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PIECEWQRJ{: I
EARNINGS, HOURS, AND
PRODUCTION
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
FRANCES PERKINS, Secretary
WOMEN'S BUREAU
MARY ANDERSON, Director
+
PIECEWORK IN THE SILK-DRESS
INDUSTRY
EARNINGS, HOURS, AND
PRODUCTION
By
ETHEL L. BEST
BuLLETIN oF THE WoMEN's BuREAu, No.
141
UNITED STATES
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
WASHINGTON : 1936
For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, Washington, D. C. - - - - - - - - - - Price 10 cent•
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CONTENTS
Page
Letter of transmittaL _ _ _ ____________________ ____________ __ __________
Introduction ___ __________ __ ____ ________ __________ __________________ _
Scope and m ethod_____ __ _____ _____ _____ _________________________
v
SuN~~b~~=~~~:!:::====================
=======================
Hours__ _____________ _________ ____________
___ __________ __ __
7
1
3
~
Operators___ _______________ __ ________________________ ______
7
Earnings____ _____________________ ________________ _____ _
7
Production__ __ ____ _______ ________________________ ___ ___
7
Piece prices_ _ _ _ ________________________________________
8
Contract shops in New York City___ __________ ___________ _
9
Pressers ______ __________ ____ __ ·_________________________ _____
9
Earnings- -~ -- - --- ---------- - ----------------- - ------- - 9
Production ________________ _____ ______ _________ _________
9
Piece prices _ _ _ _ ___ ____________________ ___________ ______ 10
Finishers __________ ~----- - ------------------------ - --------- 10
ez!!~;~~~~~============================ ====== ============
~~:~er of
Operators _______________________ __ ______________________ _______ ____
Earnings ________________ _______________________________________
Dresses wholesaling at $3. 75 and less_____ __________ ____ ________
Average weekly earnings _____________ _____ ___________ __ __
Average hourly earnings _ _ _ ___ __________ ________ _________
Dresses wholesaling at over $3.75 ____________________________ _
Average weekly earnings ____ _______ __ __ __ ________________
Average hourly earnings __ __·____ ____________________ __ ___
NewYorkCitY-- - - ------ -- ---------------------------r----Weekly production of operators___ ___________________________ ___ __
Production of operators on dresses wholesaling at $3. 75 and less ___
Comparative production after the change, by locality_ _______
Production before and after the change __ _____ _·____ __ __ ____
Comparative production of operators employed in the same
firm in both periods and of all other operators____ _____ ___
Production of operators making dresses wholesaling at over $3.75 __
Comparative production after the change, by locality ______ __
Production before and after the change __ _____ __ __ __.:. __ ____
Comparative production of operators employed in the same
firm in both periods and of all other operators_____ __ _____
Special production records_ ___ ______ __________________________
Piece prices of operators___ __________________ __ ________ __ __ _____ _
Dresses wholesaling at $3.75 and less ____________________ _____ _
Dresses wholesaling at over $3. 75 _ _ _ __________________________
New York City______ ___ __ ___________ __________ ________ _
Operators in contract shops ____ ______ __ ________________________ - _
Pressers _______________________ ____ __ ___ ____________ ___ ____ __ ____ .. __
Earnings _____________________ ____ ___ ____________________ _______
Dresses wholesaling at $3.75 and Jess ____ __ ____________ ____ ___ _
Average weekly earnings ______________ ______ _____ __ ____ - Average hourly earnings ____________ _______ __ ___ __ ___ - - - Dresses wholesaling at over $3.75_ ____ _____ _____ ___ ___ __ __ ____
Average weekly earnings ________ __ ___ ___ ___________ ____ _Average hourly earnings _______ ____ ___ ___ - ___________ ____
III
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IV
CONTENTS
Pressers-Continued.
Page
Weekly production of pressers_________ ___ ________ __________ ______ 48
· Average weekly production______________ _____________________ 48
Dresses wholesaling at $3.75 and less_ _________________________ 48
Dresses wholesaling at over $3.75 _____________________________ 49
Piece prices of pressers_ _ _ _ _ _ _________________ ______________ _____ 50
Dresses wholesaling at $3.75 and less______ ____________________ 50
Dresses wholesaling at over $3. 75_ _ _ _____ ___ __________________ 50
Finishers ___________________________________________________________ 52
Earnings _______________________________________________________ 52
Dresses wholesaling at $3.75 and less__ ________________________ 52
Average weekly earnings_________________________________ 52
Average hourly earnings_ _ _ ___________ ______ _____________ 53
Dresses wholesaling at over $3.75___ __________________________ 54
Average weekly earnings______ ___________________________ 54
Average hourly earnings_ _ ____________ __ ___________ ______ 56
Appendixes:
A. General tables _______________________________________________ 61
B. Schedule forms_____ _______________________ ____________________ 67
TEXT TABLES
1. Number of firms and number of employees, by center-after agreement__
2. Average weekly earnings of operators before and after the agreement in
contract and in inside shops, by wholesale-price group-New York City_
11
41
APPENDIX TABLES
I. Average weekly earnings of operators before and after the union agreement and the code-6 centers _________________________________ _ 61
IL Average weekly earnings of operators on dresses wholesaling at over
$3. 75 before and after the union agreement and code-Cleveland, Los
Angeles, and St. Paul and Minneapolis _________________________ _ 62
III. Average hourly earnings of operators before and after the union agreement and the code-6 centers _________________________________ _ 63
IV. Average hourly earnings of operators on dresses wholesaling at over
$3.75 before and after the union agreement and code-Cleveland,
Los Angeles, and St. Paul and Minneapolis _____________________ _ 66
ILLUSTRATIONS
A workroom in the ladies' dress industry____ ___________________ Frontispiece
Making the garment_ __________________________________________ Facing 10
Finishing the garment _________________________________________ Facing 10
Pressing the garment _________________ _________________________ Facing 11
Examining the finished garment _________________________________ Facing 11
CHARTS
1. Percent distribution of average weekly earnings of operators making
dresses to wholesale at $3. 75 and less before and after the agreement
in 6 localities_ _____ _____________________________________ ______
2. Percent distribution of average hourly earnings of operators making
dresses to wholesale at $3.75 and less before and after the agreement
in 6 localities____ __ ______ ______ ______________ _________________
3. Percent distribution of average weekly earnings of operators making
dresses to wholesale at over $3. 75 before and after the agreement in
9 localities_ _ __________________________________ ______________ _
4. Percent distribution of average hourly earnings of operators making
dresses to wholesale at over $3. 75 before and after the agreement in
9 localities__ _________ ___ ____________________ _________________
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LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR,
WOMEN'S BUREAU,
Washington, April 23, 1936.
MADAM: I have the honor to transmit a report dealing with earnings, piece prices, and production of pieceworkers in the silk-dress
industry.
The object of the study was to ascertain the effect of a minimum
weekly wage on pieceworkers, together with production variations
under uniform hours in various dress centers.
The survey was conducted and the report written by Ethel L.
Best, industrial supervisor. Arcadia N. Phillips, statistician, supervised the statistical work.
Respectfully submitted.
MARY ANDERSON, Director.
Hon. FRANCES PERKINS,
Secretary of Labor.
V
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A WORKROOM IN THE LADIES ' DRESS INDUSTRY .
(Furnished through the courtesy of the Joint Board of the Dressmak ers' Union.)
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PIECEWORK IN THE SILK-DRESS INDUSTRY:
EARNINGS, HOURS, AND PRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
The garment industry is a fairly recent development of the machine
age. Just as the making of cloth was transferred from the home to
the factory with the invention of steam-operated machinery, which
made possible the use of the spinning jenny and the power-driven
loom, so the invention of the power-driven sewing machine transformed the making up of cloth into garments-formerly a home industry, with the dress made by hand or by a foot-powered machineinto a factory industry.
·
•
The dress mdustry, which is a division of the garment industry and
the one to which this present study is confined, is only about 30 years
old, one of the youngest industries of the country. The code for this
industry inc]uded the manufacture of women's, misses', and children's
dresses but did not include what are commonly known as house dresses
or cotton wash dresses. There are no figures either in the inquiry as
to occupations in the decennial census of population or in ,the biennial
census of manufactures that give a picture of the importance of the
manufacture of women's dresses in the United States. Some indication of its importance, however, is the fact that in 1929 the value of
women's, misses', and children's dresses and ensembles was well over
one-half the total value of women's clothing and that the group as a
whole was the thirteenth largest industry in point of number of wage
earners, ranking eighth in value of products. 1
Figures furnished by the International Ladies Garment Workers
and manufacturers' associations and quoted in N. R. A.'s Work Materials Bulletin No. 44 give the number of dress concerns in metropolitan New York in 1935 as 3,300, with over 100,000 of the wage
earners in this area.
The reasons given for the predominance of the New York City area
over the rest of the country are as follows: It is the leading style center; there is an adequate supply of skilled labor; transportation facilities are of the best; adequate financing is available; and the fabric
market is nearby. In addition to these is the fact that the volume
being so much greater in New York than in other cities allows faster
production, which in turn reduces the cost of overhead. Of all dresses
sold throughout the country practically 80 percent are made and sold
in New York City, leaving only a little over one-fifth for distribution
by the rest of the country.
In New York has developed, more than in any other part of the
country, the system of production known as the jobber-contractor
system, by which jobbers and wholesalers who sell direct]y to retailers
1
U.S. Bureau of the Census. Fifteenth Census, 1930: Manufactures. 1929, vol. II, p. 378.
1
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PIECEWORK IN THE SILK-DRESS INDUSTRY
and decide on designs and styles contract with shops for the actual
making of the dresses. It is estimated that about 80 percent of the
dresses manufactured in New York City are produced under this
system.
The jobber usually furnishes to the contractor or submanufacturer
the materials, trimmings, and so forth, along with the styles to be followed. For low-priced dresses most jobbers employ cutters on their
own premises to cut out the garments before they are sent to the
contractor for making up.
The factories of many of the contractors are in and around New
York City and in the nearby States of New Jersey, Connecticut, and
Pennsylvania, where material can be trucked easily to the plant and
the finished garments returned to the jobber. The contractor is paid
so much a garment for the making, and out of the amount received
must come the wages of his workers, overhead costs, and his own
profits. Naturally, when prices of the garments are set too low,
wages suffer and profits disappear. To prevent this exploitation of
the worker and the contractor by the jobber, there was special provision in the union agreement and later in the code specifying the
same wage minimum in the contract shops as in those of the manufacturer producing his own garment, with an added amount for overhead.
In the dress industry as in many others the development in transportation facilities during the past 20 years has changed the character
and the competing area. Work can be shipped by truck to a neighboring town or village and returned in little more time than from
another shop in the same city. Factories in widely separated areas
compete in the same markets, and though New York City, as has
been stated, is the principal manufacturing center, Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Cleveland, Chicago, St. Louis, Los Angeles, and San
Francisco produce the identical or similar models and frequently sell
to the same retail establishments. Shops making dresses that wholesale up to $12.75 are found in most of the centers outside of New
York, but the more expensive dresses, with the exception of those
that are custom made, are confined very largely to New York City.
The dress-manufacturing industry is far more dependent on the
experience and skill of the workers than are most large producing
industries. There are no automatic machines that cut, make, or
press dresses. Therefore, on the character of the labor in a given area
depends the success or failure of the industry in that locality. New
York City, the oldest and largest center, naturally has the most
skilled workers. Many of these workers were recruited in the early
days from Russia and Italy, having plied their respective crafts in
· their own countries. Their descendents have been brought up in the
industry. An experienced operator will have her "helper", possibly
her daughter, who will assist her and at the same time learn the trade;
or the helper may have learned to run a power machine in her home
before coming to the factory. A head presser may have several assistants that he trains and for whom he is responsible, and these are
paid from his wages. Though this system is not so generally practiced now as formerly, the results are still apparent in the large number of skilled workers in New York City.
In other parts of the country there is complaint of the lack of experienced workers and of the cost of training. In the far West
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INTRODUCTION
Mexican workers are entering the industry, and in the eastern cities
Cubans, Portuguese, Spaniards, and Greeks are replacing the older
immigrants. It is claimed by the industry that workers of this new
tY.pe are slower to learn and require a longer time to attain a responsible degree of efficiency; but until more is known of their previous
experience and the methods used in teaching them, it would seem
impossible to make a fair comparison.
SCOPE AND METHOD
When the Dress Manufacturing Code was approved in the fall of
1933, and later when amendments were added, certain labor provisions were included. These provisions were the same in many centers as had been established previously by the union agreement,
for the most part in late August 1933. They included a 35-hourworkweek; a mirnmum rate for the hourly earnings of operators, pressers,
and finishers (the groups considered m this report) according to locality; and the total nonemployment of minors under 16 years of age,
and of persons under 18 years on hazardous work. Certain difficulties arose in the application of these standards, more especially where
wages were concerned. To some extent the code made the wholesale
price of the dress the basis for rate fixing, more experience and skill
being required to make the higher-priced garments. It allowed somewhat lower hourly minima for the employees making the low-priced
dresses of $3. 75 and less than for those making dresses to wholesale
at over $3.75.
The minimum hourly rate for operators in New York City on lowpriced dresses was 75 cents, and on dresses above $3.75 it was 90 cents.
Minimum rates for other centers were based on those for New York,
except that a specific rate was set for low-priced garments in the
Eastern Area. 2
In Philadelphia and Boston the minimum hourly rate for operators
on dresses of $3.75 and less was set at 90 percent of that in New York;
in the Eastern Area it was fixed at 63 cents, which is 84 percent of
New York's minimum rate; in Chicago and Cleveland, at 85 percent
of New York's rate; and in St. Paul and Minneapolis, St. Louis, and
Los Angeles, at 70 percent.
The same relation to New York rates was fixed in the rates for
operators on the higher-priced dresses, except that the Eastern Area
was allowed 90 percent of the rate set for New York.
For pressers in New York City the code minimum was 85 cents an
hour for the less expensive dresses and $1 for those higher priced.
The differentials for other centers were the same as those already
quoted for operators, except that in the Eastern Area, on the lowerpriced dresses, 70 cents (only 82.4 percent of the New York minimum)
was allowed.
For finishers in New York City the code minimum for dresses
wholesaling at $3.75 and less was 57 cents an hour; for the higherpriced garments it was 65 cents an hour. The same differentials as for
operators and pressers were allowed the other centers, except that
finishers on low-priced dresses in the Eastern Area were to be paid
not less than 50 cents an hour, which was 87.7 percent of New York
City's rate.
21ncludes towns and cities near New York City, whether in New York State, in New Jersey,
Connecticut.
74320°-36--2
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in
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PIECEWORK IN THE SILK-DRESS INDUSTRY
In order that comparisons between different cities should be based
on garments of the same wholesale price, no shops were included in
the present study where the major product wholesaled at more than
$12.75. However, in most cities the factories in the wholesale-price
groups of over $3.75 and up to $12.75 were so few that it was impossible to make a comparison between cities except by combining them
in a single group, over $3.75 and including $12.75. So, with the one
exception of New York City, where groups can be further subdivided,
the facts and figures in the following report are shown for only two
groups, dresses wholesaling at $3.75 and less, and dresses wholesaling
at over $3.75 and including $12.75.
Information was secured in nine centers-New York City, the
Eastern Area (including the suburbs of New York, New Jersey, and
Connecticut), Boston, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Chicago, St. Louis,
St. Paul and Minneapolis, and Los Angeles-on the manufacture of
dresses wholesaling at $12.75 and less. Shops were selected for study
whose principal product was silk and rayon dresses. In a few plants
cotton dresses were made during seasons of the year when work on
silk dresses was slack, but records of these firms were taken for only
the silk season.
Pay-roll records were obtained, including week's earnings and hours
worked whenever available, for a 4-week period in the spring of 1933
before the union agreement or the code had been established, and for
a 4-week period-for the most part in the fall or winter-after the
new hour and wage provisions of the agreement had become effective.
Only those plants were included that had operated the full schedule
of hours during the period taken or that had kept a record of actual
hours worked.
Production records for individual workers usually were obtained
from books kept by the workers themselves. In most plants each
worker paid by the piece kept a book with a record of output and the
piece price of each garment. In some cases, but not many, records
taken from slips or tickets turned in by the workers were kept in
books of the firm. When this was the practice, the tickets were
destroyed after payment had been accepted, so, unless production as
well as earnings was entered, figures on output were not available.
Piece prices paid during the period taken were reported by the
management. Where possible these were checked with the records
kept by the worker.
There are several principal operations in the manufacturing of silk
dresses. Some are performed almost exclusively by men, others by
women, while in still others both men and women are employed.
When the pay is on a piece basis there is no difference in the rate
whether the operation is performed by men or by women.
The cutting of the dress is nearly always done by men and usually
is paid on a time basis. It requires skill and experience to cut the
cloth to the best advantage and not waste the material, and the loss
from spoiled materials if mistakes were made would more than
offset a possible increase in the rate of production if the work were
paid on a piece basis.
As a rule, the operator or maker in the silk-dress industry makes the
entire garment. OccasionaJly a factory will be found operating
under the sectional method; that is, where the work on each dress is
divided, one operator sewing up the seams, another making the
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INTRODUCTION
5
sleeves, another inserting them, and still another doing the work on
the neck. In other words, the dress is divided into sections and each
operator works on only one part. This method is the general practice
in the making of cotton dresses but it is rarely found in the silk-dress
industry, and no factory operating under this method was included
in the present study.
Among the reasons why the entire garment in the silk industry is
made by a single operator or worker is the wide variety of styles, with
frequently only a few dresses in each lot, so that to set a piece price
on each section of the garment would be both laborious and expensive.
Further, when imperfections are found in a dress made by a single
worker there can be no dispute as to the one responsible.
To make a dress requires skill and experience, and to become a
skilled operator requires about 2 years' training. The operator must
be able to take a model and follow it accurately and quickly; she
must know how to make the different parts of a dress and handle
various materials-silk, wool, rayon, and chiffons. She may be
called on to bargain with the management concerning the proper
piece price of a new model, and to do so she must be able to determine
by looking at the dress the approximate time it will take to make it.
Naturally there is much chance for error in this method of setting
the piece price on a new model. If it is set too low, the workers will
lose money before it can be adjusted; if it is set too high, the manufacturer will lose money or will find the garment priced too high to sell.
An effort has been made by the International Ladies Garment Workers' Union to arrive at a more scientific method of setting rates than
by bargaining. They hired an engineer to work out, together with the
union, a system whereby the average time to make the principal
parts of a dress might be determined, additional time being allowed
for extras and for more fancy work. The piece price could then be
fixed with some degree of accuracy for the principal parts and bargaining be limited to a much narrower range. How far this newer and
more scientific setting of rates can be introduced depends on educational work, as many employers and employees cling to the old way of
price setting, finding it hard to change to a new and untried method.
Pressing the finished garment is usually done by men, though in a
few shops Negro woinen are employed. The work requires considerable strength, is hot, and involves continuous standing. A good
presser must be careful and quick, and usually an experience of at
least 6 months is required.
The finishing of the dress is done by women; and they, like the
operators and pressers, are usually paid on a piecework basis, the
price depending on the amount of work on the dress rather than the
price of the garment. Generally, however, a cheaper dress will have
fewer snaps, bows, or buckles to be sewed on than a more expensive
and elaborate garment, and therefore the finishers will earn less.
Not so much skill is required in this work as in making the dress, but
speed is essential in order that a finisher shall make a fair week's
pay. This requires practice; so in finishing, as in the work that
requires more skill, the new worker is at a disadvantage. Before
the dress is sent out it is carefully inspected to see that the work has
been properly done and that the dress is in good condition. The
importance of this work depends to a considerable extent on the price
of the garment. In the more expensive lines the examining is much
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PIECEWORK IN THE SILK-DRESS INDUSTRY
more carefully done, as the need for perfect work is greater than in
the less expensive dresses. Frequently the work of finishing is paid
for on a time basis to prevent undue haste and careless inspection.
Other occupations, such as cleaning, hemming, tucking, and sample
making, were found to be paid on a time basis, and in all but the large
shops workers usually were employed on more than one occupation.
Finishers (when paid by time worked) often did the cleaning and
inspecting, and machine operators often did the hemming and
tucking.
The movement for organization of the workers has been strong,
though conditions in the industry such as the contract system have
made unionization difficult and have had their effects on the number
of workers organized from year to year. Nevertheless, the advantages of the union to the workers in this industry have been marked,
the most recent example being the agreement effected in the late
summer of 1933 as to wages and hours, which later was incorporated
in the dress code.
When a change is made in the method of work, in the hours, or in
the rate of pay, the worker usually judges such change by the amount
in the envelope at the end of the week. The living conditions for the
worker and his family are dependent to a large extent on his earnings,
and it follows natural1y that any change that increases earnings is
apt to be regarded favorably and any that involves a decrease,
unfavorably. Some years ago the Women's Bureau made a study
of a shortening of hours in a certain factory with special reference
to the workers' reaction to the change. In the great majority of
cases the change to shorter hours was regarded unfavorably because,
hourly rates remaining the same, earnings were less under the shorter
hours. In another plant, where hours were also shortened but where
the hourly rates were increased, the reaction to the change was
largely favorable. In the silk-dress industry the change effected
through the union agreement and the code was so generalJy favorable
to the workers, through shorter hours and higher rates of pay, that
to ask how they viewed the change would have been superfluous.
In all the centers included in this study the earnings for pieceworkers
were higher after the change than before regardless of the shorter
workweek. It must be remembered that the earnings in both periods
were taken in busy seasons and are not indicative of other weeks
throughout the year. In the dress industry the volume of work
varies markedly m different months of the year, and in many establishments it was impossible to find more than a few weeks in the
spring and in the fall when full time was worked and there was
enough volume to keep the workers busy. The wo:rk performed by
the pieceworkers differs considerably, both in kind and in personnel,
so that operators, finishers, and pressers will be discussed separately
in this report.
SUMMARY OF SURVEY
Numbers.
Three hundred and five establishments, employing 2,671 men and
10,957 women, were included in the study. The proportion of
women was highest in the Eastern Area (environs of New York City)
and lowest in Philadelphia. Between the two periods, that previous
to the minimum-wage and maximum-hour provisions and that after,
numbers increased in seven centers and decreased in two.
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INTRODUCTION
Hours.
- Weekly hours before their limitation through union agreement and
the code were 48 hours and over in not far from two-fifths of the shops.
These hours were worked by 6,000 workers, or 45 percent of all
employees. A long-hour week was most frequently found in the
Eastern Area. A short-hour week was most common in Boston and
Cleveland. After the introduction of the 35-hour week, the decrease
in hours ranged from 5 in some establishments to 29 in others.
OPERATORS
Earnings.
Dresses wholesaling at $3 .7 5 and less
After the change, the highest median weekly earnings ($27 .60) were
found in New York, the lowest ($15.50) in Boston. The median
weekly earnings for the other centers after the change were:
St. Louis ___ _________________________ ____ $19. 15
fhiladelphia _____________________________ 19. 15
Eastern Area ______________ _______________ 19. 10
Chicago ____ _______ _________ _______ ______ 18. 20
The increase in weekly earnings after the change was greatest in
Philadelphia and least in Boston.
Median hourly earnings showed much greater increases than did
weekly earnings. All but one city, Boston, had increases in hourly
earnings of over 130 percent.
Dresses wholesaling at over $3. 75
The highest median of weekly earnings ($34.75) after the introduction of minimum-wage and maximum-hour provisions was in New
York.
The lowest ($17 .85) was in Los Angeles. The median weekly
earnings for the other centers after the change were:
Philadelphia __ ___________________________ $28. 65
Cleveland _______________________________ 27. 35
Eastern Area ___________________ ____ _____ 22. 75
Chicago ____ _________________ ____________ 21. 75
Boston _____ _____________________________ 19. 70
St. Louis ______________ __________________ 18. 50
St. Paul and Minneapolis - - -------------~- 18. 20
The percent increase in the median of the weekly earnings after the
change was greatest in Cleveland and least in Boston.
Median hourly earnings after the change more than doubled in six
of the nine centers and increased over 150 percent in Cleveland and
in the Eastern Area.
Production.
Dresses wholesaling at $3. 75 and less
The highest production after the change _in hours and rates was in
New York City, with a weekly average output of 68 dresses per
operator.
•·
.
A comparison of production before and after the change to a 35-hour
weekly standard shows an increase in all centers but Chicago in the
proportion of operators in the middle group, that is, those m·a king
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PIECEWORK IN THE SILK-DRESS INDUSTRY
40 and less than 80 dresses a week. Accompanying this increased
concentration was a decrease in all centers in the proportion producing
80 or more dresses, and an increase in those producing less than 40.
