills____________
Knitting m ills___ ______ ____________
Dyeing and finishing textiles_________
Carpets, rugs, other floor coverings___
Other textile-mill products___________
Apparel and other finished textile prod­
ucts_________ _____ ____________ _
M en’s and boys’ suits and coats______
M en’s and boys’ furnishings and work
clothing____ ______________ _______
Women’s outerwear................. ...............
Women’s, children’s undergarments__
M illinery.................... ................. ..............
Children’s outerwear...............................
Fur goods and miscellaneous apparel...
Other fabricated textile products...........
Lumber and wood products (except fur­
niture).............................. ........................
Logging camps and contractors_______
Sawmills and planing m ills. ...................
Millwork, plywood, and prefabricated
structural wood products..... ................
Wooden containers____ _____________
Miscellaneous wood products.................

97

89
27.0
42.9
12.5
6.7

91
26.9
44.4
13.0
6.7

90
26.8
43.3
12.6
6.9

90
26.3
42.9
12.8
7.5

92
25.8
45.4
13.1
7.8

95
25.8
45.5
13.3
10.0

96
26.2
45.3
13.7
11.2

100
26.6
48.4
13.9
11.3

104
27.3
50.4
13.8
12.2

107
27.3
49.5
13.8
16.4

106
27.3
48.1
13.7
16.9

102
27.0
47.3
13.7
14.3

100
26.6
48.3
13.7
11.2

104
26.2
49.4
14.8
13.0

1,192 1,143 1,170 1,175 1,188 1,240 1,279 1,288 1,324 1,333 1,336 1,348 1,362 1,362 1,325
135.2 140.7 141.4 142.9 153.1 159.0 162.4 167.2 166.6 168.7 172.8 178.6 177.6 179.5
548.0 555.2 557.1 560.3 589.5 613.4 621.4 637.7 640.4 640.0 645.8 649.5 645.7 618.3
217.3 220.8 220.1 225.1 228.6 231.8 229.2 237.2 242.8 243.4 243.6 246.8 249.0 242.4
83.4
85.4
87.1
87.9
88.4
87.9
89.9
88.9
89.6
88.7
81.2
89.0
89.8
86.8
56.9
58.5
61.7
63.5
64.6
64.9
65.8
65.8
65.8
51.0
65.6
64.6
64.8
57.3
110.7 113.4 112.1 111.3 117.4 121.6 122.6 126.3 127.7 129.4 131.9 133.6 135.2 140.9
1,147 1,057 1,072 1,070 1,121 1,166 1,171 1,129 1,155 1,174 1,187 1,186 1,173 1,162 1,130
131.5 134.7 131.8 147.3 150.7 152.5 149.2 148.8 149.5 155.8 158.3 158.3 154.4 151.2

758

.......

239.0
294.6
91.4
20.6
63.6
84.5
131.4

253.8
290.9
92.5
17.3
62.4
86.4
133.5

257.4
290.7
94.1
20.3
57.3
83.4
135.1

258.9
322.0
95.1
23.1
58.5
83.0
133.1

260.2
352.3
97.3
25.6
63.0
84.4
132.3

259.0
359.7
97.9
25.5
62.3
84.1
129.9

243.1
349.6
96.5
23.5
59.7
81.4
126.2

254.3
350.2
99.1
21.9
58.7
91.5
130.7

264.5
349.9
101.4
20.4
60.6
95.4
131.9

267.6
351.6
100.9
23.6
61.2
94.4
132.0

267.7
355.2
98.2
23.1
60.3
94.6
128.1

266.1
349.3
96.3
23.1
60.3
92.8
126.4

269.1
342.4
97.4
22.9
59.5
90.1
125.6

269.8
336.4
90.8
23.9
53.1
83.5
121.6

737
62.9
438.6

748
63.8
442.7

733
63.3
430.4

719
58.1
418.8

719
60.3
415.6

714
58.8
408.5

726
58.9
416.9

780
67.2
450.5

816
75.8
474.2

830
80.3
482.8

843
79.7
496.2

851
81.3
500.2

812
72.8
472.9

838
81.1
488.3

106.3
71.5
58.1

108.3
73.9
58.9

106.2
73.7
59.2

108.1
73.4
60.3

107.9
73.5
61.4

109.7
74.5
62.2

112.0
76.4
62.1

118.4
80.0
63.7

120.3
81.2
64.2

121.2
80.9
65.1

120.9
81.2
65.1

121.1
81.9
66.0

119.5
81.8
65.2

113.2
87.3
68.4

Furniture and fixtures..................................
Household furniture.................................
Other furniture and fixtures....................

306

295
203.8
90.8

298
205.5
92.8

301
207.9
93.2

311
215.9
94.6

316
219.7
95.8

320
223.3
97.0

325
226.9
98.4

339
238.5
100.5

346
245.1
101.1

348
246.7
101.5

345
244.3
101.0

340
239.8
100.5

348
247.0
100.9

340
243.9
96.1

Paper and allied products...................... .
Pulp, paper, and paperboard mills____
Paperboard containers and boxes_____
Other paper and allied products.............

432

428
216.7
110.4
100.9

432
220.3
111.4
100.6

437
223.3
111.5
101.9

442
226.2
113.0
102.6

451
231.5
115.0
104.8

456
233.9
116.6
105.9

463
237.4
119.4
106.3

475
240.7
125.5
109.1

477
240.7
126.9
109.8

477
240.9
125.6
110.2

474
242.3
123.2
108.6

471
242.9
121.1
106.6

470
240.7
121.4
107.6

465
234.0
122.1
108.7

See footnotes at end of table.


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

A: EMPLOYMENT AND PAY ROLLS

442
F’.T a b l e

MONTHLY LABOR

A-2: Employees in Nonagricultural Establishments, by Industry Division and Group.1—Con.
1949

Annual
average

1948

Industry group and industry
Aug.
Manufacturing—Continued
Printing, publishing, and allied indus­
tries
. . ____________ __________
Newspapers ______________________
Periodicals ___ _____ __ ______
Books
_______ _________________
Commercial printing,,- _______ _____
___________
Lithographing,. _
Other printing and publishing

July

June

M ay

Apr.

Mar.

Feb.

Jan.

Dec.

N ov.

Oct.

Sept.

Aug.

1948

1947

719

716
284.1
52.3
40.9
195.7
39.7
103.7

725
284.0
51.9
44.8
195.9
40.2
107.8

722
280.8
53.4
45.0
194.9
40.6
107.6

722
277.9
54.1
45.0
195.6
41.2
108.4

723
276.6
54.7
45.1
196.0
41.3
109.1

726
275.0
54.9
45.4
198.8
41.0
110.5

729
274.7
54.8
45.6
201.5
41.6
111.1

739
276.9
55.9
46.1
203.0
43.8
113.3

736
274.8
55.9
46.2
199.9
44.7
114.6

735
273.5
55.9
46.7
200.4
44.6
113.6

725
270.6
55.3
46.9
196.5
44.3
111.7

721
269.5
53.5
46.4
195.2
44.3
111.9

725
267.5
54.7
46.6
197.5
45.1
113.3

709
248.5
56.5
48.6
191.0
48.2
115.6

Chemicals and allied products ________
Industrial inorganic chemicals ______
Industrial organic chemicals______ _
___________
Drugs and medicines
Paints, pigments, and fillers . _______
Fertilizers
,
_ ____ , ,
Vegetable and animal oils and fa ts., ,
Other chemicals and allied products

633

630
66.8
181.1
90.3
65.0
29.6
46.5
150.2

642
68.5
185.0
90.9
67.0
30.6
48.5
151.2

654
69.0
188.3
91.1
67.3
36.4
50.5
151.7

675
70.0
195.9
91.5
67.7
42.3
54.5
152.9

691
70.9
205.7
91.7
68.1
43.2
57.0
154.1

693
71.1
211.4
91.8
68.7
38.8
58.2
152.7

700
72.6
212.4
91.8
69.6
35.5
60.4
158.1

709
72.9
214.1
90.2
69.9
33.7
63.0
165.2

713
71.9
214.6
90.4
70.6
33.2
64.6
167.8

714
72.5
213.9
90.2
71.1
33.4
65.7
166.8

707
71.2
214.0
89.5
71.0
33.4
60.5
167.7

696
72.1
213.1
89.8
71.7
32.1
49.5
167.2

699
70.9
210.3
89.5
70.7
35.9
56.2
165.0

692
66.6
205.5
93.6
68.3
36.7
55.7
165.3

Products of petroleum and coal______ _
Petroleum refining
Coke and byproducts________
___
Other petroleum and coal products

249

246
200.2
19.7
26.4

246
198.9
20.5
26.7

246
198.0
20.7
27.1

246
199.1
20.5
26.1

245
198.5
20.4
25.6

246
199.6
20.5
25.7

247
200.4
20.4
25.8

249
200.4
20.4
28.3

251
200.0
20.2
31.1

243
190.9
20.2
32.2

255
202.4
20.3
32.0

257
205.1
20.3
31.8

250
199.1
20.0
30.8

239
189.3
18.6
31.2

Rubber products.
____________ _____
Tires and inner tubes _______________
Rubber footwear . , ___________ ___
Other rubber products..
_______ ___

227

226
105.0
24.9
95.6

230
110.2
24.6
95.0

233
111.2
25.2
96.9

238
112.8
26. 2
99.3

243
113.1
26.7
103.0

246
113.9
27.8
104.6

251
115.9
29.9
105.2

256
117.5
31.1
107.7

259
119.1
30.7
109.2

257
117.8
30.3
109.3

257
119.1
29.7
108.6

255
119.6
29.2
106.6

259
121.1
29.6
107.9

270
132.4
28.8
109.2

Leather and leather products__________
Leather
.
, ____________
Footwear (except rubber)____________
Other leather products_______________

392

383
47.2
251.2
84.7

380
49.0
247.7
83.4

373
49.1
240.2
83.3

389
49.6
253.1
86.1

399
50.9
259.0
88.7

400
51.7
259.7
88.7

396
52.6
257.4
85.6

396
53.4
253.3
89.4

399
52.6
250.1
96.6

411
54.0
259.1
98.3

412
54.1
261.5
96.8

414
53.7
264.0
96.7

410
54.2
260.1
95.4

409
55.7
257.3
95.5

Stone, clay, and glass products _ _____
Glass and glass products ________ ___
Cement, hydraulic , , ____________ .
Structural clay products
__________
Pottery and related p ro d u cts__ . . . .
Concrete, gypsum, and plaster products.
Other stone, clay, and glass products , ,

482

471
117.5
42.7
79.4
52.3
84.0
94.7

478
121.1
42.5
80.1
55.3
83.7
95.2

482
121.6
42.0
80.1
57.4
83.6
97.3

484
120.0
41.8
80.2
59.9
82.7
99.3

492
123.4
41.4
80.9
61.2
82.8
101.9

498
126.2
41.6
82.0
61.4
83.1
103.5

504
128.5
41.7
83.3
61.1
85.0
104.3

518
133.7
42.0
86.0
62.7
87.3
106.3

524
136.5
42.2
86.6
62.5
89.0
107.6

526
137.9
41.9
86.4
62.2
90.1
107.7

523
137.0
41.1
86.4
61.5
89.8
106.8

520
134.4
41.8
86.1
61.3
89.0
107.6

514
135.9
40.9
83.4
60.6
87.8
105.9

501
143.8
38.1
76.1
58.8
81.5
102.7

1,086 1,095

Primary metal industries .
.
_____.
Blast furnaces, steel works, and rolling
mills , ,- _____ __
_______
Iron and steel foundries
__________
Primary smelting and refining of nonferrous metals ____ _
___ ___
Rolling, drawing, and alloying of nonferrous metals . _______ ______ .
Nonferrous foundries ______________
Other primary metal industries
Fabricated metal products (except ord­
nance, machinery, and transportation
equipment)
_________________
Tin cans and other tinware . _______
Cutlery, hand tools, and hardware____
Heating apparatus (except electric) and
plumbers’ supplies., , ,
_________
Fabricated structural metal products, .
M etal stamping, coating, and engraving.
Other fabricated metal products___ ,
Machinery (except electrical). ________
Engines and turbines_____ __________
Agricultural machinery and tractors__
Construction and mining machinery__
Metalworking m ach in ery___ . ___
Special-industry machinery (except
metalworking machinery) _________
General industrial machinery.
_____
Office and store machines and devices.
Service-industry and household ma­
chines____
.,
,
. ______
Miscellaneous machinery parts_______
Electrical machinery__________________
Electrical generating, transmission,
distribution, and industrial appa­
ratus, _______
Electrical equipment for vehicles_____
Communication eq u ip m en t-___ _____
Electrical appliances, lamps, and
miscellaneous products ___________

See footnotes at end of table.


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

840

1,135

1,158

1,195

1,229

1,245

1,257

1,267

1,265

1,262

1,256

1,248

1,247

1, 231

581.6
204.3

599.1
212.6

610.8
214.9

621.9
227.3

628.3
242.4

628.9
248.6

51.3

54.0

54.7

56.1

56.0

55.3

55.2

55.2

55.5

55.2

54.6

56.1

55.6

55.1

78.2
70.5
109.1

80.9
72.1
116.3

84.2
73.0
119.9

88.8
75.4
125. 7

95.3
78.2
129.1

99.6
80.9
131.5

102.9
85.0
133.3

103.8
85.8
133.9

104.0
86.3
133.3

103.6
86.4
131.8

102.1
85.1
130.8

102.6
82.9
128.8

103.8
85.2
130.7

111.5
85.9
132.3

829
49.2
133.4

838
47.1
138.0

843
44.2
140.7

867
43. 8
145.2

890
44. 6
148.8

917
44.9
152.8

932
46.2
154.5

966
47.9
158.7

980
48.8
156.8

985
50.6
155.7

984
52.8
154.3

971
52.1
151.3

976
48.7
154.4

995
47.7
156.5

116.3
200.9
143.4
185.7

118.6
202.6
142.5
188.9

123.3
202.3
140. 2
191.8

129.4
204.0
145.7
199.1

134.5
206.8
151.0
204.6

139.7
210.5
157.1
211.5

145.2
212.5
159.9
213.8

159.1
216.6
165.4
217.9

168.3
217.7
169.7
219.1

171.7
218.0
170.0
218.6

168.2
218.4
170.1
220.4

165.1
216.5
169.1
216.9

165.8
215.9
172.2
219.0

174.3
206.7
180.4
229.1

626.1
254.9

627.4
260.5

623.5
262.6

621.6
263.3

621.6
261.6

623.2
254.6

612.0
259.3

589.0
256.8

1,226 1,239 1,285 1,327 1,385 1,431 1,458 1,481 1,509 1,518 1,522 1,525 1,521 1,533 1,535
69.0
83.7
82.8
82.4
81.9
83.0
83.7
81.1
83.8
83.9
71.8
75.0
80.1
77.5
177.0 183.7 187.1 190.0 192. 5 193. 8 194.6 194.9 193.5 192.0 188.8 191.1 191.3 178.9
96.4 101.9 106.0 111. 4 114.8 116. 5 118.6 120.4 121.8 122.5 123.7 123.7 122.6 120.2
198.0 205.9 212.8 219. 0 223.2 226.3 232.9 237.9 238.1 239.6 240.5 240.5 239.5 248.3

—

716

163.9
179.0
87.6

169.3
184.0
89.7

175.6
189.2
90.5

181.6
194. 5
91.3

188.4
200.2
94.8

192.0
204.3
97.1

195.0
207.1
98.1

197.5
209.3
101.9

198.1
209.4
103.3

199.2
209.7
105.5

200.3
210.0
106.7

200.9
204.9
106.6

201.9
209.8
109.1

204.4
208.6
108.2

126.3
142.1

133.2
145.3

136.9
153.6

158.8
161.1

167.0
169.9

169.1
176.6

172.5
179.6

180.8
182.1

187.4
183.1

189.3
181.7

190.6
182.9

190.9
180.2

191.3
183.4

184.8
197.3

711

724

746

770

795

818

834

853

860

858

853

844

869

918

280.3
62.1
253.2

283.7
62.0
260.5

292.9
63.4
266.0

303.2
64. 2
270.7

310.1
67.2
278.4

314.8
67.6
291.0

314.8
68.2
302.7

321.3
69.3
311.3

325.6
69.6
312.3

325.7
69.4
308.4

328.6
68.4
303.0

327.8
66.6
298.1

332.9
69.0
312.2

343.5
74.3
336.2

115.3

117.9

123.3

131.7

139.2

144.4

148.0

150.8

152.7

154.4

153.2

151.1

154.8

164.0

REVIEW, OCTOBER 1949

A: EMPLOYMENT AND PAY ROLLS

443

T able A-2: Employees in Nonagricultural Establishments, by Industry Division and Group.1—Con.
1949

Annual
average

1948

Industry group and industry
Aug.
Manufacturing— Continued
Transportation equipment......................
Automobiles______ _______ __________
Aircraft and parts______ ____________
Aircraft__________ ________ ________
Aircraft engines and parts.............. .
Aircraft propellers and parts................
Other aircraft parts and equipm ent-.
Ship and boat building and repairing-.
Ship building and repairing4_______
Railroad equipment_________________
Other transportation equipment______

July

June

M ay

Apr.

Mar.

Feb.

Jan.

Dec.

N ov.

Oct.

Sept.

Aug.

1948

1947

1,236 1,239 1,225 1,183 1,242 1,248 1,245 1,267 1,282 1,277 1,287 1,267 1,223 1,263 1,263
796.4 777.2 726.9 777.9 775.6 772.5 794. C 803.7 799.6 814.2 802.9 777.9 792.8 776.2
259. 7 253.7 254.1 259.3 259.4 256.0 254.9 252. 2 248.6 242.6 232.7 225.7 228.1 228.6
172.9 169.3 169.8 171.0 171.0 168.9 168.5 168. 3 166. E 161.7 153.7 150.7 151.7 151.4
52.1
53.1
53.8
53.0
52.8
52.2
52.1
50.4
49.9
49.3
48.2
46.8
46.7
47.8
8.3
8.1
7.8
7.7
7.7
7.6
7.6
7.7
7.6
7.7
7.6
6.1
7.4
7.4
26.4
23.2
22.7
27.6
27.9
27.3
26.7
25.8
24.1
24.8
23.2
22.3
22.4
22.0
100.4 103.6 108.2 109.0 113.6 116.4 118.1 123.3 124.4 127.8 127.7 129.7 140.7 159.4
88.7
91.2
95.1
95.9 100.3 102.2 103.7 109.0 110.1 113.3 113.0 114.8 124.2 137.3
81.3
73.5
84.6
83.0
87.5
88.2
87.6
88.0
87.3
85.8
86.8
74.0
84.8
81.4
9.4
9.6
10.5
11.1
11.5
11.5
12.3
15.0
16.8
17.0
16.7
15.9
16.6
17.0

Instruments and related products______
Ophthalmic goods......... ....................... .
Photographic apparatus............... ..........
Watches and clocks............... ....................
Professional and scientific instruments.

233

231
26.1
51.1
29.5
124.3

237
26.8
53.0
30.6
126.3

238
27.3
53.8
30.6
126.3

242
27.7
55.6
31.1
128.0

245
28.0
56.1
31.6
129.0

246
28.1
56.7
32.0
129.4

251
28.0
57.7
33.8
131.7

258
28. 2
59.1
37.6
133.3

259
28.1
59.6
40.5
130.4

263
28.6
60.1
41.7
132.3

262
28.1
60.6
41.8
131.6

260
28.3
60.8
40.3
130.5

260
28.2
60.3
40.8
130.5

265
30.1
61.6
41.3
131.9

Miscellaneous manufacturing industries..
Jewelry, silverware, and plated ware—.
Toys and sporting goods....................... .
Costume jewelry, buttons, notions____
Other miscellaneous manufacturing in­
dustries__________________________

399

384
49.1
63.8
53.8

403
53.4
65.3
51.6

404
54.3
65.6
50.1

414
55.7
66.5
53.3

426
57.1
66.4
57.8

434

439

458

479

484

474

465

466

461

58.5
67.0
60.0

58.7
66.9
59.4

60.5
73.2
61.7

61.9
82.3
64.6

61.5
85.8
66.1

60.5
84.7
63.9

59.7
81.7
62.5

60.3
80.8
62.3

58.1
80.0
61.0

9, 292 9,388
2,541 2, 559
6, 751 6,829
1,386 1, 423
1,184 1,186
647
653
534
554
3,000 3,013

10, 273
2, 595
7,678
1, 990
1,208
668
670
3,142

9,807
2,612
7,195
1, 647
1,197
654
608
3,089

9,854
2,601
7,053
1,523
1,196
648
599
3,087

9,522
2,581
6,941
1,432
1,181
646
568
3,114

9,366
2, 557
6,809
1,354
1,181
644
519
3,111

9,491
2,533
6, 958
1,470
1,195
634
577
3,081

9,198
2,410
6, 785
1,389
1,161
581
567
3,088

Transportation and public utilities________
Transportation...............................................
Interstate railroads.....................................
Class I railroad s......... .................. .......
Local railways and bus lines.................
Trucking and warehousing.....................
Other transportation and services_____
Communication.........................................
Telephone....................................... .......
Telegraph__________________ ______
Other public utilities.._____ _____ _____ _
Gas and electric ulitities_____________
Local u tilitie s...........................................

217.6 232.6 233.5 238.6 244.9
248.7 254.1 262.4 270.0 270.9 264.9 260.9 262.8 262.3
4,000 4,014 4,030 4,021 3,991 3,975 4,024 4.054 4,158 4,168 4,188 4,189 4,213 4,151 4,122
2,763 2, 778 2,799 2,792 2,761 2,745 2, 795 2,829 2,928 2,937 2,963 2,957 2,971 2,934 2,984
1,386 1,409 1, 416 1,387 1,370 1,414 1,440 1, 504 1, 517 1, 534 1,539 1,543 1, 517 1, 557
1,208 1, 230 1,237 1, 215 1,198 1,231 1, 255 1,306 1, 329 1,345 1,350 1,356 1, 327 1,352
158
159
159
161
160
161
161
162
162
162
163
164
163
185
540
540
532
532
538
544
549
571
579
580
564
564
566
551
694
691
685
681
677
676
679
691
679
687
691
700
692
687
689 691
691
695
698
700
701
699
702
702
700
703
708
696
646
637.9 636.6 639.1 641.1 643. 5 643.8 640.6 643.6 643.0 640.2 642.7 646.5 634.2 581.1
52.3
53.1
54.5
55.3
56.0
55.4
56.9
57.8
58.9
58.3
59.3
60.0
60.8
63.4
548 545
540
534
532
530
528
526
528
527
525
529
534
521
492
520.0 515.2 509.3 507.0 504.9 504.2 502.9 504.9 503.3 501.6 505.5 509.3 497.0 469.5
24.8
24.4
25.0
24.6
23.4
24.8
23.5
23.4
23.4
23.4
23.7
24.2
23.7
22.6

Trade______ ____ __ ____ _______________
Wholesale trade..........................................
Retail trade...................................................
General merchandise stores__________
Food and liquor stores_______________
Automotive and accessories dealers___
Apparel and accessories stores________
Other retail trade________ __________

9,212 9,205
2,529 2, 470
6,683 6, 735
1,332 1,359
1,185 1,193
690 679
483 510
2,993 2, 994

Finance.................................................. .............
Banks and trust com panies.......................
Security dealers and exchanges...............
Insurance carriers and agents.....................
Other finance agencies and real estate___

1,780

1, 781
422
55.7
624
679

1,774
417
55.3
616
686

Service___________ _____________________
Hotels and lodging places.................... .......
Laundries....................................................
Cleaning and dyeing plants.....................
M otion pictures.............................................

4,831

4, 845
510
358.4
150.8
240

4, 829
487
356.1
154.1
240

Government........... ............................. ...............
Federal...... .......................................................
State and local.............................................. ..

5,815 5,707 5, 772 5,813 5,775 5. 761 5,737 5,764 5,994 5.685 5,694 5,668 5, 533 5,613 5,454
1,900 1,905 1,909 1,898 1, 885 1, 877 1,877 1,875 2,161 1, 856 1, 848 1,848 1, 834 1, 827 1,874
3, 915 5,802 3,863 3, 915 3,890 3,884 3,860 3,889 3,833 3,829 3,846 3,820 3,699 3,786 3,580

9, 327 9,342
2,489 2,482
6,838 6,860
1, 403 1,434
1, 209 1,203
670
661
553
564
3,003 2,998

9,478
2,504
6,974
1, 515
1,204
658
616
2,981

9.310
2,523
6,787
1,411
1,193
648
548
2,987

1,763
413
55.3
612
683

1,757
413
55.4
613
676

1,749
415
55.9
611
667

1,735
413
56.3
606
660

1,731
410
56.5
602
662

1,724
409
56.9
602
656

1,721
408
57.0
600
656

1,720
407
57.3
597
659

1,725
408
58.2
599
660

1,742
413
59.6
605
664

1,716
403
57.9
589
665

1,641
380
60.1
549
652

4, 804
464
352.6
153.1
238

4,768
451
347.3
149.5
237

4, 720
445
346.2
143.5
235

4,712
447
346.4
142.0
234

4, 723
447
350.5
143.6
235

4, 757
461
349.6
145.3
238

4,782
458
350.5
146.8
238

4,811
464
354.7
150.2
238

4,849
489
357.7
148.4
238

4,850
520
361.5
149.1
238

4.799
478
356.1
149.9
241

4,786
497
364.8
153.7
252

1
The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ series of employment in nonagricultural prior to September 1949 and issues of the M onthly Labor Review dated prior
establishments are based upon reports submitted by cooperating establish­
to October 1949. Data for the three most recent months are subject to
ments and, therefore, differ from employment information obtained by house­
revision.
hold interviews, such as the M onthly Report on the Labor Force (table A -l),
2 Includes ordnance and accessories; lumber and wood products (except
in several important respects. The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ data cover
furniture); furniture and fixtures; stone, clay, and glass products; primary
all full- and part-time employees in nonagricultural establishments who
metal industries; fabricated metal products (except ordnance, machinery,
worked during, or received pay for, the pay period ending nearest the 15th of
and transportation equipment); machinery (except electrical); electrical
the month; in Federal establishments during the pay period ending just before
machinery; transportation equipment; instruments and related products;
the first of the month; and in State and local government during the pay
and miscellaneous manufacturing industries.
period ending on or just before the last of the month. Proprietors, self-em­
3 Includes food and kindred products; tobacco manufactures; textile-mill
ployed persons, domestic servants, and personnel of the armed forces are
products; apparel and other finished textile products; paper and allied prod­
excluded. These employment series have been adjusted to levels indicated
ucts; printing, publishing, and allied industries; chemicals and allied prod­
by Unemployment Insurance Agencies and the Bureau of Old-Age and
ucts; products of petroleum and coal; rubber products; and leather and
Survivors Insurance data through 1947, and have been carried forward from
leather products.
1947 bench-mark levels, thereby providing consistent series. Comparable
4 Data by region, from January 1940, are available upon request to the
data prior to 1947 for industry divisions only, are available upon request.
Bureau of Labor Statistics.
These series supersede data shown in monthly mimeographed releases dated


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

A: EMPLOYMENT AND PAY ROLLS

444
T able

M ONTHLY LABO R

A-3: Production Workers in Mining and Manufacturing Industries 1
[In thousands]
1949

Annual
average

1948

Industry group and industry
Aug.
Mining:
Metal mining_____ _________________
Iron mining________________ ________
Copper mining____ ______________
Lead and zinc mining_____ _________

July

84.1
32.8
19.3
16.5

June

90.0
33.4
20.0
19.4

M ay

90.9
33.1
20.5
19.8

Apr.

92.7
33.2
20.9
21.0

Mar.

92.0
32.0
21.2
21.1

Feb.

91.0
32.0
20.2
21.0

Jan.

88.3
31.9
17.9
21.0

Dec.

88.5
32.2
18.1
20.9

N ov.

87.2
32.2
17.7
20.5

Oct.

89.7
32.8
20.5
20.1

Sept.

86.3
33.5
20.5
15.8

Aug.

85.1
33.8
20.2
14.6

1948

88.6
32.6
20.0
19.2

1947

87.5
30.5
20.1
20.7

__________ ___ _ ______

73.0

72.7

72.9

73.9

74.3

75.1

76.1

75.9

75.9

75.6

76.4

76.6

75.8

74.6

Bituminous-coal______________________

383.4

404.5

411.7

419.6

421.6

428.2

430.5

434.5

431.9

431.7

434.8

434.4

419.1

407.7

Crude petroleum and natural gas production:
Petroleum and natural gas production..

131.0

130.0

126.5

125.7

125.7

125.9

125.7

127.0

127.8

127.1

130.4

133.8

127.1

120.0

Nonmetallic mining and quarrying_____

86.5

85.9

85.6

85.4

82.0

80.4

81.9

87.2

88.6

89.7

91.0

91.1

87.6

86.0

Anthracite.

Manufacturing--------------------------------------

11,542 11,206 11,335 11,324 11,616 11,904 12,074 12,201 12, 578 12,775 12,913 13,017 12, 804 12,717 12,794

Durable goods __________ ___ _
Nondurable goods-----------------------

5,948
5,598

5, 891
5,315

6, 021
5,314

6,057
5, 267

6,262
5,354

Ordnance and accessories............................

18.6

19.3

20.7

21.3

22.5

Food and kindred products____________
Meat products.
_________________
Dairy products___ _________ _____
Canning and preserving____________
Grain-mill products_________________
Bakery products____________________
Sugar
_______ _
________ ___
Confectionery and related products___
Beverages...
. _ ____________
Miscellaneous food products_________
Tobacco manufactures_________________
Cigarettes__________ ______ _________
Cigars . .
____________________ .
Tobacco and snufl__ ___ ___________
Tobacco stemming and redrying_____
Textile-mill products____________ ____ _
Yarn and thread m ills_______________
Broad-woven fabric mills____________
Knitting m ills__ ______ . __________
D yeing and finishing textiles.............
Carpets, rugs, other floor coverings___
Other textile-mill products___________
Apparel and other finished textile produ c ts... ____________ ______ ________
M en’s and boys’ suits and coats______
M en’s and boys’ furnishings and work
clothing.._ _______________________
Women’s outerwear_________________
Women’s, children’s undergarments__
M illinery. ___________ _______ ______
Children’s outerwear________________
Fur goods and miscellaneous apparel__
Other fabricated textile products_____
Lumber and wood products (except furniture)____________________ ____ _
Logging camps and contractors ______
Sawmills and planing mills____ ______
Millwork, plywood, and prefabricated
structural wood products__________
Wooden containers____ ___________
Miscellaneous wood products________
Furniture and fixtures___________ _____
Household furniture............ ......................
Other furniture and fixtures__________

See footnote at end of table.


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

1,337 1, 224 1,153 1,095 1,071
227.1 225.6 220.6 217.4
122.2 122.1 115.3 107.8
218. 6 167.7 130.9 125.0
91.5
96.9
94.3
93.8
190.6 191.7 187.8 186.0
22.8
22.6
22.7
23.8
73.6
77.8
71.1
69.7
169.0 152.7 148.0 140.1
106.2 105.3 102.7 102.7

6,417
5,487

6, 523
5, 551

6,640
5, 561

6, 845
5, 733

6,942
5, 833

6,969
5,944

6,940
6,077

6,856
5, 948

8,909
5, 808

7,010
5,784

23.2

23.3

23.6

23.6

23.9

23.8

23.6

23.5

23.9

22.5

1,069 1,073 1,097 1,171 1,226 1,311 1,438 1,328 1,197 1, 216
225.5 230.9 239.7 247.2 234.8 226.4 223.3 224.8 215.8 223.9
98.6 100.3 104.0 108.4 114.9 120.8 111.0 115.2
103.3 100.0
109.9 108.3 118.2 146.7 172.9 257.7 407.6 296.6 195.3 198.2
94.1
93.9
93.5
96.4
93.6
93.0
93.4
96.0
94.0
94.1
185.3 188.6 190.0 196.4 197.0 202.6 199.2 197.9 195.5 194.0
24.8
31.1
44.2
29.4
22.9
30.8
30.0
33.9
23.5
45.0
86.4
94.7 101.0
99.3
87.1
82.3
85.9
79.3
82.4
84.0
149.4 144.5 145.6 156.9 167.4 166.7 170.4 169.0 161.4 161.1
100.2 101.2
99.8 103.3 108.1 111.9 111.0 110.8 108.1 111.3

82
24.4
40.9

84
24.3
42.4

82
24.3
41.3

82
23.8
40.9

85
23.5
43.3

88
23.4
43.4

11.0
5.7

11.5
5.6

11.0
5.8

11.3
6.4

11.6
6.8

1,106 1,056
126. 6
516.8
199. 5
71.9
43. 6
97.7

1,083
131.9
524.7
202.9
74.0
49.2
100.5

1,087
132.6
526.4
202.3
76.2
50.8
98.9

1,100
133.7
529.5
206.8
77.7
53.9
98.5

1,150
143.6
558.3
210.5
78.3
55.8
103.9

1,033

944
118. 2

958
121.5

956 1,008 1, 051 1, 055 1, 015 1, 040 1,058 1, 072 1,072 1, 061 1,049 1,028
117.7 133.7 137.3 138.7 135.4 134.7 135.3 141.5 144.0 144.1 140.1 138.4

221.1
261.6
82.2
17.8
58.4
72.9
111.6

236.3
256.6
83.5
14.7
57.3
74.5
113.9

239.1
257.0
84.5
17.6
52.4
71.8
115.4

241.0
288.5
85.5
20.5
53.4
71.1
113.8

242.0
317.7
87.7
22.8
57.7
72.8
112.7

240.6
324.1
89.0
22.6
57.0
72. 5
110.7

225.4
314.3
87.6
20.6
54.5
70.5
106.8

235.9
315.2
90.3
19.1
53.6
79.4
111.7

246.3
314.5
92.4
17.6
55.3
83.5
113.1

249.1
316.4
91.9
20.9
56.0
82.4
113.4

249.5
321.1
89.3
20.3
55.7
82.7
109.8

247.7
316.1
87.4
20.5
55.8
81.3
108.2

250.7
308.7
88.7
20.2
54.7
78.5
107.5

252.3
305.4
83.3
21.1
49.1
73.0
105.5

677
58.9
407.5

685
60.1
409.9

672
59.7
398.5

659
54.5
388.6

659
56.6
384.8

655
55.4
379.5

667
55.5
386.9

720
63.8
420.3

754
72.3
443.4

769
76.7
451.9

782
76.2
465.4

790
77.8
469.7

752
69.5
442.0

777
77.7
455.4

92.1
66.1
52.0

93.8
68.5
53.0

91.9
68. 4
53.3

93.6
68.3
54.2

93. 5
68.2
55.5

95.3
68.8
56.2

97.5
70.9
56.1

103.6
74.3
57.7

105.4
75.2
58.1

106.2
75.0
59.2

105.9
75.3
59.2

106.2
75. S
59.9

105.0 100.0
76. C 81.8
59.2
62.4

253
178.9
74.1

257
180.9
75.9

259
183.0
76.4

268
190.5
77.4

274
194.7
78.9

278
198.3
80.0

284
202.1
81.5

297
213.3
84.1

305
219.9
84.6

307
221.6
85.0

304
219.4
84.3

298
214.4
84.0

306
221.6
84.1

90

695

264

11.9
9.1

90
23.9
43.2
12.2
10.2

93
24.3
46.3
12.3
10.3

97
25.0
48.3
12.2
11.2

100
25.2
47.6
12.3
15.3

99
25.0
46.1
12.2
16.0

96
24.7
45.3
12.2
13.5

93
24.3
46.2
12.2
10.2

96
23.8
47.2
13.0
12.1

1,190
149.9
582.1
213.9
78.9
56.9
108.5

1,200
153.1
590.4
211.5
78.0
57.3
109.6

1,236
158.1
607.1
219.7
80.2
58.0
113.1

1,245
157.4
609.7
225.1
79.9
58.1
114.4

1,249
159. 4
610.0
225.9
79.4
57.9
115.9

1,261
163.7
615.4
226.1
79.2
57.8
118.7

1, 274
169.3
618.3
229.3
79.7
56.8
120.2

1, 275
168.5
615.3
231.4
80.4
57.2
121.7

1,243
170.6
590.2
226.2
78.3
50.5
127.2

300
219.7
80.0

REVIEW, OCTOBER 1949
T able

A : EMPLOYMENT AND PAY ROLLS

445

A-3: Production Workers in Mining and Manufacturing Industries.1—Continued.
1949
Aug.

July

June

Annual
average

1948

Industry group and industry
M ay

Apr.

Mar.

Feb.

Jan.

Dec.

409
210. 4
108. 0
90.

Nov.

Oct.

Sept.

Aug.

1948

1947

412
210.
109.
91.

411
210.
108.
91.

408
212.
105.
90.

405
212.
103.
88.

405
210.
104.
89/

406
206.9
107.4
91.1

M anufacturing — Continued

Paper and allied products.

367
...............

363
187. 0
93. 2
83. 0

368
190. 5
94. 1
82.

372
193.
94.
84.

377
196.
95.
84.

386
201.
97.
86.

391
204.
99.
87.

398
207.
102.
88.;

483
139.
35.
33.
161.
30.
82.

494
141.
35.
37.
163.
31.
85.

494
141.
36.
37.
162.
31.
85.

495
139.
36.
37.
163.]
32.1
85.

496
138.
37.
37.;
163.'
32.
86.

497
136.
37.]
37.
166.
31.1
87.

500
509
136.
139.
37.5
36.!
37.7
38.
168.6 169/
32.5
34/
88. C 9 0 /

508
138.
37.
38.1
167.
35/
91.6

508
137.3
37.3
38.4
168.
35.1
91.

500
135.!
37.,
38.
164/
34/
88/

496
133.
36/
38/
163/
34/
89/

501
133.
37/
38/
165/
35.
91/

497
125.4
38.7
40.4
161.0
38.2
93.2

45'

453
50.
135.'
58.'
41.
23.'
36.
105.7

465
52.]
139.
59.
43.
24/
38.7
107.

476
52.6
141.
59.
43.4
30.7
40.4
107.3

495
53.4
148.1
60.
43.7
36.0
44.4
108.7

511
513
54.
55.
157.4 161.7
61.2
61.5
44. C 44.5
37.6
33.1
47.1
48.]
109.5 108.7

519
55.6
163.2
61.5
45.3
29.9
50. A
113.4

526
56.
165/
60.;
46.6
28.6
52.
117.6

529
55.7
165.5
60.3
46.6
27.6
54.1
119.5

532
55.7
165.4
60.0
47.1
27.7
55.4
120.3

527
55/
166.3
60.1
46.9
27.9
50.7
120.1

514
55/
166/
59/
47.7
26.5
40/
119.2

520
54.7
164.4
59.9
46.9
30.2
46.6
117.6

523
51.9
162.6
63.9
45.9
31.4
46.9
120.7

Products of petroleum and coal..............
Petroleum refining________
Coke and byproducts.” ” ” ” ” ! ” ”
Other petroleum and coal products.!

191

189
150.3
17.3
21.3

189
149.6
18.0
21.6

188
148.5
18.1
21.8

188
148.8
17.9
20.9

187
149.3
17.9
20.2

188
149.5
17.8
20.2

187
149.1
17.9
20.0

189
149.]
17.8
22.5

192
149.4
17.6
25.4

184
140.3
17.6
26.5

195
151.4
17.8
26.2

197
153.4
17.9
25.8

192
148.9
17.5
25.3

184
141.5
15. 9
26.3

Rubber products..............
Tires and inner tubes___________ ! ”
Rubber footwear__________ ____
Other rubber products.......... .............. !

179

178
81.8
20.2
75.9

181
86.3
19.8
75.3

185
87.2
20.5
77.2

190
88.6
21.4
79.6

194
88.6
21.9
83.1

197
89.4
22.9
85.1

201
91.3
24.8
85.3

206
92.7
25.6
87.2

209
94.3
25.5
88.9

208
93.1
25.2
89.3

207
94.4
24.7
87.9

205
94.7
24.2
85.9

209
96.2
24.6
88.1

220
105.8
23.9
89.9

343
42.9
226.6
73.2

339
44. 5
222.5
72.1

332
44.5
215.7
72.2

348
45.0
227.8
74.9

358
46.3
234.4
77.4

359
47.1
234.5
77.3

354
47.8
232.5
74.1

354
48.6
227.5
77.8

357
47.9
223.9
84.9

369
49.2
233.4
86.3

370
49.4
235.3
85.0

372
48.9
238.7
84.5

368
49.5
234.8
83.5

372
51.5
235.5
84.8

402
101.9
36.7
72.2
47.3
71.7
72.2

409
105.4
36.6
72.9
50.2
71.2
73.1

414
105.9
36.2
72.8
52.3
71.2
75.7

416
104.5
36.0
72.9
54.6
70.3
77.5

423
107.4
35.7
73.4
55.7
70.7
80.5

429
109.5
35.8
74.5
56.1
71.1
81.9

436
112.1
35.9
75.8
55.9
72.9
83.1

451
117.3
36.4
78.7
57.4
75.4
85.3

457
120.4
36.6
79.2
57.3
77.1
85.9

458
121.6
36.3
79.2
57.0
78.3
85.8

455
121.0
35.6
79.2
56.4
78.2
84.9

453
118.3
36.2
79.0
56.2
77.4
85.8

448
119.6
35.5
76. 5
55.5
76.4
84.6

438
126.9
33.0
70.2
54.1
71.5
82.4

933

971

991

506.0
175.7

523.0
184.1

533.9
186.3

545.4
198.4

551.7
213.5

42.3

44.9

45.4

46.8

46.6

45.8

45.8

46.3

46.7

46.4

45.7

47.0

46.8

46.9

62.3
58.4
88.3

64.3
59.4
95.2

67.3
59.9
98.2

71.4
62.2
103.9

77.9
65.3
107.3

82.3
68.2
109.0

85.4
72.0
111.0

86.3
73.4
111.9

86.4
74.0
111.5

86.1
74.4
110.2

84.5
73.3
108.9

85.0
71.1
106.9

86.0
73.2
109.1

93.3
74.4
111.3

672
43.2
109.1

679
41.0
113.8

683
38.3
116.7

706
37.9
120.6

729
38.5
124.7

752
38.7
128.4

767
40.2
130.5

801
4,1.9
134.7

816
42.5
133.6

820
44.3
132.3

819
46.3
131.2

805
45.6
128.1

812
42.2
131.6

837
41.0
134.8

91.6
155.1

93.6
156.0

97.2
155.8

103.0
157.3

107.8
159.9

112.3
162.5

117.2
164.5

130.7
169.2

139.7
170.0

143.0
170.7

139.4
170.8

136.4
168.0

137.1
168.7

146.0
164.6

121.9
151.5

120.7
154.3

117.9
157.3

123.3
164.0

128.4
169.7

134.3
176.2

136.4
178.5

142.1
182.8

146.3
183.9

146.5
183.4

146.2
184.7

145. 2
182.0

148.6
183.8

156.3
193.9

936
50.7
138.3
67.5
149.3

977
1014
1066
1108
1133
1155
1179
1187
1190
1193
1188
1203
1217
53.2
56.4
58.7
60.9
61.9
63.1
63.5
63.5
62.9
61.1
63.9
62.3
65.3
145.2 148.0 150.5 152. 8 153.7 155.1 155.3 153.6 152.3 148.4 149.9 151.7 140.3
72.5
76.0
80.3
83.6
85.3
87.3
88.6
89.8
90.5
91.6
91.1
91.5
90.4
155.9 161.1 167.1 171.2 174.5 179.1 185.1 185.2 185.9 186.9 186.6 186.6 196.1

123.8
125.1
72.7

129.2
129.3
74.7

134.9
134.4
75.3

140.2
139.0
76.1

146.0
144. 5
79.4

149.0
148.7
81.6

151.7
151.4
82.8

154.3
153.4
85.8

154.9
153.3
87.1

155.6
154.1
89.3

157.4
154.1
90.5

157.7
148.6
91.1

158.6
154.3
93.0

163.0
156.4
92.4

98.4
110.5

104.5
112.6

107.5
120.6

127.2
127.3

134. 6
135.3

136.7
141.1

140.1
144.4i

147.2
146.2

151.8
147.4i

153.9
145.8

155.9
146.9

156.1
144.2

156.3
147.5

152.2
161.0

Other paper and allied products.
00
T
it >
i <
i iI Ii
iI ii ii ii

tries..........................__
N ewspapers.............. .
Periodicals................
Books................ ............
Commercial printing..
Lithographing.......... .

—
—

Chemicals and allied products________
Industrial inorganic chemicals______
Industrial organic chem icals...............
Drugs and medicines___________
Paints, pigments, and fillers.........
Fertilizers________________________
Vegetable and animal oils and "fats..I
Other chemicals and allied products..

Leather and leather products.
Leather__________________
Footwear (except rubber)...
Other leather products____
Stone, clay, and glass products________
Glass and glass products..
Cement, hydraulic________ ____
Structural clay products_______
Pottery and related products_______ !
Concrete, gypsum, and plaster products
Other stone, clay, and glass products..

—

...............
351

412
—

—

Primary metal industries__________
Blast furnaces, steel works, and rolling
mills............

926

Primary smelting and refining" of non- ............
ferrous metals_____________________
Rolling, drawing, and alloying of nonferrous m etals.—....................... .
Nonferrous foundries__________
Other primary metal industries..
Fabricated metal products (except ord­
nance, machinery, and transporta­
tion equipm ent)__________________
684
Tin cans and other tinware__ ________
Cutlery, hand tools, and hardware___
Heating apparatus (except electric)
and plumbers’ supplies____________ _________
Fabricated structural metal products.!
Metal stamping, coating, and en­ ............
graving___ _____ _____________ ____
Other fabricated metal products______
Machinery (except electrical)__________
Engines and turbines__________ _____
Agricultural machinery and tractors. !
Construction and mining m achinery...
Metalworking machinery........ ..............
Special-industry machinery (except
metalworking machinery)__________
General industrial machinery________
Office and store machines and devices..
Service-industry and household ma­
chines______ _______ ______________
Miscellaneous machinery parts......... .

See footnote at end of table.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

923
—
—

1028

1062

1077
552.8
219.2

1090
550.3
225.8

1101
550.8
231.8

1099
546.8
233.9

1096
544.5
234.3

1091
545.2
233.1

1082
546.5
225.8

1083
536.8
230.9

1073
517.6
229.4

MONTHLY LABOR

A: EMPLOYMENT AND PAY ROLLS

446
T a b l e A -3 :

Production Workers in Mining and Manufacturing Industries.1—Continued.
Ann ual
aver age

1948

1949
Industry group and industry
Aug.
Manufacturing—Continued
Electrical machinery_______ ____ - - - —
Electrical generating, transmission,
distribution, and industrial appara__ ___ _
______
tus
"Electrical equipment, for vehicles_____
Onmmnnieation equipment________ _
Electrical appliances, lamps, and
miscellaneous products
________
Transportation equipment_____________
Automobiles
_ ________ _ __
Aircraft and parts __ _ ________ ___
Aircraft
__ ________________
Aircraft engines and p a r ts _________
Aircraft propellers and parts
Other aircraft parts and equipmentShip and boat building and repairing
Ship building and repairing___ ___
Tiailroad equipment
_ ______ ____ _
Other transportation equipment---------

510

July

June

M ay

Apr.

Mar.

Feb.

Jan.

Dec.

N ov.

Oct.

Sept.

Aug.