Dresses wholesaling at $4.75 to $8.75
The highest production after the change wa,s in New York City,
with an average weekly output for operators of 50 dresses a week.
The lowest production was in Los Angeles, with a weekly average for
operators of 21 dresses.
Dresses wholesaling at $10.75 to $12.75
The highest production after the change was in New York City,
with a weekly average output of 35 dresses per operator. The lowest
production was in St. Paul and Minneapolis, with a weekly average
per operator of 18 dresses. The average output per operator was
similar in the following centers:
Dresses
Philadelphia_ _______________________________ 22
Cleveland __ __ ____ __________________ ______ __ 20
Boston ____________ ___________ ___ _____ ______ 19
Chicago __________ ______________________ ____ 19
St. Louis_ __________________________________ 19
Los Angeles _ _ __________ ____________________ 19
St. Paul and Minneapolis ___ ________ ____ ___ __ 18
Dresses wholesaling at over $3 .75
For the entire group making higher-priced dresses a comparison of
production before and after the change to a 35-hour-week standard
shows an increase in the proportion of workers producing from 20 to
40 dresses a week in five centers and a decrease in three.
In the high-production group of 40 dresses or more the proportion
decreased in all the centers after the change. In the low-production
group of less than 20 dresses, four centers showed decreases and four
centers increases after the change to 35 hours.
Piece prices.
Dresses wholesaling at $3. 75 and less
Before ·the setting of a minimum-wage standard all the 111 shops
reporting but 2 in the Eastern Area and 5 in St. Paul and Minneapolis
had some piece prices for making a dress below 30 cents.
After the setting of a minimum-wage standard only 23 shops of the
111 reported any minimum piece prices set below 30 cents.
The maximum piece price set before the minimum-wage scale was
introduced was 40 cents and over in 15 of the 111 shops.
After the minimum wage, 76 of the 111 shops had maximum piece
prices of at least 40 cents.
Dresses wholesaling at over $3.75
Before the setting of a minimum-wage standard, of 200 shops 77
reported minimum piece prices of less than 40 cents. After the
setting of a minimum-wage standard only 10 of 200 shops reported
minim-µm :piece price~ Qf le~~ th.t1iu 4;0 oe:uts.
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INTRODUCTION
9
Previous to the setting of a minimum-wage standard, maximum
piece prices of 75 cents or over were reported by 72 of 200 shops.
After the setting of a minimum wage, maximum piece prices of
75 cents and over were reported by 161 of the 200 shops.
Contract shops in New York City.
On the same priced garments earnings of operators were lower in
contract than in inside shops. After the change in hours and rates
there was less difference between these earnings than previous to
the change.
The difference between median earnings in inside and contract shops
even after the change was $4.35 for operators on dresses wholesaling
at $3.75 and less and $6.50 and $4.65, respectively, for those on dresses
in the two higher-priced divisions.
Before the change, the difference in medians for workers in inside
and contract shops was from $5. 70 for those on dresses wholesaling
at $3.75 and less to $10.80 for those on dresses wholesaling at $4.75
and $5.75.
PRESSERS
Earnings.
Dresses wholesaling at $3. 75 and less
After the change in hours and the establishment of a minimum
wage, New York and the Eastern Area, the only two centers reporting,
showed a weekly median for pressers of $38.75 and $23.55, respectively.
The increase in the median weekly earnings after the change was
over twice as great for the Eastern Area as for New York City.
Percent increase New York _____ _____________ 29. 2
Percent increase Eastern Area___________ ____ 68. 2
The median hourly earnings after the change were $1.08 in New
York City and 75 cents in the Eastern Area.
Median hourly earnings increased more than three-fifths in New
York City and almost trebled in the Eastern Area.
Dresses wholesaling at over $3. 75
The highest median weekly earnings after the introduction of the
minimum wage and uniform 35-hour week were in New York, $47.75,
and the lowest in Los Angeles, $24.65. The increase in median earnings in the later over the earlier period was greatest in the Eastern
Area, 69.6 percent, and least in Boston, 21.1 percent.
Median hourly earnings in a 35-hour week were highest in ew
York City, $1.40, and lowest in Los Angeles, 81.9 cents.
The increases in hourly earnings after the change were from 45
percent in Boston to 138.9 percent in the Eastern Area.
Production.
Dresses wholesaling at $3. 75 and less
With a standard 35-hour week one-half of the pressers in New York
and one-third of those in the Eastern Area produced 400 dresses or
over a week.
Before the standardized week was introduced, two-fifths of the
New York pressers averaged 600 dresses and more a week; in the
Eastern Area 17.4 percent averaged so many.
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10
PIECEWORK IN THE SILK-DRESS INDUSTRY
Dresses wholesaling at over $3.75
Of the four centers for which figures were obtained, production on
the 35-hour week was highest in New York and lowest in Chicago.
The proportion of pressers whose average production before the
change was less than 150 dresses was low in New York, 8.1 percent,
and high in Chicago, 72.3 percent.
After the change 48.3 percent of pressers in New York averaged 250
dresses and over and in Chicago none averaged so many a week.
In the Eastern Area and Philadelphia, the two other centers reporting, the proportion of pressers in the high production group also
decreased after the change.
Piece prices.
Dresses wholesaling at $3. 7 5 and less
Before the introduction of a minimum-wage standard only 5 of 88
shops reported any maximum piece price of as much as 10 cents a
garment.
After the setting of such a standard a maximum piece price of at
least 10 cents a garment was reported in 42 shops and in 28 it was the
minimum also.
Dresses wholesaling at over $3. 75
During the period before the change the maximum piece price for
pressing a garment was below 20 cents in 95 of the 185 shops.
After the change a maximum of less than 20 cents a garment was
found in only 38 shops, and in Boston, Cleveland, and Chicago there
were no shops showing such a low maximum price.
FINISHERS
Earnings.
Dresses wholesaling at $3. 75 and less
After the change to shorter hours and a minimum wage the median
weekly earnings of finishers increased from $11.35 to $16.30 in New
York and from $6.55 to $13.90 in the Eastern Area.
Median hourly earnings increased from 23.8 cents to 50.8 cents in
New York and from 13.7 to 42.8 in the Eastern Area.
Dresses wholesaling at over $3. 7 5
Of the six centers reporting, the highest median after th'e increase in
rates was found in New York ($19.25) and the lowest in Los Angeles
($14.15).
The Eastern Area, Boston, and Philadelphia showed similar
median .earnings.
The increase in median weekly earnings after the change was
greatest in the Eastern Area and least in New York.
The highest median of hourly earnings after the change was found
in New York City, 58 cents an hour. The next highest, 53.8 cents,
was in Chicago. The other four centers, Eastern Area, Boston,
Philadelphia, and Los Angeles, had similar median hourly earnings
with a range of from 44.6 cents to 47.6 cents.
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MAKING THE GARMENT.
(Furnished through the courtesy of t he Joint Board of the Dressmakers' Union.)
FINISHING THE GARMENT.
(Furnished through the courtesy of the Joint Board of the Dressmakers' Union.)
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
PRESSING THE GARMENT.
(Furnished through t he courtesy of the Joint Board of t he Dressmakers' Union.)
EXAMINING THE FINISHED GARMENT.
(Furnished through the courtesy of the Joint Board of the D ressmakers'
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
nion.)
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES
The dress industry is a large employer of women. In the presentation of facts compiled in the code the text states that in New York
City 60 percent and outside of New York City 95 percent of the workers were females. This difference in the proportion of women is
much larger than that shown in the Women's Bureau study.
In the 305 factories located in the nine centers from which records
were obtained, women formed 80.4 percent of the total number of
employees; 84 percent if New York City be excluded. In this city
only 67.6 percent of. the employees were women.
TABLE
1.-Number of firms and number of employees, by center-after agreement
Number of employees
Center
Firms
Total
Men
Women
TotaL _________________ ' ___________ _
305
13,628
2,671
New York City _________ __ _______________ _
Eastern Area 1 ___________________________ _
Boston ___________________________________ _
Philadelphia _____________________________ _
Chicago ________________________________ __ _
Cleveland ______________ _________________ _
St.
LosLouis_-------------------------------Angeles _________ _____________________ _
St. Paul and Minneapolis ________________ _
84
86
25
24
33
11
16
19
7
3,042
4, 972
694
1, 345
1, 322
372
710
899
272
983
433
141
463
274
104
127
131
15
1
Percent
women
form of
total
10,957
80. 4
2,059
4,539 .
553
882
1,048
268
583
768
257
67. 7
91. 3
79. 7
65. 6
79. 3
72. 0
82. 1
85. 4
94. 5
Outside New York City.
Philadelphia had the smallest proportion of women, St. Paul and
Minneapolis had the largest, while the greatest difference in proportion among four cities, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, and St. Louis,
was only six points.
According .to the Bureau of Labor Statistics index of employment in
the women's clothing industry, the spring is a busier period than the
fall. In spite of this fact, in the present study there was a slight
increase in employment (4.9 percent) in the fall or winter compared
to the spring.
The greatest increase in employment, 13.8 percent, occurred in
Cleveland. In two cities, Los Angeles and Chicago, employment
decreased, in the latter very slightly, less than 1 percent, but in the
former as much as 14.1 percent.
Number of employees
Center
Before
agreement
After
agreement
Percent
increase
TotaL ____ ____________________________________________ _
12,989
13,628
4. 9
New York
City---------------------- ----------------------Eastern
Area
______________________________________
__________ _
Boston ___________________________________________ ___________ _
Philadelphia __ _____ _________________________________________ _
Chicago _____________________________________________________ _
Cleveland ___________________________________________________ _
St. Louis ____________________________________________________ _
Los Angeles ___ ______________________________________________ _
St. P aul and Minneapolis _____________ ________ ______________ _
2,839
4,585
647
1,276
1,330
327
683
1,046
256
3,042
4,972
694
1,345
1, 322
372
710
899
272
7. 2
8. 4
7. 3
5. 4
1. 6
13. 8
4. 0
14. 1
6. 3
1
I
Decrease.
74320°-36-3
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11
PIECEWORK IN THE SILK-DRESS INDUSTRY
According to the union agreement and the code a lower minimum
wage was established for operators, pressers, and finishers on dresses
wholesaling at $3.75 or less than for those wholesaling at above
$3.75. After the agreement the great majority of workers making
the cheaper grade of dresses were found in the area around New
York City, and, to a lesser extent, in New York City. Nearly twothirds of the workers on dresses wholesaling at $3.75 and less were
reported for the Eastern Area (towns near New York City in New
Jersey, Connecticut, and New York) and when New York City is
added to these, well over four-fifths, 83.1 percent, were in these two
centers. In three centers, Los Angeles, Cleveland, and St. Paul and
Minneapolis, no records could be obtained from establishments making the lower-priced garments, either because full time had not been
worked in the two periods or because payment was not on a piecework basis.
New York City had the largest proportion of workers, 25.7 percent,
making dresses wholesaling for over $3 .75 . The number, however,
working on these higher-priced garments was less concentrated in
New York City and vicinity than was the case with the lower-priced
dresses, and Philadelphia, Chicago, and Los Angeles were all centers
of considerable importance.
N umber of employees , after change, making dresses wholesaling at-
TotaL _____ __________ _________
$8.75 and
l ess
~989
New York City____ __ _______ ____ __ ___
823
East ern Area _____ ...:___ ________ ______ _ 3, 322
119
Boston ___ ____________ _____ ___ ___ ___
Philadelphia_________ ____ __ __________
278
240
Chicago______ _________ _______ ____ ___
Cleveland __ _______ __ ____ ______ ____ __ __ ____ _
St. Louis___ _________ ____ ____ ___ __ ___
207
Los Angeles ____________ ____ __ __ ___________ _
St. Paul and Minneapolis __ _____________ ___ __
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Over
$8.75
~
639
2, 219
1,650
575
1,067
1,082
372
503
899
272
HOURS
In a comparison of weekly hours worked before with those worked
after the limitation set in the union agreement or in the code, 1 two
facts must be remembered, that records were taken from the busiest
seasons in both periods and that in the early period, before the limitation of weekly hours, the actual week worked may have been longer
in some cases, due to overtime, and in others slightly shorter than was
scheduled. It must be remembered that the dress industry is a
highly seasonal one and that the numbers employed, the earnings, and
the hours worked as shown in this survey are not representative of all
seasons of the year. For example, in one city half the shops closed
down from 11 to 13 weeks during the year- the smallest number of
weeks closed was 7 and the largest 20. It was estimated by those in
the industry that the average number of weeks worked in New York
City was 32.
There has always been considerable difficulty in obtaining accurate
records of hours worked by pieceworkers. In 1913 a study was made
by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the dress and waist industry in
New York City. This report states that, "In the case of pieceworkers,
there being no regular weekly rates and no record being kept at the
factories of the hours they are at work, total earnings during the week,
including overtime, had necessarily to be taken." 2 In the records
taken after the change, usually it was possible to obtain the number
of hours worked by the pieceworkers, but in the early period before
the change comparatively few firms kept such records. In the present
study the hours worked by the timeworkers were taken in a few plants
where records of actual hours for pieceworkers were not kept, as indicative of the hours of such workers, and in other plants statements of
the management had to be the source of information.
In the period before the change scheduled weekly hours in not far
froni two-fifths (38 percent) of the plants visited were 48 or over.
Nearly 6,000 workers, 45 percent of the employees, were working these
hours. In one plant a schedule of 64 hours a week was reported and
- in no shop were weekly hours as short as 35, the standard maximum
hours later set by the agreement or the code.
Previous to the change there was considerable variation in the
length of the weekly schedule in the different dress centers. Larger
proportions of firms in the Eastern Area, Los Angeles, New York
City, Philadelphia, and Chicago than in the other centers reported
long weekly hours. From 64 percent of those in the Eastern Area to
27 percent of those in Chicago had schedules at least 48 hours in length.
The shortest hours were reported in Cleveland and in Boston, the
former reporting no establishment with more than 4 7, and the latter
none with more than 45 hours.
t Some of the second pay-roll dates are for periods following the union agreement but before t he code
became effective. Therefore, to avoid the use of "union agreement or the code", hereafter the comparison
w ill be referred t o as before and after "the change. "
2 U . S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Wages and Regularity of Employment and Standardization
of Piece Rat~~ j~ tb~ Dres~~nd Waist Industry, New York City. Bui. 146, 1914, p. 40.
13
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14
PIECEWORK IN THE SILK-DRESS INDUSTRY
Number of firms 'fhose hours before the change
wereCenter
40, less
than 44
Total
TotaL _______ ___ _-- -- -- -- ---- -- -- -- ------ -- -- -- -New York City _________________ ___ ____ ______________ _
Eastern Area _____ _________ ___________________________ _
Boston ___ ___________ ___ ______________________________ _
Philadelphia _______________________________ __________ _
Chicago
__ ____________________
___ ------------------______________
__ -- - - __ - -- ---__________
-- ----- ---_
Cleveland
St. Louis _________ ----- -- -- - --- __ -- - ___ -- - -- -- - --- - --- Los Angeles __ _______________ _______________ __________ _
St. Paul and Minneapolis __ __________________________ _
305
44, less
than 48
42
12
84
86
1
17
25
24 -----------2
33
11
7
16
1
2
19
7 ----------- -
148
48 and
over
115
40
32
30
55
8 -- -- -- -----16
8
22
9
4 -- -- ---- -- -13
2
9
8
6
1
The gain to the workers in leisure time, and probably in lessened
fatigue, by the shorter hours was felt without doubt throughout the
entire industry. In the plants included in the present study the
approximate shorterµng of scheduled working time was5 and less than 9 hours for 10. 7 percent of the workers.
9 and less than 13 hours for 44.3 percent of the workers.
13 hours and over for 45.1 percent of the workers.
For the workers with weekly hours of 48 and over, during the busy
season before the change, hours decreased after the change, also a
busy time, as much as 13 a week.
These decidedly shorter weekly hours could not fail to affect earnings and production, and when these factors are discussed the change
in hours will be considered further.
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OPERATORS
The operators, or makers of the dresses, compose much the largest
group of workers in the industry. In fact, one-half of all the employees in the plants visited were operators. The workers make the
entire garment. It comes to them from the cutter, and they sew the
seams, make the sleeves and put them in the dress, finish the neck,
and complete the dress except for the final touches added by the
finisher.
EARNINGS
For a comparison of their earnings in the various localities and in
the two different pay-roll periods, before and after the union agreement or the code enactment, they may be divided into two groups,
those employed on dresses whose wholesale price is $3. 75 and under
and those whose wholesale price is over $3.75. The minimum wage
set for the cheaper dresses was lower than that for the higher priced
in all the centers included in the study, and, although operators on the
lower-priced garments might make as much as those on the higherpriced, nevertheless the earnings of the operators as a group were
usually greater on dresses wholesaling at over $3.75.
DRESSES WHOLESALING AT $3.75 AND LESS
By the union agreement and in the code provisions there were
set different minimum wages for various sections of the country, and
' these differences are to some extent reflected in the earnings reported
in the centers included in this study. The minimum wage set for
New York City was the highest, that for Boston and Philadelphia
next, followed by Chicago and Cleveland, then the Eastern Area,
while Los Angeles, St. Louis, and St. Paul and Minneapolis had the
lowest of any centers for which records were obtained.
Average weekly earnings.
The average earnings of 2,558 operators making dresses selling at
$3. 75 and less showed before the change to shorter hours and higher
rates a range of median earnings from $10.45 in Philadelphia to
$15.75 in New York City. After the change to shorter weekly hours
and higher piece prices, the highest median ($27.60) was again found
among the New York City operators and the lowest ($15.50) in Boston
and not Philadelphia, as was the case previous to the change. It
must be remembered that these increases in actual weekly earnings
were accompanied by a decrease in actual hours worked.
Medians of the weekly earnings of operators
Before change
After change
Center
Number
New York City ___ ______ __ ______ __ ________ ___________ __
Eastern Area ______________ ____ ____ __ __ ___ __ __________ _
Boston _____________ __ _____ ___ _____ ________ _____ ____ __ _
Philadelphia _______________ _____ _______ ____ ________ ___ _
_______ ___ _---- ----------___________
-- ----- --------Chicago
_______
__ ___ __--__
St.
Louis_____________________
400
1,686
77
147
152
96
Median
$15. 75
11. 90
13. 05
10.45
10. 75
11.00
Number
Median
443
1,847
89
147
165
$27. 60
19.10
15. 50
19.15
18.20
19.15
118
15
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16
PIECEWORK IN THE SILK-DRESS INDUSTRY
The earnings of pieceworkers, even with uniform hours of work and
piece prices, depend largely on the continuous flow of work, on the
number of dresses manufactured from a single model, and on the
experience and speed of the operator. Even when the dress sells at
the same wholesale price, these factors may cause differences in earnings in the various plants. It was generally conceded that New York
shops had an advantage over those in other centers in all these points,
CHART 1.-PERCENT DISTRIBUTION OF AVERAGE WEEKLY EARNINGS OF
OPERATORS MAKING DRESSES TO WHOLESALE AT $3.75 AND LESS BEFORE
AND AFTER THE AGREEMENT IN 6 LOCALITIES.
· 5• l••U..Sl0
tio.,--.,~
$15 , 1. . -S20
'20,lH•U... t.?'}
..,.,.,,-.,o
t)O,l••\hat)5
.,,.1e.. 11111atW>
ffl~EWrr~·
loo
E~r AREA..,.,.
l'l()a4aoN
IM• Uiu t5
t,,hH t.hlm $10
fl0 , hHt:baa.$15
tl5, l••tbM$20
$20, h u tba t25
t25,1 .. , t11aat,O
[
tJO,l ■nu.ajltO
tM)u4aan
t,, tu, U.. tJ.O
$10, 1... tlia ~
$15.-1•• Uiu.'20
~ . t••lh-. '25
$25, hH tha
'J?
"'111Tl~11 1
PHILADELPHIA
~ . 1 .., tha tlO
StO, t • • • Uwi. $15
'15 ,h■.. tbm t20
t20, tn,
125, 1.. ,
thea$25
tu.a t)()
s,o; i. .. thaa t ,o
t.N• tbo.,
t,, l n • thu $10
$10,t,S,tbat\5
..,,,_. . .,,
t15, 1HeU.St20
120.1 .. , tbaatz,
t ,o,tn,thu..t},O
..... ,_ .,
t,, 1.. ,u..,10
~
CHICAGO
~
~TLOUIS
~
~
~
ttO, lenlhaatl'
$15, i.eeu...t20
$20, tu,n.. tz,
t25,1enQiat'5
and it was very generally stated by the manufacturers in most of
the New York shops that no learners but only skilled operators were
hired. Later in this report when the figures on relative production in
the different cities are given, the importance of experienced workers
and the advantage of greater volume in production are apparent .
.After the change in hours and wage rates, workers in all the centers
showed marked increases in weekly earnings. In spite of the fact
that much shorter hours were worked, median earnings showed an
increase. In Philadelphia they increased as much as 83.3 percent
while in New York City and in St. Louis they were three-fourths
higher after the change. Though Boston showed the lowest percent
of increase, only 18.8 percent, it should also be noted that, with the
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17
OPERATORS
exception of New York, this city showed the highest median earnings
previous to the change.
P ercent increase in median of the weekly earnings after the change
P ercent
New York City ___ ____ _______ __ __ __________
Eastern Area _______________ ______ ______ ___
Bost on _____ ___ _____ ___________________ ____
Phila delphia ___ ___________ _____ _______ __ ___
Chicago____ ___ ___ ___ ______ ____ ____________
St. Louis _____ ____ ____ __ ___ ___ ___ ____ ______
75.
60.
1&
83.
69.
74.
2
5
8
3
3
1
Manufacturers in Boston contract shops complained of the cutting
of prices by jobbers, of the small number of garments ordered on a
single model, and of the impossibility of getting enough experienced
operators. All these conditions may have affected earnings, as the
figures show that of 89 operators reporting earnings after the change
in hours and wage rates, only 39 had been in the employ of their
present firms in the early pay period. There is, however, no record
to show how m any of the new names on the pay roll were of experienced workers and how many of learners.
Although median earnings or averages give a useful figure for comparative purposes, an even better picture can be shown by the distribution of weekly earnings for large groups of operators before and
after the change. In New York somewhat over three-fifths of the
operators making dresses that wholesaled at $3.75 and under averaged
$10 and less than $20 a week before the new scale became effective,
while afterward an even larger proportion earned $20 and less than
$35 a week. All the centers showed increases, with practically threefifths or more of the operators after the change having weekly earnings that began at the amount where previous to the agreement or
code three-fifths or more had left off.
Range of average weekly earnings before and after the change for a maj ority of the
operators
New York City :
Before change ________ _ 62.8 percent earned $10 and less than $20 a week .
After change ________ __ 69.5 percent earned $20 and less than $35 a week.
Eastern Area:
Before change _________ 78.4 percent earned $5 and less than $15 a week.
After change __________ 72.6 percent earned $15 and less than $30 a week.
Boston:
Before change _______ __ 63.6 percent earned $10 and less than $15 a week .
After change __________ 57.3 percent earned $15 and less than $30 a week.
Philadelphia:
Before change _________ 76.9 percent earned $5 and less than $15 a week .
After cha nge __________ 72.1 percent earned $15 and less than $25 a week.
Chicago:
Before change _________ 76.3 percent earned $5 and less than $ 15 a week.
After change __________ 61.8 percent earned $15 and less than $25 a week.
St. Louis:
Before change_ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ 85.4 percent earned $5 and less than $15 a week.
After change ____ ____ __ 73.7 percent earned $15 and less than $25 a week.
According to the preceding summary the earnings of these large
groups of New York operators reached higher levels than any other
center both previous to and after the union agreement, while in the
other centers the ranges of earnings were similar both in the early
and late periods.
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18
PIECEWORK IN THE SILK-DRESS INDUSTRY
With the introduction of a minimum wage the effect on the low
earnings group is most marked. In three of the six centers manufacturing the less expensive dresses, earnings of less than $10 a week
were reported before the change for over 40 percent of the operators.
After the change the percent of operators earning less than $10 ranged
from only 11.2 percent of those in Boston to less than 1 percent in
New York City and St. Louis. No operator was reported receiving
such low earnings in Philadelphia.
P ercent of operators averaging less than $10 a week
B ef ore
change
New York City __ _______ __________ _______
Eastern Area ____________________________
Boston _______________ __ ___________ ______
Phila delphia ______________ __________ ___ __
Chicago ____ __________________ _______ ____
St. Louis ________________________________
12. 0
29. 8
1& 2
45. 6
40. 8
40. 6
A fter
change
0. 5
4. 1
11. 2
4. 8
.8
After the introduction of the 35-hour week and the establishment
of a minimum wage, the proportion of operators with low earnings
not only decreased but there was an equally sharp increase in the
higher earnings group of $20 and over. Before the change less than
7 percent of the operators reported such earnings in four of the centers.
In Philadelphia slightly over 11 percent and m New York about 25
percent earned as much as $20. With the exception of New York,
comparatively few operators on low-priced dresses earned as much
as $25 previous to the change.
After the change two-fifths of all the operators in each of four
centers and about seven..:eighths of those in New York City earned
$20 and over.
P ercent of operators averaging $20 and over a week
New York Cit y _______ ___________________
Eastern Area _ __ __________ __________ _____
Boston_____ _______________________ ______
Philadelphia _____ _________ __ _____________
Chicago ____ _____________________________
St. Louis____ __ ___________________ ___ ____
B efore
change
change
25. 3
4. 1
3. 9
11. 6
6. 6
1. 0
86. 5
44. 3
21. 3
40. 8
43. 6
41. 5
After
Average hourly earnings.
The foregoing discussion of weekly earnings, although showing the
actual amount in the pay envelope, does not take into consideration·
the number of hours worked to procure the amount received. In the
period previous to the change, weekly hours were considerably longer
than in the period after the change. When earnings of operators are
reduced to an hourly average for the two periods, the number of hours
worked in each is considered, and a comparison of earnings for the
two periods is on a more equal footing.
Weekly hours were shortened by from 5 to 29 between the first and
second periods for which records were obtained in this study. At the
same time rates of pay were much increased, so that for both the
cheaper and more expensive dresses hourly earnings show a very
decided increase.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
19
OPERATORS
Previous to the change the avera~e hourly earnings of operators
working on the cheaper dresses varied from a low median of 21.4
cents an hour in Philadelphia to a high of 32.7. cents in New York.
After the change was effected, the highest hourly average was again
found in New York, 81.4 cents an hour, and the lowest in Boston, 49.3
cents an hour.
Median of the hourly earnings of operators
New York City ________________ __________
Eastern Area _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Boston _____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Philadelphia ________________ __ ______ _____
Chicago ____________ _____________________
St. Louis __ __________ _____ ___ __ ____ ______
B e/ ore
chan ge
(cents)
A f ter
change
( cen ts )
32.
24.
31.
21.
22.
24.
81.
61.
49.
53.
57.
57.
7
0
2
4
8
9
4
4
3
7
3
5
The same center, New York, reported the highest average hourly
earnings and the highest average weekly earnings both before and
after the change. Average hourly earnmgs were lowest before the
change in Philadelphia, but after the change Boston r eported the
lowest earnings. The proportionate difference, however, between
the highest and lowest median of the hourly earnings was greater
than that between the hi~hest and lowest weekly earnings.
The percent of change m a given city is perhaps the best indication
of the change in earnings between two periods. Where earnings, as
in New York, were high before the change, the percent of increase is
smaller than in several other cities where earnings before the change
were low.
In five of the six cities average hourly earnings showed an increase
(after the change) of from 130.9 to 155.8 percent; Boston was the
only city where the increase was below 100 percent, namely, 58 percent. In all centers the increase in average hourly earnings was high
compared to the increase in average weekly earnings.
Percent of i ncrease after change i nMe dian of
Median of
th e hourl11
t he w eekl11
earnings
New York City ______ _________ ____ ____ __
Eastern Area _____ ________ _____________ _
Boston __________ _______________________
Philadelphia ____ _____ ____ __ _____ ____ ___ _
Chicago ______ ________ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ __ :..
St. Louis ___ _______ _________ ____ ________
148.
155.
58.
150.
151.
130.
9
8
0
9
3
9
earnings
75.
60.
18.
83.
69.
74.
2
5
8
3
3
1
Al though the median of the hourly earnings for the two periods
before and after the change give a condensed picture of what occurred,
it is also interesting to note the distributions of average hourly earnings in the two periods. In the early period hourly earnings for
from 69.1 to 72.6 percent of the operators were below 28 cents in
Chicago, the Eastern Area, Philadelphia, and St. Louis. After the
change no operator in St. Louis or Philadelphia, and less than 1 percent m New York and the Eastern Area, reported earnings below 28
cents an hour.
74320 °-36--4
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
20
PIECEWORK IN THE SILK-DRESS INDUSTRY
P ercent of operators averaging less than 28 cents an hour
New York CitY----------------- - -- ~- --- Eastern Area ____ ____ ___ __________ ___ ____
Boston ____ ____ ___ ___ ___ __________ ____ ___
Philadelphia ______ ___ ___ ____ ____ _____ ____
Chicago ____ ________________ _______ ______
St. Louis _____ ___ ___ ____ _____________ ____
B e/ ore
After
chan ge
change
34.
70.
32.
71.
69.
72.
0. 2
.8
10. 1
8
1
5
4
1
6
2. 5
Previous to the change comparatively few operators in the various
centers-none in St. Louis-had average hourly earnings of 50 cents
or over. After the change from 48.3 percent to 94.8 percent showed
CHART 2.-PERCENT DISTRIBUTION OF AVERAGE HOURLY EARNINGS OF
OPERATORS MAKING DRESSES TO WHOLESALE AT $3.75 AND LESS BEFORE
AND AFTER THE AGREEMENT IN 6 LOCALITIES.
-
J.
t f I a
NEW YORK CITY
.ZOOILT I.AJll"IJQI
Ptf'eft\
:::~:::::::0~10
20
iO
-p
$0.MO, h u ~ to.50
$O. ~. l t u \hldl$0. 70
$0..70, 1.. ,u..n,0.90
f O.9(), lHttllafl , 10
_.$1,10u6 art
EASTERN AREA
.
~
bO
:l,ut tbM to,20
f 0. i20, lM1tbmt0. ,O
h o ti:-to. a.o
ao.,a,
t o. 1aO, hn t1iaa f 0.50
$0. 5(),hn \bato. bO
$0. b0,hn tl)D$0.70
$0,70u4 mor•
BOS;'ON
~--··· ~ I
$0, )0 ,bH thaD$0, '40
to,loO, ,.., "'"" •o. bO
$0.bC',h ■ - tba.a$0 ,1!0
$0° 10ud110r1
. . .t.J,ao .0.,0 ~
$0. 20 , h utbaa f O:~
$0, JO, hH tbu $0.bo
f O. ~ , l HtthM S0,,0
to.50,
l n• than t0. b0
fO.bO. len
than
11111-.r+I I I
~
PHILADE
t o.70
tQ,JO andaoN
tmtJ>ao lO
.>O mi'7
CHICAGO
, 0. 20, ~ ... thall $O,}0
$0 .?,(l , leH t.haG t O. liO
to.uo.
1.. , t tiaa so~,>
to.,>, leu UiuSO,bO
$0. bO , l• n thsnt0, 1C
j().JOan4mN
ST LOUIS
J.• Htball t 0 ,2()
S0, 2'0,ln 1 t2Mla$0, ,0
.SO. ~ . h H 0 - f O. bO
$0. UO, hu U1U to. ~
f O. ,>, l n1 tbN1$0. bO
JO,b0, l u 1 tMfttcl , 70
·~ •70ud a:ore
I I I
--~
these earnings, and in St. Louis, where no operators earned these
amounts before the change, four-fifths after the change earned 50
cents and over.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
21
OPERATORS
Percent of operators averaging 50 cents an hour and over
B e/ ore
change
After
change
New York City ___ ___ ______ ________ _____ _ 13. 1
Eastern Area _____ ____ __ __ _______ ___ __ __ _ . 5
Boston ______ __________ :_ ____ _____ ___ ___ __ 3. 9
Philadelphia__ ___ _____ ____ __ ____ ___ ___ ___ 1. 4
Chicago__ _________ ______ __ __ ________ ____
.7
St. Louis_ __ ___ .______ ___ _________ ____________
94. 8
75. 1
48.
67.
68.
80.
3
1
1
5
DRESSES WHOLESALING AT OVER $3.75
The higher-priced dresses wholesaling at over $3.75 were manufactured in all the nine centers in which records were taken.
Average weekly earnings.
New York City had the highest median earnings both before and
after the change. Philadelphia had the next highest, but about a
fifth below those for New York before and about a sixth after the
change. The lowest median earnings before the change were $10.65
in St. Louis and after the change $17.85 in Los Angeles.
Median of the weekly earnings of operators
Before change
Number
New York City ____ ______ ___ __ ___ ____ ___ _____ ___ _____ _
Eastern Area _______________ __ _______ ____ _____ ______ __ _
Boston _____ ________ ___________ __ _____ ______ _______ ____
Philadelphia __ __ ________ __ ___ _____ ________ _____ ______ _
_--____
--- ----------------- --- -- ___
--- -_
Chicago _____
___ ____
______
__--_____
_____ ______
____________
Cleveland
St. Louis __ ___ __ _____ ____ ______ __ __ ___ ____ _______ _____ _
Los
Angeles------ --- ------------------~and --Minneapolis
___-----_______
____ ___
______
____
__
Bt. Paul
928
783
268
430
538
152
257
480
115
Median
After change
Number
$23. 15
13. 35
15.00
18. 50
14. 50
12. 80
10. 65
11.85
11.50
955
856
294
513
499
182
236
396
106
Median
$34. 75
22. 25
19. 70
28. 65
21. 75
27. 35
18. 50
17. 85
18. 20
The median of the earnings for the higher-priced garments was
greater than for the lower-priced both previous to and after the change
in aJl centers excepting St. Louis, where the medians for the cheaper
dresses were higher both before and after the change. 1 The higher
earnings found in the manufacture of the more expensive dresses after
the change would be expected as a higher minimum wage was set for
dresses wholesaling above $3 .75, but the figures show that even before
the change earnings were higher in the shops manufacturing the more
expensive dresses.
Percent increase in median of the weekly earnings after the change
New York City _________ __ _____ ___ _______ _
Eastern Area ______ ___ _____ _____ _____ __ __ _
Boston ________________________ __ __ __ ____ _
Philadelphia _________ ________________ ____ _
50. 1
8~~!fa~d _____ ___ ____ ___ ____ ____ __ _____ __
St. Louis ______________ ______ ______ ______ _
Los Angeles _________ ___ ___ _____ ____ __ ___ _
St. Paul and Minneapolis ____________ ____ __
113. 7
66. 7
31. 3
54. 9
50. 0
73. 7
50. 6
58. 3
It must be remembered that the cities of Cleveland, Los Angeles, and St. Paul and Minneapolis are not
included in the lower-priced dress centers.
1
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
22
PIECEWORK IN THE SILK-DRESS INDUSTRY
In every center except Boston there was an increase in the median
weekly earnings after the change of at least 50 percent. The greatest
increase was found in Cleveland, where earnings more than doubled,
while Boston showed the least increase (31.3 percent). This considerably lower increase in the earnings of the Boston operators
making the higher-priced garments was found also among those
workin~ on the lower-priced garments in that city where the increase
in earnmgs was only 18.8 percent.
CHART 3.-PERCENT DISTRIBUTION OF AVERAGE WEEKLY EARNINGS OF
OPERATORS MAKING DRESSES TO WHOLESALE AT OVER $3.75 BEFORE AND
AFTER THE AGREEMENT IN 9 LOCALITIES.
tt •
11
t 5,1u,,-ei,
tl5,lettlbaat2'0
t20.1e. . . . f25
1 Ut1tbufJO
$,:,0.hHtliaal:$35
$~
r O &&
4
rf
I &
~EW !OR\ CITYid. r • •
60
t }5,haetbMtliQ
tlK>,lMtU..'50
$,Oaad.llON
·EASTERN AREA
J,l'H tMD
tlO
fl0,le u tMatl5
$15, hn tbanf20
$20, lHI UWl $25
t25,llnthM$,30
t JO .......
t.e11th&D$lO
$10, lHI thflllfl5
$15,1Hlthaat3)
'3>,
11 11
than$25
$25,
u .. tbanfJO
t JO,
ltH tbN:l
f-.0
l.eN\hu "f,10
t10,teuthaa$15
$15,h•ttblaf20
thanf25
$2').1'11-•io
t2(), 1HI
tJO,lm .... 1}5
f )5u4110n
L111 thaatJ,.O
$10,lHt\baDS15
$15,hutMat20
f20,h1tU.. '25
~ . 1 .. , . . . .,0
t1) aa4.aoN
flrtti
~
l't
BOS-TON
PHILADELPHIA
CHICAGO
~·
~
~
Ill
~
~-..u.
CLEVELAND
.., .11 .. t:bu$l0
flO, leH
\ban
$15
$15, \HtUiaatfO
'20,lHtU..$25
f 25, l" t t:baa$:,C,
t JOud.aoN
1,eu tb&a 110
flO, leH ti..'15
f15,1u1t.Mll$20
$20,hHU...$25
t25,1Ht tua U5
r'I I I I T°T -..+I I
~ll.+I11
~ll~ll
LOS ANGELES
l..HtbNl$10
$10,leHU...115
t15, 1u1tuat20
$20,h utua $25
a4aore
•25
ST PAUL AND MINNEAPOLIS
IM1U...tl0
tlO, leH-'15
$15,lNtU..$20
t20,lntlbara$2'
$25,hu thaa t,C,
Before the change, in three of the nine centers earnings of a great
majority of the operators were $5 and less than $20 a week, in three
other centers $5 and less than $15, in one, $10 and less than $25, in
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
23
OPERATORS
another, $10 and less than $20, and in the ninth, New York, $15 and
less than $35. After the change, earnings for a large majority of the
operators were $15 and less than $30 a week in the Eastern Area,
Boston, and Chicago, $20 and less than $35 and $15 and less than $25
in two centers each, $10 and less than $25 in one and $25 and less than
$50 in another center, the last range being for New York City.
Ran ge of average weekly earnin gs before and after the change for a majority of the
operators
New York City:
Before change __ ______________ 73.8 percent earned $15 and less than $35.
After change _____________ ____ 77.3 percent earned $25 and less than $50.
Eastern Area:
Before change ___ _______ ______ 87.1 percent earned $5 and less than $20.
After change _____ ____________ 83.3 percent earned $15 and less than $30.
Boston:
Before change ____ ______ _____ _ 87.3 percent earned $5 and less than $20.
After change ___________ ______ 86.4 percent earned $15 and less than $30.
Philadelphia:
Before change ____ __ ______ __ __ 70. 7 percent earned $10 and less than $25.
After change _________________ 62.8 percent earned $20 and less than $35.
Chicago:
Before change ________________ 76.2 percent earned $10 and less than $20.
After change _____ ________ ____ 80.0 pe:rcent earned $15 and less than $30.
Cleveland:
Before change ______________ __ 75.0 percent earned $5 and less than $15.
After change ___ ______ ____ ____ 78.0 percent earned $20 and less than $35.
St. Louis:
Before change ____ ___________ _ 87.5 percent earned $5 and less than $15.
After change _____________ ____ 78.8 percent earned $15 and less than $25.
Los Angeles:
Before change __ ______________ 90.0 percent earned $5 and less than $20.
After change _________________ 85.1 percent earned $10 and less than $25.
St. Paul and Minneapolis:
Before change ______ _____ ___ __ 78.3 percent earned $5 and less than $15.
After change ___________ ____ __ 78.3 percent earned $15 and less than $25.
The effect of the change on earnings at each end of the scale can
be illustrated by showing the percent of operators whose earnings
in each period were under $15 and $25 and over.
With the exception of New York and Philadelphia, the various
centers reported from 50 to 91 percent of their operators earning less
than $15 a week previous to the change. After the change, 27.8
percent were found with such · earnings in Los Angeles and less than
10 percent in each of the 6 other centers earned less than $15.
P ercent of operators averaging less than $15 a week
After
chanoe
New York City _____ ______ __________________ _ 10. 8
Eastern Area ___ _________________________ ____ 65.0
Boston ___ __________________ _____ ________ ____ 5QO
Philadelphia ___ __________________ ____ ________ 31. 9
Chicago ___ __ ________________ ________________ 55. 2
Cleveland _____________ ______________________ 75. 0
St. Louis __________________ ___ ___ ________ ____ 91. 1
Los Angeles _ _ ____________ __________ _________ 73. 8
St. Paul and Minneapolis ___ ____________ ______ 80. 0
Before
change
0. 3
9.5
Q2
4. 5
9. 8
6. 0
17. 8
27. 8
19. 8
Previous to the change, earnings of $25 or over were rarely found
in any centers except New York and Philadelphia. In fact, in St.
Louis and in St. Paul and Minneapolis no earnings as high as these
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
24
PIECEWORK rn' THE SILK-DRESS INDUSTRY
were reported and in the other five centers only from 2 to 3.9 percent of the operators earned as much as $25. After the change, all
centers, even St. Louis and St. Paul and Minneapolis, although the
p:roportion was small, reported earnings of $25 and over. In New
York nearly 9 of every 10 operators earned $25 or more and in Philadelphia and in Cleveland about two-thirds reported these earnings.
Percent of operators averaging $25 and over a week
Before
After
change
change
New York City ___________ ___ __ ______ __ ______ 43. 5
Eastern Area_ _ ______________________________ 2. 9
Boston ____ _ ________________________________ _ 2. 6
Philadelphia ______ ___ _·___ ___ _:._ _______________ 20. 5
Chicago_ _________________ ___________ ________ 3. 9
Cleveland ___________________ ___ ______ ____ _- _ 2. 0
St. Louis __ _______________ _____ __ __ _____ ________ __
Los Angeles ___ ___________________ __________ _ 3. 3
St. Paul and Minneapolis ___ _____ ___ ______ ___ _____ _
89.
28.
20.
65.
29.
66.
3.
12.
0
6
1
7
7
5
4
1
1. 9
Among the various factors that frequently affect earnings are, as
already has been mentioned, the flow of work, organization of the
shop, and the number of garments made from a single model.
Whether these conditions or any others are more favorable in a large
than in a small shop has often been discussed. If the relative earnings of the operators in the different size establishments are examined,
there would appear to be no connection between the size of the shop
and earnings. For example, in New York City after the change the
highest median earnings for operators on dresses wholesaling at $3.75
and under were found in the shops employing 50 and less than 100
persons, but in the Eastern Area the highest earnings were in the
small shops with less than 25 employees, followed very closely, however, by those employing 150 to 200 persons. In Philadelphia,
Chicago, and St. Paul and Minneapolis the workers in the shops with
few employees had the highest earnings, while in Los Angeles those
working in shops employing from 50 to 100 persons had the highest
earnings. In establishments where higher-priced garments were
made there was the same lack of uniformity. Shops with less than
25 employees reported the highest earnings in three centers and those
with 50 to 100 employees in one center, but in three of the six centers
the best earnings were in factories employing from 25 to 50 operators
and in only one center were the highest earnings found in plants
employing as many as 100 employees.
Average hourly earnings.
It has already been mentioned that, according to the union agreement and the code, the minimum hourly rate for workers on dresses
wholesaling at over $3.75 was higher than that for operators on
dresses wholesaling at $3.75 and less. It is natural, therefore, to
find that after the change median hourly earnings were higher for the
more expensive garments than for the low-priced in all the centers
but one, St. Louis. In that city average hourly earnings were slightly
·higher for the cheaper garments both before and after the change.
This condition of higher earnings in the plants making cheaper
dresses was unusual and was found in no other center.
The two extremes of average hourly earnings previous to the change
were found in New York City and St. Louis, the former with the
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
25
OPERATORS
highest median of 49.8 cents and the latter with the lowest of 23.5
cents. Between these two extremes there was considerable variation,
although in six of the seven areas average hourly earnings were from
31.1 to 39.4 cents.
Median of the hourly earnings of operators
New York City ________________________ _
Eastern Area ___ ________________ __ ______
Boston ____ ___________________________ __
Philadelphia ________________ __________ __
Chicago ______________ _____________ ___ __
Cleveland ___________________________ __ _
St. Louis _____________________ ______ ____
Los Angeles _________________________ - - _
St. Paul and Minneapolis _____________ ___
Be/ ore
change
(cents)
A ft er
change
(cents)
49.
27.
37.
39.
31.
31.
23.
34.
33.
101.
69.
60.
82.
68.
80.
55.
64.
57.
8
8
0
4
8
1
5
3
8
9
8
8
4
2
0
1
6
5
The percent by which hourly earnings increased between the early
and the late period was more than 100 in six of the nine centers, and in
Cleveland and the Eastern Area it was over 150 percent. Both
before and after the change the highest and lowest earnings were
found in the same cities-New York and St. Louis, respectivelybut in the other centers there was less similarity of earnings in the
late than in the early period. In St. Louis, with the lowest hourly
earnings before the change, the percent of increase after the change
was not as high as in either Cleveland or the Eastern Area, but it did
rank third in the proportion of increase in the different centers. In
comparing St. Louis with the other centers it must be remembered
that the minimum wage set by the code was lower for St. Louis than
for any other center included in this survey, except Los Angeles and
St. Paul and Minneapolis.
P ercent of increase after the change inMedian of
the hourly
earnings
New York City _________________________
Eastern Area ______________ ___________ __
Boston ____________________________ ___ __
Philadelphia ___________________ _____ __ __
Chicago ____________ ___________ _____ __ __
Cleveland ____ ____ _________________ ___ __
St. Louis _______________________ ___ _____
Los Angeles_ _ ________________ ______ ____
St. Paul and Minneapolis __ _________ __ ___
104. 8
151. 1
64. 3
109. 1
114. 5
157. 2
134. 5
88. 3
70. 1
Mtdian of
the weekly
earnings
50.
66.
31.
54.
50.
113.
73.
50.
58.
1
7
3
9
0
7
7
6
3
It is to be expected that where weekly earnings have increased
while weekly hours have been reduced there must have been a greater
proportionate increase in average hourly earnings than in average
or median weekly earnings. The preceding figures show this to have
been the case. The increase in the different centers did not always
follow the same sequence in both cases; for instance, St. Paul and
Minneapolis ranked fourth in the percent of increase in weekly
median earnings but eighth in hourly earnings. Chicago ranked
eighth in its percent increase in weekly earnings and only fourth in
increase in its hourly earnings. On the other hand, Cleveland had
the highest percent of increase for both hourly and weekly earnings
and Boston had the lowest, while Philadelphia ranked fifth in each
case. In other words, in centers where long hours were worked in
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
26
PIECEWORK IN THE SILK-DRESS INDUSTRY
the period before the change, hourly earnings increased more sharply
than did weekly earnings and, vice versa, when hours worked before
the code were short the increase corresponds more nearly with that
of weekly earnings.
CHART 4.-PERCENT DISTRIBUTION OF AVERAGE HOURLY EARNINGS OF
OPERATORS MAKING DRESSES TO WHOLESALE AT OVER $3.75 BEFORE AND
AFTER THE AGREEMENT IN 9 LOCALITIES.
I I:
r0I
A1 f I I
j
. IIW-H
NEW YORK CITY
......t
llJUBLfl.UJll.1081
loO
t.1tu11to.~
to.,0.1 .. , Uiatc),bO
$0. bO, hH\haato.,O
to.go,
ie ..
u. h.20
•..,. .......
tl. iO,lHlbotl.,0
--~-
6()
EASTERN AREA
.! ~
1111 1--llil I
to.20.. 1... 111aato.110
to.lie. U• ltiato .
t().bO,UHU.Ot0.10
fO.,eo,lH■ t-.tl.00
•~oo .......
BOSTON'
--fO.,O
to.20,lettU..$0. "0
to.llO, lNIIU..to.bO
to •.a,i. .. a.ato.lO
I
to,10, 1 ..,u.ato,90
*°''° .......
i..., .... , 0.20
I0,20,l•·•tballto,lio
.
I
PHILADELPHIA
~
,O.IK>,lu1tbaatO. bO
.
.
to,1;10,bHt-.10:10
..
to,~, bH \baa '1,00
11.00,u.. u..ei.20
t1,20u4.,...
IM•-to-20m
$0,20 .~
CHICAGO
$0,20,hi■ U.tO.,O
to.JO,l"•~fO,\io
10.110,1..,tuato.,>
fO,,>,lHt~fO .bO
.·
_
to.bO, 1.. , thuto,TO
,o. 70,1n1u.eato, 80
$0.80,leHtliufl,00
.
e1.00.aacr,
CLEVELAND
i..., ....
~
...
$0.20,ht ■ QafO,)O
to,.)O,l1HU...t(>,IIQ
$0. ~.1 ..,u.to.taO
fO, t,O, IHI lbll&f0,70
$0,70,lH■ 'haD,0 , 80
to,IO
•«---
I I I
t-~--o,2 0~,
i..., ....
to,20,i.uu.ato,IIO
to.lto,h1tt.hllnf0. b0
f0,70. l••~to.iO
.