1948

1947

504

518

538

560

585

607

623

643

650

647

642

632

656

706

194.5
45.8
175.7

199.5
46.3
181.3

209.1
48.1
185.4

219.5
49.1
188.7

227.0
52.0
195.7

232.7
52.6
207.2

234.2
53.4
217.4

240.3
54.5
225.7

244.5
55.0
226.1

244.6
54.8
221.8

247.4
53.9
216.3

246. 5
52.3
210.7

251.4
54.6
224.4

262.7
59.7
249.1

88.2

90.5

95.1

103.0

110.1

114.6

118.4

122.2

124.0

125.4

123.9

122.1

125.5

134.8

1,011 1,010
666.6
192.2
129.5
37.6
5.5
19.6
85.4
75.6
58.4
7.7

996
647.4
187.1
127.2
38.5
5.4
16.0
88.1
77.7
65.6
7.8

955 1,012 1,017 1,021
600.5 648.8 646.1 648.9
186.5 192.1 192.4 190.0
126.7 128.0 128.2 126.6
38.4
37.9
38.6
39.0
5.1
5.0
5.2
5.1
20.4
20.4
20.7
15.6
97.6 100.1
93.0
92.3
86.4
88.2
82.0
81.3
72.1
68.8
71.5
67.4
9.5
9.6
9.1
8.7

1,038 1,048 1,046 1,045 1,026
664.6 670.3 669.3 671.7 660.8
189.5 186.1 182.9 177.2 168.9
126.8 125. 4 123.4 118.9 112.3
34.4
35.3
37.8
36.3
35.7
5.0
5.0
5.0
5.0
5.1
17.2
18.8
18.0
19.9
19.3
101.5 106.3 107.6 111.0 110.5
98.1
98.7
89.4
94.3
95.6
70.4
71.2
72.3
71.8
71.6
14.6
14.9
12.9
14.6
10.3

991 1,031 1,038
641.8 657.6 648.8
162.4 166.6 167.2
109.3 111.5 110.9
35. 0
33.6
33.2
4.9
4.9
3.6
16.6
16.4
16.3
112.4 123.2 140.6
99.9 109.3 121.7
66.6
69.6
60.7
14.5
15.1
13.9

Instruments and related products---------Ophthalmic goods
______ __
Photogi-aphic apparatus___ _______
Watches and clocks
__ ______ -Professional and scientific instruments.

172

171
21.1
37.5
25.0
86.9

175
21. £
38.7
26.0
88.8

177
22.5
39.5
26.0
89.4

181
22.9
41.2
26.2
90.5

183
23.1
41.3
26.4
91.8

185
23.3
42.0
26.7
93.4

190
23.1
42.9
28.4
95.1

198
196
23.2
23.3
44.5
44.9
32. C 34.5
94.9
96.5

201
24.0
45.3
35.8
96.2

201
23.8
45.5
35.7
95.5

199
24.0
45.8
34.4
94.4

200
23.8
45.4
35.0
95.4

207
25.8
46. 5
35.7
99.1

Miscellaneous manufacturing industries..
Jewelry, silverware, and plated w a re...
Toys and sporting good s___ . ____
Costume jewelry, buttons, notions-----Other miscellaneous manufacturing
industries..............................................

330

314
39.1
55.0
44,6

333
43.1
56.6
42.3

333
43.9
56.8
41.0

343
45.2
58. (
44.1

354
46.5
57.8
48.6

363
47.8
58.1
51.9

366
48.0
57.8
51.5

385
49.3
64.0
53.4

406
5U. 7
73.0
55.9

412
50. 5
76.6
57.3

403
49.7
75.3
55.3

394
49.2
72.5
54.0

394
49.6
71. 5
63.9

394
47.
71.
53. f

175.0

190.5

191.5

195.9

201.3

204.9

209.1

218.6

226.3

227.5

222.3

218.

219.4

220.

....

i
Data are based upon reports from cooperating establishments covering
both full- and part-time production and related workers who worked dur­
ing, or received pay for, the pay period ending nearest the 15th of the month.
Data have been adjusted to levels indicated by Unemployment Insurance
Agencies and the Bureau of Old-Age and Survivors’ Insurance data through
1947 and have been carried forward from 1947 bench-mark levels, thereby
providing consistent series. These series supersede data shown in monthly

T able

mimeographed releases dated prior to September 1949 and issues of the
M onthly Labor Review dated prior to October 1949. Comparable data
from January 1947 are available upon request to the Bureau of Labor
Statistics. Such requests should specify the series desired. Revised data
in all except the first three columns w ill be identified by an asterisk for
the first m onth’s publication of such data.

A-4: Indexes of Production-Worker Employment and Weekly Pay Rolls in Manufacturing
Industries.1
[1939 average=100]
Period

1 Q3Qj a ver rge

1940*
}Q4i*
1942’
] Q42•
JQ44’
19451946:

AvcrRgc
Average
Average
Avera ge.
Aver r ce.
Average
Average_____________

1 See footnote 1, table A-3.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

Em ploy­
ment
100 0
107 5
132 8
156 9
183.3
178 3
157 0
147.8

Weekly
pay roll
100.0
113.6
164.9
241.5
331.1
343.7
293.5
271.1

Period
1947: Average. . . . _____
1948: Average
.
______
1948: August
September
October________
__
November
.
_ _
December
1949: January_____________

Em ploy­
ment
156.2
155. 2
156.3
158.9
157.6
155.9
153.5
148.9

Weekly
pay roll
326.9
351.4
360.1
366. 8
366.7
362.8
360.7
345.9

Period
1949: February__________ .
March. ________
A p ril.. . _________ . .
M ay_____________
June______ _ ______
July_________________
August______________

Employ­
ment
147.4
145.3
141.8
138.2
138.4
136.8
140.9

Weekly
pay roll
340.4
332.8
319.2
312.8
315.8
312.9

REVIEW, OCTOBER 1949
T able

A: EMPLOYMENT AND P AY ROLLS

447

A-5: Federal Civilian Employment by Branch and Agency Group 1
Executive 2

Year and month

All branches
Defense
agencies 3

Total

Post Office
D epartm ent4

All other
agencies 2

Legislative

Judicial

Total (including areas outside continental United States)
1947.
1948.

2,153,170
2,066, 545

2,142,825
2,055, 790

989,659
916,358

455,002
471,368

698,164
668,064

7,127
7,273

3r218
3,482

August___
September.
October__
November.
December.

2,073,720
2,083,614
2,076,011
2,078,623
2,380,186

2,062,884
2,072, 752
2,065,156
2,067,643
2,369,331

924, 555
933,214
931,918
934, 509
937,178

455,549
457,003
458, 414
459, 685
759,268

682,780
682,535
674, 824
673, 449
672,885

7,341
7’ 377
7,355
7,443
7,343

2 495
3 485
3,500
3 537
3¡ 512

1049: January__
February..
March___
April_____
M a y ..........
June.........
July______
August___

2,089,545
2,089,040
2,089,806
2 ,095,814
2,106,927
2,114, 767
2,106,242
2, 095, 547

2,078,593
2,078,068
2,078, 766
2,084, 764
2,095,881
2.103, 698
2,095,156
2,084,118

933,670
935,216
934,433
934,969
935,966
934, 661
917,001
903,090

475,836
475,022
474,945
476,440
479,722
482,447
485,196
491,408

669,087
667, 830
669,338
673,355
680,193
686, 590
692,959
689, 620

7,414
7’ 420
7,482
7,478
7,480
7,498
7, 507
7,842

3 538
3’ 552
3 558
3 572
3 5fifi
3J571
3 579
3^587

Continental United States
1947.
1948.

1,893, 875
1,847,232

1,883,600
1,836,550

766, 854
734,484

453,425
469,671

663,321
632,395

7,127
7,273

3,148
3.409

A ugust___
September.
October__
November.
December.

1,854,242
1,868, 589
1,868,846
1,876,443
2,181, 744

1,843,477
1,857,803
1,858,065
1,865, 538
2,181, 744

742,925
756,500
762, 682
770,286
777,474

453, 926
455,372
456, 708
457,972
756,549

646,626
645,931
638,675
637,280
636,941

7,341
7,377
7,355
7,443
7,343

3,424
3.409
3,426
3.462
3,437

1949: January__
February..
March___
April..........
M ay ...........
June_____
July______
August___

1,895,969
1,897,665
1,897, 224
1,905,131
1,918,278
1,929,461
1, 925,251
1,920,249

1,885,092
1,886, 769
1, 886,261
1,894,158
1, 907,309
1,918,469
1,914,242
1,908,897

777,679
781,956
780,782
784, 077
787,045
790,087
777,454
770,034

474,100
473,289
473,215
474,679
477,940
480,651
483,390
489, 562

633,313
631,524
632,264
635,402
642,324
647, 731
653,398
649,301

7,414
7,420
7,482
7,478
7,480
7,498
7,507
7,842

3.463
3,476
3,481
3,495
3,489
3,494
3,502
3, 510

• Employment represents an average for the year or is as of the first of the
month. Data for the legislative and judicial branches, for the mixed-owner­
ship banks of the Farm Credit Administration, and for the Federal Reserve
Banks are reported directly to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Data for all other
agencies of the executive branch are reported through the Civil Service Commission, but differ from those published by the Civil Service Commission
in the following respects: (1) Exclude seamen and trainees who are hired and
paid by private steamship companies having contracts with the Maritime
Commission, included by Civil Service Commission starting January 1947(2) exclude substitute rural mail carriers, included by the Civil Service
Commission since September 1945; (3) include in December the additional
postal employment necessitated by the Christmas season, excluded from
published Civil Service Commission figures starting 1942; (4) include an up­
ward adjustment to Post Office Department employment prior to December
1943 to convert temporary substitute employees from a full-time equivalent
to a name-count basis, the latter being the basis on which data for subsequent
months have been reported; (5) employment published by the Civil Service
Commission as of the last day of the month is presented here as of the first
day of the next month. Data for Central Intelligence Agency are excluded
2 From 1939 through June 1943, employment was reported for all areas
monthly and employment within continental United States was secured by
deducting the number of persons outside the continental area, which was
estimated from actual reports as of January 1939 and 1940 and of July 1941
and 1943. From July 1943 through December 1946, employment within
continental United States was reported monthly and the number outside


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

(estimated from quarterly reports) was added to secure employment in all
areas. Beginning January 1947, employment is reported monthly both
inside and outside continental United States. In the September 1949 and
earlier issues of the M onthly Labor Review, figures for the Panama Railroad,
the mixed-ownership banks of the Farm Credit Administration, and the
federal Reserve Banks were carried separately as “government corpora­
tions. ’ In the October 1949 and subsequent issues of the M onthly Labor
Review they are included under “All other agencies” of the executive branch
For earlier years the following additional corporations were excluded from
the executive branch and included under “ Government corporations-” Inland
Waterways Corporation, Spruce Production Corporation, and certain employees of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and of the Office of
the Comptroller of the Currency of the Treasury Department. Other gov­
ernment corporations were always included under “Executive.”
3 Covers the National M iltary Establishment, Maritime Commission,
National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, The Panama Canal, and
until their abolition or amalgamation with a peacetime agency, the agencies
created specifically to meet war and reconversion emergencies.
* For ways in which data differ from published figures of the Civil Service
Commission, see footnote 1. Empoyment figures include fourth-class post­
masters m all months. Prior to July 1945, clerks at third-class post offices
were hired on a contract basis and therefore, being private employees, are
excluded here. They are included beginning July 1945, however, when they
were placed on the regular Federal pay roll by congressional action.

MONTHLY LABOR

A: EMPLOYMENT AND PAY ROLLS

448
T able

A-6: Federal Civilian Pay Rolls by Branch and Agency Group 1
[In thousands]
Executive 3

Y ear and month

Legislative

All branches

Defense
agencies 3

Total

Post Office
D epartm ent4

Judicial

All other
agencies 3

Total (including areas outside continental United States)
1947.__________
1948___________

$5,966,107
6' 223| 486

$5,922,339
6,176, 414

$2, 646,913
2,660, 770

$1, 205, 051
1,399,072

$2,070,375
2,116, 572

$29,074
30,891

$14,694
16,182

1948: August___
September.
October__
November.
December.

543,481
547, 847
533, 871
*550, 354
624, 586

539,396
543, 700
529; 761
546, 252
620,396

229,273
232,975
*225, 676
235, 507
245,159

122,320
121, 908
124,095
125,130
178, 899

187,803
188, 817
179, 990
185, 615
196,338

2,695
2,694
2, 656
*2,683
2,722

1,390
1,453
1, 454
1, 419
1,468

1949: Janu ary...
February..
March___
April..........
M a y_____
June_____
July-------August___

538, 453
*518, 821
576, 546
546”000
562,080
574, 990
552”616
589, 298

534, 443
514, 865
572,328
541, 967
557, 889
570; 757
548, 387
584, 788

230,653
220, 788
250, 618
233, 826
242,059
247,993
231,204
249,156

*122,134
120, 505
124, 948
124, 576
122,930
*124, 673
124,913
125, 724

181,656
173, 572
196, 762
183,565
192, 900
198,091
192, 270
209,908

2,657
2, 650
2,763
2, 722
2,762
2,792
2,884
3,005

*1,353
1,306
1,455
1) 311
1, 429
1, 441
1,345
1, 505

Continental United States
1947.......... ............
1948......................

$5, 463, 671
5,731,115

$5, 420,337
5, 684,494

$2, 234, 417
2, 272, 001

$1, 200,943
1, 394,037

$1, 984, 977
2,018, 456

$29,074
30,891

$14, 260
15,730

1948: August___
September.
October—
November.
December.

501,815
506,309
491, 324
509,114
581, 370

497, 769
502, 201
487, 255
505”,052
577, 220

197,058
200,912
192, 530
203,323
211,614

121, 906
121, 479
123, 633
124, 667
178,151

178, 805
179,810
171,092
177,062
187,455

2,695
2,694
2, 656
*2, 683
2, 722

1,351
1,414
1.413
1,379
1, 428

1949: J an u ary...
February..
March___
April_____
M a y _____
June_____
July-------A ugust___

499,162
*481, 725
534, 633
504,901
522, 002
533,002
513,483
547,385

495,191
477”,807
530, 456
500,907
517, 853
528,810
509, 292
542,917

200, 204
192,441
218,474
202,699
212,447
216, 532
202,757
219,031

121, 691
120,067
124, 489
124,114
122, 474
124, 210
124, 447
125, 254

173, 296
165, 299
187,493
174, 094
182,932
188, 068
182,088
198,632

2,657
2,650
2, 763
2,722
2,762
2,792
2,884
3,005

1,314
1,268
1.414
1,272
1,387
1,400
1,307
1, 463

1 Data are from a series revised June 1947 to adjust pay rolls which, from
July 1945 until December 1946, were reported for pay periods ending during
the month to cover the entire calendar month. Data for the legislative and
judicial branches, for the mixed-ownership banks of the Farm Credit Ad­
ministration, and for the Federal Reserve Banks are reported directly to the
Bureau of Labor Statistics. Data for all other agencies of the executive
branch are reported through the Civil Service Commission. Data for Central
Intelligence Agency are excluded.
2 From 1939 through M ay 1943, pay rolls were reported for all areas monthly.
Beginning June 1943, some agencies reported pay rolls for all areas and some
reported pay rolls for the continental area only. Pay rolls for areas outside
continental United States from June 1943 through November 1946 (except
for the National Military Establishment, for which these data were reported
m onthly during most of this period) were secured by multiplying employ­
ment in these areas (see footnote 2, table A-5 for derivation of the employ­
ment figure by the average pay per person in March 1944, as revealed in a
survey as of that date, adjusted for the salary increases given in July 1945 and
July 1946. Beginning December 1946, pay rolls for areas outside the country
are reported monthly by most agencies. In the September 1949 and earlier


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

issues of the M onthly Labor Review, figures for the Panama Railroad, the
mixed-ownership banks of the Farm Credit Administration, and the Federal
Reserve Banks were carried separately as “government corporations.” In
the October 1949 and subsequent issues of the M onthly Labor Review th ey
are included under “all other agencies” of the executive branch. For earlier
years, the following additional corporations were excluded from the executive
branch and included under “government corporations” : Inland Waterways
Corporation, Spruce Production Corporation, and certain employees of the
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and of the Office of the Comptroller
of the Currency of the Treasury Department. Other government corpora­
tions were always included under “executive.”
3 See footnote 3, table A-5.
.
. _
« Beginning July 1945, pay is included of clerks at third-class post offices
who previously were hired on a contract basis and therefore were private
employees and of fourth-class postmasters who previously were recompensed
by the retention of a part of the postal receipts. Both these groups were
placed on a regular salary basis in July 1945 by congressional action.
*Re vised.

T able

449

A: EMPLOYMENT AND PAY ROLLS

REVIEW, OCTOBER 1949

A-7: Civilian Government Employment and Pay Rolls in Washington, D.
Agency Group 1

C .,

by Branch and

Federal

Year and month

District of
Total
Columbia
government government

Exec utive
Total
All agencies

Defense
agencies2

Post Office
Depart­
ment 3

Legislative

Judicial

All other
agencies

E m ploym ent4
.................
________

233,667
231, 242

18,140
18, 777

215, 527
212,465

207,824
204,601

69, 771
68,509

7,645
7,826

130,408
128, 266

7,127
7,273

576
591

1948: August___
September.
O ctober...
November.
December-

234, 253
235,063
234, 544
236, 478
242,626

18,882
18,853
18, 564
19,065
18, 731

215,371
216, 210
215,980
217,413
223,895

207,438
208, 245
208,036
209,373
215,955

70,217
70, 771
70,666
71,084
72, 219

7,486
7, 551
7,589
7, 702
12,015

129, 735
129,923
129, 781
130, 587
131, 721

7,341
7,377
7,355
7,443
7,343

592
588
589
597
597

1949: January...
February..
March___
April..........
M ay_____
June..........
July...........
August___

237, 542
238,911
239,898
241,442
*242,370
*243,891
245,048
244, 723

18,896
19,064
19,095
19,358
19,144
*19, 762
19,689
19, 716

218,646
219,847
220,803
222,084
*223, 226
224,129
225,359
225,007

210,629
211,823
212, 719
214,004
*215,133
216,019
217,237
216,546

71, 202
71, 723
71,991
72,359
72, 545
72,440
72,521
71, 246

7,623
7,613
7,625
7,750
7,755
7, 749
7, 770
7,784

131,804
132,487
133,103
133,895
*134,833
135,830
136,946
137,516

7,414
7,420
7,482
7,478
7,480
7,498
7, 507
7,842

603
604
602
602
613
612
615
619

1947
1948

Pay rolls (in thousands)
................
________

$767, 770
815,351

$49, 455
52,045

$718,315
763,306

$686, 796
729,791

$217,337
233,589

$29, 562
31,298

$439,897
464,904

$29,074
30,891

$2,445
2,624

1948: August___
September.
O ctober...
November.
December.

71, 251
73, 551
70, 755
73,223
78,680

3,480
4,607
4, 450
4,528
4,742

67, 771
68,944
66,305
68, 695
73,938

64,848
66,020
63,421
65, 782
70,972

21,114
22,141
20,908
21, 656
22, 526

2,695
2,722
2,684
2,750
3, 704

41,039
41,157
39,829
41,376
44, 742

2,695
2,694
2,656
2,682
2,722

228
230
228
231
244

1949: January...
February..
March___
April____
M ay_____
June..........
July...........
August___

71,971
69,096
77,819
72,228
74,803
74,474
70, 746
76, 376

4,647
4,418
4,801
4, 577
4,676
*4, 747
3, 772
4,181

67,324
64,678
73,018
67,651
70,127
69, 727
66, 974
72,195

64, 441
61,810
70, Oil
64,703
67,128
66,695
63, 856
68,940

20,687
19, 984
22,190
20,491
21,020
20,080
19,186
20,414

2,669
2,597
2,721
2,642
2,670
2,678
2,691
2, 687

41,085
39,229
45,100
41, 570
43,438
43,937
41,979
45,839

2,657
2,650
2,763
2, 722
2,762
2,792
2,884
3,005

226
218
244
226
237
240
234
250

1947
1948

1 Data for the legislative and judicial branches and District of Columbia
Government are reported to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Data for the
executive branch are reported through the Civil Serfvice Commission but
differ from those published by the Civil Service Commission in the following
respects: (1) Include in December the temporary additional postal employ­
ment necessitated by the Christmas season, excluded from published Civil
Service Commission figures starting 1942; (2) include an upward adjustment
to Post Office Department employment prior to December 1943 to convert
temporary substitute employees from a full-time equivalent to a namecount basis, the latter being the basis on which data for subsequent months
have been reported; (3) exclude persons working without compensation or
for $1 a year or month, included by the Civil Service Commission from
June through November 1943; (4) employment published by the Civil
Service Commission as of the last day of the month is presented here as of
the first day of the next month.


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

Beginning January 1942, data for the executive branch cover, in addition to
the area inside the District of Columbia, the adjacent sections of Maryland
and Virginia which are defined by the Bureau of the Census as in the metro­
politan area. Data for Central Intelligence Agency are excluded.
3 See footnote 3, table A-5.
3 For ways in which data differ from published figures of the Civil Service
Commission, see footnote 1.
4 Yearly figures represent averages. M onthly figures represent (1) the
number of regular employees in pay status on the first day of the month plus
the number of intermittent employees who were paid during the preceding
month for the executive branch, (2) the number of employees on the pay roll
with pay during the pay period ending just before the first of the month
for the legislative and judicial branches, and (3) the number of employees on
the pay roll with pay during the pay period ending on or just before the last
of the month for the District of Columbia Government.
*Revised.

450

A: EMPLOYMENT AND PAY ROLLS
T able A -8 :

MONTHLY LABOR

Personnel and Pay in Military Branch of Federal Government1
[In thousands]
Personnel (average for year or as of first of m o n th )3

Year and month
Total

Army 3

1947________ __________
1948.________________________

1,671
1,492

7 1, 059
7 964

1948: August_________________
September_____________
October__________ _____
November . . . . . . _____
December. . __________

* 1,516
* 1, 549
* 1,586
* 1,611
* 1, 629

579
609
636
647
662

1949: January________ ______
February_______________
March______________ ..
April_________________
M ay__________________
June_________ ______
July___________________
August________________

* 1,645
* 1, 688
* 1, 682
* 1, 667
* 1,651
* 1,639
1,636
1,638

677
712
703
689
673
664
659
655

Air Force

N avy

Coast
Guard

MusteringFam ily al­
out and
Pay rolls4 lowances
5 leave pay­
ments 6

Total

494
424

98
84

20
20

$5,350,396
3,442,961

$3, 336,934
2,993,124

$308,220
317,257

$1, 705,242
132, 579

400
401
406
410
410

430
432
438
446
449

* 87
* 87
* 86
* 87
* 87

21
21
21
21
22

278,234
292,040
294,843
298,971
294,061

244,547
251, 398
259,175
264,137
260,046

27, 756
28,115
28, 253
28,534
28,605

5,931
12,527
7,416
6, 300
5,411

412
416
417
417
418
418
419
423

447
450
451
450
449
447
448
450

*88
*88
*89
* 88
* 87
87
86
86

22
22
22
23
23
23
24
24

299, 593
290, 041
289,063
292, 446
284, 790
291,583
302,660
298, 608

265,618
257, 503
255, 340
258,961
250, 549
255,996
270, 094
266,437

28, 709
28,163
29,108
29,037
29, 517
29,254
29,050
28,982

5,266
4,376
4,615
4,448
4, 724
5, 333
3, 515
3,189

(7)
C)

1 Except for Army personnel for 1939 which is from the Annual Report of
the Secretary of War, all data are from reports submitted to the Bureau of
Labor Statistics by the various military branches. Because of rounding,
totals will not necessarily add to the sum of the items shown.
2 Includes personnel on active duty, the missing, those in the hands of the
enemy, and those on terminal leave through October 1,1947, when lump-sum
terminal-leave payments at time of discharge were started.
3 Prior to March 1944, data include persons on induction furlough. Prior
to June 1942 and after April 1945, Philippine Scouts are included.
4 Pay rolls are for personnel on active duty; they include payment of per­
sonnel while on terminal leave through September 1947. For officers this
applies to all prior periods and for enlisted personnel back to October 1,1946
only. Beginning October 1, 1947, they include lump-sum terminal-leave
payments made at time of discharge. Coast Guard pay rolls for all periods
and Army pay rolls through April 1947 represent actual expenditures. Other
data represent estimated obligations based on an average monthly personnel

T a b l e A -9 :

Marine
Corps

Type of pay

count. Pay rolls for the N avy and Coast Guard include cash payments for
clothing-allowance balances in January, April, July, and October.
5 Represents Government’s contribution. The men’s share is included in
the pay rolls.
6 Mustering-out pay represents actual expenditures. Leave payments
were authorized by Public Law 704 of the 79th Congress and were con­
tinued by Public Law 254 of the 80th Congress to enlisted personnel dis­
charged prior to September 1, 1946, for accrued and unused leave, and to
officers and enlisted personnel then on active duty for leave accrued in
excess of 60 days. Value of bonds (representing face value, to which in­
terest is added when bonds are cashed) and cash payments are included.
Lump-sum payments for terminal leave, which were authorized by Public
Law 350 of the 80th Congress, and which were started in October 1947, are
excluded here and included under pay rolls.
7 Separate figures for Army and Air Force not available. Combined data
shown under Army.
*Revised.

Employees in Nonagricultural Establishments for Selected States 1
[In thousands]
1949

1948

State

Annual
average
1943

July

June

M ay

Apr.

Mar.

Feb.

Jan.

Dec.

Nov.

Oct.

Sept.

Aug.

July

Arizona___________________
Arkansas___ _____ ________________
California____ _____ __________
Connecticut_______ ._ ._
Georgia_________________

147
285
3, 007
694
702

150
284
3,008
704
709

151
285
2,988
709
713

153
286
2,987
721
722

153
286
2,963
729
726

154
284
2,970
739
727

154
289
2,996
751
730

159
305
3,117
781
753

156
299
3, 086
778
751

155
301
3,123
780
753

154
300
3,162
780
749

154
297
3,147
774
747

155
295
3,109
*769
736

142
277
3,065
799
733

Idaho________________________
Illinois . . . . . .
Indiana_____ _________
Kansas__________________ .
M aine_________________

124
3, 040
1,148
450
257

124
3,065
1,145
449
254

120
3,068
1,142
445
245

*119
3,091
1,158
438
242

*115
3,086
1,154
432
243

*110
3,112
1,165
428
248

*114
3,157
1,176
433
251

*125
3, 256
1,225
457
264

*128
3,230
1,215
452
263

*129
3, 228
1, 220
452
268

*134
3, 218
1,237
455
278

*130
3,195
1,203
451
281

*128
3,185
1,205
*446
277

101
2,957
1,191
464
301

Maryland___________ .
Massachusetts_______ _
Minnesota __________ . . .
Missouri. __________
.
M ontana__________ _____

680
1,611
784
1,093
143

681
1,631
786
1, 096
143

680
1,626
780
1,097
142

683
1,636
768
1, 099
139

687
1, 645
763
1, 096
137

690
1, 662
767
1, 096
135

699
1, 680
775
1,109
137

723
1, 755
809
1,154
142

723
1, 728
813
1,141
142

719
1,733
813
1,150
143

720
1,735
825
1,140
143

714
1,726
823
1,138
142

707
*1, 717
813
1,138
141

756
1,734
666
1,081
117

49
157
1, 486
134
5,372

49
155
1,499
135
5,418

47
149
1,503
131
5,421

47
147
1,516
130
5,437

45
149
1, 520
129
5,429

45
152
1, 523
130
5,454

46
153
1,538
130
5,481

48
158
1,586
132
5,699

48
159
1, 585
130
5,649

48
162
1, 594
130
5, 661

49
166
1,604
133
5,653

50
169
1,599
132
5,618

50
167
1,589
131
*5, 559

55
147
1,732
95
5,268

457
3,431
259
712

459
3, 470
261
714

463
3, 504
263
716
1, 738

464
3,533
267
718
1 749

462
3, 540
*271
715
1 742

458
3,549
*277
715
1 744

460
3, 581
*281
722
1 752

483
3, 701
*292
751
1 SOB

475
3, 671
*293
749

477
3, 668
*293
754

476
3, 660
*292
757

468
3, 627
*289
756

466
3, 586
*289
745

436
3,480
313
669

186
96
668
985
81

184
96
670
972
81

182
94
662
960
77

181
93
662
959
75

174
93
653
957
73

169
94
641
961
73

168
95
646
971
74

184
99
688
1,006
78

186
99
692
1,000
79

191
100
704
1, 003
83

195
101
707
1,018
87

189
102
693
1,007
87

189
101
687
1,016
85

3 187
91
726
885
64

_____

N evad a 2___ . . . _.
N ew Hampshire________
N ew Jersey..
. . . ____
N ew M ex ico _______
N ew York______
Oklahoma______ ____
Pennsylvania________________
Rhode I s la n d ..___ _____
___
Tennessee.. ________
T e x a s ________________

.

U ta h .. ____________
Vermont___ . . .
______
Washington. . . . ______ ____
W isconsin.. ___________ _________
W yoming. ___________ .

1 Revised data in all except the first three columns will be identified by
an asterisk for the first month’s publication of such data. Comparable
series, January 1943 to date, are available upon request to the Bureau of
Labor Statistics or the cooperating State agency. See table A -10 for ad­
dresses of cooperating State agencies.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

2 Does not include contract construction,
Average for 1943 may not be stri ctly comparable with current data,

451

B: LABOR TURN-OVER

REVIEW, OCTOBER 1949
T a b l e A -1 0 :

Employees in Manufacturing Industries, by State 1
[In thousands]
1948

1949
State
July

June

203.6
200.1
Alabama_________________________
14.5
15.3
Arizona _____
___________ _____
70.8
Arkansas . _ ________ ___________
70.0
711.4
699.4
California* _
___
........
52.3
51.0
Colorado___________ ____________
322.8
322.6
Connecticut______________ . .
45.3
44.6
Delaware 3___
. . . . _______
17.3
17.3
District of Columbia______________
88.8
86.9
Florida.............................. ........................
246.1
248.7
Georgia___ ______ ________________
20.5
20.9
Idaho_____ _____________ ____ ____
Illinois 3_______________
_______ 1,105.3 1,117.0
499.4
502.9
Indiana * . ______________
142.6
Iowa_____ _____________________
140.8
88.7
87.5
Kansas___________________________
122.7
125.3
K entucky__________________ _____
147.5
Louisiana_________________ _______ 147.9
102.8
.
103.8
M aine,. _________________
Maryland *_.
___________ ____
209.4
211.1
629.3
619.7
M assachusetts*_____________ . . . .
Michigan_________________________ 982.4
976.6
191.4
M innesota ____ ___________ . . . .
188.0
77.1
M ississippi_______________________
76.0
Missouri___ _________ . . . _______ 333.0
330.1
18.1
M ontana 3________________ ______
18.8
44.7
45.3
Nebraska________________
____
Nevada__________________________
3.1
3.0
72.5
72.5
N ew Hampshire _________________
N ew Jersey 8_____________ . . . . .
631.1
649.7
N ew Mexico____________ . . . . .
10.2
10.1
N ew York_________ _________ . . . 1,653.7 1,686.9
360.2
365.9
6.7
North Dakota.........................................
6.7
Ohio________ ___________________ 1,062. 5 1, 091. 0
Oklahoma______________ . . . . . . .
60.5
60.8
Oregon___ _______________________
137.2
146.8
Pennsylvania 3___ ______ _ .
1, 297. 9 1,330.3
Rhode Island____ _ ______
. . . . 122.5
123.2
192.3
South C arolina...................................... 190.4
South D akota____ ________________
11.7
12.0
Tennessee_________________ . . . . 228.9
227.0
Texas 3. __ ____
337.8
335.6
U tah_____________________________
30.6
27.2
Vermont_________________________
32.1
31.5
Virginia 3_____ _____ __________ _ 194.7
196.1
W ashington_____________________ _ 173.0
174.2
122.9
126.3
West Virginia_______________ ____
Wisconsin___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
____ 410.3
398.3
W yoming________ _________. . . _
6.4
6.3

M ay

Apr.

Mar.

Feb.

Jan.

Dec.

N ov.

Oct.

Sept.

Aug.

July

207.6
15.5
71.4
697.0
51.2
340.3
44.2
17.2
91.0
251.9
18.4
1,125.5
500.8
142.2
86.2
122.4
148.0
98.4
208.6
636.1
931.7
185.7
76.7
328.3
17.4
44.5
3.1
71.3
658. 8
9.8
1,706.1
366.5
6.4
1,103.8
61.3
136.3
1,362. 6
122.9
191.5
11.3
228.6
333.0
26.7
32.5
195.7
170.9
128.1
393.2
6.0

212.1
15.6
72.5
701.3
51.0
354.4
44.5
16.7
92.2
259.7
*17.5
1,147.6
512.6
144.8
86.0
126.9
147.4
98.3
212.1
655.5
987.4
185.9
76.8
330.6
17.2
43.8
3.1
72.3
675.2
9.4
1,742.3
374.1
6.2
1,131. 3
61.7
132.6
1,393.2
126.1
195.7
11.3
231.2
331. 8
26.6
33.0
200.5
171.8
131.4
399.0
5.9

218.9
15.2
72.4
691.3
51.6
367.4
44.4
16.7
96.6
263.5
*16.0
1,171.1
519.4
149.9
86.0
127.6
147.1
102.0
215.6
675.8
1,007.7
189.0
81.2
337.8
17.1
46.0
3.1
75.2
694.9
9.0
1, 790.0
381.8
6.3
1,164. 3
62.8
130.9
1,429. 8
132.7
197.9
11.5
234.3
336.2
25.9
34.0
204.1
170.4
134.5
407.8
5.9

220.8
14.8
70.9
694.0
51.7
379.0
44.8
16.6
99.5
265.7
*15.1
1,191.7
528.0
152. 3
86.0
128.9
147. 4
106.3
218.0
690.8
1, 010. 5
189.7
82.7
338.9
16.9
47.2
3.1
77.7
702.3
8.9
1, 809.0
392.3
6.2
1,187. 7
63.5
.127. 0
1,447. 0
138.6
200.8
11.5
237.4
337.9
25.5
35.0
205.9
163.4
136.3
411.4
6.0

223.3
14.6
74.7
704.0
52.6
387.6
44.5
16.5
99.3
266.6
*16.1
1,211. 5
533.5
153.9
86.6
128.3
148.6
107.8
219.1
696.7
1, 041. 3
191.7
84.9
342.0
16.9
46.9
3.2
77.5
707.2
8.9
1,807.8
394.2
6.4
1,198.3
V 64.3
128.5
1,461.7
140.2
199.1
11.6
237.0
343.1
25.5
35.4
206.3
163. 5
137.6
415. 5
6.1

224.8
15.2
77.1
727.1
55.3
394.2
44.8
16.8
99.7
271.7
*19.8
1, 234. 5
542.9
155.9
87.8
132.1
150. 9
109.9
227.7
715.5
1, 062. 9
197.5
87.7
345.5
18.1
48.7
3.3
78.2
724.7
8.9
1, 853.1
403.0
6.5
1, 219. 3
66.7
137.1
1,498.9
142.9
206.1
11.8
246.6
353.3
27.7
36.3
211.3
174.5
139. 5
426.5
6.4

228.7
15.1
79.0
738.3
58.6
399.8
45.2
16.7
97.3
277.6
*22.4
1, 242.7
545.8
153.8
87.8
136.1
152.6
110. 6
233.0
722.8
1, 075.3
200.8
90.0
347.2
18.6
50.0
3.4
79.5
740.9
9.3
1,884.7
407.9
6.6
1, 235. 7
67.4
143.2
1, 504.0
145.7
206.1
12.2
252.1
358.0
30.9
36.7
215.5
184.8
140.4
430.7
7.1

229.1
14.8
80.2
769.2
60.2
400.6
46.3
16.8
90.7
279.9
*24.2
1,243.3
551.6
153.8
88.3
137.5
153.6
113.3
235.3
727.9
1,087.1
201.9
91.3
349.8
18.8
50.1
3.4
81.2
747.8
9.5
1,896.9
415.8
6.7
1, 241.0
67.9
155.0
1, 508.1
146.3
206.6
11.9
258.0
352.8
31.6
36.9
218.4
192.9
142.1
431.8
7.3

227.1
13.8
79.5
802.9
58.9
399.9
48.9
16.6
89.9
279.4
*26.5
1, 243.8
569.4
153. 9
87.5
135. 5
155.7
120.4
242.4
731.3
1, 084. 2
210.2
89.1
347.3
18.1
49.5
3.4
81.8
750.4
9.8
1, 900. 0
421.8
6.5
1, 253.7
67.2
160.2
1, 508.1
147.3
208.5
11.6
258.1
351.4
32.8
37.3
217.7
192.8
141.3
445.9
6.7

228.3
15.1
79.6
772.8
56.9
396.3
48.2
16.3
88.2
280.1
*25.3
1,231.0
542.7
153.0
87.6
135.1
155.6
121.5
239. 2
725.6
1, 054.4
210.0
92.0
349.1
18.0
50.6
3.5
82.2
743.9
9.8
1,878.4
421.5
6.6
1, 235. 3
66.9
160.5
1,498.0
147.1
211.1
11.8
260.4
353.6
29.1
37.9
214.5
183.7
141.3
434.5
6.9

228.9
15.8
78.8
742.1
57.7
394.7
46.6
16.6
88.0
273.6
*24.7
1,227. 4
544.3
152.1
87.6
134.0
151.7
117.1
232.8
710.0
1, 064.8
206.6
92.0
345. 4
18.2
51.3
3.5
81.8
732.8
9.8
1,818.4
391.5
6.6
1, 220.6
66.7
150.8
1,481.2
147.7
206.7
12.0
256.9
352.9
29.4
37.1
211.5
180.6
140.6
447.9
6.9

1 Revised data in all except the first three columns will be identified by an
asterisk for the first m onth’s publication of such data. Comparable series,
January 1943 to date, are available upon request to the Bureau of Labor
Statistics or the cooperating State agency listed below.
2 Average for 1943 may not be strictly comparable with current data for
those States now based on Standard Industrial Classification.
2 The manufacturing series for these States are based on the 1942 Social
Security Board Classification (others are on the 1945 Standard Industrial
Classification).
Cooperating State Agencies:
Alabama—Department of Industrial Relations, Montgomery 5.
Arizona—Unemployment Compensation Division, Employment Secu­
rity Commission, Phoenix.
Arkansas—Employm ent Security Division, Department of Labor,
Little Rock.
California—D ivision of Labor Statistics and Research, Department of
Industrial Relations, San Francisco 3.
Connecticut—Employm ent Security Division, Department of Labor and
Factory Inspection, Hartford 15.
Delaware—Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, Philadelphia 1, Pa.
Florida—Unemployment Compensation Division, Industrial Commis­
sion, Tallahassee.
Georgia—Employm ent Security Agency, Department of Labor, Atlanta 3.
Idaho—Em ploym ent Security Agency, Industrial Accident Board,
Boise.
Illinois—Division of Placement and Unemployment Compensation,
Department of Labor, Chicago 54.
Indiana—Research and Statistics Section, Employment Security D iv i­
sion, Indianapolis 12.
Iowa—Employm ent Security Commission, Des Moines 9.
Kansas—Employm ent Security Division, State Labor Department,
Topeka.
Kentucky—Bureau of Employment Security, Department of Economic
Security, Frankfort.
Louisiana—Division of Em ploym ent Security, Department of Labor,
Baton Rouge 4.
Maine—Employment Security Commission, Augusta.
Maryland—Employment Security Board, Department of Employment
Security, Baltimore 1.


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

A nnual
average
1943*
258.5
19.4
76.7
1,165. 5
67.5
504.2
55.2
15.6
136.0
302.9
15.9
1, 263.7
633.1
161.7
144. 2
131.7
166.1
144.4
348.8
835. 6
1,181.8
215.1
95.1
412. 9
15.7
60.8
7.9
77.0
951.1
7.9
2,115. 7
399.9
5. 6
1, 363.3
99.7
192.1
1,579.3
169.4
191.8
10.3
255.9
424.8
33.5
41.3
231.9
285.6
132.2
442.8
5.1

Massachusetts—D ivision of Statistics, Department of Labor and In­
dustries, Boston 10.
Michigan—Department of Labor and Industry, Lansing 13.
M innesota—Division of Employm ent and Security, Department o
Social Security, St. Paul 1.
M ississippi—Employm ent Security Commission, Jackson.
Missouri—Division of Em ploym ent Security, Department of Labor and
Industrial Relations, Jefierson City.
Montana—Unemployment Compensation Commission, Helena.
Nebraska—Division of Employm ent Security, Department of Labor,
Lincoln 1.
Nevada—Employm ent Security Department, Carson City.
N ew Hampshire—Employment Service and Unemployment Compen­
sation Division, Bureau of Labor, Concord.
N ew Jersey—Department of Labor and Industry, Trenton 8.
N ew Mexico—Employm ent Security Commission, Albuquerque.
N ew York—Research and Statistics, Division of Placement and Unem­
ployment Insurance, Department of Labor, New York 17.
North Carolina—Department of Labor, Raleigh.
North Dakota—Unemployment Compensation Division, Bismarck.
Oklahoma—Employm ent Security Commission, Oklahoma City 2.
Pennsylvania—Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, Philadelphia 1
(mfg.); Bureau of Research and Information, Department of Labor and
Industry, Harrisburg (nonmfg.).
Rhode Island—Department of Labor, Providence 2.
South Carolina —Employm ent Security Commission, Columbia 10.
South D akota—Employm ent Security Department, Aberdeen.
Tennessee—Department of Employm ent Security, N ashville 3. _
Texas—Bureau of Business Research, University of Texas, Austin 12.
U ta h —Department of Employm ent Security, Industrial Commission,
Salt Lake C ity 13.
Vermont—Unemployment Compensation Commission, Montpelier.
Virginia—Division of Research and Statistics, Department of Labor and
Industry, Richmond 14.
Washington—Em ploym ent Security Department, Olympia.
W est Virginia—Department of Em ploym ent Security, Charleston 5.
Wisconsin—Industrial Commission, Madison 3.
W yom ing—Em ploym ent Security Commission, Casper.

452

B: LABOR TURN-OVER

MONTHLY LABOR

B: Labor Turn-Over
T able

B -l: Monthly Labor Turn-Over Rates (Per 100 Employees) in Manufacturing Industries, by
Class of Turn-Over 1
Class of turn-over and year

Total accession:
1949____________________
1948_____________
1947______________________
1946 __ _ ___ ___ _
1939 3 ______
___
_ _
Total separation:
1949___________________________
1948________________________
1947____________________
1946 ____ _ _ ____
1939 9___________________
Q u it:4
1949________________________
.
1948______________________
1947______________________
1946 _____
. .
1939 9______________________
Discharge:
1949___ _____ __________
1948________________________
1947______________________
1946_______ _ . _______
1939 3____________________
Lay-off:8
1949________________________
1948_________________________
1947_________________________
1946________________________
1939 3____ _____ ___________ _ _
Miscellaneous, including m ilitary:4
1949___________________
1948______________
1947_______________ ____
1946_______________________________

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

M ay

June

July

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.

N ov.

Dec.

3.2
4.6
6.0
8.5
4.1

2.9
3.9
5.0
6.8
3.1

3.0
4.0
5.1
7.1
3.3

2.9
4.0
5.1
6.7
2.9

3.5
4.1
4.8
6.1
3.3

4.4
5.7
5.5
6.7
3.9

23 6
4.7
4.9
7.4
4.2

5.0
5.3
7.0
5.1

5.1
5.9
7.1
6.2

4.5
5.5
6.8
5.9

3.9
4.8
5.7
4.1

2 2.7
3.6
4.3
2.8

4.6
4.3
4.9
6.8
3.2

4.1
4.2
4.5
6.3
2.6

4.8
4.5
4.9
6.6
3.1

4.8
4.7
5.2
6.3
3.5

5.2
4.3
5.4
6.3
3.5

4.3
4.5
4.7
5.7
3.3

23 8
4.4
4.6
5.8
3.3

5.1
5.3
6.6
3.0

5.4
5.9
6.9
2.8

4.5
5.0
6.3
2.9

4.1
4.0
4.9
3.0

4.3
3.7
4.5
3.5

1.7
2.6
3.5
4.3
.9

1.4
2.5
3.2
3.9
.6

1.6
2.8
3.5
4.2
.8

1.7
3.0
3.7
4.3
.8

1.6
2.8
3.5
4.2
.7

1.5
2.9
3.1
4.0
.7

2 1.4
2.9
3.1
4.6
.7

3.4
4.0
5.3
.8

3.9
4.5
5.3
1.1

2.8
3.6
4.7
.9

2.2
2.7
3.7
.8

1.7
2.3
3.0
.7

.3
.4
.4
.5
.1

.3
.4
.4
.5
.1

.3
.4
.4
.4
.1

.2
.4
.4
.4
.1

.2
.3
.4
.4
.1

.2
.4
.4
.3
.1

2.2
.4
.4
.4
.1

.4
.4
.4
.1

.4
.4
.4
.1

.4
.4
.4
.2

.4
.4
.4
.2

.3
.4
.4
.1

2.5
1.2
.9
1.8
2.2

2.3
1.2
.8
1.7
1.9

2.8
1.2
.9
1.8
2.2

2.8
1.2
1.0
1.4
2.6

3.3
1.1
1.4
1.5
2.7

2.5
1.1
1.1
1.2
2.5

2 2.1
1.0
1.0
.6
2.5

1.2
.8
.7
2.1

1.0
.9
1.0
1.6

1.2
.9
1.0
1.8

1.4
.8
.7
2.0

2.2
.9
1.0
2.7

.1
.1
.1
.2

.1
.1
.1
.2

.1
.1
.1
.2

.1
.1
.1
.2

.1
.1
.1
.2

.1
.1
.1
.2

2. 1
.1
.1
.2

.1
.1
.2

.1
.1
.2

.1
.1
.2

.1
.1
.1

.1
.1
.1

i
Month-to-month changes in total employment in manufacturing indus­
tries as indicated by labor turn-over rates are not precisely comparable to
those shown by the Bureau’s employment and pay-roll reports, as the former
are based on data for the entire month, while the latter, for the most part,
refer to a 1-week period ending nearest the 15th of the mouth. The turn­
over sample is not so extensive as that of the employment and pay-roll sur­
vey—proportionately fewer small plants are included; printing and publish­
ing, and certain seasonal industries, such as canning and preserving, are not
covered. Plants on strike are also excluded. See note, table B-2.


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

Apr.

2 Preliminary figures.
9 Prior to 1943, rates relate to wage earners only.
4 Prior to September 1940, miscellaneous separations were included with
quits.
5 Including temporary, indeterminate (of more than 7 days’ duration), and
permanent lay-offs.

REVIEW, OCTOBER 1949
T able

B: LABOR TURN-OVER

453

B-2: Monthly Labor Turn-Over Rates (Per 100 Employees) in Selected Groups and Industries
Separation
Total accession
Industry group and industry

Total

Quit

Discharge

Miscellaneous,
including
military

Lay-off

J u ly 2

June

July 2

June

July 2

June

July 2

June

J u ly 2

June

July 2

3.3
3.9

4.2
4.6

4.1
3.7

4.7
4.1

1.3
1.6

1.6
1.5

0.2
.2

0.3
.2

2.4
1.8

2.7
2.3

0.2
.1

0.1
.1

2.3
1.4
2.5

2.5
1.5
3.6

7.3
2.9
2.4

8.1
3.1
1.4

3.9
3.3
4. 5
3.1
5. 8
2.0
6.2
3.1
2. 5

4.1
3.6
4.4
5.7
4.7
2.8
2.8
4.7
3.0

1.0
1.0
1.5
.7
.6
.7
1.5
.7
.9

1.1
1.0
1.2
1.1
.9
.6
1.4
1.1
. 7

.2
.1
.3
.1
.1
.2
.4
.2
.3

.2
.1
.3
.2
.2
.1
.5
.2
.3

2.4
1.8
2.6
1.9
5.0
.9
4.2
2.0
1.3

2.6
2.3
2.7
4.2
3.5
2.0
.7
3.1
1.9

.3
.4
.1
.4
.1
.2
.1
.2
(3)

.2
.2
.2
.2
.1
.1
.2
.3
.1

8.8

2.3
5.1

2.7
4.0
3.6

5.8
4.7
4.7

.6
1.4
1.2

.8
1.1
1.2

.1
.2
.3

.2
.4
.3

1.8
2.3
2.0

4.7
2.9
3.1

.2
.1
.1

.1
.3
.1

2.5
5.8
4.1
1.0

2.7
5.9
4.2
2.0
2.9

4.0
4.3
4.3
4.1
5. 5

5.6
3.6
3.5
3.6
4.7

1.0
1.7
1.2
.4
.7

1.1
1.5
1.2
.7
.8

.2
.3
.3
.4
.2

.2
.2
.3
(3)
.1

2.8
2.2
2.6
3.2
4.5

4.2
1.8
1.7
2.7
3.7

(3)
.1
.2
.1
.1

.1
.1
.3
.2
.1

Electrical machinery_____ ____ ___________________
Electrical equipment for industrial u s e .......... ........
Radios, radio equipment, and phonographs.......... .
Communication equipment, except radios............. .