Before the minimum wage set by the union agreement and the
code, earnings had sunk to very low levels. Operators whose earnings averaged less than 20 cents an hour were found in all the centers,
and the proportion with these earnings in St. Louis was almost 30
percent of all the operators. Before the change, earnings of less than
40 cents an hour were _earned by the majority of operators in all the
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
27
OPERATORS
centers-in most cases the vast majority-except New York City.
Previous to the change in hours and rates, five of the nine centers
reported over four-fifths of the operators with these low earnings.
After the change, although a few in each center still earned below 40
cents an hour, they constituted but a very small percent of the total
number of operators, less than 4 percent in all centers except St .
Louis. In that city, where before the change 99.1 percent of the
operators had earned less than 40 cents, after the change only 5.2
percent reported such earnings.
Percent of operators averaging less than 40 cents an hour
New York City ____________ _____ ____ ______
Eastern Area __________ _______ ___ _______ __
Boston_____ ______________________________
Philadelphia ___________ ______ _____________
Chicago _____ __ ____________________ _:______
Cleveland ___________ ___ _.____ ____________ _
St. Louis _______________ __________________
Los Angeles _____________ ______________ - __
St. P aul and Minneapolis __ ______ ___ ______ _
B efore
After
change
change
27. 0
85. 7
64. 6
51. 2
78. 5
84. 6
99. 1
80. 3
81. 7
0. 1
3. 5
3. 4
3. 1
.6
3. 8
5. 2
1. 8
.9
New York was the only city with a considerable proportion (31.9
percent) of its operators earning as much as 60 cents before the
change. The next largest proportion (8.1 percent) was in Philadelphia, while less than 3 percent received such earnings in each of
the other centers. In St. Louis and St. Paul and Minneapolis no
operator achieved these high earnings. However, in the later period,
60 cents and over was the prevailing hourly wage in all the centers
but two-St. Louis with 37.1 percent and St. Paul and Minneapolis
with 43 percent of its operators with such wages. In New York
City the proportion was as high as 97.6 percent.
P ercent averaging 60 cents and over an hour
Refore
A fter
change
change
New York City __________________________ 31. 9
Eastern Area_ __ __________ ______ ________ _ 1. 2
Boston __________________________________ 2. 6
Philadelphia _____________________________ 8. 1
Chicago _____________________________ ____ 2. 3
Cleveland ____________________________ - __ 2. 0
St. Louis______________ __ _______ ______________
Los Angeles_ ___________________ __ __ ____ _ 2. 3
St. Pa ul and Minneapolis ____ _______ ____ _______
97. 6
71. 5
51. 4
80.1
70. 5
87. 9
37. 1
67. 5
43. 4
NEW YORK CITY
In New York City, the center of the dress industry, shops were
found in every wholesale-price group. In the present study no plants
were included where the major product in a shop wholesaled for more
than $12.75, but within the range of garments from $3.75 and less to
$12.75 enough factories were taken in New York City to make comparisons possible between different wholesale-price groups. In other
centers there were not enough factories nor employees to make these
subdivisions feasible.
In comparing earnings of operators on different price dresses before
the union agreement the lowest median earnings were found, as might
be expected, for the group on dresses wholesaling at $3 .75 and less
74320°- 36--5
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
28
PIECEWORK IN THE SILK-DRESS INDUSTRY
but the highest median earnings were not for workers on the most
expensive group of dresses but for those on dresses wholesaling at
$6.75 and $7.75.
Median of the weekly earnings
Betore
change
$3.75 and less ______ ____ ____-___ _____ ____ __ $15. 75
$4.75 and $5.75 ____ ____ ___ ____ _____ _____ _ 22. 90
$6.75 and $7.75 __ __ ______ _______________ _ 24. 40
$8.75 _____ ______ __ _______ _____ ____ _____ _ 22 25
$10.75 to $12.75_______________________ ___ 23. 05
After
change
$27.
35.
35.
34.
34.
60
20
20
65
00
After the change the highest earnings were in the two groups
$4.75 and $5.75 and $6.75 and $7.75 but the lowest earnings were
still in the group of lowest-priced dresses of $3.75 and less. It is not
surprising to find the lowest ·earnings in this low-priced group both
previous to and after the change.
·
After the change to a 35-hour week and the establishment of a
minimum wage, earnings showed an increase in all the groups, but the
greatest proportionate rise took place in the shops making the cheapest
dresses. The smallest increase took place in the earnings of the
group making dresses wholesaling at $6.75 and $7.75, where earnings
were the highest both before and after the change.
Percent increase in median
weekly earnings after change
$3.75 and less ____ ___________ __ ___________ __________
$4.75 and $5.75 __ __________ ____ ________ ____________
$6.75 and $7.75 __ ___ ___ _____ __ __________ ________ ___
$8.75 __________ ___________________________________
$10.75 to $12.75 ____ __ ________________ _____________ _
75.
53.
44.
55.
47.
2
7
3
7
5
WEEKLY PRODUCTION OF OPERATORS
No two people, in all probability, work exactly alike, and in no two
shops is the work exactly the same in set-up, supervision, equipment,
or product. Nevertheless, if the number of operators and the number
of establishments are sufficiently large, the average production of the
group may be represent ative. It has been very generally conceded
that production per operator varies in different shops and in different
sections of the country, due to equipment and method of work, to
volume on a single style, to efficiency, and, possibly, to differences in
skill between groups of workers. There is also a question as to the
effect on the rate of production of a shortening of hours, but in this
study no attempt has been made to detel'mine this relationship.
PRODUCTION OF OPERATORS ON DRESSES WHOLESALING AT $3.75
AND LESS
In the following discussion of the production records three important
angles of the differences in weekly production of operators are considered: First, the differences in various cities making the same price
garment and working under the same weekly schedule of 35 hours
after the agreement; second, the differences between early and late
periods, the latter after scheduled weekly hours had been shortened
by from 5 to 29 hours; and third, the differences between operators
who worked in the same establishment in both periods and those who
were employed in only one.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
29
OPERATORS
Comparative production after the change, by locality.
Average production in the late period, when the 35-hour week prevailed in every locality, was highest in New York City, with the
Eastern Area next in rank, and Boston and Chicago tied for third
place. Fewer operators had a high production of 80 or more dresses
m St. Louis and Philadelphia than in any other center, but these two
cities had a large majority of their workers in the middle production
group of 40 and less than 80 dresses a week.
Center
Average
Percent of operators makingweekly output per oper- Less than 40 40, less than
80 dresses
dresses
80 dresses
and m ore
ator
I
1
A ft er agreement
New
York
City
- ----- - -- ---------------------Area
_____________________
___ __ ______ __
E
astern
Boston _______________ ------ -- ----- ------- __ ___
Philadelphia. _____ _________ ________ __ ___ ___ ___
-- - -------Chicago
St.
Louis______
______-------------___ _______________
__ ____ -________
___ ____
68
61
57
52
57
49
5. 2
17. 4
15. 9
15. 4
26. 6
24.8
63. 1
62. 8
72. 7
80. 5
53. 2
74. 3
31. 7
19. 8
11. 4
4.1
20. 2
.9
Production before and after the change.
If the variation in production before and after the change is examined for the operators in firms with production records for both p0riods, decidedly less variation is found between the early and late
period in every area but Chicago.2 The astonishing thing, however,
is not that there was a reduction in the weekly rate of production in
all cities, but, with such a general reduction of hours, that there was
not more of a reduction than was the case. There was a great deal
more shifting from the highest into the average group than from the
average into the lowest group. This would indicate that the shortening of the work time was compensated to a great extent by improvements in management, or in method, size of orders, and possibly
increased speed m operation.
The most significant change in production occurred in the Eastern
Area, where hours had been longest. The rather drastic reduction in
hours in this area may account for the much smaller proportion of
operators making as many as 80 dresses. That there was not a corresponding shifting in this area into the group making less than 40
dresses may be due to the fact that almost 70 percent of the operators
had been employed in the early period and were used to the shop and
the work.
The figures on page 30 give the production in the six cities before
and after the change. The proportions differ from those previously
shown for New York City, the Eastern Area, and Philadelphia, as
some firms in these localities had production r ecords for the late period
only, for which reason their records are excluded from the present
comparison of figures in firms with production records for both
periods.
It might appear from the following figures that the change in production was more pronounced in Boston than in the Eastern Area,
but as there were only about one-tenth as many observations in the
former, the change, though significant, is not relatively so important
as that in the Eastern Area. M oreover, the explanation for the
change in Boston cannot be found primarily in a great reduction in
hours, as the average schedule before the change was quite low, only
2
The records for operators who worked both periods show less variation in the later period.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
30
PIECEWORK IN THE SILK-DRESS INDUSTRY
about 42 hours. It may be partly explained, however, by statements
made by some of the Boston employers, who said that the volume of
work on a single model was in most cases low. This would of course
affect production.
Center
New York City:
Before change _----- - -- ------ -------------- - -- ----After change __ --- --- -- ------ --- -- ---- ------- -----Eastern Area:
Before chan ge __ ---- - -- --------------------- -- ----After change __ _-------------- --------- - ----------Boston:
Before chan ge ___ __ _______ _________ ___ __ ___ _______ _
After chan ge _______ --------- ------ ----- - ---- -----Philadelphia:
Before change _____________________________ _______ _
After change ___ ________ _____ __________________ ___ _
Chicago:
Before change __ ___________ __ _____________________ _
After change ________________________ ________ -----St. Louis:
Beforechan
change
----------------_
After
ge ___------------------___ _______ __ __ _____ -________________
Percent of operators makingNumber of
operators Less than 40, less than 80 dresses
40 dresses 80 dresses and more
205
214
2.4
6. 5
48.3
65.4
49.3
28.0
769
837
12.2
19.2
43.2
63.2
44. 6
17. 6
65
88
3.1
15.9
50.8
72. 7
46. 2
11.4
49
60
6.1
10. 0
75. 6
85.0
18. 4
5.0
105
124
2. 9
26. 6
58.1
53.2
39. 0
20. 2
62
113
14. 5
24. 8
69. 4
74. 3
16. 1
..9
Because of the small number of women engaged in making these
inexpensive dresses in Philadelphia, the change can be considered
significant only as it follows the general trend.
Comparative production of operators employed in the same firm in
both periods and of all other operators.
Emphasis has been laid on the importance of experience to earning
power and production when the pay is based on the number of pieces
produced. It is important, therefore, to consider the production of
a group of operators who worked in the same shop in both periods.
Though other workers may have been equally experienced, it may
safely be assumed that operators who held their positions through
the period of change, or who were rehired by the same firm after the
higher standards were adopted, were among the best to be had.
Philadelphia had the largest proportion, 74.8 percent, and St.
Louis the smallest, only 40. 7 percent, of operators who worked for
the same firms in both periods. The low proportion in St. Louis is
interesting in the light of the very low average production in that
city. On the other hand, the high proportion of operators with continued records of service in Philadelphia was not reflected in the
average production, which was not much higher than that for operators in St. Louis.
The comparative production of the two groups of operators, those
who worked both periods in the same plant and those who worked in
only one period, shows a general tendency for better production in
the group working in both periods. There are too few records in
the cities scheduled to make the findings significant except in two
areas-the Eastern Area, where only 1 in 8 of the 700 operators employed in both compared with 1 in 4 of the 300 operators employed
at the latter date only, produced less than 40 dresses, and New
York City, where the proportions in the respective groups producing
less than 40 dresses were quite similar and both less than 7 percent.
This is as would be expected since the skill of the labor supply in
this city is generally acknowledged so that new workers are also
experienced. It is interesting to uote, however, that more than one
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
3i
OPERATORS
third (36.6 percent) of the operators employed in both periods, as
compared to more than one-fifth (22.6 percent) of those not so employed, produced 80 dresses and more. The comparative figures for
production of operators known to have been employed by the same
firm in both periods and for all operators employed in only the latter
period is shown below.
Percent of operators m akingNumber of
operators
Center
New York C ity:
Operators employed in both periods _____ __ ___ ____ _
Operators not employed in both periods __________ _
Eastern Area :
Operators employed in both periods __ ___ ____ __ ____
Operators not employed in both periods __ ___ ____ __
Boston:
Operators employed in both periods ______ ____ _____
Operators not employed in both periods ____ _______
Philadelphia:
Operators employed in both periods _____________ __
Operators not employed in both periods _________ __
Chicago:
Operators employed in both periods ______________ _
Operators not employed in both periods __ ______ ___
St. Louis:
Operators employed in both periods __ ______ __ ____ _
Operators not employed in both periods __ _____ ___ _
1
Less than
40 dresses
40, less
than 80
dresses
80 dresses
and more
175
93
4. 6
6. 5
58. 9
71.0
36. 6
22. 6
723
318
13. 0
27.4
65.0
57. 9
22. 0
145
1 43
8. 9
23. 3
73. 3
72.1
17. 8
4. 7
92
1 31
17. 4
9. 7
79. 3
83.9
3. 3
6. 5
76
148
19. 7
37. 5
61. 8
39. 6
18.4
22. 9
46
67
28. 4
19. 6
2. 2
78. 3
71. 6 --- - -- -- --- -
1
14. 8
Note that percents are shown here for less than 50 cases.
PRODUCTION OF OPERATORS MAKING DRESSES WHOLESALING AT
OVER $3.75
The rate of production on dresses whose wholesale price was over
$3.75 was lower than on the less expensive grades. Naturally the
more expensive dresses require more work and greater skill. Further,
the volume on one model probably is less. It may be partly due to
these facts that much more variation in production was found between
different centers in this group than on the cheaper garments. Another
reason for a great deal of variation even within the same city may
be illustrated by the differences found in production between two
subdivisions of the higher-priced group. In fact, the average production figures show in some localities almost as much difference between
the rate of production on the $4.75 to $8.75 dresses and that on the
$10.75 to $12.75 dresses, as between the rate on the $4.75 to $8.75
dresses and on those for. $3.75 and less. The detailed figures follow:
Average weekly output per operator
on dresses wholesaling atCenter
$3. 75 and
less
New York City_________ _______ _
68
Eastern Area_____ _____ ___ ______
61
Boston_____ ____ __________ ____ ___
57
Philadelphia____ ___ ___ ______ ___ _
52
Chicago__ ___ ________ __ __ ________
57
Cleveland ____ __________ _______ _ ____ ____ ___ _
St. Louis ___ _____ _________ ____ __
49
Los Angeles__________________ ___
1 30
St. Paul and Minneapolis ___ ______ ____
__ __ _
0
1
$4. 75 to
$8. 75
$10. 75 to
$12.75
50
44
35
40
19
22
19
28
29
1
26
27
21
28
31
20
19
19
118
In less than 3 establishments.
Naturally, any comparison of production between cities should take
into account these differences, even though the agreement and code
did not recognize the need for establishing earnings minima beyond
the two major divisions.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
32
PIECEWORK IN THE SILK-DRESS INDUSTRY
From these figures it is clear that with the one exception of the
Eastern Area, with only a comparatively slight difference, the p roduction in other dress centers shows far greater differences than do the
rates allowed for under the code minima.
It is impossible to determine to what extent the lower output per
operator in the various cities is caused by smaller volume on a single
style, by older machines, by less efficient management, by a greater
proportion of inexperienced workers, or by a slower tempo on the part
of the operators. Probably all these factors influence the result.
Comparative production after the change, by locality.
The average production of dresses wholesaling at over $3.75 after
the change is shown below for the nine areas visited.
Percent of operators makingCenter
Less than
20 dresses
20, less 140 dresses
I ~s!~
and more
.After agreement
New York City ___ _____ ____ ____ _
Eastern Area ___________ _______ _
Boston ______________ ___ ___ ____ _
Philadelphia ____ _______________ _
Chicago _______________ __ ___ -- --Cleveland ___ ____________ __ ____ _
St . Louis __________ ______ ______ _
Los Angeles _______ ____________ _
St. Paul and Minneap<>lis ______ _
2. 0
2. 4
29. 6
15. 5
49. 6
7
45. 5
57. 3
17. 1
40.
41. 7
47. 0
56. 3
50.6
64. 5
54.1
45. 7
59.3
5. 9
30. 3
47. 0
41. 4
81. 9
7. 4
1. 3
4. 7
1. 0
The high average production in New York and the Eastern Area is
further substantiated by the very small proportion of operators making
less than 20 dresses and the very high proportion making as many as
40 dresses. In these two groups the majority are working on dresses
wholesaling at $4.75 to $8.75. In Chicago, where production is quite
low, the large majority of workers are employed in making $10.75 to
$12.75 dresses. Production figures are also quite low in Los Angeles,
where less than one-half of the workers are employed on the most
expensive dresses. However, maximum piece prices in Los Angeles
and Chicago are quite similar, only one firm in each city paying less
than $1 as a maximum.
Production before and after the change.
The agreement and code called for a 35-hour week, which necessitated reductions in hours for workers on the higher-priced dresses
similar to those on the lower-priced. Production records for the
periods before and after the change would be expected to reflect
these reductions in hours. In the following comparison production is
shown only for those firms with records for both periods.
In New York City and the Eastern Area the shifting had been
principally from the group making more than 40 dresses to the
average group making 20 and less than 40. In Boston, Chicago, and
Los Angeles, however, the proportion making less than 20 dresses
was greatly augmented after the reduction in hours. In Boston the
proportion in the average ~roup was practically the same at both
periods. As a whole, the distributions in Boston, Los Angeles, New
York, and the Eastern Area 3 were more markedly affected than those
a Significant differences in the Eastern Area were found when the middle group was chosen as 30 to 50
dresses.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
33
OPERATORS
in the other areas. The most unexpected change occurred in Philadelphia, where a decidedly smaller proportion of operators was found
making less than 20 dresses after the reduction in hours.
Percent of operators makingCent.er
New York City:
Before change ____________________________________ _
After change _____________________________________ _
Eastern
Area:
Before
change _____ _______________________________ _
Aft.er change ______ __ ____________________________ _
Boston:
Before change _________________________________ ___ _
Aft.er change ______________________________________ _
Philadelphia:
Before change ____________________________________ _
After change ____ _________ _________________________ _
Chicago:
Before change ___________ ___ __________ ___________ __
After change ________________ ------ ________________ _
Cleveland:
Before change _____________ _______ ____________ ____ _
After change______ ___ ------------ ________ ------ ___ _
St. Louis:
Before change _____ __ ___ __ ______ ____ ______________ _
After change _____________________________________ _
Los Angeles:
__ ----- ----------------------------Beforechange
change____
_______
_____ ___ _________ ______ ___ _
After
Number of
operators
Less than
20 dresses
20, less
than 40
dresses
40 dresses
or more
632
630
2.5
1. 9
26. 7
41.9
70. 7
56.2
204
270
3.4
2.2
33.8
41.9
62. 7
55.9
180
203
13.9
29. 6
62.2
64. 5
23.9
5.9
278
379
27. 0
16.9
37.1
52. 0
36.0
31.1
190
236
31. 6
53. 0
50.0
41. 9
18.4
5.1
93
98
20.4
27.6
77.4
72.4
------------
192
177
51.0
45.8
38. 5
45.8
10. 4
8. 5
147
112
45. 6
75.9
52.4
24.1
------------
2. 2
2. 0
Comparative production of operators employed in the same firm in
both periods and of all other operators.
As skill was such an important qualification for work on the more
expensive dresses, it is interesting to examine the production of
operators who evidently were considered satisfactory workers, as they
were employed through the period of change or were rehired within
the year by the same management, and of those who worked in only
one period.
Center
New York City:
Operators employed both periods ___ _______________
Operators not employed both periods ______________
Eastern Area:
Operators employed both periods __________________
Operators not employed both periods ____ __________
Boston:
Operators employed both periods __________________
Operators not employed both periods ______________
Philadelphia:
Operators employed both periods _________ ____ _____
Operators not employed both periods __ ___ ___ __ ___ _
Chicago:
Operators employed both periods __________ _____ ___
Operators not employed both periods __ ____________
Cleveland:
Operators employed both periods __________________
Operators not employed both periods ______________
St. Louis:
Operators employed both periods __________________
Operators not employed both periods ______________
Los Angeles:
Operators employed both periods __________________
Operators not employed both periods ______________
St. Paul and Minneapolis:
Operators employed both periods __________________
Operators not employed both periods _________ _____
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Percent of operators makingNumber of
operators Less than 20, less than 40 dresses
20 dresses 40 dresses
or more
560
0. 9
40.5
147
· 6.1
46. 3
58.6
47.6
236
98
1. 3
5.1
45.3
51. 0
53.4
43.9
137
66
28.5
31.8
66.4
60.6
5.1
7. 6
265
147
16. 2
14. 3
54.3
53. 7
29.4
32. 0
163
93
49.1
44.8
50.5
47.3
6.1
2.2
91
44
38. 5
45.5
61.5
54. 5
-----------------------
104
98
34. 7
55.8
55.1
39. 4
10. 2
4.8
143
166
46. 2
66. 9
51. 7
32.5
2.1
.6
57
14. 0
84. 2
48
20.8
79. 2
1. 8
------------
34
PIECEWORK IN THE SILK-DRESS INDUSTRY
The production of operators who were employed in both periods
was significantly higher than the other group in New York City, Los
Angeles, St. Louis, and the Eastern Area. (See footnote 3, :p. 32.)
Interestingly enough, the contrast in New York City lies m the
larger pro:portion of operators making as many as 40 dresses and
employed m both periods, as compared to those employed in only
one period. In Los Angeles and St. Louis the proportion of women
in the low production group of less than 20 dresses a week was much
higher for all operators combined than for those who worked in both
periods; this was also true for those turning out 30 dresses or less a
week in the Eastern Area.
These figures on production, though limited in interpretation
because of the numerous and unmeasured factors involved, serve to
show that undoubtedly there are differences among the six or nine
areas in the rate of production, that there has been a slowing down
of the weekly rate of production due to the reduction in hours, but
due to other factors the decrease in production has not been proportionate to the reduction of hours. For the most part the rate of
production of operators who had been employed in both periods is in
excess of that of those who had worked in only one.
SPECIAL PRODUCTION RECORDS
A brief study was made by an employers' association in a certain
city of the effect of continuous operation on a single model over a
period varying from 2 to 4 weeks in the same establishment. A
model was given by a jobber to a contractor in sufficient volume to
allow continuous operation and a careful record was kept of the output of each operator during the time spent on the given model.
The following results show clearly the increase in production when
work is on a single model rather than on a variety.
There were 85 operators distributed through 6 shops who worked
for 2 consecutive weeks on the same model. During the first week,
the largest group, nearly one-half (45.9 percent) produced an average
of from 1¾ to 2 and less than 2¼ dresses an hour. In the second week
the largest group of a little more than half the operators averaged
from 2 to 2¼ and less than 2½ dresses an hour, an increase of onefourth of a dress per hour. The advantage of working on the same
model until one is familiar with it appears to be equally great for the
fast and for the slow worker. Average production of less than two
dresses an hour was reported by 39 operators, not far from one-half,
during the first week's work, while in the second week this average
of less than 2 dresses an hour was made by only 13 operators, or 15.3
percent. Many more workers also appeared in the larger production
group with an average output of 3 dresses and over in the second week
than in the first. Only 2 operators in the early period averaged 3
dresses an hour while in the second period 12 attained this average.
That speed of production probably continues to increase is indicated by the experience of two small shops whose operators worked
for 4 consecutive weeks on a given model. During the first week 7
of the 29 operators averaged less than 2 dresses an hour, while records
for the fourth week show no worker with such a low production.
The same marked difference between the first and fourth week is
shown with average production of three dresses and over. Only 2
operators reported this production during the first week on the model
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
35
OPERATORS
compared to 18, or more than three-fifths (62.1 percent), during the
fourth week. The largest group of workers, 12, produced an average
of from 2 to 2¼ and less than 2½ garments an hour during the first
week. During the fourth week the largest group, 13, produced from
3 to 3 ¼ and less than 3 ½ an hour, an increase of a dress an hour.