2.1
1.3
2.4
.8

2.3
1.3
3.1

3.1
2.1
4.4
3.5

4.4
4.5
4.7
3.8

.8
.6
1.2
.5

.9
.8
1.5
.7

.2
.1
.2
.4

.2
.1
.3
.2

2.0
1.2
2.9
2.5

3.2
3.4
2.9
2.8

.1
.2
.1
.1

Machinery, except electrical.............................................
Engines and turbines.................................... ...........
Agricultural machinery and tractors.____ ______
Machine tools....... ..........................................................
Machine-tool accessories_____________ _________
M etal working machinery and equipment, not
elsewhere classified............................ ......................
General industrial machinery, except pumps________
Pumps and pumping equipment........... ...................

1.6
1.6
2.1
.5
4.2

2.3
3.1
3.0
3.6

3.5
4.9
3.8
2.7
5.2

3.9
7.6
3.3
4.6
5.5

.8
.8
1.1
.4
1.1

.9
.8
1.4
.4
1.0

.2
.1
.2
.2
.3

.2
.2
.2
.1
.3

2.4
3.9
2.3
1.8
3.8

2.7
6.5
1.5
3.9
4.1

.1
.1
.2
.3
(3)

.1
.1
.2
.2
.1

1.0
1.5
1.1

1.7
3.0

5.1
2.9
2.3

3.3
3.9
4.5

.7
.8
.6

.7
.8
1.1

.1
.1
.1

.1
.2
.3

4.2
1.9
1.4

2.3
2.8
2.9

.1
.1
.2

.2
.1
.2

June

M A N U F A C T U R IN G
Durable goods____
Nondurable goods.
Durable goods
IronTand steel and their products......... .......................... .
Blast furnaces, steel works, and rolling mills.......... .
Gray-iron castings_____________ ____ __________
Malleable-iron castings___________ _____ _______
Steel castings.................................................................
Cast-iron pipe andjfittings........................ ............... .
Tin cans and other tinware.............. ......................... .
Wire products.................................................................
Cutlery and edge tools.............................. ...............
Tools (except edge tools, machine tools, files, and
saws)..................... _....................... ...............
Hardware...................................................... .................
Stoves, oil burners, and heating equipment_________
Steam and hot-water heating apparatus and steam
fittings...................... ....................................................
Stamped and enameled ware and galvanizing___
Fabricated structural-metal products....................
Bolts, nuts, washers, and rivets.......... ............. ........
Forgings, iron and steel............................................. .

Transportation equipment, except automobiles
A ircraft..____ ___________________________
Aircraft parts, including engines_____ IV.'.V.
Shipbuilding and repairs_________________

2.0
1.5
2.0

L7
2.3

2.1

2.6
1.3
1.3

1.0
.8

1.0

6.8

.1
.2
(3)

.1

6.3
4.8
1.9
12.9

2.2

14.8

6.4
2.9
2.4
14.6

7.0
3.4
2.4
16.8

1.3
1.4
.8
1.4

1.6
1.9
.8
1.7

.3
.2
.3
.4

.4
.2
.6
.4

4.7
1.3
1.2
12.7

4.9
1.2
1.0
14.6

.1
(3)
.1
.1

Automobiles......................................................................
Motor vehicles, bodies, and trailers.
Motor-vehicle parts and accessories..................1!

5.0
5.0
5.0

8.5
8.9
7.6

5.5
6.0
4.9

4.8
4.5
4.8

2.1
2.4
1.6

2.4
2.7
1.6

.3
.3
.3

.4
.4
.3

3.0
3.2
2.8

1.8
1.3
2.7

.1
.1
.2

.2
.1
.2

Nonferrous metals and their products_______________
Primary smelting and refining, except aluminum
and magnesium____________ _________________
Rolling and drawing of copper and copper alloys._
Lighting equipment............................. ................. .......
Nonferrous metal foundries, except aluminum and
magnesium________________________________

3.1

3.2

3.3

4.3

.9

.9

.2

.2

2.1

3.1

.1

.1

1.8
3.5
1.9

1.7

3.3
2.0
2.0

4.2
4.7
3.4

.8
.6
.9

.9
.6
.9

.2
(3)
.1

.2
(3)
.1

2.1
1.2
.7

3.0
3.9
2.2

.2
.2
.3

.1
.2
.2

3.3

3.6

.9

1.1

.2

.3

2.0

2.1

.2

.1

Lumber and timber basic products.
Sawmills____________________
Planing and plywood mills....... .

4.5
4.3
2.7

3.1

6.0

3.5
3.4
2.9

5.3
5.4
3.0

2.1
2.0
1.2

2.6
2.6
1.6

.2
.2
.2

.3
.2
.2

1.1
1.1
1.4

2.3
2.5
1.1

.1
.1
.1

.1
.1
.1

Furniture and finished lumber p ro d u cts...................
Furniture, including mattresses and bedsprings.

4.2
4.1

3.7
3.5

5.0
5.1

5.1
4.6

1.6
1.6

1.6
1.5

.3
.4

.3
.3

3.0
3.0

3.1
2.7

.1
.1

.1
.1

Stone, clay, and glass produ cts.....................................
Glass and glass products............................................
C em en t............................................ ..........................
Brick, tile, and terra co tta ............................
Pottery and related products...............................

2.2
3.0
1.5
1.8

2.8

3.7

3.1
3.6
1.8
2.6
2.8

3.4
2.5
1.6
3.0
4.0

.9
.9
1.0
1.3
1.0

1.1
.8
1.0
1.4
2.0

.2
.2
.2
.2
.2

.2
.2
.2
.3
.3

1.9
2.4
.5
1.0
1.5

2.0
1.4
.3
1.3
1.7

.1
.1
.1
.1
.1

.1
.1
.1

.IIIIIIZIIIII

See footnotes at end of table.


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

5.8

1.2

9.9

2.6
5.9

2.8

3.3
1.4

.1
.1
(3)

(3)
(3)

.1

MONTHLY LABOR

B: LABOR TURN-OVER

454
T able

B-2: Monthly Labor Turn-Over Rates (Per 100 Employees) in Selected Groups and
Industries 1—Continued
Separation
Total accession

J u ly 2

June

J u ly 2

June

July 2

June

J u ly 2

Miscellaneous,
including
military

Lay-oS

Discharge

Quit

Total

Industry group and industry

June

J u ly 2

June

July 2

June

M A N U F A C T U R IN G —Continued
Nondurable goods
0.1

Textile-mill products--------------------------------------------Cotton_______________________________________
Silk and rayon goods--------------------------Woolen and worsted, except dyeing and finishing..
Hosiery, full-fashioned------------------------ ------------Hosiery, seamless------------------------- --------- - ...........
Knitted underwear-------------------------------------- - - Dyeing and finishing textiles, including woolen
and worsted---------------- --------------------- --------

3.0
2.8
4.0
5.2
2.4
4.1
4.0

3.4
2.8
5.1
8.0
2.7
4.2
4.0

3.9
4.2
3.8
4.0
2.1
4.5
3.1

4.1
4.4
5.0
4.4
3.1
3.7
3.6

1.4
1.5
1.4
1.0
1.5
2.1
2.2

1.3
1.5
1.3
.9
1.3
1.6
1.8

0.2
.2
.2
.2
.1
.1
.2

0.2
.2
.2
.1
.1
.1
.1

2.2
2.5
2.2
2.7
.5
2.2
.7

2.5
2.7
3.4
3.2
1.7
2.0
1.7

0.1
0
0
.1
0
.1
0

2.2

1.8

2.3

2.7

.7

.7

.1

.2

1.4

1.7

.1

Apparel and other finished textile products--------------M en’s and boys’ suits, coats, and overcoats--------M en’s and boys’ furnishings, work clothing, and
allied garments.................... ....................... ................

5. 2
5.2

7.1
12.3

4.0
2.5

5.2
4.9

2.4
1.4

2.1
1.1

.2
.1

.2
.1

1.4
1.0

2.9
3.7

0
0

5.5

3.8

4.8

4.8

3.4

2.9

.2

.1

1.2

1.8

0

1.8
.8
2.0

2.1
.9
2.3

.2
.1
.2

.2
.1
.2

.8
2.1
.6

1.4
1.5
1.1

.1
.1
.1

.1
.1
.1

2.0
2.7
.4
.9

.1
.1
.1
.1

.1
.2
.1
.1

0

.1
.2

0
0

0
.1
0
0
0

Leather and leather products--------------------------- -----Leather______________________________________
Boots and shoes-----------------------------------------------

4.2
2.9
4.3

4.3
2.4
4.6

2.9
3.1
2.9

3.8
2.6
3.7

Food and kindred products----------------------------- -----Meat products-----------------------------------------------Grain-mill products-------------------------- ------ -------Bakery products----------------------------------------- ---

5.7
6.3
5.0
4.0

6.8
7.2
5.3
6.7

4.7
5.3
3.5
4.0

4.4
5.3
2.4
3.9

1.9
1.9
2.2
2.2

1.9
2.0
1.5
2.5

.4
.5
.5
.5

.4
.4
.4
.4

2.3
2.8
.7
1.2

Tobacco manufactures-------------------------------------------

2.4

2.6

2.0

2.4

1.5

1.4

.1

.2

.3

.7

.1

.1

.1
.1
.1

.1
.1
.1

Paper and allied products....................................................
Paper and pulp------------------------------- ------------ --Paper boxes------------ --------- ------------------------------

2.2
1.9
2.9

2.7
2.3
3.3

2.4
2.4
2.5

2.3
2.2
2.3

1.0
.8
1.3

1.2
1.0
1.4

.2
.2
.2

.2
.2
.2

1.1
1.3
.9

.8
.9
.6

Chemicals and allied products.................... - .........- .........
Paints, varnishes, and colors-------------- ------ -------Rayon and allied products-------------------------------Industrial chemicals, except explosives---------------

1.9
2.2
2.7
1.3

1.7
1.8
1.9
1.5

2.5
1.5
2.6
2.7

3.5
1.7
3.4
4.3

.5
.6
.4
.4

.6
.6
.6
.5

.1
.2
.1
.1

.1
.2
.1
.2

1.8
.6
2.0
2.1

2.7
.8
2.6
3.5

.1
.1
.1
.1

.1

Products of petroleum and coal........... ................. ..........
Petroleum refining.........................- .............................

.4
.4

1.1
1.0

.8
.7

.9
.7

.3
.3

.3
.3

0
0

.1

.4
.3

.4
.3

.1
.1

.1
.1

Rubber products------------- ---------------- ---------------Rubber tires and inner tubes---------------------------Rubber footwear and related products---------------Miscellaneous rubber industries.................................

1.9
1.0
2.3
3.8

2.6
1.5
2.9
4.5

3.0
3.0
2.3
3.6

3.4
3.6
2.4
3.6

1.2
.6
1.6
2.4

1.1
.8
1.6
1.1

0

.1
.1
.1
.2

1.6
2.3
.5
.9

2.1
2.6
.6
2.2

.1
.1
.1
.1

.8

0

Miscellaneous industries--------------------------------- ------

0

2.6

0

3.8

0)

0
.1
.1
.2

.1

2.8

0

.1
.1
.1

.1
.1
.1

.1
.1

0

N O N M A N U F A C T U R IN G
.2
.1
.2
.2

M etal mining.........................................................................
Iron-ore— ----------- ---------------------------- ------------ Copper-ore---------------- - ........................... - .............. .
Lead- and zinc-ore......................................................-

2.4
1.0
3.1
2.3

3.7
2.2
3.6
3.9

4.3
2.3
4.8
4.3

8.7
2.0
8.2
18.4

2.0
.8
2.8
1.9

3.4
1.0
6.6
2.4

Coal mining:
Anthracite............. ........................- ...............................
Bituminous_____ ____ - .........- ....................................

2.3
1.9

.9
1.1

2.0
3.0

1.4
3.4

1.5
1.9

1.0
1.5

0

1.2
1.1

0
0

Communication:
Telephone------ ----------------- ------ ------------ --------Telegraph............................................................ - .........

0
0

1.7
1.4

0
«

i Since January 1943 manufacturing firms reporting labor turn-over infor­
mation have been assigned industry codes on the basis of current products.
M ost plants in the employment and pay-roll sample, comprising those which
were in operation in 1939, are classified according to their major activity at
that time, regardless of any subsequent change in major products. Labor
turn-over data, beginning in January 1943, refer to wage and salary workers.

1.6
2.6

0
0

.1

0

.4
.2
.2
.4

1.9
1.1
1.7
2.1

4.7
.6
1.3
15.3

.2
.3
.1
.1

.2
.2
.1
.2

.1

.3
.8

.2
1.6

.2
.2

.2
.2

.1
0

0
0

.2
1.3

.1
.2

Employment information for wage and salary workers is available for major
manufacturing industry groups (table A-3); for individual industries these
data refer to production workers only (table A-6).
2 Preliminary figures,
s Less than 0.05.
4 N ot available.

N o t e : Explanatory notes outlining the concepts, sources, size of the reporting sample, and method­
ology used in preparing the data presented in tables B - l and B -2 are contained in the Bureau’s
monthly mimeographed release. “Labor Turn-Over,” which is available upon request.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

0
«

455

C: EARNINGS AND HOURS

REiVIEW, OCTOBER 1949

C: Earnings and Hours
T able C -l: Hours and Gross Earnings of Production Workers or Nonsupervisory Employees 1
Mining
Coal

Metal
Year and month

Avg.
wkly.
earnings

Avg.
wkly.
hours

1947: Average______ $54. 63
1948: Average______ 60. 80
1948: July _______
A u g u st.-..........
September___
October____ _
November____
December____
1949: January______
February_____
March___ ___
April_______
M ay_______
June_____
J u l y ______

58.08
62. 88
62.44
64.09
64.02
65.36
64.75
64. 74
66.16
64. 71
63.72
60.96
58.82

Avg.
hrly.
earnmgs

Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn- hours
ings

41.8 $1.307 $52. 34
42.4 1.434 58.32
40.5
43.1
41.6
42.5
42.4
43.0
42.1
42.4
43.3
42.6
42.2
40.8
39.5

1.434
1.459
1.501
1. 508
1.510
1.520
1.538
1.527
1. 528
1.519
1. 510
1.494
1.489

Copper

Iron

Total: Metal

55. 58
69.13
60. 56
62.74
61.10
61.32
62. 75
62. 81
63.30
62.20
61. 64
60.26
56.44

Avg.
hrly.
earnings

Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn- hours
ings

Lead and zinc
Avg.
hrly.
earnings

Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn- hours
ings

1948: July. ______
A u g u s t___September___
October______
N ovember.
December____
1949: January _ __
February____
M a r c h ______
A pril.. _____
M a y .. ______
June_________
J u l y ______

$59.36
66.68
67. 57
70.18
67.83
68.28
68. 82
69.52
73.32
70.37
69. 54
70.30
71.78
70. 59
72.46

41.3 $1.334 $62. 77
41.3 1.486 66.57

40.6
41.7
40.4
41.8
41.2
41.1
42.0
42.1
42.4
41.8
41.4
40.8
38.5

44.5
45.8
43.7
45.1
45.5
46.2
45.9
43.7
46.1
46.3
44.5
39.8
39.7

34.8
42.6
41.2
41.6
42.3
43.1
42.0
42.1
43.1
41.0
41.9
41.4
40.0

1.369
1.418
1.499
1.501
1.483
1. 492
1.494
1.492
1.493
1. 488
1.489
1.477
1.466

66.31
69. 57
67.04
68.37
70.62
71.70
72.15
67.56
70. 90
71.35
67. 37
59.34
59.99

1.490
1.519
1.534
1.516
1.552
1. 552
1.572
1.546
1.538
1. 541
1. 514
1.491
1.511

52. 62
64. 41
63.04
64.15
66.20
68.23
68. 67
67. 82
69. 56
64.74
66.03
64.00
61.32

1.685
1.691
1.713
1. 720
1.738
1.738
1.784
1.768
1. 756
1.762
1. 768
1.778
1.798

1.512
1.512
1. 530
1. 542
1.565
1.583
1.635
1.611
1. 614
1.579
1. 576
1. 546
1.533

55.14
72.77
69.32
73. 68
60. 89
63. 27
67. 39
47.97
46.15
56. 82
63.63
45. 28
67.14

Bituminous

Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly.
earn­ earnings
ings

Avg.
wkly.
hours

Avg.
hrly.
earnings

37.7 $1. 665 $66. 59
36.8 1.809 72.12

40.7
38.0

$1. 636
1.898

1. 734
1.900
1.894
1.904
1.823
1. 861
1.872
1.838
1.846
1.857
1. 866
1. 935
1.886

33.4
39.0
37.6
39.2
37.2
39.0
39.2
37.9
36.4
37.4
37.5
30.7
25.1

1.937
1.961
1.971
1.945
1.955
1.956
1.947
1.941
1.938
1.934
1.946
1.951
1.910

Avg.
wkly.
hours

31.8
38.3
36.6
38.7
33.4
34.0
36.0
26.1
25.0
30.6
34.1
23.4
35.6

64.70
76. 48
74.11
76.24
72. 73
76. 28
76. 32
73.56
70.54
72.33
72. 98
59. 90
47.94

Contract construction2
Nonbuilding construction

Nonmetallic mining
and quarrying

40.3 $1.473 $50. 54
40.0 1.667 55.31
40.1
41.5
39.6
39.7
39.6
40.0
41.1
39.8
39.6
39.9
40.6
39.7
40.3

Avg.
wkly.
earnings

44.8 $1.323 $55.09
45.2 1.456 61.37

Total: Contract construction

Petroleum and natural
gas production

1948: Average____

Avg.
hrly.
earnings

40.2 $1.302 $59. 27
41.3 1. 412 65.81

Mining—Continued
Crude petroleum and
natural gas production

Anthracite

56.31
58.69
57.42
58. 68
57.05
56. 79
54. 91
54.36
54.40
56.38
58.17
57. 55
57.46

45.0 $1,123
44.5 1.243 $68.25
44.8
46.1
45.0
45.7
44.4
44.3
42.7
42.3
42.5
43.3
44.3
43.8
43.3

1.257
1.273
1. 276
1.284
1.285
1.282
1.286
1.285
1.280
1.302
1.313
1.314
1.327

69.84
70.47
71.07
70.51
68. 28
71.65
70.14
69. 96
69. 22
69.86
71.70
71.41
71.52

Total: Nonbuildmg
construction

Highway and street

H eavy construction

38.1 $ì. 790 $66. 61

40. 6 $1. 639 $62. 41

41.6 $1. 500 $69. 69

39.9

$1.746

38.9
39.1
38.9
38.6
37.1
38.5
37.5
37.3
36.9
37.3
38.5
38.5
38.5

41.8
42.3
42.4
42.1
39.1
40.7
39.5
39.7
39.5
40.1
41.7
41.9
42.2

43.1
43.8
44.1
43.7
40.6
40.7
39.2
39.8
40.4
40.2
42.9
42.3
43.3

1.494
1.501
1. 526
1. 541
1.514
1. 538
1. 530
1. 536
1.534
1.555
1. 567
1.574
1.573

40.6
41.1
41.0
40.7
37.5
40.6
39.7
39.6
38.8
40.2
40.8
41.5
41.3

1.744
1.665
1. 795
1.799
1.803
1.833
1.839
1.827
1. 826
1.842
1.851
1.837
1.840

1.793
1.803
1. 827
1. 826
1.840
1.862
1.869
1.877
1. 875
1. 872
1. 864
1. 856
1.855

68.33
69.40
70. 56
70.40
65.31
69.64
67.54
68.06
67. 25
68. 47
71.42
71.34
72.13

1.634
1.639
1.663
1.672
1.671
1.712
1.710
1.714
1.703
1.709
1.712
1.704
1.710

64.47
65. 70
67.30
67.42
61. 54
62.62
59. 98
61.17
61.96
62. 44
67.17
66. 52
68.02

70.83
72.57
73. 66
73.18
67. 53
74.47
73.00
72. 34
70. 78
73.96
75.47
76. 25
75.98

Contract construction 2—Continued
Building construction

Nonbuilding
construction--Con.

Special-trade contractors
Other construction

1948: Average............ $66.16
1948: July_________
August______
September___
October______
N ovem ber___
December____
1949: January_____
February____
M arch_______
April________
M ay..................
June_________
July. _______

69.36
69. 59
69.82
69. 74
67.00
69.03
67. 52
67. 88
67.57
67. 69
71.07
71.19
72.64

40.4 $1. 637 $68.85
42.0
41.9
41.9
41.7
39.8
40.6
39.6
39.9
39.8
39.6
41.3
41.7
41.6

See footnotes at end of table.

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

Total: Building
construction

1.652
1. 662
1.666
1.671
1.683
1.702
1.705
1.701
1.698
1.710
1. 722
1.709
1.744

70. 47
70. 91
71.29
70. 59
69.39
72.33
70.88
70. 53
69.83
70.33
71.81
71.44
71.27

General contractors

37.3 $1. 848 $64.64
37.8
37.8
37.6
37.3
36.4
37.8
37.0
36.5
36.1
36.4
37.2
37.1
37.1

1. 862
1. 874
1.895
1. 892
1.906
1.915
1.918
1.930
1.933
1.934
1.930
1.924
1.922

66.38
66.87
67.07
66.53
64. 97
68.60
66.84
66.84
66. 69
66.88
68.34
67.70
67.33

Total: Special-trade
contractors

Plumbing and
heating

Painting and
decorating

36.6 $1. 766 $73. 87

38.0 $1.946 $76.83

39.2 $L 960 $69.77

36.3

$1. 925

37.2
37.3
37.0
36.7
35.6
37.4
36.5
36.1
35.8
35.9
36.8
36.7
36.6

38.5
38.4
38.3
38.0
37.3
38.1
37.5
37.1
36.5
36.9
37.7
37.7
37.7

39.3
39.2
38.8
38.7
38.0
39.7
39.1
38.8
38.6
38.3
38.5
38.6
38.8

37.1
36.6
36.8
35.9
35.3
35.9
34.4
34.9
35.5
35.5
36.6
36.8
36.7

1.927
1.944
1. 951
1.982
2.003
1.991
1. 985
1.974
1. 964
1.965
1.963
1.961
1.968

1.785
1. 793
1.813
1.815
1. 824
1.835
1.833
1. 853
1. 864
1. 862
1. 858
1.846
1.838

75. 32
75.88
76.23
75.51
74.72
76. 86
75.50
75.13
73.87
74.84
76.29
76.43
76. 57

1.956
1.976
1.992
1.988
2.006
2.017
2.012
2.027
2.022
2.027
2.023
2.026
2.033

78.15
79.31
78. 68
77.49
76.34
80.71
79.08
78.16
77.33
76.93
77.75
77.95
78.08

1.989
2.024
2.030
2.004
2.010
2.031
2.022
2.014
2.003
2.009
2.018
2.022
2.013

71.49
71.09
71. 77
71.15
70. 61
71.59
68.33
68.92
69. 73
69. 66
71.93
72.18
72.18

M ONTHLY LABO R

C: EARNINGS AND HOURS

456
T able

C -l: Hours and Gross Earnings of Production Workers or Nonsupervisory Employees »-Con.
Contract construction2—Continued
Building construction—Continued
Special-trade contractors—Continued

Year and month

Avg. Avg.
wkly. w kly.
earn­ hours
ings
1947: Average--------1948: Average--------- $83701"
1948: July-------------August. ------September----October______
N ovem ber----December____
1949: January-------February------March_______
April________
M ay________
June. ---------J u ly ...................

82.68
84. 37
84.35
84.68
85.11
87. 58
87.49
86. 35
85. 67
86.84
87. 01
87.02
86.41

Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly.
earn­ earn­
ings
ings

39.8 £2.084 £69.61
39.8
40.2
39.5
39.6
39.2
40.4
40.0
39.2
38.8
39.3
39.2
39.3
39.2

2.078
2.100
2.135
2.138
2.172
2.171
2.186
2. 201
2.205
2. 209
2.220
2.215
2.202

Plastering and lathing

Masonry

Electrical work

75.14
73. 70
74. 21
73. 87
73. 44
72.76
70.08
65.83
65.44
68.04
70.97
71.23
70.63

Avg.
wkly.
hours

Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings

Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn­ hours
ings

35.4 £1.969 $78. 52
37.6
36.9
36.9
36.3
36.1
35.9
34 5
32.2
32.1
33.4
35.2
35.0
34.7

1.997
1.997
2. 009
2.033
2.036
2.027
2.030
2.044
2.038
2.036
2.018
2.034
2.037

82.25
80.80
82.68
79. 82
75.91
78. 77
76.82
78.66
77.51
80. 27
79.88
83. 73
84.48

Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. wkly.
earn­ earn­ hours
ings
ings

2. 207
2.206
2.248
2. 248
2.231
2.233
2. 230
2.221
2.241
2.283
2.303
2.338
2.352

Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly.
earn­ earn­
ings
ings

37.9 £1. 792 $62.47

36.1 £2.175 $67.98
37.3
36.6
36.8
35.5
34.0
35.3
34.4
35.4
34.6
35.2
34.7
35.8
35.9

Roofing and sheetmetal work

Carpentry

39.3
39.7
38.6
37.8
37.2
38.2
37.9
35.9
35.7
36.7
38.1
38.0
37.0

69.59
70.36
70. 25
69.87
67. 78
69.92
68.98
64.95
64. 41
65.00
67.09
67.00
66.40

1.772
1.774
1.821
1.848
1.824
1.831
1.821
1.810
1.802
1.773
1. 763
1.763
1.795

64.90
65. 53
66.88
65.98
65. 36
65. 46
62. 71
58.91
58.80
61. 50
63.99
64. 20
64.50

Avg.
wkly.
hours

Exca vation and
foundLation w ork

Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. w kly. wkly.
earn­ earn­ hours
ings
ings

36.5 n . 7io
37.5
37.9
38.0
37.6
37.0
36.9
35.5
33.6
33.6
35.3
36.9
36.9
36.8

1.729
1.729
1.759
1.754
1.766
1.776
1.768
1.754
1.748
1.740
1. 735
1.739
1.753

67.06
68.67
70.85
70. 25
69.00
65.93
64. 53
68.00
66.11
66. 51
70.28
71.67
71.93

Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings

"~38.9

$1,709

39.9
39.8
40.2
40.3
38.2
37.7
36.5
37.4
36.6
37.1
39.0
38.9
38.6

1.682
1. 724
1.761
1. 744
1.807
1.749
1.767
1.818
1.807
1.793
1.803
1.842
1.863

Manufacturing
Food and kindred products
Total: Manufacturing

1947: Average........... $49.97
1948: Average-------- 54.14
1948: July...................
August---------September___
O c to b e r .-----November___
December-----1949: January_____
February____
March_______
April________
M ay________
June..................
July_________

53.97
55.06
55.16
55.60
55.60
56.14
55.50
55.20
54.74
53.80
54.08
54. 55
54.67

Durable goods s

40.4 $1.237 $52.46
40.1 1.350 57.11
39.8
40.1
39.8
40.0
39.8
40.1
39.5
39.4
39.1
38.4
38.6
38.8
38.8

1.356
1.373
1.386
1.390
1.397
1.400
1.405
1.401
1.400
1.401
1.401
1.406
1.409

56.54
58. 50
58.28
59.50
59.11
59.67
58.83
58.49
57.83
57. 21
57. 21
57.86
57.35

Total: Ordnance and
Nondurable goods *
accessories

40.6 $1.292 $46.96
40.5 1.410 50.61
39.9
40.6
40.0
40.7
40.4
40.7
40.1
39.9
39.5
39.0
39.0
39.2
38.8

1.417
1.441
1.457
1.462
1, 463
1.466
1.467
1.466
1.464
1.467
1.467
1.476
1.478

50.85
51.07
51.64
50. 91
51.63
51. 84
51.35
51.33
51.07
49.67
50. 41
51.01
51.68

41.5 $1,295 $48.82
41.6 1.375 51. 87

40.1 $1.171 $53. 74
39.6 1.278 57.20
39.6
39.5
39.6
39.1
39.2
39.3
38.7
38.8
38.6
37.6
38.1
38.5
38.8

1.284
1.293
1.304
1.302
1.317
1.319
1.327
1.323
1.323
1.321
1.323
1.325
1.332

Total: Food and
kindred products

41.7
41.5
41.9
42.1
41.9
41.4
40.9
41.3
39.6
36.7
40.3
39.7
40.3

57.96
57.44
58.83
59.28
59.50
58.62
58.08
59. 22
57. 90
54.13
59.32
58. 72
59.56

1.390
1.384
1.404
1.408
1.420
1.416
1.420
1.434
1.462
1.475
1.472
1.479
1.478

52.53
50.88
52.41
52. 29
53.25
53.84
53. 62
53. 07
52.80
52.33
53. 44
53.75
54.69

Me at prodilets

42.9 $1.138 $54. 58
42.0 1.235 58.37

44.3
43.3

$1.232
1.348

58.30
55.47
57.18
56.91
60.19
61. 52
59. 59
55.70
55.25
54.98
56.17
55.87
58.02

42.9
41.3
41.8
42.0
42.9
44.1
42.9
41.2
40.3
39.9
40.7
40.4
41.8

1.359
1.343
1.368
1.355
1.403
1.395
1.389
1.352
1.371
1.378
1.380
1.383
1.388

42.5
41.2
42.4
41.8
41.8
41.9
41.5
41.3
40.9
40.6
41.3
41.7
42.2

1.236
1.235
1.236
1.251
1.274
1.285
1.292
1.285
1.291
1.289
1.294
1.289
1.296

M anufacturing—C ontinued
Food and kindred products—Continued

Meat packing
1947: Average........... $55. 57
1948: A v era g e------ 59.15
1948: July.................
August--------September__
October_____
November__
December___
1949: January.........
February___
March______
April_______
M ay............ .
June................
July------------

58.90
55.96
57. 71
57.46
61.16
62.43
60.34
56.13
55.69
55.32
56.64
56.44
58.55

44.6 $1.246 $47.54
43.4 1.363 52.26
42.9
41.3
41.7
42.0
43.1
44.4
43.1
41.3
40.3
39.8
40.6
40.4
41.7

See footnotes at end of table.


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

Dairy products

1.373
1.355
1.384
1.368
1.419
1. 406
1.400
1.359
1.382
1.390
1.395
1.397
1.404

53.41
53.03
53.82
53.42
53.39
53.37
54.34
54.59
53.77
54.10
54.47
55.23
55.62

Canning and
preserving

45.8 $1.038 $41.33
45.4 1.151 42.63
46.2
45.6
45.3
45.0
44.9
44.7
44.8
45.0
44.4
44.6
45.2
45.8
45.7

1.156
1.163
1.188
1.187
1.189
1.194
1.213
1.213
1.211
1. 213
1.205
1. 206
1.217

42.43
40.00
46.05
45.16
39.41
42.45
42.61
43.89
42.89
43.07
43. 65
42.63
43.70

39.7 $1,041 $51.96
38.2 1.116 54.53
39.0
36.3
41.6
39.3
35.6
36.5
36.8
38.2
37.2
36.5
37.4
38.3
39.8

1.088
1.102
1.107
1.149
1.107
1.163
1.158
1.149
1.153
1.180
1.167
1.113
1.098

Flour and )ther
grain-mill pr oducts

Grain-mill
products

57.09
56.48
56.32
56.93
56.06
55.50
57.19
55. 51
55. 21
54.66
55.81
57.84
59.88

45.7 $1.137 $56.11
44.3 1.231 57.23
46.0
45.0
44.0
44.9
43.9
43.6
44.2
43.5
43.1
42.7
43.6
44.7
45.4

1.241
1.255
1.280
1.268
1. 277
1.273
1.294
1.276
1.281
1.280
1.280
1.294
1.319

60.28
61.01
60. 61
61.82
58.82
58. 51
61.84
57.79
55.42
54.36
55.90
58.10
61.22

Prepared feeds

49.0 $1.145 $46.38
46.3 1.236 51.01

44.6
45.3

$1.040
1.126

52.16
52.60
54.20
52.85
53.61
51.99
52.19
51.10
53.78
55.07
55.88
57.36
57.02

46.2
45.9
46.4
45.6
45.7
44.7
44.8
44.2
45.5
46.2
47.2
47.6
47.6

1.129
1.146
1.168
1.159
1.173
1.163
1.165
1.156
1.182
1.192
1.184
1.205
1.198

48.3
48.0
46.2
47.7
45.6
45.5
46.6
44.8
43.4
42.7
43.6
45.0
46.2

1.248
1.271
1.312
1.296
1.290
1.286
1.327
1.290
1. 277
1.273
1.282
1.291
1.325

REVIEW, OCTOBER 1949
Table

C: EARNINGS AND HOURS

457

C 1. Hours and Gross Earnings of Production Workers or Nonsupervisory Employees1_Con.
Manufacturing—Continued
Food and kindred products—Continued

Year and month

Bakery products
Avg. Avg.
wkly
earn­ ’ wkly
ings hours

Confectionery and
related products

Sugar

Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly Avg.
earn­ earn­ wkly.
ings
ings hours

Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings

Avg.
wkly. Avg.
earn­ wkly
ings hours

Confectionery

Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. Avg.
earn­ earn­ wkly.
ings
ings hours

Beverages

Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. Avg.
earn­ earn­ wkly.
ings
ings hours

Bottled soft drinks
Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings

Avg.
wkly. Avg.
earn­ wkly.
ings hours

Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings

1947: Average........... $45.41
1948: Average.......... 49.35

42.4 $1,071 $49.17
42.4 1.164 52.04

43.4 $1.133 $41.04
41.8 1.245 44.00

40.0 $1.026 $39.18
40.0 1.100 41.46

39.7 $0.987 $57.60
39.6 1.047 61.43

42.6 $1.352 $44.82
41.9 1.466 46.26

43.9
44.1

$1,021
1.049

1948: J u ly .................
A u g u st...........
September___
October_____
November___
December____
1949: January. .
February.........
M arch_______
April____
M ay______
June______
July_________

42.6
42.4
42.8
42.4
41.9
41.9
40.9
42.1
41.4
42.0
42.1
42.2
42.1

43.8
43.0
42.7
41.8
46.0
40.3
42.4
40.2
39.5
37.8
40.5
42.5
42.6

39.4
40.0
40.9
41.0
41.0
40.8
39.7
39.0
39.5
37.9
38.1
39.3
38.9

39.1
39.8
40.7
40.8
41.2
40.4
39.4
38.9
39.3
37.8
37.8
39.2
39.0

43.5
42.5
42.5
41.1
42.1
41.2
40.2
40.3
40.8
40.9
41.8
42.2
42.7

46.5
42.8
44.2
45.2
43.7
42.9
42.5
43.4
43.3
43.2
44.0
44.9
44.9

1.073
1.061
1.067
1.063
1.071
1.074
1.078
1.084
1.083
1.090
1.104
1.118
1.129

49.71
49.61
50.93
50.67
50.24
50. 74
49.82
51.28
50.34
51.07
51.61
52.29
52.50

1.167
1.170
1.190
1.195
1.199
1.211
1.218
1.218
1.216
1.216
1.226
1.239
1.247

55.71
55.00
55.21
51.46
56.30
50.90
55.04
54.95
53.40
51.45
55.08
57.93
57. 72

1.272
1.279
1. 293
1.231
1.224
1.263
1.298
1.367
1.352
1.361
1.360
1.363
1.355

44.01
44.60
45.48
45. 59
45. 76
45.49
44. 70
43.88
44.60
42. 71
42.86
44. 76
43.80

1.117
1.115
1.112
1.112
1.116
1.115
1.126
1.125
1.129
1.127
1.125
1.139
1.126

41.33
42.39
42.86
43.25
43.88
42.66
42.28
41.86
42.48
40. 56
40.60
42.38
41.54

1.057
1.065
1.053
1.060
1.065
1.056
1.073
1.076
1.081
1.073
1.074
1.081
1.065

64.73
63.54
64.18
61.24
64.33
62.34
60.90
61.54
62.75
62. 29
64. 54
65.83
68. 79

1.488
1.495
1. 510
1.490
1.528
1. 513
1.515
1.527
1.538
1.523
1.544
1. 560
1.611

49.89
45.41
47.16
48.05
46.80
46.07
45.82
47.05
46.89
47.09
48.58
50.20
50.69

Manufacturing—Continued
Food and kindred products—Continued
Malt liquors

Distilled, rectified,
and blended liquors

Tobacco manufactures

Miscellaneous food
products

Total: Tobacco
manufactures

Cigarettes

Cigars

1947: Average............ $63.03
1948: Average............ 66.40

43.2 $1.459 $49.37
42.0 1.581 54.92

40.8 $1.210 $47.87
40.5 1.356 49.74

43.2 $1.108 $35.26
42.3 1.176 36.50

38.7 $0,911 $42.40
38.1
.958 44.51

40.0 $1,060 $32.42
38.6 1.153 32.71

37.7
37.6

$0,860
.870

1948: July_____
August_____
September___
October.......... .
November___
December____
1949: January..___ _
February____
M arch............ .
A p ril.............
M ay............ .
June_____
July______

43.9
42.6
43.1
40.5
41.2
41.4
40.0
40.3
41.1
41.2
42.5
42.5
43.3

40.3
42.2
39.6
40.5
43.8
39.9
39.3
38.7
39.0
38.8
38.9
38.7
39.1

42.6
42.8
42.7
42.5
42.4
42.3
41.9
41.6
41.7
40.8
41.7
41.8
42.4

37.7
39.1
38.6
39.9
37.9
38.3
36.2
35.4
36.1
34.7
35.7
38.0
37.5

39.8
41.3
38.4
39.9
36.4
37.9
35.5
34.8
37.1
35.9
35.9
39.1
39.1

36.7
37.1
37.6
38.0
38.7
38.0
37.2
35.8
35.2
33.8
35.7
37.4
36.6

.880
.871
.874
.879
.892
.881
.877
.874
.884
.881
.886
.882
.879

70.90
68. 71
70. 21
65.41
67. 77
67.03
64.68
66. 21
67.98
67.44
70.85
71.74
75.60

1.615
1.613
1.629
1.615
1.645
1.619
1.617
1.643
1.654
1.637
1.667
1.688
1.746

53.84
58. 53
55. 52
56.78
64.12
56. 98
56. 55
54.80
55.15
55.29
55.39
55.11
56.42

1.336
1.387
1.402
1.402
1.464
1.428
1.439
1.416
1.414
1.425
1.424
1.424
1.443

49.88
50.63
50.86
50. 87
51.47
51.61
51.91
52.00
51.42
50.55
51.71
51. 41
52.41

1.171
1.183
1.191
1.197
1.214
1.220
1.239
1.250
1.233
1.239
1.240
1.230
1.236

37.32
37.65
36.75
37.94
37.07
37.50
35.69
34.94
36.21
35.15
36.27
38. 57
38.29

.990
.963
.952
.951
.978
.979
.986
.987
1.003
1.013
1.016
1. 015
1.021

46.53
48.16
44.47
45. 77
43.43
45. 71
43.20
42.32
45.11
44.01
43.98
47.78
48.13

1.169
1.166
1.158
1.147
1.193
1.206
1.217
1.216
1.216
1.226
1.225
1.222
1.231

32.30
32.31
32.86
33.40
34.52
33.48
32.62
31.29
31.12
29.78
31.63
32.99
32.17

Manufacturing—Continued
Tobacco manufactures—Continued
Tobacco and snufl

Tobacco stemming
and redrying

Textile-mill products
Total: Textile-mill
products

1947: Average...........1 35.29
1948: Average_____ 37. 21

38.4 $0,919 $32.24
37.7
.987 34.24

40.4 $0.798 $41.26
40.0
.856 45. 59

1948: Ju ly ..................
August______
September___
O ctober..........
N ovem ber___
December____
1949: January...........
February____
M arch_______
April________
M a y ... ____
June_______
July...................

36.8
38.4
38.2
39.2
38.0
39. 2
36.4
35.8
36.7
35.2
35.5
38.2
37.6

38.7
42.8
42.4
46.1
36.9
39.5
33.1
34.4
37.8
35.4
35.0
38.1
36.5

37.09
38.55
38.85
39.44
38.91
39.12
37.02
37.09
38.02
36.82
37.35
40. 30
40.16

See footnotes at end of table.

8 5 4 9 8 2 — 49-

-7


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

1.008
1.004
1.017
1.006
1.024
.998
1.017
1.036
1.036
1. 046
1.052
1.055
1.068

37. 54
35.70
34.47
37. 76
30. 92
34.29
29.26
30.68
35.31
34.02
34. 55
38.14
36.28

.970
.834
.813
.819
.838
.868
.884
.892
.934
.961
.987
1.001
.994

44. 66
45.36
45.37
45.25
45.49
45.93
44.89
45.01
44.19
42.20
41.91
43.02
43.45

Yarn and thread
mills

Yarn mills

Broad-woven fabric
mills

39.6 $1.042 $37.99
39.2 1.163 41.49

38.8 $0,979 $38.00
38.1 1.089 41.42

38.7 $0.982 $41.52
37.9 1.093 46.13

40.0
39.6

$1.038
1.165

38.7
38.6
38.0
37.9
38.0
38.4
37.5
37.7
37.2
35.7
35.4
36.3
36.7

38.0
37.5
36.2
35.2
35.7
36.4
35.3
35.8
35.2
34.1
33.9
35.1
35.7

37.7
37.2
35.7
34.9
35.6
36.2
35.2
35.8
34.9
34.1
33.9
35.2
35.8

39.0
38.8
38.3
38.3
38.4
38.7
37.7
37.8
36.8
35.2
34.6
35.7
36.4

1.150
1.177
1.195
1.190
1.193
1.192
1.188
1.186
1.176
1.167
1.171
1.179
1.184

1.154
1.175
1.194
1.194
1.197
1.196
1.197
1.194
1.188
1.182
1.184
1.185
1.184

41.19
41.10
40.25
38. 97
39.59
40.33
39.32
39. 77
39. 21
37.85
37. 56
39.10
39. 77

1.084
1.096
1.112
1.107
1.109
1.108
1.114
1.111
1.114
1.110
1.108
1.114
1.114

40.98
40.85
39.88
38.81
39.66
40.33
39.39
39.99
39.05
37.99
37. 66
39.32
39. 99

1.087
1.098
1.117
1.112
1.114
1.114
1.119
1.117
1.119
1.114
1.111
1.117
1.117

44.85
45.67
45. 77
45.58
45.81
46.13
44.79
44.83
43.28
41.08
40. 52
42. 09
43.10

MONTHLY LABOR

C: EARNINGS AND HOURS

458

T able C -l: Hours and Gross Earnings of Production Workers or Nonsupervisory Employees

Con.

Manufacturing—Continued
Textile-mill products—Continued
Cotton, silk, syn­
thetic fiber «

Year and month

Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn­ hours
ings
1947: Average.........
1948: Average.........

I

$40 20
44! 36

1948: July-............... ■ 49, 01
42 81
August-------44 90
Septem ber...
44 08
October____
44 90
N ovem ber...
44 fi4
December__
49 97
1949: January-----42 98
February___
49 12
M arch.........
40 08
April_______
29
09
M ay_______
29 78
June..............
40.76
July_______

Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings

Woolen and worsted
Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn­ hours
ings

40 1 $1.005 $46.28
52.45
39.4 1.126
28 7
28 fi
38,1
28 1
28 9
38. 5
27.2
27 fi
20 7
35,1
24.2
34. 8
35.6

1 101
1.138
1.160
1 157
1.157
1 157
1 152
1.154
1.148
1.142
1.141
1.143
1.145

53.24
52.85
52.03
51.10
51.85
52.56
52.11
51.43
48.30
46. 58
47.88
51.64
52.23

Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings

Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn­ hours
ings

1.331
1.318
1.324
1.317
1.326
1.324
1.326
1.312
1.302
1.294
1.301
1.314
1.319

Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings

Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn­ hours
ings

37.9 $0.997 $46.92
37.5 1.097 52.85

40.0 $1.157 $37.78
40.1 1.308 41.14
40.0
40.1
39.3
38.8
39.1
39.7
39.3
39.2
37.1
36.0
36.8
39.3
39.6

Full-fashioned
hosiery

Knitting mills

40.11
41.33
41.39
42.29
42.48
41.65
40.88
41.09
41.39
39.87
40.07
40.80
40.55

36.8
37.2
36.5
37.1
37.1
36.5
35.7
36.3
36.5
35.1
35.3
36.2
36.3

1.090
1.111
1.134
1.140
1.145
1.141
1.145
1.132
1.134
1.136
1.135
1.127
1.117

51.54
53.49
54.64
55.32
55.88
53.63
52.05
51.66
51.72
50.31
50.87
51.11
50.18

Seamless hosiery

Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings

Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn­ hours
ings

38.3 $1.225 $29.68
38.8 1.362 30.27
37.9
38.9
39.0
39.4
39.8
38.2
37.1
37.3
37.4
36.3
36.6
36.9
36.6

1.360
1.375
1.401
1.404
1.404
1.404
1.403
1.385
1.383
1.386
1.390
1.385
1.371

28.71
29.64
29.08
30.55
30.36
30.38
30.13
30.94
30.74
30.31
29.57
30.50
30.69

Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings

Knit outerwear
Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn­ hours
ings

Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings

36.2 $0.820 $37.73
.860 39.75
35.2

38.0
38.0

$0.993
1.046

37.88
39.34
40.82
39.66
41.49
40.11
41.82
41.24
41.27
39.20
40.80
40.46
39.42

36.6
37.5
38.4
37.1
38.7
37.7
38.4
37.8
38.0
35. ö

1.035
1.049
1.063
1.069
1.072
1.064
1.089
1.091
1.086
1.101
1.091
1.076
1.054

34.1
34.3
33.2
34.6
34.3
34.4
33.7
35.0
34.7
34.1
33.6
34.7
35.4

.842
.864
.876
.883
.885
.883
.894
.884
.886
.889
.880
.879
.867

37.4
37.6
37.4

Manufacturing—Continued
Textile-mill products—Continued

K nit underwear
1947: Average-----1948: Average........

$35.36
37.40

1948: J u ly .............
August_____
Septem ber..
October........
N ovem ber..
D ecem ber...
1949: January-----February—
March..........
April..
M a y ..
J u n e..
J u ly ..

27 00
27! 07
20 fil
20 7fi
2fi 79
2fi 00
24 41
2fi 12
36 09
22 02
34 04
2fi. 80
36.14

D yeing and finishing
textiles

38.9 $0.909 $47.03
.992 51.00
37.7
37. 6
37.3
35.9

36.1
35.3
35.1
33.9
34.9
35.7

33. 5
33.8
35.8

36.1

.984
1.010
1.017
1.018
1.014
1.016
1.015
1.008
1. Oil
1.004
1.007
1.000
1.001

48.84
49.92
50.42
50.58
51.16
52.61
51.11
52.60
52. 56
50.47
49.49
49.92
48.72

Carpets, rugs, other
floor coverings

41.8 $1.125 $49.93
41.0 1.244 58.13
40.0
40.1
39.7
39.7
40.0
41.2
39.9
41.0
41.0
39.4
38.6
39.4
38.7

1.221
1.245
1.270
1.274
1.279
1.277
1.281
1.283
1.282
1.281
1.282
1.267
1.259

57.82
59.11
59.62
60.96
60.92
60.76
60.01
59. 55
58.95
54.68
55.29
51.98
53.78

Wool carpets, rugs,
and carpet yarn

41.3 $1.209 $50.35
42.0 1.384 58.09
41.3
41.6
41.9
41.9
41.7
41.7
41.5
40.9
40.6
38.0
38.5
36.5
37.9

1.400
1.421
1.423
1.455
1.461
1.457
1.446
1.456
1.452
1.439
1.436
1. 424
1.419

57.85
59. 78
59.78
60.57
60.82
60.13
59.84
58.47
58.81
53.47
54.58
49.69
51.94

Other textile-mill
products

41.2 $1.222 $44.07
41.7 1.393 47.96
41.0
41.6
41.6
41.4
41.4
41.1
40.9
40.1
40.2
36.9
37.8
34.7
36.4

1.411
1.437
1.437
1.463
1.469
1.463
1.463
1.458
1.463
1.449
1.444
1.432
1.427

47.63
48.23
47. 85
46.76
46. 55
48.59
47.91
47.97
47.37
45. 81
46.24
47.39
47. 50

Fur-felt hats and
hat bodies

40.1 $1.099 $47.01
39.7 1.208 49.17

36.9
¿6. 5

$1.274
1.347

48.43
51.60
49.17
48. 58
46.09
51.48
51.31
51.77
49.09
41.44
47.81
52.67
52.77

37.0
37.2
¿0.3
35.0

1.309
1.387
1.393
1.388
1.380
1.384
1.402
1.388
1.375
1.386
1.394
1.412
1.411

39.4
39.5
38.9
38.2
38.0
39.5
38.7
39.0
38.8
37.7
37.9
38.4
38.4

1.209
1.221
1.230
1.224
1.225
1.230
1.238
1.230
1.221
1.215
1.220
1.234
1.237

33.4
37.2

36.6
37.3
35. 7
29. 9
34.3
37.3
37.4

Manufacturing—Continued
Apparel and other finished textile products
Total: Apparel and
other finished tex­
tile products
1947: Average----1948: Average-----

$40.84
42.79

1948: July---------August-----Septem ber..
October___
Novem ber..
December..
1949: January----February...
March..........
April______
M ay............ .
June............ .
July______

42.36
43.98
44.34
41. 48
43. 24
42.95
43.10
43.87
43 41
39 53
39 94
40. 07
40.88

36.3 $1.125 $48.26
36.2 1.182 50.11
35.9
36.5
36.4
35.0
36.0
35.7
35.3
36. 2
36.3
34. 4
35. 5
35.4
35.3

S ee fo o tn o te s a t end o f table.