It would appear from these figures that the volume of work on a
single model may be one of the most important factors in production
and therefore in earnings, as pay increases according to the number
of garments produced. For example, in 2 shops 7 of the 29 operators
working the 4 consecutive weeks averaged 32}~ to 45 cents an hour
during the first week and during the fourth week no operator had
hourly earnings of less than 50 cents. Avera~e hourly earnings of as
much as 80 cents were reported by 1 operator m the first week and by
12 in the fourth. A little over one-half earned from 50 to 65 cents an
hour in the first week and the same proportion earned from 7 5 to 84
cents in the fourth week. These figures indicate the tremendous
importance in production of continuous operation on a single model
PIECE PRICES OF OPERATORS
4
One of the difficulties found by the dress industry in adjusting to
the shorter hours and higher minimum wage estab1ished by the union
agreement and the code was the setting of piece-rate prices to yield
the required weekly wage. In the dress industry the setting of a price
on a garment in union shops has long been a matter of bargaining
between the management and the workers, and in nonunion shops the
price is usually set by the management in consultation with a sample
maker. Thus the setting of prices for making a garment depends largely
on the equal or unequal strength of the two bargaining powers. The
union, realizing the obviously unscientific method of thus setting
rates, called in an industrial engineer to make a study of the industry
in conjunction with a committee appointed by the union, to discover
if possible some method that would at least provide a factual basis
from which fair rates might be determined. The system resulting
from this study is called the time-unit system and applies to operating
and finishing.
In this system the making of a dress is split up into its component
parts. Certain of these are common to the manufacture of all dresses
-there are 15 possible body combinations which have been studied
and their time element determined in advance; these form, of course,
only the skeleton of the dress. Different types of sleeves, necks, and
trimmings also have been studied and their time determined.
A unit of time is one-tenth of a minute, 10 units a minute, or 600
units an hour. When the units of time have been recorded for each
part, the figures are added and the total is the time required by an
average skilled operator to make the dress. For example, if the system shows that a dress has 360 units of time, it means that this dress
will take 36 minutes to make. The next step is to translate the units
into terms of money, and in order to do this it is necessary to determine the money value of the unit: In other words, how many units
for 1 cent. From this a piece price is set so as to yield the minimum
worker her minimum wage, the average worker her earnings above the
minimum, and the fast worker her earnings above the average worker.
' P iece prices were set on the basis of production of the different price garments and, therefore, this section
follows production.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
36
PIECEWORK IN THE SILK-DRESS INDUSTRY
These brief statements from the report of the study point to a better
method of rate setting than bargaining and also show the need felt by
the workers for a more scientific method. To what extent this system
has been used cannot be known from any facts in this survey, as the
report of the union representative and the engineer was not finished
until after the completion of the present study.
The problem of adjusting piece prices to yield an increase in weekly
wages with an accompanying decrease in weekly hours presented unusual difficulties. It has already been observed that earnings, both
weekly and hourly:, showed a marked increase after the change. As
operators were paid so much for each dress, it is obvious that the piece
price per garment must have been raised considerably in order to yield
higher earnings with shorter hours. This increase in piece prices took
place everywhere, in all cities and establishments, and, though it is
impossible, due to the multiplicity of styles each with its own price,
to relate piece prices and earnings in great detail, nevertheless some
general facts can be deduced.
DRESSES WHOLESALING AT $3.75 AND LESS
The earnings of operators making dresses wholesaling at $3.75 and
less showed, for the most part, a much greater increase after the raising
of hour and wage standards than did the higher-priced garments, thus
pointing to a correspondingly greater increase in piece prices, as hours
for the entire industry were shortened equally. In New York City
previous to the change all shops making low-priced garments reported
a minimum piece price of less than 30 cents for some or all of their
operators, and only three reported a maximum price of as much as 30
cents for some of their workers, the highest being 45 cents. The
lowest rate in any firm was 6 cents. After the change no shop reported a piece price of less than 30 cents, and in two-fifths of the factories the maximum was 50 cents or over. These prices were planned
to yield the code minimum wage of 75 cents an hour.
In the area outside of New York City, before the change, 52 of the
54 shops had a minimum piece price and 48 a maximum piece price of
less than 30 cents. After the change only 16 had a minimum and
only 4 a maximum below 30 cents. The code minimum wage for this
area (Eastern) was 63 cents an hour.
Boston and Philadelphia came withln the same code classification,
namely, the Eastern Metropolitan Area, with a minimum wage for
operators of 90 percent of the New York City figure, or 67½ cents an
hour. Before the change all the 12 shops in these two cities reported
their lowest piece prices under 30 cents and in 10 of the shops the highest piece prices also were under 30 cents. After the changes only three
sho~s reported minimum prices under 30 cents and only 1 had such a
maXlllum.
In Chicago, before the change, all shops had minimum piece prices
below 30 cents and all but one a maximum so low. After the change
four of the nine establishments still had a minimum below 30 cents,
only two had a maximum below 30. The code minimum here was
about the same as in the Eastern Area.
St. Louis, Los Angeles, and St. Paul and Minneapolis had the lowest
minimum under the code, 52½ cents an hour. Before the change the
four St. Louis shops making low-priced dresses all reported a minimum
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
37
OPERATORS
for piece prices, and three of them reported a maximum, below 30
cents. After the change no shop had a piece rate below 30 cents, an
equally good showing in this respect with New York City and Philadelphia. Before the change two of the seven St. Paul and Minneapolis
firms reported a minimum piece price of less than 30 cents, though no
firm had such a low maximum. After the change no firm paid less
than 30 cents; in fact only one firm reported a price lower than 40
cents.
The list following shows the number of firms in the various cities
that paid less than 30 and as much as 40 cents a dress, before and after
the agreement, for garments wholesaling at $3.75 and less.
Number of firms withLocality an d whether before or after agreement
New York:
Before __ ··---- ____________________________________________ _
After __________________________________ __________________ _
E astern Area:
Before__ _____________________________ _______________ __ ___ _
After _____ --- -- -- -- --- --- --- ---- - --- - --- - -- --- -- - --- -- -- -Boston:
Before _________________ _____________________________ __ ___ _
After ___ -------------------- --- --- ------ ---- ----- ----- -- -Philadelphia:
J\Pfnre______
··------------- --- --- ---- -- -- ---- -- -- -- ----- _--_
___________________________________________
___--___
After
Chicai;o:
Before _________________________________ ______________ ____ _
After __ ___________________________ ___ ________ _____ _______ _
St. L ouis:
Before_________ --- -- __________________ - -- -- -- -- ___ -- -- -- After ____ __ _____________ ________ ______ -- - --- -- -- ___ -- _---St. P aul and M inneapolis:
Before ________________ -- _. _-- _--- -- -- -- --- -- ------ ---- -- -A. fter ______________________________________________ ____ ___
L ocality and whether before or after agreement
New York City :
Before-------------··------- -------------- ------ ------After
___________ --··---______________________
______
____ __ _·E astern
ArPa:
Before___________________________________________________ _
After ____ _____________ ___________ __- _____ ________ ________ _
Boston:
Before _______________________ _______ __ ___ ________________ _
After _____________ __ _________________________ _________ ____
Philadelphia:
Before ___________________________________________________ _
After ____________ ______ ______________________ ___ ____ __ ____
Chicago:
Before ___________________________________________________ _
After ______________ - _-- --- _-- -- --- - -- -- -- - --- -- --- - --- --- St . Louis:
Before ____________________ __________ _____________________ _
After __________ ________________________________________ ___
St . P aul and Minneapolis:
Before ____________ -- _-- --- --- -- --- -- -- -- -- ---- -- -- -- -- -- -After ____________ _______ _____ ___ ___ - _-- -- -- -- -- - --- -- --- -1
Number of
firms
reporting
Minimum
piece price
less t han
30 cents
M aximum
piece price
less t han
30 cents
2/i
25
22
25 - - --- -- ---- - - - - -- -----------
54
54
52
16
48
4
6
6
a
6
6
6
6
4
1
6 - - ----- - ------ ---- - ---- - - - - 9
9
9
4
8
4
4
3
2
4 -- ---- -- ------ -------------7
2 -------------7 ------ --- ----- --------------
Number of firms withNumber of • - - - - - , . - - - - Minimum
firms
M aximum
reporting
piece price
piece price
40 cents
40 cents
and over
and over
25
25
54
54
-------------13
2
15
1
19
3
36
6 ---- - - -- ------ - ------------6
6
6
2
3
4
9 - - ------------
1
9
2
4 - --- --- - ------
4
2
6
1
4
7
17
One fl.rm , $3.30.
Previous to the change, piece prices of 40 cents or over were found
as a minimum in only two centers, the Eastern Area and St. Paul and
Minneapolis. After the change, however, all centers but Boston
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
38
PIECEWORK IN THE SILK-DRESS INDUSTRY
had some firms with a minimum of 40 cents or above. In New
York City, after the change, the minimum was at least 40 cents in
about half of the shops, as it was in well over a fourth in the Eastern
Area, and in six of the seven shops in the Twin Cities. M aximum
prices of 40 cents or more were found both before and after the
change in every center but Boston, but with the exception of St.
Paul and Minneapolis, the establishments paying these higher prices
were more numerous after the change than before.
DRESSES WHOLESALING AT OVER $3.75
Both before and after the change in rates and hours, piece prices
were higher in shops making dresses to wholesale at over $3.75 than
in those making the cheaper dresses. In New York City only 27 of
the 58 establishments paid less than 40 cents a dress, even before the
change, and afterward no shop reported paying so little. Of the
9 centers included in the study, 3 after the change had minimum
piece prices below 40 cents, but the proportion of shops with this
minimum was small in each city, only 8 out of 34 in the E astern Area
and 1 each in St. Louis and in St. Paul and Minneapolis. Previous
to the change all centers reported minimum piece prices below 40
cents, and in the Eastern Area the proportion of shops with such
prices was four-fifths of the total.
The list following shows how many firms paid less than 40 cents
for the more expensive dresses:
Number of firms withLocality and whether before or after agreement
City:
NewBefore
York___________________________________________________
_
After ________________________________________________ ' ___ _
E~tem Area:
Before ______________________ ___ ___ _______ - _______________ _
After __ ______________ __ ___ _____ ___ ___ ______ ___ ___________ _
Boston:
BeforP _____ __ ______ __ ___________________________________ _
After ________ ____ _________ ____ _______ _____ _______________ _
P hiladelphia:
Before ______________ ____ _________________________________ _
After ___________________ ___ ___ _______ _________ _______ __ __ _
Chicago:
Before _______________________________________________ ____ _
After __ _________________________________ -·-- ______________ _
St. Louis:
Before __ ____________________ . ________ ____________________ _
After-------·-- ---- ____________ ---· ______ _____________ _____ _
Los Ane:eles:
Before _______ ___________________ ______ ______________ __ ___ _
After __________________ -·- ___________ . _____ ---------------Clevelan<l:
Before ___________________________ --- -· ---- ____ ___ _________ _
After _______ .. ____ -____ ____ __ _____________ - _______ -- ____ ___
St. P aul and Minneapolis:
Before___ ___ -- -------- ___ ___ _____ ________________________ _
After __________ ____ __ ____ _____ _______ ____________________ _
Number of
firmg
reporting
M inimum
piece price
less than
40 cents
Maximwn
piece price
less t han
40 cents
58
27
17
58 - ------------- ---- -- -------34
34
27
8
19
1
~
3
2
19 ---- ---------- ---- -------- - -
18
2 -------------18 - - ---- ---- - - -- ------------- 23
3
23 -- ------ --- --- ------------- 12
12
4
l
1 ------------ --
18
3
18 ---- - ----- ---- ------------ --
11
4
11 - - - -- - ------ ·- - ----------- --4 ----------- ---
1 ----------- ---
There was also a marked increase in the number of shops that raised
piece prices in the higher ranges. All centers showed a much larger
percent of their factories in the second than in the first or early period
paying 75 ce:uts and ov~r &s th~ ma.wium price for making a dress.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
39
OPERATORS
In all but one center (St. Paul and Minneapolis) this was tru~ also
of the minimum piece price. In New York City the proportion p aying 75 cents or more as a maximum was over three-fourths after the
change compared to about one-fifth before the change. In the E astern
Area only 3 out of 34 firms paid as much as 75 cen ts before the
ch ange, but a little more than one-half paid such maximum prices
afterward.
Number of firms withNumber of
firms repor ting
Locality and whether before or after agreement
N ew York City :
Before ______ _____ __ ______ _____ ______ ____ ________ _________
After _____ ___ _____ __ ___ _____ __ ____________ _____ ______ __ __ _
Eastern Area:
Before ___ __ ______ _____________ - __ -- __ -- -- _-- -- - -- --- -- --After ______ __ ____ __________ _____ __________ ______ _______ ___
Boston:
Before _______ ___ ___ ________ ____ _________ ____________ _____
After ___ ________ _____ ___________ ________ __ _____ ____ __ ___ _
Philadelphia :
Before _________________________________ __ _____ ____ ______ _
After ____ ___ ____ __ _________ ____ _________ ______ __________ _
Chicago:
Before ___ __ ______________________________ ______ ________ __
After __ ____ ___ ___ __ ____________ ____ _____ _______ _____ ___ __
St. L ouis:
Before ______ ___ ___ _____ __ ____________________________ ___ _
After ___ __ ______________ _____________________ _______ _____
Los Angeles:
Before __ ___ _________________________________ --- __ -- ---- - _
After __ _____ _____ ___ __ ___ ___ ___ ___ _________________ ____ __
Cleveland:
Before _____ ____ ___________ ____ __________ ___ ---- ____ -- ___ _
St.
Minimum
piece price
75 cents
and over
M aximum
piece price
75 cents
and over
5
25
58
58
34 --- ----- -- ---4
34
t'i~•d
19
19
1
14
18
18
3
9
23
23
5
22
12
12
2
6
18
18
4
13
11
11
2
10
7
7
M;nneapoJ;s, : ::::::::::::::: : : : :::::: ::::::: ::: I
One shop in the Twin Cities had a rate per garment as high as
$3.50 after the change; Cleveland had one as high as $2.85. It is
apparent that the setting of a minimum wage rate not only raised the
piece prices in the lower levels but increased the higher prices and
the number of shops paying them.
New York City.
In New York City, 58 shops from which figures were obtained were
making dresses to wholesale at more than $3.75. This number is
2½ times that reported in any other city and 1%times the number reported in the Eastern Area. Because of the greater number of plants
in New York, it was possible to divide further the group making dresses
to wholesale at over $3.75. The figures follow:
Wholesale price of dress
Number with
Total number minimum piece
of establish- prices below 40
ments
cents before
change 1
$4.75 and $5.75___ ______ __ ___ ________ _
$6.75 and $7.75 _____ _____ ___ ______ ___ _
$8.75 ____ ___ ______ ________ __ ________ __
$10.75 to $12.75____ _____ ____________ __
1
After the change no shop had piece prices below 40 cents.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
14
19
13
9
9
1
16
4
40
PIECEWORK IN THE SILK-DRESS INDUSTRY
Higher piece prices-50 cents and over-show an even closer
relation to the wholesale price of the garment. Before the change the
proportion of shops that paid 50 cents or more on some of the styles
increased in each division as the wholesale price of the garment increased, so that while only 2 shops out of 14 in the $4.75 and $5.75
group had pjece prices of 50 cents and over, 13 out of 16 shops are so
reported in the $10.75 to $12.75 group. After the change, all piece
prices were considerably increased and there appears less difference
according to wholesale price. However, when piece prices of 75 cents
and over are examined the relation is clear. All the shops making
dresses to wholesale at $8.75 and over had some piece prices of 75
cents or more after the change, as had 16 of the 19 shops making
$6.75 and $7.75 dresses; but on dresses wholesaling at $4.75 and $5.75
only 4 out of 14 paid such prices.
OPERATORS IN CONTRACT SHOPS
Although the letting out by the jobber or manufacturer of the
making of the dress is not confined to New York and its environs,
nevertheless the number of such contract establishments in other
cities was too small in each wholesale price to permit comparison.
However, the difference in earnings between inside manufacturing
shops and contracting shops for New York City will give some idea
of how the workers fared in the two types of establishments.
Twenty-three of the 84 firms in New York City included in this
survey were contract shops. Fourteen were making dresses that
sold for $3.75 or less; 2, for $4.75 and $5.75; and 7, for $10.75 and
$12 ,75. None were making dresses that sold at $6.75, $7.75, or
$8.75. All were reported to have increased the piece rates to their
operators after the agreement by at least 50 percent. Similar increases
also were noted in piece rates paid to pressers and finishers.
In the comparison of the weekly earnings of operators in contract
shops with the earnings of those in inside shops the 28 firms that
made dresses selling for $6.75, $7.75, and $8.75 are omitted, because
none of the contract shops were making dresses to sell at these prices.
An examination of the median weekly earnings of operators in
contract and inside shops making similar types of dresses indicates
much less difference in wages after the agreement than before. Larger
proportions in the contract shops than in the inside shops, however,
were receiving amounts that were around the minimum. Only a little
more than half, 53.9 percent, of those in contract shops making the
lowest-priced dresses earned $25 or more a week after the change,
whereas more than three-fourths (78.6 percent) of those in the inside
shops earned so much. In the contract and inside shops making
dresses to sell for $4.75 and $5.75, the proportions earning $30 or
more were one-half and about three-fourths, respectively, and in those
whose product sold at $10.75 and $12.75 the proportions earning at
least $30 were about 55 percent and 70 percent, respectively.
The difference in median earnings between inside and contract
shops was far more marked before the change to uniform hours and
a minimum wage standard than afterwards. The following summary shows the difference in median earnings between the two groups
before and after the change.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
41
OPERATORS
Difference between medians of
operators in contract and inside
shops on dresses wholesaling at$3.75 and
less
$4.75 and
$5.75
$5. 70
4.35
$10. 80
6. 50
Before change ____________________ __ __________ - - - - -- -- - - -- -- -- - - - - - After change _--------- --- ---------------- - - -------------- ----- --- - -
$10.75 to
$12.75
$10. 65
4. 65
· As may be seen from the accompanying table, the proportion of
operators in contract shops who had earned very small amounts
weekly (less than $15) was much greater than in inside shops before
the change, especially in those shops making the lowest-priced dresses.
None of the women in inside shops earned less than $15 after the agreement, and in the contract shops 3.5 and 1.2 percent, respectively, in
the groups making the lowest- and highest-priced dresses and no one
in the group making dresses to wholesale at $4.75 and $5.75 earned so
little.
2.-Average weekly earnings of operators before and after the agreement in
contract and in inside shops, by wholesale-price group--New York City
TABLE
Operators in firms making dresses to wholesale at$3. 75 and less
$4. 75 and $5. 75
$10. 75 and $12. 75
Weekly earnings
After
Before
Contract
Inside
Contract
Before
Inside
Contract
After
Inside
Contract
Inside
B efore
Contract
Inside
After
Contract
Inside
-- ---- -------- -------TotaL _____________
170
256
187
41
150
230
40
150
73
154
177
85
Median ______ ______ ______ $13. 40 $19. 10 $26. 00 $30. 35 $17. 20 $28. 00 $30. 00 $36. 50 $16. 10 $26. 75 $31.40
$36. 05
----
$5, under $10 ____ ___ __ ___ _
44
4
$10, under $15 _________ __ _
31
104
$15, under $20 ____ ________
61
55
$20, under $25 ____________
22
52
$25, under $30 ____________
12
3
$30, under $40 ____________
2
10
$40, under $50 _____ _____ __
$50 and more _____________ -- -- -- ------
--
--
2 - - -- --
7 -- ---49
2
60
70
63
4
1
38
48
74
- -3 - - - - - - - - - - - - - 10
17
9
1
1
22 ---- -3 -- - - --
4 ---- -- ------ -----2 ------ -----27
6
6 ---- -- -----1 -----27
5
2
25
20
3
3
13
29
2
40
12
13
8
21
13
22
20
8
21
34
17
45
55
1
40
37
71
17
3
21
11
48
34 ---- -8
3 -----26 -----5 ---- - -
Less than 1 in 5 of the finishers in contract shops compared with 1
in 3 of those in inside shops earned more than the minimum set by
the agreement. In 8 of the 22 inside shops all finishers earned more
than the minimum, whereas only 1 of the 21 contract shops had such
a good record. Some of this, no doubt, was due to the practice of
dividing the work among more finishers than were necessary to do
the work turned out by the operators.
No comparison can be made for pressers, as there are too few :figures on which to base conclusions.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
PRESSERS
The work of pressing the garment, like that of making it, is performed by both men and women. Men, however, are far more frequently employed for pressing silk dresses than are women. In a few
shops men do the heavier and women the lighter pressing, but in most
establishments the work is done entirely by one sex or the other.
EARNINGS
In the present study no distinction is made between either the
earnings or the production of men and women as the same minimum
wage in the code applies to both, and if earnings varied with sex there
were also many other factors that influenced earnings. As was the
case for operators and finishers, earnings and production of the pressers in this report are divided into two groups, one for dresses wholesaling at $3. 75 and less, and one for dresses wholesalin,g for more than
$3.75.
DRESSES WHOLESALING AT $3.75 AND LESS
The number of pressers in a given factory is smaller than the number of operators and in some shops smaller than that of finishers.
When, therefore, only a small number of factories manufacturing a
certain price garment are found in a given area, there are frequently
too few pressers to be significant of conditions in the industry. It
was found that in some shops, especially those making the cheaper
dresses, payment was on an hourly or weekly basis and therefore their
earnings could not be included in a piecework study. For the above
reasons only two centers, New York City and the Eastern Area, have
figures for pressers on cheaper dresses that could be included in the
present report.
The Eastern Area, which includes the cities and towns around New
York City and in New Jersey, is the principal center for the manufacture of cheaper dresses. It is composed largely of contract shops
where dresses are made for the New York City market and, as a rule,
these factories are larger than those manufacturing dresses that are
sold directly to the wholesaler or retailer. The shops in New York
City are usually smaller than those in the Eastern Area, as is shown
by the fact that in 20 plants in New York City the average number
of pressers was 2.9 to a shop while in 41 plants in the Eastern Area
the average was 7 .1.
Average weekly earnings.
The earnings of pressers in the New York plants were considerably
higher than were those in the Eastern Area. In the early period, the
median of the weekly earnings in New York City was $30 and in the
later period it had increased to $38.75. In the Eastern Area these
respective medians were $14 and $23.55. After the change to a
35-hour week and higher rates, nearly one-half of the pressers in New
42
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
PRESSERS
43
York earned $35 but less than $55 a week while in the Eastern Area
over one-half earned $21 but less than $35. The higher earnings in
New York are again illustrated by the proportion of pressers who
earned as much as $35, 59.2 percent in New York compared to 11.8
in the Eastern Area.
·
There was not so much difference between the two centers in the
proportion of pressers who made less than $20, as _this proportion was
only about one-half more in the Eastern Area than in New York.
After the change in hours and rates, median earnings increased in
New Xork a little less than three-tenths and in the Eastern Area a
little more than two-thirds. The percent of pressers earning $35 and
more in New York increased from 25 percent in the early period to
59.2 percent in the later period. The increase in the Eastern Area
was from 1.8 percent to 11.8 percent. The proportion of pressers
that earned less than $20 decreased about 3 points in New York but
as much as 54 points in the Eastern Area.
Average hourly earnings.
Average hourly earnings are based on the actual number of hours
worked and are valuable in showing the rate of earnings and in giving a fair basis of comparison between different localities and different
periods.
After the change to a 35-hour week, hourly earnings in New York
City showed a median of $1.08 per hour and in the Eastern Area of
75 cents per hour. The difference in these medians for New York
and the Eastern Area was considerably greater than the difference in
minimum wage rates set by the code and is illustrative of the high
earnings in New York, which were in most cases well above the
minimum wage set by the code. Median earnings for the Eastern
Area were only 5 cents higher than the minimum in the code and onehalf of the pressers earned from: 60 to 85 cents an hour. In contrast
to these earnings the records for New York pressers showed 46.9
percent with hourly earnings of from $1 to $1.60; this range being
well above the 85 cents provided as a minimum under the code. It
must be remembered, however, that the figures for New York City
are based on a small number of pressers, only 49, compared to 234 in
the Eastern Area, and in all probability they were a more ~xperienced
group.
The relative increase in average hourly earnings between the two
periods was much greater in the Eastern Area than in New York. In
the latter city hourly earnings increased a little more than three-fifths,
while in the Eastern Area they almost trebled, from a median in the
early period of 28.2 cents to one of 75 cents in the later period.
DRESSES WHOLESALING AT OVER $3.75
The manufacture of higher-priced garments, ranging from over
$3.75 to $12.75, was more generally found in the centers visited than
were the cheaper garments of $3. 75 and less. Seven of the nine centers
reported a sufficient number of pressers with piecework earnings to be
included in this report.
Average weekly earnings.
After the change, the highest median of the weekly earnings for
pressers ($47.75) was found in New York, the lowest ($24.65) in Los
Angeles. The four centers, Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago, and the
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
44
PIECEWORK IN THE SILK-DRESS INDUSTRY
Eastern Area, reported weekly medians of from $33.15 in the Eastern
Area to $44.40 in Boston, while medians for both Los Angeles and St.