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

M en’s and boys’
suits and coats

1.180
1.205
1.218
1.185
1.201
1.203
1.221
1.212
1.196
1.149
1.125
1.132
1.158

50.01
50. 53
50. 52
46.68
48.03
48.01
48.07
49.42
50.13
46.30
46.00
43.86
44.35

M en’s and boys’ fur­
nishings and work
clothing

37.7 $1.280 $31.99
36.6 1.369 33.20
37.1
36.8
36.9
34.5
35.5
35.3
35.4
36.5
36.7
34.5
34.2
33.3
33.7

1.348
1.373
1.369
1.353
1.353
1.360
1.358
1.354
1.366
1.342
1.345
1.317
1.316

32.98
33.14
33.49
32.99
33.02
32. 50
32.05
32.89
33.82
32.49
33.36
32. 76
32.98

Shirts, collars, and
nightwear

36.6 $0.874 $32. 50
.917 33. 50
36.2
36.0
36.3
36.2
35.9
35.5
34.8
34.2
35.6
36.4
35.2
36.1
35.8
36.0

.916
.913
.925
.919
.930
.934
.937
.924
.929
.923
.924
.915
.916

Separate trousers

37.1 $0.876 $34. 53
.928 35.31
36.1

35.6
33.32
35.6
32. 75
35.8
33.47
35.5
33.09
36.3
34.12
34.6
32. 52
31.69
,33. 5
32. 79 •*ó5. 3
36.3
33.98
35.4
33.03
34.09
36.5
35.8
33.19
34.5
32.40

.936
.920
.935
.932
.940
.940
.946
.929
.936
.933
.934
.927
.939

35.67
35.49
34.90
32. 50
32.01
33.79
34.73
35.27
36.96
35. 21
36.37
34. 56
33.45

Work shirts

36.7 $0.941 $25.64
.989 26.49
35.7

34.6
35.7

$0.741
. 742

.972
.994
.997
.976
.982
.988
.998
.988
.999
.989
.983
.979
. ÖÖ3

35.4
37.3
36.7
37.0
33. 7
32.4

.743
. 745
.759
. 754
.759
.775
.792
.775
. 7S4
.778
.778
.768
.773

36.7
35.7
35.0
33.3
32.6
34.2
34.8
35.7
37.0
35.6
37.0
35.3
35.1

26.30
27.79
27.86
27.90
25. 58
25.11
26.85
27.36
28.62
26.45
25. 91
26.80
27.60

33.9

35.3
36. 5
34.0
33.3
34.9
3 5.7

REVIEW, OCTOBER 1949
T able

C: EARNINGS AND HOURS

C -l: Hours and Gross Earnings of Production Workers or Nonsupervisory Employees

Con.

Manufacturing—Continued
Apparel and other finished textile producís—Continued
Year and month

W omen’s outerwear
Avg.
wkly. Avg.
earn­ wkly.
ings hours

W omen’s dresses

Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. Avg.
earn­ earn­ wkly.
ings
ings hours

Women’s suits, coats, Women’s, children’s Underwear and night­
and skirts
undergarments
wear, except corsets

Household apparel

Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. Avg.
earn­ earn­ wkly.
ings
ings hours

Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. Avg.
earn­ earn­ wkly.
ings
ings hours

Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. Avg.
earn­ earn­ wkly.
ings
ings hours

Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings

Avg.
wkly. Avg.
earn­ wkly.
ings hours

Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings

1947: Average___
1948: Average___

$49. 60
51.49

35.0 $1. 417 $46. 68
35.1 1.467 48. 72

34.5 $1.353 $30. 06
34.8 1. 400 31.59

35.7 $0. 842 $68.36
36.1
.875 70.60

35.0 $1.953 $33. 62
35.0 2. 017 35.32

36.9 $0. 911 $32. 44
36.6
.965 34.12

1948: Ju ly ............
August___
September.
October___
November.
D ecember..
1949: January___
February...
M arch.........
April_____
M ay ______
June..........
July----------

36.2
36.3

51.08
54. 42
54. 55
48.15
52. 98
52. 52
53.81
53.84
51.68
45.42
45. 61
46. 19
48.28

34.7
35.8
35.4
32.6
35.2
35.2
35.1
35.8
35.4
33.4
35.0
34.6
34.0

$0. 896
.940

34.3
35.4
34.7
31.9
34.3
34.8
34.2
35.0
35.5
34.3
35.2
34.3
33.3

34.3
35.7
36.2
35.0
36.3
36.7
35.7
37.0
37.5
36.2
38.1
37.2
35.1

35.5
36.5
36.0
32.0
35.8
35.1
36.4
36.7
34.0
29.7
30.6
33.4
34.1

35.5
36.5
36.8
36.6
37.3
36.4
36.0
36.2
36.4
33.8
35.6
36.3
36.1

35.4
36.6
36.8
36.5
37.1
35.9
35.6
35.9
36.1
33.4
34.9
35.4
35.0

.918
.935
.949
.960
.961
.947
.943
.945
.954
.943
.936
.935
.917

1.472
1.520
1.541
1.477
1.505
1.492
1.533
1.504
1.460
1.360
1.303
1.335
1.420

45. 07
49.98
50.25
43.83
47.92
49.35
48.63
48.44
48.53
46.58
48.65
46.06
42.92

1.314
1.412
1.448
1.374
1.397
1.418
1.422
1.384
1.367
1.358
1.382
1.343
1.289

29.84
31.38
32. 07
31.12
32.56
32.81
31.88
32.78
33.49
31.89
34. 56
33.03
30.89

870
879
886

889
897
894
893
886

893
881
907

72.42
75.19
75.10
64. 96
74.25
70.59
75. 71
75. 82
69.46
56. 49
52.42
59. 75
65.06

2.040
2.060
2.086
2.030
2. 074
2. 011
2.080
2. 066
2.043
1. 902
1.713
1.789
1.908

33.73
35.19
35.73
36. 09
36.67
35. 45
35.17
35.55
35.82
33.06
34. 57
35.32
34.69

.950
.964
.971
.986
.983
.974
.977
.982
.984
.978
.971
.973
.961

32.50
34. 22
34. 92
35. 04
35. 65
34.00
33. 57
33.93
34.44
31.50
32. 67
33.10
32.10

Manufacturing—Continued
Apparel and other finished textile products—Continued

Millinery

Children’s outerwear

&oods and mis­
cellaneous apparel

Lumber and wood products (except
furniture)

Other fabricated
textile products

Total: Lumber and
wood products (ex­
cept furniture)

Logging camps and
contractors

1947: Average.......... $47. 03
1948: Average.......... 50. 22

35.2 $1. 336 $34.33
34.8 1.443 36. 72

36.1 $0. 951 $39.93
36.5 1.006 42. 21

36.8 $1. 085 $35. 57
36.7 1.150 38.49

37.6 £0.946 $47.36
38.0 1.013 51.38

1948: July________
August_____
September__
October..........
November___
December____
1949: January_____
February___
M arch______
April...............
M ay ................
June.......... ..
July________

41.8 $1.133 $55.15
41.5 1.238 60.26

38.3
38.7

34.5
36.5
36.7
33.7
29.6
33.7
34.5
37.4
39.1
34.9
31.9
31.7
34.6

$1.440
1. 557

36.1
36.7
36.4
34.7
36.1
35.4
35.9
36.3
36.6
33.7
36.0
36.1
36.9

36.2
36.7
37.3
36.1
37.4
36.7
35.2
36.2
35.8
32.7
34.1
35.2
34.9

37.9
38.5
38.0
38.7
38.7
38.4
37.8
38.2
37.8
37.3
38.1
38.3
37.8

41.5
42.5
41.3
42.0
41.2
41.0
40.7
39.5
40.3
40.5
41.1
40.7
39.7

39.1
39.8
39.7
38.9
39.3
37.3
37.9
35.2
38.3
38.5
40.5
40.0
38.6

1.612
1.656
1.657
1.642
1.629
1.543
1.457
1.367
1.519
1.630
1.599
1.624
1.633

49.96
54.09
56.11
50. 72
41.41
47. 58
50.96
58.64
62.29
52.49
46. 48
46.06
51.04

1.448
1.482
1.529
1.505
1.399
1.412
1.477
1.568
1.593
1.504
1.457
1.453
1.475

36.79
37.40
37.71
35.60
37.22
35.93
37.95
38. 51
38. 47
33.23
35.14
36.21
37.34

1.019
1.019
1.030
1.026
1.031
1.015
1.057
1.061
1.051
.986
.976
1. 003
1.012

42.82
42.72
43.72
41.95
44.95
42.98
39. 56
41.30
40.20
37.38
40.14
42.28
41.78

1.183
1.164
1.172
1.162
1.202

1.171
1.124
1.141
1.123
1.143
1.177
1.201

1.197

38.70
39.31
39.41
40.17
39.94
40.01
39.09
39.84
39.31
38.90
39.97
40.71
39. 92

1.021
1.021

1.037
1.038
1.032
1.042
1.034
1.043
1.040
1.043
1.049
1.063
1.056

52.54
54.78
53. 57
54.01
52. 53
61.13
49.82
48.03
50. 21
51. 52
52.94
52.95
51.37

1.266
1.289
1.291
1.286
1.275
1.247
1.224
1.216
1.246
1.272
1.288
1.301
1.294

63.03
65.91
65.78
63.87
64.02
57.55
55.22
48.12
58.18
62.76
64.76
64. 96
63.03

Manufacturing—Continued
Lumber and wood products (except furniture)—Continued
Sawmills and planing Sawmills and planing
mills
mills, general6

Millwork, plywood,
and prefabricated
structural wood
products

Millwork

Wooden containers

1947: Average......... $47.88
1948: Average_____ 51.83

42.0 $1.140 $48. 55
41.5 1.249 51.87

42.0 $1.156
41.4 1.253

54.95

43. 4 $1.144 $47. 67
43.3 1.269 53. 40

43.1 $1.106 $39.08
43.2 1.236 41.57

1948: July________
August_____
September__
October_____
N ovem ber___
December___
1949: January.........
February____
M arch______
April________
M a y ________
June________
J u ly .................

41.7
42.7
41.2
42.2
41.0
40.8
40.8
39.3
40.2
40.6
41.1
40.6
39.3

41.7
42.7
41.2
42.1
40.9
40.6
40.7
39.2
40.2
40.0
41.1
40.7
39.3

54.70
56. 42
56.20
56.94
56.42
56.03
53.20
53.02
53.69
54.62
55.09
55.27
53.64

42.6
43.6
42.8
43.6
43.2
42.8
41.4
41.1
41.3
41.6
41.8
41.9
41.2

42.1
43.5
43.1
43.7
43.1
43.2
42.3
41.7
41.4
41.3
41.7
42.0
42.1

53.17
55. 68
53.89
54.56
52.52
51.24
50. 59
48.73
50.85
52.29
53.76
53.63
51.60

See fo o tn o te s a t end o f table.


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

1.275
1.304
1.308
1.293
1.281
1.256
1.240
1.240
1.265
1.288
1.308
1.321
1.313

53.88
56. 49
54. 59
55.19
53.17
51.68
51.20
49.27
51.50
52.98
54.42
54.46
52.27

1.292
1.323
1.325
1.311
1.300
1.273
1.258
1.257
1.281
1.305
1.324
1.338
1.330

1.284
1.294
1.313
1.306
1.306
1.309
1.285
1.290
1.300
1.313
1.318
1.319
1.302

52.58
55.25
55.12
55.89
54. 65
54.99
53.47
52.63
52. 37
52.62
53.29
53.97
54.39

1.249 42.09
1.270 43.23
1.279 42.72
1.279 43.35
1.268 41.96
1.273 42.49
1.264 40.84
1.262 40.48
1.265 40.62
1.274 40.52
1.278 41.66
1.285 42.43
1.292 42.49

Wooden boxes, other
than cigar

41.8 $0.935 $39. 58
41.4 1.004 42.39
41.1
42.3
41.2
41.6
41.1
41.7
40.8
40.4
40.7
40.2
40.8
40.8
40.7

1.024
1.022

1.037
1.042
1.021

1.019
1.001
1.002

.998
1.008
1.021

1.040
1.044

42.62
44.05
43.20
44.12
42. 95
43.08
40.91
40. 54
40.37
40.80
42.11
42.85
43.32

42.7
42.1

$0. 927
1.007

41.7
42.4
41.5
42.3
41.9
42.4
41.2
40.7
40.9
40.6
41.0
41.2
41.3

1.039
1.041
1.043
1.025
1.016
.993
.996
.987
1.005
1.027
1.040
1.049

1.022

MONTHLY LABOR

C: EARNINGS AND HOURS

460
T able

C-l: Hours and Gross Earnings of Production Workers or Nonsupervisory Employees

l—

Con.

Manufacturing—Continued
Lumber and wood
products (except
furniture)—Con.
Year and month

Miscellaneous wood
products
Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn­ hours
ings

1947: Average---1948: Average---1948: J u ly ...........August-----September .
October___
November.
December.1949: January---February...
March........
April-------M ay............
June______
July.............

Furniture and fixtures

Total: Furniture and
fixtures

Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. wkly.
earn­ earn­ hours
ings
ings

$41.22
44.06

42.1
42.0

50.979 $45.64
1.049 48.99

43.62
44.67
45.13
45. 77
45.13
45.13
44.70
44.47
44. 23
43. 66
44.08
43.44
42.98

41.7
42.3
42.1
42.5
41.9
42.1
41.7
41.6
41.3
40.8
40.7
40.0
39.5

1.046
1.056
1.072
1.077
1.077
1.072
1.072
1.069
1.071
1.070
1.083
1.086
1.088

Household furniture

Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. wkly.
earn­ earn­ hours
ings
ings

41.6 $1.097 $44.01
41.1 1.192 46. 76
40.1
40.6
40.7
41.6
40.7
41.2
39.4
39.8
39.6
38.7
38.5
39.0
38.8

47. 72
48.64
49.69
50.92
50.02
50. 76
48.34
48.99
48.87
47.60
47. 59
48.44
48.15

1.190
1.198
1.221

1.224
1. 229
1.232
1.227
1. 231
1.234
1.230
1.236
1.242
1.241

45.30
46.80
47.31
48. 65
47.63
48.26
45.40
46.22
46.37
45.08
44. 92
45.82
45.11

Wood household fur­
niture, except up­
holstered

Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. w kly. wkly.
earn­ earn­ hours
ings
ings

Wood household fur­
niture, upholstered

Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. w kly.
earn­ earn­ hours
ings
ings

Mattresses and bedsprings

Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. w kly.
earn­ earn­ hours
ings
ings

Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings

41.6 $1.058 $41.19
40.8 1.146 43.84

41.9
41.2

>0.983 $47.23
1.064 50.33

40.4 $1.1 69 $48.94
40.1 1. 255 50.85

41.3
40.1

$1.185
1.268

42.37
43.61
43.82
45.22
44. 54
45.65
43.06
43. 24
43.22
41.68
41.54
42.24
41.46

39.9
41.1
40.5
41.6
40.6
41.5
39.4
39.6
39.4
38.2
37.9
38.4
38.0

1.062
1.061
1.082
1.087
1.097

38.2
39.9
39.9
41.2
40.9
39.9
36.6
37.2
37.5
37.3
36.5
37.1
36.8

50.64
52.29
53.28
53.68
50.54
50.71
48.38
51.43
51.40
49.67
49. 43
52.00
51.29

40.0
40.6
40.7
41.1
39.0
39.1
37.5
39.5
39.6
38.5
38.2
40.0
39.7

1.266
1.288
1.309
1.306
1.296
1.297
1.290
1.302
1.298
1.290
1.294
1.300
1.292

39.7
40.8
40.4
41.4
40.4
40.9
38.7
39.3
39.3
38.3
38.0
38.6
38.2

1.141
1.147
1.171
1.175
1.179
1.180
1.173
1.176
1.180
1.177
1.182
1.187
1.181

1.100

1.093
1.092
1.097
1.091
1.096
1.100

1.091

47. 71
50.11
51.11
52.94
52.97
51.83
46.96
47.43
47.96
47.82
46. 54
47.19
46.96

1.249
1.256
1.281
1.285
1.295
1.299
1.283
1.275
1.279
1.282
1.275
1.272
1.276

Manufacturing—Continued

Furniture and fix­
tures—Continued

Other furniture and
fixtures
1947: Average---1948: Average—

$50. 25
54.59

1948: July.............
August____
September.
October___
N ovember.
December..
1949: January---February...
M arch-----A pril...........
M ay--------June............
July----------

53.71
53.41
55.63
56.70
56.37
57.08
55.88
55.90
55.11
53.74
54.13
54.86
55.26

Total: Paper and al­
lied products

1.310
1.332
1.347
1.350
1.355
1.359
1.353
1.365
1.364
1.357
1.360
1.368
1.378

Pulp, paper, and
paperboard mills

43.1 $1.165 $54.10
42.8 1.291 59.88

41.7 $1.205 $50. 21
41.7 1.309 55.25
41.0
40.1
41.3
42.0
41.6
42.0
41.3
41.1
40.4
39.6
39.8
40.1
40.1

Printing, publishing,
and allied indus­
tries

Paper and allied products

42.5
43.1
42.7
42.8
42.9
42.6
41.6
41.2
41.0
40.3
40.4
40.4
41.2

55.93
56.76
56.96
56.84
57.27
56.66
55.54
54.84
54. 45
53.48
53.73
54.50
55.66

1.316
1.317
1.334
1.328
1.335
1.330
1.335
1.331
1.328
1.327
1.330
1.349
1.351

61.28
61.89
61.82
61.41
61.94
60.79
59.91
58.72
58.17
57.35
57.58
57.87
59.61

Paperboard contain­
ers and boxes

Other paper and al­
lied products

44.2 $1,224
44.0 1.361

>46. 24
50.96

42.0 $1.101 $45. 74
41.7 1.222 49.48

43.9
44.4
43.6
43.8
43.9
43.3
42.7
42.0
41.7
41.2
41.1
40.5
41.8

50.35
52.04
52.88
53.17
53.04
52.37
50.29
50. 08
49.95
48.81
49.49
51.67
52.05

40.7
41.9
42.0
42.3
42.3
42.0
40.1
40.0
39.9
38.8
39.4
40.4
40.6

1.396
1.394
1.418
1.402
1.411
1.404
1.403
1.398
1.395
1.392
1.401
1.429
1.426

1.237
1.242
1.259
1.257
1.254
1.247
1.254
1.252
1.252
1.258
1.256
1.279
1.282

49.20
50.05
50.10
50.72
51.50
52.08
51.07
51.12
50.58
49.84
49.51
50.09
50.62

Total: Printing, pub­
lishing, and allied
industries

41.7 $1.097
41.3 1.198

>60.75
66.73

40.1
39.3

$1. 515
1.698

1.197
1.206
1.216
1.231
1.247
1.252
1.258
1.256
1.252
1.246
1.244
1.246
1.256

66.65
67.15
68.79
67.76
68.36
69.30
67.59
68.32
69.56
69.39
70.40
70.59
70.97

39.0
39.2
39.4
38.9
39.2
39.6
38.6
38.6
38.6
38.4
38.7
38.7
38.8

1.709
1.713
1.746
1.742
1.744
1.750
1.751
1.770
1.802
1.807
1.819
1.824
1.829

41.1
41.5
41.2
41.2
41.3
41.6
40.6
40.7
40.4
40.0
39.8
40.2
40.3

Manufacturing—Continued
Printing, publishing, and allied industries—Continued

Newspapers

1947: Average—
1948: Average—
1948: July......... .
August___
September.
October__
November.
December.
1949: January...
February..
M arch----April..........
M ay..........
J u n e.........
J u ly - ........

$65.78
74.00
73.65
74 22
76.60
76.15
76.76
79.39
74.83
75.65
76.72
78.43
80.02
79. 58
78.76

37.5
37.6

¡1.754 $67.30
1.968 69.55

43.0 $1. 565 $54.06
40.6 1.713 57.43

37.5
37.6
37.9
37.7
37.7
38.5
36.9
37.1
37.1
37.6
37.8
37.7
37.4

1.964
1.974

66.43
71.22
2.021 76.21
72.65
2.020
2.036 70.12
2.062 66.77
2.028 67.40
2.039 69.70
2.068 70.67
2.086 69.61
2.117 68.62
2.111 68.91
2.106 70.34

39.1
41.0
42.2
41.0
40.0
39.0
38.6
39.2
39.0
38.8
38.4
38.8
38.5

See footnotes at end of table.


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

Commercial printing

Books

Periodicals

1.699
1.737
1.806
1.772
1.753
1.712
1.746
1.778
1.812
1.794
1.787
1.776
1.827

58.05
58. 63
58.57
56.63
59.59
68.25
58.33
59.21
60.53
60.68
60.53
59.50
61.70

Lithographing

40.4 $1.338 $60.65
38.7 1.484 66.33

41.2
40.3

il. 472 $59.08
1.646 64.15

66.49
66.37
67.82
66.90
67.37
68. 58
67.77
67.91
69.26
68.42
69.51
70.84
70. 76

40.2
40.2
40.3
39.8
40.1
40.7
40.1
39.6
39.6
39.3
39.7
40.0
40.0

1.654
1.651
1.683
1.681
1.680
1.685
1.690
1.715
1.749
1.741
1.751
1.771
1.769

38.7
38.8
39.1
37.6
38.9
38. ‘i
37.9
38.4
38.7
38.7
38.7
37.8
38.9

1.500
1. 511
1.498
1.506
1.532
1.517
1.539
1.542
1.564
1.568
1.564
1.574
1.586

64.44
66.13
66.07
66.11

67.15
66.79
64.45
65.70
67.14
66.14
67.86
68.87
67.75

Other printing and
publishing

41.4 $1.427 $55.32
39.5 1.624 59.93

40.0
39.3

$1.383
1.525

60.84
60.68
60.96
59.63
60. 61
62.32
61.43
61.93
63.14
61.56
61.62
61.79
63.02

39.2
39.3
38.9
38.2
38.9
39.9
39.0
39.0
39.0
38.0
38.2
38.4
38.9

1.552
1.544
1.567
1.561
1.558
1.562
1.575
1.588
1.619
1.620
1.613
1.609
1.620

38.7
39.6
39.4
39.8
40.6
40.6
38.0
38.4
38.7
37.9
38.6
39.0
38.3

1.665
1.670
1.677
1.661
1.654
1.645
1.696
1.711
1.735
1.745
1.758
1.766
1.769

REVIEW, OCTOBER 1949
T able

461

C: EARN IN OS AND HOURS

C -l : Hours and Gross Earnings of Production Workers or Nonsupervisory Employees1—Gon.
M anufaeturing—Continued
Chemical and allied products
Total: Chemicals
and allied products

Industrial inorganic
chemicals

Industrial organic
chemicals

Plastics, excej t synthetic rubi )er

Synthetic rubber

Synthetic fibers

Year and month
Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn- hours
mgs

Avg.
hrly.
earnings

Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn- hours
ings

1947: Average_____ $51.13
1948: Average............ 56.23

41.5 $1. 232 $55. 56
41.5 1.355 62.13

1948: July___ _____
A ugust______
September. .
October______
November___
December____
1949: Jan u a ry _____
February.. __
March_______
April......... . .
M ay ________
June_______
July .................

41.3
41.2
41.5
41.8
41.7
41.8
41.1
41.0
40.9
40. 6
40.7
40. 9
40.6

56.79
57.39
57.81
57.56
57.92
58. 35
57.70
57.81
57.51
57.45
58.20
59.31
59.40

1.375
1.393
1.393
1.377
1.389
1.396
1.404
1.410
1.406
1.415
1.430
1.450
1.463

62.08
63.14
64.04
63.59
63.78
63.85
64. 20
63.37
62.55
62.98
62.59
65.78
64.00

Avg.
hrly.
earntags

Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn- hours
tags

Avg.
hrly.
earntags

Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn- hours
tags

40.3 $1.381 $52. 79
40.9 1.519 57.69

40.3 $1.310 $53. 96
40.4 1.428 58.75

40.6
41.0
40.2
41.0
40.7
40.8
41.1
40.7
40.3
40.5
40.2
41.5
40.3

40.9
40.5
40.4
40.1
40.3
40.3
39.6
39.9
39.4
38.8
39.2
39.2
39.3

1. 529
1. 540
1.593
1.551
1.567
1.565
1.562
1.557
1. 552
1.555
1. 557
1. 585
1.588

58.36
59. 58
60.07
59.23
59.93
60.05
59.36
60.37
59.69
59.17
60.09
60. 56
61.43

1.427
1.471
1.487
1.477
1.487
1.490
1.499
1.513
1.515
1.525
1.533
1.545
1.563

60. 77
59.18
61.24
59.60
59.94
59.51
61.59
60. 38
58.96
58. 05
58. 21
59. 68
59.78

Avg.
hrly.
earntags

Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn- hours
tags

Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. w kly. wkly.
earn- earn- hours
tags
tags

Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings

41.6 $1. 297 $56. 81
41.4 1.419 62.88

39.7 $1.431 $49. 02
39.9 1.576 53.05

39.5
39.5

$1. 241
1.343

42.2
41.3
42.0
41.1
41.0
40.9
41.5
40.8
40.0
39.3
39.2
39.6
39.8

39.9
39.7
39.5
39.2
39.3
40.1
40.0
39.9
39.2
38.8
39.8
39.9
39.0

52.84
55.82
55.20
55.15
55.73
56.09
55.55
55.26
55.03
53.63
55.32
54.63
55.13

40.0
39.7
39.4
39.2
39.5
39.5
39.2
39.0
38.7
37.5
38.5
38.2
38.1

1.321
1. 406
1.401
1.407
1.411
1.420
1.417
1. 417
1.422
1.430
1.437
1.430
1.447

1.440
1.433
1. 458
1.450
1.462
1. 455
1.484
1.480
1. 474
1. 477
1.485
1. 507
1.502

63.60
63.76
64.90
62.29
63. 55
64.96
64. 40
64.24
65.11
64. 87
67.02
67.07
68.21

1. 594
1.606
1.643
1.589
1.617
1.620
1.610
1. 610
1.661
1.672
1.684
1.681
1.749

Manufacturing—Continued
Chemicals and allied products—Continued
and
Drugs and medicines Paints, pigments,
fillers
1947: Average_____ $48.23
1948: Average_____ 53. 71
1948: July_________
A u g u s t______
September___
O cto b er_____
November___
December____
1949: January______
February____
March ..........
April________
M ay_________
June____ ____
J u ly .................

51.05
53.65
54.73
55.51
56.24
56.36
56.45
56.52
56.37
55.78
56.68
57.15
56.48

40. 7 $1.185 $53.34
40.6 1.323 58.40
39.7
39.8
40.6
40.7
40.9
41.2
40.7
40.6
40.7
40.1
40.4
40.3
40.0

1.286
1.348
1.348
1.364
1.375
1.368
1.387
1.392
1.385
1.391
1.403
1.418
1.412

59.81
60.11
60.11
60.07
59.32
59.14
58.45
58.97
58.81
59.92
59.22
59. 76
59.31

42.3 $1. 261 $40.07
42.2 1.384 42.33
43.0
42.6
42.3
42.3
41.6
41.3
40.9
40.7
40.5
41.1
40.7
41.1
40.9

1.391
1.411
1.421
1.420
1.426
1.432
1.429
1.449
1.452
1.458
1.455
1.454
1.450

Vegetable and animal Other chemicals and
allied products
oils and fats

Fertilizers

44.71
44.37
44.15
43. 44
41.83
42.98
42.80
43.12
44.12
45.13
46.67
46.58
46.84

42.4 $0. 945 $46.19
41.5 1.020 50.39
42.7
41.7
41.3
41.1
39.8
40.7
40.8
41.5
42.3
42.3
42.7
42.5
42.2

1.047
1.064
1.069
1.057
1.051
1.056
1.049
1.039
1.043
1.067
1.093
1.096
1.110

51.51
50.94
50.12
50. 50
51.71
53. 28
50.91
49.93
50.96
50.18
51.30
52.12
52.92

Soap and glycerin

46.8 $0.987 $52. 54
47.4 1.063 57.90

41.6 $1.263 $59. 32
41.3 1.402 65.90

42.8
42.0

$1.386
1.569

44.6
45.6
48.1
50.2
50.6
50.6
48.3
46.4
47.1
45.7
45.8
45.2
44.7

40.8
41.0
41.2
41.3
41.2
41.1
40.5
40.7
40.4
40.3
40.6
41.0
40.8

1.416
1.408
1.434
1.432
1.444
1.455
1.471
1.462
1.466
1.467
1.475
1.485
1.499

40.7
41.3
41.9
42.5
41.8
41.9
40.6
40.6
40.5
40.0
40.5
41.0
40.8

1.563
1.574
1.581
1.596
1.631
1.627
1.607
1.616
1.603
1.699
1.614
1.621
1.656

1.155
1.117
1.042
1.006
1.022
1.053
1.054
1.076
1.082
1.098
1.120
1.153
1.184

57. 77
57.73
59.08
59.14
59.49
59.80
59.58
59.50
59.23
59.12
59.89
60.89
61.16

63. 61
65.01
66.24
67.83
68.18
68.17
65.24
65.61
64.92
63.96
85.37
66.46
67.56

Manufacturing—Continued
Rubber products

Products of petroleum and coal
Total: Products of
petroleum and coal

Petroleum refining

1947: Average____ $60.89
1948: Average_____ 69.23

40.7 $1.496 $62.95
40.7 1.701 72.06

1948: J u l y ___ .
August______
September___
October______
November___
December____
1949: January. ___
February____
M arch_______
April________
M a y .................
June_________
July_________

41.1
41.5
38.9
41.4
40.4
40.4
41.2
39.9
40.0
40.1
40.7
40.2
40.7

71.47
72.42
69.13
73.15
72.60
71.59
73.29
70.82
70.92
71.26
72.12
71.80
73.59

See footnotes at end of table.


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

1.739
1.745
1.777
1.767
1.797
1.772
1.779
1.775
1.773
1.777
1.772
1.786
1.808

74.64
75.30
70.99
76.13
75.92
75.02
77.02
73.89
74.00
73.95
75.21
74.73
76.64

petroleum and
Coke and byproducts Other
coal products

40.2 $1.566 $52.17
40.3 1.788 58.56
40.7
41.1
37.9
40.8
40.0
40.4
41.5
39.9
40.0
39.8
40.5
39.9
40.4

1.834
1.832
1.873
1.866
1.898
1.857
1.856
1.852
1.850
1.858
1.857
1.873
1.897

58.25
61.10
62.33
61.63
61.21
61.87
62.24
61.77
61.18
61.54
60.83
60. 72
61.78

Total: Rubber
products

39.4 $1,324 $55.03
39.7 1.475 60.59

44.2 $1. 245 $55.32
44.1 1.374 56.78

39.9
40.2
39.8
40.1
39.9
40.2
40.1
39.9
39.6
39.7
39.6
39.1
39.4

44.6
44.7
44.3
45.4
42.8
40.8
39.9
39.9
40.7
42.4
42.8
42.9
44.1

1.460
1.520
1.566
1.537
1.534
1.539
1.552
1.548
1.545
1.550
1.536
1.553
1.568

61.90
62.98
63.26
65.10
60.52
56. 75
55.26
56.10
57.43
60.08
60.09
60. 27
62.09

1.388
1.409
1.428
1.434
1.414
1.391
1.385
1.406
1.411
1.417
1.404
1.405
1.408

58.32
60.33
59.25
58.96
58.20
57.67
56.89
56. 55
55.43
55.50
57.08
58.29
58. 41

Tires and inner tubes

39.8 $1.390 $61.75
39.0 1.456 62.16

38.5
37.2

$1.604
1.671

1.469
1.497
1.500
1.504
1.504
1.498
1.501
1.500
1.498
1.504
1.514
1.526
1.525

39.3
39.5
37.9
37.2
36.2
35. 6
35.3
35.4
35.8
35.4
36.3
36.6
36.4

1.682
1.728
1.730
1.734
1.731
1.719
1.720
1.723
1.718
1.721
1.741
1.751
1.764

39.7
40.3
39.5
39.2
38.7
38.5
37.9
37.7
37.0
36.9
37.7
38.2
38.3

66.10
68.26
65.57
64.50
62.66
61.20
60.72
60.99
61.50
60.92
63. 20
64.09
64.21

MONTHLY LABOR

C: EARNINGS AND HOURS

462

T able C-l: Hours and Gross Earnings of Production Workers or Nonsupervisory Employees ■-Con.
Manufacturing—Continued
Leather and leather products

Rubber products—Continued

Year and month

Rubber footwear

Avg. Avg.
w kly. wkly.
earn­ hours
ings
1947: Average---1948: Average—
1948: July---------August-----September.
October___
November.
December..
1949: January---February...
M arch.........
April...........
M a y ......... .
June______
July.............

$48.31
51.75
51.32
51.79
52.46
53.26
54.04
54.82
51.86
48.15
42.07
46.65
48.39
50.35
48.84

Other rubber products

Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. w kly. wkly.
earn­ earn­ hours
ings
ings

Total: Leather and
leather products

Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. w kly. wkly.
earn­ earn­ hours
ings
ings

41.5 $1.164
41.8 1.238

>49.53
52.47

40.8 $1.214 $40.61
40.3 1.302 41.66

1.219
1.248
1.264
1.268
1.299
1.296
1.290
1.284
1.252
1.254
1.257
1.278
1.262

51.38
53.90
54.28
54.84
54.54
54.88
54.38
54.05
52.49
51.69
52. 51
53.85
54. 77

39.4
40.8
40.6
40.5
40.4
40.5
40.1
40.1
39.2
38.4
39.1
39.8
40.3

42.1
41.5
41.5
42.0
41.6
42.3
40.2
37.5
33.6
37.2
38.5
39.4
38.7

1.304
1.321
1.337
1.354
1.350
1.355
1.356
1.348
1.339
1.346
1.343
1.353
1.359

Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. wkly.
earn­ earn­ hours
ings
ings

38.6 $1,052 $50.76
37.2 1.120 53.26
37.4
38.0
37.4
36.4
35.7
37.1
37.2
37.7
37.5
35.8
35.1
36.5
37.0

41.55
42. 71
42.75
41.50
40.88
42.41
42.30
42.83
42.56
40.74
40.05
41.46
41.66

1.111
1.124
1.143
1.140
1.145
1.143
1.137
1.136
1.135
1.138
1.141
1.136
1.126

Footwear (except
rubber)

Leather

52.94
54.02
53.25
53.61
54.02
55.28
54.29
54.47
53.41
52.29
53.03
54.39
53. 53

Avg.
hrly.
earnnigs

Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn­ hours
ings

40.8 $1.244 $39.14
39.6 1.345 39.71
39.3
39.9
38.9
39.1
39.2
40.0
39.6
39.5
38.7
38.0
38.4
39.1
38.4

1.347
1.354
1.369
1.371
1.378
1.382
1.371
1.379
1.380
1.376
1.381
1.391
1.394

39.63
40. 77
41.00
39.15
37.87
40.22
40.63
41.07
40.96
38.68
37.37
39.24
39.89

Other leather products

Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. wkly.
earn­ earn­ hours
ings
ings

Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings

38.3 $1.202 $38.64
36.6 1.085 40.49

38.3
37.7

$1,009
1.074

40.32
41.50
41.30
40.91
41.66
40.70
39.89
41.23
40.76
39.93
40.11
40. 55
40.37

37.4
38.5
38.1
37.5
37.6
37.0
36.7
38.0
37.5
36.5
36.4
36.6
36.9

1.078
1.078
1.084
1.091
1.108

37.0
37.4
36.8
35.4
34.3
36.5
36.9
37.3
37.2
35.1
34.0
36.0
36.8

1.071
1.090
1.114
1.106
1.104
1.102
1.101
1.101
1.101
1.102

1.099
1.090
1.084

1.100

1.087
1.085
1.087
1.094
1.102

1.108
1.094

Manufacturing—Continued
Stone, clay, and glass products
Total: Stone, clay,
and glass products

Glass and glass
products

1947: A verage...
1948: A verage...

>49.07
53.46

41.1 $1.194 $50.13
40.9 1.307 54.06

1948: July........... .
August........
September.
October___
November.
December..
1949: January---February...
M arch____
April_____
M ay______
June______
July---------

52. 40
54.98
54.82
56. 01
55.18
55.72
54.50
55.02
54.18
53.37
53. 90
53.58
52.80

40.0
41.4
40.7
41.4
40.6
41.0
40.1
40.4
39.9
39.3
39.6
39.4
38.6

1.310
1.328
1.347
1.353
1.359
1.359
1.359
1.362
1. 358
1.358
1.361
1.360
1.368

50. 79
54.79
55.61
56. 92
55.91
57.45
57.30
58.53
56.97
55.39
56.81
55. 98
55.30

Glass containers

39.6 $1,266 $49.78
39.2 1.379 52.05
37.4
39.5
39.3
40.2
38.8
39.7
39.3
39.9
39.1
38.2
39.1
38.9
37.9

1.358
1.387
1.415
1.416
1. 441
1.447
1.458
1.467
1.457
1.450
1.453
1.439
1.459

48 92

ñ1
fU
ññ
ñ2
52
52
52
52
52
54
54

Q4
22
22
54
25
07
92
25
QO
52
20

54.19

Pressed and blown
glass

40.6 $1.226 $45.39
39.7 1.311 47.61
28 4

40 2
40.0
40. 7
39.4
39.0
38.4
39.1
39. 2
38. 7
39. 8
39. 9
39.3

1. 274
1. 292
1.358
1.357
1.359
1.368
1.382
1.379
1.361
1.367
1. 370
1,361
1. 379

45.01
47. 20
46. 77
49. 31
48. 28
51.78
50. 85
50.73
50.96
49.10
50. 25
49. 08
47. 67

Cement, hydraulic

39.5 $1.149 $49.56
38.8 1.227 54.76
37.2
39.2
38.4
39.7
37.6
39.8
39.3
38.9
38.9
38.0
38.3
37.9
36.5

1.210
1.204
1.218
1. 242
1.284
1.301
1.294
1.304
1.310
1. 292
1.312
1.295
1.306

56. 62
57.35
56.56
56.35
55. 67
55.54
55.56
55.29
55.67
56.32
57.68
58. 80
58.22

Structural clay
products

42.0 $1.180 $45.07
41.9 1.307 49.57

40.6
40.4

$1.110
1.227

49.53
51. 79
51.02
52. 06
51.2]
51. 43
49. 54
50.25
49.79
49. 81
49.94
49. 20
48.17

40.2
41.2
40.3
40. 8
40.2
40. 4
39.1
39.6
39.3
39.1
39. 2
38.8
38.2

1.232
1. 257
1. 266
1. 276
1. 274
1. 273
1. 267
1.269
1. 267
1. 274
i. 274
1.268
1. 261

42.1
42.7
41.5
41.8
41.3
41.6
41.4
41.6
41.7
41.5
41.8
42.0
41.2

1.345
1.343
1.363
1.348
1.348
1.335
1.342
1.329
1.335
1.357
1.3S0
1.400
1.413

M anufacturing—Continued
Primary metal indus­
tries

Stone, clay, and glass products—Continued

Brick and hollow
tile
1917:'Average___
1948: .Average—
1948: July.........
August-----September.
October___
November.
December..
1949: January___
February...
March____
April-------M ay______
June.......... .
J u ly ............

$44.58
49.05
49.70
52.19
51.33
52.23
51.19
51.22
48. 37
48.40
48. 09
49.18
49.66
49.88
48. 85

42.7 $1.044 $45.74
42.5 1.154 49. 46
42.7
44.3
43.1
43.6
42.8
42.9
41.2
41.3
41.1
41.5
41.7
42.2
41.5

See footnotes at end of table.


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

Pottery and related
products

1.164
1.178
1.191
1.198
1.196
1.194
1.174
1.172
1.170
1.185
1.191
1.182
1.177

58.34
50.70
49.31
51.99
51.99
51.37
50. 79
50.98
50. 46
49.10
48.30
46.59
42.18

Concrete, gypsum,
and plaster products

38.7 $1,182 $51.30
38.7 1.278 56.49
37.5
39.3
37.9
39.3
39.0
38.8
37.9
38.1
37.6
36.7
36.1
34.9
31.5

1.289
1. 290
1.301
1.323
1.3.33
1.324
1.340
1.338
1.342
1.338
1.338
1.335
1.339

56. 54
58.65
58.78
60. 01
59.18
59.27
56.25
56. 51
55.47
55.17
55. 30
56. 29
57.73

Concrete products

Other stone, clay, and Total: Primary metal
industries
glass products

45.0 $1.140 $53.61
44.8 1.261 56.92

45.2
44.4

il. 186 $50. 88
1.282 55.10

59.66
58.57
56.80
59.71
57. 67
58.48
56. 68
56.89
56.10
58. 30
59.36
59. 94
60. 24

46.0
45.3
44.0
45.1
43.2
44.0
43.1
43.1
42.4
43.8
44.8
44.3
44.0

1. 297
1. 293
1.291
1.324
1.335
1.329
1.315
1.320
1.323
1.331
1.325
1.353
1.369

44.1
45.5
44.8
45.6
44.9
45.0
43.4
43.3
42.8
42.5
42.8
43.1
43.7

1.282
1.289
1.312
1.316
1.318
1.317
1.296
1. 305
1.296
1.298
1.292
1.306
1.321

54.46
56.40
56.96
57.61
56. 20
57.15
55. 96
55.78
54. 91
53.97
54.05
53.68
53.11

41.6 $1. 223 $55. 24
41.0 1.344 61.03

39.8
40.1

$1.388
1.522

59. 61
62.84
63.48
64.51
64.08
64.12
63.72
63.16
61.70
60.83
60.08
60.02
58.63

39.5
40.1
39.7
40.6
40.3
40.3
40.0
39.8
39.0
38.4
38.0
37.7
36.9

1.509
1.567
1.599
1.589
1.590
1.591
1. 593
1.587
1.582
1.584
1.581
1.592
1.589

40.4
41.2
41.1
41.3
40.4
41.0
40.2
40.1
39.5
38. 8
38.8
38.7
38.1

1.348
1.369
1.386
1.395
1.391
1.394
1.392
1.391
1.390
1.391
1.393
1.387
1.394

REVIEW, OCTOBER 1949

C: EARNINGS AND HOURS

463

T able C 1: Hours and Gross Earnings of Production Workers or Nonsupervisory Employees1—Con.
Manufacturing—Continued
Primary metal industries—Continued
Year and month

Blast furnaces, steel
works, and rolling
mills
Avg.
wkly. Avg.
earn­ wkly.
ings hours

Iron and steel
foundries

Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. Avg.
earn­ earn­ wkly.
ings
ings hours

Malleable-iron
foundries

Gray-iron foundries

Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings

Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn­ hours
ings

Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. Avg.
earn­ earn­ wkly.
ings
ings hours

Steel foundries

Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. Avg.
earn­ earn­ wkly.
ings
ings hours

Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings

P r im a ry sm e ltin g
and refining of nonferrous metals
Avg. Avg.
w kly. wkly.
earn­ hours
ings

Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings

1947: Average____
1948: Average____

$56.12
62.41

39.0 $1.439 $54.80
39.5 1.580 58.45

41.2 $1.330 $55.24
40.7 1.436 57.46

42.3 $1,306 $54.39
40.9 1.405 59.19

40.2 $1,353 $53.94
40.4 1.465 59.93

39.6 $1,302 $52. 73
40.6 1.476 58.22

41.0
41.0

$1.286
1.420

1948: J u ly .............
August_____
Septem ber...
October____
N ovem ber...
December__
1949: January____
February___
M a rc h ..........
April...............
M a y ...............
June________
Ju ly ................

60.33
65.07
65.83
66.66
66.16
65.87
66.24
65.64
64.90
64.69
63.24
62.21
59.95

38.8
39.7
39.3
40.3
40.0
39.8
40.0
39.9
39.5
39.4
38.7
37.7
36.4

40.3
40.8
40.4
40.9
40.6
40.7
39.5
39.4
37.6
36.2
35.5
36.2
36.4

40.7
40.7
40.7
41.0
40.8
40.9
39.6
39.6
37.4
35.9
35.1
36.5
36.6

40.2
39.9
40.0
41.1
39.5
40.0
38.7
37.3
35.7
34.9
34.4
35.4
34.9

39.6
41.3
39.8
40.7
40.8
40.6
39.6
40.0
39.0
37.3
36.8
36.2
37.1

40.7
41.3
41.2
41.3
40.4
41.0
41.0
40.8
41.0
41.3
40.7
40.5
39.1

1.430
1.472
1.502
1.479
1.484
1.488
1.510
1.499
1.490
1.5°0
1.500
1.499
1.507

1.555
1.639
1.675
1.654
1.654
1.655
1.656
1.645
1.643
1.642
1.634
1.650
1.647

57.71
59.12
59. 91
60.86
60.37
60.52
58.74
58.51
55.50
53.43
52.26
53.54
53.69

1.432
1.449
1.483
1.488
1.487
1.487
1.487
1.485
1.476
1.476
1.472
1.479
1.475

57.39
57.88
58.85
59.41
59.16
59.35
57.58
57.38
53.82
51.73
50.47
52.85
53.11

1.410
1.422
1.446
1.449
1.450
1.451
1.454
1.449
1.439
1.441
1.438
1.448
1.451

58.81
58.97
60. 72
63.29
60. 47
61.36
58.94
56. 77
53.80
52.98
51.60
53.70
52.56

1.463
1.478
1.518
1.540
1.531
1. 534
1.523
1.522
1.507
1.518
1.500
1.517
1.506

57.58
61.21
61.01
62. 27
62.42
62.08
60.39
61.12
59.40
56. 55
55.72
54. 88
55. 91

1.454
1.482
1.533
1.530
1.530
1.529
1.525
1.528
1.523
1.516
1.514
1.516
1.507

58.20
60.79
61.88
61.08
59.95
61.01
61.91
61.16
61.09
61.95
61.05
60.71
58.92

Manufacturing—Continued
Primary metal industries—Continued
Prim ary sm eltin g
and refining of
copper, lead, and
zinc

Prim ary refining of
a luminum

1947: A verage.........
1948: A verage.........

$51.41
57.14

40.9 $1.257 $53.46
40. 9 1.397 58. 95

1948: July_________
g August_____
September___
October_____
t: November___
December___
1949: January...........
February____
M arch______
April________
M ay____ ____
June________
J u ly .................

56. 50
60.36
61.06
60.28
59.01
60.37
61. 55
60. 75
60. 53
61.18
60. 22
59. 85
57. 77

40.5 1.395 62.04
41. 4 1.458 60. 98
41. 2 1.482 62.14
41. 2 1. 463 61.14
40. 2 1.468 61.27
40. 9 1.476 60.89
40. 9 1. 505 61. 59
40.8 1.489 60. 68
40.9 1.480 60. 66
41. 2 1. 485 62.81
40. 5 1.487 61.07
40.3 1. 485 60. 91
38. 8 1.489 61.25

R olling, drawing,
and alloying of
nonferrous metals

40.9 $1,307 $51.89
41.4 1.424 57.81
41.5
40.9
41.1
41.2
40.9
41.2
41.5
41.0
41.1
41.9
41.1
41.1
41.3

1.495 58. 48
1.491 60. 37
1.512 60. 58
1.484 61.18
1.498 59. 81
1.478 61.47
1.484 59. 77
1.480 57.99
1.476 55.09
1.499 52. 99
1.486 53. 62
1.482 55.39
1.483 56.32

R olling, drawing,
and alloying of
copper

39.7 $1,307 $54.14
40.2 1.438 60.42
40.0
40.3
40.2
40.6
39.9
40.9
39.9
39.0
37.3
36.1
36.5
37.4
37.9

1.462 61.69
1.498 63. 89
1.507 64.00
1.507 63.43
1.499 61.44
1. 503 63. 65
1.498 61.37
1.487 58. 45
1.477 54. 09
1. 468 50. 38
1.469 51.92
1.481 55. 52
1.486 57.42

R olling, drawing,
and alloying of
aluminum

40.1 $1,350 $48.38
40.8 1.481 53.88
41.1
41.3
41.4
41.0
40.0
41.2
39.8
38.3
35.8
33.5
34.5
36.6
37.8

1.501
1.547
1.546
1.547
1.536
1.545
1.542
1.526
1.511
1.504
1.505
1. 517
1. 519

53.86
54.88
55.24
57.72
56.87
57.70
58.02
57.70
55. 81
55. 65
55.30
54.89
55.02

Nonferrous foundries

38.7 $1.250 $54.92
39.1 1.378 59.96

40. 0
40.0

$1 37 a
1.499

38.2 1.410
38.3 1.433
38.2 1.446
39.7 1. 454
39.3 1.447
39.9 1.446
40.1 1.447
39.9 1.446
39.0 1.431
39.0 1.427
38. 7 1.429
38.2 1.437
38.0 1.448

30 8
30. 8
38 0
40 0
30 7
40 4
30 5
30 5
38 6
38 0
37 0
38 5
38.7

1 510
1 *5945
1 550
1 547
1 550

60. 10
60. 70
60.30
61. 88
61. 54
63. 51
61. 46
61. 46
59.48
58. 79
59. 01
60.06
60.60

1 672

1'556
1 556
1 541
1 547
1 557

1 560
1.566

Manufacturing—Continued
Fabricated metal products (except ordnance, machinery, and
transportation equipment)

Primary metal industries—Continued

Other primary metal
industries

Iron and steel forg­
ings

Wire drawing

Total: Fabricated
metal products (ex­
cept ordnance, ma­
chinery, and transpor­
tation equipment)

Tin cans and other
tinware

Cutlery, hand tools,
and hardware

1947: Average______ $56.94
1948: A verage.......... 63.08

40.5 $1. 406 $59.79
40.8 1.546 65.16

40.7 $1. 469 $56. 47
40.8 1. 597 62.17

40.6 $1. 391 $52. 06
40.5 1.535 56.68

40.8 $1,276 $48.95
40.6 1.396 54. 07

41.0 $1,194 $50.02
40.9 1.322 54. 22

41. 2
40.8

$1. 214
1.329

1948: July...................
August______
September___
October......... .
November___
December____
1949: January______
February____
M arch_______
April________
M a y ________
June_________
July_________

40.4
40.6
40.2
41.3
41.3
41.3
41.2
40.9
39.7
38.3
38.3
38.5
38.1

40.4
40.2
40.2
41.4
41.2
41.4
41.3
40.9
39.4
38.0
37.6
38.0
37.5

41.0
40.3
40.2
40.7
40.4
40.6
41.1
40.7
39.2
36.8
37.5
37.9
38.0

39.8
40.5
39.6
40.8
40.7
41.0
40.1
39.7
39.5
38.7
39.0
39.2
39.3

42.1
41.8
43.3
40.5
40.1
41.3
39.9
39.9
40.0
39.1
39.4
40.7
42.6

39.6
40.6
40.0
40.9
40.8
41.4
40.6
39.9
39.8
38.7
39.1
38.6
38.6

1.337
1.352
1.372
1.380
1.382
1.396
1.393
1.391
1.393
1.392
1.394
1.397
1.404

61.41
64. 27
65. 00
67.03
67.36
66.91
66.95
66. 54
63. 96
61.51
61.74
62. 56
61.76

See footnotes at end of table.


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

1.520
1.583
1.617
1. 623
1.631
1.620
1.625
1.627
1.611
1.606
1.612
1.625
1.621

63.23
64.96
66. 89
69. 26
69. 38
69. 39
69. 30
68. 67
65.17
62.24
61. 96
62.93
61.24

1.565
1.616
1.664
1.673
1.684
1.676
1. 678
1.679
1.654
1.638
1.648
1.656
1.633

61.17
63.84
64.84
66.14
66.05
65.98
67.24
66. 54
63. 58
58. 99
60.34
61.44
61.26

1.492
1.584
1.613
1.625
1.635
1.625
1.636
1. 635
1.622
1.603
1.609
1.621
1.612

55.84
57.83
57.02
59.20
59.10
59.57
58.23
57.72
57.35
56.19
56.67
57. 35
57. 61

1.403
1.428
1.440
1.451
1.452
1.453
1.452
1. 454
1.452
1.452
1.453
1.463
1.466

57. 55
57. 27
60.79
55.73
54.78
56. 46
54. 46
54. 62
55.04
53.68
54.06
55.68
59. 26

1.367
1.370
1.404
1.376
1.366
1.367
1.365
1.369
1.376
1.373
1.372
1.368
1.391

52. 95
54.89
54. 88
56. 44
56. 39
57. 79
56. 56
55.50
55. 44
53.87
54. 51
53. 92
54.19

M ONTHLY LABO R

C: EARNINGS AND HOURS

464

T able C -l: Honrs and Gross Earnings of Production Workers or Nonsupervisory Employees

Con.

Manufacturing—Continued
Fabricated metal products (except ordnance, machinery, and transportation equipment)—Continued

Cutlery and edge
tools

Year and month

Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn­ hours
ings

Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. wkly.
earn­ earn­ hours
ings
ings

1947: Average ____ $48.14
1948: Average........... 51.13

41.9 $1.149 $51. 66
41.3 1.238 56.07

1948: July
August _____
September
October
November
Dp.pp.mbpr
1949: January
February
March
April
May

40.6
41. 5
41.0
41.3
41.5
41. 3
40.9
40.0
39.5
38.0
39.8
39.4
39.2

June

July................

50. 55
52.25
51. 41
52.66
53. 04
52. 82
52.07
50. 72
50. 20
47.92
49.99
49.88
49.51

1.245
1. 259
1.254
1.275
1.278
1.279
1.273
1.268
1.271
1.261
1.256
1.266
1.263

Heating apparatus
(except electric) and
plumbers’ supplies

Hand tools

54. 74
56.81
57. 06
58. 44
57. 51
58. 51
58.08
57. 31
56. 72
54. 90
53.95
52. 23
51.83

Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. wkly.
earn­ earn­ hours
ings
ings

41.2 $1.254 $52. 85
40.9 1.371 57. 53
40.1
40.9
40.5
41.1
40.5
41.0
40.7
40.3
39.8
38.8
38.4
37.2
37.1

1.365
1.389
1.409
1.422
1.420
1.427
1.427
1.422
1.425
1.415
1. 405
1.404
1.397

56.99
58.11
57. 34
60. 82
59.36
59. 58
55.97
54.94
55. 57
53.99
54. 61
54. 72
55.73
'

Sanitary ware and
plumbers’ supplies

Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly.
earn­ earn­ wkly.
ings hours
ings

40.5 $1.305 $55.38
40.2 1.431 60.40
39.8
40.3
39.3
40.9
40.0
40.2
38.1
37.2
37.6
36.6
37.1
37.3
38.3

1.432
1.442
1.459
1.487
1.484
1.482
1.469
1.477
1.478
1.475
1.472
1.467
1.455

60. 54
60. 36
57.95
64. 82
63.98
64.07
58. 33
58.47
59.09
56.58
57. 55
55. 94
58.75

Oil burners, nonelec­
tric heating and cook­ Fabricated structural
metal products
ing apparatus, not
elsewhere classified

40.6 $1.364 $51. 72
40.4 1.495 55.80
40.2
40.4
38.2
41.0
40.7
41.1
37.8
37.6
37.9
36.5
37.2
36.3
38.3

1.506
1.494
1.517
1.581
1.572
1.559
1.543
1.555
1.559
1.550
1.547
1. 541
1.534

55.02
57.02
56.95
58. 81
56. 79
56.93
54. 57
52. 76
53. 51
52. 37
52. 76
54. 26
54.04

Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings

Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly.
earn­ earn­
ings
ings

Avg.
wkly.
hours

40.5 $1.277 $53. 57
40.0 1. 395 58.17

41.3
41. 2

$1. 297
1.412

56.16
59. 70
57. 59
61.34
61. 38
61.68
60.81
60. 85
60. 26
58. 88
59. 90
59. 95
59. 43

40.0
41. 2
89. 5
41. 7
41. 7
41.9
41.2
41.2
40. 8
40. 0
40. 5
40.4
40.1

1.404
1.449
1.458
1. 471
1.472
1.472
1. 476
1.477
1. 477
1.472
1. 479
1. 484
1.482

Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. wkly.
earn­ earn­ hours
ings
ings

39.5
40.3
39.8
40.9
39.6
39.7
38.4
37.0
37.5
36.7
37.0
38.0
38.3

1.393
1.415
1.431
1.438
1.434
1.434
1. 421
1.426
1.427
1.427
1.426
1.428
1.411

Manufacturing—Continued
Fabricated metal products (except ordnance, machinery, and transportation equipment)—Continued
Structural steel and
ornamental metal
work
1947: A verage_____ $53.28
1948: Average............ 57.68
1948: J u l y . . . ______
August ____
September
October
Novem ber___
December____
1949: January_____
February ___
March __ _
A p r il_______
M ay ___ ___
June
-July--------------

55.42
59.20
56.70
61.28
61.43
61.15
61.02
61.19
60.79
59.09
60. 75
61.13
60.39

Boiler-sho p products

41 4 $1. 287 $54. 38
41.2 1.400 58. 79
40.1
41.2
39.4
41.8
41.9
41.8
41.4
41.6
41.1
40.2
40.8
41.0
40.5

1.382
1.437
1.439
1.466
1.466
1.463
1.474
1.471
1.479
1.470
1.489
1.491
1.491

59.10
60.48
58.54
60.85
61.72
62.52
60.68
60.80
60.24
59. 79
59.68
59.00
59.52

Sheet-metal work

41.1 $1.323 $51. 74
41.2 1.427 56.64
41.3
41.2
39.5
41.2
41.7
42.1
41.0
41.0
40.7
40.4
40.3
39.6
40.0

1.431
1.468
1.482
1.477
1.480
1.485
1.480
1.483
1.480
1.480
1.481
1.490
1.488

51.20
59.39
55.19
60.32
59.24
59.72
59.24
58.27
57.42
55.22
57.93
57.63
58. 21

M etal stamping,
coating, and
engraving

41.0 $1. 262 $52. 25
40.6 1.395 56.66
36.6
41.3
38.3
41.2
40.8
41.3
40.8
40.1
39.9
37.9
39.9
39.8
39.9

1.399
1.438
1.441
1.464
1.452
1.446
1.452
1.453
1.439
1.457
1.452
1.448
1.459

56.49
57.26
56.46
58. 75
59.09
59.41
59.00
58.21
57.20
57. 07
57.11
59.35
58.24

Stamped and pressed
metal products

40.5 $1. 290 $53. 71
40.1 1.413 58. 39
39.2
39.6
38.7
40.1
40.2
40.5
40.0
39.6
39.1
38.9
38.8
39.7
38.8

1.441
1.446
1.459
1.465
1.470
1.467
1.475
1.470
1.463
1.467
1.472
1.495
1.501

58.12
58. 77
57.97
60.34
60.81
60.98
60.85
60.24
59.02
58.76
58.69
61.16
59.98

Othe r fabric ated
met al prodilets

40.6 $1. 323 $52. 25
40. 3 1.449 56.88

40.6
40. 4

$1.287
1. 408

1.479
1.484
1.494
1.501
1.509
1.502
1.510
1.506
1.498
1.499
1.501
1.529
1.538

39.6
40. 5
39. 5
4Û. 5
40. 6
40.8
40.3
40.0
39.3
38. 5
38.5
39.0
39.0

1.408
1.454
1.452
1.461
1.467
1.466
1.466
1.471
1.467
1.470
1.466
1.490
1.495

39.3
39.6
38.8
40.2
40.3
40.6
40.3
40.0
39.4
39.2
39.1
40.0
39.0

55.76
58.89
57. 35
59.17
59. 56
59. 81
59.08
58. 84
57.65
56.60
56.44
58.11
58.31

Manufacturing—Continued
Machinery (except electrical)
Total: Machinery (ex­ Engines and turbines Agricultural machin­
ery and tractors
cept electrical)
1947: Average............ $55. 89
1948: Average........... 60.52
1948: July...................
A ugust.............
September___
October...........
November___
December........
1949: January...........
February____
March_______
April.................
M a y ________
J u n e................
July..................

59.66
61.42
61.54
62.43
62.02
62.80
61.72
61. 57
60.85
59. 55
59.70
59.90
59.63

41.4 $1.350 $58.40
41.2 1.469 63.50
40.5
41.0
40.7
41.1
40.8
41.1
40.5
40.4
39.9
39.1
39.2
39.2
39.0

See footnotes at end of table.


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

1.473
1.498
1.512
1.519
1.520
1.528
1.524
1.524
1.525
1. 523
1.523
1.528
1.529

60.99
63.76
63.99
65.73
64.84
66. 75
64.16
64. 96
63. 50
62.38
63.10
63. 58
61.72

40.7 $1.435 $55. 76
40.5 1. 568 60. 59
38.7
40.1
39.6
40.4
39.9
40.9
39.7
39.9
39.1
38.6
39.0
39.2
38.1

1. 576
1.590
1.616
1.627
1.625
1.632
1.616
1.628
1.624
1. 616
1.618
1.622
1.620

61.20
61.82
62. 77
62.42
61.41
62.54
62.11
62.07
61.38
60.18
60.26
61.78
61.54

40.7 $1.370 $57.69
40.5 1.496 62.05
40.8
40.3
40.6
40.4
39.9
40.4
40.1
40.2
39.7
39.0
39.0
39.5
39.5

1.500
1.534
1.546
1.545
1.539
1. 548
1.549
1.544
1.546
1.543
1.545
1.564
1.558

Agricultural machin­
ery (except tractors)

Tractors

62.94
64.46
64. 79
64.35
63.32
63.95
64.15
63.11
62. 25
60. 52
60.80
62. 57
63.67

Construction and
mining mac! inery

40.8 $1.414 $53.43
40.5 1.532 58.62

40.6 $1.316 $54. 72
40.4 1.451 60.33

41.8
42.1

$1.309
1.433

41.3
40.9
40.8
40.6
40.2
40.5
40.6
40.2
39.6
38.6
38.8
39.6
40.4

40.1
39.5
40.2
40.2
39.6
40.3
39.6
40.2
39.8
39.4
39.2
39.4
39.2

1.470
1.478
1.491
1.497
1.494
1. 509
1.508
1.513
1.515
1.513
1.518
1.544
1.535

41.7
42.1
41.1
41.9
41.8
42.0
41.2
41.1
40.6
40.2
39.8
39.9
39.2

1.431
1.456
1.477
1.479
1.484
1.484
1.483
1.477
1.478
1.485
1.474
1.469
1.467

1.524
1.576
1.588
1.585
1. 575
1. 579
1.580
1. 570
1. 572
1. 568
1.567
1. 580
1.576

58.95
58.38
59.94
60.18
59.16
60.81
59. 72
60.82
60.30
59.61
59.51
60.83
60.17

59.67
61.30
60. 70
61.97
62.03
62.33
61.10
60. 70
60.01
59. 70
58.67
58.61
57. 51

REVIEW, OCTOBER 1949

C: EARNINGS AND HOURS

465

T able C 1: Hours and Gross Earnings of Production Workers or Nonsupervisory Employees1—Con.
Manufacturing—Continued
Machinery (except electrical)—Continued

Year and month

Metalworking
machinery

Avg.
wkly. Avg.
earn­ wkly.
ings hours

Machine tools

Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. Avg.
earn­ earn­ wkly.
ings
ings hours

M e ta lw o r k in g
machinery (except
machine tools)

Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. Avg.
earn­ earn­ wkly.
ings
ings hours

Machine-tool
accessories

Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. Avg.
earn­ earn­ wkly.
ings
ings hours

Special - i n d u s t r y
machinery (except
m e ta lw o r k in g
machinery)

Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. Avg.
earn­ earn­ wkly.
ings
ings hours

Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings

General industrial
machinery

Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn­
ings hours

Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings

1947: Average___
1948: Average___

$58.49
62.94

42.2 $1.386 $57.75
42.1 1.495 61.57

42.4 $1.362 $57.57
42.2 1.459 62.98

41.9 $1.374 $60. 52
42.1 1.496 65.21

42.0 $1.441 $55.89
41.8 1.560 60.62

42.7 $1.309 $55.79
42.3 1.433 59.78

41.7
41.2

$1.338
1.451

1948: July______
August___
September.
October___
November.
D ecember..
1949: January___
February...
March____
April_____
M ay.......... .
June______
J u ly.............

61.52
64.01
63.42
G4.34
63.80
65.21
63. 73
63. 26
62.93
61. 26
60.72
59.83
58.91

41.4
42.0
41.4
41.7
41.4
42.1
41.3
41.0
40.6
39. 7
39. 4
38.8
38.3

41.6
41.7
41.7
42.0
41.6
42.1
41.2
40.9
40.4
39.7
39.2
38.5
37.8

40.8
42.2
41.1
41.6
41.6
42.4
41.5
41.3
41.0
39.9
39.9
39.3
38.7

41.8
42.5
41.0
41.2
40.9
41.7
41.4
40.9
40.7
39.4
39.2
38.9
39.0

42.1
42.0
41.7
42.0
41.3
42.1
41.4
41.0
40.8
40.5
40.3
39.8
39.8

40.2
41.1
40.6
41.2
40.8
41.3
40.6
40.6
39.9
39.4
39.3
39.3
38.8

1.446
1.478
1.492
1.504
1. 505
1.508
1.507
1.507
1.508
1. 504
1.500
1.508
1.501

1.486
1.524
1.532
1.543
1. 541
1.549
1.543
1.543
1.550
1.543
1.541
1.542
1.538

60.69
61.76
61.92
63.13
62. 57
63.40
61.59
61.27
60.68
59. 67
59.04
57.90
56.74

1.459
1.481
1.485
1.503
1.504
1.506
1.495
1.498
1.502
1.503
1.506
1.504
1.501

60. 55
64. 27
63.34
64.44
64.73
66.48
64.91
64.39
64.12
62. 04
61.61
60.68
59.64

1.484
1.523
1.541
1.549
1. 556
1.568
1.564
1.559
1.564
1.555
1.544
1.544
1.541

64.25
68.04
65.93
66.33
65.24
67.05
66.32
65.77
65.89
63. 20
62.80
62.51
62.44

1.537
1.601
1.608
1.610
1.595
1.608
1.602
1.608
1.619
1.604
1.602
1.607
1.601

60. 29
61.19
61.34
61.74
60.96
62.81
61.56
60.93
60.83
60.47
60. 57
59.98
60.02

1.432
1.457
1.471
1.470
1.476
1.492
1.487
1.486
1.491
1.493
1.503
1.507
1.508

58.13
60. 75
60.58
61.96
61.40
62.28
61.18
61.18
60.17
59. 26
58.95
59. 26
58.24

M anufact uring—Continued
Machinery (except electrical)—Continued
Office and sto re ma­
chin es ani
device
1947: Average___
1948: Average___

$57. 59
61.49

1948: July.............
August........
September.
October___
Novem ber.
December. _
1949: January___
February..
M arch____
April_____
M ay______
June..........
J u ly ............

62.23
60.95
61.38
60. 25
62.85
64.29
63.11
62. V2
62. 92
61. 78
62. 21
62. 73
62. 53

Computing machines
and cash registers

Typewriters

Service - i n d u s t r y
and h o u s e h o ld
machines

Refrigerators a n d
a i r - conditioning
units

Miscellaneous ma­
chinery parts

41.7 $1.381 $62.34
41.1 1.496 66.54

41.7 $1.495 $52. 50
41.2 1.615 55.65

41.5 $1. 265 $54.50
41.1 1.354 58. 98

40.7 $1.339 $53. 77
40.4 1.460 58.29

40.1 $1.341 $53.09
39.9 1.461 57. 62

40.1
40.1

$1. 324
1. 437

41.1
40. 5
40.3
39. 3
40. 6
41.0
40. 2
40.0
39. 9
39.0
39.3
39. 6
39.3

41.3
40.7
40.3
40.0
40.6
40.8
40.4
40.3
40.3
39.9
39.4
39.6
39.5

41.3
40.5
40.6
37.3
40.9
41.2
39.6
39.1
38.9
37.1
39.3
39.2
39.2

39.2
40.1
40.1
41.1
40.6
40.0
39.8
39.8
39.4
37.8
39.3
39.3
40.9

38.6
39. 4
39.6
40.7
40.0
40.0
39.3
39.5
38.7
36.7
38.8
38.5
40.4

39.0
40.1
39.7
40.6
40.2
40.4
39.9
39.3
39.0
37.7
37.3
37.8
37.2

1. 456
1. 471
1. 480
1. 487
1. 495
1. 498
1. 495
1. 493
1. 491
1. 485
1. 484
1. 478
1. 484

1. 514
l. 50r
1.523
1. 533
1. 548
1.568
1. 570
1. 568
1.577
1.584
1.583
1.584
1.591

68.02
66.63
66. 58
66.16
67.19
68. 71
68.07
67.82
68.07
67.43
66.70
67. 28
67.86

1.647
1.637
1. 652
1.654
1.655
1.684
1.685
1.683
1.689
1.690
1.693
1.699
1.718

56.00
54.07
54.97
51.14
58.16
58. 92
56.27
55.60
55.78
53.83
56. 55
56. 76
56.45

1.356
1. 335
1.354
1.371
1.422
1.430
1.421
1.422
1.434
1.451
1.439
1.448
1.440

57. 82
60.35
60. 91
62. 88
61.79
61.12
60. 58
60.70
59.73
56. 96
59. 03
59. 66
62.62

1. 475
1.505
1. 519
1. 530
1. 522
1.528
1.522
1.525
1.516
1.507
1.502
1.518
1.531

57.05
59. 45
60.15
62. 47
60.84
61.36
59. 97
60.44
58. 71
55. 45
58. 86
59.02
62.82

1.478
1.509
1.519
1.535
1.521
1.534
1. 526
1.530
1.517
1.511
1.517
1. 533
1.555

56.78
58.99
58. 76
60.37
60.10
60. 52
59. 65
58.67
58.15
55.98
55.35
55. 87
55.20

Manufacturing—Continued
Machinery (except
electrical)—Con.

Machine shops (job
and repair)

Electrical machinery

Total: Electrical ma­
chinery

Electrical generat­
ing, transmission,
distribution, and
industrial appa­
ratus

Motors, generators,
transformers, and
industrial controls

E lectrical e q u ip ­
ment for vehicles

Communication
equipment

1947: Average.
$54.46
1948: Average............ 58. 77

40.1 $1.358 $51. 26
40. 2 1.462 55. 66

40.3 $1.272 $53. 92
40.1 1.388 58.34

40.6 $1. 328 $55.01
40.4 1.444 59. 55

40.6 $1.355 $51. 89
40.4 1.474 56. 77

39.7 $1.307 $48.00
39.7 1.430 52.10

39.9
39.8

$1.203
1.309

1948: July.......
59.23
A ugust..
60.36
September___ 59. 48
October.......... 61.22
November__ 60.69
December___ 60. 60
1949: January......... 60. 29
February___
59.58
M arch............
59. 58
A p ril.............. 59. 24
M ay................ 57. 45
June................ 58. 81
July............... . 58.00

40.1
40.4
39.6
40. 6
39.9
40.0
39.9
39.3
39.2
39.0
38.1
39. 6
38.9

39.4
39.9
40.0
40.2
40.3
40.4
39.7
39.6
39.1
38.5
38.8
39.0
38.7

39.6
39.9
40.0
40.3
40.6
41.0
40.1
40.0
39.5
38.9
38.6
38.8
38.9

39.6
39.8
40.1
40.4
40.6
41.2
40.3
40.0
39.5
39.0
38.9
39.0
39.4

39.1
39.4
39.4
39.9
40.0
39.8
39.3
39.1
38.2
38.5
39.5
39.4
39.9

39.2
39.7
40.0
40.0
40.3
40.0
39.3
39.1
39.0
38.4
38.8
39.2
38.1

1.311
1.345
1.348
1.356
1.349
1.346
1.343
1.346
1.361
1. 364
1.362
1.363
1.360

See footnotes at end of table.
8 5 4 9 8 2 — 4 9 ----------8


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

1.477
1. 494
1.502
1.508
1.521
1. 515
1.511
1.516
1. 520
1.519
1. 508
1.485
1.491

55.24
56.94
57.40
57.93
57.91
58.10
57.01
57.02
56.50
55. 59
55. 99
56.16
56.00

1.402
1. 427
1.435
1.441
1.437
1.438
1.436
1.440
1.445
1.444
1.443
1.440
1.447

58.09
59. 29
59.84
60. 53
60. 74
61.66
60.15
60.20
59.49
58.66
58.36
58. 47
59.09

1.467
1. 486
1.496
1.502
1.496
1.504
1.500
1.505
1.506
1. 508
1. 512
1.507
1.519

59.60
60. 77
61.59
61.89
62.20
63. 41
61.90
61.48
60. 91
60.06
60.06
60.06
61.39

1.505
1.527
1.536
1.532
1. 532
1.539
1. 536
1.537
1.542
1.540
1. 544
1.540
1.558

56.62
58.31
58.71
59. 77
60.08
59.94
59.19
58. 85
57. 26
57.40
59.80
59.69
61.01

1.448
1.480
1.490
1.498
1.502
1.506
1.506
1.505
1.499
1.491
1. 514
1.515
1.529

51.39
53.40
53.92
54.24
54.36
53. 84
52.78
52.63
53.08
52.38
52.85
53. 43
51.82

MONTHLY LABOR

C: EARNINGS AND HOURS

466

T able C -l: Hours and Gross Earnings of Production Workers or Nonsupervisory Employees *—Con.
M anufacturing—Continued
Transportation equipment

Electrical machinery—Continued

Year and month

Radios, phonographs, Telephone and tele­
television sets, and
graph equipment
equipment
Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn­ hours
ings

1947: Average-------- $44. 41
1948: Average_____ 48. 53
1948: July------------August______
September___
October_____
November___
December___
1949: January_____
February____
March______
April...........
M ay________
June.... ............
J u ly-................

48. 83
49.34
50.12
50. 22
51.17
51.54
49. 65
49.23
49. 70
48.64
49.41
50.33
48.03

Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. w kly.
earn­ earn­ hours
ings
ings

39.2 $1.133 $56.44
39.2 1.238 59.54
39.0
39.0
39.4
39.2
40.1
40.2
39.0
38.7
38.8
38.0
38.6
39.2
37.7

1. 252
1.265
1.272
1.281
1.276
1.282
1.273
1.272
1.281
1,280
1.280
1.284
1.274

56.88
62.02
62.13
62.67
62.19
60.19
60.59
60. 74
61.15
61.19
61.04
61.50
60.68

Electrical appliances, Total: Transportation
lamps, and miscel­
equipment
laneous products

Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. wkly.
earn­ earn­ hours
ings
ings

41.5 $1.360 $51. 68
40.7 1. 463 56.08
39.5
41.1
41.2
41.2
40.7
39.7
39.6
39.7
39.3
39.2
39.1
39.4
38.8

1.440
1. 509
1.508
1.521
1. 528
1.516
1.530
1.530
1. 556
1,561
1. 561
1. 561
1. 564

55.08
58.08
57.99
58. 52
58.08
58.01
57. 70
57.59
56.28
54. 42
54. 58
54.49
55.25

Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. wkly.
earn­ earn­ hours
ings
ings

40.6 $1. 273 $56. 87
40.2 1.395 61.58
39.2
40.7
40.3
40.5
40.0
40.2
39.9
39.8
39.0
38.0
38.6
38.7
39.1

1.405
1.427
1.439
1.445
1.452
1. 443
1.446
1.447
1.443
1.432
1.414
1.408
1.413

61.92
63.43
61.97
64.85
64. 27
66.21
66.23
65.79
63.19
63. 58
63.03
65.70
66.19

Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. wkly.
earn­ earn­ hours
ings
ings

39.3 $1. 447 $57.45
39.0 1.579 61.86
38.8
39.3
37.9
39.3
39.0
40.1
39.9
39.8
38.6
38.7
38.2
39.6
39.8

1.596
1.614
1.635
1.650
1. 648
1.651
1.660
1.653
1.637
1.643
1.650
1.659
1.663

Aircraft and parts

Automobiles

Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings

39.0 $1. 473 $54.98
38.4 1.611 61.21

39.9
41.0

$1.378
1.493

60.18
61.88
63. 55
64.40
65.04
64.79
63.18
64. 52
63.41
60.99
62.98
62.98
61.97

40.5
41.2
41.4
41.2
41.4
41.4
40.5
41.2
40.7
39.4
40.5
40.5
39.8

1.486
1.502
1.535
1.563
1.571
1.565
1.560
1.566
1.558
1.548
1.555
1.555
1.557

38.5
38.9
37.2
39.0
38.8
39.7
39.8
39.5
37.7
38.6
37.3
39.5
40.2

63.22
64. 57
62.42
65. 75
65.22
66.82
67.74
66.91
62.96
64. 77
63. 22
67.11
68.54

Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. wkly.
earn­ earn­ hours
ings
ings

1.642
1. 660
1. 678
1.686
1.681
1.683
1.702
1.694
1.670
1.678
1.695
1.699
1.705

Manufacturing—Continued
Transportation equipment—Continued
Aircraft engines and
parts

Aircraft
1947: Average____
1948: Average..........

$53.99
60. 21

1948: July.................
August_____
September__
October..........
November__
December___
1949: January____
February___
M arch...........
April..............
M ay-............. .
June........... ...
July.................

58.42
60. 29
61.95
63.17
64.02
63.84
61.55
63.82
63.07
60. 97
62.26
61.90
60.78

39.7 $1.360 $56.30
41.1 1.465 63.40
40.6
41.1
41.3
41.1
41.3
41.4
40.1
41.2
40.9
39.8
40.4
40.3
39.7

1.439
1.467
1.500
1.537
1.550
1.542
1.535
1.549
1.542
1.532
1.541
1.536
1.531

65.08
65.08
67.81
68.00
66.78
66.49
67.13
65.96
64.00
64.04
64. 08
65.36
63.80

Aircraft propellers
and parts

39.9 $1.411 $59. 68
40.9 1.550 62.13
40.8
41.4
42.3
41.9
41.3
41.3
41.8
41.2
40.3
40.2
40.3
40.9
39.7

1.595
1.572
1.603
1.623
1.617
1.610
1.606
1.601
1.588
1.593
1.590
1.598
1.607

68.18
65.49
63.95
63. 39
65.60
65. 77
66.34
65. 97
65.81
64.36
68.14
67.89
69. 88

Other aircraft parts
and equipment

41.5 $1. 438 $56. 50
39.7 1. 565 63. 59
41.5
40.3
39.5
39.3
40.0
40.3
40.7
40.7
40.8
40.1
41.6
41.5
42.2

1.643
1.625
1.619
1.613
1.640
1.632
1.630
1.621
1.613
1.605
1.638
1.636
1. 656

59. 60
65. 91
65. 73
67.10
67.75
68.02
65.73
66.36
64.04
54.50
63. 53
63. 52
65.49

Ship and boat build­
ing and repairing

40.1 $1. 409 $57.34
41.0 1.551 60.68
38.8
41.4
40.9
41.7
42.0
42.3
40.7
41.4
40.3
35.0
40.7
40.2
40.3

1.536
1.592
1.607
1.609
1. 613
1.608
1.615
1.603
1.589
1.557
1.561
1.580
1.625

59.44
59.08
58. 57
60.61
56.11
63.34
63.30
61.99
62.98
62.50
61.61
62.98
62.09

Shipbuilding and
repairing

39.6 $1. 448 $57. 59
38.7 1. 568 61.22

39.5
38.7

$1. 458
1.582

59. 91
59.45
59.11
61.05
56. 21
63.96
63. 72
62.36
63. 61
62.90
61.98
63.22
62.43

38.7
37.6
36.4
37.2
34.4
39.0
38.9
38.4
39.0
38.1
38.0
38.2
38.3

1.548
1.581
1.624
1.641
1.634
1.640
1.638
1.624
1.631
1.651
1.631
1.655
1.630

38.7
37.7
36.4
37.3
34.7
39.0
39.0
38.5
38.9
38.2
38.1
38.4
38.4

1.536
1.567
1.609
1.625
1.617
1.624
1.623
1.610
1.619
1.636
1.617
1.640
1. 617

M anufacturing—C ontinued
Instruments and related products

Transportation equipment—Continued
Railroad equipment
1947: Average____
1948: Average-------

$57.06
62. 24

1948: J u ly ...............
August.......... .
September— .
October____
November__
December__
1949: January____
February___
M arch............
April_______
M ay________
June.............. .
J u ly ................

59. 40
63.12
59. 97
63.92
64.51
68.89
66. 50
65.53
64.76
62.42
63.39
62.63
61.16

40.5 $1.409 $58. 93
40.0 1.556 63.80
38.1
40.0
38.1
39.9
39.7
41.5
40.8
40.7
39.9
38.6
39.2
38.9
37.8

See fo o tn o te s a t end o f table.


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

Locomotives and
parts

1.559
1.578
1.574
1.602
1.625
1.660
1.630
1.610
1.623
1.617
1.617
1.610
1. 618

63.64
64.27
63.48
63.44
65. 77
71.13
67.22
64.10
66.35
66.20
66. 21
64.52
63.65

Railroad and street
cars

i
39.8 $1.480 $55.86
39.6 1.611 60.82
38.5
39.0
39.6
38.4
39.1
40.6
39.8
39.3
3». 8
39.5
39.6
39.2
39.0

1.653
1.648
1.603
1.652
1.682
1.752
1.689
1.631
1.667
1.676
1.672
1.646
1.632

56.62
62.97
57.68
64.29
63.68
67.32
66.11
66.39
63.40
59. 54
61.38
61.46
59.53

Other transportation
equipment

40.8 $1.369 $53. 53
40.2 1.513 58.14
37.8
40.6
37.0
40.9
40.1
42.1
41.5
41.6
39.9
37.9
38.9
38.8
37.0

1.498
1.551
1.559
1.572
1.588
1.599
1.593
1.596
1. 589
1.571
1.578
1.584
1.609

56.08
61.09
61.61
66.93
67.11
56.08
54.44
54. 57
56.07
55.50
56.83
56.87
54.94

Total: Instruments
and related products

40.8 $1,312 $49.17
40.8 1.425 53.45
40.2
42.1
41.6
43.8
44.3
39.3
38.1
38.0
39.4
39.0
39.6
39.3
39.3

1.395
1.451
1.481
1.528
1.515
1.427
1.429
1.436
1.423
1.423
1.435
1.447
1.398

53.81
54.24
54. 79
54.49
54.90
55.24
55.36
55.28
55.18
54. 51
54.83
54. 57
54.41

Ophthalmic goods

40.3 $1. 220 $43.39
40.1 1.333 45.54

40.9
39.7

$1.061
1.147

45.81
45.78
46.73
46.65
46.72
47.16
47.36
46.85
47.04
46. 61
47.24
46.45
46.61

39.8
39.3
39.5
39.3
39.9
40.1
40.0
39.6
39.9
39.3
39.7
39.0
39.1

1.151
1.165
1.183
1.187
1.171
1.176
1.184
1.183
1.179
1.186
1.190
1.191
1.192

40.1
40.0
40.2
39.8
39.9
40.0
40.0
39.8
39.7
39.3
39.5
39.2
39.0

1.342
1.356
1.363
1.369
1.376
1.381
1.384
1.389
1.390
1.387
1.388
1.392
1.395

467

C: EARNINGS AND HOURS

REVIEW, OCTOBER 1949

T able C -l: Hours and Gross Earnings of Production Workers or Nonsupervisory Employees1—Con.
M anufact uring—Cont inued
Miscellaneous manufacturing industries

Instruments and related products--Continued

Year and month

Photographic
apparatus
Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn­
ings hours

1947: Average____
1948: Average........

$54. 35
58.64

1948: July................
August_____
Septem ber...
October........ .
N ov em b er...
December__
1949: January____
February___
March______
April_______
M ay............ .
June...............
July________

69.91
58.94
59.94
59.71
60.15
60.55
60.28
60. 30
60.30
58 80
58. 78
58.24
58.80

Watches and clocks

Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly.
earn­ earn­ wkly.
ings hours
ings

40.5 $1. 342 $44. 53
40.5 1.448 48.84
40.7
39.8
40.5
40.4
40.1
40.5
40.4
39.8
39.8
39 2
39.4
38.8
39.2

1.472
1.481
1.480
1.478
1.500
1.495
1.492
1.515
1.515
1 500
1.492
1.501
1.500

48.03
49.97
50. 46
49.99
49.93
50.29
49.30
49.33
49. 54
49 34
48.91
48.91
48.15

Total: Miscellaneous
Professional and
manufacturing in­
scientific instruments
dustries

Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly.
earn­ earn­ wkly.
ings
ings hours

39.9 $1.116 $49.80
40.1 1.218 54.78
39.5
40.4
40.3
39.8
39.5
39.6
39.0
38.9
39.1
39.1
38.6
38.6
38.0

1.216
1.237
1.252
1.256
1.264
1.270
1.264
1.268
1.267
1.262
1.267
1.267
1.267

54.68
55. 76
55.96
55. 56
56.28
56.28
57.00
56. 72
56.60
56.03
56.61
56. 59
56. 25

Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. Avg.
earn­ earn­ wkly.
ings
ings hours

Jewelry, silverware,
and plated ware

Avp. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly.
earn­ earn­ wkly.
ings
ings hours

Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings

Jewelry and findings

Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn­ hours
ings

Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings

40.1 $1.242 $46.63
40.1 1.366 50.06

40.8 $1.143 $54. 41
40.9 1.224 57.25

43.7 $1. 245 $48. 40
43.6 1.313 50.47

41.3
41.2

$1.172
1.225

40 0
40.2
40.2
39.6
40.0
39 8
40.2
40 0
39.8
39.4
39.7
39.6
39.2

39.5
40.7
40.7
41.0
41.0
41.0
40.2
40 3
40.2
39.0
39.0
39.4
38.6

41.7
42.9
43.9
44.1
44.2
43.6
42.3
42.0
41.2
40.7
39.6
39.8
38.2

39.5
40.8
41.1
41.8
42.0
41.8
41.0
40.6
41.5
40.1
39.9
40.1
37.9

1.191
1.222
1.241
1.253
1.255
1.276
1.240
1.255
1.251
1.251
1.247
1. 245
1. 290

1.367
1.387
1.392
1.403
1.407
1.414
1.418
1 418
1.422
1.422
1.426
1.429
1.435

48.27
49. 94
50. 55
51.05
51.33
51. 78
50. 77
50 86
50.17
48. 95
48. 83
49. 72
48.33

1.222
1.227
1.242
1.245
1.252
1.263
1.263
1 262
1.248
1.255
1.252
1.262
1.252

53.33
56.03
58.43
59.18
59. 45
58.99
56. 34
56. 28
54. 34
53. 76
51.52
51.10
50.08

1.279
1, 306
1.331
1.342
1.345
1.353
1.332
1.340
1.319
1.321
1.301
1.284
1.311

47.04
49.86
51.01
52. 3S
52.71
53. 34
50. 84
50.95
51.92
50.17
49. 76
49. 92
48. 89

Manufacturing—Continued
Transportation and public utilities
Miscellaneous manufacturing industries—Continued
Silverware and
plated ware
1947: Average.........
1948: Average____

$59. 23
62.38

1948: J u ly ..............
A ugust_____
Septem ber...
October____
N ovem b er...
December__
1949: January____
February___
M arch.......... .
April_______
M ay...............
J u n e............. .
J u ly ...............

58.24
60.83
64.45
64. 63
64. 62
63. 41
60.89
60.70
56.42
56.59
52.99
52.02
50. 94

45.6 $1. 299 $44. 46
45.4 1.374 47.24
43.4
44.5
46.2
45.9
45.8
45.0
43.4
43.2
41.0
41.1
39.4
39.5
38.5

See footnotes at end of table.


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

Toys and sporting
goods

1.342
1.367
1. 395
1.408
1.411
1.409
1.403
1.405
1.376
1.377
1.345
1.317
1.323

45.98
47.08
47. 20
48.20
48.76
48.00
47.91
47. 51
47.62
45.49
45.96
46. 25
44. 75

Costume jewelry,
buttons, notions

40.2 $1.106 $42.03
40.1 1.178 45.36
39.4
39.9
39.7
40.3
40.2
39.6
39.4
39.3
39.1
37.5
38.3
38.8
37.7

1.167
1.180
1.189
1.196
1.213
1.212
1.216
1.209
1.218
1.213
1.200
1.192
1.187

44.45
46.29
46.06
46. 28
45. 50
45.43
45. 51
46. 36
46.06
45. 75
44. 54
46.93
47.00

Other miscellaneous
manufacturing in­
dustries

39.8 $1.056 $46.89
40.0 1.134 50.39
39.2
40.5
40.3
40.0
39.6
39.3
39.3
39.9
40.4
39.2
38.6
39.4
40.0

1.134
1.143
1.143
1.157
1.149
1.156
1.158
1.162
1.140
1.167
1.154
1.191
1.175

48.96
50. 42
51.15
51.37
51.65
52.74
51.62
51.58
51.02
49. 57
50.06
51.07
49.37

Class I railroads 7

Local railways and
bus lines 8

40.7 $1.152 $54.22
40.7 1. 238 59.27

46.3 $1.171 $57.14
46.2 1.283 61. 73

46.8
46.1

$1. 221
1.339

39.2
40.5
40.5
40.8
40.8
41.2
40.2
40.2
40.3
39.0
39.2
39.5
38.6

46.1
46.3
46.0
46.2
45.7
45.6
45.2
45.9
45.5
46.0
44.4
42.3
44.1

62.18
62.31
62.29
63.29
63.25
63.85
63.82
64.18
64.18
64.64
64.48
66.20
65.07

46.5
46.5
45.6
45.7
45.6
45.9
45.1
45.1
45.2
45.2
44.9
46.1
45.0

1.338
1.340
1.366
1.385
1.387
1.391
1.415
1.423
1.420
1.430
1.436
1.436
1.446

1.249
1.245
1.263
1.259
1.266
1.280
1. 284
1.283
1.266
1.271
1.277
1.293
1.279

58.22
59.17
59. 48
59.92
60.42
60.19
60. 21
61.64
60.00
62. 51
60.69
57.27
60.37

1.263
1.278
1.293
1.297
1.322
1.320
1.333
1.343
1.318
1.359
1.367
1.354
1.369

M ONTHLY LABO R

C: EARNINGS AND HOURS

468

T able C-l: Hours and Gross Earnings of Production Workers or Nonsupervisory EmployeesCon.
Trade

Transportation and public utilities—Continued

Retail trade

Other public utilities

Communication

Wholesale trade
Year and month

Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn­ hours
ings

Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. wkly.
earn­ earn­ hours
ings
ings

1947: Average............ $44. 77
1948: Average............ 48.92

37.4 $1.197 $53. 56
39.2 1.248 60. 26

44.6
44.7

1948: July...................
A ugust______
September___
O ctober..........
Novem ber----December........
1949: January.........
February____
M arch..........
A pril............
M a y_____. . . .
J u n e ...............
July_________

39.8
39.4
39.4
39.5
39.4
38.7
38.4
38.6
38.3
38.2
38.6
38.4
38.5

62.97
62. 56
61.87
61.32
61.41
61.17
61.58
61.94
62. 31
63.37
63.69
62.96
63.97

45.6
45.5
44.8
44.4
44.4
44.1
44.3
44.5
44.7
45.3
45.2
45.0
45.4

1.237
1.229
1.249
1.262
1.305
1.288
1.298
1.317
1.327
1.324
1.343
1.344
1.352

Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. w kly. wkly.
earn­ earn­ hours
ings
ings

1.348

$56.69
60.74

1.381
1.375
1.381
1.381
1.383
1.387
1.390
1.392
1.394
1.399
1.409
1.399
1.409

60.99
61.17
61.44
62. 38
62.38
62.41
63.08
62. 60
62. 54
62.82
63. 40
63.64
64.14

$ 1. 201

Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. wkly.
earn­ earn­ hours
ings
ings

41.9 $1.353 $51. 99
41.8 1.453 55. 58

41.0
40.9

1.466 55.77
1.460 55.87
1.477 55.83
1.496 56.28
1.496 56.48
1.493 56.87
1.509 57.24
1.512 56.82
1.507 56.88
1.521 57.12
1.535 57.83
1. 541 57.49
1. 553 58.36

40.8
40.9
40.9
40.9
40.9
41.0
40.8
40.5
40.6
40.6
40.7
40.6
40.9

41.6
41.9
41.6
41.7
41.7
41.8
41.8
41.4
41.5
41.3
41.3
41.3
41.3

D e p a rtm en t stores
and general mail­
order houses

General merchandise
stores

Gas and electric
utilities

Telegraph ;

Telephone 1

Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. w kly. wkly.
earn­ earn­ hours
ings
ings
$1.268 $30.96
1.359 33.31
1.367
1.366
1.365
1.376
1.381
1.387
1.403
1. 403
1.401
1.407
1.421
1.416
1.427

34.44
34.30
33. 50
33.19
32.86
34.46
34.42
34.01
33.68
34. 26
34.85
35. 65
35.78

Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. wkly.
earn­ earn­ hours
ings
ings

Avg.
hrly
earn­
ings

36.3 $0. 853 $34.85
.910 37.36
36.6

37.6
37.7

$0.927
. 991

38.02
37.86
37.80
37.49
37.17
40.06
38. 79
37.96
37.86
38.80
39. 33
39.99
39.77

38.1
37.9
37.5
37.3
37.1
39.2
37.7
37.4
37.3
37.6
37.6
38.3
38.5

.998
. 999
1.008
1.005
1.002
1.022
1.029
1.015
1.015
1.032
1.046
1.044
1.033

37.6
37.4
36.3
36.0
35.8
37.5
36.5
36.3
36.1
36.6
36.3
37.1
37.5

.916
.917
.923
.922
.918
.919
.943
.937
.933
.936
.960
.961
.954

Trade—C ontinued
Other retail trade

Retail trade—Continued
Food and liquor stores

Year and month

Automotive and acces­
sories dealers

Apparel and accessories Furniture and appliance
stores
stores

Lumber and hardware
supply stores
Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings

Avg.
wkly.
earn­
ings

Avg.
wkly.
hours

Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings

Avg.
wkly.
earn­
ings

Avg.
wkly.
hours

Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings

Avg.
wkly.
earn­
ings

Avg.
w kly.
hours

Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings

Avg.
w kly.
earn­
ings

Avg.
wkly.
hours

Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings

Avg.
w kly.
earn­
ings

Avg.
wkly.
hours

1947: Average...............
1948: Average...............

$43.51
47.15

40.7
40.3

$1,069
1.170

$51.80
5b. 07

45.4
45.4

$1,141
1.235

$38.08
39.60

36.9
36.5

$1.032
1.085

$48.99
51.15

42.9
42.7

$1.142
1.198

$45.20
49.37

43.5
43.5

$1,039
1.135

1948: J u ly .....................
August................
September_____
October..............
November_____
December...........
1949: January----------February______
March________
April............... ...
M ay....................
June.............. ......
July....................