Louis were in the twenties.
A wide range of earnings was reported among the different centers.
In Los Angeles one:..eighth of the pressers had weekly earnings of less
than $16-one of these earning $6 and less than $7 after the changewhile in Boston the lowest was between $30 and $35, and in the other
centers low earnings lay between these two extremes. High earnings
of .over $100 a week were reported by one presser in New York City
and one in the Eastern Area, while the other centers showed high
earnings, ranging from $50 and less than $55 in St. Louis to $90 and
less than $95 in Boston. In spite of the above medians, the largest
group of pressers in the various centers showed similarity in their
earnings. The New York pressers still had the highest earnings but
not so much above pressers in the other centers as were the medians.
Boston was closest to New York in the earnings of their major group,
and the three cities of Chicago, Los Angeles, and St. Louis resembled
each other in the earning range of their principal group, while Philadelphia and the Eastern Area were considerably alike.
Center
New York City ________________ _
Eastern Area ___________ __ ______ _
Boston ________ __________ __ _____ _
Philadelphia ___ ----------------Chicago_
St.
Louis -----------------------__ __ __ _________________ _
Los Angeles_--------------------
Percent in
group
67. 5
52. 8
78. 4
56. 4
60. 3
54. 1
60. 4
Range of average
weekly earnings, after
change
$25, less than $55.
$30, less than $40.
$30, less than $50.
$30, less than $45.
$25, less than $40.
$25, less than $35.
$23, less than $35.
There is far more variation between the different centers in the
proportion of pressers whose earnings were in the lower and higher
wage brackets than is shown by the earnings of the major group. In
New York and Boston no pressers reported earnings of less than $25,
while in Los Angeles over one-half reported such earnings. In the
high-earnings group, about 70 percent of the pressers in New York
and Boston earned $40 and over, while in the Eastern Area only 16
percent and in Los Angeles only 1.9 percent reported such earnings.
Percent of pressers averaging weekly earnings after change ofLess than $25
New York City_______________________________
Eastern Area_ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 22. 6
Boston ___________ -~__________________ __ ______
Philadelphia _____________________________ 19. 8
Chicago _________________________________ 10. 8
St. Louis ________________________________ 21. 6
Los Angeles_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ 52. 8
$40 and over
70. 0
16. 0
70. 6
38. 6
28. 8
16. 2
1. 9
Thus for pressers weekly earnings were much the highest in New
York and Boston and lowest in Los Angeles.
The difference in earnings between the two periods, one with longer
hours and lower rates and the other with the 35-hour week and higher
rates, shows increased earnings in all centers, ranging from 69.6
percent in the Eastern Area to 21.1 percent in Boston.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
45
PRESSERS
Center
Median of the weekly
earnings of pressers
Before
New York City ___ ________ __________ ._________________ _
Eastern Area ____ ________ _____________________________ _
Boston ______ __ _______________________________________ _
Philadelphia ____ ___ ______ ____ _____ _____ ________ _____ __
Chicago _______ ________ _____ -- '° --- --- ---- - __ ----- ----- St. Louis ________ ___ _________ __ _______________________ _
Los Angeles __________________ __ ______________ _____ ___ _
$35. 30
19. 55
36. 65
24. 35
29.05
20. 50
17. 10
After
Increase after change
A.mount
$47. 75
33.15
44.40
36.60
35. 65
29. 05
24.65
Percent
$12. 45
13. 60
7. 75
12. 2-0
6. 60
8. 50
7. 55
35.3
69.6
21.1
50.3
22. 7
41. 5
44. 2
Previous to the cha:Q.ge, weekly earnings were lower in all centers
and in three centers, Eastern Area, Los Angeles, and St. Louis, some
pressers were reported as earning less than $5. In New York City,
where earnings were highest, one-fifth of the pressers earned less than
$25 before the change while after the change no earnings reached this
low level. In all centers the proportion of pressers in the low-earnings group, under $25, was much smaller in the second period than
in the first. Where previous to the change the proportion of pressers
earning less than $25 ranged from 11.4 percent in Boston to 85 percent
in Los Angeles, after the change no earnings were reported as low as
$25 in Boston or New York, and with the single exception of Los
Angeles, the percent in other centers was less than 23.
Whenever a minimum wage is set, although its effect may be felt
by the entire body of workers, the result is most marked in the case
of the lowest paid group. In the Eastern Area, St. Louis, and Los
Angeles 23.5 percent, 25 percent, and 26.7 percent, respectively, of
the pressers earned less than $12 a week before the change whereas
after the change no presser in St. Louis and less than 2 percent in Los
Angeles and in the Eastern Area reported this very low wage.
Percent of pressers averaging less than $25
Before
After
change
change
New York City ________ ________________ __ 20. 7
Eastern Area ____________________________ 61. 4
Boston__ __ _ __ _ __ __ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ __ _ __ __ 11. 4
22. 6
~~i~:~~phia_____________________________ f
rn:
St. Louis____ _ __ _ __ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ __ __ _ _ __ __ _ __ 75. 0
Los Angeles ______________________ __ _____ 85. 0
21. 6
52. 8
~~:
~
Before the change, earnings of $40 and over were found most frequently in Boston and next in New York, while in the other centers
less than 10 percent of the pressers earned as much as $40. After
the change, the proportion earning $40 and over increased in every
center excepting Los Angeles, where only two earned this amount
before the change and one afterward. T he proportion earning this
amount increased from 3.8 percent to 38.6 percent in Philadelphia
and from 8.7 percent to 28.8 percent in Chicago.
Percent of pressers averaging $40 and over a week
Before
After
change
change
New York City ___ _______ ________________ 28. 0
Eastern Area ____ __________ __ ___ _________ 4. 9
Boston _________ _____________________ __ __ 45. 5
70. 0
16. 0
70. 6
38. 6
28. 8
16. 2
1. 9
{!l~;:~i;=
i: I
Los Angeles_ =
_=
_=
_=
_=
_=
_=
_=
_=
_=
__=_=_==
__=_==
__=_=_=_=_=_=_==
_=
_=
__= 3. 3
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
46
PIECEWORK IN THE SILK-DRESS INDUSTRY
Average hourly earnings.
After the change, a general 35-hour week and a minimum wage of
$1 an hour for pressers in New York City was specified under the
code. The minimum wage set for all other centers was based on the
New York provisions-90 percent of the New York rate for Boston,
Philadelphia, and the Eastern Area; 85 percent for Chicago; and 70
percent for Los Angeles and St. Louis. Maximum weekly hours (35)
were the same for all localities. If, therefore, all plants in the different centers had worked the maximum of 35 hours, average 'Weekly
earnings would have followed the same course as average hourly
earnings. In all the centers hourly earnings when converted into
weekly earnings for a 35-hour week were higher than the median of
the weekly earnings, as shown in this study, due to the undertime
worked. After the change, median hourly earnings were highest in
New York and lowest in Los Angeles.
Center
New York City ______________________________________ _
E astern Area _________________________________________ _
Boston _______________________________________________ _
Philadelphia _________________________ ______ __ ________ _
Chicago ___________ -- ____ ---- ______ -- -- ------- - ---- --- _
St. Louis ____ _---------- _____ ------------------------ __
Los Angeles _________ ---------- -- ---------- __ -- --------
Median of the hourly
earnings of pressers
Increase after change
Before
After
Amount
Cents
Cents
Cents
78.1
66. 0
140. 0
98. 9
133. 0
106. 0
107. 0
46.5
39. 2
41. 4
91. 7
52. 5
Percent
61.9
79. 3
57. 5
138. 9
41. 3
45. 0
53. 5
101. 9
88.1
41. 0
41. 6
89. 5
81. 9
42. 7
108. 9
62. 1
Four of the seven centers reporting had median earnings of over
$1, and a fifth center, the Eastern Area, had a median of only a little
under $1. Not only were the medians for hourly earnings of the
pressers high but in five of the seven centers a large proportion of the
pressers, ranging from 48.1 percent to 88.2 percent, showed average
hourly earnings of $1 and over. Earnings did not run so high in
Los Angeles and in St. Louis, but even in these cities over half of
the pressers, 56.6 percent in Los Angeles and 71 percent in St. Louis,
earned 80 cents and over.
P ercent with average hourly earnings after change of-
New York City ________________________
Eastern Area ___________________ _____ __
Boston __ _________ _____________________
Philadelphia ___________________________
Chicago __ __ ___________________________
St. Louis ______________________________
Los Angeles _______________________ ____
$1 and
over
80 cents
and over
83.
48.
88.
55.
63.
29.
9.
99.
79.
100.
75.
89.
71.
56.
8
1
2
4
3
0
4
4
2
0
2
9
0
6
The proportion of pressers with comparatively low earnings of
less than 50 cents was under 12 percent in 6 centers, 2 of these, New
York and Boston, having no average hourly earnings of less than
50 cents. St. Louis, however, reported about one-third with earnings
so low.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
47
PRESSERS
Percent of pressers averaging less than 50 cents an hour, after change
New York _____________________________________ _
Eastern Area ______________________________ 6. 6
Boston _____ ________________________________ ___ _
Philadelphia ___________ ___ ______________ ___ 5. 9
Chicago___ __________________ _______ _____ __ 2. 8
St. Louis _______________________________ ___ 32. 2
Los Angeles_ _ _____ _______ ______ ___________ 11. 3
When medians of the hourly earnings are compared before and
after the change the increase in earnings is more marked than when
medians of the weekly earnings are compared. In three of the seven
centers median hourly earnings more than doubled and in the other
centers they increased from 45 percent to 89 .5 percent.
P ercent increase in medians of hourly earnings, after change
New York___ ___________________ ___ _______
Eastern Area _________ __ ______ __ __________
Boston____ _______________________________
Philadelphia __ _________ ___________________
Chicago____ ______________ ________________
St. Louis ________ ___ _________ ____ ...,__ _____ _
Los Angeles _ _ ____________ ____ ____________
79.
13&
45.
101.
62.
89.
108.
3
9
0
9
1
5
9
The same decided change in average hourly earnings is observed
in the proportion of pressers in- the low- and high-earnings groups.
Before the change, Boston, with the highest earnings of any locality,
reported only two pressers earning less than 50 cents an hour;
however, New York City, with next to the highest earnings, reported
14.5 percent with earnings so low. Los Angeles and St. Louis showed
at least 70 percent of their pressers with these low earnings. After
the change, neither in New York nor in Boston were there any pressers
that reported average earnings below 50 cents an hour, and with
t4e single exception of Los Angeles, where 11.3 percent reported these
earnings, the other centers each had less than 7 percent of their
pressers in this wage group.
P ercent of pressers averaging less than 50 cents an hour
Before
change
New York City __________________________
Eastern Area _ ___________________________
Boston______ _____________________ _______
Philadelphia_____ _________ ____ ____ __ _____
Chicago ____ ____________ ______ ____ __ _____
St. Louis ___ ______________ ___ _____ ___ ____
Los Angeles __ _______________ ______ __ _____
14. 5
61. 7
A ft er
change
6. 6
(t)
48. 8
20. 4
70. 6
77. 6
5.
2.
3.
11.
9
8
2
3
At the other end of the wage scale the proportion of pressers increased markedly in the second period. Before the change, two cities,
Philadelphia and St. Louis, had no pressers with earnings as high as
$1 an hour. After the change more than half of the pressers in Philadelphia and about three-tenths in St. Louis reported earnings of $1
and over. In New York the increase was from less than one-fifth to
more than four-fifths in the high-earnings group, and in Chicago,
where only 1 percent of the pressers before the change earned $1 and
over, after the change 63.3 percent earned this amount. In Boston,
where a little over one-third earned $1 and over before the change,
almost nine-tenths earned that much after the change.
i
i pressers.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
48
PIECEWORK IN THE SILK-DRESS INDUSTRY
Percent of pressers averaging $1 and over an hour
B efore
After
chanoe
chanoe
New York City ___ ______ ________ ____ ___ __ 18. 8
Eastern Area_ ___________________________ 1. 2
Boston _____ _____ ________________________ 34. 1
Philadelphia__ _____ _____ ____________ ____ ______
Chicago ___________ ___ ______ __________ ___ 1. 0
St. Louis _____ ______________________ __ ________
Los Angeles_ _ ____ __________________ _____ 3. 4
83.
48.
88.
55.
63.
29.
9.
0
1
2
4
3
0
4
WEEKLY PRODUCTION OF PRESSERS
Average weekly production.
Records of production were obtained in most cases from little books
owned and kept by each worker for his own information. Rarely
were records kept by the management, and when records were not
kept by the pressers or such as were kept were too incomplete to be
used no production figures could be obtained. As a result, figures are
available for only four cities and the number of pressers even in these
four is small. For dresses wholesaling at $3.75 and less, only
New York City and the Eastern Area had enough cases to be tabulated, while for the higher-priced dresses wholesaling at over $3.75 to
$12. 75, production records were available for four centers, New York
City, Eastern Area, Philadelphia, and Chicago. In comparing production before and after the change, only such pressers as were in
the firms having production records in both periods are included.
The differences among the various centers in the number of garments pressed during a given period depend to a considerable ·extent
on the method of pressing that prevailed in the majority of shops.
If the entire garment is pressed by an iron, it takes longer than if a
press is used for the skirt, and likewise the type of iron determines to
some extent the speed of pressing. If an electric iron is used, the
seams must be opened and dampened and a cloth laid over before
pressing, while with a steam iron, where the pressure of a button
sprays on the steam, no sponging nor spreading of cloth on the work
is necessary. Therefore, although skill and experience always affect
output, the equipment and method of work may be equally important
factors.
DRESSES WHOLESALING AT $3.75 AND LESS
The production in the early period, when very long hours were
worked, was affected by the fact that in New York City and to a
great extent in the Eastern Area the majority of the pressers were
men and therefore not subject to the State limitation of hours.
With the shortening of the workweek, rates were raised so that, as
has been shown, earnings increased but the number of dresses pressed
declined. In New York City 2 more than four-fifths of the pressers
averaged at least 400 dresses a · week in the early period with the
longer week, compared to 250 but less than 550 dresses produced by
somewhat more than one-half in the late period with the shorter
week. In the Eastern Area production also declined after the change
but not to so great a degree as in New York, where, according to
statements of employers, more overtime was worked in the early
3
Numbers io N ew York City were small in both periods, 23 in the early and 27 in the later.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
49
PRESSERS
period. Before the change about one-third and after the change
close to one-half of the pressers in the Eastern Area produced less
than 300 dresses.
In the period after the change slightly less than one-fourth of the
pressers in New York compared to 12.2 percent in the Eastern Area
reported a weekly output of less than 175 dresses, while pressers with
a production of 400 dresses and over formed one-third of the group
in the Eastern Area and one-half of the group in New York.
It is probably due to the long hours in New York before the union
agreement that no presser reported an average production of less
than 200 dresses and that more than two-fifths produced 600 dresses
and over, while in the Eastern Area one-fourth produced less than
200 and 17.4 percent produced 600 and over.
DRESSES WHOLESALING AT OVER $3.75
As has already been observed, the earnings of pressers on the higherpriced garments (wholesaling at over $3.75) were above those of
pressers working on dresses wholesaling at $3.75 and less, due to the
higher piece prices on the more expensive garments, which more than
compensated for the fewer garments pressed.
In New York City, where the output of pressers was above the
average of those in most other centers, one-half of the pressers
reported an average of 17 5 and less than 300 dresses in a 35-hour
week, compared to 17 5 and less than 550 dresses produced by a
similar proportion of pressers on the cheaper dresses.
After the change to a 35-hour week, production in New York and in
the Eastern Area still exceeded the output of pressers in either
Philadelphia or in Chicago, the two other centers for which figures
were obtained. In Chicago the production was lowest, no women
producing as many as 200 dresses and one-half of the pressers averaging from 80 to less than 125 dresses in a 35-hour week.
Center
New York _________·__________ __
Eastern Area __ __ _____ ________ _
Philadelphia _________________ _
Chicago ______________________ _
Percent of
pressers
50. 4
60. 0
56. 5
50. 0
Dresses produced, after
change
175, less than 300.
150, less than 300.
150, less than 250.
80, less than 125.
Figures for New York show that the proportion whose average
production was less than 150 dresses trebled after the change and in
Chicago it increased from 72.3 percent to 94.1 percent.
Percent of pressers averaging less than 150 dresses per week
Be[ ore
change
New York _____ ___:______ _____ ___ _____ __
Eastern Area __ .. _ __ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ __ __ _ _ _ _ _ __
Philadelphia______________ _______ ______
Chicago____ ____ __ _____________________
8.
15.
3 31.
3 72.
3
1
4
8
3
After
change
3
24.
20.
35.
94.
1
0
1
1
Not only was there a trend to smaller production in the shorter
week but the above figures also emphasize, both in the early and late
periods, the wide difference between centers in the proportion of
a Based on less than 50 cases.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
50
PIECEWORK IN THE SILK-DRESS INDUSTRY
pressers in the low-production groups. A similar difference is illustrated in the high-production groups whose output averaged 250
dresses and over.
Percent averaging 250 dresses and over
New York_ ___ _________ _____ _____ __ __ __
East ern Area_ _______ ____ ____ ____ __ ____
Phila delphia_____________ ___ __ _____ ____
Chicago ___ _____________________ _______
4
4
B e/or~
A fter
change
chan ge
77.
51.
13.
4 6.
5
3
6
4
48. 3
4
30. 0
5. 3
Before the change, over three-fourths of the pressers in New York
averaged 250 dresses and over compared to only 6.4 percent of the
pressers in Chicago, while after the change no presser in Chicago
reported an average of 250 or more dresses and in New York almost
half achieved this average.
PIECE PRICES OF PRESSERS
In reviewing the rates paid for pressing a single garment, before
and after the code, less variation is found than in the case of operators.
This is especially true of the lower-priced dresses.
DRESSES WHOLESALING AT $3.75 AND LESS
Previous to the change in hours and pay occasioned by the union
agreement and code provisions, it was qmte unusual to find a company paying as much as 10 cents for pressing a dress. Of a total of
88 factories in 6 centers, only 5 reported a maximum piece price of
10 cents and over, while in 36 shops it was less than 5 cents.
After the change, a piece price of 10 cents and over was reported as
the maximum in 42 of the 88 plants, and 28 shops had such a minimum. The number of establishments where less than 5 cents a garment was paid decreased from 36 to 4 shops. The highest piece prices
were 20 and less than 30 cents, paid by 3 factories, 1 each in New
York, the Eastern Area, and St. Louis.
DRESSES WHOLESALING AT OVER $3.75
Piece prices were higher for pressing dresses wholesaling for over
$3.75 than for pressing the cheaper dresses, and piece prices for the
first named were obtained from more centers. However, much the
largest number of shops reported were from New York City and the
Eastern Area, where almost half of all establishments making the
more expensive dresses were situated.
Before the change, the maximum piece price for any workers was
30 and less than 50 cents and the more usual maximum was below
30 cents, with 95 of the 185 plants reporting a figure below 20 cents.
Chicago and Cleveland had the smallest number of shops with a
maximum below 20 cents, only 1 plant in each city.
After the change the number of shops paying a maximum of less
than 20 cents decreased from 95 to 38, and in the cities of Boston,
Cleveland, and Chicago there was no shop reporting such a low
maximum.
4Based
on less than 50 cases.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
51
PRESSERS
The numbers of firms paying their pressers a maximum piece rate
below 20 cents on the more expensive dresses were as follows :
Locality and whether before or after
agreement
City:
York______________________
NewBefore
______ _
After _____ _______________ ___ ______ _
Area:
Eastern
____________________________ _
Before
After-- - -------------- -- -- --- -- -- - Boston:
Before ____________________________ .
After ______ _______________ ________ _
Cleveland:
Before ____________ ______ __________ _
After _____________________________ _
Chicago:
Before ________ ____________________ _
After _____________________________ .
Angeles:
Los Before
______ _____________ ______ ___ _
After ___ ___ _______________________ .
St. Louis:
Before ____ ________ ________________ _
Aft Pr _________ ____________ ________ _
Philadelphia:
Before _____ ___________ -- __________ _
After ______________________ -------Minneapolis:__ ___________ _
aul and
St. PBefore
_______________
After _________ _______ ______ --------
Number of
firms with
Number of
maximum piece
firms
reporting
price of less
than 20 cents
55
55
39
15
31
31
26
18
18
IS
- - - - - - -- ------ - -
13
13
- --- ---- -- - - - - - -
23
23
-------- -- -- --- -
5
14
14
7
11
11
3
1
17
17
10
1
3
3
1
3
2
Piece prices of as much as 50 cents were not paid by any plant
before the change, but after the change 29 shops, in 6 of the 9 centers
(New York, Boston, Cleveland, Chicago, Los Angeles, and St. Louis),
reported such maximum :prices. In Boston and Ohicago the number
of shops paying these higher piece prices was especially large-in
Boston 10 of 18 establishments and in Chicago 11 of 23.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
FINISHERS
The work of finishing-that is, ·sewing on snaps, buttons, hooks and
eyes, bows, and so forth-is even more varied than that of making a
dress. One model may require only a few minutes to finish while
another may take 15 or 20 minutes, and yet both models may wholesale for the same price. For this reason no comparison of the piece
price per garment or of the number of dresses fl.rushed in a week can
be made between different centers or between the two periods with
different weekly hours. However, the earnings of finishers can be
compared both between different centers and between the long and
short workweek.
EARNINGS
With finishers as with operators, the minimum wage established
either by union agreement or by code varied in the different centers,
and without 'd oubt is reflected in earnings. The highest minimum
wage, used as a measuring rod for other centers, was set for New
York-57 cents an hour for the low-priced dresses of $3.75 and less
and 65 cents for those over $3.75. For the low-priced garments the
minimum for Boston and for Philadelphia was 90 percent and for the
Eastern Area 87.7 percent of that for New York. The minimum for
Chicago and Cleveland was 85 percent of New York's; for Los
Angeles, St. Louis, and St. Paul and Minneapolis 70 percent. The
same ratios to the New York minimum were set for the higher-priced
dresses with the single exception of the Eastern Area, where the mini-•
mum was 90 percent of New York's instead of the 87.7 percent as on
the lower-priced dresses.
A much larger group of finishers than of operators were. paid on a
time basis; that is, by the week or by the hour. The wide variation
in the amount of work on a dress and the many different models rendered difficult and expensive the setting of piece rates, so that a
straight time rate was found more efficient in many shops. As in this
survey the earnings of pieceworkers only were included, it was necessary to exclude those finishers paid on a time basis, thereby considerably reducing the number of finishers included in this study.
DRESSES WHOLESALING AT $3.75 AND LESS
In the lower-priced group, $3.75 and less, there were too few finishers paid on a piece basis to justify the tabulation of any localities
except New York City and the Eastern Area.
Average weekly earnings.
A comparison of weekly earnings between these two centers after
the change shows considerably higher earnings in the larger center,
New York, than in the Eastern Area. The number of factories and
52
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
FINISHERS
53
the number of finishers were, however, less in New York than in the
smaller cities included under the general term, Eastern Area. After
the change to a 35-hour week and to higher rates of pay, the median
of the weekly earnings for finishers in New York was $16.30 and for
those in the Eastern Area $13.90, a greater difference between the two
areas than the 12.3 points allowed by the code for the minimum wage.
There was, however, a much greater difference than the above in New
York and the Eastern Area before the change, with a median of $11.35
for New York and $6.55 for the Eastern Area.
The increase in weekly earnings between the two periodg both in
New York and in the Eastern Area is very marked. Previous to the
change, nearly two-fifths of the finishers in New York earned less
than $10, while after the change less than one-fifth reported such
earnings. In the Eastern Area more than three-fourths of the finishers earned less than $10 previous to the change and a little over onefifth afterward. At the high end of the earnings scale, the proportion
of finishers in New York that earned $18 and over increased from
15.2 percent before the change to 36.7 percent after the change, while
in the Eastern Area one-fifth earned this amount after the change,
compared to only 0.8 percent before the change.
The largest group in New York, 50 percent, the greatest concentration
of finishers on less expensive dresses, earned $6 and less than $12
before the change and the same proportion earned $12 and less than
$20 after the change. In the Eastern Area the difference in earnings
was even more striking; more than one-half, 53.9 percent, earned less ·
than $7 previous to the change and 50.7 percent $10 and less than $16
after the change.
Average hourly earnings.
After the change, average hourly earnings in New York showed a
median of 50.8 cents and in the Eastern Area of 42.8 cents. One-half
of the :finishers in New York earned an average of from 42 to less than
65 cents an hour, and at each end of the scale-those earning 80
cents and over and those earning less than 22 cents-the proportion
of finishers was the same, 10 percent. Hourly earnings of finishers in
the Eastern Area showed a much smaller percent with very high and
very low earnings, only 1.3 percent and 3.1 percent, respectively, but
between these two extremes earnings were fairly well distributed with
a little more than half (55.8 percent) earning 36 but less than 55 cents.