48.57
48.57
48.04
47.52
47.84
48.48
49.07
49.12
48.87
49.08
48.99
50.10
51.17

41.3
41.3
40.3
40.0
39.8
40.2
39.8
40.0
39.7
40.0
39.7
40.4
41.2

1.176
1.176
1.192
1.188
1.202
1.206
1.233
1.228
1.231
1.227
1.234
1.240
1.242

56.36
58.12
57.30
57.11
57.22
57.07
57.25
57.15
58.18
59.50
60.00
59.70
60.19

45.2
45.8
45.3
45.4
45.2
45.4
4.5.4
45.5
45.7
45.7
45.8
45.5
45.6

1.247
1.269
1.265
1.258
1.266
1.257
1.261
1.256
1.273
1.302
1.310
1.312
1.320

40.26
40.22
39.82
39.81
39.71
40.66
41.11
39.79
39.64
40.88
40.92
40.85
40. 85

36.9
37.0
36.4
35.8
35.9
37.0
36.8
36.4
36.3
36.7
36.8
36.7
36.8

1.091
1.087
1.094
1.112
1.106
1.099
1.117
1.093
1.092
1.114
1.112
1.113
1.110

51.11
51.36
52.05
51.60
52.39
53.93
52.74
52.36
52.02
52.82
53.29
53.16
53.12

42.7
42.8
42.7
42.5
42.7
43.6
42.6
43.2
43.1
43.4
43.5
43.5
43.4

1.197
1.200
1.219
1.214
1.227
1.237
1.238
1.212
1.207
1.217
1.225
1.222
1.224

49.82
51.26
50.52
50. 68
50.14
50. 53
50.25
50.87
51.20
51.35
52.48
51.92
52.10

43.7
44.3
43.4
43.5
43.0
43.6
43.1
43.0
43.5
43.3
44.1
43.7
43.6

1.140
1.157
1.164
1.165
1.166
1.159
1.166
1.183
1.177
1.186
1.190
1.188
1.195

_
_
_
_
.
_
.
.
.

See footnotes at end of table.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

REVIEW, OCTOBER 1949

C: EARNINGS AND HOURS

469

T able C 1. Hours and Gross Earnings of Production Workers or Nonsupervisory Employees1—Con.
Finance11

Service

Banks
and
trust
com­
panies

Secu­
rity
dealers
and ex­
changes

Insur­
ance
carrier

Avg.
wkly.
earn­
ings

Avg.
wkly.
earn­
ings

Avg.
wkly.
earn­
ings

Avg.
Wkly.
earn­
ings

Avg.
wkly.
hours

1947: A verage1948: A verage...

$39.46
41.51

$63.08
66.83

$52. 58
54. 93

$29.36
31.41

1948: July.......... .
August___
September
October. .
November.
December.
1949: Janu ary...
February..
March___
April_____
M ay_____
June_____
July---------

41.43
42.36
41.62
41.90
42.19
42. 04
43. 92
43. 55
43.24
43.49
44.05
43.10
43. 78

69.30
66. 94
64. 67
67.52
65.62
68.26
68. 41
67. 80
66. 46
67.48
67.82

54.86
55. 04
54.48
54.29
54.82
55. 46
57.84
56.88
56. 67
56.48
57. 26
56.71
58.10

31.38
31.85
31.78
32.06
32.35
32.35
32.41
32. 47
32. 53
32. 35
32. 99
32. 85
32.85

Y ear and month

66.12

65. 67

Hotels, year-round «

Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings

Avg.
wkly.
earn­
ings

45.2
44.3

$0.650
.709

$32. 71
34.23

44.2
44.8
43.9
44.1
44.2
44.2
44.1
44.0
44.5
44.2
44.7
44.1
44.1

.710
.711
.724
.727
.732
.732
.735
.738
.731
.732
.738
.745
.745

34.60
33.58
34.44
34.20
34. 74
34. 99
35.49
34.90
35.07
35.24
36. 04
35.48
35.32

'T hese figures are based on reports from cooperating establishments
covering both full- and part-time employees who worked during, or received
pay for, the pay period ending nearest the 15th of the month. For mining,
manufacturing, laundries, and cleaning and dyeing plants industries, the
data relate to production and related workers only. For the remaining
industries, unless otherwise noted, the data relate to nonsupervisory em­
ployees and working supervisors. All series, beginning with January 1947
are available upon request to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Such requests
should specify the series desired. These series supersede data shown in
monthly mimeographed releases dated prior to September 1949 and issues
of the M onthly Labor Review dated prior to October 1949. Data for the
two current months are subject to revision without notation; revised figures
for earlier months will be identified by an asterisk for the first month’s miti­
fica t ion of such data.
. 2 Data relate to all construction workers, both on-site and off-site, engaged
m actual construction work including pre-assembly and precutting operations. Both privately and publicly financed construction are included
Data are based on comparable but not necessarily identical samples.
3 Includes ordnance and accessories; lumber and wood products (except
furniture); furniture and fixtures; stone, clay, and glass products; primary
metal industries; fabricated metal products (except ordnance, machinery
and transportation equipment); machinery (except electrical); electricai
machinery; transportation equipment; instruments and related productsand miscellaneous manufacturing industries.
4 Includes food and kindred products; tobacco manufactures; textile-mill
products; apparel and other finished textile products; paper and allied prod-

Cleaning and dyeing
plants

Laundries

Motion
picture
produc­
tion and
distribu­
tion n

Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings

Avg.
wkly.
earn­
ings

42.6
41.9

$0. 767
.817

$38. 30
39. 50

41.9
41.1

$0. 914
.961

$99.13
92. 27

42.2
41.1
41.8
41.5
41.7
42.0
42.1
41.5
41.5
41.8
42.4
41.6
41.5

.820
.817
.824
.824
.833
.833
.843
.841
.845
.843
.850
.853
.851

39. 67
38. 62
40.40
40. 51
39. 76
40.62
40.37
39.32
39.93
42.15
43.17
42.17
40.85

41 5
39.9
41.1
41.0
40.7
41.2
40.9
40.0
40.5
42.4
42.7
42.3
41.3

.956
.968
.983
.988
.977
.986
.987
.983
.986
.994
1.011
.997

92.31
89.38
89.17
93.45
89. 79
92. 96

Avg.
wkly.
hours

Avg.
wkly.
hours

Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings

Avg.
wkly.
earn­
ings

88.22

89. 75
91.59
90.24
90. 96
94.73
95. 85

ucts; printing, publishing, and allied industries; chemicals and allied prod­
ucts; products of petroleum and coal; rubber products; and leather and
leather products.
I Data by region, North and South, from January 1949, are available uponrequest.
Data by region, South and West, from January 1949, are available upon request
th ese averages are based on reports summarized in the M-300 report
prepared by the Interstate Commerce Commission, and relate to all hourly
rated employees who received pay during the month. M ost executive,
professional, and supervisory personnel are excluded. Switching and ter­
minal companies are excluded. The annual average data include retro­
active pay when such payments are made. M onthly data do not include
retroactive payments.
lines'1^
Privately and municipally operated local railways and bus, 9 Through M ay 1949 the averages relate mainly to the hours and earnings
of employees subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act. Beginning with
June 1949 the averages relate to the hours and earnings of nonsupervisory
employees. Data for June comparable with the earlier series are $51 47
38.5 hours, and $1.337.
*
10 Data relate mainly to land-line employees, excluding employees com­
pensated on a commission basis, general and divisional headquarters per­
sonnel, trainees m school, and messengers.
1
available8 °n average weekly hours and average hourly earnings are not
12 M oney payments only; additional value of board, room, uniforms and
tips, not included.
’

N o t e : Explanatory notes outlining briefly the concepts, methodology, size of the reporting sample, and
sources used in preparing the data presented in tables C -l through C-5, are contained in the Bureau’s
monthly mimeographed release, “Hours and Earnings— Industry Report,” which is available upon request.

T able C-2: Gross Average Weekly Earnings of Production Workers in Selected Industries in Current

and 1939 Dollars 1
Manufacturing Bituminous-coal Gas and electric
mining
utilities 2
Year and month

Manufacturing Bituminous-coal Gas and electric
mining
u tilities2
Year and month

Current 1939 Current 1939 Current
dollars dollars dollars dollars dollars

1939
dollars

1947: A verage...
1948: A verage...

$49.97
54.14

$31.20
31.43

$66. 59
72.12

$41. 58
41.87

$56.69
60.74

$35.40
35.27

1948: J u ly ..........
August___
September
O ctober...
N ovember
December.

53. 97
55.06
55.16
55.60
55.60
56.14

30.88
31.36
31.42
31.84
32.09
32.56

64.70
76. 48
74.11
76.24
72.73
76.28

37.02
43.57
42.22
43.65
41.98
44.24

60.99
61.17
61.44
62.38
62.38
62.41

34.90
34.84
35.00
35. 72
36.01
36.19

j
» u r a in m a te uuiMigeo ui me lever oi weemy earnings prior to and
after adjustment for changes in purchasing power as determined from the
Bureau s Consumers’ Price Index, the year 1939 having been selected for the
base period. Estimates of World War II and postwar understatement by the
consumers price index were not included. See the M onthly Labor Review.
March 1947, p. 498. See N ote, table C -l. These series supersede data


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

Current 1939 Current 1939 Current 1939
dollars dollars dollars dollars dollars dollars
1949: January..
February
M a rc h ...
April___
M ay____
June 3___
J u ly 3___

$55.50
55.20
54.74
53.80
54. 08
54. 55
54.67

$32.28
32.47
32.10
31.51
31.77
31.97
32. 25

$76.32
73.56
70.54
72.33
72.98
59.90
47. 94

$44.39
43. 27
41.37
42.37
42.87
35.11
28.28

$63.08
62.60
62.54
62.82
63.40
63.64
64.14

$36.69
36.82
36.68
36.80
37.25
37.30
37.84

shown in monthly mimeographed releases dated prior to September 1949
and issues of the M onthly Labor Review dated prior to October 1949
Comparable data from January 1947 are available upon request to the Bureau
of Labor Statistics.
2 Data relate to all nonsupervisory employees and working supervisors.
3 Preliminary.

MONTHLY LABOR

C: EARNINGS AND HOURS

470

T able C-3: Gross and Net Spendable Average Weekly Earnings of Production Workers in Manufactur­

ing Industries, in Current and 1939 Dollars 1
N et spendable average weekly
earnings

N et spendable average weekly
earnings
Gross average
weekly earnings
Period
Index
Amount (1939=
100)

Worker with
3 dependents

Worker with
no dependents

Gross average
weekly earnings
Period
Index
Amount (1939=
100)

Cur­
Cur­
1939
1939
rent
rent
dollars
dollars dollars dollars

1Q41 * Tivniifiry
1Q4ft* Tfipn^ry
.Tnly
1946: June______________

$26.64
47.50
45.45
43.31

111.7
199.1
190.5
181.5

$25.41
39.40
37.80
37.30

$25.06
30.81
29.04
27.81

$26.37
45.17
43.57
42.78

$26.00
35.33
33.47
31.90

1Q
QQ
A uorciffP
J.(70
i)*. AVU
d&C— —--- -----1940: Average---------- —
X*7x1.. JA. V Clago - - —---------------------1QA9* A trorq
(tp—-----_____ —
volage
lirio. Avolagtî- —------------19441 Average— ------------lcTO. AVolagC- ——________
1946: Average----------------1947: Average------- ------ 1948: Average___________

23.86
25.20
29.58
36.65
43.14
46.08
44.39
43.74
49.97
54.14

100 0
105.6
124.0
153.6
180.8
193.1
186.0
183.3
209.4
226.9

23. 58
24.69
28.05
31.77
36.01
38.29
36.97
37. 65
42.76
47.43

23.58
24.49
26.51
27.11
28.97
30.32
28.61
26.87
26.70
27. 54

23.62
24.95
29.28
36.28
41.39
44.06
42.74
43.13
48.24
53.17

23.62
24.75
27.67
30.96
33.30
34.89
33.08
30.78
30.12
30.87

1 Net spendable average weekly earnings are obtained by deducting from
gross average weekly earnings, social security and income taxes for which
the specified type of worker is liable. The amount of income tax liability
depends, of course, on the number of dependents supported by the worker
as well as on the level of his gross income. N et spendable earnings have,
therefore, been computed for 2 types of income-receivers: (1) A worker with
no dependents: (2) A worker with 3 dependents.
The computation of net spendable earnings for both the factory worker with
no dependents and the factory worker with 3 dependents are based upon the
gross average weekly earnings for all production workers in manufacturing

Worker with
3 dependents

Worker with
no dependents

Cur­
Cur­
1939
1939
rent
rent
dollars
dollars dollars dollars

1948: July_____________ $53.97
55.06
A u g u s t--------------55.16
September_______
55.60
October__________
November________ 55.60
56.14
December________

226.2
230.8
231.2
233.0
233.0
235.3

$47.29
48.20
48.29
48. 66
48.66
49.10

$27.06
27.46
27.51
27.86
28.09
28.47

$53.03
53.94
54.03
54.40
54.40
54.85

$30.35
30.73
30.78
31.15
31.40
31.81

55.50
55.20
54.74
53.80
54.08
54. 55
54.67

232.6
231.3
229.4
225.5
226.7
228.6
229.1

48.57
48.32
47.93
47.14
47.38
47.77
47.88

28.25
28.42
28.11
27.61
27.83
28.00
28.24

54.31
54.06
53.67
52.88
53.12
53.51
53.62

31.59
31.80
31.47
30.97
31.21
31.36
31.63

1949: January__________
February_________
M arch----------------April------------------M ay -------------------June 2
.
J u ly »____________

industries without direct regard to marital status and family composition.
The primary value of the spendable series is that of measuring relative
changes in disposable earnings for 2 types of income-receivers. That series
does not, therefore, reflect actual differences in levels of earnings for workers
of varying age, occupation, skill, family composition, etc. See Note, table
0-1 . These series supersede data shown in monthly mimeographed releases
dated prior to September 1949 and issues of the M onthly Labor Review dated
prior to October 1949. Comparable data from January 1947 are available
upon request to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
2 Preliminary.

T able C-4: Average Hourly Earnings, Gross and Exclusive of Overtime, of Production Workers in

Manufacturing Industries 1

Durable
goods

Manufacturing
Exclu ding
overt ime

Period
Gross
amount

Period

Gross

189.3 $1. 292 $1.250 $1.171
207.0 1.410 1.366 1.278

$1.133
1.241

1.284
1.293
1.304
1.302
1.317
1.319

1.246
1.257
1.267
1.266
1.281
1.283

1949: January____
February___
March_____
April_____
M ay_______
June 1______
July 1______

Index
A m ount (1939=
100)

$1.237
1.350

$1.198
1.310

1948: July_______
A ugust_____
Septem ber...
October____
November. _
D ecem ber...

1.356
1.373
1.386
1.390
1.397
1.400

1.319
1.332
1.348
1.347
1.357
1.358

208.4
210.4
213.0
212.8
214.4
214.5

1.417
1.441
1.457
1.462
1.463
1.466

Ex­
clud­
ing
over­
time

1.380
1.395
1.418
1.414
1.419
1.418

» Overtime is defined as work in excess of 40 hours per week and paid for at
time and one-half. The computation of average hourly earnings exclusive of
overtime makes no allowance for special rates of pay for work done on holi­
days. See Note, table C -l. These series supersede data shown in monthly


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

Durable
goods

Manufacturing

Ex­
clud­
ing
over­
time

Gross

1947: Average____
1948: Average____

Nondurable
goods

Exclu ding
overt ime
Gross
am ount

$1.405
1.401
1.400
1.401
1.401
1.406
1.409

Gross
Index
A m ount (1939=
100)
$1. 367
1.366
1.368
1.373
1.371
1.374
1.377

Ex­
clud­
ing
over­
time

Nondurable
goods

Gross

216.0 $1.467 $1.427 $1.327
215.8 1.466 1.428 1.323
216.1 1.464 1.430 1.323
216.9 1.467 1.437 1.321
216.6 1.467 1.437 1.323
217.1 1.476 1.444 1.325
217.5 1.478 1.448 1.332

Ex­
clud­
ing
over­
time

$1.294
1.291
1.294
1.294
1.294
1.294
1.298

mimeographed releases dated prior to September 1949 and issues of the
M onthly Labor Review dated prior to October 1949. Comparable data from
January 1947 are available upon request to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
1 Preliminary.

REVIEW, OCTOBER 1949

G: EARNINGS AND HOURS

471

T able C-5: Hours and Gross Earnings of Production Workers in Manufacturing Industries for Selected

States and Areas 1

Year and month

Alabama

Arizona

Arkansas

State

State

State

California

State

Los Angeles

San Francisco

Avg. Avg. Avg. Avg.
Avg. Avg. A
I Avg. Avg. Avg. Avg Avg. Avg. Avg. Avg. Avg. Avg.
weekly wkly
hourly weekly Avg. hourly weekly
Y weekly wkly hourly weekly wkly hourly weekly wkly hourly
earn­ hours earn­ earn­ wkly earn­ earn­ wkly “
earn­ hours earn­ earn­
earn- earn­
earn­
hours
ings
ings
ings
ings
ings hours « g ings
ings
ings hours ings
ings hours ings
1948: July______

August___
September.
October__
November.
December..

1949: January_____ $44.10
February........ 43.37
M arch_______ 43.78
A p ril................ 42.54
M a y ________ 41.73
June................. 42.74
July___ _____ 43.08

39.8 $1.108
39.0 1.112
39.3 1.114
38.5 1.105
37.9 1.101
38.4 1.113
38.5 1.119

$55. 51
55.97
57.63
57. 49
57.12
56.88

41.0 $1.354 $38.44
41.4 1.352 38.84
41. 7 1.382 39.64
41.9 1.372 40.46
41.3 1.383 38. 76
41.1 1.384 38.31

43.1
43.4
43.2
44.4
42.0
41.6

1.891 $59.81
.895 60.51
.917 60.36
.912 61.72
.923 60. 54
.922 61.35

38.8 $1. 542 $59.27
38.9 1.555 60. 94
38.7 1.558 59.83
39.6 1.560 60. 56
38.4 1.579 60. 87
38.7 1.586 61.17

39.0 $1.521 561.95
39.6 1.538 61.17
38.6 1.552 61.01
39.1 1.550 64.37
39.1 1. 558 61.99
39.0 1.566 63. 99

38.6
38.2
38.3
39.9
37.6
38.8

$1. 604
1.600
1.594
1.614
1.648
1.651

55.32
56.12
56.73
58.16
55. 51
57.83
57.49

39.8
40.4
40.9
41.6
41.0
40.6
40.6

40.3
39.9
39.9
40.4
40.3
41.0
40.8

.912
.910
.910
.917
.917
.914
.937

38.5
38.7
38.4
38.4
38.7
38.6
38.7

38.7
38.9
38.6
38.3
38.7
38.5
38.8

38.8
38.6
38.2
38.3
38.4
38.1
38.2

1.660
1.658
1.650
1.652
1.659
1.656
1.646

1.390
1.389
1.387
1.398
1.354
1.423
1.416

Connecticut

$54.86
56.02
56.33
56. 64
56.78
57.04

40.8
41.2
41.0
41.1
41.2
41.1

1949: January___
February...
M arch____
April_____
M a y ______
June............
Ju ly .............

55.96
54. 67
53.02
50.02
51.74
51.72
52.21

40.4
39.7
38.6
36.4
37.9
37.8
38.2

State
$1.34 $47. 75
1.36 46. 62
1.37 46.62
1.38 48.24
1.38 49.05
1.39 51.08
1.38
1.38
1.37
1.38
1.36
1.37
1.37

61.45
61.61
61.09
61.02
61.80
61.91
61.84

Delaware

State
1948: July______
August........
September.
October___
N ovember.
D ecember..

36. 77
36.31
37.15
37.00
36.96
37. 50
38.22

51.38
50. 95
49.68
47.96
47.43
48.55
48. 50

Wilmington

1.269
1.285
1.264
1.257
1.258
1.261
1.264

61.03
61.07
60.64
60.02
60.72
60.91
61.69

Florida

39.6 $1.207 $57.14
40.1 1.161 58.15
41.6 1.122 57.03
40.2 1.200 58.78
39.3 1.248 58.35
40.2 1.269 61.07
40.5
39.6
39.3
38.2
37.7
38.5
38.4

1.596
1.592
1.591
1.589
1.597
1.604
1. 598

61.49
60.76
58.64
56.42
56.80
57.96
59.39

State

State

42.6 50.973 $57.92
41.1
.981 59. 26
.984 60.01
41.8
.992 60.43
41.5
.965 60.05
42.6
44.1
.956 60.60

40.5
40.9
41.0
41.0
40.6
41.0

42.2
41.3
40.5
39.2
38.9
39.6
39.9

44.2
43.5
43.3
42.3
43.1
41.8
40.3

40.4
40.1
39.7
39.0
39.2
39.4
39.4

Indiana

Massachusetts

Michigan

State

State

State

42.48
41.72
41.44
40. 61
41.55
41.38
41.03

64.41
64.00
63.03
63. 27
63.71
63.09
62.88

Illinois

40.6 $1.419 $41.44
40.7 1.424 40.32
40.5 1.422 41.13
41.1 1.429 41.17
40.4 1.442 41.11
41.6 1.468 42.16
1.458
1.472
1.448
1.444
1.464
1.461
1.488

1.577
1.570
1.571
1.567
1.569
1.582
1.590

.961
.960
.957
.960
.964
.990
1.018

59.81
59.44
58. 65
57.83
58.10
58. 58
58.65

Chicago city
$1.43 $59. 70
1.45 61.51
1.46 62.03
1.47 62.06
1.48 61.78
1.48 62.30
1.48
1.48
1.48
1.48
1.48
1.48
1.49

61.20
60. 58
59. 91
59.00
59.29
59.70
59.94

40.7
41.1
41.3
41.2
40.9
41.2

$1.47
1.50
1.50
1.51
1.51
1.51

40.5
40.1
39.7
39.0
39.2
39.3
39.4

1.51
1.51
1.51
1.51
1.51
1.52
1.52

Minnesota

State

Duluth

Minneapolis

1948: J u ly ............... $57.51
A ugust_____
58.37
Septem ber... 57. 75
October.......... 59.93
November__
59. 95
December___ 60. 58

40.2 $1.431 $51.44
40.6 1.436 52.29
40.5 1.427 52.42
40.9 1.466 50.74
40.8 1.470 50. 87
40.9 1.480 52.13

$62. 57
63.44
63.32
64.68
64.40
64. 81

39.9 $1.568 $53. 78
40.1 1.584 53.07
39.4 1.610 53.70
40.4 1.608 54.87
39.7 1.636 55. 79
40.3 1.611 56.14

41.4 $1.299 $57.43
40.7 1.303 58. 98
41.0 1.311 54.78
41.0 1.338 57.14
41.5 1.344 56.04
41.5 1.353 57.11

41.5 $1.384 $53. 99
42.1 1.401 54.81
39.1 1.401 53.38
40.7 1.404 54.18
40.0 1.401 54.54
40.3 1.417 54.81

40.5
41.0
39.6
40.1
40.4
40.6

$1.333
1.337
1.348
1.351
1.350
1.350

1949: January_____
February____
M arch............ .
A pril..............
M ay .................
June________
July_________

40.2
4Q.1
39.7
38.6
39.5
39.8
39.5

65.03
64.64
61.60
62.39
60.86
63.99
64.54

39.9
40.0
38.6
38.8
38.1
39.6
39.3

40.8
40.3
40.2
39.4
39.5
39.8
40.4

39.3
39.8
39.6
39.1
39.1
38.4
38.0

39.0
40.0
39.7
39.1
39.3
39.7
39.6

1.363
1.370
1.373
1.372
1.377
1.391
1.400

59.30
58.96
58.38
57.32
58.90
59.45
59.43

See footnotes at end of table,


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

1.476
1.471
1.469
1.485
1.490
1.493
1.505

51.48
51.69
51.41
50.65
50.38
50.86
51.52

1.633
1.617
1.600
1.605
1.603
1.615
1.626

55.49
54.96
55.02
53. 77
53.75
54.37
54. 70

1.361
1. 365
1.368
1.365
1.359
1.366
1.350

55.37
56.72
56.43
55.87
55. 79
55.72
55.48

1.409
1.425
1.430
1.430
1.430
1.451
1.460

53.16
54.80
54.51
53.65
54.12
55.22
55.24

MONTHLY LABOR

C: EARNINGS AND HOURS

472
T able

C-5: Hours and Gross Earnings of Production Workers in Manufacturing Industries for Selected
States and Areas 1
Minnesota—Con.

Missouri

N ew Jersey

St. Paul

State

State

Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. wkly.
earn­ earn­ hours
ings
ings

Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. wkly.
earn­ earn­ hours
ings
ings

N ew York
Albany-SchenectadyTroy

State

Binghamton-F ndicott-Johnson 3ity

Year and month
Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn­ hours
ings
1948: July_________
August_______
September........
October______
November____
December____

$54.89
56.03
55.35
55.50
55.73
55.23

1949: January______
February_____
M arch.......... ..
April...... ..........
M ay____ ____
June_________
July--------------

55.74
55.38
56.52
55. 97
54.50
55.69
56.85

39.7 $1. 240 $57.73
40.1 1. 258 58. 57
39.5 1.278 59. 25
39.7 1.276 59.01
38.7 1.289 59.03
39.6 1.292 59. 97

41.0 $1.339 $49,21
41.2 1.360 50.40
40.7 1.360 50.42
40.6 1.367 50.68
40.8 1.366 49.85
40.4 1.367 51.19
40.1
40.1
40.0
39.5
38.6
39.3
39.7

1.390
1.394
1.413
1.417
1.412
1.417
1.413

38.8
39.2
39.0
38.6
38.7
39.3
39.5

50.51
50.81
50.52
50.18
51.50
52.21
52.64

1.301
1.296
1.297
1.302
1.330
1.330
1.334

59.07
58.89
58.68
56.84
57. 28
58.70
58.63

Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly.
earn­ earn­
ings
ings

Avg.
wkly.
hours

40.7 $1.419 $57.57
40.8 1.435 58.36
40.9 1.448 59.39
40.6 1.452 57.47
40.5 1.457 59.42
40.9 1.465 59.73

39.4
39.4
39.6
38.4
39.5
39.6

1.467 59.22
1.463 59.13
1.467 58.69
1.464 56.42
1.460 56. 71
1.467 255.69
1.478 56. 54

38.9
38.9
38.6
37.5
38.0
2 38.0
38.1

40.4
40.2
40.0
38.8
39.2
39.7
39.6

Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. wkly.
earn­ earn­ hours
ings
ings
$1.46 $56. 56
1.48 58.54
1.50 59.91
1.50 58.04
1.51 61.10
1.51 61.96

39.3
40.1
40.5
39.8
41.3
41.2

1.52
1.52
1.52
1.50
1.49
2 1.47
1.48

40.3
39.8
39.1
38.6
38.8
38.5
38.9

59.81
57. 81
57.93
57.45
57.66
56. 71
57.15

Avg. Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. wkly.
earn­ earn­ hours
ings
ings

Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings

$1.44 $53.69
1.46 52.58
1.48 52.83
1.46 54.41
1.48 54.91
1.50 56. 74

39.1
38.1
39.1
39.3
39.2
40.1

$1.37
1.38
1.38
1.39
1.40
1.41

55.19
54.72
53.46
52.52
52.86
52. 77
53.19

38.9
38.7
37.8
36.9
37.4
37.4
36.9

1.42
1.42
1.41
1.42
1.41
1.41
1.44

1.49
1.45
1.48
1.49
1.49
1.47
1.47

N ew York—Continued

1948: July-------------A u g u st............
September-----October______
November____
December____

$59.34
60.70
61.61
61.71
61.71
62.13

40.5
40.7
40.5
40.5
40.6
40.7

1949: January--------February------March_______
April. . . ------M ay___ _____
June-------------July...................

60.90
60.81
60.60
59. 77
60.88
61.35
60.76

39.9
39.9
39.7
39.1
39.5
39.8
39.5

39.0
40.0
40.0
37.9
39.5
40.3

$1.38 $61.61
1.40 62.39
1.43 63.22
1.42 58.86
1.43 62.59
1.43 62.63

37.9
37.9
37.9
35.6
37.7
37.9

$1.64 $57.39
1.66 57.61
1.68 58.37
1.66 57. 88
1.67 58.56
1.66 58.25

40.1
39.9
40.2
39.7
40.0
39.6

56.55
55.55
56.12
56.82
57. 27
58.46
58.75

39.7
39.2
39.4
39.7
40.2
41.0
41.2

1.42 62.79
1.42 63.40
1.42 63.08
1.43 58.96
1.43 59. 76
1.43 256.96
1.43 58.28

37.5
37.6
37.5
35.9
36.9
37.1
37.2

1.69
1.70
1.69
1.64
1.62
2 1.54
1.57

58.04
57.88
57.47
56.87
56.58
56.36
57.10

39.7
39.4
39.0
38.6
38.5
38.3
39.1

1.53
1.52
1.53
1.53
1.54
1.54
1.54

Noi th Carolina

Oklahoma

State 5

State

37.8 $1.037 $51.77
38.1 1.059 54. 33
37.7 1.082 54.39
38.4 1.084 53. 33
38.0 1.090 53.42
38.1 1.093 54.54

1949: January. ----- 40.50
February------ 40.36
M arch............. 39.88
38.05
April_______
37. 77
M ay________
June________ 239.09
38.21
July________

37.0 1.096
37.0 1.091
36.5 1.092
35.1 1.086
34.7 1.088
235.9 21.089
36.6 1.045

See footnotes at end of table,

53.80
54.08
52.70
52.33
51.52
52.16
53.53

$1.43 $54.62
1.45 55.78
1.45 57.24
1.46 56. 78
1.46 56.42
1.47 55.87
1.46
1.47
1.47
1.47
1.47
1.47
1.46

56.28
55. 78
55.87
53. 86
53.81
53.92
52.64

40.6
40.9
41.5
41.0
40.7
39.9
40.6
40.3
40.3
39.2
39.0
39.3
38.3

$1.35 $55.18
1.36 54.50
1.38 54. 51
1.39 56.12
1.38 55.46
1.40 54. 41

40.5
40.0
39.5
40.4
40.0
39.4

$1.36
1.36
1.38
1.39
1.39
1.38

53.98
53.90
52.19
51.94
50.12
51.46
51.73

38.9
39.1
37.8
37.7
36.7
37.5
37.7

1.39
1.38
1.38
1.38
1.36
1.37
1.37

1.39
1.38
1.39
1.38
1.38
1.37
1.37

Pennsylvania

1.302
1.300
1.288
1.296
1.279
1.267
1.288

52.92
52.80
52.58
50.98
51.48
50.94
50. 21

39.2 $1.282 $51. 78
39.5 1.320 52.88
39.5 1.335 54.06
39.9 1.339 54.65
39.7 1.342 53.77
39.7 1.344 53.44
39.2
39.2
39.0
37.9
38.4
38.0
37.5

1.350
1.346
1.349
1.344
1.342
1.340
1.338

54.34
53.17
52.84
52.12
53.00
50. 58
49.35

38.4 $1.372 $56.28
38.5 1.392 56.57
38.8 1.407 60.05
39.5 1.386 61.54
38.8 1.392 62.26
38.7 1.385 59.74
38.9
38.6
38.2
37.1
37.8
36.6
35.6

1.406
1.383
1.385
1.406
1.405
1.386
1.392

Harrisburg

Erie

Allentown-Bethlehem

State

42.0 $1. 230 $50. 25
43.3 1.256 52.20
42.8 1.270 52.73
42.3 1.257 53.39
41.9 1.275 53.24
42.3 1.289 53.39
41.3
41.6
40.9
40.4
40.3
41.2
41.6

Utica-B ome-H{irkimerL ittle Fa lls

Syracuse

Rochester

$1.47 $53.84
1.49 55. 75
1.52 57.24
1.53 53.93
1.52 56.40
1.53 57.65

1948: July ............. $39.20
August______ 40.36
40. 75
September—
41.58
October_____
November___ 41.40
December----- 41.58


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

N ew York City

Elmira

Buifao

61.03
59.40
57.66
57.22
54.70
54. 76
57.35

41.7 $1.373 $48.84
40.0 1.410 49.41
43.5 1.403 51.49
43.2 1.426 51.51
43.1 1.445 50.29
41.6 1.438 51.55

38.8
38.8
39.5
39.8
38.3
40.5

$1.267
1.290
1.324
1.302
1.320
1.306

53.35
51.01
51.04
50.19
50.55
49. 57
46.16

40.8
39.4
39.6
38.5
38.9
38.3
35.9

1.315
1.303
1.299
1.313
1.308
1.303
1.293

42.3
41.1
39.7
39.3
37.9
38.2
40.2

1.445
1.446
1.453
1.458
1.445
1.432
1.427

REVIEW, OCTOBER 1949
T able

C: EARNINGS AND HOURS

473

C-5: Hours and Gross Earnings of Production Workers in Manufacturing Industries for Selected
States and Areas 1
Pennsylvania—Continued

Year and month

Johnstown
Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn­
ings hours

Lancaster

Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. Avg.
earn­ earn­ wkly.
ings
ings hours

Philadelphia
Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. Avg.
earn­ earn­ wkly.
ings
ings hours

Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings

Pittsburgh
Avg. Avg.
wkly. wkly.
earn­
ings hours

Reading-Lebanon

Avg. Avg.
hrly. wkly. Avg.
earn­ earn­ wkly.
ings
ings hours

Scranton

Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings

Avg.
wkly. Avg.
earn­ wkly.
ings hours

Avg.
hrly.
earn­
ings

1948: July................. $53.62
A ugust—........ 55.45
September__
57.64
October_____ 59. 63
November__
59.28
December___ 57.21

37.1 $1.474 $47.53
36.7 1.498 48.19
37.6 1.540 49.08
39.0 1.534 50.84
38.4 1.547 51.42
37.2 1.541 52.78

40.6 $1.189 $55.60
40.3 1.197 56.88
40.7 1.211 57.37
41.8 1.217 57.42
41.3 1.245 57. 78
42.1 1.256 57.96

39.9 $1.374 $58.07
40.0 1.404 62.34
40.1 1.415 62.32
39.9 1.422 63.46
40.2 1.438 62. 51
40.2 1.443 62.73

39.1 $1.490 $51. 71
40.0 1.566 53. 74
39.2 1.586 54.26
40.3 1.575 55.39
39.6 1.578 56.23
39.7 1.580 54.80

39.5 $1.324 $43.82
39.7 1.362 44.09
39.4 1.393 44.22
40.1 1.388 44.49
40.4 1.396 43.78
39.6 1.390 42.43

39.6
38.8
38.9
39.1
38.2
37.6

$1.107
1.143
1.149
1.139
1.147
1.129

1949: January_____
February.......
M arch............
April...............
M a y................
J u n e ...............
July_________

38.9
38.2
38.0
38.2
37.5
35.8
34. 5

41.0
40.7
40.2
38.7
39.7
39.7
40.1

39.4
39.1
39.3
38.0
38.6
38.9
38.6

39.5
39.6
39.2
38.6
38.6
37.8
36.8

38.8
39.4
39.5
37.3
38.2
37.9
37.7

36.4
38.1
37.7
36.4
37.6
37.7
37.7

1.120
1.114
1.112
1.102
1.111
1.112
1.117

60.95
58.63
57.87
58. 56
57.18
54. 26
52.49

1.570
1.539
1.527
1.539
1.529
1.517
1.527

•50.79
50.51
49.33
47.20
48. 64
48.41
48. 67

1.241
1.243
1.225
1.220
1.221
1.220
1.213

57.17
56.88
57.34
55.51
56.33
56.93
56.62

1.451
1.453
1.461
1.461
1.459
1.464
1.467

62.74
62.67
62.05
60.84
60. 50
59.63
57.99

1.586
1.582
1.583
1.576
1.568
1.576
1.576

52.95
53.93
54.26
51.42
52.26
51.48
50.79

1.374
1.376
1.380
1.384
1.374
1.364
1.351

40.79
42.46
41.94
40.08
41.71
42.03
42.13

Pennsylvania —Con.

Rhode Island

Tennessee

Texas

Utah

Wisconsin

Y ork-Adams

State

State

State

State

State

1948: July.................. $46.26
46.76
A ugust....... .
September__ 45.49
October_____ 47.33
November___ 46.87
December___ 47.43

41.2 $1.147 $48.63
41.4 1.150 47.43
40.5 1.136 48.37
42.0 1.146 44.87
41.3 1.156 47. 57
40.9 1.179 49.18

39.6 $1.229 $43.13
39.0 1.217 43.09
39.0 1.242 42. 85
36.1 1.244 43.63
37.9 1.254 43.80
39.2 1.254 43. 98

40.5 $1.065 $51.54
40.5 1.064 53.39
39.9 1.074 53.71
40.4 1.080 55.09
40.0 1.095 53.11
40.2 1.094 53.93

42.7 $1.207 $51.73
43.3 1.233 53.28
42.8 1.255 53.45
43.9 1.255 53.73
42.8 1.241 56.99
42.9 1.257 56.56

40.1
41.3
40.8
39.8
41.3
40.4

1949: January_____
February____
M arch______
A pril...............
M ay________
June.................
Ju ly ................ .

40.3
40. 5
40.4
38.6
38.8
39.1
39.2

38.8
38.8
38.8
38.2
38.4
38.8
38.7

39.5
39.0
39.2
39.0
38.9
39.5
39.5

42.5
42.0
41.8
41.8
42.0
41.7
41.8

40.6
39.6
40.6
40.8
41.2
39.9
40.5

47.17
46.48
46.12
43.65
43.61
43.40
42.63

1.189
1.172
1.162
1.160
1.137
1.127
1.113

48.26
48.29
47.90
47.24
47.73
47.65
47.65

1.245
1.245
1.233
1.236
1.242
1.227
1.232

43.80
42.90
43.51
43.33
42.94
43.65
43. 77

1.109
1.110
1.110
1.111
1.104
1.105
1.108

53.42
53.13
53.17
53.25
53.05
52.96
53.92

1.257
1.265
1.272
1.274
1.263
1.270
1.290

58.87
56.63
57.25
57.94
58.09
56.66
53.87

$1.29 $54.97
1.29 56.46
1.31 55.74
1.35 58.04
1.38 58.16
1.40 58.15
1.45
1.43
1.41
1.42
1.41
1.42
1.33

57.30
57.14
56.40
54.98
56.10
56.28
54.40

41.6
41.9
41.5
42.0
41.9
41.7

$1.320
1.346
1.342
1.384
1.388
1.396

40.9
40.9
40.4
39.3
40.0
40.2
40.4

1.401
1.398
1.397
1.399
1.403
1.400
1.347

W isconsin—C ontinue d
Kenosha city

La Crosse city

Madison city

Milwaukee county

Racine city

1948: July_________
A u g u s t - ____
September___
October______
Novem ber___
December........

$65.92
61.38
61.79
61.73
60.72
61.22

40.1
39.5
40.0
39.7
39.2
39.3

$1.644
1.552
1.545
1.554
1.548
1.558

$50.13
53.35
54.32
52.61
53.92
55.24

39.6
39.2
39.7
38.7
39.4
40.1

$1.267
1.362
1.369
1.361
1.369
1.378

$54.70
54.15
52.56
54.55
56.27
57.98

39.7
39.5
38.5
40.1
41.2
40.9

$1.377
1.372
1.364
1.362
1.364
1.416

$60.92
61.44
61.81
63.09
62.69
62.54

41.1
41.3
40.8
41.5
41.3
41.2

$1.481
1.489
1.515
1.521
1.516
1.516

$63.46
65.39
65.18
65.28
65.78
64.83

42.0
42.1
41.6
41.4
41.5
40.9

$1.509
1.554
1.568
1.575
1.585
1.586

1949: January_____
February____
March_______
April............... .
M ay___ _____
June________
July_________

59.30
61.03
60.90
53.03
58.89
66.97
62.17

38.2
39.2
39.1
34.3
37.9
41.6
39.6

1.554
1.557
1.559
1.547
1.556
1.610
1.570

55.25
55.66
56.79
55.84
57.16
58.86
58.12

39.9
39.8
40.0
39.4
39.5
40.0
40.6

1.385
1.400
1.418
1.417
1.448
1.470
1.431

55.16
53.46
54.68
53.64
54.25
54.22
56.88

39.3
38.5
39.0
38.5
38.5
37.6
39.0

1.403
1.389
1.403
1.392
1.410
1.443
1.457

61.57
60.96
59.44
58.08
59.04
61.15
60.00

40.5
40.2
39.4
38.3
38.9
40.0
39.4

1.520
1.517
1.510
1.515
1.519
1.529
1.524

65.07
64.81
63.74
61.80
61.94
63.08
63.16

40.9
40.7
40.2
39.1
39.3
40.0
40.1

1.593
1.591
1.587
1.579
1.576
1.577
1.576

1
State and area hours and gross earnings are prepared by various cooperat­
ing State agencies. Owing to differences in methodology the data may not be
strictly comparable among the States or with the national averages. Varia­
tions in earnings among the States and areas reflect, to some extent, differ­
ences with respect to industrial composition. Revised data for all except the
two most recent months will be identified by an asterisk for the first month’s


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

publication of such data. A number of States also make available more de­
tailed industry data as well as information for earlier periods which may be
secured directly upon request to the appropriate State agency as listed in
footnote 1, table A-10.
2 Revised series not comparable with preceding data shown.

M ONTHLY LABO R

D: PRICES AND COST OF LIVING

474

I ): Prices and Cost of Living
T able D - l : Consumers’ Price Index 1 for Moderate-Income Families in Large Cities, by Group of

Commodities
[1935-39=100]

Fuel, electricity, and refrigeration 2
Year and month

All items

Food

Apparel

Rent
Total

Housefurnishings

Gas and
electricity

Other
fuels

Ice

Miscella­
neous 3

70.7
71.7

79.9
81.7

69.3
69.8

92.2
92.2

61.9
62.3

(4)
(4)

(4)
(4)

(4)
(4)

59.1
60.8

50.9
52.0

December
______ -June - _____ - ____
Average _____________
Average
__________

118.0
149.4
122.5
97.6

149.6
185.0
132.5
86.5

147.9
209.7
115.3
90.8

97.1
119.1
141.4
116.9

90.4
104.8
112.5
103.4

(4)
(4)
(4)
(4)

(4)
(4)
(4)
(4)

(4)
(4)
(4)
(4)

121.2
169.7
111.7
85.4

83.1
100.7
104.6
101.7

1939: A verage.. . -- . ______
August 15___ _____ ____
1940: Average______ _______
1941: A verage.. ___________ January 1 _____ ____ ___
December 15___________

99.4
98.6
100.2
105.2
100.8
110.5

95.2
93.5
96.6
105.5
97.6
113.1

100.5
100.3
101.7
106.3
101.2
114.8

104.3
104.3
104.6
106.2
105.0
108.2

99.0
97.5
99.7
102.2
100.8
104.1

98.9
99.0
98.0
97.1
97.5
96.7

99.1
95.2
101.9
108.3
105.4
113.1

100.2
100.0
100.4
104.1
100.3
105.1

101.3
100.6
100.5
107.3
100.2
116.8

100.7
100.4
101.1
104.0
101.8
107.7

1942:
1943:
1944:
1945:

Average
- -- - ______
Average.
___ _ ____
Average.
_ _______
A verage.____ _ - _____
August 15______________

116.5
123.6
125.5
128.4
129.3

123.9
138.0
136.1
139.1
140.9

124.2
129.7
138.8
145.9
146.4

108.5
108.0
108.2
108.3
(5)

105.4
107.7
109.8
110.3
111.4

96.7
96.1
95.8
95.0
95.2

115.1
120.7
126.0
128.3
131.0

110.0
114.2
115.8
115.9
115.8

122.2
125.6
136.4
145.8
146.0

110.9
115.8
121.3
124.1
124.5

1946: Average.
_______
June 15. . . ____________
November 15___________

139.3
133.3
152.2

159.6
145.6
187.7

160.2
157.2
171.0

108.6
108.5
(5)

112.4
110.5
114.8

92.4
92.1
91.8

136.9
133.0
142.6

115.9
115.1
117.9

159.2
156.1
171.0

128.8
127.9
132.5

1947: Average
. _ _______
December 1 5 . . . ________

159.2
167.0

193.8
206.9

185.8
191.2

111.2
115.4

121.1
127.8

92.0
92.6

156.1
171.1

125.9
129.8

184.4
191.4

139.9
144.4

1948: Average
___ . . .
August 15.
__________
September 15. _ ________
October 15 . _ _ _____ _
November 15 __________
December 1 5 . . _________

171.2
174.5
174.5
173.6
172.2
171.4

210.2
216.6
215.2
211.5
207.5
205.0

198.0
199.7
201.0
201.6
201.4
200.4

117.4
117.7
118.5
118.7
118.8
119.5

133.9
136.8
137.3
137.8
137.9
137.8

94.3
94.5
94.6
95.4
95.4
95.3

183.4
190.1
191.0
191.4
191.6
191.3

135.2
137.3
137.6
137.9
138.0
138.4

195.8
196.3
198.1
198.8
198.7
198.6

149.9
152.4
152.7
153.7
153.9
154.0

1949: January 15 ____________
February 1 5 .. _________
March 15______________
April 15 ________________
M ay 15________________
June 15____
________
July 15 ________________
August 15______________

170.9
169.0
169.5
169.7
169.2
169.6
168.5
168.8

204.8
199.7
201.6
202.8
202.4
204.3
201.7
202.6

196.5
195.1
193.9
192.5
191.3
190.3
188.5
187.4

119.7
119.9
120.1
120.3
120.4
120.6
120.7
120.8

138.2
138.8
138.9
137.4
135.4
135.6
135.6
135.8

95.5
96.1
96.1
96.8
96.9
96.9
96.9
97.1

191.8
192.6
192.5
187.8
182.7
183.0
183.1
183.1

139.0
140.0
140.4
140.5
140.1
140.0
139.9
141.1

196.5
195.6
193.8
191.9
189.5
187.3
186.8
184.8

154.1
154.1
154.4
154.6
154.5
154.2
154.3
154.8

1913: Average _
__________
1914: J u l y . - ______
_______
1918:
1920:
1929:
1932:

1 The “ Consumers’ price index for moderate-income families in large cities,”
formerly known as the “ Cost of living index” measures average changes in
retail prices of selected goods, rents, and services weighted by quantities
bought in 1934-36 by families of wage earners and moderate-income workers
in large cities whose incomes averaged $1,524 in 1934-36.
Bureau of Labor Statistics Bulletin 699, Changes in Cost of Living in Large
Cities in the United States, 1913-41, contains detailed description of methods
used in constructing this index. Additional information on the consumers’
price index is given in a compilation of reports published by the Office of
Economic Stabilization, Report of the President’s Committee on the Cost
of Living.
Mimeographed tables are available upon request showing indexes for each
of the cities regularly surveyed by the Bureau and for each of the major
groups of living essentials. Indexes for all large cities combined are available
since 1913. The beginning date for series of indexes for individual cities


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

varies from city to city but indexes are available for most of the 34 cities since
World War I.
2 The group index formerly entitled “ Fuel, electricity, and ice” is now des­
ignated “ Fuel, electricity, and refrigeration”. Indexes are comparable with
those previously published for “ Fuel, electricity, and ice.” The subgroup
“ Other fuels and ice” has been discontinued; separate indexes are presented
for “ Other fuels” and “Ice.”
3 The miscellaneous group covers transportation (such as automobiles
and their upkeep and public transportation fares); medical care (including
professional care and medicines); household operation (covering supplies and
different kinds of paid services); recreation (that is, newspapers, motion
pictures and tobacco products); personal care (barber- and beauty-shop
service and toilet articles); etc.
* Data not available.
3 Rents not surveyed this month.

REVIEW, OCTOBER 1949
T able

D: PRICES AND COST OF LIVING

475

D-2: Consumers’ Price Index for Moderate-Income Families, by City,1 for Selected Periods
[1935-39=100]
City

Aug. 15 July 15 June 15 M ay 15 Apr. 15, Mar. 15, Feb 15, Jan. 15 Dec. 15, Nov. 15, Oct. 15, Sept.15, Aug. 15, June 15, Aug. 15,
1949
1949
1949
1949
1949
1949
1949
1949
1948
1948
1948
1948
1948
1946
1939

Average ________________

168.8

168.5

169.6

169.2

169.7

169.5

169.0

Atlanta, Ga______________
Baltimore, M d __ _____
Birmingham, Ala ________
Boston, M a ss.. ______
Buffalo, N . Y___________
Chicago, 111___ _ ______
Cincinnati, Ohio__________
Cleveland, Ohio______ ____
Denver, C olo--_____
Detroit, M ich___ ___ _
Houston, Tex_____________

172.3

(2)
(2)

(2)

170.5

(2)
(2)

(2)

170.1

Indianapolis, Ind_________
Jacksonville, Fla______ ___
Kansas City, M o_________
Los Angeles, Calif_______ _
Manchester, N . H .. _ __ Memphis, T enn____ _ _
Milwaukee, W is_______ __
Minneapolis, M inn_______
Mobile, Ala______________
N ew Orleans, La__________
N ew York, N . Y.................
Norfolk, Va_______________
Philadelphia, P a__________
Pittsburgh, Pa___________
Portland, M aine______
Portland, Oreg________. .
Richmond, Va_________ . .
St. Louis, M o— _____
San Francisco, Calif_______
Savannah, Ga___ _________
Scranton, P a ______ ____
Seattle, W ash ___________
Washington, D . C __ ____

(2)

171.1
163.8

0

174.4
168.8
171.6

0

169.9
170.4

0

(2)
(2)

166.8

(2)
(2)

166.9

(2)
(2)

173.8
166.8
170.2
168.7
172.4

(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)

169.5
170.8
166.0

171.0
162.6
169.4
173.9
168.7

(2)

167.8
170.4
170.4
171.0

(2)

162.1
167.2
170.0

(2)

174.2
172.1
163.3

(2)

(2)

171.4
162.2

(2)

175.9
170.5

174.2
169.1
171.5

172.0
170.5

171.6
170.6

(2)

(2)
(2)
(2)

(2)
(2)

174.9

(2)

(2)

168.7

169.6

(2)

(2)
(2)

173.5

(2)

169.3

167.1

(2)

167.0

172.5
166.8

(2)

(2)

170.3
169.9
172.9

0

(2)
(2)
(2)

169.1
170.3

167.5
171.9

169.2
173.1
165.8

175.3
164.4

(2)
(2)

f2)

(2)
(2)

173.3

(2)
(2)
(2)

169.8
173.7

(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)

(2)
(2)

174.5
170.7

169.9
171.1
171.0

170.8
170.2

(2)

(2)

(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)

(2)
(2)

(2)

174.3

(2)

0

172.9
169. 7
172.5

0

170.7
170.2

0
0
0

171.0

3 171.3

173.3

0
0

(2)

168.7

168.1

(2)

167.4

173.2
166.8

(2)

(2)

170.6
168.5
172.1

169.0
173.0

(2)
(2)

174.9

(2)

(2)
(2)

169.3
171.1

169.0
172.7
165.0

(2)
(2)

169.0
174.6

(2)
(2)
(2)

1 The indexes are based on time-to-time changes in the cost of goods and
services purchased by moderate-income families in large cities. They do not
indicate whether it costs more to live in one city than in another.
2 Through June 1947, consumers’ price indexes were computed monthly for


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

(2)

171.7
161.4

(2)

177.6
164.2

168.4
172.5
165.3

(2)

171.9
163.3
171.2
170.6

(2)
(2)
(2)
0

173.9
171.8
162.5

171.6
162.4
168.3
175.0
170.7

(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)

0
0

0
0
0
0
0
0

166.8
174.3
164.1

170.9

0
0

173.7
163.9
169.8
174.9
172.0

0

171.0
171.6
172.6
173.6

0

165.1
172.7
172.3

0
0
0
0
0

169.2

0

170.4
174. 6

0

178.6
166.5

0
0

176.7

0
0
0

171.4

0

174.0
174.8
164.7

0

175.4
172.2

0
0

172.8
173.8

0

176.2

0

172.7

0

174.3

172.2
173.7

0

175.0
166.7

0

175.9
173.8
3 176. 2

0

173.1
173.9

0
0
0

172.2

0
0

0

171.2

0

176.6
171.0

0

174.0
171.7
175.9

170.8
173.5
169.2
170. 6
174.9
167.1

0
0

171.1
176.7

0
0
0
0

0
0

0
0
0
0
0
0

169.4
174.3
167.1

173.6

0
0

176.9
167.8
172.7
178.1
175.5

0

171.0
174.6
174.7
178.0

174.5

0

179.2
178.6
169.0

0

179.4
176.3

0
0

175.4
175.4

0

0

179.1

0
0
0
0
0

177.1

167.5
171.8
176.5

171.7

0

174.1
177.1

0

171.0

0

131.9
138. 4
129.4
136.1
134.7
134.5
131.2
129.4
132. 9
138.0
135.8

98.0
98.5
98.6
100.5
97.8
97. 8
97.0
99.7
98.6
99.7
99.0

135. 2
132.5
134. 7
128.7
140.3
128.2
131.2
137.8
140.6
132.2
137.0
133.8

97.8
97.8
98.4
97.1
100.1
98.0
98.1
99.3
99.3
96.0
100.3
98.6

0

179.3
168.7

0

178.8
175.7
179.3

0

176.1
175.2

0
0
0

171.0

0
0

0

179.8
173.3

0

176.2
174.8
178.3

173.8
177.3
173.3

0
0

175.0
177.1

0
0
0

98.6
98.0
98.7
98.5
97.1
98.5
98.7
97.3
100.0
98.6
98.5
100.7

174.5

0

178.4

133.3
133.8
135.6
136.5
127.9
132.6
130.9
132.2
135.7
131.7
136.4
130.5

0

174.8
178.3
170.7

180.1
170.0

174.5
176.2

0
0

0
0
0
0

0
0

0
0
0
0
0
0

174.7
176.2
169.2

21 cities and in March, June, September, and December for 13 additional
cities; beginning July 1947 indexes were computed monthly for 10 cities and
once every 3 months for 24 additional cities according to a staggered schedule.
3 Corrected.

M ONTHLY LABO R

D: PRICES AND COST OF LIVING

476

T able D-3: Consumers’ Price Index for Moderate-Income Families, by City and Group of

Commodities 1
[1935-39=100]

Fuel, electricity, and refrigeration
Apparel

Food

Housefurnishings

Rent

Miscellaneous

Gas and electricity

Total

City

Aug. 15, July 15, Aug. 15, July 15, Aug. 15, July 15, Aug. 15, July 15, Aug. 15, July 15, Aug. 15, July 15, Aug. 15, July 15,
1949
1949
1949
1949
1949
1949
1949
1949
1949
1949
1949
1949
1949
1949
Average_____________

202.6

201.7

187.4

188.5

120.8

120.7

135.8

135.6

97.1

96.9

184.8

186.8

154.8

154.3

Atlanta, Ga_________
Baltimore, M d _______
Birmingham, Ala_____
Boston, M ass________
Buffalo, N . Y ________
Chicago, 111___ ______
Cincinnati, Ohio____
Cleveland, Ohio______
Denver, Colo________
Detroit, M ich________
Houston, Tex________

203.9
215.4
199.8
194.6
199.5
209.2
201.6
210.4
199.1
197.2
211.6

198.3
211. 5
198.6
194.2
200.2
207.4
200.5
208.9
204.5
197.9
211.0

195.2
(')
194.1
177.2
(‘)
192.7
185.0
187.1
(')
182.9
197.6

(0
C1)
195.5
177.3
188.1
192.9
185.6
0)
184.6
183.5
199.8

125.4
(2)
142.7
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
126.8
(2)
(2)
124.0

(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
124.6
(2)
(2)
(2)
124.8
128.2
(2)

143. 6
146.8
131.1
148.7
143.5
128.0
142.4
143.2
112.1
145.2
98.2

143.8
147.5
131.1
149.1
138.3
128.0
142.4
143.1
112.1
145.9
98.2

83.3
127.8
79.6
117.8
110.0
83.5
101.9
105.6
69.2
91.6
81.5

83.4
131.3
79.6
118.2
101.3
83.5
101.9
105.6
69.2
91.7
81.5

186.9
(0
179.4
176.6
(>)
171.2
175.8
168.2
00
196.4
185.7

(>)
(0
182.9
177.1
190.4
172.2
178.6
(0
204.2
196.7
186.1

160.3
(0
150.1
152. 5
(0
155.6
155.3
152.6
(0
166.3
155.4

0
0)
150.4
146.4
159.5
155.8
155.5
0)
151.8
166. 5
155.6

Indianapolis, I n d . ___
Jacksonville, F la_____
Kansas City, M o. . . .
Los Angeles, Calif____
Manchester, N . H ____
Memphis, T e n n _____
Milwaukee, Wis ____
Minneapolis, M inn___
Mobile, Ala_________
N ew Orleans, La_____
N ew York, N . Y -------

199.3
206.0
187.2
201.7
202.1
214.3
200.0
190.1
206.6
214.4
204.1

195.7
207.0
188.5
202.3
200.3
217.1
201.6
190.6
205.8
214.0
204.1

(0
0)
0)
182.1
(0
(0
187.0
0
(0
199.9
185.2

182.9
(')
180.8
183.3
181.3
(0
(')
0)
(!)
(■)
187.1

(2)
(2)
(2)
126.4
(2)
(2)
119.2
(2)
(2)
114.5
(2)

130.8
(2)
125.0
(2)
114.0
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
108.9

155.8
146.4
126.4
94.8
148.7
140.0
144.6
137.4
129.1
113. 4
133.5

156.1
146.4
126.3
94.6
147.9
140.0
144.6
138.8
129.0
113.4
133.0

86.6
100.5
66.8
89.3
99.4
77.0
110.9
78.9
83.9
75.1
101.9

86.6
100.5
67.2
89.3
99.6
77.0
110.9
78.9
83.9
75.1
102.1

(0
(0
(0
179.9
(0
(0
187.5
(0
0)
192.1
172.8

178.0
0)
180.3
181.4
193.4
(0
(0
(0
(0
0)
176.3

0)
(0
0)
154.4
(0
0)
149. 7
0)
(0
145.7
157.7

161.3
CO
154.2
154.5
147.7
(0
(0
(0
(0
(0
157.9

Norfolk, V a__________
Philadelphia, P a _____
Pittsburgh, P a_______
Portland, Maine_____
Portland, Oreg_______
Richmond, Va_______
St. Louis, M o___ ____
San Francisco, C alif-. Savannah, Ga_______
Scranton, P a _________
Seattle, W ash________
Washington, D . C____

206.1
198.3
207.9
194.8
211.6
200.7
210.6
209.9
212.5
206.1
205.5
203.5

202.0
195.2
205.3
194.7
8 213.6
195.8
206.8
212.6
210.2
202.7
205.8
200.4

183.0
183.6
219.6
(0
(0
0)
(!)
(0
(>)
197.7
185.5
211.6

(0
183.9
220.3
(>)
188.4
188.7
(!)
(0
186.4
0)
0
(0

116.4
120.9
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
111.6
124.6
104.8

(2)
(2)
120.9
(2)
126.3
114.8
(2)
(2)
118.0
(2)
(2)
(2)

151.0
142.7
137.7
143.7
132.3
143. 5
132.1
82.7
146.4
143.0
127.6
137.5

151.0
142.7
137.7
141.3
132.4
143. 5
130.7
82.7
148.6
142.3
127.6
135.4

102.6
108.9
103.4
108.2
94.0
109.4
88.4
72.7
108.6
91.8
92.3
98.6

102.6
108.9
103.4
108.2
94.1
109.4
88.4
72.7
108.6
91.8
92.3
98.6

183.5
192.0
189.3
(0
0
(0
(0
(0
(0
164.9
183.8
194.4

(')
192.0
194.6
(0
179.9
198.8
0)
(0
194.2
(0
(0
0)

152.9
152.4
146.4
(0
(0
0)
(0
(0
0)
144.1
159.6
156.9

(0
152.8
146.7
(0
159.9
145.9
(0
(0
156. 6
(0
(0
(0

i Prices of apparel, housefumishings, and miscellaneous goods and services
are obtained monthly in 10 cities and once every 3 months in 24 additional
cities according to a staggered schedule.


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

2 Rents are surveyed every 3 months in 34 large cities according to a stag­
gered schedule.
2 Correction.

REVIEW, OCTOBER 1949

D: PRICES AND COST OF LIVING

477

T able D-4: Indexes of Retail Prices of Foods,1 by Group, for Selected Periods
[1935-39=100]

Year and month

Cere­
als Meats,
All
and
poul­
foods bakery try,
prod­ and Total
ucts
fish

1923:
1926:
1929:
1932:
1939:

Meats
Beef
and
veal

Fruits and vegetables
Eggs

Lamb

Dairy
prod­
ucts

Chick­ Fish
ens
Pork

Bever­
ages

Total

Fresh

Can­
ned

136 1
141. 7
143. 8
82.3
91.0
90.7
93.8

169 5
210.8
169.0
103.5
94.5
92.4
96.5

173. 6
226 2
173. 5
105.9
95.1
92.8
97.3

124 8
122.9
124 3
91.1
92.3
91.6
92.4

175 4
152 4
171 0
91. 2
93.3
90.3
100.6

112 0
95.5
94.9
92.5

Dried

Average_____ 124.0
A vera g e_____ 137.4
Average______ 132.5
Average______ 86.5
Average_____
95.2
August______
93.5
1940: Average........... 96.6

105.5
115.7
107.6
82.6
94.5
93.4
96.8

101.2
117.8
127.1
79.3
96.6
95.7
95.8

96.6
95.4
94.4

101.1
99.6
102.8

88.9
88.0
81.1

99.5
98.8
99.7

93.8
94.6
94.8

101.0
99.6
110.6

129.4
127.4
131.0
84. 9
95.9
93.1
101.4

1941: Average_____
December____
Average____
Average_____
Average_____
Average_____
A ugust______

105.5
113.1
123.9
138.0
136.1
139.1
140.9

97.9
102.5
105.1
107.6
108.4
109.0
109.1

107.5
111.1
126.0
133.8
129.9
131.2
131.8

106.5
109.7
122.5
124.2
117.9
118.0
118.1

110.8
114.4
123.6
124.7
118.7
118.4
118.5

100.1
103.2
120.4
119.9
112.2
112.6
112.6

106.6
108.1
124.1
136.9
134.5
136.0
136.4

102.1
100.5
122.6
146.1
151.0
154.4
157.3

124.5
138.9
163.0
206.5
207.6
217.1
217.8

112.0
120.5
125.4
134.6
133.6
133.9
133.4

112.2
138.1
136.5
161.9
153.9
164.4
171.4

103.2
110.5
130.8
168.8
168.2
177.1
183.5

104.2
111.0
132.8
178.0
177.2
188.2
196.2

97.9
106.3
121.6
130.6
129.5
130.2
130.3

106.7
118.3
136.3
158.9
164.5
168.2
168.6

1946: Average.........._ 159.6
J u n e ___ ____ 145.6
November___ 187.7

125.0
122.1
140.6

161.3
134.0
203.6

150.8
120.4
197.9

150.5
121.2
191.0

148.2
114.3
207.1

163.9
139.0
205.4

174.0
162.8
188.9

236.2
219.7
265.0

165.1
147.8
198.5

168.8
147.1
201.6

182.4
183.5
184.5

190.7
196.7
182.3

140.8
127.5
167.7

190.4
172.5
251.6

1942:
1943:
1944:
1945:

131 5
170 4
104 8

Fats
and
oils

Sugar
and
sweets

120 2

175 4

145 0
127 2
71 1

120 0

87.7
84.5
82.2

89 0
100.6
95.6
96.8

101.5
114.1
122.1
124.8
124.3
124.7
124.7

94.0
108.5
119.6
126.1
123.3
124.0
124.0

106.4
114.4
126.5
127.1
126.5
126.5
126.6

139. 6
125.4
167.8

152.1
126.4
244.4

143.9
136.2
170.5

1947: Average............ 193.8

155.4

217.1

214.7

213.6

215.9

220.1

183.2

271.4

186.2

200.8

199.4

201.5

166.2

263.5

186.8

197.5

180.0

1948: Average...........
August______
September___
October______
November___
December____

210.2
216.6
215.2
211.5
207.5
205.0

170.9
170.8
170.7
170.0
169.9
170.2

246.5
267.0
265.3
256.1
246.7
241.3

243.9
269.3
265.9
254.3
243.1
235.4

258.5
286.2
280.8
269.8
262.4
255.1

222.5
246.1
247.9
233.9
214.4
206.2

246.8
266.6
256.6
249.4
246.5
238.6

203.2
207.8
209.4
204.0
200.5
208.0

312.8
304.4
314.9
325.9
328.1
328.1

204.8
211.0
208.7
203.0
199.5
199.2

208.7
220.2
226.6
239.0
244.3
217.3

205.2
199.6
195.8
193.5
189.4
192.3

212.4
204.8
199.6
197.3
192.4
196.2

158.0
157.8
159.0
158.9
159.4
159.4

246.8
249.2
249.1
238.1
230.6
229.8

205.0
205.3
205.6
205.9
206.4
207.8

195.5
197.8
196.8
193.0
189.4
184.4

174.0
172.3
173.2
173.1
173.3
173.0

1949: January___
February____
March ____
April_______
M ay ________
June ______
July_________
August______

204.8
199.7
201.6
202.8
202.4
204.3
201.7
202.6

170.5
170.0
170.1
170.3
170.1
169.7
169.5
169.4

235.9
221.4
229.6
234.4
232.3
240.6
236.0
239.5

228.2
212.3
222.5
228.5
228.0
239.3
234. 4
237.3

244.5
220.5
230.3
233.3
235.2
247.8
245.3
246.3

203.1
196.3
206.4
209.5
203.9
216.0
209.8
221.9

234.4
228.4
240.7
271.0
275.5
278.4
265.5
247.8

208.9
199.0
198.9
201.2
190.5
184.4
182.8
191.5

331.7
327.2
325.9
321.3
315.4
312.6
307.7
308.9

196.0
192.5
190.3
184.9
182.6
182.0
182.2
184.9

209.6
179.6
180.1
183.8
190.9
198.0
204.1
222.2

205.2
213.7
214.5
218.6
220.7
217.9
210.2
201.9

213.3
224.9
226.0
231.5
234.6
231.1
221.2
211.4

159.2
158.6
158.0
157.1
156.3
155.3
154.2
149.7

228.4
224.6
227.9
228.3
227.5
227.3
228.1
229.6

208.7
209.0
208.5
208.2
207.2
207.6
208.2
208.8

174.7
159.8
155.1
149.8
144.4
142.9
141.0
144.0

173.4
174.3
175.6
176.2
176.1
176.5
176.2
176.5

1 The Bureau of Labor Statistics retail food prices are obtained monthly
during the first three days of the week containing the fifteenth of the month,
through voluntary reports from chain and independent retail food dealers.
Articles included are selected to represent food sales to moderate-income
families.
The indexes, based on the retail prices of 50 foods, are computed by the
fixed-base-weighted-aggregate method, using weights representing (1) rela­
tive importance of chain and independent store sales, in computing city aver­
age prices; (2) food purchases by families of wage earners and moderate-


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

income workers, in computing city indexes; and (3) population weights, in
combining city aggregates in order to derive average prices and indexes for all
cities combined.
Indexes of retail food prices in 56 large cities combined, by commodity
groups, for the years 1923 through 1948 (1935-39=100). may be found in Bulle­
tin No. 965, “ Retail Prices of Food, 1948,” Bureau of Labor Statistics, U . S.
Department of Labor, table 3, p. 7. Mimeographed tables of the same
data, by months, January 1935 to date, are available upon request.

MONTHLY LABOR

D: PRICES AND COST OF LIVING

478
T able

D-5: Indexes of Retail Prices of Foods, by City
[1935-39=100]
June
1946

Aug.
1939

July
1949

June
1949

M ay
1949

Apr.
1949

Mar.
1949

Feb.
1949

Jan.
1949

Dec.
1948

Nov.
1948

Oct.
1948

Sept.
1948

Aug.
1948

202.6

201.7

204.3

202.4

202.8

201.6

199.7

204.8

205.0

207.5

211.5

215.2

216.6

145.6

93.5

203.9
215.4
199.8
194.6
201.1

198.3
211.5
198.6
194.2
200.3

200.5
216.2
201.4
195.9
205.0

197.0
213.0
198.5
192.4
201.7

197.5
212.4
198.3
191.3
198.8

198.3
212.9
197.4
190.9
197.9

194.7
210.3
195.8
187.8
194.9

202.1
213.5
202.0
194.1
200.0

203.3
214.6
204.8
194.2
201.0

205.9
218.7
205.4
199.2
205.9

208.3
224.5
210.8
202.6
209.3

214.2
228.7
216.3
207.2
212.7

215.7
228.9
219.3
208.8
214.6

141.0
152.4
147.7
138.0
139.1

92.5
94. 7
90.7
93.5
93.2

Buffalo, N . Y _____________
Butte, M ont. . . _

199.5
200.8

200.2
202.1

199.6
206.7

193.9
209.2

190.3
207.4

195.4
211.6

195.5
204.6
209 0
195. 2
208.5

195.0
201.3
207 8
193.8
205.9

191.4
201.5
206. 8
190.8
202.7

197.9
205.0
211.5
196.9
207.3

200.0
205.7
211.8
197.1
208.2

201.6
209.3
214. 4
198.9
211.9

206.4
214.9
218.0
204.9
218.0

210.1
214.5
220.2
207.7
221.4

213.0
215.1
222.2
208.0
223.6

140.2
139.7
148.2
140.8
142.8

94.5
94.1

Charleston, S. C __________
Chicago, 111__________ - _

198.9
202.6
208 1
191.3
207.0

Cincinnati, O h io _________
Cleveland, Ohio.- _______
Columbus, Ohio__________
Dallas, T ex-- _
______
Denver, Colo------ ----------

201.6
210.4
186.2
205.3
199.1

200.5
208.9
182.9
204.8
204.5

204.2
211.2
185.4
204.9
208.2

200.3
208.1
184.3
204.4
206.6

203.2
209.2
185.6
204.4
208.1

201.9
210.2
184.3
202.0
207.0

199.7
207.2
182.3
200.7
204.5

205.5
212.8
188.6
207.1
209.6

205.2
213.0
189.4
208.2
211.0

209.4
217.0
193.1
212.7
207.7

214.4
220.9
197.2
214.7
208.3

218.0
225.6
200.8
217.3
210.5

218.1
229.0
202.2
215.2
213.1

141.4
149.3
136.4
142.4
145.3

90.4
93.6
88.1
91.7
92.7

Detroit, M ich
_ _ ______
Fall River, M ass- ________
Houston, Tex
_________
Indianapolis, Ind__ ----------

197.2
201.2
211.6
199.3
205 5

197.9
199.3
211.0
195.7
207 8

201.5
201.1
211.8
200.5
205 5

200.0
197.0
211.3
197.3
204 7

197.0
199.4
212.6
196.7
203.1

195.1
199.6
209.6
197.9
203.7

194.5
195.3
208.0
195.5
205.4

197.3
199.8
215. 7
200.9
209.5

198.7
200.4
218.1
204.8
213.8

199.9
202.5
217.6
206.8
212.7

204.4
209.1
220.8
211.8
218.6

207.6
211.6
223.7
216.0
220.7

210.1
213.5
223.8
217.1
220.6

145.4
138.1
144.0
141. 5
150. 6

90.6
95.4
97.8
90.7

Jacksonville, Fla__________
Kansas City. M o_________

206.0
187.2
201.6
201.7

208.3
190.5
226 0
204.2
206.6

205.6
189.0
223 2
201.9
208.7

206.6
189.8
220. 5
201.2
212.1

206.0
189.8
222.1
198.0
211.2

201.2
189.2
221.3
197.2
210.8

210.6
194.6
230.0
199.8
215.5

209.9
194.7
233.9
201.6
214.9

212.6
198.5
233.9
202.4
213.7

217.5
201.1
236.7
206.5
213.1

219.3
204.4
241.6
212.0
212.1

220.7
205.4
244.6
212.4
212.7

150.8
134.8
165. 6
139.1
154.8

95.8
91.5

Little Rock, Ark__________
Los Angeles, C a lif ------------

207.0
188.5
222 2
196.8
202.3

Louisville, K y- __________
Manchester, N . H ________
Memphis, Tenn_______
Milwaukee, W is______
.
Minneapolis, M in n _______

192.4
202.1
214.3
200.0
190.1

189.4
200.3
217.1
201.6
190.6

194.1
205.2
215.3
205.6
194.3

189.4
199.4
215.6
204.9
193.5

187.6
199.7
214.9
205.8
193.1

187.7
199.3
211.9
203.2
192.4

189.2
196.4
212.2
200.8
190.1

193.9
201.8
217.1
206.5
195.3

196.6
203.6
217.9
205.0
195.6

198.9
204.8
219.0
207.5
197.8

201.7
210.4
223.7
211.2
202.2

207.2
215.5
227.8
216.3
206.0

207.4
217.8
227.1
218.8
209.2

135.6
144.4
153. 6
144.3
137.5

92.1
94.9
89. 7
91.1
95.0

Mobile, Ala______________
Newark, N . J- __________
N ew Haven, C o n n _______
N ew Orleans, La._ ..............
N ew York, N . Y __________

206.6
198.5
194.2
214.4
204.1

205.8
198.5
194.7
214.0
204.1

207.9
199.6
198.5
215.2
203.4

204.6
198.5
194.3
210.1
202.2

203.9
199.7
194.3
212.4
203.7

206.9
197.6
193.6
211.0
202.4

207.4
196.3
190.9
210.2
200.0

214.5
200.1
195.1
2 213.2
205.3

211.8
201.2
194.5
216.1
204.3

211.3
203.9
199.6
218.0
208.7

213.8
205.8
203.5
220.5
211.5

222.1
211.1
205.3
227.7
216.2

222.7
212.6
205.6
228.5
216.9

149.8
147.9
140.4
157.6
149.2

95.5
95.6
93.7
97.6
95.8

Norfolk, Va_______________
Omaha, N e b r ____________
Peoria, 111.
__________
Philadelphia, Pa._ ________
Pittsburgh, P a---------------

206.1
196.4
214.9
198.3
207.9

202.0
196.2
214.6
195.2
205.3

206.9
201.1
218.9
198.7
208.8

204.9
196.9
212.4
198.1
208.0

205.2
196.4
211.1
197.9
206.1

203.5
196.5
210.8
196.7
204.6

202.0
195.7
207.9
195.0
202.2

208.7
198.0
215.7
200.4
208.0

209.8
203.1
216.8
199.3
208.0

211.8
205.6
218.0
202.0
211.0

217.1
210.2
222.1
208.4
215.1

220.2
210.3
230.3
212.0
219.5

220.5
211.1
230.8
212.5
220.9

146.0
139.5
151.3
143.5
147.1

93.6
92.3
93.4
93.0
92.5

Portland, M ain e-._ ______
Portland, Oreg-----------------Providence, R . L .
_____
Richmond, Va____________
Rochester, N . Y ----------------

194.8
211.6
209.0
200.7
198.6

194.7
3 213.6
209.7
195.8
197.5

197.2
219.4
208.9
197.5
199.3

191.1
218.8
206.5
195.0
198.3

190.0
221.6
206.8
195.5
194.3

191.5
222.5
206.4
197.1
193.3

189.7
220.4
202.9
193.5
192.1

194.3
224.2
210.1
200.3
195.5

195.0
223.5
209.2
201.5
196.5

198.0
222.9
211.7
203.6
196.7

204.1
227.7
218.4
209.7
200.7

207.0
231.4
223.8
214.1
207.3

209.8
234.1
227.2
211.7
209.7

138.4
158.4
144.9
138.4
142.5

95.9
96.1
93.7
92.2
92.3

St. Louis, M o_____________
St. Paul, M inn. - _________
Salt Lake City, U tah______
San Francisco, Calif. _____
Savannah, Ga-------------------

210.6
188.8
201.0
209.9
212.5

206.8
189.1
204.9
212.6
210.2

212.8
192.3
207.5
215.5
217.1

207.8
191.6
206.6
215.3
213.2

207.5
191.0
206.6
222.1
212.2

207.6
190.4
207.3
216.3
212.4

207.1
188.9
207.4
219.3
208.5

212.4
192.9
211.8
223.2
215.3

212.2
*192. 1
209.8
221.1
216.0

213.1
194.8
208.8
219.5
215.0

217.4
199.7
211.2
223.0
219.2

223.0
203.1
214.7
224.2
222.4

225.3
204.5
216.0
224.3
223.3

147.4
137.3
151.7
155. 5
158.5

93.8
94.3
94.6
93.8
96.7

Scranton, Pa_____________
Seattle, W ash______ ____
Springfield, 111____________
Washington, D . C ________
Wir»hit,a, TCans.i
Winston-Salem, N . C d____

206.1
205.5
210.1
203.5
211 9
200.6

202.7
205.8
208.4
200.4
210 7
198.9

204.1
208.5
214.0
202.2
216. 4
200.6

202.6
209.3
207.8
201.2
214.0
197.8

202.2
212.8
208.0
200.1
215.3
198.3

201.1
213.5
207. 5
198.8
215.1
197.8

196.0
213.6
206.0
195.2
213.0
195.6

201.6
214.4
214.0
202.4
219.0
203.7

201.1
211.8
214.4
201.8
220.4
206.6

202.8
213.4
215.2
203.5
222.2
206.1

209.2
217.5
219.5
209.2
220.0
212.7

213.2
221.0
226.4
212.9
223.0
215.6

217.3
221.9
227.0
214.9
224.7
215.8

144.0
151.6
150.1
145.5
154.4
145.3

92.1
94.5
94.1
94.1

City

Aug.
1949

United S ta te s ____________
Atlanta, Ga _ __________
Baltimore, M d . ____ _____
Birmingham, A l a ________
Boston,“Mass ____________
Bridgeport, Conn--------------

1June 1940=100.
2 Estimated index based on half the usual sample of reports.


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

Remaining

95.1
92.3

94.0
94.6

reports lost in the mails. Index for Feb. 15 reflects the correct level of food
prices for N ew Orleans.
s Revised.

REVIEW, OCTOBER 1949
T able

Commodity

D: PRICES AND COST OF LIVING

D-6: Average Retail Prices and Indexes of Selected Foods
Aver­
age
price
Aug.
1949

Indexes 1935-30= 100
Aug.
1949

Cereals and bakery products:
Cereals:
Flour, w heat...................5 pounds..
47.4 183.6
Cornflakes----------------11 ounces..
16.8 178.0
Corn meal------------------------ pound.
8.7 182.4
Rice i-----------------------do_________
18.9 106.1
Rolled oats 3_________ 20 ounces
16.4 148.4
Bakery products:
Bread, w h it e ..................... .pound ..
14.0 164.1
Vanilla cookies
...................d o ...
44.7 191.3
M eats, poultry, and fish:
Meats:
Beef:
Round steak...................
do_ 89.4 264.7
Rib ro a st..____________ do___ 68. 5 237.8
Chuck roast_____________do__ 55. 6 248.1
Hamburger 3.................... .d o ...
51. 7 167.2
Veal:
Cutlets................................do . 100.8 252.6
Pork:
Chops---------- ------------.d o ...
83.6 253.6
Bacon, sliced____ ______ d o ...
66.1 173.5
Ham, w hole......................do___ 68.4 232. 7
Salt pork_________ ____ do
35.4 169.5
Lamb:
L eg ..------- ------------------- do.
71.4 251. 7
Poultry.............. ...................... .........do.
191.5
Frying chickens:3
N ew York dressed 6____ do__
48.5
Dressed and drawn 7___ do.
61.0
Fish:
Fish (fresh, frozen)8. . .............do___
254.4
(9)
Salmon, pink 8_____ 16-ounce can
56. 9 434.1
Dairy products:
Butter------------------------------- pound..
72.3 198.5
Cheese......................... .....................do__
51.7 228.6
M ilk, fresh (delivered)................quart.. 20.8 169.8
M ilk, fresh (grocery)__________ do___
19. 7 174.6
M ilk, evaporated_____14((-ounce can.
12.7 177.5
Eggs: Eggs, fresh____ _________
dozen..76.9 222.2
Fruits and vegetables:
Fresh fruits:
Apples...................................p o u n d ..
10.1 192.1
Bananas__________________ do___
16.6 275.0
Oranges, size 200.................dozen—
56.7 200.1
Fresh vegetables:
Beans, green....... .................. pound— 16.8 154.1
Cabbage................................ ..d o ___
6. 7 176.3
Carrots------------------------- bu nch..
10.3 191.3
Lettuce___________________ head. _ 17.3 209.3
Onions....................................pound—
6.6 160.3
Potatoes-------------------- 15 pounds.
80.1 222.1
Spinach........... .....................pound.
193.0
(“)
Sweetpotatoes........ ...................d o ...
14.0 270.8
Canned fruits:
Peaches..........................N o. 2)( can.
30.5 158.3
P in e a p p le ................................. .d o_ 39. 7 183.0
Canned vegetables:
C o r n ..............................N o . 2 can.. 19.3 155.3
Peas......................................... ..d o ___
14.8 112.9
Tomatoes.............................. ..d o ___
14.5 161.4
Dried fruits: P ru n es................. pound.. 23.4 230.2
Dried vegetables: N avy b e a n s..d o ...
16. 5 224.7
Beverages: Coffee........ ....................
do_ 52.4 208.4
Fats and oils:
Lard................................................. .d o___ 19.3 129.4
Hydrogenated veg. shortening io_do___ 32.9 158.9
Salad d r e ssin g .....................
p in t.. 33.7 139.3
M argarine......................................p o u n d .. 29.7 163.0
Sugar and sweets:
Sugar.................................................. do___
9.5 177.4

July
1949

June
1949

M ay
1949

Apr.
1949

Mar.
1949

Feb.
1949

Jan.
1949

Dec.
1948

N ov.
1948

Oct.
1948

Sept.
1948

Aug.
1948

183.9
179.0
181.7
104.9
149.0

184.9
178.7
181.7
104.6
149.2

186.3
178.6
184.6
106.6
149.3

186.0
178.2
184.7
107.5
150.0

186.3
178.0
185.1
107.3
151.8

186.4
177.8
186.4
107.4
152.2

187.0
177.4
189.0
107.2
155.5

185.7
177.8
194.9
107.6
155.8

184.0
177.6
199.5
109.4
155.2

184.2
177.2
210.5
112.1
155.5

184.9
177.1
214.0
121.1
155.6

185.7
177.1
215.2
121. 5
155.4

82.1
92.7
90.7
(2)
0

164.2
190.8

164.3
190.9

163.8
194.0

164.0
194.5

163.5
194.4

163.3
194.3

163.2
195.6

163.0
194.9

162.8
194.1

162.7
193.0

163.1
192.4

163.1
191.7

93.2
(4)

263.1
237.0
249.6
167.2

264.6
239.6
252.0
168.4

246.8
228.2
236.6
162.7

240.7
226.5
237.3
161.8

234.5
224.1
235.0
161.9

218.5
213.8
224.3
156.8

248.3
241.7
257.7
175.9

261.1
253.1
276.8
181.7

269.3
262.0
291.5
184.6

277.3
267.2
301.1
193.7

292.5
277. 6
315.0
199.2

299. 5
283.1
322.2
202.5

102.7
97.4
97.1
«

1939

249.7

254.7

248.1

251.5

250.0

251.9

248.7

248.7

248.4

253.6

258.5

259.6

101.1

234.6
169.4
222.5
163.1

252.4
168.4
218.6
161.9

229.5
166.9
211.3
161.4

229.6
176.8
221.2
167.5

223.5
178.8
217.2
169.7

201.6
179.5
213.3
171.1

203.4
190.0
222.5
191.6

204.6
195.8
223.3
211.6

219.7
200.7
227.2
200.1

254.1
207.0
239.4
200.2

278.6
207.2
253.3
196.1

276.5
206.3
251.1
194.1

90.8
80. 9
92.7
69.0

269.7
182.8

282.8
184.4

279.8
190.5

275.3
201.2

244.5
198.9

232.1
199.0

238.1
208.9

242.4
208.0

250.4
200.5

253.4
204.0

260.7
209.4

270.8
207.8

95.7
94.6

0
(4)

(4)
(")

CO
(4)

(4)
(4)

0
«

0
0

0
0

(4)
(4)

(4)
(4)

251.1
439.0

252.2
454.4

254.5
458.4

261.4
460.7

266.8
462.7

267.2
466.3

272.4
468.3

268.5
466.0

268.1
467.0

270.2
452.6

264.0
429.2

254.4
417.1

98.8
97.4

192.9
225.8
168.4
172.2
179.2
204.1

193.2
226.4
167.9
171.6
180.5
198.0

194.6
226.5
168.4
171.6
181.9
190.9

197.0
227.5
170.1
174.4
186.5
183.8

201.8
230.9
176.2
179.8
192.5
180.1

203.6
234.0
177.5
182.4
200.2
179.6

205.9
245.8
179.9
185.7
204.6
209.6

207.6
246.8
184.5
189.4
208.0
217.3

205.7
246.6
185.3
191.4
210.0
244.3

212.7
259.0
186.0
191.1
216.9
239.0

232.7
264.1
185.4
189.4
220.8
226.6

245.6
268.6
182.0
187.8
218.3
220.2

84.0
92.3
97.1
96.3
93.9
90.7

248.1
280.7
215.5

309.9
284.3
209.0

311.4
274.1
194.2

306.2
272.8
173.2

289.8
275.2
175.8

275.5
272.7
165.7

255. 7
267.7
168.4

241.5
269.3
153.7

229.1
270.6
151.0

220.7
269.9
192.1

216.7
269.3
187.2

225.1
270.7
183.3

81.6
97.3
96.9

168.5
164.2
187.2
156.5
186.6
233.5
177.2
322.6

175.0
170.0
188.9
131.8
204.3
259.7
143.8
330.4

186.8
214.3
187.4
163.6
187.8
271.6
154.2
312.4

209.4
197.8
181.0
243.2
155.3
246.5
190.4
268.5

194.3
211.9
184.3
223.3
148.1
237.2
213.8
234.2

222.0
179.2
196.7
220.2
153.9
237.9
259.4
220.9

234.6
163.7
199.9
185.9
155.7
225.5
202.3
211.4

173.3
142.5
184.2
170.8
156.9
208.3
163.2
198.1

224.9
133.7
184.3
158.9
154.6
199.1
155.1
181.9

155.1
139.7
191.6
163.0
147.8
202.4
161.2
181.1

172.0
136.5
190.8
156.2
154.2
210.8
183.9
196.2

176.0
139.2
183.6
143.1
176.3
223.5
205.0
235.5

61.7
103.2
84.9
97.6
86.8
91.9
118.4
115.7

161.6
183.7

163.5
182.5

166.8
182.2

168.4
182.5

168.2
182.5

168.4
182.6

169.0
180.4

168.2
181.3

168.2
178.1

166.5
176.2

165.1
174.4

163.0
170.0

92.3
96.0

155.7
113.5
171.8
228.9
223.1
207.8

155.7
113.8
174.5
226.9
223.9
207.2

156.9
113.8
175.2
226.2
225.7
206.8

158.8
115.0
175.4
226.4
227.4
207.8

159.8
115.3
177.1
224.0
230.0
208.1

159.4
117.0
178.3
220.9
226.4
208.6

160.2
117.1
179.6
218.9
239.1
208.3

160.4
117.2
180.0
216.6
246.2
207.4

159.7
117.5
181.4
211.6
255.7
206.0

160.2
116.7
181.3
209.1
278.2
205.5

159.3
116.9
183.2
205.6
311.5
205.2

158.8
115.8
182. 6
204. 7
312.9
204. 9

88.6
89.8
92.5
94.7
83.0
93.3

120.1
163.7
140.2
157.7

121.4
165.4
143.0
159.0

121.2
167.1
145.9
161.3

125.0
174.9
149.2
170.5

131.2
176.9
151.6
181.9

133.2
187.1
156.1
186.7

163.2
197.2
159.3
199.0

181.0
202.8
162.7
208.6

191.4
204.9
163.7
213.4

196.1
205.6
165.7
220.4

198.5
207.3
168.6
229.8

197.3
209.6
168.3
235.3

65.2
93.9
(4)
93.6

177.1

177.4

176.9

177.1

176.5

175.1

174.2

173.8

174.2

174.0

174.0

173.2

95.6

1 July 1947=100.
2 Index not computed.
3 February 1943=100.
4 N ot priced in earlier period.
5 N ew specifications introduced in April 1949, in place of roasting chickens.
6 Priced in 29 cities.


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

479

7 Priced in 27 cities.
8 1938-39=100.
9 Average price not computed.
10 Formerly published as shortening in other containers.
11 Inadequate quotations.

MONTHLY LABOR

D: PRICES AED COST OF LIVING

480
T able

D -7: Indexes of Wholesale Prices,1 by Group of Commodities, for Selected Periods
[1926=100]

Chem­ Houseicals
furand
nishallied
ing
prod­ goods
ucts

M is­
cella­
neous
com­
modi­
ties

All
com­
Scmi- M anu­ modi­
Raw manufac­
ex­
tured ties
mate­
faccept
prod­
rials
tured
farm
articles ucts 2 prod­
ucts 2

All
com­
modi­
ties
ex­
cept
farm
prod­
ucts
and
foods 2

Foods

Hides
and
leather
prod­
ucts

Tex­
tile
prod­
ucts

Fuel
and
light­
ing
mate­
rials

Metals
and
metal
prod­
ucts 2

Build­
ing
mate­
rials

71.5
71.4
150.3
169.8
104.9

64.2
62.9
128.6
147.3
99.9

68.1
69.7
131.6
193.2
109.1

57.3
55.3
142.6
188.3
90.4

61.3
55.7
114.3
159.8
83.0

90.8
79.1
143.5
155.5
100.5

56.7
52.9
101.8
164.4
95.4

80.2
77.9
178.0
173.7
94.0

56.1
56.7
99.2
143.3
94.3

93.1
88.1
142.3
176.5
82.6

68.8
67.3
138.8
163.4
97.5

74.9
67.8
162.7
253.0
93.9

69.4
66.9
130.4
157.8
94.5

69.0
65.7
131.0
165.4
93.3

70.0
65.7
129.9
170.6
91.6

64.8
77.1
75.0
78.6

48.2
65.3
61.0
67.7

61.0
70.4
67.2
71.3

72.9
95.6
92.7
100.8

54.9
69.7
67.8
73.8

70.3
73.1
72.6
71.7

80.2
94.4
93.2
95.8

71.4
90.5
89.6
94.8

73.9
76.0
74.2
77,0

75.1
86.3
85.6
88.5

64.4
74.8
73.3
77.3

55.1
70.2
66.5
71.9

59.3
77.0
74.5
79.1

70.3
80.4
79.1
81.6

68.3
79.5
77.9
80.8

70.2
81.3
80.1
83.0

1941: Average_____
December___
1942: Average_____
1943: A v e ra g e ----1944: Average_____

87.3
93.6
98.8
103.1
104.0

82.4
94.7
105.9
122.6
123.3

82.7
90.5
99.6
106.6
104.9

108.3
114.8
117.7
117.5
116.7

84.8
91.8
96.9
97.4
98.4

76.2
78.4
78.5
80.8
83.0

99.4
103.3
103.8
103.8
103.8

103.2
107.8
110.2
111.4
115.5

84.4
90.4
95.5
94.9
95.2

94.3
101.1
102.4
102.7
104.3

82.0
87.6
89.7
92.2
93.6

83.5
92.3
100.6
112.1
113.2

86.9
90.1
92.6
92.9
94.1

89.1
94.6
98.6
100.1
100.8

88.3
93.3
97.0
98.7
99.6

89.0
93.7
95.5
96.9
98.5

1945: Average_____
August............

105.8
105.7

128.2
126.9

106.2
106.4

118.1
118.0

100.1
99.6

84.0
84.8

104.7
104.7

117.8
117.8

95.2
95.3

104.5
104.5

94.7
94.8

116.8
116.3

95.9
95.5

101.8
101.8

100.8
100.9

99.7
99.9

1946: Average.
June________
November___
1947: Average_____

121.1
112.9
139.7
152.1

148.9
140.1
169.8
181.2

130.7
112.9
165.4
168.7

137.2
122.4
172.5
182.4

116.3
109.2
131.6
141.7

90.1
87.8
94.5
108.7

115.5
112.2
130.2
145.0

132.6
129.9
145.5
179.7

101.4
96.4
118.9
127.3

111.6
110.4
118.2
131.1

100.3
98.5
106.5
115.5

134.7
126.3
153.4
165.6

110.8
105.7
129.1
148.5

116.1
107.3
134.7
146.0

114.9
106.7
132.9
145.5

109.5
105.6
120.7
135.2

1948: A verage.. _ August_____
September...
October _ . .
N ovem ber.. .
December___

165.1
169.8
168.9
165.4
164.0
162.4

188.3
191.5
189.9
183.5
180.8
177.3

179.1
189.8
186.9
178.2
174.3
170.2

188.8
188.4
187.4
185.5
186.2
185.3

149.8
150.4
149.3
148.3
147.4
146.7

134.2
136.4
136.9
137.3
137.6
137.2

163.6
171.0
172.0
172.4
173.3
173.8

199.1
203.8
204.1
203.7
203.1
202.2

135.7
133.2
134.5
135. 5
134.4
131.1

144.5
145.4
146.6
147.5
148.2
148.4

120.5
119.7
119.9
119.0
119.2
118.5

178.4
182.3
181.0
177.0
175.2
172.3

158.0
161.2
160.4
160.0
161.0
160.8

159.4
164.6
164.0
160.3
158.8
157.6

159.8
164.7
164.1
161.2
160.1
158.9

151.0
153.3
153.6
153.4
153.6
153.1

160.6
1949: January.. . ..
February___
158.1
M arch______
158.4
156.9
April_______
M ay________
155.7
June________ ' 154.5
July------------- « 153.6
August_____
153.0

172.5
168.3
171.5
170.5
171.2
« 168. 8
» 166.2
162.3

165.8
161.5
162.9
162.9
163.8
162.4
161.3
160.6

184.8
182.3
180.4
179.9
179.2
178.8
«177.8
179.0

146.1
145.2
143.8
142.2
140.5
139.2
« 138.1
137.9

137.1
135.9
134.3
132.0
130.1
129.9
129.9
129.7

175.6
175.5
174.4
171.8
168.4
«167.5
« 168.3
168.7

202.3
201.5
200.0
196.5
193.9
191.4
« 189. 0
188.2

126.3
122.8
121.1
117.7
118.2
116.8
118.1
119.7

148.1
148.3
148.0
147.0
146.2
145.1
« 143.1
143.0

117.3
115.3
115.7
115.6
113.5
111.0
110.2
109.8

169.3
165.8
167.3
165.8
165.9
«164. 5
«163. 2
161.3

160.4
159.6
156.9
153.1
« 149.4
146.5
146.0
147.9

156.2
154.0
154.1
153.0
151.5
«150.7
«149. 9
149.5

157.8
155.7
155.3
153.7
152.1
«151.2
«150.6
150.7

152.9
151.8
150.7
148.9
146.8
« 145.6
«145.1
145.1

All
com­
modi­
ties 2

Farm
prod­
ucts

Average.
---J u ly.-November__
M ay________
Average-____

69.8
67.3
136.3
167.2
95.3

1932: Average_____
1939: Average-.- -A ugust_____
1940: Average..........

Year and month

1913:
1914:
1918:
1920:
1939:

1 BLS wholesale price data, for the most part, represent prices in primary
markets. They are prices charged by manufacturers or producers or are
prices prevailing on organized exchanges. The weekly index is calculated
from 1-day-a-week prices; the monthly index from an average of these prices.
M onthly indexes for the last 2 months are preliminary.
The indexes currently are computed by the fixed base aggregate method,
w ith weights representing quantities produced for sale in 1929-31. (For a
detailed description of the method of calculation see “ Revised M ethod of
Calculation of the Bureau of Labor Statistics Wholesale Price Index,” in
the Journal of the American Statistical Association, December 1937.)
Mimeographed tables are available, upon request to the Bureau, giving
monthly indexes for major groups of commodities since 1890 and for subgroups
andfeconomic groups since 1913. The weekly wholesale price indexes are


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

available in summary form since 1947 for all commodities; all commodities
less farm products and foods; farm products; foods; textile products; fuel and
lighting materials; metals and metal products; and building materials.
Weekly indexes are also available for the subgroups of grains, livestock,
meats, and hides and skins.
2 Includes current motor vehicle prices beginning with October 1946. The
rate of production of motor vehicles in October 1946 exceeded the monthly
average rate of civilian production in 1941, and in accordance with the an­
nouncement made in September 1946, the Bureau introduced current prices
for motor vehicles in the October calculations. During the war, motor
vehicles were not produced for general civilian sale and the Bureau carried
April 1942 prices foward in each computation through September 1946.
0 Corrected.

REVIEW, OCTOBER 1949
T able

D: PRICES AND COST OF LIVING

481

D-8: Indexes of Wholesale Prices,1 by Group and Subgroup of Commodities
[1926 = 100]
1949
Aug.

July

June

M ay

1948

Apr.

Mar.

Feb.

Jan.

Dec.

N ov.

Oct.

Sept.

Aug.

1946

1939

June

Aug.

All commodities 2...................