As in the case of operators, after the change the median of the
hourly earnings of finishers showed a greater increase than was found
in the median of the weekly earnings. This was due no doubt to the
shortened weekly hours in the latter period, which weights weekly
earnings but not hourly earnings. This is illustrated by the fact that
the median for hourly earnings more than doubled in New York City
while the median weekly earnings increased only 43.6 percent. A
marked change occurred also in the low-earnings group whose average
hourly earnings were below 20 cents and in the high-earnings group of
48 cents and over. Before the change, over one-third of the finishers
in New York City earned less than 20 cents an hour and afterward
only 5 percent. An average of 48 cents and over was obtained by
only one worker previous to the change, while after the change more
than half, 55 percent, reached or exceeded this amount.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
54
PIECEWORK IN THE SILK-DRESS INDUSTRY
Medians of the hourly and weekly earnings
New York:
Hourly median ___ __ ____
Weekly median __ _______
Eastern Area:
Hourly median ___ ______
Weekly median __ _______
Before
change
After
change
23.8 cents
$11.35
50.8 cents
$16. 30
113. 4
43. 6
13. 7 cents
$6.55
42. 8 cents
$13. 90
212. 4
112. 2
Percent
increase
In the Eastern Area average hourly earnings increased in the
latter period to a far greater degree than in New York because of the
very low earnings in the early period. The median of hourly earnings more than trebled, jumping from a median of 13.7 cents to one
of 42.8 cents. The low- and high-earnings groups also showed a
tremendous change in the period after the agreement became e:ffective.
In the early period the average hourly earnings of more than threefourths, 77.4 percent, of the finishers were less than 20 cents and only
two finishers had an average of as much as 36 cents; after the change
only four averaged less than 20 cents and almost three-fourths (72.3
percent) averaged 36 cents and over, a striking reversal of earnings.
DRESSES WHOLESALING AT OVER $3.75
For two reasons the number of finishers on the higher-priced garments wholesaling at over $3.75 is greater in this survey than on the
lower-priced garments. In order to finish a more expensive dress
more work is necessary than on the lower-priced dresses, and also
the work is more likely to be paid on a piece-rate basis. As this
survey was one of pieceworkers only, the latter reason eliminated a
considerable number of finishers in the less expensive dress shops
where the operators and pressers were on piece rates, but not the
finishers.
Average weekly earnings.
For the higher-priced garments it was possible to obtain a sufficient
number of finishers to be tabulated in six of the nine centers. The
smallest number, 63, reported from any center was from Boston and
the largest number, 341, from New York. In a comparison of
median earnings of finishers after the change in the different centers,
it was found that the highest earnings reported were for New York
and the lowest for Los Angeles, while the Eastern Area, Boston, and
Philadelphia reported a variation of only 25 cents from the highest
to the lowest.
Median of the weekly earnings of finisher s on dresses wholesaling at over $8.75
B efore change
New York ___ __ _____ ______ _____ _______ $14.
Eastern Area ___ ___ _________ __ ___ ___ __ 8.
Boston _____ _____ ______ ________ ___ __ __ 11.
Philadelphia ____ ____ ___ ____ __ __ _____ __ 9.
Chicago _____ _____ ___ _____ ______ ___ ___ 12.
Los Angeles _____ _______ ________ __ _ -· _ _ 8.
45
45
35
55
25
60
After change
$19. 25
15. 55
la 70
15. 45
18. 05
14. 15
Previous to the change there was a far greater variation between
earnings in the different centers than after the change. The Eastern
Area reported the lowest median and New York the highest, while
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55
FINISHERS
the other four centers showed a variation from the highest to the
lowest of $3.65. Although the highest median before and after the
change was reported for New York, that city experienced the smallest
percent of increase, while the greatest change between·the two periods
took place in the Eastern Area with an increase of 84 percent.
P ercent increase in the medi an of weekly earnings af ter
New York ___ ________ _________ ___________ __
Eastern Area_ ·-______ ___________________ ___
Boston ____ _____ _____ _________ ___________ __
Philadelphia _________ ____ ______ ______ ___ ___
Chicago __ ·---- ----- ------------- -- -- - ----_
Los Angeles ______ ___ ____ ________________ __
the change
33. 2
8•1. 0
38. 3
61. 8
47. 3
64. 5
Although the median gives a condensed picture of the figures and
affords a simple method of comparison between different centers and
different periods, it does not show the range of earnings nor within
what divisions fall the major group of workers. By far the widest
distribution of earnings appeared in New York, with about onetenth of the :finishers reporting weekly earnings after the change of
less than $12-three of these earning less than $5-and a similar
proportion $31 and more, 1 reporting earnings of between $51 and
$52. The largest group, over one-half, earned $15 and less than $24 .
All other centers reported a much narrower range. The greatest
concentration of earnings after the change was somewhere in the
group $12 and less than $19 in all centers except New York and
Chicago.
Major group and ran ge of earnings after change
Center
New York __ _······ ···- ·-·-·· ·- ·---····
E astern Area ...... ·-··· · ··-·-·· -· ·····
Boston· - ··················· · -·-·--··-·
Philadelphia . . _.·····-··-· · ······ · ····
Chicago_·- · · ···············-·· · -·-·-··
Los Angeles .. -•··········· ···· ·-······
P ercent
52. 8
61. 5
50. 8
49. 4
56. 1
55. 8
Range of major grou p
$15 and less than $24.
$1 2 and less t han $19.
$13 and l ess t han $18.
$1 2 and l ess than $17.
$14 and l ess than $20.
$12 and l ess than $16.
If a comparison is made of the· change in distribution of earnings
between the period before hours were shortened and rates increased
and afterward, the result is even more striking than when medians
alone are considered. The major group in all the centers showed
earnings before the change whose top point was in all but t wo cases
the same as or lower than the bottom one afterward. In the E as tern
Area earnings were the lowest before the change, with over h alf of
the :finishers earning less than $9 a week. In Los Angeles the major
group earned $5 and less than $10 and in Philadelphia $8 and less
than $12.
M aJor grou p and range of earnings bef ore change
Center
New York ___ __ _·-··--··----· ·· · · · ··· ·
Eastern Area............... . .... . .....
Boston.. ••··· ········ · ····--- --- ··-·-·
Philadelphia ____ ·----- ----- -·- ········
Chicago_ ·-······--··---- -- -· -· -·· · · ·· ·
Los Angeles ___··---············ ·······
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Percent
51. 1
56. 7
44. 8
68. 2
67. 4
68. 5
Range of major group
$9 and less t han $17.
Less than $9.
$9 andless than $12.
$8 an d less than $12.
$10 and less than $16.
$5 and less than $10.
56
PIECEWORK IN THE SILK-DRESS INDUSTRY
In the low-earnings group of less than $10 a week the smallest
percent in any city before the change was in New York, where a fifth
of the finishers reported such earnings, and the highest percent (68.3
percent) in Los Angeles . . After the change the highest percent was
still in Los Angeles, with a little over a tenth, and the lowest, 2.9
percent, in Chicago.
Percent earning less than $10 weekly
New York _______ __ ___ ___ ____________ ___
Eastern Area__________ ______ _______ _____
Boston _ _ _ _ _ __ __ _ _ __ _ __ _ __ _ __ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Philadelphia __ _ ______ _______ _____ _______
Chicago _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ __ _ _ __ _ _ __ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ __ _
Los Angeles_ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
B efore
change
After
change
20.
66.
31.
56.
26.
68.
5. 3
8. 6
7. 9
6. 5
2. 9
10. 8
0
0
3
8
2
3
Whe~ the proportion of finishers in the higher earnings groups of
$20 and over is compared before and after the change, Boston shows
the most marked increase. In the period before the change, Boston,
also the Eastern Area, reported no finishers with these earnings, and
New York was the only city with an appreciable number. After the
change, more than a fourth, 28.6 percent, in Boston earned $20 and
over, while in New York 44.9 percent earned such amounts.
Percent earning $20 and over
Before
change
New York ______________________________ 19. O
Eastern Area ___ ___________________________ ____
Boston _ __ __ ___ _____________ __ ___________ ___ _
Philadelphia___ __ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ 2. 7
Chicago_ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ __ __ _ _ _ _ __ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ 4. 3
Los Angeles__ ____ ______ _______ __ ________
.7
After
change
44. 9
14. 0
28. 6
21. 2
28. 8
4. 2
Average hourly earnings.
After the change, the highest inedian of hourly earnings, 58 cents,
was found in New York, the next highest, 53.8 cents, in Chicago.
The other four centers showed a comparatively small variation of 3
cents in their medians, _with Philadelphia the lowest at 44.6 cents.
With hourly earnings, as with weekly earnings, there was a greater
difference in earnings between the various centers before the change
than afterward. Los Angeles reported the highest median of hourly
earnings, 34.4 cents, before the change and the Eastern Area the
lowest, 17 .5 cents, while medians for the other four cities were from
20.6 to 30.6 cents.
Medians of average hourly earnings before and after change
New York ___ ___ _____ _________________ ___
Eastern Area ____________________________
Boston ____ __ -- - - -- -- -- - ------------ - - - - Philadelphia__ _____ __________ __ _ _ _ __ _ __ _ _
Chicago ___ _______ __ __________________ ___
Los Angeles _ _______ __________ ______ _____
Before
change
(cents)
30.
17.
29.
20.
27.
34.
6
5
6
6
3
4
After
change
(cents)
58.
46.
46.
44.
53.
47.
0
7
8
6
8
6
A comparison of the distribution of earnings of finishers in the
different earnings groups in the various centers after the change
shows a wider range and less concentration around a norm or average
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
57
FINISHERS
in New York than in the other centers. A little more than half, 51.2
percent, of the finishers in New York earned an average of 50 and
less than 7 5 cents an hour, and in no other center was the range of the
major group so high. Workers in Chicago more nearly approached
those of New York in their earnings, and the lowest r ange of earnings
for the major group, 34 and less than 48 cents, was found in Philadelphia.
Proportion of finishers in major earnings group after the change
New York ____________
Eastern Area __________
Boston ________._______
Philadelphia __________
Chicago ______________
Los Angeles ____ _______
51.2 percent earning 50 and less than 75 cents an
55.9 percent earning 40 and less than 59 cents an
49.2 percent earning 44 and less than 59 cents an
53.3 percent earning 30 and less than 48 cents an
54.0 percent earning 50 and less than 65 cents an
61.3 percent earning 46 and less than 60 cents an
hour.
hour.
hour.
hour.
hour.
hour.
Before the change in hours and rates, Los Angeles reported the
highest hourly earnings of 34 and less than 44 cents for their major
group. This was considerably above earnings for the largest group
in other centers, which as a rule were below 30 cents. The most
striking feature of these figures is the very low earnings of the major
group in the Eastern Areailess than 14 cents an hour, and the increase
after the change to 40 and ess than 59 cents an hour.
Average hourly earnings show a much greater increase after the
change to shorter hours and higher rates than do weekly earnings.
The medians of average hourly earnings increased in every center
but Los Angeles far more than did the median of the average weekly
earnings. In the Eastern Area and in Philadelphia hourly earnings
increased over 100 percent while weekly earnings in those two centers
rose 84 and 61.8 percent, respectively. In Los Angeles, the only city
where weekly earnings increased more than hourly earnings, it is
probable that undertime was worked to a considerable extent in the
early period so that, when the 35-hour week became the standard,
hours worked may have actually increased rather than decreased.
Percent increase in the median of hourly earnings and in the median of weekly
earnings after the change
Average
New York_____________________________ _
Eastern Area_ ____________ _________ _____
Boston__________________________ ____ ___
Philadelphia ____________________________
Chicago_ ___________________ ______ ______
Los Angeles _______ __ __ .. _____________ ___
Average
hourly
weekly
earnings
earnings
89.
166.
58.
116.
97.
·38.
5
9
1
5
1
4
33.
84.
38.
61.
47.
64.
2
0
3
8
3
5
The higher earnings resulting from the union agreement and the
code are also illustrated by the decrease in the number of finishers in
the lower-earnings group after the change and the increase in the
higher-earnings groups. Previous to the change every center reported some finishers with average hourly earnings of less than 16
cents, the proportion with such earnings varying with the locality,
from 5.6 percent in Los Angeles to 40.5 percent in the Eastern Area.
After the change only two centers reported any finishers earning less
than 16 cents and in both of these, the Eastern Area and Philadelphia, there was only one such worker.
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58
PIECEWORK IN THE SILK-DRESS INDUSTRY
Percent of finisher s before and after the change with hourly earnings of less than 16
cents
New York____ ___ ___ __ ___ __ ____ _____ ____
Easte-rn Area ___ _______ ____________ _____
Boston _____ ____ _______ ___ _________ _____
Philadelphia __ ________ ____ ______________
Chicago___ _____ __ __________ ____ ___ _____
Los Angeles_ _ __________________________
1
Before
After
change
change
8. 2
40. 5
a0
19. 2
9. 4
5. 6
1
0. 5
1 finisher.
In the high-earnings group whose hourly average was 60 cents and
over after the change, every center was represented. The smallest
percent of finishers, 5.9 percent, with such earnings was found in Los
Angeles and the largest, 45.8 percent, in New York. In the early
period before the change only one center, New York, reported any
finishers with an average of 60 cents and over and the number was
small, only 5.9 percent.
P ercent of finishers before and after the change with hourly earnings of 60 cents and
over
B efore
A fter
change
change
New York__ _________ ____________ __ _____ 5. 9
Eastern Area_ _______________________________
Boston____ __ _______ _________ _____ ________ ___
Philadelphia_______ ____ _____ ___ ___ ___________
Chicago_ ___ __________________________ ____ ___
Los AnKeles_____________________ _______ __ ___
45. 8
14. 5
la 0
21. 6
34. 5
K9
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
APPENDIXES
A- GENERAL TABLES
B- SCHEDULE FORMS
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Appendix A. -GENERAL TABLES
TABLE
1.-Average weekly earnings of operators befor e and after the union agreement and the code--6 centers
NEW YORK CITY
Dresses wholesaling at$3.75 and less
Average weekly earnings!
Over $3.75
1-------.,..------11-------.,..-----Before agreement
After agreement
Before agreement
After agreement
Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent
- - - - - - - - - - 1 - - - - ---- - -- - ---- ---- ---- ---- - -- TotaL_ ______________
Median earnings 2__________
400
$15. 75
100. 0
443
100. 0
$27. 60 --------Less than $5 ________ ______________ ____ ____ ____ ------ - -- ------- - $5, less than $10_ _____ ______
48
12. 0
2
.5
$10, less than $15___________
135
33. 8
7
1. 6
$15, less than $20__________ _
116
29. 0
51
11. 5
$20, l ess than $25_ ____ ___ __ _
74
18. 5
98
22. 1
15
3. 8
118
26. 6
$25, less than $30___________
$30, less than $35_ __________
10
2. 5
92
20. 8
$35,lessthan$40__ _________
2
.5
45
10. 2
26
5. 9
$40, less than $50_ ____ ____ __ _________ ____ _____
4
.9
$50, less than $60_ __________ _________ _________
$60 and more __ ____ __________________________________ ___ __ __ ___ _
928
100. 0
$23. 15 --------10
90
213
211
147
114
73
59
11
955
100. 0
$34. 75 ---------
1.1
9. 7
23. 0
22. 7
15. 8
12. 3
7. 9
6. 4
1. 2
3
24
78
197
182
166
.3
2. 5
8. 2
20. 6
19: 1
17. 4
193
93
19
20. 2
9. 7
2.0
856
100.0
EASTERN AREA
TotaL __ _____________
Median earnings 2____ ____ __
1,686
$11. 90
100. 0
Less than $5____ ____________
22
1. 3
$5, less than $10_ ___________
481
28. 5
840
49. 8
$10, less than $15____ __ __ __ _
274
16. 3
$15, l ess than $20____ _______
$20, less than $25_________ __
60
3. 6
$25, less than$30_ __________
7
.4
$30, less than $35_ ___ ___ __ __
1
.1
$35, less than $40_ __________
1
.1
$40, less than $50 ____ ______ __ ___ ___ __ --------$50, less than $60 ___________________ _ ____ ____ _
1,847
$19. 10
100. 0
783
$13. 35
100.0
76
327
625
496
219
80
17
4.1
17. 7
11. 9
10
142
357
183
68
14
1. 3
18. 1
45. 6
23. 4
8. 7
1.8
4. 3
6
.8
•3
.1
6
•3
.1
1
45
17
100. 0
268
$15. 00
100. 0
294
$19. 70
33. 8
26. 9
.9
1
2
$22. 25
1
.1
8
.9
8.4
25. 7
36. 2
21.4
72
220
310
183
5. 3
2.0
BOSTON
TotaL _______________
Median earnings 2_ __ _ _ _ __ _
77
$13. 05
100. 0
89
$15. 50
Less than $5 _______________ ____ ______ ___ __ __ __ _________________ _
$5, less than $10____________
14
18. 2
10
11. 2
$10, less than $15 ___ ___ _____
49
63. 6
28
31. 5
11
14.3
32
36. 0
$15, lessthan$20________ __ _
$20, l ess than $25 _____ ___ ___
1
1. 3
16
18. 0
$25, l ess than $30_ _______ ___
2
2. 6
3
3. 4
$30, less than $35 ___________ _________ _______ __ ____ ___ __ . ___ __ __ _
$35, less than $40 __________________ ____________________ ___ _____ _
1
.4
39
94
101
26
14. 6
35.1
37. 7
9. 7
6
1
2. 2
.4
11
2
430
$18. 50
100. 0
513
$28. 65
27
128
80
46
100.0
9. 2
43. 5
27. 2
15. 6
3. 7
.7
PHILADELPHIA
TotaL _______________
147
100. 0
147
100. 0
Median earnings s _________ $10. 45
$19.15
Less than $5 _____ ___________ ___ ________ __ _______________ ___ __ __ _
$5, less than $10____________
67
45. 6 _________________ _
46
31. 3
24
16. 3
$10, less than $15_______ ____
$15,lessthan$20 ___________
17
11.6
63
42. 9
$20, less than $25 ______ ___ __
16
10. 9
43
29. 3
$25,lessthan$3Q ___ ________ ----- - - -- ------ - -10
6. 8
$30,lessthan$35___ ____ ___ _ _______ __ __ __ _____
4
2. 7
$35, less than $40_ __________ ___ ___ ___ ___ _____ _
3
2. O
$40, less than $50___ ________
1
. 7 -------- - --------$50, less than $60 ___________ - - - - - ---- --------- --- ------ ----- - ---
1
.2
37
8. 6
23. 0
25. 8
21. 9
13. 5
3. 7
2. 3
99
111
94
58
16
10
4
.9
3
20
62
91
111
120
58
46
2
See footnotes at end of table.
61
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
100.0
.0
3. Q
12.1
17. 7
21.6
23.4
11.3
9.0
.4
62
PIECEWORK IN THE SILK-DRESS INDUSTRY
TABLE
I.- A verage weekly earnings of operators before and after the union agreement and the code--6 centers-Continued
CHICAGO
Dresses wholesaling atOver $3.75
$3.75 and less
_Average weekly earnings
1
After agreement
Before agreement
Before agreement
After agreement
Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percen t
--- - -- ------ ------
---
Total __ ____ --- ------Median earnings 2__ __ __ ____
152
100. 0
$10. 75 --- ---- --
165
100.0
$18. 20 -- -------
100. 0
538
$14. 50 ----- ----
100. 0
499
$21. 75 -- - --- - --
--------- --- - -------Less than $5 __ ____ ____ ______ - - 3
.6 --------- --------3. 3 --- ----- - --- -- ---5
$5, less than $10 ___________ _
1. 6
4. 8
10.8
8
$10, less than $15 _______ ____
$15, less than $20 . __________
$20, less than $25 ___________
$25, less than $30. __________
$30, less than $35 __ __ __ _____
$35, less than $40 __ _________
$40, less than $50 ___________
57
59
21
10
37. 5
38.8
13.8
6. 6
8
36
49
53
14
4
1
58
236
174
46
16
3
1
1
43. 9
32.3
8. 6
3.0
.6
.2
.2
41
134
168
97
31
16
4
8. 2
26.9
33. 7
19. 4
6. 2
3. 2
.8
257
$10. 65
100. 0
236
$18. 50
100.0
9
100
125
22
1
3. 5
38. 9
48. 6
5
37
112
74
2.1
15. 7
47.5
31.4
3.0
21.8
29. 7
32. 1
8. 5
2. 4
.6
ST. LOUIS
Total. _____________ __
96
Median earnings 2_________ _ $11. 00
Less than $5___ ____ ______ __ _
$5, less than $10 __________ __
$10, less than $15_ ______ ____
$15, less than $20 _ _______ ___
$20, less than $25 . ______ ____
100. 0
3
3. 1
36
46
10
1
37. 5
47. 9
10. 4
1. 0
$25, less than $30. ____________ _______ __ ____ ___
$30, less than $35 _____________ __ ___ _____ _____ _
118
$19. 15
1
20
48
39
9
100.0
.8
16. 9
40. 7
33.1
8. 6
.4
7
7. 6
.8
1
.4
1
1 Earnings for 4 weeks were copied for each operator, and the average per week for each individual is
shown.
2 Median earnings computed on $1 intervals.
11.-Average weekly earnings of operators on dresses wholesaling at over
$3. 75 before and after the union agreement and code-Cleveland, Los Angeles,
and St. Paul and Minneapolis
TABLE
Cleveland
Average weekly
earnings
Before
change
After
change
Los Angeles
Before
change
After
change
St. Paul and Minneapolis
Before
change
After
change
Num- Per- Num- Per- Num- Per- Num- Per- Num- Per- Num- Perber cent ber cent
ber cent ber cent
ber cent ber cent
-- ---- -- -- -- -- -- -- ---
-
Total. __ __ ___ ____ _ 152 100. 0
182 100.0
396 100.0
115 100.0
480 100.0
106 100. 0
Median earnings 1 ____ __ $12. 80 ----- - $27. 35 --- -- - $11.85 -- -- -- $17. 85 -- -- -- $11. 50 ------ $18. 20 --- -- --Less than $5 ____________
2
7
1. 5 ---- - - -- - - -1. 7 ------ ----------- ------ ----- - -----$5, less than $10 _________
2. 8
42 36. 5
3
1. 6
158 32. 9
11
1
.9
30 19. 7
$10, less than $15 ____ ____
84 55. 3
4.4
48 41. 7
189 39.4
99 25. 0
8
20 18. 9
$15, less than $20 __ ___ ___
16
21 18. 3
26 17. 1
8.8
85 17. 7
136 34. 3
52 49. 1
$20, less than $25 _______ _
5. 2
102 25.8
2
5.9
34 18. 7
25
1. 7
31 29. 2
9
$25, less than $30 ___ _____
2
2.1
9. 3 ------ -----2
1. 3
1. 9
66 36. 3
10
37
$30, less than $35 __ ______
1
42 23.1
2.0 ------ ------ ------ ----- .7
3
.6
8
$35, less than $40 ________ ------ ---- -4. 4
8
3
.6
3
.8 ------ ------ ------ ---- -$40, less than $50 ________ - --- -- -----2. 7 ------ ------ -- ---- ------ ------- ------ -- ---- --- --5
----
1
Median computed on $1 intervals.