153.0

«153. 6

«154. 5

155.7

156.9

158.4

158.1

160.6

162.4

164.0

165.4

168.9

169.8

112.9

75.0

Farm p ro d u cts_______
Grains________
Livestock and poultry..
Livestock. _ . .
Other farm products___
E g g s« ..................
F o o d s...__________
Dairy products............
Cereal products_____
Fruits and vegetables. _.
M eats, poultry, and
fish..................................
M e a ts............. .......
Other foods........ ............ .
Hides and leather products..
Shoes..........
Hides and skins..........
Leather ._
Other leather products..
Textile products____
Clothing . . . .
Cotton goods.. ___
Hosiery and underwear.
Rayon and nylon...........
Silk_____
Woolen and worsted___
Other textile products...
Fuel and lighting materials.
Anthracite . . .
Bituminous coal .
Coke..
E le ctric ity _____
Gas_______
Petroleum and products.
M etals and metal products 2_
Agricultural machinery
and equipmentFarm machinery___
Iron and steel____
Motor vehicles
Passenger cars_____
Trucks____
Nonferrous m etals. _.
Plumbing and heating..
Building materials______
Brick and tile_____
Cement________
Lumber_______
Paint and paint mate­
rials___ __________
Prepared paint .
Paint m aterials.. .
Plumbing and heating..
Structural ste e l.. .
Other building mate­
rials_______ _____
Chemicals and allied prod­
ucts______________
Chemicals_________
Drug and pharma­
ceutical materials____
Fertilizer materials__
Mixed fertilizers__ .
Oils and fats . . . ..
Housefurnishing goods
Furnishings___
Furniture ____
Miscellaneous___________ .
Tires and tubes_______
Cattle feed . . _____
Paper and p u lp ... ___
Paperboard_______
Paper_____ ______
Wood pulp_______
Rubber, crude________
Other miscellaneous___
Soap and synthetic
detergents_______

162.3
150.4
186.3
206.6
150.1
146.4
160.6
152.7
142.8
130.3

«166. 2 «168. 8
154.1
154.9
«188. 5
193.3
« 209.4
212.6
«155.0 «156. 7
138. 7
126.9
162.4
161.3
149.2
145.5
146.1
145.6
« 145. 4
157.5

171.2
159.9
191.5
207.7
160.8
125. 2
163.8
145.9
145.1
167.3

170.5
163.8
189.0
202.4
160.0
124.4
162.9
147.2
145.3
158.1

171.5
162.6
195.0
209.5
158.6
116.1
162.9
154.8
146.5
151.7

168.3
157.2
187.2
201.1
158.9
112.5
161.5
159.8
146.7
152.3

172.5
167.7
194.7
209.9
159. 4
124.4
165.8
163.6
148.0
145.3

177.3
171.1
204.6
221.7
161.4
140.9
170.2
171.2
150.0
139.8

180.8
171.1
213.4
234.1
162.6
160.9
174.3
WO. 7
150.5
139.6

183.5
170.4
223.4
246.9
162.0
163.6
178.2
174.9
149.6
137.1

189.9
176.9
244.2
268. 8
159.6
148.1
186.9
179.9
153.3
139.4

191.5
179.2
250.0
273.3
158.7
139.9
189.8
185.1
154.0
140.5

140.1
151.8
137. 4
143.4
137. 5
97.3
112.9
127. 3
101.7
136.1

61.0
51.5
66.0
67.7
60.1
47.5
67.2
67.9
71.9
58.5

210.7
212.2
215.5
224.4
227.3
230.3
136.5
127.8
130.5
179.0 « 177. 8
178.8
183.8
183.8
184.1
194.5 « 184. 7
186.0
173.7
175.4
177.1
141.9 «142. 4
144.4
137.9 «138.1
139.2
144.8
144.8
145.6
169.5
167.8
169.7
98.5
99.6
98.5
39.6
39.6
39.6
49.2
49.2
49.2
152.6 «157. 6
159.7
180.9
178.8
177.7
129.7
129.9
129.9
135.9
135.4
134.2
188.8
188.9
188.6
222.0
222.4
222.0
68.9
( 3)
(3)
89.5
90.1
(3)
110.2
109.7
110.4
168.7 «168. 3 «167. 5

215.2
227.0
128.5
179.2
184.0
188.2
177.4
144.6
140.5
146.0
172.6
100.4
40.8
50.1
159.7
179.1
130.1
133.7
188.9
222.7
68.2
90.9
110.7
168.4

216.0
224.9
127.6
179.9
186.9
183.4
177.8
144.7
142.2
146.4
176.2
101.2
41.8
50.1
160.9
180.9
132.0
135.0
190.7
222.8
67.9
92.3
113.3
171.8

214.8
222.4
126.6
180.4
187.8
181.8
178.9
145.6
143.8
147.1
180.1
101.2
41.8
50.1
161.8
184.9
134.3
137.9
195.2
222.9
67.9
92.8
115.9
174.4

205.1
212. 5
127.5
182.3
187. 8
185.9
183.9
145.4
145.2
147.3
184.8
101.3
41.8
50.1
162.1
186.9
135.9
138.0
196.9
222.9
68.5
91.9
118.7
175.5

214.2
222.8
134.4
184.8
187.8
198.7
185.4
145. 4
146.1
147.7
186.9
102.5
41.8
50.1
161.6
189.0
137.1
137.7
196.5
220.5
67.7
88.1
121.3
175.6

220.8
230.8
140.9
185.3
188.0
197.2
186.5
148.6
146.7
148.8
189.2
103.7
41.8
46.4
159.6
190.0
137.2
136.4
195.4
219.0
67.7
91.1
122.0
173.8

227.4
240.0
149.4
186.2
188.1
206.0
183.8
148.6
147.4
149.1
191.2
104.0
41.8
46.4
159.6
190.5
137.6
136.4
195.1
219.0
67.3
92.6
122.8
173.3

239.8
255.0
150.4
185.5
189.7
202.0
180. 4
148.6
148.3
148.8
195.0
104.3
41.8
46.4
159.6
190.5
137.3
136.4
195.1
218.7
66.5
90.9
122.8
172.4

266.5
277.4
149.1
187.4
190.0
210. 5
181.9
148.6
149.3
148.6
199. 8
104. 5
41.8
46.4
158.9
189.3
136.9
136.5
195.1
217.5
66.3
90. 7
122.2
172.0

273.7
279.6
148.2
188.4
189. 4
212.1
186.0
148.6
150. 4
148.7
205.3
104. 7
41.6
46.4
158.4
186.6
136. 4
136.0
194.6
217.4
65.5
86.9
122.1
171.0

110.1
116. 6
98.1
122.4
129. 5
121.5
110. 7
115.2
109.2
120. 3
139.4
75. 8
30.2
(3)
112. 7
112.3
87.8
106.1
132.8
133.5
67.2
79.6
64.0
112. 2

73.7
78.1
60.3
92.7
100.8
77.2
84.0
97.1
67.8
81. 5
65. 5
61. 5
28.5
44.3
75. 5
63.7
72.6
72.1
96.0
104.2
75.8
86. 7
51.7
93.2

144.1
144.2
144.3
146.6
146.7
146.7
163.8
164.2
164.7
178.4 «178.4 « 177.1
187.0 «187.0 «185. 3
141.0
141.0
141.0
132.1
135.9
128. 8
154.7
154.7
154.7
188.2 «189. 0
191.4
161.4
161.5
160.8
133.6
133.6
134.3
277.4 « 277. 4 « 280. 7

144.3
146.7
165.1
175.0
182.4
142.0
138.2
154.8
193.9
160.8
134.3
285.2

144.3
146.7
106.2
175.8
183.3
142.1
156.4
154.9
196.5
160.8
134.3
290.6

144.2
146.7
168.3
175.2
182.5
142.4
168.4
155.3
200.0
162.4
134.3
294.7

144.2
146.7
169.1
175.8
183. 2
142.4
172.5
156.1
201.5
162.4
134.3
296.9

144.1
146.6
169.1
175. 8
183.2
142.4
172.5
156.9
202.3
162.5
134.1
299.5

144.0
146.5
165.4
175.7
183.3
142.0
172.5
157.3
202.2
160.5
133.4
305.9

143.6
146.1
165.0
175.3
183.2
140.3
171.4
157.3
203.1
160.4
133.6
311.2

142.5
144.9
164.5
175.3
183.2
140.3
167.0
157.3
203.7
160.1
133.6
315.4

140. 5
142. 7
164.0
175.0
182.9
140.2
166. 4
157.0
204.1
159.5
133.2
317.4

135. 5
137.6
163.2
174.1
181.9
139.7
165.9
153.9
203.8
159.2
133.0
319.9

104.5
104.9
110.1
135.5
142.8
104. 3
99.2
106.0
129.9
121.3
102.6
176.0

93.5
94. 7
95.1
92.5
95.6
77.4
74.6
79.3
89.6
90.5
91.3
90.1

143.8
138.5
152. 3
154.7
178.8

145.2
138.5
155. 3
154.7
178.8

153.6
151.3
159.0
154.7
178.8

157.4
151.3
167.1
154.8
178.8

157.9
151.3
168.1
154.9
178.8

162. 3
151.3
177.4
155.3
178.8

165.3
151.3
183.8
156.1
178.8

166.3
151.3
185.8
156.9
178.8

161.2
142.9
184.3
157.3
178.8

161.4
142.9
184.6
157.3
178.8

160.1
142.9
182.0
157.3
178.8

160.0
142.9
181.7
157.0
178.8

158.4
142.9
178.3
153.9
178.8

108.6
99.3
120.9
106.0
120.1

82.1
92.9
71.8
79.3
107.3

167.3

168.8

168.5

170.5

173.8

178.3

179.1

179.1

176.9

175.6

174.8

174.8

173.4

118.4

89.5

119.7
118.0

118.1
118.1

116.8
116.9

118.2
116.9

117.7
117.2

121.1
118.4

122.8
119.5

126.3
122.2

131.1
123.4

134.4
125.8

135.5
128.5

134.5
127.0

133.2
127.2

96.4
98.0

74.2
83.8

125.0
121.8
107.9
130.3
143.0
149.2
136.6
109.8
60.6
197.9
156.8
146.2
151.4
190.5
35.6
121.1

124.7
120. 7
108.3
118.5
«143.1
«149. 3
«136.9
110.2
60.6
204.7
156.8
146.4
151.5
190.5
35.1
221.5

124.3
117.5
108.3
116.9
145.1
150. 9
139.3
111.0
62.1
199.3
159.6
146.9
152.9
205.4
34.5
121.9

123.6
118.9
108.3
127.0
146.2
151.9
140.3
113.5
64.5
213.8
163.3
149.3
155.7
216.8
37.4
122.4

123.0
119.7
108.3
121.2
147.0
152.4
141.6
115.6
64.6
231.9
165.1
153.9
156.6
219.2
38.9
124.2

142.4
119.6
108.3
129.3
148.0
153.9
142.1
115.7
64.6
209.2
167.2
155.5
158.4
223.7
40.0
125.6

148.9
120.8
108.3
131.7
148.3
154. 2
142.3
115.3
64.7
190.4
168.0
157.6
158.4
227.3
38.8
126.4

150.4
120.8
108.7
146.1
148.1
153.4
142.8
117.3
65.5
212.0
168.3
159.0
158. 4
227.3
39.5
128.1

151.5
120.1
108.3
179.4
148.4
153.6
143.1
118.5
66.2
217.1
169.5
161.7
158.4
233.6
38.9
129.5

152.0
119. 5
107.9
195.1
148.2
153.6
142.8
119.2
66.2
217.9
169.9
162.2
158.4
236.0
40.4
130.5

152.7
117.2
107.9
194.5
147.5
152. 5
142.5
119.0
66.2
195.4
170.2
164.0
158.4
236.0
45.0
131.1

152.7
116.2
107.8
193.6
146.6
151.5
141.6
119.9
66.2
201. 7
170.9
165. 6
158.4
238.9
46.4
132.1

153.4
114.9
105.9
185.1
145.4
149.3
141.6
119.7
66.2 .
198.4
169.0
169.7
154.7
238.9
48.1
132.2

109.4
82.7
86.6
102.1
110.4
114.5
108.5
98.5
65.7
197.8
115. 6
115.6
107.3
154.1
46.2
101.0

77.1
65.5
73.1
40.6
85.6
90.0
81.1
73.3
59.5
68.4
80.0
66.2
83.9
69.6
34.9
81.3

126.3

128.5

131.3

131.3 [ 134.9

140.4

143.0

149.6

153.7

157.0

157.2

158.2

158.6

101.3

78.9

1 See footnote 1, table D -7.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

2 See footnote 2, table D -7.

* N ot available.

«Corrected.

«Revised.

MONTHLY LABOR

E: WORK STOPPAGES

482

E: Work Stoppages
T able

E -l: Work Stoppages Resulting From Labor-Management Disputes 1

M onth and year

Beginning
in month or
year

Man-days idle during month
or year

Workers involved in stoppages

Number of stoppages

Beginning
in month or
year

In effect dur­
ing month

In effect dur­
ing month

16.900.000
38,000,000
116,000,000
34,600, 000
34.100.000

0.27
.47
1.43
.41
.37

232.000
267.000
194.000
189.000
93,100

2 , 100,000

.26
.33
.27
.26
.09

110.000
120,000

800.000
650,000
3, 600,000
1.800.000
3.200.000
4, GOO, 000

1.130.000
3, 470,000
4,600, 000
2.170.000
1.960.000

1935-39 (average).
1945
____
1946
____
1947
____
1948
____

2,862
4, 750
4,985
3, 693
3, 419

1948: A ugust___
September.
October___
N ovem ber.
December..

355
299
256
216
144

603
553
468
388
283

143.000
158.000
110.000

1949: January 2__
February2. .
March 2____
A p ril2_____
M ay 2_____
J u n e2______
J u ly 2______
A u g u st2___

225
225
275
400
450
375
300
375

400
350
400
500
600
550
525
550

70.000
80.000
500.000
175.000
250.000
575.000
110, 000
150.000

1 All known work stoppages, arising out of labor-management disputes,
involving six or more workers and continuing as long as a full day or shift
are included in reports of the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Figures on “ work­
ers involved’’ and “man-days idle” cover all workers made idle for one or

111,000

40, 500

Percent of
estimated
working time

Number

2, 540,000
2,060,000
1.910.000
713.000

540.000
225.000
320.000
660.000
225.000
250.000

.11
.10
.46
.25
.45
.61
.31
.26

2 . 100.000
2, 000,000

more shifts in establishments directly involved in a stoppage. They do not
measure the indirect or secondary effects on other establishments or indus­
tries whose employees are made idle as a result of material or service shortages.
2 Preliminary estimates.

F: Building and Construction
T able

F -l: Expenditures for New Construction 1
[Value of work put in place]
Expenditures (in millions)

Type of construction
Sept.2 Aug.3 July 3 June
Total new construction 4.

M ay

Apr.

Mar.

Feb.

Jan.

Dec.

N ov.

Oct.

Sept.

1948

1947

Total

Total

$1,902 $1,893 $1,841 $1, 745 $1, 585 $1,378 $1,267 $1,172 $1,293 $1, 447 $1,646 $1,814 $1,901 $18, 775 $14,324

Private construction_____________ ______ 1,345 1,335 1,309 1,239 1,117
530
660
650
600
680
Residential building (nonfarm)...............
268
257
263
269
262
Nonresidential building (nonfarm)8____
72
82
76
70
71
Industrial_______ __________________
83
85
91
92
83
Commercial_______________ ________
24
24
23
22
24
Warehouses, office and loft buildings.
67
68
60
61
61
Stores, restaurants, and garages____
92
109
107
106
100
Other nonresidential building_______
26
28
31
31
30
R elig io u s............................................. .
19
21
22
22
20
Educational.................. .................... .
22
20
22
22
23
Social and recreational____________
14
17
15
18
20
Hospital and institutional6________
13
14
14
15
15
Remaining ty p e s 7__________ _____
65
75
60
50
40
Farm construction___________________
338
337
330
321
2Ö0
Public utilities.............................. ...............
34
36
37
36
36
Railroad........ .............................................
62
55
56
60
55
Telephone and telegraph........................
237
223
196
247
246
Other public utilities...............................
468
558
532
506
557
Public construction___________ ______ _
17
15
24
23
20
Residential building_____ ____________
Nonresidential building (other than m il­
144
141
152
148
155
itary or naval facilities)8._...............
74
72
70
75
71
Educational_______________________
36
45
43
40
39
Hospital and institutional-....................
34
35
35
35
36
All other nonresidential...__________
9
11
9
11
10
Military and naval facilities.....................
215
200
185
160
210
Highways____ _____ ________________ _
49
52
51
52
51
Sewer and water_____________________
9
9
9
8
9
Miscellaneous public service enterprises 9
74
75
67
76
76
Conservation and development_______
18
18
20
19
20
All other public 10__________ _________
1 Joint estimates of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, IT. S. Department of
Labor, and the Office of Domestic Commerce, IT. S. Department of Com­
merce. Estimated construction expenditures represent the monetary value
of the volume of work accomplished during the given period of tim e. These
figures should be differentiated from permit valuation data reported in the
tabulations for urban building authorized and the data on value of contract
awards reported in table F-2.
2 Preliminary. 3 Revised.
4 Includes major additions and alterations, except for private residential
building which covers new construction only.
8 Expenditures by privately owned public utilities for nonresidential build­
ing are included under “ Public utilities.”


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

1948

1949

997
445
251
89
76
23
53
86
24
19
19
12
12
30
271
31
60
180
381
14

951
420
262
96
79
25
54
87
24
20
19
11
13
18
251
27
57
167
316
10

905 1,002
475
400
285
271
104
110
82
78
27
29
53
51
93
89
25
26
22
21
19
20
11
10
15
13
12
10
224
230
25
27
45
46
158
153
267
291
8
8

134
68
34
32
8
100
46
9
56
14

122
64
31
27
9
68
42
8
45
12

108
60
27
21
7
52
39
5
39
9

110
60
28
22
7
68
41
6
40
11

1,129
547
305
114
93
31
62
98
27
24
21
10
16
13
264
33
56
175
318
7

1,256
615
325
116
106
32
74
103
28
25
23
10
17
22
294
36
60
198
390
7

1,355
670
327
116
110
32
78
101
27
25
23
10
16
39
319
39
61
219
459
7

110
61
27.
22
9
83
42
5
50
12

116
62
27
27
11
131
45
7
58
15

115
60
26.
29
11
186
47
10
66
17

1,427 14, 563
7,223
707
331
3, 578
116
1,397
119
1, 224
32
323
901
87
957
96
25
236
24
239
211
22
116
10
155
15
63
500
326
3, 262
379
38
713
61
2,170
227
4, 212
474
7
85

11,179
5,260
3,131
1,702
835
216
619
594
118
164
92
107
113
450
2,338
318
510
1,510
3,145
186

1,057
567
219
271
137
1,585
481
108
597
162

505
275
81
149
204
1,300
331
117
386
116

109
57
25
27
11
200
49
10
71
17

8 Includes Federal contributions toward construction of private non-profit
hospital facilities under the National Hospital Program, totaling $8 million
in first 9 months of 1949, distributed about as follows: First quarter $1 million,
second quarter $2 million, July $1 million, August and September $2 million
each.
7 Hotels and miscellaneous buildings not elsewhere classified.
8 Excludes expenditures to construct facilities used in atomic energy projects.
« Covers primarily publicly owned electric light and power systems and
local transit facilities.
10 Covers construction not elsewhere classified such as airports, naviga­
tional aids, monuments, etc.

REVIEW, OCTOBER 1949

483

F: BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION

T able F-2: Value of Contracts Awarded and Force-Account Work Started on Federally Financed

New Construction, by Type of Construction1
Value (in thousands)

Conservation and
development

Building
Nonresidential
Period

Total
new con­ Air­
struc­ ports 3
tion 2

Total

Resi­
den­
tial

Hospital and
institutional
Total

Edu­
ca­
tional 4
Total

1936________________
1939________________
1942________________
1946________________
1947________________
1948________________

Vet­
erans' Other

River,
har­
bor,
and
flood
control

$189, 710
225,423
217, 795
300,405
308, 029
494, 604

$73,797
115,612
150, 708
169, 253
77,095
147,921

$115,913
109,811
67,087
131.152
230,934
346,683

1,806
5, 349
2, 958
1,760
3,483

22,423
29, 091
37,166
35, 402
66, 901

4, 289
2,959
19,488
13,895
22, 558

18,154
26,132
17,678
21, 507
44,343

91, 310
65,905
55, 747
51, 672
74,085

1,786
3,617
5,926
5,078
2,758

24,784 3, 669
22,615 3,867
1,637 6,927
930 4, 544
13,607 5,857
10, 418 19, 279
1,980 8,074
891 1,875

14, 977
23, 966
84, 332
35, 541
88, 553
78, 249
21, 932
51,697

7, 596
3,079
22, 536
18, 778
61, 537
26, 563
6,822
12,218

7, 381
20,887
61,796
16, 763
27,016
51, 686
15,110
39, 479

34,465
28,961
41,619
52,057
83, 750
79, 390
75, 435
78,972

1,290
2,690
7,498
2,854
4, 599
8,607
2,032
2, 792

$1, 533,439 O
$561, 394 $63,465 $497,929 (8)
(8)
(8>
(8)
(8)
(«)
1, 586, 604 $4, 753 669, 222 231,071 438,151 (8)
(8)
(«)
(8)
(“)
(f)
7, 775,497 579,176 6,130, 389 549,472 5, 580, 917 (8)
(8)
(®)
(8)
(8)
(8>
1, 450, 252 14, 859 549, 656 435,453 114, 203 (8)
(8)
(8)
(8)
(8)
(«)
1, 294,069 24, 645 276, 514 51,186 225, 328 $47,692 $101,831 $96,123 $5, 708 $31,159 $44, 646
1, 690,182 49, 718 332, 793
8,328 324,465 1, 417 246, 242 168,015 78, 227 28, 797 48,009

1948: A ugust_______
September____
October_______
November ___
December_____

133,698
130,985
143, 856
107,157
165, 208

6, 580
8,259
3, 568
2,535
1,039

11, 599
24, 053
41, 449
12, 470
20, 425

120
66
785
2, 374
1,855

11,479
23, 987
40,664
10,096
18, 570

4
31
0
84
0

1949: J a n u a r y ...___
February_____
March_____ . .
April________
M ay__________
June__________
July 9_________
August 10-_........

87,542
94, 727
169,357
117,506
220, 963
264, 597
131,126
166, 507

(8)
(8)
(8)
(*)
(«)
(8)
(8)
(8)

36,810
39,110
35, 908
27, 054
44, 061
98, 351
31, 727
33,046

87
1,970
1,773
2,801
6,245
14,730
608
5

36, 723
37,140
34,135
24,253
37, 816
83, 621
31,119
33,041

148
635
0
0
17
0
0
140

1 Excludes projects classified as “secret” by the military, and all construc­
tion for the Atomic Energy Commission. Data for Federal-aid programs
cover amounts contributed by both the owner and the Federal Government.
Force-account work is done, not through a contractor, but directly by a gov­
ernment agency, using a separate work force to perform nonmaintenance
construction on the agency’s own properties.
2 Includes major additions and alterations.
3 Excludes hangars and other buildings which are included under “other
nonresidential” building construction.
4 Includes educational facilities under the Federal temporary re-use educa­
tional facilities program.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

872 7, 756
8, 628
15, 933 13, 273 2, 660
34,475 6,481 27, 994
436 6, 972
7,408
95 13,471
13,566
8 , 122
359
10,023 5, 468
25, 571 9,410
18, 779
575
750
18,335
53,924 14, 648
21,065
123
30,135 25,182

7, 763
4, 555
16,161
18, 204
17,585
39, 276
20, 942
4, 953

1,041
2,674
3,231
844
1, 521

High­
ways

All
other •

Rec­
lama­
tion

AdminTotal
istra- Other
non­
tion
resi­
and
gen­ dential
eral 5

$511,685 $270,650
355, 701 331, 505
347,988 500,149
535, 784 49, 548
657,087 27, 794
769,089 43,978

3 Includes post offices, armories, offices, and customhouses. Includes
contract awards for construction at United Nations Headquarters at New
York City as follows: September 1948, $497,000; January 1949, $23,810,000.
«Includes electrification projects, water-supply and sewage-disposal sys­
tems, forestry projects, railroad construction, and other types of projects not
elsewhere classified.
7 Included in “All other.”
3 Unavailable.
9 Revised,
m Preliminary.

484

MONTHLY LABOR

F: BUILD IF G AND CONSTRUCTION

T able F-3: Urban Building Authorized, by Principal Class of Construction and by Type of Building1
Number of new dwelling units—House­
keeping only

Valuation (in thousands)
N ew residential building
Period

Housekeeping
Total all
classes 2

1942_________________
1946_________________
1947_________________
1948_________________

Privately financed

Publicly Nonfinanced housePrivately financed dwelling units
dwell­
keeping
ing 3
units
M ulti­
Total
1-family 2-fam­ family
4
ily 3

$2,707, 573 $598, 570 $478,658
4,743, 414 2,114,833 1,830, 260
5, 561, 754 2,892,003 2,362,600
6,961,820 3,431,664 2, 747,206

$42, 629
103,042
156, 757
184,141

N ew non­
resi­
dential
building

Addi­
tions,
altera­
tions,
and
repairs

$77, 283 $296,933 $22, 910 $1, 510,688 $278,472
181, 531 355, 587 43,369 1, 458,602 771,023
372,646
35,177 29,831 1, 712,817 891, 926
500,317 136,459 38,034 2,354,314 1,001,349

2-fam­
ily 3

Pub­
licly fi­
Multi- nanced
fam­
ily 4

Total

1-fam­
ily

184,892
430,195
503,094
517,112

138,908
358,151
393, 720
392, 779

15, 747
24,326
34,105
36,650

30, 237
47, 718
75,269
87,683

95,946
98,310
5,100
14, 760

1948: July___________
August _______
September______
October—........ .
November_____
December______

658,309
653, 520
592,984
590,922
477, 462
432,979

324, 595
349, 753
268,806
258, 238
215,081
168,483

264, 596
264, 725
228,003
217,735
178,348
135,189

15,928
13,489
14,157
11,834
9,143
10,043

44,071
71, 539
26,646
28,669
27, 590
23, 251

11, 739
9, 215
17, 295
13, 779
23,913
29, 712

3,167
3,186
3,163
2,728
1,490
1,940

222,990
197,059
218,121
235,891
167,666
166,872

95,818
94,307
85,599
80, 286
69, 312
65,972

47, 515
46,993
39,466
38,465
32, 584
25, 549

36,666
35,913
31, 750
31.189
25,642
19,225

2,974
2,332
2,837
2,393
1, 729
1,995

7,875
8,748
4,879
4,883
5,213
4,329

1, 260
958
1, 750
1, 541
2,205
3, 277

1949: January________
February_______
March_________
April__________
M ay___________
June 3__________
July 3__________

409,729
387,181
586,940
635, 111
665,644
748,046
583,118

143,359
153, 593
272,325
322,063
359,364
356,816
305,303

111,019
118,452
222,811
254, 245
254, 546
256, 544
231,301

9,607
6,507
11,915
13, 782
13,446
10, 547
8,699

22, 733
28,634
37, 59S
54,036
91,372
89, 725
65,303

32,910
23,439
39,602
24,021
30,497
28, 782
22,342

1,120
1,626
2,529
6,397
3,084
3,850
3,937

171,911
147, 725
192,648
199,181
186,151
259, 474
168,829

60,429
60, 798
79,836
83,440
86, 548
99,124
82, 707

23,411
24,839
42, 229
50,800
54,199
55,331
48,182

16,730
18,331
32,905
37, 538
36, 563
36,947
34,287

1,919
1,345
2,381
2,862
2,580
2,131
1,763

4,762
5,163
6,943
10,40C
15,056
16,253
12,132

3,660
2,480
4,162
2,738
3,110
3,373
2,791

1 Building for which building permits were issued and Federal contracts
awarded in all urban places, including an estimate of building undertaken
in some smaller urban places that do not issue permits.
The data cover federally and nonfederally financed building construction
combined. Estimates of non-Federal (private and State and local govern­
ment) urban building construction are based primarily on building-permit
reports received from places containing about 85 percent of the urban popula­
tion of the country: estimates of federally financed projects are compiled from
notifications of construction contracts awarded, which are obtained from other
Federal agencies. D ata from building permits are not adjusted to allow for
lapsed permits or for lag between permit issuance and the start of construc­
tion. Thus, the estimates do not represent construction actually started
during the month.


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

Urban, as defined by the Bureau of the Census, covers all incorporated
places of 2,500 population or more in 1940, and, by special rule, a small num ­
ber of unincorporated civil divisions.
2 Covers additions, alterations, and repairs, as well as new residential and
nonresidential building.
3 Includes units in 1-family and 2-family structures with stores.
4 Includes units in multifamily structures w ith stores.
3 Covers hotels, dormitories, tourist cabins, and other nonhousekeeping
residential buildings.
6 Revised.
i Preliminary.

REVIEW, OCTOBER 1949

T able F-4:

F: BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION

485

New Nonresidential Building Authorized in All Urban Places,1 by General Type and by
Geographic Division 2
Valuation (in thousands)

Geographicdivisionand
type of new nonresi­
dential building

1949
July 3

June 4

M ay

Apr.

1948
Mar.

Feb.

Jan.

Dec.

N ov.

All types.......................... $168, 828 $259, 474 $186,151 $199,181 $192, 648 $147, 725 $171, 911 $166, 872 $167, 666
N ew E ngland-.........
6, 613 13,859
8,485 15, 672
8,026
6,229
4,607
8,092
8,288
M iddle Atlantic___
27,422 35, 246 26,378 28, 400 26.848 16, 777 47, 775 28,386 29, 254
East North Central. 37, 512 55, 772 38,941 37, 251 46,191 21,264 40, 516 34, 823 32,256
West North Central. 16, 501 19, 736 12, 255 17,178 18, 663
8,535 10, 812 11,345 11,624
South Atlantic.........
19, 536 28,257 31, 298 26,965 22, 220 39,158 17,961 16,589 18, 709
East South Central.
7,736 16,128
8, 897
9,621 10, 231
8,048
5,394
9,890
5,197
West South Central. 22,616 33,808 14,088 19,910 20, 537 21, 203 17, 869 17, 726 26,047
M ountain.................
6,512 17, 729
7,360
6,647
7,042
3, 510
4,840
4, 751
3, 310
Pacific____________
24,381 38,938 38,450 37,537 32, 890 23,001 22,135 35, 270 32, 979
Industrial buildings *__
15, 641 16, 473 14,358 19,829 15,836 16,855 26,085 19,964 20,387
N ew England_____
350
367
623
972
1,019
858
378
1,445
1,483
Middle Atlantic___
5,646
2,281
2,410
4, 416
3, 478
3,862
4,128
5,083
7,347
East North Central.
3,826
6,959
4,889
5,009
4,012
4,568 16,013
7,600
4,393
West North Central.
780
1,995
1,122
2,063
1,112
1, 746
860
996
882
South Atlantic..........
715
910
1, 241
2,475
2,088
2,682
1,173
1, 454
2,010
East South Central.
775
612
570
1,664
644
600
826
843
458
West South Central645
533
703
560
537
557
751
244
786
M ountain..... ............
142
329
994
493
439
197
551
380
69
Pacific._____ ______
2,764
2,489
1,806
2,177
2,506
1,785
1, 405
1, 919
2,959
Commercial buildings «. 57,008 65, 896 65,862 64, 539 61, 786 57, 527 55,268 53, 528 66,917
N ew England_____
2,137
3,195
2,956
3,878
2.848
3,817
2,282
2,692
3, 918
M iddle Atlantic___
7,679
8,333
9,315 14,109
8,068
6,699 14, 861
6,933 13,072
East North Central. 11, 229 13,037 12,616 11, 625 13,340
8,205 10, 330 11,498 11, 907
West North Central5,139
4,541
4,240
4,802
4, 955
3,437
1, 456
3,381
3,666
South Atlantic.........
5,844 12,883 10,092
8, 447
8,528
8,965
7,343
8,125
9,261
East South Central.
2,833
3,268
3,207
4,949
4,333
2,129
2,002
2,674
3,191
West South Central . 11,153
9,705
5, 594
6,777
6,424
9,888
5,354
6,804 10,684
M ountain................ .
1,467
2,436
2,688
1, 827
2,829
1,936
2,632
1,414
1, 523
Pacific_______ ____
9,529
8,798 14, 853
8,124 10, 461 12,451
9,007 10,007
9,695
Community buildings f. 72, 507 138, 831 68, 573 71, 780 89, 276 34, 679 49,152 72,192 56,
648
N ew England_____
3,129
8,203
3,445
3.171
3,077
487
1.505
1,651
1, 741
Middle Atlantic___
10, 293 19. 215 10, 360
7,427 12, 506
3,717
3,314 14,051
7,
279
East North Central. 18,033 30, 333 14, 273 13, 376 23, 532
5,323 11,145 13,035 11,143
West North Central8, 715 11, 976
4,649
8,274
5, 531
2,900
6,590
5,139
5,405
South Atlantic____
8,783 12,159
8,007
9.172 10, 261
3,493
5,605
4, 476
5,326
East South Central3,828
6,748
4,488
2,688
4,517
2,247
1,610
5,483
1, 215
West South Central8, 850 18, 617
6,706 10, 766 12,042
9,902 10,099
8,873 11, 577
M ountain.................
4,015 14, 205
2,351
3, 768
2,446
1, 245
1.505
1,809
805
Pacific____________
6,860 17, 374 14, 296 13.138 15, 364
5,365
7,779 17, 675 12,157
Public buildings3_____
4,285 12,643 13, 277 11,046
6,654 22, 843 28,096
5,274
1,882
N ew England_____
212
702
55
431
340
138
20
300
9
M iddle Atlantic___
991
587
575
453
145
457 24,010
201
140
East North Central.
381
211
1,149
111
17
50
184
158
136
West North Central519
283
55
74
4,317
0
459
1,054
251
South Atlantic____
1, 418
803 10, 712
2,103
194 22,028
1,159
1,234
431
East South Central.
28
5,120
0
0
268
0
32
721
80
West South Central65
1,731
42
75
0
8
674
364
211
M ountain..................
121
55
39
82
276
3
44
803
260
Pacific____________
954
2,746
649
7,716
1,097
158
1,514
439
364
Public works and utility
buildings 8._ ..................
8,508 13,928 10,635 20,304
7,963 10, 540
8, 571
9,398 11,853
N ew England...........
129
778
790
6,459
131
729
145
1,584
371
Middle Atlantic___
1, 986
2,743
2,127
274
1,093
1, 225
605
1,178
262
East North Central.
1,309
1, 813
1,158
3, 714
2,726
2, 420
2,157
1,339
2,148
West North Central442
208
569
745
234
953
1,202
223
620
South Atlantic____
1,039
799
645
3,889
535
1,383
2,265
787
893
East South Central.
0
20
402
24
98
2,875
763
3
36
West South Central1,234
2,431
257
1,021
769
383
596
1,044
2,240
M ountain_________
243
177
838
40
494
0
131
5
148
Pacific____________
2,128
4,960
3, 850
4,138
1,164
1, 292
833
3,109
5,135
All other buildings >«___ 10,879 11, 704 13,446 11, 684 11,134
5,282
4,739
6,516
9,977
N ew E ngland..........
657
613
616
761
610
200
277
420
766
Middle Atlantic___
1,232
1,683
1,591
1, 721
1, 559
817
858
940
1,154
East North Central2,733
3,420
4,857
3, 416
2,565
699
688
1,193
2,529
West North Central.
907
1,035
1,319
1, 221
1,796
218
245
552
800
South Atlantic_____
1,737
703
601
879
614
607
416
513
788
East South Central.
271
360
230
296
370
196
161
166
217
W est South Central.
670
793
787
710
764
467
395
397
549
Mountain..................
525
526
450
437
558
129
102
214
505
P acific.......................
2,146
2,571
2,996
2,244
2,298
1,948
1,597
2,121
2,669
1 Building for which permits were issued and Federal contracts awarded
m all urban places, including an estimate of building undertaken in some
smaller urban places that do not issue permits. Sums of components do not
always equal totals exactly because of rounding.
2 For scope and source of urban estimates, see table F-3, footnote 1.
3 Preliminary.
4 Revised.
. 5 Includes factories, navy yards, army ordinance plants, bakeries, ice plants,
industrial warehouses, and other buildings at the site of these and similar
production plants.


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

Oct.

Sept.

Aug.

July

1948

1947

Total

Total

$235,891 $218,121 $197,059 $222,99C $2,354,3D $1, 712, 817
12, 737
9,577 10, 533 15,723
43,850 30, 241 33,027 30, 777
54, 209 55,258 49, 368 58,209
22,623 14,832 17,026 12.173
26, 463 24,372 18, 773 35,759
15, 399 10, 613
9,905
6.779
16, 476 25, 526 15,019 27,156
5,697 18, 289
8, 776
7.779
38, 436 29, 415 34,630 28,634
33, 631 21,120 27,043 24,351
2,569
914
546
3,526
4,955
3,035
7,220
5,119
8,137
9,423
9,511
9,217
822
756
1,957
713
6,972
1,262
1,670
1,180
1,506
507
1,023
452
1,431
980
1,799
1,836
413
367
119
65
6,826
3,876
3,198
2,243
84, 905 94,015 79, 596 92,101
2, 453
5,689
4, 718
5.780
15,100 10, 970 12, 987 13, 221
23, 614 20, 923 15, 725 17.174
10, 263
9,391
7,128
6,575
8,789 10,954 10, 426 13, 501
3, 016
3,502
3,864
3,202
8,342 17, 793
7,076 12,324
2,640
2,183
4, 965
4,192
10, 688 12,610 12, 707 16,132
88,646 68, 575 60, 377 71,048
5,822
1, 580
4,137
3,827
20,166 11, 588
9,185
8,658
16, 675 11, 429 13, 394 21, 795
7,798
3,050
3, 521
2,736
8,523
8,003
5,538 11,420
9,110
4,811
3,665
2, 636
3,531
4,735
4, 617 10,736
2,113 14,174
2,788
2,825
14, 908
9,205 13, 532
6,415
4,452
6,699
5,155
5,734
453
166
54
100
640
1, 756
498
337
15
15
3,385
3,700
25
45
138
96
633
1, 441
47
914
961
1,280
45
0
121
782
260
286
37
877
73
68
1, 567
337
654
234

147, 633
392,34S
506,43E
172,407
266, 635
102, 763
271,383
82, 603
412,106
299,371
19,840
65,934
100.034
16,058
27, 776
9,054
15,863
2,769
42,043
925, 954
55,468
132,703
177, 322
72,809
121, 571
39, 391
126,054
35, 275
165.361
778,045
47,004
153,109
149,667
53, 460
78.034
38, 392
102,937
34,081
121.361
71, 953
5,901
8,681
11,173
4,815
7,661
8,936
6,112
3,605
15,069

109, 977
272,626
371,948
132,163
200,053
73,009
193, 221
58,162
301, 658
322, 230
26,098
58,139
118, 667
19,890
20,549
13, 426
17, 519
2,852
45,090
686, 282
32,853
91, 206
118,839
57,240
106, 788
34, 680
91,548
26,855
126, 273
406, 920
25,759
80,190
62, 542
34,639
40,172
16, 913
65, 309
18, 366
63,030
41, 049
3,418
4, 712
8,372
1,696
6,285
830
4,579
2,416
8,741

11,953
456
1,423
2, 274
2,327
779
534
2,241
66
1, 853
12,303
984
1, 566
3, 494
1, 388
767
272
810
428
2,594

150,020
11, 439
16, 656
35,809
13, 574
22, 204
3,751
12,811
2,055
31, 721
128, 970
7,981
15, 265
32, 430
11, 691
9,389
3,239
7,606
4,818
36, 551

143,824
15,085
24, 968
35,972
8, 737
19,046
4,154
7,647
3, 520
24, 695
112, 512
6,764
13,412
27, 556
9,961
7, 213
3,006
6,618
4,153
33, 829

15, 425
273
1,280
9,801
325
1,946
270
579
139
812
12, 289
955
1,612
3, 667
1, 265
766
243
657
549
2,575

11,872
291
1,587
3,584
3,103
388
865
413
334
1,307
13,014
741
1, 550
3,769
1,179
704
488
854
497
3,232

17, 846
1,736
1, 923
3, 279
882
7,845
193
1,494
209
285
11,909
800
1, 519
3,044
1,171
899
251
480
420
3, 325

6.Includes amusement and recreation buildings, stores and other mercantile
buildings, commercial garages, gasoline and service stations, etc.
... Includes churches, hospitals, and other institutional buildings, schools,
libraries, etc.
3 Includes Federal, State, county, and municipal buildings, such as post
offices, courthouses, city halls, fire and police stations, jails, prisons, arsenals,
armories, army barracks, etc.
8
Includes railroad, bus and airport buildings, roundhouses, radio stations,
gas and electric plants, public comfort stations, etc.
13 Includes private garages, sheds, stables and barns, and other buildings
not elsewhere classified.

F: BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION

486

T able F-5* Number and Construction Cost of New Permanent Nonfarm Dwelling Units Started, by

Urban or Rural Location, and by Source of Funds1
Number of new dwelling emits started
Publicly financed

Privately financed

All units

Estimated construction cost
(in thousands)3

Period
Total
nonfarm

Urban

Rural
nonfarm

Total
nonfarm

Urban

Rural
nonfarm

Total
non­
farm

Urban

0
0
64,800
3.000

1925 3.
1933 *.
1941 «.
1944 «.
1946..
1947..
1948-

937.000
93,000
706,100
141,800
670, 500
849.000
931,300

752,000
45,000
434,300
96,200
403,700
479,800
524,600

185,000
48,000
271.800
45,060
266.800
369, 200
406, 700

937,000
93,000
619, 500
138, 700
662, 500
845,600
913, 500

752,030
45,000
369,500
93, 200
395, 700
476,400
510,000

185.000
48,000
250.000
45, 500
266,800
369, 200
403, 500

0
0
86,600
3,100
8,000

8.000

3,400
17,800

3,400
14,600

1947: First quarter.. .
January___
February—
M arch........
Second quarter.
April-------M ay............
June..........
Third quarter..
July--------August----September.
Fourth quarter.
October___
N ovember.
December..

138,100
39.300
42.800
56.000
217,200
67.100
72,900
77,200
261, 200
81.100
86.300
93.800
232, 500
94.000
79,700
58.800

81,000
24.200
25.000
31,800
119,100
37,600
39.300
42.200
142, 200
44, 500
47, 400
50.300
137, 500
53, 200
48.000
36.300

57.100
15.100
17.800
24, 200
98.100
29,500
33,630
35.000
119,000
36,600
38,900
43, 500
95.000
40.800
31,700
22, 500

137.000
38,200
42,800
56.000
217.000
67.100
72.900
77.000
260, 700
81.100
86,100
93, 500
230,900
93, 500
78.900
58, 500

79,900
23,100
25.000
31,800
118.900
37,600
39,300
42.000
141, 700
44, 500
47.200
50.000
135.900
52,700
47.200
36.000

57.100
15.100
17.800
24, 200
98.100
29, 500
33.600
35.000
119,000
36.600
38,900
43, 500
95.000
40.800
31,700
22, 500

1,100
1,100
0
0

1,100

1948: First quarter...
January___
February. ..
March____
Second quarter.
April_____
M ay______
June______
Third quarter..
July---------August___
September.
Fourth quarter.
October___
N ovember.
December..

180,000
53, 500
50,100
76.400
297,600
99, 500
100,300
97,800
263,800
95,000
86,600
82, 200
189,900
73.400
63,600
52,900

102,900
30,800
29.000
43,100
166,100
55.000
56,700
54,400
144,100
52.000
47,600
44, 200
111, 500
41,300
38.000
32, 200

77.100
22, 700
33,300
131,500
44, 500
43.600
43, 400
119,700
42.700
39.000
38.000
78,400
32,100
25.600
20.700

177,700
52, 500
48.900
76.300
293,900
98.100
99, 200
96,600
259,300
93, 700
85.100
80, 500
182,600
71.900
61.300
49,400

100,800
29.800
28,000
43.000
164,600
54.600
56,100
53.900
140,100
51.000
46.600
42, 500
104, 500
39.800
35.800
28.900

76.900
22, 700
20.900
33,300
129,300
43, 500
43.100
42,700
119, 200
42, 700
38, 500
38.000
78.100
32.100
25, 500

1949: First quarter...
January__
February..
March___
Second quarter
April...........
M ay 8____
June 9........ .
Third quarter.
July 9.........

169,800
50,000
50.400
69.400
283, 700
88,300
95.400

94,200
29, 500
28,000
36,700

75,600
20, 500
22, 400
32,700

84,100
25.800
25,500
32.800

75.300
20, 500
22.300
32, 500

49, 500
53,900

38,800
41, 500

46, 700
50,600

38,300
40,700

21.100

100,000

( 10)

( 10)

159,400
46.300
47.800
65.300
272,100
85,000
91.300
95.800

96,000

( 10)

( 10)

93,100

i The estimates shown here do not include temporary units, conversions,
dormitory accommodations, trailers, or military barracks. They do include
prefabricated housing units.
. .
These estimates are based on building-permit records, which, beginning
with 1945, have been adjusted for lapsed permits and for lag between permit
issuance and start of construction. They are based also on reports of Federal
construction contract awards and beginning in 1946, on field surveys in nonpermit-issuing places. The data in this table refer to nonfarm dwelling units
started, and not to urban dwelling units authorized, as shown in table F-3.
All of these estimates contain some error. For example, if the estimate of
nonfarm starts is 50,000, the chances are about 19 out of 20 that an actual
enumeration would produce a figure between 4S,000 and 52,000.


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

20.000

0
0

0
0

500
0

200

300
1,600
500
800
300

2.300
1,000

2,100

1,200
100

3, 700
1,400
1,100
1,200

4, 500
1.300
1, 500
1,700
7.300
1,500
2.300
3, 500

( 10)

( 10)

10,400
3,700
2,600
4.100
11,600
3,300
4.100
4,200

( 10)

(! 0)

2,900

7.671
7.671
O'
0

808,263
223,577
244,425
340,261
1,361,677
418,451
452,236
490,990
1, 774,150
539,333
589,470
645,347
1,698,708
678,687
584,731
435,290

800, 592
215,906
244,425
340,261
1,360,477
418,451
452,236
489, 790
1, 770,475
539,333
587, 742
643,400
1,685,881
675,197
578,324
432,060

0
0
1,200
3,675
0
1,728
1,947
12,827
3,490
6,407
2,930

200

1,315,050
383, 563
368,915
562, 572
2, 286, 758
748,848
769,093
768,817
2,111,278
750,843
719,080
641,355
1,486,075
573,888
498,040
414,147

1,296,612
374,984
359,420
562, 208
2, 252,961
736,186
758,635
758,140
2,065, 770
738,659
703,066
624,045
1,413,637
560,347
471,336
381,954

18.438
8, 579
9,495
364
33,797
12,662'
10,458
10,677
45, 508
12,184
16,014
17,310
72.438
13, 541
26,704
32,193

1,189,640
340,973
357, 270
491,397
2,033, 588
637,170
692,063
704,355

96,195
32,967
25,414
37,814
107, 507
29,213
40, 541
37, 753

685,919

23,652

500
0

300
1,600
500
800
300

1,000
1,000
100

1,500
400
600
500
4.000
1.300
1.000
1,700
7,000
1, 500
2,200

3.300

0

200

0
2,200

1,000
500
700
500
(0
500

0

300
0

100
200

( 10)

( 10)

1,285,835
373,940
382,684
529, 211
2,141,095
666,383
732,604
742,108

( 10)

( 10)

709, 571

10,100

3,700
2,500
3,900
2,800
3,300

Publicly
financed

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

200

200

Privately
financed

0‘
0
$295,130
11,823
55,991
25,373
170,181

0
0
200

Total

0 $4,475,000 $4,475,000
285,446
285,446
0
21,800 2,825,895 2,530,765
483,231
495,054
100
0 3, 769,767 3, 713, 776
0 5,642,798 5,617,425
3,200 7,199,161 7,028,980

1,100

200

200

Rural
non­
farm

300
0
100
200

500
800

1,200

3 Private construction costs are based on permit valuation, adjusted for
understatement of costs shown on permit applications. Public construction
costs are based on contract values or estimated construction costs for in­
dividual projects.
3 Housing peak year.
4 Depression, low year.
_
. . .
8 Recovery peak year prior to wartime limitations.
6 Last full year under wartime control.
7 less than 50 units.
8 Revised.
9 Preliminary.
i» N ot available.

U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1949