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63
-APPENDIXES
TABLE
III.-Average hourly earnings of operators before and after the union agreement
and the code-6 centers
NEW YORK CITY
Dresses wholesaling atOver $3.75
$3.75 and less
Average hourly earnings
Before agreement
After agreement
Number Percent Number Percent
Before ~greement
After agreement
Numbe~ Percent Number P ercent
- -- - -- -- - - 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - , - -- - - - - - 'l' otaL ________ _______ _
M edian earnings ____ cents __
443
100. 0
81. 4 -- - ---- - Less than 20 cents _______ ___
31
7. 8 __________ ____ ___ _
20, less than 22 cents_ __ ____
23
5. 8 __________ __ ___ __ _
22, less than 24 cents_ ______
31
7. 8 ________________ __
24,lessthan26cents _____ __
25
6.3
.2
26,lessthan28cents _______
28
7. 1 _____ ____________ _
20
5. 1
.2
28, Jess than 30 cents _______
30, Jess than 32 cents____ ___
25
6. 3
.2
32,lessthan34cents_ ______
46
11.6
.2
34,1essthan36cents_ ______
15
3. 8 _________________ _
36,1essthan38cents ___ ____
19
4.8 _______ __ __ ___ ____
14
3. 5
1
.2
38, Jess than 40cents__ __ ___
40,lessthan50cents __ _____
77
19.4
18
4.1
50,1essthan60cents_ __ _____
Zl
6.8
37
8. 4
60,1essthan70cents ___ ____
6
1.5
54
12.2
70,lessthan80cents________
7
1.8
96
21.7
80,1essthan90cents __ ___ __
2
.5
82
18.5
90 cents, less than $L _______ _ - ---- - - -- ---- -- - - 62
14. 0
$1, less than $1.10 ___ _____ ___ ____ _____ -- - - - ---34
7. 7
Zl
6. 1
$1.10, Jess than $1.20 __ __ ____ ---- - - - -- - ------- $1.20, Jess than $1.30______ ___ ____ ____ ----- -- - 14
3. 2
$1.30, less than $1.40____________ _____ ----- - --7
1. 6
4
.9
$1.40, less than $1.50__ _ _____ ___ ___ ___ _______ __
3
.7
$1.50, less than $1.60_ ______ _ ______ ___ __ __ _____
$1.60, less than $1. 75 _________ __________________ ______ ___ _______ _
$1.75, less than $2 ____ __ ____ _______________ ___ __ __ ____ ___ ___ _____ _
$2, less than $2.25 ____ __ --- -·· ___________ ___ _____ ____ _____ _ ________ _
396
32. 7
100. 0
893
100. 0
49. 8 · --------7
5
2
.8
.6
.2
1. 6
14
23
2. 6
20
28
2. 2
3. 1
30
23
45
44
210
157
90
90
53
38
9
955
100. 0
102. 0 ---- - --·-
3.4
2. 6
5. 0
.. 1
4. 9
23. 5
17. 6
10.1
10.1
5. 9
4. 3
1. 0
3
.3
2
•2
.9
9
13
38
94
148
150
127
102
66
68
57
30
36
15
1
1. 4
4. 0
9.8
15. 5
15. 7
13. 3
10. 7
6.0
7. 1
6.0
3. 1
3. 8
1.6
.1
EASTERN AREA
TotaL ___ ___ _____ ____
Median earnings ___ .cents __
1,667
24. 0
100. 0
---------- -475- Less than 20 cents _________ _
28. 5
20, less than 22 cents _____ __
171
10. 3
22, less than 24 cents _______
188
11. 3
24, Jess than 26 cents _______
10.1
168
26, less than 28 cents _______
166
10. 0
28, less than 30 cents __ __ ___
124
7. 4
30, less than 32cents ______ _
5. 9
98
32, less than 34 cents _____ __
4. 1
68
34, less than 36 cents _____ ___
45
2. 7
36, less than 38 cents _____ __
45
2. 7
38, Jess than 40 cents ____ ___
33
2. 0
40, less than 42 cents ________
26
1. 6
42, Jess than 44cents _______
21
1. 3
44, less than 46 cents _______
.6
10
46, Jess than 48 cents __ __ ___ _
.7
11
48, less than 50 cents _______
.6
10
50, less than 55 cents ____ __ _
.3
5
55, Jess than 60 cents _______
.1
1
60, less than 65 cents ____ ___ ----- ---65, less than 70 cents _______.
.1
1
70, less than 75 cents ____ ___ --------- --- ---- -75, less than 80 cents _______ --------80, less than85 cents ____ ___
1
.1
85, less than 90 cents _______ -- ------- ------ --90, less than 95 cents __ __ ___ _ --------- -------- 95 cents, less than $L ______ _
-- -- -- - -$1, Jess than $1.10 ___ __ __ ___ _ ---- --- -- ---- -- --$1.10, less than $1.20 ________ --------- -- ------ $1.20,less than $1.30 __ __ ___ _ ------- -- -------- $1.30, less than $1.40. _______ ---- - --- - --------$1.40, less than $1 50 __ __ ____ -- -- -- --- --- - -- - -$1.50, less than $1.60___ ____ . --------- --------$1.60, less than $1.75 ________
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1, 847
61.4
100. 0
----------------- --- -------- ----------- .--1
1
4
9
8
5
25
15
26
44
36
4.5
60
94
88
177
222
233
198
i72
129
89
66
46
20
24
3
1
5
.2
.5
.4
.3
· 1.4
.8
1. 4
2.4
1. 9
2. 4
3. 2
5.1
4.8
9. 6
12. 0
12. 6
10. 7
9. 3
7. 0
4.8
3.6
2. 5
1.1
1. 3
.2
.1
.3
1
1
.1
.1
100. 0
776
Zl.8 ----- -- --
100. 0
854
69. 8 ---- --- --
- - - - - - - --
19. 1
1
8. 0
1
8. 2 ---- ----9. 0 ------- -70
6. 4
2
50
9. 8
2
76
7. 3
1
57
2
5. 7
44
4. 5
35
6
4. 3
33
5
26
3. 4
10
16
22
2.8
14
2. 2
17
2. 2
10
17
18
2. 3
2~
14
1. 5
12
12
1. 5
60
.5
4
76
3
.4
91
3
.4
98
2
.3
104
97
----------------1
.1
66
50
--------- --------31
--------- --------28
--------- - - ------ 30
--------- ------- -12
--- -- -- -- ---- ---- 2
------ - -- -------- 1
--------- --------1
---- ----- --------148
62
64
.1
.1
-- -- ---------- --.2
.2
.1
.2
.7
• (I
L.2
1. g
1. 6
1. 2
2. 7
1. 6
7.0
8. g
10. 7
11. 5
12. 2
11.4
7. 7
5. 9
3. 6
3. 3
3. 5
1. 4
.2
.1
.1
--------- --------- --------- -- ---- ----------- --------- --------- -- -------
64
TABLE
PIECEWORK IN THE SILK-DRESS INDUSTRY
III. -Average hourly earning8 of operators before and after the union agreement
and the code-6 centers-Continued
BOSTON
Dresses wholesaling at$3.75 and less
Over $3.75
Average hourly earnings
Before agreement
A!ter agreement
Number Percent Number Percent
TotaL ______________ _
Median earnings ____ cents __
77
31. 2
100. 0
Less than 20 cents___ _______
3
3. 9
20, less than 22 cents________
7
9. 1
22, less than 24 cents____ ____
3
3. 9
24,lessthan26cents __ _____
6
7.8
26, less than 28 cents _______
6
7. 8
28, less than 30 cents ___ ____
7
9. 1
30,lessthan32cents______ _
11
14. 3
32,lessthan34cents _______
7
9.1
10
13.0
34, lessthan36cents______ _
36, less than 38 cents_ ______
5
6. 5
38, less than 40 cents________
3
3. 9
2
2. 6
40, less than 42 cents_ __ ___
42, less than 44 cents
__ _
1
1. 3
44, less than 46 cents________
2
2. 6
46, less than 48 cents______ _
1
1. 3
48,lessthan50cents ____________ __ ____ ____ __ _
50,lessthan55cents_ ___ ____
1
1.3
55, less than 60 cents __ ____ __ ·-- __ ___ __ ________ _
60, less than 65 cents_____ ___
1
1. 3
65,lessthan70cents _______
1
1.3
70, less than 75 cents __ ______ --------- ------- -75, less than 80 cents _______ ------ --- ----- ---80, less than 85 cents _______ ---- ----- -- ------85, less than 90 cents _______ -- ----- -- --------90, less than 95 cents _______ - -- - -- - -- --------95 cents, less than $L _: _____ --------- --------$1, less than $1.10 __ __ _______ --------- - ------ - -
89
100. 0
49. 3 -- --- ---2
2
2
Before agreement
After agreement
Number Percent Number Percent
268
100. 0
37. 0 ---------
2. 2
2. 2
2. 2
292
100. 0
60. 8 -- --- ----
6. 3
3. 0
3. 3
-
-
-- ----
I
---- -----
1. 9
5. 2
3. 4
4.1
1.1
1. 1
3. 4
.3
1.0
1.0
4. 5
9. 0
9. 0
7. 5
10. 8
8. 6
6. 0
6. 0
2. 2
7. 9
3. 4
5. 6
4. 5
5. 6
.3
.7
1. 4
2.1
4. 1
4.1
4.8
15.1
13. 7
4.1
2. 2
2. 2
4. 5
7. 9
5. 6
7. 9
11. 2
3.4
3. 0
3. 0
1. 5
8. 2
7. 9
7. 5
9. 9
7. 5
.4
.4
.4
2. 2
4. 5
2. 2
3.4
1. 1
1. l
1.1
3. 1
2.1
1. 7
PHILADELPHIA
Total_ ___ ____________
Median earnings, cents___ __
147
21. 4
100.0
146
- - - - - - - - - -______
- -___
-
Less than 20 cents__ ________
57
38. 8 __ _______
20,lessthan22cents__ ____ _
24
16.3 __ _______
22, less than 24 cents __ - - --12
8. 2 ___ ______
24,lessthan26oents___ ____
8
5.4 __ _____ __
26, less than 28 cents. __- --4
2. 7 __ _______
28, less than 30 cents ____ --7
4. 8
2
30,lessthan32cents ___ ____
7
4.8
2
32,lessthan34cents _______
12
8.2
7
34,lessthan36cents ___ ____
6
4.1
1
36,lessthan38cents ___ ___ ___ ________ _____ ___
4
38,lessthan40cents ___ ____
2
1.4
4
40,lessthan42oents _______
1
.7
1
42,lessthan44cents _____ __
1
.7
3
44,lessthan46cents ____ __ _
3
2.0
5
<l6,lessthan48cents _______
1
.7
11
48,lessthan50cents ____ ________ ____ ___ ___ ___
8
50,lessthan55cents ___ ____
1
.7
34
55,lessthan60cents____ ___ ______ ___ ___ _____ _
21
60, less than 65 cents __ __ ___ __ ______ _ ____ ____ _
16
65,lessthan,70cents _______ ____ ____ _ __ ____ ___
8
70, less than 75 cente _______ _________ __ ______ _
8
75,lessthan80cents _________ ____ ___ ____ ____ _
3
80, less than 85 cents______ _
1
.7
3
85,lessthan90cents_______ _________ ____ ___ __ ___ ______
3
90, less than 95 cents_______ __ _____ __ __ ____ ___
95 cents, less than $1.00 __ ___ __ __ ____ _ ----- -- -- _________
1
$1, less than $1.10_______ __ __ ____ ____ _ __ __ __ ___
1
$1.10, less than $1.20___ ___ __ ______ __ _ __ _______
$1.20, less than $1.30 __ ____ __ ______ _______ _____ -- -- ----$1.30, less than $1.40 _______ ____ _____ ___ ______ _ __ _______
$1.40 ___ ______ _____ _________ ------ - -- ------- -- ---- - -- --
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
100. 0
53. 7
______ ___
__ _______
_________
______ ___
1. 4
1.4
4.8
.7
2.7
2.7
.7
2.1
3.4
7. 5
5.5
23.3
14.4
11. 0
5.5
5. 5
2.1
2. 1
____ ____ _
2.1
-- - --- - -.7
.7
--- ----- ------ - ---- ------
430
39. 4
100.0
513
82. 4
100.0
- -32- - -7.4- - - - - - .2
12
2.8
3. 7
3. 5
6. 7
16
3. 7
21
4.9
14
3.3
14
3.3
33
7.7.
18
4.2
22
5.1
24
5.6
24
5.6
15
3. 5
31
7.2
42
9.8
17
4.0
15
3. 5
3
.7
7
1. 6
7
1.6
__ ____ ___ --------2
.5
__ ____ ___ ---- - - - -.2
- -- --- -- - ---- -- - - - --- ----- ------ - --- - ------ ------ -- ___ ____ __ - - ---- - -- -- ----- - ------ -- 16
15
29
__ _____________ ___
__ ____ _________ __ _
.2
.2
__ _____ ____ ______ _
__ ___ ____ ______ ___
1
.2
2
.4
1
.2
9
1.8
2
.4
8
1.6
5
1.0
10
1.9
7
1.4
24
4.'i
30
5. 8
29
5. 7
32
6.2
35
6. 8
41
8.0
37
7. 2
37
7.2
36
7. 0
48
9. 4
49
9. 6
· 26
5. 1
13
2. 5
13
2. 5
15
2. 9
65
APPENDIXES
TABLE
UL-Average hourly earnings of operators before and after the union agreement
and the code-6 centers- Continued
CHICAGO
Dresse wholesaling a t-
. 1-- -- - - - - -- - - - -11----------- - - $3.75 and less
Over $3.75
Average hourly earnings
Before agreement
After agreement
Number Percent Number Percent
Before agreement
After agreement
Number Percent Number Percent
- - - - - - -- - - · I-- - - -- - - - - - - - -- - - - -- - - -- - - -- - - - TotaL ___ ___ - - - - - - --Median earnings, cents __ ___
152
22. 8
163
100. 0
57. 3 -- - - - - --Less than 20 cents___ ____ ___
51
33. 6 __ _____________ ___
18
11. 8 __ _____________ ___
20, less than 22 cents_ -- - - -22,lessthan24cents ____ ___
18
11.8
1
.6
24,lessthan26cents___ ____
9
5. 9
1
.6
26,lessthan28cents _______
9
5. 9
2
1. 2
7
4. 6 __ ____ ___ ____ ____ _
28, less than 30 cents _- - - - -11
7. 2
3
1. 8
30, less than 32 cents ___ - --32,lessthan34cents_______
4
2.6
3
1.8
34,lessthan36cents _______
4
2. 6
3
1. 8
36,lessthan38cents __ _____
6
3.9
4
2. 5
38,lessthan40cents __ ____ _
4
2.6
2
1. 2
40,lessthan42cents___ __ __
2
1.3
7
4. 3
42,lessthan44cents ___ ____
5
3. 3
5
3. 1
44, less than 46 cents ___ - - -1
.7
6
3. 7
46, less than 48 cents ___ ---1
.7
10
6. 1
48,lessthan50cents__ _____
1
.7
5
3. 1
50, less than 55 cents __ __--1
.7
20
12. 3
55,lessthan60cents__ _____ ______ ___ _________
21
12.9
60,lessthan65cents__ _____ ________ _ __ _______
19
11.7
65,lessthan 70cents____ ___ __ _______ ____ _____
22
13. 5
70,lessthan 75cents___ ____ __ _______ ___ _____ _
16
9. 8
75,lessthan80cents____ ___ ________ _ __ _______
5
3. 1
80,lessthan85cents _______ __ _______ __ _______
3
1. 8
4
2. 5
85,lessthan90cents____ ___ __ _______ __ __ _____
90,lessthan95cents ____ _____ ______ __ ___ ___ __ __ _______ __ _______
95 cents,lessthan$1.00 _____ -- - - - ~- - - ________ _ __ _______ ··------- 1
.6
$1, less than$1.10_ ___ ______ __ ___ ___ _ __ _____ __
$1.10, less than $1.20 __ ____ ____ ___ ___ _ __ __ ______ _____ ___ ____ __ ___
$1.20 and more __ ______ __ __ _ ___________ ____ ____ _______ _ __ _____ __
100. 0
531
100. 0
31. 8 -- - -- -- - -
499
100. 0
68. 2 -- --- ----
6. 4
4. 7
6. 0
8. 5
6. 8
7. 9
10. 9
9. 4
5. 5
6. 6
•2
.4
.6
5. 8
3. 6
4. 1
3. 2
1. 5
1. 5
2. 6
2. 6
1. 1
1. 6
.8
2.8
1.8
10.4
10. 8
13. 4
11. 2
•2
•2
10.6
11.4
8.6
4.8
3. 2
2.4
2. 6
2.0
.4
.2
.2
.2
ST. LOUIS
TotaL __ __ ___ __ ____ __
Median earnings, cents _____
84
24. 9
100. 0
Lessthan20cents___ ___ ____
21
25. 0
20, less than 22 cents _______
5
6. O
22,lessthan24cents___ ____
9
10. 7
24,lessthan26cents ___ ____
15
17. 9
26,lessthan28cents ___ __ __
11
13.1
28,lessthan30cents ___ ____
8
9. 5
30,lessthan32cents _______
4
4.8
32, less than 34 cents _______
4
4. 8
3
3. 6
34,lessthan36cents _______
2
2. 4
36, less than 38 cents___ ____
38, less than 40 cents _________ __________ _____ _
40,lessthan42cents ____ ___
1
1. 2
42, less than 44 cents __ _______ ___ ______ ____ ___
44,lessthan46cents __ __ ___
1
1. 2
46,lessthan48 cents ___ _________ ____ _____ ___ _
48, less than bO cents __ ___ ____ _________ ____ __ _
50,lessthan53cents __ ________________ __ __ ___
53, less than 55 cents ____ _____ ___________ _____
55, less than 60 cents _____________ ______ ____ __
60,lessthan65cents ___ ______ ___________ ____ _
65, less than 70 cents _____________ ___ _____ ___ _
~i:
== ======
===
80, 1~
less :~:~is:~:=======
than 85 cents ___ __ ___=======
____________
____
_
85, less than 90 cents ___ _-- 90, less than 95 cents __ _______ _________ ____ ___
95 cents, less than $L ___ ___________ _ __ ______ _
0 --------
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
-- -- -
- -- -
118
100. 0
57. 5
227
23. 5
66
29
25
21
100. 0
100.0
29. l
12. 8
11. 0
9. 3
26
10. 1
11. 5
8
3. 5
11
23
229
55. 1
2
2
.9
.9 .
.8
3
4. 8
4. 4
1. 3
3. 4
3
1. 3
5
2. 5
1
.4
14
6.1
9
3.9
1. 7
.8
1. 7
5. 1
3. 4
12. 7
5. 9
23. 7
20.3
7. 6
3. 4
.8
3. 4
.8
.8
.8
10
.4
===------------=-- -
3
1.3
2. 2
9
18
14
38
3. 9
7. g
6.1
16.6
30
47
23
10
3
13.1
20. 5
10. 0
4.4
1.3
.4
1
1
.4
66
PIECEWORK IN THE SILK-DRESS INDUSTRY
I
IV.-Average hourly earnings of operators on dresses wholesaling at over $3.75,
before and after the union agreement and code-Cleveland, Los Angeles, and St.
Paul and Minneapolis
TABLE
Cleveland
Average hourly earnings
Before
change
St. Paul and Minneapolis
Los Angeles
After change
Num- Per- Num- Perber cent ber cent
Before
change
After change
Num- Per- Num- Perber cent ber cent
,
Before
change
After change
Num- Per- Num- Perber cent ber cent
---- -- -- -- ---- -- -- -- -TotaL ____________ 150 100. 0
182 100. 0
Median earnings, cents __ 31.1 -- ---- 80. 0 ------
478 100. 0
394 100.0
115 100.0
106
100.0
34. 7 ------ 64. 6 ------ 33.8 ---- -- 57. 5 ------- - -- --------------- --Less than 20 cents ______
73 15. 3 ------ -----16 10. 7 -- ---- --- --26 22. 6 -- - -- - --- --20, less than 22 cents ____
22
4. 6 --- --- -----6.1 ---- -- --- -- 7
4. 7 ------ -- ---7
22, less than 24 cents ____
5. 4 ------ ------ ------ ------ ----- - ---- -11
7. 3 ------ -----26
24, less than 26 cents ____
10
2.1 ------ -----1
.9 ------ -----14
9.3 ------ -----26, less than 28 cents ____
3. 1 ------ -----3. 5 ------ -----9.3 ----- - -- ---15
4
14
28, less than 30 cents ____
2
4. 0 ------ -----23
4.8
.5
2
1. 7 ------ ---- -6
30, less than 32 cents ____
1.1
1
2
5. 2
.3
6.1 -- -- -- ---- -13
8. 7
25
7
32, less than 34 cents ____
1
32
6. 7
.3
12 10.4 --- -- - ----- 15 10.0 ------ ---- -34, less than 36 cents ____
2
1. 1
1
.3
.9
14
9. 3
87 18. 2
16 13. 9
36, less than 38 cents ____
1
.5
50 10. 5 -- ---- -----7
6. 1 ------ -----9
6. 0
38, less than 40 cents ____
1.1
2
21
4. 4
2
.5
12 10.4
8
5.3
40, less than 42 cents ____
3. 3
5
42, less than 44 cents ____
4
2. 7
44, less than 46 cents ____
2
1. 3
46, less than 48 cents ____
1
.7
48, less than 50 cents ____
4
2. 7
50, less than 55 cents ____
2
1. 3
55, less than 60 cents ___ _
2
1. 3
60, less than 65 cents ____
1
.7
65, less than 70 cents ____
1
.7
70~ less thna 75 cents ____
1
.7
75, less than 80 cents ____ ------ -----80, less than 85 cents ____ ------ ---- -85, less than 90 cents ____ ---- -----90, less than 95 cents ____
95 cents, less than $1.00__
$1.00 and more ___ _______ ------ ------
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1
1
1
2
3
2
5
11
15
16
27
27
18
21
8
17
.5
.5
.5
1.1
1. 6
1.1
2. 7
6. 0
8. 2
8.8
14. 8
14. 8
9. 9
11. 5
4. 4
9. 3
20
14
10
6
6
13
14
2
4
1
2
1
1
4. 2
2. 9
2. 1
1. 3
1. 3
2. 7
2. 9
.4
.8
.2
.4
.2
.2
------ ----------- ----------- -- ----
10
11
11
13
12
31
33
78
81
41
27
16
10
4
5
------ ------
2. 5
6.1
1
.9
7
2. 8
5. 2
3.8
4
6
2. 8
2. 8
3
2. 6
3
3.3
2
1. 7
7.5
8
3. 0 ---- -- ---- -7. 5
8
7. 9
2
21
1. 7
19. 8
8. 4
1
.9
14
13. 2
19.8 ------ -----32
30. 2
20. 6 ------ -----9
8. 5
10.4 ------ -----4
3.8
6. 9 ------ -----1
.9
4.1 ------ -- ---- ------ -----2.5 ------ ------ ------ -----1.0 -- ---- --- --- ------ -----1. 3 ------ ------ --- - -- -----1.0 ------ ------ -- -- -- ------
Appendix B. - SCHEDULE FORMS
SCHEDULE I
[This schedule was used for the interviews with employers as to method of pay ,
piece rates, scheduled hours, etc.]
U. S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
WOMEN'S BUREAU
1. Firm ___________________ Address __ ________________________________ _
2. Product_ ________________________
4. Person interviewed____ ___________
Position___ ______________________
3. Material_ ___________
Price
Early __________________ ______ _
Late _____ _..: ___________ ______ _
5. EARLY pay period dates: ______ ___ _ 6. LATE pay period dates: ______ ___ _
7. No. emp.- M _______ W ____ __TotaL _____ M _______ W ____ ___ TotaL ____ __
8. Hours 1- B ____ __ E ______ L _____ _T ______ B __ __ __ E __ __ __ L _____ _T __ __ __
Sat. - B ______ E ______ L ______ T ______ B __ ___ _E __ ____ L _____ _T _____ _
Days per week ______ Wkly. hours ___ __ _Days per wk. _____ _Wkly. hrs. ___ __ _
9. Operations, method of pay and piece r_a tes:
Early
Late
10. Reason above pay-roll weeks were selected _______ ________ __ __________ ___
11. Busy season (months) _____ ______ ___ ________ _____ ____________________ _
Slack season (months) _______________________________________________ _
12. Union shop_ ____________ How long ____ ________________ __ _________ ___
13. Shop overall ___ ___ _________________________________________________ _
14. Notes ______ ____ ___________ __________________ ___ _____ __ ____________ _
Agent ________ __ Date _______ __ _
1
Begin, end, lunch, tbtal.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
6'1
68
PIECEWORK IN THE SILK-DRESS INDUSTRY
SCHEDULE II
[This schedule was used for recording pay-roll data]
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
WOMEN'S BUREAU
City _____ ______ ___ ____ ___ ____ Agent _____ ___ ____ ___ ____ __ ___ __ ___ ___ __ _
Name _____ ______________ Firm ___ _____ ______ _____ ____ Date _________ _ _
Operation___ _____________
Product_ ___________________
Grade _________ _
Date (week end) __ __ ________________ ________ __________ _______________ _
Week's earnings ___ ________________ ___________________________________ _
Hours worked _____ ___________________________________________________ _
Production and rate ___ ____________ ___ __________________ ______________ _
Scheduled weekly hours ________ ___ __ ___ ________ _________________________ _
Total hours worked ____ __ ______ __ __ Average hourly earnings __ ___ ___ _____ _
Total earnings _______________ ______ Average hourly production __ ___ _____ _
Total production___ ________ ___ _____ Average piece rate __ ___ ____________ __
0
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
@FedFRASER